The Story of England by Robert Manning of Brunne, A.D. 1338. Edited from mss. at Lambeth Palace and the Inner Temple, by Frederick J. Furnivall |
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De Morte Osewaldy. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De Morte Osewaldy.
Osewald wyste he schuld þer deye,& mighte nought scape by no weye;
In his fallynge he seyde on hy,
“Of alle our soules, Lord, haue mercy!”
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& fel doun, & þer he deyd.
Of þo men þat þys word herd,
A byword in al þe contre ferd,
“God haue our soules! quaþ Osewold.”
Þys byword was longe y-told,
Þys þey seide at ilka rage,
& longe had þey hit in vsage:
Þis word witnesseþ wel seynt Bede,
Þat longe was vsed in many lede.
Nyne wynter was he kyng,
& eighte & þritty ȝer was ȝynge;
Þe date of Crist ys told redy,
Six hundred ȝer, & two & fourty.
Þyse wikkede kynges þat hym slow,
Dide henge his lymes on a bow;
A tre þey dide sette þer fore;
Handes, armes, þey dide þorow bore;
| The Story of England | |