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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| Malicia Pende. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Malicia Pende.
Alle his barons þyder went
ffor to be þer at his feste,
South, north, west, & est;
But þider cam nought þo Osewy;
I ne wot for what hit was, ne why.
When Penda hit perseiued, he made gret fare
ffor þat Osewy was nought þare:
To Cadwalyn he made his pleynt,
& seide ‘Osewy was fals & feynt,
“Syn he cam nought for þy somons
“To þy court, als oþer barouns.
“Alle ar þey comen, ilka Bretoun,
“& ilkan Englische & Saxoun;
“But Osewy tok þy somons in veyn,
“To come to court he hadde disdeyn.”
Þe kyng excused hym curteysly:
“He haþ som gret encheson why;
“Perauenture he haþ som syknesse
“Or oþer greuaunce þat makeþ hym stresse.”
“Nay,” seide Penda, “hit ys nought so!
“Þou sest nought what Osewy wil do!
“In þys tyme of þy corounement,
“In-til Saxoyn haþ he sent
“After souders, as was me told,
“To venge þe deþ of Osewold.
“When he seþ tyme þat he may,
“On þe to renne he wile assay.
“But, Cadwalyn, wil þou giue me leue,
“I schal hym brynge til a mescheue,
“Þat eyþer schal y don hym fle,
“Or quik or ded bryng hym to þe.”
Seide Cadwalyn, “þus may hit make;
“Neþeles y schal conseil take.”
He calde þe Bretons hym aboute,
And dide Penda go wyþoute,
& þe Englische euerychone;
So þe Bretons left al-one.
ffor to be þer at his feste,
South, north, west, & est;
But þider cam nought þo Osewy;
I ne wot for what hit was, ne why.
When Penda hit perseiued, he made gret fare
ffor þat Osewy was nought þare:
To Cadwalyn he made his pleynt,
& seide ‘Osewy was fals & feynt,
“Syn he cam nought for þy somons
“To þy court, als oþer barouns.
“Alle ar þey comen, ilka Bretoun,
“& ilkan Englische & Saxoun;
“But Osewy tok þy somons in veyn,
“To come to court he hadde disdeyn.”
Þe kyng excused hym curteysly:
“He haþ som gret encheson why;
“Perauenture he haþ som syknesse
“Or oþer greuaunce þat makeþ hym stresse.”
“Nay,” seide Penda, “hit ys nought so!
“Þou sest nought what Osewy wil do!
“In þys tyme of þy corounement,
“In-til Saxoyn haþ he sent
“After souders, as was me told,
“To venge þe deþ of Osewold.
“When he seþ tyme þat he may,
“On þe to renne he wile assay.
565
“I schal hym brynge til a mescheue,
“Þat eyþer schal y don hym fle,
“Or quik or ded bryng hym to þe.”
Seide Cadwalyn, “þus may hit make;
“Neþeles y schal conseil take.”
He calde þe Bretons hym aboute,
And dide Penda go wyþoute,
& þe Englische euerychone;
So þe Bretons left al-one.
Cadwalyn seyd, “lordes alle,
“Seyeþ now what wil best byfalle
“Of þys þat Penda haþ bysought;
“Wheþer hit is god to do or nought.”
Þenne spak first sire Margadu,
Lord of Southwalys, for þer prou:
“Longe hit is þys was bygonne,
“& ȝyt is hit nought al ouer ronne,
“Bytwyxt vs & þe Englische kynde,
“& ȝit wot non how hit wyl bynde;
“Hou so bitwyxt hem be strif or stresse,
“Vs to noye euere ar þey fresche;
“Be þey byneþe, be þey aboue,
“Vs ne wil þey neuere loue,
“Ne þer trouþe wyl þey nought holde;
“To do a felonye ar þey ful bolde.
“Haue þys y þyn herte ful streit,
“How þey haue don vs many deseit
“So fele tymes here byforn;
“& also often hastow sworn
“Þat þou scholdest ȝit brynge hem heþen;
“But þyn oþ ys ay byneþen,
“Syn þou sest þat þou may nought
“ffulfylle þy dede wyþ þy þought,—
“Ne per chaunce ys nought þy wille,—
“Suffre þat on þat oþer spille,
“Suffre þat on þat oþer schende,
“Ne entremet þe at neyþer ende.
“Penda is Englische, & noþyng good,
“& Osewy ys of Englische blod;
“Make we þer-of no maner iangle,
“Suffre þe dogges ech oþer strangle,
“Suffre hem eyþer on oþer renne,
“& ilkon oþer robbe & brenne;
“& þorow meschaunce of fight or flyt,
“Þys lond mai happe of þem be quit.”
Þen speke þe Bretons at o breyd,
“Sire Margadu, þou hast wel seyd!
“To þys conseil alle we holde,
“Right as sire Margadu haþ tolde.”
“Penda,” þey seyde, “do what þou wilt
“To Cadwalyn! hit is no gilt.”
Penda proudly tok his leue;
“Seyeþ now what wil best byfalle
“Of þys þat Penda haþ bysought;
“Wheþer hit is god to do or nought.”
Þenne spak first sire Margadu,
Lord of Southwalys, for þer prou:
“Longe hit is þys was bygonne,
“& ȝyt is hit nought al ouer ronne,
“Bytwyxt vs & þe Englische kynde,
“& ȝit wot non how hit wyl bynde;
“Hou so bitwyxt hem be strif or stresse,
“Vs to noye euere ar þey fresche;
“Be þey byneþe, be þey aboue,
“Vs ne wil þey neuere loue,
“Ne þer trouþe wyl þey nought holde;
“To do a felonye ar þey ful bolde.
“Haue þys y þyn herte ful streit,
“How þey haue don vs many deseit
“So fele tymes here byforn;
“& also often hastow sworn
“Þat þou scholdest ȝit brynge hem heþen;
“But þyn oþ ys ay byneþen,
566
“ffulfylle þy dede wyþ þy þought,—
“Ne per chaunce ys nought þy wille,—
“Suffre þat on þat oþer spille,
“Suffre þat on þat oþer schende,
“Ne entremet þe at neyþer ende.
“Penda is Englische, & noþyng good,
“& Osewy ys of Englische blod;
“Make we þer-of no maner iangle,
“Suffre þe dogges ech oþer strangle,
“Suffre hem eyþer on oþer renne,
“& ilkon oþer robbe & brenne;
“& þorow meschaunce of fight or flyt,
“Þys lond mai happe of þem be quit.”
Þen speke þe Bretons at o breyd,
“Sire Margadu, þou hast wel seyd!
“To þys conseil alle we holde,
“Right as sire Margadu haþ tolde.”
“Penda,” þey seyde, “do what þou wilt
“To Cadwalyn! hit is no gilt.”
Oswy algate wold he greue;
He gadred gret host on his side,
& Penda cam wyþ ful gret pryde;
He sembled his host ful hastely,
ffersly to struye sire Osewy.
Osewy sone herdit seye
567
He douted sore his wykked res,
& sende to Penda for þe pe;
‘& ȝyf he wolde þer-to graunt,
‘He wolde hym gyue in god couenaunt
‘Gold & siluer at his might,
‘His lond to haue wyþoute fight.’
Penda seide ‘he wolde nought leue:
‘He scholde hym chace, þe coroune reue.’
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