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 |
 |
|
De ludo inter Coryneum & Gogmagogum. |
 | The Story of England |  |
De ludo inter Coryneum & Gogmagogum.
Coryneus first vp he stirt,& wyþ a cloþ his body gyrt;
Strait in þe flank dide hym lace,
& com & stod forth y þe place.
65
He hadde hym dight, & was al bone.
Þe firste pul so harde was set
Þat þeyr brestes to-gyder met;
Þeir handes ouer bakkes þey caste,
Syde to syde was set ful faste;
Þer was turn ageynes turn;
Þat waykest was, byhoued spurn.
ffor-setten byfore, & eke byhynde,
Wyþ crokes ilkon oþer gan bynde;
Oft aboute ilk oþer þrew,
þe stem stod vp, so þey blew.
þey handled boþe sore þer nekkes;
Chynnes, chekes, gef harde chekkes;
Þeyr teþ gnaisted wiþ nose snore,
Hurtlede hedes set ful sore;
Ilk oþer pulled, ilk oþer schok,
Wiþ fet in fourche ilk oþer tok.
Wyþ trip forsetten, ilk oþer to gyle,
In lyft in wryþyng þey sayed vmwhile;
Ilkon fro erthe dide oþer ryse
Wyþ strengþe more þan wyþ queintise.
Gogmagog proued his strengþe,—
Twelue cubyte he was in lengþe,—
In armes Coryneus he laught,
& on hym drow so strong a draught
þat þre rybbes brosten in his side,
& had ner cast him [at] þat tyde.
66
Þat he was for þe geaunt lamed;
He recouered his strengþe for tene,
Of skaþe wold he hym no more mene;
Wyþ þat þe geaunt [anon] he hente,
& in his armes so hym wente
Þat Gogmagog gan to swowene,
& bar hym wyþ þe bank [a]doune;
Doun of þe roche he let hym falle—
þerfore ffaleys men gon hit calle;—
Er he cam doun, was flesche & bon
Al to-ryuen fro ston to ston.
A gret þrowe þer he lay ded,
Þe water of his blod was red.
| The Story of England | |