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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Exe fratres diuiderunt regnum. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Exe fratres diuiderunt regnum.
Wha[n] þat Condage & Morgan
Of Gordylle þus þe land wan,
Condage tok (als hym þoughte best)
Ouer Humber þe Northwest.
Þenne Morgan þe South ches,
& two ȝer þey helde þe lond yn pes;
Bot Couetyse þat neuere restes,
Venym amonges men hit kestes.
Morgan hadde enuiouse felawes,
Þat wyckedly seyde til hym sawes;
Þem were leuere werre þan pes.
He lystned hem, & þat he ches.
Þus þey seyde vntil Morgan,
“Þat þow art eldest, & baldest man,
“& hast bot half, & ȝit þe leste;
“& he ys ȝongest, & haþ þe meste,
“And þat ys al þyn owen gylt.
“Þou may haue hit al ȝyf þat þou wilt;
“To ride, ȝyf þat þou wile bygynne,
“& al þe lond[e] myght þou wynne;
“Þou getest folk wyþoute noumbre
“To sese þe londe by-ȝonde Humbre.
“Ȝyf þou bygynne forto ryde,
“Condage schal nought þe abyde.”
Morgan dide atte her conseille
& wroughte hym self to wroþer haylle;
He passed Humber, destruyed þe lond,
Brente & robbed al þat he fond.
Of Gordylle þus þe land wan,
Condage tok (als hym þoughte best)
Ouer Humber þe Northwest.
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& two ȝer þey helde þe lond yn pes;
Bot Couetyse þat neuere restes,
Venym amonges men hit kestes.
Morgan hadde enuiouse felawes,
Þat wyckedly seyde til hym sawes;
Þem were leuere werre þan pes.
He lystned hem, & þat he ches.
Þus þey seyde vntil Morgan,
“Þat þow art eldest, & baldest man,
“& hast bot half, & ȝit þe leste;
“& he ys ȝongest, & haþ þe meste,
“And þat ys al þyn owen gylt.
“Þou may haue hit al ȝyf þat þou wilt;
“To ride, ȝyf þat þou wile bygynne,
“& al þe lond[e] myght þou wynne;
“Þou getest folk wyþoute noumbre
“To sese þe londe by-ȝonde Humbre.
“Ȝyf þou bygynne forto ryde,
“Condage schal nought þe abyde.”
Morgan dide atte her conseille
& wroughte hym self to wroþer haylle;
He passed Humber, destruyed þe lond,
Brente & robbed al þat he fond.
Condage herde hit sone seye;
He dighte his host to stoppe hys weye
Morgan herd telle þat Condage
Com wiþ gret host & outrage;
He turned bak, & gan to fle
South, fro contre to contre.
ffer yn to Walys fled Morgan;
& Condage folewed, & hym ouer-ran.
He dighte his host to stoppe hys weye
Morgan herd telle þat Condage
Com wiþ gret host & outrage;
He turned bak, & gan to fle
South, fro contre to contre.
ffer yn to Walys fled Morgan;
& Condage folewed, & hym ouer-ran.
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