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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Ego Galfridus Arthurus Monemutensis, qui hanc
historiam Britonum de eorum lingua in nostram
transferre curaui, dimitto fortunas successoribus
meis scribendas. |
 | The Story of England |  |
6
Ego Galfridus Arthurus Monemutensis, qui hanc historiam Britonum de eorum lingua in nostram transferre curaui, dimitto fortunas successoribus meis scribendas.
Geffrey Arthure of Minumue,fro Breton speche he did remue,
& made it alle in Latyn
þat clerkes haf now knawyng in.
In Gloucestre was fonden a buke
þat þe Inglis couthe not rede no luke,
On þat langage þai knew no herde;
bot an erle þat hyght Roberde,
he prayed þat ilk clerk Geffrey
to turne it fro þat speche away
In-to Latyn, as it mente,
þat þe Inglis mot know þe entente;
ffor Geffrey knew þe langage wele,
In Latyn he broght it ilka dele.
Siþen com a clerk, Mayster Wace,
to make romance had he grace,
& turned it ro Latyne,
& rymed it in Frankis fyne
vnto þe Cadwaladres;
no forer, þer makes he ses.
Als Geffrey in Latyn sayd,
so Mayster Wace in Frankis layd;
þe date of Criste was þan þis lyue,
A thousand ȝere fifty & fyue.
Than com out of Brydlyngton
Pers of Langtoft, a chanon;
Als Mayster Wace þe same he says,
bot he rymed it oþer ways;
he begynnes at Eneas,
of alle þe Brute he tellis þe pas,
& s[i]þen alle þe Inglis dedis;
feyrere langage non ne redis.
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þat all in metir fulle wele lys;
And I, Robert, fulle fayn wald bringe
In Inglis tonge þer faire saiynge.
God gyve me grace wel to spede,
þys rym on Englische for to rede.
| The Story of England | |