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 Morpydeo Rege Bastardo. |
 | The Story of England |  |
132
De Morpydeo Rege Bastardo.
Þys Daneus hadde on bastardieA sone þat wan hit wyþ maistrie;
Morpydus, hit seys he hight;
He was a merueillous mody knyght.
Þorow hardynesse wan hit of chaunce;
Egreliche he tok vengeaunce,
Hys ire, when hit on hym ran,
ffor nought wold he slo no man;
ffor loue wold he noman spare,
Þe whyles þat his wrathe ware.
In al þe regne ne was þer non
So fair of vertues als he on.
Hys body was gent, & fair of vis;
Til alle he gaf gyftes of pris;
Out of mesure þen was he large,
Tresour to holde ne made he charge.
Þe while his ire was a-weye,
Al wold he do þat men wold seye,
& also meke was as a child,
Tyl þat his wraþ wax on hym wyld.
In Morpidus tyme þat was so stout,
Þe duk of Morreue robbed a-bout;
Northumberland gan he waste;
& Morpydus til hym gan haste,
And angerly gan hym assaille,
& þer hym slow in pleyn bataille.
Þus seide men, & ȝit mes seys,
Þat hit was proued (y not what weys)
Þat Morpidus slow mo men, alone,
Þan alle his host[e] dide ilkone.
When he had slayn al þat he myght,
& was al wery more to fyght,
Þe bodies he dide brenne of þo,
Er his grete ire myght ouer go.
Þe tyme þat he was best in elde,
& stalwordest hym self to welde,
A best com out of þe Irysche se
& destruyed al þe contre;
An hydous best was hit by sight,
‘Monstre Maryne’ men seide hit hight;
& som men caldit ‘Marebellew,’
So wonderful best no man þer knew.
(Swylk calle men ‘Monstre,’ als y fynde,
Þat lymes hauen out of kynde;
Þat hauen lymes more or lesse,
‘Monstre’ men seis þat swilkon ysse.)
‘Marebellow’ ys þe se hound:
I not wheþer hit suiymmes or is atte ground.
Was non þat wonede by þe se syde,
Þat durste for þat best abyde;
Man & best he swelwed & et;
Þat he ouertok, on lyue ne let.
Þe duk of Morreue robbed a-bout;
Northumberland gan he waste;
& Morpydus til hym gan haste,
And angerly gan hym assaille,
& þer hym slow in pleyn bataille.
Þus seide men, & ȝit mes seys,
Þat hit was proued (y not what weys)
133
Þan alle his host[e] dide ilkone.
When he had slayn al þat he myght,
& was al wery more to fyght,
Þe bodies he dide brenne of þo,
Er his grete ire myght ouer go.
Þe tyme þat he was best in elde,
& stalwordest hym self to welde,
A best com out of þe Irysche se
& destruyed al þe contre;
An hydous best was hit by sight,
‘Monstre Maryne’ men seide hit hight;
& som men caldit ‘Marebellew,’
So wonderful best no man þer knew.
(Swylk calle men ‘Monstre,’ als y fynde,
Þat lymes hauen out of kynde;
Þat hauen lymes more or lesse,
‘Monstre’ men seis þat swilkon ysse.)
‘Marebellow’ ys þe se hound:
I not wheþer hit suiymmes or is atte ground.
Was non þat wonede by þe se syde,
Þat durste for þat best abyde;
Man & best he swelwed & et;
Þat he ouertok, on lyue ne let.
Morpidus herde þerof gret cry;
Hys herte was bold & euere hardy,
On himself he affyed so,
Allone, þe best he ȝede hym to,
& faught wyþ hym,—hit was folye
On hym self so mykel forto affie;—
Hym self alone þe best assailled,
Gret hardynesse hym non ne failled;
Wyþ spere first he til hym schet;
& wounded hym þat was so gret.
Whan he had schoten, & til hym cast,
Þenne wyþ swerd hew on hym fast.
Ouer neygh he cam in þat fyghtyng:
He gaped wyde, & swelwed þe kyng.
[þus gate deid sir Morpidus;
So did þe best þat swalud him thus.]
ffor þe kyng men made gret mone,
Þe bestes deþ conforted ilkone.
Hys herte was bold & euere hardy,
On himself he affyed so,
Allone, þe best he ȝede hym to,
& faught wyþ hym,—hit was folye
On hym self so mykel forto affie;—
134
Gret hardynesse hym non ne failled;
Wyþ spere first he til hym schet;
& wounded hym þat was so gret.
Whan he had schoten, & til hym cast,
Þenne wyþ swerd hew on hym fast.
Ouer neygh he cam in þat fyghtyng:
He gaped wyde, & swelwed þe kyng.
[þus gate deid sir Morpidus;
So did þe best þat swalud him thus.]
ffor þe kyng men made gret mone,
Þe bestes deþ conforted ilkone.
| The Story of England | |