The Original Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun printed on parallel pages from the Cottonian and Wemyss mss., with the variants of the other texts: Edited with introduction, notes, and glossary by F. J. Amours |
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 | CHAPTER XC. The Original Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun |  |
CHAPTER XC.
Off þe fell DioclesianeAnd of his fallow Maximiane.
In Rome þat tyme wes a tyrand
Cruell and felloune þan regnand,
That had to name Maxentius.
He had all tyme a commone vse
To disheriss þe noble men
That in to Rome were wonnand þen,
And demanyt all þe empyre
With tyrandry, fellony and fyre.
He put to dede Sanct Katharene,
That glorius and þat sueitt virgine,
Bot þis he gert hir thole in Grece
That is fra Rome a weill gud pece;
And þai þat were chasit of þat land
Come to Constantyne to warand,
And tald him of his tyrandriss,
And maid him prayere on all wiss
To pass with þaim and wynn þar land,
And it suld be to him obeyand.
He went wiþ ane oste, gret and stout,
And maid it to Rome vnderlout,
And syne he had þe monarchy
Off all þe braid warld halely.
Cruell and felloune þan regnand,
That had to name Maxentius.
He had all tyme a commone vse
To disheriss þe noble men
That in to Rome were wonnand þen,
And demanyt all þe empyre
With tyrandry, fellony and fyre.
He put to dede Sanct Katharene,
That glorius and þat sueitt virgine,
Bot þis he gert hir thole in Grece
That is fra Rome a weill gud pece;
And þai þat were chasit of þat land
Come to Constantyne to warand,
And tald him of his tyrandriss,
And maid him prayere on all wiss
To pass with þaim and wynn þar land,
And it suld be to him obeyand.
428
And maid it to Rome vnderlout,
And syne he had þe monarchy
Off all þe braid warld halely.
Constantyne apone þis wiss
Come first to Rome, as I deviss,
And þare in to lepare fell,
And helit wes, as ȝe herd tell.
His modere and his emys thre
To Rome þat tyme with him had he,
And deputis behind him he left
To keip Brettane till him eft.
Come first to Rome, as I deviss,
And þare in to lepare fell,
And helit wes, as ȝe herd tell.
His modere and his emys thre
To Rome þat tyme with him had he,
And deputis behind him he left
To keip Brettane till him eft.
Bot Octovyus, a gret man syne,
That cummyn wes of kingis lyne,
Raiss and þai deputis has slane,
And held þe kinrik sa wiþ mayne,
And maid him self king of þat land,
And chasit his fais throu stalwart hand.
That cummyn wes of kingis lyne,
Raiss and þai deputis has slane,
And held þe kinrik sa wiþ mayne,
And maid him self king of þat land,
And chasit his fais throu stalwart hand.
Quhen þis to Constantyne wes tald,
Thre legionis of knychtis bald
With his moder eme, Trahen,
In to Brettane send he then.
A legioun is vi. thousand
Sex hundreth sexty and sex beand,
Off angellis, of feyndis or of men;
And, as I said, þis Trahen
Aryvit þan with mekle macht,
And with Octouyus sone he facht,
And vencust him for all his mycht;
Bot he eschapit fra þe ficht,
And fled to monethis neire þarby
To sauf his self, bot specialy
He prayit his men þai suld þaim ma
With him slycht Trahen to sla.
And ane erll of his cumpany
Waitit Trahen sa prevely
That with a buschement he [has] slane
Trahen. Octouyus þan agane
Raiss, and tuke till him þe land
Haill agane in till his hand,
And put the Romanis all away,
And wes king sa till his [end] day.
Thre legionis of knychtis bald
With his moder eme, Trahen,
In to Brettane send he then.
A legioun is vi. thousand
Sex hundreth sexty and sex beand,
Off angellis, of feyndis or of men;
And, as I said, þis Trahen
Aryvit þan with mekle macht,
And with Octouyus sone he facht,
And vencust him for all his mycht;
Bot he eschapit fra þe ficht,
430
To sauf his self, bot specialy
He prayit his men þai suld þaim ma
With him slycht Trahen to sla.
And ane erll of his cumpany
Waitit Trahen sa prevely
That with a buschement he [has] slane
Trahen. Octouyus þan agane
Raiss, and tuke till him þe land
Haill agane in till his hand,
And put the Romanis all away,
And wes king sa till his [end] day.
And all þis tyme of þe empyre
Constantyne wes lord and syre,
And Siluester wes pape of Rome,
And kepare of all Cristindome.
He maid first with deuotioun
Solemply dedicatioun
Off haly kirk in till his dais;
And be þat sampill ȝit alwayis
It is vsit ilk ȝere,
All þe tymes fallis seire.
He gert ordane altaris of stane,
In haly kirk befor wes nane;
Bot in Sanct Saluiouris kirk he
Gert keip ane altare maid of tre
Be þis ressoune, for Petyre ay
His mess vsit on it to say;
And all vthire, and in þare live
Papis efter him successive,
Quhill þis Siluester rysing wes,
Vsit on it to say þar mess.
Becauss of persecutioun
That ay wes dreidfull and felloune,
Thare wes na steid of steidfastnes
Quhare in preistis mycht say thare mess,
Bot in till honest houssis seire,
Quhare gud Cristin folkis wonnand were,
Or vnder erd in coiffis deip,
That mony vsit ay clene to keip,
Or betuix houssis as petyss
That ordanit were on seire quayntiss,
Preistis foure vsit to beire
With thai foure regnys þat altere.
Constantyne wes lord and syre,
And Siluester wes pape of Rome,
And kepare of all Cristindome.
He maid first with deuotioun
Solemply dedicatioun
Off haly kirk in till his dais;
And be þat sampill ȝit alwayis
It is vsit ilk ȝere,
All þe tymes fallis seire.
He gert ordane altaris of stane,
In haly kirk befor wes nane;
Bot in Sanct Saluiouris kirk he
Gert keip ane altare maid of tre
Be þis ressoune, for Petyre ay
His mess vsit on it to say;
432
Papis efter him successive,
Quhill þis Siluester rysing wes,
Vsit on it to say þar mess.
Becauss of persecutioun
That ay wes dreidfull and felloune,
Thare wes na steid of steidfastnes
Quhare in preistis mycht say thare mess,
Bot in till honest houssis seire,
Quhare gud Cristin folkis wonnand were,
Or vnder erd in coiffis deip,
That mony vsit ay clene to keip,
Or betuix houssis as petyss
That ordanit were on seire quayntiss,
Preistis foure vsit to beire
With thai foure regnys þat altere.
The comet, as þe story sais,
Apperit first in to þai dais;
That [is] a sterne wiþ bemys schyre,
Rycht as þe low of fyre,
And betakinnis pestilens
Quhen it makis apperens,
Deid of lordis or hungyr saire,
And ay it strekis þe beme mare
Quhen þat mysfortoune mon ryss;
That þe comate signyfyis.
Apperit first in to þai dais;
That [is] a sterne wiþ bemys schyre,
Rycht as þe low of fyre,
And betakinnis pestilens
Quhen it makis apperens,
Deid of lordis or hungyr saire,
And ay it strekis þe beme mare
Quhen þat mysfortoune mon ryss;
That þe comate signyfyis.
434
Constantyne þe emperour
His lif þan endit with honour.
In Rome þan raiss discensioun
About þe richt successioun
To þe empyre; Maximiane
And þe fell Dioclesiane,
Off quham befor ȝe haif herd tell,
Fra þare estait of þe empyre fell;
Off þare counsall and assent,
And vndeliuerit avisment,
Thare estait þai renunsit haill;
For þai sustene wald na travale,
Bot thocht to lif on þare tresore,
That þai had gaderit lang befor,
In vse and quyet but travale,
[And] lat þaim tak þe gouernall
That aucht to succeid be lynnage
To the empyre be heretage.
This consent wes done in deid,
And leit þe airis be law succeid.
His lif þan endit with honour.
In Rome þan raiss discensioun
About þe richt successioun
To þe empyre; Maximiane
And þe fell Dioclesiane,
Off quham befor ȝe haif herd tell,
Fra þare estait of þe empyre fell;
Off þare counsall and assent,
And vndeliuerit avisment,
Thare estait þai renunsit haill;
For þai sustene wald na travale,
Bot thocht to lif on þare tresore,
That þai had gaderit lang befor,
In vse and quyet but travale,
[And] lat þaim tak þe gouernall
That aucht to succeid be lynnage
To the empyre be heretage.
This consent wes done in deid,
And leit þe airis be law succeid.
Bot efter þat Maximiane
Agane þe empyre wald haif tane;
And for þat causs ay in till strif
He wes þe maist forss of his lif
With Constantynis sonnys thre,
That followit to þe ryalte.
Agane þe empyre wald haif tane;
And for þat causs ay in till strif
He wes þe maist forss of his lif
With Constantynis sonnys thre,
That followit to þe ryalte.
Octovyus in to þai dais,
As of þe [Brute] the story sais,
Off Brettane haill wes lord and king,
And had it all in gouernyng.
He had a dochter ȝoung and faire,
That of law wes þan his aire;
His counsall mast part thocht þat he
Suld ger his dochter maryit be
With sum gret man of gret riches,
And Conan-Merranduk, þat wes
His nevo, neist him suld be king,
For he wes neist of þare ofspring.
Bot Barradok, Duke of Cornwall,
Thocht it suld fere mare availl
To bring fra Rome Maximiane,
That of þe emperouris wes ane;
And throu þis cass it fell þat he
Come in Brettane with gret menȝe,
And that lady to wif has tane.
Sa wraith at þat wes þan Conane
That he assemblit all his mycht,
And mellit with him in to fycht,
And ourcome quhile, and sumquhile he,
Till at þe last þe haill barne
Off Brettane knyt þaim in sauchtnyng,
Bot Maximiane be left king.
As of þe [Brute] the story sais,
Off Brettane haill wes lord and king,
And had it all in gouernyng.
436
That of law wes þan his aire;
His counsall mast part thocht þat he
Suld ger his dochter maryit be
With sum gret man of gret riches,
And Conan-Merranduk, þat wes
His nevo, neist him suld be king,
For he wes neist of þare ofspring.
Bot Barradok, Duke of Cornwall,
Thocht it suld fere mare availl
To bring fra Rome Maximiane,
That of þe emperouris wes ane;
And throu þis cass it fell þat he
Come in Brettane with gret menȝe,
And that lady to wif has tane.
Sa wraith at þat wes þan Conane
That he assemblit all his mycht,
And mellit with him in to fycht,
And ourcome quhile, and sumquhile he,
Till at þe last þe haill barne
Off Brettane knyt þaim in sauchtnyng,
Bot Maximiane be left king.
Syne quhen v. ȝeris wes ourgane,
Swa prydit him Maximiane
For his gret tresoure and riches,
That him thocht Brettane to litill wes
For to mantene his ryalte,
Bot he wald ga wyne France all fre.
Tharfor alhaill the chevalry
That wes in Brettane halyly
He with him to the se has tane,
And alsua Merradok-Conane
He tuke, and maid him a chiftane;
And syne of Brettane he [has] tane
Off husbandis ic thousand
Till inhabit and hald that land;
And xv. thousand of armyt men
With him als he leiffit then,
And Litill Bertane gert it call.
This Conane and his ofspring all
Gouernyt it sa wisly ay
That it hecht Brettane to þis day.
Swa prydit him Maximiane
For his gret tresoure and riches,
That him thocht Brettane to litill wes
For to mantene his ryalte,
Bot he wald ga wyne France all fre.
Tharfor alhaill the chevalry
That wes in Brettane halyly
438
And alsua Merradok-Conane
He tuke, and maid him a chiftane;
And syne of Brettane he [has] tane
Off husbandis ic thousand
Till inhabit and hald that land;
And xv. thousand of armyt men
With him als he leiffit then,
And Litill Bertane gert it call.
This Conane and his ofspring all
Gouernyt it sa wisly ay
That it hecht Brettane to þis day.
And quhen Maximiane wonnyng had
All France, and till him subiect maid
Trewerse, he to Rome went syne.
There he slane wes throu covyne
Off þe empyre Graciane,
And sa endit Maximiane;
And the Brettonis at with him ware
Were slane and chasit here and þare,
And þe few þat eschapit þan
Come in Brettane to Conan.
All France, and till him subiect maid
Trewerse, he to Rome went syne.
There he slane wes throu covyne
Off þe empyre Graciane,
And sa endit Maximiane;
And the Brettonis at with him ware
Were slane and chasit here and þare,
And þe few þat eschapit þan
Come in Brettane to Conan.
Qwhen thai of Dace and of Sythy
Saw how Brettane wes vtraly
Leiffit all waist of armyt men,
At Brettane thai aryvit þen,
And castellis and tovnis vp has tane;
For with him had Maximiane
All the gud fechtaris of the land,
Na leiffit nane þat mycht warrand
The febill small folkis in to fecht,
To stynt with strenth þar fais mycht.
Saw how Brettane wes vtraly
Leiffit all waist of armyt men,
At Brettane thai aryvit þen,
And castellis and tovnis vp has tane;
For with him had Maximiane
440
Na leiffit nane þat mycht warrand
The febill small folkis in to fecht,
To stynt with strenth þar fais mycht.
Bot syne fra Rome come twa legionis
To help and succour þe Brettonys;
Graciane Municeps þan wes
Thare chiftane, and to se can pass,
And with þare fais syne met in fycht,
And vencust thaim with mekle mycht,
And chasit þaim all out till Irland.
To help and succour þe Brettonys;
Graciane Municeps þan wes
Thare chiftane, and to se can pass,
And with þare fais syne met in fycht,
And vencust thaim with mekle mycht,
And chasit þaim all out till Irland.
Syne of braid Brettane all þe land
He tuke till him, and maid him king;
Bot ȝit wes he in mekle thing
Fell to þe commonis; hastely
Thai raiss and slew him dispituously.
He tuke till him, and maid him king;
Bot ȝit wes he in mekle thing
Fell to þe commonis; hastely
Thai raiss and slew him dispituously.
And quhen he dede was, þai fled ware
Till Irland, and come agane rycht þare
In Brettane, and it waistit wer
Than þai did befor be fer.
Till Irland, and come agane rycht þare
In Brettane, and it waistit wer
Than þai did befor be fer.
The Brettonys than þat wist na reid
To help þaim selfin fra þe deid,
Send on to Rome succour to craif,
And said þai wald þaim all tyme haif
To þare lordis, gif þat þai
Wald cum and put þar fais away.
Than þai of Rome a legioun send
That hastely to Brettane wend,
And put thai alienis away.
To help þaim selfin fra þe deid,
Send on to Rome succour to craif,
And said þai wald þaim all tyme haif
To þare lordis, gif þat þai
Wald cum and put þar fais away.
Than þai of Rome a legioun send
That hastely to Brettane wend,
And put thai alienis away.
A wall syne efter ordanit þai
For to be maid betuix Scotland
And þaim, sa þat it mycht stand
Agane þaim þat þaim scaithit had;
And it of commone cost þai maid,
And ȝit is callit Clydis Wall.
442
And þaim, sa þat it mycht stand
Agane þaim þat þaim scaithit had;
And it of commone cost þai maid,
And ȝit is callit Clydis Wall.
Quhen þis wes done as I say, all
The Romanis to Rome tuke þar way;
Bot, or þai went, thai couth þaim say
That þai wald cum na mare agane,
For, or þai wald suffer sic pane,
And for þaim oft be travalit sa,
Thare tribut levare thai had forga.
The Romanis to Rome tuke þar way;
Bot, or þai went, thai couth þaim say
That þai wald cum na mare agane,
For, or þai wald suffer sic pane,
And for þaim oft be travalit sa,
Thare tribut levare thai had forga.
And quhen þe Romanis passit ware,
All þe alienis, þat chasit are,
Reparit agane, and all þe land
Thai brynt with fyre and felloune hand.
The wall bot litill help þaim maid,
For þi thai it in keping had
Were drawin wiþ cruikis oure the wall;
The laif fled and it leiffit all,
And þan fais, þat laisere had,
Sloppis in sindry placis maid.
All þe alienis, þat chasit are,
Reparit agane, and all þe land
Thai brynt with fyre and felloune hand.
The wall bot litill help þaim maid,
For þi thai it in keping had
Were drawin wiþ cruikis oure the wall;
The laif fled and it leiffit all,
And þan fais, þat laisere had,
Sloppis in sindry placis maid.
The Brettonis wist na remeid þan,
Bot a bischop, a worthy man,
In Less Brettane till Audroen
Thai send, at þare wes regnand then,
To byd him cum and be þar king;
For he wes cummyn of þe ofspring
Off Brutus, þat all Brettane wan,
And in the ferd gre fra Conan.
Bot a bischop, a worthy man,
In Less Brettane till Audroen
Thai send, at þare wes regnand then,
To byd him cum and be þar king;
For he wes cummyn of þe ofspring
444
And in the ferd gre fra Conan.
To this he wald na wise consent
To be þar king, bot furþ he [sent]
His brother, þat wes avenand,
Constantyne, wiþ twa thousand
Off armyt men, baith fut and hand,
Off braid Brettane to wyn þe land.
Thare þai aryvit and syne facht
With þar fais, and with gret macht
Wencust and chasit þaim of þe land.
Than all þe barnage tuke on hand
To mak þare king þis Constantyne,
That þe land weill gouernyt syne.
To be þar king, bot furþ he [sent]
His brother, þat wes avenand,
Constantyne, wiþ twa thousand
Off armyt men, baith fut and hand,
Off braid Brettane to wyn þe land.
Thare þai aryvit and syne facht
With þar fais, and with gret macht
Wencust and chasit þaim of þe land.
Than all þe barnage tuke on hand
To mak þare king þis Constantyne,
That þe land weill gouernyt syne.
Now heire I suspend of Brettane
The storyis, till I haue ourtane
Off þe Romanis þe storyis
A part, as ȝe herd me devise.
The storyis, till I haue ourtane
Off þe Romanis þe storyis
A part, as ȝe herd me devise.
| CHAPTER XC. The Original Chronicle of Andrew of Wyntoun | |