Layamon's Brut (British Museum Ms. Cotton Caligula A.IX)

Lines 1 through 100

An preost wes on leoden; Laȝamon wes ihoten. Line 1 he wes Leouenaðes sone; liðe him beo Drihten. Line 2 He wonede at Ernleȝe; at æðelen are chirechen. Line 3 vppen Seuarne staþe; sel þar him þuhte. Line 4 on-fest Radestone; þer he bock radde. Line 5 Hit com him on mode; & on his mern þonke. Line 6 þet he wolde of Engle; þa æðelæn tellen. Line 7 wat heo ihoten weoren; & wonene heo comen. Line 8 þa Englene londe; ærest ahten. Line 9 æfter þan flode; þe from Drihtene com. Line 10 þe al her a-quelde; quic þat he funde. Line 11 buten Noe.& Sem; Iaphet & Cham. Line 12 & heore four wiues; þe mid heom weren on archen. Line 13 Laȝamon gon liðen; wide ȝond þas leode. Line 14 & bi-won þa æðela boc; þa he to bisne nom. Line 15 He nom þa Englisca boc; þa makede Seint Beda. Line 16 An-oþer he nom on Latin; þe makede Seinte Albin. Line 17 & þe feire Austin; pe fulluht broute hider in. Line 18 Boc he nom þe þridde; leide þer amidden. Line 19 þa makede a Frenchis clerc; Line 20 Wace wes ihoten; þe wel couþe writen. Line 21 & he hoe ȝef þare æðelen; Ælienor Line 22 þe wes Henries quene; þes heȝes kinges. Line 23 Laȝamon leide þeos boc; & þa leaf wende. Line 24 he heom leofliche bi-heold. liþe him beo Drihten. Line 25 Feþeren he nom mid fingren; & fiede on boc-felle. Line 26 & þa soþere word; sette to-gadere. Line 27 & þa þre boc; þrumde to are. Line 28 Nu bidde[ð] Laȝamon alcne æðele mon; Line 29 for þene almiten Godd. Line 30 þet þeos boc rede; & leornia þeos runan. Line 31 þat he þeos soðfeste word; segge to-sumne. Line 32

Line 32 for his fader saule; þa hine for[ð] brouhte. Line 33 & for his moder saule; þa hine to monne iber. Line 34 & for his awene saule; þat hire þe selre beo. Amen. Line 35 Nv seið mid loft-songe þe wes on leoden preost. Line 36 al swa þe boc spekeð; þe he to bisne inom. Line 37 þa Grickes hefden Troye; mid teone bi-wonen. Line 38 & þat lond iwest; & þa leoden of-slawen. Line 39 & for þe wrake-dome; of Menelaus quene. Line 40 Elene was ihoten. alðeodisc wif. Line 41 þa Paris Alixandre; mid pret-wrenche. bi-won. Line 42 for hire weoren on ane daȝe; hund þousunt deade. Line 43 Vt of þan fehte; þe was feondliche stor. Line 44 Eneas þe duc; mid erm[ð]en at-wond. Line 45 Nefede he boten anne sune; þe was mid him isund. Line 46 Asscanius was ihoten; nefede he bern no ma. Line 47 & þes duc mid his drihte; to þare sæ him droh. Line 48 of kunne & of folke; þe fulede þan duke. Line 49 of monne & of ahte. þe he to þare sæ brouhte. Line 50 & tuenti gode scipen. he guðliche fulde. Line 51 & þa scipen foren wide; ȝeon þare wintrede sæ. Line 52 mid wolcnen & mid wedere; heo þoleden wen-siðes. Line 53 ant mid muchelure care; heo to londe bicomen. Line 54 On Italiȝe heo comen to londe; þar Rome nou on stondeð. Line 55 fele ȝer under sunnan; nas ȝet Rome bi-wonnen. Line 56 & heuede Eneas þe duc; mid his driht-folcke. Line 57 widen iwalken. ȝend þat wide water. Line 58 moni lond umbe-rowen; redes him trokeden. Line 59 On Italiȝe he com on lond; þat him was iqueme. Line 60 A þon londe he fund mete; & he hine mid monscipe biwon. Line 61 & mid golde and mid gersume; & he griðliche spac. Line 62 I þere Tyure he eode alond; þer þa sea wasceð þat sond. Line 63 ful neh þan ilke stude; þar Rome nou stondeð. Line 64 Þe king was ihoten Latin; þe on þan londe wes. Line 65 hey wes and riche; & he wes redesful. Line 66 mid wintre he wes bi-weaued. swo hit wolde Godd. Line 67 Þar com Eneas; & grette þen alde king. Line 68 & he hine feire on-feng; mid allen his folke. Line 69 Muche lond he him ȝef; & mare him biheyte. Line 70 an-long þare sea;eacute; siden & widen. Line 71 Þare quene hit of-þouhte; noþeles heo hit þolede. Line 72

Line 72 Þe king heuede ane douter; þe him was swiþe deore. Line 73 Eneam he heo biheyte; to habben to wife. Line 74 & after his daye; al his drihliche lond. Line 75 for he nefde nenne sune; þe sarure was his heorte. Line 76 Þat maiden wes ihoten Lauine; seþen heo wes leodena quene. Line 77 feier wes þe wimmon; & wunsum hire monnen. Line 78 Ah Turnus was ihoten þat wes of Tuskanne duc; Line 79 þet lufede þet maiden; & hire monscipe bed. Line 80 þat he heo wolde habben; to heiȝen are quene. Line 81 Þa com þat word to him; þat was widene cuð. Line 82 þat þe king Latin; ȝef Lauine his douter. Line 83 Eneam to are brude; for heo wes his deore bearn; Line 84 Þa wes Turnus sari; & soruful on his mode. Line 85 for he heo heuede swiþe ilofe[d]; & luf-þing hire biheite. Line 86 Weorre makede Turnus; mid teonen he wes idrefe[d]. Line 87 wið Eneam he nom an feiht; þat wes feondliche strong. Line 88 hond wið honde; fuhten þa heȝe men. Line 89 Teone wes on compe; þar Turnus feol. Line 90 mid mechen to-heawen; his monscipe wes þe lasse. Line 91 Eneas nom Lauine; leofliche to wife. Line 92 he wes king & heo quen; & kine-lond heo welden. Line 93 inne griðe & inne friðe; & freoliche loueden. Line 94 Seoþen Eneas Lauine heuede inomen; & þa leodene bi-wnnen. Line 95 he makede enne stronge castel; mid starke ston walle. Line 96 Lauine hehte his leuemon; þene castel he clepede Lauinion. Line 97 þat wes for hire worðscipe; wel þat he hire uþe. Line 98 Feour winter he heuede þat wif; mid wrðscipe to welden. Line 99 after þa feourðe ȝere he was dead; his freonden hit of-þuhten. Line 100