The story of England
Mannyng, Robert, fl. 1288-1338., Furnivall, Frederick James, ed. 1825-1910.
Page 326
¶ De Igerna, Comitissa Cornubye.
Wheþer he et or drank, spak ought or nought,
Igerne was euere in his þought,
9296
Ne cam sche neuere out of his hert,
To hure was his eye euere ouer-thwert.
By his priues often [he] hure*. [of he hir.] grette,
& his presentes byforn hure sette,
9300
Often hure lout,*. [oft on hir luke.] & on hure low,
& made semblaunt of loue ynow.
Hure contenaunce was, & hure semblaunt,
Sche nought ne seyde, ne nought wold graunt;
Þe kyng of hure nought vnderstod
9305
In contenaunce but*. [bo.] stable & god.
What for laughynge & oþer tyhtes,
What for presentes & oþer delites,*. [sightes.]
9308
Þe Erl perceyued & þoughte ful ȝerne
Þe kyng louede his wyf Igerne;
& þoughte*. [þoughte=þought he. P. He þouht.] no feyþ til [him] wold*. [þat faith he ne wild him.] [Petyt folio 55b:2] bere,
But he in pes his wyf myght were.
9312
Vp þen stirt he fro þe bord—
To þe kyng ne spak he word,—
His wyf by þe hand he hent,
& calde his knyghtes, & þennes*. [þien.] went.
9316
Hastely þer hors were bone,
& to Cornewaille þey come sone.
Er he was redy for*. [ȝare redy.] to wende,
Þe kyng comaunded, as he was hende,
9320
' Þat he schold comen to court a-geyn,
' Or he dide vylenye*. [els did he ville.] til his souereyn;
' And ȝyf he ne wolde come bleþely, [Lambeth folio 40b:2]
9324
Þe kynges sonde he wolde nought here,
He made no force of his preyere.
When þe kyng wyste þat he wold nought
Come ageyn, as he bisought,
9328
He manased hym wyþ [felle]*. [felle.] herte,
& seyde he schold hit*. [it suld him.] sore smerte.
ffor no*. [all þe.] manace ne wolde he byde;
Bot he ne wyste what scholde bytide.
9332
Two casteles he hadde in Cornewaille,
Þo he warnisched wyþ vitaille;
In þe castel of Tyntagel
He dide his wyf to kepe wel;
9336
Of defens hit hadde*. [it his.] gret los,
Wyþ dyk & se hit*. [see & fen it.] ys in clos;
Who-so kepes þat [ȝate]*. [þe ȝate. (la porte, Wace, l. 8852.) See l. 9412 below.] in nede,
In oþer stede dar*. [þar.] hym nought drede;
9340
Þer-inne scheo was*. [he did hir be.] ȝemed & sperd,
& he til his oþer castel ferd;
Þider he ledde his souders,
To kepe þe kyng at sautes sers;
9344
I þat castel was, þat he to cam,
Þe force of al his erldam.
