The story of England

¶ Caricius, Rex Brutonum, versus est in fugam.

Gurmound soughte faste & spyrede, Þe kyng to haue, mykel [to mykell.] he desyred; Carice to folewe, faste he spedde, . & euere Carice byfore hym fledde; Line 14,604 To Circestre algate he wan, & Gurmound hym folewede, þe [Gurmund & ilk an.] Aufrican, Byseged þe toun a ful long while, . & brente hit wyþ a queynte gyle. Line 14,608 He telleþ [he telles. (he = Wace; see vol. ii. p. 242; Geoffrey of Monmouth, bk. xi. ch. 8; Laȝamon, iii. 168.)] first of a meschaunce Of kyng Lowys cosyn of ffraunce,— His name was cald Isambert— . He dide hym selue a folie apert; Line 14,612 To Gurmound cam, & wyþ hym spak, His Cristendom fursok & brak,

To venge hym on his em Lowys Þat hadde hym flemed [fled.] out of Parys. Line 14,616 A deuel he was—þe soþe was sene— [

Tant fu lo chaitis decéusEt forsenés et mescréus.

Wace, ii. 242, l. 13,941-2.] Our God to fursake, [

Tant fu lo chaitis decéusEt forsenés et mescréus.

Wace, ii. 242, l. 13,941-2.] hys em to tene. ¶ Gurmound aspied oueral ilk estre How best he mighte bisege Circestre; Line 14,620 Tentes & pauilons he sette, Engyns dide mak & fette; Þe toun he seged so straite aboute Þat þey wyþynne myght naught oute. Line 12,624 Þey wyþynne ageyn þem kast, Wyþ tymber & ston þey closed þem fast,— Engines on walles þey hadde ynowe, . Out of carneles, arblastes drowe,— [ll. 12,623-12,628. The Petyt MS. puts these lines after line 14,638. See next col.] Line 14,628 On dayes þey wroughte on þer clos, On nyghtes þey woke for þeir foos. Þough al þer clos were [þof all þer clos was.] right god, . & skyle þey seye [a skill þei sauh.] & vnderstod, Line 14,632 Þat atte laste,—nylde þey, wylde,— [wild þe ne wild.] Þe toun byhoued þem [burd þam.] nedly ȝelde; Þey wyste hit wel, & nought ne wende . Þe toun for euere þey mighte defende. [mot þei not fend.] Line 14,636 Nought for þan [for þat þouht.] þey were dismayed, ffor gyle al day þey were affrayed. [

P. puts here two fresh lines, and then lines 14,623-28, above:—

neuer þe les þei hald þat þei mot haue.so long þe mot þer lyues saue.þe toun he seged all aboutþat þei within myght not out.þei within ageyn þam kast.with timbir & stone klosed þam fast.engynes on walles þei had Inouhout of kirnels alblastes þrewe.

] [þat god forsoke.] [Petyt folio 84b:1]