The story of England

¶ Gurgoynt Rex.

After Belyn, Gurgoint his sone Hadde þe heritage þorow [be.] resone. Line 3628 Gurgoynt Beretruk, þus was his name; Of gret godnesse he bar þe [a man of gode þer of had.] fame; Pes to loke, & ryght to holde, He lyknede his ffader, Belyn þe bolde. Line 3632 Þat Belyn left, he heldit wel; Noiaunce had he neuere a del, Bot þe Daneys, [MS. Dameys. P. has danes.] þey forsok To gyue truage þat Belyn tok. Line 3636 Gurgoynt þoughte he hadde ryght þer-ynne, [Lambeth folio 16a:2] His truwage he wolde al gate wynne; His host he gadered, & schipes [he gadred schippes.] did come; Þey set vp sail, & forþ þey nome. Line 3640 To bataille þey samnde, boþe partys, Bot Gurgoynt wan þer sone þe pris; [P. wrongly transposes this line and the one above it.] Hym self yn bataille slow þe kynge, & tok homage of ilka lordynge; Line 3644 & his truwage dide restore, Als his fader had hit byfore. When he had take of hem ostage, Gurgoynt forþ went on his viage: Line 3648 He passed forþ by Orkeneye; Þritty schipes he mette in weye, Charged wyþ folk [Charged full.] & wyþ vitaille, Bot þey ne wyste whider to saille; Line 3652 Pantalius, þer maister hight, Þat mayntende hem, & held to ryght. Gurgoynt asked what men þey were, & what þey soughte, & why come þere. Line 3656

Line 3656 Pantalius spak ful curteysly. " We ar men of pes, sekyng auowery, " Wey-farende men þat wolde haue gryþ; " We aske þe leue to speke þe wyþ." Line 3660 Þe kyng ne wolde no pes [Pes wild nouht þe kyng.] breke, Wyþ loue he gaf hem leue to speke. He saide, " We ar men of diuerse lynage, " Exiled of Spayne, comen by þys ryuage, Line 3664 " ȝyf þat we any stede fond, " On to reste, a certeyn lond. " ffor oþer half ȝer [a ȝere & half. An et demie, Wace i. 159, l. 3337.] þus haue we went; " Hunger, þurst, cold, haþ vs schent; Line 3668 " Many a cost haue we þorow sought; " Lond on to lende, ne fond we nought; " & we ar alle onoyed þer fore, " ffor oure trauaille & grete lore. Line 3672 " Bot, lord, ȝyf hit were ȝour wylle, " Suffre vs to reste on þy londe stille! " Seruise þer fore we wole þe do; " Þy men bycome, ȝyf þou wilt so." Line 3676 Bot Gorgoynt wolde þem nought graunt Of his to haue a remenaunt; Nought for þy he gaf hem conseil Toward Irlond to sette þer sayl; Line 3680 & of his schipes he lente þem tweye, To techen hem þe ryghte weye.— ¶ Irlond þat tyme was bygged no þynge Wyþ hous [londes.] [Petyt folio 22b:2] ne toun, ne man wonynge.— Line 3684 So longe þey sailled, þe se þorow ronne, Þat algate to Irlond þey wonne; Þey stryken sayl, & anker cast, Vp to lande þey ȝede ryght fast; Line 3688 Al þey founde wast [all fond þei wildernes.] & wylde.

Þey spredde hem aboute in ilkan ylde; Sone þey maden eryed [mad ardawe.] feld, Þey logged hem, & tymber [timbred.] teld; Line 3692 Þer folk wax faste, & fostred more, & tyled þe lond aboute ay whore.