The story of England

                                
                                  Þe Bretons wyst nought how hit brent,
                                
                                  Ne on what manere þe fir was sent;
                                
                                  Þey armed þeym alle redy to fight;
                                
                                  Ouer fewe [our fo.]  þey were, & hadde no myght.
                                  Line 14,696 
                                
                                  Þe kyng þer in-to Walys skaped, [See Geoffrey's account of the utter destruction of Britain, and his upbraidings against the Britons for their quarrels and sins: bk. xi. ch. 8, 9.] 
                                
                                  & þo þat myghte, wiþ hym þeym raped;—
                                
                                  Syþ herde y nought telle of wham [whom . . . . . bicom.] 
                                
                                  Whiderward Carice by-cam;— [whom . . . . . bicom.] 
                                  Line 14,700 
                                
                                  & right þus [þusgate.]  Circestre was taken,
                                
                                  Þat longe held þe Payens waken;
                                
                                  & for hit was wyþ sparewes brent,
                                
                                  Þo men þat þorow þe contre went,
                                  Line 14,704 
                                
                                  On Englische cald hit "Sparewes Toun,"
                                
                                  & Frensche men "Cite de Mischeroun," [on frankis Cite de moshon. (La cité as moissons, Wace, ii. 246, l. 14,033.)] 
                                
                                  ffor to mene þe queyntise
                                
                                  6How hit was wonne, & on what wyse.
                                  Line 14,708 
                                
                                  ¶ When Gurmound had al ouer riden & ronne,
                                
                                  & Bretayne til his hand al wonne,
                                
                                  Þat no Breton6 [6-6how sparowes brent it & on what wiseGurmund stroied many cites.many hastels & cuntres.many heremytage & abbay.þorgh him wer brent & brouht away.& many fair toun mad wasten.þat neuer ȝit was bigged ageyn.in many tokne is sene. [Quomodo diuidebat regnum.] þat whilom ware now is all grene.Whan Gurmund þe lond all wonne.þe bretons ouer riden & ronne.þat non so hardy.]  durst hym abyde,
                                
                                  . Ne ageines hym in bataille ride,
                                  Line 14,712 
                                
                                  To þe Saxons he gaf þe lond
                                
                                  Þat he in Northumberland first fond.
                                
                                  And ȝyf [MS. ȝyt. P. if.]  [Petyt folio 85a:1]  dide Gurmound so, he dide right, [Lambeth folio 62b:2] 
                                
                                  He sykerede [sikerd.]  þem byforn, & hight;

                                  Line 14,716

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About this Item

Title: The story of England
Author: Mannyng, Robert, fl. 1288-1338.
Canvas: Page 510
Publication: London,: Longman & co.; [etc., etc.]; 1887.
Subject terms: Great Britain -- History

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ahb1379.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/ahb1379.0001.001/544:257

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Full citation: "The story of England." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ahb1379.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 20, 2025.

The story of England

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