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

Lines 2701 through 2800

We scullen of þissere þeode. cumen to þire neode. Line 2701 and whuder þu hatest; for þu ært ure hærre. Line 2702 & to swulche forward; we beoð hidere isende. Line 2703 & we biddeð þine ære; nu & auere-mare. Line 2704 Þe king wes stille; & þa swiken speken ille. Line 2705 he weonden þat hit weoren soð; þat heo iseid haueden. Line 2706 ah al heo þohten oðer; to slæn Belin king & his broðer. Line 2707 Þeo hit up bræc; hit wes god þat he spec. Line 2708 Wel ȝe me bi-hatet; halde ȝeif ȝe wulleð. Line 2709 eow swal beon þe betere; Line 2710 To swuche forewarde. fon ich hit wulle Line 2711 & ȝe scullen of me halden; and habben me for harre. Line 2712 & habben freoliche eoure lond; & we freond iwurðen. Line 2713 To-daie a seouen-nihte; bringeð me her rihtte. Line 2714 gold & gersume; ȝeoue and eower ȝisles. Line 2715 & cumen her on fore; þe hæxete of Rome. Line 2716 & swerie me æðes; þat æð heom scel iwurðen. Line 2717 & bi-cumen nu mine men; & mine monscipe hæien. Line 2718 & ȝif ȝe þis nulleð; alle ich ȝeow aquelle. Line 2719 Ah swiðe ham rideð; leou wer here ich eow abide. Line 2720 Ȝif ȝe spekeð mid rihte; comeð to-dæi a seouen-nihte. Line 2721 and ȝif ȝe spekeð wowe. bi-læuet inne Rome; Line 2722 & ((ich)) eou wullen to faren. & bringen eou sorwen an kare. Line 2723 Þeos swiken gunnen ride; ham into Rome. Line 2724 & ȝarekeden heore ȝeouen; & alle heore ȝisles. Line 2725 & to heore dæie brohten; to Beline kinge. Line 2726 & he heom faire vnder-feng; and freond-scipe bi-hehte. Line 2727 Ȝisles heo him ȝeouen sone; & his men bicome. Line 2728 and he mid þan ilke foreward; fusde eft aȝenward. Line 2729 & þa swiken sone ferden to Rome; Line 2730 Belin & Brenne beie to-so[m]ne. Line 2731 nomen heom to ræde; & to som-rune. Line 2732 þat heo wolden liðen; þurh-out Lumbardie. Line 2733 and faren to Alemainne; & þa aðelene bi-winnen. Line 2734 Þa Almainnisce men weoren; of here cume warre. Line 2735 & heo gadere[den] heom to-ȝeines; strongliche ferden. Line 2736

Line 2736 of alle þeon londe; þon keiser hæfde an honde. Line 2737 & þa Romanisce men; ful ȝære hit iseȝen. Line 2738 þat Belin & Brennes. beiene weoren ifarenne. Line 2739 Heo ȝærkeden ræhðen. twa þusend rideres. Line 2740 and swiðe an hiȝende; senden heom efter. Line 2741 Heo letten forð bi-siden; an-oþer folc riden. Line 2742 ten þusend kempen; alle icudde. Line 2743 þat heo bi-foren comen; þan kaiser to helpe. Line 2744 þe wolde aȝen king Belin; feht ihalden. Line 2745 & þat Romanisce floc; riden heom bihinden. Line 2746 Heo þohten heom beon on-fest; þer þe hulles weore mest. Line 2747 & senden heom arewen; i þon weie narewe. Line 2748 s[lea]n heore lauerd Belin; & his broðer mid him. Line 2749 Heo forȝeten here ȝisles; & þat grið þat heo ȝurden. Line 2750 æðes and þa treuþen; þer-fore heo hauede teonen. Line 2751 Belin & his broðer; beien weoren warre. Line 2752 of þon swike-dome; þe heom com of Rome. Line 2753 þa haueden heo þa mære æie; of þan Alemainnisce kaisere. Line 2754 Þa speken heo mid ræde; for heo haueden neode. Line 2755

Line 2755 þat Brennes & his fer((de)) aȝen faren sculde. Line 2756 fehten wih þat Romanisce folc; & fellen ȝef heo mihten. Line 2757 & Belin bæh ouer mu[n]t; mid muclen his strengðe. Line 2758 to feahten wið þon keisere; & wih þon Alemainisce here. Line 2759 fondien on fehte; ȝif he hine ouer-cumen mæhte; Line 2760 & wheðer heore of þen broðeren. þe ærht his fæht ouer-come; Line 2761 come on-ȝean sonen. to helpen þon oðer; Line 2762 Þe folc of Burguine. ferde aȝan mid Brenne; Line 2763 of France and Peitou. sworen him & plicten; Line 2764 of þan Maine & of þan Turuine. treuliche him hærden; Line 2765 of Normandie & of Flaundres. freoliche him fulsten; Line 2766 & of Lohærenne; heo liðe to mid strengðe. Line 2767 & þat folc of Ca[s]cuine; þe noht nælden griðien. Line 2768 & folc of fele leode; þe liðe forð mid Brennen. Line 2769 to þan Romanisce men; þe heom æfter uoren. Line 2770 Brenne and his folc; heom to comen. Line 2771 Anan swa heo iseiȝen; Brennes; buȝe heo[m] to-ȝennes. Line 2772 swa þat Romainnisce folc; sohte to flæinde. Line 2773 & heo heom æfter foren; and monie þer fullen. Line 2774 & swiðe monie þer fluwen; & ferden to Rome. Line 2775 & Brennes þe riche; softe heom beh æfter. Line 2776 mid starkere fore; ferde to-ward Rome. Line 2777 and Belin þe aðel king; wes in Alemainne. Line 2778 Ferde he hauede inoh; muchel and vni-feie. Line 2779 Bruttes & Wailsce; Scottes & Densce. Line 2780 þer wes Godlac; þe king; þe god wes to neode. Line 2781 Þa iherden tellen; þe ten þusend cnihtes. Line 2782 þe weoren icumen; of Rome; þan keisere to fulsten. Line 2783 þat Brennes þe riche; ferde touward Rome. Line 2784 and summe heore men i-slæȝene; & summe to-driuene; Line 2785 nomen heom ræde. þat þeonenen heo wolden riden; Line 2786 riht touward Rome. eære Brennes þider come. Line 2787 Þat word com to Belinne; of Brennes his broðer. Line 2788 heo he hauede itaken on; & al whet he haueden idon. Line 2789 And oðer sonde þer com; þe sone him talde. Line 2790 þat tweie þusend cnihtes; þe werren i ðon Alemainnesce fehte. Line 2791 wolden aȝen sone; faren in-to Rome. Line 2792 & al makeden heore faren; alse ha wolden a þare niht faren. Line 2793 Belin wes swiðe wis; & warscipe him folweden. Line 2794 he hauede monie Alemains; mid agge to-heowen. Line 2795 and monie he ledde isunde; mid him ibunden. Line 2796 He hauede tweine wisse men; i þon fuhte bi-wunnen. Line 2797 þeo cuðe þes londen lawen; and speken whit þon leoden. Line 2798 Belin king heom to spæc; & þus heom wið spilede. Line 2799 Ihere ȝe cnihtes; whet ich eow wulle cuðen. Line 2800