Layamon's Brut (British Museum Ms. Cotton Otho C.XIII)

Lines 2301 through 2400

he verde oueral; and þe lawes sette. Line 2301 he sewede þe wode; and þe wildernes. Line 2302 medewes and þe mores; and þe faire wateres. Line 2303 borewes and tounes; and al ȝeorne bi-heold. Line 2304 Þ[e] king hine bi-þohte; (wat he) +++ +++++ Line 2305 (He b)i-gon ane (stret mochel) + + + + (g)ret Line 2306 + + + + + (s)wiþ(e) ++++ (þorh-hut ++ ++s) k(i)ne++++ Line 2307 (a)nd þe k+++ and) his +++(c Fosse hine cleope)de. Line 2308 He +++ (ut of Totenas); forte come ++ +(atena)s. Line 2309 = Line 2310 +(n oþ)er he ma+++(e hendi fram) Suþham++(n)e to Seint (Dauy) Line 2311 Suþþe ++ makede (þe þri)dde; þat karf þat lon(d) a-midde. Line 2312 Þo þes stredes weren idon; þo leide þe king lawes on. Line 2313 þat wo in þan stredes breke griþ; þe king him wolde bi-nime his lif; Line 2314 ac wose oþerne imette; faire hine grette. Line 2315 Þis weren þe kinges stredes; þat ich habbe i-nemnid. Line 2316 In France was Brennes; þat was þeos kinges broþer. Line 2317 on his heorte he hadde grame; on his mode mochel same. Line 2318 þat he hadde his londe ilore; and his cwene deore. Line 2319 = Line 2320 He wonede in France; mid his twealf veres. Line 2321 he saruede þan kinge; mid halle his mihte. Line 2322 þat he and al his leode; lofuede hine swiþe. Line 2323 for Brenne biȝet mochel feo and faire hit dealde. Line 2324 = Line 2325 he was þar oht man; and gode were his dedes. Line 2326 = Line 2327 Þo he was þare wel cuþ; and oueral icnowe. Line 2328 and þe king hine lofuede; and alle his leode. Line 2329 Þo bad he þan (k)inge; healp his lond to winne. Line 2330 == Line 2331 Þe king him (bi-)hehte and wel hit ilaste Line 2332 + + + +e leue; and forþere (wend) Line 2333 to þan Duk Segwyne; l(oue)rd of Borgoyne. Line 2334 and of þan (B)rutlonde; þat his bi-ȝeonde see-stronde. Line 2335

Line 2335 Fair he grette þane duk; þo he his griþ sohte. Line 2336 he seide awolde him sareuy; and habbe for herre. Line 2337 = Line 2338 Þe duk þar-fore glad was; and onderfeng him deore. Line 2339 Brennes was swiþe hende; þar-fore he was þe leouere. Line 2340 Brennes cuþe of hundes; Brennes couþe of hauekes. Line 2341 he couþe mid his honde; handeli þe harpe. Line 2342 þorh his hendi craftes; alle men hine lofuede. Line 2343 and mid his louerd alse wilcome; alse his oȝene sone. Line 2344 Þe duk adde one dohter; þat he louede swiþe. Line 2345 ac he nadde nanne sone; þar-fore he was sori. Line 2346 Þe duk bi-held Brenne; þat was a bodi hende. Line 2347 and þus to him saide; mid soþfast oþe. Line 2348 Brennes þou art hende; and of heȝe cunne. Line 2349 and þou art cniht swiþe god; þou hart me icweme. Line 2350 = Line 2351 þou hart me swiþe liþe; and ich þe lofuie swiþe. Line 2352 Al þat ich þe bi-hote; ich hit wolle holde. Line 2353 ich wolle ȝifue þe mine dohter; þat his me swiþe deore. Line 2354 and after mine daiȝe; al mi lond riche Line 2355 for wel hit likeþ; alle mine beornes. Line 2356 = Line 2357 Þo answerede +++++++ mid mildeliche w(o+des) Line 2358 Ich hit þonkie þe; an(d a)lle þine cnihtes. Line 2359 for ȝo(ur)e mochele worsipe; þe god þat ȝe me wolleþ. Line 2360 Al þis was idemde; alse þe duk seide. Line 2361 Brenne þis mayde nam; mid worsipe mochele. Line 2362 and he wonode mid þan duke; half þat ilke ȝere. Line 2363 Þo þe ȝer was al agon; þo was þe duk dead. Line 2364 and Brennes nam þe cunde; to his owene honde. Line 2365 and al þat folk he was lef; alse hire owene lif. Line 2366 = Line 2367 He hafde swiþe mochel lond; þat al stod on his owene hond. Line 2368 and he hadde a wel god wif; and hire louede alse his lif. Line 2369 Bi one stunde; Brennes hine bi-þohte. Line 2370 hou his broþer Belyn; his lond hadde bi-nome him. Line 2371 He sende his sonde; ouer al Borgoynes londe. Line 2372 and wide and side; he somnede ferde. * Line 2373 þo þe ferde was so mochel; þat ȝeo was onimete. Line 2374

Line 2374 In-to Normandie he com; and þar he þe see nom. Line 2375 and he verde mid isunde; in-to þisse londe. Line 2376 = Line 2377 Sonde com to Belyn þat him soþ saide. Line 2378 þat Brennes his broþer hadde isoht his riche. Line 2379 mid onimete (ferde icome) + + + + + Line 2380 Belyn (sende) +++ +++++ (ouer a)+ +++ kine-lo(nd) Line 2381 +(nd bad a)+ his ke(m+++ þat in þa+ ++++ wo)ned(e). Line 2382 +++ (hii comen) ++ +++ neode; (to driuen vt þan) ++leode. Line 2383 Ȝaru (was þe ferd). and hii fo(rþ)-w+(rd fusde). Line 2384 +++ þar ȝam (bi-tw++e bote) +++ mile. Line 2385 Þo leue(d) hire mod++ þat (was a wom)man ke++ Line 2386 ȝeo was ihote Towenne; ȝe(o) bar Belyn and Brenne. Line 2387 Þeos olde cwene was so wis; þat ȝeo wel cudde. Line 2388 Ȝeo nam hire an on cuertel; þat was al to-tore. Line 2389 þane hem ȝeo vp teh; to hire cneon wel neh. Line 2390 Ȝeo eode on hire bare fot; alle ȝeo dude for god. Line 2391 Ȝeo com to þare ferde þat icome was to þisse erþe. Line 2392 ȝeo axede after Brenne; ware he were ine. Line 2393 Me hire tehte ware him wepnede; alse he to fihte solde. Line 2394 and alle his cnihtes; dude an hure burnes. Line 2395 = Line 2396 To him þe cwene orn; bi-twixte hire harmes ȝeo hine nom. Line 2397 ofte ȝeo hine clupte; and ofte ȝeo hine custe. Line 2398 and þeos word seide; to hire sone leofue. * Line 2399 A wat wolt þou Brenne; Wolt þou sake menge. Line 2400