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

Lines 201 through 300

wenden hii þe rugges. floȝe þe eȝe men. Line 201 Ascalon heþte an water; þat nas noht for ham fram. Line 202 þider in wende mani þusend; Line 203 Brutus ham com after; and euere he on leide. Line 204 mid swerde and mid spere; al he to-drof þe kinges here. Line 205 a londe and a watere; he hem a-dun leide. Line 206 and þe king swiþe fleþ; þo he his men seȝe falle. Line 207 Mochel folk þer was of-slawe; in mani-ane wise. Line 208 Þe king hafde on broþer; nafde he non oþer. Line 209 Antigonus was ihote; in Greclonde he was heȝ. Line 210 H[e] seh ou his broþer verde; alle iuaren weren. Line 211 a watere and a londe; ase him loþest was. Line 212 Ant(igo)nus mid his wepne; and (his) gode cniþtes. Line 213 wende touward Brutun; to h+ + + + + Line 214 + + + + to-gadere + + + + + + + + Line 215 Þer h(e) + + + + + + + + + halues + + Line 216 = Line 217 + + + +(ued ma)ni hond; + + + + + + Line 218 + + þer fohte; (mani +++m make)den. Line 219 = Line 220 Þar T++yisse +(en slohȝen); alle þe Greckes þa Line 221 Þere Brutus nam An(tigo+++þe) kinges broþer Pa(ndrasum) Line 222 +++ him he hine ladd(e for leof he) ++ne was to habb. Line 223 + + + + + + wel witie ine g+ + + + +des Line 224 and al-so his ++++++ ++ mid him inomen weren. Line 225

Line 225 Þat iherde Pandrasus þe king; hit nas him noht icweme. Line 226 þat Antigonus his broþer; was in stronge bendes. Line 227 Þe king so wide sende; so was his kine-riche. Line 228 and hehte euereine man; þat miþt ride oþer gon. Line 229 þat hii comen mid him; to þan castle of Sonatin. Line 230 Nas castel non so strong; in þan ende of Greclonde. Line 231 He wende hit to soþe; þeh hit soþ nere. Line 232 þat Brutus hafde þe men; þat mid fihte he hafde awonne. Line 233 idon in þan castle; and þer ham cwik helde. Line 234 and him-seolf heke; for þare mochele bi-ȝeate. Line 235 Ah Brutus dude betere red; þar-fore him þe bette bi-fulle. Line 236 In þan castle he dude hende; six hundred of his cniþtes. Line 237 him-seolf mid his strengþe; to þan wode eode. Line 238 Þe king to þan castle; forþ mid +++ +++++ Line 239 (þar) he lai aboute; +++ +(n)e weren his fon. Line 240 His ++++(e) he sette; on echere side. Line 241 +++e hi resden; and remden to-gadere. Line 242 mid stelene hordes; and mid bitere smites. Line 243 mid stocke and mid stone; stalfiht mak+(d)e Line 244 = Line 245 þar was mochel blod-(g)ote balu þar was riue. Line 246 Þe cnihtes of þan castle; starcli++e wid-stode. Line 247 þat ne mihte (þi)s kinges folk; of ham anne har(emi). Line 248 ac þe king of his me(n) (m)ani þusend les. Line 249 Þe king was sor in mode; for his man-lure. Line 250 He ternde him aȝein; and þrettede þan castle. Line 251 and þat folk wid-ine; wanne he hit mihte awinne. Line 252 þanne wolde he ȝam cwelle; oþer cwic for-berne. Line 253 He lette makie one dich; þat was swiþe deap. Line 254 a-bute his ferde; and seide mid worde. Line 255 == Line 256 þat nolde he þanne fare; are hii dead were. Line 257 In þan castle were mani men; and mochele mete heote. Line 258 þe mete forþ eode; for þar feng manie to. Line 259 Hii neme anne herindrake; þat god was to neode. Line 260 and sende to hire louerd; þat leof ȝam was on heorte. Line 261 Hii hene grette; mid hire gode wordes. Line 262 & bede hine come to helpe; mid alle his stre[n]gþe. Line 263

Line 263 wile þe hii weren isund; his hoþte cniþtes. Line 264 Brutus hine bi-þohte; of solchere neode. Line 265 and þeos word s(ei)de; mid soþere heorte. Line 266 He doþ him-seolue mansipe; þat helpeþ his frende. Line 267 so ich wole mine; bi mine cwike liue. Line 268 Þo was þare a wel-ibore man; Anacletus ihote. Line 269 mid þis kinges broþer he was itake; and þer lai in bende. Line 270 Brutus him remde to; mid bitere his reses. Line 271 bi þe coppe he him nam; also he hine wolde slean. Line 272 and his nakede swerd; leide on his necke. Line 273 and þeos word seide; Brutus þe sele. Line 274 Niþinc þou art dead; bote þou do mine read. Line 275 and þi louerd al-so; bote þou mine lore do. Line 276 ac ȝif þou wolt þou miht; wel helpe ȝou-seolue. Line 277 Louerd cwaþ Anacletus; don ich wole þin lore. Line 278 helpe mine louerd and me; mid alle mine miþte. Line 279 Do so cwaþ Brutus; and þe bet ȝou sel worþe. Line 280 ȝe sollen habben lif and lime; and beo me wel deore. Line 281 Brutus him swor an hoþ; holde þat he wolde. Line 282 Þo seide Brutus; cniþt mid þe beste. Line 283 Anacletus leoue freond; to-niþt þou salt faren. Line 284 in þan time wan hit his best; wane men goþ to bedde. Line 285 þou salt forþ wende; to þis kinges ferde. Line 286 Wane þou comest to þe cniþtes; þe þane king bi-witieþ. Line 287 þat beþ seue hundred; þat beoþ swiþe kene. Line 288 clepe þou ham to; and cuþliche spec. Line 289 Ich ham Anacletus; I brok vt of bendes. Line 290 = Line 291 and ȝet ich ow segge an-oþer ibroþt ich habbe þes kinges broþer. Line 292 vt of þan quarcerne; of þan cwal-huse. Line 293 þar Brutus hine hafde idon; and to-morȝe hine wolde an-hon. Line 294 and ich hine habbe idon; in þisse wilderne. Line 295 Cniþtes comeþ mid me let þane king slepe. Line 296 an fare we al so stille; so we stele wolde Line 297 = Line 298 and ich ou wole lede; to mine oȝene louerd. Line 299 = Line 300