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

Lines 6201 through 6300

Nim Aurelie þorh alle þing; and make þar-of anne king. Line 6201 ne wraþþe þou noht Seint Benediht; ne do þou him non onriht Line 6202 Þis ihorde Vortiger he was ȝep and swiþe war Line 6203 sone he aȝein com; and þan abbod he nom. Line 6204 and swor bi his honde; þat he hine wolde a(n)-honge. Line 6205 bote he wolde (on)h(o)di; þane kinges sone (of l)onde. Line 6206 = Line 6207 and for soche neode he solde be king of þeode. Line 6208 Þe abbod ne dorste non oþer; þar he on-hodede his broþer Line 6209 and þe child ȝaf þe abbot an hond;; twente solȝene lond. Line 6210 and suþþe hii wende forþ into Londene. Line 6211 Vortiger anonrihtes; for-bead alle his cnihtes. Line 6212 þat non of ȝam ne tolde; wat he hadde on anwolde. Line 6213 Vortiger ine Londene lai; forte com þe ilke i-sette dai. Line 6214 þat solde to speche come; þe cnihtes of þis londe Line 6215 To þan daie come manie and onifoȝe. Line 6216 hii radden hii rouneden; riche þes beornes Line 6217 þat hii wolde Aurelie habbe to kinge. Line 6218 === Line 6219 Þis ihorde Vortiger; he was wis and swiþe war. Line 6220 and an fot leop; alse hit a lyon were. Line 6221 Nuste þar non; wat Vortiger hadde idon. Line 6222 == Line 6223 Þo spac Vortiger; þat was ȝep an war. Line 6224 Lusteþ louerdlinges; þe wile ich speke of kinges. Line 6225 Ich was ine Winchestre; þar ich wel spedde. Line 6226 ich spac wiþ þan abbod; þat his holi man and god. Line 6227 and tolde him þe neode; þat icome was to þeode. Line 6228 of Constantines deaþe; þat him sore a-þohte. Line 6229 = Line 6230 and ich him bad for lofue of God; don Constance of his hod. Line 6231 and for soche neode; king he solde beo of þeode. Line 6232 and þe abbod nam his read; and dude al þat ich hine bad. Line 6233 and here ich habbe his monekes; for segge þat soþe. Line 6234 = Line 6235 Lo war his þe child ȝong; make we þar-of one king. Line 6236 and here ich holde croune þat þar-to bi-houeþ. Line 6237 and þe þis wole wiþ-segge; he hit sal a-bugge. Line 6238 = Line 6239 Nas þar neuere man so bold; þat þis wolde wiþ-telle. Line 6240 = Line 6241 nas þar non bissop; þat sone a-wai ne rod. Line 6242 = Line 6243 for hii ne dorste for God don þare þan misbod. Line 6244 = Line 6245 Þis i-seh Vortiger of alle vuele he was war. Line 6246 vp he gan stonde þe croune he nam an honde. Line 6247

Line 6247 and sette hire vppe Constance; þat him was i-cweme. Line 6248 Nas þar neuere no man; þat don þar mihte Cristendom. Line 6249 þat mihte blessinge don vppe þan kinge. Line 6250 bote Vortiger one; hit dude for alle cleane Line 6251 Þat forme was on-hende; soch was þe hende. Line 6252 he for-let Godes hod; þar-vore sorewe he a-bod. Line 6253 Þus was he king of þis erþ; and Vortiger his stiward. Line 6254 Constance al his kine-lond; sette in Vortigernes hond. Line 6255 = Line 6256 Þo iseh Vortiger; of moche vuele he was war Line 6257 þat Constance þe king; ne couþe of londe noþing. Line 6258 for he nadde hii-leornid; in neuere none lore. Line 6259 bote wat he solde dreie; a-ma[n]g his iveres. Line 6260 = Line 6261 Ofte he hine bi-þohte wat he don mihte. Line 6262 ou he mihte mid lesinge; icweme þan kinge. Line 6263 Nou þou miht ihere; ou he gan vare. Line 6264 Weren of Brutlonde þe beste alle deade. Line 6265 nou were þes kinges broþers beiene lutle. Line 6266 and Gwencelin þe archebissop; þar bi-vore was dead. Line 6267 and him-seolf þes londes king of laȝe ne couþe noþing. Line 6268 Vortiger þis iseh; and he to þan kinge beh. Line 6269 mid mildere speche; he gan his louerd grete. Line 6270 Hayl beo þou Constance; Bruttene louerd. Line 6271 Ich ham icome þe þus neh for mochelere neode. Line 6272 for segge þe tidinge þat i-come beoþ to londe. Line 6273 of swiþe mochele plihte; Nou þe bi-oueþ mihte. Line 6274 nou þe bi-houeþ wepne; to witie þine cunde. Line 6275 Her beoþ chepmen icome; of oþer londe alse hit his wone. Line 6276 = Line 6277 Hii habbeþ me itold. wiþ soþere spelle Line 6278 þat þe king of Norweie; neuwenliche wole hider fare. Line 6279 and þe king of Denemarche; þeos Denes wole seche Line 6280 and þe king of Rusie; reȝest alre cnihte. Line 6281 and þe king of Scotlon(d); mid mochelere ferde. Line 6282 and þe king of Frisye; her-vore me agriseþ. Line 6283 (Þ)eos tidinge beoþ stronge (þat) icome beoþ to londe. Line 6284 her-vore ich ham adrad; for ne can ich nanne godne read Line 6285 bote we mote mid mihte; sende after cnihtes. Line 6286 þat beo gode and stronge; and wel conne a londe. Line 6287

Line 6287 and fulle þine castles; mid wel gode cnihtes Line 6288 and so þou miht þin kinelond werie wiþ onleode. Line 6289 = Line 6290 For nis þar no kinelond; ne beo hit neuere so strong. Line 6291 þat ne worþ sone inome; ȝef þar beoþ to feue gomes. Line 6292 Þo answerede þe king; þat of lond(e) ne couþe noþing. Line 6293 == Line 6294 Send after cnihtes; þat gode beon to fihte. Line 6295 and nim al in þine hond; mine castles and min lond. Line 6296 and do al þine wille; and ich wolle wonie stille. Line 6297 bote on alpi þing; þat ich wolle beo icleoped. king. Line 6298 Þo loh Vortiger; þat was of vuele war Line 6299 nas he neuere so bliþe; her on his lifue. Line 6300