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

Lines 7401 through 7500

Ac alle þine wittie; beoþ swiþe swikele. Line 7401 hii seggeþ lesinge; bi-vore þi-sulue; Line 7402 þat þou salt a-finde; in þisse daies furste. Line 7403 for þis sayde Ioram; þat his min folle fon. Line 7404 þe tydinge me þencheþ game; ich was isape him to bane. Line 7405 Let come bi-vore þe Ioram þane wittye. Line 7406 and al his iveres; forþrith here. Line 7407 = Line 7408 and ȝef ich þe segge soþ; and þine worc heale. Line 7409 == Line 7410 ȝef me hire hefdes; for hire lesinges. Line 7411 Þo answerede þe king mid cwickere stemne Line 7412 So me helpe min hond; þeos forewarde ich þe holde Line 7413 To þan kinge was ibroht; Ioram þe witty. Line 7414 and his soue veres alle hii weren feye. Line 7415 Merlyn gramede; and wroþliche spac; Line 7416 Saie me Ioram; loþ me on heorte. Line 7417 = Line 7418 sai waren hit his lang þat þe wal falleþ. Line 7419 Wat mai me finde; at þare dich his grunde. Line 7420 Ioram was stille ne couþe he noht telle. Line 7421 Þo saide Merlyn; Let delue þane dich anon. Line 7422 soue fet deoppere; þane he his nouþe. Line 7423 and þou salt finde þare anon; ane swiþe brode ston. Line 7424 == Line 7425 Þis was sone idon; and hii founde þane ston. Line 7426 Þo saide Merlyn; towardes Ioram. Line 7427 = Line 7428 Wat cunnes þinges; vnder þis ston wonieþ. Line 7429 = Line 7430 Ioram was stille; ne couþe he noht telle. Line 7431

Line 7431 Þo saide Merlyn wonder; A water þar his hunder. Line 7432 = Line 7433 Hii dude away þane ston; þat water hii funde anon Line 7434 = Line 7435 Þo saide Merlyn; and spac toward Ioram. Line 7436 = Line 7437 Wat wonieþ in þan grunde; bi-halues þan watere. Line 7438 Þo saide Ioram; Ne can ich noht þar-an. Line 7439 Nou saide Merlyn þis word; King holde me foreward. Line 7440 Leteþ lade þat water; and awey werpe. Line 7441 þar wonieþ in þan grunde; tweie drakes stronge. Line 7442 þe on his a norþ half; þe oþer a suþ half. Line 7443 þe on his milc-wit; eche deor onilich. Line 7444 þe oþer so read so blod; worm alre boldest. Line 7445 Eche midnihte; hii bi-ginneþ to fihte. Line 7446 and þorh hire fihte; folle þine workes. Line 7447 þe eorþe gan to-cwakie; and þin wal to-rese. Line 7448 and þorh soche wondre; þine walles fulle. Line 7449 = Line 7450 Þis water was a-way idon; after Merlyn his dom. Line 7451 ==== Line 7452 Þo comen vt þe twei drakes; and mochel dune makede. Line 7453 and fuþten feondeliche; dun in þare dich. Line 7454 Ne seh neuere non cniht; non loþlichere fiht. Line 7455 floȝen of hire mouþe; furie gledes. Line 7456 Þis fiht isah þe k[i]ng; and awondrede him Line 7457 == Line 7458 hou Merlyn hit wiste; þat non noþer nuste. Line 7459 Erest was þe wite boue; and suþþe he was bi-neoþe. Line 7460 and þe drake reade; for-wondede him to deaþe. Line 7461 and aiþer wende to his hole; ne seah ham suþþe no man ibore. Line 7462 Þus ferde þis þing; þat i-seh Vortiger þe king. Line 7463 and alle his iveren; and lofuede swiþe Merlyn. Line 7464 and þe king hatede Ioram; and his hefued him bi-nom. Line 7465 and alle his iveres; þat mid him þare were. Line 7466 To telde eode þe king; and ladde mid him Merlyn. Line 7467

Line 7467 ant tahte him moche lofue; Merlyn þou hart wilcome. Line 7468 == Line 7469 He wende þorh Merlyn; al þat lond awinne. Line 7470 ac al oþer hit iwarþ sone þar-hafter. Line 7471 Þo saide þe king Leoue freond Merlyn. Line 7472 = Line 7473 Wat bi-toccneþ þaie drakes þat þane dune makede. Line 7474 and þe ston; and þat water. and þaie stronge fihtes. Line 7475 Sai me of þin willes; wat bi-tokcneþ al þis. Line 7476 and suþþe þou most me reade; ou ich sal me leade. Line 7477 and hou ich may bi-winne; kinedom minne. Line 7478 of Hengest mine wifues fader. þat swiþe me haueþ hi-harmed. Line 7479 Þo answerede Merlyn; to þan king þat spac wiþ him. Line 7480 King þou hart onwis; and onwytti of reade. Line 7481 Þou axest of þan drakes; þat þane dune makede. Line 7482 and wat bi-tokcneþ hire fiht; and hire grim reses. Line 7483 Hii bi-tokcneþ kinges; þat ȝet beoþ to comene. Line 7484 = Line 7485 Ac ȝef þou were so wis man so ich wende þat þou were. Line 7486 þanne þou wost axi; of þine mochele care. Line 7487 and of þine wowe þat þe his to comene. Line 7488 = Line 7489 Þo saide Vortiger þe king; Leoue freond Merlyn. Line 7490 sai me of þan þinge; þat me beoþ to comende. Line 7491 Bloþeliche cwaþ Merlyn Line 7492 ich þe wolle segge; ac euere hit wole þe reuwe. Line 7493 King king bi-seh þe; Sorwe þe his ȝefue. Line 7494 of Constantines cunne; his sone þou a-cweldest. Line 7495 þou lettest slea Constance; þe king of þisse londe. Line 7496 = Line 7497 þar-vore þou ibidest; alre care mest. Line 7498 Suþþe þou drohe to þe vncouþe leode. Line 7499 Saxes to londe; þar þou bidest sconde. Line 7500