Two sones þat ay lyued [þat lyued.] in strif;
Malyn highte þe eldest broþer,
Membrice men calde þat oþer.
Line 2124
Madan regned fourty ȝer,
& left his sones þat lond in wer. [wehere.]
Þyse brethere were euere wrothe,
ffor þe lond þey striuen boþe.
Line 2128
Membrice for trewes to Malyn sent,
In pes to holde a Parlement;
Bot Membrice to treson drow,
His broþer Malyn priuely he slow;
Line 2132
Þorow slaughter & þorow treson [& treson.]
Membrice hadde þe region.
Þys Membrice wax [he wex.] vnkynde,
ffordede god men þat he myght [þe gude men, we.] fynde,
Line 2136
Reften oþer [Reft þam ouþer.] land or lyf,
Or forsok [& forsoke.] his wedded wyf,
& haunted synne [þe syn.] of Sodome:
Vnkyndely to bestes he com.
Line 2140
Twenty ȝer þen had [ȝere had.] he space,
& als he went in [to.] wode to chace,
Many [With.] wolues alone he mette;
Also þeues abouten hym þey set, [As deueles þai about hym sette.]
Line 2144
Lym fro lym hym al to-rent;
& so Membrice to deþe [dede.] went.
Þen Saul regned in Iudea,
And Eristeus in Lacudemonia. [
Dunc estoit Samüel prophètes,Et Homer ert prisez poëtes.MS. du Roi, 73, Cangé. Wace, I. 73, note (b).] Line 2148
Ebrauk his sone was of age, [Lambeth folio 9b:2]
Had þis lond in heritage.
