The story of England

                                
                                  Leuer hym were in loue þem loute, [luf to loute.] 
                                
                                  Þan in bataille to ben [com to bataile & be.]  in doute;
                                
                                  Þe Bretons hadden hasted hem [had þam hasted.]  so,
                                
                                  Þat tyme in dede myghte þey nought do.
                                  Line 4540 
                                
                                  Wyþ faire wordes hem to hym drow;
                                
                                  & gaf hem giftes & richesse [giftes riche; and leaves out the next two lines.]  ynow,—
                                
                                  ffor of his giftes he was ful large,
                                
                                  ffor schame þey moughte hym namore charge;—
                                
                                  & more he byhet, þan gyue [hette þam if þat.]  he myght,
                                  Line 4545 
                                
                                  Þe Bretons to wynne wiþ force & fight.
                                
                                  To pore men he gaf fraunchise,
                                
                                  & cleymed þeym quit [clamé quite, Wace. Eng. "quit|claim."]  of þer seruise;
                                  Line 4548 
                                
                                  Þo men he hadde flemed [þat he had fled. [Wace, escil|lié].]  þe contre,
                                
                                  To comen ageyn he gaf hem fre,
                                
                                  & to haue þer heritage,
                                
                                  & restored þeym of here [þam þer.]  damage.
                                  Line 4552 
                                
                                  Þerfore when þis grete lordynges
                                
                                  Seyen Cesar ofre [sawe Cesar offer.]  þem swylke þynges—
                                
                                  Gold & syluer atter [at þer.]  wille— [Lambeth folio 20a:2] 
                                
                                  In pes þey held hem alle stille.
                                  Line 4556 
                                
                                  Mikel ys richesse of power!
                                
                                  ffor sone had he bated wo & wer, [wheere; and leaves out the next two lines, and transposes the two next to them.] 
                                
                                  Sone had he turned wrong to right,
                                
                                  Sone had he blent þe coueytous sight,
                                  Line 4560 
                                
                                  Sone made he frend þat er were wroþe,
                                
                                  Of Cesar & þe ffrankysche boþe;
                                
                                  ffor þo þat hym byforen hated,
                                
                                  Wiþ [for.]  hys gyftes were alle abated;

                                  Line 4564

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About this Item

Title: The story of England
Author: Mannyng, Robert, fl. 1288-1338.
Canvas: Page 159
Publication: London,: Longman & co.; [etc., etc.]; 1887.
Subject terms: Great Britain -- History

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ahb1379.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/ahb1379.0001.001/193:74

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DPLA Rights Statement: No Copyright - United States

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Manifest: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/api/manifest/cme:ahb1379.0001.001

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Full citation: "The story of England." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/ahb1379.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 24, 2025.

The story of England

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