The story of England

                                
                                  In a wode by þat cost,
                                
                                  ffyue mile Balduk busched [he bussed.]  fro þe host;
                                  Line 9804 
                                
                                  & many were in his compayny,
                                
                                  Six þousand armed redy,
                                
                                  Þat scholde haue stolen þat ylke nyght
                                
                                  Vpon Arþur, al redy dight.
                                  Line 9808 
                                
                                  A man perceyued þer enbuschment,
                                
                                  & til Arþur þe bodeword sent.
                                
                                  When Arþur wyste þat þey wer þer,
                                
                                  He calde to consail þe Erl Cador
                                  Line 9812 
                                
                                  Þat was lord of Cornewaille:
                                
                                  Hys lyf to lese ne wold he faille.
                                
                                  " Cador," he seyde, "Balduk wyþ gyle
                                
                                  " Ys enbusched fro vs four [es bussed hiþen bot fyue.]  myle.
                                  Line 9816 
                                
                                  " Tak sex hundred of gode knyghtes,
                                
                                  " Þre þousand oþer, [de la geude (foot-soldiers), Wace, ii. 42, l. 9317.]  ȝyf þou myghtes;
                                
                                  " Al vnwarned on þem falle,
                                
                                  " Lightly may þou wynne þem alle."
                                  Line 9820 
                                
                                  Sire Cador dight þem al redy,
                                
                                  & wente wyþoute noyse & [or.]  cry.
                                
                                  Al vnwarned right þore þey ware;
                                
                                  Sore [wele.]  to smyte wold he nought spare;
                                  Line 9824 
                                
                                  Þe most del was slayn of [More þan half was slayn.]  þat frape,
                                
                                  Vnneþes myghter [myght.]  any a-scape;
                                
                                  ȝyf any of hem ascape myght,
                                
                                  Þe derknesse [mirknes.]  [Petyt folio 58b:2]  saued hem þat nyght,
                                  Line 9828 
                                
                                  & wode letted þem to renne; [P. leaves out this line.] 
                                
                                  Þe redy wey couþ þey nought kenne. [P. leaves out this line.] 
                                
                                  ¶ Balduk fledde, & durst nought byde,
                                
                                  ffro busche to busche [busk to busk.]  on ilka syde;
                                  Line 9832 
                                
                                  Lorn he hadde [lost he had.]  his men ilkon,

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About this Item

Title: The story of England
Author: Mannyng, Robert, fl. 1288-1338.
Canvas: Page 343
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/ahb1379.0001.001/377:171

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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 22, 2025.

The story of England

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