Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts
General
Selections from Early Middle English, 1130-1250. Part 1: Texts
English literature -- Middle English, 1100-1500
Þa queð hengest to þan kinge{;} lauerd hærcne tiðende.
⁊ ich þe wulle ræcchen{;} deorne runen.
ȝif þu mine lare{;} wel wult lusten.
⁊ noht halden to wraððe{;} þat ich wel leare. 150
þe king answarede{;} swa henges hit wolde.
Þa sæide hængest{;} cnihten alre fæirest.
lauerd ich habbe moni a dæi{;} þine monscipe ihæȝed.
⁊ þin holde mon ibeo{n}{;} i richen þine hirede.
⁊ in ælche fæhte{;} hæhst of þine cnihte{n}. 155
Þo saide hengest to þan kinge{;} louerd hercne tẏdinge.
And ich þe wolle telle{;} of deorne rouni{n}ges.
ȝef þou mine lore wel wolt i{}hure.
And noht holde to wraþþe{;} ȝef ich þe wel leore.
And þe king answerede{;} alse Hengest hit wolde.
⁊ ich habbe ofte ihærd{;} hohfulle ronen.
Imong þine hired{}monnen{;} heo hatieð þe swiðe.
In to þan bare dæðe{;} ȝif heo hit dursten cuðe.
Ofte heo stilleliche spækeð{;} ⁊ spilieð mid runen.
of twam ȝu{n}ge monnen{;} þat feor wunieð hennen. 160
þe an hæhte VtheR{;} þe oðer ambrosie.
þe þridde hæhte Co[n]stance{;} þes wes king i þisse `lond´.
⁊ he her wes of{}slaȝen{;} þurh swicfulle laȝen.
[Linenotes:
156. _ronenen_ MS. || _stilledliche_ MS.]
louerd ofte ich habbe ihord{;} among þine cnihtes.
þat hii þe hatieþ swiþe{;} into þare bare deathe.
Ofte hii stille spekeþ. of two ȝonge cheldre{n}.
þe on hatte vther{;} þe oþer Aurelie.
þe þridde hehte Constance{;} þat þou dedest to deaþe.
Nu wulleð cume þa oðere{;} ⁊ wræken heore broðer.
Al forbær | nen þi lond{;} ⁊ slæn þine leoden. [f. 83r² 165
þe seoluen ⁊ þine duȝeðen; driuen ut of londe.
⁊ þus suggeð þine men{;} þer heo somned sitteð.
for þa twene broðere{;} beoð `beyne´ kine{}borne.
Of androeinnes kunne{;} þas aðele bruttes.
⁊ þus þine duȝeðe{;} stille þe fordemed. 170
[Linenote:
168. _beyne_ added in margin, _beoren_ deleted.]
Nou wolleþ come þe oþer{;} and wreken hire broþer.
Al for{}bearne þi lond{;} and slean þine leo | de. [f. 66v²
And þus seggeþ þine men{;} stille bi{}twine heom.
Ah ich þe wulle ræde{;} Of muchele þire neode.
þ̵ þu bi{}ȝite {cn}ihtes{;} þa gode beoð to fihte.
⁊ bi{}tache me ænne castel{;} Oðer ane kineliche burh.
þat ich mai inne ligge{;} þa while þa ich libbe.
Ic am uor þe iuaid{;} þær{}fore ic wene beon dæd. 175
fare þer ic auer fare{;} næm ich næuere bute care.
Buten ich ligge faste{;} biclused inne castle.
ȝif þu þis me wult don{;} Ich hit wulle mid luue a{}fon.
⁊ ich wulle biliue{;} senden after mine wiue.
þat is a sexisc wimmon{;} of wisdome wel idon. 180
⁊ after rouwe{n}ne{;} mire dohter; þe me is swiðe deore.
Þenne ich habbe mi wif{;} ⁊ mine wine{}maies.
[Linenote:
172. _cnihtes_] _mihtest_ MS.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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