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
And þou ȝef me so mochel lond{;} to stonde on min owe hond.
Ase wole a Bole hude{;} in grene ouer{}sprede.
For fram eche Castle{;} a{}midde one felde.
þanne ne mai þe atwite{;} þe pore no þe riche.
þat þou eni heh Borh{;} heþene Man bi{}takest.
Þe king him iȝette{;} swa hengest ȝirnde.
Hengest nom læue{;} ⁊ forð he gon liðe.
⁊ æfter his wiue sende sonde{;} to his aȝene lo{n}de.
⁊ he seolf wende ȝeond þis lo{n}d{;}
to sechen ænne bræ[d]ne fæld.
þer he mihte wel spræde{;} On his feire hude. 210
He com æn enne ende{;} In enne fæire uelde.
he hafde ane hude{;} bi{}ȝite to his neode.
o ane wilde bule{;} þe wes wunder ane strong.
[Linenote:
207. _nom_ corr. out of _mom_.]
And þe ki{n}g him ȝaf{;} þat lutel þat he ȝornde.
Hengest nam lefue{;} and forþ he gan wende.
And after his wifue he sende sonde{;} to his owene londe.
And him seolf wende{;} oueral to bi{}holde.
ware he mihte wel sprede{;} his Bole hude.
He hæfden ænne wisne mon{;} þe wel cuðe a craften.
þe nom þas hude{;} ⁊ a bord leide. 215
and whætte his særes{;} alse he schæren wolde.
Of þere hude he kærf enne þwong{;} swiðe s{m}al ⁊ swiðe long.
Nes þe þwong noht swiðe bræd{;} buten swulc a twines þræd.
þa al islit wes þe þong{;} He wes wunder ane long.
[Linenote:
217. _swal_ MS.]
Hengest hadde one wisneman{;} þat wel couþe of crafte.
He nam þeos bole hude{;} and a borde laide.
þar of he makede ane þwang{;} swiþe smal and swiþe lang.
Nas þe þwang noht brod bote ase hit were a twined þred. 218
[Linenote:
218. _atwined_ MS.]
a{}buten he bilæde{;} muche del of londe. 220
He bigon to deluen{;} dic swiðe muchele.
þer{}uppe stenene wal{;} þe wes strong oueral.
ane burh he arerde{;} muchele ⁊ mare.
Þa þe burh we{s} al ȝare{;} þa scop he hire nome.
he hæhte heo ful iwis{;} KaeR{}Carrai an Bruttisc. 225
⁊ ænglis | ce cnihtes{;} heo Cleopeden þwong{}Chastre. [f. 84r¹
Nu and auere mare{;} þe nome sto[n]deð þere.
⁊ for nan odere gome{;} næueden þæ burh þene nome.
[Linenote:
224. _wes_] _wel_ MS.]
A{}boute þar{}mid he leide{;} moche deal of londe.
He lette þo delue{;} on euerech halue.
þar vppe stonene wal{;} swiþe | strong oueral. [f. 67r²
ane castel he arerde{;} fair to bi{}holde.
þo þe Borh was al ȝarue{;} þo sette he hire name.
he hehte hire foliwis{;} Caẏr{}Karri in Bruttesse.
and Englisse cnihtes{;} Þwangchestre.
Nou and euere more{;} þe name stondeþ þ[are].
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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