<County: Warwickshire>
<Code: L8110>
<MS reference: Oxford, Bodleian Library, Digby 205, Hand B>
<Text: Robert of Gloucester's Chronicle>
<fol. 11r>Fram southest to Northwest : þat is sumdel grete
Fram Douer in to Chestre : goþ watlyngstrete
The ferþe of þise is most of alle : þat tilleþ fram Toteneys
Fram þe one ende of Cornewaile : anone to Cateneys
Fram þe souþwest to Northest : in to englondes ende
Fosse men calliþ þilke wey : þat by many toun doþ wende
<gap for initial, with s indicated>O clene and faire englonde is : and pure with oute hore
The fairest men of þe worlde : þer Jnne ben ybore
So clene faire and white : amonge oþer men þei ben
That men knoweþ hem in eche londe : by sy3t whanne men hem seen
Also so clene he is þat londe : and mannes blode so pure
That gret yuel ne commeþ þer nou3t : þat is callid helle fuire
That for-fareþ mannes lymmes : ry3t as þou3 it brende
But men of Fraunce in þat euyl : sone men seeþ amende
If þei ben brou3t to englonde : whare-þourgh men may wyte
That Englonde is londe best : also hit is ywryte
<letter missing, probably f>ram þe bygynnynge of þe worlde : to tyme þat
nowe is
Seuen ages þer haþ ybe : at seuen tymes J wis
The first tyme an age : was first fram Adam
To Noe and siþe þe oþer : fram Noie to Abraham
The þridde was fram Abraham : forto moyses come
The ferþe was fram Moyses: to dauid is kyngdome
The fifte was fram dauid : to þe transmigracioun
Of Babiloun and þe sixte : to þe incarnacioun
That forto god was borne : þe seueþ was and is
Fram oure lordis birþe tyme : to þe worldes ende J-wis
Tho Adam was first made : and his ofspringe waxed wide
Thei biganne in þe worlde : al in þe Estsyde
Sithen hit wex wide aboute : fram londe to londe
So in þe þridde age hit was: or hit come to englonde
For bitwene þe tyme of Abraham : and Moyses hit was
Man come first to englonde : J 3ow wole telle þat caas
<gap for initial, with a indicated> Bataile þer was somme tyme : in ye cuntre of Rome
And þe most þat euer was : men hit haþ herde lome
The Bataile of Troye : þat last feel 3eer
Many was þe goode body : þat slayn was þeer
For þer was kny3t in no londe : ne stalworþe man
But in ye one side he was : and al for one womman
That Helyne was ycallyde : þis bataile first bigan
An hey3 man was þer bifore : þat callid was Dardan
Of him come þe good Brute : þat was þe first man
That lorde was in englonde : as J 3ow telle can
<gap for initial, with d indicated>Ardan bi3at Troye : þat good man was and wis
Troie bi3at Priamus : and also eke Anchys
That were in þis Bataile : of most my3t and mayne
Anchys bi3at Eneas : and Eneas Eschayne
<fol. 11v>Eschayn bi3at Sillius : of whom þe Brute come
For Eneas aftir þe Bataile : Eschayn his sone nome
And Sillius Eschaynes sone : and oþer þat þer were
To þe londe of ytale . þei went and wonede þere
Tho Sillius hadde bi3at o childe : fayne he wolde wete
What man þat childe schulde be: þat hadde bi3ete
O clerk þurgh enchauntement : him bigan to telle
That þe childe schulde first : fadir & modir quelle
And sithe schulde many londe : ouer passe and wende
And many Batailes ouercome : and sithe at þe ende
To a noble londe he schulde come : and þer al lorde be
And kynges comen of his blood : and þat men schulde se
hat Eneas bigan his ofspringe : þat to itaile first gan þring
Thre þousand and sexti & twenti 3eer : fram þe wordes bigynnynges
Tho þe Clerk hadde saide : his enchaunterye
Ther Sillius him lete sle : but þat was litel maistrye
For hit come neuer þe later : as he hadde seyde
For in traueyle of his beringe : þe modir was first deyde
Tho þis childe was borne : men lete calle him Bruyte
First lorde he was in englonde : of whom men spekiþ 3itte
The childe wex and wel þrofe : as þe clerk seide ere
And whenne he hadde þe age : of fiftene 3ere
As he wolde scheten an herte : al a3enst his wille
To deþ he sheet his owen fadir : þat lay þer stille
Hit him a þou3t sore ynou3 : but naþeles 3it he was
Oute of þe londe ydryue : for þat rewful caas
And to þe londe of Grece : come : and þan fonde he þere
Of the kynde of Priamus : many men þat þer were
That weren of his next blode : þat weren in seruage
For here eldren were ere take : bifore in ostage
Fram þe Battale of Troye : in wreche as it were
For þe gret slau3ter and woo : þat here kyn dide þere
Whanne þat Bruyte amonges hem come : to suche proues he drow3 :
That al þe kyn þat him saw3 : hadde of him ioye ynow3 :
So þat at þe last : whenne he in state was
And hem þou3t þat his peer : in þe worlde nas
<gap for initial, with a indicated>lle þat folke of his blood : aboute him drou3 fast
For he schulde his owen kynde : oute of þe seruage cast
Thei come him al aboute : so þat Bruyte ysey
That moche power was of hem : and noble folk and hey
He gadered hem to-gider : þat faire oste hit was
To þe kynge of Grece he sent : þat callid was pandras
That he schulde þat noble folk : þat of so hende blode come
Oute of þe seruage late : and oute of þraldome
Or ellis þat he schulde not wondre : þou3 þei dide here my3t
With here bodies to asay : to wynne here ry3t
<fol. 12r>The kynge hadde in his þou3t : scorne of þis thinge
He gadered his ost anoue : to grounde hem þou3t to bringe
This bruyte a3eyn him wt his ost : wel wisiliche drou3
Thei smote to-gider in Bataile : harde & stronge ynou3
The proues þat Bruite dide þer : no tonge telle may
Many was þe good bodi : þat him self slowe a day
Hit were to longe to telle : his foon he ouer-come
And Pandras þe stronge kynge : as prisoner he nome
<gap for initial, with t indicated>his kynge whan he ytake ˆ [was] : here wille he dide anone
And brou3t hem oute of þraldom : þan he ne sey3 oþere wone
He bigan to loue Bruyt : for his faire chaunce
And wilned ouer al oþer þinge : of him to haue alyaunce
Bruyt he seyd þou art nowe : þe best bodi þat is
For þe noble kynde þat þou art of : and þi proues J wis
J wole oblige me to þee : and my kyngdom þer to
One dou3ter J haue of muche prise : noble & good also
J 3eue hure þee to wife : and if þou wolt bileue here
The þriddendel my kyngdom : J 3yue þee to be my fere
Jf þou wilt not here be : but wole 3it fonde more
Golde and siluer J 3yue þee: and ynou3 of oþer store
And take to þee my dou3ter : for man þat art J wis
To wynne 3it a kyngdom : wel better þan myn is
The kynge and Bruyt were attone : þat to wife he toke
His dou3ter þat hi3t Jimogen : but his londe he forsoke
The kynge toke Bruyt his owen body : in ostage as it were
An to it were to gider ybrou3t : al þat he wolde arere
He lete sende his messagers : in to al Grece wel wide
And lete fille Corne and oyle : and wyn bi eche side
Men chargid þre hundred schippis : & foure & twenti þerto
Ther-with & with al oþer good : þat men my3t þer-Jnne do
Tho þis schypes faire were : and ful of eche good
And þis maide spoused was : of so hey3 blood
The kynge þat folke delyuered : oute of seruage
And Bruite delyuered þe kynge : oute of ostage
And toke his leeue faire : and þankid him al good
And toke hem alle with him : þat he wan þer of his blood
And his wife Jimogen : and to schippe þei went
Thei nyst towarde whiche londe : but as god hem sent
The doile þat Jimogen made : no tonge telle may
Sche cried & wepid wt sorow : and ofte in sowne lay
Tho sche went fram hure kynne : & fram al þat sche kende
And nyst neuer whiderwarde : but as þe wynde wende
Sche wist þat sche schul neuer a3eyn come þo
No se fadir ne oþir kyn : lord þat sche was wo
<gap for initial, with b indicated>ruyt hure clyppid & kyssyd : & comfortid ynow3
But sche ne my3t hure hert chaunge : þt ne sche to sorow drou3
<Tranche 2>
<fol. 17v>So þat atte last : þis maide yspousyd was
To þe kynge of Fraunce : as god 3af þat cas
<gap for initial>henne þis kynges elder was : þey+bigan to loþe
For he longe lyued : his leeue dou3tren boþe
Here lordes þei ticed : to holde to-gider fast
And wynne al þis londe to hem : and here fadir oute cast
Thise two kynges gaderid ost : and endide þis dede
And by-name þe kynge his londe : as here wyfes bede
But þe kynge of Scotland : for reuthe and kyndehede
Toke him to him in his house : a3enst his wyfes rede
And syxti kny3ttes with honour : to sewen him al his lyfe
As who seiþ for his kyngdom : and for honour of his wyfe
With-Jnne two 3eer þeraftir : hit aþou3t þe leþer quene
That hure fadir hadde to moche : and wolde to moche spene
Sche made of syxti kny3ttes : hure lorde pritty with drou3
And made him holde but þriti : þat was hure þou3t ynow3
<gap for initial>his leyr was aschamed þan : and in wrathe atte þe ende
to his oþer dou3ter þe quene of cornewaile he gan wende
And pleyned him of þe vnkyndehede : of his dou3ter Gornorille
And wende þer amendement to haue hadde : al at his wille
Þilke dou3ter hun þere fonge : with honour as he wende
But sche was al ful of him : or þat þe 3eris ende
For sche enticed here lorde þan : þat his kny3tes echone
For cost schulde him bitaken fro : but fyue men allone
Whiche so þei were : and þat was sche sayd ynou3
Whan þis olde+man þis hard : to sorow his herte drou3
He wist nou3t to wheþer dou3ter : better to trist þo
And naþeles he wente a3en : to þe oþer with gret wo
He hoped for to fynde of hure : better chere and grace
And sche swore by hure hi3e goddis : anone in þe place
That he ne schulde with hure be : but hit one were
With one kny3t with-outen mo : þe while he him wel bere
And askyd what sorow him ailed : whan he hadde no goode
To wilne to haue gret coste ; and be of so gret mode
<gap for initial>his worde dide him muche wo : þis sely olde kynge
When sche atwited him his astate : þat he hadde no þinge
That worde brake nye his hert atwo : & longe he it vnderstode
When his childe atwited his pouerte : þat had al his good
Kyng ne quene were nou3t glade : whan þei him ysey3e
But to ioye alday hoped : þat he schulde dey3e
He bileued and nede most : forth with one kny3t
And þe quene his dou3ter : dide him day to ny3t
That he for mysese most : nede awey at þe 3ere ende
Than for mysese forfare : leuer he hadde wende
And begge his mete wiþ pore men : ferre in straunge londe
That bi-fore was hye kyng : & sniche þinges had on hond
<gap for initial, with a indicated>tte þe last in sorowe ynou3 : to þe se he went
To do his best in mysese : þer as god him sent
<fol. 18r>In þe schippe oþere prynces : in gret pryde he bihelde
But two men hadde he þan : him þou3t his herte felde
He þou3t on þe nobley : þat he hadde Jnne ybe
He wept þe teris doun ran : þat doil hit was to se
With 3oxing & with gret weping : þus he bigan his mone
Alas alas þou luþer whate : þat filest me þus one
Thus clene bringest me adoun : whider schal J be brou3t
More sorowe hit doþ me : whan hit is in my þou3t
The nobley þat J was Jnne : and was wont to wende
With many hundrid kny3ttes : aboute in eche ende
And castellis take and townes : my foon bringe to grounde
Walaway þe myscheef : þat J am June ybounde
LEue dou3ter Cordille : <?>sothe þou saidest me
As muche as J hadde J was worthe : þou3 J ne leuede þee
The whiles J ou3t hadde I was worthe : nowe hit is al gone
Myne children þat J 3aue good : ne kepiþ me nou3t one
For my good þei louede me : nowe þei hit haþ euerechedel
And wollen nou3t me 3iue þer-of : with good herte o meel
A <?> dou3ter Cordille : whider schal J nowe fle
So muche J haue þee mys-do : þat I ne dar þee se
In whiche bodi ne dar I come : in þi si3t nou3t euene
That by name þe my frenchipe : for þi sothenes al clene
Thus men may ensample take : to lete here sones wyue
And 3iue hem here londis vp : al by here lyue
Wel may a simple fraunkeleyn : in myscheef him so bringe
Of litel londe when þer felle : suche cas of on kynge
Tho þis kyng ywent aboute : in suche sorowful cas
Atte þe laste he come to Carik : þer his dou3ter was
He bileuede with-oute þe towun : al in wel gret fere
He sent þe quene his dou3ter worde : whiche his auenturus were
And þat pure mysese him þider drof : & defaunte where-of to lyue
And prayed hure for þe loue of god : hure wrathe him for-3yue
<t missing> he quene when sche hard þis : ney in swoune sche was
Alas sche sayd is my fadir , in suche delful cas
With how many kny3ttes comeþ he : þe oþer a3en hure sede
Madame but with o man : and þat in feble wede
Alas qd þe quene þan : is hit now with him so
Takeþ anone tresour ynow3 : þat he haþ nede to
And cloþe him in þe best cloþes : þat 3e may se
And fourty kny3ttes with him : þat of his sute be
And doþ hen wele to haue horse : as kyng bicomeþ to
And whan no defawte is : þat al be wele ydo
<gap for initial, with s indicated>endeþ my lorde worde and me : þat my fadir in londe is
What nediþ hit longe to telle : ydo was al þis
The kyng leyr atired was : and þat hem worde sent
The kyng and þe quene faire ynow3 : a3en leyr kyng went
And with gret honour him fonges : when he to hem come
<fol. 18v>And token him to his wille : al clene here kyngdom
This was þe good dou3ter : þat fikely wolde nou3t
Ofte þinge þat is fikel : to worse ende hit is brou3t
<gap for initial, with t indicated>he kynge of Fraunce : folke wide aboute sent
To wreken him of leþer men : þat his frende so schent
When he hadde power ynou3 : kynge leyr he name
And þe quene his dou3ter : and to þe ilke londe came
Many kynde men of the londe : with leyr kynges helde also
For þe vnkynde falsedom : þat his dou3tren hadde ydo
So þat of Fraunce & of þis londe : power he hadde ynou3
Towarde his foon with hem alle : with good herte he drou3
And ouercome þise false kynges : and here wyues also
And a3ein was in his kyngdom : with gret honour ydo
Cordille his leue dou3ter : eyr of al his londe
Aftir his deth he made þan : þat he so kynde founde
<gap for initial, with b indicated>y þis tale men may se : þat trewest men ofte is seen
And beste men mai to hem trust : þat of lest wordes ben
The kynge of Fraunce in þe þridde 3eer : deyed & eke kynges leyr
And lete here bodies burie : with gret pride and honour
Atte leicestre þat he made him self : by-side þe water of Stour
<gap for initial, with t indicated>hus good Cordille : as kynge and quene þo
Her in þis lond bileeued : fyue 3eer and no mo
Are hure sustren twey sones : stalworthe men þat were
Cunedag and Morgan : werre with hure gonne arere
And hadde dispi3t þat womman : kyng of þat londe schulde be
And naþeles with al ri3t : þei were nerre þan sche
Thei gaderid vppon here aunt : here ost aboute wide
And distroied hure londes : eiþer in here side
So þat atte þe last : to Bataile þei come
And þer þe quene here aunt : in Bataile þei nome
And diden hure in strong prisoun : and þe kyngdome
Delden bitwene hem : and eiþer his dele nome
<gap for initial, with m indicated>organ kyng of Scotlond : as he dele couthe
Hadde al þat lond by northe : and þe oþer by souþe
With-inne two 3eer þer aftir : somme to Morgan 3ede
For he of þe eldyr suster was : and bad him take hede
And said þat hit was gret dispi3t : þat þer were in þis londe
Two kynges when it were ri3t : þat he hadde al on honde
This kynges was enticed so : þat he toke atte þe last
His ost & apon his cosyn : bigan to werre fast
And bigan to brenne and kille : and atte þe last J-wis
The oþer bigan to turne a3en : and drof him to walis
And þer þei smyten a Bataile : in þe southe half of þe londe
And þer was Morgan slayn : þat longe was vnderstonde
The stede þat he was on slayn : men calliþ 3it Morgan
And euer wole aftir him : for he was a gret man
Cunedag was þan one kynges : and þat londe to him nome