The Project Gutenberg eBook, Brut, by Layamon, Translated by Eugene Mason

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: Brut

Author: Layamon

Release Date: December 8, 2004 [eBook #14305]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BRUT***

E-text prepared by Ted Garvin, Keith M. Eckrich, and the Project Gutenberg
Online Distriubted Proofreading Team

LAYAMON'S BRUT

At Totnes Constantin the fair and all his host came ashore; thither
came the bold man--well was he brave!--and with him two thousand
knights such as no king possessed. Forth they gan march into London,
and sent after knights over all the kingdom, and every brave man, that
speedily he should come anon.

The Britons heard that, where they dwelt in the pits; in earth and in
stocks they hid them like badgers, in wood and in wilderness, in heath
and in fen, so that well nigh no man might find any Briton, except
they were in castle, or in burgh inclosed fast. When they heard of
this word, that Constantin was in the land, then came out of the
mountains many thousand men; they leapt out of the wood as if it were
deer. Many hundred thousand marched toward London, by street and by
weald all it forth pressed; and the brave women put on them men's
clothes, and they forth journeyed toward the army.

When the Earl Constantin saw all this folk come to him, then he was so
blithe as he was never before in life. Forth they took their way two
nights and a day, so that they came full truly to Melga and Wanis.
Together they rushed with stern strength, fought fiercely--the fated
fell! Ere the day were gone, slain was Wanis and Melgan, and Peohtes
enow, and Scots without number, Danes and Norwegians, Galloways and
Irish. The while that the day was light lasted ever this slaughter.

When it came to the eventime, then called the Earl Constantin, and
bade that guides should ride to the waters, and active men toward the
sea, for to guard them. A man should have seen the game, how the women
forth marched over woods and over fields, over hills and over dales.
Wheresoever they found any man escaped, that was with Melga the
heathen king, the women loud laughed, and tore