HADRIANUS. BEVERLANDUS..

HIC. SVM. UBI. TU. QVI.

HAEC. LEGIS. ESSE. NOLLES.

RIDES.

NON. RIDEBIS. CREDE. MIHI.
EADEM. DECRETA, SVBITURUS.

Sibi vivo.

P.

Num. XIV. Vide Præf. §. XIV.

Robert of Brunne's account of the raising of Stonehenge, from the French of Master Wace, who followed Geffry of Monmouth.

Reparavit Fro pipen [York] to London he [Aurelius Ambrosius]

[Ambrosius] Londoniam.

Venit ad Wynto niam,

went,

þe toun he found paired & schent,

Kirkes, houses beten doun.

To be kyng þei ment þam of be toun,

þat many of þe best burgeis,

Were fed & ilk man gede his weis,
He bigged it eft þat are was playn,
Clerkes burgeis did com again,
& gaf ilkon agaýn þer estre,
Sipen he turned to Wynchestre,
Bigged kirkes & houses pere,

Als he had d on els where.

¶ Sipen

"Gif suilk conseile as he can.

"He can gow telle what salle betide,

After him I rede gour werk abide.

"be kyng said it salle so be,

Mykille I desire Merlyn to sẹ.

"Of his wisdom wild I here,
"He sais selcouthes many manere.

At a welle fer in Wales,

Baynes it hight bi olde tales, be messager þer Merlyn fond,

Come speke with king he sent his sond,

¶ Whan

Rex misit pro Merli no.

Responsio Merlini ad regem.

¶ Whan he come be fore þe kyng,
Joye he made for his comýng,

& honourd him for he was wyse,,
& cherisid ouer alle oper of prise.
He praid him with fulle louand speche,
What suld be tide he wild him teche.
"Sir kyng", said Merlyn, "certis nay,
"To opуn my mouthe I dar ne may.
"Bot if it be a behouely þing at nede,
66 þat were warning or tokýn of dred.
" & git with grete lounes of hert,
"þat pride tourn noght ouer theurt,
"For if I spake prow pryde or bost,
"Or for scorn a gayn my gost:

"pat ilk gost that in me wons,
"þat alle me kennys, & alle me mons,
"Owt of my mouthe it wild him draw,
"Off my conyng reue me my saw,

"Rounde about ere þei set,

"Out of Aufrik were þei fet.

"Ilkon on oper is set vpright,

"No man in erth has now þat myght,

"For to tak doun o stone,

"Ne set pam eft es þer none.
þan said þe kyng, & on him louh,
"It were pan grete ferly how,
"pat po stones þat þou of sais,
"Ere so heuy and of suilk pais,
"þat non has force ne fosoun,
"To remoue þam vp ne doun,
" & ere so fer ouer þe see;

"Who myght þam pan bring to me?

***** an said Merlyn to be kỷng, *b*

*****

"Quayntise ouercomes alle þing.

"Strength is gode vnto trauaile,

"per no strength may sleght wille vaile.
"Sleght & conỳng dos maný a char,
"Begynnes þing þat strength ne dar.
"With sleght may pou þe stones wynne,
" & in Bretaýn set þam in,

"per pou ne salle with strength

"Remoue þam a stone length.

"In Aufrik were þei compast & wrouht,
"Geantz tille Ireland fro pipen þam brouht,

" & set pam one a hille fulle hii

"With engyns fulle quaỳntly.

Prudencia superat om

ne robur.