Flourished initial from BL Lansdowne 699, f. 18v

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Flourished initial from BL Lansdowne 699, f. 18v

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Summary

Flourished initial 'F'(ro), at the beginning of John Lydgate's Guydo de Warwih. Image taken from f. 18v of Collection of Poems. Written in Latin.

Fremund was the son of a pagan king who reigned in England, named Offa. Offa was baptized, performed many miracles, converted his parents, and resigned his kingdom to his son. Danes, Hinguar and his brother, Hubba ravage England and put King Edmund to death. Offa sends twenty nobles to seek his son, and, finding him, they implore his aid, and he assents in consequence of a vision in which it is revealed that each of his companions shall appear a thousand to his enemies. He attacks and defeats 40,000 of the enemy with the twenty who have come to seek him, in addition to his two companions. In a great battle at Radford Semele, while he is prostrate in thanksgiving for the victory, Oswi, formerly one of Offa's commanders who had apostatized and joined the pagans, cuts off his head. Blood spurts over Oswi, who implores absolution and forgiveness, which the head pronounces. Fremund rises and carries his head some distance, when, a spring bursting forth, he washes his wound, falls prostrate and expires.

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Date

1300 - 1500
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Source

British Library
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Copyright info

Public Domain

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john lydgate
john lydgate