 | Guy of Warwick |  |
Þerl dede þe leches of-sende
Of Gyes iuel to wite þat ende.
Þe leches ben to him y-go:
Gij þai finde blaike and blo;
Hij asked him where his iuel stode.
He seyd for hete he brend nere wode:
‘So hot ich am, & bren[n]inge,
Mi sorwe is euer cominge,
Þat al mi limes it haþ to-tiȝt;
Swiche liif y lede day & niȝt.
After þe hete me comeþ a chele
Þat me greueþ wiþ vn-skele,
Þat y wex cold as ise.
So vn-kinde iuel it is,
Þat al mine limes it wil to-te;
& seþþe me comeþ swouninges þre,
For anguis swoune it me doþ
Tviis or þriis, y say for soþ.
Swiche liif y lede niȝt & day:
Non oþer wise y no can ȝou say.’
Of Gyes iuel to wite þat ende.
Þe leches ben to him y-go:
Gij þai finde blaike and blo;
Hij asked him where his iuel stode.
He seyd for hete he brend nere wode:
‘So hot ich am, & bren[n]inge,
Mi sorwe is euer cominge,
Þat al mi limes it haþ to-tiȝt;
Swiche liif y lede day & niȝt.
After þe hete me comeþ a chele
Þat me greueþ wiþ vn-skele,
Þat y wex cold as ise.
So vn-kinde iuel it is,
Þat al mine limes it wil to-te;
& seþþe me comeþ swouninges þre,
For anguis swoune it me doþ
Tviis or þriis, y say for soþ.
Swiche liif y lede niȝt & day:
Non oþer wise y no can ȝou say.’
Þan seyd þat on, ‘a feuer it is.’
‘Ȝa,’ quod Gij, ‘a liþer y-wis.’
Þe leches gon, & lete Gij one,
Þat makeþ wel michel mone.
‘God,’ quod Gij, ‘what schal y do?
Hou long schal y liuen in wo?
Þat y no miȝt ded be,
When y no may hir wiþ eyȝen se,
Þat haþ al mine hert & þouȝt!
& y no misgilt hir neuer nouȝt,
Bot on þat ichir loue wel,
& euer more loue schel!
Ȝif ich it hir schewe, sche wil telle
Hir fader, & he me wil quelle.
Þei he it wist, siker apliȝt,
More þan me sle don he no miȝt.
Ȝif he me slouȝ, it were schonde,
Schuld y þan for deþ wonde;
To hir for soþe ichil go
& schewe hir of mi michel wo.
Vnder heuen [n]is so strong þing
So is loue and wowing.
Now,’ he seyd, ‘what for þan?
Þei ich hir loue, blame me noman;
To warant ichil drawe atte frome
Þat loue doþ me þider come,
& þat loue doþ me go to þe
Þat y no may wiþ-hold me.’
‘Ȝa,’ quod Gij, ‘a liþer y-wis.’
Þe leches gon, & lete Gij one,
Þat makeþ wel michel mone.
‘God,’ quod Gij, ‘what schal y do?
Hou long schal y liuen in wo?
Þat y no miȝt ded be,
When y no may hir wiþ eyȝen se,
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& y no misgilt hir neuer nouȝt,
Bot on þat ichir loue wel,
& euer more loue schel!
Ȝif ich it hir schewe, sche wil telle
Hir fader, & he me wil quelle.
Þei he it wist, siker apliȝt,
More þan me sle don he no miȝt.
Ȝif he me slouȝ, it were schonde,
Schuld y þan for deþ wonde;
To hir for soþe ichil go
& schewe hir of mi michel wo.
Vnder heuen [n]is so strong þing
So is loue and wowing.
Now,’ he seyd, ‘what for þan?
Þei ich hir loue, blame me noman;
To warant ichil drawe atte frome
Þat loue doþ me þider come,
& þat loue doþ me go to þe
Þat y no may wiþ-hold me.’
| Guy of Warwick | |