 | Guy of Warwick |  |
When þe king haþ y-herd þis
Þat þe men him teld, y-wis,
An gode while he him bi-þouȝt,
Er þan þat he speke mouȝt.
‘Sir,’ quaþ Gij, ‘no care þou nouȝt:
Þer-of no haue þou no þouȝt.
Into Norþ-humberlond ichil wende,
& ȝif ich þat best may fende,
Ich him schal ouercome þurch godes miȝt;
For wiþ him ichil hold fiȝt.’
Þat þe men him teld, y-wis,
An gode while he him bi-þouȝt,
Er þan þat he speke mouȝt.
‘Sir,’ quaþ Gij, ‘no care þou nouȝt:
Þer-of no haue þou no þouȝt.
Into Norþ-humberlond ichil wende,
& ȝif ich þat best may fende,
Ich him schal ouercome þurch godes miȝt;
For wiþ him ichil hold fiȝt.’
‘Gij,’ quaþ þe king, ‘schaltow nouȝt so.
No wille ich þat þou al-on go.
An hundred kniȝtes schul wende wiþ þe,
Þat þou may þe sikerer be.’
Gij answerd anon riȝt,
‘Nold neuer god ful of miȝt
Þat for a best onlepi
Schuld so miche folk traueli.’
At þe king his leue he nam,
And hom to his in he cam.
His felawes he lete þer ichon:
Wiþ him most go neuer on
Bot Herhaud, þat was gode at nede,
& oþer to kniȝtes y-armed on stede.
No wille ich þat þou al-on go.
An hundred kniȝtes schul wende wiþ þe,
Þat þou may þe sikerer be.’
Gij answerd anon riȝt,
‘Nold neuer god ful of miȝt
Þat for a best onlepi
Schuld so miche folk traueli.’
At þe king his leue he nam,
And hom to his in he cam.
378
Wiþ him most go neuer on
Bot Herhaud, þat was gode at nede,
& oþer to kniȝtes y-armed on stede.
| Guy of Warwick | |