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 | Guy of Warwick |  |
253
When þe folk was samned bi boþe side,Þe to kinges wiþ michel pride
After þe relikes þai sende,
Þe corporas, & þe messe gere:
On þe halidom þai gun swere
Wiþ wordes fre & hende.
Þe king of Danmarke swore furst, ywis,
Ȝif þat his geant slayn is,
To Danmarke he schal wende,
& neuer more Inglond cum wiþinne,
No non after him of his kinne
Vnto þe warldes ende.
254
Seþþen swore þe king Aþelston,594
Bi god þat al may weld,
Ȝif his man þer slayn be,
Or ouer-comen, þat men may se,
Recreaunt in þe feld,
His man he wil bicom an hond,
& alle þe reme of Inglond
Of him for to helde,
& hold him for lord & king,
Wiþ gold, & siluer, & oþer þing
Gret trowage him for to ȝelde.
255
When þai had sworn & ostage founde,Colbrond stirt vp in þat stounde:
To fiȝt he was ful felle.
He was so michel & so vnrede,
Þat non hors miȝt him lede,
In gest as y ȝou telle.
So mani he hadde of armes gere,
Vnneþe a cart miȝt hem bere,
Þe Inglisse for to quelle.
Swiche armour as he hadde opon,
Y-wis, no herd ȝe neuer non,
Bot as it ware a fende of helle.
256
Of mailes was nouȝt his hauberk:It was al of anoþer werk,
Þat meruail is to here.
Alle it were þicke splentes of stiel,
Þicke y-ioined strong & wel,
To kepe þat fendes fere.
Hossen he hadde also wele y-wrouȝt:
Oþer þan sp[l]entes was it nouȝt
Fram his fot to his swere.
He was so michel & so strong,
& þer-to so wonderliche long:
In þe world was non his pere.
257
An helme he hadde on his heued sett,596
Unsemly was his wede.
A targe he had wrouȝt ful wel
(Oþer metel was þer non on bot stiel),
A michel & vnrede.
Al his armour was blac as piche.
Wel foule he was & loþliche,
A grisely gom to fede.
Þe heiȝe king þat sitteþ on heiȝe,
Þat welt þis warld fer & neiȝe,
Made him wel iuel to spede.
258
A dart he bar in his hond kerueand,& his wepen about him stondand
Boþe bihinde & biforn,
Ax[e]s, & gisarmes scharp y-grounde,
& glaiues for to ȝiue wiþ wounde,
To hundred & mo þer worn.
Þe Inglis biheld him fast:
King Aþelston was sore agast,
Inglond he schuld haue lorn;
For, when Gij seiȝe þat wicked hert,
He nas neuer so sore aferd
Seþþen þat he was born.
| Guy of Warwick | |