Guy of Warwick | ||
Felice answerd swiþe an heye,
‘No rape þe nouȝt so, sir Gij;
Ȝete nartow nouȝt y-preysed so,
Þat me ne may finde oþer mo;
Orped þou art and of grete miȝt,
Gode kniȝt & ardi in fiȝt:
& ȝif ich þe hadde mi loue y-ȝeue,
To welden it while þat y liue,
Sleuþe þe schuld ouercome:
Namore wostow of armes loue,
No comen in turnament no in fiȝt.
So amerous þou were anon riȝt.
Y schuld misdo, so þenkeþ me,
& miche agilt oȝaines te,
& ich þi manschip schuld schone,
Wit me euer more to wone.
Gij,’ quod Felice, ‘forhele y nille,
Ac al þe soþe ichil þe telle:
Þou art me leuest of oþer alle,
For þi ‘leman’ ichil the calle;
Ac mi loue no schaltow haue
For noþing þatow may craue,
Er þou perles holden be
& best doand in þis cuntre,
Þat nowhar bi lond no w[e]ter
No be founde þi beter;
& when þou art hold best doinde
In armes þat animan mai finde,
Þat vnder heuen þi beter no be,
Mi loue ichil þan graunti þe.’
‘No rape þe nouȝt so, sir Gij;
Ȝete nartow nouȝt y-preysed so,
Þat me ne may finde oþer mo;
Orped þou art and of grete miȝt,
Gode kniȝt & ardi in fiȝt:
& ȝif ich þe hadde mi loue y-ȝeue,
To welden it while þat y liue,
Sleuþe þe schuld ouercome:
Namore wostow of armes loue,
No comen in turnament no in fiȝt.
So amerous þou were anon riȝt.
66
& miche agilt oȝaines te,
& ich þi manschip schuld schone,
Wit me euer more to wone.
Gij,’ quod Felice, ‘forhele y nille,
Ac al þe soþe ichil þe telle:
Þou art me leuest of oþer alle,
For þi ‘leman’ ichil the calle;
Ac mi loue no schaltow haue
For noþing þatow may craue,
Er þou perles holden be
& best doand in þis cuntre,
Þat nowhar bi lond no w[e]ter
No be founde þi beter;
& when þou art hold best doinde
In armes þat animan mai finde,
Þat vnder heuen þi beter no be,
Mi loue ichil þan graunti þe.’
Guy of Warwick | ||