 | Guy of Warwick |  |
Gij him com to court þore,
& aliȝt atte halle dore;
& to þerl he went þo,
& schewed him wat he wald do.
‘Sir erl,’ quod Gij, ‘y bid þe,
Leue to wende ȝif þou me.
Ouer þe se ichil now wende;
God to gode hauen me sende!
Time it is þat ich fond
To winne priis in vncouþe lond;
Al þe glader ȝe mow be
Ȝif we of armes preised be.
& ȝif þou hast folk of grete miȝt,
It is te gret worþschip, y pliȝt,
For al þe more men schal þe dout
Wiþ-in þi lond & eke wiþ-out.’
& aliȝt atte halle dore;
& to þerl he went þo,
& schewed him wat he wald do.
‘Sir erl,’ quod Gij, ‘y bid þe,
Leue to wende ȝif þou me.
Ouer þe se ichil now wende;
God to gode hauen me sende!
Time it is þat ich fond
To winne priis in vncouþe lond;
Al þe glader ȝe mow be
Ȝif we of armes preised be.
& ȝif þou hast folk of grete miȝt,
It is te gret worþschip, y pliȝt,
For al þe more men schal þe dout
Wiþ-in þi lond & eke wiþ-out.’
‘Sir Gij,’ quod þerl þo,
‘Faileþ þe out þat y mai do?
Gold oþer siluer, oþer heye stede?
To passe þe se hastow no nede.
Sir Gij,’ he seyd, ‘lete ben al þis,
Anouȝ þe worþ þat þe nede is;
& to pleyn vnder þe linde,
Þe hert to chacen and þe hinde:
Of al þinges þou schalt haue plente.
Bileue at hom, sir Gi, wiþ me.
We schul wende boþe y-fere
To play bi wode & bi riuer;
Al bi times þou miȝt wende;
Ȝete no hastow ben here a moneþ to þende.’
‘Faileþ þe out þat y mai do?
Gold oþer siluer, oþer heye stede?
To passe þe se hastow no nede.
Sir Gij,’ he seyd, ‘lete ben al þis,
Anouȝ þe worþ þat þe nede is;
& to pleyn vnder þe linde,
Þe hert to chacen and þe hinde:
Of al þinges þou schalt haue plente.
Bileue at hom, sir Gi, wiþ me.
We schul wende boþe y-fere
To play bi wode & bi riuer;
Al bi times þou miȝt wende;
Ȝete no hastow ben here a moneþ to þende.’
‘Miche þank, sir,’ quod Gij þo;
‘For soþe so no may [y] nouȝt do.’
His leue he toke wiþ-outen more;
Þerl it of-þouȝt swiþe sore.
He goþ him to his fader þo,
Þat for his wending was ful wo:
‘Gon, fader,’ quod he, ‘ich-ille;
For noþing leten y nille;
Ȝif me leue, icham al ȝare
Ouer þe se for to fare,
To winne pris and los al-so,
So ȝong man schal in ȝouþe do.
Long to bileuen in þis cunt[r]e
Nis it nouȝt worþ for me;
For ȝong man þat is miȝti
In his ȝouþe schal fondi,
So þat men may him in erþe preyse,
And in eld liue in mirþe & ayse.
Þer-whiles icham ȝong & liȝt,
Los ichil winne bi mi miȝt.’
‘For soþe so no may [y] nouȝt do.’
70
Þerl it of-þouȝt swiþe sore.
He goþ him to his fader þo,
Þat for his wending was ful wo:
‘Gon, fader,’ quod he, ‘ich-ille;
For noþing leten y nille;
Ȝif me leue, icham al ȝare
Ouer þe se for to fare,
To winne pris and los al-so,
So ȝong man schal in ȝouþe do.
Long to bileuen in þis cunt[r]e
Nis it nouȝt worþ for me;
For ȝong man þat is miȝti
In his ȝouþe schal fondi,
So þat men may him in erþe preyse,
And in eld liue in mirþe & ayse.
Þer-whiles icham ȝong & liȝt,
Los ichil winne bi mi miȝt.’
| Guy of Warwick | |