 | Guy of Warwick |  |
When Gij seye þe douke of fot,
For sorwe no wist he no bot;
Wel hardiliche he smot a kniȝt,
Þat ded he feld him anon riȝt.
His swerd of stiel he haþ up pliȝt,
& smot so anoþer kniȝt
Þat asailed þe douke Segin,
Þat heued sone binam him,
& seþþe he sett him his stede opon,
& fast hii asailed her fon;
Þennes nil hii neuer gon
Er hii han slawe mani on.
For sorwe no wist he no bot;
Wel hardiliche he smot a kniȝt,
Þat ded he feld him anon riȝt.
His swerd of stiel he haþ up pliȝt,
& smot so anoþer kniȝt
Þat asailed þe douke Segin,
Þat heued sone binam him,
& seþþe he sett him his stede opon,
& fast hii asailed her fon;
142
Er hii han slawe mani on.
‘Sir douk,’ seyd Gyoun,
‘Vnderstond to mi resoun:
To þe cite oȝain we wil go,
Ful wele we may it now do;
A þousand þer beþ of armed kniȝtes
Þat sone wiþ ous wil holde fiȝtes;
& we here lenger duelle
For foles we schullen ous telle.’
Into her cite þai ben y-gon,
Togider þai asembled hem ichon,
& at þe alours þai defended hem,
& abiden bataile of her fomen.
‘Vnderstond to mi resoun:
To þe cite oȝain we wil go,
Ful wele we may it now do;
A þousand þer beþ of armed kniȝtes
Þat sone wiþ ous wil holde fiȝtes;
& we here lenger duelle
For foles we schullen ous telle.’
Into her cite þai ben y-gon,
Togider þai asembled hem ichon,
& at þe alours þai defended hem,
& abiden bataile of her fomen.
When þemperour y-herd þis,
Þat his sone y-nomen is,
Wiþ loude steuen þan hete he
His folk asayl þat cite
Wiþ schot of bowe and alblast,
Wiþ swerdes, speres schete & cast,
Wiþ laddren steye, þat couþe best.
Þe cite to asail haue þai no rest,
Wiþ stones & mangunels fast to cast:
Þe fair walles al to-dast.
& hii wiþ-in fended hem wele apliȝt,
& hii wiþ-outen ȝeld hem gret fiȝt;
Þe Almayns þat ilke day þere
Wiþ gret sorwe y-slawe were.
Strongliche þai asail þe cite,
Ac þat day noþing no speden he;
At euen þat wiþ-drouȝ hem oȝan.
Þemperour was þer-fore a sori man,
Þat he no miȝt of þat cite spede,
No awreken him for no nede.
Þe cite ich day what niȝt
Þai asailed wiþ gret miȝt;
Ac þe douk, Gij, and Herhaud,
Oft hem makeþ mani asaut,
& miche of his folk þan slouȝ hii,
Wharfore he was in hert sori.
Þat his sone y-nomen is,
Wiþ loude steuen þan hete he
His folk asayl þat cite
Wiþ schot of bowe and alblast,
Wiþ swerdes, speres schete & cast,
Wiþ laddren steye, þat couþe best.
Þe cite to asail haue þai no rest,
Wiþ stones & mangunels fast to cast:
Þe fair walles al to-dast.
& hii wiþ-in fended hem wele apliȝt,
& hii wiþ-outen ȝeld hem gret fiȝt;
Þe Almayns þat ilke day þere
Wiþ gret sorwe y-slawe were.
Strongliche þai asail þe cite,
Ac þat day noþing no speden he;
At euen þat wiþ-drouȝ hem oȝan.
Þemperour was þer-fore a sori man,
Þat he no miȝt of þat cite spede,
No awreken him for no nede.
Þe cite ich day what niȝt
Þai asailed wiþ gret miȝt;
144
Oft hem makeþ mani asaut,
& miche of his folk þan slouȝ hii,
Wharfore he was in hert sori.
| Guy of Warwick | |