 | Guy of Warwick |  |
Lordinges, listeneþ to me now!
Of a tresoun ichil telle ȝou:
It was opon a somers day,
Þemperour hadde eten, soþ to say;
His huntes he of-sent þo,
& seyd he wald on hunting go
Into þe forest erlike,
Þat þe douk Segyn nouȝt no wite,
No his kniȝtes neuer þe mo.
Þat him herd a spie þo,
Þat out of þat ost dede him fast,
To þe douke Segyn he com an hast.
Of a tresoun ichil telle ȝou:
It was opon a somers day,
Þemperour hadde eten, soþ to say;
His huntes he of-sent þo,
& seyd he wald on hunting go
Into þe forest erlike,
Þat þe douk Segyn nouȝt no wite,
No his kniȝtes neuer þe mo.
Þat him herd a spie þo,
Þat out of þat ost dede him fast,
To þe douke Segyn he com an hast.
Þe douke Segyn oxed him snelle
What newe tidinges he couþe telle:
‘Sir,’ quod [he], ‘herken to me:
Gode tidinges y telle þe,
Þat þemperour, sikerliche,
Wille huntte to morwe arliche
In his forest priueliche
Wiþ litel folk & nouȝt wiþ miche,
Wiþ also litel als he may.
Y no gabbe nouȝt, for soþe to say.’
Þan he hade seyde þus to Segyn,
‘Bi Seyn Richer! leue frende mine,’
Seyd þe douke, ‘and it so be,
An hundred bessauns ȝif y þe.’
Þe spie seyd, ‘soþe y sigge:
My bodi þerfore in ostage y legge.’
What newe tidinges he couþe telle:
‘Sir,’ quod [he], ‘herken to me:
Gode tidinges y telle þe,
Þat þemperour, sikerliche,
Wille huntte to morwe arliche
In his forest priueliche
Wiþ litel folk & nouȝt wiþ miche,
Wiþ also litel als he may.
Y no gabbe nouȝt, for soþe to say.’
Þan he hade seyde þus to Segyn,
‘Bi Seyn Richer! leue frende mine,’
Seyd þe douke, ‘and it so be,
An hundred bessauns ȝif y þe.’
Þe spie seyd, ‘soþe y sigge:
My bodi þerfore in ostage y legge.’
Þan haþ þe douk y-cleped Gij,
& Herhaud of Arderne sikerlij,
Dan Belin, & dan Gauter,
& þe þridde dan Holdimer,
& Joceran þat was of Speyne
(Was non wiser in-to Almayne
A gode conseyl for to ȝiue;
Þer-fore he was michel to leue).
‘Lordinges,’ he seyd, ‘what rede ȝe,
Seþþe þat ȝe be sworn to me?
What is ous best for to done
Of our king Reyner? telle me sone.’
Gij to him answerd snelle,
‘Þe best rede ichil þe telle:
Kniȝtes we schul han a þousinde,
& bi þe morwe, ȝif we him finde,
Ichil him bidde wiþ hert fre
Þat he wil acord wiþ þe,
& þat he cum wiþ þe at ete;
& ȝif he seyþ ouȝt wiþ hete,
Þat he it wil graunt for no þing,
Hider we schul bring þe king.
& þou schalt here bileue now,
Opon þi lord go no schaltow;
Þi palays þou schalt grayþi,
& riche metes diȝt redi.’
& Herhaud of Arderne sikerlij,
Dan Belin, & dan Gauter,
& þe þridde dan Holdimer,
146
(Was non wiser in-to Almayne
A gode conseyl for to ȝiue;
Þer-fore he was michel to leue).
‘Lordinges,’ he seyd, ‘what rede ȝe,
Seþþe þat ȝe be sworn to me?
What is ous best for to done
Of our king Reyner? telle me sone.’
Gij to him answerd snelle,
‘Þe best rede ichil þe telle:
Kniȝtes we schul han a þousinde,
& bi þe morwe, ȝif we him finde,
Ichil him bidde wiþ hert fre
Þat he wil acord wiþ þe,
& þat he cum wiþ þe at ete;
& ȝif he seyþ ouȝt wiþ hete,
Þat he it wil graunt for no þing,
Hider we schul bring þe king.
& þou schalt here bileue now,
Opon þi lord go no schaltow;
Þi palays þou schalt grayþi,
& riche metes diȝt redi.’
| Guy of Warwick | |