 | Guy of Warwick |  |
Þan answerd þe riche soudan,
Þat hadde no gamen of þan:
‘Him is þan sum socour y-come,
Whar-þurch mi Turkes be me binome?’
‘Sir,’ quaþe Esclandar, ‘y-wis,
An onwrast gome y-comen þer is;
Socour he haþ gret & beld,
In þe warld nis swiche a scheld;
Gij of Warwike his name it is,
Sterner þan ani lyoun, y-wis.
His strokes no may noman dreye,
Þat he ne most dye on hye.
Wiþ him he haþ an hundred kniȝtes
Of Almayne, þe best in fiȝtes;
Þurch þe bodi þus me he smot,
Dede ich am, wele y wot.’
Þat hadde no gamen of þan:
‘Him is þan sum socour y-come,
Whar-þurch mi Turkes be me binome?’
‘Sir,’ quaþe Esclandar, ‘y-wis,
An onwrast gome y-comen þer is;
Socour he haþ gret & beld,
In þe warld nis swiche a scheld;
Gij of Warwike his name it is,
Sterner þan ani lyoun, y-wis.
His strokes no may noman dreye,
Þat he ne most dye on hye.
Wiþ him he haþ an hundred kniȝtes
Of Almayne, þe best in fiȝtes;
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Dede ich am, wele y wot.’
Þan swore a gret oþ þe soudan
Bi Mahoun þat he leued opan,
Þat neuer glad no worþ he
What he haue y-nome þat cite;
For asayle he it wille do
Ar þe þridde day be ago.
Anon a spie it herd þis,
Þat to Gij it nold for-hele y-wis.
Sone he com to þe cite;
Al þis to Gij þan teld he,
Þat þe soudan wiþ his men elle
Þe cite wil aseyle snelle.
Ac þemperour wist þer-of nouȝt
Þat so strong tiding þer were y-brouȝt.
Ac when he wist þe soþe herof,
Ernist him þouȝt, & no scof.
Bi Mahoun þat he leued opan,
Þat neuer glad no worþ he
What he haue y-nome þat cite;
For asayle he it wille do
Ar þe þridde day be ago.
Anon a spie it herd þis,
Þat to Gij it nold for-hele y-wis.
Sone he com to þe cite;
Al þis to Gij þan teld he,
Þat þe soudan wiþ his men elle
Þe cite wil aseyle snelle.
Ac þemperour wist þer-of nouȝt
Þat so strong tiding þer were y-brouȝt.
Ac when he wist þe soþe herof,
Ernist him þouȝt, & no scof.
Þemperour made him bliþe þo
Þat ouer-comen weren his fo,
& Gij to þemperour is y-go,
& swiþe feyr he gret him þo.
‘Sir,’ quaþ he, ‘be bliþe & glad;
Gode tidinges me haþ ben seyd.’
Þemperour of-sent his foules þo,
Oscuriis, faucouns, & ierfaukes also;
Gon he wil to þe riuer,
Him to solas & play þer.
Seþþe he of-sent of his Gregeys,
Þat gode weren & curteys.
To þe riuer þai ben y-gon
Wher foules were mani on.
Wiþ þat come forþ sir Morgadour,
Þat steward was wiþ þemperour,
& seyd to Gij, ‘mi frende dere,
Y þe loue in gode manere.’
Ac alle þat he seyd, Gij to bitraye,
Þat was wele sen in his last daye.
Non no may so wele tresoun do
So may he þat his trust is to.
Ȝete seyd to him Morgadour,
‘Castels ich haue, & mani feir tour,
Riche cites, & ful strong,
To þine wille þou hem afong;
Michel y desire þi loue to haue.
Go we togider wiþ game & plawe:
Into þe chaumber go we baye,
Among þe maidens for to playe;
At tables to pleye, & at ches;
Wele we may don it y-wis
Bifor þi leman Clarice so fre,
Þemperours douhter briȝt of ble.
& lete we þemperour to wode go,
To chace þe hert & þe ro.’
Þat ouer-comen weren his fo,
& Gij to þemperour is y-go,
& swiþe feyr he gret him þo.
‘Sir,’ quaþ he, ‘be bliþe & glad;
Gode tidinges me haþ ben seyd.’
Þemperour of-sent his foules þo,
Oscuriis, faucouns, & ierfaukes also;
Gon he wil to þe riuer,
Him to solas & play þer.
Seþþe he of-sent of his Gregeys,
Þat gode weren & curteys.
To þe riuer þai ben y-gon
Wher foules were mani on.
Wiþ þat come forþ sir Morgadour,
Þat steward was wiþ þemperour,
& seyd to Gij, ‘mi frende dere,
Y þe loue in gode manere.’
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Þat was wele sen in his last daye.
Non no may so wele tresoun do
So may he þat his trust is to.
Ȝete seyd to him Morgadour,
‘Castels ich haue, & mani feir tour,
Riche cites, & ful strong,
To þine wille þou hem afong;
Michel y desire þi loue to haue.
Go we togider wiþ game & plawe:
Into þe chaumber go we baye,
Among þe maidens for to playe;
At tables to pleye, & at ches;
Wele we may don it y-wis
Bifor þi leman Clarice so fre,
Þemperours douhter briȝt of ble.
& lete we þemperour to wode go,
To chace þe hert & þe ro.’
| Guy of Warwick | |