 | Guy of Warwick |  |
204
When þe soudan seye his folk dye,
Bi ten, bi tvelue, in þe waye,
He cleped to him þe king of Nubye,
Þat was ful of felonie.
‘Sir king,’ he seyd, ‘sest tow nouȝt
Hou mine men ben to deþ y-brouȝt?
Descumfit & y-slawe hij beþ,
Þe bodis ded wele ȝe seþ.
Þis Cristen our men to deþ doþ;
Ac bi Cariot y swere mi noþ,
& bi Apolyn þe grete,
Bi Ternagaunt, & bi Mahoun þe swete,
Bot we of hem be wreken swiþe,
No worþ y neuer glad no bliþe,
Bot we hem aseyle biginne,
& þe hille wiþ strengþe awinne.
An hundred we ben oȝain hem on,
& al we schul hem nimen anon.’
Þe helden þai nimeþ about strongliche,
& þe Cristen aseyl stalworþliche
At þe brode paþe & narwe also;
Þe Gregeys wele werd hem þo.
On þe Cristen þai gun smite,
Þe Sarrazins, boþe miche & lite,
& our men hem werd wel
Wiþ scharpe speres & grounden stiel:
Wiþ axes & swerdes y-grounde,
Wiþ gisarmes þai ȝif deþes wounde.
Bi ten, bi tvelue, in þe waye,
He cleped to him þe king of Nubye,
Þat was ful of felonie.
‘Sir king,’ he seyd, ‘sest tow nouȝt
Hou mine men ben to deþ y-brouȝt?
Descumfit & y-slawe hij beþ,
Þe bodis ded wele ȝe seþ.
Þis Cristen our men to deþ doþ;
Ac bi Cariot y swere mi noþ,
& bi Apolyn þe grete,
Bi Ternagaunt, & bi Mahoun þe swete,
Bot we of hem be wreken swiþe,
No worþ y neuer glad no bliþe,
Bot we hem aseyle biginne,
& þe hille wiþ strengþe awinne.
An hundred we ben oȝain hem on,
& al we schul hem nimen anon.’
Þe helden þai nimeþ about strongliche,
& þe Cristen aseyl stalworþliche
At þe brode paþe & narwe also;
Þe Gregeys wele werd hem þo.
On þe Cristen þai gun smite,
Þe Sarrazins, boþe miche & lite,
& our men hem werd wel
Wiþ scharpe speres & grounden stiel:
Wiþ axes & swerdes y-grounde,
Wiþ gisarmes þai ȝif deþes wounde.
Þe soudan forþwiþ alder-farst
On þe Cristen smot wel fast;
On heye on helmes he hem smot
Wiþ his fauchon þat wele bot.
Toȝaines Gij he smot þo,
& seyd ‘war, ich-il þe slo!’
Gij he smot so ouer þuert,
Þat he was sumdel y-hert;
Ac Gij wiþ strengþe to him smot
Wiþ his swerd þat wele bot.
Wel strong was þat ich fiȝt,
Ac þe soudan wered him wiþ miȝt.
Wharto schuld ich ȝou telle more?
Þe Sarrazins ouer-comen wore:
Wele haþ Gij don þat day,
As gode kniȝt & verray.
On þe Cristen smot wel fast;
On heye on helmes he hem smot
Wiþ his fauchon þat wele bot.
Toȝaines Gij he smot þo,
& seyd ‘war, ich-il þe slo!’
Gij he smot so ouer þuert,
Þat he was sumdel y-hert;
206
Wiþ his swerd þat wele bot.
Wel strong was þat ich fiȝt,
Ac þe soudan wered him wiþ miȝt.
Wharto schuld ich ȝou telle more?
Þe Sarrazins ouer-comen wore:
Wele haþ Gij don þat day,
As gode kniȝt & verray.
| Guy of Warwick | |