University of Virginia Library

Gij aros after þe fourtenniȝt
Glad & bliþe wiþ hert liȝt.
He is to þe court y-come,
& ful welcome to alle & some.
Wiþ him his lyoun to court ȝe[de] þo,
Þurch whom aros gret sorwe & wo.
Þemperour of Gij wel bliþe he was;
Into al þe court no noþer þer nas
Al bot Morgadour, sikerliche:
He hated Gij wel inliche.
For þe maiden he hadde Gij in hete.
Gij bileft in court atte mete,
Him to play & solanci.
Þo at þe court bileft sir Gij,
Þer whiles þe king ate mete sat,
Þe lyoun goþ to play wiþ-outen þe ȝat
In pais wiþ-outen vilanie.
Herkeneþ now, lordinges, gladli:
When þemperour hadde y-hete,
Gode while Gij haþ bi him sete,
Wiþ him to pley in compeynie:
Solas he loued wiþouten vilanie.
Þat ich while his lyoun
Ȝede out of þe pauiloun:
Al abouten he is y-go,
For to resten him in a wro:
Oȝain þe sonne he slepe in a stede,
Gret while of þe day & so he dede.
When Gij wold his way he nam,
Vnto his in þat he cam.
Þe lyoun no folwed him nouȝt,
In an erber he slepe wel soft.
Þan was þe steward goinde,
In-to an orchard al-on cominde.
Vnder a windowe he him seye
Wher þe lyoun lay wel neye,
For to resten him in a wro.
‘Bi god,’ quaþ þe steward þo,
‘Þe lyoun liþ here now slepeing,’
Seyd Morgadour in his þouȝt þenking.
A scharpe wepen þer forþ he drouȝ,
& þe lyoun þer-wiþ he slouȝ.
Þe lyoun afrayd vp stert,
As he þat was to deþ y-hert.
Ac a maiden þat y-seye,
& grad to þe steward an heye:
‘Sir steward, þat was iuel y-smite.4
In vnworþschip it worþ þe at-wite.’
Þe lyoun him goþ forþ groning,
His guttes after him draweing.
To Gyes in he is y-go,
In a chaumber he fond him þo:
At his fete he fel doun in þat stede,
To hauen of him socour at nede.
His hondes he gan to licky:
Þat was his loue, sikerly.
When Gij þat lyoun wounded seþ,
For sorwe him þouȝt his hert clef.
‘O lord,’ he seyd, ‘god almiȝt,
Who haþ þe so iuel y-diȝt?
Þat mi lyoun haþ y-slawe me,
Y nold it wer don for þis cite,
No þat þer-to bilonge.
So michel sorwe me haþ afong.’
In swiche wretþe & grame anouȝ
His gode swerd wiþ strengþe he drouȝ;
Seþþen on his stede he wond,
His swerd y-drawe in his hond:
To þe court he com prikeing.
Wele hij seyen bi his lokeing
Þat he is sori & swiþe wroþ:
Alle oȝaines him þai goþ.
‘Lordinges,’ quaþ Gij, ‘ich ȝou biseche,
Ȝif ani of ȝou me can teche,
Who slouȝ mi lyoun to-day.’
Alle þai seyd, ‘sir, certes, nay.’
Wiþ þat into þe halle he come,
A maiden he mett þer anon.

‘Sir Gij,’ she seyd, ‘leue swete,
Is þi lyoun ded, or liues ȝete?
For þurchout smite ichim seye.’
Þo seyd Gij: ‘mi swete lef, ney,
Ich þe bidde, for-hele it nouȝt,
Who haþ mi lyoun to deþ y-brouȝt?’
‘Sir,’ sche seyd, ‘Morgadour,
Þat is steward wiþ þemperour:
Þurch þe bodi he him smot.
His deþ it worþ, wele y wot.’
When he herd þat ich feloun
Hadde y-slawe his lyoun,
Out of halle he gan driue
Fram chaumber to chaumber al-so swiþe,
Wiþ naked swerd in his hond:
Ȝif he him findeþ he goþ to schond.
Into a chaumber he com þat stounde,
& Morgadour sone he founde
Wiþ his nevou in conseyl fast:
When þai seye Gij þai weren agast.
Gij seyd: ‘þou me hast bitreyd
When þou to grounde mi lyoun leyd.
No dede ich þe neuer bot gode,
Þou fel treytour, vnkinde blod.’

Morgadour answerd anon,
Stalworþ kniȝt as he was on:
‘Þou lexst amidward þi teþ,
& þer-fore haue þou maugreþ.
Whi berstow me on treysoun,
Þat ich haue sleyn þi lioun?’
Gij wiþ his kniif smite he wold,
Ac Gij him suffri nold:
His swerd anon vp he hef,
Morgadour doun riȝt he clef
Fram þe heued doun to þe fot:
Of þat stroke no com him neuer bot.