The romance of Guy of Warwick. The first or 14th-century version.

Forth then went sir Gyon, [Caius MS. 107 page 244] The gentyll knyȝt, the bold baroun. Terry went home anone, In-to hys chambre ys he gone: Line 10275 Two dayes yet he no mete, Ne no man myȝt of hym wordys gete. When the cowntes herd seye

That Gye was passed so aweye, She blamyd her lord gretlye, Line 10280 That he ne had hold styll sir Gye: 'Yf he ne wold dwell for fayrenesse, Ye shuld have hold hym with dystresse.' Now wendyth Gye well drery, Ofte he thought on sir terrye. Line 10285 So longe hath Gye hys weyes gon, He passed landys many one: Commyn he ys to the see, And to Englond wold he. A good shyp there he founde, Line 10290 And sayled in-to Englond. He askyd men that he ther found Where was the kyng of the lond. 'At Wynchester,' they seyd, 'now ys he: There he muste nedys be. Line 10295 There hath he made a gret somons Of dukis, Erlys, and of barons, And to all that armys bere, That they be redy there, Bysshoppus, Abbottis of the lond, Line 10300 That they be redy at hys hond, And all hys clergye, [Caius MS. 107 page 245] That there now be redye. Thre dayes and thre nyght Have they fasted all ryght, Line 10305 That god shuld send a man of myȝt That with the Geaunt durst fyȝt. The kyng aulofe of denmarke Ys comyn with oste styf and starke, With armyd men xv thowsand, Line 10310 To dystroyen all thys lond. Ther ys not lefte in that contre Castell, toure, ne Cyte: To Wynchestre vnto the wall

Hyt ys brennyd and dystroyed all. Line 10315 The kyng aulof ys so stoute, That all men be-gynne hym to dowȝt, For a Geaunt styf and stronge, Moche grete and swyth longe. Men seyen he was in ynd bore: Line 10320 Blake vysage he hathe to-fore. In bateyle men dredyn him more Than sixty knyȝtis that armyd wore. Colbrond ys hys name: God geve hym care and shame. Line 10325 He hath sent to kyng athelstone, And bad hym flee hys land anone, Other el[l]ys be-commyn hys manne, And bere hym trewage for hys land than, Other ellys fynd an orped knyȝt Line 10330 That dare with the geaunt fyȝt.' 'Where ys herrawd,' quod Gye than, [Caius MS. 107 page 246] 'That forsoke neuer no man?' 'Hyt ys sethen go two yere or thre Sith he went owt of thys contre, Line 10335 To sech hys lordys son so free, That marchauntis stollyn ouer the see.' 'Where ys,' he seyd, 'the Erle rohold, A dowȝty knyȝt and a bold?' 'Sir,' he seyd, 'par ma faye, Line 10340 He ys ded full many a daye.' Sir Gye gan pray specially, 'God on hys sowle have mercye. What doth hys dowȝter the cowntas?'

He seyd, 'she doth gret almesse. Line 10345 No man ne woman in that contree That doth more good for charyte To pore frerys and pore abbeyes, And to helpe bryggis and brokyn wayes, And pray to god, as he well maye, Line 10350 Lette her abyd that daye That she may see her lord so dere Quyke or ded in som manere. She blynneth neuer nyȝt ne daye, For her lord she prayeth aye.' Line 10355 To Wynchester now goth sir Gye, Hym knew no man that hym sye. He mete frerys of that contre, And goth with hem to that Cyte.

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