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

Now ys Gye in a stronge case: The water ouer hys gyrdyll was. Hys hed he smote depe down: The water was ouer hys crown. Line 8505 Ameraund smote at hym so wele, That in the water he made hym knele. The water hym closyd all abowte: He held hym in, he myght not oute. When sir Gye had dronke I-nough Line 8510 He thankyd god, and faste he lough. Vp he sterte as knyȝt full stoute:

The water ran down hym all abowte. He shoke hys hed, & seyd full ryght: 'I-thankyd be Iesu full of myȝte. Line 8515 In cold water hast thow bathid me, But name had I none for the.' Oute of the water he made a sawte, Anon he smote to Ameraunte. An hard bateyle ther began: Line 8520 They fowȝt with gret hertis than. They thouȝt how eche myȝt other scath: Were they neuer be-fore so wrath. 'Theef,' quod Gye, 'haue thow mawgrye. I-thankyd be god in trynite: Line 8525 Now am I colyd at my wyll, And therto haue dronke all my fill. In the shall I neuer affye; For thow arte a treytour, sekerlye.' [Caius MS. 107 page 186] Tho they fowghten to-gedyr faste, Line 8530 While the somers day wold laste: Tyll hit come to the mone lyght, Euer fast gan they fyght; Yet couth no man the soth seye, Who bare hym best that ilke daye. Line 8535 The Geaunte had a venu caste, And sir Gye counteryd hym at the laste. The ryght hand was the swerd with-yn: Gye smote hyt of with Ioye and wyn. When the Geaunt was wounded sare, Line 8540 Hys hert was full of Ire and care. Vp he toke his good bronde

Full sone in hys lyfte honde: Twenty sawtes he mad to sir Gye In a stounde, and that full hastyly, Line 8545 As he were a wod lyon, But euer he kept him [MS. hem.] well sir Gyoun. Ameraunt tho at the laste Began for to febyll faste: For he had so fought all this daye, Line 8550 And his blod [was] nyȝe a-weye, His streng[t]h gan faste to slake, And his body gan for to ake. Gye a-perceyved hit full well, And besteryd hym faste, so haue I hele: Line 8555 That other arme he smote in two, That arme and shuldre fell hym froo. When that other arme was lore, 'Alas,' he seyd, 'that euer I was bore;' [Caius MS. 107 page 187] To Gye rode as an hounde, Line 8560 And bare sir Gye nere to the grounde With hys hed be-fore the herte, That sir Gye all a-bakward sterte. But Gye kept hym well with-all, And mad hym to the erth to fall. Line 8565 Hys aventayle tho from hym he revyd, And then he smote of hys he[v]ede. In hys hond he hit hent, And to kyng tryamoure sone he went. The kyng hit toke sone anone, Line 8570 And sent it to the proud sowdan. When the sowdan hit gan seen He for-yave the kyng all his tene; Therwith he yave hym noble thyng, Gold, siluer, and rich clothyng. Line 8575

Line 8575 'Erle Ionas,' tho quod the Kynge, 'Good tydyng I will the brynge. Thow hast savyd my lyfe so dere Thorowgh this knyȝt, that stondith now here. By that god on whome I trowe, Line 8580 I will make the lord nowe Of all my land fere and nere: I make the lord and master here.' 'Sir,' he seyd, 'Graunte mercy! God yow yeld and seynt marye.' Line 8585 Tho seyd the kyng to Gye so free, 'Sir,' he seyd, 'I prey the to dwell with me: Thou shalte haue of me ryght gret honoure, Meny a good Cite, castell, and towre. [Caius MS. 107 page 188] I will season into thyn hande Line 8590 Evyn halfen deale of my lande. I will not thow leve thi laye: Thow arte a trew knyȝt, be this daye.' 'Sir,' quod Gye, 'graunte mercye! I will hit not, sekerlye.' Line 8595 The Erle toke leve of the kyng, And forth they went, with-oute lesyng. With hym he toke sir Gye the wyght, And went to Ierusalem full ryght. The Erle hym be-thought vpon a daye Line 8600 He wold wit yf that he maye From whens he cam that noble knyȝte, 'And what his name ys he sey me aryght.' On the morne he com to sir Gye,

And asked hym full prevelye, Line 8605 'Sir knyȝt,' he seid, 'what is thi name? Tell me, so god shyld the from shame. Thow seydyst that thow hyȝtyst Iohn: Thow hast a nother name, be my crown. For that goddis love I byd the Line 8610 That sufferd deth vppon a Rood tre, And with his preciouse blode vs all dere bowȝt, Tell me thi name here, and lye me nought.' Then seyd Gye, 'thow shalt here, For thow me askyst in feyre manere. Line 8615 Loke thow discouer me neuer more, For gret shame and synne yt wore. Gye of Warewyke ys my name: Though I be pore thynketh me no shame. [Caius MS. 107 page 189] Now have I fought for the here, Line 8620 And sleyne the Geaunte stoute & fere.' When Ionas herd vtterlye That he was the noble knyȝt sir Gye, He fell on knees be-fore hym in hye: Gye hym toke vp full hastilye. Line 8625 'A lord,' he seyd, 'Gye, mercye! Why go ye now thus porelye? Ne be ye man of mykell myȝt? Ther was neuer on erth a trewer knyȝt. Myn Erldom, sir, will I yow yeve Line 8630 Euer more whilest that I leve. My sonnes all fyftene with me We will yow serue as oure lord free. [MS. dere.] We shall yow swere by god on rode That we shall neuer chalenge therof good Line 8635 The mowntenaunce & valure of on penye, For ye have hyt won vtterlye: And ye ne had be, sertes, we had be dede. Now, gentill sir Gye, do be my rede.'

Sir Gye answeryd full noblye, Line 8640 'Sir, much thanke and graunte mercye! To well ye quyte me my servyse Yf that ye dyd in such a wise. To my land now will I fare: Haue good day for euer-mare.' Line 8645 They kyssed to-geder when they shuld goo: They wept whan gye departid, & made mykyll woo.

Now wendyth sir Gye fro that place, And thanked allmyghty god of hys grace. [Caius MS. 107 page 190] Forth he went to grece full ryght, Line 8650 Of hys ded he was full lyght. When he had dwellyd a stonde thare [MS. ther a stonde ther.] To costantyne the noble can he fare.