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

Now herkeneþ a litel striif, Hou he saued þe pilgrims liif Iesu, þat sitt in trone, Wiþ a fischer þat was comand, In þe se fische takeand Line 5 Bi himself al-on. He seþ þat bed floter him by: 'On godes half,' he gan to cri, 'What artow? say me son.' Þe pilgrim his heued vp pliȝt, Line 10 & crid to him anon riȝt, & made wel reweli mon.

¶ 'Gode man,' þan seyd he, [C line 9501] 'Y leue on god in trinite: Þe soþe þou schalt now sen. Vnderstode þou ouȝt of þe batayl hard Bitven þe pilgrim & sir Berard, Line 5 Hou þai fouȝten bitven?' Þe fischer seyd, 'y seiȝe þe fiȝt Fro þe morwe to þe niȝt: For noþing wald þai flen. Þemperour comand þo Line 10 Þai schuld be kept boþe tvo, Tomorwe bring hem oȝen.'

¶ 'Icham,' he seyd, 'þe pilgrim Þat fauȝt wiþ [The þ of wiþ added above the line.] þe douke Berardin For Tirri, þe hendi kniȝt. Ȝistreuen we wer deled ato; In a chaumber y was do Line 5 Wiþ seriaunce wise & wiȝt: Hou ich com her no wot y nouȝt. For his loue þat þis warld haþ wrouȝt, Saue me ȝif þou miȝt.' Þe fischer tok him into his bot anon, Line 10 & to his hous he ladde him hom, & saued his liif þat niȝt. [folio 160b:a]

¶ Þemperour ros amorwe, y-wis, [C line 9525] & at [at altered from atte.] þe chirche he herd his messe In þe first tide of þe day, & into his halle he gan gon, & after þe steward he axed anon Line 5 & þe pilgrim wiþ-outen delay. Þe four barouns forȝat hem nouȝt, Þe douke Berard þai han forþ brouȝt Redy armed to play; & þe pilgrims kepers com euerichon, Line 10 & seyd to þemperour, bi seyn Ion, Þe pilgrim was oway.

¶ Þemperour was wel wroþ: Bi his fader soule he swore [The s of swore added above the line.] his oþ, Þai schuld ben hang & drawe. 'For godes loue,' he seyd, 'merci! Þis douke Berard of Paui Line 5 Haþ him brouȝt o dawe.' Þemperour seyd, 'bi seyn Martin, Hastow don þis fals, Berardin, · To don þe pilgrim slawe? Ȝeld him deþes or liues to me, Line 10 Or in mi court demp[t] þou schalt be Þurch iugement of lawe.'

¶ Þe douke Berard wex wroþ & wo; [C line 9551] Þemperour he answerd þo Wiþ wel michel hete: 'Ichaue serued þe long, sir emperour,

& kept þi londes wiþ michel anour, Line 5 & now þou ginnest me þrete. Þerof ȝiue y nouȝt a chirston. Hom to Lombardy ichil gon: Wiþ alle þe ost y may gete Y schal com in-to Almayn; for al þi tene Line 10 Of al þi lond, siker mot þou ben, O fot y no schal þe lete.'

¶ When þemperour herd þat, & of his þretening vnder-ȝat, He bad wiþ wordes bold Out of his court he schuld gon. & he answerd sone anon Line 5 Þat sikerliche he nold. [The e of he and the n of nold blotted.] Þer com þe fischer priueliche, & puked þemperour softliche: [folio 160b:b] His tale to him he told. 'Sir emperour,' he seyd, 'listen to me: Line 10 Of þe pilgrim ichil telle þe, Ȝif þou me herken wold.'

¶ 'Fischer,' seyd þemperour fre, [C line 9857] 'Of þe pilgrim telle þou me, Ȝif þou þe soþe can sayn.' 'For-soþe,' he seyd, 'y can ful wel: Y schal þe leyȝen neuer a del; Line 5 Þerof icham ful fain. Ȝistreuen, wiþ-outen lesing, Y went to þe se of fischeing, Mine nettes for to layn. A bedde y fond þer floterand, Line 10

Line 10 & þer-on a kniȝt liggeand, A man of michel mayn.

¶ & ich him axed what he were: He told me þe soþe þere Wiþ wordes fre & hende. 'Icham,' he seyd, 'þe pilgrim Þat fauȝt wiþ þe douke Berardin Line 5 Ȝisterday to þe nende.' Y tok him into mi bot anon, & to min hous y lad him hom, & kept him as mi frende. Ȝif þou leuest nouȝt he is þare, Line 10 Do sum seriaunt þider fare, & þer ȝe may him fende.'

¶ Þemperour sent after him þo [C line 9603] Wiþ þe fischer & other mo, & brouȝt him, saunfayle. Þai were don togider bliue Wiþ hard strokes for to driue: Line 5 Þai gun hem to asayle. Wel hard togider gun þai fiȝt: Wiþ her brondes, þat wer briȝt, Þai hewe hauberk of mayle. Þus togider gun þai play, Line 10 Til it was þe heyȝe midday, Wiþ wel strong batayle.

¶ [¶ wanting in MS.] Þe douk Berard was egre of mode: He smot to Gij as he wer wode; His liif he wende to winne. He hit [him] [him here omitted in MS, but the catchword on fol. 160 v. is he hit him on þe helm] on þe helm on hiȝt, [folio 161a:a] Þat alle þe floures feir & briȝt Line 5 He dede hem fleyȝe atvinne. Þe nasel he carf atvo, & þe venteyle he dede also Riȝt to his bare chinne. [[Three lines are here omitted in MS.]]

¶ Sir Gij was wroþ anon fot hot, & Berard on þe helme he smot: To stond hadde he no space; For boþe helmes he carf atvo, & his heued he dede also Line 5 In midward of þe face. Þurch al his bodi þe swerd bot Into þe erþe wele half a fot, Þat seiȝe men in þe place. Þ[e s] [The letters in brackets blotted.] oule went fro þe bodi þere: Line 10 Þ[e fol]k [The letters in brackets blotted.] of þe cite wel glad were; Þ[ai] [The letters in brackets blotted.] þonked our lordes grace.

¶ Bifor þemperour þan com sir Gij: [C line 9653] 'Ichaue wroken þerl Tirri (Þe soþe þou miȝt now sen), & defended him of þat felonie Oȝain þe douke Berard of Paui, Line 5 Þat was so stout & ken. Þerfore þe soþe ich ax þe, Ȝif Tirri schal quitecleymed be, & haue his lond oȝen. & who so þer-oȝain wiþstond Line 10 He schal haue schame of min hond, Wel siker may he ben.'

¶ Þemperour seyd, 'sikerly, Þou hast wroken þerl Tirri; Gret honour þou hast him don. Þerfore when he is come His londes þan al & some Line 5 He schal haue euerichon.' Þan was Gij glad & bliþe, & kest of his armes also swiþe: After him he thouȝt to gon. Þemperour wald cloþe him in gold, Line 10 Ac, sikerliche, he seyd he nold: His sclauain he axed anon.

¶ To toun he went in his way [C line 9673] To finde Tirri ȝif he may In sorwe & care ful bounde. [folio 161a:b] Into a chirche he him dede, & fond him in a priue stede Line 5 Liand on knes to grounde. 'Arise vp, Tirri,' he seyd þo; 'To court þou schalt wiþ me go, Now ichaue þe founde.' Tirri anon his heued vpbreyd, Line 10 & seyd, 'pilgrim, hastow me treyd, Allas þat ich stounde!

¶ Allas, allas,' þan seyd he, 'To what man may men trust be, To chese to his make? Þou þat semed so stedefast To þemperour me wraied hast: Line 5 To sle me þou hast take. In iuel time was it to me Þat y mi name told to þe: Allas þat ich sake!' For sorwe þat he hadde þo Line 10 O word no miȝt he speke mo, Bot stode & gan to quake.

¶ 'Tirri,' seyd Gij, 'drede þe no-þing: [C line 9697] Þou schalt to-day here gode tiding Þurch grace of godes sond. Þe schrewed douke Berard he is ded; Under þe cite he is y-leyde: Line 5 Y slouȝ him wiþ min hond.' Þo was Tirri glad & bliþe: To court he went also swiþe; For noþing wald he wond. 'Sir emperour,' seyd Gij anon, Line 10 'Now is Tirri comen hom To resceiue his lond.'

¶ Þemperour on him gan bihold, & seyd to him wiþ wordes bold, 'Artow þerl Tirri? Where is now þi bold chere Þat whilom so douhti were, Line 5 & holden so hardi?' 'Ȝa, sir,' he seyd, 'icham he. Whilom y was of gret bounde, & helden ful douhti; [The whole line on an erasure.] & now ich haue al forlorn Line 10 Wiþ miche sorwe on euen & morn [folio 161b:a] To seke mi felawe sir Gij.

¶ Ich haue him souȝt in mani lond, Ac neuer man ȝete ich fond Can telle of him no sawe: He is dede, ich wot full wel. God almiȝti & seyn Miȝhel Line 5 To blis his soule drawe! Ac now is it told me þis pilgrim As slayn þe douke Berardin; Þerof icham ful fawe. Sir emperour, y bid merci: Line 10 For godes loue & our leuedi, Þo[u] do me londes lawe.'

¶ Þritti erls wel curteys, [C line 9725] & alle þe lordinges of þe palais, [altered from paylais.] & mani baroun afine Crid merci to þemperour bold. Þemperour gan him bihold, [The i of bihold partially gone.] Line 5 & seyd, 'Tirri, frende min, Here y sese þe in al þi lond, Wiþ worþschip to held in þine hond, Bi god & seyn Martine. Bifor mi barouns y graunt þe, Line 10 Steward of mi lond þou schalt be As was þe douke Berardine.'

¶ Þemperour kist him ful swete, Forȝaf him his wreþe & his hete Bifor hem al þere. [Þre MS.] When þemperour & þerl were at on, Þe lordinges euerichon Line 5 Wele bliþe of hertes were. 'Sir Tirri,' seyd þemperour fre, 'For þi fader soule, tel þou me, Astow art me leue & dere, Whennes is þis pilgrim? Line 10 Is he þi nem or þi cosyin Þat fauȝt for þe here?'

¶ 'Sir emperour,' seyd sir Tirri, 'So god me help & our leuedi, For-soþe wiþouten fayle, Y no seiȝe neuer ere þis pilgrim, Bot þis oþer day y met wiþ him, Line 5 & told him mi conseyl. [folio 161b:b] He swore astite bi seyn Ion To þi court he wald gon Þe douk Berard to asayle. Ich wend wel litel þan, y pliȝt, Line 10 He hadde ben of michel miȝt, To hold wiþ him batayle.'

¶ Þemperour dede as a gode man, [C line 9763] & Tirri into his chaumber he nam, & richeliche gan him schrede. He fond him wepen, & armour briȝt, & al þat schuld falle to kniȝt, Line 5 & feffed him wiþ prede; & fond him hors & stedes gode, Of al his lond þe best stode, Hom wiþ him to lede. Þemperour wald þe pilgrim at-hold, [hold blotted.] Line 10 Ac, sikerliche, he seyd he nold: Wiþ Tirri hom he ȝede.

¶ When Tirri was comen hom, Þe pilgrim he wald anon Sesen in al his lond, & he for-soke it al out-riȝt; For riches loued he no-wiȝt Line 5 For to hold in hond. Þerl as swiþe his sond he sent Ouer al his lond, verrament, Til þat his wiif he fond: Þo was sche founden in an ile [anile MS.] Line 10 In a nunri þat while For doute of Berardes bond.

¶ Þo was Tirri a noble man, [C line 9779] In al þat lond better nas nan, As y ȝou tel may. Destrud were al his enemis: He liueþ in michel ioie & blis, Line 5 Al-so a prince in play. Anon sir Gij him bi-þouȝt Þat lenger wald he duelle nouȝt. To sir Tirri on a day He seyd to him in þat tide, Line 10 'Here nil y no lenger abide: Ich mot wende in mi way.

¶ O þing,' he seyd, 'y pray þe: [folio 162a:a] Out of þe cite go wiþ me, Astow art hendi kniȝt. Alon we shul go boþe y-fere, & swich tidinges þou schalt here, Line 5 Þou schalt haue wonder, apliȝt.' Þerl him graunt wiþ hert fre, & went wiþ him out of þat cite In his way ful riȝt, & when þai wer þennes half a mile [amile MS.] Line 10 Þer þai duelled a litel while, Þo gomes of michel miȝt.

¶ 'Tirri,' seyd Gij, 'vnderstond þou þe: [C line 9811] Þou art vnkinde, so þenkeþ me; For Gij, þi gode fere, Whi [hi blotted.] wiltow him knowe nouȝt? Y-wis, [wis blotted.] þou art iuel biþouȝt. Line 5 No was he þe leue & dere? Þenke he slouȝ þe douk Otoun, & brouȝt þe out of his prisoun, & made þe quite & skere, & hou he fond þe ded almast Line 10 As he rode þurch a forest [aforest MS.] Wiþ a rewely chere,

¶ & hou he socourd þi leman schene, & al þe fiften outlawes ken He slouȝ hem al on rawe, & slouȝ þe four kniȝtes radde, & þi bodi to toun ladde, Line 5 To leche þi woundes ful fawe, & he socourd þi fader in wer, & halp þe boþe nere & fer Þo þou was fallen ful lawe, & now y slouȝ Berard þe strong. Line 10 Icham Gij; þou hast wrong: Why wiltow me nouȝt knawe?'

¶ When þerl herd him speke so, Wepen he gan wiþ eyȝen to, & fel aswon to grounde. 'For godes loue,' he seyd, 'merci! Iuel at ese now am y, Line 5 In sorwe & care ful bounde. Ful wele miȝt y knowe þe ar now: In al þis warld was non [man MS.] bot þou [folio 162a:b] Oȝain Berard durst founde. Merci, sir, par charite: Line 10 Þat ich haue misknowen þe, Allas, allas þat stounde!'

¶ Merci he crid on his kne: [C line 9851] Boþe for sorwe & for pite Wepen he bigan.

He seyȝe his legges brosten ich-del, Þat whilom wer y-hosed ful wel: Line 5 More sorwe made neuer man. Sir Gij went to him þo: In his hert him was wo, & in his armes vp him nam. Atvix hem was gret diol in þat stounde: Line 0 Boþe þai fel aswon to grounde: For sorwe þai wex al wan.

¶ 'Tirri,' seyd sir Gij þo, 'Þou schalt bileue, & y schal go: Y biteche þe heuen king. Bot ich haue a sone, y-wis, Y not wheþer he kniȝt is, Line 5 For he is bot a ȝongling: Ȝif he haue ani nede to þe, Help him for þe loue of me, Y pray þe, in al þing. Ich hope he schal be a gode kniȝt: Line 10 Y pray Iesu ful of miȝt He graunt him his blisceing.'

¶ 'Merci, sir,' þan seyd he, 'For godes loue, leue her stil wiþ me: Y pray þe par amour. Mi treuþe y pliȝt in þine hond, Y schal þe sese in al mi lond, Line 5 Boþe in toun & tour. Þi man y wil be & serue þe ay Þer while mi liif lest may, To hold vp þin honour. & ȝif þou no wilt ichil wiþ þe go: Line 10 Y-wis, ichaue wele leuer so Þan bileue wiþ þemperour.'

¶ [No ¶ in MS.] 'Do oway, sir Tirri: þer-of speke nouȝt; [C line 9887] Al idel speche it is þi þouȝt. Wende oȝain hom now riȝt, [folio 162b:a] & be nouȝt to prout, y þe rede: To serue þi lord at al his nede Line 5 Þou proue wiþ þi miȝt. Desirite no man of his lond: Ȝif þou dost þou gos to schond; Ful siker be þou, apliȝt. For ȝiue þou reue a man his fe Line 10 Godes face schaltow neuer se, No com in heuen liȝt.

¶ Biþenke þe wele of douke Berard, Hou prout he was, for he was steward, & flemed þe out of lond, & he now desirite is, Wiþ michel sorwe slayn, y-wis, Line 5 & schamelich driuen to schond. Y schal gon, & þou bileue schalt: Y biteche þe god, þat al þing walt, & maked wiþ his hond.' Þai kisten hem togider þo: Line 10 Oliue þai seyȝen hem neuer eft mo, As þe gest doþ ous vnderstond.

¶ Gret sorwe þai made at her parting, & kist hem wiþ eiȝe wepeing. Þai wenten hem boþe atvo. Als swiþe þerl Tirri went him hom, Þre days he no ete mete non: Line 5 In hert him was ful wo; & when þe countas, sikerly,

Herd seyn it was sir Gij Þat þan was went hem fro, Sche vpbreyd hir lord day & niȝt Line 10 Þat he no had holden him wiþ strengþe & miȝt, & laten him nouȝt þennes go. [gon MS.]