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

Of Gij ichil lete now, And more after y schal tel ȝou; Line 1710 Of Herhaud ichil telle astounde Þat wele is heled of his wounde. When he feld him hole & fere, Of þabot he tok his leue þer; His lord Gij he goþ secheing Line 1715 Niȝt & day, him for to finde: Toward Inglond he tok his way, Crist him saue, so wele he may!

At a pinacle bi þe se [C line 1315] Gij seye a man of rewly ble Line 1720 Go in pilgrims wede: Þat was Herhaud, so god me spede! Gij him cleped wel swiþe to him, & seyd, 'wen comestow, pilgrim?' 'Sir,' he seyd, 'y com fram Lombardy, Line 1725 Of hard y-schaped for þe maistrie; . . . . . . . . . . & lorn ichaue mi kinde lord: Gode kniȝt he was and bold. Line 1730 Bitraid ous hadde þe douk Otoun: Haue he Cristes malisoun! In þis wise ichil go, & bid for mi lord euer mo.' 'Pilgrim, say me trewelich, Line 1735 What hete þe man þou loued so miche?' 'Gij of Warwike was his name: A kniȝt he was wiþ-outen blame.' [C line 1336] Wiþ þat he gan to sike sore, [folio 116b:2] & wepe wiþ his eyȝen þerfore; Line 1740 He him miȝt no lenge at-held. Gij him gan reweliche biheld: 'Gode man,' quod Gij, 'for þi leute, What is þi name? telle thou me.' 'Herhaud of Ardern, bi mi leute, Line 1745 Ich was y-born in þat cuntre; Fif ȝer þus ichaue y-go To seche Gij y loued so.' When Gij herd Herhaud speke, [C line 1343] Him thouȝt his hert wald to-breke, Line 1750 & in his armes he haþ him take, & gret ioie wiþ him gan make; Him he kist wel mani siþe: For ioie he wepe, so was he bliþe.

'Hayl, Herhaud, maister min! Line 1755 No knowestow nouȝt norri þine?' 'Certes,' quod Herhaud, 'sir, nay: Ded he was for mani a day.' He him answerd, 'icham Gij!' 'Sir,' quod Herhaud, 'merci!' Line 1760 Sone so Herhaud vnder-stode Þat it was Gij þat was so gode, For ioie he fel aswon anon; Gij him in his armes nome. Þer men miȝt se ioie make Line 1765 Aiþer kniȝt for oþer sake; Þer nas non þat it y-seye, Þat he no wepe wiþ his eyȝe. ¶ Adoun þai sett hem boþe þare, [C line 1357] & aiþer teld of oþeres care. Line 1770 Sir Gij haþ Herhaud y-teld Hou he him ladde out of þe feld, For to birry him at on abbay Þat was bisiden on þe way. & seþþen haþ Herhaud y-teld Line 1775 Hou his woundes weren y-heled, And þat mani lond he hadde ouergo, To seche his lord wiþ sorwe & wo. On hors þai lopen anon wiþ þis Vnto a cite wiþ ioie and blis; Line 1780 Þan dede Gij Herhaud baþey & wiþ riche metes comforti. From þennes þai went to þe douk Miloun, [folio 117a:1] And to him þai ben ful welcome; Of her auentours þai teld him þere: Line 1785 Hou þo was gode þat wicke was ere! Þer þai maden her dueling Long anouȝ to her likeing. ¶ At the douke þai token leue þo, [C line 1383] For in-to Inglond þai wald go. Line 1790

Line 1790 Þe douke hem wald lenger duelle, Ac it nas no-thing in her wille Þer to bileue wiþ him no more, & þat biþouȝt þe douke wel sore. Toward Seynt Omer he is y-go, Line 1795 Herhaud þe gode wiþ him also; Toward þe se þai token her way, So swiþe her hors hem bere may. When þai ben to toun y-come, Her in þai han sone y-nome. Line 1800 To a windowe sir Gij is go, [C line 1395] In-to þe strete he loked þo; A palmer he seȝe cominge, Messaisliche bi þe strete walkinge. To him haþ y-cleped sir Gij, Line 1805 & curteysliche gan him axi, 'Weltow herberwe? for it is niȝt; For ferþer go þou no miȝt.' Þe pilgrim answerd Gij, 'Swete sir, gramerci!' Line 1810 Gij doþ him þan bileue, Ferþer he no may, for it was eue; & seþþe he badde he schuld him say Sum soþ tidinges of þe way, Ȝif he herd neye oþer fer Line 1815 Speken of batayle & of wer. 'Ichil þe telle,' he seyd, 'fot hot Of al þe wer þat y wot: Þerof is mani man aferd; Of stronger sorwe no haue ȝe herd.' Line 1820 ¶ Gij seyd to him, 'telle it me.' 'For soþe y graunt,' þan seyd he.

Notes

• Of hardschipe?
• MS. of toun.
• n on erasure.
• MS. seyntomer.