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

Felice þe feir answerd þo, [C line 219] 'Artow þis, Gij, so mot þou go, Þe steward sone Suward, Ich wene þou art a fole musard! Line 380 When þou of loue me hast bisauȝt, Al to fole-hardy þou art y-tauȝt. Wele þou holdest me for a fole; Þou art y-tauȝt to a liþer scole, & icham þi lordes douhter biname; Line 385 Þan dostow him wel michel schame,

When þou of loue bi-sechist me Þat y schold þi leman be. No fond y neuer man me so missede, No me so of loue bede, Line 390 Noyþer kniȝt no baroun, Bot þou þat art a garsoun, & art mi man, & man schalt be. Yuel were mi fairhed sett on þe, & y swiche a grome toke, Line 395 & so mani grete lordinges for-soke. Erls, doukes of þe best In þis world, & þe richest, Me haue desired apliȝt, Þat neuer of me hadde siȝt. Line 400 Þat wer gret deshonour to me! Al to loþ mi liif me schuld be. Al to fole-hardi þou were, When þou me of loue bisouȝtest here. Bi mi trewþe y schal þe swere, [C line 224] Line 405 Schal y mi fader þe tiding bere, Þou worþest to-hewen, oþer for-do, (Bi þe be warned oþer mo) Oþer wiþ wilde hors to-drawe, For þi foly, & þat wer lawe, Line 410 & oþer schul be warned bi þi dede, [folio 109b:1] & her lordinges þe more drede. Go heþen,' sche seyd, '& vp arise, & cum nam-more in mi purpris!' ¶ Wel sorwefuliche went Gij [C line 235] Line 415 In to his chaumber al dreri: Gij in to his chaumber gan to gon, & schett him þer in anon. Þer in he made sorwe anouȝ, & his cloþes al to-drouȝ. Line 420 Vnder heuen nas þat it ne miȝt haue rewþe Of his sorwenes & of his trewþe.

Of loue he bi-ment strongliche For whom þat he loued so miche: 'Loue,' he seyd, 'slake now mi sore Line 425 Þat is dedeliche, as y seyd ore. Loue of þis ȝongling Makeþ me iuel fonding. Loue, bring me of þis wodenisse, & bring me in to sum lisse, Line 430 For to reste me aþrowe, Þat y miȝt meseluen knowe. Sore me meneþ, for me smert, Miche care is in mine hert, Michel ich am y-cast of miȝt Line 435 Al to fer wiþ vnriȝt. Loue me doþ to grounde falle, Þat y ne may stond stef wiþ alle. Loue doþ min cloþes done, & after me clepeþ 'wreche' sone. Line 440 Hou schal y liue? hou schal y fare? Hou long schal y liuen in care? Leuest þing me were to dye, & ich wist bi wiche weye. Deþ,' he seyd, 'wher artow so long? Line 445 Þou makest me y may nouȝt stond. Þou makest me out of þe way to gon; Whi ne comestow to feche me anon? Worþi ich were ded to be: Y loue þing þat loueþ nouȝt me. Line 450 Herkeneþ now hou seiþ þe wise: Y schal ȝou schewe bi þis asise. For a fole he schal him held Þat takeþ more þan he may weld. To a fenestre þan Gij is go, [folio 109b:2] Line 455 Biheld þe castel, þe tour also. [C line 269] 'Tour,' he seyd, 'feir artow bisett! In þe is þat maiden bischett

Þat liueþ þer in ioie & blis, & ichir loue for soþe y-wis. Line 460 Tour, when wer thou ouer-þrowe, And wiþ þe winde al to-blowe! Þat y miȝt hir wiþ eyȝen se Þat y loue more þan me!' He ginneþ to wepe & sore siche, Line 465 His care him neweþ eueriliche; Adoun he fel and swoune bigan, [C line 278] (More sorwe made neuer man) & cursed þe time þat he was bore, For now he haþ his witt forlore. Line 470 'Loue,' he seyd, 'acursed þou be! To michel miȝt it is in þe Þat y ne may me fro þe were; Loue, merci, þatow me no dere! Leuer me were forto dye Line 475 Þan long to liuen here in eyȝe. Allas, Felice, þat ich stounde, Þi loue me haþ so ybounde! & þat y serued þe þat day, Acursed be þat time, seyen y may! Line 480 No bid ichaue non oþer mede, Bot slake mi sorwe, ichaue nede. Y loue þe & tow nouȝt me. Euen dole may it nouȝt be; For of mi sorwe no hastow nouȝt. Line 485 Allas! to grounde icham ybrouȝt! Þou hast þe gode, & y þe quede: Y brenne so spark on glede. Seþþe þou me lokedest first to, Þou me woundest wiþ a flo. Line 490 Schal y dye for þat siȝt? Merci, Felice, þat swete wiȝt! Mine hert is ful of venim spilt, Of blis no worþ it neuer filt.'

Swiche liif ladde Gij sikerliche Line 495 Al that seuenniȝt holeliche. His fader was for him sori, Sabin his moder biment Gij, Þerl for him sori was, [folio 110a:1] Þer liked non in that plas: Line 500 Litel & michel, al & some, Biment Gij att[e] frome.