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

When Tristor hadde y-seyd þis, Wiþ-outen ani oþer abod y-wis, Line 3820 Þer nas nouȝt on, litel no miche, Þat durst speke sikerliche. Gij of Warwike vp arist: 'Sir emperour, bi mi lord Iesu [jhus originally, but the s under|dotted.] Crist, Þis message ichil afo, Line 3825 & it þurch godes help do.' Seyd þemperour, 'þat schaltow nouȝt: Þider to go haue þou no þouȝt; Ich it [MS. ichit] dede mine men to fond, [folio 127a:b] To whom ich miȝt trust in mi lond.' Line 3830 Þan answerd Gij wel snelle, 'For soþe, sir, leten y nille, Þat ich þe message wil do, To dye er ich þennes go.' [C line 3600] Wiþ þat he went out of þe halle. Line 3835 Þe Gregeys siked among hem alle, 'God! what Gij is noble baroun! Iesu, þat suffred passioun, Saue him fram cumberment, & him oȝain bring in sauement.' Line 3840 Gij cam to his in in a stounde, His felawes droupeing he founde. 'Lordinges,' he seyd, 'hou is it now? Almiȝti god y bi-teche ȝou.' 'Sir,' quaþ Herhaud, 'ich-il go Line 3845 Bi þine wille wiþ þe also.' Gij answerd, 'so no schal it be. Icham y-go: biddeþ for me.'

He oxed his armes hastiliche, And men es him brouȝt sikerliche. Line 3850 Hosen of iren he haþ on drawe, Non better [bertter, but the first r under|dotted.] nar bi þo dawe. In a strong hauberk he gan him schrede, Who so it wered, þe ded no þurt him drede. An helme he haþ on him don: Line 3855 Better no wered neuer kniȝt non; The sercle [the r added over the line.] of gold þer-on was wrouȝt, For half a cite no worþ it bouȝt: So mani stones þer-in were, Þat were of vertu swiþe dere. Line 3860 Seþþe he gert him wiþ a brond Þat was y-made in eluene lond. His scheld about his nek he tok, On hors he lepe wiþ-outen stirop, On hond he nam a spere kerueinde, Line 3865 Out of þe cite he was rideinde. Alle þat weren of þat cite For him wel sori weren he; No wene þai neuer his ȝain-cominge, Alle þai wene þer his endinge. Line 3870 Now is Gij in þe riȝt way [C line 3635] Toward þe Sarrazins, y say, Wele y-armed on his stede, [folio 127b:a] A launce he bar gode at nede. Smerteliche he dede him in þe ways, Line 3875 Ouer þe dounes & þe valeys To the Sarrazins y-comen he is, & her pauilouns he seþ y-wis. A real pauiloun he þer seye Wiþ an eren of gold an heye. Line 3880 Þat was þe soudans [soudanes, but the e underdotted.] pauiloun: Haue he Cristes malisoun! In-to þe pauiloun Gij him wond, & an hast þer he fond

Alle atte mete þat þer was, Line 3885 & nouȝt michel noise þer nas. At þe heye bord eten kinges ten, Þat alle were Gyes fomen.