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

When his nevou y-seye þat cas, [C line 4155] Line 4395 Þat his em [nevou MS, eme Turnbull.] so smiten was, Him to awreke him þouȝt long, & as he schuld his dart afong, His arme atvo smot Gij, & he him anon crid merci. Line 4400 Gij for rewþe is þennes y-gcn, & cam to þemperour anon, & seþþe he seyd to þemperour: 'Ich haue þe serued wiþ gret honour; Ȝolden þou hast me iuel mi while, Line 4405 When þi folk þurch tresoun & gile Haue mi lyoun to deþ y-brouȝt. Mi while is iuel ȝalt: he it haþ abouȝt. For soþe he me to þe biwreyd, & now to grounde mi lyoun is leyd. Line 4410 Ded he liþe al to-hewe [alto hewe MS.] Þi steward, at wordes fewe: Wele ich haue ȝolden him his treysoun, [folio 130b:a] & þat he slouȝ mi lyoun. Seþþe þou no miȝt nouȝt waranti me, Line 4415 Whar-to schuld y serui þe, On oncouþe man in thi lond, When þou no dost him bot schond? Harm me is, & michel misdo; Þer-fore ichil fram þe go, Line 4420 & in oþer cuntres serue y wile, Þer men wille ȝeld me mi while.' 'Merci, sir Gij,' seyd þemperour þo. 'Ȝif ani of our haþ þe misdo, [C line 4185]

Swiche riȝt do als tow wilt, Line 4425 & take þe amendes after þe gilt; For alle þai schul be þine men [an]on, In þi nede serue þe ichon, & at þi wille take her catel. Wiþ-drawe þi mod, sir, y bidde [i in bidde altered from e?] þe wel: Line 4430 Ich wil þatow to-morwen arly Mi douhter at þe chirche spousy.' ¶ Gij answerd: 'þerof speke nouȝt: [C line 4193] Hir to nim nam ich nouȝt biþouȝt; For, ȝif þou haddest me hir ȝiue, Line 4435 & ich hir toke þer whiles y liue, Þan wold þi men anon, Þat wonderful be mani on, Þe seggen wiþ deshonour Þou haddest made a pouer man emperour, Line 4440 & vnworþ þai wold holden of me, & sum edwite þer wold be Þat þi douhter desperplid were, Ȝif þou to me hadde ȝiuen [me h. ȝ. on an erasure.] her here. Leuer ich hadde litel wiþ worþschipe Line 4445 Þan michel welden wiþ schenschipe. Þer-fore, sir emperour, y þe telle, In non maner bileuen y nille. Whende ichil in-to mi cuntre, Mine frendes to visite & to se.' Line 4450 Leue he toke wiþ þat speche, & seyd, 'godes sone y þe biteche.' When þemperour wiþ-holden him no may [C line 4209] (He seþ his wille is to wende o-way), Wepen he gan wiþ his eyȝen tvo: Line 4455 Alle þo of þe court dede al-so. His grete tresour he dede forþ bring, [folio 130b:b] & bede it Gij to his likeing, Ac þerof liked him nouȝt to take: Anouȝ he hadde of [One letter erased after of.] Sarrazins blake. Line 4460

Line 4460 Al-so a gode man dede þemperour þere: Þer-after to alle Gyes fere Riche tresour þan ȝaf he, Gold and siluer gret plente, As miche as þai wold vnder-fo; Line 4465 For þemperour it comend so. Gret [pris] þai ȝeue þemperour, Þat he was man of gret honour. Gij diȝt him wiþ riche dubbeing, Riche wede he dede for him bring. Line 4470 Of þemperour he toke his leue, & he al wepend it him ȝeue, & alle þe kniȝtes of the cite, Of euerichon leue nam he. Þer miȝt men se sorwe make, Line 4475 For sir Gij wold fram hem rake; Wimen & children mani on, For him þai wepen euerichon: Þer whiles he was in her ferred, Of no wer no stode hem drede. Line 4480 ¶ Þemperour cleped Herhaud him to, [C line 4229] & aresound him tvene hem tvo: 'Sir Herhaud, þou schalt bileue wiþ me. Wele ich þe sigge, & siker þou be, Þat ich in þis ȝere wille ȝiue þe Line 4485 Þe richest honour þat in mi lond be.' 'Sir,' quaþ Herhaud, 'gramerci! Wele ȝe wite icham wiþ sir Gij. Y no wil depart him fro For non honour men may me do.' Line 4490