The romance of Guy of Warwick. The first or 14th-century version.
Zupitza, Julius, ed. 1844-1895.
'TErry,' quod Gye, 'make good chere:
10040
Thow shalt sone good tydyngis here.
The false Duke barrard ys dede
(Of hys sowle can I no rede)
Thorrought a pylgryme full hardye,
That terry defendyd of felonye.'
10045
To-fore the emperoure tho he cam,
Yet had he gret dred of blame.
'Sir Emperoure,' quod sir Gye,
'Lo here the Erle terrye.'
On knees fell than sir terry:
Page 563
10050
'Sir Emperoure,' he seyd, 'mercye!
Sir,' quod terry, 'here am I:
Longe haue I bene full drery.
I have bene in sorrow stronge
Yere and halfe: me thynketh longe
10055
That I had neuer reste on daye,
But that I have travellyd aye,
To seche sir Gye yf I hym found
Well far in meny an vncouth land.
In Englond I herd seye,
10060
There he was noryshed and borne, in faye,
That he was wente in excile; [Caius MS. 107 page 237]
Therfor that lond ys in peryle.
Now herd I seye that a pylgryme
(Have he goddys benyson and myne!)
10065
He hath the Duke berrard shente:
I hope god hath hym hether sent.'
On knees then fyll sir terrye,
And seyd, 'lord, for goddys love, mercy!'
Dukis, Erlys gret plente,
10070
That were curteys men and free,
Down they fell on knees anone,
For terry they prayed euery-chone.
The Emperoure be-held the Erle terry,
For hym he waxed full sorye:
10075
The terys ran of hys eyen down.
'Terry,' he seyd, 'gentill baroun,
Thow hast had full gret traveyle,
Hyt semyth well, with-owten fayle.
Of the I have gret pyte:
10080
Thys day thow shalt seasonyd be
Page 565
In all thy land, castell, and toure.
Yet shalt thow have more honoure:
I make the steward of all my lande,
And hyt be-take in-to thy hande.'
10085
Then seyd all hys baronye,
'Sir Emperoure, graunt mercye!'
The Emperoure kyssed sir terry,
And for-yave hym all folye.*. [felony? cf. l. 10101.]
Duke, baroun, and euery man
10090
All they kyssed sir terry than.
All Ioyed in that Citee [Caius MS. 107 page 238]
That terry, the knyȝt so free,
Was accordyd with the emperoure:
All they spake of hym honoure.
10095
Quod the emperoure to sir terry,
'Sey me now, for seynt mary,
What ys he that ylke pylgryme?
Ys he thi brother or thy cosyn
That faught with berrard so hastylye,
10100
To defend the of thi felony?
I wend that ther had be no knyȝt
In the world*. [the r of world added above the line.] so bold a wyght,
That durst ayenste berrard fyȝt,
But it wer foure or fyve well dyȝt.'
10105
'Sir,' quod terry, 'as I trow,
And by the feyth that I to yow owe,
Thys pilgrym saw I neuer are,
But in the wey as I can fare,
Ne neuer wyste or now ryght
10110
That he for me wold fyght;
But now I wote, with glad mode
I prey to hym that dyed on Roode
Yeld hym hys mede with-owte fayle:
He hath me delyuerd from gret traveyle.'
Page 567
10115
The emperoure dyd hendly:
To hys chambre he led sir terry;
He clothyd hym nobly well
In clothes lyned with sendell;
He yave hym stedis ij or thre,
10120
The beste that were in that contre.
He wente to Gornoyse hastelye, [Caius MS. 107 page 239]
And wyth hym he led sir Gye.
