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

HE sent to tryamoure the kyng, As to a man [aman MS.] that he louyd no-thynge, Line 7740 And bad hym com to hym on hye, And defend hym of that felonye, And bryng with hym hys son faboure, That slow hys sonne, that foule treytoure: But he wold do hys commaundement Line 7745 He shuld be slayne and brente, Or ellys such Iugement suffer there As in hys court [contrey MS.] ordeyned were. The kynge dyght hym full yare, [Caius MS. 107 page 160] And to the sowdan can he fare, Line 7750 And with hym fabour, the good knyght, Be-fore the sowdan com full ryght. The sowdan askyd hym anone How he had hys sonne slone:

Yf he myght hym not defende, Line 7755 Thorough deth hys deth he [it MS.] shuld amende. Forth he brought a blake sarzine: A fowler thefe dranke neuer wyne. He was blake as any piche, Men saw neuer none suche. Line 7760 Hys breste was brode, his body grete: He was thykker than a nete. Comyn he ys oute of ynde, A feller thefe shuld no man fynde. There be none thre at that londe Line 7765 That durste ageyne that one stonde. He was a fote and a halfe more Than eny man that euer was bore. Yf the kyng durste with hym fyght, And prove on hym with mayne and myght Line 7770 That sir Sadoyne was neuer dede Thorough hym ne thorough hys sonnys rede, Yf he myght hym to deth brynge, He shuld go quyte of all thynge. Syr tryamoure had drede stronge Line 7775 Of that Geaunte gret and longe. Neuer the lesse a-monge hem all there [all thre there MS.] He forsoke that the sowdan on hym bere, And seyd that sadony was neuer dede [Caius MS. 107 page 161] Thorough hym ne thorough his sonnus rede; Line 7780

Line 7780 And an hole yere of trewes [was] tane And fourty dayes till it be gane. Suche is the law of that contree, Euer was, and euer shall bee: And yf he durste not with hym fyȝte, Line 7785 He shuld fynde a nother knyght. Home to Alysaundre hys he wente, After hys barons he hath sente, And dyd crye thorough that londe, Yf he eny man fonde Line 7790 That durst that bateyle take in honde, He shuld yeve hym halfe hys londe; But he ne founde no man so wyght That durste with that geaunt fyght. He toke me than owte of prisoun, Line 7795 And askyd me tho than reasoun Yf I knew euer any knyght That durste with the Geaunte fyght. Full riche man he wold hym make, And do me worshyp for hys sake: Line 7800 He shuld haue gold gret plentee And halfe hys land euer more free. I seyd, 'I know none such of name;'

For to lye me thought shame. 'In none contre ne in no londe Line 7805 Is none that durste it take in honde But it were Gye, the noble knyght, That all men seyn ys so wyght. Yf I myght hym fynde in eny contre [Caius MS. 107 page 162] Other herrawd, to fyght for the Line 7810 Thow myghtist be seker, with-owt fayle, For to wynne that bateyle.' When the kyng, that stode me bye, Herd speke of herrawd and of sir Gye, Hys ryght hond he leyd on me, Line 7815 And seyd, 'but I haue helpe of the Shall I neuer of man levande Haue helpe, I vndyrstonde. Yf I myght haue sir Gye, I were seker of the mastrye, Line 7820 Other sir herrawd, the knyȝt herdye: Be-fore all other I desyre sir Gye.' He seyd, 'to englond shalt thow fare, To loke yf he be founden thare. Yf he may not fownden be, Line 7825 Loke sir herrawd com with the: I wyll then delyuer the owt of prison And all thy sonnes with-oute rawmsom, And thow shalte haue for thi seruice, Yf thow wylte be ware and wyse, Line 7830 And to me be both trew and hold, Ten somers chargyd with gold.' Then swere I there in all manere To bene hys trew messyngere; And yf I found of hem none, Line 7835 I shuld com home alone: I shuld be hangyd on a galow tree And my fyftene sonnus with me.

Out of that lond went I in hye, [Caius MS. 107 page 163] A carefull man and a sorye. Line 7840 I went ryght vnto allmayn, And forth to fraunce and to spayne, Syth to pollayne and to Sesayne, To pavy and to burgayne; Sethen I wente to ynglonde, Line 7845 And asked euery man that I fonde; Sethyn to warwyke dyd I me, There he was wonte lord to be: Herd I no man speke with mouth That ought of Gye tell couth, Line 7850 Ne of sir herrawd ne of sir Gye, And therfore a sory man was I. But hys men vppon a daye Seyden that they herd saye That Gye was wente in excile Line 7855 I-passyd a full longe while, And sir herrawde is forth wente To sech Gye with all hys entente. Lenger wold I dwell there nought, In many londis I haue hym sought: Line 7860 Myght I neuer fynde man

That owte of Gye tell can. Now I come heder this ilke daye, And reste me here be the weye. Hit is twelmonythis and more Line 7865 Sythen that I fro the kynge gan fare. Now wyll I wende to hym a-geyne: Well I wote I shall be slayne; But for the deth wyll I not flee [Caius MS. 107 page 164] To yeve answere how it bee, Line 7870 For I haue hym my trowth plyght To com a-geyne to hym full ryght. Well I wote I shall be dede And also my sonnes with-owte rede. Of my selfe yeve I nought, Line 7875 But of my sonnes is all my thought; For they be knyghtis bold and wyght, And well assayd in meny a fyght. Yf they myght leve and old men bee, They myght much helpe crystiante. Line 7880 Now to hym wyll I fare, And take the deth with hem thare.' With that he sowned be-fore sir Gye; Therfor he was full sorye. Gye had sorrow and much care, Line 7885 For he saw Ionas so fare.