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

'Leefe pilgrym,' quod sir Gye, 'For thy sonnes thow arte sorye: Gye and herrawd hast thow sowght In meny londys, and foundyst hem nought. Line 7890 Thought thow make doel hit is no ferlye, When thow ne foundyst nother herraud ne Gye: Thorough hem thow hopedist to delyuerd be Of prison and thi chyldre free.

I was in myn owen londe Line 7895 Som tyme a doughty man of hande: Now for the love of god all-myght, That he me yeve grace to fyght, For Gye and herrawdys sake [Caius MS. 107 page 165] That bateyle for the wyll I take, Line 7900 And thorow the grace of hevyn-kyng Thy sonnes of prison shall I bryng.' When Erle Ionas herd sir Gye, That he was so bold and so hardye To do that bateyle yf he myght, Line 7905 And with that grete Geaunte for to fyght, He devysed hym full well, Hede and fote, euery deale. He sye hys body gret and longe, And well I-made to be stronge, Line 7910 Wyth bones grete and bare of flesshe. He semyd a man of wildernesse: Hys berd was longe and thike of here. He lokyd on hym full ofte there. 'Syr,' he seyd, 'for thy reason Line 7915 Haue thow goddys benyson; But thow knowest not that paynym That ys so much and so gryme;

For, and yf he lokyd angyrlye Ons on the with hys [hye MS.] eye, Line 7920 He wold the so a-gaste make, That thow shuldyst the bateyle for-sake.' 'Pylgryme,' quod Gye, 'dred the nowght. God ys myghtfull as I haue thought. Many on hath provyd to do me scathe, Line 7925 And with hys eyen lokyd wrathe, Yet fled I neuer fro hym in bateyle. I tryste on god, he wyll not fayle. Though thow thinke I feble be, [Caius MS. 107 page 166] He [And he MS.] ys of so grete poweste, That he may yeve me grace & myght To slee that Geaunte in that fyght.' 'Sir,' quod the pilgrym, 'graunt mercye! He that was borne of that mayd marye Yelde the or thow be dede.' Line 7935 For joye he sowned in that stede. 'My frende,' quod Gye, 'so haue I hele, Go we forth, we shall fare wele.' To Alysaunder they them dyght, To-fore the kyng they com full ryght. Line 7940 When the kyng Erle Ionas sawe, Vnneth he cowth hym knowe. 'Sir Ionas,' quod the kyng than,

'Where is Gye, that noble man, Other herrawd that thow hast sowght? Line 7945 Hast thow Eny of hem brought?' 'Sir,' he seyd, 'I will yow seye: I will not lye, be this daye. I have hem sowght longe and fferre: Herrawd ne Gye found I nether. Line 7950 I was full fer into Englond, And asked all that I fonde. They seid that Gye is in excile wente, Therfor that londe is now nere shente, And sir herrawd hath take his weye Line 7955 To seke Gye both nyght and daye. But I have browȝt a noble knyȝte, That in armes is bold and wyȝte: For yow he will do this bateyle, [Caius MS. 107 page 167] With helpe of god he shall not fayle. Line 7960 He shall well defende your ryght, And with that false paynyme fyght.' Quod the kyng to Erle Ionas, 'Loke thow lye not in this case. Yf I be trayed thorought the rede of the, Line 7965 Full hye hangyd shalt thow be, And thi sonnes euery-chone With wikyd deth shall dye anone.' 'I Graunte,' quod Ionas, 'that ye seye: God vs helpe, that beste maye.' Line 7970 The kyng clepyd sir Gyoune, And told hym a gret reasoune. 'Pylgryme,' he seyd, 'what is this name?' Then he seyd, 'Iohn, with-owten blame.'

'Leve frende,' then seyd the kyng, Line 7975 'Tell yow [Read þow?] me with-owte lesynge, Where were thow borne & in what londe? Was there no brede ne corne growande?' 'Sir,' he seyd, 'in Englonde Was I borne and moste dwellande: Line 7980 Sethen that I was dubbyd knyȝte, I haue bene in meny fyght.' 'Arte thow Englissh,' quod the kyng, 'I owte to hate the ouer all thinge. Knew thow owte sir Gyoun Line 7985 And herrawd, the bold baroun? They be dowȝty men of hand, Yf they be in the world levand. I owght to hate Gye with grete Ire: [Caius MS. 107 page 168] He slowe my fader, the kyng of tyre, Line 7990 And he slow my Eme with his honde, The sowdan, at his mete sittand: I saw hym smyte of his hede, And with myȝt and streng[t]h a-wey hit leede. Awey he prikyd ther-with full faste: Line 7995 All we chasyd hym at the laste. The devyll hym savyd, that he was not slone, But he slow of vs meny one. Lord Mahoun wold he were here! Than wold I make well good chere. Line 8000 Yf that he wold fyght for me, Also for-yeve shuld hyt be.' Gye answeryd full curteslye, 'Syr,' he seyd, 'full well know I Gye And herrawd also; both two Line 8005 I know hem well, so must I goo. Yf ye had herraw[d]e other Gye, Ye were seker of the mastrye.'

'Tell me,' quod [the] king than, 'Whi arte thow so lene a man? Line 8010 An onkynd man hast thow seruyd aye, When thow departidyst so power aweye, Eyther hit is thyn folye, That thow departist secretlye.' 'Sir,' he seyd, 'well may fall, Line 8015 But myn Estate know ye not all. For soth, I was in good servyse: My lord me lovyd in all wyse. For hym I had grete honoure [Caius MS. 107 page 169] Of kyng, prince, and maydens in bowre. Line 8020 But for a lytill hastines All I loste, both more and lesse. Tho went I fro my contree, Tyll it myght after better be. Thus will I walke in this estate, Line 8025 Tyll his wrath be abate. When he and I accordyd be, Then will I wende to my contree.' Now quod the kyng so free, 'Will thow this bateyle take for me? Line 8030 Or ellys I shall Gett another. Tell thow me, my leve brodyr.' Gye seyd, 'therfor com I hedyr, I and Ionas to-geder. With helpe of god in trinite Line 8035 This bateile will I take for the, And sle the paynym with my honde, With that thow graunte me this covenaunde, That Ionas and his sonnes ecchone Shall be delyuerd, and that anone.' Line 8040 The kyng seyd, 'I the graunte. Mahoun me helpe & turmegaunte.'

'Nay,' quod Gye, 'but Mary is sonne, That for vs on the rode was done: He be myn helpe for his mercye; Line 8045 For I the sey well sikerlye That Mahoun hath no poweste Nother to helpe the ne me.' Quod the kyng, 'my frende so dere, [Caius MS. 107 page 170] I wyll make a covenaunte here. Line 8050 Yf thow myght the Geaunte sloo, And bryng me owt of my woo, Thi god for the love of the Grete honoure shall haue of me. All crysten that I haue taken here Line 8055 Shall be delyuerd with good chere. In all my lond of Alexaundre Men shall not the crysten dere. Ther shall be none in hethenes, Man ne woman, more ne lesse, Line 8060 That ys of crystiante But he here shall delyuerd be; And such a statute shall I make For the and for goddes sake, That all crysten her wey shall wende Line 8065 Thorough-owt this land fayre & hende, And, yf any be so hardye To do them shame other villany, Be he neuer so bold ne stowte, He shall be hanged with-owte dowȝt.' Line 8070 'Sir,' quod Gye, 'graunte mercye! This [is] a feyer graunt, sekerlye.'