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

                                
                                  Eyther other wysdom to ken.'
                                
                                  'Sir,' he seyd, 'the soth I sey the,
                                
                                  Hyt were gret Almes to tech me.
                                  Line 9065 
                                
                                  Trewly, sir, I shall yow tell
                                
                                  All my sorrow, how that hyt be-fell.
                                
                                  I was a knyȝt of Riche londe,
                                
                                  And had castellis & toures in my hande. [Caius MS. 107 page 204] 
                                
                                  Of Good me[n] I had plentee:
                                  Line 9070 
                                
                                  All the land full sore dred me.
                                
                                  In crystendome was ther no land
                                
                                  That I [ne] was in preysed for dred of hond;
                                
                                  For I was both bold and hende,
                                
                                  And had many a good freende.
                                  Line 9075 
                                
                                  Gold and siluer I had plente
                                
                                  For me and my meyne:
                                
                                  Now have I nought on penye
                                
                                  Where-with I may my mete bye.
                                
                                  Now am I a pore caytyfe:
                                  Line 9080 
                                
                                  Hit ys no wonder though I hate my lyfe.'
                                
                                  For sorrow myght he speke no more:
                                
                                  With hys eyen he wept sore.
                                
                                  'Pylgrym,' quod Gye, 'what is thi name?
                                
                                  Whedir wylt thow, & fro wens thow came?'
                                  Line 9085 
                                
                                  'Sir,' he seyd, 'lett be thy fare:
                                
                                  For goddis love, aske me no mare
                                
                                  What I hyght, ne what I am:
                                
                                  Certes, to tell the me thynkyth shame.
                                
                                  Yf I shuld all my lyfe tell
                                  Line 9090 
                                
                                  All to long shuld I dwell.
                                
                                  Whi askyst me such thynge,
                                
                                  When thow myȝt do me no mendyng?
                                
                                  I had lever som-what to get
                                
                                  Where-with I myȝt bye me mete.'
                                  Line 9095 
                                
                                  Gye answeryd, 'now tell thow me:
                                
                                  For hys love that dyed on tree,

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About this Item

Title: The romance of Guy of Warwick. The first or 14th-century version.
Canvas: Page 505
Publication: London,: Pub. for the Early English text society by K. Paul, Trench, Trübner, & co., limited,; 1883, 1887, 1891.
Subject terms: Guy of Warwick (Legendary character)

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Collection: Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse
Link to this Item: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/aha2638.0001.001
Link to this scan: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/aha2638.0001.001/572:3.101

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Full citation: "The romance of Guy of Warwick. The first or 14th-century version." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/aha2638.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 25, 2025.

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

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