The romance of Guy of Warwick. The second or 15th-century version. Edited from the paper ms. Ff. 2. 38. in the University Library, Cambridge, by Dr. Julius Zupitza ...

'Syr emperowre,' seyde syr Gye, 'Herkyn to me, wytterlye. Line 3224 We schall be beseged wyth oost vnryde Abowte þe cyte on euery syde, Wyth sarsyns bothe black and kene Wyth full grete force, as y wene: Line 3228 To the cyte wyll they fare Wyth grete ooste and mekyll mare. Hymselfe sowdan wyll come hedur And all the sarsyns wyth hym hedur. [togedur? The whole line written in the margin by the same hand.] Line 3232

Line 3232 He hath sworne be Apolyne, That all schall dye, þat be þerynne.' The emperowre seyde to Gye sone: 'As ye wyll, hyt schall be done. Line 3236 Y haue geue yow my powere And therto gode auentere. [MS. auenture.] Yf they wyll vs assayle, We schall vs defende, sawns fayle.' Line 3240 ¶ Gye calde forthe þe constabull, A nobull man and of cowncell stabull: Crystofor was hys ryght name, So god schylde hys body fro schame. Line 3244 'Syr,' he seyde, 'herkyn hedur: Take we owre cowncell now togedur. To morne schall we assayled bee: Wyll we holde the cyte Line 3248 Or ellys þem kepe in the felde To fyght wyth þem wyth spere and schelde? Or they be passyd the hyllys hye, We schall þem wrath, be my nye.' Line 3252 ¶ Gye seyde to the constabull: 'Thys cowncell schall be holde, wythowt fabull. Do crye [a blotted out before crye in MS.] anon thorow the cyte, That all the men, that there bee . . . . . [After this some (probably two) lines are wanting. See the note.] Line 3256 Helpe hym neuyr god at nede, [folio 182a:1] That leuyth behynde for any drede.' ¶ On þe morne were gedurd in þe feldys Twenty thousande whyte scheldys. Line 3260 'Lordyngys,' sey e Gye, 'herkenyth me, All, that beleue on the trynyte. The sarsyns schall we assayle: For nothynge wyll we not fayle. Line 3264 Thynke on god in trynete And to holde vp crystyante

And wyth strenckyþ of owre hondys Defende owre goodys and owre londys. Line 3268 They haue slayne owre frendys dere: Loke, that we be vengyd here. Yf we anythynge flee, Slayne schall we sone bee. Line 3272 Then schall þys londe, wythowte feyne, Be in angur and yn peyne. Therfore wende we boldelye And fyght wyth them manlelye. Line 3276 Y wyll wyth yow thedur fare: Yf y yow fayle, god gyf me care.' All they seyde: 'gramercye! Wele haue ye spokyn now, syr Gye.' Line 3280 To the hylle be they gone: The sarsyns there þey fownde anon. All the cuntre thereabowte Was full of sarsyns grymme and stowte. Line 3284 ¶ The sowdan calde a man wyth yre: He was ryche and a grete syre: Kynge he was wyse and bolde, The beste in all þat londe tolde. Line 3288 'Kynge,' seyde þe sowdan, 'y commawnde þe, Take twenty thousande men wyth þe: Go to the hylle swythe anone And sloo the theuys euerychone. Line 3292 They haue me greuyd swythe sore: Loke, that y see them no more.' ¶ The kynge went forthe wyth hys ooste [folio 182a:2] (And made moche noyse and boste) Line 3296 Wyth pryde for take the hylle, But y wene, that they spedde ylle. Ryght at the entre of the hylle Gye cryed lowde and schrylle: Line 3300 'Lordyngys, do yowre helpe now: Hyt wyll be mekull for yowre prowe.

Yf þey may gete the mowntayne, We schall be takyn all or slayne. Line 3304 Yf we haue the hylle and þey þe dale, We schall þem worche moche bale.' ¶ They caste stones and schett dartes And scharpe speres on all partes. Line 3308 They schett arows heded wyth stele; They faght wyth scharpe swyrdys wele. Gye, y wott, was well bolde: He gedurd them, as schyp in folde. Line 3312 When Gye was vppon the hylle, He made them sone to fare full ylle, That in ther downe fallynge Echoon slewe odur, wythowt lesynge; Line 3316 So that in a lytull stownde Tenne thousande were broght to grownde. ¶ When he hym sawe, þe kynge of Tyre, Forthe he start wyth mekyll yre. Line 3320 He bare a swyrde longe and scharpe: He thoght to crysten men to carpe. He smote a knyght on the heuydde: [MS. hedde.] Hys lyfe þere was hym bereeuydde. Line 3324 When Gye sawe that owtrage, He thoght to quyte hym hys wage. He smote the kynge wondur sore: He cleuyd hys crowne, he speke no more. Line 3328 He slewe paynyms thyckfolde, That on the hylle lay full colde. ¶ When the sowdan see hys men, How they in the felde ranne, [Perhaps originally renne?] Line 3332 He clepyd the kynge of Nvmbye: He was of grete felonye. [folio 182b:1] 'Kyng,' he seyde, 'seyst þou noght, How owre men be downe [dere blotted out before downe in MS.] broght? Line 3336

Line 3336 The bodyes of them on the hylle lyse. The kyng ys slayne, þat was full wyse. So euyr me helpe goddys [MS. god.] myne, Termagawnt and Apolyne, Line 3340 But y be vengyd on hym sone, I schall neuyr abyde tyll none: Y schall take the hylle wyth force And sloo eche oon, be my corse. Line 3344 We haue an hundurd agenste oon, And therfore sone schall þey be tane.' ¶ They toke þe hylle swythe faste And many a stone downe caste. Line 3348 The Greges defendyd þem well Aȝenste the sarsyns, þat were trebell. They smote of wyth þer gysarmes [MS. gesernes.] Fete and honde, schouldur and armes. Line 3352 That ylke batell was full stronge: There dyed many a man amonge. ¶ So wele dud Gye that day, That he was preysed for nobull ay. Line 3356 In a stedde stylle he stode And faght wyth an harte gode. The paynyms faste hym assayle: He them hyt, wythowten fayle, Line 3360 Bothe before and behynde. He smote downe, þat he myght fynde, That wythynne a lytull stownde There lay abowte hym on þe grownde Line 3364 An hundurd slayne and wele moo, That hym had ȝernyd for to sloo. To hys breste laye the hepe, That he myght not awey lepe. Line 3368 Also dud Harrowde sore: He faght, as a wylde bore. He had a swyrde, that was gode:

Many a hedde wyth that of yode. Line 3372 Of the sarsyns he smote þat day [folio 182b:2] Two hundurd, or he went away. Hys hawberke was brokyn wyde Wyth many hoolys on euery syde. Line 3376 Paynyms assaylyd hym at þat case, That hys hawberke brokyn was. He defendyd hym, as a lyowne, And all, þat was wyth [MS. wyth hym Gyowne.] Gyowne; Line 3380 And also dud the Gregeyse Defende them wele in all wyse. ¶ The kyng of Charturs was tane And other sarsyns many ane. Line 3384 Gye þere made a grete wondur; For some of þem he smote in sondur. Gye and hys ferys were armed wele Bothe in yron and in stele. Line 3388 In þat brunte many they hente And many slewe and all torente. They were so smert and so kene: They made the sarsyns all to flene Line 3392 On euery syde therwythall. They of þe hylle downe let falle Many and þyck of grete stones, That were ordeygned for þe nones, Line 3396 As grett, as any man may bere, The sarsyns wyth for to dere. They let the stones downe glyde And slewe many on euery syde. Line 3400 Tenne thousande in a stownde There were slayne and broȝt to grownde. Hyt felle so that ylke day, That fewe of þem went away. Line 3404 ¶ The nyght ys comen, þe day ys gone: The sarsyns bene all slone.

So many sarsyns þere were slone, That ix furlonge men myght gone, Line 3408 Ȝyt schulde þey set no fote on grownde For dedde bodyes in þat stownde. ¶ Forthe went in yre Abelle the wyght: [folio 183a:1] He was newe dubbed knyght. Line 3412 To the sowdan he come thore: He was woundyd passynge sore. 'Sowdan,' he seyde, 'flee or be dedde: Seyst thou not thy men redde? Line 3416 Thy goddys þe had not in þer thoght, Therfore haue we spedde noght. We wyll þem brenne in fyre bryght: They dud vs neuer gode in fyght. Line 3420 Wende now on yowre stede browne Whome vnto yowre pavelowne. Brynge home þe men, þat woundyd are: Ȝyt some of þem may wele fare.' Line 3424 ¶ Now be the sarsyns come ageyne Wyth grett schame and many slayne. The sowdan dud before hym brynge All hys goddys in a thrynge. Line 3428 'A, goddys,' he seyde, 'ye are false: The deuyll yow honge be the hals. I haue done yow many a gode dede: Euyll ye haue qwytt me my mede. Line 3432 Ye wolde me serue, yf ye myght stonde, As ye haue done before honde.' He toke a staffe of appulle tre And bete hys goddys all thre. Line 3436 He brake of þem boþe legge and arme: 'Ye dud me neuer gode, but harme. Gode may ye do me none More, than the harde stone.' Line 3440 He toke þem be the fete faste And dud þem sone owte caste.

¶ Sythen he lepe on hys rabyte [MS. rabett.] And sende a messengere full tyte Line 3444 To all men in hys poste Fro thens vnto the redde see And bad þem come for þer honowre Hym to helpe and to socowre. Line 3448 ¶ Gye clepyd to hym hys mayne: [folio 183a:2] 'Lordyngys,' he seyde, 'god thanked be. We haue done a feyre chace: Lorde be thankyd of hys grace. Line 3452 Owre enmyes be all tane, Ouyrcomen and many slane. To the cyte wyll we gone Wyth owre felows euerychone.' Line 3456 All wyth yoye þey went home, But þey were woundyd euerychone. ¶ Now ys Gye of grete poste: All hym loueyd in that cyte. Line 3460 The emperowre, so haue y hele, Loueyd Gye swythe wele. Thorowe hys helpe he wende full well To wynne hys londe euery dele. Line 3464 Gye doyth all, that euyr he wyll, In the courte bothe lowde and stylle. ¶ Then spake syr Morgadowre, That ylke false traytowre. Line 3468 He began to thynk a wyle, How he myght Gye begyle. He hath thoght a felonye (Soche oon harde y neuer, wytterlye) Line 3472 For to make Gye to do message To the sowdan, that ys so rage. He thoght, yf Gye thedur wente, He schulde neuer aftur more be sente. Line 3476 Gone he ys the emperowre nere

And seyde to hym on thys manere: 'Yf ye wyll leue my cownceyle, [MS. cowncell.] Hyt schall þe well gretly avayle Line 3480 In all thynge, that y may do; For y am moost holdyn thertoo. But y telle yow gode redde, I wyll, ye do me vnto dedde. Line 3484 The sowdan hath sende hys messengere Thorow all hys londe ferre and nere, To hym schulde come more and lesse All men, that in hys lande ys, Line 3488 That may bere schylde or spere [folio 183b:1] Or hys owne hedde bere, Yow to sege in yowre cyte And yow to take and yowre meyne. Line 3492 ¶ Now haue ye here a knyght: In all þe worlde ys none so wyght. That ys Gye of moche pryse And wyth hym Harrowde þe [MS. of.] marchyse. Line 3496 In hym ye may yow wele affye; He wyll yow helpe, sekurlye. Sende a knyght þe sowdan to say And byd [MS. bad.] hym sygne a certeyn day. Line 3500 Whyll he wyll algate haue þy lande And all wyth strenckyth of mannys hande, Byd hym sende a gode knyght Wyth oon of yowres for to fyght. Line 3504 Yf hyt may so betyde, That yowrys haue þe bettur syde, He let yow haue all yowre lande Wyth pees in yowre owne hande. Line 3508 And, yf hys knyght haue þe maystry And ouyrcome yowres wyth felonye, For yowre lande ye schall do homage And euery yere ȝelde hym trewage.' Line 3512

Line 3512 ¶ Than spake þe emperowre Ernys: [MS. in Ernys.] 'Syr steward, at thyn avyce I schall wytt at my baronage, Who wyll do thys message; Line 3516 And, yf any wyll thedur fare, He schall be preysyd for euermare. He, þat wendyth abowte that thynge, Drede hyt ys of hys home comynge.' Line 3520 ¶ He let calle hys baronage And all men, þat he gaue wage. 'Lordyngys,' seyde the emperowre, 'I say for yowre honowre, Line 3524 All, that euyr be gedurd here, Erle, baron, knyght and squyere: I wyll sende a messengere [folio 183b:2] To the sowdan on all manere. Line 3528 I wolde not warre, yf y myght, But holde my londe wyth lawe and ryght. Let hym fynde a sarsyn And y to fynde a knyght of myn. Line 3532 The batell vpon them schall goo: Let hyt be done betwyx þem twoo. Yf my man ouercome bee, I schall hym ȝelde my londe free. Line 3536 Yf he falle on þe warse syde, As god graunte, hyt so betyde, He schall fro my londe ryde And make here no lenger abyde Line 3540 Nor no nodur of hys lynage Do me no wronge nor no owtrage. And, who dar do my ȝernynge And fro me bere thys tythynge, Line 3544 I schall hym loue ouer all odur And holde hym, as myn own brodur.' ¶ When þe emperowre had all sayde

And all hys speche downe layde, Line 3548 Ther was none of all, þat þere [were blotted out before þere in MS.] ware, That wolde speke, lesse nor mare. Then vp starte a nobull knyght: The constabull Crystofor he hyght. Line 3552 To hys gyrdull hys berde was longe: Whyll he was yonge, he was stronge. 'Syr emperowre, be thys day, As me thynkyth, y schall say. Line 3556 I oght to geue yow gode cownceyle [MS. cowncell.] And to do yow honowre, wythowte fayle. To sende yowre men for to be dedde, Me thynkyth, hyt ys a sympull redde. Line 3560 Thou myghtyst as wele wyth þyn hande Slee þy men wele wyttande. I wene, ye schall fynde none in þys lande, That wyll on that errande fonde. Line 3564 For cowardyse sey y hyt noght; [folio 184a:1] For wyth my wylle and my thoght, Yf y now also nobull were here, As y was wythynne thys ix yere, Line 3568 I wolde do that ylke sonde: For þe dethe schulde y not wonde. Y am oolde and haue whyte hare And of my strenckyth am made bare. Line 3572 Hyt ys an hundurd wyntur ryght, Sythe y was made a knyght. Whyll y was a yonge man, Grete messages dud y than. Line 3576 Now am y olde and may not vayle, But yf hyt be to geue cownseyle.' ¶ Harrawde lokyd on syr Gye And thoght, what he wolde sey, veryly. Line 3580 He wolde haue askyd þat vyage, Yf Gye had not take þat owtrage.

When Gye harde the worde to ende, That no man profurde hym to wende Line 3584 (He stode stylle, as a stone, To wytt the wylle of euery mone, Yf any were so bolde and wyght, That durste do þat errande ryght): Line 3588 Gye vp starte swythe wyght. 'Syr,' he seyde, 'y am yowre knyght: Y schall to the sowdan fare And telle hym yowre errande thore. Line 3592 To do yowre errande y schall fonde: For the dethe y wyll not wonde. There schall be none so lytull a page, But he schall here my message' . . . . . [After this some lines are wanting. See note.] Line 3596 ¶ Gye ȝyt answeryd wyth grete yre: 'I schall not leeue, be my swyre, [w in swyre in part illegible because of a spot.] But y wyll wende in thys case To dye therfore in the place.' Line 3600 ¶ Now wendyth Gye owt of þe prees Vnto the oost of the Gregeyes. Gye ys a bolde baron: God, that suffurde hys pascioun, [folio 184a:2] Line 3604 Yeue hym grace wele to fare And to come ageyne wythowten care! He came to hys herbergye And fonde hys felowes heuelye. Line 3608 They wolde wende wyth hym echone, But he wolde suffer of þem neuer oon. Quod Harrowde: 'let me wyth the fare: To dye wyth the y am full yare.' Line 3612 'Harrowde,' seyde Gye, 'be here stylle: Thou schalt not wende wyth my wylle.' ¶ Gye hym armed on all wyse Wele and on a queynte gyse. Line 3616

Line 3616 On he caste an hawberke bryght: Whyll he had þat, he dradde no wyght. On hys hedde hys helme he caste And lasyd hym swythe faste: Line 3620 A serkyll of golde, þat wolde noght [Perhaps corrupt. See note.] Wyth an c pownde of golde be boght. Hyt was full of precyous stones And ryche perles for the nones. Line 3624 Sythen he gurde hym wyth hys bronde: Hyt was worthe moche londe. Hys schylde he caste abowte hys halse And a spere he toke alse. Line 3628 Hys gode stede he bestrode: Forthe of the cyte sone he rode. Al men of that grete cyte Of syr Gye had grete pyte. Line 3632 All þey wepyd swythe sore: They wenyd to see hym no more.