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 ...

The emperowre rose ȝerlye And so dud Gye, wytterlye. The emperowre and hys barons Wente to þe forest of Lyons. Line 2404 When þat þey come thore, The hunters fonde a wylde boore, That was bothe wylde and kene: He slewe þe howndys all bedene. Line 2408 The hunters faste dud hym chace: The emperowre folowed wyth hys mace. They had redyn but a whyle, Vnnethe the mowntaunce of a myle: Line 2412 They sye nerehande them a lyght, As hyt were of helmes bryght. All full were the feldus Bothe of hawberkys and of scheldus. Line 2416 'We be take,' they seyde, 'allas, Confowndyd and slone in thys place. Tyrrye, my frende so lefe and dere, Come and see, that y see here.' Line 2420 He behelde on the hylle: [This line appears to be corrupt. See note.] 'Thou mayste þem see, and þou wylle: They haue vs beset on euery syde, That we may nodur go nor ryde. Line 2424

Line 2424 They wyll vs take thys ylke day Qwyck or dedde, yf they maye. They be the dewkys men Segwyne: [folio 176b:2] God gyf them schame and pyne. Line 2428 Gye ys formeste in that dede And armed on a gode stede.' ¶ Then seyde Tyrrye to the emperowre: 'Wende yow hens wyth honowre; Line 2432 For y wyll fyght, whyll y may stande Wyth thys swyrde in my hande. Yf y may mete wyth Gye, He schall haue scathe, wytterlye. Line 2436 All, þat come to my honde, Schall haue skathe wyth my bronde. Whyll that y be take or slone, Ȝyt ye schall be hens gone.' Line 2440 'Nay certys,' seyde the emperowre, 'Ther schall me neuer falle þat dyshonowre.' He armed hym wele, as a man, And on hys stede lepe he than. Line 2444 ¶ Wyth that come Gye prekyng there: A branche of olyfe in hys hande he bere. That was a feyre tokenynge Of pees and of looueyng. Line 2448 Syr Gye dud of hys hode And gret þe emperowre wyth goode: 'He the saue, syr emperowre, That made þys worlde, and þyn honowre Line 2452 And thy barons, that be wyth the Gode cowncell for to geue the. The dewke yow sendyth tythynge Be me in thys morownynge Line 2456 And preyeth the, yf þy wylle bee, To come and dwelle in hys cyte, Ye and all yowre companye: Ye schall be seruyd rychelye. Line 2460

Line 2460 He wyll the ȝelde castell and towre And the cyte wyth grete honowre. Yf þat he haue oght mysdoone, Hyt schall be amendyd soone.' Line 2464 ¶ When þat þe emperowre þys harde, That Gye wyth no treson farde, He clepyd the kynge of Hungarye [folio 177a:1] And the erle syr Tyrrye Line 2468 And the erle of Wekelwolde And a knyght, syr Grumbolde. 'Lordyngys,' he seyde, 'what sey ye? Wyll we wende to that cyte?' Line 2472 'Ye,' seyde Tyrrye, 'for sothenes, Hyt ys a grete mekenes, When the dewke in hys poste Wyll ȝylde yow hys gode cyte Line 2476 And hys londe euery dele: Ye oght to loue hym wele. We schall jugge at yowre wylle. I rede yow, wende: that ys skylle. Line 2480 Yf hyt be sothe and no lesynge, He may do to yow no more thynge.' The emperowre seyde: 'ye sey wele. So wyll y do, so haue y hele. Line 2484 Yf y do that, wythowten fayle, I sewe my barons cownceyle. Y wyll wende wyth yowre redde, Whethur hyt stonde to lyfe or to dedde.' Line 2488 To the cyte all they went: They speke of acordement. ¶ Now be they come to þat cyte All wyth game and wyth glee. Line 2492 Gye broght them to þe ryche pales: I wott, he made hym wele at ese; So they dud hys meyne Wyth pyment and wyth sotelte, Line 2496

Line 2496 Wyth swannes and wyth herons, [The rhyme was, no doubt, originally herouns: braouns. See the note.] Wyth hertys and wyth brawnes. Gye hym payned on hys manere Hym to serue and make goode chere. Line 2500 Ther was none so lytull a knaue In þat cowrte, þat mete wolde haue, But to hym was sente plente Of þe beste in þat cuntre. Line 2504 The dewke Segwyne helde hym behynde: He drad, þe emperowre wolde hym schende. He was seruyd wyth the prysons [MS. prysoners.] , [folio 177a:2] And wyth hym were grete barons. Line 2508 ¶ The emperowre erly arose And to holy churche sone he gose, Wyth hym hys grete baronage, That were of dyuers langage. Line 2512 The dewke rose erly on the morowe And to þe prysoners made he sorowe: 'Lordyngys, y bydde yow alle, That ye for me downe falle Line 2516 Before my lorde the emperowre, That ys a man of grete valowre, And prey hym, pur charyte, That he wyll forgeue me Line 2520 Hys yre and hys malecolye, That y neuer seruyd, wytterlye.' [First y in wytterlye altered from e in MS.] All they seyde wyth gode wylle: 'We schall the helpe lowde and stylle. Line 2524 We schall anon wyth hym wende And pray hym to be thy frende.' ¶ He made hym nakyd, for he was meke, Saue hys schurte and hys breke. Line 2528 All, that euyr dud hym see,

For hym had grete pyte. To the emperowre he ys gone: A branche of olyfe hath he tane. Line 2532 Barefote he went þorow þe strete: Many a man for hym dud grete. [MS. wepe.] Dewkys, erles and barons Went wyth hym, þat were prysons. [MS. prysoners.] Line 2536 They went to the churchewarde: God þem spede and seynt Rycharde! ¶ When they were to churche come, The emperowre they fonde anon. Line 2540 'Syr emperowre,' seyde Segwyne, 'Ye haue had for me grete pyne. Syr,' he seyde, 'y wyll be dedde Ryght in þys same stedde Line 2544 Or be drawe wyth horsys stronge Or ellys on galows hye to honge. Haue here thys swyrde bryght [folio 177b:1] And smyte of my hed ryght. Line 2548 Take my londys and my fees, My castels and my cytees. I them the graunte vtterlye; For y dud that folye, Line 2552 When y slewe thy cosyn dere, Me defendawnt on all manere. The dewke of Coloyne [MS. Coleyne.] was þer ryght And many an nodur doghty knyght: Line 2556 Yf any be, that sey therageyne, That he wyth felonye was slayne, Yf y may not defende me, Hangyd be y on a tree.' Line 2560 ¶ 'Leue fadur,' seyde Gayer, 'Haue mercy on the dewke here. He may yow helpe in yowre mystere In euery londe farre and nere. Line 2564

Line 2564 Forgeue hym, pur charyte, Or ye schall neuer haue yoye of me.' ¶ Than spake the dewke Raynere: 'Ye oght to loue hym dere Line 2568 (When he ys put in yowre mercy, To leue or dye he ys redye), When he yowre systur sone sloo Hym defendawnt, so mote y goo: Line 2572 Yf ther be any knyght, That wyll preue, y sey not ryght, For hym wyll y here fyght And defende hym wyth my myght. Line 2576 But yf ye the dewke foryeue, Y schall warre on yow, whyll y leue.' ¶ Forþe þen came erle Waldynere: 'Syr emperowre, y say here, Line 2580 I loue the dewke ouyr all thynge. He hath hyt seruyd, wythowte lesynge. We felows ben togedur plyght. Yf ye do hym any vnryght, Line 2584 I schall wende to my cuntre An oost to gedur and wende wyth the.' ¶ The stewarde spake anon ryght: [folio 177b:2] 'The dewke ys a doghty knyght. Line 2588 He hath done grete honowre: Whyll ye be in hys owne towre, He puttyth hym in þyn owne wylle To leue or dye; and þat ys skylle. Line 2592 Ye oght to grawnt at hys askynge, Yf hyt were a gretter thynge. Forgeue hym, lorde, þy euyll wylle: To do hym harme hyt were no skylle.' Line 2596 ¶ Gye spake to the emperowre: 'Lorde, for yowre grete honowre Here my prayer at thys tyme. Haue mercy on dewke Segwyne Line 2600

Line 2600 And wyth couenande y schall bee Yowre man in euery cuntre Yow to helpe in yowre mystere. In euery cuntrey ferre and nere Line 2604 I schall the serue lowde and stylle. Forgeue the dewke þyn euyll wylle.' ¶ 'Lorde,' seyde erle Tyrrye, 'Of the dewke thou haue mercy. Line 2608 Yf ye thorow Segwyne Haue lorne Saddok, yowre cosyn, In stede of yowre cosyn schall he be And yow to serue wyth lewte.' Line 2612 ¶ When he had seyde on hys manere, 'Lordyngys,' he seyde, 'that be here, Ye haue me bydden lowde and stylle To foryeue þe dewke myn euyll wylle, Line 2616 For he slewe Saddok the gode, My systurs sone, myn owne blode. He was a doghty knyght: I louyd hym moste of any wyght. Line 2620 I forgeue hym at thys tyde (Y see hym meke wythowten pryde) All my wrath and my euyll chere: He schall be to me boþe lefe and dere.' Line 2624 Dewkys, erlys and all dud crye: 'Syr emperowre, gramercy!' All þey felle downe ywysse Wepynge for yoye and blys. [folio 178a:1] Line 2628 Now haue þey kyste and be gode frendys, And many to ther ynne wendys. ¶ Than come forthe dewke Oton: In all þat londe þer was not a more felon. Line 2632 'Syr emperowre, what haue ye wroght? Ye be all to grownde broght. Ye haue forgeuyn here The dethe of yowre cosyn dere. Line 2636

Line 2636 What man schulde haue of the drede, Yf þey be quytt of ther mysdede? And ye them drawe and hongyd hye, All wolde yow drede, þat hyt had sye, Line 2640 Bothe Gye and Segwyne, That yow neuer dud but sorowe and pyne. Now schall ye þem loue dere, More, then any odur fere.' Line 2644 ¶ Whan Gye harde the dewke speke (He thoght longe to be awreke): 'Then lyest þou, dewke Oton, When þou spekyst of soche felon Line 2648 Ageyne the dewke or ellys me: Ryght y wyll, hyt prouydde bee. Thou art a thefe and theffes fere: That ys sothe (y proue hyt here), Line 2652 When þou laste betrayed me And slewe my men in thy cuntre. Yf þou wylt saye ageyne ryght, Defende the nowe wyth me to fyght. Line 2656 The grace of god fro me be reeuyd, But y smyte of thy heuydde.' [MS. hedde.] ¶ There he can hys gloue wage Ryght before the baronage. Line 2660 They were departyd all to rathe, That neyþer odur dud no skathe. The emperowre swere hys othe: Whedur of them dud odur lothe, Line 2664 He schulde be drawe and hangyd tyte Wythowt any more respyte. [folio 178a:2] Pese ys cryed amonge euery man: Ther was none, that spake than. Line 2668 ¶ There come forthe dewke Raynere To Segwyne wyth gode chere And askyd hym hys syster [MS. doghter.] dere

Hur to haue vnto hys fere. Line 2672 He grauntyd anon wyth honowre That mayde, that was bryght in bowre, And he hur weddyd wyth moche game, And to hys cuntre they went same. Line 2676 ¶ The emperowre on the morne The dewke Segwyn calde hym beforne: 'Syr,' he seyde, 'stondyth here. Thou schalt haue my doghtur dere.' Line 2680 'Syr,' he seyde, 'god of heuyn Ȝylde yow for hys nameys seuyn.' The brydale was makyd than: Feyrer sawe ther neuer man. Line 2684 ¶ Gye to Segwyne toke hys way To take hys leue wele awaye. 'Syr dewke,' seyde Gye full yare, 'I may here dwelle no mare. Line 2688 Y haue seruyd the in thy were: Yf any man wyll more the dere, Sende aftur me, hardylye, And y wyll come, sekerlye.' Line 2692 'Syr,' seyde the dewke, 'gramercy: Hyt ys [v blotted out before ys in MS.] vndeserued, verylye. But ye schall dwelle here wyth me: Of my castels and my cyte, Line 2696 Of my goodeys the more dele Y schall the geue, so haue y hele.' He toke hys leue and went hys way: The dewke wepte, y dare well say. Line 2700 ¶ The emperowre can thens wende And wyth hym [Gye blotted out before hym in MS.] Gye and Harrowde hende. He bad hym castels and ryche cyteys, Grete honowrs and large feys. Line 2704 On ryches thoght he noght, [folio 178b:1]

On odur thyngys was hys thoght. ¶ Now ys the emperowre and Gye To Almayne gone, wytterlye. Line 2708 All the men of that cuntre Preysed Gye for hys bewte. He went to þe wode to chace þe dere And after wyth hawkys to the ryuere. Line 2712 On a day, as Gye dud ryde On huntynge be the see syde, He sawe a dromande to londe dryue: Faste he hyed hym thedur belyue Line 2716 And askyd, what that they dud þere And of what cuntre þat þey were, Fro whens þey came and what þey soght And what maner marchandyse þay broght. Line 2720 'Hyt semeth to me be yowre chere, That ye haue grete ryches here.' Vp than starte a marynere (Of langage þere was none hys pere) Line 2724 And seyde: 'we came hedur on þe stronde Fro Constantyne, the nobull londe. We be marchandys of that cyte, That fro that cuntre chaced bee. Line 2728 The ryche sowdan of Sysane [Sysane is probably corrupt. See note.] (To honowre god wyll he not payne), xv kyngys of hethynesse [MS. Sarasyns.] And syxty amerals more and lesse, Line 2732 That haue beseged the emperowre Wyth mony knyghtys and grete socowre. Ther ys not lefte in that cuntre Castell, towre nor cyte, Line 2736 But hyt ys brente and stroyed all; And the emperowre and hys men all, To Constantyne he ys wende [d in wende altered from t in MS.]

Hym and hys men to defende, Line 2740 That faught wyth sarazyns kene, That euery day doyth them tene. An hundurd myle may men wende, Or they any crysten man fynde. Line 2744 We be passyd wyth grete payne, [folio 178b:2] That we ne were take or slayne. We be comen to thys cuntre: Veire and gryce we haue plente, Line 2748 Golde and syluyr and ryche stones Of grete vertue for the nones, Clothys of golde of grete pryce And many odur marchandyse.' Line 2752 ¶ When þe marchandys had all sayde, Gye hys hande on hym layde And betaght hym gode day: To hys men he toke the way Line 2756 And seyde: 'Harrowde, what redyst þou? Yf me thy cowncell nowe. I wyll take leue at þe emperowre. Hyt wyll be moche for owre honowre: Line 2760 To Constantyne wyll we fare The emperowre to helpe thare. Marchandys me tolde of that lande, That he ys besegeyd strongly on euery honde. Line 2764 The hethyn dystroye castell and cyte, And mekyll anoyen crystyante.' 'Syr,' seyde Harrawde, 'y rede wele To wende thedur, so haue y hele.' Line 2768 ¶ They yede to the emperowre And toke þer leue wyth grete honowre. He was sory of ther partynge And offerd þem golde and ryche rynge. Line 2772 Therof had they no thoght; For, where þey come, þey wantyd noght. ¶ He toke an hundurde knyghtys wyght:

To the emperowre they went ryght. Line 2776 They had gode wynde and passyd þe see: Theder they come wyth harte free. The emperowre harde seye than, Gye was comyn to be hys man. Line 2780 Of hys comyng was he blythe And sende aftur hym swythe Wyth an erle of grete renowne. The emperowre seyde hys resone: Line 2784 'Welcome, Gye of Warwyck, In all the worlde ys none þe lyke. [folio 179a:1] I haue harde the preysed be Yn many a dyuers cuntre. Line 2788 Y trowe, þat ye schall me avayle Wyth yowre helpe and counsayle. The sarasyns haue beset me And lefte me nothur towne nor cyte, Line 2792 But oonly thys, þat we are ynne. Some þey stroye and some þey brenne. They slewe my men on a day Thretty thousande, for soþe to say. Line 2796 Now y prey the for Mary sone And for the rode he was on done, That thou helpe to venge me And make my londe recouerd to bee. Line 2800 I schall þe geue my doghter dere And all my londys boþe far and nere.' ¶ 'Syr,' seyde Gye, 'gramercy! I wyll dwelle here, wytterlye. Line 2804 Y schall the serue day and nyght, As y am a trewe knyght.' Nowe he hath hys leue tane And to hys ynne ys he gone. Line 2808