‘THE MINOR POEMS’ IN VOL. I. (continued 15)

Now lytheth and lesteneth · so god yif you good fyn! And ye schul heere good game · of yonge Gamelyn. Four and twenty yonge men · that heelden hem ful bolde, Come to the schirref · and seyde that they wolde 555 Gamelyn and Adam · fetten, by her fay; The scherref yaf hem leve · soth as I you say; They hyeden faste · wold they nought bilinne, Til they come to the gate · ther Gamelyn was inne. They knokked on the gate · the porter was ny, 560 And loked out at an hol · as man that was sly. The porter hadde biholde · hem a litel whyle, He loved wel Gamelyn · and was adrad of gyle, And leet the wicket stonden · y-steke ful stille, And asked hem withoute · what was here wille. 565 For al the grete company · thanne spak but oon, ‘Undo the gate, porter · and lat us in goon.’ Than seyde the porter · ‘so brouke I my chin, Ye schul sey your erand · er ye comen in.’ ‘Sey to Gamelyn and Adam · if here wille be, 570 We wil speke with hem · wordes two or thre.’ ‘Felaw,’ seyde the porter · ‘stond there stille, And I wil wende to Gamelyn · to witen his wille.’ In wente the porter · to Gamelyn anoon, And seyde, ‘Sir, I warne you · her ben come your foon; 575 The scherreves meyne · ben atte gate, For to take you bothe · schulle ye nat scape.’ ‘Porter,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘so moot I wel thee! I wil allowe thee thy wordes · whan I my tyme see; Go agayn to the yate · and dwel with hem a whyle, 580 And thou schalt see right sone · porter, a gyle. Adam,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘looke thee to goon; We have foo-men atte gate · and frendes never oon; It ben the schirrefes men · that hider ben y-come, They ben swore to-gidere · that we schul be nome.’ 585 ‘Gamelyn,’ seyde Adam · ‘hye thee right blyve, And if I faile thee this day · evel mot I thryve! And we schul so welcome · the scherreves men, That some of hem schul make · here beddes in the fen.’ Atte posterne-gate · Gamelyn out wente, 590 And a good cart-staf · in his hand he hente; Adam hente sone · another gret staf For to helpe Gamelyn · and goode strokes yaf. Adam felde tweyne · and Gamelyn felde three, The other setten feet on erthe · and bigonne flee. 595 ‘What?’ seyde Adam · ‘so ever here I masse! I have a draught of good wyn! · drink er ye passe!’ ‘Nay, by god!’ sayde thay · ‘thy drink is not good, It wolde make mannes brayn · to lyen in his hood.’ Gamelyn stood stille · and loked him aboute, 600 And seih the scherreve come · with a gret route. ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘what be now thy reedes? Here cometh the scherreve · and wil have cure heedes.’ Adam sayde, ‘Gamelyn · my reed is now this, Abyde we no lenger · lest we fare amis: 605 I rede that we to wode goon · ar that we be founde, Better is us ther loos · than in town y-bounde.’ Adam took by the hond · yonge Gamelyn; And everich of hem two · drank a draught of wyn, And after took her cours · and wenten her way; 610 Tho fond the scherreve · nest, but non ay. The scherreve lighte adoun · and went in-to the halle, And fond the lord y-fetered · faste with-alle. The scherreve unfetered him · sone, and that anoon, And sente after a leche · to hele his rigge-boon.

615 Lete we now this false knight · lyen in his care, And talke we of Gamelyn · and loke how he fare. Gamelyn in-to the woode · stalkede stille, And Adam the spenser · lykede ful ille; Adam swor to Gamelyn · by seynt Richer, 620 ‘Now I see it is mery · to be a spencer, That lever me were · keyes for to bere, Than walken in this wilde woode · my clothes to tere.’ ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘dismaye thee right nought; Many good mannes child · in care is y-brought.’ 625 And as they stoode talking · bothen in-feere, Adam herd talking of men · and neyh, him thought, they were. Tho Gamelyn under the woode · lokede aright, Sevene score of yonge men · he saugh wel a-dight; Alle satte atte mete · in compas aboute. 630 ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘now have we no doute, After bale cometh boote · thurgh grace of god almight; Me thinketh of mete and drink · that I have a sight.’ Adam lokede tho · under woode-bowgh, And whan he seyh mete · he was glad y-nough; 635 For he hopede to god · for to have his deel, And he was sore alonged · after a good meel. As he seyde that word · the mayster outlawe Saugh Gamelyn and Adam · under woode-schawe. ‘Yonge men,’ seyde the maister · ‘by the goode roode, 640 I am war of gestes · god sende us non but goode; Yonder ben two yonge men · wonder wel a-dight, And paraventure ther ben mo · who-so lokede aright. Ariseth up, ye yonge men · and fetteth hem to me; It is good that we witen · what men they be.’ 645 Up ther sterten sevene · fro the diner, And metten with Gamelyn · and Adam spenser. Whan they were neyh hem · than seyde that oon, ‘Yeldeth up, yonge men · your bowes and your floon.’ Thanne seyde Gamelyn · that yong was of elde, 650 ‘Moche sorwe mot he have · that to you hem yelde! I curse non other · but right my-selve; They ye fette to yow fyve · thanne ye be twelve!’ Tho they herde by his word · that might was in his arm, Ther was non of hem alle · that wolde do him harm, 655 But sayde unto Gamelyn · mildely and stille, ‘Com afore our maister · and sey to him thy wille.’ ‘Yonge men,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘by your lewte, What man is your maister · that ye with be?’ Alle they answerde · withoute lesing, 660 ‘Oure maister is y-crouned · of outlawes king.’ ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘go-we in Cristes name; He may neyther mete nor drink · werne us, for schame. If that he be hende · and come of gentil blood, He wol yeve us mete and drink · and doon us som good.’ 665 ‘By seynt Iame!’ seyde Adam · ‘what harm that I gete, I wil auntre to the dore · that I hadde mete.’ Gamelyn and Adam · wente forth in-feere, And they grette the maister · that they founde there. Than seide the maister · king of outlawes, 670 ‘What seeke ye, yonge men · under woode-schawes?’ Gamelyn answerde · the king with his croune, ‘He moste needes walke in woode · that may not walke in towne. Sire, we walke not heer · noon harm for to do, But-if we meete with a deer · to scheete ther-to, 675 As men that ben hungry · and mow no mete finde, And ben harde bistad · under woode-linde.’ Of Gamelynes wordes · the maister hadde routhe, And seyde, ‘ye schal have y-nough · have god my trouthe!’ He bad hem sitte ther adoun · for to take reste; 680 And bad hem ete and drinke · and that of the beste. As they sete and eeten · and dronke wel and fyn, Than seyde that oon to that other · ‘this is Gamelyn.’ Tho was the maister outlawe · in-to counseil nome, And told how it was Gamelyn · that thider was y-come. 685 Anon as he herde · how it was bifalle, He made him maister under him · over hem alle. Within the thridde wyke · him com tyding, To the maister outlawe · that tho was her king, That he schulde come hom · his pees was y-mad; 690 And of that goode tyding · he was tho ful glad. Tho seyde he to his yonge men · ‘soth for to telle, Me ben comen tydinges · I may no lenger dwelle.’ Tho was Gamelyn anon · withoute tarying, Maad maister outlawe · and crouned here king.

695 Tho was Gamelyn crouned · king of outlawes, And walked a whyle · under woode-schawes. The false knight his brother · was scherreve and sire, And leet his brother endite · for hate and for ire. Tho were his bonde-men · sory and nothing glad, When Gamelyn her lord · ‘wolves-heed’ was cryed and maad; 701 And sente out of his men · wher they might him finde, For to seke Gamelyn · under woode-linde, To telle him tydinges · how the wind was went, And al his good reved · and his men schent.

705 Whan they had him founde · on knees they hem sette, And a-doun with here hood · and here lord grette; ‘Sire, wraththe you nought · for the goode roode, For we have brought you tydinges · but they be nat goode. Now is thy brother scherreve · and hath the baillye, 710 And he hath endited thee · and ‘wolves-heed’ doth thee crye.’ ‘Allas!’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘that ever I was so slak That I ne hadde broke his nekke · tho I his rigge brak! Goth, greteth hem wel · myn housbondes and wyf, I wol ben atte nexte schire · have god my lyf!’ 715 Gamelyn com wel redy · to the nexte schire, And ther was his brother · bothe lord and sire. Gamelyn com boldelich · in-to the moot-halle, And putte a-doun his hood · among the lordes alle; ‘God save you alle, lordinges · that now here be! 720 But broke-bak scherreve · evel mot thou thee! Why hast thou do me · that schame and vilonye, For to late endite me · and ‘wolves-heed’ me crye?’ Tho thoughte the false knight · for to ben awreke, And leet take Gamelyn · moste he no more speke; 725 Might ther be no more grace · but Gamelyn atte laste Was cast in-to prisoun · and fetered ful faste.

Gamelyn hath a brother · that highte sir Ote, As good a knight and hende · as mighte gon on foote. Anon ther yede a messager · to that goode knight, 730 And tolde him al-togidere · how Gamelyn was dight. Anon as sire Ote herde · how Gamelyn was a-dight, He was wonder sory · was he no-thing light, And leet sadle a steede · and the way he nam, And to his tweyne bretheren · anon-right he cam. 735 ‘Sire,’ seyde sire Ote · to the scherreve tho, ‘We ben but three bretheren · schul we never be mo; And thou hast y-prisoned · the beste of us alle; Swich another brother · yvel mot him bifalle!’ ‘Sire Ote,’ seide the false knight · ‘lat be thy curs; 740 By god, for thy wordes · he schal fare the wurs; To the kinges prisoun · anon he is y-nome, And ther he schal abyde · til the Iustice come.’ ‘Parde!’ seyde sir Ote · ‘better it schal be; I bidde him to maynpris · that thou graunte him me 745 Til the nexte sitting · of deliveraunce, And thanne lat Gamelyn · stande to his chaunce.’ ‘Brother, in swich a forward · I take him to thee; And by thy fader soule · that thee bigat and me, But-if he be redy · whan the Iustice sitte, 750 Thou schalt bere the Iuggement · for al thy grete witte.’ ‘I graunte wel,’ seide sir Ote · ‘that it so be. Let deliver him anon · and tak him to me.’ Tho was Gamelyn delivered · to sire Ote his brother, And that night dwellede · that on with that other. 755 On the morn seyde Gamelyn · to sire Ote the hende, ‘Brother,’ he seide, ‘I moot · for sothe, from thee wende, To loke how my yonge men · leden here lyf, Whether they liven in Ioye · or elles in stryf.’ ‘By god!’ seyde sire Ote · ‘that is a cold reed, 760 Now I see that al the cark · schal fallen on myn heed; For when the Iustice sitte · and thou be nought y-founde, I schal anon be take · and in thy stede y-bounde.’ ‘Brother,’ sayde Gamelyn · ‘dismaye thee nought, For by seint Iame in Gales · that many man hath sought, 765 If that god almighty · holde my lyf and wit, I wil be ther redy · whan the Iustice sit.’ Than seide sir Ote to Gamelyn · ‘god schilde thee fro schame; Com whan thou seest tyme · and bring us out of blame.’

Litheth, and lesteneth · and holdeth you stille, 770 And ye schul here how Gamelyn · hadde al his wille. Gamelyn wente ayein · under woode-rys, And fond there pleying · yonge men of prys. Tho was yong Gamelyn · glad and blithe y-nough, Whan he fond his mery men · under woode-bough. 775 Gamelyn and his men · talkeden in-feere, And they hadde good game · here maister to heere; They tolden him of aventures · that they hadde founde, And Gamelyn hem tolde ayein · how he was fast y-bounde. Whyl Gamelyn was outlawed · hadde he no cors; 780 There was no man that for him · ferde the wors, But abbotes and priours · monk and chanoun; On hem left he no-thing · whan he mighte hem nom. Whyl Gamelyn and his men · made merthes ryve, The false knight his brother · yvel mot he thryve! 785 For he was fast aboute · bothe day and other, For to hyre the quest · to hangen his brother. Gamelyn stood on a day · and, as he biheeld The woodes and the schawes · in the wilde feeld, He thoughte on his brother · how he him beheet 790 That he wolde be redy · whan the Iustice seet; He thoughte wel that he wolde · withoute delay, Come afore the Iustice · to kepen his day, And seide to his yonge men · ‘dighteth you yare, For whan the Iustice sitte · we moote be thare, 795 For I am under borwe · til that I come, And my brother for me · to prisoun schal be nome.’ ‘By seint Iame!’ seyde his yonge men · ‘and thou rede therto, Ordeyne how it schal be · and it schal be do.’ Whyl Gamelyn was coming · ther the Iustice sat, 800 The false knight his brother · foryat he nat that, To huyre the men on his quest · to hangen his brother; Though he hadde nought that oon · he wolde have that other. Tho cam Gamelyn · fro under woode-rys, And broughte with him · his yonge men of prys.

805 ‘I see wel,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘the Iustice is set; Go aforn, Adam · and loke how it spet.’ Adam wente into the halle · and loked al aboute, He seyh there stonde · lordes grete and stoute, And sir Ote his brother · fetered wel fast; 810 Tho went Adam out of halle · as he were agast. Adam said to Gamelyn · and to his felawes alle, ‘Sir Ote stant y-fetered · in the moot-halle.’ ‘Yonge men,’ seide Gamelyn · ‘this ye heeren alle; Sire Ote stant y-fetered · in the moot-halle. 815 If god yif us grace · wel for to doo, He schal it abegge · that broughte him ther-too.’ Thanne sayde Adam · that lokkes hadde hore, ‘Cristes curs mote he have · that him bond so sore! And thou wilt, Gamelyn · do after my reed, 820 Ther is noon in the halle · schal bere awey his heed.’ ‘Adam,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘we wiln nought don so, We wil slee the giltif · and lat the other go. I wil into the halle · and with the Iustice speke; On hem that ben gultif · I wil ben awreke. 825 Lat non scape at the dore · take, yonge men, yeme; For I wil be Iustice this day · domes for to deme. God spede me this day · at my newe werk! Adam, com on with me · for thou schalt be my clerk.’ His men answereden him · and bade him doon his best, 830 ‘And if thou to us have neede · thou schalt finde us prest; We wiln stande with thee · whyl that we may dure, And but we werke manly · pay us non hure.’ ‘Yonge men,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘so mot I wel thee! As trusty a maister · ye schal finde of me.’ 835 Right there the Iustice · sat in the halle, In wente Gamelyn · amonges hem alle.

Gamelyn leet unfetere · his brother out of bende. Thanne seyde sire Ote · his brother that was hende, ‘Thou haddest almost, Gamelyn · dwelled to longe, 840 For the quest is oute on me · that I schulde honge.’ ‘Brother,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘so god yif me good rest! This day they schuln ben hanged · that ben on thy quest; And the Iustice bothe · that is the Iugge-man, And the scherreve bothe · thurgh him it bigan.’ 845 Thanne seyde Gamelyn · to the Iustise, Now is thy power y-don · thou most nedes arise; Thow hast yeven domes · that ben yvel dight, I wil sitten in thy sete · and dressen hem aright.’ The Iustice sat stille · and roos nought anoon; 850 And Gamelyn clevede · [a-two] his cheeke-boon; Gamelyn took him in his arm · and no more spak, But threw him over the barre · and his arm to-brak. Durste non to Gamelyn · seye but good, For ferd of the company · that withoute stood. 855 Gamelyn sette him doun · in the Iustices seet, And sire Ote his brother by him · and Adam at his feet. Whan Gamelyn was y-set · in the Iustices stede, Herkneth of a bourde · that Gamelyn dede. He leet fetre the Iustice · and his false brother, 860 And dede hem come to the barre · that oon with that other. Tho Gamelyn hadde thus y-doon · hadde he no reste, Til he had enquered · who was on the queste For to deme his brother · sir Ote, for to honge; Er he wiste which they were · him thoughte ful longe. 865 But as sone as Gamelyn · wiste wher they were, He dede hem everichone · feteren in-feere, And bringen hem to the barre · and sette hem in rewe; ‘By my faith!’ seyde the Iustice · ‘the scherreve is a schrewe!’ Than seyde Gamelyn · to the Iustise, 870 ‘Thou hast y-yeve domes · of the wors assise; And the twelve sisours · that weren of the queste, They schul ben hanged this day · so have I good reste!’ Thanne seide the scherreve · to yonge Gamelyn, ‘Lord, I crye the mercy · brother art thou myn.’ 875 ‘Therfore,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘have thou Cristes curs, For, and thou were maister · yit I schulde have wors.’ For to make short tale · and nought to tarie longe, He ordeyned him a queste · of his men so stronge; The Iustice and the scherreve · bothe honged hye, 880 To weyven with the ropes · and with the winde drye; And the twelve sisours · (sorwe have that rekke!) Alle they were hanged · faste by the nekke. Thus ended the false knight · with his treccherye, That ever hadde y-lad his lyf · in falsnes and folye. 885 He was hanged by the nekke · and nought by the purs; That was the meede that he hadde · for his fadres curs.

Sire Ote was eldest · and Gamelyn was ying, They wenten with here frendes · even to the king; They made pees with the king · of the best assise. 890 The king loved wel sir Ote · and made him Iustise. And after, the king made Gamelyn · bothe in est and west, Chief Iustice · of al his free forest; Alle his wighte yonge men · the king foryaf here gilt, And sitthen in good office · the king hem hath y-pilt. 895 Thus wan Gamelyn · his lond and his leede, And wrak him of his enemys · and quitte hem here meede; And sire Ote his brother · made him his heir, And siththen wedded Gamelyn · a wyf bothe good and feyr; They liveden to-gidere · whyl that Crist wolde, 900 And sithen was Gamelyn · graven under molde. And so schal we alle · may ther no man flee: God bringe us to the Ioye · that ever schal be!