Geoffrey Chaucer

“ 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,
If that god almighty · holde my lyf and wit, 765
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,
And ye schul here how Gamelyn · hadde al his wille. 770
Gamelyn wente ayein · under woode-rys,
And fond there pleying · yonge men of prys. ”

“ I am war of gestes · god sende us non but goode; 640
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.'
Up ther sterten sevene · fro the diner, 645
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,
'Moche sorwe mot he have · that to you hem yelde! 650
I curse non other · but right my-selve ”

“ They caste their eye · on yonge Gamelyn.
The false knight his brother · ful of trechery,
Alle the gestes that ther were · atte mangery,
Of Gamelyn his brother · he tolde hem with mouthe 465
Al the harm and the schame · that he telle couthe.
Tho they were served · of messes two or three,
Than seyde Gamelyn · 'how serve ye me?
It is nought wel served · by god that al made!
That I sitte fasting · and other men make glade.' 470
The false knight his brother · ther that he stood,
Tolde alle his gestes · that Gamelyn was wood ”

“ 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,
But sayde unto Gamelyn · mildely and stille, 655
'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,
'Oure maister is y-crouned · of outlawes king.' 660
'Adam,' seyde Gamelyn · 'go-we in Cristes name;
He may neyther mete nor drink · werne us, for schame. ”

“ 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:
I rede that we to wode goon · ar that we be founde, 605
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;
Tho fond the scherreve · nest, but non ay. 610
The scherreve lighte adoun · and went in-to the halle,
And fond the lord y-fetered · faste with-alle. ”

“ For tweye stalworthe sones · I wene that I have lore;
A champioun is in the place · that hath y-wrought me sorwe,
For he hath slayn my two sones · but-if god hem borwe.
I wold yeve ten pound · by Iesu Crist! and more, 205
With the nones I fand a man · to handelen him sore.'
'Goode man,' sayde Gamelyn · 'wilt thou wel doon,
Hold myn hors, whyl my man · draweth of my schoon,
And help my man to kepe · my clothes and my steede,
And I wil into place go · to loke if I may speede.' 210
'By god!' sayde the frankeleyn · 'anon it schal be doon ”

“ 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,
And thou schalt see right sone · porter, a gyle. 580
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.'
'Gamelyn,' seyde Adam · 'hye thee right blyve, 585
And if I faile thee this day · evel mot I thryve! ”

“ Than seide the maister · king of outlawes,
'What seeke ye, yonge men · under woode-schawes?' 670
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,
As men that ben hungry · and mow no mete finde, 675
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 ”

“ Er they ben assoyled · there shal noon passe.'
'Dowt thee nought,' seyde Gamelyn · 'whyl we ben in-feere,
Kep thou wel the dore · and I wol werche heere;
Stere thee, good Adam · and lat ther noon flee,
And we schul telle largely · how many that ther be.' 520
'Gamelyn,' seyde Adam · 'do hem but good;
They ben men of holy chirche · draw of hem no blood,
Save wel the croune · and do hem non harmes,
But brek bothe her legges · and siththen here armes.'
Thus Gamelyn and Adam · wroughte right fast, 525
And pleyden with the monkes · and made hem agast. ”

“ Thus dalte the knight · his lond by his day, 65
Right on his deth-bedde · syk ther he lay;
And sone aftirward · he lay stoon-stille,
And deyde whan tyme com · as it was Cristes wille.
And anon as he was deed · and under gras y-grave,
Sone the elder brother · gyled the yonge knave; 70
He took into his hond · his lond and his leede,
And Gamelyn himselfe · to clothen and to feede.
He clothed him and fedde him · yvel and eek wrothe,
And leet his londes for-fare · and his houses bothe,
His parkes and his woodes · and dede nothing wel; 75
And seththen he it aboughte · on his faire fel. ”

“ And tolde him al-togidere · how Gamelyn was dight. 730
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.
'Sire,' seyde sire Ote · to the scherreve tho, 735
'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;
By god, for thy wordes · he schal fare the wurs ”

“ Whan Gamelyn the yonge · thus hadde pleyd his play,
Alle that in the yerde were · drewen hem away;
They dredden him ful sore · for werkes that he wroughte,
And for the faire company · that he thider broughte. 310
Gamelyn yede to the gate · and leet it up wyde;
He leet in alle maner men · that gon in wolde or ryde,
And seyde, 'ye be welcome · withouten eny greeve,
For we wiln be maistres heer · and aske no man leve.
Yestirday I lefte' · seyde yonge Gamelyn, 315
'In my brother seller · fyve tonne of wyn ”

“ The scherreve was thennes · but a fyve myle, 545
And al was y-told him · in a litel whyle,
How Gamelyn and Adam · had doon a sory rees,
Bounden and y-wounded men · ayein the kinges pees;
Tho bigan sone · stryf for to wake,
And the scherref was aboute · Gamelyn for to take. 550
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
Gamelyn and Adam · fetten, by her fay; 555
The scherref yaf hem leve · soth as I you say ”

“ Alle his wighte yonge men · the king foryaf here gilt,
And sitthen in good office · the king hem hath y-pilt.
Thus wan Gamelyn · his lond and his leede, 895
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,
And sithen was Gamelyn · graven under molde. 900
And so schal we alle · may ther no man flee:
God bringe us to the Ioye · that ever schal be!
Variae Lectiones, etc.
1. E. Hn. al; rest om.—2. E. Cm. was; rest is.—3. E. ne nas ”

“ 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.'
And as they stoode talking · bothen in-feere, 625
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. ”

“ For al that ye have y-doon · yit is the lond myn;
For goddes love, neyhebours · stondeth alle stille, 55
And I wil dele my lond · right after my wille.
Iohan, myn eldeste sone · schal have plowes fyve,
That was my fadres heritage · whyl he was on lyve;
And my middeleste sone · fyve plowes of lond,
That I halp for to gete · with my righte hond; 60
And al myn other purchas · of londes and leedes,
That I biquethe Gamelyn · and alle my goode steedes. ”

“ And seide to his yonge men · 'dighteth you yare,
For whan the Iustice sitte · we moote be thare,
For I am under borwe · til that I come, 795
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,
The false knight his brother · foryat he nat that, 800
To huyre the men on his quest · to hangen his brother ”

“ Hl. om. the before ropes. Hl. Rl. Cp. wynd; rest wynde, winde.—883. Cp. Ln. false; rest fals.—884. Cp. hadde; Ln. hade; rest had.—885. Hl. Pt. nek; rest necke, nekke.—886. Rl. Cp. hadde; rest had.—888. Hl. They; rest om. Hl. ”

“ E. om. that seith ... recreant.—Hl. recreaunt (for creant) .—700. E. a man nat; Pt. a man not. —Hl. as vp-on; rest than vp-on. —Hl. Selden, nynety and nyne; rest 90 and 19 (!) .—702. All but Seld. Ln. om. ”