Classic Poem

[The First Part.]

When : meate & drinke is great plentye,
then lords and Ladyes still wilbe,
& sitt, & solace lythe;
then itt is time ffor mee to speake
of keene knights & kempes great,
such carping ffor to kythe,

how they haue conquered, for Englands right:
w i th helme vpon head, w i th halbert bright,
ffull oft & many a sithe
they haue burnt by dale and downe,
citye, castle, tower, & towne,
& made bearnes vnblythe;

made Ladyes ffor to weepe w i th dreery mood,
when theire ffriends ought ayled but good,
their hands to wring and writhe.
of all cronicles ffarr and neere,
were any deeds of armes weere,
the most I prayse S i r Guy

of warwicke! tha t noble knight
oft times ffor Englands right
hath done ffull worthylye;
yett hee kept itt as priuilye
as tho itt had neuer beene hee,
w i thout noyse or crye.

& when he came ouer the salt ffome
ffrom S i r Terrey of Gorwaine,
a knight of maine and moode,
ffor ffeare lest any one shold him know,
he kept him in silly beggars rowe
where euer hee went or stood;

& euer he sperred priuilicke
how they ffared att warwicke,
& how they liued there.
K ing Athels[t]one, the truth to say,
att the towne of winchester there he lay
w i th one soe royall a ffare

the K ing of Denmarke, Auelocke,
he into England brought a fflocke
of bearnes as breeme as beare;
& w i th him a Gyant stiffe & starke,
a Lodlye devill out of Denmarke:
such another you neuer saw yore:

hee was rayed richlye w i th royall plate
both legg & arme, you may well wott,
in armor bright to be seene;
he brought weapon, — who list ffor to read —
more then any cart could lead,
to ding men downe by-deene;

& swore othes great and grim,
tha t all England shold hold of him,
or he would kindle their care
then in England there was neuer a k nigh t
tha t once w i th him durst ffight, —
ffull sore he did them dread, —

neither w i th Auelocke nor Athelstone.
then our K ing , to Christ he made his moane,
& to his mother bright to be seene.
then one Night as our K ing lay in a vision,
there came an Angell downe ffrom heauen
to lett him vnderstand:

he sayd, " rise vp in the morning by prime,
& goe to the gates in a good time;
an old man shall you ffind there,
both w i th his scripp and his pike,
as tha t hee were palmer like,
lowring vnder his here.
vpon thy knees, S i r K ing , looke thou kneele him to,
& pray him the battell to doe,
ffor his loue tha t Marry bore. "

w i th tha t the Angell vanished away
but more of this Gyant I haue to say
as I haue heard my Elders tell,
he was soe ffoule & soe great course,
That neither might beare him steed nor horsse;
men thought he came ffrom hell.

the[n] bespake a Squier priuilye:
" where is the K nigh t men call S i r Guy,
some time in this land did dwell?
or S i r Arrard of arden alsoe?
the one of these might thither goe
the Gyant ffor to quell. "

then bespake him an Erle in tha t while,
& sais, " S i r Guy is now in Exile,
no man knowes wh[i]ther or where;
he had but one sonne, & he hight Rainborne;
a merchant stold him ffrom wallingford towne,
ouer the seas w i th him to ffare;
" the Erle & the Countesse beene both dead,
Dame ffelix is sore adread
of her Lord, S i r Guye.

" her ffather and mother beene dead her ffroe;
& soe shee thinkes S i r Guy is alsoe,
the flower of knighthood bold. "
then Earlye, as soone as itt was day,
our K ing to the gates tooke his way,
his fforward ffor to hold.

right certaine truth to tell,
he ffound a man in the same apparell
as the Angell before had him told.
vpon his knees the K ing kneeled him to,
and prayd him the battell doe,
ffor his loue tha t Tudas sold

then answered the Palmer right,
& sayd, " in England you haue many a K nigh t
the battell tha t may doe.
I am brused in my body, & am vnyeeld;
alas, I may no wepons welde!
behold, & take good heede! "

our K ing sayd the palmer vntill,
" well I wott itt is gods will
you shold helpe me in my need! "
" If tha t be soe, " the palmer did speake,
" by the might of Christ I shall thee wreake,
if I had armour & sheild "

our K ing of this hee was ffull ffaine,
& soe were all his lords certaine.
to a Chamber they cold him Lead;
they sought vp Armour bright and ffaire,
inough ffor any K ing to haue in store,
& they best they did him bidd.

but meete for his body there was none,
he was soe large of blood and bone,
the fferssest tha t euer was ffedd.
the day of battell drew neere hand;
but 5 dayes before, as I vnderstand,
our king was sore affrayd.

then bespake the palmer priuilye,
" where is the K nigh t men call S i r Guye?
sometimes in this land he dyd dwell;
once I see him beyond the sea;
his Armoure I thinke wold serue mee
in battell stifflye to stand. "

the K ing did thereto assent;
the K ing s messenger to warwicke went,
the Countesse soone he ffound.
before her he kneeled him on his knee,
prayed her of the armor belonged to S i r Guy
when he was a-liue liuande.

shee saught vp armoure ffaire to bee seene:
S i r Guyes sword was sharpe & keene,
himselfe was wonnt to weare.
to the towne of winchester they did itt bring;
ffull gladd therof then was the K ing ,
& many tha t w i th him there were.

then the rayed the palmer anon-right
w i th helme vpon head, w i th halbert bright;
they raught him sheild and speare
Then he lope on horsbacke w i th good entent,
& fforth of the gates then hee went,
his ffoes ffor to ffeare
then al be-spread was the ffeild
w i th helme vpon head, w i th shining sheild,
as breeme as any beare.

& when the palmer all the armes sawe,
he lighted downe, & list not lauge,
but he mad his prayers arright:
" Christ! tha t suffered wounds 5,
& raised Lazarus ffrom dath to liffe,
to grant mee speech & sight, —
& saued danyell the Lyons ffroe,
& borrowed Susanna out of woe, —
to grant vs strenght & might,

" tha t I may England out of thraldome bring
& not let vnder the danish K ing
haue litle England att his will. "
then w i thout any stirropp verament
into the saddle he sprent,
& sate there sadd and still.

our K ing said, " by gods grace
this riseth ffrom a light liuerues,
and of an Egar will.
I neuer kneww no man tha t soe cold haue done,
but old S i r Guy of warw[i]cke towne,
tha t curteous knight himselfe "

[The Second Part.]

The Gyant was the ffirst tha t tooke the place;
vglye he was, and ffoule of fface;
the danish men began to smile.
he wold neither runne nor leape,
but layd all his weapons vpon a heape,
& dryd himselfe for guile
tha t he might choose of the best,
tha t who-soeuer w i th them hee hitt,
w hi ch warr tha t hard while

Trumpetts made steeds to stampe & stare;
the K ing of denmarke, he was there,
the K ing of England alsoe.
then the K ing of Denmarke a booke out breade,
& sware theron, as the story sayes, —
behold & take good heed: —

" if the Gyant had the warre,
of England he wold neuer cleame more,
neither nye nor ffurr. "
the kinge of England was there alsoe;
the same othe he sware alsoe, —
behold and take good heede, —

" if the pore palmer had the wore,
of England he wold neuer claime more,
while his liffe dayes last wold. "
& thus their trothes together they strake,
they said their poyntment shold not slake,
nor exile out off Arr.

then the Gyant loud did crye:
to the K ing of Denmarke these words says hee,
" behold & take good heede!
yonder is an Iland in the sea;
ffrom me he can-not scape away,
nor passe my hands indeed;

" but I shall either slay him w i th my brand,
or drowne him in yonder salt strand;
ffro me he shall not scape away.
then I will w i th my owne hand
crowne thee king of litle England
ffor euer and ffor aye. "

tha t was true, as the K ing of denmarke thought;
comanded 2 barges fforth to be brought,
& either into one was done.
the Gyant was the ffirst tha t ore did passe.
& as soone as hee to the Iland come was,
his barge there he thrust him ffrom;

w i th his ffoote & w i th his hand
he thrust his barge ffrom the Land,
w i th the watter he lett itt goe,
he let itt passe ffrom him downe the streame.
then att him the Gyant wold ffreane
why he wold doe soe.

then bespake the Palmer anon-right,
" hither wee be come ffor to ffight
till the tone of vs be slaine;
2 botes brought vs hither,
& therfore came not both together,
but one will bring vs home

" ffor thy Bote thou hast yonder tyde,
ouer in thy bote I trust to ryde;
& therfore Gyant, beware! "
trumpetts blew, & bade them goe toote,
the one [on] horsbacke, the other on ffoote;
but Guy to god was darre.

S i r Guy weened well to doo,
he tooke a strong speare & rode h[i]m too,
he was in a good intent:
althoe he rode neuer soe ffast,
his strong speare on the Gyant hee brast,
tha t all to shiuers itt went.

& then S i r Guy anon-right
drew out his sword tha t was soe bright,
tha t many a man beheld,
& on the Gyant he smote soe
tha t a quarter of his sheild fell him ffroe,
euen vntill the ffeild.

the Gyant against him made him bowne;
horsse & man & all came downe
vpon the ground soe greene
throughout S i r Guyes steede
the Gyants sword to the ground yeed;
such stroakes haue seldome beene seene.

then S i r Guy started on his feete ffull tyte,
& on the Gyant cold hee smite
as a man tha t had beene woode;
& vpon the Gyant he smote soe ffast
tha t the Gyants strong armour all to-brast;
there-out sprang the bloode.

then the Gyant hitt S i r Guy vpon the helme;
aboue on his head the stroake itt ffell;
itt was w i th stones sett,
itt was w i th p re cyous stones made;
S i r Guys helmett neere assunder yode;
such stroakes of men beene drade.

then the Gyant thirsted sore;
some of his blood he had lost thore;
& this he sayd on hye:
" good S i r, & itt be thy will,
giue me leaue to drinke my ffill,
ffor sweete S t Charytye;

" and I will doe thee the same deede
another time, if thou haue neede,
I tell the certainlye. "
" why, vpon tha t couenant, " S i r Guy can sayine,
" goe & drinke thy ffill, & come againe,
and heere Ile abyde thee. "

beside them there the riuer ran;
the Gyant went & reffresht him then,
& came ffull soone againe.
ffrom tha t itt was lowe prime
till itt was hye noone,
the delten strokes w i th maine.

but the sword tha t S i r Guy had lead,
therewith he kept his head,
stoode oft in poynt ffor to be slaine.
then S i r Guy thirsted sore;
he had rather haue had drunke there
then haue had England & almaigne:

" good S i r, iff itt be thy will,
lett me goe now & drinke my ffill,
beffore as I did thee. "
" nay, " then sayd the Gyant, " I were to blame
vnlesse tha t I knew thy name,
I tell thee certainlye. "

" why then, " q uo th hee, " Ile neue[r] swicke;
my name is Guy of warwicke;
what shold I longer layne to thee? "
the Gyant sayd, " soe might I swinke,
doest thou thinke Ile let thee drinke?
no! not ffor all Cristentye!

" Ah ha! " q uo th the Gyant, " haue I S i r Guy here?
in all this world is not a peere.
ffor ought tha t thou can doe or deale,
thy head [I] shall p re sent my Lady the Queene,
I tell thee certainlye [bedeene.] "
then S i r Guy towards the riuer came.

the Gyant was not light, but after him went;
the Gyant Layd after Guy w i th strokes strong,
but Guy was light, & lope againe to the Land;
ffor ere he cold any stroke of Sir Guy woone,
Guy had beene in the riuer to the chune,
& dranke tha t did him gaine.

& vp he start, & sayd there:
" thou ffoule traitor! I will thee loue noe more!
ffor thy trechery, traytor, thou shalt abuy! "
these words spake good S i r Guy,
& liffted vp his swordd on hye,
& saies, " good stroakes thou shalt ffeele. "
then S i r Guy att the Gyant smote
a dint tha t wonderffull byterlye bote:
he smote assunder Iron & steele;
S i r Guys sword through the basnett ran,
& glased vpon his braine pan,
& the Gyant began to kneele.

& then the Gyant att S i r Guy smote
a dint tha t wonderffull bitterlye bote;
he smote S i r Guy downe to the ground.
S i r Guy was neu er soe discomffitted before;
but through the might of him tha t Marye bore,
releeued him againe in tha t stonde.

he thought on Christ tha t suffered wounds 5,
& raised Lazarus ffrom d[e]ath to liffe,
& vpon the crosse was wound,
to giue him grace to quitt tha t.
& then his sword in his hand he gatt,
& narr the Gyant did hee stand,

& att the Gyant there he smote
a dint tha t wonderffull bitterlye bote;
through his brest-plate his sword he stake.
& as S i r Guy wold haue wrested itt out,
his good sword broke w i th-ou[t] all doubt,
w i thin the hiltes itt brake;
& theratt loughe the Danish K ing ,
& Athelstone made much mour[n]ing
to heare how the Gyant spake:

" now thou hast broken thy sword & thy sheeld,
here is no wepons ffor to weld;
therfore yeeld thee to mee swythe,
& I will thy arrand soe doo,
& to Auelocke our K ing Ile speake ffor thee,
to grant thee land and liffe,
tha t thou durst ffor thy Chiualrye
be soe bold as ffight w i th mee
tha t am soe stiffe and stithe. "

" nay! " sayd S i r Guy, " by heauen Queene,
tha t sight by me shall neuer be seene,
[forsooth I do thee tell.]
ffor I shall kindle thy K ing s cares:
through the Might of him tha t Marry bare,
w i th stroakes I shall thee ffell. "

the Gyant laught, & loud gan crye,
" why speakest thou masterffullye?
hearke what I shall thee tell:
thou hast broken thy sword & thy sheeld,
& thou hast noe weapons thy selfe to weld,
nor here is none to sell. "

" no, " sayd S i r Guy, " I know better cheape;
yonder lyes a great cart-load on a heape,
tha t thou thy-selfe hither did bring. "
" then the wold laugh me to scorne, my Lo rd s manye,
if of my wepons I shold let thee take anye,
my selfe downe ffor to dinge "

then S i r Guy to the weapons went:
a danish axe in his hand hee hent,
& lightlye about his head he can itt ffling.
the Gyant vpon the sholder he smote;
the sword and arme ffell to hys ffoote,
this was noe leasinge.

then as he wold haue stooped, as I vnde[r]stand,
to haue taken vp his sword in his other hand
to haue wreaked him of tha t wrathe,
S i r Guys axe was sharpe, & share,
the Gyants head he smote of there,
bremelye in that breath.

& then the Danish men gan say
to our Englishmen, " well-away
tha t euer wee came in yo u r griste! "
they ran & they rode ouer hill & slade;
much haste home-ward they made
with sorrow & care enough.

they hyed them ouer the salt ffome
to bring the K ing of denmarke hame
w i th sorrow and mickle care;
ffor they haue left behind them slaine
a ffull ffoule Lodlye swayne,
both of head and hayre.

ffor their trothes they had truly plight,
tha t " as they were true K ing and Knight,
of England neuer to clayme more."
& then to the body they sett his head;
his sword in his hand was lead,
the strongest tha t eu er man bo[re].

the Gyants blood was blacke & red,
his body was like the beaten lead,
& stanke as did the tyke.
then the Layd the head to the corse,
& the arme againe to the bodye alsoe,
& buryed them both in a diche.

great hauocke our Englishmen made.
of the great cart-loade of weapons tha t were made,
they loughe, & good game they made.
tha t the axe out of Denmarke was brought,
the Gyants head of to smyte,
the thanked christ tha t tyde.

& then the K ing beffore the palmer did kneele,
sayes, " thou art blest, I wott itt weele,
of god and our Ladye. "
the palmer, in his hart hee was full sore
when he saw our king kneele him before;
" stand vp, my lord! " sayd hee,
" ffor well I wott itt was his deede
tha t ffor vs vpon a crosse did bleede
vpon the mount of Caluarye. "

& then our king after tha t,
in the honor of this battell great,
this deed hee caused to be done:
gard them to take vp the axe & the sword,
& keepe them well in royall ward,
& bring them to winchester towne,

& hang them vp on St. Swythens church on hye
tha t all men there may see,
thither if they wold ffare.
I tell you the weapons be there & thore
but of this matter Ile tell you more,
hastylye and soone.

[The Third Part.]

Then all religious of the towne,
they mett the K ing w i th ffaire p ro cession;
& other psalmes amonge,
te deum was theire song,
& other praises there amonge,
tha t plaused the Lords to pray
the p ro fferred the palmer att tha t tyde,
castles hye & towers wyde,
good horsses to assay.
" Nay, " saies he, " giue me tha t is mine,
my scripp & my pike & my slauen,
& lett me wend my way. "

ffor all they p ro fferred him there,
he fforsooke them: wold haue no more
but tha t w i th him he brought.
& then our K ing w i th him forth on his way went;
to know his name was his entent;
" but all, " he sayd, " is ffor nought,
w i thout you wilbe sworne vnto me,
ffor 12 monthes in councell itt shalbe,
by him tha t all this world has wrought. "
& when our K ing had sworne him too,
" why, my name, " he sayes, " is Guy of warwicke, loe!
& this ffor thee I haue ffought. "

" O, " said our K ing , " S i r Guy, abyde w i th mee,
& halfe of England I will giue thee,
& assunder wee will neuer. "
" nay, I thanke you my lord curteous & kind,
I haue a pilgramage great to wend,
ffrom sinne my soule to couer.
Sometimes I was one of yo u r Erles wight,
but now age & trauell hath me dight;
ffarwell, my Lord, ffor euer!
for to warwicke wend will I,
to speake w i th fayre ffaelix my wiffe, before I dye,
for nothing I had leauer. "

he had beene in battell stiffe & strong,
& smitten w i th wepons tha t were long,
& bidden many a drearye day:
when the p ar ted, they both did weepe
S i r Guy held downe the hye street,
in warwicke where he lay.

& when he came to warwicke towne,
his owne countesse to dinner was bowne
& all masses were sayd.
ffor ffeare lest any man shold him Ken,
he sett him downe among the poore godsmen,
& held him well pleased.

his owne Ladye euerye day att her gate
13 palmers in cold shee take
to dine w i th her att noone.
S i r Guy was leane of cheeke & chin,
& thereffore the porter lett him in,
& 12 after him did goe.

the Ladye see hee was ill att ease;
shee ffounded ffast him to please,
[and did him make good cheere;]
shee ffett him a pott of her best wine:
he dealt itt about him at that time,
all to his ffellowes there.

then after dinner, as saith the booke,
leaue of his owne Ladye he tooke
before them in the hall.
the Ladye called her steward vnto;
shee sayd, " my bidding looke thou doe. "
" Madam, " hee sayd, " I shall. "

" why then, goe to yonder pore palmer,
& bidd him come euerye day to dinner
before me in this hall;
ffor an honest man he hath beene
when he was younge & kept cleane,
as may be well seene. "

the steward wold no longer abyde,
but went after the palmer tha t tyde,
& did as the Ladye him bede;
says, " well greetes you my Ladye mild of cheere,
prayes you euery day to come to dinner,
giffe tha t itt be yo u r will. "

the palmer made answer her steward vnto;
say, " I pray to christ grant her tha t meede
tha t welds both welth and witt!
a litle ffurther I haue to ffare,
to speake w i th an hermitt here,
giff I can w i th him hitt. "

" an hermitt is dead, I vnderstand,
& here a hermitage stands vacand,
as [I] doe vnderstand. "

& here he liued, the truth to say,
till itt was his ending day,
& serued christ our King;
he neuer eate other meate
but herbes and rootes greate,
& dranke the water of a springe.

then he hyred him a litle page
tha t was but 13 yeeres of age,
he was both ffayre and ffeate;
& euery day when the noone bell rang,
the litle ladd to the towne must gang,
to ffeitch the Ladyes liuerye.

the Ladye was gladd, as I vnderstand;
shee gaue itt w i th her owne handes,
and gladd itt soe shold bee.
but there he liued, as sayth the booke,
till a sicknesse there him tooke,
tha t needlye he must dye.

one night as S i r Guy lay in vysion,
there came an Angell downe ffrom heauen
to lett him vnderstand.
he was as light as any leame,
as bright as any sunn beames.
w i th tha t wakened S i r Guy.

He sayes, " I coniure in the power of Iesus christ
to tell me wether thou be an euill angell or a good! "
he sayd, " I hett Michall.
I came ffrom him tha t can both loose and bind
both mee, and thee, and all mankind,
both heauen, earth, and hell. "

& then S i r Guy his ring out raught
to the litle ladd, and him taught,
& bidd he shold " goe snell
to her tha t hath beene true to mee,
& pray her to come, my end and see;
ffor nothing tha t shee dwell. "

the litle lad made him bowne
till he came to warwicke towne
the Countesse soone hee ffound;
before her he kneeled on his knee;
saith, " well greeteth you my Lo rd , S i r Guy!
but he is dead neere hand,

" & heere he hath sent to you his ringe, —
ffull well you know this tokeninge, —
& bidds you hye him till. "
a squier wold haue brought her a palffrey,
but shee tooke a neerer stay;

ffor k nigh t ne squier none wold shee haue,
but ffollow shee did the litle knaue;
the way was ffayre and drye;
ffollow shee did the litle ffoot page
till shee came to the hermitage
wheras her lord did lye;

& then the lady curteous & snell,
vpon his bed-side downe shee ffell
w i th many a greeuous grone.
hee looked vpon her w i th eyes 2,
he neuer spake more words but these,
saying, " Madam, lett be thy ffare! "

a man tha t had seene the sorrow shee had,
& alsoe the contrition tha t shee made
ffor her Lord, S i r Guy,
they wold haue shed many salt teares:
soe did all tha t w i th them were,
both lords eke and Ladyes.

then shee told them how they had loued long,
& were marryed together when they were younge,
& liued together but dayes 40:
& afterward shee neuer him see,
by no knowledge tha t cold bee,
of 30 winters and three.

then shee told them of much more woe:
theire younge child was stolen them froe;
they had neuer none but one.
S i r Arrarde of Arden after him went
to seeke the child w i th good intent,
tha t was true of borne blood.

& as shee can these tales tell,
in swooning downe shee ffell
vpon the ground soe greene;
& when shee was reuarted againe,

shee wold neuer rest nor rowe
till shee came our king vnto,
her to wishe and read
before our king when shee was brought,
the king told her how S i r Guy had fought
& smitten of the Gyants head:

" ffast his name I did ffreane,
but he sware me tha t I must leane
ffor a 12 month and a day. "

the king said, " soe christ me saue!
this Erle to winchester I will haue;
his body there I will interre. "
but all tha t about him there cold stand,
they cold not remoue him w i th their hands
nor ffurther thence him beare.

a new purpose there the tooke;
they made a graue, as saith the booke,
before the hye Altar,
& buryed him in warwicke, the truth to say
the ladye liued after him but dayes 40:
And there was buryed alsoe.

& then they ffounded a ffayre abbey,
& monkes ffor them to singe.
...............
thus came the k nigh t out of his cares,
tha t had beene in land wyde where,
tha t came to England safe againe.

now all you tha t haue heard this litle Iest,
I betake yo u r soules to Iesus christ,
[to save from endless pain,]
& tha t wee may on doomesday
come to the blisse tha t shall ffor aye,
w i th Angells to remaine.