And toward the wrastelyng the yonge child rood. 190 Tho Gamelyn the yonge was ride out at the gate, The fals knight his brother lokked it after thate, And bysoughte Jhesu Crist that is heven kyng He mighte breke his nekke in that wrastlyng. As sone as Gamelyn com ther the place was, He lighte doun of his steede, and stood on the gras, And ther he herd a frankeleyn wayloway syng, And bigan bitterly his hondes for to wryng. "Goode man," seyde Gamelyn, "why makestow this fare? 199 Is ther no man that may you helpe out of this care?" "Allas!" seyde this frankeleyn, "that ever was I bore! For tweye stalworthe sones I wene that I have lore; A champioun is in the place, that hath i-wrought me sorwe, [borwe. For he hath slayn my two sones, but if God hem I wold geve ten pound, by Jhesu Crist! and more, With the nones I fand a man to handil him sore.' "Goode man," sayde Gamelyn, "wilt thou wel doon, Hold myn hors, whil 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;

66

I wil myself be thy man, to drawen of thy schoon,
And wende thou into the place, Jhesu Crist the
speede !
[steede."
And drede not of thy clothes, nor of thy goode
Barfoot and ungert Gamelyn in cam,
Alle that weren in the place heede of him they nam,
How he durst auntre him of him to doon his might
That was so doughty champioun in wrastlyng and
Up sterte the champioun raply and anoon, [in fight.
Toward yonge Gamelyn he bigan to goon, 220
And sayde, Who is thy fader and who is thy sire?
For sothe thou art a gret fool, that thou come hire."
Gamelyn answerde the champioun tho,
"Thou knewe wel my fader whil he couthe go,
Whiles he was on lyve, by seint Martyn!
Sir Johan of Boundys was his name, and I Gamelyn."
"Felaw," seyde the champioun, "al so mot I thryve,
I knew wel thy fader, whil he was on lyve;
And thiself, Gamelyn, I wil that thou it heere,
Whil thou were a yong boy a moche schrewe thou
230

were.

more."

240

Than seyde Gamelyn, and swor by Cristes ore, "Now I am older woxe, thou schalt me fynd a [thou be! "Be God!" sayde the champioun, "welcome mote Come thou ones in myn hond, schalt thou never the." It was wel withinne the night, and the moone schon, Whan Gamelyn and the champioun togider gon to goon. [prest, The champioun caste tornes to Gamelyn that was And Gamelyn stood stille, and bad him doon his best. Thanne seyde Gamelyn to the champioun, "Thou art fast aboute to brynge me adoun; Now I have i-proved many tornes of thyne, Thow most," he seyde, "proven on or tuo of myne." Gamelyn to the champioun yede smartly anon, Of alle the tornes that he cowthe he schewed him but oon, [brak, And kast him on the left syde, that thre ribbes toAnd therto his oon arm, that gaf a gret crak. Thanne seyde Gamelyn smertly anoon, "Schal it be holde for a cast, or elles for noon?" "By God," seyd the champioun, "whether that it bee, [thee!" He that comes ones in thin hand schal he never Than seyde the frankeleyn, that had his sones there, 250 "Blessed be thou, Gamelyn, that ever thou bore were!" [him noon eye, The frankleyn seyd to the champioun, of him stood

"This is yonge Gamelyn that taughte the this
pleye.'
[welle,
Agein answerd the champioun, that liked nothing
"He is a lither mayster, and his pley is right felle;
Sith I wrastled first, it is i-go ful yore,
But I was nevere my lyf handled so sore."
Gamelyn stood in the place allone withoute serk,
And seyd, "If ther be eny mo, lat hem come to werk;
The champioun that peyned him to werke so sore, 260
It semeth by his continaunce that he wil nomore."
Gamelyn in the place stood as stille as stoon,
For to abyde wrastelyng, but ther com noon;
Ther was noon with Gamelyn wolde wrastle more,
For he handled the champioun so wonderly sore.
Two gentilmen ther were yemede the place,
Comen to Gamelyn, God geve him goode grace!
And sayde to hem, "Do on thyn hosen and thy
For sothe at this tyme this feire is i-doon." [schoon,
And than seyde Gamelyn, "So mot I wel fare,
I have nought yet halvendel sold up my ware." 270
Tho seyde the champioun, "So brouk I my sweere,
He is a fool that therof beyeth, thou sellest it so

deere."

Tho sayde the frankeleyn that was in moche care,
"Felaw," he seyde, "why lakkest thou his ware?
By seynt Jame in Galys, that many man hath sought,
Yet it is to good cheep that thou hast i-bought."
Tho that wardeynes were of that wrastlyng,
Come and broughte Gamelyn the ram and the ryng,
And seyden, "Have, Gamelyn, the ryng and the
For the best wrasteler that ever here cam." [ram,
Thus wan Gamelyn the ram and the ryng,
And wente with moche joye home in the mornyng.
His brother seih wher he cam with the grete rowte,
And bad schitte the gate, and holde him withoute.
The porter of his lord was ful sore agast,
And stert anon to the gate, and lokked it fast.

Now litheth, and lestneth, bothe yong and olde, And ye schul heere gamen of Gamelyn the bolde. Gamelyn come therto for to have comen in, And thanne was it i-schet faste with a pyn; Than seyde Gamelyn, "Porter, undo the yate, For many good mannes sone stondeth therate." 290 Than answerd the porter, and swor by Goddes berde, "Thow ne schalt, Gamelyn, come into this yerde." "Thow lixt," sayde Gamelyn, "so browke I my chyn!" [the pyn.

66

He smot the wyket with his foot, and brak awey The porter seyh tho it might no better be, He sette foot on erthe, and fast bigan to flee. "By my faith," seyde Gamelyn, "that travail is i-lore, [haddest swore.' For I am of foot as lighte as thou, though thow Gamelyn overtook the porter, and his teene wrak, And gert him in the nekke, that the bon to-brak, 300 And took him by that oon arm, and threw him in a welle,

Seven fadmen it was deep, as I have herd telle. 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,

311

And for the faire company that he thider broughte.
Gamelyn yede to the gate, and leet it up wyde;
He leet in alle maner men that gon in wold or ryde,
And seyde, "Ye be welcome withouten eny greeve,
For we will be maistres heer, and aske no man leve.
Yestirday I lefte," seyde yonge Gamelyn,
"In my brother seller fyve tonne of wyn;
I wil not that this compaignye parten a-twynne,
And ye wil doon after me, whil eny sope is thrynne ;
And if my brother grucche, or make foul cheere,
Other for spense of mete or drynk that we spenden
I am oure catour, and bere oure aller purs, heere,
He schal have for his grucchyng seint Maries curs.
My brother is a nyggoun, I swer by Cristes ore, 319

470

Al the harm and the schame that he telle couthe.
Tho they were served of messes tuo or thre,
Than seyde Gamelyn, "How serve ye me?
It is nought wel served, by God that al made!
That I sytte fastyng, and other men make glade."
The fals knight his brother, ther that he stood,
Tolde alle his gestes that Gamelyn was wood;
And Gamelyn stood stille, and answerde nought,
But Adames wordes he held in his thought.
Tho Gamelyn gan speke dolfully withalle
To the gret lordes that saten in the halle:
"Lordes," he seyde, "for Cristes passioun,
Helpeth brynge Gamelyn out of prisoun."
Than seyde an abbot, sorwe on his cheeke!
"He schal have Cristes curs and seynte Maries eeke,
That the out of prisoun beggeth other borwe,
But ever worthe hem wel that doth the moche sorwe."
After that abbot than spak another,
479
"I wold thin heed were of, though thou were my
Alle that the borwe, foule mot hem falle !" [brother!
Thus they seyde alle that were in the halle.
Than seyde a priour, yvel mot he thryve!
"It is moche skathe, boy, that thou art on lyve."
"Ow," seyde Gamelyn, "so brouk I my bon !
Now I have aspyed that freendes have I non.
Cursed mot. he worthe bothe fleisch and blood,
That ever do priour or abbot ony good!"
Adam the spencer took up the cloth,
And loked on Gamelyn, and say that he was wroth;
Adam on the pantrye litel he thought,
But tuo goode staves to halle dore he brought.
Adam loked on Gamelyn, and he was war anoon,
And cast awey the feteres, and he bigan to goon:
Tho he com to Adam, he took that oo staf,
And bygan to worche, and goode strokes gaf.
Gamelyn cam into the halle, and the spencer bothe,
And loked hem aboute, as they had be wrothe;
Gamelyn sprengeth holy-water with an oken spire,
That some that stoode upright fel in the fire.
Ther was no lewede man that in the halle stood,
That wolde do Gamelyn eny thing but good,
But stoode besyde, and leet hem bothe werche,
For they hadde no rewthe of men of holy cherche ;
Abbot or priour, monk or chanoun,

489

500

And I wil kepe the dore, so ever here I masse !
Er they ben assoyled there shan noon passe."
"Dowt the nought," seyde Gamelyn, "whil we ben
in feere,

Kep thou wel the dore, and I wol werche heere;
Stere the, good Adam, and lat ther noon flee,
And we schul telle largely how many ther be."
"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, 521
And pleyden with the monkes, and made hem agast.
Thider they come rydyng jolily with swaynes,
But homagen they werei-lad in cartes and in waynes.
Tho they hadden al y-don, than seyde a gray frere,
"Allas! sire abbot, what did we now heere?
Tho that comen hider, it was a colde reed,
Us hadde ben better at home with water and breed."
Whil Gamelyn made ordres of monkes and frere,
Ever stood his brother, and made foul chere; 530
Gamelyn up with his staff, that he wel knew,
And gert him in the nekke, that he overthrew ;
A litel above the girdel the rigge-bon to-barst;
And sette him in the feteres ther he sat arst.
"Sitte ther, brother," sayde Gamelyn,
"For to colyn thy blood, as I dide myn."

As swithe as they hadde i-wroken hem on here foon,
They askeden watir and wisschen anoon,
What some for here love and some for awe,
Alle the servantz served hem of the beste lawe. 540
The scherreve was thennes but a fyve myle,
And al was y-told him in a litel while,

How Gamelyn and Adam had doon a sory rees,
Bounden and i-wounded men agein the kinges pees;
Tho bigan sone strif for to wake,

And the scherref aboute cast Gamelyn for to take. Now lytheth and lestneth, so God gif you goode fyn! ye

And 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 550
Gamelyn and Adam fetten away.
The scherref gaf hem leve, soth as I you say;
They hyeden faste, wold they nought bylynne,
Til they come to the gate, ther Gamelyn was inne.
They knokked on the gate, the porter was ny,
And loked out at an hol, as man that was sly.
The porter hadde byholde hem a litel while,
He loved wel Gamelyn, and was adrad of gyle,
And asked hem withoute what was here wille. 560
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 chyn,
Ye schul sey your erand er ye comen in."
"Sey to Gamelyn and Adam, if here wille be,
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 went the porter to Gamelyn anoon,
569
And seyde, "Sir, I warne you her ben come your
The scherreves meyné ben atte gate, [foon,
For to take you bothe, schul ye nat skape."
Porter," seyde Gamelyn, "so moot I wel the!
I wil allowe the thy wordes whan I my tyme se;
Go agayn to the gate, and dwel with hem a while,
And thou schalt se right sone, porter, a gyle.
Adam," sayde Gamelyn, "looke the to goon;
We have foomen atte gate, and frendes never oon;
It ben the schirrefes men, that hider ben i-come,
They ben swore to-gidere that we schul be nome.'
"Gamelyn," seyde Adam, "hye the right blyve, 581
And if I faile the this day, evel mot I thryve!
And we schul so welcome the scherreves men,
That some of hem schul make here beddes in the
Atte posterne gate Gamelyn out went, [den."
And a good cart staf in his hand he hente;
Adam hente sone another gret staf,
For to helpe Gamelyn, and goode strokes gaf.
Adam felde tweyne, and Gamelyn felde thre,
The other setten feet on crthe, and bygonne fle. 590
"What?" seyde Adam, "so ever here I masse !
I have a draught of good wyn, drynk er ye passe."
"Nay, by God!" sayde they, "thy drynk is not
good,

It wolde make mannes brayne to lien in his hood."
Gamelyn stood stille, and loked him aboute,
And seih the scherreve come with a gret route.
"Adam," sayde Gamelyn, "my reed is now this,
Abide we no lenger, lest we fare amys:
I rede that we to wode goon ar that we be founde,
Better is us ther loose than in town y-bounde." 600
Adam took by the hond yonge Gamelyn;
And everich of hem tuo drank a draught of wyn,
And after took her coursers and wenten her way.
Tho fond the scherreve nest, but non ay.
The scherreve lighte adoun, and went into the halle,
And fond the lord y-fetered faste withalle.
The scherreve unfetered him sone, and that anoon,
And sent after a leche to hele his rigge-boon.

Lete we now this fals knight lyen in his care, And talke we of Gamelyn, and loke how he fare. 610

Gamelyn into the woode stalkede stille,
And Adam the spenser liked ful ylle;
Adam swor to Gamelyn, by seynt Richer,
"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 the right nought;

Many good mannes child in care is i-brought."
And as they stoode talkyng bothen in feere,
Adam herd talkyng of men, and neyh him thought
thei were.

Me thynketh of mete and of drynk that I have a
Adam lokede tho under woode bowgh,
And whan he seyh mete he was glad ynough;
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,

630

I am war of gestes, God send us non but goode;
Yonder ben tuo yonge men, wonder wel adight,
And paraventure ther ben mo, who so loked aright.
Ariseth up, ye yonge men, and fetteth hem to me;
It is good that we witen what men they bee."
Up ther sterten sovene fro the dyner,
And metten with Gamelyn and Adam spenser. 640
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!
curse non other, but right myselve,
They ye fette to yow fyve, thanne ye be twelve."
Tho they herde by his word that might was in his

arm,

Ther was none of hem alle that wolde do him harm, But sayd unto Gamelyn, myldely and stille, 649 "Com afore our maister, and sey to him thy wille." "Yonge men," sayde Gamelyn, "by your lewté, What man is your maister that ye with be?" Alle they answerde withoute lesyng, "Oure maister is i-crouned of outlawes kyng." "Adam," seyde Gamelyn, "go we in Cristes name; He may neyther mete nor drynk werne us for schame.

660

If that he be heende, and come of gentil blood,
He wol geve us mete and drynk, and doon us som
good."
[I gete,
By seynt Jame !" seyd Adam, "what harm that
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, kyng of outlawes,
"What seeke ye, yonge men, under woode schawes?"
Gamelyn answerde the kyng 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 therto,
As men that ben hungry, and mow no mete fynde,
And ben harde bystad under woode lynde."
Of Gamelynes wordes the maister hadde routhe,
And seyde, "Ye schal have ynough, have God my
trouthe."

670

He bad hem sitte ther adoun, for to take reste ; And bad hem ete and drynke, and that of the beste. As they sete and eeten and dronke wel and fyn, Than seyd that oon to that other, "This is Gamelyn."

Tho was the maister outlawe into counseil nome,
And told how it was Gamelyn that thider was i-come.
Anon as he herde how it was bifalle,

He made him maister under him over hem alle. 680
Within the thridde wyke him com tydyng,
To the maister outlawe that tho was her kyng,
That he schulde come hom, his pees was i-made;
And of that goode tydyng he was tho ful glad.
Tho seyde he to his yonge men, soth for to telle,
"Me ben comen tydynges I may no lenger dwelle."
Tho was Gamelyn anon, withoute taryyng,
Made maister outlawe, and crouned her kyng.
Tho was Gamelyn crouned kyng of outlawes,
And walked a while under woode schawes.
The fals 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 glade,
Whan Gamelyn her lord wolves-heed was cryed and
made;

690

And sente out of his men wher they might him fynde,
For to seke Gamelyn under woode lynde,
To telle him tydynges how the wynd was went,
And al his good reved, and his men schent. 698
Whan they had him founde, on knees they hem sette,
And adoun with here hood, and here lord grette :
"Sire, wraththe you nought, for the goode roode,
For we have brought you tydynges, but they be nat
goode.

Now is thy brother scherreve, and hath the baillye, And he hath endited the, and wolves-heed doth the crie."

"Allas!" seyde Gamelyn, "that ever I was so slak
That Ine hadde broke his nekke, tho his rigge brak!
Goth, greteth hem wel, myn housbondes and wyf,
I wol ben atte nexte schire, have God my lyf."
Gamelyn came wel redy to the nexte schire,
And ther was his brother bothe lord and sire. 710
Gamelyn com boldelych into the moot halle,
And put adoun his hood among the lordes alle:
"God save you alle, lordynges, that now here be !
But broke-bak scherreve, evel mot thou the!
Why hast thou do me that schame and vilonye,
For to late endite me, and wolves-heed me crye?"
Tho thought the fals knight for to ben awreke,
And leet take Gamelyn, most he nomore speke;
Might ther be nomore grace, but Gamelyn atte last-
Was cast into prisoun and fetered ful fast. 720
Gamelyn hath a brother that highte sir Ote,
As good a knight and heende as mighte gon on foote.
Anon ther yede a messager to that goode knight,
And told him altogidere how Gamelyn was dight.
Anon as sire Ote herde how Gamelyn was adight,
He was wonder sory, was he nothing 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, 729
"We ben but thre bretheren, schul we never be mo,
And thou hast y-prisoned the best of us alle;
Swich another brother yvel mot him bifalle !"

694. wolves-heed. This was the ancient Saxon formula of outlawry, and seems to have been literally equivalent to setting the man's head at the same estimate as a wolf's head. In the laws of Edward the Confessor, it is said of a person who has fled justice, "Si vero postea repertus fuerit, et retineri possit, vivus regi reddatur, vel caput ejus, si se defenderit. Lupinum enim gerit caput, quod anglice wulfes-heofod dicitur. Et hæc est lex communis

et generalis de omnibus utlagatis."

698. his men schent. When a man's lands were seized by force or unjustly, the peasantry on the estates were exposed to be plundered and ill-treated by the followers of the intruder.

701. wraththe you nought. The messengers of ill tidings, however innocent themselves, often experienced all the first anger of the person to whom they carried them, in the ages of feudal power. Hence the bearer of ill news addressed. generally began by deprecating the wrath of the person

"Sire Ote," seide the fals knight, "lat be thi curs; By God, for thy wordes he schal fare the wurs; To the kynges prisoun anon he is y-nome, And ther he schal abyde til the justice come." "Pardé!" seyde sir Ŏte, "better it schal be, I bidde him to maympris, that thou graunt him me, Til the nexte sittyng of delyveraunce,

And thanne lat Gamelyn stande to his chaunce." 740 "Brother, in swich a forthward take him to the; And by thi fader soule, that the bygat and me, But if he be redy whan the justice sitte, [witte." Thou schalt bere the juggement for al thi grete "I graunte wel," seide sir Ote, "that it so be. Let delyver him anon, and tak him to me." Tho was Gamelyn delyvered to sire Ote his brother; And that night dwelleden that on with that other. On the morn seyde Gamelyn to sire Oto the heende, "Brother," he seide, "I moot for sothe from the wende, 750

To loke how my yonge men leden here lyf,
Whether they lyven in joie or elles in stryf."
"Be God!" seyde sire Ote, "that is a cold reed,
Now I see that al the cark schal fallen on myn heed;
For whan the justice sitte, and thou be nought
y-founde,

I schal anon be take, and in thy stede i-bounde."
"Brother," sayde Gamelyn, "dismaye the nought,
For by seint Jame in Gales, that many man hath
If that God almighty hold my lyf and witt, [sought,
I wil be ther redy whan the justice sitt." 760
Than seide sir Ote to Gamelyn, "God schilde the
fro schame;
[blame."
Com whan thou seest tyme, and bring us out of
Litheth, and lestneth, and holdeth you stille,
And ye schul here how Gamelyn had al his wille.
Gamelyn wente agein under woode rys,
And fond there pleying yonge men of prys.
Tho was yonge Gamelyn glad and blithe ynough,
Whan he fond his mery men under woode bough.
Gamelyn and his men talked in feere,
769
And they hadde good game here maister to heere;
They tolden him of aventures that they hadde
founde,
[i-bounde.
And Gamelyn hem tolde agein how he was fast
Whil Gamelyn was outlawed, had he no cors;
There was no man that for him ferde the wors,
But abbotes and priours, monk and chanoun;
On hem left he nothing whan he might hem nom.
Whil Gamelyn and his men made merthes ryve,
The fals knight his brother, yvel mot he thryve!
For he was fast about 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 thought on his brother how he him beheet
That he wolde be redy whan the justice seet;
He thoughte wel that he wolde, withoute delay,
Come afore the justice to kepen his day,
And seide to his yonge men, "Dighteth you yare,
For whan the justice sit, we moote be thare,
For I am under borwe til that I come,
And my brother for me to prisoun schal be nome." 790
"By seint Jame!" seyde his; yonge men, "and thou
rede therto,

780

Adam went into the halle, and loked al aboute,
He seyh there stonde lordes gret and stoute,
And sir Ote his brother fetered wel fast:
Tho went Adam out of halle, as he were agast.
Adam said to Gamelyn, and to his felaws alle,
"Sir Ote stant i-fetered in the moot halle." [alle;
"Yonge men," seide Gamelyn, "this ye
heeren
Sire Ote stant i-fetered in the moot halle.
If God gif us grace wel for to doo,
He schal it abegge that broughte him thertoo." 810
Thanne sayde Adam, that lokkes hadde hore,
"Cristes curs most he have that him bond so sore!
And thou wilt, Gamelyn, do after my red,
Ther is noon in the halle schall bere awey his heed."
"Adam," seyde Gamelyn, "we wiln nought don so,
We wil slee the giltyf, and lat the other go.
I wil into the halle, and with the justice speke;
On hem that ben gultyf I wil ben awreke.
Lat non skape at the dore; take, yonge men, yeme;
For I wil be justice this day domes to deme. 820
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 bad him doon his best, "And if thou to us have neede, thou schalt fynde us prest;

We wiln stande with the, whil that we may dure,
And but we werke manly, pay us non hure."
"Yonge men," seyde Gamelyn, "so mot I wel the!
As trusty a maister ye schal fynde of me."
Right there the justice sat in the halle,
In wente Gamelyn amonges hem alle.

830

Gamelyn leet unfetere his brother out of beende. Thanne seyde sire Ote, his brother that was heende, "Thou haddest almost, Gamelyn, dwelled to longe, For the quest is oute on me, that I schulde honge.' "Brother," seyde Gamelyn, "so God gif me good [quest;

rest!

This day they schuln ben hanged that ben on thy
And the justice bothe that is jugges man,
And the scherreve bothe, thurgh him it bigan."
Than seyde Gamelyn to the justise,
839
"Now is thy power y-don, thou most nedes arise;
Thow hast geven domes that ben yvel dight,
I wil sitten in thy sete, and dressen hem aright."
The justice sat stille, and roos nought anoon;
And Gamelyn clevede 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-fered of the company that withoute stood. 848
Gamelyn sette him doun in the justices sete, [feet.
And sire Ote his brother by him, and Adam at his
Whan Gamelyn was i-set in the justices stede,
Herkneth of a bourde that Gamelyn dede.
He leet fetre the justice and his fals brother,
And dede hem come to the barre, that oon with
that other.

Tho Gamelyn hadde thus y-doon, had he no rest,
Til he had enquered who was on the quest
For to deme his brother, sir Ote, for to honge;
Er he wiste which they were it thoughte ful longe.
But as sone as Gamelyn wiste wher they were,
He dede hem everichone fetere in feere,
860
And bringen hem to the barre, and sette hem in
rewe;
[is a schrewe."
"By my faith!" seyde the justice, the scherreve
Than seyde Gamelyn to the justise,
"Thou hast y-geve domes of the wors assise,
And the twelve sisours that weren of the queste,
They schul ben hanged this day, so have I reste."
Thanne seide the scherreve to yonge Gamelyn,
"Lord, I crie the mercy, brother art thou myn."
"Therfore," seyde Gamelyn, "have thou Cristes
[wors."

66

curs,

For and thou were maister, yit I schulde have