Chaucer's Works-The Canterbury Tales Part 114

Thanne seyde Gamelyn the child that was ying, 105 'Cristes curs mot he have that clepeth me gadeling!

I am no worse gadeling ne no worse wight, But born of a lady and geten of a knight.'

Ne durste he nat to Gamelyn ner a-foote go, But clepide to him his men and seyde to hem tho, 110 [648]

'Goth and beteth this boy and reveth him his wit, And lat him lerne another tyme to answere me bet.'

Thanne seyde the child yonge Gamelyn, 'Cristes curs mot thou have brother art thou myn!

And if I schal algate be beten anon, 115 Cristes curs mot thou have but thou be that oon!'

And anon his brother in that grete hete Made his men to fette staves Gamelyn to bete.

Whan that everich of hem a staf hadde y-nome, Gamelyn was war anon tho he seigh hem come; 120 Tho Gamelyn seigh hem come he loked over-al, And was war of a pestel stood under a wal; Gamelyn was light of foot and thider gan he lepe, And drof alle his brotheres men right on an hepe.

He loked as a wilde lyoun and leyde on good woon; 125 Tho his brother say that he bigan to goon; He fley up in-til a loft and schette the dore fast; Thus Gamelyn with the pestel made hem alle agast.

Some for Gamelynes love and some for his eye, Alle they drowe by halves tho he gan to pleye. 130 'What! how now?' seyde Gamelyn 'evel mot ye thee!

Wil ye biginne contek and so sone flee?'

Gamelyn soughte his brother whider he was flowe, And saugh wher he loked out at a windowe.

'Brother,' sayde Gamelyn 'com a litel ner, 135 And I wil teche thee a play atte bokeler.'

His brother him answerde and swor by seynt Richer, 'Whyl the pestel is in thin hond I wil come no neer: Brother, I wil make thy pees I swere by Cristes ore; Cast away the pestel and wraththe thee no-more.' 140 'I mot neede,' sayde Gamelyn 'wraththe me at oones, For thou wolde make thy men to breke myne boones, Ne hadde I had mayn and might in myn armes, To have y-put hem fro me they wolde have do me harmes.'

'Gamelyn,' sayde his brother 'be thou nought wroth, 145 For to seen thee have harm it were me right loth; I ne dide it nought, brother but for a fonding, For to loken if thou were strong and art so ying.'

'Com a-doun than to me and graunte me my bone Of thing I wil thee aske and we schul saughte sone.' 150 Doun than cam his brother that fikil was and fel, [649]

And was swithe sore agast of the pestel.

He seyde, 'brother Gamelyn aske me thy boone, And loke thou me blame but I graunte sone.'

Thanne seyde Gamelyn 'brother, y-wis, 155 And we schulle ben at oon thou most me graunte this: Al that my fader me biquath whyl he was on lyve, Thou most do me it have yif we schul nat stryve.'

'That schalt thou have, Gamelyn I swere by Cristes ore!

Al that thy fader thee biquath though thou woldest have more; 160 Thy lond, that lyth laye ful wel it schal be sowe, And thyn howses reysed up that ben leyd so lowe.'

Thus seyde the knight to Gamelyn with mowthe, And thoughte eek of falsnes as he wel couthe.

The knight thoughte on tresoun and Gamelyn on noon, 165 And wente and kiste his brother and, whan they were at oon, Allas! yonge Gamelyn nothing he ne wiste With which a false tresoun his brother him kiste!

44. Hl. schuld; Cp. scholde. 46. Pt. londe; Ln. lande; _rest_ lond.

48. Hl. might; _read_ mighte. 50. Hl. come a[gh]ein; _rest omit_ a[gh]ein, _and read_ comen, camen, co_m_men. 51. Hl. anon right; _rest_ anon, anoon. 56. Hl. Pt. _om._ right. 59. Hl. fyf; _rest_ fyue; _see l._ 57. 60. _Read_ righte; _MSS_. right. 61. Ln. and of ledes. 64. Cp. bequeste. 66. Hl. bed; Cp. bedde; _see l_. 24. 69.

Hl. And anon; _rest om._ And. 71. Hl. as his (_for_ and his). 73.

Hl. fed; _rest_ fedde. 76. Cp. aboughte; Ln. abouhte; _rest_ abought, abowght. 79, 80. Rl. Sl. old, bold; _rest_ olde, bolde. 83. Ln.

ouhte; _rest om. the final_ e; _see l_. 88. 85. Hl. byreeued; _rest om._ by-. 103. Rl. Sl. Pt. Harl. _om._ for. 109. Hl. durst; Cp.

durste; Ln. dorste. 112. Cp. lere; Hl. Ln. leren; _rest_ lerne.

119. Hl. a staf had; _rest_ hadde (had) a staf. 120. Hl. anon; _rest om._ 121. Hl. seyh. 123. Hl. of foot; _rest om._ 124. Hl. Ln. on; _rest_ sone on. 128. Hl. the; _rest_ his. 129, 130. Hl. ey[gh]e, pley[gh]e; _rest_ eye, pleye. 131. Hl. how; _rest om._ 133. MSS.

_omit final_ e _in_ soughte. 137. Hl. Rycher. 138. Hl. Whil. 140, 146, 150, &c. Hl. the. 143. Cp. hadde I had; Hl. had I hadde. 144.

Hl. he; _rest_ thei. 148. Harl. Ln. if; Pt. wher; _rest_ or. 150.

Hl. Cp. Ln. Of; Harl. Of oo; Rl. Of a; Sl. Of o; Pt. Of oon. 151, 152. Ln. fel, pestel; _rest_ felle, pestelle. 154. Hl. I; _rest_ I it. 157. Hl. whil. 161. Hl. Cp. laye; Rl. leie; Sl. leye; Pt. Ln.

ley. 164. Cp. oughte; _rest om. final_ e. Hl. eek; _rest om._ Hl. Cp. Ln. of; _rest_ on. 165. _For_ knight, Hl. _wrongly has_ king. MSS. _omit_ e _in_ thoughte. 166. Pt. Harl. wente; _rest_ went. Hl. kist; _rest_ kissed; _see l._ 168.

Litheth, and lesteneth and holdeth your tonge, And ye schul heere talking of Gamelyn the yonge. 170 Ther was ther bisyden cryed a wrastling, And therfor ther was set up a ram and a ring; And Gamelyn was in good wil to wende therto, For to preven his might what he cowthe do.

'Brother,' seyde Gamelyn 'by seynt Richer, 175 Thou most lene me to-night a litel courser That is freisch to the spore on for to ryde; I most on an erande a litel her bisyde.'

'By G.o.d!' seyde his brother 'of steedes in my stalle Go and chese thee the best and spare non of alle 180 Of steedes or of coursers that stonden hem bisyde; And tel me, goode brother whider thou wolt ryde.'

169. Rl. lysteneth; Cp. lesteneth; Pt. listeneth; Hl. lestneth. 171.

Hl. wrastlyng; Cp. wrasteling; Rl. wrastelynge; Pt. wrastelinge. 172.

Hl. sette (_wrongly_); _see l._ 184. 173. Hl. good wil; Ln. wil; _rest_ wille. 177. Hl. Pt. spore; _rest_ spores. 178. Hl. byside; _so in_ 183. 179. Hl. seyd; _rest have final_ e. 180. Hl. the the. 181. _For_ coursers, Hl. _wrongly has_ course.

'Her bisyde, brother is cryed a wrastling, And therfor schal be set up a ram and a ring; Moche worschip it were brother, to us alle, 185 Might I the ram and the ring bring home to this halle.'

A steede ther was sadeled smertely and skeet; Gamelyn did a paire spores fast on his feet.

He sette his foot in the styrop the steede he bistrood, [650]

And toward the wrasteling the yonge child rood. 190 Tho Gamelyn the yonge was ride out at the gat, The false knight his brother lokked it after that, And bisoughte Iesu Crist that is heven king, He mighte breke his nekke in that wrasteling.

As sone as Gamelyn com ther the place was, 195 He lighte doun of his steede and stood on the gras, And ther he herd a frankeleyn wayloway singe, And bigan bitterly his hondes for to wringe.

'Goode man,' seyde Gamelyn 'why makestow this fare?

Is ther no man that may you helpe out of this care?' 200 '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 y-wrought me sorwe, For he hath slayn my two sones but-if G.o.d 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 G.o.d!' sayde the frankeleyn 'anon it schal be doon; I wil my-self be thy man and drawen of thy schoon, And wende thou into the place Iesu Crist thee speede, And drede not of thy clothes nor of thy goode steede.'

183. Pt. wrasteling; Ln. warsteling; _rest_ wrastlyng, wrastlynge.

184. Hl. vp; _rest om._ 189. Hl. set; Ln. sete; _rest_ sette. Hl.

_om. 1st_ the. 191. Hl. ride; _rest_ riden, reden. Hl. Ln. at the; Cp. Pt. atte; _rest_ at. _All_ gate (_wrongly_); _and_ thate (_for_ that) _in next line_. 192. Cp. Ln. false: _rest_ fals. 194. Pt.

wrestelinge; _rest_ wrastlyng, wrastlinge, wrestlinge. 197, 198. Hl.

syng, wryng. 206. Cp. handelen; Hl. handil. 211. Hl. anon; _rest om._ 213. Hl. Cp. Ln. the place; _rest om._ the. Hl. the.

Barfoot and ungert Gamelyn in cam, 215 Alle that weren in the place heede of him they nam, How he durste auntre him of him to doon his might That was so doughty champioun in wrastling and in fight.

Up sterte the champioun rapely and anoon, 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 whyl he couthe go, Whyles he was on lyve by seint Martyn! 225 Sir Iohan of Boundys was his name and I Gamelyn.'

'Felaw,' seyde the champioun 'al-so mot I thryve, I knew wel thy fader whyl he was on lyve; And thyself, Gamelyn I wil that thou it heere, [651]

Whyl thou were a yong boy a moche schrewe thou were.' 230 Than seyde Gamelyn and swor by Cristes ore, 'Now I am older woxe thou schalt me finde a more!'

'By G.o.d!' sayde the champioun 'welcome mote thou be!

Come thou ones in myn hond schalt thou never thee.'

It was wel withinne the night and the moone schon, 235 Whan Gamelyn and the champioun togider gonne goon.

The champioun caste tornes to Gamelyn that was prest, And Gamelyn stood stille and bad him doon his best.

Thanne seyde Gamelyn to the champioun, 'Thou art faste aboute to bringe me adoun; 240 Now I have y-proved many tornes of thyne, Thow most,' he seyde, 'proven on or two of myne.'

Gamelyn to the champioun yede smertely anon, Of all the tornes that he cowthe he schewed him but oon, And caste him on the lefte syde that three ribbes to-brak, 245 And ther-to his oon arm that yaf a gret crak.

Thanne seyde Gamelyn smertely anoon, 'Schal it be holde for a cast or elles for noon?'

'By G.o.d!' seyde the champioun 'whether that it be, He that cometh ones in thin hand schal he never thee!' 250 Than seyde the frankeleyn that had his sones there, 'Blessed be thou, Gamelyn that ever thou bore were!'

The frankeleyn seyde to the champioun of him stood him noon eye, 'This is yonge Gamelyn that taughte thee this pleye.'

Agein answerd the champioun that lyked nothing wel, 255 'He is a lither mayster and his pley is right fel; Sith I wrastled first it is y-go ful yore, But I was nevere in my lyf handeled so sore.'

Gamelyn stood in the place allone withoute serk, And seyde, 'if ther be eny mo lat hem come to werk; 260 The champioun that peyned him to werke so sore, It semeth by his continaunce that he wil no-more.'

Gamelyn in the place stood as stille as stoon, For to abyde wrasteling but ther com noon; Ther was noon with Gamelyn wolde wrastle more, 265 For he handled the champioun so wonderly sore.

Two gentil-men ther were that yemede the place, Comen to Gamelyn (G.o.d yeve him goode grace!) And sayde to him, 'do on thyn hosen and thy schoon, [652]

For sothe at this tyme this feire is y-doon.' 270 And than seyde Gamelyn 'so mot I wel fare, I have nought yet halven-del sold up my ware.'

Tho seyde the champioun 'so brouke I my sweere, He is a fool that ther-of byeth thou sellest it so deere.'

Tho sayde the frankeleyn that was in moche care, 275 'Felaw,' he seyde 'why lakkest thou his ware?

By seynt Iame in Galys that many man hath sought, Yet it is to good cheep that thou hast y-bought.'

Tho that wardeynes were of that wrasteling Come and broughte Gamelyn the ram and the ring, 280 And seyden, 'have, Gamelyn the ring and the ram, For the beste wrasteler that ever here cam.'

Thus wan Gamelyn the ram and the ring, And wente with moche Ioye home in the morning.

His brother seih wher he cam with the grete rowte, 285 And bad schitte the gate and holde him withoute.

The porter of his lord was ful sore agast, And sterte anon to the gate and lokked it fast.

217. Hl. Pt. durst; _rest_ durste, dorste. 218. _All but_ Hl. _ins._ a _bef_. champioun. 219. Hl. raply and; _rest_ rapely (_omitting_ and). 222. Rl. Harl. Sl. here. 224, 225. Hl. whil, Whiles. 227.

Hl. al; _rest om._ 232. Hl. fynd; _rest_ fynde, finde. 234. Hl.

the. 236. Hl. gon to; Cp. Ln. gonne; _rest_ gon. 242. Hl. tuo.

243. Hl. Ln. smartly; Rl. Pt. smertely; _see l._ 187. 245. _All_ kast _or_ kest. _All_ left, lift; _read_ lefte. Hl. thre. 247. Hl.

smertly; _see l._ 243. 249, 253, 260. Hl. seyd; _rest have final_ e. 250. Hl. Ln. comes; _rest_ cometh; _read it as_ comth. 254. Hl.

the. 255. Hl. welle. 256. Hl. a lither; Cp. oure alther; _rest_ alther. _For_ fel, _all have_ felle _or_ felle. 258. Hl. Cp. Ln.

my; _rest_ in my. Rl. Pt. Ln. handeled; Hl. Sl. Cp. handled. 260.

Hl. eny; _rest om._ 267. ther were that] Pt. that; _rest om._ 273.

H. brouk; Cp. Ln. brouke; Pt. broke. 274. Hl. beyeth; _rest_ byeth, bieth. 279. Pt. wrasteling; Ln. warstelinge; Rl. wrastlinge; _rest_ wrastlyng. 282. Cp. beste; Hl. Ln. best; _rest om. ll._ 281, 282.

287. Hl. ful; _rest om._ 288. Rl. Harl. sterte; _rest_ stert.