Canterbury Tales (Middle English) — Appendix to Group A - The Tale of Gamelyn - Part 1
* * * * * APPENDIX TO GROUP A.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
* * * * * Litheth, and lesteneth · and herkeneth aright, And ye schulle heere a talking · of a doughty knight;
Sire Iohan of Boundys · was his righte name, He cowde of norture y-nough · and mochil of game.
Thre sones the knight hadde · that with his body he wan; 5 The eldest was a moche schrewe · and sone he bigan.
His bretheren loved wel here fader · and of him were agast, The eldest deserved his fadres curs · and had it at the last.
The goode knight his fader · livede so yore, That deth was comen him to · and handled him ful sore.
10 The goode knight cared sore · syk ther he lay, How his children scholde · liven after his day.
He hadde ben wyde-wher · but non housbond he was, Al the lond that he hadde · it was verrey purchas.
Fayn he wolde it were · dressed among hem alle, 15 That ech of hem hadde his part · as it mighte falle.
Tho sente he in-to cuntre · after wyse knightes, To helpe delen his londes · and dressen hem to-rightes.
He sente hem word by lettres · they schulden hye blyve, If they wolde speke with him · whyl he was on lyve.
20 N.
B.
—Hl.
=Harleian MS. no. 7334 (_taken as the foundation of the text_); Harl.
=Harleian MS. no. 1758; Cp.
=MS.
Corp. Chr.
Coll.
Oxford;
Ln.
=Lansdowne MS. no. 851; Pt.
=Petworth MS. ; Rl.
=MS.
Royal 18 c. ii;
Sl.
= MS.
Sloane, no. 1685. _Note that_ Cp.
_and_ Ln.
_are next in value to_ Hl.
, _and often agree with it as against the rest.
_ 1. Cp.
lesteneth; Sl.
Ln.
listeneth; Hl.
lestneth.
Cp.
herkeneth; Rl.
Sl.
herkenyth; Hl.
herkneth.
2. Cp.
schulle; Ln.
schullen; Hl.
schul.
Hl.
a talkyng; _rest om.
_ 3. Hl.
right; _rest om.
_; _read_ righte.
4. Hl.
ynough; _rest om.
_ 5. Cp.
hadde; Rl.
Sl.
Pt.
Ln.
had; Hl.
_om.
_ 14. Cp.
Rl.
hadde; Hl.
had (_and in l. _ 16).
15. Cp.
Ln.
wolde; Hl.
wold.
Hl.
amonges; _rest_ among; _see l. _ 36. 16. Hl.
might.
17. Cp.
Sl.
Rl.
Pt.
Ln.
sente; Hl.
sent.
_So in l. _ 19, _where the MSS.
wrongly have_ sent.
Tho the knightes herden · syk that he lay, Hadde they no reste · nother night ne day, Til they comen to him · ther he lay stille On his deth-bedde · to abyde goddes wille.
Than seyde the goode knight · syk ther he lay, 25 ‘Lordes, I you warne · for soth, withoute nay, I may no lenger liven · heer in this stounde;
[646] For thurgh goddes wille · deth draweth me to grounde.
’ Ther nas non of hem alle · that herde him aright, That they ne hadden reuthe · of that ilke knight, 30 And seyde, ‘sir, for goddes love · ne dismay you nought;
God may do bote of bale · that is now y-wrought.
’ 21. Hl.
ther; _rest_ that.
27. Hl.
Cp.
lengere; Ln, longer; _rest_ lenger.
29. Sl.
Cp.
Ln.
herde; Hl.
herd.
30. Harl.
Pt.
ne; _rest om.
_ Than spak the goode knight · syk ther he lay, ‘Boote of bale god may sende · I wot it is no nay;
But I byseke you, knightes · for the love of me, 35 Goth and dresseth my lond · among my sones three.
And sires, for the love of god · deleth hem nat amis, And forgetith nat Gamelyn · my yonge sone that is.
Taketh heed to that on · as wel as to that other;
Selde ye see ony eyr · helpen his brother.
’ 40 36. Hl.
thre.
37. Hl.
And sires; _rest om.
_ sires.
Tho leete they the knight lyen · that was nought in hele, And wenten in-to counsel · his londes for to dele;
For to delen hem alle · to oon, that was her thought, And for Gamelyn was yongest · he schulde have nought.
Al the lond that ther was · they dalten it in two, 45 And leeten Gamelyn the yonge · withoute londe go, And ech of hem seyde · to other ful lowde, His bretheren mighte yeve him lond · whan he good cowde.
Whan they hadde deled · the lond at here wille, They comen ayein to the knight · ther he lay ful stille, 50 And tolden him anon-right · how they hadden wrought;
And the knight ther he lay · lyked it right nought.
Than seyde the knight · ‘by seynt Martyn, 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 I biseke yow, goode men · that lawe conne of londe, For Gamelynes love · that my queste stonde.
’ 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.
[647] 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.
So longe was Gamelyn · in his brotheres halle, For the strengest, of good wil · they doutiden him alle;
Ther was non ther-inne · nowther yong ne old, That wolde wraththe Gamelyn · were he never so bold.
80 Gamelyn stood on a day · in his brotheres yerde, And bigan with his hond · to handlen his berde;
He thoughte on his londes · that layen unsawe, And his faire okes · that down were y-drawe;
His parkes were y-broken · and his deer bireved; 85 Of alle his goode steedes · noon was him bileved;
His howses were unhiled · and ful yvel dight;
Tho thoughte Gamelyn · it wente nought aright.
Afterward cam his brother · walkinge thare, And seyde to Gamelyn · ‘is our mete yare?
’ 90 Tho wraththed him Gamelyn · and swor by goddes book, ‘Thou schalt go bake thy-self · I wil nought be thy cook!
’ ‘How?
brother Gamelyn · how answerest thou now?
Thou spake never such a word · as thou dost now.
’ ‘By my faith,’ seyde Gamelyn · ‘now me thinketh neede, 95 Of alle the harmes that I have · I tok never ar heede.
My parkes ben to-broken · and my deer bireved, Of myn armure and my steedes · nought is me bileved;
Al that my fader me biquath · al goth to schame, And therfor have thou goddes curs · brother by thy name!
’ 100 Than bispak his brother · that rape was of rees, ‘Stond stille, gadeling · and hold right thy pees;
Thou schalt be fayn for to have · thy mete and thy wede;
What spekest thou, Gamelyn · of lond other of leede?
’ 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 aȝein; _rest omit_ aȝein, _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.
þouhte; _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.
eyȝe, pleyȝe; _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.
þoughte; _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.
