"Ycryid a wraftling,
"And therefore fhalle ben yfett

"A ram and als a ring.

"Mochè worship it were fothly "Brothir unto us all,

"Might I the ram and als the ring,

Bringin home to the hall.

"A ftede there was fadilid

"Smarth was it and eke flete

66

Gamelyn diddin a peire of
Sporis faft on his fete

"He fat his fote in the stirrop,

"The ftedè he bestrode,

"And towardis the wraftiling

"The yongè childè rode.

"Tho Gamelyn the yongè was

"Riddin out at the gate

"The false knight his own brothir

"Lokid it aftir thate

"And he befoughtin Jefus Chrift,

"That is of hevin King,

"That he mightè (a) brekin his nek

"In that ilk wraftiling.

"Affone as Gamelyn came there

"The wraftling place was

"He lightid down of the stede,

"And stodin on the gras.

[truly]

[ilk, fame]

(a) Oliver, when Charles the wrestler mention'd Orlan do's intention of wrestling with him, in fcene the third of this aft; bid him ufe his discretion, and told him, "he "had as lief he did break his neck, as his finger."

"And ther he heard a frankelyn
"Weloway for to fing
"And beganin all bitterly
"His handis for to wring.
"Godè man, feide Gamelyn

"Why makift thou this fare?

"Is there no man that may you help

"Out of this nice care?

"Alas! feide this frankelyn

"That evir I was bore

"For tweie Stalworthè fonis
"I wene I have forlore.
"A champion is in the place,
"That has wroughtin me forrow,
"For he hath flayn my two fonis,
"But if that God them borrow
"I wolde givin ten poundis,
"Be Jefu Chrift and more,
"With the nonis I fond a man
"To handilin him fore.

"Gode man feidè Gamelyn

"Wilt thou this wele done,

[brave, fout] [forlore, loft]

"Holde my hors, while that my man

"Ydrawith of my fhone,

"And help my man alfo to kepe
t My clothis and my stede,
"And I woll into the place gon
"And loke how I may spede.
"By God, feidè the frankelyn
"It fhall right fo be don.
"I woll my selfin be thy man,
"To drawin of thy fhone.

And wende you into the place,

" Sweet

"Sweet Jefu Crift the fpede,

"And dredè noght of thy clothis,
"Nor of thy godè ftede.
"Barefote and ungert Gamelyn
"Into the ringê came,"
"Allè that werin in the place
" Hedin of him the name,
"How he durstin aventure him
"On him to done his might,
"That was fo doughti a champion
"In wraftling and in fight.
"Upftertè tho the champion
"Full rapely right anon
"Towardis young Gamelyn

"He tho began to gon
"And feide who is thy fadir,
"And who is eke thy fire?
"Forfothè thou art a grete fole,
"For that thou camift hire.
"Anon Gamelyn anfwerid
"The ftout champion tho

[rapely, quickly]

"Thou knewift full wele my fadir

While that he couthe go

"Whilis that he was on live, "I fwere by Seint Martyn

"Sir John of Boundis was his name,

"And I am Gamelyn.

"Felawe, feide the champion, "So evir more I thrive,

"I knew right welè thy fadir "While that he was on live.

"And thy felfin yongè Gamelyn,

M 4

"I will

"I will that thou it here,

"Whilis thou wert a youngè boy,
"A mochè fhrew thou were.
"Then feidè yongè Gamelyn,
"And fwore by Christ'is ore,
"Now am I older wox thou fhalt
66 Yfindin me a more.

"Be God feide the champion
"Welcome motè thou be,
"Comè thou onys in my hande,
"Shaltin thou nevir (a) the.
"It was welè within the night,
"And bright the monè fhone,
"Whan Gamelyn and the champion
Togidir gan to gon.

"The champion caftè tornis "To Gamelyn that was prest "And Gamelyn stodin stillè, "And bad him don his best. "Then feidè yongè Gamelyn

[the, thrive]

"Unto the champion,

"Now that I have fully provid

"Thou mostin seide, Gamelyn

"Many tornis of thine, [tornis a turn, or fleight

"Prove one or two of myn.

Gamelyn to the champion

"Yede smartily anon,

in wrestling]

[yede, went]

(a) The reply of Charles the wrestler to Oliver was to the fame purpose. "I am heartily glad (fays he) I came "hither to you; if he come to morrow, I'll give him his "payment: if he ever go alone again, I'll never wrestle "for prize more.".

"Of

"Of all the tornis that he coude

"He fhewid him but one,

"And kefte him on the liftè fide

"That thre ribbis to brake
"And thereunto his left arme,
"That gave a grette, crak.
"Then feidè yongè Gamelyn,
"Smertly to him anon,

"Shall it be holdin for a caft,
"Or ellis go for none.

"Bi God feide the champion "Whedir fo that it be,

"He that ones comith in thyn hand

"Shallin he nevir the.

"Than faidè the frankelyn that
"Thre fonis there had lore,
"Bleffid be thou yong Gamelyn,
"That evir thou wert bore.
"For now unto the champion,
"This have I for to feie,
"This is the yongè Gamelyn,
"That taughtè thè to pleie.
"Ayen anfwerde the champion,
"That likid nothyng well,
"He is alle their maiftir, and
"His pleiè is right fell,

"Sithin that I wraftilid first

[loft]

"Alone