The Tale of Gamelyn
Folio 55r
2 of 21 folios
Takeþ hede to þat one as wele as to þe toþer
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Selde ȝe see any heire helpen his broþer
Tho lete þei þe knyht lyen þat was nouht in hele
And wenten in to counseil his londes for to dele
For to delen hem al to one þat was her þouhte .
And for gamelin was ȝongest he schold haue nouht
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Aƚƚ þe londe þat þer was þei dalten it in tuo
And leten Gamelyn þe ȝonge wiþ owten lande go
And iche of hem seide to oþere ful loude
His breþerne mow ȝeuen him londe whan he goode coude
Whan þei hadde deled þe lond att þeire wiƚƚ
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They comen to þe knyht þere he laie ful stiƚƚ
And tolde him anone howe þei had wrouht
And þe knyht þere he laie liked it riht nouht
¶ Than seide þe knyht be seinte Martine
For al þat ȝe haue done ȝit is þe londe myne
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For goddes loue neyboures stondeþ al stiƚƚ
And .I. wiƚƚ delen my londe riht after my wiƚƚ
Iohñ myne eldest son schal haue ploues fiue
Þat was my faders heritage while he was on lyue
And my meddelest soū~ fiue plowhes of londe
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That .I. helpe for to geten wiþ my riht honde
And al myn oþere purchas of londes & of ledes
That .I. be quethe Gamelyne & al my goode stedes
And .I. be seeke ȝowe good men þat lawe conne of londe
For Gamelyn loue þat my quest stonde
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¶ Thus dalte þe knyht his londe be his daye
Riht on his deþe bed seke þere he laye
And sone afterward he laye stone stiƚƚ
And deide whan time came as it was cristes wiƚƚ
Anone as he was dede & vnder gars graue
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Sone þe alder broþer giled þe ȝonge knaue
And toke in to his honde his londe & his lede
And Gamelin him selfe to cle & to fede
He cloþed him & fedde yuel . & eke wroþe
And lete his for fare & his housez boþe
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His Parkes & his wodes & dide no þinge wel
And seþþen he it abouhte on his faire fel
So longe was Gamelin in his broþers haƚƚ
For þe strongest of good wiƚƚ þei douten him aƚƚ
Ne was þere none þer inne ȝonge ne olde
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That wold wreþþe ware he neuer so bolde
¶ Gamelyn stode vpon a daie in his broþere ȝerde
And be gan wiþ his honde to handel his berde
He þouhte on his londes þat layen vnsawe
And his faire Okes þat doune were drawe
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His parkes were broken & his dere reuede
Of aƚƚ his goode stedes was none him be leuede
His howses weren vnhelde & ful yuel y diht
Tho þouht Gamelyn it wente nouht a riht
Afterwarde cam his broþer walkinge þere
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And seide to Gamelin is oure mete ȝere
Þo him wreþþed Gamelyn & suore be goddes boke
Thou schalt go bake þi selfe .I. wil nouȝt be þi koke
Howe broþer Gamelyn howe answeres þou nowe
Thou spak neuer suche a worde as þou dost nowe
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Be my faiþe seide Gamelin now me þenkeþ nede
Of al þe harmes þat .I. haue .I. toke neuer are hede
My parkes bene broken & myn dere be reuede
Of myne armoure & my stedes nouht is me be leued
Al þat my Fader me be quathe al goþe to schame
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And þer for haue þou goddes curse broþer be þii name
¶ Than be spakke his broþer þat rape was of rees
Stond stiƚƚ gedelinge & hold riht þi pes
Thou schalt be faine for to haue þi mete & þi wede
What spekest þou gamelin of londe or of lede
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Than seide Gameline þe childe þat was ȝinge
Cristes curs mot he haue þat clepeþ in gedelinge
.I. am no wers gadelyn ne no wers whyght
Bot borne of lady & geten of a knyht
Ne dorste he nouht to Gamelyin neere a fote go
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Bot cleped to him his men & seide to hem þo
Goþe & bete þis boye & reueþ him his witte
And lat him leren anoþer time to answere me bitte
Than seide þe childe ȝonge Gamelyn
Cristes curs most þou haue broþer art þou myne .
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And if schal algate be beten a none
Cristes curs must þou haue bot þou be þat one
And anon his broþer in þat grete hete
Made his men to fet staues Gamelin for to bete
Whan euery of hem had a staf ynome
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Gamely was war þoo he sey hem comen
Tho Gamelyn seye hem com he loked ouere aƚƚ
And was ware of a pestel stondeinge vnder a waƚƚ