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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ROBYN AND GANDELEYN by ANONYMOUS

First Line: I HERDE A CARPYING OF A CLERK
Last Line: ROBYN LY OETH IN GRENE WODE BOWNDYN
I herde a carpying of a clerk
Al at oeone wodes ende
Of gode Robyn and Gandeleyn;
Was oeer non ooeer oeynge.
Robynn lyth in grene wode bowndyn.
Stronge theuys wern oeo chylderin non
But bowmen gode and hende,
He wentyn to wode to getyn hem fleych
If God wold it hem sende.
Al day wentyn OEe chylderin too
And fleych fowndyn he non
Til it were ageyn euyn;
OEe chylderin wold gon hom.
Half an honderid of fat falyf der
He comyn aoeon,
And alle he wern fayr and fat inow
But markyd was oeer non;
Be dere God, seyde gode Robyn,
Here of we shul haue on.
Robyn bent his joly bowe,
OEer in he set a flo;
OEe fattest der of alle
OEe herte he clef a to.
He hadde not oee der iflawe
Ne half out of oee hyde,
OEere cam a schrewde arwe out of oee west
OEat felde Robertes pryde.
Gandeleyn lokyd hym est and west
Be euery syde:
Hoo hat myn mayster slayin?
Ho hat don oeis dede?
Shal I neuer out of grene wode go
Til I se [his] sydis blede.
Gandeleyn lokyd hym est and lokyd west,
And sowt vnder oee sunne;
He saw a lytil boy
He clepyn Wrennok of Donne.
A good bowe in his hond,
A brod arwe oeer ine,
And fowre and twenti goode arwys
Trusyd in a oerumme:
Be war oee, war oee, Gandeleyn,
Her of oeu shalt han summe.
Be war oee, war oee, Gandeleyn,
Her of oeu, gyst plente.
Euer on for an ooeer, seyde Gandeleyn;
Mysaunter haue he shal fle.
Qwer at shal our marke be?
Seyde Gandeleyn:
Eueryche at ooeeris herte,
Seyde Wrennock ageyn.
Ho shal oeeue oee ferste schote?
Seyde Gandeleyn:
And I shal oeeue oee on be forn,
Seyde Wrennok ageyn.
Wrennock schette a ful good schote,
And he schet not to hye;
OErow the sanchooeis of his bryk;
It towchyd neyoeer thye.
Now hast oeu oeouyn me on be forn,
Al oeus to Wrennock seyde he,
And oerow oee myoet of our lady
A bettere I shal oeeue oee.
Gandeleyn bent his goode bowe
And set oeer in a flo;
He schet oerow his grene certyl,
His herte he clef on too.
Now shalt oeu neuer oeelpe, Wrennok,
At ale ne at wyn,
OEat oeu hast slawe goode Robyn
And his knaue Gandeleyn.
Now shalt oeu neuer oeelpe, Wrennok,
At wyn ne at ale,
OEat oeu hast slawe goode Robyn
And Gandeleyn his knaue.
Robyn ly oeth in grene wode bowndyn.



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