Page:Gesta Romanorum - Swan - Wright - 1.djvu/472

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NOTES.

mon in the earlier stages of our poetry. It begins thus:—

"Listeneth all, and hearkeneth me,
Young and old-e, bond and free,
And I you tellen soon,
How a stout man, gent and free,
Began this world-es weal to flee,
Yborn he was in Rome.

"In Rom-e was a doughty man,
That was yclept Eufemian,
Man of much might;
Gold and silver he had enows,
Hall and bowers, oxen and plows,
And very well it dight."

When Alexius returns home in disguise, and asks his father about his son, the father's feelings are thus described.

"So soon as he spake of his son,
The good man as was his wone[1],
Gan to sigh sore;
His heart fell as cold as stone,
The tears fellen to his ton[2],
On his beard hoar.

  1. Wont.
  2. Toes.