GUY OF WARWICK, the hero of one of the most ancient and popular of early English metrical romances. It is a pure ly English story of the 13th century, re lated to the Dano-Saxon romance of "Havelok" by its allusions to Danish wars in England, and to the French "King Horn" by its adoption of some of the more striking incidents in that story. Its authorship may be due to Walter of Exeter, a 13th-century Franciscan monk, but it has undoubtedly been improved by some French or Norman minstrel. The story has close affinity with that of Guido Tyrius in the "Gesta Romano rum." The hero, Sir Guy of Warwick, is son of Segard, steward of Rohand, Earl of Warwick; his instructor in the exercises of chivalry, the famous Herand of Ardenne. Having fallen deeply in love with Felice, the daughter of the earl, he was promised her hand when he earned it by knightly deeds. In the tournament at Rouen he vanquished every competitor and was equally suc cessful in Spain and Lombardy. In Eng land he overcame the famous Dun Cow, but his haughty mistress was still un satisfied. He went to Constantinople to save the Emperor Ernis from the Sara cens, slew the mighty Coldran, and scat tered his huge army. The grateful em peror pressed on him the hand of his lovely daughter and heiress Loret, but, faithful to Felice, Sir Guy tore himself away, and returned to his native country, when he heard of a dragon ravaging Northumberland. He hastened to meet
the monster, slew him, and carried his head to King Athelstan, at Lincoln. The fair Felice had now no scruple to marry the hero. But remorse for all the slaughter he had done merely for a woman's love began to seize him, and after 40 brief days of wedded happiness he left his home in the dress of a palmer to visit the Holy Land. Here he rescued Earl Jonas from his dungeon, and slew the ferocious giant Amiraunt, after which he returned to England to find Athelstan besieged in Winchester by the Danish Anlaf, of whose army the main stay was the terrible Colbrand. Sir Guy, still in his disguise, after a pro longed and awful struggle, succeeded in striking off the champion's head. He now visited his wife all unknown in his palmer's weeds, and then retired to a hermitage at the place still called Guy's Cliff, near Warwick. Before his death he sent her parting ring as a token to Felice, and she arrived in time to close his eyes, survived him for but 15 days, and was buried in the same grave.