Английские легенды / English Legends - стр. 6

“Lords and gentlemen, I may no longer live; but I pray, for my sake[27], to help me to divide my lands among my three sons. For the love of God, do it justly, and forget not my youngest, Gamelyn. Seldom does any heir to an estate help his brothers after his father’s death.”

The friends whom Sir John had invited thought long over the disposal of the estate. Most of them wanted to give all to the eldest son, but a strong minority said they must not forget the second. They all agreed, however, that Gamelyn might wait till his eldest brother chose to give him a share of his father’s lands. At last it was decided to divide the inheritance between the two elder sons, and the knights returned to the room where the brave old knight lay dying, and told him their decision. He summoned up strength[28] enough to protest against their plan, and said:

“No, by Lord, I can yet leave my lands to whom I wish: they still are mine. Then be silent, neighbours, while I make my will. To John, my eldest son, and heir, I leave five ploughlands, my dead father’s heritage; and same to my second, which I myself won in battles; everything else I own, in lands and goods and wealth, goes to Gamelyn, my youngest. And I ask you, for the love of God, not to forsake, but guard his helpless youth and let him not be denied his wealth.”

Then Sir John, satisfied with having proclaimed his will, died with Christian resignation, leaving his little son Gamelyn in the power of the cruel eldest brother, now, in his turn, Sir John.

Since the boy was very young, the new knight, as a natural guardian, got the control of Gamelyn’s land, vassals, education, and nurture; but he did not fulfil his duty, for he clothed and fed the boy badly, and neglected his lands, so that his parks and houses, his farms and villages, fell into decay[29]. The boy, when he grew older, noticed this and tried to change it, but did not realise the power in himself with which he tried to redress the wrongs[30]. Later, though, he fully understood what injuries he could inflict others, so no man would dare to face him in fight when he was angry, so strong a youth had he become.

While Gamelyn, one day, walking in the hall, was thinking of the ruin of all his inheritance, Sir John came in, and, seeing him, called out: “How now: is dinner ready?”

Furious at being addressed as if he were just a servant, Gamelyn replied angrily: “Go and do your own baking; I am not your cook.”

Sir John was astonished. “What, my dear brother, is that the way to answer? You have never addressed me so before!”