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And every knight in Arthurs court

A morsel had to taste.

The boy brought forth a horne,

All golden was the rim :

Said he, "No cuckolde ever can Set mouth unto the brim.

"No cuckold can this little horne
Lift fairly to his head;
But or on this, or that side,

He shall the liquor shed."

Some shed it on their shoulder,

Some shed it on their thigh;

And hee that could not hit his mouth, Was sure to hit his eye.

Thus he that was a cuckold,

Was known of every man:

But Cradock lifted easily,

And wan the golden can.

Thus boar's head, horn and mantle,
Were this fair couple's meed:
And all such constant lovers,

God send them well to speed.

Then down in rage came Guenever, And thus could spightful say,

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Sir king, she hath within thy hall A cuckold made of thee.

"All frolick light and wanton

She hath her carriage borne: And given thee for a kingly crown To wear a cuckold's horne."

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**The Rev. Evan Evans, editor of the Specimens of Welsh Poetry, 4to., affirmed that the story of the "Boy and the Mantle," is taken from what is related in some of the old Welsh MSS., of Tegan Earfron, one of King Arthur's mistresses. She is said to have possessed a mantle that would not fit any immodest or incontinent woman; this (which the old writers say, was reckoned among the curiosities of Britain) is frequently alluded to by the old Welsh Bards.

CARLEILE, SO often mentioned in the Ballads of King Arthur, the editor once thought might probably be a corruption of CAER-LEON, an ancient British city on the river Uske, in Monmouthshire, which was one of the places of King Arthur's chief residence; but he is now convinced that it is no other than Carlisle, in Cumberland; the old English Minstrels, being most of them Northern men, naturally represented the Hero of Romance as residing in the North: and many of the places mentioned in the Old Ballads are still 180 to be found there; as Tearne-Wadling, &c.

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Near Penrith is still seen a large circle, surrounded by a mound of earth, which retains the name of Arthur's Round Table.

XIX.

The Ancient Fragment of the Marriage of Sir Gawaine.

THE Second Poem in the Third Series, entitled "The Marriage of Sir Gawaine, having been offered to the reader with large conjectural Supplements and Corrections, the old Fragment itself is here literally and exactly printed from the Editor's folio MS. with all its defects, inaccuracies, and errata; that such austere Antiquaries as complain that the ancient copies have not been always rigidly adhered to may see how unfit for publication many of the pieces would have been if all the blunders, corruptions, and nonsense of illiterate Reciters and Transcribers had been superstitiously retained, without some attempt to correct and amend them.

This Ballad had most unfortunately suffered by having half of every leaf in this part of the MS. torn away; and, as about nine stanzas generally occur in the half-page now remaining, it is concluded that the other half contained nearly the same number of stanzas.

KINGE Arthur liues in merry Carleile and seemely is to see

and there he hath wth him Queene Genev yt bride so bright of blee

And there he hath wth him Queene Genever yt bride soe bright in bower

& all his barons about him stoode

yt were both stiffe and stowre

The K. kept a royall Christmasse of mirth & great honor

..when..

[About Nine Stanzas wanting.] And bring me word what thing it is

ye a woman most desire

this shalbe thy ransome Arthur he sayes for Ile haue noe other hier

K. Arthur then held vp his hand according thene as was the law

he tooke his leaue of the baron there and homword can he draw

And when he came to Merry Carlile
to his chamber he is gone
And ther came to him his Cozen S Gawaine
as he did make his mone

And there came to him his Cozen Sr Gawaine*
y' was a curteous knight
why sigh yo" soe sore vnckle Arthur he said
or who hath done the vnright

O peace o peace thou gentle Gawaine
yt faire may thee be ffall
for if thou knew my sighing soe deepe
thou wold not meruaile att all

Ffor when I came to tearne wadling
a bold barron there I fand
wth a great club vpon his backe
standing stiffe & strong

And he asked me wether I wold fight
or from him I shold be gone
o* else I must him a ransome pay
& soe dep't him from

To fight wth him I saw noe cause
me thought it was not meet
for he was stiffe and strong wth all
his strokes were nothing sweete

Therfor this is my ransome Gawaine
I ought to him to pay

I must come againe as I am sworne
vpon the Newyeers day

And I must bring him word what thing it is [About Nine Stanzas wanting.]

Then King Arthur drest him for to ryde in one soe rich array

towards the foresaid Tearne wadling

yt he might keepe his day

And as he rode over a more
hee see a lady where shee sate

Sic.

betwixt an oke and a greene hollen she was cladd in red scarlett

Then there as shold have stood her mouth then there was sett her eye

the other was in her forhead fast the way that she might see

Her nose was crooked & turnd outward

her mouth stood foule a wry

a worse formed lady thee shee was neuerman saw with his eye

To halch vpon him k. Arthur this lady was full faine

but k. Arthur had forgott his lesson what he should say againe

What knight art thou the lady sayd that wilt not speake tome

of me thou nothing dismayd tho I be vgly to see

for I haue halched yo" courteouslye & you will not me againe

yett I may happen S' knight shee said to ease thee of thy paine

Giue thou ease me lady he said

or helpe me any thing

thou shalt haue gentle Gawaine my cozen him wth a ring marry

&

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And then bespoke him noble Arthur & bade him hold his hands

& give me leave to speake my mind in defence of all my land

the said as I came over a More I see a lady where shee sate betweene an oke & a green hollen shee was clad in red scarlette

And she says a woman will haue her will & this is all her cheef desire doe me right as thou art a baron of sckill this is thy ransome & all thy hyer

He sayes an early vengeance light on her she walkes on yonder more

it was my sister that told thee this she is a misshapen hore

But heer Ile make mine avow to god

to do her an euill turne

for an euer I may thate fowle theefe get in a fyer I will her burne

[About Nine Stanzas wanting.]

THE SECOND PART.

SIR Lancelott & s Steven bold they rode wth them that day and the formost of the company there rode the steward Kay

Soe did S Banier & Sr Bore

Sr Garrett wth them so gay soe did S Tristeram y gentle k to the forrest fresh & gay

And when he came to the greene forrest vnderneath a greene holly tree

their sate that lady in red scarlet

And then he tooke k. Arthurs letters in his yt vnseemly was to see

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Peace coz. Kay then said Sr Gawaine amend thee of thy life

for there is a knight amongst us all yt must marry her to his wife

What wedd her to wiffe then said Sr Kay in the diuells name anon

gett me a wiffe where ere I may for I had rather be slaine

Then soome tooke vp their hawkes in hast & some tooke vp their hounds

& some sware they wold not marry her for Citty nor for towne

And then be spake him noble k. Arthur & sware there by this day

for a litle foule sight & misliking

[About Nine Stanzas wanting.]

Then shee said choose thee gentle Gawaine truth as I doe say

wether thou wilt haue me in this liknesse in the night or else in the day

And then bespake him Gentle Gawaine wth one soe mild of moode

sayes well I know what I wold say god grant it may be good

To haue thee fowle in the night
when I wth thee shold play
yet I had rather if I might
haue thee fowle in the day

What when Lords goe wth ther seires* shee said

both to the Ale and wine

alas then I must hyde my selfe

I must not goe withinne

And then bespake him gentle gawaine said Lady thats but a skill

And because thou art my owne lady thou shalt haue all thy will

My father was an old knight

& yett it chanced soe
that he married a younge lady

y' brought me to this woe

Shee witched me being a faire young Lady to the greene forrest to dwell

& there I must walke in womans liknesse most like a feeind of hell

She witched my brother to a Carlist B.... [About Nine Stanzas wanting.]

that looked soe foule & that was wont
on the wild more to goe

Come kisse her Brother Kay then said Sr Gawaine

& amend the of thy liffe

I sweare this is the same lady
yt I marryed to my wiffe.

Sr Kay kissed that lady bright
standing vpon his ffeete
he swore as he was trew knight
the spice was neuer so sweete

Well Coz. Gawaine says S' Kay
thy chance is fallen arright

for thou hast gotten one of the fairest maids

I euer saw wth my sight

It is my fortune said St Gawaine

for my Vnckle Arthurs sake

I am glad as grasse wold be of raine
great Joy that I may take

Sr Gawaine tooke the lady by the one arme
Sr Kay tooke her by the tother
they led her straight to k. Arthur
as they were brother & brother

K. Arthur welcomed them there all
& soe did lady Geneuer his queene
wth all the knights of the round table

Then she said blesed be thou gentle Gawaine most seemly to be seene

this day yt I thee see

for as thou see me att this time

from hencforth I wilbe

Sic in MS. pro feires, i. e. Mates.

K. Arthur beheld that lady faire
that was soe faire & bright
he thanked christ in trinity
for S Gawaine that gentle knight

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