When I kist Craddockes mouth
Before he marryed mee."

When shee had her shreeven,
And her sines shee had tolde,
The mantle stoode about her
Right as shee wold,

Seemelye of coulour,

Glittering like gold:

Then every knight in Arthurs court

Did her behold.

Then spake dame Guénever

To Arthur our king;

"She hath tane yonder mantle

Not with right, but with wronge.

125

130

135

That maketh her self soe 'cleane'?
I have seene tane out of her bedd

Of men fiveteene;

Priests, clarkes, and wedded men
From her, bydeene:

Yett shee taketh the mantle,
And maketh her self cleane."

MS. Ver. 134, wright. V. 136, cleare.

140

Then spake the little boy,
That kept the mantle in hold;
Sayes, "King, chasten thy wiffe,
Of her words shee is to bold:

Shee is a bitch and a witch,
And a whore bold:

King, in thine owne hall

Thou art a cuckold."

The little boy stoode
Looking out a dore;

'And there as he was lookinge
He was ware of a wyld bore.'

He was ware of a wyld bore,
Wold have werryed a man :
He pulld forth a wood kniffe,
Fast thither that he ran :
He brought in the bores head,

And quitted him like a man.

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150

155

160

He brought in the bores head,
And was wonderous bold:

He said there was never a cuckolds kniffe
Carve itt that cold.

Some rubbed their knives

165

Uppon a whetstone:

Some threw them under the table,
And said they had none.

King Arthur and the child
Stood looking them upon;
All their knives edges
Turned backe againe.

Craddocke had a little knive
Of iron and of steele ;

He britled the bores head

Wonderous weele,

That every knight in the kings court
Had a morssell.

The little boy had a horne,

Of red gold that ronge :

He said there was 66 noe cuckolde

Shall drinke of my horne,

But he shold it sheede,

170

175

180

Either behind or beforne."

Some shedd on their shoulder,

185

And some on their knee;

He that cold not hitt his mouthe,

Put it in his eye:

And he that was a cuckold

Every man might him see.

190

MS. V. 175, Or birtled.

4921.

Craddocke wan the horne,
And the bores head:

His ladie wan the mantle
Unto her meede.

Everye such a lovely ladye
God send her well to speede.

135

THE BOY AND THE MANTLE.

AS REVISED AND ALTERED BY PERCY.

Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, iii. 393.

IN Carleile dwelt King Arthur,
A prince of passing might;

And there maintain'd his table round,
Beset with many a knight.

And there he kept his Christmas

With mirth and princely cheare,

When, lo! a straunge and cunning boy
Before him did appeare.

A kirtle and a mantle

This boy had him upon,

With brooches, rings, and owches,

Full daintily bedone.

He had a sarke of silk

About his middle meet;

And thus with seemely curtesy,

He did King Arthur greet.

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