280

"All frolick light and wanton

She hath her carriage borne:

And given thee for a kingly crown To wear a cuckold's horne."

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 Arthurs 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 to be found there; as TearneWadling, &c.

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

The Second Poem in the third Series, intitled "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

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

ot 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 & 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

281

282

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 misshappen 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 & sr Steven bold they rode with them that day and the formost of the company there rode the steward Kay

Soe did Sr Banier & Sr Bore

Sr Garrett with them so gay soe did Sr Tristeram yt gentle kt 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 yt vnseemly was to see

Sr Kay beheld this Ladys face & looked vppon her suire

whosoeuer kisses this lady he sayes of his kisse he stands in feare

Sr Kay beheld the lady againe & looked vpon her snout whosoeuer kisses this lady he saies of his kisse he stands in doubt

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.]

• Sic MS.

All sad beneath a neighbouring tree
A beauteous maid he found,

Who beat her breast, and with her tears
Bedew'd the mossy ground.

"O weep not, lady, weep not so;
Nor let vain fears alarm;
My little cell shall shelter thee,
And keep thee safe from harm."

"It is not for myself I weep,
Nor for myself I fear;

But for my dear and only friend,
Who lately left me here:

"And while some sheltering bower he sought Within this lonely wood,

Ah! sore I fear his wandering feet
Have slipt in yonder flood."

"O! trust in Heaven," the Hermit said,
"And to my cell repair!

Doubt not but I shall find thy friend,
And ease thee of thy care."

Then climbing up his rocky stairs,
He scales the cliff so high;
And calls aloud, and waves his light
To guide the stranger's eye.

Among the thickets long he winds,
With careful steps and slow:
At length a voice return'd his call,
Quick answering from below:

"O tell me, father, tell me true,
If you have chanc'd to see

A gentle maid, I lately left
Beneath some neighbouring tree:

"But either I have lost the place,
Or she hath gone astray:
And much I fear this fatal stream
Hath snatch'd her hence away."

"Praise Heaven, my son," the Hermit said; The lady's safe and well:"

And soon he join'd the wandering youth,
And brought him to his cell.

Then well was seen, these gentle friends,
They lov'd each other dear :

The youth he press'd her to his heart;
The maid let fall a tear.

Ah! seldom had their host, I ween,
Bebeld so sweet a pair :

The youth was tall, with manly bloom;
She, slender, soft, and fair.

The youth was clad in forest green,
With bugle-horn so bright:

She in a silken robe and scarf,
Snatch'd up in hasty flight.

"Sit down, my children," says the sage; "Sweet rest your limbs require :" Then heaps fresh fuel on the hearth, And mends his little fire.