Then some their whittles rubbed
On whetstone, and on hone:
Some threwe them under the table,
And swore that they had none.

Sir Cradock had a little knife,
Of steel and iron made;
And in an instant thro' the skull
He thrust the shining blade.

He thrust the shining blade
Full easily and fast;

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, "Sir Cradock's wife most wrongfully "Hath borne the prize away.

"See yonder shameless woman,

That makes herselfe so clean :

"Yet from her pillow taken

"Thrice five gallants have been.

"Priests, clarkes, and wedded men,
"Have her lewd pillow prest:
"Yet she the wonderous prize forsooth
"Must beare from all the rest."
Then bespake the little boy,

Who had the same in hold:
"Chastize thy wife, king Arthur,
"Of speech she is too bold:

"Of speech she is too bold,

"Of carriage all too free;
Sir king, she hath within thy hall
"A cuckold made of thee.

"All frolick light and wanton

66

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

THE ANCIENT FRAGMENT OF THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE.

A POEM in this Volume, 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 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

y' 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

y 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 S Gawaine1

yt was a curteous knight

why sigh you soe sore vnckle Arthur he said

or who hath done thee vnright

peace o peace thou gentle Gawaine yt faire may thee be fall

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

with a great club vpon his backe standing stiffe & strong

And he asked me wether I wold fight

or from him I shold be gone

02 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 stifle & strong wth all
his strokes were nothing sweete

1 Sic.

2 Sic.

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

toward the foresaid Tearne wadling

y' he might keepe his day.

And as he rode over a more

hee see a lady where shee sate

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 then shee was neuerman saw wth his eye

To halch vpon him k. Arthur

this lady was full faine

but k. Arthur had forgott his lesson

what he shold 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" curteouslye

& 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

& marry him wth a ring

Why if I helpe thee not thou noble k. Arthur

of thy owne hearts desiringe

of gentle Gawaine . . . . . .

[About Nine Stanzas wanting.]

And when he came to the tearne wadling

the baron there cold he srinde1

And then he tooke k. Arthurs letters in his hands

& away he cold them fling

& then he puld out a good browne sword

& cryd himselfe a k.

And he sayd I haue thee & thy land Arthur

to doe as it pleaseth me

for this is not thy ransome sure

therfore yeeld thee to me

And then bespoke him noble Arthur

& bad 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 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

1 Sic MS.

[About Nine Stanzas wanting.]

2 Sic MS.