Percy Manuscript, p, 284: Hales and Furnivall, II, 304.
| 1 |
In the third day of May
to Carleile did come
A kind curteous child,
that cold much of wisdome. |
| 2 |
A kirtle and a mantle
this child had vppon,
With brauches and ringes
full richelye bedone. |
| 3 |
He had a sute of silke,
about his middle drawne;
Without he cold of curtesye,
he thought itt much shame. |
| 4 |
'God speed thee, King Arthur,
sitting att thy meate!
And the goodly Queene Gueneuer!
I cannott her forgett. |
| 5 |
'I tell you lords in this hall,
I hett you all heede,
Except you be the more surer,
is you for to dread.' |
| 6 |
He plucked out of his potewer,
and longer wold not dwell,
He pulled forth a pretty mantle,
betweene two nut-shells. |
| 7 |
'Haue thou here, King Arthure,
haue thou heere of mee;
Giue itt to thy comely queene,
shapen as itt is alreadye. |
| 8 |
'Itt shall neuer become that wiffe
that hath once done amisse:'
Then euery knight in the kings court
began to care for his. |
| 9 |
Forth came dame Gueneuer,
to the mantle shee her bed;
The ladye shee was new-fangle,
but yett shee was affrayd. |
| 10 |
When shee had taken the mantle,
shee stoode as she had beene madd;
It was from the top to the toe
as sheeres had itt shread. |
| 11 |
One while was itt gaule,
another while was itt greene;
another while was itt wadded;
ill itt did her beseeme. |
| 12 |
Another while was it blacke,
and bore the worst hue;
'By my troth,' quoth King Arthur,
'I thinke thou be not true.' |
| 13 |
Shee threw downe the mantle,
that bright was of blee,
Fast with a rudd redd
to her chamber can shee flee. |
| 14 |
Shee curst the weauer and the walker
that clothe that had wrought,
And bade a vengeance on his crowne
that hither hath itt brought. |
| 15 |
'I had rather be in a wood,
vnder a greene tree,
Then in King Arthurs court
shamed for to bee.' |
| 16 |
Kay called forth his ladye,
and bade her come neere;
Saies, 'Madam, and thou be guiltye,
I pray thee hold thee there.' |
| 17 |
Forth came his ladye
shortlye and anon,
Boldlye to the mantle
then is shee gone. |
| 18 |
When she had tane the mantle,
and cast it her about,
Then was shee bare
all aboue the buttocckes. |
| 19 |
Then euery knight
that was in the kings court
Talked, laughed, and showted,
full oft att that sport. |
| 20 |
Shee threw downe the mantle,
that bright was of blee,
Ffast with a red rudd
to her chamber can shee flee. |
| 21 |
Forth came an old knight,
pattering ore a creede,
And he proferred to this little boy
twenty markes to his meede, |
| 22 |
And all the time of the Christmasse
willinglye to feede;
For why, this mantle might
doe his wiffe some need. |
| 23 |
When shee had tane the mantle,
of cloth that was made,
Shee had no more left on her
but a tassell and a threed:
Then euery knight in the kings court
bade euill might shee speed. |
| 24 |
Shee threw downe the mantle,
that bright was of blee,
And fast with a redd rudd
to her chamber can shee flee. |
| 25 |
Craddocke called forth his ladye,
and bade her come in;
Saith, 'Winne this mantle, ladye,
with a litle dinne. |
| 26 |
'Winne this mantle, ladye,
and it shalbe thine
If thou neuer did amisse
since thou wast mine.' |
| 27 |
Forth came Craddockes ladye
shortlye and anon,
But boldlye to the mantle
then is shee gone. |
| 28 |
When shee had tane the mantle,
and cast itt her about,
Vpp att her great toe
itt began to crinkle and crowt;
Shee said, 'Bowe downe, mantle,
and shame me not for nought. |
| 29 |
'Once I did amisse,
I tell you certainlye,
When I kist Craddockes mouth
vnder a greene tree,
When I kist Craddockes mouth
before he marryed mee.' |
| 30 |
When shee had her shreeuen,
and her sines shee had tolde,
The mantle stoode about her
right as shee wold; |
| 31 |
Seemelye of coulour,
glittering like gold;
Then euery knight in Arthurs court
did her behold. |
| 32 |
Then spake dame Gueneuer
to Arthur our king:
'She hath tane yonder mantle,
not with wright but with wronge! |
| 33 |
'See you not yonder woman
that maketh her selfe soe clene?
I haue seene tane out of her bedd
of men fiueteene; |
| 34 |
'Preists, clarkes, and wedded men,
from her by-deene;
Yett she taketh the mantle,
and maketh her-selfe cleane!' |
| 35 |
Then spake the litle boy
that kept the mantle in hold;
Sayes 'King, chasten thy wiffe;
of her words shee is to bold. |
| 36 |
'Shee is a bitch and a witch,
and a whore bold;
King, in thine owne hall
thou art a cuchold.' |
| 37 |
The litle boy stoode
looking ouer a dore;
He was ware of a wyld bore,
wold haue werryed a man. |
| 38 |
He pulld forth a wood kniffe,
fast thither that he ran;
He brought in the bores head,
and quitted him like a man. |
| 39 |
He brought in the bores head,
and was wonderous bold;
He said there was neuer a cucholds kniffe
carue itt that cold. |
| 40 |
Some rubbed their kniues
vppon a whetstone;
Some threw them vnder the table,
and said they had none. |
| 41 |
King Arthur and the child
stood looking them vpon;
All their kniues edges
turned backe againe. |
| 42 |
Craddoccke had a litle kniue
of iron and of steele;
He birtled the bores head
wonderous weele,
That euery knight in the kings court
had a morssell. |
| 43 |
The litle boy had a horne,
of red gold that ronge;
He said, 'There was noe cuckolde
shall drinke of my horne,
But he shold itt sheede,
either behind or beforne.' |
| 44 |
Some shedd on their shoulder,
and some on their knee;
He that cold not hitt his mouth
put it in his eye;
And he that was a cuckhold,
euery man might him see. |
| 45 |
Craddoccke wan the horne
and the bores head;
His ladye wan the mantle
vnto her meede;
Euerye such a louely ladye,
God send her well to speede! |
