I.
THE BOY AND THE MANTLE
Is printed verbatim from the old MS. described in the Preface.[2] The Editor believes it more ancient than it will appear to be at first sight; the transcriber of that manuscript having reduced the orthography and style in many instances to the standard of his own times.
The incidents of the _Mantle and the Knife_ have not, that I can recollect, been borrowed from any other writer. The former of these evidently suggested to Spenser his conceit of _Florimel's Girdle_, b. iv. c. 5, st. 3.
"That girdle gave the virtue of chaste love And wivehood true to all that did it beare; But whosoever contrarie doth prove, Might not the same about her middle weare, But it would loose or else asunder teare."
So it happened to the false Florimel, st. 16, when
"Being brought, about her middle small They thought to gird, as best it her became, But by no means they could it thereto frame, For ever as they fastned it, it loos'd And fell away, as feeling secret blame, &c. That all men wondred at the uncouth sight And each one thought as to their fancies came. But she herself did think it done for spight, And touched was with secret wrath and shame Therewith, as thing deviz'd her to defame: Then many other ladies likewise tride About their tender loynes to knit the same, But it would not on none of them abide, But when they thought it fast, eftsoones it was untide. Thereat all knights gan laugh and ladies lowre, Till that at last the gentle Amoret Likewise assayed to prove that girdle's powre. And having it about her middle set Did find it fit withouten breach or let, Whereat the rest gan greatly to envie. But Florimel exceedingly did fret And snatching from her hand," &c.
As for the trial of the _Horne_, it is not peculiar to our poet: it occurs in the old romance, intitled _Morte Arthur_, which was translated out of French in the time of K. Edw. IV., and first printed anno 1484. From that romance Ariosto is thought to have borrowed his tale of the _Enchanted Cup_, c. 42, &c. See Mr. Warton's _Observations on the Faerie Queen_, &c.
The story of the _Horn_ in _Morte Arthur_ varies a good deal from this of our poet, as the reader will judge from the following extract:--"By the way they met with a knight that was sent from Morgan la Faye to king Arthur, and this knight had a fair horne all garnished with gold, and the horne had such a virtue, that there might no ladye or gentlewoman drinke of that horne, but if she were true to her husband: and if shee were false she should spill all the drinke, and if shee were true unto her lorde, shee might drink peaceably: and because of queene Guenever and in despite of Sir Launcelot du Lake, this horne was sent unto king Arthur." This horn is intercepted and brought unto another king named Marke, who is not a whit more fortunate than the British hero, for he makes "his qeene drinke thereof and an hundred ladies moe, and there were but foure ladies of all those that drank cleane," of which number the said queen proves not to be one (book ii. chap. 22, ed. 1632).
In other respects the two stories are so different, that we have just reason to suppose this ballad was written before that romance was translated into English.
As for queen Guenever, she is here represented no otherwise than in the old histories and romances. Holinshed observes, that "she was evil reported of, as noted of incontinence and breach of faith to hir husband" (vol. i. p. 93).
Such readers, as have no relish for pure antiquity, will find a more modern copy of this ballad at the end of the volume.
* * * * *
[For Percy's further notes on this ballad see the modernized version (book iii. No. 18). Professor Child prints the ballad in his _English and Scottish Ballads_ (vol. i. p. 1) with a full notice of the various forms of the story by way of introduction. He writes:--"No incident is more common in romantic fiction than the employment of some magical contrivance as a test of conjugal fidelity, or of constancy in love. In some romances of the Round Table, and tales founded upon them, this experiment is performed by means either of an enchanted horn, of such properties that no dishonoured husband or unfaithful wife can drink from it without spilling, or of a mantle which will fit none but chaste women. The earliest known instances of the use of these ordeals are afforded by the _Lai du Corn_, by Robert Bikez, a French minstrel of the twelfth or thirteenth century, and the _Fabliau du Mantel_ _Mautaillé_, which, in the opinion of a competent critic, dates from the second half of the thirteenth century, and is only the older lay worked up into a new shape (Wolf, _Ueber die Lais_, 327, sq., 342, sq.). We are not to suppose, however, that either of these pieces presents us with the primitive form of this humorous invention. Robert Bikez tells us that he learned his story from an abbot, and that 'noble ecclesiast' stood but one further back in a line of tradition which curiosity will never follow to its source."
Here follows a list of "the most remarkable cases of the use of these and similar talismans in imaginative literature." To these may be added the garland described in the curious old story of the _Wright's Wife_, which has been printed since the publication of Mr. Child's work.
"Haue here thys garlond of roses ryche, In alle thys lond ys none yt lyche; For ytt wylle euer be newe. Wete þou wele withowtyn fable, Alle the whyle thy wyfe ys stable The chaplett wolle hold hewe; And yf thy wyfe vse putry, Or tolle eny man to lye her by, Than wolle yt change hewe; And by the garlond þou may see, Fekylle or fals yf þat sche be, Or ellys yf sche be trewe."
_The Wright's Chaste Wife_ (E. E. Text Soc. 1865, 1. 55-66).]
* * * * *
In the third day of may, To Carleile did come A kind curteous child, That cold[3] much of wisdome.
A kirtle and a mantle 5 This child had uppon, With 'brouches' and ringes[4] Full richelye bedone.[5]
He had a sute of silke About his middle drawne; 10 Without he cold of curtesye He thought itt much shame.
God speed thee, king Arthur, Sitting at thy meate: And the goodly queene Guenéver, 15 I cannott her forgett.
I tell you, lords, in this hall; I hett[6] you all to 'heede';[7] Except you be the more surer Is you for to dread. 20
He plucked out of his 'poterner,'[8][9] And longer wold not dwell, He pulled forth a pretty mantle, Betweene two nut-shells.
Have thou here, king Arthur; 25 Have thou heere of mee: Give itt to thy comely queene Shapen as itt is alreadye.
Itt shall never become that wiffe, That hath once done amisse. 30 Then every knight in the kings court Began to care for 'his.'[10]
Forth came dame Guénever; To the mantle shee her 'hied';[11] The ladye shee was newfangle, 35 But yett shee was affrayd.
When shee had taken the mantle; She stoode as shee had beene madd: It was from the top to the toe As sheeres had itt shread. 40
One while was itt 'gule';[12][13] Another while was itt greene; Another while was itt wadded:[14] Ill itt did her beseeme.
Another while was it blacke 45 And bore the worst hue: By my troth, quoth king Arthur, I thinke thou be not true.
Shee threw downe the mantle, That bright was of blee;[15] 50 Fast with a rudd[16] redd, To her chamber can[17] shee flee.
She curst the weaver, and the walker,[18] That clothe that had wrought; And bade a vengeance on his crowne, 55 That hither hath itt brought.
I had rather be in a wood, Under a greene tree; Then in king Arthurs court Shamed for to bee. 60
Kay called forth his ladye, And bade her come neere; Saies, Madam, and thou be guiltye, I pray thee hold thee there.
Forth came his ladye 65 Shortlye and anon; Boldlye to the mantle Then is shee gone.
When she had tane the mantle, And cast it her about; 70 Then was shee bare 'Before all the rout.'[19]
Then every knight, That was in the kings court, Talked, laughed, and showted[20] 75 Full oft att that sport.
Shee threw downe the mantle, That bright was of blee; Fast, with a red rudd, To her chamber can[1] shee flee. 80
Forth came an old knight Pattering ore a creede, And he proferred to this litle boy Twenty markes to his meede;
And all the time of the Christmasse 85 Willinglye to ffeede; For why this mantle might Doe his wiffe some need.
When she had tane the mantle, Of cloth that was made, 90 Shee had no more left on her, But a tassell and a threed: Then every knight in the kings court Bade evill might shee speed.
Shee threw downe the mantle, 95 That bright was of blee; And fast, with a redd rudd, To her chamber can[21] shee flee.
Craddocke called forth his ladye, And bade her come in; 100 Saith, Winne this mantle, ladye, With a litle dinne.
Winne this mantle, ladye, And it shal be thine, If thou never did amisse 105 Since thou wast mine.
Forth came Craddockes ladye Shortlye and anon; But boldlye to the mantle Then is shee gone. 110
When shee had tane the mantle, And cast itt her about, Upp att her great toe It began to crinkle and crowt:[22] Shee said, bowe downe, mantle, 115 And shame me not for nought.
Once I did amisse, I tell you certainlye, When I kist Craddockes mouth Under a greene tree; 120 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 125 Right as shee wold:
Seemelye of coulour Glittering like gold: Then every knight in Arthurs court Did her behold. 130
Then spake dame Guénever To Arthur our king; She hath tane yonder mantle Not with right, but with wronge.[23]
See you not yonder woman, 135 That maketh her self soe 'cleane'?[24] I have seene tane out of her bedd Of men fiveteene;
Priests, clarkes, and wedded men From her bedeene:[25][26] 140 Yett shee taketh the mantle, And maketh her self cleane.
Then spake the litle boy, That kept the mantle in hold; Sayes, king, chasten thy wiffe, 145 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. 150
The litle boy stoode[27] Looking out a dore;[28] [And there as he was lookinge He was ware of a wyld bore.]
He was ware of a wyld bore,[29] 155 Wold have werryed a man:[29] He pulld forth a wood kniffe, Fast thither that he ran: He brought in the bores head, And quitted him like a man. 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 upon them; All their knives edges Turned backe againe.[30] 170
Craddocke had a litle knive Of iron and of steele; He britled[31] the bores head[32] 175 Wonderous weele; That every knight in the kings court Had a morssell.
The litle boy had a horne, Of red gold that ronge: 180 He said, there was noe cuckolde Shall drinke of my horne; But he shold it sheede[33] 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
Craddocke wan the horne, And the bores head: His ladie wan the mantle Unto her meede. Everye such a lovely ladye 195 God send her well to speede.
FOOTNOTES:
[2] [Percy folio MS. ed. Hales and Furnivall, vol. ii. pp. 301-311.]
[3] [knew.]
[4] Ver. 7. branches, MS.
[5] [ornamented.]
[6] [bid.]
[7] V. 18. heate, MS.
[8] [probably a pouch or bag, but there is no authority for the word.]
[9] Ver. 21. potewer, MS.
[10] V. 32. his wiffe, MS.
[11] V. 34. biled, MS.
[12] [red.]
[13] V. 41. gaule, MS.
[14] [light blue or woad coloured.]
[15] [colour.]
[16] [ruddy.]
[17] [began.]
[18] [fuller.]
[19] [Ver. 72. all above the buttockes, MS.]
[20] V. 75. lauged, MS.
[21] [began.]
[22] [draw close together, another form of _crowd_.]
[23] Ver. 134. wright, MS.
[24] V. 136. cleare, MS.
[25] [forthwith.]
[26] Ver. 140. by deene, MS.
[27] [V. 151. a little boy, MS.]
[28] [V. 152. looking over.]
[29] [V. 155-6. these two lines belong to the former stanza.]
[30] Ver. 170. them upon, MS.
[31] [carved.]
[32] V. 175. _or_ birtled, MS.
[33] [shed.]