XVIII.

THE BOY AND THE MANTLE,

AS REVISED AND ALTERED BY A MODERN HAND.

Mr. Warton, in his ingenious _Observations on Spenser_, has given his opinion, that the fiction of the _Boy and the Mantle_ is taken from an old French piece intitled _Le court mantel_, quoted by M. de St. Palaye in his curious _Mémoires sur l'ancienne Chevalerie_, Paris, 1759, 2 tom. 12mo., who tells us the story resembles that of Ariosto's inchanted cup. 'Tis possible our English poet may have taken the hint of this subject from that old French romance, but he does not appear to have copied it in the manner of execution; to which (if one may judge from the specimen given in the _Mémoires_) that of the ballad does not bear the least resemblance. After all, 'tis most likely that all the old stories concerning K. Arthur are originally of British growth, and that what the French and other southern nations have of this kind, were at first exported from this island. See _Mémoires de l'Acad. des Inscrip._ tom. xx. p. 352.

(Since this volume was printed off, the _Fabliaux ou Contes_, 1781, 5 tom. 12mo., of _M. le Grand_, have come to hand: and in tom. i. p. 54, he hath printed a modern version of the old tale _Le Court Mantel_, under a new title _Le Manteau maltaillé_; which contains the story of this ballad much enlarged, so far as regards the _Mantle_; but without any mention of the _Knife_, or the _Horn_.)

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[See book i. No. 1, for the original of this ballad.]

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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 5 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, 10 With brooches, rings, and owches[454] Full daintily bedone.

He had a sarke[455] of silk About his middle meet; And thus, with seemly curtesy, 15 He did king Arthur greet.

"God speed thee, brave king Arthur, Thus feasting in thy bowre. And Guenever thy goodly queen, That fair and peerlesse flowre. 20

"Ye gallant lords, and lordings, I wish you all take heed, Lest, what ye deem a blooming rose Should prove a cankred weed."

Then straitway from his bosome 25 A little wand he drew; And with it eke a mantle Of wondrous shepe, and hew.

"Now have thou here, king Arthur, Have this here of mee, 30 And give unto thy comely queen, All-shapen as you see.

"No wife it shall become, That once hath been to blame." Then every knight in Arthur's court 35 Slye glaunced at his dame.

And first came lady Guenever, The mantle she must trye. This dame, she was new-fangled, And of a roving eye. 40

When she had tane the mantle, And all was with it cladde, From top to toe it shiver'd down, As tho' with sheers beshradde.

One while it was too long, 45 Another while too short, And wrinkled on her shoulders In most unseemly sort.

Now green, now red it seemed, Then all of sable hue. 50 "Beshrew me, quoth king Arthur, I think thou beest not true."

Down she threw the mantle, Ne longer would not stay; But storming like a fury, 55 To her chamber flung away.

She curst the whoreson weaver, That had the mantle wrought: And doubly curst the froward impe, Who thither had it brought. 60

"I had rather live in desarts Beneath the green-wood tree: Than here, base king, among thy groomes, The sport of them and thee."

Sir Kay call'd forth his lady, 65 And bade her to come near: "Yet dame, if thou be guilty, I pray thee now forbear."

This lady, pertly gigling, With forward step came on, 70 And boldly to the little boy With fearless face is gone.

When she had tane the mantle, With purpose for to wear: It shrunk up to her shoulder, 75 And left her b**side bare.

Then every merry knight, That was in Arthur's court, Gib'd, and laught, and flouted, To see that pleasant sport. 80

Down she threw the mantle, No longer bold or gay, But with a face all pale and wan, To her chamber slunk away.

Then forth came an old knight, 85 A pattering o'er his creed; And proffer'd to the little boy Five nobles to his meed;

"And all the time of Christmass Plumb-porridge shall be thine, 90 If thou wilt let my lady fair Within the mantle shine."

A saint his lady seemed, With step demure, and slow, And gravely to the mantle 95 With mincing pace doth goe,

When she the same had taken, That was so fine and thin, It shrivell'd all about her, And show'd her dainty skin. 100

Ah! little did HER mincing, Or HIS long prayers bestead; She had no more hung on her, Than a tassel and a thread.

Down she threwe the mantle, 105 With terror and dismay, And, with a face of scarlet, To her chamber hyed away.

Sir Cradock call'd his lady, And bade her to come neare; 110 "Come win this mantle, lady, And do me credit here.

"Come win this mantle, lady, For now it shall be thine, If thou hast never done amiss, 115 Sith first I made thee mine."

The lady gently blushing, With modest grace came on, And now to trye this wondrous charm Courageously is gone. 120

When she had tane the mantle, And put it on her backe, About the hem it seemed To wrinkle and to cracke.

"Lye still, shee cried, O mantle! 125 And shame me not for nought, I'll freely own whate'er amiss, Or blameful I have wrought.

"Once I kist Sir Cradocke Beneathe the green wood tree: 130 Once I kist Sir Cradocke's mouth Before he married me."

When thus she had her shriven, And her worst fault had told, The mantle soon became her 135 Right comely as it shold.

Most rich and fair of colour, Like gold it glittering shone: And much the knights in Arthur's court Admir'd her every one. 140

Then towards king Arthur's table The boy he turn'd his eye: Where stood a boar's-head garnished With bayes and rosemarye.

When thrice he o'er the boar's head 145 His little wand had drawne, Quoth he, "There's never a cuckold's knife, Can carve this head of brawne."

Then some their whittles rubbed On whetstone, and on hone: 150 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 155 He thrust the shining blade.

He thrust the shining blade Full easily and fast: And every knight in Arthur's court A morsel had to taste. 160

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 165 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; 170 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, 175 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. 180

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, 185 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: 190 Yet she the wondrous prize forsooth Must beare from all the rest."

Then bespake the little boy, Who had the same in hold: "Chastize thy wife, king Arthur, 195 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. 200

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

[***]

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[***] The Rev. Evan Evans, editor of the specimens of _Welsh_ _Poetry_, 4to. affirmed that 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 K. 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 K. Arthur's 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 _Tearne-Wadling_, &c.

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

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[For a full statement of the claims of the "North" to be considered as the home of King Arthur, see J. S. Stuart Glennie's Essay on _Arthurian Localities_, in the edition of the Prose Romance of _Merlin_, published by the Early English Text Society.]

FOOTNOTES:

[454] [bosses or buttons of gold.]

[455] [shirt.]