Chapter XIV: Part THE SECOND (2)

[This ballad, more generally known as _William and Margaret_, is
supposed to have been printed for the first time in Aaron Hill's
_Plain Dealer_ (No. 36, July 24, 1724), when the author was a very
young man. Hill introduced it to the reader as the work of an old
poet, and wrote, "I am sorry I am not able to acquaint my readers
with his name to whom we owe this melancholy piece of finished
poetry under the humble title of a ballad." In the following month
the editor announced that "he had discovered the author to be still
alive." The verses were probably written in 1723, in the August of
which year Mallet left Scotland, for Allan Ramsay, in his _Stanzas
to Mr. David Mallock on his departure from Scotland_, alludes to
them:--

"But he that could, in tender strains,
Raise Margaret's plaining shade,
And paints distress that chills the veins,
While William's crimes are red."

The ballad at once became popular, and was printed in several
collections, undergoing many alterations for the worse by the
way. Sundry attempts were made to rob Mallet of the credit of his
song. Besides the one mentioned above by Percy, Captain Thompson,
the editor of Andrew Marvell's Works, claimed it for Marvell, but
this claim was even more ridiculous than those he set up against
Addison and Watts. Although Mallet doubtless knew the ballads _Fair
Margaret and Sweet William_ (book ii. No. 4) and _Sweet William's
Ghost_ (No. 6), he is said to have founded his own upon a true
story which came under his observation. A daughter of Professor
James Gregory of St. Andrews, and afterwards of Edinburgh, was
seduced by a son of Sir William Sharp of Strathyrum, who had
promised to marry her, but heartlessly deserted her.

The ballad has been extravagantly praised: Ritson observes, "It
may be questioned whether any English writer has produced so fine
a ballad as _William and Margaret_." Percy describes it as one of
the most beautiful ballads in our own or any other language; and
Allan Ramsay writes, "I know not where to seek a finer mixture of
pathos and terror in the whole range of Gothic romance." Scott,
on the other hand, was of opinion that "The ballad, though the
best of Mallet's writing, is certainly inferior to the original,
which I presume to be the very fine and terrific old Scottish tale,
beginning

'There came a ghost to Margaret's door.'"

The extreme popularity of the poem is seen by the various parodies,
one of which, _Watty and Madge_, is printed in Ramsay's _Tea_
_Table Miscellany_ (vol. iii.). It commences--

"'Twas at the shining mid-day hour,"

and each succeeding verse is parodied in the same manner. Vincent
Browne imitated the original in Latin verse, and a German version
was published as _Wilhelm und Gretchen_.

Mallet was a native of Crieff in Perthshire, and is believed to
have been born in the year 1702. He was sometime tutor to the
Montrose family, through whose influence he was introduced into
public life. He changed his name from Malloch to Mallet when he
settled in London, and in 1742 he was appointed Under Secretary to
the Prince of Wales. He died on the 21st of April, 1765. Mallet
is a writer little cared for now, but he can hardly be said to
be neglected, for in 1857 Mr. Frederick Dinsdale published an
illustrated edition of his Ballads and Songs, chiefly made up of
copious notes on _William and Margaret_ and _Edwin and Emma_.]

* * * * *

'Twas at the silent solemn hour,
When night and morning meet;
In glided Margaret's grimly ghost,
And stood at William's feet.

Her face was like an April morn, 5
Clad in a wintry cloud:
And clay-cold was her lily hand,
That held her sable shrowd.

So shall the fairest face appear,
When youth and years are flown: 10
Such is the robe that kings must wear,
When death has reft their crown.

Her bloom was like the springing flower,
That sips the silver dew;
The rose was budded in her cheek, 15
Just opening to the view.

But love had, like the canker worm,
Consum'd her early prime:
The rose grew pale, and left her cheek;
She dy'd before her time. 20

"Awake!" she cry'd, "thy true love calls,
Come from her midnight grave;
Now let thy pity hear the maid,
Thy love refus'd to save.

"This is the dark and dreary hour, 25
When injur'd ghosts complain;
Now yawning graves give up their dead,
To haunt the faithless swain.

"Bethink thee, William, of thy fault,
Thy pledge, and broken oath: 30
And give me back my maiden vow,
And give me back my troth.

"Why did you promise love to me,
And not that promise keep?
Why did you swear mine eyes were bright, 35
Yet leave those eyes to weep?

"How could you say my face was fair,
And yet that face forsake?
How could you win my virgin heart,
Yet leave that heart to break? 40

"Why did you say my lip was sweet,
And made the scarlet pale?
And why did I, young witless maid,
Believe the flattering tale?

"That face, alas! no more is fair; 45
These lips no longer red:
Dark are my eyes, now clos'd in death,
And every charm is fled.

"The hungry worm my sister is;
This winding-sheet I wear: 50
And cold and weary lasts our night,
Till that last morn appear.

"But hark! the cock has warn'd me hence!
A long and last adieu!
Come see, false man, how low she lies, 55
Who dy'd for love of you."

The lark sung loud; the morning smil'd,
With beams of rosy red:
Pale William shook in ev'ry limb,
And raving left his bed. 60

He hyed him to the fatal place,
Where Margaret's body lay;
And stretch'd him on the grass-green turf,
That wrapt her breathless clay:

And thrice he call'd on Margaret's name, 65
And thrice he wept full sore:
Then laid his cheek to her cold grave,
And word spake never more.

XVII.

LUCY AND COLIN

Was written by Thomas Tickell, Esq. the celebrated friend of Mr. Addison, and editor of his works. He was son of a clergyman in the north of England, had his education at Queen's college, Oxon, was under secretary to Mr. Addison and Mr. Craggs, when successively secretaries of state; and was lastly (in June, 1724) appointed secretary to the Lords Justices in Ireland, which place he held till his death in 1740.[453] He acquired Mr. Addison's patronage by a poem in praise of the opera of _Rosamond_, written while he was at the University.

It is a tradition in Ireland, that the song was written at Castletown, in the county of Kildare, at the request of the then Mrs. Conolly--probably on some event recent in that neighbourhood.

[Gray called _Lucy and Colin_ "the prettiest" ballad in the world, although he was not partial to Tickell's other poems.

The fine old melody given by Dr. Rimbault for this ballad is taken from "_The Merry Musician; or a Cure for the Spleen_; being a collection of the most diverting Songs and pleasant Ballads set to Musick," 1716.]

* * * * *

Of Leinster, fam'd for maidens fair,
Bright Lucy was the grace;
Nor e'er did Liffy's limpid stream
Reflect so fair a face.

Till luckless love, and pining care 5
Impair'd her rosy hue,
Her coral lip, and damask cheek,
And eyes of glossy blue.

Oh! have you seen a lily pale,
When beating rains descend? 10
So droop'd the slow-consuming maid;
Her life now near its end.

By Lucy warn'd, of flattering swains
Take heed, ye easy fair:
Of vengeance due to broken vows, 15
Ye perjured swains, beware.

Three times, all in the dead of night,
A bell was heard to ring;
And at her window, shrieking thrice,
The raven flap'd his wing. 20

Too well the love-lorn maiden knew
That solemn boding sound;
And thus, in dying words, bespoke
The virgins weeping round.

"I hear a voice, you cannot hear, 25
Which says I must not stay:
I see a hand, you cannot see,
Which beckons me away.

"By a false heart, and broken vows,
In early youth I die. 30
Am I to blame, because his bride
Is thrice as rich as I?

"Ah Colin! give not her thy vows;
Vows due to me alone:
Nor thou, fond maid, receive his kiss, 35
Nor think him all thy own.

"To-morrow in the church to wed,
Impatient, both prepare;
But know, fond maid, and know, false man,
That Lucy will be there, 40

"Then, bear my corse; ye comrades, bear,
The bridegroom blithe to meet;
He in his wedding-trim so gay,
I in my winding-sheet."

She spoke, she dy'd;--her corse was borne, 45
The bridegroom blithe to meet;
He in his wedding-trim so gay,
She in her winding-sheet.

Then what were perjur'd Colin's thoughts?
How were those nuptials kept? 50
The bride-men flock'd round Lucy dead,
And all the village wept.

Confusion, shame, remorse, despair
At once his bosom swell:
The damps of death bedew'd his brow, 55
He shook, he groan'd, he fell.

From the vain bride (ah bride no more!)
The varying crimson fled,
When, stretch'd before her rival's corse,
She saw her husband dead. 60

Then to his Lucy's new-made grave,
Convey'd by trembling swains,
One mould with her, beneath one sod,
For ever now remains.

Oft at their grave the constant hind 65
And plighted maid are seen;
With garlands gay, and true-love knots
They deck the sacred green.

But, swain forsworn, whoe'er thou art,
This hallow'd spot forbear; 70
Remember Colin's dreadful fate,
And fear to meet him there.

FOOTNOTES:

[453] Born 1686.

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_.)

* * * * *

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

* * * * *

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."

[***]

* * * * *

[***] 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.

* * * * *

[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.]

XIX.

THE ANCIENT FRAGMENT OF THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE.[456]

The second 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 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 nonsense of illiterate reciters and transcribers had been superstitiously retained, without some attempt to correct and emend 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.

* * * * *

[The following poem is printed in Hales' and Furnivall's edition of
the MS., vol. i. p. 105.]

* * * * *

Kinge Arthur liues in merry Carleile,
& seemely is to see,
& there he hath w^{th} him Queene Genev^r,
y^t bride soe bright of blee.

And there he hath w^{th} him Queene Genever,
y^t bride soe bright in bower,
& all his barons about him stoode
y^t were both stiffe & 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^t 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,
& homward can he draw.

And when he came to Merry Carlile,
to his chamber he is gone,
& ther came to him his Cozen S^r Gawaine
as he did make his mone.

And there came to him his Cozen S^r Gawaine
y^t was a curteous knight,
why sigh you soe sore vnckle Arthur, he said
or who hath done thee vnright.

O peace, o peace, thou gentle Gawaine,
y^t faire may thee beffall,
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,
w^{th} a great club vpon his backe,
standing stiffe & strong;

And he asked me wether I wold fight,
or from him I shold be gone,
o[r] else I must him a ransome pay
& soe dep't him from.

To fight w^{th} him I saw noe cause,
me thought it was not meet,
ffor he was stiffe & strong w^{th} 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.

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^t he might keepe his day.

And as he rode over a more,
hee see a lady where shee sate
betwixt an oke & a greene hollen[457]:
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,
neuer man saw w^{th} his eye.

To halch[458] 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 to me?
of me be thou nothing dismayd
tho I be vgly to see;

for I haue halched you curteouslye,
& you will not me againe,
yett I may happen S^r 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 w^{th} 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 fimde[459]
w^{th} a great weapon on his backe,
standing stiffe & stronge

And then he tooke k. Arthur's 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 mee.

And then bespoke him noble Arthur,
& bad him hold his hands,
& give me leave to speake my mind
in defence of all my land.

He 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 scarlett;

And she says a woman will haue her will,
& this is all her cheefe desire:
doe me right as thou art a baron of sckill,
this is thy ransome & and 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[460] 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 2D PART.

Sir Lancelott & S^r Steven bold
they rode w^{th} them that day,
and the formost of the company
there rode the steward Kay,

Soe did S^r Banier & S^r Bore
S^r Garrett w^{th} them soe gay,
soe did S^r Tristeram y^t gentle k^t,
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
y^t vnseemly was to see.

S^r Kay beheld this Ladys face,
& looked vppon her smire[461]
whosoeuer kisses this lady, he sayes
of his kisse he standes in feare.

Sir 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 S^r Gawaine
amend thee of thy life;
for there is a knight amongst us all
y^t must marry her to his wife.

What, wedd her to wiffe, then said S^r 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 and misliking

[_About Nine Stanzas wanting._]

Then shee said choose thee gentle Gawaine,
truth as I doe say,
wether thou wilt haue me in this liknesse
in the night or else in the day.

And then bespake him Gentle Gawaine,
w^{th} one soe mild of moode,
sayes, well I know what I wold say,
god grant it may be good.

To haue thee fowle in the night
when I w^{th} thee shold play;
yet I had rather, if I might
haue thee fowle in the day.

What, when Lords goe w^{th} ther seires,[462] shee said
both to the Ale & wine
alas then I must hyde my selfe,
I must not goe withinne.

And then bespake him gentle gawaine,
said, Lady thats but a skill;
And because thou art my owne lady,
thou shalt haue all thy will.

Then she said, blesed be thou gentle Gawain
this day y^t I thee see,
for as thou see me att this time,
from hencforth I wilbe:

My father was an old knight,
& yett it chanced soe
that he marryed a younge lady
y^t brought me to this woe.

Shee witched me, being a faire young Lady,
to the greene forrest to dwell,
& there I must walke in womans liknesse,
most like a feend of hell.

She witched my brother to a Carlist B....

[_About Nine Stanzas wanting_.]

that looked soe foule & that was wont
on the wild more to goe.

Come kisse her, Brother Kay, then said S^r Gawaine,
& amend the of thy liffe;
I sweare this is the same lady
y^t I marryed to my wiffe.

S^r Kay kissed that lady bright,
standing vpon his ffeete;
he swore, as he was trew knight,
the spice was neuer soe sweete.

Well, Coz. Gawaine, sayes S^r Kay,
thy chance is fallen arright,
for thou hast gotten one of the fairest maids
I euer saw w^{th} my sight.

It is my fortune, said S^r Gawaine;
for my Vnckle Arthurs sake
I am glad as grasse wold be of raine,
great Ioy that I may take.

S^r Gawaine tooke the lady by the one arme,
S^r Kay tooke her by the tother,
they led her straight to k. Arthur
as they were brother & brother.

K. Arthur welcomed them there all,
& soe did lady Geneuer his queene,
w^{th} all the knights of the round table
most seemly to be seene.

K. Arthur beheld that lady faire
that was soe faire & bright,
he thanked christ in trinity
for S^r Gawaine that gentle knight;

Soe did the knights, both more and lesse,
reioyced all that day
for the good chance y^t hapened was
to S^r Gawaine & his lady gay.

Ffins.

FOOTNOTES:

[456] [Printed for the first time in the fourth edition.]

[457] [holly.]

[458] [salute.]

[459] Sic MS. = finde.

[460] [my vow.]

[461] [qy. for swire = neck.]

[462] Sic in MS. pro _feires_, i.e. Mates.

THE END OF THE THIRD BOOK.

APPENDIX I.

THE WANTON WIFE OF BATH.