Chapter IV: Book I

"An ordinary song or ballad, that is the delight of the common
people, cannot fail to please all such readers, as are not
unqualified for the entertainment by their affectation or their
ignorance; and the reason is plain, because the same paintings of
nature which recommend it to the most ordinary reader, will appear
beautiful to the most refined."--ADDISON, in _Spectator_, No. 70.

POEMS ON KING ARTHUR, ETC.

The third volume being chiefly devoted to romantic subjects, may not be improperly introduced with a few slight strictures on the old metrical romances: a subject the more worthy attention, as it seems not to have been known to such as have written on the nature and origin of books of chivalry, that the first compositions of this kind were in verse, and usually sung to the harp.[1]

FOOTNOTES:

[1] [See Appendix.]

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.]

II.

THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE

Is chiefly taken from the fragment of an old ballad in the Editor's MS., which he has reason to believe more ancient than the time of _Chaucer_, and what furnished that bard with his _Wife of Bath's Tale_. The original was so extremely mutilated, half of every leaf being torn away, that without large supplements, &c. it was deemed improper for this collection: these it has therefore received, such as they are. They are not here particularly pointed out, because the _Fragment_ itself will now be found printed at the end of this volume.

* * * * *

[Sir Frederic Madden supposed this ballad to be founded upon the
_Weddynge of Syr Gawen and Dame Ragnell_, which he printed from the
Rawlinson MS. c. 86, fol. 128 b, in his _Syr Gawaine_.

Mr. Hales writes as follows respecting the various forms in which
the story appears in literature. "The wonderful 'metamorphosis' on
which this story turns is narrated in Gower's _Confessio Amantis_,
as the story of Florent and the King of Sicily's Daughter, taken
by him, as Tyrwhitt conjectures, from the _Gesta Romanorum_,
or some such collection. It appears again, as the reader will
remember, in Chaucer's _Wyf of Bathes Tale_. 'Worked over,' says
Prof. Child, 'by some ballad-monger of the sixteenth century, and
of course reduced to ditch-water, this tale has found its way
into the _Crown Garland of Golden Roses_, part i. p. 68 (_Percy
Society_, vol. vi.), 'Of a Knight and a Faire Virgin.' On a similar
transformation depends the story of 'King Henrie' in Scott's
_Minstrelsy_, edited from Mrs. Brown's MS., with corrections from
a recited fragment, and modernized as 'Courteous King Jamie' in
Lewis's _Tales of Wonder_. 'The prime original,' says Scott, 'is to
be found in an Icelandic Saga.'"[34]

Mr. Child prints (_English and Scottish Ballads_, vol. viii. p.
139) two versions of a Scotch ballad entitled _Kempy Kaye_, which
he supposes to be an extravagant parody of _The Marriage of Sir_
_Gawaine_.]

* * * * *