Ver. 134. wright, MS. Ver. 136. cleure, MS,

135

I have seene tane out of her bedd

Of men fiveteene;

Priests, clarkes, and wedded men

From her bedeene:

Yett shee taketh the mantle,

And maketh her self cleane.

140

145

150

And there as he was lookinge 'He was ware of a wyld bore."

155

He was ware of a wyld bore,
Wold have werryed a man:
He pulld forth a wood kniffe,
Fast thither that he ran:
He brought in the bores head,
And quitted him like a man.

Ver. 140, by deene, MS.

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

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.

Craddocke had a litle knive

Of iron and of steele ;

He britled the bores head

Wonderous weele;

That every knight in the kings court

Had a morssell.

The litle boy had a horne,

165

170

175

Ver. 170. them upon, MS. Ver. 175. or birtled, MS.

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.

PART THE FIRST.

KING Arthur lives in merry Carleile,
And seemely is to see;

And there with him queene Guenever,

That bride soe bright of blee.

And there with him queene Guenever,

That bride so bright in bowre:
And all his barons about him stoode,
That were both stiffe and stowre.

The king a royale Christmasse kept,
With mirth and princelye cheare;

To him repaired many a knighte,

That came both farre and neare.

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