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.

XIX.

THE ANCIENT FRAGMENT OF THE
MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE.

The Second Poem in this Volume, entitled 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.

KINGE Arthur liues in merry Carleile
and seemely is to see

and there he hath wth him Queene Genev

yt bride so bright of blee

And there he hath wth him Queene Genever

y bride soe bright in bower

& all his barons about him stoode

y' 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

yt 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 and homword can he draw

And when he came to Merry Carlile to his chamber he is gone

and ther came to him his Cozen S Gawaine

as he did make his mone

And there came to him his Cozen S Cawaine 1

yt was a curteous knight

why sigh yo" soe sore vnckle Arthur he said

or who hath done thee vnright

O peace o peace thou gentle Gawaine

y' faire may thee be ffall

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

with a great club vpon his backe standing stiffe & strong

1 Sic.

And he asked me wether I wold fight or from him I shold be gone

o1 else I must him a ransome pay
& soe dep't him from

To fight wth him I saw noe cause
me thought it was not meet
for he was stiffe & strong wth 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

yt he might keep his day

And as he rode over a more

hee see a lady where shee sate

betwixt an oke and a greene hollen

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

1 Sic.

J

a worse formed lady then was shee neuerman saw wth his eye

To halch 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 tome

of me thou nothing dismayd tho I be vgly to see

for I haue halched yo" curteouslye

& you will not me againe

yett I may happen S 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 with a ring

Why if I helpe thee not thou noble k. Arthur of thy owne hearts desiringe

[About Nine Stanzas wanting.]

And when he came to the tearne wadling

the baron there cold he srinde 1

And then he tooke k. Arthurs letters in his hands

& away he cold them fling

1 Sic MS.

& then he puld out a good browne sword & cryd himself 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 me

And then bespoke him noble Arthur & bad him hold his hands

& give me leave to speake my mind in defence of all my land

the' said as I came over a More I see a lady where shee sate between an oke & a green hollen shee was clad in red scarlette

And she says a woman will haue her will & this is all her cheef desire

doe me right as thou art a baron of sckill this is thy ransome & 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 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.]

1 Sic MS.