Ver. 134. wright, MS. Ver. 136. cleare, MS. Ver. 140. by deene, MS.

Then

He brought in the bores head,
And was wonderous bold:

He faid there was never a cuckolds kniffe

Carve itt that cold.

Some rubbed their knives

Uppon a whetstone:

6

250

155

160

165

Some

+

Some threw them under the table,
And faid 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 morffell.

179

$75

Craddocke

Farzo. them upon. MS. Ver. 175. or birtled. MS.

Craddocke wan the horne,
And the bores head:

His ladie wan the mantle
Unto her meede.

Everye fuch lovely ladye

God fend her well to speede.

II.

195

THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE

Is chiefly taken from the fragment of an old ballad in the Editor's MS. which he has reafon to believe more ancient than the time of CHAUCER, and what furnished that bard with his Wife of Bath's Tale. The original was fo extremely mutilated, half of every leaf being torn away, that without large fupplements, &c. it was at firft deemed improper for this collection: thefe it has therefore received, fuch 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.

KING

PART THE FIRST.

ING Arthur lives in merry Carleile,
And feemely is to fee;

And there with him queene Guenever,

That bride foe 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 ftiffe and ftowre.

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

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