But whosoever contrarie doth prove,
Might not the same about her middle

weare,

But it would loose or else asunder teare.

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

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 queene drinke thereof and an hundred ladies more, and there were but foure ladies of all those that dranke 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."

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 soe 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.

And when they were to dinner sette And cups went freely round: Before them came a faire damsèlle, And knelt upon the ground.

A boone, a boone, O Kinge Arthùre I beg a boone of thee;

Avenge me of a carlish knighte,

Who hath shent my love and mee.

At Tearne-Wadling* his castle stands, Near to that lake so fair,

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15

20

*Tearne-Wadling is the name of a small lake near Hesketh in Cumberland, on the road from Penrith to Carlisle.

There is a tradition, that an old castle once stood near the lake, the remains of which were not long since visible. Tearn, in the dialect of that country, signifies a small lake, and is still in use.

Upp then sterted King Arthùre,

And sware by hille and dale,

He ne'er wolde quitt that grimme barone Till he had made him quail.

Goe fetch my sword Excalibar:
Goe saddle mee my steede ;
Nowe, by my faye, that grimme baròne
Shall rue this ruthfulle deede.

And when he came to Tearne Wadlinge

Benethe the castle walle:

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40

45

50

This was a common phrase in our old writers; so

Yet hold thy hand, thou proude barone, I praye thee hold thy hand;

And give mee leave to speake once more In reskewe of my land.

This morne, as I came over a more, I sawe a ladye sette

of Bath:

Her hosen were of fyne scarlet red.

All clad in red scarlette.

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