Forth came Craddock's lady,

Shortly and anon;

But boldly to the mantle

Then is she gone.

When she had ta'en the mantle,
And cast it her about,

Up at her great toe

It began to crinkle and crowt : She said "Bow down, mantle ! And shame me not for nought!

"Once I did amiss,

I tell you certainly,

When I kiss'd Craddock's mouth
Under a greenè tree,—

When I kiss'd Craddock's mouth
Before he married me."

When she had her shriven
And her sin had told,
The mantle stood about her

Right as she would,

Seemély of colour,

Glittering like gold:

Then every knight in Arthur's Court

Did her behold.

KING ARTHUR'S DEATH.

On a Monday after Trinity Sunday,
This battle foughten could be,
Where many a knight cried Well-away!
Alack, the more pity!

But upon Sunday, in the evening then,
When the King in his bed did lie,

He thought Sir Gawaine to him came,
And thus to him did [cry] :

"Now as you are my uncle dear,

Do not fight as to-morrow day,But I pray you to be ruled by me,Put off the battle if you may!

"For Lancelot is now in France

And many with him full hardy;
And within this month he will be here:
Great aid will be to thee."

He wakened forth of his dreams :

To his nobles that told he,

How he thought Sir Gawaine to him came
And those words said certainly.

And then they gave the King counsel all,
Upon Monday early,-

He should send one of his heralds of arms
To parle with his son, if it might be.

And twelve knights King Arthur chose,
The best in [all] his company,
That they should go to meet his son,
To agree, if it could be.

And the King charged all his host

In readiness for to be,

But no man should no weapons stir

Without sword drawn 'mongst [them] they see.

And Mordred upon the other part
Twelve of his knights chose he,
That they should go to meet his father
Between those two hosts fair and free.

And Mordred charged his host

In like manner most certainly,

That no man should no weapons stir

Without sword drawn 'mongst them they see.

For he durst not his father trust,

Nor the father the son certainly.

Alack! this was a woeful case

As ever was in Christentie.

But when they were met together there,

And agreed of all things as it should be,And a month's league then there was

Before the battle fought should be,—

An adder came forth of a bush,

Stung one of King Arthur's Knights below his knee : Alack! this was as woeful chance

As ever was in Christentie.

The knight he found him wounded there,
And saw the wild worm there to be ;
His sword out of his scabbard he drew:
Alas! it was the more pity.

And when those two hosts saw sword drawn,
They joined battle certainly,

Till of a hundred thousand men
Of one side was left but three.

But all were slain that durst abide,
But some away that did flee.
King Arthur upon his own party
Himself alive could be,

And Lukin the Duke of Gloster,
And Bedever his butler certainly :
The King look'd about him there,
And saw his knights all slain to be.

"Alas!" then said noble King Arthur,

"That ever this sight I [should] see,—

To see all my good knights lie slain,
And the traitor yet alive to be.

"Lo where he leans on his sword-hilt
Amongst his dead men certainly!

66

I will go slay him at this time

Never at better advantage shall I him see.”

Nay! stay here my Liege!" then said the Duke, "For love and charity!

For we have the battle won

For yet alive we are but three."

The King would not be suaded then,
But his horse then mounted he;
[As] his butler helped him to horse,
His bowels gushed to his knee.

"Alas!" then said noble King Arthur,
"That this sight I ever see,

To see this good knight to be slain
For love for to help me!"

He put his spear into his rest,

And at his son he rode fiercely,

And through him there his spear he thrust,
A fathom thorough his body.

The son he felt him wounded there,

And knew his death then to be;

He thrust himself upon his spear,

And gave his father a wound certainly.

But there died Sir Mordred

Presently upon that tree.

But or ere the King return'd again,
His butler was dead certainly.

Then bespake him noble King Arthur,—
These were the words said he :

Says "Take my sword Escalberd

From my side, fair and free,

And throw it into this river here!

For all the use of weapons I'll deliver up.
Here, underneath this tree."

The Duke to the river side he went,
And his [own] sword in threw he;
And then he kept Escalberd,
I tell you certainly;

And then he came to tell the King.

The King said—“Lukin! what did thou see?"

"No thing, my Liege!" then said the Duke, "I tell you certainly."

"O go again!" said the King,

"For love and charity,

And throw my sword into that river,

That never I do it see!"

The Duke to the river side he went,

And the King's scabbard in threw he;

And still he kept Escalberd,

For virtue's sake fair and free.

He came again to tell the King.

The King said—" Lukin! what did thou see?" "Nothing, my Liege!" then said the Duke, "I tell you certainly."

"O go again! Lukin!" said the King,
"Or the one of us shall dee."
Then the Duke to the river side went
And the King's sword then threw he;

A hand and arm did meet that sword,
And flourish'd three times certainly.