The Boy And The Mantle Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCB DAEA FGDG HIDI AAGA DJD KAFA AKGK K LK AMNM FNGN ONDN NAA FNAN ANPN DAD AAA OGEG FAAA NNNN FOGO NNEN DGA NQFQ GGAG ONAN FONO NANA NGD OGKG FONO FNDN ONR GNAN AGNG FMNM NGS NGFG SNFN NNNN GKGK GNN AMRM NGNG FNDN AONO GGGG GNR ENAN NNTN GGG

In Carleile dwelt King ArthurA
A prince of passing mightB
And there maintain'd his Table RoundC
Beset with many a knightB
-
And there he kept his ChristmasD
With mirth and princely cheareA
When lo a straunge and cunning boyE
Before him did appeareA
-
A kirtle and a mantleF
This boy had him uponG
With brooches rings and owchesD
Full daintily bedoneG
-
He had a sarke of silkH
About his middle meetI
And thus with seemely curtesyD
He did King Arthur greetI
-
'God speed thee brave King ArthurA
Thus feasting in thy bowreA
And Guenever thy goodly queenG
That fair and peerlesse flowreA
-
'Ye gallant lords and lordingsD
I wish you all take heedJ
Lest what ye deem a blooming roseD
Should prove a cankred weed '-
-
Then straitway from his bosomeK
A little wand he drewA
And with it eke a mantleF
Of wondrous shape and hewA
-
'Now have thou here King ArthurA
Have this here of meeK
And give unto thy comely queenG
All shapen as you seeK
-
'No wife it shall becomeK
That once hath been to blame '-
Then every knight in Arthur's courtL
Slye glaunced at his dameK
-
And first came Lady GueneverA
The mantle she must tryeM
This dame she was new fangledN
And of a roving eyeM
-
When she had tane the mantleF
And all was with it claddeN
From top to toe it shiver'd downG
As tho' with sheers beshraddeN
-
One while it was too longO
Another while too shortN
And wrinkled on her shouldersD
In most unseemly sortN
-
Now green now red it seemedN
Then all of sable hueA
'Beshrew me ' quoth King ArthurA
'I think thou beest not true '-
-
Down she threw the mantleF
Ne longer would not stayN
But storming like a furyA
To her chamber flung awayN
-
She curst the whoreson weaverA
That had the mantle wroughtN
And doubly curst the froward impeP
Who thither had it broughtN
-
'I had rather live in desartsD
Beneath the green wood treeA
Than here base king among thy groomesD
The sport of them and thee '-
-
Sir Kay call'd forth his ladyA
And bade her to come nearA
'Yet dame if thou be guiltyA
I pray thee now forbear '-
-
This lady pertly giglingO
With forward step came onG
And boldly to the little boyE
With fearless face is goneG
-
When she had tane the mantleF
With purpose for to wearA
It shrunk up to her shoulderA
And left her b side bareA
-
Then every merry knightN
That was in Arthur's courtN
Gib'd and laught and floutedN
To see that pleasant sportN
-
Downe she threw the mantleF
No longer bold or gayO
But with a face all pale and wanG
To her chamber slunk awayO
-
Then forth came an old knightN
A pattering o'er his creedN
And proffer'd to the little boyE
Five nobles to his meedN
-
'And all the time of ChristmassD
Plumb porridge shall be thineG
If thou wilt let my lady fairA
Within the mantle shine '-
-
A saint his lady seemedN
With step demure and slowQ
And gravely to the mantleF
With mincing pace doth goeQ
-
When she the same had takenG
That was so fine and thinG
It shrivell'd all about herA
And show'd her dainty skinG
-
Ah little did her mincingO
Or his long prayers besteadN
She had no more hung on herA
Than a tassel and a threadN
-
Down she threwe the mantleF
With terror and dismayO
And with a face of scarletN
To her chamber hyed awayO
-
Sir Cradock call'd his ladyN
And bade her to come neareA
'Come win his mantle ladyN
And do me credit hereA
-
'Come win this mantle ladyN
For now it shall be thineG
If thou hast never done amissD
Sith first I made thee mine '-
-
The lady gently blushingO
With modest grace came onG
And now to try the wondrous charmK
Courageously is goneG
-
When she had tane the mantleF
And put it on her backeO
About the hem it seemedN
To wrinkle and to crackeO
-
'Lye still ' shee cryed 'O mantleF
And shame me not for noughtN
I'll freely own whate'er amissD
Or blameful I have wroughtN
-
'Once I kist Sir CradockeO
Beneathe the green wood treeN
Once I kist Sir Cradocke's mouthR
Before he married mee '-
-
When thus she had her shrivenG
And her worst fault had toldN
The mantle soon became herA
Right comely as it sholdN
-
Most rich and fair of colourA
Like gold it glittering shoneG
And much the knights in Arthur's courtN
Admir'd her every oneG
-
Then towards King Arthur's tableF
The boy he turned his eyeM
Where stood a boar's head garnishedN
With bayes and rosemaryeM
-
When thrice he o'er the boar's headN
His little wand had drawneG
Quoth he 'There's never a cuckold's knifeS
Can carve this head of brawne '-
-
Then some their whittles rubbedN
On whetstone and on honeG
Some threwe them under the tableF
And swore that they had noneG
-
Sir Cradock had a little knifeS
Of steel and iron madeN
And in an instant thro' the skullF
He thrust the shining bladeN
-
He thrust the shining bladeN
Full easily and fastN
And every knight in Arthur's courtN
A morsel had to tasteN
-
The boy brought forth a horneG
All golden was the rimK
Said he 'No cuckold ever canG
Set mouth unto the brimK
-
'No cuckold can this little horneG
Lift fairly to his headN
But or on this or that sideN
He shall the liquor shed '-
-
Some shed it on their shoulderA
Some shed it on their thighM
And hee that could not hit his mouthR
Was sure to hit his eyeM
-
Thus he that was a cuckoldN
Was known of every manG
But Cradock lifted easilyN
And wan the golden canG
-
Thus boar's head horn and mantleF
Were this fair couple's meedN
And all such constant loversD
God send them well to speedN
-
Then down in rage came GueneverA
And thus could spightful sayO
'Sir Cradock's wife most wrongfullyN
Hath borne the prize awayO
-
'See yonder shameless womanG
That makes herselfe so cleanG
Yet from her pillow takenG
Thrice five gallants have beenG
-
'Priests clarkes and wedded menG
Have her lewd pillow prestN
Yet she the wondrous prize forsoothR
Must beare from all the rest '-
-
Then bespake the little boyE
Who had the same in holdN
'Chastize thy wife King ArthurA
Of speech she is too boldN
-
'Of speech she is too boldN
Of carriage all too freeN
Sir King she hath within thy hallT
A cuckold made of theeN
-
'All frolick light and wantonG
She hath her carriage borneG
And given thee for a kingly crownG
To wear a cuckold's horne '-

Anonymous Olde English



Rate:
(1)



Poem topics: , Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme

Submit Spanish Translation
Submit German Translation
Submit French Translation
Previous Poem Episode 37 Poem>>


Write your comment about The Boy And The Mantle poem by Anonymous Olde English


 

Recent Interactions*

This poem was read 3 times,

This poem was added to the favorite list by 0 members,

This poem was voted by 0 members.

(* Interactions only in the last 7 days)

New Poems

Popular Poets