The Boy And The Mantle

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[Verse]
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In the third month of the year, to Camelot did come
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A gentle and a courteous child that knew much wisdom
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A tunic and a mantle this young child had on
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With broaches and ringes, full richly bedone

[Verse]
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He had a suit of eastern silk about his middle drawn
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And if he lacked in courtesy, he thought of it much shame
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"God speed thee, King Arthur, sitting at thy meat
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And the goodly Queen Guinevere, I cannot her forget

[Instrumental]
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[Verse]
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I have with me a mantle, no lady can resist
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But it shall ne'er become that wife that hath once done amiss
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For if she be unfaithful, in tatters it shall fall
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And if she be but honest, she'll brighten any hall"

[Verse]
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And first there came Queen Guinevere, for she should lead the way
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And she was surely in great doubt, although she would not say
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And then she took the mantle, as if she'd been a maid
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And suddenly from top to toe, it loosely fell in shreds
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And then it coloured brightest red, and then it coloured green
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And then it coloured darkest black, so ill did her beseem

[Verse]
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And then up spoke King Arthur and angrier he grew
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"By all the knights of England, I think thou be not true"
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And she threw down the mantle for all the court to see
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And blushed as red as roses and to her room did flee

[Instrumental]
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[Verse]
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Sir Kay called forth his lady and bade her to come near
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And said, "If thou be guilty, I pray thee hold thee there"
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And so forth came his lady, so bold she did appear
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And likewise was embarrassed and cried for all to hear
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And likewise all the gentle knights who thought their wives most true
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Commanded them to try it on and bitterly did rue

[Instrumental]
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[Verse]
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And then there came a faded knight, Sir Craddocke was his name
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And all the knights of Arthur's court, of him had sport and game
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"Win this mantle, Lady, and it shall all be thine
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And if thou ever did amiss, the shame is there for mine"
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His lady took the mantle and cast it her about
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"Bow down to me good mantle and shame me not for nowt
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For once I did part one amiss, I'll tell thee certainly
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For once I lay in Craddocke's bed, before he married me"

[Verse]
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When she had made confession and all her sins are told
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The mantle stood about her, in bright array she stood
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So seemly of colour and glittering of gold
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Then all the knights of Arthur's court, her beauty did behold
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So Craddocke stood in glory, his lady proven true
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And all the knights of Arthur's court, have surely got their due

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