The Boy And The Mantle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Other]
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