Then spake the litle boy,
That kept the mantle in hold;
Sayes, king, chasten thy wiffe, 145
Of her words shee is to bold:
Shee is a bitch and a witch,
And a whore bold:
King, in thine owne hall
Thou art a cuckold. 150
The litle boy stoode[27]
Looking out a dore;[28]
[And there as he was lookinge
He was ware of a wyld bore.]
He was ware of a wyld bore,[29] 155
Wold have werryed a man:[29]
He pulld forth a wood kniffe,
Fast thither that he ran:
He brought in the bores head,
And quitted him like a man. 160
He brought in the bores head,
And was wonderous bold:
He said there was never a cuckolds kniffe
Carve itt that cold.
Some rubbed their knives 165
Uppon a whetstone:
Some threw them under the table,
And said they had none.
King Arthur, and the child
Stood looking upon them;
All their knives edges
Turned backe againe.[30] 170
Craddocke had a litle knive
Of iron and of steele;
He britled[31] the bores head[32] 175
Wonderous weele;
That every knight in the kings court
Had a morssell.
The litle boy had a horne,
Of red gold that ronge: 180
He said, there was noe cuckolde
Shall drinke of my horne;
But he shold it sheede[33]
Either behind or beforne.
Some shedd on their shoulder, 185
And some on their knee;
He that cold not hitt his mouthe,
Put it in his eye:
And he that was a cuckold
Every man might him see. 190