Читать книгу The Ancient English Poetry - Various Authors - Страница 59

VII.
TAKE THY OLD CLOAK ABOUT THEE,

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Is supposed to have been originally a Scotch ballad. The reader here has an ancient copy in the English idiom, with an additional stanza (the 2d.) never before printed. This curiosity is preserved in the Editor's folio MS. but not without corruptions, which are here removed by the assistance of the Scottish Edit. Shakespeare, in his Othello, act ii. has quoted one stanza, with some variations, which are here adopted: the old MS. readings of that stanza are however given in the margin.

[The Scottish version referred to above was printed in Ramsay's Tea Table Miscellany, and the king mentioned on line 49 is there named Robert instead of Stephen. He is King Harry in the folio MS.

The "corruptions" to which Percy alludes are all noted at the foot of the page, and in one instance at least (line 15) the MS. gives an important new reading. Mr. Hales thinks that the MS. version is the oldest form of the ballad, because the definite mention of the court looks more original than the use of the general term of town, and he says, "the poem naturally grew vaguer as it grew generally popular."824

Besides the reference to this ballad in Othello mentioned by Percy above, Mr. Hales has pointed out to me another evident allusion in the Tempest, act iv. sc. 1, where Trinculo says,

"O King Stephano, O Peere: O worthy Stephano, Looke what a wardrobe here is for thee."

(Folio 1623, Booth's ed. p. 15, col. 2.)

The cloak that had been in wear for forty-four years was likely to be a sorry clout at the end of that time, but the clothes of all classes were then expected to last from year to year without renewal. Woollen cloths were of old the chief material of male and female attire. When new the nap was very long, and after being worn for some time, it was customary to have it shorn, a process which was repeated as often as the stuff would bear it. Thus we find the Countess of Leicester (Eleanor third daughter of King John, and wife of Simon de Montfort) in 1265, sending Hicque the tailor to London to get her robes re-shorn.825]

This winters weather itt waxeth cold,

And frost doth freese on every hill,

And Boreas blowes his blasts soe bold,

That all our cattell are like to spill;826 Bell my wiffe, who loves noe strife,5 She sayd unto me quietlye, Rise up, and save cow Crumbockes liffe, Man, put thine old cloake about thee.

He.

O Bell, why dost thou flyte827 'and scorne'?828 Thou kenst my cloak is very thin:82910 Itt is soe bare and overworne A cricke830 he theron cannot renn:831 Then Ile noe longer borrowe nor lend, 'For once Ile new appareld bee,832 To-morrow Ile to towne and spend,'15 For Ile have a new cloake about mee.

She.

Cow Crumbocke is a very good cowe,

Shee ha beene alwayes true to the payle,

Shee has helpt us to butter and cheese, I trow,

And other things shee will not fayle;20

I wold be loth to see her pine,833 Good husband, councell take of mee,834 It is not for us to go soe fine,835 Man, take thine old cloake about thee.

He.

My cloake it was a verry good cloake,25

Itt hath been alwayes true to the weare,

But now it is not worth a groat;836 I have had it four and forty yeere: Sometime itt was of cloth in graine,837 'Tis now but a sigh clout838 as you may see,30 It will neither hold out winde nor raine; And Ile have a new cloake about mee.

She.

It is four and fortye yeeres agoe

Since the one of us the other did ken,

And we have had betwixt us towe35

Of children either nine or ten;

Wee have brought them up to women and men;

In the feare of God I trow they bee;

And why wilt thou thyselfe misken?839 Man, take thine old cloake about thee.40

He.

O Bell my wiffe, why dost thou 'floute!'840 Now is nowe, and then was then: Seeke now all the world throughout, Thou kenst not clownes from gentlemen. They are cladd in blacke, greene, yellowe, or 'gray',84145 Soe far above their owne degree: Once in my life Ile 'doe as they,'842 For Ile have a new cloake about mee.

She.

King Stephen was a worthy peere,843 His breeches cost him but a crowne,84450 He held them sixpence all too deere;845 Therefore he calld the taylor Lowne.846847 He was a wight of high renowne,848 And thouse849 but of a low degree: Itt's pride that putts this countrye downe,55 Man, take thine old cloake about thee.

He.

'Bell my wife she loves not strife,850 Yet she will lead me if she can; And oft, to live a quiet life, I am forced to yield, though Ime good-man:'60 Itt's not for a man with a woman to threape,851 Unlesse he first give oer the plea: As wee began wee now will leave,852 And Ile take mine old cloake about mee.853

FOOTNOTES:

824. [Folio MS. ed. Hales and Furnivall, vol. ii. p. 320.]

825. [Botfield's Manners and Household Expenses of England, 1841.]

826. [spoil or come to harm.]

827. [scold.]

828. [Ver. 9. O Bell my wiffe, why dost thou fflyte.]

829. [V. 10. itt is soe sore over worne.]

830. [insect.]

831. [run.]

832. [V. 14–15. in place of these two the MS. has "Ile goe ffind the court within."]

833. [starve.]

834. [V. 22. Therefore good husband ffollow my councell now.]

835. [V. 23. Forsake the court and follow the ploughe.]

836. [Ver. 27. Itt hath cost mee many a groat.]

837. [scarlet.]

838. [a cloth to strain milk through.]

839. [mistake.]

840. V. 41. flyte, MS.

841. [V. 45. yellow and blew.]

842. [V. 47. once in my life Ile take a vew.]

843. Ver. 49. King Harry … a verry good king, MS.

844. V. 50. I trow his hose cost but, MS.

845. V. 51. He thought them 12d. over to deere, MS.

846. [rascal.]

847. V. 52. clowne, MS.

848. V. 53. He was king and wore the crowne, MS.

849. [thou art.]

850. [V. 57–60:—

"O Bell my wiffe! why dost thou fflyte

now is now and then was then;

wee will live now obedyent lyffe

thou the woman and I the man."]

851. [argue.]

852. [V. 63. wee will live nowe as wee began.]

853. [V. 64. Ile have.]