city of Luel; from whence comes its present designation of Carlisle. It is supposed to have been during the Saxon period, if not the chief city, the frequent residence of that great mythic personage, King Arthur, where he

With fifty good and able
Knights that resorted unto him

And were of his round table :

Did hold his jousts and tournaments
Whereto were many pressed,

Wherein some knights did far excel
And eke surmount the rest.

Among these knights Sir Lancelot du Lake, Sir Bevis, and Sir Gawaine are the most conspicuous in tradition. One of the most celebrated of our ancient ballads relates to the latter, and to his marriage with the mis-shapen lady that afterwards became so fair. The story is a very beautiful one; and was the model upon which Chaucer founded his Wife of Bath's Tale. It is worth repeating, for the sake of those to whom the uncouth rhymes of ancient days are not familiar; but though it is likely enough that the number of these is but few, it is too interesting as connected with Carlisle to be left unmentioned in a chapter expressly devoted to the poetical antiquities of the place.

THE MARRIAGE OF SIR GAWAINE.

King Arthur lives in merry Carleile,
And seemely is to see;

And there with him queene Guenever,
That bride soe bright of blee.

And there with him queene Guenever,
That bride so bright in bowre:
And all his barons about him stoode,
That were both stiffe and stowre.

The king a royale Christmasse kept,
With mirth and princelye cheare ;

To him repaired many a knighte,

That came both farre and neare.

And when they were to dinner sette,
And cups went freely round:
Before them came a faire damsèlle,
And knelt upon the ground.

A boone! a boone! O kinge Arthùre,
I beg a boone of thee;
Avenge me of a carlish knighte,

Who hath shent my love and me.

At Tearne-Wadling,* his castle stands,
Near to that lake so fair,

And proudlye rise the battlements,

And streamers deck the air.

* A note to this passage in Percy's Reliques, (the Editor of which, it must be stated, modernized and added to this ballad,)

Noe gentle knighte, nor ladye gay,
May pass that castle-walle :

But from that foule discurteous knighte,
Mishappe will them befalle.

Hee's twyce the size of common men,
Wi' thewes, and sinewes stronge,
And on his backe he bears a clubbe,
That is both thicke and longe.

This grimme baròne, 'twas our harde happe,
But yester morne to see ;
When to his bowre he bare my love,
And sore misused mée.

Aud when I told him, king Arthure
As lyttle shold him spare ;

Goe tell, sayd hee, that cuckold kinge,
To meete mee if he dare.

Upp then sterted king Arthure,

And sware by hille and dale,

He ne'er wolde quitt that grimme baròne,
Till he had made him quail.

King Arthur sets off in a great rage. The opprobrious term, which galled him the more because it was true, fired his blood, and he challenged the "grimme baròne" to mortal combat.

informs us that Tearne-Wadling, is near Hesketh on the road from Penrith ;-where there is a tradition still in existence that an old Castle once stood upon the spot.

Sir Gawaine, who seems to have been of a stature as gigantic as the famous Sir Hugh Cæsar, who is buried at Penrith, conquered him by enchantment his sinews lost their strength, his arms sank powerless at his side; and he only received the boon of life at the hands of his enemy by swearing upon his faith as a knight, to return upon New Year'sday, and bring "true word what thing it was that women most desired."

Goe fetch my sword Excalibar :
Goe saddle mee my steede ;
Nowe, by my faye, that grimme baròne
Shall rue this ruthfulle deede.

And when he came to Tearne-Wadlinge,
Beneathe the castle-walle:

"Come forth; come forth; thou proude baròne,
Or yielde thyself my thralle."

On magicke grounde that castle stoode,
And fenc'd with many a spelle:
Noe valiant knighte could tread thereon,
But straite his courage felle.

Forth then rush'd that carlish knight,
King Arthur felte the charme:
His sturdy sinews lost their strengthe,
Downe sunke his feeble arme.

Nowe yield thee, yield thee, King Arthure,
Nowe yield thee, unto mee:

Or fighte with mee, or lose thy lande,

Noe better terms maye bee.

Unlesse thou sweare upon the rood,
And promise on thy faye,
Here to returne to Tearne-Wadling
Upon the new-yeare's daye :

And bringe me worde what thing it is
All women moste desyre :
This is thy ransome, Arthère, he sayes,
Ile have noe other hyre.

King Arthur then helde up his hande,
And sweare upon his faye,

Then tooke his leave of the grimme baròne,
And faste hee rode awaye.

And he rode east, and he rode west,
And did of all inquyre,

What thing it is all women crave,

And what they most desyre.

King Arthur made due inquiry; but it was not so easy a matter to discover the secret.

Some told him riches, pompe, or state;

Some rayment fine and brighte;
Some told him mirthe; some flatterye ;
And some a jollye knighte:

In letters all King Arthur wrote,

And seal'd them with his ringe :

But still his minde was helde in doubte,
Each tolde a different thinge.

As New Year's-day approached, his tribulation increased; for though he might have told the "grimme