NARRATIVE.

NARRATIVE

TAKE THY OLD CLOAK ABOUT THEE

[OLD BALLAD, QUOTED BY SHAKSPEARE, IN OTHELLO.]

PEROY RELIQUES

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;
Bell, my wiffe, who loves noe strife,
Shee sayd unto me quietlye,

Rise

up, and save cow Cumbockes liffe, Man, put thine old cloake about thee.

HE.

O Bell, why dost thou flyte and scorne?

Thou kenst my cloak is very

Itt is soe bare and overworne

thin:

A cricke he theron cannot renn:
Then Ile no longer borrowe nor lend,
For once Ile new appareld bee,
To-morrow Ile to towne and spend,

For Ile have a new cloake about mee.

SHE.

Cow Crumbocke is a very good cowe,

Shee ha beene alwayes true to the payle,
She has helpt us to butter and cheese, I trow
And other things shee will not fayle;

I wold be loth to see her pine,

Good husband councell take of mee,

It is not for us to go soe fine,

Man, take thine old cloake about thee.

HE.

My cloake it was a very good cloake
Itt hath been alwayes true to the weare,
But now it is not worth a groat;

I have had it four and forty yeere;
Sometime itt was of cloth in graine,
'Tis now but a sigh clout as you may see,
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 towe

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?
Man, take thine old cloake about thee.

HE.

O Bell, my wiffe, why dost thou floute!
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, Soe far above their owne degree:

Once in my life Ile doe as they,

For Ile have a new cloake about mee.

SHE

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