WITH

of tlje merrg gtoeitturc JD£ a fepter at

SUPPLEMENTARY CANTERBURY TALES.

1.

Sale 0f

» / I

WITH

of % merrj ^b&tfitart of tje Jarboner a Capsttr at Cantokrg.

RE-EDITED FROM THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND'S UNIQUE MS.

BY

F. J. FU11NIVALL & W. G. STONE.

WITH ENGLISH ABSTRACT OF FRENCH ORIGINAL AND ASIATIC VERSIONS OF THE TALE,

BY W. A. CLOUSTOK;

PLANS OP CANTERBURY IN 1588, AND THE ROAD THITHER FROM LONDON IN 1675, &c.

PUBLISHT FOR THE CHAUCER SOCIETY

BY N. TRUBNER & CO., 57 & 59, LUDGATE HILL, LONDON, E.G.

1887.

/fo/

£0.2

Series, 17, 24.

JUCHAUD CLAY & SONS, LIMtTED, LONDON (fc BUNGAY.

CONTENTS.

FOREWORDS BY F. J. FURNIVALL

PROLOGUE: THE MERRY ADVENTURE OF THE PARDONER WITH A

TAPSTER AT CANTERBURY ... ... ... ... ... 1

'Ihe ^h ot Jterjm .................. 25

THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES : ENGLISH ABSTRACT OF THE FRENCH ORIGINAL AND ASIATIC VERSIONS OF THE TALE OF BERYN, WITH AN APPENDIX, BY W. A. CLOUSTON ... ... 121

NOTES, BY W. G. STONE, PROF. SKEAT, AND F. J. VIPAN, M.A. ... 175

ADDITIONAL NOTES, BY F. J. VIPAN, M.A. ... ... ... 200

GLOSSARY, BY W. G. STONE 201

Til

FOREWORDS.

IF this Tale of Beryn had not occurrd in a manuscript of the Canterbury Tales, and had also not been unique and not heretofore printed with fair accuracy, it would yet have claimd a place among the Chaucer Society's books, by reason of its giving the only good nearly-contemporary account, by a Canterbury man — monk, I sup pose:1 see the colophon, p. 120 — of how pilgrims like Chaucer's disported themselves in the town, and at the Shrine of the Martyr whom from ' euery schires ende ' they sought. That Chaucer intended to have given us such an account himself, we can hardly doubt. The scenes at the " Cheker of the Hope," in the Cathedral and the town, must have afforded him so many a chance for a happy line, a humourous touch, that he must have thought of sketching his com panions in their fresh surroundings ; but alas, this, like the Tales awanting, was never to be ; and we have to rely on a poorer hand for the outline and details we desire. Still, worse than Chaucer's though the hand of the Beryn-wiitei is, a bit, and a good bit, of the Master's humour and lifelikeness, the later verser has in his Prologue. Chaucer's characters are well kept up;2 and we can see with our own eyes the Pilgrims strolling about the town and visiting the Cathedral, as well as follow the after-supper adventures3 of that loose fish, the

1 See p. 137, note.

2 Note the Miller's stealing the Canterbury brooches, by way of a change from corn, 1. 174-5 ; the Pardoner's spite to the Summoner, 1. 184-90 ; the Knight's courtesy and gentleness, 1. 136, 387-8, and his lecturing his son on the defences of the town — see the walls in Smith's plan — 1. 237-244 ; the Cook drinking, 1. 410 ; the Pardoner singing, and the Summoner acting as chorus, 1. 412-15 ; the Host all through.

3 De la pause vient la danse : Pro. Men are the merriest when their bellies are fullest ; or, when the bellie is full, the breech would be figging ; (for by this Danse is any lustfull, or sensuall, motion vuderstood). — Cotgrave.

Till FOREWORDS.

Pardoner, with Tapster Kit, who sold him so completely.1 "God knowes who's a good Pilgrim,"2 says the Proverb. We may safely hold that the Pardoner was not one of the saints. As William Thorpe, a Lollard, said of Papist pilgrims in his examination taken before Archbp. Arundel at Saltwood Castle in 1407: "such fond people waste blamefullie Gods goodes in their vaine pilgrimages, spending their goods upon vitious hostelars, which are oft uncleane women of their bodies." — J. G. Mchols. Pilgrimages by Erasmus, p. xxiv, ed. 1875.3 The Beryn Prologue, then, is a piece of contem porary social history to be read and studied, whoever skips or skims the Tale.

For a description of the old Canterbury Inn and its present representative, of the cathedral, relics, shrine, jewels, Canterbury brooches4 and signs, &c., I refer the reader to Dean Stanley's interesting Historical Memorials of Canterbury (p. 216-238, 5th ed., 1868, Jn. Murray), a book which I have already urgd all our members to buy, and which is a necessary part of their Chaucer Library. Thus much for the Prologue.

The Tale is an awfully long-winded one, based on part of a French prose romance,5 of which Mr. Clouston has given an epitome

1 Chascun n'est pas aise qui danse: Prov. Euerie one is not merrie that daunces ; of such a one wee say, 'his heart is not so light as his heeles.' — 1611. Cotgrave.

3 Dieu scait qui est bon pilerin : Prov. God knowes who's a good Pilgrim : the hearts of Pilgrims are best knowne to God. — Cotgrave.

3 He adds : "Also, Sir, I knowe well that when divers men and women will goe thus after their own willes and finding, out on pilgrimage, they will ordaine with them before to have with them both men and women that can well sing wanton songes ; and some other pilgrimages will have them with bagge-pipes ; so that everie towne that they came through, what with the noise of their singing, and with the sound of their piping, and with the jangling of their Canturburie-bels, and with the barking out of dogges after them, that they make more noice then if the King came there away, with all his clarions and many other minstrels. And if these men and women be a moneth out in their pilgrimage, many of them shall be an halfe yeare after, great janglers, tale tellers, and liers."

4 They represented the mitred head of the saint, with the inscription Caput Thomce. Some may be seen in the British Museum.

5 The added Second Part of this is summarized on p. 160 — 174. Note the South-Englishman's touch of the decay of Winchelsea and Rye in lines 754-6, p. 25.

FOREWORDS. IX

and variants, the former on pages 121 to 140, the latter on pages 141 to 159. It tells how in Rome a rich old senator, Faunus, has at last a son by his loved wife Agea; how they spoil the boy, Berinus, during his youth ; and how he turns out a cruel, violent, gambling scamp, caring nothing for his father or his mother, his heritage or his honour. He refuses to come to his fond mother on her deathbed, and like a brute strikes the maiden who's sent for him. His father Faunus, at first inconsolable for the death of Agea, is soon married by the Emperor to a beautiful woman, Rame ; and she, after putting-up with Beryn's wildness for a time, schemes to get rid of him, and oust him from his heritage for her own (coming) son. She persuades Faunus to refuse Beryn further supplies. This brings the young scapegrace to his senses ; and Father and son are reconciled at the dead Agea's tomb. Beryn then proposes to give up his heritage for five ships full of merchandise, and try his luck abroad. This agreed, he sets sail with his fleet of five, and lands at deceitful Falsetown (in the land of Imagination). There he loses a game at chess to a Burgess, Syrophane, and in consequence has to drink all the salt water in the sea, or forfeit his ships. Then he agrees to change his cargoes for five loads of the goods he can find in one Hanybald's house ; but on going there, he finds the house empty. So he stands in his shoes, without either ships or cargoes. A blind man then accuses him of stealing his eyes, and a woman of having got a son by her, and left her to bring it up. Each has him up before the Judge, and he is bidden to answer the charges, but has a day's respite. He mourns, repents, and confesses that his mishaps have come on him for his misdeeds. A Catchpoll Macaigne then lends him a knife to bribe the Judge with, and at once accuses him of having murdered his (the Catchpoll's) father with it. Beryn is had up again, and is at his wit's end, when a Cripple, Geffrey, appears. Beryn bolts, but is overtaken, and the Cripple agrees to stand his friend if Beryn '11 take him back to Rome. This is agreed, and the Cripple tries to send Beryn to the palace of Isope, the wise King of the land, but Beryn refuses to go, so the Cripple goes instead ; and next day, when the trials all come on, Geffrey outwits all the lying prosecutors, — not by denying their charges, but by confessing

X FOREWORDS.

them and turning the tables on the rascals, — makes them pay heavy damages, and brings Beryn off a winner. The Burgess Syrophane has to separate all the fresh-water running from rivers into the salt sea before Beryn can drink its salt water, or to pay damages, which latter he does. In the empty house of the cheat Hanybald, Geffrey has let loose two white butterflies ; and either five ship-loads of these have to be produced, or big damages paid, which Beryn gets. As to the blind man's lost eyes, Geffrey shows that the blind man changed his bad eyes for Beryn's good ones : if the man '11 return Beryn's good eyes, he may have his bad ones back ; but if not, he must pay Beryn damages ; which he does. As to the Deserted- Wife ; if she's Beryn's wife, let her leave her kin, and start at once for Rome with Beryn; she refuses, and pays. .For Macaigne's knife, the truth is, that Beryn found it in his own father's heart, and never knew who the murderer was, till Macaigne claimd the knife. Macaigne must therefore answer for the murder of Beryn's father, or withdraw his plaint, and pay Beryn damages. Macaigne agrees to pay. So Beryn goes back to his ships in triumph, with Cripple Geffrey, and twice as much money as he had before.

Beryn then gets five presents from King Isope ; next day visits him, stays three days with him, weds his daughter, and reforms the bad Falsetown folk.

The issue of the Tales written as Supplements to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales was of course part of the work I laid down for the Chaucer Society ; and as the Tale of Beryn is the best of these, I askt our friend Henry Bradshaw1 where the MS. of the Canterbury Tales containing the unique copy of Beryn (which was first printed in Urry's posthumous edition in 1721) could be. He said "It was lent to Urry by the Hon. Mrs. Thynne,2 a widow who afterwards

1 He had a nose for missing MSS. like a bloodhound's for a fugitive.

2 This is stated in the Preface to Urry's Chaucer written by Tim. Thomas from collections by Dart. (See the rough draft of this Preface, begun Aug. 4, ended 29, 1720, in Harl. MS. 6895, and Benn. Lintot's letter in the same MS.) " XIII. The Honourable Mrs. Thynne, Widow of the Honourable Henry Thynne Esq ; Son to the late Lord Viscount Weymouth, was pleased to lend him [Urry] a MS. purchased by her, which had belonged to Mr. Long, a Prebendary of the Church of Exeter. It is a fair Book, but is imperfect at the beginning and end, and wants the Coke's Talc, and that of Gamclyn : But this Defect is sufficiently

FOREWORDS. XI

mnrriod a Duke of Northumberland. It must ho still at Almvick. AY rite to the Duke there, and you'll get your M.S." I wrote. The Duke said he had the MS. ; and he kindly let Mr. Martin (the Inner Temple Librarian, who also lookt after the Alnwick Library) bring the Chaucer MS. to the Inner Temple Library for me ; and there, with the MS., Mr. Brock and I collated the Beryn pages cut out of my copy of Urry's Chaucer. The proofs were read twice by me with the MS., and I believe the text is a faithful print of it, though unluckily, when editing it, I was affected for a time with the itch of padding out lines by needless little words in square brackets. The reader can easily leave them out in reading when he finds them unnecessary, or gratify his resentment at such impertinences by drawing a pen through them. But he will agree that the MS. is often faulty in metre, and is not a correct copy of the original poem.

For the text and side-notes of the Poem, its Forewords, and choosing its Plans,1 I am responsible. ' To Mr. Stone is due the Index or Glossary, and such of the Xotes as Mr. F. Yipan and Prof.

compensated by the addition of two new Pieces, not extant in any of the other MSS. which are there inserted between the Tale of the Chanon's Teman and Chaucer's Tale of Melibeus, viz. The Adventure of the Pardoner and the Tapster at the Inn in Canterbury, and the Merchant's Tale in the Pilgrim's Keturn from thence" (sign. k. 2). Of the former of these, Thomas rightly says that "it is not properly a Tale, but an Account of the Behaviour of the Pilgrims, and particularly of the Pardoner, at their Journey's end, and a kind of Prologue to a set of Tales to be told in their Return " (sign. k. 2). He adds, on k. 2, back, "It may (perhaps with some shew of reason) be suspected that Chaucer was not the author of the Adventure and Beryn, but a later Writer, who may have taken the hint from what is suggested in v. 796 of the Prologues, that tfhe Pilgrims were to tell Tales in their Return homewards ; but as to that the Reader must be left to his own Judgment. But supposing they were not writ by our Author, we are however obliged to Mr. Urry's diligence for finding out and publishing Two ancient Poems, not unworthy our Perusal : And they have as good a right to appear at the end of this Edition, as Lidgate's Story of Thebes had to be printed in former ones."

Of the Plowman's Tale, Thomas says on sign. k. back, it "is not in any of the MSS. which Mr. Urry describes, nor in any other that I have seen or been informed of." No MS. of it has since turnd up.

1 Ogilby's road-plan of 1675 was the earliest full one I could find. The Lon don to Maidstone plan is borrowd from the. E. E. Text Soc.'s edition of Vicary's Anatomic. Smith's MS. I showd long ago to Mr. H. B. Wheatley, and he and Mr. E. W. Ashbee publisht it by subscription in 1879, with all its colourd plans, coats of arms, &c. : 'A Particular Description of England in 1588,' &c.

Xll FOREWORDS.

Skeat have not written. Mr. Yipan has also read the French Berimw, &c., for us, and Prof. Skeat has partly revised the Notes and Glossary ; while the abstract of that portion of the Romance from which the Tale was derived, and the Persian, Indian, and Arabian variants or versions, with the notes thereon, are due to Mr. Clouston.

To these kind helpers, and to the Duke of Northumberland for lending me his unique MS., I tender hearty thanks. To the Members of the Chaucer Society I apologize for the long delay in the produc tion of the concluding Part of this volume. But it's an ill wind that blows nobody good. The delay has led to our getting the valuable help of Mr. W. A. Clouston in his own peculiar line ; and all our Members will thank him for his interesting Paper on ' The Merchant and the Rogues,' p. 121-174 below.

Canon Scott Robertson's long-promist Paper on the Pilgrim's road to Canterbury is not yet written. Let us pray that it soon will be. The second l Supplementary Canterbury Tale/ Lydgate's ' Sege of Thebes,' has been undertaken by a Scandinavian friend, Dr. Axel Erdmann, who hopes to get it to press next year.

Our Concordance, to Chaucer has been taken in hand by Mr. Graham, after 7 years' neglect by Prof. Corson. I hope to live to see it finisht. Now that the first volume of the Philological Society's New English Dictionary, edited by Dr. J. A. H. Murray,1 has been publisht by the generosity of the Clarendon Press, one need not despair of seeing the Chaucer Concordance in type, tho' it is not so far ahead as Mr. F. S. Ellis's Shelley Concordance.

F. J. FURNIVALL.

Westfield Terrace, Bakcwell, Derbyshire) 13 August, 188S.

1 He is now at work on vol. ii, Avhile volume iii is in the hands of Mr. Henry Bradley, Member of Council of the Philological Society. We started work at the Dictionary in 1858.

CORRECTION.

p. 80, 1. 2619, for ageyn[se] read ageyn[es].

(I leave each reader to supply, according to his taste, more insertions be tween brackets, to make all the lines of the Poem of normal length.)

Boxley

CANTKRBVKY

1. Chriftes church

2. ye Market Place

3. our Lady

4. S* Andrewes

5. S* Peter

6. Weftgate Church

7. St Mildred

8. The Castell

9. Our Lady

10. St George

11. Thefreeres

12. Alhalows

(From William Smith's unique MS, Sloane 2596, in the British Museum.)

THE TALE OF BERYN.

prologue,

Or, the mery adventure of the Pardonere and Tapstere at the Inn at Canterbury.1

[Duke of Northumberland's MS 55, leaf 180, sign. A A 8. After the Canon's Yeoman's Tale]

Hen all this ffresshfel feleship were com to Caun- when the

Pilgrims reach tirbury, Canterbury,

As ye have herd to-fore, with talys glad & merry, (Som of sotiH centence, of1 vertu & of1 lore, after telling Tales

wise and loose,

And som of* othir myrthis, for hem jjat hold no store 4 Of wisdom, ne of1 holynes, ne of1 Chiualry, Nethir of1 vertuouse matere, 2but [holich] to foly Leyd wit & lustis aH, to such[e nyce] lapis As Hurlewaynes meyne in every hegg that capes 8

Thurgh vnstabiH mynde, — ryght as Jje levis grene Stondein a-geyn the wedir, ry^t so by hem I mene ; — Butt no more here-of nowe, [as] at £is ilche tyme, In saving1 of1 my centence, my prolog, & my ryme.) 12 They toke hir In, & loggit hem at mydmorowe, I trowe, they put-up at Atte " Cheker of1 the hope," Jjat many a man doith knowe. the-Hope' inn. Hir/ 3 Hoost of* South work jjat wz't/i hem went, as ye have herde to-fore,

'-1 Urry's title. There is none in the MS. 2 MS butto.

3 This ' r/ ' is for ' r ' with a downward tag to it. BERYN. 1

TAPSTER KIT MAKES LOVE TO THE PARDONER.

Tue Pardoner

is welcomed by the Tapster,

who shows him her empty bed,

and weeps for her lost husband.

The Pardoner comforts her,

That was rewler/ ofH hem al, of* las & eke of1 more, 16 Ordeyned hir/ dyner wisely, or they to chirch[e] went, Such vitaillis as he fond in town), & for noon o]?ir sent. The Pardonere be-held the besynes, howe statis wer1 1-servid, Diskennyng1 hym al pryuely, & a syde swervid, 20

(The Hostelere was so halowid from o plase to a-nothir ;) He toke his staff to the Tapstere : " welcom myne owne

bro]>ere,"

Quod she, with a ffrendly look, al redy for to kys ; And he, as a man I-lernyd of1 such kynd[e]nes, 24

Bracyd hir/ by the myddiH, & made hir/ gladly chere As J?ou3e he had I-knowe hir1 al the rathir yeer She halid hym in-to the tapstry, J?ere hir1 bed was makid : "Lo, Here I ligg1" (quod she) "my selff al ny^t al nakid W'/t/iout[en] mannys company, syn my love was dede : 29 lenkyn Harpour/ yf ye hym know ; from fete to j>e hede Was nat a lustier persone to daunce ne to lepe, Then he was, J>ou3e I it sey " : And ]>ere-with she to wepe She made, &, with hir1 napron) feir/ & white I-wassh, 33 She wypid sofft hir1 eyen, for teris )>at she out lassh ; As grete as eny niylstone, vpward gon they stert. ffor love of1 hir1 swetyng1 fat sat so ny^e hir1 hert, 36

She wept & way lid, & wrong1 hir/ hondis, & made much

to done; [leaf ISO, back]

tfor they that loven so passyngly, such trowes J?ey have

echone. She snyffith, sighith, and shooke hire hede, and made rouful

chere. " Benedicite," quod the Pardonere, & toke hir1 by the

swere ; 40

" Yee make sorowe I-now^," quod he, " yeur/ lyff fou^e ye

shuld lese." " It is no wondir," quod she than, And Jjere-with she gan

to fnese. " Aha ! al hole ! " quod the Pardoned, " yewr/ penaunce

is som what passid."

THE PARDONER MAKES LOVE TO TAPSTER KIT. 3

" God forbede it els ! " quod she, " but it were som-what

lassid, 44

I my3te nat lyve els, powe wotist, & it shuld longe endure."

" Now blessid be God of mendement, of1 liele & eke of1

cure ! "

Quod the Pardoner5 tho a-noon, & toke hir> by the Chynne, chucks her chin, And seyd to hir> pese wordis tho : " Alias ! pat love ys syn ! So kynde a lover as yee be oon, & [eke] so trew of hert, (ifor, be my trewe conscience, $it for 3ewe I smert, 50 And shal this month hereaftir, for yeur1 soden disese :) Now wele wer* hym ye lovid, so [bat] he coude aewe plese ! and wishes he

could please her.

I durst[e] swere oppon a book, pat trewe he shuld

fynd; 53

ffor he pat is so ^ore dede, is green ^it] in yewr/ mynde. Ye made me a sory man ; I dred yee wold have stervid." " Graunt mercy, gentil Sir1 !" quod, she, "pat1 yee [been]

vnaservid ;

Yee be a nobiH man ! I-blessid mut yee be ! 57

Sit[tith] down), [and] ye shul drynk ! " "nay .I.-wis" (quod she offers him

. drink,

he,)

" I am fastyng }it, myne owne hertis rote ! " " ffasting1 3it ! alias ! " quod she, " perof I can good bote." She stert in-to the town), & fet a py al hote, 61 then buys

him a pie,

And set to-fore the Pardoner1; "lenken, I ween] I note :

Is that ye?*r/ name, I 30 w prey 1 " " ^e, I-wis myne owne asks him his

name,

sustir ;

So was I enformyd of hem pat did me foster1. 64

And what is yewrs T " Kitt, I-wis ; so cleped me my dame." and teiis him " And Goddis blessing1 have pow, Kitt ! now broke wel thy

name ! "

And pryuelich vnlasid his both[en] eyen liddes, And lokid hir1 in the visage paramour* a-myddis ; 68 The Pardoner

A i • i 't , -.1 i',-i i makes eyes at

And s^hid pere-with a litil tyme, pat she it here my3te, her, And gan to trown & feyn this song1, " now, loue, pou do me ri3te!"

1 for ( but.1

THE PARDONER AND KIT STILL MAKE LOVE.

[leaf 181]

and says he's in love with her.

Kit doubts;

a burnt oat dreads the fire :

loving has done her harm.

The Pardoner gives her a groat.

She refuses it at first,

then takes it,

and asks him to explain a Dream she has had,

"Ete & be merry," quod she, " why breke yee nowt1 yewr/

fast1?

To waite more feleshipp, it were but work in wast. 72 Why make yee so duft chere ] for yeur/ love at home ? " " Nay forsoth, myne own) hert ! it is for jewe a-loon ! " " ffor me ? alias ! what sey yee 1 that wer1 a sympift prey." " Trewlich jit," quod, the pardoner*, " It is as I jewe sey." " 3e etith & beith mery, we woH speke J?ere-of [ful] sone ; 1 Brennyd Cat dredith feir/ ' ; it is mery to be aloon : 78 fFor, by our/ lady mary, ]>at bare Ihesu on hir* arm), I coud nevir love jit, but it did me harm) ; ffor evir my maner1 hath be to love[n] ovir much." 81 " Now Cristis blessing1," quod the pardoner*, " go with al[le]

such !

Lo ! ho we the clowdis worchyn, eche man to mete his mach ! ffor trewly, gentil Cristian, I vse J>e same tach, 84

And have I-do [ful] many a jer1 ; I may it nat for-ber* ; ffor 'kynde woH have his cours,' j?ouj men ]>e contrary

swerV'

And IperwitJi he stert vp smertly, & cast [a]down) a grote, " What shal this do, gentiH Sir* 1 Nay, sir' ! for my cote I nold yee payde a peny her*, & [tho] so sone pas ! " 89 The Pardonere swore his gretter othe, he woldfe] pay no las. " I-wis, sir*, it is ovir-do ! but sith it is yeur/ wiH, I woH put it in my purs, lest yee it take in iH 92

To refuse your/ curtesy : " And ]>ere-with she gan to bowe. "Now trewly," qiiod the Pardoner", " yeur/ maners been to

alowe ;

ffor had ye countid streytly, & no thing1 lefft be-hynde, I myjte have wele I-demed J>at yee be vnkynde, 96

And eke vntrewe of1 hert1, & sonner me forjete, But ye list be my tresorer ; for we shuH offter mete." " Now certen," quod the tapster1, " yee have a red ful even, As wold to God yee couth as wele vndo my sweven 100 That I my selff did mete this nyjt fat is I-passid : 1 MSnowe.

KIT'S DREAM. THE PILGRIMS VISIT THE CATHEDRAL. 5

How T was in a cliirch, when it was al I-massid ;

And was in my devocioune tyl service was al doon, 103

Tyli the Freest & the clerk [ful] boystly "bad me goon, that she was

And put me out of1 the chirch with [right] an egir mode." church.

" Now, seynt Danyel," qwod J?e pardonere, " JQUY/ swevyn

turne to good ! And I woH halsow it to the best, have it in yewr/ mynd ; The Pardoner

says her Dream

ffor comynly of these swevenys J>e contrary men shul fynde :

' Yee have be a lover glad, & litil loy I-had ; 109

Pluk vp a lusty hert, & be mery & glad? ; [leafisi, back]

1 ffor vee shul have an husbond, bat shal sewe wed to wvve, means that she'll

have a husband,

That shal love ^ewe as hert[e]ly, as his owne lyve. 112

The preest bat put sewe out of Chirch, shal lede sew in and the priest

will lead her into

church again.

And help[en] to yeur/ mariage, with al his my^te & mayu) : ' This is the sweven al & som ; Kit, how likith the 1 " " Be my trowith, wondir wele ; blessid mut fowe be ! " Then toke he leve at J?at tyme, tyH he com efft sone, 117 And went [un]to 2 his feleshippe, as it was [for] to doon.

(Thou^e it be no grete holynes to prech ]>is ilk niatere, (it's not a par- And ]jat som list [not] to her* it ; ^it, sirs/ nei-* )?e latter storyTthis^ y Endurith for a while, & suffrith hem )>at woli, 121

And yee shutl here howe be Tapster1 made be Pardoner puH but you'll soon

see how the

Garlik al the longe ny^te, til it was nere end4 day ; Tapster sold the

Pardonor.)

ffor J>e more cher1 she made of love, j?e falsher1 was hir5 lay ; But litil charge gaff she ther'-of', Tpoiije she aquyt his while, ffor ethir-is fou^t & tent was, othir to begile, As yee shuli here her'-aftir, when tyme comyth & spase To meve such mater, but nowe a litiU spase 128

I woH retoirrne me ageyn) [un]to the company.)

The kny^t & al the feleshipp, & no Jnng for to ly, AH the Pilgrims

When they wer1 aH I-loggit, as skiH wold, & reson, Everich aftir his degre, to Chirch ben was seson 132 go to Canterbury

Cathedral, to

To pas[sen] & to wend, to make[n] hiij offringis, make their

Ri^te as hiij devocioune was, of1 sylvir broch & ryngis. 2 MS wentto. 3 MS ^it sir ^it sirs 4 near hand, nearly.

THE PILGRIMS' COMICAL REMARKS ON THE STAINED GLASS.

The Knight settles who's to go-in first.

A monk sprinkles them with holy water,

and won't let the Friar take the sprinkler,

as he so wants to

see the Nun's

face.

The Knight goes

to the Shrine.

The Pardoner, Miller, &c.,

make funny guesses as to what the stained- glass window means.

The Host scolds them, and sends them to the Shrine.

There they kneel and pray ;

kiss the relics,

Then atte Chirch[e] dorr the curtesy gan to ryse,

Tyl f e kny3t, of1 gentilnes, fat knewe ri3te wele f e guyse,

Put forth fe Prelatis, fe Person, & his fere. 137

A monk, fat toke f e spryngiH with a manly chere,

And did [right] as the maner* is, moillid al hir/ patis,

Everich aftir othir, ri^te as fey wer" of states. 140

The ffrere feynyd fetously the spryngil for to hold,

To spryng1 oppon the remnaunt, — fat for his cope he nold

Have lafft that occupacioune in fat holy plase, —

So longid his holy conscience to se fe Nonnys fase. 144

The kny^te went with his compers toward f e holy shryne,

To do fat they were com fore, & aftir for to dyne ; [leaf 182]

The Pardoner* & f e Miller1, & of ir lewde sotes,

80113 1 hem selff[en] in the Chirch, ri$t as lewd[e] gotes ;

Pyrid fast, & pourid, hi^e oppon the glase, 149

Countirfeting gentilmen, f e armys for to blase,

Diskyueryng1 fast the peyntour1, & for f e story mourned,

And a red [it] also right as [wolde] Eammys hornyd : 152

" He berith a balstaff," quod, the toon, " & els a rakis ende."

"Thow faillist," quod the Miller1, "fowe hast nat wel fy

mynde ;

It is a spere, yf f OAVC canst se, [right] witJi a prik to-fore, To bussh. adown) his enmy, & furh the Sholdir bore." 156 " Pese ! " quod, the hoost of Southwork, " let stond f e wyn-

dow glasid !

Goith vp, & doith yeur/ offerynge ! yee semeth half amasid ! Sith yee be in company of honest men & good, Worchith somwhat aftir, & let fe kynd of brode 160

Pas for a tyme ! I hold it for the best ; ifor who doith after company, may lyve the bet in rest."

Then passid they forth boystly, goglyng1 with hiij hedis, Knelid a down) to-fore the shryne, & hert[i]lich hir1 bed is They preyd to Seynt Thomas, in such wise as fey couth ; And sith, the holy relikis, ech man with his mowith 166 Kissid, as a goodly monke f e names told & tau^t. And sith to othir placis of holynes fey rau^te, 168

CANTERBURY BROOCHES. THE PILGRIMS DINNER.

And were in hir) devocioun tyl service wer1 al doon • and hear an the

And sith fey drowj to dynerward, as it drew to noon.

Then, as manere & custom is, signes bere bey bomte, — Then tligy buy

Pilgrims' Tokens.

fibr men of centre shuldfe] know whom fey had[de] ou^te,— 172

Ech man set his sylvir in such thing1 as fey likid : And in be meenfel while, the Miller5 had I-pikid The Miller steals

a lot of Canter-

His bosom ful of signys of Cauntirbury brochis : touy brooches.

Huch fe Pardoner1, & he, pryuely in hir1 pouchis 176

)2ey put hem aftirward, fat noon of hem it1 wist,

Save be Sompnour1 seid somwhat, & seydfel to ha??i "list ! TheSummoner

cries 'halves!'

Halif part ! " qiiod he, pryuely rownyng1 on hir* ere :

" Hussht ! pees ! " miod be Miller1, " seisf bowe nat the The Miller says,

' Hush ! look at frere, 180 the Friar!

Howe he lowrith vndir his hood witJi a doggi&sh ey 1 He's looking.

Hit shuld be a pryuy thing1 that he coude nat a-spy : [leaf 182, back]

Of euery crafft he can somwhat, our1 lady gyve hym sorowe ! " Curse him i • "Amen!" tho quod the Sompnour*, "on eve & eke on 'Amen! Dev-n

take him !

morowe! 184

So cursid a tale he told* of1 me, the devil of heH hym spede ! And me, but yf I pay hym wele, & quyte wele his mede, ru pay him out, Yf it hap[pene] homward fat ech man teH his tale, tein'

As wee did hidirward, fou^e wee shuld set at sale, 188 Al the shrewdnes that I can, I wol hym no thing1 spare, That I nol touch his taberd, somwhat of ! his care ! "

They set hir> signes oppon hir1 hedis, & som oppon hir1 They stick their

Tokens in their 191 caps,

And sith [then] to the dynerward, they gan[ne] for to stappe.

Euery man in his degre, wissh, & toke his sete wash, and sit

down to dinner.

As they were wont to doon at soper & at mete,

And wer* in scilence for a tyme, tiH girdiH2 gon a-rise ; silence is kept

But then, as nature axith, (as these old wise 196

Knowen wele,) when veynys been som- what replete, but MI bellies

The spiritis wol stere, & also metis swete

1 ? to. 2 Urry reads ' good ale ' ; but ' girdill ' makes

good sense : 'till their bellies swelled.'

THE HOST'S SPEECH TO THE PILGRIMS.

and soon all are talking and joking.

The Host thanks the Pilgrims

for having told Tales on the way down ;

and says each man must tell another Tale on the way back,

[leaf 183]

and he'll give them all a supper at Southwark, as he promist.

All the Pilgrims agree.

The Host says, ' Now go and amuse your selves.'

Causen offt[e] myrthis for to be I-mevid,

And eke it was no tyme tho for to be I-grevid : 200

Euery man in his wise made hertly chere,

Talyng* [to] his felowe of sportis & of chere,

And of othir myrthis fat fyllyn by the wey,

As custom is of pilgryms, & hath been many a day. 204

The hoost leyd to his ere, of South work as ye knowe,

And thenkid al the company, both[en] hi^e & lowe,

' So wele kepeing1 the covenaunt, in Southwork fat was

made,

That euery man shuld, by the wey, with a tale glade 208 Al the hole company in shorting1 of f e wey ; ' " And al is wele perfourmed. but fan nowe f us I sey, That wee must so horn ward, eche man tel a-nof ir ; Thus we were accordit, And I shuld be a rothir 212

To set[ten] ^ewe in governaunce by ri^tful lugement." " Trewly, hoost," quod the nrer), " fat was al our/ assent, With a litiH more fat I shal sey thereto. Yee grauntid of yeur/ curtesy, fat wee shuld also, 216 Al the hole company, sope with ^ewe at ny^te : Thus I trow[e] fat it was : what sey yee, air kny^te 1 " "It shal nat nede," quod the hoost, " to axe no witnes ; Yeur1 record is good I-nowe ; & of yeur* gentilnes 220 3it I prey ^ewe efft ageyn : for, by seynt Thomas shryne, And yee wott hold [yeur] covenaunt, I wol hold [en] myne." " Now trewly, hoost," quod the kny^t, " yee have ri^t wel

I-sayd ;

And, as towelling1 my persone, I hold me [wel a]payde ; And so I trowe fat al doith. sirs, what sey[e] yee?" 225 The Monke, & eke the Marchaunte, & al seid, " 30 ! " " Then al this aftir-mete I hold it for the best To sport & pley vs," quod the hoost, " eche man as hyra

lest, 228

And go by tyme to soper, & [thanne] to bed also ; So mowe wee erly rysen, our* iourney for to do."

The kny^t arose ther-with-al, & cast on a fressher* gown),

THE PILGRIMS AFTERNOON SIGHT-SEEING AT CANTERBURY.

And his sone a-nothir, to walkfenl in the town) ; 232 The Knight and

his Son change

And so did al the /emnaunt )>at were of fat aray, their clothes,

That had hir* chaungis with hem ; they made hem fressh

&gay,

Sortid hem to-gidir, ri$te as hir* lustis lay,

As fey were [the] more vsid, traveling1 by the wey. 236

The knyit [thol with his nieyne went to l se the watt, and go to see the

wall and defences

And fe wardes of1 the town), as to a kny}t be-fatt ; of the town.

Devising4 ententiflich f e strengthis al a-bout,

And a-poyntid to his sone fe perett & fe dout, 240

ffor shot of Arblast & of bowe, & eke for shot of gonne, The Knight

shows how it can

Vn-to f e wardis of the town, & ho we it rny^t be wone ; be won, and

And al defence thei* a-geyn, aftir his entent

He declarid compendiously. & al that evir he ment, 244

His 2 sone perseyvid every poynt, as he was ful abiH The Squire

understands it

To Armes, & to travail!, and pe?*sone covenabitt ; ail,

He was of al factur1, aftir fourm) of kynde ;

And for to deme his governaunce, it semed bat his mynde but is thinking of

his lady-love.

Was [set] much in his lady fat he lovid best, 249

That made hym offt to wake, when he shuld have his rest. The Clerk fat was of Oxinforth, on-to f e Sompnore seyd, " Me semeth of grete clerge fat f ow art a mayde ; 252 The cierk teiis

the Summoner

ffor f ow puttist on the ffrer*, in maner1 of repreff1, that the Friar

That he knowith falshede, vice, & eke a thefP ; knowig of evil

And I it hold vertuouse and right co?wmendabiH Deaf iss, bk] calTfiien avoid

To have verry knowlech ofH thingis reprouabiH. 256

ffor who so [doth,] may eschew it, and let it pas [sen] by,

And els he my^te fall ther'-on, vnware & sodenly.

And thou^e the ffrere told a tale of a [false] Sompnour1,

Thowe ou^tist for to take[n] it for no dishonour1; 260 and so the sum-

ifor, of alle crafftis, and of eche degre,

They be nat al perfite ; but som [ful] nyce be." tafe. "

" Lo ! what is worthy," seyd the kny^te, " for to be a clerk ! To sommon a-mong1 vs hem3, fis mocioune was ful derk ; I comend his wittis, & eke his [grete] clerge, 265

1 MS wentto. 2 MS He. 3 1 To some men among us here.

10

THE PILGRIMS' AFTERNOON AT CANTERBURY.

The Monk asks the Parson and Friar to visit an acquaintance with him.

The Monk, Par son, and Friar, drink wine together.

The Wife of Bath takes the Prioress

to see the inn- garden at Can terbury, full of pot-herbs, &c.,

[leaf 184]

a pretty sight.

The Merchant, &c,., go into the town.

But the Pardoner stalks into the taproom after his Kit,

ffor of ethir parte lie savith honeste."

The monke toke the person J>en, & f e grey[e] ffrer*, And preyd[e] hem ful1 cnrteysly for to go in fere : 268 " I have ther* a queyntaunce, fat al this yeris thre Hath preyd me 2 by his lettris fat I hym wold[e] se : And yee [be] my brothir in habit & in possessioune. And now [fat]' I. am her*, me thinkith it is to doon, 272 To preve[n] it in dede, what cher* he wold me make, And to 3ewe, my frende, also for my sake." They went forth to-gidir, talking1 of holy matere : 275 But woot ye wele, in certeyn, they had no mynd on water To drynk[en] at that tyme, when they wer1 met in fere ; ffor of the best fat rny^t be found, & Iper-with mery cher* They had, it is no doute ; for spycys & eke wyne Went round aboute, f e gascoyn, & eke the ruyne.3 280

The wyff of bath was so wery, she had no wiH to walk ; She toke the Priores by the hond : " madam ! wol ye stalk Pryuely in-to f e garden, to se the herbis growe 1 And aftir, vriih our* hostis wyff, in hir1 parlour* rowe, 284 I woH gyve ^ewe the wyne, & yee shuH me also ; ffor tyH wee go to soper wee have nau^t ellis to do." The Priores, as vo??^man tau^t of gentil blood, & hend, Assentid to hir* counsel! ; and forth [tho] gon they wend, Passyng* forth [ful] sofftly in-to the herbery : 289

ffor many a herbe grewe, for sew4 & surgery ; And al the Aleyis feir1 1-parid, I-raylid, & I-makid ; The sauge, & the Isope, I-frethid & I-stakid ; 292

And othir beddis by & by [ful] fressh I-dight : ffor comers to the boost, ri^te a sportful sight.

The Marchaunt, & f e mancipiH, fe Miller1, & f e Reve, And the Clerk of Oxinforth, to towrDward gon they meve, And al the othir meyne ; & lafft noon at home, 297

Save the Pardoner", fat pryvelich, when al they wei° goon, Stalkid in-to the tapstry : for no thing' wold he leve,

1 MS for. p. 202.

2 MS hym. 3 ' wyne de Kyne ', Babees Bool', 4 soup, cooking : potherbs.

THE PARDONER FINDS KIT DOZING. 1 1

To make his covenaunte in certen, bat same eve 300 to secure her for

the eve.

He wold be loggid with hir* ; fat was Ms hole entencioun). (But hap, & eke ffortune, & al the constellacioune, Was clene hym ageyns, as yee shuH aftir here • ffor hym had better be I-loggit al ny3t in a my ere, 304 Then he was f e same ny3te, or the sonne was vp : ffor such was his fortune, he drank wit^-out f e cupp ; (But he gets

But f ereof wist[e] he no dele ; ne no man of vs alle May have fat hi^e connyrig1, to know what shal be-falle.) He stappid in-to the tapstry wondir pryuely, 309

And fond hir> liggyng1 lirylong1 ; with half[e] sclepy eye The Pardoner Pourid fellich vndir hir1 hood, & sawe al his comyng1, asleep,

And lay ay stiH, as nau3t she knewe, but feynyd hir sclep- ing*. 312

He put his hond to hir* brest : " a-wake ! " quod he, " a- puts his hand

on her,

wake ! " " A ! benedicite, sir*, who wist ^ewe here 1 out ! Ipus I inyjt

be take

Prisoner1," quod the tapstere, " being1 al aloon ; " And Iperwith breyd vp in a fi^te, & be-gan to groon. 316 " Nowe, sith yee be my prisoner*, 3eld 3ewe now ! " quod he, &-^ says 'Yield.' " I must[e] nedis," qiiod she, " I may no thing1 fle ; she says she

And eke I have no strengith, & am but yong1 of Age, And also it is no mastry to each a mouse in a cage, 320 That may no where stert1 out, but closid wondir fast j And eke, Sir*, I tell 3ewe, f ou3 I had grete hast, Yee shuld have cou3id when ye com. wher* lern ye cz^rtesy 1 but he was rude,

TIT Li'-i^ ^ • L or»& ought to have

.Now trewlich I must chide, for of r^te pryuyte 324 cought before

Vowmen been som tyme of day, when they be aloon.

Wher1 coud I ([I] 3ewe prey) when yee com efft-sone?"

u!S"owe mercy, dere sweting1 ! I wol do so no more : The Pardoner

begs her pardon,

I thank[e] 3ew an hundrit sithis ! & also by yewr/ lore [leaf 184, back]

I woH do here-aftir, in what place fat I com. 329

But lovers, Kitt, ben eviH avisid ful offt & to lorn;

Whorfor I prey jew hertlich, holdpth] me excusid,

And I be-hote jew trewly, it shal no more be vsid. 332

KIT AGREES TO SATISFY THE PARDONERS LUST.

and asks how she's been getting

He's very fond of her.

Kit says she's sure the Pardoner 's conjured her,

and made her in love with him.

He asks if he may lie with her that night.

She says, ' Yes,

but come late, and open the door quietly.'

They drink to seal the bargain

and the Pardoner gives her money for a late supper,

But nowe to our* purpose : how have- yee [ijfare

Sith I was with $ew last 1 J?at is my mostfe] care.

nor yf yee eylid eny thing1 othir-wise J?en good,

Trewly it wold chaunge my chere & [eke] my "blood." 336

" I have I-farid the wers for ^ewe," qz/od Kitt, " do ye no

drede

God jjat is a-bove ? & eke yee had no nede ffor to congir me, god woot, with JQUT/ nygromancy, That have no more to vaunce me, but oonly my body ; 340 And yf it were disteynyd*, jjen wer I on-do. I-wis I trowe, lenkyn, ye be nat to trust to ! ffor evir-more yee clerkis con so much in book, Yee woH wyn a vomman, atte first[e] look." 344

Thou^t the Pardoner5, ' this goith wele ' ; & made hir

better chere,

And axid of hir sofft[e]ly : " lord, who shaH liggefn] here This ny^te J>at is to comyng'1 I prey ^ewe telle me ! " "Iwis it is grete nede to telle 3ew," quodl she : 348

"Make it nat ovir qucynt, pou^e yee be a clerk ! Ye know wele I-nouj I-wis, by loke, by word, by work ! " " Shal I com J>en, Cristian, & fese a-wey f e Cat ? " " Shul yee com, sir ? benedicite ! what question is that ? Where-for I prey ^ew hertly, do be my counsaille ; 353 Comyth somwhat late, & for no thing1 faille ; The dorr shaft stond char vp ; put it from }ew sofft : But, be wel avisid, ye wake nat them on lofft." 356

" Care ye nat," quod lenken, " I can there-on atte best ; ShaH no man for my stering1 be wakid of his rest."

Anoon they dronk the beuerage, & wer' of oon accord As it semed by hir* chere, & also by hir/ word : 360

And al a-scaunce she lovid hym wele, she toke hy??i by the

swere,

As Jjou^e she had lernyd cury fauel, of som old[e] ffrere. The pardonere plukkid out of his purs, I trow, J>e dow[e]ry, And toke it Kit, in hir bond, & bad hir pryuely [leaf iss] 'To orden a rere soper for hem both[e] to, — 365

THE PILGEIMS AT SUPPER AT CANTERBURY. 13

A cawdeH I-made with swete wyne, & with sugir also ; — and a cawdie of

wine and sugar.

ffor trewly I have no talent to ete in yeur1 absence ; 367

So longith my hert toward 3 ewe, to be in yeux/ presence.'

He toke his leve, & went his wey as j>ou3e no Jnng1 were,

And met with al the fel[e]shippe ; but in what plase ne where Then the Par-

He spak no word thereof*, but held hym close & still to his mates,

As he ]?at hopid sikirlich to have had al his wiB ; 372

And Jjou^t [ful] many a niery Jjou^t by hym self* a-loon :

"I am I-loggit," boust he, "best, howe-so-evir it gone ! and thinks he'ii

have the best bed,

And £01136 it have costid me, 3it wol I do my peyn)

ffor to pike hir1 purs to ny3te, & wyn my cost ageynX" 376 an^ pi<* Kit's

Now leve I the Pardonere tiH ]>at it be eve, And woH retourne me ageyn ri3t ther* as I did leve.

Whan al wer com to-gidir, in [to] hir1 herbegage, The hoost of Southwork, as ye knowe, J?at had no spice of The Host

rage, 380

But al thing wrou3t prudenciaU, as sobir man & wise ; "Nowe woH wee to the souper, sir kny3t, seith jeui/ proposes supper.

avyse,"

Qwod the hoost ful curteysly ; & in fe same wise The kny3t answerd hym ageyn, " sir, as yee devise 384 The Knight

says he'll act

I must obey, yee woot wele j but yf I faille witt,

Then takith J>ese prelatis to 3ewe, & wasshith, & go sit ;

ffor I woH be yewr/ MarchaH, & servefn] 3ewe echone ; as Marshall.

And Jjen ]?e ofncers & I, to soper shuH wee goon." 388

They wissh, & sett1 rhte as he bad, ech man with his fere, They sit dow» itt

' order, and chat

And begonne to talk, of sportis & of chere of their after

noon's walk. J?at they had J?e aftir-mete, whils [J?at] fey were out ;

ffor othir occupacioun, til they were servid aboute, 392

)5ey had nat at J?at tyme, but eny man kitt a loff ;

But be Pardonere kept hym close, & told [el no bing1 of (The Pardoner

keeps quiet ;

The myrth & hope J>at he had, but kept it for hym-selff ;

And bouae he did, it is no fors : for he had nede to solue but he has to

•sol-fa 'for it

Long1 or it wer inydny3t, as yee shul here sone ; 397 afterwards.)

ffor he met with his love, in crokeing1 of j)e moon.

* They were I-semyd honestly, & ech man held hym payde :

H

THE PILGRIMS (EXCEPT THE PARDONER) GO TO BED.

At Supper, all fare equally, as all pay alike;

but the c quality ' get the pick, and therefore stand wine for the others.

After Supper, the steady men go 10 bed.

The Miller and Cook sit up drinking.

The Pardoner sings (that Kit may hear him)

with the Sum- nioner, Reeve, &c.

This angers the Host and Merchant,

who get them all off to bed,

except the Par doner, who hides.

Kit, her Para mour, and the Hostler, have a good supper off the goose and caw tile that the Pardoner 'a paid for.

ffor of o manei^ of service hir1 soper was araide, 400

As skiH wold, & reson, sith the lest of aH [leaf iss, back!

Payid I-lich[e] much, for growing1 of f e gaii. But 3it, as curtesy axith, f ou$ it* were som dele streyte, The statis fat wer a-bove had of f e feyrest endreyte. 404 Wherfor they did hir gentilnes ageyn to al f e rout ; They dronken wyne at hire cost, onys round a-boute.

!N"owe pass y l lijtly ovir : when they soupid had, Tho that were of governaunce, as wise men & sad 408 Went to hhj rest, & made no more to doon ; Butte 2 Miller & f e Coke, dronken by the moon Twyes to ech othir in the repenyng1. And when the Pardoner1 hem aspied, a-nooii he gan to syng*, " Doubil me this bourdon," chokelyrig1 in his throte, 413 if or the tapster1 shuldfe] here of his mery note. He clepid to hym the Sompnot^re fat was his own) discipitt, The yeman, & the Reve, & [eke] fe MauncipiH; 416 And stoden so holowing1 ; for no thing wold they leve, Tyl the tyme fat it was wel wtt/dn [the] eve. The hoost of Southwork herd hem wele, & f e Marchcwnt

both,

As they were at a-countis, & wexen som-what wroth. 420 But ^it they preyd hem curteysly to reste for to wend ; And so they did, al they route, fey dronk & made an ende ; And eche man drou^e to cusky, to sclepe & take his rest, Save fe Pardonere, fat drewe apart, & weytid hym a trest3 ffbr to hyde hym selff, tift the canditt were out. 425

And in the meen[e] while, have ye no doute, The tapster1 & hir/ Paramour, & the Hosteler1 of the House Sit to-gidir4 pryuelich, & of fe best[e] gouse 428

j?at was I-found in town), & I-set at sale, They had thereof sufficiaunt, & dronk but litiH ale ; And sit & ete f e cawdeH, for f e Pardonere fat was made With sugir & with swete wyne, ri^t as hym-selff[e] bade :

MS passy.

2 But the.

Urry prints * by a chaste.1

MS Sitto gidir.

KIT ARRANGES A SELL FOR THE PARDONER. 15

So he pat payd for aH in feer, [ne] had[de] nat a twynt ;

ffor offt is more better I-merkid then [there is] I-mynt :

And so [it] farid pere ful ri^te, as yee have I-herd.

(But who is, pat a womman coud nat make his herd, 436 (Whom can't a

woman make a

And she were there-about, & set hir/ wit ther-to 1 fool of, if she sets

- _ , „ , . T , her mind on it ?

Yee woot wele I ly nat ; &, wner 1 do or no, [leaf ise]

I woU nat here termyn it. — lest ladies stond in plase, But i mustn't

offend the Ladies.

Or els gentil vommen, — for lesing1 of my grace, 440

Of daliaunce & of sportis, & of goodly chere ;

Therfor, anenst hir1 estatis, I woH in no manere

Deme ne determyii ; but of lewd[e] kittis, i'u only scold

As tapsters, & oper such, pat hath wyly wittis 444 who blear men's

To pik mennys pursis, & eke to bier1 hir1 eye ;

So wele they make seme soth, when pey falssest ly.)

Now of Kitt Tapster*, & of hir1 Paramour1, After their

And the hosteler1 of pe House, pat sit in kittis bour1 : 448 When they had etc & dronk ri3t in the same plase, Kit be-gan to rendir out al thing1 as it was, — Kit teiis her

. n , T> i PI- Paramour and the

±ne wowing oi pe Pardonere, & his cost also, Hostler ail the

And howe he hopid for to lygg al ny^t vrith hir1 also ; 452

" But perof he shall be sikir as of goddis cope ; " —

And sodenly kissid hir1 Paramour ; & seyd, "we shul sclope but says she-n

_,.,.,,, , , , sleep with her

logidir hul by hul, as we have many a ny3te. Paramour, and he

A1«, PI T iii -i , M 8naH thrash the

And yf he com & make noyse, I prey jew dub hym kny^t. ' Pardoner.

" 3is, dame," quod, hir1 Paramour1, " be pow nat a-gast ! 457

This is his owne staff, p<?u seyist ; pereof he shal a-tast ! "

" Now trewly," quod the hosteler1, " & he com by my lot, The Hostler de-

He shaH drynk for kittis love wit^-outfel cup or pot ; 460 Pardoner comes

by him, he'll

And ne be so hardy to wake]_nj eny gist, pay him out.

I make a-vowe to pe Pecok, pere shal wake a foul myst j "

And arose vp thef-w^t/i-al, & toke his leve a-noon : —

It was a shrewid company ; they had servid so many oon.

With such maner1 of feleshipp ne kepe I nevir to dele, 465

Ne no man pat lovith his worshipp & his hele. —

Qwod Kitt to hir1 Paramour1, "ye must wake a while, Kitteiisher

ffor trewlich I am sikir, pat wMin this myle 468 watch, and take

16

THE PARDONER GOES TO FIND MRS KIT.

care to cool the Pardoner's heat.

She goes to bed.

The Pardoner goes to Kit's door,

expecting to find it unlockt,

but it's lockt.

He scratches and whines like a dog.

Kit's Paramour shouts at him.

The Pardoner sees that he's sold,

swears at Kit,

and wishes she were in the stocks.

A cool end to all his warm love- longings !

The Pardonere wol be cornyng1, his hete to a-swage ; But loke ye pay hym redelich, to kele[n] his corage j And berfor, love, dischauce yewe nat til bis chek be do." " No I for God ! kit ! bat woH I no ! " 472

Then Kit went to bed, & blewe out al the li^te, And by that tyme it was, nere hond quarter ny^t.1

Whan al was still, the Pardonere gan to walk, [leaf ise, bk] As glad as eny goldfynch, bat he herd no man talk : 476 And drowse to Kittis dorward, to herken & to list, And went to 2 have fond be dor vp by be hasp ; & eke be

twist

Held hym out a whils, & be lok also ; 3it trowid he no gyle, but went[e] nere to, 480

And scrapid the dorr welplich, & wynyd with his mowith, Aftir a doggis lyden3, as nere as he couth. " Away, dogg, with evil deth ! " qwod he, pat was within, And made hym al redy, the dorr [for] to vnpyn. 484

" A ! " thou^t be Pardoner* tho, " I trow my berd be made ! The tapster1 hath a paramour1, & Hath made hem glade "With be CawdeH bat I ordeyned for me, as I ges : Now the devrH hir1 spede, such oon as she is ! 488

She seid I had I-congerid hir1 : our1 lady gyve hir1 sorow ! Now wold to God she were in stokkis til I shuld hir1

borowe !

ffor she is the falssest bat evir ^it I knewe, To pik be mony out of my purs ! lord ! she made hir1

trew ! " 492

And ^er-with he cau^t a cardiakiH & a cold sot ; ffor who hath love longing1, & is of corage Hote, He hath ful many a myry bou^t to-fore his delyte ; And ri^t so had the Pardoner1, and was in evil pli^te ; 496 ffor fayling1 of his purpose he was no thing1 in ese ; Wherfor he fitt sodenlich in-to a [ful] wood rese,

1 This line is repeated on the back of leaf 186, sign. BB6 : * And by that tyme it was nere quarter ny^te.'

2 MS wentto (thought to).

Lathi, language.

THE PARDONER GETS A GOOD THRASHING. 17

Entryng1 wondir fast in-to a frenfelsy, He gets m a

furious mad rage,

ffor pure verry angir, & for gelousy ; 500

fFor when lie herd a man within, he was almost wood ;

And be-cause fe cost was his, no marvel f ou^ his1 mood

Were turned in-to vengaunce, yf it myrtle] be : and vows

vengeance.

But this was the myscheff, al so strong1 as he 504

Was he bat was within, & lifter man also ;

As previd wel f e bateH be-twene hem bothfe] to.

The Pardonere scrapid efft a-geyn) ; for no fing1 wold he The Pardoner

scratches again.

blyn,

So feyn he wold have her[e]d more of hym bat was with-in. " What dogg is fat 1 " quod the Paramour* ; " Kit ! wost Kit teiis her

Paramour

f ou ere 1 " 509

" Have God my trowith," quod she, "it is fe Pardonere." " The Pardoner1 with myschefF ! god gyve hym evil prefF ! " it's that thief of a

PtvrdonGr.

?' Sir1," she seid[e], "be my trowith he is fe same theffV' [leaf is?] "Thei-'-of )?ow liest," quod the Pardonere, & my3t nat long1 The Pardoner

forbere, 513

"A, thy fals body ! " quod he, " ]?e deviH of heH j?e tere ! abuses Kit, fFor be my trowith a falssher1 sawe I nevir noon : " And nempnid hir1 namys many mo fen oon, 516 calls her many

Huch 2, to rech[en] hire, were noon honeste Amonge[s] men of good, of worship & degre. But shortly to conclude : when he had chid I-nowe, 519 He axid his staff spitouslich with wordis sharp & rowe. and asks for ins " Go to bed," quod he -within, " no more noyse J?ow make ! Thv staff shall be redv to morow, I vndirtake." The Paramour

hits him with it

" In soth," quod he, " I woH nat fro ]?e dorr[e] vend2 TyU I have my staff, ]?ow bribour ! " " fen have fe todir end!" 524

Quod he fat was with-in ; & leyd it on his bak, on his back

Ei^te in the same plase, as Chapmen berith hir pak ; And so he did too mo, as he coud a-rede, Graspyng aftir Wit7i the staff in lengith & eke in brede, And fond hym othir while red[i]lich I-now^e 529

1 MS he. 2 which.

BERYN. 2

18

JACK AND THE PARAMOUR LOOK FOR THE PARDONER.

and brow. The Hostler

takes a staff, and joins Ins

The Paramour tells Jack there's a thief in the house.

If they can get a light, they'll catch him.

But they can't wake the Mistress, as it'd make her in such a rage.

Jack tells the Paramour to go up and look in the allies,

With the staffys end hi^e oppon his browe.

The hosteler* lay oppon his bedd, & herd of this affray, And stert hym vp li^tlich, & £0113 1 he wold a-say : 532 He toke A staff in his hond, & hi^ed wondir blyve Tytt he were with the felisshipp ]>at shuld nevir thryve : "What be yee?" quod the hosteler*, & knew hem both[e]

wele. " Hyust ! pese ! " quod, the paramour' ; " lak, J?ow must

be-fele. 536

Ther> is a theff, I tett the, with-in this halle dorr." " A theff ! " quod. lak ! " this is a nobiH chere That j?ow hyni hast I-found ; yf wee hym my^te cache." "3is> 318, care the nau^t; with hym wee shul mache 540 Wei Inow^e, or he be go, yf so we had[de] li^te ; ffor wee too be stronge Inow^ with o man for to fi^te." "The Devitt of hell," quod1 lak, " breke this thevis bonys ! The key of the kychen, as it were for fe nonys, 544

Is above vriih oure dame, & she hath such vsage, And she be wake[n] of hir/ sclepe, she fallith in such a rage, That al the wook aftir ther* may no man hir' plese, So she sterith aboute this house in a [ful] wood rese. 548 But now I am a-visid bet how we shuft have ly^te ; [if i87,bk] I have too gistis a-ryn1, that this same ny^te Sopid in the haH, & had a lititt feire. Go vp," quod lak, " & loke, & in the asshis pire2 ; 552 And I woH kepe the dorr ; he shal nat stert out." " JSay, for God ! fat wol I nat, lest I each a cloute," Seid? the todir to lak ; " for j)ow knowest better pen I Al the estris of this house : go vp thy selff, & spy ! " 556 " Nay for soth ! " quod lak, " that were grete vnry^te, To aventur oppon a man ]>at witJt hym did nat n^te. Sithens ]?ow hast hym bete, & with J>y staff I-pilt, Me Jjinkith it were no reson fat I shuld bere J?e gilt : 560 ffor, by the blysyng1 of the cole, he my^t se myne hede, And Ii3tly leue 3 me such a stroke, ny hond to be dede.

? herein, within. See 1. 509.

peer.

3 or lene.

THE HOSTLER CHEVIES THE PARDONER. 19

1 j?en woft wee do by comon assent1, secli hym al aboute ; or go with him

to search for

Who bat metitn hym first, pay hym on the snoute ; 564 the thief ;

ifor me bou^t I herd hym here last among1 the pannys.

Kepe bow the todir syde, but ware be watir cannys ! tut mind the

water-cans !

And yf he be here in, right sone wee shul hym fynd ;

And wee to be strong1 Inow^e, o theff for to bynd." 568

"A! ha ha!" bou^t be Pardonere, " beth be^e pannys The Pardoner

a-ryn 1 "

And drou^e oppon bat side, & bou^t oppon a gynne : So atte last he fond oon, & set it on his hede ; finds a pan,

ffor, as the case was faH, there-to he had grete nede. 572 But 2it he graspid ferthermore to have somwhat in hoiide, gets hold of a

ladle,

And fond a grete laditt, ri^t as he was gonde,

And bou:$t[e] for to stertfen] out be-twen hem both[e] to ;

And waytid wele the paramour jjat had[de] doon hym wo ; hits the Paramour

on the nose with

And set hym with be ladiH on the grustiH on be nose, 577 it, and makes his

nose run for a

That al the wook [ber-]aftir he had such a pose, week.

That both his eyen waterid erlich by the morowe.

But she ]>at cause was of al, had berof no sorowe. 580

But nowe to be Pardoner1 : as he wold stert awey, Hostler jack

chevies the

The hosteler1 met with hym, but no thing1 to his pay : Pardoner, who

drops his pan,

The Pardoner* ran so swith, be pan[ne] fil hym fro,

And lak [the] hosteler1 aftir hym, as blyve as he my^t go ;

And stappid oppon a bronde, al [at] vn-[a-]ware, 585

That hym had been better to have goon more a-sware :

ffor be egge of be panne met with his shyn, and its edge cuts

a vein and sinew

And karff a too a veyn), & be next[e] syn. 588 in Jack's shin.

But whils bat it was grene, he pou^t [ful] litil on, [leafiss]

But when ]>e oeptas2 was a-past, J>e greff sat nere pe boon.

3et lak leyd to his hond to grope wher* it sete ;

And when he fond he was I-hurt, be Pardonere he gan to J^* swears he'ii

thrash the

thrett, 592 Pardoner if he

can catch him.

1 The Paramour may begin here ; but he'd hardly know that the water-cans were in the place.

2 Urry prints 'greneness.' " Typica Febris. Glossee antiques MSS. Typica febris est, quam quidem periodicam vocant. PAPI^E, vel Triteus, vel Tetreus, vel Tphemerius. vel penteus, vel e^teus, vel hebdom." JOAN. DE JANUA, febris periodica.

20

THE PAP-DONER BLEEDS AND CURSES.

But where is he ?

The Pardonei overhears them, and draws back to avoid their blows.

They agree to fasten the gates, and catch the Pardoner next day.

The Pardoner's cheeks bleed,

and he's very savage at Kit's selling him so.

And swore by seynt Arnyas, ' fat he shuld [hit] abigg With strokis hard & sore, even oppon the rigg ; Yff he hym my^te fynde, he no thing wold hym spare.' That herd J?e Pardonere wele, & held hym bettir a square, And pou^tfe] pat he had[de] strokis ry^te I-now^e ; 597 Witnes on his armys, his bak, & [eke] his browe. " lak," then quod, the paramour1, " wher> is this theff ago 1 " " I note," quod, tho lak ; " ri^t now he lept me fro, 600 That Cristis curs go VfitJi hym ! for I have harm) & spite, Be my trowith ! " " & I also ; & he goith nat al quyte ! But & wee rny^t hym fynd, we wold aray hym so 603 That he [ne] shuld have legg1 ne foot, to-morow on to go. But ho we shuH we hym fynd ? pe moon is [now] a-downX"

As grace was for Ipe Pardon ere, & eke when J?ey did roun), He herd hem evir wel I-now^e, & went the more a-side, And drou^e hym evir bakward, & lete the strokis glyde. " lak," quod, the Paramour*, " I hold it for the best, 609 Sith [that] the moon is down), • [now] for to go to rest, And make the gatis fast ; he may nat then a-stert, And eke of his own) staff he berith a redy mark, 612

Whereby ]?ow maist hym know a-monge[s] al the route, And jjowe bere a redy ey, & weytfe] wele aboute, To morowe when they shuH wend : this is J>e best rede, lak, what seyst powe there-to ? is J>is wel I-seyd? 1 " 616 "Thy wit is cler1," q?^od lak, "thy wit mut nedis stonde."] He made the gatis fast ; ther1 is no more to doon.

The Pardoner* stood a-syde, his chekis ron on blood,1 And was ri3t evil at ese, al ny3t in his hede : 620

He must of force lige lyke2 a colyn3 swerd : 3it it grevid hym wondir sore, for makeing1 of his herd ; He paid atte ful therefore, Jiurh a vo??zman art, ffor wyne, & eke for cavdiH, & had ferof no part ; 624 i

1 ? MS altered to ' on bleed.' See 1. 671-2.

? MS lyle.

3 Cologne. See in the Percy Folio Ballads, i. 68, 1. 167-9, the j < Collen brand,' « Millaine knife ' and « Danish axe ' ; also i. 69, 1. 171, 179-81.

A DOG BITES THE PARDONER : AND HE SLEEPS ON STRAW. 21

1 He Iper-for preyd Seynt luliane,2 as yee mowe vndirstonde,

That the deviH hir1 shuld spede, on watir, & on londe, He curses her

So to disseyve a traveling1 man of1 his herbegage j

And coude nat els, save curs, his angir to a-swage ; 628 to ease MS rage,

And was distract [eke] of* his wit, & in grete dispeyr1 ;

ffor aftir his hete he cai^te a cold, Jmrh ])e ny^tis eyr1, but catches cold;

That he was ner1 a-foundit, & coude noon othir help.

But as he so^t his logging1, he appid3 oppon a whelp 632 and as he's going

That lay vndir a steyir*, a grete Walssh dogg, a great welsh

closf

That bare a-boute his nek a grete huge clogg1,

Be-cause J?at he was spetouse, & wold[e] sone bite :

The clogg1 was hongit a-bout his nek, for men shuld nat

wite4 636

No thing the doggis master, yf he did eny harm) ; So, for to excuse hem both, it was a wyly charnD. The Pardoner1 wold have loggit hym ]?ere, & lay som-

what ny ;

The warrok was a-wakid, & cau^t hym by the thy, 640 bites him in the And bote hym wondir spetously, defendyng1 wele his couch, That the Pardonere myat nat neFrel hym, nebere touch, The Pardoner

J) daren't move, and

But held hym [right] a square, by J?at othir syde,

As holsom was at that tyme, for tereing1 of his hyde : 644

He coude noon othir help, but leyd a-down) his hede is forced to lie

down in the dog's

In the doggis littir, & wisshid aftir brede litter,

Many a tyme & offt, the dogge for to plese,

To have I-ley more nere, [right] for his own) ese. 648

But, wissh[en] what he wold, his fortune seyd[e] nay ;

So trewly for the Pardonere it was a dismol day.

The dogg lay evir grownyng1, redy for to snache ;

Wherfor the Pardoner1 durst nat with hym mache ; 652

But lay as styU as ony stone, reme?7ibrvn£r1 his folv, and think wlmt a

J ' fool he's been to

That he wold trust a tapster1 of a comon hostry : trust a Tapster.

ffor comynly for J>e most part they been wyly echon).

1 leaf 188, back.

2 The patron-saint of Innholders. See Arvdeley's Vacalondcs Sf Barman' 8 Caveat, notes.

3 happened, came. 4 blame.

0-7

THE PILGRIMS LEAVE CANTERBURY IN THE GLAD MAY.

Next morning, But Howe to ail the company : a morow, when Jjey shuld

goon,

656

no one's ready so soon as the Pardoner.

He washes the blood off his cheeks, binds up his head, and pretends to be inerry.

The Hostler can't identify the Pardoner,

who shirks him, and keeps in the middle of the company.

The Pilgrims leave Canterbury early.

The Host joys in the fine weather,

the birds' song,

Was noon of al the feleshippe half so sone I-di3te

As was the gentil Pardoned ; for al tyme of ]?e ny^te

He was a-redy in his aray, & had no thing1 to doon,

Saff shake a lite his eris, & trus, & [tho] be goon. 660

Yet, or he cam in company, he wissh a-wey the blood, [if 189]

And bond the sorys to his hede with the typet of his hood,

And made li^tsom cher1, for men shuld nat spy

No thing1 of his turment, ne of his luxury.1 664

And the hosteler1 of the house, for no thyng1 he coude pry,

He coude nat knowe the pardoned a-mong1 the company

A morowe, when they shuld wend, for au^t Jj«t pey coude

pour1,

So wisely went the Pardoner1 out of J?e doggis hour5 ; 668 And blynchid from the hosteler1, & turned offt a-boute, And evirmore he held? hym a-mydward [of] the route, And was evir synging1, to make[n] al thing1 good ; But }it his notis wer1 som-what lowe, for akyng of his hede.2 So at that [ilche] tyme he had[de] no more grame, 673 But held hym to his harmys3 [for] to scape shame.

The kny^t & al the felisship, forward gon ]?ey wende, Passing forth [right] merely [un]to fe townys ende ; 676 And by ]?at tyme j>ey were there, ]>e day be-gan to rype, And the sonne merely, vpward gan she pike, Pleying1 [right] vndir the egge of pe firmament. "Now," quod pe hoost of South work4, & to J?e feleshipp

bent, 680

" Who sawe evir so feir*, or [evir] so glad a day 1 And how sote this seson is, entring1 in to may, [When Chauceres daysyes sprynge. Herke eek the fowles

syngyng,]

The thrustelis & the thrusshis, in Jns glad mornyng, 684 The ruddok & the Goldfynch ; but £e ISTy^tyngale,

1 luxuria, lust. 2 ? ryme 'good, hede.' See 1. 619, G20.

3 Urry prints 'hapynes.' 4 MS Southword.

THE HOST ASKS FOR A TALE. 23

His amerous notis, lo, how he twynyth smale !

Lo ! how the trees grenyth, bat nakid wer*, & nothing1 bare1 the fees'

greenery,

bis month afore ; but now hir1 somer clothing1 [wear] ! 688

Lo ! how nature makith for hem everichone !

And, as many as ther* been, he for^etith noon !

Lo ! howe the seson of be yer1, & auereH shouris,

Doith the busshis burgyn out blosomfik & flouris ! 692 the blossoms on

the bushes, the

Lo ! be pryme-rosis, how fressh bey been to seen ! primroses and

flowers.

And many othir flouris a-mong the grasis grene,

Lo ! howe they spryng1, & sprede, & of diuers hewe !

Be-holdith & seith both rede, [and eke] white, & blewe,

That lusty been, & confortabiH for mannys 813 te ! 697

ffor I sey, for my selff. It makith my hert1 to lute, [if 189, bk] " it makes my

heart light.

Now, sith almy^ty sovereyri) hath sent so feir/ a day,

Let se nowe, as covenaunt is, in shorting1 of be way, 700 But who'ii t«n

us the first Tale?

Who shall be the first that shall vnlace his male,

In comfort of vs aH, & gyn som mery tale 1

ffor, & wee shuld now be-gyn [for] to drawfenl lott, if we draw lots,

perhaps it'll fall

Perauentur/ it myrtle] fall ther1 it omt|e] not, 704 on some sleepy

or half-bousy

On som vnlusty persone, bat wer nat wele a-wakid, fellow.

Or semybousy ouyr eve, & had I-song1 & crakid

Somwhat ovir much ; howe shuld he ban do 1

ffor who shuld teH a tale, he must have good wiH be?'to ;

And eke, som men fasting1 beth no thing1 iocounde,2 709 some men, too,

can't tell a Tale

And som, hir/ tungis, fasting1, beth glewid & I-bound before breakfast.

To be Palet of the mowith, as offt[en] as they mete ;

So yf the lott fell on such, no thonk shuld they gete ; 712

And som in the mornyng1, hir* moubis beth a-doun) :

TiH bat they be charmyd, hir/ wordis woU nat soun).

So bis is my conclusyioun, & my last[e] knot, who'll ten a Tale

without drawing

It were grete gentilnes to teH w?'t/*out[en] lott." 716 lots?"

" By be rood of Bromholm)," q?/.od the marchaunte tho, The Merchant

says that as he's

As fer as I have saylid, riden, & I-go, never seen such

a good Manager

Sawe I nevir man 3 it, to-fore bis ilch[e] day, as the Host,

1 MS Barre, in 1. 688.

2 Urry transposes the endings of lines 708, 709, and leaves out 1. 710-11.

THE MERCHANT OFFERS TO TELL A TALE.

he will tell a Tale,

though he can't ornament it properly.

So weii coude rewle a company, as [can] our5 lioost, in fay. His wordis been so comfortabiH, & comyfch so in seson, That my wit is ovir-com, to makefn] eny reson Contrary to his counsaiH, at myne ymaginacioime ; Wher/for I woH teH a tale to yeur* consolacioune ; 724 In ensaumpiH to 3ewe ; that when fat I have do, Anothir be aH redy J?en[ne] for to teH ; ri^t so To fulfill our* hoostis wiH, & his ordinaunce. Ther1 shall no fawte be found in me ; good wiH shal be my chaunce, 728

With j?is I be excusid, of my rudines, AH Jiou^e I can nat peynt my tale, but teH [it] as it is ; Lepyng1 ovir no centence, as ferforth as I may, But telle ^ewe J>e ^olke, & put ]?e white a- way. 732

THE MERCHANT BEGINS HIS SECOND TALE.

25

[Here be]gynnyth the [March] ant his tale

[in the low left margin o/ tea/ 189, back]

[Efje Eale of BergnJ

WHilom ^eris passid, in the old[e] dawis, [leaf 190] When ri3tfnllich he reson governyd ware be lawis, And principally in the Cete of Eoom bat was

so rich,

And worthiest in his dayis, & noon to hym I-licfi 736 Of worshipp ne of wele, ne of governaunce ; ffbr alle londis Cristened, berof had dotaunce, And alle othir naciouns, of what feith they were. Whils be Emperour1 was hole, & in his paleyse b^-e 740 I-niay[n]tenyd in honour1, & in popis se, Room was then obeyid of allc Cristiente. (But it farith thereby, as it doith by othir thiugis : ffor Burh,1 nethir Cete, regioune ne kyngis, 744

Beth nat no we so worthy, as were by old[e] tyme ; As wee fynde in Romauncis, in gestis & in Ryme. ffor alle thing1 doith wast, & eke mannys lyft'e Ys more shorter ben it was ; & our/ wittis fyve 748

Mow nat comprehende, nowe in our5 dietes, As som tyme my3te, these old? wise poetes. But sith bat terrene thingis been nat perdurabitt, No merveH is, bou^e Rome be som what variabitt 752

ftro honour1 & fro wele, sith his ffrendis passid ; As many a-nothir town) is payrid, & I-lassid Within, these fewe ^eris, as wee mo we se at eye, 755

Lo, Sirs, here fast by Wynchelse & [eke riht so by] Ry.) But ^it J>e name is evir oon of1 Room, as it was groundit Aftir Romus & Romulus, fat first ]?at Cete foundit, 758 That brithern) weren both[e] to, as old[e] bookis writen ; But of hir1 lyff & governaunce I wol nat nowe enditen ; But of othir mater, jjat fallith to my mynde. Wherfor, gentiH sirs, yee J>at beth be-hyndc, 762

1 Uny prints 'though.'

Once upon a time, the City of Home

was the most honoured in the world.

But it, like all other cities, has gone down,

for all things get worse, and man's life grows short.

So Rome has lot,t its honour,

just as we've seen Winchelsea and Rye worsen.

Bu(, Sirs, close-in,

26

OP THE OLD WISE RULERS OF ROME.

that you may hear me.

After Romulus, Julius Caesar ruled Rome,

and subdued all lands, including

England. After him,

the Douzepairs held sway.

Then came Constantine;

then his son Augustinus,

in whose time lived the Seven Sages:

1. Sother Legifeer.

Drawith somwliat nere, thikker to a route,

That my wordis mo we soune, to ech man a-boute. 764

Afftir these too bretheryn, Eomulus & Eomus, lulius Cezar was Emperour1, fat ri^tfuH was of domus : This Cete he governed nobilich[e] wele, And conquerd many a Regioune, as Cronicul doith vs teH. ffor, shortly to conclude, al tho were aduersarijs 769

To Rome in his dayis, he made hem tributorijs : So had he in subieccioune both[e] ffrende & foon ; Of* wich, I teH ^ew trewly, Eng[e]lond was oon. [ifi9o,bkj }et aftir lulius Cezare, & sith that Criste was bore, 773 Room was governed as wele as it was to-fore, And namelich in fat tyme, & in tho same ^eris, When it was governed by the Doseperis : 776

As semeth wele by reson, who so can entende, That o mannys witt, ne wiH, may nat comprehends The boncheff & the myscheff1, as mowe many hedis : Therfor hire operaciouns, hire domes, & hire deedis, 780 Were so egallich I-doon ; for in al Cristen londis, Was noon that they sparid for/ to mendfen] wrongis. Then Constantyne fe fird, aftir fese dosiperis, Was Emperour1 of Room, & regnyd many ^eris. 784

So, shortly to pas ovir, aftir Constantyns dayis, Philippus Augustinws, as songen is in layis, That Constantynys sone, & of plener age, Was Emperour I-chose, as til by heritage ; 788

In whose tyme sikirlich, fe .vii. sagis were In Rome dwelling1 dessantly ; And yf yee lust to lere, Howe they were I-clepid, or I ferther1 goon, I woH teH }ewe the names of hem euerychoon ; 792

And declare ^ewe the cause why fey hir* namys bere. IT The first was I-clepid Sother1 legifeer1 ; This is thus much for to sey, as ' man bereing1 J?e lawe ; ' And so he did trewly ; for levir he had be sclawe, 796 Then do or sey eny thing1 fat sownyd out of reson, So cleen was his conscience I-sefr in trowith & reson.

THE NAMES OF THE SEVEN SAGES OF ROME. 27

1T Marcus Stoycus )>e second, so pepiH hym hi^te ; 2. Marcus

Stoycus.

That is to mene in our* consceit, * a keper of J?e ri3te : 800

And so he did ful trewe ; for J>e record & Jje plees,

He wrote hem evir trewly ; & took noon othir fees

But such as was ordeyned to take by ]?e ^ere. 803

Now, lord God ! in Cristendon I wold it were so clere !

1T The bird, Crassus Asulus, among1 men clepid was ; s. Crassus

Asulus.

' An hous of rest, & ese, & counsel! in every case ; '

ffor to vndirstond ])at was his name ful ri^te, 807

ffor evir-more the counsallis he helpid with aH his my^te.

Antonyus ludeus, the ferth was I-clepid*, *. Antonyus

Judeus.

1 That was as much to meen, as wele me my^t have clepid,

As eny thing pwrposid of al the longe 3eer/, 811

That my^th have made hym sory, or chongit onys chere,

But evir-more reyoysing1, what Ipat evir be-tid ;

ffor his hert was evir mery, ry^t as J?e somer bridd.

IF Svmvs Philopater was the ffifft-is name : 815s. summus

Philopater.

That Jjo^e men wold sclee hym, or do hym al the shame,

Angir, or disese, as eviH as men couthe,

3it wold he love hem nevir J>e wers, in hert[e], ne in mowith.

His will was cleen vndir his foot, & no thing1 hym above ;

Therfor he was clepid, ' fadir of perfite love.' 820

IT The sixt & [eke] J?e sevenyth of these .vij sagis, e. stypio

Was Stypio, & Sithero ; As pes word ' Astrolages ' 7. sithero

Was surname to hem both, aftir hir1 sciencis ;

ffor of Astronomy, Sikerlich ]?e cours & al the fences 824

Both they knowe hit wele Inow3e, & wer1 ri^te sotil of art.

But no we to othir purpose ; for her* I woH departe As Ii3tly as I can, & drawe to my matere.

In that same tyme, bat these sages were 828 At this time

dwelt in the

Dwellyng1 Jms in Room, a litiH without the waHes, suburbs of Rome

In the Subbarbis of ]?e town), of Chambris & of hallis, And al othir howsing1, fat to2 a lord belongid, 831

Was noon with-in the Cete, ne noon so wele be-hongit With docers3 of h^e pryse, ne wallid so A-boute,

1 leaf 191. 2 ^atto, MS. 3 dorsers.

28

OF THE SENATOR FAUNUS AND HIS WIFE AGEA.

a Senator, Faunus, rich,

valiant, and high born.

He wedded a wife for her knowledge and beauty.

(Now men marry muck, and not for virtue.)

But they have no child

[leaf 191, back]

for a long time, though they pray and long for one.

At last, th« wife feels herself with child,

and turns ill.

But her womei

lead her home.

(She is a very loveable woman,

As was a Cenatour[i]s hous, w*t7dn & eke without :

IT ffavnus was his name, a worthy man, & riche ; 835

And for to sey[e] shortlych, in Eoom was noon hym lych.

His sportis & his estris were ful evenauiite

Of tresonr/, & of lordshippe ; also the most vaillant

He was, & eke I-com of hi3e lynage.

And atte last he toke a wyff, like to his portage ; 840

ffor, noriture & connyng1, bewte & parentyne,

Were tho countid more 'with1, pen gold or sylvir fyne.

But nowe it is al othir in many mannys pou^t ;

ffor muk is nowe I-maried, & vertu set at nou^t. 844

ffawnus & his worthy wyff were to-gidir a-loon xv. vyntir fullich, & issu had they noon. Wherfor hir* loyis were nat halff perfite ; ffor vttirlich to have a child was al hir* delite, 848

J?at my^te enyoy hir/ heritage, & weldfen] hir/ honours ; And eke, when they were febiH, to [be] hir* trew socoure. Hir fasting1 & hir/ preyer, and al pat evir pey wrou^te, As pilgremage & Almes-ded, euer pey besou^te 852

That God wold of his goodnes som fruyte betwene hem

send ;

ffor gynnyng1 of hir spousaiil, pe myddil & pe ende, This was hir1 most[e] besynes ; & al othir delites, And eke this worldis riches, J>ey2 set at litil pris. 856

So atte last, as God wold, it fiH oppon a day, As this lady fro chirch[e]ward went [right] in the way, A child gan stere in hir vombe, as goddis wille was ; Wherof she gan to merviH, & made shorter pas, 860

With colour* pale, & eke wanne, & fyfl in hevynes ; ffor she had nevir, to-fore pat day, such manere seknes. The vymmen, pat with hir* were, gon to be-hold The lady & hir1 chere ; but no thing1 pey told ; 864

But feir/ & sofft with ese, homward they hir led : ffor hir soden sekenes ful sore pey were a-dred, ffor she was inlich gentil, kynde, & amyabiH,

1 worth.— Urry. (accounted of, thought of.) 2 MS jrat.

FAUNUS AND AGEA HAVE A CHILD, BEBYN. 29

And eke trewe of hert, & nothing1 variabiH. 868

She lovid God a-bove al thing1, & dred[de] syn & shame ;

And Agea sikirly was hii* rijtful name. jj£ h er name is

So aftir in breff tyme, when it was perseyvid

That she had done a voramans dede, & had a child con- when she finds

she is really with

seyvid, 872 child, she

The Ioy[e] that she made, ther* may no tunge teH : And also much, or more, yf I ne ly shell,

ffaviw* made in his behalf, for fis glad tyding<, andjaunus make

That I trow, I leve f e Emperour/ ne f e kyng1 876

Made no bettir cher1 to wyfF, ne no more myrth, Then ffavnus to Agea. & when the tyme of birth Ny3hid nere & nere, after cours of kynde, Wetith wele in certen, fat al the wit & mynde 880

Of ffavnws was continueH of feir1 delyveraunce, Be-twene Agea & his child ; & made grete ordenaunce Ageyn the tyme it shuld be bore, as it was for to doon. in due time Agea

bears a son, to

So as God wold, when tyme cam, Agea had a Son. 884 Faunus's great

delight,

Butte Toy fat ffawnes made, was clobil tho to-fore,

When fat he knewe in certen she had a sone I-bore ;

And sent a-noon for nurssis four1, & [right] no les, peafmj

To reule this child, aftirward, as yeris did pas, 888

The child was kept so tendirly, fat it throff wel the bett ;

ffor what f e norisshis axid, a-noon it was I-fett.

In his Chambir it norisshid was ; to town it mut nat go ; and he spoils the

ffavnus lovid it so cherely, hit my^t nat part hym fro. 892

It was so feir/ a creature, as my3t be on lyve,

Of lymys & of fetour/, & growe wondir blyve.

This Child, that I of tefi, — Berinws was his name, — The boy's name Was ovir mych chersshid, wich turned hym in-to grame, As yee shuH here[n] aftir, when tyme comyth & spase : ffor * aftir swete, f e soure comyth, ful offt, in many a plase.' ffor, as sone as he coude go, and also speke, and whatever he

AH fat he set his eye on, or aftir list to keke, 900

Anoon he shuld it have ; for no man hym wernyd. But it had be wel bettir, he had be wele I-lernyd

30

BERYN IS SPOILT, AND TURNS OUT A PICKLE.

Afterwards, he hits or stabs any child he doesn't like,

and his father's knights and squires too.

When he's over 7, he's always doing wrong, and injuring poor men.

Herinus also plays it dice.

and gambles. He always loses;

ind often comes Home naked.

Faunus settles the worst com plaints against him.

("Now, too, many a man undoes his child.)

Noriture & gentilnes ; & had I-had som hey.

ffor it fiH: so aftir, vsith what child he did pley, 904

Yf f e pley ne likid hym, he wold breke his hede ;

Or -witJi a knyff hym hurt, ry^t ny^e hond to be dede.

iFor ther1 nas kny^t, ne Squyer, in his ffadirs house,

That fou^t his owne persone most cora[g]iouse, 908

That did or seyd [right] eny thing1, Berime- to displese,

That he nold spetously a-noon oppon hym rese ;

Wherof his fFadir had[de] Toy, & his modir also ;

3 it it semeth to many a man, it was nat wisely do. 912

When Beryn passid was .vij. yeer, & grewe in more age, He wrou^t ful many an eviH chek ; for such was his corage,1 That ther* he wist, or my^te do eny eviH dede, He wold nevir sese, for au^t fat men hym seyde ; 916

Wherfor many a poreman ful offt was agrevid ; But ffawnws And Agea ful lite f eron belevid ; And f ou^e men wold pleyne, ful short it shuld a-vaiH ; ffor ffawnws was so my3ty, & cheff of ali counsaiH 920 With Augustyn the EmpeTwr, fat al[le] men hym dradd, And lete pas ovir [mischefe] & harmys fat fey had.

BeriiiM.9, ferf ermore, lovid wele the dise, And for to pley at hazard, And held f erof grete pryse, 924 And al othir gamys fat losery was in ; And evir-more he lost, & nevir my^te wyn. Berynus atte hazard many a ny^te he wakid ; [leaf 192, back] And offt[e] tyme it fiH so, fat he cam home al nakid ; 928 And that was al his loy : for ry^t wele he knewe, That Agea his modir woldfe] cloth hym newe. Thus Berynus lyvid, as I have told to-fore, TyH he was of f e age of xviij yeer or more. 932

But othir whils a-mongis, for pleyntis fat wer* grete, ffawm/s made a-mendis, & put hem in quyete ; So was the ffadir cause the soiie was so wild ; — And so have many mo such, of his owne child 936

Be cause of his vndoyng1, as wee mowe se al day ; — 1 heart, disposition.

AGEA FALLS SICK UNTO DEATH. 31

ffor thing I-take in [youthe, is] hard to put away ;

As hors bat evir trottid, trewlich I sew teH, (Teach a horse

trotting, and it's

It were hard to make hym, aftir to ambili well ; 940 hard to make him

so by Beryn, that ] had his lust & wift whe?i he was

lite,

It shuld be hevy aftirward, to reve his old delite, Save the whele of ffortune, bat no man may wzt/istonde j But Fortune ffor every man on lyve, ther'-on he is gond : 944 Beryn.

0 spoke she turnyd Bakward, ri^t atte 11136 noon, AH a-geyn) Berin?/s, as yee shuH here sone.

Agea, his Modir, fil in grete sekenes, Agea fails m, and

And sent aftir [hir] husbond, with wordis hir1 to lis, 948 And, for she wold[e] telle hym hir* hole hertis wiH, Er she out of J?e world partid, as it was ri^te & skiH. When fi&wmis was I-come, and sawe so rodylese 2 He comes, sees

His wyff bat was so dere, bat for love he chese, 952

No merveH bou^e his hert[e] wer1 in grete mournyng1 ! ffor he perseyvid fullich, she drewe to hir5 ending1 : knows she

must die ;

>it made he otmr chere, ben in his hert was,

To put awey discomfort e, dissimilyng with his fase 956 and though he

The hevynes of his hert ; with chere he did it close : cheery,

ffor such a maner crafft bere is with hem can glose,

Save bat tournyth al to cautele : but ffawnws did nat so,

fibr, wetith wele, in certeyn) his hert was ful of woo 960

ffor his wyff Agea ; & $it, for crafft he couthe,

The Teris fro his even ran downe by his mowth. his tears flow,

and his heart

When he sawe the Pangus of deth corny ng1 so fast 963 nearly bursts. Oppon his wyff Agea, almost his hert to-brast. [leaf 193]

Agea lyfft vp hir1 eyen, & beheld the chere Agea begs

Faun us

Of1 hir* husbond fawnws, bat was so trewe a fere ;

And seyd, " Sir1, why do yee thus 1 bis is an elyng1 fare,

In comfort of vs both, yf yee my3te spare, 968

And put a-wey this hevenys, whils bat yee & I to be quiet

and hear her.

Mi^te speke of1 othir thingis ; for deth me ny3hith ffor [ne] to body, ne to soule, bis vaylith nat a karse. 1 MS when he. 2 rudless, pale.

32

AGEA'S DEATH WORDS TO PAUNUS. SHE DIES.

Agea prays

Faunus not to wed again,

and give Beryn a Stepmother.

Paunus says he doesn't mean to have another wife.

Agea looks for

Beryn,

but he's away

gambling.

[leaf 193, back]

Tliis bursts her heart, and she dies.

" Now tellitli on," quod ffawn?^, " & I wol lete it pase 972

ffor the tyme of talkyng1, as wele as I may :

But out of my remembraunce, on-to my endyng1 day,

Yeur5 deth wol nevir, 1 1 woot it wele *,but evir be in mynde."

" Then, good sir*," qwod Agea, " beth to my soule kynde

When my body is out of1 si^te, for f erto have I nede :

ffor truer make fen yee be, in word[e] ne in dede,

Had nevir vomman [lyvand], ne more kynd[e]nes 979

Hath shewed on-to his make, I knowe ri^t wele I-wis :

Now wold yee so her'-aftir, in hert[e] be as trewe,

To lyve with-out[e] make ; & on yeur/ sone rewe,

That litiH hath I-lerned, sithens he was bore, 983

Let hym have no Stepmodir ; for Children have to-fore,

Come[n]lich they lovith nat.2 wherfor, with hert I prey,

Have cher* on-to yeur/ sone, aftir my endyng1 day :

ffor, so God me help ! & I lafft $ew be-hynde,

Shuld nevir man on lyve bryng1 it in my mynde 988

To be no more I-weddit, but lyve soule a-loon.

Nowe yee knowefn] al my will, good air, fink ther'-on."

" Certis," [tho] qwod ffawnws, " whils I have wittis fyve,

I thynkfe] nevir, aftir ^ewe, to have a-nothir wyff." 992

The preest was com [en] f erwithal, for to do hir* ri^tis ; ffawnws toke his leve, & all the othir kny^tis, Hir5 kyn & aH hir^ ffrendis, kissid hii^ echone : It is no nede to axe, wher* there was dole, or noon. 996 Agea cast hir1 eye[n] vp, & lokid al a-boute, And wold have kissid [Beryn] ; but then was he without Pleyirig to the ha3ard, as he was wont to doon ; ffor, as sone as he had ete, he wold ren out anoon. 10( And when she sawe he was nat ther*, fat she f ou^t most on, Hire sekenes & hir/ mournyng1 berst hir1 hert a-noon.

A dameseH, to-fore fat, was ronne into the town) ffor to seche Beryn, fat pleydfe] for his gown), 1004

And had almost I-lost it, ri^t as f e damesel cam,

1-1 read 'out, I woot.'

2 For stepmothers commonly love not children had before.

BERYN CARES NOTHING FOR HIS MOTHER'S DEATH. 33

And swore, & stand, as he was wood, as longit to the game.

The dameseH seyd to Beryn, " Sir0, yee must com home ! The damsel teiis

ffor, but yee hi^e blyve1, fat yee were I-come, 1008 home before MS

•\r i T IT i " T i • i mother dies.

Yeur/ modir won be dede. she is $it on lyre ;

Yf yee woH speke vriih hit*, yee must hi^e blyve."

" Who bad so, lewd kitH " "yeur ffadir, sir/," quod she ;

"Go home, lewde visenage, fat evil mut fowe the !" 1012 Beryn curses

Quod Beryne to the dameseH, & gan Mr* fray & fFeer j

And bad the DeviH of4 heH hir* shuld to-tere.

" Hast fowe out3 2 els to do but let me of1 my game 1

Now, be God in heven, by Petir, & by lame ! " — 1016

Qwod Beryn in grete angir, & swore be book & beH,

Rehersing many namys, mo fen me list to teH, — and abuses her :

"Ner'fow my ffadirs messenger13, fow shuldist nevir ete

brede ! I had levir my modir, & also fowe, were dede, 1020 he'd rather she

and his mother

Then I shuld lese the game, fat I am now3 in ! " were dead than

,, , . , ..he should lose his

And smote f e DameseH vndir f e ere : f e weet gon vpward game.

spyn.

The deth of Agea he set at litil prise ; He cares not for

So, in that wrath[e], frelich Beryn prewe Jje dise, 1024 death. And lost with fat same cast al4 was leyde a-down) ; And stert vp in a wood rage, & ballid on his croun), And so he did the remnaunte, as many as wold abide ; But, for drede of ffawnws, his felawis gan to hide, 1028 And nevir had[de] win ne lust, wiiJi Beryn for to fi^te, But evir redy to pley, & wyn[ne] what they my^te.

The Deth of Agea sprang1 a-bout fe town) ; Rome bemoans

And euery man fat herd the belle for hir/ sown), 1032

Be-menyd hir/ ful sore ; safif Beryn toke noon hede, And soi^t a-nofir feleshippe, & quyklich to hem ^ede, To suchfe] maner company, as shuld[e] nevir thryve, ffor such he lovid bettir, fen his modirs lyve ; 1036

And evir-more, it shuld be ny3te or he wold home drawe ; [leaf 19*] fibr of his ffadir, in certen, he had no maner awe, 'hie quickly. 2 oi^t. 3 MS adds ' were'. 4 all that.

BERYN. 3

34

FAUNUS BURIES AGEA. BERYN GOES-ON BADLY,

Faunas buries his wife

in royal state,

but though she lies in a leaden coffin 4 weeks, Eeryn never comes near the corpse, but gambles still.

A man past youth, and un taught, is like a tree without root.

The rod makes virtue grow in children.

They, like plants, will only bend when young.

Beryn grows up" a brute.

ffor evir in his ^owith he had al his will,

And was I-passid chastising1, but men wold hym kift. 1040

ffawnws for Agea, as it was wele sitting1, Made [ful] grete ordenaunce for hir* burying1, Of Prelatis, & of prestis, & of al othir thing1, As J>ou3e she had[de] be a wyff of a worjjy kyng1 : 1044 It my^t nat have be mendit, such was his gentilnes, ffor at hir1 enteryng was many a worthy messe. ffor foure wookis fuH, or he did hir* entere, She lay in lede within his house, but Beryn cam nat jjere, Namelich in-to the place there his modir lay, 1049

JSTe onys wold he a Pater noster for hir/ soule say. His J>ou$t was al in vnthryfft, lechery, & dyse, And drawing al to foly ; for 3owith is recheles, 1052

But ther* it is refreyned, & hath som maner eye ; And ferfor me thinkith, J>at I may wele sey, A man I-passid ^owith, & is with-out[en] lore, May be wele I-likened, to a tre w^out[en] more,1 1056 That may nat bowe, ne bere fruyte, but root, & euer wast ; Ki^t so by ^outhe farith, J?at no man list to chast. This mowe wee knowfe] verely, by experience, That ^erdfe] makith vertu & beneuolence 1060

In Childhode for to growe, as previth Imaginacioun) : A plant, whils it is grene, or it have dominacioun), A man may with his fyngirs ply it wher* hym list, And make thereof a shakiH, a withfey], or a twist ; 1064 But let the plant[e] stond, & ^eris ovir grove,2 Men shall nat, with both his hondis, vnnethis make it bowe 3 : No more my^t ffawnws make his sone Beryn, When he growe in age, [un]to his lore enclyne ; 1068

ffor euery day when Beryn rose, vnwassh he wold dyne, And drawe hym to his ffeleshipp as even as a lyne • And J>en com home, & ete, & soop, & sclepe at ny^te : This was al his besynes, but yf Jjat he did fiste. 1072

Wherfor his ffadirs hert, ffawnws, gan for to blede, [if 194, bk] 1 root. . 2 growe. 3 MS growe.

FAUN US IS IN GREAT DISTRESS. 35

That of his modir, fat lay at home, he took no more hede ;

And so did ali the pepiH that dwellid in the town),

Of Beryns wildnes gon [they] speke, & eke [to] roune.

ffawnws, oppon a day, when Beryn cam at eve, 1077 Fawnus tries to

^Tr T i • i win Beryn from

Was set oppon a purpose to make his sone leue ins bad ways,

AH his shrewd [e] tacchis, with goodnes yf1 he my^te,

And tai^te hym feir1 & sofft; but Beryn toke it li^t, 1080

And countid at[te] litiH price al his ffadirs tale.

ffawnws saw it wold nat : with colour1 wan .& pale

He partid from his sone, & with a sorowful hert. 1083

I [ne] can write halffyndele1, ho we sore he did[e] smert

The disobeying1 of his sone. & his wvffis deth ; Fawnus sorrows,

and wishes he

That, as the book tellith, he wisshid fat his breth was dead.

Had I-been a-bove the serkiH celestyne ;

So ffervent was his sorowe, his angir, & his pyne. 1088

So, shortly to conclude, Agea was enteridl, A[nd] ffawnws lyvid wyfles, [tytt] iij yeer wer1 werid ; Wherof ther1 was grete spech[e], for his hi^e honour*. TyH, atte last, word cam on-to fe Emperour1, 1092 The Emperor

That ffawnws was with-out[en] wyff, & seld[e] was iocounde, But mowmyng for Agea, fat he was to I-bounde, And lyvid as an hermyte, soule & destitute, With-outfe] consolacioune, pensyff offt, & mut. 1096

Wherfor Augustinws, of Rome f e Emperour1, Augusiinus

"Was inwardlich[e] sory, & in grete dolour1 ;

[And] With the .vij. sagis, & Senatouris aU, consults with the

Were assemblit, to discryve what shuld ferof fait. 1100 to console The wich seyd shortly, ' for a molestacioune Ther1 was noon othir remedy, but a consolacioune ; ffor who so were in eny thing1 displesid or a-grevid, Must by a like thing1 egaH be remevid.' 1104

And when f e Emperour knewe al hir1 determinacioune, and resolves Quiklich in his mynde he had Imaginacioun), That ifawnws for agea was in hi^e distres,

And must be I-curid with passing1 gentilnes 1 108 that he must be

1 MS halsfyndele.

36

FAUNUS HAS TO WED A NEW WIFE, RAME.

cured by a fresh wife.

The Emperor accordingly weds an old love of his own, excelling in beauty,

to Fawnus.

Fawnus soon forgets his first wife Agea

for his 2nd wife, Rame,

on whom he dotes foolishly.

When Rame has caught Fawnus,

she schemes against Beryn.

Of som [fair] lusty lady, pat of pulcritude [leaf 195]

Were excellent1 al othir. so, shortly to conclude,

The Empmrnr* had a love — tofore he had a wyff —

That he lovid as hertlich as his owne lyff, 1112

As was as feir/ a creature, as sone my^te be-shyne,2

So excellent of bewte, pat she my^t be shryne

To all othir vymmen, pat wer1 tho lyvand.

But for pe Emperour/ had a wyff, yee shul wele vndirstond,

He cam nat in hir1 company, to have[n] his delite ; — 1117

ffor Cristendom & conscience was tho more pe/'fite

Then it is nowe a dayis, yf I durst teH ;

But I woH leve at pis tyme. — pan ffawmjs also sneH3 1120

"Was aftir sent in hast, of sekenes to be curyd.

So, what for drede & ellis, they were both ensuryd

In presence of the Emperour/ ; so ffawnws my^t nat flee :

It was pe Emperours will, it my^t noon opir be. 1124

So with-in a tyme Agea was for^ete ; ffor ffawnw«9 pou}t [ful] litiH on pat he hiij be-hi^te ; ffor, as the .vij sages had a-fore declarid, It cam al to purpos; ffor ffawnws litiH carid 1128

ffor eny thing at aH, save his wyff to plese, That ' Eame ' was I-clepid ; for rest[e], nethir ese, ffawnws nevir had, out of1 hir* p?'6sence : So was his hert on hir/ I-set, pat he coude no defence, Save evir-more be with hir*, & stare on hiij visage, 1133 That the most[e] parte of Eoom held it for dotage, And had[de] muche merveH of* his variaunce. (But what is pat ffortune can nat put in chaunce ?) 1136 ffor pere was4 man on lyve on vomman more be-dotid, Then ffawnws wras in Rame, ne halff so much I-sotyd?. With pat Ram had knowlech pat ffawnws was I-smyt With pe dart of love, yee mowe r^t wele it wyt, 1140 That aH pat evir she coude castfen] or bythynch, Was al a-geyn Berinws ; for many a sotiH wrench

1 overtopping, exceeding. 3 quickly. MS swells

2 shine on. 4 read 'nas.'

RAME PLANS TO BEING-DOWN BERYN. 37

She Jjot^t & wrou^t, day be day, as meny vommen doon,

TyH they have of hir* desire the fuH conclusyoune. 1144

ffor, the more that ffawnws of Rame did[e] make1, [ifi95,bk]

The more daungerous was Eame, & of Chere sade ; Rome's design

And kept[e] well hir/ purpose vndir coverture :

She was the las to blame, IV grew [so] of nature. 1 1 48

But bo^e bat Rame wrou^t so, God for-bede bat alle

Were of fat condic[i]oune ! (yet ' touch no man the galle,'

It is my pleyn couiisell ; but ' doith as othir doith ; '

' Take yeur/ part as it comyth, of rou^e & eke of smoth.')

3it noritur, wit & gentilnes, reson & peffite mynde, 1153

Doth al these worthy vommen to worch ageyn[e]s kynde ;

That bou^e they be agrevid, bey suffir/ & endure,

And passith ovir, for the best, & folowith no-bing nature.

But nowe to Rames pwrpose, & what was hir* desire : is to breed strife Shortly to conclude, to make debate & Ire

Be-twene the ffadir & the sone, as it was likly tho ; What for his condicioune, & what for love also 1160

That ffawnws owt to his wyff, be rathir he must luY leve, And graunt[e] for to mend, yf ou^t hir/ did[e] greve.

Berynws evir wrou^t, ryght as he did to-fore, Beryn goes on

, , , . „ , badly, and Rame

And Rame made hym cher 01 love, — fere my^t no vomman gives Mm money

_ - _ . and fair words,

more,— 1164

And gaff hym gold & clothing1, evir as he did lese, Of fe best[e] fat he couthe, 0113 wher* 2 in towne chese ; And spak3 ful feii^ with hym, to make[n] al thing1 dede ; 3it wold she have I-ete his hert, wit/i-out[e] salt or brede. tho1 she'd like to

hziv6 6 at en his

She hid so hii-1 felony, & spak so in covert, 1169 heart.

That Beryn my^t nat spy it, but lite of Ramys hert.

So, shortly to pas ovir, It fill oppon a ny^te,

When ffawnws & his ffresshfe] wyff were to bedd I-di^te, One night

He toke hii° in his armys, & made hir' hertly chere, —

Ther' my^tfe] no man bettir make [on lyve] to his fere, —

And seyd, " myiie ertly loy, niyne hertis ful plesaunce,

1 ' make ' is crost thro', and ' made ' written after it. 2 anywhere. 3 MS spal.

38

BAME TELLS FAUNUS HOW SAD SHE IS.

why she is sad.

Riune says,

' No wonder I'm sad since I wedded you.

Alas ! if I have a child by you,

he 'd better die than be like Beryn!

My wele, my woo, my paradise, my lyvis sustenaunce !

Why ne be yee mery? why be yee so cluH:, 1177

Sith yee knowe I am yeuf own), ri}t as ye?/r/ hert woH ?

Now teH on, love, myne hown) hert ! yf yee eylith ou}t ;

flbr & it be in my power, a-noon it shal be wrou^te." 1180

Rame with ]>at gan si^he, & with a wepeing1 chere [leaf 196]

Yndid j?e bagg1 of trechery, & seid in j>is manere ;

" No merveH Jjou^e myne hert be sore & fuH of dele,

ffor when jjat I to ^ew weddit was, wrongfe] went my whele :

But who may be, a-geyn[e]s hap & aventure? 1185

Ther* for, as wele as I may, myne I mut endure."

WitJi many sharp [e] wordis she set his hert on feiij,

To purchase with hir practik, J?at she did desire. 1188

But hoolich al hir wordis I can nat wele reherce,

JN"e write, ne endite, howe she did[e] perce

Thurh ffawnys hert, & [eke] his scuH also :

ffor more petouse compleynt, of sorow & of woo, 1192

Made nevir vomman, ne more petously,

Then Rame made to ffawnys : she smote ful bittirly

In-to ]>e veyn, & Jmrh his hert[e] blood ;

She bloderid so, & wept, & was so hi3e & mode, 1196

That vnneth she my^te speke, but, ofer while a-mong1,

Wordis of discomfort, & hiij hondis wrong ;

ffor " alas & woo J?e tyme, Jmt she weddit was ! "

Was evir more J>e refreit, when she my^t have spase ; 1200

" I am I-weddit ! ^e, God woot beste, in what mane?- & howe !

ffor if it wer1 so fail, I had a child be 3ewe ;

Lord ! how shuld he lyve 1 howe shuld he com a-way ? —

Sith Beryn is yeur/ first sone, & heir* aftir yewr/ day, —

But yf pat he had grace to scole for to goo, 1205

To have som maner connyng1, fyat he my$te trustfen] to ;

ffor, as it now stondith, it were J>e beste rede ;

ffor, so God me help ! I had levir he were dede, 1208

Than were of such condicioune, or of such[e] lore

As Beryn yeur/ sone is ! it wer1 better he were vnbore.

ffor he doith nat ellis, save atte hazard pley,

FAUNUS BEGS BEBYN TO REFORM. 39

And corny th home al nakid, e[veri]ch othir day. 1212

ffor within this month, J?at I have with ^ew be,

[full ffifftene sithis, for verry grete pete, 15 times in this

month have I

I have I-clothid hym al newe when he was to-tore ; re-siaa Beryn !

ffor evir more he seyde, 'J?e old[e] were I-lore.' 1216

Now, & he were my sone, I had levir he were I-sod ! [leaf 1%, back]

ffor, & he pley so long1, [the] halff [of] our1 lyvlode He'U waste half

"Wold scarsly suffise hym selff1 [al]oon.

And, nere yee wold be grevid, I swere be seynt lohn)

He shuld aftir pis day be clothid no more for me, 1221 I'd give Mm no

in ore clothes."

But he wold kepe hem bettir, & drawe fro nycete."1

" Nowe, gentiH wyff, gromercy of yewr/ wise tale ! Fawnus

declares

I thynk[e] wel J?e more, J>at I sey no fale : 1224 he won't,

ffor towelling* my grevaunce, jjat Beryn goith al nakid, Treulich pat grevaunce is [now] somwhat a-sclakid. Let hym a-loon, I prey }ew, & I wol con2 $ew thanke ; ffor in such losery he hath lost1 many a ffrank. 1228

The deviil hym spech3, J>at reche yf he be to-tore4, And he vse it her'-afftir, as he hath doon to-fore ! "

Beryn arose a-morowe, & cried wondir fast, Next morning

Beryn calls for

And axid aftir clothis ; but it was al in wast ; 1232 new clothes.

Ther* was no man tendant for hym in al the house :

The whele was I-chaungit in-to a-nothir cours.

ffawnws herd his sone wele, how he be-gan to cry, His father

0 Fawnus

And rose vp [tho] a-noon, & to hym did[e] hi^e ; 1236

And had for^ete no thing1, fat Eame had I-seyde ;

ffor he boillid so his hert, he was nat wel apayde.

He went in-to the Chambir, ther1 his sone lay,

And set hym doun in a chair1, & Jjus he gan to sey. 1240

" My gentil sone Beryn ! now feir I woH J>e tech : begs him

Rew oppon thy selff, & be ]?yn owne leche !

Manhode is I-com nowe, myne own dere sone ;

It is tyme fow be aweynyd of byne old[e] wone ; 1244 to give up his

bad ways, as he

And Jjow art xx wynter, & nau^t hast of doctryne ; is 20,

3 it, woldist J>owe drawe to profite, fe worshipp wold be thyne, 1 folly. 2 acknowledge, give. 3 spitch. * See 1. 1388.

40

BERYN REFUSES TO ALTER HIS BAD WAYS.

and mix with

good men,

or else he must

stand on his own feet. Fawnus will

give him nothing. Beryn lours,

asks for clothes,

refuses to give up gambling,

says ' Itame has Bet his father against him —

curse her ! —

site's taken his wits away.

To noritur & goodshipp, & [eke] al honest1 thing1, Ther1 nr^t com to myne hert[e] no more glad tyding1. 1248 Leve now al thy foly, and thy rebawdy, As Tablis, & merellis, and f e hazardry, And draw the to f e company of honest men & good, Els — leve f owe me as wele as Criste died on the rode, [leaf 197] And for al men-kynde his gost pas lete ! — 1253

Thow shalt, for me, here-aftir stond on thyn owne fete ; ffor I [ne] woH no lengir suffir this aray, To clothe the al new, e[ueri]ch othir day. 1256

Yff f ow wolt drawe the to wit, & rebawdry wzt/idrawe, Of such good as God have sent, f y part shalt f ow have. And yf f ow wolt nat, my sone, do as I the toft, Of me shalt1 f ow nau}t have, truste me ri^t well ! 1260 "Wenyst f ow with thy dise-pleying1 hold[en] myne honoure Aftir my deth-day ? " then Beryn gan to loure, And seid, " is this a sermon or a prechement 1 Yee were nat wont hereto, how is this I-went ? 1264 Sendith for som clothing1, fat I were a-go ; My felawis lokith aftir me, I woot wele fey do so. I woH nat leve my feleshippe, ne my rekelagis, Ne [yit] my dise-pleying, for aH yeur* heretages ! 1 1268 Doith yeur best with hem by yeur* lyff day ; ffbr when they fait to me, I wol do as I may. Benedicite, ffadir ! who hath enfourmyd ^ewe, And set ^ewe in-to Ire, to make me chere rowe2 1 1272 But I know weti I-now} whens [that] this counsaiH cam ; Trewlich of yeur owne wyfe, fat [fulj evil dame : [Curse] Com oppon hir body, fat fals putaigne ! ffor trewlich, ffadir, yee dote on hir ; & so al men seyn. Alias ! fat evir a man shuld, fat is of hi^e counsaiH, 1277 Setften] al his wisdom, on his wyvis tayH ! Yee lovith hir/ so much, she hath be-nome yewr/ witt ; And I may curs the tyme, that evir yee were I-knyt ; ffor now, I am in certen, I have a Stepmodir : 1281

1 Urry. MS hostagis. 2 rough cheer, countenance.

FAUNUS REFUSES BERYN FRESH CLOTHES. 41

They been shrewis som , — ther been but few othir, — stepmothers

are shrews !

Yel fikil naptaitf, such oon as she ys.

ffor al my pleying atte dise, }it do yee more a-mys ; 1284

Yee have I-lost yewr/ name, JGUT worshipp & yewr feith ; Fawnus has lost

his honour by

So dote[n] yee on hir/, & levith al she sayith." doting on Rame.'

ffawnws, with the same word, gaff J>e chayir a but, Fawnus swears

Beryn shall

And lepe out of the Chambir, as who seyd " cut ! " 1288 repent his words. And swore, in verry woodnes, be God omnipotent, That Beryn of1 his wordis shuld[e] sore repent !

Beryn set nouat berof : [but] with a proude hert Beryn can get

no clothes,

Answer[i]d his ffadir, & axid a new shert. [leaf 197, back]

He gropid al a-boute, to have found [en] oon, 1293

As he was wont to-fore, but Ipere was noon.

Then toke he such[e] willokis as he fond ther1, has to put on

And beheld hym-selff what [maner] man he were. 1296

ffor when he was arayde, then gan he first be wrothe ;

ffor [tho] his vombe lokid out, & his rigg both. beiiy and back

He stert aftir his ffadir, & [loud] be-gan to cry,

ffor " seth myne aray ! for thy vilany 1300 He appeals to

Ys as wele ^eurs, as it is myne ! "

lete hym clatir, & cry[en] wel & fyne, but in vain.

And passid forth [ful] still, & spak nat [tho] a word. Then Beryn gan to fink, it was nat al bord 1304 Then he thinks

it's no joke, and

That his ffadir seyde, when he with hym was ; says he knows

And gan to think[en] al about; & fyerwith seyd, " Alias ! mother is dead.

Now know I wele for soth, Jjat my modir is dede : "

ffor tho gan he to glow[e] first a sory mannys hede. 1308

(Now kepe thy Cut, Beryn : for bow shalt have a fit (Yes, Mr Beryn,

you're to have a

Somwhat of the world, to lern[e] better witt j turn now.

ffor & J)ow wiste sikirly what is for to com,

Thow woldist wissh aftir thy deth ful offt & I-lome ; 1312 You'll often wish

you were dead !)

ffor J>ere nys beting half so sore, with staff nethir [with] swerd,

As man to be [I-]bete[n] with his owne ^erd.

The pyry is I-blowe, — hop, Beryn, hop ! —

That ripe wol her'aftir, & on thyn hede dropp. 1316

Thow tokist noon hede whils it shoon hoot ;

42

BERYN REPENTS AT HIS MOTHER^ TOMB.

Beryn goes towards the church,

laments that his mother Agea is

and that all men scorn him.

At his mother's tomb

he swoons ;

his 5 wits go.

Then he under stands that Fortune sets-up some men, and overthrows others.

Therfor wyntir f e ny3hith : asay[e] by thy Cote !)

Beryn, for shame, to town durst lie nat go ; He toke his way to chirchward, his frend was made his foo. ffor Angir, sorow, & shame, & hevynes j>at he had, 1321 Vnneth he my3te speke, but stode halff as mad. " O Alias ! " quod. Beryn, " what [maner] wit had 1 1 That coude nat, to-fore this day, knowe sikirly 1324

That my modir dede was ; but nowe I knowe to sore ; And drede more, J?at eche day her-aftir, more & more I shall knowe & fele, that my modir is dede. Alias ! I smote be rnessangere, & toke of hir* noon hede. Alias ! I am right pore ! Alias ! bat I am nakid. 1329 1 Alias ! I sclept to fast, till sorowe nowe hath me wakid. Alias ! I hungir sore ! alias ! for dole & peyri) ! ffor eche man me seeth, hath me in disdeynl" 1332

This was al his myrth, [un]to the chirch[e]-ward, That of his modir Agea he toke so litiH reward. When Beryn was within the chirch, ben gan he wers fray : As sone he sawe be tombe where his modir lay, 1336

His coloure gan to chaunge in-to a dedely hewe. " Alias ! gentiH modir ! so kynd bow were, & trewe, It is no merveH, for J>y deth bou^e I sore smert." Ant bere-w^t/i-aH be sorowe so fervent smote in his hert, That sodenly he fil [a] down), stan dede in swowe : 1341 That he had part of sorowe, me thinkith bat2 my3t a-vowe.

Beryn lay so longe, or he my^te a- wake, ffor al his fyve wittis had clene hym forsake. 1344

Wei my^te he by hym selff, when reson I-com were, Vndirstond that ffortune had a sharpfe] spere, And eke grete power, a-mong[es] hi^e & lowe, Som [men] to avaunce, & som to ovir-throwe. 1348

So atte last, when Beryn a litiH wakid were, He trampelid fast with his feet, & al to-tare his ere3

1 leaf 198. 2 read 'I,' or 'men.'

3 hair. Tearing your hair with tears that run from your eyes,

is a manosuvre that 'd puzzle a modern Englishman, writer so often says, we're a degenerate race.

But, as the

BERYN WEEPS AT HIS MOTHER'S TOMB. 43

And his visage both, ry^t as a woodman,

With many a bittir tere, J?at from his eyen ran ; 1352 Beryn weeps,

,.,., -1011 11 sighs, and curses

And signid many a sore sign, & had much hevynes ; MS unkmdness to

, , -11- i i nis mother.

And evir-more he cursid his grete vnkyndnes

To forest his modir, whils she was a-lyve ;

And lenyd to hir* tombe opon his tore sclyufe]1 ; 1356

And wisshid a bowsand sithis, he had I-be hir by :

And beheld hir tombe with a petouse eye.

" Now, glorious God," quod Beryn, " bat al thing madist He asks God

of nou3t,

Heven & erth, [&] man & best ! sith I am mys-wrou3t, 1360 Of 3ewe I axe mercy, socour & help, & grace, SJSds' Ms

ffor my mys-dede & foly, vnthryfft & trespase. Set my sorowe & peyn, somwhat in mesure firo dispeir & myschefF, as I may endure ! 1364

Lord of all lordis ! J?ou3e ffortune be my foo, [leaf wa, back] 3it is thy my3te a-bove, to turn hym to & fro. ffirst, my modirs lyff, ffortune hath me berevid, Fortune has

taken his mother,

And sith my ffadirs love, & nakid also me levid. 1368 and ins father's What may he do more 1 3is, take a-wey my lyff. leaves him MS'

But, for that were myne ese, & end of al [my] stryff ; suffer.

Therfor he doith me lyve ; for my wers, I sey, That I shuld evir-more lyve, & nevir for to dey." 1372

2 Now leve I Beryn with his modir, tyl I com a-3e, And wol retourne me to Kame. bat of hir1 sotilte name, to prevent

* being blamed,

Be-j?ou3t hir al aboute, when Beryn was agoon,

That it shuld be wittid hir* : wherfor she a-noon 1376

In this wise seyd to ffawnws ; " Sir ! what have yee do ? teiis Fawnus she

was in fun,

Al-])ou3e I speke a mery word, to suffir yewr/ sone go Nakid in-to ]?e town), it1 was nat my counsaiH. What wol be seyd J?erof ? sikir, with-out[en] faiH, 1380 ffor I am his stepmodir, J>at I am cause of aH ! The violence, the wrath, J?e angir & J?e gaH, That is be-twene 3ewe both, it wol be wit[tid] me ; 1 scleve, sleeve. 2 There are no breaks or insets in the MS.

44

FAUNUS GOES TO FETCH BERYN HOME.

and begs him

to fetch Beryn home at once.

Fawnus, to please her,

seeks in vain for

Beryn in all his old haunts,

but at last finds him lamenting in church.

Fawnus too weeps at Agea's tomb.

Wherfor I prey ^ew hertly, doith hym com home a-ye." " JS"ay by my trowith," quod, ffawnw-s, " for me comyth he natjit; 1385

Sith he, of my wordis, so litil prise set, As litiH shall I charge [n] his estate also. Sorowe have, J>at recchith1 jjou^e he nakid go ! 1388

ffor euery man [wel] knowithe J?at he is nat wise ; "Wherfor may be supposid, his pleying atte dise Is cause of his aray, & no thing yee, my wyff." "3is I-wis," quod Eame, "the tale wol be ryff 1392

Of me, & of noon othir ; I knowe ri3te wel a fyne : Wherfor I prey 3ewe, gentil Sir, & [eke] for love myne, That he were I-fet home, & Jmt in grete hast ; And let asay efft ageyn) with ffeirnes hym to chast; 1396 And sendfe] Beryn clothis, & a newe shert ; " And made al wele in eche side, & kept[e] close hir hert. " Now sith it is yeur wiH," quod. ffawn?*s tho a-noon, "That Beryn shaH home come ; for yeur sake aloon 1400 I well be the message, to put yeur hert in ese ; And els, so God me help, wer it nat ^ewe to plese, The gras shuld growe on pament, or I hym home bryng ! " 3it nethirles, forth he went, with too or thre, ryding [leaf 199] firom o strete to a-nothir, enqueryng to & fro 1405

Aftir Beryn, in every plase wher he was wont to go ; Sheching eviry halk2, howris to or thre, With hazardours, & othir such, Jjere as he was wont to be j And fond hym nat there ; but to 3 chirch went echone, And atte dorr they stode a while, & herd Beryn made his

moon : They herd all his compleynt, J>at petouse was to here.

ffawnws, in-to the Chirch, pryuelych gan pire; 1412 But also sone as he beheld wher Agea lay, His teris ran down be his chekis, & Jms he gan to say ; " A ! Agea, myne old love, & [eke] my newe also ! Alias ! j?at evir our* hertis shuld depart a too ! 1416

1 he who recks, cares. 2 corner. 3 MS butto.

FAUNUS IS RECONCILED TO BERYX. 45

ffor in yeui) graciouse dayis, of hertis trobilnes Fawnus remem-

I had nevir knowlech, but of al gladnes."

Remerabryng in his hert, & evir gan renewe

The goodnes be-twene heni both, & hir* hert[e] trewe ;

And drewe hym nere to Beryn, with an hevy mode. 1421

But, as sone a[s] Beryn knew & vndirstode Beryn avoids him.

That it was his ffadir, he wold no le[n]gir a-bide ;

But a-noon he voidit by J>e todir syde : 1424

And ffawnws hym encountrid, & seyd : " wee have J?e so^te Fawnus

]2urh[out] the town), my gentin sone, & ferfor void ]?e nou^te ! says, 'Don't take

Thou3e I seyd a word or to, as me ]>on^t for J?e best,

ffor thyne erudicioune, to drawe J?e to lyff honest; 1428

Thow shuldist nat so feruently have take it to ]?yn hert.

But sith I knowe my wordis doith the so sore smert,

[I] Shall no more her1 aftir ; & ech day our* diete we'ii be friends

Shall be mery & solase, & this shal be for-^ete. 1432

ffor wel I woot, fat for J?y modir1 ]?ow art to-tore ;

Also ]jow hast grete sorow ; but onys nedith, & no more ;

And jjerfor, sone, on my blessing, to put sorow a-wey, you take to good

Drawe J?e no we her-aftir to honest myrth & pley. 1436 way8'

Lo, ther1 is clothing for ^ewe, & JQUT/ hors I-di^te Here are clothes

With harneyse al fressh[e] newe ! And yf ye list be knyght, you.* *

I shall 3it, or eve [come], that Bergeyn vndirtake, [leaf 199, back] m get the

That the Ernperour,for my love, a kny3t [he] shall 3ew make : kiTght y^u/

And what that evir yee nede, a-noon it shall be bou3t ;

ffor whils fat I have eny thing1, ye shall lak[ke] nau3te."

" Graunte mercy ! " qwod Beryn, with an hevy chere, 1443 Beryn declines

" Of yeur worshipful profir ]pat yee have proferid me here j

But ordir of kny^thode to take, [it] is nat my likeing1 ; the knighting,

_ r - , . but asks, that as

And sith yeur win is for to do[enj somwnat my plesing1, name win want

Yee have a wyff ye love wele, & [eke] so tendirlich, for ner children,

That, & she have children, I knowe right sikirlich 1448

Al that she can devise, both be ny3te & day,

Shall be to make hir Childryn heirs, yf fat she may ;

And eke sowe sedis of infelicite,

1 MS. for Jjy modir J>at.

BERYN ASKS TO BE SET UP AS A MERCHANT.

and will not let him give Beryn much money,

Fawnus shall let him be a Mer chant, and shall buy his heirship for 5 ships well freighted.

Fawnus agrees,

rides home,

and tells his wife Rame what Beryn says.

She is delighted, cuddles him, coaxes him,

and begs him thus to secure his inheritance.

Fawnus promises to do it.

Wherof wold growe devisioun be-twene 3ewe & me. 1452

ffor yf ye spend on me yeur/ good, & [do] bus riallich,

Levith weft in certen, yeur wyff woH sikirliche

Eche day for angir hir tuskis [sharpe] whet, 1455

And to smyte with hir tunge, yewr/ hert in wrath to set

To ward [es] me from day to day. but [yf] ye wold aply

Somwhat to hir purpose, & aftir hir/ ^ewe guy,

She wold wexe so ovirtwart, & of so lither tach,

And evir loure vndir hir/ hood, a redy for to snache ; 1460

She wold be shortyng of yewr/ lyf ; & bat desire I nau^t.

Wherfor, to plesefn] al aboute, my purpose & my Jjou^t

Is for to be a marchaunte, & leve myne heritage,

And relese it for evir, for Shippis fyve of stage 1464

fful of marchandise, the best of al this londe.

And yff yee wol so, ffadir, quyk let make be bonde."

ffawnws was ry^te wele a-payde that ilk[e] word out-stert ; But 3it he seid to Beryn : "I merveH in myne hert 1468 "Where haddist bow bis counsel!, to leve byne honotwe, And ly ve in grete aventur, & in grete laboure ; " And rid so forth talking1, a sofft [and] esy pase, Homward to his plase, ber* bat Rame was. 1472

And as sone as ffawnws was I-li3te a-down), And hi^ed fast[e] to his wyff, & w^ hir/ gan to rown), And told hir* al the purpose, & made ffawnws chere : 1475 She did hym nat halff so much, be tyme she was his fere ; She 'hullid hym, & mollid hym, & toke hym aboute be nekk, [leaf 200]

And went lowe for the kite2, & made many a bekk, And seyd : " sir/, by yeur/ spech[e] nowe ri3t wel I here, That yf ye list, yee mowe do thing1 bat I most desire ; 1480 And bat is this yeur1 heritage, fere ^ewe best[e] likid, J}at yee my3t gyve ;" &evir a-mong, fe brussh a-wey she pikid ffrom hir clothis here & fer1, & sighid fer'-w^t/^-aH. ffawnws, of his gentilnes, by hir/ myddil smali 1484

Hert[e]lich hir1 bracyd, & seyd : "I wol nat leve, 1 ? the MS u. 2 ? crouched humbly, as a dove from the kite.

FAUNUS AGREES TO MAKE BERYN A MERCHANT. 47

I suyr }ew my trowith, J?at onys or it be eve

That I shaH do my devoir, mt&out [eny] fentyse,

ffor to plese yeur/ hertfe] fullicli in al wise." 1488

" Graunt mercy, myne own) soverene ! " quod. Rame bo, Rame declares

y ' she'll be gentle to

mekely ; Fawnus, and

. , , , ., . . serve him all

And made protestacioune, J?at she wold sikirly, her life.

AH the dayis of la.ii/ lyff, be to hym as ende

As evir voman was to man, as ferforth as hir/ mynde 1492

And wit hir/ woldfe] serve, & made grete othe.

ffawnws bood no lenger, but forth fyetf-with he goith.

(A ! precius God in heven, kyng of mageste ! So plentivouse this world is of iniquite ! 1496

Why is it I-suffrid, J?at trowith is brou^t a-down) With trechery & falshede, in feld, & eke in town) 1)

But now to ffawn?^s, & his entent. when he his sone met, Fawnus pretends He toke hym sofft[e] by J?e hond ; his tung1 he gan to whet, Beryn to give up

Sotilly to engyne hym. first he gan to preche : 1501 chant

" Leve thy foly, my dere sone, & do as I J>e teche :

Sith ]>ow hast wit & reson, & art of mannys age,

What nedith the be marchant ? & shal have heritage

ffor, & Jjy good were I-lost, ]>e sorow wold be myne, 1505

(To telle the soth,) ri^t ny$e paregall to J?yne.

And yf |?at I were dede, whil[e]s ]?ow were oute,

Lond, & rent, & aH my good, (have }>ow no doute,) 1508 he might lose ins

It wold be plukkid from the ; thy parte wold be lest.

And also ferjjermore, I make [now] oon beheest,

That I trowe my moblis wol nat [well] suffice

To charge fyve Shippis ful of marchandise, 1512

But yf I leyde in morgage my lond, & eke my rent ; [if 200, bk]

And ]>at I leve be nat thy wili, ne ]>yne entent.

3it nethirles, yf [that] thy hert[e] be so inly set on it^then8 SCt

ffor to be a marchant, for no thing1 woU I let 1516 Fawnus win

help him.

That I nyl do thy plesaunce, as ferforth as I may,

To go ry^te ny^e myne own) estate ; but levir I had nay."

Hir1 wordis, ne hir/ dedis, ne maters hem be-twene, I wol nat tary now J?ereon, my pflrchemen to spene : 1520

48

BERYN GETS 6 LADEN SHIPS FOR HIS HEIRSHIP.

Beryn agrees to release his heirship and honours to Fawnus for 5 ships laden with merchandise.

The deed of Release, and Bond, are executed, and deposited as an escrow with a third person. Fawnus and

Rame rejoice at the bargain.

Fawnus gets the ships ready,

gives Beryn seisin (that is, possession) of them, and gets the Release.

But fynallich[e], to the ende of hir1 acordement,

ffawnws had so goon a-bout, I-turned & I-went,

That he had brou^t his sone to-fore f e Emperour1,

To relese his heritage, & [eke] al his honour* 1524

That he shuld have aftir his day, for shippis fyue, & fuH

I-led of Marchaundise, of lynnyn, & of woH,

And of othir thingis, fat were I-vsid tho.

Engrosid was the covenaunte be-twen hem [bothe] to,

In presence of f e Emperour1, — in opyn, & no roun), — 1529

To-fore the grettest Cenato?^rs, & eldest of f e town).

So when the relese selid was, with a syde bonde,

They were I-leyde both [right] in a meen[e] honde, 1532

In-to the tyme fat Beryn) fullich [ijsesid were

In the fyve Shippis, fat I $ew tolde ere.

But who was glad but ffawnws ? & to his wyff [he] went, And seyd[e] : " nowe, my hertis swete, al f yn hole entent Is vttirlich perfourmyd ! vs lakkith nowe no more, 1537 But marchandise & Shippis, as I told to-fore." " That shall nat faiH," quod Eame, & began to daunce ; And aftirward they speken of fe purveaunce. 1540

(Alias ! this fals[e] world ! so ful of trechery ! In whom shuld the sone have trust & feith sikirly, If his ffadir faylid hym ? whef ir my$t he go ffor to fynde a sikir ffrend, fat he my3t tristfen] to?) 15

So when these .v. shippis were rayid & [i-Jdi^te, ffawnws & his sone to f e Emperour/ ful ri^te They went, & many a grete man for f e same case, To see both in possessioune, as hir1 covenaunte wase. 1548 Beryn first was sesid in the Shippis fyve ; And ffawnws had the relese, & bare it to his wyff; [leaf 201] And Eche held hem payde, & Rame best of all ; ffor she had conquerd thing, fat causid most hir1 gaH. 1552

OfSeryn'g adventures.

Now leve I ffawnys & his wyff : & of f e governance Of Beryn I woH speke, & also of his chaunce. When lodismen, & maryneris, in al f ing1 redy was,

BERYN SAILS, AND HAS BAD WEATHER. 49

This Beryn in-to Alisaundir (yf God wold send hym grace, Beryn sets sail

t m i j i. i i r -i \ i 11 i with his 5 shil1s-

lhat wynde hym wold|_ej serve,) he wold, so on a day

The wynde was good ; & [tho] they seylid on hir/ wey

Too dayis fullich, & a nyght ther'-with-all,

And had wedir at wiU ; tiH atte last gan fall 1560

Such a myst a-mong1 hem, fat no man my^t se othir ;

That wele was hym fat had[de] f e?^e f e blessing1 of his modir.

ffor thre dayis dessantly l f e derknes a-mong hem was, For s days

That no shipp my3te se othir ; wherfor, M offt " alas ! " is^n UMB,

The[y] seyd ; & to f e hi^e God fey made hir1 preyere, 1565 greatly?" ^

That he wold, of his grace, hem govern) & stere,

So fat hire lyvis my^te I-savid be ;

ffor fey were cleen in dispeyr/, be-cause fey my3t nat se

The loder, wherby these Shipmen her* cours toke echon).

So atte last, fe ferth day, makeing1 fus hir1 moon, 1570 On the 4th day

m -, i p i i i a fierce wind

Ihe day gan clere ; & fen such wynde a-rose, blows,

That blew hir1 Shippis els-wher1 fen was hir/ first pwrpose.

The tempest was so huge, & [was] so strong1 also, 1573

That wel was hym fat coude bynd[en] or ondo

Any rope wit^-in the Shipp, fat longit to f e crafft :

Euery man shewid his connyng1, to-fore f e Shipp, & bafft.

The wynd a-wook ; the see to-brast ; it blew so gresly sore, the sea bursts,

That Beryn & aH his company, of synnys las & more, 1578 preparesefor

Eche man round a-boute, shroff hym-selff to othir ;

And put in goddis gowernaunce, lyff, [&] Shipp, & strothir2.

ffor fere nas8 Shippis meyne, for au^t [fat] fey coude hale,

That my^te a-bate[n] of the Shipp f e f iknes of a skale ;

The wedir was so fervent of wynd & eke of thundir, 1583

That euery shipp from othir was blowe of si^te a-sondir/ ; and ail the ships

And durid so al day & ny^te ; tyl on the morowe, [if 201, bk]

I trow It was no questioune whef er fey had loy or sorowe.

So aftirward, as god wold, the wynd was somwhat sofft : Then it grows

Beryne clepid a Maryner/, & bad hym "sty on lofft, 1588

And weyte aftir1 our four Shippis, [f *] aftir vs doith dryve ;

ffor it is butte4 grace of God, yf fey be [now] alyve."

1 Urry prints ' incessantly.' 2 ? rothir. 3 MS was. 4 but the. BEP.YN. 4

50

BERYN SIGHTS STRANGE LAND : A BAD TOWN.

All Beryn's five ships are safe,

and land is near.

Beryn orders the lodesman to steer to land.

Beryn takes counsel with liis men ;

and they agree to his landing alone,

to see what kind of town they are at.

Now in this town dwell the falsest and most deceitful people in the world.

When shipmen come, the towns men hide,

A marynere anoon witJi that, ry$t as Beryn bad,

Styed in-to the topcasteH, & bro^t hym tydingis glad :

" Sir'," he seith, " beth mery ! yeur Shippis comyth echone

Saff & sound[e] say ling, as yee shul se a-nooii ; 1594

And eke sir' ferf ermore, loud also I sigh :

Let draw our/ corse estward ; f is tyde wol bryng1 vs ny."

" Blessid be God !" quod Beryn, "fen, wer> our" Shippis com,

[ ,., |j . .] 1598

Wee have no nede to dout[e] werr, ne molestacioun ; ffor fere nys within our5 shippis no f ing1 of spoliacioun), But aH trewe marchaundise. wherfor, air1 lodisman, Stere onys in-to fe Costis, as wel as [evir] fowe can. 1602 When our/ Shippis been I-com, fat we mow pas in fere, Lace on a bonet 2 or tweyn, fat wee mowe saille nere."

And when they were the Costis ny^e, was noon of hem aH That wist what lond it was. J)en Beryn gan to call Out of euery Shipp a-noon a marynere or tweyne, ffor to take counseH ; & fus he gan to seyne : 1608

" The ffrountis of f is ilch[e] toun) been wondir feir witTiaH : Me f inkith it is f e best[e] rede, what fat evir be-faH, That I, my selff aloon, walk in-to the toun), And here, & se, both here & fere, vpward & doun), 1612 And [eke] enquere fullich of hir5 governaunce. What sey yee, sirs? wol yee sent3 [vn]to fis ordenawnce 1 " AH they accordit wel f erto, & held it for f e best ; "ffor fus, yf it be profitabiH, we mowe a-bide & rest, 1 And yf [that] it be othir-wise, fe rathir shaH we go ; ffor aftir fat ye spede, wee wol[len] worch & do."

But nowe mowe yee here, ri^t a wondir f ing* : In al the world[e] wyde, so fals of hir* lyving 1620

Was no pepiH vndir sonne, ne noon so desseyvabiH, As was the pepiH of this town), ne more vnstabiH; [leaf 202] And had a cursid vsage of sotiH ymaginacioune, 1623

That yff so were the Shippis of any straunge nacioun Were come in-to the porte, a-noon fey wold hem hyde 1 Urry prints ' for '. 2 a small sail. 3 ? assent.

BERYN LANDS, AND RIDES THROUGH FALSETOWN. 51

With-in hir* own[e] howsis, & no man go, ne ryde, 1626

In no strete of al the town); ascaunce J>at )>ey were lewde, as if they knew

And coude no skill of marchandise : a skiH it was, a shrewde, merchandise.

As yee shutt here aftir, of hir/ wrong & falshede :

But ^it it fift, as worthy was, oppon hir/ owne hede. 1630

Beryn arayd hym fresshly, as to A marchand longith, Beryn rides

into Falsetown,

And set hym on a palfrey wel be-sey & hongit,

And a page rennyng1 by his hors[e] feet :

He rode endlong1 jje town, but no man coud he mete; but sees no one;

The dorrys were I-closid in both too sidis ; ail doors are shut.

Wherof he had merveli. $it ferjjermor1 he ridis ; 1636

And waytid on his rysthond a mancipilis plase, At a Manciple's

house

AH ffressh & newe, & jjidir gan he pase ;

The gatis were wyde vp, & fidir gan he go ;

ffor jmrh-out ]?e longe town) [ne] he fond so no mo. 1640

Therein dwellid a Burgeyse, j>e most[e] scliper man

Of al the town) )mrh-out ; & what so [that] he wan

"With trechery & gile, — as doith [now] som fFreris, —

Eight so must he part[en it] with his [false] comperis. 1644

• Beryn lijt down on1 his hors, & inward gan he dres, he alights,

And fond the good man of J>e house pleying1 atte ches2 playing at chess,

"Wi th his ney^bour/, as trewe as he, ]?at dwellid hym fast by.

But as sone as this Burgeyse on Beryn cast his eye, 1648

Sodenly he stert vp, & put the ches hym fro,

And toke Beryn by the hond, & seyd these wordis tho :

" Benedicite ! what manere wynd hath I-brou^t ^ewe here ? and is welcomed

Now wold to God I had wherof I3 coude make ^ew cher* !

But yee shall lowe my good will, & take such as fere is,

And of yeur/ gentiH paciens suffir fat is a-mys." 1654

ffor weH he wist by his aray, & by his contenaunce, (The man sees

That of the Shippis ]>at were I-com, he had som gouern- Beryn J

aunce ;

Wherfor he made hym chere, semeyng AmyabiH, [tf202,bk] I-colerid aH vritJi cawtelis, & wondir desseyvabiH. 1658

1 of, off. 2 MS { dise '. Urry prints « chess ' : see 3 lines on. 3 MS 'or'.

52

THE BURGESS OF PALSETOWN WELCOMES BERYX.

Tlie Burgess of Falsetown is delighted to see Beryn,

and offers him anything he wants ;

declares he has seen Beryn 100 times,

asks his mate to amuse Beryn, while he sees to Beryn' s horse,

and then he'll broach his best pipe of wine.

He bracyd hym by the Middil, & preyd hym sit a-down),

And lowly, with mucli worshipp, dressid his cosshon).

" Lord God ! " seyd this Burgeyse, " I jjank fis ilk[e] day,

That I shuld see ^ewe hole & soun.de here in my contray ;

And yff yee list to telle the cause of yewr/ comyng1,

And yff yee have nede to eny maner thing1, 1664

And it be in my power/, & jjou^e I shuld it seche,

It shuld go ri^t wondir streyte, I sey ^ew sikirlich,

But yee it had in hast, ]>ere-with $ewe to plese ;

ffor nowe I se ^ewe in my house, my hert is in grete ese."

The todir burgeyse rose hym vp, for to make Rouse1, And axid of his felawe, pat lord was of the house, 1670 " Whens is this worshipful man 1 " with wordis end & lowe, " ffor it semeth by the manere, ]?at ye hym shuld [e] knowe, And have sey hym to-fore Jns tyme." " I have seen hym ! "

quod. J)e todir,

"3e, I-wis an .C. sithis ! & ii$t as to my brothir 1674 I wold do hym plesaunce, in al that evir I can ; ffor trewlich in his contray he is a worshipful man." — " ffor soth, Sir/, & for yeur love, A Mt in this town) Wold do hym worshipp, & be ri^te feyne & bown) 1678 To plese hym, & a-vaiH, to have Jjonk of ^ewe, I woot wele ; God hem ^eld ! so have Jjey offt or nowe." — And arose vp therewith-all, & with his felaw spak Of such maner mater, jmt fay lid iievir of lakk. 1682

So when hir/ counsel! was I-do, this burgeyse preyd his fere To sit a-down) be Beryn, & do hym sporte & chere : "And in the [mene] while, I woH se to his hors ; ffor every gentiH hert, a-fore his owne cors, 168(

Desirith that his ryding1 best be servid & I-di^te Rathir then hym-selff. wherfor w?'t/£ al my my^te I woH have an ey ferto ; & sith[ens] perce2 wyyn, Wich tonne or pipe is best, & [eke] most1 fyne." 169(

Beryn was al a-basshid of his soden chere ; But nethirles the Burgeyse sat hym som-what nere, 1 flattery, politeness. 2 Urry prints ' sich parte '.

THE BURGESS FINDS OUT WHO BERYN IS. 53

And preyd hym, of his gentilnes, his name for to telk, [leaf 2osj

His contrey, & his lynage. & he answerd snelle ;

" Berinws I ani I-named . & in Rome I-bore, Beryn talks

with the second

And have fyve shippis of myne owne, las & more1, 1696 Burgess of

Falsetown.

fful of marchaundise, ligging1 to-fore fe town) :

But much mervaiH have I, fe good man is so boune

To serve me, & plese, and [not] how it my3t be." 1699

" Sir1," [tho] seyd the Burgeyse, " no merveli it is to me :

ffor many a tyme & offt, (I can nat sey how lome,)

He hath be in yeur/ marchis ; &, as I trowe, in Eoom

Also he was I-bore, yf I ne ly[en] shaft."

" Yf it be so," quod. Beryn, " no merveH it is at aH, 1704

Thou^e he me have I-sey ; & eke his gentifl chere

Previth it al opynly : but, be hym fat bou^t me dere,

I have perof no knowlech, as I am nowe avisid."

"With that cam in the goodman, "with contenaunce disgisid, Meantime the

And had enquerid of f e Child, fat with Beryn cam, 1 709 has pumpt

Beryn's man,

nro gynnyng1 to f e ending1, & told his mastris name,

And of Agea his modir, & al thing1 as it was ;

Wher'-furh he was ful perfite, to answere to Query cas. 1712

So entryng1 in-to the haH, f e Burgeys spak a-noon : and comes

" A, my gentiH Beryn ! alias ! ]?«t vndir stone "Ah i Beryn

Myne Owne hert Agea, thy modir leff & dere ! mother's dead.

Now God assoyH hir/ soule ! for nevir bettir chere 1716 ibid!

Had I of frend vowzman, ne nevir halff so good.

Benedicite ! a marchaunt comyng1 ovir flood ! And you're

turned merchant I

Who brou^t ^ewe in this purpose 1 & beth yeur ffadirs heir*. Now, be my trewe conscience, ry^t ny^e in dispeyr 1720 I waxe for yeur/ sake ; for now [ful] frendlese Yee mowe wel sey[en fat ye been, but 3it, sir2, nethirles Weil; take Yee mut endure ffortune, & hevynes put a-wey ; Ther1 is noon othir wisdom, also, yewr shippis gay 1724 That been I-com in savete, ou3t to a-mend yeur1 mode, The wich, when wee have dyned, I swer1, sir2, by the rood, ru go and look Wee woH se hem trewly, wit/i-in & eke with-oute, 1 smaller & greater. a Urry prints ' for '.

54

BERYN PLAYS AT CHESS WITH THE BURGESS.

[leaf 203, back] They have a good dinner,

and some beautiful chessmen are brought out.

The Burgess of Falsetown asks Beryn to play,

and says his

ships are not settled in the ooze.

So Beryn plays the Burgess, who lets him win 4 games.

Beryn then stops,

as one-sided play is no fun.

But the Burgess wants another game,

And have wyne with vs, & drynk[en] al a-"boute." 1728

They set, & wissh, & fedd hem, & had wher'of plente :

The Burgeys was a stuffid man, fere lakkid noon deynte.

So when they had I-dyned, the cloth was vp I-take ;

A Chese J?ere was I-brot^t forth : but tho gan sorow to wake.

The Ches was al of yvery, the meyne fressh & newe 1733

I-pulsshid, & I-pikid, of white, asure, & blewe.

Beryn be-held the Chekkir ; it semed- passing1 feire :

*' Sir/," quod, the Burgeys, "yee shuH fynd here a peyre, 1 736

That woH mate ^ew trewly, in las J?en half1 a myle ; "

And was I-sayd of sotilte, Beryn to begile.

" Now in soth," quod. Beryn, " it my^te wel hap, [or] nay ;

And nere I must my Shippis se, els I wold assay." 1740

"What nedith Jjat?" quod, the Burgeyse; " trewlich I

wol nat glose ;

They been nat }it I-setelid, ne fixid in jje wose ffor I have sent[e] thries, sith [that] yee hidir cam, To waite oppon hir* governaunce : wherfor lete set o game, And I shaft be the first[e], }at shaft 3ewe a-tast1." 1745 The meyne were I-set vp ; they l gon to pley[e] fast1 : Beryn wan the first, J>e second, & J?e jjird ; And atte fourth[e] game, [right] in the ches a-myd, 1748 J)e Burgeyse was I-matid : but J?at lust hym [ful] wele ; And al was doon to bryng1 hym in, As yee shul here snel. " Sir/," then seyd Beryn, " yee woot wele howe it is ; Me list no more to pley; for yee [wel] know[e] this; 1752 Wher) is noon comparisoun, of what Jring1 so it be, Lust & likeing1 fallith jjere, as it semeth me ; Ne myrth is nat cowmendabift, fat ay is by o syde, 1755 But it rebound [e] to the todir ; wherfor tyme is to ryde. And as many thonkis, as I can or may, Of my sport & chere, & also of yeur' play." " Nay I-wis, gentiH Beryn, I woot yee wol nat go ; ffor noriturfe] wol it nat, for to partfe] so ; 1760

And eke my condicioune, but I ley som thing1, 1 MS&

BERYN'S WAGER WITH THE BURGESS. HE MUST LOSE IT. 55

Is no more to pley, ben who so shoke a rynge,

Ther* no man is within, be rynging1 to answere ;

To shete a fethirles bolt, al-most as good me were. 1764

But & yee wold this next[e] game som maner wager legg1 ; [leaf 204]

And let the trowith, on both sidis, be morgage & I-plegg,

That who-so be I-matid, graunt & [eke] assent the mated man is

„,., .,. T-TT o i >r/»n to do the victor's

To do the todirs bidding; & who-so do repent, 1768 bidding,

Drynkfenl al the watir, bat salt is of the see." or drink an the

salt water in the

Beryn belevid bat he coude pley bettir ben he, sea.

And sodenly assentid, with hond in hond assurid ; Beryn agrees,

Men bat stode be sidis, I-cappid & I-hurid, 1772

Wist[e] wele that Beryn shuld have be wers[e] mes ; ffor the Burgeys was the best pleyer atte ches Of aft the wyde marchis, or many a myle aboute ; But bat ne wiste beryn of, ne cast berof1 no doute. 1776 He set the meyne efft ageyn, & toke better hede Play» very

carefully,

Then he did tofore, & so he had[de] nede.

The Burgeyse toke a-visement long1 on euery drau^te ;

So with [in] an houre or to, Beryn he had I-causte 1780 and soon gets the

worst of it ;

Som what oppon the hipp, bat Beryn had be wers.

And al be it his mynde & witt was for to curs, but he must

3it must he dure his ffortune, when he was so fer I-go. chance.

(ffor who is that bat ffortune may [nat] alwey vndo? 1784

And namelich [he that] stont even in eche side

Of pro & contra ; but God help, downe wol he glide.

But nowe-a word of philosophy, bat fallith to my mynde,

' Who take hede of be begynnyng, what fal shal of be ende, (He who at first

6J J ' ' looks to the end,

He leyith a bussh to-fore the gap, ber fortune wold in ryde ; stops Fortune's But comynlich yowith forjetith bat, burh-out the world.

so be Beryn I may wele sey, bat consaillis in rakid Beryn is likely Lildy to lese his marchandise, & go hym-selff al nakid.) Beryn studied in the ches, al-bou3e it nau^t a-vailid : The Burgeyse in be mene while, -wiili othir men counsaillid The Burgess

sends for the

To fech the Sergauntis in the town), for bing< he had a-do. Serjeants.

So when they com[en] were, they walkid to & fro,

Vp & down in the hatt, as skaunce b,ey knewe nau^te ; 1797

56

BERYN LOSES HIS WAGER, AND IS ARRESTED.

The Serjeants lie in wait to arrest Berya.

[leaf 204, back]

The Burgess calls on Beryn to play,

and takes a rook.

Beryn is in great distress,

turns paie,

and is check mated.

The Serjeants tell Beryn he must go before the Steward.

And ^it of att the purpose, wit, & mynde, & f ou^t

Of this vntrew[e] Burgeys, by his messengeris

They were ful enfourmyd. wherfor with ey & eris 1800

They lay a waite ful doggidly, Beryn to a-rest j

ffor f erfor fey were afftir sent, & was hiij charge & hest.

(Lord ! howe shuld o sely lombe, a-mong wolvis weld,

And scapefn] vn-I-harmyd 1 it hath be seyn [ful] seld?. 1804

Kepe thy Cut nowe, Beryn ! for f ow art in the case.)

The haH was ful of pepiH, f e smauntis shewid hir/ mase :

Beryn kast vp his hede, & was ful sore amayid ; 1807

ffor then he was in certen the burgeys had hym betrayde.

" Draw on," seyd the Burgeyse ; "Beryn ! ye have fe wers !"

And euery man to othir f e covenaunt gan rehers.

The Burgeyse, whils fat Beryn was in hevy f ou^t,

The next drau3t aftir, he toke a roke for nau3te. 1812

Beryn swat for angir, & was in hevy ply^te,

And dred ful sore in hert ; for wele he wist al quyte

He shuld nat escape, & was in hi^e distres ;

And pryuylich in his hert, fat evir he saw the ches 1816

He cursid f e day & tyme : but what a-vaylid fat 1

ffor wele he wist[e] fen, fat he shuld be mate :

He gan to chaunge his coloure, both[e] pale & wan.

The Burgeyse seid : " corny th nere ! ye shul se f is man,

How he shall be matid, with what man me list ! " 1821

He drouje, & seyd " chek mate ! " f e Sergauntis were

ful prest, And sesid Beryn by the scleve. "sirs1, what fynk ye for

to do1?"

Quod Beryn to f e Seriauntis, " fat yee me handith so ? Or what have I offendit1? or what have I seyde?w 1825 " Trewlich," quod the seriauntis, " it vaylith nat to breyde ; With vs yee must a while, wher* [that] ye woH or no, To-fore the Steward of this town), a-rise, & trus, & go ! And fere it shall be openyd, howe wisely fow hast

1829 1 MS <&seid sirs'.

THE BURGESS TAKES BERYN BEFORE THE STEWARD. 57

This is J>e ende of our/ tale, make it nevir so tou^te."

" Sirs, farith feir* ! yee have no nede to hale." BerVQ 8ays»

' Don't pull me!

" Pas forth ! " quod the se/iauntes, " wee woH nat here j>y tale." 1832

" 3is, si18* OI> yewr/ curtesy, I prey 3ewe of o word.

Al-thouse my gentil hoost hath pleyd with me in borde, You've nothing

to do with the

And [hath] I-wonne a wager, yee have nau}t to doon ; wager between

my host and me.'

That is hetwene hym & me ; yee have no thing1 to doon.

The hoost made an hidouse cry, in gesolreut1 j?e haut, 1837

And set his hond in kenebowe ; he lakkid nevir a faute :

" Wenyst Jjowe," seid he to Beryn, "for to scorn [e] me? [leaf 2053

What evir J?ow speke, or stroute, certis it wol nat be ; 1840 But the Burgess

insists on his

Of me shalt J?ow have no wrong1 ; pas forth a better pase ; going before the In presence of our/ Steward I wol teH my case." " Why, hoost, sey yee this in ernest, or in game 1 Yee know my contray & my modir, my lynage & my name; 1844

And Jrns ye have I-seyd me .x. sith on J>is day." " 3e, what bouse I seyd so ? I know wele it is nay : and says he only

pretended to be

Ther* lijth no more ther-to, but anothir tyme his Mend, in order

Leve me so much the les, when J?ow comyst by me ; 1848

ffor al that evir I seyd, was to bryng the in care ; to get him into

trouble.

And now I have my purpose, I wol no thing the spare." Thus langelyng1 to ech othir, endenting1 euery pase, They entrid both in-to the hali, Jjere J?e Steward was : 1852 Evandir was his name, bat sotiH was, & fell, Evandir is

' Steward,

He must be wel avisid, to-fore hym shuldfe] teH.

Anothir Burgeyse with hym was, Prouost of J?e Cete,

bat hanybald was I-clepid : but of sotilte 1856 andHanybaid

is Provost.

He passid many a-nothir, as yee shul here sone.

Beryns hoost gan to teH al bins as it was doon, The Burgess

states his case

ffro gynnyng* to ]?e ending1, }je wordis with the dede ; against Beryn.

And howe jjey made hir covenaunte, & wager howe J>ey leyde. 1860

"Now, Beryn," qwod the Steward, "jjow hast I-herd j>is tale; 1 ?gesolrent.

58 BERYN'S FIRST TRIAL (THE BURGESS'S) BEFORE EVANDIR.

Evandir says Beryn must do his host's bid ding,

or drink all the salt water in the sea.

Which will he do?

Beryn asks for a day's delay.

[leaf 205, back]

But he must find a surety.

Hanybald pro poses to take his 5 ships as the surety.

Beryn agrees.

They leave the court,

and Hanybald

suggests to Beryn,

that tho' his ships must be seized,

How & in what manor J?ow art I-broujt in bale.

Thow must do his bidding ; J?ow maist in no wise flee ;

Or drynke[n] al the watir, )?at salt is in the see : 1864

Of these too thingis, J>ow must chese the toon :

Now be wel avisid, & sey thy wiH a-noon.

To do yee both[e] lawe, I may no bettir sey,

ffor J?ow shalt have no wrong1, as ferforth as I may. 1868

Chese thy selff ri^te as the list, & wit ]>ow no ping1 me,

Thou3e thowe chese the wers, & let J>e better be."

Beryn stood a-stonyd, & no mervaiH was, And preyd the Steward, of a day, to answere to J?e case : " ffor I my^tfe] li^tlich in som word be I-cau3te ; 1873 And eke it is ri^te hard to chese, of1 to Jjat beth ri^te nau^t. But & it were jeui/ likyng1 to graunt me day til to-morow, I wold answere, Jmrh Goddis help." " j?en must J?ow fynde a borow," 1876

Seyd the Steward to Beryn, u & ^it it is of grace." " Now herith me," qiiod hanybald4, " I prey, a litil space : He hath fyve Shippis vndir J?e town), liggyng1 on ])e strond, The wich[e] been sufficiant, I-sesid in our1 hoiide, 1880 By me, j>at am yeur/ prouost, to execute ]?e lawe." "He must assent," quod Evander, "let vs onys here his

" I grauntfe] wele," quod Beryn), "sith it may be noon othir." Then hanybald arose hym vp, to sese both Shipp & strodir, And toke Beryn with hym. so talking on Jje wey, 1885 "Beryn," quod, hanybald, " I suyr J>e be my fey, That jjow art much I-bound to me j)is ilk[e] day ; So is thy pie amendit by me ; & eke of such a way 1888 I am a-visid in thy cause, yf J?ow wolt do by rede, That lite or nau^t, by my counsaiH, ou^t[e] J?e to drede. Yee knowe wele, to-morowe fe day of plee is1 set, That ye mut nedis answere ; or els with-out[en] lett 1892 I must yeld hem yewr Shippis ; I may in no wise blyn ; So have I vndirtake. but the marchandise w/t/iin, 1 MS 'it.'

BERYN'S BAD BARGAIN WITH HANYBALD. 59

Is nat in my charge, — ye know as wele as I, — MS cargoes

To make ferof no lyuery : wherfor now wisely 1896

Worch, & do aftir [my] rede ; let al yeur marchandise

Be voidit of yeur Shippis ; & atte hiest prise these he'd better

T . , ., , . . „ .. , sell to Hanybald,

I wol nave it everydele in covenant, yi ye list.

To se myne house here onys tofore, I hold it for f e best ;

"Wher/ yee shul se of diuers londis, housis to or thre 1901

flul of1 marchandise, fat f urh this grete Cete

Is no such in preve, I may ri^t wel a-vowe.

[ ] 1904

So when ye have aH seyn, & I have yeur/ also ; or exchange

with him.

Let som Bargen be I-made be-twen vs both[e] to."

" Graunt mercy, sir," quod Beryn, " yewr/ profir is feir &

good:

ffeyn wold I do feraftir, yf [that] I viidirstood 1908

I my3t, wMout[en] blame of broking of arrest." " 3is," q.w-od hanybald, " at my pereH me trest."

So to hanybaldis house to-gidir both bey rode • Beryn goes to see

Hanybald's goods.

And fonde, as hanybald had I-seyd, an houge house, long [leaf 200]

& brode, 1912

fful of marchandise, as riche as it may be, Passing1 al the rnarchantis fat dwellid in fat Cete. Thus when al was shewid, fey dronk, & toke hir* leve ; To see [attl Beryns shippis, in hast bey gon to meve. 1916 Hanybald then

goes to Beryn's

And when fat hanybald was avisid what charge f e Shippis ship

here,

He gan to speke[n] in his voise, ascaunce he rou^tfe] nere Whef er he bargeynyd or no, & seyd f us : " Beryn, ffrend, and °ff«rs Yeur/ marchandise is feir & good ; now let vs make an ende; If yee list, I can no more, yee knowith how it is. 1921 Com, of short, let tuk le meyn ; me finkith I sey nat mys ; to swap with

him T

And fen yewr meyne, & yee & I, to my house shall wee go, 5 ship loads of

the goods he can

And of fe marchandise yee1 saw, — I wol nat part ferfro, — find in Hany- Chese of fe best of fat yee fyndfen] there ; 1925 Beryn's 5 cargoes.

Thurh-out f e long[e] house, f er shal no man yew dere ; 1 MSI.

60

HANYBALD CHEATS BERYN AND HIS MEN.

Beryn consults his men,

and they agree

to the exchange with Hanybald.

But now for this rascal Hanybald's trick !

[leaf 206, back]

He has had all his goods removed from his house,

so that Beryn finds it empty.

Beryn is half mad,

and starts to stop his cargoes being moved from bis ship.

But he's too late.

And ferwith shall yeur Shippis be fillid al [le] fyve : I can sey no bettir; yf yee list to dryve 1928

This bargeyn to f e ende, counsellith with yewr men ; I may nat longe tary, I must nedis hen."

Beryn clepid his meyne, counsel! for to take ; But his first[e] mocioun was, of f e woo & wrake, 1932 And al the tribulacioune, for pleying1 atte ches, That he had : euery dele, his shame, & his dures, ffro poynt to poynt, & how it stode, he told[e] how it was ; And then he axid counsel!, what best was in the cas ; 1936 To chaunge w^ the Burgeys, or el[le]s for to leve.

Ech man seyd his a-vise ; but al f «t fey did meye, It were to long a tale for to tell it1 here ; But fynally atte end, fey cordit al in fere, 1940

That f e chaunge shuld stond ; for as f e case was faH, They held it clerly for f e best ; & went[e] forth with-aB. The next wey fat fey couth, to Hanybaldis plase.

But nowe shuH yee here fe most sotil fallace 1944

That evir man wrou^t tiH othir, & nicest trechery, Wich haynybald had wrou^t hym selff* [un]to f is company : "Go in," qwod hanybald, " & chese, as thy covencmnt is." In goon these Romeyns e[veri]ch oon, & fond a-mys ; 1948 fFor fere was no thing, fat eny man my^te se, Saff f e waH, & tyle-stonys, & tymbir made of1 tre. ffor hanybald had do void it, of al thing fat was there ; Whils he was atte Shippis, his men a-wey it bere. 1952

When Beryn saw the house lere, fat ful was fere-to-fore Of riche marchandise ; " alas ! " f ou^t he, " I am [i]lore, I am [lore] in this world." & witith wel, his hert Was nat al in likeing1; & outward gan he stert, 1956

Like half a wood[e]man, & bote both his lippis, And gan to haste fast toward his owne Shippis, To kepe his good within., with al fat evir he my^te, That it were nat dischargit, as hym f ou^t verry ry^te. 1960 But al for nau^t was his hast ; for three hundred2 men, 1 MS 'tellit.' 2 MSeee/0rccc.

HANYBALD CHEATS BERYN OUT OF HIS GOODS. 61

As fast as [evir] they my^te, the bere be goodps] then, Thurh ordenaunce of Hanybald, fat prmelich to-fore 1963 Had purposid, & [had] I-cast, [they] shuld be out I-bore.

Beryn made a swyff pase ; bere myst no man hym let : Hanybald teiis

Beryu that his

But hanybald was ware Inow}, & with Beryn met : ships are seized,

and his cargoes

" Al for nou^t, Beryn ! bow knowist wel & fyne, are Hanybaid's.

Thy Shippis been a-restid, & be good is myne. 1968

What woldist bow do bere 1 bow hast bere nau$t to do ;

I wol hold thy covenaunte, & bow shalt myne also.

ffor }it sawe I neyir man, bat was of by manere ; 1971

Somtyme bowe wolt aucwmte, & som tyme [wolt] arere ;

Now bow wolt, & now bow nolt; where shuH men be

fynde 1

Now sey oon, & sith a-nothir ; so variant of mynde ! Saw I nevir, to-fore bis day, man so variabiH. 1675

Sith I the fynde in suche plyte, our bargen for to stabiH, Hanybald offers Wee woll tofore be Steward, bere we both shuH have ri^te." steward. " Nay for-.soth ! " qiwd Beryn. " 3is trulich, the tite," Beryn refuses

this,

Quod hanybald, "wher/ bowe wolt or no ; & so I the charge, 1979

As Prouost. knowe bat, yff me list, my warant is so large, And bowe make eny diffence, to by-nym thy lyff. Take byn hors ! it gaynyth nat for to make stryffe." 1982 So, with sorowfuH hert, Beryn toke his hors, [leaf 207] gives-in ;

And sofftly seyd[e] to his men : " of me," qwod he, "no fors; But wendfithl to yeur shippis ; I wol com when I may. ana sends M§

men back to the

Yee seth wele euerichone, I may no bet a-wey." ships.

(Now here by this same tale, both[e] fre & bonde 1987 Mow fele[n] in hir/ wittis, & eke [mow] vndirstonde, That litil vailith wisdom, or el[lels governance, (Poor Beryn!

But no wisdom,

Ther) fortune eyir werrith, & eke hap & chaunce. Mend,

Or what a-vailith bounte, beute, or riches, is of any good

ffrendship, or [eke] sotilte, or els hardines, 1992

Gold, good, or cateH, wit, or hy lynage,

Lond, or lordis service, or els hi^e parage ?

What may al this a-vaiH, ber1 fortune is a foo ?

62 BERYN'S SECOND TRIAL. A BLIND MAN SEIZES HIM.

I-wis, ri^te lititt, or nevir a dele : ful offt it fallith so.)

So, shortly to pas ovir ; pey fiH to such an end, 1997 Beryn's mishaps That Beryn shuld have day a-geyn, a morow. & so to wend

are known all

over the town, He set hym in ful purpose to his Shippis ward :

But 3it or he cam ther1, he fond Jje passage hard. 2000

ffor how he was begilid, Jmrh-out al the town)

Jter* & per1 a coupiH gon to speke, & [eke] to roune ;

and every man And euerv man his purpose was to have parte, 2003

wants to plunder

him. With falsnes & with soteltees ; fey coud noon oper art.

Beryn rode forth in his wey, — his page ran hym by, — fful sore a-dred in hert, & cast a-bout his eye Vp & down), euen long the strete, & [right] for angir swet.

A blind man And er he had riden a stones cast, a blynd man with hym

seizes him,

met, 2008

And spak no word, but sesid hym fast by the lap, And cried out, " & harowe ! " & nere hym gan to stap. " Al for nou^t ! " quod this blynde, " what ? wenyst pow for

toskape?" 2011

Beryn had fou^t to prik[ke] forth, & pou^t it had be lape. The blynd man cast a-wey his staff, & set on both his

hondis ; and declares " Nay, pow shalt nat void," quod he, "for al by richfe] londis,

he'll have the law

of him, Tyn I of the have reson, lawe, & eke ri^te ; 2015

ffor trewlich, I may wit it pe, J>at I have lost my si3te." for Beryn So, for aujt bat Beryn coude othir speke or prey,

blinded him. .

[leaf 207, back] He my^t in no wise pas. ful sore he gan to may,

And namelich, for the pepiH throng1 hym so a-boute, 2019 And ech man gan hym hond ; & seyd, " w?'tAout[en] doute Ye must nedis stond, & rest, & bide the lawe, Be yee nevir so grete a man." " so wold I, wondir fawe,'' Quod Beryn, "yf yee had cause; but I know noon." 2023 " No 1 JJQW shalt knowe or J?ow go ! J>ow hast nat al I-doon," The blynd man seyd to Beryn. " tel on pen," quod he. "Here is no place to plete," J?e blynd man seid a^e ;

The steward " Also wee have no luge here of Autorite ;

case. But evandir, the Steward, shaH deme both the & me, 2028

BERYN'S SECOND TRIAL, FOR THE BLIND MAN'S EYES. G3

When I my tale have told, & bow hast made answere, By bat tyme men shal know, how j>ow canst be clere. Nowe, soveren God ! I thank the, of bis ilk [el day ! 2031 The blind man

thanks God that

Then I may preve be be my lyve, of word, & eke of fay, he can now prove

ffals, & eke vntrew of covenaunt bowe hast I-makid. faulting partner.

But litiH is thy charge now, bou} bat I go iiakid,

That som tyme were [my] partinere, & rekenydist nevir [jit;]

But -bow shalt here, or we depart, berof a litiH witt ; 2036

fFor, aftir comyn seyiiig, ' evir atte ende

The trowith woli be previd, how so men evir trend.' "

Thus they talkid to ech othir, tiH they com in-to be plase, And were I-entrid in the hall, bere the Steward was. 2040 They reach The blynd man first gan to speke : " sir Steward ! for andCthe blind

goddis sake

Herith me a litiH while ! for here I have I-take He bat hath do me wrong1, most of man of mold : Be my help, as law woH, for hym bat ludas sold? ! 2044 Yee know wele bat ofi% tyme I have to }ew I-pleynydl, How I was be-trayed, & how I was I-peynyd, says that he lent

And how a man, som tyme, & I, our yen did chaunge : This is the same pe?-sone, bou^ bat he make it straunge. I toke hem hym but for a tyme, & leuyd trew[e]ly 2049 Myne to have I-had ageyn): & so both he & I andBerynhas

kept them

Were ensurid vttirlich, & was our/ both[e] wiH ; because they

But, for myne be bettir were, wrongfullich & ill 2052 his.

He hath hem kept hidirto, with much sorow & pyne

To me, as yee wele knowith. be-cause I have nat myne,

I may nat se with his ; wherfor me is ful woo ;

And evir-more ye seyde ' bat ye my^t no bing do 2056

W«'t/iout presence of the man bat wrou3t me this vnquert : ' oaf zos]

Nowe, sith he is to-fore ^ew now, let hym nat a-stert.

ffor, many tyme & offt, yee [here] be-hete me,

And he my^t be take, he shuld do me gre. 2060

Sith yee of hym be sesid, howe evir so yee taue,

T L i • i -1 T i »> give me back

.Let hym nevir pas, til I myne eyen have. my 6ye8 \ ••

" Beryn," q?/od Edwandir, " herist bow nat thy selve

64

BERYN'S SECOND TRIAL, FOR THE BLIND MAN'S EYES.

Beryn

won't deny it, as that would lose him his case.

(The blind man

wants to get money out of him.)

So Beryn asks

for a day's delay to prepare his answer.

It is granted.

Beryn goes, [leaf 208, back]

but is at once seized by a woman,

How sotilly he pletith, & ware by eche halue ? " 2064

Beryn stood al muet, & no word lie spak. And j?at was tho his grace ; ful soiie he had be take, And he had myssey[e]d onys, or els I-sey[e]d nay ; ffor ]>en he had been negatyff, & vndo for ay. — 2068

(ffor they were grete Seviliouns, & vsid probate law ; Wher, evir-more, affirmatyff shuld preve his owne sawe. Wherfor they were so querelouse, of al my^t com in mynde, Thou^e it were nevir in dede I-do; such mater J>ey wold fynde To be-nym a man his good, Jjurh som maner gile. 2073 ffor J>e blynd man wist ri^t wele, he shuld have lost his

while,

To make his pleynt on Beryn, & suyd oppon his good, ffor Shippis, & eke marchandise, in a balaunce stode j 2076 Therfor he made his chalenge, his eyen for to have ; Or els he shuldfe] for hem fyne, yf [that] he wold hem have, And ligg for hem in hostage, til ]?e fynaunce cam : This was al the sotilte of J?e blynd[e] man.) 2080

Beryn stood al mewet, & no word he spak. " Beryn," qiiod. Evander, " lest Jjow be I-take In defaute of answere, pow my^tist be condempnyd ; Be ri}t wele avisid, sith J>ow art examened." 2084

11 " ShV seyd Beryn, " it wold litffi a-vaiH To answere Jms aloon, w?'t/*out[en] good consaiH : And also fe[r]J>irmore, ful litiH I shuld be levied, What-evir I answerd, ])us stonyd & reprevid ; 2088

And eke my wit doith faille ; & no wondir is : Wherfor I wold prey ^ew, of yeur gentilnes, To graunte me day til to morow, [that] I my^t be avisid To answere forth, wit li othir \a\, on me been surmysid." " Depardeux," quod, the Steward, " I graunt wel it be so."

2093

Beryn toke his leve, & hopid to pas & go ; But as sone as Beryn was on his hors rydyng1, He met a vomman, & a child, wij? sad cher* comyng1, 2096 That toke hym by ]>e reyn, & held hym wondir fast,

BERYX'S THIRD TRIAL : THE DESERTED WIFE. 65

And seyd, " sir, voidith iiat ! $it vaillith nat to hast ; who declares

Yee mow in no wise sccape ; ye must nodis abide ! 2099

ffor bouse ye list to knowe me nat, sit lien by yeur side he is her

husband,

I have ful many a tyme ; I can nat telle }ewe [howe] lome.

Come to-fore the Steward ! bere shuH ye here JGUT/ dome

Of bim? that I shal put on sew, & no word for to ly : and im, rascal

like, deserted

To leve me thus aloon, it is yeur/ vylany ! 2104 her.

Alas ! the day & tyme bat evir I was jeut/ make !

Much have I endurid, this too yeer, for yeur sake ;

But now it shall be knowfen] who is in the wronge."

Beryn was al abasshid, the pepil so thik thronge 2108 Beryn is taken

back to the

Aboute hym in eche syde. for ou^t bat he couth peyn), steward, He must[e] to be Steward, of fyne force ageyn).

Now shuH yee here how sotillich bis vo??iman gan hir/ tale In presence of the Steward ; with colour wan & pale, Petously she gan to teH, & seyd[e] : " sir/, to 2.ewe 2113 and the woman fful offt I have co?^pleynyd, in what manere & howe husband has

My childis ffadir lefft me, by my selff aloon, and left her '

W{t/iout[en] help, or comforte, as grete as I my^t goon With my sone here, & his, bat shame it is to teH 2117 in penury, to

bring up his son.

The penury bat I have I-had, bat a force sell

I must[e] nedis myne aray, wher1 me list or lothe,

Or els I must have beggit, for to fynd vs both. 2120

ffor ther was nevir vornan I-leve, as I [kan] ges,

ffor lak of hede of Ivvlode, bat ly vid in more distres she has lackt

meat and drink.

Then I my selff, for offt tyme, for lak of mete & drynk :

And s.it I trow no creatur was feyner for to swynke 2124

My lyff [for] to sustene. but, as I mut nede,

AJbove al othir thingis, to his child take hede,

That wondir is, & mervaiH, bat I am a-ly ve ; It>8 a wonder

she's alive.

ffor be sokeyng of his [child], rya.t as it were a knyve 2128

It ran in-to my hert, so lowe I was of mode,

That wel I woot in certen, with1 parcel! of my blood

His child I have I-norisshid, & bat is by me seen ; she's turned from

rv. r , .. red to green.

nor [al] my rede colour/ is turnyd m-to grene. 2132 [lem 210]

1 MS without.

BERYN. 5

BERYN'S THIRD TRIAL : THE DESERTED WIFE.

' This Beryn is the culprit ! Make him pay for it ! '

The Steward Evander

calls on Beryn for his defence.

And he fat cause is of aH, here he stondith by me :

To pay [en] for fe fosteryng1 me f inkith it is tyme.

And sith he is my husbond, & hath on me no rowith,

Let hym make a-mendis, in saving of his trowith. 2136

And, yf he to any word onys can sey nay,

Lo ! here my gage al redy, to preve al fat I say."

The Steward1 toke the gage, & spak in sofft[e] wise : " Of this petouse compleynt a mannys hert may grise ; ffor I know in parceH, hir/ tale is nat al lese ; 214]

ffor many a tyme & offt, f is vomman fat here is, Hath I-be to-fore me, & pleynyd of hir1 greffe ; But, without a party, hir/ cause rnyjt nat preff. 214'

!N"ow f ow art here present, fat she pleynyth on, Make thy defence now, Beryn, As wele as f ow can."

Beryn stood al mwet, & 110 word he spak. " Beryn," quod the Steward, " doist f ow sclepe, or wake 1 Sey onys oon or othir : ys it soth or nay, 2149

As she hath declarid 2 ? teH on saunce delay." " Lord God ! " quod Beryn, " what shuld it me a-vaile, Among so many wise, w/t/^-out ri}t good counsaiH, 2152 To telle[n] eny tale 1 ful litiH, as I ges. Wherfor, I wold prey ^ew, of yeur/ gentilnes, Graunt me day tiH to-morow to answer1 forth vrith othir." " I graunt wele," quod the Steward, " but, for fadir & modir, 2156

Thow getist no lenger term, pleynly I the tell." .s very sad; Beryn toke his leve ; his hertfe] gan to sweH ffor pure verry anguyssh ; & no mervel was. And who is fat fat nold, & he were in such case ; 2160 ffor al his trist & hope in eny wordlich thing1 Was cleen from hym passid, save sorow & mys-likyng1 ; ffor body, good & CateH, & lyff, he set at nou^te, So was his hert I-woundit, for angir & for fou3t. 2164

Beryn passid sofftly, & to his hors gan go ; And when he was w/t/?out f e gatis, he lokid to & fro, 1 MS < Stwarge.' 2 MS declarith.

Beryn again

asks for a day's delay to answer. Evauder grants it.

his trust in the world is gone.

BERYN LAMENTS HIS ILL HAP AND PAST BAD LIFE. 67

And coude noon othir coiitenaunce ; but to1 his page he

seyd, " Preciouse God in heven ! ho we falsly am I betrayde ! [leaf 209, back]

Beryn confesses

I trowe no man a-lyve stont in worsfel plhte ! 2169 that an his

mishaps have

And aH is for my synne, & for my yong1 delite : come for his

unkindness to

And pryncipally, a-bove al thing1, for grete vnkynd[e]nes i»s mother.

That I did to my modir ; for litiH hede I-wis 2172

I toke of hir, — ]?is know I wele, — whils she was alyve ;

Therfor al this turment is sent to2 me so ryve.

ffor J>ere was nevir vomman kynder to hir child

Then she was ; & ]>cre ageyns, nevir Jnng1 so wild 2176

NQ so eviH-thewid, as I was my selff ;

Therfor sorow & happows environ me by eche helve,

That I note whidir ryde, nethir vp ne3 down),

Ther1 been so many devillis dwelling1 in }>is town), 2180 These treacherous

r n devils of False-

And [been] so ml ol gile, <fe trechery also, town win undo

That wele I woot in certeyn, the[y] wolle me on-do.

Now, wold to God in heven ! what is my best rede 1 "

He toke his hors [tho] to his page, & thus to hym he seyde :

" Lede my hors to shipward, & take it to som man ; 2185 He sends ins

- horse to the ship,

And 1 won go on loot, as pryuyly as 1 can, And assay, yf I may, in eny maner wise, Ascapefn] vnarestid more in such[e] maner wise." 2188 The Child toke his mastris hors, & lafft hym Jjere alone, Walking1 forth on foot, makeing offt his moon : and walks forth

on foot,

And in his moste musing1, I can nat sey how lome

He wosshid, nakid as he was bore, he hadrdel be in Room, son-owing over

his sad state.

And no mervaiH was it, as the case stode, 2193

ffor he drad more to less his eyen, J?an he did his shippis

or his good.

(Now yee Jjat listith to dweH, •& here of aventure, How petously dame ifortune, Beryn to a-mvre,4 2196 (But Fortune -n

. give him a worse

1 urnyth hir whele a-bout[en], in the wers[e] syde ; f;l11 yet-)

"With hap of sorow & anguyssh, she gynnyth for to ride.) Beryn passid toward J>e stronde, Jjf?re his shippis were ; MS'lmtto.' 2MS'sentio; 3 MS « >e.' 4 'inure'— Urr>-.

G8

BERYN IS TAKEX-IX AGAIN : BY MACAIGNE.

Beryn appeals to God against his accusers.

[leaf 210]

A catchpoll overhears him,

resolves to take him in again,

and so begins to sympathize with him:

1 Tell me your distress, and I'll help you in it.'

Beryn says he knows not whom to trust.

But yee mow vndirstond, his liert was ful of fere ; 2200

3it nef irles he sat hym down) sofftly on a statt,

Semyvif for sorow ; & lenyd to the waH,

ffor turment fat he had ; so wery he was, & feyut ;

And to God a-bove, thus he made his pleynt : 2204

" Gloriows God in heven ! fat al thing1 madist of nou^t !

"Why sufferist f ow f ese cursid men to stroyfe] me for nou^t ]

And knowest wel myne Innocent, fat I have no gilt

Of al that the[y] pursu me, or [fat] on me is pilt." 2208

11 And in the meenfe] whils fat Beryn f us gaii pleyn), A Cache poH stode be sidis, (his name was macaign),) And herd [tho] aH the w^ordis ; & knew also to-fore How Beryn was turmentid, both with las & more, — 2212 It was I-spronge f urh the touu) ; — so was he ful ensensid How he hym wold engyne, as he had pwrpensid ; And had araid hym. sotillich, as man of conte?ftplacioun, In a manteH with the lyste, with fals dissimulacioune, And a staff in his hond, as f 0113 he febiH were ; 2217

And drow hym toward Beryn, & seid in this manere : " The hi3e God of heven, fat al thing1 made of nou^t, Bles ^ew, gentil sir/ ! for many an hevy f ou^t 2220

Me finkith that yee have; & 110 wondir is: But, good sir, dismay yew nat, but levith yewr/ hevynes, And, yff ye list to telle me som what of yewr/ distres, I hope to God almy^ty, in party it redres 2224

Thurh my pore counsaiH, — & so I have many oon ; — ffor I have pete on 30 w, be God & by seynt Ion ! And eke pryuy hevynes doith eke man appeir/ Sodenly, or he be ware, & falle[n] in dispeir* ; 2228

And who be in that plage, fat man is incurabitt ; ffor consequent comyth aftir sekenes abominabitt : And f e?-for, sir, diskeuerith ^ewe, & be no f ing1 a-drad." " Graunt mercy, Sir/," quod beryn, "ye seme trewe & sad; j But o f ing1 lijth in my hert ; I note to whom to trust ; 2233 j ffor f o fat dyned me to-day, ordeyned me to a-rest." " A ! sir, be ye fat man 1 of $ew I have I-herd.

BERYN IS TAKEN-IN BY MACAI6NE. G9

Gentil sir/ doutith nat, ne be no ping* a-ferd 2236 TheCatchpoii

Of me ; for I shaH counseH $ewe as wel as I can ; vises Beryn

ffor trulich in the Cete dwellith many a fals[e] man,

And vsyn lititt els but falshode, wrong1 & while. 2239

And how pey my$t[e] straungours wz't/j trechery be-gile :

But yee shuii do ry^t wisely somwhat be my counsayH ;

Speke with the Steward ; pat may }ewe most a-vaiH ; 2242 to speak to the

ffor pere is a comyn byword, yf ye it herd havith ; [leaf 210, back]

' Wele settith he his peny, pat pe pound [therby] savith.'

The Steward is a couetouse man, pat longe hath desirid 'He has long

A knyff I have in kepeing1, whet/with his hert I wirid : Of mine.

[It] Shaft be 3 ewe to help, in covenaunte pat yee rn sen it you

Shaft gyve me fyv mark, yeur/ trew[e] ffrend to be. 2248

The knyff is feir, I teH ^ew ; ^it nevir to-fore pis Day

My^t the Steward have it, for au^t [})at] he coi;d prey ; you give it the

The wich ye shulle gyve hym, pe bettir for to spede, he*u help you.

And behote hym xx li to help ^ewe in yeur/ nede. 2252

And yf he grauntith, trustithwele yestondfeii] in good pliate; Better lose a little

than lose all;

ffor better is, then lese afl, J?e las ]?e more quyt :

And I woH go with $ewe, streyte to his plase, 2255

And knele doun), & speke first, [for] to amend veui/ case : and rn speak

J for you too.'

And sey yee be my cosyn ; ]?e bettir shuft yee spede : And when pat I have aft I-told, f>e knyff to hym yee bede."

Beryn pankid hym hertlich, & on hym gan [to] trust, Beryn agrees, W-it/i hond in hond ensurid, & al [pou^t] for the best ; Beryn Jjou^t noon othir, al1 pat it opir was. 2261

Macaign hym comfortid, talking1 of hir/ case, And passid forth [ful] stylly toward pe Steward blyve, takes the knife,

tind th6y so to

Beryn & Macaigne ; but Beryn bare pe knyff, 2264 the steward.

And trust much in his felaw to have [of him] som help. But, or they departid were, pey had no cause to yelp Of no maner comfort, as ye shuft her1 a-noon ; ffor as sone as macaigne to-fore pe Steward come, 2268 But then He fift plat to pe erth ; a grevous pleynt & an huge He made, & seyd, "sir Steward! nowe be a trew luge 1 ? al be = although.

BERTH'S FOURTH TRIAL : FOR MURDERING OLD MELAN.

accuses Beryn of having murdered his (Macaigne's) father Melan,

who went to Rome 7 years ago.

[leaf 211]

Beryn tries to bolt,

but Macaigne stops him,

says ' Murder Witt out!' and that Beryn has on him Melan's knife.

Beryn at once gives-up the knife,

and is ordered to answer the accusation to morrow.

Ageyns this fals trey tour/, fat stondith me be-syde ;

Let take of hym good hede, els lie wol nat abyde. 2272

Now mercy, Go[o]d Steward ! for yee hav herd me 3 ore,

ffor my fadir melan, pleyn to $ew ful sore,

That with .vij dromodairjs, — as I have told ^ewe lonie, —

"With marchandise chargit, went toward [e] Rome ; 2276

And it is vij yeer a-go, and a litil more,

Of hym, or of his goodis, fat I herd les or more.

And 3 it I have enquerid, as bysely as I couthe,

And met nevir man ^it, fat me coude teft wz't/i mouth

Any tyding1 of hym, onto fis same day : 2281

But now I know to much ; alias ! I may wel say."

When Beryn herd these wordis, he kist [ajdouii his hede; " Alias ! " he f oujt in hert, " Alias ! what is my rede 1 " And wold feyii have voidit, & outward gan to stapp : 2285 But Macaigne arose, & sesid [him] by the lapp ; " Nay, f ow shalt nat void ! " he seid ; " my tale is nat I-

do:

ffor, be trowith of my body, yf f ow scapidist so, 2288 I shuld nevir have mer[c]y whils I were on lyve ; " And set hond fast on Beryns othir scleve, And seyd, "good sir Steward, my tale to fe eiide 2291 I prey [fat] yee wold here ; for, wend how men [woH] wend, Ther5 may 110 man hele murdir, fat it woH out atte last. The same knyff my ffadir bere, when he of contre past, Let serch[en] wele this felon, & here yee shuH hym fynde ; I know f e knyff wel I-now^, it is nat out of my mynde : The Cotelere dwellith in this town, fat made f e same knyff; And for to preve f e trowith, he shall be here as blyve."

Beryn swat for angir ; his hert was ful of fere ; 2299 He toke the knyff to f e Steward, or he serchid wher*. The Steward [seyd] on-to Beryn, " my frend, lo ! " qwod he, *' And \ ow fink the wel about, f is is a foule plee ! I can know noon othir, but fow must, or f ow go, 3cld the body of melan, & his good also. 2304

Now, be wel avisid ageyn co morow day !

BERYX CURSES FALSETOWN AND HIMSELF. 71

Then slialt f ow have f y lugement ; fere is no more to say."

When Beryn fro be Steward bus clepartid was, Beryn afresh

curses Falsetown

And was with-ont fe gate, he lokid oppon the plase, 2308 bitterly,

And cursid it wondir bittirly, in a feruent Ire,

And wisshid many tymes it had "been a feii^ :

" ffor I trow fat man of lyve was nevir wors be-trayid

Then I am ; & f ere-with-aH my hert is cleen dismayid ;

ffor her1 I have no frendship, but am al counselles ; 2313

And they been falsher fen ludas, & eke mercylese. [leaf 211, back]

A ! lord God in hevyii ! fat1 my hert is woo !

And sit suyrly I merveH nat bous bat it be so : 2316 but confesses that

his own bad life

ffor 3 it in al my lyve, sith I ou^t vndirstode, has brought these

punishments on

Had I nevir win, for to lern[ej good : . Mm.

ffoly, I hauntid it evir, fere my^t no man me let ;

And now he hath I-paid me, he is cleen out of my dett.

ffor whil[e]s I had tyme, wisdom I my3t have lernyd ; 2321

But I drow^ me to foly, & wold nat be governed,

But had al myne owne wiH & of no man a-ferd,

ffor I was nevir chastisid : but nowe myne owne ^erd His own rod

Betith me to sore ; f e strokis been to hard ; 2325

ffor these devillis of this towi]) takith but litiH reward

To sclee my body to have my good ; Jje day is set to morowe.

Now, wold to God I were in grave ! for it were end of sorow. « would God i

I was I-wis to much a fole ! for hate I had to Rame 2329 Grave!

I wold forsake myne heritage ; therfor sorow & shame For my own

. r. -. . . , faults, has shame

Is oppon me fan, & ri^t wele [isj deservid ; fallen on me \ •

ffor I tooke noon maner hede, when my modir stervid ; And disobey id my ffadir, & set hym at nau^t also : 2333 What wondir is it than, Jjou^ fat I have woo ? ffortune & eke wisdom have werrid with me evir, And I with hem in al my lyff, for ffortune was me levir Then eny wit or governaunce ; for hem too I did hate ; And fou3e I wold be [now] a4oon, now it is' to late. 2338 0 my3tfuH God in heven ! wher* was evir man That wrou^t 1hym-selff more foly fen I my selff did fan? 1 MS my

BERYN LAMENTS HIS PAST FOOLISH LIFE.

' Cursed be the time I sold my heritage !

Had I behaved well, I should have been sport ing, and flirting with fair girls now.

But I'm like the man who, to drive the flies off,

[leaf 212]

pet fire to his barn.

I gave up my in heritance because of Rame's un- kindness.

More fool I !

And perhaps I shall now lose my life for this knife that was found on me ! '

A-cursid be the tyme pat I out of Home went,

That was my ffadirs ri^te heir*, of ly vlode & of rent,

And al the riaH lordshipp pat he hath in pe town) !

Had I had wit & grace, & hold me lowe & boune, 2344

It were my kynd [right] now, a-mong my baronage

To haukefn] & to hunt, & eke to pley & rage

"WitJi feirfe] fresh[e] ladies, & daunoe when me lyst !

But nowe it is to late to speke of had-I-wist ! 2348

But I fare like the man, pat, for to swele his vlyes

He stert in-to the bern, & aftir stre he hies,

And goith a-bout pe wallis w^t/i a brennyng1 wase,

TyH it was atte last, pat the leem & blase 2352

Entryd iii-to the Chynys, wher* pe whete was,

And kissid so pe evese, pat brent was al the plase ;

But first in the begynnyng1, til feer smote in the raftris,1

He toke no maner kepe, & poi^t of no ping1 aftir, 2356

What pe?'eH ther1 my^te fall : ne more did I iwis,

That wold forsake myne honour/, for pe vnkynd[e]nes

Of Eame pat was my stepmodir ; for, yf I shal nat ly,

They [stepmothirs] beth

- soure

wherfor the more wisely

I shuld have wrou^t, had I had wit, & suffrid for a tyme,

And aftir com to purpose wel I-now3e of myne.

But evil avcngit he [h]is deol, pat, for a litiH mode

And angir to his ney^bour, sellith a-wey his good, 2364

And goith hym-selff a begging aftir in breff tyme ;

He mut be countid a lewd man, in al[le] maner ryme :

So have I wroi^t, & wers ; for I dout of my lyve,

How pat it shall stond, for plukking of my scleve, 2368

The knyffe pat was me take, as yee have herd to-fore :

And $it it grevith myne hert also much more

Of myne own) pepiH, pat no disese a-servid :3

I wote wele, aftir pleding, ri3t nou^t wol be reservid 2372

To sustene hir* lyvis ; — I trow ry$t nou^t or lyte ; —

And pa?faventnr Ii3tly stond in wors[e] ply^te :

Of me it is no force, £01136 I be pus arayed,

1 Read ' raf tir.' 2 MS seure. 3 'deserved.'

BERYN IS CAUGHT BY THE CRIPPLE GEFFREY. 73

But it is dole & pete, fat they shul be be-trayid 2376 That hath nou^t a-.servid, but for my gilt aloon."

And when J>at Beryn in this wise had I-made his mone, After Beryn' 1T A CrepiH he saw comyng with grete spede & hast, he sees a Cripple

Oppon a stilt vndir his kne [i]bound[en] wondir fast, 2380 And a crouch vndir his armys ; with hondis al for-skramyd. " Alias ! " q?/od this Beryn, " shall I be more examenyd?" And gan to turn a-side, on-to J>e see stronde, so he turns, and

And the cripiH: aftir, & wan oppon hym londe. 2384

Tho be-gan Beryn to drede inwardlich[e] sore, And Jjon^t thus in his hert : " shal I be comberid more 1 And It were goddis will, my sorowe for to cese ! Me finkith I have I-nowe ! " the cripiH: be-gan to preche, And had I-rau^t nere hond Beryn by the scleve. 2389 [leaf 212, back] Beryn turnyd, as an hare, & gan to renfne] blyve ; But the cripiH knew bottir the pathis smale & grete, But the cripple

rm -r» PIT n i catches him up,

llien Beryn ; so to-iore hym he was, & gan hym mete.

When Beryn saw it vaylid nou}t to renne, ne to lepe ; What for dole & anguyssh, o word [ne] my^t he speke, But stode stiH a-masid, & starid fast a-boute. The cripiH: be-gan to speke : "sir, to drede or to dout and says Beryn

... nnnh, wouldn't be afraid

Of me, wold ye n^te li^t, & ye knewe myne hert : 2397 if he knew

So, where yee like evil1 or il, fro me shuH: ye nat parte

TyH I have tretid with ^ew, & yee with me also,

Of aft yeur soden happis, yeur myscheff, & ye Mr/ woo ;

ffor by the tyme J?at I have knowlech of yenr/ case, 2401

Yeur/ rennyng & yewr/ trotting1, in-to an esy pase how the cripple

I shall turn or ])at wee twyn, so yee aftir my scole 2

Wol do, & as I rede ^ew ; for yee were a Me 2404

When yee cam first a londe. [wolde] yee had met with me,

ffor I wold have ensensid ^ewe al the iniquite and could have

Of these fals[e] marchandis, J>at dwellin in pis town),

And outid aH yeur/ chaffare wMout[en] gruch or groun :

ffor, had ye dwellid within yeur/ shippis, & nat go hem chant8'

a-mong1, 2409

1 Urry reads ' well.' * schooling, teaching. ' stole,' Urry.

74

BERYN TALKS WITH THE CRIPPLE GEFFREY.

Beryn asks the Cripple

only to stop bothering hir

and he'll reward him to-morrow, if he has any thing left.

Beryn lets go his mantle, to get rid of the Cripple,

[leaf 213]

then tears him self lose,

and bolts.

On this, though the Cripple, Geffrey, is 100 vears old,

Then had yee been vndaungerid, & quyt of al hir wrong On 3ewe fat been surmysid, furh fala suggestioune." Beryn gan to sigh ; vnneth he my^tfe] soune, 2412

Saff o word or tweyn ; & " mercy " was the first, Preying1 with all his hert, fat he my^t have his rest, And be no more enpledit, but pas[sen] fro hym quyte. " Good sir/," quod Beryn, " doith me no more dispite ; And suffir me to pas, & have on me [som] routhe ; 2417 And I suyr/ }ew feithfully, have [je] here my trowith, To morowe when I have pledit, & any f ing1 be lafft Of Shipp or march andise, a-fore the Ship, or bafft, 2420 I woH shewe }ew al I-fere, & opyn euery chest, And put it in yeur/ grace, to do whatfso] yee lest."

And in the meenfe] while fat Beryn gan to clapp, The CrypiH ny^hid hym nere & iiere, & hent hym by f e

lap. 2424

And, as sone as Beryn knew fat he was in honde, He viilacyd his manteH, for drede of som comand, And pryueliche ovir his shuldris lete hym downe glyde, And had levir lese his manteH then a-byde. 2428

The CripiH: aH perceyvid, and hent hym by the scleve Of his nethir surcote. " alas ! nowe mut y stryve," Thou^te Beryn by hym-selff; "nowe I am I-hent, Ther* helpith nau^te save strengith : " f ere-with the scleve

to-rent ; 2432

Beryn gan to stappe, he sparid for no cost. " Alas ! " f ou3t this cripiH, " f is man woH be [ijlost, And be vndo for evir, but he counseH have. I-wis, fou3e he be lewde, my contremen to save, 2436 3it wiH I my besynes do, And peyn[e] fat I may, Sith he is of Room, for fat is my contray."

This cripiH was an hundrit 3ere ful of age, With a longe thikfke] berd ; and a trewe visage 2440 He had, & a manly, And luly was he ; And Geffery was his name, I-knowe in fat contre. " Alias ! " f ou3t this Gefferey, " this man hath grete drede

BERYN BEGINS TO BELIEVE GEFFREY. 10

Of me, bat by my power wold help hym in his nede. 2444

I-wis, £01130 lie be nyce, vntau^t, & vnwise,

I wott nat, for his foly, leue myne enpryse ; "

And lept [J>o] aftir Beryn, And bat in ri^t good spede. lie rushes after

Beryii was so sore agast, he toke no maner hede 2448 To look onys bakward, tiH he to be watir cam ; Then lokid he be-hynd, & saw sir Clekam

Comannd wondir fast, \viih staff & viith his stilt. follows him dose,

" Alas ! " bo^t Beryn, " I nowe am I-spilt ; 2452

ffor I may no ferther, without I wold me droune : I note wich were the bettir, — or go ageyn to toune." Geffery was so ny [i]com, bat Beryn my^t nat fle : and comes up

" Good sir/," quod this Gefferey, "why do yee void[e] me1? Geffrey then ffor, by he ven Queue, bat bare Criste in hir/ barme, 2457 But ri^te as to my selif, I won" 3 ewe 110 more harm. Sittith down) here by me [right] oppon this see stronde, And yffyee drede[n] any thing, clepe[th] yeur/ men to londe, And let hem be here with vs aR our/ speche-tyme ; 2461 [leaf 213, back] ffor I woH nat feyn oon woord, as makers doon to rynie, and promises to But counseli ^ewe as prudently as God woH send me grace : Take comforte to ^ewe, & herk a litin spase ! " 2464

And when that Beryn had I-herd his tale to be ende, Beryn is partly

re-assured,

And how goodly as Geffrey spak, as he were his frende ;

Non-obstant his drede, yet part of sapience

Stremyd in-to his hert, for his eloquence, 2468

And seyd ; " God me counsayH, for his hi^e mercy ! and says

ffor I have herd this same day men as sotilly

Speke, & of yeur/ semblant, And in such rnanere,

And by-hete me ffrendshippe outward by hir/ chere, —

But1 inward it was contrary hir intelleccioune, 2473

Wherfor the blame is les, bou^e I suspecioune

Have of yeur/ wordis, lest othir be yeur/ entent ;

ffor I note I[n] whom to trust, by God omnipotent : 2476

3it nethirles, yf yeur/ win is to come in-to be Shipp vriih me, he'ii trust GCH, ey

T u /IT if he'll come into

1 won som-what do by yeur/ rede, how so it evir be. the ship.

" Then," quod Geffrey, " yf it be so bat I in yeur/ powere, Geffrey rsks

THE CEIPPLE GEFFREY TELLS BERYN WHO HE IS.

what Beryn will give him if he turns the tables on his accusers.

I'll reward you truly.'

'Then I'll go with you,' says Geffrey.

' I've been here many years, and tormented worse than you.

[leaf 214] The rascals here

have robbed me of £1000;

and I've been obliged to dis guise myself as a cripple, to save my life.'

Geffrey throws away his crutches.

Entir in-to yeur Shippis, & }ewe help in your/ mystere, That yee ageyn yeur aduersaries shuH have J>e bettir syde, And gyve jewe such counsel} to bate down) hir1 pride, 2482 And J>at yee wyn in every pleynt, also much or more As they purpose to have of jewe ; yf J?ey be doun) I-bore, And [yf] yee have amendis for hir* iniquite, And I ^ewe brynge to J>is end ; what shaft my guerdon be 1" IT " In verry soth," quod Beryn ; " yf I ^ewe may trust, I wolle quyte ^ewe trewly ; I make ^ewe be-hest." 2488 " In feith then," q?«od Geffray, " I wolle with ^ewe wende." " What is yeur/ name," seid Beryn tho, " my ffrend 1 " " Gefferey," he seyd ; " but in this marchis I was nat bore ; But I have dwellid in this Cete, yeeris here-to-fore 2492 fful many, & [been] turmentid worsfe] ]?en were yee, And [have] endurid for my trowith much aduersite : ffor I wold in no wise suffir hir/ falshedes ; ffor in aH the world', so corrupt of hir1 dedis 2496

Been noon men a-lyve, I may ry^te wele a-vowe ; ffor they set aH hir/ wittis in wrong, al )?at pey mo we ; Wherfor ful many a tyme, the grettest of hem & I Have stonden in altercacioune, for hir/ trechery. 2500 ffor I had in valowe, in trewe marchandise, A Mt. pound : al have they take in such [a] maner wise : So ferforth to save my blood no lengir my^t I dure ; ffor drede of wors, ]?us j?ou^t I, my selff to disfigure ; 2504 And have a-monge hem xij yeer go ri^t in pis pli^te, And evir have had in memory howe I my^t hem quyte ; And so I hope now^e, as sotiH as they be, With my wit engyne hem, and helpfen] ^ewe & me. My lymes been both hole & sound ; me nedith stilt ne crouch." 2509

He cast a-syde hem both, and lepe oppon an huche, And a-down) a-geynes, & walkid too and fro, Yp & down), with-in the Shippe, & shew id his hondis tho, Strecching1 forth his fyngirs, in si^t ouer al aboute, 2513 W/t/iout[en] knot or knor, or eny signe of goute ;

GEFFREY OFFERS TO DEFEND BERYN IN COURT. 77

And cly^te hem efft ageyns, ri^t disfetirly,

Som to ride eche othir, & som a-weyward wry. 2516

Geffrey was ri3t my3ty, & wele his age did here, Geffrey, at 100,

ffor iiatur was more substancial, when tho day is were, (Not like a* poor

Then [is] no we in our tynie ; for al thing1 doith wast,

Saffe vile & cursid lyving1 ; bat growith al to wast.1 2520

What shuld I telle more ] but Geffrey sat hym down), And Beryn hym besydis. the Romeyns gan to rown), And mervellid much in Geffrey, of his disgisenes ; And Beryn had a-nothir bou$t, & spak of his distres. 2524 " Now, Geffrey," seid this Beryn, " & I durst trust in ^ewe, Beryn says

rm , • -, 'if any one '11

That, & yee knewe eny man fat is a-ly ve a nowe, heip me now,

That had of discrecioune so much influence,

To make my party good to-morowe in my defence, 2528

And delyvir me of sorowe, As yee be-hote have,

I wold be-com his legeman, as god my soule save ! " rn become his

" That were to much," q^wd Geffrey ; " jjat woH I ^ew re- ^fel™ 2u, back]

, Geffrey says

lese ; « m help you,

But I desire of othir thing to have yeur1 promes ; 2532 That, & I bryng1 yeur/ enmyes into such a traunce, To make for yeur/ wrongis to ^ew ri^te hi^e fenaunce, And so declare for sewe, bat with aew pas such dome, if you'll take me

back to Rome.'

That yee, oppon yeur ieith, brynge me at Room, 2536

Yf God woH send ^ew wedir & grace to repase."

Quod. Beryn, " but I graunt ^ewe, I wei-5 lewder ben an asse.

But, or I fullich trust ^ewe, — holdith me excusid, —

I woH go counsel! with my men, lest bey it refusid." 2540

Beryn drewe a-syde, & spak with his meyne ; Beryn consults

his men about it.

And expressid every word, in what pli^t & degre That he stood, from poynt to poynt, & of his fals arestis. His meyne were a-stonyd, & starid forth as bestis. 2544 " Spekith som word," quod. Beryn, " sith I am betrayd ; Yee have I-herd what Geffrey to me hath [i-]say<$." These Romeyns stood all still ; o word ne cowd bey meve ; And eke it passid hir/ wittis. ben Beryn gan releve, 1 Urry reads ' faste.'

78

GEFFREY AGREES TO DEFEND BERYX.

Beryn prays Geffrey to help him, for the lovi of God.

Geffrey swears he will.

[leaf 215]

ifBcryn will take him back to Rome.

They make the agreement, and kiss, to confirm it.

Geffrey then urges Beryn to tell him his whole story.

And to Geffrey efft ageyn ; & mercy hym be-sou^t. 2549 " Help me, sir/' quod Beryn, " for his love fat vs bou^t, Dying1 on the rood ! " (& wept ful tendirly ;) " ffor but yee help," quod Beryn, " ther/ is no remedy ; ffor comfort nethir counsaiH, of my men have I noon. 2553 Help me, as God ^ew help, & els I am vndoon ! "

When Geffrey sawe this Beryn so distract, & wept, Pite in-to eche veyn of his [goode] hert[e] crept : 2556 " Alas!" quod Geffrey, "I my^t nat do a more synfuftdede, I leve by my trowith, fen fayft ^ew in this nede ! ffaift me God in heven, yf fat I ^ewe faift, That I shaft do my besines, my peyn & my travaift, 2560 To help }ew be my power" ! I may no ferther goo ! " " 3is, yee be-hete me more," seyd Beryn tho, "That yee wold helpfe] me at aft, fat I slmld stond[e] cler1 :" Beryn gan to wepe, & make \vers[e] chere. 2564

" Stlllith ^ewe," quod Geffrey ; "for howe so evir yee tire, More fen my power yee ou^t[e] nat desire, ffor, f urh f e grace of God, yee shaft be holpfen] wele ; I have thereof no doute. but trewlich I ^ewe telle, 2568 That yee woli hold me covenaunte, & I woH 3ew also, To brynge me at Eoom, when it is al I-do. In signe of trowith of both sidis of our/ acordement, Ech of vs kis othir, of our/ corny n assent." 2572

And aft was do : & aftirward Beryn comaundit wyne. They dronk, & fen Geffrey seyd, " sir/ Beryne, Yee mut declare yeur/ maters to myne intelligence, That I may the bet perseyve al inconvenience, 2576

Dout, pro, contra, and anbiguite, Thurh yeur/ declaracioune, & enfourmyd be : And with the help of our soveren lord celestiaft, They shutt be behynd, & wee shul have f e baft. 2580

ffor no we the tyme approchith, for hir/ cursidnes To be soniwhat rewardit ; & cause of yeur/ distres Hath my hert I-seclid1, & fixid hem a iiye, 1 ' ysetlid,' TJrry.

GEFFREY DESCRIBES THE FALSETOWNERS RASCALITY. 79

As trowith wott, & reson, for hir trechery. 2584

ffor many a man, to-fore this day, bey have do out of daw,

Distro[y]id, & turmentid, burh hir fals[e] lawe.

ffor bey bink litiH ellis, & aH hir wittis fyve, ' The men of

Falsetown think

Save to have a mannys good, & to be-nym his lyve ; 2588 only how to

And hath a cursid custom, al ageyns reson, strangers. That what man they enpeche, bey have noon encheson,

J^ome it be as fals a thing1, as God hym-selff is trewe, However false a

charge against

And it touch a strauriger, bat is [i]com of newe, 2592 one is,

Atte firstfe] mocioune bat he begynnyth to meve,

Ther> stondith vp an hundrit, hym [tho] to repreve. wowm s™ar it's

The lawes of be Cete stont in probacy : Their laws re

quire only afflrm- They vsen noon enquestis, be wrongis for to try. 2596 ative proof:

they have no

And yf bow haddist eny wrong1, & woldist pleynFel the, inquests (juries)

to sift a cause.

And were as trewe a cause as eny my^te be,

Thow shuldist nat fynd o man, to bere the witnes,

Thou} euery man [then] in the town knew it, more or les,

So burrith they to-gid[er] & holdith with ech othir/ ; 2601

That, as to countirplede hem, bey yee were my brobere, [leaf 21 5, back]

So it's no good to

I wold gyve ^eve ^ewe no counseli, ne hir/ enpechement counterpiead a

In no word to deny ; for bat were combirment ; 2604

ffor ben were bey in the ami-matyff, & wold preve a-noon ;

And to ^ew bat were negatyff, be lawe wold giaunte a-noon : as then you're in

So for to plede ageyn hem It woll litiH a-vaile ;

And }it to euery mannys wit it ou}t be grete mervaitt ; C^«d yet it's odd,

ffor hir/ lawis been so streyt, & peynows ordinaunce 2609

Is stallid for hir falshede ; for bis is hir/ fynaunce, as isope, their

rr> ^ i • / T n* r> -, • 0-r lord. punishes

io lese hir/ lyti for lesing1, & Isope it may knowe, lying with death.

That lord is riatt of the town), & holdith hem so lowe :

Wherfor they have a custom, a shrewid for be nonys, 2613

Yf eny of hem sey a thing, they cry [en] att attonys, so when one lies,

Ain •, e> ,1 o •, i all swear it's true,

And term it lor a sotn, & it bere any charge ; to keep out of

Thus of the daunser ' of Isope They kepe hem eue?* at large. And therfor wisdom weer, who-so my^t eschewe, 2617 Nevir to dele with hem ; for, were it wrong1, or trewe, 1 ? daunger.

80

GEFFREY TELLS BERYN ABOUT DUKE ISOPE.

So we must answer in some way that they can't reply to. (Tell bigger lies than they've told, in fact.)

Now tell nie all your opponents' cases, to inform me.'

Beryn says he can't help him at all.

' Well then,' says Geffrey,

' listen to me.

The Lord of this town, Isope, is the wisest man alive.

Tho' he's been blind 60 years,

he puts down every one in the City

against whom any ill is proved.

It shuld lititt a-vaitt a-geyn[se] hir/ falshedes ; ffor they been accursid, & so been [eke] hir/ dedis. 2620 "Wherfor wee must, with al our wit seiisibiH, Such answers vs purvey, fat fey been insolibil To morow at our/ apparaunce, & shuft be responsaift ffor of wele p] : & ellis It is thy day fynaft." 2624

" Xowe, soveren lord celestial! ! " with many sorowful sighis Seyd Beryn to Geffrey, " yminemorat of lyes, Graunt me grace to morowe ! so fat God be plesid, Make so myne answere ; & I somwhat I-esid 2628

By f e fat art my counsarft ; for of ir help is noon ! " "Beherce me then," q?/od Geffrey, "fe causis of fy ffoon, ffro poyiit to poynt, al in fere, [fat] on f e is surmysid ; Wherf urh I my^t, to morowe, fe bettir be a-visid." 2632 " Xow in soth," qwod Beryn, " f ou^e I shuldfe] dy, I can nat teti the tenyth part of hir/ [fals] trechery (What for sorow & angir) fat fey to me have wrou^t ; So stoiid I clene desperat, but ye con help[en] ou^t." 2636 " Deupardeux," seid Geffrey, " & I the wol iiat faiii, Sith I have ensurid the to be of f y counsaitt ; And [eke] so much the more, fat f ow art nat wise, And canst nat me enfourm of no maiier a- vise. 2640

Here therfor a while, and tend wel to my lore : The lord fat dwellith in f is town), whose name I told to-fore, Isope efft rehersid, is so inly wise,

That no man alyve can pas[sen] his devise ; 2644

And is so grow in ^eris, f a[t] Ix yeer ago He saw[e] nat for age ; & ^it it stondith so, \)at f urh his witt & wisdom, & his governance, Who makith a fray, or stryvith au^t, or mel to much, or praunce, 2648

With-in the same Cyte, fat he iiys take a-noon, And hath his penaunce forih-with ; for pardon vsith he noon, ffor fere nys pore ne riche, ne what [e]state he be, That he nys vndirfote for his iniquite ; 2652

And it be previd on hym, fere shal no gold hym quyte,

OF ISOPE, DUKE OF FALSETOWN. 81

Bl^fc as the forfete axith, [ethir] mocli or lite :

ffor geyn[e]s his comaundement is noon so hardy quek,

So hard[e] settith he his fote in euery mannys nek ; 2656

ffor, vndir sky & sterris, bis day is noon a-lyve NO one alive is so

clever as Isope :

That coude a-mend hym in o poynt, al thing to discryve.

The .vij. sages of Eome, £0113 al ageyn hym were, not the seven

Sjures even.

The shuld be insufficient to make[n] his answere; 2660

ffor he can al langagis, Grew, Ebrewe, & latyne, He knows Latin,

Caldey, ffrenssh, & lombard, yee knowe[n] l wel fyne ;

And alle maner [doctrine] £at men in bokis write ;

In poyse, and philosophe, also he can endite. 2664 writes poetry,

knows law,

Sevile [law], & Canoun, & [eke] al maner lawis ; philosophy,

Seneca, & Sydrak, & Salamonys sawis ;

And the .vij. sciencis, & eke la we of Armys,

Experiments, & pompery, & al maner charmys, 2668 pumping?,

As yee shutt here[n] aftir, er bat I depart,

Of his Imaginaciouns, & of his sotitt art.

ffor he is of age ccc2 yeer/ & more ; [leaf 216, back]

Wherfor of alle sciencis he hath be more lore. 2672

In denmark he was goten, & I-bore also, He was bom

in Denmark,

And in grece I-nonsshid, til he coud speke & go : brought-up in

Ther* was he putto scole, & lernyd wondir fast ;

ffor such was [tho] his grace, bat al othir he past. 2676

But first, in his begynnyng1, litil good he had,

But lernyd evir passyngly, & was wise & sad.

Of stature & of feture, ber* was noon hym like

frurh the londe of grece, bou^ men wold hym seke. 2680

" A kyng bere was in tho ^eris, bat had noon heire male, and the king Saff a doubter, bat he lovid [right] as his owne saal. Tsope was his seruaunt, & did hym such plesaunce,

'e made hym his heii1*, & did hym so avaunce, 2684 1 /his doubter, and aftir hym to bere crown), wedded his

o r PT i • 11 o T daughter to him.

: prowes ; & [otj his port so low he was, & boun). k5u as fortun wold, ]?at was Isopis frend, This worthy kyng1 jjat same yere made his camel ende 2688

1 ? he knoweth. 2 three hundred. MS eee.

BERYN. 6

82

OF ISOPE'S JUDGMENTS, AND HIS PALACE.

' 140 years has Jsope reigned,

and his wisdom has maintained him till now.

Any one who has a hard cause tries to get Isope to decide it.

Now, Beryn, you must go to Isope,

and then return tome.

I'll describe Isope's house to you, and tell you how to get to it.

Don't go in at the broad gate of the castle,

but by a window on the right.

Go in (you'll see a portcullis) to a beautiful hall,

Tha[t] vij xx1 yeer is passid fat Isope f us liath. regned, And }it [ne] was f er1 nevir, for wrong1 on hym compleyned, ffor no lugement fat he gaff; ^it som ageyn hyw wyled A grete part of his pepift, & wold have hym exiled ; 2692 But his grete wisdom, & his manfulnes, His governance, with his bounte, & his ^tfulnes, Hath evir ^it meyntenyd? 2 hym vnto [t]his ilch[e] day ; And wott, whils fat he lyvith, for au^t fat men can say. ffor who hath eny quarett, or cause for to wonde, 2697 Within this same Cete, quiklich wott he fonde — And it be sotitt mater, — to Isope for to fare, ffro gynnyng1 to fe end, his quarel to declare. 2700

And eve a-fore, as custom is, f e pie3 shal be on f e morowe; But 4 who-so ly, he scapith nat Wft&outtfe] shame or sorow.

" Beryn, fow must go thidir, wher* thyn enpechement Shufr be I-mevid; & ferfor pas nat thens, 2704

Tytt fow have herd hem att ; & [tho] report hem wele To me, fat am thy counsett ; & repeir [here] snele. [leaf 217]

" But so riatt mancioune as Isope dwellith In, Ther is noon in the world, ne [noon] so queynt of gyn : 2708 Wherfor be wel avisid, how I enfourm[e] the Of f e wondir weyis, & of the pryuyte, That been w/t/an his paleyse, fat f ow must pasfsen] by : And when fow approchist, & art fe castett ny^, 2712

Blenchfe] fro f e brode gate, & entir fow nat there ; ffor f ere been men to kepe it : $it have fow no fere ; Pas doun on the ri^t hond by f e casteH wall, TyH fow fynd a wyndowe ; & what-so the by-faH:, 2716 Entir ther1, yf fow may, & be no thing agast ; But walk forth in fat entre : fen shalt fow see in hast A port-Colyse the to-fore, pas in boldly TyH fow com to an halt, f e feyrest vndir sky : 272(

The wallis been of marbitt, I-ioyned & I-closid ; And the pilours cristatt, grete & wele pwposid ;

1 7 score. Urry prints ' 27.' 2 Urry prints * preserved.'

3 Drry prints 'peple' for 'J>e pie.' 4 MS ' Both.'

ISOPE'S GARDEN AND PALACE DESCRIBED. 83

The keueryng of-bove, is of selondyn ; ceiled with

selondyne, paved

And the pamentf be-neth, of gold & asure fyne. 2/24 with gold,

But who-so passith Jmrh J>is haft, hath nede to ren[ne] blyve,

Or els he inv^tfe] be disware of his owne lyve ;

ffor berewzt/an lijth a stoon, bat is so hote of kynde, containing one

J stone, that burns-

That what thing com forby, a-noon it woft a-tend,1 2728 up whatever

comes near it,

As bry^t as any candel leem, & consume a-noon : and another stone,

And so wold the haft also, ner coldnes of a stoon equal coldness.

That is I-clepid * dyonyse,' fat set is hym ageyn

So, & f ow lepe Ii3tly, f ow shalt have no peyn) ; 2732

ffor ethir stone, in kynde proporcioned they be ;

Of hete, & eke of coldnes, of oon equalite.

" J)ow must pas f urh f e haft ; but tary nat, I rede ; Pass thro* the

ffor f <m shalt fynd a dur, vp ri}t a-fore f yn hede. 2736 go in at it, and When f ow art entrid ther1, & f e dor a-past ; leopards.

Whatso ]?ow se ligg or stond, be f ow nat agast ; And yf bow drede any thing, do no more save bio we : if you're afraid

J of either, blow

But }it I rede the, be ware J>at it be somwhat lowe : 2740 on it,

Ther1 been to libardis, loos and [eke] vntyed? ;

If that thy blowing1 of fat othir in eny thing be spyed, [leaf 217, back]

Anoon he rakith on the, to sese the by thy pate;

ffor there nys thing1 in erth fat he so much doith hate,

As breth of mannys mowith : wherfor refreynfel the, 2745 but very gently

indeed.

And blowe but fair & sofft, & when that nede be.

When thow art passid this haH, anoon ben shalt bowe com Then you'll come

to the loveliest

In-to the fayrest gardyn bat is in cristendom) : 2748 garden in the

world, like

The wich, Jmrh his clergy, is made of such devise paradise,

That a man shall ween he is in paradise,

At his first comyng in, for melody & song,

And othir glorious thingis, & delectabiH a-mong1 ; 2752

The wich Tholomeus, bat som-tyme paynym was, made by

Tholomeus,

That of Astronomy knew euery poynt & case,

Did it so devise, jmrh his hi3e connyng,

That there nys best in erth, ne bird bat doith syng, 2756 with birds of

gold that move

That he nys ther1 in figur/, in gold & sylvir fyne, asifaiive.

1 light, set fire to.

84

DUKE ISOPES GxVRDEN AND PALACE.

In this garden is the fairest tree under the sky.

Eight Necroman cers guard this garden,

and they look like loathly worms, enough to frighten the bravest men.

Also, there's a White Lion, who's eaten 500 men.

But if you touch a branch of the fair Tree, you'll be quite safe.

On the further side is a passage

that '11 bring you to Isope's room.

And mowe as they were quyk, knawe )>e sotitt engyne.

In mydward of this gardyn stant a feire tre,

Of alle maner levis fat vndir sky [there] be, 2760

I-forgit & I-fourmyd, eche in his degre,

Of sylvir, & of goldfe] fyne, fat lusty been to see.

This gardeyn is evir green, & ful of may[e] flouris,

Of rede, white, & blewe, & othir fressh colouris, 2764

The wich[e] been so redolent, & sentyn so a-boute,

IT That he must be ry^te lewd, [fat] f erin shuld[e] route.

" These inonstrefulle thingis, I devise to the, Be-cause fow shuldist nat of hem a-basshid be 2768

When that f owe comyst ther\ so fow be strong in f ou^t, And do be my counseH, drede the ri^t nou^t ; ffor ther* beth viij tregetours fat f is gardyn kepith ; ffour1 of hem doith waak, wl>ils the fcmrc sclepith; 2772 The wich[e] been so perfite of ."Nygramance, And of f e arte of apparene, and of tregetrie, That they make semen (as to a mannys sight) AbominabiH wormys, fat sore ou^t be a-fri^te 2776

The hertiest man on erth, but he warnyd were Of the grisly si^tis fat he shuld see there. Among al othir, ther/ is a lyon white, [leaf 218]

That, & he se a straungir, he raumpith for to bite ; 2780 And hath, to-fore this tyme, .v.C men & mo Devourid & I-ete, J>at therforth have I-goo. 3it shalt Jjowe pas suyrly, so Jjow do as I teU. The tre I told to-fore, Jjat round as any beH 2784

Berith bowe & braunce, traylyng to ]? e ground, And Jjow touch oon of hem, J>ow art safF & sound ; The tre hath such vertu, thei^ shati no J>ing ]?e dere : Loke fat be Jie first, when J?ow comyst there. 2781

" Then shalt Jjowe se an entre, by the ferther syde ; Thou^e it be streyt to-fore, Inner large & wyde It growith more & more, & as a dentour wriythe ; 3it woH that wey the bryng fere fat Isope lijth, 2792

Into the feyrest Chambir fat evir man sawe with eye.

BERYN WON T GO TO ISOPE. GEFFREY GOES.

85

When thow art ther)-wit/i-in, govern) pe wisely ; ffor, ther slialt thow here[n] al thyn enpecheinent Opynly declarid, in Isopis present. 2796

Keport hem wele, & kepe hem in thy mynde ; And aftir thy relacioune, wee shaft so turn) & \vend, Thurh help of God a-bove, such help for to make, 2799 That they shuH be a-combrit, & we ry$t wel to scape."

"Now in soth," quod. Beryn, "a mannys hertis may grise Of such wondir weyis ! for al my marchandise I had levir lese, then oppon me take Such a wey to pas." " then, sir/, for yewr/ sake 2804 I woft my selff," quod. Geffrey : " sith I am ensuryd To help the with my power, jjowe shalt be a-myrid As ferforth as I may ; jjat I woft do my peyn To bryng1 ^ewe plesaunt tyding1, & retourn ageyn, 2808 3it or J?e Cok crowe ; & therfor let me se, White I am out, how mery yee can be."

Geffrey tok his leve : but who was sory tho, But Beryn, & his company? for, when he was go, 2812 The had no maner ioy; but dout, & hevynes ; ffor of his repeyryng1 they had no sikirnes. So every man to othir made his compleynt, And wisshid J?at of felony they had been atteynt ; 2816 And so hem Jjou^t [it] bettir, to end[en] hevynes, Then every day to lak[ke] brede atte first[e] mes : " ffor when our/ good is go, what shaft fal of vs 1 Evir to be hir/ thrallis, & paraventure wers, 2820

To lese our/ lyff[es] aftir, yf wee displese hem ou$t : " Aftir Geffrey went, this was al hir/ Jjou^t Thurhout ]?e ny3te, titt Cokkis gan to syng1. But then encresid anguyssh ; hir/ hondis gan to wryng* ; And cursid wind1 & watir j>at hem brou3t[e] ther1; 2825 And wisshid many tymes that [t]he[y]2 had been in bere, And were a-passid, & entrid in-to [grete] dispeyr1. In as much as Geffrey did nat [sone] repeir*, 2828

1 MS < wyne.' 2 AS. hi = they.

There you shall hear your im peachment stated.

Then tell it me, and we'll settle our defence.'

Beryn declines to go to Isope.

So Geffrey says he'll go,

and be back by cockcrow.

Geffrey starts ; and Beryn and his men begin to mope and groan :

[leaf 218, back]

The men '11 take our goods and then make slaves of us.

Curse the wind and water that brought us here !

86

GEFFREY COMES BACK, AND COMFORTS BERYN.

We'll sail off home.'

They get ready to start, and turn their sails across the masts.

Just then comes Geffrey to the shore.

Beryn sends out a boat for him.

The Romans fetch him in, tho' they believe he'll betray 'em.

[leaf 219]

Geffrey is wroth, throws liis crutches away,

and reproaches Beryn for being so low-spirited for nothing.

4 I'll upset your opponents, and get damages out of 'em too.

Eche man seyd to othir, ' it my$t nat be I-nayid, But Geffrey had vttirlich falsly hem betrayed : ' Thurh-out aH the long ny}te [this was Mr compleynt,] They wisshid fat of felony they had been atteynt. 2832

Tho went they to counsel, a litift tofore f e day, And were aft accordit for to sayft a-way ; And so hem f ou^e] bettir, & leve hir* good [is] ther*, Then a-byde ther'-oppon, & have more fere. 2836

They made hir/ takelyng1 redy, & wend f e saitt a-cros, ffor to save hir/ lyvis, & set nat of hir/ los, So sore they were a-drad to be in servitute, And hopid God above wold send hem som refute 2840 By som othir costis, ther* wynd hem wold[e] bryng.

And ther^-wit^aft cam Geffrey, on his stilt lepeing1, And cried wondir fast by the watir syde. When Beryn herd Geffrey, he bad his men a-byde, 2844 And to launch out a bote, & brynge Geffrey in ; " ffor he may more a-vaitt me now fen al my kyn, And he be trewe & trusty, as myne hope is." But jit thereof had Beryn) no ful sikirnes. 2848

These Eomeyns fet in Geffrey with an hevy cher1 ; ffor they had levir saille forth, fen put [ten] hem in were, Both lyve & goodis ; & evift suspecioune They had of f is Geffrey : wherfor fey gon roune, 2852 Talking1 to eche othir, " f is man woH vs be-tray."

Geffrey wist wel I-now^e he was nat to hir pay ; And for verry angir he threw in-to f e see Both stilt & eke his cruch, fat made were of tre, 2856 And gan hem to comfort, & seid in this manere : " Benedicite, Beryn ! why make yee such chere ? ffor, & yee wexe hevy, what shuft yeur men do But take ensaumpitt of }ewe 1 & have no cause to ; 2860 ffor ^it, or it be eve, yeur aduersarijs alle I shaft make hem spurn, & have a sore falle ; And yee go quyte, & al yeur/ good, & have[n] of hirs too ; And fey to be ry^t feyn, for to scape so, 2864

BERYN'S MEN DISTRUST GEFFREY. 87

"WYt/tout[en] more daunger, & jeui/ wille be.

ffor of the lawis her*, such is the equyte, For if a

That who pursu[ith] othir, & his pleynt be wrong, he must pay the

defendant the

He shall make a-mendis, be he nevir so strong : 2868 same money that

T u , j. j- » i i j he brought his

as shuld fe todir, yl he condempnyd were, action for.

so shall J>e pleyntyff, ri}t as I 3ew lere ; And )>at shall [I sone] preve by hem, have yee no doute, 3it or it be eve, ri3t low to }ew to loute, 2872

And submit hem to 3ew, & put hem in yeur/ grace, rn bring your

T , T , , opponents on

By fat tyme 1 have 1-made al my wanlase. to their knees.

.,., -, i i j i r> i i >> Let's have some

And in hope to spede wele, let shape vs lor to dyne. dinner."

Geffrey axid watir, & sith[then] brede & wyne ; 2876 And seit, "it is holsom to breke our fast be-tyme;

ffor fe Steward wol to fe court atte hour/ of pryme." They dine before

The sonrie gan to shyne, & shope a feir[e] day ; But, for au^t fat Geffrey coud[e] do or say, 2880

These Romeyns spekyn fast, al the dyner while, Beryn's shipmen

'That Geffrey with his sotiH wordis wold hem [al] begile.' So when they had I-dyned, fey rysen vp echoon, 2883 And drew hem [J?o] to counseH, what was best to doon. Som seyd, " the best[e] rede ]?at wee do may, and some propose

To thro we Geffrey ovir pe bord, & seylle forth our1 way." overboard. But, for drede of Beryn, som [ne] wold nat so ; 3 it the more party assentid wele thereto. 2888

Geffrey, & Beryn, & worthy Eomeyns tweyn), [leaf 219, back]

Stood a-part with-in the shipp, to Geffrey gan to seyn) ; " Beryn, beth avisid ! yeur/ men beth in distaunce ; Sith yee been her* soveren, put hem in governance ; 2892 ffor me thinkith they holdith, contrary opynyoun) ; And grace faylith comynlych, whei0 is dyvisioun)."

In the meen[e] while fat they gan thus to stryve, . Meantime, Hany- Hanybald was vp, & I-com as blyve 2896 Beryn's ships

To the brigg of ]?e town), ther" the Shippis rood, across, reldy'to

And herd [hem make] much noyse ; but litil while he bood, ffor when he sawe the saylis stond[en] al a-cros, " Alas ! " q?<od this hanybald, " her* growith a smert los

GEFFREY IS CROPT, TO LOOK LIKE A FOOL.

So he calls the citizens (1000 of 'em) to arms

to stop Beryn going.

Beryn sees 'em, and puts himself altogether in Geffrey's hands.

Geffrey bids the men clip off his beard and hair.

They do, and make him look like a regular Fool.

Geffrey begins to joke:

' Look at these Falsetown fellows in arms.

They're going to help us ! Bless ye, my children ! '

Geffrey dances.

To me, ]?at am prouost; & have in charge & best 2901

AH these fyve Shippis vndir rnyne arest ; "

And ran in-to the toun), & made an hidouse cry,

And chargit al the Cetezins to armys for to hy, 2904

ffrom o strete till a-nothir, & rerid vp al ]?e town) ;

And made the trompis blowe vp, & [made] fe bellis soun) ;

And seyd[e] ' fat ]?e Eomeyns were in poynt to pas ; '

Til ther* were a fowsand — rathir mo fen les — 2908

Men I-armyd cleen, walking1 to f e Strond.

"When Beryn hem a-spied: "now, Geffrey! in thy honde Stont lyff & goodis ! doth with vs what the list; ffor aH our hope is on the, comfort, help, & trist. 2912 ffor we must bide aventur, such as God woH shape ffor nowe I am in certen we mow no wise scape." " Have no dout," quod. Geffrey, " beth mery; let me a-loon: Getith a peir sisours, sherith my berd a-noon ; 2916

And aftirward lete top my hede ; hast[i]lych & blyve ! " Som went to witJi sesours, som [to] with a knyfe ; So what for sorowe & hast, & for lewd[e] tole, Ther* was no man a-lyve, bet like to a fole, 2920

Then Geffrey was. by fat tyme fey had al I-do, Hanybald clepid out Beryn, to motehaH for to go ; And stood oppon the brigg, w?'t/i an huge route. Geffrey was the first, to hanybald gan to loute, 2924

And lokid out a fore Shipp : " God bles 3ew, sir ! " qz/,od he. " Wher* art f ow now, Beryn 1 com nere ! be-hold & se ! Her1 is an huge pepiH I-rayd & in-dight; [leaf 220]

Aft these been my children, fat been in armys bry3te ; 3istirday I gate hem : [is it] nat niervaift 2929

That fey been hidir I-com, to be of our1 counsaitt', And to stond[en] by vs, & help vs in our1 pie. A ! myne owne childryn, blessid mut ye be ! " 2932

Quod Geffrey, with an hi^e voise, & had a nyce visage, And gan to daunce for Toy, in the fore stage.

Hanybald lokid on Geffrey, as he were a-masid, And be-held his contenaunce, & howe he was I-rasid ;

GEFFREY HAS FUN WITH HANYBALD. 89

But evir more he f ou}t[e], fat he was a fole 2937 iianybaid takes

11 » -i T n -i Geffrey for a

Natureft of kynde, & had noon othir tool, real Fool,

As semed by his wordis & his visage both ;

And f ou^t it had been foly to wex[e] vritJi hym wroth ;

And gan to bord ageyn, & axid hym in game, 2941

" Sith bow art our1 ffadir, who is then our1 dame ? and asks Mm

who got all his

And howe, & in what plase, were wee be-gete ? " children.

" 3istirday," quod geffrey, "pleying in the strete 2944 'Yesterday,

Atta gentift game fat clepid is the ' quek,'

A longe peny halter was cast about my nekk, as i was going

And I-knet [ful] fast with a ryding* knot,

And cast ovir a perche & hale a-long my throte." 2948

"Was fat a game," quod hanybald, "for to hang fy selve?"

" So fey seyd a-bout me, a Hi ech by hym selff."

" How scapiddist f ow," quod hanybald, " fat f ow wer1 nat

dedel"

"Thereto can I answere, without[en] eny rede : 2952

I bare thre disc, in myne owne purs, — i threw my 3 dice;

ffor I go nevir without, fare I bettir or wors, —

I kist hem forth al thre, & too fil amys ase. 2 fell double aces;

But here now what nil aftir ! ri^t a mervolouse case ! 2956 Ther1 cam a mows lepe forth, & ete fe firdfe] boon, a mouse eat-up

rp, „. . / the third, which

Inat pumd out mr skyn, as grete as she niy^t goon; putt her up,

i i . , , . . and out of her

And in this maner wise, 01 f e mouse & me and me came an

AH yee be I-com, my children fair1 & fre. 2960 children!-

And $it, or it be eve, fall wol such a chaunce,

To stond[en] in my power/ ^ew alle to Avaunce ; [leaf 220, back]

ffor, & wee plede wele to day, we shuH be riche I-now3e."

Hanybald [f o] of his wordis hert[i]lich[e] lou^e ; 2964 The Faisetowners

• j , . , , laugh heartily.

And so did al fat herd hym, as fey my^te wele,

And had[de] grete loy, with hym for to telle ;

ffor fey knewefn] hym noon othir but a fole of kynde :

And al was his discrecioune ; & fat previd f e ende. 2968

Thus whils Geffrey lapid, to make hir1 hertis li^te, Beryn & his company wei* rayid & I-di^te, Beryn and hia

And londit hem in botis, ferefuH howe to spede ;

90

GEFFREY CHAFFS HANYBALD.

They go towards the Court.

' Why all these armed men P ' says Beryn.

' Because you

were going to

bolt.

And if you'd

done it, you'd

have lost your

lives.'

'Bolt! Pooh! says Geffrey. ' You know nothing about ships!'

'Don't I?' says Hanybald.

' Why did you set your sails across the mast?' 'To tallow the ship.' [leaf 221]

1 Why did you close your port holes ? ' 'To wake the master.'

So Geffrey chaffs Hanybald.

ffor aft hir/ fou^tis in balance stode, be-twene hope & drede; But ^it they did hir/ peyn to make Ii3tsom chere, 2973 As Geffrey hem had enfourmed, of port & al manere Of hir* governaunce, al the longe day, Tyrl hir/ plee wer1 endit. so went they forth hir1 wey, To the court vriih hanybald. then Beryn gan to sey, 2977 " What nedith this, sir hanybald, to make such aray ? Sith wee been pese-marchantis, & vse no spoliacioune." "ffor soth[e] sir*," quod, hanybald, " to me was made relacioun) Yee were in poynt to void ; & yef ye had do so, 2981 Yee had[de] lost yeur lyvis, with-out[e] wordis mo." Beryn held hym stiff. Geffrey spak a-noon ; " No les wed fen lyvis ! whi so, good sir Iohn)1 2984

That were som-what to much, as it semeith me ; But ye be ovir-wise, fat dwelt in this Cete ; ffor yee have be-gonne a thing1 makith ^ewe ri^te bold1 ; And ^it, or it be eve, as folis shul ye be hold. 2988

And eke yee devyne [nat] for-in1 Shipmannys crafft, And wotith lititt what longith to, a-fore f e Shipp, & bafft, And namelich in the dawnyng, when shipmen first arise." " My good ffrend," quod, hanybald, in a scornyng wise, " Ye must onys enfourm) me, f urh yewr/ discrecioun) ; 2993 But first ye must answer to a questioun) : 'Why make men cros-saiH in myddis of fe mast' 1 " [Gef] " ffor to talowe f e shipp, & fech[e] more last." 2996 [Han.] "Why goon the ^emen to bote, Ankirs to hale?" [Gef] " ffor to make hem redy to walk to f e Ale." [Han] " Why hale they vp stonys by the crane lyne 1 " [(re/.] " To make the tempest sese, & the sonne shyne." [Han] " Why close they the port with the see bord 1 " [Gef] " ffor the mastir shuld a-wake atte first[e] word." [Han] "Thow art a redy reve," quod hanybald, "in fay." [Gef.] " Yee sir/ trewly, for sothe is fat yee sey." 3004 Geffrey evir clappid, as doith a watir myfl', And made hanybald to Iau3e al his hert[e] fell.

1 MS ' in,' blotted out (? divine not foreign shipments craft)

GEFFREY JOKES. BERYN IS WROTH WITH HIM. 91

" Beryn," quod, this Geffrey, " retourn thy men ageyn) ; Geffrey chaffs What shuH they do with the at court 1 no man on hem pleyn). 3008

Plede thy case thy selve, ri^t as bow hast I-wrou^t ; To bide with the Shippis my pwrpos is, & bou^t." " Nay for-soth," quod, hanybald, "bow shalt a-byde on lond; Wee have no folis but the," & toke hym by be hond, 3012 " ffor thow art wise in la we to plede[n] al the case." " That can I bettir," quod Geffrey, " ben eny man in this and then Hany-

bald.

plase !

What seyst bow therto, Beryn ? shall I teH thy tale 1 " Hanybald likid his wordis wele, & forward gan hym hale. Beryn made hym angry, & si3hid wondir sore, 3017 Beryn gets angry,

ffor Geffrey hym had enfourmyd of euery poynt to-fore, How he hym shuld govern aH the longe day.

Geffrey chasid hym ageyn) : " sey me 36 or nay ! 3020 Maystowe nat I-here speke som maner word ? "

" Leve thy blab, lewd fole ! me likith nat thy bord ! and calls Geffrey

I have a-nothir bou^t," quod. Beryn), " wherof bowe carist

lite." "Clepeist bow me a fole?" quod Geffrey; "al bat I may Tool, indeed!

be wite ! 3024

But first, when wee out of Rome saillid both in fere, Tho I was thy felawe & thy partynere ; i used to be your

ffor tho the marchandise was more ben halff [e] myne ; you've now bag'd

And sith bat bowe com hidir, bowe takeist al for thyne. But }it or it be eve, I woll make oon be-hest ; 3029

But bowe have my help, thy part shal be [the] lest." " Thyn help ! " qwod Beryn ; " lewde fole, bow art more ben 'Fool ! get back

to the ship ! ' masid ! says Beryn.

Dres the to be Shippis ward, with thy crown) I-rasid ;

ffor I my3t nevir spare the bet ! trus ! & be a-goo ! " 3033

"I wol go with the,"qwod Geffrey, "wher* bow wolt or no; [leaf 221, back]

And lern to plede la we. to wyn both house & londe." 'No, i won't/

says Geffrey ;

'So bow shalt," quod hanybald, & led hym by the honde, TH plead and And leyd his hond oppon his nek : but, & he had I-knowe

92

BERYN'S FINAL TRIAL, WITH GEFFREY AS COUNSEL.

Hanybald is

glad.

But he's sorry

ere eve.

Whom he had led, in sikirnes he had wel levir in snowe

Have walkid xl myle, & rathir then faitt more ;

ffor he wisshid that Geffrey had I-be vnbore 3040

fful offt-tyme in that day, or the pie were do ;

And so did al fat wrou^tfe] Beryn shame & woo.

Hanybald asks Geffrey his name.

'Gylhochet.'

' Where were you born ? ' ' I don't know.'

So they chaff on.

They find the Steward in court, and the plaintiffs striving as to who's to have Beryn' s goods.

Beryn and his men, in dyed woollen robes, sit down.

He says he has come to answer the charges against him. [leaf 222]

IT Now, yee fat list a-bide, & here of sotilte, Mow knowe how fat Beryn sped [there] in his pie, 3044 And [eke] in what aray, [un]to the court he went ; And howe hanybald led Geffrey, disware of his entent. But ^it he axid of Geffrey, " what is f y name, I prey 1 " " Gylhochet," quod. Geffrey, " men clepid me 3istirday." " And wher* weer f ow I-bore T' "I note, I make a-vowe," Seyd Geffrey to this hanybald, " I axe fat of ^ewe ; ffor I can teH no more, but her1 1 stond [as] nowe." Hanybald of his wordis hert[i]lich[e] low$e, 3052

And held hym for a passing fole to serve[n] eny lord. Thus fey romyd langlyng in-to f e court ward ; But, or they com ther, the Steward was I-set, And the grettest of f e town), a company I-met, 3056

And gon to stryve fast, who shuld have f e good That com[en] was with Beryn ovir f e salt flood. Som seyd oon, & som seyde a-nothir1 ; Som wold have the Shippis, f e pareH, & f e rothir ; 3060 Som his eyen, som his lyff wold have, & no les ; Or els he shuld [e] for hem fyne, or [that] he did pas. And in the mene whils they wer* in this afray, Beryn & these romeyns were com in good aray 3064

As my^t be made of woli, arid of colour* greynyd : They toke a syde bench fat for hem was ordeyned. IT When aH was husst & stiH, Beryn rose a-noon, And stode in the myddis of fe hal to-fore hem everychon); And seyd, " sir/ Steward, in me shaft be no let : 3069 I am I-com to answer0, as my day is set ; Do me ry3te & reson ! I axe 3ewe no more." " So shaH [I]," qwod the Steward, " for f erto I am swore."

BERYN'S FINAL TRIAL : i. THE BURGESS'S CHARGE.

93

IF "He shaft have ry3t," qwod Geffrey, " wheij bow wolt or no.

ffor, & f ow mys onys thy lugement on-do,

I woH [un]to f e Emperour of Rome, my cosyn) ;

ffor of o cup he & I ful offt have dronk f e wyne, 3076

And ^it wee shutt heij-aftir, as offtfen] as wee mete,

ffor he is long the gladder1, when I send hym to grete."

Thus Geffrey stode oppon a fourm), for he wold be sey

Above aft othir, the shuldris, & [therto have] the cry ;

And starid al a-boute, -with his lewd[e] berd, 3081

And was I-hold a verry fole of ech man [fat] hym herd.

The Steward, & f e officers, & f e burgeyssis alle, Lau^hid at hym hert[i]lich ; the criour1 gan to calle 3084 The Burgeys fat had pleyd with Beryn atte ches ; And he aros [ful] quiklich, & gan hym for to dres A-fore the Steward atte barr, as f e maner is. He gan to tett his tale with grete redynes ; 3088

" Here me, sir Steward ! f is day is me set, To have ryght & reson — I ax[e] ^ewe no bet, — Of Beryn, fat here stondith ; fat with me ^istirday Made a certen covenaunt, & atte ches we did pley ; 3092 ' That who-so were I-matid of vs both[e] too, Shuld do the todirs byddyng1 ; & yf he wold nat so, He must drynke al the watir fat salt wer* in the se ' ; Thus I to hym [en]surid, and he also to me. 3096

To preve rny tale trewe, I am nat al aloon." Vp rose .x. Burgeysis [ful] quyklich a-noon, And affermyd evir[y] word of his tale soth ; And made[n] hem al redy for to do hir* othe. 3100

Evandir the Steward, " Beryn, now," quod, he, " Thow must answere nede ; it wol noon othir be ; Take thy counsett to the : spede on ! have I doon." * Beryn held1 hym stitt : Geffrey spak a-noon : 3104

IF " Now be my trowith," quod. Geffrey, " I mervett much

Of 36W6

1 After this comes in the MS a repetition of the last line : " Thow must answere nede it may noon othir be."

Geffrey chaffs

the judge

Evander.

The Crier calls

the first plaintiff,

the Burgess

and he states that if he were mated his victor bade tSait water *

10 Burgesses

Evander calls on

Beryn to answer.

[leaf 222, back]

GEFFREY SPEAKS FOR BERYN. 2. HANYBALD*S CHARGE.

Geffrey says, 'I'm quite ready to answer,

but I want to hear all the plaintiffs first.

I'm wiser than you think.'

They laugh at Geffrey ;

but Beryn too asks for another plaintiff to come

So, 2. Hanybald states his case :

' Beryn's 5 ships were put into my charge,

[leaf 223]

and we agreed that I should have his cargoes,

To bid vs go to counseft ! & knowith me wise I-now^,

And evir ful avisid, In twynkelyng of an eye

To make a short answer1, "but yf my mo with he dry. 3108

Shuld wee go to counsett for o word or tweyn) 1

Be my trowith we nyl ! let se mo that pleyn) !

And hut he he I-answerd, & fat ri^t a-noon,

I $eve 3ewe leve to rise, & walk out every-choon, 3112

And a-spy[en] redely yf ye fynd me ther\

In the meen[e] whils, I wol a-hide here.

Nay, I telle trewly, I am wiser fen yee ween ;

ffor fere nys noon of 3ewe woot redely what I meen."

Every man gan Iaw3e al his hert[e] fitt, 3117

Of Geffrey & his wordis ; hut Beryn held hym stiff,

And was cleen astonyd, — hut ^it, ner* J>e lattir,

He held it nat al foly fat Geffrey did[e] clatir, 3120

But wisely hym governyd, as Geffrey hym tau^te,

ffor parcett of his wisdom, to-fore he had[de] smaught.

" Sir* Steward," quod Beryn, " I vndirstond [right] wele

The tale of fis Burgeyse ; now let a-nothir tel, 3124

That I may take counseft, & answer al attonys."

" I graunt[e]," quod the Steward, thyn axing for f e nonys,

" Sith f ow wolt he rewlid by f y folis rede,

ffor he is ry^te a wise man to help the in thy nede." 3128

Yp a-rose the accusours queynt[e]lich a-noon ; Hanybald was the first of hem evirichon), And gan to tett his tale -with a proud [e] chere : "3istirday, [my] soverens, when [fat] I was here, 3132 Beryn & thes Burgeyse gon to plede fast1 ffor pleying atte ches ; so ferforth atte last, Thurh vertu of myne office, fat I had in charge Beryns fyve Shippis, for to go at large, 3136

And to be in answere here fis same day : So, walkyng1 to the Strondward, wee bargeynyd* by the

wey

That I shuld have the marchaundise fat Beryn wM hym brou^te,

2. IIANYBALD'S CHARGE, AND 3. THE BLIND MAN'S. 95

(Wherof I am sesid, as ful sold and bou^te,) 3140 and he have 5

In covenaunt that I shuld his shippis fitt ageyn) my goods as he'd

Of my marchaundise, such as he to-fore had seyn) stores.

In myne owne plase, howsis to or thre,

fful of marchandise as they my^tfe] be. 3144

And I am evir redy ! when-so-evir he woft

Let hym go, or sende, & charge his Shippis futt Let him then

take what he can

Of such[e] marchandise as he fyndith there : find.'

ffor, in such[e] wordis, wee accordit were." 3148

Yp rose .x. burgeysis, — not tho J?at rose to-fore, Ten Burgesses

swear it's all true.

But oj)ir, — & made hem redy to have swore

That every word of hanybald, from Jje begynnywg to ]>e ende,

"Was soth & eke trewe ; & with aft hir/ mende 3152

fful prest they were to preve ; & seyd J?ey were present

Atte covenaunte makeing1, by God omnipotent.

H "It shaft [nat] nede," quod Geffrey, "whils J?at I here Geffrey chaffs.

stonde; 3155

ffor I wott prevefn] it my self1 wii/i my [own] ri3t honde. ffor I have been in foure batellis her'to-fore, And this shaft be the ffifft ; & therfor I am swore ; Be-holdith, & seith ! " & turnyd hyni aboute. The Steward & J)e Burgeyse gamyd al aboute, 3160

The Romens held hem stitt, & lawu^id but a lite.

"With that cam the blynd man, his tale to endite, s. comes the

That God hym graunte wynnyng1, ri^te as he hath a-servid. Beryn & his company stood [en] al a-stryvid 3164

Be-twene hope & drede, ri^te in hi^e distres ; ffor of wele or of woo j?ey had no sikirnes.

" Beryn," quod this blynd, " Jjou^e I may nat se, and says,

Stond nere ^if the barr, my comyng1 is for the, 3168 keeping my two

That wrongfullich[e] jjowe witholdist my both to eyen, you8 only for"1 The wich I toke the for a tyme. & quyklich to me hyen, And take hem me ageyn, as our covenant was. Beryn ! I take no reward of othir mennys case, 3172

But oonlich of* myne own), that1 stont me most an hond. n^f22s, back] Nowe blessid be God in heven, J>at bro^t j?e to this lond !

96

BERYN'S FINAL TJBIAL. 3. THE BLIND MAN'S CHARGE.

You were once my partner,

and a true one till you stole my eyes that 1 lent you to see the jugglers' tricks.

I didn't change eyes with you.'

Four Burgesses swear it's all true.

Geffrey chaffs the blind man :

' Lucky for you that you haven't your eyes ; for you keep honest now.

If you had your eyes, you'd be always thieving.'

The people laugh.

4. Comes the Deserted Wife, with her child.

[leaf 224]

ffor sith our/ laste parting, many bittir teris

Have I lete for thy love, fat som tyme partineris 3176

Of wyimyng1 & of lesing1 were, ^eris fele ;

And evir I fond the trewe ; til at the last fow didist stele

A-wey with my too eyen, that I toke to the,

To se the tregitour[i]s pley, & [al] la.ii/ sotilte ; 3180

As ^istirday, here in this same plase,

To-fore ^ewe, sir/ Steward, rehersid as it1 was.

fful trewe is that byword, ' a man to seruesabitt,

Ledith offt[e] beyard from his owne stabitt.' 3184

Beryn ! by the, I meen, £01136 fowe make it1 straunge ;

ffor f ow knowist trewly fat I made no chaunge

Of my good eyen, for thyne fat badder were."

Ther'-w/t/i stood vp burgeys four/, witnes to bere. 3188

Beryn held hym stiff, & Geffrey spak a-noon : " NOMVG of f y lewde compleynt, & thy masid moon, By my trowith," quod Geffrey, " I have grete mervaitt. ffor fou^e f ow haddist eyen-sight, [y]it shuld it litil aAraitt ; Thow shuldist nevir fare fe bet, but fe wors in fay ; 3193 ffor al thing1 may be stil [ijnowe for the in house & way ; And yf thow haddist f yn eyen, f owe woldist no counsett

hele;

I knowe wele by thy fisnamy, thy kynd [it] were to stele ; And eke it is thy profite, and thyne ese also, 3197

To be blynd as f owe art. for nowe, wher'-so jjow go, Thow hast thy lyvlode, whils J?ow art alyve ; And yf J?owe my^tist see, fow shuldist nevir thryve." 3200 Al the house jmrh-out, save Beryn & his feris, Law^id [fo] of Geffrey, fat watir on hir* leris Ran downe from hir/ eyen, for his masid wit. 3203

IT With that cam fevomman, — hir/tungewas nat sclytt, — With xv burgeysis, & vommen also fele, Hir quereff for to preve, & Beryn to A-pele, "With a feire knave child I-loke within hir armys ; And gan to tett hir/ tale of wrongis & of Armys, 1 MS al.

BERYN'S FINAL TRIAL : HIS (PRETENDED) DESERTED WIFE. 97

And eke of [grete] vnkyridnes, vntrowith & falshede,

That Beryn had I-wromt to hir* : bat queyntlich from hir* The Deserted

Wife swears that

}ede Beryn is her bus-

, .. , . .,, . , , band, and that

Anoon oppon hir wedding, when he his wiit had doon, he deserted her

And broujt [had] hir/wzt/? child, & lete her sit aloon 3212 h« wiL cMif!*

Without [en] help & comfort from fat day ; " & nowe^

He proferid me nat1 to kis[sen] onys with his mowith ; —

As ^istirday, sir Steward, afore ^ewe eche word

Was [fuft] rehersid here ; my pleynt is of record ; — 3216

And this day is me set, for to have reson :

Let hym make a-mendis, or els tell encheson)

Why hym 0113 1 nat fynd[e] me, as man ou^t his wyffe."

These fifftene Burgeysis, quyklich also blyve, 3220 Fifteen Burgesses

swear it's true.

And as fele vymmen as stode by mr) ther*,

Seyd that they were present when they weddit were ;

And that every word fat f e vomman1 seyde [l MS vommen]

Was trewe, & eke [fat] Beryn had hir* so be-trayd. 3224

" Benedicite ! " quod Geffrey, " Beryn ! hast f owe a wyff 1 Geffrey chaffs Now have God my trowith, the dayis of my lyff wife and heir,

I shaH trust the f e las ! f ow toldist me nat to-fore As wele of thy wedding, & of thy sone I-bore. 3228

Go to, & kis hem both, thy wyff & eke thyn heir* ! teiis him to

kiss 'em,

Be j)ow nat a-shamyd, for fey both be feyr !

This wedding was ri^t pryvy ; but I shal make it couthe :

Be-hold thy sone ! it semeth crope out of fy mowith ; 3232

And eke of thy condicioune both sofft & some.

Now am I glad f yne heir shaH [wend] with vs to Eome ; take his boy to

And I shaH tech hym, as I can, whils fat he is 3ong< and Geffrey '11

Every day by the strete to gadir houndis doung ; 3236 a tanner,

TyH it be abiH of prentyse to crafft of tan[e]ry2;

And aftir I shaH teche hym for to cache a fly,

And to mend[e] mytens, when they been to-tore, glover,

And aftir to cloute shoon, when he is elder more : 3240 cobbler,

3it, for his parentyne, to pipe, as doith a mowse,

2 Tannery. Urry prints ' Taverner [underlined in the MS for omission] taury.'

BERYN. 7

98

GEFFREY CHAFFS BERYN 8 PRETENDED WIFE.

[leaf 224, back] and to bark,

bleat, neigh, low, &c.

Geffrey tries to get hold of the child ; but the mother won't let him.

Geffrey tells her she's mad.

The Steward chaffs him.

Beryn and his me.n fear

and sorrow.

Geffrey says,

• What the devil's

the matter ?

Haven't I told you how I'll help you ? *

I woH hym tech, & for to pike a snayH out of his house ; And to berk, 'as doith an hound, & sey ' baw bawe ! ' 3243 And turne round a-boute, as a Cat doith with a strawe ; And to blete as doith a shepe, & ney as doith an hors, And to lowe as doith a Cowe ; & as myne owne corps I woH cherissh hym every day, for his modirs sake j " And gan to stapp[e] nere, the child to have I-take, 3248 As semyd by his contenaunce, al-fou^e he fou^t nat1 so.

Butte modir was evir ware, & blenchid to & fro, And leyd hir* hond be-t\vene, & lokid som-what wroth ; And Geffrey in pure wrath beshrewid hem al bothe ; 3252 "ffor by my trowith," qwod Geffrey, "wel masid is thy

pan !

ffor I woH teche thy sone the craftis fat I can, That he in tyme to com my^t wynfnen] his lyvlood. To wex[en] therfor angry, fow art verry wood ! 3256

Of husbond, wyff, & sone, by the Trynyte I note wich is the wisest of hem al[le] thre ! " " No, sothly," quod the Steward, " it lijth al in J>y noli, Both[e] wit & wisdom), & previth by J>y pott." 3260

ffor al be [it] that Geffrey wordit sotilly, The Steward & J>e burgeysis held it for foly, Al that evir he seyd, & toke it for good game, And had ful litiH knowlech he was Geffrey ]>e lame. 3264

Beryn & his company stode still as Stone, Be-twene hope & drede, disware how it shuld goon ; Saff Beryn trist in party fat Geffrey wold hym help ; But }it in-to fat hour* he had no cause to ^elpe, 3268

Wherfor fey made much sorow, fat dole was, & pete.

Geffrey herd hym si^e sore; "what deviH is

qiiod. he ;

" What nede ^ew be sory, whil[e]s I stonde here ] Have I nat enfourmyd ^ewe, how & in what manere 3272 That I $ew wold[e] help, & bryng1 hem in the snare *? Yf yee coude plede as wele as I, ful litiH wold yee care. 1 MS nat nat

MACHYN'S CHARGE OF MURDER AGAINST BERYN. 99

Fluke vp thyhert!" qwod Geffrey; "Beryn! I speke to

heart, Beryn ! '

the!"

"Leve f>y blab[ir] leude ! " quod Beryn to hym a-ye, 3276 " It doith no thing1 a-vaiU ! ]>at sorowe com on thy hede ! [le*f z^1 It is nat worth a fly, al }>at Jjowe hast seyde ! Have wee nat els nowe for to thynk oppon,

Saff her1 to langiH 1 " machyn rose a-noon, 3280 *>• Macaigne

And wentto the barr, & gan to teH his tale : He was as fals as ludas, ]?at set[te] Criste at sale.

" Sir/ Steward," quod this niachyn, " & J?e burgeysis all, Knowith wele ho we melan, with purpiH & with paH, 3284 charges Beryn

with having

And othir marchandise, seven jere ago murdered ins

Went toward [is] Rome ; & ho we Jjat I also fathe^Mek^.

Have enquerid sith, as reson woH, & kynde,

Syth he was my ffadir, to knowe[n] of his ende. 3288

ffor jit sith his departyng, til it was jistirday,

Met I nevir creature Jjat me coude wissh or say

Ree dynes of my ffadir, dede othir a-lyve.

But, blessid be God in heven ! in this thevis sclyve 3292

The knyff I gaff my ffadir was jistir-day I-found ! 'The knife i

Sith I hym a-pele, let hym be fast I-bound ! was found in

The knyff I knowe wel I-nowe ; also J>e man stont her*, Here is the

And dwellith in this town), & is a Cotelere, 3296 made the knife.'

That made J?e same knyff with his too hondis,

That wele I woot j)e?*e is noon like, to sech al cristen

londis ;

ffor .iij preciouse stonys been within the hafft Perfitlych I-couchid, & sotillich by crafft 3300

Endendit in the hafft, & )>at ri^t coriously, A Saphir, & a salidone, & a rich ruby."

The Coteler1 cam lepeing forth w^ a bold[e] chere, TheCutier And seyd[e] to the Steward : " pat1 machyn told now here, Macaigne speaks Every word is trew ; so beth the stonys sett ; 3305 4l

I made £e knyff my selff ; — who myjt know it bet ? — And toke the knyff to Machyn, & he me pay[i]d wele, 1 What, that which.

100

GEFFREY SETS BERYN'S ACCUSERS AT DEFIANCE.

Many burgesses swear they saw Macaigne

[leaf 225, back]

give his father that knife. ' Any more plaints?' says Geffrey.

Beryn goes out for a consulta tion.

Geffrey stays in court, and says he'll make the plaintiffs smart.

They're in the wrong,

and he'll make 'em glad to slink away.

They chaff Geffrey.

Macaigne says « Stop fooling.

So is this felon gilty ; ther1 is no more to teU." 3308

Vp arose burgeysis, "by to, by iij., by .iiij, And seyd[e] ' fey were present, f e same tyme and hour), When Machone wept sore, & broi^t his ffadirs gownd, And gaff hym fe same knyff oppon the see stronde.' 3312

" Bethe ther* eny mo pleyntis of record 1 " Quod. Geffrey to the Steward. & he ageynward : " How semeth the, Gylhoget 1 beth f ei1* nat Inow^e ? Make thyne answer1, Beryn, case fat fow mo we ; 3316 ffor oon or othir fow must sey, al-f ou^e it nat a-varH ; And but f owe lese or f owe go, me f inkith grete mervaift."

Beryn goith to counsel!, & his company ;: And Geffrey bode be-hynde, to here more, & se, 3320

And to shewe the Burgeyse som what of1 his hert, And seyd, " but I make the pleyntyfs for to smert, And al fat hem meyntenyth, for a^t fat is I-seyd, I woH graunte 3ewe to kut f e eris fro my hede. 3324

My mastir is at counseH, but counsel! hath he noon ; ffor, but I hym help, he is cleen vndoon. But I woH help hym al fat I can, & meynten hym also By my power £ connyng, so I am bound ther1 to. 3328 ffor I durst wage bateH with ^ewe, f ou^e yee be stronge, That my mastir is in the trowith, & yee be in the wrong1 : ffor, & wee have lawe, I ne hold ^ew but distroyed In yeur owne falshede, so be ye now a-spied. 3332

"Wherfor }it or eve I shall abate yeur pride ; That som of ^ew shall be ri^t feyrD to sclynk a-wey & hyde."

The Burgeysis gon to law^e, & scornyd hym thereto. " Gylochet," quod. Evander, " & f ow cowdist so 3336 Bryng it fus about, it were a redy way." " He is a good fool," quod hanybald, " in fay, To put hym-selff a-loon in strengith, & eke in witt, Ageyn[e]s al the Burgeysis fat on fis benchfe] sit." 3340 f " What clatir is this," quod machyn, "al day w/t/i a fole? Tyme is nowe to worch[en] with som othir tole. ffor I am certeyn of* hir/ answer5 fat they wolle faitt ;

BERYN'S ACCUSERS QUARREL FOR HIS GOODS. 101

And lyf for lyf of my ffadir, what may bat a-vaiH 1 3344 i don't want Wherfor beth avisid, for I am in no doute,

The goodis been sufficient to part[en] al aboute ; Let's share MS

So may euery party pleyntyff have his part." 3347 [leaf 226]

"That is reson," quod the blynd. "a trewfel man bow art : 'Agreed,' says

the Blind man.

And eke it were vntrowith, & eke grete syn,

But ech of vs bat pleynyth my^tfe] som-what wyn."

Hanybald bote his lyppis, & herd hem bothfe] wele ; • steady,' says " Towching the merchandise, o tale I shall jew teH, 3352 And eke make a-vowe, & hold[en] my behest, That of the marchandise yeur/ part shall be [the] lest; 'Beryn's goods

&F6 till mine.*

ffor I have made a bargeyn, bat may nat be vndo ;

I worl hold his covenaunt, & he shall myne also." 3356

Vp roos quyklich the Burgeyse Syrophanes :

" Hanybald," q-«od he, " the lawe goith by no lanys,1 'Noanch thing,'

But holdpth] forth the streyt wey, even as doith a lyne ; ffor jistirday when Beryn with me did dyne, 3360

I was the first persone bat put hym in a-rest ; «i first put him in

A i j? i 11 i i i T j. • i 01 arrest ; you had

And, for he wold go large, J?ow haddist in charge & hest his goods in To sese both Shipp & goodis, til I were answerid ; 3363 charge for me/ Then must I first be servid : jjis knowith al men I-lerid."

The vomman stode besidis, & cried wondir fast ; The Deserted

"fful soth is J?at byword, ' to pot, who corny th last ! ' 'TopoKJith the

He worst is servid ; & so it farith by me : Ia8t comer ! eh ?

3it nethirles, sir Steward, I trust to yeur/ leute, 3368

That knowith best rny cause, & my trew entent ;

I ax[e] ^ewe no more but i^tfuH lugement. But yet, as

Let me have part w?'t/i othir, sith he my husbond is : husband!Tmust

Good sirs, beth avisid ! I axe jew nat a-mys." 3372

Thus they gon to stryve, & wer* of hi^e mode, ffor to depart a-mong1 hern othir inennys good, Wher1 they to-fore had nevir properte, Ne nevir shuld Jjere-aftir, by doom of equyte, 3376

But they had othir cause )?en j)ey had tho.

1 In the MS line 3352 is repeated here by mistake: " Towching the marchandise o tale I shalle ^ewe telte."

102

BERYN AND HIS MEN ARE MUCH FRIGHTENED.

Beryn and his men think Geffrey has betrayed 'era.

[leaf 226, back]

• We're in the mire, and he let's us lie there ! '

They weep and wail.

In comes Geffrey smiling,

promises help : 'they're quarrel ling how to share your goods,

but I'll floor their pride,

and make 'em pay for it.'

The Romans say they'll trust to Beryn wholly,

and not deny a word he says.

Beryn was at counsel! ; his hert[e] was ful woo, And his meyny sory, distrakt, & al a-mayide ; 3379

ffor tho they levid noon othir, but Geffrey had hem trayde : Be-cause he was so long, they coude no maner rede ; But everich[on] by hym-selff wisshid he had be dede : " 0 myjtfuH God ! " fey seyd, " I trow, to-fore this day "Was nevir gretter treson), fere, ne affray, 3384

I-wrou3t on-to mankynde, fen now is to vs here ; And namelich by this Geffrey witJi his sotil cher^ ! So feithfulle he made it he wold vs help echone ; And no we we be I-myryd, he letith vs sit aloon ! " 3388 " Of Geffrey," qiiod. Beryn, " be as it be may : "Wee mut answere nede ; ther is noon of ir way ; And therfor let me know yewr/ wit, & yeur/ counsaille." They wept, & wrong hir* hondis, & gan to waiHe 3392 The tyme fat they wer> bore ; & shortly, of f e lyve The[y] wisshid fat fey were. ~with fat cam Geffrey blyve, Passing hem towardis, & be-gan to smyle. Beryn axid Geffrey, ' wher he had be al the while V 3396 " Have mercy oppon vs ! & help vs as f owe hi^te ! " " I woH help ^ew ri^t wele, f urh grace of goddis my^te ; And I can tell ^ew tyding of hir/ governance : 3399

They stond in altircacioune & stryff in poynt to praunce To depart yeur* goodis, & levith verryly That it were impossibiH ^ewe to remedy. But hir5 hi3e pryde & hir/ presumpcioune Shal be, yti or eve, hir/ confusioune; 3404

And to make a-inendis, ech man for his pleynt. Let se therfor yeur/ good a-vise, howe fey my^t be ateynt."

The liomeyns stode still, as who had shor' hir' hed. " In feith," quod Beryn, " wee con no maner rede ; 3408 But in God, & ^ewe, we submit vs aH, Body, lyffe, & goodis, to stond [en] or to faH ; And nevir for to travers o word fat f ow seyst : Help vs, good Geffrey, as wele as fow maist ! " 3412

" Depardeux," qiwd. Geffrey, " & I wol do me peyn

GEFFREY OPENS THE DEFENDANT BERYN'g CASE. 103

To help }ewe, as my connyng wol strech & a-teyn)."

1F The Eomeyns wentto barr, & Geffrey al to-fore Geffrey comes

back into court,

With a nyce contenaunce, barefote, & to-tore, 3416 playing Hke a

Fool.

Pleyng with a ^erd, he bare in his honde ;

And was evir wistlyng att euery pase comyng1.1 [leaf 227]

The Steward & the Bumeysis hadfde] game I-nowae The Faisetown

^ men laugh at

Of Geffreyis nyce cornyng, & hert[i]lich[e] low^e ; 3420 him, chaff him,

and think him a

And eche man seyd, " Gylhochet, com nere ! fool.

Thowe art ry$t welcom, for powe makist vs cher1." " The same welcom," quod. Geffrey, " pat yee wol vs, ffaH oppon yeur/ hedis, I prey to God, & wers !" 3424 They held hym for a verry fole, but he held hem2 wel more : But he soon And so he made hem in breff tyme, al-pou} pey wer nat them. shore.

1T " Styntith no we," quod Geffrey, ' ' & let make pese ! 'Now stop ^ Of myrthis & of lapis tyme is now to cese, 3428 says Geffrey.

And speke of othir mater pat wee have to doon : ffor & wee hewe a-mys eny maner spone, We knowe wele in certeyn what pardon wee shuH have : The more is [then] our/ nede vs to defend & save. 3432 My mastir hath bee at counsell, & ful avisid is • i»m going to

That I shall have the wordis,— speke I wele or mys. ^werfor Beryn,

Wherfor, [now] sir Steward, & yee burgeysis aH, Sittith vp-ry3t, & wrijth nat, for auntris pat may faH. 3436 ffor, & yee deme vntrewly, or do vs eny wrong1, and if you dou't

Yee shuH be refourmyd, be ye nevir so strong1, isoSwmbe

Of euery poynt and Iniury, & pat in grete hast, down on you'

ffor he is nat vnknowe to vs, pat may ^ewe chast. 3440 Hold[ith] forthe the ri^t wey, & [go] by no side lanys !

" And as towching the first pleyntyfe Syrophanes, First, then, as to

That pleyde wiU my mastir 3istir-day atte ches, Syrophanes.

And made a certen covenaunte, ' who pat had pe wers In the last game, (al po^e I wer* nat ther*,) 3445

Shuld do the todirs bidding, what-so-evir it were, The loser 's to

Or drynk[en] al the watir pat salt were in the see ; '

1 Bead 'hande — comande,' for the rymes. a MS hym.

104

GEFFREY'S SPEECH AGAINST SYROPHANES'S PLAINT.

Isn't that the plea?'

(Evander and his fellows

[leaf 227, back]

begin to think Geffrey is no fool.)

4 Yes, your silence admits it.

Well, it is true that Beryn lost the wager.

But on purpose ; for no one here can play chess so well as he.

But, when we were at sea,

Thus, I trowe, sir Steward, ye woH record f e pie : 3448 And yf I have Imyssid, in lettir, or in word, The lawe, wol I be rewlid aftir yeur1 record ; ffor we "be ful avisid in this wise to answers."

Evander fe Steward, & al men fat were there, 3452 Had merviH much of Geffrey, fat spak so redely, "Whose wordis ther[to]for semyd al foly, And were a-stonyed cleen, & gan [tho] for to drede : And euery man til othir lenyd with his hede, 3456

And seyd, " he reportid the tale ji$t formally ; He was no fool in certen, but wise, ware, & scly ; ffor he hath but I-Iapid vs, & scornyd her*-to-fore ; 3459 And wee have hold [en] hym a fole, but wee be wel more." Thus they stodied on Geffrey, & lau^id f o ri}t nai^t.

When Geffrey had a-spied they were in such[e] f ou^t, And hir hertis trobelid, pensyff, & a-noyed, 3463

Hym list to dry v in bet f e nayU, til they wer1 fully cloyid : " Soveren sirs ! " he seyd, " sith fat it so is, That in reportyng1 of our pie yee fynd nothing a-mys, As previth wele yeur/ scilence ; eke yee wzt/iseyith not 0 word of our/ tale, but [fynde it] clene wzt/iout[en] spot ; Then to our/ answer* I prey ^ewe take hede ; 3469

ffor wee wol sey[en] al the trowith, ri^t as it is in dede. ffor this is soth & certeyn), it may nat be wzt7*seydz, That Beryn, fat here stondith, was fus ovir-pleid 3472 In the last game, when wagir was opon : But fat was his sufferaunce, as ye shul here a-noon. ffor in al this Cete ther nys no maner man Can pley[eii] bettir atte ches fen my mastir can ; 3476 Ne bet fen I, f ou^e I it sey, can nat half1 so much. Ne how he lost it be his will, the cause I wol teche : ffor ye wend, & ween, fat ye had hym engyned ; But yee shul fele in every veyn fat ye be vndirmyned, And I-brou^t at ground, & eke ovir-musid. 3481

" And a^enst the first fat Beryn is acusid, Herith nowe entyntyflich : when wee wi° on the see,

BERYN'S FINAL TRIAL: HIS COUNSEL'S SPEECH. 105

Such a tempest on vs fill, bat noon nmt othir se, 3484 a terrible

tempest over-

Of J?undir, wynd, & li^tenyng, & stormys ther a-mong ; took us,

XV dayis duryng the tempest was so strong,

That ech[e] man til othir began hym for to shryve,

And made hir1 a-vowis, yf jjey my^te have ]je lyve, 3488

Som to se the ! sepulkir, & som to ofir plase,

To sech[en] holy seyntis, for help & [eke] for grace ;

Som to fast, & do penaunce, & som do almys-dede ; 3491

Tyl atte last, as God wold, a voise to vs seyde, [leaf 228] and at last a

In our/ most turment, & desperate of mynde,

' That yf we wold be savid, my mastir must hym bynde, « if you want to

be saved, your

Be feith & eke by vowe, when he cam to londe, Master must vow

To drynke al the salt watir within the se stronde ; 3496 salt water in the Without drynkyng any sope of J?e fressh watir ;' Shfaiit!" "^

And tau^t hym al the sotilte, how & in what manere And the voice

That he shuld wirch[en] by engyne, & by a sotiH charm), to do this. To drynk[en] al the salt watir, & have hym-selff no harm) ; But stop the nressh[e] Ryvers by euery costps] side, 3501 That they entir nat in the se Jmrh J>e worldfe] wyde. The voyse we herd, but nau^t wee sawe ; so wer* our/ wit-

tis ravid :

ffor this was [the] end fynally, yf we lust be savid. 3504 Wherfor my mastir Beryn, when he cam to this port, So Beryn came

here to perform

To his avowe & promys he made his first resort, his vow,

Er1 that he wold[e] Bergeyri) any rnarchandise.

And ri3t so doith these marchandis in the same wise, 3508

That maken hir/ a-vowis in saving of hir1 lyvis ;

They completyn hir' pilgremagis or fey se hir wyvis.

So mowe ye vndirstond, J?at my mastir Beryn andietsyro-

c check*

Of fre will was I-matid, as he )>at was a pilgrym, 3512 mate him,

And my^tfe] nat perfourm) by many Jjowsand part

His avowe & his hest, without ri^t sotil art, because he

-TTT-J.T ,r T i i o «n f hadn't money

Wit/iout[enJ Jielp & strengith of many mennys my^te. enough to pay Sir Steward, & sir Burgeyse, yf we shul have ri^te, 3516 the 'Su water

Sirophanes must do [the] cost & aventur,

do this,

1 MS the the.

106

GEFFREY WINS, AND ASKS SYROPHANES FOR DAMAGES.

and Bery-n will drink the salt water.

He never agreed to drink any fresh.*

At this, Syrophanes turns pale.

[leaf 228, back] Evander warns

him that he'll have to pay damages and costs.

So Syrophanes offers to let Beryn go free.

But Geffrey won't have it, and calls for judgment.

1 But how can you stop all the fresh water ? '

' Easily enough if you've money enough,' says Geffrey. ' But let Syro phanes pay us heavy damages,

To stopp al the ffressh Ryvers in-to fe see Jmt entir. ffor Beryn is [fill] redy in al thing1 hym to quyte ; So ho be in defaute, must pay [en] for the wite. 3520

Sith yee been wise [men] aH, what nede is much clatir ? Ther1 was no covenaunte hem be-twen to drynk fressh water."

1F When Sirophanes had I-herd al Geffreyis tale, He stode al abasshid, with colour1 wan & pale, 3524

And lokid oppon the Steward wiih a rewful cher* And on othir frendshipp & Ney3bours he had ther* ; And preyd[e] hem of counseli, the answere to reply. 3527

" These Romeyns," quod, the Steward, " been wondir scly, And eke ri^t ynmagytyff,1 & of [such] sotiH art, That I am in grete dowte howe yee shuH depart With-out harm in oon side, our/ lawis, wel ]?owe wost, Is to pay damagis, and eke also the cost 3532

Of euery party plentyff fat fallith in his pleynt. Let hym go quyte, I counseH, yf it may so be queynt." " I merveiH," quod Syrophanes, " of hir/ sotilte ; But sith fat it so stondith, & may noon othir be, 3536 I do woH be counseH ; " & grauntid Beryn quyte. But Geffrey f ou^t anothir, & withoui respite, " Sirs," he seyd, " wee wetith wele fat yee wol do vs ri^te, And so ye must[e] nedis, & so yee have vs hi^te ; 3540 And ther-for, sir Steward', ye occupy our/ plase ; And yee knowe wele, what law woH in this case : My mastir is [al] redy to perfourm) his avowe." " Geffrey,"2 quod the Steward, " I can nat wete howe 3544 To stop aH the ffressh watir wer> possibilite." " 3is, in soth," qwod Geffrey, " who had of gold plente As man coude wissh, & it my^t wel be do. But, fat is nat our/ defaute, he hath no tresour/ to. 3548 Let hym go to in hast, or fynd vs suerte To make a-mendis to Beryn) for his iniquite, Wrong, & harm, & trespas, & vndewe wexacioun), Loss3 of sale of marchandise, disese & tribulacioun), 3552

1 So in MS. * Urry prints " But natheles." 3 MS Lost.

GEFFREY TACKLES HANYBALD. 107

That wee have sustenyd f urh his iniquite.

What vaylith it to tary vs 1 for f ou$t [ye] sotil pry,

Wee shuH have reson, wher* yee woH or no.

So wol wee bat ye knowe what fat wee wol do : 3556 or we'll appeal

to IsODtJ

In certen, [we be] ful avisid to Isope for to pase, And declare[n] every poynt, f e more & eke the lase, That of yewr/ opyn errours hath pleyn correccioune, And ageyns his lugement is noon proteccioune : 3560 and he-n settle He is yeur/ lord riali, & soveren lugg, & lele ; That, & ye work in eny poynt, to hym lijth our1 a-pele." So when the Steward had I-herd, & f e Burgeysis aH, Howe Geffrey had I-steryd, fat went so ny^e the gait ; [leaf 2291

What for shame, & drede of more harm) & repreff, 3565 They made Syrophanes, weer hym looth or leffe, so, they make

Syrophanes find

To take Beryn gage, and plegg[e] fynd also, pledges to pay

To byde fe ward & lugement of fat he had mys-do. 3568

1T " Nowe ferthermore," qwod Geffrey, " sith fat it so is, That of the first pleyntyff wee have sikirnes ; No we to the Marchant wee must nedis answere, 2- <Asto

Hanybald.

That Bargayned with Beryn, 'al fat his Shippis bere, 3572

In covenaunte fat he shuld his Shippis fitt ageyn)

Of othir marchandise, fat he to-fore had seyn)

In hanybaldis plase, howsis too or thre,

fful of marchandise, as they my^tfe] be.' 3576

Let vs pas [sen] thidir, yf eny thing be ther* Let us go and

look at the goods

At our/ lust & likeing, as they accordit were." in MS house.'

"I graunt[e] wele," quod hanybald, "fow axist but ri^te."

Yp arose these Burgeysis, — "}>owe axist but ri^te:" — 3580

The Steward & his comperis entrid first f e house, The steward, &c.,

And sawe no thing w^t/dn, Strawe, ne leffe, ne mowse, nothing there

but the bare roof

feave tymbir, & f e tyle-stonys, & f e walks white. and wails.

" I trowe," q^od the Steward, " the wynnyng woft be but lite 3584

That Beryn wol nowe gete in hanybaldis pleynte ; ffor I can se noon othir but they wol be atteynt • "

108

GEFFREY UPSETS HANYBALD, THE SECOND PLAINTIFF.

Bery:i and his men can find nothing either.

Evander thinks Hanybald must win.

The Blind man swears he'll make Beryn pay.

[leaf 229, back]

Macaigne says so too.

But Geffrey has brought 2 white butterflies ;

he lets "em fly, and they stick to the wall.

Then he calls in the Falsetown folk,

and says he'll

trouble

Hanybald

And clepid hem in, echone, & went out hym selve. As soon as they were entrid, they sawe no maner selve, ffor soris of hir/ hert ; but, as to-fore is seyd, 3589

The house was cleen I-swept. fen Geffrey feir fey preyde To help [hem] yf he coude. " let me a-loon ! " quod he, "Jit shutt they have the wors, as sotitt as fey bee." 3592

Evander the Steward, in the mene while, Spak to the Burgeyse, & be-gan to smyle : " Thou^e Syrophanes by I-hold these romeyns for to curs, Jit I trow fat hanybald wott put hym to f e wers ; 3596 ffor I am suyr & certeyn, within they shul nat fynde." 1T " What sey yee be my pleynt, sirs ? " qwod the blynde, " ffor I make a-vowe I wol nevir cese Tyl Sirophanes have of Beryn a pleyn relese, 3600

And to make hym quyte of his submyssioune ; Els wott I have no pete of his contricioune ; But folow hym also fersly as I can or may, Tyl I have his eyen both[e] to away." 3604

" Row in feith," qwod machyn, " & I wol have his lyffe ! ffor f ou$e he scape $ewe aH, wiih me wol he nat stryffe ; But be ri^t feyn in hert, al his good for-sake, ffor to scape with his lyff, & to me it take." 3608

Beryn & his feleshipp wer5 within the house, And speken of hir/ answer*, & made but litiH rouse ; But evir preyd[e] Geffrey, to help yf he coude ou^t. 3611 " I woU nat faitt," quod Geffrey, & was to-fore be-f ou^t Of too botirflijs, as white as eny snowe : He lete hem flee wi't/an the house, fat aftir on the wowe They clevid wondir fast, as hir) kynde wott, Aftir they had flowe, to rest a-nothir putt. 3616

When Geffrey sawe the botirflijs cleving on fe watt, The Steward & f e Burgeys In he gan [to] catt : " Lo ! Sirs," he seyde, "who-so evir repent, Wee have chose marchandise most to our1 talent, 3620 That wee fynd here-In. be-hold, sir hanybatt, The ^ondir bottirflyis fat clevith on f e watt :

109

Of suchfel, yee must fille oure Shippis alflel fyve. 'for 5 ship-loads

of white butter-

Pluk vp thy hert, Beryn, for J>ow must nedis thryve ! 3624 flies.

ffor when wee out1 of Rome, In marchantfare went,

To purchase buttirflyes was our/ most entent. They're just what

we want to buy,

3it wott I tett the cause especial & why : for a Roman

doctor to make a

Ther* is a leche in Room, J?at hath I- made a cry 3628 cm-e-au out of/

To make an oynteinent to cure al tho been blynde, And att maner infirmytees, Ipat growith in man-kynde. The day is short, the work is long : sir hanybatt, ye

mut hy ! "

When hanybald herd this tale, he seyd pryuely 3632 IH counsel to the Steward : " in soth I have )>e wors : Hanybald sees ffor I am sikir by J>is pleynt )>at I shal litil purs." " So me semeth," qwod the Steward, " for in fe world[e]

rounde

So many botirflyis wold[e] nat be founde, 3636

I trowe, o Shipp to charge, wherfor me binkith best, and, by

Evander's advice,

Lete hym have his good a-geyn, & be in pese & rest.

And }it [it] is an auntir and J>owe scape so,

Thy covenaunt to relese with-out[en] more a-do." 3640

The Burgeysis everichon, jjat were of J>at Cete, Were anoyid sore, when they herd of jjis plee. Geffrey with his wisdom held hem hard & streyte, That they were accombrit in hir* own) disceyte. 3644

When hanybald with his ffrendis had spoke of ]>is mater1, They drowe hem toward Beryn, & seid in J>is maner* : offers to give

" Oonly for botirflyes ye com fro yeur/ contrey ; And wee 3ewe teH in sikirnes, & opon our* fey, 3648

That so many botirflyes wee shul nevir gete : Wherfor we be avisid, othir wise to trete ; That hanybald shaH relese his covenant fat is makid, And dely vir the good a-geyn, j?at horn $ewe was ransakid ; his cargoes, And wexe 36 we no more, but let $ew go in pese." 3653 " Nay, for-soth," quod Geffrey, uvs nedith no relese ! 'No.no/ says

•\r t it i i i ^ 11 i Geffrey, 'vou

i ee snutl hold our covenaunt, & wee shul yeurs also ; keep your

ffor wee shuH have reson, wher* ye wol or no, 3656 SJve

110

THE TRIAL : GEFFREY NEXT ANSWERS THE BLIND MAN.

Isope '11 do us justice.'

Hanybald at once gives sureties for payment.

3. 'As to the Blind man,

it's true that he and Beryn changed eyes. But why ?

[leaf 230, back]

The two were merchants.

Came a dearth their land, all joy was gone.

Then God sent them plenty,

and they rejoiced.

Also a wondrous player came there,

Whils Isope is a-lyve, I am no thing a-ferd ;

ffor I can wipe[ii] al this pie cleen[e] from yewr/ herd,

And ye blench[en] onys out of the hy wey."

The proferid hym plegg & gage, without more deley. 3660

1T " Now ferthirmore," quod. Geffrey, " vs ou^t to precede :

ffor to the blynd mannys poynt we must answer1 nede,

That, for to telfle] trowith, he lyvith al to long ;

ffor his owne fawte, & his owne wrong, 3664

On beryn he hath surmysid, as previth by his pie ;

And fat yee shulle[n] opynlich knowe wele & se.

ffor, as I vndirstod hym, he seyd fat ' fele ^eris,

Beryn, fat here stondith, & he, wer* pertyneris 3668

Of wynnyng1 & of lesyng, as men it vse & doith ;

And that fey chaungit eyen' ; & ^it J»is is sothe :

But the cause of chaunging ^it is to ^ewe on-know ;

Wherfor I wol declare it, both to hi^e & lowe : 3672

In that same tyme fat f is Burgeys blynde,

And my mastir Beryn, as fast as feith my^t bynde,

Were marchaundis in coniyn of al fat fey my^t wyn,

Saff of lyffe & lym), & of dedely synne, 3676

Ther* fiH in tho marchis,.of al thing1 such a derth,

That loy, comfort & solas, & [eke] al maner myrth

Was exilid cleen ; saff oonly molestacioune,

That abood contenuerl, and also dispiracioune. 3680

So when fat the pepitt were in most myscheff,

God fat is a-bove, fat al thing1 doith releve,

Sent hem such plente of mony, fruyte, & corn),

Wich turned al to loy hir* mournyng al to-forn). 3684

Then gaff they hem to myrth, [to] revel, pley, & song1 ;

And f ankid God above, evir more a-mong,

Of hir1 relevacioun) from woo in-to gladnes :

ffor ' aftir sour*, when swete is com, it is a plesant mes.'

So in the meen[e] while of this prosperite, 3689

Ther* cam [tho] such a pleyer in-to f e same contre,

That nevir thereto-fore was seyn such a-nothir ;

THE TRIAL : GEFFREY ANSWERS THE BLIND MAN. Ill

That wele was the creatur5 ]>a\> born was of his modir, 3692

That myatfe] se the xnirthis of this logelour* : a juggler or

conjuror,

flbr of the worldfe] wyde tho dayis he bare J?e floure.

ffor ther1 nas man ne vomman in bat Regioune, whom a11 folk

went to see.

That set of hym selff the store of a boton, 3696

Yf he had nat sey his myrthis & his game.

" So oppon a tyrne, this pleyer/ did proclame ' That alle maner of pepiH [J>at] his pleyis wold se, Shuld com oppon a certen day to J>e grete Cete.' 3700

Then, a-mong1 othir, my mastir her1, Beryn, Beryn and the

Blind man. set-

And this same blynd bat pledith now with hym, out to see

him too,

Made a certen covenaunt, Jjat )?ey wold[e] see

The mervellis of this pleyer, & his sotilte : 3704

So. what for hete of Somyr, age, & febilnes, but on the WRy

the Blind man

And eke also J>e longH way, this blynde for werynes fel1 U1-

ffil flat adown) to the erth j o foot ne my^t he go.

Wherfor my mastir Beryn in hert[e] was ful woo, 3708

And seyd, 'my ffrend, how nowe1? mowe ye no ferfer Deaf 231]

pas?1 ' No,' he seyd?, ' by hym bat first made mas ! He refused to go

homo.

And jit I had[de] levir, as God my soule save,

Se these wondir pleyis, fen al the good I have.' 3712

* I can nat els,' quod. Beryn, ' but yf1 it may nat be,

But J>at yee & I mut retourn a-je,

Afftir yee be refresshid of jeur/ werynes ;

ffor, to leve jewe in this plyte, it were no gentilnes.' 3716

IT Then seyd this blynd, ' I am a-visid bet : but askt Beryn

Beryn, yee shuH wend[en] thidir w/t^-out[en] eny let ; to see the player,

And have myne eyen with jewe, J>at they J?e pley mowe se, Beryn's.

And I wott have yeurs tyH ye com a-je.' 3720

Thus was hir/ covenaunt made, as I to jewe report,

ffor ese of this blynd, & most for his comfort.

But wotith wele the hole science of al surgery

Was vnyd, or the chaunge was made of both [hir] eye, so they changed

"With many sotiH enchauntours, & eke nygramancers, 3725 Beryn saw

That sent were for the nonys, mastris & scoleris ;

112

THE TRIAL: GEFFREY BEATS THE BLIND MAN.

the player with the Blind man's eyes, and then came back to him.

But the Blind man had lost Beryn's eyes, and has never given 'em buck to him.

Beryn's eyes were the better ones ; let the Blind man give 'em back to him,

Qeaf 231, back]

and he'll return the Blind man's.'

The Blind man offers to withdraw his suit.

But Geffrey says he must find sureties for damages;

and the Blind man does so.

So when al was complete, my mastir went his way

With this mannys eyen, & sawe al the pley ; 3728

And hast[i]ly retourned into that plase a-ye ;

And fond this blynd seching1, on hondis & on kne

Grasping al aboute to fynd fat he had lore, —

Beryn his both eyen, fat he had to-fore.— 3732

But as sone as Beryn had[de] pleyn) knowleche

That his eyen were I-lost, vnneth he my^t areche

0 word, for pure anguyssh fat he toke sodenly,

And from fat day tiU now^e ne my^t he nevir spy 3736

This man in no plase, ther* la we was I-mevid ;

But nowe in his presence the soth is ful I-previd,

That he shall make a-mendis or he hen[ny]s pas ;

Ei^te as the lawe wol deme, ethir more or les. 3740

ffor my mastris eyen were bettir & more clere

Then these fat he hath nowe, to se both fer & nere ;

So wold he have his own), fat propir were of kynde,

ffor he is evir redy, to take to the blynde 3744

The eyen fat he had of hym, As covenant was,

So he woH do the same, nowe, soverens ! in this cas

Ye mut take hede for to deme i^te ;

ffor it were no reson) my mastir shuld lese his si^te, 3748

ffor his trew hert & his [grete] gentilnes."

" Beryn," quod the blynd tho, " I woH the relese, My quareH, & my cause, & fal[len] fro my pleynt." 3751

" Thow mut nede," quod Geffrey, " for f ow art atteynt ! So mut f ow p?'0fir gage, & borowis fynd also, ffor to make a-mendis, as othir have I-do. Sir* Steward ! do vs lawe ! sith wee desir1 but ri^te : As wee been pese marchandis, vs longith nat to fi^te ; 3756 But pleyn vs to the lawe, yf< so wee be agrevid."

Anoon oppon that Geffrey f ese wordis had I-mevid, The blynd man fond borowis for al his maletalent, And were I-entrid in the court to byde fe lugement; 3760 ffor f ou^e fat he blynd were, $it had he good plente, And more wold have wonne, f urh his iniquite.

THE TRIAL: GEFFREY CONFUTES BERYN'S SHAM WIFE. 113 "STowe herith, sirs." quod. Geffrey, "the pleyntyfs been 4. 'As to the

Deserted- Wife :

assurid :

And as a-nenst fe ferth, this voraman hath arerid, 3764 That pleynyth her5 on Beryn, & seyith she is his wyff, And J>at she hath many a day led a peynoz^ lyff, And much sorowe endurid, his child [forlto sustene. what she saya

is true,

And al is soth & trewe. no we ri^tfullich to deme, 3768

' Whethir of hem both shal othir obey, But, sir steward,

isn't the wife to

And folow wil & lustis,' sir Steward, ye mut sey." obey her

husband ?

And Jjerewith Geffrey lokid • A seyd l on this vomman, Howe she chaungit colours, pale, & eke wan : 3772

" Al for noujt," quod Geffrey, " for yee mut with vs go, Yes. Then, And endur with yeui/ husbond both[e] wele & woo ; " along with us/ And wold have take hir by]?e hond; but shea-weydid breyde, And with a grete sighing, fese wordis she seyd : 3776

" That ageyns Beryn she wold plede no more : " The sham wif*

But gagid with too borowis, as othir had do to-fore. give-up,' and find

sureties to pay.

The Steward sat as stiH, as who had shor1 his hede ; And specially the pleyntifs were in much[e] drede. 3780 Geffrey set his wordis in such manere wise, rieaf 232]

That wele they wist j?e my^tfe] nat scape[n] in no wise With-out[en] los of goodis, for damage & for cost ; ffor suchfe] were hir/ lawis, wher* pleyntis wer> 1-lost. 3784

Geffrey had ful perseyte of hir* encombirment j And eke he was in certen J?at the lugement Shuld pas with his mastir ; wherfor he a-noon, :< Soveren sirs !" he seyd, "}it must wee ferjjer goon, 3788 5. 'As to And answere to this Machyn, Ipat seith j?e knyff is his Geffrey, 'Hs That found was on Beryn : thereof he seith nat a-mys. And for more pryvy 2 he seith in this manere, 'That here stondith present the same Cotelere 3792

That jje knyffe made, & ]?e preciows stonys thre

1 Urry prints ' aside.' ' He saw *, or ' and saw ', is no doubt the meaning.

2 Urry prints ' prefe.' See 'pryue', 1. 3797. BERYN. 8

114

THE TRIAL : GEFFREY'S ANSWER TO MACAIGNE.

But how did Beryn get the knife?

I'll tell you.

Seven years ago, on Tuesday, in Passion-Week,

Beryn's father meant to go to church,

and therefore lay alone, apart from his wife.

But Beryn found him dead on the straw,

[leaf 232, back]

with this knife of Macaigne's in his heart. Beryn drew it out.

I saw him,

Within the hafft been couchid, pat in cristyanite, Thou^e men wold of purpose, make serch, & siche, 3795 Men shuld nat fynd in al thing1 a knyff pat were it lich : ' And more opyn pryue pan l mannys owne knowleeh, Men of lawe ne clerkis con nat tett ne teche. Now sith wee be in this manere thus ferforth ago, 3799 Then were spedful for to knowe howe Eeryn cam first to To have possessioune of the knyff pat machyn seith is Ids : To $ewe vnknowe, I shall enfourm) pe trowith as it is.

" Nowe .vij. yeer & passid, oppon a tuysday In the passion-woke, when men leven pley, 3804

And vse more devosioune, fastyng & preyed, Then in othir tyme, or seson of pe ^eer, This Beryns ffadir erlich wold a-rise,

And barefote go to chirch, to [don] goddis service, 3808 And lay hym-selff aloon, from his owne wyff, In reverence of pe tyme, & mending of his lyfF. So on the same tuysday, pat I to-fore nempt1, This Beryn rose, & rayd hym, & to pe chirch[e] went, 3812 And mervelid in his hert his ffadir was nat ther1 : And homward went ageyn, w^t/i drede & eke fere. In-to his ffadirs Chambir, sodenlich he rakid, 3815

And fond hym ligg, standede,2 oppon the strawe al nakid, And the clothis halyd from the bed a-way. * Out alas ! ' quod Beryn, ' that evir I sawe this day ! The meyne herd the noyse, how Beryn cried Alias ! And cam in-to the Chambir, al pat ther/in was. 3820

But the dole & the sorowe, & anguyssh pat was there, It vaylith nat at this tyme to declare it here ; But Beryn) had[de] most of aH, have ye no doute. And a-noon they serchid the body al aboute, And fond this same knyff, pe poynt ri^t at his hert Of Beryns ffadir, whose teris gan out-stert "When he drow^ out the knyff of his ffadirs wound : Then, standede 2 I sawe hym fal doun to pe ground, 3828 1 MS ' j?at.' Urry prints 'than.' 2 stone-dead.

MACAIGNE GIVES IN. GEFFREY DEMANDS JUDGMENT. 115

In sijte of the most part Ipat beth with hym no we here." and so did our (And they affermyd it for sothe, as Geffrey did hem lere :)

"And jit hadlnevir suspecioun, from fat day [un]til noweth, But we never

"Who did pat cursid dede ; tiH machyn with his mowith the murder,

Afore jewe hath knowlechid bat the knyff is his : 3833 owned the knife/ So mut he nedis answer5 for his deth I-wis."

IT When Machyn had I-herd al Geffreyis tale,

He rose of bench[e] sodynly, with colour" wan & pale, 3836 Macaigne at once

And seyd [tho] on-to Beryn : "sir/, ageyn[es] the his plaint. I wolle plete 110 more ; for it were gret pete To combir jewe with accions, fat1 beth of nobiH kynde."

" Graunte mercy, sir ! " quod. Geffrey, ' ' but jit yee shulle fynde ' very well ;

, . , , o o j i find 8Ureties

Borowis, or yee pas, amendis for to make 3841 for damages,

ffor our/ vndewe vexacioun) ; & gage also vs take Geflrey?^

In signe of submissioun for yeur/ Iniury,

As la we woU & reson) ; for wee woH vttirly 3844

Precede tyU wee have lugemeiit fmaH.

And therfor [now], sir Steward, what bat evir fall, • sir steward!

give judgment,

Delay [ith] vs no lenger, but gyve us lugement !

ffor tristith ye noon othir, but we be fullich bent 3848

To Isope for to wend, & in his hije presence orwe'iigoto

Eeherce[n] aH our5 plees, & have[n] his sentence ;

Then shul yee make ffynys, & hijlich be agrevid." 3851

And as sone as the Steward herd these wordis mevid?, The steward " lieson, ry^te, & la we," seyd the Steward tho, Oeaf 233]

" Yee mut nedis have, wher5 I woH or no. And to preve my fuH wiH, or wee ferfer goon," Quiklich he comaundit, & sparid nevir oon, 3856 caiisout24

---- .„ burgesses, learned

nij 13urgeysis in lawe best I-lerid, in the law,

Rehersyng hem the plees, & how Geffrey answerid ;

' And on lyffe & lym, & forfetur/ of good, sums-up the

And as they wold nat lese the baH within hiij hood,1 3860 charges them

to give a true

lo drawe a-part to-gidir, & by hir5 al assent verdict.

Spare no man on lyve, to gyve trewe lugement.' And when these xxiiij burgeysis had I-herd 1 their heads, lives.

116

VERDICT FOR BERYN IN ALL THE CASES.

The Jurors

find for Berj n : plaintiffs to pay a large fine.

So Beryn doubles his property, and goes to his ship rejoicing.

Hanybald says the plaintiffs '11 feel their losses all their lives.

[leaf 233, back]

They won't meddle with Romans again.

The charge of the Steward ; ri^t sore fey wer5 aferd 3864

To lese hir5 owne lyvis, but they demyd trowith ;

And eke of hir1 ney^bours fey had grete rowith ;

ffor they perseyvid clerelich, in fe plee furh-oute, 3867

Hir* ffrendis had f e wors[e] side ; f erof 1 fey had no doute :

" And yff wee deme trewly, fey wol be sore anoyid ;

3 it it is bettir, then wee be shamyd & distroyed."

And a-noon fey were accordit, & seyd[en] with Beryn,

And demed euery pleyntyff to make a grete fyne 3872

With Beryn, & hym submyt hoolich to his grace,

Body, good, & cateU, for wrong1 & hir5 trespase,

So ferforth, tiH atte last It was so boute I-bore,

That Beryn had the dobitt good, fat he had to-fore; 3876

And with loy & myrth, with al his company,

He dro^e hym to his Shippis ward, with song1 & melody.

The Steward & f e Burgeyse from f e court[e] bent, In-to hir/ owne placis ; & evir as they went, 3880

They talkid of f e Eomeyns, howe sotil [fat] the[y] were, To aray hym like a fole, fat for hem shuld an s were. " What vaylith it," qiwd. hanybald, " to angir or to curs 1 And }it I am in certen, I shaH fare the wers 3884

AH the dayis of my lyff for f is dayis pleding1 ; And so shaH al the remnaunt, & hir hondis wryng1, Both Serophanus, & f e blynde, f e vomman, & machayn), And be bet a-visid er they efft-sonys pleyn) ; And aH othir personys with-in this [ilk] Cete, MeH the les with Romeyns, whil[e]s fey here be. ffor such a-nothir fole was nevir }it I-born) ! ffor he did nau^t ellis, but evir with vs scorn) 3892

Tyl he had vs cau^t, even by the shyn, With his sotiH wittis, in our/ owne gren."

Beryn and his men chuckle over their gains.

woH I retourne to Beryn ageyn), That of his grete lukir, in hert[e] was ri^te feyn) ; And so was aH his meyne, as hem ou^te wele, 1 MS \>e-rvf therof.

3896

GEFFREY'S REWARD. DUKE ISOPE'S GIFTS TO BERYN. 117

\

That they were so delyverid from turment like to heft,

And graciusly relevid out of hir* grete myscheff,

And [were] I-set above in comforte & boncheff. 3900

" Now, in soth," quod Beryn, " It may nat be denyed ; Beryn declares

Nad Geffrey & his wit [i]be, wee had be distroyed !

I-thankid be almy3ty God omnipotent,

That, for our1 consolacionne, Geffrey to vs sent ! 3904

And in protest opynly, here a-mong ^ewe aH, he'n give Geffrey

Halff my good, whils fat I lyve, what-euer me be-fatt, never leave Sim.

I graunt it here to Geffrey, to gyve[n] or to seH,

And nevir to part from me, yf it were his wiH ; 3908

And fare as wele as I, amorowe & eke on eve,

And nevir, for man on lyve, his company for to leve."

"Graunt mercy, sir !"qw0dGeffrey,"yewr/profirisfeir&grete; Geffrey says he

T* i T T • ^ i i i nr\-in only wants to be

But I desir no more, but as yee me behete, 3912 taken to Rome.

To brynge me at Eoom, for f is is covenaunte."

"It shall be do," [quod] Beryn, "and al the rem[e]naunte.

Bepardeux," quod Geffrey, " therof wee shuH wele do : "

He rayid hym [tho] othir-wise ; & without wordis mo,

They went[en] to1 be dyner, the hole company, 3917 They an goto

dinner.

"With pipis & with trompis, & othir melody.

And in the myddis of hir* mete, gentil voramen fyve, rive maidens

come with 5

Maydyns fressh atirid, as my^tfe] be on lyve, 3920 presents to Beryn

Com from fe duke Isope, lord of fat Regioune,

Everich with a present, & fat of grete renown) :

The first, [she] bare a cup of gold, & of asure fyne, i. A cup of gold.

So corouse & so nobiH, fat I can nat devyne. 3924

The second brou^t a swerd I-shethid, with seynture [leaf 234] 2. A fine sword.

I-fretid aH with perelis orient & pure. 3. A purple

mantle.

The f ird[e] had a mantel! of lusty fressh coloure ; The vttir part of purpiU, I-furrid with peloure. 3928

The ferth, a cloth of gold, a worthy & a riche, *• A cloth of gold.

That nevir man to-fore sawe cloith it liche.

The fnfft bare a palnie, fat stode to-fore the deyse, 5- A Palm-

I[n] tokyn & in2 signe of trowith & [of] pese : 3932

1 MBwentto, 2 MS 'of.'

118

DUKE ISOPE'S GIFTS T£> BERTN.

Isope's maidens kneel,

present his gifts to Beryn,

and his invitation to visit him (Isope) next day.

Beryn first takes- up the sword, and then feasts the maidens.

All the Romans rejoice at their escape.

Geffrey tells [leaf 234, back]

Beryn what answer to send to Isope.

Ikryn sends

ffor fat was f e custom, f urh al the contray.

The message was the levir, & more plesant -to pay ;

The Cup was vncoverid, f e swerd was out I-brayid,

The manteil was vnfold, f e cloth a-long a-leyid ; 3936

They knelid a-down) echeon, ri^t to-fore Beryn ;

The first did the message, fat tau^t was wel a fyne :

" Isope," she seyd, " sir Beryn, fat is our/ lord riaH,

And gretith ^ewe, & sendith }ewe these presentis aH ; 3940

And loy hath of yeur/ wisdom), & of yeur/ governance,

And preyith1 3 ewe to com, & have with hym plesaunce

To morowe, & se his palyse, & to sport ^ewe ther*, 3943

Yee & all yeur company." Beryn made noon answer5,

But sat still, and beheld f e vowmen, & f e sondys ;

And aftirward avisely the swerd [e] first he hondis,

And comaundit ther-with-aH f e vymmen wassh & sitt,

And pryvelich chargit officers, fat with al hir witt 3948

To serve hem of the best, & make hem hertly cher1 ;

Resseyving al the presentis in worshipfuH manere.

I can nat wele expres the Ioy[e] fat fey had — 3951

But I suppose, to-fore fat day, fat fey were nat so glad, — •

That they were so a-scapid fortune & myscheff ;

And fonkid God above, fat al thing doith releff ;

ffor ' aftir mysty cloudis fere comyth a cler1 sonne ; '

So 'aftir bale comyth bote,' who-so byde conne. 3956

The loy & nobley fat they had, whils they were at mete,

It vaylith nat( at this tyme, ther-of long to trete.

But Geffrey sat wit B[eryn], as he had se?*vid wele ; Hir/ hedis they leyd to-gidir, & begon to tell 3960

In what maner the vymmen shuld be answerid. Geffrey evir avisid Beryn : ther-of he leryd, And of othir thingis, howe he hym shuld govern ; Beryn saverid wele ther'-on, & fast he gan to lern). 3964

When all were vp, the vymmen cam to take hir1 leve : Beryn, as sat hym wele of blode, hem toward gan releve, And preyd hem hertly hym to recomende 1 MS preyd.

BERYN AXD GEFFREY VISIT DUKE ISOPE. 119

Ynto J?e worthy lordshipp of Isope ; (}?at ^ewe sende 3968 thanks to isope

To me that am vnworthy, save of his grete nobley ;)

And thank hym of his gyfftis, as ye can best, & sey, and says, «m

visit Isope to-

" To-morow I woH be redy, his hest to fulfill, morrow if he'll

give me a " safe-

WitJi this I have save condit, I may com hym tiH, 3972 conduct"; for

ffor me, & al my feleshippe, saff to com & go ; custom in my

Trustyng in his discrecioune, J)at J^ou^e I ax[e] so,

He wol nat be displesid : for in my contray

It hath evir be the custom), & is in-to this day, 3976

That yf a lord riaH desirith for to see

Eny maner persone, Jmt is of las degre ;

Ere he approche his presence, he woH have in his honde

A saff condit1 enselid, or els som othir bonde, 3980

That he may com & pas wz't/iout[en] disturbaunce :

Thurh-oute all our/ marchis it is the observaunce."

This wvmmen toke hir1 leve wzt/zoutrenl wordis mo, isope's maidens

give him Beryn's

Repeyryng1 on-to Isope ; & al at1 it was do 3984 answer.

They rehersid redely (& faylid nevir a word,)

To Isope with his baronage, ]>ere he sat at his borde,

Talkyng fast of1 Romayns, & of hir hi^e prudence,

That in so many daungers made so wise defence. 3988

But as sone as Isope had pleynlich I-herd isope is pleased

r\f> T> . n •-, , j with Beryn's

Of Beryns governaunce, pat first sesid J?e swerd, taking his sword

Afore aH othir presentis, he denied in his minde,

That Beryii was I-com[en] of som nobiH kynde. 3992

The ny^t was past, fe morowe cam; Isope had nat for- He sends 12

, Barons for Beryn

to bring him safe.

He chargit Barons twelff, with Beryn for to mete, To cond his2 saff, & his meyne ; & al perfowrmyd was. [leaf 235]

Thre dayis there they sportid hym3 in myrth & [in] solas; Beryn stays s That J?urh the wise instruccioune of Geffrey, ny^t & day, Beryn plesid Isope with wordis al to pay ; And had hym so in port, & [eke] in governaunce, Of alle honest myrthis, & witty daliaunce, 4000

1 ? for ' as ', or ' at ' = that. ' al at ' are written over an erasure. 8 ? him. 3 for ' hem '.

120 BERY-N WEDS DUKE ISOPE's DAUGHTER.

and gets such That Isope cast his chere to Beryn so eroundlv.

friends with him

That atte last there was no man with Isope so pryvy : Eesorting to his Shippis, comyng to & fro, Thurh f e wit of Geffrey, fat ech day it fil so,1 4004

that isope can't That Isope coude no chere when Beryn was absent ;

be happy without

Jam. So [fat] Beryn must nedis ech day be aftir sent :

And chefe he was of counseH, with-in the first[e] 3 ere ; Thurh f e wit of Geffrey, fat ech day did hym lere. 4008

isope weds his This Isope had a douatir, be-twen hym & his wyffe,

fair daughter

That was as feir/ a creature as myjtfe] bere lyff ; Wise, & eke bounteyouse, & benyng with-aH, 4011

That heir/ shuld be, aftir his day, of his lordshippis aH. So, shortly to conclude, the mariage was made to Beryn, Be-twene hir* & Beryn ; many a man to glade,

Saff the Burgeysis of the town), of falshede fat were rote : But they were evir hold so lowe vndirfoot, 4016

That they [ne] my^te nat regne, but atte last [were] fawe To leve[n] hir/ condicioune, & hir/ fals[e] lawe : and he and Beryn & [eke] Geffrey made[n] hem so tame,

badFaisetown That they amendit ech[e] day, & gate a bettir name. 4020 so Geffrey made Thus Geffrey made Beryn his enmyes to oyir-com,

And brou3t hym [un]to worshipp f urh his [grete] wisdom). May all of us find Now God vs ^Tauntfe] grace to fynde such a frende,

a like friend in

need! When wee have nede ! And thus I make an ende. 4024

A canterbury Nomen Autoris presentis Cronica Rome

monk wrote this

Taie. Et translators / Films ecclesie Thome.

[In the MS, on the back of leaf 235, follows the continu ation of the Sompnour's Tale, which was left-off at the foot of the front page of leaf 115 : —

" Here endith the tale of* the Sompnowe within f e boke writen)

IT And fet his felawe ther/ as he leyd? his store " &c.] 1 MS ' ech day did hym lere it fil so : ' caught from 1. 4006.

121

SIhe ftmfamt and tfa

FRENCH ORIGINAL AND ASIATIC VERSIONS OF THE

Hale of

BY W. A. CLOUSTON,

AUTHOR OF "POPULAR TALES AND FICTIONS: THEIR MIGRATIONS AND TRANSFORMATIONS," ETC.

BERYN, II.

122

PAGES

INTRODUCTORY 123

ABSTRACT OP FRENCH VERSION ... ... ... ... 125

PERSIAN VERSION 141

INDIAN VERSION ... ... ... ... ... ... 148

ARABIAN VARIANT ... ... ... ... ... ... 152

THE KNAVISH CITIZENS OF SODOM 155

APPENDIX: CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH ROMANCE ... 160

ADDITIONAL NOTES 173

123

THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES:

FRENCH ORIGINAL AND THREE ASIATIC VERSIONS OF THE TALE OF BERYN.

BY W. A. CLOUSTON.

FOOLISH as this story may be considered by some of those who lay the flattering unction to their souls that they are, em phatically, " sensible, practical " men, there is yet a method in its foolery — which is sometimes wisdom in masquerade. Suppose — and,

" When thought is warm, and fancy flows, What may not argument suppose ? "

as the poet Cowper asks — let us suppose a land where wrong is right, false is true, and the rest follows quite naturally. Well, young Beryn arrives with his five richly-laden ships at such a land, where he is " entertained " by the inhabitants. Their ways, however, are calculated to make themselves rich but leave the stranger poor indeed. Clearly, as old Geoffrey was well aware, the only means of escaping such an accumulation of serious claims and accusations was to oppose lie to lie, or rather, to tell greater lies in self-defence ; and by Geoffrey's so doing on behalf of his " client " the artful folk of Falsetown were caught in their own snares. To practise the sage maxim, " oppose falsehood with truth," would have been, in Beryn's case, utter and irretrievable ruin !

The Tale of Beryn is identical with the first part of the old French romance, L'Histoire du Chevalier Berinus, which is a singular compound of two distinct tales, interspersed with necromantic and chivalric incidents. A manuscript of this romance, of the 15th

124 TALE OF BERYNj OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

century, is preserved in the National Library, Paris ; and there is another in the Imperial Library, Vienna, neither of which has yet been edited. It was printed early in the 16th century under the title of " L'Histoire du noble Chevalier Berinus, et du excellent et tres-chevalereux champion Aigres de I'Aimant son fils ; lequel Livre est tant solacieux, qu'il doit etre sur tout aatre nomme le vrai Sentier d'Honneur, et 1'Exemplaire de toute Chevalerie. Nouvelle- ment re'duit de langage inconnu au vulgaire langage Francois ; " Paris : Jean Bonfons, sans date. An abstract of it, by Nicolas-Bricaire de la Dixmerie (ob. 1791), is found in Melanges tires d'une grande Ubliotlivque, Paris, 1780, tome viii., pp. 225-277. In the short preface to his extmit, M. de la Dixmerie says that this romance " has not been given to us as a known translation. In what language was it first written? We are not told. We are informed that the original author was called Marithiaux ; but that tells us nothing. It is supposed that it is a device of the translator to conceal his own name. Let us see if he has made a great sacrifice to his modesty." l The following is a free translation of the first part of the extrait ; it is much to be regretted that the writer did not furnish some passages from the romance itself :

1 There are two editions of the Histoire de Berinns in the Library of the British Museum, one " Imprime par la Veufue feu Jehan Trepperel," Paris (? 1525), the other, printed by Alain Lotrian, Paris (? 1537), both in 4to. Mr. Frederick John Vipan has kindly favoured me with some extracts from the first of these, of which I avail myself in the course of this paper.

The author says he has composed his work at the instance and request of his friend and lord, for whom he would do great service if he had enough wit and ability, tie then tells us that at the present day many men of under standing would devote themselves to the art of composition and writing, if they were provided with their living, as in old times, for then kings, princes, and great lords maintained men of talent, and held them in great honour ; but now all is changed : men are too much taken up with seeking for means of subsistence to be able to write any profitable work ; and even if they should do so, there would be little mention of their productions on account of their low estate, for the higher the rank of the writer the more widely are his works known. "And so there was none but myself, little as I am, to accomplish the command of my lord ; and I count it no trouble to fulfil his will, and moreover the matter of which I would speak pleases me. And think not the said matter is new, rather is it of very great antiquity, but it is not of less value on that account." — In the second chapter it is stated that this book was written by a "clerc qui s'appellait Marthiaulx ; " and in ch. 128: "Or dit 1'histoire ainsi comme marteawle le racunte : " in ch. 34 he is called marteau.

ABSTRACT OF FRENCH ORIGINAL. 125

Abstract of frencfj Version.

\_The nos. at the side are those of the lines of the English Poem.~\

FT! HERE was an emperor of Rome, named Philip, successor of 785 JL Constantino, who had a council composed of seven sages,1 two 789 of whom, Cicero and Scipio, were astronomers — that is to say, 822 astrologers, for at that time one had not sufficient knowledge to style himself soothsayer or prophet. During the reign of Philip 828 there dwelt in Rome a very noble and wealthy citizen, named Fawnus, who had long desired the blessing of an heir. His wife, 845 Agea, fervently prayed to Heaven for the same, and at last her supplications were granted. She gave birth to a son, whom they 884 named Berinus. Having waited for him many years, they were anxious that the greatest care should be taken of him, and so he was 900 never thwarted in anything, and had every wish or whim gratified. Berinus was scarcely twelve years old when he was considered by the children as one of the best born and worst educated in the capital. On attaining his fifteenth year he ought to have followed the example of other young Romans, and practised the exercises of the field of Mars, such as wrestling, running, and throwing the javelin, as well as leaping hedges and broad ditches, and swimming across the Tiber. It is well known that the great warriors of Rome were excellent swimmers : Caesar gave a proof of this near Alexandria ; but Berinus did not wish to take Caesar as his model. His affectionate parents and himself considered that the exercises of the circus were of too rough a description, seeing that those who engaged in them often

1 Wright, in his edition of the Canterbury Tales, printed for the Percy Society, vol. xxvi., p. 243, says that "from the manner in which the Seven Sages are introduced at the beginning of the Tale of Bvryn [see 11. 789-825], it is evident there must have been some version of that romance [i. e. The History of the Seven Wise Masters of Rome'} in Europe differing from the usual one, which does not contain this story." I don't agree with him. The seven sages of the emperor Philip are mentioned but twice afterwards (11. 100!) and 2659), while in the French romance, as we shall see, they figure with little honour — old Geoffrey proves more than a match for their combined "wisdom." It is not uncommon in medifeval stories for a king or emperor to have seven "wise men" for his counsellors, who. unlike those of the romance referred to by Wright, don't relate tales to their royal master.

126 TALE OF BERYN ; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

returned with bruised limbs and gouged eyes, or Lad a chance of being drowned in attempting to swim across the Tiber. This would be committing to the hazards of a single day the fruit and object of the wishes of many long years.1 Games of chance (commonly called Tripots) offered to Berinus exercises less fatiguing. He 923 made them his field of Mars; and he had such a predilection for dice and the game of outre-merelle, that he more than once lost all 928 his clothes : the rich heir of Fawn us would come home in his shirt. Agea, his mother, was comforted by the reflection that if Berinus allowed himself to be stripped in this way, it was out of pure com passion for his tailor. Good people laughed heartily at the mishap, for it was not natural to blame such a precious young shoot. But

1008 his mother died,2 and when the news was brought to Berinus while playing at cards (and losing, as usual), he was enraged at a maid servant for interrupting him, returned a foolish and heartless answer, and dismissed her with blows.

Now Fawnus, although wealthy, was a courtier, and sought every means of pleasing the emperor, who resolved to put his obedience to the test, and proposed that he should marry the most

1112 beautiful lady in Rome. This was the charming Raine, who had been Philip's mistress, though her fidelity to him was more than suspected. After a little consideration Fawnus consented, and the

1132 nuptials were at once celebrated. He soon became strongly attached to his new wife, who was not slow to take advantage of his doting fondness. (The author here conjectures that there must have been witchcraft in all this ; but, in truth, Fawnus was old, and Raine was young, beautiful, and skilled in the art of pleasing.) As for Berinus, he changed nothing in his conduct, and would not have objected to his father's marrying ten times, if only he was not thwarted in any of his amusements. But he was not long in finding that Raine was

1 There is not a word of all this passage about athletic exercises in our version, nor in the original romance.

2 In our Tale (probably also in the French original) the dying mother of Beryn begs her husband — and it is one of the best passages in the poem — not to marry again ; for they had both helped to make their son what he is by indulging his evil propensities, and a step-mother would make him still worse by unkindness. The story of Beryn's childhood and youth, as told in our version, is true to life — and "a caution to parents!"

ABSTRACT OF FRENCH ORIGINAL. 127

much less indulgent to him than his mother Agea. She made no attempt to reform him ; on the contrary, her grand object was to 1145 cause his ruin and disgrace. His best actions she misrepresented to liis father, and converted simple faults into grave crimes. Fawnus, who had so long suffered all these things from his son, found them inexcusable when told to him by Raine. He began by not seeing his son except after long intervals, and then only with pain, and finished by expalling him from his house. The unhappy young man did not venture to seek for aid amongst his own kin, whom he had always neglected, and whose reproaches he feared. He found no comfort from those whom he had considered as his friends, who showed themselves merely evil acquaintances. Misfortune instructs such as it cannot correct. Berinus reflected upon all he had done and experienced, and felt that he had not been too severely punished. He had lost Agea, an affectionate mother, and had not till now realized the extent of his loss. He roamed about the city, despised and rejected by everybody. The capital of the world would not afford him a shelter. "I shall go and conceal myself," cried he, at 1333 length, " and die upon my mother's tomb." For two days he remained in that mournful retreat. His relatives, feeling uneasy at his long absence, had recourse to Fawnus, who yearned for his son. 1337 Raine, fearing lest she should be accused of having caused his death, induced her husband to make a strict search for Berinus, and she accompanied him. After many unsuccessful inquiries, Fawnus, in 1404 his distress, thought of visiting the grave of Agea. A young man, with his face pressed upon the tomb, was fondly embracing it, and bathing it with his tears. He appeared emaciated and feeble, and oblivious of all around him. Fawnus and Raine drew nearer, and 1421 recognized Berinus. Would not the soul of any father be melted at such a spectacle? Fawnus raised up his son and embraced him. Both wept, and even Raine herself was much affected. They took Berinus home and treated him kindly. Filial piety has in itself something so touching that it can move the most heartless step mother. But Berinus had to struggle against something more powerful in the heart of Rame : she loved a young Roman knight. Fawnus suspected nothing of this intrigue, but Berinus was more

1 28 TALE OP BERYN ; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

1462 difficult to deceive.1 *At length of his own accord he resolved to quit Rome, and besought his father to provide him with five vessels

1479 laden with rich merchandise. Raine eagerly supported this request, but prevailed upon her husband to demand in return that Berinus

1528 should formally surrender all his rights as successor to his father. The deed was drawn up and signed in presence of the emperor and

1557 his seven sages, and as soon as the five vessels were ready Berinus sailed away, with the design of trading in foreign countries.

1563 After Berinus had been two days2 at sea, a great storm arose and forced him to seek refuge with his vessels in the chief port of the

1619 kingdom of Blandie. This was close to the capital, the citizens of which were thievish, cunning, and treacherous, for whom the riches of Berinus were a strong temptation. He was not, in any way, robbed, but, which comes to the same thing, they brought against him a great many lawsuits, and in those remote times there was very little chance of his ever seeing the end of them. It was the custom of the hosts of Blandie to be very kind towards strangers

1648 whom they suspected of being rich. That of Berinus3 welcomed him with distinction and even obsequiousness. A most sumptuous dinner was served up, at which gaiety was joined to good cheer.

1732 The repast over, a chess-board of ivory, inlaid with silver, was

1747 brought out. Berinus reluctantly consented to play, and won three times in succession. The moderate sum staked at first was doubled, and Berinus found himself a gainer of more than he had expended since his arrival at Blandie. His courteous host appeared to be much chagrined at being defeated, and Berinus wished to cease playing, in order to return to the port and see the condition of his ships ; but he was assured that they were all in safety, and told that

1759 he ought to allow his opponent another chance. New conditions were imposed, the most severe of which was that the loser must do

1768 whatever his opponent should require of him, or drink up the waters of the sea. For some time the room had been filling with spectators,

1 There is no mention of this intrigue in our version, where she artfully plays with the old man's doting fondness and her supposititious child by him — she'd rather have him dead than grow up like Beryn ! (1183 — 1222)

2 Three days in our version.

3 The burgess, Syrophane, in our version.

ABSTRACT OP FRENCH ORIGINAL. 129

whose appearance was not the most prepossessing. A new game was begun, and the fortunes of the players were not long in changing. He whom Berinus had so easily defeated now appeared, like Anthens, to have derived fresh strength from falling. The jeers which greeted Berinus from the onlookers distracted him, and his skilful rival was not slow to take advantage of the circumstance, so Berinus was checkmated. The victor then modestly put forward his claim, 1822 which was simply to deprive Berinus of all his possessions. As he would not consent to this, they dragged him before the seneschal,1 1852 who, on hearing the case, showed himself as evilly disposed towards the foreigner as he was favourable to his own countrymen. Berinus 1872 requested three days in order to prepare his defence, and was accorded the favour on his providing good surety for his appearance. The provost of the city, called Sir Hannibal, was present and expressed 1878 his opinion that the five ships of Berinus were sufficient bail. He even thought that it might be advisable to unload the vessels and 1893 deposit the cargoes in his warehouse, already well furnished with every kind of merchandise, in much the same way, assuring Berinus that there was still space for his goods. The seneschal approved of this proposal, and Berinus, having no alternative, proceeded with Hannibal to the harbour. The provost went over all the vessels and 1916 carefully examined the cargoes, which he found to consist of the inest and most valuable goods. " I have something to propose to you," said he to Berinus. " Alas ! " replied the disconsolate Eoman, " propose and dispose ; for here I see it is about the same thing." "I have told you," resumed the provost, "that my warehouse is filled with precious goods, all of the best market value. Let us agree to make an exchange : whatever may be the issue of your case, you will give me all you have here ; and if you gain it, you will take for your indemnity all that will suit you in my warehouse, in order 1925 to freight and fill up your five vessels." Then he whispered in his ear, " On this condition, I undertake to arrange your case with the seneschal ; " adding aloud, " in short, I shall make use of him more for your advantage than my own." Berinus agreed to everything, perforce ; and there was a possibility, though a slight one, that this 1 The steward, Evandir, in our version.

130 TALE OF BERYN; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

arrangement might be to his advantage. As they were beginning to unload the vessels, Berinus returned to the provost's warehouse, to examine the exchange they were compelling him to accept, but there

1948 he found nothing — all had been removed elsewhere; Hannibal, in fact, had cleared his stores to make room f jr the bales of Berinus. " Behold," said Hannibal, in a sarcastic tone to the Roman, who was very much astounded, " this is tlie place, according to our agree ment : I don't wish to put any impediment in your way." Berinus could only return to the seneschal, who courteously postponed this new suit to the following day.

The Roman then retraced his steps towards the ships, cursing the

2001 swindling Blandiens. He at once became the talk of the whole town, and everybody was desirous to have a share in his ruin. A

2008 blind man, having heard the foreigner spoken about and learning that lie was approaching, laid hold of Berinus as he was passing, and bawled out lustily, " Murder ! — help ! " Berinus was once more dragged before the seneschal. " Sir," said the blind man, " I ask justice of you." "Against whom]" "This man whom I hold."

2045 "What is his offence1?" "He has my eyes, and refuses to give them back to me." Berinus was struck dumb from sheer astonishment. " What have you to say for yourself 1 " demanded the seneschal of him in a severe tone. " I know nothing about it," replied Berinus.

2090 " I need advice, and request that this suit be delayed like the others," to which the seneschal consented.

" Will this be sufficient ? " said Berinus to himself, as he returned to the harbour. "Am I quite free, for to-day, from gamblers, pro vosts, seneschals, and blind men 1 Is there not one knave more

2096 preparing for me some other insult1?" Just then, a \voman, carrying an infant in her arms, accosted him with the air and tones of a Fury, calling him a faithless and treacherous man, after having pledged his troth to her and made her the mother of that child. Here was fresh cause of astonishment for Berinus : another visit to the seneschal and this new suit put off to the following day.

It was, as we have seen, to seek advice that Berinus had, at each successive accusation, requested delay. But from whom was he to

2210 seek advice? A passer-by came up to him and said, "Take my

ABSTRACT OF FRENCH ORIGINAL. 131

advice, stranger — give up a portion of your goods and save the rest. Offer ten talents to the seneschal : he is the man that will not refuse the money; and give him also this valuable knife, which I offer you, and he will favour you in all your cases. I will go with you to him, and you will bless your stars for having taken me as your adviser. In short," added he (and we will here use the author's own words, which he professes to have borrowed from Solomon), "one may willingly give up a crusty little loaf, in order to save the whole batch." This counsel seemed good to Berinus, so he returned once more to the seneschal, only to find a new charge brought against him by his obliging counsellor. Martin (such was the man's name)1 22G8 modestly claimed the five ships of Berinus and their rich cargoes, which all belonged, said he, to his father, who had set out with the ships from Blandie to have them repaired at Eome, as witnesses were ready to prove. Moreover, the knife which Berinus had in his pocket, he added, was a proof that he had murdered his (Martin's) father, to whom it had belonged. This accusation was received like the others, and postponed to be judged along with them.

Berinus, whose freedom they granted, seeing that it was his riches and not his person they wished to possess, had now become suspicious of every human figure,2 and as he was trying once more to

1 The catchpoll, Macaigne, in our version.

2 No mention is made here, as in our Tale — true, this is only an abstract — of poor Beryn's bitter reflections on his former wiclced life, which he con fesses to himself has brought all these troubles on him. He feels that he is justly, though heavily, punished :

" For while I had tyme, wisdom I might have lernyd ; But I drough me to foly, and wold nat be governed, But had al myne owne will and of no man a-ferd, For I was nevir chastised : but now myne owne yerd Betith me to sore ; the strokis be to hard." (1. 2321 ff.)

He curses the day he sold his heritage, for now he is like the man, who, to drive the flies off, set fire to his barn ; and, still worse, he may now lose his life, and what will become of his men, who have done no one any injury? (2306 — 2377) — The old English translator has followed his original pretty closely, as will be seen by comparing the passage with the following from the French romance :

" In the meantime Berinus issued from the house, sorrowing and thought ful, and in great anxiety to have counsel. And he departed raging, and saving such words as these: 'Alas, wretch that I am! right well have I deserved the evil and sorrow that I have, when my heart will never persevere in well-doing, and I have madly abandoned my country and renounced my great inheritance, to get shame and trouble. Yea, it is quite right that I have

132 TALE OF BERYN; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

return to the port, finally met a man who seized him by the cloak. 2379 "Is this all you want?" cried the Roman; "if so, I shall for once 2426 get off cheaply;" and unloosing his cloak, he abandoned it to the would-be robber and escaped. " Stop ! " said the man to him. " It is not your garment I want, it is yourself." But Berinus only ran the more quickly. The man followed and came up with him a short distance from the port. " Listen to me," said he, " I am not sur prised at your distrust, but I know very well how to remove it ; " 2477 and he offered to accompany Berinus on board one of his ships.1 Berinus, having taken a long look at the man, smiled at his own fear. He was of little stature, and from his appearance not one to inspire terror ; — evidently a kind of ^Esop, in body and mind. " My name is Geoffrey," said he to Berinus. " I am an earth-potter, but formerly, in Rome, I practised a more noble calling." "In Rome?" "Yes, I am a Roman, like you." "In that case," said Berinus, "come with me on board of one of my ships." When there, each related to the other the events of his life.

it, since I have pursued it; and, alas, I ought now to have been in Rome, with my father and my other friends, and to be in great honour and in great lord ship, and to lead forth my hounds and hawks, and go a hunting with the knights and squires of the Roman empire. And I have left it all to seek hard adventures and meddle with that whereof I knew nothing ; so that I am like the boor who set fire to his house to rid it of the flies ; for I have cast all my honour into disrepute and afar for a little melancholy ; — so do I not heed what Solomon says, that he takes an evil vengeance on himself who lengthens his mourning. Alas, what will my men do that I have brought with me ? I have indeed deceived and betrayed them ; for they will be poor and wretched through me, and yet they have no fault. But as for me, I have well deserved the evil and shame that I have."

The wittol. to whom Beryu likens himself, who burned down his barn to drive off the flies, reappears in the Merry Tales of the Mad Men of Gotham, as follows :

" There dwelt a Smith at Gottam, who had a Waspes nest in the strow in the end of his Forge. There did come one of his neighbors to haue his horse shood, and the Waspes were so busie, that the fellow was stung with a Waspe. He, being angry, said : 'Art thou worthy to keepe a forge or no, to haue men stung here with wasps?' ' O neighbour,' said the Smith, 'be content ; I will put them from this nest by and by.' Immediately he tooke a Coulter, and heated it in his Forge glowing hot, and h j thrust it into the straw in the end of his Forge, and so he set his Forge a-fire [and] burnt it vp. Then said the Smith : ' I told thee I would fire them forth of their nest.' "

The Gothamite drolleries are, none of them, home-grown : they are found — mutatis mutandis — current from Iceland to Ceylon.

1 In our version it is Beryn who proposes that Geoffrey should come with him in to one of his vessels.

ABSTRACT OF FRENCH ORIGINAL. 133

Geoffrey was really born in Eome.1 He had inherited a large fortune; but soon became more famous for his ready wit than his riches. More than once, although not a counsellor of the emperor, he decided state questions. He frequently answered, and always wisely, questions upon which the seven sages durst not express an opinion. An Eastern prince had submitted several questions which, according to the custom of Orientals, were so many enigmas : strong common sense was often concealed under the most familiar images. " I have," said this prince, " a rotten tooth, which causes me ceaseless pain, and gives me rest neither night nor day."2 The second question was : " A bee creeps into my room every morning, in spite of the precaution which is taken to carefully shut doors and windows. It fastens on my hand at the moment when I have a great desire to sleep ; and if I chance to move my hand in the least, it stings it so as to make it swell." The third question was as follows : " I have in my garden a pear-tree, which surpasses all the others round about it. Its trunk is straight ; its top, leafy ; and it covers a large space of ground ; but nothing can grow beneath its shade, and its fruit is a poison to any one who ventures to taste it." The seven sages regarded these questions as too childish. It was beneath their dignity to consult them on such trifles. "We have," said they, "no balm to cure a diseased tooth ; no secret to hinder a bee from creep ing into a room ; no device to improve the fruit of a tree." "There is no question of improving," cried Geoffrey to them ; " what is com pletely bad can never become good. Listen to the meaning of the riddle ; this would be a suitable reply to the Eastern prince : ' Get your rotten tooth pulled, or it will spoil the others ; and be sure it is pulled out by the root, so th-it nothing may remain, for the stump would cause new agonies : as the proverb says, " an empty house is better than a bad tenant." Kill the fly, seeing that it has honey in its mouth and poison in its tail ; it seeks to pester you in every way. Lastly, Tip-root the tree whose fruit and shade even are so dangerous. It may be an ornament in your orchard, but it uselessly eats up the

1 The following account of Geoffrey while in Rome does not occur in our version.

2 Presumably the "question" — for thi? is simply a statement — was: " What will cure this raging molar?"

134 TALE OF BERYN j OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

substance, and kills the useful plants which only require to be allowed to spread out.' " The seven sages were rather astounded at what they had themselves said, and what they hfid just heard.1 Geoffrey gave them other lessons, which at once roused their jealousy. He perceived that he could not displease with impunity a council of philosophers, and not being able to parry their malice, he thought his most prudent course was to get beyond their reach. So he sailed away, and a tempest drove him to the Blandiens, who laid a thousand snares to rob him, but he had taken the precaution to have in a portable form the best part of his treasures ; besides, he only gave out that he was a humble potter, working for his living. As he had nothing, apparently, to losa, they soon ceased to take any particular notice of him.2 Geoffrey detailed all these circumstances at great 2808 length to Berinus, adding, " I will set you free. To-morrow I will return at cock-crow; be not discouraged; I undertake to get from them more than they would have taken from you." 3

1 It is not easy to discover any great sagacity in Geoffrey's replies; and the seven sages must have been so many arrant noodles when, in the first place, they could not prescribe remedies for toothache, a troublesome bee. and a baneful pear-tree, and, afterwards, were astonished at the " prescriptions '' of Geoffrey. I suspect the author of this romance had but a confused recollection of the three riddles — for such, doubtless, they were, in their original forms — and "solved" them out of his own profound mind. — From remote times it seems to have been a favourite practice at Asiatic courts to propound " hard questions" as well as for eminent sages to deliver, at the desire of a king, " good and notable sentences" — that is to say, apothegms, or striking sayings. We learn from the Old Testament that the Queen of Sheba (or Saba, whom the Arabian writers identify with Bilkis, queen of El-Yemen) came to prove the wisdom of Solomon with hard questions, and that he answered them all — "there was not anything hid from the king which he told her not." What were the questions, or riddles, the solution of which by Solomon so much astonished the Queen of Sheba. we are not informed by the sacred historian ; but, if we may credit rabbinical and Muslim legends, the result of this celebrated visit of her Sabean Majesty was her marriage with the sage Hebrew king.

2 This account of his treatment by the knavish citizens differs very materially from that given in our tale, where he says they robbed him of a thousand pounds' worth of goods, and he was obliged to disguise himself as a cripple to save his life (11. 2497-2505).

3 In our version Geoffrey advises Beryn to go to the palace of the good Duke Isope, " wher thyn empechement shull be i-mevid ; " but Beryn, after Geoffrey's account of the monsters which guard the approaches to Isope's chamber, is so terrified that he refuses, even for the value of his five ships ; upon which Geoffrey undertakes to go himself. Mr. Vipan informs me that in the original Geoffrey advises Berinus to slink into the hall, slide along the wall, slip into the king's chamber, and hide himself under Isope's couch.

ABSTRACT OF FRENCH ORIGINAL. 135

Geoffrey rejoined Berinus at the appointed hour, and they went to the house of the seneschal. Geoffrey obtained leave to speak for Berinus, who did not know the customs of the country. This con descension may seem strange, "but Geoffrey had on this occasion 2916 assumed the air and manners of a fool, and they did not think that such an advocate would be dangerous, but rather that he would amuse them by his conduct of the case : he was too insignificant for the opponents of Berinus, whom he answered one after another. To the chess-player he said : " You demand that my countryman should give up all he possesses, or drink up all the waters of the sea. He will give up nothing ; he will drink : he has made the same vow to 3492 Saint James of Compostella.1 He will drink all the waters of the sea, but not the rivers which flow into it. Begin, then, by turning aside the course of all these rivers, after which we will do what you require."2 The sharper was somewhat taken aback by this proposition.

" When Berinus refuses to go," Mr. Vipan continues, " I suppose Geoffrey adopts the same course himself, though I do not find it expressly stated ; he certainly goes there somehow, and gets the information he wants. Probably the English writer made a change because he thought that Isope's receiving all the rogues of the city in his chamber inconsistent with his station and high character."

The description of Duke Isope's castle and garden reads like — what it is — • a leaf out of an Oriental romance. The ceiling of the great hall is of selondyne, the pavement of gold and azure, in which is one stone that scorches up what ever comes near it, and another of equal coldness. Two leopards guard a door leading into a garden — they can do no harm if blown upon very gently — the finest garden in the world, in which are birds of gold and silver that move about as if they were alive, and in the midst the fairest tree under the sky, the leaves of which are also

Of sylvir and of golde fyne, that lusty been to see.

As usual, necromancers and a white lion guard this paradise, but by simply touching a branch of the fair tree they are at once subdued. (See note on treasure-trees, Chaucer Analogues, p. 336.) We read of a superb palace in the Arabian romance of Antar, all of marble and carnelian. "In the centre was a fountain filled with rose-water and purest musk ; in the middle of it was a column of emerald, and on its summit a hawk of burnished gold, its eyes were topazes and its beak jasper. Around it were [golden] birds, scattering from their bills on all who were present musk and ambergris. The whole edifice was scented with perfumes, and the ceiling glittered with gold and silver. It was one of the wonders of the period, and the miracle of the age."

1 It was a very common practice in the Middle Ages to swear by, as well as make vows to, this saint (James the Greater), because of the celebrity of his relics, supposed to be preserved at Compostella.

In Tale xix. of an early English version of the Gesta Romanorum, edited, for the Koxburghe Club, by Sir Frederic Madden, to the question, " How many

136 TALE OF BERYN ; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

He said they were exacting an impossibility. "That is your affair," said Geoffrey, " and it is the only way to ours. You will comply with that condition, or pay a good round sum ; and if the seneschal does not give us justice, we will appeal to good King Isope, who will refuse no one." So the sharper was compelled to pay a proportionate sum for the wrong which he had wished to inflict on Berinus.

The second accuser was called; it was the provost. "What are your charges against this stranger 1 " said the seneschal to him. "You know them," replied the provost: " he consented to give me the cargoes of his five vessels, and take in exchange what would be suitable for him in my warehouses." "I found nothing in them," said Berinus in a mournful tone ; " there was nothing in them to

3577 load five ships." " Let us see," said Geoffrey to the seneschal; " we must verify the state of matters." Accordingly they go to the ware-

3582 house of the provost and find it completely empty. There was nothing, as they say, but the bare walls. Two butterflies only were

3612 seen floating about the room. " These are only insects," said Geoffrey, "which prove that the provost has deceived us. He told my client that his warehouse was full of merchandise, in good condition ; but his goods have been eaten up by insects. In proof of this we still see the butterflies which are a part of them. Is it to fill his vessels with such insects that Berinus has left Borne, and exposed himself to

3623 the dangers of the deep — of shipwrecks and of lawsuits 1 If so, let our accuser load with butterflies our five vessels. We shall be very well pleased, and our quarrel will be ended." 1 The provost was utterly confounded. He asked that the original bargain should be declared off. " To that we object," said Geoffrey. " You owe us for merchandise — butterflies or a fine." The provost decided to pay the

fine.

gallons of salt water are there in the sea ? " the reply is, " Let all the passages of fresh water be stopped, and then I'll tell thee." This also occurs in the old German book of the drolleries of Tyl Eulenspiegel, of which an English trans lation was published about J 550, under the title of A Merry Jest of a Man that was called Hinvleglas.

1 The writer of the east rait does not say that Geoffrey had previously pro vided himself with the (white) butterflies, and, still better, that he claimed five ship-loads of them, as they were wanted by a Roman doctor to make an oint ment of, which would cure all kinds of diseases.

ABSTRACT OF FRENCH ORIGINAL. 137

The party then returned to the audience-chamber, where they found the blind man. Said Geoffrey : " This is a man who asserts that he has given my client his eyes. Twenty witnesses depone to the fact. We do not deny it. But twenty others depone that it was an exchange : Berinus gave him his eyes for an equivalent ; let 3724 him at once return to Berinus, in good condition, those which he should give back." This proposal was ended by inflicting a fine, which the blind man paid.

The woman now came forward, carrying, as on the evening before, a child in her arms. She did not wait till Geoffrey spoke, but, taking possession of the court,1 " Yes," cried- she (and it is said she even wept), " yes, the faithless one whom you see forsook me, after marrying me, after making me the mother of this child — perhaps he wishes to say he does not know me." " ISTot at all," interrupted the advocate of Berinus ; " we acknowledge you as our wife, and your son as our son. But I ask of the lord seneschal and this honourable 3769 assembly, ought the man to follow the woman, or the woman the man 1 " It was generally agreed that the woman should follow the man. "It is that which has been refused us," replied Geoffrey in a voice of thunder, striking on the railing which separated the audience. "Well! we are quite ready. I have to say that Berinus is quite 3773 ready to take away this woman, whom he knows to be his wife, and this child, whom he knows to be his son." At these words the bold ness of the female accuser disappeared. She begged the seneschal not to pronounce judgment ; but the pitiless Geoffrey exacted a fine, which was paid by the real husband, the real father of the child, who was soon found.

There remained Martin, the most wicked of all, since his accusation was the most atrocious. He wished rather not to risk it ; he hesitated to repeat it. Geoffrey saved him the trouble. The knife, certified, formed the basis of his charge ; it became his accuser. It was, 3824 according to Geoffrey, with this knife that the father of his client had

1 Our English version says that " hir tunge was nat sclytt" (I. 3204). There can be little doubt, I think, that a monk wrote this romance. Those old misogynists (albeit notorious lechers, if they are not belied in song and story) seldom let slip the smallest opportunity for girding at women in their sermons and other compositions.

UKRYN, II. 10

138 TALE OF BERYN ; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

been murdered; it was partly to find again the owner of this knife, and consequently the murderer, that Berinus had undertaken his voyage. Martin had confessed that this knife belonged to his father, who had therefore killed the father of Berinus. Martin acknowledged that his father was dead ; he had then inherited the knife with his other property ; his goods ought therefore to be confiscated and handed over to Berinus, and so forth. The seneschal ordered Martin to pay a fine, like the others.

3884 So ended this memorable trial. The Blandiens went home, some utterly astounded, others quite speechless from surprise; while Geoffrey, Berinus, and his followers returned to the port to celebrate

3917 at a feast this five-fold victory which they had just gained. They were still enjoying themselves when the pages of the king were announced. Good King Esope had sent them to congratulate Berinus on his success in all his lawsuits and offer him rich presents. First of all, he was presented with a sabre of the finest quality, and richly adorned with jewels ; another offered a gold cup of exquisite workmanship. All those young deputies, to the number of twelve,1 laid before him, each in turn, some gift worthy of him who had

3939 charged them with the message. Berinus was then invited, in the name of the king, to an audience on the following day. The first question of Esope was to ask of his deputies, as soon as they returned, which of his presents seemed most to please Berinus. They answered that he had given them all into other hands excepting the sabre,

3989 which he had kept for himself. " So much the better," said Esope. "This preference shows a man of courage, and strengthens me in my project." Esope intended to give in marriage to Berinus his

1 Mr. Vipan says: "In the romance we have 'v. damoiseaux,' in bot editions; one of them is afterwards termed 'le varlet.'" The number Esope's emissaries is also five in our Tale (1. 3919), but the translator (wh< perhaps did not know French perfectly) represents them as maidens. "Th< title of varlet, or valet." says W. Stewart Rose, in his notes to his free metrical rendering of Partenopex de Blois, pp. 33, 34. "synonymous with that of damoisedu in French, and knave in English, was given indifferently to tl sous of kings and great nobles not yet knighted. In Villehardouin the sor of the Emperor of the East is denominated ' Varlet de Constantinople ; ' am in an account of the house of Philip the Fair, the children of that monarch, as well as several other princes, are styled varlets. Hence the prince in a pack of cards is by the French still called varlet, and by the English knave."

ABSTRACT OF FRENCH ORIGINAL. 139

niece Cleopatra,1 and thus have him proclaimed as his successor. Now Esope was himself a stranger in his kingdom, and, as he esteemed not one of his subjects, the Blandiens, and believed that Eerinus was a wonderful man, his project was a politic one. Berinus arrived at the court of Esope in a magnificent carriage.2 Geoffrey was one of his followers, and proved not less useful to him on this occasion than he had been necessary at the court of the seneschal. He related to the king, who knew and esteemed him, the adventures 4008 of the lately-arrived stranger, to whom he gave the honour of all that he himself had done in Eome, and of what he had just done for him in Blandie. Esope, moreover, knew of the noble birth of Berinus, and all confirmed him in his plans. The union was proposed : and a sight of Cleopatra made the proposition more precious to Berinus than even the prospect of a crown. He did not, however, foresee the obstacles that were to be encountered. There was a knight named Logres, who loved Cleopatra, and, moreover, had some pre tensions to the crown. On learning that a foreigner was about to wrest both from him, Logres sent a challenge to the " Roman merchant," and the tone of his letter of defiance showed the utmost disdain of the person and profession of his rival. Berinus was in love, and at the same time enraged, but he was not a knight. Geoffrey, however, had been distinguished in forrne'r years in the noble profession, and he gave Berinus instructions in it, of which he profited so well that, after Geoffrey had dubbed him knight, he

1 His daughter, according to our version.

2 la the romance, when Berinus visits Esope the wonders of his hall are again described (ch. 25, " Des merveilles de la salle du roy isopes "), which leads to an episode relating to the early history of Blandie : Agriano, king of the Isle of Gamel, having a penchant for his own sex, expelled all the women from Garael ; many men joined them, and they settled in the island of Blandie, which was also subject to Agriano. He demanded tribute, which being refused, he invaded Blandie with an army and was defeated and taken prisoner. Then follows a story of an incestuous king, about whose doings the less that is said the better ; but I may mention that both the wicked kings perished in the river, which was ever after in a state of great commotion, and their bodies were at times seen floating on the surface of the hideous waters. A bridge over this river conducted to Esope's palace, and Berinus and his companions passed over it in fear and trembling when they went to visit the king. Berinus, however, reaches the audience chamber through a different hall from that described by Geoffrey, which affords the author an opportunity for detailing still more wonders.

140 TALE OF BERYN ; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

encountered Logres, and hurled him from his saddle. Logres, 4009 covered with shame, soon after disappeared. Berinus. as a reward of his victory, was married to Cleopatra, and shortly after, Esope dying, he succeeded to the crown of Blandie. Geoffrey, who had up till now been so useful, resolved to return to Rome. He set out, laden with rich presents, yet only came back to his native country in the humble garb of a potter. He was, however, recognized, and the emperor often consulted him : he had now no cause to complain of the seven sages ; and praise from them was praise indeed. l

Such is the outline of the first part of the French romance from which our Tale of Beryn was derived. But whence did the French author obtain his materials? That is a question not easily answered. No corresponding tale is known to exist in the literature of any other European country ; and, although a Greek version of Asiatic extraction had been in existence several centuries previous to the composition of the French romance, yet it is not at all certain that the tale of Berinus and the Blandiens was adapted from that version. The story in question is found in Syntipas, a Greek rendering of a Syriac text of the Book of Sindibad, which was made by one Andreopulos, during the last decade of the llth century. The Book of Sindibad, the original of which is lost, is believed to have been written in India, but at what period is not known.2 It was probably translated into Pahlavi, the ancient language of Persia, in the 6th century; from Pahlavi it was rendered into Arabic about the middle of the 8th century ; from Arabic it was translated into Syriac, under the title of Sindbdn; into old Spanish (Castilian), under the title of Libro de los Engannos et los Asayamientos de las Mugeres, or Book of the Deceits and Tricks of Women, in 1253; and into Hebrew, also about the middle of the 13th century, under the title of Mislile Sandabar, or the Parables of Sandabar. The

1 Abstract of remaining part of the romance, which recounts the chivalric adventures of young Aigres, and his father's subsequent career, will be found in Appendix, p. 160 ff.

2 For an outline of the frame, or leading storj', of the Book of Sindibad and its European imitations ('The Seven Wise Masters'), see Chaucer Ana logues, p. 322.

PERSIAN VERSION. 141

Arabic version made from the Pahlavi lias disappeared, but we may consider it as fairly represented by the Greek text of Andreopulos, and the Syriac and old Spanish texts. A comparatively modern Arabic rechauffe of the work, omitting several of the original tales and substituting others, forms a member of the Book of the Thou sand and One Night*, and is commonly known under the titles of "The Malice of Women" and "The Seven Vazirs." There is yet another version, a Persian poem, Sindibad Ndma, or Book of Sindibad, of which a unique but imperfect MS. is preserved in the Library of the India Office, and which, though written A.D. 1379, may represent an older form of the work than the Greek and the Syriac texts. In this version our tale is thus related :

THERE was once a young man, a merchant, who wandered about the world like the zephyr or the north wind, and who, like the sun and moon, was on his travels every month and all the year round. Manifold are the advantages of travel, by which a man of enterprise becomes respected. He who has travelled is awake and intelligent ; and when an affair of importance occurs, he is powerful ; while he who has sat inactive at home can with difficulty procure a livelihood. Travel is the profit and the capital of man ; its hardships are his nurse. Through it the raw and inexperienced at length become adepts; through it the great achieve renown. By travel the new moon perpetually becomes the full. What is travel, but a capital by which a fortune may be amassed.2 By travel this young man became alert and active; and he who is active attains to wealth. He was now in Khata, now in Khutan ; 3 now in Aleppo and now in Yemen. He carried the products of Khurasan to Kh,arazm ; 4 he

1 From my privately-printed edition of the Book of Sindibad.

2 " Capital is multiplied twice or thrice over, by repeatedly buying and selling, by those who have knowledge and travel in other lands." — Pancha Tantra (The Five Sections) ; a Sanskrit form of the Fables of Bidpai, or Pilpay.

3 Both Khata and Khutan were kingdoms, or principalities, in Chinese Tartary.

4 Kh,arazm is a region lying along the river Oxus, and extending to the Caspian Sea.

142 TALE OF BERYN ; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

conveyed the stuffs of Ispahan to the emperor of China. As he sold in Bukhara the products of Abyssinia, he necessarily sold them at one for ten.1

Some one having told him that at Kashgar 2 sandal- wood was of equal value with gold, and was sold for its weight in that metal, he resolved to proceed thither; and accordingly, having converted all his capital into sandal-wood,3 he' set out on his journey. When he arrived near Kashgar, a person of the country, hearing that he had a large supply of sandal-wood (in which he himself dealt), and fearing lest that commodity should be depreciated by its abundance, devised the following stratagem. Going two stages out of the city, he halted at the spot where the foreign merchant was, and having pitched his tent and opened his bales, he lit a fire and piled sandal-wood on it for fuel. When the merchant smelt the odour of the sandal-wood he rushed from his tent in amazement and vexation. The man from the city saluted him, saying : " You are welcome ; may God protect you from evil ! Say, from what country do you come, and what merchandise bring you]" The merchant informed him. "You have made a sad blunder," remarked the citizen. " Why have you brought cumin-seed to Kirman 1 4 The whole timber of this country is sandal-wood : every casement, roof, and door is composed of it. If one were to bring common wood hither, it would be far better than sandal-wood. Who has been so cruel as to suggest to you this ill-advised scheme 1 From whose hand proceeds such a blunder as this 1 Does any one bring the musk-bladder to Chinese Tartary 1 " 5 " Alas ! " said the young man to himself, "I have thrown away my capital ! Covetousness is an unblest passion ! Alas, for my long journey and the hardships I have endured ! What have they availed me 2 He who is not content with what God allots him never prospers." The man, seeing the merchant now ready for his

1 " Of all goods perfumes are the best : gold is not to be compared to the article which is procured for one, and sold for a thousand." — Pancha Tantra.

2 Kashgar, capital of a province of the same name in Chinese Turkestan.

3 Perfumed woods — spiced woods. — Si/ntij)ais.

4 A proverbial expression, equivalent to our '• Coals to Newcastle," ami the Arabian " Dates to Hajar."

6 See last note. Musk, the perfume so much esteemed by Asiatics, is obtained from the navel of a species of deer found in Tartary and Tibet.

PERSIAN VERSION. 143

purpose, said to him : " The world is never free from profit and loss. Give this sandal-wood to me, and I will give you in return a measure of gold or silver, or whatever else you shall ask." x The merchant consented ; two witnesses were called, and the bargain was struck. The merchant considered that the sum he should receive was so much gain, and was rejoiced to be rid of so worthless an article as he had brought.

He thence proceeded to the city of Kashgar, and entering that delightful spot, that model of Paradise, took up his lodging in the house of a virtuous old woman. Of her the merchant asked a question, the reply to which brought him grief and trouble. He inquired : " What is the value of sandal- wood in this kingdom 1 " and she informed him that it was worth its weight in gold.2 " In this city," said she, "headache is common, and hence it is in demand." At this intelligence the merchant became distracted, for, he saw that he had been duped. He related his adventure to the old woman, who cautioned him not to trust the inhabitants of that city, by whose cunning many had been ruined.

When morning came, he washed his eyes from sleep, and inquired the way to the market. Thither he bent his course, and wandered through bazaar, street, and field, still solitary and without a friend or companion. The alien has no portion in enjoyment ; he is a martyr wherever he dies. I will suppose him to be but second to Kay Kubad,3 and that he has placed on his head the diadem of Faridun.4 Even were he Joseph of Egypt, yet when he calls to mind his home and country, a palace becomes to him a prison. The young merchant was sad at heart, for his enterprise was sadly at a

1 "On this account then, if you are needy, come and sell your whole business, and what you wish I shall give you upon a full plate."— fy/ntijwx. "And the man said, I have great grief for thee. Since it is so, I will buy it of thee, and give thee what thou shalt wish. And now get up and give it to me." — Libro de los Engannos, &c.

2 Precisely the same answer is made by the old woman in both the Greek and old Castilian versions : " It is worth its weight in gold."

3 Kay Kubad was the founder of the second, or Kayaui, dynasty of ancient Persian kings.

4 Faridun was the sixth of the first, or Pishdadi (Achaemenian), dynasty of ancient kings of Persia. His power and grandeur are frequently referred to in Persian literature, .

144 TALE OF BERYN; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

stand. Suddenly he observed a person playing at draughts in the street. He stopped, and said to himself : " I will play with this person to dispel my grief," and sat down beside the player, forgetful of the caution which his landlady had given him. The other agreed to play with him, on the condition that whichever of them should lose should be bound to do whatever the winner desired.1 The merchant was soon beaten by his crafty opponent, who, upon this, required him to " drink up the waters of the sea," a demand at which the merchant was confounded and perplexed. The report spread through Kashgar, and a crowd soon collected. Another of the gang had but one eye, which was blue, the colour of the merchant's eyes. " You have stolen my eye," said he to the merchant, and he claimed it in the presence of the crowd. A third produced a stone, and said : " Make from this piece of marble a pair of trousers and a shirt." 2

The story soon spread, and all Kashgar was in a bustle. The old woman, hearing of it, hastened from her house, and saw her lodger involved in difficulty. She was surety for him, with ten householders, that she would deliver him, when required, to the court of justice. When they reached home, she reproached him, saying : " When a man listens not to advice, fresh calamities will constantly overtake him. Did I not tell you to have absolutely no dealings with the inhabitants of this city — no intimacy with them?" " It was no fault of yours," replied the young man ; "but there is no remedy against the decrees of destiny." He was much dispirited, but she consoled him. " Be not downcast," said she ; " for joy succeeds to grief : there can be no cure till there be a complaint. In this city there is a blind old man, with neither power in his feet nor strength in his hands ; but he is of great intelligence and acuteness. Those sharpers assemble nightly at his house, and

1 "Or, surrender all his property," must, of course, be understood. — It is a very common practice among the Arabs to play at some kind of game, the loser of which must do what the other asks of him or pay a forfeit ; the tasks required by the winner are often impossible and generally ludicrous.

2 The merchant not being represented as having engaged in play with this sharper, there is probably something omitted here by the transcriber of the manuscript.

PERSIAN VERSION. 145

are directed by him how to act.1 Do you this night dress yourself like them, and repairing to his house sit silent among them. When your adversaries shall enter and relate their adventures of the day, mark his answers and his questions. Be all ear there, like the rose ; like the narcissus, be all eye and silent."

The young man did as she desired, and repairing thither at night, quietly seated himself in a corner. The first who entered was the person who had bought the sandal-wood. He related his adventure : " I have bought a quantity of sandal- wood, for which I am to give one measure of whatever the seller may choose." " 0 simpleton ! " exclaimed the old man, " you have thrown yourself into the net. This crafty merchant has over-reached you, my son. For if he should demand of you, neither silver nor gold, but a sdl 2 of male fleas, with silken housings and jewelled bridles, and all linked together with golden chains, say, how will you be able to extricate yourself from this difficulty 1 " Quoth the sharper : " How could that blockhead ever think of such a trick 1 " The old man rejoined : " However that may be, I have given you your answer."

Next entered the draught-player, and related his adventure : "I have beaten him at draughts," said he, "and have bound him to this condition (and there are witnesses to our agreement), that he shall drink up all the waters of the sea." " You have blundered," replied the old man, "and have involved yourself in difficulty. You think that you have taken him in; in imagination you have caught him in a snare from which there is no escape. But suppose he should say : ' First, pray stop all the streams and rivers which are flowing into the sea, before I drink it dry,' what answer can you possibly return 1 " " How," said the knave, " could he, in his whole life, think such a thought ? "

The man with one eye then came in. " That youth," quoth he,

1 " Every Muslim capital (says Sir R. F. Burton) has a Shaykh of Thieves, who holds regular levies, and will restore stolen goods, for a consideration ; and this has lasted since the days of Diodorus Siculus." — See also Burton's Pilgrimage to Meccali and El Medinah, vol. i. p. 91.

2 A sd', according to Forbes Falconer, is a measure containing four bushels. Lane says that it is (in Egypt) very nearly equal to six English pints and two-thirds.

1 46 TALE OF BERYN j OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

" has blue eyes, and I said to him : ' This is my eye that you have ; it is evident to every one that you have stolen it ; restore it, and return my other eye its fellow.' " "0 ignorant of the wiles of the age," answered the old man ; " your fortune is more adverse than that of the others. Suppose he should say : ' Pluck out your ono eye, and then I will pluck out mine, that we may put them both in scales and judge by their weight whether you are right/ That man will then have one of his eyes remaining, while you will be quite blind." Quoth the fellow : " He will never think of such a trick as that."

Lastly entered the fourth rogue — more shameless than the three others. " I desired him," said he, " to make with his own hands a pair of trousers and a shirt from this slab of stone." The crafty old man replied : " You have managed worse than all ; for if your opponent should say : ' Do you first spin me from iron a thread to sew it with,' how will you be able to answer him ] " Said this sharper : " The idea will never occur to such a noodle." l

The young man listened, unobserved, to all that had passed, hastened home, and gave the woman a thousand thanks for having put him on a plan of foiling his adversaries. He passed the night in calmness and tranquillity. Next morning, when the parties appeared before the kazi, or judge, the man who had bought the sandal-wood seized the merchant by the collar, saying : " Produce your measure, that I may fill it, and give you what is your due." But when the merchant gave him his reply, he was confounded, and sat down mortified in the presence of the kazi. In like manner he made to each of the other rogues the reply which the blind old man had suggested. At length, after a hundred objections, he consented to take back his sandal-wood, and to accept several bags of gold as compensation ; and he availed himself of the first opportunity which offered to escape from the power of those worthless people.

1 A jest very similar to this occurs in the Talmud : An Athenian, walking in the streets of Jerusalem one fine day, observed a tailor seated on his shop- board, busily plying his needle, and picking up a broken mortar, he requested him to be so good as put a patch upon it. " Willingly," replied the tailor, taking up a handful of sand and offering it to the joker — " most willingly, sir, if you will have the goodness to make me first a few threads of this material."

PERSIAN VERSION. 147

It is curious to find the incident of the merchant and the one-eyed man forming the subject of a tradition of no less a personage than the renowned Akbar. According to Knovvles' Dictionary of Kashmiri Proverbs (p. 88), Akbar, disguised as a fakir, and accompanied by his prime minister, Bir Bal, was walking about the city one night, when he was accosted by a one-eyed man, who said to him : " You have got my eye, and I must either have it back or 1200 rupis." The emperor was mute from astonishment, but his minister readily answered for him, saying : "What you say is quite true. We have your eye, and if you will come to-morrow you shall have it again.'* The man consented and went his way. Bir Bal sent to the butchers for some sheep's eyes, and put each one of them in a separate box. When the one-eyed man came in the morning, the minister showed him some of the sheep's eyes, and told him that he must submit to have his other eye taken out and weighed, which was done accord ingly, and so the fellow was blinded for life. Here, we see, Akbar takes the place of the sandal-wood merchant, and his minister that of the shaykh of thieves — with a difference !

In the Calcutta and Biilak printed Arabic texts of The Nights, the merchant, after disposing of his sandal-wood, is accosted by the one- eyed man, and obtains a day's grace, after providing surety; his shoe having been torn in the scuffle, he takes it to a cobbler, saying, " Repair it, and I will give thee what will content thee ; " lastly, he plays at dice with a fourth sharper, and, losing the game, is required to drink up the sea or surrender all his property. The blind old man tells the cobbler that the merchant might say to him : " The sultan's troops have been victorious, and the number of his children and allies is increased — art thou not content 1 " to which he would not dare to reply in the negative ; and the dice-player might be asked to hold the mouth of the sea and hand it to him, and he would drink. — In Syntipas and the Libra de los Enyannos, as in the Persian version, the stopping of the rivers is the old man's suggestion, and the incident of the cobbler is not mentioned. — All that remains of the story in the unique Syriac MS., discovered by Eodiger, and printed, with a German translation, by Baethgen, is

118

the opening sentence : " There was once a merchant, who bought a scented wood which is called aloe. When he heard " — and here it breaks off ; but the story was probably similar to that in the old Castilian version.

The story is orally current in some parts of India, and it may also exist there in a written form — perhaps in the Suka Saptati, or Seventy Tales of a Parrot. Under the rather vague title of "The Merchant and his Son," Mr. C. Vernieux gives a version of it in a small collection of Indian Tales and Anecdotes appended to his story of The Hermit of Motee Jhurna, or Pearl Spring, printed at Calcutta in 1873. Those tales he professes to have taken down from oral recitation in Urdu, Hindi, and Bengali ; — it would have been more satisfactory, however, had he specified the district where each 'story was told to him.

A WEALTHY merchant, while lying on his bed indisposed by JijL. sickness and the infirmities of age, invited his son to his room one day, and spoke to him in these words : " My son, from this sickness I may not recover. Should I die, I fear you will squander all my hard-earned wealth by dissipation and idleness. You know that in my vocation as a merchant I have prospered and enjoyed all the blessings of this life. I fear you will not be able to conduct the business with care and discretion, yet I would recommend your following the profession of your father. In doing so I lay no restraint upon your visiting every land under the sun, but I strongly dissuade you from ever venturing into the Himalya regions." The son was desirous of knowing the reason why his father prohibited him from going with his merchandise, if he ever traded, into the Himalyan mountains. " My son,'' observed the father, " my long experience of the world, my knowledge of all countries and their denizens, enable me to form a just and accurate estimate of the characters of men. The inhabitants of that region have been found invariably to be very artful and dishonest. They will not only rob a man of his purse, but if they can find an opportunity, or a single

INDIAN VERSION. 149

excuse, they will without remorse strip him naked and appropriate his clothes. Should you ever forget this my parting advice, and go into that country and fall into any disaster, remember to call on Golab Sing, the chief of the country, who is a friend of mine ; mention my name to him, seek redress from his justice, and he will enable you to remain there in the peaceful prosecution of your trade."

The merchant died shortly after, as was expected, and the son, whose curiosity was excited by his father's prohibition, resolved upon visiting the lofty hills. To carry out this object, he procured a large stock of valuable goods, and such as were not only in general demand in the country but highly valued by the mountaineers. With this merchandise he loaded fifty camels, and set out on a fine morning on his perilous and uncertain journey. Having arrived in the country after two months' tedious travel through extensive forests and fields, the young merchant thought it to be appropriate to announce his arrival in the usual manner by firing a salute ; but instead of wasting his powder in merely making a report, he deemed it more prudent that, while the salute was being fired, he should aim his musket at a heron which he saw seated quietly near the verge of a spacious tank, and thus accomplish two objects at once. Having shot the bird, he went to pick up his game, but in doing so he saw a washerman occupied in scouring clothes, who spoke to him thus : " What have you done 1 Have you not a grain of common sense 1 The heron was my father, who had transmigrated into the body of that bird, and he was very useful to me, watching and encouraging me in my operations, and guarding the clothes which are spread out to the sun for bleaching purpose. Now pray resuscitate my father and give him back to me, or lay down four hundred rupis, else you do not go away so easily from hence."

While this conversation was being held by the two individuals, another man who had approached the spot, and was silently listening, and who was blind of one eye, thus accosted the young merchant : " Your father, peace be to his spirit, was a just and liberal man, who traded in all kinds of things, and dealt in eyes. He took a fancy to my eyes, and purchased one of them for six hundred rupis, with a promise of paying me that sum on his next visit to this country.

150 TALE OF BERYN; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

Though I am suffering from the loss of one eye, I have not been paid yet for my pain and loss. I forego the interest on the sum due to me these several years, and, as you are his son, I expect that you will discharge the debt willingly, or we must proceed to court. Give me the money or restore the eye to me."

In the course of this altercation there was a third person listen ing. She was a woman with a child in her arms, and came forward and saluted the young merchant in a bland and soothing manner : " It is my good fortune to meet you in this country, and how happy I am to see you, of whom I have heard so favourably from your father. How well you answer his description ; just those eyes and those arched brows, and those soft lineaments. I am his poor wife, and this unhappy boy is his last son by a second marriage. At the time of his going away for a short period, he told me to borrow such sums as would defray our expenses, and that on his return he would refund the money with interest. I trust you will help me to pay off the debts incurred during two years and six months, and, as you are like my own son, that you will support me and take me under your protection, that no disgrace may be cast on the honourable name of your worthy father."

The young merchant became so confounded with these novel and unexpected attacks and unceremonious demands, that he regretted he had not listened to the salutary advice of his father, the conse quence of which was that he was so soon after his arrival in the country experiencing such annoyance, and was plunged into so much trouble. It occurred to him, however, in this distress of mind, that, in the event of his suffering from any adverse circumstance, his father had advised him to call on Golab ' Sing, the chief of the country. With this object in view, he told the people, who were pulling him on each side and almost quartering him, to go with him before the raja, to whose decision he would submit, and be guided by his counsel. Before the merchant could arrive at Golab Sing's residence, these dexterous rogues ran and presented themselves before him to offer their respective complaints, crying out, " Help, Maharaj !" Soon after taking their deposition, the merchant also arrived, and was interrogated by the prince as to the country from whence he had

IXDIAN VERSION. 151

come and what his name was. On discovering that he was the son of his friend the old merchant, the prince was moved by unfeigned grief at the news of his father's death. The rogues, seeing the friendly terms on which the young man stood with the prince, lost all courage, and would have decamped from the court rather than advance the prosecution. But it was too late to recede ; they there fore screwed up their resolution to stand the investigation. The prince, well knowing the tricks and stratagems of his subjects, took the merchant aside and advised him what to do in this affair. He said f " When the washerman comes and makes his claim against you, do you make this counter-charge against him : ' When your father became a heron, my father was a small fish in the river, who, swimming and jumping in the shallow water, was journeying home, up the stream, when your father, the heron, pecked at him, and getting him in his bill, swallowed him. Produce my father first, and then I will restore yours to you.' To the second claimant say : ' My father, it is true, traded in all sorts of things, and also speculated in eyes ; but as there are so many eyes in my possession, and I do not know which is yours, give me the other eye, weighing which in the scales, I could ascertain the exact weight and restore the precise eye to you.' To the third say : 'I admit the truth of your allegation, for I have heard my father mention to me frequently that he was married in this country, and had a young son ; he told me therefore to bring his wooden sandal, and to give you that to wear and mount the funeral pyre.1 Do that, and I will believe that you are really his wife.'"

Being thus advised and prepared by the prince, those persons, while endeavouring by artful means to substantiate their claims, were defeated and confounded by as cogent counter-statements from the young merchant as those which they tendered. The merchant, having been dismissed with marks of regard by the prince, followed his occupation in the country without any further molestation, while the wicked rogues were sent to prison, there to chew the bitter cud of reflection, and to work on the roads under the weight of heavy chains.

1 The usual practice when a Hindu died away from his family.

152 TALE OF BERYN ; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

Besides the story of the Sandal-wood Merchant and the Rogues, which occurs in the "Malice of Women," or the "Seven Vazirs," there is a very singular variant of our tale in another group, belong ing to what may be termed the sporadic part of the great Sindibad family of romances, which is found in the Arabic text of The Nights printed at Breslau, namely, "King Shah Bakht and his Vazir Er- Rahwan " — for some account of which see Chaucer Analogues, pp. 352, 353. It is the eighth recital of Er-Rahwan, and, under the title of " The Merchant, the Crone, and the King,'' has been thus rendered by Sir R F. Burton :

gntoit W ariani

nriHERE was once a family of affluence, and distinction, in a city of JL Khorassan, and the townsfolk used to envy them for that which Allah had vouchsafed them. As time went on, their fortune ceased from them and they passed away, till there remained of them but one old woman. When she grew feeble and decrepit, the townsfolk succoured her not with aught, but thrust her forth of the city, saying : " This old woman shall not neighbour with us, for that we do good to her and she requiteth us with evil." * So she took shelter in a ruined place, and strangers used to bestow alms upon her, and in this way she tarried a length of time. Now the king of that city had aforetime contended the kingship with his uncle's son, and the people disliked the king ; but Allah Almighty decreed that he should overcome his cousin. However, jealousy of him abode in his heart, and he acquainted the Wazir, who hid it not, and sent him money. Furthermore he fell to summoning all strangers who came to the town, man after man, and questioning them of their creed and their goods, and whoso answered him not satisfactorily he took his wealth. Now a certain wealthy man of the Moslems was way-faring, without knowing aught of this, and it befell that he arrived at that city by night, and coming to the ruin, gave the old woman money, and said to her, "No harm upon thee." Whereupon she lifted up

1 They suspected her to be a witch because she was old and poor, as was unhappily the case in our own country and all over Europe in the 17th and the early year of the 18th centuries.

ARABIAN VARIANT. 153

her voice and blessed him. So he set down his merchandise by her and abode with her the rest of the night and the next day. Now highwaymen had followed him that they might rob him of his monies, but succeeded not in aught ; wherefore he went up to the old woman and kissed her head, and exceeded in bounty to her. Then she warned him of that which awaited strangers entering the town, and said to him : " I like not this for thee, and I fear mischief for thee from those questions that the Wazir hath appointed for address ing the ignorant." And she expounded to him the case according to its conditions ; then said to him : " But have no concern. Only carry me with thee to thy lodging, and if he question thee of aught enigmatical whilst I am with thee, I will expound the answers to thee."

So he carried the crone with him to the city, and lodged her in his lodging, and entreated her honourably. Presently the Wazir heard of the merchant's coming ; so he sent to him and bade bring him to his house, and he talked with him a while of his travels and of whatso had befallen him therein, and the merchant answered his queries. Then said the Wazir : " I will put certain critical questions to thee, which an thou answer me, 'twill be well for thee." And the merchant rose and made him no answer. Quoth the Wazir : " What is the weight of the elephant ? " The merchant was perplexed and returned him no answer, giving himself up for lost ; however at last he said : " Grant me three days of delay." The minister granted him the time he sought, and he returned to his lodging and related what had passed to the old woman, who said : " When the morrow cometh, go to the Wazir and say to him : ' Make a ship and launch it on the sea, and put in it the elephant, and when it sinketh in the water, mark the place whereunto the water riseth. Then take out the elephant and cast in stones in its place, till the ship sink to the same mark ; whereupon do thou take out the stones and weigh them, and thou wilt presently know the weight of the elephant.' " Accord ingly, when he arose in the morning, he went to the Wazir and repeated to him that which the old woman had taught him ; whereat the minister marvelled, and said to him: "What sayest thou of a man who seeth in his house four holes, and in each hole a viper

BERYN, II. 11

154 TALE OF BERYNj OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

offering to sally out upon him and slay him, and in his house are four sticks, and each hole may not be stopped but \vith the ends of two sticks 1 How, then, shall he stop all the holes and deliver himself from the vipers 7" When the merchant heard this, there befell him such concern that it garred him forget the first, and he said to the Wazir: "Grant me- delay, so that I may reflect on the reply ; " and the minister cried : " Go out, and bring me an answer, or I will seize thy monies." The merchant fared forth and returned to the old woman, who, seeing him changed of complexion, said to him : " What did his hoariness ask thee 1 " So he acquainted her with the case, and she cried : " Fear not ; I will bring thee forth of this strait." Quoth he: "Allah requite thee with weal!" Then quoth she : " To-morrow go to him with a stout heart and say : ' The answer of that whereof thou askest me is this : Put the heads of two sticks into one of the holes ; then take the other two sticks and lay them across the middle of the first two, and stop with their two heads the second hole, and with their ferrules the fourth hole ; and then take the ferrules of the first two sticks and stop with them the third hole.' " So he repaired to the Wazir and repeated to him the answer ; and he marvelled at its justness, and said to him : " Go. By Allah ! I will ask thee no more questions, for thou with thy skill marrest my foundation." Then he treated him as a friend, and the merchant acquainted him with the affair of the old woman ; where upon quoth the Wazir : " Needs must the intelligent company with the intelligent." Thus did this weak woman restore to that man his life and his monies on the easiest wise.1

Little more than a vague outline of the original story is preserved in this Arabian variant ; but the Tale of Eeryn has incidents which the Sindibad and the Indian versions have each exclusively. Thus the young Koinan merchant on entering Falsetown discovers a burgess playing at chess with a neighbour (1. 1646) ; in the Persian

1 Supplemental Nights to the l Booli of the Thousand Nights and a Night.11 With Notes, Anthropological and Explanatory. By [Sir] Kichard F. Burton [K.C.M.G.]. Benares: MDCCCLXXXVI. Printed for the Kama Shastra Society and for Private Subscribers only. Vol. I., pp. 235 —238.

THE KNAVISH CITIZENS OF SODOM. 155

(Sindibad) story the sandal-wood merchant, walking in the city of Kashgar, sees a man playing at draughts. In all three versions he is accused of having stolen a man's eye, or eyes. The rascal who bought the sandal-wood is required to fill a measure with male fleas, finely harnessed; in the Tale of Beryn the provost is required to load five ships with butterflies. The task of drinking the waters of the sea does not occur in the Indian story, but it has in common with Beryn the incident of the woman and the child slightly modified, while the accusation made by the catchpoll that his father had been murdered by the father of Beryn has its equivalent in the Indian story, where the washerman charges the young merchant with having shot his father in the form of a heron. In the Persian story the sandal-wood merchant is advised by his landlady to go and listen to what the blind shaykh of thieves says to each of tho sharpers ; in Berinus, apparently, Geoffrey secretly learns from King Esope how to defend the Roman merchant (see ante, p. 135, note); in the Arabian variant an old woman instructs him herself; in the Indian version the merchant consults Golab Sing, the prince of the country. It is very evident that the several versions had a common origin, but it is equally clear that the Tale of Beryn was not derived from the Persian or the Indian stories. It seems to me not unlikely that the story was brought to France from a Morisco-Spanish source.

According to rabbinical legends, the hospitality of the citizens of >odom towards the strangers within their gates was of a very peculiar jharacter, and the decisions of their judges bear some resemblance to the "laws" of the folk of Falsetown. When a traveller arrived, each citizen (to preserve their reputation for hospitality) was required to give him a coin with his name written on it, after which the unfortunate wayfarer was refused food, and as soon as he died of hunger each man took back his own money. It may be naturally supposed that travellers acquainted with the peculiar ways of the citizens of Sodom would either avoid entering that city or take care to provide themselves with food. But even this precaution did nob avail them against the wiles of those infamous people, as may be seen from the following Hebrew story :

156 TALE OF BERYN; OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

A man from Elam, journeying to a place beyond Sodom, reached the latter city about sunset. He had with him an ass, bearing a valuable saddle, to which was strapped a bale of merchandise. Being refused a lodging by each citizen of whom he asked the favour, the stranger made a virtue of necessity, and resolved to pass the night along with his animal and his goods as best he might in the streets. His preparations with this view were observed by a cunning and treacherous citizen, named Hidud, who came up, and, accosting him courteously, desired to know whence he had come and whither he was bound. The stranger answered that he had come from Hebron, and was journeying to such a place ; that, having been refused shelter by all to whom he had applied for it, he was making ready to pass the night in the streets ; and that he was provided with bread for his own use, and fodder for his beast. Upon this Hidud invited the stranger to his house, assuring him that his lodging should cost him nothing, while the wants of his beast should not be forgotten. The traveller accepted of Hidud's proffered hospitality, and when they came to the house the citizen relieved the ass of the saddle and merchandise, and carefully placed them for security in his private closet. He then led the ass into his stable and supplied him with fodder ; and returning to the house, he set food before his guest, who having supped retired to rest. Early in the morning the stranger arose, intending to resume his journey, but his host first pressed him to partake of breakfast and afterwards persuaded him to remain at his house for two days. On the evening of the third day our traveller would no longer delay his departure, and Hidud therefore brought out his beast, saying kindly to his guest, " Fare thee well." " Hold ! " said the traveller, " where is my beautiful saddle of many colours, and the strings attached thereto, together with my bale of rich merchandise 1 " " What sayest thou ? " exclaimed Hidud in tone of surprise. The stranger repeated his demand for his saddle and goods. "Ah," said Hidud affably, " I will interpret thy dream : The strings that thou hast dreamt of indicate length of days to thee and the many-coloured saddle of thy dream signifies that thou shalt become the owner of a beauteous garden of odorous flowers and rich fruit-trees." " Nay," returned the stranger, " I certainly entrusted

THE KNAVISH CITIZENS OF SODOM. 157

to thy care a saddle and merchandise, and thou hast concealed them in thy house." "Well," said Hidud, " I have told thee the meaning of thy dream. My usual fee for interpreting a dream is four pieces of silver, but as thou hast been my guest, I will only ask three pieces of thee." On hearing this very unjust demand the stranger was enraged, and he accused Hidud in the court of Sodom of stealing his property. After each had stated his case, the judge decreed that the stranger must pay Hidud's fee, since he was well known as a pro fessional interpreter of dreams. Hidud then said to the stranger : " As thou hast proved thyself such a liar, I must not only be paid my usual fee of four pieces of silver, but also the value of the two days' food with which I provided thee in my house." " I will cheerfully pay thee for the food," rejoined the traveller, " on con^ dition that thou restore my saddle and merchandise." Upon this the litigants began to abuse each other, and were thrust into the street, where the citizens, siding with Hidud, soundly beat the unlucky stranger and then expelled him from the city.

Another rabbinical legend is to this effect : Abraham once sent his servant Eleazer to Sodom, with his compliments to Lot and his family, and to inquire concerning their welfare. As Eleazer entered Sodom he saw a citizen beating a stranger whom he had robbed of his property. " Shame upon thee ! " exclaimed Eleazer to the citizen ; " is this the way you act towards strangers ? " To this remonstrance the man replied by picking up a stone and striking Eleazer with it on the forehead with such force as to cause the blood to flow down his face. On seeing the blood the citizen caught hold of Eleazer and demanded to be paid his fee for having freed him of impure blood. " What ! " said Eleazer, " am I to pay thee for wounding me 1 " " Such is our law," returned the citizen. Eleazer refused to pay, and the man brought him before the judge, to whom he made his complaint. The judge decreed : " Thou must pay this man his fee since he has let thy blood ; such is our law." " There ! " said Eleazer, striking the judge with a stone and causing him to bleed, "pay thou my fee to this man, I want it not," and then departed from the court.

There are many parallels to this last story, some of which may

158 TALE OF BERYN j OR, THE MERCHANT AND THE ROGUES.

be cited in conclusion. The 50th of the < Pleasing Stories ' in Glad win's Persian Moonshee relates how a dervish was charged at a police court with striking a grocer with his slipper, and the kutwal fined him eight annas, whereupon the dervish handed a rupf to the kutwal, and then, striking that official also on the head with his slipper, said : " If such be justice, take thou eight annas and give the other eight to the grocer."

In the third volume of Beloe's Miscellanies, which comprises a selection of amusing stories translated from a manuscript procured in Aleppo by Dr. Eussel, about 1794, is one to this effect : A young man seeing a half-witted fellow, he cannot resist the temptation of giving him a blow behind his back. The crazy man drags the youth before the kazi and makes his complaint. The judge fines the youth twenty small coins, and gives him leave to go and get change. Of course he remains away, and the kazi falls asleep. At length the crazy fellow's patience is exhausted, and he gives the kazi a blow, telling him that he can wait no longer, and as he had himself fixed the price of a blow, perhaps he would be so good as remain till the youth returned, and keep the fine for himself.

Similar stories are found in the old Italian novelists. The second of Sozzini's collection is as follows : Scacazzone, returning one day from Rome, found himself, when within a short distance of Sienna, without cash enough to purchase a dinner. But resolving not to go without one if he could avoid it, he very quietly walked into the nearest inn, and appearing quite a stranger, demanded a room in which to dine alone. He next ordered whatever he con sidered as most likely to prove agreeable to himself, without in the least sparing his purse, as the good host believed, and ate and drank everything of the best. When he had at length finished his wine and refreshed himself with a short nap for his journey, he rang the bell, and with a very unconcerned air asked the waiter for his bill. This being handed to him, "Waiter," he cried, "can you tell me anything relating to the laws of this place V' "0 yes, signor, I daro say," for a waiter is never at a loss. "For instance," continued Scacazzone, "what does a man forfeit by killing another 1" "His life, certainly, signor," said the waiter. "But if he only wounds

ITALIAN STORIES: PAYING A FINE. 159

another badly, not mortally, what then]" "Then," returned the waiter, "as it may happen, according to the provocation and the injury." " And lastly," continued the guest, " if you only deal a fellow a sound box on the ear, what do you pay for that ? " " For that," echoed the waiter, "it is here about ten livres, no more." "Then send your master to me," cried Scacazzone — "be quick — • begone ! " Upon the good host's appearance, his wily guest con ducted himself in such a manner, uttering such accusations against extortion, such threats, and such vile aspersions upon his host's house, that on Scacazzone bringing their heads pretty close together, the landlord, unable longer to bear his taunts, gave him a rather severe cuff. " I am truly obliged to you ! " cried the happy Scacaz zone, taking him by the hand ; " this is all I wanted with you — truly obliged to you, my good host, and will thank you for the change. 1 our bill here is eight livres, and the fine for your assault is ten ; however, if you will have the goodness to pay the difference to the waiter, as I find I shall reach the city very pleasantly before evening : it will be quite right." — But more closely resembling the Eastern versions is the fourth novel of Arienti, in which a learned advocate is fined for striking his opponent in open court, and " takes his change " by repeating the offence.

I suspect that not a few of the apologues and tales in the Talmud are comparatively recent interpolations ; and the circumstance that that monument of human wisdom and folly was first printed at Venice in the sixteenth century, after most of the Italian novelists had published their collections, renders it at least possible that the talmudists drew some of their narrative material from Italian sources.

ICO

APPENDIX.

CONTINUATION OF THE ROMANCE OF BERINUS1— from p. 140.

BEBINUS loved his wife, and was beloved by her, but he could never win the affection of his subjects. They regretted Logres, and sought him for twenty years in order to place him on the throne. At length they found him ruler in Corinth. Logres seized the opportunity to avenge himself and rule over Blandie, and came with a large army. Berinus mustered his troops, but they delivered him over to his enemy, together with Cleopatra his wife, Aigres their son, and the beautiful Romaine their daughter. Logres, although not approving of this act of treachery, profited by it. He remembered, however, that Berinus, after conquering him in single combat, spared his life, so he said to the Boman: "Depart, and take with you from this isle all the riches you brought to it. You have no need of pity, since you have still your Cleopatra." Logres then caused all the traitors who had given up Berinus to be put to death. He disdained to ascend the throne which they had offered him, but placed his son Ismandor2 in his stead, who, seeing that the mild rule of Berinus had lost it, resolved to follow a quite opposite course, being of opinion that it was necessary for lions to rule wolves.

Meanwhile, Berinus was making haste for his departure. He set out as he had come, with five vessels richly laden. Cleopatra had nothing to regret ; she followed her husband, who consoled her for the loss of a crown, in their departure from Blandie. They had a pleasant Voyage during three days, but on the fourth day they perceived that, in spite of all their efforts, their little fleet was approaching an immense magnetic rock, which was drawing them towards itself. The old sailors declared that as soon as they touched it, no human power could detach them from the rock, and this soon .came to pass. Berinus discovered a number of other ships fixed like his own to the rock, which appeared to be inhabited only by corpses. He groaned in spirit when he thought

1 Dunlop, iii his History of Fiction, has fallen into error when he says (art. Ser Giovanni): "This romance, of which the manuscript is extremely old, is the original of the Merchant's Second Tale, or Story of Beryn, sometimes published with Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The first half of the story, however, concerning the treasury, has not been adopted by the English poet, or at least is not in that part of his tale which has been preserved." We have already seen the first part, and shall find the story of the treasury in this, the second, part of the romance.

2 Yspamador in both editions in the British Museum.

CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH ROMANCE. 161

that hunger would speedily reduce himself, his family, and his ships' crews to the like condition. Giving himself up to these sad forebodings, he was attracted by the appearance of a man, whose extreme thinness might have caused him to be taken for a corpse. This man was silently crawling into one of the Roman vessels to obtain some food. Young Aigres, the son of Berinus, laid hold of him, and led him to his father, in the hope that he would be able to throw some light upon an occur rence which perplexed their minds. The unhappy man informed them that he was himself a victim, adding that there was an inscription on one side of the rock, but he had not read it. Aigres, full of ardour and courage, wished to see the inscription, and after the starveling — whose name was Silvain — had partaken of some food, he led young Aigres to the place, where he read these words : ' ' Whoever may touch this rock can only be freed after he has deposited on it all his wealth, save only what is necessary to finish his voyage ; one of the company must theii go to the top of this rock and cast into the sea the ring which he shall find there, when the vessel will at once be freed ; but it is necessary that the lot determines the one who shall detach the ring, and he must not go in the vessel which he sets free." Berinus and his company resolved to draw lots to know which of them was to sacrifice himself for the safety of all the rest. The lot fell on Aigres, who was pleased at the result : he would have the good fortune of giving liberty to his father, mother, and sister, as well as to men who had not hesitated to follow them into exile. It requires little to determine a brave and generous soul. Aigres stole away from the embraces of Berinus, Cleopatra, and Eomaine and was soon on the top of the rock. He loosened the ring, and cast it into the water; immediately the rock trembled, the wind arose, and the vessels were thrown into the open sea.1

Berinus now resumed his voyage, and arrived at a port in Italy. Here he paid off all his servants, and, accompanied by his wife, daughter, and Silvain, whom he had taken off the magnetic rock, repaired to Rome in a very humble equipage. Berinus had left all his wealth on the fatal rock, and he had nothing more to expect in Rome : how could his wife, whom he adored, and his beauteous daughter, who was worthy of the respect of kings, endure the misery in store for them ? In this extremity Silvain said to him : ' ' You have nothing, since the emperor has taken possession of all your fortune ; 2 you have no army to demand

1 The myth of a magnetic mountain often occurs in the old romances ; and we have a familiar instance in the Arabian story of the Third Calender (or Koyal Mendicant), and another in the miraculous legend of the Irish saint Brandanus.

2 In chapter Ixxiii. of the edition of the romance printed by the Widow Trepperel (see ante, note, p. 124), we are told that soon after Berinus arrived in Rome he met his old friend Geoffrey, aud asked him if he could tell him anything about his father Fawnus, to which Geoffrey replied: " By my faith, sire, Kaiiie his wife killed him with poison for a knight whom she loved, and when he was dead she so wrought with the emperor that all the race of Fawnus, both in the city and round about it, was destroyed and extinguished." — We have here an example of the manner in which Dixmerie dressed up his Extrait : he has transferred the lady's iutriyue to

162

APPENDIX.

satisfaction from him for that injustice. But, without causing any trouble — without exposing yourself to any denial and persecution, which would be the consequence — it is possible to free you from a poverty to which you were not born." Berinus implored to be informed in what way this could be done. "You need run no risk," replied Silvain ; " here is the secret : My father was the architect of the tower in which the emperor keeps his treasure. He took care, in the course of its erection, to contrive a secret passage, of which he intended to make use. It is marked by a stone not cemented like the others, but yet joined to them so perfectly that nobody would suspect it is moveable ; it is so, however. I know this passage, and have gone into the tower more than once before leaving Eome. For you, I will go back to it, and restore, without the emperor's knowledge, some portion of the wealth he has taken from you." Berinus hesitated long before agreeing to Silvain' s plan. But without means in the midst of Eome, obliged even to conceal his name, he saw Cleopatra his wife and Eomaiiie his daughter — the former the offspring of a king, the latter born whilst he was himself a king — condemned to perish of hunger ! He could not bear the horrible idea. "Bring it," said he to Silvain; " I consent to everything." He took a house close to Philip's treasury, which Silvain visited several times, and thus enabled Berinus to live in comfort. He was prudent enough to make no show of wealth ; while Cleopatra and Eomaine, knowing he had formerly been rich, were not surprised that he should find means of living in Eome ; and they questioned him not on this matter, for his absolute silence showed that he did not wish it talked about.

Let us now return to the generous Aigres. The magnetic rock was inhabited by enchanters, who knew well how to annoy the travellers whom they drew to it ; but the need of food obliged Aigres to frequently visit the vessels fixed to the rock ; and he found in them more wealth than food, a circumstance which seemed to presage for him an awful fate. One day, as he was continuing his searches, he heard the neighing of a horse in the hold of one of the vessels, and going down, he saw a spirited steed, whose food was completely done, and who was now neighing for more. Silvain had taken this precaution before going away.1 Aigres did not hesitate to take charge of him in his turn. He called him Morel de 1'Aimant, both from his black colour and the place where he was found. In the same vessel hung a splendid suit of mail, and a valuable sword, on which were written the words "Pleure Sang."2 Aigres, without thinking of ever using this armour, took

the early part of the romance, where there's no mention of such a thing — see ante, p. 127, three lines from foot.

1 This means, apparently, that Silvain had tended the gallant steed while on the rock ; yet he was himself starving when he crept on board one of Berinus' ships.

2 The hero of romance is always provided with a wonderful horse and an irresistible blade. Antar, the Bedouin poet-hero, had his horse Abjer and his

CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH ROMANCE. 1G3

it down, examined it, put it on, and found it a perfect fit, at which he felt a secret satisfaction, convinced that fate had not bestowed this gift upon him except to make use of it. His chief care, after guarding himself from the snares which the demons of the rock laid for him, was to look out from its top for any approaching vessel. At length he saw one which was yielding to the same power that had attracted his father's ships. Aigres pointed out to the crew the only means for detaching the vessel, and one of them went to the top of the rock, Aigres at the same time going on board, with his beautiful armour and his good steed Morel, ready to set out ; the ring was cast into the sea, and the ship was set free. The young knight resolved to proceed to Borne, but fate had destined for him adventures elsewhere — his fame was to precede his arrival in Kome.

The ship in which he was embarked arrived at the kingdom of Tantalus, which was ruled over by two brothers, and he took the road to the capital. Going through a forest he was attacked by two robbers, whom he killed, and thereby set free Prince Germain, who had been captured by them. This prince was called Galopin, from his great speed in running. He was, however, so deformed that his father and mother, both handsome and well made, had for a long time refused to recognize him as their son. Aigres made him his squire. Farther on our knight met Maligant, one of the two kings of Tantalus, who was carrying away by force a young lady. Aigres fought with him and killed him. Danneiaont, brother of Maligant, wishing to avenge the death of the latter, challenged Aigres, who defeated him, and spared his life on the condition that he would no longer oppress his subjects.

After these heroic achievements Aigres, accompanied by his squire Galopin, proceeded to the kingdom of Loquiferne, the king of which was called Holopherne. This prince, to whom the prowess of Aigres do 1'Aimant was already known, was very much pleased to have him at his court, for he had just then great need of the strength of his arm. Holopherne was in love with the Princess Melia, daughter of a king named Absalon, who would give her only to the prince who should bring with him two knights prepared to combat with and kill two savage lions, or would attempt this great feat himself. None of the barons of Holopherne offered themselves for such a perilous adventure ; but Aigres undertook it without hesitation, and was accompanied by a knight called A9ars, into whose hands was committed a casket of jewels, destined for the princess as a marriage present. This knight was fit for no better employment ; — it was Aigres who fought with and killed the lions, and the princess was entrusted to him to convey her in safety to King Holopherne. Aigres and the princess, accompanied by A9ars, carrying the jewels, set out for their destination. Now

sword Dhami. Bustam, the Persian champion, had his horse Kaksh. In the Norse sagas we read of the famous blades, Gram and Graysteel ; and in other European romances, of Morglay, Excalibar, Balmung, and Durandal.

164 APPENDIX.

Agars was born both lily-livered and faithless, and he envied Aigres the glory which he had just achieved. As they were passing a very deep well Acars purposely allowed the box of jewels to fall into it, and affected to be very much concerned at the misfortune. Aigres at once undertook to recover the box. He joined the reins of his horse together, secured one end to the top of the well, and descended by the aid of this improvised rope. When he dived to recover the casket, the treacherous Agars drew up the reins, and then compelled the princess and her maid to follow him. But soon after Abilas, king of Pannonie, a lover of the princess, appeared and rescued her — Agars flying away without making any resistance, although Abilas had only his squire with him. The craven did not fail to return to the court of Holopherne and proclaim that the king of Pannonie, at the head of a great army, had come and snatched out of his hands the Princess Melia, while he was fighting like a lion, and that Aigres de 1'Aimant had surrendered him self without striking a blow in her behalf.1

Let us not leave Aigres de 1'Aimant, the true champion of lions, too long at the bottom of a well. He was very much astonished not to find the reins which had helped him to get down. His suspicions immedi ately rested on A9ars, and he thought, "He who has forsaken me, can as easily have betrayed me ! " But he cared little for his treachery — only how to render it of no avail. He drew his good sword Pleure Sang, with which, he had luckily armed himself, and used it to cut steps in the side of the well, and thus got out, to find his horse and splendid armour where he had left them. Taking the road to Loquiferne and passing through a wood, he came upon two women, whom two unknown persons were carrying away by force ; they proved to be the Princess Melia and her maid, King Abilas and his squire. The princess called out for help from Aigres de 1'Aimant, who quickly responded to her cries. Challenging the king of Pannonie, he fought and conquered him, and gave him his life on condition that he should surrender the princess. Aigres then proceeded to the court of Holopherne, with Melia and the rich casket he had recovered from the bottom of the well. The cowardly and faith less A^ars was unmasked and disgraced. Melia told of all that had passed, and of the glory that Aigres had gained. A9ars was banished from the kingdom, and Aigres thought himself sufficiently avenged, since dishonour was worse even than death to a knight. The king bestowed the greatest favours upon the deliverer of Melia, in order to retain him at his court, but the son of Berinus adhered to his resolution of rejoining his father. He sailed away accordingly, and duly arrived in Borne, accompanied by his squire Galopin, who had remained at Loquiferne during his last adventure.

1 It is a very common occurrence in romantic tales for the hero to be thus treated and misrepresented by his rivals in love — generally by his jealous brothers — who take credit to themselves for his gallant achievements ; but in the end their cowardice and treachery are invariably made manifest, as we shall see iu the case of this carpet-knight Agars.

CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH ROMANCE. 1C5

Aigres de 1'Aimant soon learned that he must conceal his birth in the native city of his father, whom he discovered with great difficulty, and only by the help of old Geoffrey.1 Berinus gave a portion of his riches to his son, but did not reveal to him how he obtained them. He was ambitious that Aigres should eclipse the splendour of all the knights of Eome. Aigres readily fell in with his father's views, yet he shone more by his courage and skill in tournaments than by the magnificence of his armour. On such occasions he had the good wishes of the court beauties, especially of the charming Nullie, daughter of the emperor.

Now at the Feast of Pentecost the emperor Philip had a full court of his barons, and he purposed making them rich presents before their departure. For this purpose he visited the tower containing his treasures and found them considerably reduced. He accused of the theft his ten treasurers, and caused them all to be put in prison. One of them pro mised the emperor to discover in what manner and by whom the robbery had been effected, provided the most profound secrecy were observed. Philip determined to accompany him to the tower, where the treasurer lighted a great fire exactly in front of the door and windows, and the smoke was seen to escape through the spaces left by the uncemented stone, which they found could easily be removed and replaced, and they doubted not that it was in this way the robber entered. Concluding that he came only at night,- they placed immediately below the loose stone a tub filled with a substance so glutinous that a person once in it had no chance to get out again ; and keeping most secret the discovery they had made, they awaited the result. Silvain by this time was dead, and Berinus had not yet himself ventured into the tower ; he felt that it was becoming more and more dangerous, but did not consider himself rich enough to dispense with such means. One night he resolved to go thither for once and once only. Accordingly he proceeded to the tower, displaced the stone, and having entered fell into the trap prepared for him. Aigres de 1'Aimant, returning from the palace of Philip, was just entering his father's house when he perceived some one displace a stone from the tower wall, and creep through the opening thus made. He ran forward on purpose to seize the thief, and heard from within the tower these words, uttered amidst groans and sighs : " Alas ! I am lost to honour and have disgraced my family." "Who are you, miserable being ? " cried the young knight. " Approach, my son," responded the

1 Here, in the original, there is a strange inconsistency: When Aigres arrives in Rome, he rides through the city till he comes before the house of a certain citizeness (bourgeoise) ; he sees her sitting at the door in great state, like one who was a passing rich and honourable lady. He addresses her, and ultimately takes up his lodging in her house. One day she begs him to reveal his name, as he closely resomb.'es her deceased father. On this he asks the name of her father, and she replies that she is the daughter of Fawnus and Agea, and that their children were Berinus and herself. — Now, near the opening of the romance (as in our Tale of I'.cryn), Fawuus and Agea had been many years married before they were ** blessed " with Beriuus; and while it is not afterwards expressly stated that he was their only child, the reader is certainly led to conclude that such was the case.

166 APPENDIX.

same voice, for Berirms thought he knew him. " Come and save the honour of your father and of yourself." " You, my father ? " The son of Berinus could say no more ; he remained quite powerless and leaned against the tower wall. " My son," cried the unhappy man, " summon up your courage — lose no time, for we need it all." Then Aigres made an attempt to enter through the opening, but his father informed him of the trap into which he had himself fallen, and of the impossibility of his being extricated. Aigres exhausted his strength in fruitless efforts to draw his father out, and more than once he thought of giving himself to death. "It is my duty to die," said Berinus to him. "Listen: I exact of you the most solemn oath that you obey my last behest." " But, father ! " "I exact it ; hesitate no longer." Aigres, completely bewildered, repeated the oath, feeling a secret horror in so doing. Then Berinus recounted to him the whole particulars of this dire mishap ; what Silvain had long done for him, and what he had now unfortunately attempted to do for the first time. Each word of the recital caused the generous young Aigres to tremble. "Now, my son," continued Berinus, " by the oath you have taken, I order you to cut off my head." "Who ? I, your executioner!" cried the wretched youth — "I, the executioner of my father ! " "Do you not see that a real executioner is seeking my life ? " said Berinus. " I shall be the talk and horror of the whole city, and Cleopatra, Eomaine, and yourself must share in my disgrace. All is saved by this act of courage; all is lost without it." "No, no!" cried Aigres, "I will never consent to the atrocious murder of my father." "You have become so in not obeying me," replied Berinus in an angry tone, ' ' and moreover you murder your mother and sister. Bemernber, perhaps in a moment it may be too late — hush ! do you not hear a noise ? Some one is coming to the tower — the door is opening — ah, my son, will you kill us all ? " Aigres, roused to madness, fancied that he also heard the sound of approaching footsteps. He was no longer himself — hesitated no longer — but drawing his sword Pleure Sang, with one blow struck off the head of his father, wrapped it in his cloak, and hastening from the fatal spot, went and buried it in a neighbouring wood.

Day had scarcely dawned when the emperor and the treasurer entered the tower. Seeing a body in the vat, they eagerly drew near, but what was their astonishment and chagrin when they found it headless. The emperor was furious. He caused the mutilated body to be borne into a room in the palace. The barons and the sages were called to examine the affair, but it seemed mysterious to one and all. The corpse was then carried to the gibbet outside the city, where it was guarded by forty mounted knights and a large number of men on foot. This great assembly, however, did not terrify Aigres de 1'Aimant, who resolved to bear off his father's body from the midst of all the armed guard. In order to effect this, it was essential that he should be unknown ; he there fore put on strange armour, a shield without any device, lowered the

CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH ROMANCE. 167

visor of his helmet, and at dawn attacked the guard with irresistible courage, put them to flight, and carried away the corpse committed to their care.

Philip caused strict search to be made to discover the author of such an outrage. The sages were again consulted, but without success. At last one of the guards whom Aigres had forced to flee before him declared to Philip that he had heard the strange knight pronounce, whilst furiously thrusting at them, the name of the Princess Nullie. As the knights of that time always called upon the lady of their love, in order to inspire them to doughty deeds, the emperor merely learned from this that the crime had been committed by one of the lovers of his daughter. And no advantage was derived by one of the sages, when he suggested the following device, which pleased Philip, though it seemed rather strange. He said : ' ' Since the robber of the headless body is in love with the Princess Nullie, I advise that all the barons and lords of high degree be assembled to supper ; afterwards order them to lie down in the great hall, each on a bed of his own, and place in the centre that of Princess Nullie. Now he who is not in love will fall asleep, but he who is in love will keep awake, and will not fail to visit the princess, who must take care to mark his. forehead with her thumb, previously steeped in a black liquid, which all efforts of the gallant cannot ob literate. Forget not," added the sage counsellor, " that the room must be perfectly dark."

The emperor adopted this advice from anger ; Nullie yielded to the plan from filial obedience. The barons were astounded that the princess was to sleep in the same room with themselves, and no one approach her under pain of death. All, save Aigres, fell asleep. He drew near the bed of the princess and mutely kissed her hand. Nullie, not know ing that it was Aigres, pressed her thumb upon his brow. The young knight took this imposition of her hand for a favour ; he flattered him self that he had been recognized, and showed by the most loving words all his gratitude to the princess. She knew him by his voice and fell in despair. "Alas!" said she, "give me no thanks: I have killed you unawares ! I have given you over to death ! I will never survive it ! " How flattering to the amorous knight was Nullie' s grief. He thought his life no penalty for this proof of her affection, and he dared to ask for yet another. She could not refuse a lover who was doomed to die, and he obtained Love's gift.1 Afterwards, profiting by the sleep of the barons, Aigres drew near in succession to each bed, and put on every brow a mark like his own.2 He then returned to his own bed and fell asleep.

" Le don d'amoureuse merci " are the words of the writer of the Extmit, who slyly remarks : " We do not know whether the wary sage, if he had foreseen this incident, would have thought it his duty to forewarn the emperor."

2 This device occurs in many tales besides most of the numerous versions of the Robbery of the King's Treasury, and we find something similar in " La Mort de Tong-chao," one of the Nouvellvs Chinoises translated by M. Stanislas Julien, 18(30.

168 APPENDIX.

Great was the astonishment of the emperor when he saw, on entering the hall in the morning, all his barons and knights marked alike on the forehead. He asked his daughter in an angry tone whether they were all guilty, but she stubbornly kept silent and was shut up in her cham ber. Cursing the sage who had given him such an absurd advice, he had recourse to the other sages, but they seemed as perplexed as him self. At this juncture, Geoffrey arrived at court from Constantinople, where some special affair had required his presence. He knew nothing of the robbery of the treasury and its results. The emperor told him all,1 as well as of the trial made by the Princess Nullie. Geoffrey caused all who wore the black mark to assemble, examined them, and said to the emperor that he would point out the guilty one if he would grant him a boon. This Philip solemnly promised, and Geoffrey, pleased to mortify the sages once more, looked at them with a sarcastic smile as he said to the emperor: "The knight who has the smallest mark is the guilty one ; — all the marks of his companions have been made by the thumb of a man." It was then found that Aigres alone bore the impress of the thumb of Princess Nullie. The latter was in despair; Aigres expected nothing but death. Geoffrey, however, reminded Philip of his oath, and asked the life of the guilty one. His fault did not appear so great to the barons as to the emperor, and they joined with Geoffrey to obtain his pardon. Philip granted it on condition that Aigres de TAimant should leave Eome. He only did so after secretly obtaining the troth of the princess ; — the emperor little thought that in exiling the young knight he was banishing his own son-in-law ! And when Philip died, Nullie, recalling her own husband, raised him to the throne. His banishment had been nothing but a succession of glories and triumphs ; his return to Eome prepared him for new laurels. He re-established his mother on the throne of Blandie ; went and conquered Constan tinople for Prince Orlas, who was the friend of the good Geoffrey, and who married his sister Komaine.2 After so many adventures there remained for the son of Berinus only to live in happiness and peace ; this double advantage he enjoyed, and it was a source of great felicity to his subjects.3

1 That is to pay, all he knew.

2 After conquering Constantinople for Geoffrey's friend, Aigres sails, with more than. 20,000 men, for the Holy Land. They remain at Acre 26 weeks, during which period they make divers raids on the Saracens, and by their prowess so beset them that they dare not go out of their fortress. When the gallant Aigres has done his duty against the paynims, he goes to the Holy Sepulchre, where he offers up prayers and orisons, and makes rich presents — all for the purpose of doing penance for having caused his father's death (ch. cliv.).

3 In the last chapter but one of the original, Geoffrey dies in the odour of sanctity, is buried near Berinus, and the emperor Aigres erects a magnificent church over their remains.

Mr. Vipan, in concluding the interesting extracts and notes with which he has favoured me, makes the following observations : " There is one great difference between the French and English versions. The latter, though very amusing, is

CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH ROMANCE. 169

Thus ends the Eomance of Berinus, in the second part of which, we have seen, his gallant son is the most conspicuous figure. — In the account of the robbery of the treasury there are several important differences between Dixmerie's extrait and the romance in the British Museum: (1) According to the extrait, after the death of Silvain, Berinus went but once to the treasury and lost his life ; while in the romance (ch. Ixxiii.) he goes often and takes as much treasure as he requires, and leads that kind of life for a long time. (2) In the extrait Berinus goes to the tower without the knowledge of his son, and it is only by chance that Aigres comes across him. In the romance, when Berinus hears that the robbery of the treasury is discovered, he deter mines to go once more, and take his son with him, in order to remove a greater quantity of the treasure than usual, as he fears that precautions will be taken before long to prevent his entrance into the tower. Aigres steadily refuses to go, and tries to dissuade his father from his purpose. However, that night, finding he is gone, he follows and discovers him in the tub of glue. (3) In the extrait, Aigres attempts to enter through the opening ; while in the romance he does enter, his father having first given him directions so that he may avoid falling into the tub. (4) In the extrait, Berinus exacts from his son a solemn oath that he will obey his behest. In the romance Berinus says: "Sweetest son, now cease your sorrow, for you can gain nothing thereby. But bethink you of your own safety, and of putting me out of this grief; for if you will do as I counsel, soon will you have relieved me of my trouble. For God's sake, fair son, hasten you, for the night is quickly gone." "Dear father, God-a-mercy, tell me," said Aigres, "and I will do it

hardly edifying. Beryn is at first utterly worthless ; mends a little, but shows no kind of merit ; at last, however, he is dismissed to high station and happiness. In the French version, on the contrary, I think the author intended to be highly edify ing : Berinus. badly brought up, after a short period of decent behaviour, falls again into error, turns robber, and comes to a wretched end. Aigres, on the other hand, who on many occasions shows a spirit of most generous self-abnegation, after many trials is dismissed to happiness. His two faults, the cutting off the head of Berinus and the affair with Nullie, the author probably thought excused, or partly so, con sidering the most extraordinary circumstances under which they were committed ; besides, he suffers from long persecution on account of them. I think in every case vice is severely punished in the French romance."

It seems to me that the author's design in causing Berinus to fall into such a depth of unworthiness was to exhibit the evils that result from ignorance, which Shakspeare terms " the curse of God." The English versifier of the first part of the romance does not appear to have had any particular moral in view, although the Merchant in the prologue (p. 24, 1. 725) says to his fellow-pilgrims that he will tell a tale" in ensaumpill" to them. Beryn, even in his early boyhood, is lewd and dissipated, mischievous and cruel, in consequence of the over-indulgence of his dotiug parents ; and in manhood, when he falls into the toils of the knaves of Falsetown, he shows no force of character— in fact, he is throughout (in the English tale) an arrant poltroon ; yet, by no merit or action of his own, he not only comes out of his law troubles a considerable gainer, but is amply compensated for the loss of his heritage by becoming the son-in-law of the good duke Isope. If there be any " moral " in this tale, it must be that the unworthy and profligate are the favourites of Fortune ! "We see, however, in the sequel, according to the complete story, that Beryn's prosperity was only temporary, and that at last he perished miserably. BERYN, II. 12

170 APPENDIX.

most willingly." Berinus then tells him to take enough treasure to keep himself from want all his life. Aigres says he will first set him at liberty. Berinus declares that he will never leave the place until his son has complied with his request. Aigres accordingly takes a large quantity of treasure home and returns. (The author is careful to inform us that Aigres did not do this from covetousness of wealth, but solely to obey his father's command.) On his return to the tower Berinus orders him to cut off his head. Aigres expostulates through a whole chapter (cxix.). At last his father proves to him that much will be gained by his doing it, and nothing will be lost ; while if he (Berinus) does not die at once he will perish under frightful tortures. On this Aigres falls on his knees before his father, and begs him to pardon him for causing his death. The father answers that he pardons him, and gives him his blessing. Then Aigres rises and goes to kiss his father, " weeping very copiously." Then Berinus confesses all his sins to God, and prays for God's mercy, recommending to God his soul, his wife, and his daughter. After this he says to Aigres: "Now quickly, my son, despatch thee — promptly end my sorrow; let me languish no longer." On this Aigres draws his sword and cuts off his head.1 (5) In the extrait, Aigres recovers his father's body by boldly attacking the guards single-handed and causing them to fly for their lives ; while in the romance he paints his horse on one side yellow, on the other blue, he covers his armour with a white robe, one side of which he stains with a vermilion dye, leaving the other of its proper colour, and round his horse's neck he hangs a number of bells — the guards take him for a goblin and make off at full speed. (6) In the extrait the device, to dis cover the person who stole the body, of causing the knights to sleep in the same chamber with the Princess Nullie, is suggested by one of the seven sages; but in the romance the emperor consults an enchanter, who raises a demon, and it is the demon who devises the stratagem. The demon tells him to order the knights not to approach the bed of Nullie under penalty of "the rope" : the one who stole the body is of " such wondrous boldness" that he will disobey the order, and being marked on the forehead will be detected next morning.

M. de la Dixmerie, at the end of his extrait, remarks that ' ' this unique, foolish, and ridiculous story of the treasury of the emperor Philip," with almost all the details, is found in the novels of Ser Giovanni Fiorentina, H Pecorone, Day ix., nov. 1, whence it was taken. He omits to state that the original is given in Herodotus (Euterpe, 121), where it is the trea sury of Ehampsinitus, king of Egypt, that is robbed by the two sons of the architect who erected the buildings, and purposely left a stone un- cemented. The same story had been current in Europe long before the time of the Italian novelist, being found in the earliest written version

1 M. de la Dixmerie has worked up this incident into a quite " thrilling " scene, albeit in the original it is told very effectively.

CONTINUATION OF THE FRENCH ROMANCE. 171

of the Seven Wise Masters, a Latin prose work, entitled Dolopatlios ; sive, de Rege et septem sapientibus, composed in the latter years of the 12th century, and in the French metrical version, Li JKomans des Sept Sages, about 1284.1 The author of the romance of Berinus might have adapted his story of the Treasury from II Pecorone, since the latter dates as far back as 1348;2 yet both versions may have been independently derived from a common source. Be this as it may, the foregoing story differs considerably from Ser Giovanni's version, of which Dunlop, in his History of fiction, has given an abstract as follows, which I have compared with the translation of the Italian story given in Painter's Palace of Pleasure (first printed in 1566), vol. i. nov. 48, and found fairly accurate :

' • The doge of Yenice employed an architect, called Bindo, to erect a building which should contain all the treasures of the republic, and should be inaccessible to depredators. This ingenious artist reserved a moveable stone in a part of the wall, in order that he might himself enter when he found it convenient. He and his son [Eicciardo] having soon after fallen into great poverty, they one night obtain access by this secret opening and abstract a golden vase. The loss was some time after remarked by the doge while exhibiting the treasury to a stranger. In order to discover [the perpetrator of] the fraud, he closed the doors, ordered some straw to be burned in the interior of the building, and found out the concealed entrance by the egress of the smoke. Con jecturing that the robber must pass this way, and that he would proba bly return, he placed at the bottom of this part of the wall a cauldron filled with pitch, which was constantly kept boiling. Bindo and his son were soon forced by poverty to have recourse to their former means of supply. The father fell up to the neck in the cauldron, and finding that death was inevitable, he called to his son to cut off his head and throw it where it could not be found, in order to prevent further discovery.3 Having executed this command, the young man returned home and

1 Under the title of " The Kobbery of the King's Treasury," in my work on the migrations and transformations of Popular Tales, vol. ii. p. 115 ff., after citing the narrative as related by Herodotus, I have brought together translations or ab stracts of mediaeval Latin, Italian, Sicilian, modern Greek, Albanian, French, Breton, Gaelic, Dutch, Tirolese, Danish, Kussian, Algerian (Kabail), Mongolian, Tibetan, Bengali, Indo-Persian, Indian (Sanskrit), and Singalese versions, and, in Appendix, pp. 486-8, a curious modern Egyptian variant, of this world-wide story, to which the fascinating Arabian tale of All Baba and the Forty Thieves is near akin.

2 There are two MSS. of the romance of Berinus (not one, as stated at foot of p. 124) in the National Library, Paris, both of which, according to M. Delisle, the Librarian, closely agree with the printed editions. One is a folio volume, written on parchment, and dates about the middle of the 15th century ; the other is a quarto written on paper, imperfect at the beginning, of about the end of the 15th century. The date of the Vienna MS. is 1482: " Fait et acomply le dit Romant le vj Jour de Septembre Lan Mil quatre cens quatre vinc/s et deux." This is doubtless not the date when the romance itself was finished, but that of the transcription of the Vienna copy.

3 A man who was " up to the neck " in a cauldron of boiling pitch would hardly be able to give his son such an order: the pain would either deprive him of consciousness or his anguished cries bring in some of the royal guards.

172 APPENDIX.

informed his neighbours that his father had gone on a long journey ; but he was obliged to communicate the truth to his mother, whose afflic tion now became the chief cause oi embarrassment. For the doge, per ceiving that the robber must have had associates, ordered the body to be hung upon a gibbet, in the expectation that it would be claimed. This spectacle being observed from, her house by the widow, her cries brought up the guard, and her son was obliged, on hearing them approach, to wound himself in the hand to afford a reasonable pretext for her ex clamations. She next insisted that her son should carry off the body from the gibbet. He accordingly purchased twelve habits of black monks, in which he dressed twelve porters whom he had hired for the purpose. Having then disguised himself in a vizard and mounted a horse covered with black cloth, he bore off the body in spite of the guards and spies by whom it was surrounded, and who reported to the doge that it had been carried away by demons. The story then relates other means to which the doge resorted, all of which are defeated by the ingenuity of the young robber. At length the curiosity of the doge is so much excited that he offers the hand of his daughter to any one who will discover the transaction. On this the young man reveals the whole, and receives the promised bride in return."

Among the " other means to which the doge resorted " Dunlop passes over the fruitless device of the beds in the great hall : By the advice of a senator, "the most riotous and lecherous young men, such as the doge had in the greatest suspicion, to the number of twenty-five, were sum moned to appear before him ; " they were made to sleep in separate beds in one of the great chambers, and in their midst was the doge's own daughter. The doge says aloud that should any of them approach her bed she is to mark him on the forehead. This frightens all but Kicciardo. He visits the young lady, who marks him ; but, in his turn, he marks the other sleepers, some with two, some with six, some with ten marks, and himself with four, besides the one placed on him by the doge's daughter. — There seems to me little reason to conclude that the story of Berinus and Philip's treasury was adapted from Giovanni's novel, besides the circumstance of the beds ranged around the young lady's bed. We have nothing in Giovanni about the culprit being discovered by the smaller mark on his forehead, and nothing in Berinus about each sleeper having a number of marks. Moreover, in Giovanni the treasury is only once entered, and a golden vase stolen, while in Berinus, as in Herodotus and all other versions, frequent visits are paid to the treasury before the catastrophe.

GLASGOW, June 1887.

173

ADDITIONAL NOTES.

pp. 125, 126. The remarks about the athletic exercises of the young Romans, and Fawnus' and Agea's aversion from Bermus practising them, do not occur in the romance, and are therefore to be regarded as M. de la Dixmerie's own : he frequently indulges in excursions of this kind in the course of his extrait, which I have for the most part left out.

p. 126. Raine, the second wife of Fawnus, is called Rame in the Tale of Beryn, possibly by a clerical error.

p. 133. There is no mention of the three questions put to the seven sages in this part of the romance, but there is much later on (chs. xxxix. and xl.), when Geoffrey introduces Berinus to Esope. In order to recom mend Berinus to Esope's favour, Geoffrey gives his quondam "client" the credit of having discovered that the aching tooth, the fly, and the pear- tree were figures of speech, and signified treacherous flatterers of different kinds. Geoffrey goes on to say that the Romans became so jealous of Berinus on account of his sagacity, that they laid plots against his life, and this was the cause of Bermus leaving the country and taking to the occupation of a merchant. It comes out ultimately that the king who sent the messengers to ask the three questions was Esope himself, who wished to test the wisdom of the seven sages. Geoffrey was one of the messengers, and on their return the Blandiens, being envious of the honour done them, murder all but Geoffrey, who escapes by disfiguring and disguising himself. — The Eastern origin of the "parables" of the aching tooth, &c. is, I think, apparent from the following passage which occurs in Kallla and Dimna, the Arabian version of the Fables of Bidpai: "A tooth which is decayed," said Kalila to the Lion, " will never cease to ache as long as it remains in the mouth ; nor is there any other remedy for the disagreeable sensa tion arising from having eaten unwholesome food than that which will remove it from the stomach, which is the seat of the disorder. The application of these maxims to the case of a dangerous enemy points at once to the necessity of taking away his life." In the Sanskrit version, Hitopadesa, the wily jackal Damanaka cites the sentiment thus: "A pulling up by the root of poisoned food, of a loose tooth, and of a wicked minister, gives ease."

p. 135. In the Planudean Life of Esop the fabulist it is related that Xanthus (Esop's master), getting drunk at a symposium, wagered his house and all it contained that he would drink up the sea. Esop gets him out of this scrape by advising him to demand that all the rivers should be stopped, for he did not bargain to drink them too. p. 135; note on Duke Esop's castle. Gibbon, quoting Abu-'l-Feda,

174 ADDITIONAL NOTES.

states that in the palace of the Khalif Moktader, " among the other spectacles of rare and stupendous luxury was a tree of gold and silver, spreading into eighteen large branches, on which, and on lesser boughs, sat a variety of birds, made of the same precious metals, as well as the leaves of the tree : while the machinery affected spontaneous motions, the several birds warbled their natural harmony. Through this scene of magnificence the Greek ambassador was led by the vazir to the foot of the Khalifa throne."

p. 136, 1. 16. " Two butterflies only were seen floating about the room." — In the romance, as in the Tale of Beryn, Geoffrey had provided himself with two butterflies, but there does not appear to be any refer ence, as in Beryn (p. 109, 1. 328 ff.), to the doctor in Eome.

p. 153, 1. 22 ff. " What is the weight of the elephant ? "—Forbes, in his Oriental Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 455, cites, on the authority of Colonel Wilks, the following anecdote of Shahji, father of Sevaji, the founder of the Mahratta empire, "from which," he remarks, " some conjecture may be formed of the general state of the arts and sciences in India, in the commencement of the seventeenth century": The minister Jaga- deva Eow had made a vow to distribute in charity the weight of his elephant in silver ; and all the learned men of the court had studied in vain the means of constructing a machine of sufficient power to weigh the animal. Shajfs expedient was certainly simple and ingenious to an eminent degree. He led the animal along a stage prepared for the purpose to a flat-bottomed boat, and marking the water-line removed the elephant and caused stones to be placed in the boat sufficient to load it to the same line. The stones, being brought separately to the scales, ascertained the true weight of the elephant, to the astonishment of the court of the wonderful talents of Shahji. — This is precisely the device suggested by the old woman in our Arabian analogue of the story of the Sandal-wood Merchant.

p. 165. In the romance, ch. cxv. ad fin., when the robbery of the treasury is discovered the author breaks out into a long lamentation over the pending fate of Berinus: "Here is an illustration of the peasant's saying, that 'no one knows when his chance and his hour cometh.' Alas, how unhappy was the birth of Berinus, and how he was born under a stern constellation ! For in all his life he had not a single day of peace and quietness ; and, moreover, he was never freed from his ill- fortune ; rather did his mischance approach him relentlessly, for Fortune used all her efforts to bring him under."

Here, in accordance with the belief in astrology which prevailed throughout Europe during the middle ages and even much later, as it does still in Asiatic countries, the author ascribes the misfortunes of Berinus, not to his improper up-bringing and defective education, but to the circumstance of his having been born under an unlucky planet — a comforting doctrine to sinners of all degrees.

W. A. C.

175

NOTES TO THE TALE OF BEEYN.

\TJie notes with the letters F. J. F. appended are by Dr. FurnivaU, those with W. W. S. by Professor Skeat, those with S. by W. G. Stone, and those with no letter appended by F. J. Vipan.~]

p. 1, 1. 8. Hurlewaynes meyne. This meyne is sketcht in the second book of Fra^ois de Rues' Roman de Fauvel, A.D. 1314 :

. . Puis faisoient une crierie, Vestu ert de bon broissequin ;

Onques tele ne fut o'ie : Je croi que c'estoit Hellequin,2

Li uns montret son cul au vent, Et tuit li autre, sa mesnie,

Li autre rompet un auvent ; * Qui le suivent toute enragie.

L'un cassoit fenestres et huis, Montes est sus un roncin haut,

L'autre getoit le sel ou puis. Si tres gras que, par saint Quinaut,

L'un getoit le bren au visage, L'en li peut les costes compter. . .

Trop estoient les et suavaiges ; Avec eus avoit Hellequines

Es tetes orent barboeres, Qui avoient cointises fines,

Avoec eus portoient deus bieres, Et ce deduisoient en ce

Ou il avoit gent trop avable (?), Lay chanter qui si ce commence:

Pour chanter la chanson an diable. " En ce dous temps d'est6,

II i avoit un grant jaiant, Tout droit ou mois de may," &c.

Qui aloit trop forment braiant ;

P. Paris. MSS. Francois de la Bibliotheque du Roi, i. 324-5. (Paris, 1836.)— F. J. F.

1 A penthouse of cloth, &c., before a shop window, &c. — Cotgrave.

2 Hurletvayn is also in 1. 90, Passus 1, of ' Kichard the Eedeles ' •

" Of?er hobbis }e hadden • of hurlervaynis kinne, Reffusynge the reule • of realles kynde."

Piers Plowman, Text C, p. 477, ed. Skeat.

ib, p. 507, is Mr. Thomas Wright's note on the word : " Hnrletvaynes meyne is the Maisnie Hellequin of old French popular superstition ; in Latin, familia Harlequini. The name is spelt in different ways : Hellequin, Herlequin, Henequin, &c. The legend was, that Charles the Fifth of France, and his men, who fell all in a great battle, were condemned for their crimes to wander over the world on horseback, constantly employed in fighting battles. Some derived the name from that of the Emperor, Charles quint, Charlequin, Herlequin, Hellequin. Of course this derivation is wrong, and the legend a fabrication of later date, to explain it. See Grimm's Mythologie, p. 527 ; Le Roux de Lincy's Livre des Legendes, p. 148-150, 240-245; and Michel's jBenuit, vol. ii, p. 336, where in a note is given a most extraordinary story about them. See also Paulin Paris " (as above).

176 NOTES TO pp. 1 — 3, 11. 16 — 56.

See also Tyrwhitt's Chaucer, Gl. s. v. meinie ; he refers us to Ordericus Vitalis, who gives a strange story of the familia Herlechini, also to Gervase of Tilbury, who speaks of the familia Arturi. As to the etymology of the word Hurlewayne, see Skeat's Diet., s. v. Harlequin.

p. 1, 1. 16. Hope is a hoop : see Larwood's Signboards, p. 488. —

w. w. s.

p. 2, 1. 18. Such vitailles as liefonde in town. Here in town = at hand : cf. Sir Thopas (ed. Skeat), 1. 1983 and Note : also Guy of War- wicJce, 1. 5841 :

"God let me neuyr dye in londe."

On which Professor Zupitza says : " in londe, used here as often with no great force " ; he then compares with it the expression in toune. Other instances are :

"Hyt befell in the month of June, Whan the fen ell hangeth yn tonn, Grene in semly sales."

Lybeaus Dlsconus (Ritson), 1. 1225.

" And ich him schal with myn hond teche Hou Goddes grame com to toune Eyght amidelward his croun."

The Seuyn Sages (Weber).

" Had she brought some forty pounds to town, I could be content to make her my wife." K. Green's George-a- Greene (ed. Dyce), p. 260, col. 2, —

where Dyce's Note on the word " town " is : Qy. dower. The expression might still be heard in the present century in East Anglia : in my early youth an old servant by way of informing me that some friends of

ours had an addition to their family, said : " A new Miss has just

come to town." Cp. also the usage of " in place " and " in the stede."

p. 2, 1. 20. The Pardoner beheld and aside swervid. ? perhaps diskennyng agrees with statis, and we may translate : " The Pardoner saw how the people of good station were served, and how, ignoring him quietly, they slipped away from him."

p. 2, 1. 40. Benedicite, pronounce ben'cite, or ben'cit; see Skeat's Gl. to Prioresses Tale, &c.

p. 2, 1. 42. she gan to fnese. ? snese, as fnese elsewhere means to blow, as Prof. Skeat has pointed out.

p. 2, 1. 43. Aha! all hole. In Germany when any one sneezes, the custom is for the bystanders to cry out prosit (prosit), in Austria Gesundheit. In France, Belgium, and Italy, they say in their respective languages, " God bless you": also in some parts of England, for instance in Suffolk.

It is said that this custom arose at the time of the plague, a sneeze being supposed to indicate a change for the better in the condition of the sufferer.

p. 3, 1. 56. \at ye, [been] unaservid. The words, I suppose, as they stand with been inserted, will mean, " but you liavn't been served with your morning-meal " ; from 1. 60, however, it appears that the

NOTES TO pp. 3 — 5, 11. 66 — 122. 177

Tapster was not aware that the Pardoner was fasting. ? Perhaps the words that ye unaservid may mean : " you didn't deserve that, viz. to suffer such extreme sorrow."

p. 3, 1. 66. now broke wel thy name.

" panne hym spak the god king : Wel bruk Jm Jn nevening ; Horn, j?u go wel schulle (shrill) By dales and hi hulle ; Horn, ]?u lude soo sune Bi dales and bi dune."

King Horn, 1. 206. (Specimens by Morris.)

" Dan John, quod he, now well brouke ye your name."

Lidgate's Prologue to the Tale of Thebes.

p. 3, 1. 70. trown & feyn this song. ? For trown read crown or croon = murmur; the scribes frequently interchange t and c : see note on 1. 822. ? Also for feyn read seyn ; in Chaucer we find " seyn a song" : later in this tale, 1. 2462, we have : "I will not feyn one word, as makers doon to ryme " ; but there the word feyn relates to composi tion of verse, not to singing, p. 4, 1. 99.

"Note certen, quod the tapster, yee have a redful even, As wold to God yee couth as wel undo my sweven."

ared ful even = interpreted rightly, in this passage the Tapster's be haviour, but arede is frequently used for to interpret a dream, and we find it with the word even attached in The Boke of the Dutchesse, 1. 284 :

"Ne nat scarcely Macrobeus [Coude] . . . I trow, arede my dremes even."

Rede is so used in modern poetry • as in Campbell's * " Glenara, Glenara, now read me my dream."

Also "read me my riddle" we find several times in Bishop Percy's

Folio.

Undo my sweven. Cp. Romaunt of the Rose, 1. 7 :

"An authonr that hight Macrobees That halteth not dremes false ne lees, But undoth us the avision That whilom mette king Cipioun."

p. 5, 1. 109. a lover glad, glad does not suit the context, unless we take it in the sense of " anxious." See Lancelot of the LaiJc, 1. 2798, " gladly desyrit," and 1. 2946.

p. 5, 1. 122. "* * * howe the Tapster made the Pardoner pull Garlik all the longe nyghte"

? pull = pill or peel ; cp.

" Wyll, Wyll, Wyll, Wyll, Wyll, He ruleth always still. Good reason & good skyll,

178 NOTES TO pp. 5 — 6, 11. 125 — 151.

They may garlic pyll, Gary sackes to the my 11, Or pescoddes they may shyll Or elles go rost a stone."

Skelton's Why come ye not to Courte, 1 103-109.

Todd in Ins Diet., s. v. pilled-garliclc, says : " one whose hair is fallen off by a disease : ' A pleasant discourse between the authour & pild- garlick ; wherein is declared the nature of the disease,' " 4to, 1619.

Sir John Denham, in his Directions to a Painter, p. 21, published in 1667, terms a certain officer "poor Peelgarlick," the reason for this appellation being that part of his posteriors had been shorn away by a cannon-ball. We find the term as late as 1770 in Footers Lame Lover, ad fin. where Sir Luke says of himself:

" So then it seems poor Pilgarlik is discarded at once."

It is easy to understand why a man whose hair has fallen off, or part of whose body has been flayed, should be compared in derision to peeled garlick, but not so easy to see why " to peel garlic " should be regarded as a degrading occupation, as it apparently is in the passage before us. Mr. Wedgwood compares the Fr. saying : " II en pelera la prune " — he will smart for it, he will have the worst of it. The question is also discussed in Notes and Queries, 1st S., i. and ii., and in Latham's Diet. It may be, however, that the expression was originally " to make a man peeled-garlik or pilgarlik" which is intelligible, and was then corrupted into " to make a man pill garlic."

p. 5, 1. 125. Ipou^e she aquyt his while. Cp. Man of Lawes Tale, 584, where Skeat's Note is : " quyte her while, repay her time ; i. e. her pains, trouble \ as when we say : 'it is worth while ' ; wile is not intended."

p. 6, 11. 137-8.

" Put forth the Prelatis, \>e Person $ his fere. A monk that toke the spryngill with a manly chere"

Substitute a comma for the full-stop after fere. Perhaps also for A monk we should read The monk ; in any case this monk is the monk of the Canterbury Tales; the words "manly chere" agree with the description given of him by the Host in the Prologue to the Monk's Tale.

p. 6, 1. 141. " The ffrere feynyd fetously the spryngill for to hold, To spryng upon the remnant"

? For feynyd may we here read feyndyd, from the A.S. fandian, to attempt, try. In Chaucer the word appears as fonde, and in Gologros and Gaviayn as faynd.

p. 6, 1. 151. for the story mourned. The word " mourn " seems sometimes to mean " to be deep in thought," unconnected with sorrow. Cp.

" And in gret thout he was Wher it was his wyfe, er hyt nas.

NOTES TO pp. 6 — 11, 11. 160 — 310. 179

Alse he sat in mornynge,

Anon he thout upon the rynge."

Seven Sages, 1. 3013 (ed. T. Wright).

" he murned ful swicSe

to habben J?at mseiden to wiue." Layamori's Brut. (Specimens by Morris and Skeat), 1. 585.

p. 6, 1. 160. Tcynd of brode = native breeding.

p. 7, 1. 172. out of contrey, out of his own country. Cp. 1. 2294 : "sith he of contre past." Halliwell, s.v. country, says: "county. Var. Dial. " ; this usage is frequent.

" And commandede barouns thre Her to lede out of cuntre To the wyldest forest that myght be

Of Crystendome." Octovian Imperator (Weber iii. 285).

"And outte of cuntre wille I wende." Sir Amadas (Weber iii. 35). " Seth he went out of cuntre." Sir Cleges (Weber i.), 485. p. 7, 1. 178. Save the Sompnour seid somewhat. ? For seid read sey = saw.

p. 7, 1. 188. Ipouye wee shoul set at sale Al the shrewdnes that I can. For wee read /, wee being caught from preceding wee. This error is frequent with our scribe.

p. 7, 1. 192. to the dynerward. A late instance of this construction >ccurs in Sidney's Arcadia, lib. ii., p. 98, ed. 1638. "And so went she roin them to the Lodge-ward." — S.

p. 7, 1. 195. till girdill gon arise. Cp. Man of Lawes Tale, 1. 789 (ed. Skeat) :

" He drank and wel his girdel underpyghte."

p. 9, 1. 247. He was of al factur, aftir fourm of Icynde. He was lade for everything by natural formation or constitution.

p. 9, 1. 250-1. Probably some lines between these two are lost. As the prologue stands, the Sompnour had said nothing to the Frere since their arrival in Canterbury, though, 1. 186, he says he will do so on their way home.

p. 10, 1. 284. rowe — rest (cp. G. ruhen). — W. W. S. Cp. " She wolde never rest nor rowe, Till she came our king unto." — Percy's Folio MS. ii. 548/60G.

Also roo, s. rest, in Guy & Colebrande. — Jamiesou.

p. 10, 1. 290. ffor many a herbe grewe. Insert there after grewe ; it is required both by sense and metre.

p. 10, 1. 293. And other beddis by & by, one beside the other. For

& by, see note by Professor Skeat in N. & Q., llth S., ix. 37.

p. 11, 1. 306. he drank without the cupp. Cp. 460: " He shall Irynk for kittis love without cup or pot," i. e. in abundance.

p. 11, 1. 310. And fond hir ligging liry-long. Cp. with this : " Somme leyde her legges a liri (leri)." Piers Plowman, vi. 123.

I venture to suggest that liry-long means " at length like a dormouse (loir)," and a liri after the manner of a dormouse.

Littre (s. v. loir) tells us that the Berry pronunciation of loir is lire;

180 NOTES TO pp. 11 — 13, 11. 326 — 380.

also that there are two diminutives of loir, viz. llron and Zero/, which signify une espece de petit loir gris. Again (s. v. lerot) he tells us that the pronunciation of loir in Normandy is ler. From this and the Berry form we may have taken our leri and liri.

It appears that the dormouse, when eating, hangs suspended by its hind-feet from a bough, and is consequently stretched out at full length; again, when asleep in winter, it rolls itself up in a ball. The former attitude probably is that of the Tapster in Beryn, the latter that of the Losels in Piers Plowman.

p. 11, 1. 326. Wher coud I, \I\yewe, prey, when ye com efftsone? For when read wen = wene, think; "Whether could I, I pray you, think you would come again ? " Perhaps when may stand ; cp. yliit for yet, and yhere for yere in the PricTce of Conscience.

p. 12, 1. 361. And al ascaunce she loved him well. The word ascaunce has been discussed, N. & Q., 6th S. xi. and xii. ; see also Skeat's Gl. to Man of Lawes Tale, &c., and Murray's Diet. s. v.

p. 12, 1. 362. As Ipou^e she had learned cury favel of some old frere. See Hunter's Diet., s. v. curry, " To curry favour, a corruption of Mid. Eng. to curry favell ; Fr. etringler le fauveau = lit. to rub down the chesnut horse : favell was a common name for a horse, and the same word, but from an entirely different source (Lat. fabula), was used for flattery."

p. 12, i. 362. As ^pou^e she had lernyd cury fauel. " But if such moderation of words tend to flattery, or soothing or excusing, Paraaiastoie, it is by the figure Paradiastole, which therefore nothing Curryfaueii. improperly we call the Curry-fauell, as when we make the best of a bad thing, or turne a signification to the more plausible sence : as, to call an vnthrift, a liberall Gentleman : the foolish-hardy, valiant or couragious : the niggard, thriftie : a great riot or outrage, an youthfull pranke, and such like termes : moderating and abating the force of the matter by craft, and for a pleasing purpose," &c. — Puttenham's Arte of English Poesie, ed. Arber, p. 195. — S.

p. 13, 1. 372. As he Ipat hopid siJcerlich to have had al his will. Here the perfect " to have had " is used for the present. This is not unusual ; cp. 1. 3150, " made him redy to have swore" Also cp. 2075, " To make his pleynt on Beryn & suyd upon his goode," where suyd is for " have suyd," as Prof. Skeat has pointed out.

p. 13, 1. 374. hovje-so-euir it gone. Cp. 1. 791, " or I ferther goon." Also 1. 3008, "no man on hem pleyn."

" For sothe as I the sayne" Sir Isunibras, 1. 536 (Thornton Rom.).

" The sothe thou me sayne."

The Avoivynge of Arthur, 33/8 (Robson's Rom.).

p. 13; 1. 380. Ipat had no spice of rage. Mage = playfulness. Cp.

" Ac ever in ernest and arage

Ever speketh French langage." Sir Beves of Hamtoun, 1. 2790

(Maitland Club).

NOTES TO pp. 13 — 16, 11. 388 — 474. 181

p. 13, 1. 388. And then the officers & I. Cp.

" The Squier came fro chambre tho, Downe he wente into the hall, The officers soon can he call, Both usher, panter, & butler, And other that in office were ; There he them warned sone anone To take up the bordes everych one."

'ITie Squier of Lowe Degre, 1. 388 (Ritson's Rom.).

p. 13, 1. 398. ffor he met with his love, in crokeing of ]>e moon. "Also the same yere [1421] betuen Cristemasse and Candelmasse, the town of Milen' [Melun] was yolden to the kyng [Henry V.], and alle cheveteyns with the sowdyours were ledd to Parys in the croke of the mone they myght seyn, for of them there skaped thens but fewe on lyve." — A Chronicle of London, ed. Sir H. Nicolas, 1827, p. 109.

" Also this same yere [1436] the xiij day of August, the kyng of Scottes and hys wyf lyenge at the sege of the castell of Rokysburgh [Roxburgh], with a gret power of Scottes and a gret ordinaunce, brak up the sege and wente his way shamfully, and lefte his ordinaunce and his stuff behynden hym as a coward, and mo than vij score of his galgentires [? gallowglasses] sclayn and taken at the same sege : and so inyghte he wel sey, that in the crook of the mone com he thedirward, and iu the wylde wanyande [waning] wente hornward :

' With reste and pees, A man schal best encrees?" — Idem, p. 122.

From the last passage quoted here it seems that it was thought unlucky to begin anything when the rnoon was either in her first or last quarter: in the "crook of the mone"; that is, when she is crescent-shaped. — S.

p. 14, 1. 422. al they route. For they read the or that. p. 14, 1. 424. & weytid hym a trest. treat = trist, of which Jamieson says : " trist " is used in 0. E. as denoting a " post or station in hunting."

« Ye shall be set at such a triste, That hart and hind shall come to your fist."

Squire of Low Degree.

weytid him a treste therefore = " looked out for a post for himself."

p. 15, 1. 459. & he com by my lot. Halliwell gives lote : a loft, a floor. South. The host was going to bed.

p. 16, 1. 471. dischauce yewe nat. According to Littr6 chausses in old time comprised all the coverings for the lower part of the body, answering to our word hose. Dischauce yewe nat therefore means, don't take off your lower garments. The word chance is very rare in English, but we find it again in the name Chaucer. See Le Hericher's Glossaire cles noms propres, p. 39, s. v. calx.

p. 16, 1. 474. nere hond quarter niaht, nearly nine p.m., the night lasting from six p.m. to six a.m. See also Camden's Remains (ed. 1870), p. 133 : he says, chauser = hosier.

182 NOTES TO p. 16, 1. 478.

p. 1C, 1. 478.

And went to have fond the dor up by the hasp fy eke \>c twist Held him out a why Is.

Does up here = open ? The German auf, and the Dutch op, have the two meanings up and open : may not the corresponding word in a kindred language have the same two meanings? In the Imperial Diet., s. v. open, we find : " it would seem to be a past part, of a verb formed from up, or at least is based on up." If so, in the line

"The colde deth wyth mouthe gapyng upryght."

Knight's Tale, 1. 1150, —

" £aPvng upryght " will mean " gaping right open." Again, when a knight in an encounter with his adversary is thrown from his horse, we are told over and over again that he "lay upright" : i. e. lay quite open or unprotected, his arms by his sides, and his spear fallen from his hand. Sometimes, instead of the words " lay upright," we are told that he " wyde open lay."

"Wyde open on here back, Dede in the lyng." — Sir Degrevant, 1. 3352 (Tliornton,

Romances).

" And strykes the duk throw the scheld Wyde open in the feld." — Id. 1. 1293.

" sweltand knyghtez Lyes wyde opyne vvelterande on waloparde stedez."

Morte Arthur e, 1. 2147.

Perhaps the meaning is preserved in the modern phrase " to set up shop," where up seems to mean open. Cp. " For this is the first day I set ope shop." — Rowley and Webster's Cure for a Cuckold, p. 294, col. 1. Webster's Works (ed. Dyce).

Perhaps " to cut up a fowl " may be explained in the same way. Also

" the hevynly portis crystallyne

Upwarpis braid." — Gawin Douglas. Prolong of the Xllth Bult of Encados, 1. 19,

where upwarpis braid seems to mean " cast wide open." Again in Gl. to Morris and Skeat's Specimens we have upon, open, and three instances are given from Allit. Poems.

bye the hasp, &c. bye seems here to = but. Either it is an error of the scribe, or a dialectical corruption — probably the latter. See Prof. Zupitza's Note on Guy of Warwick, 1. 7853. " Nay," seyde Gye, " but Mary sone,"

where the MS. has be. He also cites three lines in Generydes, where the editor prints but for be of the MS. To these instances I may add

" Ne bidde ich no bet, lie ich [beo] a lesed a domesdai o beude."

A Moral Ode, 1. 136. Trinity MS. (Specimens by Morris),—

where I have inserted beo from the Jesus MS. to make the line in telligible. For bie the Jesus MS. has bute.

NOTES TO pp. 18 — 20, 11. 634 — 625. 183

p. 18, 1. 534. the felishipp Ipat shuld nevir thmjue. Cp. 1. 1035, " To such maner company as shuld nevir thryue"

p. 18, 1. 536. Jak, ]>ow must be fele. ? For fele read fell; then the meaning will be: "Ja'k, thou must be crafty: thou must have thy wits about thee." Cp. 11. 310-11 : "with half sclepy eye, Pourid fellich vnder hir hode." Also 1. 1833 ; "]?at sotil was &fell." Occleve (De Regimine Principum, st. 607) has':

"What doth this J 'die man & prudent?"

Again, " fykil was and felle," — Tale of Gamelyn, and feille, skill, in Lancelot of the Laik, 1. 2854.

p. 18, 1. 538. this is a noble chere That Ipow hym hast i-found. Here chere = chare, and the meaning will be " this is a splendid turn of luck." If we pronounce it as chore, as the Americans do, the rime with dore will be perfect.

p. 18, 1. 550. / have too gistis a-ryn. Cp. 569, " beth these pannys a-ryn ? "

In Murray's Diet., s. v. aroint, we find: " rynd-ta is merely a local (Cheshire) pronunciation of 'round thee, move round, move about!'" Perhaps therefore aryn may = around, about, which meaning will suit the two passages given above. See, however, the Glossary.

Some maintain that the Shakesperian aroint is a doublet of" around," and this view seems to be supported by the following lines, which are found in a Moral Play, Mind, Will, and Understanding (Collier's Hist, of the English Drama, ii. 208, new ed.) ; where Lucifer says :

" Eeson I haue made both dethe and dumme ; Grace is out and put aroin"

Mr. Halliwell-Phillips in his Life of ShaTcespeare, i. 142 (7th ed.), gives us another form of this word ; he tells us that " arent the, wich," is found in one of the records of the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, which was written about Shakspere's time.

p. 19, J. 563. I think it certain that the Paramour begins here : he came frequently to visit the Tapster (see 11. 54-55), so that he would know that the water-cans were in the place ; besides this the line 568 in this speech is nearly the same as line 542, which is spoken by the Paramour.

p. 20, 11. 612-13. astert rimes with mark; also 11. 676-7 rype with pyJce ; 11. 781-2 londis with wrongis.

p. 20, 1. 625. St. Juliane, the patron Saint of travellers, who provided them with a good night's lodging. Cp.

" He says : ' Dame, for Saint July 1 This night let me have herbary

And als some vittalls till the morn.'"

Roswall and, Lilian, 1. 253, in Laing's Early

Metrical Romances.

" ' This night,' quoth John. ' you shall not spill, Such harbour I shall bring you tille, I hett it you to day ;

184 NOTES TO pp. 21 — 25, 11. 640 — 750.

See that ye take it thankfully In Gods name and St. Joly, I aske no other paye.' "

John de, Reeve, 166 (Bp. Percy's Folio, ii. 564). " they thanked God & St. Jollye, to tell the Queene of their harbor

the lords had full grete pryde." — Ibid. 581-572.

See also Rauf Coilyear, p. 5, 1. 63, and note.

p. 21, 1. 640. warrolc. Mr. Skeat offers three conjectural explana tions of this word. 1. The A.S. wearg, a wretch. 2. Possibly con nected with ware, wary. 3. Cf. the Sc. " warrock, a stunted, ill-grown person, or puny child," which Jamieson connects with the A.S. wear, a wart ; wearrig, callous with labour, knotty, rough.

p. 21, 1. 640. I venture upon a fourth conjecture. Prof. Skeat in Gl. to the Wars of Alexander, s. v. warloJced, says : "pp. fettered, 769*. The same as warroJced ; see Gl. to P. Plowman" May not warroJc here mean " the fettered (one) " ? The dog had a clog about his neck.

p. 22, 1. 667. for au^ht that Tpey coude pour, for tyey read he} ^ey being caught from preceding they.

p. 22, 1. 674. helde him to hys harmys. ? does to here govern pre ceding him : then the meaning will be "kept his injuries to himself."

p. 23, 1. 687. Lo ! how the trees * * * somer clothing [wear] !

? read : Lo ! how the trees grenyth, £>at nakid wer, & nothing Bare jns month afore, but now her somer clothing !

p. 23, 1. 701. unlace his male. Cp. undid the bag of treachery, 1. 1182.

p. 23, 1. 715. my last knot. Cp. Thou sholdest Jenitte vp well a greet matere. Prologue to Parson's Tale, 1. 28 (ed. Skeat). To Jtnitte up al this feste & make an ende. — Id. 47.

p. 24, 1. 728. good will shall be my chaunce. chaunce here means " good fortune." Littre, s. v. " 2e Absolument et abusivement, heureux hasard, bonne chance." Then the meaning of the sentence will be, u my wish to please will cause me to succeed."

p. 24, 1. 728. With this I be excusid. with this = on condition that. Cp. 1. 3972, " With this I have saue condit;" and see Matzner, Sprachproben, 109/192, and note.

p. 25, 1. 750. these olde wise poetes. Cp. 1. 196, these olde wise, where these = the well known. This usage is frequent, in M.E. In Latin we have ille used in this way, as in Antipater ille Sidonius. Forcellinus, s. v. ille, says : " ille nominibus, vel etiam adjectivis, tain in bonam quarn in malarn partem additur majoris evidentise ac emphasis gratia." So in Italian quello is used, and in German jener. Grimm, s. v. jener says : " auch sonst bei hervorhebung von etwas bekannten, wo jener fast nicht mehr sagt wie der blosse artikel." I give some instances from Faust :

1st part. " Fluch jener hochsten Liebeshuld.

in jener ersten Nacht" (first night after Creation).

NOTES TO p. 26, 11. 776 789. 185

2nd part. " \v\ejene Katze.

Stimmen jener Himmelstage."

Why the followers of Beryn are always termed " these Romeyns," I am unable to explain.

p. 26, 1. 776. doseparis = douceperes, dou^e pairs, 12 peers of France. Spenser's use of the word is most amusing. He says :

"Big-looking like a doughty doucepere" (Faerie Queene, III. x. 31).

i. e. looking as bold as a twelve peer. — W. W. S.

p. 26, 1. 779. bon-cheff = good achievement, opposed to mys- clieff = bad achievement. — W. W. S.

p. 26, 1. 789. dessantly. continuously, incessantly.

" pe seven sagis were In Rome dwelling dessantly."

Cp. with this, " ffor thre dayis dessantly jje darknes among hem was," 1. 1562. Also :

" iii hunderit baptist men and wivis, pat desseli bathe late and are Ware tendant to J?e apostlis lare."

Cursor Mundi, 1587/19033.

« Als if he desseli did ille."— Id, 1. 26881 (Cotton MS.). The corresponding word in the Fairfax MS. is tyenli. For fyen Stratmann gives assiduus, diligens.

" pat at \>Q last }?ai ordeined tuelve pe Jjoghtfulest among £>em selve, And did Jjem in a montain dern [Biseli] to wait J?e stern." Cursor Mundi, 70/31. (Specimens by Morris and Skeat.)

The Cotton MS. reads desselik for biseli, and at p. 490 we have a note by Mr. Goodchild of Penrith. " Dess is common in Swaledale in the sense of ' to pack tight or fit closely together.' Possibly the word desselic (p. 70, 1. 34), which is the reading of two MSS. (Cotton and Gottingen), may mean crowded together or gathered closely together. Cf. Icel. hey-des, a haystack. W. das, a stack ; dasu, to stack/'

The word desselich in the five passages given above seems to refer to " time," and Halliwell's equivalent for it " constantly," s. v. dessable, suits the context in each case. In his Diet. Halliwell gives also dess- ment, stagnation ; dess therefore will mean " close, without intervals," whether applied to hay, time, or water.

As to the form of the word, I suppose desse in desselich represents the past part, of the word dess, viz. dessen, and that dessant in dessantli is the Northern form of the same. On this point the use of the present for the past part, in Lowland Scottish, see Sir David Lyndesay's Monarche, 1. 5517, and note (E. E. Specimens by Skeat).

p. 26, 1. 789. Seven Sages. See Mr. Wright's ed. and his dissertation in Hazlitt's ed. of Warton, i. 305-334. In the poem ed. by Wright, the sages are :

BERYN, II. 13

186 NOTES TO pp. 26 — 33, 11. 797 — 1019.

1. Baucillas.

2. Ancillees = Asulus?

3. Lentulus.

4. Maladas.

5. Cato.

6. Jesse.

7. Marcius. — W. W. S. p. 26, 1. 797. sownyd out of reson. ? For reson read seson.

p. 27, 1. 810. as wele me my^ht Tiaue clepid. ? For clepid read crepid ; crepe = crepitate (see Cockeram's Diet., 1626), break wind, p. 27, 1. 812. changit onys chere ; before chere insert his. p. 27, 1. 817. Angir or disese. Halliwell s. v. anger gives : " sorrow (A.S.)," and cites instances, in one of which we have angere and disese. Angre in this sense is frequent in Hampole's Pricke of Conscience.

p. 27, 1. 822. Stypio and Sithero. It's the old mistake of t for c : many scribes write Si for Sc. " Stypio " means Scipio, arid " Sithero " means Sichero (Cicero). — W. W. S.

In the French Romance they are termed cipio and cithero, which confirms preceding note.

p. 27, 1. 822-3. They were named Stypio Astrolage, and Sithero Astrol age. Astrolage = astrologer. — W. W. S.

p. 27, 1. 824. Astronomy — in O.E. — means often what we now call astrology.— W. W. S.

p. 27, 1. 824. of Astronomy al the fences. ? Here fences = defences, and means prohibitions of setting out on a journey on a certain day and the like ; see Skeat's note to the Man of Lawes Tale, 1. 312.

p. 28, 1. 837. His sportis & his estris. ? For sportis read portis ; "his doors and his apartments."

p. 28, 11. 855-6. delites, pris. A strange rime. Is this another instance of a t being written for a c, and may we read delices (= pleasures) ? See Halliwell, s. v. and " delices," Cursor Mundi, 1. 23284. p. 28, 1. 867. inlich gentil. Cp. 1. 1098 : inwardlich sory. Halli well, s. v. inly says : " inwardly, deeply, thoroughly." The words inlich arid imoardlich, used in this sense, were great favourites with the M.E. writers. The writer of Generydes uses them frequently.

p. 31, 1. 959. Save that tournith al to cautele, except that that (viz. glosing) turns entirely to deceit.

p. 32, 1. 974. But of my remembraunce.

" Yeur deth mol nevir, I moot it wele, but evir be in mynde " — i. e. your death will never, I know well, be out of my remembrance, but be ever in my mind.

p. 32, 1. 987. & I lafft yew leliynde. A blunder of our author's ; he means " & yew lafft me behynde."

p. 33, 1. 1012. lewde visenage. ? visenage = vixen, with suffix age ; cp. Rosan for Roxana in the Wars of Alexander (E. E. Text Society).

p. 33, 1. 1019. Ner thou my father's messenger wer. Cp. Ner — ne wer : for this Hampole uses warn — war ne.

NOTES TO pp. 33 — 38, 11. 1032 — 1196. 187

" Elles suld \>e hert, thurgh sorow & care, Ouertyte fayle, warn som hope ware ; . . . And men says, ' warn hope ware, it suld brest.' ;'

Hampole's PricTte of Conscience, 11. 7259-7266. " war ne syn war"— Id. 2342.

These lines are cited in note on 1. 220, Sunday Homilies in Verse (A). (Specimens by Morris and Skeat.)

p. 33, 1. 1032. The death of Agea sprang about the town. Cp. 1. 3213, " It was I-spronge Jmrh the toun." This word is very fre quently used in this sense by the M.E. writers : we find a still earlier use of it in the A.S. Gospel of St. Mark i. 28. Thorpe's Analecta, p. 130.

p. 35, 1. 1087. the serkill celestyne is the primum motile. After enumerating, in their ascending order, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the Fixed Stars, Dante goes on to say : ° ° * ' lo nono [sito] e quello che non e sensibile se non per questo movimento che e detto di sopra, lo quale chiamano molti Cristallino, cioe diafano, ovvero tutto trasparente. Veramente, fuori di tutti questi, li Cattolici pongono lo Cielo Empireo, che e a dire Cielo di fiamma, ovvero luminoso ; e pongono, esso essere immobile, per avere in se, secondo ciascuna parte, cio che la sua materia vuole. E questo e cagione al primo mobile per avere velocissimo movimento ; che per lo ferventissimo appetito che ha ciascuna parte di quello nono Cielo, che e immediato a quello, d'essere congiunta con ciascuna parte di quello Cielo divinissimo, Cielo quieto, in quello si rivolve con tanto desiderio, che la sua velocita e quasi incomprensibile : e quieto e pacifico e lo luogo di quella somma Deita che se sola compiutamente vede. Questo luogo e di Spiriti beati, secondo che la santa Chiesa vuole, che non puo dire menzogna i e Aristotile pare cio sentire, chi bene lo 'ntende, nel primo di Cielo e Hondo? — Convito, Tratt. II., cap. iv. — S.

p. 35, 1. 1098. [And] With the vii sagis. ? For [And] With read With [that] = thereupon. Cp. 1. 1181, "Rame with \at gan si3he."

p. 36, 1. 1112. ipat she my^t be shryne to all other wymment an object for other women to visit and gaze on. Cp. with this : " She is playnly expresse Egeria, the goddesse And lyke to her image, Emportured with corage, A lovers pilgrimage."

Skelton's PUyllyp Sparowe, 1. 1157-1161,—

where I take a lover's pilgrimage to mean an object for a lover to make a pilgrimage to ; I bring forward this explanation, however, with diffidence.

p. 37, 1. 1167. spakfulfeir with hym. Perhaps the reading of the MS. spal may be retained, as preterite of spell, ' speak ' ; possibly it means " she spoke bewitchingly " (cp. the sbst. spell), " talked him over." p. 38, 1. 1196. so hi$e & mode. In Le Bone Florence (Ritson), 1. 90, we have " swete and swaro." Perhaps for & in both cases we should read on, or of. Cp. " so lowe I was of mode," 1. 2129.

188 NOTES TO pp. 39—41, 11. 1217 — 1308.

p. 39, 1. 1217. / had levir he were I-sod. Ogilvie's Diet, gives a verb sod, to cover with sod, to turf. At the present day " lie's under the sod " may now and then be heard.

p. 39, 1. 1229. The devill hym spech. ? For speche read spede. The words " the devill hym spede " occur four or five times elsewhere in this tale. Probably the che in speche was caught from reche, which follows.

p. 39, 1. 1244. aweynyd. aweyn, disaccustom, cp. G. entwuhnen, seems to be the correct form of the word, the later wean having lost a significant prefix ; the same is the case with manse, excommunicate, for amanse. See Stratmann, s. v. mansian.

p. 40, 1. 1250. merellis. A game somewhat like fox and geese, — called also nine men's morris, and five-penny morris, — played upon a board by two persons, each having nine pawns or counters. It was often played in the open air, the lines of the merelle board being then cut out in the turf. Shakspere mentions the game in this form, Mid. N. D., II. i. 98. Further particulars, and a woodcut of a 14th cent, merelle table, will be found in Strutt's Sports and Pastimes, ed. Hone, 1845, bk. IV. chap. ii. pp. 317-18. Sherwood calls it: "(The boyish game) five-pennie morris. Le jeu de merelles." — Cotgrave, ed. 1632, Eng.-Fr. s. v. Morris. * Mereau * * * selon Monet, jeton pour compter.' — Roquefort, s. v. * Mereau,' and see also ' Merellier.' — S.

p. 40, 1. 1267. rekelagis = rigolagis = diversions. Littre gives a verb rigoler[se], of which he says : "v. reflex. Terme vieilli. Se divertir, faire une petite debauche ; v. n. Terme populaire. Eigoler, meme sens." The word is found also in the Cursor Mundi, 1652/47, Laud MS.

" Ensample hereby to hem I say, That rage in her ryot allewey, In Eiot and in rygolage,"

Here Bedford MS. has Ricolage. See also Cursor Mundi, 10/49, where Cotton MS. has rygolage, Fairfax and Trinity ricolage, and Gottingen (which is a Northern MS.) rekelage.

p. 41, 1. 1283. Vel fikill flaptail Vel = wel, very, fikill, deceitful ; op. Heo ne couthe of no fikelyng, and answerede not so (said of Cordelia). La^amon (in Matzner), 156/32, and note.

p. 41, 1. 1288. And lepe out of the chambir. as who seyd " cut ", " as if one said to him ' cut.1 " Cut was a term of reproach, probably meaning gelding. See Nares, s. v.

p. 41, 1. 1295. vnllokis. ? undergarments. Perhaps it is connected with wilie-coat, the origin of which word is unknown ; see Jamieson.

p. 41, 1. 1300. ffor seth mm aray ! for thy vilany. ? after for insert God, which perhaps the scribe omitted from reverential feelings ; cp. 1. 1275. At the same time I should remark that Geoffrey begins a speech, 1. 3253, with the word ffor. For thy read thys, thys vilany meaning "the vilainous appearance I make."

p. 41, 1. 1308. ffor tho he first gan to glow a sory mans hede. Here glow = clow = claw, g and c are frequently confounded by the

NOTES TO pp. 41 — 44, 11. 1309 — 1410. 189

scribes ; which may easily be explained in the case of those who wrote from dictation. In this tale, 1. 8, we probably have capes for gapes.

Cp. also " 20 be so fayre, lyme & lythe,

And therto comly glad tharw", That cemmely hyt ys to see." Syre Gaivane and the Carle of Carelyle, 1. 190 (ed. Madden),

where for glad read clad. Again we are told that Gengis Khan be comes Camlymcan in the Squieres Tale ; glaize, the white of an egg, is from the Latin clarus, and we find Icnawen for gnawen in the MS. of the Mirrour of Magistrates, p. 296 of Skeat's Specimens ; perhaps also in this way arose the early use of can for gan. As to clow for claw, Halliwell tells us that this is a Cumbrian usage. It is evident that our author wrote his tale in the dialect of some Northern county, with a sprinkling of Southern forms, which he picked up when a monk at Canterbury.

As to the meaning of the expression, Jamieson tells us that to claw an auld man's pow is a vulgar phrase, signifying to live to old age, and that it is often negatively addressed to a man who lives hard, Ye'll never claw, &c. If therefore " to claw an old man's head " means to become an old man, " to claw a sorry man's head " will mean " to become a sorry man," and the line before us will mean that Beryn then became really sorry for the first time in his life.

p. 41, 1309. Icepe thy cut, be faithful to thyself. The editors of Nares, s. v. keep cut, cite :

"A pretty playfellow, chirp it would,

And hop & fly to fist ; Keep cut, as twere a usurers gold, And bill me when I list."

Cotgrave's Wits Interpreter, 1671, p. 176.

Keep cut therefore seems to = keep touch, stand the test, like gold ; but how it got this meaning I cannot say.

p. 42, 1. 1342. That he had part of sorowe, me thinkith \at my^i avowe. Cp. 1. 2467, part of sapience ; and 1. 3122, parcell of his sapience. The meaning of the line is: "that he fell into a swoon, I think, shows that he was sorry."

p. 42, 1. 1350. alto tare his ere, . . . With many a bittir tere = tore his hair, at the same time shedding many a bitter tear.

p. 43, 1. 1365. The poet here makes Fortune masculine ; so also Nature, 1. 689 ; and the City of Rome, 1. 736 ; Beryn's rnantell, 1. 2428 ; Foly, 1. 2319, and a knyfe, 1. 2345.

p. 44, 1. 1393. wel a fyne. Cp. Professor Zupitza's note in Guy of Warwick ; he decides that well and fyne is the correct form.

p. 44, 1. 1410. And herde Beryn made his mone. Cp. " Has doon fraught," — Man of Lawes Tale, 1. 171 (ed. Skeat), and note thereon ; also

"Whose fathers he caus'd murder 'd in those wars."

Green's Georrje-a- Greene (ed. Dyce), p. 269, col. 1.

190 NOTES TO pp. 45 — 49, 11. 1425 — 1560.

"The lorde halpe with inyrthe & play Tollyd his oune wyf away."

Seven Sages, 1. 3051 (ed. T. Wright).

p. 45, 11. 1425 — 1442. Faunus usually addresses his son as ihou : so in this speech he begins with thou, but being softened by his recol lections of Agea, at 1. 1437 he changes to ^ewe. The son always addresses the father as yewe. Faunus addresses Rame, 1. 1536, as thou, though he usually calls her you : on that occasion he is upset with joy- fulness. This change from you to ihou is found as late as the year 1757. In Foote's Englishman returned from Paris (Modern British Drama, vol. v. p. 263), Crabb first addresses Mac-ruth in as you; then getting out of temper, thou's him ; then subsiding a little, he returns to you, and finally breaks out again into thou. Again, at p. 270, Lucinda, conversing with Burke, commences by addressing him as you, but soon breaks out into thou, upon which he retaliates with the same disrespectful pronoun. On the whole the use of thou may be said to indicate strong feeling, good or bad, or superior station.

p. 45, 1. 1439. / shall jit, or eue [come], that Bergeyn vndirtake. Cp. 1. 1486, " onys or it be eve that I shall do my devoir." This ex pression " or it be eve " we find very frequently in the M.E. writers, who borrowed it from the French ; in the Histoire de Berinus, chap, liii. ad fin, we have : " sil eut este dans leur puissance, logres f ut de royaume de blandie saisi, avant quil eut este la vespree." Cp. also " ere it was nyght."— Squieres Tale, 1. 460, ed. Skeat.

p. 46, 1. 1460. a redy for to snache. Cp. 1. 659. Perhaps the a- represents the older je. Dr. Morris in his note on the word jeredie, An Bispel, 1. 152 (Specimens), says: " in Piers Plowman we find iredi and aredi ; aredinese occurs in Bacon's Advancement of Learning, and in our English Bible, 2 Cor. x. vi."

It may be observed in favour of the meaning all, attributed to it in the Gl., that at 11. 23, 484, we have al redy.

p. 46, 1. 1473. And as sone as — And hi^ed — And told and made. There is no apodosis in this sentence. We find a similar one in Chaucer's Prologe of the Wyf of Bath, 11. 818 — 822, when — and — and.

p. 46, 1. 1477. She hullid hym & mollid hym. For hullid, covered with her arms, embraced, cp.

"how hertily J>e herdes wyf hides f>at child, & hov fair it fed, & fetisliche it bathede."

William of Paler ne, 1. 97 (E. E. Text Soc.).

As to moll, slobber over, see Gl. ; perhaps this word appears in the term mollicoddle, and that may be explained as " one who has been moiled and coddled."

p. 46, 1. 1478. kite = belly ; see Jarnieson.

p. 48, 1. 1536. my hertis swete. ? for hertis read herte. So again, 1. 2801, for "a mannys hertis" read herte.

p. 49, 1560. had loedir at will. Frequent in the M.E. writers, who have taken it from the French ; cp. Histoire de Berinus, sign. H 1, col.

NOTES TO pp. 49 — 57, 11. 1580 — 1837. 191

2, " ils eurent vent a gre et voulente:" ibid. sign. NN 4, col. 1, " ils eurerit vent a voulente.'1

p. 49, I. 1580. strothir. 1. 1884, strodir = steor-rojpir = steering rudder. This was corrupted into strothir. See Wright's Vocab. i. 48, col. 1. "Remus, steor-rojjir," lit. a steering paddle.

p. 49, 1. 1582. That my^te abaten of the Shipp the Ipiknes of a skale. ?for Shipp read myst, Shipp being caught from Shippis in preceding line.

p. 50, 1. 1604. Lace on a bonet or twain. An additional part laced to the foot of the jibs, or other fore- and aft- sails, in small vessels in moderate weather, to gather more wind. The}r are commonly one-third of the depth of the sails they belong to. Thus we say : "Lace on the bonnet" or "Shake off the bonnet." — Admiral Smyth's Sailor's Word book, 1867, p. 118.— F. J. F.

In the French romance the description of the storm and succeeding mist is despatched very briefly, and no nautical terms are used ; our author gives us fifty lines or so on this subject, and uses nautical terms, from which I infer that in early life he was a seafaring man : he also uses the word cond, 1. 3995, which we are told is a seaman's term.

p. 51, 1. 1652. Now wold to God I had wherof, or coude make yewe cher. Cp. 1. 1729, " had wherof plente ; " to have wherof is a translation of the French avoir de quoi : of which Littre, says : " familierement etre dans Taisance" At the present day we say : " 1 havn't the wherewithal" and "one doesn't know his whereabouts." Cp. also "every man, who had whereof, shulde peynen him." — Mandeville, Prologue to the Voiage, 1. 60.

p. 52, 1. 1682. Ipat failid neuer of lakh, lakk =• fault; cp. lac, Gl. to Havelok (ed. Skeat). Dutch lak, fault. Dr. Furnivall suggests " game," from A.S. lakan.

p. 53. 11. 1709-10. And had enquerid of the Child and told his mas ters name. The subject (viz. the Child) is omitted before told. This is frequent in this poem and elsewhere. Cp. 1. 1746, and see Prof. Zupitza's note to Guy of Warwick, 1. 10.

p. 54. half a myle, the time it takes to walk half a mile. This is a common usage, probably adopted from the French • cp. une grande loee (lieue Stunde) in Gl. to Bartsch's Chrestomathie.

p. 55, 1. 1762. To " shake a ring" seems to be O.E. for "ring the bell."— W. W. S.

p. 55, 1. 1790. ^purh-out the world. Read worlds wyde to rime with ryde ; worlde wyde is a common expression.

p. 57, 1. 1837. gesolreut the haut. i. e. Gr-so-l, re, ut the high, or G-sol, re, upper C. G-sol means the note G, called Sol by singers. Me is the note D, and ut is the note C ; ut the haut is C in the octave, or upper C. Ut is never used now : Do is used for it. — W. W. S.

"Gesolreut the haut" means "at an exceedingly high pitch of voice. There are two Gesolreuts in the old scale, the one an octave above Gamma, and the second two octaves above Gamma. It is to the last gesolreut the haut applies. The name is a long one for a single note, but it means only one, viz. G." — Oct. 23 [1871], W. CHAPPELL.

192 NOTES TO pp. 57—64, 11. 1838—2084.

p. 57, 1. 1838. in kenebowe. See Skeat's Diet. s. v. akimbo.

p. 57, 11. 1847-48. tyme rimed with by me occurs in Chaucer (see Ryme-Index), and gives a final e. — W. W. S. See also to me rimed with lome, 11. 1700-1.

p. 57, 1. 1851. endenting every pase, in zigzag manner, like the

edge of an indenture. Cp.

" they took

Their staves in hand, and at the good man strook, But by indenturing still the good man scaped."

Heywood's Hierarchy of Angels, 1635, p. 134.

p. 59, 1. 1916. what charge \e Shippis bere. charge = cargo, which latter word is Spanish ; the two words are doublets. See Skeat's Diet, p. 59, 1. 1918. in his uoice. For' his read hi] = high, p. 59, 1. 1922. let tuk le meyn, let touch the hand. A bargain was settled by joining hands. * See Prof. Skeat on the word " tucker." Transactions of Phil. Soc. for 1885-6, p. 328.

p. 60, 1. 1948. & fond a-mys. Perhaps the hyphen may be deleted, as the verb requires an accusative after it.

p. 60, 1. 2061. howe euir so yee taue. ?for yee read he, yee being caught from preceding yee : then the words will mean, "however lie may pull against you." Jamieson gives tawe, to pull, and tawan, reluctance, and Halliwell tave, kick. Cp. also " to tow a boat," and for the rime 11. 1257/8, withdrawe, have.

p. 61, 1. 1978. 3is trulich, the tite; the tite = it betideth thee i. e. thou must do it. Cp.

" Opbreyde me tyt of many on

Of Jjyne riche kynne."

St. Alexius (E. E. Text Society), Trinity MS., 1. 155. p. 61, 1. 1987. Now fele in hir wittis & eke undirstonde. The M.E. writers frequently use fele in this sense, especially the author of Generydes. Cp. also

"Neilef Jxm nouht to/efe uppe the see £>at floweth."

Proverbs of Alfred, 1, 196 (Spee. by Morris)— where fele = think, meditate.

p. 62, 1. 2010. Read cried "out & harowe"

p. 63, 1. 2039. they com into ])e plase. Plase here means Court house. Cp. 1. 3451, " therfor, Sir Steward, ye occupy our place ; " here our is a form of your, and our place (= your plase) does not mean your seat on the bench as it would at the present day, but your court-house. Plase sometimes signifies a mansion, chief house of the neighbourhood ; so 1. 1636, we have : " waytid on his ry^ht-bond a Manciples place." Also see Skeat's note on Sir Thopas, 1. 1910 : " At Pepering, in the place." Cp. New Place at Stratford-on-Avon ; the name, however, is frequent in England and Wales.

p. 64, 1. 2075. & suyd = and to have sued. — W. W. S. p. 64, 11. 2083-4. To make condempnyd and examened rime, we must delete the second e in examened and pronounce examned. At 11.

NOTES TO pp. 64—70, 11. 2092 — 2275. 193

2380-1, for-skramyd rimes with examenyd, where we must pronounce examyd.

p. 64, 1. 2092. Ipat on me ben surmysid. We have the correspond ing English term, I. 2103, " Of jjing that I shall put on ^ew."

p. 65, 1. 2123. for offt time, for is here intensitive and = very ; cp. 1. 268, for curteisly.

p. 65, 1. 2128. his : the old idiom. We now say — " For sucking of him," or "As for his sucking."— W. W. S.

p. 67, 1. 2194. Ipan he did his shippis or his good, dele the words he did: the metre of this Tale is very irregular, but will not tolerate a line of this length.

p. 67, 1. 2196. a-mure. At 1. 2806 we have a-myrid apparently in a directly contrary sense. Perhaps in the passage before us we may read i-myre, put in the mire, as in 1. 3388 ; cp. 1. 304, " i-loggit al ny^t in a myere;" our author is always repeating himself. It may possibly however be from A.S. amyrran, to mar, destroy.

p. 68, 1. 2213. ensensid = insensed = informed. To 'insense' is to drive sense into people: common in Norfolk. [And in Devonshire also, I've been told. — S.]

" It's a wonder somebody doesn't insense him about it," he con tinued, " but I hope they'll not, for I want him to come down to our part just once more, that I may sattle wi' him for what he said to Miss Mary." — Ralf Skirlaugh, by Edw. Peacock, 1st edit. 1871, vol. iii. p. 99.— W. W. S.

p. 68, 1. 2227. doith eke man appeir. For eke read eche ; appeir = impair, from Fr. pire, worse.

p. 68, I. 2228. & falle in dispeir. The context seems to require "fallith," the subject he being omitted.

p. 69, 1. 2266. Ipey had no cause to yelp. For Ipey read he, viz. Beryn.

p. 70, 1. 2275. mi dromodarijs. Dromodarijs is here put for dromonds, swift vessels. Cp.

" Wyth eighty shyppes of large towre, Wyth dromedaries of great honour."

TJie Squyer of Lowe Degre, 1. 817.

In Guy of Warwick, 1. 5805, we find the converse error, dromonde for dromedary, which Prof. Zupitza thinks probably arose from the author's ignorance of natural history. In the Morte Arthure (ed. Brock), 1. 2286, we have —

" They drevve out of dromotidaries dyuerse lordes" —

where dromondaries evidently = dromonds. In the Taill of Rauf Coillyear (ed. Herrtage), 1. 807, a " knicht on ane camell" who is a Saracen, comes to encounter Sir Rauf, and after the encounter we are told that " baith thair hors deid lay," 1. 817 ; besides which the animal on which the Saracen rode is termed a " blonk " and a " steid " ; therefore here the word " carnell " is evidently used for a horse. It is not sur prising that this confusion has arisen : the words dromond and dromedary

194 NOTES TO pp. 70 — 73, 11. 2289 — 2408.

have both the same meaning, viz. runner, the only difference between the two words being that the latter has an adjectival suffix, so that they are both equally applicable to a ship and a horse. The author of Rauf Coilyear seems to have fallen into his error in this way ; first, he thought that the word " dromedary " might be used for " horse " ; then having learnt that a dromedary was a sort of camel, he used the word " camel " also for a horse. Possibly, when we read of a Christian knight riding on a dromedary, as in the Morte Arfhure, 1. 2941, "dromedary" only means a swift horse. The surname Drummond is probably from this word, dromond, ship.

p. 70, 1. 2289. neuir have mery. mery seems to be put here for merriment. The absence of the substantival suffix is frequent in M.E. writers ; cp. 1. 3493, desperate of mind. Again, 1. 1431, we have : " our diete shall be mery & solase:" here either mery = merriment, or solace = solacious, as the two words must either be both substantives or both adjectives.

p. 70, 1. 2293. Ther may no man hale murdir, ^pat it woll out at last. The negative is omitted in the secondary sentence ; this arises from a confusion of two constructions ; see Prof. Zupitza's note on Guy of Warwick, 1. 1301-3. To instances there cited, may be added, " There was none that he mette, And his spere on hym wold sette, That after within a lyttel stounde Hors & man bothe went to ground."

Ipom-ydon, 1. 541 (Weber).

Also Richard Goer de Lion, 1. 3500 (Weber) ; Sir Beves of Hamtoun, 1. 1412 (ed. Kolbing) ; and Tale of Gamelyn, 11. 511-12.

p. 71, 1. 2319. ffoly, I hauntid it evir, &c. A redundant object. — S. p. 72, 1. 2348. to speke of had-I-wist. Prof. Earle (Philology of E. Tongue, p. 514) cites :

"And kepe J?e wel from hadde-y-wiste"

Bdbees Boolt, p. 15 (ed. Furnivall). " When dede is doun, hyt is to lat ; be ware of had-y-wyst"

p. 72, 1. 2349. the man, that he stert. Here that he = who ; this is frequent in Chaucer and other M.E. writers.

p. 72, 11. 2356-7. raftris, aftir. Cp. this rime with that of wers, ther, 11. 3444-5.

p. 73, 1. 2388. began to preche. For preche read prece, press on. Both sense and rime require the change.

p. 73, 1. 2397. For Itye read lite. Dr. Furnivall however suggests that li^t may stand, as lightly.

p. 73, 1. 2408. outid all yeur chaffare. Jamieson, s. v. outing, a vent for commodities, cites : " sale & outing of his wares " ; see id. s. v. out, and Canon Yeoman's Tale, 1. 834 (ed. Skeat). This phrase is used in a metaphorical sense in MarchanCs End Link, 1. 3438. See also Wyf of Bathe's Prologe, 1. 521 (ed. Morris).

NOTES TO pp. 74 — 81, 11. 2436 — 2673. 195

p. 74, 1. 2436. ? For contremen read contreman.

p. 75, 1. 2450. Sir Clekam, from cleiks, s. pi. a cramp in the legs, to which horses are subject ; so denominated, because it cleiks, and as it were holds up their hinder legs. — Jarnieson's Diet. But see Gl.

p. 77, 1. 2515. cly^te, closed ; cp.

" Than com en her frendes hem to, And seide : ' alas ! whi seie ye so, In your armour so fast yclijt?'" — Cursor Mundi, 1648/717.

The word is from A.S. beclusian; cp. " beclused inne castle." — La^amon in Matzner, 31/14138.

p. 78, 1. 2563. at all \at I shuld stonde cler. i. e. that T should stand clear of all charges. These inversions are frequent in this tale. Cp. 11. 3133-4, " so ferforth atte laste Thurh vertu of myne office, fat," which == " so ferforth, fat atte laste, thurh vertu of myne office."

p. 78, 1. 2569. That ye woll hold me couenante, & I will yew also = if you will keep word with me I will keep word with you ; cp. 11. 3547-8. This construction is frequent. It appears in many of our proverbs, as " Marry in haste, and repent at leisure," " Stuff a cold, and starve a fever," and -others. It is found in mediaeval and modern French.

p. 78, 1. 2583. I-seclid & fixid them a nye. Again c for t; for I-seclid read isetlid, as Urry does, and cp. 1. 1742, " ysetlid ne fixid in the wose."

p. 79, 1. 2590. ? before fey insert f ou$e.

p. 79, 1. 2606. f e lawe wold graunte anoon. ? For anoon read noon, i. e. no opportunity of proving your case.

p. 80. 1. 2624. ffor of wele & ellis it is thy day final = this day will decide finally as to whether you have good fortune or other fortune. Cp. 1. 1122, " So what for drede & ellis they were bothe ensuryd," *. e. for fear and other feeling, viz. fear of the Emperor and personal liking. Ellis & else are sometimes used as adjectives or pronouns ; cp. Kiny John, Act II. scene i, where the King says : " I bring you witnesses," and the Bastard interposes with : " Bastards and else''1

p. 80, 1. 2637. Deupardeux = de part dieu ; see Prologue to Man of Lawes Tale, 1. 39, and Prof. Skeat's note thereon. The corre sponding English oath seems to have been : " a Goddes half," where half = part.

p. 81, 1. 2661. Grew = Greek. Cp.

"And fast disputed with the griiiex." — Cursor Mundi, 1597/19739.

For the dropping of the final k, cp. warlau = warlok, and sll = slik = Biiilk, which are both common in the Cursor Mundi.

p. 81, 1. 2673. In denmarlc he was goten and I-bore also. In the French romance also Esop is represented as having been born in Den mark ; why so, it is difficult to say; but perhaps the following extract from the Foreign Quarterly Review, No. XXXV. p. 193, will throw some light upon the subject. " We are inclined also to think that during

196 NOTES TO pp. 82 — 84, 11. 2697 — 2791-.

the 12th and 13th centuries, and perhaps later, it was very common, when people would tell a legend, supposed to have happened in another land, to place its locality in Denmark : we have thus in Giraldus a story of a household spirit who served a bishop in Denmark (perhaps the oldest form of the story of Hudekin) ; we have several stories among our saints' legends whose scene is in Denmark ; and the oldest form in which we have yet met with the story of Shakespeare's Shylock is in an Anglo-Latin Manuscript, where it is said to have occurred in Denmark. Had the name of Denmark been thus accidentally intro duced the story might have been adventitious to that country, and yet might at a later period have localized itself there."

p. 82, 1. 2697. wonde = fear, see Stratmann, s. v. wandien.

p. 82, 1. 2701. And eve afore = on the evening before ; perhaps for and we should read an (= on).

p. 83, 1. 2723. The keveryng of-bove, is of selondyn. In the French romance we have in this passage cassidoine (= modern calcedoine) : and for salidone, 1. 3302, we have sardoine (— sardonyx). Probably both salidone and selondyn are corruptions of sardoine.

p. 83, 1. 2726. he my^t be disware of his owne lyve = he might unawares lose his life. Cp. 1. 3393, " of Jje lyve They wishid that they were," i. e. they wished that they were dead. In the phrase " to be of J?e lyve;" of = "off, out of;" cp. also the common phrase, "to do of dawe."

p. 83, 1. 2728. what thing come forty, for in forby = forth. Cp. "forthby as they go," Chaucer's Legend of Phillis. ad fin. Forby = by or past.

p. 84, 1. 2758. And mowe, as they were quyk, Jcnawe the sotill engyne. The only meaning I can extract from this perplexing passage is " and they may, as if they were alive, acknowledge the subtle skill (of Tholomeus) ; " but ? —

p. 84, 1. 2772. tregetours, jugglers ; see Tyrwhitt's note on the Canterbury Tales, 1. 11453. He derives the word from treget, frequently used by Chaucer for deceit, and treget from trebuchet, the French name for a military engine, which is called by Chaucer trepeget. Trebuchet in French signified also a machine for catching birds.

p. 84, 1. 2774. ]?e arte of apparene. For apparene read apparence, the art of producing apparitions, which word we find four times in the Frankeleyne's Tale (ed. Morris, 11. 412, 426, 529, and 858); also in Lydgate's Dance of Macabre, cited in Tyrwhitt's note, which is referred to in note next preceding this ; aperance we find in the Testament of Creseide, 1. 142 (ed. Laing).

p. 84, 1. 2775. That they make semen wormys, i. e. that they cause serpents to appear seemingl}-.

p. 84, 1. 2791. as a dentour wriythe, goes zigzag like an indenture. " If a deed be made by more parties than one, there ought to be regularly as many copies of it as there are parties, and each ' was formerly' cut or indented ('either' in acute angles instar dentium, like

NOTES TO p. 87, 11. 2874 — 2899. 197

the teetli of a saw, * or more usually ' in a waving line) on the top or side, to tally or correspond with the other ; which deed, so made, was called an indenture." — Blackstone's Commentaries, ed. Kerr, 1862, vol. ii. p. 290. Further particulars may be found in Spelman's Glossarium Archaiologicum, and Cowell's Law Dictionary, s. vv. ' Indenture,' and 1 Indenture.'— S.

p. 87, 1. 2874. imade al my wanlase, driven all my deer to a stand. Jamieson, s. v. wanlas says: " at the wanlas, accidentally, without design." We find a word much resembling this in A.S. only inverted ; le.aswene, false opinion, from waenan, wenan, to think, and leas, with out. This was evidently used in E. as a term of the chase. Wanlass (a term in hunting), as Driving the Wanlass, i. e. the driving of deer to a stand ; which in some Latin records is termed Fugatio Wanlassi ad stabulum, and in Doomsday Book, Stabilitio Venationis. Phillips. " Illi custumarii solebant fugare Wanlassum ad stabulum, i. e. to drive the deer to a stand, that the lord may have a shoot ; Blount ap. Cowell"

The word therefore seems to have meant, 1st, thoughtless or thoughtlessness ; 2nd, a deer running thoughtlessly or at random ; and Srdly, the act of driving the deer so running to a stand, in which sense it is used in the passage before us. We also find wanlessour for

huntsman :

" The wandlessoures went throw the forest,

And to the lady brought many a best,

Hert & hynde, &c." — Ipomydon, 1. 387 (Weber).

We also find the word wanles in the Cursor Mundi, 1. 23996 :

" Bot quhen i sagh thaa juus snell Kise again my son sa fell, Ful wanles wex I then,"

where wanles = destitute of thought, at a loss what to do. Cp. also " will of vayn." — Barbour's Bruce, 1. 225 (Morris and Skeat's Specimens].

p. 87, 1. 2886. ovir the lord. " * * * the Frenchemen had the victorye, and toke two great shyppes of Eriglande with great ryches, and caryed them with them into the Frenche stremys, and cast the men oner the borde"— Rastell's Pastime of People, 1525, ed. T. F. Dibdin, 1811, p. 215.— S.

p. 87, 1. 2899. the saylis stonden al a-cros. p. 90, 1. 2995. make cros-saill. A friend obliged me with the following note on these phrases. — S.

" Neither of the phrases you mention is used now, nor in truth any words very like them that I know of. I can only guess that ' make cros-saill' may refer to the course to be sailed, in which case it would well express tacking = a zigzag course at half a right angle from either side of the wind. ' The saylis stonden al a-cros ' is explained by the fact that it is said of a boat about to sail, — provided we may presume that the wind is right aft, or quite fair, — as then whether the rig be that (e. g.) of a yacht called 'fore and aft/ or that (e. g.} of most merchant-men, ' square,' the boom of the mainsail in the

198 NOTES TO pp. 90 — 106, 11. 2984 — 3527.

former case is let going out as nearly at right angles as possible with the keel of the vessel, and in the latter the yards are hauled quite square across — so that in both rigs the sails stand all across — before the wind."— J. W. L.

p. 90, 1. 2984. good sir John. This was properly a term of ridicule for a priest; see Skeat's notes to Shipman's Pro!., 1. 1172, and to Nonnes Prestes Prol., 1. 1000 ; it is here applied to a layman.

p. 90, 1. 2996. feche more last ; cp.

" God yeve this monk a thousand last quad yeer."

SliipmatHs End-Unity 1. 1(528, and Skeat's note.

p. 90, 1. 2997. yemen = yeomen, men of small estate ; see Skeat's Diet.

p. 90, 1. 3006. fell = fill. See rime and 1. 3117.— W. W. S.

p. 91, 1. 3017. made him angry. ? pretended to be sorrowful : cp. note on line 817 ; an angry man in the modern sense of the word does not " si}!! wondir sore."

p. 91, 1. 3020. Geffrey chasid him a^eyn. ? for chasid read chastid, chastened, reproved • see chaste, 11. 1058 and 3440. The Steward, though very indulgent to Geffrey, would hardly have permitted him to chase Beryn about the Court.

p. 92, 1. 3056. a company I-met ; a = on or in.

p. 92, 1. 3063. in the mene whils. ? after whils insert that.

p. 93, 1. 3115. / telle trewly. After telle insert yewe.

p. 95, 1. 3163. That God him grant wynnyng, ri^te as he hath aservid! An imprecation: the words "I pray" may be understood before "that". Cp. 1. 3277, "fat sorow com on thy hede ! " also 11. 601, 1012. It is frequent in M.E. writers.

p. 96, 1. 3185. by thee I meen, I speak concerning thee. Cp. 1. 10, "by hern I meen" and 1. 1791, be Beryu I may wele sey.

p 97, 11. 3213-14. Rimes, nowej— mowith. See also 11. 3231-32. — W. W. S.

p. 97, 1. 3302. salidone, 1. 2723, we have selondyn, on which see note. Also cp. " Ribes and salidoines." Owain Miles, p. 97 (ed. Laing).

p. 100, 1. 3315. Gylhoget, in the French romance guigne-hochet, which is from guignol, une sorte de polichinelle, and hochet, plaything. Wade's boat was termed Guignelot ; see Tyrwhitt's Chaucer, 1. 9298.

p. 101, 1. 3366. to pot who cometh last = who cometh last to pot.

p. 104, 1. 3456. And euery man til othir lenyd with his hede. And seyd, &c. Cf. the Homeric " J3e BE rig eiireffKe iouiv ee irXrjaiov aXXov." — II. II. 271.— S.

p. 104, 1. 3476. Jjow^e / it sey, can nat half so muche. Before can insert that. — F. J. F.

p. 104, 1. 3477. For ne read nowe, ne being caught from preceding line.

p. 105, 1. 3489. MS. to se the the sepulkir. ? again t written for c ; for se the read seche, the word always used for a pilgrimage.

p. 106, 1. 3527. ynmagytiff. Cp. ignomy, which is found in Shak- spere four times ', also attame, from Low Latin taminare. Gl. to Prioresses

NOTES TO pp. 106 — 119, 11. 3549 — 3995. 199

Tale, &c. (ed. Skeat). " Deter my t furth therewith in myn entent." King's Quair, 1. 13. We find ignomious in Peele's Sir Clyamon and Sir Clymades Prologue, p. 490 (ed. Dyce) ; also Ignomy, p. 508, 1st col. ; and in the tale before us, 1. 2382, examyt ; on which see note.

p. 106, 1. 3549. Let him go to in haste. Cp. 1. 3229, " Go to, & kis them both." Also

" ga}> till, and bare^Jj hej?enn ut

whatt-like £>ise Binges." — Ormtdum, 1. 15570.

These words are put into the mouth of Christ, when driving those who sold doves out of the temple.

" >u gcst al to mid swikelede." — Owl and Nightingale, 1. 838. Go to is found also in Hamlet V. i., and in the Boole of Genesis, chap, xi. 3, 4, and 7. The meaning of "go to," in these eight passages, seems to be " to set briskly about some business ; " when we have " go to" in the imperative, the modern English equivalent will be "now then," the French "or qa," Fliigel in his English-German Diet., s. v. go, translates " go to " by wohlan, daran, frisch darauf an. In go to, Macbeth, V. i. 46, to seems to = the German zer-.

p. 107, 1. 3554. ])ou$t ye sotil pry ; for pry read be, which rimes with iniquite, and cp. 1. 3592, " as sotill as fcey be."

p. 107, 1. 3562. & ye work in eny poynt. Possibly work may here mean " trouble us," see Jamieson ; but in that case we should rather expect '' work us," which, however, does not suit the metre.

p. 107, 1. 3586. For they read he, viz. Beryn.

p. 108, 1. 3588-9. they sawe no maner selve ffor sons of hir hert. Either selve = salve, or for selve read salve.

p. 108, 1. 3596. For him read hem, i. e. " these romeyns."

p. Ill, 1. 3724. vnyd. Cp.

" Jns love & £>is wilninge, J?at ioyneth & one)? zuo J?e herte to God."

Dan Michel's Ayenbite of Limit, 1. 43 (Zupitza's Uebungs-buch}.

p. 113, 1. 3764. the pleyntyfs. For the read Hire.

p. 114, 1. 3803. mi yeer & passid. ? For & passid read i-passid.

p. 117, 1. 3914. [gwod] Beryn, and al the remenaunte ; the rem- naunte seems here to mean " the other Romans " ; cp. 1. 3884. It occurs frequently in that sense.

p. 118, 1. 3946. Cp. with this Octouya.n Imperator, Weber, iii. 187/ 729, 192/847, where Florentyn, brought up as a butcher's boy, betrays his high birth by similar tastes.

p. 118, 11. 3948-9. \>at with al hir witt To serve hem. A change of construction which is found frequently: cp. All. Morte Arthure, 1281/2.

p. 119, 1. 3995. To cond him saff. To cond, in seamen's language to conduct a ship : see N. and Q. 6th S., xi. 355. To Balke, Conde.

p. 179. note to p. 11, 1. 310. As to the word aliri, Prof. Skeat in N. % Q. 6th S. i. 318, 386, suggests that it is connected with A.8. spear-lira, where lira means the fleshy part of the leg.

200

ADDITIONAL NOTES.

p. 3, 1. 56. unaservid. aservid, 11. 2371 and 2377 — deserved, and in Troylus and Creseide (Bell's ed.), p. 145, st. 1, we find untrist for " mistrust " : again at p. 244 st. 3, unswelle ; it must however be admitted that unaserve is nowhere found in the sense I attribute to it.

p. 5, 1. 109. In the Legende of Goode Women Egiste looks on his daughter " with glad chere " ; then tells her to murder her husband ; here again glad requires explanation.

p. 6, 1. 152. It should be: "Arid a-red [it] also right, as [be] rammys hornyd," i. e. and explained it as right, as are horned rams. " As right as a ram's horn " is an open joke, rams' horns being pro verbially crooked. A pun on right, which = (1) correct, and (2) straight.— W. W. S.

p. 10, 1. 271. brothir in possession. Cp. Sompnoures Tale, 1. 13 (Aldine ed.), where the Frere says :

" Neither it needeth not for to be yive To possessioneres, that now tyve (Thanked be God) in wele and abundaunce."

Of the word possessioneres, Tyrwhitt in Gl. says : " an invidious name for such religious communities as were endowed with lands," &c.

p. 10, 1. 282. stalk = to go on tiptoe, or noiselessly : see Skeat's Diet., s. v., and cp. 1. 299.

p. 10, 1. 292. ifrethid = frij>ed in Gl. to Piers Plowman. — W. W. S. Also in Allit. Morte Arthure, 1. 3247, we have frithede, hemmed in with trees.

p. 12, 1. 362. Here the dislike of the author to Freres breaks out, as again at 1. 1643.

p. 14, 1. 423. cushy : French (se) coucher. — W. W. S.

p. 16, 1. 478. Other instances of up = open are :

" Goo upon the chaumber dore, she seide."

Generydes (E. E. Text Soc.), 1. 5721—

where a syllable is wanting to the line : therefore perhaps we may read, "goo, do upon" i. e. open. Again, "cast up the gatis wide," Troylus & Creseide, ii. 615, and " dupp'd the chamber-door " in Ophelia's song, where dup = do up or open. We have it again in Beryn, 11. 1639 and 2736, and as Prof. Skeat points out, char up, 1. 355 = [on] char up =--= on the jar open = open on the jar. In the note at p. 182 on this line, dele words from " be of the MS." to the end.

p. 16, 1. 493. cardiakill, Fr. cardiaque, Low Lat. cardiaca (Prompt. Parv.).— W. W. S.

p. 16, 1. 498. wood rese, mad fit : rese = A.S. r&s. — W. W. S.

p. 17, 1. 511. evil preff. Here preff = success. See Encyclopaedic Diet., s. v. prove.

ADDITIONAL NOTES TO pp. 18 — 48, 11. 562 — 1536. 200a

p. 18, 1. 562. For leue read lene, and cp. the phrase "to lend a blow."— W. W. S.

p. 21, 1. 640. Dele note marked W. W. S. and substitute : warrok = warlock, i. e. ill-tempered ; see warlo in Jamieson. — W. W. S.

p. 21, 1. 651. growning = growling. See Stratmann, s. v. groinen. Fr. grogner, Lat. grunnire.

p. 22, 1. 674. vpward gan she pike. Here pike = peep ; see Sk cat's Diet., s. v. peep : where a line from Troylus and Cryseide, iii. 60, is cited ; " gan in at the curtein pike." I may remark that the sun is here she, in Chaucer always he.

p. 22, 1. 764. held hym to = put up with. — W. W. S.

p. 23, 1. 687. twynyth. Halliwell, s. v. twine, says : " to whine or cry—Yorksh."

p. 23, 1. 690. Dele note on he (Glossary, p. 213). — S.

p. 27, 1. 824. fences, safeguards; see Defence in Cotgrave, alluding to the protection of men's fortunes by the planets. — W. W. S.

p. 28, 1. 855. delices is found frequently in Chaucer, especially in the Persones Tale; in verse however it is elsewhere a trisyllable; but in the passage before us we must pronounce it as a disyllable for the sake of the rime.

p. 31, 1. 967. elyng. See Murray's Diet., s. v. alange. He cites Wif of Bathes Tale, 1. 433, where one MS. gives elenge, another alenge. The meaning is " protracted, tedious, wearisome." Cp. also Schipmans Tale, 1. 222, and The Cuckow and the Nightingale, iv. 340, st. 2 (ed. Bell).

p. 35, 1. 1084. halffyndele, half-part. A.S. weak ace. healfan & clod. — W. W. S. In Troylus and Cnjsdde, p. 140 (ed. Bell), we have lialvyn-dele.

p. 37, 1. 1167. Dele this note.

p. 38, 1. 1196. For bloderid perhaps read bloberid.—W. W. S.

p. 39, 1. 1217. isod = in the sod = under the turf — buried. W. W. S.

p. 40, 1. 1268. heritagis. Perhaps we may retain the reading of the MS. Jiostagis. Cp.

" To my hostage ye go by nyght."

Ipomydon (Weber's Romance), 1. 773.

" She said he was welcome to that ostage." — Generydes, 1. 64 — where oslage = hostelry.

If therefore Faunus's property consisted of houses, hostagis might stand, but on the whole it must be admitted that heritagis is more suitable.

p. 41, 1. 1288. as who seyd cut. Here as who = as if one. Cf. 1.

" The Romeyns stode still, as who had shor hir bed." p. 46, 1. 1478. Add : kyte ; in Northern English the form is kite. p. 48, 1. 1536. my hertis swete. Perhaps hertis may be retained : cp. " My harts swete " = sweet one of my heart. — Sir Lambwell (Percy Folio MS.), vol. i. 149/139. The usual form is " Myn herte swete."

BERYN, II. 14

200& ADDITIONAL NOTES TO pp. 52 — 106, 11. 1682 — 3529.

p. 52, I. 1682. Dele words after laic, fault in the note on p. 191. Prof. Skeat says : of lakh = for lack, " for lack of matter," as Shakspere says.

p. 52, 1. 1692. For nethirless read "nerthiless" or "nertheless" : so again at 1. 2477.

p. 62, 1. 2010. For oute & Tiarowe read " oute " and " harowe," i. e. out and harowe are separate exclamations. — W. W. S.

p. 63, 1. 2039. We have a very modern instance of place used in this sense : u my Lad}' Dedlock has been down at what she calls her place in Lincolnshire." — Bleak House, chap. ii. ad init. Place in M.E. also means = "lists": see Kniglites Tale, 1. 1541, " winne her in the place," and again 1. 1836.

p. 65, 1. 2110, of fyne force. We have the same expression in Troylus and Cryseide (ed. Bell), p. 251, st. 2. Littre says Jin sometimes merely gives force to the word to which it is attached ; see also Genin's note to Pierre Patelin, v. 29, and cp. the modern expressions " fine fun " and " a fine frolic."

p. 67, 1. 2196. ami-re; also amyre, 1. 2806, possibly " ripen" in both places. Fr. ameurir. Cotgrave. — W. W. S.

p. 74, 1. 2241. Dele words after jolif in Glossarial Index, s. v. iuly. — S.

p. 77, 1. 2515. cly^te. In note, dele words after lines cited from Cursor Mundi, and substitute : from clechen, clutch : which word see in Gl. to Matzner's Sprachproben.

p. 80, 1. 2626. ymmemorat of lyes. These words are very perplex ing ; perhaps ymmemorat agrees with Beryn, and the words will mean : Beryn, unmindful of the deceptions previously practised on him, and now inclined to trust another stranger. See Forcellinus, s. v. memoror, memorsum.

p. 81, 1. 2661. Grew. In note dele words that follow the line cited from the Cursor Mundi.

p. 82, 1. 2697. wonde ; dele this note.

p. 91, 1. 3020. Dele last sentence of the note.

p. 94, 1. 3136. for to go at large. After for insert hym.

p. 103, 1. 3434. have the wordis = be spokesman, the regular phrase ; see Tyrwhitt's Note to Canterbury Tales, 1. 17378.— W. W. S.

p. 106, 1. 3529. ynmagytyffl = suspicious. Prof. Earle in his Philology, p. 56, laments the disparagement of many respectable words in the 12th and 13th centuries: among others, he says, that imaginatif acquired the meaning of u suspicious." Cp. also Frankeleynes Tale, p. 500, I. 2 (ed. Bell).

" Nothing list him to be imaginatif, If any wight had spoke, while he was oute, To hire of love."

I give some other errors of the scribe which are of no great import ance : p. 16, 1. 486, read hym for hem. p. 33, 1. 1015, for outy read nou^t. p. 37, 1. 1170, dele it. p. 65, 1. 2098, for yt read it. p. 75, 1. 2466, dele the former as. p. 79, 1. 2603, dele gyve. p. 96, 1. 3182, dele as.

201

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

BY W. G. STONE.

a, adv. all, 46/1460.

a, pron. he, 118/3771.

abigg, vb. pay for, 20/593. A.S.

abycgan. abill, adj. apt, fit, 9/245, 97/3237.

'Able, or abulle, or abylle. Ha-

bilis, idoneous."1 — Prompt. Parv. accordit, pret. pi. agreed, 50/i6i5;

pp. 8/212, 86/2834, 95/3148, 107/

3578,116/3871. a-combrit, pp. hampered, overcome,

86/2800; accombrit, 109/3644;

comberid, 78/2386. acordement, sb. agreement, 48/1521,

78/2571.

a-dred, pp. afraid, 62/2006 ; a-drad, 68/2231, 86/2839. &ee drede.

a feir, adv. on fire, 71/2310.

Affirmative, an, in Civil Law, rule relating to, 64/2070.

affray, sb. terror, 102/3384. O.F. affre. L.Lat. ajfraiamentum. Roquefort, s. v. affre.

a force, adv. perforce, 66/2118.

a-foundit, pp. foundered, 21/631. See note in Prompt. Parv. s. v. 4 Fownderyu.'

aftir-mete, sb. afternoon, 8/227, 18/ 391. Noon was the dinner-hour in the middle ages. See The Babees Book, E. E. T. S., 6/128.

a fyne, or & fyne. See wel.

AGE A, first wife of Faun us, bears him a son, Beryn, p. 29 ; her dy ing injunctions to Faunus, p. 32 ; her funeral rites described, p. 34.

a-geynes, adv. again, 76/2511.

ageynward, adv. again, in return, 100/3314.

ago, pp. gone. See goon.

al == all that, 88/1025.

al & som, altogether, 6/115.

al at, ?all that, 119/3984.

al bothe, adj. both, 98/3252.

a-leyid, pp. laid, 118/3936.

Alisaundir, Alexandria, 49/1556.

a londe, adv. ashore, 73/2405.

alowe, vb. praise, 4/94 ; lowe, allow, 61/1653. O.F. aloer.

al so, adv. even as, also, 6/152, 17/ 504; also, 29/874, 72/2370, 76/ 2483, 97/3220. A.S. eal-swd.

altercation, sb. 76/2500.

al, ? = albe, although, 69/226 1.

amayid, pp. dismayed, 66/1807; a- mayide, 102/3379.

a-mend, vb. correct, 81/2658 ; men- dit, pp. amended, 84/1045.

a-mongis, adv. at intervals, from time to time : evir more a-mong, 110/3686; othir whils amongis, 30/933; o|?ir while a-mong, 38/ 1197 ; ther a-mong, 106/34^5.

a morow, next morning, in the morning, 22/656, 62/1998 ; a morowe, 22/667, 1 17/3909.

a-mvre, vb. ? = amure, wall up, bury, 67/2196; pp. a-myrid = arnurid, defended as by a wall, 86/2806. Halliwell has * mure ', vb. to wall. See note, p. 193.

a-myrid. See a-mvre.

amys ase, sb. double aces, 89/

2955-

anbiguite, sb. ambiguity, 78/2577. and, cow/, if, 18/546, et passim. Often

written thus : &. anenst, prep, concerning, 16/442 ;

a-nenst, 118/3764. angir, sb. sorrow, 27/8 17.

202

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

angir, vl). be angry, 110/3883. an bond, adv. nearly, 96/3173. anothir, adv. otherwise, 106/3538. a nowe, adv. now, 77/2526. ANTONYUS JUDEUS, one of the Seven

Sages, 27/809. a nye, ? vb. annoy, harm, 78/2583.

' Anoier, anueir, anuer, anuier :

Ennuyer, nuire, &c.' — Roquefort, apassid, pp. past, 86/2827. apayde, pp. satisfied, pleased, 39/

1238; a-payde, 46/1467; payde,

13/399-

a-pele, sb. appeal, 107/3562. a-pele, vb. accuse, charge, £6/3206 ;

pres. 1 s. a-pele, 99/3294. a-poyntid, pret. s. pointed out, 9/

240. apparene, sb. appearance, delusion,

84/2774. See note, p. 196. appeir, vb. harm, 68/2227. appid oppon, pret. s. hapt on, lighted

on, 21/632.

aquyt, pret. s. repayed, 6/125. aray, sb. company, assemblage, 9/

233, 90/2978; conduct, 40/1255 5

clothing, equipment, 41/1300, 44/

1391, 61/1655, 66/2119. 92/3045,

3064. aray, vb. afflict, 20/603 ; pp. arayed,

72/2375-

aray, vb. dress, 116/3882. arblast, sb. cross-bow, 9/241. areche, vb. utter, 112/3734. A.S.

areccan. a-rede, vb. conjecture, guess, 17/

527. See Stratmann, s. v. arasden. arere, adv. in the rear, backward,

61/1972. Cf. 'Sometime aside,

and sometyme arrere.' — Piers

Plowman, Text B. (E. E. T. S.),

v. 354^ arerid, pp. raised, set up, 118/3764.

A.S. arwran. armys, sb. pi. harms, injuries, 96/

3208.

Armys, lawe of, Heraldry, 81/2667. a-ryn, adv. ?in a course, in order,

18/550, 19/569. A.S. ryne, a

course. ? Cp. Yankee, 'around.' —

F. J. F. See footnote, p. 18, and

u te, p. 183. as = as far as, 103/3414. as, 75/2466 ; that.

a-say, vb. essay, try, 18/532 ; asay,

44/i 396 ; assay, 54/i 740, 67/2 1 87 ;

imp. s. asaye, 42/1318. ascapen, vb. escape, 67/21 88; pp.

a-scapid, 118/3953. a-scaunce, conj. as if, pretending

that, 12/361 ; ascaunce, 61/1627,

59/1918 ; as skaunce, 66/1797. a-sclakid, pp. abated, 39/1226. a-servid, pret. s. ? deserved, 72/

2371 ; pp. 73/2377, 95/3163. a seyd, 118/3771, he saw? See

seen, a square, adv. on the square, aloof,

20/596, 21/643. #ee a-sware. assoyll, imp. s. absolve, 63/1716. assurid, pp. answered, satish'ed,

113/3763.

a-stert, vb. escape, 20/6ii, 68/2058. a-stonyd,£>p. astonished, bewildered,

77/2544; .--stonyed, 104/3455;

stonyd, 64/2o88.

Astrolabes, sb. astrologers, 27/822. a-stryvid, pp. divided, perplexed,

95/3164.

a-sware, adv. on one s'de, 19/586. &t,prep. to, 77/2536, 117/3913. at, V that, 119/3984. a-tast, vb. taste, 16/458 ; a-tast,

prove, test, 64/1745. O.F. taster. a-tend, vb. set fire to, 88/2728. A.S.

atendan. ateyn, vb. reach, 108/3414 ; ateynt,

pp. attainted, 102/3406 ; atteynt,

107/3586, 112/3752. a-toon, be, vb. be at one, in accord,

71/2338.

atta, at a, 89/2945. atte, at the, 1/14, et passim. attonys, adv. at once, 79/2614, 74/

3J25- a-vaile, vb. avail, help, 66/2151 ;

pres. s. vaillith, 66/2098 ; vayLth,

116/3883, 118/3958. auaunte, adv. forward, 61/1972. auereft, April, 28/691. F. Avril. auntir, auntris. See aventure. aventure, sb. fortune, chance, 38/

1185, 67/2195; aventur, 46/1470,

88/2913, 106/3517 ; auntir, 109/

3639 ; pi. auntris, 108/3436.

'Awntyr or happe (aunter, P.).

Fortuna, fortuitus.' — Prompt.

Parv.

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

203

a-vise, sb. counsel, 80/2640. avisely, adv. advisedly, 118/3946. avowe,s6. vow, oath, 106/3506, 3514,

106/3543 ; a-vowe, 92/3049, 101/

3353> 108/3599 ; pi. a-vowis, 105/

3488, 3509.

aweynyd, pp. weaned, 89/1244. a-weyward, adv. away, on one side,

77/2516. axe, vb. require, exact, 8/219 ; Pres-

s. axith, 7/196, 14/403, 81/2654;

pres. 1 s. axe, ask, 92/3071, 93/

3090; 2 s. axist, 167/3580; pret.

s. axid, 12/346, et passim. axing, sb. request, 94/3126. A.S.

acsung. aoe, adv. again, 43/1373, 62/2026,

111/37H, HI/3720; a-ye, 44/

1384, 99/3276, 112/3729.

badder, adj. worse, 96/3187.

bafft, adv. abaft, 49/1576.

bale, sb. woe, sorrow, 68/1862, 118/ 3956. A.S. bealu.

ball, sb. bead, 116/3860.

ballid, pret. s. smote, 33/IO26. ' bol- len, 0. Dutch bollen?'— Strat- mann. 'palle' = beat occurs in Piers Plowman, Text B. (E. E. T. S.), xvJ. 30.

balstaff, sb. balk-staff, quarter-staff, 6/153. Mr. Vipan thinks that 'bal' may be a corruption of pale or pail. Cf. Cotgrave : ' Courge : . . . a Stang, Pale-staffe, or Colestaffe, carried on the shoulder, and notched (for the hanging of a Pale.&c.) at both ends.'

barme, sb. bosom, 76/2457. A.S. bearm.

barr, 93/3087, bar of a Court of Justice.

bate down, vb beat down, 76/2482.

'baw baweP a dog's bark, 98/

3243-

be, vb. be, 102/3389; pres. 2 pi been, are, 68/1722 ; beth, 68/1719, 116/3839; 3 _p£. beth, 19/569, et passim; bethe, 100/3313; imp. pi. beth, be, 82/976, 60/1593, 87/ 2891, 88/2915; beith, 4/77; suty. pres. s. by, 108/3595 5 % pl»m be, 4/96; pp. i-been, 86/1087; i-be, 43/1357; be, 4/8 1, 113/3902.

be, prep, by, 8/50, et passim. See

by-

bede, imp. pi. offer, 69/2258. A.S. beodan.

be-d,;tid, pp. infatuated, 86/1137.

be-fele, vb. ? feel about, 18/536. See note, p. 183.

be-hest, sb. promise, 101/3353 ; be hest, 76/2488, 91/3029; beheest, condition, 47/1510.

be-hongit, pp. hung round, 27/832 ; hongit a-bout, hung about, 21/ 636 ; hongit, adorned with trap pings, 61/1632.

behote, vb. promise, 69/2252; by- hete, 75/2472 ; pres. 1 s. be-hote, 11/332 ; pret s. be-hijte, 36/i 126 ; pret. 2 pi. be-hete, 68/2059, 78/ 2562; behete, 117/3912; pp. be hote, 77/2529. See hi3te.

bekk, sb. obeisance, 46/1478.

be-menyd, pret. s. bemoaned, 33/

i°33-

be-nym, vb. take away, 64/2073 ; 79/2588; by-nym, 61/1981; pp. be-nome, 40/1279.

benyng, adj. benign, 120/4OII.

bere, in, on the bier, dead, 86/2826.

bergeyne, vb. 106/3507 ; deal in, sell.

BERYN, or BERINUS, son of Faunus and Agea, his birth and bad up bringing, T'P- 29-30 ; disreputable life, pp. 30, 34 ; unconcern at his mother's death, pp. 33-4 ; quarrels with his father, pp. 40-1 ; repents of his misdeeds, pp. 41-3 ; recon ciled to his father, p. 45; releases his heirsliip for five ships-ful of merchandise, pp. 46-8 ; sails and meets with a storm, p. 49 ; lands at Falsetown, and is betrayed by Syrophane, a burgess, pp. 51-7; cheated by Hanybald, Provost of Falsetown, pp. 58-61 ; wrongfully accused by a blind man, pp. 62- 4 ; and by a woman, pp. 65-6 ; duped by Macaign, a catchpoll, pp. 68-70 ; bewails his past life, pp. 71-2 ; meets Geffrey, a cripple, who offers to help him, pp. 73-8; he and his men distrust Geffrey, and prepare to sail, pp. 85-6 ; is angry with Geffrey, p. 91 ; ap-

204

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

pears for trial, p. 92 ; his trial detailed, pp. 93-116 ; is acquitted, and obtains damages from the plaintiffs, p. 116; his gratitude to Geffrey, p. 117; accepts the gifts and invitation of Duke Isope, but asks for a safe conduct, pp. 118-19; visits Isope, p. 119; marries his daughter, p. 120.

be-sey, pp. provided, adorned, 51/ 1632.

beshrewid, pret. s. cursed, 98/3252.

be-shyne, vb. shine on, 86/1113.

besines, sb. busyness, utmost en deavour, diligence, 78/2560; be- synes, 74/2437.

bet, adj. better, 6/162, et passim; better, 18/555 5 bettir, 20/596 ; bet like, adj. better like, more like, 88/2920.

be-^ou^t hir al about, carefully con sidered, 43/375- See bythynck.

be-tid, pret. s. happened, 27/813.

beuerage, sb. refreshment taken be tween dinner and supper, 12/359. See Halliwell, s. w. 'Beverage' and ' Bever.'

beyard, Bayard, a name for a horse, 96/3184. 'Bayart: M. Arde : f. as Bay, (whence we also tearme a bay horse, a bayard).' — Cotgrave.

blab, sb. 91/3022, chatter.

blabir, sb. chatter, prate, 99/3276.

blase, vb. blazon, describe arms properly, 6/150.

blenchid, pret. s. turned away, swerved, 98/3250 ; blynchid, 22/ 669; imp. s. blenche, 82/2713; subj. pres. 2 pi. blenche?!, HO/

3659-

bier, vb. blear, dim, 16/445. 'To blear ones eye, begyle him, en- guigner.' — Palsgrave.

Blind man, a, of Falsetown seizes Beryn, and brings him before Evandir, pp. 62-4 ; his accusation of Beryn, pp. 95-6 ; agrees to share Beryn's goods, p. 101 ; his accusa tion answered by Geffrey, pp. 110- 12 ; finds sureties for damages, p. 112.

bloderid, pret. s. blubbered, 38/1 196.

bio we vp, vb. sound loudly, 88/ 2906.

blowing, sb. 83/2742.

blyn, vb. cease, delay, 17/507, 58/

1893. A.S. blmnan. blynchid, pret. s. turned away. See

blenchid. blysyng, verbal sb. blazing, 18/

561. blyve, adv. quickly, 18/533, ^ Pas~

sim ; blyve, dissyl. 33/ioo8, bode, pret. s. stayed. See bood. boncheff, sb. good fortune, 26/779,

117/3900. bonet, sb. a small sail, 60/1604. See

note, p. 189. bood, pret. s. stayed, 47/1494, 87/

2898 ; bode, 100/3320. boon, sb. a die made of bone, 89/

2957.

bord, sb. jest, 41/1304, 91/3022. bord, vb. jest, 89/2941. O.F. bourder. bord, sb. the side of a ship, 87/2886.

Ovir J?e bord, overboard, borow, sb. surety, bail, 68/1876;

pi. borowis, 112/3753, 113/3778,

116/3841.

borowe, vb. bail, 16/490. bote, sb. remedy, hejp, 3/6o, 118/

3956. A.S. bot. bote, pret. s. bit, 21/641, 60/1957,

101/3351;

bothen, adj. both, 8/67, et passim; bothe to, both two, both, 1 7/506, et passim.

botirflijs, butterflies, 108/361 3, 361 7.

boune, adj. ready, 68/1698, 72/2344; boun, 81/2686; bown, 62/1678. O.N. buinn.

bountevouse, adj. bounteous, 120/ 4011.

bour, sb. chamber, 16/448 ; faceti ously, for a dog's kennel, 22/668.

boystly, adv. rudely, boisterously, 6/104, 6/163.

bracyd, pret. s. embraced, 2/25, 46/ 1485, 52/1659.

braunce, sb. branch, 84/2785.

brede, sb. breadth, 17/528.

brennyng, adj. burning, 72/2351.

brent, pp. burnt, 72/2354.

breyde, vb. struggle, 66/1826; breyde a-wey, start away, 113/ 3775 > pret. s. breyd vp, started up, 11/316; pp. i-brayid, out, drawn out, 118/3935. See Cole-

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

205

ridge s. v. * Braid/ and Stratmann

s. v. ' Breiden.' bribour, sb. thief, 17/524. See

Prompt. Parv., s. v. 'Brybowre,'

and note.

bridd. sb. bird, 27/8 14. brigg, sb. bridge, 87/2897, 88/2923. brithern, sb. brethren, 26/759 >

bretheryn, 26/765. brode, sb. breeding, 6/160. See n:)te,

p. 179. broke, imp. s. use, enjoy, 3/66. A.S.

brucan. See Gloss. Index to

Havelok (E. E. T. S.), s. v.

1 Brouke.' bronde, sb. brand from the fire, 19/

585. 'Bronde of nV. Facula,

fax, ticio, torris, C. F.' — Prompt.

Parv. Brooches and rings offered by the

Canterbury pilgrims, 6/134. brou^t, 97/3212, got (with child), brnssh, sb. ? fluff, 46/1482. But Hal-

liwell gives 'Brush (1) Stubble.

Staff}

bryng hym in, decoy him, 64/1750. Burgess No. 2 of Falsetown, engages

Beryn in talk, p. 53. burgyn, vb. bud, 23/692. burh, sb. borough, town, 26/744. burrith, pres. pi. stick like burrs,

79/26oi.

bussh, vb. push, 6/156. but, prep, save, except, 3/44, et

passim; but yf, 7/i86, et passim. but, sb. a drive, butt, thrust, push,

41/1287. Cfcflavetofc(E.E.T.S.),

1. 1040. butte, but the, 14/4io, 29/885, 49/

1590, 98/3250. by, prep. = in, 26/745, 66/2131 ;

on, 64/2064 ; with, 76/2444, 100/

3328; of, de, l/io, 96/3185; be,

108/3598. See be. by & by, one after the other, one by

one, separately, 10/293. ' By and

by. Sigillatim' (Prompt. Parv.).

1 Sigillatim, fro seel to seel.'

(Medulla. Harl. MS. 2257).—

Way. ' Two yonge knightes lig-

gyng by and by.1 — Chaucer,

Knight's' Tale, 1. 153. bye = ? but, 16/478. See note,

p. 182.

byde, vb. wait, 118/3956. Scanned as a dissyllable here.

by-nym. See be-nym.

bysely, adv. busily, diligently, 70/ 2279.

bythynch, vb. devise, bethink, pro vide, 36/1141; pret. s. be-£>ou2t, 43/1375 ; pp. be-J>ou}t, 108/3612.

byword, ab. proverb, 69/2243, 96/ 3183. Cf. comyn seying.

Caldey, Chaldee, 81/2662. Canterbury brooches, 7/175. See

signes. Canterbury pilgrims, the, arrive at

Canterbury, p. 1 ; their visit to

the cathedral described, pp. 5-7 ;

they dine, pp. 7-8 ; go out sight seeing, pp. 9-10 ; sup, pp. 13-14 ;

the steady pilgrims go to bed

after supper, the rakes sit up

drinking and singing, p. 14 ; they

leave Canterbury, p. 22. capes, pres. s. 1/8, ? feathers over at

the top; cf. 'casing, caping-

stone,' coping- stone. — F. capes

= gapes.— W.W.S. cardiakill, sb. heart-burn, 16/493.

KctpSioXyict. camel ende, sb. death, end of life

in the flesh, 81/2688. case, sb. chance, fortune, 66/1805. case, in case, if, 100/3316. cast, vb. plot, 36/1141; pp. i-cast,

61/1964. catell, sb. chattels, personal property,

61/1993, 66/2163, 116/3874. cause to [i.e. to do so], 86/2860. cautele, sb. artifice, 31/959; pi.

cawtelis, 61/1658. Centenarian, Geffrey a, 74/2439. centence, sb. meaning, sentence, 1/3,

24/731.

chaffare, sb. merchandise, 73/2408 char vp, adv. ajar, 12/355. 'Char.

(3) Ajar. North.'— Halliwell. charge, sb. care, thought, 6/125, G3/

2034.

charge, vb. care for, 44/1387. charge, sb. cargo, 69/1917. charge, vb. load, 47/1512, 96/3146,

109/3637 ; pp. chargit, 70/2276. chasid,^re£. s. followed up, 91/3020.

See note, p. 198.

206

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

cliast, vb. chasten, 84/1058, 44/1396, 103/3440.

CHAUCER'S daisies, 22/683.

chaunce, sb. good fortune, 24/728. See note, p. 184.

chek, sb. trick, mischief, 16/471, 30/ 914.

Cheker-of-the-Hope, an inn at Can terbury, 1/14. See note, p. 176.

chekkir, sb. chess-board, 64/1735.

cher, have, imp. look cheerfully, kindly, 32/986.

chere, sb. entertainment, semblance, aspect, 2/25, et passim.

chere, sb. = chare, work, 18/538. See note, p. 183.

cherely, adv. dearly, 29/892.

chese, <vb. choose, 37/n66, 68/1865, 1874 ; pret. s. 31/952 ; imp. s. 58/ 1869, 59/1925, 60/1947.

chese, sb. the chess-board and men, 54/1732; ches, /I733.

Chess-board, a, and its pieces de scribed, 54/1733-34.

chircheward, churchward, 28/858. See -ward.

child, sb. page, 53/1709, 67/2189.

chokelyng, pres. p. gurgling, 14/

413.

chongit,j>p. changed, 27/8 1 2.

chynys, sb. chinks, corners, 72/2353.

Civil Law, rules of, 64/2068-70 ; 79/ 2596,2602-7; 87/2866-70; 106/ 3531-33; twenty-four jurors learn ed in the lawin a trial at, 115/3857.

clapp, vb. talk fast, prate, 74/2423 ; pret. s. clappid, 90/3005.

cleen, adv. completely, 88/2909. ' Men i-armyd cleen,' i. e. in full armour.

CLEKAJT, Sir, a name given to Gef frey, 75/2450. ? from the clacking on the ground of his crutch, and the ' stilt under his knee,' 73/2380, or the beggar's clappers which he probably carried, or his tongue : 'Geffrey evir clappid, as doith a watir myll,' 90/3005. ' Claquette : f. A Lazers Clicket, or Clapper.' Cotgrave— F. See note, p. 195.

elepeist, 2 pres. s. callest, namest, 91/3024; pret. s. cleped, 3/65; clepid, 14/415, et passim; pret. pi. 92/3048 ; imp. pi. clepetfi, 75/

2460; pp. i-clepid, 26/791, et passim ; clepid, 27/8o5, et passim,.

clepid ? crepid, crepitate, break wind, 27/8 10. See note, p. 186.

clerge, sb. learning, 9/252, 265; clergy, 88/2749.

Clerk, the, of Oxenford, defends the Friar's tale of a Summoner, p. 9.

cloith, sb. cloth, 117/3930.

cloute, vb. clout, patch, 97/3240.

cly^te, pret. s. closed, clenched, 11 J 2515. From a vb. ' clicchen ' — Strat. conj.

cold sot, cold sweat, 16/493.

colyn swerd, Cologne sword, 20/ 621. See footnote, p. 20.

comand, * som comand,' some one coming, 74/2426.

comannd, pres. p. coming, 75/2451 ; comyng, 108/3418.

combirment, sb. embarrassment, 79/ 2604.

compers, sb. pi. fellows, 6/145 ; comperis, 51/1644, 107/3581. 'Compere, fal awe (compyre, P.). Compar, coequalisS — Prompt. Parv.

comyn seying, sb. proverb, 68/2037. Cf. byword.

comyng, to, gerund, inf. to come, 12/347. See Morris's Historical Outlines of English Accidence, 1877, p. 177 (4).

con, vb. acknowledge, give, 89/1227. In all other instances the pres. of this vb. = can or know ; the pret. = could or knew. — 1 pres. s. can, 3/6o, et passim; 2 pres. s. canst, 6/155 ; pres. s. can, 7/183, et pas sim; conne, 118/3956 ; lpres.pl. con, 102/3408 ; 2 pres. pi. con, 12/343, 80/2636 ; pres. pi. can, 81/958 ; 1 pret. s. coud, 4/8o, ll/ 326; coude, 51/1652 ; con the, 70/ 2279 ; 2 pret. s. cowdist, 100/ 3336; pret. s. coude, 21/628, et passim; coud, 17/527, 61/1634, 69/2250,81/2674; couth, 16/482, 66/2109; couthe, 37/ii66; 2 pi. couth, 4/100; coude, 98/3274; pret. pi. coude, 22/667, 49/1581, 61/1628, 102/3381 ; coud, 62/ 2004 : cowd, 77/2547 ; couth, 6/ 165, 60/1943 ; couthe, 27/8i;.

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

207

cond, vb. conluct, 119/3995. congir, t>6. conjure, 12/339 5 PP-

i-cungerid, 16/489. connyng, sb. knowledge, wisdom,

11/308, 28/841, 88/1206, 49/1576,

88/2755, 100/3328, 103/3414. consequent, adv. consequently, 88/

2230. CONST ANTINE III., emperor of Rome,

26/783. contre, men of, men of [his own]

country, 7/172; of contre, from

[his own] country, 70/2294. Cook, the, sits up drinking with the

Miller, p. 14. corage, sb. courage, daring, 16/470 ;

heart, disposition, 30/914. corouse, adj. curious, elaborate, 117/

3924. cors, sb. body, 52/1 686 ; corps, 98/

3246.

cosshon, sb. cushion, 52/i66o. cote, sb. bodice, 4/88. cotelere, sb. 70/2297 ; cutler, 99/

3296, 3303; 113/3792. couchid, pp. set, 114/3794. See i-

couchid. coude no chere, knew no pleasure,

120/4005. counselles, adj. without counsel, 71/

2313; consaillis, 55/1791 ; coun-

sallis, 27/8o8 countid more with, accounted of,

28/842. countirplede, sb. counterplead, 79/

2602. Court, the, at Falsetown opens at

9 a.m. 87/2878. court ward, to the court, 92/3054.

See -ward, couthe, adj. known, 97/3231. A.S.

cu%.

conoid, pp. coughed, 11/323. covenab 11, adj. accordant, 9/246. coverture, sb. cover, 37/1 1.47. crafft, sb. ? [sailors'] craft, business,

skild trade, 49/1575. Cp. 'crafft

of tanery,' tanner's trade, 97/2327.

Or 'crafft ' = ship. crakid, pp. boasted, 23/706. crane lyne, sb. the rope or line that

ran over the pulley in the crane

on board the ship, 90/2999. — F. CRASSUS ASULUS, 27/805.

criour, sb. crier, 93/3084.

cripill, sb. cripple, 74/2439 ; crepill,

73/2379, &c. cristyanite, sb. Christendom, 114/

3794-

crope, pp. crept, 97/3232.

cros-saill, make, to haul the yards square across, 90/2995. Of. ' wend J?e saill a-cross,' 86/2837, and ' the saylis stonden al a-cros,' 87/2899. See note, p. 197.

crouch, sb. crutch, 78/2381, 76/2509 ; cruch, 86/2856.

cry, sb. proclamation, 109/3628.

cry, have the, obtain public notice and approval, 93/3080. Cp. ' Cry, out of. Out of all estimation . . . " I should have these maps out o' cry now, if we could see men peep out of door in 'em." — Puritan, iii. 5 ; Suppl. Sh. ii. 588.'— Nares.— F.

curtesy, sb. etiquette, 6/135 5 polite ness, 11/323.

cury fauel, sb. flattery, currying favour, 12/362.

cusky, drou^e to, ? went to sleep, 14/423. Urry, in his Gl., says (s. v.) : ' the words (to slepe) which follow it seem to have been at first a Gloss in the margin for ex plaining the CB (Cambro-Briton or Welsh) Cusky or Cysgu, to sleep.'— F. J. Vipan.

cut, sb. horse, 41/1288.

cut, sb. ?lot, 41/1309. See Proverbs and Phrases, s. v. cut, and note on p. 189.

Cutler, a, of Falsetown, gives evi dence for Macaign, p. 99.

daunser, sb. ? danger, liability to punishment, 79/26i6. 'Quidquid jure stricto, atque adeo confisca tion! obnoxium est sive ratione feudi, sive ex conductione : ita ut res dicatur esse in dangerio domini feudalis, quse, nisi quod de ea statutum est adimpleatur, confiscari . possit.' — D'Arnis, s. v. ' Dangerium.'

daw, sb. day, 79/2585 ? pi. dawis,

25/733- daw, do out of, kill, 79/2585.

208

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

dawnyng, sb. day dawn, 90/2991. Decay of nature nowadays, 77/2518-

20. dede, maken al thing1, make things

quiet, pleasant, 87/1167. dele, euery, every whit, 60/1934;

everydele, 69/1899; nevir a — ,

never a whit, 62/1996 ; no — , no

whit, 11/307 ; som — , somewhat,

14/403. A.S. doel dele, sorrow, 88/1183. $ee dole, deme, vb. judge, 9/248, et passim;

pret. s. denied, 119/3991 ; pret.

pi. denied, 116/3872; demyd,

116/3865 ; subj. pres. 1 pi. deme,

116/3869; 2 pi 103/3437; pp.

i-demed, 4/96. Denmark, Isope born in, 81/2673.

See note, p. 195. dentour, sb. indenture, 84/2791. deol, sorrow. See dole, depart, vb. part, divide, 44/1416,

101/3374, 102/3401, 106/3530;

pp. departid, 69/2266. dere, vb. harm, 69/1926, 84/2787.

A.S. derian. desperate, (?) sb. desperation, 105/

3493- dessantly, adv. constantly, 26/790,

49/1563. ' Dessable. Constantly.

North.' — Halliwell. See note, p.

185. desseyvabill, adj. deceitful, 50/i 62 1,

61/1658.

deth-day, 40/1262. devise, sb. skill, device, 80/2644, 83/

2749. devise, vb. contrive, describe, 83/

2755 ; pres. 1 s. devise, 84/2767 ;

pres. p. devising, 9/239. devoir, sb. duty, 47/1487. devyne, vb. describe, understand,

117/3924; 2 pres. pi. 90/2989. deyse, sb. dais, 117/3931. diete, sb. ? way of living, 45/

I43I-

dietes, sb. pi. days, 26/749. diffence, sb. resistance, 61/1981. dischauce yewe, imp. pi. ? take off

your shoes, 1 6/47 1 . F. Dechausser.

See note, p. 181. discryve, vb. describe, set forth, 35/

I loo, 81/2658. dise, sb. pi. dice, 89/2953.

disese, sb. grief, vexation, 8/51, 27/

817, 72/2371, 106/3552. disfetirly, adv. misshapenly, 77/

2515.

disfigure, vb. 76/2504. disgisenes, sb. disguisednees, dis guise, 77/2523. diskennyng, (?) ignoring, 2/2O. See

note, p. 176. diskeuerith, imp. pi. discover, 68/

2231 ; pres. p. diskyueryng, 6/

151. dispiracioune, sb. desperation, HO/

3680. dissimilyng, pres. p. dissembling,

81/956.

distance, sb. discord, 87/2891. disteynyd, £>p. distained, deriled, 12/

.341-

distract, pp. distraught, 78/2555 ;

distrakt, 102/3379. disware, adj. unawares, doubtful,

88/2726, 92/3046, 98/3266. (In

88/2726, of = out of. See note,

p. 196.) docers, sb. pi. tapestry, 27/833. &•

dossier. Lat. dosserium. See

Prompt. Parv. s. vv. ' Docere '

and ' Dorcere.' doctryne, sb. wisdom, 89/1245, 81/

2663. Dog, the Welsh, at the dicker-; f-

the-Hope, 21/631—51. dole, sb. sorrow, 42/1331, et passim;

dele, 88/1183; deol, 72/2363. dome, sb. judgment, 66/2102, 77/

2535 ; doom, 101/3376 ; pi. do-

mus, 26/766 ; domes, 780. doon, vb. do, cause, make, 6/118;

do, 62/1684, 86/2859; pres. s.

doith, 87/1151,43/1371 ; pres.pl.

doith, 28/692*; doth, 87/1154;

doon, 75/2462 ; imp. pi. doith, 6/

158, 37/i 1 5 1, 44/1384 ;#p. i-doon.

26/781, 62/2024; i-do, 62/1683,

88/2921 ; do, 18/471, 60/1951, 78/

2573, 119/3984. auxil. vb. doith,

26/768, 88/2744. See to done and

daw, do out of.

dore up = ? open. See note, p. 182. dorward, towards the door, 16/477.

See -ward. Doseperis, Donzepairs, the Twelve

Peers, 26/776 ; dosiperis, 783.

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

209

dotaunce, sb. fear, awe, 25/738.

O.F. doutance. dout, vb. fear, 9/240. 60/1599; 1

pres. s. dout, 72/2367 ; imp. pi.

doutith, 69/2236.' doute, or dout, sb. doubt, fear, 10/

279, 88/2915, et passim; dowte,

106/3530.

drad, feared, 67/2194. See drede. dran^te, sb. a move at chess, 55/

1779) 56/1 8 1 2.

Dreams go by contraries, 5/io8. drede, vb. fear, 12/337 ; 1 pret. s.

dred, 8/55 ; pret. s. drad, 67/2194.

See a-dred. dres, vb. go, 61/1645, 98/3086 ; pret.

s. dressid. made ready, 52/i66o;

imp. s. dres the, turn thee, 91 /

3032. Drinking from the same cup, a sign

of friendship, 98/3076. dromodarijs, sb. pi. dromonds, swift

vessels, 76/2275. See n°te, p. 193. drou^e, pret. s. made a move at

chess, 06/1822 ; imp. draw, 56/

1809. dure, vb. endure, 66/1783; remain,

76/2503 ; pres. p. duryng, lasting,

105/3486.

dures, sb. hardship, 60/1934. dwell, vb. remain, or listen. A.S.

dwellan. See Sir Tristrem, Fytte

III., stanza 72. dyner while, dinner-time, 87/288 1.

See while, dynerward, to dinner, 7/170. See

-ward. Dyonyse, a stone of a very cold

nature, in Isope's hell, 88/2731.

See Stone, a.

Ebrewe, Hebrew, 8 1/2661.

echone, each one, 2/38, et passim; echon, 21/655, 49/1569; echoon, 87/2883; echeon, 118/3937.

efft, adv. again, 80/2643 ; etft ageyn, «gain, 8/221, 44/1396, 66/1777, 78/2549 ; efft sone, soon after, 5/ 117; efft-sone, 11/326; efft-soriys, 116/3888.

cgall, adj. equal, 86/1104.

egallich, adv. equally, justly, 26/ 78i.

egge, sb. edge, margin, 19/587, 22/

679. * egge of \>Q firmament,'

horizon, 22/679. egir, adj. eager, angry, 6/105. F.

aigre.

elder more, older, 97/3240. ellis, adj. else, other, 86/1122, 80/

2624. See note, p. 195. elyng, adj. wretched, 81/967. ' Dan.

elendig. O.N. eligr.' — Coleridge,

s. v. ' Eling.' ' }>ere J?e catte is a

kitoun. J?e courte is ful elyng.1 —

Piers Plowman (E. E. T. S.), Text

B. prol. 1. 190. encheson, sb. occasion, reason, 79/

2590, 97/3218. encombirment, sb. embarrassment,

11.8/3785. ende or end, courteous, 47/1491,

62/1671. See hende. endenting, pres. p. ? snapping, biting,

67/1851 ; pp. endendit, set, 99/

3301. Fr. lfindenter. To indent,

snip, notch, iag on the edges ;

also, to set or make teeth in.' —

Cotgrave. enditen, vb. speak, rehearse, 25/

760; endite, 96/3162. endlong, adv. along, 61/1634. endreyte, sb. ? place (F. endroit),

14/404. endreyte ? = entreat =

treatment. — F. J. Vipan. endyng day, life's end, 82/974, 986.

1 vourtene }er he [Edred] was kyng,

and at ys ende day,' &c. — Robert

of Gloucester, ed. 1810, p. 279, 1.3. Engelond, England, 26/772. England conquered by Julius Caesar,

26/772. engyue, sb. contrivance. 84/2758 ;

gynne, 19/57O ; gyn, 82/2708. engyne, vb. beguile, 47/1501, 68/

2214, 76/2508; pp. engyned, 104/

3479-

enpeche, pres. pi. impeach, 79/2590.

enpechement, sb. impeachment, 82/ 2703, 86/2795.

enpledit, pp. impleaded, 74/2415.

enselid, pp. sealed, 119/3980.

ensensid, pp. instructed, taught, 68/ 2213, 73/2406.

ensurid, pre£. s. plighted troth, pro mised, bound, 69/226o ; ensurid, pp. 68/2051, 80/2638 ; ensuryd, 36/H22, 86/2805.

210

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

entende, vb. understand, 26/777. F. entendre.

ententifiich, adv. attentively, 9/239; entyntyflich, 104/3483.

entere, vb. bury, 84/1047 ; pp. en- terid, 86/1089.^

enteryng, sb. burial, 84/1046.

er, adv. ere, 116/3888. See or.

ere, sb. ear, 8/205, 33/IO22 ; pi. eris, 22/66o,56/i8oo,100/3324. 'Leyd to his ere,' listened intently, 8/205.

ere, sb. hair, 42/1350.

ertly, adj. earthly, 87/1175.

estate, sb. condition in life, rank, 44/1387, 80/2651, ; pi. estatis, 15/ 442 ; statis, 2/19 ; states, 6/140.

estris, sb. pi. inner parts of a house, chambers, 18/556, 28/837.

ethir-is, cither's, 6/126. Of. ffifft-is, s. v. ffifft ; and his.

EVANDIR, Steward of Falsetown, hears Syrophanes's charge against Beryn, pp. 57-8 ; and the blind man's charge, pp. 63-4 ; and the deserted wife's, pp. 65-6 ; and Ma- caign's accusation, pp. 69-71 ; presides at Beryn's trial, pp. 93 — 115 ; gives judgment against Syrophanes, p. 107 ; goes to see Hanybald's merchandise, p. 107 ; advises him to restore Beryn's goods, p. 109 ; consults burgesses learned in the law, and gives judg ment for the defendant, p 116.

eve a-fore, on the evening before, 82/2701.

eueri long, adv. straight along, 62/ 2007.

evenaunte adj., F. avenant, seemly, 28/837.

everich, adj. each one, every, 5/132, 6/140,39/1212,40/1256,117/3922.

everichone, each one, every one, 23/ 689, 61/1986; everichon, 102/ 3382, 109/3641 ; everychon, 92/ 3068; evirichon, 94/3130; euery- choon, 26/792 ; everichoon, 60/ 1948; every-choon, 94/3112.

euerv dele, everydele, every whit, 59)1899, 60/1934. See dele.

evese, sb. eaves, 72/2354.

evil, adv. evilly, ill, 88/1012.

evil, ? read ' well ', Urry's correc tion, 73/2398.

evill-thewid, adj. ill given, of evil

habits, 67/2177. A.S. yfel and

\>edw. evir more a-monc", at intervals, 110/

3686. See a-amongis. excellent, pres. p. excelling, 3G/

1 1 10 ; adj. 86/1114. ey, sb. eye, 56/i8oo: pi. eyen, 2/34,

et passim; eye, 111/3724; yen,

68/2047. eye, sb. awe, restraint, 84/1053.

A.S. ege. See hey.

factur, sb. capability, 9/247. ' Fac- ture: f. The facture, workeman- ship, framing, making of a thing ; ' . . . — Cotgrave. See note, p. 179.

fale, many, 39/1224. See fele.

fallace, sb. deceit, 60/1944. Lat. fallacia.

Falsetown men, the, their device for beguiling strangers, 50- 1/ 1623-28 ; back one another in swearing falsely, 79/2589-2601 ; for fear of Isope, 2610-16 ; Gef frey and Beryn tame them, 120/ 4017-20.

fare, sb. demeanour, 81/967.

fare, vb. go, 82/2699 ; imp.pl. farith feir, go on fairly, go suftly, 67/ 1831.

fast, adv. diligently, earnestly, 87/ 2881, 119/3985. Cf. Barbour's Bruce, i. 42.

FAUNDS, senator of Rome, marries Agea, p. 28 ; spoils his son Beryn, pp. 29-30 ; receives Agea's dying injunctions, p. 32 ; is grieved at Beryn's disreputable life, p. 35 ; marries Rame, p. 36 ; lectures Beryn and threatens to disinherit him, pp. 39-40; is reconciled to Beryn, and agrees to set him up as a merchant, pp. 45-6, carries out the agreement, p. 48.

faute, sb. fault, 57/1838.

fawe, fain, 62/2022, 120/4017. See feyn.

fay, sb. faith, 24/720, 6^/2032, 90/ 3003, 96/3193, 100/3338; fey, 58/1886, 109/3648.

feir, sb. lire, 88/1187 ; feire, 18/551 ; feer, 72/2355.

fele, adj. many, 96/3177, 3205, 97/

GLOSSAR? AND INDEX.

211

3221, 110/3667 ; fale, 39/1224

(' I sey no fale,' I say not many

[words].) A.S.feala. 'Fale.'—

Robert of Gloucester, ed. 1810,

p. 146, 1. 4.

fele, vb. meditate, 61/1988. fell (for fill), full, 90/3006. fellich, adv. felly, cruelly, 11/311. fenaunce. See fynaunce. fences, sb. pi. ? defences, prohibi tions, 27/824. See note, p. 186. fentyse, sb. deceit, 47/1487. O.F.

faintise. fere, sb. companion, 18/389, 81/966,

37/1174, 46/1476, 52/1683; pi

feris, 96/3201. ferforth, adv. fully, far, 24/731, 76/

2503, 86/2807, 94/3134, 114/3799,

116/3875.

ferm. pres. pi. affirm, 79/2615. ferth, fourth, 27/809, 49/1570, 113/

3764, 117/3929.^ fese a-wey, vb. drive away, 12/351.

A.S. fesian. fet, pret. s. fetched, 3/6 1 ; pi. 86/

2849; pp. i-fett, 29/890; i-fet,

44/1395. fetonsly, adv. skilfully, 6/141. O.F.

adj. faictis. fey n, adj. fain, 86/2864, 100/3334,

108/3607, 116/3896; fawe, 62/

2022, 120/4017.

fey ri, vb. ornament, trill, 8/70. (E.E. fejenj— F. See note, p. 177.

feyner, adj. fainer, readier, 66/2124.

feynyd, pret. s. (?) for feyndyd, at tempted, 6/141. See note, p. 178.

ffeer, vb. terrify, 88/1013.

ffifft, fifth, 95/3158; ffifft-is, fifth's, 27/815. Cf. ethir-is, and his.

ffrank, sb. 39/1228. 'Franc: A peece of money worth, in old time, but one Sol Tournois ['the tenth part of our shilling.' — Cotg.~\ ; now it goes for twentie ; which amount vnto ij s. sterl.' — Cot grave.

ffrountis, sb. pi. fronts, 60/1609. ' Frownt, or frunt of a churche or o)?er howsys. Frontispicium, C. F. Oath.'— Prompt. Parv.

fikil, adj. deceitful, 41/1283.

fill, adj. full, 94/3117 ; fell, 90/3006.

lisiuimy, sb. physiognomy, 96/3196.

fit, sb. turn, tustle, 41/1309. 'So mery a fytt [of swiving] ne had sche nat ful yore.' — Chaucer, Reeves Tale, 1. 310.— F.

flaptaill, sb. whore, 41/1283 : cf- Fr. ' Cnleter. To wag or stirre the buttockes vp and downe ; to moue the taile in a wanton time, or with the taile keep time vnto a wanton musicke.' — Cotgrave. — F.

flood, sb. sea, 68/1718; salt flood, 92/3058.

floure, sb. flower, 111/3694; pi. flouris, 28/692. O.F.jfowr.

flowe, pp. flown, 108/3616.

fnese, vb. sneeze, 2/42. ' fneosen, sternuere.' — Stratmann (quoting 'fnese' in Beryn, 2/42). See note, p. 176.

fole of kynde, a natural fool, 89/ 2967 ; see 1. 2937-8.

fonde, vb. seek, 82/2698 ; pret. s. fond, 17/529. A.S. fandian.

Fools have shorn heads, 102/3407, 108/3426, 113/3779-

foon, sb.pl. foes, 26/771 ; ffoon, 80/ 2630.

for, prep. = on account of, 2/34, 3/ 51, 15/440, 21/644, 72/2358, 97/ 3241 ; ffor, 32/973 ; ffor = ? from, 28/854 ; = in spite of, 112/3759 ; conj. = because, 48/1370, 63/ 2052 ; fFor = in order that, 7/172.

forby, adv. near, 88/2728.

fore stage, sb. forecastle, fore part of the ship, 88/2934.

for-in, adj. ? foreign, 90/2989.

formally, adv. in good form, 104/

3457-

fors, no, no matter, 18/396, 61/1984; no force, 72/2375.

for-skramyd, pp. shrunk, distorted, 73/2381. Scram, distorted (West moreland) ; scrambled, deprived of the use of some limb by a nervous contraction of the muscles. — F.

Fortifications of Canterbury in spected by the Knight and his companions, 9/237-44.

FORTUNE, 81/943.

fourm, sb. form, making, 9/247; fourm of kynde, natural disposi tion, ib.

212

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

fourm, sb. form, bench, 98/3079. fray, vb. frighten, 33/ 1013 ; be afraid,

42/1335-

frelich, adj. freely, unconcernedly,

33/1024.

frendshipp, sb. friends, 106/3526. Friar, the, tries to take the holy

water sprinkler at the church

door, p. 6 ; has his eye on the

Summoner, p. 7 • reminds the

Host of his promised supper, p.

8 ; visits an acquaintance of the

Monk, p. 10. Friars, knavery of, alluded to, 12/

362 ; compared to the Falsetown

men, 61/1643-4. ful ri3te, adv. straight, 48/1546. fynall, adj. last, 80/2624. fynaunce, sb. fine, penalty, 64/2079,

79/26io; fenaunce, 77/2534. fynd, vb. provide for, 66/2120, 97/

3219.

fyne, vb. pay a fine, 64/2078, 92/3062. fyne, or ffynys, to make, pay a fine,

115/3851, 116/3872. fyne force, of, of necessity, 65/2 no.

gagid, pret. s. gave security to abide judgment, 113/3778.

gall, sb. gall, ill humour, 14/402, 43/ 1382,48/1552. A.S. gealla.

galle, sb. gall, sore place, 37/n5o; g;ill, 107/3564. 'galle, 0. Icel galli, gall, vitium, vulnus.' — Stratmann.

game, sb. jest, 57/1843, 89/2941, 98/ 3263.

game, set a [of chess], set the chess men in their places, 64/1744.

gamyd, pret. pi. jested, 96/3160.

Garden of the ' Cheker of the Hope ' described, 10/289-294.

gascoyn, sb. Gascon wine, 10/28o.

GEFFREY, the sham cripple of False- town, pursues Beryn, and offers to help him, pp. 73-6 ; his sur prising activity, pp. 76-7 ; pro mises his help if Beryn will take him back to Rome, pp. 77-8 ; his account of the Falsetown men, arid their duke Isope, pp. 79-82 ; and of Isope's house, pp. 82-5 ; sets off on a visit to Isope, p. 85 ; returns and blames Beryn for his

faint-heartedness, p. 87 ; plays the fool before the Falsetown men, pp. 88-9 ; bandys words with Hanybald, p. 90; chaffs Hany- bald and Beryn, pp. 91-2 ; Evan- der, p. 93 ; the plain tiffs generally, p. 94; Hanybald, p. 95 ; the blind man, p. 96 ; and Beryn, about his wife and son, pp. 97-8 ; encour ages Beryn, pp. 98-9 ; says he'll make the plaintiffs smart, p. 100 ; comforts Beryn and the Romans, p. 102 ; answers Syrophanes, pp. 103-6 ; outwits Hanybald, pp. 107-9 ; answers the blind man, pp. 110-12; poses Beryn's sham wife, p. 113 ; turns the tables on Macaign, pp. 113-15 ; tells Beryn what answer to send to Isope, p. 118. ges, vb. guess, 65/2 1 2 1 , pres. 1 s. 66/

2I53- gesolreut, 57/1837,? G, sol (G), re

(D), ut (C). ' Qwan ilke note til other lepes *

and makes hem a-sawt, That we callcs a moyson ' in

gesolreut} en hawt.' Reliquice Antiquoe, i. 292. — F.

See note, p. 191. gist, sb. guest, 16/461 ; pi. gistis,

18/55o. gladder, adj. more glad, 93/3078.

See long the gladder, glose, vb. deceive, speak falsely, 31/

958, 54/1741. glow, vb. ? read clow = claw, 41/

1308. See note, p. 188. glyde, vb. pass by, 20/6o8 ; downe

glyde, slip down, 74/2427. goglyng, pres. p. ? shaking, wag ging, 6/163.

gonde, going, 19/574. &ee goon, gonne, sb. gun, 9/241. good, sb. property, wealth, 64/2075,

81/2677, 116/3876. Good old days, 77/2518-20. goodshipp, sb. goodness, 40/1247. goon, vb. go, 6/104, 89/2958, 113/

3788 ; 1 pres. s. goon, 26/791 ;

pres. s. gone, 13/374 ; 1 pres. pi.

goon, 116/3855 ; pres. p. gonde,

19/574; gond, 31/944; pp. ago,

20/599,114/3799; a-go, 40/1265,

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

213

70/2277; a-goo, 91/3033; i-goo, 84/2782; go, 76/2505, 80/2812.

governaunce, sb. behaviour, conduct, 9/248,102/3399,119/3990; ? self- control, 71/2337 : good manage ment, 82/2694; control, discipline, 87/2892.

grace, sb. aid, succour, 64/2o66.

grame, sb. grief, 22/673, 29/896. A.S. grama.

gre, sb. pleasure, 68/2060.

Greece, Isope brought up in, 81/ 2674-75.

gren, sb. gin, snare, 116/3894. See Halliwell, s. v. 'Green.' DatneJu- loeke said of the trap in which Tibert was caught, 'in the deueles name was the grynne there sette / &c.' — Caxton's lieynard the Fox, Cap. x., Arber's ed., p. 22.

grenyth,^>res. pi. grow green, 28/687.

grete clerge, much learning, 9/252. See clerge.

Grew, Greek, 81/266 1.

greynyd, adj. dyed in grain, i. e. scarlet, 92/3065.

grise, vb. be horror-struck, 66/2140, 86/2801. A.S. agruan.

groundit, pp. established, 26/757.

groundly, adv. deeply, seriously, 120/4001.

guerdon, sb. reward, 76/2486.

guy, vb. guide, 46/1458.

GYLHOCHET, a name Geffrey gives himself, 92/3048, 108/3421 ; Gyl- hoget, 100/3315 ; Gylochet, 3336.

gyn, gynne, contrivance, 19/570 ; 82/2708. See engyne.

hale, vb. haul, pull, 49/1581, 57/

1831, 90/2997, 2999, 91/3016;

pret. s. halid, 2/27 ; pp. hale, 89 /

2948; halyd, 114/3817. halffyndele, sb. half-part, 86/1084.

A.S. healf, half, and dael, part, halk, sb. corner, 44/1407. halowid, pp. halloo'd, shouted for,

2/21.

halsow, vb. predict, interpret, 6/107. 'halsien, A.Sax. halsian, hsblsien (augurari, obsecrare), &c.' - Stratmann. ' Halson. To promise or bid fair, good, or bad ; to pre dict. Devon.' — Halliwell.

halue, sb. half, side, 64/2064; helve, 67/2178.

HANYBALD, Provost of Falsetown, cheats Beryn, pp. 58-61 ; sees Beryn preparing to sail, and stops him, pp. 87-8 ; his word-fence with Geffrey, p. 90 ; asks Geffrey his name, p. 92 ; states his case against Beryn, pp. 94-5 ; claims the whole of Beryn's goods, p. 101 ; is outwitted by Geffrey and gives Beryn sureties for damages, pp. 108-10 ; says he shall never recover his losses, p. 116.

hap, sb. chance, ill-fortune, 1 1/302, 38/i 1 85, 61/1990, 67/2198; pi. happis, 73/2400 ; happous, 67/ 2178.

hap, vb. happen, 64/1739.

harmys, held hym to his, 22/674, ? kept his injuries to himself. See note, p. 184.

harowe, out &, 62/2OIO. ' Harowe now, out and well away ! he cryde, &c.' — Faerie Queene, II. vi. 43.

HARPOUR, the late Mr. Jenkyn, tribute paid to his memory by his wife, Kit the Tapster, p. 1 6.

hauntid, 1 pret. s. frequented, 7 1/ 2319. F. hanter.

haut, adj. high, 67/1837. F. haut. •

havith, subj. pres. 2 pi. have, 69/ 2243 ; pp. i-had, 80/903, 68/2050.

hazard, sb. dice-play, 80/924, 38/

ten.

hazardours, sb. pi. dicers, 44/1408. hazardry, sb. dice-playing, 40/1250. he, pron. ? she, 28/690. A.S. heo. he, pron. they, 86/2826, 94/3 in.

A.S. hi.

hegg, sb. hedge, 1/8. hele, sb. health, welfare, 8/46, 15/

466. hele, vb. conceal, 70/2293, 96/3195.

A.S. helan.

helve, side, 67/2178. ' See halue. hem, pron. them, 1/4, et passim;

ham. 7/178.

hem, ? for adv. here, 9/264. hen, adv. hence, 60/1930. hend, adj. courteous, gentle, 10/

287 ; eride, 47/1491 ; end, 52/

1671.

214

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

hent, pret. s. caught, 74/2424, 2429;

pp. i-hent, 2431. her, their, 49/1569. See hir. herbegage, sb. inn, lodging, 18/379,

21/627. O.F.herberjage. L. Lat.

herbergagium. — Roquefort, s. v.

1 Heberge.' herbery, sb. herb-garden, 10/289.

O.F. herbier, herberie. — Roquefort. hert fill, heart's fill, 90/3006, 94/

hertiest, adj. most courageous, 84/

2777-

herds rote, heart's root, 8/59. hertis swete, sb. sweetheart, 48/

1536. hertly, adj. hearty, 8/201, 87/1173,

118/3949. _ hest, sb. promise, command, 88/2901,

101/3362, 105/3514, 119/3971. hey, sb. (A.S. ege) awe, restraint,

80/903. See eye. hir, hire, pron. her, 2/25, 39, et

passim. hir, pron. their, 1/13, et passim ; her,

49/1569.

hire, adv. here, 17/517. his, the genitive in es, 62/2003, 112/

3732. Of. ethir-is; and ffifft-is,

s. v. ffifft.

hit, pron. it, 29/892. Cf. hown. hi^e noon, i. e. midday, or the tip

top point of the wheel of fortune,

31/945.— W. W. S. ln$te,pret. s. named, 27/799. hi3te, 2 pret. s. promised, 102/3397;

hi^te, pp. 106/3540. &ee behote. ho, pron. who = whoever, 106/3520. holich, adv. wholly, 1/6 ; hoolich,

116/3873-

Holy Roman Empire, 26/733-42. Holy Sepulchre, pilgrimages to the,

105/3489. hond, vb. lay hands on, handle, 62/

2020; pres. s. hondis, 118/3946. honde, sb. hand, 48/1532, 58/i88o;

hond, 57/1838; pi. hondis, 2/37. hongit. See be-horgit. honoure, sb. fief, domain, 28/849,

40/I26I, 46/1469; honour, 48/

1524, 72/2358. 'Honor, * * *

fief, domaine.' — Roquefort. hoost, sb. inn, 10/294. O.F. ost or

host, inn, hostel.

hoot, adj. hot, 41/1317.

Horse, a gentle heart's feeling to

wards his, 52/1686-88. Host, the, orders the pilgrim's din

ner, p. 2 ; reproves the irreverence

of the Pardoner and his friends,

p. 6 ; promises the pilgrims a

supper at Southwark, p. 8 ; sends

the noisy pilgrims to bed, p. 14 ;

his rhapsody on the fine morning,

pp. 22-8 ; wants some one to tell

the first tale, p. 23. hown, adj. own, 88/1179. Cf. hit. bowsing, sb. pi. housen, houses, 27/

831. Here out-buildings are most

likely meant.

huch, pron. which, 7/176, 17/517. huche,s6. chest, 76/25 10. F.'Hwhe,

aHutchorBinne.' — Cotgrave. — F.

' That Arke or Hucche * * * Tytus

ledde with hym to Rome,' &c.

Maundevile, ed. Halliwell, Ib66,

p. 85.

hul by hul, side by side, 16/455. hullid, pret. s. covered, embraced,

46/1477. O.K. Germ, hullen;

pret. hulda. — Stratmann, s. v.

'hulien.' See note, p. 190. husst, pp. husht, 92/3067. hy, vb. hie, haste, 109/3631 ; hi^e,

39/1236; imp. hyen, 95/3170. hyust, interj. hist 1 18/536.

{Some past participles are here collected.^

i-answerd, pp. answered, 94/31 n. i-armyd, pp. armed, 88/2909. i-blowe, pp. blown, in blossom, 41/

i-bore, pp. managed, 116/3875. i-bound, pp. bound, 99/3294. i-brayid, drawn, 118/3935. &ee

breyde. i-cappid, pp. wearing caps or hoods,

55/1772.

i-cast, plotted, 61/1964. See casten. i-closid, pp. closed, 82/2721. i-colerid, pp. coloured, disguised,

51/1658. . i-congerid, conjured, 16/489. See

congir. i-couchid, pp. set, 99/3300; couchid,

114/3794.

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

215

•demed, judged, 4/96. See deme. -di^te, pp. put to rights, set in order, equipped, made ready, 22/ 657, 37/1172, 45/1437, 52/1687; in-dight, 8^/2927. A.S. dihtan. -dyned, pp. dined, 87/2883. -entrid, pp. entered, 112/3760. -esid, pp. eased, 80/2628. -ete, pp. eaten, 84/2782. -fett, fetched, 29/890. See fet. -fourinyd, pp. formed, 84/2761. -frethid, pp. protected, 10/292. A.S.

freo%ian, to set apart, protect. i-fretid, pp. fretted, 117/3926. i-goo, gone, 84/2782. See goon. i-hent, caught, 74/2431. See hent. i-herd. See i-here (below). i-here, vb. hear, 91/3021 ; pp. i-herd,

115/3863. A.S. geheran. i-hold, pp. held, thought, 98/3082 ;

bound, obliged, 108/3595. i-hurid, pp. wearing headgear, 55/ 1772. 'HowE, or hure. heed hyllynge. ' — Prompt. Parv. See the note thereon, and also Halli- well, B. v. HURE. i-iapid, mocked, 104/3459. See

iapid.

i-ioyned, pp. joined, 82/2721. i-knet. See i-knyt. i-knowe, known, 91/3037. See

knawe. i-knyt, pp. knit, i. e. married, 40/

1280; i-knet, knotted, 89/2947. i-la88id,j7p. lessened, 25/754; lassid,

8/44.

i-led, pp. laden, 48/1526. i-lerid, learned, 101/3364, 115/3857.

See lere.

i-leve, ? pp. lived, 65/2 121. i-loggit, lodged, 5/131, 11/304, 13/

374. See loggit. i-luke, pp. locked, embraced, 96/

3207.

-lore, lost, 39/i2i6. See lese. -lost, pp. lost, 113/3784. -makid, pp. made, 16/291. -massid, pp. when it was al, when

mass was over, 5/IO2. -inatid, pp. mated at chess, 64/1749,

55/1767, 93/3093, 105/3512. g -merkid, pp. stamped, as a coin is, 15/434. met, pp. met, 92/3056.

BERYN, II.

-mevid, spoken, 8/199, 82/2704,

112/3758. See meve. -mynt. pp. minted, 15/434. -rnyryd, pp. ? bemired, stuck in the

bog, 102/3388. -myssid, jpp. misst, misstated, 104/

3449-

-nayid, pp. denied, 86/2829. -paid, pp. paid, 71/2320. -parid, pp. adorned. 10/291. F.parer. -peynyd, distressed, 68/2046. See

peyne. -pikid, pp. cleansed, brushed up,

54/1734. ' PYKYD, or purgyd fro

fylthe, or oj^er thynge grevows.

Purgatiis.' — Prompt. Parv. -pilt, pp. struck, 18/559. &ee Strat-

mann, s. v. ' bulten.' -pleynyd, complained, 68/2045. See

pleyne.

-previd, pp. proved, 112/3738. -pulsshid, pp. polished, 54/1734. -rasid,_pp. shaved, 88/2936, 91/3032.

F. raser.

-rau^t, caught, 78/2389. See rau^te. -rayd, pp. arrayed, 8^/2927. -raylid, pp. railed, 10/291. -seclid, pp. ? settled (Urry reads

ysetlid), 78/2583. * i-ssecled,' be came sick. La^amon, 30549. — F. -sesid, pp. possessed, 58/i88o;

sesid, 48/1549, 68/2061. -set, seated, 92/3055. See sat. -set, fixed, 26/798; set, 54/1746.

See setten.

-shethid, pp. sheathed, in a scab bard, 117/3925. -sod, V buried. 89/1217. A.S. seo%an.

See note, p.' 188. -sotyd, _pp. besotted, 86/1138. -spilt, pp. ruined, 75/2452. A.S.

spillan. -spronge, spread, 68/2213. See

sprang.

-sferyd, pp. steered, 107/3564. -swept, pp. swept, 108/3590. -take, taken, 68/2042, 98/3248. See

take.

-thankid, pp. thankt, 117/3903. -told, pp. told, said, 69/2258. -went, brought about, 40/1264;

contrived, 48/1522. See wenden. -wrouit, pp. done, 91/3009, 102/

3385.

15

216

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

ilclie, adj. same, l/ii, et passim;

ilke, 40/1467, et passim; ilk, 5/

119, 116/3889. i-lich, adj. like, 26/736; lich, 114/

3796; Jiche, 117/3930; lycb, 28/

836.

i-lich, adv. alike, 14/402. i-lome, adv. frequently, 41/1312;

lome, 53/1701, 65/2101, 67/2191,

70/2275 ; lorn, H/330. A.S. gelome. imaginacioun, sb. image, simile, 34/

1061.

in, prep, upon, 66/2109, 67/2197. in fere, together, 10/268, 277, 50/

1603, 60/1940, 91/3025 ; in feer,

15/433; i-fere, 74/2421. in hast, in haste, quickly, 82/2718. in parcell. See parcell. in town, at hand, 2/i8. See note,

p. 176. in-dighr, equipped, 88/2927. See

i-di^te. influence, sb. inflow, quantity, 77/

2527. inlich, adv. inly, deeply, 28/867 >

inly, 47/1515, 80/2643. inner, more within, further inside,

84/2790.

innocent, sb. innocence, 68/2207. i-nowe, adv. enough, 8/220; i-

17/529. insolible, adj. unanswerable, un-

solvable, 80/2622. intelleccioune, sb. mind, will, 75/

2473- into, prep. unto, 48/1533, 98/3268,

119/3976; in-to, 40/1272, 50/1592,

92/3054, 110/3687. isope, sb. hyssop, 16/292. ISOPE, Duke, Geffrey's account of

him and his house, pp. 80-5 ;

sends an embassy to Beryn with

presents, pp. 117-18 ; and a safe

conduct, p. 119 ; weds his daugh

ter to Beryn, p. 120. it for he, used in speaking of a

child, 97/3237.

iangill, -lib. prate, 99/3280 ; pres. p. iangelyng, 57/1851 ; ianglyng, 92/3054. 'Jangler, * * * blamer, jaser, caqueter, bavarder, * * * railler, plaisanter, se moquer ; joculari. ' — lioquefort.

iape, sb. jest, 62/2012 ; pi. iapis, 1/7, 103/3428.

iapid, pret. s. jested, mocked, 89/ 2969 ; pp. i-iapid, 104/3459.

iogelour, s6. juggler, 111/3693.

Judges should be like Marcus Stoy- cus, 27/804.

iugg, sb. judge, 107/3S6i.

JULIANE, S., besought by the Par doner to send the Tapster to the devil, 21/626.

IULIUS CEZAR, 26/766 ; Cezare, 773.

inly, adj. gay, lively, 74/2441 . O.F. jolif. 'So iuly [marginal colla tion ynly] fayre she was of her fygure.' — Hardy ng's Chronicle, ed. Ellis, 1812, 124/15.

karff a too, pret. s. carved or cut in two, 19/588. A.S. ceorfan.

karse, sb. cress, 31/971. A.S. cerse.

keke, vb. look hard at, 29/900.

kele^, vb. cool, 16/470. A.S. celan.

kenebowe, in, akimbo. 57/1838.

kepe, sb. care, 72/2356.

kepe, pres. 1 s. care, 16/465.

keueryng, sb. covering, ceiling, 83/ 2723.

kiss : men kiss each other to settle an agreement, 78/2572. Cf. tuk le meyn.

kissid, pret. pi. kissed, licked, as flames do, 72/2354.

kist, pret. 1 s. cast, 89/2955 ; 3 s. 70/2283.

Kitt, V a name for an amorous dam sel, 3/66. Cf. 15/443, 33/ioii.

kitt, pret. s. cut, 13/393.

knave child, male child, 96/3207.

knawe, ? vb. acknowledge, di splay, 84/2758. (See note, p. 196.) pp. i-knowe, 91/3037.

Knight, the, settles the precedence of the pilgrims at the church door, p. 6 ; changes his clothes and goes into the town, p. 8 ; criticises the fortifications, p. 9 ; ironically com mends the Clerk's defence of the Friar, p. 9 ; acts as Marshall at supper, p. 13.

knor, sb. swelling in the flesh, 76/ 2514. ' cnarre, L. Germ, kiiarre, knar (gnar), tuber, vertex;1 &c. — Stratmann.

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

217

knot, sb. ' knotte yn the fleshe, vndyr th j skynne. Glandula.' — Prompt. Parv. 76/2514.

knowlechid, pp. acknowledged, 115/

3833.

kynd, adj. natural, 72/2345.

kynde, sb. nature, natural disposi tion, 9/247, et passim; kynd, 6/ 1 60, 96/3196.

laid their heads together, consulted, 118/3960.

lakk, V fault, 62/1682. See note, p. 191.

lap, sb. skirt, 70/2286.

las & more, less and greater, 49/ 1578, 53/1696, 68/2212. Cf. les or more.

lassh, pret. s. let, shed, 2/34. O.Fft lascher, laxare. See Stratmann, s. v. ' lasken.'

lassid, lessened, 26/754. See i-lassid.

last, sb. ballast, 90/2996. 'Lest et Lestage, Gallis prseterea dicitur pro sabulo navibus injecto ut sta- biliores navigent, the ballace, vel rectius, ballance of the ship : eo- demq ; sensu occurit vox in Stat. de Caleis, 22. Ric. 2. ca[p.] 18.'— Spelman. 'fech more last' = bear a heavier burden, draw more water.

launch out a bote, 86/2845.

lau^e, vb. laugh, 90/3006 ; law^e, 94/3117, 100/3335 ; pret. s. lou^e, 89/2964 ; lowje, 92/3252 ; pi. laujhid, 93/3084 ; lawu^id, 95/ 3161 ; lawsid, 96/3202 ; Iow3e, 103/3420; lau^id, 104/3461

leche, sb. leech, physician, 39/1242, 109/3628.

leem, sb. flame, 72/2352, 83/2729. A.S. leoma. See note in Prompt. Parv. s. v. LEEM.

lefte, sb. leaf, 107/3582 ; pi levis, l/9.

leffe, adj. lief, willing, 107/3566.

legeman, sb. liege man, 77/2530.

legg, vb. lay, wager, 66/1765 ; pret. pi. leyde, 57/i86o ; subj. pres. 1 s. ley, 54/1761.

lele, adj. true, upright, 107/3561. O.F. leal.

Leopards, Isope's, hate man's breath, 83/2745.

lere, adj. empty, 60/1953.

lere, vb. learn, teach, 26/790, 115/

3830, 120/4oo8 ; pres. 1 s. lere,

87/2870; pret. s. leryd, 118/3962;

pp. i-lerid, 101/3364, 116/3857. leris, sb. pi. faces, 96/3202. A.S.

hleor.

les or more, 70/2278. lese, sb. pi. lies, 66/2141. lese, vb. lose, 2/41, et passim; pres.

2s. 100/3318; pp.i-\ore, 39/i2i6;

lore, 60/1955, 112/3731. lesing, sb. loss, 16/440, 96/3177. lesing, pres. p. speaking falsely, 79/

2611. A.S. leasian. let, vb. hinder, 33/1015, 47/1516,

61/1965, 71/2319. lete, pret. s. let, permitted, 40/1253,

97/3212; imp. let, leave, 6/157

(' let stond,' leave alone, let be) ;

let, cause, 44/1396, 46/1466, et

passim; lete, 64/1744, 88/2917 ;

pp. lete, let [fall], shed, 96/3176. lett, sb. hindrance, 68/1892 ; let, 92/

3069, 111/3718. leue, vb. ? better, ' lene,' 18/562.

' Leue ' is the A.S. lyfan = allow,

permit : ' lene,' the A.S. Icenan =

lend, give. Consult index to

Havelok, ed. Skeat (E. E. T. S.),

s. v. Leue, on this point, leute, sb. good faith, 101/3368. O.F.

leaute. leve, vb. believe, 37/n6i ; pres. 1 s.

leve, 29/876, 47/1514, 78/2558;

2 pi. levith, 41/1286 ; 3 pi. 102/ 3401 ; pret. 1 s. leuyd, 63/2049 '>

3 pi. levid, 102/3380 ; imp. s. leve, 40/1252, 57/1848 ; pi levith, 46/1454 ; pp. levid, 64/2087.

levir, rather, 26/796, et passim ; wel levir, much rather, 92/3038. In 71/2336, 118/3934, levir = more pleasant, or grateful.

levith, imp. pi. leave, 68/2222 ; pp. levid, 43/1368.

lewde, or lewd, adj. ignorant, stupid, 51/1627,72/2366, et passim; leude, 99/3276. In 84/2766, it means ill-mannered; in 88/2919, unfit, clumsy ; arid in 93/3o8i, perhaps, grotesque.

lewder, adj. more stupid, 77/2538.

libardis, sb. pi leopards, 83/2741.

218

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

liggen, vb. lie, 12/346 ; lygg, 16/452 ; lige, 20/621 ; ligg, 64/2079, 83/ 2738, 114/3816; pres. 1 s. ligg, 2/28 ; pres. p. liggyng, 11/310, 68/1879; ligging, 68/1697.

lifter, adj. more- active, 17/505.

lutly, adv. easily, quickly, 18/562, 72/2374 ; Ii3tlich, 68/1873.

lissom, adj. cheerful, 22/663, 90/

2973- Lion, Isope's, his voracity, 84/

2781-2. lirylong, adv. stretcht out, 1 1/310.

Cp. 'laide here legges aliri,' in ,

Piers Plowman, Text B (E. E.

T. S.), vi. 124. See note, pp. 179,

180. lis, vb. ease, comfort, 81/948. A.S.

lissian. list, impers. pres. pleases, 64/1752,

&c. ; lyst, 72/2347 ; pret. lust, 64/

1749 ; subj. pres. list, 61/1980. listith, pres. 2 pi. wish, 67/2195 ;

list, 66/2100 ; lest, 74/2422 ; subj.

pres. 2 pi. lust, 26/790 ; list, 45/

1438, 59/1899, 1921 ; pret. 1 pi

lust, 106/3504. lite, adj. little, 22/66o, et passim;

lyte, 72/2373 ; H3t, 78/2397. lither, adj. wicked, 46/1459. A.S.

lyZer. loder, sb. the guiding star, lode-star,

pole-star, 49/i 569. lodisman, sb. pilot, 50/i6oi ; pi. lo-

dismen, 48/1555. loggit, pret. pi. lodged, 1/13 ; pp.

i-loggit, 6/131, 11/304, 13/3745

loggid, 11/301 ; loggit, 21/639. lombard, sb. Italian, 81/2662. loinbe, sb. lamb, 66/1803. lome, or lorn, frequently, 68/1701,

&c. See i-lome. londe, or lond, sb. land, 21/626, 47/

1508, et passim; pi londis, 25/

738, et passim.

londit, pret. pi. landed, 89/2971. long the gladder, by far the more

[glad of the two], 98/3078. looth, adj. loath, unwilling, 107/

3566. lordshipp, sb. lordly person, 119/

3968 ; pi lordshippis, districts

over which a Lord is master, 120/

4012.

lore, sb. wisdom, teaching, 1/3, ll/ 328, et passim.

losery, sb. ? gambling, 80/925, 39/ 1228. 'Los: Sort, destin, . . .' — Roquefort. ' loser, flatter, trem- per.' Hippeau.

lot, sb. ? lote, loft, floor. See note, p. 181.

loth*1, impers. displeased, 66/2119. A.S. IdZian.

loute, vb. bow, 87/2872, 88/2924. A.S. lutian.

lowe, allow, 61/1653. See alowe.

lowe, vb. low, moo, 98/3246.

lukir, sb. gain, 116/3896. Lat. lucrum.

lust, sb. liking, desire, 81/941, 33/ 1029, 54/1754, 107/3578 ; pi lustis, 1/7, 9/235.

luxury, sb. lust, 22/664. Lat. luxuria.

lyden, sb. Latin, language, 18/482. A.S. leden. 'The ledden of the birds most perfectly she [More- land] knew:' &c. — Polyolbion, Song the Twelfth, in Drayton's Works, 1753, vol. iii. p. 905.

lyste, sb. list, edge or hem of a gar ment, 68/22 1 6. See Prompt. Parv. s. v. Lysure, and the note thereon.

lyvand, pres. p. living, 82/979, 36/ 1115.

lyuery, sb. delivery, 69/1896.

MACAIGN, a catchpoll of Falsetown, dupes Beryn, and accuses him of murder, pp. 68-70 ; gives the de tails at Beryn's trial, p. 99 ; pro poses to share Beryn's goods, p. 101 ; his anger at Beryn's deliver ance from Syrophanes, p. 108 ; the tables turned on him by Gef frey, pp. 113-15 ; finds sureties for damages, p. 115.

made, pret. s. feigned, 2/33, 91/ 3017.

made = make, 44/1410. See note, p. 189.

Magicians, Isope's, their magical arts, 84/2773-76.

make, sb. mate, wife, 28/978, 980, 982, 66/2105.

makers, sb. pi. poets, 76/2462.

male, sb. wallet, 28/701.

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

219

m;iletalent, sb. malice, 112/3759. O.F. maltalent.

man, sb. chess-man, 66/1821.

Manciple, the, goes into the town, p. 10 ; sings after supper, p. 14.

marchantfare, sb. merchant's voy age, 109/3625. A.S. fcKTj journey.

marchis, sb. pi. marches, country, 53/1702, 55/1775, 76/2491, HO/ 3677, H9/3982.

MARCUS STOYCUS, ?Cato of Utica,

27/799- Marshall, a, his office at supper, 13/

387.

mase, sb. pi. maces, 56/i8o6. masid, adj. crazy, 96/3190, 3203,

98/3253.

mastris, gen. s. master's, 58/1710, 67/2189, 112/3741 ; mastris, sb.pl. masters, 111/3726. Cf. raftris.

mastry, sb. mastery, cunning, skill, 11/32O. Fr. maistrie.

may, vb. be troubled, 62/2Oi8. Fr. ' s'esmayer. To be sad, pensive, astonyed, carefull ; to take thought.' (Cotgrave.)— F.

maystowe, inayst thou, 91/3021.

mede, sb. meed, reward, 7/i86.

meene honde, third party, 48/1532.

MELAN, Macaign's father, Beryn ac cused of murdering, p. 70 ; evi dence in the case, pp. 99-100; Geffrey's answer, pp. 113-15.

mell, vb. meddle, 116/3890; pres. s. mel, 80/2648. O.F. meller.— Roquefort.

men, sb. used like the F. on, 34/ 1066.

mende, sb. mind, 95/3152. The Prompt. Parv. has : ' Mende. Me- moria, mencio, rnens.'

mend it, amended, 34/1045. See a-mend.

Merchant, the, helps the Host in making up the accounts, p. 14 ; praises the Host's tact in ruling the pilgrims, and offers to tell the first tale, pp. 23-4.

Merchants, terms of partnership be tween, 110/3675-76.

mercylese, adj. merciless, 71/2314.

merellis, sb. nine men's morris, 40/ 1250. See note, p. 187.

uiere'y, adv. merrily, 22/676, 678.

mery, ? sb. merriment, 70/2289.

See note, p. 194. mes, sb. mess, dish, 55/1773, 85/

2818, 110/3688. Fr. lMes: in.

A messe, or seruice of meat; a

course of dishes at table.' Cot grave. — F. message, sb. messenger, 44/1401.

O.F. message. L.Lat. messageriits.

— See Roquefort, P. v. ' Messadge.' messe, sb. mass, 34/1046; mas, 111/

3710.

mete, sb. meal, 117/3919. mete, vb. dream, 4/ioi. A.S. mcetan. meve, vb. move, touch upon, 5/128,

79/2593 ; pp. i-mevid, spoken,

uttered, 8/199, 82/2704, 112/3758;

administered, 112/3737 ; mevid,

spoken, 115/3852. meyne, sb. company, ship's crew,

household, 9/237, 59/1923, 114/

3819; meyny, 102/3379. Ap plied to chess-men, 54/1733. meynten, vb. assist, 100/3327 ;

meyiitenyth, pres. s. maintain in

law, back up in a suit, 100/3323. Miller, the, sets the Pardoner right

on a question of blazonry, p. 6 ;

steals Canterbury brooches, p. 7 ;

sits up drinking with the Cook,

p. 14. Ml = M^le = 1000, 52/1677. — W.

W. S.

mo, adj. more, 17/5i6, et passim. moblis, sb. pi. goods, movables, 47/

1511. F. meuble. mocioune, sb. proposition, motion,

9/264,79/2593; mocioun, 60/1 932. mode, sb. temper, spirit, 6/105, 45/

1421, 53/1725, 66/2129, 101/3373;

anger, 72/2363 ; mood, 17/502. mode, ? adj. mojdy, 38/1196. See

note, p. 187.

Modern times bad, 77/25 18. moilled, jwe£. s. wetted, 6/139, slob-

bered ; mollid, 46/1477. F.

mouiller. moid, man of, earth-born, mortal

man, 68/2043. Cf. Henry V.

III. ii. 23. Monk, the, characterized by the

Summoner, p. 7 ; invites the

Parson and the Friar to go with

him to see an acquaintance, p. 10.

220

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

monstrefulle, adj. monstrous, 84/ 2767.

moon, sb. moan, complaint, 96/3190.

more, sb. root, 84/1056. '* * * on o More \>ei growed.' — Piers Plow man, Text B, pass. xvi. 1. 58 (E. E. T. S.). Still common in Dorset.

more, }?e, & eke the laee, the greater and the less also, 107/3558. See las & more.

most greatest, 110/3681.

motehall, sb. town-hall, 88/2922. A S. mot-heal.

mourned, pret. pi. were deep in thought, 6/151. See note, p. 178.

mo we = may, 25/755, e^ passim; mow, 25/749.

mut, adj. mute, 35/1096 ; muet, 64/ 2065; mewet, 2081; mwet, 66/ 2147.

mut = ma vest, or may, with opt. sense, 8/57, 5/ii6, 88/1012 ; = must, 29/891, et passim.

mydmorowe, sb. mid-morning, i. e. "9 a.m. 1/13.

myere, sb. mere, lake, 11/304.

myrthis, sb. pi. pleasantry, amuse ment, 1/4, 8/203, 103/3428, 119/ 4000. Applied to the perform ance of a conjuror, 111/3693,

3697. my^tfull, adj. mighty, 71/2339, 102/

3383.

mys-do, pp. done amiss, 107/3568. mys-wrou^t, pp. done amiss, 43/

1360. mytens, sb. pi. gloves, 97/3239.

O.F. mitaine. See Halliwell, s. v.

' Mitaine - ; and Prompt. Parv.

s. v. ' Myteyne,' with the note

thereon.

n ad (ne had), pret. s. had not, 117/ 3902.

napron, sb. apron, 2/33. O.F. na- peron.

nas (ne was) was not, 30/907, 49/ 1581,111/3695.

nat, adv. not, 2/31, et passim; nowt, 4/71 ; nou^te, 45 / 1426.

ne, now, 104/3478. See noweth.

ne, conj. nor, 1/5, et passim.

Negative, in Civil Law, rule relat ing to a, 64/2067-8, 79/2602-6.

neinpt, pret. 1 s. mentioned,

114/3811; pret. s. nempnid, 17/

516. ner (ne were), pres. 2 s. subj. were

not, 33/1019 ; pres. s. nere, 3'J/

1220; ner, 88/2730. ner J?e latter, nevertheless, 5/I2O;

— Jatiir, 94/3119. nere, vb. draw near, approach, 21 /

642.

nere, adv. ne'er, 59/1918. nere & nere, nearer and nearer, 29/

879, 74/2424. nere end. See nere hond. nere hond, nearly, 16/474, 73/2389;

nere end, 5/123. $ee nJ hond. nere 3 it, nearer yet, 95/31 68. nethirles, adv. nevertheless, 58/1722. nevir a dele, never a whit, 62/1996.

See dele.

next, adv. nearest, 60/1943. ney, vb. neigh, 98/3245. no dele, no whit, 11/307. See dele, nobley, sb. pomp, nobleness, 118/

3957, 119/3969. O.F. noblois.

Roquefurt, s. v. * Nobilite.' nol (ne wol), pres. 1" s. will not, 7/

190; nyl (ne wil), 47/1517 ; nolt

(ne wolt), 2 s. wilt not, 61/1973;

nyl, I pi. 94/3110. nold (ne wold), pret. 1 s. would not,

4/89; pret. s. 6/142, 30/9io, 6G/

2160.

noil, sb. head, 98/3259. A.S. hnott. non-obstant, prep, notwithstanding,

75/2467. F. nonobstant. nonys, for £>e, for the occasion, 18/

544,79/2613,94/3126; the nonys,

111/3726. See note in Prompt.

Parv. s. v. ' For the nonys.' note, I, I know not, 8/62, et passim ;

not, 53/1699. nou^t, nothing, 41/1291 ; nau^t, 71/

2333-

non^te, not, 45/1426. See nat. noweth, adv. now, 115/3831 ; nowej,

97/3213 ; ne, 104/3478. nowt, not, 4/71. See nat. Nun, the. a monk at Canterbury

Cathedral wants to see her face,

p. 6. nyce, adj. foolish, 1/7, 75/2445, 88/

2933) 103/34i6, 3420. In 9/262

it seems to mean icickcd. ' Nice :

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

221

com. Lither, lazie, sloaftfull, idle;

faint, slacke ; dull, simple.1 — Cot- grave.

nycete, sb. folly, 39/1222. nygramanrers, sb.pl. necromancers,

111/3725. nygromancy, sb. necromancy, 12/

339 ; nygramance, 84/2773. O.F.

nigremance. L. Lat. necromantia,

from vftcpopavTsia. nyjhith, pres. s. approaches, 81/970,

42/1318; pret.s. nyjhid, 29/879,

74/2424. ny bond, well nigh, 18/562 ; ny^e

hond, 30/906. See nere hond. nyl, will not, 47/1517. See nol. nys (ne is), is not. 41/1313, et passim.

o, one, 2/21, et passim.

Oath, the Pardoner's greater, 4/90. Cf. Eobert of Gloucester, ed. 1810, p. 242, 1. 7. ' Edwyne was wroj? vor J>ys, and suor ys more o)?.' ' Hire [the Prioress's] grettest ooth i) as but by seynt Loy.' — Prol. Cant. Tales, 1. 120.

Oaths and Adjurations.

Amyas, by seynt, 20/593.

Benedicite, 2/40, 11/314, 40/1271, 53/I7I8, 97/3225.

book & bell, be, 33/1017.

bou^t me dere, be hym }>at, 53/ 1706.

Bromholm, by J?e rood of, 23/717. Cf. 53/1726. See P. PL (Claren don Press), Pass. V. 1. 231, note: and Ch. Beves Tale, 1. 366.— W. W. S. ' Mr. Wright says that a portion of the true cross was supposed to be preserved in a reliquary, in the form of a cross, belonging to the Priory of Brom- holme in Norfolk.'— Bell's Chau cer, ed. 1854, vol. i. p. 233, note.

conscience, be my trewe, 8/50.

cote, for my, 4/88. The 'cote' is the rondeau or cote-hardie intro duced toward the latter part of the 14th ceutury. Mr. Wright describes it as 'a habit Fitting close, reaching only down to the haunches, and buttoned down the breast ;' and gives a woodcut of a

lady (Marguerite de Clisson) wear ing one. — Womankind, chap. xii. 'for' = by.

Criste died on the rode, and for al men-kynde his gost pas lete, leve J3owe me as wele as, i. e. believe me as truly as that Christ died on the cross, and gave up the ghost for all men, 40/1252-53.

Cristis blessing go with alle such, 4/82.

curs go with hym, 20/6oi.

curse com oppon hir body, 40/ 1275.

Danyel, seynt, yeur swevyn turne to good, 5/1 06.

Depardeux, De par Dieu, 64/2093, 102/3413, 117/3915; Deupartleux, 80/2637. See note, p. 195.

deth, Away . . with evil, 16/483.

devill, what, is }ewe, What the devil's the matter with you 1 98/ 3270.

devill, the, hir spede, 16/488. See 21/626.

hym spech, 39/1229. Faunus

means: The devil patch his clothes, who cares if Beryu's be ragged. See note, p. 188.

devill, the, of hell breke this thevis bonys, 18/543.

hym spede, 7/185.

hir to-tere, 33/1014.

— J>e tere, 17/514. Cf. 33/1014.

evil mut j?owe the, J?at, ill rnayst thou thrive, bad luck to you, 33/ 10 1 2. Evil is an adv.; \>at has an opt. force. The is the A.S. \>eon, thrive, flourish, &c.

fay, in, 90/3003, 100/3338.

fey, be my, 58/i886.

God, as, rriy soule save, 77/2530,

HI/3711-

assoyll hir soule, 53/1716.

, be, & by seynt Ion, 68/2226.

See 39/1220.

— , be, in heven, by Petir, & by

lame, 33/ioi6. , be, omnipotent, 41/1289, 75/

2476, 95/3154. , blessid be, of mendernent, of

hele & eke of cure, 3/46.

- for (i. e. by), 16/472. gyve hym evil preff, 17/5 11.

222

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

Oaths and Adjurations. God, have, my trowith, 17/5 10,

97/3226. , hem jeld, God reward them,

52/i 680. , hym graunte wynnyng, ri^te

as he hath a-servid, 95/3163.

, so, me help, 44/1402.

, wold to, 4/IOO.

woot, God knows, 12/339.

Goddis blessing have bow, 3/66. good will be my chaunce, 24/728. graunt rnercy, 8/56, 47/1489, 59 /

1907, 68/2232 ; graunte mercy,

45/1443, 115/3840; gromercy, 39/

1223. heven quene, }>at bare Criste in hir

barme (i. e. bosom), by, 75/2457.

Cf. 4/79.

Jame, by, 33/ioi6. See God, be. lohn, be seynt, 39/1 220. See 68/

2226. ludas sold, for (i. e. by) hym J?at,

63/2044. lady, our, gyve hym sorowe, 7/183,

16/489. lady Mary, f>at bare Ihesu on hir

arm, by our, 4/79. Cf. 75/2457. lord, 12/346, 16/492, 56/1803. Lord God, 52/i66i. mas, by him J?at first made, 111/

3710.

Petir, by, 33/ioi6. See God, be. rood, by the, 68/1726. Cf. 23/717. sorowe com on thy hede, 99/3277. Thomas shryne, by seynt, 8/221. trowith, be my, 5/ii6, 20/6o2, 78/

2558,93/3105,94/3110,98/3253.

, be, of my body, 70/2288.

, have God my, 17/5 io; 97/3226.

Trynyte, by the, 98/3257. '

oeptas, sb. oetas = utas, i. e. octave, 8 days ; i. e. a week after (W. W.S.),19/590. See foot-note, p.19.

of, prep. = by, 93/3082 ; = for, by reason of, 36/1109, 62/1682, 57/ 1856, 72/2367, 89/2964, 92/3052, 103/3420, 118/3966; = for, for the yake of, 106/3527 ; = in, at, 55/1788; = from, away from, 33/IOI5, 49/1584, 70/2294, 72/ 2368, 102/3393, 103/3428 ; = with, 48/1526.

of = off, 115/3836.

of-bove, adv. above, 88/2723.

of lyve, for on lyve, in life, i. e.

alive, 71/2311. See i-leve and on

lyve.

of newe, recently, 79/2592. of wele, ? our weal, 80/2624. offter, adv. oftner, 4/98. Ointment, the cure all, 109/3628-30. Old times, the good, 25/745, 28/842. on, prep, in, 86/1137, 118/3771, 117/

3920.

on, adv. off, 01/1645. on lyve, in life, i.e. alive, 86/1137,

37/1174, 70/2289, 117/3920. See

i-leve and of lyve. on-do, undone, quashed, 98/3074.

See vndo. on-know, adj. unknown, 110/3671 ;

vnknowe, 114/3802. onys, adv. once, 14/406, et passim. opyn, adj. open, plain, 107/3559,

114/3797. 'In opyn & no roun,'

48/1529, means: openly and not

in secret.

or, adv. ere, 2/17, et passim. orden, vb. order, appoint, 12/365 ;

pret. 1 s. ordeyned, 16/487 ; pret.

pi. 2/17, 68/2234; pp. 92/3066. orient, adj. ? shining, 117/3926. othir whils a-mongis, sometimes,

80/933. >?ee amongis. on^wher, adv. anywhere, 37/1 166. outid, pp. sold, 73/2408. See note,

p. 194. out-stert, vb. spring forth, 1 14/3826 ;

pret. s.t escaped [his lips], 46/1467.

See a-stert. ouer al about, all over, in every part,

76/2513.

ouyr eve, over night, 28/706. ovir j?e bord, overboard, over the

side of the ship, 87/2886. ovir-do, pp. over done, too much,

4/9i.

ovir grove, vb. overgrow, 84/1065. ovir-pleid, pp. over played, i. e.

beaten, 104/3472. ovirtwart, adj. perverse, 46/1459. ovir-musid, pp. outplotted, oiit-

witted, 104/3481. 'Muser. To

muse, dreame, studie, bethinke

himselfe of.' &c. — Corgrave. owt, pret. s. owed, 37/ii6i ; oujt,

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

223

should, 79/2608, 84/2776, 97/ 3219 ; imper. it behoves, 68/1890, 97/3219, 110/3661, 116/3897.

pall, sb. fine cloth, 99/3284. See 'Palle'in Hattiwdl

Palm, the, a sign of peace and good faith, 117/3932.

pament, sb. pavement, 44/1403, 83/ 2724.

pan, sb. skull, 98/3253. O.E. hern- panne, brain-pan.

parage, sb, rank, 28/840 ; hi^e par- age, noble birth, 61/1994. See Roquefort, s. v. Paraige (haut).

Paramour, the, sups with the Tap ster, and agrees to cool the Par doner's courage, pp. 14-16 ; thrashes the Pardoner, p. 17; gets a swinging blow on the nose, p. 19 ; loses sight of the Pardoner, p. 20 ; has the gates shut that he may catch the Pardoner next morning, p. 20.

paramour, adv. lovingly, 3/68.

parcell. sb. part, 66/2130, 94/3122 ; in parcell, in part, partly, 66/ 2141.

Pardoner, the, flirts with the Tap ster, pp. 2-5 ; his behaviour at church and during dinner, pp. 6- 7 ; re -visits the Tapster and makes an assignation with her, pp. 10-12 ; finds she's faithless, p. 16 ; and is thrashed by her Paramour, p. 17 ; hits the Para mour with a pan, and runs, p. 19 ; passes an unpleasant night, p. 21 ; repairs damages next morning and escapes detection, p. 22.

paregall, adj. equal, 47/1 506.

parell, sb. apparel, tackle, 92/3o6o.

parentyne, sb. parentage, 28/841, 97/3241.

Parson, the, takes precedence at the church door, p. 6 ; visits an ac quaintance of the Monk, p. 10.

part of sorowe, share of sorrow, some sorrow, 42/1342. Cf. 'part of sapience,' 76/2467.

parten, vb. share, 61/1644, 101/3346.

party, sb. party to the lawsuit, 66/ 2144, 101/3347.

party, in, adv. partly, 68/2224, 98/

3267.

pas with, vb. go for, be for, 113/3787. passen, vb. surpass, 80/2644. passing, adj. excellent, 92/3053. Passion-week, devotion and absti nence during, 114/3804-10. passyngly. adv. beyond measure, 2/

38, 81/2678. pay, sb. liking, 19/582, 86/2854, 118/

3934, 119/3998. paynym, sb. heather;, 88/2753. payrid, pp. impaired, 26/754. peloure, sb. fur, 117/3928 : ' Pellure,

or furrure. Pellura.' — Prompt.

Parv.

penaunce, sb. punishment, 80/2650. perce, sb. pierce, tap, 62/1689. perche, sb. perch, projecting piece

of wood, 89/2948. perdurabill, adj. eternal, 26/751. perelis, sb.pl. pearls, 117/3926. perseyte, sb. perception, 113/3785. pese-marchantis, sb, pi. peaceable

traders, 90/2979 ; pese marchan-

dis, 112/3756. peyn, vb. labour, essny, 66/2109, ?4/

2437 ; PP- i-peynyd, distressed,

63/2046. F. peiner. peyn, do my, vb. endeavour, 13/375,

78/2560, 86/2807, 102/3413; pret.

s. did hir peyn, 90/2973. peynous, adj. severe, painful, 79/

2609, 113/3766. peyntour, sb. painting, 6/151. PHILIPPUS AUGUSTINUS, emperor of

Rome, succeeds Constantine III.,

p. 26 ; consults the Seven Sages

about Faunus, p. 35 ; marries

Faunus to Rame, p. 36 ; Beryn's

heirship released in his presence,

p. 48.

pike, vb. pitch, rise, 22/678. Pilgrimages vowed, to be completed

before men go to their wives,

106/3508-10. pilt, pp. pusht, driven, put, 68/2208.

M.E. pulten. See i-pilt. pire, vb. peer, 44/1412; imp. s. 18/

552; pret.pl. pyrid, 6/149. plase, sb. house, 61/1637, 63/2039.

See note, p. 192. plat, adj. flat, 69/2269. j pled it, pp. pleaded, 74/2419.

224

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

plener, adj. full, 26/787. O.F. ple-

nier. See Planier in Roquefort, plentivouse, adj. fertile, 47/1496.

O.F. plentivous. See Plantieux

in Roquefort. pk-te, vb. plead, 116/3838; pres. s.

pletith, 64/2064. pley, sb. conjuring, 111/3719, 112/

3728 ; pi. pleyis, 111/3699, 3712. pleyer, sb. conjuror, 110/3690, 111/

3698. playing, pres. p. playing, moving,

22/679- pleyn, adj. full, 87/1151, 107/3559,

108/3600, 112/3733. F.plein. pleyne or pleyn, w. complain, 30/

919, 68/2209, 70/2274, 79/2597,

H2/3757; pres. s. pleynyth, 66/

2145, 101/3350, 113/3765; pres.

pi. pleyn, 94/31 10, 116/3888 ; pp.

i-pleynyd, 68/2045 5 pleynyd, 66/

2143.

pleynlich, adv. fully, 119/3989. pleyntyff, sb. plaintiff, 87/2870. Ploughman, the, precedence granted

him at the church door, p. 6.

The Ploughman is the Parson's

'brothur' (Prol. Cant. Tales, 1.

529) ; here the Ploughman (?) is

the Parson's < fere '(6/137). But

see note, p. 178. plukking, sb. pulling, 72/2368. Poets feign words to make ryme,

75/2462.

poll, sb. head, 98/3260. pompery, sb. ? pumping, 81/2668. popis se, the Pope's see, i. e. Rome,

25/74L

port, sb. bearing, demeanour, 81/ 2686, 90/2974, 120/3999.

port, sb. porthole, hole near the waterline, 90/3001.

port-colyse, sb. portcullis, 82/2719.

pose, sb. rheum, 19/578.

possessioune, sb. property, 10/271. ' POSSESSIONATUS. — Habens bona solo (W. Thorn). luterdum nude pro eo qui in rei possessione est. Sic sacerdotes possessionati dicun- tur qui aliquod beneficium possi- dent. Possessionati monachi, Gal. moines rentes, dotati, quibus attri butes sunt possessiones. (Act. ad Cone. Basil).'— D'Arnis.

pour, vb. look intently, pore, 22/ 667 ; pret. s. pourid, 11/31 1 ; pret. pi. 6/149.

poynt, in, immediately, forth with, 88/2907, 90/2981, 102/3400. Under Pom*, Roquefort gives: 'quant point est, quand il est temps, a propos.'

poyse, sb. poesy, 81/2664.

practik, sb. treachery, 88/1188.

praunce, vb. dance about, quarrel, make a disturbance, 102/3400 ;

C. s. 80/2648. 'Penader. To id, praunce, brag, vaunt, braue it.' — Cotgrave.

preche, vb. ? for prece = press, 73/ 2388. See note, p. 194.

prechement, sb. sermon, 40/1263.

preff, sb. proof, trial, 17/5 II.

preff, vb. prove, 66/2144.

prelatis, sb. pi. clergymen, 6/137, 13/386. ' Prelati Ecclesias vocan- tur nedum superiores, ut Epis- copi, sed etiam inferiores, ut Archidiaconi, Presbyteri, Plebani, & Rectores Ecclesiarum.' — Spel- man, s. v. Prelatus. Sir John the Parson of Wrotham is called : ' An honest country Prelate, who

laments

To see such foul disorder in the Church.'— The History of Sir John Oldcastle, Shakspere Fol. 3, p. 34, col. 2.

present, sb. presence, 82/2796.

prest, adj. ready, 66/1822, 95/3153. O.F. prest.

preve, sb. proof, trial, question, ex istence, 68/1903.

prikfce, vb. spur, 62/2OI2.

Prioress, the, goes with the Wife of Bath to see the inn-garden, p. 10.

pro, contra, things for and against, 78/2577.

probacy, sb. proof of assertions, 79/ 2595.

Probate Law, 64/2066-70. See Civil Law.

profir, sb. offer, 117/3911.

prudenciall, adv. prudently, 18/381.

pry, pres. 2 pi. enquire (taking sotil to be an adv.), 107/3554. Or for pry read be. See note, p. 199.

GLOSSARY" AND INDEX.

225

Proverbs and Phrases.

al hole !, all's well ! 2/43. See note, p. 176.

asse, lewder (more stupid) ben an, 77/2538.

bagg of trechery, vndid }>e, 38/i 182. Cf. 23/701.

bale, aftir, comyth bote, 118/3956. 'Bale,' woe, A.S. bealu. ' Bot,' amends, A.S. b6t.

ball, They shull be behynd, & wee shul have ^e, 78/2580. This may be a metaphor taken from the game called Hurling, thus de scribed by Strutt : ' The contend ing parties endeavoured to force the ball one from the other, and they who could retain it long enough to cast it beyond an ap pointed boundary were the con querors.' See Sports and Pastimes, bk. II. ch. iii. p. 98, ed. Hone, 1845.

begynnyng, Who take heed of }>e, what fal shal of \>e ende, He leyith a bussh to-fore the gap, J?er fortune wold in ryde, 66/1788-89.

berd, I can wipen al this pie cleene from yeur, 110/3658.

berd, make his, 16/436, 16/485, 20/ 622.

Beyard, a man to seruesabill, ledith offte b. from his owne stabill, 96/ 3183-84. Bayard was a common name for a horse ; see Halliwell, s. v. ' Bayard.' Kinaldo's destrier was called Baiardo.— Orl. Fur. I. xxxii.

brennyd cat dredith feir, 4/78. ' Brend child fire dredi)?.' — Prov. of Hending, st. 24. ' Puer noviter combustustimet ignem.' — Cronica Jocelini de Brakelonda, ed. Roke- wode (Camden Soc.), p. 3. brond, stappid oppon a, stepped upon a hot brand, 19/585. Cf. the A.S. ordeal of redhot plough shares.— W. W. S. button, set of himself the store of a, 111/3696. Cf. 'fly, it is nat worth a,' and 'karse, vaylith nat a.' cat, fese (i. e. drive) a-\vey \>e, 12/ 351.

cloudis, aftir mysty, J?ere comyth ;i cler sonne, 118/3955. 'After sharpe shoures * moste shene is J?e sonne.' — Piers Plowman (E. E. T. S.), Text B, xviii. 409.— W. W. S.

clowdis, Lo ! how the, worchyn, eche man to mete his mach, 4/83.

company, who doith after, may lyve tlie bet in rest, 6/162.

covenante, yee woil hold me, & I wo!l }ew also, 78/2569. See note, p. 195.

cupp, J?e, he drank with-out, ll/ 306. Cf. 16/460.

'cut,' as who seyd, 41/1288. Like one who says 'cit£.' Ihis is an abbreviation for 'draw cut', or ' kepe cut' (41/1309). J. e. put up with the lot you have drawn : = as you've made your bed, so you must lie on it.— W. W. S.

cut, kepe thy, 41/1309, 66/1805. See note, p. 189.

day, the, is short, the work is long, 109/3631.

deol (sorrow), evil avengit he Tus, J?at for a litill mode (passion), and angir to his ney^bour, sellith a-wey his good, &c., 72/2363-64.

doggis lyden, i. e. Latin, language, 16/482.

doith as othir doith, 37/1151.

dub him kny^t, 16/456.

fals, as, a thing, as God hym-selff is trewe, 79/2591.

fete, thow shalt . . . stond on thyn owne, 40/1254.

fethirles bolt, to shete a, 66/1764.

flower, bear the, i.e. be the lirst, 111/

fly, it is nat worth a, 99/3278. Cf. 'button, set of himself,' &c., and ' karse, vaylith,' &c.

galle, touch no man the, 37/1150. Galle = gall, sore place.

garlik, pull, 6/123. Make a man pull garlic, sell him, and disgust him.— F. See note, p. 177.

Goddis cope, he shall be as sikir as of, i. e. he may be as sure of having God's head (A.S. copp) or cope, cloak (Lat. capo), 16/453.

goldfynch, glad as eny, 16/476.

22G

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

gren, cau^t even by the shyn . . . in our owne, 116/3893-94. 'Gren' = gin, snare.

had-I-wist, 72/2348. A common proverb. To several instances cited in a note to Tell Troth (New Sh. Soc.), p. 193, may be added: 'The Adulterous Falmouth Squire,' 1. 35, in Political, Religious, and Love Poems (E. E. T. S), p. 94. half a myle, in las then, 54/1737.

Cf. 16/468. hipp, i-cau^te somewhat oppon the,

55/1780-81.

hors, as, }?at evir trottid, trewlich I

^ew tell, it were hard to make

hym, aftir to ambill well, 39/

939-40.

Hurlewaynes meyne, families Har-

lequini, 1/8. See note, p. 175. i-mynt, offt is more better i-merkid then there is, 15/434. This pro verb contains an allusion to the practice of issuing base money. Coin is often stamped (i-merkid) so as to pass for more than it is worth ; folk often seem better than they are. * Merkyd, . . . Signatus.' — Prompt. Parv. A.S. mynetian, to coin money. Judas, as fals as, 99/3282. karse, vaylith nat a, is not worth a cress (A.S. cerse), 81/971. Halli- well quotes from Gower under ' kerse' : ' Men witen welle whiche hath the werse, And so to me nis ('tis not) worth a kerse.' kite, went lowe for the, 46/1478, bowed herself as if to avoid Faunus's pounce ; pretending that he was a kite.

kynd, }>e, of brode (natural dispos ition), 6/160. kynde woll have his cours, Nature

will have her way, 4/86. lawe, the, goith by no lanys, but holdith forth the streyt way, even as doith a lyne, 101/3358-59. Cf. 103/3441.

lyne, even as a, 34/1070, 101/3359. male, vnlace his, 28/701. Cf. 38/ 1182. Cf. 'Unbokeled is the male.' Ch., Mill. Prol 1. 7.— W. W. S.

moon, in crokeing of f?e, in the crook of the moon, 18/398. See note, p. 181.

murdir, ther may no man hele (i. e.

conceal), Jnit it woll out atte last,

70/2293. Cf. Ch. Nonne Prestes

Tale, 1. 237.— W. W. S.

myle, within this, 15/468. Cf. 54 /

1737, and see note, p. 191. nayll, to dryv in bet j?e, 104/3464. part as it comyth, of rou^e & eke of

smoth, take yeur, 87/1152. pecok, I make a-vowe to f>e, 15/ 462. This seems to be a bur lesque allusion to the mediaeval fashion of making vows. Jacques le Clercq relates how Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, ban queting at Lille in 1453, was presented by his herald, Toison d'Or, with a roasted pheasant, ' que on nomme autrement coli- moge, moult joliment joli ; ' and the duke then took an oath to lead an army against the Turks. The pheasant was also presented to the princes and nobles as sembled, who 'feirent plusieurs grands vceux, desquels je n'en parlerai pour tant qu'ils ne feurent pas accomplis ne faits, et si seroit la chose trop longue a racoinp- ter.' — Mem,oires, ed. Buchon, torn, xiii. p. 168 (Chroniques de Mon- strelet).

peny, wele settith he his, J?at J?e pound t.herby savith, 69/2244.

pot, to, who comyth last, 101/3366.

' quek,' the, L e. quick, alive, 89/ 2945. A make-believe game of Geffrey's.

right as wolde rammys hornyd, 6/ 152.

rynge, shoke (shook) a, 55/1762.

Sir John (applied to a layman), 90/ 2984. See note, p. 198.

sour, aftir, when swete is com, it is a plesant mes, 110/3688. Cf. 29 / 898.

spone, & wee hewe a-rnys eny maner, 108/3430. Spone = chip, splinter of wood. (A.S. spon.)

styll as ony stone, 21/653.

swete, aftir. J?e soure comyth, ful

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

227

offt, in many a place, 29/898. Cf.

110/3688. taberd, touch his, 7/190. A tabnrd

was a short coat or mantle. The

term has been latterly confined to

a herald's coat. — See Halliwell,

s. v. 'Tabard.' 'In a tabbard he

[the Ploughman] rood upon a

mere.'— Prol. Cant. Tales, 1.541. tole, tyme is nowe to worchen with

som othir, 100/3342. tou^te, make it nevir so, 67/1830.

Tou?te = tough, difficult, trowith, the, evir atte ende, woll be

previd, how so men evir trend,

^3/2037-38.

twinkling of an eye, in the, 94/3107. wedir at will, 49/1560. See note,

p. 190. whele, the [of Fortune], was i-

chaungit in-to a-nothir cours, 39/

1234.

, wronge went my, 88/1184.

wherof, wold to God I had, 61/1652.

See note, p. 191. wyvistayll, setten al his wisdom on

his, 40/1278. 30! ke, telle ^ewe j?e, & put j?e white

a-way, 24/732.

prowes, sb. integrity, 81/2686. 'Pru- este: Honneur, probite ; probitas.' — Roquefort.

pryme, sb. prime (9 a.m.), 87/2878.

pryme-rosis, sb. pi. primroses, 23/

693. pryvy, sb. proof, 113/3791 ; pryue,

114/3797-

pryvy, adj. intimate, 120/4002. pryuyte, sb. mystery, 82/2710. 'of ri3te pryuyte,' in great privacy, 11/324. 'Pryuyte. Misterium, secretum, archanum.' — Prompt. Parv. : ' Wher thou schalt knowen of our

privete

More than a maister of diviniteV — Chaucer's Freres Tale, 11. 339, 340.

PTOLEMY the astronomer, his skill in astronomy, 88/2754; designs Isope's garden, 88/2755. pulcritude, sb. beauty, 36/i 109. Lat. pulchritudo.

pull, sb. spell, short space of time, 108/36i6.

purchase, vb. procure, 38/1 1 88. See Pourchacer in Roquefort.

purpensid, pp. premeditated, 68/ 2214. O.F. porpenser.

purposid, pp. designed, 82/2722.

purs, vb. purse, pocket, 109/3634.

pursuith, pres. s. sues, accuses, 87/ 2867 ; pres. pi. pursu, 68/2208.

purveaunce, sb. foresight, precau tion, 48/1540. O.F. pourveance.

putaigne, sb. 40/1275. ' Putain : f. a whore, queane, punke, drab, flurt, strumpet, harlot, cockatrice, naughty pack, light huswife, common hackney.' — Cotgrave.

putto, put to, 81/2675. Cf. 'went to,' 16/478, in MS. ' wentto.'

pyne, sb. pain, 35/io88. A.S. pin.

pyrid, pret. pi. peered, 6/149. &e pire.

pyry, sb. pear-tree, 41/1315. Lat. pirum. ' Piries and plorn-trees * were puffed to £e erthe.' — Piers Plowman, Text B. pass. V. 1. 16 (E. E. T. S.).

quarter ny^t, 9 p.m. 16/474.

quek, adj. alive, 81/2655. See quyk.

The ' quek ' ; a make-believe game

of Geffrey, 89/2945. querelouse, adj. querulous, litigious,

64/2071. queynt, adj. subtle, ingenious, 12/

349, 82/2708. queynt, pp. quencht, settled, 106/

3534. queyntlich, adv. adroitly, slily, 94/

3129, 97/3210.

quod, pret. s. quoth, 2/23, et passim. quyete, put hem in, hushed them up,

30/934. quyk, adj. quick, alive, 84/2758;

quek, 81/2655. quyt, adj. quit, free, 74/2410; quyte,

106/3534,353.7; 108/3601. quyte, vb. requite, acquit, 76/2488,

80/2653,106/3519; quyt, 69/2254;

pres. 1 s. quyte, 7/i86.

rage, sb. rashness, 18/380. rage, vb. sport, 72/2346. O.F. ragier. — Roquefort.

228

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

rakith, pres. s. rushes, 88/2743 J pret. s. rakid, 65/1791, 114/3815.

RAME, second wife of Faunus, sets him against his son Beryn, pp. 37-9 ; fears she's gone too far, pp. 43-4 ; is pleased with Beryn;s proposal and Faunus's assent, pp. 46-7 ; and rejoiced to get rid of Beryn, p. 48.

ransakid, pp. ransacked, conveyed avyay, 109/3652.

rathir, adj. earlier, long past, 2/26.

raumpith, pres. s. runs, 84/2780. 4 Samper, To creepe, runne, crawle, or traile itselfe along on the ground, &c.' — Cotgrave.

rau^te, pret. pi. reached, came. 6/ 1 68 ; pp. i-rau^t, caught, 73/2389.

ravid, pp. taken away, 105/3503.

rayd, pret. s. arrayed, dressed, 114/ 3812 ; ray id, 11 7/391 6 ; pp. ray id, 89/2970; = furnished, 48/1545. See a ray.

rebawdy, sb. dissipation, 40/1249; rebawdry, 40/1257.

rechen, vb. reckon, enumerate, 17/

517.

red (? A.S. rod), a ful even, ? a very true opinion, 4/99. See note, p. 177.

rede, sb. counsel, 20/615. e^ passim.

rede, pres. 1 s. counsel, 73/2404, 83/ 2735, 2740. A.S. rtedan.

reedynes, sb. pi. ? tidings, 99/3291. ? Du. * Rede, or ofte Speake. Reason, Speech, or Oration.' — Hexham. I suppose it's from rede, advise. ' Advise me of the arrival of So-and-So.'— F. J. F.

Reeve, the, goes into the town, p. 10 ; sings after supper, p. 14.

refourmyo, pp. reformed, set right, 103/3438.

refreit, sb. burden of a song, 38/ 1200. ' Refreyt, of a resj owne. Antistropha.' — Prompt. Parv.

refreyn, imp. s restrain, 83/2745.

refute, sb. refuge, 86/2840. O.F. refuy. See note on Refuge in Prompt. Parv. ' Refuite : f. a flight or course, a running or flying backe ; an euasion or auoidance.' — Cotgrave.

rekelagis, sb. pi. diversions, 40/

1267. ' Rigolage, . . . Ris, risee,

raillerie, plaisanterie, moqnerie ;

suite d'une affaire, libertinage.' —

Roquefort. See note, p. 188. rekenydist, pre£ 2 s. reckoned, stated

an account, 68/2035. releff, vb. relieve, 118/3954. See

releve. relevacioun, sb. relief, 110/3687.

Lat. relevatio. releve, vb. get up, arise, 77/2548,

118/3966. F. se relever. releve, vb. relieve, 110/3682 ; releff,

118/3954; pp. relevid, 117/3899. Relics kissed by pi'grirns at St.

Thomas's shrine, Canterbury, 6/

166-67.

remedy, vb. help, 102/3402. reiine, vb. run, 78/2390, 2393 ; 83/

2725.

rennyng, sb. running, 78/2402. repase, vb. return, 77/2537. repeir, vb. return, 86/2828 ; imp. s.

repeir, 82/2706 ; pres. p. repeyr-

yng, 119/3984. O.F. repairer,

repeirer. — Roquefort. repenyng, 14/41 1, ? stillness. Dutch

Repen, to be still or quiet. —

Hexham, A.n. 1660.— F. J. F. repeyryng, verb. sb. return, 86/2814.

See repeir. repreff, sb. reproach, 9/253, 107/

repreve, vb. accuse, 79/2594; pp.

reprevid, 64/2o88. reprouabill, adj. b'.ameable, 9/256. rere soper, late supper, 12/365.

' Regoubillonner. To make a reare

supper, steale an after supper,

banquet late anights.'— Cotgrave.

See note on Rere sopere in Prompt.

Parv.

rerid vp, pret. s. roused up, 88/2905. rese, sb. a rush of emotion ; here of

anger, 16/498, 18/548. A.S; r&s. rese, vb. rush, 80/910. A.S. rop.san. reservid, pp. kept back, 72/2372. respite, sb. delay, 106/3538. responsaill; ? surety, 80/2623. L.

responsalis, qui pro aliis spondet ;

re'spondant, caution (Vet. Gl.). —

D'Arni^.— F. J. F. retourn, imp. s. send back, 91/3007. reve, sb. servant, 90/3003. ' Reve,

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

229

lordys serwawnte. Prepositus.'

— Prompt Parv. reve, vb. take away, 81/942 ; pp.

ravid, 105/3503. reward, sb. regard; 'take reward,'

care, 71/2326. rewe, vb. have ruth, pity, 82/982;

imp. s. rew, 89/1242. riall, adj. royal, noble, 72/2343, 79/

2612,82/2707, 107/3561,118/3939,

119/3977. riallich, adv. royally, lavishly, 46/

H53- rid, pret. s. rode, 46/1471 ; pret.pl.

rood, rode (at anchor), 87/2897. rigg, sb. back, 20/594, 41/i 298. A.S.

hrycg. Rod, the, its educational value, 34/

1 060- 1.

rodylese, adj. rudless. pale, 81/951. Koine, 25/752 : Room', 25/735. The

former spelling occurs seven

times, the latter twelve. Of.

1 Henry VI. III. i. 51, with

John, III. i. 180. ROMULUS, 25/758, 26/765. ROMUS, Remus, 25/758, 26/765. romyd, pret. pi. roamed, wandered,

92/3054.

rood, pret. pi. rode, 87/2897. See rid. rote, sb. root, spring, 120/4015. root, vb. rot, 84/1057. rothir, sb. rudder, 8/212, 92/3060.

A.S. ro%er. See strothir. roun, sb. whisper, 48/1529. Roune

= rune = mystery. — W. \V. S. roune, vb. whisper, 85/1076, 62/2OO2,

86/2852; roun, 20/6o6; rowr.,77/

2522 ; pres. p. rownyng, 7/179. rouse, sb. talk, noise, 52/1669, 108/

3610. rout, sb. company, 14/405 ; route,

20/613, 22/670, 26/763, 88/2923. route, vb. snore, 84/2766. ' Roivtyn,

yn slepe, Sterto.' — Prompt. Parv.

A.S. hriitan. routhe, sb. ruth, 74/2417 ; rowith,

66/2135. rowe, adj. rough, harsh, 17/52O, 40/;

1272. rowe, vb. rest, 10/284. O.H. Germ.

ruowan (quiescere) ? So Strat-

mann, s. v. rowen. ruddok, sb. redbreast, 22/685.

rudines, sb. rudeness, lack of art, 24/ 729.

ruyne, sb. Rhenish wine, 10/28o.

ryding best, horse, 52/1687.

ryding knot, slip knot, 89/2947.

Rye, Sussex, impaired of late years, 25/756. See Winchelsea.

ryff,adj. rife, 44/i 392; ryve, abound ing, 67/2174.

rynge, sb. bell, 55/1762.

rype, vb. ripen, encrease, 22/677 5 ripe, 41/1316.

ryve, adj. abounding, 67/2174. See ryff.

saal, sb. soul, 81/2682.

sad, adj. grave, 14/408, 68/2232, 81/2678.

saff, adj. safe, 50/1594, 84/2786, 119/3995.

saff, adv. save, except, 22/66o, et passim; saffe, 77/2520 ; save, 7/ 178, 79/2588.

Sailors shrive each other in a tem pest, 49/1578-79; and make vows,

105/3487-91. Sails across the mast, a sign of

starting, 87/2899. &ee cros s^- Salamonys sawis. the Proverbs of

Solomon, 81/2666. sale, set at, offer for sale, 7/i88;

pret. s. sette, &c., 99/3282 ; pp.

i-set, &c., 14/429. See setten. salidone, sb. ? a precious stone,

chalcedony, 99/3302. See note,

p. 196.

sapience, sb. wisdom, 75/2467. sat, pret. s. lay, was situate, 2/36,

19/590; sete, 19/591; pret. pi.

soi^t, sat, 6/148; sett, sat. 1H/

389; set, 54/1729; pp. i-set', 92/

3°55- sat, impers. became, befitted, 118/

3966.

sauge, sb. sage, 10/292. F. sauge. saunce, adv. without, 66/2150. F.

sans, save condit safe conduct, 119/3972;

saff condit, 119/3980. saverid, pret. s. understood, 118/

3964. O.F. saver. saw, sb. speech, saying, 58/i882 ;

sawe, 64/2070; pi. sawis, 81/

2666.

230

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

scapidist, pret. 2 s. escapest, 70/ 2288; scapiddist, 89/2951.

Sciences, the seven, 81/2667. Gram mar, logic, and rhetoric formed the trivium; arithmetic, geom etry, music, and astronomy, the quadrivium.

sclawe. See sclee.

sclee, vb. slay, 27/8i6, 71/2327 ; pp. sclawe, 26/796.

scliper, adj. slippery, deceitful, 51/ 1641. A.S. slipur, slippy. Lye. — F. J. F.

sclope, vb. sleep, 16/454.

sclynk, vb. slink, 100/3334.

sclytt, adj. slit, 96/3204.

sclyue, sb. sleeve, 43/1356; sclyve, 99/3292.

scole, sb. schooling, teaching, 73/ 2403.

se at eye, (?) see with eye, 26/755. Of. tell with mouth, 70/2280.

seche, vb. seek, 32/1004, 62/1665 ; sech, 19/563, 99/3298; sechcn (visit), 106/3490; siche, 114/ 3795; seke, 81/2680; pret, s. soujt, 21/632, 33/1034; pres. p. seching, 112/3730; sheching, 44/ 1407 ; pp. sou^te (visit), 7/172, 45/1425.

see bord, sb. the plank to cover up the port-hole, 90/3001.— F. J. F.

seen, vb. see. 28/693 ; se or see, 6/ 144, 48/1548, et passim ; pres. 1 s. sigh, 60/1595 5 pres. 2 s. seist, 7/i8o; pres. s. seeth, 42/1332; pres. 2 pi seth, 61/1986; pret. 1 s. sawe, 17/515, et passim; pret. s. sawe, 11/311, et passim; seid, 7/178; seyd, 118/3771; imp. s. se, 88/2926; imp. pi seith, 28/696, 95/3159; seth, 41/ 1300 ; subj. pres. 2 s. se, 88/2738 ; 3 s. 84/2780; pp. i-sey, 68/1705 ; seyn, 66/1804, 69/1905, 96/3142,

107/3574,HO/369i; sey, 62/1673, 93/3079,111/3697; seen, 62/1673.

selde, adv. seldom, 86/1093 ; seld, 66/1804.

selondyn, sb. 88/2723, ? a silk, or Fr. 'Selcnite. A light, white, and transparent stone, easily cleft into thin flakes, whereof the Arabians, among whom it growes, make

their glasse, and glasen win- do wes.' — Cotgrave. — F. J. F. See note, p. 196.

selve, sb. salve, 108/3588.

sely, adj. innocent, 66/1803. A.S. scelig.

semblant, sb. seeming, 76/2471.

semen, make, cause to appear, 84/ 2775- Of- Both, make seme, 15/ 446.

semybousy, adj. half tipsy, 23/7o6.

semyvif,adj. half alive, i. e. half dead, 68/2202. ' Semiuyf he semed.' — Piers Plowman, B. Text, pass, xvii, 1. 55 (E. E. T. S.).

SENECA, 81/2666.

sent, vb. assent, 60/1614.

sentyn, pres. pi diffuse fragrance, 84/2765.

serkill celestyne, primum mobile, 35/io87. See note, p. 187.

sesid, pp. seised, 48/1549, 63/2o6i. See i-sesid.

sesours, sb. scissors, 88/2918 ; si- sours, 88/2916.

seiten, vb. guide, 8/213 J = place, 40/1278 ; pres. s. settith, 69/2244 ; pret. 1 s. set, valued, cared, 7 1/ 2333; pret. s. 41/1291, 44/1386, 111/3696 ; = hit, 19/577 ; = set out, 62/1999; = laid, put, 62/ 2013,70/2290; disposed, arranged, 113/3781 ; pret. pi. set of, cared for, 86/2838 ; imp. s. set = put, orda;n, 43/1363 ; pp. i-set, fixed, 26/798; = set, 54/1746; set — put, 40/1272; = appointed, 93/ 3089, 97/3217. See 'game, set a,' and ' sale, set at.'

sett, set = sat, 18/389, 64/1729. See sat.

Seven Sages, the, of Rome, their names and characters, pp. 26-7 ; advise the emperor how to con sole Faunus, p. 35 ; are not so wise as Isope, 81/2659-60.

sevile law, civil law, 81/2665.

sew, sb. soup, 10/290.

seyne, say, 50/i6o8 ; seyn, 87/2890; sey, 8/215, et passim; say, 44/ 1414, 82/2696; pres. 1 s. sey, 2/ 32, et passim.. In 4/76, 52/i666 = tell. pres. 2 s. seyist, 16/458; seyst, 20/6i6, 91/3015, 102/3411 ;

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

231

pres. 8. seith, 50/i 593, et passim ; seyith, 11 8/3765 ; sayith, 41/1286; pres. 2 pi. sey, 4/75, et passim; pres. pi. seyn, 40/1276; pret. 1 s. seyd, 45/1427, 57/1846, 57/1849; pret. s. seyd, 8/48, et passim; seid, 16/489, et passim ; seit, 87/2877; pret. 2 jpZ. seyde, 63/ 2056 ; pret. pi. seyde, 86/916, 92/ 3059; seyd, 35/1 101, et passim ; seydenwith=foundfor,116/387i ; seid, 8/226, 109/3646 ; imp. s. sey, 58/1866, 91/3020; imp.pl. seith, 13/382 ; subj. pres. s. sey, 79/2614; pp. i-seyde, 39/1237; i-seyd, 20/ 616, 59/1912, 100/3323; = told, 57/1845 (c/. 4/76, 52/1666); i-sayd = said, 8/223,54/1738 ; seyde, 56/ 1825; seyd, 108/3589.

seyntis, sechen, i. e. visit saints' shrines, 105/3490.

seynture, sb. belt, 117/3925. F. ceinture.

shakill, sb. twisted band, 34/1064.

shape, vb. dispose, make, 87/2875, 88/2913; pret. s. shope, 87/2879.

slieching, pres. p. seeking, 44/1407. See seche.

sherith my berd, cut off my beard, 88/2916.

shete, vb. shoot, 55/1764.

shippis ward, toward ships, 62/1999, 91/3032, 116/3878. See ward.

shoke, pret. s. shook, 55/1762.

shoon, sb. pi. shoes, 97/3240.

shoon, pret. s. shone, 41/1317.

shope, pret. s. made, 87/2879. See shape.

shor, pp. shorn, 102/3407,113/3779; shore, 108/3426.

shorting, verb. sb. shortening, 8/209, 23/7oo; shortyng, 46/1461. '

shrewdnes, sb. malice, 7/189.

shrewid, adj. wicked, perverted, 15/464, 79/2613; slirewde, 51/ 1628; shrewd, 35/1079. ' Schrew- yd. Pravatus, depravatus.' - Prompt. Parv.

shrewis, sb. pi. bad folk, 41/1282.

shryne, sb. shrine, object of venera tion, 86/1114.

shryve, vb. shrive, 105/3487 ; pret. s. shroff, 49/1579.

eiche, vb. seek, 114/3795. See seche.

BERYN. II. 16

signes, sb. pi. pilgrims' tokens, 7/ 171, 191 ; signys, 7/175. Lat-

signum.

sikir, adj. sure, 15/453, et passim. sikirlich, adv. surely, certainly, 13/

372, et passim; sikirliche, 46/

1454; sikirly, 48/1542. sikirnes, sb. security, 85/2814, &t

passim. sikirnes, in, certainly, in good faith,

92/3038, 109/3648. § sisours, a peir, a pair of scissors,

88/2916.

SITHEEO, Cicero, 822. sithis, sb. pi. times, 11/328, &c. ;

sith, 57/1845. sitting, adj. befitting, due, 34/1041.

Of. sat, 118/3966. skape, vb. escape, 62/2OII. skaunce. See a-scaunce. skill, sb. knowledge, artifice, 51/

1628.

smale, adv. small, 23/686. smaught, pp. tasted, 94/3122. A.S.

smeccan. See smecehen in Strat-

mann. smote in, struck into, seized, 42/

1340, 72/2355. snache, vb. snap at one as a dog

does, 21/651, 46/1460. snell, adv. quickly, 36/1 120; snelle,

53/1694; snel, 54/1750; snele,

82/2706.

sofft, adj. soft, foolish, 97/3233. sokeyng, verb sb. suckling, 65/2128. solas, sb. recreation, 110/3678, 119/

3996. solase, ? adj. cosy, recreative, 45/

1432.

solue, vb. solfa, 18/396. som, adj. some, 41/1282. Used here

ironically for 'almost all.' Cf.

these lines in B. Sawin Esq.'s 3rd

letter, Biglow Papers, p. 120, ed.

1859.

' he come an' grinned, He showed his ivory some, I

guess,' &c. som dele, somewhat, 14/403. See

dele, some, adj. peaceable, 97/3233. A.S.

gesom.

sommon, ? some men, 9/264. sondys, sb. pi. things sent, gifts,

232

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

118/3945. ' Sond, or }yfte sent.

Eccennium.' — Prompt. Parv.

Often, ' messages ' ; also ' men

sent,' 'messengers.' See sande

in Stratrnann.

Sotigs.

'now, loue, j?ou do me ri^e,' 8/70.

' Donbil me this bourdon/ =

' Chorus, gentlemen '! 14/413. sonner, adv. sooner, 4/97. sope, sb. sup, 105/3497. sorys, sb. pi. sores, wounds, 22/662 ;

soris, 16^/3589. sot, sb. sweat, 16/493. sote, adj. sweet, 22/682. sotes, sb. pi. fools, 6/147. F. sot. sotli, make seme, appear true, 15/

446. Cf. semen, make, 84/2775.

SOTHER LEGIFEER, 26/794.

soule, adj. sole, 82/989, 36/1095. soune, vb. sound, utter, 74/2412. sou^t, pret. pi. sat, 6/148. See sat. sou^t, son^te, sought. See seche. soverens. my = my Lords, 112/3746."

Cf. * Soveren sirs,' 104/3465. spech, imp. ? patch, 39/1 229. ' Spetch.

To patch. Y&rksh.'— Halliwell. speche-tyme, sb. time of converse,

75/2461.

spedful, adj. helpful, 1 14/3800. spene, vb. spend, 47/1520. 'Nede

y mot spene that y spared }ore.' —

Political Songs (Camd. Soc.), p.

151.

spetouse, adj. savage, 21/635. spetously, adv. savagely, 21/641,

30/910; spitouslich, 17/520. spone, sb. spoon, 108/3430. Here

used in its original sense of chip

(A.S. spdn).—W. W. S. sportis, sb. pi. ? portis, gates, 28/

837. sprang, pret. s. spread, 88/1031 : pp.

i-spronge, 68/2213. A.S.springan

= (1) to spring ; (2) to sprinkle.

Cf. note to Havelok, ed. Skeat, ].

959.— W. W. S. spryng, vb. sprinkle, 6/142. A.S.

sprengan. spryngill, sb. holy water brush, 6/

138; spryngil, 6/141. spurn, vb. wince, shrink, or spin off,

86/2862. 'Spurnyn (or wyncyn)

cakitro.' Prompt. Parv.— F. J. F.

Squire, the, thinks of his lady love

while his father is discussing the

fortifications, p. 9. stabill, vb. make sure, 61/1976. stage, sb. deck, tier, 46/1464. stall, sb. place, seat, 68/2201. A.S.

steal. stallid, pp. fixed, ordained, 79/26io.

A.S. steallian. stan dede, adj. stone-dead, 42/1341 ;

standede, 114/3816, 3828. stappe, vb. walk, step, 7/192, 74/

2433; stap, 62/2010; stapp, 70/

2285, 98/3248 ; pret. s. stappid,

11/309, 19/585.

statis. sb.pl. rank. 6/140. See estate. Stepmothers unkind, 41/1282, 72/

2360. stere, vb. stir, bustle, 7/198, 28/859;

pres. s. sterith, 18/548. sterris, sb. pi. stars, 81/2657. A.S.

steorra. stert, vb. spring, hasten, 2/35, et

passim; pret. s. stert, 3/6 1, et

passim. stervid, pret. s. died, 71/2332 ; pp.

3/55-

Stichomythia between Geffrey and Hanybald, 90/2996-3004.

stillith, imp. pi. still, calm. 78/2565.

stilt, sb. wooden leg, 73/2380, 75/ 2451, 76/2509.

stodied, pret. pi. pondered, 104/ 3461. See studied.

stond, vb. stand, 12/355, et passim; stonde, 20/6i7; pres. 1 s. stond, 80/2636, 92/3051; stonde, 95/ 3155, 98/3271 ; pres. s. stonditli, 38/i 207, etpassim; stont, 55/1785, 67/2169,95/3173; stant, 84/2759 J pres. 2 pi. stondm, 69/2253 >* Pres- pi. stondein, l/io; stont, 79/2595, 88/2911 ; stond, 102/3400; pret. s. stode, 42/i 322, etpassim; stood, 64/2065, 77/2543 ; pret.pl. stoden, 14/417; stode, 44/1410, 55/1772, 64/2076, 90/2972; stoode/j,, 95/ 3164 : imp. s. stond, 95/3 168 ; pp. storiden, 76/2500.

stond, let, imp. let be, 6/157. See let.

Stone, a, of a very fiery nature in Isope's hall, 88/2727-29. See Dyonyse.

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

233

stont an hond, presses on me, con cerns me, 95/3173.

stonyd, pp. astonished, 64/2o88. See a-stonyd.

store, hold no, make no account, 1/4.

Straw lain on by Beryn's father during Passion- week. See Pas sion-week.

stre, sb. straw, 72/2350.

strengthis, sb. pi. fortifications, 9/

239- streyte, adj. strict, 14/403, 109/3643 ;

streyt, 79/2609 ; = narrow, 84/

2790.

streytly, adv. accurately, 4/95. strodir, sb. ? rudder, 68/1884. See

strothir. stronde, sb. strand, shore, 67/2199,

&c. ; strond, 68/1879, 88/2909. strondward, toward the shore, 94/

3138. See -ward, strothir, sb. ? = rothir, rudder, 49/

1580; strodir, 68/1884. ^ee rothir,

and note, p. 191. stroute, pres. 2 s. assertest, boastest,

67/1840.

stroye, vb. destroy, 68/2206. studied, pret. s. pondered, 66/1793 ;

pret.pl. stodied, 104/3461. stuffid, adj. well-provided, stored,

wealthy, 64/1730. ' Stuffyd wythe

stoore. Instauratits. ' — Prompt.

Parv. Cf. Chaucer's 'A bettre

envyned (== supplied with wine)

man was nowhere noon.' 'The

Frankeleyn,' in Prol. 1. 342.—

F. J. F. styed, pret. s. climbed, 60/1592;

imp. s. sty, 49/1588. A.S. stiyan. STYPIO, Scipio, 27/822. Summoner, the, wants to share the

Miller's pi under, p. 7 ; vows venge ance on the Friar, p. 7 ; joins the

Pardoner in singing after supper,

p. 14. sunnysid, pp. charged, 64/2092, 74/

2411, 80/2631, 110/3665. suyd, pp. sued, 64/2075. Buyr, pres. 1 s. pledge, promise, 47/

1486, 68/1886, 74/2418. swat, pret. s. sweated, 66/1813, 70/

2299 ; swet, 62/2007. swele, vb. burn, 7*2/2349. A.S.

swelan.

swerd. sb. sword, 118/3946.

swere, sb. ne^k, 2/40, 12/361. A.S. sweora.

swetyng, sb. term of endearment, 2/36 ; sweting, 11/327. Cf. ' hertis rote' and 'hertis swete.'

sweven, sb. dream, 4/ioo, 6/115; swevyn, 6/106 ; pi. sweveriys, 5/ 1 08. A.S. swefen.

swith, adv. quickly, 19/583.

swowe, sb. swoon, 42/1341.

swynke, vb. labour, 66/2124. A.S. swincan.

syde bonde, sb. the Bond to secure quiet enjoyment of land sold, given in old time to a purchaser when the Release or Conveyance of the land was handed to htm, 48/1531.— F. J. F.

SYDRAK, ? Sirach, the father of Jesus, author of Ecdesiasticus, SI/2666.

syn, sb. sinew, 19/588.

syn, prep, since, 2/29.

SYROPHANES, Burgess No. 1 of False- town, welcomes Beryn, pp. 51-2 ; pumps Beryn's man, p. 53 ; plays chess with Beryn and beats him, pp. 54-56 ; brings him before Evandir, Steward of Falsetown, pp. 57-8 ; his charge against Be ryn, p. 93; asserts his prior claim to Beryn's goods, p. 101 ; can't answer Geffrey, and is sentenced to pay damages to Beryn, pp. 106-7.

taberd, sb. mantle, 7/190.

tablis, sb. tables, i. e. backgammon, 40/1250.

tach, sb. disposition, habit, 4/84, 46/ 1459; pJ.tacchis, 35/1079. Under 4 Teche, tece,' &c., Roquefort says : ' Ces mots se prenoient en mau- vaise part lorsqu'ils etoient pre*- cedes du mot male, et ils signirioi- ent, defaut, mauvaise habitude, vice, crime ; mais ils etoient em ployes en bonne part pour, qualite, perfection, vertu, preuve, signe, marque, disposition.' The Prompt. Parv. has: 'Tetch'e, or maner of condycyone, Mus, condicio.' 'Tache' is thus glossed by Cot- grave : ' A spot, staine, blemish ;

234

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

mole, natural mark ; also, a re proach, disgrace, disreputation, blot vnto a mans good name.'

take, vb. give, hand over, entrust, 107/3567, 108/36o8, 112/3744, 116/3842; 1 pret. s. toke, 63/ 2049, 95/3170, 96/3179; pret. s. toke, 12/364, 67/2184, 70/23oo; imp. s. take, 67/2185, 95/3 171 ; pp. i-take, taken, 68/2042, 98/ 3248 ; take = given, 72/2369. In 68/2049, 67/2184, 2185, 95/3170, and 96/3179 the word = * entrust.' 'Takyn', or delyueryn a thynge to a-nother. Trado.' 'Takyn', or betakyn' a thynge to a-nother. Committo.' — Prompt. Parv.

takelyng, sb. tackle, 86/2837.

talent, sb. inclination, liking, 13/ 367,108/3620. O.Y. talent. 'Tal- ant ' in Roquefort. See maletalent.

talowe, vb. grease, 90/2996.

talyng, pres. p. narrating, 8/202.

Tapster, the, flirts with the Pardoner, pp. 2-5: makes an assignation with him, p. 12 ; her faithless conduct, pp. 14-17 ; and uncon cern, 19/580. 'He [the Frere] knew wel the

tavernes in every toun, And every ostiller or gay tapstere,' &c. Prol. Cant. Tales, 11. 240, 241.

Tapsters not to be trusted, 21/655.

tapstry, sb. tap-room, 10/299, 1 V3°9-

taue, pres. 2 pi. ? deal, 68/2061. Halliwell glosses this word thus: ' To kick ; to fidget about, es pecially with the feet ; to rage. Var. diaV ' Taking, irregular motion; picking the bed-clothes in febrile delirium.' Willan. Archceol., vol. xvi. in Brochett. — F. J. F. See note, p. 192.

tell with mouth, 70/228o. Cf. ' se at eye.'

telle, vb. talk, 89/2966; tell, 118/ 3960.

tend, imp. 1 s. attend, 80/2641.

tent, sb. intent, 6/126.

terrene, adj. earthly, 25/751.

that or £>at, with optative force, 20/ 601, 33/IOI2, 40/1265, 95/3163, 99/3277 \-pron. = who, 39/1229,

et passim ; — adv. = [ere] that, 33/ioo8; — how, 71/2315: — conj. = but, 3/56, 70/2293 ;— that = imprecative as, 78/2560.

}nit J?at, that [man] that, 66/2160.

the, pron. they, 61/1962, 81/2660, 85/2813; H, 113/3782.

the, pron. thee, 61/1978, 79/2599.

the, vb. thrive, 33/ioi2. A.S. \>wn.

then, adv. thence, 61/1962.

ther a-geyn, prep, there-against, on the other hand, 9/243; )?ere ageyns, 67/2176.

ther a-mong, there amidst, mingled, 105/3485. See a-mongis.

f?er & J?er, here and there, 62/2OO2.

J?ere, adv. where, 2/27, et passim; ther, 61/1990.

therforth, there forwards, 84/2782.

}>ey, adv. though, 79/2602.

tho, pron. those, 77/2518, 81/2681, 95/3149,110/3677,111/3694; K>, 68/2234 ; tho = those that, 26/ 769, 109/3629 ; = that, 29/885.

tho, adv. then, 8/46, et passim.

j?o, pron. those, 68/2234. See tho.

THOLOMEUS, Ptolemy the astrono mer, 83/2753.

J?owe, pron. thou, 33/IOI2.

thrallis, sb. pi. slaves, 85/2820. A.S. \>rcd.

throff, pret. s. throve, 29/889.

thrustelis, sb.pl. throstles (a kind of thrush), 22/684 : ' Thrustylle, bryd (thrusshill or thrustyll, P.). Me- rula, Diu.' {Prompt. Parv.) — F. J. F.

till, prep, to, 60/1945, 88/2905, 119/ _ 3972 ; til, 104/3456, 105/3487.

tire, 2 pres. pi. strain, exuct, 78/ 2565. F. tirer.

tite, the, it betides thee, it will hap pen to thee, 61/1978. Tite = tit = tideth.— W. W. S. See note, p. 192.

to, prep, at, 32/999.

to-brast, pret. s. burst, 81/964, 49/

1577- to comyng, gerund, inf. to come,

12/347. See 'comyng, to.' to done, to do, 2/37. to-rent, pret. s. was torn to tatters,

74/2432. to smyte, vb. smite hard, 46/1456.

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

235

to-tere, vb. tear to pieces, 88/1014 ;

pret. s. to-tare, 42/1350; pp. to-

tore, ragged, 39/1215, 1229, 97/

3239, 103/34i6; = ?torn (with

sorrow), 45/1443. todir, other, 46/1424. todirs, other's, 93/3094. to-fore, adv. before, 1/2, et passim;

to-forn, 110/3684. toke, pret. 1 s. gave, 68/2049, &c-

See take. Tokens (See signes) bought by the

Canterbury pilgrims, 7/171-73;

they stick them in their caps,

tole. See tool.

tool, sb. tool, 89/2938 ; tole, 100/3342.

toon, the one, 6/153, 68/1865.

top, vb. clip, 88/2917.

topcastell, sb. 56/1592. 'Corbis, galea, Erasmo. Cage. The top of ye mast, which is made like a basket, whereunto they clirne to descry the land.' — Higins's No- mendator, 1585, p. 223, col. 1.

tou^te, adj. tough, difficult, 67/1830.

traunce, sb. quandary, condition of amazement and fear, 77/2533.

travail), sb. toil, 9/246.

travers, vb. cross, oppose, 102/3411. F. traverser.

trayde, pp. betrayed, 102/3380.

tre, sb. wood, 60/1950, 86/2856.

Tree, a, in Isope's garden described, 84/2784-85 ; its virtue, 84/2786.

tregetours, sb. pi. magicians, con jurors, 84/2771 ; tregitouris, 96/ 3180. O.F. tresgetteres. — Roque fort. See Tyrwhitt's long note on this word, in his ed. of Chaucer's Cant. Tales.— F. J. F.

tregetrie, sb. magic, 84/2774.

trend, pres. pi. turn about, 63/2038.

trest, sb. ? beam (or projection), 14/424. O.Fr. traste; It.trasto,* transom or crossbeam ; W. traust, a rafter; Bret, treust, beam, rafter. Wedgwood, under trestle ; Littre, under treteau. — F. J. F. See note, p. 181.

tretid, pp. discoursed, 73/2399. F. traiter.

trist, sb. trust, 66/2161, 88/2912.

tristen, vb. trust, 48/1544; pret. s.

trist, 98/3267 ; imp. s. trest, 59 / 1910; imp.pl. tristith, 116/3848.

trobilnes, sb. sorrow, 46/1417.

trompis, sb. pi trumps, 88/2906, 117/3918. From Prompt. Parv., s. v. 'Trumpet,' it appears that 'trumpet' was the diminutive of 'trump.'

trotting, sb. 73/2402.

trowith, sb. troth, trust, 6/116, et passim ; trowes, 2/38.

trown, vb. (?) troll, sing, 3/7O. — F. J. F. See note, p. 177.

trus, vb. truss, 22/66o ; imp. s. trus, 66/1828,91/3033. 'Trousser. To trusse, tuck, packe, bind or gird in, plucke or twitch vp.' — Cotgrave.

tuk le meyn, ? towche la main, be friends, or strike a bargain, 59/ 1922. ' Toucher en la main de. To shake hands with, or take by the hand, in signe of friendship. H toMcha la mainentre leursmains. He layed his hands betweene theirs,or gave them his hand that he would be theirs.' Cotgrave : u. main. — F. J. F.

turment, sb. torment, suffering, 22/ 664, 68/2203, 105/3493, 117/3898.

turmentid, pp. persecuted, 68/2212, 76/2493, 79/2586.

twist, sb. door- fastening, 16/478.

twynt, sb. jot, 16/433.

Thus lafte they the leder that hern

wrong ladde, And tymed no twynte, but tolled

her cornes, &c.

Deposition of Richard II. (Cam- den Soc.), 17/18.

twynyth, pres. s. separates, 23/686 ; 1 pres. pi. twyn, 73/2403.

tyle-stonys, sb. pi. tiles, 60/1950, 107/ 3583. Prompt. Parv. glosses, * Tylestone : ' ' Tegula, later? It might thus mean either a roofing tile, or a brick.

vnaservid, pp. unserved, not attend ed to, 3/56. See note, p. 176.

vnbore, pp. unborn, 92/3040.

vndaungerid, pp. unhid angered, se cure, 74/2410.

vndirmyned, pp. undermined, 104/ 348o.

236

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

vndo, vb. interpret, 4/ioo ; pp. vndo, broken, 101/3355 ; on-do, undone, quashed, 98/3074.

vn-knowe, adj. unknown, 114/3802. See on-know.

vnlacyd, pret. s. unlaced, 74/2426 ; vnlasid, opened, 8/67.

vrmeth, adv. scarcely, 88/1197, 42/ 1 322, 74/241 2, 1 12/3734 ; vnnethis, 34/1066.

vnquert, sb. discheer, discomfort, trouble, 68/2057. 'Quert, sb. = joy. Ps. Ixiii. 11 ; Ixxxviii. 27.' F. coeur, queor. — Coleridge. And see 'Quert' in Wedgwood.

vnry^te, sb. injustice, wrong, 18/ 557. A.S. unriht.

vntrowith, sb. faithlessness, 97/3209,

101/3349- vnyd, pp. united, combined, 111/

3724.

vp ri^t a-fore, straight before, 83/ 2736.

vse, 1 pres. s. follow, practise, make use of, 4/84 ; pres. s. vsith, 80/ 2650; pres. pi. vsyn, 69/2239; vsen, 79/2596 ; subj. pres. s. vse, 39/1230.

vttir, adj. outer, 117/3928.

vttirlich, adv. utterly, fully, 28/848, 48/1537, 68/2051, 86/2830; vt tir] y, to extremity, 116/3844.

vaillitli, pres. s. avails, 66/2098. See a-vaile.

valowe, sb. value, 76/2501.

variaunce, sb. changeableness, 38/

II35-

vaunce, vb. advance, 12/340.

vaylith,_pres. s. avails, 116/3883, 118/ 3958. See a-vaile.

\el,adv. well, very, 41/1 283. Seewel.

vend, vb. go, 17/523. See wenden.

verry, adj. true, sheer, 9/256, 17/ 500, et passim. O.F. verai.

vexacioun, sb. vexation, 116/3842. See wexacioun.

visenage,s6. term of abuse, 88/1012 : ? from visage, or ' Voisine: f. A she neighbour. Voisinage: m. Neigh bourhood, nighnesse, neerenesse.' Cotgrave. — F. J. F. See note, p. 186.

vlyes, sb. pi. flies, 72/2349.

void, vb. depart, flei-, 62/2104, "<$!

2287, 75/2456, 90/2981 ; pret. s.

void it, 45/1424 ; imp. s. (reflexive

sense) void, 46/1426 ; imp. pi.

voidith, 66/2098 ; pp. voidit, 70/

2285. voise, in his, in h's natural uncon-

cernd tones, 69/1918.— F. J. F.

See note, p. 192. vombe (v = iv), sb. womb, belly, 28/

859,41/1298. vomman (v = 10), sb. woman, 10/

287, et passim: — voman, 66/2121 ;

— womman, 16/436 ; gen. s. vom-

mans, 29/872 ; pi. vymmen, 28/

863, et passim ; vommen, 11/325,

15/440, 96/3205, 117/3919, 118/

3945-

waite, vb. keep watch, observe, 54/ 1744; pret. s. waytid, 14/424, 19/ 576, 61/1637; imp. s. weyte, 49/ 1589; subj. pres. 2 s. weyte, 20/ 614. O.F. waiter.

wan, pret. s. won, gained, 61/1642, &c. See wone.

wanlase, sb. 87/2874, ' Wanlass, a Term in Hunting, as Driving tJie Wanlass, i. e. the driving of Deer to a stand, which in some Latin Records is termed Fugatio Wan- lassi ad Stabulum, and in Domes day Book, Stabilitio Venationis.' Kersey's Phillips, 1706. I believe the word is, as explaind by Mr. Hensleigh Wedgwood, windlas, a winding course, ' and thus doe we of wised ome and of reach, with windlesses, and with assaies of bias, By indirections finde direc tions out.' — Hamlet, II. i., Fol. p. 259, col. 2 (Booth, p. 749). See Wedgwood mPhilol.Soc. Trans., 1873, p. 68.— F. J. F. See note, p. 197.

ward. sb. award, 107/3568.

-ward, versus, chircheward, fro, 28/

858, unto the, 42/1333,"

to, 42/1320; court ward, in-to J?e, 92/3054 ; dorward, to kittis, 16/

477; dynerward, to, 7/170, to

the, 7/192 ; shippis ward, to his,

62/1999, 116/3878, to

J?e, 91/3032, shipward, to, 6</ 2185 ; strondward, to the, 94/3 138.

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

237

wardos, sb. pi. outworks of a for tress, 9/238 ; wardis, 9/242.

ware, adj. wary, 64/2064, 104/3458.

warrok, sb. savage dog, 21/640. See note, p. 184.

wase, sb. torch, 72/2351. * wase, O.Dutch wase, fax.' — Stratmarm.

wassh, vb. wash, 118/3947; pret. s. wissh, 7/193, 22/66i ; pret. pi. 13/ 389, 54/1729; imp. pi. wasshith, 13/386.

wed, sb. pledge, 90/2984.

wed to wyve, marry, 5/in.

ween, 1 pres. s. ween, suppose, 3 / 62 ; 2 pres. s. wenyst, 40/i2<5i, 57/1839,62/2011 ; 2pres.pl. ween, 104/3479 ; pret. s. went, 16/478 ; 2 pret. pi. wend, 104/3479.

weer ^ow, pret. 2 s. wast thou, 92/ 3049 ; pret. s. weer, were, 79/2617, 107/3566 ; wlier, 70/2300.

weet, sb. wet, i. e. blood, 33/IO22.

wel, adj. much, very ; wel the bett, 29/889; wel bettir, 29/902; wel J?e more, 39/1224 > we^ more, 103/ 3425, 104/3460 ; vel fikil, very fickle, 41/1283; wel levir, much rather, 92/3038 ; wel a fyne, throughly well,44/i393, 118/3938; wel & fyne, 41/1302, 61/1967; wel fyne, 81/2662. 'Affin, conjunc. et adv. : Totalement, en entier.' — Koquefort. See note, p. 189.

weld, vb. possess, 28/849 ; weld, manage, take care of oneself, 56/ 1803.

wele (or wel) was hym, fortunate was he, 49/1562, 1574.

welplich, adv. like a whelp, 17/481.

weude, vb. go, 22/675, 76/2489 ; wend, 20/615, 22/667, 62/1998, 70/2292, 85/2798, 111/3718; vend, 17/523 ; pret. pi. wend = turn, set a sail, 86/2837 ; imp. pi. wend, ith, go, 61/1985 ; pp. i-went, brought about, 40/1264; = con trived, 48/1522. A.S. wendan.

wept, pp. bewept, bathed in tears,

78/2555- were, sb. penalty, danger, 86/2850.

A.S. we'r.

werid, pp. past, 30/1090. See wirid. wernyd, pret. s. forbad, 29/901.

A.S. icy man.

werr, sb. war, 50/1599. O.F. werre. werrith, pres. s. wars, 61/1990; pp.

werrid, 71/2335. O.F. turner. —

Roquefort, wete ; wetith, vb. and imp. pi. know,

106/3544; 29/88o, 81/960. See

witt.

wexacioun, so. vexation, 106/3551. wexe, vb. wex, 109/3653. wexe, vb. wax, 46/1459; wex> 89/

2940, 98/3256; pret. pi wexen,

14/420 ; subj. 2 pres. pi. wexe, 88/

2859.

wher, pret. s. were, 70/2300. where, adv. whether, 73/2398. wher-}?urh, adv. wherethrough,

whence, 68/1712, 80/2632. while, sb. wile, craft, 69/2239. while, sb. time, 6/125, 64/2074. A.S.

hwile. See note, p. 178. Wife, the, of Bath, asks the Prioress

if she'd like to see the inn garden,

p. 10. Wife, Beryn's sham deserted, her

charge against Beryn, pp. 65-6 ;

appears at- his trial, p. 96 ; claims

her share of his goods, p. 101 ;

declines to go with him, and finds

sureties for damages, p. 113. willokis, sb.pl. ? rags, 41/1295. See

note, p. 188. Winchelsea, Sussex, impaired of late

years, 26/756. See Kye. wirchen, vb. work, 106/3499. See

worchen. wirid, 1 pret. s. worried, fretted, 69/

2246 ; pp. werid, worn out, past,

35/1090. wissh, pret. s. and pret. pi. washed,

7/193, 13/389> &c. See wassh. wissh, vb. tell, 92/3290. A.S. wis-

sian. wist or wiste, pret. s. and pret. pi.

knew, 7/177, &c- $ee witt. wistling, pres. p. whistling, 103/

3418. wit, sb. knowledge, 61/1993 ; witt,

118/3948. wite, sb. penalty, 106/3520. A.S.

wite. wite, vb. blame, lay to one's charge,

21/636, 91/3024; imp. s. wit, 5H/

1869; pp. wittid, 43/1376. A.S.

wltan.

238

GLOSSARY AND INDEX.

with j^is (thisj, provided that, 24/

729, 119/3972. withdrawe, vb. draw from, shun, 40/

.. withseyith, 2 pres. pi. deny, 104/

3467 ; pp. withseyd, 104/3471. witith, imp. pi. know, 60/1955. See

witt. witt, vb. know, 68/2036; wyt, 36/

1140; wete, 106/3544; 1 pres. s.

woot, 32/975, et passim; wote,

72/2372 ; 2 pres. s. wotist, 8/45 ;

wost, 17/509, 106/3531 ; pres. s.

woot, 12/339, 38/1201, 94/3ii6;

1 pres. pi. wetith, 106/3539 '•> %

pres. pi. woot, 18/385, 16/438, 54/

1751; wotith, 90/2990; pret. s.

and pret. pi. wist or wiste, 7/177,

et passim; imp. pi. wetith, 29/

880, 81/960 ; witith, 60/1955 ;

wotith, 111/3723; woot, 10/276;

subj. 2 pret. s. wiste, 41/1311. Avoid nat, would not do, avail, 35/

1082. wonde, vb. ? fear, 82/2697. A.S.

wandian. See note, p. 196. wondir, adj. wonderful, 82/2710, 85/

2802. wondir, adv. wonderfully, 5/ii6, et

passim.

wone, sb. habit, 39 / 1 244. A.S. wune. wone, vb. won, 9/242 ; pret. s. wan,

51/1642,54/1747; wanopponhym

londe, gained ground upon him,

73/2384.

woo, sb. woe, 88/1176. wood, adj. mad, 16/498, et passim.

A.S. wdd. woodman, sb. madman, 48/1351, 60/

1957.

woodnes, sb. madness, 41/1289. wook, sb. week, 18/547, 19/578;

passion-woke, 114/3804 ; pi. woo-

kis, 34/1047. Woollen robes of grained colour

(scarlet) worn by Beryn and his

men, 92/3065. woot, 1 pres. s., pres. s., 2 pres.pl,

imp. pi. know, 82/975 ; 88/1201 ;

13/385; 10/276. tfeewitt. worch, vb. work, do, 87/1154, 50/

1618, 100/3342; wirchen, 105/

3499 5 pres. pi. worchyn, 4/83 ;

imp. s. worch, 59/1897; imp. pi

worch ith, 6/160. wordit, pret. s. worded, spoke, 98/

3261.

wordlich, adj. worldly, 66/2161. wormys, sb. pi serpents, 84/2776. wose, sb. ooze, mud, 54/1742. A.S.

w6s.

wosshid. pret. s. wished, 67/2192. wost, 2 pres. s. knowest, 17/509.

See witt. wote, wotist, wotith, 1 pres. s., 2

pres. s., pres. pi. and imp. pi

know, knowest, 72/2372; 8/45,

90/29905111/3723. Hewitt, wowe, sb. wall, 108/3614. wrake, sb. mischief, 60/1932. A.S.

wrote. wrench, sb. trick, 86/1142. A.S.

wrence. wry, vb. twist, turn, 77/2516; pres.

s. wriythe, 84/2791 j imp. pi.

wrijth, 103/3436. wyled, pret. pi beguiled, deceitfully

turned, 82/2691.— F. J. F. wyt, vb. know, 86/1140. See witt

y, pron. I, 14/407, 74/2430.

yen, sb. pi. eyes, 68/2047. See ey.

ymmemorat, adj. ? unmentioned, 80/

2626. Lat. immemoratus. ynma<rytyff, adj. in vent, ve, 106/

3529. See note, p. 198. yelp, vb. boast, 69/2266. See jelpe. Yeoman, the, sings after supper, p.

14.

^ede, pret. s. went, 88/1034, 97/3210. ;jeer, sb. year, 27/8n ; pi jeris, 34/

1065.

2eld, vb. yield, requite, 52/i68o. 3elpe, vb. boast, 98/3268 ; yelp, 69/

2266. A.S. gelpan. ^emen. sb. pi. yeomen, 90/2997- ^erd, sb. rod, 34/io6o, 41/1314, 71/ _ 2324, 103/3417. ^it, pron. it, 66/2098. ^ore, adv. long ago, formerly, 8/54,

76/2273. A.S. geare. ^owith, sb. youth, 84/1039, 1052,

1055; jouthe, 34/1058; yowith,

55/1790.

&, for and, if, 8/45, et passim.

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