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I  ,  &-II 


Original  and  Extra  Series  Books,  1901-1904.  3 

llaT  The  Society  intends  to  complete  forthwith  the  Reprints  of  its  out-of-print  Texts  of 
the  year  1866.  Prof.  Skeat  has  finisht  Partenay ;  Dr.  McEnight  of  Ohio  King  Horn  and 
Floris  and  Blancheflour ;  and  Dr.  Furnivall  Myrc's  Duties  of  a  Parish  Priest.  Dr.  Otto 
Claiming  has  undertaken  Seinte  Marherete  ;  and  Dr.  Furnivall  has  Hali  Meidenhad  and  his 
Political,  Religious  and  Love  Poems  in  type,  so  that  the  Society  may  have  all  its  Texts 
in  print  by  1904.  As  the  cost  of  these  Reprints,  if  they  were  not  needed,  would  have  been 
devoted  to  fresh  Texts,  the  Reprints  will  be  sent  to  all  Members  in  lieu  of  such  Texts. 
Though  called  '  Reprints,'  these  books  are  new  editions,  generally  with  valuable  additions,  a 
fact  not  noticed  by  a  few  careless  receivers  of  them,  who  have  complained  that  they  already 
had  the  volumes. 

i^°  The  friends  of  the  Society's  Founder  and  Director,  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall,  to  com- 
memorate his  75th  Birthday  on  Feb.  4,  1900,  raised  a  Fund  to  present  him  with  his 
Portrait,  and  a  big  three-sculling  Boat  for  his  Sunday  outings,  and  to  benefit  his  Early 
English  Text  Society.  Out  of  this  Fund,  its  Committee  decided  to  devote  £200  towards  a 
new  edition  of  Dr.  F.'s  Robert  of  Brunne's  Handlyng  Synne,  A.D.  1303,  and  its  French 
original,  William  of  Waddington's  Manuel  des  Pechiez,  ab.  1260  (Roxburghe  Club,  1861),  for 
the  Original  Series  of  the  E.  E.  T.  Soc.  in  1901-2,  -3 ;  and  another  £200  to  lessen  the 
Society's  debts  to  its  printers,  Clay  and  Sons,  and  the  Clarendon  Press.  These  sums  have 
now  been  paid,  and  will  set  free  the  like  part  of  the  Society's  money  for  its  Reprints, 
which  are  necessary  to  enable  it  to  supply  complete  sets  of  its  Texts.  The  thanks  of  the 
Society  are  hereby  given  to  the  Subscribers  to  the  Furnivall  Birthday  Fund. 

December  1902.  The  Original-Series  Texts  for  1901  were,  No.  117,  Part  II  of  the 
Minor  Poems  of  the  Vernon  MS.  edited  by  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall ;  The  Lay  Folks  Catechism  by 
Archbp.  Thoresby,  edited  by  the  late  Canon  Simmons  and  the  Rev.  H.  E.  Nolloth,  M.A.  ; 
and  Robert  of  Brunne's  Handlyng  Synne,  A.D.  1303,  and  the  French  poem  on  which  it 
was  founded,  Wm.  of  Waddington's  Manuel  des  Pechiez,  ab.  1260  A.D.,  Part  I. 

The  Extra-Series  Texts  for  1901  were,  No.  LXXXIJ,  Gower's  Confessio  Amantis,  vol.  2, 
edited  by  G.  C.  Macaulay,  M.A.,  No.  LXXXIII,  Lydgate's  DeGuilleville's  Pilgrimage  of  the 
Life  of  Man,  Part  II,  edited  by  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall,  and  No.  LXXXIV,  Lydgate's  Reason 
and  Sensuality,  edited  by  Dr.  Ernst  Sieper,  Part  I. 

The  Original-Series  Texts  for  1902  are :  No.  120,  The  Rule  of  St.  Benet  in  unique 
Northern  prose  and  Northern  verse  texts,  with  Caxton's  Summary  of  the  Rule,  edited  by 
Dr.  E  A.  Kock  of  Lund,  and  No.  121,  The  Laud  MS.  Troy-Book,  edited  from  the  unique 
Laud  MS.  595  by  Dr.  J.  Ernst  Wiilfing  of  Bonn,  Part  I. 

The  Extra-Series  Texts  for  1902  are  to  be,  No.  LXXXV,  Alexander  Scott's  Poems,  1568, 
re-edited  from  the  unique  Edinburgh  MS.  by  A.  K.  Donald,  B.A.  ;  No.  LXXXVI,  William 
ofSnoreham's  Poems,  re-edited  from  the  unique  MS.  by  Dr.  M.  Konrath,  Part  I. 

The  Extra-Series  Texts  for  1903  ought  to  be  the  Second  Part  of  the  prose  Romance  of 
Melusine — Introduction,  with  ten  facsimiles  of  the  best  woodblocks  of  the  old  foreign  black- 
letter  editions,  Glossary,  &c.,  by  A.  K.  Donald,  B.A.  (now  in  India) ;  and  a  new  edition  of 
the  famous  Early-English  Dictionary  (English  and  Latin),  Promptorium  Parvulorum,  from 
the  Winchester  MS.,  ab.  1440  A.D.  :  in  this,  the  Editor,  the  Rev.  A.  L.  May  hew,  M.  A.,  will 
follow  and  print  his  MS.  not  only  in  its  arrangement  of  nouns  first,  and  verbs  second,  under 
every  letter  of  the  Alphabet,  but  also  in  its  giving  of  the  flexions  of  the  words.  The  Society's 
edition  will  thus  be  the  first  modern  one  that  really  represents  its  original,  a  point  on  which 
Mr.  Mayhew's  insistence  will  meet  with  the  sympathy  of  all  our  Members.  But  if  these 
Texts  are  not  ready,  as  they  probably  will  not  be,  substitutes  will  be  taken  from  the  others 
next  mentioned. 

The  Extra-Series  Texts  for  1903  will  be  chosen  from  Lydgate's  DeGuillemlle' s  Pilgrimage 
of  the  Life  of  Man,  Part  III,  edited  by  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall ;  Dr.  M.  Konrath's  re-edition 
of  William  of  Shoreham's  Poems,  Part  II.  ;  Lydgate's  Reason  and  Sensuality,  edited  by  Dr. 
Ernst  Sieper,  Part  II  ;  Prof.  Erdmann's  re-edition  of  Lydgate's  Siege  of  Thebes  (issued  also 
by  the  Chaucer  Society) ;  Miss  Rickert's  re-edition  of  the  Romance  of  Emare ;  Mr.  I. 
Gollancz's  re-edition  of  two  Alliterative  Poems,  Winner  and  Waster,  &c.,  ab.  1360,  lately 
issued  for  the  Roxburghe  Club  ;  Dr.  Norman  Moore's  re-edition  of  The  Book  of  the  Foundation 
of  St.  Bartholomew's  Hospital,  London,  from  the  unique  MS.  ab.  1425,  which  gives  an  account 
of  the  Founder,  Rahere,  and  the  miraculous  cures  wrought  at  the  Hospital ;  The  Craft  of 
Nombrynge,  with  other  of  the  earliest  englisht  Treatises  on  Arithmetic,  edited  by  R. 
Steele,  B.A. 

The  Original-Series  Texts  for  1903  and  1904  will  probably  be  chosen  from  Part  II  of 
Robert  of  Brunne's  Handlyng  Synne,  ed.  by  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall;  Part  II  of  the  Exeter  Book — 
Anglo-Saxon  Poems  from  the  unique  MS.  in  Exeter  Cathedral — re-edited  by  Israel  Gollancz, 
M.A. ;  Part  II  of  Prof.  Dr.  Holthausen's  Vices  and  Virtues;  Part  II  of  Jacob's  Well,  edited 
by  Dr.  Brandeis  ;  the  Alliterative  Siege  of  Jerusalem,  edited  by  the  late  Prof.  Dr.  E.  Kblbing 
and  Prof.  Dr.  Kaluza  ;  an  Introduction  and  Glossary  to  the  Minor  Poems  of  the  Vernon 
MS.  by  Mr.  H.  Hartley;  a  Northern  Verse  Chronicle  of  England  to  1327  A.D.,  in  42,000 
lines,  about  1420  A.D.,  edited  by  M.  L.  Perrin,  B.A.  ;  Prof.  Bruce's  Introduction  to  The 


4  Texts  preparing :   The  Texts  for  1904,  1905,  $c.     Deguilleville. 

English  Conquest  of  Ireland,  Part  II.  Dr.  Furnivall's  edition  of  the  Lichfield  Gilds,  which 
is  all  printed,  and  waits  only  for  the  Introduction,  that  Prof.  E.  C.  K.  Gonner  has  kindly 
undertaken  to  write  for  the  book. 

The  Texts  for  the  Extra  Series  in  1904  and  1905  will  be  chosen  from  The  Three  Kings' 
Sons,  Part  II,  the  Introduction  &c.  by  Prof,  Dr.  Leon  Kellner  ;  Part  II  of  The  Chester  Plays, 
re-edited  from  the  MSS.,  with  a  full  collation  of  the  formerly  missing  Devonshire  MS.,  by 
Mr."  G.  England  and  Dr.  Matthews  ;  the  Parallel-Text  of  the  only  two  MSS.  of  the  Owl  and 
Nightingale,  edited  by  Mr.  G.  F.  H.  Sykes  (at  press) ;  Prof.  Jespersen's  editions  of  John 
Hart's  Orthographic  (MS.  1551  A.D.  ;  blackletter  1569),  and  Method  to  teach  Reading,  1570  ; 
Deguilleville's  Pilgrimage  of  the  Sowle,  in  English  prose,  edited  by  Prof.  Dr.  L.  Kellner. 
(For  the  three  prose  versions  of  The  Pilgrimage  of  the  Life  of  Man — two  English,  one 
French — an  Editor  is  wanted. )  Members  are  askt  to  realise  the  fact  that  the  Society  has 
now  50  years'  work  on  its  Lists, — at  its  present  rate  of  production, — and  that  there  is  from 
100  to  200  more  years'  work  to  come  after  that.  The  year  2000  will  not  see  finisht  all  the 
Texts  that  the  Society  ought  to  print.  The  need  of  more  Members  and  money  is  pressing. 
Offers  of  help  from  willing  Editors  have  continually  to  be  declined  because  the  Society  has 
no  funds  to  print  their  Texts. 

An  urgent  appeal  is  hereby  made  to  Members  to  increase  the  list  of  Subscribers  to  the 
E.  E.  Text  Society.  It  is  nothing  less  than  a  scandal  that  the  Hellenic  Society  should  have 
nearly  1000  members,  while  the  Early  English  Text  Society  has  not  300  ! 

Before  his  death  in  1895,  Mr.  G.  N.  Currie  was  preparing  an  edition  of  the  15th  and  16th 
century  Prose  Versions  of  Guillaume  de  Deguilleville's  Pilgrimage  of  the  Life  of  Man,  with 
the  French  prose  version  by  Jean  Gallopes,  from  Lord  Aldenham's  MS.,  he  having  generously 
promist  to  pay  the  extra  cost  of  printing  the  French  text,  and  engraving  one  or  two  of  the 
illuminations  in  his  MS.  But  Mr.  Currie,  when  on  his  deathbed,  charged  a  friend  to  burn 
all  his  MSS.  which  lay  in  a  corner  of  his  room,  and  unluckily  all  the  E.  E.  T.  S.'s  copies  of 
the  Deguilleville  prose  versions  were  with  them,  and  were  burnt  with  them,  so  that  the 
Society  will  be  put  to  the  cost  of  fresh  copies,  Mr.  Currie  having  died  in  debt. 

Guillaume  de  Deguilleville,  monk  of  the  Cistercian  abbey  of  Chaalis,  in  the  diocese  of 
Senlis,  wrote  his  first  verse  Pelerinaige  de  I'Homme  in  1330-1  when  he  was  36. :  Twenty-five 
(or  six)  years  after,  in  1355,  he  revised  his  poem,  and  issued  a  second  version  of  it,2  a  revision 
of  which  was  printed  ab.  1500.  Of  the  prose  representative  of  the  first  version,  1330-1, 
a  prose  Englishing,  about  1430  A.D.,  was  edited  by  Mr,  Aldis  Wright  for  the  Roxburghe  Club 
in  1869,  from  MS.  Ff.  5.  30  in  the  Cambridge  University  Library.  Other  copies  of  this  prose 
English  are  in  the  Hunterian  Museum,  Glasgow,  Q.  2.  25  ;  Sion  College,  London ;  and  the 
Laud  Collection  in  the  Bodleian,  no.  740. 3  A  copy  in  the  Northern  dialect  is  MS.  G.  21,  in 
St.  John's  Coll.,  Cambridge,  and  this  is  the  MS.  which  will  be  edited  for  the  E.  E.  Text 
Society.  The  Laud  MS.  740  was  somewhat  coudenst  and  modernised,  in  the  17th  century, 
into  MS.  Ff.  6.  30,  in  the  Cambridge  University  Library:4  "The  Pilgrime  or  the  Pil- 
grimage of  Man  in  this  World,"  copied  by  Will,  Baspoole,  whose  copy  "was  verbatim 
written  by  Walter  Parker,  1645,  and  from  thence  transcribed  by  G.  G.  1649  ;  and  from  thence 
by  W.  A.  1655."  This  last  copy  may  have  been  read  by,  or  its  story  reported  to,  Bunyan, 
and  may  have  been  the  groundwork  of  his  Pilgrim's  Progress.  It  will  be  edited  for  the  E. 
E.  T.  Soc.,  its  text  running  under  the  earlier  English,  as  in  Mr.  Herrtage's  edition  of  the 
Gesta  Romanorum  for  the  Society.  In  February  1464,5  Jean  Gallopes — a  clerk  of  Angers, 
afterwards  chaplain  to  John,  Duke  of  Bedford,  Regent  of  France — turned  Deguilleville's' first 
verse  Pelerinaige  into  a  prose  Pelerinage  de  la  vie  humaine.®  By  the  kindness  of  Lord  Alden- 
ham,  as  above  mentiond,  Gallopes's  French  text  will  be  printed  opposite  the  early  prose 
northern  Englishing  in  the  Society's  edition. 

The  Second  Version  of  Deguilleville's  Pelerinaige  de  I'Homme,  A.D.  1355  or  -6,  was  englisht 
in  verse  by  Lydgate  in  1426.  Of  Lydgate's  poem,  the  larger  part  is  in  the  Cotton  MS. 
Vitellius  C.  xiii  (leaves  2-308).  This  MS.  leaves  out  Chaucer's  englishing  of  Deguilleville's 
A  B  0  or  Prayer  to  the  Virgin,  of  which  the  successive  stanzas  start  with  A,  B,  C,  and  run  all 
thro'  the  alphabet ;  and  it  has  2  main  gaps,  besides  many  small  ones  from  the  tops  of  leaves 
being  burnt  in  the  Cotton  fire.  All  these  gaps  (save  the  ABC)  have  been  fild  up  from  the 
Stowe  MS.  952  (which  old  John  Stowe  completed)  and  from  the  end  of  the  other  imperfect 
MS.  Cotton,  Tiberius  A  vii.  Thanks  to  the  diligence  of  the  old  Elizabethan  tailor  and 
manuscript-lover,  a  complete  text  of  Lydgate's  poem  can  be,  given,  though  that  of  an  inserted 

1  He  was  born  about  1295.     See  Abbe  GOUJET'S  Bibliotheque  francaise,  Vol    IX    p    73-4  — P  M      The 
Roxburghe  Club  printed  the  1st  version  in  1893. 

2  The  Roxburghe  Club's  copy  of  this  2nd  version  was  lent  to  Mr.  Currie,  and  unluckily  burnt  too  with 
his  other  MSS. 

3  These  3  MSS.  have  not  yet  been  collated,  but  are  believed  to  be  all  of  the  same  version 

4  Another  MS.  is  in  the  Pepys  Library. 

5  According  to  Lord  Aldenham's  MS. 

6  These  were  printed  in  Prance,  late  in  the  15th  or  early  in  the  16th  century. 


Anglo-Saxon  Psalters.     More  Money  wanted.    Saints'  Lives.  5 

theological  prose  treatise  is  incomplete.     The  British  Museum  French  MSS.  (Harleian  4399, 1 
and  Additional   22, 937 2  and  25, 594 3)  are  all  of  the  First  Version. 

Besides  his  first  Pelerinaige  de  I'homme  in  its  two  versions,  Deguilleville  wrote  a  second, 
"  de  Tame  separee  du  corps,"  and  a  third,  "  de  nostre  seigneur  lesus."  Of  the  second,  a  prose 
Englishing  of  1413,  The  Pilgrimage  of  the  Soivle  (with  poems  by  Hoccleve,  already  printed 
for  the  Society  with  that  author's  Regement  of  Princes},  exists  in  the  Egertou  MS.  615, 4  at 
Hatfield,  Cambridge  (Ihriv.  Kk.  1.  7,  and  Caius),  Oxford  (Univ.  Coll.  and  Corpus),  and  in  Cax- 
ton's  edition  of  1483.  This  version  has  'somewhat  of  addicions'  as  Caxton  says,  and  some 
shortenings  too,  as  the  maker  of  both,  the  first  translater,  tells  us  in  the  MSS.  Caxton  leaves 
out  the  earlier  englisher's  interesting  Epilog  in  the  Egerton  MS.  This  prose  englishing  of 
the  Sowle  will  be  edited  for  the  Society  by  Prof.  Dr.  Leon  Kellner  after  that  of  the  Man  is 
finisht,  and  will  have  Gallopes's  French  opposite  it,  from  Lord  Aldenham's  MS. ,  as  his  gift 
to  the  Society.  Of  the  Pilgrimage  of  Jesus,  no  englishing  is  known. 

As  to  the  MS.  Anglo-Saxon  Psalters,  Dr.  Hy.  Sweet  has  edited  the  oldest  MS.,  the 
Vespasian,  in  his  Oldest  English  Texts  for  the  Society,  and  Mr.  Harsley  has  edited  the 
latest,  c.  1150,  Eadwine's  Canterbury  Psalter.  The  other  MSS.,  except  the  Paris  one,  being 
interlinear  versions, — some  of  the  Roman-Latin  redaction,  and  some  of  the  Gallican, — Prof. 
Logeman  has  prepared  for  press,  a  Parallel-Text  edition  of  the  first  twelve  Psalms,  to  start  the 
complete  work.  He  will  do  his  best  to  get  the  Paris  Psalter — tho'  it  is  not  an  interlinear 
one — into  this  collective  edition  ;  but  the  additional  matter,  especially  in  the  Verse-Psalms, 
is  very  difficult  to  manage.  If  the  Paris  text  cannot  be  parallelised,  it  will  form  a  separate 
volume.  The  Early  English  Psalters  are  all  independent  versions,  and  will  follow  separately 
in  due  course. 

Through  the  good  offices  of  the  Examiners,  some  of  the  books  for  the  Early-English  Ex- 
aminations of  the  University  of  London  will  be  chosen  from  the  Society's  publications,  the 
Committee  having  undertaken  to  supply  such  books  to  students  at  a  large  reduction  in  price. 
The  net  profits  from  these  sales  will  be  applied  to  the  Society's  Reprints. 

Members  are  reminded  that  fresh  Subscribers  are  always  wanted,  and  that  the  Committee 
can  at  any  time,  on  short  notice,  send  to  press  an  additional  Thousand  Pounds'  worth  of  work. 

The  Subscribers  to  the  Original  Series  must  be  prepared  for  the  issue  of  the  whole  of  the 
Early  English  Lives  of  Saints,  sooner  or  later.  The  Society  cannot  leave  out  any  of  them, 
even  though  some  are  dull.  The  Sinners  would  doubtless  be  much  more  interesting.  But  in 
many  Saints'  Lives  will  be  found  valuable  incidental  details  of  our  forefathers'  social  state, 
and  all  are  worthful  for  the  history  of  our  language.  The  Lives  may  be  lookt  on  as  the 
religious  romances  or  story-books  of  their  period. 

The  Standard  Collection  of  Saints'  Lives  in  the  Corpus  and  Ashmole  MSS.,  the  Harleian 
MS.  2277,  &c.  will  repeat  the  Laud  set,  our  No.  87,  with  additions,  and  in  right  order.  (The 
foundation  MS.  (Laud  108)  had  to  be  printed  first,  to  prevent  quite  unwieldy  collations.)  The 
Supplementary  Lives  from  the  Vernon  and  other  MSS.  will  form  one  or  two  separate  volumes. 

Besides  the  Saints'  Lives,  Trevisa's  englishing  of  Bartholomceus  de  Proprietatibus  Rerum, 
the  mediaeval  Cyclopaedia  of  Science,  &c. ,  will  be  the  Society's  next  big  undertaking.  Dr. 
R.  von  Fleischhacker  will  edit  it.  Prof.  Napier  of  Oxford,  wishing  to  have  the  whole  of 
our  MS.  Anglo-Saxon  in  type,  and  accessible  to  students,  will  edit  for  the  Society  all  the 
unprinted  and  other  Anglo-Saxon  Homilies  which  are  not  included  in  Thorpe's  edition  of 
jElfric's  prose,5  Dr.  Morris's  of  the  Blickling  Homilies,  and  Prof.  Skeat's  of  ^Elfric's  Metrical 
Homilies.  The  late  Prof.  Kolbing  left  complete  his  text,  for  the  Society,  of  the  Ancren 
Riwle,  from  the  best  MS. ,  with  collations  of  the  other  four,  and  this  will  'be  edited  for  the 
Society  by  Dr.  Thiimmler.  Mr.  Harvey  means  to  prepare  an  edition  of  the  three  MSS.  of 
the  Earliest  English  Metrical  Psalter,  one  of  which  was  edited  by  the  late  Mr.  Stevenson 
for  the  Surtees  Society. 

Members  of  the  Society  will  learn  with  pleasure  that  its  example  has  been  followed,  not 
only  by  the  Old  French  Text  Society  which  has  done  such  admirable  work  under  its  founders 
Profs.  Paul  Meyer  and  Gaston  Paris,  but  also  by  the  Early  Russian  Text  Society,  which  was 
set  on  foot  in  1877,  and  has  since  issued  many  excellent  editions  of  old  MS.  Chronicles  &c. 

Members  will  also  note  with  pleasure  the  annexation  of  large  tracts  of  our  Early  English 
territory  by  the  important  German  contingent,  the  late  Professors  Zupitza  and  Kolbing,  the 
living  Hausknecht,  Einenkel,  Haenisch,  Kaluza,  Hupe,  Adam,  Holthausen,  Schick,  Herzfeld, 
Brandeis,  Sieper,  Konrath,  Wiilfing,  &c.  Scandinavia  has  also  sent  us  Prof.  Erdmann  and 
Dr.  E.  A.  Kock  ;  Holland,  Prof.  H.  Logeman,  who  is  now  working  in  Belgium  ;  France,  Prof. 

1  15th  cent.,  containing  only  the  Vie  humaine. 

2  15th  cent.,  containing  all  the  3  Pilgrimages,  the  3rd  being  Jesus  Christ's. 

3  14th  cent.,  containing  the  Vie  humaine  and  the  2nd  Pilgrimage,  de  I'Ame  :  both  incomplete. 

4  Ab.  1430,  106  leaves  (leaf  1  of  text  wanting),  with  illuminations  of  nice  little  devils— red,  green,  tawny, 
&c. — and  damnd  souls,  fires,  angels  <fec. 

5  Of  these,  Mr.  Harsley  is  preparing  a  new  edition,  with  collations  of  all  the  MSS.    Many  copies  of 
Thorpe's  book,  not  issued  by  the  JSlfric  Society,  are  still  in  stock. 

Of  the  Vercelli  Homilies,  the  Society  has  bought  the  copy  made  by  Prof.  G.  Lattanzi. 


The  Original  Series  of  the  "  Early  English  Text  Society." 


von 


Paul  Meyer — with  Gaston  Paris  as  adviser ;— Italy,  Prof.  Lattanzi ;  Austria,  Dr. 
Fleischhacker  ;  while  America  is  represented  by  the  late  Prof.  Child,  by  Dr.  Mary  Noyes 
Colvin,  Miss  Rickert,  Profs.  Mead,  McKuight,  Triggs,  Perrin,  &c.  The  sympathy,  the  ready 
help,  which  the  Society's  work  has  cald  forth  from  the  Continent  and  the  United  States, 
have  been  among  the  pleasantest  experiences  of  the  Society's  life,  a  real  aid  and  cheer  amid 
all  troubles  and  discouragements.  All  our  Members  are  grateful  for  it,  and  recognise  that 
the  bond  their  work  has  woven  between  them  and  the  lovers 'of  language  and  antiquity 
across  the  seas  is  one  of  the  most  welcome  results  of  the  Society's  efforts. 


ORIGINAL   SERIES. 

1.  Early  English  Alliterative  Poems,  ab.  1360  A.D.,  ed.  Rev.  Dr.  R.  Morris.     16s.  1864 

2.  Arthur,  ab.  1440,  ed.  P.  J.  Furnivall,  M.A.     4s. 

3.  Lauder  on  the  Dewtie  of  Kyngis,  &c.,  1556,  ed.  F.  Hall,  D.C.L.    4s. 

4.  Sir  Gawayne  and  the  Green  Knight,  ab.  1360,  eel.  Rev.  Dr.  R.  Morris.     10s. 

5.  Hume's  Orthographic  and  Congruitie  of  the  Britan  Tongue,  ab  1617,  ed.  H.  B.  Wheatley.     4s. 

6.  Lancelot  of  the  Laik,  ab.  1500,  ed.  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat.    8s 

7.  Genesis  &  Exodus,  ab.  1250,  ed.  Rev.  Dr.  R.  Morris.     8s. 

8.  Morte  Arthure,  ab.  1440,  ed.  E.  Brock.     7s. 

9.  Thynne  on  Speght's  ed.  of  Chaucer,  A.D.  1599,  ed.  Dr.  G.  Kingsley  and  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall.     10s. 

10.  Merlin,  ab.  1440,  Part  I.,  ed.  H.  B.  Wheatley.     2s.  6d. 

11.  Lyndesay's  Monarche,  &c.,  1552,  Part  I.,  ed.  J.  Small,  M.A.    3s. 

12.  Wright's  Chaste  Wife,  ab.  1462,  ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall,  M.A.     Is. 

13.  Seinte  Marherete,  1200-1330,  ed.  Rev.  O.  Cockayne  :  re-edited  by  Dr.  Otto  Glauniug.    [Out  of  print.       1866 

14.  Kyng  Horn,  Floris  and  Blancheflour,  &c.,  ed.  Rev.  J.  R.  Lumby,  B.D.,  re-ed.  Dr.  G.  H.  McKnight.  5s.     .. 

15.  Political,  Religious,  and  Love  Poems,  ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall.     [At  Press. 

16.  The  Book  of  Quinte  Essence,  ab.  1460-70,  ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall.    Is. 

17.  Parallel  Extracts  from  45  MSS.  of  Piers  the  Plowman,  ed.  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat.    Is. 

18.  Hali  Meidenhad,  ab.  1200,  ed.  Rev.  O.  Cockayne,  re-edited  by  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall.     [At  Press. 

19.  Lyndesay's  Monarche,  &c.,  Part  II.,  ed.  J.  Small,  M.A.     3s.  6d. 

20.  Hampole's  English  Prose  Treatises,  ed.  Rev.  G.  G.  Perry.    Is.      [Out  of  print 

21.  Merlin,  Part  II.,  ed.  H.  3.  Wheatley.     4s. 

22.  Partenay  or  Lusignen,  ed.  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat. 

23.  Dan  Michel's  Ayenbite  of  Inwyt,  1340,  ed.  Rev.  Dr.  R.  Morris.    10s.  6d. 

24.  Hymns  to  the  Virgin  and  Christ ;  the  Parliament  of  Devils,  &c. ,  ab.  1430,  ed.  F.  J.  Furnival].  1 867 

25.  The  Stacions  of  Rome,  the  Pilgrims'  Sea-voyage,  with  Clene  Maydenhod,  ed.  F.  J.  Furnival].    Is. 

26.  Religious  Pieces  in  Prose  and  Verse,  from  R.  Thornton's  MS.,  ed.  Rev.  G.  G.  Perry.   2s.    [Out  of  print.  ,, 

27.  Levins' s  Manipulus  Vocabulorum,  a  ryming  Dictionary,  1570,  ed.  H.  B.  Wheatley.    12s.  ,, 

28.  William's  Vision  of  Piers  the  Plowman,  1362  A.D.  ;  Text  A,  Part  I.,  ed.  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat.    6s. 

29.  Old  English  Homilies  (ab.  1220-30  A.D.  ).    Parti.    Edited  by  Rev.  Dr.  R.  Morris.    7s. 

30.  Pierce  the  Ploughmans  Crede,  ed.  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat.    2s. 

31.  Myrc's  Duties  of  a  Parish  Priest,  in  Verse,  ab.  1420  A.D.,  ed.  E.  Peacock.    4s.  1868 

32.  Early  English  Meals  and  Manners  :  the  Boke  of  Norture  of  John  Russell,  the  Bokes  of  Keruynge. 

Curtasye,  and  Demeanor,  the  Babees  Book,  TJrbanitatis,  &c. ,  ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall.    12s. 

33.  The  Knight  de  la  Tour  Landry,  ab.  1440  A.D.    A  Book  for  Daughters,  ed.  T.  Wright,  M.  A.    8s.  , , 

34.  Old  English  Homilies  (before  1300  A.D.).    Part  II.,  ed.  R.  Morris,  LL.D.    8s. 

35.  Lyndesay's  Works,  Part  III.  :  The  Historic  and  Testament  of  Squyer  Meldrum,  ed.  F.  Hall.    2s. 

36.  Merlin,  Part  III.    Ed.  H.  B.  Wheatley.    On  Arthurian  Localities,  by  J.  S.  Stuart  Glennie.    12s.  1^69 

37.  Sir  David  Lyndesay's  Works,  Part  IV.,  Ane  Satyre  of  the  Three  Estaits.    Ed.  F.  Hall,  D.C.L.    4s. 

38.  William's  Vision  of  Piers  the  Plowman,  Part  II.    Text  B.    Ed.  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat,  M.A.    10s.  6d. 

39.  Alliterative  Romance  of  the  Destruction  of  Troy.    Ed.  D.  Donaldson  <fo  G.  A.  Panton.    Pt.  I.    10s.  6d.       ,, 

40.  English  Gilds,  their  Statutes  and  Customs,  1389  A.D.    Edit.  Toulmin  Smith  and  Lucy  T.  Smith, 

with  an  Essay  on  Gilds  and  Trades-Unions,  by  Dr.  L.  Brentano.    21s.  1870 

41.  William  Lauder' s  Minor  Poems.    Ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall.    3s.  ,, 

42.  Bernardus  De  Cura  Rei Famuliaris,  Early  Scottish  Prophecies,  <fec.    Ed.  J.  R.  Lumby,  M.A.    2s. 

43.  Ratis  Raving,  and  other  Moral  and  Religious  Pieces.    Ed.  J.  R  Lumby,  M.A.  ,, 

44.  The  Alliterative  Romance  of  Joseph  of  Arimathie,  or  The  Holy  Grail :    from  the  Vernon  MS. ; 

with  W.  de  Worde's  and  Pynson's  Lives  of  Joseph  :  ed.  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat,  M.A.    5s.  1871 

45.  King  Alfred's  West-Saxon  Version  of  Gregory's  Pastoral  Care,  edited  from  2  MSS.,  with  an 

English  translation,  by  Henry  Sweet,  Esq.,  B.  A.,  Balliol  College,  Oxford.    Parti.     10s.  ,, 

46.  Legends  of  the  Holy  Rood,  Symbols  of  the  Passion  and  Cross  Poems,  ed.  Rev.  Dr.  R.  Morris.    10s.  ,, 

47.  Sir  David  Lyndesay's  Works,  Part  V.,ed.  Dr.  J.  A.  H.  Murray.    3s.  ,, 

48.  The  Times'  Whistle,  and  other  Poems,  by  R.  C.,  1616';  ed.  by  J.  M.  Cowper,  Esq.     6s. 

49.  An  Old  English  Miscellany,  containing  a  Bestiary,  Kentish  Sermons,  Proverbs  of  Alfred,  and 

Religious  Poems  of  the  13th  cent,  ed.  from  the  MSS.  by  the  Rev.  R.  Morris,  LL.D.    10s.  1S72 

50.  King  Alfred's  West-Saxon  Version  of  Gregory's  Pastoral  Care,  ed.  H.  Sweet,  M.A.    Part  II.     10s.  ,, 

51.  The  Life  of  St  Juliana,  2  versions,  A.D.  1230,  with  translations  ;  ed.  T.  O.  Cockayne  &  E.  Brock.    2s.         ,, 


The  Original  Series  of  the  "  Early  English  Text  Society"  1 

1872 
1873 


3  The  Extra  Series  of  the  "  Early  English  Text  Society." 

113.  Queen  Elizabeth's  Englishings  of  Boethius,  Plutarch  &c.  &c.,  ed.  Miss  C.  Pemberton.     15s.  1899 

114.  Aelfric's  Metrical  Lives  of  Saints,  Part  IV  and  last,  ed.  Prof.  Skeat,  Litt.D.,  LL.D.     10s.  1900 

115.  Jacob's  Well,  edited  from  the  unique  Salisbury  Cathedral  MS.  by  Dr.  A.  Brandeis.     Part  I.     10s.  ,, 

116.  An  Old-English  Martyrology,  re-edited  by  Dr.  G.  Herzfeld.     10s.  ,, 

117.  Minor  Poems  of  the  Vernon  MS.,  edited  by  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall.     Part  II.     15s.  1901 

118.  The  Lay  Folks'  Catechism,  ed.  by  Canon  Simmons  and  Rev.  H.  E.  Nollotli,  M.A.     5<.  „ 

119.  Robert  of  Brunne's  Handlyng  Synne  (1303),  and  its  French  original,  re-ed.  by  Dr.  Furnivall.  Pt.  I.  10s.   ,, 

120.  The  Rule  of  St.  Benet,  in  Northern  Prose  and  Verse,  &  Caxton's  Summary,'ed.  Dr.  B.  A.  Kock.      15s.  1902 

121.  The  Laud  MS.  Troy-Book,  ed.  from  the  unique  Laud  MS.  595,  by  Dr.  J.  E.  Wulfing.    Part  I.    15s.       ,, 

122.  The  Laud  MS.  Troy-Book,  ed.  from  the  unique  Laud  MS.  595,  by  Dr.  J.  E.  Wulfing.    Part  II.  1903 

123.  Robert  of  Brunne's  Handlyng  Synne,  1130-37,  and  its  French  original,  re-ed.  by  Dr.  Furnivall.    Pt.  II.     ,, 


EXTRA    SEHIES. 

The  Publications  for  1867-1901  (one  guinea  each  year)  are: — 

I.  William  of  Palerne ;  or,  William  and  the  Werwolf.     Re-edited  by  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat,  M.A.     13s.  1867 

II.  Early  English  Pronunciation    with  especial  Reference  to  Shakspere  and  Chaucer,  by  A.  J.  Ellis, 
F.R.S.     Part  I.     10s. 

III.  Caxton's  Book  of  Curtesye,  in  Three  Versions.    Ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall.    5s.  1868 

IV.  Havelokthe  Dane.     Re-edited  by  the  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat,  M.A.     10s. 

V.  Chaucer's  Boethius.    Edited  from  the  two  best  MSS.  by  Rev.  Dr.  R.  Morris      12s.  ,, 

VI.  Chevelere  Assigne.     Re-edited  from  the  unique  MS.  by  Lord  Aid enham,  M.A.    3s.  ,, 

VII.  Early  English  Pronunciation,  by  A.  J.  Ellis,  F.R.S.     Part  II.     10s.  1869 

VIII.  Queene  Elizabethes  Achademy,  &c.     Ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall.    Essays  on  early  Italian  and  German 
Books  of  Courtesy,  by  W.  M.  Rossetti  and  Dr.  E.  Oswald.     13s.  ,, 

IX.  A wdeley's  Fraternity e  of  Vacabondes,  Harman's  Caveat,  &c.     Ed.  E.  Viles  &  F.  J.  Furnivall.    7s.  6d.      ,, 

X.  Andrew  Boorde's  Introduction  of  Knowledge,  1547,  Dyetary  of  Helth,  1542,  Barnes  in  Defence  of  the 
Berde,  1542-3.     Ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall.    18s.  1870 

XI.  Barbour's  Bruce,  Part  I.    Ed.  from  MSS.  and  editions,  by  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat,  M.A.     12s.  „ 

XII.  England  in  Henry  VLTI.'s  Time  :  a  Dialogue  between  Cardinal  Pole  &  Lupset,  by  Thorn.  Starkey, 
Chaplain  to  Henry  VIII.    Ed.  J.  M.  Cowper.    Part  II.     12s.    (Part  I.  is  No.  XXXII,  1878,  8s.)  1871 

XIII.  A  Supplicacyon  of  the  Beggers,  by  Simon  Fish,  1528-9  A.D.,  ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall ;  with  A  Suppli- 
cation to  our  Moste  Soueraigne  Lorde ;  A  Supplication  of  the  Poore  Commons  ;  and  The  Decaye  of 
England  by  the  Great  Multitude  of  Sheep,  ed.  by  J.  M.  Cowper,  Esq.    6s. 

XIV.  Early  English  Pronunciation,  by  A.  J.  Ellis,  Esq.,  F.R.S.    Part  III.    10s. 

XV.  Robert  Crowley's  Thirty-One  Epigrams,  Voyce  of  the  Last  Trumpet,  Way  to  Wealth,  &c.,    A. P. 
1550-1,  edited  by  J.  M.  Cowper,  Esq.    12s.  1872 

XVI.  Chaucer's  Treatise  on  the  Astrolabe.    Ed.  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat,  M.A.     6s.  ,, 

XVII.  The  Complaynt  of  Scotlande,  1549  A.D.,  with  4  Tracts  (1542-48),  ed.  Dr.  Murray.     Part  I.     10s. 

XVIII.  The  Complaynt  of  Scotlande,  1549  A.D.,  ed.  Dr.  Murray.     Part  II.     8s.  1873 

XIX.  Oure  Ladyes  Myroure,  A.D.  1530,  ed.  Rev.  J.  H.  Blunt,  M.A.     24s.  ,, 

XX.  Lovelich's  History  of  the  Holy  Grail  (ab.  1450  A.D.),  ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall,  M.A.,  Ph.D.     Part  I.    8s.       1874 

XXI.  Barbour's  Bruce,  Part  II.,  ed.  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat,  M.A.    4s. 

XXII.  Henry  Brinklow's  Complaynt  of  Eoderyck  Mors  (ab.  1542) :  and  The  Lamentacion  of  a  Christian 
against  the  Citie  of  London,  made  by  Roderigo  Mors,  A.D.  1545.    Ed.  J.  M.  Cowper.    9s.  M 

XXIII.  Early  English  Pronunciation,  by  A.  J.  Ellis,  F.R.S.    Part  IV.    10s. 

XXIV.  Lovelich's  History  of  the  Holy  Grail,  ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall,  M.A. ,  Ph.D.    Partll.     10s.  1875 

XXV.  Guy  of  Warwick,  15th-century  Version,  ed.  Prof.  Zupitza.    Parti.    20s. 

XXVI.  Guy  of  Warwick,  15th-century  Version,  ed.  Prof.  Zupitza.    Part  II.    14s.  1876 

XXVII.  Bp.  Fisher's  English  Works  (died  1535).  ed.  by  Prof.  J.  E.  B.  Mayor.    Part  I,  the  Text.    16s. 

XXVIII.  Lovelich's  Holy  Grail,  ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall,  M.A.,  Ph.D.    Part  III.    10s.  1877 

XXIX.  Barbour's  Bruce.    Part  III.,  ed.  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat,  M.A.     21s. 

XXX.  Lovelich's  Holy  Grail,  ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall,  M.A.,  Ph.D.     Part  IV.     15s.  1878 

XXXI.  The  Alliterative  Romance  of  Alexander  and  Dindimus.  ed.  Rev.  W.  W.  Skeat.    6s. 

XXXII.  Starkey' s  "England  in  Henry  VLTTs  time."  Pt.  I.  Starkey'sLife  and  Letters,  ed.  S.  J.  Herrtage.  8s.    ,, 

XXXIII.  Gesta  Romanorum  (englisht  ab.  1440),  ed.  S.  J.  Herrtage,  B.A.    15»  1879 

XXXIV.  The  Charlemagne  Romances  :— 1.  Sir  Ferumbras,  from  Ashm.  MS.  33,  ed.  S.  J.  Herrtage.    15s. 

XXXV.  Charlemagne  Romances  :— 2.  The  Sege  off  Melayne,  SirOtuell,  <fec.,  ed.  S.  J.  Herrtage.    12s.  1880 

XXXVI.  Charlemagne  Romances:— 3.  Lyf  of  Charles  the  Grete,  Pt.  I.,  ed.  S.  J.  Herrtage.     16s. 

XXXVII.  Charlemagne  Romances  :— 4.  Lyf  of  Charles  the  Grete,  Pt.  II.,  ed.  S.  J.  Herrtage.    15s.  188] 

XXXVIII.  Charlemagne  Romances  :— 5.  The  Sowdone  of  Babylone,  ed.  Dr.  Hausknecht.    15s. 

XXXIX.  Charlemagne  Romances  :— 6.  RaufColyear,  Roland,  Otuel,  Ac.,  ed.  S.J.  Herrtage,  B.A.    15s.        1882 
XL.  Charlemagne  Romances : — 7.  Huon  of  Burdeux,  by  Lord  Berners,  ed.  S.  L.  Lee,  B.A.    Part  I.    15s.        ,, 
XLI.  Charlemagne  Romances  :— 8.  Huon  of  Burdeux,  by  Lord  Berners,  ed.  S.  L.  Lee,  B.A.     Pt.  II.    15s.    1883 
XLII.  Guy  of  Warwick  :  2  texts  (Auchinleck  MS.  and  Caius  MS.),  ed.  Prof.  Zupitza.    Part  I.    15s.  ,, 
XLIII.  Charlemagne  Romances :— 9.  Huon  of  Burdeux,  by  Lord  Berners,  ed.  S.  L.  Lee,  B.A.   Pt.  III.    15s.  1884 


Works  preparing  for  the  "  Early  English  Text  Society."  9 

XLIV.  Charlemagne  Romances  :— 10.  The  Four  Sons  of  Aymon,  ed.  Miss  Octavia  Richardson.     Pt.  I.    15s.  1884 
XLV.  Charlemagne  Romances  :— 11.  The  Four  Sons  of  Aymon,  ed.  Miss  0.  Richardson.     Pt.  II.     20s.          1885 
XLVI.  SirBevis  of  Hamton,  from  the  Auchinleck  and  other  MSS.,  ed.  Prof.  E.  Kolbing,  Ph.D.  Part  I.  10s.  ,, 
XLVII.  The  Wars  of  Alexander,  ed.  Rev.  Prof.  Skeat,  Litt.D.,  LL.D.     20s.  1S86 

XLVIII.  SirBevis  of  Hamton,  ed.  Prof.  E.  Kolbing,  Ph.D.     Part  II.     10s.  „ 

XLIX.  Guy  of  Warwick,  2  texts  (Auchinleck  and  Caius  MSS.),  Pt.  II.,  ed.  Prof.  J.  Zupitza,  Ph.D.    15s.      1887 
L.  Charlemagne  Romances  : — 12.  Huon  of  Burdeux,  by  Lord  Berners,  ed.  S.  L.  Lee,  B.A.     Part  IV.     5s.        ,, 
LI.  Torrent  of  Portyngale,  from  the  unique  MS.  in  the  Chetham  Library,  ed.  E.  Adam,  Ph.D.    10s.  ,, 

LIL  Bullein's  Dialogue  againstthe  Feuer  Pestilence,  1578  (ed.  1,  1564).     Ed.  M.  &  A.  H.  Bullen.     10s.         1888 
LIII.  Vicary's  Anatomie  of  the  Body  of  Man,  1548,  ed.  1577,  ed.  F.  J.  &  Percy  Furnivall.     Part  I.     15s.          ,, 
LIV.  Caxton's  Englishing  of  Alain  Chartier's  Curial,  ed.  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall  &  Prof.  P.  Meyer.     5s.  ,, 

LV.    Barbour's  Bruce,  ed.  Rev.  Prof.  Skeat,  Litt.D.,  LL.D.     Part  IV.     5s.  1889 

LVI.  Early  English  Pronunciation,  by  A.  J.  Ellis,  Esq.,  F.R.S.     Pt.  V.,  the  present  English  Dialects.     25s.    ,, 
LVII.  Caxton's  Eneydos,  A.D.  1490,  coll.  with  its  French,  ed.  M.  T.  Culley,  M.A.  &  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall.  13s.  1890 
LVIII.  Caxton's  Blanchardyn  &  Eglantine,  c.  1489,  extracts  from  ed.  1595,  &  French,  ed.  Dr.  L.  Kellner.  1 7s.    ,, 
LIX.  Guy  of  Warwick,  2  texts  (Auchinleck  and  Caius  MSS.),  Part  III.,  ed.  Prof.  J.  Zupitza,  Ph.D.    15s.  1891 
LX.  Lydgate's  Temple  of  Glass,  re-edited  from  the  MSS.  by  Dr.  J.  Schick.     15s.  ,, 

LXI.  Hoccleve's  Minor  Poems,  I.,  from  the  Phillipps  and  Durham  MSS.,  ed.  F.  J.  Furnivall,  Ph.D.     15s.     1892 
LXII.  The  Chester  Plays,  re-edited  from  the  MSS.  by  the  late  Dr.  Hermann  Deiniling.     Part  I.     15s.  ,, 

LXIII.  Thomas  a  Kempis's  De  Imitatione  Christi,  englisht  ab.  1440,  &  1502,  ed.  Prof.  J.  K.  Ingram.     15s.     1893 
LXIV.  Caxton's  Godfrey  of  Boloyne,  or  Last  Siege  of  Jerusalem,  1481,  ed.  Dr.  Mary  N.  Colvin.     15s.  ,, 

LXV.  Sir  Bevis  of  Hamton,  ed.  Prof.  E.  Kolbing,  Ph.D.     Part  III.     15s.  1894 

LXVI.  Lydgate's  and  Burgh's  Secrees  of  Philisoffres.  ab.  1445—50,  ed.  R.  Steele,  B.A.     15s. 
LXVII.  The  Three  Kings'  Sons,  a  Romance,  ab.  1500,  Part  I.,  the  Text,  ed.  Dr.  Furnivall.     10s.  1895 

LXVIII.  Melusine,  the  prose  Romance,  ab.  1500,  Part  I,  the  Text,  ed.  A.  K.  Donald.     20s. 
LXIX.  Lydgate's  Assembly  of  the  Gods,  ed.  Prof.  Oscar  L.  Triggs,  M.A.,  Ph.D.    15s.  1896 

LXX.  The  Digby  Plays,  edited  by  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall.    15s.  ,, 

LXXI.  The  Towneley  Plays,  ed.Geo.  England  and  A.  W.  Pollard,  M.A.     15s.  1897 

LXXII.  Hoccleve's  Regement  of  Princes,  1411-12,  and  14  Poems,  edited  by  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall.    15s. 
LXXIII.     Hoccleve's  Minor  Poems,  II.,  from  the  Ashburnhnm  MS.,  ed.  I.  Gollancz,  M.A.     [At  Press. 
LXXIV.  Secreta  Secretorum,  3  prose  Englishings,  by  Jas.  Yonge,  1428,  ed.  R.  Steele,  B.A.   Part  I.    20s.     1898 
LXXV.  Speculum  Guidonis  de  Warwyk,  edited  by  Miss  G.  L.  Morrill,  M.A.,  Ph.D.     10s. 

LXXVI.  George  Ashby's  Poems,  &c  ,  ed.  Miss  Mary  Bateson.     15s.  1899 

LXXVII.  Lydgate's  DeGuilleville's  Pilgrimage  of  the  Life  of  Man,  1426,  ed.  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall.  Part  I.  10s.  ,, 
LXXVIII.  The  Life  and  Death  of  Mary  Magdalene,  by  T.  Robinson,  c.  1620,  ed.  Dr.  H.  O.  Sommer.  5s.  „ 
LXXIX.  Caxton's  Dialogues,  English  and  French,  c.  1483,  ed.  Henry  Bradley,  M.A.  10s.  1900 

LXXX.  Lydgate's  Two  Nightingale  Poems,  ed.  Dr.  Otto  Glauning.    5s. 
LXXXI.  Gower's  Confessio  Amantis,  edited  by  G.  C.  Macaulay,  M.A.     Vol.  I.    15s. 

LXXXII.  Gower'a  Confessio  Amantis,  edited  by  G.  C.  Macaulay,  M.A.     Vol.11.     15s.  1901 

LXXXIII.  Lydgate's  DeGuilleville's  Pilgrimage  of  the  Life  of  Man,  1426,  ed.  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall.  Pt.  II.  10s.  ,, 
LXXXIV.  Lydgate's  Reason  and  Sensuality,  ed.  Dr.  E.  Sieper.  Part  I.  5s. 

LXXXV.  Alexander  Scott's  Poems,  1568,  from  the  unique  Edinburgh  MS.,  ed.  A.  K.  Donald,  B.A.     10s.     1902 
LXXXVI.  William  of  Shoreham's  Poems,  re-ed.  from  the  unique  MS.  by  Dr.  M.  Konrath.     Part  I.     10s.      ,, 
LXXXVII.  Two  Coventry  Corpus- Christi  Plays,  re-edited  by  Hardin  Craig,  M.A.     [At  Press. 
LXXXVIII.  William  of  Shoreham's  Poems,  re-ed.  from  the  unique  MS.  by  Dr.  M.  Konrath.   Part  II.          1903 


EARLY  ENGLISH  TEXT  SOCIETY  TEXTS  PREPARING. 

Besides  the  Texts  named  as  at  press  on  p.  12  of  the  Cover  of  the  Early  English  Text 
Society's  last  Books,  the  following  Texts  are  also  slowly  preparing  for  the  Society: — 

ORIGINAL   SERIES. 

The  Earliest  English  Prose  Psalter,  ed.  Dr.  K.  D.  Buelbring.    Part  II. 

The  Earliest  English  Verse  Psalter,  3  texts,  ed.  Rev.  R.  Harvey,  M.A. 

Anglo-Saxon  Poems,  from  the  Vercelli  MS.,  re-edited  by  I.  Gollancz,  M.A. 

Anglo-Saxon  Glosses  to  Latin  Prayers  and  Hymns,  edited  by  Dr.  F.  Holthausen. 

All  the  Anglo-Saxon  Homilies  and  Lives  of  Saints  not  accessible  in  English  editions,  including  those  of  the 

Vercelli  MS.  &c.,  edited  by  Prof.  Napier,  M.A.,  Ph.D. 

The  Anglo-Saxon  Psalms ;  all  the  MSS.  in  Parallel  Texts,  ed.  Dr.  H.  Logeman  and  F.  Harsley,  B.A. 
Beowulf,  a  critical  Text,  &c.,  edited  by  a  Pupil  of  the  late  Prof.  Zupitza,  Ph.D. 
Byrhtferth's  Handboc,  edited  by  Prof.  G.  Hempl. 

The  Seven  Sages,  in  the  Northern  Dialect,  from  a  Cotton  MS.,  edited  by  Dr.  Squires. 
The  Master  of  the  Game,  a  Book  of  Huntynge  for  Hen.  V.  when  Prince  of  Wales.    (Editor  wanted.) 
Ailred's  Rule  of  Nuns,  &c.,  edited  from  the  Vernon  MS.,  by  the  Rev.  Canon  H.  R.  Bramley,  M.A. 
Lonelich's  Merlin  (verse),  from  the  unique  MS.  in  Corpus  Christi  Coll.,  Cambridge.    (Editor  wanted.) 
Early  English  Verse  Lives  of  Saints,  Standard  Collection,  from  the  Harl.  MS.     (Editor  wanted.) 


10  Works  preparing  for  the  "Early  English  Text  Society.'1' 

Early  English  Confessionals,  edited  by  Dr.  R.  von  Fleischhacker. 

A  Lapidary,  from  Lord  Tollemache's  MS.,  &c.,  edited  by  Dr.  R.  von  Fleischhacker. 

Early  English  Deeds  and  Documents,  from  unique  MSS.,  ed.  Dr.  Lorenz  Morsbach. 

Gilbert  Banastre's  Poems,  and  other  Boccaccio  englishings,  ed.  by  Prof.  Dr.  Max  Forster. 

Lanfranc's  Cirurgie,  ab.  1400  A.D.,  ed.  Dr.  R.  von  Fleischhacker,  Part  II. 

William  of  Nassington's  Mirror  of  Life,  from  Jn.  of  Waldby,  edited  by  J.  A.  Herbert,  M.A. 

More  Early  English  Wills  from  the  Probate  Registry  at  Somerset  House'.     ( Editor  Wanted.} 

Early  Lincoln  Wills  and  Documents  from  the  Bishops'  Registers,  &c.,  edited  by  Dr.  F.  J.  Furnivall. 

Early  Canterbury  Wills,  edited  by  William  Cowper,  B.A.,  and  J.  Meadows  Cowper. 

Early  Norwich  Wills,  edited  by  Walter  Rye  and  F.  J.  Furnivall. 

The  Cartularies  of  Oseney  Abbey  and  Godstow  Nunnery,  englisht  ab.  1450,  ed.  Rev.  A  Clark,  M.A. 

The  Macro  Moralities,  edited  from  Mr.  Gurney's  unique  MS.,  by  Alfred  W.  Pollard.  M.A. 

Early  Lyrical  Poems  from  the  Harl.  MS.  2253.  re-edited  by  Prof.  Hall  Griffin,  M.A. 

Alliterative  Prophecies,  edited  from  the  MSS.  by  Prof,  firandl,  Ph.  D. 

Miscellaneous  Alliterative  Poems,  edited  from  the  MSS.  by  Dr.  L.  Morsbach. 

Bird  and  Beast  Poems,  a  collection  from  MSS.,  edited  by  Dr.  K.  D.  Buelbring. 

Scire  Mori,  &c.,  from  the  Lichfield  MS.  16,  ed.  Mrs.  L.  Grindon,  LL.A.,  and  Miss  Florence  Gilbert. 

Nicholas  Trivet's  French  Chronicle,  from  Sir  A.  Acland-Hood's  unique  MS.,  ed.  by  Miss  Mary  Bateson. 

Stories  for  Sermons,  edited  from  the  Addit.  MS.  25,719  by  Mrs.  M.  M.  Banks. 

Early  English  Homilies  in  Harl.  2276  &e.,  c.  1400,  ed.  J.  Friedlander. 

Extracts  from  the  Registers  of  Boughton,  ed.  Hy.  Littlehales,  Esq. 

The  Diary  of  Prior  Moore  of  Worcester,  A.D.  1518-35,  from  the  unique  MS.,  ed.  Henry  Littlehales,  Esq. 

The  Pore  Caitif,  edited  from  its  MSS.,  by  Mr.  Peake. 

EXTRA   SERIES. 

Bp.  Fisher's  English  Works, Pt.  II.,  with  his  Life  and  Letters,  ed.  Rev.  Ronald  Bayne,  B.A.     [At  Press. 

John  of  Arderne's  Surgery,  c.  1425,  ed.  J.  F.  Payne,  M.D.,  and  W.  Anderson,  F.R.C.S. 

De  Guilleville's  Pilgrimage  of  the  Sowle,  edited  by  Prof.  Dr.  Leon  Kellner. 

Vicary's  Anatomic,  1548,  from  the  unique  MS.  copy  by  George  Jeans,  edited  by  F.  J.  &  Percy  Furnivall. 

Vicary's  Anatomic,  1548,  ed.  1577,  edited  by  F.  J.  &  Percy  Furnivall.    Part  II.     [At  Press. 

A  Compilacion  of  Surgerye,  from  H.  de  Mandeville  and  Lanfrank,  A.D.  1392,  ed.  Dr.  J.  F.  Payne. 

William  Staunton's  St.  Patrick's  Purgatory,  &c.,  ed.  Mr.  G,  P.  Krapp,  U.S.A. 

Trevisa'sBartholomseus  de  Proprietatibus  Rerum,  re-edited  by  Dr.  R.  von  Fleischhacker. 

Bullein's  Dialogue  against  the  Feuer  Pestilence,  1564,  1573, 1578.    Ed.  A.  H.  and  M.  Bullen.    Pt.  II. 

The  Romance  of  Boctus  and  Sidrac,  edited  from  the  MSS.  by  Dr.  K.  D.  Buelbring. 

The  Romance  of  Clariodus,  re-edited  by  Dr.  K.  D.  Buelbring. 

Sir  Amadas,  re-edited  from  the  MSS.  by  Dr.  K.  D.  Buelbring. 

Sir  Degrevant,  edited  from  the  MSS.  by  Dr.  K.  Luick. 

Robert  of  Brunne's  Chronicle  of  England,  from  the  Inner  Temple  MS.,  ed.  by  Prof.  W.  E.  Mead,  Ph.D. 

Maundeville's  Voiage  and  Travaile,  re-edited  from  the  Cotton  MS.  Titus  C.  16,  &c.,  by  Miss  M.  Bateson. 

Avowynge  of  Arthur,  re-edited  from  the  unique  Ireland  MS.  by  Dr.  K.  D.  Buelbring. 

Guy  of  Warwick,  Copland's  version,  edited  by  a  pupil  of  the  late  Prof.  Zupitza,  Ph.D. 

Awdelay's  Poems,  re-edited  from  the  unique  MS.  Douce  302,  by  Prof.  Dr.  E.  Wiilfing. 

The  Wyse  Chylde  and  other  early  Treatises  on  Education,  Northwich  School,  Harl.  2099  .fee.,  ed.  G.  Collar,  B.A. 

Caxton's  Dictes  and  Sayengis  of  Philosophirs,  1477,  with  Lord  Tollemache's  MS.  version,  ed.  S.  I.  Butler,  Esq. 

Caxton's  Book  of  the  Ordre  of  Chyualry,  collated  with  Loutfut's  Scotch  copy.     (Editor  wanted.) 

Lydgate's  Court  of  Sapience,  edited  by  Dr.  Borsdorf. 

Lydgate's  Lyfe  of  oure  Lady,  ed.  by  Prof.  Georg  Fiedler,  Ph.D. 

Lydgate's  Dance  of  Death,  edited  by  Miss  Florence  Warren. 

Lydgate's  Life  of  St.  Edmund,  edited  from  the  MSS.  by  Dr.  Axel  Erdinaun. 

Lydgate's  Triumph  Poems,  edited  by  Dr.  E.  Sieper. 

Lydgate's  Minor  Poems,  edited  by  Dr.  Otto  Glauning. 

Richard  Goer  de  Lion,  re-edited  from  Harl.  MS.  4690,  by  Prof.  Hausknecht,  Ph.D. 

The  Romance  of  Athelstan,  re-edited  by  a  pupil  of  the  late  Prof.  J.  Zupitza,  Ph.D. 

The  Romance  of  Sir  Degare,  re-edited  by  Dr.  Breul. 

Mulcaster's  Positions  1581.  and  Elementarie  1582,  ed.  Dr.  Th.  Klaehr,  Dresden. 

Walton's  verse  Boethius  de  Consolatione,  edited  by  Mark  H.  Liddell,  U.S.A. 

The  Gospel  of  Nichodemus,  edited  by  Ernest  Riedel. 

Sir  Landeval  and  Sir  Launfal,   edited  by  Dr.  Zimmermann. 


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BERLIN :   ASHEB  &  CO.,  13,  UNTER  DEN  LINDEN. 
NEW  YORK:    C.  SCRIBNER  &  CO.;    LEYPOLDT  &  HOLT. 
PHILADELPHIA  :   J.  B.   LIPPINCOTT  &  CO. 


(A.D.  1446.) 


EDITED  FROM  THE  MSS. 
WITH  INTEODUCTION,   NOTES,  AND   GLOSSARY 

BY 

OTTO    GLAUNING,   PH.D. 


LONDON : 

PUBLISHED  FOE  THE  EAKLY  ENGLISH  TEXT  SOCIETY 

BY  KEGAN  PAUL,  TEENCH,  TRUBNEE  &  CO.,  LIMITED, 

PATERNOSTER  HOUSE,  CHARING-CROSS  ROAD. 

1900 


PR 

1113 

E5 
to- 80 


a 


<£*tra  £m«,  LXXX. 
RICHARD  CLAY  &  SONS,  LIMITED,  LONDON  &  BUNOAY. 


CONTENTS. 

;...  PAGE 

PREFACE vii 

INTRODUCTION  : 

§  1.  THE  TITLE       xi 

§  2.  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  MSS xi 

§  3.  GENEALOGY  AND  CRITICISM  OF  THE  TEXTS   ...  xvii 

§  4.  THE  METRE     ...         ...         ...         ...         ...  xx 

§  5.  THE  LANGUAGE           ...         ., xxvi 

§  6.  THE  AUTHORSHIP        xxxiv 

§  7.  THE  DATE        xxxvi 

§  8.  THE  SOURCES  ...         ...         ...         ...         ...     xxxviii 

§  9.  CONCLUDING  EEMARKS             xlvi 

THE  FIRST  POEM:   THE  NIGHTINGALE 1 

THE  SECOND  POEM:  A  SAYENGE  OF  THE  NYGHTYNGALE  16 

NOTES       29 

LIST  OF  ABBREVIATIONS 77 

GLOSSARY..  79 


TO    MY    PARENTS. 


Vll 


PREFACE. 


ABOUT  two  generations  ago  the  works  of  Lydgate  were  very  little 
known  even  among  scholars  in  Middle-English  literature,  and  the 
monk  of  Bury  had  little  credit  as  a  poet.1  To  the  late  Professor 
Zupitza  it  is  due  that,  in  the  second  half  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
more  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  study  of  Lydgate's  life  and 
works.  About  this  first  real  period  of  Lydgate  study,  inaugurated 
by  the  editor  of  Guy  of  Warwick,  Professor  Schick  gives  us  a  concise 
account  on  pp.  xii  and  xiii  of  the  Introduction  to  his  excellent  edition 
of  the  Temple  of  Glas.  This  fundamental  work  itself  stands  at  the 
end  of  this  period ;  and  in  it,  for  the  first  time,  nothing  has  been 
neglected  which  could  give  a  vivid  picture  of  Lydgate's  life  and 
works  as  a  whole ;  and  his  qualities  as  a  poet  have  found  a  more 
favourable  judgment  than  before. 

The  edition  of  the  Temple  of  Glas  has  therefore  served,  in  a  way, 
as  a  basis  for  all  the  following  publications  of  works  of  Lydgate. 

To  give  a  brief  account  of  the  further  progress  made  in  the  study 
of  Lydgate,  I  include  in  the  following  list  all  the  editions  of  works 
of  the  monk,  published  in  this  second  period,  as  far  as  they  have 
come  to  my  knowledge  : 2 

STEELE,  Eobert,  Lydgate  and  Burgh's  Secrees  of  old  Philisoffres.  A 
version  of  the  '  Secreta  Secretorum.'  Edited  from  the  Sloane 
MS.  2464,  with  Introduction,  Notes,  and  Glossary.  (Publica- 
tions of  the  Early  English  Text  Society,  Extra  Series,  LXVI.) 
London,  1894. 

1  See  Ritson's  "this  voluminous,  prosaick,  and  driveling  monk,"  and  "in 
truth,  and  fact,  these  stupid  and  fatigueing  productions,  which  by  no  means 
deserve  the  name  of  poetry,  and  their  stil  more  stupid  and  disgusting  author, 
who  disgraces  the  name  and  patronage  of  his  master  Chaucer,  are  neither  worth 
collecting  (unless  it  be  as  typographical  curiositys,  or  on  account  of  the  beauty- 
ful  illuminations  in  some  of  his  presentation-copys),  nor  even  worthy  of  pre- 
servation: being  only  suitablely  adapted  'adficum  &  piper  em,'  and  other  more 
base  and  servile  uses." — Bibl.  Poet.  (1802),  p.  87,  88. 

2  Th.  Arnold's  publication  of  Lydgate's  verses  on  Bury  St.  Edmunds  was 
not  accessible  to  me. 


viii  Preface. 

TRIGGS,  Oscar  Lovell,  The  Assembly  of  Gods  :  or  The  Accord  of 
Reason  and  Sensuality  in  the  Fear  of  Death  by  John  Lydgate. 
Edited  from  the  MSS.  with  Introduction,  Notes,  Index  of 
Persons  and  Places,  and  Glossary.  (Publications  of  the  Early 
English  Text  Society,  Extra  Series,  LXIX.)  London,  1896. 

KRAUSSER,  Emil,  Lydgate's  Complaint  of  the  Black  Knight.  Text 
mit  Einleitung  und  Anmerkungen.  Inaugural-Dissertation  zur 
Erlangung  der  philosophischen  Doctorwiirde  der  philosophi- 
schen  Fakultat  der  Universitat  Heidelberg.  [Sonderabdruck 
aus  Anglia,  Bd.  xix.]  Halle  a.  S.,  1896. 

ROBINSON,  Ered  N.,  On  two  Manuscripts  of  Lydgate's  Guy  of 
Warwick.  Studies  and  Notes  in  Philology  and  Literature, 
Vol.  v.  (Child  Memorial  Volume.)  [Harvard  University.] 
Boston,  1896,  pp.  177-220. 

SCHLEICH,  Gustav,  Lydgate's  Fabula  duorum  mercatorum.  Aus  dem 
Nachlasse  des  Herrn  Prof.  Dr.  I.  Zupitza,  Litt.D.,  nach  samt- 
lichen  Handschriften  herausgegeben.  (Quellen  und  Forschungen 
zur  Sprach-  und  Culturgeschichte  der  germanischen  Volker. 
LXXXIII.)  Strassburg,  1897. 

SKEAT,  Walter  W.,  Chaucerian  and  other  pieces.  Edited,  from 
numerous  manuscripts.  Being  a  supplement  to  the  Complete 
Works  of  Geoffrey  Chaucer  (Oxford,  in  six  volumes,  1894). 
Oxford,  1897.  [No.  8  :  The  Complaint  of  the  Black  Knight.— 
No.  9  :  The  Flour  of  Curtesye. — No.  10  :  A  Balade;  in  Com- 
mendation of  Our  Lady. — No.  11  :  To  my  Soverain  Lady. — 
No.  12  :  Ballad  of  Good  Counsel. — No.  13  :  Beware  of  Double- 
ness. — No.  14  :  A  Balade  :  Warning  Men  to  beware  of  deceitful 
Women.— No.  15  :  Three  Sayings.— No.  22  :  A  Goodly  Balade. 
—No.  23  :  Go  forth,  King.] 

HAMMOND,  Eleanor  P.,  London  Lickpenny  in  Anglia,  xx  (1898),  p. 
404  ff.  Halle,  1898. 

HAMMOND,  Eleanor  P.,  Lydgate's  Mumming  at  Hertford  in  Anglia, 
xxii  (1899),  p.  364  ff.  Halle,  1899. 

FURNIVALL,  F.  J.,  The  Pilgrimage  of  the  Life  of  Man,  Englisht  by 
John  Lydgate,  A.D.  1426,  from  the  French  of  Guillaume  de 
Deguileville,  A.D.  1335.  Edited  .  .  .  Parts  I  and  II  (Publica- 
tions of  the  Early  English  Text  Society,  Extra  Series,  LXXVII. 
LXXXIII).  London,  1899,  1900.1 

DEGENHART,  Max,  Lydgate's  Horse,  Goose,  and  Sheep.     Mit  Einleit- 
1  Part  II  was  not  accessible  to  me. 


Preface.  ix 

ung  und  Anmerkungen  herausgegeben.  (Miinchener  Beitrage  zur 
Eomanischen  und  Englischen  Philologie.  Heft  xix.)  Erlangen 
und  Leipzig,'  1900. 

BROTANEK,  Rudolf,  Die  Englischen  Maskenspiele.     (Wiener  Beitrage 
zur  Englischen  Philologie  xv.)     Wien,  1902. 

With  the  exception  of  the  Pilgrimage  of  the  Life  of  Man,  for  the 
edition  of  which  the  students  of  Middle-English  language  and  litera- 
ture are  infinitely  obliged  to  the  labour  of  Dr.  Furnivall,  the  larger 
works  of  the  monk  still1  have  to  wait  for  critical  or  even  handy 
editions.  Of  some  of  the  so-called  Minor  Poems  some  accurate 
editions  have  been  published,  as  we  have  mentioned ;  for  the  rest 
the  student  has  still  to  recur  to  the  edition  by  Halliwell,  which  has 
now  turned  out  to  be  insufficient  for  modern  researches.  Therefore 
I  have  not  looked  upon  it  as  a  superfluous  task  to  undertake,  with 
Dr.  Furnivall's  approbation,  a  new  edition  of  Lydgate's  Minor  Poems 
in  critical  texts  for  the  Early  English  Text  Society,  of  which  the 
present  two  poems  are  to  be  the  first  part. 

The  pleasant,  if  somewhat  difficult  task  now  remains  to  me  to 
discharge,  in  this  short  space,  a  heavy  weight  of  indebtedness  for 
much  kind  help  received  in  the  course  of  my  work,  an  agreeable 
duty,  recalling,  as  it  does,  much  pleasant  intercourse  not  only  with 
books,  but  with  men. 

I  wish  to  express  my  gratitude  to  the  authorities  and  attendants 
of  the  British  Museum,  the  Bodleian,  and  the  University  Libraries 
in  Cambridge  and  Leiden,  and  to  the  librarians  of  Corpus  Christi 
College,  Oxford,  and  Corpus  Christi  and  Pembroke  College,  Cam- 
bridge, for  having  kindly  given  me  access  to  their  treasures.  I  also 
wish  to  thank  very  cordially  Dr.  Furnivall  and  Mr.  Jenkinson  for 
much  help  in  my  work,  and  especially  for  great  personal  kindness. 

Dr.  Furnivall,  and  Miss  Annie  F.  Parker  of  Oxford,  have  been 
kind  enough  to  oblige  me  very  much  by  reading  the  proofs  of  the 
texts  with  the  manuscripts. 

In  more  than  one  respect  I  have  to  acknowledge  my  deep 
indebtedness  to  Professor  S chick  :  not  only  do  I  thank  him  for  his 
continued  personal  interest  in  this  work,  but  also  for  his  suggestive 
teaching;  the  influence  of  both  will  be  noticed  everywhere  throughout 
the  following  pages. 

1  November  1901. 

Munich,  February  1902. 


§  1.  The  Title.     §  2.  Description  of  the  MSS.  xi 


INTRODUCTION. 

§  1.    THE   TITLE. 

THERE  is  but  little  to  be  said  about  the  titles  of  our  poems,  as 
there  are  but  slight  differences  to  be  stated.  MS.  c  has  the  title  : 
The  nightyngale,  supplied  by  a  later  hand ;  its  running  title  is  also  : 
The  nyghtynghale.  As  this  running  title  is  in  the  same  handwriting 
as  the  poem  itself,  we  may  conclude  that  it  is  the  original  title. 
MS.  C  shows  the  title  in  a  modern  hand  :  The  Nightingale  by  lohn 
Lidgate.  MS.  H  got  its  title  from  Stowe :  it  runs :  A  sayenge  of 
the  nyghtyngale  ;  and  in  MS.  A  we  find,  again  in  the  old  chronicler's 
hand :  Here  folowinge  begynneth  a  sayenge  of  \e  nightingalle  Imagened 
and  cumpyled  by  daune  lohn  Lidgate,  munke  of  Berye.1  Therefore 
the  first  poem  may  be  christened :  The  Nightingale,  the  second : 
A  Sayenge  of  the  Nyghtyngale. 

§  2.    DESCRIPTION   OF   THE   MSS. 

A.    FIRST   POEM. 
1.  MS.  Cotton  Caligula  A.  II  =  c. 

London,  British  Museum ;  see  Catal.  Cotton  MSS.,  p.  42.2 
Compare  also  Furnivall,  Percy's  Fol.  MS.,  II,  p.  411;  Sarazin, 
Octavian  (Altenglische  Bibliothek,  III),  p.  ix  ff. ;  Kaluza,  Libeaus 
Desconnus  (Altenglische  Bibliothek,  V),  p.  ix ;  Gough,  On  the  Middle 
English  Metrical  Romance  of  Emare,  Kiel,  1900,  p.  1  ff.  Paper 
book  in  4° ;  date :  second  half  of  the  xvth  cent.  Kaluza,  p.  ix, 
says :  "  C.  Cott.  Calig.  A.  II,  eine  Papierhandschrift  aus  der  Eegie- 
rungszeit  Heinrich's  VI.  Furnivall  (Percy's  Fol.  MS.,  II,  p.  411) 
setzt  sie  in  das  lahr  1460;  sie  gehort  aber  wohl  noch  in  das  2. 
Viertel  des  15.  lahrhunderts."  I  do  not  think  that  this  state- 
ment quite  hits  the  mark,  and  should  prefer  Dr.  FurmvaH's  opinion. 
Our  poem  extends  from  fol.  59a-64a  (formerly  fol.  57a-62a); 

This  reads  like  a  copy  of  one  of  John  Shirley's  titles. 

2  There  is  a  mistake  in  this  catalogue  :  the  Christian  name  of  Hoveden  is 
"lohn,"  not  "Sam."  (D.  N.  B.  xxvii,  427 a,  ff.). 


xii  §  2.  Description  of  the  MSS. 

fol.  1-139  of  the  MS.  are  in  one  handwriting.  The  title,  supplied 
by  a  later  hand,  is  :  The  nightyngale  ;  the  running  title  on  fol.  59  b, 
605,  61  b,  62  b,  63  &  the  same,  with  slight  variations  in  spelling; 
fol.  60  a,  62  a,  63  a,  64  a  are  without  running  title.  On  fol.  61  a 
the  first  line  of  that  page  (1.  155),  with  exception  of  the  last  word,  is 
found  once  more  on  the  top  of  the  page  in  a  very  bad  handwriting. 
The  colophon  runs  :  Amen  . ; .  Explicit.  With  few  exceptions,  we 
find  capitals  at  the  beginnings  of  the  lines,  and  they  are  illuminated 
in  red.  The  stanzas  are  marked  by  a  certain  sign  on  the  margin. 
In  the  index  of  the  MS.  we  read :  Another  poeme  intitled  the 
nigJitingall. 

The  abbreviations  are  quite  clear  and  in  conformity  with  the 
common  usage ;  the  scribe  only  shows  some  inconsistency  in  using  n 
with  a  curl.  In  Romance  words1  ending  in  -on,  this  curl  is  generally 
meant  for  -oun;  as  in  derisioiin  309,  confusioiin  311,  consecracioiin 
405,  sauacioiin  406,  that  is  to  say,  when  the  stress  is  laid  on  the 
ending.  Then,  the  vowel  is  the  same  as  in :  doun  64,  80,  126,  276, 
279,  290,  339,  395,  soun  66,  croun  312,  where  n  with  curl  is  always 
shown.  If,  however,  the  ending  is  unaccented,  and  the  vowel 
therefore  shortened,  the  scribe  expresses  the  difference  by  writing : 
seson  22,  28,  35,  58,  re"son  24,  60,  117,  317,  encheson  61,  pardon 
228.  This  system  is  often  violated ;  not  only  do  we  find  lesofi  39, 
lamentacion  163,  passion  328,  compassion  372  with  curled  rc,  but  the 
scribe  also  applies  the  overline  in  words  where  he  is  not  authorized 
in  the  least  to  do  it,  as  in  don  (p.p.)  148,  382,  born  156,  313,  thorn 
312,  mon  350.  I  have  therefore  expanded  this  abbreviation  only 
in  the  first  class  of  cases ;  in  the  rest  I  have  marked  it  by  a  stroke 
above  the  n  =  n. 

The  scribe  has  very  few  peculiarities  in  his  spelling,  and  the 
poem  in  general  shows  an  orthography  not  very  much  differing  from 
the  standard  of  Chaucer's  spelling.  We  find  a  predilection  for  II? 
not  only  in  the  Latin  ending  -al:  mortall  77,  morall  109,  originall 
142,  celestyall  145,  speciall  176,  327,  etc.,  eternall  413;— but  in 
other  words  too:  sotell  136,  appell  151,  pepyll  152,  purpull  310, 
Eysell  368.  Other  consonants  are  not  generally  found  in  doubled 
form,  though  we  have  always :  myddes  99,  339,  340,  etc.  Instead 
of  the  original  spirant  we  find  the  media  in  :  Wheder  38,  127,  oder 
124,  291 ;  de  19  may  be  due  to  the  assimilating  power  of  the 

1  Compare  Schick,  T.  G.,  p.  Ixi. 

2  See  Morsbach,  Mittelenglische  Grammatik,  p.  40,  Anm.  2. 


§  2.  Description  of  the  MSS.  xiii 

preceding  d,  or  it  is  a  mere  carelessness  of  the  scribe. — y  occurs  as  a 
consonant,  representing  O.E.  palatal  3,  in:  yaf  61,  389,  Ayen  130, 
226,  402,  Yevyng  194,  yate  325;  prosthetic  in  "yerth"  123,  384, 
395. — There  are  only  a  few  cases  where  we  find  i  (y)  for  e  in 
endings:1  hertis  21,  62,  bemys  391;  banyshid  383;  wyntyr  27, 
aftir  92,  265,  etc. ;  pepyll  152. — The  scribe  always  writes :  be 
(=  by)  22,  23,  35,  39,  etc.;  whech  46,  88,  91,  etc.;  Thenk  (60), 
139, 153,  etc. ;  besy  353. — n  and  I  are  not  unfrequently  omitted:  con- 
ny[n]ge  112,  begynny[n]g  121,  wor[l]dly  132,  153,  wor[l]de  162,  etc. 

2.  MS.  Corpus  Christi  College,  Oxford,  203  =  C. 

Oxford,  Library  of  Corpus  Christi  College ;  see  Coxe,  Cat.  Cod. 
MSS.  in  Coll.  Aul.  Oxon.  II.  On  vellum,  small  8° ;  date :  second 
half  of  the  xvth  century.  Our  poem  begins  on  p.  1,  ends  on  p.  21, 
and  is  written  throughout  by  the  same  scribe,  though  it  is  not 
likely  that  the  whole  was  finished  at  once.  There  is  no  title  by  the 
hand  of  the  scribe,  nor  any  running  title.  At  the  end  stands : 
Amen.  Explicit.  The  index  at  the  beginning,  in  recent  handwriting, 
has :  The  Nightingale.  By  lohn  Lydgate.  Ded.  to  the  Duchesse  of 
Buckingham  i.  e.  Anne,  daughter  of  Ralph  Nevill  first  Earle  of 
Westmerland,  wife  of  Humfrey  Stafford,  created  Duke,  of  Buck, 
1444.  (See  §  7.)  Below :  ProverUum  Scogan,2  p.  22.  Pro- 
verbium  R.  Stockys?  p.  23.  Ext.  under  Chaucers  Name  among 
his  Workes,  f.  335.  b.  b.  Middle  of  the  page :  Henry  Duke  of 
Warwick,  p.  17.  dyed  1446.  At  the  bottom  of  the  page  :  Liber 
Collegii  Corporis  Christi  Oxon  Ex  dono  Gulielmi  Fulman*  A.  M. 
hujus  Collegii  quondam  Socii.  These  last  lines  are  of  still  later  date. 

There  are  no  initials  in  the  MS.,  and  at  the  beginning  of  the 
lines  capitals  are  generally  used.  On  p.  1,  which  is  badly  injured 
by  dirt,  we  find  a  Latin  invocation  of  the  Virgin  Mary :  Assit 
principio  sancta  Maria  meo.  Amen.  Then  follows  a  short  prose 
treatise,  in  which  the  contents  of  the  poem  are  given  by  the  scribe, 
as  I  think,  not  by  Lydgate  himself,  judging  from  its  incorrectness 
(compare  §  8).  At  the  beginning  an  initial  was  to  be  inserted, 
probably  by  the  hand  of  the  illuminator,  but  was  forgotten  after- 
wards. The  introduction  and  the  first  two  stanzas  are,  in  our 

1  See  Schick,  T.  O.,  p.  Ixv,  note  3. 

a  See  Ritson,  B.  P.,  p.  97-98  ;  D.  N.  B.  li,  p.  1 ;  Kittredge  in  Notes  and 
Studies  in  Philology  and  Literature  1.  (Harvard  University)  Boston,  1892,  p. 
109  ff. 

3  See  Ritson,  B.  P.,  p.  106.  4  See  D.  N.  B.  xx,  p.  326  ff. 


xiv  §  2.  Description  of  the  MSS. 

edition,  taken  from  this  MS.,  as  they  are  not  found  in  MS.  c.  But 
from  st.  3  onwards,  the  Caligula  MS.  has  been  preferred  as  basis 
(see  §  3).— 11.  299  and  300  are  transposed  in  this  MS.  In  1.  335 
"  hen(ne),"  1.  336  the  e  of  "  whenn(e) "  is  cut  down  in  binding,  and 
1.  399  "  shede  "  is  illegible. 

Some  of  the  most  conspicuous  orthographic  and  phonetic  peculi- 
arities of  the  scribe  are  the  following.  The  voiceless  s  is  given  as 
88:  Assendyth  iv,  gesse  86,  blessyd  259,  or  sc  :  sentensce  12,  sensce 
16,  Ascendyng  26,  or  c :  secyth  37,  or  s :  persed  52,  perse  138,  con- 
seyte  60  (Schleich,  Fabula,  p.  liii).  About  '  noresynge '  30,  compare 
ten  Brink,  §  112;  about  '  sclepe '  29,  35,  44,  etc.  (but  <  slepe ' 
118),  'sclowth'  57,  'scle'  161,  etc.,  compare  Yarnhagen  in  Anglia, 
Anzeiger,  vii  (1884),  p.  86-91. — w  often  occurs  as  a  second  consti- 
tuent in  diphthongs  (?),  representing  O.E.  d  or  O.Fr.  u  :  trowblos  48, 
owre  (=  hour)  78,  86,  (=  our)  264,  Abowte  105,  fownde  108, 
nowmbere  125,  downe  126,  etc. — Compare:  sclowth  57,  trowth 
374 ;  revth  344  ;  ruthe  372. — Twice,  w  is  put  instead  of  v  :  Awayll 
76,  concewe  134. — c  occurs  for  g  in:  can  25,  136,  308,  canne  54, 
neclygence  65. — J>  occurs  in:  J>u  156,  fat  394. — y  as  a  consonant, 
representing  O.E.  palatal  3,  in:  yaf  61,  389,  yeuynge  194,  Ayene 
226,  402 ;  prosthetic  in :  yerth  348,  384,  395,  yeke  402. 

The  scribe  shows  a  great  predilection  for  putting  i  or  y  for  e 
in  endings:  myddys  viii,  ourys  xi;  declaryd  17,  secyth  37,  boryn 
156,  etc. ;  lityll  1,  wyntyre  27,  Whedyre  38,  opyn  100,  etc.  Besides 
we  find:  this  (=  thus)  28,  178,  thys  169,  ych  (=  each)  143  (vche 
236),  fynde  (=  fiend)  353,  thyn  (==  then)  388.  Less  frequently 
than  i  or  y  we  find  u  in  endings  instead  of  e :  murthus  74,  clowdus 
94,  bemus  391;  owuthe  116;  vndurstondefi  xii,  ffadure  xiii,  remem- 
bure  119,  Appull  151,  pepull  152.  In  some  cases  a  special  flourish 
is  used  for  abbreviating  the  ending  -us,  as  in  galantus  11,  hertus 
21,  62,  kalendus  45,  boffettus  255. — hure  i,  ii,  iv,  5,  6,  39,  hur  4, 
etc.,  but  hyre  7, 10,  hyr  8,  9,  etc. — e  for  i:  a.,  in  unaccented  syllables  : 
mescheue  137,  orygenall  142,  rightwesnesse  204,  consydrenge  234; 
yef  177,  yeff  196,  hes  (=  his)  410  ;  &.,  in  accentuated  syllables  :  leue 
168,  384,  leueste  172.  '  perseue '  67,  «  conceuede '  68,  '  concewe '  134 
on  one  side,  and  'deceyve'  136  on  the  other  are  no  peculiarities 
of  the  scribe,  but  the  representatives  of  the  O.Fr.  double  forms : 
'  concevons ' :  stress  on  the  ending,  and  '  conce"if ' :  stress  on  the  stem. 

As  in  MS.  c,  the  scribe  fairly  often  has  a  flourish  above  n.  A 
glance  at  the  following  examples  will  justify  my  reproducing  it  as  in 


§  2.  Description  of  the  MSS.  xv 

MS.  c :   swan  iii,  doura  viii,  crystyn  x,  passyorw  xi,  vndurstonden 
xii,  man  xiv,  Ascencyone  xviii,  etc. 

Moreover,  we  find  that  the  scribe  sometimes  omits  single  letters  : 
lame[n]table  v,  An[d]  x,  155,  349,  rygh[t]  59,  Eygh[t]  63,  etc., 
ffe[r]thyre  85,  wor[l]de  121,  etc. 

B.     SECOND    POEM. 
1.  MS.  Harleian  2251  =  H. 

London,  British  Museum ;  see  Catal.  MSS.  Harl.,  II,  p.  578, 
581,  and  582.  A  paper  book  in  small  fol. ;  Foerster,  Herrig's  Archiv, 
ciii,  p.  149  ff.,  dates  it  1459,  from  internal  evidence.  This  MS. 
was  always1  considered  to  be  written  by  Shirley's  hand,  till  Foerster 
in  the  article  mentioned  above  proved  that  this  opinion  was  erroneous. 
Our  poem,  in  one  handwriting,  is  found  on  fol.  229  a-234  b  (formerly 
fol.  255  a-260  b).  The  title,  in  the  hand  of  Stowe,  the  historian, 
runs:  A  sayenge  of  the  nyghtyngale.  No  running  title.  At  the 
end  we  read :  Of  this  Balade  Dan  lohn  Lydgate  made  nomore. — 
At  the  beginning,  there  is  an  initial  in  red  and  blue ;  the  headings 
of  the  lines  generally  begin  with  capitals,  which  are  illuminated 
with  red.  There  is  no  index  in  the  MS. — 1.  236  is  omitted. 

There  are  dots  marking  the  csesural  pause.  I  think  they  teach 
us  nothing,  as  they  are  put  in  very  arbitrarily  by  the  scribe — e.  g. 
1.  8  after:  forsoth,  1.  9  :  song,  1.  31 :  hem,  1.  36  :  herde,  1.  87  :  doo, 
1.  97  :  dide,  1.  218 :  me, — so  I  do  not  reproduce  them  or  take  them 
into  consideration  when  dealing  with  the  metre. 

Of  the  peculiarities  of  Shirley  (see  above  and  §  3),  mentioned 
by  Furnivall,  Odd  Texts,  p.  78,  and  Schick,  T.  G.,  p.  xxiii,  we 
find  here  but:  uw  for  ew :  -huwed  2,  nuwe  15,  suwen  163. — Other 
peculiarities  of  the  scribe  are :  *  (y)  for  e  in  endings :  fowlis  4, 
stems  38,  grassis  39,  briddis  55,  59,  64,  handis  114;  meanyth  56, 
82,  takith  65,  83,  Betokenyth  66,  Shakith  74,  qwakyth  74 ;  callid 
25,  333,  blessyd  127,  143,  249,  364,  pressid  154,  offendid  213; 
gardyn  53,  340,  etc.;  also:  hym  (=  hem)  117,  282,  etc. — ie  for  e 
(Schleich,  Fabula,  p.  xxxv)  occurs  in:  bien  17,  29,  106,  362, 
cliere  36,  252,  284,  362,  chiere  46,  fieble  186;  triewe  69  (17,  56, 
80). — w  as  a  vowel  (Schleich,  Fabula,  p.  xlv)  :  twnes  36,  58,  etc. ; 
as  the  second  element  of  a  diphthong  in :  Emerawdes  34. — Very 

1  e.  g.  Cat.  ffarl.  MSS.  II,  p.  578 ;  Morley,  English  Writers,  v,  p.  148  note ; 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  I,  p.  57;  D.  N.  B.  Iii,  p.  134 a;  Steele,  Sccrecs,  p.  xi;  Schleich, 
Fabula,  p.  I. 

NIGHTINGALE.  b 


xvi  §  2.  Description  of  the  MSS. 

often   consonants    appear  in   doubled   form:    bridde    20,    51,    71, 
langwisshyng  29,1  Cherissh  30,1  Castell  32,  allone  48,  160,  etc. 

2.  Additioiml  MS.  29729  =  A. 

London,  British  Museum;  see  Gatal.  Addit.  MSS.  On  paper, 
small  fol.,  in  the  handwriting  of  Stowe;  date  1558  (see  Catal. 
Index).  Our  poem  extends  from  fol.  161  a-166a.  The  title  runs  : 
Here  folowinge  begyjineth  a  sayenge  of  j?e  nightingalle  Imagened  and 
cumpyled  by  daune  lolm  Lidgate,  munke  of  Berye.  There  are  no 
running  title,  no  colophon,  no  initials;  capitals  are  also  rare  and 
without  system.  On  the  title-page  of  the  MS.  we  read :  Daune 
Lidigate  morike  of  Burye,  Ms  Woorkes,  supplied  below,  by  a  later 
hand:  written  by  Stowe. 

According  to  fol.  179  a  of  the  MS.  (compare  also  Schick,  T.  G., 
p.  xix),  the  MS.  is  a  copy  by  Stowe  from  Shirley,  therefore  we  are 
not  surprised  to  find  some  cases  where  the  peculiarities  of  the 
original  spelling  are  preserved  (see  Schick,  T.  G.,  p.  xxiii) :  uw  for 
ew:  -huwed  2,  truwe  30,  69,  huwe  121. — e-  for  y-  in  the  p.p.  in: 
eblent  130,  emeynt  137,  elefft  220. — There  are  many  examples 
which  still  show  Shirley's  predilection  for  ff  (see  p.  xii2),  though 
it  is  possible  that  these  may  be  due  to  the  same  predilection  of 
Stowe's,  as  we  find  an  exceedingly  large  number  of  cases  where  other 
consonants  too  (see  below)  are  doubled  without  any  apparent  reason  : 
/in:  sauffe  10,  yff  50,  77,  207,  theffe  102,  lifft  103,  cheffe  246, 
251,  etc.,  off  252,  312,  soffte  264,  lyffe  342,  contemplative  343. 

Other  peculiarities  are :  i  or  y  in  endings  for  e :  grasys  39, 
thevys  174;  pressin  152,  pressyd  154,  forsakyne  170,  spokyn  202, 
bonchyd  206,  -percyd  210,  blessyd  249,  clepyd  257,  makid  298; 
gardin  (gardyn)  53,  340,  etc. — Notice :  pardy  24,  maundy  248. — 
a  for  e  before  r:  evar  159,  178,  nevar  172,  179. — w  as  a  vowel, 
occurs  in:  nwe  123,  (but  newe  15),  endwre  181,  wnkynd  182; 
emerawdes  34. — Not  without  interest  for  the  date  of  the  MS.  is  the 
changing  of  d  and  th  in  the  words  :  moder  162,  mother  257,  fader 
259,  fathers  274,  and  also  the  forms  of  the  pronouns  (see  §  5). — 
Of  the  doubled  consonants,  II  occurs  in  the  largest  number  of 
examples :  dalle  9,  nightingalle  11,  allone  48,  -sellfe  72,  etc.,  chaun- 
dellabre  320,  mortall  352,  crystall  362,  etc.— tt  in:  grett  67,  88, 
etc.,  fett  114,  283,  Pylatt  138,  -outten  179,  etc. — The  pron.  possess, 
fern,  occurs  as :  her  13,  36,  hur  15,  16,  23,  hir  37,  62,  73,  hyr  83, 
1  See  Schleich,  Fdbula,  p.  li;  ten  Brink,  §  112  a. 


§  3.  Genealogy  and  Criticism  of  the  Texts.  xvii 

etc. — Compare:  eghen  108,  egghen  130,  eghe  177,  eyen  194. — 
Obvious  mistakes  are  seen  in :  dedemcyon  (for :  redemcyon)  284, 
assay[l]e  308;  about  'chayne'  (?)  318,  compare  the  note  to  that 
line. 

§  3.   GENEALOGY  AND  CRITICISM  OF  THE  TEXTS. 
I.    The  MSS.  c  and  C. 

The  text  of  the  first  poem  is  handed  down  to  us  in  fairly  good 
condition,  as  the  two  MSS.  do  not  generally  differ  much  from  each 
other,  so  that  we  may  say  with  certainty  that  both  go  back  to  a 
common  original.  But  notwithstanding  the  general  coincidence, 
they  cannot  either  of  them  have  been  derived  directly  from  the 
other : 

1.  c  cannot  be  derived  from  C,  because,  though  there  is  no  very 
remarkable  difference  in  the  date,  c  is  certainly  the  elder  of  the  two, 
and,  moreover,  C  has  a  very  long  list  of  its  own  individual  faults, 
where  c  has  the  better  reading  : 

40.  mervell  c]  merevell  hit  C. — 42.  mery]  om. — 71.  is]  om. — 
81.  endure  shall]  enduryth. — 90.  song]  schange. — 95.  enlumyned] 
enlewmyde. — 106.  of]  to. — 115.  cristen-man]  kyrsten  manes. — 128. 
fall]  schall.— 129.  the]  the  rygh.— 139.  thi-self]  they-selfe.— 165. 

With]  With  the. — 166.  byddeth  the]  by  the. — 173.  these]  this. 

202.  age]  cm.— 212.  Noght]  How.— 236.  vn-to]  in-to.— 277.  syng- 
yng]  syngnified. — 280.  in]  om. — 299,  300]  transposed  in  C. — 302. 
youre]  cure.— 314.  Vnto]  Vpon.— 323.  Ye]  The.— 331.  peple]  pepull 
that. — 333.  hym  to]  to  hym. — 369.  crym]  tyme.— 385.  all]  Allso. 

2.  C  is  independent  of  c,  because  the  first  two  stanzas  are  missing 
in  c.     The  prose  treatise  at  the  beginning  in  C,  being  not  by  the 
poet,  but  probably  by  the  scribe  (see  §  8),  may  be  a  special  foreword 
to  C,  and  independent  of  the  form  in  which  the  poem  may  have 
circulated.     Farther,  though  the  scribe  of  C  is  not  a  very  careful 
man,  C  offers  in  some  cases  the  preferable  reading,  where  c  is  wrong, 
though  it  is  not  at  all  likely  that  the  careless  scribe  of  C  corrected 
these  errors : 

130.  quert  C]  quarte  c.— 150.  Anone]  or  none.— 222.  Ley]  Ley 
that. — 233.  aswaged  was]  was  aswaged. — 243.  redy  is]  ys  redy  the. — 
257.  of]  of  pite  &.— 270,-Restreyne]  Restreyned.— 283.  To]  The.— 
314.  peynes]  peynes,  calde.— 339.  avale]  a-vaile.— 348.  in]  in  a.— 
374.  all]  om. 


xviii          §  3.  Genealogy  and  Criticism  of  the  Texts. 

We  hence  conclude  that  c  and  C  go  back, to  a  common  original 
MS.  X,  which  is  lost,  but  probably  through  the  medium  of  a  MS. 
Z.  As  arguments,  we  can  bring  forward  that,  roughly  speaking, 
both  versions  exhibit  the  same  wording,  and  that  some  peculiarities 
in  spelling — e.  g.  i  (y)  for  e  in  endings — are  found  in  both  MSS.  in 
the  same  places.  Considering  that  c  has  mostly  the  better  reading, 
we  may  even  be  allowed  to  suppose  that  C  is  not  a  direct  copy  from 
MS.  Z,  but  from  an  intermediate  MS.  Y  which  has  also  been  lost. 

X 


II.   The  MSS.  H  and  A. 

The  case  here  is  very  much  the  same  as  in  the  foregoing 
paragraph.  The  nearly  complete  parallelism  of  the  text,  which  on 
the  whole  is  well  preserved,  forces  us  to  assume  a  common  original ; 
the  more,  when  we  consider  that  certain  more  or  less  delicate  traces 
of  the  peculiarities  in  the  original  spelling  are  preserved  in  both 
MSS.  But  here  also  the  two  MSS.  are  independent  of  each  other. 

1.  H  cannot  be  derived  from  A,  because  it  is  just  a  hundred 
years  older  than  the  other.     Besides,  A  shows  a  certain  number  of 
individual  readings,  which  are  not  found  in  H. 

2.  westward  H]  estwarde  A. — 6.  taughtfe]]  taught  tho. — 20.  sle] 
sleth. — 23.  theyr]  hur. — 30.  affectiouii]  affectyons. — 43.  that]  om.— 
58.  herdest]  haddest. — 63.  to  encres]  tencresse  them. — 65.  the]  om.— 
115.  in]  of.— 118.  an]  om.— 131.  and]  and  to.— 155.  is]  is  I.— 165. 
diden  flee]  dyd  wend. — 230.  grete]  om. — 273.  rayle]  ryall. — 281. 
kyndenesses]  kyndnes. — 282.  the[e]]  om. — 284.  a]  om. — 295.  palme] 
pallis.— 299.  key]  kepe.— 318.  Tau]  chayne.— 329.  thurgh]  ouer.— 
354.  Callyng]  called.— 362.  thaleys]  paleys. 

3.  Nor  can  A  come  from  H :  the  peculiarities  of  Shirley's  spelling 
are  better  preserved  in  A  than  in  H ;  1.  236  is  omitted  in  H ;  further 
A  sometimes  has  the  better  reading  than  H. 

4.  in  A]  om.  H. — 62.  fyry]  fayre. — 103.   and]  at.— 144.   can] 
om. — 153.   and]   and  the.— 202.   heringe  of  tales]   tales  heryng.— 
224.  them]  om.— 232.  heued]  om. — 236.  om.  H. — 302.  ascencyon] 


§  3.  Genealogy  and  Criticism  of  the  Texts.  xix 

Kedempcioun. — 313.  whoo]  om. — 344.  For]  ffrom. — 346.  Is]  It  is. — 
351.  fat]  om. 

It  is  impossible  to  believe  that  A  in  these  cases  should  have,  of 
itself,  found  the  true  reading,  considering  the  long  list  of  inferiorities 
above,  where  A  always  ranks  secondarily  to  H.  At  last,  two  in 
themselves  insignificant  faults  of  A  seem  to  me  very  interesting. 
1.  334  A  writes:  palegorye,  whereas  H  has:  the  Allegorye ;  again, 
in  1.  362  A :  paleys,  H  thaleys.  I  think  it  is  evident  that  Stowe 
would  not  have  misread  H,  but  he  must  have  had  a  MS.  before  him, 
where  the  old  J>  was  used :  now  ]?  is  one  of  Shirley's  predilections. 

III.   The  MSS.  taken  as  bases. 

The  foregoing  discussion  of  the  genealogy  of  the  MSS.  has 
proved  that,  1.  in  both  cases  we  have  not  the  original;  2.  in  each 
case  which  of  the  MSS.  is  preferable :  In  c  and  H  the  number  of 
better  readings  outweighs  the  faults ;  moreover,  both  are  older  than 
C  and  A,  so  I  took  them  as  the  bases  of  my  texts. 

The  introduction  and  the  first  two  stanzas  of  the  c-version  are 
taken  from  C,  not  being  found  in  c.  I  need  not  say  that  I  profited 
by  C  and  A  to  correct  the  errors  of  c  and  H. 

Every  deviation  from  the  MSS.  taken  as  bases  is  indicated. 
Square  brackets  are  used  to  supply  omissions  of  words,  syllables,  and 
letters.  Where  it  was  not  possible  to  use  brackets,  I  marked  the 
altered  word,  or  the  first  of  a  group  of  words,  by  an  asterisk.  In  all 
cases  the  reading  of  c  or  H  is  each  time  noted  at  the  bottom  of  the 
page.  Abbreviations  are  expanded  in  the  usual  way  (italics)  ;  about 
n  compare  §  2 ;  underlined  proper  names  in  H  are  printed  in 
heavy  type.  Various  readings  of  C  and  A,  so  far  as  they  represent 
variations  of  meaning,  are  given  at  the  bottom  of  the  page.  Mere 
orthographical  or  phonetic  variations  of  no  interest  are  neglected,  the 
peculiarities  of  the  scribes  being  discussed  at  large  in  §  2.  About 
the  caesural  pause,  compare  Description  of  MS.  H,  p.  xv  above. 
The  tags  to  d,  f,  g,  r  are  not  printed. 

The  entire  punctuation  is  mine.—/1,  at  the  beginning  of  the 
lines,  is  replaced  by  F.  As  it  is  often  very  difficult  to  say  whether 
the  letter  standing  in  the  MS.  is  a  capital  or  not,  I  have  introduced 
capitals  regularly  at  the  beginning  of  a  line,  and  in  proper  names. 
The  indefinite  article,  certain  adverbs,  or  other  short  words  are  often 
joined  to  the  word  following  them ;  these  I  have  separated.  On 
the  contrary,  words  separated  by  the  scribe  are  joined  by  hyphens. 


xx  §  4.  The  Metre. 

§  4.   THE   METRE.  , 

"In  many  cases  it  is,  hoivever,  impossible  to  classify  a  line  ..." 

Schick,  T.  G.,  p.  lix. 

1.    Structure  of  the  Verse. 

The  metrical  form  of  the  poems  is  the  Rhyme  Royal  (Schipper, 
Englische  Metrik,  I,  §  196;  Schick,  T.  G.,  p.  liv),  seven-line 
stanzas  of  five-beat  lines,  with  the  sequence  of  rhymes  a  b  a  b  b  c  c. 
In  the  first  poem  we  find  st.  34  with  the  sequence  ababbac',  in 
the  second  one  st.  18  and  st.  54  are  six-line  stanzas  with  the  rhymes 
a  b  a  b  c  c;  st.  20  is  an  eight-line  stanza  with  a  b  a  b  b  b  c  c. 

Following  Prof.  Schick's  system  in  his  T.  G.,  p.  Ivii  ff.,  we  have 
five  varieties  of  verse. 

Type  A.  "  The  regular  type,  presenting  five  iambics,  to  which, 
as  to  the  other  types,  at  the  end  an  extra  syllable  may  be  added. 
There  is  usually  a  well-defined  caesura  after  the  second  foot,  but  not 
always" 

I.  Poem. 

15.  Commandyng  the/m  //  to  here  wyth  tenderne"sse 

17.  Whos  songe  and  deth  //  declared  is  expresse 

19.  But  notheles  //  considred  the  sentence 

21.  And  fleschly  lust  //  out  of  theyre  hertis  chace 

23.  In  prime-tens  //  renoueled  yere  be  yere 

40.  Gret  mervell  is  //  the  enduryng  of  hir  throte. 

Of  such  entirely  regular  lines  we  have  133.  Besides,  I  read  as 
of  type  A  98  lines  where  the  -e  in  the  caesura  was  surely  dropped 
in  Lydgate's  time,  especially  before  vowels ;  compare  Krausser, 
Complaint,  p.  14,  and  0.  Bischoff,  Englische  Studien,  xxv,  p.  339  : 

8.  Vn-t6  the  tyme  //  hyr  ladyly  goodnesse 

9.  Luste  for  to  call  //  vn-to  hyr  high  presence 
41.  That  her  to  here  //  it  is  a  second  heuen 
49.  But,  as  god  wold,  //  in  hast  y  was  Releued 

56.  Me  calde  ande  sayde  :  //  "  A-wake  &  Ryse,  for  shame 
67.  For  to  perceyue  //  with  all  my  diligence. 

In   the   following   examples   the    caesura   presents    a   particular 

interest  : 

Usual  caesura  after  the  arsis  of  the  1.  measure  :  11.  73,  297.1 
Lyric  caesura  after  the  thesis  of  the  3.  measure :  11.  45,  46,  74, 

108,  121,  129,  etc.  =  37  lines. 

3  For  the  usual  caesura  after  the  arsis  of  the  2.  measure  :  see  the  two  classes 
of  regular  lines  above. 


§  4.  The  Metre.  xxi 

Usual  caesura  after  the  arsis  of  the  3.  measure:  11.  12,  16-,  32, 
60,  84,  86,  etc.  =  20  lines. 

Lyric  caesura  after  the  thesis  of  the  4.  measure :  11.  53,  314,  341. 

Without  apparent  caesura :  11.  3,  47,  48,  52,  54,  57,  etc.  =  20 
lines. 

To  sum  up,  we  have  in  the  first  Poem  133  +  98  +  82  =  313 
lines  of  type  A,  or  7 6 '5  per  cent,  of  all  the  lines. 

II.  Poem. 

Entirely  regular  lines  :  85  examples. 

Regular  lines  with  mute  -e  in  the  caesura  :  79  examples. 

Usual  caesura  after  the  1.  measure :  1.  72. 

Lyric  caesura  after  the  thesis  of  the  2.  measure  :  11.  66,  106. 

[Usual  caesura  after  the  arsis  of  the  2.  measure :  all  the  regular 
lines.] 

Lyric  caesura  after  the  thesis  of  the  3.  measure:  11.  1,  4,  6,  13, 
17,  etc.  =  81  lines. 

Usual  caesura  after  the  arsis  of  the  3.  measure :  11.  221,  286, 
317,  351. 

Without  cassura:  11.  68,  115,  177,  180. 

Together  85  +  79  +  92  =  256  lines  of  the  type  A  or  68 
per  cent. 

Type  B.  "Lines  with  the  trochaic  caesura,  built  like  the  pre- 
ceding, but  ivith  an  extra-syllable  before  the  caesura" 

I.  Poem. 

26.  Phebiis  ascendyng,  //  clere  schynyng  in  hys  spere 
28.  And  lusty  seson  //  thus  newly  reconciled 
35.  Whych  in  her  seson  //  be  slepfe]  set  no  tale 
39.  Redly  rehersyng  //  her  leson  ay  be  rote 
65.  Expelling  clerly  //  all  wilfle  negligence 
71.  Ande  in  Aurora,  //  that  is  the  morowe  gray. 
65  lines  =  15 -5  per  cent. 

The  following  3  lines  present  special  difficulties,  wherefore  I  give 
them  scanned: 

[4.  The  Duches  of  Bdkyngham,1  //  and  6f  hur  excellence] 
30.  Vnt6  the  nourishing  //  of  euer^  creature2 
251.  Remembryng  specially  //  vp6n  this  6ure  of  prime. 

1  Compare  Shakspere's  Buckingham  =  Bucknam. 

2  Schleich,  Fabula,  1.  27 ;  Krausser,  Complaint,  1.  59. 


xxii  §  4.  The  Metre. 

II.  Poem:  39  lines  =  10  per  cent. 

Type  C.    "  The  peculiarly  Lydgatian  type,  in  ichich  the  thesis  is 
wanting  in  the  ccesura,  so  that  two  accented  syllables  clash  together." 

I.  Poem. 

31.  With-oute  whech  //  braynes  must  be  mad 
34.  Meueth  to  wach,  //  as  the  nyghtingale 
85.  Till  that  hyt  drogh  //  forther  of  the  day 

122.  Ande  how  grete  g6d,  //  of  his  endles  myght 

123.  Hath  heven  ande  yerth  //  f6rmed  with  a  th6ght 
127.  Hygh  or  loVe,  //  wheder-so-euer  thow  be. 

21  lines  =  5  per  cent. 
II.  Poem.     44  lines  =  12  per  cent. 

Compare  the  amount  of  this  type  in  The  Complaint  of  the  Black 
Knight,  1402-3  =  10  per  cent. 

Temple  of  Glas,  1403  =  3-5  per  cent. 

Hors,  Goose,  and  Sheep,  1436-40  =  6'2  per  cent. 

Nightingale,  I.  Poem,  1446  =  5  per  cent. 

Nightingale,  II.  Poem,    ?     =  12  per  cent. 

Type  D.     "  The  acephalous  or  headless  line,  in  which  the  first 
syllable  has  been  cut  off,  thus  leaving  a  monosyllabic  first  measure" 

I.  Poem. 

22.  Meued  of  C6rage  //  be  vertu  of  the  seson 

24.  Gladyng  euery  hert  //  of  veray  reson 

33.  Excepte  tho6  //  that  kyndely  nature 
131.  Saue  thy  soule,  //  or  elles  shalt  thou  smerte 
146.  Crist,  consyderyng  //  the  gret  captyuyte 
254.  Pounce  Pylat^  //  that  luge  was  of  the  lawe. 

11  lines  =  2*5  per  cent. 
With  epic  caesura  (as  in  type  B) :  4  examples. 
With  usual  caesura  after  the  arsis  of  the  2.  measure  :  6  examples. 
With  usual  caesura  after  the  arsis  of  the  3.  measure  :  1.  24. 

II.  Poem.     38  lines  =  10  per  cent. 
With  epic  caesura  (as  in  type  B) :  4  examples. 
With  usual  caesura  after  the  arsis  of  the  2.  measure  :  16  examples. 
With  lyric  caesura  after  the  thesis  of  the  3.  measure  :  18  examples. 
Type  E.     "  Lines  with  a  trisyllabic  first  measure" 
Lines  of  this  type  occur  but  in  the  I.  Poem  3  =  0'5  per  cent. 
4.  See  type  B. 
13.  Of  the  nyghtyngale,  //  and  in  there  mynde  enbrace 


§  4.  The  Metre.  xxiii 

113.  Be  this  nyghtingale,  //  that  thus  freshly  can. 

The  following  list  will  show  the  proportion  of  the  types  in  both 

poems : 

I.  Poem.  II.  Poem. 

Type  A  76*5  per  cent.  68  per  cent. 

„     B  15-5       „  10       „ 

j,     C  5  ,,  12      ,, 

„     D  2-5         „  10      „ 

,,     E  0-5         „  —      „ 

The  proportion  of  the  different  kinds  of  caesuras  is  as  follows  : 

I.  Poem.  II.  Poem. 

Usual  caesura  68  per  cent.  60  per  cent. 

Epic        „  17       „  12       „ 

Lyric      „  10       „  27       „ 

Caesura  wanting  5       „  1       ,. 

Compare  Krausser,  Complaint,  p.  16,  17,  and  Degenhart,  HOTS, 
p.  35.  Some  lines  exhibit  the  peculiarities  of  two  types  at  the  same 
time,  as  in  the  first  poem  1.  4  of  B  and  E,  1.  113  of  C  and  E  and  1. 
127  of  C  and  D ;  in  the  second  1.  83  also  of  C  and  D. 

Inverted  accent  is  found  in  the  first  poem  in  29  lines  (7  per  cent.) 
and  in  the  second  in  37  lines  (10  per  cent.);  again  24  (=  83  per 
cent.)  of  those  29  lines  have  it  in  their  first  measure,  of  the  37  lines 
of  the  second  poem  25  or  70  per  cent,  have  it  at  their  very  beginning. 
Double  thesis  may  nearly  always  be  read  by  slurring  over  without 
injuring  the  flow.  The  one  line  251  of  the  first  poem  makes  an 
exception,  and  perhaps  11.  195,  197  :  Fro  morow  to  nyght .  .  . 

The  absence  of  thesis  I  observed  in  11.  38,  397  of  the  first  poem. 

Hiatus  is  very  often  found.  In  the  c-version  in  81  lines,  in  the 
H-version  in  65  lines. 

Synizesis,  elision,  syncope,  etc.  also  occur  very  often  in  both 
poems.  I  only  mention,  as  being  of  particular  interest,  11.  137,  138 
of  the  second  poem:  This  is  he  .  .  .  =  This'  he;  comp.  Schick, 
T.  G.,  p.  lix;  Krausser,  Complaint,  p.  15,  1.  241. 

Slight  traces  of  alliterative  traditions  also  occur  in  our  poems 
(compare  ten  Brink,  §  334  ff.;  McClumpha,  The  Alliteration  of 
Chaucer.  Diss.  Leipzig.  1888;  Triggs,  Assembly,  p.  xx ;  Krausser, 
Complaint,  pp.  17,  18;  Morrill,  Speculum  Gy  de  Warewyke,  p. 
cxlvii).  However,  I  rather  doubt  that  any  system  is  to  be  observed ; 
only  poetical  formulas  like  the  following  ones  may  have  been  used 
by  Lydgate  more  or  less  intentionally  : 

c :  Eedly  rehersyng  39,  melodiouse  and  mery  42,  slombre-bed  of 


xxiv  §  4.  The  Metre. 

slouth  &  sleep  57,  my  myrthes  ande  my  melodye  74  (104),  to  hyrt 
then  hele  154,  vice  ande  vertu  214,  bareyne  .  .  .  and  bare  245,  salf 
thy  sore  319,  woo  or  wele  320,  soth  to  say  341,  bemys  bright 
391,  etc. 

H  :  Rowes  Rede  3,  downe  nor  daale  9,  notes  mi  we  15,  ful  fay  re 
and  fressh  46,  Bathed  in  bloode  136,  rekeii  or  remembre  189,  shoone 
so  sheene  194,  poynaunt  as  poysouii  201,  Beten  and  bonched  206, 
sores  for  to  sounde  268,  trouble  and  tribulaciouii  347,  calle  and  crye 
356,  etc. 

2.  The  Rhyme, 
a.  Quality  of  the  Rhymes. 

Most  of  the  rhymes  we  find  are  pure,  so  that  they  would  agree 
with  Chaucer's  system.  Therefore  I  have  taken  this  as  the  standard, 
and  confine  myself  to  pointing  out  only  the  differences.  In  both 
poems  we  find  some  peculiarities  such  as  occur  in  Lydgate's  works 
(Schick,  T.  G.,  p.  Ix). 

p-  and  o-rhymes  (ten  Brink,  §  31 ;  Bowen  in  Englische  Studien, 
xx,  p.  341)  : 

Inc:  don  148  (p.p.  O.E.  $ed6n),  Anqne  150  (O.E.  onan). 

In  H:  also,  366  (O.E.  ealswa),  herto  368  (O.E.  her-to). 

Doubtful  is  the  rhyme :  stoole  141  (KE.  stole),  stoole  143  (KE. 
stool).  The  first  stoole  is  Lat.  stola  (OTO\T));  O.E.  stole  is,  I  sup- 
pose, not  absolutely  impossible  (compare  coc  :  coquum,  scol  :  scola, 
etc.),  but  modern  English  stole  =  stoul.  Kluge  in  Paul's  Grundriss, 
i.  931,  has  stole,  Sweet,  Student's  Dictionary  of  Anglo-Saxon,  stole. 
The  second  stoole  is  surely  O.E.  stol. 

£-  and  e-rhymes  : 

In  c:  natiuite  160,  sl§  161  (inf.,  O.E.  slean);  Trinite  289,  thre 
291  (O.E.  ]>reb),  Se?  292  (O.E.  s&). 

In  H:  free  328  (O.E.  freo),  See  329  (O.E.  sie). 

In  c,  the  rhyme  here  111,  344  (inf.,  O.E.  heran) — were  112  (opt. 
pt.,  O.E.  wsere)  and — were  346  (pt.  pi.,  O.E.  w&ron)  is  probably 
pure,  as  the  Anglian  form  of  were  is  were,  weron.  In  Chaucer  it 
rhymes  but  in  a  few  cases  with  e,  generally  with  $  (ten  Brink,  §  25). 

A  good  many  clieap  rhymes  are  found.  Suffixes  rhyming  with 
each  other,  e.  g.  in  c :  -ence  2-4-5,  65-67-68,  -ure  30-32-33 ;  in 
H:  -aunce  16-18-19,  -acioun,  -oun  198-200-201,  -acle  317-319- 
320.  Further  e.  g.  in  c:  conceyue  134,  deceyue  136;  precede  155, 
succede  157  ;  born  156,  for-born  159 ;  displese  230,  plese  231 ;  in  H: 


§  4.  The  Metre.  xxv 

dismembre  72,  membre  74,  Remembre  75 ;  observe  107,  conserve 
109;  heede  83,  flesshlyhede  84.  About  the  rhymes,  in  c  hele  317 
(subst.),  hele  319  (verb),  and  in  H  stoole  141,  stoole  143  compare 
ten  Brink,  §  330.  Once,  in  c,  we  have  the  same  word  rhyming  with 
itself :  age  11.  298  and  299.  Double  forms  occur  of  the  verb  to  die  : l 
The  infinitive  deye  rhymes  H  178  with  w&y  176  (dat.  sg.)  as  well 
as  c  107  the  preterit  singular  deyede  with  signifiede  109  and  notified 
110.  The  same  verb  occurs  in  the  rhyme  e.  g.  c.  11.  75,  91,  166.  eye 
(pi.)  c.  1.  100  rhymes  with  melodie  102  and  sodenlye  103. 

b.  Number  of  rhyming  syllables. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  we  have  monosyllabic  or  strong 
rhymes  in  c:  29-31,  36-38,  43-45,  etc.;  in  H:  20-21,  30-32-33, 
55-56,  etc.,  and  dissyllabic  or  weak  rhymes  in  c:  2-4-5,  6-7,  8-10, 
etc.;  in  H :  15-17,  16-18-19,  22-24,  etc.  Note  the  weak  rhymes 
in  c:  seson  22,  reson  24,  and  seson  58,  reson  60,  encheson  61.2  To 
the  far  greater  number  of  lines  we  can  rigorously  apply  Chaucer's 
standard  for  preserving  the  final  -e,  representing  the  different  vowels 
of  the  old  full  endings.  We  shall  find  but  a  comparatively  limited 
number  of  cases  which  will  not  agree  with  it. 

There  is  first  a  very  considerable  number  of  -i,  -ze-rhymes  (ten 
Brink,  §  327;  Gattinger,  p/74  ff.).  In  the  Temple  of  Glas — about 
1403 — no  example  of  that  kind  of  rhyme  is  found;  in  the  Black 
Knight  (1402-3)  there  are  3,  in  Horse,  Goose,  and  Sheep  (1436-40) 
none.  (Compare  Deutsche  Litter atur-Zeitung,  1901,  33,  p.  2074  ff.). 
Inc.-  ocy  90,  dye  91  (inf.). 

eye  100  (pi.),  melodie  102,  sodenlye  103. 
crye  163  (O.Fr.  cri),  richly  165,  dye  166  (inf.). 
perfytly  282,  multiplie  284  (inf.),  viciously  285. 
In  H :  sky  2  (O.K  sky),  melodyfe]  4,  Armonye  5. 

melody  [e]  13,  occy  14. 
Other  examples  are  as  follows  : — 
In  c:  presence  9,  -tens  11  (O.Fr.  temps),  sentensce  12. 
sense  16  (O.Fr.  sens),  eloquence  18,  sentence  19. 
a-yeyn  226,  payne  228,  restreyne  229  (inf.). 
lawe  254  (dat.  sg.),  to-drawe  256  (p.p.),  sawe  257  (3.  sg.  pt;). 
a-wayte  302  (O.Fr.  await),  bayte  304  (O.K  beita). 
ys  331,  mysse  333  (inf.),  blisse  334  (dat.  sg.). 

1  Schick,  T.  G.,  p.  Ixi. 

a  Compare  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii.  xiv. :  geson  9,  seson  11,  treson  12.  Ibid. 
vii.  vii. :  reson  142,  seson  144. 


xxvi  §  5.  The  Language. 

delite  352  (O.Fr.  delit),  quite  354  (inf.),  appetite  355  (O.Fr. 

appetit). 
Doubtful:  tendernesse  15,  expresse  17. 

diuine  184  (O.Fr.  divin),  declyne  186  (inf.),  matutyne  187. 

none  380  (dat.  sg.),  don  382  (p.p.),  sone  383  (O.E.  sona). 
In  H :  messangier  44  (O.Fr.  messager),  chiere  46  (O.Fr.  chiere), 
here  47. 

apparaile  272  (O.Fr.  appareil),  rayle  273  (inf.). 

telle  295  (inf.),  Danyell  297. 

nature  373  (O.Fr.  nature),  pure  375  (O.Fr.  pur). 
Doubtful:  forsoke  160  (pi.),  tooke  161  (sg.). 

§  5.    THE  LANGUAGE.1 

A.    DECLENSION. 

1.  Substantives.     Strong  Masculines  and  Neuters. 

Nom.  and  A cc.  without  ending,  but  in  H  wey[e]  350  (inorganic, 
see  Schick,  T.  G.t  p.  Ixv ;  Krausser,  Complaint,  p.  21 ;  Speculum 
Gy  de  Warewyke,  ed.  by  G.  Morrill,  p.  clxix ;  Pilgr.,  11.  74.  4606).— 
it-stem :  sone  277. 

Genitives  in  es :  in  c :  lordes  328,  lyues  408. — Dissyllable  in  es  : 
someres  36. 

In  H:  sones  24,  briddes  51,  76,  briddis  55,  59,  64. 

Datives  in  e:  in  c:  slepfe]  35. — 2nd  yere  (?)  23. 

In  H :  the  following  doubtful  examples :  daale  9,  wey  176, 
morwe  344  (or  morow). — ja-stem  :  hewe  121. 

In  all  other  examples  without  ending. 
Plural  in  es  : 

In  c:  1.  masc.:  bemes  93,  bemys  391,  othes  171,  lordes  323; 
theves  0)  366,  375.— But  angels  125. 

2.  neutr.:  braynes  31,  cloudes  94,  thinges  124,  173,  folkes  356; 
yeres    (?)  247. — Besides  we   find  :    childre    311    (elision)    and   two 
examples  of  the  old  plural  without  ending  :  thing  260  and  folk  279. 

In  H:  1.  masc.:  fowlis  4,  theves  174,  thornes  191,  stones  330.— 
i-stem :  witte's  184. — Dissyllables  in  es :  loVers  17,  63  ;  besides  : 
showres  338  (rh.  paramours  340). 

2.  neutr.:  grassis  39,  folkes  266,  sores  268. — in  es  :  folkes  204. 
—in  en  :  children  328. 

1  On  the  principles  followed  in  this  paragraph,  compare  Schick,  T.  G.t 
p.  Ixiv  and  Ixv,  note  2. 


§  5.  The  Language.  xxvii 

One  example  of  the  old  plural :  folk  89. 
Strong  Feminities. 

Nom.  Neither  of  the  poems  has  any  example  with  sounded  e, 
there  are  but  disputable  cases  : 

In  c :  goodnesse  8  (ten  Brink,  §  207,  2),  queene  62. 

In  H:  qwene  35,  synne  70,  sorwe  181  (or  s6row). 

Genitives:  loue's  c.  14  and  mankynde  H.  323. 

Dat.  and  Ace.     The  ending  is  preserved  : 

In  c :  worlde  48. — In  some  cases  it  is  doubtful  whether  the  e  was 
pronounced  or  not :  lustynesse  10,  tale  35,  shame  56,  swetnesse  89, 
ryght-wisnesse  204,  wrechednesse  206,  synne  212,  snare  244,  sake 
266,  youth  272,  reuth  372,  trewth  374,1  mynde  378,  tyde  389. 
But  there  are  many  examples  where  the  e  was  evidently  mute  :  loue 
20,  tyde  102,  synne  118,  helle  126,  144,  byrth  169,  sothfastnes  184, 
world  210,  278,  soule  244,  315,  334,  wonde  319,  rode  364. 

In  H:  love  29,  68,  sake  110,  blisse  243,  synne  279  ;  but  downe 
9,  myght  31,  love  35,  96,  109,  hede  98,  368,  worlde  349.  Doubtful 
cases  are  love  43,  honde  64,  synne  70,  reklesnes  90,  kyndenesse  91, 
sake  97,  mone  157,  mekenesse  225,  clennesse  227,  wounde  270, 
boote  323,  sorwe  346  (or  sorow). 

Plural  in  es. 

In  c:  handes  255,  soules  303,  396,  tydes  341 ;  myrthes  (?)  74. 

In  H:  Eowes  3,  woundis  113,  287,  synnes  183,  223,  tales  202, 
handis  240,  gyftes  245,  kyndenesses  281;  handis  114,  208.  The 
old  form  of  the  Dat.  PI.  is  preserved  in  H  310  Whilom. 

Weak  Nouns. 
1.  Masculines. 

Nom.  wele  c.  153  and  bowe  H  24  are  doubtful;  the  e  was 
certainly  mute  in  :  nek  c.  255. 

Genit.  in  es:  Crabbes  H  1. 

Dat.  and  Ace.  No  conclusive  example  of  sounded  e,  all  the 
examples  being  dubious  :  in  c:  tyme  80,  197,  242,  smert  223,  wele 
320  ;  but  tyme  382. 

In  H:  mone  (?)  48,  tene  (?)  193. 

Plural.  In  c  occurs  but  sterres  283  and  feres  (?)  249 ;  in  H  : 
stems  38,  dropes  150;  but  dropes  121. 

1  Compare  Skeat,  Chaucer:  V.  Tr.  1385-6,  and  I.  Book  of  the  Duchesse,  97-8. 


xxviii  §  5.  The  Language. 

2.  Feminities. 

Nom.  Again  no  conclusive  example  of  sounded  e.  In  c  nyghtyn- 
gale  337,  393  are  doubtful ;  but  herte  47  and  sunne  390. 

In  H :  iiyghtyngale  (1)  355. — lady  as  vocative  occurs  20,  24,  30. 

Gen.  in  es :  hertis  c.  62. 

Dat.  and  Ace.  In  c:  in  e:  the  single  herte  138;  the  others 
disputable  :  nyghtingale  34,  throte  40,  hert  128,  397  (enumeration), 
smert  223,  hele  317,  side  387.  Certainly  e  have  hert  52,  270,  295, 
syde  236. 

In  H:  nyghtyngale  11,  side  26,  114,  164,  hert  95,  smert  96, 
pride  233,  almesse  241,  all  dubious  ;  in  e,  with  certainty,  erth  215. 

Plural  in  es :  hertis  c.  21  and  sides  H  273,  305. 

3.  Neuters. 
Plural:  eye  (?)  c.  100.— len  H  194. 

Root-stems. 

In  Hvre  find  the  two  old  plural  forms :  feete  114,  210,  283  and 
men  209,  299.  Besides  there  occur  : 

Gen. :  in  c:  fad  res  183,  but  mannes  261. 

In  H:  mannes  97, 110,  169,  193,  197,  230,  357,  365;  faders  274. 

Plural:  in  H:  bookes  331  ;  fiendes  317. 

Gen. :  in  H:  feendis  286,  294. 

!N"ote:  crysten-man  /  Soule  c.  115/0. 

Romance  Nouns}- 

Singular :  We  have  the  French  -e  preserved  :  in  c :  peple  285, 
tierce  342 ;  in  H :  spouse  360.  Only  in  c  occur  (10)  cases  where 
the  -e  was  certainly  mute  :  grace  154,  voice  178,  vice  215,  luge  254, 
prime  268,  croun  312,  peyne  315,  tierce  337,  syxte  365,  378. 

Polysyllables,  with  the  accent  thrown  back,  have  -e :  in  c  : 
pr^nses  1,  C6rage  22,  nature  46,  75,  richesse  164,  etc.  (11.  180,  182, 
213,  219,  257,  263,  265,  329,  354);  also:  melodye  104.— in  H: 
nature  6,  sentence  56,  foly  60,  maner  70,  custom  107,  siifrraimce 
144,  f/naunce  147,  malice  288 ;  also :  melody  13. 

Plural:  in  es :  in  c:  notes  66,  69,  83,  87,  338,  peynes  314,  373, 
prynces  323,  ages  351,  scornes  368. — in  H :  notes  15,  354,  twncs 
36,  floures  40,  118,  peynes  210,  clerkis  295. 

Polysyllables  have  -es,  when  the  accent  is  thrown  back  :  in  c  : 

1  In  order  to  avoid  a  rather  too  big  number  of  doubtful  examples,  I  enumer- 
ate here  only  the  unquestionable  cases. 


§  5.  The  Language.  xxix 

galantus  11,  267,  boffettes  255,  cites  291,  tormented  367,  but:  dis- 
ciples 189.— in  H:  a.cciisours  139,  vertues  142,  but:  Emerawdes  34. 

II.  Adjectives. 

ja-  (and  i-}  stems:  in  c:  grene  (?)  63  (obi.) — in  H:  1.  sg.: 
triewe  69  (obi.);  newe  (1)  123  (ace.),  swoote  (?)  325  (ace.);  deere  (?) 
360  (voc.);  grene  359  (obi.)  rhyming  with:  clene  361  (voc.). 
2.  pi.:  grene  (?)  34,  kene  (?)  191;  nuwe  15  rhyming  with: 
vntriewe  17. 

The  other  adjectives  have  lost  their  inflexion  in  the  singular. 
There  are  but  two  examples  to  be  mentioned :  in  c :  bare  (?)  245 
(ace. ;  see  ten  Brink,  §  231  ;  rhyming  with :  snare  (?)  244  (obi.) ; 
comp.  Skeat,  Chaucer,  II,  Tr.  I.  662).— in  H:  grete(?)  242  (ace.). 

Plural:  Inc:  derk[e]  95;  glade  (?)  69,  kynde  (?)  377. 

In  H:  white  (?)  40,  vnkynde  (?)  106,  218,  smale(?)  354. 

In  all  the  other  cases  e. 

The  iveakform  of  the  adjective  occurs  : 

1.  After  the  definite  article. 

In  c:  Ded[e]  292  ;  but :  myghty  3,  gostly  16,  lusty  58,  gret  146, 
234,  holy  403. 

In  H:  same  11,  sharp[e]  61,  grete  67,  91(2),  high[e]  309,  Kede 
329,  Right[e]  350;  white  (?)  153  (pi.);  but:  bawmy  39,  grete  67, 
renomed  148,  holy  221,  clowdy  322. 

2.  After  a  demonstrative  pronoun. 

In  c:  this  same  73;  but :  this  same  223,  This  (That)  hygh  148, 
383,  that  (This)  gret  208,  298. 
No  examples  in  H. 

3.  After  a  possessive  pronoun. 

In  c:  hyr  ladyly  8,  hyr  high  9,  his  endles  122,  thy  (your) 
wor[l]dly  132,  153,  Their  filthi  288,  theire  besy  353. 

In  H :  oure  grete  99,  his  faire  114,  myn  owne  206,  My  fayre 
360;  but:  his  holy  124,  His  blessyd  127,  249,  256,  His  hevenly 
130,  his  holy  240,  thyn  old  342. 

4.  Before  proper  names. 

In  c:  fresh[e]  May  25;  but:  All-myghty  Ihesu  334,  synfle 
Dathan  348. 

In  H:  seynt  lohn  124,  164,  258,  worthy  Moyses  327,  worthy 
David  331. 


xxx  §  5.  The  Language. 

5.  Before  a  vocative. 

In  c:  welthy  152,  synfull  190,  316,  lusty  267,  wrecched  316, 
myghty  323. 

In  H:  vnkynde  creature  182,  but:  vnkynd  103,  synful  337. 

Romance  Adjectives. 

These  generally  keep  their  forms. 

In  c:  strong:  humble  2,  181;  stable  281  rhyming  with:  in- 
nvmerable  283 ;  veray  24,  curious  76,  etc. — weak :  noble  6,  propre 
55,  tendre  247 ;  amerouse  12,  troblus  48,  etc. 

In  H :  strong :  noble  318;  purpure  121,  perfite  238,  etc. — weak: 
humble  145  ;  purpure  253,  mortal  352,  etc.  The  only  exception  is  : 
his  cliere  H.  321  (ten  Brink,  §  242). 

Plural :  In  c :  fals[e]  375 ;  clere  (?)  53 ;  in  all  other  cases  we 
have  the  unchanged  French  forms  :  Desyrous  12,  sure  326,  etc. 

In  H:  false  17  ;  cliere  (?)  36,  362,  serpentyne  (?)  315  ;  the  other 
forms  are  unchanged  :  fieble  186  ;  vicious  266,  etc. — Weak  forms  in 
the  plural  do  not  occur. 

III.  Numerals.— Cardinals. 

Inc.-  one  (follows:  of)  167  (obi.);  to  375,  Bothe  114,  335,  349 ; 
thre  291 ;  six  124 ;  seuen  205  ;  viii  209. 

In  H:  oone  19  (obi.  sg.),  none  71,  125,  etc.  (ace.  sg) ;  two  81, 
tweyne(?)  174,  240  (comp.  Schleich,  Fabula,  p.  xlviii),  bothfe]  81,1 
both  153,  344;  fyve  334  (before  a  noun),  fyve  (?)  184,  287,  330 
(after  a  n.),  fyve  118  (after  a  n.),  335  (before  a  n.),  fyve  113,  115 
(in  the  caesura) ;  seven  223  ;  Fourty  231. 

Ordinals:  In  c:  first  121,  199  (follows:  oure);  161  (adv.; 
in  the  cassura);  third  278,  299  (both  followed  by:  age).— />*#": 
first  120,  367  (adv.). 

IV.  Pronouns. 

The  same  as  in  Chaucer.  Therefore  we  mention  only  the  following 
forms : 

In  c:  hem  354  (C.  theym),  theym  15,  263,  305;  theyr :  in  all 
cases ;  al :  invariable  in  all  cases  ;  vch  143,  236. 

In  H:  theym  20,  them  26  (224  and  236  are  taken  from  A),  hym 
(=  hem)  117,  282,  hem :  in  all  other  cases  (A  has  "them"  through- 
out but  1.  7  after  :  drought) ;  theyr  :  in  all  cases ;  all :  invariable,  but 
alle(?)  183  (pi.;  rhyming  with:  apalle  185);  eche  187;  thilk[e]  97; 
— g.  pi.:  alre(??)  92. 

1  See  also  note  to  this  line. 


§  5.   The  Language.  xxxi 

V.  Adverbs. 

In  e :  in  c  :  With-oute  31,  361 ;  hye  (?)  72,  307,  324  ;  expresse  (?) 
17;  more(?)  209,  a-twynne  (?)  214.  Surely:  longe  81,  sore  331, 
333;  when  92,  144,  sone  148,  189,  more  238,  a-fore  242,  253.— 
In  H:  Withouten  21,  27,  179,  allone  160,  betwene  174;  blyve  (?) 
186,  behynde(?)  220  ;  surely  :  wrong  57. 

In  es:  in  c:  nedes  29,  157,  (in,  to)  myddes  97,  99,  339,  340, 
359,  elles  131,  322  ;  but :  nedes  181,  elles  206.— in  H :  Towardes  2, 
oones  213. 

Besides  numerous  adverbs  on  -ly. 

VI.    Composition. 

In  c :  prime-tens  23,  day[e]-rowes  54,  slombre-bed  57 ;  kyndely 
33.  In  H:  hert[e]-bloode  112;  kyndenesse  91,  inekenesse  232; 
triew[e]ly  56. 

In  the  other  examples  we  have  :  in  c:  prime-tens  11 ;  godely  51, 
swetnesse  89,  endles  122,  133,  etc.;  in  H :  sperhed  158  ;  gretely  3  ; 
falsehede  28,  mekenesse  225,  etc. 

B.    CONJUGATION. 

Infinitives.  In  both  poems  the  number  of  examples  with  un- 
doubtedly sounded  e  is  very  small.  We  find  in  c:  endure  81,  hele 
223,  thenke  232,  suffre  261,  264,  266  (but :  suffre  399),  perceyve 
271 ;  in  H:  wexen  120,  136,  susteyne  131,  suwen  163,  make  279, 
save  306,  reherse  335,  taken  337,  Eeleve  378. 

Much  larger  is  the  number  of  forms  with  mute  e,  e.  g. :  in  c  : 
tabide  84,  deseuer  167,  dye  168,  remord  190,  thenke  192,  folow  195, 
lye  222,  etc.  (26  examples);  in  H :  herken  13,  take  16,  marke  26, 
wounde  26,  se  49,  pay  99,  seen  127,  etc.  (29  examples).  The  drop- 
ping of  n  is  proved  by  the  rhyme  in  :  dye  c.  91  (rhyming  with  :  ocy 
c.  90),  sle  c.  161  (rhyming  with  :  natiuite  c.  160),  mysse  c.  333 
(rhyming  with:  ys  c.  331);  flee  H  165  and  tee  H  166  (rhyming 
with:  me  H  163),  se  H  207,  237,  311,  367  (rhyming  with  French 
words  ending  in  -ite  and  tre  H.  208,  309). 

We  find,  15  times  in  c,  14  times  in  H,  infinitives  rhyming  with 
each  other ;  these,  as  well  as  about  35  doubtful  cases  in  c,  31  in  H, 
may  still  have  been  pronounced  in  Lydgate's  time  with  e,  e.  g. :  in  c  : 
dresse  1,  enbrace  13,  apere  25,  dye  75,  expresse  88,  here  111,  etc. ;  in  H: 
knowe  22,  abyde  23,  espye  28,  avaunce  63,  crye  105,  vnclose  113,  etc. 

Indicative  Present,  l.sg.:  inc:  gesse(?)  86. — In  H:  Eeherse(?) 
281;  trowe(?)  15,  calle(?)  363  (indecisive);  certainly:  cast  52. 

NIGHTINGALE.  G 


XXX11 


§  5.  The  Language. 


2.  sg. :  in  c:  vsest  171,  entrest  240  ;  but :  lyuest  172,  standest  (I) 
191.— In  H:  Takestow(?)  71. 

3.  sg.:   in  c:    Meueth  34,  seseth  37,  telleth  114,  oweth    116, 
endyth  199,  hateth  217,  be-tokeneth  278,  knokketh  325;   desireth 
225  rhyming  with  :  expyreth  227  ;  but :  loueth  46,  cometh  159,  per- 
seuereth  275;  contracted  forms  (ten  Brink,  §  186)  in  :  set  35,  a-byt 
275  (rhyming  with :  yit  277  and  hyt  278),  probably  in  :  biddeth  = 
bit  166,  perhaps  also  in:  rewardeth  357,  361. — In  H :  Betokenyth 
66,  Syngeth  72,  Streyneth  73,  peyneth  73,  meanyth  82,  takith  83, 
cryeth  106  ;  doubtful :  meanyth  56,  takith  65,  Resownyth  84  ;  but : 
Shakith  74,  qwakyth  74,  Callith  365,  366  ;  contracted  forms  occur 
in  :  list  345,  348. 

Plural:  in  c:  be-seche  411. — In  H:  passen  176,  dare  292; 
take(?)  98,pressen(?)  152,  trespas  (?)  204,  specific  (?)  331;  seen  292. 

Subjunctive:  in  c:  2.  sg.:  lust  174,  dye  (?)  198  ;  3.  sg.:  Luste  9. 
—In  H:  2.  sg.:  list  50,  advert  77,  ride  (?)  117  ;  3.  sg.:  list  207,  237, 
367,  beholde  311,  see  311. 

Imperative:  in  c:  couceyue  (?)  134,  wep  (?)  175;  but  certainly: 
Ryse  56,  Enprinte  128,  arme  129,  Saue  131,  let  138,  222,  etc.  (13 
examples);  plural:  Entendeth  363;  Beth  325;  but:  Let  268,  Re- 
streyne  270,  Call  327,  tlienk  335. — In  H:  considre  85,  remembre 
225,  gadre  341 ;  but  in  all  other  cases  e  :  sle  20,  bryng  21,  Let  26, 
Cherissh  30,  herkne  35,  Rise  49,  etc.  (22  examples). — Of  the  plural 
occurs  but  the  indecisive  form  :  Lift  177. 

Participle,  Present.  With  the  exception  of  :  langwisshyng  (?)  H 
29  (pi.;  rhyming  with:  bryng  31  (inf.)),  we  have  but  invariable 
forms  in  both  poems. 

Verbal  noun,  in  -ing :  in  c :  the  norishing  30,  the  enduryng  40, 
my  conny[n]ge  112,  the  begynny[n]g  121 ;  mornyng  70,  wepyng  163, 
connyng  177,  etc. — In  H :  the  mean  vug  13,  Thyn  vndrestondyng 
81,  hir  synggyng  83,  myn  heryng  185,  The  kepyng  258;  meanyng 
69,  Smellyng  186,  lokyng  197,  heringe  202,  towchyng  207,  mys- 
fotyng  209. 

Strong  Preterit.  "Ablaut"  as  in  Chaucer;  so  we  mention  but 
the  following  forms:  in  c:  sg.:  can  =  gan  136,  339,  395;  leep  59, 
Fell  126 ;  pi.:  can  =  gan  54,  ran  236,  came  279,  sank  290.— In  H: 
sg.:  can  =  gan  144  ;  lille  42;  pi.:  drough  7,  can  =  gan  19,  saugh 
125,  d[r]ewe  171,  Sawe  178,  shoone  194;  forsoke  160  rhyming 
with  :  tooke  161  (sg.). 

Weak  Preterit.     In  ed,  ed :   in  c:   sg.:   walked  61,  rome'd  64, 


§  5.  The  Language.  xxxiii 

cesed  88,  expired  107,  caused  137,  entered  161,  suffred  257,  321, 
Opened  349,  Thirled  387,  Ascended  402;  but:  conceyued  68, 
manaced  161,  swolowed  349.  Doubtful  are  the  following  forms  : 
rehersed  50,  deyede  107,  signified?.  109,  suffred  193,  315,  371, 
resemed  205,  cesed  233,  ailed  367,  died  371,  expired  388.— pi.  : 
offre'd  369 ;  enchesoned  84,  perysched  209,  passed  300 ;  presed  (?) 
236,  desyred  (?)  386. 

In  H:  sg.:  thrilled  128,  suffred  188,  199,  205,  242,  trespassed 
211,  offendid  213,  shewed  260,  hasted  261,  venqwisshed  336 ;  but : 
priked  62,  lyved  231.  Doubtful  is:  suffred  270. — There  occurs 
one  single  example  of  the  2.  person:  herdest  58. — pi.:  Keceyved 
314. 

In  de,  te,  de,  te.:  in  c:  seide  60,  sayd  73;  made  (?)  70,  179; 
thoght91,lust!86,  sent  403  ;  a-lyght(?)  96;  pi.  indecisive  :  set  312. 
— In  H:  taught[e]  6;  herde  36,  sayde  203,  Spradde  235,  made 
325,  328  ;  list  110,  past  248,  sty nt  324;  pi.  left  171,  173. 

Participle  Past.  Strong:  in  c:  vnderstonden  120,  eten  151, 
Taken  253,  298;  but:  ouerflow  212,  slayn  400.  Doubtful  are: 
born  156,  313,  for-born  159  rhyming  with:  be-forn  158,  taken 
188  rhyming  with:  for-saken  189,  to-drawe  256;  yeuen  397.— The 
sole  plural  form  :  bounde  255  is  indecisive. 

In  H :  stongen  95,  founde  141,  Bete'n  206 ;  doubtful  are : 
borne  8,  lorne  60,  founde  271 ;  Forsaken  170  and  spoken  202  (pi.); 
plural  besides  in  :  founde  218,  but  undecisive. 

Weak:  in  ed :  in  c:  declared  17,  considred  19,  renoueled  23, 
entred  45,  blessed  50,  formed  123,  etc.  (27  cases). — In  H:  -huwed  2, 
sugred  5,  callid  25,  gouerned  57,  Booted  69,  Steyned  135,  Blessyd 
143,  made  =  maked  298,  etc.  (17  cases). 

In  ed  (t):  in  c:  Meued  22,  herd  101,  brent  133,  past  239,  247, 
keept  248,  etc.  (10).  Doubtful  are  the  participles  rhyming  with  each 
other  as  :  exiled  27,  reconciled  28,  etc.,  or  with  preterits  as  :  notified 
110,  etc.— In  H:  Spreynt  121,  I-left  220  (compare:  I-blent  130, 
Imeynt  137),  Meynt  347.  Ehyming  are:  to-Rent  127,  spent  129, 
I-blent  130;  depeynt  134,  Imeynt  137,  atteynt  138. 

Polysyllables  and  contracted  forms :  in  c :  raueshed  52,  enlu- 
myned  95,  pvniched  237,  fynysched  274,  banyshid  383 ;  sprad  93, 
bent  255,  put  263,  hurt  318,  fed  409.—  In  H:  fulfilled  197;  Fret 
34,  sent  224,  sprad  298. 

About:  infecte  c.  1.  143  see  note  to  this  line. 


xxxiv  §  6.  The  Authorship. 

§  6.    THE   AUTHOESHIP. 

The  first  of  our  poems  is  cited  by  Tanner  as  'Philomela'  among 
Lydgate's  works.  In  his  Bibliotheca  Britannico-Hibernica  (1749), 
p.  491,  1.  11  f.  a.,  we  read : 

A  saying  of  the  nightingale  signifying  Christ :  Ad  Annam  duciss. 
Buckingh.  Pr.  pr.  prosa.  "It  is  seyd  that  the  nightingale"  Pr.  I. 
"  Go  lityll  .  .  .  prynces  dresse."  MS.  Cotton.  Caligula  A  II.  MS. 
C.  C.  C.  Oxon.  203. 

Besides  him,  only  Eitson  mentions  the  title  of  our  poems  in  his 
Bibliographia  Poetica  (1802),  but,  unfortunately,  he  has  rather  lost 
ground  since  the  publication  of  Dr.  Schick's  T.  G.  (see  p.  cxlviii  ff.).1 
In  his  long  list  of  Lydgate's  writings  Eitson  quotes  as  No.  213  : 

A  saying  of  the  nightingale  touching  Christ:  "In  lune  whan 
Titan  was  in  Crabbes  hede  "  (Caligula  A.  II.  $  the  Harley  MS.  2251}. 

And  indeed,  we  immediately  meet  with  his  incorrectness ;  for  the 
title  and  the  first  line  of  the  poem  he  cites  agree  only  with  H  (or  A ; 
but  this  he  apparently  was  not  aware  of).  As  to  c,  he  seems  to  have 
known  the  MS.  and  the  poem  as  one  of  Lydgate's  works,  but  after- 
wards, when  compiling  his  Bibliographia,  the  similar  subject  led  him 
astray,  and  he  forgot  that  neither  the  title  nor  the  beginning  of  the 
poem  was  the  same  as  in  H  (and  A). 

If  we  had  no  other  argument  than  this  statement  of  Eitson's  to 
bring  forward  in  favour  of  Lydgate's  authorship,  we  could  hardly 
venture  to  support  our  opinion.  But  Tanner's  judgment  is  much 
more  reliable,  and,  besides  his  authority,  the  internal  evidence  is,  as 
we  shall  see,  so  striking,  that  we  cannot  but  attribute  this  first  poem 
to  Lydgate.  As  the  poem  has  not  yet  been  printed,  we  need  not 
wonder  that  the  common  sources  like  Bale  and  Pits  do  not  mention  it. 

The  second  poem  is  acknowledged  as  one  of  the  monk's  works  by 
Stowe :  both  MSS.  got  their  titles  from  the  hand  of  this  chronicler, 
and  at  the  end  of  A  we  find  :  Of  this  Balade  Dan  lohn  Lydgate 
made  nomore.  This  testimony  of  Stowe  is  the  more  valuable,  as  it 
goes  back,  according  to  his  own  words  (see  §  2),  to  Shirley.  Then 
[1802]  again  we  may  refer  to  Eitson,  and,  at  last,  to  Warton-Hazlitt, 
iii,  53,  note  1  : 

"Lydgate  in  his  Philomela,  mentions  the  death  of  Henry  Lord 
Warwick,  who  died  in  1446.  MS.  Harl.  ibid.  (2251).  120.  fol.  255." 

Though  this  statement  about  Lord  Warwick  is  disputed,  as  we 

1  But  compare  also :  Brotanek,  Die  Englischen  Maskenspiele.     [  Wiener  Bei- 
irage  zur  Englischen  Philologie  xv.]  Wien,  1902,  p.  9. 


§  6.  The  Authorship.  xxxv 

shall  see  (compare  §  7),  the  notice  nevertheless  gives  evidence  that 
Warton  and  Hazlitt  considered  the  H-version  to  be  one  of  Lydgate's 
works. 

Examining  and  comparing  the  style  of  the  poems,  which  offers 
the  strongest  support  in  favour  of  Lydgate's  supposed  authorship,  I 
venture  to  remark  that  it  is  superfluous  to  cite  examples  from  H,  as 
all  said  about  c  may  also,  mutatis  mutandis,  be  applied  to  H. 

Firstly,  as  we  have  seen,  the  metre  in  c  is  the  same  as  in  H.  We 
have  o-  and  o-rhymes,  e-  and  ^-rhymes  (not,  however,  -ere  and  -ire- 
rhymes,  as  in  the  T.  G.,  p.  Ixi) ;  the  disregard  of  the  final  e  in  the 
rhymes  has  made  progress  ;  we  find,  e.  g.,  a  considerable  number  of  i- 
and  ie-  rhymes.  Other  licences  of  Lydgate  as  to  the  structure  of  the 
verse  exhibit  themselves  throughout  the  poem  (see  §  4 ;  especially 
type  C.),  so  that  we  are  fully  authorized  in  claiming  the  evidence  of 
the  metre  in  support  of  Lydgate's  authorship.  The  language,  in  the 
main,  shows  the  same  character  as,  for  instance,  the  language  of  the 
Temple  of  Glas,  Complaint  of  the  Black  Knight,  and  Horse,  Goose 
and  Sheep ;  compare  the  outlines  of  grammar  in  the  editions  of  Dr. 
Schick,  Dr.  Krausser,  and  Dr.  Degenhart. 

Again,  the  style  is  entirely  Lydgatian.  As  we  have  no  convinc- 
ing external  evidence,  we  may  be  allowed  to  draw  the  special  attention 
of  the  reader  to  the  peculiarities  of  Lydgate,  found  in  the  first  poem. 
When  we  compare  Dr.  Schick's  remarks  about  the  monk's  style 
(T.  G.y  p.  Ixxxiv  and  cxxxiv  ff. ;  see  also  Gattinger,  p.  70  ff.),  we 
must  say,  that — so  far  as  the  different  subject  does  not  exclude  com- 
parison— all  these  characteristics  are  to  be  observed  in  our  poem. 
The  very  beginning  of  the  poem  gives  us  an  argument : 

"  Go,  lityll  quay  ere,  .  .  .  ." — these  introductory  lines  are  entirely 
in  accordance  with  his  usage.  Not  only  are  the  ideas,  the  expres- 
sions used  in  that  stanza  nearly  all  found  in  his  envoys,  so  e.  g. : 
M.  P.  45,  48,  149 ;  Kk.  L,  f.  196  a;  T.  G.,  11.  13931-1403,  but  even 
the  characteristic  "  lityll "  is  not  wanting,  which  he  never  forgets,  be 
it  a  poem  of  35  or  35,000  lines  (Falls,  219  b  1).  Though  his 
favourite  request  "to  correct"  his  poem2  has  not  found  a  place  in 
this  very  first  stanza,  he  afterwards  cannot  conceal  his  self-depreciatory 
manner;  compare  11.  18,  88/9,  112,  177,  181,  182. 

Further,  the  astronomical  allusions,  11.  25,  26,  45,  92,  the  frame- 
work of  a  vision,  st.  7-15,  the  sleepy  poet,  1.  44,  the  season-motive, 
st.  4,  the  reference  to  his  real  or  supposed  source,  11.  108,  114,  238, 

1  See  note  to  this  line.         2  See  note  to  1.  1400  of  the  Temple  of  Glas. 


xxxvi  §  7.  The  Date. 

344,  the  use  of  Latin  and  foreign  words,  11.  308,  388  (see  Koppel, 
Laurent's  de  Premier/ait  und  lolin  Lydgate's  Bearbeitungen  von 
Boccaccio's  De  Casibus  Virorum  Illustrium.  Miinchen,  1885,  p.  40), 
all  these  points  are  quite  as  common  in  Lydgate's  works  as  are  the 
numerous  anacolutha  which  occur  in  this  short  poem ;  compare  st.  4, 
8,  9,  10,  13,  16,  20,  27,  34,  and  11.  412,  413. 

A  pretty  large  number  of  Lydgatian  stock  phrases  could  be 
gathered  from  our  poem ;  but  on  this  point  I  had  better  refer  the 
reader  to  Gattinger,  pp.  72,  73  and  Schleich,  Fabula,  p.  64  ff. 

In  respect  to  the  theological  matters,  for  instance,  Pride  the  chief 
sin,  etc.,  see  Triggs,  Assembly,  Literary  Studies,  10,  11,  and  the  notes 
to  our  two  poems. 

All  these  points,  I  think,  give  evidence  that  the  style  of  our  poem 
is  entirely  in  accordance  with  the  common  features  of  Lydgate's 
works.  Besides,  I  shall  give  in  the  notes  quotations  from  other 
poems  of  our  poet,  which  will  show  that  the  whole  atmosphere  of  the 
poem,  the  whole  range  of  ideas,  the  vocabulary,1  the  motives  and 
allegories  are  essentially  the  same  as  in  the  other  works  of  the  monk. 

§  7.    THE   DATE. 

The  first  stanza  of  the  c-version  contains  the  dedication  to  a 
Duchess  of  Buckingham,  which  allows  us  to  fix  the  date  of  the  first 
poem  pretty  exactly. 

Go,  lityll  quayere,  And  swyft  thy  prynses  dresse, 
Offringe  thyselfe  wyth  humble  reuerence 
Yn-to  the  ryght  hyghe  and  myghty  pryncesse, 
The  Duches  of  Bokyngham,  and  of  hur  excellence 
Besechinge  hyre,  that,  of  hure  pacyence, 
Sche  wold  the  take,  of  hure  noble  grace, 
Amonge  hyre  bokys  for  the  Asygne  A  place. 

As  the  compiler  of  the  index  of  MS.  C  rightly  points  out,  this 
Duchess  is  Anne,  daughter  of  Kalph  Nevill,  first  Earl  of  Westmor- 
land. Her  mother  was  the  Earl's  second  wife,2  loan  Beaufort, 
daughter  of  lohn  of  Gaunt  and  his  second  wife,  Katherine  Eoet, 
sister-in-law  (?)  to  Chaucer.3  She  married  Humphrey  Stafford,  who 
was  created  Duke  of  Buckingham  14  September,  1444  (D.  N.  B. 

1  e.  g.  adolescens  c  1.  267. 

2  He  m.  secondly,  before  3  Feb.  1397,  Joan  (formerly  Joan  Beaufort,  spinster), 
widow  of  Sir  Robert  Ferrers,  the  legitimated  dau.  of  John  (Plantagenet,  called 
"of  Gaunt"),  Duke  of  Lancaster,  by  Catharine,  da.  of  Sir  Payne  Roet. — Gr.  E.  C. 
Complete  Peerage,  viii.  111. 

3  See  Skeat,  CJiaucer  II,  p.  Ixix,  and  I,  p.  li,  §  43. 


§  7.  The  Date.  xxxvii 

liii,  p.  45 1).1     This  date  fixes  the  terminus  a  quo  to  the  last  months 
of  the  year  1444. 

We  are  fortunate  enough  to  find  another  allusion  in  our  poem 
which  allows  us  to  determine  the  date  more  closely :  st.  48,  11.  330- 
333  we  find  : 

A  myghty  prince,  lusty,  yonge,  &  fiers, 
Amonge  the  peple  sore  lamented  ys  : 
The  due  of  Warwyk ;  entryng  the  oure  of  tierce 
Deth  toke  hym  to  whom  mony  sore  shall  mysse. 
The  Duke  of  Warwick  who  is  mentioned  in  these  lines,  is  Henry 
Beauchamp,  Duke  of  Warwick  (from  April  5,   1444),  and  is  said 
(without  evidence)  to  have  been  King  of  Wight,  Jersey  and  Guern- 
sey2 from  1445.     The  date  of  his  death  is  disputed.     It  is  given 
as   June  11,  1445,   by   D.  N.  B.,    iv,   p.  28  b    and   the   Nouvelle 
Biographic  Generate,  p.  556 ;    but  neither  of  these,  nor  both  com- 
bined, can  stand  against  the  best  authority,  Mr.  G.  E.  Cokayne, 
who   in   his    Complete   Peerage,    viii.   59    (1898),  adopts   the   date 
given  by  Baker  in  his  Northamptonshire  ii.  219,  11  June  (1446), 
24  Hen.  VI.     This  is  confirmed  by  the  grant  of  Letters  of  Adminis- 
tration to  him  on  17  June  1447  at  Lambeth.     He  was  the  son  of 
Richard  Beauchamp,  Earl  of  Warwick,  d.  at  Rouen,  4  Oct.  1439, 
regent  of  France  during  the  absence  of  the  Duke  of  Bedford  (D.  N. 
B.  iv,  p.  29  a-31  a),3  and  brother-in-law  to   Eichard  Nevill,  who 
married  Anne,  Henry's  sister  and  heiress,4  in  whose  right  he  was 
created  afterwards  Earl  of  Warwick,  and  who  is  well-known  as  the 

1  In  the  Nouvelle  Biographic  Gtnerale,  vii,  p.  707,  however,  we  find  the 
notice :  En  1445,  ce  comte  [Buckingham]  passa  a  Ja  maison  de  Stafford,  dans  la 
personne  d'Edmond,  comte  de  Stafford,  qui  fut  fait  Due  de  Buckingham  1'annee 
suivante. 

2  "He  is  asserted  (Mon.  Aug.  ii.  63  ;  Leland's  Itinerary]  to  have  been,  also, 
crowned  King  of  the  Isle  of  Wight,  by  Henry  [VI],  but  for  this  (Coke,  kth 
Inst.,  p.  287  ;  Stubbs's  Const.  Hist.  iii.  433)  there  is  no  evidence  "  (Nat.  Biogr., 
in  an  article  written  by  J.  H.  Round)  ....  He  died  without  male  issue  at  his 
birthplace,  Hanley  Castle,  11  June,  1446.— G.  E.  C.  viii.  59. 

3  See  also  Schick,  T.  G. ,  'p.  xciii. 

4  One  of  the  sisters.     Earl  Richard  left  4  daughters,  coheirs  on  the  death  of 
Duke  Henry's  girl  Anne,  b.  at  Cardiff  in  Wales,  Feb.  1442-3,  d.  an  infant,  at 
Ewelme,  Oxon.  8  Jan.  1448-9,  and  was  bur.  at  Reading  Abbey.     "  Those  four 
coheirs,  all  of  whom  left  issue,  were  (1)  Margaret,  m.  John  (Talbot),  Earl  of 
Shrewsbury,  which   Lady  was  mentioned  in  the  entail  of  the   Earldom  of 
Warwick,  cr.  in  1450 ;  (2)  Eleanor,  m.  firstly  Thomas  (de  Ros),  Lord  Ros,  who 
d.  18  Aug.  1431,  secondly  Edmund  (Beaufort),  Duke  of  Somerset,  slain  22  May 
1455,  and  thirdly,  Walter  Rodesley ;  (3)  Elizabeth,  in.  George  (Nevill),  Lord 
Latimer,  who  d.  30  Dec.  1469 ;  (4)  Anne,  only  da.  by  the  second  wife  [Isabel, 
Baroness  Burghersh,  a  grand-daughter  of  Edw.  III.],  who  m.  Richard  (Nevill), 
Earl  of  Warwick,  so  cr.  in  1449."— G.  E.  C.  viii.  60.     Duke  Henry  was  'scarce 
ten  years  of  age '  when  he  married  in  1434.     His  father's  first  wife  was  seven 
years  old  when  he  wedded  her. 


xxxviii  §  8.  The  Sources. 

"King -maker."  This  Richard  was  the  'nephew  of  the  above- 
mentioned  Anne,  Duchess  of  Buckingham,  to  whom  Lydgate 
dedicated  the  poem. 

These  facts  confirm  to  a  certain  extent  the  authorship  of  Lydgate. 
As  we  find  in  Schick,  T.  Gf.,  p.  xciii,  the  poet  was,  during  his  so- 
journ in  France,  in  the  service  of  Lord  Richard  of  Warwick,  the 
father  of  Henry,  mentioned  in  st.  48.  Therefore  we  are  not  astonished 
to  find  this  allusion  in  a  poem  of  Lydgate's,  the  more  so  as  the 
Duchess  of  Buckingham  herself,  to  whom  the  poem  is  dedicated,  was, 
as  we  have  seen,  the  aunt  of  Henry's  brother-in-law. 

We  must  therefore  fix  the  date  of  the  c-version  in  the  second  half 
of  the  year  1446,  considering  that  the  poet  says,  "lamented  ys,"  and 
that  it  is  most  probable  that  Lydgate's  dedication  to  the  Duchess 
Anne,  she  being  related  to  the  deceased  Duke  of  Warwick,  was  in 
some  way  connected  with  this  sad  event. 

As  to  the  date  of  the  other  version  it  is  no  easy  matter  when  we 
attempt  to  fix  it.  There  are  no  allusions  to  historical  events  to  be 
found  in  the  poem.  Only,  the  note  by  Stowe,  at  the  end  of  H  :  Of 
this  Balade  Dan  lohn  Lydgate  made  nomore,1  might  possibly  induce 
us  to  date  it  before  c,  but  a  glance  at  the  metre  makes  us  immediately 
withdraw  this  conjecture,  as  the  numerous  examples  of  type  D,  for 
instance,  would  rather  prove  a  later  date.  The  language  cannot  help 
us,  nor  any  other  internal  evidence,  so  that  the  best  we  can  do,  is  to 
omit  the  fixing  of  any  date  at  present ;  perhaps,  later  on,  we  may  be 
more  fortunate,  and  light  upon  some  clue. 

§  8.    THE   SOURCES. 

As  we  have  already  stated  in  a  preceding  paragraph,  both  poems 
have  a  common  source,  which  is  also  referred  to  by  the  poet  himself 
in  MS.  c,  1.  108  : 

106.  This  brid,  of  whom  y  haue  to  you  rehersed, 

Whych  in  her  song  expired  thus  ande  deyede, 
108.  In  latyn  fonde  y  in  a  boke  well  versed, 

There  are  two  "  Latin  Books "  known  under  the  title  "  Philo- 
mela." The  one,  of  a  fairly  large  size,  is  a  work  of  John  of 

1  As  this  statement  was  no  doubt  copied  by  Stow  from  his  Shirley  original, 
we  may  fairly  compare  it  with  the  like  entry  in  the  Lydgate  and  Burgh's 
decree  of  Secrees  (?1446,  Schick),  after  the  poet's  decease,  and  conclude  that 
the  cause  of  the  break-off  in  the  Nightingale  poem  was  Lydgate's  death.  This 
is  borne  out  by  the  character  of  the  metre,  as  the  many  examples  of  type  D  tend 
to  prove  a  late  date. — F. 


§  8.  The  Sources.  xxxix 

Hoveden  (Howden,  Yorkshire),  but  has  nothing  in  common  with  our 
poems  here  but  the  title  (compare  D.  N.  B.  xxvii,  427  a  if.  and 
Hahn,  Arnold,  Quellenuntersuchungen  zu  Richard  Rollers  Englischen 
Schriften.  Halle,  1900,  p.  3  and  note).  The  other,  the  source  of 
Lydgate's  poems,  is  a  shorter  Latin  poem,  also  called  "  Philomela," 
printed  among  Bonaventura's  works,  e.  g.  in  the  edition  of  Ad  Claras 
Aquas  (Quaracchi)  1882-1898,  torn,  viii,  p.  669-674.  This  poem, 
the  authorship  of  which  is  uncertain,  was  of  great  popularity  during 
the  Middle- Ages.  At  that  time  it  was  generally  ascribed  to  Bona- 
ventura,1 but  the  editors  of  the  edition  above-mentioned  reject  his 
authorship,2  whereas  the  probability  of  John  Peckham3  being  the 
author  is  more  likely.  There  are  more  than  thirty  Latin  MSS.4 
extant,  and  many  imitations  and  translations.5  The  poems  here 
printed  represent  the  English  imitations;  compare  Warton-Hazlitt, 
i,  p.  172  note;  D.  N.  B.  xxvii,  p.  427;  Schick,  T.  G.,  p.  xcvi  and 
Addenda. 

The  two  poems  do  not  bear  a  like  amount  of  resemblance  to 
their  model.  MS.  c  follows  much  more  closely  than  H  (see  later) 
the  Latin  poem,  as  a  short  analysis  of  the  two  will  show. 

Before  we  sketch  the  contents  of  the  poems,  we  have  a  few 
remarks  to  make  on  the  opening  words  in  MS.  C.  In  most  of  the 
MSS.  of  the  Latin  version  we  find  prefixed  to  the  poem  a  short 
admonitory  treatise  in  prose,  the  genuineness  of  which  is  rejected  by 
the  editors  of  Bonaventura's  works.  Similarly,  there  is,  in  MS.  C 

1  Lydgate,  of  course,  was  acquainted,  at  least  in  his  way,  with  the  works  of 
Bonaventura ;   he  cites  him,  e.  g.  Court  of  Sapience,  e  6  a  (?  englisht  his  Life 
of  our  Lady}. 

2  See  S.  Bonaventura  opera  omnia.     Ad  Claras  Aquas  (Quaracchi)  1898.  2°. 
torn,  viii,  p.  669,  note  3,  and  Prolegomena  c.  Ill,  a.  1,  §  7. 

3  See  D.  N.  B.  xliv,  p.  190  ff.  (Philomela,  p.  196  a}   and   Hook,  W.  F., 
Lives  of  the  Archbishops  of  Canterbury.     London,  1865.  4°.     See  also  the  article 
"Hoveden"  in  D.  N.  B.  xxvii,  p.  427,  and  Horstmann,  Yorkshire  Writers,  ii, 
p.  xxxix. 

4  Most  of  the  MSS.  are  enumerated  in  the  Prolegomena  of  the  Quaracchi- 
edition,  torn.  viii.     I  only  add  the  following :   Pembroke  College,  Cambridge, 
B.  3.  19,  Harl.  3766,  Cotton  Cleopatra  A  XII,  Laud  402,  Rawlinson  C.  397 
(Rawlinson  C.  348  is  but  one  leaf,  missing  in  Rawlinson  C.  397),  Digby  28, 
University  Library,  Cambridge,  Ee  VI,  6. 

5  Philomena  S.  Bon.  castellane  traducta  et  dilatata  carmine  et  prosa  per 
cantus  ipsius   Philomense.  by  Mathaeus  a  Nativitate.     Salmanticae,  1471. — 
Filomena  de  S.  Bonaventura,  sive  tractatulus  hoc  titulo,  Hispanice  versus,  by 
Ludovicus  Granatensis.     Adiciones  al  Memorial  de  la  vida  Christiana.     Salman- 
ticae, 1577. — S.  Bonaventurae  Philomena,  editio  carmine  Italico,  by  Jacobus  de 
Porta.     Venetiis,  1586. — Die  Nachtigall  des  hi.  Bonaventura,  by  E.  Votter. 
Miinchen,  1612.— Melch.  v.  Diepenbrock,  Geistlicher  Blumenstrauss.     Sulzbach, 
1862  (pp.  302-333,  with  the  Latin  text).— The  anonymous  translation  :   Des 
hi.  Bonaventura  Philomele  oder  Nachtigallenlied.     Lingen,  1883 — and  that  by 
Leberecht  Drewes  were  not  accessible  to  me. 


xl  §  8.  The  Sources. 

only,  a  kind  of  prose  introduction,  not  intended  to  suggest  to  the 
reader  the  necessary  elevation  of  mind,  but  simply  to  give  a  concise 
epitome  of  the  principal  contents.  These  lines  in  C,  however, 
reproduce  the  ideas  of  the  poem  so  incorrectly  that  we  cannot 
consider  them  as  originally  written  by  the  poet,  but  must  presume 
them  to  be  the  work  of  a  scribe  : 

Matutina — Beginning  of  the  World,  Fall  of  Adam,  Nativity  of 
Man,  "patris  sapiencia." 

Hora  I. — Noah. 

[Hora  III.  =]  "  crucifige  " — Abraham. 

Hora  VI.  \  — Eesurrection,  Ascension,  Pentecost,  Corpus-Christi- 

Hora  IX.  )  Day. 

Compared  with  the  real  structure  of  the  c- version  below,  this 
short  analysis  exhibits  too  serious  discrepancies  to  allow  us  to 
attribute  this  introduction  to  Lydgate. 

We  now  return  to  the  comparison  of  the  two  poems  : 

Structure  of  the  Latin  Poem. 
St.       1-4  :  Introduction, 

5-10  :  The  story  of  the  nightingale, 

11-13  :  General  interpretation  of  the  story  and 

14—16  :  of  the  single  hours. 
Then  follow  the  special  meditations  of  the  different  hours  : 

17-24  :  Matutina, 

25-34:  Prima, 

35-47  :  Tertia, 

48-77  :  Sexta, 

78-90  :  Nona. 

Structure  of  the  c-version. 
St.       1-6  :  Dedication  and  introduction, 
7-15  :  The  story  of  the  nightingale, 

16  :  The  source, 

1 7  :  General  interpretation. 

Then  the  meditations  of  the  single  hours  follow  : 
18-28:  Aurora, 
29-39  :  Prime, 
40-48  :  Tierce, 
49-54  :  Sexte, 
55-59  :  Nones. 


§  8.  The  Sources.  xli 

This  shows  clearly  that  the  structure  of  the  c-version  is  wholly 
borrowed  from  the  Latin  source.  Lydgate  only  omitted  the  short 
interpretation  of  the  hours,  st.  14-16  of  the  Latin  poem,  to  which 
we  do  not  find  corresponding  lines  in  the  c-version.  But  we  must 
state  that,  though  the  story  of  the  nightingale  and  the  general 
interpretation  are  the  same  in  both,  the  English  poet  treats  different 
subjects  in  the  meditations  for  the  single  hours.  In  the  Latin 
source  we  have  the  following  themes  : 

14.  Mane  vel  diluculum  hominis  est  status, 
In  quo  mirabiliter  Adam  est  creatus. 

Hora  prima,  quando  est  Christus  incarnatus, 
Tertiam  die  spatium  sui  incolatus. 

15.  Sextain,  cum  a  perfidis  voluit  ligari, 
Trahi,  caedi,  conspui,  dire  crucian, 
Crucifigi  denique,  clavis  terebrari 
Caputque  sanctissimum  spinis  coronari. 

16.  Nonam  die,  cum  moritur,  quando  consummatus 
Cursus  est  certamims,  quando  superatus 

Est  omnino  zabulus  et  hinc  conturbatus. 
Vespera,  cum  Christus  est  sepulturae  datus. 

In  the  c-version  we  always  find  two  subjects  for  each  hour,  one 
from  the  Old  and  the  other  from  the  New  Testament,  i.  e.  from  the 
passion  of  our  Lord : 

Aurora :  Creation  of  the  world,  fall  of  Lucifer,  fall  of  Adam — 

Jesus  taken  Prisoner, 
Prime  :  Noe — Christ  before  Pilate, 
Tierce  :  Abraham,  Sodom — Christ  led  to  Calvary, 
Sexte  :  Dathan  and  Abiron — Christ  on  the  cross, 
Nones  :  Adam  banished — Christ  dies. 

This  comparison  proves  that,  though  Lydgate  adopted  the  general 
idea  and  the  structure  of  the  poem  from  Peckham,  he  was  by  no 
means  a  slavish  imitator,  but  on  the  contrary  followed  his  own  bent. 

Again  we  find  another  trace  of  Lydgate's  originality.  To  the 
parallelism  of  the  quotations  from  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  he 
adds  the  comparison  of  the  ages  of  man  with  the  different  hours  of 
the  daily  divine  service.  At  each  hour  he  subsequently  addresses 
people  of  another,  higher  age ;  compare 

st.  23:  "Aurora"— 1.  156: 

Be-thenke  thy-self,  hough  porely  j?u  was  born 


xlii  §  8.  The  Sources. 

st.  35/6:  "Prime"—!.  239: 

0  thow,  that  hast  thus  past  the  oure  of  morow 
1.  247  :  Ande  of  thy  tendre  age  art  past  the  yeres, 

st.  43/6  :  "  Tierce"— 11.  299,  300  : 

And  namely  ye  that  are  in  the  third  age 
Of  your  lyfe  ande  passed  morow  &  prime, 
11.  316,  317  :  Thenk  on  this  oure,  thou  wrecched  synfull  man, 
That  in  this  age  hast  reson,  strenght,  and  hele, 

st.  52:  "Sexto"— 1L  358,  359: 

And,  in  speciall,  ye  of  perfyt  age, 

This  oure  of  sixt,  in  myddes  of  your  lyfe, 

st.  59:  "Nones"—!.  412: 

That,  fro  this  worlde  when  so  we  shall  deseuer. 

I  think  we  cannot  carry  the  comparison  further,  as  most  of  the 
ideas  found  in  c  are  commonplaces,  which  do  not  rise  above  the 
average  education  of  a  priest  in  those  times.  Therefore,  even  when 
we  find  the  same  ideas  in  both  poems,  it  is  no  proof  that  Lydgate 
borrowed  them  from  Peckham. 

The  "  Monk  of  Bury  "  had,  of  course,  an  extensive  knowledge  of 
Holy  Scripture.1  We  give  here  a  list  of  all  lines  to  which  parallel 
passages  are  to  be  found  in  the  Bible,  which  I  consider  as  Lydgate's 
second  principal  source.  The  references  are  from  the  Vulgate. 

[114  :  see  note  to  this  line]. 

11.  121-124:  Gen.  i. 

11.  125-126:  Is.  xiv.  12-16. 

[129,  130  :  see  note  to  these  lines]. 

1.  133  :  Mat.  xxv.  41. 

I.  136  :  Gen.  iii.  1-6. 

II.  139,  143  :  Eom.  v.  12. 

11.  150,  383  :  Gen.  iii.  23,  24. 

[11.  164-168  :  see  note  to  these  lines]. 

1.  185  :  Jo.  i.  29. 

1.  188 :   Mat.  xxvi.  48-50  =  Mar.  xiv.  44-46  =  Lu.  xxii.  47, 

48,  54  =  Jo.  xviii.  5,  12. 
1.  189  :  Mat.  xxvi.  56  =  Mar.  xiv.  50-52. 
1.  203  :  Gen.  vii.  10. 

I.  205  :  Gen.  vii.  13. 

II.  206-208  :  Gen.  vii.  21. 

1  See  Koppel,  1.  c.,  p.  48  f.,  Gattinger,  p.  37/8,  and  again  Koeppel  in  Englische 
Studien  24  (1898),  p.  281  f. 


§  8.  The  Sources.  xliii 

1.  220  :  1  Pet.  i.  18,  19. 

I.  224 :  Lu.  xv.  7,  10. 

II.  225-226  :  Ezecli.  xxxiii.  11;  (Sap.  i.  13) ;  2  Pet.  iii.  9. 
11.  235,  279-280  :  Gen.  x. 

11.  236  :  Gen.  xi.  1-9,  xiii.  13,  xviii.  20,  21. 
1.  244 :  2  Tim.  ii.  26. 

I.  252  :  Mat.  xxvi.  59-60  =  Mar.  xiv.  55-59. 

II.  253-254:   Mat.  xxvii.  2,  11  =  Mar.  xv.  1  =  Lu.  xxiii.  1  = 

Jo.  xviii.  12,  28,  29. 
11.  257-259  :  Mat.  xxvi.  67  (xxvii.  30)  =  Mar.  xiv.  65  (xv.  19). 

I.  260  :  2  Mace.  vii.  28  =  Hebr.  xi.  3. 

II.  262-263  :  Mat.  xxvi.  53. 
11.  271-272  :  Prov.  v.  6. 

11.  281-282  :  Gen.  xv.  6. 
11.  283-284 :  Geii.  xv.  5. 
11.  291 :  Gen.  xix.  24,  25. 

I.  296  :  Gen.  i.  27. 

II.  302-303  :  1  Pet.  v.  8. 

11.  307-308  :    Mat.  xxvii.  23  =  Mar.  xv.  13,  14  =  Lu.  xxiii. 

21  =  Jo.  xix.  6,  15. 

.  310  :  Mat.  xxvii.  28  ==  Mar.  xv.  17  =  Jo.  xix.  2,  5. 
.  311  :  Jo.  xix.  4,  5. 

.  312  :  Mat.  xxvii.  29  =  Mar.  xv.  17  =  Jo.  xix.  2,  5. 
.  313  :  Jo.  xix.  17. 
.  314  :   Mat.  xxvii.  33  =  Mar.  xv.  22  =  Lu.  xxiii.  33  =  Jo. 

xix.  17. 
11.  348-350  :  Num.  xvi.  (1,  2)  31-33. 

I.  365  :  Mat.  xxvii.  31  (45)  ==  Lu.  xxiii.  33  (44)  =  Jo.  xix.  18, 

but  Mar.  xv.  24,  25  (see  11.  379,  380). 

II.  366,  375  :  Mat.  xxvii.  38  ==  Mar.  xv.  27  =  Lu.  xxiii.  33  = 

Jo.  xix.  18. 

11.  367-368 :   Mat.  xxvii.  48  (34)  =  Mar.  xv.  36  (23)  =  Lu. 
xxiii.  36  ==  Jo.  xix.  29,  30. 

I.  384:  Gen.  iii.  17-19. 

II.  385,  387  :  Jo.  xix.  34. 

I.  386  :  Jo.  xix.  31. 

II.  388-389  :  Mat.  xxvii.  46,  50  =  Jo.  xix.  30  (Mar.  xv.  34,  37, 

Lu.  xxiii.  46). 

11.  390-392  :  Mat.  xxvii.  45  =  Mar.  xv.  33  =  Lu.  xxiii.  44,  45. 
1.  399  :  Mat.  xxvi.  28  =  Mar.  xiv.  24  =  Lu.  xxii.  20. 


xliv  |  8.  The  Sources. 

11.  401-402  :  Mat.  xxviii.  1-10  =  Mar.  xvi.  1-8,  19  =  Lu.  xxiv. 
1-12,  51  =  Jo.  xx.  1-10  =  Act.  i.  9,  10. 

I.  403  :  Act.  ii.  1-4. 

II.  404-406  :  Mat.  xxvi.  26  =  Mar.  xiv.  22  =  Lu.  xxii.  19. 

This  detailed  list  of  references  will,  I  hope,  justify  my  opinion 
as  to  Lydgate's  being  influenced  by  the  Bible. 

The  two  sources  which  I  have  just  investigated  with  regard  to 
the  first  poem,  have  also  exercised  their  influence  on  the  H-version, 
though  here  the  imitation  of  Peckham's  work  is  by  no  means  a  close 
one.  We  may  sketch  the  structure  of  the  second  poem  as  follows  : 

st.  1-5  :  Introduction :  Secular  interpretation  of  the  song  of  the 

nightingale, 
st.  6-7  :  The  vision,  in  which  the  poet  is  addressed  by  an  angel 

from  heaven, 

st.  8-15  :  Beginning  of  the  heavenly  messenger's  tale,  he  intro- 
ducing the  nightingale  meditating  on  Christ's  passion, 
st.  16-22  :  Her  song,  in  which  are  contained  : 
st.  23-33  :  The  words  which  Christ  speaks, 
st.  34-54  :  The  nightingale's  song  goes  on,  but  is  not  finished. 

Were  the  poem  complete,  we  should  expect  to  find  the  end  of 
the  nightingale's  song,  the  end  of  the  angel's  speech,  and  the 
conclusion  of  the  vision.  It  seems  that  the  poet  found  the  task  too 
tiresome,  or  he  had  some  other  reasons ;  at  all  events,  he  did  not 
finish  his  work — no  doubt  he  died.  We  see,  however,  that  here  the 
structure  of  the  Latin  original  is  totally  abandoned,  the  different 
hours  are  not  even  mentioned ;  only  the  general  idea  of  a  religious 
interpretation  of  the  nightingale's  song  is  retained. 

As  to  the  other  principal  source,  the  Bible,  the  following  list 
will  show  to  what  extent  the  poet  has  put  his  theological  knowledge 
into  this  poem  : 

11.  95,  158,  212  :  Jo.  xix.  34. 

I.  101  :   see  c,  1.  365. 

II.  111-112:    see  c,  1.  399. 

11.  122-123  :  Mat.  xxvii.  59  =  Mar.  xv.  46. 

11.  124,  162,  164,  257,  258 :  Jo.  xix.  25-27. 

11.  128,  191  :   see  c,  1.  312. 

11.  134,  135,  141,  142  :    Is.  Ixiii.  1. 

11.  137,  196,  201,  265  :   see  c,  1.  368. 

1.  138:   see  c,  1.  254. 


§  8.  The  Sources.  xiv 

I.  139:    see  c,  1.  252. 

II.  148-156,  167-168,  304  :  Is.  Ixiii.  2-3. 

I.  157  :  Mat.  xxvii.  50  =  Mar.  xv.  37  =  Lu.  xxiii.  46. 

II.  160,  165,  170,  173:  see  c,  1.  189. 

I.  174  :   see  c,  1.  366. 

II.  179,  211,  213  :    2  Cor.  v.  21  =  1  Pet.  ii.  22. 

1.  206  :   Mat.  xxvi.  67,  xxvii.  30  =  Mar.  xiv.  65,  xv.  19  =  Lu. 

xxii.  63,  64  =  Jo.  xviii.  22,  xix.  3. 
1.  226  :  Lu.  ix.  58  (ii.  7). 
1.  231  :   Mat.  iv.  2  =  Mar.  i.  13  ==  Lu.  iv.  1,  2. 

I.  232  :   Jo.  xix.  30. 

II.  246-248  :    see  c,  1.  404. 

1.  249  :  Mat.  xxvi.  27,  28  =  Mar.  xiv.  23,  24  =  Lu.  xxii.  20. 

I.  252  :  Jo.  xix.  34. 

II.  253-254  :   Jo.  xix.  23,  24  (Mat.  xxvii.  35,  Mar.  xv.  24,  Lu. 

xxiii.  34). 
11.  255-256  :   Mat.  xxvii.  57-61  =  Mar.  xv.  42-47  =  Lu.  xxiii. 

50-56  =  Jo.  xix.  38-42. 
1.  259  :   Lu.  xxiii.  46. 

I.  264:  Jo.  xviii.  19,  22,  23. 

II.  276-280:  Jo.  iii.  16,  17. 

11.  289-290:    see  c,  11.  313,  314. 
11.  297-298:  Dan.  iv.  7-9,  17-19. 
11.  300-301  :  Gen.  xxxii.  10. 
1.  302  :   Gen.  xxviii.  12. 

I.  303  :  Job  xl.  20. 

II.  307-308  :   1  Eeg.  xvi.  23. 
st.  45  :   Num.  xxi.  8-9. 

11.  318-319  :  Ezech.  ix.  4-6. 
1.  320:  Ex.  xxxvii.  17. 

I.  325  :  Ex.  xv.  23-25. 

II.  327-329  :  Ex.  xiv.  16,  21,  22. 
11.  330-333  :   1  Reg.  xvii.  40,  49,  4. 
11.  353-354  :   Cant.  iv.  8,  etc. 

1.  358  :   Cant.  v.  1. 
1.  374  :  Jo.  i.  14. 
1.  375  :  Lu.  i.  28. 
1.  377  :  Is.  xi.  1,  10. 

This  list,  even  somewhat  longer  than  the  first,  likewise  shows 
Lydgate's  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures. 


xlvi  §  9.  Concluding  Remarks. 

I  first  intended  to  collect  all  the  lines  which  show  the  influence 
of  other  works,  and  give  them  here,  but  I  preferred  putting  this 
material  into  the  notes,  in  order  to  avoid  repetition,  as  many  of 
these  quotations  at  the  same  time  serve  to  illustrate  Lydgate's 
language  and  style.  I  draw  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  notes 
to  c,  1.  90  and  H,  1.  5. 

§  9.    CO^TCLUDI]N"G   REMARKS. 

I  insert  this  last  paragraph  for  the  sole  reason  of  giving  a  short 
summary  of  the  researches.1 

Lydgate's  Nightingale  exists  in  two  versions :  one  dates  from  the 
second  half  of  the  year  1446,  the  other  is  of  uncertain  date2  and 
unfinished.  Two  MSS.  of  each  version  are  preserved,  and  the  texts 
are,  on  the  whole,  carefully  handed  down.  Metre,  language,  and 
style  are  in  accordance  with  Lydgate's  general  usage.  As  principal 
sources  of  the  two  poems,  we  find  John  Peckham's  Latin  poem 
"  Philomela  "  and  the  Bible. 

1  Compare  Schick,  T.  G.,  p.  xcv  and  xcvi.         2  See  p.  xxxviii,  note  1. 


I. 


[PROSE.     INTRODUCTION.    Not  by  Lydgate  : 
see  p.  xl.] 

[MS.  C.C.C.O.  203,  p.  1]  Assit  principio  sancta  Maria 
meo.     Amen. 

1        it  is  seyd  that  the  nyghtyngale  of  hure  nature  Thenight- 

hathe  A  knowleche  of  hure  deth.     And,  lyke  as 

the  swan  syngeth  Afore  his  deth,  so  sche,  in  the  day  before  her 

of  hure  deth,  Assendyth  in-to  the  top  of  the  tre  and  flies  to  a 

r  tree-top, 

v  syrcgeth  In  hora  matutina  A  lame[n]table  note ;  and 
so  aftyre,  by  mene  degrees  Aualynge  lowere,  hora 
pnma,  hora  tercia,  hora  sexta,  et  hora  nona,  tyll  sche 
com  dourc  in-to  the  myddys  of  the  tre.  And  there,  in 
hora  nona,  sche  dyeth.  This  ys  moralysyd  vn-to 

x  Cryste  An[d]  in-to  euery  crystyn  sowle,  that  schuld 
remembre  the  ourys  of  Cristys  passyouw.  And  allso  These  songs 

are  meant  to 

by  '  hora  matutina    ys  vndurstonden  the  begyimynge  be  *  com- 

J  J  meraoration 

of  the  world,  and  the  gret  fall  of  owre  ffadure  Adam,   of  Christ's 

'     passion. 

and  the  natyuite  of  euery  man,  And  '  patris  sapiencia ' 

•  declared ;   and  in   like  wyse  '  hora   pnma,   Crucifige, 

xhora  sexto,  And  hora  nona'  declared  wyth  the  Ages 

of  the  worlde  in  tyme  of  Noe  and  of  Abraham,  And 

so  forthe  brefly  touched  the  Kesurecfo'ouw,  the  Ascen- 

cyone,  pentecost,  And  Corpus  Cristi  day  et  cetera. 

1  For  the  wanting  capital,  see  description  of  0.  vii.  pn'ma] 
a  above  the  line,  tercia]  see  note  to  this  line.  viii.  of]  follows  o. 
ix.  moralysyd]  ysy  illegible.  xiii.  Adam]  a  above  the  line. 
xiv.  patris]  the  first  half  illegible.  xvii.  Abraham]  a  above  the 
line. 

NIGHTINGALE.  B 


I.  The  Proem  and  Dedication. 


Go,  little 
poem, 

present  thy- 
self to  the 


Duchess  of 
Buckingham, 
and  ask  her 
for  a  place 
[P- 2] 

among  her 
books, 


till  she  reads 
thee  to  her 
courtiers, 


[PEOEM.     THE   DEDICATION.] 

[59  stanzas  of  sevens,  ababbcc.] 

(i) 

Go,  lityll  quayere,  And  swyft  thy  prynses  dresse,         1 

Offringe  thy  s  elf  e  wyth  humble  reuerence 
Vn-to  the  ryght  hyghe  and  myghty  pryncesse, 

The  Duches  of  Bokyngham,  and  of  hur  excellence 
Besechinge  hyre,  that,  of  hure  pacyence  5 

Sche  wold  the  take,  of  hure  nohle  grace 
Amonge  hyre  bokys  for  the  Asygne  A  place,        7 


to  show  them 
how  to  in- 
terpret the 
nightingale's 
song 

truly,  i.  e.  in 
a  spiritual 
sense. 


(2) 


8 


Vn-to  the  tyme  hyr  ladyly  goodnesse 

Luste  for  to  call  vn-to  hyr  high  presence 
Suche  of  hyre  peple,  that  are  in  lustynesse 

Fresschly  encoragyt,  as  galantws  in  pn'me-tens, 
Desyrous  for  to  here  the  amerouse  sentensce  12 

Of  the  nyghtyngale,  and  in  there  myiide  enbrace, 
Who  fauoure  moste  schall  fynd  in  loues  g?*ace,  14 


[MS.  Cott.  Calig.  A  ii,  leaf  59.] 

(3) 

Commandyng  theym  to  here  wyth  tendernesse 

Of  this  your  nightyngale  the  gostly  sense, 
Whos  songe  and  deth  declared  is  expresse 
In  englysh  here,  right  bare  of  eloquence, 
But  notheles  considred  *  the  sentence  : 
All  loue  vnlawfle,  y  hope,  hit  will  deface 
And  fleschly  lust  out  of  theyre  hertis  chace, 


15 


1  9 


21 


The  fresh 
season  of 
May  banishes 
the  cold  of 
winter. 


Meued  of  Corage  be  vertu  of  the  seson,  22 

In  prz'me-tens  renoueled  yere  be  yere, 
Gladyng  euery  hert  of  veray  reson, 

When  fresh[e]  May  in  kalendes  gan  apere, 
Phebus  ascendyng,  clere  schynyng  in  hys  spere,     26 
By  whom  the  colde  of  wyntyr  is  exiled 
And  lusty  seson  thus  newly  reconciled.  28 

1  lityll  —  And]  illegible  by  dirt.  2  Offringe  tliyselfe]  illegible 
by  dirt.  4  Bokyngham]  a  above  the  line.  19  the]  de  c.  21 
out]  above  the  line  c.  24  veray]  a  preceding  verray  blotted  out  c. 


I.  In  May  the  Nightingale  lids  me  rise. 


(5) 
To  speke  of  sleep,  hit  nedes  most  be  had 

Vnto  the  norishing  of  euery  creature, — 
With-oute  whech  braynes  must  be  mad, 
Outragesly  wakyng  oute  of  mesure, — 
Excepte  thoo  that  kyndely  nature 
Meueth  to  wach,  as  the  nyghtingale, 
"VVhych  in  her  seson  be  slep[e]  set  no  tale. 

(6) 

For  sche,  of  kynde,  all  the  someres  nyght 
!N"e  seseth  not  with  mony  a  lusty  note, 
Wheder  hit  be  dry  or  wete,  derk  or  lyght, 
Eedly  rehersyng  her  leson  ay  be  rote — 
Gret  mervell  is  the  enduryng  of  hir  throte — 
That  her  to  here  it  is  a  second  heuen, 
So  melodiouse  ande  rnery  is  her  steuen. 


29    All  creatures 
want  sleep 
during  the 
night : 


33     the  night- 
ingale alone 
can  spend 
this  time 

35     watching. 


36     She  sings  all 
night. 


40 
42 


Near  the  end 
of  April,  1 
was  lying 
sleepless, 


troubled 
with  heavy 
thoughts. 


[THE  POEM.] 

(7) 
And,  on  a  nyght  in  Aprile,  as  y  lay  43 

Wery  of  sleep  &  of  my  bed  ail-so, 
Whene  that  the  kalendes  entred  were  of  May 
(Whech  of  hir  nature  neither  loueth  of  thoo), 
My  herte  with  mony  a  thoght  was  ouer-go  47 

Ande  with  this  troblus  worlde  sore  agreued, 
But,  as  god  wold,  in  hast  y  was  Releued.  49 

(8) 
Thys  blessed  brid,  of  whom  y  you  rehersed,  50   [ieaf59,bk.j 

As  fer  as  that  y  godely  myght  hir  here, 
So  thorghly  my  hert  raueshed  had  and  persed 
Ryght  with  hir  longyng  notes,  hye  and  clere, 
Longe  or  the  day[e]-rowes  can  a-pere,  54 

Ymagynywg  that  sche  be  my  propre  name 
Me  calde  ande  sayde  :  "  A-wake  &  Ryse,  for  shame, 

(9) 

Oute  of  thy  slombre-bed  of  slouth  &  sleep,  57 

Eemembring  the  vpon  this  lusty  seson  " — 

36  For]  ffo.         40  mervell]  merevell  hit.         42  mery]  om. 


Long  before 
day-break, 
I  fancied 
that  the 
nightingale 
by  her 
ravishing 
song  sum- 
moned me 
to  follow  her.. 


4      I.  The  Nightingales  Song  in  Aurora,  Prime,  Tierce. 


I  rose 


and  went  on 
till  I  found 
her  singing 
and  sitting 


Putting  all 
worldly 
thoughts  out 
of  my  heart, 


I  understood 
at  last  that 
she  was 
singing  of 
her  coming 
death. 


Ande  right  with  that  oute  of  my  bed  y  leep, 
Thenking  in  my  conceyt,  she  seide  me  reson, 
Ande  walked  forth  —  she  yaf  me  gret  encheson  — 
Til  that  y  come  ther  as  my  hertis  queene 
Eyght  freshly  sang  vpon  a  laurer  grene. 

(10) 
Entendyng,  as  y  romed  vp  and  dowi, 

Expelling  clerly  all  wilfle  negligence, 
Hir  clere  entoned  notes  and  hir  soim 
For  to  perceyue  with  all  my  diligence, 
And  sodenly  cowceyued  y  this  sentence, 

Hough  that  this  brid,  a-mong  hir  notes  glade, 
Eight  of  hir  deth  a  note  of  mornyng  made. 


and  con- 
tinued doing 
so  in '  Prime,' 


So  she  sang     Ande  in  Aurora,  that  is  the  morowe  gray, 

in  'Aurora,'  ' 

Ascending  vp  into  this  tre  full  hye, 
Me  thoght  she  syngyng  sayd  this  same  day  : 
"For  all  my  myrthes  ande  my  melodye, 
As  nature  will,  about  none  shall  y  dye. 

My  curiows  note  ne  shall  noght  me  a-vayle, 
But  mortail  deth  me  sharply  will  a-saile." 

(12) 
Contynving  so  vnto  the  oure  of  prime, 

Vpon  the  *bogh  she  euer  sat  and  songe, 
But,  dowi  descendyng,  she  sayde  in  hasti  tyme  : 
"  My  lyfe  be  kynde  endure  shall  not  longe." 
But  notheles  thorgh-oute  the  wode  yt  ronge — 
Hir  notes  clere — so  merily  ande  so  shryll, 
The  wych  enchesoned  me  tabide  there  styll, 

(13) 
Till  that  hyt  drogh  forther  of  the  day, 

Aboute  the  oure  of  tierce,  right  as  y  gesse, 
That  euer  y-lyke  with  notes  fresh  ande  gay 
She  cesed  not,  whech  y  can  not  expresse 
So  delitable,  replet  with  all  swetnesse, 


[leaf  60] 
in  'Tierce,' 


61 


63 


64 


68 


70 


71 


75 


78 


82 


84 


85 


89 


59.  63  right]  rygh.  63  laurer]  laureall.  65  clerly]  clerkely. 
71  is]  om.  75  will]  woll.  76  noght  me]  me  noght.  79  bogh] 
boght  c.  81  endure  shall]  enduryth.  82  thorgh-oute]  thorght- 
oute.  83  merily]  mery.  84  there]  om.  85  that]  om.  forther] 
ffethyre. 


I.  The  Nightingale  dies.     Her  story  is  in  a  Latin  look.     5 

But  euer  among  she  song  :  "  Ocy,  ocy," 
Whech  signified,  me  thoght,  that  she  shuld  dye. 

(14) 

Ande  aftir  this,  when  Phebus  in  his  spere  92 

Ouer  all  the  world  had  sprad  his  bemes  bright, 

Cavsynge  the  cloudes  dym  for  to  be  clere, 

Ande  derk[e]  mystes  enlumyned  with  his  lyght, 

Aboute  the  oure  of  sixt  then  she  a-lyght  96   and  in 

'  Sexte.' 

Ande  singynge  seet  in  myddes  of  the  tre : 

"  Ocy,  Ocy,  o  deth,  well-come  to  me  ! "  98 

(15) 
Thus,  fro  the  morowe  *to  myddes  of  the  day  99 

Ande  all  the  nyght  a-fore,  with  open  eye, 
This  bryd  hath  songen,  as  ye  haue  herd  me  say, 
Eehersyng  euery  tyde  with  melodie, 

But  at  the  last,  she  shright — and  sodenlye,  103   At  last,  in 

Hir  songe,  hir  myrth,  &  melodye  was  done  at 'Nones/ 

Ande  she  expyred  aboute  the  oure  of  none.       105 

(16) 
This  brid,  of  whom  y  haue  to  you  rehersed,  106 

Whych  in  her  song  expired  thus  ande  deyede, 
In  latyn  fonde  y  in  a  boke  well  versed,  This  story  i 

»  J  found  in  a 

Ande  what  in  morall  sense  it  signinede,  Latin  book, 

'  and  under- 

The  whech  in  englysh  y  wold  were  notified          110  jj°k.*° tran8' 
To  all  that  lusty  are  it  for  to  here, 
Yf  that  my  conny[n]ge  suffycyent  ther-to  were. 

(17) 

Be  this  nyghtingale,  that  thus  freshly  can  113   Jt0 j8  *n  f^' 

Bothe  wake  and  singe,  as  telleth  vs  scripture,  Suii8tian 

Is  Crist  hym-self  ande  euery  cristen-man 

Soule  vnderstande,  whech  oweth  of  nature  which  ousht 

always  to 

Ande  verray  reson  do  diligence  ande  cure,  117  JjJJ*  j[J  ™jy j}f 

Oute  of  the  sleep  of  synne  to  a-wake,  &  ryse,  Tremedy  for 

Ande  to  remenbre,  ande  fully  aduertise,  119  aman>8sin- 

90  song]  schange.  95  enlumyned]  enlewmyde.  96  sixt]  vj. 
97  seet]  sate.  99  to]  to  the  c.C.  106  of]  to.  Ill  To  all] 
Toull  ull.  lusty]  a  preceding  are  blotted  out  c.  112  conny[n]ge] 
conynge.  115  cristen-man]  kyrsten  manes.  118  a-wake] 
wake. 


6     I.  By  Aurora,  understand  the,  Creation  and  Adams  fall. 


(18) 


[leaf  6o,  bk.]     That  be  Aurora  is  vnclerstonden  right 

By  'Aurora,' 
understand 
the  creation 
of  the  world, 


120 


and  how, 
for  pride, 
Lucifer  was 
cast  down 
into  Hell. 


Therefore 
man  ought 
to  be  humble. 


In  this  hour, 
Adam  and 
Eve  sinned 
by  envy : 


we  are  still 
under  the 
curse  of  their 
misdoing, 


and,  without 
Christ's 
mercy, 
should  be 
separated 
from  God, 


The  first  begynny[n]g  of  this  world  of  noght, 
Ande  how  grete  god,  of  his  endles  myght, 

Hath  heveii  ande  yerth  formed  with  a  thoght, 
And  in  six  dayes  all  oder  thynges  wroght,  124 

Ande  hogh  gret  noumbre  of  angels  bright  &  clere 
Fell  dowi  for  pride  to  helle  with  Lucifere.         126 

(19) 
*Hygh  or  lowe,  wheder-so-euer  thow  be,  127 

Enprinte  that  fall  right  mywdely  in  thy  hert 
Ande  arme  the  surely  with  humylite 

Ayen  all  pn'de,  yf  thou  wylt  lyue  in  *  quert ! 
Saue  thy  soule,  or  elles  shalt  thou  smerte  131 

For  all  thy  wor[l]dly  pride  ande  veyne  desyre, 
Ande  euer  in  hell  be  brent  with  endles  fyre  !    133 

(20) 
Muse  on  this  morow  further,  and  conceyue  134 

How  that  oure  fader  Adam  ande  also  Eue, 
Whom  that  the  sotell  serpent  can  deceyue 
Of  pure  envye  and  caused  to  mischeue, — 
Ande  let  theyr  smert  thi  herte  perse  &  cleue  :       138 
Thenk  well  that  fall  is  to  thi-self  extended 
Ande,  nade  Crist  died,  it  had  not  yit  be  amended ! 

(21) 
Before  whos  deth  the  gret  Infyrmyte  141 

Of  that  ofrens,  cleped  originall, 
Thorogh-oute  the  world  infecte  had  vch  de-gre, 
That,  when  they  deyed,  streyght  to  hell  went  all, 

145 


*Tyll  fro  the  trone  a-bofe  celestyall 
Crist,  consyderyng  the  gret  captyuyte 
Of  all  man-kynde,  cam  *doune  of  pure  pite. 

(22) 
as  Adam  was  This  hygh  forf et  whych  Adam  sone  had  don 

driven  from  _      0  ,    .., 

Paradise.  W as  grounde  &  cause  of  oure  mortalite 


147 


148 


121  begynny[n]g]  begynnynge.  world]  worde.  124  six]  vj. 
127  Hygh]  Hyght  c.  128  fall]  schall.  129  the]  the  rygh. 
130  quert]  quarte  c.  131  Saue]  Safe  so.  smerte]  semrt.  132 
wor[l]dly]  worldely.  139  thi-self]  they-selfe.  140  amended] 
mewdyt.  143  Thorogh-oute]  Throgh-oute.  145  Tyll]  Thyll 
c.  a-bofe]  Aboue  (blotted  out)  abofe.  147  doune]  dom  c. 


I.  Think  on  thy  poor  birth  and  thy  vicious  life. 


And  paradise  made  hym  for  to  voide  *Anone : 
Oo  sely  appell,  so  eten  of  a  tre ! 
0  welthy  pepyll,  in  jour  prosperite  152 

Thenk  euery  morowe  how  ])at  jour  wor[l]dly  wele 
More  lykly  ys,  safe  grace,  to  hyrt  then  hele  !    154 

(23) 
Ande  in  Aurora  further  to  precede, 

Be-thenke  thy-self,  hough  porely  \u  was  born 
Ande,  as  kynde  will,  *  \u  nedes  mvst  succede 
In  pyne  ande  wo,  lyke  other  the  be-forn  : 
Deth  cometh  in  hast,  he  will  not  be  for-born, 
For  in  the  oure  of  thy  natiuite 
He  entered  first  &  manaced  the  to  sle. 


(24) 


155        [leaf  61] 

Do  not  forget 
thy  birth  in 
poor  estate. 


159 


161 


In-to  the  wor[l]de  what  hast  thou  broght  with  the  162 

But  lamentacion,  wepyng,  woo,  &  crye  ? 
Non  other  richesse,  safe  only  lyberte, 

With  which  god  hath  endowed  the  richly, 
Ande  byddeth  the  frely  chese  to  lyue  or  dye  :       166 
Fro  one  of  tho  ne  shall  thou  not  deseuer, 
In  loie  or  wo  to  liue  or  dye  for  euer.  168 

(25) 
Be  nothyng  prowde  thy  byrth  thus  to  remenbre,      169 

Thou  hast  thy  youth  dispended  folilye, 
Ande  vsest  with  othes  gret  thy  lord  dismenbre, 
Ande  other- wyse  yit  lyuest  thou  viciously. 
Call  to  thy  mynde  these  thinges  by  &  by,  173 

And  euery  morowe,  thogh  thou  lust  to  sleep 
Ande  softly  lye,  a-wake,  a-ryse,  and  wep  !          175 

(26) 

But,  forther  to  declare  in  speciall  176 

This  oure  of  morowe,  yf  fat  y  conwyng  hade, 

Ande  hogh  this  brid  thus  song  with  voice  mortall 
Ande  in  hire  song  a  note  of  mornyng  made, 

150  Anone]  or  none  c.  153  wor[l]dly]  worldly.  154  More] 
e  above  the  line  c.  155  Ande]  An.  156/7  ]>u]  u  above  the  line  c. 
156  bu]  follows  erasure  c.  157  Jm  nedes  mvst]  ]>u  nedest  mvst 
c ;  thou  moste  nede  C.  159  will]  woll.  162  wor[l]de]  world. 
165  With]  a  preceding  Wh  blotted  out  c ;  With  the  C.  166  byd- 
deth the]  by  the.  167  shall]  schalt.  171  lord]  lorld.  172  thou] 
ora.  173  these]  this.  177  yf]  ycf. 


Death  may 
suddenly  slay 
thee. 


By  thy  own 
free  will  thou 
mayst  live  or 
die  for  ever. 


Every  mor- 
row remem- 
ber the  sins 
of  thy  youtli 


and  pray  to 
God  for  re- 
mission. 


In  this  very 
same  hour 


8     I.  Bemeiriber  Christ's  death,  and  at  Prime,  Noah's  Flood. 


Konnywg  and  lawgage  in  me  are  so  fade,  180 

That  nedes  y  mvst  in  hvmble  wyse  exhort 
You  that  are  konnmg,  with  pacience  me  supporte. 

(27) 
Oure  lorde  Ihesus,  the  fadres  sapiens,  183 

The  well  of  trewth  &  sothfastnes  diuine, 
The  lombe  vnspotted,  the  grounde  of  Innocence, 
That  gyltles  for  cure  gylt  lust  to  declyne, 
This  oure  of  morow,  cleped  matutyne,  187 

Falsly  be-trayed,  and  with  J?e  lewes  taken, 
And  of  hys  o[w]ne  disciples  sone  for-saken  :     189 

(28) 
0  synfull  man,  this  oure  the  aght  remord,  190 

That  standest  exiled  oute  fro  charite, 
To  thenke  howe  that  thy  maker  &  thy  lord 
So  lowly  suffred  this  reprefe  for  the, 
Yevyng  the  ensample,  that  with  humilite  194 

Fro  morow  to  nyght  thou  folow  shuld  his  trace, 
Yf  thou  in  heuen  with  hym  wilt  cleyme  a  place. 

(29) 
Fro  morow  to  nyght  be-tokenes  All  the  tyme,  197 

Syth  thou  wast  born  streyght  tyll  J>at  thou  dye. 
Thus  endyth  the  first  oure  and  now  to  pn'me. 
in 'Prime*     /   Ande  be  this  oure,  what  we  may  sygnifie, 

In  whych  this  brid  thus  songe  with  melodie,        201 
The  seconde  age  ys  clerly  notyfied 
When  all  the  world  with  water  was  destryed,  203 


Christ  was 
betrayed, 
and  taken 
prisoner  by 
the  Jews. 


[leaf  61,  bk.] 
Never  forget 
His  humble 
suffering ; 


and  do  thy 
best  to  follow 
His  example. 


the  Flood 
broke  in, 


' 


and  only 
Noah,  with     : 
seven  fellows, 
was  saved, 
whereas  all     I 
other  people   ' 
perished. 


(30) 
In  tyme  of  Noe  whom  for  hys  ryghtwisnesse,  204 

And  with  hym  seuen,  all-myghty  god  reserued ; 
And  elles  all  oder  for  synne  ande  wrechednesse, 
Of  verey  rygowr,  ryght  as  thay  had  deserued, 
In  that  gret  flood  were  dreynt  and  ouer-terved.     208 
Except  viij  soules,  all  perysched,  lesse  and  more, 
And  they  preserued,  this  world  for  to  restore.  210 

188  lewes]  ywes.  189  o[w]ne]  oune.  195  nyght]  nygh. 
196  Yf]  Yeff.  198  wast]  were.  201  thus]  om.  202  age]  om. 
210  for]  om. 


I.  Think  how  Christ,  bought  thee  with  His  Uood.        9 


Therefore 
eschew  sin, 
and  live 
virtuously. 


God  is  not 
hasty  to  take 
vengeance ; 


% 
This  oure,  to  thenke  that  with  the  water  wan  211 

Noght  all  the  world  was  ouerflow  for  synne, 
Aught  for  to  exite  euery  maner  man, 

That  vice  ande  vertu  can  discerne  a-twynne, 
All  vice  to  eschew  and  vertuosly  be-gynne  215 

Oure  lord  to  plese,  thenkyng  furthermore, 
He  *hateth  synne  now  as  he  dud  be-fore,         217 

(32) 
Thagh  that  hym  lust  of  mercy  and  pite, 

As  for  a  tyme,  his  vengance  to  differre, 
Sith  with  hys  precious  blod  vpon  a  tre 

Hath  boght  oure   soules— was   neue?'   thyng  bogh 

derre : — 

*Ley  to  thy  sore,  &  let  no-thyng  lye  nerre         ;   222 
Then  this  same  salfe,  to  hele  with  thy  smert : 
Full  glad  ys  he,  when  so  thou  wilt  cowuert.   J  224 

(33) 
For  of  the  synner  the  deth  he  not  desire th,  225      [leaf  62] 

But  that  he  wold  retorne  to  lyfe  a-yeyn. 
For,  whosoeuer  in  dedly  synne  expyreth, 

Ther  is  no  pardon  that  may  abregge  his  payne. 
This  to  remcmbre  aught  cause  the  to  restreyne     229 
Fro  euery  synne  fat  wyll  this  lord  displese 
And  for  to  vse  that  hym  may  queme  &  plese.   231 

(34) 
Ande  on  this  oure  to  thenke  furthermore,  232 

When  all  the  flood  *  aswaged  was  and  cesed, 
They,  not  considryng  the  gret  vengaunce  afore, 
The  seed  of  Noe,  whych  gretly  was  encresed, 
But  vn-to  vice  on  vch  syde  ran  and  presed,  236 

For  which  they  pvniched  were  with  plages  sore, 
As  in  the  byble  more  pleynly  may  ye  here.       238 

(35) 

0  thow,  that  hast  thus  past  the  oure  of  morow         239 
Ande  newly  entrest  in  *the  oure  of  prime, 

212  Noght]  How.  214  a-twynne]  Atwen.  217  hateth] 
hatheth  c;  hatetht  C.  be-fore]  Aforne.  220  vpon]  Appon. 
222  Ley]  Ley  that  c.  223  with]  with  All.  233  aswaged  was] 
was  aswaged  c.  236  vn-to]  in- to.  240  newly]  follows  erasure  c. 
in]  in-to.  the  oure]  thoure  c. 


He  rather 
likes  a  peni- 
tent sinner. 


If  thou  die  in 
deadly  sin, 
thou  forfeit- 
est  pardon. 


Noah's  pos- 
terity soon 
forgot  God's 
judgment, 
and  turned 
to  evil ; 


but  thou,  ad- 
vanced in  life, 


10     1.  Think,  young  Gallants,  of  Christ's  tortures  for  you. 


beware  of  the 
sins  of  thy 
forefathers 
and  the  at- 
tacks of  the 
Fiend. 


God  has  pro- 
tected thee, 
as  a  youth, 
against  evil; 


now  do  it 
thyself  with 
the  help  of 
Christ, 


who,  in  this 
hour,  was  led 
before  Pilate, 


and  there 
suffered 
much  from 
the  Jews. 


Aught  to  be  war  to  here  of  woo  and  sorow 

Which  in  this  worlde  hath  be  a-fore  thy  tyme, 
And  of  the  fend,  that  *redy  is  to  lyme  243 

Thy  soule  wyth  synne  &  each  the  in  his  snare, 
Yif  he  in  vertu  the  bareyne  fynde  and  bare.      245 

(36) 
Ande  namely  now,  sith  thou  of  Innocence  246 

Ande  of  thy  tendre  age  art  past  the  yeres, 
In  which  god  the  hath  keept  fro  violence, 
In  all  thy  youth  fro  Sathan  and  his  feres, 
Dispose  the  nowe  to  sadnes  and  prayeres,  250 

Eeme??^bryng  specially  vpon  this  oure  of  pn'me, 
Hogh  Crist  acused  falsly  was  of  Cryme,  252 


(37) 


253 


Taken  ande  lad  afore  the  presydent, 

Pounce  Pylat,  that  luge  was  of  the  lawe, 
His  handes  bourcde,  his  nek  with  boffettes  bent, 
On  euery  syde  to-togged  and  to-drawe. 
He,  ffull  *of  pacience,  suffred  all  &  sawe 

Hogh  that  the  lewes,  fals  and  voide  of  grace, 
There  all  defouled  with  spet  his  blessed  face.    259 


257 


(38) 


[leaf  62,  bk.] 
All  these 
pains  He 
endured 


260 


to  give  us  an 
example  of 
patience. 


Se,  hogh  this  lord  that  all  thing  made  of  noght, 
To  saue  mannes  soule,  wold  suffre  this  repref, 
That  myght  haue  stauwched  &  cesede  with  a  thoght 
The  lewes  malice  &  put  theym  to  myscheef, 
To  oure  ensample,  pat  we  shuld  suffre  grefe          264 
Aftir  oure  desert  and  paciently  hit  take 
For  hym  that  all  wolde  suffre  for  oure  sake.      266 

(39) 

0  lusty  gaylauntes  in  youre  adolescens,  267 

member  tins        Let  not  this  oure  of  p?'mie  fro  you  deseuer  ! 

hour  against  * 

wantonnes8s0f  When  ye  be  sterede  to  wanton  in-solence, 

*Restreyne  your-self  &  in  jour  herte  thenk  euer 
Solomon  How  Salomon  sayde ;  he  cowde  perceyve  neuer    271 


243  redy  is]  ys  redy  the  c.  247  the]  thi.  248  the  hath] 
hathe  the.  253  afore]  before.  257  of]  of  pite  &  c.  263 
theym]  them.  266  all  wolde]  wolde  all.  269  be]  ben.  270 
Eestreyne]  Restreyned  c.  271  Salomon]  Saloman. 


I.  At  Tierce,  dread  God's  judgment  on  Sodom's  crime.      11 


The  watwton  weyes  &  dyuers  of  jour  youth, 
For  all  the  prudelit  wisdom  that  he  *kowthe  !  273 


(40) 


274 


Thoure  of  pryme  fynysched  thus  &  ended, 
This  brid  all-wey  perseuereth  ande  a-byt, 
Doun  on  the  tre  a-valed  and  descended, 
Thoure  of  tierce  clerely  syngyng  yit. 
The  third  age  of  the  world  be-tokeneth  hyt, 
In  whech  thoo  folk  that  doura  fro  Noe  came 
Gretly  encresed  in  tyme  of  Abraham,  280 


278 


(41) 


281 


Which  in  his  daies  pernt  was  ande  stable, 
Dredyng  oure  lord  and  lyuyng  perfytly ; 
*  To  whom  god  swore,  lik  sterres  in-nvmerable 
His  seed  he  wolde  encrese  and  multiplie. 
But,  notheles,  moch  peple  viciously 
Were  in  this  age  dampnably  demeyned 
Ande  thorgh  theire  vice  destreied  sore  &  steyned. 


285 


(42) 
Their  filthi  synne  abhominable  stank 

Ande  so  displesed  the  blessed  Trinite, 
That  douft  to  hell  sodenly  ther  sank 

Sodom,  ande  Gomor,  and  oder  cites  thre, 
Ande  now  is  there  but  the  Ded[e]  See. 

Alas  the  while  that  euer  they  wolde  do  so  ! 
Vnkyndly  synne  was  cause  of  all  their  woo. 

(43) 
This  for  to  here  aght  cause  jour  herte  to  colde, 

That  are  enp?-znted  aftyr  the  ymage 
Of  god,  and  to  cowsidere  and  be-holde 
This  gret  vengaunce,  taken  in  pat  age. 
And  namely  ye  that  are  in  the  third  age 
Of  jour  lyfe  ande  passed  morow  &  prime, 
Aght  euer  be  war  to  vse  vnkyndly  crime. 


273  kowthe]  kowde  c  ;  koude  C. 
279  \K~\f  allows  erasures      280  in]  om. 
destreied]  desteied.      292  is  there]  ther  is. 
'  in  C.       301  eiier]  follows  erasure  c. 


277  syngyng]  syngnified. 
283  To]  The  c.      287 
299  and  300  trans  - 


In  c  Tierce ' 
the  nightin- 
gale sang  of 
Abraham, 


who  led  a 
goodly  life, 
and  received 
God's  pro- 
mise; 


but,  also  in 
his  time, 
many  people 
did  not  mend 
their  bad 
behaviour : 


288    God  could  not 
let  them  be 
unpunished ; 

so  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah 
were  de- 
stroyed. 

292 


294 


295    People,  in 
their  later 
years,  ought 
to  be  warned 
by  this  ter- 
rible end, 


299 


301     a»d  leave  off 
sin. 


121.  The  Fiend  lies  in  wait  for  you.  Death  knocks  at  your  Gate. 


[leaf  68] 
The  Fiend 
always  tries 
to  catch 
souls ; 


but  Christ's 
sufferings 
make  us  able 
to  avoid  the 
Devil's 
snares. 


For  our  sake 
the  Jews 
forced  Him 


to  bear  the 
cross  to 
Calvary. 


Christ  suf- 
fered all  this 
to  give  thee 
defences 
against  the 
attacks  of 
Satan. 


Lords,  be 
watchful, 


Death  may 
come  on  a 
sudden. 


(44) 
The  fende,  youre  enmye,  lying  in  a-wayte,  302 

Goth  fast  a-boute,  jour  soules  to  deceyue, 
Leying  hys  lynes  and  with  mony  a  bayte 
Wsynge  his  hokes,  on  theym  you  to  receyue, 
The  which  thus  lygh[t]ly  ye  may  eschewe  &  weyfe, 
This  oure  to  thenk  hogh  lewes  lowde  and  hye 
Gan  :  "  Crucifige,  crucifige  ! "  Crye,  308 


(45) 


309 


313 


Takyng  oure  lord  and,  of  derisiou??, 

In  cloth  of  purpull  clothing  hyw  in  scorne, 
Ledynge  hym  forth,  as  childre  of  cowfusiouw, 
And  on  his  heed  a  sharpe  crow?  set  of  thorn ; 
Vpon  his  blessed  shulder  the  crosse  was  born 
Vnto  the  place  of  *  peynes,  Caluarie  : 
Lo,  what  he  suft'red,  thi  soule  fro  peyne  to  bye ! 

(46) 
Thenk  on  this  oure,  thou  wrecched  synfull  man,      316 

That  in  this  age  hast  reson,  strenght,  and  hele, 
(Yf  thou  asayled  or  hurt  be  with  Sathan), 
To  salf  thy  sore  and  thi  wonde  to  hele : 
Mark  in  thi  mynde  this  oure  for  woo  or  wele,      320 
Hogh  that  thy  lord  suffred  for  thy  gylt, 
To  sane  thy  soule,  whech  elles  had  be  spilt.      322 

(47) 
Ye  myghty  prynces  and  lordes  of  a-state,  323 

In  honoure  here  that  are  exalted  hye, 
Beth  ware  &  wake,  deth  knokketh  at  jour  yate 
And  woll  come  in ;  be  sure  that  ye  shall  dye  ! 
Call  to  jour  mynde  for  speciall  remedie  327 

Oure  lordes  passion,  his  peyne,  &  pacience 
As  medycyne  chefe  &  shelde  of  all  defence.      329 

(48) 

A  myghty  prince,  lusty,  yonge,  &  fiers,  330 

Amonge  the  peple  sore  lamented  ys  : 

302  youre]  oure.  305  Wsynge]  the  first  letter  not  clear 
neither  in  c  nor  in  C.  306  lygh[t]ly]  lyghtly.  314  Vnto] 
Vpon.  peynes]  peynes,  calde  c.  323  Ye]  The.  325  Beth] 
Byth.  328  peyne]  pyme.  331  peple]  pepull  that. 


I.  The  Duke  of  Warwick  is  dead.     Why  please  the  Devil  ?     13 


The  due  of  Warwyk  •  entryng  the  oure  of  tierce 
Deth  toke  hyra  to  whom  mony  sore  shall  mysse. 
All-myghty  Ihesu,  receyue  his  soule  to  blisse  !      334 
Both  hye  &  lowe,  thenk  well  that  ye  shall  henne, 
Deth  wyll  you  trise,  ye  wot  not  how  ne  whenne. 


(49) 


Aftir  the  oure  of  tierce  this  nyghtyngale, 
Synging  euer  with  notes  fresh  and  gay, 
To  myddes  of  this  tre  can  dourc  *avale, 

When  that  yt  drogh  to  myddes  of  the  day : 
Sygnyfinge  all  the  tydes,  soth  to  say, 

Whech  that  haue  be  fro  tierce  vnto  syxt. 
In  which  dayes,  whoso  woll  rede  the  tyxt 

(50) 
Of  the  byble,  he  may  haue  revth  to  here 

Hogh  dampnably  in  mony  a  sondry  place 
Of  the  world  that  folk  demeyned  were, 
Destryed  for  synne  and  destitute  of  grace. 
0  synfle  Dathan,  the  yerth  *in  lytyll  space 
Opened  &  swolowed  bothe  the  and  Abyron, 
And  sodenly  with  yow  sank  mony  a  synfle  mon. 


337 


In  the 
'  Tierce '  of 
his  life,  the 
Duke  of  War- 
wick was 
taken  away. 


From 

'Tierce 'till 
'  Sexte,'  Hie 
nightingale 
continued 
singing. 


341 


343 


344     [leaf  63,  bk.] 


348 


(51) 


351 


Lo,  in  all  ages,  be  freelte  of  nature, 

Thorgh  all  the  world  peple  hath  had  delite 
The  fend  to  serue  with  all  theire  besy  cure, 

Which  for  theire  seruyce  no-thyng  wil  hew  quite 
But  endles  deth.     Alias,  what  appetite  355 

Haue  folkes  blynde,  such  a  lord  to  plese, 
That  noght  rewardeth  but  myscheef  &  desese.  357 

(52) 

And  in  speciall,  ye  of  perfyt  age,  358 

This  oure  of  sixt,  in  myddes  of  your  lyfe, 

Aught  to  be  war  and  wayte  aftir  ]>e  wage 

That  Crist  rewardeth  wzt^-oute  werre  or  stryfe, 
Wher  endles  loye  and  blysse  are  euer  ryfe.  362 

332  Warwyk]  Wane.  333  hym  to]  to  hym.  336  wyll]  woll. 
339  avale]  a-vaile  c.  343  woll]  wyll.  345  dampnably]  damp- 
nable.  348  in]  in  a  c.  349  &]  an.  354  for]  ofor,  or  partly 
erased,  hew]  theym. 


In  this  hour 
Dathan  and 
Abiram  were 
swallowed  by 
the  earth : 


for  people 
always  liked 
to  be  bonds- 
men to  the 
Devil  though 
he  is  out  an 
ungracious 
master. 


In  the  middle 
of  their  lives 
people  ought 

to  look  for 
the  mercy  of 
Christ, 


who  was 
crucified, 
innocent  as 
a  lamb. 


14    I.  At  Sexte  and  Nones,  think  of  Christ's  Cross  and  Death. 

Entendeth  duly  this  blessed  lord  to  seme, 

That,  you  to  saue,  vpon  the  rode  wolde  sterve.  364 

(53) 
Vnto  the  crosse,  thoure  of  syxte,  was  nayled  365 

Oure  lord  Ihesws,  hangyng  ther  with  theves, 
And  for  the  thrist  of  tormewtes,  that  hym  ailed, 

Eysell  and  gall  in  scornes  and  repreues  368 

They  offred  hym — oure  crym  &  olde  mescheues, — 
Doyng  a-way  this  lambe  thus  crucified  : 
The  manhed  suffred,  the  godhed  neuer  died.     37 1 

(54) 
We  aght  *ryght  well  compassion  haue  &  reuth,       372 

For  to  remenbre  his  peynes  and  repreues, 
To  thenk,  hogh  he  whych  grounde  is  of  [all]  trewth 
Was  denied  to  hange  amyd  to  fals[e]  theues. 
0  blessed  lord  and  leche  to  all  oure  greues,  376 

So  of  thy  grace  graunt  vs  to  be  so  kynde, 
To  haue  this  oure  of  sixt  well  in  oure  mywde.   378 

(55) 
Thus  heng  oure  lord  nayled  to  the  tre,  379 

Fro  the  oure  of  sixt  vnto  *the  oure  of  none, — 
Ande  also  longe  was  in  prosperite 

Oure  fader  Adam,  tyll  tyme  that  he  had  don 
That  high  forfet  for  which  he  banyshid  sone        383 
Was  *in-to  yerth,  to  lyue  in  langour  there 
Ande  all  his  o[f]spryng, — till  Longens  with  a  spere, 

(56) 
The  oure  of  none,  as  lewes  hym  desyred,  386 

Thirled  and  persed  thorgh  his  hert  &  side. 
He,  seyng  then  :  "  Consunmatum  est,"  expired 
And  heed  enclyned,  the  gost  yaf  vp  J>at  tyde 
Vnto  the  fader.     The  suraie,  co??ipelled  to  hyde   390 
His  bemys  bright,  no  lenger  *myght  endure 
To  see  the  deth  of  the  auctor  of  nature.  392 


We  must 
never  forget 
the  pains  He 
suffered, 


hanging  be- 
tween two 
thieves. 


[leaf  64] 
From  the  6th 
to  the  9th 
hour  Christ 
was  hanging 
on  the  cross. 

Adam  was  in 
prosperity, 
till,  by  his 
fall,  he  was 
banished  into 
the  earth; 


Christ  died, 

His  soul  went 
to  His  Father. 


365  crosse]  +.  367  the]  follows  erasure  c.  thrist]  stryfe. 
ailed]  inled.  369  crym]  tyme.  372  ryght]  ryth  c.  &]  follows 
erasure  c.  374  lie]  follows  erasure  c.  all]  om.  c.  375  to]  ij. 
378  sixt]  vjte.  380  vnto]  in-to.  the  oure]  thoure  c.  383  ban- 
yshid] banehed.  384  in-to]  in-te  c.  385  all]  Allso.  386 
lewes]  ywes.  387  thorgh]  thorghoute.  391  myght]  myth  c. 


I.  He  has  bought  us,&  slain  Death.  May  He  grant  us  Heaven  715 


(57) 
Thus  hath  this  brid,  thus  hath  this  nyghtyngale,      393 

Thus  hath  this  blessed  lord  fat  all  hath  wroght, 
That  douft  to  yerth  fro  heuen  can  a-vale, 
Vpon  a  crosse  oure  soules  dere  y-bought 
Ande  yeueii  vs  cause  in  hert,  wyll,  &  thought,     397 
Hym  for  to  serue  &  euer  loue  and  drede 
That,  vs  to  saue,  wold  suffre  his  blod  to  shede. 


(58) 
Hell  despoiled,  &  slayn  oure  mortall  foo, 

Oure  lord  vpryse  with  palme  of  hye  victorie, 
Ascended  eke  ayen  there  he  come  fro, 
The  holy  gost  sent  from  the  see  of  glory 
His  precious  body  to  vs  in  memory, 

With  holy  wordes  of  dewe  cowsecracioura 
To  be  receyued  to  oure  hele  &  sauaciouw. 

(59) 


400 


404 


406 


407 


Who  may  be  glad  but  all  thoo,  at  lest, 

That  worthy  are,  in  this  lyues  space, 

For  to  be  fed  here,  at  this  glorious  fest, 

Ande  after,  in  heuen,  wiih  bryghtnes  of  his  face, 
Whom  of  his  godhed  be-seche  we  ande  his  grace,  411 
That,  fro  this  worlde  when  so  we  shall  deseuer, 
In    loye    eternall   with    hym   ther   to    perseuer. 
Amen.  . ;.  413 

Explicit. 

394  this]  oure.  399  to  shede]  illegible.  402  come]  came. 
406  sauacioiw]  saluacyouw.  407  at]  at  the.  409  glorious]  a 
following  ste  blotted  out  c. 


Let  us  thank 
Him,  that  He 
shed  His 
blood  for  our 
sake. 


After  our 
Lord's  resur- 
rection and 
ascension, 


the  Holy 
Ghost  sent 
us  the  Sacra- 
ment of  the 
Altar. 


All  those  may 
be  glad  who 
are  worthy 
to  appear  be- 
fore Christ's 
face,  both 
here  and  in 
heaven. 
Let  us  pray 
that  we  may 
have  part  in 
eternal  life. 


16     II.  The  Nightingale  asks  Venus  to  punish  false  Lovers. 


On  a  lovely 
day  in  June, 


when  the 
birds  had  just 
finished  their 
even-song, 


and  gone  to 
rest, 


I  was  lying 
in  a  valley 
and  listening 
to  the  tunes 
of  a  nightin- 
gale. 


I  understood 
that  she  was 
asking  Venus 
for  vengeance 
on  false 
lovers : 


II. 

flf  % 

[BY  DAN  JOHN  LYGDATE:   see  p.  28.] 

[54  stanzas  of  sevens,  ababbcc.] 

[MS.  Harl.  2251,  Zea/229  a.} 

(1) 

TN  June,  whan  Titan  was  in  Crabbes  hede,  1 

Towardes  Even  the  Saphyre-huwed  sky 
Was  westward  meynt  with  many  Eowes  Eede, 

And  fowlis  syngen  [in]  theyr  melody 
An  hevenly  complyne  with  sugred  Armonye,  5 

As  *that  hem  nature  taughtfe]  for  the  best : 
They  gan  hem  proygne  and  drough  hem  to  theyr 


That  sith  the  tyme,  f  orsoth,  that  j  was  borne,  8 

Hadde  j  nat  herd  suche  song  in  downe  nor  daale — 
And  alle  were  gone,  sauf  vpon  a  thorne 
The  same  tyme  j  herd  a  nyghtyngale, 
So  as  j  lay  pensyf  in  a  vale  1 2 

To  herken  the  meanyng  of  hir  melody, 
Whos  hertly  refreyd  was  euer  :  "  Occy,  occy."    14 

(3) 
She  ment,  I  trowe,  with  hir  notes  nuwe  15 

And  in  hir  *  ledne,  Venus  to  take  vengeaunce 
On  false  lovers  whiche  that  bien  vntriewe, 
Ay  ful  of  chaunge  and  of  variaunce, 
And  can  in  oone  to  have  no  plesaunce.  1 9 

This  bridde  ay  song  :  "  0  sle  theym,  lady  myn, 
Withouten  mercy  and  bryng  hem  to  theyr  fyn,  21 

1  In  John  Stowe's  hand.  1  2nd  in]  in  ye.  3  westward]  est- 
warde.  4  in]  om.  H.  5  complyne]  cemplygne.  6  that  hem] 
hem  that  H  ;  >at  them  A.  taught[e]]  taught  tho.  7  hem] 

them,  drough]  drought.  9  nor]  ne.  14  refreyd]  refrayde. 
Occy,  occy]  ocylocy.  16  ledne]  ledne  on  H  A.  Venus]  venis ; 
proper  names  in  heavy  type  are  underlined  in  H.  20  sle]  sleth. 
21  hem]  them. 


II.  /  dream  that  an  Angel  from  God  comes  to  me.     17 

(4) 
To  shewe  ensample,  that  other  may  wele  knowe          22 

How  that  they  shal  in  theyr  trowth  abyde  ! 
Eor  parde,  lady,  yit  thy  sones  bowe 

Nys  nat  broke,  whiclie  callid  is  Cupide. 

Let  hym  niarke  them  and  wounde  hem  in  the  side       Cupid  should 

wound  them 

Withouten  mercye  or  any  remedye,  with  his 

*  *•  arrows; 

Where-so  that  he  suche  falsehede  can  espye.        28 

(5) 
And  suche  as  bien  for  love  langwisshyng,  29   but  true 

.-,.,,  IIP  «>        •  lovers  should 

Unerissh  hem,  lady,  lor  trewe  anectioun,  be  helped. 

Support  and  help  hem  with  thy  myght  to  bryng 
In-to  thi  Castell,  sette  in  Citheron  : 
On  dyamaundes  sette  is  the  Dungeoun,  33 

Fret  with  Rubyes  and  Emerawdes  grene. 

Now  herkne  my  song,  that  art  of  love  the  qwene  !  "    [leaf  229,  bk.] 

(6) 
And  as  I  lay,  and  herde  hir  twnes  cliere,  36    Taking  great 

.  .  ,;      '  delight  in  the 

And  on  hir  notes  me  gretely  gan  delite,  bird's  song, 

Vpon  the  Eve  the  sterris  dide  appere, 

The  bawmy  vapour  of  grass  is  gan  vp-smyte 

In-to  myn  hede  of  floures  Rede  and  white,  40 

That  with  the  odour,  or  that  I  toke  kepe, 

I  fille  anon  in-to  a  dedly  sleepe.  42   ifeii  asleep. 

(7) 
And  than  me  sempte  that  from  the  god  of  love  43    i  dreamed 

that  an  angel 

lo  me  was  sent  an  vnkouth  messangier —  from  Heaven 

Nought  from  Cupide,  but  fro  the  lord  above — 
And,  as  me  thought,  ful  fayre  and  fressh  of  chiere, 
Whiehe  to  me  sayde :   '  Foole,  what  dostow  here    47   summoned 

Slepyng  allone,  gapyng  vpon  the  mone  ? 

Rise,  folowe  me,  [and]  thow  shalt  se  right  sone  49 

23  theyr]  hur.  24  parde]  pardy.  25  Nys  nat]  Is  not. 

26  hem]  them.  27  Withouten]  witA-out.  28  falsehede]  fallsed. 
29  Men]  be.  30  hem]  them,  affectioun]  affectyons.  31  hem] 
them.  40  hede]  heued.  41  or]  er.  42  fille]  fell.  43  that]  om. 
of  love]  corrected  out  of:  above,  but  by  the  same  scribe  H;  of 
loue  A.  45  Nought]  not.  fro]  from.  47  dostow]  dost  thou. 
49  and]  om.  H. 

NIGHTINGALE.  C 


to  teach  me 
the  true 
meaning  of 
the  nightin- 
gale's sing- 
ing. 


18     II.  The  Angel  is  to  teach  me   the  Nightingales  meaning. 

(8) 
An  vnkowth  sight,  If  thow  list  to  speede.  50 

The  briddes  song  I  shal  to  the  vnclose, 
For  trust  me  wele,  I  cast  the  nat  to  leede 
Nothyng  towardes  the  gardyn  of  the  Rose, 
And  I  thi  spirit  shal  otherwise  dispose,  54 

For  to  declare  the  briddis  song  :  "  Occy," 
And  what  she  meanyth  in  sentence  triew[e]ly.    56 

(9) 
Thyn  aduertence  is  gouerned  wrong  57 

Towchyng  the  twnes  thow  herdest  here  to-fome  : 
"  Occy,  occy,"  this  was  the  briddis  song, 

Whiche  many  a  lover  hath  thurgh  foly  lorne. 
But  thynk  among  vpon  the  sharpfe]  thorne  61 

Whiche  priked  hir  brest  with  *fyry  remembraunce, 
Lovers  in  vertu  to  encres  and  avaunce.  63 

(10) 
This  briddis  song,  whiche  we  have  on  honde —  64 

Who  that  takith  the  moralite — 
Betokenyth,  playnly  for  to  vndrestonde, 
The  grete  fraunchise,  the  grete  liberte, 
Whiche  shuld  in  love  be  so  pure  and  fre,  68 

Of  triewe  meanyng  Rooted  so  withynne, 
Fer  from  the  conceyte  of  any  maner  synne.         70- 


because  i  had 

not  interpret- 
ed it  in  the 
right  way : 


'  She  praises 
pure  love, 
[leaf  230] 


free  from 
any  sinful 
thought. 


'She  nearly 
kills  herself 
with  sing- 
ing. 


'  This  inter- 
pretation of 
thine 


*Takestow  none  heede,  how  this  bridde  so  smal         71 

Syngeth  as  that  she  wold  hir-self  dismembre, 
Streyneth  hir  throte,  peyneth  hir  brest  at  al, 

Shakith  and  qwakyth  in  euery  loynt  and  membre  ? 
0  man  vnkynde,  why  dostow  nat  Remembre          75 
Among  in  hert  vnto  this  briddes  song  1 
If  thow  advert, — thow  dost  to  god  grete  wrong. 

(12) 

Thow  art  desseued  in  thyn  oppynioun  78 

And  al  awrong  also  thow  dost  goo, 

50  to]  ye.  58  twnes]  toynes.  herdest]  haddest.  60  thurgh] 
thorugh.  62  priked]  pricketh.  fyry]  fayre  H.  63  to  encres] 
tencresse  them.  64  whiche]  winch  y*.  65  the]  om.  66  Be- 
tokenyth] n  corrected  out  of  1  H.  71  Takestow]  Take  thow  H  ;. 
take  thou  A.  75  dostow]  dost  yu. 


II.  The  bird  shows  folk  Christ's  sufferings  for  them..     19 


she  does  not 
sing  of  fleshly 
84     love, 


85  but  bewails 
the  pains  of 
our  Lord, 


89     suffering  for 
men's  sins, 


91 


92     who  do  not 
even  care  for 
His  death  on 
the  cross. 


Feynt  and  vntriew  thyne  exposicioun,  is  totally 

Thyn  vndrestondyng,  thy  conceyt  bothfe]  two. 
This  bridde,  in  soth,  ne  meanyth  nothyng  so  :         82 
For  hir  synggyng — who-so  takith  heede — 
JSTothyng  Resownyth  vnto  flesshlyhede. 

(13) 
Towchyng  :  "  Occy  " — considre  wele  the  woord  ! — 

This  brid  it  song  of  Impacience, 
Of  Iniuries  doo  vnto  the  lord 

And  wrong  grete  to  his  magnificence 
Of  worldly  folk  thurgh  theyr  grete  offence, 
Which e  can-nat  knowe  for  theyr  reklesnes 
The  grete  love,  the  grete  kyndenesse 

(14) 

Whiche  he  shewed  for  theyr  *alre  goode, 
Whan  that  he,  yif  they  kowde  adverte, 
For  theyr  sake  starf  vpon  the  Eoode 

And  with  a  spere  was  stongen  thurgh  the  hert: 
Who  felt  euer  for  love  so  grete  a  smert  96 

As  thilk[e]  lord  dide  for  mannes  sake  1 
And  yit,  alias,  non  hede  therof  they  take.  98 

(15) 
To  pay  the  Raunsoun  of  oure  grete  losse,  99 

He  was  in  love  so  gentil  and  so  fre, 

That  hym  deyned  be  nay  led  vpon  the  crosse  [leaf  230,  bk. 

And  liche  a  thief  hang  vpon  a  tre. 
Lift  vp  thyn  hert,  vnkynd  man,  *and  see  !  103 

The  nyghtyngale  in  hir  armonye 
Thus  day  and  nyght  doth  vpon  the  crye.  105 

(16) 
She  cryeth  :  "  Sle  al  tho  that  bien  vnkynde  106 

And  can  of  love  the  custom  nat  observe, 
Nor  in  theyr  len  no  drope  of  pite  fynde, 

Nor  in  theyr  brest,  for  love,  no  sigh  conserve ! 
Why  list  the  lord  for  mannes  sake  sterve  110 

84  vnto]  in-to.  87  Iniuries]  iniures.  doo]  done.  89  folk] 
folkes.  thurgh]  thorugh.  90  reklesnes]  rechellnesse.  92  alre] 
old  H  ;  ould  A.  95  thurgh]  thorugh.  96  smert]  smarte. 
98  take]  toke.  99  Raunsoun]  raunsome.  101  vpon]  on.  103 
and]  at  H.  106  tho]  om.  bien]  be.  108  len]  eghen. 


'  Day  and 
night,  the 
nightingale 
strives  to 
make  thee 
value  Christ's 
kindness: 


"Slay  all  the 
ungrateful 
people  who 
do  not  feel 
indebted 
to  Christ, 


20     II.  Christ's  wounds  and  death  were  foreseen  ~by  Isaiah. 


though  He 
shed  His 
blood  for 
their  salva- 
tion. 


'  Never  for- 
get His  five 
wounds, 

which  are 
like  a  rose, 


red  witli  His 
blood. 


"  Like  Mary, 
and  Saint 
John, 


every  man 
ought  to  be 
touched  to 
the  utmost, 
to  see  Him 
endure  such 
torments. 


« Isaiah, 
when  speak- 
ing of  the 
'  man  who 
[leaf  231] 

comes  from 
Edom,' 
meant  the 
same  who 
was  accused 
before  Pilate. 


But  for  to  pay  of  fredam  the  Raunsoun, 

His  hert[e]-bloode,  for  theyr  redempcioun  1       112 

(17) 
His  woundis  fyve  for  man  he  did  vnclose  :  113 

Of  handis,  of  feete,  and  of  his  faire  side. 
Make  of  thess  fyve  in  thyn  hert  a  Rose 
And  lete  it  there  contynuauly  abyde ; 
Forgete  hym  nought,  where  thow  go  or  ride,         117 
Gadre  on  an  hepe  these  rosen-floures  fyve, 
In  thy  memorye  prynt  hem  al  thy  ly ve  :  119 

(18) 
This  is  the  Rose  whiche  first  gan  wexen  rede,  120 

Spreynt  oue?-al  with  dropes  of  p?/rpure  hewe, 
Whan  Crist  Ihesu  was  for  mankynd  dede 

And  had  vpon  a  gam  erne nt  ful  newe  :  123 

His  holy  moder,  his  Cousyn  eke,  seynt  lohn, 
Suche  array  to-fore  saugh  they  neuer  none,        125 

(19) 
Whiche  to  behold,  god  wote,  they  were  nat  fayne  :  126 

His  blessyd  body  to  seen  so  al  to-Rent ; 
A  Crowne  of  thorn,  that  thrilled  thurgh  his  brayne  : 
And  al  the  bloode  of  his  body  spent ; 
His  hevenly  len,  Alias,  deth  hath  I-blent ; 


Who  myght,  for  Rowth,  susteyne  and  behold 
But  that  his  hert  of  pite  shuld  cold  ! 

(20) 
This  was  the  same  whiche  that  *Isaye 

Saugh  fro  Edom  come,  with  his  cloth  depeynt, 
Steyned  in  Bosra ;  eke  dide  hym  aspye, 
Bathed  in  bloode,  til  he  gan  woxen  feynt ; 
This  is  he  that  drank  galle  and  eysel  Imeynt ; 
This  is  he  that  was  afore  Pilate  atteynt 
With  false  accusours  in  the  consistorye, 
Only  to  bryng  mankynde  to  his  glorye. 


130 


132 


133 


138 


HO 


Ill  Raunsoun]  raunsome.  115  in]  of.     Rose]  voose. 

117  hym]  them,  nought]  not.  118  an]  om.  these]  thos. 
119  prynt]  emprynt.  hem]  them.  123  garnement]  garment. 
125  neuer]  nere.  128  thurgh]  thorough.  130  len]  egghen.  131 
and]  and  to.  133  Isaye]  I  yow  say  H  ;  I  you  saye  A.  134  fro] 
frome.  come]  cane.  136  gan]  can.  137  galle  and  eysel]  eysel! 
and  gall.  138  afore]  to-fore.  139  accusours]  accusers. 


II.  Hew  Christ's  disciples  forsook  Him,  &  the  Jews  tore  Him.  21 


(21) 


141 


He  was  most  fayre  founde  in  his  stoole, 

Walkyng  of  vertues  with  most  multitude, 
Blessyd,  benyngne,  and  hevenly  of  his  stoole, 

Whiche  with  his  suffraunce  Sathan  [can]  conclude. 
His  humble  deth  dide  the  devil  delude,  145 

Whan  he  mankynd  brought  out  of  prisoun, 
Makyng  his  fynaunce  with  his  passioun.  147 

(22) 
Isaye,  the  most  renomed  prophete,  148 

Axed  of  hym,  why  his  garnement 
Was  rede  and  blody,  ful  of  dropes  wete — 
So  disguysed  was  his  vestyment ! — 
Like  hem  that  pressen  quayers  of  entent  152 

In  the  pressour,  both  the  Rede  *and  white — 
So  was  he  pressid  thy  Eaunsoun  for  to  qwyte  ! — 


(23) 


155 


1  It  is,  quod  he,  that  trade  it  al  alone. 

Withouten  felawe  I  gan  the  wyne  out-presse, 
Whan  on  the  crosse  I  made  a  doleful  mone 

And  thurgh  myn  hert  the  sperhed  gan  it  dresse — 
Who  felt  euer  so  passyng  grete  duresse  ! —  159 

Whan  al  my  frienclis  allone  me  forsoke 
And  I  my-self  this  lourney  on  me  tooke.  161 


(24) 
Except  my  moder  there  durst  none  abide 

Of  my  disciples,  for  to  suwen  me. 
Seynt  lohn,  for  love,  stode  on  myn  other  side, 
Alle  the  Eernenawnt  from  me  diden  flee. 
The  lewes  my  flessh  asonder  dide  *tee  : 
Who  was  it  but  I  that  bode  in  the  vyne 


"  Through 
His  humble 
death,  the 
Lord  van- 
quished 
Satan,  and 
saved  man- 
kind. 


"Asked,  why 
Christ's 
garment  was 
so  red,  Isaiah 
answers 
with  the 
Saviour's 
own  words : 


•Alone  I 
pressed  the 
wine  in  the 
press  when  I 
was  suffering 
on  the  cross, 


forsaken  by 
every  man 


162     except  Mary 
and  Saint 
John. 


166     'Through 

the  cruelty  or 
the  Jews 


To  presse  the  wyne,  thy  Eaunsoun  for  to  fyne? 


144  can]  om.  H.  148  renomed]  renoumed.  150  dropes]  a 
following  wem  blotted  out  H.  152  hem]  them,  quayers]  quay- 
ers. 153  and]  and  the  H.  154  Raunsoun]  raunsome.  155  is] 
is  I.  156  Withouten]  WttA-out.  163  suwen]  followe.  164  on] 
by.  165  from]  fro.  diden  flee]  dyd  wend.  166  tee]  rend 
H  A.  167  bode]  abode.  168  presse  the]  presse  out.  Eaunsoun] 
raunsome. 


22     II.  How  Christ  suffered  in  His  five  wits  for  man's  sake. 


[leaf  231,  bk.] 


I  lost  all  My 
blood : 


but  nobody 
showed 
mercy  on 
My  pains. 


•  Never  did 
any  man 
endure  such 
torments 
as  I. 


'In  all  My 
five  senses  I 
suffered  for 
man's  mis- 
doings -. 


In  sight, 


in  taste, 


(25) 
For  marines  sake  with  me  fill  hard  it  stoode  :  169 

Forsaken  of  alle  and  eke  disconsolate ; 
They  left  no  drope,  but  d[r]ewe  out  al  my  bloode. 
Was  neue?*  none  so  poore  in  none  estate ! 
Al  my  disciples  left  me  desolate  173 

Vpon  the  crosse  betwene  theves  tweyne 
And  none  abode  to  Kewe  vpoii  my  peyne.         175 

(26) 
0  ye  al  that  passen  bi  the  wey,  176 

Lift  vp  the  le  of  yowre  aduertence ! 
Sawe  ye  euer  any  man  so  deye 

Withouten  gilt,  that  neuer  dide  offence  1 
Or  is  there  any  sorwe  in  existence  180 

Liche  the  sorwe  that  I  dide  endure, 
To  bye  mankynde,  vnkynde  creature?  182 

(27) 
For  the  surfete  of  thy  syimes  alle,  183 

And  for  the  offence  of  thy  wittes  fyve 
My  towche,  my  tast,  myn  heryng  dide  apalle, 
Smellyng  and  sight  ful  fieble  were  als  blyve. 
Thus,  in  eche  part  that  man  can  contryve,  187 

I  suffred  peyne  and  in  euery  inembre 
That  any  man  can  reken  or  remembre.  189 

_  (28) 
Ageyne  the  synnes  plainly  of-thyn  heede  190 

I  had  vpon  a  crowne  of  thornes  kene, 
Bitter  teres  were  medled  with  my  brede — 
For  mannes  trespas  I  felt  al  the  tene — 
My  len  blynde,  that  whylom  shoone  so  sheene,    194 
But  for  man,  in  my  thurst  most  felle, 
I  drank  galle  tempred  with  eyselle.  196 

(29) 
For  mannes  lokyng  fulfilled  with  outrage,  197 

And  for  his  tunge  ful  of  detractiouii 
I  alone  souffred  the  damage, 

171  d[r]ewe]  drewe.  176  ye  al]  all  ye.  wey]  wye.  177  le] 
eghe.  178  deye]  dye.  183  surfete]  forfeyte.  187  part]  port, 
can]  maye.  193  tene]  teme.  194  My]  myn.  195  But]  and. 


II.  Christ  is  the  remedy  against  man's  Seven  Sins.     23 

And  ageyne  falsehed  of  adulacioun 

I  drank  galle  poynaunt  as  poysoun. ;  201 

Ageyn  *heringe  of  tales  spoken  in  vayne  in  hearing, 

I  had  rebuke  and  sayde  no  word  ageyne.  203      [leaf  232] 

(30) 
Gey n  pride  of  beawte,  where-as  folkes  tres-pds,  204 

I  suffred  my-self  grete  aduersite  : 
Beten  and  bonched  in  myn  owne  face ; 

Ageyns  towchyng,  if  man  list  to  se,  in  touch. 

Myn  handes  were  nay  led  fast  vn-to  the  tre,  208 

And  for  mysfotyng,  where  men  went[e]  wrong, 
My  feete   thurgh-perced :    Were   nat   my  peynes 
strong]  210 

(31) 
Was  it  nat  I  that  trespassed  nought.  211    'Though 

without  any 

That  had  myn  hert  perced  even  atweyne,  »in,  ipuftred 

And  neuer  offendid  oones  in  a  thought, 
Yit  was  it  korve  thurgh  in  euery  veyne  1 
Who  felt  euer  in  erth  so  grete  a  peyne,  215 

To  Eeken  al,  giltles  as  dide  I  ?— 
Wherfor  this  brid  sang  ay  :  "  Occy,  occy."-  -  217 

(32) 
Suche  as  ben  to  me  founde  vnkynde  218   'Those  who 

f  haveforgot- 

And  have  no  mynd  kyndly  of  resoun,  ten  that  My 

But  of  slowth  have  I-left  behynde  remedy 

The  holy  remembraunce  of  my  passioun, 

By  meane  of  whiche  and  mediacioun  222   against  tiie 

seven  sins, 

Ageyne  al  poysoun  of  the  synnes  seven 

Triacle  I  brought,  sent  [them]  downe  from  heven — 

.(33) 
Ageyns  pride,  remembre  my  mekenesse  ;  225   ought  to 

remember 

Geyne  covetise,  thynk  on  my  pouerte  :  My  meekness 

J  ,  .  /.  against  pride, 

Ageynst  lechery  e,  thynk  on  my  clennesse  ;  My  poverty 

J    '        J  J  against  covet- 

Agenst  envye,  thynk  on  my  charite  ;  S?*neiJSt 

Agenst  glotonye,  aduerte  in  hert  and  se  229   {*£?, 

My  charity 

202   Ageyn]  Agaynst.       heringe  of  tales]  tales  heryng  H. 
207  Ageyns]  Agaynst.      man]  men.  208  handes]  hande. 

210  thnrgh-]  thorugh-.  213  oones]  once.  214  korve]  kevne. 
thurgh]  thorughe.  215  a]  om.  221  holy]  hole.  224  them] 
am.  H.  227  Ageynst]  ageyne.  228.  229  Agenst]  ageyns. 


24     II.  Christ  gave  His  body  and  Mood  for  man's  food. 


How  that  I  for  marines  grete  offence 
Fourty  dayes  lyved  in  abstynence.' 

(34) 


"Against 
pride  He 
humbly 
inclined  His 
head; 

against  envy 
[leaf  232,  bk.] 
He  spread 
abroad  His 
arms  as  a 
token  of 
friendship; 


against 
covetousness 
the  nails 
pierced  His 
hands. 


"  From  His 
largess  He 
gave 


to  man  His 
bj'ly  in  the 
form  of  bread, 


His  blood  in 
the  form  of 
wine, 

and  water  out 
of  His  side  to 
wash  away 
his  sins. 


"  To  the 
Jews  He  gave 
His  garment; 

to  the 

apostles  His 
dead  body ; 

to  Saint 
John  His 
mother,  and 
to  His  father 
His  soul. 


231 


232 


"  Of  mekenesse  he  dide  his  [heued]  enclyne 
Agenst  the  synne  and  the  vice  of  pride ; 
Agenst  envy,  streyght  out  as  a  lyne, 
Spradde  his  armes  out  on  euery  side, 
[To  enbrace  his  frendes  and  with  them  abyde,]     236 
Shewyng  hem  signes,  who  so  list  to  se  : 
Grounde  of  his  peynes  was  perfite  charite.         238 

(35) 
Agenst  covetise  mankynde  to  redresse 

Thurgh-nayled  weren  his  holy  handis  tweyne, 
Shewyng  of  fredam  his  bountevous  almesse, 
Whan  he  for  love  suffred  so  grete  peyne 
To  make  mankynde  his  blisse  to  atteyne ; 
And  his  largesse  to  Rekene  by  and  by, 
I  shal  reherse  his  gyftes  ceriously. 

(36) 


239 


243 


245 


He  gaf  his  body  to  man  for  chief  repast,  246 

Restoratif  best  in  the  forme  of  brede, 
At  his  maunde,  or  he  hennys  past ; 

His  blessid  bloode,  in  forme  of  wyne  so  Rede ; 
His  soule  in  price,  whan  that  he  was  dede ;  250 

And  of  oure  synne  as  chief  lauendere, 
Out  of  his  side  he  gaf  vs  water  cliere.  252 

(37) 
He  gaf  also  his  purpure  vestement  253 

To  the  lewis,  that  dide  hym  crucifie ; 
To  his  apostels  he  gaf  also  of  entent 

His  blissed  body,  ded  whan  he  dide  lye ; 
And  his  moder,  that  clepid  was  Marie, —  257 

The  kepyng  of  hir  he  gaf  to  seynt  lohn  : 
And  to  his  fader  his  gost,  whan  he  was  gon.     259 


230  grete]  om.  232  heued]  om.  H.  236  om.  H.  237  hem] 
them.  240  Thurgh-]  thorugh-.  241  his]  a.  248  maunde] 
maundy,  hennys]  hence.  249  so]  full.  251  synne]  synnes. 
253  purpure]  1st  r  above  the  line  H.  254  dide  hym]  him  did. 
255  also]  eke.  259  he]  hit. 


II.  Christ  died  to  make  man  free.  Arm  thce  with  His  ivounds  !  25 


(38) 


260 


Agenst  slowth  he  shewed  grete  doctryne, 

Whan  he  hym  hasted  toward  his  passioun ; 
Agenst  wrath  this  was  his  disciplyne, 
Whan  he  was  brought  to  examynacioun  : 
A  soft  Aunswere  without  rebellioun ; 

Agenst  glotenye  he  drank  eysel  and  galle, 
To  oppresse  surfayte  of  vicious  folkes  alle. 

(39) 
He  gaf  also  a  ful  grete  remedye 

To  mankynde,  his  sores  for  to  sounde, 
For,  ageyne  the  hete  of  lecherye, 

Mekely  he  suffred  many  a  grevous  wounde, 
For  none  hole  skynne  was  in  his  body  founde, 
Nor  ther  was  seyn  other  apparaile, 
But  bloode,  alias,  aboute  his  sides  rayle. 

(40) 
There  he  was  sone  and  his  faders  heyre, 

With  hym  allone  by  the  eternyte  : 
It  was  a  thyng  incomparable  fayre, 

The  sone  to  dye,  to  make  his  seruaunt  free, 
Hym  fraunchisyng  with  suche  liberte, 

To  make  man,  that  was  tliurgh  synne  thralle, 
The  court  to  enherite  above  celestial. 

(41) 

These  kyndenesses,  whiche  I  to  the  Reherse, 
Lete  hym  devoyde  from  the[e]  oblyvioun 
And  lete  the  nayles,  whiche  thurgh  his  feete  dide  perce, 
Be  a  cliere  myrrour  for  thy  redempcioun ; 
Enarme  thy-self  for  thy  proteccioun, 

Whan  that  the  feendis  list  ageyn  the  stryve, 
With  the  Carectes  of  his  wondes  fyve. 

(42) 

Agenst  theyr  malice  be  strong  and  wele  ware, 
Al  of  his  crosse  Eeyse  vp  the  banner 


264 


266 


267 


271 


274 


278 


280 


281 


285 


287 


288 


266  surfayte]  sourfetes.  268  his]  ther.  272  seyn]  sene  no. 
273  rayle]  ryall.  279  thurgh]  thorugh.  281  These]  thos. 
kyndenesses]  kyndnes.  282  hym]  them.  the[e]]  om.  283 
thurgh]  thorugh.  284  a]  om.  for]  of.  redempcioun]  dedem- 
cyon.  286  ageyn]  agaynst.  287  Caractes]  correctes.  288 
Agenst]  Agayne.  289  Reyse]  aryse. 


"  Against 
slowness  He 
showed  readi- 
ness to  His 
passion, 
:>  gainst 
wrath,  meek- 
ness before 
His  judges ; 

against 
gluttony  He 
drank  gall 
and  vinegar 


against 
lechery  He 
[leaf  233] 
suffered 
many 
wounds. 


"It  was  a 
most  wonder- 
ful thing  that 
God  slew  His 
only  Son  to 
save  man- 
kind. 


"  Never  for- 
get this  ex- 
ceeding 
kindness. 


"Arm  thyself 
against  the 
atiacks  of 
the  devils 
with  the 
signs  of 
Christ's 
wounds. 

"Take  His 
cross  as 
thy  banner; 


26     II.  Christ's  Cross  is  typified  by  Old- Testament  symbols. 


it  is  the  best 
weapon : 


It  is  the 
palm  of 
victory ; 

the  tree  of 
Daniel; 


the  key  of 
Heaven ; 
the  staff  of 
James ; 


the  ladder  of 
our  ascen- 
[Ieaf233,bk.] 
sion;  the 
hook  of 
Leviathan ; 
the  press  of 
our  redemp- 
tion; 


the  harp  of 
David; 


the  pole 
whereon 
Moses  ex- 
hibited the 
brazen 
serpent ; 


299 


301 


candelabrum 
of  the  taber- 
nacle ; 


And  thynk  how  he  to  Caluarye  it  bare, 

To  make  the  strong  agenst  theyr  daungier ; 
Whiche  whan  they  seen,  they  dare  com  no  nere,  292 
For  trust  wele,  his  crosse  is  best  defence 
Agenst  the  power  of  fiendes  violence.  294 

(43) 
It  is  the  palme,  as  clerkis  can  wele  telle, 

To  man  in  erth  to  conquest  and  victorye ; 
It  is  the  tre,  whiche  that  Danyell 

Sawe  sprad  so  broode,  as  made  is  memorye ; 
The  key  of  heven,  to  bryng  men  to  glorye ; 
The  staf  of  lacob,  causyng  al  oure  grace, 
With  whiche  that  he  lowrdan  dide  passe ; 

(44) 
Scale  and  ladder  of  oure  *ascencyon ;  302 

Hooke  and  snare  of  the  Leviathan ; 
The  strong  pressour  of  oure  Redempcioun, 

On  whiche  the  bloode  downe  be  his  sides  Ranne, 
For  nothyng  ellis,  but  for  to  save  man ;  306 

The  harp  of  Dauid,  whiche  most  myght  availe, 
Whan  that  the  fiend  kyng  Saul  dide  assaile. 

(45) 
This  was  the  poole  and  the  hygh[e]  tree,  309 

Whilom  sette  vp  by  Moyses  of  entent — 
Al  Israel  beholde  nygh  and  see — 

And  therevpon  of  brasse  a  grete  serpent, 
Whiche  to  behold  [whoo]  were  nat  necligent,       313 
Receyved  helth,  salve,  and  medicyne 
Of  al  theyr  hurtis,  that  were  serpentyne.  315 

(46) 
This  banner  is  most  niyghti  of  vertu,  316 

Geyns  fiendes  defence  myghti  and  chief  obstacle ; 
Most  noble  signe  and  token  of  Tau 

To  Ezechiel  shewed  by  myracle  ; 

Chief  chaundelabre  of  the  tabernacle,  320 

292  seen]  se.          295  palme]  pallis.  298  made]  makid. 

299  key]  kepe.      302  ascencyon]  Redempcioun  H.      308  assaile] 
assaye.     309  poole]  pale.     313  whoo]  om.  H.     318  Tau]  chayne. 


II.  Sinful  soul,  think  on  Christ'* pains!  This  world  is  exile.  27 


Wherthurgh  was  caused  al  his  cliere  light 
Voidyng  al  derknesse  of  the  clowdy  nyght. 

(47) 


322 


This  was  the  tree  of  mankynde  boote, 

Thatt  stynt  hir  wrath  and  brought  in  al  the  pees, 


the  staff 
which  sweet- 
ened the 
water  of 

Whiche  made  the  water  of  Marath  fressh  and  swoote,   Marah; 


That  was  to-forne  most  bitter  dout[e]les. 

This  was  the  yerd  of  worthy  Moyses,  327 

Whiche  made  the  children  of  Israel  go  free 
And  dry-footed  thurgh  the  Eede  See.  329 

(48) 
This  was  the  slyng,  [with]  whiche  with  stones  fyve 

Worthy  David,  as  bookes  specific, 
Gan  the  hede  and  the  helme  to-Rive 
Of  the  Geaunt,  that  callid  was  Golye, 
Whiche  fyve  stones,  takyng  the  Allegorye,  334 

Arn  the  fyve  woundes,  as  I  reherse  can, 
With  whiche  that  Crist  venqwisshed  Sathan. 

(49) 
O  synful  soule,  why  nyltow  taken  kepe  337 

Of  his  peynes,  Remembryng  on  the  showres  1 
Forsake  the  world,  and  wake  out  of  thy  sleepe, 
And  to  the  gardyn  of  perfite  paramours 
Make  thy  passage,  and  gadre  there  thy  flowres     341 
Of  verray  vertu,  and  chaunge  al  thyn  old  lyf , 
And  in  that  gardyn  be  contemplatyf !  343 


(50) 


344 


*For  this  world  here,  both  at  Even  and  morwe, 

Who  list  considre  aright  in  his  Reasoun, 
~*Is  but  an  exile  and  a  desert  of  sorwe, 
Meynt  ay  with  trouble  and  tribulacioun ; 
But  who  list  fynde  consolacioun 

Of  gostly  loye,  lete  hym  the  worlde  forsake 

And  to  that  gardyn  the  Rightfe]  wey[e]  take,  350 


348 


the  stick  01 
Moses ; 


the  sling  of 
David, 


whose  five 
stones  signify 
Christ's  five 
wounds. 


[leaf  284] 
"O  sinful 
soul, 

forsake  the 
world ! 


"  It  is  but 
an  exile. 


"  If  thou  wilt 
find  peace, 
come  to  the 
garden 


321  -thurgh]  -thorugh.  323  mankynde]   mankyndes. 

324  brought]  bought.  329  thurgh]  ouer.  330  1st  with] 

am.  H  A.        334  the  Allegorye]  palegorye.        336  venqwisshed] 
venquysht  hath.       344  For]  From  H.       346  Is]  It  is  H. 


28     II.   Christ  calls  man's  Soul  as  Ms  Sister  and  Spcuse. 


mentioned  ii 
the  Song  of 
Songs. 


"  Come 
thither  to 
live  in  purity, 
as  Christ's 
sister  and 
bride: 


[leaf  234,  bk.] 

Bride  by 
affinity  of 
grace, 


sister  by 
nature,  be- 
cause Christ 
is  the  Virgin 
Mary's  son, 
and  our 
brother." 


(51) 
Where-as  [pat]  god  of  love  hym-self  cloth  dwelle      351 

Vpon  an  hille  ferre  from  the  mortal  vale — 
Canticorum  the  booke  ful  wele  can  telle — 
Callyiig  his  spouse  with  sugred  notes  smale, 
Where  that  ful  lowde  the  Amerous  nyghtyngale  355 
Vpon  a  thorn  is  wont  to  calle  and  crye 
To  mannes  soule  with  hevenly  Armonye  :          357 

(52) 
'  Veni  in  ortum  meum  :  soror  mea.  358 

Com  to  my  gardyn  and  to  myn  herber  grene, 
My  fayre  suster  and  my  spouse  deere, 

From  filth  of  synne  by  vertu  made  al  clene ; 
With  Cristal  paved,  thaleys  bien  so  cliere.  362 

Com,  for  I  calle,  anon  and  thow  shalt  heere.' 
How  Crist  Ihesu,  so  blessid  mote  he  be, 
Callith  mannes  soule  of  perfite  charite  !  365 

(53) 
He  callith  hir  '  suster'  and  his  '  spouse '  also  :  366 

First  his  suster,  who-so  list  to  se, 
As  by  nature — take  goode  heede  herto ! — 
Ful  nygh  of  kynne  by  consanguinite ; 
And  eke  his.  spouse  by  afnnyte,—  370 

I  meane  as  thus  :  be  affynite  of  grace, — 
With  gostly  love  whan  he  doth  it  embrace ;      372 

(54) 
And  eke  his  suster  by  semblaunce  of  nature,  373 

Whan  that  he  toke  oure  humanyte 
Of  a  mayde  most  clennest  and  pure, 

[ no  gap  in  the  MSJ\ 

Fresshest  of  floures  that  sprang  out  of  lesse,         377 
As  flour  ordeyned  for  to  Releve  man, 
Whiche    bare    the    fruyt    that    slough    oure    foo 
Sathan."  379 

Of  this  Balade  Dan  lohn 
Lydgate  made  nomore. 

351  >at]  om.  H.  353  Canticorum]  -urn  abbreviated;  canticoy 
A.  354  Callyng]  called.  358  soror]  soiar.  362  thaleys]  paleys. 
372  doth  it]  it  doth.  379  bare]  bore. 


20 


NOTES. 

POEM  I. 

p.  1,  line  i.  About  this  opening  in  prose  compare  Introduction,  §  8. 

1.  iii.  swan]  See  Gattinger,  p.  67. 

1.  v.  With  regard  to  the  different  ecclesiastical  terms  compare  C. 
Horstmann,  Altenglische  Legenden,  Neue  Folge ;  Heilbronn,  1881,  Intro- 
duction, and  Emil  Feiler,  Das  Benediktiner-Offizium,  ein  altenglisches 
Brevier  a 'is  dem  11.  Jahrhundert.  Ein  Beitrag  zur  Wulfstanfrage  (Angli- 
stische  Forschungen  4),  Heidelberg,  1901,  p.  llff. 

'  Horae,'  hours,  in  the  sense  of  the  old  Christian  Church,  means  not 
only  the  hours  of  devotion,  but  the  divine  service  itself,  celebrated  in 
these  hours.  Generally  seven  are  mentioned — 1.  Nocturn,  2.  Matins, 
3.  Prime,  4.  Tierce,  5.  Ssxte,  6.  Nones,  7.  Vespers.  As  Prime  was  not 
observed  everywhere,  8.  Compline  (cornpletorium)  was  added  in  the 
6th  century,  in  order  to  get  the  full  number  of  seven  hours  of  divine 
service,  as  this  number  was  considered  to  be  commanded  by  the  psalm 
cxviii,  164  :  t  Septies  in  die  laudem  dixi  tibi.' 

1.  vii.  tercia]  In  the  MS.  there  is  a  flourish  attached  to  this  word, 
similar  to  those  which  in  Latin  MSS.  signify  the  termination  of  the  gen. 
plur.  -mm ;  see  H.  1.  353  :  Canticomm.  As  this  expansion  would  be 
mere  nonsense  here,  I  have  omitted  this  sign  altogether. 

1.  xv.  Crucifige]  occurs  in  the  part  which  is  dedicated  to  Tierce,  1.  308. 

p.  2,  st.  1-4.  The  order  of  thoughts  is  as  follows  :  The  poet  sends  the 
little  book  to  the  Duchess,  to  present  itself  to  her  and  to  beseech  her  that 
she  will  take  and  keep  it,  till  she  gather  her  courtiers  around  her. 
These  were  always  inclined  to  listen  to  the  song  of  the  "arnerouss" 
nightingale,  interpreting  her  song  in  a  worldly  way.  Therefore  the 
Duchess  ought  to  read  them  the  post's  song  of  the  "gostly"  nightingale, 
to  drive  their  idle  thoughts  out  of  their  hearts,  which  otherwise  would  be 
conquered  again  by  the  charms  of  the  fresh  month  of  May. 

p.  2,  1.  1.  About  "Go,  lityll  quayere  .  .  ."  see  Introduction,  §  6,  and 
Schick,  T.  G.  note  to  1.  1393. 

dresse]  instead  of  "adresse";  compare  H.  11.  204,  226,  227,  229,  239, 
265,  317,  which  I  also  do  not  consider  as  type  E.  This  dropping  of  a 
first  unaccented  syllable  often  occurs  in  Lydgate.  M.  P.  12  ('rayed), 
174,  175  ('mong)  ;  Schick,  T.  G.  875  (longij) ;  Steele,  decrees,  526 
(cordith)  ;  Falls^  143  b  2  (Gynneth) ;  Pilgr.  1165  (cordyng).  Compare  also 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  iii,  L.  o.  g.  W.  B.  359  (parteth  =  departeth)  and  v,  Addenda, 
p.  493,  note  to  1.  A.  3287  (do  wey,  go  wey  =  away). 

1.  2.  wyth  humble  reuerence]  See  dEsop  (Zupitza)  271  : 
The  lambe  answerd  with  humble  reuerence. 

1. 4.  The  Duches  of  Bokyngham]  See  §  2,  A,  2,  Description  of  the  MSS.. 
and  §  7,  The  Date. 


30  Notes:   Poem  /.     Page  2,  lines  4-26. 

p.  2,  1.  4.  of  hur  excellence]  and  1.  5  :  of  hure  pacyence,  and  ].  6  :  of 
luire  noble  grace — "  of  "  denotes  here  the  cause;  compare  Paul's  Grundriss 
der  Germanischen  Philologie,  2i  (Einenkel),  p.  1104,  §  155  X). 

M.  P.  49 :         Noble  piyricessis  of  meek  benyvolence, 

Be  example  of  hir  your  homes  cast  away. 

Eom.  of  the  E.  3655,  3656  : 

This  is  to  sayne,  that  of  his  grace 
He  wolde  me  yeve  leyser  and  space. 

Ibid.  4604  :       I  praye  Love,  of  his  goodlihede. 

S.  of  Thebes  (Ske&i)  1291: 

Beseching  hire,  only  of  her  grace. 
The  same  1.  142. 

1.  5.  of  hure  pacyence]  See  note  to  I.  4. 
1.  6.  of  hure  noble  grace]  See  note  to  1.  4. 
1.  8.  Vnto  the  tyme]  See  Schick,  T.  G.  note  to  1.  1082. 
1.  9.  Luste]    The  construction  of  this  verb  is   very   inconsistent    in 
Lydgate ;  compare   Schleich,  Fabula,  p.  Ixv ;  Degenhart,  Hors,  note  to 
1.  127.     In  our  poems  compare  also,  e.  g.  :  c.  11.  174,  175  ;  H.,  11.  50,  110, 
111,  237,  345,  348  ;  both  constructions  in  one  sentence  we  find  Falls.  40 
a2: 

But  such  as  list  not  corrected  be, 
by  example  of  other  fro  vicious  gouernaunce 
and  fro  their  vices  list  not  for  to  flee. 
1.  11.  primetens]  Compare  1.  23.  Pilgr.  3455  : 

At  pryme  temps,  with  many  a  flour. 
-Rom.  of  the  R.  3373  : 

At  prime  temps,  Love  to  manace. 
Ibid.  4534  :       At  pryme  temps  of  his  foly. 
But  ibid.  4747  : 

Pryme  temps,  ful  of  frostes  whyte. 

1.  16.  gostly  sense]  There  are  among  the  M.  P.  (Minor  Poems,  Percy 
Soc.)  some  verses,  entitled  "  Make  amend es,"  where  likewise  the  song  of  a 
little  bird  is  interpreted  "in  gostly  sense,"  but  the  poem  is  not  considered 
to  be  Lydgatian  (compare  Gattinger,  p.  78).  I  cite  here  the  first  two 
stanzas  (p.  228  f. ) : 

By  a  wylde  wodes  syde  "  Make  amende  trewely  ;  " 

As  I  walked  myself  alone,  Than  songthatbr}Td  with  federesgray, 

A  blysse  of  bryddes  me  bad  abyde,    In  myne  hert  fulle  woo  was  y, 
For  cause  there  song  mo  then  one  ;     Whan  "make  amendes"  hegantosay; 
Among  thes  bryddes  everych  one,      I  stode  and  studyede  alle  that  day, 
Full  gret  hede  y  gan  take,  Theswordmademeallenygthtowake, 

Howhegonsyng  withrewfullymone,  Than  fond  I  by  good  schyle,  in  fay, 
"  Mon,  y  rede  the,  amendes  make."     Why  he  sede  "  amendes  make." 

For  a  worldly  song  of  a  nightingale  compare,  e.  g.  Kingis  Quair,  st.  34. 
1.  19.  But]  refers  to  "bare  of  eloquence." 

1.  20.  vnlawfle]  Lydgate  probably  read  "vnlawful";  in  this  way  the 
hiatus  is  also  avoided  ;  see  1.  65. 

1.  22.  vertu]  See  note  to  H.,  1.  316. 
1.  25.  freshe  May]   Schick,  T.  G.  184  : 

For  it  ne  sit  not  vnto  fressli[e]  May. 

1.  26.  Phebus  and  Titan  (compare  1.  92  and  H.,  1.  1)  are  very  common 
for  the  sun,  see  Schick,  T.  G.  note  to  11.  4-7,  and  the  following  quotations  : 


Notes:   Poem  /.     Page  3,  lines  29-35.  31 

Schick,  T.  G.  272  ; 

Licli  Phebus  bemys  shynyng  in  his  spere. 
Edmund,  i,  314  : 

Shyne  in  vertu  as  Phebus  in  his  speer. 
Voss.  Gg.  9,  f.  76  b  : 

Which  be  nyght  as  Phebiw  in  his  spire. 
M.  P.  182  :      Til  on  a  morwe,  whan  Tytan  shone  ful  clere, 
Ibid.  195  :         Titan  to  erly  whan  he  his  cours  doth  dresse. 
Ibid.  216  :         So  as  Phebus  perceth  thoruhe  the  glas 

With  brihte  beemys,  shynyng-  in  his  speere. 
Falls,  Sal:     highe  as  Phebus  shineth  in  his  sphere. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  x,  114  : 

0  fyry  Tytan,  persing  with  thy  bemes. 
Schleioh,  Fabula,  688  : 

And  nyht  approchith,  whan  Titan  is  gon  doim. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  ix,  265-266  : 

The  foules  alle,  whan  Tytan  did  springe, 
With  devout  herte,  me  thoughte  1  herde  singe ! 

p.  3,  1.  29-32.  A  similar  passage  occurs  in  Skeat,  Chaucer,  i,  3,  16-27  : 
And  wel  ye  wite,  agaynes  kinde         And  I  ne  may,  ne  night  ne  morwe, 
Hit  were  to  liven  in  this  wyse  ;  Slepe  ;  and  thus  melancolye, 

For  nature  wolde  nat  suffyse  And  dreed  I  have  for  to  dye, 

To  noon  erthely  creature  Defaute  of  slepe,  and  hevinesse 

Not  longe  tyme  to  endure  Hath  sleyn  rny  spirit  of  quiknesse, 

Withoute  slepe,  and  been  in  sorwe ;  That  I  have  lost  al  lustihede. 

1.  29.  nedes  most]  Compare  C.  Stoffel  in  Englische  Studien  28  (1900), 
p.  303  ff.     See  also  11.  157,  181. 

I.  33.  kyndely]  See  Degenhart,  Hors,  note  to  1.  512,  Matzner,  and  note 
1.  294  of  our  poem. 

II.  34,  35.  It  is  a  very  common  idea  to  represent  the  nightingale  as 
singing  all  the  night.     Compare  1.  100  of  our  poem  and  the  following 
quotations  :  M.  P.  153  : 

Nyhtynggales  al  nyght  syngen  and  wake, 
For  long  absence  and  wantyng  of  his  make. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  A.  98 : 

He  sleep  namore  than  dooth  a  nightingale. 
Ibid,  vii,  xxiv,  1355-6  : 

He  (i.  e.  the  nightingale)  might  not  slepe  in  all  the  nightertale, 
But  '  Domine  labia,3  gan  he  crye  and  gale. 

Percy  Society,  vii  :  The  Harmony  of  Birds,  ed.  by  J.  Payne  Collier, 
p.  6: 

Than  sayd  the  nightyngale, 
To  make  shorte  tale, 

For  wordes  I  do  refuse, 
Because  my  delyght, 
Both  day  and  nyght 

Is  synging  for  to  use. 

Ibid,  xi  :  The  Owl  and  the  Nightingale,  ed.  by  Thomas  Wright,  p.  16  : 
Bit  me  that  ich  shulle  singe 
Vor  hire  luve  one  skentinge  ; 

And  ich  [_i.  e.  the  nightingale]  so  do  thurj  ni^t  and  dai. 
Ibid.  p.  26  :       Ich  singe  mid  horn  ni^t  and  dai. 


32  Notes:   Poem  I.     Page  3,.  lines  35-39, 

Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81),  p.  378,  11.  2872-2874  : 
I  thenke  upon  the  nyhtingale, 
Which  slepeth  noght  be  weie  of  kinde 
For  love,  in  bokes  as  I  finde. 
Ibid.  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  82),  p.  109,  1.  5976  : 

Wher  as  sche  [i.  e.  Philomene]  singeth  day  and  nyht. 
George  Gascoigne  in  Specimens  of  the  Early  English  Poets,  London 
1790,  p.  23  : 

And  as  fair  Philomene  again 

Can  watch  and  sing  when  others  sleep, 
And  taketh  pleasure  in  her  pain, 

To  wray  the  woe  that  makes  her  weep. 

p.  3,  1.  35.  set  no  tale]  Compare  G.  L.  Kittredge,  Authorship  of  the 
Romaunt  of  the  Rose  (Studies  and  Notes  in  Philology  and  Literature, 
i),  Boston,  1892,  p.  39.  I  add  the  following  quotations  out  of  works  of 
Lydgate  : 

Degenhart,  Hors,  440  : 

Sette  litil  store  of  swerde  or  arwis  kene. 

Ibid.  479  :         Whiche,  of  madness,  bi  wolle  set  no  fors. 
Ibid.  237  (and  note  to  this  line)  : 

And,  for  he  set  of  me  that  day  no  fors. 
Pilgr.  4718,  4719  : 

And  I  am  she  that  set  no  cure 

Off  grucchyng  nor  detraccioiw. 

Falls,  199  a  2  :  Fortune  of  me  set  now  but  litle  prise. 
Ibid.  210  b  2  :  Of  his  manace  set  but  litle  tale. 


(Sauerstein),  iv.  116  : 

To  ouerpresse  a  pore  man  the  riche  set  no  tale. 

Also,  Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81),  p.  53,  11.  649,  650  : 

......  for  of  the  smale 

As  for  tacompte  he  set  no  tale. 
Ibid.  p.  330,  11.  1062,  1063  : 

And  of  the  conseil  non  accompte 

He  sette,  ...... 

Ibid.  p.  347,  1.  1716  : 

For  al  ne  sette  I  at  a  stra. 
Ibid.  (E.  E.  T.  S.,E.  S.  82),  p.  197,  11.  1130,  1131  : 

Withinne  his  herte  he  set  no  pris 

Of  al  the  world,  ...... 

Ibid.  p.  329,  1.  3342  : 

Which  rnannes  lif  sette  of  no  pris. 

1.  37.  The  same  sequence  of  rhymes  as  in  11.  37,  39,  and  40  occurs  also 
in  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  B.  1735-7-8,  and  ibid,  vii,  xviii,  71-2-5  :  rote- 
note-throte. 

1.  38.  dry  or  wete,  derk  or  lyght]  It  is  not  altogethar  unusual  with 
Lydgate  that  the  thesis  is  wanting  in  enumeration  ;  compare  Degenhart, 
Hors,  p.  37.  Perhaps  we  are  allowed  to  assume  the  same  metrical  phe- 
nomenon in  1.  397  of  our  poem,  and  in  Falls,  82  b  2  : 

Breake  his  coller  thicke,  double,  and  longe. 

1.  39.  be  rote]  About  the  etymology  of  this  word  consult  Stratmann- 
Bradley,  article  '  route,'  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vi,  p.  218  ;  vii,  p.  527,  and 


Notes:   Poem  I.     P age  %,  lines  41-57.  33 

Confessio   Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.   82),  p.  515,  note   to   1.  1312.      It 
occurs  also  in  M.  P.  152  : 

Suycli  labourerys  synge  may  be  roote. 
and  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  B.  1735  : 

Fro  day  to  day,  til  he  coude  it  by  rote. 
Ibid,  vii,  xviii,  71  : 

They  coude  that  servyce  al  by  rote. 

p.  3,  1.  41.  Lydgate  is  very  fond  of  the  construction  exhibited  by  this 
line. 

M.  P.  4  :  That  to  behold  it  whas  a  nob^e  sighte. 

Ibid.  181  :         That  to  beholde  it  was  an  hevenly  sighte. 
G.  W.  (Robinson),  360  : 

T/iat  to  be-holde  hit  was  verray  wondre. 
Falls,  8 1  b  2  :  That  to  beholde  it  was  an  ougly  syght. 
£.  of  Thebes,  376  b  1  : 

That  to  beholde,  it  was  a  verie  wonder. 
Similarly  in  Kinyis  QuoAr,  st.  162,  1.  3  : 

That  to  behald  thereon  I  quoke  for  fere. 
Compare  also  :  Court  of  Sapience,  f .  1  b  : 

That  heuen  it  was  to  here  her  beauperlaunce. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,F.  271  : 

That  it  is  lyk  an  heven  for  to  here. 

11.  43-45.  Compare  for  the  ^explanation  of  these  lines,  Schick,  T.  G. 
p.  cxiv,  and  note  1,  and  also  Skeat,  Chaucer,  ii,  p.  468. 

1.  46.  '  Whech '  and  '  hir ']  refer  to  '  May,'  1.  45.  The  poet  probably 
had  in  mind  the  idea  of  an  allegoric  personification  or  a  goddess  of  May. 

1.  46.  thoo]  refers  to  'sleep'  and  'bed,'  1.44.  The  sense  is:  Overmuch 
sleep  is  not  in  harmony  with  the  merry  month  of  May  :  poets,  lovers, 
«tc.,  go  forth  early  at  that  season 

*  To  do  obeissance  to  the  month  of  May.' 

1.  47.  thoght]  means  '  heavy  thought,  trouble.'     See  Schick,  T.  G.  1.  1 
and  note.     Also  in  Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  10,  11.  239,  240  : 
I  haue  herd  seyn,  in  kepyng  of  richesse 
Is  thoght  and  wo,  &  besy  a-wayte  al-way. 
Ibid.  1.  245  :     pus  £>ogtit  turmenti^  folk  in  sondry  kynde. 
Ibid.  p.  11,  1.  267  : 

Be  war  of  J>oght,  for  it  is  perillous. 
1.  51.  As  fer  as]  see  Schick,  T.  G.  note  to  1.  1029. 
1.  52.  So]  without  continuation  in  the  following  part  of  the  sentence. 
1.  54.  daye-rowes]  See  Introduction,  §  5,  Schick,  T.  G.  p.  Ixix,  and 
Krausser,  Complaint,  p.  25. 

1.54.  can]  =gan  =  began,  without  any  proper  meaning  ;  compare,  e.g. 
11.  136,  339,  395,  and  H.,  li.  19,  144,  (156,  158,  332)  ;  also  Ellis,  E.  E.  P.  i, 
p.  375,  and  Degenhart,  Hors,  1.  137  and  note. 

1.  55.  Ymagynyng— 56.  calde]  Perhaps  it  would  have  been  preferable 
to  enclose  this  parenthesis  within  dashes. 

1.  57.  Lydgate  likes  to  join  these  alliterative  words.     Falls,  173  a  1  : 

Of  superlluitie,  of  slouth  and  of  slepe. 
Kk.  i.  f.  194  b  : 

That  slombre  &  sleepe  //  J?e  longe  wynteres  nygt. 
JEsop  (Sauerstein),  ii,  77  : 

And  suche  folke  to  rebuken,  that  levyn  in  slombir  and  slowth. 
M.  P.  68  :        And  slowth  at  morow,  and  slomberyng  idelnes. 

NIGHTINGALE.  D 


34  Notes:    Poem  I.     Page  4,  lines  63-74. 

Ibid.  236  :         Fro  slouthe  and  slombre  mysilf  I  sbal  restreyne. 
Venus-Mass,  MS.  Fairfax,  f.  314  b  : 

In  slep  /  slogardye  /  and  slouthe. 
(quoted  from  E.  E.  T.  S.  71). 

Also  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xxiv,  649  : 

Trowbled  1  was  with  slomber,  slepe,  and  slouth. 
And  Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  xxvi,  1.  93  : 

Puttyng  awey  thi  slombre  &  [thi]  slouthe. 

p.  4,  1.  63.  laurer  grene]  The  nightingale  represented  as  sitting  on  a 
laurel  occurs  also  in  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xx,  109  : 

Wher  she  (i.  e.  the  nightingale)  sat  in  a  fresh  green  laurer-tree. 
Ibid.  435,  436  : 

For  then  the  nightingale,  that  al  the  day 

Had  in  the  laurer  sete,  .... 

The  laurel  has  very  often  the  epitheton  '  green ' :  Flour  of  Curtesye, 
f.  248  a  2  : 

I  set  me  downe,  vnder  a  lanrer  grene. 
Ibid.  f.  249  a  2  : 

Fayrest  in  our  tonge,  as  the  Laurer  grene. 

Also  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xx,  268  and  289,  and  Krausser,  Complaint,  65. 
In  the  Canterbury  Tales  Chaucer  tells  us  why  the  laurel  got  this  epithet : 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  E.  1465,  1466  : 

Myn  herte  and  alle  my  limes  been  as  grene 

As  laurer  thurgh  the  yeer  is  for  to  sene. 
And  Lydgate  himself  states,  M.  P.  180  : 

And  the  laurealle  of  nature  is  ay  grene. 

Compare  also  the  following  lines  from  Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,. 
E.  S.  81),  p.  272,  11.  1716-1720  : 

This  Daphne  into  a  lorer  tre 

Was  torned,  which  is  evere  grene, 

In  tokne,  as  yit  it  mai  be  sene, 

That  sche  schal  duelle  a  maiden  stille, 

And  Phebus  failen  of  his  wille. 
1.  65.  wilfle]  See  note  to  1.  20. 
1.  70.  Compare  1.  179. 

1.  71.  morowe  gray]  This  motif  reminds  us  of  the  beginning  of  the 
'  Flour  of  Curtesye,'  where  we  hear  that  the  lark  sings  (Flour  of  Curtesye, 
248  a  1): 

Ful  lustely,  againe  the  morowe  gray. 
M.  P.  23  :         And  Aurora,  ageyne  the  morowe  gray. 
It  occurs  also  among  the  poems  of  Charles  d'Orleans,  iii  (Wiilcker,, 
Altenglisches  Lesebuch,  ii.),  p.  123,  2  : 

Aftir  the  sterry  nyght  the  morow  gray. 
But  ibid.,  Story  of  Thebes,  9  : 

When  Aurora  was  in  the  morowe  redde. 
Compare  also  Skeat,  Chaucer,  i,  4,  1  : 

Gladeth,  ye  foules,  of  the  morow  gray. 
Ibid.iv,  C.T.,A.  1491,  1492: 

The  bisy  larke,  messager  of  day, 

Salueth  in  hir  song  the  morwe  gray. 

1.  74.  For]  =in  spite  of;  compare  Paul's  Grundriss,  i,  1102  t,  and  e.  g.  i 
M.  P.  215  :       Blenchithe  never  for  al  the  cliere  light. 


Notes:   Poem  I.     Pages  4,  5,  lines  78-90.  35 

Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,C.  129  : 

This  mayde  shal  be  myn,  for  any  man. 

Ibid,  i,  3,  534,  535  : 

Right  wonder  skilful  and  resonable, 
As  me  thoglite,  for  al  his  bale. 
See  also  1.  273. 

p.  4,  1.  78.  Contynving]  Lydgate  uses  normally  the  other  form  of  this 
verb  :  '  contune ' ;  compare  Brotanek,  Die  Englischen  Maskenspiele,  p.  309, 
11.  3,  4  :  ffortune — contune  rhyming  with  each  other ;  Schick,  T.  G. 
'contuned5  390  rhyming  with  'vnfortuned'  389  ;  'contune'  1333  rhyming 
with  'fortune'  1332. 

I.  82.  thorg-oute  the  wode  yt  ronge]  Compare  Krausser,  Complaint, 
44,45: 

Which  (i.  e.  the  briddes)  011  the  braunches,  bothe  in  pleyn  [and]  vale, 

So  loude  songe  that  al  the  wode  ronge. 

To  the  quotations  given  in  the  note  to  1.  45  add  the  following  ones 
from  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xx,  99,  100  : 

The  nightingale  with  so  mery  a  note 
Answered  him,  that  al  the  wode  rong. 
Ibid,  vii,  xviii,  96-100  : 

And  as  I  with  the  cukkow  thus  gan  chyde, 
I  herde,  in  the  nexte  bush  besyde, 
A  Nightingale  so  lustily  singe 
That  with  her  clere  vois  she  made  ringe 
Through-out  al  the  grene  wode  wyde. 

Thomas  Wright,  Specimens  of  Lyric  Poetry,  Percy  Society,  iv  (1841), 
p.  43: 

This  foules  singeth  ferly  fele, 
Ant  wlyteth.  on  huere  wynter  welen 
that  al  the  wode  ryngeth. 

II.  88,  89.  These  two  lines  may  be  a  reminiscence  from   the   Latin 
original,  ii,  3-4  : 

Tollens  eius  taedia  vice  dulcis  lyrae, 
Quern,  heu  !  modo  nequeo  verbis  convenire. 

p.  5,  1.  90.  euer  among]  Compare  note  to  H.,  1.  61. 

Qcy]  =  the  call  of  the  nightingale,  occurs  in  our  poems  here  and 
1.  98,  in  H.,  11.  14,  55,  59,  85,  217.  Compare  Uhlands  Schriften  zivr 
Geschichte  der  Dichtung  und  Sage,  iii,  Stuttgart,  1866,  p.  97  f. ;  Reinhold 
Kohler,  Kleinere  Schriften.  Hrsg.  von  Joh.  Bolte,  Berlin,  1900,  iii,  No.  32T 
pp.  216-218  (also  in  :  Zeitschrift  fur  romanische  Philologie,  viii  (1884), 
pp.  120-122) •  Gustav  Thurau,  Der  Refrain  in  der  franzosischen  Chanson, 
Berlin,  1901  [Litterarhistorische  Forschungen,  hrsg.  von  J.  Schick  und  M. 
v.  Waldberg,  No.  23],  p.  73  if. 

In  mediaeval  literature  we  meet  not  unfrequently  with  this  imitation 
of  the  nightingale's  song.  The  quotations  which  have  come  to  my 
knowledge  may  be  divided  into  two  main  groups  :  The  poets  of  the  one 
use  '  ocy '  as  an  onomatopoeia  for  her  plaintive  song,  those  of  the  other 
interpret  it  as  an  imperative,  addressed  by  the  bird  to  the  hearer. 

To  the  first  group  belong  the  author  of  Lydgate's  Latin  original, 
Peckham  (?),  and  the  greater  number  of  his  imitators  (see  also  Introduc- 
tion, p.  xxxix,  note  5),  as  e.  g.  Jacobus  de  Portu,  Diepenbrock,  Anonymus 
S.  (Des  hi.  Bonaventura  Philomele  oder  Nachtigallenlied,  Lingen,  1883), 
and  C.  Fortlage  (Gesange  christlicher  Vorzeit,  Berlin,  1844).  There  are 
with  the  latter  but  slight  varieties  in  reproducing  '  oci '  :  J.  de  Porta  by 


36  Notes:   Poem  I.     Page  5,.  line  90. 

'ochij,'  Diepenbrock  by  'oci,'  Anonymus  S.  and  Fortlage  by  '  ozi.'  Only 
Jacobus  Balde  (Poematum  tomus  iv,  Coloniae  Ubiorum,  1660)  attempts 
an  allegoric  interpretation  : 

Pars.  iv.  :        ...  curn  sol  medium  flagrantior  igne  scandit  axem 
Ilia,  nescio  quos,  crebro  vocat  impotenter  hora. 
Ocyus,  exclamaus,  hue  ocyus,  ocyus  venite. 
OcyuSj  advolita  soror  ocyus,  ocyus,  sorori. 
Adriacum  rapidis  toties  mare  non  tumet  procellis 
Nee  folia  arboribus,  simul  ingruit  Africus,  moventur : 
Multa  suum  quoties  canit  ocyus,  ocyusque  plorat. 
Pars.  xxi.  :  Oti  blanda  quies,  dulcedo  nobilis  oti, 
Recepta  Cordis  angulo 

Mens  Philomela  canit. 

The  other  group  is  represented  chiefly  by  French  poets,  many  of 
whom  understand  <oci'  as  the  imperative  mood  of  'occir'  =  kill,  and  use 
it  both  in  epic  and  lyric  poetry,  e.  g.  : 

Histoire  litteraire  de  la  France,  xxii,  p.  345  (also  in  Martonne,  Analyse 
du  roman  de  dame  Aye,  p.  23)  : 

Et  chantent  li  oisel  et  mainent  grant  delit, 
Et  li  roussignolet  qui  dit :  Oci,  oci ! 
Pucelle  est  en  effroi  qui  loing  set  son  ami. 
Gruillaume  le  Vinier  in  Histoire  litteraire,  xxiii,  p.  592  f.  : 
Trop  a  mon  cuer  esjo'i 
Li  louseignols  qu'ai  oi, 
Qui  chantant  dist  : 
Fier  fier,  oci  oci, 
Ceux  par  cui  sont  esbai 

Fin  amant. 

Wistasse  le  Moiiie,   hrsg.  von  Wendelin  Foerster  und  Johann  Trost, 
Halle,  1891  [Romanische  Bibliothek,  hrsg.  von  W.  Foerster,  4],  11.  1142  ff.  : 
Illuecques  se  fist  loussignol.         "  Ochi !  ochi  I  ochi  1  ochi !  " 
Bien  tenoit  le  conte  por  fol.          Et  li  quens  Renaus  respondi : 
<Quant  voit  le  conte  trespasser,      "  Je  1'ocirai,  par  saint  Richier  ! 
Wistasces  commenche  a  crier  :    Se  je  le  puis  as  mains  ballier." 
Compare  W.  W.  Comfort  in  Modern   Language  Notes,  xiii  (1898), 
col.  513  ff. 

Charles  de  Bourdigne,  Faitz  &  Dictz  Joyeulx  de  Pierre  Faifeu,  Paris, 
1833  [Tresor  des  vieux  poetes  francais,  6],  pp.  23,  24  : 

Me  pourmenant,  ung  Roussignol  s'esveille  ; 

De  son  doulx  chant  ties  fort  je  me  esmerveille, 

Quar  il  disoit  en  son  chant :  "  Fy,  fy,  fy, 

Fy  de  dormir,  fy  d'homme  qui  sommeille, 

Fy  de  songeard,  fy  d'homme  qui  ne  veille 

A  son  honneur."     Alors  je  vous  affy 

Que  j'heu  bien  peur  &  ung  tr6s  grant  deffy 

De  perdre  honneur  par  ma  grant  nonchallance, 

Veu  qu'on  ne  acquiert  sans  bien  grant[s]  porchatz  lance. 

Je  1'escoutte' ;  lors  commen9a  a  dire, 

Tournant  son  chant  mieulx  que  une  harpe  ou  lire, 

En  chant  bien  doulx  &  plaisant :  "  Suy,  suy,  suy." 

A  1'escouter  je  ne  peuz  contredire, 

Mais  suis  faciie*,  quasi  rencontre  de  ire, 

Que  ne  le  voy,  &  il  semble  estre  icy, 

Car  il  disoit  :  "  Vien  tost,  aussy,  aussy  ; 


Notes:    Poem  I.     Page  5,  line  90.  37 

Ne  sois  lasse  ;  le  gaing  est  a  poursuyvre  "  : 
Tel  va  bien  tost  qu'on  aconsuyt  pour  suyvre. 
Compare  Wistasse,  ed.  Foerster,  note  to  1.  1146. 

Huon  de  Me'ry,  Li  tornoiemenz  Antecrit.  Hrsg.  von  Georg  Wimmer, 
Marburg,  1888  [Ausgaben  und  Abhandlungen.  Hrsg.  von  E.  Stengel,  76], 
11.  3295-3298  : 

Et  li  rousignous  9a  et  ci 
Crie:  <Fui!  Fui !— Oci  I  Oci ! ' 
Si  que  sa  menace  tormente 
Tout  le  vergier. 

Raynaud,  Eecueil  de  Motets  francais  (Bibl.  fr.  du  m.-age),  Paris, 
1881,  i,  p.  49  : 

Et  si  orrons  le  roussignol  chanter 

En  1'ausnoi, 

Qui  dit :  Oci  ceus  qui  n'ont  le  cuer  gai, 
Douce  Marot,  grief  sont  li  man  d'amer. 

Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii :  The  Cuckoo  and  the  Nightingale,  11.  121-135  : 
And  every  wight  may  understande  me ; 
But,  Nightingale,  so  may  they  not  do  thee ; 
For  thou  hast  many  a  nyce  queinte  cry. 
I  have  herd  thee  seyn,  "ocy!  ocy!" 
How  mighte  I  knowe  what  that  sliulde  be  ?  ' 
'  A  fole  !  '  quod  she,  '  wost  thou  not  what  it  is  ? 
Whan  that  I  say  "ocy!  ocy  /"  y-wis, 
Than  mene  I  that  I  wolde,  wonder  fayn, 
That  alle  they  were  shamfully  y-slayn 
That  menen  au»ht  ayeines  love  amis. 
And  also  I  wolde  alle  tho  were  dede 
That  thenke  not  in  love  Mr  lyf  to  lede  ; 
For  who  that  wol  the  god  of  love  not  serve, 
I  dar  wel  say,  is  worthy  for  to  sterve  ; 
And  for  that  skil  "oci//  ocy!'1  I  grede.' 

To  these  we  may  also  reckon  the  quotations  from  the  poetry  of  the 
troubadours  alluded  to  by  Thurau,  p.  75. 

Though  '  ocy  '  does  not  verbally  occur,  we  must  necessarily  suppose 
the  same  idea  in  Jourdains  de  Jtttaivies  in  Amis  et  Amiles  und 
Jourdains  de  Blaivies.  Hrsg.  von  C.  Hofmann,  Erlangen,  1882,  11.  1546- 
1550: 

En  un  vergier  s'en  entra  maintenant, 
Dou  rousseingnol  i  a  oi  le  chant, 
Gil  autre  oisel  se  vont  esbanoiant. 
Lors  li  ramembre  de  Fromont  le  tyrant, 
Qu'ocist  son  pere  a  1'espee  tranchant  .  .  . 

In  some  cases  I  am  not  able  to  classify  the  quotations,  e.  g.  Uhland, 
p.  167,  198,  from  a  manuscript  in  Strassburg,  fol.  37a  : 
He  tres  dous  rousignol  ioli 
qui  dis  oci  oci  oci,  etc. 

Or  Godefroy,  Dictionnaire  de  Vaiwlenne  langue  francaise,  Paris,  1881- 
95,  from  R.  de  Hondenc,  Meraugis,  MS.  VienneJ  f.  28  c  : 
Quant  j'oi  chanter  a  mes  oreilles 
Le  roussignol  oci,  oci. 

Later  instances  prove  that  this  second  group  has  degenerated  and 
that  the  idea  of  'ocy'  as  an  imperative  has  been  effaced  by  degrees,  so 


33  Notes:   Poem  I.     Page  5,  lines  92-108. 

that  the  two  groups  again  coincide  at  last.  Compare  La  Curne  de  Sainte- 
Palaye,  Dictionnaire  historique  de  Vancien  langage  francois,  Niort — Paris 
[1880,  viii]  : 

J'oie  oi  le  roxignol  rnener,  Oci,  oci,  vilaine  gent : 

Qui  me  fet  plaindre,et  dolouser,       Jolis  cuer  doit  bien  amer, 
For  les  mans  que  je  sens  por  li,        Par  amours  joliement. 
Qui  sor  1'arbre  chante  a  haut  cri,  (MS.  7218,  f.  271.) 

Pourquoi  tient  on  le  chant  a  gracieus 
D'un  ozeillon  qu'on  claimme  rossegnol  ? 
Pour  ce  qu'il  est  jolis,  et  amoureus,  .  .  . 
Et  dist  occi,  occi,  joieus,  joieus.     (Froiss.  Poe's.  p.  336.) 
Le  rossignol  crie,  sur  les  ramssiaux, 
Vray  messaige  d'amour  entretenir, 

Occy,  occi/,  eritre  votis  damoisiaux  .  .  .     (Desch.  f.  164.) 
See  also  Thurau,  p.  74. 

Finally,  how  have  we  to  classify  the  lines  in  our  poems  ? 
To  the  first  group  we  have  to  reckon  H.,  11.  55,  59,  85,  217,  whereas 
to  the  second  evidently  belongs  H.,  1.  14,  as  it  is  proved  by  11.  20,  106. 
The  two  lines  from  c.,  however,  11.  90,  98,  exhibit  another  trace  of 
Lydgate's  originality,  in  so  far  as  these  are  the  only  lines  where  '  ocy ' 
refers  to  the  death  of  the  nightingale  herself. 

Compare  also  Arnold  Pischinger,  Der  Vogelgesang  lei  den  griechischen 
Dichtern  des  klassischen  Altertums.     Ein  Beitrag  zur   Wiirdigung  des 
Naturgefuhls  der  antiken   Poesie.      Programm   des   K.   humanistischen 
Gymnasiums  Eiclistatt  fiir  das  Schuljahr  1900/01,  Eichstatt,  1901. 
p.  5,  1.  92.  Phebus]  See  note  to  1.  26. 

I.  93.  Ouer]  to  be  read  as  a  monosyllable. 

II.  94,  95.  M.  P.  24: 

The  golden  chayre  of  Phebus  in  the  eyre 

Chasith  mistis  blake, 

1.  98.  Ocy]  See  note  1.  90. 
1.  100.  Compare  note  to  11.  34,  35. 

1.  103.  she]  <Hir '  1. 104,  and  'she'  1. 105  wrongly  refer  to  'bryd'  1. 101. 
The  poet  certainly  was  thinking  of  '  nightingale '  instead  of  '  bird/ 
Compare  11.  106,  107,  and  H.  11.  56,  72,  73. 

1.  105.  I  may  be  allowed  to  insert  here  two  quotations  from  Grimm, 
J.  und  W.,  Deutsches  Worterbuch,  vii,  Leipzig,  1889  : 
mir  geschihet  von  ir  minne  sunder  wane 
als  der  nahtegal,  diu  sitzet  tot  ob  ir  vrouden  sane. 

minnesinger  1,  28b  Hagen. 

Megenberg :  diu  nahtigal  .  .  .  singt  gar  amsicleich  und  gar  fravenlich 
iiber  ir  kraft  also  groezleich,  daz  si  so  krank  wirt,  daz  si  sterben  mnoz. — 
221,  4ff.  (vergl.  Plinius  10,  83:  certant  inter  se,  palamque  anirnosa 
contentio  est.  victa  morte  finit  saepe  vitam  spiritti  prius  deficiente  quarn 
cantu). 

11. 106,107.  About '  brid  '—'her'  see  note  to  1.103.  '  brid,'  with  poetical 
licence,  is  put  instead  of  '  the  story  of  this  bird.' 

1. 108.  latyn— boke]  See  Introduction,  §  8,  and  G-attinger,  p.  73. 
versed]  Compare  uersie  =  versify  in  Skeat,  Piers  Plowman,  C.  18, 
108-10: 

For  J>er  is  nouthe  non  *  who  so  nyme]?  hede, 
That  can  [versifie]  *•  fayre  •  o]?er  formeliche  endite, 
Ne  ]?at  can  constrnen  kyndeliche  •  pat  poetes  maden. 

1  uersie,  P. 


Notes:   Poem  I.     Pages  5,  6,  lines  114-137.  39 

p.  5,  1.  114.  I  was  not  able  to  find  out  any  passage  in  the  Holy 
Scripture  to  which  Lydgate  alludes  here. 

11.  115,  116.  cristen-man  Soule]  Perhaps  we  have  here  an  example  of  a 
genitive  case  without  ending  ?     Compare  Gough,  On  the  Middle  English 
Metrical  Romance  of  Emare,  p.  7,  and  also  the  following  quotations: 
Percy  Soc.  xiv  :  Poems  of  John  Audelay,  ed.  by  J.  0.  Halliwell, 
p.  26  :   Fore  mon  soule  thai  schuld  save, 
p.  27 :  To  save  mon  soule  spesialy. 
p.  36  :  Mon  soul  with  mekenes  to  have  in  kepyng. 
p.  46  :  Serrs,  so  is  mons  soule  with  the  sacrement. 
p.  47  :  That  han  the  cure  of  mons  soule  in  ^otire  kepyng. 
p.  48  :  And  manse  soule  that  was  forjuggyd  to  damnacioun. 
Again,  Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  175,  1.  4862 : 

ffor  a  kyng  is  but  a  man  soul,  parfay  ! 

11. 116,  (117).  oweth]  with  infinitive  without  'to,'  see  Matzner,  Englische 
Grammatik,3  Berlin,  1885,  iii,  p.  6. 

p.  6,  1.  120  ff.  Compare  William  of  Shoreham,  ed.  by  Wright  (Percy 
Society,  xxviii),  pp.  82-89. 

I.  126.  Compare  Schick,  T.  G.,  note  to  1.  761,  Triggs,  Assembly,  Intro- 
duction, p.  Ixxii  f.,  and  Morrill,  Speculum,  notes  to  11.  109  and  638. 

II.  129,  130.  This  idea  may  be  suggested  from  the  allegoric  struggle 
in  the  Psychomachia  by  Prudentius,  or  by  Ephes.  vi,  10-17.     Compare 
Schleich,  Fabida,  595 : 

Than  the  to  arme  strongly  in  pacience. 
M.  P.  Ill :    I  fond  a  lyknesse  depict  upon  a  wal, 

Armed  in  vertues,  as  I  walk  up  and  doun. 
Ayenbite,  ed.  by  R.  Morris,  p.  203 : 

.  .  .  |?et  ofte  recorder  j?ane  dyaj?  and  J?e  pine  of  lesu  cnst.  Vor  }?et  is 
J>e  arrnure  bet  j?e  dyeuel  dret  mest  .  .  . 

Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  194,  1.  5376  : 

With  pees  and  reste,  arme  yow  and  clothe  1 
Yorkshire  Writers,  Eolle  of  Hampole,  ii,  p.  112,  1.  5,  f.  a  : 

and  arme  hym  with  that  holy  passyon. 
See  also  H.,  1.  285. 

1.  130.  quert]  On  this  word,  compare  J.  0.  Halliwell,  Dictionary  of 
Archaisms  and  Provincialisms,  London,  1846-7;  Herbert  Coleridge,  A 
Dictionary  of  the  Oldest  Words  in  the  English  Language,  London,  1862 ; 
New  English  Dictionary;  Sir  Gowther,  ed.  Breul,  Oppeln,  1886,  note  to  11. 
223,  224,  and  Lay  Folks  Mass-Book  (E.  E.  T.  S.  71),  p.  341,  note  to  11.  26, 
27.  It  is  very  often  found  in  Rolle  de  Hampole's  writings,  especially  in 
his  translation  of  the  Psalms.  Again  it  occurs  in  the  Catholicon  Angli- 
canum  (E.  E.  T.  S.  75),  pp.  196  and  296,  and  Political,  Religious,  and 
Love  Poems  (E.  E.  T.  S.  15),  pp.  166/114,  167/1 11,  174/236,  175/ios. 
Also  Hoccleve.  knows  it  as  an  adjective  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  39,  1. 
1061: 

Nay  !  be  f-ou  riche  or  poore,  or  seke  or  quert. 
Besides,  in  Lydgate,  M.  P.,  where  also  the  adjective  occurs  : 
p.  32 :  But  she  have  al  than,  thouhe  he  be  nat  querte. 
p.  38 :  As  Sampson  did,  whil  he  was  hole  and  quert. 
1.  136.  can]  See  note  to  1.  54. 

1.  137.  mischeue]  The  following  three  quotations  are  taken  from  the 
Century  Dictionary  and  Stratmann-Bradley  : 
When  pryde  is  moste  in  prys, 


40  Notes:   Poem  I.     Page  6,  lines  141-143. 

Ande  couetyse  moste  wys,  .  .  . 
Tlienne  schall  Englonde  mys-chewe. 

Booke  of  Precedence  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S),  i,  85.. 
Merueile  it  is  J?at  y  not  mysclieeue, 
J?at  y  neere  kild,  drowned,  or  brent. 

E.  E.T.  S.  15,  p.  195, 11.  431,  432. 
....  and  up  thai  wol  atte  eve 
Into  a  tree  lest  thai  by  nyght  myscheve. 

E.E.T.S.  52,  i,  613,614. 

In  the  Manipulus  Vocdbulorum  (E.  E.  T.  S.  27),  I  found,  col.  53, 1.  14  : 
to  Mische"efe,  destruere. 

p.  6, 1. 141.  Before  whos  deth]  The  relative  instead  of  the  demonstrative 
pronoun,  in  order  to  effect  a  closer  connection  with  the  preceding  sentence 
(compare  Paul's  Grundriss,  i,  p.  1119,  *,  and  Spies,  Studien  zur  Geschichte 
des  Englischen  Pronomens  im  XV.  und  XVI.  Jahrhundert,  Halle,  1897,. 
p.  222,  §  230  ff.).  See  also  1.  343. 

I.  142.  of]  See  note  to  1.  4. 

offens,  cleped  original!]  In  Forcellini,  Totius  Latinitatis  Lexicon,. 
Prati,  1858,  we  find  under  the  heading  'originalis'  (2)  the  following 
remark:  'Speciatim  apud  Scriptores  Ecclesiasticos  originate  peccatum 
dicitur  illud  priorum  parentum  in  posteros  generatione  transfusum. 
Augustin  1.  de  Anim.  9.  n.  10.  et  alibi.'  This  quotation  from  St.  Augus- 
tine runs  as  follows  :  Sed  utcumque  sentiens  quid  mali  dixerit,  sine  ulla 
Christi  gratia  animas  redimi  parvulorurn  in  seternam  vitam  regnumque 
ccelorum,  et  in  eis  posse  solvi  originale  peccatum  sine  Baptismo  Christi, 
in  quo  fit  remissio  peccatorurn  :  videns  ergo,  in  quam  se  profunditatem 
naufragosi  gurgitis  jecerit,  "  Sane,"  inquit  .... 

II.  Hoc    enim    eis    etiam  haeresis    Pelagiana   promisit:    quia    nee 
damnationem  metuit  parvulis,  quos  nullum  putat  habere  originale  pec- 
catum .... 

Lydgate,  being  a  cleric  himself,  of  course  often  makes  use  of  this 
theological  term.     It  occurs  in  the   form  'synne  orygynal,'  Pilgr.  986, 
1139  if.,  1158,  1255,  1280,  also  as  'orygynal  trespace,'  ibid.  1276.     Again 
I  noticed  it  in  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  iv,  348,  and  ibid,  iv,  C.  T.  I,  334  and  808. 
Percy  Soc.  28 :  Poems  of  William  de  Shoreham,  ed.  by  T.  Wright,  p.  105  : 
Oryginale  thys  senne  hys  cleped, 
For  man  of  kende  hyt  taketh  syn. 
Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61),  p.  46,  1.  85 : 

]>at  for  our  gilt  original  wern  slayn. 

Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81,  82),  v,  1767 ;  vi,  1. 
1. 143.    infecte]  =  infected,  as  'depeint'  =  depeinted  (compare  Schickr 
T.  G.,  note  to  1.  44;  Hoccleve,  E.E.T.S.,  E.S.  72,  1.  5003),  or  'depict'  = 
depicted  (M.  P.  Ill,  259),  and  '  detecte '  =  detected  (Percy  Society,  xi,  ii : 
Thirteen  Psalms,  p.  10).     Matzner,  however,  in   the   dictionary   to  his 
Altenglische  Sprachproben,  article  '  infecten,'  doubts  whether   it  is   con- 
tracted from  '  infected '  or  not,  but  considers  it  rather  a  form  directly  taken 
from   the    Latin.     Quotations  of  this  verb  are   also  given    in   Schleich> 
Fdbula,  p.  104,  to  which  we  add  the  following  ones: 
Steele,  decrees,  1272: 

Of  enfect  placys  /  Causyng  the  violence. 
Pilgr.  5792 : 

Swych  as  be  nat  infect  wit/i  synne. 
Skeat,  CJiaucer,  vii,  xxiv,  217: 

And  punish  me,  with  trespace  thus  enfect. 


Notes:   Poem  I.     Page  7,  lines  150-168.  41 

But  ibid,  vii,  xxiv,  1053: 

Her  gentilness  may  not  infected  be. 
Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  171,  11.  4742,  4743 : 

And  a-inong  othir  Binge's,  J?at  your  wilne 

Be  infecte  wij>  no  wrecched  chyncherie. 
Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.S.  61),  p.  117,  1.  194: 

that  so  myche  of  this  land  /  shall  be  infecte 
(rhyming  with  :  correcte  (inf.)  and  secte). 

p.  7,1.  150.  paradise]  The  metre  requires  if  not  elision  of,  then  certainly 
slurring  over  the  second  syllable :  par'dise. 

M.  P.  209 :  The  stoon  of  paradys  was  fyn  of  his  labour. 
Ibid.  235 :     Man  to  restoore  to  paradys,  his  cite. 
Albon  and  Amphabel  (Horstmann),  1,  261 : 

It  was  a  paradise  vpon  hem  to  se. 
Steele,  Secrees,  627 : 

It  was  a  paradys  /  verray  incomparable. 
Kk.  i,  f.  195  b : 

The  theeff  /  of  Paradyse  /  made  a  sitesiene. 
E.  of  the  Rose,  648: 

Have  been  in  paradys  erth[e]ly. 

1.  151.  sely]  has  here  rather  the  meaning  of  ' unfortunate,  fatal'  as  e.  g- 
Schleich,  Fabula,  589,  590: 

0  seely  marchaunt,  inyn  hand  I  feele  quake 

To  write  thy  woo  in  my  translaciomi. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  iii,  p.  162,  1.  2339: 

0  sely  Philomene  !  wo  is  thyn  herte. 
1.  156.  Holland's  Buke  of  the  Houlate,  ed.  by  A.  Diebler,  1.  976: 

Think  how  bair  thow  wes  borne,  and  bair  ay  will  be. 

I.  157.  nedes  mvst]  Compare  note  to  1.  29. 

II.  160,  161.  A  similar  thought  is  met  with  in  Ayenbite  of  Inwyt,  ed.  by 
K.  Morris,  p.  71 : 

Vor  huanne  }?ou  begonne  libbe :  anhaste  J?ou  begonne  to  sterue. 
Yorkshire  Writers,  Rolle  of  Hampole,  ii,  p.  36,  11.  21-24: 

For  fro  bigynnyng  of  oure  childehede 

ilk  day  to  dye  we  are  dredande ; 

>en  J?is  [lif]  is  faylande  at  J?o  nede, 

for  whils  we  here  lyue  [we]  are  dyande. 

Also  in  Anglia,  vii  (1884),  Anzeiger,  p.  85,  11.  17,  18: 
For  yn  J?e  oure  of  oure  natyvyte 
Thy  [i.  e.  death]  sotell  entre  us  perschet  everychon. 

Nearly  the  same  idea  occurs  again,  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  A.  3891  ff.: 
For  sikerly,  whan  I  was  bore,  anon 
Deeth  drogh  the  tappe  of  lyf  and  leet  it  gon  ; 
And  ever  sith  hath  so  the  tappe  y-ronne, 
Til  that  almost  al  empty  is  the  tonne. 

I  could  not  find  out  where  this  idea  is  borrowed  from. 

11.  164-168.  A  similar  passage  occurs  in  Morrill,  Speculum  (E.  E.  T.  S., 
E.S.  75),  11.215-222: 

And  ^af  to  man  fre  power  Whetyer  he  wole  chese,  he  haf?  power 

To  chese,  bo^e  fer  and  ner,  Jmrw  ^ifte  of  god,  while  he  is  her ; 

Off  god  and  yuel  shed  to  make,       J?anne  is  hit  noht  on  god  ilong, 
J?e  euel  to  late  and  god  to  take.        If  man  wole  chese  to  don  wrong. 


42  Notes:   Poem  I.     Page  7,  lines  164-168. 

The  note  to  1.  215,  p.  66,  rightly  points  out  the  different  opinion  of 
Chaucer  on  this  subject,  referring  to  Skeat,  Chaucer,  G.  T.,  B.,  1L4424- 
4441 ;  especially  11.  4433-4438 : 

Whether  that  goddes  worthy  forwiting 
Streyneth  me  nedely  for  to  doon  a  thing, 
(Nedely  clepe  I  simple  necessitee); 
Or  elles,  if  free  choys  be  graunted  me 
To  do  that  same  thing,  or  do  it  noght, 
Though  god  forwoot  it,  er  that  it  was  wroght. 

The  following  quotations,  however,  will  prove,  as  it  seems  to  me,  that 
Lydgate's  dogmatic  point  of  view  was  more  generally  adopted.  I  noticed 
similar  passages  in  Yorkshire  Writers,  Kolle  of  Hampole,  ii,  p.  45,  11. 
753,  754 : 

And  }?erfore  chese  )?e,  or  J^ou  wende, 
whej>er  }>ou  wolt  to  payne  or  blis. 

Percy  Society,  xiv,  1 :  Poems  of  John  Audelay,  ed.  by  J.  0.  Halliwell, 
p.  8: 

Better  mon  ys  made  resnabyl, 

Good  and  evyl  to  have  in  his  mynd  ; 
And  has  fre  choys,  as  we  fynde, 
Weder  he  wyl  do  good  or  ylle, 
Owther  y-savyd  or  ellys  y-schent, 

Ovvther  have  heven  or  ellus  have  hell, 
thou  hast  fre  choys. 
Ibid.  p.  52 : 

For  thou  ast  fre  choyse  to  ryse  or  falle, 
Both  thou  may. 
Ibid.  p.  53: 

Here  twey  wayes  [i.  e.  to  heaven  and  to  hell],  my  sone  ther  be, 
Thou  hast  fre  choyse  wedur  to  passe. 

Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81),  p.  218,  11.  3260-3262 : 
For  every  man  his  oghne  wone 
After  the  lust  of  his  assay 
The  vice  or  vertu  chese  may. 
Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61),  p.  112,  11.  73-75 : 

for  sythen  god  to  man  /  gyven  hathe  libertie, 
which  chese  may  /  for  to  do  well  or  no, 
yf  he  myse-chese  /  he  is  his  owne  foo. 
Ibid.  p.  215,  11.  18-24,  f.  a. : 

And  sikirly,  syn  god  of  his  hy  grace  and  benigne  courtesie  hath  yeuen 
vs  libertee  and  freedam  for  to  purchace  by  oure  wirkes  in  this  present  lyfe 
J?at  oon  or  fyat  othir  /  al  standith  in  our  choys  and  eleccioun  '.  to  grete 
fooles  been  we  /  but  if  we  cheese  the  bettre  part  /  which  part,  god  of  his 
infynyt  goodnesse  graunte  vs  alle  to  cheese  /  Amen ! 
Anglia,  vii  (1884),  Anzeiger,  p.  86,  11.  36-38  : 

And  of  two  wayes  \>ou  most  nedys  chese  oon. 
Thenk,  of  fre  choyes  god  hath  the  ^eve  alon 
With  wyt  and  reson  to  rule  thy  lyberte. 

This  opinion  is  not  only  in  accordance  with  Sirach,  xv,  12-17,  but  has 
also  been  supported  as  doctrine  by  great  fathers  of  the  Church. 
Sirach,  xv,  12-17: 

12.  Non  dicas :  Ille  me  implanavit :  non  enim  necessarii  sunt  ei  homi- 
nes impii.  13.  Omne  exsecnimentum  erroris  odit  Dominus,  et  non  erit 
amabile  timentibus  eum.  14.  Deus  ab  initio  constituit  hominem,  et  reli- 


Notes:   Poem  I.     Pages  7,  8,  lines  171-183.  43 

quit  ilium  in  manu  consiliisui.  15.  Adjecit  mandata  et  praecepta  sua : 
16.  Si  volueris  mandata  servare,  conservabunt  te,  et  in  perpetuum  fidem 
placitam  facere.  17.  Apposuit  tibi  aquam  et  ignem  :  ad  quod  volueris, 
porrige  manum  tuam.  18.  Ante  hominem  vita  et  mors,  bonum  et  malum  : 
quod  placuerit  ei,  dabitur  illi. 

Clemens  Alexandrinus,  Stromatum  lib.  ii.  Sylburg,  Coloniae,  1688, 
363: 

'Hyuets  5e,  o?  Se  alpeffiv  Kal  <pvy^v  SeSAa-Oai  rots  avdpwirois  avroKparopiK^v  irapa 
TOV  Kvpiov  Sia  ruv  ypafy&v  Trapfi\iri<p6Tes  a^rairrtartf  TTJ  wtffTtt  ai>airava>/j.€0a. 

Origines  de  principiis,  interprete  Rufino,  lib.  iii,  c.  i,  Redepenning  245- 

"quoniam  in  ecclesiastica  praedicatione  inest  etiam  de  futuro  Dei 
justo  judicio  fides  quae  judicii  credulitas  provocat  homines  et  suadet  ad 
bene  praeclareque  vivendum  et  omni  genere  refugere  peccatum  .  .  .  per 
hoc  sine  dubio  indicatur  quod  in  nostra  sit  positurn  potestate  vel  laudabili 
nos  vitae  vel  culpabili  dedere." 

Ibid.  lib.  iii,  c.  i,  6  (249) : 

"  Paulus  tamquam  in  nobis  ipsis  vel  salutis  vel  perditionis  habentibus 
causas,  ait:  An  divitias  bonitatis  ejus  .  .  .  contemnis  .  .  .  ?  " 

Augustinus,  Hypognosticon,  lib.  iii,  c.  3  (Migne,  P.  lat.,  45,  1611  ss.  = 
x,  2): 

Igitur  liberum  arbitrium  hominibus  esse,  certa  fide  credimus,  et  prae- 
dicarnus  indubitanter. 

Thomas  Aquinas,  Summa  theologica,  i,  23,  3  (Romae  1888,  iv.): 

"Culpa  provenit  ex  libero  arbitrio  eius  qui  reprobatur  et  a  gratia 
deseritur." 

Compare  about  this  difficult  matter  Schmidt,  Wilhelm,  Christliche 
Dogmatik,  in  Sammlung  theologischer  Handbucher,  iv,  i,  2,  Bonn,  1898, 
§  1,  p.  12  ff.,  and  Harnack,  Adolf,  Lehrbuch  der  Dogmengeschichle,  3.  Bd, 
3.  A.  Freiburg  i.  B.,  1897  (Sammlung  theolog.  Lehrbiicher),  p.  189  ff. 

p.  7, 1. 171.  dismenbre]  Compare  Skeat,  Chaucer,vi\,  ii,255,  and  the  notes 
by  the  same  (ibid,  v)  to  0.  T.,  C.  474,  651, 1.  591,  where  many  quotations  on 
this  subject  are  found.  I  may  only  be  allowed  to  add  that  the  ten  com- 
mandments from  which  Todd  cites  the  second  one  are  printed  by  Zupitza 
in  Herrigs  Archiv,  Ixxxv  (1890),  p.  46  ff.,  from  Ashmole  MS.  61.  Com- 
pare also  Percy  Society,  23,  i,  73  : 

Of  newe  tourment  we  do  hym  rent, 
Whan  we  hys  membres  swer. 

Hocdeoe  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  23, 11.  628-630 : 
pere,  J?e  former  of  euery  creature 

Dismembred  y  with  o£>e's  grete,  &  rente 
Lyrne  for  lyrne,  or  J?at  I  >ennes  wente. 

1.  179.  Compare  1.  70. 

p.  8, 1.  181.  nedes — most]  Compare  note  to  1.  29. 

st.  27.  The  anacoluthon  in  this  stanza — there  is  no  verb — is  nearly  as 
bad  as  the  well-known  one  at  the  beginning  of  Lvdgate's  Guy  of  Warwick, 
ed.  by  Zupitza,  Sitzungsberichte  der  (Wiener)  Kais.  Akademie der  Wissen- 
schaften,  74,  Wien,  1873,  p.  665,  note  to  1.  1,  8.  Compare  also  Skeat, 
Chaucer,  i,  xiv,  1.  1  ff.  arid  note. 

p.  8,  1.  183.  the  fadres  sapiens]  Compare  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  B. 
1660-1662: 

Thurgh  thyn  [i.  e.  Maria]  hurnblesse,  the  goost  that  in  thalighte, 
Of  whos  vertu,  whan  he  thyn  herte  lighte, 
Conceived  was  the  fadres  sapience. 


44  Notes:   Poem  I.     Page  8,  lines  184-208. 

p.  8, 11.  184,  185.  well—  grounde]  See  Schick,  T.  G.  292,  293,  and  note, 
754,  758,  971.  Also  in  Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  xlix,  1.  34. 

1. 185.  lombe]  See  Merrill,  Speculum  (E.  E.  T.  S. ,  E.  S.  75),  note  to  1. 260. 
1.  186.    declyne]  has  here  the  meaning  of  'to  die'  ;    see  Matzner  and 
New  English  Dictionary. 

1.  195.  folow  shuld  his  trace]  Skeat,  Chaucer,  i,  xiv,  1-4: 
The  firste  stok,  fader  of  geritilesse — 
What  man  that  claymeth  gentil  for  to  he, 
Must  folowe  his  trace,  and  alle  his  wittes  dresse 
Vertu  to  sewe,  and  vyces  for  to  flee. 
See  also  the  notes  to  these  lines. 

M.  P.  93 :  Who  foloweth  his  tracys  is  never  liche  to  thryve. 
Ibid.  248 :  To  folwe  the  tracys  of  spiritual  cloctryne. 
Percy  Soc.,  xiv,  1 :  Poems  of  John  Audelay,  ed.  by  J.O.  Halliwell,  p.  80 : 

To  heven  to  folow  the  trasse. 
Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  146,  1.  4061 : 

If  J?ou  be  god,  thow  folow  most  his  trace. 
Yorkshire  Writers,  Rolle  of  Hampole,  ii,  p.  42,  1.  535 : 

Synne  dos  J?e  to  folow  fro  fendits  trace. 

196.  Compare  the  last  lines  of  a  carol  in  Percy  Society,  23,  i,  48: 
And  cf  owre  synnys  we  ask  remyssion, 

And  grace 

In  hevne  to  have  a  place. 

1.  208.  ouer-terved]  Compare  about  this  verb  Skeat,  Chaucer, v,  Addenda 
following  p.  xxvi,  vi,  p.  258,  and  Athenceum,  3465  (24.  iii.  1894),  p.  379. 
As  to  its  etymology  Skeat  combines  it  with  the  frequentative  verb  terflen, 
O.E.  tearflian  (Low  G.  tarven,  urn-  tarven,  O.H.G.  zerben,  zirben,  zirbel- 
wint)  ;  Holthausen,  Anglia  Beiblatt,  xii,  p.  146,  refers  to  Ettmiiller,  Ludo- 
vicus,  Vorda  Vealhstod  Engla  and  Seaxna.  Lexicon  Anglosaxonicum. 
[Bibliothek  der  gesammten  deutschen  National- Literatur,  xxix.]  Qued- 
linburg  und  Leipzig,  1851,  p.  523,  sub  'teorfan,'  and  Schade,  Oskar, 
Altdeutsches  Worterbuch,  2.  A.  Halle  a.  S.  1872-1882,  p.  1230,  sub  'zarbjan.' 
Holthausen  also  suggests  the  idea  that  'Tyrfingr,'  the  Icelandic  name  of 
a  famous  sword,  belongs  to  the  same  root.  In  Athenaeum,  3467  (7.  iv. 
1894),  p.  445,  F.  B.  (?)  draws  the  attention  to  the  noun  and  verb  *  turf,' 
used  by  labourers  in  southern  and  south-western  counties  for  '  piece  of 
ground'  and  'strip  and  roll  up  layers  of  rooted  grass.' 

From  the  references  above  mentioned,  and  the  Century  Dictionary,  1 
collect  the  following  quotations,  to  which  I  add  some  others. 

The  simple  verb  terven  occurs :  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv.  C.  T.,  G.  1171, 1274; 
Legends  of  the  Holy  Rood  (ed.  by  Morris,  E.  E.  T.  S.  46),  p.  207  ;  Havelock 
(ed.  by  Holthausen,  Heidelberg,  1900),  II.  603,  918  ;  Wars  of  Alexander 
(ed.  by  Skeat,  E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  47),  1.  4114;  Alliterative  Poems  (ed.  by 
Morris,  E.  E.  T.  S.  1),  B.  630  ;  Sir  Gawayne  and  the  Green  Knight  (ed.  by 
Morris,  E.  E.  T.  S.  4),  1.  1921 ;  Prompt.  Parv.  sub  'tyrf,'  sb. ;  The  Poems 
of  William  Dunbar  (ed.  by  J.  Schipper,  Vienna,  1894),  86,  1.  23: 

Off  all  his  claythis  thay  tirvit  him  bair. 
Ibid.  11.  33,  34  : 

In  tene,  thay  tirvit  him  agane, 
And  till  ane  pillar  thai  him  band. 

Ibid.  1.  57 : 

Agane  thay  tirvit  him  bak  and  syd. 

The  Poems  of  Walter  Kennedy  (ed.  by  J.  Schipper,  Vienna,  1901,  in 


Notes:   Poem  I.     Pages  8,  9,  lines  210-219.  45 

Denkschriften  der  K.  Akademie  der  Wissenschaften  in  Wien.     Philoso- 
phisch-Historische  Classe.     Band,  xlviii,  i),  p.  87,  st.  ccvii : 
Ane  to  name  wes  callit  Cleophas, 

Said:  Merwall  is  )mt  JJOLI  misknawis  allane 
Thir  cruell  dedis  qtildlum  thir  dais  wes 
To  Jhesus  done  into  Jerusalem, 
Be  oure  princis  how  he  wes  tane  [and]  slane, 
Als  tiruit  [him]  with  mony  panis  fell, 
Quhom  we  trowit  to  redeme  Israeli. 
onerterven  occurs  : 

Promptorium  Parvulorum  (1440),  p.  373: 

Ovyr  (tyr)  vyn  (ovyr  tyrvyn,  K.  ouerturnyn,  S.H.  ouyrturnyn,  P.). 
Subverto,  everto. 

J.  Hardyng,  Chron.  of  England  (ed.  Ellis,  1812),  p.  47  : 

So  dred  they  hym,  they  durst  no  thing  ouer  terue 
Againe  his  lawe  nor  peace. 

Ibid.  p.  75  : 

The  lawe  and  peace  he  kepte,  and  conserued, 
Which  him  vpheld,  that  he  was  neuer  ouer  teruecl. 
Jamieson,  John,  An  Etymological  Dictionary  of  the  Scottish  Langkiage, 
ii,  Edinburgh,  1841,  p.  173  : 

Keprowyd  scho  suld  noucht  be  for-thi 
Of  falshede,  or  of  trychery, 
For  til  owrtyrwe  that  is  abowe. — 
Bot  qwhen  thai  trayst  hyr  all  thair  best, 
All  that  is  gy wyn  be  that  Lady, 

Scho  ovvrtyrwys  it  suddanly.         Wyntown,  viii,   40,  39,  46. 
Holland's  Buke  of  the  Houlate,  ed.  by  Arthur  Diebler,  Leipzig,  1893, 
11.  836-839  : 

The  golk  gat  vp  agane  in  J?e  grit  hall, 
Tit  j?e  tuquheit  be  }>Q  tope  and  owirtirwit  his  heid, 
Flang  him  flat  in  j>e  fyre,  fedderis  and  all. 
Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  1.  1811  : 

Wolde  honest  deth  come,  and  me  ouerterue. 

I  think  'ouerterve'  occurs  once  also  in  Skeat,  P.  P.  (E.E.T.  S.  28), 
A.  ix,  11.  30,  31  : 

For  2if  he  ne  rise  ^e  raj^er  •  and  rauhte  to  {?e  steorne, 
\>Q  wynt  wolde  with  J?e  water  •  J?e  Bot  ouer-Jjrowe.1 
p.  8, 1.  210.  they]  i.e.  the  eight  souls;  *  world  '  =  mankind.     I  think,  we 
cannot  refrain  from  supplying  "were"  to  render  the  construction  clear: 
'and  they  were  preserved.' 

p.  9,  1.  213.  manor]  used  without  'of ' ;  see  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vi,  p.  159, 
and  v,  p.  176,  note  to  1.  1689  ;  Matzner,  Englische  Grammatikp  Berlin, 
1885,  iii,  p.  338. 

219.  As  fora  tyme]  'as'  is  here  used  pleonastically,  without  proper 
meaning,  as  it  fairly  often  occurs  before  adverbs  ;  compare  Schick,  T.  G-., 
note  to  1.  39,  and  the  note  to  H.,  11.  186,  368,  371  ;  also  Prof.  P.  J.  Child's 
Observations  on  the  Language  of  Chaucer  and  Gower  in  Ellis,  On  Early 
English  Pronunciation,  ch.  iv,  §  5  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  27),  p.  374.  I  noticed 
further: 

M.  P.  63  : 

Folowyng  these  baladis  as  for  your  plesaunce. 

1  ouertorne  H2  [=  ouertorue  1] 


46  Notes:   Poem  I.     Page  9,  lines  221-226. 

Ibid.  196  :  Coold  and  moist,  as  of  his  nature. 
Ibid.  257  :  Oonly  outward  as  by  apparence. 
Schleich,  Fabula,  41,  42  : 

Anothir  marchaunt,  as  by  relacioun, 

Of  hym  hadde  herd  and  of  his  high  renoun. 
Ibid.  p.  70,  where  some  other  quotations  are  found. 
Steele,  Secrees,  1595,  1596  : 

Off  which  as  by  Age  /  Oon  is  natural, 

The  othir  by  fortune  /  As  be  thynges  accidental. 
Falls,  91  a  1  : 

And  leuer  he  had  his  father  toffende, 

As  in  such  case  than  through  negligence, 

vnto  his  goddes  for  to  do  offence. 
G.  W.  (Robinson),  493  : 

As  ffor  a  tyme  to  holde  with  hym  soionr. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xxi,  74  : 

So  must  me  nedes  abyde,  as  for  a  space. 
Ibid,  vii,  iv,  120,  121  : 

For-thy,  my  worthy  prince,  in  Cristes  halve, 

As  for  a  part  whos  fayth  thou  hast  to  gyde. 
Ibid.iv,  C.T.,E.  122,  123: 

0  riche  marchaunts,  ful  of  wele  ben  ye, 

0  noble,  o  prudent  folk,  as  in  this  cas  ! 
Ibid,  iv,  C.  T.,E.  404-406: 

That  to  Janicle,  of  which  I  spak  bifore, 

She  doghter  nas,  for,  as  by  coniecture, 

Hem  thoughte  she  was  another  creature. 
Percy  Society,  xi,  ii :   Thirteen  Psalms,  p.  24  : 

The  heavens  also,  as  with  a  thought, 

Thou  havest  set  vp  with  all  theire  light. 
Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  13,  11.  344,  345 : 

Was  it  not  eek  a  monstre  as  in  nature 

pat  god  I-bore  was  .of  a  virgine? 

Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81,  82),  i,  1940,  2765  :   ii,  76  ;  iii, 
1122  ;  iv,  1181,  1651  ;  v,  750,  6547  ;  viii,  1297. 

p.  9,  1.  221.  boght  derre]  See  Morrill,  Speculum,  note  to  1.  160. 

I.  223.  Then]     =  than.     The    structure  of    this    phrase    is    entirely 
Lydgatian.     1.  222  L.  begins  :  '  Ley  to  thy  sore — this  same  salfe  .  .  .  .' 
but  his  beloved  parenthesis  :  '  &  let  no-thing  lye  nerre '  puts  him  out,  and 
he  inconsistently  goes  on  :  'Then  (=  than)  this  same  salfe.'     Evidently, 
the  scribe  of  C  was  not  satisfied  by  this  phrase  and  tried  to  improve  it  by 
inserting  'that'  after  'Ley,'  1.  222. 

with]  postponed  preposition. 

II.  225,  226.    These  two  lines  recall  the  beginning  of  the  Parson's 
Tale :  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  I.  §  1  :   '  Our  swete  lord  god  of  hevene, 
that  no  man  wole  perisse,  but  wole  that  we  comen  alle  to  the  knoweleche 
of  him,  and  to  the  blisful  lyf  that  is  perdurable,  amonesteth  us  by  the 
prophete  leremie.' 

A  very  similar  passage  occurs,  Pilgr.  8591-94  : 
But,  off  that  lord  grettest  off  myght, 
Whos  mercy  euer  passeth  ryht, 
Off  synnerys  desyreth  nat  the  deth  ; 
ffor  he  doth  mercy  or  that  he  sleth. 


Notes:   Poem  I.     Pages  9-11,  lines  231-285.  47 

p.  9.  1.  231.  queme  &  plese]  Compare  Schick,  T.  G.  1312  and  note  to 
this  line,  and  Schleich,  Fabula,  1.  147  and  p.  127. 

p.  10,  1.  243.  It  is  preferable  to  follow  C  and  to  omit  'the,'  though  we 
could  take  it  as  'dativus  ethicus'  ;  compare  Spies,  Studien,  §  152. 
1.  244.  Ayenbite  of  Inwit,  ed.  by  R.  Morris  (E.  E.  T.  S.  23),  p.  154  : 
pet  habbejj  zuo  fre  herten  engrined  ine  >e  dyeueles  nette  /  ase  zayj? 
lob. 

1.  250.  Dispose]  Steele,  Secrees,  595  : 

Dispose  them  sylff  /  to  mornyng  or  to  gladnesse. 
1.  256.  to-togged  and  to-drawe]  As  to  the  signification  of  the  prefix 
to-  compare  Skeat,  Chaucer,  v,  note  to  B.  1.  3215,'  and  vii,  note  to  xviii, 
1.  137.     In  H.,  1.  127,  occurs  '  to-Rent.' 
1.  260.  Pilgr.  2899,  2900  : 

Whan  God  Almyghty  (yiff  yt  be  souht,) 
Al  thys  world  hadde  maad  off  nouht. 
Ibid.  6603,  6604 : 

"  God  the  ffader,"  fful  we!  ywrouht, 
That  heuene  and  erthe  made  off  nouht. 
Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  13,  11.  341,  342  : 
Schal  he  rebelle  ageyn  his  lorde's  myght, 
Which  J?at  J?is  wyde  world  haj?  made  of  noght. 

Percy  Society,  vii,  2  :  A  Paraphrase  on  the  seven  penitential  psalms,  in 
English  verse,  ed.  by  W.  H.  Black,  p.  7  : 

Zyf  God,  that  made  all  thyng  of  nou^t. 
Yorkshire  Writers,  Eolle  of  Hampole  ii,  p.  41,  1.  431  : 

pi-selue,  mon,  he  made  of  noght. 
Ibid.  p.  102, 1.  10  f.  b.  : 

god  \>at  made  the  of  nought. 

The  Poems  of  William  Dunbar,  ed.  by  J.  Schipper,  Vienna,  1894, 
p.  350,  No.  78, 11.  107,  108 : 

.  .  .  .,  Man,  lufe  the  Lord  most  deir, 
That  the  and  all  this  warld  maid  of  nocht. 
1.  262.  cesede]  =  put  an  end  to. 

1.  267.  adolescens]  The  earliest  quotation  of  this  word  in  the  New 
English  Dictionary  is  from  Lydgate's  Bochas,  1554  (i.  e.  ca.  1430).  Again, 
I  found  it  in  Manipulus  Vocabulorum,  by  Peter  Levins  (1570),  ed.  by  H. 
B.  Wheatley  [E.  E.  T.  S.  27.],  London,  1867,  col.  96,  1.  26  :  A'dolescencie, 
adolescentia,  ce.  The  Dictionaries  by  Matzner,  Stratmann-Bradley,  the 
Century  Dictionary,  and  the  Index  to  Chaucer's  works  by  Skeat,  vi  and  vii, 
do  not  give  any  quotation.  I  noticed  it  once,  but  in  the  Latin  form,  in 
Anglia,  xiv,  p.  496  : 

When  adolescencia  is  auncient  &  cumyth  to  gravite. 
p.  11,  1.  272.  weyes  .  .  .  of  your  youth]  Anglia,  vii  (1884),  Anzeiger, 
p.  85,  11.  3,  4  : 

Thow  mynly  myrroure  yn  whom  all  old  may  se 
The  wayes  of  youth  yn  whych  they  have  mysgoon. 
1.  273.  For]  See  note  to  1.  74. 

kowthe]  Though  assonance  is  not  unknown  in  Lydgate  (see  Schick, 
T.  G.,  p.  Ix,  and  Schleich,  Fabula,  p.  Ixvii),  we  think  it  preferable  to 
read,  against  the  MSS.,  '  kowthe.' 
1.281.  Falls,  3b.  1: 

For  vnto  a  man  that  perfit  is  and  stable. 
1.  285.  notheles]  evidently  refers  to  11.  281,  282. 


48  Notes:   Poem  I.     Page  11,  12,  lines  293-305. 

p.  11,  1.  293.  Compare  Schick,  T.  G-.,  note  to  1.  191,  and  Krausser,  Com- 
plaint, note  to  1.  484. 

1.  294.  Vnkyndly]  =  unnatural,  against  nature.    Compare  Falls,  20  a  1  : 

who  search  aright  was  vnkindly  mariage, 
speaking  about  Oedipus. 
Ibid.  20  a  1  : 

also  of  her  (i.  e.  locaste)  sonnes  the  great  vnkyndness, 
•because  one  brother  murdered  the  other. 
Ibid.  23  a  1  : 

Bloud  vnto  bloud  to  shew  vnkindnes, 
in  the  story  of  Atreus  and  Thyestes. 

Percy  Soc.  28  :  Poems  of  William  de  Shoreham,  ed.  by  T.  Wright, 
j>.  115  : 

And  sodomyt  hys  senne 
A^ens  kende  y-do. 

Ayenbite  of  Imm/t,  ed.  by  R.  Morris  (E.  E.  T.  S.  23),  p.  9  : 
Ine  }?ise  heste  is  uorbode  /  alle  zennen  a-ye  kende  /  ine  huet  manere  / 
.liy  bye}?  y-do  /  o|?er  ine  his  bodie  :  o}?er  in  o)?ren. 

Confessio  Amantis  (E.  K.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81),  p.  236,  11.  373-375  : 
And  for  he  [?'.  e.  Tiresias]  hath  destourbed  kinds 
And  was  so  to  nature  unkinde, 
Unkindeliche  he  was  transformed. 

In  this  meaning  the  word  occurs  still  in  Shakespeare.     Venus  and 
Adonis,  ed.  by  Delius,  p.  13 : 

0  !  had  thy  mother  borne  so  hard  a  mind, 
She  had  not  brought  forth  thee,  but  died  unkind. 

Delius  remarks  :  unkind  =  unnatural,  contrary  to  the  laws  of  nature, 
-which  bid  the  wives  to  bring  forth  children. 
Compare  1.  301,  and  also  11.  33  and  36. 
1.  301.  vnkyndly]  See  note  to  1.  294. 
p.  12,  1.  302.  The  fende,  youre  enmye]  M.  P.  97  : 

The  fiende  cure  enernye  outraye  and  confounde. 
lying  in  a-wayte]  Pilgr.  64,  65  : 

And  deth,  ay  redy  with  hys  dart  to  kerue, 
Lyth  in  a-wayt,  dredful  off  manacys. 
Ibid.  4491 :      In  a-wayt  y  (i.  e.  Penance)  lygge  alway. 
Ibid.  8130,  8131  : 

Ther  lyth  A  mortal  hunteresse, 
In  a-wayt  to  hyndre  the. 
S.  of  Thebes,  359  b  1  : 

That  on  this  hill,  like  as  I  conceiue, 
Liest  in  a  waite,  folkes  to  deceiue. 
Ibid.  364  b  1  :    By  false  engine,  ligging  in  a  weite. 
Falls,  212  b  2 :  The  people  alway  in  a  wayte  lying. 
Bom,  of  the  E.  4497  : 

Which  in  awayte  lyth  day  and  night. 
Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  137,  1.  3806  : 

The  fend  lyth  in  a-wayte  of  oure  freelte. 
11.  304,  305.  lynes— hokes]  Schleich,  Fabula,  740  : 

He  wolde,  that  deth  had  leyd  hook  and  lyne. 

There  are  many  quotations  to  this  line  found  ibid,  on  p.  102.    We  add 
Falls,  95  a  1  : 


Notes:   Poem  I.     Pages  12,  13,  lines  308-336.         49 

hym  to  betraishe  she  cast  out  hoke  and  lyne. 
p.  12,  1.  308.  Compare  Introduction,  §  6. 

1.  311.  confusioun]  =  ruin,  perdition,  as  in  the  Bible.     Compare  Falls, 
140  b  1  : 

And  ouercome  for  his  great  pride, 
At  great  mischief  to  his  confusion. 
Ibid.  173  b  2  :  For  thei  not  knew  to  theyr  confusion, 

Time  of  their  notable  visitacion. 

M.  P.  5  :  Alltho  that  bethe  enmyes  to  the  Kyng, 

I  schalle  hem  clothe  withe  confusione. 
Schick,  T.  G.  228  : 

A  man  to  loue  to  his  confusioun. 
Compare  also  the  note  to  this  line. 
Horn,  of  the  E.  3833,  3834  : 

To  truste  (to  thy  confusioun) 
Him  thus,  .  .  . 
Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61),  p.  145, 1.  154  : 

My  deeth  wole  it  been,  &  confusion. 

1.  317.    strenght]    instead  of  '  strength.'     Compare  Schleich,  Fabida, 
p.  lii,  below. 

1.  318.   Yf]  temporal. 

].  324.  here]  =  on  earth,  in  this  life. 

p.  13,  1.  335. 

M.  P.  239  :       S.  our  Savacioun,  whan  we  shal  hens  weende. 

Ibid. :  Do  mercy  Ihesu  I  or  that  we  hens  pace. 

Ibid.  240  :         Or  I  passe  hens,  this  hoolly  myn  entent. 

Ibid.  249  :         Or  I  passe  hens,  Ihesu,  graunt  unto  me. 

Voss.,  Gg.  9,  fol.  108  b  : 

Thynk  how  that  thi-self  shall  henne. 
1.  336.  M.  P.  229  :       The  secounde  schyle  ys  that  thou  shalle  dye, 

Bote  ^yt  what  tyme  thou  woste  never. 
Voss.,  Gg.  9,  f.  35  b  : 

For  deth  cometh  ever  whan  men  list  (i.  e.  least)  on  him  thynk. 
Percy  Society,  vii :  A  paraphrase  on  the  seven  penitential  psalms,  in 
JSnglish  verse,  ed.  by  W.  H.  Black,  p.  32  (and  note  on  p.  64),  st.  Ixxxiii, 
11.  5,  6  : 

My  deth  evermore  in  mynde  I  kepe  ; 
I  wote  no^t  whanne  myn  ende  schal  be. 
Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  21, 11.  566,  567  : 
No  thyng  is  more  certein  J>an  de}?  is, 
Ne  more  vncertein  J?an  J?e  tyme  I-wis. 
Ibid.  p.  105, 11.  2893,  2894  : 

Kemembreth  euer  a-monge,  J>at  ye  shul  dye, 
And  wot  naght  whan  ;  it  comej?  in  a  stelthe. 
Ibid.  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61),  p.  67,  11.  7,  8  : 

pat  dye  I  sholde  /  &  hadde  no  knowynge 
Whanne,  ne  whidir,  I  sholde  hennes  sterte. 
Ibid.,  p.  117,1.210: 

war  that  /  for  deathe  comethe,  wot  ther  no  wyght  whan. 
Political,  Religious,  and  Love  Poems,  ed.  by  F.  J.  Furnivall  (E.  E.  T.  S. 
15),  p.  108,  11.  169,  170  : 

pou  kepe  me,  lorde,  for  I  sal  dye, 

&  wot  neuere  whore,  ne  how,  ne  when. 

NIGHTINGALE.  E 


50         Notes:   Poem  I.     Pages  13,  14,  lines  339-388. 


Ibid.  p.  221,  Three  Certainties  of  the  Day  of  Death  : 

Hit  beoj?  J?reo  tymes  on  J?o  day 
pat  so£>e  to  witen  me  mai : 
pat  on  ys,  f>at  i  shal  henne ; 
pat  o>er,  j»at  y  not  whenne  ; 
pat  J?ridde  is  my  moste  care, 
pat  y  not  whider  i  shal  fare. 

Yorkshire  Writers,  Eolle  of  Hampole,  i,  p.  367,  viii,  17,  18  : 
With  I.  and  E.,  pe  dede  to  J?e  sail  come  als  I  \>e  kene, 
Bot  J?ou  ne  wate  in  whate-kyn  state,  ne  how,  ne  whare,  ne  whenne. 
Ibid.,  i,  p.  106,11.  12-14  f.  a.: 

An  other  thynge  is  the  vncertaynte  of  our  endynge  /  for  we  wote  not 
whan  we  shall  dye  nor  how  we  shall  dye  nor  whether  we  shall  goo  whan 
we  be  deed. 

p.  13, 1.  339.  can]  See  note  to  1.  54. 
1.  343.  which]  See  note  to  1.  141. 

whoso]  Compare  Schick,  T.  G.,  note  to  1.  1090,  and  e.  g.  M.  P.  3.  8,  15,. 
69,  97,  137,  etc. 

1.  357.  Margarete,  540  : 

And  be  her  shelde  in  myschief  and  dissese. 

1.  361.  werre  or  stryfe]  one  of  Lydgate's  favourite  expressions.  Com- 
pare Degenhart,  Hors,  405  : 

Lat  al  werre  and  stryfe  be  sette  aside. 
Ibid.  410  :    Of  newe  stryf  and  of  mortal  werre. 
M.  P.  85  :     Whiche  for  vertue,  without  werre  and  stryff. 
Pilgr.  1968  :  W-it/i-oute-n,  werre  or  any  stryff. 
8.  of  Thebes,  359  b  1  : 

Muse  herevpon,  without  warre  of  [sic  !  or  ?]  strife 
Ibid.  360  a  2 :  Edippus  aie,  deuoide  of  warre  and  strife. 
Ibid.  361  a  1  :  Finde  plentie  of  conteke,  warre  and  strife. 
Ibid.  372  b  1  :  Replenished,  with  conteke  werre  and  strife. 
It  occurs  also  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  G.  T.,  F.  757  : 

As  in  my  gilt,  were  outher  werre  or  stryf. 
Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  182,  1.  5041 : 

Euene  as  a  man  is  euer  in  werre  and  strife. 
Ibid.  p.  195,  1.  5405  : 

Now,  pees  !  approche,  and  dryue  out  werre  &  strif  I 
Ibid.  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61),  p.  34,  1.  302  : 

Malencolie  engendrith  werre  &  stryfe. 
Confessio  Ama,ntis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81),  p.  11,1.  248  : 

Hath  set  to  make  werre  and  strif. 
Ibid.  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  82),  p.  122, 1.  6414* : 

Upon  knyhthode  in  werre  and  strif. 
Ibid.  p.  257, 1.  900  : 

And  desirous  of  werre  and  strif. 

p.  14, 1.  374.  We  follow  here  the  reading  of  C  and  insert  '  all ' :  'of  all 
trewth,'  because  it  makes  the  metre  so  much  better. 

1.  384.  in-to]  e  and  o  are  much  alike  in  our  manuscript,  as  is  also 
pointed  out  by  Schleich,  Fabida,  p.  xliii. 

1.  385.  Longens]  Compare  Gattinger,  p.  39,  and  Skeat,  Chaucer,  i,  1,  163- 
note.     This  proper  name  occurs  also  e.  g.  Kk.  i,  fol.  195  b.  198  a. 
1.  388.  Kk.  i,  195  b  : 


Notes:  Poems  I  &  II.    Pages  15,  16,  lines  393-413  ;  1,  2.     51 

Consummatum  est  //  seyde  whan  all  was  do. 
Compare  Introduction,  §  6. 
p.  15,  1.  393.  Compare  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  A.  981 : 

Thus  rit  this  duk,  thus  rit  this  conquerour. 
1.  395.  can]  See  note  to  1.  54. 

1.  397.  hert,  wyll,  &  thought]  Another  stereotype  expression.     Corn- 
pare  Flour  of  Curtesye,  248  b  1  : 

Yet  or  I  die,  with  hert,  wil,  and  thought. 
Degenhart,  Hors,  510 : 

Ondevided,  with  herte,  wil,  and  thouht. 
Margaret,  204 : 

Quod  she  ageyn :  with  hert,  wille  and  thoughte. 
Also  in  Skc^at,  Chaucer,  vii,  xxiv,  205  : 

Caitif  and  wrecche  in  hert,  in  wille,  and  thought  I 

Ibid.  426  : 

Clere  of  entent,  and  herte,  and  thought  and  wille. 

1.  398.  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xi,  43  : 

Now,  lady  rnyn !  sith  I  you  love  and  drede. 
Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  -S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  105,  1.  2898  : 

Hym  [i.  e.  God],  loue  &  drede  ;  and  his  lawe's  obeyeth. 
Political,  Religious,  and  Love  Poems,  ed.  by  F.  J.  Furnivall  (E.  E.  T.  S. 
15),  p.  108, 1.  156  : 

&  fe[r]uently  }>G  lufe  and  drede. 
Ibid.  p.  251, 11.  6,  7  : 

Good  god  !  }?ou  graunt  me  Jns, 
That  I  may  lyue  in  lone  &  drede. 

I.  400.  Kk.  i,  f.  195  a  : 

Helle  robbed  //  thourgh  myn  jinperial  mygt. 

II.  411-413.  It  is  quite  common  to  close  a  poem,  especially  a  spiritual 
one,  with  a  prayer.     We  find  this  custom,  e.  g.  in  M.  P.  58,  66,  73,  179, 
232  ;  Giles,  329-368  ;  Edmund,  ii,  1457-1520  (again,  p.  445,  11.  457-464) ; 
Margarete,    534-540  ;    Anglia,  vii   (1884),   Anzeiger,  p.  86,  11.  53-58  ; 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  ii,  Troilus,v,  1860-1869;  ibid.i,  1,  181-184. 

Also  in  many  poems  in  Publications  of  the  Percy  Society,  iv,  1. 
1.  413.  M.  P.  198  : 

Toward  that  lyf  wher  joye  is  ay  lastyng. 
Ibid.  220  :  With  hym  to  dwelle  above  the  sterrys  cleere. 


POEM   II. 

p.  16,  1.  1.  Titan]  See  note  to  c.  1.  26.  Compare  also  the  opening 
line  in  Triggs,  Assembly;  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iii,  table  I,  and  Schick,  T.  G., 
Introduction,  p.  cxxii  f. 

1.  2.  Even]  Here,  and  1.  38,  it  means  'evening,'  and  is  not  an  expres- 
sion of  space,  as  1.  344,  but  of  time. 

Saphyre-huwed  sky]   Lydgate's  predilection   for  alluding  to  jewelry 
is  well  known  ;  compare  Schick,  T.  <?.,  p.  cxvi,  note,  and  1.  259,  note, 
and  in  our  poem,  11.  33,  34,  362.     Compare  also  Kk.  i,  fol.  199  a  : 
Charboncle  of  Chastite  /  &  grene  Emeroude  stoon. 


52  Notes:   Poem  II.     Page  16,  Lines  4-5. 

Ibid.:  0  sapher,  low>e  /  all  swellyng  to  represse. 

Ibid.  :  The  Cristal  Cloystre  /  of  J>y  Virginite. 

M.  P.  181,  183,  188,  190,  191,  222. 
JEsop  (Sauerstein),  i,  23  : 

Riche  saphyrs,  and  rubyes,  ful  royal. 
p.  16,  1.  4.  Compare  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  0.  T.,  A.  9  : 

And  smale  fowles  maken  melodye. 
Steele,  Secrees,  1308: 

The  bryddys  syrigen  /  in  their  Armonye. 
See  in  our  poem,  1.  357. 

1.  5.  sugred]  A  favourite  expression  of  Lydgate  when  speaking  of  music 
or  poetry.      Compare  Koeppel,  De  casibus  virorum  illustrium,  p.  46,  and 
note  3,  and  in  our  poem,  1.  354. 
Steele,  Secrees,  1309  : 

Salwe  that  sesomi  /  with  sugryd  mellodye. 
Ibid.  220 : 

Thorugh  his  sugryd  /  Enspyred  Elloquence, 
and  note  to  this  line. 

M.  P.  11  :  For  to  practyse  withe  sngrid  melody. 

Ibid.  25  :  Where  is  Tullius  with  his  sugrid  tonge. 

Ibid.  102 :  Ambrosius  withe  sugred  eloquence. 

Ibid.  150  :  Speche  is  but  fooly  and  sugryd  elloquence. 

Ibid.  182 :  And  the  soote  sugred  armonye. 

S.  of  Thebes  (Wiilcker),  p.  106,  1.  52  : 

By  rehearsaile  of  his  sugred  mouthe. 
Falls  32  a  1  :     And  for  his  sote  sugred  armonie.  i 
Ibid.  69  a  1  :     With  many  a  colour  of  sugred  eloquence. 
Pilgr.  176,  177  : 

Nor  I  drank  no-wer  of  the  sugryd  tonne 
Offlubiter,  .  .  . 
as  an  excuse  for  his  '  rudenesse/ 

1.  5.  complyne]  See  note  to  c.,  1.  v. — About  the  idea  of  '  divine  service 
sung  by  birds,'  compare  Neilson,  William  Allan,  The  Origins  and  Sources 
of  the  Court  of  Love  in  Studies  and  Notes  in  Philology  and  Literature,  vi 
[Harvard  University],  Boston,  1899.  Here  an  entire  chapter,  vi,  p.  216  fF., 
is  devoted  to  the  investigation  of  the  '  Birds'  Matins,'  and  especially,  p. 
225  ff.,  sub  C.,  examples  of  'Parodies  sung  by  birds'  are  collected: 
La  Messe  des  Oisiaus  of  Jean  de  Conde  (Scheler,  Dits  et  Contes,  iii,  1 
ff.)  ;  Devotions  of  the  Fowles  of  John  Lydgate  (M.  P.  78  ff.)  ;  A  Proper 
New  Boke  of  the  Armonye  of  Byrdes  (Percy  Society,  vii)  ;  Cuckoo  and 
the  Nightingale  (Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  350);  The  Golden  Targe  of  Dun- 
bar  (Scottish  Text  Society,  ii,  1-10;  Schipper,  17, 100-113)  ;  Testament  of 
Squyer  Meldrum  of  Lindesay  (E.  E.  T.  S.  35,  1868,  p.  371).  Compare 
A.  Jeauroy  in  Revue  crit.  d'hist.  et  de  lit.,  1901,  51,  pp.  272-3.  Some 
other  examples  are  noted  in  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  p.  552  :  Chaucer,  Parl.  of 
Foules,  and  Dunbar,  Thistle  and  Rose. 
1  may  be  allowed  to  add  some  others  : 
M.  P.  182 :  Esperus  enforced  hir  corage, 

Toward  evyn  whan  Phebus  gan  to  west, 
And  the  braunches  to  hir  avauntage, 
To  syng  hir  cornplyn  and  than  go  to  rest. 
Ibid.  242 :         The  amerous  fowlys  with  motetys  and  carollys, 
Salwe  that  sesoun  every  morwenyng. 


Notes:   Poem  II.     Page  16,  lines  6-8.  53 

Skeat,  Chaucer  i,  iii :  The  Book  of  the  Duchesse,  11.  294-304 : 
I]  loked  forth,  for  I  was  waked 
rith  smale  foules  a  gret  hepe, 


And  songen,  everich  in  his  wyse, 
The  moste  solempne  servyse 
By  note,  that  ever  man,  I  trowe, 
Had  herd  ;  .  .  . 
Ibid,  vii,  p.  374,  xx  :  Flower  and  Leaf,  11.  435-437  : 

For  then  the  nightingale,  that  al  the  day 
Had  in  the  laurer  sete,  and  did  her  might 
The  hool  servyse  to  sing  longing  to  May. 

The  Owl  and  the  Nightingale,  ed.  by  Wright  (Percy  Society,  xi),  p.  41, 
11.  1177-1180: 

For  prestes  wike  ich  wat  thu  dest, 
Ich  not  ^ef  thu  were  $avre  prest ; 
Ich  not  ^ef  thu  canst  masse  singe, 
I-noh  thu  canst  of  mansinge. 

Also  in  Holland's  Buke  of  the  Houlate,  ed.  by  Diebler,  Leipzig,  1893, 
p.  44,  st.  55  ff.,  birds  are  singing  a  ghostly  song  in  the  praise  of  the 
Virgin  Mary. 

p.  16,  1.  6.  Compare  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv.,  C.  T.,  A.  11 : 

So  priketh  hem  nature  in  hir  corages. 
Ibid,  i,  v,  324,  325  : 

and  than  the  foules  smale, 
That  eten  as  hem  nature  wolde  enclyne. 
dEsop  (Sauerstein),  ii,  58 : 

As  he  (i.  e.  the  cock)  was  taught  only  by  nature. 
M.  P.  157  :   Alle  othir  beestys  obeye  at  his  biddyng, 

As  kynde  hath  tauhte  hem,  ther  lady  and  maistresse. 
Ibid.  237 :     Foulys,  beestys,  and  fisshes  of  the  se, 

Kynde  hath  tauhte  hem  by  natural  disciplyne, 
Meekly  to  Ihesu  to  bowe  adoun  therkne. 

1.  7.  hem]  =  themselves.  Here  and  11.  158  and  261  (it,  hym)  the 
personal  pronoun  is  used  as  reflexive  pronoun  •  compare  Spies,  Studien, 
p.  152  f.  and  p.  169. 

1.  8.  Compare  .M.  P.  145: 

Yif  he  hadde  sithe  tyme  that  he  was  born. 
Kk.  i,  fol.  197  a  : 

Fro  }sat  tyme  /  )>at  y  was  bore. 
Schick,  T.  G.  1376,1377: 

Bicause  I  had  neuer  in  my  life  aforne 
Sei[n]  none  so  faire,  fro  time  £at  I  was  borne. 
Pug.  3259,  3260 : 

Mor  merveyllous  than  euere  aforn 
I  hadde  seyn  syth  I  was  born. 
Ibid.  3309,  3310 : 

Mor  than  euere  I  was  a-fore, 
Syth  tyme  that  I  was  bore. 

Also  Amis  and  Amiloun,  ed.  Kolbing,  1955,  1956 : 
pe  best  bourd,  bi  mi  leute, 
pou  herdest,  se^en  J?ou  were  born  I 


54  Notes:   Poem  II.     Page  16,  lines  9-18. 

p.  16,  1.  9.  downe  nor  daale]  A  very  common  alliterative  expression ; 
compare  Matzner. 

1.  10.  thorne]  The  nightingale  is  very  often  described  as  sitting  on  a 
thorn.  I  need  not  deal  with  this  question  here,  as  the  reader  will  find 
in  Dr.  Schick's  note  to  1.  ii,  2,  50  of  his  new  edition  of  Kyds  Spanish 
Tragedy,  how  familiar  to  poets  this  idea  was  throughout  mediaeval 
literature.  Compare  11.  61,  356  of  our  poem. 
1.  14.  refreyd]  In  Century  Dictionary  I  find  : 

refrait:  Same  as  refrain2  [=  The  musical  phrase  or  figure  to  which 
the  burden  of  a  song  is  set.] 

the  refraite  of  his  laye  salewed   the   kynge  Arthur   and   the  Quene 
Gonnore,and  allethe  other  after.— Merlin  (E.  E.  T.  S.  36, 11 2),  p.  615,  1.  19. 
It  occurs  again:  ibid.  p.  310,  1.  11 : 

entende  what  songe  thei  seiden,  saf  that  thei  seiden  in  refreite  of 
hir  songe. 

The  word  is  also  mentioned  by  J.  0.  Halliwell  in  his  Dictionary  of 
Archaisms  and  Provincialisms,  London,  1846-7: 
refret :  The  burden  of  a  song. 

This  was  the  refret  of  that  caroull,  y  wene, 

The  wheche  Gerlen  and  this  mayden  song  byfore. 

Chron.  Vilodun.  p.  115. 

I  found  it  also  in  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii:  The  Testament  of  Love,  iii,  i, 
156  (and  note) : 

For  ever  sobbinges  and  complayntes  be  redy  refrete  in  his  meditacions, 
as  werbles  in  manifolde  stouudes  comming  about  I  not  than. 
1.  14.  Ocey]  See  c.  1.  90  and  note. 

1.  16.  ledne]  Compare  Schick,  T.  G.  139  and  note,  and  Skeat,  Chaucer,  v, 
note  to  F.  435.  The  Poems  of  William  Dwibar,  ed.  by  J.  Schipper,  Vienna, 
1894,  p.  157,  No.  28,  1.  106: 

Bot  it  sowld  be  all  trew  Scottismennis  leid. 

Percy  Society,  28  :  The  Poems  of  William  de  Shoreham,  ed.  by  T. 
Wright,  p.  10 : 

And  onderstand  hi  more  bi  sed 
In  alle  manere  speche, 

Ine  lede. 

Skeat,  P.  P.,  C.  xiv,  173 ;   xv,  179  ;   B.  xii,  244,  253,  262. 
Drayton,  Polyolbion,  xii,  503  (from  Century  Dictionary) : 
The  ledden  of  the  birds  most  perfectly  she  knew. 
Fragm.  in  Warton,  History  of  English  Poetry  (1824),  i,  p.  24: 
And  halp  thor  he  sag  mikel  ned 
Biddi  hie  singen  non  other  led. 

Debate  of  the  Body  and  the  Soul  (Appendix  to  Mapes's  Poems,  ed.  by 
Wright,  Camden  Society,  1841),  p.  334,  1.  11: 

jwere  is  al  thi  michele  pride,  and  thi  lede  that  was  so  loud  ? 
(The  two  last  quotations  are  taken  from  Coleridge's  Dictionary.) 
Compare   also    Reiffenberg,    Chronique  rimee  de   Philippe   Mo 
Bruxelles,  1838,  ii,  p.  cclix,  1.  99 : 

Chante  Ii  lossignos  qui  dist  en  son  latin. 

(on)]  must  be  omitted,  though  both  MSS.  read  so,  because  it  disturbs 
the  clear  sense  of  the  phrase. 

11.  17,  18.  false  lovers]  Schick,  T.  G.  167,  168: 

On  double  louers,  £>at  loue  )?ingis  nwe, 
Thurgh  whos  falsnes  hindred  be  }?e  trwe 


Notes:   Poem  II.     Pages  16,  17,  lines  19-33.  55 

IWeZ.  215,  216: 

And  of>er  saugh  I  ful  oft  wepe  &  wring, 
[That  they  in  men  found e  swych  variynge]. 
and  the  notes  to  these  lines  ;  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xxiv,  575  ff. : 
With  dolefull  chere,  full  fele  in  their  complaint 
Cried  '  Lady  Venus,  rewe  upon  our  sore  ! 


And  ponish,  Lady,  grevously,  we  pray, 

The  false  untrew  with  counterfet  plesaunce, 

That  made  their  oth,  be  trew  to  live  or  dey, 

With  chere  assured,  and  with  countenannce ; 

And  falsly  now  thay  foten  loves  daunce, 

Barein  of  rewth,  untrue  of  that  they  seid, 

Now  that  their  lust  and  plesire  is  alleyd.' 
p.  16, 1.  19.  can]  See  note  to  c.  1.  54. 
1.  20.  sle]  See  note  to  c.  1.  90. 

p.  17,  1.  22.  Falls,  71  b  1 :   To  shewe  exaumple  to  folkes  in  certeine. 
1.  24  ff.  Similarly  twice  in  Schick,  T.  G.  440  ff. : 

For  vnto  }ow  his  hert  I  shal  so  lowe, 

WiJ>oute  spot  of  eny  doubelnes, 
•That  he  ne  shal  escape  fro  J?e  bowe — 

Thou3  \>at  him  list  fmrii}  vnstidfastnes — 

I  mene  of  Cupide,  \>at  shal  him  so  distres 

Vnto  your  hond,  wij?  }?e  arow  of  gold, 

That  he  ne  shal  escapen  Jjou}  he  would. 
Again,  ibid.  834  ff. : 

And  ^ov  I  prai  of  routh  and  eke  pite, 

0  goodli  planet,  o  ladi  Vemts  bri^t, 

That  }e  ^oure  sone  of  his  deite — 

Cupid  I  mene,  \>ai  wi>  his  dredful  my^t 

And  wij?  his  brond,  \>ai  is  so  clere  of  li^te, 

Hir  hert[e]  so  to  fire  and  to  mark, 

As  ^e  me  whilom  brent[e]  with  a  spark. 

1.  24.  parde]  A  very  common,  petty  oath ;  compare  Skeat,  Chaucer, 
vii,  p.  530,  note  to  1.  47 ;  and  Lange,  Hugo,  Die  Versicherungen  bei 
Chaucer.  Diss.,  1892,  Berlin,  p.  11  ff. 

1.  32  ff.  Compare  another  passage  describing  the  Castle  of  Love  which 
occurs  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xxiv,  69  ff. : 

'  At  Citheron,  sir,'  seid  he,  '  without  dowte, 

The  King  of  Love,  and  all  his  noble  rowte, 

Dwelling  within  a  castell  ryally.' 


No  saphir  ind,  no  rube  riche  of  price, 

There  lakked  than,  nor  emeraud  so  grene, 

Baleis  Turkeis,  ne  thing  to  my  devise. 

1.  33.  Dungeoun]  is  not,  in  this  case,  identical  with  '  tower,  dungeon,' 
but  has  here  the  general  meaning  *  habitation,  dwelling-place.'  Compare 
M.  P.  176 : 

Diogenes  lay  in  a  smal  dongoun. 
Court  of  Sapience,  e  3  a : 

Than  from  the  dongeon  grete  within  the  place 

A  solempne  towre  whiche  styed  vp  to  heuen. 
Voss.  Gg.  9,  fol.  79  b. : 

Whan  that  he  slept  in  his  Roiall  dongoun. 


56  Notes:   Poem  II.     Page  17,  lines  34-40. 

S.  of  Thebes,  365  a  1 : 

Till  he  attained  hath  /  the  chief  dongeon 
Where  as  the  kyng  /  helde  his  mansion. 
Yorkshire  Writers,  Eolle  of  Hampole,  i,  p.  363, 11.  9,  10 : 

Fra  a  rnyrke  downgeone  >ou  broghte  me  righte, 
j?at  es  my  modirs  wambe,  to  Jn's  lighte. 
Ibid.  p.  372,11.  15-17: 

And  my  modir  coiisayued  me 
In  mekill  syne  and  caytefete. 
Than  duelled  mane  in  a  dongeowne. 

p.  17, 1.  34.  Fret]  Compare  Kittredge,Authorship  of  the  English  Romaunt 
of  the  Rose  in  Studies  and  Notes  in  Philology  and  Literature  (Harvard 
University),  1.  1892,  p.  46,  to  which  we  add  the  following  quotations: 
Falls,  127  a  1  (also  128  b  2)  : 

Forged  of  gold,  fret  full  of  stones  clere. 
Ibid.  169  a  1 : 

Tables  of  yuor  fret  with  perre  ryche. 
8.  of  Thebes,  363  a  1  : 

Two  mantels  /  vnto  hem  were  brought 
Frette  with  perle  /  and  riche  stones  wrought, 
Voss.  Gg.  9,  fol.  76  b  : 

All  off  goold  fret  with  perlis  fiyn. 
1.  38.  Eve]  See  p.  16,  1.  2. 
sterris]  8.  of  Thebes,  361  b  2 : 

A  large  space,  that  the  sterres  clere 
The  cloudes  voided,  in  heuen  did  appere. 

1.  38.  dide  appere]  'do'  is  here,  and  later  on,  used  not  in  the  causative 
sense  of  '  make,'  but  as  a  simple  auxiliary.  Compare  Lounsbury,  Studies 
in  Chaucer,  ii,  72  ff.  and  Kaluza,  Chaucer  u.  der  Rosenroman,  Berlin,  1893,, 
p.40f. 

Steele,  Secrees,  1296,  1297: 

What  tyme  the  sescmn  /  is  Comyng  of  the  yeer, 
The  hevenly  bawme  /  Ascendyng  from  the  Roote. 
1.  39.  Similarly,  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xx,  5,  6  : 
Causing  the  ground,  fele  tymes  and  oft, 
Up  for  to  give  many  an  hoolsom  air. 

1.  40.  Rede  and  white]  The  most  common  colours  of  flowers.  Compare 
Krausser,  Complaint,  1,  2  : 

In  May,  when  Flora,  the  fressh[e]  lusty  quene, 
The  soyle  hath  clad  in  grene,  rede,  and  white. 
M.  P.  244  : 

With  hire  chapirlettys  greene,  whit,  and  reede. 
Ibid.  245 : 

Of  thes  blosmys,  sorn  blew,  rede,  and  white. 
8.  of  Thebes  (Skeat),  1244: 

Vpon  the  herbes  grene,  white,  &  red. 
Steele,  Secrees,  1370: 

Chapelettys  be  maad  /  of  Roosys  whyte  and  Rede 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  A.  90: 

Al  ful  of  fresshe  floures,  whyte  and  rede. 
Ibid,  vii,  xiii,  9,  10 : 


Notes:   Poem  II.     Pages  17,  18,  lines  41-61.          57 

Also  these  fresshe  somer-floures 
Whyte  and  rede,  blewe  and  grene. 
Ibid,  xx,  333;  xxiv,  1385;  etc. 
See  also  Gattinger,  p.  65. 

p.  17,  11.  41,  42.  Schick,  T.  G.  13,  14  (and  note) : 
Til  at[te]  last,  er  I  gan  taken  kepe, 
Me  did  opp?-esse  a  sodein  dedeli  slepe. 
Court  of  Sapience,  A.  3  b  : 

Whyles  at  the  last  I  fell  vpon  a  slepe. 
1.  49.  and]  Taking  it  from  A.,  we  get  a  much  better  metre, 
p.  18,  1.  50.  list]  See  note  to  c.  1.  9. 
1.  51.  vnclose]  Pilgr.  1511,  1512  : 

Wych  to  tellyn  I  purpose, 
And  a-noon  to  yow  vnclose. 

M.  P.  25  :  Of  morall  Senec,  the  misteries  to  unclose. 

Schleich,  Fabula,  361  : 

To  me  vncloose  the  somme  of  your  desyre. 
And  ibid,  note  on  p.  147. 

I.  52.  cast]  =to  fix  the  mind  upon,  intend,  purpose.    So  in  M.  P.  182  : 

And  in  al  haste  he  cast  for  to  make, 
Within  his  house  a  pratie  litelle  cage. 

Voss.  Gg.  9,  fol.  71  a  : 

He  cast  hym  nat  to  pay  no  trewage. 

S.  of  Thebes,  374  a  2 : 

From  which  appointment  we  caste  vs  nat  to  varie. 

Compare  also  Degenhart,  Hors,  note  to  1.  504. 

II.  52,  53.  nat-Nothyng]   Double  negation  ;   very  common  in  Middle- 
English.     The  sense  is  nevertheless  negative ;  see  11.  82,  172.     Compare 
Spies,  Studien,  §  240. 

1.  53.  gardyn  of  the  Rose]  i.  e.  as  it  is  described  in  the  Romaunt  of 
the  Rose.  The  meaning  is :  Thou  shalt  not  hear  of  love-poetry,  like 
that  of  the  Romaunt  of  the  Rose,  but  of  religious  poetry.  Compare  Schick, 
Kleine  Lydgatestudien,  i,  in  Anglia,  Beiblatt  8  (1898),  p.  134  ff. 

1.  55.  occy]  See  note  to  c.  1.  90. 

1.  56.  she]  refers  to  '  briddis,'  1.  55  ;  compare  note  to  c.  1.  103. 

1.  59.  Occy]  see  note  to  c.  1.  90. 

1.  60.  lorne]  =  missed  it.  The  sense  is  :  Many  lovers  did  not  under- 
stand the  deeper  meaning  of  the  nightingale's  song ;  they  always  inter- 
preted her  tunes  in  a  secular  sense. 

1.  61.  among]  Here,  and  1.  76,  it  is  an  adverb,  having  the  meaning 
'  sometimes,  often.'  Compare  Ellis,  E.  E.  P.  i,  p.  374,  and  Morrill,  Speculum. 
(E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  75),  note  to  1. 186.  I  add  the  following  quotations  : 

Kk.  i,  f.  194  b: 

Remembre  among  //  vpon  my  passion. 

Falls,  3  b  2 :     voyde  auarice  and  thinke  euer  among 
to  his  neighbour,  that  he  doe  no  wrong. 

Ibid.  9  b  1  :      And  Cadmus  thus  toforne  Appollo  stoode 
kneling  among  with  ful  great  reuerence. 

Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  x,  85,  86  : 

0  ruby,  rubifyed  in  the  passioun, 

Al  of  thy  sone,  among  have  us  in  minde. 


58  Notes:   Poem  II.     Pages  18,  .19,  lines  62-81. 

Ibid,  vii,  xxi,  300 : 

Here  wil  I  stande,  awaytinge  ever  among. 
Boccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  105,  1.  2893  : 

Remembreth  euer  a-rnonge,  £>at  ye  shul  dye. 
Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81),  p.  99,  1.  2333  : 

And  evere  among  he  gan  to  loute. 
thorne]  See  note  to  1.  10. 

p.  18,  ].  62.  fyry]  '  fayre,'  as  we  find  in  H.,  is  too  colourless,  wherefore  I 
adopt  the  reading  of  A. 

I.  64.  Compare  S.  of  Thebes,  365  a  2  : 

The  cause  fully,  that  we  haue  on  honde. 
Pilgr.  1221,  1222  : 

Touchyng  that  we  have  on  honde, 

Thow  must  pleynly  vnderstonde. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  E.  1686  : 

Of  mariage,  which  we  have  on  honde. 

II.  68-70.  Compare  for  the  idea  expressed  in  these  lines  Schick,  T.  G., 
note  to  1.  450. 

1.  70.  maner]  See  note  to  c.  1.  213. 

I.  71.  Takestow]  This  emendation  surely  represents  the  original  read- 
ing ;  afterwards  it  was  wrongly  separated  by  the  scribes. 

II.  72,  73.  she — hir-self — hir]  refer  to  l  bridde,3  1.  71  ;  compare  note  to 
c.  1.  103. 

11.  72-75.  Compare  Krausser,  Complaint,  47-49  : 

And  as  me  thoght,  that  the  nyghtyngale 
Wyth  so  grete  myght  her  voys  gan  out[e]  wrest, 
Ryght  as  her  hert  for  love  wolde  brest, 
and  note  to  these  lines. 

1.  76.  Among]  See  note  to  1.  61. 

1.  77.  I  think  we  must  assume  a  pause  after  'advert,'  meaning: 
4  then  thou  must  say/  or  '  then  thou  wilt  understand.' 
advert]  Kk.  i,  fol.  196  a  : 

Man,  call  to  mynde  //  &  mekely  do  aduerte. 
M.  P.  137  :       Lat  hym  adverte  and  have  inspeccioun, 

What  ther  befyl  in  Awstynes  tyme. 
Ibid.  139:       Awstyn  was  sent,  who  that  liste  adverte. 
Ibid.  250  :       0  blissed  Ihesu  !  and  goodly  do  advert. 
Lydgate's  Vertue  of  the  Masse,  MS.  Harl.  2254,  f.  182  b : 
Interpretacioun  •  who  wisely  can  aduerte 
The  offeratory  •  is  named  of  offeryng. 

(Quoted  from  E.E.T.  S.  71,  p.  233.) 
Pilgr.  1637,  1638  : 

Which  thing,  whan  thow  dost  aduerte, 
Yt  shaft  nesshe  ful  wel  thyn  herte. 
Ibid.  3603,  3604  : 

Wher-of,  whan  I  dide  aduerte, 
I  hadde  gret  sorwen  yn  my?i  herte. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xxiv,  150: 

B[ut]  in  myn  inward  thought  I  gan  advert. 
Compare  also  1.  93  of  our  poem. 

p.  19, 1.  81.  both[e]  two]  That  we  are  authorised  to  supply  here  a  sound- 
ing '  e,'  the  following  quotations  will  prove,  where  we  find  always  '  bothe 
two*  required  by  the  metre  (in  the  lines  marked  with  an  asterisk  as  an 


Notes:   Poem  II.     Page  19,  lines  82-93.  59 

absolute  necessity),  because  these  lines  would  otherwise  want  a  syllable. 
Falls,  10  b  2  : 

He  and  his  wife  compelled  both[e]  two. 
Ibid.  38  b  2  : 

That  we  algate  shall  dye  both[e]  two. 
Ibid.  71  a  2  : 

Which  be  deceiued  (I  dare  say)  both[e]  two. 
Ibid.  74  a  2 : 

in  my  person  offending  both[e]  two. 
Ibid.  76  a  1  : 

and  fro  the  office  depriued  bothe  twayne. 
S.  of  Thebes,  357  a  1  : 

As  write  myne  aucthor,  &  Bochas  bothe  two. 
Ibid.  371  b  1  : 

Through  my  defence,  and  slouthe  bothe  two. 

Degenhart,  J3orse,*39,  348  ;  P%r.*1114, 1600,  1747,  2126,  4153,  5246, 
*5718,  5936,  *7494,  *7786,  7958  ;  Rom.  of  the  R.  4804.  Also  in  Hoccleve 
(E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  22,  1.  589  : 

Whan  Jmt  f?ou  hast  assayde  bope  two. 
Ibid.  p.  37, 1.  1007  : 

But  bothe  two  he  nedes  moot  forbere. 
Ibid.  p.  187,  1.  5174  : 

ffor  she  was  bothe  two,  and  syn  she  had. 

Finally,  in  Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81,  82)  I  find  some  thirty 
examples  of  '  bothe  two,'  so  Prologus,  11.  606,  1068 ;  i,  208,  253  ;  ii, 
1157,  2598,  3346,  3463  ;  iv,  2285,  2295.  .  . .  Compare  also  Spies,  Studien, 
§239. 

p.  19,  1.  82.  ne—n.othyng]  See  note  to  11.  52,  53. 

1.  84.  Resownyth]  Compare  Skeat,  Chaucer,  v,  notes  to  C.  T.,  A.  275, 
307,  B.  3157,  C.  54,  F.  517,  H.  195,  etc.,  and  Fliigel  in  Anglia,  24  (1901), 
p.  483  f. 

M.  P.  258  : 

Nor  nouht  that  sownyd  toward  perfectioun. 
Falls,  52  b  2,  53  a  1 : 

For  me  thought  it  was  better  to  abide 
on  her  goodnes  than  thyng  reherce  in  dede 
which  might  resowne  again  her  womahede. 
Triggs,  Assembly,  1302  : 

For  nothyng  may  me  plese  that  sowneth  to  corrupcion. 
Chaucer's  Dream,  ed.  by  R.  Morris,  1.  2074  : 

And  all  that  sovvnede  to  gentilnesse. 
Boccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61),  p.  76, 1.  90  : 

to  thyng  that  sovneth  /  in-to  [hy]  falshede  ? 
Ibid.  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  1.  1947  : 

Write  him  no  thyng  ]>at  sowneth  in-to  vice. 
1.  85.  Occy]  See  note  to  c.  1.  90. 

1.  92.  alre]  'old,'  as  the  MSS.  read,  is  quite  impossible;  it  gives  no 
sense  at  all.  Surely  it  is  corrupted  from  '  aldre '  (  =  alre),  which  form 
survives  in  such  expressions  as  :  altherfirst,  altherlast,  altherfairest,  alder- 
best,  alderlest,  alderlevest,  aldermost,  aldernext,  etc.  Compare  Skeat, 
Chaucer,  iii,  p.  300,  note  to  1.  298  ;  also  Schick,  T.  G.,  note  to  1.  70. 
1.  93.  adverte]  See  note  to  1.  77. 


60          Notes:   Poem  II.     Pages  19,  20,  lines  94-115. 

p.  19,  1.  94.  starf]  This  verb  had  not  at  that  time  the  narrow  meaning- 
of  '  to  die  by  hunger,'  but  the  general  sense  which  the  German  '  sterben r 
has  still.  M.  P.  32  : 

In  hope  that  he  shal  sterve  withynne  a  while. 
Compare  also  Skeat,  Chaucer,  i,  v,  420  : 

Do  what  hir  list,  to  do  me  live  or  sterve. 
See  also  note  to  1.  183. 

1.  97.  thilke]  occurs  Schick,  T.  G.  81,  and  st.  25  a?  ;  G.  W.  (Zupitza), 
35,  4;  compare  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xxiv,  note  to  1.  642,  and  Spies, 
Studien,  §  50. 

1.  103.  Compare  M.  P.  122 : 

Lyft  up  the  ieen  of  your  advertence. 
Ibid.  198  :     Man  I  left  up  thyn  eye  to  the  hevene, 
And  pray  the  Lord,  which  is  eternal  I 
Ibid.  209: 

For  which,  ye  lordys,  lent  up  yoer  eyen  blynde  ! 

Ibid.  259  : 

Behoold,  0  man,  left  up  thyn  eye  and  see, 
What  mortal  peyne  I  suffryd  for  thy  trespace. 
Pilgr.  5317,  5318 : 

Off  thys  fygure  that  I  ha  told  ; 
Lefft  vp  thyn  eyen  &  be-hold. 
Ibid.  6241,  6242 : 

Lefft  vp  thyn  Eye,  be-hold  &  se, 
And  tak  good  heed  now  vn-to  me  ! 
Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61),  p.  210,  1.  869  : 

Lifte  vp  thyn  yen  /  looke  aboute  &  see. 
Anglia,  vii  (1884),  Anzeiger,  p.  86, 1.  51  : 

Lyfte  up  jour  hertly  eye,  behold  and  se. 
Similarly  Falls,  124  a  2  : 

See  with  the  yen  of  your  advertence. 
Compare  in  our  poem  1.  177. 

I.  106.  Sle]  See  note  to  c.  1.  90. 

II.  110,  111.  list]  See  note  to  c.  1.  9. 

p.  20,  1.  112.  theyr]  refers  to  '  mannes,'  1.  110,  which  must  be  taken  as  a 
collective  noun.  Compare  C.  Alphonso  Smith,  A  note  on  the  concord  of 
collectives  and  indefinites  in  English  in  Anglia  xxiii  (1901),  p.  242  if. 
The  reverse  case  takes  place  1. 147  'his' ;  see  note  to  this  line. 

1.  115.  Rose]  Here  and  11.  118,  120  Lydgate  compares  the  wounds  of 
Christ  with  roses  ;  this  idea  may  be  borrowed  from  Bernard  us  Clarae- 
vallensis.  In  his  Liber  de  Passione  Domini  we  find,  chap.  41,  the 
following  passage  : 

Vide  totum  corp-ws.  sicubi  rosse  sanguineae  florem  non  inuenias.  In- 
spice  manum  unam  &  alteram,  si  florem  rosse  inuenias  in  utraqite.  Inspice 
pedem  &  unum  &  alterum.  Numqmd  non  rosei  ?  Inspice  lateris  apertu- 
ram  :  qma  nee  ilia  caret  rosa,  qitamuis  ipsa  subrubea  sit  propter  misturam 
aqite,  qim  sicut  narrat  euangelista.  ...  0  quam  multo  numero  foliorum 
multiplicata  &  exornata  est  rosa  tua.  .  .  . 
Compare  M.  P.  26 : 

It  was  the  rose  of  the  blody  felde  ; 

Rose  of  Ihericho  that  grue  in  Bedleui ; 
The  fy  ve  rosis  portraid  in  the  shelde, 
Splaid  in  the  baner  at  Iherusalem. 


Notes:   Poem  II.     Page  20,  lines  117-133.  61 

The  sonne  was  clips  and  dirke  in  every  reme, 

Whan  Crist  Ihesu  five  wellys  list  unclose, 
Toward  Paradise,  callid  the  reede  streme, 

Of  whos  five  woundes  prynte  in  your  herte  a  rose, 
p.  20, 1. 117.  go  or  ride]  Compare  Ellis,  E.  E.  P.  i,  p.  375,  and  Kittredge 
in  Studies  and  Notes  in  Philology  and  Literature  (Harvard  University),  1, 
Boston,  1892,  p.  17,  No.  4. 

M.  P.  223 :       In  londe  wheres'ere  thow  goo  or  ryde. 
E.E.  T.S.  71,  p.  392: 

ffor  in  what  place  /  I  go  or  ryde. 

(Lydgate's  Venus- Mass,  Fairfax,  16,  f.  31 5  a.) 
Add  Skeat,  Chaucer,  i,  xxii,  19  : 

Sith  I,  thunworthiest  that  may  ryde  or  go. 
Wiilcker,  Altenglisches  Lesebuch  (1874),  ii,  6,  p.  8,  1.  4  : 

We  been  assureth,  whereso  we  ride  or  goon. 
1.  127.  to-Rent]  See  note  to  c.  1.  256. 
Kk.  i,  fol.  195  a  : 

To  ffynde  J?y  salue  //  my  fflesche  was  al  to-rent. 
M.  P.  261  : 

Behold  my  boody  with  betyng  al  to-rent. 
1.  129.  al  the  bloode]  Compare  M.  P.  235  : 

To  paye  our  raunsoum  his  blood  he  did  sheede  ; 
Nat  a  smal  part,  but  al  he  did  out  bleede. 
Kk.  i,  fol.  194  a  : 

Pale  &  dedely  //  whan  al  my  [i.  e.  Christ]  bloode  was  looste. 
Ibid.  fol.  195  a  : 

Bood  in  J?e  ffylde  //  tyl  al  my  bloode  was  spente. 
Ibid.  fol.  197  a : 

My  bloode  al  spent  /  by  distyllacyon. 
Yorkshire  Writers,  Eolle  of  Hampole,  ii,  p.  10,  11.  41-44  : 
Swete  Ihesu,  lorde  gode, 
For  me  J?ou  scheddist  al  \>\  blode, 
Out  of  f?i  hert  ran  a  flode 
pi  modir  it  saw  with  drery  mode. 

Unfortunately,  I  have  not  been  able  to  find  out  the  origin  of  this  fancy  ; 
the  Holy  Scripture  e.  g.  nowhere  tells  us  that  Christ  lost  all  His  blood. 
Compare  1.  171. 

1.  133.  Isaye]  One  of  Dr.  Schick's  splendid  conjectures,  for  which 
I  am  deeply  indebted  to  him.  It  makes  not  only  the  construction  and 
sense  entirely  clear,  but  is  also  justified  by  the  metre,  as  we  get  a  good 
rhyme  by  this  emendation.  That  Lydgate  pronounced  this  name  I-sa-i-e 
also  in  other  places,  is  proved  by  the  following  quotations.  Steele,  Secrees. 
370,  371 : 

Plente  of  language  /  with  hooly  Isaye, 
And  lamentaciottns  /  expert  in  leremye. 
Pilgr.  3853,  3854 : 

Lych  as  wryteth  Ysaye, 
And  in  hys  book  doth  specefye, 
Ibid.  7005,  7006: 

A  scrypture  off  ysaye 
Remembryd  in  hys  prophesye. 
Compare  in  our  poem  1.  148. 


62  Notes:    Poem  II.     Page  20,  lines  135-138. 

Compare  also  Percy  Society,  28 :  Poems  of  William  de  Shoreham,  ed. 
by  T.  Wright,  p.  133: 

Thou  ert  Emaus,  the  ryche  castel, 
Thar  resteth  alle  werye ; 
Ine  the  restede  Emanuel, 

Of  wany  speketh  Ysaye. 

Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  98,  11.  2708,  2709 : 
As  vnto  vs  wyttenessith  ysaye, — 
He  shal  in  heuen  dwelle,  &  sitten  hye. 

Ibid.  p.  162,11.4500,4501: 

To  sue,  studien  men,  seith  Ysaye, 
And  sche  J?e  thraldom  is  of  Maumetrye. 

It  occurs  in  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iii,  p.  16,  1.  514 : 
That  Isaye,  ne  Scipioun, 

where  in  some  MSS.  the  reading  '  Isaye '  has  been  corrupted  to  '  I  saye,r 
as  in  our  MSS. 

Compare  also  M.  P.  98 : 

This  I  saye  in  token  of  plente, 

A  braunche  of  vynes  most  gracious  and  meete, 
At  a  grete  fest  hym  thought  he  dide  se. 

The  reverse  case  we  find   York  Plays,  ed.  by  Lucy  Toulmin  Smith, 
Oxford,  1885,  p.  268,1.375: 

Prophete  ysaie  to  be  oute  of  debate. 

This  line  was  emended  by  Holthausen,  Anglia,  21  (1899),  p.  448,  as 
follows  : 

Prophete  !  y  saie  to  \>Q  oute  of  debate. 

p.  20,  1.  135.  Bosra]  Compare  Degenhart,  Hors,  note  to  1.  317.     Add 
the  following  quotation,  Kk.  i,  fol.  198  a  : 

Royal  banerys  /  vnrollcd  of  the  kyng, 
Towarde  his  Batayle,  in  Bosra  steyned  Reede. 
See  also  Anglia,  15  (1893),  p.  199,  note  to  11.  443,  448. 
11.  137,  138.  This  is]  =  'This';  compare  Schick,  T.  G.,  note  to  1.  496  ; 
ten  Brink,  §  271 ;  Falls,  213  b  1 : 

This  is  very  sooth,  where  is  diuision. 
Pilgr.  2064,  2065 : 

Wit/i-oute  me,  thys  no  lesyng, 
Ye  shal  ha  no  conclusyon. 

If.  P.  240: 

Or  I  passe  hens,  this  hoolly  myn  entent, 

To  make  Ihesu  to  be  cheef  surveyour. 
Bom.  of  the  E.  3547,  3548 : 

To  stonde  forth  in  such  duresse, 

This  crueltee  and  wikkednesse. 
16^.6056,6057: 

With  Abstinence,  his  dere  lemman  ; 

This  our  accord  and  our  wil  now. 
Chaucer's  Dream,  ed:  R.  Morris,  208 : 

'  Madame,'  (quod  I)  '  this  all  and  some. 
Morrill,  Speculum,  149,  150: 

pis  wonder  of  many  sinful  men, 

pat  >inkej?  it  were  muche  for  hem. 


Notes:    Poem  II.     Pages  20,  21,  lines  139-159.        63 

p.  20.  1.  139.  consistorye]  =  the  yvvftpiov  of  the  Jews.    Matt,  xxvi,  59  : 
Of  8e  otee's  K<d  r^  ffvvediov  '6\ov  e^rovv  ^/evSo/j-aprvpiav  Kara  rov  'Irjffov. 


Kk.i,  fol.  195  a: 

Stoode  a-ffore  Beschope  /  \>&r  ffonde  I.no  respyte 
Srnytten  bi  for  mynystris  /  in  j?e  consistorie. 

p.  21,  1.  141.  stoole]  Compare  the  following  lines  from  Lyd  gate's  Fergus 
of  the  Masse,  MS.  Harl.  2251,  fol.  181  : 

The  stole  also  strecchyng  on  lengthe 
Is  of  doctours  *  saithe  the  angels  doctryne, 
Amonge  heretiks  •  to  stonde  in  strengthe 
Fro  cristes  lawe  •  neuer  to  declyne. 

(Quoted  from  E.  E.  T.  S.  71,  p.  167.) 
1.  144.  can]  See  note  to  c.  1.  54. 

1.  145.  delude]  Schleich,  Fabula,  581,  and  note  to  this  word,  p.  83. 
1.  147.  Makyng  his  fynaunce]  =  recompense,   FaUs,  70  b  1  : 
For  no  power  whan  al  that  wer  doo 
thou  shouldest  fayle  to  make  thy  finaunce 
Both  destitute  of  good  and  of  substaunce. 

Triggs,  Assembly,  1241,  1242: 

....  &  then  shalt  thow  know 
What  shalbe  thy  finaunce  ;    ..... 

See  also  note  to  these  lines.     Similarly,  Kk.  i,  fol.  194  b  : 
To  make  asseth  //  for  thi  transgression. 

Compare  Matzner  and  Stratmann. 

first  his]  refers  to  '  mankynd,'  1.  146  =  '  fynaunce  for  them.'  Compare 
note  to  1.  112. 

st.  22.     Compare  the  following  short  poem  from  Political,  Religious, 
and  Love  Poems,  ed.  by  F.  J.  Furnivall  (E.  E.  T.  S.  15),  p.  231  : 
Wat  is  he  }?is  \>at  comet  so  brith 
Wit  blodi  clones  al  be-dith  ? 
respond  entes  swperiores  dixerunt 
"  He  is  boj?e  god  and  man  : 
swilc  ne  sawe  neuere  nan. 
for  adamis  sinne  he  suffrede  ded. 
&  Jjerfore  is  his  robe  so  red." 

1.  148.  Tsaye]  See  note  to  1.  133. 

renorned]  M.  P.  47  :    Famous  poetis  of  antyquyte, 

In  Grece  and  Troye  renomed  of  prudence. 

Falls,  20  a  1  :       so  renowmed  in  actes  marciall. 

Ibid.  32  a  1  :         Ful  renoumed  in  armes  and  science. 

Ibid.  33  b  2  :        most  renoumed  of  riches  and  treasures. 

Ibid.  89  a  2  :         So  renoumed,  so  famous  in  manned. 

Pilgr.  5965  :          So  renomyd  &  flourynge  in  glorye. 

1.  152.  quayers]  I  could  not  find  out  anything  about  this  word  ;  perhaps 
it  is  corrupted  for  '  grapes  '  ?  Compare  Yorkshire  Writers,  Eolle  of  Ham- 
pole,  ii,  p.  50,  1.  3,  f.  b.  : 

for  as  J?o  pressure  presses  \>o  grapis  .  .  . 

I.  153.  With  regard  to  the  metre,  we  prefer  the  reading  of  A.,  and  omit 
the  article  between  '  and  '  and  '  white.' 

II.  156,  158.  gan]  See  note  to  c.,  1.  54. 
1.  158.  it]  See  note  to  1.  7. 

1.  159.  passyng  grete]  Very  common  in  Lydgate's  writings  :  M.  P.  7, 


64         Notes:   Poem  II.     Pages  21,  22,  Jw«*  161-186. 

185,  187,  217,  244,  245,  etc. ;  S.  of  Thebes,  359  b  2,  362  a  1,  369  a  2  ;  Falls, 
26  b  1,  198  a  2,  etc. 

«v  p.  21,  1.161.  lourney]  i.  e.  his  death.    Compare  Hoccleve  (E.  E.T.S., 
E.S.72),p.  1,  11.  1,2: 

Honured  be  thu,  blisfull  lord  a-bove, 
That  vowchidsaffe  this  iourny  to  take. 

11.  162-165.  Kh  i,  fol.  196  a: 

A  swerde  of  sorewe  //  schoolde  perce  to  >e  herte 
Off  my  Moder  //  J?at  called  is  marie 
Stoode  with  Seynt  lohn  //  swouned  at  Caluarie 
Vnder  my  Croose  //  for  feblenes  fyll  downe. 

.M.  P.  262 :  See  my  disciplis  how  they  ha  me  forsake, 

And  fro  me  fled  almoost  everychon, 
See  how  thei  sleepte  and  list  nat  with  me  wake, 

Of  mortal  dreed  they  lefft  me  al  allon, 
Except  my  moodir  and  my  cosyn  Seyn  lohn, 

My  deth  compleynyng  in  moost  doolful  wise, 
See  fro  my  cros  they  wolde  nevir  gon. 

1. 166.  tee]  '  rend,'  as  both  the  MSS.  read  here,  and  '  wend,'  the  reading 
of  A.  in  1.  165  instead  of  '  flee,'  are  evidently  corrections  of  the  scribes, 
whereas  the  original  MS.  had,  no  doubt,  pure  rhymes.  Our  alteration  into 
*tee,'  O.E.  'tebn,'  is  surely  justified. 

p.  22,  1.  170.  disconsolate]  To  the  quotations  in  Stratmann-Bradley, 
Matzner,  and  Schleich,  Fabula  (I.  550),  add  : 

M.  P.  205 :       Reste  and  refuge  to  folk  disconsolat. 
Voss  %9,  fol.  67  a: 

Folk  disconsolat  to  beren  vp  &  conforth. 
Steele,  Secrees,  390 : 

Disconsolat  /  in  trybulacyotm. 
.Bom.  of  the  E.  3168,  3169: 

And  I  al  sole,  disconsolate, 
Was  left  aloon  in  peyne  and  thought. 
1.  171.  al  my  bloode]  See  note  to  1.  129. 
1.  172.  neuer  none]  See  note  to  11.  52,  53. 
1.  177.  See  note  to  1.  103. 
1.  179.  If.  P.  48: 

Modyr  of  Ihesu,  myrour  of  chastyte, 

In  woord  nor  thouht  that  nevere  dyd  offence. 

1.  183.  surfete]  A  similar  case  to  '  starf,'  1.  94,  note.     This  word  had,  in 
Lydgate's  time,  not  yet  the  restricted  meaning  of  the  modern  'surfeit'  = 
'  excess  in  eating  or  drinking,'  but  means  simply  :  '  excess,'  then  '  sin.' 
Compare  e.g.  M.  P.  145,  150,  163,  174,  etc. 
1.  185.  apalle]  M.  P.  241  : 

Lust  appallyd,  th'experience  is  cowthe. 
Ibid.  244  :         Shuld  nevir  discresen  nor  appalle. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  x,  46 : 

Licour  ayein  languor,  palled  that  may  not  be. 
Ibid,  vii,  xxii,  15  : 

Meulx  un  :  in  herte,  which  never  shal  apal. 

1.  186.  als  blyve]  See  note  to  c.  1.  219.  I  cite  here  some  few  of  the 
hundreds  of  occurrences  of  these  words. 

M.  P.  149 :       Moost  repentaunt  for-sook  the  world  as  blyve. 


Notes:   Poem  II.     Page  22,  23,  lines  194-224.          65 

Flour  of  Ourtesye,  248  b  2  : 

Of  her,  that  I  shal  to  you  as  blyue. 
8.  of  Thebes  (Skeat),  1173: 

Hem  euerychoon,  Tydeus,  as  blyve 
Pilgr.  5763  :    Par  caas  thow  foimde  ther-in  as  blyue. 
Falls,  63  a  1 :     he  bad  his  squier  take  his  svveorde  as  blyue. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  i,  iii,  248 : 

And  here  on  warde,  right  now,  as  blyve. 

Ibid.  1277 :       As  helpe  me  god,  I  was  as  blyve. 
R.  of  the  Rose,  706,  707  : 

And  of  that  gardin  eek  as  blyve 

I  wol  you  tellen  after  this. 
Ibid.  992  :         But  though  I  telle  not  as  blyve. 
Ibid.  2799  :      Than  Swete-Thought  shal  come,  as  blyve. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xxiv,  161,  404,  1441. 
In  our  poem  compare  11.  368,  371. 

Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  xl,  1. 125 : 

Come  of,  come  [of],  and  slee  me  here,  as  blyff. 
Ibid.  p.  2, 1.  36  : 

For  right  as  blyve  ran  it  in  my  thought. 
Ibid.  p.  19,11.503,504: 

But  I  suppose  he  schal  resorte  as  blyue, 

ffor  verray  neede  wol  vs  ther-to  dryue. 

Ibid.  11.  608,  1265,  1411,  1710,  1830,  2281,  2681,  2858,  3038,  3106, 
3239,  3260,  3277,  3290,  4412,  4668,  4878. 

Ibid.  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61 ),  p.  4,  1.  125  ;  p.  117, 1.  204 ;  p.  145,  1.  142 ; 
p.  152,  1.  339  ;  p.  153,  1.  385  ;  p.  156,  1.  461 ;  p.  167,  1.  761  ;  p.  202, 
1.  653 ;  p.  219,  1.  109  ;  p.  221,  1.  162 ;  p.  223, 1.  210 ;  p.  239,  1.  661. 

Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81,  82),  iv,  1854  ;  v,  3318,  3520  ; 
viii,  1140. 

p.  22, 1.  194.  Falls,  74  a  2 : 

my  spousaile  broke  &  my  good[e]  name 

for  euer  disclaundred  that  whilom  shone  full  shene. 
p.  23,  1.  201.  Falls,  91  b  2  : 

Theyr  poynant  poyson  is  so  penetrable. 
1.  214.  Rom.  of  the  R.  4081-4083  : 

Lever  I  hadde,  with  swerdis  tweyne 

Thurgh-out  myn  herte,  in  every  veyne 

Perced  to  be,  .... 

1.  224.  Triacle]  Compare  Triggs,  Assembly,  note  to  1.  12.  We  add  the 
following  quotations  :  Schleich,  Fabula,  446,  447  (see  also  p.  146) : 

His  freend  to  hym  abrochyd  hath  the  tonne 

Of  freendly  triacle  ;  .  .  .  . 

Falls,  87  b  2  :    that  men  with  sufferaunce  tempre  their  triacle. 
Pilgr.  67,  68 :  A-geyne  whas  stroke,  helpeth  no  medycyne, 

Salue,  tryacle  /  but  grace  only  dyvyne. 
Ibid.  7719  :      No  tryacle  may  the  venym  saue. 
Kk.  i,  fol.  196  b  : 

My  blood  /  beste  triacle  /  for  J?y  transegression. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  C.  314  : 

By  corpus  bones  I  but  I  have  triacle. 

NIGHTINGALE.  F 


66  Notes:   Poem  II.     Page  23,  line  225. 

Chaucer  s  Dream,  ed.  by  R.  Morris,  1901,  1902: 

And  said,  it  was  some  great  miracle, 
Or  medicine  fine  more  than  triacle. 

William   Caxton,  Dialogues  in  French  and  English,  ed.  by  Henry 
Bradley  (E.  E.  T.S.,  E.  S.  79). 

11/3O/2  :  Who  of  thise  wormes  shall  be  byten 
He  must  have  triacle  ; 
Yf  not  that,  he  shall  deye. 
31/38  :       And  a  triacle  boxe. 

Ayenbite,  ed.  by  R.  Morris  (E.  E.  T.  S.  23),  p.  16,  17  : 
Vor-zojje  /  he  is  ine  grat  peril  /  to  huain  /  alle  triacle  /  went  in  to 
iienyrn. 

Ibid.  p.  144  :  pet  is  propreliche  a  dyau  /  arid  a  triacle  a-ye  alle 
kueadnesse. 

Percy  Society,  iv  (1842):  Specimens  of  Lyric  Poetry,  edited  by 
Thomas  Wright,  p.  9 : 

Tryacle,  tresbien  trye"e, 
n'est  poynt  si  fyn  en  sa  termyne. 
p.  26  :  Muge  he  is  ant  mondrake,  th[r]ouh  miht  of  the  mone, 

Trewe  triacle  y-told  with  tonges  in  trone. 
Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61),  p.  70,  11.  109,  110  : 

Torne  the  crois  to  me,  noble  Princesse, 
Which  vn-to  euery  soor  is  the  triacle  I 
Ibid.  p.  113,1.93: 

sythen  of  myne  hele  /  he  gave  me  triacle. 

The  Poems  of  William  Dunbar,  ed.  by  J.  Schipper,  Vienna,  1894,  p. 
118,  No.  20, 11.  25,26: 

with  furious  rage, 

Quhilk  may  no  balme,  nor  tryacle  assuage, 
Ibid.  p.  273,  No.  55,  11.  87,  88  : 

Gif  that  the  tryackill  cum  nocht  tyt 
To  swage  the  swalme  of  my  dispyt  I 

William  of  Palerne  (ed.  by  Skeat,  E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  1),  p.  183,  11.  197, 
19£ : 

Ber  sprong  neuer  spicerie  •  so  special!  in  erf?e, 
Ne  triacle  in  his  taste  *  so  trie  is  too  knowe. 

Manipulns  vocabulorum  (E.  E.  T.  S.  27,  ed.  Wheatley),  col.  53, 1.  44,  and 
col.  205,  1.  27. 

Skeat,  P.  P.,  B.  i,  146 ;  v.  50 ;  R.  ii,  151 ;  C.  ii,  147  (and  note  to  this 
line,  p.  37).  Compare  also  the  quotations  in  the  Century  Dictionary  and 
Coleridge's  Dictionary. 

About  the  T  in  'triacle'  compare  La  Chanson  de  Eoland,  ed.  p.  Gautier 
(Tours,  1894),  p.  459,  note  to  'Bascle,'  1.  3474. 

p.  23, 1.225  ff.  Compare  the  following  lines  from  Lydgate's  Testament: 
M.  P.  263: 

Ageyn  thy  pryde,  behold  my  gret  rneeknesse  I 

Geyn  thyn  envye,  behold  my  charite  I 
Geyn  thy  lecherye,  behold  my  chaast  clermesse  ! 

Geyn  thy  covetise,  behold  my  poverte  ! 

Raynouard,  Choix  des  poesies  originates  des  troubadours,  ii,  Paris,  1817, 
p.  35  (=  Boece,  11.  216-224) : 

Cals  es  la  schala?  de  que  sun  Ii  degra? 
Fait  sun  d'almosna  c  f e  e  caritat, 


Notes:   Poem  II.     Page  24,  lines  232-241.  67 

Contra  felnia  sunt  fait  de  gran  bontat, 
Contra  perjuri  de  bona  feeltat, 
Contr'avaricia  sun  fait  de  largetat, 
Contra  tristicia  sun  fait  d'alegretat, 
Contra  menzonga  sun  fait  de  veritat, 
Contra  lucxuria  sun  fait  de  castitat, 
Contra  superbia  sun  fait  d'umilitat. 
And  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  Parson's  Tale,  §§  23-83. 

p.  24,  1.  232.  Here  the  words  of  Christ,  who  speaks  always  in  the  first 
person,  seem  to  be  finished  and  the  song  of  the  bird  goes  on. 

1.  234.  streyght  out  as  a  lyne]  Very  common  expression  in  Lydgate. 
It  occurs  M.P.V1: 

From  ether  parte  righte  as  eny  lyne. 
Ibid.  234  :         Whos  blood  doun  ran  rihte  as  any  lyne. 
Ibid.  248  :         Lat  thy  grace  leede  me  rihte  as  lyne. 
Pilgr.  1705  :     The  myddys  ryht  as  any  lyne. 
Ibid.  3237  :       Shope  hym  Ryght  as  any  lyne. 
Ibid.  4911  :      Hih  a-loffte,  ryht  as  lyne. 
Falls,  31  a  1 :  to  folow  his  steppes  right  as  any  lyne. 
8.  of  Thebes,  378  a  1  : 

And  with  the  soile,  made  plain  as  any  line. 
S.  of  Thebes  (Skeat),  1121: 

Mid  of  his  waye,  ri^t  as  eny  lyne. 
Voss.  Gg.  9,  fol.  76  a  : 

And  off  the  font  riht  vp  as  a  lyne. 
Margarete,  228 : 

Whos  blode  ran  doun  right  as  eny  lyne. 
Also  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xx,  29 : 

In  which  were  oke's  grete,  straight  as  a  lyne. 
Ibid,  vii,  xxiv,  137  : 

Sherp  and  persing,  smale,  and  streight  as  lyne. 
Ibid,  vii,  xxiv,  785 : 

Her  nose  directed  streight,  and  even  as  lyne. 
Kingis  Quair,  st.  151,  1.  4  : 

I  tuke  my  leve  : — als  straught  as  ony  lyne. 
Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  113, 1.  3134 : 

Thidir  wil  I  goo,  streght  as  any  lyne. 
Ibid.  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61),  p.  204, 1.  692  : 

To  purgatorie  y  shal  as  streight  as  lyne. 

1.  235.  Similarly  Thomas  Wright,  Specimens  of  Lyric  Poetry,  Percy 
Society,  iv  (1842),  p.  70: 

Jesu,  of  love  soth  tocknynge, 
Thin  armes  spredeth  to  mankynde. 
1.  237.  list]  See  note  to  c.  1.  9. 
1.  241.  bountevous]  Schick,  T.  G.  1384  : 

Prayeng  to  hir  ]>at  is  so  bounteuo[u]s. 
Schleich,  Fabula,  3  (see  also  p.  75) : 

Nat  oonly  riche,  but  bountevous  and  kynde. 
Voss.  Gg.  9,  fol.  71  a  : 

Pleynly  reportyng  bontivous  lergesse. 
Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  xxiv,  4U,  415 : 

But  think  that  she,  so  bounteous  and  fair, 
Coud  not  be  fals  :  . 


68  Notes :   Poem  II.    Page  24,  lines  245,  246. 

Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  xlix,  1.  32  : 

Of  thi  ful  bountevous  benevolence. 
Herrig's  Archivf.  d.  Studium  der  neueren  Sprachen,  107,  p.  51, 1.  8  f.  b. : 

o  bountevous  lady  semenygne  off  face. 

Malory,  Morte  d' Arthur,  ed.  by  Sommer,  London,  1889/91,  i,  p.  733, 
11.6-8: 

she  hath  ben  .  .  .  the  moost  bountetious  lady  of  her  yeftes  .  .  . 

(Taken  from  HdUiwett's  Dictionary}. 

p.  24, 1.  245.  ceriously]  Compare  Skeat,  Chaucer,  v,  note  to  C,  T.,  B.  185, 
and  vi,  p.  42,  and  the  following  quotations  :  M.  P.  28 : 

Remembre  wele  on  olde  January, 

Whiche  maister  Chauuceres  ful  seriously  descryvethe. 
Steele,  Secrees,  352 : 

And  I  shulde  /  Reherse  hem  Ceryously. 
Degenhart,  Hors,  265,  266  : 

....  ye  shall  it  find  in  dede, 

Ceriously  who  list  the  story  rede. 

Falls,  73  b  1  :  Wryte  her  compleynt  in  order  ceriously. 
Ibid.  84  a  1 :    But  seriously  this  matter  to  conueye 

how  he  was  made  Duke  and  gouernour. 
Ibid.  201  b  1 :  And  cereously  he  telleth  here  the  guyse. 
Ibid,  (from  Koeppel,  De  casibus  virorum  illustrium,  p.  37,  note  4) : 

But  setteth  them  in  order  seryously  : 

Ginneth  at  Adam  and  endeth  at  king  John, 

Their  aventures  reherseth  by  and  by. 
S.  of  Thebes,  357  b  2  : 

Not  tellyng  here,  how  the  line  ran 

Fro  kyng  to  kyng,  by  succession 

Conueying  doune,  by  stocke  of  Amphion 

Ceriously  by  line,  .... 
Pilgr.  8625,  8626 : 

Now  haue  I  told  the,  by  &  by, 

Off  thys  stonys  coryously.1 
G.  W.  (Robinson),  281  (Voss.  Gg.  9,  fol.  23  a) : 

He  tolde  the  kynge  in  ordre  seryously. 
G.  W.  (Zupitza),  39,  1  : 

They  told  hym  firste  in  ordre  ceryously. 

Also  in  George,  Ashbys  Poems,  ed.  by  Mary  Bateson  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S. 
76),  p.  11, 11.  312,  313: 

To  kepe  pacience  thereyn  ioyously, 

Redyng  thys  tretyse  forth  ceryously. 

State  Papers,  i,  299  (taken  from  Halliwell's  Dictionary,  also  found  in 
the  Century  Dictionary) : 

Thus  preceding  to  the  letters,  to  shewe   your  Grace  summarily,  for 
rehersing  everything  seriously,  I  shal  over  long  moleste  your  Grace. 
1.  246.  Similarly  Pilgr.  4617,  4618  : 

To  swych,  he  gaff  hem  alderlast 

Hys  owne  boody  for  cheff  repast. 
Degenhart,  Eors,  319  : 

That  yaf  his  body  to  man  in  form  of  brede. 

Compare  11.  246 ff.  in  our  poem  to  'The  testament  off  Cryst  Ihesu,' 
Pilgr.  4773  ff. 

1  Ceryously  St. 


Notes:  Poem  II.     Pages  24,  25,  lines  247-273.         69 

p.  24,  1.  247.  Restoratif ]  Falls,  83  a  1  : 

Restoratiues  and  eke  confeccions. 
Giles,  90  :         Lyst  ordeyne,  for  a  restoratyff. 
M.  P.  146  :      Best  restoratif  next  Cristes  passioun. 
Ibid.  38  :          Telle  me  alle  thre,  and  a  confortatife 

And  remedye  I  shal  make,  up  my  life. 

Besides,  there  occur  in  the  M.  P.  the  following  similarly-formed 
words:  49  confortatyf,  50  laxatif,  136  prerogatif,  168  preparatif,  196 
mytigatiff,  etc. 

Compare  also  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  x,  72  : 

Of  confessours  also  richest  donatyf. 
Ibid.  74  :          Afore  al  women  having  prerogatyf. 
Gower  likewise  uses  the  word,  Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  Sf.  82),  vi, 
859. 

1.  248.  rnaunde]  =  the  Lord's  Snpper ;  compare  Matzner,  Skeat,  P.  P., 
note  to  B.  xvi,  140,  p.  379,  and  Encyclopaedia  Britannica,  xv,  p.  635  ; 
Pilgr.  4613 : 

The  Grete  Thursday  at  hys  maunde. 

Political,  Religious,  and  Love  Poems,  ed.  by  F.  J.  Furnivall  (E.  E.  T.  S. 
15),  p.  126, 11.  380-383  : 

A  tabulle  ]>er  ys  ]>at  men  mey  se 
That  cryste  made  on  his  monde, 
On  sherej?orsday  when  he  breke  brede 
By-fore  ]Je  tyme  }>at  he  was  dede. 

I.  251.  lauendere]   I  am  not  certain  about  the  meaning  of  this  word. 
The  New  English  Dictionary  gives  the  definition  :  *  a  man  who  washes 
clothes,  a  washerman,'  and  quotes  from  Househ.  Ord.  1483  (1790),  85,  Of 
the  whiche  soape  the  seyde  clerke  spicers  shalle  take  allowaunce  in  his 
dayly  dockette  by  the   recorde1  of  the  seide   yeoman  lavender.     In  all 
other  cases  I  found  cited  in  dictionaries  (also  in  the  interesting  paper  by 
G.  Ph.  Krapp  in  the  Modern  Language  Notes,  1902,  vol.  xvii,  No.  4,  col. 
204-206)  the  word  denotes  women.     Of  course  we  can  translate  it  here 
as  '  a  man  who  washes  linen,3  then  the  meaning  would  be  :  Christ,  with 
His  blood,  has  cleared  us  from  our  sins.     The  passage,  however,  would 
also  suggest  the  meaning  '  expedient  for  washing,3  which  would  be  some- 
what better,  but  unfortunately  is  not  proved  by  any  quotation. 

Compare  Prudentius,  Cathemerinon,  ix,  85-87  : 

0  novum  caede  stupenda  vulneris  miraculum  I 
Hinc  cruoris  fluxit  unda,  lympha  parte  ex  altera  : 
Lympha  nempe  dat  lavacrum,  turn  corona  ex  sanguine  est. 

II.  253,  254.  This  is  not  in  accordance  with  the  narration  of  the  Gospel, 
according  to  which  the  soldiers  raffled  for  it. 

11.  257,  258.  Anacoluthon.     First '  his  moder  '  is  object,  then  Lydgate 
corrects  himself  and  supplies  it  by  '  the  kepyng  of  hir.' 
p.  25,  1.  261.  hym]  See  note  to  1.  7. 
1.  271.  Yorkshire  Writers,  Eolle  of  Hampole,  ii,  p.  103, 11.  15,  16  f.  a. : 

from  the  toppe  of  his  heed  to  the  sole  of  his  foot 
hole  skynne  they  lefte  none. 

1.  273.  G.  W.  (Robinson),  365  : 

Th&t  streme  of  blode  gan  be  his  sydes  rayle. 

Kk.  i,  196  b  : 

My  blody  woundes  /  downe  raylyng  be  j?e  tree. 


70  Notes:  Poem  II.     Page  25,  lines  280-289. 

M.  P.  262  :       See  blood  and  watir,  by  merciful  plente, 

Kayle  by  my  sides  which  auhte  I  nouhe  suffise. 
Ibid.  263  :        Attween  too  theevys  nayled  to  a  tre, 

Railed  with  reed  blood,  they  list  me  so  disguyse. 
p.  25,  1.  280.  Schick,  T.  G.  1.  466  (and  note): 

To  al  }?e  goddesse  aboue  celestial. 
Krausser,  Complaint,  1.  625  : 

That  al  the  court  above  celestial. 
1.  282.  Compare  Falls,  63  b  i  : 

Where  that  vertue  and  hygh  discrecion, 
auoyded  haue  from  them"  al  wilfulnes. 
G.  W.  (Robinson),  1.  241  : 

Ffrome  the  to  avoyde  all  despeyre  &  drede. 
Steele,  Secrees,  1.  664  : 

Grant  first  our  kyng  /  tavoyde  from  hym  slouthe. 
1.  284.  myrrour]  Very  common  in  figurative  sense  ;  see  Schick,  T.  G., 
note  to  1.  294,  and  Schleich,  Fabula,  384,  451,  665,  and  note  to  these 
lines  on  p.  114,  where  many  quotations  are  found.  I  noticed  it  also, 
M.  P.  93, 122, 126,  236  ;  Falls,  2  a  2,  32  b  2  ;  8.  of  Thebes,  361  a  1,  369  a  1 ; 
Pilgr.  7742  ;  Steele,  Secrees,  1457.  Also  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  v,  179,  xvii, 
457  ;  iv,  C.  T.,  B.  166  ;  i,  in,  974.  See  also  Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72), 
11.  3202,  5328 ;  ibid.  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61),  p.  13,  1.  160  ;  and  Morrill, 
Speculum,  note  to  1.  505;  Holland's  Buke  of  the  Houlate,  ed.  by  A. 
Diebler,  1.  970. 

1.  285.  Enarme]  See  note  to  c.  11.  129,  130. 
1.  287.  Carectes]  Similarly  Pilgr.  4844,  4845  : 

My  wondys  I  geue  hem  alle  fyve  ; 
The  grete  karectys,  brood  &  Reede. 
S.  of  Thebes,  360  bl  : 

Ere  he  was  ware,  locasta  gan  beholde 
The  carectes  of  his  woundes  old. 
1.  289.  banner]  Similarly  Kk.  i,  fol.  194  b  : 

The  scaaled  ladder  //  vp  to  \>e  Croosse  strecchyng 
With  vertuous  Baner  //  putte  ffyndes  to  )>e  filyght. 
Ibid.  fol.  195  a  : 

A  standart  splayede  //  by  lord  slayne  in  J>at  fygt. 
Ibid.  fol.  198  a  : 

Royal  banerys  /  vnrolled  of  the  kyng 
Towarde  his  Batayle  in  Bosra  steyned  Reede. 
M.  P.  61  :        Behold  the  banner,  victorious  and  royal ! 
Gristes  crosse,  a  standard  of  most  peyse. 
Ibid.  143  :         The  crucifix  their  baner  was  in  deede. 
Life  of  our  Lady,  ix  (from  Warton-Hazlitt,  iii,  p.  60)  : 
Whan  he  of  purple  did  his  baner  sprede 
On  Calvarye  abroad  upon  the  rode, 
To  save  mankynde. 
S.  Edmund,  ii,  726 : 

Of  Cristis  cros  I  sette  up  my  baneer. 

In  our  poem  it  occurs  again  1.  316.     This  idea  may  have  been  sug- 
gested to  the  poet  by  Prudentius,  Cathemerinon,  ix,  82-84  : 

Solve  vocem  mens  sonoram,  solve  linguam  mobilem, 
Die  tropaeum  passionis,  die  triumphalem  crucem, 
Pange  vexillum,  notatis  quod  refulget  frontibus. 


Notes:  Poem  II.     Page  26,  lines  296-310. 


71 


p.  26,  ].  296.  conquest  and  victorye]  M.  P.  213,  214,  232. 

1.  297.  Here  the  tree  seen  by  Daniel  in  his  vision  is  explained  to  be  the 
cross  of  our  Saviour  ;  there  occurs  another  interpretation  in  the  Parson's 
Tale,  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.  i,  126: 

This  tree  (i.e.  'Penitence,  that  may  be  lykned  un-to  a  tree,'  ibid.  112) 
saugh  the  prophete  Daniel  in  spirit,  up-on  the  avision  of  the  king 
Nabugodonosor,  whan  he  conseiled  him  to  do  penitence. 

1.  302.  ascencyon]  This  reading  of  A.  is  preferable. 

1.  305.  his]  i.  e.  Christ's  blood,  though  there  is  no  regular  reference. 

1.  308.  Saul]  Probably  dissyllabic  :  Sa-iil  ;  compare  1.  318,  <Ta-ii,'  and 
1.  327,  '  Mo-y-ses.'  In  the  Falls,  61  a  1-63  b  2,  where  Saul's  history  is  told, 
his  name  occurs  frequently,  and  among  all  these  quotations  I  did  not 
find  any  line  where  it  was  not  possible  to  read  '  Saul  '  as  a  dissyllabic, 
but  in  the  following  three  it  must  be  read  as  a  dissyllabic  word  : 

61  a  1  :  space  of  thre  dayes  Saul  had  them  sought. 

62  a  2  :  Thus  day  by  day  Saiil  wayes  sought. 

63  b  2  :  Contrariously  Saiil  was  put  downe. 

Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81,  82)  always  uses  this  name  as 
a  dissyllabic,  as  the  following  quotations  will  show  : 

iv,  1.  1935         Of  king  Saiil  also  I  finde. 

iv,  1.  1940         The  king  Saiil  him  axeth  red. 

vi,  1.  2384         Saiil,  which  was  of  Juys  king. 

vii,  1.  3821        Be  Samuel  to  Saiil  bad. 

vii,  1.  3827        That  Saiil  hath  him  desconfit. 

vii,  1.  3830        Bot  Saiil  let  it  overgon. 

vii,  L  3834        King  Saiil  soffreth  him  to  live. 

1.  310.  Moyses]  Here  again,  as  11.  308,  318,  arises  the  question  whether,  in 
Lydgate,  this  name  is  to  be  pronounced  as  two  or  three  syllables.  With- 
out doubt  poets  used  their  licence  of  making  it  three  or  two  as  suited  their 
convenience.  In  this  very  line  we  have  an  indisputable  example  that 
it  is  to  be  pronounced  '  Moy-ses.'  But,  let  us  take  the  Pilgr.,  where  the 
name  of  the  great  prophet  occurs  very  often,  and  we  find  that,  here 
again,  we  may  always  pronounce  '  Mo-y-ses,'  as  in  11.  1394,  1473,  1653, 
1892,  1899,  1972,  2247,  2269,  2283,  2329,  2831,  3014,  3577,  3908,  3979, 
4566,  5056,  5092,  5098,  5193,  5228,  6174,  etc.,  but  there  are  also  three 


lines  where 

syllables  : 

1982  : 

1988  : 

3236  : 


it  is  absolutely  necessary  to   divide  the   name   into   three 


Hoom  to  Moyses  ageyn. 
Kam  a-domt  to  Moyses. 
That  the  hornyd  Moyses. 

M.  P.  96  probably  Moyses  : 

This  noble  duk,  this  prudent  Moyses. 

Chaucer,  in  all  the  lines  cited  by  Skeat  in  the  Glossary  to  his  edition, 
reads  *  Moy-ses.'     But  Gower,  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  iv,  187  : 
For  Crist  is  more  than  was  Moyses. 

Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81),  p.  13,  1.  306  : 
Of  Moises  upon  the  See. 

Ibid.  p.  447,  1.  1656  : 

Til  god  let  sende  Moises. 
Ibid.  p.  448,  1.  1682  : 

To  Moises,  that  hem  withdrawe. 

Ibid.  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  82),  p.  138,  1.  6967  : 
Upon  the  lawe  of  poises. 


72  Notes:    Poem  II.     Page  26,. lines  315-319. 

Ibid.  p.  196,  1.  1092  : 

Of  Moises  on  Erthe  hiere. 
Ibid,  p.  272.  1.  1475  : 

That  finde  I  noght ;  and  Moises. 
Ibid.  p.  316,  1.  3054  : 

Unto  thebreus  was  Moises. 
A  dissyllabic  '  Moises'  I  found  only  : 

ibid.  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81),  p.  319, 1.  648  : 

As  Moises  thurgh  his  enchanting. 
In  1.  327  of  our  poem  we  have  to  read  Mo-y-ses. 

p.  26,  1.  315.  serpentyne]  See  Degenhart,  Hors,  313  (and  note  to  this 
line) : 

Whiche  wessh  awey  al  venim  serpentine. 
Steele,  Secrees,  673  : 

Whysperyng  tounges  /  of  taast  moost  serpentyn. 
Falls,  86  b  1  :   Women  that  age  farced  were  nor  horned. 

Nor  their  tailes  were  not  serpentine. 
Ibid.  91  b  2  :     So  depe  fretteth  their  serpentine  langage. 
Ibid.  95  a  1 :     Malice  of  wemen  whan  they  be  serpentine. 
Hocdeve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61),  p.  236,  11.  572,  573  : 

In  which  this  serpentyn  wornman  was  /  shee 

That  had  him  terned  with  false  deceitis. 
].  316.  banner]  See  note  to  1.  289. 
vertu]  has  here  the  same  meaning  as  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iv,  C.  T.,  A.  4  : 

Of  which  vertu  engendred  is  the  flour. 
Similarly  Schleich,  Fabula,  330,  331  : 

For,  whan  nature  of  vertu  regitiff 

Thoruh  malencolye  is  pressyd  and  bor  doun. 
M.  P.  16  :         Wiche  have  vertu  to  curen  alle  langueres. 
Falls,  1  b  2  :  Which  [i.  e.  the  tree  of  life]  vertue  had  ageinst  al  maladie. 
Compare  Thomas  Wright,  Specimens  of  Lyric  Poetry,  Percy  Society, 
iv  (1841),  p.  3: 

Dyamaund  ne  autre  piere 

ne  sount  si  fyn  en  lur  vertu. 
Compare  c.  1.  22. 
signe  and  token]  M.  P.  238  : 

Tokne  and  signe  of  eternal  brihtenesse. 

1.  318.  Tau]    Compare   notes  to  11.  308  and  310,   and  the  following 
quotations  : 

Pilgr.  1387  :       A  sygne  of  Tav  wych  ther  stood. 
ibid.  1405,  1406 : 

Wych,  wit/i  the  sygne  of  gret  vertu 

Markyde  manye  with  Tav. 

Ibid.  1483  :       ffor  the  tav  T,  taken  bed. 

See  also  E.  E.  T.  S.  71,  p.  206,  note  7  ;  Gattinger,  pp.  42  and  44  ;  Pest- 
blatter  des  xv.  Jahrhunderts,  herausgegeben  von  Paul  Heitz,  mit  einlei- 
tendem  Text  von  W.  L.  Schreiber.  Strassburg,  1901 ;  and  Siblia  sacra 
vulgatae  editionis.  Recognita  curd;  Augustini  Arndt.  Ratisbonae,  Romae 
et  Neo  Eboraci,  1901,  ii,  p.  867,  note  6. — The  reading  of  A.,  'chayue,'  is 
unintelligible. 

1.  319.  Ezechiel]  read  E-ze-chi-el,  as  e.  g.  M.  P.  214  : 
This  is  the  fowle  whiche  Ezechiel, 


Notes:  Poem  II.     Pages  26,  27,  lines  320-344.         73 

In  his  avisioun,  saugh  ful  yoore  agon, 
He  saugh  foure  bestis  tornyng  on  a  whele, 
or  Pilgr.  1403  :      Ezechyel,  who  lyst  to  look), 
p.  26,  1.  320.  Skeat,  Chaucer,  vii,  x,  140  : 

And  of  our  manhode  trewe  tabernacle  I 
M.  P.  10 :         A  tabernacle  surmontyng  of  beaut4. 
Again  :  11,  12. 

p.  27,  1.  324.  hir  wrath]  =  the  wrath  of  God  against  her,  i.  e.  mankind. 
Similarly  Skeat,  Chaucer,  iii.  L.  o.  g.  W.  1.  2365 : 

How  she  was  served  for  her  suster  love  ; 
her  suster  love  =  love  for  her  sister. 

I.  325.  Compare  Prudentius,  Cathemerinon,  ed.  Th.  Obbarius  (1845),  v, 
93-96 : 

Instar  fellis  aqua  tristifico  in  lacu 
Fit  ligni  venia  mel  velut  Atticum  : 
Lignum  est,  quo  sapiunt  aspera  dulcius, 
Nam  praefixa  cruci  spes  hominum  viget. 

II.  327-329.  Pilgr.  1653-1658  : 

Thys  was  that  holy  Moyses 
That  ladde  al  Israel  in  pees 
Myddys  thorgh  the  large  see  ; 
And  with  hys  yerde,  thys  was  he 
That  passede  the  floodys  raage, 
And  made  hem  haue  good  passage. 

1.  327.  Moyses]  See  note  to  1.  310. 

1.  330.  To  insert  '  with '  before  the  relative  pronoun  seems  to  be  the 
best  solution  of  the  difficulties  presented  by  this  line.  The  close  repe- 
tition of  the  preposition  '  with '  in  the  original  MS.  may  very  easily  have 
induced  the  scribe  to  omit  one  of  them. 

For  another  religious  interpretation  of  the  five  stones  of  David, 
compare  Pilgr.  8423  if. 

1.  332.  gan]  See  note  to  c.  1.  54. 

I.  338.  showres]  applied  to  the  passion  of  Christ  occurs  Herrig's  Archiv 
fur  das  Studium  der  neueren  Sprachen,  106,  p.  62  : 

but  blessed  be  ]>at  oure 

}>at  he  suffird  pat  sharpe  shoure. 

Ibid.  101,  p.  53  (Burgh) : 

...  0  pastor  principall, 

Which  for  my  love  suffridest  dethes  showre. 

(Also  in  T(homas)  W(right),  Specimens  of  Old  Christmas  Carols,  Percy 
Society,  iv  (1841),  p.  28.) 

Compare  George  Ashby's  Poems,  ed.  by  Mary  Bateson  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S. 
76),  p.  8, 11.  241,  242  : 

Of  holy  vyrgyns,  and  seynt  lohn  Baptist? 
That  here  in  thys  lyfe  suffred  many  shours. 

Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  72),  p.  xliii,  11.  207,  208  : 
thei  to  the  dedes  schowre 

have  put  him  [i.  e.  Christ]. 
Ibid.  p.  142, 1.  3939 : 

Hym  leuere  is  to  suffre  dethes  schour. 

II.  340-3.  See  p.  57,  1.  53. 

1.  344.  Even  and   morwe]    Such  formulas  often  occur  in  Lydgate ; 


74         Notes :  Poem  II.     Pages  27,  28,  'lines  345-366, 

compare  M.  P.  25  : 

The  aureat  dytees,  that  he  rade  and  songe,, 

Of  Omerus  in  Grecey  both  North  and  South  ? 
Ibid.  226  :        Noone  the  lyke  by  est  ny  west 
Schick,  T.  G.,  1147,  1148  : 

Hou  he  shal  bene,  boj?  at  eue  &  morov, 

Ful  diligent  to  don  his  obseruaimce. 
Falls,  3  a  2 :     Ajid  in  this  world  both  at  eue  and  morovve. 
8.  of  Thebes,  369  a  1  : 

Fare  wel  lordship,  both  morowe  and  eue. 
Ibid.  377  b  1  :  But  yet  alas,  bothe  euene  and  morowe. 
Mumming  at  Hertford  [Anglia,  22  (1899)],  p.  368,  1.  27  : 

Leorne  )?e  traas,  booj?e  at  even  and  morowe. 
JEsop  (Sauerstein),  vii,  74  : 

Pursweth  the  porey  both  est  and  sowth. 
Also  Sir  Gowther,  ed.  Breul,  295  (and  note)  : 

Wher  ser  J?ou  travelli/s  be  northe  or  soth. 
and  Percy  Society,  iv,  i,  pp.  53,  59. 
p.  27,  1.  345.  list]  See  note  c.  1.  9. 
1.  346.  Similarly  8.  of  Thebes,  372  a  2  : 

And  oure  life  here,  thus  taketh  heed  therto 

Is  but  an  exile,  and  a  pilgrimage. 
Falls,  3  a  2  :     That  liuen  here  in  this  deserte  of  eorowe 

in  this  exile  of  pleasaunce  desolate 

And  in  this  world  .  .  . 

Ibid.  18  b  1  :     how  this  worlde  here,  is  but  a  pilgrimage. 
Voss.  Gg.  9,  fol.  40  b  ; 

That  this  lyff  her  is  but  a  pilgrymage. 

M.  P.  101,  122,  123,  178,  198,  239,  252,  264,  our  life  is  compared  to  a 
*  pilgrim  age  ';  besides  ibid.  122  : 

How  this  world  is  a  thurghefare  ftil  of  woo. 
Ibid.  :  In  this  world  here  is  none  abidyng  place. 

Compare  also  Flugel  in  Anglia,  23  (1901),  p.  216  f. 
1.  348.  list]  See  note  to  c.  1.  9. 
1.  350.  the  Rightje]  wey[e]  take]  8.  of  Thebes  363  b  1 : 

And  to  the  Temple,  the  right [e]  weye  he  toke. 
Ibid.  365  a  1 :  Into  the  hall,  the  right[e]  waie  he  tooke. 
Pilgr.  74  :         And  that  folk  may  the  Ryhte  weye  se. 
G.  W.  (Robinson),  304 : 

With  other  pome  the  ryght[e]  wey  he  tokc. 
Compare  Introduction,  §  5  a. 

p.  28,  1.  351.  pat]  We  here  follow  A.,  because  it  betters  the  metre. 
1.  353.  As  Lydgute,  being  a  priest,  uses  the  Bible  "  Vulgatse  Kditionis," 
the  single  books  are  cited  by  their  Latin  names. 

See  also  Introduction,  §  6,  and  Koeppel,  De  casibus  virorum  Ulustrium, 
p.  49  and  note  1. 

1.  354.  sugred  notes]  See  note  to  1.  5. 
1.  356.  thorn]  See  note  to  1.  10. 
1.  357.  Armonye]  See  note  to  1.  4. 

1.  358.  This  line  was  once  probably  added  by  a  scribe  in  the  margin, 
and  then  by  another  put  into  the  poem  as  the  first  line  of  st.  52. 

1.  366.   Compare  with  this  line  Spielmannsbuch,  Novellen  in  Versen 


Notes:   Poem  II.     Page  28,  lines  368-378.  75 

aus  dem  zwolften  und  dreizehnten  Jdhrhundert,  ubertragen  von  Wilhdrn 
Hertz.    2.  Aufl.  Stuttgart,  1900,  p.  440,  note  6. 

p.  28,  1.  368.  As  by  nature]  See  note  to  c.  1.  219. 

I.  371.  I  meane  as  thus]  See  notes  to  II.  c.  219  and  H.  186.     This  same 
formula  occurs  :  M.  P.  149  : 

I  meene  as  thus  that  noon  heresye 

Ryse  in  thes  dayes,  .  .  . 

Pilgr.  4195 :     I  mene  as  thus  :  conceyveth  al. 
Falls,  67  b  1  :    I  meane  as  thus,  I  haue  no  fresh  licour. 
Ibid.  70  a  2  :    I  mene  as  thus,  if  there  be  set  a  lawe. 
Steele,  decrees, -757: 

I  mene  as  thus  /  by  a  dyvisioitn. 
Voss.  Gg.  9,  fol.  99  b  : 

I  mene  as  thus  for  any  f reward  delyt. 
But  also  :  Krausser,  Complaint,  659  : 

I  mene  thus,  that  in  al  honeste. 
Pilgr.  6945  :     I  mene  thus,  thy  sylff  to  saue. 

II.  374,  375.  Degenhart,  Hors,  306-308  : 

Born  of  a  mayde,  by  grace,  agayn  nature, 

Whan  he  bi  mene  of  his  humylite 

List  take  the  clothing  of  oure  humanite. 
M.  P.  214 :       Whan  the  high  lord  toke  oure  humanyte. 
Ibid.  215  :         whan  Crist  Ihesu  was  born 

Of  a  mayde  most  clene  and  vertuous. 

Ibid.  249  :        which  [i.  e.  lesus]  of  mercy  took  our  humanyte. 
Morrill,  Speculum,  notes  to  11.  365  and  367. 

1.  378.  ordeyned]  Compare  Holland's  Buke  of  the  Houlate,  ed.  by  A. 
Diebler,  11.  733-735  : 

Hail],  speciouss  most  specifeit  wit/i  the  spirituals  ! 

Haill,  ordanit  or  Adame,  and  ay  to  indure, 

Hail),  oure  hope  and  our  help,  quhen  pat  harme  ailis  ! 


I  I 


LIST  OF  ABBREVIATIONS. 


(Sauer  stein)  =  P.  Sauerstein, 
Lydgate's  ^sopiibersetzung  in 
Anglia,  ix  (1886),  pp.  1-24. 

(Zupitza)  =  Julius  Zupitza, 
Zu  Lydgate's  Isopus  in  Herrig's 
Archiv  fur  das  Studium  der  neue- 
ren  Sprachen  und  Litteraturen, 
85  (1890),  pp.  1-28. 

Confessio  Amantis  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S. 
81,  82)  =  The  English  Works  of 
John  Govver.  Edited  by  G-.  C. 
Macaulay  [E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  81, 
82].  London,  1900,  1901. 

Court  of  Sapience  =  Wynken  de 
Worde's  print,  1510. 

Degenhart,  Hors  =  Degenhart,  Max, 
Lydgate's  Horse,  Goose,  and 
Sheep  [Miinchener  Beitrage  zur 
Romanischen  und  Englischen 
Philologie.  Heft  xix].  Erlangen 
und  Leipzig,  1900. 

D.  N.  B.  =  Dictionary  of  National 
Biography,  edited  by  Leslie 
Stephen  and  Sidney  Lee. 
London,  1885-1900. 

Edmund  =  S.  Edmund  und  Fre- 
mund  von  Lydgate  in  C.  Horst- 
mann,  Altenglische  Legenden. 
Neue  Folge.  Mit  Einleitung  und 
Anmerkungen  herausgegeben. 
Heilbronn,  1881. 

Falls  =  Tottel's  print,  1554. 

Flour  of  Curtesie  =  printed  in 
Stowe's  Chaucer,  1561. 

Gattinger  =  Gattinger,  E.,  Die 
Lyrik  Lydgates  [Wiener  Bei- 
trage znr  Englischen  Philologie, 
iv].  Wien  und  Leipzig,  1896. 

Giles  =  S.  Giles  von  Lydgate ;  see 
Edmund. 

G.  W.  (Robinson)  =  F.  N.  Robin- 
son, On  two  Manuscripts  of 
Lydgate's  Guy  of  Warwick  in 


Studies  and  Notes  in  Philology 
and  Literature,  v.  Child  Memo- 
rial Volume  [Harvard  University], 
Boston,  1896. 

G.  W.  (Zupitza)  =  Julius  Zupitza, 
Zur  Literaturgeschichte  des  Guy 
von  Warwick  in  Sitzungsbe- 
richte  d.  K.  Akademie  der 
Wissenschaften.  Philosophisch- 
historische  Classe,  74.  Wien,  1873. 

Hoccleve  (E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61,  72)  = 
Hoccleve's  Works,  i :  The  Minor 
Poems,  edited  by  F.  J.  Furnivall 
[E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  61].  London 
1892.  iii:  The  Regement  of 
Princes,  edited  by  F.  J.  Furnivall 
[E.E.T.S.,E.S.  72].  London, 
1897. 

Kingis  Quair  =  The  Kingis  Quair, 
edited  by  W.  W.  Skeat  [Scottish 
Text  Society,  1].  London,  1884. 

Kk.  i.  =  Cambridge  University 
Library  MS.  Kk.  i. 

Krausser,  Complaint  =  Krausser, 
Emil,  Lydgate's  Complaint  of  the 
Black  Knight.  Halle,  1896. 

Matzner  =  Matzner,  Eduard,  Alt- 
englische Sprachproberi  nebst 
einem  Worterbuche.  Berlin, 
1878-(1902). 

Margarete  =  S.  Margarete  von 
Lydgate  ;  see  Edmund. 

Morrill,  Speculum  =  Speculum  Gy 
de  Warewyke,  edited  by  Georgi- 
ana  Lea  Morrill  [E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S. 
75].  London,  1898. 

M.  P.  —  A  Selection  from  the  Minor 
Poems  of  Dan  John  Lydgate, 
edited  by  James  Orchard  Halli- 
well  [Percy  Society,  ii].  London, 
1840. 

Pilgr.  =  The  Pilgrimage  of  the 
Life  of  Man,  Englisht  by  John 


78 


List  of  Abbreviations. 


Lydgate,  edited  by  F.  J.  Furni- 
vall.  Part  i  [E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  77]. 
London,  1899. 
Ritson,  B.  P.  =  Ritson,  Jos.,  Biblio- 

fraphia  poetica  :  a  catalogue  of 
nglish  poets  of  the  12th-16th 
centuries.  London,  1802. 

-Rom.  of  the  E.  =  The  Romaunt  of 
the  Rose  in  The  Complete  Works 
of  Geoffrey  Chaucer,  edited  by 
W.  W.  Skeat,  i.  Oxford,  1894. 

Schick,  T.  G.  =  Lydgate's  Temple 
of  Glas,  edited  by  J.  Schick 
[E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  601.  London, 
1891. 

Schleich,  Fabula  =  Schleich,  Gustav, 
Lydgate's  Fabula  duorum  merca- 
torum  [Quellen  und  Forsch- 
ungen  zur  Sprach-  und  Culturge- 
schichte  der  germanischen  Volker, 
Ixxxiii].  Strassburg,  1897. 

Skeat,  Chaucer  =  The  Complete 
Works  of  Geoffrey  Chaucer, 
edited  by  W.  W.  Skeat,  i-vii. 
Oxford,  1894-1897. 

Skeat,  P.  P.  =  The  Vision  of  William 
concerning  Piers  Plowman,  edited 
by  W.  W.  Skeat  [E.  E.  T.  S.  28, 
38,  54,  81].  London,  1867-1884. 

S.  of  Thebes  =  printed  in  Stowe's 
Chaucer,  1561. 


S.  of  Thebes  (Skeat)  =  printed  in 
Specimens  of  English  Literature 
by  W.  W.  Skeat.  Oxford,  1871. 

S.  of  Thebes  (  Wukker)  =  printed  in 
Altenglisches  Lesebuch  von  P. 
Wiilcker,  ii.  Halle,  1879. 

Steele,  Secrees  =  Lydgate  and 
Burgh's  Secrees  of  old  Philisoff  res, 
edited  by  Robert  Steele  [E.E. 
T.S.,E.S.  66].  London,  1894. 

ten  Brink  =  Chaucers  Sprache  und 
Verskunst  dargestellt  von  Bern- 
hard  ten  Brink.  Leipzig,  1884. 

Triggs,  Assembly  =  The  Assembly 
of  Gods :  or  The  Accord  of 
Reason  and  Sensuality  in  the 
Fear  of  Death,  by  John  Lydgate. 
Edited  by  Oscar  Lovell  Triggs 
[E.  E.  T.  S.,  E.  S.  69].  London, 
1896. 

Voss.  Gg.  9.  =  Manuscript  of  the 
Leiden  University  Library :  Codex 
Vossius  Gg.  9. 

Yorkshire  Writers,  Rolle  of  Hampole 
=  Library  of  Early  English 
Writers,  edited  by  C.  Horst- 
mann.  Vol.  i,  ii  :  Yorkshire 
Writers.  Richard  Rolle  of  Ham- 
pole,  an  English  Father  of  the 
Church  and  his  Followers,  i.  ii. 
London,  1895,  1896. 


79 


GLOSSARY. 


[Compare  also  the  Notes. 

C.  D.  =  Century  Dictionary;  N.  E.  D.  =New  English  Dictionary;  Str.  = 
Stratmann- Bradley,  A  Middle-English  Dictionary;  M.  =Matzner,  Sprachpro- 
ben  II.] 


abhominable,  adv.  abominably,  ll/ 

288. 

abregge,  inf.  to  abridge,  9/228. 
abyt,  3.  sg.  prs.  abideth,  abides,  ll/ 

275. 

accusours,  sb.  accusers,  20/139. 
adolescens,  sb.  youth,  10/267. 
adverte,  inf.  to  heed,  note,  19/93  ; 

advert,   2.   sg.   subj.  prs.   18/77 1 

aduerte,  sg.  imp.  23/229. 
agreued,  pp.  aggrieved,  3/48. 
aleys  (thaleys),  sb.  alleys,  28/362. 
alhvey,  adv.  always,  11/275. 
almesse,  sb.  alms,  24/241. 
alre,  pron.  (g.  pi.)  of  all,  19/92. 
als,  conj.  as,  22/i86. 
alyght,  3.  sg.  pt.  alighted,  6/96. 
among,  adv.  from  time  to  time,  con- 
tinually, 6/90,  18/6 1,  76. 
apalle,  inf.  to  grow  feeble,  22/18$. 
arme,  sg.  imp.  take  arms,  6/129. 
arn,  3.  pi.  prs.  are,  27/335. 
asonder,   adv.  asunder,  into   parts, 

21/166  (seeN.  E.  D.). 
aspye,  inf.  to  spy,  espy,  20/135. 
atteynt,  #p.  attainted,  20/138. 
atweyne,  adv.  asunder,  23/212. 
atwynne,  adv.  between,  9/214  (see 

N.  E.  D.  sub  atwin). 
avale,  inf.  to  descend,  13/339,  W 

395  ;    aualynge,   prt.  prs.     1/vi ; 

avaled,  pp.  11/276. 
auctor,  sb.  author,  14/392. 
awayte,  sb.  ambush,  12/302. 
awrong,  adv.  wrongly,  18/79. 
axed,  j?p.  asked,  21/149. 
ayeyn,   adv.    again,   9/226 ;     ayen, 

prp.  6/130,  15/402. 

bare,  3.  sg.  pt.  bore,  26/290,  28/379. 


bareyne,  adj.  barren,  10/245. 

bawmy,  adj.  balmy,  17/39. 

be,  prp.  by,  2/22,  3/55,  5/113. 

beawte,  sb.  beauty,  28/204. 

bemes,  sb.  beams,  rays,  6/93 ;  bemys, 
14/391. 

both,  pi.  imp.  be,  12/325. 

betokenyth,  3.  sg.  prs.  means,  signi- 
fies, 18/66. 

blyve,  adv.  quickly,  22/1 86. 

boffettes,  sb.  buffets,  10/255. 

boke,  sb.  book,  5/io8;  bokys,_pZ.  2/7. 

bonched,  ji>p.  beaten,  23/2o6. 

boote,  sb.  remedy,  redress,  27/323. 

brefly,  adv.  shortly,  1/xviii. 

brid,  sb.  bird,  3/50,  4/69,  5/io6,  7/ 
178,  8/201,  11/275, 15/393,  19/86, 
23/217;  bryd,  5/ioi;  bridde,  16/ 
20,  18/71,  19/82;  briddes,  g.  sg. 
18/51,  76;  briddis,  18/55,  59,  64. 

byble,  sb.  bible,  9/238,  13/344. 

bye,  inf.  to  buy,  12/315,  22/182. 

calde,  3.  sg.  pt.  called,  3/56. 

can  =  (be-)gan,  3.  sg.pt.  6/136,  13/ 

339>   15/395,  21/144;   3.  pi.  pt. 

3/54,  16/19. 
carectes,  sb.   characters,   scars,  25/ 

287. 

cast,  l.sg.prs.  intend,  purpose,  18/52. 
ceriously,  adv.  24/245  ;   see  note  to 

this  line, 
chaundelabre,  sb.  candelabrum,  26/ 

320. 

chese,  inf.  to  choose,  7/i66. 
chiere,  sb.  countenance,  17/46. 
clennesse,  sb.  cleanness,  23/227. 
clennest,  superl.  cleanest,  28/375. 
cleped,   pp.    called,   6/142,    8/187; 

clepid,  24/257. 


80 


Glossary. 


cleue,  inf.  to  cleave,  6/138. 
cleyme,  inf.  to  claim,  8/196. 
colde,  inf.  to   grow  cold,  11/295  ; 

cold,  20/132. 
complyne,  sb,  last  service  of  the  day 

in  monastic  establishments,  16/5. 
couceyte,  sb.  notion,  conception,  18/ 

70;  conceyt,  19/8 1. 
conclude,  inf.  to  confute,  convince, 

21/144  (see  C.  D.  and  N.  E.  D.). 
connynge,  sb.  skill,  5/1 12  ;  connyng, 

7/177  ;  konnyng,  8/180. 
consistorye,  sb.  consistory,  20/139. 
contynuauly,  adv.   continually,  20/ 

116. 
covetise,  sb.  covetousness,   23/226, 

24/239. 

cowde,  3.  sg.  pt.  could,  10/271. 
crym,s6.  wrong-doing,  sin  (collective 

sing.},  14/369. 
cure,  80.  care,  6/117. 
curious,  adj.  skilfully  done,  4/76. 


dampnably,  adv.  condemnably,  ll/ 

286. 

daungier,  sb.  danger,  26/291. 
dayerowes,  sb.  dawn,  8/54. 
declyne,  inf.  to  die,  8/186. 
delitable,  adv.  delectably,  4/89. 
delite,  sb.  delight,  18/352;   inf.  to 

delight,  17/37. 
demed,  pp.  doomed,  14/375. 
demeyned,  pp.  behaved,  11/286,  13/ 

346. 
depeynt,  pp.  depicted,  stained,  20/ 

134- 

derre,  adv.  dearer,  9/221. 
deseuer,  inf.  to  dissever,  7/167,  10/ 

268,  15/412. 

devoyde,  inf.  to  put  away,  25/282. 
dewe,  adj.  due,  15/405. 
deyned,  3.  sg.  pt.  deigned,  19/ioi. 
dismenbre,  inf.  to  dismember,  7/171 ; 

dismernbre,  18/72. 
dostow  =  doest  thou,  2.  sg.  prs.  17/ 

47,  18/75- 

douteles,  adj.  doubtless,  27/326. 
dresse,  imp.  sg.  address,  2/i  ;  inf.  to 

direct  oneself,  pass  through,  2 1/ 

158. 

dreynt,  pp.  drowned,  8/208. 
dungeoun,  sb.  dungeon,  habitation, 

dwelling-place,  17/33. 
dyamaundes,  sb.  diamonds,  17/33. 


eke,  conj.  also,  20/124,  135>  22/170, 

28/370,  373- 

enarme,  sg.  imp.  arm,  25/285. 
encheson,  sb.  cause,  4/6 1. 
enchesoned,  3.  sg.  pt.  caused,  4/84 

(not  in  C.  D.,  M.,  N.  E.  D.,  and 

Str.). 

encoragyt,  pp.  encouraged,  2/u. 
enprinte,  sg.  imp.  imprint,  impress, 

6/128;  enprinted,  pp.  11/296. 
entendyng,  prt.  prs.  being  intent, 

4/64. 
examynacioun,  sb.  examination,  25/ 

263. 

elite,  inf.  to  excite,  9/213. 
eysell,   sb.  vinegar,  14/368  ;  eysel, 

20/137,  25/265  ;  eyselle,  22/196. 

fade,  adj.  faint,  poor,  8/180. 

falsehede,  sb.  falsehood,  17/28;  false- 
bed,  23/200. 

felawe,  sb.  fellow,  21/156. 

fer,  adv.  far,  8/51,  18/70;  ferre,  28/ 
352- 

feres,  sb.  companions,  10/249. 

feynt,  adj.  feigned,  false,  19/So ;  20/ 
136,  faint. 

flesshlyhede,  sb.  fleshliness,  19/84 
(see  N.  E.  D.). 

flour,  sb.  flower,  28/378  ;  floures,  pi. 
17/40  (20/n8),  28/377;  flowres, 
27/341. 

folilye,  adv.  foolishly,  7/170. 

forsoth,  adv.  in  truth,  16/8. 

forborn,  pp.  avoided,  shunned,  7/ 
1 59  (see  N.  E.  D.). 

fowlis,  sb.  fouls,  16/4. 

fredam,  sb.  freedom,  20/1 II,  24/241. 

freelte,  sb.  frailty,  18/351. 

fret,  pp.  adorned,  17/34. 

fyn,  sb.  fine,  16/21. 

fyne,  inf.  to  pay  as  a  fine,  21/i68. 

fynaunce,  sb.  payment,  compensa- 
tion, 21/147  (see  N.  E.  D.  and 
Halliwell's  Dictionary). 

gadre,  sg.  imp.  gather,  20/1 1 8,  27/ 

341- 

gal  antus,s6.  lovers,  2/1 1 ;  gaylauntes, 

10/267. 
gan,  1.  sg.pt.  began,  17/37,  21/156; 

3.  sg.pt.  2/25,  17/39,  20/I2O,  136, 

21/158,27/332;  3.  pl.pt.  121 30*, 

16/7. 
geaunt,  sb.  giant,  27/333. 


Glossary. 


81 


gesse,  1.  sg.  prs.  guess,  4/86. 
geyn,  prp.  again,   28/204  j 

23/226;  geyns,  26/317. 
gilt,  sb.  guilt,  22/179  ;    gylt,  12/321. 
giltles,  adj.  guiltless,  23/2i6;  gylt- 

les,  8/186. 
glotenye,  sb.  gluttony,  26/265  5  gl°- 

tonye,  28/229. 
grefe,  sb.  grief,  10/264;   greues,  pi. 

14/376. 

hede,  sb.   lieed,    19/g8;    heede,  28/ 

368. 
hele,  sb.  health,  7/154,  12/317,  15/ 

406. 

hele,  inf.  to  heal,  9/223,  12/319- 
helle,  sb.  hell,   6/126;    hell,   6/133, 

144,  11/290,  15/400. 
heng,  3.  sg.  pt.  hung,  14/379. 
henne,  adv.  hence,  18/335  5    hennys, 

24/248. 

herber,  sb.  herbary,  orchard,  28/359. 
heued,  sb.  head,  24/232. 
hewe,  sb.  hue,  colour,  20/I2I. 
heyre,  sb.  heir,  26/274. 
hogh,  adv.  how,  6/125,  7/!78>  10/ 

252,  258,  260, 12/307,  321, 13/345, 

14/374;  hough,  4/69,  7/156. 
hokes,  sb.  hooks,  12/305. 
hole,  adj.  whole,  26/271. 
-huwed,  pp.  coloured,  16/2. 
hyrt,  sb.  hurt,  7/154. 

iblent,  pp.  made  blind,  20/130. 
ien,  sb.  eyes.  19/io8,  20/130,  22/194; 

ie,  22/177. 

ileft,  pp.  left,  23/220. 
imeynt,  pp.  mixed,  20/137. 
infecte,  pp.  fainted,  injured,  6/143. 
ioie,  sb.  joy,  7/i68. 
iuge,  sb.  judge,  10/254. 

kalendes,  sb.  first  of  the  month,  2/25, 

8/45. 

kepe,  sb.  heed,  17/41.  27/337. 
knowleche,  sb.  knowledge,  1/ii. 
korve,  pp.  carved,  cut,  28/214. 
kowthe,   3.   sg.  pt.    knew,   11/273  > 

kowde,  3.  pi.  pt.  could,  19/93. 
kyndely,  adv.  according  to  kind  or 

nature,  8/33. 
kynne,  sb.  kind,  28/369. 

lad,  pp.  led,  10/253. 
ladyly,  adj.  ladylike,  womanly,  2/8. 
NIGHTINGALE. 


lauendere,  sb.  24/251  ;  see  note  to 
this  line. 

leche,  sb.  leech,  14/376. 

ledne,  sb.  speech,  language,  song, 
16/16. 

leep,  1.  sg.pt.  leapt,  4/59. 

lenger,  adv.  longer,  14/391. 

lest,  adv.  least,  16/407. 

ley,  sg.  imp.  lay  (down),  9/222  ;  1  ey- 
ing, prt.prs.  12/304. 

liche,  adv.  like,  19/IO2,  22/i8i. 

lorne,  pp.  lost,  18/6o  ;  see  note  to 
this  line. 

lowde,  adv.  loudly,  12/307,  28/355. 

lye,  inf.  to  lie,  7/175,  9/222  ;  lying, 
prt.  prs.  12/302. 

lyme,  inf.  to  ensnare,  10/243. 

manor,  sb.  sort,  kind,  9/213,  18/7O. 
matutyne,  adj.  (sb.  ?)  matutinal,  ma- 

tutine,  8/187. 
rnaunde,  sb.  24/248  ;  see  note  to  this 

line, 
mene,  adj.  mean,  middle,  moderate, 

1/vi. 

rnescheues,  sb.  injuries,  14/369. 
meueth,  3.  sg.  prs.  rnoveth,  moves, 

induces,  8/34;  meued,  pp.  2/22. 
meynt,  pp.   mingled,    mixed,   16/3, 

.27/347- 
mischeue,  inf.  to  come  to  harm,  6/ 

137- 

mone,  sb.  moon,  17/48. 
mone,  sb.  moan,  21/157. 
moralite,  sb.  moral  of  a  tale,  18/65. 
mornyng,  sb.  mourning,  4/70,  7/179. 
mortal!,   adj.    fatal,    violent,    4/77, 

dying  away,  7/178. 
most,  3.  sg.  prs. 'must,  8/29. 
mote,  3.  sg.  subj.  must,  28/364. 
myndely,  adv.  mindfully,  6/128  (not 

in  C.  D.,M.,  or  Str.). 
mysfotyng,  verb,  noun,  going  astray, 

erring,  28/209. 

nade  =  had  not,  6/140. 

nedes,  adv.  needs,  8/29,  7/157,  8/181. 

nerre,  adv.  nearer,  9/222  ;   nere,  26/ 

292. 
noglit,  conj.  not,  9/212  ;  nought,  17/ 

45,  20/i'i7. 
none,  sb.  nones,  4/75,  6/105,  1^/380, 

386. 
notheles,    adv.    nevertheless,    2/19, 

4/82,  11/285. 

G 


82 


G-lossary. 


nu we,  adj.  new,  16/15. 
nyghtyngale,   sb.    nightingale,    1/i, 

2/13,   13/337,   15/393.  16/n>  19/ 
104,  28/355;   nightingale,  2/i6; 
nyghtingale,  8/34,  6/113. 
nyltow  =  wilt  thou  not,  2.  sg.  prs. 

27/337- 
nys  =  is  not,  17/25- 

ocy  =  the  call  of  the   nightingale, 

6/90,98;   occy,  16/H,  18/55,59, 

19/85,  23/217. 
oones,  adv.  once,  28/213. 
or,  conj.  before,  8/54,  17/41,  24/248. 
originall,  adj.   6/142 ;    see  note    to 

this  line. 

oueral,  adv.  everywhere,  20/121. 
ouergo,  pp.  overgone,  8/47. 
ouerterved,  pp.  rolled  over,  turned 

down,    8/208 ;    see   note   to   this 

line. 

ourys,  sb.  hours,  1/xi. 
outragesly,  adv.  outrageously,  8/32. 

paradise,  sb.  paradise,  7/150. 

parde  (=  a  common  oath),  17/24. 

passyng,  adv.  surpassingly,  21/159. 

past,  pp.  passed,  9/239,  10/247- 

pees,  sb.  peace,  27/324. 

pepyll,  sb.  people,  7/152. 

perse,  inf.  to  pierce,  6/138  ;    perce, 

25/283  ;   persed,  3.  sg.  pt.  14/387  ; 

pp.  8/52  ;  perced,  23/212. 
peyneth,  3.  sg.  pi*s.  pains,  18/73. 
plesaunce,  sb.  pleasure,  16/19. 
pouerte,  sb.  poorness,  23/226. 
poynaunt.  adj.  poignant,  23/2OI. 
pressour,  sb.  press,  21/153,  26/304. 
prime,  $6.  prime,  4/78,  8/199,  8/240, 

10/251.  268,  11/300;    pryme,  ll/ 

274. 

primetens,  sb.  spring,  2/n,  23. 
proygne,  inf.  to  preen,  16/7- 
prynses,    sb.    princess,    2/i  ;    pryn- 

cesse,  2/3. 
pvniched,  pp.  punished,  9/237. 

quayere,  sb.  quire,  book,  2/i. 
quayers,  21/152;    see    note  to  this 

line. 

querne,  inf.  to  please,  9/231. 
quert,  sb.  sound  health,  6/130;    see 

note  to  this  line, 
qwyte,  inf.  to  quit,  21/154. 

rayle,  inf.  to  run,  roll,  25/273. 


redly,  adv.  readily  or  promptly,  3/ 

39  (see  Str.,  p.  493:  raedi,  or  p. 

496  :  hrad  ;  C.  reads  :   Redyly). 
refreyd,  sb.  refrain,  16/14. 
remord,  inf.  to  cause  remorse,  8/190. 
renoueled,  pp.  renewed,  made  new 

again,  2/23. 

replet,  adj.  quite  full,  4/89. 
reprefe,  sb.  i.  proof,  8/193;    repref, 

10/26i  ;  repreues,  pi.  14/368,  373. 
resownyth,  3.  sg.  prs.  resounds,  ai- 

ludes,  19/84. 
rewe,  inf.  to  rue,  22/175. 
rote  (be  ~),  sb.  8/39;    see  note  to 

this  line, 
ryghtwisnesse,  sb.  righteousness,  8/ 

204. 

safe,  prp.  save,  7/154;  sauf,  adv. 
except,  16/IO. 

sauacioun,  sb.  salvation,  15/406. 

saugh,  3.  sg.  pt.  saw,  20/134  ;  3.  pi. 
pt.  20/125. 

scripture,  sb.  writing,  the  Holy  Scrip- 
ture (?),  5/1 14;  see  note  to  this  line. 

seet,  3.  sg.  pt.  sat,  6/97. 

sely,  adj.  unfortunate,  fatal  (?),  7/ 
151  ;  see  note  to  this  line. 

sempte,  3.  sg.  pt.  seemed,  17/43- 

serpentyne,  adj.  caused  by  a  serpent, 

26/315- 

seseth,  3.  sg.  prs.  ceases,  8/37. 
seyn,  pp.  seen,  20/272. 
seyng,  prt.  prs.  saying,  14/388. 
sheene,  adv.  beautifully,  splendidly, 

22/194. 
showres,  sb.  conflicts,  struggles,  27/ 

3.38. 

shright,  3.  sg.  pt.  screeched,  5/103. 
sixt,  sb.  sixte,  5/96,  13/359,  14/378, 

380  ;  syxt,  13/342  ;  syxte,  14/365. 
sle,  inf.  to  slay,  kill,  7/i6i  ;  sg.  imp. 

16/20. 

slough,  3.  sg.  pt.  slew,  28/379. 
smerte,  inf.  to  be  punished,  6/131. 
sotell,  adj.  subtle,  6/136. 
soth,  sb.  truth,  19/82. 
sothfastnes,  sb.  truthfulness,  8/184. 
soun,  sb.  sound,  4/66. 
sounde,  inf.  to  heal,  25/268. 
spere,  sb.  sphere,  2/26,  5/92. 
sperhed,  sb.  spear-head,  21/158. 
spet,  sb.  spittle,  10/259. 
spreynt,  pp.  sprinkled,  20/121. 
sterede,  pp.  stirred,  excited,  10/269. 


Glossary. 


83 


sterres,    sb.    stars,    11/283 ;    stern's, 

17/38. 
sterve,  inf.  to  die,  14/364,  19/iio; 

starf,  8.  sg.  pt.  19/94. 
steuen,  sb.  voice,  8/42. 
stoole,  sb.  stole,  21/141. 
streyght,  adv.  straightway,  directly, 

forthwith,  6/144,  8/iq8,  24/234. 
streyneth,  3.  sg.  prs.  s,   ains,  18/73. 
surf  ay  te,  sb.   (surfeit),   sin,   25/266 ; 

surfete,  22/183. 
suwen,  inf.  to  follow,  21/163. 
syxt(e),  see  sixt. 
syth,  conj.  since,  8/198  ;  sith,  9/22O, 

10/246. 

tabide  =  to  abide,  inf.  4/84. 
takestow  =  takest   thou,  2.  sg.  prs. 

18/71. 

tale,  sb.  3/35  >  see  n°^e  to  this  line, 
tee,  inf.  to  draw,  21/i66. 
tene,  sb.  vexation,  injury,  22/193. 
thaleys  =  the  ale}'S  ;  see  aleys. 
then,  conj.  than,  9/223. 
thilke,  pron.  this,  19/97- 
tho,   pron.    those,    7/167,    19/io6; 

thoo,  3/33,  46,  11/279,  15/407. 
thoght,  sb.  thought,  3/47  ;    see  note 

to  this  line. 

thoure,  sb.  =  the  hour,  11/274. 
thurghnayled,  pp.  nailed   through, 

24/240. 
thurghperced,  pp.  pierced  through, 

23/210. 
tierce,  sb.  tierce,  4/86,  11/277,   13/ 

332,  337,  342. 

to,  adv.  too,  likewise,  also,  18/333. 
todrawe,  JH>.  drawn  asunder,  10/256. 
toforne,  adv.  before,  18/58,  27/326 ; 

tofore,  20/125. 

to-Rent,  pp.  rent  to  pieces,  20/127. 
to-Rive,  inf.  break  up,  rend  asunder, 

27/332. 
totogged,  pp.  pulled  to  pieces,  10/ 

256. 
towchyng,    verb,  noun,  touch,  23/ 

207. 


trade,  3.  sg.pt.  trod,  21/155. 

trewe,  adj.  true,  17/3O ;  triewe, 
18/69. 

triacle,  sb.  antidote  to  poison,  sove- 
reign remedy,  28/224. 

triewely,  adv.  truly,  18/56. 

trone,  sb.  throne,  6/145. 

trowe,  1.  sg.  prs.  trust,  16/15. 

tunge,  sb.  tongue,  22/198. 

tyme,  sb.  musical  measure,  the  same 
as  l  tempo,'  4/8o. 

vale,  sb.  valley,  28/352. 
vch,  pron.  each,  6/143,  9/236. 
verity,  adj.  true,  2/24 ;    verray,  5/ 

1 17,  27/342  ;  verey,  8/207. 
versed,  pp.  related  or  expressed  in 

verse,  turned  into  verse  or  rhyme, 

5/108. 
vnclose,  inf.  to  unfold.  20/113  ;    18/ 

51,  explain. 

vndrestondyng,  verb,  noun,   under- 
standing, 19/8i. 
vnkyndly,    adj.  unnatural,    11/294, 

301. 
vntriewe,  adj.  untrue,  false,  16/17; 

vntriew,  19/8o. 
voide,  inf.  to  leave,  7/150;  voidyng, 

prt.   prs.    making    void,    vacant. 

driving  out,  27/322. 
vpsmyte,  inf.  to  raise,  17/39. 
vyne,  sb.  vineyard,  21/167. 

war,  adj.  aware,  10/241,  11/3OI,  13 / 

360;  ware,  12/325,  25/288. 
werre,  sb.  war,  18/361. 
weyfe,  inf.  to  waive,  1 2/306. 
wherthiirgh,  adv.  by  which,  27/321. 
wont,  pp.  accustomed,  28/356. 
wsynge,  prt.  prs.  using,  12/305. 

yaf,  3.  sg.  pt.  gave,  4/6i,  14/389. 
ybought,  pp.  bought.  15/396. 
yerd,  sb.  staff,  rod,  27/327. 
yerth,  sb.  earth,  6/123,  13/348,  14/ 

384,  15/395. 
ylyke,  adv.  alike,  4/87. 


LIST  OF  PROPER  NAMES. 


Abraham,  1/xvii,  1 1/280. 

Abyron,  18/349. 

Adam,  i/xiii,  6/135,  M^,  14/382. 

Aprile,  8/43. 

Aurora,  4/71,  6/120,  7/155. 

Bokyngham,    2/4 ;    compare    §   4, 

type  B. 
Bosra,  20/135. 

Calurie,  12/314;  Caluarye,  26/290. 

Citheron,  17/32. 

Crist,  5/115,  6/140,  146,  10/252,  13/ 

361,     20/122,     27/336,     28/364; 

Cryste,  1/x  ;  Cristys,  1/xi. 
Cupide,  17/25,  45- 

Danyell,  26/297. 

Dathan,  18/348. 

Dauid,  26/307;  David,  27/331. 

Dede  See,  11/292. 

Edom,  20/134. 
Eue,  6/135. 
Ezechiel,  26/319. 

Golye,  27/333. 
Goinor,  11/291. 

lacob,  26/300. 
lesse,  28/377. 

lewes,  8/188,   10/258,   263,  12/307, 
14/386,21/166;  lewis,  24/254. 

Ihesu,     13/334,     20/122,     28/364; 
Ihesus,  8/183,  14/366. 


lohn,  20/124;  lolm,  21/164,24/258. 
lowrdan,  26/301. 
Isaye,  20/133,  Witf. 
Israel,  26/311,27/328. 
June,  16/i. 

Leviathan,  26/303. 

Longens,  14/385. 

Lucifere,  6/126. 

Lydgate,  Dan  John,  28/colophon. 

Marath,  27/325. 

Maria,  1 /heading  ;  Marie,  24/257. 

May,  2/25,  8/45. 

Moyses,  26/310,  27/327. 

Noe,  1/xvii,  8/204,  9/235.  11/279- 
Phebus,  2/26,  6/92. 
Pilate,  20/138;  Pounce    Pylat,   10/ 
254. 

Rede  See,  27/329. 

Salomon,  10/271. 

Sathan,  10/249,  ! 2/31 8,  21/144,  27/ 

336,  28/379. 
Saul,  26/308. 
Sodom,  11/291. 

Tau,  26/318. 
Titan,  16/i. 

Venus,  16/i  6. 
Warwyk,  18/332. 


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