w
01450548 1
Gamelyn
The tale of Gamelyn
2d ed, , rev.
PR
£fareti*on
THE
TALE OF GAMELYN
;
FROM THE HARLEUN MS. No. 7334, COLLATED
WITH SIX OTHER MSS.
EDITED
AND A GLOSSAKIAL fNLEX
BY THE
RE.V. WALTER W. SKEAT, M.A., ,LL.
StICOND EDITION, REVISED
THE CLARENDON PRESS
I>CCC XCIII
Ponce
FROM
THE LIBRARY OF
PROFESSOR W. H. CLAWSON
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
UNI VERSITY COLLEGE
THE TALE OF GAMELYN
SKEAT
PR
Ojrforfc
PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
BY HORACE HART, PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY
924026
CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION :
TAGE
§ i. Literary value of the Tale of Gamelyn. § 2. Discussion
of the story, and of the names Johan, Ote, and Adam. § 3.
Meaning of the name Gamelyn. § 4. Mention of Gandeleyn
and Young Gam well in the Robin Hood ballads. § 5. A
nameless outlaw in a nameless wood. § 6. Gamelyn and
Havelok ; and the Poem on the Times of Edward II. § 7.
The Tale preserved in some of the Chaucer MSS. ; the missing
Yeoman's Tale. § 8. The Tale wrongly assigned to the
Cook. § 9. Antiquity of the Tale, and note upon its metre.
§ 10. Lodge's novel of Euphues' Golden Legacy. § n.
Analysis of the story in Lodge's novel. § 12. Further re
marks upon the metre of the Tale; the former half- line.
§ 13. The latter half-line. § 14. Remarks upon the rimes.
§ 15. Remarks upon the grammatical forms; the suffixes -es,
-ed, -en, -eth, and -e. § 16. Formation of the text. § 17.
Former printed editions. § 18. Criticisms of F. Lindner in
the 'Englische Studien.' § 19. Index of French Words in
the Tale of Gamelyn. § 20. Concluding remarks. . vii-xxxix
THE TALE OF GAMELYN i
NOTES 35
GLOSSARIAL INDEX
INTRODUCTION.
§ i. AMONGST the numerous Middle-English poems by anony
mous authors which have come down to us, The Tale of Gamelyn
is worthy of particular attention for several reasons. In the first
place, it is a good example of the kind of story which was at one
time very popular. It is, essentially, a lay, i. e. an older and
longer kind of ballad, and has a certain connection with the r\
famous set of ballads relating to Robin Hood. In the second
place, it is a good example of the Middle-English of the four
teenth century, and exhibits a dialect not far removed from that
which, in process of time, has become the standard literary lan
guage. Lastly, it has an additional interest on account of its
peculiar connection with our two greatest poets, Chaucer and
Shakespeare. The nature of this connection will be discussed
presently.
§2.1 am not aware that the original of the present version of
the Tale can be precisely pointed out. Stories which relate the
fate of a younger brother who is deprived of his inheritance by
the jealousy of a senior brother, and who nevertheless achieves
great prosperity, are as old as the time of Joseph. If there is
anything peculiar in the present tale, it is that the second brother
takes part with the younger rather than with the elder; for
popular stories usually represent the youngest of three sons as
being the only one who comes to any good. I should be inclined
to believe that the tale is not the invention of its author, but was
derived, like the Lay of Havelok, from a Scandinavian original,
of which there may have existed an Anglo-French version.
The names which occur in it are very few, but are worth a
moment's consideration. The father of the three sons is called
Sir Johan of Boundes, but there is nothing to indicate the
locality of the place so named. In fact, Boundes is probably
merely the plural of bound, so that the name is equivalent to
viii INTRODUCTION.
Sir John of the Marches or of the Border-land, and we hence
obtain no information except that bound is a word of pure
French origin, from the Old French bonne, a limit1. It is true
that one MS. in the Cambridge University Library (marked
li. 3. 26) has the reading burdeuxs, \. e. Bourdeaux ; but this
must have been due to the substitution by the scribe of a
familiar for an unfamiliar name. The three sons are named
Johan, Ote, and Gamelyn. Of these, Johan or John, though
ultimately Hebrew, is practically French ; we can all remember
King John. Ote also appears elsewhere as Otes ; see note to
1. 727, on p. 46. It is clearly a nominative form of Otoun, the
name of a French knight vanquished by the famous Guy of
Warwick ; and Otoun is merely the French form of Othonem,
the accusative of the Latin Otho (cf. G. Otto). The only other
names are those of the third son Gamelyn, and of Adam, the
'spencer' or steward of the household. In connection with
the latter of these, it is worth remarking that Adam Bell was a
famous outlaw. The name of Gamelyn is worthy of more
particular examination, because it is here that we have a trace
of Scandinavian influence and, at the same time, a point of
contact with the ballads that concern Robin Hood.
§ 3. The name Gamelyn can hardly be other than ganul-fn^
formed with the diminutive suffix -In (as seen in Lat.
Paul-in-us, lust-in-us] from the adjective gamel, i. e. old.
Of course this garnet, when used as a personal name, was
a mere nickname, and lost its real sense ; and the same
is true of Gamelyn ; but we may fancifully see in it a certain
fitness, as I venture to point out below. The word game!,
old (also spelt gamol, gomel, gomol], occurs occasionally in
Anglo-Saxon poetry, but is, strictly, a Scandinavian form.
The word for 'old,' in Icelandic, is invariably gamall^ ; in
Swedish, gammall; and in Danish, gammel. The name is
extremely appropriate, because Gamelyn is evidently considered
1 There is a place called Bons in Normandy, between Falaise and
Caen ; but I do not know the meaning of the name.
2 The form aldinn occurs in old poems, as shewn by the examples
given in Egilsson's Lexicon Poeticum j but it was never very common,
and is now obsolete.
ROBYN AND GANDELEYN. ix
as being the son of his father's old age1, and considerably
younger than his brothers2. It is remarkable that the name is
still in use ; I find the spellings Gamlin and Gamlen in the
London Directory for 1884, and the latter form appears in the
Clergy Directory and over a shop-door in Cambridge. It may
also be assumed to form a part of the word Gamlingay, which
is the name of a village between Cambridge and Bedford. It
is further interesting as indicating a connection between our
tale and the part of England most subject to Scandinavian
influence ; in other words, it concerns the Eastern, not the
Western portion, of our island.
§ 4. It can hardly be doubted that the name Gandeleyn which
occurs in a ballad entitled * Robyn and Gandeleyn ' is a mere
corruption of Gamelyn. In the present tale, Gamelyn becomes
an outlaw, lives in the wood, and is made master over all the
outlaws under the king of the outlaws himself (1. 686). In the
ballad3, we have a very remarkable account, quite different from
the usual one, of the death of Robin Hood, who is shot by a
certain Wrennok of Doune. Gandeleyn, who calls Robin Hood
his 'mayster,' encounters Wrennok, and challenges him to a
trial of skill in archery : —
' Qwerat xal our marke be ? '
Seyde Gandeleyn :
'Eueryche at otheris herte,'
Seyde Wrennok ageyn —
an answer of intense significance. Thereupon Wrennok dis
charges his arrow, but it passes harmlessly between Gandeleyn's
legs, who at once shoots Wrennok through the heart, ex
claiming :—
'Now xalt thu neuer selpe4, Wrennok,
At wyn ne at ale
That thou hast slawe goode Robyn
And Gandeleyn his knave5.'
1 Genesis xxxvii. 3.
3 Hence the epithet ' the yonge Gamelyn ' is of constant occurrence.
3 Printed in Ritson, Ancient Songs and Ballads, i. 81 ; and in Child's
English and Scotch Ballads, v. 38. I have used the latter copy.
* I. e. boast (A. S. gilfan). 5 Servant ; lit. boy.
X INTRODUCTION.
But this is not the only example of the name's occurrence.
It is quite clear that the Young Gamwell in the Ballad of Robin
Hood and the Stranger is the Young Gamelyn of our tale.
This remarkable ballad tells of a fight with swords between
Robin Hood and a stranger. The stranger wounds Robin, who
thereupon demands his name.
The stranger then answer'd bold Robin Hood,
•lie tell thee where I do dwell;
In Maxwell town I was bred and born,
My name is young Gamwell.
For killing of my own father's steward
I am forc'd to this English wood,
And for to seek an uncle of mine,
Some call him Robin Hood.'
• But art thou a cousin of Robin Hood then ?
The sooner we should have done.'
'As I hope to be saved,' the stranger then said,
'I am his own sister's son.'
Hereupon they become excellent friends ; and Robin Hood
tells Little John that he will make young Gamwell one of the crew,
saying :—
' But he shall be a bold yeoman of mine,
My chief man next to thee?
Young Gamwell then takes the name of Will Scadlock ; so
that Gamelyn is thus curiously identified with the Will Scath-
lock, Scadlock, or Scarlet, whose name is tolerably familiar to
all who have heard of his more famous master. The sequel of
the ballad is somewhat curious. Robin Hood, Little John, and
Will Scadlock (as he is now called) go to London to rescue a cer
tain princess, and are matched to fight against three giants, whom
they of course slay. The princess is married to Young Gamwell,
whom the Earl of Maxfield (not Maxwell, as before) recognises
as his lost son. It is easy to see how the same general ideas can
be infinitely varied by ballad-writers who had a clear licence to
introduce any details which their imaginations could suggest.
The Scottish reference to Maxwellton is not happy, and indicates
a late date.
§ 5. The most remarkable point is, perhaps, that the ' master
HAVELOK. XI
outlaw ' in the tale of Gamelyn is left unnamed. This is a mark
of a somewhat early date. Professor Child well remarks that
* no mention is ever made of him [Robin Hood] in literature
before the latter half of the reign of Edward III.' In fact, the ,-p
earliest notice of him is in the B-text (second version) of Piers ^\
the Plowman (Pass. v. 1. 402), which cannot be earlier than — — —
about A.D. 1377.
Even more curious than the absence of name for the outlaw,
is the absence of any indication of locality. In these days, we
at once associate the outlaw with Sherwood Forest1 ; and the
ballad of Robin Hode and Queen Katherine represents Robin
Hood as saying : —
' I will not leave my bold outlawes
for all the gold in Christentie;
in merry Sherwood He take my end,
vnder my trusty tree.'
Percy Folio MS., ed. Hales and Fumivall, i. 45.
When Robin Hood has a difficulty with a sheriff, it is usually
the sheriff of Nottingham. The fact that The Tale of Gamelyn
introduces us to a nameless king of outlaws living in a nameless >
wood is an indication, as far as it goes, of early date, and \
suggests that the ballads are indebted to the Tale rather than the (
converse.
V § 6. Again, the introduction of the wrestling-match, in which
Gamelyn vanquishes the champion, reminds us of Havelok's feat
in ' putting the stone' twelve feet 'further than all the other
'champions2.' The marvellous way in which Gamelyn lays
about him, at one time with a 'pestle ' (1. 128) and at another ll
with a ' cart-staff' (1. 500), reminds us of Havelok's feat in __
killing twenty men with the bar of a door (Havelok, 11. 1794 —
1859). It is highly probable that the author of the Tale was
acquainted with the Lay of Havelok, which is clearly connected
1 'And my -whole in merry Sherwood
Sent, with preter-human luck,
Missiles, not of steel but fir-wood,
Through the two-mile-distant buck.'
Charade on Out-law ; by C. S. C.
2 The Lay of Havelok the Dane, ed. Skeat (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1052.
xii INTRODUCTION.
with Lincolnshire. This furnishes a faint indication of the part
of England to which the Tale possibly belongs.
Another hint is to be obtained from the Vocabulary. The
number of words of Scandinavian origin are but few ; the chief
are:— a-t wynne, 3 17; awe, s. 543; bone, boone, 149,153; caste, 237,
245; cast, s. 248; deyde, 68; felaw, 227, 276, 571, pi. 811; ferd,
854 ; lawe, 544 ; litheth, I ; loft, 127 ; nyggoun, 323 ; rape, adj.
1 01 ; raply, rapely, 219, 424 ; rewthe, 508 ; reysed, 162 ; serk,
259; skeet, 187^ weyuen, 880. Some of these occur in Chaucer,
viz. a-twynne, bone, caste, deyde, felaw, lawe, rape (but only as
a sb.), rewthe, reyse, weyued, but there is a small residue of
words that indicate a more Northern dialect. Thus awe occurs
in Wyclif, Hampole, Robert of Brunne, the Towneley Mysteries,
the Ormulum, Havelok, Wallace, and the Bruce ; the Southern
form being eye (A.S. ege) which, curiously enough, also occurs
in our poem. Lithe, to listen, occurs at least five times ; but
I do not find it in Chaucer. Loft occurs as a substantive, and
is explained in the Promptorium Parvulorum as being equi
valent to soler, from the Latin solarium *. Nyggoun is only
known to occur here, and in Robert of Brunne's Handlyng
Synne, 11. 5340, 5578, where it is spelt nygun. Serk is the
well-known Northern sark ; and skeet occurs in the Ormulum,
- the Northern version of Alexander, Havelok, Sir Gawain, &c.
The scarcity of Scandinavian words is easily accounted for by
the shortness of the poem.
I must not omit to observe here that (as was kindly pointed
out to me by Mr. Kington Oliphant) a certain line in Gamelyn
which occurs twice over (see 11. 277, 764) is quoted almost exactly
from A Poem on the Times of Edward II. This poem exists in
two copies which differ considerably ; one of these was printed
by Mr. Wright for the Camden Society in 1839, in the volume
entitled Political Songs (pp. 323-345), from ' the Auchinleck MS.
written in the beginning of the reign of Edward III '; the other
was printed by the Rev. C. Hardwick for the Percy Society in
1849, from the MS. preserved in St. Peter's College, Cambridge.
I refer to the former of these editions, in which 1. 475 runs thus : —
1 The substantival use is rare ; the derived adverb a-lofte is common,
both in Chaucer and other authors.
CHAUCER'S COKES TALE. xiii
' But bi seint Jame of Galice, that many man hath souht.'
I have little doubt that the author of Gamelyn was acquainted
with this poem, and it is interesting to note a few further points
of resemblance. Thus the expression in the fen (Gamelyn, 588)
may be illustrated by 11. 142, 143 of the Poem, which stand
thus : —
'The porter hath comaundement to hold hem widoute the gate
in the fen.'
The expression so brouke 7, so common in Gamelyn (11. 273,
297, 334, 407, 489, 567), occurs in the Poem, 1. 187 :—
'For als ich euere brouke min hod vnder min hat.'
The expression euel mot he the (Gam. 363) occurs in the Poem,
1. 232. The expression had doon a sory rees (Gam. 547) may be
compared with ' and maken there her res ' in the Poem, 1. 248 ;
cf. also 1. 434. The expression Cristes curs mot thou have (Gam.
114, 116) is just like that in the Poem, 1.310 — ' Godes curs
moten hii haue.' Other phrases and words occurring in the
Poem are par seinte charite, 1. 128 (misused for pour sainte
charite) ; muchele schrewes, 1. 406 ; forfeerd ( =ferd], 1. 17 ; god
chep, 1. 405 ; barre (of justice), 1. 343; haluendel, 1. 316; gamen,
1. 367; mot-halle, 1. 292. See also the note to Gamelyn, 1. 871.
Such phrases and words are not particularly uncommon, but the
actual coincidence of a whole line is remarkable ; and we may
safely conclude that Gamelyn was written after (but probably
not long after) this Poem, which Mr. Hardwick says ' may be
fairly assigned to somewhere about the year 1320.*
>/ § 7. We will now consider the incidentabcmmection of the
Tale with the poet Chaucer. It so happens that all the copies
of it which have been preserved occur in MSS. of the Canter
bury Tales, but it is by no means found in all of them. In three
of the best MSS., viz. the Ellesmere MS., the Hengwrt MS., and
the Cambridge MS. marked Gg. 4. 27, it does not appear. In
the first of these, the imperfect Cokes Tale is followed by a blank
space, and the next written page begins with The Prologue of the
Man of Lawe. In the second, the Cokes Tale has, at the point
where it breaks off, the significant note — ' Of this Cokes tale
maked Chaucer na moore,' and the rest of the page is blank ;
the next page begins with The Prologue of the Wyf of Bathe. In
XIV INTRODUCTION.
the Cambridge MS. nearly all of leaf 193 is cut out, and leaf 194
begins with the tenth line of the Man of Lawes Prologue, which
must have followed the imperfect Cokes Tale immediately. To
these may be added the Cambridge MS. marked Dd. 4. 24,
which also ignores the Tale of Gamelyn. On the other hand, it
is found in the following ten MSS. at least, viz. the Harleian
MSS. nos. 7334 and 1758; the Royal MSS. 18 C. ii and 17 D.
xv ; MS. Sloane 1685 ; MS. Lansdowne 851 ; the Petworth MS. ;
the MS. in Corpus Christi College, Oxford ; and the Cambridge
MSS. marked Ii. 3. 26 and Mm. 2. 5. It always appears in the
same place, i.e. in the gap left in Chaucer's work by his omission
to finish the composition (or, more probably, the revision) of the
Cook's Tale. In the well-written Harl. MS. 7334, which affords
much the best copy, the scribe, after writing out the 58 lines of
the Cokes Tale, is careful to leave the rest of the page blank ;
and repeats this precaution at the end of Gamelyn. There is,
in fact, no connection between this Tale and any work of Chaucer,
and no reason for connecting it with the Cook's Tale in par
ticular, beyond the mere accident that the gap here found in
Chaucer's work gave an opportunity for introducing it. It is
quite clear that some scribes preserved it because they thought
it worth preserving, and that it must have been found amongst
Chaucer's MSS. in some connection with his Canterbury Tales.
We can hardly doubt that he had obtained a copy with the
view of making good use of it, and the various copies now
extant all agree so closely that they must have been due to a
single original. As I have already said once before \ ' some
have supposed, with great reason, that this Tale occurs amongst
the rest because it is one which Chaucer intended to recast,
although, as a fact, he did not live to re-write a single line of it.
This is the more likely because the Tale is a capital one in itself,
well worthy of having been re-written even by so great a poet.
.... But I cannot but protest against the stupidity of the botcher
whose hand wrote above it "The Cokes Tale of Gamelyn2."
1 Introduction to The Prioresses Tale, ed. Skeat, p. xv.
3 Sure enough, in MS. Harl. 7334, this title of « The Cokes Tale of
Gamelyn ' is merely scribbled, as a head-line to the pages, in a much
later hand than that of the original scribe.
THE YEOMAN'S TALE. XV
That was done because it happened to be found next after the
Cook's Tale, which, instead of being about Gamelyn, is about
Perkin the reveller, an idle apprentice.' My remarks continue
with the words—' The fitness of things ought to shew at once
that this Tale of Gamelyn, a tale of the woods, in the true
Robin- Hood style, could only have been placed in the mouth of
him " who bare a mighty bow," and who knew all the usage of
woodcraft ; in one word, of the Yeoman. And we hence obtain
the additional hint, that the Yeoman's Tale was to have followed
the Cook's Tale, a tale of fresh country-life succeeding one of the
close back-streets of the city. No better place can be found
for it.' I was much interested in finding, not long ago, that
Urry, who first printed the Tale of Gamelyn in 1721, has already *
said the same thing. At p. 36 of his edition of the Canterbury
Tales, he remarks : * In all the MSS. it is called the Cooke's
Tale l, and therefore I call it so in like manner : But had I found
it without an Inscription2 and had been left to my Fancy to
have bestow'd it on which of the Pilgrims I had pleas'd, I should
certainly have adjudged it to the Squire's Yeoman : who tho as
minutely describ'd by Chaucer, and characteriz'd in the third
Place, yet I find no Tale of his in any of the MSS. And because
I think there is not any one that would fit him so well as this,
I have ventur'd to place his Picture before this Tate, tho' I leave
the Cook in possession of the Title!
§ 8. It remains to be added that the weight of evidence, even
in the MSS. themselves, is actually against assigning this Tale
to the Cook. I have already said that, in MS. Harl. 7334, such
assignment is not in the handwriting of the original scribe. In the
Corpus MS., there is no remark except ' Incipit Fabula.' The
Royal, Sloane, and Petworth MSS. all call it 'The Tale of 5ong
Gamelyn,' and introduce it abruptly with two spurious and halt
ing lines, as follows : —
' But here-of I will passe as now
And of 3ong Gamelyne I wil telle sow.'
1 This is not the fact ; five of the six MSS. printed by Mr. Furnivall
do not mention the Cook at the commencement of the tale, and the
final ' rubrics ' are of no authority.
2 This he might easily have done ; see the note above.
xvi INTRODUCTION.
The Lansdowne MS. introduces it with the following miserable
doggerel : —
4 Fye fer-one, it is so foule, I will nowe tell no for)>ere,
For schame of J>e harlotrie fat sewej) after;
A velany it were ]>are-of more to spell,
But of a knyhte & his sonnes My tale I wil for])e tell.'
It is true that, at the end of Gamelyn, we find, \r\four of the
six MSS. printed by Mr. Furnivall, such rubrics as ' Here endith
the Cokis tale,' * Here endej) the tale of the Coke ' (twice) , and
' Explicit fabula Coci ;' but these remarks are of no value,
because the rubricator and the scribe were usually different
people, and we constantly find, in MSS. of this period, that the
rubricator inserts a wrong capital letter even where the scribe
has actually written a very small letter in the corner of the blank
space for his information. Here, in like manner, the writers of
the rubrics have not observed that the scribes gave them no
authority for writing what they did. It is a case of mere care
lessness. Similarly, in the Cambridge MS. Mm. 2. 5, the story
is simply headed ' The Tale of 3onge Gamelyn,' but the rubrica
tor who inserted the head-lines has continued the title 'The
Cokes Tale,' without any authority, throughout the tale of
Gamelyn as well. Hence, when we actually come to such a note
as that which precedes Gamelyn in MS. Royal 17 D. xv, viz.
' Her endeth o tale of the Cooke and her folowyth a-nother tale
of the same cooke,' we are quite sure that it is a mere blunder,
signifying nothing. All the evidence that is worth having
certainly informs us that the full correct title is ' The Tale of
Yong Gamelyn,' and nothing else. The word ' Yong ' may,
however, be omitted, and it is now usual to do so.
J § 9. The occurrence of the Tale in such an early MS. as MS.
Harl. 7334 is at once a good proof of its antiquity ; whilst at the
same time Chaucer must have come by a copy some years before
his death (A. D. 1400). When we compare the language with
that of Robert of Brunne, who died in 1340, there is no apparent
reason why ' Gamelyn ' should not have been written at least as
early as 1350. Certainly, Robert of Brunne did not himself write
Gamelyn, for he would never have penned 11. 491, 492 of the
story ; but we shall do well to consider the great influence of
DATE OF THE TALE. XV11
this writer, so ably dwelt upon by Mr.Kington Oliphant, who calls
him ' The Patriarch of the New English.' (See Old and Middle
English, by T. L. Kington Oliphant, 1878, p. 448.) The peculiar
metre points to a similar conclusion ; it is rough and irregular,
but it is just the same as that which we find in Robert of *>
Gloucester's Chronicle, written in 1298, in the so-called Lives of
the Saints sometimes attributed to the same author1 and written
about the same time, and in the earlier -z part of the translation
of Langtoft's Chronicle by Robert of Brunne, made between
1327 and 1338. When, in course of time, this metre became
perfectly regular, it produced the ' common metre ' of our psalm- '
books and, it may be added, of our ballads. The 'Alexandrine '
line of Drayton's Polyolbion is a mere variety of the same, due
to the employment of only three accents instead of four in the
former half of the line. It is a considerable defect of the metre
of Gamelyn that the number of accents in the line is variable.
This metre was less in favour towards the end of the fourteenth
century, being to some extent superseded, first by the line of
four accents as employed by Chaucer in his House of Fame, and
by Barbour in his Bruce, and secondly by the line of five accents
as employed by Chaucer in his seven-line stanzas, and still later
in his couplets. On the whole, I think we may roughly date the
Tale of Gamelyn near the middle of the fourteenth century. - —
§ 10. The connection between the Tale of Gamelyn and
Shakespeare's As You Like It, is easily explained. It so happens
that none of the black-letter editions of Chaucer contain the Tale,
which was, in fact, never printed till 1721, but MSS. of Chaucer
circulated amongst readers, and in this way Thomas Lodge
became acquainted with it3, and founded upon it the former part
1 At any rate he seems to have written The Life of Thomas Beket, a
considerable portion of which reappears in his Chronicle.
2 The later portion introduces additional rimes, in the middle of the
lines, and is altogether more regular.
3 He certainly made use of a MS. which gave the name of the old
Knight as Sir John of Burdeux (Bourdeaux). I have not as yet met
with this in any other than the Cambridge MS. li. 3. 26, which has
the spelling burdeuxs. Mr. Wright says vaguely that ' some MSS. have
this reading' ; but 1 suspect this is because he partly collated this very MS.
Shakespeare merely follows Lodge.
b
XV111 INTR OD UCTION.
of a certain novel entitled Euphues' Golden Legacy. Whence
he obtained the latter part of the same work does not appear,
but it is not improbable that he had it from some Italian novel ;
for I should hardly be inclined to suppose that it was, after all,
of his own invention. It is well known that Shakespeare's play
is almost entirely founded on Lodge's novel ; and the reader is
particularly referred to the copious extracts from Lodge which
are given by Mr. Aldis Wright in the Introduction to his edition
of As You Like"lt. As my present object is to shew to what
extent Lodge (and indirectly Shakespeare) was indebted to the
old tale, I here subjoin such an analysis of Lodge's work as may
suffice to indicate the chief points of resemblance.
§ ii. The following is, accordingly, a short sketch of the
story as it appears in the novel by Thomas Lodge, entitled
' Euphues golden Legacie, found after his death in his Cell at
Silexedra, bequeathed to Philavtus Sonnes, nvrsed vp with their
Father in England'; London, IS921.
Sir John of Bourdeaux, Knight of Malta, had three sons,
Saladine, Fernandine, and Rosader. On his death-bed, he
leaves to the eldest ' foureteen ploughlands, with all my Mannor-
houses and richest plate'; to the second, twelve plough-
lands ; and to the youngest sixteen ploughlands, as well as ' my
Horse, my Armour, and my Launce.' Saladine is envious of
Rosader, and keeps him in a servile condition, with but little
education. In course of a few years, Rosader, ' perceiving his
beard to bud 2, for choler began to blush, and swore to himselfe
he would be no more subject to such slaverie. As he was thus
ruminating of his melancholic passions, In came Saladyne with
his men . . . Sirha, (quoth he) ... what, is my dinner readie3?'
Rosader replies, * Doest thou aske mee, Saladyne, for thy Gates ?
aske some of thy Churles who are fit for suche an office V Sala
dine says to his men, ' You, sirs, lay holde on him and binde
him, and then I wil give him a cooling carde for his choller5.
This made Rosader halfe mad, that stepping to a great rake6
1 I follow the convenient reprint (which preserves the old spelling) in
Shakespeare's Library, ed. W. C. Hazlitt, vol. ii.
8 Gamelyn, 1. 82. • L. 90. ' L. 92.
8 LI. 118, 540. • L. 122.
EUPHUES* GOLDEN LEGACY. XI X
that stood in the garden, hee laide such loade uppon his
brothers men that hee hurt some of them, and made the rest
of them run away. Saladyne, seeing Rosader so resolute . . .
thought his heeles his best safetie, and tooke him to a loaft1
adjoyning to the garden, whether Rosader pursued him hotlie2.'
Saladine deprecates his anger, and adds : ' say wherein thou
art discontent and thou shalt bee satisfied V Accordingly,
they are reconciled, and 'went into the house arme in arme
togither4.'
This reconciliation, feigned on the part of Saladine, continued
till Torismond, king of France, appointed 'a day of Wrastling6
and of Tournament to busie his Commons heades,' and to turn
their thoughts from their former king Gerismond, whom he had
driven into banishment. A Norman champion is the chal
lenger ; and Saladine bribes him to kill Rosader if he can get
the opportunity. Having done this, he persuades Rosader to
go to the tournament, taking with him his father's lance, sword,
and horse6. The twelve peers of France are present at the
tournament, together with Alinda, the king's daughter, and
Rosalind, daughter of Gerismond. After the tournament comes
the wrestling, when the Norman champion violently overthrows
and kills the two sons of a franklin of the country7. Rosader
comforts the franklin, and offers to try and avenge their deaths ;
the franklin thanks him ' with promise to pray for his happy
successe8.' The champion recognises Rosader, and strains
every nerve to subdue him ; but is himself violently overthrown
and slain9, which ' highly contented ' the franklin10. Rosader's
name and birth are made known11, and Rosalind falls in love
with him. Rosader also falls in love with Rosalind, and sends
her a sonnet.
Saladine is expecting to hear of Rosader's death, when ' he
cast up his eye, and sawe where Rosader returned with the gar
land on his head, as having won the prize, accompanied with a
crue of boon companions : greeved at this, he stepped in and
shut the gate12.' Rosader ' ran his foot against the doore,
1 L. 127. a L. 133. » L. 154. « L. 166.
5 L. 171. « L. 180. T L. 201. 8 L. 213.
8 L.245. 10 £.252. » L. 226. 12 L.286.
ba
XX INTRODUCTION.
and brake it open1: drawing his sword, and entring boldly into
the Hall, where he found none (for all were fled) but one Adam
Spencer an English man, who had beene an old and trustie
servant to Sir John of Bourdeaux2,' and who took Rosader's
part. Rosader invites all the company to a feast, saying, ' I te'
you Cavaliers, my Brother hath in his house five tunne of wine s,
and as long as that lasteth, I beshrew him that spares his
lyquorV After a great frolic, the guests depart5. Adam brings
about a reconciliation between the two brethren, feigned (as
before) on the part of Saladine.
The story next tells of Rosalind, and presents us with a long
soliloquy, in which she laments her father's captivity, and admits
to herself that Rosader is 'both beautiful and vertuous.' Here
enter King Torismond and his daughter Alinda. Torismond,
distrusting Rosalind, banishes her from the court ; Alinda pleads
for her, but without success, and is herself banished for taking
her part.
Alinda and Rosalind depart, the former taking the name of
Aliena, and the latter that of Ganimede, in the character of
Aliena's page. In their travels, they reach the forest of Arden,
whither the banished king Gerismond had also repaired. There
they find two shepherds, Montanus and Coridon6, the former of
whom is in love with Phoebe. Aliena buys Condon's farm, that
she and Ganimede may dwell in peace.
Meanwhile Saladine, always on the watch to get the better
of Rosader, went one morning to his chamber, ' which being
open, hee entred with his crue, and surprized his brother when
he was a sleepe, and bound him in fetters, and in the midst of
his hall chained him to a post7.' He leaves him two or three
days without food8. Adam Spencer takes pity upon Rosader,
brings him food secretly, and sets him at liberty9. Rosader pro
poses to attack Saladine at once10. But Adam reminds him that
the next day is to be a great feast-day, and persuades Rosader to
resume his place in the fetters, promising to leave them un
locked, and to have ready ' a couple of good pollaxes, one for you
1 L. 298. 2 Cf. 1. 400. 3 L. 316. « L. 318. 5 L. 338.
6 Shakespeare's Silvius and Corin. T L. 387. 8 L. 396.
•0.425,417. '°L. 430.
EVPHUES GOLDEN LEGACY. XXI
and another for mee1,' adding — 'when I give you a winckea,
shake off your chaines, and let us plaie the men.' This plan is
adopted ; and Saladine shews the guests Rosader in chains,
alleging that he is mad3. Rosader pleads for their pity, but not
meeting with success, waits for the signal. This being given,
he drops his fetters, and he and Adam seize the pole-axes, and
drive all out of the house*. Rosader and his friends feast and
make merry5. Saladine escapes, and applies to the sheriff for
help, who takes with him 'five and twentie tall men6,' and makes
for the house. Adam and Rosader determine to make resist
ance7; and, sallying out, break through all opponents, and make
good their retreat to the forest of Arden8. They suffer from
hunger, and are ready to despair, but encourage one another.
Rosader says he will go and search the forest, in hope of obtaining
assistance ; and finds the banished king Gerismond, who l with
a lustie crue of Outlawes lived in that Forrest,' and was then
making a feast to ' his bolde yeomen V Rosader boldly ad
dresses the company, with a threatening aspect. Gerismond
has pity on him, and Rosader goes to fetch Adam, whom he
finds in a fainting state ; whereupon he ' got him up on his
backe, and brought him to the place.' Gerismond hears all
Rosader's story10, and reveals his own name ; finally, he makes
Rosader ' one of his forresters11.' Gerismond is sad at hearing
the news of the banishment of Alinda and Rosalind.
Torismond hears of Rosader's flight, and learns that Saladine
is now sole heir (as he supposes) to Sir John of Bourdeaux. He
determines to quarrel with Saladine, and seize all his property.
He sends for Saladine, accuses him, and casts him into prison.
Next follows Saladine's soliloquy in prison. The king sends for
him, reproves him, and banishes him. Saladine resolves to find
out Rosader, and be reconciled to him.
Rosader recalls his love for Rosalind, writes sonnets, and
carves his mistress' name upon the trees in the forest. He is
I L. 445. 9 L. 453. » LI. 465, 385. « L. 510.
5 L. 542. • L. 553. ' L. 587. • L. 605.
9 L. 629. »• L. 682.
II L. 685. From this point to the end the resemblance to the tale of
Gamelyn almost ceases.
XX ii INTRODUCTION.
found by Aliena and Ganimede, who eagerly enquire who is
meant by ' Rosalind.' After a while, Rosader reads them three
sonnets in Rosalind's praise. Ganimede instructs Rosader
how to woo Rosalind, and offers to personate her for the
purpose.
Meanwhile Salad ine reaches the forest, where he falls asleep,
and is espied by a lion, who waits for him to awake. Rosader,
coming by that way, slays the lion. Saladine, without recog
nising Rosader, tells who he is, and expresses deep contrition.
Rosader reveals himself, and they are truly reconciled. Rosader
presents Saladine to Gerismond, and also conducts him to Adam
Spencer. Owing to these events, Rosader sees nothing of Gani
mede for three days, when they again meet and discourse.
Meanwhile certain rascals, who prowled about in the forest,
determine to seize Aliena and present her to the king, in hope
of some reward. Rosader comes to the rescue of Aliena and
Ganimede, but is wounded and nearly overpowered ; at this
instant Saladine also arrives, and the robbers are put to flight.
Ganimede dresses Rosader's wounds, whilst Aliena and Saladine
discourse tenderly. Aliena and Ganimede, left to themselves,
condole with each other on their fortunes. Coridon appears,
and brings them to a thicket where they may see Montanus
wooing Phoebe, who rejects him scornfully. Ganimede ap
proaches her, and reproves her ; but with the strange result that
Phoebe is enamoured of Ganimede.
Saladine finds Aliena and Ganimede, and says that his
brother's wounds are 'dangerous, but not mortall.' Saladine
wooes Aliena, and is accepted.
Phoebe falls ill for love of Ganimede. Montanus, hearing of
it, leads Ganimede to Phoebe's house. Phoebe confesses her
love, whereupon Ganimede says — * I wil never marry my-selfe
to woman but unto thy-selfe.' After this, Ganimede, meeting
Rosader, who is now nearly recovered, tells him that he shall
see his Rosalind shortly. The marriage-day of Saladine and
Aliena is fixed upon, Gerismond and his foresters being invited
to the marriage ; Montanus and Phoebe are also present.
Gerismond hears the story of Montanus' passion, his rejection
by Phoebe, and the love of Phoebe for Ganimede. Ganimede is
presented to the king, who is at once reminded of his daughter
REMARKS ON THE METRE. XX111
Rosalind, and sighs. Rosader sighs as deeply, saying that he
loves none but Rosalind. Ganimede obtains from Phoebe
a promise to marry Montanus, if she can by any means be
cured of her present passion. Thereupon Ganimede retires, and
reappears in woman's attire, falling at her father's feet. At
once two more weddings are agreed upon, that of Rosader with
Rosalind, and that of Montanus with Phoebe. Aliena then
reveals herself as Alinda, daughter of Torismond.
Whilst the triple wedding-feast is proceeding, Fernandine (the
second brother1) suddenly arives from Paris, with the startling
news that the twelve peers of France are up in arms to dethrone
Torismond, and that a battle is imminent, close at hand.
Gerismond and the three brothers hurry to the battle-field,
where the appearance of Gerismond in person decides the
strife, Torismond being slain in the battle. The king is restored
to his throne2, and creates Rosader heir-apparent to the king
dom, makes Saladine duke of Nemours, Fernandine his own
secretary, Montanus lord of Arden Forest, Adam captain of
the king's guard, and Coridon master of Aliena's flocks.
§ 12. The variableness of the metre renders the poem difficult
to scan, and in some places raises doubts as to the grammatical
force of the final -e. But the grammar will be found to resemble
that of Chaucer rather closely, though it is in some points less
regular, being of a somewhat more Northern character. The
reader may consult the Metrical Analysis of the Squire's Tale,
given at p. Ixvii of my edition of The Prioresses Tale (third edi
tion, 1880), and the remarks at the end of the Introduction to
Dr. Morris's edition of Chaucer's Prologue, &c. Each verse is
divided into two parts by a metrical pause, denoted in this edition
by a raised full stop (•) ; my marking of the metrical pause is to
some extent arbitrary, since the MSS. mostly omit it. It occurs,
nevertheless, in several instances, and the assistance to the reader
is so great that I have not hesitated to insert it throughout. In
MS. Harl. 1758, for instance, we find a slanting stroke / in
troduced as a metrical mark after a-nother, 1. 444 ; hider, 1. 531 ;
maister, 1. 668 ; maister, 1. 669; brother, 1. 727 ; and togider, 1. 899.
In the Petworth MS. such marks are fairly abundant; thus, in
1 Cf. 1. 729. • Cf. 1. 689.
XXIV INTRODUCTION.
the passage contained in 11. 21-58, consisting of 38 lines, only 13
lines are unmarked ; so that there is quite sufficient authority
to guide us to the right method of division. In considering the
scansion, it will greatly assist us to consider each half-line
separately. If, then, we denote an accented syllable by A, and
an unaccented syllable by £, it will be found that, omitting the
less regular lines, the commonest types for the first half-line are
the following.
(1) AbAbAb ; as in 1. 12 :—
How his children scholde.
So also 11. 15, 21, 22, 23, 26, 28, 49, &c.
(2) bAbAbA; as in 1. 37:—
And for the lov' of God.
So alsoH. 50, 51, 69, 71, 88, 93, 105.
(3) bAbAbA b ; as in 1. 2 :—
And ye schull' her' a talkyng.
So also 11. 9, 17, 19, 27, 29, 32, 42, 6 1, 64.
The above are half lines of three accents ; but four accents
occur also, chiefly in the following types.
(4) AbAbAb A ; as in 1. 120 : —
Gdmelyn was war anon.
So also 11. 123, 135, 139, 252, 280, 282, 306. Also 11. 199, 207,
where Good-e marks the vocative case.
(5) AbAbAbAb ; as in 1. 34 :—
Bot' of bale god may sende.
Sol. 118,336.
(6) b AbAbAb A; as in 1. 6 :—
The eldest was a m6che schreV.
So also 11. 55 (neyhebours being a trisyllable), 62, 80, 94, 96, 99,
loo, 107, 109, 125, 136, 153, &c.
(7) bAbAbAbAb ; as in 11. 31, 58 :—
And seyde, sire, for goddes love.
That was my fadres heritage.
Most of the further variations are caused by the slurring of a
slight syllable which is practically superfluous ', or, on the other
REMARKS ON THE METRE. XXV
hand, by the omission of an unaccented syllable. The former
of these processes is simple and common. Thus, in 1. 18, we
have : —
To helpe delen his londes,
where the two syllables italicised are run together, and the
line is practically of type no. 3.
It is the other process, the omission of a syllable, which jars
so disagreeably upon the modern ear. Thus, e. g., in 1. 23, we
have the half-line : —
6n his deth-bedde.
And again, in 1. 41, the half-line : —
Tho lete thfy the knight lyen.
And, in 1. 68, the half-line :—
And deyde whan tyme c6m.
Yet the fact is, that this unpleasant effect is by no means un
common in our nursery rimes, where, through old association, it
is hardly noticed as a defect. In the rime of ' Sing a song of
six-pence,' which has exactly the lilt of many lines in Gamelyn,
the last line usually runs — And sn£pp'd off her nose. We
cannot doubt that the old poem was considered, in its time,
sufficiently musical.
§ 13. The latter half-line is usually shorter, and less varied. A
large number of them will be found to conform to the types above
containing three accents, viz. nos. I, 2, and 3. Like no. I are
the latter halves of 11. 3, 9 (lyuede being trisyllabic), 16, 17, 20, 41,
50, 58, 64, 73, 74, &c. Like no 2 are the latter halves of 11. 1, 7, 8,
26, 32, 34, 35, 36, 44, 45, 87, 88, &c. Like no. 3 are the latter
halves of 11. 10, 18, 19, 28, 39, 42, 57, 63, 68, &c. But some half-
lines are still shorter, and present a type similar to no. i when
docked of its last syllable, so as to become AbAbA. Examples
are : on his faire fel, 76 ; ndwther 5ong ne old, 79 ; and in 11. 107,
109, 128, 131, 132, 135, 136, &c. When an unaccented syllable
is dropped, we even get such half-lines as — sik thdr he Idy, 1 1 ;
sfk thdt he My, 21 ; whdn he good cowde, 48 ; he la~y stoon-stille,
67 ; and the like. Whether the number of accents in the latter
half-line is ever allowed to be diminished to two, may perhaps be
doubted. I suspect that, in reciting the lines slowly, a fictitious
additional accent was placed upon the italicised syllables in such
xxvi TNTR OD UCTION.
half-lines as :— by sS-ynt1 Mar-tjn, 53 ; wdlk-j^-e thare, 89 ;
be be-/*« an6n, 115 ; and art so ying, 148 ; a ram and a ryng,
172 ; to wdnde ther-\.6, 173. But this is a slippery matter, which
I leave to the reader's discretion. I will merely say that no one
who is not well acquainted with the rules for the scansion of
Chaucer has much chance of success in scanning Gamelyn.
The best he can do is to pronounce every final -e as a distinct
syllable (unless it is obviously elided or very much in the way),
to treat the terminations -ed and -es as forming distinct syllables,
to lay a heavy stress on every accented syllable, to pronounce
the words very slowly and deliberately, using the old pronuncia
tion as described in my Introduction to Chaucer's Man of Law's
Tale, p. x ; and then perhaps he may trust to a well-trained ear.
Perhaps the most important of all these hints is that which enjoins
slowness and deliberation. If read rapidly after the modern
fashion, there may still seem to be a sufficient metre ; but it will
have no sort of resemblance to that with which the author was
himself familiar.
§ 14. A few remarks upon the rimes may be useful. We find
both single rimes, as aright, \znight, i, 2 ; and double rimes, as
nam-e, gam-e, 3, 4. The number of double rimes is larger than
might be supposed, because many of them are due to the occur
rence of final -e, which a modern reader is so apt to neglect ;
thus we have again $or-et sor-e, 9, 10, with similar pairs in 1 5,
1 6, 19, 20, 23, 24, &c. More obvious double rimes occur in
Yr\ight-es, \.o-right-es, 17; oth-er, broth-er, 39 ; see also 61, 85,
97, 141, 143, &c. We find two riming with go and so, 45, 431;
this was doubtless a perfect rime at that date, the vowel being
pronounced as oa in oak ; so that two was twoa. We find
spencer with an additional accent on the latter syllable, and
riming with yeer and dyner, 403, 645. We find the curious
spelling hire for here, in order to force a rime with sire, 221;
this seems to intimate that the word here was, even at this early
date, occasionally pronounced as it is at the present day2. We
find noon riming with Johan, 365 ; the latter word was pro-
1 Curiously enough, se-'fnt seems to have been occasionally dis
syllabic, as in Chaucer's Prologue, 1. 697.
2 We find desire rimed with nere in the Romaunt of the Rose, 1. 1785.
GRAMMATICAL FORMS. XXVii
nounced like the modern Joan. I may remark that the rime
hye, ye, 333, is a double one ; both words are dissyllabic, hy-e,
y-e, the_y being pronounced as i in antique. Some of the rimes
are imperfect ; thus wyt, bet, 1 1 1, is incorrect Now, now, 93,
is a mere repetition, and not a true rime at all. Gat-e, skap-e,
575, form a mere assonance ; i. e. they are mere vowel-rimes,
the identity of consonants being neglected. We find just the
very same assonance in the Romaunt of the Rose, where shape
rimes with make, 2260 ; escape with make, 2753 ; and take with
scape, 3165. It will be observed that the voiceless stopped con
sonants /, p, and k were considered as approaching to identity.
The only thoroughly bad rime is that of chanoun with nom,
781, which is made still worse by its false grammar. Norn is
not the true form of the infinitive, but should have been nim ;
the author actually employs the true past tense singular nam,
733, and the true past participle nom-e, 584, 683, 796; but again
errs in employing nam (instead of namen, name, nomen, or
nome) in 1. 216 ; where the plural form is wanted. These false
rimes are quite enough to shew that Chaucer was not the author.
§ 15. As to the grammatical forms, a few words may suffice ;
for I have already said that they are much the same as in
Chaucer, but a little less particular ; the greater strictness
which should consist with an earlier date being more than
counterbalanced by the tendency to simplicity of a slightly
more Northern dialect. The chief suffixes are the following.
The suffix -es is common in the plural of substantives, as
knight-es, 17, lond-es, 18, &c. ; in the genitive case singular,
as godd-es, 24 ; fadr-es, 58 ; Gamely n-es, 64 ; and in adverbs,
as on-es, 234.
The suffix -ed occurs in past participles, as dress-ed, 15. But
it is also common as a shortened form of -ed-e, the true ending
of the past tense of many weak verbs ; as lou-ed (for loit-ed-e or
lou-ed-en, plural), 7; deseru-ed (for deseru-ed-e), 8. The full
form, as lyu-ed-e, 9, is less common than in Chaucer.
The suffix -en is not very common, except as the sign of the
infinitive, as in lyu-en, 27 ; or as the sign of the past tense
plural, as went-en, 42 ; dalt-en, 45 ; let-en, 46. It is also a sign
of the past participle of strong verbs, as i-broken, 85 ; get-en,
108 ; bet-en, 115 ; it is shortened to n in bor-n (for bor-en, 108):
xxviii INTRODUCTION.
y-doo-n, 54. In all three cases the final -en is frequently
reduced to final -e l.
The suffix -eth occurs in the third person singular of the in
dicative mood, as draw-eth, 28 ; but it also denotes the impera
tive plural, as dress-eth, 36 ; forget-ith =forget-eth, 38 ; tak-eth,
39 ; and is shortened to -th in go-th, 36.
I shall conclude these remarks upon the grammar by specify
ing some of the principal uses of the final -e, numbering them
in the same way as in my remarks upon the Metre of the
Squire's Tale (see Introd. to The Prioresses Tale, &c., p. Ixx).
1. Nouns of A. S. origin and of dissyllabic form. Wille, 28,
A.S. willa; mete, 90, A.S. mete ; schame, 99, A.S. sceamu;
name, loo, A.S. nama ; dore, 127, A.S. duru ; steede, 187, A.S.
stida ; fare, 199, A.S.faru ; moone, 235, A.S. mdna ; eye, 253,
A.S. ege, i.e. terror; pleye, 254, A.S. plega • erthe, 300, A.S.
eor£e ; teene, 303, A.S. ttona ; y-e, 334, A.S. tage ; herte, 335,
A.S. heorte ; &c. There are many more, the discovery of
which will afford good exercise in etymology *.
2. Nouns of French origin. These are not numerous, owing
to the small percentage of words of French origin, very different
from that which we find in Chaucer. Thus in 11. 43-52 we have
ten consecutive lines without a word of French. Examples are :
heritage, 58, O.F. heritage ; queste, 64, O.F. queste ; paire, 188,
O.F. peire, pairs'] place, 210, 213, O.F. place'] feste, 327, O.F.
fest'e ; gyle, 369, O.F. guilt ; &c.
3. Dative Cases. These occur chiefly after the prepositions
at, by, for, in, of, on, to, vp-on, vn-to. Examples : bedde, 24,
A.S. bedde, dat. of bed-, halle, 77, A.S. healle, dat. of heal ;
serde, 81, A.S. gearde, dat. of geard ; foote, 109, A.S. fdte (as
well as///), dat. of f6t ; hepe, 124, A.S. htape, dat. of htap ;
lyue, 157, A.S. life, dat. of///; ore, 159, A.S. are, dat. of ar, i.e.
grace, favour ; &c.
1 As a sign of a plural substantive we have only the examples
brether-en, 48 ; hos-en, 269. Compare both-en, 625 ; schoo-n, 269.
Examples of adverbs are sith-en, 900; bysid-en, 171. A prepo>>ition is
•without-en, 313. The -en in gam-en, 290, is an essential part of the word.
a Owing to the confusion of suffixes in the Middle-English period, we
find words with final -e that are hardly entitled to them. Hence berde
for berd, 82 ; &c.
GRAMMATICAL FORMS. XXIX
4. Genitive Cases. These are rare; but we find halle, 461,
496, A.S. healle, gen. of heal. So also Soneday, 434, A.S.
sunnan dag, day of the sun, is an older form than Sonday, 459 ;
the form here varies with the metre.
5. Adjectives: Definite form. The definite form is used when
the adjective is preceded by the, this, that, or a possessive pro
noun. Examples : his righte, 3 ; The goode, 9 ; that ilke, 30 ;
jny jonge, 38 ; that grete, 117; the songe, 190 ; The false, 192 ;
the grete, 285 ; the faire, 310 ; &c.
6. Adjectives: Plural forms. Ex.: alle stille, 54; bothe, 74 ;
goode, 496, 592. So also the numerals fyue, 57, 59 ; fiftene,
sixtene, 358 ; twelue, 652.
7. Adjectives .-Vocative Case. Ex.: Goode, 1 99, 207. Examples
are rare.
8. Adjectives : other inflexions. Some adjectives, by confusion
with the definite form, take a final -e. Hence : a false, 168. In
most cases, however, the final -e can be accounted for etymo-
logically. Thus moche, 6, 275, is short for mochel or muchel,
A.S. mycel ; sare, 90, is A.S.gearu ; worse, 107, is A.S. wyrsa.
9. Verbs : Infinitive Mood. The final -e is short for -en, A.S.
-an. Ex. : speke, 20 ; sende, 34 ; haue, 44 ; wraththe, 80 ;
come, 120 ; lepe, 123 ; bygynne, 132 ; ryde, 312.
10. Verbs: Gerundial Infinitive. Known by the use of to
preceding it ; A.S. -anne. Ex.: To helpe, 18 ; t'abyde, 24; to
bete, 118 ; for to ryde, 177.
11. Strong Verbs : Past Participles. The right suffix is -en,
as to-broken, 97 ; but the final -n is often dropped, the -e being
preserved. Ex. : i-nome, 119 ; flowe, 133 ; holde, 248 ; i-steke,
329 ; y-bounde, 397.
12. Weak Verbs : Past tense in -de or -te. Ex. : (a) cowde,
4 ; lyuede (with full suffix -ed-e), 9; scholde, 12 ; hadde, 13,
307; deyde, 68 ; dede, 75 ; wolde, 80 ; sayde, 297. Some com
mon words can drop the final -e at times, especially before a
vowel; hence: loked (for lokede), 125. Ex.: (b] dalte, 65;
aboughte, 76 ; wente, 88 ; wiste, 167, 369 ; kiste, 168 ; caste, 237 1.
1 These verbs, with the past tenses in -de or -te, all invariably lose
the final -e in the past participle, which in A.S. ends in -od or -ed. Just
so, in German, if the past tense is brachte, with final -e, the pp is
gebracht, without it. Hence the pp. i-had, 357 ; wist, 393. It seems a
XXX INTR OD UC TION.
13. Verbs: Subjunctive Mood. Ex.: stonde, i. e. may stand,
64 ; graunte, i. e. may grant, 154. Not common.
14. Verbs: various other inflexions. Ex.: (a) i p. pr. indica
tive ; warne, 26 ; beseke (probably pronounced bysek', for
euphony), 35 ; byquethe, 62 ; telle, 371 ; byseche, 399. (b) 2 p.
imper. sing, of weak verbs ; aske, 153, A.S. asca, imper. s. of
ascian or acsian ; loke, 154, A.S. Idea, imper. s. of locian ; so
also the French verb graunte, 149, by analogy.
Besides these examples, we find (c] the remarkable use of -e
in the 2nd pers. sing, of the pt. t. of strong verbs, as in Anglo-
Saxon ; where modern English has substituted -est. Ex. : spake,
94 ; come, i. e. earnest, 222 ; knewe, 224 ; threwe, 372. More
over, the strong verbs, which never (except in the second person)
take a final -e in the past tense singular, do so in the plural ;
hence : they drowe, 130, pi. of drow \ gonne, 236, pi. of gan, 130.
15. Adverbs. Ex.: sone, 6, 132; Selde, 40; stille, 50, 102 ;
wrothe, 73 ; algate, 115 ; swithe sore, 152 ; byside, 178, 183 ;
wyde, 311 ; stronge, 397 ; longe, 398 ; &c. By analogy we even
find there (riming with were), 251; here, 282 ; though the A.S.
forms are ¥ar, htr. These are not solitary examples ; Chaucer
likewise has there riming with were, in the Pardoneres Tale,
Group C, 1. 689 ; whilst here is distinctly dissyllabic in the
Ormulum, 1. 3264.
To the above examples of adverbs we may add the preposition
withoute, 26, 259, short for withouten.
We must also be careful to observe that -e- sometimes forms
a distinct syllable in the middle of a word. Ex. : wyd-e-wher, 13 ;
smert-e-ly, 187,243, 247; auaunc-e-ment, 418; lugg-e-ment, 750;
wrast-e-lyng, 194.
§ 16. The text here printed is based upon the Harleian MS.
7334 in the British Museum, which is much the best and oldest
of the MSS. containing the Tale. By careful collation with
other MSS., I have improved the text in several places, but it
will be found that the alterations are almost all of a very slight
character, and in many cases concern the question of adding
a final -e. In no case have I made the slightest deviation from
simple matter ; yet many students are wholly incapable of parsing wiste
and wist, or of making any distinction between them.
MANUSCRIPTS OF THE TALE. XXXI
the above MS. without noting the fact in the footnotes, and
giving the names of the MSS. which support the alteration, or
at any rate saying what reading I propose. Thus in 1. 3, the
word right ought grammatically to be rights, but I cannot in
this instance give my authority, because all the MSS. (except
the best) unluckily and wrongly omit the word altogether. The
student who desires further information may consult the Six-
.text edition of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, printed for the
Chaucer Society by Mr. Furnivall. There the following MSS.
are printed in extenso, viz. the Royal MS. 18 C. ii (which I de
note by Rl.), also in the British Museum ; the Harleian MS.
no. 1758, in the same library1; the Sloane MS. no. 1685, in the
same library (denoted by SI.)2; the MS. in Corpus Christi
College, Oxford (denoted by Cp.) ; the Petworth MS. (Ft.), be
longing to Lord Leconfield ; and the Lansdowne MS. no. 851,
in the British Museum (Ln.). I have also consulted, occasion
ally, two MSS. in the Cambridge University Library, marked
respectively Ii.3. 26 and Mm. 2. 5. Jt may be noted that many
of the MSS. have lost various lines, owing to the carelessness of
the scribes. Thus Rl. omits 11. 281, 282, 283, 375, 376, 377, 731,
813, 814. Harl. 1758 omits 281, 282, 375, 376, 813, 814. SI.
omits 281, 282, 375, 376, 377, 441, 442, 496, 813, 814 ; and
MS. Royal 17 D. xv. omits 856, 857. Cp., which is the second
best copy, omits 1. 264. Pt. omits 281, 282, 375, 376, 813, 814.
Ln. omits 263, 264, 265, 341, 342, 343, 344, 731, 733, 769* 770-
Th e agreement between the MSS. is remarkably close, and the
chief differences are in the spelling. The word com, supplied
in 1. 550 from the two Cambridge MSS., should perhaps be
•wente ; the omission of the verb in the other copies is curious,
as it leaves both sense and scansion imperfect. In 1. 629, Mr.
Wright supplied the word in before compas, but without any
better authority (as far as I can see) than Urry's edition. So also
in 1. 444, he inserted thing after another, on the same authority.
The true reading of almost every line can be sufficiently ascer
tained.
1 This copy is imperfect, having lost 11. 1-13; these 13 lines are
supplied by Mr. Furnivall from the Royal MS. marked 1 7 D. xv.
2 This copy is imperfect at the end, after 1. 826; the remainder is
supplied from the same Royal MS., viz. 170. xv.
XXX11 INTRODUCTION.
§ 17. The previous editions of the Tale may be briefly de
scribed. I have already said that it was first printed by Urry
in 1721, in his edition of Chaucer. His spellings of the words
are so fantastical, and the whole of his work so worthless and
absurd, that it is hardly even possible to say what MS. he
used. This miserable version was reprinted in Chalmers' English
Poets, i. 607, in 1810. Tyrwhitt omitted it in his edition of the
Canterbury Tales, quite rightly, on the ground that Chaucer
had no hand in it. Mr. Wright first printed it from the best
MS., viz. Harl. 7334, in the Percy Society's edition of the Canter
bury Tales, distinguishing it from the genuine Tales by the use
of smaller type. He followed the MS. very closely, but some
what carelessly omitted three lines, viz. 11. 563^601, 602; which
throws out the correct numbering of the lines. Wright's text
was reprinted in Bell's edition of Chaucer, but without com
parison with the MS. ; consequently, the same three lines are
omitted there also. Finally, Dr. Morris again reprinted Wright's
text in his edition of Chaucer, but with more care, discovering
and supplying the three missing lines, and making a few correc
tions ; whilst Mr. Furnivall, in his Six-text edition, printed six
other MSS. (as said above), purposely omitting MS. Harl. 7334,
owing to its having already thrice appeared in print. It will
hence be understood that the texts as given by Wright, Bell,
and Morris are all much the same, and represent the same
MS. ; Dr. Morris's text being the most correct of the three. In
some places Dr. Morris has purposely made slight alterations ;
it will suffice to add that in lines 1 66, 212, 405, 426, 528, 773,
785, 857, 877, he has followed Mr. Wright's text rather than the
MS., but there is no difference sufficiently important to need
further comment.
§ 1 8. A carefully written critical examination of The Tale of
Gamelyn, by F. Lindner, appeared in the Englische Studien,
ed. E. Kolbing, vol. ii. pp. 94, 321 (1878). He seems, however,
to have committed the singular error of confusing MS. Harl.
1758 with MS. Harl. 7334, not being aware of the existence of
two copies of our poem in the Harleian collection. This i-s very
unfortunate, because he has consequently omitted to consult
the readings of MS. Harl. 7334, which is much the best copy,
and would have solved many of his difficulties. Hence he
CRITICISMS OF F. LINDNER. XXXlii
speaks of the text in Bell's Chaucer as being printed from ' the
Harleian MS.,' and notices that it varies considerably from it1 ;
meaning, as I suppose, that it varies considerably from MS.
Harl. 1758. No doubt it does ; for Bell's text is a mere copy of
Wright's text, and the latter represents (very faithfully upon
the whole, though with the unlucky omission of three lines) the
other Harl. MS., No. 7334. Elsewhere he draws the conclusion
.that the best copy is to be found in the Corpus MS., because it
omits only one line ; the fact being that MS. Harl. 7334 is
perfect, and omits no line at all. Yet most of his conclusions
are quite correct, and his criticisms just. It is interesting to
find that, even without the assistance of the best MS., he was
able to see that all the copies really go back to one original ;
that the Corpus MS. is ' the best,' i. e. the next best to Harl.
7334 ; that the Lansdowne MS. most closely agrees with the
Corpus MS. ; and that the other MSS. give inferior readings,
the Sloane MS. being the worst. I can only indicate very
briefly some of Lindner's results, and must refer the reader to
the original article for further information.
He remarks that Gamelyn was first composed for recitation ;
observe the frequent repetition of litheth, i. e. listen ye, at the
beginning of each section of the lay ; see 11. i, 169, 289, 341,
55 J> 769 ; cf. 1. 615. For a comparison of Gamelyn with Lodge's
novel, he refers us to Delius' edition of Shakespeare, ii. 347
(1872). At p. 101 he gives us a complete Rime-index to the
whole poem, and at p. 107 notices the false rimes on which I
have already commented ; also the repetitions of now, 93 ; other,
445 ; the, 363, 399. The rimes are mostly of the most ordinary
character, and the poem is very inartificial ; see, e. g., 11. 135-
138, 261-270, 3I5-3I8, 529-5345 649-652, 729-732, 811-814;
&c. The author constantly repeats himself ; note the repetition
of sore in 11. 10, 1 1 ; for to dele, 42, 43 ; also 11. 72, 73 ; 85, 86,
compared with 97, 98 ; al that my fader me byquath, 99, 157,
160, 360 ; 120, 121 ; 149, 150, compared with 151-154 ; 190, 191,
&c. Short expressions or * tags ' occur over and over again ; as,
ther he lay, n, 21, 25, 33, 50, 52, 66 ; Crist es curs mot he haue,
106, 114, 116, 818 ; by Cristes ore, 139, 159, 231, 323 ; he bigan
1 ' Eine ausgabe, welche bedeutende abweichungen von dem Harleian
MS. aufweist ; ' p. 95, note.
C
xxxiv INTRODUCTION.
to goon, 126, 220, 236, 498 ; euel mot *e thee, 131, 363, 448, 720 ;
cf. 379, 413, 577; whil he was on lyue, 20, 58, 157, 225, 228.
There are frequent examples of alliteration, as litheth and
lesteneth, I, 169, &c. ; bote of bale, 32, 34, 631 ; stondeth alle
stille, 55 ; stoon-stille, 67, &c. ; which the reader may easily
find. We also find repetitions of ideas, the latter part of the
verse merely reproducing the former ; as in 107, 174, 217, 221,
381, 699, 732. The proportion of French words in ' Gamelyn '
is much less than in Chaucer. A description of the MSS. is
given at p. 321 (where MS. Harl. 7334 is not mentioned). At
p. 324 is an analysis of some of the looser rimes, according to
the various spellings of the MSS. The rime thare, ^are, 89,
793, is certainly Northern. Observe yng, kyng, 887*. At
p. 328 is a full analysis of the grammatical forms and of varieties
of spelling. At p. 113, Lindner is inclined to connect the story
of Gamelyn with the time of Fulke Fite Warm, i.e. with the
time of King John ; see Ten Brink, Early English Literature,
Eng. version, p. 149. At p. 321, he says that the description of
Gamelyn's brother's house, with its hall-door (461), outer gate
(286), postern-gate (589), bower (405), &c. suits the description
, of an Anglo-Norman manor-house of the thirteenth century ; see
< Wright, A History of English Culture, London, 1874. The father
of the hero was evidently a Norman knight ; cf. 1. 108. See
also the note (by Jephson) in Bell's edition, to 1. 892 ; ' This is
the usual denouement of all the tales of this class, and it may
possibly be founded upon fact. For it might be sound policy
on the king's part to enlist the services of a bold and popular
outlaw, like Gamelyn, in the cause of order, at a time when
personal valour and daring were often able to set the law at
defiance. An honest but inexperienced and unwarlike magis
trate would have been of very little use in a forest in Nottingham
shire 2 in the thirteenth century.' Lindner emphasises the word
thirteenth (which may easily have been a mistake for fourteenth,
1 On the other hand, we have tongc, yonge, 169. I suspect that
dialectal variations enabled some of our poets, especially those who
only composed for recitation, to be not very particular.
2 Here the locality of the poem is assumed without proof ; however,
the statement would apply to other counties.
INDEX OF FRENCH WORDS. XXXV
such mistakes being extremely common), and unhesitatingly
attributes our poem to the thirteenth century. Here I do not
hesitate to say, thatjf is rprfainly not earlier than 1320 (see
p. xiii. above, 1. 26), as the language plainly shews. ThaJLiLmay
~refer to the thjrt^nthcentury is another matter ~ font, pwr> «"j
jhere is no need to suppose it to refer to a time much earlier
than A.D. i goo. The * Outlaw's Song of Trailbaston,' printed in
Wright's Political Songs, p. 231, is worth consulting as shewing
the spirit of those times, and we know that this song cannot
have been composed before April 6, 1305. If we assign the
composition of Gamelyn to about 1340, I do not think we shall
be far wrong.
§ 19. INDEX OF FRENCH WORDS IN THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
The following is a list of such French words as I have observed
in the Tale ; I hope ,J have included all of them.
Allowe, 578 ; armure, 98 ; aspied, 392, 490 ; assise, 870, 889 ;
assoile, 449 (assoiled, 516) ; auauncement, 418 ; auentures,
777 ; auntre, 217, 666 ; auow, 378.
Baillye, 709 ; barre, 852, 860, 867 ; beestes, 359 ; (bi)gyled, 369 ;
bokeler, 136 ; bourde, 858.
Cark, 760 ; catour, 321; champioun, 203, 218, 219, 223, 227, 233,
236, 237, 239, 243, 249, 253, 255, 261, 266,273 5 chanoun, 509,
781 ; charite, 451, 513 ; chaunce, 746 ; chef, 891 ; chere, 319,
534 ; company, 3 1 0,3 1 7, 565, 854 ; compas,629 ; contek, 132 ;
continaunce, 262 ; couenant, 414 ; counseil, 42, 456, 683 ;
courser, 176 (coursers, 181, 611) ; croune, 523, 671 ; crouned,
660, 694, 695 ; crie, 710, 722, 874 (cryed, 171, 183, 700) ;
cuntre, 17.
Delay, 791 ; delyuer, 751 (delyuered, 753) ; delyueraunce, 745 ;
deserued, 8 ; dette, 512 ; dismay, 31, 623, 763 ; dol(fully), 475 ;
dout, v. 517 (doutiden, 78) ; doute, s. 630; dressen, 18, 848
(dressed, 15 ; dresseth, 36) ; dure, 831 ; dyner, 645.
Endite, 698, 722 (endited, 710) ; enemys, 896 ; enquered, 862.
Faile, 448, 586 (faileth, 446) ; false, 168, 192, 351, 363, 383, 463,
471, 615, 697, 723, 739, 784, 800, 859, 883 (fals, 392 ; falsnes,
164, 884) ; faith, 868 ; fay, 555 ; feire, 270 ; feste, 327, 339, 459 ;
folye, 884 ; fool, 222, 274 ; forest, 891 ; frankeleyn, 197, 201,
211, 251, 253, 275 ; frere, 529, 533 ; fyn, adj. 68 1 ; fyn, s. 551.
C 2
XXXVI INTR OD UCTION.
Galys, 277, 764 ; gentil, 663 (gentil-men, 267) ; grace, 630, 725,
815 ; graunte, 149, 154, 156, 744,751 ; greeue, 313 ; grucche,
319 (grucching, 322, 325) ; gyle, s. 369, 562, 580 ; gyled, 70.
Heir, 365, 366, 897 (eyr, 40) ; heritage, 58. Ire, 698.
lames, 277 (lame, 665, 764, 797) ; lohan, 3, 57, 226, 366 ; ioye,
284, 758, 902 ; ioli(ly), 527 ; lugge(man), 843 ; luggement,
750 ; Justice, 742, 749, 761, 766, 790, 792, 794, 799, 805, 823,
826, 835, 843, 845, 849, 859, 868, 869, 879, 890, 891 (lustices,
855, 857)-
Large, 514 (largely, 324, 520) ; lettres, 19 ; lewte, 657 ; lyoun,
125; lyuerey, 514.
Maister (mayster), 256, 637, 639, 656, 658, 660, 668, 669, 677,
683, 686, 688, 694, 776, 834, 876 (maistres, 314) ; mangerye,
345, 434, 464 ; Martyn, 53, 225 ; Maryes, 322, 480 ; messager,
729 ; maynpris, 744 ; mercy, 874 ; messes, 467 ; meyne, 575.
Norture, 4.
Office, 894 ; ordeyne, 798 (ordeyned, 878) ; ordres, 533 ; Ote,
727 (and 1 8 times more).
Paire, 188 ; pantrye, 495 ; par mafoy, 367 ; parauenture, 642 ;
parde, 743 J part, s. 16 ; parten, 317, 410 ; party, 392 ; passe,
516. 596 ; passioun, 477 ; pay, 514 ; pees, 102, 139, 548, 689,
889 ; pestel, 122, 128, 138, 140, 152 ; peyned, 261 ; place, 195,
203, 210, 213, 216, 263, 267 ; porter, 287, 295, 303, 326, 559,
561, 566, 567, 571, 573, 577, 580; post, 387,437 ; posterne,
589; power, 846; preuen, 174 (prouen, 242; i-proued, 241) ;
prest, 237, 830; priour, 487, 492, 509 (priours, 435, ?8i) ;
prteoun, 442, 478, 481, 726, 741, 796; y-prisoned, 737;
priue, 425 ; prow, 361 ; prys, 772 ; purchas, 14, 61 ; purs,
321, 885.
Quest, 786, 801, 840, 842, 862, 871, 878; queste, 64; quitte,
512,896.
Route, 600 (rowte, 285) ; Rycher, 137, 175, 357, 619.
Seller, 316 (selleer, 351) ; seruantz, 544 ; serue, 468 (serued,
404, 467, 469, 544) ; seynt, 53, 137, 174, 225, 277, 322, 357, 451,
480, 513, 619, 665, 765, 797 ; sire (sir), 3, 221, 696 (and 18
times more) ; sisours, 871, 88 1 ; skape, 576, 825 ) solas, 328 ;
soper, 425 ; spenden, 320 (spende, 324 ; spended, 362) ; spence,
424 ; spense, 320 ; spenser, 398, 399, 493, 501, 618, 620, 646 ;
stoor, 354 ; strif, 549, 758 ; stroye, 354 ; stryue, 158.
CONCLUDING REMARKS. XXXV11
Toret, 329 ; tomes, 237, 241, 244 ; trauail, 301 ; traytour, 406 ;
trecherie, 346, 463, 883 ; tresoun, 165, 168, 393.
Verrey, 14; vilonye, 721.
Wardeynes, 279 ; wasten, 330 ; wicket, 563 (wyket, 298).
§ 20. I have already spoken of the literary interest of the
Tale of Gamelyn, especially in connection with the Robin Hood
ballads and As You Like It. It is remarkable as being a story
.without a heroine ; no female name is even mentioned in it, and
it is only in the fifth line from the end that we are told that the
hero ' wedded a wife both good and fair.' Hence it is not sur
prising that Lodge thought it necessary to expand the story,
and to provide a Rosalind for his Rosader, to the great gain
of our literature. From a purely linguistic point of view, I
believe that the Tale is of considerable value, as affording a
fair specimen of the East-Midland dialect as spoken more than
five hundred years ago. The spelling of every word in the
poem deserves careful attention, as possessing a phonetic value
far exceeding the conventional system now in use. The Notes
explain the more difficult phrases and allusions, and the Glos-
sarial Index includes all the words which can cause any difficulty.
For the etymology of such words as are still in use, I beg leave
to refer the reader to my Etymological Dictionary of the English
Language, either in the larger or in the ' Concise ' form. In
writing the Notes, I have gladly availed myself of such brief
notes as are given by Mr. Wright and by Mr. Jephson (who
annotated Bell's Chaucer) ; to which I have added many from
other sources.
In conclusion, I have to express my sense of the great help
afforded me by Mr. Furnivall's Six-text edition of Chaucer, the
readings of which I have implicitly followed. I am also much
obliged to Professor Hales and Mr. Oliphant for some hints
which have proved helpful in writing this Introduction ; and
I must refer all who desire further information about Robin
Hood to the remarks by Professor Hales upon the Percy
Folio MS., as edited by Mr. Furnivall and himself. The
reader may also consult Wright's Essays on the Literature
of England in the Middle Ages, and the remarks in vol. v
of Professor Child's English and Scotch Ballads, where it
is ingeniously suggested that the name Hood may be a cor-
XXXvill INTRODUCTION.
ruption of 'ood, well-known as a common provincial corruption
of the word wood ; so that Robin Hood may have meant, at first,
no more than Robin of the Wood. In fact, the following re
markable stanza, which seems to point clearly in the same
direction, occurs in the ballad of the ' Birth of Robin Hood '
in Mr. Allingham's Ballad-book, where it is said to have been
' taken down from recitation without the alteration of a single
word.' Earl Richard discovers that his daughter has given
birth to a son in the greenwood, whereupon
He kist him o'er and o'er again,
' My grandson I thee claim ;
And Robin Hood in gude greenwood,
"Tis that shall be your name.'
Peele, the dramatist, in his play of Edward I., speaks expressly
of 'Robin of the Wood, alias Robin Hood'; see Greene
and Peele's Works, ed. Dyce, p. 403, col. i. 'It is curious,'
says Professor Child at p. xxv of his Introduction, 'that
Orlando in As You Like It (who represents the outlaw
Gamelyn in the Tale of Gamelyn, a tale which clearly belongs
to the cycle of Robin Hood) should be the son of Sir Roland
de Bois. Robin de Bois, says a writer in Notes and Queries,
vi. 597, occurs in one of Sue's novels as a well-known mythical
character, whose name is employed by French mothers to
/frighten their children.' I may add that Leigh Hunt, in his
Songs of Robin Hood, makes Gamelyn de Vere Robin's uncle,
talks of Gamelyn Hall and Gamelyn wood, and introduces Will
Scarlet as one of Gamelyn de Vere's serving-men ; all of which
seems to be rather a strange jumble. I have more sympathy
with the pleasing lines by Keats : —
'Gone, the merry morris din,
Gone, the song of Gamelyn ;
Gone, the tough-belted outlaw
Idling in the "grene shawe" . . .
So it is; yet let us sing
Honour to the old bow-string!
Honour to the bugle-horn!
Honour to the woods unshorn J
Honour to the Lincoln green!
Honour to the archer keen I '
CONCLUDING REMARKS. XXXIX
The ' song of Gamelyn ' is not yet quite ' gone ' ; and I shall
be glad if this edition helps to revive it.
ADDITIONAL NOTES.
30. The insertion of ne seems (to us) required for the sense.
Yet Zupitza has shewn that M. E. writers often omit it in such
a position. The explanation is a psychological one ; i. e. the
statement refers to what is positive, and thus needs no
negative.
43, 45. An apparent contradiction. L. 43 expresses their first
intention ; 1. 45 expresses what they did upon second thoughts.
130. Perhaps insert hem after drowe, as in Rl. Harl. SI. Pt.
Cf. 1. 308.
150. The insertion of oo after Of is not absolutely necessaiy ;
cf. Sir Tristram, 406 (Zupitza).
172. So also in Robert of Brunne, Handlyng Synne, H.
990-992 :—
3yf ]>ou euer settyst swerde ey]>er ryng
For to gadyr a wrastlyng,
J>e halyday ]>ou boldest noghte.
349, 350. These lines are anticipatory; this raises no diffi
culty.
351. Selleeris certainly an error for soleer, i.e. an upper room;
see 1. 329, and cf. 1. 316.
392. A party, partly, in some degree ; cf. P. PI. B. xv. 17.
461. Read—And. euer atte halle dore • as they comen in
(Zupitza).
626. The words him thought are parenthetical.
780. The vfordferde (see Glossary) is not the pt. t. of/aren,
but of TA.E.feren, a derivative of faren. M.E. feren=k. S.
f Irani derived from for, pt. t. oifaran.
782. Norn (for nim) occurs again as an infin. in Shoreham,
p. 1 20, 1. 80. The past tense nam suggested it ; compare come,
as being the infinitive corresponding to cam.
xl INTR OD UCTION.
786. Though quest here means the jury, the word originally
referred to the process of enquiry of trial, and is short for
inquest, more correctly enquest, from the O. F. etiquette, enquiry,
examination. In Robert of Brunne's Handlyng Synne, 1. 5508,
quest is used to translate the O. F. enqueste, with the sense of
enquiry. ' The Frankish capitularies had a process called in-
quisitio, which was adopted into Norman law, and was there
called enquete [in true old spelling enqueste\ : this, having
passed with the Normans into England, was finally shaped
and embodied in the common law among the legal reforms of
Henry II ;' Earle, Anglo-Saxon Literature, p. 165.
816. For the second // read him.
850. Perhaps read— And Gamelyn cleuede • [a-two] his cheeke-
boon.
871. Wyclif complains that ' iurrouris in questis wolen for-
sweren hem \Jorswear themselves] wittyngly for here dyner
and a noble ; ' Works, ed. Matthew, p. 183.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
T ITHETH, and lesteneth • and herkeneth aright,
-L' And $e schulle here a talkyng • of a doughty knight ;
Sire lohan of Boundys * was his righte name,
He cowde of norture ynough • and mochil of game.
Thre sones the knight hadde • that with his body he wan ; 5
The eldest was a moche schrewe • and sone he bygan,.
His bretheren loued wel here fader • and of him were agast,
The eldest deserued his fadres curs • and had it at the last.
The goode knight his fader • lyuede so jore,
That deth was comen him to • and handled him ful sore. 10
The goode knight cared sore • sik ther he lay,
How his children scholde • lyuen after his day.
He hadde ben wyde-wher • but non housbond he was,
Al the lond that he hadde • it was verrey purchas.
Fayn he wolde it were • dressed among hem alle, 15
N.B. — III. = Harleian MS. no. 7334 (taken as the foundation of the
texf)\ Harl. (i758) = Harleian MS. no. 1758; Cp. = MS. Corp. Chr.
Coll. Oxford; Ln. = Lansdowne MS. no. 851; Pt. = Petwoith MS.;
R1. = MS. Royal 18 C. ii ; 81. -MS. Sloane, no. 1685.
i. Cp. lesteneth ; 81. Ln. listeneth; Hl.lestneth. Cp. herkeneth; Rl.
81. herkenyth ; HI. herkneth. 2. Cp. schulle ; Ln. schullen ; HI. schul.
HI. heere ; Cp. heeren ; the rest here. 3. HI. right (which the rest
omit} ; read righte. 4. HI. ynough ; the rest omit. 5. Cp.
hadde; Rl. 81. Pt. Ln. had ; HI. omits. 7. Pt. brether. 8. Cp.
hadde (which seems better}. 14. Cp. Rl. hadde ; HI. had (and
in L 16). 15. Cp. Ln. wolde; HI. wold. Ln. y-dressed.
111. amonges ; the rest among; see I. 36.
a THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
That ech of hem hadde his part • as it mighte falle.
Tho sente he in-to cuntre * after wise knightes,
To helpe delen his londes • and dressen hem to-rightes.
He sente hem word by lettres • they schulden hye blyue,
Yf they wolde speke with him • whil he was on lyue.
Tho the knyghtes herden * sik that he lay,
Hadde they no reste • nother night ne day,
Til they comen to him • ther he lay stille
On his deth-bedde • to abyde goddes wille.
Than seyde the goode knight * syk ther he lay,
' Lordes, I you warne • for soth, withoute nay,
I may no lenger lyuen • heer in this stounde ;
For thurgh goddes wille • deth draweth me to grounde.'
Ther nas non of hem alle • that herde him aright,
That they ne hadden reuthe • of that ilke knight,
And seyde, ' sir, for goddes loue • ne dismay 3011 nought ;
God may do bote of bale * that is now i-wrought.'
Than spak the goode knight • sik ther he lay,
' Boote of bale god may sende • I wot it is no nay ;
But I byseke sou, knijtes • for the loue of me,
Goth and dresseth my lond • among my sones thre.
And for the loue of god • deleth hem nat amys,
And forgetith nat Gamelyn • my jonge sone that is.
Taketh heed to that on • as wel as to that other ;
Selde je see ony eyr • helpen his brother.'
Tho lete they the knight lyen • that was nought in hele,
And wenten in-to counseil * his landes for to dele ;
16. HI. might. 17. Cp. SI. Rl. Pt. Ln. sente ; HI. sent. 5
/. 19, "where the MSS. wrongly have sent. 21. HI. ther; but ah
rest that. 24. Pt. dethes bedde. 27. HI. Cp. lengere;
longer ; the rest lenger. 29. SI. Cp. Ln. herde ; HI. herd. 30. £
(1758) Pt. ne; "which the rest "wrongly omit. 31. Cp. Pt. om
37. III. And sires; but the i :st omit sires. 41. HI. leete; Ft.
lete ; the rest leten, leeten.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 3
For to delen hem alle • to oon, that was her thought,
And for Gamelyn was }ongest • he schulde haue nought.
Al the lond that ther was * they dalten it in two, 45
And leten Gamelyn the jonge • withoute londe go,
And ech of hem seyde • to other ful lowde,
His bretheren might :jeue him lond ' whan Jj^good cowde.
Whan they hadde deled • the lond at here wille,
They comen to the knight * ther he lay ful stille, c.o
And tolden him anon * how they hadden wrought ;
And the knight ther he lay • liked it right nought.
Than seyde the knight * ' by seynt Martyn,
For al that 36 haue y-doon • yit is the lond myn ;
For goddes loue, neyhebours • stondeth alle stille, 55
And I wil dele my lond • right after my wille.
Tohan, myn eldeste sone • schal haue plowes lyue,
That was my fadres heritage * whil he was on lyue ;
And my myddeleste sone * fyue plowes of lond,
That I halp for to gete • with my righte hond ; 60
And al myn other purchas • of londes and of leedes,
That I byquethe Gamelyn • and alle my goode steedes.
And I byseke jow, goode men • that lawe conne of londe,
For Gamelynes loue • that my queste stonde.'
Thus dalte the knight • his lond by his day, 65
Right on his deth-bedde * sik ther he lay;
And sone aftirward • he lay stoon-stille,
And deyde whan tyme com • as it was Cristes wille.
44. HI. schuld ; Cp. scholde. 46. HI. Cp. leeten ; Rl. SI. Ln.
leten. Ft. londe ; Ln. lande ; the rest lond. 48. Cp. mowe ; Ln.
mow ; read mighte. 50. HI. come a3ein ; but the rest omit ajein, and
read comen, camen, cowmen. 5 1 . HI. anon right ; the rest anon, anoon.
54. HI. y-doon ; the rest don, done. 56. HI. Ft. om. right; the rest
have it. 59. HI. fyf ; the rest fyue ; see L 57. 60. Read righte;
yet the MSS. have right. 61. Ln. of ledes ; the rest omit 2nd of.
64. Cp. bequeste. 66. HI. bed ; Cp. bedde ; see /. 24.
B 2
4 THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
Anon as he was deed • and vnder gras i-graue,
Sone the elder brother • gyled the 3onge knaue ; 70
He took into his hond • his lond and his leede,
And Gamelyn himselfe • to clothen and to feede.
He clothed him and fedde him • yuel and eek wrothe,
And leet his londes for-fare * and his houses bothe,
His parkes and his \voodes * and dede nothing wel ; 75
And seththen he it aboughte • on his faire fel.
So longe was, Gamelyn • in his brotheres halle,
For the strengest, of good wil • they doutiden him alle ;
Ther was non ther-inne • nowther song ne old, ;
That wolde wraththe Gamelyn • were he neuer so bold. 80
Gamelyn stood on a day • in his brotheres ^erde, j
And bygan with his hond • to handlen his berde ;
He thoughte on his londes • that layen vnsawe,
And his faire okes • that down were i-drawe ;
His parkes were i-broken • and his deer byreued ; 85
Of alle his goode steedes * noon was him byleued ;
His howses were vnhiled • and ful yuel dight ;
Tho thoughte Gamelyn • it wente nought aright
Afterward cam his brother • walkynge thare,
And seyde to Gamelyn • ' is our mete jare?' 90
Tho wraththed him Gamelyn • and swor by goddes book,
' Thou schalt go bake thi-self * I wil nought be thy cook 1'
* How ? brother Gamelyn • how answerest thou now ?
Thou spake neuer such a word • as thou dost now.'
' By my faith/ seyde Gamelyn • * now me thinketh neede, 95
69. HI. And anon ; the rest omit And. 71. HI. as his
{for and his). 73. HI. fed ; the rest fedde. 76. Cp. aboughte ;
Ln. abouhte ; the rest abought, abowght. 79, 80. Rl. SI. old, bold ;
the rest olde, bolde. 83. Ln. J>ouhte ; the rest omit the final e ;
see 1. 88. 85. HI. byreeued (see I. 97) ; the rest reued, reuede.
87. HI. Rl. SI. Cp. vnhiled ; Pt. vnhilled.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 5
Of alle the harmes that I haue • I tok neuer ar heede.
My parkes befi to-broken • and my deer byreued,
Of myn armure and my steedes • nought is me bileued ;
Al that my fader me byquath • al goth to schame,
And therfor haue thou goddes curs • brother by thy namel'
Than byspak his brother • that raj>ejvas_of_rees, 10 1
' Stond stille, gadelyng • and hold right thy pees ;
Thou schalt be fayn for to haue • thy mete and thy wede ;
What spekest thou, Gamelyn • of lond other of leede?'"
Thanne seyde Gamelyn • the child that waj^jing, — 105
' Cristes curs mot he haue • that clepeth me gadelyng !
I am no worse gadelyng • ne no worse wight,
But born of a lady • and geten of a knight.'
Ne durste he nat to Gamelyn • ner a-foote go,
But clepide to him his men • and seyde to hem tho, no
' Goth and beteth this boy • and reueth him his wyt,
And lat him lerne another tyme * to answere me bet/'
Thanne seyde the child • 3onge Gamelyn,
' Cristes curs mot thou haue * brother art thou myn !
And if I schal algate • be beten anon, 1 15
Cristes curs mot thou haue * but thou* be that oonl'
And anon his brother • in that grete hete
Made his men to fette staues * Gamelyn to bete.
Whan that euerich of hem • Hladde a staf i-nome,
Gamelyn was war anon • tho he seigh hem come ; 1 20
Tho Gamelyn seyh hem come • he loked ouer-al,
And was war of a pestel • stood vnder a wal ;
Gamelyn was light of foot • and thider gan he lepe, ~"*\
And drof alle his brotheres men • right sone on an hepe. \,
103. Rl. SI. Pt. cm. for. 109. HI. durst ; Cp. durste ; Ln. dorste.
112. Cp. lere ; HI. Ln. leren ; the rest lerne. 119. HI. a staf had;
the rest hadde (or had) a staf. 124. HI. Ln. cm. sone; the rest
have it.
0 THE TALE OF GAMELY N.
He loked as a wilde lyoun • and leyde on good woon ; 1 25
Tho his brother say that • he bigan to goon ;
He fley vp in-til a loft • and schette the dore fast ;
Thus Gamelyn with his pestel • made hem alle agast.
Some for Gamelynes loue • and some for his ey3e,
Alle they drowe by halues • tho he gan to pleyje. 130
' What ! how now ?' seyde Gamelyn • ' euel mot je thee 1
Wil je bygynne contek • and so sone flee?'
Gamelyn soughte his brother • whider he was flowe,
And saugh wher he loked • out at a wyndowe.
' Brother,' sayde Gamelyn • ' com a litel ner, 135
And I wil teche the a play * atte bokeler.'
His brother him answerde * and swor by seynt Rycher,
' Whil the pestel is in thin bond • I wil come no neer :
Brother, I wil make thy pees * I swere by Cristes ore ;
Cast away the pestel • and wraththe the nomore.' 140
' I mot neede/ sayde Gamelyn • « wraththe me at oones,
For thou wolde make thy men • to breke myne boones,
Ne hadde I had mayn * and might in myn armes,
To haue i-put hem fro me • thei wolde haue do me harmes.'
' Gamelyn,' sayde his brother • ' be thou nought wroth, 145
For to seen the haue harm • it were me right loth ;
1 ne dide it nought, brother • but for a fondyng,
For to loken if thou were strong • and art so ying.'
' Com a-doun than to me • and graunte me my bone
Of oo thing 1 wil the aske • and we schul saughte sone.' 150
Doun than cam his brother • that fykil was and fel,
128. All but HI. have his ; HI. the. 129, 130. HI. eyse, pleyje ;
the rest eye, pleye. 133. The MSS. omit final e in soughte, as it is
elided. 143. Cp. hadde I had ; HI. had I hadde. 144. HI. he ; the
restthd. 148. Harl. (1758) Ln. if; Pt. wher; the rest or. 150.
HI. Cp. Ln. Of; Harl. (1758) Of oo; Rl. Of a; SI. Of o; Pt. Of oon.
151, 152. Ln. fel, pestel; the rest felle, pestelle.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 7
And was swithe sore • agast of the pestel.
He seyde, ' brother Gamelyn • aske me thy boone,
And loke thou me blame * but I it graunte sone/
Thanne seyde Gamelyn • ' brother, i-wys, 155
And we schulle ben at oon • thou most me graunte this :
Al that my fader me byquath • whil he was on lyue,
Thou most do me it haue * jif we schul nat stryue/
' That schalt thou haue, Gamelyn • I swere by Cristes ore!
Al that thi fader the byquath • though thou woldest haue
more; 160
Thy lond, that lyth laye * ful wel it schal be sowe,
And thyn howses reysed vp • that ben leyd so lowe/
Thus seyde the knight • to Gamelyn with mowthe,
And thoughte eek on falsnes • as he wel couthe. +
The knight thoughte on tresoun * and Gamelyn on noon, 165
And wente and kiste his brother * and, whan they were at
oon,
Alias ! jonge Gamelyn • nothing he ne wiste
With which a false tresoun • his brother him kiste !
Litheth, and lesteneth • and holdeth your tonge,
And ye schul heere talkyng • of Gamelyn the yonge. 170
Ther was ther bysiden • cryed a wrastlyng,
And therfor ther was set vp • a ram and a ryng ;
And Gamelyn was in wille * to wende therto,
For to preuen his might • what he cowthe do.
154. HI. om. it ; the rest have it. 161. HI. Cp. laye; Rl. leie;
SI. leye; Pt. Ln. ley. 164. Cp. J>oughte; the rest omit final z.
HI. Cp. Ln. of; the rest on; see next line. 165. For knight, HI.
wrongly has king. The MSS. omit final e in thoughte. 166. Pt.
HI. (1758) wente; the rest went. HI. kist; the rest kissed; but see
/. 1 68. 169. Rl. lysteneth; Cp. lesteneth; Pt. listeneth ; HI. lest-
neth. 171. HI. wrastlyng; Cp. wrasteling ; Rl. wrastelynge ;
Pt. wrastelinge. 172. HI. sette (wrongly}; see I. 184. 173.
HI. good wil ; Ln. wil ; the rest wille.
8 THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
1 Brother,' seyde Gamelyn • 'by seynt Richer, 175
Thou most lene me to-nyght * a litel courser
That is freisch to the spores • on for to ryde.;
I most on an erande • a litel her byside.'
' By god !' seyde his brother * ' of steedes in my stalle
Go and chese the the best • and spare non of alle 180
Of steedes or of coursers • that stonden hem bisyde ;
And tel me, goode brother • whider thou wolt ryde.'
1 Her byside, brother • is cryed a wrastlyng,
And therfor schal be set vp • a ram and a ryng ;
Moche worschip it were • brother, to vs alle, 185
Might I the ram and the ryng • bring home to this halle.'
A steede ther was sadeled * smertely and skeet ;
Gamelyn did a paire spores • fast on his feet.
He sette his foot in the styrop • the steede he bystrood,
And toward the wrastelyng • the jonge child rood. 190
Tho Gamelyn the yonge • was riden out at gat,
The false knijt his brother * lokked it after that,
And bysoughte lesu Crist • that is heuen kyng,
He mighte breke his nekke • in that wrastelyng.
As sone as Gamelyn com • ther the place was, 195
He lighte doun of his steede • and stood on the gras,
And ther he herd a frankeleyn • wayloway synge,
And bigan bitterly • his hondes for to wrynge.
' Goode man,' seyde Gamelyn • ' why makestow this fare ?
Is ther no man that may • jou helpe out of this care ? ' 200
177. HI. Pt. spore; the rest spores. 179. HI. seyd ; the rest
have final e. 1 8 1. For coursers, HI. -wrongly has course. 183.
Pt. wrasteling ; Ln. warsteling ; the rest wrastlyng or wrastlynge. 1 89.
HI. set ; Ln. sete ; the rest sette. 191. HI. ride ; the rest riden, reden.
HI. Ln. at the ; Cp. Pt. atte ; the rest at. All the MSS. have gate
(wrongly} ; and thate (for that) in the next line. 192. Cp. Ln.
false; the rest fa\s. 194. Pt. wrestelinge ; the rest wrastlyng, wrast-
linge, wrestlinge. 197,198. HI. syng, wryng. HI. hondos, by mistake.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 9
' Alias ! ' seyde this frankeleyn • ' that euer was I bore !
For tweye stalworthe sones • I vvene that I haue lore ;
A champioun is in the place • that hath i-wroujt me sorwe,
For he hath slayn my two sones * but-if god hem borwe.
I wold 3eue ten pound • by lesu Crist ! and more, 205
With the nones I fand a man • to handelen him sore.'
' Goode man,' sayde Gamelyn • ' wilt thou wel doon,
Hold myn hors, whil my man • draweth of my schoon,
And help my man to kepe • my clothes and my steede,
And I wil into place go • to loke if I may speede/ 210
' By god ! ' sayde the frankeleyn • ' anon it schal be doon ;
I wil my-self be thy man • and drawen of thy schoon,
And wende thou into place • lesu Crist the speede,
And drede not of thy clothes • nor of thy goode steede.'
Barfoot and vngert • Gamelyn in cam, 215
Alle that weren in the place • heede of him they nam,
How he durste auntre him * of him to doon his might
That was so doughty champioun • in wrastlyng and in fight.
Vp sterte the champioun • rapely anoon,
Toward 3onge Gamelyn • he bigan to goon, 220
And sayde, ' who is thy fader • and who is thy sire ?
For sothe thou art a gret fool • that thou come hire 1'
Gamelyn answerde • the champioun tho,
* Thou knewe wel my fader • whil he couthe go,
Whiles he was on lyue • by seint Martyn 1 225
Sir lohan of Boundys was his name * and I Gamelyn/
' Felaw/ seyde the champioun • ' al-so mot I thryue,
I knew wel thy fader • whil he was on lyue ;
And thiself, Gamelyn • I wil that thou it heere,
Whil thou were a 3ong boy • a moche schrewe thou were/ 230
206. Cp. handelen ; HI. handil. 213. HI. Cp. Ln. the place; the
rest omit the ; see A 210. 217. HI. Pt. durst ; the rest durste, dorste.
219. HI. raply and ; the rest rapely, omitting and.
10 THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
Than seyde Gamelyn • and swor by Cristes ore,
' Now I am older woxe * thou schalt me fynde a more ! '
' Be god ! ' sayde the champioun • ' welcome mote thou be I
Come thou ones in myn hond • schalt thou neuer the.'
It was wel withinne the night ' and the moone schon, 235
Whan Gamelyn and the champioun • togider gonne goon.
The champioun caste tornes • to Gamelyn that was prest,
And Gamelyn stood stille • and bad him doon his best.
Thanne seyde Gamelyn • to the champioun,
' Thou art faste aboute • to brynge me adoun ; 240
Now I haue i-proued • many tornes of thyne,
Thow most/ he seyde, ' prouen • on or tuo of myne/
Gamelyn to the champioun • jede smertely anon,
Of all the tornes that he cowthe * he schewed him but oon,
And kaste him on the lefte syde • that thre ribbes tobrak, 2^5
And therto his oon arm * that jaf a gret crak.
Thanne seyde Gamelyn • smertely anoon,
' Schal it be holde for a cast * or elles for noon ? '
' By god ! ' seyde the champioun • * whether that it bee,
He that cometh ones in thin hand • schal he neuer thee !' 250
Than seyde the frankeleyn • that had his sones there,
' Blessed be thou, Gamelyn • that euer thou bore were ! '
The frankeleyn seyde to the champioun * of him stood him
noon eye,
* This is yonge Gamelyn • that taughte the this pleye/
Agein answerd the champioun • that liked nothing wel, 255
232. HI. fynd ; the rest fynde, finde. 236. HI. gon to ; Cp. Ln.
gonne ; the rest gon. 243. HI. Ln. smartly ; Rl. Pt. smertely ;
see 1. 187. 245. All have kast or kest ; the e being elided. MSS.
left, lift; read lefte. 247. HI. smertly ; see L 243. 249,
253, 260. HI. seyd ; the rest have final e. 250. HI. Ln. comes ;
the rest cometh. We should probably read — That cometh ones, omitting
He. 255. HI. well*; Cp. welle; the rest wel, well, well*.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. IJ
' He is our alther mayster • and his pley is rijt fel ;
Sith I wrastled first • it is i-go ful sore,
But I was neuere in my lyf • handeled so sore.'
Gamelyn stood in the place * allone withoute serk,
And seyde, ' if ther be eny mo • lat hem come to werk ; 260
The champioun that peyned him • to werke so sore,
It semeth by his continaunce * that he wil nomore/
Gamelyn in the place * stood as stille as stoon,
For to abyde wrastelyng • but ther com noon ;
Ther was noon with Gamelyn • wolde wrastle more, 265
For he handled the champioun • so wonderly sore.
Two gentil-men ther were * that yemede the place,
Comen to Gamelyn • (god jeue him goode grace!)
And sayde to him, ' do on • thyn hosen and thy schoon,
For sothe at this tyme * this feire is i-doon.' 270
And than seyde Gamelyn * ' so mot I wel fare,
I haue nought jet haluendel • sold vp my ware.'
Tho seyde the champioun • ' so brouke I my sweere,
He is a fool that therof byeth * thou sellest it so deere/
Tho sayde the frankeleyn • that was in moche care, 275
' Felaw,' he seyde • ' why lakkest thou his ware ? ,
By seynt lame in Galys * that many man hath sought,
3et it is to good cheep • that thou hast i-bought.'
Tho that wardeynes were • of that wrastelyng
Come and broughte Gamelyn • the ram and the ryng, 280
And seyden, ' haue, Gamelyn • the ryng and the ram,
For the beste wrasteler • that euer here cam/
256. Cp. cure alther ; HI. a lither (corruptly) ; the rest alther. For
fel, the MSS. ham felle or fell*. 258. HI. Cp. Ln. omit in. Rl.
Pt. Ln. handeled ; HI. SI. Cp. handled. 273. HI. brouk; Cp. Ln.
brouke; Pt. broke. 274. HI. beyeth ; the rest byeth, bieth. 279.
Pt. wrasteling ; Ln. warstelinge ; Rl. wrastlinge ; the rest wrastlyng.
282. Cp. beste; HI. Ln. best ; the rest omit II. 281, 282.
12 THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
Thus wan Gamelyn • the ram and the ryng,
And wente with moche ioye • home in the mornyng.
His brother seih wher he cam • with the grete rowte, 285
And bad schitte the gate • and holde him withoute.
The porter of his lord • was ful sore agast,
And sterte anon to the gate * and lokked it fast.
Now litheth, and lesteneth • bothe jonge and olde,
And je schul heere gamen • of Gamelyn the bolde. 290
Gamelyn come therto * for to haue comen in,
And thanne was it i-schet • faste with a pyn ;
Than seyde Gamelyn • ' porter, vndo the yat,
For many good mannes sone * stondeth therat.'
Than answerd the porter • and swor by goddes berde, 295
' Thow ne schalt, Gamelyn • come into this jerde/
* Thow lixt,' sayde Gamelyn • ' so browke I my chyn ! '
He smot the wyket with his foot • and brak awey the pyn.
The porter seyh tho • it might no better be,
He sette foot on erthe • and bigan to flee. 300
' By my faith/ seyde Gamelyn • ' that trauail is i-lore,
For I am of foot as light as thou • though thou haddest swore.'
Gamelyn ouertook the porter • and his teene wrak,
And gerte him in the nekke • that the bon to-brak,
And took him by that oon arm • and threw him in a welle, 305
Seuen fadmen it was deep • as I haue herd telle.
Whan Gamelyn the yonge • thus hadde pleyd his play,
Alle that in the serde were • drewen hem away ;
They dredden him ful sore • for werkes that he wroujte,
And for the faire company • that he thider broughte. 310
288. Rl. Harl. (1758) sterte ; the rest stert. 289. HI. lestneth ;
Pt. listnej) ; the rest lesteneth, listenythe, listeneth, lysteneyth. Pt. Ln.
Uonge ; the rest yong, song. 293. The MSS. have yate, gate ; and
in the next line therate. 295. HI. herd. 300. HI. Cp. he (for
and) ; the rest and. 304. HI. Cp. gert ; the rest girt ; the final e being
elided. 306. HI. Cp. fadmen ; Pt. fadme ; Rl. SI. fadame ; Ln. fa)>em.
THE TALE OF GAMELFN. 13
Gamelyn ^ede to the gate • and leet it vp wyde ;
He leet in alle maner men • that gon in wolde or ryde,
And seyde, ' 36 be welcome • withouten eny greeue,
For we wiln be maistres heer • and aske no man leue.
3estirday I lefte ' • seyde 3onge Gamelyn, 315
1 In my brother seller • fyue tonne of wyn ;
I wil not that this compaignye * parten a-twynne,
And 56 wil doon after me * whil eny sope is thrynne ;
And if my brother grucche • or make foul cheere,
Other for spense of mete or drynk • that we spenden heere, 320
I am oure catour • and bere oure aller purs,
He schal haue for his grucchyng • seint Maries curs.
My brother is a nyggoun • I swer by Cristes ore,
And we wil spende largely * that he hath spared }ore ;
And who that maketh grucchyng * that we here dwelle, 325
He schal to the porter • into the draw-welle.'
Seuen dayes and seuen nyght * Gamelyn held his feste,
With moche myrth and solas • was ther, and no cheste ;
In a litel toret * his brother lay i-steke,
And sey hem wasten his good * but durste he not speke. 330
Erly on a mornyng • on the eighte day,
The gestes come to Gamelyn • and wolde gon here way.
' Lordes,' seyde Gamelyn • ' wil ye so hye ?
Al the wyn is not set dronke * so brouke I myn ye/
Gamelyn in his herte • was he ful wo, 33.;
Whan his gestes took her leue * from him for to go ;
He wold they had lenger abide • and they seyde nay,
312. HI. Rl. Ft. wold; Cp. Ln. wolde. 318. HI. thrynne ; Cp.
thrinne; SI. Ft. J^r-inne; Ln. J^re-inne. 323. HI. nyggoun; Rl.
SI. nygon ; Ft. nigon ; Cp. Ln. negon. 328. HI. that was ; the
rest omit that (which is rather to be understood than expressed ">.
330. HI. Cp. durst ; the rest dorst ; the e being elided. 334. HI.
y-dronke ; the rest omit y-. Ft. Ln. brouke ; Rl. browke ; HI. brouk.
337. HI. lenger abide; the rest dwelled lenger.
14 THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
But bitaughte Gamelyn * god, and good day.
Thus made Gamelyn his feste * and brought it wel to ende,
And after his gestes • toke leue to wende. 340
Litheth, and lesteneth • and holdeth youre tonge,
And 36 schul heere gamen • of Gamelyn the jonge ;
Herkeneth, lordynges • and lesteneth aright,
Whan alle the gestes were goon • how Gamelyn was dight
Al the whil that Gamelyn • heeld his mangerye, 345
His brother thoughte on him be wreke • with his treccherie.
Tho Gamelyns gestes • were riden and i-goon,
Gamelyn stood allone • frendes had he noon ;
Tho after ful soone * withinne a litel stounde,
Gamelyn was i-taken • and ful harde i-bounde. 350
Forth com the false knight • out of the selleer,
To Gamelyn his brother * he jede ful rieer,
And sayde to Gamelyn • ' who made the so bold
For to stroye my stoor • of myn houshold ? '
' Brother/ seyde Gamelyn • ' wraththe the right nou^t, 355
For it is many day i-gon • siththen it was boujt;
For, brother, thou hast i-had * by seynt Richer,
Of fiftene plowes of lond • this sixtene yer,
And of alle the beestes • thou hast forth bred,
That my fader me biquath • on his dethes bed ; 360
Of al this sixtene jeer • I jeue the the prow,
For the mete and the drynk • that we have spended now/
Thanne seyde the false knyjt • (euel mot he the 1)
* Herkne, brother Gamelyn • what I wol }eue the ;
339. Cp. feeste; the rest fest, feest. 340. HI. gestys; see I. 336.
HI. took ; Ln. had take ; Cp. toke; SI. to (sic) ; the rest toke. 341.
HI. lestneth ; Pt. listen; the rest lesteneth, listenyth. 343. HI. herk-
neth ; the rest herkeneth, herkenyth, harkeneth. 346. MSS.
thought. 350. HI. i-take ; the rest taken. Cp. Ln. harde ; the rest
hard. 351. Cp. Rl. Ln. false ; the rest fals. 360. Pt. dethes j
the rest deth. 363. Rl. SI. Cp. Ln. false ; the rest fals.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 15
For of my body, brother • heir geten have I noon, 365
I wil make the myn heir • I swere by seint lohan.'
'Par mafqy!' sayde Gamely n • ' and if it so be,
And thou thenke as thou seyst • god 5elde it the !'
Nothing wiste Gamelyn • of his brotheres gyle ;
Therfore he him bigyled * in a litel while. 370
' Gamelyn,' seyde he • * o thing I the telle ;
Tho thou threwe my porter • in the draw-welle,
I swor in that wraththe • and in that grete moot,
That thou schuldest be bounde • bothe hand and foot ;
Therfore I the biseche • brother Gamelyn, 375
Lat me nought be forsworen • brother art thou myn ;
Lat me bynde the now • bothe hand and feet,
For to holde myn auow • as I the biheet.'
1 Brother,' sayde Gamelyn • ' al-so mot I the !
Thou schalt not be forsworen • for the loue of me/ 380
Tho made they Gamelyn to sitte • mighte he nat stonde,
Tyl they hadde him bounde • bothe foot and honde.
The false knight his brother • of Gamelyn was agast,
And sente aftir feteres * to feteren him fast.
His brother made lesynges • on him ther he stood, 385
And tolde hem that comen in • that Gamelyn was wood.
Gamelyn stood to a post * bounden in the halle,
Tho that comen in ther • lokede on him alle.
Euer stood Gamelyn » euen vpright ;
But mete ne drynk had he non • neither day ne night 390
Than seyde Gamelyn • ' brother, by myn hals,
365. HI. Cp. Ln. geten heir (heer, here) ; the rest heir (heire, here)
geten. 367. HI. sayd ; the rest have final e. 376. HI. forsworn;
but see /. 380. 381. HI. might ; but read mighte ; the rest vary.
382. SI. Ln. hadde ; Cp. hadden ; the rest had, hadd. 383. Cp.
Ln. false ; the rest fals. 384. Cp. sente ; SI. sende ; the rest sent.
386. HI. Rl. told ; Ln. tolden ; the rest tolde. 388. Cp. lokeden;
the rest loked ; but read lokede.
l6 THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
Now I haue aspied • thou art a party fals ;
Had I wist that tresoun • that thou haddest y-founde,
I wolde haue ^eue the strokes • or I had be bounde ! '
Gamelyn stood bounden • stille as eny stoon ;
Two dayes and two nightes • mete had he noon.
Thanne seyde Gamelyn • that stood y-bounde stronge,
' Adam spenser • me thinkth I faste to longe ;
Adam spenser • now I byseche the,
For the mochel loue * my fader loued the,
Yf thou may come to the keyes • lese me out of bond,
And I wil parte with the • of my free lond.'
Thanne seyde Adam • that was the spencer,
' I haue serued thy brother • this sixtene yeer,
If I leete the goon • out of his bour,
He wolde say afterward • I were a traytour/
' Adam,' sayde Gamelyn • ' so brouke I myn hals !
Thou schalt fynde my brother • atte laste fals ;
Therfor, brother Adam • louse me out of bond,
And I wil parte with the * of my free lond/
1 Vp swich a forward ' • seyde Adam, ' i-wys,
I wil do therto • al that in me is.'
' Adam,' seyde Gamelyn • ' al-so mot I the,
I wol holde the couenant • and thou wil lose me.'
Anon as Adames lord * to bedde was i-goon,
Adam took the keyes, and leet • Gamelyn out anoon ;
He vnlokked Gamelyn • bothe handes and feet,
In hope of auauncement • that he him byheet.
Than seyde Gamelyn • ' thanked be goddes sonde !
Now I am loosed • bothe foot and honde ;
Had I now eten • and dronken aright,
407. HI. brouk ; Cp. Pt. Ln. brouke. 41 1. HI. seyd ; Rl.
the rest add e. 414. HI. SI. hold ; the rest holde, halde.
lose ; Harl. (1758) helpe ; the rest omit. 417. HI. hand
handes ; the rest hondes.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 1 7
Ther is noon in this hous • schuld bynde me this night.'
Adam took Gamelyn • as stille as ony stoon,
And ladde him in-to spence * rapely and anon,
And sette him to soper • right in a priue stede, 425
He bad him do gladly • and Gamelyn so dede.
Anon as Gamelyn hadde * eten wel and fyn,
And therto y-dronke wel • of the rede wyn,
' Adam,' seyde Gamelyn • ' what is now thy reed ?
Wher I go to my brother • and girde of his heed ? ' 430
' Gamelyn/ seyde Adam • ' it schal not be so.
I can teche the a reed • that is worth the two.
I wot wel for sothe • that this is no nay,
We schul haue a mangery • right on Soneday ;
Abbotes and priours • many heer schal be, 435
And other men of holy chirche • as I telle the ;
Thow schalt stonde vp by the post • as thou were hond-fast,
And I schal leue hem vnloke • awey thou may hem cast.
Whan that they have eten • and wasschen here hondes,
Thou schalt biseke hem alle • to bryng the out of bondes ; 440
And if they wille borwe the • that were good game,
Then were thou out of prisoun • and I out of blame ;
And if euerich of hem • say vnto vs nay,
I schal do an other • I swere by this day !
Thou schalt haue a good staf • and I wil haue another, 445
And Cristes curs haue that oon • that faileth that other ! '
' 3e, for gode ! ' sayde Gamelyn • ' I say it for me,
If I fayle on my syde • yuel mot I the !
If we schul algate • assoile hem of here synne,
424. HI. Cp. rapely and ; the rest omit and. 430. HI. Wher ;
Ln. Where ; Cp. For; the rest Or. 431. HI. seyd ; SI. seid ; the
rest add e. 434. Ln. sonondaye ; HI. and the rest sonday ; -we should
read sonnenday or soneday. 437. Pt. Ln. Harl. (1758) bounde
fast ; the rest hond-fast (.rightly). 439. HI. waisschen ; the rest
wasschen, wasshen.
l8 THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
Warne me, brother Adam • whan I schal bygynne.'
' Gamelyn,' seyde Adam • ' by seynte Charite,
I wil warne the byforn • whan that it schal be ;
Whan I twynke on the * loke for to goon,
And cast awey the feteres • and com to me anoon.'
' Adam,' seide Gamelyn • ' blessed be thy bones 1
That is a good counseil * ^euen for the nones ;
If they werne me thanne • to brynge me out of bendes,
I wol sette goode strokes * right on here lendes.'
Tho the Sonday was i-come * and folk to the feste,
Faire they were welcomed • bothe leste and meste ;
And euer as they atte halle • dore comen in,
They caste their eye • on ^onge Gamelyn.
The false knight his brother • ful of trechery,
Alle the gestes that ther were • atte mangery,
Of Gamelyn his brother • he tolde hem with mouthe
Al the harm and the schame • that he telle couthe.
Tho they were serued • of messes tuo or thre,
Than seyde Gamelyn • ' how serue 56 me ?
It is nou^t wel serued • by god that al made !
That I sytte fastyng • and other men make glade.'
The false knight his brother • ther that he stood,
Tolde alle his gestes * that Gamelyn was wood ;
And Gamelyn stood stille • and answerde nought,
But Adames wordes • he held in his thought.
Tho Gamelyn gan speke • dolfully with-alle
To the grete lordes • that saten in the halle :
' Lordes,' he seyde • ' for Cristes passioun,
450. HI. I ; the rest we. 453. Ln. twynke; HI. Cp. twyr
rest wynke, winke, wynk. 456. HI. Seuyng ; Cp. yeuyng ; i
yeuen, seuen, or jiuen. 460. HI. lest ; Cp. leste. 463. (
false ; the rest fals. 464. HI. mangrery (sic). 467. HI. oth
or). 471. Ln. false ; the rest fals.
THE T4LE OF GAMELYN. ig
Helpeth brynge Gamelyn • out of prisoun.'
Than seyde an abbot • sorwe on his cheeke I
' He schal haue Cristes curs • and seynte Maries eeke, 480
That the out of prisoun • beggeth other borwe,
But euer worthe hem wel • that doth the moche sorwe.'
After that abbot • than spak another,
' I wold thin heed were of • though thou were my brother !
Alle that the borwe • foule mot hem falle !' 485
Thus they seyden alle • that weren in the halle.
Than seyde a priour • yuel mot he thryue ! *
* It is moche skathe, boy • that thou art on lyve.'
' Ow !' seyde Gamelyn • ' so brouke I my bon I
Now I have aspyed • that freendes have I non. 490
Cursed mot he worthe • bothe fleisch and blood,
That euer do priour • or abbot ony good ! '
Adam the spencer • took vp the cloth,
And loked on Gamelyn • and say that he was wroth ;
Adam on the pantrye • litel he thoughte, 495
But tuo goode staues • to halle-dore he broughte,
Adam loked on Gamelyn • and he was war anoon,
And caste awey the feteres • and he bigan to goon :
Tho he com to Adam • he took that oo staf,
And bygan to worche * and goode strokes jaf. 500
Gamelyn cam in-to the halle • and the spencer bothe,
And loked hem aboute • as they had be wrothe ;
Gamelyn sprengeth holy-water • with an oken spire,
That some that stoode vpright • fellen in the fire.
There was no lewed man • that in the halle stood, 505
486. HI. seyde; Pt. Ln. Harl. (1758) seiden. HI. were; Cp. Ln.
weren. 489. HI. brouk; the rest brouke, browke, broke.
495, 496. The MSS. have thought, brought; against grammar. 498.
Ln. keste ; the rest cast. 504. Ln. fellen ; the rest felle, fell. 505.
HI. lewede ; Pt. Ln. lewe ; the rest lewed, lewid.
C 2
2O THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
That wolde do Gamelyn • eny thing but good,
But stoode besyden * and leet hem bothe werche,
For they hadde no rewthe • of men of holy cherche ;
Abbot or priour • monk or chanoun,
That Gamelyn ouertok • anon they seeden doun. 510
Ther was non of hem alle • that with his staf mette,
That he ne made him overthrowe • and quitte him his dette.
' Gamelyn,' seyde Adam • < for seynte Charite,
Pay large lyuerey • for the loue of me,
And I wil kep« the dore • so euer here I masse ! 515
Er they ben assoyled • there shal noon passe.'
' Dowt the nought,' seyde Gamelyn • * whil we ben in-feere,
Kep thou wel the dore • and I wol werche heere ;
Stere the, good Adam • and lat ther noon flee,
And we schul telle largely • how many ther be.' $>> 520
' Gamelyn,' seyde Adam • ' do hem but good ;
They ben men of holy chirche * draw of hem no blood,
Saue wel the croune • and do hem non harmes,
But brek bothe her legges * and siththen here armes.'
Thus Gamelyn and Adam • wroughte right fast, 525
And pleyden with the monkes • and made hem agast.
Thider they come rydyng • iolily with swaynes,
And horn a^en they were i-lad * in cartes and in waynes.
Tho they hadden al y-don • than seyde a gray frere,
' Alias ! sire abbot • what dide we now heere? 530
Tho that we comen hider • it was a cold reed,
Vs hadde ben better at home • with water and with breede.'
Whil Gamelyn made ordres • of monkes and frere,
Euer stood his brother • and made foul chere ;
Gamelyn vp with his staf • that he wel knew, 535
507. HI. besyde ; Rl. by-siden; SI. bisiden ; Cp. besyden. 512. Pt.
Ln. ne ; which the rest omit. SI. Cp. quitte ; HI. quyt. HI. him ; the rest
hem. 516. HI. shan ; the rest shal or schal. 530. HI. did ; SI. Cp.
Harl. (1758) dide. 531. HI. om. we. 532. HI. Pt.Ln.om. second with.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 21
And gerte him in the nekke • that he ouerthrew ;
A litel aboue the girdel • the rigge-bon to-barst ;
And sette him in the feteres • ther he sat arst.
' Sitte ther, brother ' • sayde Gamelyn,
' For to colen thy blood • as I dide myn.' 540
As swithe as they hadde • i-wroken hem on here foon,
They askeden watir • and wisschen anoon,
What some for here loue * and some for here awe,
Alle the seruantz serued hem • of the beste lawe.
The scherreue was thennes • but a fyue myle, 545
And al was y-told him • in a litel while,
How Gamelyn and Adam • had doon a sory rees,
Bounden and i-wounded men • ajein the kinges pees ;
Tho bigan sone • strif for to wake,
And the scherref was aboute • Gamelyn for to take. 550
Now lytheth and lesteneth • so god jif 3011 good fyn !
And 36 schul heere good game • of 3onge Gamelyn.
Four and twenty 3onge men • that heelden hem ful bolde,
Come to the schirref • and seyde that they wolde
Gamelyn and Adam • fetten, by here fay; 555
The scherref 3af hem leue • soth as I 3ou say;
They hyeden faste • wold they nought bylynne,
Til they come to the gate • ther Gamelyn was inne.
They knokked on the gate • the porter was ny,
And loked out at an hoi • as man that was sly. 560
The porter hadde byholde • hem a litel while,
He loued wel Gamelyn • and was adrad of gyle,
And leet the wicket stonden • y-steke ful stille,
536. Cp. gerte ; the rest gert, girt, gerd. 540. HI. colyn ; Cp. coole ;
Ln. coly ; the rest colen. 543. Rl. SI. Pt. Harl. (1758) insert her (here)
before awe ; which HI. Cp. Ln. omit. 550. The two Cambridge MSS.
have come; rest om.\ readw&s; ^.270,285. 551. HI. lestneth; Cp.
lesteneth; HI. goode. 555. Rl. SI. Pt. Harl. (1758) by her (here)
fay ; Cp. be way ; HI. Ln. away.
2% THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
And asked hem withoute • what was' here wille.
For al the grete company • thanne spak but oon, 565
'Vndo the gate, porter • and lat vs in goon/
Than seyde the porter • ' so brouke I my chyn,
3e schul sey your erand * er je comen in.'
' Sey to Gamelyn and Adam • if here wille be,
We wil speke with hem • wordes two or thre.' 570
* Felaw,' seyde the porter • ' stond there stille,
And I wil wende to Gamelyn • to witen his wille/
In wente the porter • to Gamelyn anoon,
And seyde, ' Sir, I warne 3011 * her ben come jour foon ;
The scherreues meyne • ben atte gate, 575
For to take jou bothe • schulle 36 nat skape/
' Porter/ seyde Gamelyn • * so moot I wel the !
I wil allowe the thy wordes • whan I my tyme se ;
Go agayn to the jate • and dwel with hem a while,
And thou schalt se right sone • porter, a gyle. 580
Adam/ sayde Gamelyn • ' looke the to goon ;
We have foomen atte gate * and frendes neuer oon ;
It ben the schirrefes men • that hider ben i-come,
They ben swore to-gidere * that we schul be nome/
1 Gamelyn/ seyde Adam • ' hye the right blyue, 585
And if I faile the this day * euel mot I thryue !
And we schul so welcome • the scherreues men,
That some of hem schul make • here beddes in the fen/
Atte posterne-gate • Gamelyn out wente,
And a good cart-staf • in his hand he hente ; 590
Adam hente sone * another gret staf
For to helpe Gamelyn • and goode strokes ^af.
Adam felde tweyne • and Gamelyn felde thre,
573. Cp. Ln. Harl. (1758) wente ; the rest went. 576. Cp. schulle ;
HI schul. HI. has na (for nat) ; the rest not, nouht. 588. HI.
den ; Pt. fenne ; the rest fen. 589. Cp. Ln. wente ; the rest went
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. Z$
The other setten feet on erthe • and bygonne fle.
' What ? ' seyde Adam • ' so euer here I masse ! 595
I haue a draught of good wyn ! • drynk er ye passe ! '
' Nay, by god ! ' sayde thay • ' thy drynk is not good,
It wolde make a mannes brayn • to lien in his hood.'
Gamelyn stood stille • and loked him aboute,
And seih the scherreue come * with a gret route. 600
* Adam/ seyde Gamelyn • ' what be now thy reedes ?
Here cometh the scherreue * and wil haue cure heedes.'
Adam seyde, ' Gamelyn • my reed is now this,
Abide we no lenger • lest we fare amys :
I rede that we to wode goon • ar that we be founde, 605
Better is vs ther loos • than in town y-bounde/
Adam took by the hond * jonge Gamelyn ;
And euerich of hem tuo * drank a draught of wyn,
And after took her cours • and wenten her way ;
Tho fond the scherreue • nest, but non ay. 610
The scherreue lighte adoun * and went in-to the halle,
And fond the lord y-fetered • faste with-alle.
The scherreue vnfetered him • sone, and that anoon,
And sente after a leche • to hele his rigge-boon.
Lete we now this false knight • lyen in his care, 615
And talke we of Gamelyn • and loke how he fare.
Gamelyn in-to the woode • stalkede stille,
And Adam the spenser * likede ful ylle ;
Adam swor to Gamelyn • by seynt Richer,
' Now I see it is mery • to be a spencer, 6ao
That leuer me were * keyes for to bere,
Than walken in this wilde woode * my clothes to tore.'
598. Cp. Pt. Harl. (1758) a; which the rest omit. HI. Ln. brayne;
the rest brayn. 602. HI. comth; the rest cometh. 609. HI. coursers;
rest cours; see 11. 617,622. 614. HI. sent; Cp. SI. sente. 615. Cp.
Ln. false ; the rest fals. 618. Cp. likede ; Ln. loked ; the rest liked.
24 THE TALE OF GAMELY N.
'Adam,' seyde Gamelyn * ' dismaye the right nought ;
Many good mannes child • in care is i-brought.'
And as they stoode talkyng * bo then in-feere, 625
Adam herd talkyng of men • and neyh him thought thei were.
Tho Gamelyn vnder the woode • lokede aright,
Seuene score of jonge men • he saugh wel a-dight ;
Alle satte atte mete • compas aboute. v
' Adam,' seyde Gamelyn • ' now haue we no doute, 630
After bale cometh boote • thurgh grace of god almight ;
Me thynketh of mete and drynk • that I haue a sight.'
Adam lokede tho • vnder woode-bowj,
And whan he seyh mete * he was glad ynough ;
For he hopede to god • for to haue his deel, 635
And he was sore alonged • after a good meel.
As he seyde that word • the mayster outlawe
Saugh Gamelyn and Adam • vnder .woode -schawe.
' 3onge men,' seyde the maister • ' by the goode roode,
I am war of gestes • god sende vs non but goode ; 640
5onder ben tuo jonge men * wonder wel adight,
And parauenture ther ben mo • who so lokede aright.
Ariseth vp, je jonge men • and fetteth hem to me ;
It is good that we witen • what men they bee.'
Vp ther sterten seuene • fro the dyner, 645
And metten with Gamelyn • and Adam spenser.
Whan they were neyh hem • than seyde that oon,
1 3eldeth vp, jonge men • jour bowes and jour floon/
Thanne seyde Gamelyn • that jong was of elde,
' Moche sorwe mot he haue • that to jou hem yelde I 650
I curse non other • but right my-selue ;
They je fette to 50 w fyue • thanne je be tweluel'
627, 642. HI. loked. 640. Cp. Pt. Harl. (1758) sende; the rest
send. HI. non but ; which the rest omit. 652. HI. Cp. They ; Rl.
Thei ; SI. Ln. Though.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 25
Tho they herde by his word • that might was in his arm,
Ther was non of hem alle * that wolde do him harm,
But sayde vnto Gamelyn • myldely and stille, 655
' Com afore our maister • and sey to him thy wille.'
' Yonge men/ sayde Gamelyn • ' by jour lewte,
What man is jour maister • that je with be ? '
Alle they answerde • withoute lesyng,
' Oure maister is i-crouned • of outlawes kyng.' 660
' Adam/ seyde Gamelyn * ' gowe in Cristes name ;
He may neyther mete nor drynk • werne vs, for schame.
If that he be hende * and come of gentil blood,
He wol jeue vs mete and drynk • and doon vs som good.'
* By seynt lame ! ' seyde Adam ' what harm that I gete, 665
I wil auntre to the dore • that I hadde mete/
Gamelyn and Adam • wente forth in-feere,
And they grette the maister • that they founde there.
Than seide the maister • kyng of outlawes,
' What seeke je, jonge men • vnder woode-schawes ? ' 670
Gamelyn answerde • the kyng with his croune,
'He moste needes walke inwoode • that may not walke in towne.
Sire, we walke not heer • noon harm for to do,
But if we meete with a deer • to scheete therto,
As men that ben hungry • and mow no mete fynde, 675
And ben harde bystad • vnder woode-lynde/
Of Gamelynes wordes • the maister hadde routhe,
And seyde, ' je schal haue ynough • haue god my trouthe ! '
He bad hem sitte ther adoun • for to take reste ;
And bad hem etc and drynke * and that of the beste. 680
As they sete and eeten * and dronke wel and fyn,
655. HI. sayd ; the rest add e. 663. HI. heende ; Cp. kynde ; the rest
hende. 664. HI. an (for and). 665. HI. seyd ; Ln. seid ; the rest
add e. 666. HI. auntre ; the rest auenture me. HI. Cp. Ln. to the
dore ; which the rest omit.
26 THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
Than seyde that oon to that other • ' this is Gamelyn/
Tho was the maister outlawe • in-to counseil nome,
And told how it was Gamelyn • that thider was i-come.
Anon as he herde • how it was bifalle, 685
He made him maister vnder him • ouer hem alle.
Within the thridde wyke • him com tydyng,
To the maister outlawe • that tho was her kyng,
That he schulde come horn • his pees was i-mad ;
And of that goode tydyng • he was tho ful glad. 690
Tho seyde he to his jonge men • soth for to telle,
' Me ben comen tydynges • I may no lenger dwelle.'
Tho was Gamelyn anon • withoute taryyng,
Maad maister outlawe • and crouned here kyng.
Tho was Gamelyn crouned • kyng of outlawes, 695
And walked a while • vnder woode-schawes.
The false knight his brother • was scherreue and sire,
And leet his brother endite • for hate and for ire.
Tho were his bonde-men • sory and nothing glad,
When Gamelyn her lord • wolues-heed was cryed and maad;
And sente out of his men • wher they might him fynde, 701
For to seke Gamelyn • vnder woode-lynde,
To telle him tydynges • how the wynd was went,
And al his good reued • and alle his men schent.
Whan they had him founde • on knees they hem sette, 705
And a-doun with here hood • and here lord grette ;
1 Sire, wraththe }ou nought * for the goode roode,
For we haue brought jou tydynges • but they be nat goode.
Now is thy brother scherreue • and hath the baillye,
682. HI. seyd ; the rest add e. 689. HI. i-made ; Cp. SI. maad ;
the rest made. 694. Cp. Maad ; the rest Made (but there should be
no final e). Cp. Ln. here ; the rest her. 697. Cp. Ln. false ; the rest
fals. 699. Rl. SI. glad ; the rest glade, gladde. 700. SI. Cp.
maad ; the rest made, maade. 704. HI. Cp. Ln. omit alle.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 2J
And he hath endited the • and wolues-heed doth the crie.' 7 1 o
' Alias ! ' seyde Gamelyn • « that euer I was so slak
That I ne hadde broke his nekke • tho I his rigge brak !
Goth, greteth hem wel • myn housbondes and wyf,
I wol ben atte nexte schire * haue god my lyf 1 '
Gamelyn came wel redy * to the nexte schire, 715
And ther was his brother • bothe lord and sire.
Gamelyn com boldelych • in-to the moot-halle,
And put a-doun his hood • among the lordes alle ;
' God saue you alle, lordynges • that now here be !
But broke-bak scherreue • euel mot thou the ! 720
Why hast thou do me • that schame and vilonye,
For to late endite me • and wolues-heed me crye ? '
Tho thoughte the false knight • for to ben awreke,
And leet take Gamelyn • moste he no more speke ;
Might ther be no more grace • but Gamelyn atte laste 725
Was cast in-to prisoun • and fetered ful faste.
Gamelyn hath a brother • that highte sir Ote,
As good a knight and hende * as mighte gon on foote.
Anon ther ^ede a messager • to that goode knight,
And tolde him altogidere • how Gamelyn was dight. 730
Anon as sire Ote herde • how Gamelyn was a-dight,
He was wonder sory • was he no-thing light,
And leet sadle a steede • and the way he nam,
And to his tweyne bretheren • anon-right he cam.
' Sire/ seyde sire Ote * to the scherreue tho, 735
' We ben but thre bretheren • schul we neuer be mo ;
712. HI. om. second I ; the rest have it. 713. HI. hem ; which
the rest omit. For myn housbondes Harl. (1758) has bo)>e housbonde ;
which seems better. 723. Cp. thoughte the false; the rest thought
the fals. 724. The MSS. have most, the e being elided. 725, 726.
Rl. SI. Cp. laste, faste ; the rest last, fast. 728. HI. Cp. heende ; the
rest hende. 730. HI. Cp. told ; the rest tolde. 734. HI. anon
right ; Ln. ful sone ; the rest right sone.
28 THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
And them hast y-prisoned • the beste of us alle ;
Swich another brother • yuel mot him bifalle ! '
' Sire Ote,' seide the false knight • ' lat be thi curs ;
By god, for thy wordes • he schal fare the wurs ; 740
To the kynges prisoun • anon he is y-nome,
And ther he schal abyde • til the Justice come/
1 Parde ! ' seyde sir Ote • ' better it schal be ;
I bidde him to maynpris * that thow graunte him me
Til the nexte sittyng * of delyueraunce, 745
And thanne lat Gamelyn * stande to his chaunce.'
' Brother, in swich a forward • I take him to the ;
And by thi fader soule • that the bygat and me,
But if he be redy • whan the Justice sitte,
Thou schalt bere the luggement • for al thi grete witte.' 750
* I graunte wel,' seide sir Ote * ' that it so be.
Let delyuer him anon • and tak him to me.'
Tho was Gamelyn delyuered • to sire Ote his brother;
And that night dwellede • that on with that other.
On the morn seyde Gamelyn • to sire Ote the hende, 755
1 Brother,' he seide, ' I moot • for sothe from the wende,
To loke how my jonge men • leden here lyf,
Whether they lyuen in ioie • or elles in stryf.'
' Be god ! ' seyde sire Ote • ' that is a cold reed,
Now I see that al the cark * schal fallen on myn heed ; 760
For when the Justice sitte • and thou be nought y-founde,
I schal anon be take • and in thy stede i-bounde.'
4 Brother,' sayde Gamelyn • ' dismaye the nought,
737. Rl. Cp. beste ; the rest best. 739. Pt. Ln. false ; the rest
fals. 744. HI. Cp. maympm. HI. SI. Ln. graunt ; the rest graunte.
HI. him ; Cp. Ln. to ; the rest omit. 747. HI. forthward ; the rest
forward. 754. HI. Cp. dwelleden ; Ln. dwelden ; the rest dwellide,
dwellid, dwelled. 755. HI. Cp. heende ; Rl. hynde ; the rest hende.
761, 766. The MSS. rightly have sitte, except that HI. has sitt in /. 766.
For sitte (like be) is in the subj. mood.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 29
For by seint lame in Gales • that many man hath sought,
If that god almighty • holde my lyf and witte, 765
I wil be ther redy • whan the Justice sitte/
Than seide sir Ote to Gamely n • 'god schilde the fro schame;
Com whan thou seest tyme • and bring vs out of blame.'-^
Litheth, and lesteneth • and holdeth jou stille, <\
And 36 schul here how Gamelyn • hadde al his wille. 770
Gamelyn wente a}ein • vnder woode-rys,
And fond there pleying • jonge men of prys.
Tho was 3ong Gamelyn • glad and blithe ynough,
Whan he fond his mery men • vnder woode-bough.
Gamelyn and his men • talkeden in-feere, 775
And they hadde good game * here maister to heere ;
They tolden him of auentures • that they hadde founde,
And Gamelyn hem tolde a^ein • how he was fast i-bounde.
Whil Gamelyn was outlawed • hadde he no cors ;
There was no man that for him • ferde the wors, 780
But abbotes and priours * monk and chanoun ;
On hem left he no-thing • whan he mighte hem nom.
Whil Gamelyn and his men • made merthes ryue,
The false knight his brother • yuel mot he thryue !
For he was fast aboute * bothe day and other, 785
For to hyre the quest • to hangen his brother.
Gamelyn stood on a day * and, as he biheeld
The woodes and the schawes • in the wilde feeld,
He thoughte on his brother • how he him beheet
That he wolde be redy • whan the Justice sect ; 790
765. HI. hold ; Rl. hold me ; the rest holde me. 765, 766. HI.
witt, sitt. 769. HI. lestneth ; Cp. lesteneth ; Rl. Pt. listeneth. 770.
Rl. SI. Cp. hadde ; the rest had. 771. Cp. SI. wente ; HI. went.
775. HI. talked ; Rl. Pt. talkeden ; SI. talkiden. 779. SI. Cp. Ln.
hadde ; Rl. hade ; the rest had. 782. The MSS. have might ;
the e being elided. 784. Cp. false ; the rest fals. 789. HI.
thought ; but see 1. 791.
3O THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
He thoughte wel that he wolde • withoute delay,
Come afore the Justice • to kepen his day,
And seide to his jonge men • * dighteth jou sare,
For whan the Justice sitte • we moote be thare,
For I am vnder borwe • til that I come, 795
And my brother for me • to prisoun schal be nome.'
1 By seint lame !' seyde his 3onge men • 'and thou rede therto,
Ordeyne how it schal be • and it shall be do.'
Whil Gamelyn was comyng • ther the Justice sat,
The false knight his brother • forjat he nat that, 800
To huyre the men on his quest • to hangen his brother ;
Though he hadde nought that oon • he wolde haue that other.
Tho cam Gamelyn • fro vnder woode-rys,
And broughte with him • his ^onge men of prys.
' I se wel,' seyde Gamelyn • ' the Justice is set ; 805
Go aforn, Adam • and loke how it spet/
Adam wente into the halle • and loked al aboute,
He seyh there stonde • lordes grete and stoute,
And sir Ote his brother • fetered wel fast ;
Tho went Adam out of halle • as he were agast 810
Adam said to Gamelyn • and to his felawes alle,
* Sir Ote stant i-fetered • in the moot-halle/
' 3onge men/ seide Gamelyn • * this ;e heeren alle ;
Sire Ote stant i-fetered • in the moot-halle/
If god jif vs grace • wel for to doo, 815
He schal it abegge • that broughte it thertoo/
Thanne sayde Adam • that lokkes hadde hore,
' Cristes curs mote he haue • that him bond so sore !
794. HI. sitt. 800. Cp. Ln. false ; the rest fals. 805, 806.
MSS. sette, spette (wrongly}. 807. Cp. wente; the rest went
808. Cp. bothe grete ; rest om. bothe. HI. gret ; the rest grete. 811.
HI. felaws; the rest felawes, felowes. 816. HI. om. second it.
8 1 8. Rl. SI. Pt. mote ; Ln. mot ; HI. Cp. most.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 3!
And thou wilt, Gamelyn • do after my reed,
Ther is noon in the halle • schal here awey his heed.' 820
' Adam,' seyde Gamelyn • « we wiln nought don so,
We wil slee the giltyf • and lat the other go.
I wil into the halle • and with the Justice speke ;
On hem that ben gultyf • I wil ben awreke.
Lat non skape at the dore • take, jonge men, jeme; 825
For I wil be Justice this day • domes for to deme.
God spede me this day • at my newe werk I
Adam, com on with me • for thou schalt be my clerk.'
His men answereden him • and bade him doon his best,
' And if thou to vs haue neede • thou schalt fynde vs prest; 830
We wiln stande with the • whil that we may dure,
And but we werke manly • pay vs non hure/
' Yonge men,' seyde Gamelyn * * so mot I wel the 1
As trusty a maister • je schal fynde of me.'
Right there as the Justice • sat in the halle, 835
In wente Gamelyn • amonges hem alle.
Gamelyn leet vnfetere • his brother out of bende.
Thanne seyde sire Ote • his brother that was hende,
' Thou haddest aJmosUGamelyn • dwelled to longe,
For the quest is oute on me • that I schulde honge.' 840
' Brother,' seyde Gamelyn • ' so god ;if me good rest !
This day they schuln ben hanged • that ben on thy quest ;
And the Justice bothe • that is the lugge-man,
And the scherreue bothe * thurgh him it bigan.'
Thanne seyde Gamelyn • to the Justise, 845
819. Cp. reed ; HI. red ; the rest rede. 822. HI. Pt. lat ; the
rest late. 826. for in MS. Camb. Mm. 2. 5 ; the rest omit.
829. Rl. bade ; the rest bad. 835. Rl. (17 D. xv) as ; -which the
rest omit. 837. HI. beende ; Cp. Pt. Ln. bende. 838. HI.
Cp. heende ; the rest hende. 843. HI. omits second fat. HI. lugges ;
the rest lugge, luge. 845. Cp. Thanne; the rest Than.
32 THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
' Now is thy power y-don • thou most nedes arise ;
Thow hast ^euen domes • that ben yuel dight,
I wil sitten in thy sete * and dressen hem aright/
The Justice sat stille • and roos nought anoon ;
And Gamelyn in haste • cleuede his cheeke-boon ; 850
Gamelyn took him in his arm • and no more spak,
But threw him ouer the barre * and his arm to-brak.
Durste non to Gamelyn • seye but good,
For ferd of the company • that withoute stood.
Gamelyn sette him doun • in the Justices sect, 855
And sire Ote his brother by him • and Adam at his feet.
Whan Gamelyn was i-set • in the Justices stede,
Herkneth of a bourde • that Gamelyn dede.
He leet fetre the Justice • and his false brother,
And dede hem come to the barre • that oon with that other. 860
Tho Gamelyn hadde thus y-doon • hadde he no rest,
Til he had enquered • who was on the quest
For to deme his brother • sir Ote, for to honge ;
Er he wiste which they were • him thoughte ful longe.
But as sone as Gamelyn • wiste wher they were, 865
He dede hem euerichone • feteren in-feere,
And bringen hem to the barre • and sette hem in rewe ;
'By my faith !' seyde the Justice • 'the scherreue is a schrewe! '
Than seyde Gamelyn • to the lustise,
' Thou hast y-^eue domes • of the wors assise; 870
And the twelve sisours • that weren of the quest,
They schul ben hanged this day • so haue I good rest I'
850. Harl. (1758) in haste ; which the rest omit. 854. Rl. Harl.
(1758) ferd; Pt. feerd ; HI. Cp. fered ; Ln. ferde. 855. MSS. sete.
857. HI. Rl. Cp. sete (for stede, wrongly}. 859. Cp. Ln. false ; the
rest fals. 861. Cp. hadde ; Rl. hade ; HI. had (2nd time}. 864.
Rl. Pt him; Harl. (1758) hym; HI. Cp. Ln. he. 866. Cp.
feteren; HI. fetere. 871. Rl. Pt. quest; HI. Cp. Ln. queste.
872. HI. om. good ; the rest have it. Rl. Pt. rest ; HI. Cp. Ln. reste.
THE TALE OF GAMELYN. 33
Thanne seide the scherreue • to ijonge Gamelyn,
' Lord, I crie the mercy * brother art thou myn.'
' Therfore/ seyde Gamelyn • ' haue thou Cristes curs, 875
For and thou were maister • ;it I schulde haue wors.'
For to make short tale • and noujt to tarie longe,
He ordeyned him a quest • of his men so stronge ;
The Justice and the scherreue • bothe honged hye,
To weyuen with the ropes • and with the wynde drye ; 880
And the twelue sisours • (sorwe haue that rekke !)
Alle they were hanged • faste by the nekke.
Thus ended the false knight • with his treccherie,
That euer had i-lad his lyf • in falsnes and folye.
He was hanged by the nekke • and noujt by the purs, 885
That was the meede that he hadde • for his fadres curs.
Sire Ote was eldest * and Gamelyn was jing,
They wenten with here frendes • euen to the kyng ;
They made pees with the kyng • of the best assise.
The kyng loued well sir Ote • and made him lustise. 890
And after, the kyng made Gamelyn • bothe in est and west,
Chef Justice • of al his fre forest ;
Alle his wighte 3onge men • the kyng for^af here gilt,
And sitthen in good office • the kyng hem hath i-pilt,
Thus wan Gamelyn • his lond and his leede, 895
And wrak him of his enemys • and quitte hem here meede ;
And sire Ote his brother • made him his heir,
And siththen wedded Gamelyn • a wyf bothe good and feyr ;
877. HI. tarie ; which the rest omit. 878. Rl. Pt. Harl. (1758)
quest ; the rest queste. 879. Cp. be]) ; the rest bothe, both. 880.
HI. om. the before ropes ; the rest have it. HI. Rl. Cp. wynd ; the rest
wynde, winde. 883. Cp. Ln. false; the rest fals. 885. HI. Pt. nek ;
the rest necke, nekke. 886. Rl. Cp. hadde ; the rest had. 888.
HI. freendes. HI. euen to; Rl. Harl. (1758) and passeden to; Pt. and
passed to ; Cp. and passed with j Ln. and pesed with. 896. Cp. Pt.
quitte ; HI. quyt.
D
34 THE TALE OF GAMELYN.
They lyueden to-gidere * whil that Crist wolde,
And sithen was Gamelyn • grauen vnder molde. QOO
And so schal we alle • may ther no man fle :
God bringe vs to the loye • that euer schal be 1
900. HI. moolde. 902. Ln. bringe; the rest bryng, bring.
NOTES.
I. Iiitheth, hearken ye; cf. 1. 169. This is the imperative plural;
so also lesteneth, herkeneth. See remarks on the dialect in the Preface.
For the explanation of the harder words, see the Glossary. Compare :
'Now list and lithe, you gentlemen' ; Percy Folio MS., ii. 218 ; 'Now
lithe and listen, gentlemen,' id. iii. 77.
3. lohan of Boundys. It is not clear what is meant by Boundys,
which is repeated in 1. 226; nor is there any clear indication of the
supposed locality of the story. Lodge, in his novel (see the Preface),
ingeniously substitutes Bourdeaux, and calls the knight ' Sir John of
Bourdeaux.' l In Shakespeare, he becomes Sir Roland de Bois.
The reading righte (for right) is demanded by grammar, the article
being in the definite form ; and the same reading is equally demanded
by the metre. Where the final e is thus necessary to the grammar and
metre alike, there is little difficulty in restoring the correct reading.
Compare the good-e knight in 11. n, 25, 33.
4. ' He was sufficiently instructed by right bringing up, and knew
much about sport.' Nurture is the old phrase for ' a genteel education.'
Thus we find ' The boke of Nurture, or Schoole of good maners : for
men, seruants, and children,' written by Hugh Rhodes, and printed in
1577 ; and John Russell's ' Boke of Nurture,' in MS. Harl. 4011. See
the Babees Book, ed. F. J. Furnivall, 1868; where much information as
to the behaviour of our forefathers is given. By game is meant what
is now called sport ; ' The Master of the Game ' is the name of an old
treatise on hunting ; see Reliquiae Antiquse, i. 149.
5. Thre sones, three sons. They are here named Johan, Ote, and
Gamelyn ; Lodge calls them Saladyne, Fernandine, and Rosader ; in
Shakespeare, they are Oliver, Jaques, and Orlando. The characters
of the three are much the same in all three versions of the story.
6. Sone he began, he soon began, viz. to evince his disposition.
T2. His day, his term of life, his lifetime. So in Hamlet, v. i. 315.
the ' dog will have his day? Hence after his day is, practically, after
his death.
1 The reading Burdeuxs actually occurs in MS. Camb. Univ. Lib. I i.
3. 26. See Boundys in the Glossary ; and see Pref. § a.
D 2
36 NOTES.
14. 'This appears to mean, that the knight had himself acquired his
land, and held it in fee simple (verrey purchas}, not entailed nor settled ;
and that, consequently, he had a right to divide it among his children
as he pleased. The housbond in this case means a man who was kept
at home looking after his domestic business and his estates, and who
could not be wyde-wherS i.e, often far from home ; note by Mr.
Jephson. See 11. 58-61 below, which prove that the knight had partly
inherited his land, and partly won it by military service. Cf. Chaucer,
Prol.256(or258\ 319(0^21). In the Freres Tale (C.T. 7031) we find: —
' And here I ride about my pourchasing,
To wote wher men wol giue me any-thing ;
My pourchas is theffect of all my rente.'
I cannot think that Dr. Morris is right in explaining purchosyng by
' prosecution ' ; see Purchas in the Glossary.
1 6. Hadde, might have ; the subjunctive mood.
20. On lyue, in life ; now written a-livc or alive. Lyue is the dat.
case, governed by on, which constantly has the sense of ' in ' in A.S.
and M.E.
23. Ther, where. The reader should note this common idiom, or he
will miss the structure of the sentence. Cf. 11. 33, 52, 66, &c.
31. Ne dismay you nought, do not dismay yourself; i.e. be not
dismayed or dispirited.
32. ' God can tring good out of the evil that is now wrought.'
Boot, advantage, remedy, or profit, is continually contrasted with bale or
evil ; the alliteration of the words rendered them suitable for proverbial
phrases. One of the commonest is 'When bale is hext, then boot is
next,' i.e. when evil is highest (at its height), then the remedy is
nighest. This is one of the Proverbs of Hendyng ; see Specimens of
English, ed. Morris and Skeat, part ii. p. 40. So, in 1. 34, Boote of
bale means ' remedy of evil,' good out of evil. See note to 1. 631.
34. It is no nay, there is no denying it, it cannot be denied. So in
Chaucer, C. T. 8692, 9015.
39. That on, that other, the one, the other. Sometimes corruptly
written the ton, the father; and hence the vulgar English the tother.
48. "Whan he good cowde, when he knew what was good, i.e.
when he was old enough to know right from wrong ; or, as we now say,
when he came to years of discretion. Observe that the division of
land here proposed was not final ; for the good knight, being still
alive, altered it ; see 1. 54.
53. 'Saint Martin was a Hungarian by birth, and served in the
army under Constantius and Julian. He is represented in pictures as a
Roman knight on horseback, with his sword dividing his cloak into
two pieces, one of which he gives to a beggar. He was a strenuous
NOTES* 37
Opponent of the Arians, and died at Tours, where his relics were
preserved and honoured.' — Jephson. St. Martin's day, commonly
called Martinmas, is Nov. 1 1 . The knight swears by St. Martin in his
character of soldier. Cf. 1. 225.
57. Plowes, ploughlands ; see the Glossary.
62. The knight's intention was, evidently, that Gamelyn's share
should be the best. In Lodge's novel, Sir John gives to the eldest
'fourteen ploughlands, with all my manner-houses and my richest
plate ' ; to the second, ' twelve ploughlands ' ; but to the youngest,
says he, ' I give my horse, my armour, and my launce, with sixteene
ploughlands; for, if the inwarde thoughts be discovered by outward
shadows, Rosader wil exceed you all in bountie and honour.'
64. ' That my bequest may stand,' i.e. remain good.
67. Stoon-stille, as still as a stone. So Chaucer has 'as stille as
stoon' ; Clerkes Tale, 1. 121. See 11. 263, 423.
76. 'And afterwards he paid for it in his fair skin.' We should
now say, his recompense fell upon his own head.
78. Of good wil, readily, of their own accord. 'They of their
own accord feared him as being the strongest.' So also ' of thine own
good will,' Shak. Rich. II. iv. I. 177 ; 'by her good will,' Venus and
Adonis, 479. But the nearest parallel passage is in Octouian Imperator,
1. 561, pr. in Weber's Metrical Romances, iii. 180. It is there said of
some sailors who were chased by a lioness, that they ran away very
hastily ' with good wylle/ Cf. in wille, i. e. anxious, in 1. 173.
82. To handle his beard, i.e. to feel, by his beard, that he was of
full age. Lodge has a parallel passage. ' With that, casting up his
hand, he felt haire on his face, and perceiving his beard to bud, for
choler he began to blush, and swore to himselfe he would be no more
subject to such slaverie.' Cf. As You Like It, iii. 2. 218, 396.
90. ' Is our meat prepared,' i.e. is our dinner ready ? Our perhaps
means my, being used in a lordly style. See the next note.
92. Observe the use of the familiar thou, in place of the usual
respectful ye. This accounts for the elder brother's astonishment, as
expressed in the next line.
100. 'Brother by name, and brother in that only.'
101. That rape was of rees, who was hasty in his fit of passion.
Mr. Jephson's explanation ' deprived of reason for anger ' is incorrect.
Rape is hasty ; see the Glossary. Rees is the modern E. race, A. S.
roes, applied to any sudden course, whether bodily or mental ; cf. 1. 547.
So in Gower, ed. Pauli, i. 335, we find : —
' Do thou no-thinge in suche a rees,'
i.e. do nothing in such a sudden fit ; referring to Pyramus, who rashly
slew himself upon the hasty false assumption that Thisbe was dead.
38 NOTES.
102. Gadeling, fellow; a term of reproach. But observe that the
sarcasm lies in the similarity of the sound of the word to Gamelyn.
Hence Gamelyn's indignant reply. In P. Plowman, C. xi. 297, gade-
lynges are ranked with false folk, deceivers, and liars.
103. 'Thou shall be glad to get mere food and clothing.'
109. Ner, nigher, the old comparative form ; afterwards written
near, and wrongly extended to near-er, with a double comparative
suffix. Cf. 1. 135. 353-
A-foote, on foot ; not afoot, the length of a foot, as that would have
no final e.
115. Schal algate, must in any case.
1 16. This is obscure ; it may mean ' unless thou art the one (to doit);'
i. e. to give me the beating. In other words, Gamelyn dares his brother
to use the rod himself, not to delegate such an office to another.
But his brother was much too wary to take such advice ; he preferred to
depute the business to his men.
121. Ouer-al, all about, all round, everywhere.
122. Stood, i.e. which stood. The omission of the relative is
common.
125. Good woon, good store ; plentifully.
129. For his eyje, for awe of him. His is not the possessive pro
noun here, but the genitive of the personal pronoun.
130. By halues, lit. by sides; i.e. some to one side, some to the
other. Drowe by halves = sidled away.
131. • May ye prosper ill !' Cf. Chaucer, Pard. Tale (Group C), 1. 947.
136. 'I will teach thee some play with the buckler.' An allusion to
the ' sword and buckler play/ described in Strutt, Sports and Pastimes,
bk. iii. ch. 6. § 22. Not unlike our modern ' single-stick,' but with the
addition of a buckler on the left arm. Strutt gives a picture from a
Bodleian MS., dated 1344, in which clubs or bludgeons are substituted
for swords ; and, no doubt, the swords used in sport were commonly
of wood. Gamelyn is speaking jocosely ; he had no buckler, but he
had a wooden ' pestel,' which did very well for a sword.
137. ' By Saint Richard was a favourite oath 1 with the outlaws of
Robin Hood's stamp, probably because of his Saxon extraction ' ;
Jephson. Mr. Jephson adds the following quotation from the English
Martyrologe, 1608. 'Saint Richard, King and Confessor, was sonne to
Lotharius, King of Kent, who, for the love of Christ, taking upon him
a long peregrination, went to Rome for devotion to that sea [see], and,
on his way homeward, died at Lucca, about the year of Christ 750,
where his body is kept until this day, with great veneration, in the
1 No quotation is given to support this assertion.
NOTES. 39
oratory and chappell of St Frigidian, and adorned with an epitaph
both in verse and prose.' But this is altogether beside the mark ; for
Mr. Jephson certainly refers to the wrong saint. There were four
St. Richards, commemorated, respectively, on Feb. 7> April 3, June 9,
and August 21 ; see Alban Butler's Lives of the Saints. The day of
the Saxon king is Feb. 7 ; but he could hardly have been so fresh in the
memory of Englishmen as the more noted St. Richard, bishop of
Chichester, who'died in 1253, and was Canonised in 1262; his day
being April 3. There is a special fitness in the allusiorrto this latter
saint, because he was a pattern of brotherly love, and Johan is here
deprecating Gamelyn's anger. Alban Butler says of him : ' The un
fortunate situation of his eldest brother's affairs gave him an occasion of
exercising his benevolent disposition. Richard condescended to become
his brother's servant, undertook the management of his farms, and by
his industry and generosity effectually retrieved his brother's before
distressed circumstances.' His name still appears in our Prayer-books.
154. 'And mind that thou blame me, unless I soon grant it.'
156. 'If we are to be at one,' i. e. to be reconciled. Cf. 1. 166.
158. 'Thou must cause me to possess it, if we are not to quarrel.'
1 60. We should now say — ' All that your father left you, and more
too, if you would like to have it.' The offer is meant to be very
liberal.
164. ' As he well knew (how to do).'
167. ' In no respect he knew with what sort of a false treason his
brother kissed him.' Whiche is cognate with the Latin qualis, and has
here the same sense.
171. ' There was a wrestling-match proclaimed there, hard by.'
172. 'And, as prizes for it, there were exhibited a ram and a ring.'
In Lodge's novel, 'a day of wrastling and tournament ' is appointed by
Torimond, king of France. In Chaucer's Prologue, 1. 548 (or 550) we
find: 'At wrastling he wolde bere awey the ram.' On this Tyrwhitt
has the following note : ' This was the usual prize at wrestling-matches.
See C. T. 1. 13671 [Sir Thopas, st. 5], and Gamelyn, 11. 184, 280.
Matthew Paris mentions a wrestling match at Westminster, A.D. 1222,
at which a ram was the prize.' In Strutt's Sports and Pastimes, bk. ii,
ch. 2, § 14, two men are represented as wrestling for a live cock. Strutt
also quotes a passage from ' A mery Geste of Robin Hode,' which gives
an account of a wrestling, at which the following prizes were ' set up '
(the same phrase being used as here), viz. a white bull, a courser with
saddle and bridle, a pair of gloves, a red gold ring, and a pipe of wine !
199. ' Why dost thou thus behave ? ' i. e. make this lamentation. Cf.
As You Like It, i. 2. 133-140.
204. 'Unless God be surety for them,' i.e. ensure their recovery,
40 NOTES.
The story supposes that the two sons are not slain, but greatly disabled ;
as Shakespeare says, ' there is little hope of life ' in them.
206. With the nones, on the occasion that, provided that. For the
nones, for the occasion, stands for for then ones, for the once ; so here
with the nones = with then ones, with the once. Then is the dat. case
of the article, being a weakened form of A.S. Odtn. Cf. 1. 456.
207. "Wilt thow wel doon, if thou wishest to do a kind deed.
214. Drede not of, fear not for.
217. ' How he dared adventure himself, to prove his strength upon
him that was so doughty a champion ? '
224. Whil he couthe go, whilst he was able to go about.
230. A moche schrewe thou were, thou wast a great doer of
mischief. Gamelyn retorts that he is now a more, i. e. a still greater
doer of mischief. Moche is often used of size. In Havelok, 1. 982, more
than the meste=\>\gger than the biggest.
236. G-onne goon, did go. Gonne is a mere auxiliary verb.
237. ' The champion tried various sleights upon Gamelyn, who was
prepared for them.'
240. Fast aboute, busily employed, trying your best. Cf. 1. 785.
248. Spoken ironically, ' shall it be counted as a throw, or as none ? '
249. "Whether, &c., whichever it be accounted.
253. Of him, &c., he stood in no awe of him. Instead of our
modern expression * he stood in awe of him,' the M. E. expression is,
usually, 'he stood awe of him,' suppressing in. It probably arose
out of the very construction here used, viz. ' awe of him stood to
him,' i.e. arose in him. However that may be, the idiom is common.
Thus, in Barbour's Bruce, iii. 62 : —
* Quhen that the lord of Lome saw
His men stand off him ane sik awe.'
In Havelok, 1. 277 : —
'Al Engelond of him stod awe,
Al Engelond was of him adrad.'
So also : ' he stode of him non eye ' ; Rob. of Brunne, tr. of Langtoft,
p. 8, 1. 24. So also in Wallace, v. 929, vi. 878.
255. ' Who was not at all well pleased.'
256. ' He is master of us all.'
257. • It is full yore ago ' ; it is very long ago.
262. "Wil nomore, desires no more, has had enough.
270. 'This fair is done.' A proverb, meaning that the things of the
fair are all sold, and there is no more business to be done.
271. 'As I hope to do well, I have not yet sold up the half of my
ware ' ; i. e. I have more to offer. The wrestler, in spite of his pain,
utters the grim joke that Gamelyn sells his ware too dearly.
NOTES, 41
272. Haluendel is for A.S. healfne dael orjtone healfan da>l, the accusa
tive case. The word of is to be understood after it. See Zupitza's
Notes to Guy of Warwick.
273. See note to 1. 334.
276. Lakkest, dispraisest, decriest. In P. Plowman, B. v. 130, we
find 'to blame mennes ware' ; and, only two lines below, the equivalent
phrase ' to lakke his chaffare.'
277. 'By Saint James in Galicia.' In Chaucer's Prologue, the Wife
of Bath had been ' in Galice at Seint Jame.' The shrine of St. James,
at Compostella in Galicia, was much frequented by pilgrims. See my
note to P. Plowman, B. prol. 47. It is remarkable that the whole of this
line is quoted from A Poem on the Times of Edw. II., 1. 475 ; see
Political Songs, ed. Wright, p. 345. It occurs again below, 1. 764.
278. 'Yet it is too cheap, that which thou hast bought.' The
franklin tells the defeated wrestler that it is not for him to call
Gamelyn's ware dear, for he has, in fact, been let off much too cheaply.
Our modern cheap is short for good cheap, i. e. bought in good market.
To buy in a good cheap was shortened to to buy good cheap, and finally
became to buy cheap.
281. Haue, have, receive, take.
285. Bowte, company. We are to suppose that a crowd of Gamelyn's
admirers accompanied him home. In Lodge's novel, the elder brother
' sawe wher Rosader returned with the garland on his head, as having
won the prize, accompanied with a crue of boon companions ; greeved
at this, he stepped in and shut the gate.'
297. See note to 1. 334.
302. Though, thou haddest swore, though thou hadst sworn (the
contrary). This curious phrase occurs also in Chaucer, Kn. Tale, 1. 231,
where ' although we hadde it sworn ' is equivalent to ' though we had
sworn (the contrary).*
312. ' That desired either to walk or to ride in.' Go, when opposed
to ride, means to go on foot, to walk.
318. And 3e wil doon after me, if ye will act according to my
advice ; spoken parenthetically.
321. Oure catour, caterer for us. Oure aller purs, the purse of
us all. Cf. 1. 256.
324. Largely, liberally ; the usual old meaning.
328. No cheste, no strife, no quarrelling.
334. So, &c., 'as I hope to enjoy the use of my eye' ; lit. 'as I may
tise my eye.' This phrase occurs also in Havelok, 2545 : 'So mote ich
brouke mi rith eie,' as I hope to have the use of my right eye. And
again in the same, 1. 1 743, with the substitution of 'finger or toe' for 'right
eye'; and in 1. 311, with the substitution of 'mi blake swire,' i.e.
43 NOTES.
my black neck ; cf. 11. 273, 297 above. See also 11. 407, 489, 567. Even
Chaucer has : ' So mot I brouke wel myn eyen twaye,' as I hope to make
good use of my two eyes ; Nonne Prestes Tale, 479.
338. Bitaughte is used in two senses ; they commended Gamelyn to
God's protection, and bade him good day.
345. Mangerye, feast, lit. an eating. It occurs in P. Plowman,
C. xiii. 46 ; Wyclif, Works, ed. Arnold, i. 4. In Sir Amadace, st. 55, a
wedding-feast is called a maungery, and lasted 40 days; Early Eng.
Metrical Romances, ed. Robson, p. 49. Cf. 11. 434, 464.
352. Pul neer, much nearer. See note to 1. 109.
366. lohan was pronounced like mod. E. Joan, and rimes with noon,
pronounced as noan. So also in Chaucer, Man of Lawes Tale, 1. 1019.
367. ' By my faith ' ; cf. 1. 555. Chaucer has • by my fey ' ; Kn. Tale,
268.
368. ' If thou thinkest the same as thou sayst, may God requite it
thee ! '
372. Tho, when. Threwe, didst throw ; observe the absence of -st
in the suffix of the second person of the past tense of strong verbs.
373. Moot, meeting, assembly, concourse of people ; in allusion to
the crew of companions whom Gamelyn introduced. Moreover, the
word moot was especially used of an assembly of men in council, like
our modern meeting. But it is, perhaps, simpler to take it in the sense
of hostile meeting, dispute, strife; cf. St. Katharine, 1. 1314, and cf.
M. E. motien, to dispute. Indeed, as the rimes are often imperfect, the
original word may have been mood, i. e. anger.
376. It was not uncommon, to prevent a person from being forsworn,
that the terms of an oath should be literally fulfilled ; cf. Merch. Ven. iv.
i. 326. In his novel, Lodge avoids all improbability by a much simpler
device. He makes the eldest brother surprise the youngest in his sleep.
' On a morning very early he cald up certain of his servants, and went
with them to the chamber of Rosader, which being open, he entered with
his crue, and surprized his brother when he was asleepe, and bound him
with fetters,' &c.
382. Here, as in 1. 420, all the MSS. have honde. The final e prob
ably represents the dative or instrumental case, and the correct reading
\sfote and honde, as in MSS. Pt. and Ln. in both passages.
386. "Wood, mad. It was common to bind and starve madmen, and
to treat them cruelly. Even Malvolio was to be put 'in a dark room
and bound'; Tw. Nt. iii. 4. 147. Cf. As You Like It, iii. 2. 421.
394. Or, ere, before ; not 'or.' Be, been.
398. ' Spence, or (according to the original French form of the
word) despense, was the closet or room in convents and large houses
where the victuals, wine, and plate were locked up ; and the person who
NOTES. 43
had the charge of it was called the spencer, or the despencer. Hence
originated two common family names.' — Wright. The spence, however,
like the spencer, owed its name to the O.F. verb despendre, to spend ; as
explained in my Etym. Diet., s.v. Spend. See the Glossary. Lodge re
tains the name of Adam Spencer ; whence Adam in Shakespeare.
411. 'Upon such an agreement.'
413. 'All as I may prosper' ; as I hope to thrive.
414. 'I will hold covenant with thee, if thou wilt loose me.'
430. "Wher I go, whether shall I go. Wher is a contracted form of
whether, like or for other. Girde of, strike off.
433. That this, &c., that this is a thing not to be denied, a sure thing.
438. Hem, them, i. e. the fetters (understood) ; cf. 1. 498.
441. Borwe the, be surety for thee, go bail for thee.
444. Do an other, act in another way, try another course. There is
no authority for inserting thing after other.
445. Lodge says : ' and at the ende of the hall shall you see stand a
couple of good pollaxes, one for you and another for me.'
449. ' If we must in any case absolve them of their sin.' Said
jocosely ; he was going to absolve them after a good chastisement.
451. St. Charity was the daughter of St. Sophia, who christened her
three daughters Fides > Spes, and Caritas ; see Butler's Lives of the Saints
(Aug. i).
453. Lodge says : 'When I give you a wincke,' &c.
456. For the nones, for the occasion ; see note to 1. 206.
460. Leste and meste, least and greatest.
461. Halle, of the hall; A. S. healle, gen. case of heal, a hall. In
1. 496, we may take halle-dore as a compound word, but halle is still a
genitive form.
471. Ther that, where that; as commonly.
481. 'Who beggeth for thee (to come) out of prison, or who may be
surety for thee ; but ever may it be well with them that cause thee much
sorrow.'
485. 'All that may be surety for thee, may evil befal them.'
489. So, &c., ' as I hope to make use of my bones,' lit. bone.
503. 'Gamelyn sprinkles holy water with an oaken sprig.' Said
jocosely ; Gamelyn flourishes his staff like one who sprinkles holy water.
A spire is properly a springing shoot, hence a sprig or sapling. See the
Glossary.
509. Mr. Jephson here remarks as follows :— ' The hatred of church
men, of holy water, and of everything connected with the church,
observable in all the ballads of this class, is probably owing to the fact,
that William the Conqueror and his immediate successors systematically
removed the Saxon bishops and abbots, and intruded Normans in their
44 NOTES.
stead into all the valuable preferments in England. But there were also
other grounds for the odium in which these foreign prelates were held.
Sharing in the duties of the common law judges, they participated in
the aversion with which the functionaries of the law were naturally
regarded by outlaws and robbers,' &c. He also quotes, from the Lytel
Geste of Robin Hood, the following :
' These bysshopes and these archebysshoppes,
Ye shall them beete and bynde ;
The high sheryfe of Notynghame,
Hym holde ye in your myndeJ
It may be added that Lodge entirely omits here all mention of abbot,
prior, monk, or canon. Times had changed.
514. ' Pay a liberal allowance,' i. e. deal your blows bountifully.
So euer, &c., ' as sure as ever I hear mass.' Cf. 1. 595.
520. Telle largely, count fully.
523. The croune, i.e. the crown of each man's head; alluding to
the tonsure. It means, do not spoil the tonsure on their crowns, but
break their legs and arms,
531. Cold reed, cold counsel, unprofitable counsel. So in Chaucer,
Nonne Prestes Tale, 435, 436, we find : ' Wommennes counseils ben ful
ofte colde; Wommannes counseil broughte us first to woo' Storm notes
the same idiom in Icelandic, kold eru opt kvenna-rdS, women's counsels
are oft-times fatal ; see kaldr in the Icel. Diet. So Shakespeare has
'colder tidings' ; Rich. Ill, iv. 4. 536. Cf. 1. 759 below.
532. ' It had been better for us.' Cf. 1. 621.
533. This is ironical, and refers, as Mr. Jephson rightly says, to the
laying on of hands, whereby Gamelyn made his victims deacons and
priests after a new fashion of his own.
543. Here loue, love of them; here awe, awe of them. Here —
A.S. hira, gen. pi. of hi, he. Hence here means ' their,' as in 1. 569.
558. Ther . . inne, wherein (Gamelyn was).
567. ' As I hope to have the use of my chin.' See note to 1. 334.
578. 'I will repay thee for thy words, when I see my opportunity.'
583. It ben, they are ; lit. it are. A common idiom in Middle
English. See P. Plowman, C. vi. 59, ix. 217, xvi. 309 ; and compare it
am I, as in Chaucer, Man of Lawes Tale, 1. 1109.
588. 'Make their beds in the fen,' i.e. lie down in the fen or mud.
596. Spoken ironically. Adam offers them some refreshment. They
reply, that his wine is not good, being too strong ; indeed, so strong
that it will not only, like ordinary wine, steal away a man's brains, but
even take them out of his head altogether, so that they lie scattered in
his hood. In other words, Adam's staff breaks their heads, and lets
the brains out.
NOTES. 45
606. 'It is better for us to be there at large.'
609. Lodge says that they 'tooke their way towards the forest of
Arden.'
610. 'Then the sheriff found the nest, but no egg (in it).' So also in
William of Palerne, 1. 83 : ' Than fond he nest and no neij * for noujt nas
ther leued' ; i. e, for nothing was left there. No nei^ = non eil, no egg.
6 1 6. And loke how he fare, and let us see how he may fare.
6 1 8. Here Adam merely expresses disgust of his new mode of life.
In Lodge's novel, he begins to faint, being old. Cf. 1. 817.
621. Leuer me were, it would be preferable for me.
631. 'After misery comes help.' So in the Proverbs of Hendyng,
as said above, in note to 1. 32. Trench, in his book On Proverbs, quotes
a Hebrew proverb : — When the tale of bricks is doubled, Moses comes.
642. ' Whoso looked aright,' i. e. if one were to look carefully.
651. I. e. I only curse (or blame) myself if I yield.
652. 'Though ye fetched five more, ye would then be only twelve
in number.' He means that he would fight twelve of them.
660. In Lodge's novel, the chief is ' Gerismond the lawful! King of
France, banished by Torismond, who with a lustie crue of Outlawes
lived in that Forrest.' But the present text evidently refers to an
English outlaw, such as Robin Hood.
666. ' I will adventure myself as far as the door.' Spoken proverbi
ally, there being no door in the wood. He means that he will venture
within sight of the chief. Hadde mete, might have food.
689. ' His peace was made ' ; i. e. his pardon had been obtained.
698. 'And caused his brother to be indicted.'
700. Wolues-heed, wolf's head. 'This was the ancient Saxon
formula of outlawry, and seems to have been literally equivalent to
setting the man's head at the same estimate as a wolf's head. In the
laws of Edward the Confessor [§ 6], it is said of a person who has fled
justice, ' Si postea repertus fuerit et teneri possit, vivus regi reddatur,
vel caput ipsius si se defenderit; lupinum enim caput geret a die
utlagacionis sue, quod ab Anglis -wluesheued nominatur. Et hec
sententia communis est de omnibus utlagis.' — Wright. See Thorpe,
Ancient Laws, &c., i. 445.
701. Of his men, i.e. (some) of his men.
703. ' How the wind was turned ' ; i. e. which way the wind blew,
as we now say.
704. 'When a man's lands were seized by force or unjustly, the
peasantry on the estates were exposed to be plundered and ill-treated
by the followers of the intruder.' — Wright.
707. 'The messengers of ill tidings, however innocent themselves,
often experienced all the first anger of the person to whom they carried
46 NOTES.
them, in the ages of feudal power. Hence the bearer of ill news
generally began by deprecating the wrath of the person addressed.' —
Wright. This was not, however, peculiar to those times. Cf. Sophocles,
Antigone, 228; t Hen. IV. i. I. 100; Rich. III. iv. 4. 510; Macb. v.
5-39-
709. 'I.e. has obtained government of the bailiwick. In former
times . . the high sheriff was the officer personally responsible for the
peace of his bailiwick, which he maintained by calling out the posse
comitatus to assist him.' — Jephson.
710. Doth the crie, causes thee to be proclaimed.
713. 'Greet well my husbands (i.e. servants) and their wives.' The
A.S. -wif was a neuter substantive, and remained unchanged in the
plural, like sheep and deer in modem English. We find wif as a pi.
form also in Layamon, 1. 1507. The present is a very late example.
714. 'I will (soon) be in the next shire,' i. e. I will soon come to the
adjoining county. This expression shows that the author is really laying
the scene in England. In venturing into the shire of which his brother
was sheriff, Gamelyn was boldly putting himself into his brother's
power.
718. 'Put down his hood,' lowered his hood, so as to show his face.
724. Leet take Gamelyn, caused (men) to take Gamelyn ; we now
say ' caused Gamelyn to be taken,' changing the verb from active to
passive. The active use of the verb is universal in such phrases in
Middle English, and is still common in German. ' Er Hess Gamelyn
nehmen.' Cf. 1. 733.
727. Ote is not a common name; we find mention of 'Sir Otes de
Lile' in Libius Disconius, 1. 1103, m the Percy Folio MS., ii. 455.
732. "Wonder sory, wonderfully sorry. Nothing light, in no degree
light-hearted.
738. ' May evil befall such another brother (as thou art).'
744. ' I offer to bail him,' lit. I bid for him for bail ; mainprise
being a sb., and him a dative case. Mr. Jephson says — ' I demand that
he be granted to me on mainprise, or bail, till the assize for general
gaol-delivery.'
75 2. • Cause (men) to deliver him at once, and to hand him over to me.'
761. Sit, sits; short for sitteth. Such contractions are common in
the 3rd pers. sing, of the pres. indicative. So also jfo;tf=standeth, &c.
See note to 1. 806. In 1. 749, sitte means ' may sit.'
779. Cors, curse. He was never cursed by those with whom he had
dealings. This can only refer to the poor whom he never oppressed.
The author quietly ignores the strong language of the churchmen whom
he stripped of everything. This is precisely the tone adopted in the
Robin Hood ballads.
NOTES. 47
785. Past aboute, busily employed. See 1. 240.
786. To hyre the quest, to suborn the jury. See 1. 801.
790. Seet, should sit. The A.S. for sat is sxt, but for should sit
(3rd pers. sing, of the pt. t. subj.) is sxte. The latter became the
M.E. seete ; hence seet, by loss of the final e. It rimes with beheet
(A.S. behif).
806. Spet, short for speedeth ; see note to 1. 761.
834. Of, in. So in Shakespeare, Jul. Csesar, ii. i. 157— 'We shall
find 0/"him A shrewd contriver.'
840. The quest is oute, the verdict is (already) delivered.
852. The barre, the bar in front of the justice's seat ; see 11. 860, 867.
864. ' It seemed a very long time to him.'
871. Sisours, jury-men. I copy the following from my note on
P. Plowman, B. 2. 62. 'The exact signification of sisour does not seem
quite certain, and perhaps it has not always the same meaning. The
Low- Latin name was assissores or assissiarii, interpreted by Ducange to
mean ' qui a principe vel a domino feudi delegati assisias tenent ' ;
whence Halliwell's explanation of sisour as a person deputed to hold
assizes. Compare —
'J>ys fals men, ]>at beyn sy sours,
J>at for hate a trew man wyl endyte,
And a fefe for syluer quyte.'
Robert of Brunne, Handlyng Synne, 1335.
Mr. Furnivall's note says — ' Sysour, an inquest-man at assizes. The
sisour was really a juror, though differing greatly in functions and in
position from what jurymen subsequently became ; see Forsyth's Hist,
of Trial by Jury.' In the tale of Gamelyn, however, it is pretty clear
that ' the twelve sisours that weren of the quest ' were simply the twelve
gentlemen of the jury, who were hired to give false judgment (1. 786).'
Blount, in his Law Dictionary, says of assisors, that ' in Scotland
(according to Skene) they are the same with our jurors.' The following
stanza from A Poem on the Times of Edw. II., 11. 469-474 (printed in
Political Songs, ed. Wright, p. 344) throws some light on the text: —
' And thise assisours, that comen to shire and to hundred,
Damneth men for silver, and that nis no wonder.
For whan the riche justise wol do wrong for mede,
Thanne thinketh hem thei muwen the bet, for thei han more nede
to winne.
Ac so is al this world ablent, that no man douteth sinne.'
880. ' To swing about with the ropes, and to be dried in the wind*
88 1. 'Sorrow may he have who cares for it.' Not an uncommon
phrase. In P. Plowman, B. vi. 122, it appears as 'J>e deuel haue fat
reccheth,' i. e. take him who regrets it.
48 NOTES.
885. This seems to mean, * he was hanged by the neck, and not by
the purse.' That is, he was really hanged, and not merely made to
suffer in his purse by paying a fine; cf. Ch. Prol. 657.
889. Of the best assise, in the truest manner ; cf. L 544.
900. ' Buried under the earth.'
901. ' No man can escape it'
GLOSSARIAL INDEX.
The usual contractions occur, such as A. S. = Anglo-Saxon ; M. E. =
Middle English ; F. = French ; Icel. = Icelandic (Cleasby and Vigfusson) ;
O. F. = Old French ; Prompt. Parv. — Promptorium Parvulorum, ed. Way
(Camden Society). For the etymology of words that are still in use, the
reader is referred to my Etymological Dictionary, or to the abridgment of
it entitled 'A Concise Etymological Dictionary of the English Language.'
The following abbreviations are employed in a special sense : v. = verb in
the infinitive mood ; pr. s. or pt. s. means the third person singular of the
present or past tense indicative, except when I or 2 (for first person or
second person) is prefixed ; similarly, pr. pi. or pt. pi. refers to the third
person plural of the same tenses ; imp. s. means the second person singular of
the imperative mood. The references are to the lines of the Poem.
A fyue myle, a (space of) five
miles, 545.
Abegge, v. pay for, 816. A. S.
dbycgan, to buy, pay for. Hence
Tudor-E. abide, by mistake for
aby. See Aboughte.
Abide, pp. dwelt, remained, 337.
The i is short. A. S. dbiden, pp.
of dbidan. See Abyde.
Aboughte, pt. s. paid (for it), 76.
See Abegge.
Aboute, in phr. fast aboute, i.e.
very eager, busily employed, 240,
785.
Abyde, ger. to await, 24.
Adam, 398, 399, 403, &c.
A-dight, pp. treated, 731 ; accou
tred, 628, 641. From A. S. a-,
intensive prefix ; and diktan, to
arrange, borrowed from Lat. die-
tare.
Adoun, adv. down, 149, 679.
Adrad, pp. afraid, 562. Pp. of
adreden, to fear greatly ; A. S. of-
dr&dan.
Afore, prep, before, 656.
Aforn, adv. before, in front, 806.
After, prep, according to, 56 ; Aftir,
819; After me, according to my
counsel, 318 ; Sente after, sent
for, 17.
Agast, pp. afraid (in a good sense),
7; afraid, terrified, 128, 152,287,
383, 526, 810.
Algate, adv. in any case, by all
means, 115,449.
Aller, of all ; Our aller, of us all,
321. See Alther. A-.S.ealra,
gen. pi. of eal, all.
Allowe, v. approve, make good,
recompense, 578. O. F. allouer,
from Lat. allaudare.
Almight, adj. almighty, 631. A.S.
cdmiht.
GLOSS AR1AL INDEX.
Alonged, pp. filled with longing,
636. From the pp. of A. S. of-
langian, to long after.
Al-so, adv. just as, as, 227 ; as, 379.
Alther, gen. pi. adj. of all ; Our
alther, of us all, 256. A later
form of Aller, which see.
Altogidere, adv. wholly, 730*
Amonges, prep, amongst, 836.
Amys, adv. amiss, wrongly, 37.
And, con/, if, 156, 318, 368, 414,
797, 819, 876. Often shortened
to an, esp. in later times ; but
really identical with the usual co
pulative conjunction.
Anon, adv. immediately, at once,
69, 115, 117; Anoon, 219, 849.
A. S. on an, lit. in one (moment).
Anon-right, adv. straightway, 734.
AT, adv. ere, before this, till now, 96 ;
Ar that, ere that, 605. A. S. cer.
Aright, adv. rightly, I, 29, 642.
Ariseth, imp. pi. arise ye, 643.
Arinure, s. armour, 98.
Arst, adv. erst, formerly, before,
538. A. S. terest, superl. of cer;
see Ar.
Aspyed, pp. espied, 490.
Assise, s. assize, 870, 889.
Assoile, v. absolve, 449 ; Assoyled,
pp. 516.
Atte (for at the), at the, 136, 464 ;
Atte gate, at the gate, 575 ; Atte
laste, at the last, finally, 408 ; Atte
mete, at meat, 629.
A-twynne, adv. asunder, 317.
Auauncement, s. advancement,
promotion, 418.
Auentures, s. pi. adventures, 777.
Auntre, v. adventure myself, 666 ;
Auntre him, adventure himself,
217. Short for aventure, old form
of adventure.
Auow, s. vow, 378. Not an un
common form ; used by Chaucer.
Awe, s. awe, fear, 543.
Awreke, pp. avenged, 723, 824.
A. S. dwrecen, pp. of d-wrecan, to
avenge.
Ay, s. egg, 610. See the note.
A. S. <Kg. * It was not worthe an
ay ' ; Rob. of Brunne, tr. of Lang-
toft, p. 181, 1. 8.
Ajein, adv. again, 771 ; ASCII, back
again, 528.
Ajein, prep, against, 548. A. S.
ongean.
B.
Baillye, s. bailiwick, power of a
bailiff, 709. ' Baillie, seigneury,
government, authority ; . . . also
a bailiwick, or country [i.e. county]
justiceship ' ; Cotgrave.
Bale, s. mischief, evil, 32, 34. 631.
A. S. bealu.
Barre, s. bar (of justice), 852,867.
Be, 2 pr. pi. as fut. will be, 652;
2 pr. s. subj. mayest be, 1 1 6.
Beheet, pt. s. promised, 788. A. S.
behet, pt. t. of be-hdtan, to pro
mise. See Biheet.
Bende, s. bond, captivity, 837 ;
Bendes, pi. bonds, fetters, 457.
A. S. bend, a bond.
Berde, s. beard, 82.
Bet, adv. better, 112.
Beten, pp. beaten, 115; Beteth,
imp. pi. beat ye, ill.
Bi-falle, pp. happened, 685.
Biheet, I pt. s. promised, 378 ; pt.
s. 418. A. S. behet, pt. t. of be-
hdtan. See Beheet.
Bileued, pp. left, 98 ; cf. 1. 86.
Biquath, 360. See Byquethe.
Bisyde, prep, beside, 181.
Bitaughte, pt. s. commended, 338.
See the note.
Blyue, adv. quickly, 19, 585. Short
for by lyue, i. e. with life, in a
lively way.
Bokeler, s. buckler, 136. See the
note.
Bon, s. bone, 489. See Boones.
Bond, pt. s. bound, 818.
Bonde-men, pi. husbandmen, la
bourers, 699. The prefix has no
connection with the verb to bind,
GLOSSARIAL INDEX.
but is the same as Icel. buandi,
bondi, a tiller of the soil.
Boone, s. boon, 153 ; Bone, 149.
Boones, pi. bones, 142. See Bon.
Boote, 34, 631. See Bote.
Bore, pp. born, 201, 252. Short
for A. S. boren.
Borwe, s. pledge, bail, 795. A. S.
borh, borg.
Borwe, v. go bail for, 441 ; pr. pi.
subj. 485 ; pr. s. subj. preserve,
save, 204. A. S. borgian.
Bote, s. remedy, help, good, 32 ;
Boote, 34, 631. A.S. b6t.
Bothen, both, 625.
Boundys, a place-name; perhaps =
bounds, marches, border-land ; or
possibly Bons, near Falaise in Nor
mandy. The Camb. MS. li. 3. 26
has Burdeuxs, Bordeaux. See 1. 3.
BOUT, s. bower, apartment, 405.
A.S. bur.
Bourde, s. jest, 858. ' Bourde, a
jeast, fib, tale of a tub ' ; Cotgrave.
Broke-bak, broken-backed, 720.
Brother, gen. brother's, 316.
Brouke, i pr. s. subj. may have the
use of, as (I) hope to continue to
use, 273, 334, 407, 489, 567;
Browke, 297. See note to 1. 334.
A. S. brucan, to use, enjoy.
But, con/, unless, 154.
But-if, conj. unless, 204, 749.
By, prep, during, 65.
Byforn, adv. beforehand, 452.
Bygan, pt. s. began (to show it), 6 ;
began, 82.
Byleued,/#. left, 86. See Bileued.
Bylynne, v. tarry, 557. A.S.
blinnan, short for belinnan, to
cease ; from A. S. linnan, to be
deprived of.
Byquethe, I pr. s. bequeath, 62 ;
Byquath, pt. s. 99, 157, 160.
Byreued, pp. stolen, 85, 97. E.
bereave.
Byseke, I pr. s. beseech, 35, 63.
Bysiden, adv. close by, 171; Her
bisyde, close by here, 178.
Byspak, pt. s. spake, addressed
(him), 101.
By-stad,/>/>. bestead, circumstanced,
676.
Bystrood, pt. s. bestrode, 189.
C.
Cam, pt. s. came, 282, 285.
Care, s. grief, sorrow, trouble, 200,
275. 6I5.
Cared, pt. s. was anxious, thought
anxiously, II.
Cark, s. charge, responsibility, 760.
Anglo-F. cark, the same word as
F. charge, a load, charge.
Cart-staf, cart-staff, 590. (Perhaps
a staff to support the shafts of a
cart).
Cast, s. throw, 248.
Caste, pt. s. cast ; Caste tomes, tried
tricks, 237.
Catour, s. caterer, provider, 321.
Short for acatour ; from Anglo-F.
acate, acat, the same as F. achat,
a buying, purchase.
Champioun,s. champion, 203, 218,
219, 223, 227, &c.
Chanoun, s. canon, 509, 781.
Charite, s. charity, love ; For seinte
charite, for the sake of St. Charity,
513 ; also used with hi, 451. Cf.
Chaucer, Kn. Tale, 863. Ophelia
also says by Saint Charity ; Haml.
iv. 5. 58. (There was such a
saint ; see note.)
Cheep, s. market ; To good cheep,
too cheaply, lit. ' in too good a
market,' 278.
Cheere, s. face; Foul cheere, dis
pleased look, 319; Foul chere,
534-
Chese, imp. s. choose, 180. A. S.
ceosan.
Cheste, s. quarrelling, dispute, 328.
A. S. ceast, strife, dispute, con
tention.
Clepeth, pr. s. calls, 106 ; Clepide,
pt. s. no. A.S. cleopian.
Cleuede, pt. $. cleft, 850. The
E 2
GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.
A. S. cleofan, to cleave, is properly
a strong verb, with pt. t. deaf.
Cold, adj. evil, discouraging, 531,
759-
Colen, ger. to cool, 540.
Come, 2 pt. s. hast come, 222 ;
Com, pt. s. came, 68 ; Come, I
pr. s. subj. may come, 795 ; Comen,
pt.pl. came, 23, 386, 388 ; Comen,
pp. 10, 291.
Compas, adv. in a circle, 629. A
similar u?e of compos for in compos
occurs in the Cursor Mundi, 2275
— ' Ten myle compos al aboute/
Conne, 2 pr. pi. know, 63.
Contek, s. strife, quarrel, 132. O.F.
contek, strife.
Continaunce, s. demeanour, 262.
Cors, s. curse, 779. See Curs.
Counseil, s. counsel, 42.
Couthe, pt. s. knew (how), 164 ;
could, 466 ; Cowthe, knew, 244 ;
Cowthe, could, 174 ; Cowde, knew,
4, 48 (see note). A. S. cude, pt. t.
of cunnan.
Croune, s. the clerical tonsure, 523.
Cryed, pp. proclaimed, 171, 183,
700.
Curs, s. curse, 8, 100. A. S. curs.
D.
Dalte, pt. s. divided, 65 ; Dalten,
pt. pi. 45. See Delen.
Day, s. life-time, 12, 65.
Dede, pt. s. did, 75, 426, 858;
Dede feteren, caused to be fettered,
866.
Deed, pp. dead, 69.
Deel, s. share, 635. A. S. dad.
Delen, v. divide, 18 ; ger. 43 ; Dele,
v. 56 ; ger. 42 ; Deled, pp. 49 ;
Deleth, imp. pi. 37. See Dalte.
A. S. dadan.
Delyueraunce, s. gaol-delivery,
745-
Deme, ger. to condemn, 863. A. S.
demon, from dom.
Deyde, pt. s. died, 68.
Dight,/>/>. treated, served, 344, 730 ;
executed, 847 ; Yuel dight, in bad
order, 87; Dighteth, imp.pl. get
ready, 793. A. S. dihtan, bor
rowed from Lat. dictare.
Dismay sou, imp. pi. re/I, be dis
mayed, 31 ; Dismaye the, imp. s.
rejl. be dismayed, 623, 763.
Do, v. cause, make, 158; pr. s.
subj. may do, 492 ; Do on, imp. s.
put on, 269 ; Do, pp. done, 144,
798. See Doon.
Dolfully, adv. dolefully, 475.
Domes, pi. judgments, sentences,
847, 870. A. S. dom.
Doon, v. do, 207; pp. done, in.
A. S. ddn, pp. dbn. See Do.
Dore, s. door, 127.
Doughty, adj. brave, a.
Doute, s. fear, 630.
Doutiden, pt.pl. feared, 78 ; Dowt,
imp. s. fear, 517.
Dredden, pt. pi. dreaded, 309.
Dressen, v. to order, divide evenly,
18; re-arrange, 848 ; Dressed,/)/),
evenly divided, 15 ; Dresseth,
imp. pi. divide evenly, 36. F.
dresser.
Drewen hem awey, withdrew
themselves, 308. See Drowe.
Dronke, pt. pi. drank, 68 1 ; pp.
334-
Drowe, pt.pl. drew backwards, 130.
See Drewen.
Drye, v. to dry ; With the wynde
drye, to be dried by the wind, 880.
Dure, v. last, hold out, 831. F.
durer.
Dwel, imp. s. dally, 579.
Dyner, s. dinner, 645.
Eeke, adv. also, 480. A. S. eac.
Eeten, pt.pl. ate, 68 1.
Eighte, eighth, 331.
Elde, s. age, 649. A. S. yldu, age ;
from eald, old.
Elles, adv. else, 248. A. S. elles.
Endited, pp. indicted, 710.
Enquered, pp. enquired, 862.
GLOSSARIAL INDEX.
Eny, any, 318.
Er, adv. ere, 568. See Ar.
Est, s. east, 891.
Euerich, each one, 443 ; each, 608 ;
every one (of them), each, 119;
Euerichone, every one, 866.
Eye, s. awe, 253 (see the note);
Eyse, 129 (see the note). A. S.
ege, cognate with Icel. agi (whence
E. awe, a Scand. form).
Eyr, s. heir, 40. O. F. eir.
F.
Fader, s. father, 7 ; Fadres, gen. 8,
886 ; Fader, gen. 748. A. S./ader.
Fadmen, s. pi. fathoms, 306. The
sing, is fadme. A. S. fcedm, Du.
vadem.
Falle, v. happen, 485.
Fand, I ft. s. found, 206. See
Fond. A. S. fand, pt. t. of
findan.
Fare, s. behaviour, 199. A. S./cer,
faru, sb.
Fare, v. fare, 271 ; pr.s. subj. may
fare, 616. SeeFerde. A.S.faran.
Fast aboute, very eager, 240, 785.
Fay, s. faith ; By here fay, by their
faith, 555. Anglo-F. /«', from
Lat. ace. fidem.
Fayn, adj. glad, 103 ; adv. gladly,
IS-
Feire, s. fair, i.e. business, 270. See
the note.
Fel, s. skin, 76. A. S.fel.
Fel, adj. fell, cruel, 151, 256. A.S.
fel.
Felaw, s. fellow, 227; (as a term
of reproach), 276.
Felde, pi. s. felled, 593.
Fen, s. fen, mud, 588.
Ferd, s. fear, 854. This form oc
curs in Wyclif, Minot, Hampole's
Prick of Conscience, and other
poems (chiefly Northern).
Ferde, pt. s. fared, 780. See Fare.
Feteren, ger. to fetter, 384.
Feteres, pi. fetters, 384.
Fetten, v. fetch, 555 ; Fette, ger.
liS; 2 pr.pl.6s,2', Fetteth, imp.
pi. 643. A. S.fetian.
Fie, v. escape, 901.
Fley, pt. s. fled, 127. A. S.fleah,
pt. t. ofjleon.
Floon, pi. arrows, 648. A.S. fid,
an arrow, pi. flan ; also flan, an
arrow, pi. flana. led. fleinn.
Flowe, pp. flown, fled, 133. See
Fley. A. S.fogen, pp. offleah,
pt. t. offleon.
Fond, pt. s. found, 610, 771, 773.
See Fand.
Fondyng, s. trial, 147. A. S. fan-
dung, a trial ; from fandian, to
try to find, try, tempt ; der. from
fand, pt. t. of findan, to find.
Foon, pi. foes, 541, 574. A. S.
fan, pi. of fa.
For-fare, v. go to ruin, 74. A. S.
forfaran.
Forgetith, imp. pi. forget, 38.
Forsworen, pp. perjured, 376, 380.
Forward, s. agreement, 411, 747.
A.S. fore-weard, lit. a 'fore- ward,'
i,e. precaution.
Forjaf, pt. s. forgave, 893.
Forjat, pt. s. forgat, 800.
Foule, adv. evilly, 485.
Foy, faith; par ma foy, by my
faith, 367. See Fey.
Frankeleyn, s. franklin, free
holder, 197. See Chaucer's Pro
logue.
Frere, s. friar, 529.
Fro, prep, from, 144. Icel./ra.
Fykil, adj. fickle, 151.
Fyn, s. end (of life), 551. F./n.
Fyn, adv. finely, well, 68 1; ex
cellently, 427.
G.
Gadelyng, s. companion, comrade
(but used as a term of contempt,
like vagabond), 102, 106. A.S.
g<sdeling, a companion ; Goth.
gadiliggs ( = gadiltngs), a rela
tion; cf. G. Gatte, husband.
Allied to E. gather.
54
GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.
Galys, Galicia, 377; Gales, 764.
(In Spain).
Gamen, s. sport, a game, diversion,
290, 342 ; Game, amusement,
pleasure, 776 ; sport, 4. A. S.
gamen.
Gan, pt. s. did, 475. Lit. ' began,'
but often used as a mere auxiliary
verb. See Gonne.
Gerte, pt. s. struck (with a yard or
stick), 304 ; struck, 536. From
gerden, girden, verb ; which from
A. S. gyrd, gierd, a rod, stick,
yard. See Girde.
Gestes, pi. guests, 336, 344, 640.
Geten, pp. gotten, 108, 365. A. S.
geten, pp. of gitan.
Gilt, s. guilt, 893.
Giltyf, adj. guilty, 822; Gultyf,
824. A false form, the suffix -if
being French.
Girde, v. strike, 430. See Gerte.
Gon, v. walk, 312. A. S. gun.
Gonne, pt. pi. (as aux. verb}, did,
236. See Gan.
Good, s. property, 330, 704.
Goode, voc. O good, 199.
Goon, v. go, 236 ; ger. to go
away, 126 ; Goth,/>r. s. goes, 99 ;
Goth, imp. pi. go ye, 36, III,
713. A. S. gdn.
Gowe,/or go we, let us go, 66 1.
So also in P. Plowman, prol. 226.
Grauen, pp. buried, 900. A. S.
grafen, pp. of grafan.
Gray frere, a Gray friar, a Fran
ciscan friar, 529.
Greeue, s. (dat.}, grief, trouble,
313.
Greteth, imp. pi. greet ye, 713 ;
Grette, pt. pi. saluted, greeted.
668, 706.
Grucche, pr. s. subj. murmur, 319.
E. grudge.
Grucchyng, s. murmuring, grum
bling, 322.
Gyle, s. guile, 369.
Gyled, pt. s. beguiled, 70.
Hadde, I pt. s. sub}, might have,
666 ; pt. pi. subj. might have,
1 6.
Halle dor e, the door of the hall,
496 ; see note to 1. 461.
Halp, I pt. s. helped, 60. A. S.
healp, pt. t. of helpan.
Hals, s. neck, 391, 407. A. S.
heals.
Haluendel, the half part (of), 272;
see note. ' Haluendele his godes
he gaf to Godes werkes* ; Rob. of
Brunne, tr. of Langtoft, p. 24, 1. 3.
Halues, pi. sides ; By halues, on
different sides, 130.
Handlen, ger. to handle, feel, 8a.
Heed, s. head, 430, 484, 820;
Heedes, pi. 602.
Heelden, pt. pi. accounted (them
selves), 553.
Heere, 2 pr. s. subj. mayst hear,
229.
Heir, s. heir, 365. See Eyr.
Hele, s. good health, 41. A. S.
hado, health ; from hdl, whole.
Helpeth, imp. pi. help ye, 478.
Hem, pron. them, 15. A. S. heom,
him, properly the dat. case. Still
in use as 'em.
Hende, adj. courteous, 663, 728,
755. 838' A- S. gehende, orig.
handy, near at hand, from hand,
hand.
Hente, pt. s. seized, took, 590,
591. A.S. hentan.
Hepe, s. heap ; On an hepe, into a
huddled crowd, 124.
Herden, pt. pi. heard, 21.
Here, gen. pi. of them, 543 ; their,
7, 757; Her, their, 43. A.S.
heora, hira, of them ; gen. pi. of
he, he.
Here, v. hear, 2.
Herkne, imp. s. hearken, 364 ;
Herkneth, imp. pi. 858 ; Herken-
eth, I.
Hete, s. heat of rage, 117.
GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.
55
Hider, adv. hither, 583. A. S.
Aider.
Highte, pi. s. was named, 727.
A. S. hdtte, I was called or named,
pt. t. of hdtan (i) to call, (2) to
be named.
Hire, adv. here, 222. (A rare
spelling).
Holde,/>/>. accounted, 248 ; Holdeth,
imp.pl. hold ye, 169, 341, 769.
A. S. healden, pp. of healdan.
Hond-fast, adj. fastened by the
hands, 437.
Honge, ger. to hang, i.e. to be
hanged, 863 ; Honged, pt. pi.
hung, i.e. were hanged, 879.
Hore, pi. adj. hoary, gray, 817.
A.S. Mr.
Hosen, pi. hose, 269.
Housbond, s. husband, i.e. house
holder, one who stays at home
and keeps house, 13 ; Housbondes,
pi. labourers, men, 713.
Hure, s. hire, pay, 832. A. S. hyr.
Huyre, ger. to hire, 801 ; Hyre,
786. A.S. hyran.
Hye, adv. high, 879.
Hye, v. hasten away, 333 ; hasten,
19; Hyeden, pt. pi. refi. hied,
hurried, 537.
I.
I-, prefix of past participles (and oc
casionally of past tenses) of verbs.
Common in Southern, occasional
in Midland, and unused in Northern
poems. A.S. ge-, G. ge-, Goth.
ga-, prefix. Also written y-.
lame, James, 277, 665, 764.
I-bought, pp. bought, 278.
I-bounde, pp. bound, 350, 778.
A. S. gebunden, pp. of bindan.
I-broken, pp. broken into, 85.
A. S. gebrocen, pp. of brecan.
I-brought, pp. brought, 624.
I-come, pp. come, 459, 684.
I-crouned, pp. crowned, 660.
I-drawe,/>/>. drawn, dragged, pulled
to the ground, 84. A. S. gedragen,
pp. of dragon.
I-fetered, pp. fettered, 812.
I-go, pp. gone, ago, 257 ; I-gon,
356; I-goon, 347, 415. A.S.
gegdn, pp. of gdn. (But E. ago
= A. S. d-gdn).
I-graue, pp. buried, 69. A. S. ge-
grafen, pp. of grafan.
I-had,#>. had, 357.
I-lad, pp. led, 884 ; carried, 528.
The M. E. infin. is leden.
like, same, 30.
I-lore, pp. lost, 301. A. S. geloren,
pp. of leosan, M. E. lesen.
I-mad, pp. made, 689.
In-feere, adv. together, 517, 625,
667, 775, 866. For in feere, in
fere, i.e. in companionship ;
formed from A. S. ge-fera, a tra
velling companion ; der. from/tfr,
pt. t. offaran, to travel, go.
I-nome, />/>. taken, 119. A.S. ge-
numen, pp. of niman, to take.
lohan, John, 3,57; saint John, 366.
lolily, adv. in a jolly manner, mer
rily, 527-
I-pilt, pp. put, 894. Pp.ofpilten,
pulten (mod. E. pelt) ; from Lat.
pultare, to beat, strike, knock.
I-proued, pp. proved, experienced,
241.
I-put, pp. put, thrust, 144.
I-schet, pp. shut, 292. A. S.
scyttan, to shut.
I-set, pp. set, 857.
I-steke, pp. fastened up, 329. Pp.
of M.E. steken, orig. to stick,
pierce, pt. t. stall. Not found in
A.S.
It ben, i. e. they are, 583.
I-taken, pp. taken, 350.
lugge-man, s. judge, 843.
lustise, s. judge, 890.
I-wounded, pp. wounded, 548,
I-wroken, />/>. avenged, 541. A.S.
gewrocen, pp. of wrecan.
I--wrought, pp. done, lit. worked,
brought about, 32; Iwroujt,
56
caused, 203. A. S. geworht, pp.
of wyrcan.
I-wys, adv. certainly, 155, 411.
A.S. gewis, adv. certainly; der.
from witan, to know.
K.
Kiste,/>/. s. kissed, 166, 168.
Knaue, s. boy, 70.
Ladde, />/. s. led, 423. The infin.
is leden. See Had.
Lakkest, 2 pr. s. blamest, 276.
See the note. Cf. Du. laken, to
blame ; from lak, blemish, stain,
defect.
Large, adj. liberal, 514. (The
usual old sense ; still preserved in
largesse).
Largely, adv. liberally, 324 ; i.e.
fully, completely, 520.
Lat, imp. s. 3 p. let, 112. See Leet.
Lawe, law ; Of the beste lawe, in
the best possible order, 544.
Laye, adj. fallow, 161. 'Lay,
londe not telyd ' [tilled] ; Prompt.
Parv.
Layen, pt. pi. lay, 83. A. S. l&gon,
pi. of Icsg, pt. t. of licgan.
Leche, s. physician, 614. A.S. lace.
Leede, s. people, serfs, 104, 895.
A. S. leod, people. See below.
Leedes, pi. people, serfs ; * the por
tion of the population which was
bought and sold with the land ' ;
Wright. See 1. 61 ; in 1. 71, we
have leede, i. e. people. This is the
right original meaning. But it
would seem that leed was after
wards extended to mean tenement
or holding. Robert of Brunne
seems to use ledes to mean tene
ments, rents, or fees. The phr.
' londes and ledes' occurs in Will, of
Palerne, 4001, and is not uncom
mon. From A. S. leod, people.
GLOSS ARTAL INDEX.
. s. let, 74, 416 ; Leete, I
pr. s. let, 405 ; Leet eiidite, caused
to be indicted, 698 ; Leet fetre,
caused to be fettered, 859 ; Leet
sadle, caused to be saddled, 733 ;
Leet vnfetere, caused to be un
fettered, 837; Leet vp, pt. s. let
up, i.e. opened, 311. A. S. laetan,
to let, pt. t. let, pp. laten.
Lendes, pi. loins, 458. A. S. len-
denu, pi. the loins ; Dan. lend,
Swed. land, loin.
Lene, v. lend, 1 76. A. S. lanan ;
from Ian, a loan.
Lenger, adv. longer, 27, 337.
Lepe, v. run, 123. A. S. hleapan,
to run.
Lese, imp. s. loose, 401. A.S. les-
an or lysan, to loose.
Leste, adj. least, 460.
Lesteneth, imp. pi. listen ye, I,
169, 289, 341, 343, 551, 769.
Lesyng, s. lie, 659 ; Lesynges, pi.
leasings, lies ; Made lesynges on,
told lies about, 385. A. S. liasung,
a lie ; from leas, false, loose.
Lete, pt. pi. let, left, 41 ; Leten,
let, 46. See Leet.
Leue, s. leave, 314.
Leuer me were, it would be pre
ferable for me, I would rather,
622. A. S. leaf, dear.
Lewed, adj. ignorant, common,
poor, 505. A. S. leewede.
Lewte, s. loyalty, fidelity, 657.
Cf. F. haute, loyalty, Cotgrave.
From O. F. leal, Lat. legalis.
Leyde, pt. s. laid, 125; Leyd, pp.
162.
Lien, v. lie, be scattered about, 598.
(See the note.) See Lyen.
Lighte, pt. s. alighted, 196, 611.
Li.th.eth, imp. pi. hearken ye, listen
ye, i, 169, 289, 341, 769. Icel.
hlyda, to listen, from hljod, a
sound. Allied to E. loud.
Lixt, 2 pr. s. liest, 297. So also in
P. Plowman, B. v. 163.
Loft, s. loft, 127.
GL OSS A KIA L INDEX.
57
Loken, ger. to look, discover, 148 ;
Lokede, pt. s. subj. should look,
should observe, 642 ; Loke, imp.
s. look, i.e. be ready, 453.
Lokkes, pi. locks of hair, 817.
Lond, s. land, 36, 104 ; Londes,
pi. 1 8.
Lordynges, pi. sirs, 719.
Lore, pp. lost, 202. A. S. loren,
pp. of leosan.
Lose, v. loose, 414. A. S. losian,
See Louse.
Loth, adj. loath, 146.
Louse, imp, s. loose, 409. See Lose.
Lyen, v. lie, 41. See Lien.
Lytheth, 551. See Litheth.
Lyue, dat. ; On lyue. in life, a-live,
20, 58. Dat. of A. S. /*/, life.
Lyuen, v. live, 12, 27; Lyuede,
pt. s. lived, 9 ; Lyueden, pt. pi.
899.
Lyuerey, s. allowance, 514. ' Li-
vree, a delivery of a thing that is
given, the thing so given, a livery.'
Cotgrave.
M.
Mad, pp. made, 700.
Maister, s. master, 656, 658, 660 ;
Maistres, pi. 314.
Makestow, 2 pr. s. makest thou,
199.
Maner men, manner of men, 312.
Mangerye, s. feast, 345, 434,
464. Also in P. Plowman, C.
xiii. 46 ; and in Wyclif s Works,
ed. Arnold, i. 4. Cotgrave gives
F. mangerie with the sense of
' gluttony ; ' from manger, to eat.
Manly, adv. manfully, 832.
Martyn, St. Martin (see the note),
53. 225.
May, I p. s. pr. can, 27.
Mayn, s. main, might, 143.
Maynpris, s. bail, security, 744.
See the note. Lit. ' a taking by
the hand.' See note to P. Plow
man, B. ii. 196.
Meede, s. reward, 886, 896.
Merthes, pi. diversions, amuse
ments, 783.
Messager, s. messenger, 729.
Messes, pi. messes of meat, 467.
Meste, adj. greatest, 460.
Metten, pt. pi. met, 646.
Meyne, s. household, posse, com
pany, 575. O.F. mesnee, maisnee,
a household. Hence E. menial.
Mo, adj. more (in number), others,
260, 642. 736. A.S. ma.
Moche, adj. great, 6, 230, 275.
Used of size ; see below.
Mochel, adj. great, 400 ; Mochil,
much, a great deal, 4. A.S. mycel.
Molde, s. mould, earth, 900. A.S.
molde.
Moone, s. moon, 235. A.S. mono.
Moot, s. meeting, assembly, con
course, 373. See the note. A. S.
mot, gemot.
Moot, I pr. s. may (I), 577;
Moote, I pr. pi. ought (to be),
must, 794. A.S. mot, I may,
pr. s. ; pt. t. moste ( = E. must").
See Mot.
Moot-halle, hall of meeting, hall
of justice, 812; Mote-halle, 717.
See Moot.
More, adj. comp. greater, 232.
Most, 2 pr. s. must, 156, 242;
Moste, pt. s. might, 724. See
Moot.
Mot, i pr. s. may (I), 227, 379,
413 ; I must, 141 ; Mote, 2 pr.
s. mayest, 233; Mot, 116; pr. s.
may (it), 485 ; 2 pr. pi. may,
131. See Moot.
Mow, pr. pi. can, 675. As if for
A. S. mugon ; but the A. S. form
is matron.
Myddeleste, adj. middlemost, i. e.
second, 59.
Myle, pi. miles, 545. A. S. mil, pi.
mila.
Nam, pt. s.took, 733 ; pt.pl. took,
216. A.S. nam, pt. t. of niman.
GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.
Nas, for Ne was, was not, 29.
Nat, not, 37.
Nay, no ; It is no nay, there is no
denying it, 34; This is no nay,
433 ; Withouie nay, without de
nial, 26.
Ne, not, 30, 31 ; nor, 22, 79.
A.S. ne.
Nedes, adv. needs, 846. Formed
with adv. suffix -es from A.S.
neod, nyd, need.
Neede, adv. of necessity, 141.
Formed with adv. suffix -e from
A.S. neod, need.
Neer, adv. nigher, 138, 352. See
Ner.
Nekke, s. neck, 194. A.S. hnecca.
Ner, adv. nigher, 109, 135. A.S.
niar, compar. adv. from neah,
nigh. See Ny.
Neyh, adj. nigh, 626. A.S. neah.
Neyhebours, pi. neighbours, 55.
A. S. neahgebur.
Nom, var. of Nim, v. take, 782
(all the seven MSS. read nom or
nome) ; Nome, pp. taken, 584,
683, 796. A.S. niman, to take ;
pp. genumen.
Nones; With the nones = with
then ones, with the once, on the
condition, 206; For the nones,
for the once, for the occasion,
456. (E. nonce.)
Norture, s. good breeding, 4.
Nother, conj. neither, 22.
Nothing, adv. not at all, 699.
Nought, adv. not at all, 31 ; not,
41.
Nowther, conj. neither, 79. See
Nother.
Ny, adj. nigh, 559.
Nyggoun, s. niggard, 323. Spelt
nygun in Rob. of Brunne, Hand-
lyng Synne, 5578.
O.
O, adj. one, 371. See Oo, Oon.
Of, off, 196, 208, 484; prep, on,
217.
Oken, adj. oaken, 503.
Okes, pi. oaks, 84.
On lyue, alive, 157. See Lyue.
On, one; That on, the one, 39.
See Oon.
Ones, adv. once, 234.
Oo, one, 150, 499. Short for oon.
Oon, one, 43, 244 ; At oon, at one,
reconciled, 156, 166; That oon,
the one of them, one of them,
647 ; the one (to be beaten),
116; On, one, 242. A..S.dn.
Oones, adv. once ; At oones, at
once, soon, 141. A.S. dues.
Or, conj. ere, 394. See Ar.
Ore, s. grace, favour ; By Cristes
ore, by the grace of Christ, 139,
J59> 231, 323. A.S. dr, ho
nour, favour ; cf. G. Ehre.
Ote (a name), 727, 731, &c.
Other, in phr. day and other, one
day and a second day, i. e. con
tinually, 785. ' Notheles day and
other he purueied priuely' ; Rob.
of Brunne, tr. of Langtoft, p. 185,
1.15-
Other, conj. either, 320.
Ouer-al, adv. everywhere, all
round, 121. Cf. G. iiberall.
Overthrowe, v. fall down, stumble,
512 ; Ouerthrew, pt. s. fell down,
536.
Ow ! inter j. alas ! 489.
P.
Paire, s. pair ; Paire spores, pair of
spurs, 1 88.
Pantrye, pantry, 495.
Parauenture, adv. perhaps, 642.
Parde, i. e. par Dieu, 743.
Parten. pr. pi. subj. (may) part,
(may) depart, 317.
Party, s. party, person, 392.
Passe, 2 pr. pi. go away, depart,
596.
Pees, s. peace, 102.
Pestel, s. a pestle (apparently of
large size, perhaps used for pound-
GLOSSARIAL INDEX.
59
ing meat, &c.), 122, 128. ' Pes-
teil, a pestle, or pestelP; Cot-
grave.
Peyned, pt. s. refl. took pains,
261.
Place, s. place for wrestling, place
of public exhibition, the 'ring,'
J95» 203, 210, 213, 216.
Pleyje, ger. play, make play, 130.
Plowes, pi. plough-lands, 57, 59,
358. 'A plough of land was as
much as could be ploughed with
one plough. It was in the middle
ages a common way of estimating
landed property ' ; Wright.
Prest, adj. ready, prepared, 237,
830. ' Prest, prest, ready ; ' Cot-
grave. O. F. prest, F. pret.
Preuen, v. test, shew, 174. The
same as Prouen.
Priue, adj. secret, 425.
Prouen, v. experience, 242.
Prow, s. profit, 361. O. F. prou,
profit ; supposed to be from Lat.
prod in prod-esse, to benefit. Cf.
Mod. E. prowess.
Prys, s. worth, valour, 772, 804.
Purchas, s. acquisition, 14, 6l.
See the note. 'Purchas, is to
buy lands or tenements with ones
money, or otherwise gain them
by ones industry, contradistin
guished from that which comes
to one by descent from his an
cestors ' ; Blount, Law Dictionary.
Doubtless the knight had partly
won them as a reward for military
service. See 11. 58-61.
Purs, s. purse, 321, 885. See the
note to the latter line.
Pyn, s. bolt, bar, 292.
Q.
Quest, s. jury, 786, 862, 871,
878 ; in 11. 840, 842, it seems to
mean the sentence or verdict.
4 Queste, a quest, inquirie ' ; Cot-
grave.
Queste, s. bequest, 64.
Quitte, pt. s. repaid, 512, 896.
* Quiter, to quit, forgoe, . . . dis
charge,' &c. ; Cotgrave.
Hape, adj. hasty, 101. Not a
Latin, but a Scand. word. Icel.
hrapa, to hasten ; Swed. rapp,
Dan. rap, quick.
Bapely, adv. quickly, 424 ; Raply,
219. See above.
Bede, I pr. s. advise, 605 ; 2 pr. s.
subj. mayest advise, advisest, 797.
A. S. radan (E. read).
Heed, s. counsel, advice, 429, 432,
819 ; Reedes, pi. words of advice,
60 1. A. S rad.
Bees, s. attack, 547 ; fit of passion,
101. A.S. r&& (E. race). ' Grif-
fyn, kyng of Wales, eft he mad a
res'; Rob. of Brunne, tr. of Lang-
toft, p. 62, 1. 1 6.
Bekke, pr. s. subj. may reck, may
care, 88 1. See the note.
Beueth, imp. pi. reave ye, take
away from, 1 1 1 ; Reued, pp.
stolen away, 704. A. S. reafian.
Bewe, s. (dot.) row, 867. A.S.
rdwe.
Bewthe, s. pity, 508 ; Reuthe, 30.
E. ruth. See Bouthe.
Beysed, pp. raised, built, 162
Icel. reisa.
Bicher, Richard, 175, 357, 619.
See Bycber. Rob. of Brunne
frequently writes Richere for
Richard.
Bigge, s. back, 712. (E. ridge}.
Bigge-boon, 5. backbone, 614;
Rigge-bon, 536.
Boode, s. (dot.), cross, 639, 707.
Boos, pt. s. arose, 849.
Boute, s. company, 600; Rowte,
285.
Bouthe, s. pity, 6 7 7. See Bewthe.
Bycher, Richard, 137. See the
note. See Bicher.
*
W.O&SARIAL INDEX.
*» s»w,
A-s-
«•. be reconciled, come to
Mk Ftawi A.S. MA/,
tfcr from Mean,
494. See
s. must, 115; pr. s.
*** S*s 3«6» A. S. sew/. See
MHAt
.fr thickets, 788. A.S.
t; cf. led. sWgr, Swed.
shaw.
to shoot, 674. A.S.
jp. pat to shame, dis-
A. S. scendan, from
shame.
x. sheriff, 545, 602,
«to.6n.
Sehflde, pr. *. imp. may (He)
acUtta, v. shut, 286; pt. s.
Scherte, 127. A. S. seyUan.
Scholde, ft, pi. should, I a. See
5- ; i -_"_'. e
Sehaa, j«. «. shone, 235.
Sdhooa, /)!. shoes, 208, 212, 269.
e, «. mischievous fellow,
6, 868.
pt. pi. ought to, must,
pt. pi. of
I pr. pL are to. 156;
Mtt, are to, 158 ; Schulle,
pL dun. 3. A. S. sculon,
A.S.
, 628.
pr. to see, 146.
*, go. of seo«.
t.*.**}, should sit, 790.
A. S. s<^/#, pt. i. subj. of s/V/on,
pt. t. ««/.
Beet, .v. seat, 855.
Beih, />/. s. saw, 285. See Seyh,
Say.
Selde, adv. seldom, 40. A.S. sel-
dan.
Seller, «. cellar, 316.
Berk, «. shirt, 259. Icel. serltr.
Bete, pt. pi. sat, 68 1. A. S. sditon,
pt. pi. of sittan.
Seththen, adv. afterwards, 76.
See Siththen.
Sette, pt. pi. set (themselves on
knees, i. e. knelt), 705-
Seyh, />/. s. saw, 121, 299; Sey,
330. See Saugh, Say.
Sik, adj. sick, ill, n, 21 ; Syk, 25.
Sire, s. master, 716.
Sisours, pi. jurymen, 871, 88 1.
Sec note.
Sitte, pr. ». subj. sits, 761, 766,
794. Cf. be in 1. 761.
Sith, conj. since, 257. See below.
Siththen, adv. afterwards, 524,
894 ; Sithen, 900. A. S. 51$
"Sdwi, after that ; cf. E. sin-ce, short
for sithen-ce.
Siththen, conj. since that, 356.
Skape, v. escape, 576, 825.
Skathe, s. harm, 488.
Skeet, adj. swift ; hence as adv.
swiftly, quickly, 187. (Hence
Skeat as a surname = swift.) A.S.
sceot, Icel. sltjotr, swift.
Slee, v. slay, 822.
Smertely, adv. quickly, 187, 243.
Solas, s. merriment, 328.
Sonde, s. sending; hence, provi
dence, grace, 419. A. S. sand,
a sending, mission ; cf. mod. £.
godsend.
Sone, adv. soon, 6, 67.
Bone, s. son, 38 ; Sones, pi. sons,
5. A.S. sunn.
Soneday, s. Sunday, 434.
Sope, s. sup, small quantity of
drink, 318.
Soper, s. supper, 425.
GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.
6l
Sore, adv. sorely, 10, II.
Sory, adj. grievous, 547.
Sothe, dat. truth; For sothe, of a
truth, 222.
Sowe, pp. sown, 161. A.S. sdwen,
pp. of satvan.
Spake, i pt. s. spakest, 94. A. S.
spruce, 2 pt. ». ; from sprcec, I
pt. s. ofsprecan.
Spence, s. provision-room, larder,
424. ' Despence, a larder, store
house, gardemanger'; Cotgrave.
Spended, pp. spent, 362. ' De-
spendre, to dispend, spend'; Cot-
grave.
Spense, s. expenditure, expense,
320. 'Despense. charge, cost,
expence* ; Cotgrave.
Spenser, s. spencer, officer who
had charge of the provisions, 398,
399, 403; Spencer, 493. « De-
spensier, a spender . . also a cater,
or clarke of a Kitchiu'; Cot-
grave.
Spet, pr. s. (short for Spedeth),
speeds, succeeds, goes on, 806.
Spire, s. a shoot, blade of grass;
hence, a sapling, 503. A. S. «/>tr,
a spire, stalk ; Icel. spira, a spar,
stilt ; Dan. spire, a germ, sprout.
Spores, pi. spurs, 177, 188. A. S.
spura.
Sprengeth, pr. s. sprinkles, 503.
Cf. A.S. besprengan, to besprinkle.
Staf, staff, 499 ; Staves, staves, 496.
Stalkede, pt. s. marched, 617.
Stalworthe, adj. pi. stalwart, lusty,
202.
Standeth, imp. pi. Stand ye, 55 ;
Stant (for Standeth), pr. s. stands,
812.
Stede, s. stead, place, 425, 857.
Stere, imp. s. reft, stir thyself, 519.
Sterte, pt. s. started, 219, 288;
Sterten, pt. pi, 645.
Stoon-stille, adj. still as a stone,
67. See the note.
Stoor, *. store, 354.
Stounde, a. time, while, 349 ; In
this stounde, at the present hour,
27. A.S. stand; cf. G. Sttinde.
Strongest, adj. strongest, 78. A.S.
strengest, superl. of strong, strong.
Stronge, adv. strongly, 397.
Stroye, ger, to destroy, waste,
354. Short for desiroye.
Styrop, s. stirrup, 189. A. S. stig-
rdp.
S waynes, pi. servants, 527. Icel.
sveinn, a boy, lad, servant ; A. S.
stvdn.
Sweere, s. neck, 274. A.S. sweora.
S withe, adv. very, 152; As swithe,
as soon, 541. A.S. swibe, adv.
very ; from so/t'9, strong.
Swore, pp. sworn, 302. See the
note. A. S. siooren, pp. of swerian.
T.
Take, i pr. s. deliver, 747.
Talkyng, s. talk, tale, 2, 170.
Teene, s. vexation, anger, rage, 303.
A. S. teona, injury.
Telle, v. count, 520.
Thanne, adv. then, 652.
That, rel. that which, 324.
That on, the one ; That other, the
other, 39.
Thee, v. thrive, prosper, 131, 250;
The, v. 234, 363, 379, 413, 458,
577, 720, 833. A. S. be'on, cog
nate with G. gedeihen.
Thenke, 2 pr. s. subj. thinkest, in-
tendest, 368. A. S. fyencan, to
think.
Thennes. adv. thence, 535.
Ther, adv. where, n, 25, 33, 50,
195. 47 T» 799 5 Ther . . inne,
wherein, 558. A.S. J>#r.
Therfor, for it, i.e. as a prize for
it, 184.
They, conj. though, 652. A. S.
\>eah.
Thider, adv. thither, 123, 310,
527. A. S. \>ider.
Thinketh me, pr. s. impers. it
seems to me, 95. A. S. \>yncan,
impers. to seem.
62,
GLOSSARIAL INDEX.
Tho, then, 17, 41, no; when, at,
120, 372. A.S. bd, when; also,
then.
Tho, pron. those, 279. A.S. &<£,
pi. of se, seo, b<£*, used as def.
art.
Thought, pt. s. it seemed (to him),
626. See Thinketh.
Thridde, adj. third, 687. A. S.
Tpridda.
Thrynne (for Therynne), therein,
in it, 318.
Thryue, v. thrive, 227.
Thurgh, prep, through, by, 28.
Thynketh, pr. s. it seems (to me),
632. See Thinketh.
To, adv. too, 278.
To-barst, pt. s. burst in twain, was
broken in half, 537. (It merely
means that the skin above the
backbone was broken ; formerly,
a ' broken head ' meant only that
the skin was cut through, not
that the skull was fractured.)
A. S. tdbcerst, pt. t. of t6-berstan.
To-brak, pt. s. brake in twain,
304, 852. A.S. iobrac, pt. t. of
to-brecan, to break in twain. See
below.
Tobrak, pt. pi. brake in twain, 245.
(Should be the pi. tobreke. Gram
mar would be better satisfied if
we could take it to mean ' that he
brake in twain three of his ribs.')
To-broken, pp. broken into, 97.
A. S. tobrocen, pp. of to-brecan.
See To-brak.
Tonge, s. tongue, 169, 341. A. S.
tunge.
Tonne, as pi. tuns, 316. A.S.
tunne, a barrel.
Toret, s. turret, 329.
To-rightes, adv. aright, rightly,
1 8. We still say 'to set to-
rights.' The suffix -es is adver
bial.
Tornes, pi. turns, tricks, wiles, 237,
241, 244.
Tweyne, two, 734 ; Tweye, two,
202. A. S. twegen, masc. ; twd,
fern, and neuter.
Twynke, I pr. s. wink, 453.
•Twynkyn wythe the eye, or
wynkyn, twynkelyn, conniveo,
nicito, nicto'i Prompt. Parv.
V.
Verrey, adj. very, real, 14. See
note.
Vilonye, s. disgrace, 721.
Vnfetered, pt. s. released from his
fetters, 613.
TJngert, pp. ungirt, 215.
Vnhiled, pp. unroofed, uncovered,
87. Icel. hylja, to cover. Cf.
A. S. helan, to cover. • Hyllyn,
hyllen, coueren, Operio, tego ' ;
Prompt. Parv.
Vnloke, pp. unlocked, 438. See
the note. A. S. locen, pp. of luc-
an, to lock.
Vnsawe, pp. unsown, 83. A'. S.
sdwen, pp. of sdwan, to sow.
Vp,prep. upon, 411.
W.
"Wan, pt. s. won, begot, 5. A.S.
wann. pt. t. of winnan.
"War, adj. aware, 1 22, 497. A. S.
war.
Wardeynes, pi. wardens, umpires,
279.
"Ware, s. merchandise, 272, 276.
Wasschen, pp. washen, 439. A. S.
wascen, pp. of wascan.
Wayloway, inter j. wellaway! 197.
For A. S. wd Id wd, lit. 'woe ! lo 1
woe !'
"Waynes, pi. wains, 528.
"Wede, s. raiment, 103. A. S. w&d.
Wende, v. go, 756 ; ger. to go,
173. 340 ; imp. s. 213 ; Went, pp.
turned, 703.
Wene, i pr. s. suppose, think, 202.
"Were. pt. s. subj. would be, 146.
"Werche, v. work, 518.
Werne, v. refuse, 662; pr.^l.rc-
GLOSS A RIAL INDEX,
fuse, deny, 457. A. S. wyrnan, to
refuse. Allied to E. warn.
Weyuen, ger. to dangle, to swing
about, 880. Icel. veifa, to vibrate,
Norweg. veiva, to swing about.
"What, adv. partly, 543. Cf. mod,
E. ' what with one thing and what
with another.'
"What, why, 104.
Wher, conj. whether (shall I go),
430. Contracted form of whether.
"Whether, which ever, 249.
"Which, what (sort of), 168.
"Whider, adv. whither, 133, 182,
A. S. hwider.
"Wight, s. man, 107. A. S. wiht.
Wighte, adj. pi. active, 893. Cf.
Icel.vigr, skilled in arms ; Svred.vig,
active (whence vigt, adv. nimbly).
Wil, s. will ; Of good wil, readily,
78 (see note) ; In good wil,
anxious, 173.
Wil, pr. s. desires, 262 ; Wilt, 2
pr. s. wishest, 207; Wiln, I pr. pi.
will, 314, 821.
Wisschen, pt. pi. washed them
selves, 542. (More commonly
weschen or woschen).
Wiste, pt. s. knew, 167, 369,864 ;
Wist, pp. 393. A. S. wiste, pt. t.
of witan. (The A. S. pp. was
witen). See below.
Witen, ger. to know, ascertain,
572; I pr. pi. subj. may know,
644. A. S. witan; pr. pi. subj.
witon. See above.
Withoute, adv. outside, 286, 854 ;
on the outside, 564.
Wo, adj. sorry, 335. Cf. Ch. Prol.
353- This use of wo arose from
putting ' he was wo ' for ' him was
wo ' ; wo being orig. a sb.
Wolde, pt. s. willed (it to be so),
899; desired, 15.
Wolt, 2 pr. s. wilt, wishest to, 182.
Wolues-heed, s. wolf's-head, pro
scribed as an outlaw, 700, 710,
722. See note to 1. 700.
Wonderly, adv. wonderfully, 266.
Wood, adj. mad, 386, 472. A. S.
w6d, mad.
Woode-bowj, s. boughs of the
wood, 633 ; Woode-bough, 774.
Woode-lynde, s. a linden-tree in
a forest, 676, 702. A. S. lind,
a linden or lime-tree.
Woode-rys, s. thicket, branches
of the forest, 771, 803. A. S.
hris (Icel. ArCs, Dan. riis, Swed.
rz's, G. rets), brushwood. Lit.
'waving boughs'; cf. Goth, Art's-
jan, to shake.
Woode-scha-we, s. thicket of the
wood, 638 ; Woode-schawes, pi.
670, 696. See Schawes.
Woon, s. abundance ; Good-woon,
abundantly, 125. ' Woone, or
grete plente, Copia, habundantia ' j
Prompt. Parv.
Worschip, s. honour, 185.
Worthe, v. be, 491 ; imp. s. 3 p.
may (it) be, 482. A. S. weorban,
to be, become.
Wot, I pr. s. know, 34. A. S. wdt,
pr. t. of witan.
Woxe, pp. waxen, grown, 232. A.S.
waxen, weaxen, pp. of weaxan.
Wrak, pt. s. wreaked, 303 ; aveng
ed (himself), 896. A. S. wrcec,
pt. t. of wrecan.
Wrastled, I pt. s. wrestled, 257.
A. S. wrass titan.
Wrastlyng, s. wrestling-match, 171,
183; Wrastelyng, 190, 194.
Wraththe, v. make angry, 80 j
Wraththed him, pt. s. grew angry,
91.
Wreke, pp. avenged, 346. A.S.
wrecen, pp. ofwrecan.
Wrothe, adv. evilly, ill (lit. per
versely), 73. In Rob. of Glouc.,
ed. Hearne, p. 31, Lear complains
that Cordelia returns his love
wro]>e, i. e. evilly.
Wroughte, pt. pi. worked, 525 ;
Wrought, pp. done, 51. A.S.
worhte, pt. t, of wyrcan ; pp. ge-
worht.
64
GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.
Wurs, adv. worse, 740.
Wyde-wher, adv. far and wide, in
various lands, 13.
Wyf, pi. wives, 713. See the note.
Wyke, s. week, 687. A. S. wice,
wicu ; also spelt wuce, wucu.
Wyt, s. wisdom, wittiness, in.
(Not wits, senses.)
Y.
Y-, prefix ; see I-, prefix.
Yat, s. gate, 293. See Bate.
Y-bounde, pp. bound, 397, 606.
A. S. gebunden, pp. of bindan.
Y-doon, pp. done, 54 ; Y-don, 529,
ended, 846. A. S. ged6n, pp. of
d6n.
Y-dronke, pp. drunk, 428. A. S.
gedruncen, pp. of drincan.
Ye, s. eye, 334. A. S. cage.
Yeer, pi. years, 404 ; Yer, 358.
A. S. gear, a year ; pi. gear* See
Beer.
Yemede, pt. pi. took care of,
guarded, 267. A. S. gyman, ge-
man, to take care of; Goth.
gaumjan, to heed.
Y-fetered, pp. fettered, 612.
Y-founde, pp. found out, invented,
393. A.S. gefunden, pp. oifindan.
Ying, adj. young, 105, 148. See
Sing.
Y-nome, pp. taken, 741. A. S. ge-
numen, pp. of niman.
Y-prisoned, pp. cast into prison,
737-
Y-steke, pp. fastened, 563. See
I-steke.
Y-told, pp. told, 546.
Yuel, adv. ill, badly, 73, 448.
Y-jeue, pp. given, 870. See Beue.
3af, pt. s. gave, 246, 500. A. S.
geaf, pt. t. of gifan.
Bare, adj. ready, 90. A. S. gearo,
gearu, ready, prompt.
Bare, c.dv. quickly, 793. See above.
Shak. has yare.
Bate, s. gate, 579. A. S. geat.
Be, adv. yea, 447.
Bede, pt. s. went, 243, 311, 352;
Beeden, pt. pi. 510. A.S. ge-
eode, went.
Beer,/*/, years, 361. See Yeer.
Belde, 3 p. pr. s. imper. (may God)
requite, repay, 368 ; Yeldeth, imp.
pi. yield ye, give up, 648.
Berne, s. heed, care, 825. See Yem
ede.
Berde, s. yard, court of a mansion,
8 1, 296. A.S. geard, an enclosure.
Beue, v. give, 48, 205; Beuen, pp.
given, 456, 847 ; Beue, pp. 394.
A. S. gifan, giefan ; pp. gifen,
giefen.
Bif, imp. s. 5 p. may (God) give,
551. See Beue.
Bif, conj. if, 158. A. S. gif, if;
which probably stands for ge-if,
i. e. if with the prefix ge-. For
compare Icel. ef, O. Icel. if, if.
Bing, adj. young, 887. See Bonge.
The spelling ging is found occa
sionally in A.S.; $ing is in Rob. of
Brunne, tr. of Langtoft, p. 95, 1. 10.
Bonder, adv. yonder, 641.
Bonge, adj. young, 38, 70.
Bongest, adj. youngest, 44.
Bore, adv. for a long while, long
since, 257, 324 ; a long time, 9.
(E.yore).
BOW, pron. ace. you, 63 ; 3ou, 200.
A. S. eow.
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UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY
Gamelyn
The tale of Gamelyn
2d ed. , rev.
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