Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2007 with funding from 
 
 IVIicrosoft Corporation 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/earlyenglishmiscOOhallrich 
 
EARLY 
 ENGLISH MISCELLANIES. 
 
T. RICHARDS, 37, GREAT QUEEN STREET. 
 
EARLY 
 
 ENGLISH MISCELLANIES, 
 
 IN 
 
 PEOSE AND VERSE, 
 
 SELECTED FKOM AN INEDITED MANUSCRIPT OF 
 THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 J. O. HALLIWELL, ESQ., F.R.S., 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR THE WARTON CLUB. 
 
 M.DCCC.LV, 
 
^^ 
 
MA//V 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 Amongst the miscellaneous English manuscripts 
 of the fifteenth century which have hitherto re- 
 mained inedited, there is not perhaps one more 
 deserving of attention than that from which the 
 present collection has been selected. It is a thick 
 but small volume, written on vellum and paper 
 in the reign of Edward IV, and, from being pre- 
 served at Porkington, in the county of Salop, in 
 the library of W. Ormsby Gore, Esq., M.P., has 
 been generally known as the Porkington Manu- 
 script. Scarcely any of its contents have been pub- 
 lished, and, when the original volume was confided 
 to my trust for a short time some years ago, through 
 the interest of one of the possessor's intimate 
 friends, the opportunity was taken of transcribing 
 from it the curious pieces which are now offered 
 to the notice of the members of the Warton Club. 
 The Porkington Manuscript was first brought 
 prominently into notice by Sir Frederic Madden, 
 
 216302 
 
VI 
 
 who, in 1839, printed from it the story of Syre 
 Gawene and the Carle of Carelyle, in his excellent 
 collection of the romance-poems of Syr Gawayne.* 
 This curious piece is the first poem in the manu- 
 script, the articles which precede it consisting of 
 a calendar, a table of eclipses calculated for the 
 period from 1462 to 1481, a tract on the weather, 
 etc. The next which follows is the curious treatise 
 on planting and grafting, printed in the present 
 volume, pp. 66-72, which will be read with some 
 interest by those whose curiosity leads them to 
 inquire into the progress made by our ancestors 
 in these subjects at so early a period. In 
 the agricultural and botanical sciences they were 
 clearly not very far advanced, but they made 
 amends for this by attaining a singular proficiency 
 in all the appliances of the pictorial art. On this 
 account, as well as in regard to the nature of the 
 subject itself, the minute receipts in aid of " the 
 crafte of lymnynge of bokys", p. 72, are likely to 
 be of considerable importance in any researches 
 
 * Sir F. Madden is of opinion {S^r Gawapie, p. 429) that 
 slronge, at the commencement of this poem, should be 
 strange. The manuscript has the former reading, but the 
 use of the o for the a, which will be found constantly in 
 the following pages, appears to be a dialectical indication 
 that ought to be preserved. 
 
Vll 
 
 respecting the history of English art. After a 
 few brief poems, the next article of any import- 
 ance in the manuscript is the " Vision of Philibert 
 regarding the Body and the Soul"; a curious and 
 hitherto unnoticed early metrical translation of the 
 Latin poem on that subject, generally attributed to 
 Walter Mapes. It is given in the present volume, 
 pp. lS-39. This is followed by the short, but 
 quaint, poems of " Earth upon Earth", and the 
 " Mourning of the Hare", both of which are in- 
 serted in this collection. A few of the shorter metri- 
 cal pieces have been already printed in other col- 
 lections, and, though interesting in themselves, it 
 was thought not to be worth while to reproduce 
 them. Some have been printed in the Reliquice 
 A7itiquce,2in.diO\\iexs in works of limited circulation, 
 but sufficiently accessible to the student. The ten 
 articles now printed comprise the chief of the 
 inedited pieces of any real value, and constitute, 
 with those elsewhere published, as complete a 
 copy of the manuscript as will generally be 
 desired. 
 
 To the above brief enumeration of the contents 
 of the manuscript may be added the version of the 
 amusing tale of the Friar and the Boy, printed 
 in the following pages, pp. 46-62. Several copies 
 of this poem have been preserved, and as they all 
 
Vlll 
 
 vary considerably from each other, the present is 
 worth preservation, as perhaps the least incorrect 
 of any of the early manuscript copies known to 
 exist. Another, preserved in MS. Cantab. Ee. 
 iv. S5, was printed by Mr. Wright, 18mo, 1836. 
 The story is well known, and was a common 
 chap-book history, in a modernized form, until a 
 very recent period. 
 
 February/, 1855. 
 
EARLY ENGLISH 
 MISCELLANIES. 
 
 I. 
 
 Lovely lordynges, ladys lyke, 
 
 Wyves and maydynus ryallyke, 
 
 So worthy undere wede, 
 
 And alle, lystynes to my talkynge, 
 
 God grant hem hys dere blesynge, 
 
 And hevene to her mede. 
 
 By one foreste as I cone ryde, 
 
 1 saw a byrd by a woode syde, 
 
 Bryjte sche was of ble ; 
 
 Her wenges were of colowrs ryche, 
 
 As an aungelle me tho3te her lyehe, 
 
 Full semely hit was to sej 
 
 The byrd was go ; my joy was stylle, 
 
 For woo, alasse ! myselfFe I spylle, — 
 
 To Cryste I make my mone, 
 
 B 
 
EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 For a love that was so newe, 
 
 That so bry3te was of hewe, 
 
 Fro me was sche gone. 
 
 A blestfuUe songe that byrd gone synge. 
 
 And I abode for love talkynge, 
 
 To witt of whene sche wore ; 
 
 And as sone as sche se me, 
 
 Sche toke her fly3te for to fie 
 
 To an holte so hore ; 
 
 Forthe I walked in that foreste, 
 
 By a rever est and weste, 
 
 Under ane holte syde, 
 
 Tylle I come undere a lovele tre, 
 
 That semely cone I se 
 
 Undere a buske abyde. 
 
 That lovely byrd one bowys bare, 
 
 Sche sange a songe with sy3kyng sare 
 
 Opone ane haselle tre : 
 
 With wordys myld and hende, 
 
 To that byrd cone I wende, 
 
 OS bale her bote to be. 
 
 Whenne that I tylle her come, 
 
 By the wengus I her nome, 
 
 And stroked her fulle softe : 
 
 With wordys myld and stylle, 
 
 I hasked the byrd of her wy lie 
 
MISCELLANIES. 
 
 Fele tymys and ofte ; 
 
 The byrd answerd and sayd, — Do way ! 
 
 Me lykes no3te of thy play, 
 
 Ne talkyng of thy talys : 
 
 I am known undere thys tre, 
 
 So as I come let me fie, 
 
 By downs and by dalus : 
 
 For wonte I was to be in cage, 
 
 And with my feres to play and rage, 
 
 With game and with glc : 
 
 Now I fly with my fethere hame, 
 
 As wyld fowle and nothyng tame ; 
 
 Be dere God, woo is me ! 
 
 Nay, dere byrd, let be thy care, 
 
 And thou woldus gladly with me fare, 
 
 And leve one my talkynge ; 
 
 Of thy ruthe I wold a-ruwe, 
 
 Thy cage shal be made anewe ; 
 
 Thou shalte have thy lykynge. 
 
 The byrd answerd with wordys fre, — 
 
 Whereof schuld my cage be. 
 
 And I the love wold r 
 
 The flore schold be of argentum, 
 
 Clene sylver alle and sume. 
 
 That trewe love myjte behold. 
 
 The walle schal be of galmeowne, 
 
 B 2 
 
EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Frankensensse and lymesone, 
 
 That savour that is so swete. 
 
 The postes schal be of syperesse, 
 
 The furste tre that Jhesu chesse, 
 
 Off bale to be owre bote : 
 
 The towres shal be of every, 
 
 Clene corvene by and by, 
 
 The dore of whallus bone ; 
 
 The cowpuls alle of galyngalle. 
 
 The bemus alle of ryche coralle, 
 
 Ryally begone ; 
 
 The dosers alle of camaca, 
 
 The bankers alle of taffaca. 
 
 The quysschyns alle of velvet ; 
 
 The wyndows alle of jasper stone. 
 
 The pelowrs of coralle everychone. 
 
 With joye joyned in gete : 
 
 The hyllynges thereof schal be blewe, 
 
 And dyaper with aser hew 
 
 Comly for the noneste : 
 
 Pynnaculs alle of aurum, 
 
 Clene gold alle and summe, 
 
 FuUe of precyowse stonus : 
 
 The creste blewe and whyte as rysse. 
 
 The pynnaculs schalle go alle by vysse, 
 
 Within and withowte, 
 
MISCELLANIES. 
 
 With Vent Creator spiritus, 
 
 And, Gloria in excelsis, 
 
 With aungels songe alle abowte. 
 
 Fyve whelys therein schal be, 
 
 In the medylle schal be the Trinite, 
 
 That pere as none. 
 
 And the forwte thereabowte, 
 
 To Jhesu Criste for to lowte, 
 
 Marke, Mathew, Luke, and Johne. 
 
 The perche schalbe of cavbuncul stone, 
 
 To rest 30 w one, my joly lemone, 
 
 So semely is to my syjte ; 
 
 The nyjtyngale, the throstylcoke, 
 
 The popejay, the joly laveroke, 
 
 Schalle singe 30W day and ny3te ; 
 
 The popejay, 3our lady fre, 
 
 In 30ur cage with 30W to be, 
 
 30W to honour and queue ; 
 
 The throstelcoke Gabrielle, 
 
 The wyche gret owre lady welle. 
 
 With ane Gracia plene. 
 
 The ny3tyngale with benedicite, 
 
 In 3our cage with 30W to be. 
 
 For the fendys rowte ; 
 
 The laveroke schalle sjnge hye, 
 
 With Gloria tibi Domine, 
 
EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 And blysse the cage alle abowte. 
 
 Thys cage is made withowtyne weme, 
 
 For the love of one woman, 
 
 Mary that is so fre ; 
 
 The mane that better cage make canne, 
 
 Take thys byrd to his lemane, 
 
 That is the Trinite. 
 
 God, that is fuUe of myjte. 
 
 And sofored for us payns ply3te, 
 
 For his orders tenne, 
 
 Mot save and kepe this company 
 
 Fro schame and eke fro velony. 
 
 Ad vitam eternam ! Amen. 
 
 II. 
 
 Lord, how schalle I me complayne, 
 
 Unto myne owne lady dere. 
 For to telle hereof my payne. 
 
 That I felte this tyme of the heire ? 
 My lovfe, yf that 3e wylle hit here, 
 
 Thowje I can noo songis make, 
 Soo yowre lovfe changys my chere, 
 
 That whenne I slepe I may not wake. 
 Youre lovfe dose me soo meculle wow, 
 
 I lovfe yow best I make a wowe. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 
 
 That my schowe byndys my lyttylle towe, 
 
 And alle my lowf, swyt, hit ys for yow ; 
 Forsothe me thynkyt hit wylle me slow, 
 
 But 36 sumwhat my sowrro slake, 
 That barfot to my bede I goo, 
 
 And whenne I slepe I may not wake : 
 Whosoever wyst what lyfe I lede, 
 
 In myne obserwans in dyveris wyse, 
 Now the tyme that I gow to my bede, 
 
 I eyte no met tylle that I aryse. 
 36 my3t telle hit for a gret emprys, 
 
 That this morne for yowre sake, 
 Soo mekulle I thinke one yowre serwyse, 
 
 That when I slepe I may not wake. 
 In the mornyng when I ryse schalle. 
 
 Me lyst ry3t welle for to dyne, 
 But commynly I drynke noo nale, 
 
 Yf that I may geyt anny good wyne. 
 To make yowre hert to me inclyne, 
 
 Suche turment to me I take, 
 Synggyng dothe me soo mycheylle pyne, 
 
 That whenne I slepe I may not wake. 
 I may unnethe buttyn my slewys, 
 
 Soo myn armys waxin more ; 
 Undure my hyelle is that me grevys. 
 
 Fore at my hart I fele noo sowre. 
 
EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Evyry day my gyrdylle gothe out avore, 
 
 I clynge as dothe a whettyne cake, 
 And for yowre lowf I sy3e soo sowre, 
 
 That when I slepe I may not wake. 
 Therefore but 30 quyte me my hyre, 
 
 Forsothe I not what I schalle donne, 
 And for yowr lovf, lady, by the fyre, 
 
 Glowys wyll Y were noon. 
 I law3e and synge and make no mone, 
 
 I waxe as leyne as anny rake ; 
 This in longure I leyfe alonne, 
 
 That whan I slepe I may not wake. 
 My dooblet ys more then hit was. 
 
 To lovfe yow furst when I beganne, 
 
 Hit most be wyddyre be my lase 
 « 
 In yche a spas and stede by a spone. 
 
 My lovfe, sethe I become youre mane, 
 
 I havfe reddyn thorow monny a lake, 
 Woone myleway mornyng I came. 
 
 And 3eyt whan I slepe I may not wake. 
 This in longure I am lente, 
 
 Longe are 300 doo soo for me ; 
 Take good hyde unto my tent, 
 
 For this schalle my conclucyone bee, — 
 Me thinke I loofe as welle as 3ee, 
 
 Never soo cayey thowje 3ee hit make; 
 
MISCELLANIES. 
 
 Be this insampulle 30 may see, 
 
 That when I slepe I may not wake. 
 
 Amen. Et-c. 
 
 III. 
 
 As I went one my playing, 
 
 Undure an holt uppone an hylle, 
 I sawe and ould mane hoore make mornyng, — 
 
 With sykyng soure he sayd me tylle, — 
 Sum tyme this worde was at my wylle, 
 
 With reches and with ryallte, 
 And now hit layd done ful stylle ; 
 
 This word is but a wannyte. 
 That one the morrow when hit fayre and chere, 
 
 After none hit wendys awaye, 
 And commyth to the nyjt as hit was ere : 
 
 This word ys but a daye : 
 Goo for ryjt alle owre lewyng heyre ; 
 
 Frow chyldwood unto mannys degre, 
 Owre enddyng drawyt nere and nere, — 
 
 This word is but a wannyte. 
 I leccone my lyfe unto the morrow-tyde ; 
 
 When I was chyld so bare i-bore. 
 For me my modyr sofFyrd gret soure, 
 
 With grouttyng and weppyng was I bore, 
 
10 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 But thow one me was wem ne hore ; 
 
 Sethe in sinne I have i-be, 
 Now I am olde I may no more, — 
 
 This word is but a wannyte. 
 At myde-morroo daye I lernnyd to goo, 
 
 And play as chyldorne done in strete ; 
 As chyldwood me thojt and taujt I dyde tho, 
 
 With my fellous to fy3t and beyt. 
 What I dede metho3t hit swete, 
 
 Ry3t as chyldhod tajt hit me ; 
 Now may I say with terms weete, 
 
 This word is but a wannyte. 
 At under day to skole I was i-sete, 
 
 To lerne good as chyldorn dothe, 
 But whenne my master woold me bete, 
 
 I wold hym cowrs and wax foUe rowthe : 
 To lerne good I was fuUe rowthe, 
 
 I tho3t one play and goUytte ; 
 Now for to say the sothe, 
 
 This world is but a wannyte. 
 At mydday I was dobbyt a kny3te. 
 
 In trothe I lernnyd for to ryed ; 
 There was none soo bold a wy3te, 
 
 That in battaylle durst me abyde. 
 Where be-commy3t alle owre pryd, 
 
 Owre jollytte and fayre boutte. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 11 
 
 Frow dethe I may not me here hyde, — 
 
 This word ys but a wannyte. 
 At nonne I was crounyd a kynge, 
 
 AUe this world was at my wylle ; 
 Ever to lyvfe here was my lykynge, 
 
 And alle my lust I wold fulfylle : 
 Now age is croppyn one me ful stylle, 
 
 He makyt me hore, blake, and bowe ; 
 I goo alle dounward with the hylle, — 
 
 This world is but a wannyte. 
 At myd-undure-none wondorly I waxe, 
 
 My lust and lykyng hit went away, 
 From the world my chere ys goon, 
 
 Fro ryalte and ryche araye : 
 Owre lewyng ys but one daye, 
 
 Ajeynst the world that evyre schalbe ; 
 Be this matter I dare welle saye, 
 
 This word ys but a wanyte. 
 At ewynsong tyme I was so cold, 
 
 That now I goo alle by a stafe, 
 Therefore is dethe one me so bold. 
 
 And for his hyre he dothe me chawfe : 
 Whenne I am dede and layd inne grawe, 
 
 Then no thing schalle save me, 
 But welle and woo that I done havfe, — 
 
 This word ys but a wannyte. 
 
12 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Now ys this day commyn to the nyjt ; 
 
 I ha we lost my lewyng ; 
 A dredefulle payne is for me dy3te, 
 
 In cold claye there inne to clynge. 
 As I went on my playing, 
 
 Undure an holt by a tre, 
 This hard I an old manne mak mornyng, — 
 
 This world ys but a wannyte ! 
 In Domino confydo. Amen, dico vobis. 
 
 IV. 
 
 The Fadyr of pytte and most of myserycorde, 
 
 That alle this word throw his grace relewyt. 
 
 He ys soo mercyfulle, called gracys Lord, 
 
 That all oure syne the wyche his lordschypp grevyth. 
 
 Full oft of verey pytte that hym mevyte, 
 
 To oure freywelte hawyng advertans. 
 
 He remytteth sone and grantteth indulgens. 
 
 And tho3e it be so he wyll no man be pereched, 
 He sofFord us oft to falle grevusly ; 
 Whom he reypreweth whom he woU have cheryd, 
 There is no creature can tel this truly : 
 Werfore, O frendus, alle this counsel I, 
 Consydyr youre lyve stondyth in gret drede ; 
 Beth wel awysid therefor, je have gret ned. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 13 
 
 Al this I meve for a nottabul a storrye, 
 
 The wych a clarke in Lattayne lyst for to wryet, 
 
 To floure for ever worthely in memorrye, 
 
 And hard harttus to try and exsyte 
 
 To perfeccyon, and cans men to have delyte 
 
 In her God, and meve hem new and newe 
 
 To alle good warkus, al evyl to esschew. 
 
 And as I dorst for verey drede and schame, 
 
 Of sympul connyng and bestyal rudenysse, 
 
 I toke one me to translate the same 
 
 Into owre tonge after the prossese 
 
 In Lattayn ; werfore with alle humblenesse, 
 
 Every genttyl redere I reyquere 
 
 To be my supporter, I aske non other hyere. 
 
 And in this matter weras I fynde 
 Anne thinge that may behold suspecte. 
 As towchyng enny word befor or behynde. 
 To throwe dysscression I ofFyr and derecte 
 Al syche defawtes to amende and correcte, 
 Lest one me be fond any offense. 
 In anny place of worthie audyense, 
 
 O sovereyn Lord of sapiens infeynyte, 
 Sum lecur of thi grace one me destylle, 
 Sonnere my style helpe me to indyte, 
 
14 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 That to thi lawde I may this processe fulfyle : 
 Soffyre me not, Lord, ajeynst thi wyle. 
 But so my pene dyrecte at my nede, 
 That to thi lawde this processe may procede. 
 
 O Crystes modyre, dow3tter to Sente Anne, 
 Be whom al grace is new begonne ; 
 That feede 3eure chyld with the heyvynly mane, 
 And 3ave hym drynke of youre good lytonne. 
 O norreyschere to Cryst clothid with the sone, 
 The chefe temppul of oure soferayn deseyryde. 
 And of the Holly Gost electe and enspyryd. 
 
 Nowe wy3t-save, lady, of youre maydonhede. 
 
 Sum ly3t of grace one me to sende. 
 
 That my rude wyte may be oute of drede 
 
 Of this simpul dytte to make ann ynd : 
 
 And lest hit be so that I do ofFende, 
 
 Let yowre grace uppon me, youre servant, schyne. 
 
 That by a quene aboven the ordors nyne. 
 
 And to my porpos I wyl turne al newe, 
 
 As befor I began to wryte. 
 
 And after a storry to the I wylle the matter sewe. 
 
 As 3e schal here without more respyte. 
 
 In Frans sometym there deyllyd an hermete, 
 
MISCELLANIES. 15 
 
 Holly and devoute, and set in perfeccyone : 
 He was allso a worthi kyngis sone. 
 
 This ermet be name was cleyppyd Philberte, 
 Secrete with God, as in conclysion 
 The matter schowyjt, who wysely wyl advert, 
 And in his slepe he hade syche a vyssyone : 
 He saw a boddy not feynyd be illisione, 
 Deede and pale, and one the erthe laye ; 
 And, as hit semyd, the spret was away. 
 
 By the body the spret stod and weppyd, 
 And in his langaug the body dyde repreve ; 
 Why hadyst thou not better thi soule keppyte ? 
 Alas, that ever thou commyst of Adam and Eve ! 
 Who cast the doune into this myscheyfe ? 
 Who hath the put into this gret mysyre ? 
 Thy sollen festus be changyt into serre. 
 
 Not long agoo, the word was thi subejecte ; 
 
 Al this regeone thi lordschype hade in drede. 
 
 Wer is now that mayne, thou stynkyng and abjecte, 
 
 That thou wert wont so ryally to fede ? 
 
 Here gret observans and there takyng hede ? 
 
 Al is gone ! thi welth is from the wenyde ! 
 
 Thow foul caryon, thus dethe hath the dysmayde. 
 
16 
 
 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Thy dwellyng is not now in hy3e towrus, 
 
 Ne in hy3e paleys of famus largenyse, 
 
 But in a grave clousyd alle in flowryse, 
 
 Schort enow3e, it hath no gret wydnys ; 
 
 What awaylly3t now thi strengthe and thi reches ? 
 
 Thy 3othe, thi bowtte, and thin appareyle ? 
 
 Frome hens forthe thi wyl not the awayle. 
 
 Where is now thy hy3e palleys, reyplete 
 
 Of reches flouyng in gret abundanse ? 
 
 Thi hale is now of vij. fete : 
 
 The wormus bene thi kyn and thin alyanse ; 
 
 Thi fryndeus in whome was alle thi affyanse, 
 
 Here terius be almost exspend ; 
 
 When thi dyrge was done, heere soroo was at an ynd. 
 
 I am a sole after thi simlytude 
 
 Of God, a creatur in a ry3t nobul wyse. 
 
 And ordent to be of that multutud, 
 
 That up to God glory schul ascend and ryse ; 
 
 But thou, alas ! madyste me to dyspyse 
 
 My God ; so wellaway the whylle ! 
 
 For to eternal dethe he wyle us both exile. 
 
 O stynkyng fleche ! with me thou art damnyde, 
 But and thou knewyst the gret sowrro and payne 
 
MISCELLANIES. 17 
 
 Ordent for the, when thou schalt be exsempned, 
 A thousande sythe thou schalt crye and playne, 
 And say this word, — God, that we twayne 
 The day of owre byrth we had byn in our grave ! 
 But suche grave wer we not ordent to have. 
 
 Hit is gret merwelle, as semyjt me, 
 
 Thoj oure dedys were not at Godis pleysans, 
 
 In ouer lyve, whyle I was kyn to the. 
 
 For of me thou hadyst alvay the governans. 
 
 And when thou felyst I wold have done pennans. 
 
 For owre syn thou woldyst never asente, 
 
 Ne at no time porpos the to amende. 
 
 Wer beth thi lonndys by exstorcyone take ? 
 Thin hy3 pallys that thou hast belde, and towrys ? 
 Thy freche ryngis, thi goomes wyet and blake. 
 Thy golde and sylwyre, and thi gret honnouris ? 
 All is lost, and now thi sempul bouris 
 In the, and thou art layd now fulle lowe ; 
 Thus whom hym lyst dethe cane ovyre-throwe. 
 
 Thy ryche vesture, thi beddys of collors dyverse, 
 Thi wennesone, thi wyld fouUe, spycus of delyte, 
 Vesselle, nappre, mettus, I cannot reyhers, 
 Sawsis, subdelytys to thine appetyte ; 
 
18 EAKLY ENGLISH 
 
 Thy lusty pellois, thi schettus fayre and whyte ; 
 "Where ys this now ? one this was alle thi thoujte : 
 Here mayst thou se worldis joy is no3te. 
 
 AnsAvere to me, for I wylle apposse 
 
 Thin wloge, yf hit do the apleyse ; 
 
 Say one thy tyxte, for now may be no glous, 
 
 For now thy haulle roofe lyth uppon that noose : 
 
 Hit is so streyt, thou hast no membure at ese ; 
 
 Thi moth, thi eene, thi tonge, and thi brethe, 
 
 Thi fete and thi hondys stynke alle of dethe ! 
 
 Thy gret ryches that thou hast gette some tyme, 
 With farade, with fawyre, with strenjte, or with 
 
 drede, 
 Be now changyt into erthe and slyme. 
 And no were the world of me takyt none hede : 
 Thus dethe aquyttyt every man his mede : 
 Wyth-oute doute, who soo dothe attend 
 Of worldly joy is evyre at the heynd. 
 
 In heyryTie and erthe thou hast never a frynde ; 
 Thy fadyre and thi modyre of the takys noo kepe : 
 Thyne eyrris hath alle, thy good is dysspend; 
 Thy lusty wyfe dothe no lengure weppe : 
 Alas ! that evyre thou coudyst goo or crepe ! 
 
MISCELLANIES. 19 
 
 There his no prayere that may the now awaylle : 
 Thow fylthye fleche ! now mayst thou cry and weppe. 
 
 I knowe this well, thin eyrrys ne thi wyfe 
 
 Wyl not 3eyfe o fote of thi lond 
 
 To reystore the agayne here to thi lyve, 
 
 And 3eyt alle thi trust thou puttust in here hond. 
 
 A ! wold God, thou my3ttyst undyrestonde. 
 
 As thou lyes nowe stynkyng one the here, 
 
 Thi frenschype and thou dyid bothe in feere. 
 
 Now mayste thou see this world is but false ; 
 His fayre prommes fol monny hathe begyllyde. 
 The fendis mallis thi curssid flecche alse, 
 Many a thowsand have 3e there exsylyd 
 Owte of joy, as mony a clarke hathe compylyd 
 In sondry storrys, who so luste to rede ; 
 But ale-tho3e men take of dethe no hede. 
 
 Thi wester nowe is nothing presiouse. 
 The wallure thereof is but symepul i-now3e : 
 The schape me thingk is not made fill curiuse, 
 Al thi bede-schettes beth alle row3e : 
 And tho thi skynne be never so hard and tow3e, 
 3et wylle the wormus into thi body crepe : 
 Wherefore, thou fleche, thou hast grete cans to wepe. 
 
 c 2 
 
20 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 *And tho thou feele no turment no we nor payne, 
 Als thou lyiste here dede and palle of hewe, 
 At the hy jugement doutles we twayne 
 Schall be sore poonneschyde, we may hit not esschew; 
 And suffure endles payne ever new and newe ; 
 A3ens us bothe is 3eve the jugement and senttense ; 
 There is no favor to make reyssystens. 
 
 O fuUe of mysserie, that never haddyst pytte 
 
 Uppone the pore in al thi dayis here, 
 
 But by exstorsion hast robbyd alle the sytty, 
 
 There as thou hast deyllyd from heyre to 3ere, 
 
 Now arte thou layd fulle lowe uppone the here : 
 
 Of alle owre sorrow thou arte the cause ; 
 
 Com of and thou canste, and answere to this clause. 
 
 Whenne at the body hade hard every worde 
 Of the sowle and evere complaynt, 
 Upe the chest frome hym he cast away the bord 
 Wyth gret vyolens, as he were nothing faynt, 
 And furiusly and wood the false fleche ataynte : 
 With ferfuU langgage he began the sole to accuse, 
 As 36 schalle here, and hymeselfe to excuse. 
 
 Art thou my soule, that hast me reyprevyte 
 With scharpe reysone curiusly made and wro3t ? 
 
MISCELLANIES. 21 
 
 Yf myne answere be ryjt wel apprewyte, 
 AUe thi argamenttus schalle be set at no3te, 
 And anone the truthe anone schalle be sou3te, 
 Wyche of us to is most worth! here, 
 To here the blame, anon je schall here. 
 
 This knowe I wel, I have made the erre 
 In monny a warke and manny a sory dede. 
 But what is the cause nowe of oure werre 
 I wylle declare, withouttyne anny drede ; 
 How myjt the body syne, I pray the take hede, 
 Withoute the soule ? thou cannist not this denye ; 
 Tarry a whyle, and I schalle tel the whye. 
 
 The word, the feend, and the fleche, in fere, 
 
 By the gret frendys and of old alyance, 
 
 And but the sole ryjt as dothe the brere. 
 
 Hale a3ene anone this they wyll aspye. 
 
 What my3te cause the body to aplye 
 
 To here luste and to here cursyde werkus ; 
 
 Now answere, soule, for this say the the clarkus. 
 
 This know I welle, as thou dydyst reyherse, 
 God formyd the after his owne ymage, 
 And made the ry3t with manny vertues dyverse. 
 And ordent the body bothe in 3oughet3 and age. 
 To be thy thral, thy servant, and thi page : 
 
22 EAELY ENGLISH 
 
 Have I not do so, as somme then kythe ? 
 But al for no3te, I se proferd serves stynkit : 
 
 Thow, soule, wer made lady and mastries 
 
 In thy creaeione, bye Godis provysionne : 
 
 Reysone, mynd, and wyll, God of his goodnyse 
 
 Ordent to the only, to this conclusione, 
 
 That thou schulddyst kepe thi body from confusion, 
 
 And ajeynst al synne to make resistense ; 
 
 Thus dyddyst thou never answere to my senttens. 
 
 Hit may not be the bodye schold be blamyte. 
 But only the sole that hath the soffrentte ; 
 Thow haddyst the govemans ; art thounot a-schamyd ? 
 Why puttest thou one me alle thi defaute : 
 To be my subjecte say what nedyethe the ? 
 Sethe of the body thou haddyst alle the charge, 
 What was the cause thou suffurist me to go at 
 large? 
 
 Withoute spret, pardy, the body his nojt : 
 Withoute spret the body is no3t sussteynnyde : 
 To kepe the body thou were made and wro3te : 
 Answere, thou wer my sufferayne and long hast 
 
 playnyd, 
 Thow wer my soferayn and longe haste raynnyde 
 
MISCELLANIES.* 23 
 
 On me ; why tokyst thou no better hede, 
 At all owrys when that I hade nede ? 
 
 Thy symppul fleche, the wyche is corryptybuUe, 
 Without the spret can noudyre good ne harme. 
 How myjt hit be, hit is unpossybuUe 
 That the body, the wyche is nothinge warme, 
 But deyde and cold, schuld put forth his arme. 
 Or withowt the soule eny membur meve ; 
 Withowt the soule the body may nothing greve. 
 
 Thothe the body and the spryt most nede asente, 
 Whatever he sayth he most say the same. 
 And as subjecte serve his masteris intente : 
 Why schuld the servant here the masteris blame ? 
 Without the sole the body his blynd and lame ; 
 My felyng, my mevyng, ale commyjt of the : 
 For thin offens why reyprevyst thou me ? 
 
 Remembure, O sool, what thou hast offendyte 
 
 More then I, thou cannyst the not excuse : 
 
 Oure both defawttus thou my3ttyst have amendyte ; 
 
 This knowyst thou welle, thou mayst hit not reyfuse. 
 
 Thow obayist my wylle : why doste thou acuse ? 
 
 Thy bytter langgag hath grewyd me sore : 
 
 Go frome me, sole, and wex me no more. 
 
24 EA.RLY ENGLISH 
 
 Wylle, abyd a whylle and tarie, 
 
 And at thi ergamenttes anone reypleye, — 
 
 Thow hast oflfendy t, thou canniste not say the conttrary ; 
 
 mollyd carryen, out one the, I crye. 
 Fyrst take the pylere out of thyne ye, 
 Or one me thou put anny defaute : 
 
 Fulle causles me thing it, thou dost me asaute. 
 
 1 know this welle, I schuld have mad reysustens 
 A3eyns the fleche, fals and dyssaywabulle, 
 
 But thi freelte anon stod at defense ; 
 To thi soule thou were never favereabulle : 
 My wylle was oft to 3eld me culpapulle, 
 But thou3 the world and the fende alsoo 
 In no wyse wold never asent thereto. 
 
 O wrecheyd fleche, O thou stynkynge donge, 
 That al thy dayis hast the word foUowyd ! 
 What arte thou now ? thy knyl is ronge. 
 Thy dyrge is done, the erthe hase the swallovyd ! 
 Thow art defygurt, thi eyne beth depe hollowed ! 
 Now art thou dede, thou mayst not askape ; 
 Not long agone thou madyst hereof a jappe. 
 
 When thy concianse wold the have mad chastessed, 
 With wygellus, fastynge, or with allmysdede, 
 
MISCELLANIES. 25 
 
 Thow woldyst say nay, — I be awyssed 
 I may lyve longe 3eyt, I have no nede 
 To amend myself ; of deth I take no hede : 
 I wylle dance whylle the world wylle pype ; 
 The frut fallyt syld, but 3eyf hit be rype. 
 
 Thow hast of me take alle the charge, 
 
 Thow soffyrd me never to have the sofFyriantte ; 
 
 After thi lust thou wenttust alway at large, 
 
 Thow hast my s chevy d bothe the and me. 
 
 A ! what pestelens is wors or adversite, 
 
 In this world then a famylly or frende ? 
 
 Withowttyne dout he is wors then a fynde. 
 
 I know me gyltte that I have erryd ; 
 
 Sethe I was sofFerayne, I have the not reystreynyd, 
 
 But suffyrd the body evere to be referryde, 
 
 Trowth, the falsnis undyre dessayvyd. 
 
 A ! now I know the worldis joye is faynyde ; 
 
 Alle to lat I do my sorro complayne, — 
 
 Fayre promese ofte makyth foollis fayne. 
 
 O wrecched fleche, whi dydyst thou not advarte 
 The sottel fraud of this world and gyle, 
 And on thi God wonly set thin herte. 
 That ever was raydy the to reyconsyle ? 
 
26 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 But now, alas ! he wylle us both exsyle 
 
 Oute of joye, for oure gret offence. 
 
 There is no juge that wylle with us dyspense. 
 
 Not long agone the world dyde lave one the, 
 And made the promese thou schuld longe indure ; 
 But thou wer blynd, thou my3ttyst not see, 
 The perelus end and thin myssawentture : 
 O deth, thou wendyst thou hade byne sure 
 To leve alle way, and never to have dyid, 
 3ete amonge a thousand dethe hath the aspyid. 
 
 The world methinke I may reysemble wele 
 To a thefe that came, both faynd and glose, 
 And when thou wenyst he be as trow as styelle, 
 He sonnyst dyssaywyth the, thou schalt never odyre 
 
 suppose, 
 But as a sarpent that creppyt under they roose, 
 Lythe awayet, every tyme and houre, 
 To sley the best that dare toche the floure. 
 
 Tho that wer thi frynddys be now waxt al strange, 
 Uppon thi grave they wyl not ons beholde, 
 And no we that abbay is torned to a grange, 
 Farewel thi frenschype, thi kechyne is cold ! 
 O fremel flech, ful oft I have the told. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 27 
 
 When thou art dede, thi frenschype is aslepe ; 
 And at that word the boddy began to wepe. 
 
 My soule, trowyst thou I undyrestond, 
 Whil I was levynge in all my bessenyse, 
 That so sodenly wold have passid the flod, 
 Uppone the ebbe I thojt never to exprese ; 
 My hart was ever uppon my rechese : 
 I trowyd never to have enturrid into my grave. 
 1 lest not whyl the world sayd have. 
 
 And now I know truly at the beste, 
 
 That alle my reches may nothing prewayle, 
 
 And nowe my loge is low in cheste, 
 
 My powere, my berthe, to me wyl nothinke avayle 
 
 A3eyns dethe, the wyche wyl never fayle 
 
 To come at the last, tarie hem never so longe ; 
 
 The worldis joye hath ever sorrow amonge. 
 
 We have oiFendyt ouer Lorde God sovereyne, 
 But thin offyns his a gret del more : 
 Why schuld the body have so gret a payne 
 As the sole ? he hath not offendyt so sore. 
 I have gret wrong, as me-thingit therefore. 
 To be ponnescheyd with the sole in fere : 
 Tarry a whyle, and why thou schalt here. 
 
28 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Of every dyscryte this is well consayvyde, 
 
 And know also by auctorryte of Scrypture, 
 
 So gret gyftus of God thou reysayvyd, 
 
 So here is thine astate and good awentture ; 
 
 Tho God soifyre the never so long to indure, 
 
 At the last answere thou must make 
 
 Of thi gret charge that thou hast undyretake. 
 
 God 3eyf the reyssone, wyl, and mynde, 
 
 With dyveris goodis he induit the ; 
 
 He 3ave the alle, and left me behynd, 
 
 He mad me thi subjecte in ful sympul degre ; 
 
 But thou wer neclygent and roullyd by me, — 
 
 Thow scholdyst therefore have the more payne, 
 
 Be veery reyssone methinkyth, of us twayne. 
 
 After his oune image God mad the ry3t fayre, 
 Of my V. wyllus he toke the the keye, 
 Withoute thin asent I myjte never apayre 
 In thin absens how my3t I rage or playe, 
 But as a chyld his master dothe obbaye, 
 Dare not, ior feyre he schuld be bete ; 
 Be well awyssyd, one my resons grete. 
 
 Now ame I dede, my colour is appalyde ; 
 My sole is gone, the body may not meve, 
 And 3eyt to answere nowe ame I callyde. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 29 
 
 Unawyssid in this gret myscheyf ; 
 Now dethe hath take me by the sieve, 
 I must 3eve acounttus, I may not ascape, — 
 Deth, takyth heyd, can nother play ne jape. 
 
 Sum tyme I hade menne one me to wayte, 
 
 Freche arayid, was none to me to dere, 
 
 And now my chambure is ful narro and streyt, — 
 
 There may not to loge there in fere : 
 
 What is the body, whenne hit is one here ? 
 
 Hit is not ellus but wormus mete : 
 
 This his the heynd of every smale and gret. 
 
 And I know welle that I schalle aryce 
 
 To 3eyf aconttus at the laste, 
 
 Befor the most feyrful Justyse, 
 
 How ferful trowly there is no tong can saye : 
 
 Whether schal I fle, alase and wellawaye ! 
 
 Frou the syjt of ther fueyrfulle juge ? 
 
 There is no creature may be my reyfuge. 
 
 3eyt say I more with a sorroffull harte, 
 
 Of my playnis, O soule, take hede. 
 
 The grettyst payn amonge my paynnis smerte, 
 
 Was when my sole dyde from me reysede, 
 
 At that departtyng wofFul of feere and drede, 
 
30 EAKLY ENGLISH 
 
 When that my sole, that was my next frend, 
 Was dampnyd for ever in helle to be a fende. 
 
 ■ Sone after the sperit with a dredly speche 
 Begane to crye, and sayd, — I ame lorne ! 
 For my soor, alase, there is no leche ; 
 Why wold my Makere sofFyre me to be borne 
 In this world, seth he knew toforne 
 That I schwld be dampnyd in his presense. 
 At the last, for my gret offence ? 
 
 A ! wold God I had byne unreyssonnabule 
 As an bond ; then had I byne out of payne ; 
 But now my end is most abhomynabule. 
 Hit awayllyth nojt, thoj I crye or playne ; 
 I ame so fare, I may not tome ajeyne 
 To have mercy, for ryjt hath clossyd the gate 
 There mercy sojornit; I ame come to late. 
 
 In paynus moste scharpe I ame and ever schal be. 
 
 I have no tong that playnly canne tele 
 
 My longe sorro, my gret adversitte 
 
 Wyche I suffyre doune alowe in heelle ; 
 
 But, alase ! of alle my sorrowe they wylle, 
 
 Is that I schale never come a3eyne to grace. 
 
 But etternally dweylle in that darke place. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 31 
 
 The body spake to the spret ajeynne, — 
 
 jife hit be so that thou hast byne in heylle, 
 
 To see there the gret torment and payne 
 
 Ordent for Lucyfere, that oute of hewyne felle ; 
 
 Is there anny raye, I praye the soletele, 
 
 Or anny gladnyse, or any estate keppite ? 
 
 The soule sayd nothinge, but stod stil and weppyd. 
 
 To gret lordys and nobles there is somme place 
 Of worschype, ordent after herre degre ! 
 Thay leve in hope to have mercy and grace 
 At the last, how my3t hit ellis be ? 
 May almys dedis helpe nowe, tel me, 
 Or holy suffragyse in this gret nede ; 
 Sume of this methinkyj alway schal spede. 
 
 Thy questione, thou body, is not reysonabule, 
 Nor out of helle may no man be redempte ; 
 The gret sorroo there is so abbomynabule, 
 Of ire, of envy, murmure and contempte ; 
 Al gladnis and joy is there exsempte; 
 None astate there schal be preferryde, 
 The payn is taxed after as thi have erryde. 
 
 Tho3 al the world wer ful of almus dede. 
 Of pytty and mercy, and of gladnyse, 
 
32 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 And pray for us reyt, schuld thou not spede : 
 Thou5 at onys thi ofFyrd alle ther ryches, 
 Al is in vayne, labure and besinys, 
 That is done for us that byn in helle : 
 Of this mater 3ete have I mor to telle. 
 
 For al this world, lordschype and treyssere, 
 The fend wyl not sofFer une sool out of helle 
 To be reyfrechid the tyme of halfe an oure ; 
 There is non aschapyth out of his chene, 
 Be no sottaylte, nor be no false trayne : 
 He most abyd in that presone evyre, 
 That ones commy3t in, for out goth he never. 
 
 To know reydyly thou sayst his thi desyre. 
 If gret estatys sehold be punnesscyd soore ; 
 Her paynus be scharpure, the hotter is the fyre 
 That thei byne in, and schuld more and more 
 Then annye othere, T warne the before. 
 The gretter estate, the gretter is his falle ; 
 I may no lenger tarry to tel the of alle. 
 
 "When at the soole had mad his complaynte. 
 Of to feyndis anon he was take ; 
 Thay wer so feyrfule, there is no man coud paynt, 
 Suche to there wer so foul and so blake : 
 
MISCELLANIES. 33 
 
 For verry feyre the soule dyd trymmyl and quake 
 At here commynge, it is and was gret wondyre, — 
 There followyd then gret tempas and thondore. 
 
 In her hondys thai bare yrone speyruse, 
 The fereful soule to feyre and enchase ; 
 Fyre smot on at here mowthus and eryse, 
 Lyk ij. lyons thei dyde the soule arace; 
 Ful dredful was here ymage and here face : 
 In this world there is no creature one lyve, 
 That coud here fygurs by and by descryve. 
 
 Here contenance, here eyne, were so orryble, 
 
 Al brennyng fyre, schynyng as the glase, 
 
 To tel yow al it is impossibuUe ; 
 
 Here hornnys were gret, thei semyd al of brase ; 
 
 Gret stronge smoke about them there wase ; 
 
 Brennyng feyre wase about ther hornyse. 
 
 And al here eyrus wer scharpe as any thornus. 
 
 This to fendys foule and abbomynabule, 
 
 Feisly with tonggys blasyng for heyte, 
 
 With mony a cry and wordyse reyprevabule, 
 
 Thay hallyd the soul into paynus grete. 
 
 Thus pettyusly he wase schorgyt and bete, 
 
 And with here naylys he was dysmemborte ; 
 
 Of alle and halfe his paynus I cannot be rememburte. 
 
 D 
 
34 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Sume with cheynnys bond the soule faste, 
 
 Sume with 3erdys smote ful hard and soore ; 
 
 Sume byllyd mettayl, and in his moth than caste ; 
 
 Some made fyre byhynde, and somme byfore : 
 
 And to increse his payne more and more, 
 
 Into a pyt anone he was in caste, 
 
 Of fyere and sulfure brennyng aye ful fast. 
 
 Then al the fendys in schame and reyplete 
 
 Of the soule, sayd in this wyes : — 
 
 O false attaynte ! O thou cursyd theve ! 
 
 Now arte thou bond, thou mayst never aryse ! 
 
 Thow arte quyte for thi long serwyse ! 
 
 Thow mayst not aschape — thou arte tyid so faste. 
 
 AUe oure serwanttus, lo! commy3 hedere at the laste. 
 
 For verry sorrow the soule began to wepe. 
 And sayd, — alas ! I may not tome a3eyne 
 Owt of this dongoone, that is w^^de and depe. 
 A ! God, my makere, to the I cry and playne, — 
 Where is thi mersy, that wase wont to rayne ? 
 Amonge thi pepul lete hit nowe awayle, 
 Doune alowe into this darke dale ! 
 
 The fendyse anon sayd. Thou cryiste to late 
 After thi Ood ; nowe that mayst not spede ! 
 The portter of heyvyne hathe cloussyd the 3ate ; 
 
MISCELLANIES. 35 
 
 Of thi crye thay take none heed : 
 Hit awaylly3 not, tho thou say thi crede 
 A thowsand sythe nowe alowe in helle, 
 For dowtles here thou most nedys dwelle. 
 
 The gret darknys thou mayste grope and fele ; 
 From hensforth thou schalt never se no lyjte ; 
 Thy bytter heyt there is no man may kele ; 
 Thy lusty day is tornyd into ny3te. 
 Thy bowtte is changyt, passid is thi my3t ; 
 Hit awaylly3 not, wepe thou never so sore : 
 Then endyth my drem : of this I sawe no more. 
 
 When I hade hard complaynt alle 
 
 Betwyne the body and the soule in fere, 
 
 Frow my eyne the teris begane to fale ; 
 
 I pray to God with myne herte in fere, 
 
 He wold witsavfe to grant, while I wer here. 
 
 Of al my synnys to have wery reypentance. 
 
 And ever in my werkys to do unto his pleysance. 
 
 Owt of my slepe I woke alle dysmayid, 
 I sow3t abowt, I coud no thinge fynde. 
 And of my vesione I was foule afrayid. 
 The body and the soule wer ever in my mynde. 
 And ever me thoo3t I sawe the feynd byhynd : 
 
 D 2 
 
36 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 So was his feger so pryntyd in my tho3te ; 
 Whil I was alyve I forgat hyme noujte. 
 
 The wordys joy, the wyche is transsetorrye, 
 
 My gold, my sylver, al I sete ate now3te ; 
 
 Myne erytage, myne alyaunse, al is but faynyd glorye, 
 
 Oute of mynd, as hit had never be thou3te ; 
 
 And for his mercy, oure Lord I be-soujte, 
 
 He wold reyseyf me holly into his hondyse, 
 
 And kepe me ever oute the fendis hondyse. 
 
 And tho hit was so I was a kyngis sone, 
 
 I offyrd my selfe to wylful poverte. 
 
 And in dysserte al my lyve to wone, 
 
 I mad ful promes with ale humylyte ; 
 
 There I lowet longe in streyt chastyte, 
 
 Abydyng Goddis wylle, when that he wyl send 
 
 For my sowle, and therto make ann ynde. 
 
 And for that moste begynnere and sovereyn love, 
 What he schowyth to al mankynd here, 
 When he dyssenddyt frome his glorie above 
 Into a chast wombe of a wyrgene clere, 
 I prayd my Lord he wold whytsavfe to here 
 My symppul orysone, for his mercy and grace. 
 And preserfe me ever frowe that darke place. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 37 
 
 Consydure, frendys, in yowre presense 
 
 Of this speryte, the dredfule tragedye, 
 
 And in specyal 30 that hawe no concyanse, 
 
 Lete this a storry be byfor youre eey ; 
 
 Beth wel awyssyd, for truly 3e schal dye, 
 
 But whenne and wer there is no mane cane telle ; 
 
 Tho je dred note God, 3ete be ferd of helle. 
 
 For in this world have we no sekyrnys, 
 
 But as a schadowe that crepyth and away glydythe, 
 
 So passy3 yowre lyve here, youre joy and gladnis, 
 
 Al is transetorrye, there is nothinge abydethe ; 
 
 And dethe, that so prevyly hymeselfe hydyte, 
 
 Oute of courte he wyle al sodenly crepe, 
 
 3e schale not when wakyng or aslepe. 
 
 Behold in the Evangelii, and there 36 may see 
 How God in owre werkys takyth gret heed ; 
 He sethe the gardynere kyttyth adoune the tree. 
 For he bare that 3ere nother frute ne seede : 
 How schal thou do then, that arte but a weede, 
 And ale thi dayis leve by extorsyoune ? 
 Trowyst thou not thou schalt be kyte adowne ? 
 
 3eys, withowte doute, and fast i-bonde 
 As a fagot, and then thou schalt be caste 
 Into a fyre fare byneth the grond, 
 
38 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 And tlius in preson thou schalte syte at nyjte ; 
 Thus oure Lord aquyttyz hym at the laste, 
 That with wronge poore mennis goodus hathe ; 
 Be thou never so fals, thou schalt accontus make. 
 
 And thou that haste Crystus spos dyspysyte, 
 
 Here one erthe, terme of alle thi lyve, 
 
 With hote fyre thou schalt be brent and bylyde ; 
 
 The hosbond nedus most defend the wyfe : 
 
 Wynste thou God sley the not with a kneyfe ? 
 
 Anone he wyl avenge his sentuarrye, 
 
 Thou3e of his mercy he abyde and tarie. 
 
 Rede us this to myend, whyl thou hast thi helthe, 
 Of what a state thou be, or of conndesione : 
 Thow3e God send the propirte and welthe, 
 Day by day he makyth the amonisione, 
 By syknes and by wordly persecusione, 
 That at the last nedys thou must dye : 
 Therfore from syne I rede the fast hye. 
 
 Many a regyonne, and mpnnye a nottable cyty, 
 God hathe dysstryid for here sinnis grete, 
 And of monny a thousannt mo he hath had pette, 
 Of his goodnes, tho he manese and threte : 
 Thouje he be wrothe, he wse not anon to bete, 
 
MISCELLANIES. 39 
 
 He wold so fayne every thinge were welle : 
 Amend thowe, therefore ; dyspayre yow never a dele. 
 
 Reymembure youre lyve enduryt but a whylle : 
 3e stond in dout ho we longe we and je schal abyde; 
 Let not yowre dedus yowreselve begyle ; 
 Whyl 3e be here for youre soule prowyde. 
 Wy3t and dyscreyssyone let be youre gyde ; 
 Keppe yowe wel frowe the synnys vij., 
 And after youre end 30 schale comme to Heyvyne. 
 
 Amen ! Amen ! 
 
 Lo ! wordly folkus, thou3 this procese of dethe 
 Be not swetene, synke not in youre mynde. 
 When age commyth, and schorteth is here brethe, 
 And dethe commyth, he is not far behynde ; 
 Then here dyscression schal wel know and fynde 
 That to have mynd of deth it is ful nessesery, 
 For deth wyl come ; doutles he wyl not lang tarrye. 
 
 Of what estate 30 be, 30ung or wold, 
 That redyth uppon this dredful storrye, 
 As in a myrroure here 36 may be-holde 
 
40 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 The ferful ende of al youre joye and glorie : 
 Therefore this mater redus us to youre memorie : — 
 3e that syttyth nowe hye uppon the whele, 
 Thynke uppon youre end, and alle schal be wele. 
 
 Erthe uppo erthe is woundyrely wrojte ; • 
 Erthe uppon erthe has set al his thoujte, 
 How erth uppon erthe to erthe schall be brou3te ; 
 Ther is none uppon erth has hit in thoujte, — 
 
 Take hede ; 
 Whoso thinkyse one his end, ful welle schal he sped. 
 
 Erth uppon erth wold be a kynge. 
 How erth schal to erthe he thinkes nothinge ; 
 When erth byddyth erth his rent whome brynge, 
 Then schal erth fro the erth have a hard parttynge. 
 
 With care ; 
 For erth uppon erthe wottus never wer therefor to fare. 
 
 Erth uppon erth wynnis castylles and touris ; 
 Then saythe erth to erth, al this is ourus : 
 When erth uppon erth has bylde al his boures, 
 Then schal erth fro the erth soifyre scharpe schorys, 
 
 And smarte j 
 Man, amend the betyme, thi lyfe ys but a starte. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 41 
 
 Erth gose one erth as mold uppone molde, 
 Lyke as erth to the erth never agayne schold : 
 Erth gose one erth glytteryng in gold, 
 3et schale erth to the erth, rather then he wolde 
 
 Be owris ; 
 3efe thi almus with thi hand, trust to no secatour. 
 
 "Why that erth lovis erthe merwel me thinke, 
 For when erth uppon erth is brotht to the brynk. 
 Or why erth uppon erth wyl swet or swynke, 
 Then schal erth frou the erth have a fool stynke 
 
 To smele, 
 Wars then the caryone that lyis in the fele. 
 
 Lo ! erth uppon erth, consayfe this thou may. 
 That thou commys frome the erth nakyd alway ; 
 How schuld erth uppon erth, soe prod or gaye ? 
 Sene erth into erth schal pase in symple araye. 
 
 Unclad : 
 Cloth the nakyd whyl thou may, for so God the bad. 
 
 Erth uppon erth, me thinkyj the ful blynd, 
 
 That on erth ryches to setal thi mynd ; 
 
 In the gospel wryttyen exampul I fynde. 
 
 The pore went to heyvyn, the rych to hel I fynd. 
 
 With skyle : 
 The commandmentus of God wold he not fulfyle. 
 
42 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Erth uppon erth, deyle duly thy goode 
 
 To the pore pepul, that fautt the thi foode ; 
 
 For the love of thi Lord, that rent was one the roode, 
 
 And for thi love one the crose schedhis hart blode, — 
 
 Go rede ; 
 Withoute anny place to reste one his hede. 
 
 Erthe uppon erth, take tent to my steyvyne ; 
 Whyl thou levyst, fulfyle the werkys of mercy vij. 
 Loke thou lete, for oode ne for ewyne. 
 For tho byne the werkus that helpyne us to heyvyne, 
 
 In haste ; 
 Tho dedus who so dose thar, hyme never be agaste. 
 
 Erth uppon erth, be thou never so gaye, 
 Thow moue wend of this world an unreydy waye j 
 Turne the be-tyme, whyle that thou maye, 
 Leste it lede the into hele, to logege therefor ay, 
 
 In pyne ; 
 For there is nother to gett, bred, ale ne wyne. 
 
 Erth uppon erth, God 3eyf the grace, 
 Whyle thou levvyst uppon erth to purway the a plas 
 In heywyn to dweylle, whyl that thou hast space j 
 That myrthe for to myse, it wer a karful case. 
 
 For whye, — 
 That myrth is withowttyn end, I tel the securly. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 43 
 
 I concele erth uppon erth, that wykydly has wro3t, 
 Whyl erth is one erth, to torn alle his thoujt, 
 And pray to God uppon erth, that al mad of nou3t, 
 That erth owte of erth to blys may be boujt, 
 
 With my3the, 
 Thorow helpe Jhesu Cryst, thatwas ouer ladus byrthe, — 
 
 Do for thi self. 
 
 VI. 
 
 Bi a forrest as I gane fare, 
 
 Walkyng al myselvene alone, 
 I hard a mornyng of an haare, 
 
 RoufFully schew madde here mone.- 
 Dereworth God, how schal I leve, 
 
 And leyd my lyve in lond ? 
 Frou dale to doune I am i-drevfe, 
 
 I not where I may syte or stond ; 
 I may nother rest nor slepe 
 
 By no wallay, that is so derne, 
 Nor no covert may me kepe. 
 
 But ever I rene fro heme to heme. 
 Hontteris wylle not heyre there mase. 
 
 In hope of hunttyng for to wend, 
 
44 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 They cowpully3t there howndus more and lase, 
 
 And bryngyth theme to the feldys ende. 
 Rachis rennyn one every syde, 
 
 In forrous thi hoppe me to fynd ; 
 Honteris takythe there horse and ryde, 
 
 And cast the conttray by the wynd. 
 Anonne as they commyth me behynde, 
 
 I loke alowe, and syt ful style and loue ; 
 The furst mane that me doth fynde, 
 
 Anon he cryit, — So howe ! So hoowe ! 
 Lo ! he sayth, where syttyt an haare ! 
 
 Aryse upe, Watte, and go forthe blyve ! 
 With sorroe and with mych care, 
 
 I schape away with my lyve. 
 Att wyntter, in the depe snoue, 
 
 Men wyl me sche for to trace, 
 And by my steyppus I ame i-knowe. 
 
 And folio wyjt me fro place to place. 
 And yf I to the toune come or torne. 
 
 Be hit in worttus or in leyke. 
 Then wyl the wyfFys also je wrne. 
 
 Fere me with here dogis heyke : 
 And yf I syt and crope the koule. 
 
 And the wyfe be in the waye, 
 Anone schowe wylle swere, by cokkus soule, 
 
 There is an haare in my haye. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 45 
 
 Anone sche wyle clepe forth hure knave, 
 
 And loke ij^t welle wer I syte ; 
 Byhynd sche wyl, with a stave, 
 
 Ful wel porpos me to hette. 
 Go forthe, Wate, with Crystus curse, 
 
 And, yf I leve, thou schalt be take ; 
 I have an hare-pype in my puree. 
 
 Hit schal be set al for thi sauke. 
 Ten hath this wyffys ij . doggz grete, 
 
 On me sche byddyt heme goe, 
 And as a scrowe sche wyll me thret, 
 
 And ever sche cryit, — go, dooge, gooe ! 
 But alle way this most I goo, 
 
 By no banke I may abyde ; 
 Lord God, that me is woo. 
 
 Many a hape hath me bytyde. 
 There is no best in the word, I wene, 
 
 Hert, hynd, buke ne dowe. 
 That suffuris halfe so myche tene 
 
 As doth the sylly Wat, go where he go. 
 3eyfe a genttyl mane wyl have anny gamme, 
 
 And fynd me ine forme where I syte. 
 For dred of lossynge of his name, 
 
 I wot wele he wyle not me hyte. 
 For an acuris bred he wylle me se. 
 
 Or he wylle let his hondus rene. 
 
46 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Of alle the mene that beth alyve, 
 
 I am moost behold to genttyl-men; 
 As Sonne as I can renne to the laye, 
 
 Anon the greyhondys wyl me have. 
 My bowels beth i-throue awaye, 
 
 And I ame bore home one a staufe ; 
 Als sone as I am come home, 
 
 I ame i-honge hye up on a pyne ; 
 With leke worttus I ame eette anone, 
 
 And whelpus play with my skyne. 
 
 Amen, etc. 
 
 VII. 
 
 God that dyed for us alle, 
 
 And dranke both eysell and galle. 
 
 He bryng us alle oute off bale, 
 
 And gyve hym good lyve and long, 
 
 That woll attend to my song, 
 
 And herkyne oneto my talle. 
 
 Ther dwelyd a man in my contre, 
 
 The wyche hade wyvys thre : 
 
 Yn proses of certyn tyme. 
 
 Be hys fyrst wyffe a chyld he had, 
 
 The wyche was a propyr lad. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 47 
 
 And ryght ane happy hynd : 
 
 And his fader lovyd him ryght welle, — 
 
 Hys steppe dame lovyd hyme never a delle, 
 
 I telle 30 we as y thynke. 
 
 She thoght it lost, be the rode, 
 
 Alle that ever dyd hyme good. 
 
 Off mette other of drynke ; 
 
 Not halfe ynowe thereof he had, 
 
 And 3yt, in faythe, hit was fulle bad, 
 
 And alle hyr thoght yt lost ; 
 
 Y pray God evyll mot sche fare. 
 For oft sche dyde hym moche care. 
 As far-forthe as sche durst. 
 
 The good wyjffe to hyr husbond gone say. 
 For to put away thys boy 
 
 Y hold yt for the beste, — 
 In fayth he hys a lether lade, 
 
 Y wold sum other man hj^m had. 
 That beter myjt hym chaste. 
 Than anone spake the good man. 
 And to hys wyff sayd he than, — 
 He ys but yong of age ; 
 
 He schall be with us lenger, 
 
 Tyll that he be strenger. 
 
 To wyn beter wage ; 
 
 We have a mane, a strong freke, 
 
48 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 The wyche one fyld kypythe owr nette, 
 
 And slepyth half the day ; 
 
 He schall come home, be Mary myld, 
 
 And to the fylde schalle go the chyld, 
 
 And kepe hem, 3yfe he may. 
 
 The wyff was not glad varamente, 
 
 Nere-the-les therto sche asente. 
 
 And sayd, — Ser, that ys beste. 
 
 Erly yn the morowe, whan it was day, 
 
 Fur the than went the ly telle boy, 
 
 To the feld he was full preste : 
 
 Off no mane ryght no3t he gaffe, 
 
 Uppone hys schulder he bare his stafe, 
 
 The boy was mery y-nowe : 
 
 Furth he went, as y 30W sayne, 
 
 Tylle he com into the playn, 
 
 Hys dyner forth he drowe ; 
 
 Whan he sawe that yt was bade, 
 
 Lyttyll lust therto he hade. 
 
 He put yt up anone. 
 
 Be Cryst, he was not moche to wyte. 
 
 And sayd he wold ette but lyte, 
 
 Tyll evyn that he com home ; 
 
 Uppon ane hyll he hym sete. 
 
 An old mane sone after he mete 
 
 Cam walkyng be the way : 
 
MISCELLANIES. 49 
 
 God sped, he sayd, good sone ; 
 
 Ser, he sayd, 36 be ry3te welcome, 
 
 The sothe 30W for to say ; 
 
 The old man was an-hongoryd sore, 
 
 And sayd, Hast thou onny mete in store, 
 
 That thou may gyve me ? 
 
 Ser, he sayd, so God me save ! 
 
 To soche vyttayllys as y have, 
 
 Thou art welcome to me. 
 
 He toke hyme soche as he had, 
 
 And bad hym ette and be glade, 
 
 And sayd, — Welcom 3e be ! 
 
 The olde mane was fuUe good to pleas, 
 
 He ette and made hyme well at eas, — 
 
 Gramersy, sone, sayd he ; 
 
 For thys mete thou haste gyfe me, 
 
 Y schalle the gyve gyftys thre. 
 
 That schalle not be forgete. 
 
 The boy sayd, as y trowe, 
 
 Hit ware best y had a bowe, 
 
 Byrdys for to schete. 
 
 Thou schalt have a bowe and boltes blyth. 
 
 The wych schall dure the alle thy lyve, 
 
 And ever to the alyche mete : 
 
 Schete whersoever thou wyll. 
 
 Thou schalt never faylle, thou schalt it kyll. 
 
60 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 The pryke rydy thou schalt kepe : 
 The bowe yn hand sone he felt, 
 The boltes he put undyr hys belt, 
 Ryght meryly than he lowe. 
 Be my troth, had y a pype, 
 Tho3 it war never so lyte, 
 Thane war y mery y-now3e ! 
 A pype, boy, thou schalt have also, 
 Trewe of mesore schall it goo, 
 
 Y put the out of dowte. 
 
 What man that thys pype doth here, 
 
 He schall not hemselfe stere, 
 
 But hope and dawnce aboute. 
 
 Say one, boy, what schall the other be ? 
 
 For thou schalt have gyftes thre. 
 
 As y bote the befor ; 
 
 The lytell boy stode and low3e. 
 
 And sayd. In fayth, y have y-nou3e, 
 
 I wyll dyssyer no more. 
 
 The olde man sayd, Y the ply3te ; 
 
 Thou schalt have as y the hyght ; 
 
 Therfore, say on, lete see. 
 
 The boy sayd. Be Saynt Jame, 
 
 Y have at horn a stepe-dame ; 
 Sche ys a schrewe to me, 
 
 For whanne my fader gyve me mete, 
 
MISCELLANIES. t5l 
 
 Sche wold the devylle schuld me cheke, 
 Sche staryth so yn my face : 
 Whanne sche lokyth on me soo, 
 I wolde sche lete a crake or too, 
 That myjt ryng alle the place. 
 The olde mane sayd the hoy on-too, 
 Whan sche lokythe on the soo, 
 Sche schalle begyne to blowe ; 
 And as many as her dothe here. 
 For lawyng schalle they not stere, 
 Whyll sche ys there, y trowe. 
 Nowe, far welle, sayd the olde mane. 
 And, farwell, sayd the boy thane ; 
 My leve y take of the. 
 AUmyjty God, that beste may, 
 Spede the bothe nyght and day ! — 
 Gramercy, sone, sayd he. 
 Afterward, whanne it was nyjte, 
 Hom went the boy full ryght. 
 As was hys ordynance. 
 He toke hys pype and gane to blowe, 
 Hys bestes com rakyng on a rawe, 
 Abowt hym they gan to daunce ; 
 The boy pypyd throw3 the town. 
 The bestes hym foloyd alle and some 
 Hom to hys fadyrs clos. 
 
 e2 
 
52 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Anone as ever he com home, 
 
 He sete up hys bestes anone, 
 
 And yn to the halle he gos. 
 
 Hys fader at soper sat, 
 
 The lytyll boy aspyed that. 
 
 And spake to hys fader anone. 
 
 He sayd, Jake, well come ! 
 
 Wher ar thy bestes, good sone ? 
 
 Hast thou hem brojt home ? 
 
 Fader, he sayd, yn good fay, 
 
 Y have heme kept alle this day, 
 
 And they be now up-schete. 
 
 A capons legge he toke hym thoo, 
 
 And sayd, Sone, that ys welle doo. 
 
 Thou schalt fare the bete. 
 
 That grevyd hys dames hart fuUe sore. 
 
 As y have told 30W before ; 
 
 Sche staryd in hys face. 
 
 Anone sche lete goo a blaste. 
 
 That sche mad hem alle agaste, 
 
 That war yn that place. 
 
 All they low and had good game. 
 
 The wyffe sche wex rede for schame, 
 
 Sche wold a be agone. 
 
 Jake sayd, wylle ^e wytte, 
 
 That gonne was welle smet, 
 
MISCELLANIES. 53 
 
 Tho3 it had be with a stonne. 
 
 Angerly sche lokyd on hym thoo, 
 
 Another rape sche lette goo ; 
 
 Hyr ars was ny to-rente. 
 
 Jake sayd, Wyll ^e see ; 
 
 Another pelat sche wyll lete fley, 
 
 Or ever that sche wylle stent. 
 
 Every man I0W3 and had good game ; 
 
 The wyff went hyr way for schame, 
 
 Sche was in mykyll sorowe. 
 
 The good man sayd, Go thy way, 
 
 For it ys tyme, be my fay, 
 
 Thyne ars ys not thy borowe. 
 
 Afterward than wyll 30 here, 
 
 To the hows there come a freyre. 
 
 And loggyd ther all nyght ; 
 
 The wyfF lovyd hym as a seynt, 
 
 Anone to hyme mad sche hyr playnt, 
 
 And tolde hym full ryght, — 
 
 We have a boy that with us wonys, 
 
 He is a schrewe for the nonys, 
 
 And doth me mekylle care : 
 
 Y dar note loke hym upone, 
 
 I am aschamyd, be swet Seynt Johne, 
 
 To telle 30W how y fare : 
 
 And 3yff 30 mete that boy to morow. 
 
 Bete hym welle, and gyve hym sorow, 
 
54 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 And make that lad lame. 
 Be God, he ys a schrewd byche, 
 In fayth, y trow, he be a wyche. 
 He dothe me mykyll grame. 
 The freyr sayd, Y wyll wyte. 
 
 Y pray the, ser, lete it not be forgete, 
 For that wold greve me sore. 
 
 The fryer sayd, Yn good fay, 
 
 But y chastys welle that boy, 
 
 Trust me never more. 
 
 Erly in the morow the boy he ros, 
 
 And lyjtly to the feld he gos ; 
 
 Hys bestes he gan dryve ; 
 
 The freyr went out at the gate. 
 
 He wend he schuld have come to late ; 
 
 He ranne fast and blyth. 
 
 Whanne he come one hye the lond, 
 
 Sone the boy ther he fond, 
 
 Kypyng hys bestes ylkone. 
 
 Boy, he sayd, God gyve the schame ! 
 
 What hast thou done to thi dame ? 
 
 Loke thou tell me anone ; 
 
 But yf thou kane excus the better. 
 
 Thou schalt abye, be the seker, 
 
 Y wyll no longer abyde. 
 
 Ser, he sayd, what aylys the nowe ? 
 My dame farythe as well as thowe ! 
 
MISCELLANIES. 55 
 
 What menys thou thus to chyd ? 
 
 Ser, he sayd, and 36 wylle wytt, 
 
 How welle byrdes that y kan schett, 
 
 And do heme down to fall : 
 
 3ondyr is on that ys but lytte, 
 
 As y trow, y schall hym smytt, 
 
 And gyve hym the y schall. 
 
 The byrd sat upon the breyr : 
 
 Schot one, boy, sayd the freyr. 
 
 For that me leste to se. 
 
 The boy hyt the byrd upon the hed, 
 
 Yn the hegge he fell down dede ; 
 
 Hyt myght no forther fley. 
 
 The freyr into the hegge he went. 
 
 And lyjtly he it up hent, 
 
 As it was for to done. 
 
 The boy cast down hys bowe, 
 
 And toke hys pype and began to blowe 
 
 Full ly3tly and full sone ; 
 
 Whanne the freyr the pype herde. 
 
 As a wood mane than he ferd. 
 
 And began to stertyll abowt. 
 
 Among the boyschys small and grete. 
 
 Fast abowte he gan to lepe, 
 
 But he cowd not come owte. 
 
 The bramblys chraphyd hym in the face, 
 
 And in many another place, 
 
56 EARIiY ENGLISH 
 
 That hys sydes began to blede, 
 And rent hys clothys by and by, 
 Hys kyrtyll and hys kapelary, 
 And alle hys other wede. 
 The freyr often held up hys hond, 
 And cryed unto the boy among, 
 And prayd him to be stylle. 
 Ser, my trewt y plyght to the ; 
 Thou schalt have no harm for me, 
 Nor never wyll do the yll. 
 The boy sayd yn that tyde, 
 Crepe oute on the tother syde, 
 And hye that thou ware agoo ; 
 My dame hathe mad hyr complaynt to me, 
 In fayth the best that y kan se ; 
 Goo playn to hyr also. 
 The freyr out of the hegge went. 
 All to-ragged and to-rent, 
 To-torne on every syde. 
 He had not left an holle clowte, 
 Wherwith to hyde hys body abowte ; 
 Hys armes heng full syde. 
 Whan he come to hys oste, 
 Off hys jurney mad he no boste, 
 • He was both torne and talle ; 
 Mykyll sorowe in hert he had ; 
 Full sore of hym they wer adrad, 
 
MISCELLANIES. 57 
 
 Whan he come into the halle. 
 
 The good wyflfe sayd, Wer hast thou be ? 
 
 Yn schrewyd plas, as thynkys me, 
 
 Hyt semyth be thyne aray. 
 
 The freyr sayd, Y have be with thi sone ; 
 
 The devell of helle hym overcome, 
 
 For certes y ne may. 
 
 Soon after com hom the good man ; 
 
 Be God, sayd the wyffe than, 
 
 Her is a schrewed aray ! 
 
 Thy sone, that is the lyife and deyre. 
 
 Had all-most slayn this swet freyr, 
 
 Alas ! alas ! a welle away ! 
 
 The good mane sayd, Benedycyte ! 
 
 What hath the boy do to the ? 
 
 Tell me, without stryffe. 
 
 Ser, he sayd, be Seynt Jame, 
 
 Y have dawnsyd in the devylys name, 
 
 Tyll y had ny loste my lyff ! 
 
 The good mane sayd to hym tho, 
 
 Yff thou had lost thy lyfF so. 
 
 Thou had be in gret syne. 
 
 Ser, sayd the freyr, sekerly, 
 
 Methowjt he pyped so meryly. 
 
 That y cowde never blyne. 
 
 The good man sayd, — So mot y thee, 
 
 Than is that a mery glee, 
 
68 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 And ellys thou war to blame ; 
 
 That pype, he sayd, woll y here. 
 
 So wolle not y, quod the freyere, 
 
 Be God and be Seynt Jame ! 
 
 Afterward, whan it was nyjt, 
 
 Horn come the boy full ryjt, 
 
 As he was wont to done ; 
 
 Whan he com into the hall, 
 
 Anone hys fader gane hyme call. 
 
 And sayd, Hydyr com thou, sone. 
 
 Boy, he sayd, now thou art here. 
 
 What hast thou done to thys freyr ? 
 
 Tell me without lessyng. 
 
 Fadyr, he sayd, yn good fay, 
 
 Y dyd ry3t no3t to hym to day. 
 
 But pyped hym a spryng ; 
 
 Boy, that pype wyll y here : 
 
 So wyll not y, quod the freyr. 
 
 For that wer hevy tydyng. 
 
 The good man sayd, 3ys, be Godes grace. 
 
 The freyr sayd, alas ! alas ! 
 
 And handes began to wryng. 
 
 For Gods love, sayd the freyr, 
 
 Yff 3e wyll thys pype here, 
 
 Bynd me one to a poste. 
 
 Y-wys y kan no beter rede. 
 
 Well y wot y schall be dede, 
 
MISCELLANIES. 59 
 
 My lyflE" is ny-hand loste. 
 
 Ropys anon they toke in hond, 
 
 The freyr to the post they bond, 
 
 That stod in the mydes of the halle. 
 
 All they that at the soper sate 
 
 L0W3, and had good game ther ate, 
 
 And sayd, the freyr my3t not fall. 
 
 Than bespake the good mane, 
 
 And to hys sone sayd he thanne, 
 
 Pype on whan thou wylt. 
 
 All redy, fadyr, sayd he ; 
 
 3e schall her of my gle, 
 
 Y wyll geve yowe a fytt. 
 
 As sone as ever the pype went, 
 
 Then my3t no man hymselfe stent, 
 
 But began to dawnce and lepe. 
 
 They that gan the pype here, 
 
 Myght not hemselfe stere, 
 
 But hurled upone an hepe. 
 
 Than they that at soper sate. 
 
 Over the tabuU 3ede som under crape. 
 
 And sterte up in that stond. 
 
 They that sat upon the forme. 
 
 Had no tyme for to torne, 
 
 But war bore downe to the ground. 
 
 The good man wex in dyspayr, 
 
 And ly3tly he lept out of hys chare, 
 
60 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 And with a full good chere ; 
 
 Som in fayth lepe over the stoke, 
 
 And brake her schynys a3ens the bloke, 
 
 And som fell yn the fyere. 
 
 Than com in the good wyff behynd, 
 
 Sche began to lepe and to wynd, 
 
 And fast began to schake. 
 
 Whan sche lokyd one lytell Jake, 
 
 And hyr neybors to hyr spake, 
 
 Hyr ars began to crake : 
 
 The freyr was all-moste loste. 
 
 He knokyd hys hed ajen the post. 
 
 He had no beter grace. 
 
 The ropys robyd away the skyne, 
 
 That the blode ran to hys chyne. 
 
 In many a dyverys place. 
 
 Than whent the boy pypyng in the stret, 
 
 And after hym hurlyd all the hepe, 
 
 They cowd not hemselfe stynt : 
 
 They went out at the dor so thyke. 
 
 That eche man fell in otherys neke, — 
 
 So wyghtly out they wente. 
 
 Than the men that dwelyd therby. 
 
 They herd the pype sekyrly. 
 
 In setes wher they sette. 
 
 Som in fayth lepe over the hache. 
 
 They had no tyme to seche the lache, 
 
MISCELLANIES. 6t 
 
 For they were loth to lette. 
 
 Than they, that in here bedys lay, 
 
 Stert up lystly, as y 30W say, 
 
 Both las and more. 
 
 Ynto the strete to the play 
 
 Anone they toke the ry3t way. 
 
 As nakyd as they wer bore ; 
 
 Whan they were gaderyd all abowt. 
 
 Than was ther a fuUe grete rowte 
 
 In the mydys of the strete : 
 
 They that wer lam and my3t not goo, 
 
 3ete they hopyd abowte also 
 
 On her hondys and fete. 
 
 The boys fader sayd, it is tyme to reste ; 
 
 All redy, fader, y hold that for the beste. 
 
 With a full good chere. 
 
 Make an end whan thou wylt ; 
 
 In fayth it is the beste fyte. 
 
 That y herd thys vij. yere. 
 
 Whan the pype went no more. 
 
 Than wer they all amarvelyd sore 
 
 Off ther governaunce. 
 
 By sente Mary, sayd some, 
 
 Wher ys all thys myrthe become, 
 
 That mad us thus to dawnce ? 
 
 Thus every man mad good cher ; 
 
 Save the good wyfF and the freyr, — 
 
62 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 They wer all dyssmayd. 
 
 Whether it be good or yll, 
 
 They that have not her wylle, 
 
 They wyll not hold them payd. 
 
 Hyt ys every good wyfFys wone, 
 
 For to love hyr husbandes sone, 
 
 Yn well and eke yn w^oo ; 
 
 In olde termys it is fownd, 
 
 He that lovythe me lovythe my hound, 
 
 And my servaunt also. 
 
 So schuld every good chyld 
 
 Be to hys moder meke and myld, 
 
 Be good in every degre. 
 
 All womene that love her husbondes sone, 
 
 Yn hevyn blys schall be her wone ; 
 
 Amen, Amen, for charyte ! 
 
 VIII. 
 
 As I stod in a ryalle haulle, 
 
 Where lordys and ladys were byd to syt, 
 A loufly letter one a walle, 
 
 A word of wysdome I sawe wryt ; 
 This word ys in my hert i-knyt ; 
 
 To lern this lessone who soo hath wylle. 
 
MISCELLANIES. '63 
 
 Where ewyre thou goo, stond, or sytt, 
 
 Ewjrre say wylle, or hold the styll. 
 Say wylle, or keppe thi word in store. 
 
 For speche was never soo well aspayd, 
 Nor never soo monne lyvis i-lore, 
 
 Throw wordys that hath byn myssayd. 
 Now wysly, mane, thi wordis dewyd ; 
 
 Be-war whom thou spekyst hylle ; 
 Yf thou most nedys the sowth to hyde, 
 
 3eyt say wylle, or hold the stylle. 
 For soothe may not alle day be sayd. 
 
 Among soo mony as raynnyt nowe ; 
 Yff som of the sothe be well apayd, 
 
 3et some wylle not the sowthe alowe : 
 And hard hit is ewyre word to awowe. 
 
 Though hit be never of soo gret a skylle, 
 Therefore I rede yow for youre prowe, 
 
 Evyre say wylle, or hold yow stylle. 
 Where-evyre thou fall in company, 
 
 Att churche, at chepyng, or at nale, 
 Awyse the welle who syttys the by. 
 
 Lest he wylle repport thi talle. 
 And dysschalndure the after to gret and smalle, 
 
 Thy good los with his spyche to spylle. 
 Evylle tongys brwys myche balle ; 
 
 Therefore say wylle, or hold the stylle. 
 
64 EABLY ENGLISH 
 
 Evyre say wylle, for lowfe or drede, 
 
 And chast thi tong with wyt and charryte, 
 And say be thi ney3theboure, yf he have nede, 
 
 Ry3t as thou woldyst he sayd be the. 
 Among alle thingis thow3t ys fre ; 
 
 Hold thiself abowif the hyll ; 
 In rest and eyse yf thou wyll be : 
 
 And evyre say wylle, or hold the style. 
 Roule thi tong for lowf or hate, 
 
 Be noo parttys none evylle thou say, 
 Nor thowth men be now at the batte, 
 
 Thay may be frendys anodyre day. 
 And for thi tale thou mayst here the blame away, 
 
 Of every syde with gram and grille : 
 Thanne thei wyll the lyjtly afray, — 
 
 Therefor say wylle, or hold the stylle. 
 Say welle, and thynke one yooth and eld, 
 
 Frow God may nothing be hyde nore loke ; 
 But think one the rekenyng that thou schalt 5eyld, 
 
 Off every ydylle word that thou hast spoke, 
 Les and more hole and brouk, 
 
 Thay schalle be wryttyne in a bj'Ue ; 
 Lest God one the wylle be awroke, 
 
 Evyre say wylle, oore hold the stylle. 
 For off all that God hath wro3t, 
 
 Spyche ys com of a speschalle grace ; 
 
MISCELLANIES. 65 
 
 A best hath a mothe, but he spekkyt no3t, 
 
 Of God we have that fayre purches ; 
 Now spend welle thi spyche, wyl thou hast space, 
 
 One truthe let ever thi tong tryle ; 
 Thow schalt a-se the day pas ; 
 
 Thowwolddystfayn spek, when thou schalt be styll. 
 At domys-day when God schalt syt 
 
 On the rowd, as he was tak, 
 With speche we schalle be damnd or quyt, 
 
 There schalle no man ther mastre mak ; 
 Then I hope owre sorrow schalle aslake, 
 
 When all stondyt evyn, both dale and hyle ; 
 A sinfuUe man wylle sorrow may mak, 
 
 When God schalle speke, and man be stylle. 
 Noue God geyf us grace ouer speche to spend, 
 
 Soo that we may, withouttyne nay, 
 All that ever we have myssayd amend. 
 
 Or that we com to that dredfuUe day. 
 Whan God schal sit and his armis dyssplay, 
 
 Gabrelle schalle bloo both brymne and scrylle ; 
 Then helpp us He that best may, 
 
 To heywyn wynd, and ther abyd stylle. 
 
 Amen, etc. 
 
66 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 IX. 
 
 Heke begynnyth a schorte tretice for a mane to knowe 
 wyche tyme of the 3ere hit is best to grafFe or to plante 
 treyus, and also to make a tre to here o manere frute 
 of dyverys colourys and odowrys, with many othere 
 thyngys. 
 
 Whenne the mone is in Tauro hit is good to plante 
 treys of pepyns, and whenne hit is in Cancro, in Leone, 
 or in Libra, thanne hit is good to werche in treys that 
 be new spronge : and whenne the mone is in Virgine, 
 hit is good tyme to sowe alle maner thynges, for fro 
 the myddys of Januarie, Septembyre into the myddys 
 of Decembyre, and than is opyne tyme of plantynge 
 
 and ryjt ddys of Januarie into the .... 
 
 he but in thys tyme is the mone is v. 
 
 vj. vij. viij. or ix. days old byfor the fuUe of the mone. 
 Also, after the fuUe of the mone, whenne hit is xxj. 
 xxij. xxiij. xxiiij. or xxv. days old; for in thyes 
 quarterys the conjunccion is moste temperate. 
 
 Also to remeve treys fro place to place : jiff it be a 
 grete tre, or a tre that berythe the frute, chese the a 
 fuUe mone fro the myddys of Octobyre into the myddys 
 of Decembyre, takynge up the rotys as hole as thou 
 mayste, and leve of his howne erthe stylle abowte the 
 
MISCELLANIES. 67 
 
 rote as myche as thou mayste, and hit is not 
 
 se tho the mone be not He so hit be in the 
 
 secund quarter. This governance is in 
 
 plantyng and kepynge, and maketh dowbelyng beryng 
 of frute. There is moste connabylle tyme for sedys, 
 graynys, and pepyns, and Autumpe for spryngys, and 
 plantys, that one tre may here dyvers frutys, and dyvers 
 colourys and dyvers savory s. 
 
 In the fyrste 3ere, graife in dyvers branchys of a 
 cheri tre dyvers grafFys to thy lykynge, and leve some 
 of thy branchys ungraffyd ; the secund 3ere, make holys 
 thorow the chery tree, and drawe thorow an hole a 
 vyne branche, and schave away the utter rynd, so that 
 hyt fylle the hole, and let hyt stond so a jere, and than 
 kut away the rotys, and of the vyne, and wrappe hit 
 abowte welle with temperat erthe, and wynd hyt welle 
 with lynnyn clothe, and the same maner thro3e anothere 
 hole of a rede rosere branche. 
 
 For to have frute of dyvers colourys, thou schalt 
 make an hole in a tre ny3e the rote, evene to the pythe 
 of the tre, and than do therein good asure of Almayne, 
 so hyt be ny3e fuUe, and stope the hole welle with a 
 schort pyne, and wrap hit welle with temperat erthe, 
 and wynd hit welle, as thou doste a graffe, and that 
 frute schalbe of blewe colour, and so hit may be do of 
 a vyne, and this may be do with alle manere colourys. 
 
 F 2 
 
68 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Iff thou wylt that thy appyllys be rede, take a graff 
 of an appyltre, and ympe hit opone a stoke of an elme 
 or an eldre, and hit schalbe rede appylles. Also 
 Master Richard saythe, to do the same thyngge, make 
 an hole with a wymbulle, and what colour that thou 
 wylt dystemper with water, and put hit in at the hole, 
 the frute schalbe the same colour. And wytt welle 
 every tre that is plantyd and set in the erthe one the 
 feste of Seynt Lambarte schalle not be perichyd that 
 3ere. Iff thou wylt make a tre to here as myche frute 
 as ever he dyd byfore, dystemper scamony welle with 
 water, and put in an hole that is perichyd to the pyth 
 of a tre, and stope the hole with a pynne that is made of 
 the same tre, and hit schalle here as welle as ever hit dyd. 
 
 For to make an old tre that begynnyth to wex drye 
 to quykyne ajene. Aristotille tellyth in the Boke of 
 Plantes, the erthe that is abowte the rotys most be do 
 away. And thenne chese ij. or iij. of the gretter rotys, 
 and cleve hem with a ax, and dryve a wegge of tymbyre 
 in the clevynge, and kever the rotes ajene with the 
 same erthe. 
 
 Also frute that is sowre, for to make hit swete. 
 Aristotylle seyth, in the Boke of Plantes, the tre schalbe 
 hedolvyne abowte, and dongyd with pygges dongge. 
 Also make a hole with a wymbylle, and put therein 
 water y-medyllyd with hony, and stope the hole ajene 
 
MISCELLANIES. 69 
 
 with a pyne of the same tre, and loke the hole passe 
 not the pythe of the tre. 
 
 Also that a perle, or a precius stone, or a ferthyng, 
 or ony othere maner thynge be fownd in an appylle. 
 Take a appuUe, or a pere, after hit is flowryd, and 
 sumwhat waxyne, and thrust in hard at the buddes 
 end wych thou wolte one of thyes thynges aforesayde, 
 and let hit growe, and marke welle the appulle that 
 thou dyd put in the thynge what ever hit be. 
 
 Also hit is sayde there schalbe no tre perischyde 
 that is plantyd in thys maner. Take and put a welowe 
 stoke in a forowe y-made in the erthe for the nonys, 
 and lett hym growe then above ; one the upper syde 
 make holys evene longe, as many as thou wylt, in the 
 wyche clyftes put smalle branchis of the mulbery tre, 
 or of othere, the wych most be kut in maner of a 
 wegge, that the plantynge may stond juste in the clyftes, 
 and stope the clyftes be-syde, and so put all the stoke 
 of the welow under the forowe, that hit be hid under 
 the erthe, the wych if thou wylt after the fyrst 3ere is 
 paste or the secund, depart hit one sondyre, or thou 
 mayste kut hit with a sawe betwene the 3onge branchis 
 asondere, and so plante hem in dyvers placis. 
 
 Also yf a peche tre begynne to dry, let hym be welle 
 moystyd with donge. And Paladys seythe hit is best 
 dongyng with dreggys of wync, and that same dongyng 
 
70 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 kepyth hym fro schedyng of hys frute : and some othyre 
 sayne that the beste donge of hym is that he be moystyd 
 with water of the sethyng of benys ; and yf the pechys 
 begynne to falle, cleve the rotes with an ax, and in the 
 clyft dryve a wegge mayd of a pynsapylle tre, or ellys 
 make holys with a wymbuUe, and make pynnys of 
 welow, and smyte heme in fast with a maylet of tre, 
 and than wolle the frute abyde thereon. 
 
 Iff an appuUe tre begyne to rote, or yf the appulles 
 wax rotyne, thanne hit is a-seyne that the barke of the 
 tre is syke, therefore kut hit with a knyffe, and lett hyt 
 be opynyd, and when the humerus thereof sumwhat 
 be flown owte, lett dong hym welle, and stoppe a3ene 
 the opynj-ng with tow3e clay. 
 
 Ifi" thou wolt that in the stone of a peche appulle be 
 fownd a nott kyrnelle, graffie a sprynge of a peche tre 
 one the stoke of a nott tre. Also a peche tre schalle 
 brynge forthe pomegarnardys, if hit be spronge oft 
 tymys with gotys my Ike iij. days, when hit begynnyth 
 to flower. Also the appullys of a peche tre schalle 
 wex rede, yff" his syone be grafi"yd one a playne tre. 
 AUe the same grafiyng may be understond of an 
 grysmoUe tre ; that is better than a peche. 
 
 Ifi" wormys wex in a tre, take askys that be medelyd 
 with oyle, olyve, or myrre, and that schalle sle hem. 
 And therto also is good to stryke the tre with myxture 
 
MISCELLANIES. 71 
 
 made with ij. partys of ox pysse, and the third part of 
 cley. 
 
 The quynce tre wold be remevyd every fourthe 
 3ere, alle the whyle that hit is abylle to be plantyd, 
 and that schalle make hym to here grete plente of frute. 
 Also hit is good for alle maner treys, that whenne a bowe 
 is kutte away, that the place there as the bowe is kutt, 
 that hit be hyllyd with a plaster of erthe, for to defend 
 wedyrs and waterys sokynge therein. Et-c. Amen. 
 
 To make cheris to growe withowte stonys. Cleve a 
 3onge schote of a 3onge cherytre that is a spanne longe 
 or ij. fro the toppe evene downe to the rote, but let 
 hym stond stylle on the stalke, and thanne drawe 
 owte the pyth one every syd with some maner of iryne, 
 and anone joyne every perty togedyre, and bynd hem 
 welle, and donge hem welle with clay one every syd 
 fro the toppe to the rotte, and when a 3ere is paste 
 there hys wond is, sowde a graffe in the same stoke a 
 syone that never bare frute, and thereon schalle growe 
 cherys withoute ony stonys. Also a grape to growe 
 withowte pepyns, whenne the pythe of the vyne is 
 take owte. Also of alle othyre y-lyke. 
 
 liF thou wolt have many rosys in thy herbere, thou 
 schalte take a hard pepyne of the same rose that be 
 ry3t rype, and sawe heme in the erthe in Fever3ere 
 or in Marche, and whenne they spryngyne, dewe heme 
 
72 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 welle with water, and after that thou mayste transpose 
 hem ey there frome othere, etc. 
 
 Also, he that wylle have rosys tymely to blowe, 
 dewe heme abowte the space of ij. hand-brede, and 
 moyste her syons oft tymys with hoote water. 
 
 X. 
 
 Here hegynnyth the crafte of lymnynge of bokys; who 
 so kane wyesly considere the nature of his colours, 
 and kyndely make his commixtions with naturalle pro- 
 porcions, and mentalle indagacions connectynge fro 
 dyvers recepcions by resone of theyre naturys, he 
 schalle make curius colourys, etc. 
 
 To temper vermelone to wryte therewith. Grynde 
 vermelone one a stone with newe glayre, and put a 
 lytylle of the 3olke of an ay thereto, and so wryte 
 therewith ; and if thou wylle temper it to floryche with 
 bokys, take and grynde hit smalle, and temper hyt 
 with gum water. 
 
 To temper asure, grynd hit one a stone, with the 
 thyrdyndele of gume and twyse so mych of water. 
 
 To temper roset, grynd hit one a stone, with as 
 myche gume and also myche water as of rosytt. 
 
 To temper ceruse, grynd hit one a stone with water 
 and gume. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 73 
 
 To temper rede lede, medylle hyt wyth gleyre of ane 
 egge, and temper hit in a schelle with thy fyngere. 
 
 To make grene coloure, take the juce of wortys and 
 vetegrece, and medylle heme welle togedyre, and thou 
 schalt have a good grene. 
 
 To temper turnnesole, wete hit in watere of gume, 
 and chaufe hit in thy hond. 
 
 A false asure and dede. Take cenise and rosyne, 
 and medylle heme togedyre. 
 
 To make asure to schyne bryjt. Take byralle, and 
 grynd hit with gleyre, and glase above with a penselle. 
 
 For an incarnacion, take sable and safFrone, and rede 
 lede, and medylle heme welle togedyre, &c. 
 
 To make a cyse to gyld unburned gold one bokys. 
 Take chalke and a lytylle safFrone, and gleyre, and 
 grynd hem togedyre a longe tyme one a stone, tylle hit 
 be somdele tacchynge, and thanne put hit into ane 
 home, and if hit be nede, alay hit with water, and so 
 worke therewith. Also take bule and ceruse, and 
 gleyre, and saffrone, or the same manere take the 
 scrapynge of ymages that be olde. 
 
 To temper asure fyne, take asure, and put hit in a 
 home, and put thereto gume and watere halfe one 
 halfe, othere more or lesse, if hit be nede ; and take a 
 lytylle styke, and stampe hem welle togedyre to hit be 
 evene medelyd, and thanne wryte therewith. 
 
74 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Also yf thou temper asure in a schelle, put a lytylle 
 asure into a schelle, and gum water, and rub hit faste 
 togedyre with thyne fyngere, and thenne worche hit as 
 thou wolt, with a penselle. 
 
 Iff vermelone be blake and bade, grynde hit welle 
 one a stone alle drye, and thanne put hit into a pece 
 of sylver, and wasche hit welle with clene water ij. or 
 iij. tyme, and thanne poure owte the water therefro, 
 and make a pytt in a clene chalke stone, and cast in 
 that pytt alle thy vermelone, and let hit stonde so a 
 whyle to hit be rede ; and thanne grynd hit eft-sone 
 one a stone, and thanne ley hit obrode one a skyne of 
 parchement to dry in the sonne ; and whenne thou 
 wylle, temper hit to wryte with. Take the rynde of a 
 walnot tre, and schere hit smalle in the gleyre of egges, 
 and let hit stond so a whyle, and than temper there- 
 with thy vermelone withowte ony more gryndynge. 
 
 To temper rosette, put hit into a schelle with gleyre 
 that is newe made thereto, tylle hit be welle y-scorpyd, 
 and thenne amenge hit with thy fyngere, and so worche 
 there with. 
 
 To make a false asure, take a lytylle asure and a 
 lytylle seruse, and grynd hem togedyre with gume and 
 water, and temper hit uppe in a schelle. 
 
 To make a false roset. Do as thou dyd with the 
 asure in alle wyse. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 75 
 
 To make seruse, take seruse gum and water, and 
 grynd hem togedyre, and temper hit uppe in a schelle, 
 and wryte therwith whyelle that hit is new. 
 
 To temper a good grene : take good vertgrese, and 
 a lytelle argule and saffrone, and grynd heme welle 
 togedyre with wyne or with venegre or ale, or the juce 
 of a appuUe, tylle hit be grene y-no3e ; and if hit be 
 to derke, take more saffrone, and iff hit be to 3elowe, 
 take more vertegrece, and put hit in a schelle, and 
 wryte therewith. 
 
 To temper rede lede. Do rede lede into a schelle, 
 and put newe gleyre thereto, and temper hit with thy 
 fyngere, and worche hit. 
 
 To temper turnesole; lay a lytelfe pece in thyne 
 hond, and put thereto newe gleyre, and temper hit oft 
 in the pawme of thyne hond, and wrynge hit into a 
 schelle, and so worch therewith. 
 
 To make a fyne blake, take a clene pece of brasse, 
 or a basyne, and hold hit overe a brynynge candelle of 
 roseyne, to the fyre have congeylyd blacke on the brase 
 or one the basyne ; and whenne there is inoje thereone, 
 ley hit downe to hit be cold, and thanne wyppe hit of 
 with a fethyre opone a clene stone, and grynd hit with 
 gume and water ; than put hit in a schelle, and worche 
 hit. Also thou mayste wete thy basyn with good ale 
 or thy pece of brasse, and hold hit overe the candelle, 
 
76 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 and do as thou dydyste ere ; thanne thou schalt have 
 fyne blacke. 
 
 To temper ockere, grynd hit with gume and water, 
 and if thou wylle do a lytylle whyte thereto, do hit in 
 a schelle and worche hit. 
 
 To visage coloure; take fyne blake and safFrone, 
 and grynd hit togedyre, and putt hit into a schelle and 
 worche therewith. 
 
 To make ane incarnacione ; take whyte and a lytelle 
 rede, and temper heme togedyre, and worche hit so. 
 
 To temper brasylle good to newe with ; schave thy 
 brasylle smalle into a clene veselle, and do gleyre 
 thereto, and so let hit stepe longe tyme togedyre, and 
 when hit is stept y-no3e, worche therewith. 
 
 To make gume ; take the whyte of xx. egges, and 
 make clere gleyre of heme, and thanne take a bledder 
 of a beste that is newe slayne, and put therein thy 
 gleyre, and knyt faste the bladdere, and honge hit in 
 the Sonne or overe the fyre in the smoke xl. days, and 
 thanne hast thou good gum for alle inckys. 
 
 Asure in anothere manere; take stronge venegre, 
 and wasshe thyne asure therewith ij. or iij. tymys, as 
 longe as thou fyndys ony fylthe above the venegre, 
 and whanne thou fyndys thyne asure alle blewe y-no3e, 
 powre owte the venegre clene, and if the asure be alle 
 grete of grayne, temper hit with the water of gume. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 77 
 
 and the lengere hit stondeth y- tempered, the better hit 
 wol be. 
 
 Grene for bokys; grynde welle j. li. of vertgrece 
 on a stone, and put thereto a chyde of saffrone in the 
 gryndyng thereof, or more, and hit nede, to thou se hit 
 be grene y'no3e, and thanne temper hit uppe with the 
 juce of a rotyne appylle strayned thorowe a clene 
 clothe, and let it stond so ij. days in an home withowte 
 ony straynyng ; and whanne thou wolte worche there 
 with, take of the clereste that hovy3te above, and 
 there thou schalt fynde a goode grene for alle maner 
 thynges, «ind medelle the juce of the appulle with a 
 lytelle gume water. 
 
 To make tornesole in anothere manere : take gum 
 water, and put hit into a schelle of an oystere ; then 
 take a pece of tornesole, and ley hit in the water of 
 gum, and let hit ly awhyle therein, and then wrynge 
 it throje a clothe to thou se the water be welle colouryd, 
 and than floryche bokys therewith that have rede 
 letterys. 
 
 To make brasyle to llouryche letterys, or to reule 
 with bokys ; take braysyle, and scrape hit smale with 
 a knyfe, and putt thereto a lytelle gleyre, and a 
 lytelle powder of alom glasse, and let hit stond so alle 
 a day, and thanne streyne the juce therefro throje a 
 lynnene clothe, and rule bokys therewith. 
 
"78 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 To temper seruse. Grynd hit smalle one a stone 
 with gum water, and so worche therewith. 
 
 Iff thou wylt preve asure bice, if hit be good or 
 badde, take a penselle or a penne, and drawe smale 
 rulys on blew letteris with the seruse, and if thi seruse 
 be not clere and bryjte and wyte, but fade and dede, 
 than is the asure-bice not good ne fyne. 
 
 How thou schalte make cenopere : take v. galonis 
 of old urine, and do sethe hit overe the fyre to hit be 
 clere and welle y-stomyd, and than let hit kele to hit 
 be lewke-warme; and than take j. li. lake, and breke 
 hit smalej and serse hit into powdere, and put that 
 powdere into the uryne by lytelle and lytelle, and alwey 
 store hit welle, and than eft-sone set hit one the fyre 
 to hit boyle, and than strayne hit thro3e a bagge of 
 canvas, so that alle the drastys byleve thereine, and 
 thanne eft-sone set hit on the fyre to hit boyle, and in 
 the boylynge put therein iij. unce of alome glasse made 
 into powdere, and alwey stere hit, and whanne hit hathe 
 sodyne awhyle, take hit fro the fyre and thanne take j. 
 unce, and j. di. of alome glas molte into clere water, 
 and sprynge of that water alle abowte, and that schalle 
 gadere alle thy mater togedyre, and than streyne hit 
 thro3e a smale bagge of lynnen clothe, and of the sub- 
 stance that levy the in the bagge after the stray nynge 
 make smalle bally s thereof, as hit were hasylle nottes. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 79 
 
 and let hem dry withowte ony sonne or wynd, and than 
 take j. li. of turbentyne, and j. li. of frankencens, and 
 melte hem togedyre, and put thereto oyle of lynsede, 
 as myche as nedythe ; and thus thou schalt asay iff hit 
 be welle molte togedyre, take a drop or ij. of clere 
 water, and sprynge hit thereinne ; and than take a lytelle 
 thereof bytwene thy fyngyrs, and if hit be holdynge 
 togedere as gum-wex, than hit is good and fyne, and 
 if it do not so, put thereto more oyle to hit be holdynge 
 as wex, and than let hit kele, for hit is made welle. 
 
 To make aurum misticum : — take a vyele of glas, 
 and lute hit welle, or elles a longe erthyne potte ; and 
 take j. li. of salle armoniac, j. li. of sulphere, j. li. of 
 mercury crude, j . li. of tynne ; melt thyne tynne, and 
 than caste thy mercury therein, and so alle the othere 
 by-foreseyde ; and grynd all thyes togedyre opone a 
 stone, and thanne put alle thyes togedyre into a vyole, 
 or into ane erthyne pote, and stoppe alle the mowthe 
 thereof, safe only a lytelle hole, as a spowte of a pauper 
 or of perchemyne may be set thereinne ; and than set 
 hit overe the fyre in a furneys.e, but furst make an esy 
 fyre, and afterward a good fyre the space of xxiiij. 
 howrys, to thou se no more brethe come owte of the 
 glas, and than take hit fro the fyre, and breke the 
 glasse. 
 
 To make a good grene. Take j. li. of limayle of 
 
80 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 coper, and ij. li. of unsleked lyme, and a galone of 
 venegre, and put th3'es in an erthyne potte, and stoppe 
 faste the mowth thereof that none eyre come therein, 
 save a lytelle hole above, and so let hit stonde in the 
 erthe, or in a donge hille, iiij. monthys. 
 
 To make letterys of gold ; fyrste make clere glayre, 
 and afterward take whytte chalke that is dry, and of 
 the ryngynge of thyne egges, and grynd hem togedyre 
 alle one a stone the space of ij. owrys, and thanne put 
 thereto a lytelle saffrone, but loke that thy coloure be 
 not to 3elowe, and loke there come no water thereto 
 but gleyre bothe in the gryndynge and in the temper- 
 yng, and let hem stonde so iij. or iiij. days; but if hit 
 be temperyd with old gleyre, thou mayst worche 
 therewith anone, and if hit be newe gleyre, let hit 
 stond iij. or iiij. days, and thanne make letterys there- 
 with, and let hit ly to dry alle a day ; and be well ware 
 that thou handelle hit nojte with thyne hondys, 
 whanne hit is dry, for if thou do, hit wylle take no 
 golde; and whenne thy letter is fully dry, take the 
 tothe of a bore or of an hogge, and take uppe thy 
 gold with a penselle in thi lefte bond, and ley hyt one 
 the letter, and lett thy left hond go byfore thy ryjte, 
 and with thy ryjte hond do rub one thy gold with the 
 tothe of the bore, and thou schalt se fayre letterys. 
 And if thou wolle make letterys one a borde, ley thy 
 
MISCELLANIES. 81 
 
 S3'se as thynne thereone as thou mayste, and do alle 
 the remanant as is seyd before. 
 
 To make whyte lede ; take platys, and make in 
 everyche of hem ane hole in the one ende, and hange 
 hem one a stafe, as thou woldyste hange sprottes, so 
 that no plate towch othere, and thanne in a tunne or in 
 a barelle put venegre or eyselle, and honge the platys 
 there overe, and stoppe faste the mowthe of the vesselle 
 that none eyre come in ne owte, and let hit stonde so 
 vj. wekys, and, after the vj. wekys, opyne the vesselle 
 softly, and take uppe the platys esely, and schave of 
 the whytte that is one heme uppone a clene horde, and 
 whanne thou wolt worche therewith, grynd hit welle, 
 and temper hit with gleyre of hogges, or with gum water, 
 but that is not so good as is the gleyre. 
 
 To make rede lede. Take iij. or iiij. pottes of erthe 
 more than a foote longe, and lett the pottes be over 
 alle a-lych myche fro the bothum to the mowthe, and 
 than take whytte lede, and put hit to heche potte a 
 goode quantite, and thanne sett thy pottes alonge in 
 an ovyne made therefore, every potte bysyde othere, 
 and lette the mowthys of the pottes ly a party owt of 
 the ovyns mowthe, and than make a good fyre, to the 
 pottes be welle bote, and than take owte one of the 
 pottys, and hyld owte that is thereinne on a stone, and 
 grjTid hit faste alle hoote a good cowrse with venegre. 
 
82 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 and than put hit into the potte a3ene, and ley hit in the 
 ovyne as hit was byfore ; and so take eche after othere 
 as thou dydeste byfore, to thou se the lede turne into 
 a fayre rede and a fyne at thy lykynge, but loke thou 
 sese not of gryndyng of the lede with venegre, ne of 
 bakynge, to thou have do, for thys makyng is perfytte. 
 
 To temper rede lede : grynd hit as thou doste ver- 
 melone, and wesshe hyt, and dry hit, and so in all 
 wysse do as here is sayde before, and thou schalt do 
 welle. 
 
 To wryte on a swerd or one a knyfe ; take the pow- 
 der of alome glas, and salle gemme, and temper hit 
 with olde uryne, &c. 
 
 To dy grene threde ; fyrste do woode hit, and than 
 take the lye of woode asschys, and take woode, and cut 
 hit in to a lytylle porcione of vertegrece, and a quantite 
 of blake sope, and put hit to the threde, and so sethe 
 hem togedyre, and hyt wolbe fyne. 
 
 To sowde ; take boras, and sethe hit in water, and 
 wete thy thynge therewith. 
 
 To make sowder of tynne; take v. partys of pece 
 sylvere, and of latone, and do medylle hit togedyre 
 with a ly telle boras. 
 
 To make coralle ; take harttes hornnys, and madere- 
 ane handfuUe or more, and sethe hit to hit be as 
 nesshe as glew. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 83 
 
 To dy selke. — To dy rede sylke ; take brasylle, and 
 schave hit smalle, and boyle hit in the water of a marie 
 pytte ; the lengere that hit boylythe, the better hit is. 
 
 To make 3elowe water ; take woode and stronge lye, 
 and sethe hem togedyre, and put thereto a lytelle alome 
 glas whyle hit boyleth, and whanne hit is sodyne ynoje, 
 put owte the water frome the woode. 
 
 To make blewe water; temper the flowre of the 
 woode fatte with lye ; the lesse lye, the better wolbe 
 thy blewe. 
 
 To make grene water ; take blewe and 3elowe, and 
 menge hem welle togedyre. 
 
 To make towny water; take rede, and lay hyt on 
 3elowe, and let hit dry, and if thi rede be gode, thy 
 towny schalbe myche the bettyr. 
 
 To make rede lethyre that is clepyd lysyne; take 
 alome glas, and dissolve hit into water, and in that 
 water wasshe thy lethyre, and let hit dry, and thanne 
 sethe brasylle in stondynge water, and dry hit in the 
 Sonne. 
 
 To make lynnene clothe 3elowe ; take wyld woode, 
 and sethe hit in lye, and ley thi clothe thereinne, and 
 anone take hit howte, and ley hit to dry. 
 
 To make blewe lethyre; take the juce of brasylle, 
 and of saveyne, and of vertegrese, and let the leste 
 parte be of brasylle, and so worche hit. 
 
 G 2 
 
84 EAKLY EJ7GLISII 
 
 To make rede water ; take brasylle that flotyn, and 
 put hit into an erthyne potte, with ly made of lyme, 
 that hit be wesshe, and sethe hit to the halvendele; 
 and thanne asay hit, whyle hit is hoote, and thys 
 wolbe a good rede. 
 
 To make ly of lyme ; take a quantite of hote lyme 
 as hit comythe fro the kylne, and put hit into a 
 vesselle, and put water thereto, and a lytelle alome, 
 and a lytelle swete mylke, and let hit stonde so and 
 crude. Another manere ; take the uryne of a manne, 
 sethe hit and scome hit into the braselle chalke, and 
 let hit boyle ; thanne set hit fro the fyre, and strayne 
 hit into the chalke stone, and let hit stonde so, for this 
 is good. 
 
 To cowche gold ; take gleyre and saffrone y- grownd 
 togedyre, and cowche on thy gold whyle it is moyste. 
 
 To make a blake water; take gumme galle, and 
 coperose, of eche a pownd, and take a vesselle for eche 
 of thyes, and put to a pownd a galone of water, and 
 let heme stepe so alle a ny3te ; and afterward take a 
 vesselle, and do therein thy galle and thy coperose, 
 and sethe hem to halfe be wastyd, and than put thy 
 gum therein, and set hit downe to that hit be colde. 
 
 To make a rede water; take a potelle of rede 
 venegre, and a 3. of brasyle, and iiij. part of a 3. of 
 vermelone, and do hit into an erthyne potte to halfe 
 
MISCELLANIES. 85 
 
 be sodyn away, and thanne put thereto an 3. of alome 
 glas powdere, and seth hit eft-sone a lytelle, and do 
 worche therewith alle hote. 
 
 To make whyte lethyre ; take halfe an unce of whyte 
 coperose, and di, 3. of alome and salle-peter the mown- 
 tance of the 3olke of an egge, and yf thou wolle have 
 thy skynne thykke, take of whetmele ij. handfulle, 
 and that is sufficiant to a galone of water ; and if thou 
 wolle have thy skynne rynnyng, take of ry mele 2 
 handfulle, and grynd alle thyes saltes smale, and caste 
 hem into lewke warme water, and let heme melt 
 togedyre, and so alle in ewene warme water put 
 therein thy skynne. And if hit be a velome skynne, 
 lett hit be thereinne 9 days and 9 ny3tes, and thanne 
 take hit uppe, and wryng hit into the same water oft, 
 and lett hyt dry in the eyre to hyt be halfe dry, and if 
 hit be a perchement skyne, let hit ly thereinne 4 days 
 and 4 ny3tes, and knowe welle that a perchement 
 skynne that is fatt is not beste for this ocupacion, but 
 yf he be thyke, he is the better ; thanne take coperase 
 of the whyttest the quantite of ij. benys for j. skynne, 
 and the 3olke of j. egge, and breke hit into a dysse, 
 and than put water overe the fyre, and put thereinne 
 thy coperas, and than put thy 3olke in thy skyne, and 
 rub hit alle abowte, and thanne ley thy skynne in the 
 seyde water, and let hit ly, ut dictum est. 
 
86 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 To dy grene threde ; do wood hit fyrste, and than 
 take ly of woode asschyne, and take wold, and kyt hit, 
 and a lytelle porcione of vertegrece, and a quantite of 
 blake sope, and put hit into the trede, and sethe heme 
 to-geder. 
 
 To make lynnene clothe rede ; take alome glas, and 
 brasyle, and sethe heme welle togedyre in welle water, 
 and than do owte the water by hym-selfe into anothere 
 vesselle, and wasshe thy clothe thereinne, and lay hit 
 to dry. 
 
 For 3elowe ; take wyld woode, and sethe hit in lye, 
 and ley thy clothe there in, and anone take hit owte, 
 and ley hit for to dry. 
 
 For grene ; fyrst wasshe thy clothe in the flowre of 
 woode, and thanne put hyt in 3elow juce, and dry hit. 
 
 To make rede lassche ; Take water of suffloure, 
 alome, glas, and dissolve hit into water, and in that 
 water wasshe thy lethyre, and let hit dry, and sethe 
 brasyle in stondynge water, and anoynte thy lethyre 
 therewith ij. or iij. and let hit dry ajense the sonne. 
 
 To gyld metalle. Take water of suffloure that is 
 the fyrste leche, and salle armoniac, and grene 
 coperose, and bray heme togedyre in a morter of 
 brasse, and take as myche of the one as of the othere, 
 and putt heme into the water of suffloure, and let hit 
 stonde the space of halfe an owre, and than take the 
 
MISCELLANIES. 87 
 
 metalle and make it clene, and ley thy water thereone, 
 and thanne dry hit on wood coole; thanne let hit 
 kele, and bornesshe hit welle. 
 
 To gyld irene or stele ; fyle thy metalle, and schave 
 hit with a grate cleve, and towche thereone with water 
 of borase, and thanne ley one thy gold, and thanne 
 crache hit, and burnesshe hit, etc. 
 
 For scripture ; grynd cristalle one a marbylle stone 
 to smalle powdere, and temper hit with the whyte of 
 an egg, and wryte therewith what thou wolte, and let 
 hit dry ; and thanne rub thereone with gold, sylver, or 
 coper, and hit schalle apere in scripture. 
 
 To wryte in stele ; — Take salle armoniac v. d. wyjte, 
 and vj'triall 9 d. wyjte, and powdere hem togedyre, 
 and temper hem with pysse thyk as pappe, and take 
 paynterys oyle and vermelone, and melle heme togedyre, 
 and wryte therewith one stele. 
 
 Thus 36 schal begyne to make 3our waterys bothe 
 for redys and for crimesynes : 30 schalle fylle your 
 lede fulle of water, and whenne 3e have put inne your 
 branne, whethyr hit be ij. buschylys or iij., and 
 thanne let hit boyle welle : thenne fylle hit uppe with 
 colde water, and whenne thou haste fyllyd up thy lede, 
 here hit overe into a fatt, and lett hit stond ij . days or 
 iij., tylle hit be rype. Thenne moste ^e here hit overe 
 into your lede afore or that 30 make ony colours a 
 
88 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 goode sawley with the secund parte of water, and 
 thanne let hit be nyje at boylynge or ^e temper or 
 pure your alome ; and as sone as 36 have puryd your 
 alome, caste in your colours that schalbe rede afore a 
 prety whyle, or thy crimesons gyne ; and thanne let 
 hem boyle togedyris a good owre large and more, and 
 kepe the same boylynge to eftesonys, for hit most 
 serve ano there tyme ry3t welle. 
 
 Item, if 3e wolle make fyne redys, 3e moste take to a 
 dosyne iij. pownd of alome, and to crimesons the same, 
 whenne 3e boyle hem, and thanne schalle 36 make fayre 
 colours and lusty in theyre maderynge in warantise. 
 
 Item, at your maderynge 3e schalle take of the same 
 wateris that 3e made, and here hem overe into your 
 lede as myche as 36 seme wolle serve 30W ; if 3e have 
 no3te y-no3e, take a kowlle fulle, or ij. or iij., or as 
 mony as 3e seme wolle serve 30W ; thenne let hit be 
 but mylke-warme, whenne thou doyste in thy madere : 
 when the madere is in flotte, breke hit smalle that 
 there be no ballys, for to every 3erde 3e moste take a 
 pownd of madere. And among hem caste in thy redys 
 that thou wolt have, and thanne make a good fyre 
 ondere thy lede, and loke ever that thou handylle thy 
 clothe that is in the lede tylle that the flote that is in 
 the lede begynne to sethe. And ever thanne amonge, 
 whyle that 30 handylle, take uppe a parte, and loke 
 
MISCELLANIES. 89 
 
 thereonne ; and whenne je seme that hit is welle, take 
 hit uppe, and when hit is uppe, cole hit welle opone a 
 rayle to hit be cold ; thanne moste ^e make a master- 
 ynge therefore. 
 
 Item, for the masterynge, }e moste cast owte 30wre 
 olde flote of jowre maderynge, and make a newe flote 
 for 3our masterynge of clene water in your lede com- 
 petently as wolle serve 30W, and whenne hit is more 
 than schalde-hote, drowe owte 3our fyre clene, and 
 thanne caste in 30ur aschys in the lede, yf 3e wolle 
 make a rowe masterynge. If hit be so that 30 wolle 
 have a fre masterynge, caste heme in a fatte besyde, 
 and temper hit with the same lycoure in 30ur lede iij. 
 tymes or iiij., tylle that 30ur lye be stronge, and let hit 
 pyche welle tylle hit be clere : thanne caste the lye into 
 the lede afore the clothe, and stere hit welle togeder 
 with a stafFe ; and thanne caste in thy clothe to mas- 
 terynge, and handelle hyt welle with a stafFe a good 
 while or thou take hit up, and than by the grace of 
 God 3e schalle have good redys and fyne : yf hit be so 
 that 3e wolle have 30we masteryng, 30 moste breke up 
 the aschys welle with the flote afore or 30 cast in 30ur 
 clothe, and thanne handylle hit welle with a staffe 
 abowte; and when hit is masteryd, take hit up and 
 wasche hit clene oute of the ayschys, as 36 kanne, and 
 so owte of boylynge, and also of the maderynge, &c. 
 
90 EARLY ENGLISH 
 
 Item, for crymsons, hit may not have halfe so meche 
 mader as rede hathe, for hit moste be but lytylle 
 y-maderyd, but halfe as meche as rede hathe of madyre 
 crymson ^e schalle geve, for after hit is y-maderyd, 36 
 moste korke hit, for the korke is a settynge up, and a 
 masterynge, for if je wolle korky crymsons, 30 moste, 
 after 36 have maderid hit, let make a new flote of clene 
 water, and whenne hit is alle-moste at boylynge, caste 
 in 30ur corke, and thenne after 3our clothe, and so let 
 hit boyle welle to-gederys a good longe whyle or 3e take 
 hit up, and so, by Godes grace, 30 schalle make fayre 
 crymsons and good. 
 
 Item, as for vyolettys withowte wode, 3e moste make 
 a kynd blake flote, for to browne heme welle therein 
 of aldyre ryndys, and of clene water, and boyle heme 
 welle to-gedire, and so lett hit stond iij. days or iiij., 
 and thanne 30ur flote is made fore 30ur sangweyns, and 
 also for 3our viollettes, and 3our viollettes saddere 
 thanne 3our morreys : and thanne 30 moste weysche 
 heme oute of that ; thanne 3e moste make 30ur flote 
 fore 3our maderyng for 30ur violettes, and 30ur morreys ; 
 and to a dosyne of violettes viij. pownd of madyre, and 
 to a dosyn off" morreys vj. li., and loke 30 madere heme 
 as 30 do 30ur redys, and in lyke wyse madere hem, and 
 mastry heme, and thenne wesch heme oute clene 
 thereof, and so 3our colouris beth y-made everyche in 
 her perty, as they schold be one warantyse. 
 
MISCELLANIES. 91 
 
 Item, yf 36 wolle make crymsons withowte corke in 
 clothe or wolle, 36 most browne heme in blake flote 
 afore the sadnese of 1 d. ob. in the same blake flotej 
 and after that 36 have browned hem so aftere the 
 valour, 36 moste a lytille wode hit opone in the sprynge 
 of the fatte, and thanne 30 moste a lytylle mader hit 
 uppone, and thanne 3our crymsons beth y-made in 
 warantyse withowte fayle. 
 
 Item, yf 3e wolle make 30ur lystes blewe withTOwte 
 wode, 3e moste a lytylle browne hit afore owte of the 
 whytte, that the whitte be turned fro knowlyche, and 
 wooUe the same ; thanne 3e moste wasche hit owte 
 clene thereofF, and 36 moste korke hyt welle, and that 
 hit have korke y-no3e ; and whanne 3e have korkyd 
 hyt, 3e moste wasche hit clene, and thanne 3e schalle 
 have a fayre blewe withowte fayle, &c. 
 
 riNis. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 Page 3, I. 14. Let he thy care. The phrase let he has been 
 thought by Steevens worthy of a long note. It is of 
 constant occurrence in early English. So in the 
 romance of the Sowdane of Bahyloyne, Middlehill 
 MS.,— 
 
 Speke we now of sir Laban, 
 And let Charles and Gy he. 
 Page 4, 1. 8. The dore of whallus hone. The ivory which 
 was made of the teeth of the walrus, is constantly 
 alluded to as whale's hone, and instances of the phrase 
 are all but innumerable. It seems also that ivory was 
 so called long after that made from elephant's teeth 
 was in common use. " As white as whale's bone" was 
 the usual simile. " His wyfe as white as whales bone", 
 Syr Isenhras. " A mayden as white as whales bone", 
 Syr Eglamoure. " Her skin was white as whales bone 
 or milk," Hawes' Pastime of Pleasure. In Skelton's 
 Garlande of Laurell, Works, ed. Dyce, i. 380, is a pas- 
 sage which may be compared with that in the text : — 
 
 With turkis and grossolitis enpavyd was the grounde ; 
 
 Of birrall enbosid wer the pyllers rownde ; 
 
 Of elephantis tethe were the palace gatis, 
 
 Enlosenged with many goodly platis 
 
 Of golde, entachid with many a precyous stone ; 
 
 An hundred steppis mountyng to the halle. 
 
 One of jasper, another of whalis bone. 
 
NOTES. 93' 
 
 It will be observed, that elephant's teeth, as well as 
 whales' bone, are mentioned in the above extract. 
 
 Page 4, I. 20. Noneste. This is a form of nonce. 
 
 Page 6, I. ] 7. Heire. An early provincial form of year. 
 The manuscript possesses several of these uncouth forms, 
 the explanations of which will be readily gathered 
 from the context. 
 
 Page 8, 1. 8. Olowys. That is, gloves. Shortly afterwards 
 we have cayey for coy, a very corrupt form of the word. 
 
 Page 9. Word for world. Common in this manuscript. 
 
 Page 10, 1. 16. Cowrs. That is, curse. 
 
 Page 12. The reader is referred, for information respecting 
 the subject of the poem here printed, to the learned ob- 
 servations of Mr. Wright in his edition of Walter Mapes, 
 pp. 95, 322. The present appears to be a closer version 
 of the Latin of Mapes than those which are printed by 
 Mr. Wright, with introductory and concluding stanzas 
 not elsewhere found. It is also curious as attributing 
 the vision to be that of a French hermit, who " be 
 name was cleyppyd Philberte", a statement which has 
 only hitherto been discovered in a MS. at Vienna, in 
 which there is a copy of the Latin poem, with eight lines 
 prefixed that contain the same account. He is there like- 
 wise described as a king's son, /ilius regalis. The lines 
 themselves are printed in Mr. Wright's Mapes, p. 95. 
 
 Page 16, I. 10. Thy hale is now of vij.feet. Hale, that is, 
 hall. The Latin is merely, — vix nunc tuus tumulus 
 septem capit pedes. Mr. Wright quotes a parallel 
 passage from the Saxon Chronicle. See Mapes, p. 96, 
 and the well known passage in Henry IV, beginning, — 
 " When that this body did contain a spirit." 
 
 Page 26, I. 21. Ahhay is torned to a grange. To bring an 
 
94 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 abbey to a grange, a common old proverb. So in 
 Skelton's Colyn Cloute, — 
 
 Howe ye brake the dedes wylles, 
 Turne monasteris into water-milles, 
 Of an abbay ye make a graunge. 
 
 Page 32, 1. 23. To, That is, two. Duo dwmones, Lat. 
 
 Page 36, ^.10. / was a Jcgngis sone. This refers, of course, 
 to Philibert, and the whole of this addition is probably 
 translated from some Latin original not now known to 
 be in existence. 
 
 Page 39. The poem here printed, of " Earth upon Earth", 
 is the most complete copy known to exist. Other 
 versions, varying considerably from each other, are 
 preserved in MS. Seld. sup. 53 ; MS. Rawl. C. 307 ; 
 MS. Rawl. Poet. 32; MS. Lambeth 853; and in the 
 Thornton MS. in Lincoln Cathedral. Portions of it are 
 occasionally found inscribed on the walls of churches. 
 
 Page 43. Bi a forrest. Another copy of this poem is pre- 
 served in MS. Bibl. Publ. Cantab. Ff. v. 48. The 
 present is the most complete version. 
 
 Page 44, I. 3. Rochis in MS. Raches were scenting 
 hounds, and are frequently mentioned, e.g., in Arthour 
 and Merlin, p. 172 : — 
 
 Thre grehoundes he ledde on hond, 
 And thre raches in on bond. 
 
 1. 8. / loke alowe. This line is as follows in the 
 
 Cambridge MS. — " I loke asyde, I lurke fuUe lowe". 
 
 I. 10. So howe! so howe! This was the hunting cry 
 
 used when the hare was pursued. It is again men- 
 tioned in a somewhat similar poem on the hare printed 
 in Turbervile's BoJce of Hunting, where the animal 
 thus complains : — 
 
NOTES. 96 
 
 But I, poore beast, whose feeding is not seene, 
 Who breake no hedge, who pill no pleasant plant : 
 Who stroy no fruite, who can turne up no greene, 
 Who spoyle no corne, to make the plowman want : 
 Am yet pursued with hound, horse, might and maine 
 By murdring men, untill they have me slaine. 
 
 ^ Sa haw' sayth one, as soone as he me spies ; 
 Another cryes, ' Now, Now,' that sees me start ; 
 The hounds call on, with hydeous noyse and cryes ; 
 The spurgalde jade must gallop out his part : 
 The home is blowen, and many a voyce full shryll 
 Do whoupe and cry, me wretched beast to kyll. 
 
 Page 44, I. 25. Soule. "Mawe", MS. Cantab. 
 
 Page 45, ^.11. And as a scrowe sche wyll me thret. " And 
 
 as a swyne thei wil me bete", MS. Cantab. The 
 
 Cambridge MS. thus concludes: — 
 
 Go bet, Wat, with Crystes curse ! 
 
 The next tyme thou shal be take ; 
 I have a hare-pype in my purse, 
 
 That shall be set, Watte, for thi sake. 
 The next tyme thou comes therin, 
 
 Be my trowthe I the behete, 
 Tho thou thorowe the hege ren, 
 
 Thou shal be hongut be the throte ! 
 Thus I droupe, I drede my deth : 
 
 Alas ! I dye long or my day ; 
 For welle and woo away it gothe. 
 
 And this word hit wendes away. 
 Page 46, I. 13. Eyselle and galle. Eysell and gall are 
 frequently mentioned together, especially in connexion 
 with the well known passage in the Gospels. " Venegre 
 
96 NOTES. 
 
 or eyselle" is noticed in a receipt at page 81. It is 
 made synonymous with alegar, or vinegar made from 
 ale, in the Forme of Cury, p. 56 ; but vinegar of any 
 description appears to have passed under the name of 
 eysell or ay sell. 
 
 Page 48, I. 1. Nette. That is, neat cattle. 
 
 Page 67, I. 4. Spryngys. S'prings here seem to mean 
 slips. They are, properly, the first shoots of a plant. 
 " Springe or ympe that commeth out of the rote", 
 Huloet's Abcedarium, 1552. 
 
OVERDUE. *'°° ON THE s^e^^;J"RTH 
 
VB 74816 
 
 U.C.BERKELEY LIBRARIES 
 
 CDMt,577tD3D