two alliterative poems of the fourteenth century

Two poems stand together here as Israel Gollancz first printed them for the Roxburghe Club in 1897, drawn from a single fifteenth-century manuscript compiled by the Yorkshire scribe Robert Thornton (British Museum Additional MS. 31,042). The first, "The Parlement of the Thre Ages," is a dream-vision: a poacher falls asleep after taking a deer and dreams of three men — Youth, Middle Age, and Old Age — who debate the worth of a human life, Old Age closing the argument with a roll-call of the Nine Worthies, the great pagan, Jewish, and Christian conquerors of legend and scripture. The second, "Wynnere and Wastoure" ("Winner and Waster"), printed by Gollancz as an appendix because it follows the Parlement in the same manuscript without a break and shares whole lines and turns of phrase with it, is usually dated to about 1352–53 and is the earliest datable poem of the English alliterative revival: a dreamer sees two armies gather before a young king — plainly Edward III — one led by the miser Winner, the other by the spendthrift Waster, disputing which of them does more harm to the commonwealth.

Gollancz's edition is a scholar's apparatus as much as a text: a long introduction on date, authorship, and the poems' place in the alliterative revival; the Parlement itself, with a second, fragmentary witness (British Museum Additional MS. 33,994, discovered after the main text was set and recovered by Gollancz from a bundle of Irish antiquarian papers) printed to the same lines; two rounds of explanatory notes; two glossaries; an index of proper names; and a second appendix of texts illustrative of the Nine Worthies tradition — an English extract from the Cursor Mundi, French verses from the Vœux du Paon tradition, Older Scots stanzas from the Buik of Alexander, Latin tags, and a scrap of Gower — gathered to show where Gollancz's poet found his Worthies. All of it is given here in one sequence, in the volume's own order, from a HathiTrust page-by-page scan of the original Roxburghe Club printing.

The Middle English is preserved exactly as printed, thorn (þ) and yogh (ȝ) restored where nineteenth-century optical scanning had flattened them into ordinary Roman letters; Gollancz's own editorial brackets, textual footnotes, and stanza numbers are kept throughout. This is archival, not modernized: nothing has been simplified for the modern reader beyond the necessary repair of a scan.

Contents

• Editor's Introduction
• The Parlement of the Thre Ages
• The Ware Fragment — Additional MS. 33,994
• Notes to the Parlement of the Thre Ages
• Glossary to the Parlement of the Thre Ages
• Index of Proper Names
• Wynnere and Wastoure
• Glossary to Wynnere and Wastoure
• Appendix: Texts Illustrative of "The Nine Worthies"
• Colophon

Editor's Introduction

§ I. " The Parlement of the Thre Ages," now first edited, is pre- served in one of Robert Thornton's famous miscellanies of English poems and romances : the MS. was acquired by the British Museum in 1879 ; its press mark is Additional MSS. 31,042. It is a quarto of the XVth century, containing in all twenty-six different items. The present poem is to be found on pages 169- 177b, and stands twenty-fifth in the list of contents. Noteworthy pieces in the manuscript, hitherto unprinted, are these : — (i) ** The Segge of Jerusalem off Tytus and Vespasyane," an alliterative poem^ ; (ii) a religious lyric in thirteen-line stanzas of alliterative verse, resem- bling Huchown's "Pistle of Susan," beginning : — " In a morwenyng of May, when medowes salt spryng, Blomes and blossomms of brighte colours ; " (iii) an alliterative poem, immediately following " The Parlement of the Thre Ages " entitled " A tretys and god schorte refreyte by-twixe Wynnere and Wastoure,"^ concerning which more will be said later. 1 Prof. Kolbing has undertaken an edition of the poem, whereof are many manu- scripts, for the Early English Text Society. ^ The text is illegible in many places. A later but complete version is in the Bodleian collection; Add. A. 106, fol. 6". The present editor has prepared an edition of the poem, which will shortly be published. ^ Vide Appendix. Mr. Henry Bradley informed me some years ago of a projected edition of " Winnere and Wastoure : " the work has evidently been abandoned. Its connection with " The Parlement of the Thre Ages " has made it necessary for me to print the text at the end of the volume.

§ 2.

At the Crawford sale in 1891 the British Museum purchased a manuscript miscellany, belonging originally to Sir James Ware (ob. 1666), and included in the catalogue of his books printed at Dublin in 1648. The collection of pieces, originally bound together ', comprise for the most part works relating to Ireland, topographical, linguistic, and legendary, the whole of the contents being in Latin and Irish, with the exception of sixteen pages at the end, written in an English hand of the XVth century, evidently the fragment of a longer alliterative poem. It was the good fortune of the writer to identify these pages as a portion of " The Parlement of the Thre Ages," and the discovery proved of value, for, as often happens in the case of seemingly worthless manuscripts, several difficulties in Add. 31,042 were cleared up by the newly-discovered fragment (numbered 33,994 in the Museum collection.) In the present volume the two texts are printed on opposite pages ; discussions of the readings will be found in the notes at the end. The fragment is followed by a short list, in the same hand, headed " Distretacio Rerum." " An heerd of hertis An Jye of flFesauntz An heerd of dere An covy of partrike^ An heerd of Cranes A Bevy of ladyes An heerd of Curlues A Bevy of quayles An heerd of wrennes A Bevy of Roes." In view of the almost technical character of much of alliterative poetry, this catalogue of terms, written at the end of the " Parle- ment "is not without additional interest, though such lists are by no means uncommon in books of the chase ; {cp. Dame Juliana Bemes' "Boke of Huntinge ; " Twety's " Treatis on Venery," etc.) ^ The history of the volume is given in the Museum Catalogue under Add. 33991-

§ 3.

The MSS. of " the Parlement of The Thre Ages " afford no direct evidence of authorship, date of composition, or the original locality of the poem, — the latter point always one of extreme difficulty in rhymeless poems. There can be no doubt, however, that this new " Vision " belongs to the great period of alliterative revival in the West of England, whereof the chief manifesta- tions were " The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman," and the Romance of " Sir Gawayne and the Greene Knyght." The opening and closing lines of the "Parlement" seem to connect it with the former, while the elaborate machinery of the deer-stalking suggests points of contact with the masterly description of the hunting of the deer, the boar, and the fox, in the latter poem. The author's delight in bright colours, and a certain joyousness in his descriptions, together with occasional character- istic marks of diction, recall the poet of " Gawayne," but in poetical talent, as well as in wealth of language, to say nothing of intellectual power and acquirements of learning, our author is altogether inferior to that exalted genius ; the highest praise it is possible to bestow on him is to recognise his kinship with Chaucer's great rival of the west. His choice of a new theme so well suited to the genius of the new-old poetry, with its picturesqueness, colour, lofty aspiration, and didactic tendency, was certainly a happy inspiration, and his achievement, though it reveals to the modern student occasional lapses due to carelessness and ignorance, must have been regarded as eminently successful by the poet's contemporaries. " The Parlement of the Thre Ages " wears, with conscious dignity, the livery of a great and ancient house.

§4.

But though "The Parlement of the Thre Ages" yields no internal evidence of the date of its composition, the poem which b immediately follows it in MS. 31,042 contains time-references fixing very definitely the year to which it belongs, and if, as seems most probable, we have in this second poem, " Winnere and Wastoure," another work by the author of the " Parlement," the evidence for the date of the one may throw considerable light on the date of the other. It is not possible to establish with absolute certainty the identity of authorship claimed for the poems, but the collective evidence tending to that conclusion is well-nigh indisputable : (i.) the two poems, which follow one another in the MS. without a break, have whole lines in common, cp. Notes to 11. 14, 189, etc. ; (ii.) passages in the one are strongly reminiscent of passages in the other, cp. Part 1 10-135; "Winn, and Wast." no 120; c/. the general descriptions of youth in the "Parlement" with those of Wastoure in "Winn, and Wast." ; (iii.) the general framework of both the pieces is the same ; cp. "Parlement," 11. 1-103, and "Winn, and Wast." 11. 31-47 ; the picturesque enumeration of the Personified Ages in the "Parlement" suggests comparison with the vivid description of the Banners, etc. in "Winnere and Wastoure"; (iv.) a remarkable erroneous use of " ande " as the ending of a verbal noun is found in both poems, and is evidently due to the poet, not the scribe, cp. note on line 278 ; (v.) both poems show a certain amount of careless confusion on the part of the author, cp. notes, 11- 335"8 ; similarly "Winnere and Wastoure," 11. 174-179; the Austin Friars wore black, not white ; the Carmelites wore white, and they, and not the Austins, were the order "that loven our lady to serve," and wxre called " Mary's men" ; the author of " Pierce the Ploughman's Crede " was more accurate in this respect ; (vi.) the tests of language and metre do not tell against the identity of authorship ; so far as the alliteration is concerned, neither piece shows any striking divergence from the normal line ; and in respect of vocabulary, the poems are not long enough to yield any very valuable criteria ; many words and phrases due to the difference of theme are naturally peculiar to the one poem or to the other ; (vii.) in addition to these considerations, the general impression conveyed by the two pieces tells strongly in favour of the view that we have here the work of one and the same writer ; the " Parlement " may well have been written at a somewhat earlier date than "Winnere and Wastoure " ; in this latter effort the poet shows himself rather more practised in his art ; his touch seems firmer, his thoughts more rapid and intense ; maybe the theme was more congenial, but under any circumstances no great interval could have separated the poems.

§ 5.

Internal evidence definitely fixes circa 1350 as the date of " Winnere and Wastoure " ; there can be little doubt that the " berry- brown bearded" king depicted in lines 85-100, is Edward III.; and it is explicitly stated in line 206 that he has fostered and fed the disputants " these five-and-twenty years " ; the twenty-fifth year of Edward III. was 1351. We find other time-indications in the poem pointing to about the same date, and contemporary allusions such as one might well expect from its social and political character : — (i.) there is the important reference to the Order of the Garter (11. 60-68), with its famous motto, " Honi soit qui mal y pense," excellently rendered into English verse :— " Hethyng haue the hathell þat any harme thynkes " ^ ; tbe foundation of the Order is now generally assigned to 1344 ; (ii.) the delightful picture of the Black Prince, " ȝongeste of ȝeres and ȝapeste of witt," already "dubbed knyghte" and adorned 1 This reference to the foundation of the premier order of chivalry in the world is of special interest in view of the theory advanced by the present writer that " Sir Gawayne and the Grene Knyght " was probably written in connection with the same great brotherhood {cp. Introduction to " Pearl " ). It is to be noted that at the end of the MS. of " Sir Gawayne " (Cotton, Nero, Ax.) there is written in the same hand as the rest of the poem, ^^ Honi soit qui mal pence." b 2 with the three ostrich feathers tied together with a golden wire (11. 103-120), could not have been written very long after the Prince's heroic feats at Cre^y ; (iii.) the heraldic allusions, 11. 75-80 ; the combined arms of the two countries, " the lely and the lepard," as another contemporary poet, Minot, puts it, " gedered on a grene " (91-99), must have had special point after Edward's great victory, though he had already in 1337 quartered the arms of France ; similarly, "with ynglysse Besantes full bryghte betyn of gold" (1. 61) must have been intended for a complimentary allusion to Edward's memorable gold coinage of 1343 ; the "noble" was deservedly popular throughout Europe, with its rich device of the monarch in his ship, the banner of St. George flying at the mast-head, in his right hand a sword, in his left a shield with the arms of France and England ; (iv.) the growing discontent with the conduct of the Friars, and more especially with the policy of the Pope, which found expression in "the Statute of Provisors," 1351, may be noted in the poem (11. 144-8, 460-70) ; the varied questions of labour, wages, prices, dress, food, which called forth the Sumptuary Laws of Edward III., are all present to the mind of the writer. He saw beneath the bright surface of things the misery of the people, and he arraigned the moneyed classes, represented on the one hand by the self-satisfied and selfish Winner, the careful money-grubber who knew too well the value of gold, and on the other by the self- indulgent Waster, the spendthrift who recklessly squandered his substance in luxury and riot ; he put them on their trial before the king, and they were to abide by his decision. " Winnere " is ordered to betake himself to Rome, " Wastoure " is to dwell in the City of London until the king shall leave again for his French wars, (v.) Line 317 gives us perhaps the most interesting contem- porary allusion : — " That alle schent were those schalkes, and scharshull it wiste, That saide I prikked with powere his þese to distourbe." I.e. " O that all those fellows might be confounded, if SharshuU but knew, Who said I pricked (spurred) with power his peace to disturb." William de Shareshull {i.e. Shareshill, in Staffordshire, neJr Cannock Chase) was Justice of the King's Bench in 1333, and about the same time Justice of the Court of Common Pleas ; he was one of the judges dismissed and imprisoned in 1340 on some charge of mal-administration made by the King on his return from the siege of Toumay ; he was restored to office in 1342, and in two years' time was promoted to the position of Chief Baron of the Exchequer ; in 1350 he was made Chief Justice of the King's Bench. Foss, in his Lives of the J^udges, states that at this time, 1350, " he seems to have been more a political and parliamentary judge than a man of law, for no Chief Justice is so seldom mentioned in the Year Books. Having pronounced a judgment against the Bishop of Ely, for harbouring one of his people who had slain a man of Lady Wake's, he was excommunicated by the pope in the last year of his Judicial career, for not appearing when summoned. He lived beyond 37 Edward HI., in which year he granted the manor of Alurynton in Grloucestershire, to the Abbot and convent of Oseney, in addition to lands at Sandford in Oxfordshire, which he had given six years before. He was benefactor also to the convents of Bruera and Dudley." It is interesting, in connection with the present poem, to note that Scharshull is mentioned in the " Monumenta Franciscana " as one of the nobles of their order : — " Frater Wilhelmus Scharshille, quondam justiciarius regis Edwardi IH, distractis omnibus temporalibus extravit ordinem cum honore magno Oxoniae." ^ The reference in " Winnere and Wastoure " is evidently to Scharshull as Chief of the Exchequer. Wastoure's disregard of his capital, seeing that the taxes were paid on actual possessions, might well have disturbed the Chancellor of the Exchequer's peace of mind. The lawyers were on the side of Winnere, (II. 149-155).^ 1 "Monumenta Franciscana," Rolls Series, p. 541. * The exact meaning of the lines in "Winnere and Wastoure " (313-318) is not altogether clear Wastoure wishes that Winnere and Wanhope {i.e. Despair) and Ember Days, and Saints' Days, and Fridays, and Saturdays ("his fere on the ferrere syde " ) were all drowned, and that deadly sin for their death were tried by a jury of twelve. And as for these barons on the bench, would that they might " all be con- founded, if Scharshull might know ( ? I don't mind if Sharshull should hear my words ! ), who said I pricked (spurred) with power to disturb his peace." (vi.) Finally, the absence of direct allusion to the Black Death (1349,) and the reference to a famine followed by a great fire (11. 290-3) and to a great drought (1. 312), seems to point to some time before May, 1349, when the terrible plague reached England. (There was a great drought in 1325, and a great famine in 13 15-16, and again in 1322.)' Seeing that, at the end of the poem, the writer is evidently alluding to the truce which followed the capture of Calais (1347), we may with some assurance assign the poem to the end of 1347 or the beginning of 1348. The truce lasted from September the 28th, J 347, to June the 24th, 1348. If it be conceded that the " Parlement" is by the same author as " Winnere and Wastoure," it may safely be assigned to about the same time. The question of date is of special interest, for if the ''Parlement" preceded by some ten or twelve years the " Vision of Piers the Plowman," it follows that the famous opening lines of the latter poem, far from being echoed in the present poem, must have been a conventional prelude long before Lang- land impressed it with his genius ; and, indeed, critics should be cautious before they determine the date of alliterative poems from the apparent influence of the various versions of " Piers the Plowman." "Winnere and Wastoure" illustrates even more forcibly the same danger. Such a line as " But one I herd in a haule of a herdmans tonge " (364), might easily be pointed out as evidence of the influence of Langland's "Vision." 2 * " the faylinge of fade &■ than the fire aftir to brene the alle at a birre," 1. 291. Does " the fire " perhaps mean " fever " ? Anyhow the poet can hardly be alluding to the terrible plague-scourge of 1349, which carried off one-third to one-half of the inhabitants of the country. 2 This sort of criticism has been used in dealing with the alliterative poems " Patience," and " Cleanness." Dr. Trautmann called attention to what seemed to him reminiscences of " Piers the Plowman " in these poems ; while yet another scholar went still further, and finding that these parallels were from the second yersion of Langland's poem, gave 1377 as the terminus a quo for the date of the poems. Here is a specimen of the evidence : — Patience, 1. 9, "I herde on a halyday at a hyghe masse." Piers Plowman, xiii., 384, "In halydayes at holichirche whan ech herde masse."

§ 6.

Before leaving " Winnere and Wastoure " it may be well to call attention to some few noteworthy considerations suggested by the poem : — (i.) the poem must be classed with the earliest extant examples of Middle-English Alliterative Poetry ; it belongs to about the same time as "William of Palerne " and "Joseph of Ari- mathea," and may be slightly earlier than either poem ; (ii.) it is probably the earliest of Alliterative Visions ; (iii.) its introductory allusion to " Brutus " strikes the great note of later Alliterative Poetry; (iv.) its prologue distinctly alludes to "the west" as the author's home, and evidently contrasts the simplicity of life in that district with the dangers of the south, whereby London is clearly referred to ; (v.) indeed, the poet shows his intimate acquaintance with town life; he knew "Cheapside," the "Poultry" "Bread- street," &c., much in the same way as Langland, the greater " western man," gives us glimpses of his experiences in town (he lived in Cornhill with his wife Kitte and his daughter Calote) ; it was not, therefore, due to their ignorance of the more refined poetry of the East Midland, with London as its centre, that these western poets chose the more provincial and archaic form of verse ;^ (vi.) the gloomy prologue, with its plaintive note con- cerning the neglect of poets by " great lords," is a rare thing in Old English Poetry, and reminds one of the long-drawn wail of sixteenth century poets;* (vii-) a more pleasing element is the 1 14 as may be easily maintained, the stanzaic "Plowman's Tale" is by the author of the alliterative " Pierce the Ploughman's Crede," we have evidence that the same poet occasionally attempted both forms. 3 Lines 19-30 : — " Whylome were lordes in londe fat Icmed in thaire hertis To here makers of myrthes fat matirs couthe fynde And now es no frenchipe in fare bot fayntnesse of heite," note of old minstrelsy at the end of each " fitte," suggestive of the recitative (if not lyrical) character of XlVth century alliterative poetry. The refrain " Fill in freshly & fast for here a fit ends " calls up vividly the cheery hall, the rapt audience, the thirsty minstrel ; even so the Old English " gleeman " and the Northern "skald" paused for refreshment, and the same traditional refrain may still be heard in the romantic ballad-cycles of Iceland. The writer of "Winnere and Wastoure " may well have attempted something less austere than a "social problem" poem, or a poetical homily, however picturesque, on the trite text " Vanitas Vanitatum;" perhaps in his younger days he had been a " maker of myrthes " (11. 20, 24) ; certainly the " Parlement of the Thre Ages " shows its writer to have been " well read in Romance."

§ 7.

The list of the heroes and heroines of romance enumerated in the " Parlement of the Thre Ages " is by far the fullest to be found in Middle-English literature, and forms a valuable supplement to the account of " the wyghes that were wyseste ; " both sections are evidently an extension of the author's original scheme to write in the grand style a panegyric on " The Nine Worthies." It would seem that he took his subject from the most famous " Alexander " Romance of the XlVth century, Longuyon's Voeiix etc., recall Marlowe's lines at the end of the First Sestiad of " Hero and Leander " : — " And few great lords in virtuous deeds do joy, But be surprised with every garish toy. * * * * Gross gold from them runs headlong to the boor." The Prelude in " Winnere and Wastoure " reads much like the conventional " man- songr " in Icelandic Rimur. du Paon, written at the beginning of the century, and at once popular throughout western Europe.' Two French poets con- tinued Longuyon's work ; it was soon translated into Dutch,^ and probably before the middle of the next century was independently rendered into Scottish verse by two poets at work about the same time, the one, a nameless poet, using Barbour's octosyllabic verse, ^ the other, the famous Sir Gilbert Hay ("Chamberlain to the French King," Charles VII.), to whom Dunbar alludes in his " Lament," showing his preference for the heroic couplet ; the two versions; absolutely distinct, are often confused ; the former, written in 1438, was printed for Arbuthnet, about 1580, and again reprinted in 1831 by the Bannatyne Club ; the latter, still unprinted, is extant in two MSS. belonging to the Marquis of Breadalbane ; the romance was the delight of that rough chieftain " the Black Duncan."* It may be inferred that Gilbert Hay's French manuscript did not contain the account of " The Nine Worthies " ; the passage is not to be found in his translation.^ 1 Cp. M. Paul Meyer's remarks in Bulletin de la Societe des Anciens Textes Frangais, 1883, etc. ; also his valuable study of the Legend of Alexander. ^ Cp. Bibliothek van Middelnederlandsde Letferkunde : '■^ Roman van Cassamus uitgegeven door, Dr. Eelco Verwijs " ; this is a fragment ; it does not yield us a Dutch rendering of " The Nine Worthies." * The first section of his book consists of the " Forray of Gadderis," taken from the Roman d' Alixandre, the fourth, fifth, sixth, and half of the seventh Chansons {cp. Ward's Catalogue of Romances in the Brit. Mus., Add. 16,956). " The Forray of Gadderis," in particular, "shows Barbour's infliiience ; we know that he was familiar with the story {cp. Barbour's Bruce, book iii.). Dr. A. Hermann, in his " Untersuchungen " (Berlin, 1893), disposes of the theory that the first section of "7%« Bulk of Alexander," and the second and third sections, might be by different hands. * Cp. "The Black Book of Taymouth" ; Bannatyne Club, 1855. ^ I am indebted to the kind offices of the late Dr. Gregor for my transcripts of passages from one of these MSS. It is hoped that the Scottish Text Society will before long print the whole of Hay's work. In his Adversaria, David Laing states that he had privately printed a few specimen passages. I have not been able to find a copy of his pamphlet in the British Museum or other libraries. My belief is that BntroJrttCtton. Appendix II. gives the French original, evidently used by the author of the " Parlement of the Thre Ages," together with the corresponding passage in Arbuthnet's " Buik of the most Noble and Vailzeand Conquerour." To prevent future confusion between this " Buik " and Sir Gilbert Hay's "Buik," I have also printed short parallel extracts from the two versions {cp. Appendix), The subject of "The Nine Worthies " seems to have had special attraction for the poets of Scotland, and probably the finest poem on the subject in all literature is "Arthur's Dream," in Huchown's " Morte Arthure,^' ^ the great Arthurian romance, written about 1380, imperishably enshrined in Malory's immortal prose :^ soon after Ane Ballet de novem nodz'lldus, ^futs forward a claim for "Robert the Brois " as not below any of "the Nine " in doughty deeds.' It is suggested by M. Paul Meyer, that Longuyon's verses on " The Nine Worthies," mark their first appearance in literature ; there can be no doubt that " the Nine " had previously figured in most of those who refer to Hay's "Alexander," really refer to the 1831 Bannatyne volume. Hence this extraordinary statement in Mr. Small's notes to " Dunbar " : " It (i.e. Hay's translation) has been reprinted by the Bannatyne Club, 1831, from a MS. of Lord Breadalbane at Taymouth .... The translation of Hay does not show poetical ability." 1 I have printed merely the interpretation of the dream. The dream itself is a vision of " Fortune's Wheel," each of the kings being vividly described. Truly a great poem ; probably the original source of the alliterative-stanzaic poem entitled " Fortune " (cp. Reliquia Antiquce). 2 Malory suppresses the last part, the part containing "The Dream," and replaces it in his twenty-first book by the version of Harl. MS. 2252, " Le Mort Arthur " (cp. Sommer, Sources of^^Le Morte D' Arthur," p. 175). On the other hand, Caxton, in his Preface to " Le Morte D'Arthur," has an interesting statement to the effect that " many noble and diuerse gentylmen of thys royame of England camen and de- maunded me many and oft)mies wherefore that I have not do made and empr}'nte the noble historye of the saynt greal and of the most renouned cristen Kyng, first and chief of the thre best crysten and worthy ; " then follows a summary account of the Nine Worthies. ^ Appendix. pageants, tapestry, and decorative embellishments. The impression however, given by the passage in Longuyon tends to suggest that its introduction into the Vceux du Paon was due to an already exist- ing " device " or " ballad." It is interesting to note that the author of the Prologue of the Cursor Mundi^ belonging to the beginning of the Xlllth century, was evidently familiar with "the Nine ; " he mentions the three Pagans, and the three Christians ; the three Jewish Heroes are omitted in the brief enumeration, for the design of the work is to tell the biblical story at full length. As an indication of the popularity of the subject, it is necessary to point out that the earliest extant example of block-printing is an elaborate pictorial representation of the " Worthies " preserved in the National Library, Paris, and belonging to about the year 1420. ^ It does not come within the province of the present study to carry the history of " The Nine Worthies " into the XVth and XVIth centuries. Shakespeare's ^^ Lovers Labour's Lost'' attests its popularity as a mumming-play among the rustics of England ; there is extant " the book of the words " of one of the plays at least a hundred years older than the pageant presented by Don Armado and his friends ; ^ " Pompey the Great " did not always oust the 1 Reproduced in M. Thierry-Þou's elaborate portfolio of facsimiles illustrative of early printing. The verses will be found in the Appendix. To about the same time belong the fragments discovered at Metz. The orthography is somewhat different from that of the Paris version ; cp. the following lines with the corresponding lines in the Appendix : — " Je fuis duc de lorrene aprez mes ancessours, Et se tuit de Billon le pallaix et les tours. On plain de Romenie desconfy I'amessours (=l'aumachours), Le roy Cornumorans ossis þer for estours, Jherusalem concquis, Enthiolz a restours. Mort fuit XP ans apres Nostre Signours." {Cp. Bulletin de la Societe, (TAnheologie de la Moselle, 1862, etc. 2 Cp. Appendix. conqueror of Britain, yet> on the strength of Shakespeare's bur- lesque, most people would now assign him a place among the famous Nine ; the lamentable story of " Pyramus and Thisbe " is not more closely associated with Bottom the Weaver, Starveling, and Quince, than are the Nine Worthies with " the pedant, the braggart, the hedge-priest, the fool, and the boy": — " Abate throw at novum ; and the whole world again Cannot prick out five such take each one in his vein." Before ushering in a statelier " presence of Worthies," the Presenter must needs apologise for the long delay in setting forth his pageant ; he desires to express his sincere thanks to Sir John Evans for his kindly patience, and to the Reverend Professor Skeat for such valuable assistance as only he can give ; and now — " The ship is under sail."

The Parlement of the Thre Ages

The text of British Museum Additional MS. 31,042 (Robert Thornton's miscellany), Gollancz's base manuscript, given here as one continuous sequence. Gollancz printed a second, fragmentary witness — Additional MS. 33,994, the "Ware fragment" — on facing pages for the stretch of the poem it covers; that fragment is given in full immediately below as its own section, rather than interleaved page-by-page, for ease of reading. Margin line-numbers and Gollancz's editorial insertions in square brackets are preserved; his textual footnotes follow the text.

In the monethe of maye when mirthes bene fele
And the sesone of somere when softe bene the wedres
Als I went to the wodde my werdes to dreghe
In-to þe schawes my selfe a schotte me to gete
5 At ane hert or ane hynde happen as it myghte
And as dryghtyn the day droue frome þe heuen
Als I habade one a banke be a bryme syde
There the gryse was grene growen with floures
The pr/mrose the peruynke and piliole þe riche
lo The dewe appon dayses donkede full faire
Burgoiis & blossoms & braunches full swete
And the mery mystes full myldely gane falle
The cukkowe the cowschote kene were þay bothen
And the throstills full throly threp[d]en in the bankes
1 5 And iche foule in that frythe faynere þan oper
That the derke was done & the daye lightenede
Hertys and hyndes one hillys þay gonen
The foxe and the film arte þay fled to y erthe
The hare hurkles by hawes & harde thedir dryves
20 And ferkes faste to hir fourme & fatills hir to sitt-
Als I stode in that stede one stalkynge I thoghte
Bothe my body and my bowe I buskede with leues
And turnede to-wardes a tree & tariede there a while
And als I lokede to a launde a littill me be-syde
25 I seghe ane hert with ane hede ane heghe for the nones
Alle vnburneschede was þe heme full borely þe mydle
With iche feetwr as thi fote for-frayed in the greues
With auntlers one aythere syde egheliche longe
The ryalls full richely raughten frome the myddes
30 With surryals full semely appon sydes twayne
And he assommet and sett of vi and of fyve
And þerto borely and brode and of body grete
And a coloppe for a kynge cache hym who myghte-
Bot there sewet hym a sowre þat seruet hym full ȝerne
35 That woke & warned hym when the wynde faylede
That none so sleghe in his slepe with sleghte scholde hym dere
And went the wayes hym byfore when any wothe tyde-
My lyame than full lightly lete I doun falle
And to the bole of a birche my berselett I cowchide
40 I waitted wiesly the wynde by waggynge of leues
Stalkede full stilly no stikkes to breke
And crepite to a crabtre and couerede me ther-vndere-
Then I bende vp my bowe and bownede me to schote
Tighte vp my tylere and taysede at the hert
45 Bot the sowre þat hym sewet sett vp the nese

And wayttede wittyly abowte & wyndide full ȝerne-
Then I moste stonde als I stode and stirre no fote ferrere
For had I mytid or mouede or made any synys
Alia my layke hade bene loste þat I hade longe wayttede-
50 Bot gnattes gretely me greuede and gnewen myn eghne-
And he stotayde and stelkett and starede full brode
Bot at the laste he loutted doun & laughte till his mete
And I hallede to the hokes and the hert smote
And happenyd that I hitt hym by-hynde þe lefte scholdire
55 þat >^ blode braste owte appon bothe the sydes
And he balkede and brayed and bruschede thurgh þe greues
As alle had hurlede one ane hepe þat in the holte longede-
And sone the sowre þat hym sewet resorte to his feris
And þay forfrayede of his fare to þe fellys þay hyen-
60 And I hyede to my hounde and hent hym vp sone
And louset my lyame and lete hym vmbycaste
The breris and the brakans were blody by-ronnen
And he assentis to þat sewte and seches hym aftire
There he was crepyde in-to a krage and crouschede to þe erthe
65 Dede als a dore nayle doun was he fallen
And I hym hent by þe hede and heryett hym vttire
Turned his troches & tachede thaym in to the erthe
Kest vp that kenduart and kutt of his tonge
Brayde [out] his bowells my berselett to fede
70 And I s[clis]te hym at þe assaye to see how me semyde
And he was floreschede full faire of two fyngere brode-
I chese to the chawylls chefe to be-gynn
And ritte doun at a rase reghte to the tayle
And þan þe herbere anone aftir I makede

B 2
75 I raughte the righte legge by-fore ritt it þer aftir
And so fro legge to legge I lepe thaym aboute
And y felle fro þe fete fayre I departede
And flewe it doun with my fiste faste to the rigge-
I tighte owte my trenchore and toke of the scholdirs
80 Cuttede corbyns bone and kest it a-waye-
I slitte hym full sleghely and slyppede in my fyngere
Lesse the poynte scholde perche the pawnche or the guttys
I soughte owte my sewet and semblete it to gedre
And puUede oute the pawnche and putt it in an hole
85 I grippede owte the guttes and graythede thaym be-syde
And than the nombles anone name I there aftire
Rent vp fro the Rigge reghte to the myddis
And than the fourches full fayre I fonge fro þe sydes
And chynede hym chefely and choppede of the nekke
90 And y hede and the haulse homelyde in sondree
\f fete of the fourche I feste thurgh the sydis
And heuede alle in-to ane hole and hidde it with feme
With hethe and with horemosse hilde it about
þat no fostere of the fee scholde fynde it ther aftir-
95 Hid the homes and the hede in ane hologhe oke
þat no hunte scholde it hent ne haue it in sighte-
I foundede faste there-fro for ferde to be wryghede
And sett me oute one a syde to see how it cheuede
To wayte it frome wylde swyne that wyse bene of nesse-
100 And als I satte in my sette the sone was so warme
And I for slepeles was slom[i] and slomerde a while
And there me dremed in that dowte a full dreghe sweuynn
And whate I seghe in my saule the sothe I schall telle-
loi. MS. slome.
[11.]
vȝ^i seghe thre thro men threpden full ȝerne
^ ^„nlf -^iid mot[ed]en of myche whate and maden thaym full tale-
And ȝe will ledys me listen ane hande-while
I schall reken thaire araye redely for sothe
And to 30we neuen thaire names naytly there aftire-
The firste was a ferse freke fayrere than thies othire
I lo A bolde beryn one a blonke bownne for to ryde
A hathelle on ane heghe horse with hauke appon hande
He was balghe in the breste and brode in the scholdirs
His axles and his armes were I-liche longe
And in the medill als a mayden menskfully schapen
1 1 5 Longe legges and large and lele for to schewe
He streghte hym in his sterapis and stode vp rightes
He ne hade no hode ne no hatte bot his here one
A chaplet one his chefe-lere chosen for the nones
Raylede alle with rede Rose richeste of floures
1 20 With trayfoyles and trewloues of full triede perles
With a chefe charebocle chosen in the myddes-
He was gerede alle in grene alle with golde by-weuede
Embroddirde alle with Besanttes and Beralles full riche
His colere with Calsydoynnes clustrede full thikke
125 With many Dyamandes full dere dighte one his sleues
þe semys with Saphirs sett were full many
With Emeraudes and Amatistes appon iche syde
With full riche rubyes raylede by the hemmes-
iP" price of that perry were worthe powndes full many*
1 3° His Sadill was of Sykamoure that he satt Inn
His Bridell alle of brente golde with silke brayden raynes
His cropoure was of tartaryne fiat traylede to þe erthe
And he throly was threuen of thritty ȝere of elde
And there to ȝonge and ȝape and 30uthe was his name
135 And the semely[est] segge that I seghe eu^r-
[III.]
^J'^^he seconde segge in his sete satte at his ese
■ I J A renke alle in rosette þat rowmly was schapyn
^^"-^ In a golyone of graye girde in the middes
And iche bagge in his bosome bettir than othere-
140 One his golde and his gude gretly he mousede
His rentes and his reches rekened he full ofte
OF mukkyng of marlelyng and mendynge of howses
OF benes of his bondemen of benefetis many
OF presanttes of polayle of pu[r]filis als
145 OF purches of ploughe londes of parkes full faire
OF profettis of his pastours that his purse mendis
OF stiewarde of storrours stirkes to bye
OF clerkes of countoz^rs his courtes to holde
And alle his witt in this werlde was one his wele one-
150 Hym semyde for to see to of sexty ȝere elde
And þer-fore men in his marche Medill elde hym callede-
[IV.]
Whe thirde was a laythe lede lenyde one his syde
A beryrie bownn alle in blake with bedis in his hande
Croked and courbede encrampeschett for elde
155 Alle disfygured was his face and fadit his hewe
His berde and browes were blanchede full whitte
And the hare one his hede hewede of the same
He was ballede and blynde and alle babirlippede
Totheles and tenefull I tell ȝowe for sothe
160 And euer he momelide and ment and mercy he askede
And cried kenely one criste and his crede sayde
With sawtryies full sere tymes to sayntes in heuen
Envyous and angrye and Elde was his name-
I helde hym by my hapynge a hundrethe ȝeris of age
165 And hot his cruche and his couche he cared for no more*
Now hafe [I] rekkende 30W there araye redely the sothe
And also namede 30W thaire names naytly there aftire
And now thair carpynge I sail kythe knowe it if 30we liste-
170
[V.]
ow this gome alle in grene so gayly attyrede
This hathelle one this heghe horse with hauke one his fiste
r^JyJ^ He was ȝonge and ȝape and ȝernynge to armes
And pleynede hym one Tparamours and peteuosely syghede
He sett hym vp in his sadill and seyden theis wordes-
m
My lady my lemman þat I hafe luffede euer
175 My wele and my wirchip in werlde where y duellys
My playstere of paramours my lady wtth pappis full swete
Alle my hope and my hele myn herte es thyn ownn
I by-hete the a heste and heghely I a-vowe
There schall no hode ne no hatt one my hede sitt
180 Till fat I joyntly with a gesserante justede hafe onere
And done dedis for thi loue doghety in armes-
[VI.]
v-jl ^ ot then this gome alle in graye greued with this wordes
'^'^ And sayde felowe be my faythe þe fonnes full ȝerne
(T^y For alle fantome and foly that thou with faris-
185 Where es Y londe and the lythe fat ]?" arte lorde oner
For alle thy ryalle araye renttis hase J?" none
Ne for thi pompe and thi pride penyes bot fewe
For alle thi golde and thi gude gloes one thi clothes
And f ou hafe caughte thi kaple fou cares for no fothire
190 Bye the ftirkes with thi stede and stalles thaym make
Thi brydell of brent golde wolde bullokes the gete
The pryce of thi perrye wolde purches the londes
And wonne wy in thi witt for wele neghe fu spilles-
195
t
[VII.J
han the gome alle in grene greued full sore
And sayd sir be my soule thi consell es feble-
Bot thi golde and thi gude thou hase no god elles
For be þe lorde and the laye f-at I leue Inne
And by the gode that me gaffe goste and soule
Me were leuere one this launde lengen a while
200 Stoken in my stele wede one my stede bakke
Harde haspede in my helme and in my here-wedys
With a grym grownden glayfe graythely in myn honde
And see a kene knyghte come and cowpe with my seluen
þat I myghte halde J)at I hafe highte and heghely avowede
205 And perfourme my profers and prouen my strengthes
Than alle the golde and the gude that thoue gatt euer
Than all the londe and the lythe that thoue arte lorde ou^r
And ryde to a reuere redily there aftir
With haukes full hawtayne that heghe willen flye
210 And when f»® fewlis bene founden fawkoneres hyenn
To lache oute thaire lessches and lowsen thaym sone
And keppyn of thaire caprons and casten fro honde
And than the hawteste in haste hyghes to the towre
With theire bellys so brighte blethely thay ryngen
215 And there they houen appon heghte as it were heuen angelles-
Then the fawkoners full fersely to floodes þay hyen
To the reuere with thaire roddes to rere vp the fowles
Sowssches thaym full serely to seruen thaire hawkes
Than tercelettes full tayttely telys doun stryken
220 Laners and lanerettis lightten to thes endes
Metyn with the maulerdes and many doun striken
Fawkoiis þay founden freely to lighte
With hoo and howghe to the heron þay hitten hym full ofte
BufFetyn hym betyn hym and brynges hym to sege
225 And saylen hym full serely and sesyn hym there aftire-
c
Vȝ
Then fawkoners full fersely founden þam aftire
To helpen thaire hawkes thay hyen thaym full ȝerne
For [with] the bitt of his bill bitterly he strikes-
They knelyn doun one theire knees and krepyn full lowe
230 Wynnen to his wynges and wrythen thaym to gedire
Brosten the bones and brekyn thaym in sondire
Puttis owte with a penn þe maryo one his gloue
And quotes thaym to the querrye that quelled hym to þe dethe
He quysses thaym and quotes thaym quyppes full lowde
235 Cheresche hym full chefely ecchekkes to leue-
Than henntis thaym one honde and hodes thaym ther aftire
Cowples vp theire cowers thaire caprons to holde
Lowppes in thaire lesses thorowe vertwells of siluere-
þan he laches to his luyre and lokes to his horse
240 And lepis vpe one the lefte syde als þe laghe askes-
Portowrs full pristly putten vpe the fowlis
And taryen for theire tercelettis þat tenyn thaym full ofte
For some chosen to þe echecheke þoghe some chefe bettire-
Spanyells full spedily J)ay spryngen abowte
245 Be-dagged for dowkynge when digges ben enewede-
And than kayre to the courte that I come fro
With ladys full lovely to lappyn in myn armes
And clyp thaym and kysse thaym and comforthe. myn hert
And than with damesels dere to daunsen in thaire chambirs
250 Riche Romance to rede and rekken the sothe
OF kempes and of conquerours of kynges full noblee
How tha[y] wirchipe and welthe wanne in thaire lyues-
C 2
With renkes in ryotte to reuelle in haulle
With coundythes and carolles and compaynyes sere
255 And chase me to the chesse that chefe es of gamnes-
And this es Hfe for to lede while I schalle lyfe here
And thou with wandrynge and woo schalte wake for thi gudes
And be thou doluen and dede thi dole schall be schorte
And he that thou leste luflFes schall layke hym there with
^°° And spend that thou haste longe sparede the deuyll spede hym elles-
Than this renke alle in Rosett rothelede thies wordes-
He saj'de thryfte and thou haue threpid this thirtene wyntzV-
I seghe well samples bene sothe that sayde bene ȝore-
Fole es that with foles delys flyte we no lengare-
[VIII.]
26 s
Whan this beryn alle in blake bownnes hym to speke
And sayde sirres by my soule sottes bene ȝe bothe-
Bot will ȝe hendely me herken ane hande while
And I schalle stynte ^our stryffe and stillen T,our threpe-
I-sett ensample bi my selfe and sekis it no forthire
270 While I v/as ȝonge in my ^outhe and ȝape of my dedys
I was als euerrous in armes as onje of 30ure seluen
And as styffe in a stourre one my stede bake
And as gaye in my gere als any gome elks
And as leily by-lufFede with ladyse and maydens
275 My likame was lonely as lothe nowe to schewe-
And as myche wirchip I wane I-wis as ȝe bothen-
And aftir irkede me with this and ese was me leuere
260, No space in MS.
Als man in his medill elde his makande wolde haue-
Than I mukkede and marlede and made vp my howses
280 And purcheste me ploughe londes and pastures full noble
Gatte gude and golde full gaynly to honde-
Reches and renttes were ryfe to my seluen-
Bot elde vndire-ȝode me are I laste wiste
And alle disfegurede my face and fadide my hewe
285 Bothe my bro\yes and my berde blawnchede full whitte
And when he sotted my syghte than sowed myn hert
Croked me cowrbed me encrampeschet myn hondes
þat I ne may hefe jpam to my hede ne noghte helpe my seluen
Ne stale stonden one my fete bot I my staffe haue-
290 Makes 30ure mirrours bi me men bi 30ure trouthe
This schadowe in my schewere schunte ȝe no while-
And now es dethe at my dore that I drede moste
I ne wot wiche daye ne when ne whate tyme he comes
Ne whedir-wardes ne whare ne whatte to do aftire-
295 But many modyere than I- men one this molde
Hafe passed the pase þat I schalle passe sone-
And I schall neuen 50W the names of nyne of the beste
þat euer wy in this werlde wiste appon erthe
þat were conquerours full kene and kiddeste of olper-
300
[IX.]
Whe firste was sir Ector and aldeste of tyme
when Troygens of Troye were tried to fighte
With Menylawse Y mody kynge and men out of grece
þat þaire cite assegede and sayled it full ȝerne
For Elayne his ownn quene that there-Inn was halden
305 ]ȝat Paresche the proude knyghte paramo^^rs louede
Sir Ectore was euerous als the storye telles
And als clerkes in the cronycle cownten y sothe-
Nowmbron thaym to [nynety] and ix mo by tale
OF kynges with crounes he killede with his handes
310 And full fele oper folke als ferly were ellis-
Then Achilles his adversarye vndide with his werkes
With wyles and no wirchipe woundede hym to dethe
Als he tentid to a tulke þat he tuke of were
And he was slayne for that slaughte sleghely þer aftir
315 With the wyles of a woman as he had wroghte by-fore-
Than Menylawse y mody kynge hade myrthe at his hert
þat Ectore hys enymy siche aunto^/re hade fallen
And with the gregeis of grece he girde oner the walles
þe prowde paleys dide he pulle doun to þe erthe
320 {'at was rialiste of araye and rycheste vndir the heuen
And J>en þe trogens of Troye teneden full sore
And semblen þaym full sorely and sadly ]7ay foughten-
Bot the lure at the laste lighte appon troye
For there st'r Priamw^ the prynce put was to dethe-
,25 And Pantasilia þe quene paste hym by fore-
Sir Troylus a trewe knyghte þat tristyly hade foghten-
Neptolem?/^ a noble knyghte at nede þat wolde noghte fayle-
Palamedes a pn'se knyghte and preued in armes-
Vlixes and Ercules þat full euerrous were bothe-
^30 And oper fele of þat ferde fared of the same-
As Dittes and Dares demed[e]n togedir-
[X.]
Dfter this sir Alysaunder alle y worlde wanne
Bothe the see and the sonde and the sadde erthe
þe lies of the Oryent to Ercules boundes-
335 There Ely and Ennoke euer hafe bene sythen
And to the come of Antecriste vnclosede be þay neu^r-
And conquered Calcas knyghtly ther aftire
There gentille Jazon }?' Jewe wane þe flese of golde-
Then grathede he hym to gadres the gates full righte
340 And there Sir godfraye þe gude the goderayns assemblei
And rode oute full ryally to rescowe the praye-
And jjan Emenyduse hym mete and made hym full tame
And girdes gadyfere to the grounde gronande full sore
And there that doughty was dede and mekill dole makede-
345 Then Alexander the emperour fiat athell kyng hym seluen
Arayed hym for to ryde with the renkes f»at he hade*
Ther was the mody Meneduse a mane of Artage
he was Duke of þat douthg and a dussypere-
Sir Pilot and Sir Florydase full ferse men of armes-
350 Sir Clyton and Sir Caulus knyghtis full noble-
And Sir Garsyene the gaye a gude man of armes-
And Sir Lyncamoure thaym ledes with a lighte will-
And than Sir Cassamw^ thaym kepide and the kyng prayede
To fare in to fesome his frendes to helpe
355 For one Carrus the kynge was comen owte of Inde
And hade fozome afFrayede and fozayne asegede
For Dame fozonase the faire that he of lufe by-soughte
D 2
19
The kynge agreed hym to goo and graythed him sone
In inendys of Amenyduse þat he hade mys-done
360 Then ferde he to-warde facron and by the flode abydes
And there he tighte vp his tentis and taried there a while
There knyghtis full kenely caughten theire leue
To fare in to fozayne dame fozonase to see
And Idores and Edease alle by-dene-
of,^ And there Sir Porus and his prynces to the þo avowede-
Was neuer speche by-fore spoken sped bettir aftir
For als Ipaj demden too doo thay deden full euen-
For there st'r Porus the prynce in-to the prese thrynges
And bare the batelle one bake and abashede thaym swythe
370 And than the bolde Bawderayne bowes to the kyng
And brayde owte the brighte brande owt of the kynges hande
And florydase full freschely foundes hym aftir
And hent the helm.e of his hede and the halse crakede-
Than sir Gadefare the gude gripis his axe
272 And in-to the Indyans ofte auntirs hym sone
And thaire stiffe standerte to stikkes he hewes
And than sir cassamz/5 the kene carrus releues
When he was fallen appon fote he fet hym his stede
And aftir that st'r Cassamw^ sir carus he drepitt
-gQ And for þat poynte sir porus perset hym to dethe
And than the Indyans ofte vttire þam droghen
And fledden faste of the felde and alexandere suede
When þay were skaterede and skayled and skyftede in sondere
Alyxandere oure athell kyng ames hym to lenge
^gc And fares in to fozayne festes to make
And weddes wy vn-to wy that wilnede to gedire
21
Sir Porus the pryce knyghte moste praysed of othere
Fonge Foȝonase to fere and fayne were thay bothe
The bolde Bawderayne of baderose si;' cassayle hym seluen
390 Bele Edyas the faire birde bade he no nolper-
And sir Betys the beryne the beste of his tyme
Idores his awnn lufe aughte he hym seluen-
Then iche lede hade the loue that he hade longe ȝernede
Sir Alixander oure "Emperour ames hym to ryde
395 And bewes to-wardes Babyloyne with the beryns þat were leuede
By cause of Dame Candore that comforthed hym moste-
And that Cite he by-segede and assayllede it aftire
While hym the ȝatis were ȝete and ȝolden the keyes-
And there that pereles prynce was puysonede to dede
400 jpave he was dede of a drynke as dole es to here
That the curssede Cassau^zder in a cowpe hym broghte-
He conquered with conqueste kyngdomes twelue
And dalte thaym to his dussypers when he the dethe tholede
Aud thus the worthieste of this werlde wente to his ende-
[XI.]
405
®
hane sir Sezare hym seluen that Julyus was hatten
Alle Inglande he aughte at his awnn will
When the Bruyte in his booke Bretayne it callede
The trewe toure of londoiie in his tyme he makede
And craftely the condithe he compaste there aftire
410 And then he droghe him to dovire and duellyde there a while
And closede ther a castelle with Cornells full heghe
Warnestorede it full wisely als witnesses the sothe
For there es hony in that holde holden sythen his tyme-
Than rode he in to Romayne and rawnsede it sone
415 And Cassabalounit J?' kynge conquerede there aftire-
Then graythed he hym in-to grece and gate hym be-lyue
The semely cite Alexander seside he ther aftire
AfFrike and Arraby and Egipt the noble-
Surry and Sessoyne sessede he to-gedir
420 With alle the lies of the see appon iche a syde-
Thies thre were paynymes full pr[e]ste and passed alle othire-
(B
[XII.]
f thre Jewes full gentill Jugge we aftir
In the olde testament as the storye tellis
In a booke of the Bible that breues of kynges
425 And renkes þat rede kane Kegam it callen-
The firste was gentill Josue f»at was a Jewe noble
Was heryet for his holynes in to heuen riche
When pharaoo had flayede the folkes of Israelle
Thay ranne into the rede see for radde of hym seluen
430 And than Josue the Jewe Jhe^u^ he prayed
That the people myghte passe vnp^reschede that tyme-
And than the see sett vp appon sydes twayne
In manere of a mode walle that made were with hondes
And thay soughten ouer the see sownnde alle to gedir
435 And pharaoo full fersely folowede thaym aftire
And efte Josue ]?* Jewe Jhesus he prayede
E
And the see sattillede agayne and sanke thaym there-Inn
A soppe for the Sathanas vnsele haue theire bones-
And aftire Josue ]f Jewe full gentilly hym here
440 And conquerede kynges and kyngdomes twelue
And was a conqueroure full kene and moste kyd in his tyme-
[XIIL]
Whan Dauid the doughty thurghe drightyn sonde
Was caughte from kepynge of schepe & a kyng made
The grete grym Golyas he to grounde broghte
445 And sloughe hym with his slynge & with no sleghte elles-
The stone thurghe his stele helme stongen into his brayne
And he was dede of that dynt the devyll hafe that reche-
And than was Dauid full dere to drightyn hym seluen
And was a prophete of pryse and praysed full ofte-
450 Bot ȝit greued he his god gretely ther aftire
For Vrye his awnn knyghte in a-venture he wysede
There he was dede at that dede as dole es to here
For Bersabee his awnn birde was alle þat bale rerede-
455
[XIV.]
he gentill Judas Machabee was a Jewe kene
And there-to worthy in were and wyse of his dedis
Antiochus and Appolyne aythere he drepide
And Nychanore anoper kynge full naytly there aftire
And was a conquero«r kydde and knawen with the beste
E 2
t
Thies thre were jewes full joly and justers full noble
460 That full loughe have bene layde sythen gane full longe tyme
Of siche doughety doers looke what es worthen-
29
[XV.]
f the thre cristen to carpe couthely there-aftir
þat were conquerours full kene and kyngdomes wonnen
Areste was it'r Arthure and eldeste of tyme
465 For alle Inglande he aughte at his awnn will
And was kynge of this kythe and the crowne hade-
His courte was at Carlele comonly holden
With renkes full ryalle of his rownnde table
þat Merlyn with his maystries made in his tyme
470 And sett the sege perilous so semely one highte
There no segge scholde sitt bot hym scholde schame tyde
Owthir dethe with-Inn the thirde daye demed to hym seluen
Bot sir Galade the gude that the gree wanne-
There was str Launcelot de lak full lusty in armes
475 And sir Gawayne the gude that neuer gome harmede
Sir Askanore sir Ewayne sir Errake fytz lake
And sir Kay the kene and kyd of his dedis
Sir perceualle de Galeys þat preued had bene ofte
Mordrede and Bedwere men of mekyll myghte
480 And othere fele of that ferde folke of the beste
Then [RJoystone þe riche kyng full rakill of his werkes
He made a blyot to his bride of the Berdes of kynges
And aughtilde sir Arthures berde one scholde be-
Bot Arthure oure athell kynge anoper he thynkes
485 And faughte with hym in the felde till he was fey worthen-
And þan sir Arthure oure kyng ames hym to ryde
Vppon Sayn Michaells mounte meruaylles he wroghte
There a dragone he dreped þat drede was full sore-
And than he sayled oner the see into sere londes
490 Whils alia the beryns of Bretayne bewede hym to fote
Gascoyne and Gyane gatt he there aftir
And conquered kyngdomes and contrees full fele-
Than ames he in-to Inglonde into his awnn kythe
The gates towardes Glassthenbery full graythely he rydes
495 And ther sir Mordrede hym mett by a more syde
And faughte with hym in the felde to alle were fey worthen
Bot Arthur oure athell kyng and Wawayne his knyghte-
And when the felde was flowen and fey bot thaym seluen
Than Arthure st'r Wawayne athes by his trouthe
500 That he swiftely his swerde scholde swynge in the mere
And whatt selcouthes he see the sothe scholde he telle-
And szV Wawayne [start] swith to the swerde and swange it in the mere
And ane hande by the hiltys hastely it grippes
And brawndeschet that brighte swerde and here it a waye
505 And Wawayne wondres of this werke and wendes by-lyue
To his lorde there he hym lefte and lokes abowte
And he ne wiste in alle this werlde where he was by-comen
And then he hyghes hym in haste and hedis to the mere
And seghe a bote from the banke and beryns there-Inn
510 There-Inn was st'r Arthure andothire of his ferys
And also Morgn la faye that myche couthe of sleghte
And there ayther segge seghe othir laste for sawe he hym no more-
[XVI.]
ir Godfraye de Bolenn siche grace of god hade
þat alle Romanye he rode and rawnnsunte it sone
5 1 5 Ly ^ J:)" Amorelle of Antyoche aftire he drepit
]þat was called Corborawnt kiluarde of dedis
And aftir he was callede kynge and the crownn hade
OF Jerusalem and of the Jewes gentill to gedir
And with the wirchipe of this werlde he went to his ende
[XVII.J
520
I'
han was sz'r Cherlemayne chosen chefe kynge of Fraunce
With his doghty doussypers to do als hym lykede-
Sir Rowlande the riche and Duke Raynere of Jene
Olyuer and Aubrye and Ogere Deauneys
And sir Naymes at the nede that neuer wolde fayle
525 Turpyn and Terry two full tryed lordes
And Sir Sampsoz/ne hym selfe of the mounte ryalle
Sir Berarde de moundres a bolde beryn in armes
And gud Sir Gy de Burgoyne full gracyous of dedis
The katur fitz Emowntez were kydde kynges alle
53° And oper moo than I may myne or any man elles-
And then sir Cherlles þe chefe ches for to ryde
And paste to-wardes polborne to prouen his strenghte
Salamadyne the Sowdane he sloghe with his handis
And jpat [Cite] he by-segede and saylede it full ofte
F
535 While hyra his ȝernynge was ȝett and the ȝates opynede
And witthyne thaire waryed kynge wolde nott abyde
Bot soghte into Sessoyne socoure hym to gete
And Cherlemayne oure chefe kynge cheses in-to the burgh
And dame Naoles anone he name to hym seluen
540 And maried hir to Maundevyle þat scho hade myche louede
And spedd hym into hethyn spayne spedely there aftire
And fittilled hym by flagott faire for to loge-
There Oljuer the euerous aunterde hym seluen
And faughte with sir Ferambrace and fonge hym one were
545 And than they fologhed hym in a fonte and Florence hym callede
And than moued he hym to Mawltryple sir [Merchei] to seche
And that Emperour at Egremorte aftir he takes
And wolde hafe made st'r [Merchei] a man of oure faythe
And garte seche forthe a founte byfore with his eghne
550 And he dispysede it and spitte and spournede it to the erthe
And one swyftely with a swerde swapped of his hede-
And dame floripe þe faire was cristened there aftire
And kende thaym to the corownne }»at criste had one hede
And the nayles anone nayttly there aftire
555 When he with passyoun and pyne was naylede one the rode.
And than those relikes so riche redely he takes
And at Sayne Denys he jjaym dide and duellyd there for euer
And than Bodworde vnto [Balame] full boldly he sendys
And bade hym Cristyne bycome and one Criste leue
560 Or he scholde bette doun his borowes and brenn hym there Inn
And garte Genyone goo that erande that greuede thaym alle-
Thane rode he to Rowncyuale {þat rewed hym aftire
There sir Rowlande the ryche Duke refte was his lyfe

F 2
And Olyuer his awnn fere that ay had bene trewe
565 And st'r Turpyn the trewe that full triste was at nede
And full fele othir folke als ferly were elles-
Then suede he the Sarazenes seuen ȝere and more
And the Sowdane at Saragose full sothely he fyndis
And there he bett down jp" burghe and st'r [Balame] he tuke
570 And that day he dide to the dethe als he had wele seruede-
Bot by than his wyes were wery and woundede full many
And he fared into frau/^ce to fongen thaire riste
And neghede towarde Nerbone that noyede thaym full sore
And þat Cite he asseggede appone sere halfues
575 While hym the ȝates were ȝette and -golden the keyes
And Emorye made Emperowr euen at that tyme
To kepe it and to holde it to hym and to his ayers-
And then thay ferden in to fraunce to fongen thaire ese
And at Sayn Denys he dyede at his dayes tyme
580 Now hafe I neuened 30W the names of nyne of þe beste
þat eu^r were in this werlde wiste appon erthe
And the doghtyeste of dedis in thaire dayes tyme
Bot doghetynes when dede comes ne dare noghte habyde-
37
585
[XVIII.j
f wyghes þat were wyseste will ȝe now here
And I schall schortly 30W schewe and schutt me ful sone-
Arestotle he was arste in Alexander tyme
And was a fyne philozophire and a fynour noble
39
[He gerte] Alexander to graythe and gate golde when hym liste
And multiplye metalles with mercurye watirs
590 And with his ewe ardaunt and arsneke ponders
With salpetir and sal-Jeme and siche many othire
And menge his metalles and make fyne siluere
And was a [bjlaunchere of the best thurgh blaste of his fyre-
Then virgill thurgh his vertus ver[r]ayle he maket
595 Bodyes of brighte brasse full boldely to speke
To telle whate be-tydde had and whate be-tyde scholde
"When Dioclesyane was dighte to be dere emperour
OF Rome and of Romanye the Rygalte he hade
600
[XIX.]
Than sir Salomon hym selfe sett hym by hy[s] one-
His Bookes in the Bible bothe bene to gedirs-
That one of wisdome and of witte wondirfully teches
His sampills and his sawes bene sett in the to^er-
And he was the wyseste in witt that euer wonnede in erthe
And his techynges will bene trowde whills Y werlde standes
60 r Bothe with kynges and knyghtis and kaysers ther-Inn-
[XX.J
erly« was a meruayllous man and made many thynges
And naymely nygromancye nayttede he ofte
And graythe [d] Galyan a boure to kepe hir þer-in
That no wy scholde hir wielde ne wynne from hym seluen-
010 Theis were the wyseste in the worlde of witt ]7at eu^r ȝitt were
Bot dethe wondes for no witt to wende were hym lykes-
M
[XXI.j
''ow of the prowdeste in presse þat Tparaiaoures loueden
I schalle titly 30W telle and tary 30W no lengere-
^^\J Amadase and Edoyne in erthe are thay bothe
615 That in golde and in grene were gaye in thaire tyme
And st'r Sampsone hym selfe full sauage of his dedys
And Dalyda his derelynge and now dethe has þam boghte-
Sir Ypomadonn de poele full priste in hir armes
þe faire Fere de Calabre now faren are they bothe-
620 Generides y gentill full joly in his tyme
And Clarionas |?at was so clere are bothe nowe bot erthe-
Sir 'Egla.m.our of Artas full euerous in armes
And Cristabelle the clere maye es crept in hir graue
And st'r Tristram the trewe full triste of hym seluen
625 And Ysoute his awnn lufe in erthe are þay bothe-
Whare es now Dame Dido was qwene of Cartage
Dame Candore the comly was called queue of Babyloyne-
Penelopie that was price and pas[sid] alle othere
And dame Gaynore the gaye nowe grauen are thay bo]jen
630 And othere moo than I may mene or any man elles-
[XXII.]
ythen doughtynes when dede comes ne dare noghte habyde
Ne dethe wondes for no witt to wende where hym lykes
And thereto paramours and pride puttes he full lowe
Ne there es reches ne rent may rawnsone -^our lyues
635 Ne noghte es sekire to 30ure selfe [ne] certayne hot dethe
And he es so vncertayne that sodaynly he comes
Me thynke þe wele of this werlde worthes to noghte-
Ecclesiastes the clerke declares in his booke
Vanitas vanitatum et om/^ia vanitas
640 þat alle vayne and vanytes and vanyte es alle
For-thi amendes 30ure mysse whills ȝe are men here
Quia in inferno nulla est redempcio
For in helle es no helpe I hete 30W for sothe
Als god in his gospelle graythely 30W teches
645 Ite ostendite vos sacerdotibw^
[G]o schryue 30W full schirle and schewe 30W to prestis
Et ecce omnia mu«da sunt vobis
And ȝe þat wronge wroghte schall worthen full clene-
Thou man in thi medill elde hafe mynde whate I saye
650 I am thi sire and thou my sone the sothe for to telle
And he the sone of thi selfe fiat sittis one the stede
For Elde es Sire of Midill Elde and Midill elde of 30uthe
And haues gud daye for now I go to graue moste me wende
Dethe dynges one my dore I dare do lengare byde-
655 When I had lenged and layne a full longe while
I herde a bogle one a bonke be blowen full lowde
And I wakkened therwith and waytted me vmbe
Than the sone was sett and syled full loughe
And I founded appon fote and ferkede towarde townn.
660 And in the monethe of maye thies mirthes me tydde
Als I schurtted me in a schelfe in y schawes faire
And belde me in the birches with bewes full smale
And lugede me in the leues |jat lighte were & grene
There dere drightyne this daye dele vs of thi blysse
665 And Marie þat es mylde qwene amende vs of synn.
9imm amm.
2i:i)us treats tte Ct)te ages.
H

Textual Notes to the Text (MS. Add. 31,042)

• I. MS. monethes. 14. MS. threpen.
• 105. MS. moten.
• 135. MS. semely. 144. MS. pufilLs.
• 166. [I] omitted in MS.
• 228. MS. For the bitt. 252. MS. thaire.
• 297. MS. ix nyne.
• 308. MS. xix. 331. MS. and demedon.
• 421. MS. prist.
• 481. MS. Boystone. 482. MS. Ablyot.
• 502. [Start] conjectural; cp. B.
• 534. MS. fat he.
• 569. MS. sir Merchill. 580. MS. ix nyne.
• 588. MS. The grete. 593. MS. plaunchere. 594. MS. veruayle.
• 599. MS. hym one. 608. MS. graythen.
• 628. MS. pasten.
• 635. MS. in. 646. MS. To.

The Ware Fragment — Additional MS. 33,994

Gollancz recovered this sixteen-page fragment from a manuscript miscellany that had belonged to Sir James Ware (d. 1666), purchased by the British Museum at the Crawford sale of 1891; it duplicates part of the Parlement in an independent, and often more archaic-spelled, hand. Gollancz printed it on the pages facing the corresponding stretch of the main text; it is given here as a continuous block of its own. Its orthography is rougher and its OCR recovery correspondingly less certain than the main text's.

Whan fauconers ful frely foundyn hem aftur.
To helpyn þer hawker þay hyen hem yern.
ffor with þe butte of his bylle bytturly he ftnkes.
They knele down on þer kne & crepyn ful lowe.
Wynnen to þe wyngge^ & wrien þem to gidre.
Thay briftyn þe bones & brekyn þem yn fondre.
And putter out w' a penne þe marow on his glove.
And whopis hem to whirry þat whellid hem to deth.
He wharris & whote^ hem & whopes ful lowde.
He cheris þem ful chefly othir cheke^ to leve.
þey hente^ paui on hand & halde^ them þer aftur.
And cowples vp þer cours hir caprons to hold.
Lappis vp ther leches & þurgh verleuels of filuer.
t^an he lachis to his lowre & \okes to his hors.
And laupis vp on þe lefte fide as þe lawe aikes.
Porters full preftly putten vp þe fowles.
And taryn for the tarfelette^ f'at tene hem ful ofte.
ffor fum chefe to þe echecheke þough fum chefe to þe be[ttire]
Spaynelk^ ful fpedely paj fpryngyn a-bout.
All dragild for dowkyng where dike^ bene enewe.
And l^an {þay care to þe court þat þey come froo.
With ladis full lufly lapped yn armes.
And clap þern & kiffe l^em þe comforte my hert.
And w' damfels full dere to daunce yn þer chaumbre.
Right romayns to rede & rekyn þe fothe.
Of kempes of conquerours of kyng^5 ful noble.
How };ey worfliip & weele v/an yn there lyves.
With cownduytte^ & caralk^ & companys feere.
And w' renkes & ryot to revell wele yn halle.
And chefe me to þe chefe þe chefe am oipe game.
And thus my lyf lede whilene I am here.
And þow with wanryng & wo fhall wake for þe gode.
And be J>" dolvyn & dede þi dole Ihall be fhorte.
And he ]?' j?" lelt lovis Ihall leyke hym þe}" with.
And fpende þat {jou fparid þe devill fpede hym eUes.
aHitftltlXf, Then þis renke all yn ruffet ratild þife worded.
He faid reft & )?" haue japid fiis xiij wyntur.
I fe fawmples bene fothe þat faid bene ful yore.
fFole is with fole delis flite we no more.
^se.
i
[VIII.J
hen l^is berne all yn blak bownes hym to fpeke.
And faid ye by my faith fotte^ bene ye boþe.
But ye hendly me herkyn on hand while.
I ihal ftint youre ftrif & ftill youre threpe.
I-fet Infaumple to my felf and feche it no farper.
Whils I was yong yn my youthe & yep^ of my dede^.
I was als amerous yn armes as any of youre felvyn.
And as ftif yn a ftoure on my ftede bak.
And als gay yn my gere as any gome els.
And as lowly byloved w* ladys & maydyns.
My lere was lovely þat is lathe now to fliewe.
As moch worfhip I wan I-wis as ye bothe.
And þe aftur ]?* irkid me with jjis & eafe was me leuer.
As man yn his mydell eld fiat his make wold haue.
þan I mucherd & murled & made up my hows.
And percheft me plowlandg^ & pafturis full noble.
I gate good & gold gaynly to my horde.
Riches & rent was ryve to my hond.
But yeld vndur-yede me or I left wift.
Ahd all difvigured my face & fadid my hue.
Bothe my browis & my berde blaunchid ful white.
Whan I fefid my fight þan fighed my hert.
Crokid combrid me encrapid my hande.?.
þat 1 ne may heve them to my hed ne help my felvyn.
Ne ftille ftand on my fete but I my ftaf haue.
Make^ joure myrrours by me by me by jome trouth.
This fhadow yn my fhewer fhunt you wyll.
And now is deth at my dore þat I drede moft.
And I ne wot what day ne whan ne what tyme he coiiies.
Ne whither-ward ne where ne what to do 'þer aftur.
But many moo o)5er J>an I men of f»is molde.
Han paffed þe pafe þat I fhal paffe fone.
I fhall nevyn you þe names of ix of þe beft.
That euer was yn fiis world witeft on erth.
Thay v/ere conquerors full kene & kiddeft of olper
©rtor
[IX.]
The firft was Ectoure and aldift of tyme.
The trochis of troy were tryed to fight.
With menelone þe mody king & [men] oute of grece.
That oure Cite haue fegid & falid it full yerne.
fFor Elan his owen quene ]?* }>er yn was kepid.
That parych ]?* proud knyght þat paramour lovid.
Sir Ectour Emerus was as þe ftory telk^.
And as clerked & cronycles cowteyn þe fothe.
Numbyr them to nynety & ix may be take.
Of kynge^ with crownes he kylled with his hond^5'.
And fellid fele of f»e folk as ferly were ellis.
Than Achilles his aduerfary vndid w' his werk^i'.
With wiles & no worfhip woundid bym to dede.
As he tendid to a toure þat he toke of were.
And he was flayn for j?' flight flyly þer aftur.
With wiles of a woman as he wrought before,
þan menelaws þe mody kyng had myrth at his hart.
That Ectoure his enmy fuch awntere had fallen.
And w' þe greke^ of grece he gird over þe walles.
The prowd palace he pulled down to þe Erth.
That was ryalleft of aray & ricbeft vndur hevyn.
And to the troge of Troy he tendith for focoz^r.
And femblid fiem full furely and fadly jpay foughten.
But þe lere of þat þe laft light upon troy,
ffor þere fzr pn-amus þer prynce put was to were.
And pantezelia the quene paffid before hym.
Sir Trolus a tru knyght J>' throly had foughten.
Septelamus a noble knyght and proued yn armes.
Vlixes & Arculus ^y^at Everus were bothe.
And other fele of þat feerd faren on þe fame.
As dites and darres demyn to gidre.
[X.]
aUicanttfr. (^If^ ftur þis S^V Alexandra all þe world wan.
Bothe þe fee & f** fand & þe faid Erth.
And the yles of þe oryent to arcules landis.
There Ely & Ennok evir hath bene fithen.
And to the come of crift vnclofid be þei nevir.
And conquerid Clakas knyghtly þer aftur.
There jentill Jofue þe Jewe wan þe flevis of gold.
]ȝan grathid he hym to gedwyn gate^ ful right.
And ttr Godfray þe good his gedring affemblid.
And rode out full ryally to refcewe þe pray.
And þan Amenowdows hym met & made hym ful tame.
And girder Godyfere to ground gronand ful fore.
And fiere )7at dowty was dede & mykil dole makid.
Than Alexaunder þe Emp^roure l^at athil king hym felvyn.
Arayed hym for to ride w' rewkg^ þat he had.
There was þe mody Menodous a man of heritage.
A duke of fat duche and a duke pere.
Sir ffylet & fir flFoHdas knyght^jf ful noble.
Sir Cliton & Cawlus ful ferfe of Armes.
And fir Garfayn þe gay a gode man of wer^.
And fir lyncamoure hym led with a lighte wille.
And þan tt'r Cafamus hym kepid & þe kyng prayed.
To fare yn to feyfoun his frende for to helpe.
ffor Icarras þat was comyn out of ynde.
he had his fomen afrayed & fighon afegid.
ffor dame ffezonas þe fair^ fat he of love befought.
In mendis of Emeneduce y he had myzdone.
þen faren toward facron & both þe feld abidis.
The king ayrathid hym to goo & grathid hym fone.
Tolid vp his tenter & tarid þer a while.
Ther knyghte^ full kenely caghten pere leve.
To faire to fesane Dame ffefonas to fee.
And ydoes & Odias all þes by-dene.
And ther ttr Pyrres & his peris to þe pode avowid.
Was newer fpeche bifore fpokyn bettur fped aftur.
ffor as jjay demyd to dye fiay dyen all aftur.
ffor fir perfe þe proude yn to the preeffe thrynge^.
And bare þe penand abak & baflhed hem fwithe.
And þan the bold baudren bowis to þe kyng.
And bradid out þe bright brand out of þe kinged bond.
And floridyfe ful ferfely foundid hym aftur.
And hent the helme of his bed þat þe halfe crakid.
þan Wr Godfray the gode gripes his ax.
In to the Indayn oft he awnturs hym fone.
And ther ftif ftenderde^ to ftikke^ he hewes.
And l^an Wr dafamus þe kynge^ caris relevis.
When he was fallen upon fote he fet hym his ftede.
And aftur )?* h'r Cafamus Carrace he drepis.
And for þat poynt it'r Corrus receyvid hym to deth.
And þan Indaynce eft vttir þem dryven.
And fleyn fall yn þe feld & Alexaundir swid.
Whan þey fcatird & fhiverd all yn fondre.
Alexaunder a thik kyng ames to lyng.
And fared in fefane feftis to make.
And wendes fwithe vnto vage J>' wil not to-gidre
Sir peerfe ]?* price knyght & prayfid of other.
ffonge fezonas to feer & frend^^ wer þay bothe.
The bold baron of betrife & Sir CafabuU his felaw.
Bolde Edcas ]je burde bade hond others.
And itr Bothos J?' beern y beft of his tjme.
Edores is howen love aght he hym felvyn.
jjan ich lord had ]'e love ]?* he had langid aftur.
Sir Alexaundre oure Emperour^ armes hym to ride.
And caris toward babilon with bernes ^ wer levid.
Bi caufe of dame Cadace ]?* comforth hym moll.
And />^at Cite afegid & faylid full oft.
While the gat^5 were yolden, & yoven þe keyes.
And thurgh ]?' the pereles prynce was poyfoned to deth.
And there he was deed w* a drynk as dole was to here.
That ]}" curfid Caffaunder in a Coupe hym brought.
He conquerid w* his conqueft kyngdoms xij.
And dalt fern to his duche peris whan Ipe deth tholid.
And with worfhip yn þis world he went to his ende.
®
[XI.]
hen fir Sefar hym felf. f* lulyus hight.
All ynglond he aught at his owen wille.
Whan þe brute in his boke bretayn yt called.
The true toure of londone yn his tyme he made.
[Craftly] þe colonduyte he compaft peraftuv.
Than he drowe hym to dovir & dwelHd þer a while.
And clofid þer a caftill with cornelle^ full highe.
Warme-ftorid it a while & witnes ]?' fothe.
fFor jpere is hony yn Jj* hald halden fi)?en his tyme.
]5an rode he yn to Romayn & raunfomed it fone.
And Caffabolaunt þe kynge conqwerid þer aftur.
He grathed l?en ynto grece & gat þern by lyue.
The femely cite of Alexaunder fefid he þer aftur.
Aflfrik & arabs & Egipt þe noble.
Surry & fefoun fefid he to gidre.
With all the lies of the fe vpon ich side.
Thife iij were paynyms ful preft & paffid all oper.
[XII.]
f iij Jewis Jentill jugges were aftur.
In þe old tefl;ament as þe ftory tellis.
In a boke of þe bybull ]?' trete^ of kyng^i'.
And rekyn þat r[e]de co/«mon regum it calles.
The firfl; was gentill iofue þe was a Jew noble.
Was harid for his nobylnes yn to hevyn riche.
Whan pharao had affligid þe folk of ifraell.
J?* ran yn to þe red fee for feerde of hym felvyn.
And iofue þe iew to iefu he prayed.
That the pepull myght paffe vnpgriffhed J>* tyme.
And than the fee fet up his fidis twayii.
In maner of a mudde walle J>* made was w* honde*.
And jjai fought on ovir þe fe fone all to gidre.
And pharao full ferfly folowd þem aftur.
And oft Jofue the iue Jhe.su he prayed.
And the fe fatild ayayn & fank þem perjnne.
A fope for Sathanas vncele haue þer bones.
And aftur iofue the iewe gentill hym bare.
And conquerid kiages & kyngdoms xij.
And was A conqw^roure kene kid yn his tyme.
laabtDr Urf,
©
[XIII.]
hen David the dowty th[ur]gh drighten found.
Was caught fro keping of fhepe & a king makid.
That gret grymme golias he to þe ground brought.
And flowgth hym w' his flyng & no fleight eWes.
The ftones þurgh his ftele helme ftang yn to þe braynes.
And he was deed of ];* dynt þe devill haue þe rech.
And jjan was David ful deve to drightyn hym felvyn.
And provid of pnce & prophecied ofte.
But yit grevid he his god gr^tly þer aftur.
ffor vry his own knyght yn awntur he vifed.
fiere he was ded yn J>* dede as dole is to here,
fior Berfabye his own byrd was ]?* bayl reryd.
3)ttIra!S Mu
[XIV.]
he jentill judas machabe was a jue kene.
And perto worþi & ware & wife of dedis.
Antiochus & Appolyn ayther he drepid.
And Nycanor an oper knyght nathly þer aftur.
And was A Conquerour^ kid & know of f>° beft.
Thife iij were jues, & jufters noble.
That ful low han be laid of ful long tyme.
[XV.]
f iij criften to carpe courtly þer aftur.
That wer conqw^rours kene & kyngdoms wan.
Eldift was Wr Arthur & beft yn his tyme.
And ynglond he aught at his own wille.
And was kyng of kith & þe Crown hadde.
His court was at Carlile comly holdyn.
With renkes ful ryall of þe round table.
That Marlyn with his maiftris made yn his tyme.
And fat þe fege perilous femely on hight.
That no fegge fhuld lit Iperjnne but hym fhame tyde.
Or deth withynne Y threde demyd to hym felvyn.
But {tr Galaad ^ gode y the gree wan.
þer was itr launcelat de lake ful lufty yn ermes.
And itr Gawayn þe gode Jj* nevir grome harmed.
Sir Efcamowr & fir Evayn fir Errak fight lake.
And Sir kay þe kene & kidde of his dedis.
Sir Perfevall de Galays j?' provid had bene ofte.
Modrede & bodward men of mykyll myght.
And felle of J>at ferde folk of þe beft.
Than of Rusten the beft ful rekill of warkes.
He made a billet to his bride of byrde^ of kynge^.
And Athild that Arthurs [s] berde [one] fhuld be.
But Arthoure our Athil kyng an oper he think^j.
And faught with hym yn J>e feld w* feres whil he was forward.
And arthurg oure kyng armes hym to ride.
Vpon Michelmount m^ruels he wrought.
Ther a dragon, he drepid was drede wondure fore.
And he failed þan ovir the fee yn to fere lander.
Whil all þe bernes of Bretayii bowid to his fote.
Gafcon & guyon gate he þer aftur.
And conquerid kyngdoms & Cuntrees fere.
Than highes yn to ynglond yn to his oweii kith.
The gate toward Glaftonbery grathly he ride.
And jjcre Sir Modred hym met by the more fide.
And faught w' hym yn þe feld whil all was for-worþed.
But Arthure oure Athill kyng & Ewan his knyght.
And whan þe folk was floyn & fewe but l^em felvyn.
Than SzV Ewan hym hentes by his trowth.
þat he fwithely his fwerd fhuld fwyng yn þe more.
And what felcouth he fe þe foth he fhuld telle.
And Ewan ftart fwith to þe fwerd & bare it away.
And Ewan wondirs of þis werk & wende^ belyve.
To hys lord þer he hym left & \okes aboute.
And he ne wift yn all ]jis world where he was becomyn.
And he hyes hym yn haft & hede^ toward þe more.
And he fe a bote fro þe bank & bernes þer-jnne.
Ther yn was Sir Arthure & oper of his feris.
& alfo morgon of layfay þat moch coude of fight.
That fegge fe he laft þer for fye he hym no more.
(SotifrrCj) Irr]
BoltBtt.
[XVI.J
ir Godfray de Boleyn iiich grace of god he had.
jjat all romayn he rayed & raunfomed it ful fone.
The Amerall of Antioch aftur he drepid.
That was called Corboraunt Kilward of ded^^.
And aftur he was called king & Crown had.
Of Jerusalem & iury gentill to gidre.
And w* worfhip of ];is world he went to his ende.
®
[XVII.]
hen fir Charlemayn was chofyn kyng of fFraunce.
w' his doughti ducheperis to do as hym likith.
Sir Rowland y rich duke & it'r Raner ]7e fayn.
Olyverg & Awbrey & oggerd the denys.
And f?V Names attned paf nevir wold fayll.
Turpyn & terry two ful tried knyghte^.
And iir Samson hym felvyn of y mownt Royall.
Sir Berard de Mundres a bold beriie yn armes.
And gode fir Guy of Burgoii full gracious of ded^.y.
And katurfiz Emountez were kid knyghte^ all.
And other mo ]7an I may meene or any man elk^.
And kyng Charles þe chef chefe for to Ride.
And paffe toward pueme to þeove his ftrength.
Salomoydym y Sawdon he flough w' his hond^^-.
And Ipat Cite he fegid & failed full ofte.
Whils hym his yernyng was het & J>e yat^^ opynd.
And wyghtelyn^ hir warrid Ipe Icyng wold not abide.
But fought yn to Seloun focoure hym to gete.
And charles oure chef kyng chefe yn to þe burgh.
And dame Milos on he chefe to hym felvyn.
And maried hir to Mawndevill þe fho had moch lovid.
And fped hym yn to hethyn Spayn fpedely þer aftur.
And fetuld hym by Vagot fajre for to ligge.
There Olyuere þe Emerous aunturd hym felvyn.
And faught Wr fFe[r] umbrae e & fong hym yn were.
jjan þay halowd hym yn fount & florance hym called.
Than mevid he to mowtrible Wr Marchel to feche.
The 'Em-peroviTe at Egremourt aftur he takes.
And wold haue had marcel A man of oure faith.
And garte feche forth a fount by fore his Eyen.
And he difpifed & fpit yn it & fpronyd to þe Erth.
And on fwithely with a fwerd fwappid of his hed.
And dame ffloriflh þe faire was halowd þer aftur.
And kend þem to þe Crown þe Crift had on hed.
And to þe naylis anon natly ther aftur.
Whan he with paffion & pyne was on þe rode naylid.
And than the relike.s fo riche rathely he takith.
At Saynt Denys he dud þem & dwellid fjer for dowt.
Than Bodword to Balaam boldly he fendith.
And bad hym criften become & on crift leve.
Or he fhuld bete down his burgh & bryng hym þer yn
And gat Golyan to god þat grevid þem fore.
Than raied he to renovaill þat he rewid aftur.
There Rowland þe riche duke reft was his lif.
And Olyvere his owen fere ]?' hay had bene true.
And itr Turpyn þe true y trufty was at nede.
And full feell othir folk as ferly were ellis.
þan fwide he j?° Sarfyng fevyn yere & more.
The Sawdon of Saragos fothely he fynde^.
And jjere he hetes down >e burgh & balam he take*.
That day he dud hym to deed as he had wel feruyd.
þan h[is] weys [were] wery & woundid full many.
And he farid yn to fraunce to fongyn reft.
And nyghed toward Norburgh þat nyghed hym fore.
And jpat Cite he aflegid vpon þe fere halfes.
Whill hym y -jates were yolden & yeve hym þe keyes.
And Emer made Emperoure evyn at þe tyme.
To haue & hald it to hym & his heyris.
Than jpei faren yn to fraunce to fongen þer eafe.
And at Saynt Denys he dyed at his deed tyme.
Now haue I nevid you þe names of ix of þe beft.
I^at evir were yn þe world wift upon erth.
And the doughtieft of dede yn there dayes tyme.
But doughtynes whan deth comys dare not abide.
[XVIII.J
f wighte.s þat were wifift will ye now here.
& I Ihall fhortly fhew & fhift me ful fone.
Ariftotle he was eldift yn alexaundre tyme.
& was a fyne philofofre & a finor noble.
And gret Alexar to grath gold when he hym lift.
And multyply metelk^ with marcury waturs.
And with his hewe ardaunt & arfenek powdres.
W* falpetur & fals game & fuch many other.
And myngyng his materalfe & make fyne filuer.
And was a blawcher of y beft Jiurgh blaftyng of his Hre.
Then virgill þurgh his vertus veryall he makid.
Bodies of bright brafle boldly to fpeke.
Telle what be-tyd had & what betide fhuld.
Whan Dioclifian was dight dere Emperoure.
Of Rome & Romans þe regalte he had.
Salowon.
[XIX.]
hen Wr Salamon hym felf fet hym by his one.
his bok^^ yn y bybyll bothe bene to gidre.
That of wifdom And of wit wonderly teches.
He was þe wifeft of wit þat yn Erth was.
®
ilarlintti8.
^iJaIII^
(^
[XX.J
'arlyn was meruelous & made many f»ingg5.
Namely Nyg/'amancy natid ne moft.
And grathid golyan a bour^ to gete her þer ynne.
589 MS. seemingly [marmryj. £94. MS. }>urgh furgh.
599. Self set hym adove the line.
þat no wight fhuld hir weld ne w)'nne fro hym felf.
Thife were y wifeft of wit yn world þer euer were.
But deth wonder for no wit to wende where hym like^.
[XXL]
''ow of prudift yn preste f>' paramours louedyn.
I Ihall tytly yow telle & tary you no while.
Amadas & ydonye yn erth ar þey bothe.
That yn gold & yn grene wer gay yn þer tyme.
And {ir Sampfon hym felf ful favage of his d&Aes.
And Daliday his derling now deth hath þern, bothe.
Sir ypomodoii de pole ful preft yn his armes.
And his faire fere of Calabre now faren ar þe^ bothe.
Genarid þe gentill & ful joly yn his tyme.
& clarionas |) was fo clere ar bothe now but erth.
Sir Eglamowr of artes ful emerus yn ermes.
And crifhabell J?* clere may is cropyn yn her grave.
And tryftram ful true & trufty yn hym felf.
And Isode his lovely love yn erth ar þey bothe.
Dame Candore pt comly was called quene of babilon.
Penelop þe was of pryce & paffid all oþer.
And dame Gaynor þe gay now graued ar þe' all.
& oper many mo fian I may mynne or any man tWes.
630. No break in MS.
w
[XXII.j
hen doughtynes whan deth comes dare not abide.
Ne deth wonder for no wite to wende where hym likes.
And perto paramours & prz'de put he full lowe.
Now þer is no Riches ne rent may raunfom your lyves.
Ne naught is iikir to your felf ne certayn but deth.
And he is feyn certayn Jiat fodenly comes.
Me þink þe welle of þis world worthes to nought.
Vanitas Vanitatum omraia vanitas.
That all vayn & vanytyes. & vanyte is.
Therefore amend youre myffe while ye be men here.
Quia in inferno nulla eft redempcio.
fFor in helle is no help I hit yow forsothe.
And god yn his gofpell grathly yow techis.
Ite ostendite vos facerdotibw^.
Go fhryue you full ftilly & fhew yow to pre&es.
Et ecce omnia funt vobis mu?«da
& þat ye have wrong wroght Ihall worth ful clene.
Than man yn mydileld haue mynd what I fay.
I am þi fire & jjow my fon. þe fothe for to telle.
And he the fon of þe þe fittes on þe ftede.
ifor eld h'r [is of] mydel eld & myddilleld of yowthe.
And haues gode Day for to my grave muft I wend.
Deth dyngg^ on my dore I dare no lenger abide.
Whan he langid and lane a ful lang while.
he hard a bugull on a bank blawn ful lowde.
And þan þe fonne was fet & falid full lowe.
And I foundid vpon fote & went toward þe town.
And yn A moneth of May whan myrthes me bytide.
As I ferchid me a fhote yn A fhawe fair^.
And beldid me yn the byrches with bowes ful faire.
And logid me yn the levis )?* light were yn greue.
The dere dryghten the day dele vs of y bliffe.
And Mary fat is myld quene amend vs of our^ myffe.
e^piui't.

Textual Notes to the Ware Fragment

• 242. [ttire] ; several letters after (be) cut off in the binding.
• 254. MS. fe chefe.
• 302. [men] omitted in the MS.
• 409. MS. seemingly [Trirtly].
• 425. MS. rode.
• 483. MS. Arthure berde shuld.
• 544. MS. ffeumbrace.
• 571. MS. he weys wery. 579, deed, in late hand above the line
• 652. MS. fir & mydel.

Notes to the Parlement of the Thre Ages

Gollancz's line-keyed explanatory notes, keyed to the line numbers of the main text above.

2-7. "And the sesone of somere when softe bene the wedres;" the con- ventional opening of the poem is suggestive of the beginning of " Piers the Plowman" : — " In a somer seson whan soft was the sonne;" etc. " on a banke be a biyme syde ; " cp. Piers the Plowman, A. 8 : — " Vndur a brode banke bi a bourne syde," (B. " bi a bomes side ; " omitted in C, which substitutes " in a launde as ich lay " ;) " bi a bonke, þe brymme by-side ; " Gwvoain and the Greene Knight, 217. g-i6:— Cp. " La terre meismes s'orgoille For la rousee qui la moille, Et oblie la poverty Ou ele a tot I'yver est6. » » * * Li oisel, qui se sunt tett Tant com il ont le froit eU Et le tens divers et ftarin. Sunt en mai, por le tens serin, Si li^ qu'il monstrent en chantant Qu'en lor cuers a de Joie tant, Qu'il lor estuet chanter par force," etc. Le Roman de la Rose, 11. 55-80.

9. "piliole þe riche;" " piliole " = 0.F. poulieul, poullieul, pouliol, puliol, = 'L. pulegium + diminutive suffix, "wild-thyme;" (now spelt "penny- royal.")

10. " And the throstills ful throly threp[d]en in the bankes ; " perhaps the MS. reading " threpen," the graphic present tenses should be retained ; similarly in " Winnere and Wasioure," 1. 37 : — " The throstilles full throly they threpen to-gedire."

11. " one hillys þay gonen," z'.e. " they began [to go] " ; (?)=jouen, z.e. they gave themselves, betook themselves; cp. Gawain, 1 152, " der . . . hijed to \q. highe."

21-99. The description of deer-stalking in this poem supplements the account of the hunting of the deer, the boar, and the fox, given in Gawain and the Greene Knight.

27. " With iche feetur as thi fote for-frayed in the greues; " i.e. (?) with each feature (clearly revealed) as thy foot frightened [it] in the groves. The line has probably suffered at the hands of the scribe. Perhaps we should read " at " for " as ; " " at thi fote " = " at the sound of thy foot."

28. " when the wynde faylede," refers to the deer getting to windward of the hunter, and smelling him ; when there was no wind, the stag" had to watch all round.

29. " drew up my tiller" {i.e. handle of a cross-bow), and bent the cross- bow, viz. by putting the string into a notch.

30. "had I mytid;" (?)= committed, i.e. had I done aught {cp. Halliwell, Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words; "MIT. To commit. South"); this would require " myttid ; " again, O.F. mueter, meuter, { = nidvitare) would give M.E. mewte ; the simplest emendation would be " myntid," \i.e. mytid] " made attempts towards."

31. " I hallede to the hokes," i.e. I hauled-to, pulled up, the hook or trigger beneath the crossbow. Read " hoke " for " hokes."

32. " tached," fastened; probably the stag's head was pushed back, so that his throat was upward, and his horns down.

33. " kenduart," perhaps this word should be read as "keuduart"; any- how it is probably a variant of F. culvert, cuilvert, cuivert, L. collibertus, or conlibertus; cp. 1. 515, " kilwarde of dedis." If " keudart " is the correct reading of the MS., the unessential " d " is easily explained.

34. "And I s[clis]te hym ; " MS., " sisilte," probably for " siliste," a previous scribal error for " scliste." F. esclicier, esclissier, to slice.

35. " cuttede corbyns bone and kest it awaye," cp. " & J>e corbeles fee thay kest in a greue," Gawain, 1355.

36. " The fete of the fourche I feste thurgh the sydis/' i.e., " the feet of the haunch I fastened through the sides." Perhaps this refers to pushing one foot through the side of the other foot. This gives something to hold by. He then heaved it, by putting his hand through the loop.

37. " fostere of the fee ; " i.e. (probably) " foster in fee ; " " forester, a sworn officer of the Forest, appointed by the King's Letters Patent to walk the Forest, watching both the Vert and the Venison, attacking and preventing all trespassers against them, within their own bailiwick or walk. . . . And though these Letters Patent are ordinarily granted but quamdiu se bene gesserunt, yet they are granted to some and their Heirs, who are hereby called Foresters, or Foresters in Fee." Blount, Law Dictionary, third edition, 17 17.

38. " how it cheuede," i.e., how things went. loi. " And I for slepeles was slomi ; " " slepeles " is here used substan- tively; this idiomatic use of adjectival formations is not uncommon in Middle English, and especially in Alliterative Poetry ; cp. " why hatz }>ou rended þy robe for redles hereinne," {i.e. " for want of counsel" ); Cleanness, 1595-

39. "maden thaym full tale," i.e. made themselves full bold; the phrase has^ perhaps, the force of " made much ado " ; " tale " ( = Mod. Eng. tall) is a word of uncertain history. Chaucer uses "humble and talle" {Compl. M. 38) where " talle " probably means " obsequious." In the Prompt. Parv. "tall" is ^osse:A " s&oa^y, decens, elegans" ; later writers employ it in the sense of " valiant, fine, bold, great." The word occurs in Old English in the form getael (pi. getale) in a passage strikingly illustrative of the words in the present text, " wseron hyra tungan getale" i.e. their tongues were swift. {Ps. Th. 56, 5.) The compound "untala" ( = mali) is found in the Northumbrian Gospels (Matt, xxvii. 23) ; cp. Gothic untals, indocile, disobedient, uninstructed.

40. " And ye will ledys me listen," i.e. if, sirs, ye will listen to me.

41. "chefe-lere; " written as two words in the MS. ; evidently an early attempt to Anglicise Fr. chevelure ; quasi ch.^i& (head) + lere (A. S. hleor). The earliest instances of " cheveler " quoted in the New English Dictionary belong to the end of the fifteenth century.

42. "golyone," a small gown, rather than "collar" (as glossed in Strat- mann-Bradley) cp. Prov. Fr. goule, a kind, of night-gown. The Latin gula suggests a kind of cape, round the throat and extending downwards, cp. : — I 2 " He hath her in his clothes clad, And cast on her his gulion, Which of the skin of a lion Was made." Gower, Confessio Amaniit, ii. 358. cp. " slubberdegullion " = a slubbered-y gullion, = " a creature who slobbers his gullion ; " (Halliwell).

43. "storrours/^ i.e. storers; from 0. F. esiorer, to store up. We should rather expect " stiewarde of stoveres," i.e. provisions, fodder for cattle.

44. " my lady ; " a mere gloss, which has crept into the text by mistake. i8g. " If you have caught your horse, you are anxious about no waggon- load," I.e. you only care to have a horse to ride, not for agriculture. Similarly in the poem of " Winnere & Wastoure," Winner chides Wastour : — " [he] biddes non ojier Bot a cuttede capill to cayre with to his frendes."

45. "And than the hawteste in haste hyghes to the towre," "to the towre," a technical term of falconry ; from Fr. tour, a turn, wheel, flight, Cp. "Shee (the hobby) is of the number of those hawks that are hie flying & towre Hawks," Turberville, Book of Falconrie, p. 53, ed. 161 1. The word was probably confused with the ordinary " tower," hence " to tower; " cp. "A falcon towering in her pride of place, Was by a mousing owl hawk'd at and kill'd." Macbeth, II. iv. 12, 13.

233-4. "quotes. . . quysses . . . quyppes," (Text A.) have been changed to"whopes" . . . "wharris'' . . . "whopes"inB. "quotes" is probably M.E. huten, to hoot; the spelling quotes [i.e. hwotes) being perhaps due to analogy with "whoop" (houpen). " quysse," perhaps = to whiz, (Scand. hvissa, to make a hissing sound). " wharris " ? = whirris, a dialectal variety of " quysses." " quyppes ;" possibly " and " has been omitted by the scribe before this word, which may perhaps mean " whips." Perhaps the lines read originally as follows : — "And quopes thaym to the querrye that quelled hym to J)e dethe. He quysses thaym & quotes thaym & quyppes full lowde, Cheresches thaym," etc.

237. "cowers" (B. cours) ; the word is perhaps an Anglicised form of Fr. " cuir" familiar to readers of Middle-English in the compound " cutr-bouilli" [i.e. boiled leather; leather soaked in hot water, and when soft, moulded or pressed into any required form) ; M. E. " coer-buille. qwyrbolle, curbulze," etc. No instance is recorded in the New English Dictionary of the present word, which seems to signify " leather braces" used for keeping on the hood. The technical phrase in Modern Falconry for "coupling up the cowers" is "to draw the hood," i.e. "to draw the braces which open and close the hood behind." ^38. " Lowppes in thaire lesses thorowe vertwells of siluere," i.e. varvels, or flat rings of silver, with the owner's name engraved thereon. These rings were permanently attached to the end of the jesses, and through these one end of the leash was passed, the other end being prevented from going through by a leather button. {Cp. Harting's Bibliotheca Accipitraria, pp. xx., xxi., et passim.)

238. " With coundythes & carolles ; " cp. " Mony aj>el songez, As coundutes of Krystmasse, & carollez newe ; " Gaw. and Gr. Knt., 1655 ; an earlier instance occurs in the " Owl and Nightingale" (c. 1250) ; " coundyhte " = O. F. condut, conduit ; Med. L. conductus, a sort of motet sung while the priest was proceeding to the altar. In Grove's Dictionary of Music the conductus is explained to be a species of saecular song, in which the subject in the Tenor was original and suggested the other parts, after the manner of the Guida of a Canon {v. N. E. D., sub. Condut).

239. " Als man in his medill elde his makande wolde haue ; " I have no doubt that " makande " in this passage is equivalent to the verbal noun " making," i.e. gain, profit, though the confusion of the present participle ending "ande " with the noun suffix "ing" ( = ung) is remarkable. A similar usage is to be found in Winner and Wastoure : — " The more hauande Ijat he hathe the more of herte feble.'' Similar instances must be extremely rare in Middle English.

300-331. The source of this account of Hector seems to have been Guido de CoXowxva! s Hystoria Troiana; the reference to "Dittes and Dares" (1. 331) is from Guido's prologue ; Cp. : — " Thai wrote all t>e werkes wroght at J>at tyme In letturs of here langage, as J>ai lernede hade : Dares and Dytes were duly here namys. Dites full dere was dew to the Grekys, A lede of tat lond & loged hom with ; The tothyr was a Tulke out of Troy seUe, Dares, bat duly the dedys be-helde. Aither breuyt in a boke on tere best wise That sithen at a cite somyn were founden After at Atthenes as aunter befell." (Alliterative translation oi Hystoria Troiana, 11. 58-67.)

301. " Troygens of Troye;" B. " trochis of troy;" the corrupt reading " trochis " was possibly due to confusion with " troche " (strictly the tine of a deer), used as a term of architecture for a particular kind of ornamented tower; cp. " troched toures," Pah'ence, 1383.

302. The adverbial use of " paramours" puzzled B. ; hence " )>at paramour."

303. "euerous;" B. "Emerus;" cp. 1. 271, A. euerrous; B. amerous, etc. The word is not common, and the earliest recorded instances belong to the fifteenth century ; it is the Anglo-French eurous = 0. F. eureux. Barbour (c. 1375) uses the substantive " vre," good fortune, luck.

304. " Als he tented to a tulke ; " B. wrongly " toure." Cp. : — " As Ector faght in the fild fell of the grekes. He caupit with a King, caght hym anon, Puld hym, as a prisoner of prise for to wyn,'' etc. Geste HistoriaJe, 8649 ff.

305. "sorely;" B. "surely;" the correct reading is probably " sarely," i.e. " sarrely," in serried rank.

306. B. " Sir PzVamus," read " Sir Przamus."

307. "As Dittes & Dares and demedon togedir," so A. B. "As Dites and Darres de myn to gedire." This is one of the noteworthy cases where B. is more correct and helpful for the restoration of the text : — " As Dites & Dares demeden togedir." [Cp. note, 11. 300-331.)

332-404. Our author's main source for his account of Alexander was evidently the chanson de geste, called Vceux du Paon, by Jacques de Longuyon of Lorraine, who wrote it for Thibaut II., Duke of Lorraine (1304- 13 12). In this poem we find the earliest enumeration of the Nine Worthies (vide Preface) . A Scottish version of the poem, The Buik of the most noble &° vailzand con- queror Alexander the Great, was composed in 1438, printed by Alexander Arbuthnet at Edinburgh in 1580, and reprinted for the Bannatyne Club in

1831. [Cp. Weber's Metrical Romances, vol. i., Appendix ; Ward's Catalogue of Manuscript Romances in the British Museum, pp. 146-156 ; etc^ The popularity of the stories of Alexander in the 14th century is referred to by Chaucer in his " littel tragedy " of Alexander : — " The storie of Alexandre is so commune, That every wight, that hath discretioun, Hath herd somwhat or al of his fortune," eU. {The Menkes Tale.) Our author's knowledge of the subject seems, however, to have been anything but sound, as the subsequent notes will show.

1832. " þe lies of the Orient to Ercules boundes ; " cp. Geste Historiale (i.e. Guido de Colonna's Hystoria Trojand), 11. 310-315. " Tow pyllers he (Ercules) pight in a place lowe, Vppon Gades groundes, J>at he gotten hade : Too which pyllers priste as prouyt is before. The mighty Massidon Kyng maister of All, The Emperour Alexaunder aunterid to come ; He wan all the world & at his wille aght." 335-6 :— " There Ely and Ennoke euer hafe bene sythen. And to the come of Antecriste (B. Criste) vnclosede be J>ay neuer.'' I have no doubt that Text A. represents the author's words, and that the substitution of " Criste " in B. for "Antecriste" of A. is due to a scribe's attempt to improve the original. Ely {i.e. Elijah) and Ennoke play an important part in the Antichrist Legend, and many allusions to them occur in early literature ; e.g. " Quis pugnaturus est in consummacione seculi cum Anticristo? Enoch et Elias" {Adrian and Epictetus, v. Kemble's Salomon and Saturnus, p. 218). The origin and development of their function as combatants against Antichrist has been recently treated by W. Bossuet in his work Der Antichrist in der Ueberlieferung des yudenthums, des neuen Testaments u. der alten Kirche (Gottingen, 1895), vide chapter xiii. pp. 134-

1833. Grimm, in his Deutsche Mythologie, illustrates the continuity of the tradition during the Middle Ages, its place in folklore, and its influence on medieval poetry. Perhaps the most striking reference to the legend occurs in the Saxon Genesis (11. 136-150), though here Enoch is alone alluded to: — " The Ruler of Heaven fetched him, and placed him where he must aye abide in bliss, until He, the noble guardian of Heaven, send him again into the world to the children of men, that he may teach folk. Then the wicked one, Antichrist, will also come," etc. Our author has made at least two serious errors: (i.) in connecting Elijah and Enoch with the Alexander story; (ii.) in locating them at the pillars of Hercules. He has evidently confused Elijah and Enoch with two other important and better-known personages of the Antichrist drama, who figure most prominently in the romances of Alexander, viz. Gog and Magog, whose mention in Ezekiel is probably answerable for the traditions con- cerning them to be found in the East and West. Already in the Koran it is told how Dhu'lkarnein (i.e. Alexander the Great) shut them up behind inaccessible mountains, and built the Caucasian wall which the giants could neither scale nor undermine (v. chap, xviii.). Sir John Mandeville gives a full account of the imprisonment of Gog and Magog, and the other nations. "Among these hilles that be there, be the Jews of the ix kyndes enclosed, that men call Gog & Magog, and they may not come out of no syde At the coming of Antecrist, a fox shall com & make his den in the sam place where that Kyng Alysaunder ded make the gattes," etc. Cp. Kyng Alisaunder (Weber's Metrical Romances), chap, v., 11. 5990, etc. :— " Al this K)mg Alisaundre hath byset ; Mowe they worse, mowe they bet. No comuth they thennes ay, Tel hit come to domesday. Antecrist schall come thenne.'' It is quite clear, then, that the poet confused "Ely and Ennoke" with "Gog and Magog," and the "pillars of Hercules" with the "portae Caucasiae," or the Caspian gates. The error is a strange one, and it is perhaps fair to suggest that had the author belonged to the London district and not to the other side of the country, he would perhaps not have been guilty of the confusion. The British giant Goemagog (subsequently Gog and Magog) was, according to the legend, the warder of the London Guildhall long before Goemagog and Corineus figured as representatives of the conquered Celt and the conquering Roman, as embodiments of the growing power of the new burgher class, and, eventually, as the palladium of old municipal interests

338:- " And conquered Calcas knyghtly ther aftire There gentille Jason J>e Jewe wane l^e flese of golde ; " [B. " There jentill Josue ^e Jewe wan i>e slevis of gold.]" Joshua, the high priest of Jerusalem, who received J.lexander the Great with so much honour, and who, according to the Hellenising fashion of the time, called himself Jason, has been confused with Jason who won the Golden Fleece at Colchis. The error probably arose in this way : — The author had been reading Guido de Colonna's Hystoria Troiana ; the passage quoted above (cp. the note, 1. 334) with its reference to Alexander is immediately followed by a very long account of Jason and Medea ; in fact the first three books of the History are devoted to the subject. With his mind full of Jason he passed to his stories of Alexander and read there of Jason the priest of Jerusalem. [Text B. has changed "Jason" to "Josue," but there can be no doubt that the poet wrote " Jazon," which was subsequently glossed " Josue."]

339. " gadres," i.e. Gaza.

340. " Sir godfraye," evidently an error for " Sir gadifer " (the elder).

341. " the goderayns " should be " the gaderayns," i.e. the people of Gadres.

342. " the mody Meneduse a mane of Artage," probably " Emenidus of Arcadia" (in the Scottish version " de Archarde"), the slayer of Gadifer the elder, referred to previously, 1. 342.

343. In this case the reading of B. " duche" {i.e. duchy) is to be preferred to " douthe " (people) of Text A.

344. " One Carrus the kynge was comen owte of Inde," i.e. " clarvus li yndois " of the French romance.

345. " fozome," i.e. " Fezome," or " Fezonas," the sister of Gadifer's sons, Gadifer the younger and Betis (in the next line " fozonase " in A., " ffezonas " in B). Their town was " Phezon " (or ' Epheson " ), here " fozayne."

346. "facron;" (?) = "Phuron" (as in the Vceux du Paon).

347. " Idores and Edease," i.e. " Edee et Ydorus filles Antigonier."

348. "And there Sir Porus and his prynces to the poo avowede," i.e. made their vows upon the peacock, which Porrus had shot; and Cassamus called upon the knights to make their vows when it was served up at table. (This forms the subject of Part II. of Vceux du Paon; Part III. deals with the accomplishment of the vows.)

349. "the bolde Bawderayne," i.e. " Cassiel li baudrains," king of Bauderis or Media.

350. "sir Cassamus the kene Carrus releues;" "Carrus" (as in 11. 355, 379) instead of " Clarus " ; Cassamus swore that if the Greeks won the battle, and he saw Clarus on foot and at disadvantage, he would relieve and remount him for the sake of Porrus, his son. K

351. "the bolde Bawderayne of baderose sir cassayle hym seluen"; Cassiel is always referred to in the romance as " li baudrains " or " the baderane," t'.e. a person of Baderis ; evidently the origin of the name was lost sight of; hence "the bawderayne of baderose'' (i.e. Baderis), c/>. note,

353. " Dame Candore " A. ; B. " Cadace," t'.e. " Candace," the correct reading ; below, 1. 627, both A. and B. read " Dame Candore the comly was called quene of Babyloyne."

405-410. "Thane sir Sezare hym seluen that Julyus was hatten," efc. Compared with the account of Julius Caesar given in the Vceux du Paon, these lines are noteworthy for the prominence it gives to Caesar's connection with Britain, and the traditions relating to his foundation of the Tower of London and Dover Castle. The present reference to the former tradition is probably one of the earliest in English literature. Possibly the lost French romance of Julius Czsar contained a fuller and earlier record. Shakespeare refers to Caesar's "ill-erected tower" in Richard II. (V. i. 2), and notably in Richard III. (III. i. 68) :— " Prince : Is it upon record, or else reported Successively from age to age, he built it ? Buck. : Upon record, my gracious lord. Prince : But say, my lord, it were not register' d, Methinks the truth should live from age to age, As't Vfere retailed to all posterity. Even to the general all-ending day." The notion that Julius Caesar began to build the castle seems to have been maintained by a table or chart which Camden says was formerly hung up there ; it related that Caesar, after he had landed at Deal, and had beaten the Britains at Baramdowe (a plain hard by passable for horses, and fit to draw up an army in), began to build Dover Castle, and that Arviragus afterwards fortified it against the Romans and shut up the harbour. Chaucer in his " tragedy " of Julius Caesar (in the Monkes Tale) finds no place for either of these traditions.

407. "When the Bruyte in his booke Bretayne it called," i.e. when the Brut, or Chronicle of British history, in its book called England " Britain." " Bruyte " = a chronicle of British history from the mythical Brutus down- wards, and referred originally to such works as Geoffrey of Monmouth's Brut, Le Roman de Brut of Wace, or Layamon's Brut. Mr. Gwenogwyn Evans {Academy, No. 1635, p. 233) comes to the conclusion that the transferred sense of Latin Brutus, French and Welsh Brut = historia, chronica, arose towards the end of the twelfth century. Pjofessor Kuno Meyer finds the same use of the word in Irish in a chronological poem on the kings of Leinster by Gilla na Naem ua Duend, who died in 1160. The words "when the Bruyte in his booke Bretayne it callede " look like a mere amplification of the French original of the words " all that was callit Bertane than " ( Vceux du Paon), and probably do not refer directly to Layamon's Brut, though a full account of Csesar's defeat of Cassibelan is to be found there.

408. "there is hony in that holde holden sythen his tyme." The following passage in Lambarde's Perambulation of Kent throws light on the otherwise obscure meaning of the line : — " The Castle at Dover (say Lydgate and Rosse) was first builded by Julius Caesar, the Romane Emperour, in memorie of whome they of the Castell keepe till this day certene vessels of old wine and salts, which they affirm to be the remaine of such provision as he brought unto it. As touching the which (if they be naturall and not sophisticate) I suppose them more likely to have been of that store which Hubert de Burgh laid in there."

409. " Romayne," i.e. Gaul ; " rawnsede " (B. raunsomed) ; probably an error for " rawnsuede," i.e. " rawnsunede," or "rawnsunte" [cp. 1. 514, " rawnsunte it sone ").

410. " Surry and Sessoyne," i.e. Syria and Saxony.

423-425. " In the olde testament as the storye telles In a booke of the Bible that breues of kynges ;" etc. our author has not improved on his original in amplifying the simple reference to "the Old Testament":— " Josu^ vous devons nommer premierement Par sa sainte priere, par son son hardement. Parti le flun Jordain a travers droitement, Et passerent a sec sans nul enconbrement Les Juis qu'il avoit en son gouvemement Vers nudi guerrois cil prendons longuement. Ou .xij. rois conquis ass^s parfaitement Lesquels il destruit toz ass& honteusement, Etre lor lessa terre, cit^ ne casement Qu'il ne feist torner a son commandement." The writer certainly did not read of Joshua and Judas Macchabeus in " Regum," though the statement was true as far as David is concerned, for I and II Samuel were formerly called I and II Kings {cp. Piers Plowman, B. iii. 257)- K 2

426-441. "The firste was gentill Josue J^at was a Jewe noble," etc. Joshua's usurpation of the merits of Moses is characteristic of all the eariy accounts given of his claims to be reckoned among the Nine Worthies. Why was Moses thus deprived of his place among the world's greatest heroes? The answer to this question is to be found in the mediaeval allegorical interpreta- tion of " Joshua." The Hebrew word Joshua, the same as the Greek Jesus, was taken to signify " God-Saviour," and Joshua is called Jesus in Acts vii. 45, Hebrews iv. 8. Joshua, the leader of the Israelites to the promised land, was taken to be a type of Jesus the Leader of the faithful to the promised salvation.

438. " A soppe for the Sathanas vnsele haue theire bones ; " (probably B. gives the better text, " A soppe for Sathanas" ;) i.e. " a sop for Satan — ill-hap have their bones ! " The exclamatory second clause, expressing as it were the writer's personal joy at the triumph of righteousnes, is thoroughly in the spirit of alliterative poetry, and many parallel instances might be quoted ; cp.

439. 447, " the devyll hafe that reche."

441-453. " Than Dauid the doughty thurghe drightyn sonde," eic. Our author adds to the few lines in the Vcbux du Paon a reference to the story of David's treachery towards Uriah, as a sort of protest to the unqualified praise there given; cp., "he was ouer all sa wele doand" [The Avowis of Alexander).

444. " Golias," the regular mediaeval form of the Philistine's name, hence the buffoon Bishop Golias of the " Apocalypsis Goliae " (whence 'E. goliardeys ; Fr. goliardois; Lat. goliardus, goliardensis, etc.).

445. " the devyll hafe that reche," i.e. the devil have him who cares," cp. " And thanh ye deye for deul, the denel haye that reche." (Piers the Plowman, ix. 127.)

446. " For Vrye his awnn knyghte in a-venture he wysede." The present lines recall Langland's striking reference : — " Also Marie Magdalene" ho myghte do worse As in lykynge of lecherye • no lyf denyde ? And Dauid the douhty that deuynede how Vrye Mighte slilokeste be slayn" and sente hjTU to werre Leiliche as by hus lok" with a lettere of gyle .... Now beeth these seintes, as men seyen' and souerynes in heuene." (c. xii. 263-269.)

447. " For Bersabee his awnn birde; " the ordinary form of the name in Middle English ; cp. the Wycliffite Version of 2 Kings v. 3 : " Then Dauid sente, and aserchede, what was the woman ; and it is toold to hym, that she was Bersabee, the doujter of Elyam, the wijf of Vrye Ethei." The form of the name is ultimately derived from the Septuagint, where ^rjpa-a^ee occurs for " Bath-sheba " or " Bath-shua."

454-462. " The gentill Judas Machabee ; " the poet has added nothing to the brief account given in the Vceux du Paon.

456. "Antiochus"; Chaucer makes Antiochus the subject of one of his " tragedies": — " What nedeth it of King Antiochus To tell his high and real majestee. His gret pride and his werkes venimous ? For swiche another was ther non as he ; Redeth what that he was in Machabe,'' ttc. {Monies Tale.)

457. " Nychanore anoþer kynge," B. " knyght " ; probably B. gives the more correct reading.

464-512. " Areste was sir Arthure," etc.; the writer has amplified his original, which deals mainly with Arthur's encounter with the giant on Mount Michael, by adding a summary account of Arthur's passing. In Text A. Wawayne [i.e. Gawain) takes the place of Sir Bedwere (11. 497, 499, 502, 505), but it is clear from the alliterative structure of the line that Wawayne is a scribal error for a knight whose name begins with a vowel, and probably Text B. preserves the correct reading, viz. " Ewan " (a scribal modification of " Ewayne "). Possibly the poet had some authority for making "Ewayne, le fyse de roy Vryence," the companion of Arthur before his passing away ; on the other hand the error may have been due to ignorance of the romances.* Ewayne and Gawayne were cousins and great friends, the latter sharing the former's banishment, when Arthur suspected him of being party to the plots of his mother Morgan. In British romance no knight occupies a more con- spicuous position than Owain ab Urien Rheged. The Welsh story of " The Lady of the Fountain " (Lady Guest's Mabinogion, vol. i.) ; the English romance of " Ywain and Gawain" (Ritson's Ancient English Metrical Romances, vol. i. pp. 1-169) ; Hartman von Aue's Iwein; the Icelandic "Ivents Saga" [KbVom^s Riddarasogur, pp. 75-136); the Swedish " Herr Ivan Lejon-Riddaren" {Svenska Fornskrift-Sdllskapet, 1845-49); all these versions are merely abridged translations of the Chevalier au Lyon by * In the French prose Lancelot Girflet acts the part of Bedwere. Chrestien de Troyes. The account deviates from the account given in the Morte d' Arthur, and from all the various versions considered in connection therewith {cp. Sommer's Le Morte d' Arthur, vol. iii. pp. 265-278, etc.),

468. " rowunde" ; read " rownnde."

469. "Boystone," an error for "Roystone"; Text B. "Rusten;" so in Voeux du Paon the name of the giant is " Ruston ; " M. Paul Meyer has the following note on the form : — " II faut lire Ritom ou Rithon au lieu de Ruston. II s'agit du geant Ritho dont Geoffroi de Monmouth (x. 3) raconte la defaite, at qui figure dans divers romans post6rieurs. L'histoire du geant du Mont- Saint-Michel est racont6e par Geoffroi de Monmouth dans le meme chapitre." In Morte d' Arthur (Book I. xxiv.-xxvii.) the story is told of " Kynge Ryons " who had " purfyled a mantel with kynges berdes and there lacked one place of the mantel," etc. ; in the Alliterative Morte Arthur we have " Rience" ; in the Avowis of Alexander " Rostrik."

470. a blyot; MS. (A. text) reads " Abbyot"; B. "a billet," evidently the reading of A. = " a blyot," z'.e. a bliaut, O. F. bliaut, Med. L. blialdus, bliaudus, blisaudus, a tunic worn both by men and women often richly embroidered. It is noteworthy that the ordinary Middle English form of the word, as well as the Middle Low German, blihant, blihand, show n before the final t or d : — bleaunt, bleeaunt ; no instance is recorded of the form without n in English {v. N. E. D. bleaunt.)

471. "Vppon Sayn Michaells mount meruaylles he wroghte," etc.; cp. Morte d' Arthur, Book V.

472. " There a dragone he dreped " ; not a dragon, but a giant ; cp. Morte A rthur (alliterative poem), 11. 899 ff ; so Malory. The dragon is only seen in a dream : — " Hym dremyd of a dragone, dredfuUe to be-holde, Come diyfande ouer the depe," etc. (AUitetative) Morte Arthure, 11. 760-822.

473. " Bretayne," i.e. Brittany.

474. "Gyane," i.e. Guienne.

475. " The gates towardes Glassthenbery," B. "The gate towards Glaston^ bery," i.e. the roads (or road) towards Glastonbury; the singular "gate," as in B., is perhaps to be preferred.

476. " Arthur oure athell kyng and Wawayne his knyghte " ; B. " & Ewan his knyght " ; similarly 11. 499, 505.

477. " And sir Wawayne swith to the swerde " ; B. " And Ewan start swith to þe swerd " ; Text B. gives the correct reading of the line.

513-519. " Sir Godfraye de Bolenn," etc.; it is difficult to understand why Godfrey precedes Charlemagne, unless it is due to the author's utter ignorance of chronology ; his knowledge of the last of the Nine Worthies is certainly vague, nor has he clearly understood the six lines of his original ; the historical Godfrey was not as attractive to the fourteenth century poet as the legendary Charlemagne and Arthur ; he was much too modern. William of Tyre's history of the First Crusade belongs to about 1170, and became the source of the accounts of Godfrey's achievements {cp. Caxton's Godfrey of Boloyne, or Last Siege of Jerusalem, ed. Dr. Mary de Colvin ; Extra Series, Ixiv. Early English Text Soc.) ; (Caxton's preface is especially noteworthy.)

514. "Romanye;" i.e. the. whole Roman world. C/. Caxton : " In this tyme cam tydynges fro Rome that doubled theyr sorow and anguyeshis," etc., where French original reads " Roumanie," and Latin " de partibus Romanise."

515. "Corboraunt" : generally called " Corbaran " in the French poems on the crusades ; properly, " Kerbogha," Sultan of Aleppo ; in the History of Godfrey he is named " Corbagat."

516. "And after he was callede kynge," etc. William of Tyre tells how Godfrey refused to be called " King of Jerusalem," not wishing to wear a crown of gold in that city where his Saviour had been crowned with thorns. Baldwin, his brother, who succeeded him within two years, styled himself "Rex Hierusalem, Latinorum Primus."

520-583. The account of Charlemagne falls broadly into five divisions : — (i.) an enumeration of "the doghty dossypers " ; (ii.) the War with the Saxons ; (iii.) Oliver's fight with Ferumbras ; (iv.) the disaster at Ronces- valles ; (v.) the siege of Narbonne, and the death of Charles. Our author can hardly have derived his story from any one source, and there are many curious elements in the passage, elaborated from the few lines on Charlemagne in Les Vasux du Paon. (i.) Lines 522-529. The list of the peers does not coincide with that given in any of the French or English romances {vide Histoire Poitique de Charlemagne, par Gaston, Paris, p. 507 ; Sir Ferumbras, edited by Sidney J. Herrtage, p. 193 ; The Sowdone of Babylone, ed. E. Hausknecht, p. xxvii. ; Early English Text Society. " The Katur fitz Emountez " (i.e. the Four Sons of Aymon) count together as one, so that the number may not exceed twelve, but several lists give sixteen or even more " barons of themperour Charles and pyeres of Fraunce." Eight of the names enumerated in the present list are identical with those given in Ferumbras, viz. Roland, Oliver, Aubry, Ogere Deauneys {i.e. Ogier of Denmark), Naymes of Bavaria, Terry {i.e. Thierry), Berarde de Moundres {i.e. Berarde of Montdidier), Gy de Bur- goyne {i.e. Guy of Burgundy). Raynere of Jene {i.e. Reyner of Genoa), the father of Oliver, figures in Ferumbras, but not as one of the douzeperes ; Turpyn, Sampsonne {i.e. Samson of Burgundy, frequently mentioned in the lists), and " the Katur fitz Emountez " are not found there at all. Turpin, the knight-bishop of the romances, has an important place in the poem of Aspre- mont, in the Enfances Ogier. According to the Chanson de Roland, he met his death at Roncesvaux, and this narrative our author follows i^ide 1. 565). The Chronicle of Turpin makes him survive the battle. "Terry and Turpyn" are mentioned together among the douzeperes in the fragmentary English Song of Roland (ed. S. J. Herrtage, " The Sege of Melayne," etc., E. E. Text Soc, pp. 105-136). (ii.) Lines 531-540 evidently epitomise the struggle between Charles and the Saxons which is the subject of Jean Bodel's Chanson des Saxons (ed. Francisque Michel). The introduction of Salamadyne the Sowdane looks, however, like a confusion of Charlemagne with Godefroy of Bouillon, unless the familiar name is substituted for "Agoulant" of Les Vceux du Paon. " Polborne " (Text B. Puerne) is a crux ; perhaps it is a corruption of " Fader- born," where Charles held his great Champ-de-Mai, and which was certainly the most important spot in the struggles between the Franks and Saxons. The word recalls the equally difficult place-name " Belferne " in the Chanson de Roland (stanza Ixx., vide L. Gautier's last edition) : — " Reis Almaris, de le regne de Belferne," where Belferne is glossed " nom de royaume paien (?) ;" in the English Roland, Amaris is described as "a prince of Portingall." "witthyne;" text B. "wyghtelyne" (1. 536);=Guitelin {vide " Chanson des Saxons") or Guitechin = Witikind or Widukind, the great Saxon leader, the hero of the Saxon wars against Charles " the Second Arminius of Germany." I know no other record of the name in old English literature. 1 cannot discover whence the poet derived " dame Naoles " as the name of his wife, and " Maundevyle " as the name of her lover. In the Chanson des Saxons and other versions the lady's name is Sibile, and her lover is Baudouin, Roland's brother; their story forms an important part in the Chanson. (iii.) Lines 541-557. This condensation of the Romance of Ferumbras is remarkable for the introduction of "Merchel" (i.e. " Marsile," the pagan hero of Roland) instead of " Balan " (as he is called in the French, Provenfal, and English version of Syr Ferumbras), or " Laban," " Lavan," " Lawyne " {v. Sowdone of Babylone), the correction it is true has been made in the text, but the alliteration of the line reveals the poet's error. " Balan " was the father of Ferumbras ; " Marsile," the uncle of Ferragus. The former figures in the Ferumbras cycle; the latter in the Roland poems. No Charlemagne Romance seems to have been more popular in England than "the Romanys of worthe ferambrace," wherewith it will be remembered " the gud king " Bruce comforted his men, " and maid thaim gamyn and solace " {vide Barbour's Bruce, ed. W. W. Skeat, Book III., 11. 435-466). Line 542. " fiagott," i.e. Flagot, the Spanish river on which are situated the cities of Mantrible, or Mauntrible, here called " Mawltriple," and Agre- mour, or Egremour, here " Egremorte " (Ferumbras, " Aigremont "). The Romance tells how when the twelve peers besieged in Agremar send Richard of Normandy to Charlemagne to ask his aid, Richard started in the direction of Mantrible, but finding the bridge blocked up and guarded, he is obliged to swim across the water. Charlemagne, hearing of the distress of his peers, starts towards Mantrible, and then continues his march against the soudan at Agremar {cj>. The Sowdone of Babylone, Syr Ferumbras, etc.).

545. " And than they fologhed hym in a fonte and Florence hym callede," cp. .— " þan was cristned sir Ferumbras, a man of gret deffens, Ys name ther y-changed was, & was ihote Florens, Ac >o} me tornde J>ar ys name, as J'e manere was, Euere jut after a baar >e same, & men cliped him Firumbras." (Syr Ferumbras, Vi. 1086- 1089.)

546. " Byfore with his eghe " ; B. " by fore his Eyen " ; the reading of B. is to be preferred ; perhaps " with " was due to a marginal note, and referred to " forthe," in the first half of the line, suggesting " forthwith " instead of "forthe"(2>. "Floripas").

547. " And one swyftely," i.e. Sir Ogier.

548. " And dame floripe \t. faire was cristened there aftire " (B. " was halowd þeraftur " ) ; for " cristened," read " fologhed " (i.e. baptised) ; cp. 1- 545- 555- "When he with passyoun and pyne was naylede one the rode"; B " was on }>e rode naylid ; " perhaps we should read " was pyned on the rode," or " was put on the rode " {cp. " pyned was and put on the rode," Titus and Vespactan, 1. 8).

549. "And at Sayne Denys," etc. Cp. : — " Karlemaines s'en va au moustier Saint Denis ; Li manda arcevesques, evesques b^neis, Les reliques lor monstre Damedieu Jheseu Cris." (Vide Syr Ferumbras, p. 188, 1. 6076.) The French Romance goes on to say that within three years came the treachery of Gwenelon : — "Ne tarda que, iii. ans qu' Espaigne fu gastfe ; Li fu la traisons da RoUant pourparlle. " (iv.) Lines 558-570. This summary account of Genelon's treachery, and the battle of " Rowncyuale," was evidently suggested by the closing lines of Sir Ferumbras (quoted above). " Balame " (11. 558, 569) is the poet's error for " Merchel," to which it has been changed by some one better acquainted with the details of the story ; the alliteration, however, has preserved the error.

550. "dwellyd there for euer" ; better, "and [they] duelled there," etc.

551. "Genyon"; B. "Golyan"; in Sowdone of Baby lone the form is " Genelyn " ; in the English Roland "Gwynylon"; Chaucer's allusions to Genelon are well known : — " the false Genelon, He that purchased the trayson Of Rouland and of Olivere." As far as the form in Text A. is concerned, it is noteworthy that the Latin " Battle of Roncevaux " {vide Appendix to La Chanson de Roland, ed. Francisque Michel) gives the name as " Gueno," the colophon reading "Explicit de tradicione guenonis." But perhaps "Genyone" is merely a verbal error for " Genylone."

552. " Rowncyuale '' ; the regular English form of " Roncesvalles," where Roland was slain ; hence probably the adjective " rouncival " {vide Nares' Dictionary, ed. Halliwell and Wright) = great, strong, gigantic, and used for (i) a kind of pea ; (2) a virago ; and (3) for a special kind of Scottish verse (v. Essays of a Prentice in the Divine Art of Poesie, by King James VL of Scotland).

553. According to the Chanson de Roland, Marsile (here " Balame " ) is fatally wounded by Roland a few moments before his own death.

554. " And that day he dide to the dethe," better, " and that day he dide [hym] to the dethe," cp. Text B. (v-) 572-577- " Emorye made Emperour euen at that tyme," etc. Our author here alludes to " Aimeri de Narbonne," whose story belongs to the cycle of Guillaume d'Orange, who saved Narbonne from the Saracens in 793 {cp. Ward's Catalogue of Romances in the Department of Manuscripts in the British Museum, vol i. pp. 632-663 ; also, Aymeri de Narbonne, and La Mart Aymeri de Narbonne; Soci6t6 des anciens textes Fran9ais).

555. " Arestotle he was arste in Alexander tyme," etc. ; the reference is obviously to the famous, though spurious, Secretum Secretorum Aristotelis, addressed under the name of Aristotle to his pupil Alexander the Great ; Lydgate, who translated part of it, described the work thus : — " Title of this boke Lapis Philosophorum, Namyd also De Regimine Principum, Of philosophres Secretum Secretorum ; — The which booke direct to the king Alysaundre, both in the werre & pees, Full accomplishid by Aristotiles, Feeble of age." The greatest part of the viith book of Gower's Confessio Amantis and Hoccleve's De Regimine Principum is taken from this work ; and Chaucer, in his Chanones Yemannes Tale, refers to " the secree of secrees." An exhaustive study of the subject is given in Mr. Robert Steele's Introduction to his edition of Lydgate's and Burgh's " Secrees of Philisoffres " (E.E.T.S., 1894).

556. " [And gerte] Alexander," etc. Text A. " The grete Alexander " ; B. " And gret." B. suggests the correct reading of the line.

557. "Then virgill thurgh his vertues ver[r]ayle he maket, bodyes of brighte brasse full boldely to speke," etc. The reference is to the story in the Latin Gesta Romanorum telling how Virgil, the enchanter, placed a magical image in the middle of Rome, which communicated to the Emperor Titus all the secret offences committed every day in the city. Among the many allusions to Virgil's magical powers perhaps the most interesting in English literature are Gower's story of the Magic Mirrors {Confessio Amantis, book v. ; cp. also bk. viii.) ; the ixth tale of The Seuen Sages {vide Weber's Metrical Romances, vol. iii.) ; the black-letter romance of Virgilius, printed at Antwerp in the year L 2 1 510; Lydgate's reference to Tragedies of Bochas, book ix. ch. i. st. 4. (The chief work dealing with " Vergil in the Middle Ages " is Comparetti's, which has recently been Englished, and published by Messrs. Swan and Sonneschein.)

599-605. " Than Sir Salomon," etc. ; the poet refers to (i.) the apocry- phal Book of Wisdom, and (ii.) Ecclesiasticus ; these books were in the middle ages better known than Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, the former probably owing to its allegorical interpretation ; cp. St. Aug., De Trin., iv. 20 ; " Cum pronunciatur in Scriptura aut enarratur aliquid de Sapientia seu dicente ipsa sive cum de ilia dicitur, Filius nobis potissimum insinuatur."

599. " by him one " (B. "by his one"). Text B gives the idiomatic form of the genitive with " one," i.e. " by himself alone " ; cp. " to kayre at his one/' Gawain, 1048 ; "we bot oure one," ibid., 123 1, 2246.

600. :— " Andgraythe [d] Galyon (B. Golyan) a boure to kepe hir J>erin, That no wy scholde hir wielde ne Wynne from hym seluen ; " " Golyan " or " Galyan" = " Viviane" or "Vivien," Lady of the Lake; the original form of the name seems to have been Ninian, transformed by scribes to Niuian, Niuienne, Viuienne ; Malory calls her Nymue or Nyneue. The allusion to Vivien in connexion with Merlin's " wit " is at first sight not altogether happy^ for it recalls the weird scene in " the deep forest glades of Broceliande," where " the woman's wit triumphed over the sage's wisdom," and Vivien, turning Merlin's craft against himself, " graythed a bour" for the great Enchanter to keep him there imprisoned, " lost to life, and use, and name, and fame." Our author, however, alludes to an episode in the story of Merlin not found in Malory's account of the Vivien incident (book iv. ch. i.). The explanation of the passage is to be found in the French " Suite de Merlin " {vide Sommer, vol. iii.), where it is narrated that Merlin builds by the " lac de Dyane " a palace so rich and beautiful that no king nor prince, " en toute la petite Bretaigne," could boast of possessing the like. Merlin by enchant- ment renders the palace invisible, so that no one who does not belong to Viviene's " maisnie " can see it. He stays there with Viviene for a long time, and while he loves her best of all the world she hates him, " pour chou que elle savoit bien que il baoit a son purcelage ; " she would fain be rid of him, but knows not how, he is so wise (ibid., p. 118).

601. " Amadase and Edoyne " (B. " Amadas & ydoyne") are frequently referred to, in company with Tristram and Isoude, as the embodiments of ideal love, and as the subject of popular romances of the time, e.g. : — (i.) " Men jemen iestes for to here, And romaunce rede in dyuerse manere, * « « * « Of tristram & of Isoude >e swete How J^ei wij> loue firste gan mete, Of Kyng Ion and of Isombras, Of Idoyne, & of Amadas." {Cursor Mundi, 11. 1-20.) Perhaps even a more interesting reference is to be found in the Lutie Run of Thomas de Hailes : — (ii.) " Hwer is paris and heleyne Jiat weren so bryht and feyre on bleo, Amadas and Ideyne, tristram yseude and alle Jieo." * (Old English Miscellany, p. 95.) The fullest allusion occurs in the Romance of " Emare " (v. Ritson's Metrical Romances, vol. ii.), where a beautiful description is given of a piece of cloth made by the daughter of the Amerayle of the Saracens, presented by the King of Cesyle to the Emperor Aetyus ; thereupon were portrayed the love-stories of Idoyne and Amadas, Tristram and Isowde, Florys and Blauncheflour, and others : — (iii.) " In that on korner made was Idoyne & Amadas With love that was so true. For they loveden hem with honour, Portrayed they wer with trewe-love flour. Of stones bryght of hewe, With carbunkuU & safere, Kassydonys and onyx so clere, Sette in golde newe, Deamondes and rubyes, And other stones of mychyll pryse And menstrellys with her gle." * Morris reads : — " Amadas tristram and dideyne Yseude and alle 'feo " ; but MS. ' ' Amadas and dideyne tristram " ; evidently neither the scribe nor editor could scan the third line ; but it is simple enough : — " Amadas II — and | Ide)Tie " ; or perhaps, " Amadace and Ideyne." Similar references are to be found in Gower's Confessio Amantis (book vii.) ; in the romance of Sir Degrevant (1. 1478 ; vide " The Thornton Romances" ed. J. 0. Halliwell, Camden Society, 1844), etc. Probably no English version was ever made of the love-story of Idoyne and Amadas, though we have two variants of a romance of Sir Amadace {vide Weber's Metrical Romances, vol. iii., and Robson's Three Metrical Romances, Camden Society, 1842), but this is merely a fantastic tale of quixotic adventure, without any elements of romantic love. Idoyne is not even mentioned therein. The old French romance of the lovers is extant. {v. Amadas et Ydoine, ed. Hippeau, 1863 ; cp. Hist. litt. xxii ; Romania, xviii. ; cp. Larminie's West Irish Tales). The romance was among the books bequeathed by Guy Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, to the Abbey of Bordesley in Worcestershire {v. Todd's Illustrations to Chaucer and Gower, p. 161).

602. "And Dalyda his derelynge and now dethe has }7am boghte " (B. " And Daliday his derling now deth hath \em bothe ") ; the line should probably read : — " And Dalyda his derlynge now deth has Jiain bothe." "Dalyda" (for " Dalilah" ) the ordinary mediaeval form of the name, was originally a Greek formation, due to analogy with words ending in tha ; the form is found in the Septuagint ; (Roger Bacon already alludes to the error, and explains it in his Compendium Studii ; vide Rolls' edition.)

603. "Sir Ypomadonn de poele full priste in her armes, (B. better, "yn his armes" ) þe faire Fere de Calabre (B. "And his faire fere")" etc. The romance of Sir Ipomedon, son of Hermogenes, King of Apulia, tells the chivalous adventures of the hero before he wins the daughter of the Duke of Calabria for his wife. The English metrical Romance, of which only one complete copy is known (Harleian 2252, xvth century), was printed in Weber's Metrical Romances (vol. ii. pp. 281-365); a full abstract had previously been given by Ellis in his Specimens of Early English Metrical Romances (vol. iii. pp. 208-256). The name of the lady is not given in the English version, which is merely an abridgement from the French original, written about 1185 by Hue de Rotelande, a poet living at Credenhill, near Hereford, Walter Mape's con- temporary, who according to a passage at the end of Part I. of the poem rivalled the author in the art of lying : — " Sul ne sai pas de mentir lart Walter map reset ben sa part." Throughout the romance the young Duchess of Calabria is called "la fi^re pucelle," or "La Fi^re " ; hence " þe faire Fere" of the text {vide Ward's Catalogue of Romances in the MS. Department of the British Museum, vol. i. pp. 728-757; 'Wn^t's Biographia Britannica Literaria, Anglo-Norman Period, pp. 338-340 ; Ipomedon, in drei Englischen bearbeitungen, hrsg. von E. Kolbing; Breslau, 1889.

620: — " Generides J>e gentill full joly in his tyme, And Clarionas J>at was so clere," eU. The English versions of the romance of Sir Generydes belong to about the middle of the fifteenth century ; the curious point is that the French original is lost, and the same fate has befallen a Latin translation which was made from the French by " a clerk at Hertford " ; an English version of the tale was printed in the sixteenth century, but "only a few mutilated fragments of the edition are known to exist" {v. Generydes; a Romance in Seven-line stanzas, edited from the unique paper MS. in Trin. Coll. Camb., about 1440 A.D., by W. A. Wright; Sir Generides, ed. Furnivall, Roxburghe Club). Gower in his Balades (No. xliii.) refers thus to Generides : — " De Lancelot si ftiissetz remembre, Et de Tristrans, com il se contenoit, Generides, Florent, Partonope, Chascun de ceaux sa loialte guardoit."

622: — " Sir Eglamour of Artas fiill euerous in annes And Cristabelle the clere maye," etc. The English metrical romance of Sir Eglamour of Artois was first printed by J. O. Halliwell in The Thornton Romances from a Cambridge MS.; Ellis gave a full abstract of the poem in Specimens of Early Metrical Romances. The romance relates, to follow Dr. Ward's summary of its plot, how Eglamour loved " Cristabella," the daughter of his lord, the Earl of " Artas " ; how she was delivered of a boy while her lover was absent on an expedition ; how she and her child were turned adrift in a boat ; how the child was carried away by a " gryppe "; how, after a lapse of years, the son was nearly married to his mother ; and how, eventually, he and his parents were happily united I^Cat. of Romances, pp. 766, 767, 820). The MSS. of Sir Eglamour are later than the end of the fourteenth century, or at all events not earlier {cp. Englische original has not been discovered. The poem is closely related to the romance of Torrent of Portugal (the only MS. of which belongs to the fifteenth century). Halliwell, who published an edition of the romance in 1842, was of opinion that " it is probably, like the second copy of the romance of Horn, a modern- ized version of an older English romance, which was itself translated from the French." Dr. E. Adam in his edition [Early English Text Society, 1887) put forward the conjecture that " an old poem, now lost, existed, with which the authors of Sir Eglamour and of Sir Torrent were acquainted; but not having a MS. of it, or knowing it by heart, both of them made up their minds to re-write the story in a well-known metre, changing, omitting, adding whatever they liked, even filling up the gaps in their memories by invention. Both of them recollected the first half of the story better than the second." This may be a plausible solution, but as Halliwell observed in his introductory remarks on Sir Eglamour, " there is, perhaps, a secret history attached to the source of these romances that remains to be unravelled." Sir Eglamour was printed at Edinburgh by Walter Chepman and Andro Myllar, under the title of Sir Glamor, 1508, and subsequently at London by Copland and Walley {cp. Hazlitt's Bibliography of Old English Literature, p. 177). Halliwell points out that the name of "Sir Eglamour" appears to have passed into a kind of proverb; hence in Dekker's Satiromastix: "Adieu, Sir Eglamour ; adieu lute-string, curtain-rod, goose-quill ; " while Julia in the "Two Gentlemen of Verona" asks Lucetta, " What think'st thou of the fair Sir Eglamour ? " and the maid replies : — " As of a knight well-spoken, neat, and fine, But, were I you, he never should be mine."

624. "And Sir Tristram the trewe," etc.; cp. Note, 1. 614. The most valuable of modern editions of Sir Tristrem is Professor E. Kolbing's (Heil- bronn, 1882).

625. " Dame Candore," probably an error for " Candace," cp. Note,

627. cp. Piers Plowman, c. xxxi. 153.

664-665. The rhyme at the end of Text B. is obviously an " improve- ment " not due to the original writer of the poem.

Glossary to the Parlement of the Thre Ages

Forms enclosed in brackets occur in Text B, the Ware fragment.

[FORMS ENCLOSED IN BRACKETS OCCUR IN TEXT B.]
abashede (basshed), abashed, 369
agreed (ayrathid, t'.e., agrathid, prepared), agreed, 358
amatistes, amethysts, 127
ames, resolves, 384
ames (armes), resolves, 394
amorelle (amerall), emir, 515
another, another thing, otherwise, 484
appon, upon, 298
ardaunt, ardent, " ewe ardaunt," 590
areste (eldest), first, 464
arsneke (arsenek), arsenic, 590
arste [eldist), first, 586
assaye, trial of grease of a deer, 70
assayllede (sayled), assailled, 397
assegede (segid), besieged, 303
assentis, ^^V/^j, complies, 63
assommet, elevated, 31
athes, conjures, 499
aughte (aght), possessed, got, 392
(aught), 406, 465
aughtilde (athild), intended, 483
aunterde (aunturd), adventured, 543
auntirs (awnturs), ventures, 375
auntoure (awntere), adventure, 317
a-venture (awntur), adventure, 451
auntlers, antlers, 28
avowede (avowid), z«fli^ d fozy, 365
a-waye (away), awajv, 504
awnn (howen), own, 392 ; (owen), 406,
axles, shoulders, 113
ayres, heirs, 577
aythere (ayther), each of the two, 456
babirlippede, large lipped, 158
bagge, bag, money-bag, 139
bake, " one bake " (abak), aback, 369
bale (bayl), mischief, 453
balghe,^fl^, 112
balkede, stopped short, 56
ballede, bald, 158
be-dagged (dragild), splashed with clay, bedis, heads, 153
belde (beldid), built, 662
bele (bolde), beautiful, 390
be-lyue (by lyue), quickly, 416
beme, " beame-antler," the next tine growing above the brow antler, 26
bende, stretched, 43
benefetis, benefits, noble deeds, 143
benes, requests, 143
beralles, beryls, 123
berdes (byrdes), beards, 482
berselett, hound, 39, 69
M M. intstj: ^tvbavum. beryn, warrior, man, no (berne), 265
beryne (beern), 391
beryns (bernes), 395
besanttes, besants, coins, 123
betydde (betyd), happened, 596
betyde (betide), to betide, 596
bewes (czxis), bends, turns, 29^', z'. bowes bewes (bowes), boughs, 663
bible (bybull), bible, 424
birde (burde), lady, 390
bitt (butte), cutting edge, 228
blanchede, blanched, 156
blaste (blastyng), blowing, 593
[b]launchere (blawcher), blancher, 593
blawnchede, blanched, 285
blethely, blithely, merrily, 214
blody, bloodily, 62
blonke [white horse'), horse, no blyot (billet), tunic, 482
bodworde, message, 558
boghte (bothe), both, 618
bogle (bugull), bugle, 656
bole, tree-trunk, 39
borely, large, strong, 26 ; stately, tall, 32
borowes (burgh), castles, cities, 560
boundes (landis), limits, 334
boure, bower, 608
bowes (bowis), bends his way, 370 ; z;. bewes bownede, prepared, 43
bownne, ready, no bownnes {^ov/n&s), prepares, 265
brakans, brackens, 62
brande [brand), sword, 371
braste, burst, 55
brawndeschet, brandished, 504
brayde, wrenched, 63
brayded (bradid), drew forth, 371
hrsiyden, plaited, 131
brayed, /ka^^ a /o«df noise, 56
brenn (bryng), ^Mr«, 560
breris, briars, 62
breues (tretes), narrates, 424
bruschede, rushed with force, 56
Bruyte, M^ Brut, a chronicle of British history, 407 ; z/. iVo^^ bryme, water, stream.; "bryme side," /A^ «if/e 0/"^ brook, 7
burgons, ȝmi^j, ii buskede, arrayed, 22
by-comen (becomyn), co»?e, ^ow^, 507
by-dene, straightway, 364
by-fore, in front, 75
by-hete, /ro»2W^, 178
by-luffede (byloved), beloved, 274
by-ronnen, over-run, 62
by-segede (assegid), besieged, 397
by-weuede, bedecked, 122
calsydoynnes, chalcedonies, 124
caprons, hoods, 212
carolles (caralles), carols, 254
carpe, ^0 speak, 462
carpynge, /a/^, 168
chaplet, garland, 118
charebocle, carbuncle, 121
chawylls, /ow/j, 72
ch&ie, principally, frst, 72
chefe, especial, 121
chefe (chese), achieve, 243
chefe-lere, AazV, 118 ; z'. iVo^^ chefely, particularly, especially, 89
cheresche (cheris), cherishes, 235
chese, chose, 72
cheses (chese), departs, 538
chesse (chese), chess, 255
cheuede, befell, 98
chynede, cut along the backbone, 89
clere, beautiful, 621, 623
closede (closed), enclosed, 411
clyp (clap), embrace, 2.'j colere, collar, 124
coloppe, collop, 33
comfortte (comforte), to comfort, 248
comfortted (comforth), comforted, 396
compaste (compast), contrived, 409
condithe (colonduyte), conduit, 409
corbyns bone, the bone between the anus and the bladder of an animal, given to the crows as valueless, 80
Cornells (cornelles), battlements {prob. =" karnels ; " otherwise=" cornals " i.e. "coronals," capitals), 411
coundythes (cownduyttes), carols, 254
countours, calculators, treasurers, 148
courbede, curved, bent, 154
couthely (courtly), readily, 462
cowchide, caused to couch down, 39
cowers (cours), (?) leather straps, 237
cownten, a recount, 307
cowpe, cope, fight, 203
cowpe (coupe), cup, 401
cowples vpe, ties up, 237
cowrbed (combord), bent down, 287
cowschote, cushat, wood-pigeon, 13
crabtre, crab-tree, 42
craftely (trirfly), craftily, 409
crepite, crept, 42
crepyde, 64
cristen, christian, 463 ; v. cristyne cristened (halowd), christened, 552
cristyne (cristen), christian 559; v. cristen croked, crooked, 287
crouschede, crouched, 64
cropoure, crupper, 132
cruche, crutch, 165
cukkowe, cuckoo, 13
curssede (cursid), accursed, 401
dalte (dalt), apportioned, 403
dayses, daisies, 10
dede (deed), a^^aa^, 400
dede (deth), death, 399, 631
demed (demyd), adjudged, 472
demed[e]n (demyn), declared, 331
departede, separated, 77
dere, harm, 36
derelynge (derling), darling, 617
derke, darkness, 16
dethe, " the dethe," M^ death, 403
6.\d&, placed, 557
digges (dikes), ducklings, 244
dighte, dight, 125
dighte, ordained, 597
disfegurede (disvigured), disfigured, 284
doghetynes (doughtynes), doughtiness, dole, share, 258
dole, sorrow, 400
doluen (dolvyn), buried, 258
donkede, w«j moist, 10
dore-nayle, door-nail, 65
douthe (duche), woW^ company, 348
dowkynge, plunging under water, 245
dowte, uncertainty, 102
drede, dreaded, 488
dreghe, /o rfr^^, undergo, go thro' with, 3
dreghe, /. afflicted), 428 flese (slevis),7?^^t^, 338 ^QYfe, flayed, 78 floreschede, bordered with fat, 71 flyte (flite), contend, 264 fologhed (halowd), baptized, 545 fonge, ifoo^, 88, 544 fonnes, ar^ foolish, speakest foolishly, fonte (fount), /o«^, 545 for-f rayed, terrified, 27 forfrayede, 59 fostere of the fee, 94, v. Note fothire, waggon-load, 189 foule, bird, 15 founded, went forward, 659 foundede, departed, 97 founden (foundyn), seek, go, 226 foundes (foundid), þeJ, 372 f ourche, fork of the body, 9 1 fourches, haunches, 88 fourme, the seat or bed of a hare, freke, man, 109 freschely {i&r:?.&\y), fiercely, 372 frythe, wood, 15 fyne, perfect, 587 iyngere, finger's breadth {of fat), 71 fynour (finor), refiner, 587 gamnes, games, 255 garte, caused, 549 gates, ways, 339 (gate), 494 gaynly, readily, 281 g[er]te (gret), caused, 588 gesserante, coat of mail, 180 girde,^zW, 138 girde (gird), rushed, 318 girdes, strikes, 343 glayfe, sword, 202 gloes, glows, 188 gloue, hawking-glove to protect the hand from, the claws of the hawk, 232 gnattes, gnats, 50 gnewen, gnawed, hit, 50 golyone, tunic, 138 gome (grome), /«««, 475 gonen, (?) began {to go), or (?) ȝouen, betook themselves, I'j graythe {gxzlda), prepare, 588 graythed {'gr2!Ca.&A), prepared, 358, 608 (grathid), prepared to go, 339 graythely (grathly), suitably, 494, 644 gree, grade, rank, first place ; "to win the gree ; " 473 gregeis (grekes), Greeks, 318 grened, grieved, lamented, 194 greuede, annoyed, 50 greves, groves, 27 grownden, sharpened, 202 gryse, grass, 8 grippede, seized, 85 gude, goods, 140 guttys, ^«^j, 82 ȝape (yepe), active, 134, 270 ȝatis (gates), ^Aif^j, 398 3 erne, eagerly, 104 ȝernede (langid aftur), longed for, 393 ȝernynge, desirous, 171 ȝernynge (yernyng), ^f'j/r^, 535 ȝete (yolden), gained, given up, 398 ȝett, granted, 535 ȝolden {yoven), yielded, 398 habade, abode, 7 habyde, abide, 631 hallede, haled, hauled, 53 halse (halfe), «eci, 373 ; i;. haulse. hande-while, moment, 106, 267 hapynge, conjecture, 164 haspede, clasped, encased, 201 hatten (hight), waj called, 405 haulse, ??^c:^, 90; ». halse hawes, hedges, meadows, 19 hawtayne, proud, 209 hawteste, /roM^^j/, 213 he, high, 31 hedis (hedes), /ooij, 508 hefe (have), heave, 288 hendely (hendly), courteously, 267 henntes (hentes), seizes, 235 hent, seized, caught, 60, 373 hepe, ^efl/, 57 herbere, the gullet, the conduit leading to the stomach, 74 hertys, harts, 17 M. ItnXftr ©frijorum. here-wedys, war-weeds, armour, 201 heron, heron, 223 heryet (harid), carried off, 427 heryett, dragged out, 66 heste, a promise, 1 78 h&te, promise, 643 hethe, heather, 93 heuen angelles, angels of heaven, 215 heuen riche, the kingdom of heaven highte (hight), height, 470 hilde, covered, 93 hitten, fall upon, 223 hodes (haldes), hoods, 236 hokes, hooks, 53 ; z<. TVo/^ holde (hald), stronghold, 413 hologhe, hollow, 95 homelyde, hamhled, cut, go hony, honey, 413 hoo and howghe, " ^0 " flwa? " ho" 223 hore, ^ray, 93 houen, hover, 215 hurkles, squats, 19 hurlede, struck with forcible collision, hunte, hunter, 96 hyede, hurried, 60 hyen, hurry, 59 iche, f'flcA, 393 in-sondire (yn-sondre), asunder, 230 irkede (irked), z'^ became irksome, 277 i-sett (i-set), set ye, {imperative') 269 joly, beautiful, noble, 459, 620 joyntly, continuously, steadily, 180 justede, ^'oMj/^-fif, 180 justers, jousters, 459 kaple, horse, nag, i8g katur Rtz, four sons, 529 kayre (care), /o /«/•«, 245 kaysers, emperors, 605 kempes, warriors, 251 kende, /«a^(? known, directed, 553 kenduart (?) ^og-«e, 68 ; w. iVo/^ kene, bold, active, 13 kepe, to guard, 608 keppyn of, snatch off, 212 kest, cflj/, 68 kiddest, most famous, 299 kiluarde (kilward), rogue, 516 krage, cra^, caz/^, 64 kyd (kind), renowned, 441 kythe, make known, 168 kythe (kith), country, 467 lache, þzls, /a^^, 211 laners, male falcons, 220 lappyn (lapped), to clasp, 247 laste (lest), least, 283 laughte, caught, 52 launde, lawn, glade, 24 lay e, faith, ig'j layke, 5/?or/, 49 layke (leyke), make sport, 259 layne (lane), lain, 655 laythe, loathsome, 152 lede (lord), »«««, 393 ledys, people, 1 06 lele, loyal, comely, 115 lelly {[ovr\y), faithfully, 274 lenge (lyng), /aL.y nymes, pagans, 421 ^&m\, feather, quill, 231 penyes, pennies, 187 perilous, " the sege perilous," 470 ^erry, precious stones, 129 perset (receyvid),/2'erc^. asunder, 90
soppe (sope), jo/, 438
sotted (sesid), bleared, 286
N M. Misti! ^tvhovum. soties, fools, 266
soughten (sought), sought, departed, 434
sowdane (sawdon), sultan, 533
sowed (sighed), felt a sting (lit. " was galled," cp. "&ovf"=gall), 286
sownnde, sound, uninjured, 434
sowre, a fourth year buck, 34
sowssches, stirs, strikes, 218
spanyells (spaynelles), spaniels, 244
spilles, art destroyed, 193
stale {st&e), firmly, stalwartly, 289
stalkede, went softly, 41
stalkynge, stalking, 21
standerte (standerdes), standard, 376
starede, stared, 51
stede bake, horse-back, 272
stele wede, armour, 200
stelkett, walked cautiously, 5 1
sterapis, stirrups, 116
stikkes, sticks, small branches, fragments, 41, 376
stilly, quietly, 41
stirkes, bullocks, 147
stongen (stang), pierced, 446
storrours, storers, 14J stotayde, paused, 5 1
stourre (stoure), conflict, 272
streghte, stretched, 116
stynte (stint), stop, 268
suede, (swid), pursued, 382
(swide), 567
surryals, crown antlers, 30
swapped (swappid), struck, 551
sweuynn, dream, 102
swynge, swing, 500
swythe, quickly, 369
sykamoure, sycamore, 130
syled, glided (salid), 658
synys, jz^«j, 48
tachede,y«5-^f«^^, 67
tale, 105 ; v. Note tartaryne, JzV^ <?/' Tartary {probably Tharsia, adjoining Cathay, i.e. China), tary, to delay, 613
taryen (taryn), 242
taysede, stretched the bow-string, 44
tayttely, joyously, 219
telys, teals, 219
teneden, vexed, 321 ; «/. tenyn teneiull, peevish, 159
tented (tendid), attempted to go, 313
tenyn (tene), tease, 242; z;. teneden tercelettes, male falcons, 219
thaym (hem), ^A^»«, 369
the, thee, 190
thirde (threde), third, 472
tholede (tholid), suffered, 403
threpe, altercation, 268
threpid (japid), argued, 262
threp [d] en, contended in song, 14
threpden, 104
thro, ^o/(^, 104
throly, boldly, eagerly, excellently, 14, 133
throstills, throstles, 14
thryfte (rest), thrift, prosperity, 262
thrynges, /r^i-^^j, 368
tighte, drew up, tightened, 44
tighte, drew out {from the sheath), 79
tighte vp (tolid vp), set up, 361
to-gedirs (to-gidre), together, 600
to (whil), till, 496
(tolid), pulled, 361
towre, turn, wheel, flight, 213
trayfoyles, trefoils, 120
8i traylede, trailed, 132
trenchore, carving knife, 79
trewloues, true lovers' knots, 120
triede, choice, excellent, 120
triste (trusty), trusty, 565, 624
tristyly (throly), boldly, 326
troches, small tines, 67
trowde, believed, 604
Troygens (trochis), Trojans, 301
trogens (troge), 321
tulke (toure), man, 313
tydee, befell, 660
tyde, may betide, 37
tylere, handle of a cross bow, 44
tytly, quickly, 613
vmbycaste, cast about, 61
vnburneschede, unburnished (" </^i?r ar^ jflizia? ^(7 burnish their heads when rubbing off the dead velvet or skin from the horns"), 26
vnclosede (vnclosid), unclosed, open, vndire-jode (vndur-yede), undermined, vnperesched (vnperisshed), unperished, vnsele (vncele), misfortune, 438
vp, up, 68
vp-rightes, upright, 116
vttire, without, out, 66
ver[r]ayle (veryall), verily, 594
vertwells (verteuels), small rings on a hawk' s furniture, 238
waggynge, a moving, 40
waitted, watched, 40 ; v. wayte wake, watch, 257
wakkened, awoke, 657
wandrynge (wanryng), wandering (perhaps " wand-reth,'' misery), 257
warnestorede {^Nzsrsx^-siond^, furnished, waryed (warrid), accursed, 536
wayte, to guard, 99 ; v. waitted waytted, watched, 657
wayttede, 46
wedres, weathers, seasons, 2
wele, wealth, 149
(welle), 637
wende, to turn, 632
werdes, chances, luck, 3
were, war, 544
while (whils), /zV/, 398, 535
wielde (weld), possess, 609
wiesly, certainly, 40
wilnede, desired, 385
wirchipe (worship), worship, 514
wiste, knew, 298
wittyly, cautiously, 46
woke, zc/o^^, 35
wondes, hesitates, 611, 632; z'. wyndide wonne, dwell, remain, 193
wonnede, dwelt, 603
wonnen, (wan), zt^ow, 464
wothe, danger, 37
wryghede, discovered, 97
wrythen, (wrien), twist, 230
wy (wight), wight, person, 609, 193, 386
wynde, wind, 40
wyndide, hesitated, 46 ; z'. wondes wynnen, attain, 230
wyse, w/i'^, 99
wysede, (vised), directed, 451
N 2

Index of Proper Names

Proper names occurring in the Parlement, with variant spellings and line references.

Achilles, 311
Affrike, 418
Alexander (Alexaunder) [=Alexandria] , Alixander (Alexaundre), 394
Alysaunder (Alexandre), 332
Amadase (Amadas), 614
Amenyduse (Emeneduce), 359
Antecriste (crist), 336
Antiochus, 456
Antyoche (Antioch), 515
Appolyne, 456
Arraby (Arabs), 418
Artage (heritage), 347
Arthure (Arthur), 464
Askanore (Escamour), 476
Aubrye (Awbrey), 523
Babyloyne (babiloii), 627
Baderose (betrise), 389
Bawderayne (baudren), 370; (baron), Bedwere (bodward), 479
Berarde de moundres (Berarde de Mundres), 527
Bersabee (Bersabye), 453
Betys (Bothos), 391
Bretayne (Britan), 405 ; Bretayne (Brittany), 490
Bruyte, 407
Calcas (Clakas), 337
Candore, 627 ; (cadace), 396
Carlele (Carlile), 467
Carus (Carrace), 379; (Icarras), 355
Cartage, 626
Cassabalounit (Cassabolaunt), 415
Cassamus (Casamus), 353; (dasamus), Cassaunder, 401
Cassayle (Casabull), 389
Caulus (Cawlus), 350
Cherlemayne (Charlemayn), 520
Cherlles (Charles) 531
Clarionas, 621
Clyton (Cliton), 350
Corboraunt, 516
Cristabelle, 623
Dalyda (Daliday), 617
Dares (darres), 331
Dido, 626
Dioclesyane (Dioclisian), 597
Dittes (dites), 331
Dovire (dovir), 410
MI. MtJiV Mortxinum. Ector, 300
Edease (Odias), 364
Edoyne (ydonye), 614
Edyas (Edcas), 390
Egipt, 418
Eglamour of Artas (Artes), 622
Egremorte (Egremourt), 547
Elayne (Elan), 304
Ely. 335
Emenyduse (Amenowdows), 342
Emorye (Emer), 576
Emowntez ; " Katur fitz E." (Katurfiz Emountez), 529
Ennoke (Ennok), 335
Ercules (arcules), 334; (Arculus), 329
Errake fytz lake (Errak fight lake), 476
Ewayne (Evayn), 476
Facron, 360
Ferambrace (fte[r]umbrace), 544
Fesome (feysoun), 354
Fere de Calabre, 619
Filot (ffylet), 349
Flagott (Vagot), 542
Florence (florance), 545
Floripe (fflorissh), 552
Florydase (floridyse), 372; (ffolidas), Fozayne (fesane), 363, 385; (fighon), 356
Fozome (fomen), 356
Fozonase (ffezonas), 357, 363
Gadefare (Godfray), 374
Gadres (gedwyn), 339
Gadyfere (Godyfere), 343
Galade (galaad), 475
Galyan (golyan), 608
Garsyene (Garsayn), 351
Gascoyne (Gascon), 491
Gawayne, 476
Gaynore (gaynor), 629
Generides (Genarid), 620
Genyone (golyan), 561
Glassthenbery (glastonbery) , 494
Goderayns (gedring), 340
Godfraye (godfray), 340
Godfraye de Bolenn (Godfray de Boleyn), Golyas (golias), 444
Gy de Burgoyne (Guy of Burgon), 528
Gyane (guyon), 491
Idores (ydoes), 364; (Edores), 392
Indyans (Indayn), 375
Inglande (ynglond), 406
Jazon (Josue), 338
Jerusalem, 518
Josue, 426
Kay, 477
Launcelot de lak (launcelat de lake), 474
Lyncamoure, 352
Machabee (machabe), 454
Maundevyle (Mawndevill), 540
Mawltryple (mowtrible), 546
Meneduse (Menodous), 347
Menylawse (menelone),302; (menelaws), Merchel (Marchel), 546
Merlyn (Marlyn), 469, 606
Morgn la faye (morgon of layfay), 511
Mordrede (Modred), 495
Naoles (Milos), 539
Naymes (Names), 524
Neptolemus (Septelamus), 327
Nerbone (Norburgh), 573
Nychanore (Nycanor), 457
Ogere Deauneys (Oggerd the denys), Olyuer (Olyvere), 523, 564
Pantasilia (pantezelia), 325
Paresche (parych), 305
Penelopie (Penelop), 628
Perceualle de galeys (Persevall de Galays), 479
Pharaoo (pharao), 428
Polborne (puerne), 532
Poms (peerse), 387; (corrus), 380;
(perse), ^586s- (Pyrres), 365
Priamus (priamus), 324
Raynere of Jene (Raner þe sayn), 522
Romanye (Romans), 598
Romanye (romayn), 514
Romayne, 414
Rome, 598
Rowlande, 522
Rowncyuale (renovaill), 562
[R]oystone (Rusten), 481
Salamadyne (Salomoydym), 533
Salomon (Salamon), 599
Sampsone (Sampson), 616
Sampsoune of the mounte ryalle (Samson of þe mount Royall), 526
Saragose (Saragos), 568
Sarazenes (Sarsyng), 567
Sathanas, 438
Sayn Michaells mounte (Michelmount), Sayne Denys (Saynt Denys), 557, 579
Sessoyne (sesoun), 419; (Seloun), 537
Sezare (Sesar), 405
Surry, 419
Terry, 525
Tristram, 624
Troylus (Trolus), 326
Turpyn, 565
Vlixes, 329
Vrye (vry), 451
Virgin, 594
Wawayne (Ewan), 502, 499
Witthyne (wyghtelyne), 536
Ypomadonn de poele (ypomodon de pole), 618
Ysoute (Isode), 625

Wynnere and Wastoure

Printed by Gollancz as Appendix I because the poem follows the Parlement directly in MS. Add. 31,042 without a break, and because he believed the two poems share an author. This is the earliest datable poem of the Middle English alliterative revival, internally dated to about 1352–53. The manuscript is damaged toward its end, and Gollancz's own conjectural readings — many still uncertain, several flagged by him as doubtful — are preserved in square brackets throughout; a concentrated stretch near the poem's close retains a scribal or OCR ambiguity between the letter "y" standing for the pronoun "I" and "y" standing for thorn (þe), which could not be confidently resolved without the manuscript itself.

[f. 176b.] Here Begynnes a Tretys and god Schorte refreyte
By-twixe Wynnere and Wastoure —
ythen that Bretayne was biggede and Bruyttus it aughte
Thurgh the takynge of Troye with tresone with-inn
There hathe selcouthes bene sane in seere kynges tymes
But neuer so many as nowe by the nyne dele
wyse wordes and slee and icheon wryeth othere
Dare neuer no westren wy while this werlde lasteth
Send his sone south-Warde to see ne to here
that he ne schatt holden by-hynde when he hore eldes
10 flfor-thi sayde was a Sawe of Salomon the wyse
It hyeghte harde appone honde hope I non oper '
when wawes waxen schall wilde and walles bene doun
And hares appon herthe-stones schall hurcle in hire fourme
And eke boyes of blode with boste and with pryde
15 Schall wedde ladyes in londe and lede hir at witt
Thene dredfutt domesdaye it draweth neghe aftir
Bot who-so sadly witt see and the sothe tette
Say it newely witt neghe or es neghe here
whylome were lordes in londe þat loued in thaire hertis
20 To here makers of myrthes |jat matirs couthe fynde
And now es no frenchipe in fere bot fayntnesse of hert
wyse wordes with-inn þat wroghte were neuer
Ne redde in no Romance þat euer renke herde
Bot now a childe appon chere with-owtten chyn-wedys
25 þat neuer wroghte thurgh witt thies wordes to-gedire
fFro he can jangle als a jaye and japes telle
he schall be leuede and louede and lett of a while
Wele more þan þe man that made it hym seluen
Bot neuer þe lattere at the laste when ledys bene knawen
ȝoWerke witnesse witt here who wirche kane beste-
[I.]
ot I schatt tail yow a tale f»at me by-tyde ones
Als I went in the weste wandrynge myn one
Bi a bonke of a bourne bryghte was the sonne
vndir a worthiliche wodde by a wale medewe
35 ffele floures gan folde ther my fote steppede
I layde myn hede one ane hift ane hawthorne besyde
The throstitts full throly they threpen to-gedire
hipped vp hegh-walles fro heselis tyll othire
Bernacles with thayre billes one barkes þay roungen
40 V þy janglede one heghe jarmede the foles
y bourse fuft bremly rane þe bankes by-twene
So ruyde were þe roughe stremys and raughten so heghe
That it was neghande nyghte or I nappe myghte
ffor din of the depe watir and dadillyng of fewllys
45 Bot as I laye at the laste J7an lowked myn eghne
And I was swythe in a sweuen sweped be-lyue-
One a loueliche lande þat was ylike grene
þat laye loken by a lawe the lengthe of a myle
50 In aythere holte was ane here in hawberkes full brighte
harde hattes appon hedes and helmys with crestys
Brayden owte thaire Baners bown for to mete
Showen owte of the Schawes in Schiltrons )?ay fefle
And bot the lengthe of a launde thies lordes bytwene
55 and atte prayed for the þese till the prynce come
fFor he was worthiere in witt than any wy efts
ffor to ridde and to rede and to rewlyn the wrothe
That aythere here appon hate had viitill othere-
at the creste of a clyffe a caban was rerede
60 alle raylede with rede the rofe and the sydes
with ynglysse Besantes full brighte betyn of golde
and ichone gayly vmby-gone with garters of Inde
and iche a gartare of golde gerede fuft riche-
Then were thre^ wordes in þe webbe werped of he
65 payntted of plunket and poyntes bytwene
þat were fourmed full fayre appon fresche lettres
and alle was it one sawe appon ynglysse tonge
" hethyng haue the hathell pa.t any harme thynkes-"
«
'ow the kyng of this kythe kepe hym oure lorde !
vpon heghe one the holt ane hatheti vp stondes
(\I^W wroghte als a wodwyse afte in wrethyn lokkes
1 ? th[e]re.
with ane helme one his hede ane hatte appon lofte
and one heghe one þe hatte ane hattfuft beste
A lighte lebarde and a longe lokande fuH: kene
75 5arked aHe of ȝalowe golde in full ȝape wyse-
Bot that þat hillede the helme byhynde in the nekke
was casten full clenly in quarters foure
Two with flowres of fraunce before and be-hynde
and two out of ynglonde with sex grym bestes
80 Thre leberdes one lofte and thre onlowe vndir
at iche a cornere a knoppe of full clene perle
Tasselde of tuly silke tuttynge out fayre
and by ])e cabane I knewe the kynge that I see
and thoghte to wiete or I went wondres ynewe-
85 and als I waytted with-inn I was warre sone
Of a comliche kynge crowned with golde
Sett one a silken bynche with Septure in honde
One of the louelyeste ledis who-so loueth hym in hert
That ewer segge vnder sonn sawe with his eghne-
90 This kynge was comliche clade in kirtill and mantill
flfawkons of fyne go[l]de flakerande with wynges
and ichone bare in ble blewe als me thoghte
a grete gartare of ynde girde in the myddes-
95 ffutt gayly was that grete lorde girde in the myddis
a brighte belte of ble broudirde with fewles
with drakes and with dukkes daderande f am semede
ffor ferdnes of fawcons fete lesse fawked þay were
And euer I sayd to my selfe full selly me thynke
100 Bot if this renke to the reuere ryde vmbestouwde-
The kyng biddith a beryn by hym þat stondeth
One of the ferlyeste frekes þat faylede hym neuer-
" Thynke I dubbede the knyghte wt't/i dynttis to dele-
wende wightly thy waye my willes to kythe-
105 Go bidd Jj" ȝondere bolde Batell þat one y bent houes
That they nener neghe nerre to-gedirs
ffor if thay strike one stroke stynte |?ay ne thynken-"
"ȝis lorde " said þe lede- " while my life dures-"
he dothe hym doun one þe bonke & dwellys a while
1 10 whils he busked and boun was one his beste wyse
he laped his legges in yren to the lawe bones
with pysayne & with pawnee polischede full clene
with brases of broun stele brauden full thikke
with plates buklede at þe bakke þe body to ȝeme
115 with a jupown futt juste joynede by the sydes
a brod checkun ' at þe bakke þe breste had znoper
Thre wynges in-with wroghte in the kynde
Vmbygon with a gold wyre- when I þat gome knewe
what he was 50ngeste of ȝeris and ȝapeste of witt
1 20 jjat any wy in this werlde wiste of his age
he brake a braunche in his hande & caughte 2 it swythe
Trynes one a grete trotte & takes his waye
there bothe thies ferdes folke in the felde houes-
1 ? = aketoun. ^ MS. caughten.
ayd " loo the kyng of this kyth. þer kepe hym oure lorde-
Send his erande by me als hym baste lyketh
that no beryn be so bolde one bothe his two eghne
Ones to strike one stroke ne stirre none nerre
To lede rowte in his rewme so ryaft to thynke
Pertly with 30ure powers his þese to disturbe-
130 ffor this es the vsage here and euer schall worthe
with-in Y kyngdome riche bot the kynge one
That he schall losse the londe and his lyfe aftir-
Bot sen ȝe knowe noghte this kythe ne the kynge ryche
135 he will forgijBFe 30W this gilt of his grace one-
ffull wyde hafe I walked amonges thies wyes one
Bot sawe I neuer siche a syghte, segge, with myn eghne
ffor here es alle ]>" folke of fraunce ferdede besyde
Of lorreyne of luwbardye and of lawe spayne
140 wyes of westwale þat in were duellen
Of ynglonde of yrlonde Estirlynges fuil many
þat are stuffede in stele strokes to dele
and ȝondere a banere of blake Ipat one y bent hones
with thre Bibulles of ble white brenden with-inn
145 and iche one hafe ' of henppe hynged a corde
seled with a sade lede I say als me thynkes
that hede es of holy kirke I hope he be there
alle ferse to the fighte with the folke fiat he ledis-
anojjer banere es vpbrayde with a bende of grene
150 with thre hedis white-herede with howes one lofte
aagttttefe anil WlK^touve.
Croked full craftyly and kembid in the nekke
Thies are ledis of this ionde J?' schold oure lawes ȝeme
That thynken to dele this daye with dynttis fuft many
I holde hym hot a fole þat fightis while flyttynge ^ may helpe
[55 when he hase founden his frende )?at fayled hym neuer-
he thirde Banere one bent es of blee whitte
with sexe galeys I see of sable with-inn
And iche one has a brown brase with bokels twayne-
Thies are sayn flFranceys folke ]?' sayen alle schaft fey worthe
1 60 They aren so ferse and so fresche þay feghtyn bot seldom
I wote wele for wynnynge they wentten fro home
his purse weghethe futt wele that wanne thaym alt hedire-
("^^he fourthe Banere one the bent was brayde appon lofte
■ B 1 with bothe the Brerdes of blake a Balke in the myddes
^^-^ Reghte siche as the sonne es in the someris tyde
when it hase moste of y maye one Missomer euen-
That was Domynyke this daye with dynttis to dele
with many a Blesenande beryn his Banere es stuflFede
and sythen the pope es so priste thies prechours to helpe
170 and fFraunceys with his folke es forced besyde
and atte the ledis of the lande ledith thurgh witt
There es no man appon molde to machen )?aym agayne
ne gete no grace appon grounde vndir god hym seluen-
Pnd ȝitt es the fyfte appon þe folde |?° faireste of |jam atte
a Brighte Banere of blee whitte with three bore-hedis
The ordire oiy austyns for aughte {jat I wene
fFor fiay are the ordire þat louen oure lady to serue
If I scholde say þe sothe it semys non othire
Bot ]7at the freris with othere folke shaft y felde wynn-
I
1 80 Q_^2^^ he sexte es of sendeft and so are þay alle
whitte als the whalles bone who-so the sothe tellys
with beltys of blake bocled to-gedir
The poyntes pared off rownde f»° pendant a-waye
and atie the lethire appon lofte fat one-lowe hengeth
1 85 Schynethe afte for scharpynynge of the schauynge iren.
Be any crafte þat I kan Carmes thaym semyde
ffor by the Blussche of the belte the banere I knewe
And othere synes I seghe sett appon lofte
Some of witnesse of wolle and some of wyne tounnes
190 Some of Merchandes merke so many and so thikke
That I ne wote in my witt for atte this werlde riche
whatt segge vnder the son«e can the sowme rekken-
And sekere one ]7at other syde are sadde men of armes
Bolde sqwyeres of blode bowmen many
195 þat if thay strike one stroke stynt þay ne thynken
Till owthir here appon hethe be hewen to dethe-
Ml^nntvs anJr SWaiEitOtt):^.
'or-thi I bid 30W bothe that thaym hedir broghte
That ȝe wend with me are any wrake fafte
To oure comely kyng that this kythe owethe
200 and fro he wiete wittirly where þe wronge ristyth
Thare nowthir wyes be wrothe to wirche als he doeth"
Off ayther rowte ther rode owte a renke als me thoghte-
knyghtis fuft comly one coursers attyred
and sayden " Str Sandisman sele the be-tyde-
205 well knowe we the kyng he clothes vs bothe
And base vs fosterde and fedde this fyve and twenty wyntere
Now fare fi" by-fore and we schatt folowe aftire'"
and now are þaire brydefts vp-brayde and bown one þaire Vv^ayes
They lighten doun at þe launde and leued thaire stedis
2iokayren vp at the clyffe and one knees fallyn-
The kynge henttis by þe handes & hetys þam to ryse
and sayd " welcomes heres as hyne of oure house bothen-"
The kynge waytted wyde and the wyne askes-
Beryns broghte it anone in holies of siluere-
215 Me thoghte I sowpped so sadly it sowrede bothe myn eghne-
and he þat wilnes of this werke to wete any forthire
full' freschely and faste for here a ffitt endes-
ot than kerpede the kynge- sayd " kythe what ȝe hatten
and whi the hates aren so bote 30ure hertis by-twene
If I schait deme 30W this day dothe me to here-''
" Now certys lorde " sayde þat one "the sothe for to telle
I hatt wynnere a wy that alle this werlde helpis
fFor I lordes cane lere thurgh ledyng of witt
Thoo þat spedfully will spare and spende not to grete
225 lyve appon littill-whattes I lufe hym the bettir
witt wiendes me with and wysses me faire
aye when [I] gadir my gudes than glades myn hert
Bot this felle false thefe þat by-fore 30we standes
Thynkes to strike or he styntt and stroye me for euer
230 atte þat I wynn thurgh witt he wastes thurgh pryde
I gedir I glene and he lattys goo sone
I pryke and I pryne and he the purse opynes-
why base this cayteflfe no care how men corne sellen
his londes liggen atte ley his lomes aren colde
235 Downn bene his dowfehowses drye bene his poles
The deuytt wounder one the wele he weldys at home
Bot hungere and heghe bowses and howndes futt kene
Safe a sparthe and a spere sparrede in ane hyrne
a bronde at his bede-hede biddes he non o]jer
240 Bot a cuttede capitt to cayre with to his frendes
Then will he boste with his brande & braundesche hym ofte
This wikkede weryed thefe that wastoure men calles
That if he life may longe this lande will he stroye
flfor-thi deme vs this daye for drightyns loue in heuen
24s To fighte furthe with oure folke to owthire fey worthe"
ee wynnere " quod wastoure " thi wordes are hye-
Bot I schatt teft the a tale that tene schall the better-
when thou haste waltered and went andwakede alle þe nyghte"
and iche a wy in this werlde that wonnes the abowte
250 And hase werpede thy wyde howses futt of wolle sakkes
The Bemys benden at the Rofe siche Bakone there hynges
StuflFed are sterlynges vndere stelen boWndes
what scholde worthe of that wele if no waste come-
Some rote some ruste some Ratons fede-
255 let be thy cramynge of thi kystes for cristis lufe of heuen
late the peple and the pore hafe parte of thi siluere
ifor if thou wyd-whare scholde walke and waytten the sothe
Thou scholdeste reme for rewthe in siche ryfe bene the pore-
ffor and thou lengare thus lyfe leue thou non oper '
260 Thou schaft be hanged in helle for that thou here spareste
flFor siche a Synn haste þou solde thi soule in to helle
j-f jSo.] And there es euer wellande woo worlde with-owtten ende-"
ate be thi worde wastoure " quod wynnere the riche-
" Thou melleste of a mater tho madiste it thi seluen
265 (7^ with thi sturte and thi stryffe thou stroyeste vp my gudes
In playinge and in wakynge in wynttres nyghttis
In owttrage in vnthrifte in angarte pryde
There es no wele in this werlde to wasschen thyn handes
1 M.S. no x\o'^er.
That ne es gyffen and grounden are þe it getyn haue
270 Thou ledis renkes in thy rowte wele ry[c]hely attyrede-
Some hafe girdills of golde þat more gude coste
Than afte þe faire fre londe that ȝe byfore haden
30 folowe noghte 30ure flfadira þat fosterde 30W aite
a kynde herueste to cache and comes to wynn
275 ffor þe colde wyntt^r and þe kene with gleterand frostes
Sythen dropeles drye in the dede monethe
And thou woiie to the tauerne by-fore }?" tounwe hede
Iche beryne redy withe a bolle to blerren thyn eghne
hete the whatte thou haue schalle and what thyn herte lykes
280 wyfe wedowe or wenche |?at wonnes there aboute-
Then es there bott fifte In & feche forthe florence to schewe
" wee hee " and " worthe vp " wordes ynewe
Bot when this wele es awaye the wyne moste be payede fore
Than lympis 30we weddis to laye or 30ure londe seiie
285 ffor siche wikked werkes wery the oure lorde
and for-thi god laughte that he louede and leuede ]jat oper
Iche freke one felde ogh þe ferdere be to wirche-
Teche thy men for to titie and tymen thyn feldes
Rayse up thi rent howses ryme vp thi ȝerdes
290 Owthere hafe as þou haste done and hope aftir werse
f)at es firste þe faylinge of fode and than the fire aftir-
To brene the atte at a birre for thi bale dedis
The more colde es to come als me a clerke tolde-"
ee wynnere " quod wastoure " thi wordes are vayne-
with oure festes and oure fare we feden the pore-
It es plesynge to the prynce f^at paradyse wroghte
When cristes peple hath parte hym payes atte the better
Then here ben hodirde and hidde and happede in cofers
That it no Sonn may see thurgh Seuen wyntter ones
300 Owthir it freres it feche when thou fey worthes
To payntten with thaire pelers or pergett with thaire wattes
Thi Sone and thi Sektours ichone sees othere
Maken dale aftir thi daye for thou durste newer
Mawngery ne Myndale ne nener myrthe louediste
305 a dale aftir thi daye dose the no mare
J)an a lighte lanterne late appone nyghte
Now wolde god that it were als I wisse couthe
That thou wynnere thou wriche and wanhope thi brothir
310 And eke ymbryne dayes and euenes of sayntes
The frydaye and his fere one the ferrere syde
were drownede in the depe see there neuer droghte come
and dedly synn for thayre dede were endityde with twelue-
and thies beryns one the bynches with howes one lofte
3 1 5 That bene knowen and kydde for clerkes of the beste
als gude als arestotle or austyn the wyse
That aile schent were those schalkes- and scharshull it wiste-
þat saide I prikkede with powere his þese to distourbe-
flfor-thi comely kynge that oure case heris
320 late vs swythe with oure swerdes swyngen to-gedirs
lOI
ffor now I se it es futt sothe þat sayde es futt ȝore
The richere of ranke wele the rathere will drede
The more hauande þat he hathe the more of hert feble-
ot than this wrechede wynnere fuH wrothely he lukes
225 ^ 1 Sayse " Ipi's es spedles speche to speken thies wordes
loo this wrechide wastoure that wyde-whare es knawenn
Ne es nothir kaysser ne kynge ne knyghte þat the folowes
Barone ne Bachelere ne Beryn that thou loueste
Bot fonre felawes or fyve that the fayth owthe
330 And he schall dighte thaym to dyne with dayntethes so many
þat iche a wy in this werlde may wepyn for sorowe
The Bores hede schaft be broghte with plontes appon lofte
Buk-tayles full brode in brothes there be-syde
venyson with the frumentes and fesanttes futi: riche
335 Baken mete ther-by one the burde sett
Chewettes of choppede flesche charbiande fowlis
and iche a segge þat I see has sexe mens doke-
If this were nedles note anothir comes aftir
Roste with the riche sewes and the ryatte spyces
340 Kiddes cleuen by >' Rigge quarterd swannes
Tartes of ten ynche þat tenys myn hert
To see þe borde ouer-brade with blasande disches
Als it were a ray led Rode with rynges and stones -
The thirde mese ta me were meruette to rekken
345 flfor afte es Martynmesse mete þat I with moste dele
Noghte bot worttes with the flesche Vv^ith-owt wilde fowle
Saue ane hene to hym that the howse owethe
And he will hafe birdes bownn one a broche riche
Barnakes and buturs and many billed snyppes
350 larkes and lyngwhittes lapped in sogoure
wodcokkes and wodwales fuH: wellande hote
Teeles and titmoyses to take what hym lykes
355 [March-pa]ne þat men clepe '^our mawes to fitt
360 [Tha« w]il ]jay say to þam selfe as þay same rydew
ȝe hafe no mjster of þe helpe of j;^ heuen kyng
þus are ȝe scorned by skyft & schathed þeraftir
þat rechen for a repaste a rawnsow? of silu^r-"
Bot one I herd m a haule of a herdma^^s tonge
365 Better were meles many þan a mery nyghte-
And he þat wilnes of pz's werke for to wete forthe
ffuft freschely & faste for here a fit endes-
ee wyn;2ere " quod wastoure" I wote well tny seluew
what saft lympe of þe lade wi't/iin fewe ȝeris
370 ^^^ thurgh þe poure^ plente of corne J?* þe peple sowes
1 The bracketed words and letters cl. 353-360, etc. are purely conjectural ; the
M.S. has been torn away.

• (?) omit. ^ (?) pure.
  Qpat god witt g^'aunte of his grace to growe on þe erthe
  Ay to appaire y pris & passe nott to hye
  schal make þe to waxe wod for wawhope in erthe
  To hope aftir an harde ȝere to honge ])i seluen
  375 woldestp J?" hafe lordis to lyfe as laddes on fote
  prelates als prestes y þe panschen ȝemes
  prowde marchandes of pris as pedders in towns
  late lordes lyfe als jpam liste laddes as þam falles
  f)ay þe bacon and beefe þay Botours and swannes
  380 l^ay þe roughe of þe Rye þay þe rede whete
  {þay þe grewett gray and |?ay þe gude sewes
  and þen may þe peple hafe parte in pontes þat standes
  Sum gud morsell of mete to mend with þair chere-
  If fewlis flye schold forthe and fongen be neuer
  385 and wild bestis in þe wodde wone al þaire lyue
  and fisches flete in þe flode and ichone ete oper
  ane henne at ane halpeny by halfe ȝeris ende
  schold not a ladde be in londe a lorde for to s^rue-
  þis wate þe fuit well witt^rly y seluen
  390 who so wele schal wyn a wastoz^re * he fynde
  ffor if it greues one gome it gladdes anoper'"
  ''^ '^^^ ■'ow " quod wynwer to wastoure " me wondirs in hert
  Of thies -poure penyles men |ȝat peloure will by
  r%:^ ;▼ Sadifts of sendale with serceles 2 fuiJ riche
  395 lesse and ȝe wrethe 30«r wifes faire willes to folowe
  1 In margin, with mark of omission after wastoK, (?) moste.
  2 Serceles, prob. serce[ngjles, (?) MS. seroles.
  ȝe sellyn wodd after wodde in a wale tyme
  Bothe þe Oke and þe assche and aft þat þer growes
  þe spyres and ]?" ȝonge sprynge ȝe spare to -^our children
  & sayne god wil grauwt it his grace to grow at þe last[e]
  400 flFor to saue to 30^^ sones bot þe schame es 30^^ ownn
  Nedeles saue ȝe þe soyle for sett it ȝe tliynlsen
  30«r forfadirs were fayne when any frende come
  ffor to schake to þe schawe & schewe hym þe estres
  In iche holt J>* fay had ane hare for to fynde
  405 Brywg to ]?* brod lauwde Bukkes ynewe
  To lache & to late goo to lightten þaire hertis
  Now es it sett & solde my sorowe es þe more
  wastes afte wilfully -ifOur wyfes to paye
  that are had lordes in londe & ladyes riche
  410 Now are jjay Nysottes of j?^ new gett so nysely attyre[d]
  with elde ' slabbande sleues sleght to j?* grouwde
  Ourlede aft vmbtowme with Ermyn aboute
  þe?iX. es as harde as I hope to handil in þe derne
  Als a cely symple wenche )?* nener silke wroghte.
  415 Bot who so lukes on hir lyre oure lady of heuen
  how scho fled for ferd ferre out of hir kythe
  Appon ane amblande asse wz'tA-dwtten more prz'de
  Safe a barne in hir barme & a broken heltre
  þat Joseph held in hys hande þat hend for to ȝeme
  420 all-þofe scho wait al þzs werlde hir wordes ^ wer pore
  flFor to gyf ensa»?ple of siche for to schewe oper
  flfor to leue pompe & pride þat pouerte ofte schewes-"
  Ihan þe wastoure wrothly caster vp his eghne
  & said " Jȝ" wyimere j?" wriche me wondirs i« hert
  425 "^fcJ^ what hafe oure clothes coste ]þat caytef to by
  "þat J)" schal birdes vp-brayd of þaire bright wedis
  sythe;? þat we vouche safe þat þe silver payen
  It lyes wele for a lede his lemwan to fynde
  aftir hir faire chere to forthir hir herte
  430 Then will scho loue hym lelely as hir lyfe one
  Make hym bolde & bown wtt/i brandes to smytte
  To schonn schenchipe & schame þer schalkes ere gadird [f- i8ib.]
  & if my people hym prode me payes aite þe better
  To see þam faire & free to-fore wz't^ myn eghne
  435 & ȝe negardes appon nyghte ȝe nappen so harde
  Routten at -iour raxellywg raysen j/our hurdes
  ȝe beden wayte one þe wedir þen wery ȝe þe while
  þai ȝe nade hightilde vp 30^^ houses & 30^^ hyne raysed
  fFor-thi wywnere wztA wronge J*" wastes þe tyme
  440 ffor gode day ne glade getys þe nener
  þe deuytt at þe dede-day schal delyn þe gudis
  þe )?" woldest ]?' it were wyn I?ay it nener
  þe skathill sectoures schal sener þam aboute
  & þe base heite fuft hotte for þat ]?" here saued
  445 f)" tast tent one a tale j?* tolde was fuft ȝore
  I hold hym madde J»' mowmes his make for to wyn
  hent hir þat hir haf schal & hold hir his while
  Take y coppe as it comes þe case as it falles
  ffor vvho-so lyfe may lengeste lympes to feche
  450 woodd J?* he waste schalt to warmen his helys
  flFerrere >an his fadir dide by fyvetene myle-
  Now kan I carpe no more bot Sir Kyng by ])' trouthe
  Deme vs where we duett schatt me thynke þe day hyes
  ȝit harde sore es myn and harmes me more
  455 Kuer to see in my syghte ])at I in soule hate-"
  ''he kynge louely lokes on þe ledis twayne-
  I says "blyn;?es beryns of ^our brethe and of 30ure brode worde
  and I schal deme 30W this day where f duette schall
  Aythere lede in a lond þer he es loued moste-
  460 wende wynwere þe waye oner þe wale stremy
  Passe forthe by Paris to þe Pope of Rome
  þe cardynatts ken þe wele will kepe þe ful faire
  and make y sydes in silken schetys to lygge
  and fede þe and ioster þe and forthir thyn hert
  465 as leefe to worthen wode as y to wrethe ones-
  Bot loke lede be þe lyfe whew I letires sende
  þat þe hy fþo me home on horse or one fote
  and when I knowe y wi» co[me] he schait cayre vttire
  470 ffor fofe y bide in j^^s burgh to y be[ryinge-day] •
  1 This conjecture is doubtfu there was evidently a tailed letter after 6e-
  io8 Wtianntrt attU mtaStonvt, mvptiiOir i,]
  þer moste waste es of wele & wyng[es-ther-titi]
  Chese y forthe in-to þe chepe a chambre f" rere
  475 loke y wy[;?]dowe be wyde & wayte \f aboute
  where any potet beryn thrugh y burgh passe
  Teche hyw to y tonne till he tayte worthe
  Doo hym drynk al nyȝte ];at he dry be at morow
  Sythen ken hym to the Crete to comforth his vaynes
  480 Bry;?ge hym to bred strete bikken þe iynger
  Schew hym of fatt chepe scholdirs ynewe
  hotte for þe hungry & a hen oper twayne
  Sett hym softe one a sete & sythe send after
  Bryng out of þe burgh þe best þe may fynde
  485 & lake thi knave hafe a knoke bot he þe clothe spred
  Bot late hym paye or he passe & pik hym so clene
  þai fynd a peny in his purse so pict owte his eghe '
  when f)' es dro^ken & don duett þer no long^;;'
  Bot teche hyjn owt of the townn to trotte aftir more
  490 Then passe to þe pultrie þe peple þe knowes
  and ken wele þe Katours to knawen þe fode
  the herons þe hasteletez þe henne wele sgme[d]
  þe pcrtrikes þe plouers þe oper pulled byrddes
  þe albus )jis ojjer foules þe Egretes dere
  495 ]3° more þe^ wastis y wele þe better þe wynwer lykes
  & wayte to me þe wynere if j?" wilt wele chese
  when I wende appon werre my wyes to lede-
  {for at þe proude pale[i]s of parys y riche

Textual Notes to Wynnere and Wastoure

• 1 MS. no no^er.
• 1 /. e., on iche ha[l]fe.
• 1 (?)flytynge.
• 1 i.e., "filleinne"(f./. 281).
• 1 (?) elne. ^ (?) An error for wedes.
• 1 (?) read egh[n]e. Something is probably lost between this and the next lines.

Glossary to Wynnere and Wastoure

brases, braces, 113
brauden, plaited, 113
brayden owte, drawn out, 52
bred strete. Bread Street, Cheapside, brenden (?) the author's error for"brent" (cp. " brent gold "), or perhaps a scribal error for " brouden," t. e. bro}den, deftly worked, 144
brerdes, borders, 164
broche, spit, 348
brode (?)=bro)7e, violent, 457
brothes, broths, 333
buk-tayles, buck-tails, 333
burde, board, table, 335
bynche ; " silken b.," silken bench or cushion, 87
caban, cabin, booth, tent, 59
capill, horse, nag, 240
Carmes, the Carmelites, 180-187
case, chance, 448
cely, simple, 414
charbiande; " ch. fowlis," roast fowls; " charbiande," prob. = charbinade = charbonade, cp. O.Fr. " charbonade," " carbonade," carbonado, 336
checkun (?)=aketoun, a sort of quilted jacket, worn under the mail; here perhaps = ornamented quilted cloth (perhaps the form of the word suggested chequer, a cloth marked with squares), 116
chepe ( = schepe), sheep, 481
chere ; " appon c." (?) in appearance (perhaps = chaere), 24
chewettes ; " ch. of choppede flesche," mincemeats, 336
chyn-wedys, beard, 24
clene, bright, 1 1 2
conynges, rabbits, 353
Crete, place name, tavern, where " Crete " wine was sold, 479
custadis, custards, 353
cutted, bob-tailed, 240
daderande, trembling, 97
dadillyng, flapping, 44
dale, division, 303, 305
dariols, pastries, 354
dayntethes, dainties, 330
dede, death, 313
dede monethe, the dead months, the unproductive months of the year, 276
derne, darkness, 413
dische-metis, dish-meats, ? spoon-meats, doke, portion ; cp. " dockett," piece, 337
Domynyke, St. Dominic, founder of the Dominican Friars, 167
dropeles, dropless, rainless, 276
drye, dryness, 276
egretes, herons, 494
elde ; " elde slabbande," prob. elneslabbande, i.e. ell-long, 411
eldes, grows old, 9
endityde, indicted, 313
Estirlynges, Easterlings, i.e. natives of Eastern Germany, Hanse merchants (a valuable reference, as, according to the New English Dictionary, " the word seems not to have been found as English before the XVIth. century" ), i®. Hv^ty: Wtvhovum, estres, hidden parts, 403
fawked, seized (by the "fawcons"), (?)c/. "fauc" = sickle, 98
" feche forthe," fetch forth (exclamatory), 281
ferd, fear, 416
ferdede, marched, assembled, 138
ferdere, more eager, 287
ferdes, military expeditions, armies, 123
ferdnes, fear, 98
fewlys^falcons (the falcon was a favourite badge of Edward III.), 9B fey, doomed to death, dead, 245, 300
flitt, fit, passus, 217
fit, 367
ffranceys, description of the banner of the Franciscans, 156-162
" fille in," fill in (exclamatory), 281
flakerande, flapping, 92
flesche, meat, 346
ilete, float, swim, 386
florence, florins, 281
flowres of Fraunce, etc., the fleurs-delis (the arms of France, quartered by Edwardlll. 1337; Edward's shield was seme with fleurs-de-lis), 78
flyttynge = flytynge, debating, argument, for, against, 275
forthi, because, 286
free, happy, noble, 434
frende, advocate, 155
frumentes, frumenty (wheat boiled in milk), 334
" frydaye and his fere one the ferrere syde," I.e. Saturday, 311
full, fill in, 217, 367
garters of Inde, the blue garter of the " Order of the Garter," 62
gate, road, highway, 359
gett; "the new g," the new fashion, 410
glene, glean, 231
" god laughte that he louede and leuede )7at o]7er," (?) an allusion to the history of Cain and Abel, 286
goullyng, howling, 359
grene ; " bende of grene with three hedis, etc.," standard of the Lawyers, grewell, gruel, 381
hafe, side, 145
happede, wrapped up, hidden, 298
" hares appon herthe-stones," etc., proverbial expression in Alliterative Prophecies {c/>. "Ercyldoun's Prophecy," Reliquiae Antiquae, vol. i., p. 30), hasteletez, hastlets, 492
hattful, hateful, 73
hauande, having, possessions, 323
he ; " of h," high, 64
hegh-walles, woodpeckers, 38
bene, hen, 347
henne, hens, 492
henne ; " h. at ane halpeny," 387
henppe, hemp, 145
here, army, 50
heres, (?) gentles ; more prob. a scribal error for " here," 212
hete, to promise, offer, 279
" hethyng haue the hathell jjat any harme thynkes," z'.e. Honi soit qui mal y pense," 68
R I®. iviþty; Wtvtovum, [mppmrtij: i.] hightilde vp, put in order, settled up (prob. = eghtild, M.E. ahtlien, its form being due to " hi}tlien," to adorn), hipped, hopped, 38
hodirde, huddled, 298
howes, lawyers' caps (the description reads much like a reference to lawyers' wigs, but the next line evidently goes with "he dis white-herede"), 150
hurcle, squat, 13
hurdes, household, 436
hye, high and mighty, 246
hyegthe, = hyeth, 11
hym (?)=hit, 241
hyne, servants, retainers, 212, 438
hyrne, corner, 238
iarmede, = charmed; made a noise as birds, 40
jupown, tunic, 115
juste, well-fitting, 115
katours, caterers, 491
kayren, move, go, 210
kembid, kempt, combed, 151
Kirke of Colayne (an allusion to the tradition that the three kings were buried at Cologne), 503
kirtill, kirtle, tunic, 90
kynde ; " in the k." naturally, 117
kythe, native country, 416
kythe, make known, 218
laddes on fote, footmen, 375
lapped; " 1. in sogoure," wrapped, covered with sugar, 350
laughte, took, chose, accepted, 286
launde, meadow-land, lawn, 54, 405
lawe, hill, 49
lebarde, leopard, crest of Edward III., 74
lefe; " J^i lefe [lacche]," z'.e. take thy leave, 469
lesse and, lest that, 395
lett of, made much of, 27
ley, untilled, 234
littill-whattes, trifles, little, 225
loken, enclosed, 49
lomes, implements, 234
lowked, locked, 45
lympis, it behoves, 284
lyngwhittes, linnets, 350
lyre, face, 415
[March-pa] ne (purely conjectural), marchpane, 355
Martynmesse ; " m. mete," Martinmass food, 345
mawngery, feast, 304
merke, mark, boundary, place, 356
, " merchandes m.," merchant's badges, 190
mese, mess, course, 344, (?) messes, 356
missomer, midsummer, 166
mournes, laments, cries (as in despair), myndale, commemoration feast, 304
myster, need, necessity, 361
nade, had not, 438
nappen, nap, 435
negardes, niggards, 435
neghande, nigh, 43
note ; " nedles n.," not luxury enough, nysely, foolishly, 410
nysottes, fools, 410
W. ittUt); Sferijorttttt. "3
one-lowe, below, 184
ouer-brade, spread over, covered, 342
ourlede, adorned, 412
owthire, either, 245
owttrage, excess, 267
pales = paleis, palace, 498
pared off rownde, cut round, rounded, parischen, parishioners, 376
pawnee, coat-of-mail, 112
payes, it satisfies, 433
pedders, pedlars, 377
pelers, pillars, 301
peloure, fur, 393
pendant, hanging ornament, 183
pergett, parget, plaster, 301
pict, pecked, 487
plunket, coarse wollen cloth (lit. stuff the colour of lead "plongue"), 65
pontes ; " p. that standes ; " (?) fishponds; or, perhaps, pontes=pounds, i.e. standing capital), 382
potet, (?) plaited, starched ; (?) c/>. " poted cuffe " {i.e. cuff set by the "putting-sticks "or "setters:" referred to in Stubbes's "Anatomy of Abuses"), Heywood's Troia Britannica ; 476
prechours, the Dominicans, the Black Friars, 169
priste, bold, urgent, 169
prode (?)=prude, proude ; pride themselves, are adorned, 433
pryke (?) pin together (Gower has the phrase "to prinche and to spare" (?); " pryke " = " pryke," i.e. " prynke "), pryne, pin together, 232
pulled, plucked ready for cooking, 493
pultrie, the Poultry, Cheapside^ 490
pysayne, gorget, 112
raughten, reached, 42
ratons, rats, 254
raxellyng, stretching (in sleep), 436
rayled, adorned, 343
raylede, bedecked, adorned, 60
rede whete, red wheat, 380
refreyte, burden of a song, i reme, cry, 258
rewthe, ruth, pity, 258
ridde, to part combatants, settle a broil, rigge, back, 340
roungen, made a ringing noise, 39
routten, snore, 436
ruyde, noisy, 42
ryfe, abundance, 258
sadde, serious, brave, 193
sadly, seriously, 1 7 ; heavily, 2 1 5
same, together, 360
sandisman, messenger, envoy, 204
saue, = sawe, sow, 401
say, let him say, 18
schake to, to go to, make for, 403
schauynge iren (?), razor; "the lethire schynethe alle for scharpynynge of the schauynge iren." (Did the Carmelites use their leathern belts for stropping their razors ? Were the Carmelites specifically " the shaven Friars"?) 185
schenchipe, ignominy, 432
schiltrons, troops, bands, 53
sectoures, executors, 443
R 2
W, MQtv Wtvhovxim. ['^VpmUij: {.] sektours, executors, 302
selcouthes, wonders, 3
sele, bliss, 204
sendale, cendal, a rich stuff, 394
serce[ng]les, (?) saddle-girths, surcingles, 394
sewes, juices, sauces, 339 ; foods, dishes, sqwyeres, squires, 194
showen, shoven, 53
skathill, harmful, noxious, 443
skyll ; " by sk," reasonably, 362
slabbande, trailing in dirt, 411
sleght, slackened, let down, 411
snyppes, snipes, 349
sowpped, supped, drank, 215
sowrede, soured, made uneasy ( ? error for "sowede," t.e. stung; cp. Pari., 286), 215
sparrede, enclosed, kept, 238
sparthe, halberd, 238
spedles, useless, vain, 325
spyres, sprouts, 398
spyces ; " ryalle sp." royal spices, 339
stelen, steel, made of steel, 252
sterlynges, starlings, 252
stroyeste vp, destroyest altogether, 265
stuff ede, clad, 142
stuffede (with), (?) crammed with, or perhaps supported by, 168
sturte, impetuosity, 265
styntt, stops, 229
swyngen, combat, fight, 320
"tartes of ten ynche," 341
tast, takest, 445
teeles, teals, 352
that, would that, utinam, 317
thoo, those, 224
"thre Bibulles of ble white" (on black ground), the Pope's banner, 144
threpen, speak, chide, argue, 37
thynke, think thou, remember, 103
titmoyses, titmouses, 352
to, till, 245
tonne, tun, cask, 477
tounen, tune, blow (the trumpets), 358
tounne hede, the tun-head, 277
trompers^ trumpeters, 358
trynes, goes, marches, 122
tuly, red (O.F. tieuU, tile-colour), 82
tuttynge, projecting, 82
twelue, twelve men, a jury, 313
tymen (?), to work with a team, or, in rotation; perhaps an error for "tyruen," to roll, 288
þay .... þay, these .... those, 379þofe, though, 470
vmbtourne, slashed, 412
vmbygon, tied round, 118
e, surrounded, 62
vnthrifte, extravagance, 267
vp, used intensively, 265 (?), 438
wale, choice, excellent, famous, 34, 460 ; ; "in a w. tyme," in a good time, in a good mood, 396
waltered, wallowed, turned about, 248
wayte, watch, 437
waytten, see, observe, notice, 257
waytted wyde, looked far and wide (?), surveyed them, 213
weddis, pledges, 284
"wee hee " (exclamation), 282
W, Mtsty: ©erbotttm. "5
wellande, burning, surging, 262
wellande bote, boiling hot, 351
went, turned, 248
were, ware, spend, 442
werped, formed by the warp, 64
werpede, thrown, filled (? cp. "wharf"), wery, curse, 437
weryed, cursed, 242
Westwale, Westphalia, 140
wete, know, 216
whalles bone, whale-bone, walrus tusk, wisse, direct, 308
wodd, wood, timber, 396
wodwales, witwalls, 351
wodwyse, satyr, 71
worttes, vegetables, 346
" worthe vp " (exclamatory), 282
wrethe, to anger, 465
wryeth, turns aside, perverts, harms, 6
wyd-whare, far and wide, 257
wyde-whare, 326
wyng[es ]7er]-till (?), where there are wings to it (to weal), 473
ymbryne dayes, embei days, 310
ȝape, bold, vigorous, 75
ȝemes, look after, 376

Appendix: Texts Illustrative of "The Nine Worthies"

Gollancz's second appendix: the sources and analogues from which his poet's roll-call of the Nine Worthies descends — an English extract from the Cursor Mundi (early thirteenth century), French stanzas from the Vœux du Paon tradition, Older Scots stanzas from the Buik of the most Noble and Vailzeand Conquerour (the Scots Alexander), Latin tags naming the Nine, and a closing scrap of Gower's balade to Henry IV. Given here in the languages Gollancz printed them in — English, French, Latin, and Scots — without translation, as illustrative apparatus rather than the edition's core text.

I. CURSOR MUNDI (beg. Xlllth century).
(MS. R, 38, Trinity College, Cambridge.)
Here begynneþ þe boke of story es þai men callen Cursor Mundi:
Men ȝernen iestes for to here,
And romaunce rede in dyuerse manere ;
Of Alisaunder |je conqueroure,
Of Julius Caesar J7e emperoure,
5 Of Greke & troye the longe strif,
þere mony mon lost his lif :
Of bruyt þat baron bold of honde,
Furste conqueroure of engelonde ;
Of King Arthour þat was so riche
10 Was noon in his tyme him liche ;
Of wondres fat his knyȝtes felle
And auntres duden men herde telle,
As wawayn Kay & oþere ful abul,
For to kepe þe rounde tabul :
15 How Kyng charles & rouland fauȝt,
With Sarazines nolde þei neuer be sauȝt,
Of tristram & of Isoude þe swete,
How þei wiþ loue firste gan mete ;
Of kyng Ion & of Isombras ;
20 Of Idoyne & of amadas ;
Storyes of dyuerse þinges
Of princes prelates & of Kynges
Many sanges of dyuerse ryme,
As englisshe frensshe & latyne.
25 Nedeful me J)inke hit were to man
To knowe himself how he bigan,
How he bigan in worlde to brede,
How his osprynge bigan to sprede,
In what cours þis world is put.
n. þrom PHILIPPE MOUSKET'S " CHRONIQUE "
(early Xlllth century) : —
30 Des .iij. lois vous sai je bien dire
Les ,iij. mellors, tot sans desdire.
Ogiers, au dit des anciens,
Si fu li mieudres crestiens.
Li mioudres paiens fu Etor :
35 Cil ot le cuer plus gros d'un tor ;
Ja, s'il n'eiiist la vie outree,
Troie ne fust si desiertfee ;
Etor trenqioit os, car et niers,
Vers lui ne duroit fus ne fiers.
40 Li mioudres jui's, li plus preus
Tu, pour voir, Judas Macabeus.
nppmnir Hf.J ^trt» MlmtvuUbt of "^ht mint miavifim,'
Des .iij, lois vous ai je nommds
Les .iij. c'on a mellors clam6s,
Et pour Ogier et pour Rollant
45 Vous ai remis Ector avant
Et Judas Macabeu le fort
Dont Sainte glise fait racort.
III. EXTRACT FROM " LES VCEUX DU PAON,"
jBy jfacques de Longuyon^ circa 13 12
{from MS. Bib I. Nat. Fr. 1590).-—
Car puis que Dieu ot fait Adam a son plaisir
Ne nasqui chevalier, qui en faiz ^ maintenir
50 D'une seule jornee peust autant soffrir.
Voirs est qu' Ector fu large desmesur^ement,
Car, si com les poetes nous vont ramentevant,
Quant li rois Menelaus a son efforcement
Vint assegier en Troie le riche roi Priant
55 Pour Elayne sa fame qu'il amoit durement
Que Paris ot ravie ainz eel assamblement,
Hector ^ de la cite prist la gouvernement,
Es issues c'on fist par son enortement
Tua • XIX rois sus son cors deffendant,
60 Et amiraus et contes, ce croi je, plus de. c.
Puis I'occist Acillez mout traiteusement.
Alixandre le large, dont je vois ci parlant,
Qui vainqui Nicholas et Daire le persant
Et occist la vermine des desers d'Oriant
65 Et saisi Babyloine la fort cite plaisant
Ou il morut apres par enpoisonnement,
Reconquist en ' xij. anz trfes viguereusement
Quanque Ten puet trouver dessouz le firmament ;
N'encor ne li plut mie, ainz dist apertement
70 A ses barons .j. jor qu'il tenoit parlement
Qu'il avoit poi de terre en son gouvernement.^
Cesar prist Engleterre qui tot conmunement
lert nommee Bretaingne, il ala longuement
Et soumist as Roumainz le roi Casibillant.
75 Pompee son serouge gui I'aloit guerroiant
Desconfist il en Grece et tel plente de gent
Qu'il n'est home qui onques en veist autretant.
Puis prist Alexandrie la riche et la manant,
Aufrique, Arrabe, Egypte et Surie ensement,
80 Et les illes de mer dessi en Occident.
Paien furent cil .iij. dont je puis dire tant
Que meilleurs ne nasqui aprez eus ne devant.
Escrit trius en la Bible et el Viel Testament
Les nons des .iij. juis qui anciennement
85 Firent tant c'on les loe partout communement
Et loera, je croi, si qu'a definement.
2 Allusion a deux passages du roman d' Alexandre, ed. Michelant, þe. 13, v. 16 et
þe. 249, V. 8.
JosuE vous devons nonmer premierement.
Par sa sainte priere, par son souhaidement,
Parti le flun Jourdain a travers droitement,
90 Et passerent a sec sans nul enconbrement
Les Juis qu'il avoit en son gouvernement.
Vers midi guerroia cil preudons longuement.
Ou .xij. rois conquist asses parfaitement
Lesquels il destruist toz asses honteusement,
g5 Et ne lor lessa terre, cite ne casement
Qu'il ne feist torner a son conmandement.
David remist a mort Golias le jaiant
Qui de lone ot .vij. coutez ou plus, mien esciant,
Et maint felon paien fist venir a noient,
100 Et fu en grans batailles partout si bein cheant
C'onques hons nel pot rendre vaincu ne recreant.
De cestui puet chascuns dire certainement
Qu'il fu .j. sains pechierre de hardi convenant.
Judas Macabeus restoit de tel talent
105 Que se tout ceux del siecle li fussent au devant
Armez com por bataille felenesse et nuisant,
Ja tant comme il eiist o soi de remanant
.1. home contre .x. nel veist on fuiant.
Cil Judas Macab6e dont je vois rimoiant
no Mist Apolonius a mort en conbatant,
S'occist Anthiocus qu'il aloit guerroiant
Et Nicanor aussi et maint autre tirant
III. cresfienz resai tiex c'onques hons vivant
Ne vit a meillor d'eus porter hiaume liusant.
115 N'Artus qui tint Bretaingne va le bruit tesmoingnant
Que il mata Ruston, .j. jaiant, en plain champ,
Qui tant par estoit fort, fier at outreciudant
Que de barbes de rois fist fere ,j. vestement,
Liquel roi li estoient par force obeissant ;
1 20 Si vost avoir I'Artus mais il i fu faillant.^
Sus le mont saint Michiel en roccist .j. si grant
Que tuit cil del pais en furent merveillant.
En plusors autrez lieus, se I'estoire ne ment,
Vainqui cil rois Artus maint prince outrequidant.
125 Charlemaine qui France ot toute a son commant
Suspedita Espaingne dont morut Agoulant.
Desiier de Pavie toli son tenement
Et sormonta les Saisnes si tres parfaitement
Par mainte grant bataille, par maint toueillement,
iȝoQu'il furent, maugre eus, a son commandement.
El lieu ou Diex morut pour nostre sauvement
Remist il le baptesme et le saint sacrement.
Bien redoit on nomer haut et apertement
GoDEFROi DE BuiLLONT qui par son hardement
135 Es plains de Roumenie desconfit Solimant,
1 " II faut lire Hi'fon ou Rithon au lieu de Ruston. II s'agit du gcant Ritho, dont
Geoffroi de Monmouth (x. 3) raconte la ddfaite, et qui figure dans divers romans
post^rieurs. L'histoire du geant du Mont-Saint-Michel est racontee par Geoffroi de
Monmouth dans le m^me chapitre ; " P.M.
Et devant Anthioche Tamirant Courberant
Le jor que Ten occist le fil a roi Soudant.
De Jerusalem ot puis le couronnement
Et en fu rois clamez .j. an tant seulement.
140 Or ai je devise tout ordeneement
Les. IX. meillors qui fussent puis le conmandement.
Que Diex ot fait le ciel et la terre et le vent.
II se maintindrent bien et ass^s longuement ;
Mais onques en lor vies, en .j. jor seulement,
145 Ne souJBFrirent tel paine ne tel encombrement
Com Porrus qui ains ot voue si hautement
Souffri en la jorn^e dont je tieng parlement.
IV. þrom THE SCOTTISH VERSION OF THE PRE-
CEDING, "THE BUIK OF THE MOST NOBLE
AND VAILZEAND CONQUEROUR ALEXAUNDER,"
or, " THE AVOWIS OF ALEXANDER,"
Composed 1438 : —
Thocht sum men say his vndertaking.
May nocht fulfillit be in all thing,
] 50 At the last for the best doere,
Men suld him hald baith far and neir.
For sen that God first Adame wrocht,
In all this warld ane knycht was nocht.
That anerly at ane I owne,
15 e aucht sa auansit for to be,
Suith it is gude Hector was wicht,
and out of mesure mekill of mycht.
For at the poynt beris witnessing.
Quhen Menelayus the mychty King,
1 60 assegit in Troy the King Priant,
For Elene that was sa plesant,
That Parys forrow that semble,
Reuisit for hir fyne beaute,
Hector on him the gouerning,
165 tuke of the town and the leding,
Into the half thrid ^eir all anerly.
that he loued throw cheualry.
Of crouned Kingis he slew nynetene,
But dukes and erlis as T wene,
1 70 That was sa fell it is ferly,
Syne Achilles slew him tressonabilly.
Gude Alexander that sa large was,
That wan Daurus and Nicholas,
And slew in Inde the great vermyne.
175 Babylon he conquered syne,
Quhare he deit throw poysoning,
Rang seuin ȝeir as nobill King,
Wan all this warld vnder the firmamen,
That on ane day in plane parliament,
1 80 He said he had in allkin thing,
Our lytill land to his leuing.
Cesar alsua that Ingland wan,
All that was callit Bertane than.
To thame of Rome maid vnder lout,
185 Cassabylon the King sa stout.
In Grece alsua discumfit he,
Pompeyus his mauch is sic plenty
Of men that neuer ȝit quhare,
War sene sa mony as thay ware-
190 Syne Alexander the great Citte,
AfFrik and Asia als wan he,
Egypt alsua and Syrie
And mony vther fare countre,
And the yles of the sey all hale,
195 that war sa mony withouttin fale.
Thir war Paganes that I of tald,
And I dar suere and for suith hald,
that better than thay war neuer borne,
Efter that tyme na ȝit beforne.
200 Of thir thre lowes we find it writ,
the auld Testament witnesis it,
thay did sa mekle that commonly-
All men thame lufis generally.
And as I trow sail lufe thame ay,
205 Euermare quhill domisday.
losua suld first named be,
That was ane man of great pouste,
the flum lordane partit he euin in tua,
throw his wisdome and prayers alsua,
210 And stude on ilk syde as ane wall,
Quhill his men our passed all ;
towart the south he taryed lang,
Quhare tuelfe Kingis wan he styth and Strang.
And destroyit thame velanusly,
2 1 5 And reft thame thare landis halely ;
they turned to his commandement,
And to him war thay obedient.
Dauid slew Golyath with strenth,
That seuin halfe ellis had of lenth,
220 And mony ane fell pagan he brocht,
Maugre thairis all to nocht,
And was ouer all sa wele doand,
That he was neuer recryand,
Bot in battell stout and hardy,
225 Men may say of him tantingly-
ludas Machabeus I hecht,
Was of sik vertew and sik micht,
that thoch thay all that lyfe micht lede
Come shorand him as for the dede,
230 Armit all for cruell battale,
He wald not fle forouttin faill,
Quhill he with him of alkin men,
Micht be ay ane agenes ten.
That ludas that I heirof tell,
235 Slew Antiochus the fell,
And appollonius alsua,
Nicanor als and mony ma.
Of thir thre christin men I can tell heir,
That neuer na better in warld weir,
240 Arthur that held Britane the grant.
Slew Rostrik that stark gyant.
That was sa stark and stout in deid.
that of Kingis beirdis he maid ane weid,
The quhilk Kingis alluterly,
245 War obeysant to his will all halely,
He wald haue had Arthouris beird,
And failzeit for he it richt weill weird ;
On mount Michaell slew he ane,
that sik ane freik was neuer nane,
250 and ma gyantis in vther places sua.
Bot gif the story gabbing ma,
Charles of France slew agoment,
and wan Spane to his commandement.
and slew the duke of Pauy,
255 and wan the Saxones halely.
Throw great battell and hard fechting,
that thay war all at his bidding,
and quhair God deit for our sauetie,
He put the haill christintie ;
260 Men aucht to lufe him commonly,
Baith in peirt and priuaty.
Gaudefere the bullony throw cheualry,
Into the plane of romany,
Wincust the michty salamant,
265 And before anthioche corborant,
Quhen the King sardanus was slane,
Than was he King him self allane.
Of Jerusalem syne ane ȝeir and mare.
Thir ar the nyne best that armes bare ;
270 I haue deuysit zow ordourly,
that leuit weill and cheualrusly,
Bot neuer thair lyfetyme on ane day,
tholit thay sik pyne and sik afiray,
As Porrus that sa haltanly,
275 Avowit had throw cheualry,
Amang the ladeis that war fre,
Quhen the poun to deid brocht he.
The great battell of Effesovn.
V. From HUCHOWNE'S " MORTE ARTHURE," c. 1380/
11. 3406—3446.
Take kepe ȝitte of other kynges, and kaste in thyne herte,
280 That were conquerours kydde, and crown;zede in erthe ;
The eldeste was Alexandere, that alle the erthe lowttede ;
The tother Ector of Troye, the cheualrous gume ;
The thirde lulyus Cesare, that geant was holden^,
In iche jorne jentille, a-juggede with lordes ;
285 The ferthe was str ludas, a justere fulle nobille,
The maysterfulle Makabee, the myghttyeste of strenghes ;
The fyfte was losue, that joly mane of armes,
That in lerusalem oste fulle myche joye lymppede ;
The sexte was Dauid the dere, demyd w^'t-^ kynges
290 One of the doughtyeste that dubbede was eu^r,
ffor he slewe witti a slynge, be sleyghte of his handis,
Golyas the grette gome, gry»«meste in erthe ;
Syne endittede in his dayes alle the dere psalmes,
T/iat in i/ie sawtire ere sette with selcouthe wordes.
295 The two clymbande kynges, I knawe it for-sothe,
Sall(2 Karolus be callide, the kvng sone of Fraunce ;
He salle be crowelle and kene, and conquerowr holden^,
Couere be conqueste contres ynewe ;
He sallg encroche the crowne that Crist bare hym selfene,
300 And //zat lifeliche launce, that lepe to his herte,
When he was crucyfiede one crose, and alk the kene naylis,
Knyghtly he salk conquere to Cristyne men hondes,
The X.other sallg be Godfraye, that Gode schalle reuenge
One th& Gud Frydaye with galyarde knyghtes ;
305 He salle of Lorrayne be lorde, be leefe of his fadire,
And syne in Jerusalem myche joye happyne,
fFor he salk coue;' the crosse be craftes of armes,
And synwe be corownde kynge, with krysome enoynttede ;
Sallg no duke in his dayes siche destanye happyne,
310 Ne siche myschefe dreghe, whene trewthe salle be tryede !
fFore-thy ffortune tht fetches to fulfills the nowmbyre,
Atts nywne oi the nobileste namede in erthe ;
This salk in romance be redde vfith ryalle knyghttes,
Rekkenede and renownde with ryoto«5 kynges,
315 And demyd one domesdaye, for dedis of armes,
ffor tha doughtyeste />^at Qxxer was duelland in erthe :
So many clerkis and kynges salk karpe of 30ure dedis.
And kepe 30ure conquestez in cronycle for tner !
VI. ANE BALLET OF THE NINE NOBLES.
(End of the XlVth century : from Fordun's Chronicle, Univ. Lib.,
Edin., vide Laing's " Select Remains!''^
De nouem nobilibus.
Hectour of Troy throu hard feichthyngis,
320 In half thrid ȝeris slew xix kyngis,
And ammirallis a hundred and mare,
Wyth small folk at vnrackynnit war ;
He slew sa fell, at wes ferly,
Qwham Achilez slew tresnabli.
325 Alexander als nobil a kyng.
In xij ȝeris wan throw hard feichtyng,
Al landis vnder the formament !
Egwhethir adai in till parlement.
He said, he had but variance,
330 Our litill in till his gouernance.
Julius Cesar wan hailily
The ilis of Grece, and all Surry ;
Aflfrick, Arab, Bretan wan he.
And discumfit his mawche Pompe :
335 Throw hard batell, stalward stour.
He war the first was emperour.
The gentill Jew Schir Josue,
Anek xxx kyngis throw weir wan he ;
And conquirit the landis also.
340 The flum Jordan pertit in two
Throw Goddis grace, and Strang power ;
Men suld hym lofF on gret maner.
Dauid slew mychthy Golias,
And Philistens at felon was ;
345 He wes so wycht, et weill feichtand,
That he wes neuer sene recriand ;
Thair for men call him, loud and still.
A trew prophet of hardy will.
Michty Judas Machabeus
350 Jn bathell slew Antiochus,
Appolonius and Nichanore,
At in his dais wald neuer shor,
No multitud be adred of men,
Thoff he war ane eganes ten.
355 Arthur wan Dace, Spanȝe, and France,
And hand for hand slew giantis ;
Lucius the publik procuratour
Of Rome, wyth milleonis in stalwar stour ;
And in till Paris Schir Frollo,'
360 In lystis slew wythoutin mo.
1 This personage, who is introduced to exemplify the prowess of Arthur, according
to the Chronicles, was a Roman knight, governor of Gaul. His name and that of
" Lucyus the emperour of Rome " are frequently alluded to.
Charles of France slew Aygoland,
And wan Spanȝe fra hethoun land ;
He slew the sowden of Pavi,
And wan the Saxonis halily ;
365 And quhar God deid for our saft^,
He put haly the Cristante.
Godefrey Bolȝone slew Solimant,
Before Antioche, and Cormorant,
Quham he throu ful strak had ourtane,
370 Throu cops and harmez his glave in gane ;
Sere hethownis he slew throu hard feychtyng,
And of Jerusalem a ȝeir was Kyng.
Robert the Brois throu hard feichtyng
With few venkust the mychthy Kyng
375 Off Ingland, Edward, twyse in fycht,
At occupit his realme but rycht ;
At sum tyme wes set so hard,
At hat nocht sax till hym toward.
ȝe gude men that thir balletis redis,
380 Deme quha dochtyast was in dedis.
^eyW JUttStfattfat of ♦* STiie Mine imovthit&."
VII. EARLY MUMMING-PLAY ON THE NINE
WORTHIES (XVth century.)
(Tanner MS. 407, iemp. Edward IV. ; first printed by Ritson.)
IX. Worthy.
Ector de Troye. Thow Achylles in bataly me slow
Of my wurthynes men speken i-now.
Alisander.
385 Julius G^sar.
JosuE.
Davit.
And in romaunce often am I leyt ^
As conqueror gret thow I seyt,^
Thow my cenatoures me slow in Conllory,^
Fele londes byfore by conquest wan I.
In holy Chyrche ye mowen here and rede
Of my wurthynes and of my dede.
Aftyr that slayn was Golyas
By me the Sawter than made was.
Judas Macabeus. Of my wurthynesse ȝyf ȝe wyll wete
Seche the Byble, for ther it is wrete.
Arthour. The Round Tabyll I sette with Kynghtes
strong,
ȝyt shall I come agen, thow it be long.
» (?) corruption of " curia," or " capitolie."
U
135 'Etrtfi WlttStfatifae of "SCht Mint Wlotthit^,"
Charles. With me dwellyd Rouland Olyvere
In all my conquest fer and nere.
GODEFREY DE
BOLEYN.
And I was kyng of Iherusalem
The crowne of thorn I wan from them.
VIIL VERSES ON EARLIEST WOOD-BLOCK,
(circa 1420,)
Preserved in Bihl. Nat. Fr. {anciens fonds fran. No. 9653) ;
The Nine Worthies are vividly depicted with their heraldic
devices ; these lines explain the several personages.
400 Hector.
Je suis Hector de Troie ou li povoir fu grans.
Je vis les Greciens qui moult furent puissans,
Qu'assegier vinrent Troie ou ils furent lone
tamps.
Ja occis XXX rois come preus et vaillans.
Archiles me tua, ja ne soies doubtans
Devant que Dieu nasqui XIIP et XXX ans.
Al-EXANDER.
Por ma force conquis les yles d'oultre mer,
D'Orient, d'Occident me fit sire clamer ;
Roy d'Aize (Asie) desconfis : Porus vols con-
quester,
Et le grant Babilonne pris toutte i gouvener.
Tout le monde conquis, mes pour empuis-
sonner
VIII" ans de devant Dieu me fist an afiner.
415 Julius C^sar.
(?) XLI«
Empereur fu de Romme et en maintins les
drois.
Engleterre conquis, France et les Navarois.
Pomp^e desconfis et tuis ses grans conrois ;
Et Lombardie oussi fu raise i mes valoirs
Et tous les Allemans. Puis fu occy tous frais
Devant que Dieu nasqui, VIP * ans avoec III.
Joshua.
Des enfans d'Israel fu ge forment am6s.
Dieu fist maintes vertus pour moi ; c'est
Veritas.
Le ruuge mer parti. Puis fu par moi passes
Le flum Jourdain. S'enfut maint paien
aflSner.
XXII, rois conquis, puis moru, n'en doubtez,
V ans devant che que Jhesus Crist fus n6s.
430 David.
Je trouvai son de harpe et de psalterion ;
Je tuai Goliat le grand gaiant felon :
En bataille et ailleurs me tint ou a preudom.
Apr^s le roi Saul maintens la region,
Et je prophetizai le Dieu de nacion.
Bien IIP ans devant son incarnacion.
tlP^rts SUttiSttattbt of " Efit Mint WlovtUitg.'
Judas Maccabeus. Je tins Ih^rusalem et le loy de Moise,
Qui estoit quand je vins a perdicion mise
Les ydoles ostai, si mis la loy juise.
Antiocus tuay dont la gent fut occise,
440 Et Apodonion ; puis moru, quand gy vise,
C ans avant que Dieu ot char humaine prise.
Arthur.
Je fu roy de Bretaigne, d'Escoche et d'Engle-
terre ;
Maint roi alme je vos par ma force conquerre ;
Le grant gaiant Zusto fis morir et defaire.
Sus le mont Saint Miciel un aultre en alai
querre.
Je vis le sang Greal; mes la mort me fist
guerre,
Qui m'ochit V" ans puisque Dieu vint sur
terre.
Charlemagne.
Je fu roy des Rommains, d'Alemagne et de
France
Je conquis toutte Espaigne et la mis en
creance
Jauniont et Agoullant ochis par ma puissance
Et les Sainnes aussi destruisi par vaillance.
Plusieurs segneurs rebelles mis h. obeissance,
Puis moru VHP ans aprfes Dieu la naissance.
Sejjts Sllujetttattbe of "BTiie Mint WLovtUitg,'
Godfrey of
Bouillon.
Je fu due de Buillion dont je maintins
I'ounour.
Por gerrier paiens je vendis matenour.
Es plaines de Surie je conquis I'Aumachour
Le roi Cornumarant ochis en I estour,
Iherusalem conquis et le pais d'entour.
Mors fut XP ans aprfes Nostre Segnour.
IX. PROLOGUE TO PROSE " ALEXANDER "
(from MS. belonging to the end of the XlVth or beginning of
XVth century) :
Bruns' Altplattdeutsche GedicMe (1798): —
KoNiNG Karl. Wol mi, dat ek ju wart.
Al Sassenlant han ik bekart.
Artus.
An mynem hove mach me schawen
fitter, spel, schon juncvrauwen.
GOTFRIT.
Cristus graf wer mer
dat wan ek mit minen her.
David.
Ek was en clene man :
Golliat den resen ek overwan.
475 Judas.
To stride was ek unvorsaged.
Van dem velde wart ek nu gejaget.
JosuE.
Got let my de sunnen Stan :
dre un drittich koninge ek over- wan.
Julius. To Rome was ek en heiser grot
480 Pompeo dede ek grote not.
Hector. Ek hebbe vochten mennigen strut.
Achillis sloch mi ; dat was nyt.
Alexander. Mir ist wol gelungen
Al de werlt ban ek bedwungen.
X. PASSAGES FROM THE TWO XVth CENTURY
SCOTCH "ALEXANDER BUIKS."
(a.) From Sir Gilbert Hay^s ^^ Buik of Alexander. ^^
485 All thus to Venus chalmer haif thay gaine
The Bauderane ȝung Gandefere and the Marchian
Quhair physonas, ydory, and Edea
In chalmer ver vithe mony Ladeis ma
Thair vas ȝung Bites chosin king of Luife
490 And maid ane aithe that he sould but reprufe
Of all demandis gif richteous judgment
Belangand luif treulie by his entent
Than Cassamus sayd to the presoneris
Vit ȝitt the Lordingis that in this chalmer thair is
495 That ȝe sould heir be blythe in your entent
And put away diseis and matalent
And think of nathing bot on ioy and blyt^nes
for anter of vere is every manis caice.
Malancolie puttis menis hairtis doune
500 And puttis all freindis to confusioune
And makis oure fais blythe of our malice
And dois thame sorrow qulien ve ar veill at eis
Than sould ve schaip to mak our freindis faine
Throw blythnes putt our fais to paine
505 Thus confort he the vourthe King of Mede
Quhilk had anuche of blythenes or he ȝeid
for he vas syne so he in amouris sett
Vithe ane that efter vele his barret bett
for he was louit vithe Ladye Ydory
510 Quhilk vas the fairest and the maist lusty
Of all the Ladyis that vas in that place
Nyst Gandeferis sister dame physonas
The Baudriane vas ane Vourthie man of hand
Ane fair persoune of ony in all the land
515 And cuming doone fra the vourthe Strynd of Troy
And micht veill seme to be ane Ladees ioy.
The chalmer vas fare and richelye arrayit
And eik the bauderane vas richt vele appayit
To be in keiping of Dame Ydory
520 To hald him hljt/ie and strenthe malancoly
Bot Physonas movit vithe jelosey
Sayd to Dame Ydory all preuelye
Ze haif not failȝeit for to cheis at richt
for ȝe haif chosin ane freche and vourthe Knicht
525 of onie that is takin in this place
and lyk to stand into his Ladeis grace
Madame sayd scho treuly be my guid fay
Quhen I him saw in feild this hinder day
I had of him na suthefast vttering
530 Of his valour na that he vas a king
Bot as me thocht he beare him vourthely
And him defendit vonder manfully
Quhill hors micht stand quhat my* he syne do mair
Syne hors and man held baithe togidder thair.
(b.) From " The Buik of the most noble and vailzeand ConquerourP
535 The Bauderane Cassamus and Betys,
That was ioyfull & ioyus
Come in the chalmer of quhilk the wall,
Of gold clenely was pantit all,
With siluer als and with asour,
540 Made sindre things of sere colour ;
Thare fand thay Fesonas and Ideas,
And the fare dame Idorus.
Quhan thay saw thame cumand neir,
Thay rais sone and on thair maneir,
545 Thay welcumed thame with fare wordis in hy,
And by the hand richt courtesly,
Ilkane tuke vther and syne thay ȝeid
To sit on sege and silken weid.
Ay tua and tua dame Fesonas
550 Sat vmest and syne the Bauderane was,
Idorus syne and syne Betys,
Syne Ideas the fare of face,
And Cassamus sat all the last ;
Ideas he embrased fast
555 And to hir said he damysell,
My hart I gif to the all hale,
But velany thocht or mauite,
Thairof thy hart sail sikker be.
Cassamus was wyse and wyly,
560 Glaid & ioyfull in cumpany.
And in battell cruell and kene.
And greatly of the warld hes sene.
The ginnes knew he hale I wis.
To forzet dule and begin blis ;
565 He wald nicht glaidly set his pane,
For to reioyce the Bauderane.
Cassamus said quhat think ze syre.
This chalmer will noutter haue wraith na ire.
For this is dame Venus hous,
570 That to lufaris is delytious,
Quha heis hir lufe him behouis,
Here may nane duell bot he that lufis.
XL HARL. MS. 200 ; XVth century handwriting.
Mj. Pagani. -iij. Judei.
Hector, Alex, Julius, David, Josue, Machabeus,
.iij. Christiani.
Carolus, Arthurus et precellens Godefridus.
X
XII. LANSD. 762 ; temp. Henry VII.
Saraceni. Jud^i.
Ector, Alex, Julius ; David, Josue, Machabeus.
Cristiani.
Artur cum Carolo, Galfridum linquere volo:
ISTI SUNT TER TRES TRINI FIDES MELIORES.
Sn faacl)abeus, iiauiii, antj Josue,
^ce (Eijarlemagne, (gotifaB, antr attftus,
jFulfilTr of hjerre antJ of mortality :
Mtv fame atit, tut a\ is banite,
jpor iiet^e, toljici) ijat!) tl)e toerres bntiet fote,
l^ati) tnatie an entie, of tobici) tbere is no bote."
Gower's Balade to
King Henry the Fourth.

Textual Notes to the Appendix

• 1 MS. Fait. * MS. Hestor.
• 1 MS. Ex.
• 1 i.e. esteemed, honoured. ^ (?) = sey't, ie. say it.

Colophon

Edition: Israel Gollancz, ed., The Parlement of the Thre Ages, an Alliterative Poem of the XIVth Century, now first edited from Manuscripts in the British Museum, with Introduction, Notes, and Appendices containing the Poem of "Winnere and Wastoure," and Illustrative Texts (London: Nichols and Sons, for the Roxburghe Club, 1897).

Witness: HathiTrust page-image OCR of the Roxburghe Club printing (source identifier ark:/13960/t9v12m19c; digitized from the Cornell University Library copy), 176 pages, sha256 7eaef308f805bdb97b289829d78a25310105616f556c8d7cae189e48a2db994c.

Public-domain status: first published 1897; the author, editor, and publisher have been dead well over 70 years, and Cornell's own copy carries no known U.S. copyright restriction. Public domain in the United States.

Mechanical cleanup: Library bookplate matter, running heads, catchwords, and signature marks were stripped throughout. Thorn (þ) and yogh (ȝ) — flattened by OCR into ASCII substitutes such as "p", "3", "j?", "]>", "|>", "f>" — were restored by pattern and verified in context; the safer subset of these patterns was used in Gollancz's own modern-English prose (Introduction, Notes, Glossaries, Index, Appendix II) to avoid colliding with ordinary English words and page-citation abbreviations, while the full pattern set was used in the two Middle English poems themselves. Decorative drop-cap initials, split from the rest of their word by the scan, were rejoined; a small number of marginal name-glosses and stray catchword fragments, duplicating text already present in the verse, were dropped as decorative debris rather than substantive content. No Middle English wording was altered, modernized, or abridged; Gollancz's own editorial square-bracket conjectures and textual footnotes are preserved throughout. One short quoted stanza of Gower's balade to Henry IV, at the close of Appendix II, is OCR-damaged beyond confident mechanical repair and is given as extracted rather than silently reconstructed.

Structure: the Parlement of the Thre Ages (Gollancz's main text, MS. Add. 31,042) is followed by the Ware fragment (MS. Add. 33,994), which Gollancz printed on facing pages for the stretch it covers and which is given here as a continuous block for readability rather than interleaved; then Gollancz's Notes, Glossary, and Index of Proper Names to the Parlement; then Wynnere and Wastoure (Appendix I) with its own glossary; then Appendix II, the illustrative texts behind the Nine Worthies tradition.

No translation was made or attempted; this is a diplomatic archival cleanup of a nineteenth-century scholarly edition, not a Good Works Translation, and the Blood Rule accordingly does not apply to the compiling of it.

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