1546.It may be right to retain the spelling of the MS.—“kinghe;” for, though strange and unusual, it occurs again inl. 2527.P. 46,l. 1556.wende, weened.1560.in to his contrare, against him.1568.trewis, truce.1575.his powar, his chief army.1576.by the yhere, by the ear, privately.1579.cold, called; as inl. 753.P. 47,l. 1597.home fair, go home.1608.And; redundant in modern English. For many of the precepts given by Amytans the author must have been indebted to Gower, or, at any rate, to the author of theSecreta Secretorum. See Gower; Conf. Amantis; ed. Pauli, lib. vii; vol. 3, pp. 152-159. And cf. Tyrwhitt’s note to the Canterbury Tales, l. 16915; and Warton’s Hist. Eng. Poetry.P. 48,l. 1628.lest, least;low, law. It requires care to distinguish the two meanings oflow, viz.loveandlaw.1633.Iug, judge.P. 49,l. 1660.sar, sorely.1666.A line omitted. The inserted line is purely conjectural.P. 50,l. 1704.pupelle, people.1708.Inwyus, envious.1716.longith, belongeth.1717.the lykith, it likes thee, thou art pleased.P. 51,l. 1724.betak til hyme, confer upon him.1730.essy,easy.1736.for the nonis, for the occasion. See White’s Ormulum.1739.vn to the vorthi pur yow if, unto the worthy poor thou give.1742.set nocht of gret substans, though not of great value.1754.alowit, approved of.P. 52,l. 1761.tynith, loseth.1763.atonis, at once.1771.resawe, receive.1773.with two, also.P. 53,l. 1791.well less, al-out, much less, altogether. The punctuation hereabouts in Stevenson’s edition is very wild.1795.wys, vice;the wrechitness, thy miserliness.1797.pass the courss, go thy way.1808.vrech, wretch; but here used instead ofmiser.1812.viss, vice.1814.ben y-knawith, are known (to be) (?).1815.dant, daunt.1822.the ton, the one.P. 54,l. 1832.beis var, beware.1834.colde, cool.1852.onys, once.1855.whar-throw, through which, whereby.P. 55,l. 1864,awn, own. The metre requires the more usual formawin.1879.dispolȝeith, despoileth.1881.For-quhi, wherefore. In this line the MS. has “scrikth.”P. 56,l. 1899.most nedis, must needs.Ye=the; i.e. The one, He.1909.Mot, might.1917.inshould beinto, as elsewhere.P. 57,l. 1940.havith, hath.1950.hot, hight, is called.P. 58,l. 1966.wnepwnist, unpunished.1990.omend, amend;spill, destroy.P. 59,l. 2011.ayre, are.2012.duclar, declare; so alsodulayfor delay.2017.the god werray, the Very God.P. 60,l. 2036.For-quhi, wherefore.2040.mad, made.2041.clergy, science.2062.be the mycht dewyne, by the might divine.P. 61,l. 2069.far, fare.2079.helyth frome the ground, heals from the bottom; i.e. effectually.2100.not sessith, who ceaseth not.P. 62,l. 2107.Ne war, were it not for;hartly, hearty; it occurs again four lines below.2135.yneuch, enough. He means he will ask but one question more.P. 63,l. 2148.To passing home, to go home.2162.thexxiiijday. The firstiin the MS. is like a “v” smudged over; we should read “xxiiij,” as inl. 2155. The contraction is to be readfour and twentieth, nottwenty-fourth; so also inl. 610.P. 64,l. 2190.hal dure, hall door.2192.o iorne most for to comend, a journey most to be commended.2194.lowith, love.P. 65,l. 2212.the fewar eschef thay, the less they achieve.2229.“For no adventure will prove so great, that ye shall not achieve it.”2241.whill, until.P. 66,l. 2247.galot; so in MS.2265.grant mercy, great thanks; Fr.grand merci.2267.quhy, because.P. 67,l. 2279.thithingis, tidings; probably an error of the scribe fortithingis. Stevenson haschichingis!2284.al-out, altogether.2304.oft syss, oft-times. See Glossary (Syss).2306.dante, dainty.2310.tithandis, tidings; comparel. 2279.P. 68,l. 2323.aw, owe.2328.fantessy, fancy, notion.2334.for no why, for no reason.2337.mon I fair, must I go.2338.our son It waire, over soon it were.2342.For-quhy, because.P. 69,l. 2352.norhas the force ofbut.2366.be ony men, by any means.2368.on of tho, one of them.2375.chen of low, chain of love.2376.and if ȝhe may deren, an if you may declare.P. 70,l. 2409.hartly raquer, heartily require.2416.gar ordan, cause to be provided.P. 71,l. 2428.prewaly disspone, privily dispose.2436.ellis-quhat; I suppose this means, “he was on fireelsewhere.”2448.hamlynes, homeliness.2452.fest throw al the ȝher eliche, feast through all the year alike.P. 72,l. 2469.commend, commended.2470.he drywith, he driveth, pursueth. The reading is notdrawith, as in Stevenson.NOTES TO BOOK III.P. 73,l. 2471. This line is too long, and the sense imperfect; but there is no doubt about the reading of the MS.2474.Awodith, expels.2475.doune valis, falls down; for it is evident thatvalisis an error forfalis, the mistake having arisen from confusion with the succeeding line.2480.cled, clad.2487.bygown, begun. In the next line Stevenson hassown; but the true reading isRown, run; as inl. 2820.2492.barnag, baronage, nobility.P. 74,l. 2522.but dulay, without delay;the, they.2524.thar com, their coming.2530.in the dogre, in its (due) degree.P. 75,l. 2545.Or that, ere that.2552.he and hate, high and hot.2558.the can, they began.P. 76,l. 2574.hyme mak, prepare himself; or perhaps simply, make (for the field), go.2582.helmys last;lastclearly meanslaced; seel. 2250.2594.Ȝhit, although.2599.dout, fear.2600.is assemblit, made an attack. The peculiar use ofassemblemust always be borne in mind.2601.erd, earth.P. 77,l. 2612.found till gwyans, go to Gwyans.2614.til esquyris thei sewyt, after Esquyris they followed.2619.one to the melle socht, made their way to the mêlée.2627.don bore, borne down.2630.Fifty thousand. It would appear that Galiot had 40,000, of whom 10,000 were heldin reserve; so that inl. 2632only 30,000 are mentioned. Seel. 2569,2647.P. 78,l. 2646.ten, sorrow, vexation.2656.resauf, receive.2663.at thar come, at their coming;led, put down.2670.biding one the bent, abide on the grassy plain.P. 79,l. 2679. “That, despite their efforts, they must needs retire.”2684.stud aw, stood in awe; see note tol. 1506.2693, 4. These lines do not rime. But we should certainly readfelde,erdehaving slipped in from confusion withl. 2691. The knight of Galloway goesto the field, i.e. joins battle.P. 80,l. 2712.On ayar half, on either side. The MS. omitsto.2713.of, off.2714.noiss, nose.2731.Bot nocht forthi, But not on that account.P. 81,l. 2754.harmys, loss.2761.aucht to ses, ought to cease.2765.at, that.2768.my lef, my leave, permission.2770.in to cage, in prison.P. 82,l. 2802.commandit, commended.P. 83,l. 2819.one athir half, on either side.2820.rown, run.2821.howyns; an ungrammatical form; perhapshowyngis meant.2827.one hycht, on height; i.e. aloud.2829.sterith, stirreth.2833.“The lady of Melyhalt made (her way) to him, and immediately caused his couch to be placed before a window.” Mr Stevenson reads,“Of Melyhalt the lady to hyme maidIncontinent his couche, and gart he1had,” etc.i.e. “The lady immediately made his bed for him,” etc.2841.wencust, vanquished. After this word we should perhaps insert “at,” as inl. 3336.P. 84,ll. 2877-2880. These lines were printed by me for the first time, four lines having been here again omitted by Mr Stevenson.2880.but weyne, without doubt.2884.to led and stere,to lead and direct.P. 85,l. 2893.Endlong, along.2894.weryne, were.2913.let, hinder.P. 86,l. 2925.dulay, delay; as in several other places.2938.fek, effect.2944.ȝude, went.2947.fair, welfare.P. 87,l. 2964.Whill, until.2970.ho, stop, pause.2971.veryng In affray, were in terror.2972.rovm, room.2978.socht, made his way.2984.disponit, intends; but we must insert “not,” to complete the sense and the metre.P. 88,l. 2998.eschevit(used passively), is achieved.3003.o knycht, a single knight.3005.tais, takes.3006.fays, foes.3013.onys or the nycht, once ere the night.3015.that ȝhe have gilt to mend, to amend that in which ye have trespassed.P. 89,l. 3052.Do at I may, Do that which I can.P. 90,l. 3065. This line is printed by Mr Stevenson,“Curag can [ ] encresing in2his hart”;but it is not clear that a word is wanting, for the metre is as complete as in many other lines; whilst, as regards the sense, “the knycht” is probably a nominative without a verb, andl. 3065means, “Courage did increase in his heart.” Or the reader may, if he pleases, insert “fele.” Comparel. 3058.3066.lap, leaped.3079.Observe the omission of the word “neither” in this line.3080.persit, pierced.3086.onan, anon. A.S.on-án.P. 91,l. 3093.In samyne will, with like intent.3100.bet axampil, better example.3104.bot, unless;me fall, befall me.3108.one vthir, another.3120.send, sent.3121.lewit one, left one.3122.but mercy, without mercy.P. 92,l. 3134.deliuer besynes, clever readiness.3136.aray, livery.3140.Ee, eye.3146.the morow new, the early morning.3160.deith, dead.3162.Suppos, although.P. 93,l. 3178.Nor; we now usebut.3184.ward; see Glossary.tho, then.P. 94,l. 3200.relewit, relieved.3201.diuerss placis sere; assere=diuerss, one of these words is redundant. So inl. 3266.3207.ewil awysit, ill advised.3217.“And if it so happen, that they be discomfited.”P. 95,l. 3240.leuch, laughed;sarues, service.3246.al haill, all whole.3248.x thousand mo, ten thousand, and more.3259.abaid, delay.3263.aucht, eight.3265.petws for til her, piteous to hear.P. 96,l. 3297.dreuch, drew.3299.fellit, fallen.3304.levyng, leave.P. 97,l. 3307.sest, ceased.3321.askit at, asked of.3331.Wencussith, vanquisheth.3340.in to one, continually; which is sometimes the sense of A.S.on-án.P. 98,l. 3353.to fillyng, to fulfil.3357.soght, came on; see Glossary.3359.Ne war, etc., “Had it not been that they were, individually, the better men.”3364.ralef, relieve.3368.fellith, feeleth.P. 99,l. 3384.virslyng, wrestling,i.e.entangled with; a strong expression!3385.assalȝeing, assail.3390.rowmyth, roometh, emptieth.3403.departit, parted.3404.dout, fear.P. 100,l. 3412.left, failed.3423.The lord, i.e. Galiot, as I suppose; Mr Stevenson has, “The Lord.”3430.stere, to stir, move, come.P. 101,l. 3450.pretendit, endeavour.3457.occupye, employ.3461.For one hour, etc., “On account of suffering distress for one hour.”3470.the well less, much less; seel. 1791.3471.berd, beard.3473.o woyss, one voice.3475.eschef frome yhow, not,winfrom you; but,withdrawhimself from you. See Glossary.P. 102,l. 3481.wend thai var no mo, thought they were no more.3487.And sich enconter, and such encounter. These three words are written at the bottom of the page as a catchword. The rest of the MS. is wanting.
1546.It may be right to retain the spelling of the MS.—“kinghe;” for, though strange and unusual, it occurs again inl. 2527.
P. 46,l. 1556.wende, weened.
1560.in to his contrare, against him.
1568.trewis, truce.
1575.his powar, his chief army.
1576.by the yhere, by the ear, privately.
1579.cold, called; as inl. 753.
P. 47,l. 1597.home fair, go home.
1608.And; redundant in modern English. For many of the precepts given by Amytans the author must have been indebted to Gower, or, at any rate, to the author of theSecreta Secretorum. See Gower; Conf. Amantis; ed. Pauli, lib. vii; vol. 3, pp. 152-159. And cf. Tyrwhitt’s note to the Canterbury Tales, l. 16915; and Warton’s Hist. Eng. Poetry.
P. 48,l. 1628.lest, least;low, law. It requires care to distinguish the two meanings oflow, viz.loveandlaw.
1633.Iug, judge.
P. 49,l. 1660.sar, sorely.
1666.A line omitted. The inserted line is purely conjectural.
P. 50,l. 1704.pupelle, people.
1708.Inwyus, envious.
1716.longith, belongeth.
1717.the lykith, it likes thee, thou art pleased.
P. 51,l. 1724.betak til hyme, confer upon him.
1730.essy,easy.
1736.for the nonis, for the occasion. See White’s Ormulum.
1739.vn to the vorthi pur yow if, unto the worthy poor thou give.
1742.set nocht of gret substans, though not of great value.
1754.alowit, approved of.
P. 52,l. 1761.tynith, loseth.
1763.atonis, at once.
1771.resawe, receive.
1773.with two, also.
P. 53,l. 1791.well less, al-out, much less, altogether. The punctuation hereabouts in Stevenson’s edition is very wild.
1795.wys, vice;the wrechitness, thy miserliness.
1797.pass the courss, go thy way.
1808.vrech, wretch; but here used instead ofmiser.
1812.viss, vice.
1814.ben y-knawith, are known (to be) (?).
1815.dant, daunt.
1822.the ton, the one.
P. 54,l. 1832.beis var, beware.
1834.colde, cool.
1852.onys, once.
1855.whar-throw, through which, whereby.
P. 55,l. 1864,awn, own. The metre requires the more usual formawin.
1879.dispolȝeith, despoileth.
1881.For-quhi, wherefore. In this line the MS. has “scrikth.”
P. 56,l. 1899.most nedis, must needs.Ye=the; i.e. The one, He.
1909.Mot, might.
1917.inshould beinto, as elsewhere.
P. 57,l. 1940.havith, hath.
1950.hot, hight, is called.
P. 58,l. 1966.wnepwnist, unpunished.
1990.omend, amend;spill, destroy.
P. 59,l. 2011.ayre, are.
2012.duclar, declare; so alsodulayfor delay.
2017.the god werray, the Very God.
P. 60,l. 2036.For-quhi, wherefore.
2040.mad, made.
2041.clergy, science.
2062.be the mycht dewyne, by the might divine.
P. 61,l. 2069.far, fare.
2079.helyth frome the ground, heals from the bottom; i.e. effectually.
2100.not sessith, who ceaseth not.
P. 62,l. 2107.Ne war, were it not for;hartly, hearty; it occurs again four lines below.
2135.yneuch, enough. He means he will ask but one question more.
P. 63,l. 2148.To passing home, to go home.
2162.thexxiiijday. The firstiin the MS. is like a “v” smudged over; we should read “xxiiij,” as inl. 2155. The contraction is to be readfour and twentieth, nottwenty-fourth; so also inl. 610.
P. 64,l. 2190.hal dure, hall door.
2192.o iorne most for to comend, a journey most to be commended.
2194.lowith, love.
P. 65,l. 2212.the fewar eschef thay, the less they achieve.
2229.“For no adventure will prove so great, that ye shall not achieve it.”
2241.whill, until.
P. 66,l. 2247.galot; so in MS.
2265.grant mercy, great thanks; Fr.grand merci.
2267.quhy, because.
P. 67,l. 2279.thithingis, tidings; probably an error of the scribe fortithingis. Stevenson haschichingis!
2284.al-out, altogether.
2304.oft syss, oft-times. See Glossary (Syss).
2306.dante, dainty.
2310.tithandis, tidings; comparel. 2279.
P. 68,l. 2323.aw, owe.
2328.fantessy, fancy, notion.
2334.for no why, for no reason.
2337.mon I fair, must I go.
2338.our son It waire, over soon it were.
2342.For-quhy, because.
P. 69,l. 2352.norhas the force ofbut.
2366.be ony men, by any means.
2368.on of tho, one of them.
2375.chen of low, chain of love.
2376.and if ȝhe may deren, an if you may declare.
P. 70,l. 2409.hartly raquer, heartily require.
2416.gar ordan, cause to be provided.
P. 71,l. 2428.prewaly disspone, privily dispose.
2436.ellis-quhat; I suppose this means, “he was on fireelsewhere.”
2448.hamlynes, homeliness.
2452.fest throw al the ȝher eliche, feast through all the year alike.
P. 72,l. 2469.commend, commended.
2470.he drywith, he driveth, pursueth. The reading is notdrawith, as in Stevenson.
P. 73,l. 2471. This line is too long, and the sense imperfect; but there is no doubt about the reading of the MS.
2474.Awodith, expels.
2475.doune valis, falls down; for it is evident thatvalisis an error forfalis, the mistake having arisen from confusion with the succeeding line.
2480.cled, clad.
2487.bygown, begun. In the next line Stevenson hassown; but the true reading isRown, run; as inl. 2820.
2492.barnag, baronage, nobility.
P. 74,l. 2522.but dulay, without delay;the, they.
2524.thar com, their coming.
2530.in the dogre, in its (due) degree.
P. 75,l. 2545.Or that, ere that.
2552.he and hate, high and hot.
2558.the can, they began.
P. 76,l. 2574.hyme mak, prepare himself; or perhaps simply, make (for the field), go.
2582.helmys last;lastclearly meanslaced; seel. 2250.
2594.Ȝhit, although.
2599.dout, fear.
2600.is assemblit, made an attack. The peculiar use ofassemblemust always be borne in mind.
2601.erd, earth.
P. 77,l. 2612.found till gwyans, go to Gwyans.
2614.til esquyris thei sewyt, after Esquyris they followed.
2619.one to the melle socht, made their way to the mêlée.
2627.don bore, borne down.
2630.Fifty thousand. It would appear that Galiot had 40,000, of whom 10,000 were heldin reserve; so that inl. 2632only 30,000 are mentioned. Seel. 2569,2647.
P. 78,l. 2646.ten, sorrow, vexation.
2656.resauf, receive.
2663.at thar come, at their coming;led, put down.
2670.biding one the bent, abide on the grassy plain.
P. 79,l. 2679. “That, despite their efforts, they must needs retire.”
2684.stud aw, stood in awe; see note tol. 1506.
2693, 4. These lines do not rime. But we should certainly readfelde,erdehaving slipped in from confusion withl. 2691. The knight of Galloway goesto the field, i.e. joins battle.
P. 80,l. 2712.On ayar half, on either side. The MS. omitsto.
2713.of, off.
2714.noiss, nose.
2731.Bot nocht forthi, But not on that account.
P. 81,l. 2754.harmys, loss.
2761.aucht to ses, ought to cease.
2765.at, that.
2768.my lef, my leave, permission.
2770.in to cage, in prison.
P. 82,l. 2802.commandit, commended.
P. 83,l. 2819.one athir half, on either side.
2820.rown, run.
2821.howyns; an ungrammatical form; perhapshowyngis meant.
2827.one hycht, on height; i.e. aloud.
2829.sterith, stirreth.
2833.“The lady of Melyhalt made (her way) to him, and immediately caused his couch to be placed before a window.” Mr Stevenson reads,
“Of Melyhalt the lady to hyme maidIncontinent his couche, and gart he1had,” etc.
“Of Melyhalt the lady to hyme maid
Incontinent his couche, and gart he1had,” etc.
i.e. “The lady immediately made his bed for him,” etc.
2841.wencust, vanquished. After this word we should perhaps insert “at,” as inl. 3336.
P. 84,ll. 2877-2880. These lines were printed by me for the first time, four lines having been here again omitted by Mr Stevenson.
2880.but weyne, without doubt.
2884.to led and stere,to lead and direct.
P. 85,l. 2893.Endlong, along.
2894.weryne, were.
2913.let, hinder.
P. 86,l. 2925.dulay, delay; as in several other places.
2938.fek, effect.
2944.ȝude, went.
2947.fair, welfare.
P. 87,l. 2964.Whill, until.
2970.ho, stop, pause.
2971.veryng In affray, were in terror.
2972.rovm, room.
2978.socht, made his way.
2984.disponit, intends; but we must insert “not,” to complete the sense and the metre.
P. 88,l. 2998.eschevit(used passively), is achieved.
3003.o knycht, a single knight.
3005.tais, takes.
3006.fays, foes.
3013.onys or the nycht, once ere the night.
3015.that ȝhe have gilt to mend, to amend that in which ye have trespassed.
P. 89,l. 3052.Do at I may, Do that which I can.
P. 90,l. 3065. This line is printed by Mr Stevenson,
“Curag can [ ] encresing in2his hart”;
“Curag can [ ] encresing in2his hart”;
but it is not clear that a word is wanting, for the metre is as complete as in many other lines; whilst, as regards the sense, “the knycht” is probably a nominative without a verb, andl. 3065means, “Courage did increase in his heart.” Or the reader may, if he pleases, insert “fele.” Comparel. 3058.
3066.lap, leaped.
3079.Observe the omission of the word “neither” in this line.
3080.persit, pierced.
3086.onan, anon. A.S.on-án.
P. 91,l. 3093.In samyne will, with like intent.
3100.bet axampil, better example.
3104.bot, unless;me fall, befall me.
3108.one vthir, another.
3120.send, sent.
3121.lewit one, left one.
3122.but mercy, without mercy.
P. 92,l. 3134.deliuer besynes, clever readiness.
3136.aray, livery.
3140.Ee, eye.
3146.the morow new, the early morning.
3160.deith, dead.
3162.Suppos, although.
P. 93,l. 3178.Nor; we now usebut.
3184.ward; see Glossary.tho, then.
P. 94,l. 3200.relewit, relieved.
3201.diuerss placis sere; assere=diuerss, one of these words is redundant. So inl. 3266.
3207.ewil awysit, ill advised.
3217.“And if it so happen, that they be discomfited.”
P. 95,l. 3240.leuch, laughed;sarues, service.
3246.al haill, all whole.
3248.x thousand mo, ten thousand, and more.
3259.abaid, delay.
3263.aucht, eight.
3265.petws for til her, piteous to hear.
P. 96,l. 3297.dreuch, drew.
3299.fellit, fallen.
3304.levyng, leave.
P. 97,l. 3307.sest, ceased.
3321.askit at, asked of.
3331.Wencussith, vanquisheth.
3340.in to one, continually; which is sometimes the sense of A.S.on-án.
P. 98,l. 3353.to fillyng, to fulfil.
3357.soght, came on; see Glossary.
3359.Ne war, etc., “Had it not been that they were, individually, the better men.”
3364.ralef, relieve.
3368.fellith, feeleth.
P. 99,l. 3384.virslyng, wrestling,i.e.entangled with; a strong expression!
3385.assalȝeing, assail.
3390.rowmyth, roometh, emptieth.
3403.departit, parted.
3404.dout, fear.
P. 100,l. 3412.left, failed.
3423.The lord, i.e. Galiot, as I suppose; Mr Stevenson has, “The Lord.”
3430.stere, to stir, move, come.
P. 101,l. 3450.pretendit, endeavour.
3457.occupye, employ.
3461.For one hour, etc., “On account of suffering distress for one hour.”
3470.the well less, much less; seel. 1791.
3471.berd, beard.
3473.o woyss, one voice.
3475.eschef frome yhow, not,winfrom you; but,withdrawhimself from you. See Glossary.
P. 102,l. 3481.wend thai var no mo, thought they were no more.
3487.And sich enconter, and such encounter. These three words are written at the bottom of the page as a catchword. The rest of the MS. is wanting.