(b) "he is socopped" (R213,a), apparently a variant ofcoppet= saucy, impudent, overbearing.
(b) "he is socopped" (R213,a), apparently a variant ofcoppet= saucy, impudent, overbearing.
Copy, "change ourcopy" (R202,b), manner.Corrompt, "Is should becorrompttherefore" (R256,b); punished is meant, but the usual sense is "corrupted."Couch, "I willcouchyou all up" (R216,b), conceal, hide away, put in safe keeping. "In the seler of Juppiter ther bencouchedtwo tunnes."—Chaucer,Boethius, p. 35.Courtesy, "thecourtesy of Englandis oft to kiss" (JE356,d). InThe English Historical Review(vol. vii., p. 270) there is an article by Major Martin A.S. Hume on "Philip's visit to England" in 1554. The article is founded on a Spanish account written by Andres Muñoz, a servant in the household of Don Carlos, Philip's son, then a child. Muñoz did not himself go to England, but probably got his account from someone, much in the same position as himself, who did go. The writer describes how Philip met Queen Mary at Winchester, "and kissed her on themouth, in the English fashion." On taking leave Philip was introduced to Mary's ladies, all of whom he kissed "so as not(says Muñoz)to break the customof the country, which is a very good one." This no doubt explains the passage in the play, but there was at law anothercourtesy of Englandwith which, in the origins, it may have some obscure connection. Cowel, in hisLaw Dictionary(1607), describes a tenure by which, if a man marry an inheritrix, that is, a woman seised of land, and getteth a child of her that comes alive into the world, though both the child and his wife die forthwith, yet, if shewere in possession, shall he keep the land during his life, and is called tenantper legem Angliæ, or by thecourtesy of England.Courtnals, "a zort ofcourtnalls" (R255,d), courtiers: in contempt (Halliwell).Court spiritual(IP343,b), Abundance was accused of fornication, and so came under ecclesiastical jurisdiction. These courts were made separate to the Secular or Civil Courts in 1085, but until the establishment of the Divorce and Probate Courts in 1857 the Ecclesiastical Courts took cognisance of blasphemy, apostasy, heresy, schism, ordinations, matters pertaining to benefices, matrimony, divorces, bastardy, tithes, incest, fornication, adultery, probate of wills, administrations, and similar matters (Haydn).Creance, "chief of Hiscreance" (N45,d), ordinarily faith, belief, credit, payment: I subjoin examples of each usage, but neither seem to fit the sense. There is an alternative which is nearer the mark, in the Latincreans, pr. p. ofcreo, to create; but I find no authority beyondcreant, which, as far as I know, is modern: see last example. "This mayden tauzte thecreanceUnto this wyf so perfitly."—Gower,MS.Soc. Antiq.134, f. 66. "And with his precyous bloode he wroote the bills Upon the crosse, as general acquytaunce To every penytent in fulcreaunce."—Rom.of the Monk, Sion College MS. "Thecreantword Which thrilled around us."—Mrs. Browning.Creaseth, "when shecreasethagain" (N44,a), short forincreaseth.Creature(R.passim), throughout a trisyllable.Crow, see Clawback.Cuculorum, "taken with acuculorum" (JE352,d), the rhyming exigency no doubt influenced the form of the word, but in any case the use is obscure, probably slang now lost. Whether, however, it originated incucullus, a hood, orcuculus, a cuckoo (whence cuckold), or whether the word enshrines a play on both, I cannot say.Cumberland, see Respublica.Curia, etc. (M30,c), the proceedings of Manorial Courts were generally headed "Curiageneralis tenta ibidem," etc. Mischief, with assumed official authority, means that the document was written in an alehouse (or where ale was plenty) with a sham date.Custodity, "in mycustodity" (R266,d), custody.Cut, "Call mecut" (N54,b), properly a gelding or any animal with a short or cut tail, and specifically an intensive reproach. The classical illustration to the present passage is, of course, from Shakespeare, "If I tell thee a lie, spit in my face and call me horse" (1 Hen. IV., ii. 1). Compare again, "cutted whore" (N66d): see other volumes of this series.Dainty, "men have littledaintyof your play" (M13,b),i.e.little that is agreeable or pleasant, small liking for or delight in. "It wasdayntefor to see the cheere bitwix hem two."—Chaucer,Cant.Tales(1383), 8983. "... and all things which weredaintyand goodly are departed from thee, ..."—Bible, Auth. Vers. (1611),Rev.xviii. 14.Daisy, "leap at adaisy" (R243,c), be hanged: seeAnon. Plays, 3 Ser. (E.E.D.S.).Dalliation, "leave yourdalliation" (M5,a), dallying.Dally, "quit as adally" (JE365,b), what "a tale of titmary tally" (see previous line) or "quit as adally" mean I am unable to discover. The original is, "She helde me with a tale of tytemary tally Tyll my thryfte was gone as quyte as adally."Da pacem(M31,d), literally "give us peace"; here slang for a knife or dagger: cf. modern "Arkansas toothpick" = a bowie knife, "Meat-in-the-pot" = a gun, and similar locutions.Darnel, see Drawk.Deambulatory(M37,c), a covered walk, cloister, ambulatory.Delectable, "my talkingdelectable" (M5,d), pleasing, delightful.Delver(passim), delve.Departed, Depart, (a) "how Idepartedthem" (N80,b).
Copy, "change ourcopy" (R202,b), manner.
Corrompt, "Is should becorrompttherefore" (R256,b); punished is meant, but the usual sense is "corrupted."
Couch, "I willcouchyou all up" (R216,b), conceal, hide away, put in safe keeping. "In the seler of Juppiter ther bencouchedtwo tunnes."—Chaucer,Boethius, p. 35.
Courtesy, "thecourtesy of Englandis oft to kiss" (JE356,d). InThe English Historical Review(vol. vii., p. 270) there is an article by Major Martin A.S. Hume on "Philip's visit to England" in 1554. The article is founded on a Spanish account written by Andres Muñoz, a servant in the household of Don Carlos, Philip's son, then a child. Muñoz did not himself go to England, but probably got his account from someone, much in the same position as himself, who did go. The writer describes how Philip met Queen Mary at Winchester, "and kissed her on themouth, in the English fashion." On taking leave Philip was introduced to Mary's ladies, all of whom he kissed "so as not(says Muñoz)to break the customof the country, which is a very good one." This no doubt explains the passage in the play, but there was at law anothercourtesy of Englandwith which, in the origins, it may have some obscure connection. Cowel, in hisLaw Dictionary(1607), describes a tenure by which, if a man marry an inheritrix, that is, a woman seised of land, and getteth a child of her that comes alive into the world, though both the child and his wife die forthwith, yet, if shewere in possession, shall he keep the land during his life, and is called tenantper legem Angliæ, or by thecourtesy of England.
Courtnals, "a zort ofcourtnalls" (R255,d), courtiers: in contempt (Halliwell).
Court spiritual(IP343,b), Abundance was accused of fornication, and so came under ecclesiastical jurisdiction. These courts were made separate to the Secular or Civil Courts in 1085, but until the establishment of the Divorce and Probate Courts in 1857 the Ecclesiastical Courts took cognisance of blasphemy, apostasy, heresy, schism, ordinations, matters pertaining to benefices, matrimony, divorces, bastardy, tithes, incest, fornication, adultery, probate of wills, administrations, and similar matters (Haydn).
Creance, "chief of Hiscreance" (N45,d), ordinarily faith, belief, credit, payment: I subjoin examples of each usage, but neither seem to fit the sense. There is an alternative which is nearer the mark, in the Latincreans, pr. p. ofcreo, to create; but I find no authority beyondcreant, which, as far as I know, is modern: see last example. "This mayden tauzte thecreanceUnto this wyf so perfitly."—Gower,MS.Soc. Antiq.134, f. 66. "And with his precyous bloode he wroote the bills Upon the crosse, as general acquytaunce To every penytent in fulcreaunce."—Rom.of the Monk, Sion College MS. "Thecreantword Which thrilled around us."—Mrs. Browning.
Creaseth, "when shecreasethagain" (N44,a), short forincreaseth.
Creature(R.passim), throughout a trisyllable.
Crow, see Clawback.
Cuculorum, "taken with acuculorum" (JE352,d), the rhyming exigency no doubt influenced the form of the word, but in any case the use is obscure, probably slang now lost. Whether, however, it originated incucullus, a hood, orcuculus, a cuckoo (whence cuckold), or whether the word enshrines a play on both, I cannot say.
Cumberland, see Respublica.
Curia, etc. (M30,c), the proceedings of Manorial Courts were generally headed "Curiageneralis tenta ibidem," etc. Mischief, with assumed official authority, means that the document was written in an alehouse (or where ale was plenty) with a sham date.
Custodity, "in mycustodity" (R266,d), custody.
Cut, "Call mecut" (N54,b), properly a gelding or any animal with a short or cut tail, and specifically an intensive reproach. The classical illustration to the present passage is, of course, from Shakespeare, "If I tell thee a lie, spit in my face and call me horse" (1 Hen. IV., ii. 1). Compare again, "cutted whore" (N66d): see other volumes of this series.
Dainty, "men have littledaintyof your play" (M13,b),i.e.little that is agreeable or pleasant, small liking for or delight in. "It wasdayntefor to see the cheere bitwix hem two."—Chaucer,Cant.Tales(1383), 8983. "... and all things which weredaintyand goodly are departed from thee, ..."—Bible, Auth. Vers. (1611),Rev.xviii. 14.
Daisy, "leap at adaisy" (R243,c), be hanged: seeAnon. Plays, 3 Ser. (E.E.D.S.).
Dalliation, "leave yourdalliation" (M5,a), dallying.
Dally, "quit as adally" (JE365,b), what "a tale of titmary tally" (see previous line) or "quit as adally" mean I am unable to discover. The original is, "She helde me with a tale of tytemary tally Tyll my thryfte was gone as quyte as adally."
Da pacem(M31,d), literally "give us peace"; here slang for a knife or dagger: cf. modern "Arkansas toothpick" = a bowie knife, "Meat-in-the-pot" = a gun, and similar locutions.
Darnel, see Drawk.
Deambulatory(M37,c), a covered walk, cloister, ambulatory.
Delectable, "my talkingdelectable" (M5,d), pleasing, delightful.
Delver(passim), delve.
Departed, Depart, (a) "how Idepartedthem" (N80,b).
(b) "till death usdepart" (WS172,d),i.e.(a) left them; (b) till death divides, or parts: now corrupted in the Marriage Service into "do part." "We willedepartehis clothing."—TowneleyMyst., p. 228.
(b) "till death usdepart" (WS172,d),i.e.(a) left them; (b) till death divides, or parts: now corrupted in the Marriage Service into "do part." "We willedepartehis clothing."—TowneleyMyst., p. 228.
Destructions, "destructionsto 'member in my heart" (R234,d), instructions: part of People's mangled English.Detected, "ne'er of any crimedetected" (R183,b), possibly here = accused.Dever, "put me indever" (M24,d), duty, service. "Do thedeuerthat thow hast to done."—Williamof Palerne(c.1360), 2546.Devose, "we mustdevosehow that we may" (WH289,a), devise.Dialect and Jargon, see Respublica, Wealth and Health.Dinty, "nodintyto do" (N49,d), pleasure, liking: see Dainty.Disease(passim), generic for absence of ease—discomfort, annoyance, trouble, difficulty, sorrow, etc.: see other volumes of this series.Dispectible, "thou artdispectible" (M33,c), despicable.Dispectuous, "dispectuousand odible" (M33,a), unsightly: see previous entry.Divum, "Divum este justlum weste" (R232,c), Prof. Brandl suggestsDivites estis justi fuistis.Do, see Way.Dogs, "hungrydogswill slab up sluttish puddings" (R221,a), see Heywood,Works(E.E.D.S.),II.14a; 357,d(n).Dort, "a shrewd crankdort" (N83,d), fit of sulks, a pet, sullen humour.Doubler, "both dish anddoubler" (M29,a), a large dish, plate, or bowl. "A dysche other adoblerthat dryghtyn onez serued."—Early Eng. Allit. Poems; Cleanness, 1145.Draff, "driff,draff, mish, mash" (M5,b), rubbish, refuse, dregs: see other volumes of this series.Mish, mash= mess.Drawk, "drawkand ...darnel" (M24,a), a weed very similar to darnel—Bromus secalinus;darnelisLolium perenne.Driff, see Draff.Driffe, "hence I will youdriffe" (M17,d), drive.Drivel, "live thus like adrivel" (N61,b), a generic reproach; drudge, servant, idiot, dotard, fool; see other volumes of this series.Drouse, "a houndeddrouse" (WH288,d), in view of the wretched printing of this play it serves little useful purpose to suggest a correct reading; the most probable would seem to behounded= hundred anddrouse= douse;i.e.a god give him a hundred duckings.Dutch Jargon, see Wealth and Health.Eachwhere, "eachwheresore hated" (R197,a), everywhere.Edwards, "angelots andEdwards" (R216,d), see Angelots. I am further inclined to doubt whether the pieces referred to were of current or recent striking. It is true Edward VI. reformed the coinage, but as the angelots (at least) are specifically referred to as "old," and as the angelot is probably that of 1420, theEdwardis also likely to be the angel of Edward IV. introduced in 1465, which bears an effigy of that king. The angel of Edward VI., of the third coinage of the reign,does not bear an effigy of Edward VI.It may not be out of place to detail the various issues, though this cannot, of course, settle the point as to what coin was meant by theEdward. Kenyon, on "The Gold Coins of England," says there were four distinct series ofgoldcoins issued during the reign of Edward VI.First Coinage(January 1546-47):—Half-sovereigns(value 10s.).Obverse—king in robesand crowned, enthroned, the figure of an angel on each arm of the throne;reverse—shield bearing arms of France and England quarterly, supported by lion and dragon.Crown(value 5s.).Obverse—rose, crowned;reverse—shield with arms, crowned.Half-crowns(value 2s. 6d.). Type like the crowns.Second Coinage(1548):—Treble Sovereign(value £3). Type like last half-sovereign, except that king has no robes, and holds a sword instead of a sceptre.Sovereign(value £1). Same as £3, only with different mint-mark.Half-sovereign(value 10s.).Obverse—bust in profile to right;reverse—oval shield, crowned, and garnished.Crowns(value 5s.). Same as half-sovereign of this coinage.Half-crowns(value 2s. 6d.). Same as half-sovereign of this coinage.Third Coinage(1550):—DoubleSovereign(value 48s).Obverse—king seated, holding sceptre and orb;reserve—shield with arms, upon a large double rose.Sovereign(value 24s.). Same as double sovereign.Angel(value 8s.). Type similar to angels of HenryVIII. The type seems to have been fixed in HenryVI.'s reign. The Archangel Michael was on theobverse, trampling with his left foot upon the dragon, and piercing him through the mouth with a spear.Reversehas shield bearing arms of England and France upon a ship. [No effigy of EdwardVI.]Angelet(value 4s.). Same as angel.FourthCoinage(1552):—Sovereign(value 20s.).Obverse.—three-quarter length of king in profile;reverse—same as sovereign of second coinage.Half-sovereign(value 10s.).Obverse—same as sovereign;reverse—square shield crowned between E.R.Crown(value 5s.). Same as half-sovereign.Half-crown(value 2s. 6d.). Same as crown. Hawkins, on "The Silver Coins of England," says of EdwardVI.Silvercoinage, there wereGroats,Half-groats,Pennies,Half-pennies.Note—All silver.Shillings—Obverse—king's bust in profile, crowned;reverse—arms upon an oval shield.Crowns—Obverse—the king mounted on a horse;reverse—arms, and cross fleuree.Half-crowns. Same as crowns.Shillings—Obverse—the king on horsebark, galloping;reverse—a square-topped shield, crowned.Sixpence. Exactly the same as the shilling.Threepence.Same as shilling.Penceof this coinage (1552) occur both of fine and base metal. Thefinepenny has (on theobverse) the king seated, with arms and cross on thereverse. Thebasepenny has a full-blown rose, instead of the enthroned king.Half-penceare nearly the same as pence.Empery, "in thisempery" (N56,d), empire, dominion; also more loosely, region. "Ruling in large and ampleemperyo'er France."—Shakespeare,Henry V.(1599), i. 2. "A lady So fair, and fastened to anempery, Would make the great'st king double."—Shakespeare,Cymbeline(1605), i. 7.Emprise, "th'empriseof all this world" (N46,a), generally an undertaking more or less onerous or risky. Here—the responsibility of subduing and righteously governing the material creation. "Then shal rejoysen of a greteempryseAcheved wel."—Chaucer,Troilus and Cressida(1369), ii. 1391.Emprowed, "bought ... andemprowed" (R219,a), improved: with an eye to a higher rent.Encheson, "for th'encheson" (N43,c), reason, cause, occasion. "Certes, said he, well mote I shame to tell The fondencheasonthat me hither led."—Spenser,Fairy Queen(1590), II. i. 30.Encroaching of Lands, see Respublica.Endrait, "live after thatendrait" (N59,d), quality.Enformed, see Respublica.England, see Courtesy.Enquest, see Inquest.Entriked, "I am wondrouslyentriked" (N55,c; 59c), deceived, entangled, tricked, hindered. "That mirrour hath me nowentriked."—Romaunt of the Rose, 1642.Entunes, "entunesin silence of the night" (N45,a), songs, tunes, chants, melodies. "So mery a soune, so sweteentewnes."—Chaucer,Boke of the Duchesse(1371), 307.Enure, "myself toenure" (N48,b), use, make a habit of, accustom. "He gan that Ladie strongly to appeleOf many haynous crymes by herenured."—Spenser,Fairy Queen(1596), v. ix. 39.Envies, "to see ...enviestake in a trap" (R257,b), enemies.Equity, see Mankind,Amended Readings.Erch(passim), ere I—er' 'ch—ere ich.Escheats, "the blindescheats" (R183,d), lands or tenements which fell to the crown or lord of the fee through failure of heirs or corruption of blood: the latter kind was abolished by the Felony Act, 33 & 34 Vict., ch. xxiii. "The last consequence of tenure in chivalry wasescheat; which took place if the tenant died without heirs of his blood, or if his blood was corrupted by commission of treason or felony. In such cases the land escheated or fell back to the lord—that is, the tenure was determined by breach of the original condition of the feudal donation. In the one case there were no heirs of the blood of the first feudatory, to which heirs alone the grant of the feud extended; in the other the tenant, by perpetrating an atrocious crime, forfeited his feud, which he held under the implied condition that he should not be a traitor or felon."—Blackstone,Commentaries, bk. ii., ch. 3.Exaltations, "follow their goodexaltations" (R234,d), exhortations.Extent, "at the highestextent," etc. (R219,a), sale under compulsory powers (M).Extreats, "the scape of extreats" (R183,d),i.e.estreats, enforced by trick. At law an estreat is an official copy of the specification of fines or penalties (such as a forfeited recognisance for use of the bailiff or sheriff's officer in levying). "A forfeited recognisance," if taken by a justice of the peace, "is certified to the next sessions; and if the condition be broken by any breach of the peace in the one case, or any misbehaviour in the other, the recognisance becomes forfeited or absolute; and beingestreatedor extracted, taken out from among the other records, and sent up to the Exchequer; the party and his sureties, having now become absolute debtorsof the Crown, are sued for the several sums in which they are respectively bound."—Blackstone,Comment., bk. iv., ch. 18. See Respublica for authorities dealing with the systems of extortion referred to in these lines.Faitour, "ye are nofaitour" (M12,c), deceiver, imposter: a generic reproach. "There be many of youfaitours."—Gower,Confessio Amantis(1393), i. 47.Fall, "fallback,falledge" (R250,b),i.e.whichever way it turns out I am prepared (edge = aside or sideways).Farthing, "I may not change a man afarthing" (M18,b), in the least or smallest degree. A farthing, the fourth part of a penny, and the smallest copper coin current in Great Britain, is mentioned as far back as Robert of Gloucester. It seems to have become a simile of small value or amount in most early writers. "In hire suppe was noferthingsene Of grese, whan she dronken hadde hire drauht."—Chaucer,Cant. Tales(1383), Prologue, 134.Fashion, see I-fashion.Feather, "feathermy nest" (R183,b); this proverbial saying does not occur in Heywood.Fell, "the world, the flesh, and thefell" (M39,c), the devil (Furnivall & Pollard).Fellowship, "flee thatfellowship" (M32,b), company, body of associates, confederacy, joint interest. "Parry felle infelaschepewith Willyum Hasard at Querles."—Paston Letters, i. 83. "Antenor fleenge with hisfelowschippe."—Trevisa, i. 273.Feoffed, "feoffedthee with all" (N46,a), endowed. "May God forbid tofeffeyou so with grace."—Chaucer,Court of Love.Fere, "create to be hisfere" (N49,b), companion, partner, fellow. "He wod into the water, hisferenhim bysyde."—Political Songs, p. 217.Festination, "with allfestination" (R204,c), speed, hurry, expedition. "Sweet Frank, when shall myfather Security present me?" "With allfestination."—Jonson and Chapman,Eastward Hoe(1605), ii. 1.Fetches, "beware thefetchesof Tediousness" (WS143,a), stratagems, tricks, contrivances, artifices: the word does not always carry a bad or unworthy meaning.Fichant, "Ise cannot befichantenough" (R267,c), sufficient;i.e.better received and esteemed. Mr. Magnus suggestsJe m'en fiche, as origin.Fide, W[illiam] (M22,d), so given in the E.E.T.S. text,FidebeingFyde.Fierce, "a likely man and afierce" (M27,d)—"how valiant ... andfierce" (WH293,d), strong, full of fire and ardour. "Yet have Ifierceaffections."—Shakespeare,Antony and Cleopatra(1608), i. 5. "The ships, though so great, are driven offiercewinds; yet are they turned about with a very small helm."—Bible, Auth. Vers. (1611),Jamesiii. 4.Firibusque, see Breadibus.Fist, "a good runningfist" (M30,b), writing: an early example of a common present-day colloquialism.Flaterabundus, "yeflaterabundusyou" (R188,a), see Clawback.Flear, Flearing, Fleereth(passim), mock, gibe, leer, smirk; and asverb= to grin contemptuously or scornfully, sneer, smirk.Flexible, "Mankind is soflexible" (M33,a), pliant, easily influenced, wavering in disposition.Flitched, "hathflitchedthe bishopricks" (R218,b), so in orignal, but?filched. Mr. Magnus says, "Cut up into strips."Flittance(R183,d), "a ghost word for fleetings,i.e.skimmings" (Mr. Magnus quoting Prof. Skeat).Flix, "die of theflix" (R271,c), flux, dysentery. Mr. Magnus glosses this "flyxe [flixein E.E.T.S. text], flick, thief, 62, 1908." The mistake in giving the text spelling in glossary leads one to suspectthat all the rest, save the page and line reference, is wrong also. At all events, how could Avarice "die of the thief"? Perhaps, however, the E.E.T.S. editor meant the Great Thief of Thieves—Old Age!! "Diseased with the bluddyflixe."—Udal,Matt.ix.Florent, "soflorentestate" (R200,d), flourishing, prosperous. "Sinopa was aflorentcitee."—Udal,Apoph. of Erasmus(1543), p. 77.Flouthy, "full offlouthybushes" (JE355,b)?slouthyas in my text and in original: ifflouthyfrom flout = mock, jeer, treat with contempt: cf. lecherous thorns, backbiting briars, elders of envy, and other kindred similes in the same passage.Fond, "eachfondopinion" (N58,a;et passim), foolish, silly, unwise.Fone, "God shield you from yourfone" (M14,d;et passim), foes: an old plural.Foot, "I hope to have hisfoot met" (M23,d),i.e.caught by the foot, tripped.Football, "lend us afootball" (M32,c). Dr. Brandl says this is the earliest mention of the game.Forborne, "it may no longer beforborne" (N51,d), endured. "I may not certes, though I shulde die,Forbereto ben out of your compagnie."—Chaucer,Cant. Tales(1383), 10,056.Force, Forceth(passim), assub.= matter, consequence, importance, ground for care or anxiety; asverb= to care, regard, value, to be of importance or signify. "Whatforswere it though al the town bihelde?"—Chaucer,Troilus and Cressida(1369), ii. 373. "It littleforcethhow long a man liue, but how wel and vertuously."—Udal,Markv. "Iforcenot argument a straw."—Shakespeare,Rape ofLucrece(1594), 1021.For-cold, "pottage shall be for-cold" (M13,b)—"when a man isfor-cold" (M5,c), very cold: as a prefixfor-has (1) an intensive force; (2) a negative or privative force; and (3) a deteriorative force. Typical examples of each class are——(1) forlorn = utterly lonely; for-drunken = beastly drunk; (2) forbid, forfend; (3) forshapen = badly formed, etc.Forma, see In.Forty Pence, see Jack Noble.Founder, "ourfounderand chief—founderme no foundering" (R186,b; 187c; 189a), patron, benefactor: see other volumes of this series.Four Ears, see Horse.Fragility?"of your nature and of yourfragility" (M14,a), frailty, weakness, proneness to fall. "Earnestly beseeching the dictatour to forgive this humanefragilitieand youthful folly of Qu. Fabius."—P. Holland,Livius, p. 307.Fray, "how Ifray" (R202,c), fear. "The troubled ghost of my father Anchises So oft in sleepe dothfrayme, and aduise."—Surrey,Virgil,Æneis, iv.Frayry, "the demonicalfrayry" (M8,d), friary, conventicle.Fusion, "God send it Hisfusion" (M15,d),?foison,fusoan,fusin= plenty, abundance: in original,fusyon.Gan, "how God ...gandevise" (N46,a), began: auxiliary with force ofdid. "Not with less dread the loud Ethereal trumpet from on highganblow."—Milton,Paradise Lost(1667), vi. 60.Gard, "freshlygard" (N77,c), trimmed, edged. "Those of the forewarde vnder the Duke of Norffolke, were apparelled in blue coatsgardedwith redde."—Stow,HenryVIII.(1544).Gaudies, "no moregaudiesor japes" (R264,b), trick, jest. "Thynke wel that it is nogaude."—Chaucer,Troilus(1369), ii. 351.Gear(passim), formerly a word-of-all-work = outfit, ornament, dress, accoutrements, arms, harness, tackle, goods, property, tools, implements, material, stuff, matter, business, affair, manners, habits, customs, rubbish, trash—and what not? See other volumes of this series.Generalis, see Curia.Gentle-Meat, "Gentle meatfor a hawk" (J.E. 363,c), the pun is double-barrelled:gentlealso = a trained hawk.Gentman(R231,b), gentleman: cf. jentman.Geoffrey, "farewell, gentleGeoffrey" (M9,a), apparently a common tag or catch-phrase, or from some song of the period. Heywood (Works, E.E.D.S.,II.36b) quotes almost the identical words ofMankind: "Now, here is the door, and there is the way; And so, (quoth he), farewell, gentleGeoffrey!"Gere, read Gear.Gesumme, "a good horse should begesumme" (M12,d). Dr. Bradley (quoted by E.E.T.S. editors) suggestsgeason(A.S.gœsne= empty, scarce). The whole passage from the beginning of the speech is obscure and apparently corrupt: at all events, it hardly "reads" as it is. The following suggestion is made with a view to eliciting a re-examination. The original is (E.E.T.S.)—
Destructions, "destructionsto 'member in my heart" (R234,d), instructions: part of People's mangled English.
Detected, "ne'er of any crimedetected" (R183,b), possibly here = accused.
Dever, "put me indever" (M24,d), duty, service. "Do thedeuerthat thow hast to done."—Williamof Palerne(c.1360), 2546.
Devose, "we mustdevosehow that we may" (WH289,a), devise.
Dialect and Jargon, see Respublica, Wealth and Health.
Dinty, "nodintyto do" (N49,d), pleasure, liking: see Dainty.
Disease(passim), generic for absence of ease—discomfort, annoyance, trouble, difficulty, sorrow, etc.: see other volumes of this series.
Dispectible, "thou artdispectible" (M33,c), despicable.
Dispectuous, "dispectuousand odible" (M33,a), unsightly: see previous entry.
Divum, "Divum este justlum weste" (R232,c), Prof. Brandl suggestsDivites estis justi fuistis.
Do, see Way.
Dogs, "hungrydogswill slab up sluttish puddings" (R221,a), see Heywood,Works(E.E.D.S.),II.14a; 357,d(n).
Dort, "a shrewd crankdort" (N83,d), fit of sulks, a pet, sullen humour.
Doubler, "both dish anddoubler" (M29,a), a large dish, plate, or bowl. "A dysche other adoblerthat dryghtyn onez serued."—Early Eng. Allit. Poems; Cleanness, 1145.
Draff, "driff,draff, mish, mash" (M5,b), rubbish, refuse, dregs: see other volumes of this series.Mish, mash= mess.
Drawk, "drawkand ...darnel" (M24,a), a weed very similar to darnel—Bromus secalinus;darnelisLolium perenne.
Driff, see Draff.
Driffe, "hence I will youdriffe" (M17,d), drive.
Drivel, "live thus like adrivel" (N61,b), a generic reproach; drudge, servant, idiot, dotard, fool; see other volumes of this series.
Drouse, "a houndeddrouse" (WH288,d), in view of the wretched printing of this play it serves little useful purpose to suggest a correct reading; the most probable would seem to behounded= hundred anddrouse= douse;i.e.a god give him a hundred duckings.
Dutch Jargon, see Wealth and Health.
Eachwhere, "eachwheresore hated" (R197,a), everywhere.
Edwards, "angelots andEdwards" (R216,d), see Angelots. I am further inclined to doubt whether the pieces referred to were of current or recent striking. It is true Edward VI. reformed the coinage, but as the angelots (at least) are specifically referred to as "old," and as the angelot is probably that of 1420, theEdwardis also likely to be the angel of Edward IV. introduced in 1465, which bears an effigy of that king. The angel of Edward VI., of the third coinage of the reign,does not bear an effigy of Edward VI.It may not be out of place to detail the various issues, though this cannot, of course, settle the point as to what coin was meant by theEdward. Kenyon, on "The Gold Coins of England," says there were four distinct series ofgoldcoins issued during the reign of Edward VI.First Coinage(January 1546-47):—Half-sovereigns(value 10s.).Obverse—king in robesand crowned, enthroned, the figure of an angel on each arm of the throne;reverse—shield bearing arms of France and England quarterly, supported by lion and dragon.Crown(value 5s.).Obverse—rose, crowned;reverse—shield with arms, crowned.Half-crowns(value 2s. 6d.). Type like the crowns.Second Coinage(1548):—Treble Sovereign(value £3). Type like last half-sovereign, except that king has no robes, and holds a sword instead of a sceptre.Sovereign(value £1). Same as £3, only with different mint-mark.Half-sovereign(value 10s.).Obverse—bust in profile to right;reverse—oval shield, crowned, and garnished.Crowns(value 5s.). Same as half-sovereign of this coinage.Half-crowns(value 2s. 6d.). Same as half-sovereign of this coinage.Third Coinage(1550):—DoubleSovereign(value 48s).Obverse—king seated, holding sceptre and orb;reserve—shield with arms, upon a large double rose.Sovereign(value 24s.). Same as double sovereign.Angel(value 8s.). Type similar to angels of HenryVIII. The type seems to have been fixed in HenryVI.'s reign. The Archangel Michael was on theobverse, trampling with his left foot upon the dragon, and piercing him through the mouth with a spear.Reversehas shield bearing arms of England and France upon a ship. [No effigy of EdwardVI.]Angelet(value 4s.). Same as angel.FourthCoinage(1552):—Sovereign(value 20s.).Obverse.—three-quarter length of king in profile;reverse—same as sovereign of second coinage.Half-sovereign(value 10s.).Obverse—same as sovereign;reverse—square shield crowned between E.R.Crown(value 5s.). Same as half-sovereign.Half-crown(value 2s. 6d.). Same as crown. Hawkins, on "The Silver Coins of England," says of EdwardVI.Silvercoinage, there wereGroats,Half-groats,Pennies,Half-pennies.Note—All silver.Shillings—Obverse—king's bust in profile, crowned;reverse—arms upon an oval shield.Crowns—Obverse—the king mounted on a horse;reverse—arms, and cross fleuree.Half-crowns. Same as crowns.Shillings—Obverse—the king on horsebark, galloping;reverse—a square-topped shield, crowned.Sixpence. Exactly the same as the shilling.Threepence.Same as shilling.Penceof this coinage (1552) occur both of fine and base metal. Thefinepenny has (on theobverse) the king seated, with arms and cross on thereverse. Thebasepenny has a full-blown rose, instead of the enthroned king.Half-penceare nearly the same as pence.
Empery, "in thisempery" (N56,d), empire, dominion; also more loosely, region. "Ruling in large and ampleemperyo'er France."—Shakespeare,Henry V.(1599), i. 2. "A lady So fair, and fastened to anempery, Would make the great'st king double."—Shakespeare,Cymbeline(1605), i. 7.
Emprise, "th'empriseof all this world" (N46,a), generally an undertaking more or less onerous or risky. Here—the responsibility of subduing and righteously governing the material creation. "Then shal rejoysen of a greteempryseAcheved wel."—Chaucer,Troilus and Cressida(1369), ii. 1391.
Emprowed, "bought ... andemprowed" (R219,a), improved: with an eye to a higher rent.
Encheson, "for th'encheson" (N43,c), reason, cause, occasion. "Certes, said he, well mote I shame to tell The fondencheasonthat me hither led."—Spenser,Fairy Queen(1590), II. i. 30.
Encroaching of Lands, see Respublica.
Endrait, "live after thatendrait" (N59,d), quality.
Enformed, see Respublica.
England, see Courtesy.
Enquest, see Inquest.
Entriked, "I am wondrouslyentriked" (N55,c; 59c), deceived, entangled, tricked, hindered. "That mirrour hath me nowentriked."—Romaunt of the Rose, 1642.
Entunes, "entunesin silence of the night" (N45,a), songs, tunes, chants, melodies. "So mery a soune, so sweteentewnes."—Chaucer,Boke of the Duchesse(1371), 307.
Enure, "myself toenure" (N48,b), use, make a habit of, accustom. "He gan that Ladie strongly to appeleOf many haynous crymes by herenured."—Spenser,Fairy Queen(1596), v. ix. 39.
Envies, "to see ...enviestake in a trap" (R257,b), enemies.
Equity, see Mankind,Amended Readings.
Erch(passim), ere I—er' 'ch—ere ich.
Escheats, "the blindescheats" (R183,d), lands or tenements which fell to the crown or lord of the fee through failure of heirs or corruption of blood: the latter kind was abolished by the Felony Act, 33 & 34 Vict., ch. xxiii. "The last consequence of tenure in chivalry wasescheat; which took place if the tenant died without heirs of his blood, or if his blood was corrupted by commission of treason or felony. In such cases the land escheated or fell back to the lord—that is, the tenure was determined by breach of the original condition of the feudal donation. In the one case there were no heirs of the blood of the first feudatory, to which heirs alone the grant of the feud extended; in the other the tenant, by perpetrating an atrocious crime, forfeited his feud, which he held under the implied condition that he should not be a traitor or felon."—Blackstone,Commentaries, bk. ii., ch. 3.
Exaltations, "follow their goodexaltations" (R234,d), exhortations.
Extent, "at the highestextent," etc. (R219,a), sale under compulsory powers (M).
Extreats, "the scape of extreats" (R183,d),i.e.estreats, enforced by trick. At law an estreat is an official copy of the specification of fines or penalties (such as a forfeited recognisance for use of the bailiff or sheriff's officer in levying). "A forfeited recognisance," if taken by a justice of the peace, "is certified to the next sessions; and if the condition be broken by any breach of the peace in the one case, or any misbehaviour in the other, the recognisance becomes forfeited or absolute; and beingestreatedor extracted, taken out from among the other records, and sent up to the Exchequer; the party and his sureties, having now become absolute debtorsof the Crown, are sued for the several sums in which they are respectively bound."—Blackstone,Comment., bk. iv., ch. 18. See Respublica for authorities dealing with the systems of extortion referred to in these lines.
Faitour, "ye are nofaitour" (M12,c), deceiver, imposter: a generic reproach. "There be many of youfaitours."—Gower,Confessio Amantis(1393), i. 47.
Fall, "fallback,falledge" (R250,b),i.e.whichever way it turns out I am prepared (edge = aside or sideways).
Farthing, "I may not change a man afarthing" (M18,b), in the least or smallest degree. A farthing, the fourth part of a penny, and the smallest copper coin current in Great Britain, is mentioned as far back as Robert of Gloucester. It seems to have become a simile of small value or amount in most early writers. "In hire suppe was noferthingsene Of grese, whan she dronken hadde hire drauht."—Chaucer,Cant. Tales(1383), Prologue, 134.
Fashion, see I-fashion.
Feather, "feathermy nest" (R183,b); this proverbial saying does not occur in Heywood.
Fell, "the world, the flesh, and thefell" (M39,c), the devil (Furnivall & Pollard).
Fellowship, "flee thatfellowship" (M32,b), company, body of associates, confederacy, joint interest. "Parry felle infelaschepewith Willyum Hasard at Querles."—Paston Letters, i. 83. "Antenor fleenge with hisfelowschippe."—Trevisa, i. 273.
Feoffed, "feoffedthee with all" (N46,a), endowed. "May God forbid tofeffeyou so with grace."—Chaucer,Court of Love.
Fere, "create to be hisfere" (N49,b), companion, partner, fellow. "He wod into the water, hisferenhim bysyde."—Political Songs, p. 217.
Festination, "with allfestination" (R204,c), speed, hurry, expedition. "Sweet Frank, when shall myfather Security present me?" "With allfestination."—Jonson and Chapman,Eastward Hoe(1605), ii. 1.
Fetches, "beware thefetchesof Tediousness" (WS143,a), stratagems, tricks, contrivances, artifices: the word does not always carry a bad or unworthy meaning.
Fichant, "Ise cannot befichantenough" (R267,c), sufficient;i.e.better received and esteemed. Mr. Magnus suggestsJe m'en fiche, as origin.
Fide, W[illiam] (M22,d), so given in the E.E.T.S. text,FidebeingFyde.
Fierce, "a likely man and afierce" (M27,d)—"how valiant ... andfierce" (WH293,d), strong, full of fire and ardour. "Yet have Ifierceaffections."—Shakespeare,Antony and Cleopatra(1608), i. 5. "The ships, though so great, are driven offiercewinds; yet are they turned about with a very small helm."—Bible, Auth. Vers. (1611),Jamesiii. 4.
Firibusque, see Breadibus.
Fist, "a good runningfist" (M30,b), writing: an early example of a common present-day colloquialism.
Flaterabundus, "yeflaterabundusyou" (R188,a), see Clawback.
Flear, Flearing, Fleereth(passim), mock, gibe, leer, smirk; and asverb= to grin contemptuously or scornfully, sneer, smirk.
Flexible, "Mankind is soflexible" (M33,a), pliant, easily influenced, wavering in disposition.
Flitched, "hathflitchedthe bishopricks" (R218,b), so in orignal, but?filched. Mr. Magnus says, "Cut up into strips."
Flittance(R183,d), "a ghost word for fleetings,i.e.skimmings" (Mr. Magnus quoting Prof. Skeat).
Flix, "die of theflix" (R271,c), flux, dysentery. Mr. Magnus glosses this "flyxe [flixein E.E.T.S. text], flick, thief, 62, 1908." The mistake in giving the text spelling in glossary leads one to suspectthat all the rest, save the page and line reference, is wrong also. At all events, how could Avarice "die of the thief"? Perhaps, however, the E.E.T.S. editor meant the Great Thief of Thieves—Old Age!! "Diseased with the bluddyflixe."—Udal,Matt.ix.
Florent, "soflorentestate" (R200,d), flourishing, prosperous. "Sinopa was aflorentcitee."—Udal,Apoph. of Erasmus(1543), p. 77.
Flouthy, "full offlouthybushes" (JE355,b)?slouthyas in my text and in original: ifflouthyfrom flout = mock, jeer, treat with contempt: cf. lecherous thorns, backbiting briars, elders of envy, and other kindred similes in the same passage.
Fond, "eachfondopinion" (N58,a;et passim), foolish, silly, unwise.
Fone, "God shield you from yourfone" (M14,d;et passim), foes: an old plural.
Foot, "I hope to have hisfoot met" (M23,d),i.e.caught by the foot, tripped.
Football, "lend us afootball" (M32,c). Dr. Brandl says this is the earliest mention of the game.
Forborne, "it may no longer beforborne" (N51,d), endured. "I may not certes, though I shulde die,Forbereto ben out of your compagnie."—Chaucer,Cant. Tales(1383), 10,056.
Force, Forceth(passim), assub.= matter, consequence, importance, ground for care or anxiety; asverb= to care, regard, value, to be of importance or signify. "Whatforswere it though al the town bihelde?"—Chaucer,Troilus and Cressida(1369), ii. 373. "It littleforcethhow long a man liue, but how wel and vertuously."—Udal,Markv. "Iforcenot argument a straw."—Shakespeare,Rape ofLucrece(1594), 1021.
For-cold, "pottage shall be for-cold" (M13,b)—"when a man isfor-cold" (M5,c), very cold: as a prefixfor-has (1) an intensive force; (2) a negative or privative force; and (3) a deteriorative force. Typical examples of each class are——(1) forlorn = utterly lonely; for-drunken = beastly drunk; (2) forbid, forfend; (3) forshapen = badly formed, etc.
Forma, see In.
Forty Pence, see Jack Noble.
Founder, "ourfounderand chief—founderme no foundering" (R186,b; 187c; 189a), patron, benefactor: see other volumes of this series.
Four Ears, see Horse.
Fragility?"of your nature and of yourfragility" (M14,a), frailty, weakness, proneness to fall. "Earnestly beseeching the dictatour to forgive this humanefragilitieand youthful folly of Qu. Fabius."—P. Holland,Livius, p. 307.
Fray, "how Ifray" (R202,c), fear. "The troubled ghost of my father Anchises So oft in sleepe dothfrayme, and aduise."—Surrey,Virgil,Æneis, iv.
Frayry, "the demonicalfrayry" (M8,d), friary, conventicle.
Fusion, "God send it Hisfusion" (M15,d),?foison,fusoan,fusin= plenty, abundance: in original,fusyon.
Gan, "how God ...gandevise" (N46,a), began: auxiliary with force ofdid. "Not with less dread the loud Ethereal trumpet from on highganblow."—Milton,Paradise Lost(1667), vi. 60.
Gard, "freshlygard" (N77,c), trimmed, edged. "Those of the forewarde vnder the Duke of Norffolke, were apparelled in blue coatsgardedwith redde."—Stow,HenryVIII.(1544).
Gaudies, "no moregaudiesor japes" (R264,b), trick, jest. "Thynke wel that it is nogaude."—Chaucer,Troilus(1369), ii. 351.
Gear(passim), formerly a word-of-all-work = outfit, ornament, dress, accoutrements, arms, harness, tackle, goods, property, tools, implements, material, stuff, matter, business, affair, manners, habits, customs, rubbish, trash—and what not? See other volumes of this series.
Generalis, see Curia.
Gentle-Meat, "Gentle meatfor a hawk" (J.E. 363,c), the pun is double-barrelled:gentlealso = a trained hawk.
Gentman(R231,b), gentleman: cf. jentman.
Geoffrey, "farewell, gentleGeoffrey" (M9,a), apparently a common tag or catch-phrase, or from some song of the period. Heywood (Works, E.E.D.S.,II.36b) quotes almost the identical words ofMankind: "Now, here is the door, and there is the way; And so, (quoth he), farewell, gentleGeoffrey!"
Gere, read Gear.
Gesumme, "a good horse should begesumme" (M12,d). Dr. Bradley (quoted by E.E.T.S. editors) suggestsgeason(A.S.gœsne= empty, scarce). The whole passage from the beginning of the speech is obscure and apparently corrupt: at all events, it hardly "reads" as it is. The following suggestion is made with a view to eliciting a re-examination. The original is (E.E.T.S.)—
"Ande my wyf wereyowur hors, sche wolde yow attto-samneȜe fede yowur hors in mesure; ze area wyse man.I trow, & Ȝe wereþe kyngispalfrey-man,A goode horse xulde be gesumme."
"Ande my wyf wereyowur hors, sche wolde yow attto-samneȜe fede yowur hors in mesure; ze area wyse man.I trow, & Ȝe wereþe kyngispalfrey-man,A goode horse xulde be gesumme."
Now, take as miswritten the wordsyowandto-samnein the first line, and substitute respectivelybeandto-famen, and sense is obtained. New Guise has overheard Mercy saying that too much corn for a horse makes it unruly and unmanageable. "Good!" says New Guise, "you are no liar, for I fed my wife so well that she has given me a clouting—here is the plaster!... If my wife were your horse she would be altogether famished. I trow if ye were the King's palfrey-man a good horse would go empty or be scarce (King's horses, for parade purposes requiring plenty of the best fodder). The misscripts are not unlikely ones, and—well, 'tis but a suggestion." "Steuen wille vs traueile andfamenvs to dede."—Robertde Brunne, p. 122.
Now, take as miswritten the wordsyowandto-samnein the first line, and substitute respectivelybeandto-famen, and sense is obtained. New Guise has overheard Mercy saying that too much corn for a horse makes it unruly and unmanageable. "Good!" says New Guise, "you are no liar, for I fed my wife so well that she has given me a clouting—here is the plaster!... If my wife were your horse she would be altogether famished. I trow if ye were the King's palfrey-man a good horse would go empty or be scarce (King's horses, for parade purposes requiring plenty of the best fodder). The misscripts are not unlikely ones, and—well, 'tis but a suggestion." "Steuen wille vs traueile andfamenvs to dede."—Robertde Brunne, p. 122.
Ghost, Ghostly(passim), soul, breath, spirit, will; spiritual, not carnal or secular, religious: Ger.,geistlich. As, his holyghost(of the will of a man),ghostly purpose,ghostlyenemy,ghostlysolaceghostlycomfort,ghostly, ghostlyto our purpose, fatherghostly, ghostlyreason.Ginneth, "when sheginnethwane" (N44,a), beginneth. "This lessoun thus Iginne."—William ofPalerne, 1929. "Into hyr bedde the boygancrepe."—Octovian, 176.Ginst, "ginstto err" (N52,b), see previous entry.Gis, "by Gis" (passim), Jesus: also Jis and Gisse.Give, "givethe rope just to thy neck" (M35,d), put, adjust.Godamighties(R225,a), a term applied to any person or thing greatly idolised: also and mostly, now-a-days, in sarcasm,e.g.a little God-almighty (of a conceited prig), etc. Avarice is speaking of his money bags.Godigod(R182,c), "God give you good [day]," a gloss of Prof. Brandl's. Also (R258,c),Godigod eveandGodigod speed.God's Good, "a hat ofGod's good" (R229,b), yeast;sallet= helmet (see E.E.D.S.,Anon. Plays, 1 Ser. 274a). People means that instead of being well enough off to get a helmet to serve the king, he is fain to be content with a yeast tub; probably it was meant also as a bit of "business" for the groundlings' sake.Goss, "byGoss" (R194,c), God.Governance, "this is hisgovernance" (M26,d), behaviour, manners, conduct, mode of life. "Now schalle I telle you thegovernanceof the court of the grete Cham."—Maundeville, p. 232.Governy, "the whole rule andgoverny" (N60,c), control, management, guidance.Grass, "while thegrassshall grow the horse shall sterve" (R233,d), see Heywood (E.E.D.S.,Works,II., 378),s.v.Grass.Green cheese, "Ye can see nogreen cheesebut your teeth will water" (R216,c), cream cheese, the material of which "the moon is made": see Heywood,Works(E.E.D.S.),II., 97c.Green Friars(N92,d), no such order is known either to the highest living English authority on monastic orders, or to Helyot or Dugdale;The Catholic Dictionarylikewise makes no reference to Green Friars. And, in truth, having regard to the context, it seems tolerably certain that Medwall (a priest himself) was merely satirizing known abuses, with an eye perhaps on "Friar Tuck" and "Lincoln green": the "hedge-marriages" alluded to later (93,c) would also support this interpretation.Groge, Groged(N75,d), grudge, grudged: assubs= discontent, ill-will, anger, unwillingness to benefit; asverb= grieve, repine, murmur, raise objection, feel ill-will. "Perish they Thatgrudgeone thought against your Majesty."—Shakespeare,1 Henry VI.iii. (1592), iii. 1.Gromwell-seed(R183,b), properly grey millet; here a slang term for money: see other volumes of this series.Grossery, "such othergrossery" (R263,d),i.e.grossness, enormities, obscurity, with an eye on "grocery" (fr. O.F.grossier, one who sells by the gross, or wholesale).Grutch(passim), grudge: see Groge.Gubbings, "thegubbingsof booties and preys" (R183,d), properly the parings of haberdine, but also generic for fragments of any kind.Guise, "good newguise... viciousguise," etc. (passim), generic for fashion, style, manner, mien, conduct.'Gyptian, "the'Gyptianthraldom" (R237,c), Egyptian.Ha(passim), have.Had, see Wist.Hafter, "ye are but anhafter" (WS141,c), wrangler, caviller: also a generic reproach; here specifically a falterer, laggard. "Of ale he doth so stinke, That whether he go before, or behynde, Ye shall hym smell without the winde. For when he goethto it, he is nohafter."—Doctour Double Ale, 216 (c.1547).Haik, Hake(R191,bandc; R219,c), "an exclamation, generally a signal of defiance" (Halliwell): cf. "hack" ("hawk") = to clear the throat.Hair, see Hood.Hale, "What doth he after himhale" (R215,d), haul.Haled, see States.Halfpenny, "your minds were all on yourhalfpenny" (R196,d),i.e.with an eye to the main chance, generally attentive, cautious, or prudent. The proverb is in Heywood (Works, E.E.D.S.,II.14,c; 174,b). "Ri.: Dromio, looke heere, now is my hand on myhalfepeny.Half.: Thou liest, thou hast not a farthing to lay thy hands on."—Lyly,MotherBombie(1594), ii. 1. "But the blinde [deafe] man, having his hand on anotherhalfe-penny, said, What is that you say, sir? Hath the clocke strucken?"—Noteson Du Bartas,To the Reader, 2nd page.Halsed, "his fair wifehalsedin a corner" (M28,d), embraced (hals= neck): the special use of the word is singularly appropriate, as Mischief had just escaped the halsman (= executioner or jailer) himself.Hance Beerpot(W.H.),i.e.Hans, but there was no object in carrying the modernisation of the orthography so far as to alter the original Hance: see Wealth and Health.Hand, "I bless you with myleft hand" (M23,c),i.e.curse: cf. "over the left" = altogether wrong, or the reverse of what is said. Such "left-handed" colloquialisms are by no means rare to express insincerity, ill-omen, underhandness, or inferiority. The earliest quotation in theO.E.D.,s.v.Left, is 1705, so this example carries its use back upwards of 200 years.Hands, see Aloft.Hangman, see Calais.Hanston, see Respublica.Hardely(passim), steadily, boldly, certainly.Hare, "this same way goeth thehare" (R212,b),i.e.that's the gist, trend, secret, why and wherefore of the matter: in Heywood.Hassard, "fet nothassardnor rioter" (IP,320,c); so in original. It may be a contraction ofhasarder= gamester, or a misprint forhaskard= a rough, blustering fellow (Dekker); probably, however, the former fits the context best.Hasse, "a fair manorhasse" (JE354,a), so in original; and but for the rhyme-wordbashbeing speltbassheone might suspect a misprint, especially as Dr. Murray records no such form ashasseforhouse, nor anything like it. The meaning, however, is clear enough.Hat(passim), have it—ha[ve i]t.Haut, Hauty, "hishautcourage" (N60,d),—"Wealth ishauty" (WH276,d), high, lofty, proud. Also see N53,c, wherehautis misprintedhawt.Have(a) (passim) bears several idiomatic meanings in old writers. Thusto have after= to follow;tohave at(a person or thing) = to try, attempt, begin, strike, hit;to have with(a person) = to go with, come on. Also,have at him(subs.) = a thrust, blow; and so forth. "Have after, to what issue will this come."—Shakespeare,Hamlet(1596), i. 4. "Have atit, then."—Shakespeare,Cymbeline(1605), v. 5. "Have at theewith a downright blow."—Shakespeare,2 HenryVI.(1594), ii. 3. "I'll venture onehave-at-him."—Shakespeare,HenryVIII.(1601), ii. 2.
Ghost, Ghostly(passim), soul, breath, spirit, will; spiritual, not carnal or secular, religious: Ger.,geistlich. As, his holyghost(of the will of a man),ghostly purpose,ghostlyenemy,ghostlysolaceghostlycomfort,ghostly, ghostlyto our purpose, fatherghostly, ghostlyreason.
Ginneth, "when sheginnethwane" (N44,a), beginneth. "This lessoun thus Iginne."—William ofPalerne, 1929. "Into hyr bedde the boygancrepe."—Octovian, 176.
Ginst, "ginstto err" (N52,b), see previous entry.
Gis, "by Gis" (passim), Jesus: also Jis and Gisse.
Give, "givethe rope just to thy neck" (M35,d), put, adjust.
Godamighties(R225,a), a term applied to any person or thing greatly idolised: also and mostly, now-a-days, in sarcasm,e.g.a little God-almighty (of a conceited prig), etc. Avarice is speaking of his money bags.
Godigod(R182,c), "God give you good [day]," a gloss of Prof. Brandl's. Also (R258,c),Godigod eveandGodigod speed.
God's Good, "a hat ofGod's good" (R229,b), yeast;sallet= helmet (see E.E.D.S.,Anon. Plays, 1 Ser. 274a). People means that instead of being well enough off to get a helmet to serve the king, he is fain to be content with a yeast tub; probably it was meant also as a bit of "business" for the groundlings' sake.
Goss, "byGoss" (R194,c), God.
Governance, "this is hisgovernance" (M26,d), behaviour, manners, conduct, mode of life. "Now schalle I telle you thegovernanceof the court of the grete Cham."—Maundeville, p. 232.
Governy, "the whole rule andgoverny" (N60,c), control, management, guidance.
Grass, "while thegrassshall grow the horse shall sterve" (R233,d), see Heywood (E.E.D.S.,Works,II., 378),s.v.Grass.
Green cheese, "Ye can see nogreen cheesebut your teeth will water" (R216,c), cream cheese, the material of which "the moon is made": see Heywood,Works(E.E.D.S.),II., 97c.
Green Friars(N92,d), no such order is known either to the highest living English authority on monastic orders, or to Helyot or Dugdale;The Catholic Dictionarylikewise makes no reference to Green Friars. And, in truth, having regard to the context, it seems tolerably certain that Medwall (a priest himself) was merely satirizing known abuses, with an eye perhaps on "Friar Tuck" and "Lincoln green": the "hedge-marriages" alluded to later (93,c) would also support this interpretation.
Groge, Groged(N75,d), grudge, grudged: assubs= discontent, ill-will, anger, unwillingness to benefit; asverb= grieve, repine, murmur, raise objection, feel ill-will. "Perish they Thatgrudgeone thought against your Majesty."—Shakespeare,1 Henry VI.iii. (1592), iii. 1.
Gromwell-seed(R183,b), properly grey millet; here a slang term for money: see other volumes of this series.
Grossery, "such othergrossery" (R263,d),i.e.grossness, enormities, obscurity, with an eye on "grocery" (fr. O.F.grossier, one who sells by the gross, or wholesale).
Grutch(passim), grudge: see Groge.
Gubbings, "thegubbingsof booties and preys" (R183,d), properly the parings of haberdine, but also generic for fragments of any kind.
Guise, "good newguise... viciousguise," etc. (passim), generic for fashion, style, manner, mien, conduct.
'Gyptian, "the'Gyptianthraldom" (R237,c), Egyptian.
Ha(passim), have.
Had, see Wist.
Hafter, "ye are but anhafter" (WS141,c), wrangler, caviller: also a generic reproach; here specifically a falterer, laggard. "Of ale he doth so stinke, That whether he go before, or behynde, Ye shall hym smell without the winde. For when he goethto it, he is nohafter."—Doctour Double Ale, 216 (c.1547).
Haik, Hake(R191,bandc; R219,c), "an exclamation, generally a signal of defiance" (Halliwell): cf. "hack" ("hawk") = to clear the throat.
Hair, see Hood.
Hale, "What doth he after himhale" (R215,d), haul.
Haled, see States.
Halfpenny, "your minds were all on yourhalfpenny" (R196,d),i.e.with an eye to the main chance, generally attentive, cautious, or prudent. The proverb is in Heywood (Works, E.E.D.S.,II.14,c; 174,b). "Ri.: Dromio, looke heere, now is my hand on myhalfepeny.Half.: Thou liest, thou hast not a farthing to lay thy hands on."—Lyly,MotherBombie(1594), ii. 1. "But the blinde [deafe] man, having his hand on anotherhalfe-penny, said, What is that you say, sir? Hath the clocke strucken?"—Noteson Du Bartas,To the Reader, 2nd page.
Halsed, "his fair wifehalsedin a corner" (M28,d), embraced (hals= neck): the special use of the word is singularly appropriate, as Mischief had just escaped the halsman (= executioner or jailer) himself.
Hance Beerpot(W.H.),i.e.Hans, but there was no object in carrying the modernisation of the orthography so far as to alter the original Hance: see Wealth and Health.
Hand, "I bless you with myleft hand" (M23,c),i.e.curse: cf. "over the left" = altogether wrong, or the reverse of what is said. Such "left-handed" colloquialisms are by no means rare to express insincerity, ill-omen, underhandness, or inferiority. The earliest quotation in theO.E.D.,s.v.Left, is 1705, so this example carries its use back upwards of 200 years.
Hands, see Aloft.
Hangman, see Calais.
Hanston, see Respublica.
Hardely(passim), steadily, boldly, certainly.
Hare, "this same way goeth thehare" (R212,b),i.e.that's the gist, trend, secret, why and wherefore of the matter: in Heywood.
Hassard, "fet nothassardnor rioter" (IP,320,c); so in original. It may be a contraction ofhasarder= gamester, or a misprint forhaskard= a rough, blustering fellow (Dekker); probably, however, the former fits the context best.
Hasse, "a fair manorhasse" (JE354,a), so in original; and but for the rhyme-wordbashbeing speltbassheone might suspect a misprint, especially as Dr. Murray records no such form ashasseforhouse, nor anything like it. The meaning, however, is clear enough.
Hat(passim), have it—ha[ve i]t.
Haut, Hauty, "hishautcourage" (N60,d),—"Wealth ishauty" (WH276,d), high, lofty, proud. Also see N53,c, wherehautis misprintedhawt.
Have(a) (passim) bears several idiomatic meanings in old writers. Thusto have after= to follow;tohave at(a person or thing) = to try, attempt, begin, strike, hit;to have with(a person) = to go with, come on. Also,have at him(subs.) = a thrust, blow; and so forth. "Have after, to what issue will this come."—Shakespeare,Hamlet(1596), i. 4. "Have atit, then."—Shakespeare,Cymbeline(1605), v. 5. "Have at theewith a downright blow."—Shakespeare,2 HenryVI.(1594), ii. 3. "I'll venture onehave-at-him."—Shakespeare,HenryVIII.(1601), ii. 2.