Joint, "jeopard a joint" (R256,d)—"t'adventure ajoint" (R250,c), to take a risk or hazard, as of injury, loss, hanging, etc. "My ten duckets are like my ten fingers, they will notjeopard a joyntfor you."—Decker,Fortunatus(1600), Works (1873), I. 153.Jolly, "here is ajollyjacket" (M31,d), bright, gay, splendid, in newest fashion. "Jolyeand gaye sadeles."—Wyclif,Sel. Wks.(c. 1380), III. 520.Junctly, "marredjunctlytogether" (M16,d) jointly.Junkery, "a banket or ajunkery" (N95,c), banquet, feast, junket: specifically a merrymaking accompanied by eating and drinking. "Pertrych and his felaw bere gret visage and kepe gretjunkeryesand dyneres."—Paston Lett.(1449), IV. 24 (1901).Juris, see In.Justices of Quorum(JE352,d). According to Mr. Craigie (O.E.D., s.v.),quorumwas "originally certain justices of the peace, usually of eminent learning or ability, whose presence was necessary to constitute a bench; latterly the term was loosely applied to all justices." "The Justicez orJusticeof thePease of theQuorumyn the same shire."—RollsParlt.(1455), V. 334.I.Justitia, (a) (R.passim), as a pertinent comment onthemotifof this play it may be remarked that the nameJustitiawas (O.E.D.) applied in the eleventh century in a general way to persons charged with the administration of the law, especially to the Sheriffs; it was subsequently limited to the president or one of the members of the Curia Regis, out of which the Courts of King's Bench, Common Pleas, and Exchequer were developed: see previous entry.
Joint, "jeopard a joint" (R256,d)—"t'adventure ajoint" (R250,c), to take a risk or hazard, as of injury, loss, hanging, etc. "My ten duckets are like my ten fingers, they will notjeopard a joyntfor you."—Decker,Fortunatus(1600), Works (1873), I. 153.
Jolly, "here is ajollyjacket" (M31,d), bright, gay, splendid, in newest fashion. "Jolyeand gaye sadeles."—Wyclif,Sel. Wks.(c. 1380), III. 520.
Junctly, "marredjunctlytogether" (M16,d) jointly.
Junkery, "a banket or ajunkery" (N95,c), banquet, feast, junket: specifically a merrymaking accompanied by eating and drinking. "Pertrych and his felaw bere gret visage and kepe gretjunkeryesand dyneres."—Paston Lett.(1449), IV. 24 (1901).
Juris, see In.
Justices of Quorum(JE352,d). According to Mr. Craigie (O.E.D., s.v.),quorumwas "originally certain justices of the peace, usually of eminent learning or ability, whose presence was necessary to constitute a bench; latterly the term was loosely applied to all justices." "The Justicez orJusticeof thePease of theQuorumyn the same shire."—RollsParlt.(1455), V. 334.I.
Justitia, (a) (R.passim), as a pertinent comment onthemotifof this play it may be remarked that the nameJustitiawas (O.E.D.) applied in the eleventh century in a general way to persons charged with the administration of the law, especially to the Sheriffs; it was subsequently limited to the president or one of the members of the Curia Regis, out of which the Courts of King's Bench, Common Pleas, and Exchequer were developed: see previous entry.
(b)Just[ici]a tamen non luxit in nobis(R253,b), seeBook of Wisdom(Sap., 1, 15), where it reads,Justitiæ lumen non luxit in nobis.Mr. Magnus earmarks the mistake as "interesting, if, as is probable, the MS. is not the author's; it is the kind of miscopying which we might expect."
(b)Just[ici]a tamen non luxit in nobis(R253,b), seeBook of Wisdom(Sap., 1, 15), where it reads,Justitiæ lumen non luxit in nobis.Mr. Magnus earmarks the mistake as "interesting, if, as is probable, the MS. is not the author's; it is the kind of miscopying which we might expect."
Kays, "where be mykays" (R184,d), this seemingly cockney Irish pronunciation of "key" is in truth the correct one, and was the standard down to the close of the seventeenth century. In M.E. the rhyme was withday,play,say, etc., and Dryden so employs it. On the other hand, early in the fifteenth century the (northern) spellingkeewas in vogue, from which it appears that the modern pronunciationkeeis of northern origin, but it is difficult to say how it came into general English use (O.E.D.).Keep, "Keepyour tail" (M21,a),i.e.keep it out of sight.Kent ... Northumberland, etc. (R254,a): see Respublica.King, see Cat.Kiss, see Courtesy.Knight, "Christ's ownknight" (M12,a), soldier. "Aknightwith a spear."—Youth, Anon. Plays, 2 Ser. (E.E.D.S.), 97,d. "Thatknychtquha peirsit our Lordis syde with the speir."—Winzet,FourScoir Thre Quest. (1563),Works(1888),I.77.Knil, "I rang her aknil" (N97,d), a loud peal on a bell: specifically the passing bell, but frequently used of more or less violent ringing.K. q. title, see Jack Noble.Kyx, "as dry as akyx" (R271,b), a dry, hollow stalk. "Elders they may bee, which being fullest of spungie pith, proue euer the driestkixes."—Pappew. Hatchet(1589), Civ.Lade, "by whom thou artlade" (IP335,b), led.Ladydom, "Chwas besiraunce yourladidomto see" (R213,c). Mr. Magnus says "a new formation." Murray's first quotation is dated 1843.Lady of Wolpit(IP315,d), this should have been Woolpit, near Bury-St.-Edmunds. See Woolpit.Lammas, "at the latterLammas" (R219,a), never: seeSlang and its Analogues.Lavatory, "that blessedlavatory" (M3,c), a figurative usage: cf. "thelavatoryof grace" (Pilgr. Perf., W. de W. 60b, 1526).Lay, "hold for thelay" (JE353,d), lake, pool: in theO.E.D.the latest quotation for the literary use of this word is 1481, later ones being taken from the early nineteenth century dialect glossaries. This example is therefore useful.Lead, "I have noleadon my heels" (M25,a), the "heel of lead" was proverbial for slow, unsprightly movement: cf. "Love, I am full oflead" (Shakespeare,Ant. and Cleop., iii. 11, 72).Learn, "Titivillus canlearnyou many pretty things" (M25,d), this present-day vulgarism was formerly in constant literary use. Wyclif in his first (1382) rendering of Prov. ix. 7 employed it—"Wholernetha scorner," etc.: in the revised text of 1388 he substituted "techith."Left Hand, see Hand.Legs, see Titivillus.Leman, "take thee aleman" (M27,a), mistress, whore: see other volumes of this series.Lese, "an openlese" (N108,d), pasture, meadowland, common. "We been his people and scheep of hisleese."—Prymer(c.1400), 17 (1891).Lesing, "many alesing" (M18,b), lie, lying, falsehood.Let, "not minding you tolet" (R188,b), hinder, obstruct.Likely, "such alikelyman" (M27,d), in originallygh[t]ly; seemly, becoming, good-looking. "The damoysel beheld the poure knyght, and sawe he was alykelyman"—Malory,Arthur(1470-85),II.ii. 77.Limit, "a pardon bylimit" (M8,c), in originalbelymett. Apparently a pardon sold or bestowed by a friar limiter: see other volumes of this series.Lion of Cotswold(N109,c), a sheep: an earlier example than the first of theO.E.D.quotations.Live, "on live" (IP300,c), alive: an attributive use.Liver, "shallliverhim" (R271,c), deliver.Longeth, "thatlongethto thine office" (M8,c), pertains to, is fit and appropriate for.Lorel(IP335,b), a generic term of reproach. "I play thelorellor the loyterer."—- Palsgrave,Lang. Fran.(1530), 659.Losell, "like a loiteringlosell" (R257,d), profligate, rake: etymologically, "one who is lost," "a son of perdition."Loss, "poor we bear theloss" (R231,d), see Respublica.Louts, "we made themlouts" (R221,c),i.e.caused them to submit to our demands and disgorge. "To whome grete astates obeyde andlowttede."—Elegyon Henry(c.1500), inPercy's Releg., 45.Love, "Hastyloveis soon hot, and soon cold" (WS161,a); Heywood (Works, E.E.D.S.,II.6,d) has "hotlove, soon cold."Lowler(JE354,d), a variant of Loller = Lollard. Originally applied (c.1300) to a charitable fraternity, and subsequently to pretenders to austere piety and humility. Hence in reproach to certain "heretics," followers of Wyclif and similar purists.Lungis(JE357,c), in originalLonges. As this play is, generally speaking, carefully printed the use of the capital seems to point to a proper name, and not tolunges= thrusts, stabs.Lungisis the apocryphal name of the centurion who pierced our Lord with a spear: L.longinus. TheO.E.D.cites this as the origin oflungis= lout, loafer—a generic reproach.On the other hand, iflunge= a stab, it gives an instance of the use of the word some 200 years earlier than Dr. Murray's premier example: in either case the present illustration is useful and interesting.Lurdan, Lurden(passim), a generic reproach and term of abuse; examples are numerous.Mace, see Mass.Macro Plays and Manuscripts (The).These derive their name from a former owner, Cox Macro, an eighteenth century antiquary, physician, and cleric. From theDictionary of National Biographyit appears he was born in 1683, and died in 1767. He was the eldest son of Thos. Macro, grocer and alderman, and five times Mayor of Bury-St.-Edmunds. Thos. Macro married Susan, only daughter of Rev. John Cox, rector of Risby (near Bury-St.-Edmunds). The son received his name from his mother's surname. His name was made the subject of a punning motto for the family—"Cocks may crow." Educated at Bury Grammar School, he matriculated at Jesus College, Cambridge, but migrated to Christ's. In 1703 he entered at Leyden University, where he studied under Boerhave. In 1710 he proceeded to LL.B. degree at Cambridge, and to D.D. in 1717. He was chaplain to GeorgeII., but his possession of a large fortune rendered him independent of preferment. Macro was reputed to be master of most modern languages, and his house at Little Haugh contained a large collection of artistic treasures. Macro died 2nd Feb. 1767, and was buried at Norton, near Bury. A catalogue of Macro's treasures was compiled in 1766. Among them were many letters from Protestant martyrs, which came to him through Bishop Cox; the great register of Bury Abbey; a ledger-book of Glastonbury Abbey; and the original MS. of Spenser'sView of the State ofIreland. Many of his MSS. had previously been the property of Sir Henry Spelman, others formed part of the library of Bury Abbey. The Macro property ultimately came to John Patteson, M.P. for Norwich, who disposed of the old masters (pictures) in 1819, and sold the books and MSS. for no more than £150 (it is said) to Richard Beatniffe, a Norwich bookseller, who resold them at a largeprofit. They were sold for Beatniffe by Christie in 1820, and realised £700, 41 lots going to Dawson Turner, and the rest to Hudson Gurney. The latter are now in the possession of J. H. Gurney, of Keswick Hall, near Norwich, and are described in the Historical MSS. Commission's 12th Report. Macro's correspondence with literary men and artists forms the additional MSS. at the British Museum, 32556-7. The Rev. Joseph Hunter edited for the Camden Society in 1840 a volume ofEcclesiastical Documents, containing 21 charters from Macro's library; and from a MS. formerly in his possession was printed, in 1837, for the Abbotsford Club, a morality calledMind,Will, and Understanding. So far generally the D.N.B.: the manuscript of the plays alone concern the present volume. I have not seen the volume myself, though I hope one day to have the satisfaction of reproducing it in facsimile. I have therefore to acknowledge my indebtedness for thepréciswhich follows to Mr. A. W. Pollard's exhaustive account as given in the introduction to the Early English Text Society'sMacro Plays(Extra Series, xci.). Boiled down, the facts are these, so far as they relate to the two Macro Plays included in the present volume,MankindandRespublica.Mankindnow forms part of a volume which in the eighteenth century contained other plays and treatises in manuscript, with which we need not now concern ourselves, except to remark the strange juxtaposition of old moralities, a Juvenal, a treatise on alchemy, etc. When sold at auction in 1820 the collection was broken up, and three plays,Mankind,Wisdom, andTheCastle of Perseverance, bound afresh in one volume. Other points of interest are given by Mr. Pollard, but which I pass by as not germane to the present purpose. The manuscript ofMankindandWisdomare contemporaneous; and were, says Mr. Pollard, in the same ownership before the end of the fifteenth century. This is in all likelihood a fact; but that the ownership was a purely personal one is not so clear as appears at first sight, or for the reasons stated by Mr. Pollard. It is now necessary for me to quote Mr. Pollard's own words in orderto make my suggestions quite clear. He says: "It is ... possible that both this play and ... [Wisdom] were written in different parts of a miscellany-book belonging to Monk Hyngham, though the fact that his doggerel inscription of ownership is written after each of them inclines one at first to think that they were separate units among his possessions. As it occurs at the end of this play [Mankind], the inscription ... has been partly erased and partly cut through, the lower part of the leaf being supplied with modern paper. Enough, however, of the inscription remains to make it fairly certain that it reads like that at the end of the next play: O liber si quis cui constas forte queretur Hyngham quemonacho dices super omnia, consto. This apparently is to be translated (I owe the suggestion to Dr. Warner): 'O book, if any one by chance asks to whom do you belong, you are to say I belong to Hyngham, above everything which a monk can own.' Who Monk Hyngham was we do not know. He may have belonged to Bury-St.-Edmunds, whence some of the Macro manuscripts are said to have come." Thus far also Mr. Pollard.
Kays, "where be mykays" (R184,d), this seemingly cockney Irish pronunciation of "key" is in truth the correct one, and was the standard down to the close of the seventeenth century. In M.E. the rhyme was withday,play,say, etc., and Dryden so employs it. On the other hand, early in the fifteenth century the (northern) spellingkeewas in vogue, from which it appears that the modern pronunciationkeeis of northern origin, but it is difficult to say how it came into general English use (O.E.D.).
Keep, "Keepyour tail" (M21,a),i.e.keep it out of sight.
Kent ... Northumberland, etc. (R254,a): see Respublica.
King, see Cat.
Kiss, see Courtesy.
Knight, "Christ's ownknight" (M12,a), soldier. "Aknightwith a spear."—Youth, Anon. Plays, 2 Ser. (E.E.D.S.), 97,d. "Thatknychtquha peirsit our Lordis syde with the speir."—Winzet,FourScoir Thre Quest. (1563),Works(1888),I.77.
Knil, "I rang her aknil" (N97,d), a loud peal on a bell: specifically the passing bell, but frequently used of more or less violent ringing.
K. q. title, see Jack Noble.
Kyx, "as dry as akyx" (R271,b), a dry, hollow stalk. "Elders they may bee, which being fullest of spungie pith, proue euer the driestkixes."—Pappew. Hatchet(1589), Civ.
Lade, "by whom thou artlade" (IP335,b), led.
Ladydom, "Chwas besiraunce yourladidomto see" (R213,c). Mr. Magnus says "a new formation." Murray's first quotation is dated 1843.
Lady of Wolpit(IP315,d), this should have been Woolpit, near Bury-St.-Edmunds. See Woolpit.
Lammas, "at the latterLammas" (R219,a), never: seeSlang and its Analogues.
Lavatory, "that blessedlavatory" (M3,c), a figurative usage: cf. "thelavatoryof grace" (Pilgr. Perf., W. de W. 60b, 1526).
Lay, "hold for thelay" (JE353,d), lake, pool: in theO.E.D.the latest quotation for the literary use of this word is 1481, later ones being taken from the early nineteenth century dialect glossaries. This example is therefore useful.
Lead, "I have noleadon my heels" (M25,a), the "heel of lead" was proverbial for slow, unsprightly movement: cf. "Love, I am full oflead" (Shakespeare,Ant. and Cleop., iii. 11, 72).
Learn, "Titivillus canlearnyou many pretty things" (M25,d), this present-day vulgarism was formerly in constant literary use. Wyclif in his first (1382) rendering of Prov. ix. 7 employed it—"Wholernetha scorner," etc.: in the revised text of 1388 he substituted "techith."
Left Hand, see Hand.
Legs, see Titivillus.
Leman, "take thee aleman" (M27,a), mistress, whore: see other volumes of this series.
Lese, "an openlese" (N108,d), pasture, meadowland, common. "We been his people and scheep of hisleese."—Prymer(c.1400), 17 (1891).
Lesing, "many alesing" (M18,b), lie, lying, falsehood.
Let, "not minding you tolet" (R188,b), hinder, obstruct.
Likely, "such alikelyman" (M27,d), in originallygh[t]ly; seemly, becoming, good-looking. "The damoysel beheld the poure knyght, and sawe he was alykelyman"—Malory,Arthur(1470-85),II.ii. 77.
Limit, "a pardon bylimit" (M8,c), in originalbelymett. Apparently a pardon sold or bestowed by a friar limiter: see other volumes of this series.
Lion of Cotswold(N109,c), a sheep: an earlier example than the first of theO.E.D.quotations.
Live, "on live" (IP300,c), alive: an attributive use.
Liver, "shallliverhim" (R271,c), deliver.
Longeth, "thatlongethto thine office" (M8,c), pertains to, is fit and appropriate for.
Lorel(IP335,b), a generic term of reproach. "I play thelorellor the loyterer."—- Palsgrave,Lang. Fran.(1530), 659.
Losell, "like a loiteringlosell" (R257,d), profligate, rake: etymologically, "one who is lost," "a son of perdition."
Loss, "poor we bear theloss" (R231,d), see Respublica.
Louts, "we made themlouts" (R221,c),i.e.caused them to submit to our demands and disgorge. "To whome grete astates obeyde andlowttede."—Elegyon Henry(c.1500), inPercy's Releg., 45.
Love, "Hastyloveis soon hot, and soon cold" (WS161,a); Heywood (Works, E.E.D.S.,II.6,d) has "hotlove, soon cold."
Lowler(JE354,d), a variant of Loller = Lollard. Originally applied (c.1300) to a charitable fraternity, and subsequently to pretenders to austere piety and humility. Hence in reproach to certain "heretics," followers of Wyclif and similar purists.
Lungis(JE357,c), in originalLonges. As this play is, generally speaking, carefully printed the use of the capital seems to point to a proper name, and not tolunges= thrusts, stabs.Lungisis the apocryphal name of the centurion who pierced our Lord with a spear: L.longinus. TheO.E.D.cites this as the origin oflungis= lout, loafer—a generic reproach.On the other hand, iflunge= a stab, it gives an instance of the use of the word some 200 years earlier than Dr. Murray's premier example: in either case the present illustration is useful and interesting.
Lurdan, Lurden(passim), a generic reproach and term of abuse; examples are numerous.
Mace, see Mass.
Macro Plays and Manuscripts (The).These derive their name from a former owner, Cox Macro, an eighteenth century antiquary, physician, and cleric. From theDictionary of National Biographyit appears he was born in 1683, and died in 1767. He was the eldest son of Thos. Macro, grocer and alderman, and five times Mayor of Bury-St.-Edmunds. Thos. Macro married Susan, only daughter of Rev. John Cox, rector of Risby (near Bury-St.-Edmunds). The son received his name from his mother's surname. His name was made the subject of a punning motto for the family—"Cocks may crow." Educated at Bury Grammar School, he matriculated at Jesus College, Cambridge, but migrated to Christ's. In 1703 he entered at Leyden University, where he studied under Boerhave. In 1710 he proceeded to LL.B. degree at Cambridge, and to D.D. in 1717. He was chaplain to GeorgeII., but his possession of a large fortune rendered him independent of preferment. Macro was reputed to be master of most modern languages, and his house at Little Haugh contained a large collection of artistic treasures. Macro died 2nd Feb. 1767, and was buried at Norton, near Bury. A catalogue of Macro's treasures was compiled in 1766. Among them were many letters from Protestant martyrs, which came to him through Bishop Cox; the great register of Bury Abbey; a ledger-book of Glastonbury Abbey; and the original MS. of Spenser'sView of the State ofIreland. Many of his MSS. had previously been the property of Sir Henry Spelman, others formed part of the library of Bury Abbey. The Macro property ultimately came to John Patteson, M.P. for Norwich, who disposed of the old masters (pictures) in 1819, and sold the books and MSS. for no more than £150 (it is said) to Richard Beatniffe, a Norwich bookseller, who resold them at a largeprofit. They were sold for Beatniffe by Christie in 1820, and realised £700, 41 lots going to Dawson Turner, and the rest to Hudson Gurney. The latter are now in the possession of J. H. Gurney, of Keswick Hall, near Norwich, and are described in the Historical MSS. Commission's 12th Report. Macro's correspondence with literary men and artists forms the additional MSS. at the British Museum, 32556-7. The Rev. Joseph Hunter edited for the Camden Society in 1840 a volume ofEcclesiastical Documents, containing 21 charters from Macro's library; and from a MS. formerly in his possession was printed, in 1837, for the Abbotsford Club, a morality calledMind,Will, and Understanding. So far generally the D.N.B.: the manuscript of the plays alone concern the present volume. I have not seen the volume myself, though I hope one day to have the satisfaction of reproducing it in facsimile. I have therefore to acknowledge my indebtedness for thepréciswhich follows to Mr. A. W. Pollard's exhaustive account as given in the introduction to the Early English Text Society'sMacro Plays(Extra Series, xci.). Boiled down, the facts are these, so far as they relate to the two Macro Plays included in the present volume,MankindandRespublica.Mankindnow forms part of a volume which in the eighteenth century contained other plays and treatises in manuscript, with which we need not now concern ourselves, except to remark the strange juxtaposition of old moralities, a Juvenal, a treatise on alchemy, etc. When sold at auction in 1820 the collection was broken up, and three plays,Mankind,Wisdom, andTheCastle of Perseverance, bound afresh in one volume. Other points of interest are given by Mr. Pollard, but which I pass by as not germane to the present purpose. The manuscript ofMankindandWisdomare contemporaneous; and were, says Mr. Pollard, in the same ownership before the end of the fifteenth century. This is in all likelihood a fact; but that the ownership was a purely personal one is not so clear as appears at first sight, or for the reasons stated by Mr. Pollard. It is now necessary for me to quote Mr. Pollard's own words in orderto make my suggestions quite clear. He says: "It is ... possible that both this play and ... [Wisdom] were written in different parts of a miscellany-book belonging to Monk Hyngham, though the fact that his doggerel inscription of ownership is written after each of them inclines one at first to think that they were separate units among his possessions. As it occurs at the end of this play [Mankind], the inscription ... has been partly erased and partly cut through, the lower part of the leaf being supplied with modern paper. Enough, however, of the inscription remains to make it fairly certain that it reads like that at the end of the next play: O liber si quis cui constas forte queretur Hyngham quemonacho dices super omnia, consto. This apparently is to be translated (I owe the suggestion to Dr. Warner): 'O book, if any one by chance asks to whom do you belong, you are to say I belong to Hyngham, above everything which a monk can own.' Who Monk Hyngham was we do not know. He may have belonged to Bury-St.-Edmunds, whence some of the Macro manuscripts are said to have come." Thus far also Mr. Pollard.
Now, I am inclined to think the deductions hitherto drawn from the foregoing facts are not altogether of the soundest. In the first place,Is the inscription rightly translated?Secondly,Does "Hyngham" refer to a person or a place?In answer to the first question, I offer an alternative reading for consideration; in reply to the second, I offer evidence that a place is meant. If I am right in my contentions fresh light is thereby thrown upon several problems, at present unsolved, in respect to these Macro plays. To take the points in order. The inscription as given by Mr. Pollard in his introductory remarks on page xxx, varies somewhat from the text as given on pages 34 and 73:queisquemand consto is given as consta[s]. My own text (40,d) follows the latter, which for the sake of the ensuing argument I quote again, with contractions, etc., duly indicated:O liber, si quis cui constas forte queretur,Hyngham, quemmonacho dices, superomnia consta[s].Now if for quemwe read quodand for consta[s] we substitute consta[t], we get on surer ground. The original hardly conveys the idea thatconstasoccurs twice, though there is evidently a play on "constas," "constat"; at least that is a possible reading. In this instance, too, the verbconstareseems to be used in the sense ofvalue, and one hardly sees where Dr. Warner'sbelongcomes in. Ifquodandconstatare accepted, the translation would be something like this:
Now, I am inclined to think the deductions hitherto drawn from the foregoing facts are not altogether of the soundest. In the first place,Is the inscription rightly translated?Secondly,Does "Hyngham" refer to a person or a place?In answer to the first question, I offer an alternative reading for consideration; in reply to the second, I offer evidence that a place is meant. If I am right in my contentions fresh light is thereby thrown upon several problems, at present unsolved, in respect to these Macro plays. To take the points in order. The inscription as given by Mr. Pollard in his introductory remarks on page xxx, varies somewhat from the text as given on pages 34 and 73:queisquemand consto is given as consta[s]. My own text (40,d) follows the latter, which for the sake of the ensuing argument I quote again, with contractions, etc., duly indicated:
O liber, si quis cui constas forte queretur,Hyngham, quemmonacho dices, superomnia consta[s].
O liber, si quis cui constas forte queretur,Hyngham, quemmonacho dices, superomnia consta[s].
Now if for quemwe read quodand for consta[s] we substitute consta[t], we get on surer ground. The original hardly conveys the idea thatconstasoccurs twice, though there is evidently a play on "constas," "constat"; at least that is a possible reading. In this instance, too, the verbconstareseems to be used in the sense ofvalue, and one hardly sees where Dr. Warner'sbelongcomes in. Ifquodandconstatare accepted, the translation would be something like this:
"O book, if haply anyone should ask to what [place] you are precious, tell them Hyngham, which [quod] to a monk is precious beyond all [places]."
"O book, if haply anyone should ask to what [place] you are precious, tell them Hyngham, which [quod] to a monk is precious beyond all [places]."
That is, the book is precious to Hyngham; Hyngham is precious beyond all places to the monks.This brings me to the next point. Assuming this translation to be correct (and I invite discussion), it seems pretty clear that the ownership of the manuscripts ofMankindandWisdomwas not to aMonkHyngham, but to a monk or monks of Hyngham. Facts again seem to confirm alike this new view and also the Eastern Counties tradition. Hyngham, Hingham, or Ingham, as a surname, is not common in the district; on the contrary, it is uncommonly rare. It belongs more to the north, especially to Lancashire and Yorkshire. Its occurrence now-a-days in Leeds, Bradford, Liverpool, and Manchester, may be regarded as fifty or sixty to two, or at most three, for other large towns all over the country; whilst in the Eastern Counties it is simply not to be found. This is especially and particularly the case as regards Lincoln, Grimsby, Boston, Stamford, Norwich, Yarmouth, Ipswich, Bury-St.-Edmunds, Cambridge, Colchester, Chelmsford, etc. The facts are at least significant.On the other hand, taking Hyngham (or Ingham) as a place-name, we go, as the kiddies say, from "cold" to "hot" at once. There are three places of this name, all comparatively close to one another. There is Ingham near Bury-St.-Edmunds, Ingham near Lincoln, and Ingham 16 miles N.E. from Norwich. I have been unable at present to trace any ecclesiastical connection with the two Inghamsfirst named. But at Ingham near Norwich, Sir Miles de Stapleton, of Bedale, in Yorkshire, in the fourteenth century founded a chantry in the church of Ingham, with a warden and two priests, in honour of the Holy Trinity. This foundation afterwards became a priory of friars of the order of the Holy Trinity, otherwise known as "Trinitarians" or "Mathurines." At the dissolution there were seven friars, and a revenue estimated at £63 per annum. "Yngham Trynyte" is twice mentioned in Bale'sThree Laws[Works, E.E.D.S. 34 and 63]. In Carlisle'sTopographical Dictionaryof England (1808), Ingham is spoken of as being in the fourteenth century "a college or priory of the order of the Holy Trinity." This is as far as I have at present gone, but I shall not have sought and written in vain if my remarks lead to further research in connection with these Macro plays. The new light certainly tends to confirm Mr. Pollard's dates; but how far it affects his argument founded on the collation of the manuscript, I do not know, and writing, as I do, far away from the great centres of antiquarian literary research and reference, my inquiries have been perforce of the slightest.
That is, the book is precious to Hyngham; Hyngham is precious beyond all places to the monks.
This brings me to the next point. Assuming this translation to be correct (and I invite discussion), it seems pretty clear that the ownership of the manuscripts ofMankindandWisdomwas not to aMonkHyngham, but to a monk or monks of Hyngham. Facts again seem to confirm alike this new view and also the Eastern Counties tradition. Hyngham, Hingham, or Ingham, as a surname, is not common in the district; on the contrary, it is uncommonly rare. It belongs more to the north, especially to Lancashire and Yorkshire. Its occurrence now-a-days in Leeds, Bradford, Liverpool, and Manchester, may be regarded as fifty or sixty to two, or at most three, for other large towns all over the country; whilst in the Eastern Counties it is simply not to be found. This is especially and particularly the case as regards Lincoln, Grimsby, Boston, Stamford, Norwich, Yarmouth, Ipswich, Bury-St.-Edmunds, Cambridge, Colchester, Chelmsford, etc. The facts are at least significant.
On the other hand, taking Hyngham (or Ingham) as a place-name, we go, as the kiddies say, from "cold" to "hot" at once. There are three places of this name, all comparatively close to one another. There is Ingham near Bury-St.-Edmunds, Ingham near Lincoln, and Ingham 16 miles N.E. from Norwich. I have been unable at present to trace any ecclesiastical connection with the two Inghamsfirst named. But at Ingham near Norwich, Sir Miles de Stapleton, of Bedale, in Yorkshire, in the fourteenth century founded a chantry in the church of Ingham, with a warden and two priests, in honour of the Holy Trinity. This foundation afterwards became a priory of friars of the order of the Holy Trinity, otherwise known as "Trinitarians" or "Mathurines." At the dissolution there were seven friars, and a revenue estimated at £63 per annum. "Yngham Trynyte" is twice mentioned in Bale'sThree Laws[Works, E.E.D.S. 34 and 63]. In Carlisle'sTopographical Dictionaryof England (1808), Ingham is spoken of as being in the fourteenth century "a college or priory of the order of the Holy Trinity." This is as far as I have at present gone, but I shall not have sought and written in vain if my remarks lead to further research in connection with these Macro plays. The new light certainly tends to confirm Mr. Pollard's dates; but how far it affects his argument founded on the collation of the manuscript, I do not know, and writing, as I do, far away from the great centres of antiquarian literary research and reference, my inquiries have been perforce of the slightest.
Madge Mason, "it passeth any man'smadge mason" (R211,b), imagination: People, like Codrus inMisogonus(Anon. Pl., Series 2), is given to distorting the "hard words" he hears.Mahound, "byMahound'sbones, ... byMahound'snose" (WS144,c), Mahomed.Main groat(IP341,c), a term at hazard: an earlier use than inO.E.D.Mainmission, "needest nomainmission" (N48,c), manumission: rare, a refashioning aftermainhand (O.E.D., in which the only example given is the present one).Mainprize(N123,c), to procure or grant the release of a prisoner by making oneself surety for his appearance. "Mede shal nouzȝtemeynpriseȝow bi the Marie of heuene."—Langland,Piers Plow. (1377), B. iv. 179.Maistry, "nomaistryyourself to comfort" (N121,d),i.e.it is no achievement (or is easy), to comfort yourself. "It is no gretemaistreto gader up that money."—PastonLett.(1456),I.380.Makebate(IP315,d), busybody, breeder of strife "a discordant element." "They agree better together, then to fal at variance for yewild wordes of suche a maliciousmake-bate."—More,Suppl.Soulys(1529),Works, 296, 2.Malkin(passim), slut, slattern, strumpet: originally a typical name for a woman of the lower classes. Hence many colloquial and proverbial expressions—"no man desirethMalkin'smaidenhead"; "mo maids thanMalkin"; "an old motherMalkin'stalk"; "Malkin, the May lady" (Maid Marian); a "carter's or swineherd'sMalkin"; "some gentleman-swallowing (= whorish)Malkin"; "a kitchenMalkin"; "trapish ... petticoats to heels like aMalkin," etc.Mall, "thismallshall beat him to dust" (WS142,c), a club; usually of hard wood. "A leadenmaule, or suche lyke weapon, to beate downe his enemyes withall."—Ascham,Toxoph.(1545), 70 (Arber).Mankind.The text is given on pp. 1-40. This curious picture of real life and ne'er-do-weels in late Plantagenet and early Tudor times is one of the unique Macro plays, and existed, until quite recently, in manuscript only. With this manuscript and its history I have dealt fully in another part of this volume (seeMacro Plays and MSS.). During the last ten yearsMankindhas been three times reprinted—by Dr. Brandl (Quellen, etc., 1904), by Prof. Manly (Specimens of the Pre-ShakespeareanDrama, 1904), and by theEarly English Text Society(Extra Series xci, 1904). The last-named text in all probability more nearly approaches fidelity to the original than the others; but as the amanuensis, to all appearance, was the same for all three, and was responsible for the confessedly untrustworthy texts which Dr. Brandl and Prof. Manly have been compelled to use without an opportunity of a new collation with the original manuscript, one cannot but entertain some misgiving as to the accuracy of the Early English Text Society's version. Especially is this the case in view ofthe fact that, so far as I can learn, the E.E. text, as set by the printers from the copy supplied to them, does not seem to have been compared with the original MS. The manifold errors too, alike in the otherwise admirable introductory sketches, in the footnotes, and in the glossary, are not reassuring. Quotation after quotation, reference after reference, are incorrectly given. For example, in § 2, pp. xi.-xix., there are no less than twelve errors of this description that have casually come to my notice; while, having occasion to use the glossary references more frequently, I have found its usefulness much more largely impaired. Taking a column here and there at random, these are the results:—page 196, col. 1, 2 errors; 199, col. 2, 1 error; 200, col. 2, 5 references wrong; 210, col. 1, 4 errors. Why, too, MonkHyngston(xix.) instead ofHyngham? And, in reference to this strange inaccuracy, I must add that the same Society's edition ofRespublicais no better; indeed, it is worse! One page alone of the Notes (p. 66) contains no less than four wrong references, and the weight of Mr. Magnus's argument for an attribution of the play to Udall is marred by such unaccountable misquotation of names asMengradeforMerry-greekandMumblecourtforMumblecrust(both on page xxi.). Under the circumstances, and being unable to obtain access to the original manuscript, my own text must be taken for what it is ultimately proved. I have, of course, always given greater weight to the E.E.T.S. version, because it is the copy nearest to the original (the Brandl and Manly texts are copies of this copy), but in many cases Dr. Brandl and Professor Manly have done what service they could, and good service often, in suggested and amended readings and restorations. As no good purpose could, under the circumstances, have been served in dealing with all the minutiæ of this kind in an uncertain text, I have confined my remarks in this respect to the more important points raised. By punctuation, often andin toto, I differ from all three, jointly and severally; varying the interpretation. These I have noted. But one conclusion is obvious. The texts of these Macro plays as they stand are not all that scholarscan desire; and it is to be hoped that permission may be obtained for a collotype facsimile of the whole of the plays. The cost would be great, but I have no doubt that consideration can be satisfactorily solved.Corrigenda, Suggested Readings,Restorations, etc.[In the following pages the attributions are indicated by F = Early Eng. Text Society's Editors; M = Professor Manly; B = Dr. Brandl; andEd.= the present editor.] The "Names of the players" do not appear in the original manuscript—"ourfirstcreation" (3,b), originalsyestorsyrst(F)—"tohavehim revived" (3,c), originalhade—"Bymeditationof our Lady" (4,a), readmediation(M)—"make hisavaunt" (4,b),a-vauncein MS.—"thatvenomousserpent" (4,d), originalvemynousse—"leave yourcalculation" (5,a),calcacyonin F.: I follow M and B in present reading—[A leaf ofthe manuscript, etc.] (6,a), in the manuscript the next speech is to Mercy, but I have followed Prof. Manly's suggestion, also quoted by Dr. Furnivall. He says: "These lines begin a new leaf in the MS. They seem highly inappropriate in the mouth of Mercy.... Moreover, it is clear from ["we three" (7,a), and "all three" (7,c)] that the entrance of New Gyse, Now-a-days, and Nought was immediately preceded by Mercy's use of the words forming their names. I therefore suppose that at least one leaf of MS. (containing their entrance) has been lost at this point, and suggest that the command to the minstrels be assigned to New Gyse"—"have traced somewhatto fell" (7,a),to fylde fellin MS.: I have followed the Manly text, which is based on a suggestion of Prof. Kittredge's, thatfyldewas written by mistake, and that the copyist then, observing thatfyldeneither rhymed nor made sense, added the right word, but neglected to erasefylde—"Christ's cursehave ye" (7,b),hadein MS. = had ye = have ye—"I had thecup inmy hand" (7,b), MS. hascup ready in: so also F and B; M as in present text—"Sayno[ugh]tagain" (7,c), I have followed Manly: B and F havenotas in MS.—"shall find ussh[r]ews" (7,c),schewysin MS.—"that brought youhither" (7,c),brethernin MS.,hitherbeing M's emendation with a suggestion that possiblybretheris the right word: F andB follow MS.—"Ye betraymany men" (7,d), "a man" struck out (F)—"mydenomination" (8,a), "by" written over in MS. (F)—"a little force" (8,a),fausin MS.—"full of English Latin" (8,a), a marginal note says: "to have this English made in Latin: I am a-ferde yt wyll brest: 'It ram be' [? MS.], quod the bocher on-to me, 'When I stale a leg a motun ȝe are a stronge cunnynge clerke, I prey,' etc."—"here is a pardon by limit" (8,c), I have omittedlobefore "here" by mistake: "pardon by limit" is in original,pardon bely mett—"the demonical frayry" (8,d), M supposes a line lost here, but there is no indication of such in the MS.—"oftheirown Christ" (9,b),herin MS.—"Alas! what was thy fortune" (10,d), here a marginal note in the MS. occurs, "I may both syth and sobbe; þis ys a pituose remembrance, O In my soull, so sotyll in thy substance." Prof. Manly says "this may be a part of the three lines necessary to restore the versification." He indicates a line missing before the line beginning "Alas! what was thy fortune," and two lines missing after the line ending "that stinking dunghill"—"[MankindapproachesMercy" (11,a), F adds "and kneels to him"—"Insinfulguiding" (11,b),sympullin MS. which is followed by F; M hassinful—"Vita hominis estmilicia" (11,d), nnilicia in MS.—"Measure yourself," etc. (12,b), this line is in margin in MS.—"I trowand ye were" (12,d),It rowin MS.: the same miscript occurs at 13,a—"Mo than agood sort" (13,b), M suggests emending to "Methink a"—"Tothemye will go" (13,b),hemin MS.; I follow M: B suggestshom—"by SaintQuintin" (13,c),SentQisyntynin MS.—"I am evenvery weary" (13,c),wery weryin MS.—"be there again to-morrow" (13,c), M, for the sake of the rhyme, suggeststo-morne—"patience of Jobintribulation" (14,a), so in M: the MS. has &—"my own sweet son" (14,a), against this line in the margin in another hand is, "ita factum est"—"To pervertyourconditions" (14,b),þerin MS.: F suggests forþi; M reads your; B suggestsyour—"all theirmeans" (14,b),nnenysin MS.—"intermiseyourself not" (14,c), scratched through in MS. and "intro-mytt" written over in another hand—"of thecunning that I can" (15,a),co[=m]ynge ... kamin MS.—"It is written, etc." (16,a), this song is omitted by Manly (seeHolyke,ante) but given by F and B, the latter inQuellen, pp. 50-51, not page 61 as erroneously given by the Early English Text editors—"if he will havecompos[t]" (17,c),compassein MS.: F corrects tocompass[t]e; M tocompost; B tocomposte—"By Cock's body sacred" (18,b), F queries this as beingsakyidein MS.—"By theaidof His grace" (18,b),sydein MS.: F suggestsaydeand says "MS. fs crost there beforesyde... see line 400" [With the help, &c., 19,a]—"Nec inhasta" (18,c),hastuin MS.: F refers to "Non in gladio, nec in hasta.... 1 Reg. xvii. 47"—"Alack, alack!" (19,d), F says (this commences leaf 127 back), "In another hand, at top, 'Honorabyll well belouyd frende, I hertely Recummend me on-to you'"—"Yea,Christ's cross" (20,b),Crastesin MS.: M suggestsChrist's curse, comparing it with "Christ's copped curse" (36,a)—"There! we're on anon" (20,b), I may have been misled, though the MS. is by no means clear: "Ther, wher, on & on," whichmightbe interpreted, "There, ware! on anon! Out! ye shall not," etc., or "There! we're one and [i.e.to] one. Out! ye shall not," etc.—"Know ye anyaught" (20,c),outin MS.: F and B readouȝt—"with aflowte" (20,d),flewtein MS.: M queries it forflowte, which I have adopted—"Elsethereshall" (20,d)?þeiin MS. (F)—"he is aworshipfulman" (21,a),worschyppullin MS.—"nor pencenortwo pence" (21,b),ofin MS.; F, M, and B reador—"Ye sayusill" (21,b),asin MS.—"The devil have [thee]" (22,a), suggested by M—"that besought" (22,c), so in MS.: F and B readthat [yt] be; though elliptical the passage reads = that which is to be: my "pointing" varies from other authorities—"Mischiefhat[h]informed [me]" (22,d),hatin MS.: [me] suggested by F—"TakeW[illiam]Fide" (22,d), suggested by F: M readsw[ith yow], and Bw[yth yow]—"begin atm[aster]Huntington" (23,a), supplied by M—"Huntington of Sanston ... Hammond of Swaffham" (23,aandb), see E.E.T.S edition—"seewell where and whither" (23,b),bein MS.—"Let usconwell our neck-verse" (23,c),comin MS.—"I bless you with mylefthand" (23,c),rightstruck out in MS.—"enter, I hope,unreadily" (24,a), so in M:ouer redylyin MS.—"grace werewane" (24,b), "cran(?) written after 'wane' in another hand" (F)—"While I over-delve it" (24,c),ouer dylew ytin MS.—"into thi[s] yard" (25,b), supplied by M—"pow[d]er of Paris" (25,d), supplied by M—"Ye shall [see]agood sport" (25,d), supplied by M: Brandl, however, suggests thata= have, which provides, I think on reflection, a better reading without altering the text—"Be asbemay ... Mercy be wroth" (26,aandb), "these lines are added at the bottom of the page" (F),beisitin original—"I shallsleep" (26,b),?MS.skepe(F)—"rideth over the gallows" (26,d),galoufin MS. forgalous—"And thy own wifebrethel" (27,a), see Brethel,ante(382,d): F in a footnote (p. 22) says, "Qy.bethell, M," but M (p. 338) has "Qy.brethell"!—"Adieu, fairmaster" (27,b), F suggestsmaster[s]—"such alikelyman" (27,d),lyghlywhich F readslygh[t]ly= likely—"ye have sco[u]red a pair of fetters" (28,d),scorydein MS.: seeScoured, post, (461,a)—"thatsweet mouth" (28,d),þoin MS.—"doit [in]forma" (29,c), "fo" is struck out afteritin MS.:inis supplied by M—"his side-gown may besold" (29,d),soldein F and M, but F has a note "solde MS., tolde M" which I do not understand: M at all events is intelligible in noting thesoldeof his text as "MS. tolde"; but which is correct?—"spare that yemay" (30,a), so in MS and F, which I have followed: M readsmow(to rhyme withyow, p. 30, line 1), and notes his departure from the original—"beshrew your ears,afair hand" (30,b),&in MS. and F: M readsa—"Curiatenta generalis" (30,c),Cariciin MS.: see Curia,ante(391,a)—"makest much [tarrying]" (30,d), supplied by M and adopted by F—"I can[not] express this inconvenience" (32,d), [not] supplied by M and adopted by F—"Christusetomnia jura" (33,c),sitin MS.: emended by Kittredge in M—"Equity to be laid over part[l]y" (33,d),partyin MS: this line was a puzzler to M and B in consequence of thewretchedly inaccurate copy of the text supplied to them, and on which they had to work. The variations are characteristic: F is direct from MS. and collated (?); M and B are copies of a copy made by the same person at different times: these differ alike one with the other, and with the F copy. (F) "Equyte to be leyde ouerparty, & mercy to prevayll." (M) O quyte to be leyde ouer, perty & mercy to prevayll! (B) O, quyte to be leyde, ouerparty and mercy to prevayll! The readings adopted or suggested are—(F) As given above. (M) Equyte to be leyde ouer, pety & mercy to prevayll! (B) O, quyte to be lewyde, ouerpetyandmercy to prevayll! From this it will be seen that all differ with one another and from myself in interpreting this line: I offer mine as a suggestion—"with these cursedcaitiffs" (34,a),cayftysin MS.—"nigh dead in the crick" (34,c),myin MS.: corrected by M and B, and adopted by F, tony—"Hic, hic, hic" (34,c), M says a line is wanted here rhyming with the third line lower down to complete the stanza—"acepecoppus" (34,d), so in original which says M may be intentional: he readscape corpus—"give the rope just tothyneck" (35,d),pyein MS.: restored by M and B—"Heisso timorous" (36,a),He ys ysin MS.—"To see yoursolicitiousface" (36,b),solaycyosein MS.: M readssolacyose; Bsolicitose—"What! ask mercy yet once again?" (36,c), F says that from this point to "good perseverance" (40,b) the MS. is in another hand—"myworsttransgression" (36,c),werntorweruntin MS.: F haswerst: M haswekit—"dolorousfears" (36,d),serisin MS.: F hasferis: M hasferes; and B suggestssores—"this sinful sinner toredeem" (36,d), so in MS.: M and B suggestreducefor the rhyme's sake—"Nam hec ... non sunt" (36,d), F "notes" this passage: "Ps. lxxvi (lxxvii, Engl.), 11,'hæc mutatio dexteræ Excelsi'; 'Verte impios,et non erunt'—Prov. xii. 7"—"as Himself dothprecise" (37,b), M says "precysedoes not rhyme: qy.preche, or, as Kittredge suggests,precyselyteche"—"Nolo mortem, &c." (37,b), "Nolo mortemimpii, sed ut convertatur impius a vita sua, et vivat, Ezech. xxviii. 11" (F)—"he will [be] reducible"(37,b), M—"Incline your capacity," etc. (37,d), in MS. this line reads, "My doctrine is convenient, Incline your capacity": the change is due to M—"asIsaid before" (38,a),hein MS. (M)—"cause of great grievance" (38,b), "gein MS. altered toceorse" (F)—"Not to thelowli'stjoy" (38,d), F readsholest, and "notes" M's query of MS. being miswritten forloliestorlest: B also suggestslo[w]l[i]est—"Scripture dothprove" (38,d),prewein MS. and followed by F: M hasprove—"mysuavioussolace" (38,d), to B: F hassuatius; M hassolatius—"myinexcusablereproof" (39,a), so in MS.: M suggestsinexorablemay be better—"fantastical visions,sedulouslysought" (39,b),sedociuslyin MS.: the emendment is to M: B readsseducively—"Libere velle,"etc.(40,a),Liberewelle liebere welle(Kittredge in M)—"Dominus custodi[a]t te" (40,b),custodit sein MS. (M)—"myseveralpatrociny" (40,c), "? MS. suuerall (several, individual). Kittredge suggestsspecial" (F)—"Searchyour conditions" (40,c), in originalSerge—"O Liber," etc. (40,d), seeMacro Plays.Man of Arms(M28,c), a sarcasm: Mischief is loaded with fetters.Manitory, "my doctrinemanitory" (M39,b), warning.Market, "about ourmarketdepart" (R207,d), here generic for business, affairs.Mary Mass(R202,b), a mass in honour of the Virgin Mary: specifically festivals held on Candlemas Day (2 February), the assumption (15 August), and the latter Marymass, the nativity of the Virgin (8 September). The asseveration was common in the sixteenth century; moreover, a covert allusion to the trouble of Queen Mary as regards the celebration of the mass in her late brother's time may be intended.Mas(passim), master: in Respublicamace.Mass, see Prime.Masship, "I trow we shall hismasshiptrim" (R230,d), mastership.Mast, "mastWealth" (WH289,d), master.Matins, see Prime.Measure, "Measure is treasure" (M12,b), proverbial. "Men wryte of oold howmesour is tresour."—Lydgate,Min. Poems(Percy Soc.), 208 (c.1430).Medwall (Henry).Mr. T. Seccombe, writing in theDictionary of National Biography, says he "flourished in 1486"; but beyond the fact that he was chaplain to John Morton (who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1486, and died in 1500), little is known of this early writer of interludes. The only work of his extant isNature(see pp. 43-133). Bale mentions another interlude not now extant, but ascribed to Medwall, "Of the Finding of Truth, carried away by Ignorance and Hypocrisy." This was diversified by the introduction of a fool, an innovation which commended it to HenryVIII.when it was produced before him at Richmond, Christmas 1516. Apart from this feature the piece was misliked, and the King "departyd before the end to hys chambre."Meek, "Except that man himself domeek" (WH279,b), abase, humble.Mell, "not suffer tomell" (R213,a)—"with such-high matters tomell" (R235,b),—"will notmell" (R250,b), meddle.Member, "I scannotmemberhis name" (R212,d),—"tomemberin my heart" (R234,d), remember: in originalmembre.Memento, "Memento,homo," etc. (M15,b): seeJobxxxiv. 15.Menge, "I shallmengehis corn" (M24,a), mix, or? scatter.
Madge Mason, "it passeth any man'smadge mason" (R211,b), imagination: People, like Codrus inMisogonus(Anon. Pl., Series 2), is given to distorting the "hard words" he hears.
Mahound, "byMahound'sbones, ... byMahound'snose" (WS144,c), Mahomed.
Main groat(IP341,c), a term at hazard: an earlier use than inO.E.D.
Mainmission, "needest nomainmission" (N48,c), manumission: rare, a refashioning aftermainhand (O.E.D., in which the only example given is the present one).
Mainprize(N123,c), to procure or grant the release of a prisoner by making oneself surety for his appearance. "Mede shal nouzȝtemeynpriseȝow bi the Marie of heuene."—Langland,Piers Plow. (1377), B. iv. 179.
Maistry, "nomaistryyourself to comfort" (N121,d),i.e.it is no achievement (or is easy), to comfort yourself. "It is no gretemaistreto gader up that money."—PastonLett.(1456),I.380.
Makebate(IP315,d), busybody, breeder of strife "a discordant element." "They agree better together, then to fal at variance for yewild wordes of suche a maliciousmake-bate."—More,Suppl.Soulys(1529),Works, 296, 2.
Malkin(passim), slut, slattern, strumpet: originally a typical name for a woman of the lower classes. Hence many colloquial and proverbial expressions—"no man desirethMalkin'smaidenhead"; "mo maids thanMalkin"; "an old motherMalkin'stalk"; "Malkin, the May lady" (Maid Marian); a "carter's or swineherd'sMalkin"; "some gentleman-swallowing (= whorish)Malkin"; "a kitchenMalkin"; "trapish ... petticoats to heels like aMalkin," etc.
Mall, "thismallshall beat him to dust" (WS142,c), a club; usually of hard wood. "A leadenmaule, or suche lyke weapon, to beate downe his enemyes withall."—Ascham,Toxoph.(1545), 70 (Arber).
Mankind.The text is given on pp. 1-40. This curious picture of real life and ne'er-do-weels in late Plantagenet and early Tudor times is one of the unique Macro plays, and existed, until quite recently, in manuscript only. With this manuscript and its history I have dealt fully in another part of this volume (seeMacro Plays and MSS.). During the last ten yearsMankindhas been three times reprinted—by Dr. Brandl (Quellen, etc., 1904), by Prof. Manly (Specimens of the Pre-ShakespeareanDrama, 1904), and by theEarly English Text Society(Extra Series xci, 1904). The last-named text in all probability more nearly approaches fidelity to the original than the others; but as the amanuensis, to all appearance, was the same for all three, and was responsible for the confessedly untrustworthy texts which Dr. Brandl and Prof. Manly have been compelled to use without an opportunity of a new collation with the original manuscript, one cannot but entertain some misgiving as to the accuracy of the Early English Text Society's version. Especially is this the case in view ofthe fact that, so far as I can learn, the E.E. text, as set by the printers from the copy supplied to them, does not seem to have been compared with the original MS. The manifold errors too, alike in the otherwise admirable introductory sketches, in the footnotes, and in the glossary, are not reassuring. Quotation after quotation, reference after reference, are incorrectly given. For example, in § 2, pp. xi.-xix., there are no less than twelve errors of this description that have casually come to my notice; while, having occasion to use the glossary references more frequently, I have found its usefulness much more largely impaired. Taking a column here and there at random, these are the results:—page 196, col. 1, 2 errors; 199, col. 2, 1 error; 200, col. 2, 5 references wrong; 210, col. 1, 4 errors. Why, too, MonkHyngston(xix.) instead ofHyngham? And, in reference to this strange inaccuracy, I must add that the same Society's edition ofRespublicais no better; indeed, it is worse! One page alone of the Notes (p. 66) contains no less than four wrong references, and the weight of Mr. Magnus's argument for an attribution of the play to Udall is marred by such unaccountable misquotation of names asMengradeforMerry-greekandMumblecourtforMumblecrust(both on page xxi.). Under the circumstances, and being unable to obtain access to the original manuscript, my own text must be taken for what it is ultimately proved. I have, of course, always given greater weight to the E.E.T.S. version, because it is the copy nearest to the original (the Brandl and Manly texts are copies of this copy), but in many cases Dr. Brandl and Professor Manly have done what service they could, and good service often, in suggested and amended readings and restorations. As no good purpose could, under the circumstances, have been served in dealing with all the minutiæ of this kind in an uncertain text, I have confined my remarks in this respect to the more important points raised. By punctuation, often andin toto, I differ from all three, jointly and severally; varying the interpretation. These I have noted. But one conclusion is obvious. The texts of these Macro plays as they stand are not all that scholarscan desire; and it is to be hoped that permission may be obtained for a collotype facsimile of the whole of the plays. The cost would be great, but I have no doubt that consideration can be satisfactorily solved.Corrigenda, Suggested Readings,Restorations, etc.[In the following pages the attributions are indicated by F = Early Eng. Text Society's Editors; M = Professor Manly; B = Dr. Brandl; andEd.= the present editor.] The "Names of the players" do not appear in the original manuscript—"ourfirstcreation" (3,b), originalsyestorsyrst(F)—"tohavehim revived" (3,c), originalhade—"Bymeditationof our Lady" (4,a), readmediation(M)—"make hisavaunt" (4,b),a-vauncein MS.—"thatvenomousserpent" (4,d), originalvemynousse—"leave yourcalculation" (5,a),calcacyonin F.: I follow M and B in present reading—[A leaf ofthe manuscript, etc.] (6,a), in the manuscript the next speech is to Mercy, but I have followed Prof. Manly's suggestion, also quoted by Dr. Furnivall. He says: "These lines begin a new leaf in the MS. They seem highly inappropriate in the mouth of Mercy.... Moreover, it is clear from ["we three" (7,a), and "all three" (7,c)] that the entrance of New Gyse, Now-a-days, and Nought was immediately preceded by Mercy's use of the words forming their names. I therefore suppose that at least one leaf of MS. (containing their entrance) has been lost at this point, and suggest that the command to the minstrels be assigned to New Gyse"—"have traced somewhatto fell" (7,a),to fylde fellin MS.: I have followed the Manly text, which is based on a suggestion of Prof. Kittredge's, thatfyldewas written by mistake, and that the copyist then, observing thatfyldeneither rhymed nor made sense, added the right word, but neglected to erasefylde—"Christ's cursehave ye" (7,b),hadein MS. = had ye = have ye—"I had thecup inmy hand" (7,b), MS. hascup ready in: so also F and B; M as in present text—"Sayno[ugh]tagain" (7,c), I have followed Manly: B and F havenotas in MS.—"shall find ussh[r]ews" (7,c),schewysin MS.—"that brought youhither" (7,c),brethernin MS.,hitherbeing M's emendation with a suggestion that possiblybretheris the right word: F andB follow MS.—"Ye betraymany men" (7,d), "a man" struck out (F)—"mydenomination" (8,a), "by" written over in MS. (F)—"a little force" (8,a),fausin MS.—"full of English Latin" (8,a), a marginal note says: "to have this English made in Latin: I am a-ferde yt wyll brest: 'It ram be' [? MS.], quod the bocher on-to me, 'When I stale a leg a motun ȝe are a stronge cunnynge clerke, I prey,' etc."—"here is a pardon by limit" (8,c), I have omittedlobefore "here" by mistake: "pardon by limit" is in original,pardon bely mett—"the demonical frayry" (8,d), M supposes a line lost here, but there is no indication of such in the MS.—"oftheirown Christ" (9,b),herin MS.—"Alas! what was thy fortune" (10,d), here a marginal note in the MS. occurs, "I may both syth and sobbe; þis ys a pituose remembrance, O In my soull, so sotyll in thy substance." Prof. Manly says "this may be a part of the three lines necessary to restore the versification." He indicates a line missing before the line beginning "Alas! what was thy fortune," and two lines missing after the line ending "that stinking dunghill"—"[MankindapproachesMercy" (11,a), F adds "and kneels to him"—"Insinfulguiding" (11,b),sympullin MS. which is followed by F; M hassinful—"Vita hominis estmilicia" (11,d), nnilicia in MS.—"Measure yourself," etc. (12,b), this line is in margin in MS.—"I trowand ye were" (12,d),It rowin MS.: the same miscript occurs at 13,a—"Mo than agood sort" (13,b), M suggests emending to "Methink a"—"Tothemye will go" (13,b),hemin MS.; I follow M: B suggestshom—"by SaintQuintin" (13,c),SentQisyntynin MS.—"I am evenvery weary" (13,c),wery weryin MS.—"be there again to-morrow" (13,c), M, for the sake of the rhyme, suggeststo-morne—"patience of Jobintribulation" (14,a), so in M: the MS. has &—"my own sweet son" (14,a), against this line in the margin in another hand is, "ita factum est"—"To pervertyourconditions" (14,b),þerin MS.: F suggests forþi; M reads your; B suggestsyour—"all theirmeans" (14,b),nnenysin MS.—"intermiseyourself not" (14,c), scratched through in MS. and "intro-mytt" written over in another hand—"of thecunning that I can" (15,a),co[=m]ynge ... kamin MS.—"It is written, etc." (16,a), this song is omitted by Manly (seeHolyke,ante) but given by F and B, the latter inQuellen, pp. 50-51, not page 61 as erroneously given by the Early English Text editors—"if he will havecompos[t]" (17,c),compassein MS.: F corrects tocompass[t]e; M tocompost; B tocomposte—"By Cock's body sacred" (18,b), F queries this as beingsakyidein MS.—"By theaidof His grace" (18,b),sydein MS.: F suggestsaydeand says "MS. fs crost there beforesyde... see line 400" [With the help, &c., 19,a]—"Nec inhasta" (18,c),hastuin MS.: F refers to "Non in gladio, nec in hasta.... 1 Reg. xvii. 47"—"Alack, alack!" (19,d), F says (this commences leaf 127 back), "In another hand, at top, 'Honorabyll well belouyd frende, I hertely Recummend me on-to you'"—"Yea,Christ's cross" (20,b),Crastesin MS.: M suggestsChrist's curse, comparing it with "Christ's copped curse" (36,a)—"There! we're on anon" (20,b), I may have been misled, though the MS. is by no means clear: "Ther, wher, on & on," whichmightbe interpreted, "There, ware! on anon! Out! ye shall not," etc., or "There! we're one and [i.e.to] one. Out! ye shall not," etc.—"Know ye anyaught" (20,c),outin MS.: F and B readouȝt—"with aflowte" (20,d),flewtein MS.: M queries it forflowte, which I have adopted—"Elsethereshall" (20,d)?þeiin MS. (F)—"he is aworshipfulman" (21,a),worschyppullin MS.—"nor pencenortwo pence" (21,b),ofin MS.; F, M, and B reador—"Ye sayusill" (21,b),asin MS.—"The devil have [thee]" (22,a), suggested by M—"that besought" (22,c), so in MS.: F and B readthat [yt] be; though elliptical the passage reads = that which is to be: my "pointing" varies from other authorities—"Mischiefhat[h]informed [me]" (22,d),hatin MS.: [me] suggested by F—"TakeW[illiam]Fide" (22,d), suggested by F: M readsw[ith yow], and Bw[yth yow]—"begin atm[aster]Huntington" (23,a), supplied by M—"Huntington of Sanston ... Hammond of Swaffham" (23,aandb), see E.E.T.S edition—"seewell where and whither" (23,b),bein MS.—"Let usconwell our neck-verse" (23,c),comin MS.—"I bless you with mylefthand" (23,c),rightstruck out in MS.—"enter, I hope,unreadily" (24,a), so in M:ouer redylyin MS.—"grace werewane" (24,b), "cran(?) written after 'wane' in another hand" (F)—"While I over-delve it" (24,c),ouer dylew ytin MS.—"into thi[s] yard" (25,b), supplied by M—"pow[d]er of Paris" (25,d), supplied by M—"Ye shall [see]agood sport" (25,d), supplied by M: Brandl, however, suggests thata= have, which provides, I think on reflection, a better reading without altering the text—"Be asbemay ... Mercy be wroth" (26,aandb), "these lines are added at the bottom of the page" (F),beisitin original—"I shallsleep" (26,b),?MS.skepe(F)—"rideth over the gallows" (26,d),galoufin MS. forgalous—"And thy own wifebrethel" (27,a), see Brethel,ante(382,d): F in a footnote (p. 22) says, "Qy.bethell, M," but M (p. 338) has "Qy.brethell"!—"Adieu, fairmaster" (27,b), F suggestsmaster[s]—"such alikelyman" (27,d),lyghlywhich F readslygh[t]ly= likely—"ye have sco[u]red a pair of fetters" (28,d),scorydein MS.: seeScoured, post, (461,a)—"thatsweet mouth" (28,d),þoin MS.—"doit [in]forma" (29,c), "fo" is struck out afteritin MS.:inis supplied by M—"his side-gown may besold" (29,d),soldein F and M, but F has a note "solde MS., tolde M" which I do not understand: M at all events is intelligible in noting thesoldeof his text as "MS. tolde"; but which is correct?—"spare that yemay" (30,a), so in MS and F, which I have followed: M readsmow(to rhyme withyow, p. 30, line 1), and notes his departure from the original—"beshrew your ears,afair hand" (30,b),&in MS. and F: M readsa—"Curiatenta generalis" (30,c),Cariciin MS.: see Curia,ante(391,a)—"makest much [tarrying]" (30,d), supplied by M and adopted by F—"I can[not] express this inconvenience" (32,d), [not] supplied by M and adopted by F—"Christusetomnia jura" (33,c),sitin MS.: emended by Kittredge in M—"Equity to be laid over part[l]y" (33,d),partyin MS: this line was a puzzler to M and B in consequence of thewretchedly inaccurate copy of the text supplied to them, and on which they had to work. The variations are characteristic: F is direct from MS. and collated (?); M and B are copies of a copy made by the same person at different times: these differ alike one with the other, and with the F copy. (F) "Equyte to be leyde ouerparty, & mercy to prevayll." (M) O quyte to be leyde ouer, perty & mercy to prevayll! (B) O, quyte to be leyde, ouerparty and mercy to prevayll! The readings adopted or suggested are—(F) As given above. (M) Equyte to be leyde ouer, pety & mercy to prevayll! (B) O, quyte to be lewyde, ouerpetyandmercy to prevayll! From this it will be seen that all differ with one another and from myself in interpreting this line: I offer mine as a suggestion—"with these cursedcaitiffs" (34,a),cayftysin MS.—"nigh dead in the crick" (34,c),myin MS.: corrected by M and B, and adopted by F, tony—"Hic, hic, hic" (34,c), M says a line is wanted here rhyming with the third line lower down to complete the stanza—"acepecoppus" (34,d), so in original which says M may be intentional: he readscape corpus—"give the rope just tothyneck" (35,d),pyein MS.: restored by M and B—"Heisso timorous" (36,a),He ys ysin MS.—"To see yoursolicitiousface" (36,b),solaycyosein MS.: M readssolacyose; Bsolicitose—"What! ask mercy yet once again?" (36,c), F says that from this point to "good perseverance" (40,b) the MS. is in another hand—"myworsttransgression" (36,c),werntorweruntin MS.: F haswerst: M haswekit—"dolorousfears" (36,d),serisin MS.: F hasferis: M hasferes; and B suggestssores—"this sinful sinner toredeem" (36,d), so in MS.: M and B suggestreducefor the rhyme's sake—"Nam hec ... non sunt" (36,d), F "notes" this passage: "Ps. lxxvi (lxxvii, Engl.), 11,'hæc mutatio dexteræ Excelsi'; 'Verte impios,et non erunt'—Prov. xii. 7"—"as Himself dothprecise" (37,b), M says "precysedoes not rhyme: qy.preche, or, as Kittredge suggests,precyselyteche"—"Nolo mortem, &c." (37,b), "Nolo mortemimpii, sed ut convertatur impius a vita sua, et vivat, Ezech. xxviii. 11" (F)—"he will [be] reducible"(37,b), M—"Incline your capacity," etc. (37,d), in MS. this line reads, "My doctrine is convenient, Incline your capacity": the change is due to M—"asIsaid before" (38,a),hein MS. (M)—"cause of great grievance" (38,b), "gein MS. altered toceorse" (F)—"Not to thelowli'stjoy" (38,d), F readsholest, and "notes" M's query of MS. being miswritten forloliestorlest: B also suggestslo[w]l[i]est—"Scripture dothprove" (38,d),prewein MS. and followed by F: M hasprove—"mysuavioussolace" (38,d), to B: F hassuatius; M hassolatius—"myinexcusablereproof" (39,a), so in MS.: M suggestsinexorablemay be better—"fantastical visions,sedulouslysought" (39,b),sedociuslyin MS.: the emendment is to M: B readsseducively—"Libere velle,"etc.(40,a),Liberewelle liebere welle(Kittredge in M)—"Dominus custodi[a]t te" (40,b),custodit sein MS. (M)—"myseveralpatrociny" (40,c), "? MS. suuerall (several, individual). Kittredge suggestsspecial" (F)—"Searchyour conditions" (40,c), in originalSerge—"O Liber," etc. (40,d), seeMacro Plays.
Man of Arms(M28,c), a sarcasm: Mischief is loaded with fetters.
Manitory, "my doctrinemanitory" (M39,b), warning.
Market, "about ourmarketdepart" (R207,d), here generic for business, affairs.
Mary Mass(R202,b), a mass in honour of the Virgin Mary: specifically festivals held on Candlemas Day (2 February), the assumption (15 August), and the latter Marymass, the nativity of the Virgin (8 September). The asseveration was common in the sixteenth century; moreover, a covert allusion to the trouble of Queen Mary as regards the celebration of the mass in her late brother's time may be intended.
Mas(passim), master: in Respublicamace.
Mass, see Prime.
Masship, "I trow we shall hismasshiptrim" (R230,d), mastership.
Mast, "mastWealth" (WH289,d), master.
Matins, see Prime.
Measure, "Measure is treasure" (M12,b), proverbial. "Men wryte of oold howmesour is tresour."—Lydgate,Min. Poems(Percy Soc.), 208 (c.1430).
Medwall (Henry).Mr. T. Seccombe, writing in theDictionary of National Biography, says he "flourished in 1486"; but beyond the fact that he was chaplain to John Morton (who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1486, and died in 1500), little is known of this early writer of interludes. The only work of his extant isNature(see pp. 43-133). Bale mentions another interlude not now extant, but ascribed to Medwall, "Of the Finding of Truth, carried away by Ignorance and Hypocrisy." This was diversified by the introduction of a fool, an innovation which commended it to HenryVIII.when it was produced before him at Richmond, Christmas 1516. Apart from this feature the piece was misliked, and the King "departyd before the end to hys chambre."
Meek, "Except that man himself domeek" (WH279,b), abase, humble.
Mell, "not suffer tomell" (R213,a)—"with such-high matters tomell" (R235,b),—"will notmell" (R250,b), meddle.
Member, "I scannotmemberhis name" (R212,d),—"tomemberin my heart" (R234,d), remember: in originalmembre.
Memento, "Memento,homo," etc. (M15,b): seeJobxxxiv. 15.
Menge, "I shallmengehis corn" (M24,a), mix, or? scatter.