Chapter 9

As Palamon and Arcet,Duke Theseus, and Partelet]

As Palamon and Arcet,

Duke Theseus, and Partelet]

See Chaucer’sKnightes Tale, andNonnes Preestes Tale.

v. 618.

——of the Wyfe of Bath,That worketh moch scath, &c.]

——of the Wyfe of Bath,

That worketh moch scath, &c.]

See Chaucer’sWif of Bathes Prologue.—scath, i. e. harm, mischief.

v. 629.Of Gawen] Son of King Lot and nephew of King Arthur. Concerning him, see theMorte d’Arthur(of which some account is given in note on v. 634),—Syr Gawayn and the Grene Knyȝt, inMS. Cott. NeroA. x. fol. 91,—Ywaine and Gawin, in Ritson’sMet. Rom.vol. i.,—the fragment ofThe Marriage of Sir Gawaine, at the end of Percy’sRel. of A. E. P.,—The Awntyrs of Arthure at the Terne Wathelyn, in Laing’sEarly Pop. Poetry of Scot., (the same romance, from a different MS., under the title ofSir Gawan and Sir Galaron of Galloway, in Pinkerton’sScot. Poems, vol. iii.),—The Knightly Tale of Golagrus and Gawane, reprinted at Edinburgh in 1827 from the ed. of 1508, (the same romance, under the title ofGawan and Gologras, in Pinkerton’sScot. Poems, vol. iii.),—and the romance ofArthour and Merlin, from the Auchinleck MS., published by the Abbotsford Club, 1838.

I had written the above note before the appearance of a valuable volume put forth by the Bannatyne Club, entitledSyr Gawayne; A collection of Ancient Romance-Poems, by Scotish and English Authors, relating to that celebrated Knight of the Round Table, with an Introduction, &c., by Sir F. Madden, 1839.

——syr Guy] InThe Rime of Sire Thopas, Chaucer mentions “Sire Guy” as one of the “romaunces of pris.” For an account of, extracts from, and an analysis of, the English romance on the subject of this renowned hero of Warwick, see Ritson’sMet. Rom.(Dissert.) i. xcii., Warton’sHist. of E. P.i. 169. ed. 4to., andEllis’sSpec. of Met. Rom.ii. I must also refer the reader to a volume, issued by the Abbotsford Club (while the present sheet was passing through the press), entitledThe Romances of Sir Guy of Warwich, and Rembrun his son. Now first edited from the Auchinleck MS.1840.

Page 70. v. 631.

——the Golden Flece,How Jason it wan]

——the Golden Flece,

How Jason it wan]

A boke of the hoole lyf of Jasonwas printed by Caxton in folio, n. d. (about 1475), being a translation by that venerable typographer from the French of Raoul le Fevre. A copy of it (now before me) in the King’s Library, though apparently perfect, has no title of any sort. Specimens of this prose-romance, which is not without merit, may be found in Dibdin’sBiblioth. Spenc.iv. 199.—The story of Jason is also told by Chaucer,Legend of Hipsiphile and Medea; by Gower,Conf. Am.Lib. v.; and, at considerable length, by Lydgate,Warres of Troy, B. i.

v. 634.

Of Arturs rounde table,With his knightes commendable,And dame Gaynour, his quene,Was somwhat wanton, I wene;How syr Launcelote de LakeMany a spere brakeFor his ladyes sake;Of Trystram, and kynge Marke,And al the hole warkeOf Bele Isold his wyfe]

Of Arturs rounde table,

With his knightes commendable,

And dame Gaynour, his quene,

Was somwhat wanton, I wene;

How syr Launcelote de Lake

Many a spere brake

For his ladyes sake;

Of Trystram, and kynge Marke,

And al the hole warke

Of Bele Isold his wyfe]

—warke, i. e. work, affair.—Concerning the various romances on the subject of Arthur, Lancelot, Tristram, &c. see Sir F. Madden’s Introduction to the volume already mentioned,Syr Gawayne, &c.—In this passage, however, Skelton seems to allude more particularly to a celebrated compilation from the French—the prose romance ofThe Byrth, Lyf, and Actes of Kyng Arthur, &c., commonly known by the name ofMorte d’Arthur. At the conclusion of the first edition printed in folio by Caxton (and reprinted in 1817 with an Introd. and Notes by Southey) we are told “this booke was ended the ix. yere of the reygne of kyng Edward the Fourth by syr Thomas Maleore, knyght”.... “Whiche booke was reduced in to Englysshe by Syr Thomas Malory knyght as afore is sayd and by me[Caxton]deuyded in to xxi bookes chaptyred and emprynted and fynysshed in thabbey Westmestre the last day of July the yere of our lordMCCCCLXXXV.”

In theMorte d’Arthur, the gallant and courteous Sir Launcelot du Lake, son of King Ban of Benwyck, figures as the devoted loverof Arthur’s queen, Gueneuer (Skelton’s “Gaynour”), daughter of King Lodegreans of Camelard. On several occasions, Gueneuer, after being condemned to be burnt, is saved by the valour of her knight. But their criminal intercourse proves in the end the destruction of Arthur and of the fellowship of the Round Table. Gueneuer becomes a nun, Launcelot a priest. The last meeting of the guilty pair,—the interment of Gueneuer’s body by her paramour,—and the death of Launcelot, are related with no ordinary pathos and simplicity.

The same work treats fully of the loves of Sir Trystram, son of King Melyodas of Lyones, and La Beale Isoud (Skelton’s “Bele Isold”), daughter of King Anguysshe of Ireland, and wife of King Marke of Cornwall, Trystram’s uncle.—(Trystram’s wife, Isoud La Blaunche Maynys, was daughter of King Howel of Bretagne).—The excuse for the intrigue between Trystram and his uncle’s spouse is, that their mutual passion was the consequence of a love-potion, which they both drank without being aware of its nature.

“In our forefathers time,” observes Ascham, somewhat severely, “when Papistrie, as a standing poole, couered and ouerflowed all England, fewe bookes were red in our tonge, sauing certayne bookes of Chiualrie, as they sayd for pastime and pleasure, which, as some say, were made in Monasteries, by idle Monkes, or wanton Chanons: as one for exampleMorte Arthur: the whole pleasure of which booke standeth in two speciall pointes, in open mans slaughter, and bolde bawdrye: in which booke, those bee counted the noblest knights, that doe kill most men without any quarell, and commit fowlest aduoulteries by sutlest shifts: as Sir Launcelote, with the wife of king Arthure his maister: Sir Tristram, with the wife of King Marke his uncle: Syr Lamerocke, with the wife of king Lote, that was his own aunte. This is good stuffe, for wise men to laugh at, or honest men to take pleasure at. Yet I knowe, when Gods Bible was banished the Court, andMorte Arthurereceaued into the Princes chamber.”The Schole Master, fol. 27. ed. 1571.

Page 71. v. 649.

——of syr Lybius,Named Dysconius]

——of syr Lybius,

Named Dysconius]

See the romance ofLybeaus Disconus(Le beau desconnu), in Ritson’sMet. Rom.ii.; also Sir F. Madden’s note in the volume entitledSyr Gawayne, &c. p. 346.

v. 651.

Of Quater Fylz Amund,......how they rode eche oneOn Bayarde Mountalbon;Men se hym now and thenIn the forest of Arden]

Of Quater Fylz Amund,

...

...how they rode eche one

On Bayarde Mountalbon;

Men se hym now and then

In the forest of Arden]

The English prose romance on the subject of these worthies came originally from the press of Caxton, an imperfect copy of his edition n. d. folio, being in Lord Spencer’s library; see Dibdin’sÆdes Althorp.ii. 298: and that it was also translated from the French by Caxton himself, there is every reason to believe; see Dibdin’sBibliog. Decam.ii. 438. According to the colophon of Copland’s ed., this romance was reprinted in 1504 by Wynkyn de Worde; seeTyp. Antiq.ii. 116. ed. Dibdin. Copland’s edition has the following title:The right plesaunt and goodly Historie of the foure sonnes of Aimon the which for the excellent endytyng of it, and for the notable Prowes and great vertues that were in them: is no les pleasaunt to rede, then worthy to be knowen of all estates bothe hyghe and lowe,M.CCCCC.LIIII.folio.

The names of the brothers were “Reynawde, Alarde, Guycharde, and Rycharde, that were wonderfull fayre, wytty, great, mightye, and valyaunte, specyally Reynawde whiche was the greatest and the tallest manne that was founde at that tyme in al the worlde. For he had xvi. feete of length and more.” fol. i. ed. Copl. The father of this hopeful family was Duke of Ardeyne.

Bayarde—(properly a bay horse, but used for a horse in general)—“was suche a horse, that neuer was his like in all the world nor neuer shall be except Busifal the horse of the great Kinge Alexander. For as for to haue ronne. xxx. myle together he wolde neuer haue sweted. The sayd Bayard thys horse was growen in the Isle of Boruscan, and Mawgys the sonne of the duke Benes of Aygremount had gyuen to his cosin Reynawde, that after made the Kynge Charlemayne full wrothe and sory.” fol. v. Reynawde had a castle in Gascoigne called Mountawban; hence Skelton’s expression, “Bayarde Mountalbon.” A wood-cut on the title-page represents the four brothers riding “eche one” upon the poor animal. “I,” says Reynawde, relating a certain adventure, “mounted vpon Bayarde and my brethern I made to mount also thone before and the two other behynde me, and thus rode we al foure vpon my horse bayarde.” fol. lxxxii.

Charlemagne, we are told, made peace with Reynawde on condition that he should go as a pilgrim, poorly clothed and begging his bread, to the holy land, and that he should deliver up Bayard to him. When Charlemagne had got possession of the horse,—“Ha Bayarde, bayarde,” said he, “thou hast often angred me, but I am come to the poynt, god gramercy, for to auenge me;” and accordinglyhe caused Bayarde to be thrown from a bridge into the river Meuse, with a great millstone fastened to his neck. “Now ye ought to know that after that bayarde was caste in the riuer of meuze: he wente vnto the botom as ye haue herde, and might not come vp for bicause of the great stone that was at his necke whiche was horryble heuye, and whan bayarde sawe he myghte none otherwise scape: he smote so longe and so harde with his feete vpon the mylle stone: that he brast it, and came agayne aboue the water and began to swym, so that he passed it all ouer at the other syde, and whan he was come to londe: he shaked hymselfe for to make falle the water fro him and began to crie hie, and made a merueyllous noyse, and after beganne to renne so swyftlye as the tempest had borne him awaie, and entred in to the great forest of Ardeyn ... and wit it for very certayn that the folke of the countrey saien, that he is yet alyue within the wood of Ardeyn. But wyt it whan he seeth man or woman: he renneth anon awaye, so that no bodye maye come neere hym.” fol. cxlv.

Page 71. v. 661.Of Judas Machabeus] “Gaultier de Belleperche Arbalestrier, ou Gaultier Arbalestrier de Belleperche, commençale Romans de Judas Machabee, qu’il poursuiuit jusques à sa mort.... Pierre du Riez le coutinua jusques à la fin.” Fauchet’sRecveil de l’origine de la langue et poesie Françoise, &c., p. 197.

v. 662.—of Cesar Julious] In the prologue to an ancient MS. poem,The boke of Stories called Cursor Mundi, translated from the French, mention is made of theromance

“OfJulius Cesarthe emperour.”Warton’sHist. of E. P.i. 123, note, ed. 4to.

“OfJulius Cesarthe emperour.”

Warton’sHist. of E. P.i. 123, note, ed. 4to.

v. 663.

——of the loue betweneParis and Vyene]

——of the loue betwene

Paris and Vyene]

This prose romance was printed by Caxton in folio:Here begynneth thystorye of the noble ryght valyaunt and worthy knyght Parys, and of the fayr Vyēne the daulphyns doughter of Vyennoys, the whyche suffred many aduersytees bycause of theyr true loue or they coude enioye the effect therof of eche other. Colophon:Thus endeth thystorye of the noble, &c. &c.,translated out of frensshe in to englysshe by Wylliam Caxton at Westmestre fynysshed the last day of August the yere of our lordMCCCCLXXXV, and enprynted the xix day of decembre the same yere, and the fyrst yere of the regne of kyng Harry the seuenth.

Gawin Douglas tells us in hisPalice of Honour, that, among the attendants on Venus,

“Of France I saw thairParis and Veane.”p. 16. Bann. ed.

“Of France I saw thairParis and Veane.”

p. 16. Bann. ed.

Page 71. v. 665.duke Hannyball]—duke, i. e. leader, lord.—So Lydgate;

“Which brother was vntoduke Haniball.”Fall of Prynces, B. ii. leaf xlv. ed. Wayland;

“Which brother was vntoduke Haniball.”

Fall of Prynces, B. ii. leaf xlv. ed. Wayland;

and in a copy of verses entitledThonke God of alle, he applies the word to our Saviour;

“The dereworthdukethat deme vs shalle.”MS. Cott. Calig.A ii. fol. 66.

“The dereworthdukethat deme vs shalle.”

MS. Cott. Calig.A ii. fol. 66.

v. 667.Fordrede] i. e. utterly, much afraid.

“To wretthe the king thai werefor dred[sic].”Seynt Katerine, p. 170,—Turnbull’sLegendæ Catholicæ(from the Auchinleck MS.).

“To wretthe the king thai werefor dred[sic].”

Seynt Katerine, p. 170,—Turnbull’sLegendæ Catholicæ(from the Auchinleck MS.).

v. 668.wake] i. e. watch,—besiege.

v. 673.

Of Hector of TroyeThat was all theyr ioye]

Of Hector of Troye

That was all theyr ioye]

See theWarres of Troyby Lydgate, a paraphrastical translation of Guido de Colonna’sHistoria Trojana: it was first printed in 1513. See too theRecuyel of the Historyes of Troy. Compare Hawes;

“Of the worthyHector that was all theyr ioye.”The Pastime of pleasure, sig. P iii. ed. 1555.

“Of the worthyHector that was all theyr ioye.”

The Pastime of pleasure, sig. P iii. ed. 1555.

v. 677.

——of the loue so hoteThat made Troylus to doteVpon fayre Cressyde, &c.]

——of the loue so hote

That made Troylus to dote

Vpon fayre Cressyde, &c.]

See Chaucer’sTroilus and Creseide.

Page 72. v. 682.Pandaer] OrPandareas Chaucer occasionally calls Pandarus.

——bylles] i. e. letters: see Chaucer’sTroilus and Creseide.

v. 686.An ouche, or els a ryng] “Nouche. Monile.”Prompt. Parv.ed. 1499. “Ouchefor a bonnetafficquet.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. li. (Table of Subst.). “He gaue her anouchecouched with perles, &c....monile.” HormanniVulgaria, sig. k iii. ed. 1530.—Concerningouche(jewel, ornament, &c.), a word whose etymology and primary signification are uncertain, see Tyrwhitt’sGloss., to Chaucer’sCant. Tales, v.Nouches, and Richardson’s Dict. in v.Ouch.—Here, perhaps, it means a brooch: for in the third book of Chaucer’sTroilus and Creseide, Cressid proposes that Pandarus should bear a “blew ring” from her to Troilus; and (ibid.) afterwards the lovers

“enterchaungeden herringes,Of which I can not tellen no scripture,But well I wot, abrocheof gold and azure,In which a Rubbie set was like an herte,Creseide him yaue, and stacke it on his sherte.”Chaucer’sWorkes, fol. 164. ed. 1602.

“enterchaungeden herringes,Of which I can not tellen no scripture,But well I wot, abrocheof gold and azure,In which a Rubbie set was like an herte,Creseide him yaue, and stacke it on his sherte.”

“enterchaungeden herringes,

Of which I can not tellen no scripture,

But well I wot, abrocheof gold and azure,

In which a Rubbie set was like an herte,

Creseide him yaue, and stacke it on his sherte.”

Chaucer’sWorkes, fol. 164. ed. 1602.

After Cressid becomes acquainted with Diomede, she gives hima brooch, which she had received from Troilus on the day of her departure from Troy.Id.fols. 179, 181. In Henrysoun’sTestament of Creseide(a poem of no mean beauty), Cressid, stricken with leprosy, bequeathes to Troilusa ringwhich he had given her.Id.fol. 184.

Page 72. v. 700.That made the male to wryng] So Skelton elsewhere;

“That ye can not espyeHowe themaledothewrye.”Colyn Cloute, v. 687. vol. i. 337.

“That ye can not espyeHowe themaledothewrye.”

“That ye can not espye

Howe themaledothewrye.”

Colyn Cloute, v. 687. vol. i. 337.

“The countrynge at CalesWrangvs on themales.”Why come ye nat to Courte, v. 74. vol. ii. 29,

“The countrynge at CalesWrangvs on themales.”

“The countrynge at Cales

Wrangvs on themales.”

Why come ye nat to Courte, v. 74. vol. ii. 29,

and so Lydgate;

“Now al so mot I thryue and the, saide he than,I can nat se for alle wittes and espyes,And craft and kunnyng, but thatthe male so wryesThat no kunnyng may preuayl and appereAyens a womans wytt and hir answere.”The prohemy of a mariage, &c.,—MS. Harl.372. fol. 50.

“Now al so mot I thryue and the, saide he than,

I can nat se for alle wittes and espyes,

And craft and kunnyng, but thatthe male so wryes

That no kunnyng may preuayl and appere

Ayens a womans wytt and hir answere.”

The prohemy of a mariage, &c.,—MS. Harl.372. fol. 50.

I do not understand the expression. In Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530, besides “Maleor wallet to putte geare in,” we find “Maylethat receyueth the claspe of a gowne in to it ...porte,” fol. xlvi. (Table of Subst.).

v. 702.The song of louers lay]—layseems here to mean—law.

“Oflouers lawehe toke no cure.”Harpalus(from pieces by uncertain authors printed with the poems of Surrey),—Percy’sRel. of A. E. P.ii. 68. ed. 1794.

“Oflouers lawehe toke no cure.”

Harpalus(from pieces by uncertain authors printed with the poems of Surrey),—Percy’sRel. of A. E. P.ii. 68. ed. 1794.

Page 73. v. 716.kys the post] So Barclay;

“Yet from beginning absent if thou be,Eyther shalt thou lose thy meat andkisse the post,” &c.Eglogeii. sig. B iiii. ed. 1570.

“Yet from beginning absent if thou be,Eyther shalt thou lose thy meat andkisse the post,” &c.

“Yet from beginning absent if thou be,

Eyther shalt thou lose thy meat andkisse the post,” &c.

Eglogeii. sig. B iiii. ed. 1570.

The expression is found in much later writers: see, for instance, Heywood’sWoman Kilde with Kindnesse, sig. E 2. ed. 1617.

v. 717.Pandara] So in Chaucer (according to some copies);

“Aha (quodPandara) here beginneth game.”Troilus and Creseide, B. i. fol. 147,—Workes, ed. 1602.

“Aha (quodPandara) here beginneth game.”

Troilus and Creseide, B. i. fol. 147,—Workes, ed. 1602.

Page 73. v. 719.But lyght for somer grene] See note, p. 115. v. 355.

v. 727.ne knew] i. e. knew not.

v. 728.on lyue] i. e. alive.

v. 732.make] i. e. mate.

v. 735.proces] i. e. story, account. So again in this poem “relation” and “prosses”are used as synonymous, vv. 961, 969; and in our author’sMagnyfycencewe find

“Vnto thisprocessebrefly compylyd.”v. 2534. vol. i. 308.

“Vnto thisprocessebrefly compylyd.”

v. 2534. vol. i. 308.

and presently after,

“Thistreatyse, deuysyd to make you dysporte.”v. 2562. p. 309.

“Thistreatyse, deuysyd to make you dysporte.”

v. 2562. p. 309.

The 15th chap. of the first book of Lydgate’sFall of Pryncesis headed “Aprocesseof Narcissus, Byblis, Myrra,” &c.

v. 736.—of Anteocus] Whom Chaucer calls “the cursed king Antiochus.”The Man of Lawes Prol.v. 4502. ed. Tyr. His story may be found in Gower’sConfessio Amantis, lib. viii. fol. clxxv. sqq. ed. 1554.

v. 739.

——of Mardocheus,And of great Assuerus, &c.]

——of Mardocheus,

And of great Assuerus, &c.]

“Even scripture-history was turned into romance. The story of Esther and Ahasuerus, or of Amon or Hamon, and Mardocheus or Mordecai, was formed into a fabulous poem.” Warton, note onHist. of E. P.ii. 178. (where some lines of the romance are quoted from a MS.) ed. 4to.

v. 741.Vesca] i. e. Vashti.

v. 742.teene] i. e. wrath: see the Book ofEsther.

v. 745.Of kyng Alexander] See Weber’sIntroduction, p. xx. sqq., and the romance ofKyng Alisaunderin hisMet. Rom.i.; alsoThe Buik of the most noble and vailȝeand Conquerour Alexander the Great, reprinted by the Bannatyne Club, 1831.

v. 746.—of kyng Euander] As the lady declares (v. 756) that she was slightly acquainted with Virgil, we may suppose that her knowledge of this personage was derived fromThe Recuyel of the Historyes of Troy, and Caxton’sBoke of Eneydos.

Page 74. v. 751.historious] i. e. historical.

v. 752.bougets and males] i. e. budgets and bags.

v. 754.sped] i. e. versed in.

v. 760.mo] i. e. more.

v. 766.Phorocides] i. e. Pherecydes.

v. 767.auncyente] i. e. antiquity.

Page 74. v. 768.to diffuse for me] i. e. too difficult for me to understand. “Dyffuseharde to be vnderstande,diffuse.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lxxxvi. (Table of Adiect.).

“What quoth Doctryne where is he nowThat meued this mater straunge anddyffuse.”Lydgate’sAssemble de dyeus, sig. f ii. n. d. 4to.

“What quoth Doctryne where is he nowThat meued this mater straunge anddyffuse.”

“What quoth Doctryne where is he now

That meued this mater straunge anddyffuse.”

Lydgate’sAssemble de dyeus, sig. f ii. n. d. 4to.

“Whyche isdefuse, and right fallacyous.”Hawes’sPastime of pleasure, sig. H i. ed. 1555.

“Whyche isdefuse, and right fallacyous.”

Hawes’sPastime of pleasure, sig. H i. ed. 1555.

“But oft yet by it [logick] a thing playne, bright and pure,Is madediffuse, vnknowen, harde and obscure.”Barclay’sShip of Fooles, fol. 53. ed. 1570.

“But oft yet by it [logick] a thing playne, bright and pure,Is madediffuse, vnknowen, harde and obscure.”

“But oft yet by it [logick] a thing playne, bright and pure,

Is madediffuse, vnknowen, harde and obscure.”

Barclay’sShip of Fooles, fol. 53. ed. 1570.

v. 775.enneude] “IEnneweI set the laste and fresshest coloure vpon a thyng as paynters do whan their worke shall remayne to declare their connyng,Je renouuelle. Your ymage is in maner done, so sone as I haueennewedit I wyl sende it you home,” &c. Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. ccxxvi. (Table of Verbes).

“Ylikeenewedwith quickenes of coloure,Both of the rose and the lyly floure.”Lydgate’sWarres of Troy, B. ii. sig. I ii. ed. 1555.

“Ylikeenewedwith quickenes of coloure,Both of the rose and the lyly floure.”

“Ylikeenewedwith quickenes of coloure,

Both of the rose and the lyly floure.”

Lydgate’sWarres of Troy, B. ii. sig. I ii. ed. 1555.

“And the one shylde wasenewedwith whyte, and the other shelde was reed.”Morte d’Arthur, B. iii. c. ix. vol. i. 81. ed. Southey.

v. 776.pullysshed] i. e. polished.

——lusty] i. e. pleasant, beautiful.

v. 779.frowardes] i. e. frowardness.

Page 75. v. 788.sped] i. e. versed.

v. 791.Solacious] i. e. affording amusement.

v. 792.alowed] i. e. approved.

v. 793.enprowed] In the Glossary to Fry’sPieces of Ancient Poetry, 1814, where a portion of the present poem is given,enprowedis rendered “profited of:” the whole passage is very obscure.

v. 799.warke] i. e. work.

v. 804.

——Johnn LydgateWryteth after an hyer rate]

——Johnn Lydgate

Wryteth after an hyer rate]

Lydgate, however, disclaims all elevation of style: see hisFall of Prynces, Prol. sig. A iii. ed. Wayland; hisWarres of Troy, B. ii. sigs. F ii, K. ii, B. v. sigs. E e i. ii. iii. ed. 1555.

v. 806.dyffuse] i. e. difficult: see note on v. 768,supra.

v. 807.sentence] i. e. meaning.

v. 809.No man that can amend, &c.] So Hawes, speaking of the works of Chaucer, Gower, and Lydgate;

“Whose famous draughtesno man can amende.”The Pastime of pleasure, sig. G iiii. ed. 1555.

“Whose famous draughtesno man can amende.”

The Pastime of pleasure, sig. G iiii. ed. 1555.

Page 75. v. 811.faute] i. e. fault.

v. 812.to haute] i. e. too high, too loftily.

Page 76. v. 817.In worth] See note, p. 95. v. 68.

v. 841.Joanna] See note, p. 122.

Page 77, v. 860.

If Arethusa wyll sendMe enfluence to endyte]

If Arethusa wyll send

Me enfluence to endyte]

Skelton recollected that Virgil had invoked this nymph as a Muse;

“Extremum hunc,Arethusa, mihi concede laborem.”Ecl.x. 1.

“Extremum hunc,Arethusa, mihi concede laborem.”

Ecl.x. 1.

v. 869.lust] i. e. pleasure.

v. 872.enbybed] i. e. made wet.

v. 873.aureat] i. e. golden.

v. 875.Thagus] i. e. Tagus.

Page 78. v. 882.remes] i. e. realms.

v. 886.Perce and Mede] i. e. Persia and Media.

v. 896.

She floryssheth new and newIn bewte and vertew]

She floryssheth new and new

In bewte and vertew]

So Lydgate:

“And euer encrecyngin vertue new and newe.”The Temple of Glas., sig. b vii. n. d. 4to.

“And euer encrecyngin vertue new and newe.”

The Temple of Glas., sig. b vii. n. d. 4to.

See also hisWarres of Troy, B. ii. sig. II i. B. iii. sig. S i. ed. 1555; and Chaucer,The Pardoneres Tale, v. 12863. ed. Tyr.

v. 903.askry] i. e. call out against, raise a shout against: see note on v. 1358, p. 152.

v. 905.odyous Enui, &c.] Here Skelton has an eye to Ovid’s picture of Envy:

“Pallor in ore sedet; macies in corpore toto:Nusquam recta acies: livent rubigine dentes:Pectora felle virent: lingua est suffusa veneno.Risus abest, nisi quem visi movere dolores.Nec fruitur somno, vigilacibus excita curis:Sed videt ingratos, intabescitque videndo,Successus hominum: carpitque et carpitur una:Suppliciumque suum est.”Met.ii. 775.

“Pallor in ore sedet; macies in corpore toto:

Nusquam recta acies: livent rubigine dentes:

Pectora felle virent: lingua est suffusa veneno.

Risus abest, nisi quem visi movere dolores.

Nec fruitur somno, vigilacibus excita curis:

Sed videt ingratos, intabescitque videndo,

Successus hominum: carpitque et carpitur una:

Suppliciumque suum est.”

Met.ii. 775.

See too the description of Envy inPierce Plowman, sig. F ii. ed. 1561.

v. 908.ledder] i. e. leather, leathern.

Page 79. v. 912.crake] i. e. creak.

v. 913.Leane as a rake] From Chaucer;

“Aslenewas his horsas is a rake.”Prol. to Cant. Tales, v. 289. ed. Tyr.

“Aslenewas his horsas is a rake.”

Prol. to Cant. Tales, v. 289. ed. Tyr.

Browne has the expression,—Britannia’s Pastorals, B. ii. S. 1. p. 18. ed. 1625.

Page 79. v. 915.vnlusty] i. e. unpleasant, unseemly.

v. 919.wronge] i. e. wrung.

v. 930.bete] i. e. agitated; or, perhaps, inflamed (the expression tobete a fire, to mend it, to make it burn, is a common one).

v. 931.frete] i. e. eaten, gnawed.

v. 936.semblaunt] i. e. semblance, appearance.

Page 80. v. 947.slo] i. e. slay.

v. 963.agayne] i. e. against.

v. 968.dres] i. e. address, apply.

v. 969.prosses] Equivalent to “relation” in v. 961: see note on v. 735, p. 143.

v. 970.ken] i. e. instruct.

v. 973.As hym best lyst] i. e. As best pleases him.

Page 81. v. 980.bedell] i. e., I apprehend, servitor: but Nares, MS. note on Skelton, explains it—beadsman.

v. 999.sort] i. e. set, assemblage.

v. 1002.fauour] i. e. appearance, look—or, perhaps, beauty,—in which sense the word occurs v. 1048.

v. 1003.Ennewed] See note on v. 775, p. 144.

Page 82. v. 1014.

Her eyen gray and stepe...With her browes bent]

Her eyen gray and stepe

...

With her browes bent]

“Graycolouredas ones eyes be vair.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lxxxviii. (Table of Adiect.):—bent, i. e. arched. Compare Hawes;

“Her foreheadstepe withfayrebrowes ybentHer eyen gray.”The Pastime of pleasure, sig. S i. ed. 1555.

“Her foreheadstepe withfayrebrowes ybentHer eyen gray.”

“Her foreheadstepe withfayrebrowes ybent

Her eyen gray.”

The Pastime of pleasure, sig. S i. ed. 1555.

I may just observe that these passages (and many others which might be cited) shew how unnecessarily Ritson substituted “brent” for “bent” inThe Squyr of Lowe Degre; see his note,Met. Rom.iii. 351.

v. 1019.Polexene] i. e. Polyxena, the daughter of Priam,—celebrated by Lydgate in hisWarres of Troy, and by others.

v. 1031.The Indy saphyre blew]Indymay perhaps be used here for—Indian; but I believe the expression is equivalent to—the azure blue sapphire (Skelton in hisGarlande of Laurellhas “saphiris indy blew,” v. 478, vol. i. 381); see note, p. 101. v. 17.

v. 1032.ennew] See note on v. 775. p. 144.

Page 82. v. 1034.lere] i. e. skin.

v. 1035.lusty] i. e. pleasant, beautiful.

——ruddes] i. e. ruddy tints of the cheek, complexion.

Page 83. v. 1048.with fauour fret]—fauour, i. e. beauty; so Skelton has “fetursfauorable,” in the second of hisBalettys, v. 8, vol. i. 23:fret, I believe, does not here mean fraught (see Tyrwhitt’sGloss.to Chaucer’sCant. Tales), but is equivalent to—wrought, adorned,—in allusion to fret-work; so in our author’sGarlande of Laurell,—

“Fretall with orient perlys of Garnate.”v. 485, vol. i. 381.

“Fretall with orient perlys of Garnate.”

v. 485, vol. i. 381.

v. 1052.

The columbine commendable,The ielofer amyable]

The columbine commendable,

The ielofer amyable]

Ieloferis perhaps what we now call gillyflower; but it was formerly the name for the whole class of carnations, pinks, and sweetwilliams. So Graunde Amoure terms La Bell Pucell;

“The gentyllgylloferthe goodlycolumbyne.”Hawes’sPastime of pleasure, sig. N i. ed. 1555.

“The gentyllgylloferthe goodlycolumbyne.”

Hawes’sPastime of pleasure, sig. N i. ed. 1555.

v. 1065.denayd] i. e. denied.

v. 1069.conuenyently] i. e. fittingly, suitably.

Page 84. v. 1077.sker] i. e. scar: see v. 1045.

v. 1078.Enhached] i. e. Inlaid: our author has the word again in hisGarlande of Laurell;

“Enhachydewith perle and stones preciously.”v. 40. vol. i. 363.

“Enhachydewith perle and stones preciously.”

v. 40. vol. i. 363.

v. 1081.To forget deadly syn] Compare the first of our author’sBalettys, v. 11. vol. i. 22.

v. 1096.pastaunce] i. e. pastime.

v. 1097.So sad and so demure]—sad, i. e. serious, grave, sober: so afterwards, “Sobre, demure Dyane.” v. 1224.

v. 1100.make to the lure] A metaphor from falconry: “Lureis that whereto Faulconers call their young Hawks, by casting it up in the aire, being made of feathers and leather, in such wise that in the motion it looks not unlike a fowl.” Latham’sFaulconry(Explan. of Words of Art), 1658.

v. 1102.hole] i. e. whole.

Page 85. v. 1105.crased] i. e. crushed, enfeebled.

v. 1106.dased] i. e. dazzled.

v. 1116.

And to amende her tale,Whan she lyst to auale]

And to amende her tale,

Whan she lyst to auale]

—aualeis generally—to let down, to lower: but I know not how to explain the present passage, which appears to be defective.

Page 85. v. 1118.

And with her fyngers smale,And handes soft as sylke,Whyter than the mylke,That are so quyckely vayned]

And with her fyngers smale,

And handes soft as sylke,

Whyter than the mylke,

That are so quyckely vayned]

—quyckely vayned, i. e. lively veined. Compare Hawes;

“By her proprehande, soft as any sylke.”The Pastime of pleasure, sig. H iiii. ed. 1555.

“By her proprehande, soft as any sylke.”

The Pastime of pleasure, sig. H iiii. ed. 1555.

“Her fingers small, and therto right longe,White as the milke, with blew vaynesamong.”Id.sig. S i.

“Her fingers small, and therto right longe,White as the milke, with blew vaynesamong.”

“Her fingers small, and therto right longe,

White as the milke, with blew vaynesamong.”

Id.sig. S i.

v. 1124.Vnneth] i. e. Scarcely, not without difficulty. Here again the text seems to be defective.

v. 1125.reclaymed] A metaphor from falconry. “Reclamingis to tame, make gentle, or to bring a Hawk to familiarity with the man.” Latham’sFaulconry(Explan. of Words of Art), 1658.

Page 86. v. 1146.tote] i. e. look, gaze: see note on v. 411, p. 129.

v. 1147.fote] i. e. foot.

v. 1148.hert rote] i. e. heart-root.

v. 1151.

She is playnly expresseEgeria, the goddesse,And lyke to her image,Emportured with corage,A louers pilgrimage]

She is playnly expresse

Egeria, the goddesse,

And lyke to her image,

Emportured with corage,

A louers pilgrimage]

I must leave the reader to form his own idea of the meaning of the last two lines, which are beyond my comprehension.

v. 1157.Ne] i. e. Nor.

——wood] i. e. mad, furious.

Page 87. v. 1170.

So goodly as she dresses,So properly she pressesThe bryght golden tressesOf her heer so fyne,Lyke Phebus beames shyne.Wherto shuld I discloseThe garterynge of her hose?]

So goodly as she dresses,

So properly she presses

The bryght golden tresses

Of her heer so fyne,

Lyke Phebus beames shyne.

Wherto shuld I disclose

The garterynge of her hose?]

—Phebus beames shyne, i. e. the shine of Phœbus’ beams. Compare Hawes;

“Her shining here so properly she dressesAlofe her forehed with fayregolden tresses...Her fete proper,she gartered well her hose.”The Pastime of pleasure, sig. S i. ed. 1555.

“Her shining here so properly she dressesAlofe her forehed with fayregolden tresses...Her fete proper,she gartered well her hose.”

“Her shining here so properly she dresses

Alofe her forehed with fayregolden tresses

...

Her fete proper,she gartered well her hose.”

The Pastime of pleasure, sig. S i. ed. 1555.

v. 1177.to suppose] i. e. to be supposed.

Page 87. v. 1178.were] i. e. wear.

v. 1179.gere] i. e. dress, clothes.

v. 1180.fresshe] i. e. gay.

v. 1184.lusty somer] i. e. pleasant summer.

v. 1194.kyrtell] “Kyrtella garmentcorpset,surcot,cotelle.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. xliii. (Table of Subst.). It has been variously explained (see notes onHenry IV. Part ii. act ii. sc. 4,Shakespeareby Malone and Boswell, xvii. 98, 99, Todd’sJohnson’s Dict., and Nares’sGloss.), petticoat,—safe-guard or riding-hood,—long cloak,—long mantle, reaching to the ground, with a head to it that entirely covered the face, and usually red,—apron,—jacket,—and loose gown!!! The following note by Gifford onCynthia’s Revels(Jonson’sWorks, ii. 260) gives the most satisfactory account of a kirtle: “Few words have occasioned such controversy among the commentators on our old plays as this; and all for want of knowing that it is used in a two-fold sense, sometimes for the jacket merely, and sometimes for the train or upper petticoat attached to it. A full kirtle was always a jacket and petticoat, a half kirtle (a term which frequently occurs) was either the one or the other: but our ancestors, who wrote when this article of dress was everywhere in use, and when there was little danger of being misunderstood, most commonly contented themselves with the simple term (kirtle), leaving the sense to be gathered from the context.”

v. 1199.let] i. e. hinder.

Page 88. v. 1205.pullysshed] i. e. polished.

v. 1223.Jane] See note, p. 122.

v. 1225.hyght] i. e. called.

Page 89. v. 1242.saynt Jamys] i. e. Saint James of Compostella: see note onElynour Rummyng, v. 354.

v. 1243.pranys] i. e. prawns.

v. 1244.cranys] i. e. cranes.

v. 1250.sadly] i. e. seriously, soberly.

v. 1251.gyse] i. e. guise, fashion.

Page 90. ——an adicyon] Though found in all the eds. ofPhyllyp Sparowewhich I have seen, it was not, I apprehend, originally published with the poem. It is inserted (and perhaps first appeared) in our author’sGarlande of Laurell, v. 1261. vol. i. 412, where he tells us that some persons “take greuaunce, and grudge with frownyng countenaunce,” at his poem on Philip Sparrow,—alluding probably more particularly to Barclay; see note, p. 120, andAccount of Skelton and his Writings.

v. 1269.ianglynge iayes] See note on v. 396, p. 128.

Page 90. v. 1274.depraue] i. e. vilify, defame. “Thus was syr Arthurdeprauedand euyl sayd of.”Morte d’Arthur, B. xxi. c. i. vol. ii. 433. ed. Southey.

v. 1289.estate] i. e. high rank, dignity.

Page 91. v. 1291.Hercules that hell dyd harow]—harow, i. e. lay waste, plunder, spoil,—overpower, subdue,—Hercules having carried away from it his friends Theseus and Pirithous, as well as the dog Cerberus. Theharrowing of hellwas an expression properly and constantly applied to our Lord’s descent into hell, as related in the Gospel of Nicodemus. There were several early miracle-plays on this favourite subject; and Lydgate strangely enough says that Christ

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