ELYNOUR RUMMYNGE.

“Took out of helle soulys many a peyreMawgre Cerberus and al his cruelte.”Testamentum,—MS. Harl.2255. fol. 49.

“Took out of helle soulys many a peyreMawgre Cerberus and al his cruelte.”

“Took out of helle soulys many a peyre

Mawgre Cerberus and al his cruelte.”

Testamentum,—MS. Harl.2255. fol. 49.

I may add, that Warner, speaking of Hercules, uses the words “harrowed hell.”Albion’s England, p. 23. ed. 1612.

v. 1293.Slew of the Epidaures, &c.] Qy. is not the text corrupted here?

v. 1295.Onocentaures] i. e. Centaurs, half human, half asses. See ÆlianDe Nat. Anim.lib. xvii. c. 9. ed. Gron., and PhileDe Anim. Prop.c. 44. ed. Pauw. Both these writers describe the onocentaur as having the bosom of a woman. R. Holme says it “is a Monster, being the Head and Breasts of a Woman set upon the Shoulders of a Bull.”Ac. of Armory, 1688. B. ii. p. 208.

v. 1296.Hipocentaures] i. e. Centaurs, half human, half horses.

v. 1302.Of Hesperides withhold] i. e. Withheld by the Hesperides.

v. 1314.rounses] i. e. common hackney-horses (though the word is frequently used for horses in general).

v. 1318.

He plucked the bullBy the horned skull,And offred to Cornucopia]

He plucked the bull

By the horned skull,

And offred to Cornucopia]

The “bull” means Achelous, who, during his combat with Hercules, assumed that shape:

“rigidum fera dextera cornuDum tenet, infregit; truncaque a fronte revellit.Näides hoc, pomis et odoro flore repletum,Sacrarunt; divesque meo bona Copia cornu est.”Ovid.Met.ix. 85.

“rigidum fera dextera cornuDum tenet, infregit; truncaque a fronte revellit.Näides hoc, pomis et odoro flore repletum,Sacrarunt; divesque meo bona Copia cornu est.”

“rigidum fera dextera cornu

Dum tenet, infregit; truncaque a fronte revellit.

Näides hoc, pomis et odoro flore repletum,

Sacrarunt; divesque meo bona Copia cornu est.”

Ovid.Met.ix. 85.

Page 92. v. 1322.Ecates] i. e. Hecate’s.

Page 92. v. 1326.

——the venemous serpent,That in hell is neuer brent]

——the venemous serpent,

That in hell is neuer brent]

—brent, i. e. burned. A somewhat profane allusion to the scriptural expression “the worm dieth not;”—(wormandserpentwere formerly synonymous).

v. 1332.infernall posty]—posty, i. e. power. So Lydgate;

“Of heuene and erthe andinfernal pooste.”Testamentum,—MS. Harl.2255. fol. 47.

“Of heuene and erthe andinfernal pooste.”

Testamentum,—MS. Harl.2255. fol. 47.

v. 1333.rosty] i. e. roast.

v. 1335.wood] i. e. mad, wild.

v. 1340.frounsid] i. e. wrinkled.

v. 1344.Primo Regum] i. e.The First Book of Kings, or, as it is now called,The First Book of Samuel, chap, xxviii.

“Primo regumas ye may playnly reade.”Lydgate’sFall of Prynces, B. ii. leaf xxxix. ed. Wayland.

“Primo regumas ye may playnly reade.”

Lydgate’sFall of Prynces, B. ii. leaf xxxix. ed. Wayland.

v. 1345.

He bad the Phitonesse...But whether it were so,He were idem in numero,The selfe same Samuell, &c.]

He bad the Phitonesse

...

But whether it were so,

He were idem in numero,

The selfe same Samuell, &c.]

—Phitonesse, i. e. Pythoness, witch,—the witch of Endor.

“And speke as renably, and faire, and wel,As to thePhitonessedid Samuel:And yet wol som men say it was not he,” &c.Chaucer’sFreres Tale, v. 7091. ed. Tyr.;

“And speke as renably, and faire, and wel,As to thePhitonessedid Samuel:And yet wol som men say it was not he,” &c.

“And speke as renably, and faire, and wel,

As to thePhitonessedid Samuel:

And yet wol som men say it was not he,” &c.

Chaucer’sFreres Tale, v. 7091. ed. Tyr.;

and see hisHouse of Fame, B. iii. fol. 267,Workes, ed. 1602.

“And of Phyton that Phebus made thus fineCamePhetonyssesthat can so deuyne,” &c.Lydgate’sWarres of Troy, B. ii. sig. K vi. ed. 1555.

“And of Phyton that Phebus made thus fineCamePhetonyssesthat can so deuyne,” &c.

“And of Phyton that Phebus made thus fine

CamePhetonyssesthat can so deuyne,” &c.

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

“And secretelye this Saule is forth goneTo a woman that should him rede and wisse,In Israell called aphytonesse....To diuines this matter I commit,...Whether it was the soule of Samuell,” &c.Lydgate’sFall of Prynces, B. ii. leaf xl. ed. Wayland.

“And secretelye this Saule is forth goneTo a woman that should him rede and wisse,In Israell called aphytonesse....To diuines this matter I commit,...Whether it was the soule of Samuell,” &c.

“And secretelye this Saule is forth gone

To a woman that should him rede and wisse,

In Israell called aphytonesse.

...

To diuines this matter I commit,

...

Whether it was the soule of Samuell,” &c.

Lydgate’sFall of Prynces, B. ii. leaf xl. ed. Wayland.

See also Gower’sConf. Am.B. iv. fol. lxxiii. ed. 1554; Barbour’sBruce, B. iii. v. 982. ed. Jam.; G. Douglas’s Preface to his Virgil’sÆneados, p. 6, 1. 51. ed. Rudd.; and Sir D. Lyndsay’sMonarchie, B. iv.Works, iii. 151. ed. Chalmers.

Page 92. v. 1346.dresse] i. e. address, apply.

v. 1351.condityons] i. e. qualities. But in our author’sGarlande of Laurell, where this “adicyon” is given, the passage according to Fake’s ed., and rightly perhaps (compare the preceding lines), stands thus;

“And by her supersticiounsOfwonderfull condiciouns.”v. 1343. vol. i. 414.

“And by her supersticiounsOfwonderfull condiciouns.”

“And by her supersticiouns

Ofwonderfull condiciouns.”

v. 1343. vol. i. 414.

Page 93. v. 1352.stede] i. e. place.

v. 1358.ascry] Has occurred before in this poem, see note on v. 903. p. 145. Palsgrave has “IAskryas fore riders of an armye do their enemyes whan they make reporte where they haue sene them:Je descouures.... Whose company dydaskrythem first ....les descouuryt.”Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. cliii. (Table of Verbes). But in the present passage “ascry” seems to mean assail (with a shout). In Langtoft’sChroniclewe find,

“Edward was hardie, the Londres gan heascrie.”p. 217. ed. Hearne,—

“Edward was hardie, the Londres gan heascrie.”

p. 217. ed. Hearne,—

(who in Gloss. renders “ascrie”—cry to). The original French has,

“Sir Eduuard fiz le rays, les loundraysescrye.”MS. Cott. Jul.A v. fol. 122.

“Sir Eduuard fiz le rays, les loundraysescrye.”

MS. Cott. Jul.A v. fol. 122.

Roquefort gives “Escrier: Faire entendre son cri d’armes dans une bataille ... marcher à l’ennemi, l’attaquer,” &c.Gloss. de la Lang. Rom.(Sup.).

v. 1360.my selfe dyscharge] i. e. unburden myself,—open my mind.

v. 1365.shene] i. e. shine.

v. 1371.Scroupe pulchra Joanna] See note, p. 122. I ought to have observedad loc.that “Scroupe” is to be considered here as a monosyllable; unless we read “Scrope” as two short syllables.

On the title-page and also on the last leaf of Rand’s edition of this poem, 1624, 4to, (reprinted, not with perfect accuracy, in theHarleian Miscellany; see vol. i. 415. ed. Park,) is an imaginary portrait, of which the subjoined is a fac-simile:

Fac-simile of portrait of Elynour Rummynge“When Skelton wore the Laurell Crowne,My Ale put all the Ale-wiues downe.”

“When Skelton wore the Laurell Crowne,My Ale put all the Ale-wiues downe.”

“When Skelton wore the Laurell Crowne,

My Ale put all the Ale-wiues downe.”

George Steevens having heard that a copy of Rand’s edition was in the Library of Lincoln Cathedral, prevailed on the Dean to bring it to London; and having made a drawing of the title-page, gave it to Richardson the printseller, who engraved and published it. Steevens, soon after, contributed to theEuropean Magazinefor May, 1794, vol. xxv. 334,—

“Verses meant to have been subjoined (with the following Motto) to a Copy from a scarce Portrait of Elinour Rumming, lately published by Mr. Richardson, of Castle-street, Leicester-square.

Ne sit ancillæ tibi amor pudoriXanthia Phoceu! prius insolentemServa Briseis niveo coloreMovit Achillem.Movit Ajacem Telamone natumForma captivæ dominum Tecmessæ;Arsit Atrides medio in triumphoVirgine rapta.Horace.

Ne sit ancillæ tibi amor pudoriXanthia Phoceu! prius insolentemServa Briseis niveo coloreMovit Achillem.

Ne sit ancillæ tibi amor pudori

Xanthia Phoceu! prius insolentem

Serva Briseis niveo colore

Movit Achillem.

Movit Ajacem Telamone natumForma captivæ dominum Tecmessæ;Arsit Atrides medio in triumphoVirgine rapta.

Movit Ajacem Telamone natum

Forma captivæ dominum Tecmessæ;

Arsit Atrides medio in triumpho

Virgine rapta.

Horace.

“Eleonora Rediviva.To seek this nymph among the glorious dead,Tir’d with his search on earth, is Gulston fled:—Still for these charms enamour’d Musgrave sighs;To clasp these beauties ardent Bindley dies;—For these (while yet unstag’d to public view)Impatient Brand o’er half the kingdom flew;—These, while their bright ideas round him play,From classic Weston force the Roman lay:—Oft too, my Storer! heaven has heard thee swear,Not Gallia’s murder’d Queen was half so fair:—‘A new Europa!’ cries the exulting Bull,‘My Granger now (I thank the gods) is full:’—Even Cracherode’s self, whom passions rarely move,At this soft shrine has deign’d to whisper love.—Haste then, ye swains, who Rumming’s form adore,Possess your Elinour, and sigh no more.W. R.”

“Eleonora Rediviva.

To seek this nymph among the glorious dead,Tir’d with his search on earth, is Gulston fled:—Still for these charms enamour’d Musgrave sighs;To clasp these beauties ardent Bindley dies;—For these (while yet unstag’d to public view)Impatient Brand o’er half the kingdom flew;—These, while their bright ideas round him play,From classic Weston force the Roman lay:—Oft too, my Storer! heaven has heard thee swear,Not Gallia’s murder’d Queen was half so fair:—‘A new Europa!’ cries the exulting Bull,‘My Granger now (I thank the gods) is full:’—Even Cracherode’s self, whom passions rarely move,At this soft shrine has deign’d to whisper love.—Haste then, ye swains, who Rumming’s form adore,Possess your Elinour, and sigh no more.

To seek this nymph among the glorious dead,

Tir’d with his search on earth, is Gulston fled:—

Still for these charms enamour’d Musgrave sighs;

To clasp these beauties ardent Bindley dies;—

For these (while yet unstag’d to public view)

Impatient Brand o’er half the kingdom flew;—

These, while their bright ideas round him play,

From classic Weston force the Roman lay:—

Oft too, my Storer! heaven has heard thee swear,

Not Gallia’s murder’d Queen was half so fair:—

‘A new Europa!’ cries the exulting Bull,

‘My Granger now (I thank the gods) is full:’—

Even Cracherode’s self, whom passions rarely move,

At this soft shrine has deign’d to whisper love.—

Haste then, ye swains, who Rumming’s form adore,

Possess your Elinour, and sigh no more.

W. R.”

The Marquis of Bute told Dallaway that he gave twenty guineas for the original engraving of Elinour: see Dallaway’sLetheræum, 1821, p. 6.

Rand’s edition opens with the following lines, which, I need hardly observe, are by some rhymer of the day:

“Skeltons Ghost.To all tapsters and tiplers,And all ale house vitlers,Inne-keepers and cookes,That for pot-sale lookes,And will not giue measure,But at your owne pleasure,Contrary to law,Scant measure will drawIn pot and in canne,To cozen a manOf his full quart a penny,Of you there’s to many:For in King Harry’s time,When I made this rimeOf Elynor RummingWith her good ale tunning,Our pots were full quarted,We were not thus thwartedWith froth-canne and nick-potAnd such nimble quick shot,That a dowzen will scoreFor twelue pints and no more.Full Winchester gageWe had in that age;The Dutchmans strong beereWas not hopt ouer heere,To vs t’was unknowne:Bare ale of our owneIn a bowle we might bringTo welcome the king,And his grace to beseech,With,Wassall my Leigh.[270]Nor did that time knowTo puffe and to blowIn a peece of white clay,As you doe at this day,With fier and coale,And a leafe in a hole;As my ghost hath late seene,As I walked betweeneWestminster HallAnd the church of Saint Paul,And so thorow the citie,Where I saw and did pittyMy countrymen’s cases,With fiery-smoke faces,Sucking and drinkingA filthie weede stinking,Was ne’re knowne beforeTill the deuill and the MoreIn th’ Indies did meete,And each other there greeteWith a health they desireOf stinke, smoake, and fier.But who e’re doth abhorre it,The citie smoakes for it;Now full of fier-shopsAnd fowle spitting chops,So neesing and coughing,That my ghost fell to scoffing,And to myselfe said,Here’s fylthie fumes made;Good physicke of forceTo cure a sicke horse.Nor had we such slops,And shagge-haire on our tops:At wearing long haireKing Harry would sweare,And gaue a commandWith speede out of handAll heads should be powl’d,As well young as old,And his owne was first so,Good ensample to show.Y’are so out of fashion,I know not our nation;Your ruffes and your bands,And your cuffes at your hands;Your pipes and your smokes,And your short curtall clokes;Scarfes, feathers, and swerds,And thin bodkin beards;Your wastes a span long,Your knees with points hung,Like morrice-daunce bels;And many toyes els,Which much I distaste:But Skelton’s in haste.My masters, farewell;Reade ouer my Nell,And tell what you thinkeOf her and her drinke:If shee had brew’d amisse,I had neuer wrote this.”

“Skeltons Ghost.

To all tapsters and tiplers,And all ale house vitlers,Inne-keepers and cookes,That for pot-sale lookes,And will not giue measure,But at your owne pleasure,Contrary to law,Scant measure will drawIn pot and in canne,To cozen a manOf his full quart a penny,Of you there’s to many:For in King Harry’s time,When I made this rimeOf Elynor RummingWith her good ale tunning,Our pots were full quarted,We were not thus thwartedWith froth-canne and nick-potAnd such nimble quick shot,That a dowzen will scoreFor twelue pints and no more.Full Winchester gageWe had in that age;The Dutchmans strong beereWas not hopt ouer heere,To vs t’was unknowne:Bare ale of our owneIn a bowle we might bringTo welcome the king,And his grace to beseech,With,Wassall my Leigh.[270]Nor did that time knowTo puffe and to blowIn a peece of white clay,As you doe at this day,With fier and coale,And a leafe in a hole;As my ghost hath late seene,As I walked betweeneWestminster HallAnd the church of Saint Paul,And so thorow the citie,Where I saw and did pittyMy countrymen’s cases,With fiery-smoke faces,Sucking and drinkingA filthie weede stinking,Was ne’re knowne beforeTill the deuill and the MoreIn th’ Indies did meete,And each other there greeteWith a health they desireOf stinke, smoake, and fier.But who e’re doth abhorre it,The citie smoakes for it;Now full of fier-shopsAnd fowle spitting chops,So neesing and coughing,That my ghost fell to scoffing,And to myselfe said,Here’s fylthie fumes made;Good physicke of forceTo cure a sicke horse.Nor had we such slops,And shagge-haire on our tops:At wearing long haireKing Harry would sweare,And gaue a commandWith speede out of handAll heads should be powl’d,As well young as old,And his owne was first so,Good ensample to show.Y’are so out of fashion,I know not our nation;Your ruffes and your bands,And your cuffes at your hands;Your pipes and your smokes,And your short curtall clokes;Scarfes, feathers, and swerds,And thin bodkin beards;Your wastes a span long,Your knees with points hung,Like morrice-daunce bels;And many toyes els,Which much I distaste:But Skelton’s in haste.My masters, farewell;Reade ouer my Nell,And tell what you thinkeOf her and her drinke:If shee had brew’d amisse,I had neuer wrote this.”

To all tapsters and tiplers,

And all ale house vitlers,

Inne-keepers and cookes,

That for pot-sale lookes,

And will not giue measure,

But at your owne pleasure,

Contrary to law,

Scant measure will draw

In pot and in canne,

To cozen a man

Of his full quart a penny,

Of you there’s to many:

For in King Harry’s time,

When I made this rime

Of Elynor Rumming

With her good ale tunning,

Our pots were full quarted,

We were not thus thwarted

With froth-canne and nick-pot

And such nimble quick shot,

That a dowzen will score

For twelue pints and no more.

Full Winchester gage

We had in that age;

The Dutchmans strong beere

Was not hopt ouer heere,

To vs t’was unknowne:

Bare ale of our owne

In a bowle we might bring

To welcome the king,

And his grace to beseech,

With,Wassall my Leigh.[270]

Nor did that time know

To puffe and to blow

In a peece of white clay,

As you doe at this day,

With fier and coale,

And a leafe in a hole;

As my ghost hath late seene,

As I walked betweene

Westminster Hall

And the church of Saint Paul,

And so thorow the citie,

Where I saw and did pitty

My countrymen’s cases,

With fiery-smoke faces,

Sucking and drinking

A filthie weede stinking,

Was ne’re knowne before

Till the deuill and the More

In th’ Indies did meete,

And each other there greete

With a health they desire

Of stinke, smoake, and fier.

But who e’re doth abhorre it,

The citie smoakes for it;

Now full of fier-shops

And fowle spitting chops,

So neesing and coughing,

That my ghost fell to scoffing,

And to myselfe said,

Here’s fylthie fumes made;

Good physicke of force

To cure a sicke horse.

Nor had we such slops,

And shagge-haire on our tops:

At wearing long haire

King Harry would sweare,

And gaue a command

With speede out of hand

All heads should be powl’d,

As well young as old,

And his owne was first so,

Good ensample to show.

Y’are so out of fashion,

I know not our nation;

Your ruffes and your bands,

And your cuffes at your hands;

Your pipes and your smokes,

And your short curtall clokes;

Scarfes, feathers, and swerds,

And thin bodkin beards;

Your wastes a span long,

Your knees with points hung,

Like morrice-daunce bels;

And many toyes els,

Which much I distaste:

But Skelton’s in haste.

My masters, farewell;

Reade ouer my Nell,

And tell what you thinke

Of her and her drinke:

If shee had brew’d amisse,

I had neuer wrote this.”

[270]Leigh] Meant for “Liege.”

At the end of the poem is, from the same hand,

“Skelton’s Ghost to the Reader.[271]Thus, countrymen kinde,I pray let me finde,For this merry glee,No hard censure to be.King Henry the EightHad a good conceitOf my merry vaine,Though duncicall plaineIt now nothing fitsThe time’s nimble wits:My lawrell and IAre both wither’d dry,And you flourish greeneIn your workes daily seene,That come from the presse,Well writ I confesse;But time will devouerYour poets as our,And make them as dullAs my empty scull.”

“Skelton’s Ghost to the Reader.[271]

Thus, countrymen kinde,I pray let me finde,For this merry glee,No hard censure to be.King Henry the EightHad a good conceitOf my merry vaine,Though duncicall plaineIt now nothing fitsThe time’s nimble wits:My lawrell and IAre both wither’d dry,And you flourish greeneIn your workes daily seene,That come from the presse,Well writ I confesse;But time will devouerYour poets as our,And make them as dullAs my empty scull.”

Thus, countrymen kinde,

I pray let me finde,

For this merry glee,

No hard censure to be.

King Henry the Eight

Had a good conceit

Of my merry vaine,

Though duncicall plaine

It now nothing fits

The time’s nimble wits:

My lawrell and I

Are both wither’d dry,

And you flourish greene

In your workes daily seene,

That come from the presse,

Well writ I confesse;

But time will devouer

Your poets as our,

And make them as dull

As my empty scull.”

[271]Skelton’s Ghost to the Reader, &c.] I give these lines from theHarl. Miscel., the copy of Rand’s ed. which was lent to me by Mr. Heber, wanting the last leaf.

Concerning Elynour Rummyng and the poem by which Skelton has rendered her famous, Dallaway has the following remarks,—his account of the circumstances which introduced Skelton to her acquaintance being a mere hypothesis!!“When the Court of Henry viii was frequently kept at the palace of Nonsuch (about six miles distant), the laureate, with other courtiers, sometimes came to Leatherhead for the amusement of fishing, in the river Mole; and were made welcome at thecabaretof Elinor Rummyng, whom Skelton celebrated in an equivocal encomium, in a short [?—it consists of 623 lines—] poem, remarkable only for a very coarse jest, after a manner peculiar to the author and the times in which he lived, but which has been more frequently reprinted than his other works. The gist or point of this satire had a noble origin, or there must be an extraordinary coincidence of thought in theBeoni, or Topers, aludicrous effusion of the great Lorenzo de Medici, when a young man.... Her domicile, near the bridge, still exists. The annexed etching was made from a drawing taken previously to late repairs, but it still retains its first distinction as an ale-house.”

Etching of the ale-house kept by Elynour Rummynge

“Some of her descendants occur in the parish register in the early part of the last century.”Letheræum, 1821, pp. 4-6.

The Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng] Besides “ITonneale or wyne I put lycour in to tonnes,Je entöne,” Palsgrave has “ITonneI masshe ale,Je brasse.... Whantonneyou and god wyll:Quant brasserez vous,” &c.Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. ccclxxxxi. (Table of Verbes); and hereTunnyngmeans—Brewing.

P. 95. v. 1.

Tell you I chyll,If that ye wyllA whyle be styll]

Tell you I chyll,

If that ye wyll

A whyle be styll]

—I chyll, i. e. Ich wyll, I will. CompareSyr Gawayn and the Grene Knyȝt;

“And ȝe wyl a whyle be stylle,I schal telle yowhow thay wroȝt.”p. 74. Bann. ed.

“And ȝe wyl a whyle be stylle,I schal telle yowhow thay wroȝt.”

“And ȝe wyl a whyle be stylle,

I schal telle yowhow thay wroȝt.”

p. 74. Bann. ed.

and the Prol. toKyng Alisaunder;

“Yef ye wolen sitte stille,Ful feoleY wol yow telle.”Weber’sMet. Rom.i. 5.

“Yef ye wolen sitte stille,Ful feoleY wol yow telle.”

“Yef ye wolen sitte stille,

Ful feoleY wol yow telle.”

Weber’sMet. Rom.i. 5.

Page 95. v. 4.gyll] Equivalent here to girl—a familiar name for a female; as in the proverb, “Every Jack must have hisGill:” supposed by some etymologists to be an abbreviation ofJulia,Juliana, orGillian;by Richardson (Dict.in v.) to be a corruption ofgiglot.

v. 6.gryll] “Grymmgryland horryble ... horridus ... horribilis.”Prompt. Parv.,—MS. Harl.221. (Ed. 1499 of that work omits “gryl..”) The word is of frequent occurrence; but its exact meaning here seems to be doubtful.

v. 12.lere] i. e. complexion, skin.

v. 14.chere] i. e. look, countenance.

v. 17.bowsy] i. e. bloated by drinking.

v. 21.here] i. e. hair.

v. 22.lewde] i. e. vile, nasty.

v. 23.sayne] i. e. say.

v. 25.glayre] i. e. viscous matter.

Page 96. v. 27.

Her nose somdele hoked,And camously croked]

Her nose somdele hoked,

And camously croked]

—somdele hoked, i. e. somewhat hooked. “Camedor short nosed. Simus.”Prompt. Parv.ed. 1499. “ACamoisenose, that is to saie crooked vpward as the Morians [Moors].” Baret’sAlvearie. “Camuse. Flat.” Tyrwhitt’sGloss.to Chaucer’sCant. Tales. “Camused.Flat, broad and crooked; as applied to a nose, what we popularly call asnub-nose.” Nares’sGloss.Todd, quoting this passage of Skelton, explainscamously, awry.Johnson’s Dict.in v.

v. 34.gowndy] So Lydgate;

“Agoundyeye is deceyued soone,That any colour cheseth by the moone.”Warres of Troy, B. ii. sig. H iii. ed. 1555.

“Agoundyeye is deceyued soone,That any colour cheseth by the moone.”

“Agoundyeye is deceyued soone,

That any colour cheseth by the moone.”

Warres of Troy, B. ii. sig. H iii. ed. 1555.

“Gowndeof the eye. Ridda, Albugo.”Prompt. Parv.,—MS. Harl.221.

v. 35.vnsowndy] i. e. unsound.

v. 38.jetty] i. e. that part of a building which projects beyond the rest.

Page 96. v. 40.

——how she is gumbed,Fyngered and thumbed]

——how she is gumbed,

Fyngered and thumbed]

i. e. what gums, fingers, and thumbs she has.

v. 45.huckels] i. e. hips.

v. 49.Foted] i. e. Footed.

v. 51.iet] i. e. strut: see note, p. 94. v. 43.

v. 52.fet] Means, perhaps,feat,—neat, handsome one.

v. 53.flocket] “Is described as a loose garment with large sleeves:” see Strutt’sDress and Habits, &c. ii. 373.

v. 54.rocket] i. e. a garment, worn often without, and sometimes with sleeves; sometimes it was made to reach the ground, and sometimes much shorter and open at the sides. SeeId. ibid.

v. 55.With symper the cocket] So Heywood in hisDialogue;

“Vpright as a candell standth in a socket,Stoode she that day, sosimper decocket.”Sig. F,—Workes, ed. 1598.

“Vpright as a candell standth in a socket,Stoode she that day, sosimper decocket.”

“Vpright as a candell standth in a socket,

Stoode she that day, sosimper decocket.”

Sig. F,—Workes, ed. 1598.

and Jonson in his Masque,The Gipsies Metamorphosed;

“Lay by your wimbles,Your boring for thimbles,Or using your nimbles,In diving the pockets,And sounding the socketsOfsimper-the-cockets.”Works(by Gifford), vii. 376.

“Lay by your wimbles,Your boring for thimbles,Or using your nimbles,In diving the pockets,And sounding the socketsOfsimper-the-cockets.”

“Lay by your wimbles,

Your boring for thimbles,

Or using your nimbles,

In diving the pockets,

And sounding the sockets

Ofsimper-the-cockets.”

Works(by Gifford), vii. 376.

In a note on the latter passage, Whalley quotes from Cotgrave’sDict.:“Coquine, a beggar-woman, also a cockney,simper de cockit, nice thing.” Gifford (ibid.) remarks, “Cocketwas a fine species of bread, as distinguished from common bread; hence, perhaps, the name was given to an overstrained affectation of delicacy. Tosimperat, or over, a thing, is to touch itas in scorn.” Nares (Gloss.in v.) doubts (justly, I think) the connexion ofsimper-the-cocketwithcocketbread, and explains it, “quasi simpering coquette,” observing, that “one of Cotgrave’s words in rendering ‘coquette’ iscocket.” I may add, that inGloss. of Prov. and Loc. Wordsby Grose and Pegge, ed. 1839, is, “Cocket, brisk, apish, pert,” and “Simper, to mince one’s words.”

Page 97. v. 56.

Her huke of Lyncole grene,It had ben hers, I wene,More then fourty yere]

Her huke of Lyncole grene,

It had ben hers, I wene,

More then fourty yere]

“Hukesurquanie, froc.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. xli. (Table of Subst.). “A loose kind of garment, of the cloak or mantle kind.” Strutt’sDress and Habits, &c. ii. 364. “Lyncolneanciently dyedthe best greeneof England.” Marg. note in Drayton’sPolyolbion, Song 25. p. 111. ed. 1622.—Compare a celebrated ballad;

“Mycloakeit was a verry good cloake,Itt hath been alwayes true to the weare,But now it is not worth a groat;I have had itfour and forty yeere.”Take thy old cloak about thee,—Percy’sRel. of A. E. P.i. 206. ed. 1794.

“Mycloakeit was a verry good cloake,Itt hath been alwayes true to the weare,But now it is not worth a groat;I have had itfour and forty yeere.”

“Mycloakeit was a verry good cloake,

Itt hath been alwayes true to the weare,

But now it is not worth a groat;

I have had itfour and forty yeere.”

Take thy old cloak about thee,—Percy’sRel. of A. E. P.i. 206. ed. 1794.

Page 97. v. 63.woll] i. e. wool.

v. 68.gytes] i. e. clothes.Giteis properly a gown:

“And she came after in agiteof red.”Chaucer’sReves Tale, v. 3952. ed. Tyr.

“And she came after in agiteof red.”

Chaucer’sReves Tale, v. 3952. ed. Tyr.

v. 69.pranked with pletes]—pletes, i. e. plaits. “IPrankeones gowne I set theplyghtesin order.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. cccxxi. (Table of Verbes).

v. 70.Her kyrtel Brystow red]—kyrtel; see note, p. 149. v. 1194.

“London hath scarlet, andBristowepleasauntred.”Barclay’sFourth Egloge, sig. C iiii. ed. 1570.

“London hath scarlet, andBristowepleasauntred.”

Barclay’sFourth Egloge, sig. C iiii. ed. 1570.

“AtBrystoweis the best water todye reed.” HormanniVulgaria, sig. V ii. ed. 1530.

v. 74.gyse] i. e. guise, fashion.

v. 75.whym wham] i. e. something whimsically, fantastically devised. The word is frequently applied to articles of female finery by our early dramatists. InAne Interlude of the Laying of a Gaist, we are told that the Gaist (ghost)

“stall fra peteouss AbrahameAn quhorle andane quhum quhame.”v. 74,—Laing’sAn. Pop. Poetry of Scotland.

“stall fra peteouss AbrahameAn quhorle andane quhum quhame.”

“stall fra peteouss Abrahame

An quhorle andane quhum quhame.”

v. 74,—Laing’sAn. Pop. Poetry of Scotland.

Whim-whamis used by Gray,Works, iii. 123. ed. Mitford, and by Lamb,Prose Works, ii. 142.

v. 76.trym tram] i. e. some trim, neat ornament, or pretty trifle. In Weaver’sLusty Juuentus, Hipocrisie, after enumerating a variety of popish trumpery, adds

“And a hundredtrim tramsmo.”Sig. B iiii. ed. Copland.

“And a hundredtrim tramsmo.”

Sig. B iiii. ed. Copland.

v. 77.brayne pan] i. e. skull, head. See note, p. 100. v. 31.

v. 78.Egyptian] i. e. gipsy.

Page 98. v. 85.gose] i. e. goose.

v. 88.shone] i. e. shoes.

v. 90.baudeth] i. e. fouls. “IBaudyor fyle or soyle with anyfilthe,Ie souylle.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. clviii. (Table of Verbes). “The auter clothes, and the vestementes shulde be very clene, notbaudy, nor torne,” &c. HormanniVulgaria, sig. E iiii.

Page 98. v. 94.wonnynge] i. e. dwelling.

v. 96.Sothray] i. e. Surrey.

v. 97.stede] i. e. place.

v. 98.Lederhede] i. e. Leatherhead; see p. 157.

v. 99.tonnysh gyb] The epithettonnyshis perhaps derived from her occupation oftunning(see note, p. 158), or perhaps it may allude to her shape:gybis properly a male cat (see note, p. 122. v. 27); but the term, as here, is sometimes applied to a woman;

“And give a thousand by-words to my name,And call me Beldam,Gib, Witch, Night-mare, Trot.”Drayton’sEpistle from Elinor Cobham to Duke Humphrey,—Poems, p. 175. ed. 1619. fol.

“And give a thousand by-words to my name,And call me Beldam,Gib, Witch, Night-mare, Trot.”

“And give a thousand by-words to my name,

And call me Beldam,Gib, Witch, Night-mare, Trot.”

Drayton’sEpistle from Elinor Cobham to Duke Humphrey,—Poems, p. 175. ed. 1619. fol.

v. 100.syb] i. e. related, akin.

v. 102.noppy] i. e. nappy.

v. 103.port sale] If the right reading, must be used here for—sale in general. “Port-sale, The Sale of Fish as soon as it is brought into the Harbour; also an Out-cry or Publick Sale of any Commodity.” Kersey’sDict.

v. 105.To sweters, to swynkers] i. e. to those who sweat and labour hard,—to labourers of various kinds.

“For we can neytherswyncke nor sweate.”Pierce Plowman, sig. I ii. ed. 1561.

“For we can neytherswyncke nor sweate.”

Pierce Plowman, sig. I ii. ed. 1561.

v. 110.Now away the mare] Skelton has the same expression in hisMagnyfycence, v. 1342. vol. i. 268. CompareThe Frere and the Boye;

“Of no man he had no care,But sung, hey howe,awaye the mare.”Ritson’sAn. Pop. Poetry, p. 37.

“Of no man he had no care,But sung, hey howe,awaye the mare.”

“Of no man he had no care,

But sung, hey howe,awaye the mare.”

Ritson’sAn. Pop. Poetry, p. 37.

andJyl of Braintfords Testament, n. d.;

“Ah sira, maryaway the mare,The deuil giue thee sorow and care.”sig. B ii.

“Ah sira, maryaway the mare,The deuil giue thee sorow and care.”

“Ah sira, maryaway the mare,

The deuil giue thee sorow and care.”

sig. B ii.

andA new Commodye&c.of the bewte & good propertes of women, &c. n. d.

“Tush syr be mery let pasawey the mare.”sig. A ii.

“Tush syr be mery let pasawey the mare.”

sig. A ii.

The words are doubtless a portion of some song or ballad. In Ravenscroft’sMelismata, Musicall Phansies, &c. 1611, is a song (No. 6) supposed to be sung by “Seruants out of Seruice” who “are going to the Citie to looke for new;”

“Heigh ho,away the Mare,Let vs set aside all care,If any man be disposed to trie,Loe here comes a lustie crew,That are enforced to crieA new Master, a new,” &c.

“Heigh ho,away the Mare,

Let vs set aside all care,

If any man be disposed to trie,

Loe here comes a lustie crew,

That are enforced to crie

A new Master, a new,” &c.

Page 99. v. 111.sley] i. e. slay.

v. 115.Wyth, Fyll the cup, fyll] So inThe Hye Way to the Spyttell Hous, by Copland, n. d.;

“With fyll the pot, fyll, and go fyll me the can.”Utterson’sEarly Pop. Poet.ii. 15.

“With fyll the pot, fyll, and go fyll me the can.”

Utterson’sEarly Pop. Poet.ii. 15.

v. 122.Hardely] i. e. Assuredly.

v. 123.heles dagged] InPrompt. Parv.ed. 1499. is “Daggyd. Fractillosus,”—a sense in which Skelton certainly has the word elsewhere (Garlande of Laurell, v. 630. vol. i. 386); but here perhapsdaggedmay mean—be-mired: “I Daggyll or Idaggea thing with myer.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. cciii. (Table of Verbes).

v. 124.kyrtelles] See note, p. 149. v. 1194.

——all to-iagged] See note, p. 100. v. 32: “I Cutte oriaggea garment.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. cciii. (Table of Verbes).

v. 130.tunnynge] i. e. brewing; see note, p. 158.

v. 131.leneth ... on] i. e. lendeth, furnisheth ... of: compare v. 491.

v. 139.sorte] i. e. set, company.

v. 142.skewed] Does it mean—distorted? or walking obliquely? or squinting? see Todd’s Johnson’sDict.in v.Skew. A friend suggests that this epithet, as well as that in the preceding line, may be applied to colour,—the words being still used as terms of the stable.

Page 100. v. 143.sho clout] i. e. shoe-cloth.

v. 145.herelace] i. e. hair-band.

v. 147.tresses vntrust] So Lydgate;—“Withheyr vntrussed.”Warres of Troy, B. iii. sig. S i. ed. 1555.

v. 148.vnlust] i. e. unpleasantness, unseemliness.

v. 149.

Some loke strawry,Some cawry mawry]

Some loke strawry,

Some cawry mawry]

—loke, i. e. look:strawryI do not remember to have met with elsewhere:cawry mawry(as a substantive) occurs inPierce Plowman;

“[Envy] was as pale as a pellet, in the palsey he semedAnd clothed inCaurymaury,” &c.sig. F ii. ed. 1561.

“[Envy] was as pale as a pellet, in the palsey he semedAnd clothed inCaurymaury,” &c.

“[Envy] was as pale as a pellet, in the palsey he semed

And clothed inCaurymaury,” &c.

sig. F ii. ed. 1561.

Page 100. v. 151.vntydy] i. e. sluttish.

——tegges] A term found again in our author’s first poemAgainst Garnesche;

“Your wynde schakyn shankkes, your longe lothy legges...Bryngges yow out of fauyr with alle femallteggys.”v. 29. vol. i. 117.

“Your wynde schakyn shankkes, your longe lothy legges...Bryngges yow out of fauyr with alle femallteggys.”

“Your wynde schakyn shankkes, your longe lothy legges

...

Bryngges yow out of fauyr with alle femallteggys.”

v. 29. vol. i. 117.

In what sense Skelton usestegge, I cannot pretend to determine. In Warwickshire and Leicestershire, ategmeans a sheep of a year old; and Ray gives, “ATagge, a Sheep of the first Year,Suss.”Coll. of Words, &c., p. 88, appended toProverbs, ed. 1768.

v. 152.Lyke rotten egges] Lydgate in a satirical description of a lady has—

“Colowrydlyche a rotyn eey[i. e. egg].”MS. Harl.2255. fol. 156.

“Colowrydlyche a rotyn eey[i. e. egg].”

MS. Harl.2255. fol. 156.

v. 153.lewde sorte] i. e. vile set, low rabble.

v. 155.tyde] i. e. time, season.

v. 161.commy] i. e. come.

v. 163.shreud aray]—shreud, i. e. evil, bad. “Arayecondicion or casepoynt.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. xviii. (Table of Subst.); which, however, may not be the sense ofarayin the present passage. We find:—“Soo with this rumoure came in syr launcelot and fond them al at a gretearaye.”Morte d’Arthur, B. xix. c. vi. vol. ii. 374. ed. Southey; the next chapter beginning “Whatarayeis this sayd sir Launcelot,” &c. “For al this foulearaye, for al this great frai.”Mery Tales, Wittie Questions, &c., 1567. p. 18, reprint. See also our author’s sacred poem,Wofully araid, vol. i. 141, and note on it.

v. 171.draffe] i. e. hog-wash—either the coarse liquor, or brewers’ grains, with which swine are fed.

v. 173.swyllynge tubbe] i. e. tub in whichswillings(hog-wash) are preserved for swine.

v. 174.

For, be there neuer so much prese,These swyne go to the hye dese]

For, be there neuer so much prese,

These swyne go to the hye dese]

—prese, i. e. press, throng:dese, ordais, a word of doubtful etymology, generally means—a table of estate,—the upper table raised on a platform more elevated than the others. See Tyrwhitt’s note onCant. Tales, v. 372; and Richardson’sDict.in v.Dais. It sometimes signifies a long bench (see Jamieson’sEt. Dict. of Scot. Lang.in v.Deis); and such seems to be its meaning here, as in the fourth line after this “the hye benche” is mentioned.—Roy in hissatire against Wolsey,Rede me, and be nott wrothe, &c., has imitated the present passage of Skelton;

“For, be there never so grett prease,They are set up atthe hy dease.”Harl. Miscell.ix. 51. ed. Park.

“For, be there never so grett prease,They are set up atthe hy dease.”

“For, be there never so grett prease,

They are set up atthe hy dease.”

Harl. Miscell.ix. 51. ed. Park.

Page 101. v. 185.

God gyue it yll preuynge,Clenly as yuell cheuynge]

God gyue it yll preuynge,

Clenly as yuell cheuynge]

—preuynge, i. e. proving.

“And prechest on thy benche,with evil prefe:” (i. e. evil may it prove!)Chaucer’sWif of Bathes Prol.v. 5829. ed. Tyr.

“And prechest on thy benche,with evil prefe:” (i. e. evil may it prove!)

Chaucer’sWif of Bathes Prol.v. 5829. ed. Tyr.

—yuell cheuynge, i. e. evil ending, bad success.

“God geve it yvell chevynge.”Roy’sRede me, &c.,Harl. Miscell.ix. 79. ed. Park.

“God geve it yvell chevynge.”

Roy’sRede me, &c.,Harl. Miscell.ix. 79. ed. Park.

See alsoCocke Lorelles bote, sig. B i.,Towneley Myst.p. 108, and Chaucer’sChanones Yemannes Tale, v. 16693. ed. Tyr.

v. 189.patch] I know not how to explain.

v. 190.ron] i. e. run.

v. 192.ioust] i. e. joist.

v. 196.bolle] i. e. bowl.

v. 198.skommeth] i. e. skimmeth.

v. 199.Whereas] i. e. Where.

v. 201.blennes] i. e. blends.

Page 102. v. 212.And ye may it broke] i. e. If you may brook it.

v. 213.loke] i. e. look.

v. 218.ble] i. e. colour, complexion.

v. 219.Ich am] i. e. I am.

v. 222.In lust and in lykyng] See note, p. 98. v. 23.

v. 223.whytyng] So in our early dramas,whiting-mop(young whiting) is a cant term for a nice young woman, a tender creature: see Puttenham’sArte of E. P., 1589. p. 184., and note in my ed. of Webster’sWorks, in. 37.

v. 224.mullyng] This term of endearment occurs in theCoventry Mysteries, applied by one of the shepherds to the infant Saviour;

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