POEMS AGAINST GARNESCHE.

“Thow I be the last that take my leveȝit fayremullyngetake it nat at no greve.”MS. Cott. Vesp.. D viii. fol. 91.

“Thow I be the last that take my leveȝit fayremullyngetake it nat at no greve.”

“Thow I be the last that take my leve

ȝit fayremullyngetake it nat at no greve.”

MS. Cott. Vesp.. D viii. fol. 91.

Compare also HormanniVulgaria: “This is a fayre and swetemullynge. Blandus estpuerulusinsigni festiuitate.” Sig. dd vii. ed. 1530.

——mytyng] In theTowneley Mysteries, one of the shepherds says to the infant Saviour,

“Haylle, so as I can, haylle, pratymytyng!”p. 96.

“Haylle, so as I can, haylle, pratymytyng!”

p. 96.

and Jamieson givesmytingas a fondling designation for a child,Et. Dict. of Scot. Lang.—In our author’s third poemAgainst Garnesche, v. 115. vol. i. 123, “myteyng”—(but used as a term of contempt)—is, as here, the rhyme to “wyteyng.”

Since writing the above note, I have met with a passage in the comedy calledWily Beguilde, which might be adduced in support of the reading, “nytyng;” but I still think that “mytyng” is the true one: the dramatist evidently recollected Skelton’s poem, in the ed. of which he had found “nytyng,” “nittinge,” or “nittine:”—“Comely Pegge, mynutting, my sweeting, my Loue, my doue, my honnie, my bonnie, my ducke, my deare and my deareling.” Sig. C 4. ed. 1606.

Page 102. v. 225.His nobbes and his conny] So in a song inThe Triall of Treasure, 1567;

“My mouse mynobsandconyswete.”Sig. E.

“My mouse mynobsandconyswete.”

Sig. E.

conny, i. e. rabbit.

v. 227.Bas] i. e. Kiss.

——bonny] i. e. precious one (rather than—beautiful one,—for it has the epithet “prety”).

v. 229.This make I my falyre fonny]This, i. e. Thus; see note, p. 86. v. 38: it has been suggested thatfalyremeans fellow; which I doubt:fonnyis, I suppose, foolishly amorous; compare—

“As freshly then thou shalt begin tofonneAnd dote in loue.”Chaucer’sCourt of Loue,—Workes, fol. 329. ed. 1602.

“As freshly then thou shalt begin tofonneAnd dote in loue.”

“As freshly then thou shalt begin tofonne

And dote in loue.”

Chaucer’sCourt of Loue,—Workes, fol. 329. ed. 1602.

“With kissing, and with clapping,I gert the carill fon.”Dunbar’sTua Maryit Wemen and The Wedo,Poems, i. 71. ed. Laing.

“With kissing, and with clapping,I gert the carill fon.”

Dunbar’sTua Maryit Wemen and The Wedo,Poems, i. 71. ed. Laing.

v. 230.dronny] i. e. drone.

v. 232.rout] i. e. snore.

Page 103. v. 245.conny] i. e. rabbit.

v. 247.a salt] i. e. a salt-cellar.

——spone] i. e. spoon.

v. 248.shone] i. e. shoon, shoes.

v. 250.a skellet] i. e. a skillet, a small kettle: in Suffolk it means a brass perforated implement for skimming the cream off milk; see Moor’sSuff. Words.

v. 251.

Some fyll theyr pot fullOf good Lemster woll]

Some fyll theyr pot full

Of good Lemster woll]

The meaning is—in the pot which was to hold the ale they brought wool “instede of monny” (v. 244).

Page 103. v. 254.athrust] i. e. a-thirst.

v. 258.slaty or slyder] i. e. miry or slippery.

Page 104. v. 266.renne] i. e. run.

v. 269.byrle] The wordbirl—to pour out, furnish for, or part drink among guests—(see Jamieson’sEt. Dict. of Scot. Lang.in v., and Leyden’s Gloss. toThe Comp. of Scotlandin v.Beir)—is not very common in English literature: “the olde God of wyne called Baccusbirlyngthe wyne.” Hall’sChronicle, (Hen. viii.) fol. lxxiii. ed. 1548.

v. 270.gest] i. e. guest.

v. 271.She swered by the rode of rest]—rode, i. e.rood,—cross: see note onWare the Hauke, v. 69.

“That is hardly saide, man,by the roode of rest.”Barclay’sFirst Egloge, sig. A iii. ed. 1570.

“That is hardly saide, man,by the roode of rest.”

Barclay’sFirst Egloge, sig. A iii. ed. 1570.

v. 280.haruest gyrdle] i. e. perhaps, a girdle worn at the feast after the gathering in of the corn.

v. 286.To offer to the ale tap] So inJak Hare, a poem attributed to Lydgate;

“And with his wynnynges hemakith his offryngeAt the ale stakis.”MS. Harl.2251. fol. 14.

“And with his wynnynges hemakith his offryngeAt the ale stakis.”

“And with his wynnynges hemakith his offrynge

At the ale stakis.”

MS. Harl.2251. fol. 14.

v. 288.sowre dowe]—dowe, i. e. dough. “Sower dough leuayn.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lxv. (Table of Subst.).

v. 289.howe] i. e. ho.

v. 292.And pype tyrly tyrlowe] Compare a Song belonging to the Tailors’ and Shearmen’s Pageant;

“Thé sangeterly terlow.”Sharp’sDiss. on Coventry Pag. and Myst., p. 114.

“Thé sangeterly terlow.”

Sharp’sDiss. on Coventry Pag. and Myst., p. 114.

v. 295.hekell] i. e. comb for dressing flax.

v. 296.rocke] i. e. distaff.—In a poem entitledCryste Crosse me Spede.A. B. C. Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the Sonne, by me Wynkyn de Worde, 4to. (which I know only from the account of it inTypog. Antiq.ii. 367. ed. Dibdin) are the following lines;

“A grete company of gossyps gadred on a routeWent to besyege an ale hous rounde abouteSome brought a distaffe & some a releSome brought a shouell & some a peleSome brought drynke & some a tankardeAnd a galon potte faste they drewe thederward,” &c.

“A grete company of gossyps gadred on a route

Went to besyege an ale hous rounde aboute

Some brought a distaffe & some a rele

Some brought a shouell & some a pele

Some brought drynke & some a tankarde

And a galon potte faste they drewe thederward,” &c.

Though no edition ofElynour Rummynghas come down to usprinted anterior toCryste Crosse me Spede, the evident imitation of the former in the passage just quoted, shews that it must have existed.

Page 104. v. 298.wharrowe] i. e. whirl, or wharve, for a spindle. “A spyndell with awharowe—fusus cumspondulo, siue verticillo siue harpage.” HormanniVulg.sig. t i. ed. 1530.

v. 299.rybskyn] InPrompt. Parv., ed. 1499, “Rybskyn” stands without a Latin term; but in the copy of that work,MS. Harl.221, is “Rybbe skynn.Melotula.” In a MS.Catholicon in Lingua materna, dated 1483, I find “Rybbynge skyn.nebrida. pellicudia.” I may add that in Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530, “Rybbe skynne” occurs without the corresponding French, fol. lix. (Table of Subst.).—Does it mean (as Albert Way, Esq. has obligingly suggested to me) a leather apron, used during the operation of flax-dressing?

Page 105. v. 303.thrust] i. e. thirst.

v. 305.

But drynke, styll drynke,And let the cat wynke]

But drynke, styll drynke,

And let the cat wynke]

So inThe Worlde and the Chylde, 1522;

“Manhode.Nowlet vs drynkeat this comnauntFor that is curtesy.Folye.Mary mayster ye shall haue in hastA ha syrslet the catte wyncke,” &c.Sig. C ii.

“Manhode.Nowlet vs drynkeat this comnauntFor that is curtesy.

“Manhode.Nowlet vs drynkeat this comnaunt

For that is curtesy.

Folye.Mary mayster ye shall haue in hastA ha syrslet the catte wyncke,” &c.

Folye.Mary mayster ye shall haue in hast

A ha syrslet the catte wyncke,” &c.

Sig. C ii.

See also three epigrams by HeywoodOf the winking Cat,—Workes, sig. P 4. ed. 1598.

v. 307.gommes] i. e. gums.

v. 308.crommes] i. e. crums.

v. 314.chaffer] i. e. merchandise.

v. 319.in all the hast] Compare: “Bulwarkes were madein all the haste.” HormanniVulgaria, sig. z iii. ed. 1530.

“the ryght wayTo London they tookein all the haste.”Smith’sxii Mery Jests of the wyddow Edyth, ed. 1573. sig. H iiii.

“the ryght wayTo London they tookein all the haste.”

“the ryght way

To London they tookein all the haste.”

Smith’sxii Mery Jests of the wyddow Edyth, ed. 1573. sig. H iiii.

v. 320.vnlast] i. e. unlaced.

v. 323.all hallow] i. e. all saints,—perhaps, All-saints’ day.

v. 324.

It was a stale to takeThe deuyll in a brake]

It was a stale to take

The deuyll in a brake]

For “stare,” which is the reading of all the eds., I have substituted “stale”—i. e. lure, decoy. “Staleof fowlys takinge.”Prompt. Parv.ed. 1499. So in Marmyon’sHollands Leaguer, 1632;

“And if my skill not failes me, her I’ll makeA Stale, to takethis Courtierin a brake.”Act ii. sc. 1. sig. D 3.

“And if my skill not failes me, her I’ll makeA Stale, to takethis Courtierin a brake.”

“And if my skill not failes me, her I’ll make

A Stale, to takethis Courtierin a brake.”

Act ii. sc. 1. sig. D 3.

Compare too an epigram by Heywood;

“Take time when time commeth: are we set time to take?Beware time, in meane time,takenot vsin brake.”Workes, sig. Q 3. ed. 1598.

“Take time when time commeth: are we set time to take?Beware time, in meane time,takenot vsin brake.”

“Take time when time commeth: are we set time to take?

Beware time, in meane time,takenot vsin brake.”

Workes, sig. Q 3. ed. 1598.

and Cavendish’sLife of Wolsey; “At last, as ye have heard here before, how divers of the great estates and lords of the council lay in a-wait with my Lady Anne Boleyn, to espy a convenient time and occasionto takethe cardinalin a brake.” p. 147. ed. 1827.—In our text, and in the passages just quoted,brakeseems to be used for trap: among its various significations, it means a strong wooden frame for confining the feet of horses, preparatory to their being shod; see Gifford’s note on Jonson’sWorks, iii. 463.

Page 105. v. 327.gambone] i. e. gammon.

v. 328.resty] i. e. reasty, rancid.

v. 330.Angry as a waspy]—waspy, i. e. wasp. So Heywood;

“Now mery as a cricket, and by and by,Angry as a waspe.”Dialogue, sig. C 4,—Workes, ed. 1598.

“Now mery as a cricket, and by and by,Angry as a waspe.”

“Now mery as a cricket, and by and by,

Angry as a waspe.”

Dialogue, sig. C 4,—Workes, ed. 1598.

v. 331.yane] “IyaneI gaspe or gape.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. ccccxi. (Table of Verbes).

——gaspy] i. e. gasp.

Page 106. v. 332.go bet] Compare;

“Arondel, queth Beues tho,For me louego bet, go.”Sir Beues of Hamtoun, p. 129. Maitl. ed.

“Arondel, queth Beues tho,For me louego bet, go.”

“Arondel, queth Beues tho,

For me louego bet, go.”

Sir Beues of Hamtoun, p. 129. Maitl. ed.

“Go bet, quod he, and axe redily,What corps is this,” &c.Chaucer’sPardoneres Tale, v. 12601. ed. Tyrwhitt,—

“Go bet, quod he, and axe redily,What corps is this,” &c.

“Go bet, quod he, and axe redily,

What corps is this,” &c.

Chaucer’sPardoneres Tale, v. 12601. ed. Tyrwhitt,—

who observes that in the following lines of Chaucer’sLegend of Dido(288),go betseems to be a term of the chase;

“The herd of hartes founden is anon,With hey,go bet, pricke thou, let gon, let gon.”“He hath made me daunce, maugre my hede,Amonge the thornes, heygo bette.”The Frere and the Boye,—An. Pop. Poetry, p. 46. ed. Ritson,—

“The herd of hartes founden is anon,With hey,go bet, pricke thou, let gon, let gon.”

“The herd of hartes founden is anon,

With hey,go bet, pricke thou, let gon, let gon.”

“He hath made me daunce, maugre my hede,Amonge the thornes, heygo bette.”

“He hath made me daunce, maugre my hede,

Amonge the thornes, heygo bette.”

The Frere and the Boye,—An. Pop. Poetry, p. 46. ed. Ritson,—

who supposes the words to be the name of some old dance.

Page 106. v. 333.met] i. e. measure.

v. 334.fet] i. e. fetched.

v. 335.spycke] “Spykof flesshe. Popa.”Prompt. Parv.ed. 1499. The copy of that work,MS. Harl.221, has “Spykor fet flesche,” &c.

v. 336.flycke] i. e. flitch.

v. 339.stut] i. e. stutter.

v. 343.sayne] i. e. says.

——a fyest] So Hawes;

“She let no ferte nor yetfystetruelye.”The Pastime of pleasure, sig. Q viii. ed. 1555.

“She let no ferte nor yetfystetruelye.”

The Pastime of pleasure, sig. Q viii. ed. 1555.

“A fiest, Tacitus flatus.” Withals’sDict. p. 343. ed. 1634.

v. 346.wyth shamfull deth] Equivalent to—may you die with a shameful death! see Tyrwhitt’sGloss.to Chaucer’sCant. Tales, in v.With.

v. 347.callettes] i. e. trulls, drabs, jades.

v. 348.I shall breake your palettes]—palettes, i. e. crowns, pates. So in a poem by Sir R. Maitland;

“For your rewarde nowI sall brek your pallat.”Anc. Scot. Poems from. Maitl. MSS., ii. 317. ed. Pinkerton,—

“For your rewarde nowI sall brek your pallat.”

Anc. Scot. Poems from. Maitl. MSS., ii. 317. ed. Pinkerton,—

who, in the Gloss., wrongly explains it “cut your throat.”

v. 350.And so was made the peace] In confirmation of the reading which I have given, compareReynard the Fox; “Thus wasthe pees madeby fyrapel the lupaerd frendly and wel.” Sig. e 5. ed. 1481; and see note on v. 319. p. 168.

v. 354.sainct James in Gales] The body of Saint James the Great having, according to the legend, been buried at Compostella in Galicia (Gales), a church was built over it. Pilgrims flocked to the spot; several popes having granted the same indulgences to those who repaired to Compostella, as to those who visited Jerusalem. InThe foure P. P.by Heywood, the Palmer informs us that he has been

“At saynt Cornelys atsaynt James in GalesAnd at saynt Wynefrydes well in Walles,” &c.Sig. A ii. ed. n. d.

“At saynt Cornelys atsaynt James in GalesAnd at saynt Wynefrydes well in Walles,” &c.

“At saynt Cornelys atsaynt James in Gales

And at saynt Wynefrydes well in Walles,” &c.

Sig. A ii. ed. n. d.

v. 355.Portyngales] i. e. Portuguese.

v. 356.I wys] i. e. truly, certainly (i-wis, adv.).

v. 360.the Crosse in Chepe] Was originally erected in 1290 by Edward I. at one of the resting places of the body of his beloved Eleanor, in its progress from Herdeby, where she died, to Westminster Abbey, where she was buried; and was adorned with herimage and arms. Of its being afterwards rebuilt,—of the conduits that were added to it, &c. &c. an account will be found in Stow’sSurvey, B. iii. 35. ed. 1720, andSup. to Gent. Mag.for 1764, vol. 34. 607. This structure was barbarously demolished in 1643, as a monument of Popish superstition.

Page 106. v. 362.route] i. e. disorderly crowd.

Page 107. v. 364.

Sneuelyng in her nose,As thoughe she had the pose]

Sneuelyng in her nose,

As thoughe she had the pose]

—pose, i. e. a rheum in the head. So Chaucer;

“he speketh in his nose,And sneseth fast, and ekehe hath the pose.”The Manciples Prol.v. 17010. ed. Tyr.

“he speketh in his nose,And sneseth fast, and ekehe hath the pose.”

“he speketh in his nose,

And sneseth fast, and ekehe hath the pose.”

The Manciples Prol.v. 17010. ed. Tyr.

See alsoReves Tale, v. 4149.

v. 371.fyll] i. e. fell.

v. 372.barlyhood] Orbarlikhood, is said to mean a fit of obstinacy or violent ill-humour produced by drunkenness: see Jamieson’sEt. Dict. of Scot. Lang.andSupp.in v.; also Stevenson’s addition to Boucher’sGloss.in v.Barlic.

v. 378.newe ale in cornes] So inThersytes, n. d.;

“I will make the drincke worse than goodale in the cornes.”p. 56. Rox. ed.

“I will make the drincke worse than goodale in the cornes.”

p. 56. Rox. ed.

“New ale in cornes. Ceruisia cum recrementis.” Baret’sAlvearie, in v.Ale.

v. 386.fabell] i. e. talking.

v. 387.babell] i. e. babbling.

v. 388.

——folys fyllyThat had a fole wyth wylly]

——folys fylly

That had a fole wyth wylly]

Whetherfolys fyllymeans a foolish young jade (afilly,—compare what follows), or foolish Philly (Phillis,—compare our author’sBowge of Court, v. 370. vol. i. 44); and whether or notwyllyis meant for a proper name (as it is given in the comparatively recent ed. of Rand), let the reader judge.

v. 390.Iast you, and, gup, gylly] See note, p. 99. v. 17. “Whatgyppe gyllwith a galde backe, begynne you to kycke nowe:Hey de par le diable gilotte,” &c. Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. cclxxii. (Table of Verbes). So Dunbar usesgillotfor a young mare; see hisPoems, i. 65, ii. 459 (note), ed. Laing.

v. 394.sennet] i. e. sennight, week.

Page 108. v. 395.pay] i. e. satisfaction, content.

v. 397.Of thyne ale let vs assay]—assay, i. e. try, taste. So inPierce Plowman;

“I haue goodalegoship said he, glotonwold thou assai.”Sig. G ii. ed. 1561.

“I haue goodalegoship said he, glotonwold thou assai.”

Sig. G ii. ed. 1561.

Page 108. v. 398.pylche] i. e. cloak of skins.

v. 399.conny] i. e. rabbit.

v. 490.loke] i. e. look.

——donny] Richardson,Dict.in vv.Dun,Dunny, cites this line as containing an example of the latter word,—rightly, perhaps, fordonne(dun) occurs in Skelton’sMagnyfycence, v. 1102. vol. i. 257.—The common people of Ireland employdonnyin the sense of—poor, mean-looking, as “adonnycreature;” also in the sense of—poorly, as “How are you to-day?”—“Och! butdonny, verydonny.” For this information I am indebted to the kindness of Miss Edgeworth, who has used the word in one of her excellent tales.

v. 407.blommer] i. e., perhaps, noise, uproar.

v. 408.a skommer] i. e. a skimmer.

v. 409.a slyce] “Sclyceto tourne meatetournoire.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lxii. (Table of Subst.).

v. 412.sterte] i. e. started, rushed.

v. 414.somdele seke] i. e. somewhat sick.

v. 415.a peny cheke] Does it mean—a puny chick?

v. 418.Margery Mylkeducke] So again in our author’sMagnyfycence;

“What,Margery Mylke Ducke, mermoset!”v. 462. vol. i. 240.

“What,Margery Mylke Ducke, mermoset!”

v. 462. vol. i. 240.

Compare one of theCoventry Mysteries;

“MalkynMylkedokeand fayr Mabyle.”MS. Cott. Vesp.D viii. fol. 74.

“MalkynMylkedokeand fayr Mabyle.”

MS. Cott. Vesp.D viii. fol. 74.

v. 419.

Her kyrtell she did vptuckeAn ynche aboue her kne]

Her kyrtell she did vptucke

An ynche aboue her kne]

—kyrtell; see note, p. 149. v. 1194.—So in our old ballad poetry;

“Then you must cut your gowne of greene,An inch above your knee.”Child Waters,—Percy’sRel. of A. E. P.iii. 56. ed. 1794.

“Then you must cut your gowne of greene,An inch above your knee.”

“Then you must cut your gowne of greene,

An inch above your knee.”

Child Waters,—Percy’sRel. of A. E. P.iii. 56. ed. 1794.

v. 422.stubbed] i. e. short and thick.

v. 423.pestels] i. e. legs,—so called, perhaps, because the leg-bone resembles apestleused in a mortar. The expression “pestleof pork” frequently occurs in our early writers; as in the following passage concerning the tremendous appetite of Charlemagne; “Whan he took hys repaast he was contente wyth lytel brede, but as touchyng the pytaunce, he ete at his repaast a quarter of moton, or ii hennes, or a grete ghoos, or a gretepestelof porke, or a pecok, or a crane, or an hare all hool.” Caxton’sLyf of Charles the Grete, &c., 1485. sig. b iii.

Page 108. v. 423.clubbed] i. e. like clubs.

v. 425.fote] i. e. foot.

v. 426.foule] i. e. ugly: see note, p. 130. v. 442.

Page 109. v. 429.cantell] i. e. corner, piece, fragment.

v. 431.quycke] i. e. live.

v. 435.punyete] i. e. pungent.

v. 436.sorte] i. e. set, company.

v. 441.I wote nere] i. e. I know never, not.

v. 443.podynges and lynkes] “Links, a kind of Pudding, the skin being filled with Pork Flesh, and seasoned with diverse Spices, minced, and tied up at distances.” R. Holme’sAc. of Armory, 1688. B. iii. p. 83. In Scotland the termspuddingsandlinksare applied to various intestines of animals.

v. 447.leche] i. e. physician, doctor.—Dunbar makes a distinction, which I do not understand;

“In Medicyne the most Practicianis,Leichis, Surrigianis, and Phisicianis.”Poems, i. 213. ed. Laing.

“In Medicyne the most Practicianis,Leichis, Surrigianis, and Phisicianis.”

“In Medicyne the most Practicianis,

Leichis, Surrigianis, and Phisicianis.”

Poems, i. 213. ed. Laing.

v. 450.keke] i. e. kick.

v. 451.the vertue of an vnset leke] “Vnsette lekesbe of morevertuethan they that be sette ...præstant in medicina.” HormanniVulgaria, sig. f ii. ed. 1530.

v. 452.breke] i. e. breeches.

v. 453.feders] i. e. feathers.

v. 460.noughty froslynges] i. e. worthless things, stunted by frost. In Suffolk,froslinis applied to any thing—a lamb, agoslin, a chicken, an apple, &c., nipped, or pinched, or injured by frost: see Moor’sSuffolk Words, Appendix.

Page 110. v. 462.callet] i. e. trull, drab, jade.

v. 465.wretchockes] “The famous imp yet grew awretchock; and though for seven years together he was carefully carried at his mother’s back, rocked in a cradle of Welsh cheese, like a maggot, and there fed with broken beer, and blown wine of the best daily, yet looks as if he never saw hisquinquennium.” Jonson’s Masque,The Gipsies Metamorphosed,—Workes, vii. 371. ed. Gifford, who thus comments on the passage in his authoritative style: “i. e. pined away, instead of thriving. Whalley appears to have puzzled himself sorely in this page, about a matter of very little difficulty. In every large breed of domestic fowls, there is usually a miserable little stunted creature, that forms a perfect contrast to the growth and vivacity of the rest. This unfortunate abortive, the goodwives, with whom it is an object of tenderness, call awrethcock; and thisis all the mystery. Was Whalley ignorant that what we now term chick, was once chocke andchooke?” The fol. ed. of theMasque of Gipsieshas “wretch-cock,” which Nares, who does not know what to make of the word, observes “would admit of an easy derivation fromwretchandcock, meaning a poor wretched fowl.”Gloss.in v.

Page 110. v. 466.shyre shakyng nought] i. e. sheer worthless. So again our author in hisMagnyfycence;

“Fromqui fuit aliquidto shyre shakynge nought.”v. 1319. vol. i. 267.

“Fromqui fuit aliquidto shyre shakynge nought.”

v. 1319. vol. i. 267.

v. 475.fall] i. e. fallen.

v. 483.foggy] “Foggy, to full of waste flesshe.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lxxxviii. (Table of Adiect.).

v. 489.craw] i. e. crop, stomach.

v. 491.on] i. e. of: compare v. 131.

Page 111. v. 492.an old rybibe] Chaucer, inThe Freres Tale, says,

“This Sompnour, waiting ever on his pray,Rode forth to sompne a widewe,an olde ribibe.”v. 6958. ed. Tyrwhitt,—

“This Sompnour, waiting ever on his pray,Rode forth to sompne a widewe,an olde ribibe.”

“This Sompnour, waiting ever on his pray,

Rode forth to sompne a widewe,an olde ribibe.”

v. 6958. ed. Tyrwhitt,—

who says he cannot guess how this musical instrument came to be put for an old woman, “unless perhaps from its shrillness.” The word so applied occurs also in Jonson’sDevil is an Ass, act i. sc. 1, where Gifford observes, “Ribibe, together with its synonymrebeck, is merely a cant expression for an old woman. A ribibe, the reader knows, is a rude kind of fiddle, and the allusion is probably to the inharmonious nature of its sounds.”Works, v. 8.

v. 493.She halted of a kybe] i. e. She limped from a chap in the heel. The following remedy is seriously proposed inThe Countrie Farme, and was no doubt applied by our ancestors: “For kibes on the heeles, make powder of old shooe soles burned, and of them with oile of roses annoint the kibes; or else lay vnto the kibes the rinde of a pomegranat boiled in wine.” p. 83. ed. 1600.

v. 496.

And fell so wyde openThat one myght se her token]

And fell so wyde open

That one myght se her token]

CompareThe foure P. P.by Heywood;

“So was thys castell laydwyde openThat euery man myght se the token.”Sig. D i. ed. n. d.

“So was thys castell laydwyde openThat euery man myght se the token.”

“So was thys castell laydwyde open

That euery man myght se the token.”

Sig. D i. ed. n. d.

v. 498.wroken] i. e. wreaked.

v. 501.on Gods halfe] i. e. “on God’s part, with God’s favour.” Tyrwhitt’sGloss.to Chaucer’sCant. Tales. “A goddes halfe: De par dieu.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. ccccxxxvi. (Table of Aduerbes).

Page 111. v. 503.beshrew] i. e. curse.

v. 506.lampatrams] A word which I am unable to explain.

v. 507.shap] i. e. pudendum: see Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. xxvi. (Table of Subst.). So in a description of purgatory-punishments in the metrical legend ofOwayne Myles;

“And some were yn toshappusAnd some were vp to the pappus.”MS. Cott. Calig.A ii. fol. 91.

“And some were yn toshappusAnd some were vp to the pappus.”

“And some were yn toshappus

And some were vp to the pappus.”

MS. Cott. Calig.A ii. fol. 91.

v. 512.stert] i. e. started.

v. 515.dant] In Kilian’sDict.is “Dante. Ambubaia, mulier ignaua.” ed. 1605; and inGloss. to West. and Cumb. Dialect, “Dannet, a ... woman of disreputable character:” but, for aught I know, the word in the text may have some very different signification.

v. 516.a gose and a gant] Must mean here,—a goose and a gander: yet Skelton inPhyllyp Sparowementions first “the gose and thegander,” and afterwards “the gaglyngegaunte:” see note, p. 130. v. 447.

v. 517.wesant] i. e. weasand.

v. 519.olyfant] i. e. elephant.

v. 520.bullyfant] Another word which I do not understand.

v. 522.hedes] i. e. heads.

Page 112. v. 525.ale pole] i. e. pole, or stake, set up before an ale-house by way of sign.

v. 535.A strawe, sayde Bele, stande vtter]—stande vtter, i. e. stand more out, back.

“Straw, quod the thridde, ye ben lewed and nice.”Chaucer’sChanones Yemannes Tale, v. 16393. ed. Tyr.

“Straw, quod the thridde, ye ben lewed and nice.”

Chaucer’sChanones Yemannes Tale, v. 16393. ed. Tyr.

“Stonde vtterfelowe where doest thou thy curtesy preue?”The Worlde and the Chylde, 1522. sig. B iv.

“Stonde vtterfelowe where doest thou thy curtesy preue?”

The Worlde and the Chylde, 1522. sig. B iv.

v. 538.sterte] i. e. started.

——fysgygge] “Trotiere: A raumpe,fisgig, fisking huswife, raunging damsell, gadding or wandring flirt.” Cotgrave’sDict.“Fiz-gig, a wild flirting wench.”Dialect of Craven, &c.

v. 543.gat] i. e. got.

v. 549.quod] i. e. quoth.

——hyght] i. e. called.

v. 550.bybyll] i. e. drink, tipple.

v. 553.Wheywormed] i. e. covered withwhey-worms,—pimples from which a whey-like moisture exudes.

Page 113. v. 555.puscull] i. e. pustule.

v. 556.muscull] i. e. muscle,—the shell of which is frequently “scabbyd.”

Page 113. v. 557.noppy] i. e. nappy.

v. 558.soppy] i. e. sop.

v. 560.mote I hoppy] i. e. may I have good hap.

v. 561.coleth] i. e. cooleth.

——croppy] i. e. crop, stomach.

v. 563.Haue here is for me] See note, p. 118. v. 413.

v. 573.defoyled] i. e. defiled.

v. 575.sorte] i. e. set, company.

v. 582.a pryckemedenty] i. e. one affectedly nice, finical.

v. 583.

Sat lyke a seynty,And began to payntyAs thoughe she would faynty]

Sat lyke a seynty,

And began to paynty

As thoughe she would faynty]

—seynty, i. e. saint:paynty, i. e. paint,—feign:faynty, i. e. faint. Compare our author’sColyn Cloute;

“That counterfaytes andpayntesAs they were verysayntes.”v. 922. vol. i. 347.

“That counterfaytes andpayntesAs they were verysayntes.”

“That counterfaytes andpayntes

As they were verysayntes.”

v. 922. vol. i. 347.

v. 587.a lege de moy] So again in our author’sColyn Cloute;

“And howe Parys of TroyDaunced alege de moy,Made lusty sporte and ioyWith dame Helyn the quene.”v. 952. vol. i. 348.

“And howe Parys of TroyDaunced alege de moy,Made lusty sporte and ioyWith dame Helyn the quene.”

“And howe Parys of Troy

Daunced alege de moy,

Made lusty sporte and ioy

With dame Helyn the quene.”

v. 952. vol. i. 348.

I have not found elsewhere the termlege de moy. Mace, in hisMusick’s Monument, 1676, mentions aTattle de Moy,—“a New Fashion’d Thing, much like a Seraband; only It has more of Conceit in It, as (in a manner) speaking the word (Tattle de Moy),” &c. p. 129.

Page 114. v. 594.I wys] i. e. truly, certainly (i-wis, adv.).

v. 598.spence] i. e. store-room, for drink, or victuals: “Spensa buttryedespencier.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. lxvi. (Table of Subst.).

v. 609.awne] i. e. own.

v. 610.Neyther gelt nor pawne] i. e. Neither money nor pledge.

v. 615.balke] i. e. beam, post: “Balkeof an housepouste.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. xix. (Table of Subst.).

v. 616.tayle] i. e. tally. “A payre oftaylles, suche as folke vse to score vpon for rekennyng.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. xiii. (Thirde Boke).

v. 617.yll hayle] i. e. ill health,—ill luck,—a common imprecation in our old poetry;

“Ill haile, Alein, by God thou is a fonne.”Chaucer’sReves Tale, v. 4087. ed. Tyr.

“Ill haile, Alein, by God thou is a fonne.”

Chaucer’sReves Tale, v. 4087. ed. Tyr.

See tooChester Mysteries(De Del. Noe), p. 27. Roxb. ed.

Page 114. v. 619.to mytche] i. e. too much.

v. 620.mummynge] i. e. frolicking, merriment.

Page 115. v. 622.gest] i. e. story. “Gestor romauns.”Prompt. Parv.ed. 1499.

v. 623.this worthy fest] So in theCoventry Mysteries;

“Atwurthy festysriche men woll bene.”MS. Cott. Vesp.D viii. fol. 32.

“Atwurthy festysriche men woll bene.”

MS. Cott. Vesp.D viii. fol. 32.

and in Cavendish’sLife of Wolsey, “It is not to be doubted but that the king was privy of allthis worthy feast.” p. 199. ed. 1827.

Quod] i. e. Quoth.

All the particulars concerning Garnesche, which I have been able to discover will be found in theAccount of Skelton and his Writings.

Page 116. v. 1.Sithe] i. e. Since.

v. 4.Syr Tyrmagant]—orTermagant,—a very furious deity, whom the Crusaders and romance-writers charged the Saracens with worshipping, though there was certainly no such Saracenic divinity. Concerning the name, see Gifford’s note on Massinger’sWorks, ii. 125. ed. 1813, and Nares’sGloss.in v.—So inThe Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy, which in various minute particulars bears a strong resemblance to the present piecesAgainst Garnesche;

“Termygantistemptis and Vespasius thy eme.”Dunbar’sPoems, ii. 85. ed. Laing.

“Termygantistemptis and Vespasius thy eme.”

Dunbar’sPoems, ii. 85. ed. Laing.

——tyrnyd] i. e. tourneyed, encountered.

v. 5.Syr Frollo de Franko] Was a Roman knight, governor of Gaul, slain by King Arthur: seeGeoffrey of Mon.l. ix. cap. ii.,The Legend of King Arthur, Percy’sRel. of A. E. P.iii. 39. ed. 1794, &c. &c.

——talle] i. e. valiant.

v. 6.Syr Satrapas] Neither with this, nor with the personage mentioned in the next line, have I any acquaintance.

v. 8.haue ye kythyd yow a knyght]—kythyd, i. e. made known, shewn.

“Itkythitbe his cognisanceane knightthat he wes.”Golagros and Gawane, p. 137,Syr Gawayne, &c. ed. Bann.

“Itkythitbe his cognisanceane knightthat he wes.”

Golagros and Gawane, p. 137,Syr Gawayne, &c. ed. Bann.

Garnesche had the dignity of knighthood; seeAccount of Skelton and his Writings. In the heading, and first line, of this poem, heis calledMaster; but knights were frequently so addressed. In Cavendish’sLife of Wolseymention is made of “Sir William Fitzwilliams,a knight,” who is presently called “MasterFitzwilliams,” pp. 310, 311. ed. 1827, and of “Sir Walter Walshe,knight,” who is immediately after termed “MasterWalshe,” pp. 339, 340, and of “that worshipfulknight MasterKingston,” p. 374.

Page 116. v. 8.Syr Dugles the dowty] “The high courage of Dowglasse wan him that addition ofDoughty Dowglasse, which after grew to a Prouerbe.” Marg. Note on the description of the Battle of Shrewsbury, in Drayton’sPolyolbion, Song 22. p. 37. ed. 1622.

v. 9.currysly] i. e. currishly.

v. 10.stowty] i. e. stout.

v. 11.Barabas] The robber mentioned in Scripture.

——Syr Terry of Trace]—Trace, i. e. Thrace: but I do not recollect any romance or history in which a Sir Terry of that country is mentioned.

v. 12.gyrne] i. e. grin.

——gomys] i. e. gums.

v. 15.Syr Ferumbras the ffreke]—ffreke(common in romance-poetry in the sense of—man, warrior) is here, as the context shews, equivalent to furious fellow: we have had the word before, see p. 109. v. 187. Consult the analysis of the romance ofSir Ferumbrasin Ellis’sSpec. of Met. Rom.ii. 356, and Caxton’sLyf of Charles the Grete, &c., 1485, for much about this Saracen, called in the latterFyerabras,—“a meruayllous geaunte,”—“whyche was vaynquysshed by Olyuer, and at the laste baptysed,and was after a Saynt in heuen.” Sig. b viii.

v. 16.Syr capten of Catywade, catacumbas of Cayre]Cayreis Cairo; but I am unable to explain the line. In the opening of Heywood’sFour P. P., the Palmer says, he has been at “the graet God of Katewade,” alluding, as O. Gilchrist thinks, to Catwade-bridge in Sampford hundred in Suffolk, where there may have been a famous chapel and rood; see Dodsley’sOld Plays, i. 61. last ed.

v. 17.Thow] i. e. Though.

——Syr Lybyus] See note, p. 138. v. 649.

v. 18.contenons oncomly] i. e. countenance uncomely.

v. 19.apayere] i. e. impair—become less.

Page 117. v. 22.Of Mantryble the Bryge, Malchus the murryon]—murryon, i. e. Moor; so in the third of these poems, Skelton calls Garnesche “Thoumurrionn, thou mawment,” v. 170. vol. i. 125; so too in the Scottish Treasurer’s Accounts for 1501, “PetertheMoryen,” Dunbar’sPoems, ii. 306. ed. Laing; and in a folio broadside,M. Harry Whobals mon to M. Camell, &c. (among the “flytings” of Churchyard and Camell), “Somemorryonboye to hold ye vp.” If the present passage means that the Bridge was guarded by a Moor called Malchus, I know not what authority Skelton followed. Concerning the Bridge of Mantryble see the analysis of the romance ofSir Ferumbras, Ellis’sSpec. of Met. Rom.ii. 389; and Caxton’sLyf of Charles the Grete, &c., 1485, “Of the meruayllous bridge of Mantryble, of the trybute there payed for to passe ouer,” &c., sig. e viii., and how “the strong brydge of mantryble was wonne not wythoute grete payne,” sig. h viii.: it was kept by a giant, named Algolufre in the former, and Galafre in the latter, who was slain by the Frenchmen when the Bridge was won. InThe Bruceof Barbour, the hero reads to his followers “Romanys off worthi Ferambrace” and how Charlemagne “wanMantrybilland passit Flagot.” B. ii. v. 832 sqq. ed. Jam. “The tail ofthe brig of the mantribil” is mentioned inThe Complaynt of Scotland, p. 98. ed. Leyden. Compare alsoDon Quixote; “nor that [history] of Fierabras, with theBridge of Mant[r]ible, which befell in Charlemaines time, and is, I sweare, as true, as that it is day at this instant.” P. i. B. iv. c. xxii. p. 546., Shelton’s trans., 1612.

Page 117. v. 23.blake Baltazar with hys basnet routh as a bere] Doesblake Baltazarmean one of the Magi, or, as they were commonly called, the Three Kings of Cologne? “the third, Balthasar, a black or Moor, with a large spreading beard,” &c.Festa Anglo-Romana, p. 7, cited in Brand’sPop. Ant.i. 19 (note), ed. 1813:with hys basnet routh as a bere, i. e. with his cap (not helmet, it would seem,) rough as a bear.

v. 24.Lycon, that lothly luske]—Lyconis probably Lycaon; see note, p. 127. v. 311. “Here is a great knaue i. a great lytherluske, or a stout ydell lubbar.” Palsgrave’sAcolastus, 1540. sig. X ii. “Luskea vyle parsoneribavlt, esclaue, lovrdavlt.” Palsgrave’sLesclar. de la Lang. Fr., 1530. fol. xlvi. (Table of Subst.). The word is often used as a term of reproach in general.

v. 25.brymly] i. e. fiercely, ruggedly.

——here] i. e. hair.

v. 26.bake] i. e. back.

——gere] i. e. dress.

v. 30.a camoke] Is explained—a crooked stick, or tree; a crooked beam, or knee of timber.

v. 31.teggys] See note, p. 164. v. 151.

Page 117. v. 33.Orwelle hyr hauyn] By Harwich.

v. 36.Sarson] i. e. Saracen. So inThe Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy(see note, p. 177. v. 4), “Sarazene, syphareit,” &c. Dunbar’sPoems, ii. 75. ed. Laing.

——ble] i. e. colour, complexion.

v. 37.As a glede glowynge] i. e. glowing like a burning coal:—but qy. did Skelton write “as a gledeglowrynge?” i. e. staring like a kite. He usesgledein this latter sense inMagnyfycence, v. 1059. vol. i. p. 259: and inThe Flyting of Dunbar and Kennedy(see note, p. 177. v. 4) we find,—

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