‘When Adam dalf and Eve span,Who was then the gentleman?’
‘When Adam dalf and Eve span,Who was then the gentleman?’
‘When Adam dalf and Eve span,Who was then the gentleman?’
‘When Adam dalf and Eve span,
Who was then the gentleman?’
Much the same argument as we have here is to be found inConf. Am.iv. 2204 ff.
17366. ‘the ladies are not of that mind.’
17374.ainçois demein, ‘before the morrow’; ‘ançois’ as a preposition.
17417. Tobit iii. 8, and vi. 13, 14, but nothing is said distinctly of the reason here assigned. It may be thought that it is implied in Tobit viii. 9. The idea is fully developed in theConfessio Amantis, where the whole story is told with this motive and in connexion with the same argument about chastity in the state of marriage. SeeConf. Am.vii. 5307-5381.
17450.regent, used here as a present participle.
17469.Naman: more correctly ‘Aman’ in 11075.
17472.retient, ‘saved’: it seems to be a preterite, cp. 8585, 9816, &c.
17484.volt avoir malbailly: so ‘volt avoir confondu’ below; perhaps a translation of the English ‘would have illtreated’ &c.
17497.fait bien a loer: see note on 1883.
17498. ‘it is good to marry the good’: ‘du’ for ‘de.’
17500. Ecclus. vii. 21.
17532. ‘to be companions by Holy Church,’ that is by ordinance of Holy Church.
17593. Ecclus. ix. 2, xxv. 30.
17608. 2 Sam. vi.
17616.puis tout jour, ‘ever after.’
17630.ou, for ‘au,’ see Glossary.
17641. Cat.Distich.i. 8,
‘Nil temere uxori de seruis crede querenti,Semper enim mulier quem coniux diligit odit.’
‘Nil temere uxori de seruis crede querenti,Semper enim mulier quem coniux diligit odit.’
‘Nil temere uxori de seruis crede querenti,Semper enim mulier quem coniux diligit odit.’
‘Nil temere uxori de seruis crede querenti,
Semper enim mulier quem coniux diligit odit.’
17689.ert: future in imperative sense, ‘shall be’; so in the lines that follow.
17702.Anne, called ‘Edna’ in the A. V.
17705. Tobit x. 12. The Authorised English version has but one of the five points, and that in a somewhat different form from our author’s: ‘Honour thy father and thy mother in law, which are now thy parents, that I may hear good report of thee.’ The Vulgate reading is, ‘Monentes eam honorare soceros, diligere maritum, regere familiam, gubernare domum, et seipsam irreprehensibilem exhibere.’
17714 ff.estrive ... quiert ... labourt: apparently present indicative, stating what the good wife does.
17743. ‘For if a woman’ &c. The construction is confused, cp. 89.
17776.n’ait homme tant pecché, ‘however much a man may have sinned.’
17785. Ez. xxxiii. 14 ff.
17801.Cil, i.e. ‘the latter,’ as the following lines show.
17827. The widow’s marriage: cp. 9170 and note.
17845. 1 Tim. v. 3-6.
17864.le vou Marie: see 27734 ff.
17874. Ps. lxxvi. 11 (Vulg.lxxv. 12), ‘Vovete et reddite Domino Deo vestro.’
17876. ‘that purpose has little merit, which’ &c.: ‘decert’ for ‘desert,’ from ‘deservir,’ so also the substantive ‘decerte’ for ‘deserte.’
17882.sanz en faire glose, ‘without need of comment.’
17904. Nevertheless according to 17302 ff. he is bound to do so.
17935 ff. Cp.Trait.ii. 1,
‘Des bones almes l’un fait le ciel preignant,Et l’autre emplist la terre de labour.’
‘Des bones almes l’un fait le ciel preignant,Et l’autre emplist la terre de labour.’
‘Des bones almes l’un fait le ciel preignant,Et l’autre emplist la terre de labour.’
‘Des bones almes l’un fait le ciel preignant,
Et l’autre emplist la terre de labour.’
The original of it is perhaps Jeromeadv. Jovin.i. 16, ‘Nuptiae terram replent, virginitas paradisum.’ Much the same thing is said by Augustine and by others.
17945. Jerome,Ep.xxii. 20, ‘Laudo nuptias, laudo coniugium, sed quia mihi virgines generant: lego de spinis rosam.’
17948. 1 Cor. vii. 9.
17952. ‘as the highest teaching.’
17996.trestout ardantbelongs of course to ‘fornaise’ in the next line. These inversions are characteristic of the author’s style: cp. 15941.
18004. Bern.de Ord. Vit.ii. 4, ‘Et ne incentivis naturalibus superentur, necesse est ut lasciviens caro eorum crebris frangatur ieiuniis.’De Convers.21, ‘Quidni periclitetur castitas in deliciis.’
18018.chalt pas, ‘at once.’
18025. Ambr.Hex.vi. 4. 28, ‘Ieiuni hominis sputum si serpens gustaverit, moritur. Vides quanta vis ieiunii sit, ut et sputo suo homo terrenum serpentem interficiat, et merito spiritalem.’
18067.q’est d’aspre vie, ‘which belongs to hard life.’
18097. Matt. xiii.
18154. ‘And then performs the circumstance of it,’ that is the deeds suggested by it.
18159 ff. With this passage on the power of the divine word compare that on the power of the human word inConf. Am.vii. 1545 ff.
18172. John xv. 3.
18292. Ps. cxxvi. (Vulg.cxxv.) 6, ‘Euntes ibant et flebant, mittentes semina sua. Venientes autem venient cum exsultatione, portantes manipulos suos.’
18301. Val. Max. iv. 5. The story is also given in theConfessio Amantisv. 6372 ff. with a slight variation in the details, and it is alluded to inVox Clam.vi. 1323. It is to be noted that the same corruption of the original name Spurina, into ‘Phirinus,’ is found in all three.
The lines corresponding to 18301 f. areConf. Am.v. 6359 f.,
‘Of Rome among the gestes oldeI finde hou that Valerie tolde’ &c.
‘Of Rome among the gestes oldeI finde hou that Valerie tolde’ &c.
‘Of Rome among the gestes oldeI finde hou that Valerie tolde’ &c.
‘Of Rome among the gestes olde
I finde hou that Valerie tolde’ &c.
18303.Ot, ‘there was,’ for ‘y ot.’
18317.dont, ‘because of which.’
18324.Celle alme, ‘the soul’: see note on 301.
18329.Dontanswering to ‘ensi,’ in consecutive sense, as often.
18348.qant s’esbanoie, ‘in his glory’; lit. ‘when he diverts himself.’
18371. ‘What can I say more except that God honours thee?’
18420.L’escoles, for ‘les escoles,’ ‘li’ (or ‘le’) being used for ‘les’: see Glossary ‘ly,’ ‘le.’
18421. The part of the work which begins here runs parallel with a large portion of theVox Clamantis, viz. Books iii.-vi. inclusive.
18445. The assertion that he is merely giving voice to public opinion is more than once repeated by our author in his several works, e.g.Conf. Am. Prol.122 ff.
18451. Simon Magus is the representative of spiritual corruption, called ‘simony.’ His name is similarly used in our author’s other works, e.g.Conf. Am. Prol.204, 439, and often in theVox Clamantis. With the argument here compareVox Clam.iii. ch. 4, where nearly the same line is followed.
18462.deux pointz, ‘two points,’ instead of one: ‘ou ... ou,’ ‘whether ... or.’
18466. ‘Or if not so, then proceed to tell me’ &c. For ‘avant’ cp. 14730.
18469. ‘I cannot believe.’
18505. Cp.Vox Clam.iii. 265 ff.,
‘In quanto volucres petit auceps carpere plures,Vult tanto laqueos amplificare suos’: &c.
‘In quanto volucres petit auceps carpere plures,Vult tanto laqueos amplificare suos’: &c.
‘In quanto volucres petit auceps carpere plures,Vult tanto laqueos amplificare suos’: &c.
‘In quanto volucres petit auceps carpere plures,
Vult tanto laqueos amplificare suos’: &c.
Here the speech is put into the mouth of a member of the Roman court, for which cp.Vox Clam.iii. 817 ff., where a similarly cynical avowal is put into the mouth of the Pope.
18539.perchera.I am disposed to take this as a future of ‘percevoir,’ in the sense ‘receive,’ ‘collect,’ (‘parcevoir rentes’ Godefr.). Roquefort (Suppl.) gives ‘perchoir’ as a possible form of the word.
18542.serrons, from ‘serrer.’
18553. Cp.Vox Clam.iii. 141,
‘Clauiger ethereus Petrus extitit, isteque poscitClaues thesauri regis habere sibi.’
‘Clauiger ethereus Petrus extitit, isteque poscitClaues thesauri regis habere sibi.’
‘Clauiger ethereus Petrus extitit, isteque poscitClaues thesauri regis habere sibi.’
‘Clauiger ethereus Petrus extitit, isteque poscit
Claues thesauri regis habere sibi.’
18556. Cp.Conf. Am. Prol.206 ff., where the parallel is very close.
18580. The allusion is to the cross upon the reverse of the English gold coinage of Edward III’s time, as also on that of some other countries and perhaps on the pound sterling, see 25270.
18584.cil huissier, ‘the doorkeepers.’
18589. This form of sentence is characteristic of our author: cp.Bal.xviii. 2,
‘Tiel esperver crieis unqes ne fu,Qe jeo ne crie plus en ma maniere.’
‘Tiel esperver crieis unqes ne fu,Qe jeo ne crie plus en ma maniere.’
‘Tiel esperver crieis unqes ne fu,Qe jeo ne crie plus en ma maniere.’
‘Tiel esperver crieis unqes ne fu,
Qe jeo ne crie plus en ma maniere.’
AlsoBal.vii. 4, xxx. 2,Conf. Am.i. 718 and frequently in theVox Clamantis, e.g. i. 499 ff.
18631. Referring to the payments made by Jews and prostitutes at Rome for liberty to live and exercise their professions.
18637. Cp.Vox Clam.iii. 283 ff. andConf. Am.ii. 3486 ff.
18649. John xiv. 27. The discourse however is not to St. Peter alone, cp. 18733.
18663.des bonnes almes retenir, for ‘de retenir les bonnes almes,’ ‘in keeping guard over souls’: cp. 5492, &c. For the substance of the passage cp.Vox Clam.iii. 344,
‘Hic animas, alius querit auarus opes,’
‘Hic animas, alius querit auarus opes,’
‘Hic animas, alius querit auarus opes,’
‘Hic animas, alius querit auarus opes,’
where ‘Hic’ is St. Peter and ‘alius’ the modern Pope.
18672. ‘As long as physic may avail’ to save us from it.
18673. Cp.Vox Clam.iii. 343 ff. andConf. Am. Prol.212 ff. In the latter we have a pretty literal translation of l. 18675,
‘Of armes and of brigantaille,’
‘Of armes and of brigantaille,’
‘Of armes and of brigantaille,’
‘Of armes and of brigantaille,’
which seems to mean ‘of regular or irregular troops.’
18721.faisons que sage: cp. 16700.
18733. Matt. xxiii. 8-10.
18737. Rev. xix. 10. Precisely the same application of this passage is made inVox Clam.iii. 957 ff.
18761 f. ‘that he distinguished his cardinals by their red hats.’
18779. With this stanza cp.Vox Clam.iii. 11 ff.
18783.Innocent.This must be taken to be a reference to the Pope generally and not pressed as an evidence of date. Innocent VI, the only pope of this name in the fourteenth century, died in 1362, whereas we see from 18829 ff. that this work was not completed until after the schism of the year 1378.
18793 ff. Cp.Vox Clam.iii. 1247 ff.,
‘Antecristus aget que sunt contraria Cristo,Mores subuertens et viciosa fouens:Nescio si forte mundo iam venerat iste,Eius enim video plurima signa modo.’
‘Antecristus aget que sunt contraria Cristo,Mores subuertens et viciosa fouens:Nescio si forte mundo iam venerat iste,Eius enim video plurima signa modo.’
‘Antecristus aget que sunt contraria Cristo,Mores subuertens et viciosa fouens:Nescio si forte mundo iam venerat iste,Eius enim video plurima signa modo.’
‘Antecristus aget que sunt contraria Cristo,
Mores subuertens et viciosa fouens:
Nescio si forte mundo iam venerat iste,
Eius enim video plurima signa modo.’
18797. ‘What think you of whether such an one has yet come? Yes, for truly pride now rises above humility’ &c. That this is the meaning is clear from the above-quoted passage of theVox Clamantis. I assume that the author is now speaking in his own person again, notwithstanding ‘nostre court’ below, which occurs also in other places, e.g. 18873.
18805.Vox Clam.iii. 1271,
‘In cathedram Moysi nunc ascendunt Pharisei,Et scribe scribunt dogma, nec illud agunt’
‘In cathedram Moysi nunc ascendunt Pharisei,Et scribe scribunt dogma, nec illud agunt’
‘In cathedram Moysi nunc ascendunt Pharisei,Et scribe scribunt dogma, nec illud agunt’
‘In cathedram Moysi nunc ascendunt Pharisei,
Et scribe scribunt dogma, nec illud agunt’
andConf. Am. Prol.304 ff.,
‘And thus for pompe and for beyeteThe Scribe and ek the PhariseeOf Moïses upon the SeeIn the chaiere on hyh ben set.’
‘And thus for pompe and for beyeteThe Scribe and ek the PhariseeOf Moïses upon the SeeIn the chaiere on hyh ben set.’
‘And thus for pompe and for beyeteThe Scribe and ek the PhariseeOf Moïses upon the SeeIn the chaiere on hyh ben set.’
‘And thus for pompe and for beyete
The Scribe and ek the Pharisee
Of Moïses upon the See
In the chaiere on hyh ben set.’
18829 ff. A reference to the schism of the papacy, which must have taken place during the composition of this work: see Introduction p. xlii.
18840 (R).solonc ce que l’en vait parlant: cp. 19057 ff. and such expressions as ‘secundum commune dictum’ in the headings of the chapters of theVox Clamantis, e.g. iii. ch. 15.
18848.Maisque, apparently here the same as ‘mais.’
18876.verra: fut. of ‘venir’ instead of the usual ‘vendra.’ Burguy (i. 397) does not admit the form for the Norman dialect, but it was used in Picardy. Usually ‘verrai’ is the future of ‘veoir,’ e.g. 19919, as in modern French.
18889 ff. Cp.Vox Clam.iii. 1341 ff.,
‘Cuius honor, sit onus; qui lucris participareVult, sic de dampnis participaret eis:Sic iubet equa fides, sic lex decreuit ad omnes,Set modo qui curant ipsa statuta negant.’
‘Cuius honor, sit onus; qui lucris participareVult, sic de dampnis participaret eis:Sic iubet equa fides, sic lex decreuit ad omnes,Set modo qui curant ipsa statuta negant.’
‘Cuius honor, sit onus; qui lucris participareVult, sic de dampnis participaret eis:Sic iubet equa fides, sic lex decreuit ad omnes,Set modo qui curant ipsa statuta negant.’
‘Cuius honor, sit onus; qui lucris participare
Vult, sic de dampnis participaret eis:
Sic iubet equa fides, sic lex decreuit ad omnes,
Set modo qui curant ipsa statuta negant.’
18925. 2 Kings v.
18997. The story is alluded to in much the same connexionVox Clam.iii. 249,
‘Alcius ecce Simon temptat renouare volatum.’
‘Alcius ecce Simon temptat renouare volatum.’
‘Alcius ecce Simon temptat renouare volatum.’
‘Alcius ecce Simon temptat renouare volatum.’
19031.s’il sa garde pance, &c., ‘if he neglects his belly-armour ofantidote’: ‘garde pance’ is to be taken as practically one word, though not written so in the MS. The idea is that the Pope has to take the precaution of an antidote against poison with all his meals.
19044. ‘as a chicken does the hen,’ i.e. ‘follows the hen’; a good instance of the use of ‘faire’ often noted before.
19057 ff. Cp.Vox Clam.iii.Prol.11 ff.,
‘A me non ipso loquor hec, set que michi plebisVox dedit, et sortem plangit vbique malam;Vt loquitur vulgus loquor,’ &c.
‘A me non ipso loquor hec, set que michi plebisVox dedit, et sortem plangit vbique malam;Vt loquitur vulgus loquor,’ &c.
‘A me non ipso loquor hec, set que michi plebisVox dedit, et sortem plangit vbique malam;Vt loquitur vulgus loquor,’ &c.
‘A me non ipso loquor hec, set que michi plebis
Vox dedit, et sortem plangit vbique malam;
Vt loquitur vulgus loquor,’ &c.
There, as here, the excuse is prefatory to an attack on Church dignitaries.
19113.persuacioun: five syllables in the metre.
19117. The application of this reference, which is here lost, may be supplied fromVox Clam.iii. 1145 ff., where the instance is quoted, as here, in condemnation of the laxity of bishops.
19315. The leaf which is here lost contained the full number of 192 lines without any rubric, as we may see by the point at which the present stanza begins. The author is still on the subject of bishops.
19333 ff. With the substance of this and the following stanza cp.Conf. Am. Prol.449 ff.
19345. An unfavourable view of the bee is generally taken by our author: cp. 5437 ff.
19372 f. ‘The wanton prelate, who is bound to God, separates himself grievously from him by reason of the sting’: ‘q’a dieu se joynt’ seems only meant to express the fact that by his office he is near to God.
19377. Referring to some such passage as Gal. v. 16 f.
19380. ‘would be in better case if they had no sting.’
19407. Cp. Chaucer,Persones Tale, 618 (Skeat): ‘And ofte tyme swich cursinge wrongfully retorneth agayn to him that curseth, as a brid that retorneth agayn to his owene nest.’
19411.Du quelle part, ‘in whatever direction.’
19457.S’en fuit: apparently used in the same sense as ‘fuit,’ with ‘sainte oreisoun’ as direct object.
19501 f. Evidently a play upon the words ‘phesant,’ ‘faisant,’ and ‘vin,’ ‘divin,’ as afterwards ‘coupe,’ ‘culpe.’
19505 f. ‘Rather than to correct and attend to the fault of the Christian man.’ This use of ‘pour’ has been noticed before, 6328, &c.
19891. The two leaves which are lost contained the full number of 384 lines, and we are still on the subject of bishops.
19897. Not Solinus, so far as I know.
19907. 1 Tim. iii. 1.
19941.la divine creature, ‘God’s creature.’
19945. 1 Sam. xii. 19 ff.
19948. ‘was not disturbed in his charity.’
19949.ne place a dieu, &c., ‘God forbid that I should not pray for you.’
19957. Jer. ix. 1, ‘Quis dabit capiti meo aquam, et oculis meis fontem lacrymarum?’ &c.
19968. Presumably we should read either ‘du prelat’ or ‘des prelatz.’
19971. Possibly Is. lxiii. 3, 5, but it is not an exact quotation.
19972 f. ‘He looked, but there was none of the people who regarded, or who sighed for his sufferings.’
19981. Val. Max. v. 6, but he does not give the name of the enemy against whom the war was made, therefore the story is perhaps not taken directly from him. The story is inConf. Am.vii. 3181 ff., beginning,
‘for this Valeire tolde,And seide hou that be daies oldeCodrus,’ &c.
‘for this Valeire tolde,And seide hou that be daies oldeCodrus,’ &c.
‘for this Valeire tolde,And seide hou that be daies oldeCodrus,’ &c.
‘for this Valeire tolde,
And seide hou that be daies olde
Codrus,’ &c.
19984.ceaux d’Orense: in theConf. Am.‘ayein Dorrence.’ The war is said by some authorities to have been ‘in Dorienses,’ and this is no doubt what is meant, but there is evidently a discrepancy here between theMirourand theConfessio Amantiswith regard to the name. The MS. reading here is of course ‘dorense.’
19995.proprement, ‘for his own part,’ i.e. ‘himself.’
19996. ‘or suffer his people to be killed.’
20014.mais pour cherir, ‘except for taking care of.’
20016. Judas is the type of those who fall by transgression from their bishoprics.
20019. Luke x. 30 ff. The ‘deacon’ here stands for the Levite of the parable.
20035. Zech. x. 3, ‘Super pastores iratus est furor meus, et super hircos visitabo.’
20042. Perhaps Is. xxix. 15.
20053. This must be a reference to Matt. xxiii. 13, attributed by mistake to Isaiah.
20065 ff. This is also inConf. Am.v. 1900 ff. with a reference to Gregory’s Homilies, and referred to more shortly inVox Clam.iii. 903 ff.
20109.de celle extente, ‘to that extent.’ This seems practically to be the meaning; that is, so far forth as the purse extends.
20120.la coronne: evidently this indicates the tonsured priest, whose circle of unshorn hair was supposed to represent the crown of thorns. As to the following lines, we must take them to mean ‘if you read the sequence of the Gospel you will know who is meant,’ the relative being used in the same way as in 1244, &c.
20123.son incest: see note on 9085.
20126 f. ‘offices fall to the lot of different persons at different times.’
20140. ‘There is no one by whom they may be corrected.’
20153 ff. ‘There are those who farm out prostitution as if it were property of land and tillage.’
20161. This stanza is very closely parallel withConf. Am. Prol.407-413,
‘And upon this also men sein,That fro the leese which is pleinInto the breres thei forcaccheHere Orf, for that thei wolden lacche,With such duresce and so bereveThat schal upon the thornes leveOf wulle, which the brere hath tore.’
‘And upon this also men sein,That fro the leese which is pleinInto the breres thei forcaccheHere Orf, for that thei wolden lacche,With such duresce and so bereveThat schal upon the thornes leveOf wulle, which the brere hath tore.’
‘And upon this also men sein,That fro the leese which is pleinInto the breres thei forcaccheHere Orf, for that thei wolden lacche,With such duresce and so bereveThat schal upon the thornes leveOf wulle, which the brere hath tore.’
‘And upon this also men sein,
That fro the leese which is plein
Into the breres thei forcacche
Here Orf, for that thei wolden lacche,
With such duresce and so bereve
That schal upon the thornes leve
Of wulle, which the brere hath tore.’
Cp. alsoVox Clam.iii. 195 f.
20178.Pour dire&c., to be connected with ‘ce ne te puet excuser’: ‘it cannot excuse you to say’ &c., ‘pour’ standing for ‘de,’ as often.
20195.ma bource estuet: this looks like a personal use of ‘estovoir,’ but presumably ‘ma bource’ is a kind of object, ‘it is necessary for my purse,’ as in phrases like ‘m’estuet.’
20197 ff. Cp. Chaucer,C. T. Prol.658,
‘Purs is the erchedeknes helle.’
‘Purs is the erchedeknes helle.’
‘Purs is the erchedeknes helle.’
‘Purs is the erchedeknes helle.’
20200. ‘It is of a piece with this, that he uses no other virtue to correct me, provided that I give him my substance.’
20225 ff. The substance of this is repeated inVox Clam.iii. 1403 ff.
20244.entribole: we might equally well read ‘en tribole,’ ‘disturbs by it.’
20247 ff. To this correspondsVox Clam.iii. 1351 ff.
20250.puist, properly pret. subjunctive.
20287 ff. Cp.Vox Clamantis, iii. 1375 ff.,
‘Littera dum Regis papales supplicat aures,Simon et est medius, vngat vt ipse manus,’ &c.
‘Littera dum Regis papales supplicat aures,Simon et est medius, vngat vt ipse manus,’ &c.
‘Littera dum Regis papales supplicat aures,Simon et est medius, vngat vt ipse manus,’ &c.
‘Littera dum Regis papales supplicat aures,
Simon et est medius, vngat vt ipse manus,’ &c.
20294.s’absentont.Note the rhyme on the weak final syllable, so below ‘esperont’: the irregularity is perhaps due to the similarity in appearance of the future form, e.g. ‘avanceront,’ ‘responderont.’
20305 ff. With this compareVox Clam.iii. 1487 ff.
20308.easera: fut. for pres. subj. expressing purpose: cp. 364.
20313. Cp.Vox Clam.iii. 1509 ff.,
‘Stat sibi missa breuis, devocio longaque campis,Quo sibi cantores deputat esse canes:Sic lepus et vulpes sunt quos magis ipse requirit;Dum sonat ore deum stat sibi mente lepus.’
‘Stat sibi missa breuis, devocio longaque campis,Quo sibi cantores deputat esse canes:Sic lepus et vulpes sunt quos magis ipse requirit;Dum sonat ore deum stat sibi mente lepus.’
‘Stat sibi missa breuis, devocio longaque campis,Quo sibi cantores deputat esse canes:Sic lepus et vulpes sunt quos magis ipse requirit;Dum sonat ore deum stat sibi mente lepus.’
‘Stat sibi missa breuis, devocio longaque campis,
Quo sibi cantores deputat esse canes:
Sic lepus et vulpes sunt quos magis ipse requirit;
Dum sonat ore deum stat sibi mente lepus.’
20318.avant, to be taken here perhaps as strengthening ‘Plus’: but see note on 20537.
20344 ff. Cp.Vox Clam.iii. 1549-1552.
20355. Cp.Vox Clam.iii. 1519 ff.,
‘Dum videt ipse senem sponsum sponsam iuuenemque,Tales sub cura visitat ipse sua;Suplet ibi rector regimen sponsi, que decorePersoluit sponse debita iura sue.’
‘Dum videt ipse senem sponsum sponsam iuuenemque,Tales sub cura visitat ipse sua;Suplet ibi rector regimen sponsi, que decorePersoluit sponse debita iura sue.’
‘Dum videt ipse senem sponsum sponsam iuuenemque,Tales sub cura visitat ipse sua;Suplet ibi rector regimen sponsi, que decorePersoluit sponse debita iura sue.’
‘Dum videt ipse senem sponsum sponsam iuuenemque,
Tales sub cura visitat ipse sua;
Suplet ibi rector regimen sponsi, que decore
Persoluit sponse debita iura sue.’
20401. Matt. xv. 14.
20425 ff. Note the loose usage of the conditional in this stanza for future, pres. subj., and in the sense noticed on l. 1688.
20441.au primer divis, ‘firstly’; so ‘au droit devis,’ ‘rightly.’
20449. Cp. Greg.Ep.vi. 57 (end).
20462. Probably Hos. v. 4-7.
20488.s’elle, &c., ‘as to whether she,’ &c.
20492. Perhaps Prov. vi. 27 ff.
20497 ff. The meaning of the word ‘annueler’ which occurs in the heading of the section is sufficiently explained in these lines. The corresponding passage in theVox Clamantisis iii. 1555 ff.
20527.Vox Clam.iii. 1559, ‘Plus quam tres dudum nunc exigit unus habendum.’
20528.mais, for ‘maisque,’ ‘provided that.’
20537.avant: used often with no particular meaning, cp. 20318. Here we may take it with ‘dirrons,’ ‘what shall we go on to say then,’ &c. It might, however, go with what follows, ‘takes beforehand.’
20539.a largesce, ‘freely bestowed’: it would be of course a provision in the will of the dead person.
20542.ardante, i.e. in purgatory.
20547. Cp. 1194, 10411.
20574. ‘Si diaconus sanctior episcopo suo fuerit, non ex eo quod inferior gradu est apud Christum deterior erit.’
20576.Par si q’: cp. 3233.
20582. ‘that however great his learning may be.’
20594. Matt. v. 13, 14.
20621.fait baraigner: I takefaitas auxiliary andbaraignerto mean ‘make barren.’
20700.legende.This probably means the passages of the Gospel appointed to be read in the service of the Mass.
20713. The argument used by the priest is that his sin is no worse than the same act in a layman. Cp.Vox Clam.iii. 1727 ff,
‘Dicunt presbiteri, non te peccant magis ipsi,Dum carnis vicio fit sua victa caro:Sicut sunt alii fragili de carne creati,Dicit quod membra sic habet ipse sua.’ &c.
‘Dicunt presbiteri, non te peccant magis ipsi,Dum carnis vicio fit sua victa caro:Sicut sunt alii fragili de carne creati,Dicit quod membra sic habet ipse sua.’ &c.
‘Dicunt presbiteri, non te peccant magis ipsi,Dum carnis vicio fit sua victa caro:Sicut sunt alii fragili de carne creati,Dicit quod membra sic habet ipse sua.’ &c.
‘Dicunt presbiteri, non te peccant magis ipsi,
Dum carnis vicio fit sua victa caro:
Sicut sunt alii fragili de carne creati,
Dicit quod membra sic habet ipse sua.’ &c.
20725 f.Vox Clam.iii. 1761,
Presbiter et laicus non sunt bercarius vnum,Nec scelus in simili condicione grauat.
Presbiter et laicus non sunt bercarius vnum,Nec scelus in simili condicione grauat.
Presbiter et laicus non sunt bercarius vnum,Nec scelus in simili condicione grauat.
Presbiter et laicus non sunt bercarius vnum,
Nec scelus in simili condicione grauat.
20740. Mal. i. 6, 7.
20785 ff.Vox Clam.iii. 2049 ff. The author is here dealing with young students, ‘scolares.’
20793.le meulx: see note on 2700, so ‘le plus’ below.
20798. Cp.Vox Clam.iii. 2071 ff.
20827.Vox Clam.iii. 2074, ‘Si malus est iuvenis, vix bonus ipse vetus.’
20832.Qui, ‘whom.’
20833 ff. Cp.Vox Clam.iv. 1-676.
20845. This is a very hackneyed quotation, but the origin of it does not seem quite clear; see note on Chaucer,C.T. Prol.179 in Skeat’s edition: cp.Vox Clam.iv. 277.
20866. Cp.Vox Clam.iv. 26 f., ‘Pellicibus calidis frigus et omne fugant.’
20892.mye et crouste, ‘crumb and crust’ in the modern sense of the expression.
20905. See note on 12565. I do not know where this story comes from, but somewhat similar tales of the devil visiting Macarius and his monastery are to be found in theLegenda Aureaand elsewhere.
20952.esloigner, used with a personal object, ‘flee from.’
20989. Jerome,Ep.cxxv. 7, ‘Sordidae vestes candidae mentis indicia sunt.’
20999. Cp. Chaucer,C.T. Prol.193 f.
21001. I do not know anything about this story.
21061 ff. Cp.Vox Clam.iv. 371-388.
21076.cloistrers: i.e. those who remain within the monastery walls.
21094.qui s’est rendu, ‘who has delivered himself to God,’ by his profession: cp. 20988.
21118.mais petit voy, &c., ‘but I see small number of them who,’ &c.
21133 ff. This passage, in which monastic virtues and vices are personified with the title ‘danz’ (Lat. ‘dompnus’) which was given to monks, has a parallel inVox Clam.iv. 327 ff.
21134.n’ad mais refu: apparently ‘refu’ is here a past participle; ‘has been again no more,’ i.e. has not survived.
21157. The criticism of the life of Canons follows here in theVox Clamantisalso, iv. 347 ff.,
‘Ut monachos, sic Canonicos quos deuiat error,’ &c.
‘Ut monachos, sic Canonicos quos deuiat error,’ &c.
‘Ut monachos, sic Canonicos quos deuiat error,’ &c.
‘Ut monachos, sic Canonicos quos deuiat error,’ &c.
The ‘Canons regular’ differed but little in their discipline from monks.
21166.devant: see 20909 ff.
21181. On the Mendicant orders seeVox Clamantisiv. 677 ff.
21190 f. ‘I have found out this about the order, that friars seek after the world,’ &c.: the perfect is used loosely for present. For ‘querre’ in this sense cp. 21528.
21197. 2 Cor. vi. 10.
21241. ‘The friars go together in pairs’: so in Chaucer,Sompnours Tale, whence we learn that after having been fifty years in the order they were relieved from this rule. In the next line ‘sanz partie’ means ‘without separating.’ The same word used in a different sense is admissible as a rhyme: so ‘mestier,’ 21275, and cp. note on 2353.
21250. Here, as elsewhere, it is implied that the friars made themselves by preference the confessors of women, cp. 9148, Chaucer,C.T. Prol.215 ff.
21266. The marginal note opposite this stanza has lost the ends of its lines by the cutting of the leaves of the MS. Its purport however is clear enough, and it is certainly from the author. InVox Clam.iv. 689, we have the substance of it,
‘Non volo pro paucis diffundere crimen in omnes,Spectetur meritis quilibet immo suis;Quos tamen error agit, veniens ego nuncius illis,Que michi vox tribuit verba loquenda fero.’ &c.
‘Non volo pro paucis diffundere crimen in omnes,Spectetur meritis quilibet immo suis;Quos tamen error agit, veniens ego nuncius illis,Que michi vox tribuit verba loquenda fero.’ &c.
‘Non volo pro paucis diffundere crimen in omnes,Spectetur meritis quilibet immo suis;Quos tamen error agit, veniens ego nuncius illis,Que michi vox tribuit verba loquenda fero.’ &c.
‘Non volo pro paucis diffundere crimen in omnes,
Spectetur meritis quilibet immo suis;
Quos tamen error agit, veniens ego nuncius illis,
Que michi vox tribuit verba loquenda fero.’ &c.
The note perhaps may be read thus:
‘Nota quod super hii que in ista pa
‘Nota quod super hii que in ista pa
21301.Flaterie professé, i.e. Flattery the friar.
21325 ff. This stanza is nearly a repetition of ll. 9145-9156.
21369. In Chaucer,Sompnours Tale, the sack is carried by a ‘sturdy harlot,’ who accompanied the two friars. At the present day the Capuchin in his begging expeditions often goes alone and carries his own sack.
21373 ff. Observe how clearly this agrees in substance with Chaucer’s humorous description in theSompnours Tale.
21376. ‘If the woman has little or nothing to give,’ like the widow in Chaucer’sPrologue,
‘Yet wolde he have a ferthing or he wente.’
‘Yet wolde he have a ferthing or he wente.’
‘Yet wolde he have a ferthing or he wente.’
‘Yet wolde he have a ferthing or he wente.’
21377.meinzis rather confusedly put in with ‘ne s’en abstient.’ The writer meant to say ‘none the less does he demand,’ &c.
21382. Matt. xxiii. 14.
21399. The quotation is actually from Hos. iv. 8. InVox Clam.iv. 767, the same quotation is given in the same connexion and attributed rightly to Hosea.
21403. Cp.Vox Clam.iv. 1141 ff. The passage of thePlowmans Crederelating to this subject is well known.
21449. An allusion to the story current about the death of the Emperor Henry VII in the year 1313.
21455.s’il volt lesser, &c., ‘if you ask whether he will spare us,’ &c.
21469 ff. Chaucer,C. T. Prol.218 ff.,
‘For he hadde power of confessioun,As seyde himself, more than a curat.’
‘For he hadde power of confessioun,As seyde himself, more than a curat.’
‘For he hadde power of confessioun,As seyde himself, more than a curat.’
‘For he hadde power of confessioun,
As seyde himself, more than a curat.’
The confessor would claim the right of burial, if it were worth having: cp.Vox Clam.iv. 735 ff.,
‘Mortua namque sibi, quibus hic confessor adhesit,Corpora, si fuerint digna, sepulta petit;Sed si corpus inops fuerit, nil vendicat ipse,’ &c.
‘Mortua namque sibi, quibus hic confessor adhesit,Corpora, si fuerint digna, sepulta petit;Sed si corpus inops fuerit, nil vendicat ipse,’ &c.
‘Mortua namque sibi, quibus hic confessor adhesit,Corpora, si fuerint digna, sepulta petit;Sed si corpus inops fuerit, nil vendicat ipse,’ &c.
‘Mortua namque sibi, quibus hic confessor adhesit,
Corpora, si fuerint digna, sepulta petit;
Sed si corpus inops fuerit, nil vendicat ipse,’ &c.
21477. For baptism there would be no fee: soVox Clam.iv. 739 f.,
‘Baptizare fidem nolunt, quia res sine lucroNon erit in manibus culta vel acta suis.’
‘Baptizare fidem nolunt, quia res sine lucroNon erit in manibus culta vel acta suis.’
‘Baptizare fidem nolunt, quia res sine lucroNon erit in manibus culta vel acta suis.’
‘Baptizare fidem nolunt, quia res sine lucro
Non erit in manibus culta vel acta suis.’
21481. Matt. vi. 25.
21499 ff. Cp.Vox Clam.iv. 815,
‘Appetit ipse scolis nomen sibi ferre magistri,Quem post exemptum regula nulla ligat:Solus habet cameram, propriat commune, que nullumTunc sibi claustralem computat esse parem.’
‘Appetit ipse scolis nomen sibi ferre magistri,Quem post exemptum regula nulla ligat:Solus habet cameram, propriat commune, que nullumTunc sibi claustralem computat esse parem.’
‘Appetit ipse scolis nomen sibi ferre magistri,Quem post exemptum regula nulla ligat:Solus habet cameram, propriat commune, que nullumTunc sibi claustralem computat esse parem.’
‘Appetit ipse scolis nomen sibi ferre magistri,
Quem post exemptum regula nulla ligat:
Solus habet cameram, propriat commune, que nullum
Tunc sibi claustralem computat esse parem.’
21517. Cp.Vox Clam.iv. 971 ff.
21536.acomparas: for this form of future cp. ‘compara’ 26578, ‘dura’ 3909, &c.
21544. Cp.Vox Clam.iv. 981 ff.
21562.Vox Clam.iv. 991 f.,
‘Set vetus vsus abest, nam circumvencio factaNunc trahit infantes, qui nichil inde sciunt.’
‘Set vetus vsus abest, nam circumvencio factaNunc trahit infantes, qui nichil inde sciunt.’
‘Set vetus vsus abest, nam circumvencio factaNunc trahit infantes, qui nichil inde sciunt.’
‘Set vetus vsus abest, nam circumvencio facta
Nunc trahit infantes, qui nichil inde sciunt.’
21580. Rom. xvi. 17, 18.
21604. Ps. lxxxiii. (Vulg.lxxxii.) 6, 7.
21607.Brev. in Psalm.lxxxii. 6; but our author has not quite understood the explanation.
21610.ou pitz, i.e. ‘au pitz,’ ‘in the breast.’
21625 ff. Cp.Vox Clam.iv. 787 f.,
‘Nomine sunt plures, pauci tamen ordine fratres;Vt dicunt aliqui, Pseudo prophetat ibi.’
‘Nomine sunt plures, pauci tamen ordine fratres;Vt dicunt aliqui, Pseudo prophetat ibi.’
‘Nomine sunt plures, pauci tamen ordine fratres;Vt dicunt aliqui, Pseudo prophetat ibi.’
‘Nomine sunt plures, pauci tamen ordine fratres;
Vt dicunt aliqui, Pseudo prophetat ibi.’
It seems that the word ‘pseudopropheta’ used Rev. xix. 20 and elsewhere was read ‘pseudo propheta,’ and ‘pseudo’ taken as a proper name. At the same time this was combined with the idea of the wolf in sheep’s clothing suggested by Matt. vii. 15, ‘Attendite a falsis prophetis,’ &c.
21637. ‘The Pseudos whom men call friars.’
21641. ‘Cannot fail to suffer for it’: ‘compere’ for ‘compiere’ from ‘comparer,’ which is usually transitive, like ‘acomparer’ 21536, meaning ‘to pay for.’
21647. The reference is to 2 Pet. ii. 1-3, where ‘pseudoprophetae’ is the word used in the Vulgate.
21663 ff. The same argument as was before applied to the monks, 21061 ff.
21676.n’en puet chaloir: the meaning apparently is ‘it cannot be doubted,’ but I cannot clearly explain the phrase.
21739. The Apocalypse does not exactly say this, but it is apparently our author’s interpretation of ch. viii. 10, 12, or some such passage.
21754. ‘But, before it do trouble us worse, it were well,’ &c., ‘face’ being used as auxiliary with ‘grever.’
21769.m’en soit au travers, ‘should be of the opposite opinion to me on the subject.’
21776.Mais&c.: answering apparently to the conditional clause, ‘s’aucun,’ &c.
21780.Encore ... plus, ‘even more (than I have said).’
21979. One leaf with its full number of 192 lines has here been cut out. We find ourselves in the favourite story of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and punishment: cp.Conf. Am.i. 2785 ff., where it is told in full detail. Here it is one of a series of examples to illustrate the inconstancy of Fortune to those at the head of empires.
22002. The sense seems to require a negative here and in 22004.
22004.de halt en bass, ‘(bringing him) down from his height.’
22009. It is difficult to say what occasion precisely is referred to here.
22026.mella: ‘Fortune’ is the subject of the verb.
22033. With this review of the succession of empires compareConf. Am. Prol.670 ff.
22081 ff. Cp.Vox Clam.ii. 93 ff.
22101.Vox Clam.ii. 61, ‘Mobilis est tua rota nimis,’ a nearly exact translation.
22125.mal partie, ‘badly ordered.’
22158 ff. With these references to the former greatness and present decay of Rome cp.Conf. Am. Prol.834-848.
22159.emperere: apparently used here as a feminine form, but not so in 17120.
22168.Troian: this form of the name is used also inConf. Am.vii. 3144, and ‘Troianus’ inVox Clam.vi. 1273. The justice and humanity of Trajan were proverbial in the Middle Ages, owing chiefly to the legend about him connected with Gregory the Great.
22182. ‘Well know I that this has not happened (for nought), but it is because of our wanton life.’
22191.deux chiefs, i.e. the Pope and the Emperor.
22192. ‘The one is he who sets forth the will of holy Church,’ i.e. the Pope.
22201. This stanza seems to be a reference to the helplessness of the Empire.
22273 ff. With these stanzas compareVox Clam.vi. 589 ff., where there is the same reiterated personal address, ‘O rex,’ ‘O bone rex,’ &c., but the substance of the advice is there specially adapted to the age and circumstances of Richard II, whereas here it is general.
22292.par halte enprise, ‘loftily’: cp. l. 22077, and elsewhere.
22294. ‘and forces him to confess his error’: ‘recreandise’ is properly the admission that one is vanquished, or the faintheartedness which might lead to such an admission.
22333. 2 Maccabees xi. 1-12.
22341. The number given is 11,000 footmen and 1600 horsemen.
22350. Lev. xxvi. 17.
22744. After the omission of 384 lines (two leaves cut out), we findourselves again in the story of Nebuchadnezzar: cp.Conf. Am.v. 7017 ff. Here it seems to be used as a warning against excess of drinking and other such vices, whereas there it is an example of sacrilege. For the form of sentence here, ‘Mais cil q’estoit,’ &c., cp.Conf. Am.v. 6925, vi. 2250, &c.
22765. 3 Esdras iii. f. The story is told at length inConf. Am.vii. 1783 ff., where the number of persons who give answers is three, the third giving two opinions, as in the original. Here no doubt the author is trusting to his memory.
22804.Ore, see note on 37.
22819. Cp.Vox Clam.vi. 861 f.
22827 ff. Cp.Vox Clam.vi. 501 f.,