Cornell University Library PR 2034.A8 1895 The assembly of gods:or The accord of re 3 1924 013 114 347 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND THE GIFT OF 1891 d:£.. Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013114347 ©1)5 eanibetsits of (Efjicago ENGLISH STUDIES (No. I.) THE ASSEMBLY OF GODS: OR THE ACCORD OF REASON AND SENSUALITY IN THE FEAR OF DEATH BY JOHN LYDGATE. EDITED FROM THE MSS. WITH INTRODUCTION, NOTES, INDEX OF PERSONS AND PLACES, AND GLOSSARY. BY OSCAR LOVELL TRIGGS. M.A., P».D. CHICAGO Cte ^nibecstts of (Sififcago ^tciss 1895 The Department of English Language and Literature and Rhetoric of the University of Chicago will publish, as an organic part of its work, a series of monographs, written from time to time by its Instructors and Students. Of this series the present study, Lydgate's Assembly of Gods, edited by Dr. O. L. Triggs, Docent in English Literature, is the first number. The work is published by the University of Chicago, in con- junction with the Early English Text Society, of London, and will constitute one of the regular issues of the English Society. MEDIAEVAL FIGURES OF DEATH (DRAWN FROM ANCIENT PRINTS). d)C sanibersitg of (ffiticago ENGLISH STUDIES (No. I.) THE ASSEMBLY OF GODS: OR THE ACCORD OF REASON AND SENSUALITY IN THE FEAR OF DEATH BY JOHN LYDGATE. EDITED FROM THE MSS. WITH INTRODUCTION, NOTES, INDEX OF PERSONS AND PLACES, AND GLOSSARY. BY OSCAR LOVELL TRIGGS, M.A., Ph.D. CHICAGO Ct)c SEnfberstts of (KticaBO ^rcsB 189s A-1^7 55- DEDICATED TO MY MASTER CHANCELLOR GEORGE EDWIN MacLEAN WITH HUMBLE AFFECTION. PREFACE, This edition of Lydgate's Assembly of Gods serves a double pur- pose. It is, first, a study in literature conducted at The University of Chicago, a part of the work having been first offered in candi- dacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy ; it is, second, a study of an English text undertaken for the Early English Text Society of London. The two institutions are associated in the publication. The critical and linguistic parts of the work and the notes are as accurate and comprehensive as I am able to make them with the materials at hand. The hardihood of venturing to work upon ancient and foreign matters in a land that has no past at its back, that neither possesses antiquarian materials nor engenders anti- quarian enthusiasms, will be appreciated by those who, like myself, have made the endeavor without what one may call a traditional training for the event. The literary discussion of the Introduction maintains the gen- eral interest that any work of literature is wont to arouse. This portion represents the reaction which the poem made upon my mind with its own knowledge of mediaeval life and art. While this part is necessarily somewhat pedantic I have tried to maintain my natural interest in literature as an exponent of life, as the expression of the imagination. The study of Allegory is a selection and con- densation of materials that I have gathered for an extended history of Allegory. Every one who works in Lydgate will find himself indebted at every turn to the investigations of Dr. Schick, now of Heidelberg, who edited the Temple of Glas — indebted not only for matters of fact but also for judgments of critical and literary insight. Workers in the same field will bear witness to the value of the edition of Lydgate and Burgh's Secrees of Old Philisoffres by Mr. Robert Steele, of London. For the facts relating to Lydgate's life and works, reference may be made to the very accurate and complete article on Lydgate by Mr. Sidney Lee in the Dictionary of National Biography. iv Preface. At home I have every reason to be grateful for the encourage- ment and assistance given by Dr. George E. MacLean, formerly my teacher in the University of Minnesota ; also for kindly help ren- dered by Professors McClintock, Blackburn, and Tolman, of the Department of English in The University of Chicago. Dr. Klaeber, of the University of Minnesota, has performed the offices of a friend in reviewing the proofs. My brother, Mr. Flloyd W. Triggs, has drawn from old prints the figures of Death for the frontispiece. To Dr. Furnivall, the veteran Director of the work of the Early English Text Society, every one is indebted. Oscar Lovell Triggs. The University of Chicago, October 2, 1895. CONTENTS. Preface Introduction Chapter I. A. The Manuscripts — Texts A and B B. The Prints — Texts C and D Chapter II. A. The Title B. The Authorship and Date Chapter III. The Metre— The Types A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H The Mixture of Free and Regular Stress Chapter IV. The Rime — (i) End-Rime (a) Identical Rimes - (b) Imperfect Rimes (c) Feminine Rimes (d) Medial ^/^ Rime-Index (2) AUiteration Chapter V. The Rime and the Final e (i) The -y -ye Rimes (2) The Infinitives among the Riming Words lu-iv vii-lxxvi Vll ix X xi XIV xix XXI xxi xxi xxi xxii xxii xxix xxx XXX xxxii Chapter VI. The Language A. Vocabulary B. Grammar XXXV XXXV vi Contents. Chapter VII. The Poem A. Literary Analysis - xxxvii B. Literary Studies - xl (i) The Religious Character of the Poem xl (2) The Fear of Death and the Scorn of the World xliii (3) The Conventional Materials - - 1 (4) The Season motif liii (5) The Vision Iv (6) Proverbial Phrases - Ivi (7) The Painted Wall Ivii (8) The Admixture of Pagan and Christian Traditions - Iviii (9) The Allegorical Type - - Ix (10) The Relationship between the Allegory and the Moral Play - Ixi (11) The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues - Ixiii Text i_6i Notes n Index of Names and Persons, and Glossary - - 77 INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER I. A. The Manuscripts. I. Text A=^R.j. ig, Trin. Coll. Camb. — This is a quarto volume, in paper, in handwriting of the second half of the fifteenth century. It contains poems by Chaucer, Lydgate and others (v. Skeat, Chaucer's Minor P. p. xliv. Trin : Legend of Good Women, p. xl. T. Skeat dates the MS. before 1500). The earliest possible date for the volume is fixed by a poem written by Geo. Ashby, entitled Prisoner in the Fleet, and dated 1463. The present poem occupies fols. 68a— 98a. A table of Interpretations (v. Text p. i) pre- cedes the poem. The volume belonged formerly to John Stowe and was the source of most of Stowe's additions to Chaucer (Skeat). This is the earliest and the only authoritative MS. known to me, and its readings are followed with but a very few emendations in the present text. The following are the textual changes made : Eolus is printed for the Colus of the MS.; Morpheus for Morpleus; in feere 166 for feere ; Phebe 243, 566 for Phebus ; foom 104 for from ; presse 256 for preef ; she 412 for he; best 634 for bost ; ther 635 for the ; hys 815 for was; be 875 for he; comparyson 891 for a form not clear in MS.; with 976 for without ; fly C185 for sty; macrocosme 1420 for macocrosme ; omnipotent 1467 for omnipotens. The punctuation and the capitalization of proper names are mine. The orthography is highly unphonetic, the most marked charac- teristics being the confused uses of jc and i, and the arbitrary doubling of vowels. Y is either long or short : wys, whyle, myne ; but ys,- hys (also his), yn (also in), hyt (also hit), wyth (also with), tyll, wyll, lytyll, shyp, fysshe, sylvyr, knyghtes, syttyng, begynne, etc.; /is used in king, philosophres, scisme, idylnesse, Diana, Cirus, Virgyle. The scribe wrote indifferently se or see, fle or flee, fre or free, so or soo, do or doo, wo or woo, mo or moo, whos or whoos, none or noon, hope or hoope, hole or hoole, sore or soore, holy or hooly, wordes viii The Manuscripts. or woorde, god or good, ost oost or boost, blood or blody, sone or soone ; regularly — deere, leede, seene, seere, reepe, roote, poore, aboorde, stoode, goold, roode, woode, broode, stoon, loob, etc. Final e (inorganic) is written with no regularity, occurring after short as well as long vowels. The consonants generally follow the rule of doubling after short vowels. 2. Text B=Bibl. Reg. 8.D. II, Brit. Mus. — This is written in color on vellum and in two parts. The first part, in a 15th century hand, contains Lydgate's Siege of Troy (5 books) and Siege of Thebes (illustrated). The second part, beautifully written and illuminated, is early i6th century work and contains a Treatise betwen Trowthe &" Enformacion by Will Cornish, an Elegy by John Skelton, Stanzas by Lydgate, his Testament and Assembly of Gods. The latter poem is indexed in the MS. as Discord between Reason and Sensualitie. This MS. does not differ materially from the Camb. MS. except in its omission of the table of Interpretations. It is, however, most probably a copy of the print by Wynken de Worde (G.i 1587), since it follows that print most closely in orthography and in the omission of line 812. The chief variations of this text from A are given in the follow- ing collation. A few variants are given from Print D. To indicate the differences in orthography the variations of the first fifty lines are recorded complete. I. hys I his. 2. toward | towarde ; iourne | iourney. 3. speere | spere; begonne | begon. 4. syttyng | sittinge ; solytary | solitary ; alone | allone. 5. musyng | musinge ; myght | might. 6. sensualyte | sensualite ; oon | one ; acorde I accorde. 7. cowde | coude ; nat | not ; bryng | bringe ; about | aboute. 8. long | longe ; myght | might ; oppresse [ oppres. 9. cowde | coude. 10. heede | hede ; heuynesse | heuynes. II. myn | myne ; habytacle | habitacle. 12. pylow | pilow. 13. dyssese | disease. 14. anone] anon; came | cam. 15. so lay | soo laye; traunse I traunsse. 16. slepyng | slepinge ; wakyng | wakinge. 17. seyde | saide. 18. gret | grete ; court | courte ; iustyse | iustice. 19. auaylyd | auayled; sylogyse | silogyse. 20. hit | it ; ys | is; seyde | saide. 21. nedys | nedis. 22. when I whan ; sy | see ; bettyr | better ; must | muste. 23. seyde | saide ; hys | his ; cowmaundment | commaundemente. 24. whedyr | wheder ; wold | wolde ; leede | lede. 25. forthe | forth. 26. tyll | till ; poHyament | parliament. 29. the- dyrward | thederward. 30. hys | his. 31. seyde thow | saide thou. 32. seyd | saide. 33. heuen | heuyn ; outher | either ; elles | ellis. 34. seyde | saide ; myn | myne ; abydyng | abidinge. 35. ys | is ; lytyll | litill ; corner | cornoure ; callyd | callede. 36. these wordys | theswordes; sayd | saide. 37. hys | his. 38. raggys I raggis ; arayd | arayde. 39. agayn | agayne ; whom | whome ; Diana | Dyana. 40. seying I sayenge ; thow | thou. 41. yeue | gyue ; ageyn|ayen; soo | so. The Prints. ix 42. preyse | preise ; lord | lorde. 43. proclamasion | proclamacioun. 44. Plutoys Plutos ; co»;maundyd | commaundede. 45. vppon | vpon ; peyne | payne ; strayte | straite. 46. Diana | Dyana ; myght | might. 47. greefe | gref ; gret | grete. 48. theym | theyme ; done | do; they | ^ei; compleynyd | co»«pleyned. 49. begyn | begynne ; Diana | Dyana ; constreynyd | constreynede. ^0. whyche I whiche. 56. yef | yf. 57. howe | hou. 70. thorough | thorugh. 71. syngler I synguler. 72. shuld | sholde ; world | worlde. 73. dyspleser | displeasure. 77. yeue | omitted. 94. yew | you. 98. thorough | thrugh. 99. furst | first. 102. ferre | fer. 103. merueyle | meruaill. 104. from | come. 107. ebbe | eb. 109. dykes | dyks. 117. 00 | one. 130. perysshe | perish. 132. pepyll | people. 135. requyreth | reqe^zret. 155. vs | hus. 166. feere | infeere. 183. togedyr 1 togider. 186. alther | alder. 210. owne wele | one well. 216. pyne | payne. 217. grogyng | grutching (D = grutchyng). 228. eft | oft. 233. lak | lacke. 234. cese I sease. 235. mery | mercy. 248. compaygnably | companably. 256. preef | presse(D=presse). 269. good | god. 283. fawchon | fawcon. 325. frese I frele (D=frese). 337. was then | than was (D=than was). 348. sythe | shithe. 355- chase | chose. 361. Phebus | Pheby. 434. forthe | for. 449. sewerte | suerte. 462. smete | smote. 473. cosdras | coldras. 480. owther | eyther. 513. leyte | lightnynge. 520. woll | will. 535. drowthe | drought. 569. I hope shall I I hope I shall. 587. defaute | the faute (D = the faute). 607. at | omitted (D omits at). 634. host | best. 648. foule rybaudy | foule and rybaudry (D has and). 673. braggars | kraghers. 721. for sowght he | forsoth it. 753. to do a | to a. 763. row I route (D=rowe). 773' wore | were. 812 | omitted. 815. was | and. 825. standardes | standartis. 875. he | be. 966. haue ye lost | haue lost (D omits ye). 970. guytornes | guytors. 974, 981. dubbyd | doubled (D=doubled). 1094. rerewarde | reward. 1113. meryt | might {D=myght). 1161. she | he. 1185. sty I fly. 1201. as they came by Conscience | as thei to C. cam (D follows B). 1243. bende | ben (D^^ben). 1358. kept | kepe (D=kept). 1373. menetyme whyle I meanewhill. 1467. omnipotens_ | omnipotent. 1516. singlerly | syKgulerly 1537. awter | aulter. 1538. Osee | Ozee (D=Ozee.) 1539. Sal?«on | Salamon. 1591. brayne | barayne. 1701. shall | sail. 1705. nouelte | newelte (D=newelte). 1744. deuyacion | deuocyon. 1806. gnawyng | knawi«ge. 1854. tryfyl | triphells. 1858. sauns I sauns (D^sanuz). 1975. a a | aha. 2020. dowtys | doubles. 2062. accusacion | actuacyon. 2103. descendyd | desce«deth. B. The Prints. 3. TextC=G. 11587. Brit. Mus. — This is the first print of the poem by Wynken de Worde, a folio dated 1498. It is an unique copy. It contains the Canterbury Tales and Lydgate's Assembly of Gods. Lydgate's "treatyse" is printed in double columns on the last 15 leaves without pagination. On the recto of the first leaf is a wood- cut of the Canterbury pilgrims seated around a table. This print is especially valuable in that it assigns the work to Lydgate in the colophon: "Thus endeth this lytyll moralized treatyse compiled by dan lohn Lydgat somtyme monke of Bury on whose soule X The Title. have mercy." The print has commonly the readings of MS.B. It omits line 812 but has the table of Interpretations. 4. Text D^^C. 13. a. 21. King's Collect. Brit. Mus. — This print is also by W. de Worde and of about the same date as the first. The Catalogue of the Brit. Mus. and Mr. Lee {Diet. Nat. Biog. Vol. XXXIV, p. 313, V.) give the date 1500, but Dr. Schick, on the authority of Mr. Gordon Duff (Brit. Mus.), says it is earlier, perhaps 1498. It contains Lydgate's Story of Thebes, Assemble de dyeus and Temple of Glas (v. Hazlitt, Bibl. p. 358, No. 3 under Lydgate ; Schick, Temp, of Glas, E. E. T. Soc, p. xxvi, 9). This print exhib- its no notable changes in the text. It follows most closely MS. A. 5. Later reprints by Pynson and Redman, under the title "The Interpretacyon of the Natures of Goddys and Goddesses," show no important textual differences (v. Hazlitt, Bibl. p. 358, No. 4 (b) (c) (d). Redman's last edition is dated 1540). CHAPTER II. A. The Title. W. de Worde's second print (D above) has the colophon : "Here endeth a lytyll Tratyse named, Le Assemble de dyeus." This is followed by de Worde's imprint and, on the following page, by the cut of the Chaucer pilgrims seated about a table, also entitled Le Assemble de dyeus. Redman's late reprint (1540) ends with the colophon : " Here endeth a lytyll treatyse named the assemble of goddis and goddesses." The catalog of Lydgate's works, probably made by John Stowe for the Chaucer-Lydgate volume, printed by Adam Islip in London in 1598 and 1602, includes the Banket of Gods and Goddesses with a discourse of Reason and Sensualitie by Lydgate (ed. 1602 fol. 376; ed. 1598 fol. 394). In the Camb. MS. the title, in the handwriting of Mr. Beauprei Bell (Camb. c. 1727), is given as Assembly of Gods and Goddesses by Lydgate. The Brit. Mus. MS. is cataloged as Discord between Reason and Sensualitie. Lowndes {Bibl. Bohn Lib., p. 141 9) uses the title Banquet of the Gods. Ritson {Bibl. Poet) lists the poem apparently twice, as The interpretation of the names of goddes and goddesses (No. 13) and probably confusing it yNxX!!^ Reason and Sensuality (Fairfax 16), as Banket of gods and goddesses with a discourse of reason and The Authorship and Date. xi sensualitie (No. 113). Bale, probably noticing the list of Interpreta- tions prefixed to W. de Worde's print, enumerates among Lydgate's writings, De Nominibus Djeorum. Collier {Hist, of Dram. P. I., p. 30) refers to the poem under the title. Interpretation of the names of Goddes and Goddesses. Schick, in his chronology of Lydgate's works (Temp, of Glas cix.), adopts the title, The Assembly of Gods ; and so, following him. Dr. Furnivall in the Early Eng. Text Society's Announcements, Sidney Lee in the. Diet, of Natl. £iog. (Vol. XXXIV., p. 313, v., 18) and Mr. Courthope in his History of English Poetry (I. p. 322). We may suppose, on the authority of W. de Worde's print, that this was Lydgate's own title. It is not, however, a sufficient title as titles go, inasmuch as it does not express the central moral of the story. A truer name would be the Accora of Reason and Sensuality. B. The Authorship and Date. I. The authorship. The external testimony is in itself quite suf- ficient to establish the fact of Lydgate's authorship. W. de Worde's first print (C) ascribes the work to our monk of Bury in the colo- phon : "Thus endeth this lytyll moralized treatyse compiled by dan lohn Lydgat somtyme monke of Bury on whose soule have mercy." All the early lists (of Bale, Dibdin, etc.) agree in the assignment. Collier, in his History of Dramatic Poetry (Vol. I., p. 30), printed, for the first time since the black-letter copies, a few stanzas of the poem, referring the work to Lydgate. Dyce, in his notes on Skelton's works (p. 144), makes the same reference. The MS. was not known to Warton or Morley. A definite reference to our poem' is found in Hawes's Pastime of Pleasure (Chap. XIV.). Hawes was a pupil of Lydgate and recounts as the works of his master, the Life of St. Edmund, Falls of Princes, Chorl and Bird, Court of Sapience, Troy Book, Temple of Glas : " And betwene vertue and the lyfe vycyous Of goddes and goddes[ses] a boke solacyous He did compyle.'' This must refer to the Assembly of Gods. That Lydgate's name was associated with the battle of the vices and virtues is further indicated by the " extemporal play " of the Seven Deadlie Sinns, contrived by Richard Tarleton and performed before King Henry VI. (v. description by Collier, Hist. Dram. P., III., p. 198). Our monk Lydgate (here spelled Lidgate) is supposed xii The Authorship and Date. to regulate the performance, to deliver the prolog and epilog and to explain the dumb shows. As to internal evidence Lydgate's finger marks are all here : the monkish piety, the moralization, the allegory, the way in which he dwells upon the themes of death ; then his stock words and phrases, especially those repeated to fill up the lines (v. notes and Temp, of Glas p. cxxxvii.) the irregular lines (cf. Secrees), the rime-forms, and the peculiar Lydgatian metre (type, C. p. xvi ; v. Schick, Temple of Glas,W\\\); further, the saying of things as if "undir correccioun" (cf. Secrees, p. i, 2), the self-depreciation in confessing his thin brain (text, 1. 1591) and thin wit (text, 1. 1997) and the request to take the very little wheat from the much chaff of the poem (text, 1. 2071-2; cf. Secrees, p. xx. and Temp, of Glas, p. cxl). Lydgate is one of the easiest poets to detect for his conventional manner. 2. The Date. So far as I am able to determine from a study of the contents there is nothing to indicate the exact date of the poem's composition. The allegory of the poem is wholly removed from historical place or time. Dr. Schick conjectures the date 1403. In consideration of the general temper of the work, quite prosaic one must allow, the nature of the allegory, and its domi- nant note of death, I am inclined to assign its writing to Lydgate's second period, that is, after 141 2 (the date of the first lines of the Troy-Book), as far removed as possible from the genial influence of Chaucer which is so distinctly traceable in the monk's early works. As a youth Lydgate was loath to enter the monastic life, and the poems of his first period have a freshness, a humor, and a love of nature, that belong to the world outside the cloister. But we have the proof of the Legends and Secrees and the Testament that, as he approached age, he grew more pious and more prosaic. The Assembly of Gods is the work of a thorough Benedictine both in theory and in practise. And there is a positive lowering of the poetic tone. There are no plaints of lovers, not a- word about the "floure of womanhede," not a happy thought of nature. Life is grown serious, and the monk, anxious concerning the battle with Vice and earnest to direct sinners to the Lord of Light, writes in the repentant prayerful temper of the Testament. In arguing for an earlier date it would be true to say that the influence oith.t Romaunt of the Rose'is somewhat evident in the alle- gory, and that the work is rather more original and creative than his late riming histories, and it appears in the classification of his works by The Authorship and Date. xiii Sidney Lee {Diet. Natl. Biog., Vol. XXXIV, p. 313, 314; that most if not all of- the poems under the head of "Allegories, Fables and Moral Romances" were written before 1412. On the other hand the decline in the Assembly of Gods in poetic power is, as noted above, very marked, judging from his known early works. In poetic conception and phrasing the poem is in every way inferior to the Chorl and Bird &nd the Temple of Glas; the one written before 1400 and dedicated to "his maister with humble affeccioun," the other written about 1403 in imitation of Chaucer's ffous of Fame. There is not a line so poetic as these verses from the Temple of Glas : " A world of beaute compassid in hir face Whose persant loke do^ ^urugh myn hert[e] race " 755-6 ; nor a maxim so unworldly wise as these from the Chorl and Bird: "Songe and prison have noon accordaunce," Min. P., p. 183, and " Bettir is fredoin withe litelle in gladnesse Than to be thralle withe al worldly richesse," Min. P., p. 193 ; not a moral so manly as " When wo approche^ lat myrp most habound, As manhood axe^ ; and ^ough ^ou fele smart, Lat not to manie knowen of ^in hert." — Temple of Glas, 1 177-9. The theme also, notwithstanding its place among the allegories, seems to indicate a late date. While Lydgate was always familiar with the thought of change and death, it being his frequent opinion that "all do but show a shadow transitory" and that "all stant in chaunges like a midsomer rose,'' it is fair to assume that the dread of death would be most dominant after the period of his youth. The Dance of Macabre, vihich. 15 de.%cri'p^\ve of the painting of Death's procession on the walls of St. Paul's, belongs to the second period, perhaps to the year 1425 (Schick, Temple of Glas, cxii); likewise his translation of De Deguileville's Pelerinage de V Homme, repre- senting life as a pilgrimage somewhat in the manner of Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, belongs to this period, the year 1426. The proof from the metre and from the language is also, I think, on the side of a late date. The measure, very broken and irregular at one's best mending, is nearer the long lines of the Secrees than the very good verses of the Temple of Glas. There is also a change xiv The Metre. in the poetic piiraseology, as will be seen by a study of the riming words, which change compels a date as near as possible to the time when the final e ceased to be spoken. Though, as to this, it is not impossible that Burgh or some other of Lydgate's pupils rewrote the poem as we have it in the text. Still it is not probable that anyone would alter the riming words. On the whole I should wish to assign the composition of the Assembly of Gods to about the year 1420 or perhaps, the Story of Thebes being finished, to 1422 or even later. In the absence of direct testimony, any more exact statement of the date must wait the publication of Lydgate's other works, which will furnish a surer basis for poetic, metrical and linguistic tests. CHAPTER III. The Metre. In the MS. the metre is very irregular. Of course little depen- dence can be placed upon MSS. of the fifteenth century, written after the final e ceased to be sounded. We know that many little words were inserted by the scribes, who regarded the lines as imper- fect. So whether Lydgate himself failed in this poem in his meas- ures or whether the fault is due to the scribes can not be determined. However, it does not appear that Lydgate in any of his poems was especially skillful in the mechanism of his art. He was himself aware of the imperfections of his verse, and in the Troy-Book he confessedly "sette asyde" truth of metre and took "none hede nouther of shorte nor longe." Moreover, none of Lydgate's pupils exhibit any especial grace of form. Burgh, his nearest pupil,, readily acknowledges in continuing the Secrees that he is unable to keep his measures in time and proportion {Sec. st. 219). If we take Chaucer's line as the standard of melody, it -is probable that Lowell's estimate of Lydgate's verse, a "barbarous jangle," is the correct one. Old French verse with its great variety of lines and measures (no less than sixteen — Skeat's Chaucer, Vol. VI, p. Ixxxvii) and indeed Chaucer's own verse forms, may have given Lydgate his license to vary his metres at will. If we: forego a fixed metre and read the lines with their natural accentuation, a fairly good rhythm is secured. Our present poem, The Assembly of Gods, is written in the com- The Metre. xv mon seven line stanza, which came to be known as the Rhyme Royal, riming ababbcc. The scheme of the Chaucerian stanza cannot be rigidly applied. Every liberty in respect of length of line and character of measure is taken by Lydgate. Some lines are bald prose. Type A. In the first place examples will be given of lines which seem to have five iambic measures with the caesural pause after the second measure. This may be called the standard-line form. 43: Then was | there made || a proc | lama | sion. 45; Vppon I the peyne || of strayte | correc | cion. 57; Remem | bre furst || howe I | a godd | esse pure. 163: For hys | excuse |[ came yn | a mess | ynger. 750: And bade | hem come || in all | the haste | they myght. 816: He semyd | a lorde || of ryght | gret ex | cellence. g8o: To wynne | theyr spores || they seyde | they wold | asay. 1026: Whyche made | the grounde || as slep | yr as | an yele. ic86: But all | the tyme || whyle Ver | tew was | away. 1 146: And fro | thens forth || to Sat | ysfac | cion. I. The caesura in the standard line falls generally after the sec- ond measure, but Lydgate shifts its position at liberty. He has more freedom than Chaucer in this respect, though the latter is by no means regular in his pauses (v. Skeat's Chaucer, Introd. sec. 107). The examples here given to illustrate this variation include lines of different types (see below). The pause may fall (a) after the first measure : 566: To compleyn || than Phebe styrt vppon her fete. 1504: Sate II & Scrypture was scrybe to theym all. (b) after the third : 18: To the gret Court of Mynos || the iustyse. 782: But the felde was clene defaute || fonde he none. {c) after the fourth : 621: Pryde was the furst ^at next hym roode || God woote. 879: And made hem be caryed toward Vyce || y wys. id') twice or thrice in a line : 603: Wherfore || /ow Cerberus || I now the dyscharge. 123 1: Ys he soo || quod Vertu || well he shall be taught. 1210: Well II quoth Feythe || for hys sake || I shall do that I may do. 1377: Now Prayer || efte Fastyng || & oftyn tyme Penaunce. Type B. An extra syllable may occur before the csesura and at the end of the line. Two such syllables may also occur before the caesura (v. 11. 38, 390, 808). xvi The Metre. (a) Before caesura : 38: Brought theder Eolus || in raggys euyll arayd. 160: Shape vs an answer || to thyne accusement. 305: Rewler of knyghthode || of Prudence the goddese. 390: There was sad Sychero || and Arystotyll olde. 456: Thus haue I dewly || with all my dilygence. 808: Next whom came Pacyence || that nowhere hath no pere. 908: Well menyng merchauntes || with trew artyfyceres. (f) At end of line : The form is comparatively infrequent (v. Chap. IV, c). 9: So ponderously || I cowde make noon obstacle. 12: To rowne with a pylow || me semyd best tryacle. 60: Thys traytour Eolus || hath, many of my places. 946: In thys mene tyme || whyle Vertu thus preuyded. Type C. The thesis may be wanting at the caesura. 8: For long er I myght || slepe me gan oppresse. 68: So that the deere |1 shall haue no resort. 85: Thow knowest well 1| that I haue the charge. 87: No shyp may sayle || keruell boot ner barge. 233; For lak of shade || I dar vndyrtake. 279: And next by her || sate the god Saturne. 600: No maner of thyng || can hym hurt nor dere. 618: Hard as any horn || blakker fer then soot. 806: Roody as a roose || ay he kept hys chere. I. This is a form almost peculiar to Lydgate (v. Schick, Temp, of Glas, p. Iviii. C), though Chaucer occasionally employed it (Skeat, Chaucer, Vol. VI. Introd., sec. no). It is easy however to read some of these lines with four accents ; thus line 85 may read : "Thou kn6west well that I haue the charge." Other lines, however, as 618, 87, etc., can have no other reading than that given. Type D. A thesis may be wanting in the first measure. 17: For he seyde || I must yeve attendaunse. 106: Secundly || whereas my nature ys. 124: That to theym || shuld fall opon the see. 197: Madame ye shall haue all your plesere. 251: To be had || wherfore ye may nat let. 557: Walewyng with hys wawes 1| & tomblyng as a ball. 640: Malyce || Frowardness || gret lelacy. 645: Wrong II Rauyne || sturdy Vyolence. 654: Heresy || Errour || with Idolatry. Type E. A trochee may take the place of an iambic in the first measure. These measures are best read, however, with "hovering accent," as Ten Brink (Chaucer's Sp., p. 182, sec. 316) and Gum- The Metre. xvii mere {Handbook of Poetics, pp. i86, 187, 206, 224) read similar lines in Chaucer and other English poets. 5: Musyng | on a maner || how that I myght make. 374: Cryspe was | her skyn || her eyen columbyne. 418: Seying to | her sylf || that chere should fey repent. 472: lason ne | Hercules || went they neuer so wyde. 631: Slowthe was | so slepy || he came all behynde. 648: Boldnes | in YU || with Foule Rybaudy. 747: Pepyll I to reyse || hys quarrell to menteyn. 760; Gaderyd | to Vertew || in all that they mowte. 1 174: Hauyng | in her hande || the palme of vyctory. Type F. There may be a double thesis in any measure. In many cases the extra syllable may be slurred over. But the trisyllabic measure was without doubt an accepted poetic form (v. Ellis, Early Eng. Pron., ch. iv, p. 334; ch. vii, p. 648. Ellis cites 69 examples in the Prolog. See Skeat, ed. of Prioresses Tale, ttc, Introd. p. Ixiii). 7: But I cowde I nat bryng | about | that mon | acorde. 66: He breketh | hem asondre || or rendeth | hem roote | & rynde. 98: For hurt | of my name || thorough | thys gret ( offence. 126: With a sod | eyn pyry |j he lapp | yd hem | in care. 139: The more gre | uous peyne || and hast | y lug | ement. 199: But furst I I yow pray || let me | the mat | er here. 361: And ones | in the moneth | with Phe | bus was | she meynt. 383: That he ther | with glad | yd all | the com | pany. 410: But there was | no rome | to set | hyr in | that hous. 472: lason I ne Hercules || went | they neu | er so wyde. 487: To the dynt | of my dart || for doole | nor des | tyny. Type G. Lydgate frequently expands the normal pentameter line to six measures. Mr. Steele, the editor of the Secrees, remarks that the greater part of that poem might be scanned on a six-beat basis. If such lines were of sporadic occurrence they might be slurred over, but there are so many lines with the longer rhythm that the acceptance of the Alexandrine is rendered imperative. It is possi- ble, of course, to read some of these lines with four accents, as if they were formed on the model of the alliterative four-beat meas- ures as found in the Mystery Plays (v. York Plays, ed. by Smith, Introd., p. li), certain ballads (v. King John and the Abbot of Canterbury) and the contemporary alliterative poems. The long doggerel lines in Shakespeare may be reduced to this form (v. Quell, u. For., vol. 61, p. 119, 3). But the use of the Alexandrine was now established both by itself and in association with other metres (v. Schipper, Engl. Met., I, Kap. 5, 8, 13, and cf. its later usage by xviii The Metre. Wyatt, and see Mirror for Magistrates, ed. by Haslewood, p. 123, for mixture of pentameter and Alexandrine), and Lydgate would naturally adopt the form at a time when every irregularity in verse was permissible. He himself was most attracted to the French forms, though the English alliterative principle still had some force in his verse. I think there can be no question about Lydgate's Alexandrines. Mr. Ellis {Early Eng. Fron., ch. vii, p. 649) thought that Chaucer made use of this variation and noticed four instances in the prolog of the Canterbury Tales of what seemed to hirn to be a six-measure line (11. 148, 232, 260, 764), all of which have the jus- tification of the best MSS. Zupitza and Skeat in their critical texts of the Prologue x&iiMce. these lines to the normal (1. 764 by slur- ring). 4: Syttyng | all sol | ytary || alone | besyde | a lake. S4: Accord I yng to | the offence || that he | to me | hath do. 161; And ellys | I most | precede || opon | thy iug | ement. 253: And when | Apol | lo sy || hit wold | noon oth | er be. 267: Lyke | as she | had take || the man | tell & | the ryng. 298: The pal | eys ther | of shone || as though | hit had | be day. 325: Clad I in rus | set frese || and brech | ed lyke | a bare. 327: A shape | crook in | hys hand || he spar | yd for | no pryde. 340: Aboute I hymin | hysgyr | dyllstede I| hyngfyssh | esman | y a score. 347: She lok I ed au I er about || as though | she had | be mad. 359: Fat I she was | of face || but of | complex | yon feynt. 364: And on | hyr hede | she weryd | a crowne | of syl | uyr pure. 367: He had | a gyld | yn tong || as fyll | for hys | degree. 372: By I hym sate | Dame Venus || with col | our crys | tallyne. 385: In sygne | that he | was mastyr || & lord | of that | banket. So I read lines 401, 404, 420, 421, 422, 462, 476, 490, 495, 496, 497. 500, 504, 525. 542, 560, 634, 656, 817, 864, 937, 949, 952, 962, 995> 999) 1048, 1050, 1093, 1097, 1106, 1113, 1120, 1167, 1204, 1210, 1225, 1239, 1240, 1267, 1344, 1589, 1792, 2099, 2100, 2106, 2107. Lines 61, 102, 128, 130, 131, 338, 343, 578, 672, 856, 1000, might be read either as Alexandrines or as pentameters of type F. Typfe H. There are occasional four-measure lines. 232: So that I your game | shall nat | dyscrese. 307: Safe on | her hede || a crowne | ther stood. 444: All ye I gret goddys | yeue at | tendaunce. 693: Getters || chyders || causers | of frayas. 758: To Ver | tews frandys || thus all | aboute. 979 : These four | tene knyghtes || made Vyce | that day. 1659: Wherfore | ar chyl | dren put | to scoole. 1834: Of au I ery mans | oppyn | yon. The Metre. xix In this manner may be read lines i6, 17, 22, 27, 28, 47, 50, 94, 134, 182, 204, 530, 550, 703, 722, 916, 1065, 1243, 1506, 1654, 1655, 1740, 1839, 2004, 2035, 2046. 2. Of course many lines can be scanned in more than one way. Other prosodists will probably not agree with the scansion of the examples given. It is difficult and often impossible to determine the pronunciation of many words. I think the final if's are often, if not generally, mute. The rhythm of many lines would be broken by the requirements of the Chaucerian scheme of inflections. It is evident that during Lydgate's lifetime the language was undergoing transformation. The general irregularity of the metre, the intru- sion into Chaucer's carefully constructed seven-line stanza of the four and six-beat lines, and the frequent alliteration, suggest the influence of the older English metrical forms. But it is further obvious that Lydgate used in composition the principles both of metre and of stress. This mixture in his measures of free and regular stress, seems to confirm the opinion' of Professor Gummere (v. Amer. J. of Phil. Vol. VII, I, p. 46) that the English iambic is not merely the French measure introduced by a tour de force, but a "harmonizing of two great systems, the Germanic and the Romance, the rhythmic and the metric, on the basis of two representative measures," the heroic pentameter line being the "result of forcing the iambic movement upon some late form of our old four-stress verse." The conditions are thus stated by Professor Gummere: "On the one hand, four stresses, fixed pause, indeterminate amount of light syllables ; on the other, five stresses, shifting and slighter pause, strict ordering and number of light syllables." Proofs of such compromise are furnished by Chaucer, the majority of whose pentameter verses are formed, to some extent, on the plan of the O. E. line of four stresses; by the Mystery and Morality Plays, whose irregular measures very plainly display the continuance of the English traditions ; by Skel- ton, whose peculiar metre seems to be due to the splitting of the O. E. long line and the riming of the parts ; by Spenser in his ■ Little attention has been given hitherto to this view of Professor Gummere, but the trend of opinion now seems to favor it. See Courthope's treatment of 'Lyi.- gate's verse in his recent Jlis/ory 0/ Eng/uA Foeiry, I., pp. 326-33. Cf. the state- ment of Mr. I. Gollancz in his edition of Cyn. Christ, p. xvii : " The secret of Marlowe's discovery (the secret of blank verse) lies in this that he Teutonized the 'versi scioiti' imported from Italy.'' XX The Metre. Shepherd's Calendar, which combines free and regular stress in a remarkable manner ; and again by the heroic verses of Shake- speare and Spenser and of Dry den and Pope, many of which have rhetorically but four stresses. On the whole Lydgate followed his French models, or more strictly his Chaucer. The many alliterative phrases in his poem illustrate, however, the traditions of the older poetry ; such a line as 66b "or rendeth hem ?-oote & rynde" indicating the "rum ram ruf" principle of composition. The varia- ble measure and line reveal the confusion into which English verse had fallen after Chaucer, it being still uncertain whether free or regular stress would prevail. Had Lydgate been favored with Chaucer's literary environment and gifted with his genius and ear for rhythm it is probable that he might have maintained the master's delicate Normanized literary English, but the influence of the vulgar Suffolk tongue with its accentual principles of verse and its rapidly disappearing inflections was too strong for the monk. Chaucer's regular measures — regular because artificial — were given over to confusion. The oral, in the rude times of the fifteenth cen- tury, superseded the literary. From Chaucer to Spenser no one was able to give permanency to the forms of English verse. That the metre is at best extremely irregular is shown by count- ing the syllables. In the first one thousand lines, slurring wherever possible and omitting, except where forbidden by the rhythm, the final e's, the following result is given : 2 14- syllable lines. See 66, 340. 5 13 See 404, 525 47 12 210 II 546 10 179 9 II 8 See p. xvii, Tv Types B and F make up the ii-syllable lines and D and C the 9-syllable lines. G has frequently but 11 syllables (v. line 359). The Rime. xxi CHAPTER IV. The Rime. I. End-rime: — The rime is generally pure throughout. Correct masculine rimes are the rule. The most numerous rime-endings are -ace, -ake, -all, -aunce,- ay, -e, -ence, -ent, -ere, -esse, -y, -yde, -yght, -o, -on, -ore, -ought, -ow, -ure (v. Rime Index). (a) Identical rimes occur in a number of cases. By identical rimes I mean here those in which the riming syllables coincide in sound throughout. These syllables may be etymologically different. Acorde 6: monacorde 7; malapert 503: pert 504; dyscharge 603: charge 605; ouerse 772: see 775; take 1388, i4og ; vndyrtake 1390, 1411; become 1406: welcome 1407; serue 1408: deserue 1410; goon 1836: ouergoon 1838; before 1871: therfore 1874; hande 1912: hande 1914; dyffuse 1955: refuse 1957; dyscorde 2015: monacorde 2016; alone 923 : euerychone 924 (14 cases). Identical suffix-rimes : (a) withinitial consonant: — iugement 139: auysment 140; resystence2 28: sentence 229; satysfaccion 834: dysposicion 836; sadnes 1380: glad- nes 1382; royally 268: sykerly 270; herytykes 678: scismatykes 679; pycture 15 14: creature 1516 ; (b) with initial vowel : — varyaunce 244: ordynaunce 245; conuenyent 249: expedyent 250; precious 790: vyctoryous 791; swerers 702: morderers 704 etc. (about i4ocases of such rimes (b) and (a). (b) Imperfect rimes sxz occasional: — am 86: man 88; strong 260: hand 262; came 785: man 787; came 862: than 864; dooni2i7: com 1 2 18; come 1336: oblyuyone 1337; came 1702; woman 1704 (7 cases of assonance); beste 1056: lyste 1057 (v. lyst 1297: myst 1299); neere 1616: desyre 1617 (v. desyre 1870: wyre 1872, — cf. Schick Intro. Ixi); bedde 2038: vnderstande 2040; crysmatory 1444: sanctuary 14^6; probably imperfect: — syt 191: yet 193 (perhaps = yit as in Chaucer); fete 566: yete 567 (cf. yet 193: syt 191); ende 1777; mynde 1778 (mynde 1923: ende 1922: spende 1920; ende 1931: mende 1932; but cf. mynde 1784: behynde 1785). (c) Feminine rimes occMX in the following instances: — obstacle 9: habytacle ii: tryacle 12; chases 58: places 60: manaces 61; philosophres 272: cofres 273; centre 769: entre 770; seuyn 821: heuyn 823: steuyn 824; euer 1203, 1974: neuer 1204, 1973; ? reson 1259: seson 1260; crysmatory 1444: sanctuary 1446: tary 1447; story 15 13: memory 1515; fable 16S6: acceptable 1687; ymages 1731: stages 1733: passages 1734; nother 1807; brother 1809; parable 1987: xxii Rime Index. fable 1988^ ? compleynyd 48: constreynyd 49 (cf. herde 498; con- queryd 5oo = masc.); grauntyd 118, 874: hauntyd 119, 875; prom- ysyd 482: dyspysyd 483; preuydyd 946: guydyd 948; aqueyntyd 1345 = peyntyd 1347; deuydyd 1765: prouydyd 1767; ? declaryd 736:sparyd 738; Pretornyd 1119; mornyd 1120; Pexcusyd 1399: dysvsyd i^oo; probably : — requyreth 135: expyreth 137: desyreth 138 (but cf. gooth 426: wrooth427 =masc.); sygnyfyeth 2010: applyeth 2012; chaungeth 2094: estraungeth 2096. Doubtful cases are : — colowres32i: shoures 322 (but cf. embas- satours 1016: shoures loi 8); oonys 499: boonyssoi: noonys 502; goddys49i: pesecoddys 493; dremes 1854: stremes 1855 (but cf. astronomers 1696: speres 1698: yeres 1699; laborers 911: freres 913); the final e's are perhaps pronounced i?t these words : ■ — • releue (inf.) 13: sleue (obi. sng.) 14; kepe (inf.) 107: depe (adj. pi.) 109: crepe (inf.) no; more 149: store (obi. sng.) 151: sore (adv.) 152; Saturne 279: morne (inf.) 280; hede (obi. sng.) 286: leede (obi. sng.) 287; corne (obi. sng.) 293: home (obi. sng.) 294; leue (obi. sng.) 520: foryeue (inf.) 522: myscheue (inf.) 523; carre (obi. sng.) 554: marre (inf.) 556; wyde (obi. sng.) 664: abyde (inf.) 665; herte (obi. sng.) 1451: aduerte (inf.) 1453: sterte (inf.) 1454; foole (obi. sng.) 1658: scoole (obi. sng.) 1659; pylgremage (obi. sng.) 1779: passage (obi. sng.) 1781; holde 1821: olde 1823; sonne (obi. sng.) 1896: tonne (obi. sng.) 1897. (d) Medial gh (O. E. h), already weak in Chaucer, has ceased to be pronounced in the cases following, and probably therefore in all cases: — about 261: fought263: mought 264 (cf. aboute 386: route 388; mowte 760: dowte 761; abowte 1124: showte 1122: withowte 1125); ryght 489: saf condyght 490; ipocrytes 701: ryghtes 703; sodomytes 708: syghtes 710; cyrcute 757: myght 759; trypartyte 1031: lyght 1033: wyght 1034; syght 1037: wyght 1039; fyght 1112; meryt 1113; bryght 1367: whyte 1369: myght 1370 (cf. infynyte 1605: myte 1607: whyte 1608; myte 1814: appetyte 1816); myght iSoi: dyspyte 1803: lyte 1804. RIME INDEX. A -able 1686, 1687; 1987, 1988. -ace 219, 221, 222; 300, 301; 316, 318; 475, 476; 538, 539; 1212, 1214; 1497; 1498; 1758, -as 1760; 1826, 1827; 1880, -as 1878, 1881, 2099, 2100. See -as. -acle II, 12. -ad 345, 347, 348; 580, 581. Rime Index. xxiii -ade 69, 70; 1560, 1561. -adde 1415, 1417; 1875, 1876; 1982, 1984. -aff 2071, 2072. -aft 1133, 1134. -age 1779, 1781; 1889, 1890; 1899, 1901, 1902; 1906, 1908, 1909. -ages 1731, 1733, 1734. -ak 366, 368, 369. -ake 2, 4, 5; 233, 235, 236; 608, 609; 722, 724; 1014, 1015; 1052, 1054, 1055; 1220, 1222, 1223; 1388, 1390, 1391; 1409, 1411, 1412; 1420, 1421; 1457, 1459; 1812, 1813; 1905, 1907; 1947, 1949; 2043, 2044. -ale 358, 360. -ales 68s, 686. -all 114, 116, 117; 153, 154; 230, 231; 246, 248; 435, 437; 555, 557, 558; 776, 777; 1007, 1008; 1072, 1074; 1226, 1228; 1443, 1445; 1504, 1505; 1588, 1589; 1597. 1599; 1612, 1614, 1615; 1707, 1708; 1819, 1820; 1898, 1900. -am 86, -an 88, 89. See -an. -ame 132, 133; 589, 591; 713,714; 785, -an 787; 862, -an 864; 1238, 1239; 1702, -an 1704. -an 925, 927; 1395, 1397, 1398; 1518, 1519. See -am, -ame -ane 201 1, 2013, 2014. -and 262, -ong 260 ; 370, 371; 1177, 1179. See -ang. -ande 128, 130, 131; 1084, I085; 1161, 1162; 1562, 1564; 1574, 1575; 1651, 1652; 1912, 1914; 1959, i960, -ape 524, 525; 1315, 1316. -ard 601, 602. -are 125, 126; 723, 725, 726; 807, 809, 810. -arge 85, 87; 545, 546; 603, 605; 1632, 1634. -arke 937, 938. -arpe 400, 402. -arre 554, SS6- -art 876, 878; 1940, 1942. -ary 1446, 1447, -ory 1444. -aryd 736, 738. -as 274, 276; 611, 613, 614; 1065, 1067; 1339, -ase 1341, 1342; 1878, -ace 1880, 1881. See -ase, -ace. -ase 314, 31S; 461. 462; 513, 515, 516; 632, 634, 635. See -as. -ases 58, 60, 61. -ast 72, 74, 75; 127, 129. -aste 1045, 1047, 1048. -ate 27, 28; 422, 424, 42s; 1483, 1484; 1546, 1547; l639. 1641. -ates 706, 707. -aught 1 23 1, 1232. -aunce 244, 245; 335, 336; 398, 399; 407, 409; 442, 444; 659, 661; 797, 798; 835, 837, 838; 954, 956, 957; 989. 991, 992; 1094, 1096, 1097; 1147, 1148; 1374, 1376, 1377; 1430. 1432, 1433; 1450, 1452; 1507, 1509, 1510; 1598, 1600, 1601; 1660, 1662; 1714, 1715; 183s, 1837; 2003, 2005; 2060, 2062, 2063. -aunge 1402, 1404, 1405. -aungeth 2094, 2096. xxiv Rime Index. -aunse 15, 17; 996, 998, 999. -aunt 883, 885; 1254, 1256; 1294, 1295. -auntyd 118, 119; 874, 875. -ause 134, 136. -aute 587, 588. -ay 29, 31; 282, 284, 28S; 296, 298, 299; 548, 550, 551; 666, 668; 715, 717; 727^ 728; 729, 731; 743, 745; 813, 81S; 958, 959; 965, 966; 979, 980; 1028, 1029; 1086, 1088; 1245, 1246; 1276, 1278, 1279; 1324, 1326; 1464, 1466; IS90> 1592; 1661, 1663, 1664; 1828, 1830; 1968, 1970. -ayd 36, 38. -ayde 164, -eyde 162; 207, — eyde 205. -ayed 1998, -eyde 1996. -ayes 692, 693. -ayll 615, 616; 751, 753, 754; 1219, 1221; 1969, 1971, 1972. -ayn 1567, 1568. -ayne 1668, 1670, -eyne 1671. See -eyne. -awe 559, 560; 1227, 1229, 1230. e (gen. =-y) 121, 123, 124; 198, 200, 20I; 253,255; 271, -y 270; 457, 459, 460; 492, 494,495; 519, 521; 552, 553; 617, 619; 650, 651; 772, 774, 775; 804, 805; 811, -ee 812; 828, 830, 831; 842, 844, 845; 919, 921, 922; 933, 935. 936; 1002, 1004; loio, 1012, 1013; 1080, 1082, 1083; 1105, -ee, 1106; 1261, 1263; 1280, 1281; 1329, 1330; 1416, 1418, 1419; 1423, 1425, 1426; 1700, 1701; 1800, 1802; 1868, 1869; 192&, 1928; 1945, 1946; 1980, 1981; 1994, 1995; 2017, 2019; ? 2038, 2040; 2057, 2058; 2067,2069, 2070. ee 365, 367; 505, 507; 995, 997; 1136, 1138, -e 1139; 1961, -e 1963. -eare 421, -ere 423. -ecte 895, 896; 1847, 1848. r-ede 286, -eede 287; 569,571,572; 755,756; 832,833; 1000,1001; 1035,1036; J 1129, 1131, 1132; 1360, 1362, 1363; 1378, 1379. [-eede 1023, 1025; 1583, 1585; 1815, 1817, 1818. -eet 1064, -et 1063. -eft 562, 564, 565. f-elde 667; 669, 670; 932, 934; 1044, 1046; 1095, 1093-eelde. \-eelde 1093, -elde 1095. (-ele 55, 56; 1026, 1027, -eele 1024; 2068, -eele 2066. (-eele 1024, -ele 1026, 1027; 1637, 1638; 2066, -ele 2068. -ell 30, 32, 33; 433, 434; 590, 592, 593; 1331, 1333; 1532, 1533. -eme 1609, 1610. -emes 1854, 1855. -ence 44, 46, 47; 76, 77; 79, 81, 82; 97, -98; 174, i75; 228, 229, -ense 226; 456 458; 639, 641, 642; 645, 647; 814,816,817; 1135, 1137; 1163,1165; 1436, 1438; 1490, 1491; 161 1, 1613; 1863, 1865; 2001, 2002; 2025, -ens 2027, 2028; 2106, 2:07. See -ens. -ense. -ende 737, 739, 740; 1623, 1624; 1665, 1666; 1777, -ynde 1778; 1798, 1799; 1920, 1922, -ynde, 1923; 1931, 1932. See -ynde. Rime Index. xxv C-ene 982, 984, 985; 1198, 1200; 1584, 1586, 1587. (-eene 275, -ene 277, 278; 2045, 2047. -ens 2027, 2028, -erfce 2025. -ense 226, -pnce 228, 229; 653, 655, 656; 1247, 1249. See -ence. -ent 23, 25, 26; 113, 115; 139, 140; 160, 161; 170, 172, 173; 247, 249, 250; 289, 291, 292; 415, 417, 418; 449, 451; 741, 742; 792, 794; 827, 829; 1003, lOOS, 1006; 1092, -ente 1091; 1107,1109; 1140,1141; 1157, 1159, ii6o; 1175, 1176; 1304, 1306, 1307; 1427, 1428; 1465, 1467, 1468; 1553, 1554; 1674. 1676; 1749, 1750; 1763, 1764; 1829, 1831, 1832; 1903, 1904; 2036, 2037. -entes 839, 840; 909, 910; 918, 920. -epe 107, 109, HO; 1255, 1257, 1258; 1296, 1298. -ept sio, 511; 944, 945; 1682, 1684, 1685. "Sr 7i> 73; 163, -ere 165, -eere 166; 547, S49- See -eere. ■^rde 498, -eryd 500; 625, 627, 628. See -eryd. '-ere 50, 52; 93, 95, 96; 155, 157; 183, 185; 197, 199:323,325; 394,396-397; 423. -eare 421; 443, 445, 446; 541, 543.544; 748, 749; 806, 808; 884, 887, -eere 886:888,889; 960,962; 1128, 1130: 1233, 1235; 1541, 1543; 1556, 1558, 1559; 1602, 1603; 1626, 1628, 1629: 1742, 1743: 1933, 1935: 2004, 2006, 2007: 2029, 2030; 2081, .2083, 2084. See -eare. .-eere 166,-ere 165; 597, 599, -ere, 600; i6i6,-yre 1617; 1653, -ere 1655. See -yre. -eeres 905, -ers 907, -eres 908. -ers 674, 676, 677; 680, 682; 681, 683, 684; 688, 690, 691; 695, 697, 698; 702, 704, 705; 907, -eeres 905, -eres 908; 911, -eres 913; 1696, -eres 1698, 1699. -erse 405, 406. -ert 468, 469; 503, 504; 1 170, 1 172; 1266, 1267; 1591, 1593, 1594; 1786, 1788; ,1843, 1845, 1846. -erte 1451, I453, 1454- -erue 1408, 1410. -eryd 500, -erde 498. -es 391, 392; 881, 882; 902, 903; 1066. 1068, 1069; 1215, -esse 1213; 1380, 1382; 1640, 1642, 1643. -ese 232, 234; 237, 238; 1752, 1754, 1755. -esse 8, 10; 184, 186, 187; 240, 242, 243; 254, 256, 257; 303, 305, 306; 534, 536, 537; 1059, 1061, 1062; 1213, -es 1215, 1216; 1262, 1264, 1265; 1385, 1386; 1492, 1494; 1511, 1512; 1633, 1635, 1636; 1716, 1718; 1941, 1943, 1944. -eson (or on) 1259, 1260. -esshe 2080, 2082. -est 223, 224; 342, 343; 573, 574; 820, 822; 2032, 2034, -este 2035. -este 478, 480, 481; 1056, -yste 1057; 2035, -est 2032, 2034. See -yste. -et 167, 168; 188, 189; 251, 252; 309, 311; 317, 319, 320; 337, 339; 384, 385; 1063, -eet 1064; 1154, 1155; 1184, 1186; 1654, -ete 1656, 1657; 1675, 1677, 1678; 1891, 1893. See -eet, -ete. -ete 212, 214, 215; 239, 241; 344, 346; 419, 420; 527, 529, 530; 566, 567; 1030, 1032; 1287, 1288; 1332, 1334, 1335; 1656, 1657, -et 1654. See-et. -ette 604, 606, 607; 1462, 1463. -ettys 1695, -etys 1697. See -etys. -etys 1697, -ettys 1695. See -ettys. -eue 13, 14; 429, 431, 432; 520, 522, 523; 1679, 1680; 2031, 2033. xxvi Rime Index. -euer (or er) 1203, 1204; 1973, 1974. -euyn 821, 823, 824. -ew 582, 584; 961, 963, 964; 1070, 1071; 1123, -u 112I; 1364, 1365; 1373. 1375; 1506, 1508; 2046, 2048, 2049. See -u. -ewes 699, 700- -ewre 930, -ure 931. -ey 156, -ay 158, 159; 378, -y 377 ; 623, -y622; 873, -y 872, 870; 1188, -y 1187, 1185; 1630, -y 1631; 1728, -y 1729; 1856, 1858. See -y. -eyde 162, -ayde 164; 205, -ayde 207, 208; 596, 598; 1996, -ayed 1998. See -ayde, -ayed. -eyn 62, 63; 146, 147; 176, 178; 561, 563; 744, 746, 747; 1359, 1361. -eyne 37, 39, 40; in, 112; 610, -eygne 612; 1156, 1158; 1581, 1582; 1671,-ayne, 1670; 1808, 1810, 181 1; 1966, 1967; 2085, 2086. See-ayne. -eyngth 967, 969. -eynt 78, 80; 258, 259; 359, 361, 362; 1644, -eynte 164S; 1793, 1795. -eynte 1645,-eynt 1644. -eyntyd 1345, 1347. -eynyd 48, 49. -ext 1502, -exte 1500. -exte 1502, -ext 1502. Y, I, (E). -y 34, 35; 104, 105; 148, 150; 202, 203; 268, 270, -e 271; 281, 283; 302, 304; 330,332; 377, -ey37S; 380,382,383; 401, 403, 404; 450, 452, 453; 463, 465; 485, 487, 488; 594, I 595; 622, -ey623; 629, 630; 638, 640; 646, 648, 649; 652, 654; 657, 658; 660, 662, 663; 765, 767, 768; 800, 802, 803; 841, 843; 846,847; 848,850; 853,854; 855, 857; 867, 868; 869, 871; 870, 872, -ey 873; 975,977,978; 1009, loil; 1021, 1022; 1073, 107s, 1076; 1171,1173, 1174; 1185, 1187, -ey 1188; 1189, 1 190; 1289, 1291; 1346, 1348, I 1349; 1458, 1460, 1461; 1485, i486; 1493, 1495, I 1496; 1513, 1515; 1534, 1536; 1549, 1551,1552; 1570, 1572, 1573; 1631, -ey 1630; 1689, 1691, 1692; 1717, 1719, -uy 1720; 1729, -ey 1728; 1787, 1789, 1790; 1822, 1825, I 1824; 1840, 1841; 1989, 1991; 2039, 2041, 2042; 2064, I 2065; 2095, 2097, 2098; 2102, 2104, 2105. See -e, -ey, -uy. -yce 825, -yse 826; 863, -yse 865, 866. See -yse. -yde 216, 217; 288, 290; 324, 326, 327; 331, 333, 334; 349, 350; 470, 472; 624, 626; 664, 665; 716, 718, 719;. 793, 795, 796; 891, 893, 894; 926, 928, 929; 940, 942, 943; 981, 983; 1283, 1285, 1286; 1499, 1501; 1525, 1526; IS5S, 1557- -ydyd 946, -uydyd 948; 1765, 1767. See -uydyd. -yeth 2010, 2012. -yght 373, 375, 376; 489. 490; 750, 752; 759, -ute 757; 778, 780; 972, 973; 986, 987; 993, 994; 1033, 1034, -yte 1031; 1037, 1039; 1112, -yt 1113; 1199,1201, 1202; 1367, 1370, -yte 1369; 1381, 1383, 1384; 1392, 1393; 1471, 1473. 1476, 1477; 1801, -yte 1803, 1804; 2078, 2079. See -yt, -yte, -ute. -yghtes, 710, -ytes 708. See-ytes. -ygne 1224, -yne 1225; 1441, 1442. See -yne. -yk 856, 858, 859. Rime Index. xxvu -ykes 678, 679. -yll 120, 122; 575, 577; 916, 917; 1058, 1060; 1079, 1081; 1990, 1992, 1993. -yme 953, 955. -yn 1049, 1050; 1857, 1859, i860. -ynde 64, 66; 393, 395; 512, 514; 631, 633; 1343, 1344; 1387, 1389; 1542, 1544, 1545; 1647, 1649, 1650; 1756, 1757; 1778, -ende 1777; 1784, 1785; 1923, -ende 1922. See -ende. -yne 265, 266; 372, 374; 1225, -ygne 1224; 2018, 2020, 2021. -yng 267, 269; 1366, 1368; 1528, 1530, 1531; 1535, 1537, 1538; 1618, 1620. -ynges 687, 689. — ynke 2052, 2054. -ynne 947, 949, 950; 1997, 1999, 2000. -yre 1617, -eere i6i6;' 1870, 1872. See -eere. -yreth 135, 137, 138. -ys 106, 108; 877, 879, 8S0; 1310, 1312. -yse 16, 18, 19; 225, 227; 447, 448; 568, 570; 826, -yce 825; 865, -yce 863; 1115, IH7, 1118; 1352, 1354; 1780, 1782, 1783; 1962, 1964, 1965. See -yce. -yst 1297, 1299, 1300. -yste 1057, -este 1056. -ysyd 482, 483. -yt 191, -et 193, -yte 194; 1113, -yght, 1112. See -et, -yte, -yght. -yte 211,213; 1031,-yght 1033, 1034; 1369, -yght 1370; 1605, 1607, 1608; 1803, -yght 1801; 1814, 1816. See -yght. -}-tes 701, 703; 708, -yghtes 710. -yue 517, 518; 939, 941; 1849, 1851. -yues 20, 21. O -o 22, 24; 41, 42; 51, 53, 54; 142, 144, 145; 169, 171; 195, 196; 218, 220; 295, 297; 471, 473. 474; 496- 497; 1210, 121 1; 1248, 1250, 1251; 1322, 1323; 1353, 1355, 1356; 1527, 1529; 1539, 1540; 1563, -00 1565, 1566. -00 41, -o 42; 92, 94; 1565, -o 1563. -ood 307, 308; 1126, 1127; 1311, 1313, 1314; 1422, 1424; 1569, 1571. -oode 540, 542; 799, 801; 1038, 1040, 1041. -oddys 491, 493. -oit 99, loi. -00k 1142, H44; 1455, 1456; 1724, 1726, 1727. ( -oke 181, 182. \ -ooke 1303, 1305; 1885, 1887, 1888. -olde 387, 389, 390; 428, 430; 1766, 1768, 1769; 1821, 1823; 1934, 1936, 1937; 1983, 1985, 1986; 2059, 2061; 2073, 2075. -oole 1394, 1396; 1658, 1659; 1952, 1953. -ome 190, 192; 1336, -one 1337; 1406, 1407. See -one. ■on 43, 45; 90, 91; 636, 637; 643, 644; 834, 836; 849, 851, 852; 974, 976; 988, 990; 1103,-owne iioi; 1108, mo, mi; 1143, 1145, 1146; 1178, Ii8o,-own 1181; 1205, 1207; 1301, 1302; 1413, 1414; 1429, 1431; i6ig, 1621, 1622; 1646, 1648; i68r, 1683; 1721, 1722; 1737, 1739; 1744, 1746; 1751, 1753; 1772, 1774; 1833, 1834; 1842, 1844; 1864, 1866, 1867; 1910, 1911; 1913, ;viii Rime Index. 191S, 1916; 1919, 1921; 1975, 1977; 2008, 2009; 2022, 2023; 2053, 2055, 2056; 2101, 2003. See -eson, -own. oon 440, 441; 1217-om 1218; 1667, -on 1669; 1759, 1761, 1762; 1805, 1806; 1836, 1838, -on 1839. See -cm, -on. -onde 1712,-ounde 1710; 173s, -ounde 1736. See-ounde. -one 720, 721; 779, 781, 782; 923, 924; 1337, -ome 1336; 1745, 1747, 1748; 1839, -oon 1838. See -ome. -ong 730, 732, 733; 1269, 1271, 1272. -onne I, 3; 1896, 1897. -oonys 499, 501, 502. -ophres 272, 273. -orde 6, 7; 1252, 1253; 1434, 1435; 2015, 2016. -oorde 1240, 1242. r-ore 149, 151, 152; 338, 340, 341; 771, 773; 968, 970, 971; 1308, 1309; 1472, 1474, \ 1475; 1604, 1606; 1794, 1797, -oore 1796; 1871, 1873, 1874; 1892, 1894, 1895. [-oore 1791,-ore 1792; 2074, 2076, 2077. -ores 673, 675. -orn 8l8, 8iq. -ome 280, -urne 279; 293, 294. See -ume. -ornyd 1119, 1120. -ort 65, 67, 68; 204, 206; 531, 532: 671, 672. -orte 1150, 1152, 1153; i486, 1488, 1489. -ory 1444, -ary 1446, 1447. See -ary. -ose 1576, 1578. -esse 1595, 1596. -oost 764, 766; 783, 784; 951, 952; 1192, -ost 1194, 1195. -oote 620, 621, -ote 6l8; 1350, 1351. -othe 2092, 2093. -00th 426, 427; 1338, 1340. -other 1807, 1809. -ought 141, 143; 209, 210; 263, 264, -out 261; 412, 413; 526, 528; 786, 788, 789; 1051, 1053; 1 196, 1 197; 1234, 1236, 1237; 1478, 1480; 1625, 1627; 1672, 1673; 1882, 1883; 2050, 2051. -oun 2087, 2089. -ound 506, -ownd 508, 509; 533, 535; 1042, 1043; 1521, 1523, 1524. -ounde 1690, -ownde 1688; 1709, 1711; 1710, -onde 1712, 1713; 1736, -onde 1735 See -onde, -ownde. -our 464, 466, 467; 576, 578, 579; 734, 735; 1078, -owre 1077; 1100,1102; 1206 1208, 1209; 1290, 1292, 1293; 1850, -oure 1852, 1853. See -owre. -ours 709, 711, 712; 897, 899; 904, 906; 912, -oures 914, 915; 1016, -oures 1018; 1182, 1183; 1357, 1358; 1577, 1578, 1580. -oures 322, -owres 321; 694, 696; 914, -ours 912; 1018, -ours 1016. See -ours, -owres. -ous 408, 410, 411; 790, 791; 898, 900, 901. -out 261, -ought 263, 264; 436, 438, 439; 1437, -owte 1439, 1440; 1479, 1481, 1482; 1930, -oute 1929. See -ought, -owte. -oute 310, 312, 313; 386, 388; 758- -owte 760, 761; 1017, 1019, 1020; 1273, 1274; 1927, 1929, 1930. See -owte. Alliteration. xxix -ow 762, 763; 1149, 1151; 1164, 1166, 1167; 1191, 1193; 1241, -owe 1Z43, 1244; 1317, 1319; 1371, 1372; 1401, 1403; 1954, 1956; 2024, 2026. -owe 484, 486; 1243, -ow 1241. See -ow. -own 1 181, -on 1 180, -ownd 508, -ound 506. See -ound. -ownde 1688, -ounde 1689. See -ounde. -owne 379, 381; iioi, -on 1103, 1104. See -on. -owre 1077, -our 1078. See -our. -owres 321, -oures 322. See -oures. -owte 760, -oute 758; 1087, 1089, 1090; 1122, 1124, 1125; 1318, 1320, 1321; 1439, -out 1437; 1861, 1862; 1924, 1925; 1948, 1950, 1951; 1976, 1978, 1979. U -u 1121, -ew 1123. See -ew. -ude 890, 892; 1703, 1705, 1706. -ure 57, 59; 83, 84; 100, 102, 103; 363, 364; 414, 416; 454, 455; 477, 479; 860, 861; 931, -ewre 930; 1268, 1270; 1325, 1327, 1328; 1448, 1449; 1514, 1516, 1517; 1520, 1522; 1693, 1694; 1723, 1725; 1770, 1771; 1773, 177s, 1776; 1877, 1879; 1884, 1886; 2088, 2090, 2091. See -ewre. -urre 328, 329. -ume 279, -orne 280. -us 177, 179, 180; 1 168, 1 169; 1469, 1470; 1938, 1939. -use 1917, 1918; 1955, 1957. 1958. -ust 1098, 1099; 1275, 1277. -usyd 1390, 1400. -ute 757 -yght 759. See -yght. -uy 1720, -y 17 19. -uydyd 948, -ydyd 946. 2. Alliteration is a marked feature of the verse. As is well known, the usage of combining alliteration and end-rime, which became conspicuous in western and northern England about the middle of the fourteenth century, grev/ in favor through the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, reaching its highest popularity in Scotland during the second half of the fifteenth century (v. Scottish Allit. Poems, ed. by Amours in Scot. Text Soc). The alliterative phrases record, clearly enough, the influence of the Old-English method of verse. In this poem alliteration occurs chiefly in formal phrases, as an ornament of the verse, rarely having any constructive significance. Lydgate followed no fixed method, though of course accent most often determines the phrase. For Chaucer's usage consult Ten Brink, Ch. Sp. p. 196, et. seq., and The Alliteration of Chaucer, a thesis by Dr. C. F. McClumpha (Univ. of Minn.). I cite a few of the most notable instances : XXX The Rime and the Final e. 4: jyttyng all rolytary a/one bejyde a lake. 5: musyng on a maner how that I OTyght OTake. 13: so /eyde I me downs my i/yssese to re/eue. 35: ys in a lytyll i-orner irallyd Fantasy. 66: roote and rynde. 127: iJoystous iJlast. 261: /lame of /yre. 270: full iad and wyse he remyd jykerly. 303: H/orldly a/ysdom. 320; hyr g-owne was of g-awdy ^rene chamelet. 345: in cruras flad. 354: \.^zXPrin.Engl.Ety.,\l.,c\v.V\\\). The Assem- bly of Gods is especially rich in words of Romance origin, and, as compared with contemporary writings, in words of recent adoption from the French. The poem is therefore especially helpful in tracing the gradual assimilation of foreign words into the language. In the Prolog to the Canterbury Tales in 303 words in the first 42 lines, Chaucer used 263 native English words, leaving 13 per cent. of foreign words. In 84 lines of the Assembly of Gods, of 669 words, the total number employed, 153, or nearly 2^, per cent., are foreign; of the 305 different words used in the same lines, 107 are of foreign origin. As Lydgate was popular long in the reign of Elizabeth, his service in naturalizing the foreign vocabulary was considerable. It will be seen that the number of obsolete words is comparatively small, the proportion of such words being less than in Chaucer or Wyclif or Pecock (Lee, Diet. Natl. £iog). B. Grammar. Lydgate's grammar has been well treated by Dr. Schick in his Introduction to the Temple of Glas (chap. vi. p. Ixiii). This MS., being of a late date, can aid but little in the construction of Lyd- gate's own speech. In the main, it is probable that Lydgate's phonological and inflexional system did not differ much from that of Chaucer. There was, however, in the case of Lydgate a much less certain use of inflexional endings. In the present .MS. the pronunciation of many endings is purely conjectural, the metre, owing to its irregularity, being seldom conclusive. The language xxxvi The Language. is seen to be in a state of greatest confusion about the year 1450. I note below a few of the grammatical forms of this text. I. Declension. Nouns. In Substantives of English origin, the final e of the sng. nom. is maintained in some cases tyme 137, 175^ j name 132; erthe 535. Inorganic e occurs in frende 1798, 1807; wytte 1887. Genitives have regularly the endings {e)s, es,ys; whales 1535; foSs 1126; feldys 1451 ; the genitive form ladyes is found in 1178. The dative and accusative maintain the e in crabbe i ; erthe 67, 1627; tyme 69; hede 271 (: sykerly) 286, 356, 384 (perhaps hede 379); tyde 334; felde 959; ende 1799; sonne 1896; tonne 1897; tylthe 1710; and others. Plurals commonly end in (e)s, es,ys; other plurals are found, as deere 65, 68 ; thyng 1064 ; eyen 220 ; men 759 ; foon 1762; chyldren 1659. In Substantives of Romance origin the final e in the sng. nom. is found in only a few cases: hooste 1124; bandeii62; chere 375; gowne 320. The genitives end regularly in (e)s, es. With proper names hys is sometimes used to indicate the genitive, as Vertew hys men 1072 ; Vyce hys quarrell 1055. The dative and accusative are most often without endings, though a final e occurs in pese 238; chare 792; scorgeii7o; scoole 1396, 1659. Plurals are regularly found in (e)s, es, ys. II. The Adjectives are generally without case endings. The final e appears, however, in all cases, sng. and pi. : as nom. sng. foule, dymme, 313; olde 390, 1749;//. olde 294; in oblique cases sng., derke 310; crystallyne 372; rewde 438 ; foule 648; hoole 1172;//., sage 389; blake 141 2. III. The Pronouns have the common M. E. forms; ye is used as singular in 32, 95, as plural in 150; she is found in 378, se in 376; hit occurs regularly; theym is used in 48, 415, hem in 66, 126 ; her (their) is used in 47, 65, 123, 867, and regularly. The indefinite som, without ending, occurs in 865, 1196, 1198, 1199. For relatives, which that and who (rare), are used; by hem that lyues 20 ; he that 21 ; poetes whyche 1743 ; [he] who 769. IV. Adverbs are found with endings e, es or ys, ly and without endings: sone 36, 461, 721, 1345; while 181, 72; ferre 1627; newe 562; nedys 21, 1372; nedes 1245; elles 33, 1033; ellys 1614, 1385 ; eftsones 1007. V. Conjugation of Verbs. The formation of the tenses of the verbs, strong and weak, is the same as in Chaucer. Infinitives end Literary Analysis. xxxvii in e, though perhaps more often they are without endings, as fall 230, riming with shall ; syt 191 riming with yet ; fly 1 185 riming with sodenly ; bow 2024 riming with how; tell 30 riming with hell, etc. The third person, indicative, present, has regularly the ending eth, eth. ' The norther )i es is found in two places : dryues 21, manaces 61 (in pi. lyues 20). The past participle is without a prefix ge-, i- or y-; the strong verbs end commonly in en and e, the weak in yd, ed, t: knowen 1141; beholdyn 1866; tak6n 501; take 59, 267, 547, 722, 725; tane 2013; broke 182; spoke 181; ronne i; dreven 1080 J cropyn 1953; ouerthrow 11 49 rimes with know (inf.) and 119 1 with low. The form beene occurs in 2047 riming with scene, also bene 420, 1343, ben 627, byn 1798, be 115, 298,460; bee 1136. So occur the forms goon 757, go 1396 ; done 48, 563, doon 84, do 195, 1248 (riming with lo), 496,; scene 545, seyne 1671. CHAPTER VII. THE POEM. A. Literary Analysis.' A. Introduction {stanzas 1-5). The time : when Phoebus had nearly finished his course in the Crab. The place : I was sitting alone beside a lake. The theme : musing how I might make Rea- son and Sensuality to accord. The framework of the action : a dream. The director of the dream : Morpheus. B. The Action of the Dream : the Theme illustrated {6-2gi). Act I. The case of Eolus {6-8 j). Scene I. At the Court of Minos in Hell {6-26). — Characters at the Court: Pluto, Ruler of Hell; Minos, the Justice ; Cerberus, the Constable ; Diana and Neptune, plaintiffs ; Eolus, the defendant; Morpheus and Lydgate, spectators, {a) Eolus led in by Cerberus (6). {6) Silence proclaimed by Pluto (7). {c) The complaint of Diana: Eolus had destroyed her forests with his blasts wherefore the deer were without shelter (8-1 1). {d) The complaint of Neptune: Eolus had disputed with him the jurisdiction of the sea and had caused him to turn against his natural course and to labor far out of measure, making him to ebb and flow out of his season. Moreover, Eolus had destroyed those to whom he had granted protection (12-20). (ersoMm speak in character. Some portions, as the assem- bly of the gods and the gathering of the different hosts, might take the form of a masque.' Poem and play differ only in the method of presenting the same form of thought. The dramatic cast of the poem might well be expected in the case of Lydgate, who seemed as well able to direct a street pageant as to write verses in a cloistre. He devised pageants for the Mer- cers' and Goldsmiths' Companies in honor of Wm. Estfield, who was London's mayor in 1429 and 1437 (v. £>ia. Natl. Biog., XXXIV, p. 306). Stowe in his Annals of England (t^. 385) witnesses that in 1445, at the reception in London of Queen Margaret, the wife of Henry VI., several pageants were exhibited at Paul's gate with verses written by Lydgate (v. Hist. Eng. Pageants, ed. Howes, p. 385; Fur le Roy, M. P.). According to Ritson (Bibl. Poet, p. 79) Lydgate wrote a Disguising or Mumming before the King at Eltham. Ritson also inserts in his list of Lydgate's works "a pro- cession of pageants from the creation." This is exceedingly doubt- ful, for, as Halliwell says (M. P. p. 94), Ritson only copied from Tanner, whose conjecture it was that the Coventry Series of Miracle Plays was written by Lydgate. But the Processioun of Cot pus Christi (title given by Shirley), attributed by Ritson to Lydgate and so printed by Halliwell, while not dramatic in form, contains an enu- meration and description, as if in procession, of Patriarchs and Saints from Adam to Thomas Aquinas. The Dance of Death and the Pilgrimage of the World a.Te essentially dramatic. The dramatic element of Bycorne and Chichevache, which was doubtless borrowed from a French mystery play,'' is also worthy of note. Certainly not the least excellence of the Assembly of Gods is its dramatic pictur- esqueness. It was this characteristic which Collier noted that he remarked "the story is very dramatic, and far less dull than most pieces of the kind" {An. of the St. p. 31). II. The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. — In considering the central allegory of the Assembly of the Gods the reader is brought into relation with one of the great themes of literature, the almost universal subject of war, the war that proceeds within the soul — ' It seems to be well established that the English masque, and the pageants, derived their popularity and meaning from the allegorical poems and plays. Dunbar's Dance of the Sins is a masque in form. The Dance of Death was a graveyard processional. ' See Dodsley's Old Plays, XII. p. 302. Ixiv The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. how man battles through trials and temptations to heaven's gate, how he falls oft but rises again, how he wins at length the victory over Sin and Death. This is in truth the dominant allegory of man. So universal, indeed, is the treatment in the literature of Christen- dom of the theme of man's salvation that the collected volumes of that literature may be said to constitute a veritable Epic of Penance. For note how often in great literatures, in the works of Dante, Lang- land, Chaucer, Spenser, Bunyan, Goethe, Tennyson and Browning, to name the greatest, the real content of life is described in the terms of pilgrimage and battle — the life that in the Middle Age was in very fact a Crusade and a Tournament, an ascent up the Mount of Purgatory, that was in Reformation times a Pilgrim's Progress and a Holy War, that is still a " War of Sense with Soul," where the obligation never ceases to "Fight on, fare ever." The literature of this struggle, wherein not only the soul of man is involved but also the spiritual powers beyond our world, where Earth and Heaven and Hell are mingled in contest, constitutes in its entirety the most stu- pendous epic which the genius of man has conceived. In some form the subject is older than Christianity. War itself is a primitive theme. The heathen myths pictured the agents of nature as engaged in warfare, the healing and harmful forces, the Light and the Darkness, the Summer and the Winter, the sun-gods and the frost-giants. In one of the earliest of historic religions, Zoro- asterism, the idea of antagonism in the moral life occurs, the contest between the Prince of Light and the Prince of Darkness being figured upon the earthly sphere. On the spiritual side Plato's myth of the contending steeds is again a record of the primi- tive soul. Thus the necessity has been laid on man from the first of "working out the beast" and "letting the ape and tiger die." It is true that Christianity brought into greater prominence the need of warfare. '^Estate fortes in bello et pugnato cum antique serpente" — thus the Scriptures exhorted the Christian convert to the fearful battle against sin. Then when paganism came in contact with Christianity the terms of war and of military society were naturally applied to the new life and to the kingdom of Heaven. Christ was King. His apostles were thegns who went forth to the wars. With the spiritual conceptions of the new gospels was mingled the mythology . which dealt with the war- fare of Nature. The conflict between Day and Night was trans- ferred to Christ and Satan, to Eternal Light and Eternal Darkness. The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. Ixv Chivalry, gathering from paganism all that was best in war, strength, prudence, courage, knightly honor, and from Christianity an ideal of spiritual perfection, now became the established principle of society, a society that received its personal ideal in the figure of King Arthur and its social ideal in the Order of the Round Table. While society itself was thus being organized in accordance with the ideal of militant Christianity, the severest of spiritual battles were being fought out within the cloisters of the monks. A severer morality was naturally exacted from the monks than from the ordi- nary Christian. It was then within the monasteries of the third and fourth centuries that the " Olympian battle with Sin " began. By Ambrose (340-397) and his pupil Augustine (354-430) the Platonic virtues called "cardinal," Wisdom, Justice, Fortitude, and Temper- ance, were resolved into Christian graces. To these were added the triad of theological virtues. Faith, Hope and Love. Against these seven were arrayed for the trial of the saints seven deadly sins. Pride, Avarice, Anger, Gluttony, Lust, with two others selected from Envy, Vain-glory, Tristitia or Accidia. An intense and concentrated struggle against human weakness was thus set on foot. On the basis of these sins a penitential system was devised, some form of pil- grimage up the mount of Purgatory. By the time that Dante wrote his Comedia the exactions of monastic virtue were enforced upon all the children of the Church and a penitential pilgrimage enjoined. In the Inferno a classifica- tion of the sins is given as found in the Summa Theologica of St. Thomas Aquinas, which is based upon the ethical principles of Aris- totle as interpreted, probably, by Averrhoes. Sin, having been tri- umphant, is come to punishment in Hell according to what Dante calls the law of " contrapass " [retribution] (Inferno xxviii, 142.). But in Purgatory sin is not allowed to develop into act but appears as an inner incitement. It is shown, therefore, not as punishment but as recreation where struggle must enter, the will for holiness being victorious. "And I will sing that second realm instead, Wherein man's spirit frees itself from stain, And groweth worthy Heaven's high courts to tread." — Purg. U. 4-6, For this purpose Dante employed the popular penitential system of the Church which brought into prominence the necessity of dis- Ixvi The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. cipline by struggle against sin in the pilgrimage of this world. Thus the various stairs of Penitence are named after the seven monastic moralities. When Dante is resting on the fourth terrace of Purgatory, Virgil explains to him the nature and relation to each other of the seven mortal sins. He is explaining the teachings of St. Augus- tine and considers sin with respect to its causes. . Love is the common ground. Love perverted by selfishness and erring in its object is pride, envy and anger. Love remiss, defective in vigor, is sloth. Love excessive is avarice, gluttony and lust. (So earlier Augustine defined virtue as amor ordinatus, vice as amor non ordi- natus {Civ. D. XV. 221). Sin is mortal because i.t attacks the conditions of spiritual life, preventing in society the exercise of love. Pride is the most deadly, nearest therefore to the state of hell, because it strikes directly at love and hinders to the utmost the soul's higher life. The current ethics of the church during the thirteenth and four- teenth centuries respecting the nature of the vices is also contained in a poem entitled Septem Peccata Mortalia, of doubtful authorship but ascribed by some (Witte, Krafft and others) to Dante. " In Pride the root of every sin dotli lie ; Hence man himself doth hold in loftier fame Than others, and deserving lot more high. Envy is that which makes us blush for shame, With grief beholding others' happiness, Like him, whom we the face of God proclaim. Wrath still more woe doth on the wrathful press, For its fierce mood lights up hell's fiery heat ; Then ill deeds come, and loss of holiness. Sloth looks with hate on every action meet, And to ill-doing ever turns the will. Is slow to work, and quick to make retreat. Then Avarice comes, through which the whole world still Vexes its soul, and breaks through every law, And tempts with gain to every deed of ill. Both fool and wise foul Gluttony doth draw. And he who pampers still his appetite. Shortens his life, to fill his greedy maw. And Lust that comes the seventh in order right. The bonds of friendship breaks and brotherhood, At variance still with Truth and Reason's light." — Trans, by Plumptre, II., p. 324. The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. Ixvii In tracing now in literature tiiis allegory of life we are led back to a favorite classic of the dark ages, the Psychomachia of Prudentius, the work of a Christian poet who flourished during the early part of the fifth century, who is best known to the modern world for his Hymns, repeated editions of which were issued during the fifteenth, sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The Psychomachia' (Migne, Patrol. Ser. L. Vol. 60), written in hexameters in ecclesiastical Latin, represents allegorically the con- flict between the vices and virtues for the soul of man. The poem' is an expansion of an earlier work by the same writer entitled Hamartigenia (Migne, Patrol., Vol. 59, p. 1007) which is theological in character, an explanation of the origin of evil in refutation of the heresies of the day, notably that of Marcion, the dualist. The Psychomachia is an expansion of a portion of the Hamartigenia, where Anger, Superstition, Sadness, Strife and Luxury, war against the soul. The allegory in the later poem is carried out into great detail, being intended to represent the successive stages of Christian conflict amid the temptations of the world. A first struggle is neces- sary to overcome the worship of the pagan gods and to become a Chris- tian. The next conflicts occur between Chastity and Lust, and between Patience and Wrath, resulting in victory for the virtues. Pride then attacks Humility, Righteousness, Temperance, Fasting, Shame and Simplicity. But a pit is dug for Pride by Treachery and by Hope the vice is slain. Then comes the battle between Luxury, who is driven in a chariot by Love scattering flowers, and Temperance who bears the standard of the cross. These Desires having been vanquished Avarice with her train appears and attacks the Christian under the guise of Frugality, but Almsgiving rescues the soul. The last battle is with Heresy, who is slain, and the ^oul is at peace. For the popular theological confirmation of such a warfare one may turn to St. Augustine's City of God, the latter part of which was contemporary with the Psychomachia and written perhaps with the poem in mind. The 19th Book of the City of God rev&3.\s the dis- cords between the heavenly and earthly cities and in the tenth chapter announcement is made of the rewards prepared for the saints: "There the virtues shall no longer be struggling against any vice or evil but shall enjoy the reward of victory, the eternal peace which no adversary shall disturb." ' Cf. Hist, of Latin Lit., G. A. Simcox, II., p. 360. Ixviii The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. The Psychomachia,^ sanctioned by the usages and doctrines of the church, became the model for a series of poems, generally moral and didactic in motive, called variously Bataille, Debat, Tournoie- ment, Disputoison and P^ldrinage (v. Lit. Fr. an Moyen Age, par Gaston Paris, pp. 158, 159, 169, 227, 228). Among the later works of this class are the Anticlaudianus (12th century) by Alanus; Debat du corps et d I'ame (12th century); Tournoiement d' Antichrist (1235) by Huon de M^ri, which contains the battle between the Vices and Virtues under the leadership of Antichrist and Christ respectively ; Pelerinage de la vie humaine (1330-5), by Guil. De Deguilville, a favorite work in England and the prototype of Bunyan's Pilgrim^s Progress; certain of the Bestiares which satirize the vices of the time, as the Renart le Nouvel (1288), by Jacquemart Gielee, the animals of which, attacking the holy castle Maupertius, fight like the seven deadly sins with which they are for the first time mixed ; episodes also found in the love poems, that series of Ars d'Amour which ended with the Roman de la Rose, as the battle for the rose in the Roman (Lit. Fr. G. Paris, p. 169). Typical of these mediaeval works that deal with the war of the vices and virtues is the Anticlaudianus, sive de Officio Viri Boni et Perfectly one of the most important books of the period, and one familiar to Lydgate and his fellow monks. It was written by Alanus de Insulis, during the second half of the 12th century, to oppose an invective of Claudian against Rufinus, the prime minister of Theodosius the Great, who was represented as the embodiment of all that is vicious, having been perverted by all the passions of hell. The poem is well summarized by Mr. Steele in his edition of Lydgate's Secrees (note, p. log) whose outline is here quoted. "Nature, perceiving its failure in bringing about perfection, decides to join in one being all the virtues and excellences possible. She therefore summons all these allegorical personages, and lays ' The De Consolatione Philosophic by Boethius may be mentioned as one other source of the battle motif. A French version of u part of this work is found in a poem called De Fortune et de Felicite which is said by Warton (II, p. 216) to be the source of the Tournoyement de r Antichrist {c. 1228) by Huon de Meri, which contains a combat of the Vices and Virtues ; this latter work was employed by Langland for the battle scene of the Antichrist at the close of Piers the Plowman (Skeat). Gaston Paris, however, thinks that most of these scenes of moral war- fare may be referred to the Psychomachia. ■'\. Migne, Patrol, t. 210, or Anglo-Lat. Satir. Poets, Roll's Series, ed. Wright. Cf. Lounsbury's Chaucer Studies, II, p. 348. The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. Ixix before them her plan. Prudence (Phronesis) and Reason remark that none of them can give to man the highest of .all gifts — a soul, and that they must ask it from God. This mission is imposed on them ; they at first refuse it, but Concord gets them to accept it. A car is made for them by the seven liberal arts, to which five horses representing the senses are yoked. Grammar lays the framework, Logic makes the axles of the wheels, Rhetoric adorns the frame with gems and flowers of silver, Arithmetic, Music, Geometry and Astronomy make the wheels, and Reason drives the chariot. "They pass through the air, the clouds, the home of the evil spirits of the air, the spheres of the planets, and arrive at the firma- ment, when Reason faints and the senses become useless. Theology appears, and on the condition that Reason and the senses — except that of hearing — are abandoned, offers to guide Phronesis. The firmament, the empyrean heavens, the dwellings of saints, angels, and the Mother of God are next described. Here Prudence faints, but Faith revives her, and explains the mysteries of human destiny, grace, etc. "God now orders Intelligence to frame a model of a soul such as was asked for, and making it, it is sent to Nature, who makes a body which Harmony, Music and Arithmetic fit for and join to the soul. All the allegorical divinities add a gift — even Nobility and Fortune bring theirs — which Wisdom checks and moderates. "But Hell learning of this new creation resolves to destroy it, and Allecto unites all the vices against it. After a long battle the new man puts them all to flight, and inaugurates upon the earth the reign of Justice and Happiness. " The English books of Penance are many in number. Among the theological works in prose which treat in whole or in part the subject of the vices and virtues there are to be mentioned especially a Homily by yElfric (Thorpe's ed. ^Ifric Soc. H, p. 219), Old English Homilies (E. E. T. ed. Morris), the Ancren Riwie (Morton's ed. p. 198-204), Dan Michel's Ayenbite of Inwyt (Morris' ed. p. 16), Vices and Virtues (E. E. T. ed. Holthausen), Dan John Gaytryge's Sermon on Shrift and the Mirrour of St. Edmund (Relig. P. ed. Perry, p. i, 15), a sermon by Wyclif (Works ed. by Arnold HI., p. 225) and Chaucer's Persones Tale. Among the religions pieces in verse which treat the theme are Aldhelm's De Octo Principalibus Vitiis (in Latin, Migne, Patrol. Ser. Lat. 89, p. 282), the book of Penance added to the Cursor Mundi (E. E. T. pt. V., p. 1524 Ixx The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. et seq.), verses in Religious Pieces and in Political Religious and Love Poems (E. E. T. ed. Furnivall, p. 215), the Manuel of Sins, translated from a work by Bishop Grosseteste by Robert Mannyng, tracts in the Vernon MS. (ed. Horstmann, E. E. T.) entitled How to Live Perfectly No. XXXII.) and The Spur of Love (No. XXXV.), being translations from the popular Speculum of Edmund Rich, in the same MS. the Dispute Between a Good Man and the Devil (No. XXXVII.), The Mirrour of the Periods of Man" s Life va. Hymns to the Virgin and Christ (E. E. T. ed. Furnivall, p. 58), and a poem by William de Shoreham entitled De Septem Mortalibus Peccatis (Percy Soc, Vol. 28, p. 102), etc. These treatises set forth the common theory of ethics as taught by the Latin Church. In classification and definition of the principal vices and virtues the works generally accord. There is occasional difference in the number, in the order of mention of the cardinals and in the names and number of the "branches" which spring from the parent stems. The English Benedictine monks, following the older continental system, enumerate eight principal vices and virtues. ^Ifric (Hom. ed. Thorpe, Vol. II, p. 219) sets in opposition, on the one hand the vices gifernys (greediness), galnyss (lust), gitsung (covetousness), weamet (anger) unrotnys (discontent), asolcennys odd& semelnys (sloth or aversion), idel gylp (vain-glory), and modignys (pride) ; on the other hand the healing virtues gemetegung (moderation), claennys (chastity), cystignys (bounty) gedyld (patience), gastlicer blis (ghostly joy), ariraednys (steadfastness), lufe (love) and eadmodnys (humility). In the mediaeval treatises the number of each class is regularly seven. The classification in the Parable of the Castle of Love in the Cursor Mundi (11. 10040— 10052) is the following : pride, envie, glotony, lust, gredines, wreth, hevynes, with the corresponding virtues, buxumnes, charite, abstinens, chastite, liberality, mekenes, and gostly gladnes. In the Cursor Mundi'' s Book of Penance the list is : pride, envy, wra/, slau/e, couatyse, glotori and drunkenhede, lichery; and mekeness, loue, thalmodenes, gastely ioy, lele of hert and fre of gyft, abstinence and sobirte, chastite. The Ayenbite of Inwyt has in one place (p. 16 and 123) prede, envye, wrepe, sleau/e, icinge (avarice) couaytise, glotounye, lecherie ; and for virtues the Pauline triad of beleave, hope and charite, and the cardinals of the "yealde philosofes" sley/e (prudence) temper- The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. Ixxi ance, streng/e, and dom (justice); in another place (p. 159) prede, enuye, felhede (hate), slacnes, scarsnes, lecherie, glotounye and boysamnes (humility) loue, mildenes, proues, larges, chastete, sobrete. In the Mirrour of St. Edmund occur pryde, envy, ire, slouth, couetyse, glotony, lechery ; and wysdom, vndirstandynge, consaile, stalworthenes, cunnynge, pete, drede of Godde, four of which are said to be needful for the active life and three for the contempla- tive life. Dan Jon Gaytryge's sermon recounts the regular vices and for virtues, trouthe, hope and charyte, the theological virtues, and ryghtwysenes, sleghte (prudence), strenghe, and methe (temper- ance), the natural virtues. The Latin titles occur in Gyf me Lysens to Lyve in Ease (Pol., Rel., and Love P. E. E. T. ed. Furn- ivall p. 215) superbia, invidia, ira, avoryssia, accidia, gula, luxuria, with the corresponding umylitas, carytas, amor cum paciencia, vigi- late et orate, elymosina, abstinaunce, chastite. In the tract How to Live Perfectly (Vernon MS. E. E. T. No. 32) the remedies for sin are the Seven Blessings of the Gospel and the medicine for the sins are Wisdom, Understanding, Strength, Counsel, Wit, Pity, Fear of God. Chaucer's list in the Persones Tale is pride, envye, ire, accidie, avarice, glotenye, leccherie ; and humilite, love, mansuetude and pacience, strengthe, misericorde and pite, abstinence, and chastite. Gower employs the same classification in his Confessio Amantis. The most original treatise on the theme is perhaps Wyclif's tract on the Seven Deadly Sins (Works, ed. Arnold III, p. 119). The cardinals are th^e conventional ones but the condemnation of the practical sins of the clergy and people is from the Lollard point of view. The sins have this origin: "/e fende, and /o worlde, and monnis owne flesche, stiren hym to couyte ageynes God's wille. And so ich one takes at other, and /ese make seven. Pride, envye, and wrath ben synnes of po fende; wrathe, slouthe, and avarice ben synnes of /e world ; avarice, and glotenye, and po synne of lechorye ben synnes of po flesche" (p. 121). These are thus defined: "Pride is wicked liif of a monnis hyenesse;" "Envye is unordynel wille of mon to his neghtbore ; " "Wrathe is unskillful wille of vengeaunce;" Slouthe is "slouthe in God's service;" Cov- etise is "avarice of worldly godis;" "Glutonye falles /en to mon, when he takes mete or drink more /en profites to his soule;'' "Lechorye stondis in /is /ing, /at mon mysusis lymes or powers of Ixxii The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. his body, /at God haves ordeyned unto men for his kyndely gen- drure" (p. \2\ et seq). In the more imaginative treatises various mystical and allegorical features appear. Chaucer's Parson pictures the life of God's chosen as a pathway filled with stumbling blocks. In the Mirrour of the Periods of Man' s Life a man is tempted from birth to age. In Gyf me Lysens to Lyve in Ease the sins are as wounds to be healed by medicines in the form of plasters and herbs, the remedial virtues. In Piers the Plowman the sins are the mUck with which Haukyn, the active man, has soiled his coat (Pas. xiii). Often sin is described as a tree with branches and twigs as in the Ayenbite of Inwyt. When personified the sins may come as warriors in armor on horse or a foot, as in the Parable of the Castle of Love in the Cursor Mundi, or as in Lydgate's Assembly of Gods, Spenser's Faery Queene, Fletcher's Purple Island and Bunyon's Holy War. In the moral play, The World and the Child, the vices are exhibited as seven kings. Chaucer in the "A B C" laments that he is chased by "theves seven." Dunbar pictures the sins as dancers down in hell. Gower assigns the vices to a lover. Langland describes the virtues as " sisters," Pride alone among the vices being personified as a woman. Dan Michel declares Pride to be the devil's own daughter. In the Sawles Warde the cardinal virtues are the daughters of the lord of the house. In the Ancren Riwle each sin is symbolized by an ani- mal : Pride by a Lion, Envy by an Adder, Wrath by a Unicorn, Lechery by a Scorpion, Avarice by a Fox, Gluttony by a Sow, Sloth by a Bear. The Ayenbite of Inwyt presents most mystical features : St. John in a vision saw a beast come out of the sea having a leopard's body, a bear's feet, a lion's throat, and it had seven heads and ten horns. This beast, explains Michel, betokeneth the devil who cometh from the sea of hell ; its guile is denoted by the leopard's spots, his strength by the bear's feet, his cruelty by the lion's throat. The seven heads are the seven deadly sins and the ten horns the guilts of the commandments. Without exception these writings accord in assigning to Pride the first place among the sins. Pride, said ^Ifric, is " ord and ende selces yfeles : se geworhte englas to deoflum and selcre synne anginn is modignys." Pride in the Cursor Mundiis ihe chief sin that fights against Love : it is said that Lucifer fell by pride, that it is fouler than any devil in hell. The Ayenbite of Inwyt pictures Pride as the devil's own daughter, the sin of Lucifer and the angels, the first to assail The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. Ixxiii our Lord and the last to abandon Him.' In Gyfme Lysens to Lyve in Ease, Pride is the first wound "more bytter than ever was gall." By Wyclif Pride is considered to be the chief sin, being accorded to the Fiend. Said Gower "Pride is the heaved of all sinne" (I, p. 153). Barclay, at the beginning of the period of the Reformation, wrote of Pride that it is " A vyce so moche abhomynable That it surmountyth without any fable All other vyces in furour and vylenes And of all synne is it rote and maystres, " — Ship of Fools, II, p. 159. So Pride leads the dance of the sins in hell in Dunbar's poem. It was the first to receive punishment in the Shepheard' s Kalendar. It cast Satan and the rebel angels out from heaven in Milton's Paradise Lost. With Shakespeare it appears as ambition : "By that sin fell the angels." Henry VIII, III, 2, 441. The consensus of mankind seems then to be written by Sir Thomas Browne that Pride is "the first and father sin, not only of man but of the devil ; a vice whose name is comprehended in a monosyllable, but in its nature not circumscribed with a world (Works, II, P- 435)- Turning from the theological treatises on the moralities, and taking up the works of real artistic value wherein the imagination of writers was truly kindled by a perception of the poetic capacities of the theme of battle and pilgrimage, we enter a most important field, perhaps to be called, when considering the actual epical and dramatic development of the theme, the most important field in early English literature. The many chivalric Romances would be included in the survey, perhaps also the earlier Guthlac. With a more specific treatment is the long series beginning with Bishop Grosseteste's Chateau d'amour, which received several translations at the hands of later writers, continuing in the parable of the Castle of Love in the Cursor Mundi, the English Bestiares, the Moral-plays, Langland's Piers the Plowman, Gower's Confessio Amantis, perhaps the Romauntof the Rose, Lydgate's Assembly of Gods, Hawes's Pastime of Pleasure, Dunbar's ZJa^^ci? of the Sins, 'QsxcXz.f's, Ship of Fools and Mirrour of Good Manners, the anonymous Shepheard s Kalendar, religious pieces of the type of the Mirrour of the Periods of Man's Life, Spenser's Faery Queene, John Day's Peregrinatio Scholastica, Bernard's Lsle of Man, and, last of these stirring allegories, Fletcher's Purple Island Ixxiv The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. (1633), and Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress (1678) and Holy War (1682). In almost the earliest teaching on the subject of sin, in ^Ifric's Homily on Midlent Sunday (ed. Thorpe, II, 212) the Christian life is described as a warfare. In the homilies the word commonly used for Virtues was mihtan (Old-Eng. Horn. I, p. 105)1 it being explained that by God's help, if fight were keen, the devilish sins would be overcome (p. 107).' The Psychomachia of Prudentius was known to the English monks as it is referred to by Beda in his De Ratiotie Metrica as the book " quem de virtutum vitiorumque pugna heroico carmine composuit." There is an echo of its triumph in Guthlac where the hero meets in deadly combat with Satan and his troops of sin-smiths that roar and rage like wild beasts. In the manner of the Psychomachia Aldhelm wrote in Latin his De Octo Principalibus Vitiis (Migne, Patrol. Lat. Ser., 89, p. 282) arraying the opposing forces in battle form. For this warfare man was given the gift of Power. This is a Virtue described by Dan Michel {Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 169) as a tree with seven boughs which betokened the seven battles that the Christian must wage. This Christian battle is again likened by Michel to the gladiatorial fights at Rome, wherein those who desired fame must ov,ercome all who are sent against them by the master of the field ; the holy Christ is the master who suffers no one to be tried above his strength. Bishop Grosseteste, employing the chivalric idea, figures Love as a strong castle standing high on a polished rock. The castle is enclosed by four stone walls and a deep moat, and fortified with four towers and seven barbicans. A clear, all healing well springs from the central tower. Within the tower is a brilliant throne. Being interpreted, the castle is a shield to the human soul. The rock is Mary's heart. The four towers are the cardinal Virtues, Strength, Skill, Rightfulness, and Temperance. The seven barbicans are the seven virtues that receive the attacks of the deadly sins. The well is Mary's mercy. The throne is Christ. This figuration, so beautiful in its symbolism, caught the fancy of succeeding writers. The castle betokens refuge and strength and victory. As a symbol of the Virgin Mary it is employed in the Cursor Mundi, in the Abbaye of Saynte Spirite {Relig. Pieces, ed. Perry, E. E. T. p. 49) in a miracle play entitled Originate de Sancta Maria Magdalena (v. Collier, ZTz'i-/. Dr. P. II, p. 153-6) and in Lydgate's Life of St. Mary. 'Virtue is also called thewe in Gaytryge's Sermon, p. 10. The Allegory of the Vices and Vii-tues. Ixxv In Langland's vision the tower on the toft, partly drawn from Grosseteste's Chateau if amour, \s the abode of Truth or God the Father (v. Prol. 1. 14; Pass. v. 11. 594 et seq). Grace is the doorward there and seven sisters the porters of the posterns, Abstenence, Humilite, Charite, Chestite, Pacience, Pees, and Largenesse. Mercy, or the Virgin Mary, mediates between the sinful ones at the gates and Christ and the Father. The chief battle in Langland's poem is that waged against the church of Unity (Pass, xx) by Antichrist and seven giants. Sloth and Avarice lead the assault. Peace bars the gates. But the virtues sleep and Conscience is forced to become a pilgrim over the world, seeking the Plowman. In a 13th century homily, Sawles Warde, man is represented as a castle inhabited by Wit, his wife Will, five servants, the five senses, and four daughters, the cardinal virtues. Among the Moral-plays the Castle of Perseverance well illustrates the prevailing conception. The play was performed during the reign of Henry VI., but it is thought from its completeness that it must have had predecessors of the same kind (Collier, Hist. Dr. P., II. p. 200 et seq}j. Humanum Genus has been conducted by Good Angels to the Castle of Perseverance, which is under the ward- ship of the Seven Virtues. The Seven Deadly Sins attack the castle but are repulsed by the Virtues, being made " blak and bio" by the beating of roses which Charity and Patience fling from the walls. "Drery Death" alone has power over Humanum Genus whose soul is at last saved by the grace of Deity. The later development of the theme needs only to be mentioned here. The Faery Queene was a natural evolution of the mediaeval chivalric idea. Though the theological dogmatism is abandoned mankind is yet in the wilderness of this world, beset by sins on every side. In Book II. there is set forth the struggle of the Soul against its enemies. In Mammon's Cave the World is overcome. Arthur prevails against the Devil in the person of Maleger, the captain of the vices. Guyon, in the bower of Acrasia, resists the temptations of the Flesh. The ninth canto shadows forth the struggle of the Soul within the body. Milton and Bunyan picture the redemptive system from the Protestant point of view. For the first time in Milton's Paradise Regained the struggle is pictured as being withdrawn within the self — this is the beginning of the modern treatment of the theme. But Bunyan writes directly in the manner of the "old fables" that dealt with " Mansoul's wars." Ixxvi The Allegory of the Vices and Virtues. One of the last of these microcosmic encounters and the most ingenious and involved of all, is the Purple Island, published in 1633 by the poet Fletcher, who is called by Francis Quarles "the Spenser of this age." The Purple Island is Man. Its prince is Intellect. The Senses constitute a pentarchy. Cosmos captains the rout of Vices that attack the Island. The Virtues defend and conquer (v. cantos vii-viii, ix-x, xi-xii). Considering the possibilities of Lydgate's theme it is to be regret- ted that he did not grapple with it more successfully. His work exhibits intelligence, some degree of imagination, but is devoid of passion and aesthetic apprehension. He marshaled numberless hosts, his design was so comprehensive as to include the upper firmament, the lowest hell, and the earth and man, yet the Assembly of Gods is almost the least of the poems attempting to portray the Holy War. THE ASSEMBLY OF GODS. By Don John Lydgate. *Here. foloweth the Inti?rpretacion of the names of goddys & goddesses as ys rehersyd in pis tretyse folowywg as poetes wryte : PHEBUS: ys as moche to sey as pe Sonne. Ceres : Goddesse of Come. Apollo : ys the same or ellys God of CupiDO: God of Loue. Lyght. Othea: Goddes of Wysdom. Morpheus : Shewer of Dremes. Fortune : pe variaunt Goddesse. Pluto : God of Hell. Pan: God of Shepardsj. MYNOS : luge of Hell. ISYS: Goddesse of Frute. Cerberus : Ports?- of Hell. Neptunus: God of the See. EoLUS : Se Wynde or God of pe Eyre. Myn£xue : Goddesse of Batayll, or of Diana: Goddesse of Woode & Chace. Harueyst. Pheee: pe Mone or Goddes of Watyrsj. Bachus: God of Wyne. Aurora : Goddes of pe Morow or the MEXCVRIVS : God of Langage. Spryng of the Day. Venus : Goddesse of Loue. Mars: God of Batayll. DISCORDE: Goddesse of Debate and lUBYTER : God of Wysdoin. Stryfe. lUNO: Goddesse of Rychesse. ATTROPOS: Dethe. Saturne : God of Colde. Whan Phebus in the Crabbe had nere hys cours ronne And toward the leon his iourne gan take, To loke on Pictagoras speere I had begonne, Syttyng all solytary alone besyde a lake, Musyng on a maner how that I myght make Reason & Sensualyte in oon to acorde; But I cowde nat bryng about that monacorde. 7 * Omitied in B. C folloivs the Cainh. MS., closing : Here endyth the Inteipretaczbn of the names of Goddis and Goddesses as is rehercyd in thys treatyse folowynge. When Phebus had nearly run his course in the Crab, alone beside a lake, I was musing how I might make Reason and Sensuality to accord. The Journey to Hell. In heaviness I fell asleep. Morpheus enters and takes me by the sleeve, bidding me arise and attend the Court of Minos. I obey and go with him towards the parliament of Pluto and Minos. On the way I ask him his n^me. He replies, " Morpheus." "Where do you dwell?" He answers, "in Fantasy." Having arrived in Hell, Cerberus, the porter, brings thither Eolus in chains, charged by Neptune and Diana with traitorous action. For long er I myght, slepe me gan oppresse 8 So ponderously, I cowde make noon obstacle, In myne heede was fall suche an heuynesse, I was fayne to drawe to myn habytacle, ii To rowne w/t/i a pylow me lemyd best tryacle, So leyde I me downe my dyssese to releue. Anone came in Morpheus & toke me by the sleue. 14 3 And as I so lay half in a traunse, 15 Twene slepyng and wakyng he bad me aryse, For he seyde I must yeue attendaunse To the gret Court of Mynos, the iustyse. 18 Me nought auaylyd ayene hym to sylogys gj^ For hit ys oft seyde by hem that yet lyues He must nedys go that the deuell dryues. 21 4 When I sy no bettyr but I must go 22 I seyde I was redy at hys cowzmaundment, Whedyr that he wold me leede to or fro. So vp I aroose and forthe w/t/z hym went, 25 Tyll he had me brought to the parlyament. Where Pluto sate and Jcept hys estate, And w/t/^ hym Mynos, the luge desperate. 28 5 But as we thedyrward went by the way, 29 I hym besought hys name me to tell. "Morpheus," he seyde, "thow me call may." "A syr," seyd I, "than where do ye dwell, 32 In heuen or in erthe outher elles in hell ?" "Nay," he seyde, "myfi abydyng most comonly Ys in a lytyll corner callyd Fantasy." 35 6 And as sone as he these wordys had sayd, 36 Cerberus, the porter of hell, -^hh hys cheyne Brought theder Eolus in raggys euyll arayd, Agayn whom Neptunus and Diana dyd cowpleyne 39 Seying thus, " O Mynos, thow luge souereyne, Yeue thy cruell iugement ageyn thys trayto«r soo That we may haue cause to preyse thy lord Pluto." 42 In the Court of Minos. Then was there made a proclamasion, 43 In Plutoys name co^zmaundyd silence Vppon the peyne of strayte correccion, That Diana and Neptunwj myght haue iudience 46 To declare her greefe of the gret offence To theym done by Eolus, wheron they compleynyd. J^'^/J,^' t"'' And to begyn Diana was constreynyd. 49 Silence is proclaimed by Pluto that Neptune and Diana may declare their grievance. speak. Whyche thus began as ye shall here 50 Seying in thys wyse, " O thow lord Pluto, W/t/^ thy luge Mynos, syttyng ^ith the in fere, Execute your fury vppon Eolus so S3 Accordyng to the offence that he to me hath do. That I haue no cause forther to apele, Whiche yef I do shall nat be for your wele. 56 9 " Remembre furst howe I a goddesse pure 57 Ouer all desertys, forestes and chases, Haue take the guydyng and vndyr my cure. Thys traytoz^^ Eolus, hath many of my places 60 Dystroyed ■vtith hys blastes and dayly me manaces. Where any wood ys he shall make hyt pleyn Yef he to hys lyberte may resorte ayeyii. 63 10 "The grettest trees that any man may fynde 64 In forest to shade the deere for her comfort, He breketh hemasondre or rendeth hem roote & rynde Out of the erthe — thys ys hys dysport, 67 So that the deere shall haue no resort W/t/zyn short tyme to no ma.ner shade; Whef thorough the game ys lykly to fade. 70 II "Whyche to my name a reproche syngler 71 Shuld be for euer whyle the world last. And to all the goddtf.f an hygh dysplesef To see the game so dystroyed by hys blast; 74 Wherfore a remedy puruey in hast, And let hym be punysshyd aftyr hys offence. Consyder the cryme and yeue your sentence." 77 demanding from Minos the execution of fury upon Eolus, the traitor, who had destroyed her forests, breaking and uprooting the trees, 'where- fore the deer are without shelter. This brings reproach to Diana and dis- pleasure to all the gods, and requires punishment. The Complaint against Eolus. 78 Neptune next rehearses his complaint to Minos. For himself he claims jurisdiction over the sea, but Eolus causes him to turn against his course, and ebb and flow out of his season. And when thus Diana had made her compleynt To Mynos, the luge, in Plutoys prifsence, Came forthe Neptunz/j-, ^ith vysage pale & feynt, Desyryng of i'&Mour to haue audyence, Saying thus, " Pluto to thy magnyfycence I shall reherse what thys creature Eolus hath doon to me out of mesure. 13 "Thow knowest well that I haue the charge Ouer all the see, and thefof god I am, No shyp may sayle, keruell, boot ner barge, Gret karyk, nor hulke wz't/z any lyuyng man, But yef he haue my safe condyte than. Who me offendeth w/'t/^yn my iurysdiccion Oweth to submyt hym to my correccion. 14 "But in as mekyll as hit ys now soo That ye hym here haue as -your prysonere, I shall yow shew my compleynt loo, Wherfore I pray yow that ye woll hit here. And let hym nat escape out of yozzr daungere, Tyll he haue made full seethe and recompence For hurt of my name thorough thys gret offence. 98 15 " Furst, to begynne, thys Eolus hath oft Made me to retourne my course agayfi nature Wz't/^ hys gret blastys, when he hath be a loft, And chargyd me to labour ferre out of mesure, That hit was gret merueyle how I myght endure. The [foom] of my swet, wyll hit testyfy, That on the see bankes lythe betyn full hy. 16 " Secundly, where as my nature ys Bothe to ebbe and flowe and so my course to kepe, Oft of myii entent hath he made me mys. Where as I shuld haue fyllyd dykes depe 109 At a full watyr I might nat thedyf crepe Before my seson came to retorne ayeyne, And then went I fastyf than I wold certeyne, 112 81 84 85 88 91 92 95 99 105 106 In the Court of Minos. 17 "Thus he hath me dryuen ayeii myn entent 113 And contrary to my course naturall. Where I shuld haue be he made me be absent To my gret dyshonour, & in especiall 116 00 thyng he vsyd that worst was of all. For where as I my sauegard grauntyd, Ay in that cost he comonly hauntyd. 119 18 "Of vfrrey pure malyce and of sylfe wyll, 120 Theym to dystroy in dyspyte of me To whom I promysyd, bothe in good and yll, To be her protectour in adui?/-syte, 123 That to theym shuld fall open the see, And euyn sodenly, er they coude beware, W/t/z a sodeyn pyry, he lappyd hem in care. 126 19 "And full oft sythe wz't/z hys boystous blast, 127 Er they.myght be ware he drofe \rjm on the sande. And other whyle he brak top seyle and mast, Whyche causyd they w to perysshe ef they came to lande. Then cursyd they the tyme that &\er they me fande. Thus among the pepyll lost ys my name And so by hys Xzhour put I am to shame. 133 20 "Consydre thys mater and ponder my cause; 134 Tendre my co^zpleynt as rygouf requyreth ; Shew forthe your sentence wz't^ a breef clause. 1 may nat long tary, the tyme fast expyreth, 137 The offence ys gret, wherfore hyt desyreth The more greuous peyne and hasty iugement. For offence doon wylfully woll noon auysment." 140 21 And, when the god Pluto awhyle had hywz bethought, 141 He rownyd wzt/% Mynos to know what was to do. Then he seyd opynly, " Loke thow fayle nought Thy sentence to yeue wz't/^out IzNour so, 144 Lyke as thow hast herde the causys meuyd the to ; And so euenly dele twene these partyes tweyn, That noon of hem haue cause on the other cowpleyfi." This Eolus had done to his dis- honour. Out of very malice Eolus destroyed those to whom he had granted protec- tion, or else brought them to wreck ; wherefore his name is held in dishonor. The great of- fense requiresa grievous pun- ishment. Pluto advises Minos to judge fairly between the parties. Invitation of Apollo. Minos asks for further charges. and wishes to hear what Eolus can say for himself. A messenger enters froin _ Apollo inviting the gods to a banquet and requests the suspension of judgment upon Eolus, if Diana and Neptune should _ be therewith content. The Court is therefore dis- missed. Then seyd Mynos full indyfferently, 148 To Dyane & Neptunz^j-, "Ys thef any more That ye wyll declare agayn hym opynly ?" "Nay in dede," they seyde, "we kepe noon in store. 151 We haue seyde ynough to punysshe hym sore. Yef ye in thys matyr be nat parciall, Remembre your name was wont to be egall." 154 23 "Well then," seyd Mynos, "now let vs here 155 What thys boystous Eolus for hy»2self can sey, For here, pWma facie, to vs he doth apere That he hath offendyd — no man can sey nay. 158 Wherfore thow Eolus, without more delay. Shape vs an answer to thyne accusement. And ellys I most pr^^cede opon thy iugement." 161 24 And euyn as Eolus was onwarde to haue seyde 162 For hys excuse, came yn a messynger Fro god Apollo to Pluto, and hym prayde On hys behalfe that he wzt^out daungere 165 Wold to hym come & bryng wrt^ hym [in] feere Diane & Neptunz^j on to hys banket; And yef they dysdeynyd hy wsylf he wold hem fet. 168 25 Moreouifr he seyde to the god, Apollo 169 Desyryd to haue respyte of the iugement Of Eolus, bothe of Mynos & Pluto. So Dyane and Neptunus were therw/t/4 content, 172 And yef they were dysposyd to assent That he myght come vnto hys presence. He hit desyryd to know hys offence. 175 26 "What sey ye herto," seyd Pluto to hem tweyn, 176 "Wyll ye bothe assent that hit shall be thus?" "Ye," seyde the goddesse, "for my part certeyn." "And I also," seyde thys Neptunus. 179 "I am well plesyd," quod thys Eolus. And when they had a whyle thus togedyr spoke, Pluto cowzmaundyd the court to be broke. 182 To Apollo's Palace. 27 183 186 189 igo 193 196 197 And then togedyr went they in fere, Pluto & Neptunz/j- ledyng the goddesse, Whom folowyd Cerberus wz't/^ hys prysonere. And alther last ythh gret heuynesse Came I & Morpheus to the forteresse Of the god Apollo vnto hys banket, Where many goddys & goddesses -met. 28 When Apollo sye that they were come, He was ryght glad and prayed hem to syt. "Nay," seyd Diane, "thys ys all and some. Ye shall me pardone, I shall nat syt yet. I shall fyrst know why Eolus abyte And what execucion shall on hym be do For hys offence." "Well," seyd Appllo, 29 " Madame, ye shall haue all your plesere, Syth that hit woll none other wyse be. But furst I yow pray let me the mater here, Why he ys brought in thys pi?rplexyte." "Well," seyde Pluto, "that shall ye sone se." And gan to declare euen by and by Bothe her compleyntes ordynatly. 30 And when Apollo had herd the report Of Pluto, in a maner smylyng he seyde, "I see well, Eolus, thow hast small comfort Thy sylf to excuse; thow mayst be dysmayde To here so gret compleyntw ayene the layde. That liatwzt/^standyng, yef thow can sey ought For thyne owne wele, sey and tary nought." 31 "Forsothe," seyd Eolus, "yef I had respyte. Her to an answere cowde I counterfete. But to haue her grace more ys my delyte. Wherfore, I pray you all for me entrete. That I may, by your request, her good grace gete. And what pyne or greef ye for me prouyde, WA/iout any grogyng I shall hit abyde." 217 Pluto, Nep- tune and Diana, Cer- berus and Eolus, Mor- pheus and I, come to the palace of Apollo, where many gods and goddesses are met. Apollo wel- comes them with gladness. Diana refuses to sit until judgment is pronounced on Eolus. Pluto recounts the complaints against Eolus, 203 204 207 211 214 who is requested to give his excuses. Eolus speaks suing for the grace of Diana. The Complaint Dismissed, Apollo pleads for Eolus that the goddess sho* pity, on account of his great sorrow, and assures her if she for- give Eolus and he afterwards rebel that for every tree destroyed a hundred shall grow for the pro- tection of game. Diana grants release. For Neptune's case Phebe is accepted as arbiter. Apollo prays the gods and goddesses to fall to the banquet. Athena requests that due order be preserved. 32 "Lo, good Madame," seyd god Apollo, 218 "What may he do more but sew to jour grace. Beholde how the teares from hys eyen go. Hit ys satysfaccion half for hys trespase. 221 Now gloryous goddesse shewe your pyteous face To thys poore prysoriifr at my request. All we for your honour thynke thus ys best. 224 33 "And yef hit lyke yow to do in thys wyse, 225 And to foryeue hym clerely hys offense, Oon thyng suerly I will yow promyse, Yef he eft rebelle and make resystence 228 Or dysobey vnto your sentence, For eu^ry tree that he maketh fall, Out of the erthe an hundred aryse shall. 231 34 "So that your game shall nat dyscrese 232 For lak of shade, I dar vndyrtake." "Well, syr Apollo," seyde she than, "woll I cese Of all my mncour and mery v/tt/i yow make." 235 And then god Neptunz^j' of hys mater spake, Seying thus, "Apollo, though Diana hym relese, Yet shall he su to me to haue hys pese." 238 35 "A," seyde Apollo, "ye wend I had foryete 239 Yow for my lady Dian'e, the goddesse. Nay, thynke nat so, for I woll yow entrete As well as hyr wit/iont long processe. 242 Wyll ye agre that Pheb[e] your mastresse May haue the guydyng of your varyaunce?" "I shall abyde," quod he, "her ordynaunce." 245 36 "Well then," quod Apollo, "I pray you godd^J all, 246 And goddesses eke, that be heere p/-i?sent. That ye compaygnably wyll aboorde fall." "Nay then," seyde Othea, "hit ys nat conuenyent, 249 A dew ordre in euery place ys expedyent To be had, wherfore ye may nat let To be your owne marchall at your owne banket. "252 Assembly of the Gods. 37 And when Apollo sy hit wold noon other be, 253 He callyd to hym Aurora, the goddesse. And seyde, " Thowgh ye wepe yet shal ye before me Ay kepe your course & put your sylf in [presse]." 256 So he her set furst at hys owne messe, yVith her moyst clothes -with teares all be spreynt. The medewes in May shew therof her cowzpleynt.259 38 Next hyf sate Mars, myghty god & strong, 260 '^hh a flame of fyre enuyround all about, A crowne of yron on hys hede, a spere in hys hand. Hyt semyd by hys chere as he wold haue fought. 263 And next vnto hym, as I p^rceue mought, Sate the goddese Diana, in a mantell fyne Of blak sylke, purfylyd vfitk poudryd hermyne, 266 39 Lyke as she had take the mantell & the ryng. 267 And next vnto hyf, arayed royally, Sate the good lupyter, in hys demenyng Full sad, and wyse he semyd sykerly. 270 A crown of tynne stoode on hys hede. And that I recorde of all philosophres That lytyll store of coyne kepe in her cofres. 273 40 loynyd to hym in syttyng next ther was 274 The goddesse luno, full rychely beseene In a sercote that shone as bryght as glas, Of goldsmythes werke W2t^ spanglys wrought be-dene, Of royall rychesse wantyd she noone I wene. And next by her sate the god Saturne, That oft sythe causeth many oon to morne. 280 41 But he was clad me thought straungely, 281 For of frost & snow was all his aray; In hys hand he helde a fawchon all blody. Hyt semyd by hys chere as he wold make a fray. 284 A bawdryk of isykles about hys nek gay He had, and aboue an hygh on hys hede, [leede. Cowchyd with hayle stonys, he weryd a crowne of First, with Apollo, is set Aurora, wet with morning tears. Next, Mars, environed with Rame, an iron crown upon his head, a spear in his hand. With him is Diana, in a mantle of silk and ermine. Jupiter sits next, sad and wise, wearing a crown of tin. With him is Juno, dressed in royal rich- ness. Saturn next. arrayed in frost and snow, a bloody fal- chion in his hand, a ring of icicles about his neck, a crown of lead on high. 10 Assembly of the Gods. With him sits Ceres in a gar- ment of sack- cloth embroid- ered with sheaves and sickles. Next Cupid, dressed in gallant array with jewels, so that the palace shone. He sits embracing Ceres with one With him is Athena, clad in purple with a pearly crown. Pluto next, environed in mist and clothed in a smoky net, smelling of iire and sul phur. Fortune sits with him; she is dressed gaudily in green. 42 And next in ordre was set by hys syde 288 Ceres, the goddesse, in a garment Of sale clothe made -^hh sleues large & wyde, Embrowderyd yfith sheues & sykelys bent. 291 Of all man^r greynes she sealyd the patent, In token that she was the goddesse of corne. Olde poetys sey she bereth the heruest home. 294 43 Then was there set the god Cupido, 295 All fresshe & galaunt & costlew in aray. V^ith ouches & ryngej he was beset so The paleys therof shone as though hit had be day. 298 A kerchyef of plesaunce stood ouer hys helme ay. The goddesse Ceres he lookyd in the face And w/t/^ oon arme he hyr dyd enbrace. 301 44 Next to Cupido in ordyr by and by, 302 Of worldly wysdofij, sate the forteresse Callyd Othea, chyef grounde of polycy, Rewler of knyghthode, of Prudence the goddese. 305 Clad all in p«rpur was she more & lesse. Safe on her hede a crowne ther stood, Cowchyd ■mith perles, oryent, fyne and good. 308 45 And next to her was god Pluto set, 309 W?t,4 a derke myst enuyrond all aboute, Hys clothyng was made of a smoky net. Hys colour was, bothe wtt/ijn & wzt.^oute, 312 Foule, derke & dymme; hys eyen gret & stoute. Of fyre and sulphure all hys odour wase ; That wo was me whyle I behelde hys fase. 315 46 Fortune, the goddesse, mt/i her party face 316 Was vnto Pluto next in ordre set. Varyaunt she was ; ay in short space Hyr whele was redy to turne wz't^out let. 319 Hyr gowne was of gawdy grene chamelet, Chaungeable of sondry dyu^rse colowres, To the condycyons accor'dyng of hyr shoures, 322 Assembly of the Gods. II 47 And by her sate though he vn worthy were, 323 The rewde god Pan, of shep^rdys the gyde, Clad in russet frese, & breched lyke a bere, Wz'ty^ a gret tar box hangyng by hys syde. 326 A shepecrook in hys hand he sparyd for no pryde. And at hys feete lay a prykeryd curre. He ratelyd in the throte as he had the murre. 329 48 Ysys, the goddesse, bare hym company. 330 For at the table next she sat by hys syde, In a close kyrtyll enbrowderyd curyously, Wzt/z braunches & leues, brood, large & wyde, 333 Grene as any gresse in the som^rtyde. Of all man^r frute she had the gou^rnaunce. Of sauerys odoryferous was her sustynaunce. 336 49 Next hyr was then god Neptunz« set. 337 He sauoryd lyke a fysshef — of hy»2 I spake before. Hyt semyd by hys clothes as they had be wet. [score. Aboute hym, in hys gyrdyll stede, hyng fysshes many a Of hys straunge aray mif;^uelyd I sore. A shyp wz't/^ a toppe & seyle was hys crest. Me thought he was gayly dysgysyd at that fest. 343 50 Then toke Mynerue, the goddesse, her sete 344 Joyntly to Neptunz^i-, all in curas clad, Gauntlettw on hyr handys, & sabatouns on hyr fete. She loked eu^r about as though she had be mad. 347 An hamer and a sythe on her hede she had. She weryd ii bokelers, ooii by her syde, [pryde. That other ye wote where; thy s was all her 350 51 Then came the good Bachus, and by her set hym downe, Holdyng in hys hande a cup full of wyne. Of grene vyne leues he weryd a ioly crowne. He was clad in clustres of grapes good and fyne. 354 A garland of yuy he chase for hys sygne ; On hys hede he had a thredebare kendall hood ; A gymlot and a fauset thefopon stood. 357 By her is god Pan dressed rudely, a tar- box by his side, a sheep- crook in his hand, at his feet a cur. Isys keepshim company in a dress embroid- ered with leaves and branches. Neptune sits next. Fishes hang at his girdle. A ship IS his crest. With him sits Minerva, clad in armor, a hammer and scythe upon her head. Bacchus sits by her, clad in grape clusters, a cup of wine in his hand. His sign is a garland of yew. 1 2 Assembly of the Gods. 52 With him sits Next hvm sate Phebrel, w/t/4 hyr coXour pale. 358 palePhebe, ^ , , , , , , . boasting of her Fat shc was of face but of complexyon feynt. Slie seyde she rewlyd Neptunz^i' and made hyw to avale, And ones in the moneth wt't/i Phebus was she meynt. Also ne were she Ceres were ateynt. Thus she sate & tolde the myght of hyr nature, She wears a silver crown. And on hyr hede she weryd a crowne of syluyr pure. S3 Mercury seats loyntly to her M^rcuHus tooke hys see 365 himself next, a "^ god of golden As Came to hys course — wytnesse the zodyak. tongue. In his hand he He had 3. gyldyn tong, as fyll for hys degree. has a box of i n i i ^ n quicksilver. In cloquence of langage he passyd all the pak, 368 For in hys talkyng no man cowde fynde lak. A box vfttk quyksyluifr he had in hys hand, Multyplyers know' hit well in euery land. 371 54 His companion gy jjiuj gate Dame Venus wi'ik colour crystallyne, 372 bright of Whoos long here shone as wyre of goold bryght. curiously, her Cryspc was her skyfi, her eyen coluwbyne, wire. Rauysshyd myn hert her chere was so lyght. 375 Patronesse of plesaunce, be namyd well se myght. A smokke was her wede, garnysshyd curyously. But aboue all other she had a wanton ey. 378 55 shewearsa On her hede she weryd a rede copyr crowne. 379 A nosegay she had made full pleasauntly. Between Betwcne her and Aurora, Apollo set hym downe. Aurora and , Venus Apollo Witk hvs beames bryght he shone so feruently 382 sits him down. .' -^ ° j ^ He gives light That he therw/t/^ gladyd all the company. to the com- , pany. His A crowne of pure gold was on hys hede set, crown IS of i- a gold. In sygne that he was mastyr & lord of that banket. Waiting at the Thus was the table set rownde aboute 386 table are poets and phiioso- With goddys & goddesses, as I haue yow tolde. Cicero, Aris- AwaytynS; on the boorde was a gret route totle, Ptolemy, , , „ , ,j Dorothe, Of sagc phylosophyrs & poetes many folde. 389 Plato, Me's- Ther was sad Sychero & Arystotyll olde, sala, Socrates, . , -r-x Tholome, Dorothe, wzt/% Dyogenes, Plato, Messehala, & wyse Socrates. 392 Discord and Atropos. 13 57 Sortes and Saphyrus '^iih Hermes stood behynde. 393 Sones, Saphirus, Auycen and Aueroys with hem were in fere. Hermes, Avicen, Galyen & Ipocras, that physyk haue in mynde, Averroes, W«t^ heipe of Esculapion, toward hem drow nere. 396 Hypocras, Esculapius, Virgyle, Orace, Ouyde and Omere, virgii, °-' ' ' -' ' Horace, Ovid Euclyde, and Albert yaue her attendaunce, Homer, •' •' ' Euclid and To do the goddys and goddesses plesaunce. 399 Albert. S8 Whore berdyd Orpheus was there w/t/% hys harpe 400 orpheus and And as a poet musylcall made he melody. Othyr mynstrall had they none, safe Pan gan to carpe Of hys lewde bagpype, whyche causyd the company 403 pan act as ,,,- minstrels. io lawe. Yet many mo ther were, yei 1 shuld nat ly, Som yong, som olde, bothe bettyr and werse, But nio of her names can I not reherse. 406 59 Of all maner deyntees tner was habundaunce, 407 Of metys & drynkes foyson plenteuous. In came Dyscord to haue made varyaunce. _. ^^^ ^^^^^^ But there was no rome to set hyf in that hous. 410 butcangain •' ^ no seat. The goddys remembryd the scisme odyous Among the three goddesses that [s]he had wrought At the fest of Peleus, wherfor they thought 413 60 They wold nat -witk her dele in auenture 414 Lest she theym brought to som inconuenyent. ,hence departs «, .1 1.1 i. r in wrath, She, seyng thys, was wrothe out of mesure meeting on the And in that gret wrethe out of the paleyce went, 417 Itr^pos, Seying to hersylf that chere shuld pey repent. And anone with Attropos happyd she to mete, As he had bene a goste came in wyndyng shete. 420 6r She toke hym by the hande & rownyd in hys eare 421 And told hym of the banket that was so delycate, Howe she was resceuyd, what chere she had there, And howe eu^ry god sate in hys estate. [date!" " Ys hit thus!" quod Attropos, "what in the deuyllys "Well," he seyde, "I see well howe the game gooth. Ones yet for your sake shall I make hem wrooth." 427 14 Complaint of Atropos, who takes her part, and comes into the palace. He looks like a madman and salutes the company rudely. Atropos makes his charge : He reminds the gods of his office of death - bringing unto every man* 62 And when she had hym all togedyr tolde, 428 From her he departyd and of hyr toke hys leue, Seying that for hyr sake hys wey take he wolde In to the paleyce hys matyrs to meue. 431 And er he thens went he trowyd hem to greue W/t/^ suche tydyngw as he shuld hem tell. So forthe yn he went & spake wordys fell. 434 63 When he came m the presence of the goddfj all, 435 As he had be woode he lookyd hym about. His shete from his body dowii he let fall, And on a rewde man(?r he salutyd all the rout, 438 Wrt,^ a bold voyse, carpyng wordys stout. But he spake all holow, as hit had be oon Had spoke in another world /at had woo begooii. 441 64 He stood forthe boldly -^ith grym countenaunce, 442 Saying in thys wyse as ye shall here, "All ye gret goddys yeue attendaunce Vnto my wordys w/t^^out all daungere, 445 Remembre howe ye made me your offycere All tho wz't-^ my dart fynally to chastyse That yow dysobeyed or wold your law dyspyse. 448 65 "And for the more sewerte ye seelyd my patent, 449 Yeuyng me full power soo to occupy, Wherto I haue enployed myfi entent And that can Dame Nature well testyfy; 452 Yef she be examynyd she woll hit nat deny. For when she forsaketh any creature, I am ay redy to take hym to my cure. 455 66 " Thus haue I dewly, w/t/% all my dilygence, 456 Executyd the offyce of olde antiquyte. To me by y6w grauntyd, by your comon sentence. For I spared noon hygh nor low degre, 459 So that on my part no defaute hath be. For as sone as any to me cowzmyttyd wase I smete hym to the hert — he had noon o'ther grase. Complaint of Atropos. 15 67 " Ector of Troy, for all hys chyualry, 463 Alexaunder, the grete & myghty conquero«r, lulius Cesar, ^iih all hys company, Dauid, nor losue, nor worthy Artour, 466 Charles the noble, that was so gret of honour, Nor ludas Machabee for all hys trew hert, Nor Godfrey of Boleyn cowde me nat astert. 469 68 "Nabugodonozor, for all hys gret pryde, 470 Nor the King of Egypt, cruell Pharao, lason, ne Hercules, went they nener so wyde, Cosdras, Hanyball, nor gentyll Sypio, 473 Cirus, Achilles, nor many another mo. For feyre or foule gat of me no grace. But all be at the last I sesyd hem v/iU my mace. 476 69 "Thus hav I brought euery creature 477 To an ende bothe man, fysshe, foule & baste, And enery other thyng in whom Dame Nature Hath any iurysdiccion, owther most or leste, 480 Except oonly oon in whom your beheste Ys to me broke ; for ye me promysyd That my myght of noon shuld haue be dyspysyd. 483 70 "Wherof the contrary, dar I well avowe, 484 Ys trew; for oon there ys that wyll nat apply Vnto my correccion nor in no wyse bowe To the dynt of my dart for doole nor destyny. 487 What comfort he hath, nor the cause why That he so rebelleth, I can nat thynke of ryght [dyght. But yef ye haue hym grauntyd yoi^r aldyrs saf con- 71 "And yef ye so haue, then do ye nat as goddys, 491 For a goddes wrytyng may nat reu^rsyd be. Yef hit shuld I wold nat yeue 11 pesecoddys For graunt of your patent of offyce ner of fee. 494 Wherfore in thys mater do me equyte Accordyng to my patent, for tyll thys be do Ye haue no more my s-i?sumpcion, w/t,4 Contumacy, 638 Conte;;«pcion, Contempt, & Inobedience, Malyce, Frowardnes, Gret lelacy, Woodnesse, Hate, Stryfe, and Impacience, 641 Vnkyndnesse, Oppression, \ii\.h Wofull Neglygence, Murmowr, Myschyef, Falshood & Detraccion, Vsury, P^Hury, Ly, and Adulacion, 644 93 Wrong, Rauyne, Sturdy Vyolence, 645 False lugement, ^iih Obstynacy, Dysseyte, Dronkenes, and Improuydence, Boldnes in Yll, wz't/z Foule Rybaudy, 648 Fornycacion, Incest, and Auoutry, Vnshamefastnes, w/t/% Prodygalyte, Blaspheme, Veynglory, & Wordly Vanyte, 651 94 Ignoraunce, Diffydence, y^ilh Ipocrysy, 652 Scysme, Rancoz/:r, Debate, & Offense, Heresy, Erro«r, w/t^ Idolatry, New-Fangylnes, & sotyll False Pretense, 655 Inordinat Desyre of Worldly Excellense, Feynyd Pouert, wrt^ Apostasy, Disclaundyr, Skorne, & Vnkynde lelousy, 658 95 Hoordam, Bawdry, False Mayntenaunce, 659 Treson, Abusion, & Pety Brybry ; Vsurpacion, y^iih Horryble Vengeaunce, Came alther last of that company. 662 All these pety capteyns folowyd by & by, Shewyng theywzsylf in the palyse wyde. And seyde they were redy that batayll to abyde. 665 96 There is a host Idvlnesse set the comoHS in aray 666 of commons ^ ' -' led by Idleness, W/t/zout the paleyse on a fayre felde. But there was an oost for to make a fray ! I trow suche another neu^r man behelde ! 669 Many was the wepyn among he»z /at ptj welde ! What pepyll they were that came to that dysport I shall yow declare of many a sondry sort. 672 The Vices. 21 97 The? were bosters, braggars, & brybores, 673 Praters, fasers, strechers, & wrythers, Shameful! shakerles, soleyn shaueldores, Oppressours of pepyll, and myghty crakers, 676 Meyntenours of querelles, horryble lyers, Theues, traytours, wz't/z false herytykes, Charmers, sorcerers, & many scismatykes, 679 98 Pryuy symonyakw, w/t^ false vsurers, 680 Multyplyers, coyn wasshers & clyppers. Wrong vsurpers, y^hh gret extorcioners, Bakbyters, glosers, & fayre flaterers, 683 Malycious murmurers, w/t.^ grete claterers, Tregetours, tryphelers, feyners of tales, Lastyuyous lurdeyns, & pykers of males, 686 99 Rowners, uagaboundw, forgers of lesyng«, 687 Robbers, reuers, rauenouse ryfelers. Choppers of churches, fynders of tydyngM, Marrers of maters, & money makers, 690 Stalkers by nyght, ynith euesdroppers, Fyghters, brawlers, brekers of lofedayes, Getters, chyders, causers of frayes, 693 100 Tytyuyllys, tyraunt^i', w/t/z turmentoures, 694 Cursyd apostate, relygyous dyssymulers, Closshers, carders, wz't/z comon hasardoures, Tyburne coloppys, and pursekytters, 697 Pylary knyghtw, double tollyng myllers, Gay ioly tapsters, •^iX.h hostelers of the stewes, Hoores, and baudys — that many bale brewes, 700 lOI Bolde blasphemers, yfiih false ipocrytes, 701 Brothelles, brokers, abhomynable swerers, Dryuylles, dastardw, dyspysers of ryghtes, Homycydes, poyseners, & comon morderers, 704 Skoldes, caytyffys, comborouse clappers, Idolatres-, enchauntours, y^hh false renegates, Sotyll ambidextres, & sekers of debates, 707 boasters, braggers, etc. 22 The Vices. Apollo wishes to send a herald to warn Virtue, Vice protests. But Morpheus steals away to prepare Virtue lor the battle. Pseudo pr^jphetes, false sodomytes, 708 Quelmers of chyldren, y^hh fornycatours, Wetewoldw that suffre syn in her syghtes, Auouterers, & abhominable auauntours 711 Of syn, gret clappers, & makers of clamours ; Vnthryftys, & vnlustes came also to that game, W/t/^ luskes, & loselles that myght nat thryue for shame. 103 These were the comons came thedyr that day 715 Redy bowne in batayll Vd'rtew to abyde. Apollo, theym beholdyng, began for to say To the godd« & goddesses beyng there that tyde, 718 "Me seemeth conuenyent an herowde to ryde To Vi?rtew, & byd hym to batayll make hym bone, Hymsylf to defende, for sowght he shalbe sone. 721 104 "And let hym nat be sodenly take 722 All dyspurueyde or then he beware, For then shuld our dyshono«r awake Yef he were cowardly take in a snare." 725 " Ee," quod Vyce, " for that haue I no care. I will auauntage take where I may." That heryng, Morpheus pryuyly stale away, 728 105 And went to warne Vifrtew of all thys afray, 729 And bade hym awake & make hymsylf strong. For he was lyke to endure that day A gret mortall shoure, er hit were euesong, 732 W/t/^ Vyce, wherfore he bade him nat long Tary to sende aftyr more socour — Yef he dede, hit shuld turne hym to dolour. 735 106 And brefely the matyr to hym he declaryd, 736 Lyke as ye haue herde begynnyng & ende. "Well," quoth V^rtu,"he shall nat be sparyd. To the felde I wyll wende how hit wende. 739 But gram^rcy, Morpheus, myn owne dere frende, Of your trew hert & feythefull entent That ye in thys mater to me ward haue ment." 742 The Virtues. 23 107 Thys doon, Morpheous departyd away 743 Fro Vijrtu to the palyce retornyng ageyn. Noon hym aspyed, that I dar well say. In whyche tyme V^rtew dyd hys besy peyn 746 Pepyll to reyse hys quarell to menteyn. Ymaginacion was hys messyngere — He went to warne pepyll bothe far & nere. 749 108 And bade hem come in all the haste they myght 750 For to streyngthe V^rtu, for, w/t/^out fayll, He seyde he shuld haue, long or hit were nyght, W/tA Vyce to do a myghty strong batayll ; 753 Of vngracious gastes he bryngeth a long tayll. " Wherfore hit behoueth to helpe at thys nede And aftyr thys shall Vf/-t-u rewarde yowre mede." 756 109 When Imaginacion had goon hys cyrcute 757 To V^rtews frendys thus all aboute, Wzt/^yn short tyme many men of myght Gaderyd to V^rtew in all that they mowte. 760 They hym comfortyd & bad hym put no dowte Hys vttyr enemy Vyce to ouerthrow, Though he w/t/i hym brought neu^r so gret arow. 1 10 And when Vif/-tew sy the substaunce of hys oost, 764 He prayed all the comons to the felde hem hy, W/t/4 her pety capteynys both lest & moost, And he ^i\.h hys capteynys shuld folow redyly. 767 For he seyde he knew well that Vyce was full ny. And who myght furst of the felde recouer the centre Wold kepe out that other he shuld natesyly entre. 770 III Then sent he forthe Baptyin to the felde before, 771 And prayed hym hertyly hit to ouerse. That no man^r trayne nor caltrop theryn wore To noy nor hurt hym nor hys meyne. 774 And whefi he thedyr came he began to see How Vyce hys purseuaunte, Cryme Oryginall, Was entryd before and had sesyd vp all. 777 Virtue makes ready, sending out his messenger, Imagination, to bid his people to come into his help. Virtue's host assembles. They are led towards the field. Baptism is sent to spy out the ground. Original Sin had entered before him 24 The Virtues. but fled at Baptism's approach. Virtue and his host follow. Virtue leads, sitting in a car adorned with gold and stones, and crowned with laurel. Four knights guide the car. Righteousness, Prudence, Strength and Temperance. Following Virtue come seven captains each with an appropriate ^ crest. Humility on a lamb. Charity on a tiger, Patience on a camel, Liberality on i dromedary. But as sone as herof Baptym had a syght, 778 He fled fast awey and left the felde alone. And anone Babtym entred viilh hys myght, Serchyng all about where thys Cryme had gone. 781 But the felde was clene defaute; fonde he none. Then cam V^rtew aftyr ■fii'ih hys gret oost, And hys mvghty capytayns, bothe leste & moost. 784 113 But to enforme yow howe he thedyr came, 785 And what man^r capyteyns he to the felde brought — Hymsylfe, sekerly, was the furst man Of all hys gret hoost that thedyrward sought, 788 Syttyng in a chare that rychely was wrought, y^ hy;;^ had bee, Praying hym of counsell for hys gret offence That he agayfi V^-rtew had made hys armee, 1138 What was best to do. "To Humylyte," [sent Quoth Conscience, " must/(?u go." So he hym thedyr Disguysyd that he were nat knowen as he went. 1 141 164 And when he thedyr came, Humylyte hym took 11 42 A token, & bad hym go to Confessyon, And shew hym hys mater w/t^ a peteous look. Whyche doofi he hym sent to Contrycion, 1145 And fro thensforth to Satysfaccion. Thus fro poost to pyloz/r was he made to daunce. And at the last he went forthe to Penaunce. 1148 165 But now for to tell yow — ^when Vyce was ou^rthrow 1 149 A gret parte of his oost about hym gan resorte. But he was so febyll that he cowde no man know. And when they sy pat they knew no comforte, 1 152 But caryed hym awey be a pryuy porte. And as they hym caryed Dyspeyre w/t^ \vjm met ; W/t/z Vyce hys reward he came theym for to fet. 1 1 55 166 Then came thef downe goodly ladyes tweyne, 1156 From the hygh heuyn aboue the firmament, And seyde the gret Alpha & Oo, most souereyne, For that nobyll tryumphe, had hem thedyr sent ; 1 1 59 Oofi of hem to dryue Vyce to gret torment W/t/z a fyry scourge that she bare in her hande. And so he dede dyspeyre and all his hoole bande. Rewards and Punishments. 35 167 The name of thys lady was callyd Prescience. 1163 ■She neuif^ left Vyce, ne noon that wold hym folow, Tyll they wef cowzmyttyd by the diuine sentence All to peyne p^rpetuell and infynyte sorow. 1166 Ryghtwysnes went to see that no man shuld hem borow. Thus all entiretyd sharpely were they, tyll Cerberus Had hem beshut wzt/zyn hys gates tenebrus. 1169 168 And all the whyle that Prescience y^ixh her scorge smert To rewarde Vyce gan hyr thus occupy, W/t,4 all hys hoole bende, aftyf her desert, That other gloryous lady that came fro heuyn on hy, 1 1 7 3 Hauyng in her hande the palme of vyctory, Came downe to Yertu and toke hy»? to that present, Seying thus that Alpha & Oo haue hym sent. 11 76 169 And as ferre as I aryght cowde vndyrstand 11 77 That ladyes name was Predestinacion. Vertn & hys hoost she blessyd witk her hand And in heuen grauntyd hem habitacion, 11 80 Where to eche of hem res^ruyd was a crowii. She seyde, in token that they enherytours Of the glory were and gracious conquerours. 11 83 170 Whyche doon, thoo ladyes ayene togedyr met 11 84 And toward heuyn vp they gan to [fly], Embrasyd in armes as they had be knet Togedyr wzt,^ a gyrdyll ; but so sodenly 1187 As they were vanysshyd saw I neuer thyng wt't/i ey. And anon Vi?rtew wt'tk all hys company Knelyd dowii and thankyd God of that vyctory. i igo 171 Yet had I foryetewhen Vyce was ou^rthrow 11 91 To haue tolde yow how many of Vyce hys oost Gan to seek Peese, and darkyd downe full low. And besought Mercy, what so euifr hys cost, 1194 To be her mene to Yertew, elles they were but lost. And som in lyke wyse to Feythe & Hoope sought What to do, for peese they seyde they ne rought. 1 1 9 7 she pursues them through the gate of Hell. The other lady bears to Virtue the palm of victory. Her name is Predestina- tion ; she grants them a heavenly habitation. Which done, the ladies depart suddenly. Virtue and his host thank God for the victory. Some of Vice's host seek Peace, beseeching mercy to plead to Virtue, or Faith, or Hope, 36 Repentance of the Vices. or Baptism. All must go to Confession. Some seek Circumcision who bids them go to Faith ; he to Baptism and Virtue by process. Virtue commands Freewill to come near and charges him for taking Vice's part. Freewill lays the blame upon Sensuality. 172 Som also to Baptyrn sewyd to be her mene; 1198 Som to oon, som to other, as they hem gate myght. But all to Confession went to make hem clene. [lyght, And as they came by Conscience he theym bad goo Er than olde Attropos of hem had a syght. For yef he so they»? tooke lost they were for eu^^. He seyde Vyce to forsake ys bettyr late then neuer. 173 Som eke for socouf drew to Circuwcysion, 1205 But by hym cowde they gete but small tsLUOur, For he in that company was had but in derysion. Neuifrthelese to Feythe he bade hem go labour, 1208 Praying theym for olde acqueyntance theywz socour. "Well," quoth Feythe, "for hys sake, I shall do that I But furst for the best wey Baptyrn go ye to. [may do 174 "For by hym sonnest shull ye recou^r grace, 1212 Whyche shall to Yertu bryng yow by processe ; Wherfore in any wyse looke ye make good face. And let no man know of your heuynes." 1215 So they were by Baptyrn brought out of dystres — Turnyd all to Yertew ; & when thys was dooii, Yertn co»zmaundyd Frewyll before hym com. 12 18 17s To whom thus he seyde, "I haue gret m^'ruayll 12 19 Ye durst be so bolde Vyces part to take. Who bade yow do so & yaue yow that counsayll ? lustly vnto that ye shall me pryuy make." 1222 Then seyde Frewyll & swemfuUy spake, Knelyng on hys kne wiiA a chere benygne, " I pray yow, syr, let pyte your eares to me enclyne 176 "And I shall yow tell the Vd'^rey sothe of all, 1226 Howe hit was, & who made me that wey drawe. For sothe, Sensualite, hys propre name they call." "A," seyde Reason, "then I know well that felawe. Wylde he ys & wanton, of me stant hym noon awe." " Ys he soo ?" q^^d V^rtu, " well he shalbe taught As a pleyer shuld to drawe another draught." 1232 Virtue's Judgments. 37 177 Virtue requires And w/t/« that came Sadnesse whh hys sobre chere, 1233 Bryngyng Sensualyte, beyng full of thought, And seyde that he had take hym prysonere. [sought. " A welcome !" seyde V^rtew, " now haue I that I Blessyd be that good lord as thow wolde ys hit nought." " Why art thow so wantoun & wylde," he seyde, " for shame ! Er thow go at large thow shalt be made more tame. 178 "But stande apart awhyle tyll I haue spoke a woorde 1240 W/t/i! Frewyll a lytell, & then shalt thow know What shalbe thyfinaunce;" & then he seyde in boorde Vnto Frewyll, " The bende of your bowe 1243 Begynneth to slake, but suche as ye haue sowe Must ye nedes reepe — ther ys noon other way. Natwzt,^standyng that let see what ye can say. 1 246 179 "What ys your habylyte me to recompense 1247 For the gret harme that ye to me haue do ?" "Forsothe," seyd Frewyll in opyn audyense, "But oonly Macrocosme more haue I nat lo. 1250 Take that, yef hit plese yow, I wyll that hit be so. Yef I may vndyrstand, ye be my good lorde." "In dede," seyde V^rtu, "to that wyll I acorde." 1253 180 Then made Vertu Reson hys lyeftenaunt, 1254 And yaue hym a gret charge Macrocosme to kepe. That doon, Sensualyte yelde hym recreaunt, And began for to angre byttyrly to wepe. 1257 For he demyd sewerly hys sorow shuld nat slepe. Then made Vertu Frewyll bayll[e] vndyf Reson, The felde for to occupy to hys behoue that seson. 1260 181 And then seyde Vertu to Sensualyte, 1261 "Thow shalt be rewardyd for thy besynesse. Vndyr thys fourme all fragylyte 1 Shalt thow forsake, bothe more & lesse, 1264 And vnder the guydyng shalt thow be of Sadnesse. ', All though hit somewhat be ageyii thy hert. Thy iugement ys yeuyn — thow shalt hit nat astert." Sadnessbrings Sensuality prisoner to Virtue. recompense ^ from Freewill- Freewill agrees to deliver Microcosm which is given again to the charge of Reason and Freewill. Virtue orders Sensuality to forsake his fragility and be guided by Sadness. 38 Virtue's Judgments. With that Nature enters, protesting that Sensuality, her servant, should be given liberty. Virtue grants Sensuality freedom within Microcosm under the restraint of Sadness. This done. Virtue sees Morpheus standing by, and thanks him for his troth and labor. He is given care of the fiv^ gates. 182 And euen vihh that came in Dame Nature, 1268 Saying thus to V^rtew, " Syr ye do me wrong By duresse & constreynt to put thys creature, Gentyll Sensualyte, that hath me s^ruyd long, 1271 Cleerly from hys liberte, & set hyw among Theym that loue hym nat, to be her vnderlowte. As hit were a castaway or a shoo clowte. 1274 183 "And, parde, ye know well a rewle haue I must 1275 Withyn Macrocosme ; forsoth, I sey nat nay." Quoth Vd'rtu, " But Sensualyte shall nat p^^ormeyoz^r lust Lyke as he hath do before thys, yef I may. 1278 Therfro hym restrayii Sadnesse shall assay. Howe be hit, ye shall haue your hoole lyberte W/t^yn Macrocosme, as ye haue had, fre." 1281 184 And when Yertn had to Nature seyd thus, 1282 A lytyll tyne hys ey castyng hym besyde. He sy in a corner standyng, Morpheus, That hym before warnyd of the verryly tyde. 1285 "A syres," seyd Vertu, "yet we must abyde. Here ys a frende of owre may nat be foryete. Aftyr hys desert we shall hym entrete." 1288 185 "Morpheus," seyd Vertu, "I thanke yowhertyly 1289 For your trew hert & your gret labour, \ That ye lyst to come to me soo redyly, ' % When ye undyrstood the cowmyng of that skour. 1292 I thanke God & yow of sauyng of myii hono?^!?-. Wherfore thys pryuylege now to you I graunt, That withyn Macrocosme ye shall haue your haunt. 186 \ "And of fyue posternes the keyes shall ye kepe, Lettyng in and out at hem whom ye lyst, As long as in Macrocosme yo«^ fadyr woll crepe. Blere whos ey ye woll hardyly with your myst. And kepe your werkes close there as in a chyst. ] Safe I wold desyre yow spare Pollucion, [cionl." For nothyng may me plese that sowneth to corri^p- Complaint of .Atropos. 39 187 And when he had thus seyde, /e keyes he hym tooke, 1303 And toward hys castell wz't,^ hys pepyll went, Byddyng Reason take good heede & about looke, That Sensualyte by Nature were nat ■shent. 1306 "Kepe hym short," he seyde, "tyll hys lust be spent. For bettyr were a chylde to be vnbore, Then let hyt haue the wyll & for eu(?r be lore." 1309 188 And when olde Attropos had seen & herde all thys, 13 10 How V^rtew had opteynyd, astonyed as he stood, He seyd to hymsylf, " Somwhat ther ys amys, I trow well my patent be nat all good," 1313 And ran to the palyse as he had be wood, Seying to the godd«, " I see ye do but iape, Aftyr a worthy whew haue ye made me gape. 1316 189 "Howe a deuyll way shuld I Vertu ouifrthrow, 1317 When he dredyth nat all your hoole rowte ! How can ye make good your patent, wold I know. Hyt ys to impossybyll to bryng that abowte ; 1320 For stryke hym may I nat — that ys out of dowte." "A, good Attropos," seyd god Apollo, "An answer conuenyent shalt thow haueherto. 1323 190 "The wordys of thy patent, daf I well say, 1324 Streche to no ferther but where dame Nature Hath iurisdiccion ; there to haue thy way. And largesse to stryke as longeth to thy cure. 1327 And as for Vertu he ys no creature Vnder the pr^'dicament conteynyd of quantyte. Wherfore hys destruccion longeth nat to the." 1 330 191 "Ahaa!" seyd Attropos, " then I se well 1331 That all ye godd« be but counterfete. For 00 God ther ys that can eu,?^ dell Turne as hym lyst, bothe dry & whete, 1334 In to whos s^ruyce I shall assay to gete. And yef I may ones to hys Sd'ruyce come Your names shalbe put to oblyuyone." 1337 Virtue and his people leave lor the castle. Atropos again complains to the gods. Apollo answers : His patent is legal only within the jurisdiction of Nature. The destruc- tion of Virtue is therefore no for him. Atropos departs in wrath. 40 Repulse of Residivacion. Meanwhile Residivacion, disguised like a pilgrim, makes his way to Micro- He becomes acquainted with Sensu- ality but is ordered by Reason to depart. No help is found in Nature. Residivacion leaves full of sorrow. Then Reason and Sadness clear the ground of the seeds of Sensuality. New grass springs up in a marvelous 192 Thus went Attropos fro the paleyce wrooth. 1338 But in the mene tyme, whyle that he there was, Glydyng by the palyce, Resydyuacion gooth Toward Macrocosme, w/t/% a peyntyd fase, 1341 Clad lyke a pylgrym, walkyng a gret pase, In the forme as he had bene a man of Ynde: He wende haue made Reson & Sadnesse bo/e blynde. 193 Wzt/^ Sensualyte was he soone aqueyntyd, i345 To whorn he declaryd hys matyr pryuyly. Yet he was espyed for all hys face peyntyd. Then Reson hym cowmaundyd pyke hy;« thens lyghtly. "For hys ease, "quoth Sadnes, "socdunseyll hy»2wylll." So was Sensualyte ay kept vndyr foote, That to Resydyuacion myght he doo no boote. 1351 194 Then went he to Nature & askyd hyf auyse, 1352 Hys entent to opteygne what was best to do. She seyde: " Euifr syth Vd'rtew of Vyce wan the pryse, Reson wzt/z Sadnes hath rewlyd the fylde so, 13SS That I and Sensualyte may lytyll for the do. For I may no more but oonly kepe my cours. And yet ys Sensualyte strengor kept & wours." 1358 19s Thus heryng, Residiuacion fro thens he went ageyn, 1359 Full of thought & sorow pat he myght nat spede. Then Reson & Sadnesse toke wede hok« tweyii. And all wylde wantones out of the fyldegan wede, 1362 WzM all the slyper grasse that grew of the sede That Sensualyte before thefyn sew ; And for thens forthe kept hit clene for Vertew. 1365 196 Then began new gresse in the fylde to spryng, 1366 All vnlyke that other, of colour fayre & bryght. But then I aspyed a m^ruelous thyng. For the grounde of the felde gan wex hoore & whyte. I cowde nat conceyue how that be myght, Tyll I was enformyd & taught hit to know. But where Vertew occupyeth must nedys well grow. Atropos named Death. 41 197 Yet in the mene tyme, whyle the fylde thus grew, 1373 Virtue sends And Reson w/t^ Sadnesse thefof had gou^/'naunce, messengers to Microcosm. Many a pryuy, messyng^'r thedyr sent Vi?rtew, To know yef hit were guydyd to hys plesaunce ; 1376 Now Prayer, efte Fastyng, & oftyn tyme Penaunce, And when he myght goo pryuyly, Almesdede, And bade hym to hys power helpe whef he sy nede. 198 Whyle that fylde thus rewlyd Reson wz't/% Sadnes, 1380 Mawgre Dame Nature for all her carnall myght. Came thedyr Attropos, voyde of all gladnes, neTandtk? Wrappyd in hys shete, & axyd yef any wyght 1383 I^^^Ztl Cowde wysshe hym the wey to the Lorde of Lyght, ^''^ °' ^"s""- Or ellys where men myght fynd Ryghtwysnesse. " Forsothe," seyde Reason, " I trow, as I gesse, 1 386 199 "At NerXM hys castell ye may soone hym fynde, 1387 Heisdirected n f 1 1 1 1 1 *° Virtue's Yef ye lyst p& lahour thedyr to take, castle. And there shall ye know, yef ye be nat blynde, The next wey to the Lorde of Lyght, I vndyrtake." 1390 So thedyr went Attropos, peticion to make trom^°^ ^'^^ To Ryghtwysnes, praying that he myght S'SrveAe"^ Be take in to the s^ruyce of the Lord of Lyght. 1393 Lord of Light. 200 "What," seyde Ryghtwysnes, "thow olde dotyng foole, Whome hast thow s^ruyd syth the world began P'r-Ti"'^''' But oonly hym? Where hast thow go to scoole? iTd^h''''^ Whether art thow double, or elles the same man 1397 master. That thow were furst?" "A syr," seyde he than, " I pray yow hertyly holde me excusyd. I am olde & febyll; my witt^j a? dysvsyd." 1400 201 "Well," seyde Ryghtwysnes, "for as moche as thow 1401 Knowest nat thy mastyf, thy name shall I chaunge. Sangedw^ Dethe shalt thow be callyd, from hens forward now, S no™atSre Among all the pepyll thow shalt be had straunge. 1 404 welcome!'' But when thow begynnest to make thy chalaunge, Dredde shalt thow be, wher so thow become. And to no creature shalt thow be welcome. 1407 42 The Rule of Virtue, Those whom he formerly served shall be put to oblivion. Death is given a place in Microcosm. Virtue then despatches Priesthood^ to the iield with thesacraments. Previously had come thither Confession, etc. The field is cleansed within and without, and the Lord of Light is received with fitness. "And as for theym whom thow dedyst serue, 1408 For as moche as they presume on hem to take That hygh name of God, they shall as they deserue Therfore be rewardyd, I daf vndyrtake, 141 1 W/t/z peyii pa'rpetuell, among fend« blake, And her names shall be put to oblyuyoii Among men, but hit be in derysyon." 1414 203 "A ha!" seyde Attropos, "now begyii I wex gladde 141 5 That I shall thus avengyd of hem be, Syth they so long tyme haue made me so madde." "Yee," quoth Ryghtwysnes, "here what I sey to the: The Lord of Lyght sent the worde by me That in Macrocosme sesyne shalt thow take ; Wherfore thy darte redy loke thow make." 1421 204 And as sone as Ver-tu that vndyrstood, 1422 He seyde he was plesyd that hit shuld so be. And euyn forthew/t/^ he wwzmaundyd Presthood To make hym redy the felde for to se. 1425 Soo thedyr went Presthood wz't/z benygnyte, Conueying thedyr the blessyd sacrament Of Eukaryst. But furst were theder sent 1428 205 Confession, Contricion, and Satisfaccion, 1429 Sorow for Synne, & gret Repentaunce, Holy Deuocion, wzt,^ Good Dysposicion — All these thedyr. came & also Penaunce, 1432 As her dewte was to make puruyaunce Ageyfi the co7«myng of that blessyd Lorde. Feythe, Hoope, & Charyte therto were acorde. 1435 206 Reason w/t/^ Sadnes dyd hys dylygence 1436 To dense the fylde wzt/^yn & wzt/zout. And when they sy the bodyly prifsence Of that hooly Eukaryst, lowly gan they lowte. 1439 So was that Lord receuyd, out of dowte, y^hh all humble chere, debonayr & benygne, Lykly to hys plesure — hit was a gret sygne. 1442 7%& Rule of Death. 43 207 Then came to the fylde the mynystre fynall, 1443 Called Holy Vnccion, wz't/i a crysmatory. The V hygh weyes in especiall Therof he anoyntyd & made hit sanctuary. 1446 Whom folowyd Dethe, whych wold nat tary Hys feruent power there to put in vre, As he was cowmaundyd, grauntyng Dame Nature. 208 He toke hys darte, callyd hys mortall launce, 1450 And bent hys stroke toward the feldys herte. That seyng, Presthoode bade Good Remembraunce Toward the felde turne hyw? & aduerte. i453 For except hy;« all Vi?/'tues thense must sterte. And euyn wz't^ that, Dethe there sesyne took ; And then all the company clerely hit forsook. 1456 209 And as sone as Dethe thus had sesyii take, I4S7 The co\our of the felde was chaungyd sodenly, The grasse thefyn, seere as though hit had be bake. And the fyue hygh weyes were muryd opon hy, 1460 That fro thensforward noon entre shuld therby. The posternes also were wzt/^out lette, Bothe inward & outward, fyn fast shette. 1463 210 Whyche dooii, sodenly Dethe vanysshyd away, 1464 And Vertu exaltyd was aboue the firmament, Where he toke the crowne of glory that ys ay Preparate by Alpha & Oo omnipoten[t]. 1467 The swete Frute of Macrocosme /edyf y^hh hym went. And on all thys mater as I stood musyng thus, Agayn fro the felde to me came Morpheus, 1470 211 Seying thus, " What chere ! howe lyketh the thys syght ? Hast thow sene ynowgh, or wyll thow se more ? " "Nay syr," I seyde," my trouthe I /ow plyght, Thys ys suffysyent, yef I knew wherfore 1474 Thys was to me shewyd, for therof the lore Coueyte I to haue, yef I gete myght." " Folow me," quod he, " and haue thy delyght." 1477 Holy Unction anoints the live highways. Then enters Death his power to try. None can resist. The grass becomes sere and the gates shut. Suddenly _ Death vanishes and Virtue is exalted above the hrmament. To me musing again comes Morpheus. I ask Morpheus the meaning of the sight. 44 The School of Doctrine. I am brought to an arbor with four walls and admitted by Wit. It is the school of Doctrine. Doctrine is crowned with three crown&— I cannot tell you all. On one side sit Holy Text Glose and Moralization. Scripture serves as scribe. 1 look upon the walls So I hym folowyd, tyll he had me brought 1478 To a fouresquare herber wallyd round about. "Loo," quoth Morpheus, "here mayst thow/«t pow sought Fynde, yef thow wyll, I put the out of dout." 1481 A lytyll whyle we stood styll there w/t/^out, Tyll Wytte, chyef porter of that herber gate, Requyryd by stody, let vs in therate. 1484 213 But when I came in I m^ruelyd gretly 1485 Of that I behelde & herde there reports. For furst, in a chayar, apparaylyd royally, There sate Dame Doctryne, her chyldren to exorte. And about her was many a sondry sorte ; Som wyllyng to lerne dyu^^se scyence, And som for to have pi?rfyte intellygence. 1491 214 Crownyd she was lyke an Emp^^^esse, 1492 Wz't/^ iii crownes standyng on her hede on hy. All thyng about hyr an infynyte processe Were to declare, I tell yow certeynly. i495 Neu^rthelese som in mynde therof haue I, Whyche I shall to yow, as God wyll yeue me grace, As I sawe & herde, tell in short space. 1498 215 Fast by Doctryne on that ooii syde, I499 As I remembre, sate Holy Texte, That openyd hys mouthe to the pepyll wyde, But nat in comp^ryson to Glose that sate next. 1502 Moralyzacion wz't/z a cloke context Sate ; & Scrypture was scrybe to theywz all. He sate ay wrytyng of that that shuld fall. 1505 216 These were tho that I there knew — 1506 By no man.?;- wey of olde aqueyntaunce, But as I before 'saw theym -'nith Yerte.yi Company in felde & hauyng dalyaunce. 1509 And as I thus stood half in a traunce, Whyle they were occupyed in her besynesse, Abowte the walles myn ey gan I dresse. 151 2 The School of Doctrine. 45 217 Where I behelde the meruelous story That &ier I yet saw in any pycture, For on tho walles was made memory Singlerly of &xery creature That there had byii, bothe forme and stature ; Whos names reherse I wyll, as I can Bryng they»z to mynde in ordre — eu^ry man 218 Furst, to begyn, there was in portrature Adam ; & Eue holdyng an appyll round ; Noe in a shyp ; & Abraham hauyng sure A fiynt stone in hys hand ; & Isaac lay bound On an hygh mount ; lacob slepyng sound, And a long laddyr stood hym besyde ; loseph in a cysterne was also there that tyde. 219 Next whom stood Moyses, w/t-^ hys tables two ; Aaron & Vrre, hys armes supportyng ; Ely in a brennyng chare was there also. And Elyze stood, clad in an hermytw clothyng ; Dauid yiith an harpe & a stoofi slyng. Isaye, leremy, and Ezechiell ; And closyd w/t^ lyons, holy Danyell ; 220 Abacuc, Mychee, -vihh Malachy ; And lonas out of a whales body cowmyng ; * Samuell in a temple ; & holy Zakary Besyde an awter all blody standyng ; Osee viith ludyth stoode there conspyryng The dethe of Oloferne ; and Sal[a]w2on also, A chylde wzt/^ hys swerde dyuydyng in two. 221 Many moo pr^phetys certeynly there were, Whos names now come nat to my mynde. Melchisedech also aspyed I there, Bred & wyne offryng as fyll to hys kynde. loachym and Anne stood all behynde, Embrasyd in armes to the gyldyn gate. And holy lohn Baptyst in a desert sate. I C I 2 where is portrayed a marvelous story. 1510 I5I9 1^20 First on one •^ wall in portraiture is the story of Adam and Eve, Noah, J p 2 ^ etc. (Old •> ^ Testament). 1526 1527 1530 1533 IS34 1537 1540 1541 1544 1547 46 The School of Doctrine. Upon the opposite wall I see Peter, Paul, etc. (New Testa ment and Church Fathers). And now co^zmyth to my remembraunce 1548 I am avysyd I saw Sodechy, And Amos also, wzt^ sobre countenaunce, Standyng -viiih her faces toward Sophony. 1551 Neemy & Esdras bare hem company. The holy man loob as an impotent, Then folowyd in pyctuire wzt/^ Thoby pacyent. 1554 223 These, wrt/% many mo, on that oon syde i55S Of that grene herber portrayed were. "A," seyde Morpheous, "a lytyll tyme abyde. Turne thy face where thy bak was ere 1558 And beholde well what thou seest there." Than I me turnyd as he me bade, Wzt,^ hert stedefast & countenaunce sade 1561 224 Where I saw Petyr, with hys keyes, stande; 1562 Poule ynith a swerde ; lames also Wzt/^ a seal op ; & Thomas holdyng in hys hande A spere; & Phylyp aprochyd hym too. 1565 lames, the lesse, next hem in pycture loo Stood, viivh Bartylmew, whyche was all flayii. Symon & Thadee shewyd how they wereslayn. 1568 225 Mathy and Barnabe, drawyng lottys, stood. 1569 Next whom was Marke, a lyon hym by Hys booke holdyng ; & Mathew, in hys mood, Resemblyd an Aungell ^hh wynges gloryosly. 1572 Luke had a calfe to holde hys booke on hy. And lohii with a cupp & palme in hys hande ; An Egle bare hys booke — thus saw I hem stande. 226 Gregory and lerome, Austyn and Ambrose, 1576 With pylyons on her hedys, stood lyke doctours. Bernard with Anselme, and, as I suppose, Thomas of Alquyn, & Domynyk, confessours, 1579 Benet, & Hew, relygyous gou^mours, Martyne, & lohii, with bysshops tweyne, Were there also, & Crysostom certeyne. 1582 77/1? School of Doctrine. 47 227 Behynde all these was worshipfull Beede. 1583 All behynde & next him stood Orygene, Hydyng hys face, as he of hys deede Had hem ashamyd — ye woot what I mene ; 1586 For of errour was he nat all clene. And on that syde stood there, last of all, The nobyll prciphetyssa, Sybyll men hyr call. 1589 228 Let me remembre me, now I yow pray, 159° My brayne ys so thynne, I deme in myii hert Som of the felyshyp that I there say. In all thys whyle, have I ouifz-stert. i593 A benedycyte noofi ere cowde I aduert To thynke on Andrew the Apostyll w/t/z hys crosse, Whom to forgete were a gret losse. 1596 229 Many ooii moo were peyntyd on that wall, i597 Whos names now come nat to my remembraunce. But these I markyd in especiall. in the midst And moo cowde I tell, in contynuaunce 1600 "its Doctrine Of tyme, but forthe to shewe yow the substaunce appareled. Of thys matyr, in the mydd^j of that herbere. Sate Doctryne, coloryd as any crystall clere. 1603 230 Crownyd as I tolde yow late here before, 1604 Whos apparayll was worthe tresouf infynyte — All erthely rychesse count I no more To that in comparyson valewyng then a myte. 1607 Ouer her heede houyd a culuer fayre & whyte, Oute of whos byll procedyd a gret leme Over her head Downward to Doctryne, lyke a son beme. 16 10 culver. 231 The wordys of Doctryne yaue gret redolence, 161 1 Her words T 1 . 1 1 1 savor sweet. In swetness of sauour, to her dysciples all. Hyt ferre excedyd myrre and frankensence Or any other tre spyce or ellys gall. 1614 And when she me aspyed, anon she gan me call. come'nea?' And c^^zmaundyd Morpheus that he shuld bryng me neere ; For she wolde me shew the effecte of my desyre. 161 7 48 Doctrine's Interpretation. Doctrine interprets the vision. Imprisonment of Eolus signifies that unbridled wealth increaseth misrule. Minos judges every man according to his wicked- The complaint of Diana and NeiJtune against Eolus signifies the folly of fools in attemptinff the impossible. 232 She seyde, "I know the cause of thy co»zmyng 16 18 Ys to vndyrstand, be myn enformacion, Sensybly, the mater of Morpheus hys shewyng As he hath the ledde aboute in vysyon. 1621 Wherfore now I apply thy naturall reson Vnto my wordys, &, er thow hens wende, Thow shalt hit know, begynnyng & ende. 1624 233 "Furst, where Eolus to Pluto was brought, 1625 By hys owne neglygence takyn prysonere W/t/^yn the erthe ; for he to ferre sought — Sygnyfyed ys nomore be that matere 1628 But oonly to shew the howe hit dothe apere That welthe, vnbrydelyd dayly at thyne ey, Encreseth mysrewle & oft causyth foly. 1631 234 "For lyke as Eolus, beyng at hys large, 1632 Streytyd hyw? sylf thorow his owne lewdenesse — For he wold deele where he had no charge — Ryght so wantons, by her wyldenesse, 163S Oft sythe bryng hem sylf in dystresse, Because they somtyme to largely deele. What may worse be suffryd than OMer mykyll weele 235 "By Mynos, the iuge of hell desp^frate, 1639 May he vndyrstand Godd« ryghtwysnes, That to eu^ry wyght hys peyne deputate Assygneth, acordyng to hys wykydnes. 1642 Wherfore he ys callyd luge of crewelnes. And as for Diana & Neptunz^j co;«pleynt, Fyguryd may be fooles reson feynte. 1645 236 "For lyke as they made her suggestion 1646 To haue me Eolus from course of hys kynde Whyche was impossible to bryng to correccion. For eud'rmore hys liberte haue wyll the wynde. 1649 In lyke wyse, fooles otherwhyle be blynde, Wenyng to subdew, wzt/^ her ooii hande, That ys ov^er mekyll for all an hoole lande. 1652 Doctrine's Interpretation. 49 237 " But what foloweth therof that shall thow heere : When they were come to the banket, The gret Apollo, w/t/^ hys sad chere, So fayre & curteysly gan theym entrete, That he made her beerdys on the new gate. Loo, what wysdom dothe to a foole — Wherfore ar chyldren put to scoole. 238 " Oft ys hit seene, w/t/z sobre contenaunce, That wyse men fooles ou^rcome ay, Turnyng as hem lyst and all her varyaunce, Chau«ge from ernest in to mery play. What were they bothe amendyd that day? When they were dreuyn to her wytt^j- ende, Were they nat fayne to graunt to be hys frende? 239 "Ryght so fooles, when they haue doon All that they can, than be they fayne Yeue vp her mater to oblyuyon. W/t/zout rewarde they haue no more brayne. And yet full oft hath hit be seyne. When they hit haue foryete and set at nought. That they full deere haue aftyrward hit bought. 240 "And as for all tho that represent To be callyd goddys at that banket, Resemble false ydoUys ; but to thys entent Was Morpheous coOTmaundyd thedyr the to fet. That thow shuldest know the raaner & the get Of the paynym lawe and of her beleue, How false idolatry ledeth hem by the sleue. 241 " For soone vppon the worldys creacion. When Adam & Eue had broke, the precept— Whyche clerkd'j' call the Tyme of Deuyacion, The worldly pepyll in paynym law slept, Tyll Moyses vndyr God the tables of stone kept. In whyche tyme poetys feynyd many a fable Todyscrete reson ryght acceptable. 1653 Apollo at his banquet ^ y- causes their 1050 complaint to be forgotten. 1659 1660 1663 1666 1667 So fools give up their matter to oblivion. 1670 1673 1674 The Gods resemble false idols. 1677 1680 In the begin - ning people I D04 slept in pagan law. The poets 1687 deigned many ' fables 50 Doctrine's Interpretation. 242 "And to the entent that they should sownde 1688 To the eares of hem the more plesauntly ^vm "^ound That they shuld reede or here, /ey yaue they»? a grounds caUeTgods^"^ And addyd names vnto thcy^^z naturally ; 1691 Of whom they spake & callyd hem godd« hy, Som for the streyngthe & myght of her nature, And som for her sotyll wytty coniecture. 1694 243 "By nature thus as the seuyn planettys 1695 Haue her p;-^pre names by astronomers. But goddys were they called by oold poetys, For her gret feruency of wyrkyng in her speres— 1698 Expd'ryence preueth thys at all yeres. And for as other that goddw callyd be For sotyll wytte, that shall I teche the. 1701 244 "How they by that hygh name of god came. 1702 In thys seyd tyme, the pepyll was so rude That what nmner creature, man or woman, Cowde any nouelte contryue & conclude 1705 For the comon wele, all the multitude Of the comon peple a god shuld hym call. Or a goddesse, aftyr hit was fall 1708 245 "Of the same thyng that was so new founde — 1709 ^"thOTght to -'^s Ceres, for she the craft of tylthe founde, productVf'^ Wherby more plenteuosly come dyd habounde, theXt"^^' The pepyll her callyd thorout euery londe 1712 of'corS"'^''"' Goddesse of Corne, wenyng in her honde Had leyfi all power of cornys habundaunce. Thus wer the paynemes deceyuyd by ignoraunce. 246 Soisis.Pan, "In lykc maner, Isys was callyd the Goddesse 17 16 Of Frute, for she fyrst made hit multyply By the meane of gryffyng : and so by processe The name of Pan gan to deyfy, 1719s For he furst founde the mene shepe to guy. Som tooke hit also by her condicion As Pluto, Fortune, & suche other don. 1722 etc. Doctrine's Interpretation. 51 247 "Thus all that poetys put vndyr couerture 1723 Of fable the rurall pepyll hit took Propyrly as acte, refusyng the fygure ; Which errour som of hem neuer forsook. 1726 Oft a false myiTOur deceyueth a mannys look, As thow mayst dayly pr^ue at thyne ey. Thus were the paynyms deseuyd generally. 1729 248 "That seyng, the dedely enemy of mankynde, 1730 By hys power p^rmyssyue, entryd the ymag^j- Wz't/^yn the temples to make the pepyll blynde In her idolatry, standyng on hygh stages; i733 In so moche, whoo vsyd daungerous passag^j'. Any man^r wey by watyr or be londe, When hyd hys sacryfyce, hys answere redy founde. 249 "Thus duryng the Tyme of Deuyacion. i737 From Adam to Moyses, was idolatry Thorow the world vsyd in comon opynyoii. These were the goddys that thow there sy. 1740 And as for the awayters that stood hem by They polytyk philosophyrs & poet.fi' were, Whyche feynyd the fables that I speke of here. 1743 250 "Then sesyd the Tyme of Deuyacion, 1744 When Moyses receuyd that tables of stone, Entryng the Tyme of Reuocacion. On the Mount of Synay, stondyng alone, 1747 God yaue hym myght ayene all hys fone. And then began the Olde Testament Whyche to the pepyll by Moyses was sent. 1750 251 "And that tyme duryd to the incarnacion 1751 Of Cryst, & then began hit to sese. For then came the Tyme of Reconsylyacion Of man to God — I tell the doutlese — 1754 When the Soii of Man put hym in prese, Wylfully to suffre dethe for mankynde. In holy scrypture thys mayst thow fynde. 1757 The gods at the banc^uet are the idols, the waiters are the poets and philosophers who feigned the fables. The three times. Deviation, Revocation, Reconcilia- tion, 52 Doctrine's Interpretation. are portrayed upon the walls. The time of Pilgrimage or of War is figured upon the fourth wall. This is signified by the battle between Vice and Virtue. 252 "Thys Reconsylyacion was the Tyme of Grace, 1758 When foundyd was the churche vppon the feyr stoon, And to holy Petyr the key delyu^'ryd was Of heuyn ; then helle dyspoyled was anoofi. 1761 Thus was mankynde delyuifryd from hys foofi. And then began the New Testament That the Crystyii pepyll beleue in p/-i?sent. 1764 253 "Whyche iii tymes, a sondry deuydyd, 1765 Mayst thow here see, yef thow lyst beholde. The furst behynde the yn pycture ys prouydyd. The second of the lyft hande shewe pri^phet^j olde. 1768 The iii**" on the ryght hande here hit ys to the tolde. Thus hast thow in vysyon the verrey fygure Of these iii tymes here shewyd in purtrayture. 1771 254 "That ys to sey, furst, of Deuyacion 1772 From Adam to Moyses, recordyng Scripture ; Secund, fro Moyses to the incarnacion Of Cryst kepeth Reuocaczons cure. 1775 And as for the thryd, thow mayst be \ercey sure, Wyll dure from thens to the worlds ende. But now the iiii* must thow haue in mynde, 1778 255 "Whycheyscallyd pr^purly, theTymeof Pylgremage 1779 Aftyr som ; & som name hit otherwyse And call hyt the Tyme of Daungerous Passage ; And som Tyme of Werre, that fully hyt dyspyse. 1782 But what so hit be namyd, I woll the auyse — Remembre hit well and prynte hit in thy mynde, Wherof the fygure mayst thow me behynde. 1785 256 " And elles remembre thysylf in thyii hert, 1786 Howe Vyce & V^rtu dayly theym occupy, In msiner, ooii of hem hym to p^ruert. Another, to bryng hym to endeles glory. 1789 Thus they contynu fyght for the victory. Hyt ys no nede hefof to tell the moore, For in thys short vysyofi thow hast seen hit before. Doctrine's Interpretation. 53 257 "And as for Attropos greuous cowpleynt 1793 Vnto the goddw betokeneth nomore The complaint T-i 1 1 1 1 °^ Atropos ±iut oonly to snewe the how frendely constrevnt signifies the _^ J ^ constraint of On a stedfast hert weyeth full soore. i7q5 friendship— _, J , ^ ' -^ Discord and (jrood wyll requyreth good wyll ayene therfore. Death. Dyscorde to Dethe hatha ay byn a frende, For Dyscorde bryngeth many to her ende. 1799 258 " Wherfore Dethe thought he wolde avengyd be 1800 On hys frend^^f quarell yef that he myght, For her gret vnkyndnes, in so moche as she Was among hem all had so in despyte 1803 And at that banket made of so lyte; Whyche causyd \vjm among hem to cast in a boon, That found they»2 gnawyng ynough eu^rychoon. 1806 259 "Thus oft ys seen 00 frende for a nothef 1807 Wyll say & do & somtyme matyrs feyne ; And also kynnysmen, a cosyii, or a brother, Well for hys aly, ef he haue cause, compleyne. 1810 And where that he loueth do hys besy peyne, S'friendsolten Hys frend^J matyf as hys owne to take, "^^^'^ sorrow. Whyche oft sythe causeth mochyll sorow awake. 181 3 260 "Be hyt ryght or wrong, he changeth nat a myte- 18 14 As toward that poynt he taketh lytell heede. So that he may haue hys froward appetyte Pd'rformyd, he careth nat howe hys soule speede, 181 7 Of God or deuyll have suche lytyll dreede. Howe be hyt, oon ther ys pa\ Lorde ys of all, Whyche to eu^;^y wyght at last rewarde shall. 1820 261 "And as for the batayll betwene Vyce & V^rtew holde, So pleynly appereth to the inwardly, vke'l^nd ' °' To make exposicion therof, new or olde, Xe mora!"'''" Were but sup^rfluyte — therfore refuse hit I. 1824 s'n-gg'e ""'he -^ -' ^ human souL In man shall thow fynde that werre kept dayly, Lyke as thow hast seen hit fowtyn before thy face; The pyctur me behynde shewyth hit in lytyll space. 54 Doctrine's Interpretation. Microcosm is the world of man. Perseverance betokens the continuance of virtuous living. Whoso perseveres is rewarded with Prescience and Predestination are the rewarders of vice and virtue. The five keys are man's five wits. Residivacion signifies the return of man to sin. Reason and Sadness prevent such conclusion. 262 "And as for Macrocosme, hit ys no more to say 1828 But the lesse worlde, to the comon entent Whyche applyed ys to man both nyght and day — So ys man the felde to whyche all were sent 1831 On both partyes; & they that thedyr went Sygnyfy nomore but aftyr the condicion Of eu^^-y mans opynyofi. 1834 263 "And as for the nobyll knyght Pd-rseueraunce, 1835 Whyche gate the felde when hit was almost gooii, Betokeneth nomore but the contynuaunce Of virtuous lyuyng tyll dethe hath ou^rgoon. 1838 Who so wyll doo, rewardyd ys anoii, As Vertu was w/t^ the crowne on hy, Whyche ys nomore but eu,frlastyng glory. 1841 264 "And as for Prescience and Predestinacion, 1842 That eche of hem rewardyd aftyr hys desert, Is to vndyrstond nomore but dampnacion To vycyous pepyll ys the verrey scourge smert 1845 Rewarde; for they fro Nertu wolde p^ruert. And endelese ioy ys to hem that be electe Rewardyd & to all that folow the same secte. 1848 265 "And as for the keyes of the posterns fyue, 1 849 Whyche were to Morpheus rewardyd for hys labour, Sygnyfy nat ellys but whyle man ys on lyue Hys V inwarde wytti?.f shalbe eu^'ry houre 1852 In hys slepe occupyed, in hele and in langoure, WitA fantasyes, tryfyls, illusions & dremes, Whyche poetys call Morpheus stremes. i8S5 266 "And as for Resydiuacion ys nomore to sey 1856 But aftyr confessioii turnyng ayene to syn, Whyche to eui?ry man retorneth sauns deley To vycyous lyuyng ageyii hym to wyn. 1859 Whyle any man lyueth wyll hit neui?r blyn, That cursyd conclusion for to bryng abowte, But Resoii wit/i Sadnes kepe hit styll owte. 1862 Doctrine's Interpretation. 55 267 "Here hast thow prt^purly the \eney sentence 1863 Herde now declaryd of thys vysyon. The pycture also yeueth clere intellygence, Thefof beholdyn v/ith good discresyon. 1866 Loke well aboute & take consyderasion, As I haue declaryd, whether hit so be." "A syr," quoth Morpheus, "what tolde I the! 1869 268 "Hast thow nat now thyne htrtes desyre? 1870 Loke on yon wall yonder before." And all that tyme stood I in a wyre Whyche way furst myii hert wold yeue more 1873 To looke ; in a stody stood I therfore. Neu^rthelese at last, as Morpheus me badde, I lokyd forward y/iih countenaunce sadde, 1876 269 Where I behelde in portrayture 1877 All things as The mani?r of the felde, euyn as hit was portrayed upoo Shewyd me before ; & enery creature Ori boothe sydes beyng drawyn in small space 1880 So curyously, in so lytell a compace, In all thys world was neu.?;' thyng wrought ; It were impossyble in erthe to be thought. 1883 270 And when I had long beholde that pycture — 1884 "What," quoth Morpheous, " how long shalt thow looke, Daryng as a dastard, oil yon portrayture? Come of for shame; thy wytte stant a crooke." 1887 I hervnff that myii hert to me tooke, i look to the •' =" ,h ,, fourth wall, Towarde the im wall turnyng my vysage, where are poets and Where I sawe poetys & phylosophyrs sage, 1890 philosophers. 271 Many oon mo then at the banket 1891 Seruyd the godd«, as I seyde before. Som were made standyng, & som in chayer^j set, Som lookyng oii book^.f, as they had stodyed sore, 1894 Som drawyng almenakw, & in her handif.f bore Astyrlabes, takyng the altytude of the sonne — Among whom Dyogenes sate in a tonne. 1897 56 Doctrine's Interpretation. Doctrine explains the pictures of the Times. S^end well the Time of _ Reconcilia- tion. This raninds me of my former doubt. I pray; Doctrine to reconcile Reason and Sensuality. 272 And as I was lokyng on that fourthe wall, 1898 Of Dyogenes beholdyng the ymage, Sodeynly Doctryne began me to call, And bad me turne toward hyr my vysage. 1901 And so then I dyd vitih humble corage. [thentent "What thynkest thow," she sayde, "hast thow nat Yet of these foure wallys — what they represent? 1904 273 "The pycture on the fyrst, that standeth at my bake, 1905 Sheweth the the present Tyme of Pylgremage, Of whyche before I vnto the spake, Whyche ys the Tyme of Daungerus Passage. 1908 The secund, dyrectly ageyfi my vysage, The Tyme expresseth of Deuyacion, Whyle paynyrn lawe had the domynacion. 191 1 274 "The thryd wall, standyng on my lyft hande, 191 2 The Tyme repr^senteth of Reuocacion. And the fourth, standyng on my ryght hande, Det^rmyneth the Tyme of Reconsylyacion. 191S Thys ys the effect of thy vysion. Wherfore the nedyth nomore thefon to muse — Hit were but veyii thy witt« to dysvse. 19 18 27s "But duryng the Tyme of Reconsiliacion 1919 Thy Tyme of Pylgremage looke well thow spende And then woll gracious Predestinacion Bryng the to glory at thy last ende." 1922 And euyn with that cam to my mynde My furst conclusion that I was abowte To haue drevyii, ef slepe made me to lowte — 1925 276 That ys to sey, ho we Sensualyte 1926 W/t/^ Reason to acorde myght be brought aboute. Whyche causyd me to knele downe on my kne And beseke Doctryne det(?rmyne that doute. 1929 "Oo Lord God!" seyde Doctrine, "canst thow nat w«t^ Me that conclusion bryng to an ende? [oute Ferre ys fro the wytte & ferther good mende." 1932 Accord of Reason and Sensuality. 57 of whom I am afraid. Reason and Sensuality come thither. 277 And euen viixh that Dethe gan appere, 1933 Death enters; Shewyng hymsylf as though that he wolde Hys darte haue occupyed w/t/^yn that herbere. But thef was noon for hym, yong nor olde, 1936 Saue oonly I, Doctryne hym tolde, And when I herde hyr with hym comon thus, I me w/t-^drew behynde Morpheus, 1939 278 Dredyng full soore lest he ■wit/i hys dart, 1940 Thorow Doctrynes word«, any entresse In me wolde haue had or claymed any part — Whyche shuld haue causyd me gret heuynesse. 1943 W/t/^yn whyche tyme & short processe. Came theder Reason & Sensualyte. "A," quoth Doctryne, "ryght welcome be ye. 1946 279 "Hyt ys nat long syth we of yow spake. 1947 Ye must, er ye go, det^rmyne a dowte." And euyn wit/i that she the mater brake To theym and tolde hit euery where abowte. 195° I wold haue be thens, yef I had mowte. For feere I lookyd as blak as a coole. I wold haue cropyn in a mouse hoole. i9S3 280 "What!" quoth Doctryne, "where ys he now, 1954 That meuyd thys mater straunge & diffuse ? He ys a coward — I make myii avow. He hydeth hys hede, hys mocion to refuse." 1957 "Blame hym nat," quoth Reson, "alwey that to vse When he seeth Dethe so neere at hys hande. Yet ys hys part hym to wythstande. i960 281 "Or, at the leste way, ellys fro hym flee 1961 As long as he may — who dothe otherwyse As an ydiote." Quoth Sensualyte, 'Who dredyth nat Dethe wyse men hym dyspyse." " What ! " seyde Doctryne, " how long hathe thys gyse Beholdyn & vsyd thus atwyx yow tweyne ? Yee were nat wont to acorde certeyne." 1967 I am more afraid. Reason excuses my fear, since Death is to be shunned. With which sentiment Sensuality accords. 58 Accord of Reason and Sensuality. This solves my question. Death, Reason, and Sensuality vanish. The matter is not wholly clear. 282 "Yes," quoth Reson, "in thys poynt, alway 1968 To euery man haue we yeuen our counsayll Dethe for to flee as long as they may. All though we otherwyse haue done our trauayll 1971 Yche other to represse, yet wz't^oute fayll In that poynt oonly dyscordyd we nener. Thus condescendyd theryn be we for ener." 1974 283 "A! A!" seyde Doctryne, "then ys the conclusion 1975 Clerely determynyd of the gret dowte That here was meuyd" — & halfe in derysion She me then callyd & bade me loke owte. 1978 "Come forthe," she seyde, "and feere nat thys rowte." And euen wz't.^ that, Reson and Sensualyte And Dethe fro thens were vanysshyd all thre. 1981 284 Then lokyd I forthe as Doctryne me badde. 1982 When Dethe was goon, me thought I was bolde To shew my sylf, but yet was I sadde. Me thought my dowte was nat as I wolde, 1985 Clerely and opynly declaryd & tolde. Hit sownyd to me as a parable, • Derke as a myste, or a feynyd fable. 1988 285 And Doctryne my conceyte gan espy. 1989 "Wherfore," seyde she, "standyst tho>v so styll ? Whereyn ys thy thought ? Art thow in stody Of thy question ? Hast thow nat thy fyll 1992 To the declaryd ? Tell me thy wyll. Herdest thow nat Reson & Sensualyte Declare thy dowte here before the?" 1995 286 "Forsothe," quoth I, "I herde what they seyde. 1996 But neU(?rthelese my wyt ys so thynne, And also of Dethe I was so afrayed. That hit ys oute where hyt went ynne. 1999 And so that matyr can I nat wynne W/t/%out jour helpe & benyuolence Therof to expresse the verray sentence." 2002 Accord of Reason and Sensuality. 59 287 "Well," quoth Doctryne "then yeue attendaunce 2003 Vnto my wordes, & thow shalt here Opynly declaryd the concordaunce Atwene Sensualyte & Reson in fere. ' 2006 Yef thow take hede, hit clerely dothe apere How they were knette in oon opynyon. Bothe agayn Dethe helde contradyccyon. 2009 Doctrine interprets my "Whyche concordaunce nomore sygnyfyeth To pleyne vndyrstandyng, but in eu^rry mane Bothe Sensualyte & Reson applyeth Rather Dethe to fle then ^hh hit to be tane. Loo in that poynt accorde they holly thane. And in all other they clerely dyscorde. Thus ys trewly set thy doutfuU monacorde." 289 I, heryng that, knelyd on my kne An thankyd her lowly for hyr dyscyplyne. That she vouchesafe, of hyr benygnyte, Of tho gret dowtys me to enlumyne. Well was she worthy to be called Doctryne, Yef hit had be nomore but for the solucion Of my demaunde and of thys straunge vysyon. 290 And as I with myne heede began for to bow. As me well ought to do hyr reu^rence. She thens departyd — I cannat tell how. But w/t/zyn a moment goon was she thens. Then seyde Morpheus, "Let vs go hens. What shuld we heere tary lengere? Hast thow nat herde a gen^rall answere 291 To all thy matyrs that thow lyst to meue? My tyme draweth nere that I must rest." And euyn therwzt/^ he tooke me by the sleue And seyde, " Goo we hens, for that hold I best. As good ys ynowgh as a gret feste. Thow hast seeii ynowgh; hold the content." And euyn viixh that forthe w/t,^ hym I went, 2013 2016 2017 2020 2023 2024 2027 2030 2031 2034 2037 In one point Reason and Sensuality accord — in the fear of Death. Doctrine suddenly vanishes. Morpheus leads me back 6o The Vision Broken. to my bed and secretly steals away. Then I awake in great dread. It is all a dream. Lest fault be found in me^ I write down what I have seen. Take from my writing the best and leave the chaff. 292 Tyll he hade me brought agene to my bedde, 2038 Where he me founde, and then pryuyly He stale awey. I cowde nat vndyrstande Where he became, but sodenly 2041 As he came, he went — I tell yow veryly. Whyche doon, fro slepe I gan to awake. My body all in swet began for to shake 2044 293 For drede of the syght that I had scene, 2045 Wenyng to me all had be trew Actuelly dooii where I had beene, The batayll holde twene Vyce & V^rtew. 2048 But when I sy hit, hit was but a whew, A dreme, a fantasy, & a thyng of nought. To study theron I had nomore thought. 2051 294 Tyll at the last I gan me bethynke 2052 For what cause shewyd was thys vysyon. I knew nat ; wherfore I toke pen & ynke And paper to make therof mencion 2055 In wrytyng, takyng consideracion That no defaute were founde in me, Wheron accusyd I ought for to be 2058 29s For slowthe, that I had left hit vntolde — 2059 Nowthyr by mowthe nor in remewbraunce Put hit in wrytyng ; whef thorow manyfolde Weyes of accusacion myght turne me to greuaunce. 2062 All thys I saw as I lay in a traunce. But whedyr hit was wz't^ myne ey bodyly Or nat in certayn, God knoweth and nat I. 2065 296 That to dyscerne I purpose nat to deele. 2066 So large by my wyll hit longeth nat to me. Were hit dreme or vysion, for your owii wele, All that shall hit rede, here rad, or se, 2069 Take therof the best & let the worst be — Try out the corne clene from the chaff And then may ye say ye have a sure staff 2072 Let Virtue in you reign. Exhortation to Virtue. 6i 297 To stande by at nede, yef ye woll hit holde 2073 And walke by the way of V«-tu hys loore. But alwey beware, be ye yong or olde, That your frewyll ay to Vifrtu moore 2076 w^ktheway Apply than to Vyce, the eysyef may be boore The burdyn of the fylde, that ye dayly fyght Agayn your iii enemyes, for all her gret myght. 2079 yi^'eSmfes, 298 That ys to sey, the Deuyll & the Flesshe 2080 the Devil, And also the Worlde, ^ith hys glosyng chere, the World. Whyche on yow looketh &\xer newe & fresshe — But he ys nat as he doth apere. 2083 Lok ye kepe yow ay out of hys daungere. And so the vyctory shall ye obteyne, Vyce fro yow exylyd & V^rtew in yow reyne. 2086 299 And then shall ye haue the triu^zphall guerdouii 2087 Thinebethe ■^ eloiy !>nd the That God res^'rueth to eu the form of the word in Chaucer. Cf. Mann. Tale, 1. 107 : " I am a boistous man ; " Morte Arthure, Th. MS., 1. 615 : " Thos bustous churlles." The Story of Thebes has "boistouslie " (fol. 370). Boisterous is found by Shakespeare's time. 1. 140. auysment. Cf. Chaucer, Pari, of F., 11. 554—55 : " The water-foules han her hedes leyd Togeder, and of short avysement ; " Troy, and Cris., II, 1. 343 : "Avysement is good bifore the nede." P. 6, 1. 154. egall ^ equall. Cf. Lydgate, Secrees, 1. 386 : " Ye wer of lyff egal with hooly seyntes ; " Min. P. p. 210 : " So egally ther doomys to avaunce." Paregall occurs often in Skelton. Unperegall is found in Marston, Butch Courtezan, IV, v. 1. 157. prima facie. The date of the first instance of the Engl, usage of this phrase given in the Stanford Diet. (Latin in Engl.) is 1646. Cf. Chaucer in Trail, and Cris. Ill, 1. 918 : " This accident so pitous was to here And eek so lyk a sooth, at pryme face." 1. 162. onwarde. Skeat says this did not appear before Sir Th More! (Diet.). Notes. 67 1. 163. messynger. Formed from the Fr. message. When was the n intro- duced? Gower has messagere in Conf. Am., Ill, p. 249. Lydgate in Slory of Thebes uses messengers (fol. 372) and messagere (fol. 380, 386), Chaucer has both messager and messanger (see Glossary of Ch.). 1. 167. banket. In the fourteenth century the cloth or cushion covering a bank or bench on which dessert was served was called a "banker"; a feast came to be called a " banket " [Mem. of Land., ed. Riley, I, p. 179 and p. 44). P. 7, 1. 191. ryght glad. Right used in this manner is generally considered to be an Americanism (Southern) but this usage, like the American "I guess," is good Middle English. 1. 192. all and some = t]\e long and short of it (Skeat). This is one of the most common phrases in L. M. E. Cf. Chaucer, Fr. Tale, 1. 878 : " This al and som, there is no more to seyn ; " Pari. ofF., 1. 650 : " This al and som, that I wolde speke and seye," etc., etc. Rovi. of the Rose, 1. 740: " So faire they weren alle and some ; '■ Gower, Conf. Am., II, p. 379 : " There ben the lordes all and some ; " Lydgate, Temp, of Glas, 1. 1037 : " This is al and some, the fine of my request," etc. Cf. Spenser, Faerie Queen, III, xii, 30. I remember to have seen the phrase used by Swinburne. Browning has in Ring and Book : " So do I see, pronounce on all and some." 1. 202. by and by = one after the other, separately. See 1. 302, Chaucer has in Rv. Tale, 1. 223 : " Right in the same chambre, by and by ; " Rom. of the Rose, 1. 4581 : " These were his wordis by and by." 1.217. grogyng. The most common word of its class in Lydgate's vocab- ulary, commonly spelled grucchyng. Min. P. p. 67 : " Nat grucchyng, but mery like thi degre ; " idem, p. 83 : " List thank God voyde al grucchyng ; " .^sop, Fab. 2, 1. 161 : "Nor grucche in pouerte." Often in Temp, of Glas (see II. 187, 424, 853, 879, 1266) and Secrees (11. II3, 775. 778, 780). Piers the Plow., Pr., 1. 153 : " And gif we grucche of his gamen." In Chaucer's, Pers. Tale grucching is declared a species of Envy. Cf. Mary Wilkin's Pembroke, Ch. 12 : "I don't begrutch it to her." P. 8 1. 232. dyscrese. From L.L. discrescere. Gower has discreseth (Co«/. Am, ' 11, p. 189). 1. 233. Idar vndyrtake. A common formula; Chaucer has it in the Ml. Tale, i 35s'. Cf. Prol. 1. 288 : "And he nas nat right fat, I undertake." 1. 243. Neptune's mastresse. Cf. Chaucer, Fr. Tale, 11. 319-20 : " Though Neptunus have deite in the see, Yet emperesse aboven him is she (Lucina)." 68 Notes. 1. 249. Othea. I have retained the spelling in the text, though I am confi- dent that Athena is the right reading. 1. 252. marchall. It was the office of the marshal of a feast to set the guests in order of rank. P. 9, 1. 253. The Gods. The delineation of the pagan deities in the manner of pictorial art is perhaps the best thing done in the poem. For models of these images he had, perchance, the work of Albricus Philosophus, entitled De Deorum Imaginibus, containing sketches of the heathen gods (Van Stav- ernes Auctores Mythog, Lat.)\ also, of course, the work of Fulgentius (Introd. p. xl) ; or for that he would not need to go much farther than Gower's Conf, Aman. Bk. IV. In 1. 294 he refers to " olde poetys " for his authority. There is a minor assembly of gods in Lydgate's ^jo^ where judgment is given concerning the marriage of Phebus. See also The Assembly in Dunbar's Golden Targe, 1. 256. presse. The MS. preef is changed to presse because of the riming word messe. 1. 258. de spreynt. Cf. Chaucer, CompL, 1. 10 : " To Pite ran I, al bespreynt with teres ; " " dew-besprent " occurs in Comus, 1. 541. Browne notes that besprent is Spen- serian. 1. 260. Mars myg/iiy god and strong. A translation of the more common epithet of Mars, "armypotent" — borrowed from Virgil (ySn. IX, 717). Cf. Boccaccio, Teseide, VII. 32. 1. 262. yron and the other metals. The association of the different metals with the planets is attributed to Geber (see Thomson, Hist, of Chem., I, 117). The temple of Mars built by Theseus [Knight's Tale) was all of steel. In Chaucer's Ho. of Fame (11. 1446-8) it is said that " Yren Martes metal is ; " " And the leed, withouten faile. Is, lo, the metal of Saturne." The Chanouns Yeman explains the seven " bodies " (Ch. V. Tale, 11. 273-6): " Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe ; Mars yren. Mercuric quicksilver we clepe ; Saturnus leed, and lubiter is tin. And Venus coper, by my fader kin." Gower gives the complete list in Conf. Am., Bk. 4, II, p. 84 : " The gold is titled to the Sonne ; The mone of silver hath his part ; And iron, that stond upon Mart ; The leed after Satorne groweth ; And lupiter the brass bestoweth ; The copper set is to Venus, And to his part Mercurius Hath the quick-silver." Note the description by Hawes of the monster of the seven metals whose head and face were gold, the neck silver, the breast and heart steel, the fore- legs brass, the back copper, the hindlegs tin, the tail lead {Past, of Fleas p. 192). 1. 266. poudryd. A term in heraldry for sprinkled. 1. 267. take the mantell and the ryng. This saying refers to the assumption by a widow of a ring and a "widow's mantel," probably of black silk, as evidence of a vow of perpetual widowhood. See \.y&%&\.i. Dance of Mac.: " Chastely receyved the mantel and the rynge ; " Min. P., p. 34 : " She wol perhappous maken hir avowe That she wol take the mantle and the ryng." , Notes. 6g P. 9, 1. 269. demenyng. Cf. the Secrees, 1. 1082 : "Sad of his cheer, in his demenyng stable;" Temp, of Glas, 1. 750 : "Hir sad demening." 1. 270. Words like sad, wise and end are dissyllabic in Chaucer, sad I de. wys I e, end | e. 1. 272. philosophres: cofres. A stock rime from Chaucer; cf. Cant. Tales Pr. 1. 297-8 : "And albe that he was a philosophre Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre;" see also Man of L. Tale, 11. 25-6 ; Fr. Tale, 11. S43-4 ; Ch. Y. Tale, 11. 283-4; Dr. of Ph. Tale, Pr. 1. 5-6; Leg. of G. W., Pr. 11. 380-1 ; Gower uses It in Conf. Am., II., p. 197 and III., p. 163; Lydgate employs it again in ^sop, 11. 1-3, in Secrees, 11. 34-5, 435-7, 540-2. Chaucer rimes philosophre again with profre {Sec. N.Tale, 11. 489-90 ; Ch. Y. Tale, 11. 111-12). 1. 275. rychely beseene. Cf. Skelton, Garl of Laur., 11. 482-3: "Wherein was set of Fame the noble Quene, All other transcendynge, most rychely besene ; " Temp, of Glas, 1. 1 1 67 : "Ai fressh and welbesein.'' 1. 280. morne; Saturne. Cf. Temp, of Glas, U. 480-1, mourne: turne, 858-9, moitrne: refourme. P. 10, 1. 296. fresshe=^mg&mi%, gay. Cf. Skelton, GarL of Lau., 1. 39 : "Garnysshed fresshe after my fantasy." 1. 306. purpur. The M. E. spelling. Cf. Chaucer, Leg. of G. W., I., 1. 75 : "With al her purpre sayle." I. soS.perles oryent. Cf. Chaucer, Leg. of G. W., Pr., 1. 221 : " For of 00 perle, fyne, oriental ; " see the Flow, and Leaf, line 148: " As greate pearles, round and oriente ; " Skelton, Garl. of Lau., 1. 485 : " Fret all with orient perlys of garnete ; " Lydgate's ./Esop., 1. 26 : "Perils white, cliere,"and oriental;" John Day's Works (ed. BuUen, p. 37): "And as jewels, so the stones be orient, artfully cut and orderlie sett." 1. 314. sulphure. Cf. Chaucer, Ho. of Fame, 11. 1507-11 : "And next him on a piler stood, Of sulfre .... Dan Claudian .... That bar up al the fame of helle. Of Pluto, and of Proserpyne." I. 316. Fortune the goddesse. This is that Fortune that was known to the Middle Ages. Boethius gave her form and figure in the second book of De Cons. Phil. Dante places her in the Fourth Circle of Hell (c. vii), say- ing that for the splendors of the world there was ordained a general mistress and guide who should ever and anon transfer the vain goods from race to race, and from one blood to another beyond the resistance of human wit (Norton). This is the import of Cavalcante's fine Song of Fortune, begin- ning, " Lo ! I am she who makes the wheel to turn ; Lo ! I am she who gives and takes away." She is shewn in full form with her wheel in the Roman de la Rose (2d part, II. 4863-8492). The English Romaant speaks of "The froward Fortune and contraire " (1. 5414). Chaucer describes her as going upright and yet halting, as looking fair and yet foul (Bk. of the Duch., 11. 642-5): 7° Notes. " She is th' envyous charite That is ay fals, and semeth wele So turneth she her false whele Aboute, for it is no-thing stable." Lydgate says in the Min. P., p. 122 : "Fortune shewithe ay, by chaungyng hir see, How this world is a thurghefare ful of woo." For a later description of Fortune and her wheel see King James' Quair, St. 158-172. Fluellen said to Pistol {K. Hen. V., Act III., Sc. 6): "For- tune is painted blind with a muffler afore her eyes, to signify to you that Fortune is blind ; and she is painted also with a wheel, to signify to you, which is the moral of it, that she is turning and inconstant, and mutability, and variation ; and her foot, look you, is fixed upon a spherical stone, which rolls and rolls." Note the painting of Fortune and her wheel by E. Burne- Jones. The mediaeval Fortune was pictured by Raphael on the walls of the Vatican. 1. y.t. party face. Cf. Court of Love, 11. 1191-2 : " Dissemble stode not ferre from hym in trouth, With party mantill, party hode and hose." The Temp, of Glas, 1. 1155, has the formula "in parti or in al." 1. 320. gawdy grene chamelel. Chamelet was a cloth made of camel's hair and silk. Cf. Chaucer, Knights Tale, 1. 1221 : "In gaude greene hir statue clothed was (Diana)." 1. yi2.shoures. Figuratively=distribution, bestowment. See another usage in 1. 7 32= assault of battle. II, 1. 325. russet. Russet was a name given to a coarse woolen cloth, reddish brown in color and commonly worn by shepherds ; " clad in russet " was proverbial for homeliness. See Skeat's note in Piers Plow., p. 208. The color is taken from the cloth. Cf. Shaks. hamlet. Act I., i. 166 : " The morn in russet mantle clad." Frese^irve-zt, a coarse woolen cloth. 1. 326. tar box. Every shepherd carried a box containing tar, which was used to annoint the sores in sheep. Cf. Chest. PL, p. 120 : " Heare is tarre in a potte To heale from the rotte." Skeat cites a carol in a Balliol MS., 354 (notes to Piers Plow., p. 19S): " The sheperd upon a hille he satt, he had on hym his tabard and his hat, hys tarbox, hys pype, and hys flagat." See Percy's Reliq., II., p. 256 : "And least his tarbox should offend, he left it at the folde." 1. 329. the murre^2. cold with hoarseness. Cf. Skelton, Magnyf., 1. 2287 : "And I gyve hym the cowghe, the murre, and the pose " (pose = rheum in the head). 1. 330. Isys the goddesse. Lydgate, in his Fall of Princes, describes again a number of the Divinities. Of Isis he says : " She was right wise above other creatures. Secrete of cunnynge, wele experte in science, She taught first letters and figures To Egipciens by pleyn experience, Yave theym cunnynge and intelligence To till the londe, taught the labourerys To sowe their greyne and multiplie by yeres." 1. 340. in hys gyrdyll stede=i-a. place of his girdle. But cf. Stubbes' Anat. of Abuses where gyrdlestead, used as a noun, signifies waist (I., p. 60). Notes. >, I 1- 343- dysgysyd=&e.cVf^d. out in strange guise. Cf. Lang., Piers Plow., Pr., 1. 24 : "And some putten hem to pruyde .... comen disgised." Cf. Secrees, 1. 1170 : "As tlie Sonne shewith in his guyse." I. 344. Mynerue. Minerva as Pallas appears in Lydgate's Temp, of Glas, "with her cristal sheld " (see Schick's notes, p. 87). 1. 350. that other ye vioie where, i. c, on her breast. \. l<,t. kendall. Probably the "Kendal Green," formerly manufactured by the Flemish weavers who had established themselves in Kendall in the 14th century. P. 12, 1. 361. OTfj/K/^ joined, p.p. of mingen. Cf. Temp, of Glas, 1. 276: "That Rose and lileis togedir were so meint ; " Spenser, F. Q. III. xi. 36 : "When she with Mars was meynt in joyfulnesse." I. 362. ne wer she. A common M. E. idiom. Cf. Piers Plow., Pr., 1. 199 : "Nere (ne were) that cat of that courte that can yow ouerlepe ; " idem. Pas iii., 1. 134 : "Shireues of shires were shent gif she nere;" idem, Pr., 1. 82 : " Gif thei nere ; " Chaucer, Man of L. Tale, 1. 34 : "Nere (ne were) that a marchaunt, goon is many a yere ; " Lydgate in Daunce of Poules: "Also ne were it myn entent." See Glossary of Chaucer's Works under "nere." ]. 365. Mercurius. Mercury, as god of eloquence, appears in Temp, of Glas, II. 130-32, and in Hawes' Past, of Pleas., p. 34. Lydgate speaks of him in Falls of Princes as " Right fresshe, ryght lusty and full of hardyness." See Schick's notes, pp. 80-1. Cf. Secrees, 1. 1207 : " In Rethoryk helpith Mercuryvs." 1. 365. jf«^seat. Cf. O. F. se; used in the sense of seat or throne in Faery Queene, iv., 10, 30. 1. 368. /awj/^^ surpassed, excelled. Cf. Flow, and Leaf, 1. 168 : "That of beautie she past hem everichone." 1. 371. multyplyers. For the "cursed craft" of multiplying, its materials and processes, see the Prolog to the Chanouns Yeman's Tale and Gower's Conf. Am., II., p. 84. The "spirits" employed were quicksilver, armoniac, sulphur and arsenic. The multipliers, along with coin washers and clippers, are classed among the vices (1. 681). 1. 373. whoos long here shone as wyre of goold bryght, i. e., as the fine glitter- ing threads of goldsmiths' work. A favorite and tell-tale simile of Lyd- gate's. See Schick, Temp, of Glas, notes, p. 88-90; Kolbing, Sir B. of Hamioun, notes, pp. 244-5 > ^Iso the introduction to this text, p. Ivi. 1. 374. cryspe=ixt^ or firm. Most often crisp meant curled, as when describing hair (cf. Chaucer, Knights Tale, I. 1307) or rippled, as Milton's "crisped shades" {Comus,\. 984). Leigh Hunt has the present use in "It (laurel) has been plucked nine months, and yet looks as hale and crisp as i£ it would last ninety years." Cf. Browning, Ring and Book: " The first crisp youth that tempts a jaded taste." 1. 374. columdyne^eithsT dove-like or in color like the columbine. In Lydgate's Pur le Roy (Min. P., p. 8) the word is used in the first sense : "Most columbyne of chere and of lokyng." 72 Notes. Chaucer (in March. Tale, 1. 897) has, "Come forth now with thin eyghen columbine." Venus is always, of course, associated with doves and roses. Cf. the Knights Tale, 11. 1 102-4 : "And on her heed, ful semely for to see, A rose garland ful swete and wel smellyng. And aboven hire heed dowves flikeryng." Cf. any medieval or modern painting of Venus when represented as the "patronesse of plesaunce." 1. 383. gladyd =made glad. For this transitive use of glad cf. Chaucer, Si. of the Duch, 1. 702 : " May gladde me of my distresse ; " Ho. of Fame, 1. 962 : " And gladded me ay more and more ; " Piers Plow., Pas. vi., 1. 121 : " Shal no greyne that groweth glade yow at nede ; " Temp, of Glas, 1. 1 2 1 1 : " Hertes to glade itroubled with derkness ; " Browning, Ring and Book, p. 57 : "What else shall glad our gaze." Cf. Wyclif Magnificat.- " My spiryt hath gladed in God myn helthe." Lydgate also uses, 1. 532, "reioyse" ( = make glad) which came to take the place of glad in this sense. 1.389. phylosophyrs and poetes. Lydgate follows Dante in placing the pagan philosophers and poets in Hell. See Inferno, i,. iv. Dante men- tions among the ancient teachers Socrates, Plato, Democritus, Diogenes, Anaxagoras, Thales, Empedocles, Heraclitus, Zeno, Dioscorides, Orpheus, TuUy, Linus, Seneca, Euclid, Ptolemy, Hippocrates, Avicenna, Galen, and Averrhoes, and of course, Virgil, Homer, Horace, Ovid and Lucan. These were in the First Circle, which contained the spirits of those who lived vir- tuously but without Christianity. This is such a list as Hawes gives of those who have achieved fame, and also Douglas of those who inhabit the Palace of Honor. P- ^3) !• 397- Grace, Ouyde and Omere. This is the common spelling of these names. Cf. Chaucer, Ho. of Fame W.. 1466, 1477, 1487. Omerus is found in Secrees\. 378, etc. Euclyte occurs in Min. P. p. 88. 1. 400. Orpheus. He is mentioned also in Temp, of Glas (1. 1308), playing upon a harp. 1. 402. carpe. Commonly meaning to talk, the term is sometimes found applied to music, as here. Often in Lydgate in 'the sense of talk. Cf. Chorl and Bird, Min. P., p. 191 : " It ware but foly withe the more to carpe "; Secrees, 1. 708 : "To whoos counsayl in Arrabye folk carpe," etc. See carpyng, 1. 439. I. 404. to lame. Cf. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, Pr. 1. 474, "lawghe ;" Piers Plow.,, iv, 1. 153, "lawghyng; " and Secrees, 1. 2535 : " Man which lawheth with wyl and herte." 1. 408. foyson. Cf. Chaucer, Ml. Tale, Pr., 1. 57 : " So that he fynde Goddes foyson there " ; Lydgate, Chorl and Bird, Min. P., p. 184 : " And of alle deyntes plente and foisoun ; " Secrees, 1. 1644 : " Or drynk old wyn in greet foysoun." It is used in The Tempest, II. i. Notes. n 2 1. 413. ihe festofPeleus. Thestory is that Discord (Eris), being excluded from the feast of Peleus and Thetis, tlirew among the company a golden apple inscribed " To the fairest." Then arose the dispute between Here, Aphro- dite and Athena, wherein Paris was involved as judge of the fairest. The prize fell to Aphrodite, who gave to Paris Helen, whence rose the Trojan war. This was one of the most famous of the medizeval tales of romance. The strife of the goddesses is recorded in Gower's Conf. Am. Bk. V. The story is referred to in Temp, of Glas, 11. 461-67. Robert of Bruune gives a full account of the rape of Helen and the causes thereto in his Chron. 11. 459 f^ seq. 1. 425. whatin the deuylls date. The meaning of this exclamation is indicated by a passage in Skelton's Speke., Parrot, II. 437-38 : " Ryn God, rynne Devyll ! yet the date of ower Lord And the date of the Devyll dothe shrewlye accord." The Marriage charter of Lady Mede in Piers Plow. (Pass, ii) is sealed "in the date of the devil," as other documents are written in the date of the Lord. Cf Skelton, Bowge of Court, 11. 375 and 455 : "Lete theym go, lowse theym, in the deuylles date " ; Magnificence 11. 2198 and 954 : "What neded that, in the dyuyls date ! " 1. 426. howe the game gooth. Cf. Rom. of the Rose, I. 5030 : "But how that evere the game go." P. 14, 1. 441. woo begoon. The opposite phrase is "well begon" as in Roman of the Rose, 1. 693. I. 447. my dart. Inmediseval imagery Death is most often represented as a skeleton figure hurling against all men a spear or a dart. Cf. Mirrour of the Per. of Man's Life: " Now schaketh he his spere to smite me " ; Court of Love, 1. 294 : " Though Deth therefore me thirlith with his spere " ; Occleve, De Reg. Prin. (ed. Wright, p. 76) : " Death might have stayed his dart for a time." See text 1. 1935. The identification of Atropos (here a male figure) with Death is one of the curious features of the poem. Cf Temp, of Glas, 1. 782-3 : " Right so shall I, til Antropos me sleithe For wele or wo, hir faithful man be found." Atropos is one of the fates in Story of Thebes, fol. 374. Cf. Bullein, A Dialogue against the Fev. Pest. (E. E. T, p. 1 14) : "Me thinke I doe see the fearful horseman lighted in the valley with a mar- velous fearful saying. En adsum vobis mors vltima linia rerum, etc. Oh, where shall we hide vs from him ? He casteth forthe his HI dartes, and taketh them vp again it is merciless Death most fearful," etc. II. 449 et. seq. Death's patent. It was one of the favorite subjects of contem- plation how death brought every man to an end, however exalted his estate. It was customary to refer to the "Nine Worthies"' by way of illustration; these were Joshua, Gideon, Samson, David, Judas Maccabaeus, Alexander, Julius Caesar, Charles the Great, and Godfrey of Boulogne. When it was desirous to prove that the world was false and vain, the question would be asked, Where now is Solomon, Samson, Absalom, Jonathan, Cassar, Dives, I The Nine Worthies furnished stock illustrations to a late date. They are constantly referred tobythe dramatists as by Beaumont and Fletcher in Thierry and Theodoret {Yiyc^^A. I, p. ■t.i,-i) , Laws of Candy (v, p. 331), The Double Marriage (VI, p. 387), The Prophetess (VIII, p. 266). They appear on the stage in character in Middleton's The World Lost at Tennis (Bullen ed. VII, p. 165), where they are described by Pallas as they dance in the masque. They were favorire .subjects for tapestry (Weber) as appears in Beau, and FI. Doul. Mar, (Dyce ed. VI, p. 387) ; " Thou woven Worthy in a piece of arras. Fit only to enjoy a wall." 74 Notes. TuUy, or Aristotle (see Hymns to the Virgin, E. E. T., p. 86 — c. 1400). Chaucer's list of those who have been brought low is given in the Monk's Tale; they are Lucifer, Adam, Sampson, Ercules, Nabugodonosore,Balthazar, Zenobia, Petro (of Spayne), Petro (of Cipres), Barnabo, Hugilin, Nero, Oli- phern, Antiochius, Alisaunder, Julius Cesar and Cresus. Hawes enumerates these whom Fame holds in remembrance : Hector, Josue, Judas Machabeus, Davyd, Alexander, Julius Sesar, Arthur, Charles and Godfrey (/V?^/. of Pleas.') To illustrate the theme that all stand in change like a midsummer rose, Lydgate cites elsewhere David, Salamon, Jonathas, Julius, Pirrus of Ynd, Alexander, Nabigodonosor, 5adociopall, TuUius, Crisostomus, Omerus, Senec, and many knights (Min. P., p. 22; see also p. 122). Cf. the tone of the Roxbury Ballad Farewell to the World: "For worldlie pleasure is but vanitie; None can redeeme this life from death, I see ; Nor Cresus' wealth, nor Alexander's fame, Nor Sampson's strength, that could Death's fury tame." Rox. B. II, p. 25. In that most doleful of poems Wiggleworth's Vanity of Vanities the motive is repeated in a new land : " If Beauty could the Beautiful defend From Death's dominion, then fair Absalom Had not been brought to such a shameful end ; But fair and foul unto the Grave must come. If Wealth or Scepters could Immortal make. Then wealthy Croesus, wherefore art thou dead ? If Warlike-force which makes the World to quake, Then why is Julius Caesar perished ? Where are the Scipio's Thunderbolts of War ? Renowned Pompey, Caesar's Enemy ? Stout Hannibal, Rome's Terror known so far ? Great Alexander, what's become of thee ? — Libr. Amer. Lit. II, p. 17. See also Lydgate's Dance of Macawbre and Story of Thebes, fol. 387 ; Barc- lay's Ship of Fools, I, p. 264 ; Love's Labor's Lost, VI, 130 ; V, Sc. I. 1. 130 ; Southwell's Image of Death, etc. Petrarch's Triumph of Death may also be compared. P. 15, 1. 470. Nabtigodonozbr. This is the pronunciation in Chaucer. The spell- ing Nabuchodonosor occurs in the Vulgate (Dan. I., iv) ; this is the usage of Gower (v. Conf. Am. Bk. I, near end), and Chaucer (^Monk's Tale, 1. 155 ; Ho. of F. 1. 515), and Langland {Piers Plow. Pas. vii, 1. 153). 1. 471, Pharao is the spelling of the Vulgate ; Chaucer has Pharo {Ho. ofF. 1. 516) but Pharao in Bk. of the Duch. 1. 282. 1. 490. aldyrs. The final s must be a scribal error ; but cf. 11. 579, 599, 1. 492. Cf. Chaucer, Knights Tale, 11. 445-8 ; " O cruel goddes, that governe This world with byndyng of youre word eterne And wryten in the table of athamaunt Your parlement and your eterne graunt." 1. 493. pesecoddys. This is the form employed by Lydgate in Min. P. p. 105, Secrees 1. 1374, and by Langland in Piers Plow. Pas. vi, 1. 294, xiii (C), 1. 221, and by Skelton Why come, etc., 1. 108. The Secrees has " Benys rype and pesecoddys grene." P. 16, 1. 499. i5;^aj/rf'^=started up. Cf. ^sop. Fab. 2. 1. 90 : "Til sodainly al abrayde"; r^ Temp of Glas, 1, 1054 : " Til at the last of routhe she did abraide "; Notes. 7 5 Secrees, ]. 308 : " Till I abrayde in purpoos to resorte." See " braid," N. E. Diet. 1. 501. boody, blood and boonys. " Blood and bone " is a common formula in the Metrical Romances. 1. 503. malapert. Cf. Lydgate. Min. P., p. 23 : "Clatering pyes .... Most malapert there verdit to purpose " ; idem p. 166 : " Maleapert of chiere and of visage " (said of a jay). 1. 513. leyte. The other texts read "leytenynge " — which is, of course, meant. 1. 530. hyt fell on a day. Lydgate has this formula in Min. P., p. 74 : " It fil on a tyme." 1. 530. wedyr. Weddiris still the folk pronunciation in portions of Scotland. Cf. Barbour's Bruce III., 1. 387: " Till wyntir weddir war away." P. 17, 1. 534. dresse^=dhect. See I. 1512 : " Myn ey gan I dresse." Cf. Chaucer, Ml. Tale, 1. 282 : " And to the chambre dore he gan him dresse ;" Genii., 1. 3 : " Must folowe his trace and allc his wittes dresse." 1. 550. ray. Ray means properly a ray, streak, stripe ; but was commonly used to designate a striped cloth (Skeat). See Lyd., Lond. Lackfenny, "a long gown of raye." The plural is found in P. PI. Pas. v, 1. 211, "Among the riche rayes." Barclay {Ship of Fools, I, p. 35) refers to honest ray=striped cloth. See Me?n. of Lond, ed. Riley. I. p. 109 for definition= " one piece of striped cloth." Cf. Peele, Edward I., So. 6, 1. 22 : " My milk-white steed treading on cloth of ray." 1. 561. Cf. Chaucer, Man ofL. Tale 1. 483: " But tourne ayein I wil to my mateere ; " Lydgate Min. P. p. 140 : " But to resorte ageyn to my mateere." 1. 562. And to I begyn | ne n^w | e whdre | I l^ft. Few lines run as smoothly as this. The final e comes naturally into use. 1. 563. besy peyn. The phrases " besy peyn " and " besy cure " are very common in Lydgate and Chaucer. See Lydgate's Min. P., p. 87 ; ySsop, Fab. 2, 1. 55, Fab. 6, 1. 136; Secrees, 1. 738, 1012; Chaucer, Pari, of F. 1. 369; Compl. 1. 2, 119, etc. This text has it again in 1. 746. Spenser uses the phrase as in Faerie Queene V. xii. 26. P. 18, 1. 597. nat worth a peere. The writers of the period had a variety of ex- pressions signifying worthlessness. See 1. 493, not give 2 pesecoddes; 1. 560, rekke nat a strawe ; 1. 1607, then a myte. Cf. Mort. d'Art. XV., cap. vi (ed. Southey, II. p. 254) : " Vayne glory of the world, the whiche is not worth a pere." Chaucer has " Not worth a myte" in Knights Tale, 1. 700, Somp. Tale, 1. 253, Sec.N. Tale,\. Sll,Ch. Yem. Tale, Pr.l.80; " Not worth a flye " m Pari, of F., 1. 501 ; "Not worth a bene" in Merch. Tale. In the Rom. of the Rose are "Not worth a croked brere," 1. 6191 ; and "Not worth an hen," 1. 6856. In Piers Plow, is "She counteth nought a russhe," Pas. iii, 1. 141. Gower uses "Not worth a kerse," Conf. Am. I, p. 334, and "Not worth a stre," I, p. 364. Skelton has "Set not a nut shell," Col. CI. 1. 1227. Cf. Dunbar, Fre. Hon. and Nob. 1. 42 : " Set not by this warld a chirry." Douglas says (Works II, p. 116, 1. 19) : "I compt it neuir a myte." 7 6 Notes. 1. 6oo. dere^=VD.\axe.. Cf. j?oot. o/Z/ii? i?oj-£', I. 4336 : " May falle a weder that shal it dere." 1. 601. a son ofmyne. With what an imperfect imagination Lydgate grasps the symbolism of liis poem may be gathered by comparing this mere refer- ence of Vice as the bastard son of Pluto with the mighty passage in Mil- ton's Par. Lost (Bli. X) which describes the relationship of Satan and Sin and Death. Then I have misgivings for having attempted to revive this Lydgate; one then realizes the force of- Prof. Lounsbury's remark in his Studies in Chaucer that it is unfortunate that the dead past cannot bury not only its dead but its bores. 1. 602. j'«OT«?-(/=reduction of vantward. Cf. Shakes. Hen. V, iv, 3 : " I beg My lord, most humbly on my knee The leading of the vaward." This form is found as late as Drayton's Agincourt, Ode XII : "The eager vaward." P. 19, 11. 610 et seq. the battle. Bunyan's Holy War offers many parallels to the conduct of this battle. Thus we are told that the Father appointed his Son to captain the forces of Good, that Emanuel chose live captains to accom- pany him, captains Credence, Good-hope, Charity, Innocent, and Patience, each with a standardbearer and holy escutcheon to advance ten thousand men. Emanuel rode at their head in a chariot. The army of Diabolus had set over it other captains ; Diabolus the King, Incredulity, the Lord-general, the seven chief captains Beelzebub, Lucifer, Legion, Appollyon, Python, Cerberus and Belial, and minor captains Rage, Fury, Damnation, Insatiable, Brimstone, Torment, No-ease, Sepulchre and Past-Hopei. This army, uncountable in number, set out from Hell-gate Hill and came by a straight course toward Mansoul, whose five gates (the five senses) they attack with varying' fortune though with ultimate defeat. The general question of Bunyan's sources and models has not been fully considered. While it is apparent that he drew almost wholly from the Bible and his own conscience, yet his work must have been in part determined by the traditional accounts of Mansoul's Wars. 1. 612. dereysne=s,itt in order, prepare. Cf. Chaucer, Knights Tale, 1. 773: " Bothe suffisient and mete to darreyne." Cf. Spenser, F. Q. IV. iv. 26 : " Unable he new battell to darraiue." 1. 617. Vyce, etc. It is possible to form from the drawings. Moral Plays and literature of the period a very accurate picture of the different vices as objectified in human symbol. If Lydgate is wanting here in descriptiveness it is probably because the work of delineation had been done before him and nothing more was needed beyond mere mention. Langland in Piers the Plowman (Pas. v) is especially realistic and dramatic : " Now awaketh Wratthe with two whyte eyen. And nyuelynge with the nose and his nekke hangynge ; " " Thanne come Sleuthe al bislabered, with two slymy eighen ; " "Eche a worde that he (envy) warpe was of an addres tonge. Of chydynge and of chalangynge was his chief lyflode. With bakbitynge and bismer and beryng of fals witnesse." See especially Covetousness quoted below (1. 626). In such character the Vices were kept constantly before the people in play and pageant, which practice was continued until late as witnessed by Richard Tarlton's play of the Seven Deadly Sins, in which Lydgate himself is presented as moving the scenes (cf. Collier, Hist. Dr. P. Ill, p. 394), and by such a remark as that made by Dick Bowyer in Try all of Chev airy (c. 1605, Old Plays, ed. Bullen, HI): "If I had a pageant to present of the seven deadly sinnes, he should play Slouth." So long as these characters remained Notes. 7 7 before the people Lydgate's description was sufficient. I make this note because everywhere the relation between the pictorial, scenic and literary art o£ the period must be emphasized. For the subjective conception see Chaucer's Pers. Tale and Gower's Conf. Am. etc. For a later characterization see Day's Tractates (c. 1600) ed. Bullen. 1, 617. cure boyle. This is one of many expressions relating to tournament which were introduced into literature, in this case from the French, during the Middle Ages. It means literally "boiled leather." It seems that the knights wore under their coat of mail a garment made either of silk and then called "wafenhemd" or of leather and called "curie." The latter garment was worn in France. It was made of strong leather made pliable by boiling. Chaucer in Tale of Sir Th^ 1. 164 uses the phrase, "His jambeaux were of quirboily," the term being interpreted as "tanned leather." Prof. Skeat (notes to Pr. T. p. 166) gives references to Marco Polo (ed. Yule, II, 49) where the men of Carajan are said to wear "armes cuiraces de cuir bouille ;" also to Froissart (V. IV, cap. 19) who says the Saracens covered their targes with " cuir bouille." The term occurs in Barbour's Bruce XII 1. 21-2: " And on his basnet hye he bar Ane hat off qwyrboUe ay-quhar." In Recuyell of the Hist, of Troye " armed well with quyer boullye " translates the Fr. " armez de moult beaux habillemens courroyez." See Cutts, Scenes and Char, of M. A., p. 344. 1. 620. croppe and.roote. Lydgate makes a very frequent use of this formula. See Temp, of Glas, 1. 455 : " Humble and benygne, of trouth crop and rote." See Schick's references in notes to Temp, of Glas, p. 98. Chaucer has it in Troyl. and Crys., II., 1. 348 : "And ye, that be of beaute crop and roote.'' It occurs in Dunbar, The Flyting, 1. 73 : " Thow crop and rute of traitouris tressonable." It is an expression still common in Scotland (W. Gregor). Dunbar has also " crop and grayne " ( The Warldis Instab., 1. 99). Lydgate in Min. P. uses "roote and grounde" (p. 123), " gynnyng and roote" (p. 125), "gynnyng and ground " (238), and in this poem "roote and rynde " (1. 66). Caine in The Manxman (ch. xxii.) has "neck and crop " and Meredith the same phrase in The Ordeal of Rich. Feverel. 1. 621. Pryde. Pride is put the first as the master sin; by that sin fell the angels : "For Lucifer with hem that felle Bar Pride with him in to helle " — Gow., Conf. Am., I., p. 153. He appears again as General of the Army of Sin in Day's Tractates (Tract. 7, ed., Bullen, p. 55). See Introd. p. Ixxii. 1. 622. Pryde on a lyon, etc. In the symbolism of the Middle Ages animals were used as signs of vices and virtues. The custom was started by the theologians, notably Jerome. In certain of the early Bestiares, as thePenart le JVouvel {128S) the animals were first associated with the Moralities. Dante in entering the dark wood was confronted by a leopard, a lion and a wolf, typical of certain sins. In the Ancren Riwle the symbolism is well estab- lished. In the processional described in the Faerie Queene (I., iv.) Idleness is seen riding upon an ass. Gluttony on a swine. Lechery on a goat. Avarice on a camel, Envy on a wolf and Wrath upon a lion. Bunyan makes some use of this traditional symbolism in the lions that guarded the palace Beautiful. 1. 622. Enuy. Envy is personified in the Temp, of Glas, 1. 147; cf. also Rom. of the Rose, I. 248; Court of Love, 1. 1254, etc. For the portrait of Ftivv cpp Snenser- F. O.. V.. xii.. 29-^2. Envy see Spenser, F. Q., V., xii., 29-32, 78 Notes. 1. 626. Couetyse. A fine description of Covetousness is drawn by Langland in Piers Plow. Pas. v., 11. 188-94 = "And thanne cam Coueytise .... So hungriliche and holwe, sire Hervy hym loked, He was bitelbrowed and baberlipped also, With two blered eyghen as a blynde hagge ; And as a letheren purs lolled his chekes, Wei sydder than his chyn thei chiueled for elde ; And as a bondman of his bacoun his berde was bidraueled." This Vice is often mounted upon a horse that he may speed more quickly, as in Evil Times of Ed., II. (Polit. Songs, p. 326) : "Coveytise upon his hors he wole be sone there And bringe the bishop silver, and rounen in his ere." Covetise is personified in the Temp, of Glas, 1. 244. The fifth book of Gower's Conf. Am. is devoted to Avarice. 1. 627. olyfaunt. This is the spelling of Maundeville and Skelton. " Oli- phantes " is found in Lyndesay's Monarche, 1. 2295. 1. 631. Slowthe. Sloth is personified in Temp, of Glas, 1. 244. See Rom. of the Rose, 11. 531, 593, 1273, etc. ; Faery Queene, L, iv, 18, etc. 1. 636. Symony. Note the feeling of Langland in this matter, Piers Plow., Pas. ii., 11. 62-3, 86 : " Ac Symonye and cyuile and sisoures of courtes Were most pryue with Mede ;" the priests wish to live in London "And syngen there for symonye for silver is swete." See Dante's Inferno (c. xix.) for the punishment of the guilt of Simony. P. 20, 1. 640. lelacy. Jealousy is personified in the Temp. of Glas,\. 148. See Rom, of the Rose, 1. 3820; Pari, of P., 1. 252; Quair, 877. 1. 644. Vsury. Usury was the special sin of Avarice (v. P. PL, Pas. v., 1. 240-52). All usury was prohibited as a sin by the Canon Law (Southey, Bk. of the Church, p. 187). It was the theory of the schoolmen that the tak- ing of interest was unholy since money was not of itself productive. Dante consigned usurers to one of the lowest regions of Hell. The continued pre- judice in England against the money lender is testified by Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, and Bacon repeated the old theory, "It is against nature for money to beget money." Cf. a Roxbury Ballad (I., p. 426) : " The Usurers follow. That pawnes have in hand ; With whoop and with hollow They call for the Land Which spend-thrifts pawne to them While for cash they hye ; To live to undoe them This bargaine they'l buy." 1. 648. Boldnes \ in Yll \ with Foul \ e Ry \ baudy. In this line the final e in foule seems to be pronounced. But Text B and the Prints read Foule and Rybaudy. 1. 655. New-fangylnes. The love of novelty seems to have been considered a special vice of the times. Lydgate in Min. P. (p. 71) speaks of "the ser- pent of newfangelnesse " and says (p. 60) : " I-bannysshed have newfangelnesse And put in his place perseveraunce." Chaucer writes against "Women Unconstant": " Madame, for your newe fangelnesse Many a servaunt have ye put out of grace .... To newe thing your lust is ever kene." See also An. and Arc, 1. 141; Leg. of G. Wom., Pr., 1. 154. Nichol New- Notes. 79 fangle is the "Vice " in the interlude Like will to Like (1568). This is also one of Stubbes' "Abuses " (p. 31). 1. 666. Idylnesse. Lydgate calls Idleness the " Moder to vices " (Min. P., p. 88) and the "Chief porteresse" of the vices (Min. P., p. 68). In ALsop he says again that "Vice alle proceden of idelnesse." Cf. Chaucer, Sec. N. Tale, 11. 1-3 : " The ministre and the norice unto vices, Which that men clepe in English ydelnesse, The porter of the gate is of delyces." I. 668. but there was an [kjostl Considering the chief vices as roots and stems, the secondary branches and twigs become innumerable. Thus Chaucer enumerates in the I'ers, 7'ale among the tvv'igs from the root of pride inobe- dience, avaunting, ypocrisye, despit, arragaunce, impudence, swellyng of hert, insolence, elacioun, impacience, strif, contumacie, presumpcioun, irrev- erence, pertinacie, and veinglorie. This gives material and scope for incal- culable growth and differentiation. Give the fancy play and in a moment one exclaims with Barclay (Skip of Fools, I., p. 4) : " For yf I had tunges an hundreth : and wyt to fele Al thinges natural and supernaturall, A thousand mouthes : and voyce as harde as stele, And sene al the seven sciences lyberal, Yet cowde I neuer touche the vyces all, And syn of the worlde : ne theyr braunches comprehende : Nat thoughe I lyued vnto the worlds ende." For the abundance of vices of the time of Henry VIII., v. Tke Hy Way to the Spill-house (Bartholomew's Hospital, London): description in Furnivall's ed. of Capt. Cox, etc. (Ballad Soc.) p. ci-ciii. — twenty-three sets of unfortunates. See especially the list of "unthrifts," p. ciii. Cf. Wyclif's list of sins in Fifty Heresies and Errors of Friars (ed., Arnold, III., p. 366). Cf. the vices that voyage in Barclay's Ship of Fools ; also those satirized in Skel- ton's .5owg-e 0/ C/ar/ and the list of rogues in the Miracle Play, The Last Judgment (Roxburge Club). For the species of rogues and vagabondes in Elizabethan England, cf. Thornbury, Shaks. Engl., I., ch. viii.; Decker's English Villanies, Harrison's England, II., ch. xi., passim; Three Tracts about Old Rogues, ed. by Viles and Furn. (N. Shales. Soc); Stubbes' Anat- oviy of Abuses (N. Shaks. Soc). These enumerations throw much light upon the practical life of the time. Many of the Commons in Lydgate's list are not known to us even by name. P. 21 1. 673 et. seq. Langland groups " bakbiteres, breke-chestes, brawleres and ' chideres " {P. PL, Pas. xvi., 1. 43). II. 674, 676. fasers^'bozsX.e.rs, crakers=\aunters. See Skelton, Garl, ofLaur., 11.188-9: " Some lidderons, some losels, some noughty packis ; Some facers, some bracers, some make great crackis ;" Borde, Bk. of KnowL: , " I wyll boost myselfe, I wyll crake and face ;" Barclay, Ship of Fools, I., p. 198 : " For greatest crakers ar nat ay boldest men. 1. 679. scismatykes. Cf. Piers Plow., Pas. xi., 1. 114-IS : "For Cryste cleped vs alle come if we wolde, Sarasenes and scismatikes and so he dyd the lewes." 1. 6S1. coyn wasshers and clyppers. For the evil of counterfeiting, etc., cf. Hoccleve's Complaint, Min. P., xxi. 1. 685. tregeiours. For the pretentions of these tricksters see Frank. Tale,\\. 413-20: Notes. " Which as the subtile tregetours pleyen For oft at festes have I herd seyen, That tregettoures, withinne an halle large, Han made in come water and a barge, And in the hall rowen up and doun; Sometyme hath semed come a grym leoun Som tyme a castel al of lym and ston. And whan hem liked voyded it anon." 1. 691. stalkers by night. A proclamation was made in London in 1329 to the effect that no one should be so daring as to go wandering about the city after the hour of Curfew (see Memor. of Land., ed. Riley, I, p. 173 ; II, p. 482). 1. 692. brekers of lofedayes. Love-days were days fixed for settling differences by umpire. Cf. Cov. Mytt : " Now is the love-day mad of us foure fynially, Now may we leve in pes as we were wonte." A passage in Wyclifs Tracts (Works, ed. Arnold III, p. 322) throws light upon the custom. We see knights and yeomen kneeling in the castle chapel, a general gathering in the hall, statements from both sides, arbitra- tion and reconciliation (Arnold). 1. 693. getters. Cf. Barclay, Ship of Fools., I, p. 146 : " Ye wasters and getters by nyght." In Bunyan's Pilg, Prog, is a schoolmaster who taught the art of "getting" either by violence or cozenage, flattery, lying, etc. 1.694. Tytyuyllys. Any person with evil propensities (Collier). Douce derives the name from Titivilitium, a word used by Plautus. Collier suggests its derivation from totus and vilis. He appears in The Mirroure of Oure Ladye (E. E. T. p. 54) saying " I am a poure dyvel and my name ys Tytyvyllus," His office was to bring to his master every day one thousand bags of sylla- bles skipped in reading arid singing the divine service in the churches. He appears in this character in MS. Lansd. 762 (quoted by Wright ): "Hii sunt qui Psalmos corrumpunt nequitur almos : Jangler cum jasper, lepar, galper quoque, draggar, Momeler, for-skypper, for-reynner, sic et over-leper, Fragminaverborum Tutivillus colligit horum." He became a common figure in the plays as any evil fellow. He is one of the devils in the play of The Last fudgment, where he seems to be a church- man opposing the heresy of Wyclif. He is a fiend in a Townely Mystery (pp. 310, 319) and a lawless fellow in Ralf Roister Doister. He is a fiend in yJ/a«/5HZfl' representing the sin of the flesh. Skelton(Co/. Cl.\. 418) uses the phrase " and talkys lyke tytyuelles," probably here a tale-bearer, in which character he appears in Rogues and Vag. (N. Shaks. Soc. p. 15). In Stubbes' Anat. of Abuses he is a flatterer (p. 122). The word occurs again in Skel- ton's Garl. of Laur., 1. 642. See Collier, Hist. Dr. P. II, pp. 146, 297, 223 ; Dyce's notes on Skelton ; notes to Myrrour of O. Ladye, p. 342. 1. 696. cara'.?l^J=card-players. For the punishment for cheating at play see Mem. of Land. (ed. Riley, II, p. 395). " Turning the tables " was one method of cheating. 1. 696. closshers. This was a kind of game. Cf. Stubbes' Anat of Ab. notes p. 316: an act of Hen. VIII. — " noe manner of person shall .... kepe . . . any alley or place of bowlinge Coytinge, Cloyshe, Coyles, etc." 1. 697. Tyburne. The place of execution in London. Cf. Rowland's A Pooles Bolt is soone Shot: " Of Tybourne (i. e. the gallows) common hye-way cannot fayle." Harrison {England II, ch. l6) calls the halter a "Tiburne tippet." This was also the name of a prison in London. Coloppys means pieces of meat, Notes. 8 1 used figuratively often for children (as in I. Hen. vi, v. 5). "Tyburne coloppys " may liave been a slang phrase. Cf. Cocke Lorelles Bote, C. i. a. 1. 698. double tollyng my lZers = those millers who tolled with a too "golden thumb." 1. 702. irokers^Teceivevs of stolen goods etc. Cf. Stubbes' Anat. of Ab. Pt. 11., p. 40. 1. 'jo'j.solyll a>K(5z(/i»x^?-^j=:Jacks-of-both-sides. "Ambidexter is that jurous or embraceour that taketh of both parties for the giving of his verdict" (Cowell'r Interpreter). A tricksey character called Ambidexter appears in Bullein's Dialogue against the Fev. Pest. (E. E. T. p. 20), Cf. Middleton, Fam. of Love, V, 3 : " I'll play Ambidextei " ; also Peele, Sir Cly. and Sir Clam., sc. vi, 1. 77. In an early American poem by Ebenezer Cook reference is made to "an ambidexter Quack Who learnedly had got the knack Of giving glisters, making pills, Of filling bonds and forging wills " — Libr. of Amer. Lit. II, 273. Stubbes in his Anatomy of Abuses ■iT^e&V.s of "doble dealing ambodexters" (p. 141). 1. 708. Sodomytes. Used by Stubbes to signify fornicators (Anat of Ab. I. p. 145). P. 22, 1. 710. wetewoldes that suffre syn in her syghtes. A wittol was a tame "cuckold" — one who had knowledge of his wife's infidelity. Skelton, Garl. of Laur, 1. 187, refers to " wetewoldis." Middleton in Chast Maid of Cheapside gives a picture of one. Cf. Shaks. Mer. W. of Wind., II, 2 : " But cuckold ! wittol-cuckold ! the Devil himself hath not such a name." Cf, Loves'! Labour's Lost, v, 904-12 : " When Daisies pied and Violets blew And Cockow-buds of yellow hew And Ladie-smokes al silver white, Do paint the Meadowes with delight. The cuckow then on everie tree Mocks married men ; for thus sings he. Cuckow ! Cuckow ! Cuckow ! O worde of feare, Unpleasing to a married eare." 1. 711. abhominable. This is the regular spelling of the N. E. abominable in 0. Fr. and in English from Wyclif to the seventeenth century. This spelling is defended by Holofernes in Love's Lab. Lost against the " racker of orthog- raphy" who would say abominable. 1. 711. auauntours. Cf. Chaucer, /ijri. Tale: "Avauntour is he that bosteth of the harm or of the bounty that he hath don." 1. 713. vnthryftys. Cf. Barclay, Ship of Fooles, I, p. 2 : " But such Unthriftes as sue theyr carnal lust." 1. 714. loselles. Cocke Losel or Lorel was a generic term for a rascal. Cf. Browning, Strafford. Ill, 2, 1. 170. 1. 717. for to say. The common M. E. usage. "For to fet," 1. 1155. 1. 727. I will auauntage take where I may. Cf. the words of Legion in Bun- yan's Holy War: " Therefore let us assault them in all pretended fairness, covering our intentions with all manner of lies, flatteries, delusive words." 1. 732. ?«or&// = equivalent to "lethalis," deadly. Cf. ^sop, Fab. 4, 1. 34, "Of mortal hunger." 1. 732. shoure = conflict, struggle. O. E. scdr. Commonly applied to the assault of battle. See line 1042. 82 Notes. 1. 742. to me ward. Toward was frequently divided and the object inserted between tlie parts as here. Cf. II Cor. 3:4: "And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward." ' P. 23, 1. 748. Ymaginacion. Note the part played by Imaginative in Piers Plow. Pas. xii. 1. 760. mowte. Mowe and mowte are common in M. E. See 1. 264 where mought rimes with fought. 1. 766. lest and moost. A common formula in Lydgate, Chaucer and other writers. Cf. Ck. Tale, 1. 460 : " Faire they were welcomed bothe lest and meste.'' Langland {Piers flow.. Pas. ii, 1. 45) has " the lasse and the more." 1. 773- trayne. Cf. Fairfax's Tasso, II, 1. 89 : " So lions roar, enclos'd in train or trap " ; Fairy Queene, Bk. I, c. iii, st. 24 : " By traynes into new troubles to have toste." Milton has "wily trains" in Comus, 1. 151. Shakespeare uses it once in this sense in MacSeth, IV. 3. 1. 773. coltrop = 3. pointed iron instrument strewn in battle fields to hinder cavalry. Cf. Beaumont and Fletcher, Love's Pilgrimage : "I think they ha' strew'd the highways with caltraps. No horse dares pass 'em." It occurs in Middeton, Women Beware Women. Cf. the proper name Caultrap. 1.776. Vyce hys. See "Vertew hys," I. 798 etc. The corruption of his for O.E.-es, the genitive termination, is found as early as Layamon's Brut; " For Gwenayfer his love." "Ine was the forste mon that Peter his peny bigan" ^ra/, (B.)III., 1. 285. T\ve. Prayer Book\x'i.i"'?ox Christ his sake." Cf. Stubbes' Anat. of Abuses (1583) p. 75 : "Every poore Yeoman his daughter, every Husbandman his daughter, and every Cottager his daughter." This use occurs in Spenser, Shakespeare and Bacon and did not die out until the eighteenth century. Ben Jonson, English Grammar XIII, calls it " the monstrous syntax of the pronoun his joining with a noun betokening a possessor" ; and yet Addison, Spectator No. 13J, writes that " the same single letter (s) . . . represents the his and her of our forefathers " ; v. Marsh Lec- tures XVIII (Percival). In Guardian No. q8 Addison writes: " My paper is the Ulysses /4w bow." The use extended to the feminine gender and the plural number (v. Cent. Diet, under his'). 1.776. purseuaunte. Cf. Chaucer, Ho. of Fame, 1. 132 1 : "The purse- vauntes and heraudes " ; Flow, and Leaf, 1. 232 : " Of heraudes and purse- vauntes eke." Shakespeare has: "These gray locks the pursuivants of death" {Henry VI, II, 5, 5). Browning uses it m Blot in the Scut., Act I, 1. 4 ; and Tennyson in Balin and Balan: "A spangled pursuivant." P. 24, 1. 792. foure dowty knyghtys = the virtues called " Cardinal " in accordance with the Platonic Ethics. These virtues together with the theological triad appear as maidens in Dantes Purg. (c. xxix) accompanying the chariot of the Church. This pageant of the advance of Virtue suggests that of the last five cantos of the Purgatorio. No doubt, such scenes occurred in the street processional plays. Note the pageant in the Anti-Claudianus with Reason as charioteer. (There is a vicar in Piers Plow, who said the only cardinals he knew were those sent by the Pope.) 1. 808. Pacyence. In Piers Plow. Patience is described as a tree which grows in the heart and bears fruit of Charity. The tree is supported against the winds of the world, the flesh, and the devil by three props denoting the Trinity. Notes. H P. 25, 1. 815. This line seems to be corrupted in the MS. which reads "was tra- pure was gay." Trapure refers to the " trappings " of the steed. Cf. Flow. and Leaf, 11. 244-5 ■ "With cloth of gold and furred with ermine Were the trappores of here stedes stronge. Wide and large, that to the ground dide honge" : Lydgate, Min. P., p. 118 : " Trappours of golde ordeyned were for stiedis " ; Hawes, Past, of Pleas., p. 132 : " Wyth haute courage betrapped fayre and gaye Wyth shyning trappers of curiositie." 1. 824. to stettyn. Stevene is always employed by Chaucer as a noun. It has here a verbal use probably from the necessity of the rime. There was, however, the older verb from stefnen (cf. M. E. Diet., Strat.-Brad.)! Douglas has (II., p. 225, 1. 8): "towart the port thai stevin" = directed their ship ; but this is from the Icl. stefna = prow. Chaucer has this set of rimes in Kn. Tale, 11. 1720-21 ; TroU. and Cris., III., 11. 1723-25; Leg. of G.W., 11. 1218-19. 1. 844. Pouerte. Poverty was a highly praised virtue in the Church. It is said in Piers Plow., Pas. xiv., that this virtue preserves men from the Seven Sins, for it (i) is hateful to Pride, (2) has few responsibilities, (3) does not win wealth falsely, (4) is the gift of God, (5) is the mother of health, (6) is without peril of robbery, (7) is a source of wisdom, (8) deals fairly with others, (9) is without care. Feigned Poverty is one of the Vices, 1. 657. P. 26, 1. 854. Konnyng with hys genalogy. That is to say the Seven Arts and Sciences. The seven sciences as originally distinguished were Mathematics, Geometry, Astronomy, IMusic, Ethics, Physics and Metaphysics. The seven arts were: Grammar, Dialectics, Rhetoric (the trivium) and Arithmetic, Music, Geometry, and Astronomy (the quadrivium). These are mentioned familiarly by all the learned writers of the Middle Ages. They were char- acterized also in the plays and pageants and such objectification gives meaning to the processional of the poem. In Lydgate's description of the King's entry into London there is an account of a spectacle representing the Seven Sciences, The name of Priscian is associated with Grammar ("the roote of alle connyng"), Aristotle with Logic, Cicero with Rhetoric, Boethius with Music, Pythagoras with Arithmetic, Euclid with Geometry, and Albu- masar with Astronomy ("alder-highest"). \yx Piers Plow., the sciences ap- pear as sons of the Clergy, serving the Lord of Life in a castle (Pas. xiii). See Gower, Conf. Aman, Lydgate's Purle Roy, Chestre Plays (Wright, p. 241), Hallam, Lit. of Europe, etc. 11.867-870. The Magical and Black Arts. The specific " Black Arts" vrere commonly five : Necromancy, Pyromancy, Geomancy, Hydromancy, and Aerimancy, signifying divination by means of the dead, fire, the earth, water, and the air respectively. These species are indicated by Huge de S. Vic- tore (see Skeat's Notes to Piers Plow., p. 246). Gower Conf. Aman., III., p. 45, describes these five kinds in detail ; see also Lydgate's Secrees. As to the merits of the magical arts, opinion was divided. The Black Arts were almost universally denounced in this period in England. Alchemy and Physiognomy were, however, often employed. It seems that there was a revival of Magic, and especially of Alchemy, during Chaucer's and Lyd- gate's lifetime. But we find that sorcery, soothsaying and magic were pun- ished in London as early as 1382, the affirmation being that "the art of magic redounds against the doctrine of Sacred Writ " ; the punishment was exposure upon the pillory (Mem. of Lond., ed. Riley, II., pp. 462, 472, 518). A statute forbidding the practice of Alchemy was passed in 1403. The art was revived again at about the end of tlie century, so that Henry VI. appointed three Royal Commissioners to investigate the subject. Their report is dated 1456 (see The Antiquary, Sept. 1891, for documents illus- 84 Notes. trating the revival of Alchemy at about the middle of the fifteenth century). We find that Alchemy was condemned by Gower (Conf. Am. II., p. 88); Alchemy and other arts by Langland {Pie/s Plow., Pas. x., 11. 207-15) ; the magical arts in general by Chaucer (in C/i. Yeo. Tale, and Pers. Tale) and Lydgate (in the present instance and Secrees st. 82-84 — though favorable to physiognomy, St. 353-54, and in Story of Thebes [fol. 390], where he condemns Bishop Amphiorax to hell as the mede of his idolatry and magic) and Barclay {Ship of Fools, II., pp. 18, 191, 219). As a matter of fact. Alchemy flourished in spite of condemnation and belief in it continued far into the seventeenth century (see Faery Queene, I., c. i., st. 36-37 and Sir Th. Browne, Works I., ch. x.). In Ward's O. E. Drama, Introduction to Marlowe's "Dr. Faustus," the general attitude of the M. Ages toward magic and magicians is shown. See Secrees, notes, p. 93-95. 1. 868. Glotony. ■ This must be a mistake of the scribe for Alchemy. 1. 870. Pawmestry. Divination by the lines of the hand. 1. 882. Ches. Cf. ^sop. Fab. 5, I. 71 : "The crane chase a surgeon to be '' ; Temp of Glas., 1. 214, 336 : "Would freli chese." Note leese 1. 1 100. 1. 886. ware of contagious geere. Contagious geere = ? P. 27, 1. 887. lere. " Lere " here means learn ; " lerne " in 1. 957 means teach. Cf. Temp, of Glas., 1. 297, 1021 = learn : " Fro dai to dai that I myghte lere " ; idem, 1. 656 = teach : "Than cometh dispeire and ginneth me to lere." Cf. Story of Thebes, fol. 378 : " The which beasts as the story leres." 1. 895. secte. Cf. Rom. of the Rose, 1. 5745 : " Eke in the same secte or sette." 1. 896. See note on 1. 1997. P. 28, 1. 925. then I reherse can. Cf. Temp, of Glas., 1. 560 : " as I reherse can" and often. I. 932. Macrocosme. I interpret this to mean Microcosm from the interpreta- tion by Doctrine, st. 262. For the conception of Microcosm see Secrees, II. 2313-17: " In beeste nor thyng vegitable, No thyng may be vnyuersally But yif it be founde naturally In mannys nature. Wherfore of oon accoord Oold philisoffres callyd hym the litel woord (worlde)." See also Stubbes, Anat. of Abuses, p. iii : "And therfore, wheras in making of other things he used only this Woord, FlANT, be they made or let them be made, when he came to make Man, as it weare advysing himselfe and asking councell at his wisdome, he said Faciamus Hominem, let us make Man ; that is a wonderful Creature : and therfore is called in Greek MiCROCOSMOS, a litle world in himself. And truely he is no lesse, whether we consider his spirituall soule, or his humaine body, etc." For a fuller account of Man, the Microcosm, assailed by Vices and defended by Virtues, see Fletcher's Purple Island, the most dreadful of all the Holy Wars. 1. 939. hygh weyes fyue. All the old books make much of man's five senses. Notes. 85 the high-ways of Mansoul. Note the use made by Bunyan of this conception in Holy War: "The famous town of Mansoul had five gates at which to come, and out at which to go ; and these were made likewise answerable to the walls, to wit, impregnable, and such as could never be opened nor forced but by the will and leave of those within. The names of the gates were these : Ear- gate, Eye-gate, Mouth-gate, Nose-gate, and Feel-gate." 1. 941. blyue. Cf. Chaucer, Bk. of the Duck. 1. 152 : " Go now faste, and hy thee blyve ; " yEsop, Fab. 4, 1. 206 : " With ravenous feete, wynged to flee blyue." P. 29, 1. 957. lerne hem a new daunce. A common saying with Chaucer and others, Cf. Rom. of the Rose, 1. 4300 : " For she knew alle the olde daunce." Cf. Chaucer, Troyl and Crys. II. 1. 554 ; Dr. of Ph. Tale, 1. 79 ; Cant. Tales, Pr. 1. 470. Cf. Gower Conf. Aman., I., p. 260 : " Now shaft thou singe an other songe." 1. 974. dubbyd. Cf. Pien Plow., Pas. i., 11. 102-3 : " For Dauid in his dayes dubbed knightes And did hem swere on here swerde to serue trewthe euere." In Ad. Dav. Dream (E.E. T., 1. 76) "dubbing" is a substantive and means decoration. P. 30, 1. 998. Reson. Reason is a common personification. See Rom. of the Rose, 3034,3193; Lydgate's Min. P., p. 219; Piers Plow. Pas. xv., xvi.; Dun- bar's Gold. Targe, 151, etc. In Piers Plow. Reason has many names : anima, animus, mens, memoria, ratio, sensus, conscientia, amor, spiritus. He plays an important part in the poem. 1. 1009. One instance of a double negative. Cf. ALsop, Fab. 4, 1. 53 : " I may no favour do to nowther side." I. 1012. hyng in hys balaunce. A very common figure. Cf. Temp, of Glas, II. 641, 348 ; Chaucer, Troyl. and Crys. II., I. 466 : " And ek myn emes lyf is in balaunce." In Barclay's Ship of Pools is a wood-cut showing the world and things eternal in a balance. Cf. Spenser's figure in Faerie Queene V., ii., 30-49. I. 1012. ambyguyte. Chaucer has amphibologyes, Troil. and Cris., iv., 1. 1406. P. 31, 1. 1023. sewe the felde. Lydgate probably had in mind the parable of the Sower. Langland has a parable of the ploughman in Pas. xix.; there the weeds of vice grow in the field but they are uprooted by the harrow of the Law. 1. 1038. swage. I define as "discharge" but find no authority for it except the context. 1. 1038. gonnes. The first mention of guns or "gonnes" as being in use in England is found in an inventory of munitions of war in a London document dated 1339 (see Mem. of London, ti.'RWey,!., p. 205). These "gonnes" were made of brass or "latone" and fired "pellets of lead," using gun- powder. Cf. Chaucer Ifouse of Fame, III., 1. 553 : " Swift as a pellet out of a gonne. When fire is in the powder ronne " ; Lydgate's Story of Thebes, fol. 392 : " Noise more hideous then thunder Of gonne shot." The word was also employed to designate a machine that cast stones. Cannon is mentioned in Barbour's Bruce (1375) Bk. XIX., 1. 399. Cannon had been used in Florence in 1326. 86 Notes. P. 32, 1. 1063. abew=a. beu. Gower has the phrase in Conf. Aman., III., p. 356: " Er thou make any such assaies To love and faile upon thy fete Better is to make beau retrete." The word beau was commonly used in address as in Rom. of the Rose, 1. 800 ; " What do ye there, beau sir ?" Sir Gawain, E.E. T., 1. 1222 : " Nay, for sothe, beau syr " ; also House of Fame, 1. 643. Cf. Rich. Rede., Pas. iii., 1. i : " Now leve we this beu brid." 1. 1063. lytylltyne. Cf. Skelton, Garl. of Laur. 1. 505 : " A lytyll tyne stande backe " ; Heywood, Dialogue: " For when prouender prickl them a little tine." The two words generally occur together. See 1. 1283. 1. 1066. by lyklynes. Cf. Temp, of Glas., 1. 18 ; Chaucer, Am. Compl. 1. 15 CI. Tale, II., 1. 200, etc. 1. 1089. lowte. Ci. yEsop, Fab. 2, 11. 17-18 . " Whan sulphur toward the dawenyng Lowtith to the oryent" ; Piers Plow., Pas. iii., 1. 115 : " Knelynge, Conscience to the kynge louted." See also text, 11. 1439, 1925, vnderlowte 1273. Cf. Browning, Ring and Book: "I have louted low." P. 33, 1. 1094. Perseueraunce. The accent as in Chaucer. 1. 1095. hogy. Cf. Marlowe, Tamb. the Gt: "my hugy host." This was Dryden's usage. P. 34, 11. 1 142-6. The way of repentance is made clear by Chaucer's Parson : "Now shalt thou understonde what bihoveth and is necessarie to verray parfyt penitence ; and this stondith in thre things, contricioun of hert, confessioun of mouth, and satisfaccioun." The first, said Patience in Piers Plow. (Pas. xiv.), saves men, the second slays sins, the third uproots sin altogether. Contrition and Confession appear as two horses that bear ripened grain to- the house of Unity {Piers Plow. Pas. xix.). They are good dames in Hawes' Past, of Pleas., giving sure passage to Purgatory to Graunde Amour. They are characters in the Moralities. The trinal stairs in Dante's Purga- iorio (c. ix.) refer to these stages of repentance. All these figures refer to the creed of the Church as expounded for instance by Thomas Aquinas in his great work Summa Theologica (III. p. 90). 1. m^. fro poosi to pylour. Ci.^3xz\a.y, Eclogues: " From post unto piller tost shall thou be." 1. 1 154. Despair appears in Temp, of G. 1. 656. He was a common figure in the mediaeval imagination. Cf. Spenser's treatment of Despair. (See a paper by Dr. F. I. Carpenter reported in Univ. of Chicago Cal. Aug. '95.) 1. 1 1 58. Alpha andOo. This occurs in the Creation, sc. I^ York Plays, in the address of the Deity : "I am Alpha and O." P. 35, 1. 1167. borow^vethaX. Cf. Chaucer, Ck. Tale 1. 204 : " For he hath slayn my two sones, but if God hem borwe " ; the old play, World and Child : " Some good word that I may say To borow man's soul from blame." See also Piers Plow. Pas. iv, 1. 108-9. Notes. 87 This word was often used as a noun as in Tem. of Glas, 1. 1 145 : " And as for liim I will bene his borow," and in the phrase " to borow " (^for a security). 1. 1 1 69. tenebrus, Cf. Hawes' Past, of Pleas, p. 15, 74 : " Auster gan cover with clowde tenebrus " ; "The night was wete, and also tenebrous." 1. 1 185. fly. This is the reading of MS. B. A has sty from stigen, to ascend. P. 36, 1. 1204. bettyr late then netier. Cf. Chaucer, Ch. Yeo. Tale, 1. 399 : " For bet than never is late." 1. 1226. sothe. Cf. Chaucer, Pari. Fou., 1. 578, "sothe sadde"=sober truth, 1. 1232. as a pleyer. Collier in a note on this passage {^Annals of the Stage, p. 31) refers to player as an actor, interpreting the line to mean that Sen- suality must change his character like an actor. But " to drawe a draught" is used of games as chess. Thus Chaucer (^Bk. of the Duch, 1. 682) has "I wolde have drawe the same draughte." In a work described by Collier (^An. of Stage, p. 63) entitled The Church of Yvell men and women players refers to gamesters, dicers, etc. "Player" would seem to mean here "gamester" ; though it is possible that " draught " may be used here figuratively for " character " as Collier suggests, P. 37, 1. 1242. finaunce. Cf. Skelton, Erie of Nh., 1. 195 : "With thy bloud precious our finaunce thou did pay" ; the same line occurs in Percy's Reliques, I, p. 125. 1. 1255. Reason in Microcosm. Cf. description of Reason in the Romaunt of the Rose, W. 3193 et ji?y., where she warns against the follies of Love. Chaucer's Parson says : " For it is soth, that God, and reasoun, and sensuality, and the body of man, be so ordeyned, that everich of these four thinges schulde have lordschipe over that other, as thus : God scholde have lordschip over reasoun, and reasoun over sensuality, and sensuality over the body of man." Cf. Lydgate Min. P., p. 219 : " Sith thu were wroughte to be celestial, Let reson brydle thy sensualite." 1. 1256. recreauni. This was a word which Knights uttered in acknowledg- ing defeat. " Yelde hym recreaunt " — yielded himself as a defeated knight. The oath taken by a combatant ran thus : " Je suis prest de le prouver de mon corps contre le sien, et le rendre mort ou recreant . . . et vJez yy mon gage." The customary form of demanding surrender was : "And but thou yeeld thee as overcome and recreaunt thoushalt die." Cf. Sir Gawayne, E. E. T., 1. 456: "Therfore com other recreaunt be calde." Piers Plow. (Pas. xlv, 1. 133) has "yelde hym creaunt" (as -a. believer?); "creaunt" is sometimes used for recreaunt in the sense explained above. 1. 1267. astert. Cf. Chaucer, Fr. Tale, 1. 294 : "He seith, he may not fro his deth asterte." P. 38, I. 1268. Nature. Nature was given especial personification by Alanus de Insulis in his Plandus Natures (Wright ed., Rec. Ser., pp. 431-456). Chau- cer in the Pari, of Foules describes her as a Queen surrounded by the ani- mals of the earth and air (U. 298-301, etc.). In Langland's dream Nature appears and shows the wonders of the world (Pas. xi, 1. 311-25). She was an empress in the pageant that welcomed Henry VI. to London {^Pur Le Roy). See the Faerie Queene VII, vii. 88 Notes. 1. 1274. shoo \i.€i\.0T\, Magnif., 1. 103: " Come of, therefore, let se." 1. 1887. thy wytte slant a crooke. See also 11. 1918, 1932. Cf. Chaucer, Ho. of Fame, 1. 621 : "Although that (wit) in thy hede full lyte is ; " Lydgate, Chorl and Bird, Min. P., p. 191 : " Thy brayne is dul, thy witte is almoste gone ; " Piers Plow., Pas. i, 1. 138 : " ' Thow doted daffe,' quod she, ' duUe ame thi wittes ; ' " and cf, Emerson, The Sphinx : " Dull Sphinx, Jove keep thy five wits." 1. 1897. tonne. Lydgate has again (Min. P., p. 176) the rime tonne, Sonne, and in Secrees, 11. 249-50. Referring to Diogenes Lydgate says : " His paleys was a litel poore tonne." P. S7t 1- 1952. as blak as u. coole. Other objects of comparison with blackness were raven, crow, the devil, jet, ink and soot. Cf. Conf. Am., II, p. 335 ; "With fethers blacke as any cole." 1. 19S3. cropyn in a mouse hoole. Cf. Skelton, Why Come, 11. 289-91 : " Our barons be so bolde. Into a mouse hole they wolde Rynne away and crepe." P. 58, 1. 1997. my wytys soo thynne. See 1. 896. Middle Engl, writers" were fond of acknowledging the weakness of their wits. Thus Chaucer confesses in the Prol. of the Tales (1. 746) " My wit is short." His Marchant said (1. Notes. 93 438) "My tale is doon, for my wit is thinne." Again the poet writes {Ho. of Fame, 11. 1179-80 : "Ne can I not to yow devyse (Temp, of Fame) My wit ne may me not suffyse ;" and to describe the beauty of his lady {Bk. of the D-uch., 1. 898) : " Me lakketh bothe English and wit." Lydgate was even more self-depreciatory (for references see Temp, of Glas Ihtrod. p. cxl-cxli and Secrees, p. xxj. " Make his wittes thynne " occurs in C/t. Veo. Tale, Pr. 1. 189 ; cf. R. of B, Chron. 1. 113. P. 59, 1. 2008. /Jk^//^. See line 991 knyt, u86 knet. Cf. Temp, of Glas, \. 1230, " The cnott is knytt." P. 60, 1. 2065. God knoweth and nat I. An allusion to Paul's saying, II Cor. xii, 2-3- 1. 2070. take the best, etc. Cf. Chaucer, N. Pr. Tale, 1. 623 : "Takith the fruyt and let the chaf be stille ;" Conf. Aman. I, Pr. p. 32 : " The chaf is take for the come ; " Lydgate's Min. P. p. 149 : " Cheese we the roosys, cast away the thorn ;" idem, p. 173 : " Wedyde the cokkelle frome the puryd corne ;" Secrees, 1. 734 : "As vndir chaaf is closyd pure corn ;" idem, 1. 1224. " Woord is but wynd ; leff woord and take the dede ;" Story of Thebes fol. 370 : "Avoiding the chaffe . . . Enlumining the true piked graine." ^,()\,\.2,ol<). three enymyes. The World the Flesh and the Devil were figura- tively spoken of as foes or robbers or wild beasts or adverse winds etc. In 0. E. Homilies (Morris p. 241) they are described as foes and again as robbers. According to Boccaccio the three beasts which hindered Dante's progress represented these forces. In Piers Plow. (Pas. xvi) these are winds that blow against the tree of Patience. Chaucer's Tale of Mel. reads "Thou hast doon synne ageinst oure Lord Crist, for certes the thre enemyes of mankinde, that is to saye, thy flessche, the feend, and the world, thou hast y-suffred hem to entre into thin herte wilfully, by the wyndow of thy body, and hast nought defended thiself sufficiently agayns here assautis, and here temptaciouns, so that they have woundid thi soule in fyve places, that is to sayn, the dedly synnes that ben entred into thin herte by thy fyve wittes." "And thus it falleth That thorugh the fende and the flesshe and the frele worlde Synneth the sadman a day seuene sythes " {P. PI. Pas. viii, 1. 38-44). The Devil was thought to work by Pride, Wrath and Sloth ; the World by Covetousness and Envy ; the Flesh by Gluttony and Lechery. Hawes gives a similar exhortation in Past, of Pleas: " Than in your mynde inwardly despyse The bryttle worlde, so full of doublenes, With the vyle flesshe, and ryght sone aryse Out of your slepe of mortall hevynes ; Subdue the devill with grace and mekenes. That after your lyfe frayle and transitory, You may than live in joye perdurably." 1. 2087.- guerdoun. A favorite word of Lydgate's. Cf. ALsop, Fab. 3, 1. 64 ; Fab. 5., 11. 21, 25, 35 ; Fab. 6., 11. 14S, 165 ; Min. P. p. 76, " a gwerdonles guerdone "; Temp, of Class, 11. 806, 1139 ; Secrees, 1. 900, etc. 94 Notes. \. 210$. benygne Ikesu. Cf. Lydgate's Testament Min. P. p. 236: "O gracious Ihesu ! benygne and debonayre." No one can question the piety of these monlcish writers. Cf. Hawes' closing, the Past, of Pleas: " Nowe blessed lady of the health eternall, The quene of comfort and of heavenly glory, Praye to thy swete sonne whiche is infinall. To geve me grace to wynne the victory Of the devill, the worlde, and of my body. And that I may my selfe well apply Thy Sonne and the to laude and magnifie." Skelton, looking back upon such writers, especially upon Lydgate and his Assembly of Gods, acknowledges their authority — those poets " Whyche full craf tely, Vnder as couerte termes as could be, Can touch a trouth and cloke it subtylly Wyth f resshe vtteraunce full sentencyously ; Dyuerse in style, some spared not vyce to wryte. Some of moralyte nobly dyde endyte." — Bowge of Court, Pr. To conclude, the significance of Lydgate in the history o£ literature I under- stand to be this : Taking his work in its entirety he seems to embody the forces that were shaping England during the late Middle Age in a more conspicuous manner than any other Middle English author. Chaucer stands out, of course, the supreme genius of the period, original and creative, the glory of the Court, the herald of the Renaissance. After Chaucer, in point of creativeness, ranks Lang- land the mystic, the scholar, the churchman, the prophet of the Reformation. Now the progress of literary history is often most clearly marked, as Mr. Gosse well maintains, in the less monumental figures of any period. The very genius of Chaucer and Langland removed them somewhat from the effects of environment. With Lydgate there is not much question of personal force. What is valuable in his work arises from his lack of originality and very incapacity as a poet. He is the product of his age — at one time yielding himself to the Romantic tendency, spending his youth in pleasure, writing ballads, romances, plays and histories for the King and Court. Then the love of Mother Church detains him, he assumes the cowl, and lives and dies at Bury St. Edmund. As a result of living in his environment no other early English author can equal him in the scope of his interests. He copied and translated everything that came to his hand. His work embraces ballads, lyrics, epics, allegories, fables, moral romances, social satires, histories, philosophical and scientific treatises, hagiologies and devotional manuals. The Romantic and the Scholastic blend in him in this remarkable manner. Because of his contemporaneity his rewards accrued to him in his lifetime. He was patronized by the Court and lived in the favor of his fellow-poets. For a century his fame was maintained, and his influence was even stronger than Chaucer's upon Burgh, Hawes, the Scottish poets, and laureate Skelton — his fame and influence passing with the traditions that gave them effect. In the matter of language Lydgate is perhaps more typical of his period than Chaucer. Chaucer's whole linguistic system is for his time forced and artificial. Middle English does not have the regularity and certainty which Chaucer's usage seems to imply. Not a one of his successors could support his literary dialect. James's Quair, purposely composed in the Chaucerian manner, is artificial to the extreme. Lydgate's poetic incapacity compelled him to fall back upon the current speech. In short, in this, as in all other respects, Lydgate was the immediate product of his environment. He wrote not for all time but for an age. CATALOG OF PERSONS. (The numbers refer to lines except those marked st.= stanza). LYDGATE. The poet performs a twofold function; he is one of the prime movers in the vision (v. especially his fear of Death, St. 277-286) and at the same time the conscious teller of the story, never forgetting the "gentle reader." (a) As an actor : goes forth to the lake's side and dreams, St. i, 2 ; accompanies Morpheus to the Court of Minos, st. 3-5 ; attends the banquet given to the gods, St. 27-87 ; a spectator on the field of battle, st. 88-210; at the school of Doctrine, St. 211-290 (fears Death, st. 277-286); returns to his bed, St. 291, 292 ; awakes and writes St. 293-296. (b) References to himself as narrator, St. 76, 81, 160, 171, 214, 222, 228, 229, 230, 294-301. THE DIVINITIES (at the assembly). Apollo, the God of Light, the giver and director of the banquet, St. 24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 55, 73, 103, 189; interpretation by Doctrine, 237. Atropos, the God of Death ; is met by Discord, st. 60 ; makes complaint to the gods, St. 61-71 ; is promised aid against Virtue, St. 72-75, 81-87; threatens the gods, St. 138 ; is anger- ed at the success of Virtue, st. 188- 192 ; seeks the Lord of Light, st. 198-199 ; is called Death, st. 201 ; is made master of Microcosm, st. 203, 207-209; vanishes, st. 210; inter- pretation by Doctrine, St. 257-260 ; makes Lydgate to fear, st. 277-279 ; the fear of Death explained, st. 280- 288. Aurora, the Goddess of the Dawn, the companion of Apollo at the banquet, St. 37- 55- Bacchus, the God of Wine, at the banquet, st, 51. Cerberus, the Porter of Hell ; brings Eolus to the Court, st. 6, 79 ; to the banquet, St. 27 ; is sent to summon Vice, st. 87-88; porter of Hell, St. 167. Ceres, the Goddess of Corn, at the banquet with Cupid, St. 42 ; said to be influenced by Phoebe, st. 52 ; inter- pretation by Doctrine, st. 245. Cupid, the God of Love, at the banquet, St. 43. Diana, the Goddess of the Wood and the Chase, complainant at the Court of Minos, St. 6-1 1, 22, 80 ; dismisses the case to attend the banquet, st. 25-27 ; is persuaded by Apollo to forgive Eolus, St. 28-34 ■> ^' 'he banquet with Mars, St. 38-39 ; interpretation by Doctrine, st. 235-239. Discord, the Goddess of Strife, comes to the banquet but is given no seat and departs in anger, st. 59-60; conspires with Atropos, st. 60-62 ; interpreta- tion by Doctrine, St. 257-260. 95 96 Catalog of Persons. Eolus, the God of the Winds, a prisoner at the Court of Minos, st. 6-26, 76- 80 ; judgment is suspended for the banquet, st. 28-35 ; is forgiven, pro- vided he give aid to Atropos against Virtue, St. 75, 81-84 i interpretation by Doctrine, st. 233-234. Fortune, the Goddess of Chance, at the banquet, st. 46 ; interpretation by Doctrine, st. 246. Isis, the Goddess of Fruit, at the banquet, St. 48 ; interpretation by Doctrine, St. 246. Juno, the Goddess of Riches, at the ban- quet, St. 40. Jupiter, the God of Wisdom, at the ban- quet, St. 39. Mars, the God of War, at the banquet, st. 38 ; agrees to assist Atropos, St. 73- 74- Mercury, the God of Language, at the banquet, st. 53 ; agrees to assist Atropos, St. 74. Minerva, the Goddess of War, or of Har- vest, at the banquet, St. 50. Minos, the Judge of Hell, in Court, st. 4, 6-26, 79-80. Morpheus, the Shewer of Dreams (dwells in Fantasy 1. 35) ; leads Lydgate to the Court of Minos, st. 2-5, 79, to the palace of Apollo, st. 27 ; is sent to vfarn Virtue, st. 103-107 ; is given care of the five gates of Micro- cosm, St. 184-186 ; conducts Lydgate to the School of Doctrine, St. 210- 212, 223, 231, 268, 270, 277 ; inter- pretation by Doctrine, st. 265 ; leads Lydgate to his bed, st. 290-292. Neptune, the God of the Sea, complainant lit the Court of Minos, st. 6-7, 12- 20, 80 ; dismisses the case to attend the banquet, St. 25-27 ; accepts Phoebe as arbitress, st. 34-35 ; at the banquet, st. 49 ; said to be ruled by Phoebe, St. 52; agrees to aid Atropos, St. 73 ; is requested by Phoebe to for- give Eolus and complies, st. 82-83 ; interpretation by Doctrine, st, 235- 239. Othea (Athena), the Goddess of Wisdom, at the banquet, st. 44 ; counsels the gods, St. 75 ; is referred to, st. 82. Pan, the God of Shepherds, at the ban- quet, St. 47 ; serves as minstrel, st. 58 ; interpretation by Doctrine, St. 246. Phoebe, the Goddess of Waters, the Moon ; the mistress of Neptune, st. 35 ; at the banquet, St. 52 ; entreats Neptune, St. 81-83. Pluto, the God of Hell, father of Vice, st. 86-87 ; at the Court in Hell, st. 4, 6- 24 ; dismisses the Court for Apollo's banquet, st. 24-27 ; declares the complaint against Eolus, St. 29 ; at the banquet, St. 45 (how Eolus came into Pluto's power, st. 76-79); sends for his son Vice to overthrow Virtue, 85-87 ; commands Vice, st. 138 ; " On in Pluto's name," 1. 1077. Saturn, the God of Cold, at the banquet, St. 40, 41 ; agrees to assist Atropos, St. 74. Venus, the Goddess of Love, at the ban- quet, St. 54. POETS AND PHILOSOPHERS. (waiters at the banquet, ST. 56-58; INTERPRETATION BY DOCTRINE = FEIGNERS OF FABLES, ST. 24.I-249.) Albert, 398. Dorothe, 391. Arystotyll, 390. Dyogenes, 391, 1397, 1399. Aueroys, 394. Esculapion, 396. Auycen, 394. Euclyde, 398. Galyen, 395. Hermes, 393. Ipocras, 395. Messehala, 392. Omere, 397. Orace, 397. Orpheus, 400. Ouyde, 397. Catalog of Persons. Plato, 392. Saphyrus, 393. Socrates, 392. Sortes, 393. Sychero, 390. Tholome, 391. Virgyle, 397. 97 THOSE SLAIN BY ATROPOS WITH HIS DART (sT. 64-69) Achilles, 474. Alexaunder, 464. Artour, 466. Cesar, lulius, 465. Charles, the Noble, 467. Cirus, 474. Cosdras, 473. Dauid, 466. Ector of Troy, 463. Godfrey of Boleyn, 469. Hanyball, 473. Hercules, 472. lason, 472. • losue, 466. ludas Machabee, 468. Nabugodonozor, 470. Pharao, 471. Sypio, 473. THE MORALITIES. Virtue, Christ's Champion (1. 1103). At- ropos complains to the gods that Virtue escapes his dart, st. 69-70 ; the gods conspire to conquer, st. 72— 75> 81-87; is warned by Morpheus to prepare for the battle with Vice, St. 103-105 ; gathers his hosts, st. 107-133 ; hastens to the field Micro- cosm, St. 135 ; charges his men to be guided by Grace, st. 136 ; gives knighthood to fourteen captains ; sends embassadors to Freewill ; en- gages in battle, St. I48-162; is com- pelled to retreat, St. 152; returns to the field, St. 160; overthrows Vice with the help of Preseverance, st. 162 ; is rewarded and blessed by Predestina- tion, st. 168-169; thanks God for the victory, st. 170 ; is sought for by some of Vice's host, St. 1 71-174; seeks rec- ompense from Freewill, st. 174-179 ; puts Reason and Freewill in charge of Microcosm, st. 180; charges Sen- suality to be guided by Sadness, st. 1 8 1- 1 83 ; gives to Morpheus the care of the five gates, st. 184-186; returns to his castle, st. 187 ; (Apollo informs Atropos that Virtue is not in his jurisdiction, st. 190); sends messen- gers to Microcosm, st. 197 ; prepares the field against the coming of Death, St. 204-207 ; is exalted above the firmament, St. 210 ; interpretation by Doctrine, st. 261-266 ; the moral, st. 297-301. Virtue's host, st. 109-132, pauses under the Sign of the Rood, st. 149 ; is pro- tected by the Shield of the Holy Trin- ity, St. 150. Imaginacion, messenger of Virtue, 748, 757- Messengers = Prayer, 1377. Fastyng, 1377. Penaunce, 1377. Almesdede, 1378. Baptyme, the leading captain, 951, 1081, 1090, 1105, 1198, 1211, 1216. Perseueraunce, captain of the rearguard, 1094, 1115, 1125, 1129. 98 Catalog of Persons. Constaunce, 1128. Knights, guides of Virtue's car= Ryghtwysnes, 795, 1385, 1394, 1401, 1418. Prudence, 796. Streyngth, 797. Temperaunce, 798. Seven chief captains= Humylyte, 801, 1142. Charyte, 804, 1435. Pacyence, 808. Lyberalyte, 811. Abstynence, 814. Chastyte, 818. Good Besynesse, 821. Embassadors sent by Virtue to rreewill= Reson, 998. Discresion, 998. Good Reinembraunce, 998, 1452. Minor captains dubbed knights by Virtue (14)= Feythe, 986, 1082, 1089, 1 105, 1196, 1208, 1210, 1435. Hope, 986, 1082, 1089, lies, 1 196, 1435- Mercy, 986, 1194. Trouthe, 986. Ryght, 986. Resystence of Wrong, 987. Confession, 988. Contricion, 988. Satisfaccion, 988. Verrey Drede of God, 989. Performyng of Penaunce, 989. Perfeccyon, 990. Konnyng, 990. Good Dysposicion, 990. The minor captains led by Grace ; 1st group (57) = Grace, 853, 948. Trew Feythe, 828. Hoope, 828, 986, 1082, 1089, I IDS, I196, 1435. Mercy, 828, 986. Peese, 828. Pyte, 828. Ryght, 829. Trowthe, 829, 986. Mekenesse, 829. Good Entent, 829. Goodness, 830. Concorde, 830. Paffyte Vnyte, 830, 1082, 1 105. Honest Trew Loue, 831. Symplycyte, 831. Prayer, 832, 1377. Fastyng, 832, 1377. Preuy Almysdede, 832, 1378. Artycles of the Crede, 833. Confession, 834, 988, 1143, 1429. Contrycion, 834, 988, 1145, 1429. Satysfaccion, 834, 988, 1 146, 1429. Sorow for Synne, 835, 1430. Gret Repentaunce, 835, 1430. Foryeuenes of Trespas, 836. Good Dysposicion, 836, 990, 1431. Resystence of Wrong, 837, 987. Performyng of Penaunce, 837, 989, 1 148, 1377, 1432. Hooly Deuocion, 838, 1431. Good Contynuaunce, 838. Preesthood, 839, 1424, 1426. Sacramentes, 839 ; the Sacrament of Eukaryst, 1428, 1439; Holy Unccion, 1444. Sadnesse, 840, 1233, 1265, 1279, 1349. 135s, i36i> 1374, 1380, 1436. Commaundementes, 840. Sufferaunce in Trowble, 84 1. Innocency, 841. Clennesse, 842. Continence, 842. Virginite, 842. Kyndnesse, 843. Reuerence, 843, Curtesy, 843. Content, 844. Plesyd with Pyteous Pouerte, 844. Entendyng Well, 845. Mynystryng Equyte, 845. Hooly Indyfferency, 846. Laboryng the Seruyce of God to Multyply, 847. Refuse of Rychesse, 848. Perfeccion, 849, 990. Parfyte Contemplacion, 849. Catalog of Persons. 99 Relygyon, 850. Profession well kept in Memory, 850. Verrey Drede of God, 851 (989). Holy Predycacion, 851. Celestiall Sapience, 852. Goostly Inspiracion, 852. Minor captains led by Cunning ; 2d group (17) = Konnyng, 854, 872, 876, 931, 990, 1 105. Gramer, 855. Sophy stry, 855. Naturall Philosophy, 856. Logyk, 856. Rethoryk, 856. Arsmetry, 857. Geometry, 857. Astronomy, 857. Canon, 858. Cyuyle, 858. Musyk, 858. Theology, 859. Physyk, 859. Moralizacion of Holy Scripture, 860. Poetry, 861. Drawyng of Picture, 861. Minor captains ; 3d group (9)= Moderat Dyete, 885. Wysdom, 885. Euyn Wyght & Mesure, 886. Ware of Contagious Geere, 886. Lothe to Offende, 887. Louyng ay to Lere, 887. Worshyp, 888. Profyt, 888. Myrthe in Manere, 888. Commons with Virtue, numbering one- tenth of Vice's host= Doctours, 897. Prestes, 899. Confessours, 899. Declarers of Holy Scripture, 900. Rebukers of synne, 90 1. Fysshers of fowles, 902. Lovers of clennes, 903. Dyspysers of veyn & worldly ryches, 903- Prelates (pesyble), 904. Gouernours (iustyciall), 904. Founders of churches, 905. Peeres (mercyfull), 905. Reformers of wrong, 906. Merchauntes (well menyng), goS. Artyfyceres (trew), 908. Vyrgyns, 909. Innocentes, 909. Matronys (hooly), 910. Contynentes, 910. Pylgryms, 911. Palmers, 911. Laborers (trew), 911. Hooly Heremytes, gi2. Goddes Solycitours, 912. Monkes, 913. Freres (well dysposyd), 913. Chanons, 914. Nonnes, 914. Professours (feythfuU), 914. Coniugatoures of worldly people, 915- Louers of Cryst, 916. Confounders of yll, 916. All that to godward yeue her good wyll, 917. Mayntenours of ryght, 918. Verrey Penytentes, 918. Distroyers of errour, 919. Causers of Vnyte, 919. Performers of mercy and pyte, 921. Contemplatyf peple, 922. Vyce, son of Pluto, st. 86, 87 ; summoned by Pluto to do battle against Virtue, St. 87, 88; leads towards the field of Microcosm, St. 137-139; is charged by Pluto to overthrow Virtue, st. 138 ; dubbs fourteen knights ; sends em- bassadors to Freewill, St. 144 ; sends Sensuality into the field to scatter evil seeds, st. 146-147; engages in battle, St. 149-150; is reinforced by Freewill, st. 151-152; causes Virtue to retreat, st. 152-155 ; is overthrown by Virtue, st. 160-162; leaves the field by a private gate and meets with Despair, st. 165; is driven to tor- ment by Prescience, st. 1 66-1 58; Catalog of Persons. interpretation by Doctrine, st. 261- 266 ; moral, st. 297-298, Vice's host, st. 89-103. Oryginal cryme= Messenger of Vice, 776, 781, 950, 9SS- Seven cliief captains = Pryde, 621. Enuy, 622. Wretlie, 624. Couetyse, 626. Glotony, 628. Leciiery, 630. Slowtlie, 631. Embassadors sent by Vice to Freewill = Temptacion, 1004. Foly, 1004. Sensualyte, 1004. Minor Captains dubbed Knights by Vice (14)= Falshood, 974, 643. Dyssymulacion 974, 636. Symony, 975, 636. Vsure, 975, 644. Wrong, 975, 645. Rebawdy, 975, 648. Malyce, 976, 640. Deceyte, 976, 647. Ly, 976, 644. Extorcion, 976, 637. Periury, 977, 644. Diffidence, 977, 652. Apostasy, 977, 657. Boldnesse in Yll, 978, 648. The Minor Captains (75)= Sacrylege, 636. Symony 636, 975. Dyssimulacion, 636, 974. Manslaughter, 637. Mordre, 637, Theft, 637. Extorcion, 637, 976. Arrogaunce, 638. Presumpcion, 638. Contumacy, 638. Contempcion, 639. Contempt, 639. Inobedience, 639. Malyce, 640, 976. Frowardnes, 640. Gret lelacy, 640. Vi^oodnesse, 641. Hate, 641. Stryfe, 641. Impacience, 64 1. Vnkyndnesse, 642. Oppression, 642. WofuU Neglygence, 642. Murmour, 643. Myschyef, 643. 1 Falshood, 643, 974. Detraccion, 643. Vsury, 644, 975. Periury, 644, 977. Ly, 644, 976. Adulacion, 644. Wrong, 645, 975. Rauyne, 645. Vyolence, 645. False lugement, 646. Obstynacy, 646. Dysseyte, 647, 976. Dronkenes, 647. Improuydence, 647. Boldnes in Yll, 648, 978. Foule Rybaudy, 648, 975. Fornycacion, 649. Incest, 649. Auoutry, 649. Vnshamefastnes, 650. Prodygalyte, 650. Blaspheme, 651. Veynglory, 651. Worldly Vanyte, 651. Ignoraunce, 652. Diffydence, 652, 977. Ipocrysy, 652. Scysme, 653. Rancour, 653. Debate, 653. Offense, 653. Heresy, 654. Errour, 654. Idolatry, 654. New Fangylnes, 655. False Pretense, 655. Catalog of Persons. lOI Inordinat Desyre of Worldly Excel- lense, 656. Feynyd Pouert, 657. Apostasy, 657, 977. Disclaundyr, 658. Skorne, 658. lelousy, 658. Hoordam, 659. Bawdry, 659. False Mayntenaunce, 659. Treson, 660. Abusion, 660. Pety Brybery, 660. Vsurpacion, 661. Horryble Vengeaunce, 66 1. Idylnesse, 666. Captains refused by Virtue who enter the service of Vice (st. 124-126)= Nygromansy, 867. Geomansy, 868. Magyk' 868 (Glotony), 868. Adr3omancy, 869. Ornomancy, 869. Pyromancy, 869. Fysenamy, 870. Pawmestry, 870. The Commons with Vice led by Idleness = Bosters, 673. Braggars, 673. Brybores, 673. Praters, 674. Fasers, 674. Strechers, 674. Wrythers, 674. Shakerles, 675. Shaueldores, 67S- Oppressours, 676. Crakers, 676. Meyntenours of querelles, 677. Lyers, 677. Theues, 678. Traytours, 678. Herytykes, 678. Charmers, 679. Sorcerers, 679. Scismatykes, 679. Symonyakes, 680. Vsurers, 680. Multyplyers, 681. Coyn wasshers, 681. Coyn clyppers, 681. Vsurpers, 682. Extorcioners, 682. Bakbyters, 683. Closers, 683. riaterers, 683. Murmurers, 684. Claterers, 684. Tregetours, 685. Tryphelers, 685. Feyners of tales, 685. Lurdeyns, 686. Pykers of males, 686. Rowners, 687. Uagaboundes, 687. Forgers of lesynges, 687. Robbers, 688. Reuers, 688. Ryfelers, 688. Choppers of churches, 689. Fynders of tydynges, 689. Marrers of maters, 690. Money makers, 690. Stalkers by nyght, 691. Euesdroppers, 691. Fyghters, 692. Brawlers, 692. Brekers of lofedayes, 692. Getters, 693. Chyders, 693. Causers of frayes, 693. Tyt3'uyUys, 694. Tyrauntes, 694. Turmentoures, 694. Apostates, 695. Relygyous dyssymulers, 695, Closshers, 696. Carders, 696. Hasardoures, 696. Tyburne coloppys, 697. Pursekytters, 697. Pylary knyghtes, 698. Double tollyng myllers, 6981 Tapsters, 699. Hojtelers, 699. Catalog of Persons. Hoores, 700. Baudys, 700. Blasphemers, 701. Ipocrytes, 701. Brothelles, 702. Brokers, 702. Swerers, 702. Dryuylles, 703. Dastardes, 703- Dyspysers of ryghtes, 703. Homycydes, 704. Poyseners, 704. Morderers, 704. Skoldes, 705. Caytyffys, 705. Clappers, 705. Idolatres, 706. Enchauntours, 706. Renegates, 706' Ambidextres, 707. Sekers of debates, 707. Pseudo prophetes, 708. Sodomytes, 708. Quelmers of chyldren, 709. Fornycatours, 709. Wetewoldes, 710. Auouterers, 711. Auauntours of syn, 711. Clappers, 712. Makers of clamours, 712. Vnthryftys, 713. Vnlustes, 713. Luskes, 714. Loselles, 714. IN THE FIELD OF MICROCOSM (ms = macrocosm). The Field : is named Microcosm, 932 ; in the midst = Conscience, 934, Syn- deresys, 937 ; its lord = Freewill, St. 143 ; approached by five highways open to the Vices and Virtues, st. 135 ; interpretation by Doctrine, st. 262, 265. The battle : the field, first entered by Original Crime, st. 1 1 1 = driven out by Baptism, st. 112 ; sowed with evil seeds by Sensuality, St. 146-148 ; the battle between the vices and virtues, St. 148-162 (won by Perseverance, st. 157-162). Freewill, Lord of Microcosm, st. 143 ; receives embassadors from Virtue, st. 143, from Vice, st. 144 ; gives an ambiguous answer, st. 145 ; takes the part of Vice, St. 151-152, 155; repents and seeks the counsel of Conscience, St. 163 ; is sent to Humility, Confes- sion, Contrition, Satisfaction and Pen- ance, St. 164; appears before Virtue, St. 174; blames Sensuality, st. 175- 176 ; in recompense yields Microcosm to Virtue, st. 178-179 ; is made bailiff under Reason, St. 180. Prescience, sent from above the firma- ment by Alpha and Omega (v. 1. 1 1 58, 1176, 1467) to punish Vice, st. 166- 167. Predestinacion, sent to reward Virtue, st. 168-169; they vanish, st. 170. Vice's host ; scourged by Prescience, st. 167 ; some seek Peace, Mercy, Faith, Hope, Baptism, Confession, Con- science, Circumcision, St. 171— 174. Sadnesse, takes Sensuality prisoner, st. 177 ; is given the guidance of Sensu- ality in Microcosm, st. 181, 183, 193; with Reason clears Microcosm of the evil weeds of Sensuality, St. 195 ; with Reason prepares the field for the coming of the Lord of Light, st. 206. Reason, rules in Microcosm, st. 180, 187, 193. 19s. 197. 206. Nature (has jurisdiction over living creat- ures, St. 65,, 69, 190; has "carnal might," 1. 1381) requires that Sensu- ality be given his liberty, st. 182; is powerless to help Atropos against Virtue, st. 194. Morpheus, is given charge of five gates of Microcosm, st. 185-186. Atropos, resolves to enter the service of God, St. 191 ; inquires the way to Catalog of Persons. 103 Righteousness, st. 198, 199; is called Death, st. 201 ; is given power in Microcosm, St. 203, 207-209; vanishes, St. 210. The Lord of Light, received in Microcosm, St. 204-206. Resydyuacion, enters Microcosm but is repulsed, st. 192-195 ; interpretation by Doctrine, st. 266. THE ACCORD OF REASON AND SENSUALITY. Reason, an embassador of Virtue and ruler in Microcosm; Lydgate muses how he may make Reason and Sensu- ality to accord, st. I ; Reason is sent by Virtue as an embassador to Free- will, St. 143 ; has no fear of Sensu- ality, st, 176; is given charge of Microcosm, st. 180 ; has guard over Sensuality, st. 187, 193 (v. 266); is superior to Nature, st, 194 ; with Sad- ness clears Microcosm of weeds, St. 195 ; is directed by Prayer, Fasting, Penance and Almsdeed st. 197 ; shows Atropos the way to Righteousness, St. 198-199 ; with Sadness, cleanses the field against the coming of the Lord, St. 206 ; comes with Sensuality to Doctrine to clear up Lydgate's doubt, St. 276-279 ; Reason and Sensuality agree as to the fear of Death, st. 280-282 ; vanishes, st. 283 ; interpretation of the concordance by Doctrine, St. 287-288. Sensuality, an embassador of Vice to Free- will, and an ally of Nature ; Lydgate muses how he may make Sensuality and Reason to accord, st. I ; Sensu- ality is sent by Vice as embassador to Freewill, St. 144; sows evil seeds in Microcosm, st. 146-148, 153; is charged with corrupting Freewill, St. 176; taken prisoner by Sadness and brought to Virtue, St. 177 ; is placed under the guidance of Sadness, st. 1 80-18 1 ; his liberty plead for by Nature, st. 182 ; is denied freedom in Microcosm, st. 183; guarded by Reason, st. 187 ; meets with Residiva- tion but can do no evil, st. 193, 194; his evil weeds cut down by Reason and Sadness, st. 195; enters with Reason the School of Doctrine to clear up Lydgate's doubt, St. 276- 279 ; agrees with Reason as to the fear of Death, st. 281 ; vanishes, st. 283 ; interpretation of the concord by Doctrine, st. 287-288. IN THE SCHOOL OF DOCTRINE, ST. 211-290. (a four-square arbor). Wytte, chief porter, st. 212. Teachers of the people = Dame Doctryne, st. 213-214, St. 229- 231 ; as interpreter, st. 232-288. Holy Texte, st. 215. Close, St. 215. Moralyzacion, st. 215. Scrypture, st. 215, the Scribe. 104 Catalog of Persons. PICTURED ON THE WALLS: 1ST AND 2D WALLS : TIMES OF DEVIATION AND REVOCATION. { supporting Moses' i (The false gods are Adam, 1S21. Eue, 1521, holding an apple. Noe, 1522, in a ship. Abraham, 1522, holding a flintstone. Isaac, 1523, bound on a mount, lacob, 1524, sleeping by a ladder. Joseph, 1526, in a cistern. Moyses, 1527, with two tables. Aaron, 1528, Vrre, 1528, Ely, 1529, in a burning car. Elyze, 1 530, clad as a hermit. Dauid, 1531, with a harp and stone sling, leremy, 1532. Ezechiell, 1532. Danyell, 1S33, in a lion's den. Abacuc, 1534. Mychee, 1534. Malachy, 1534. 3D WALL=TIME OF Petyr, 1562, with keys. Poule, 1563, with a sword, lames, 1563, with a scallop. Thomas, 1564, with a spear. Phylyp, 1565. lames the lesse, 1566. Bartylmew, 1567, all flayn. Symon, 1568. Thadee, 1568. Mathy, 1569, ) Barnabe, 1569, 5 <^"^'°^ '°''- Marke, I570> ^ hoii holding his book, Mathew, 1S71, like an angel. Luke, 1573, a calf holding his book, lohn, 1574, with a cup and palm in his hand, an eagle holding his book. { at the golden gate. not here described). lonas, 1535, coming out of a whale's body. Samuell, 1536, in a temple. Zakary, 1536, by an altar. Osee, 1538, ) conspiring the death of ludyth, 1538, ) Holof ernes. Salamon, 1539, dividing a child with his sword. Melchisedech, 1543, offering bread and. wine, loachym, IS4S, Anne, 1545, lohn Baptyst, 1 547, in a desert. Sodechy, 1549, ) with faces toward Amos, 1550, ) Sophony. Sophony, 1551. Neemy, 1552. Esdras, 1552. loob, 1553, as an impotent. Thoby, 1554, as patient. RECONCILIATION. Gregory, 1576, lerome, 157^, Austyn, 1576, Ambrose, 157^, Bernard, 1578. Anselme, 1578. Thomas of Alquyn, 1579. Domynyk, 1579. Benet, 1580. Hew, 1580. Martyne, 1581. lohn, 1581. Crysostom, 1582. Beede, 1583. Orygene, 1584. Sybyll, 1589. Andrew, 1595, with a cross.. - as doctors.. Catalog of Persons. loS 4TH WALL=TIME OF PILGRIMAGE, OR DANGEROUS PASSAGE, OR OF WAR. (See the battle of the vices and virtues.) DAME DOCTRINE. Dame Doctrine, interpreter of the vision, summons Lydgate to draw near, st. 231-232 ; interprets the imprison- ment of Eolus = unbridled wealth increases misrule, St. 233-234 ; Minos =Judge of Cruelness, st. 235 ; the complaint of Diana and Neptune= the blindness of fools, st. 235-236 ; the dismissal of the court :=forgetful- ness of fools, 237-239 ; the gods at the banquet ^ false idols, st. 240-249 ; the Time of Deviation, st. 241-249 =from Adam to Moses ; the poets and philosphers=feigners of fables, St. 249 ; Time of Revocation ^ from Moses to Christ, st. 250-251; Time of Reconciliation=:time of Grace, st. 251-252 ; Time of Pilgrimage=time of war, St. 255 ; (the present battle between Vice and Virtue, st. 256) ; the complaint of Atropos=the con- straint of friendship (Discord and Death) st. 257-260 ; the battle be- tween Vice and Virtue^the moral struggle in the human soul, St. 261 ; Microcosm = the world of man, st. 262 ; Perseverance ^ continuance of good living, st. 263 ; Prescience and Predestination=rewarders of vice and virtue, St. 264 ; the five keys given to Morpheus = the five inward wits, St. 265 ; Residivation=return to sin, St. 266 ; the accord of Reason and Sensuality=in the fear of Death, St. 275-288 ; Doctrine vanishes, st. 290. OTHER NAMES. God, 1293, 1333, 1410, 1497, 1640, 1685, 1748, 1754, 1818, 2065, 2088 ; Lord God, 1930 ; Lord, 1819 ; 2093, Lord of Glory, 2098 ; Fadyr, 2104 ; Alpha and Omega, 1158, 1176. Ihesu, 1121, 2105; Cryst, 1103, 1752, 1775; Son of Man, 1755; Crystyn, 1764. Mary, 2105. Devyll, 21, 1818, 2080. Peleus, feast of, 413. Phebus, the sun, i, 361. Pictagoras, 3. CATALOG OF PLACES. A lake, St., i. Lydgate's habitation, St., 2. The Court of Minos in Pluto's realm, St., 4. The Palace of Apollo, st., 27, 36, 107, 192. The Palace of Virtue, st., 187. The field of Microcosm, St., 134, I3S- The school of Doctrine, a four-square arbor, St., 212. Fantasy, 35, the dwelhng fjlace of Mor- pheus. Synay, Mount of, I747- GLOSSARY. (For a fuller explanation of Abew, 1063. See bew. Abhominable, adj., 711, abominable. Aboorde, 248. See borde. Abusion, sb., 660, abuse. Abydyng, sb., 34, dwelling place. Abyte, Vb., 194, abides, remains. Accusement, sb., 160, accusation. Adryomancy, sb., 869, (Aero-? or Hy- dro-?) divination by air (or water). Adulacion, sb., 644, flattery. Afore, adv., 1120, before. Afray, sb., 729, battle. Aftyr, prep., 76, in accordance with ; aftyr, adv., 1 024, afterwards. Agayn, prep., lOO and often, against. See ayene. Aldyrs, 490, 579, gen. pi. of all, althrys 599- AUyaunce, sb., 991, alliance. All be, conj., 476, al-be-it. Aloft, adv., loi, in the air, on high. Altherlast, 186, last of all. Aly, sb., 1810, ally. Ambidextres, sb., 707, double dealing persons. Ambyguyte, sb., 1012, ambiguity. Anone, adv., 14, 1615, soon. Apply, vb., 485, incline. Aray, sb., 282, 296, dress. Arere, adv., 962, to the rear. Armure, sb., 931, armor, weapons, Arow, 763 — a row, host. Asaute, vb., 588 ; sb., assawte, 1049, assault. Asay, vb., 980, try. Asondre, adv., 66, asunder. Aspyed, vb., 1368, spied. Astert, vb., 1267, escape. Astonyed, vb., 131 1, astounded, dis- mayed. many words see the Notes.) Astyrlabes, sb. pi., 1896, instruments for taking altitudes of the sun and stars (astrolobes). Ateynt, vb., 362, disgraced, afflicted with sorrow. Atwene, prep., 2006, between. Atwyx, prep., 1966, between. Auaunce, vb., 954, advance ; imper., avauntj II2I. Auauntage, sb., 727, 1033, advantage. Auauntours, sb., 711, boasters. Auaylyd, vb., 19, helped ; avale, vb., 360, bow down — perhaps=to have force. Auenaunt, adj., 885, agreeable, handsome. Auentur, sb., 944, chance, adventure. AuGutry, sb., 649, adultery; auouterers, 711. Avowe, sb., 983, vow. Auyse, vb., 866, advise ; sb., 1352, advice. Auysment, sb., 140, deliberation. Awayters, sb., 1741, waiters. Awter, sb., 1537, altar. Ax, vb., 520, ask ; axyd, 1383. Ay, adv., 119, 256, 966, ever. Ayene, prep., 19, and often, against. See ag^ayn. Ayeyn, adv., 63 and often, again. Bake, sb., 1905, back. Balaunce, sb., 1012, scale, decision. Bankes, sb. 105, shores of the sea. Banket, sb., 188 and often, banquet. Batayll, sb., 753, loio, etc., battle. Baudys, sb., 700, bawds. Bawdryk, sb., 285, belt. Bayll, sb., 1259, bailiff. Baytys, sb., 596, lures. Be, vb., 115 and often, been. Bedene, adv., 277, together, in order, or perhaps an expletive. 106 Glossary. 107 Beforn, adv., 819; before, 1792, before. Begoon, vb., 441, suffered. Begylyd, vb., 571, diverted. Beheste, sb., 481, promise. Behoue, sb., 1260, advantage. Beleue, sb., 1679, belief. Bende, sb., 1172, band, company. Benedycyte, 1594, bless ye, equivalent to thank God. Benygne, adj., 1224, gracious, benignant. Beseene.vb., 275, 823, bedecked adorned. Beseke, vb., 1929, beseech. Beset, vb., 297, beset, studded vrith orna- ments. Beshut, vb., 11 69, shut up. Bespreynt, vb., 258, sprinkled. Bestadde, vb., 11 06, placed, sorely im- perilled. Besy, adj., 563, 746, i8ii, busy, anxious. Bettyr, sb., 882, better. Betyn, vb., 105, beating (?) or beaten. Bew, adj., 1063 (beu) good, fine. Blere, vb., 1299, make dim. Blyn, vb., i860, cease from. Blyue, adv., 941, quickly. Bone, adj., 720, ready; bowne, vb., 716, prepared. Boorde, sb., 1242, conversation; boorde 388, table ; aboorde 248. Boote, sb., 1351, help, succor. Borow, vb., 1 167, bail out, secure. Boystous, adj., 127, 156, boisterous, noisy. Brayde, vb., 499, started up. Breched, vb., 325, dressed with breeches. Breede, vb., 599, grow, breed. Brennyng, vb., 1529, burning. Brokers, sb., 702, receivers of stolen goods. Brybores, sb., 673, robbers, beggars. But yef , conj., 89, 490, unless. Caltrop, sb., 773, an iron instrument scat- tered in battlefields to impede cavalry. Carders, sb., 696, card players. Carnall, adj., 1381, worldly, fleshly. Carpe, vb., 402, play, speak; carpyng, 439. Castaway, sb., 1274, something of no value. Caytyffys, sb., 705, caitiffs. Certeyne, adv., 112 and often, certainly. Chamelet, sb., 320, camlet, a woven fab- rik of wool and cotton, or of goat's hair and silk. Chare, sb., 506, car. Chases, sb., 58, open hunting grounds. Chaunse, sb., 996, chance. Chere, sb., 263, 284, face, countenance; greeting, 418, 423. Chese, vb., 882, chose. Chyders, sb., 693, scolds. Chyne, vb., 536, to open in cracks or fissures. Chyst, sb., 1300, chest. Claterers, sb., 684, tattlers. Clause, sb., 136, proviso. Cloke, sb., 1503, cloak. Closshers, sb., 696, " closh "-players. Clowte, sb., 1274, clout, rag. Cofres, sb., 273, coffers for money. Coloppys, sb., 697. See note. Columbyne, adj., 374, dovelike, like the flower(?) Comfort, sb., 65, 532, pleasure ; 206, con- fidence; 488, help, support; com- foriyd, vb., Tbl. Comon, adj., 1938, familiar. Compace, sb., 1881, space. Conceyte, sb., 1989, thought, idea. Concordaunce, sb., 2005, agreement. Condescendyd, vb., 1974, agreed. Condycyons, sb., 322, states, circum- stances. Confound, vb., 506, destroy; 1042, ? pass; confounders, 916, Coniecture, sb., 1694, opinion. Coniugatoures, sb., 915, uniters. Constreynyd, vb., 49, urged, compelled. Context, adj., 1503, woven firmly. Contumacy, sb., 638, resistence to au- thority. Corner, sb., 35, secluded place. Correccion, sb., 91, 486, correction, fine. Cost, sb., 119, coast; 952, region. Costlew, adj., 296, costly. Couerture, sb., 1723, covering, conceal- ment. io8 Glossary. Coueyte, vb., 1476, covet. Counterfete, vb., 212, construct. Cowchyd, vb., 287, 308, inlaid, laid in order. Craft, sb., 17 10, business, 1 1 34 crafti- ness. Crakers, sb., 676, braggarts, noisy fellows. Croppe, sb., 620, stem of a plant. Cropyn, vb., 1953, crept. Cniell, adj., 41, 471, harsh, severe, cruel ; crewelnes, sb., 1643. Crysmatory, sb., 1444, a vessel for chrism. Cryspe, adj., 374, fresh. Culuer, sb., 1608, dove. Curas, sb., 345, cuirass, breastplate. Cure, sb., S9. 455, care. Cure boyle, 617, hard leather; v. note. Cyrcute, sb., 757, circuit. Cysterne, sb., 1526, cistern. Dalyaunce, sb., 1509, talk. Dampnacion, sb., 1844, damnation. Darkyd, vb., 1193, lay hid. Dastard, sb., 1886, coward ; pi. 703, Date, sb., 425, date, time. See note. Daungere, sb., 96, 527, 543, 2084, power; 165, 445 refusal. Debonayr, adj., 1441, gentle. Defaute, sb., 460, default ; ? vb., 782. Dele, vb., 146, deal, distribute; deele, 1634, have dealings. Dell, sb., 1333, part; dele, 1027. Deme, vb., 1068, think, judge. Demenyng, sb., 269, demeanor. Deputate, vb., 1641, appointed. Dere, vb., 600, injure. Dereygne, vb., 612, set in order, fight. Desert, sb., 1288, merit. Desperate, adj., 28, causing despair. Desyreth, vb., 138, demands. Disclaundyr, sb., 658, slander. Disport, sb., 531, pleasure. Do, vb., 54 and often, done. Dolour, sb., 735, grief. ' Domynacion, sb., 191 1, domination. Doole, sb., 487, dole, portion. Dotyng, adj., 1394, foolish, childish. Dowte, sb., 761, looi, 1321, 1929, doubt; vb., 523- Dowty, adj., 792, brave. Draught, sb., 1232, drawing, move at chess. Dresse, vb., 534, direct, reach, prepare; myn ey gan I dresse, 1512. Dryuylles, sb., 703, idiots. Dubbyd, vb., 974, conferred knighthood. Dure, vb., 1777, last, extend; duryd, 751. Duresse, sb., 1270, restraint. Dynt, sb., 487, dint, stroke. Dyscordyd, vb., 1973, differed. Dyscrese, vb., 232, decrease. Dysdeynyd, vb., 168, refused. Dysgysyd, vb., 343, dressed, tricked out. Dysport, sb., 67, 531, 671, pleasure, rec- reation. Dyspurueyde, vb., 723, unprepared. Dysseyte, sb., 647, deceit. Dysvsyd, vb., 1400, disused, out of use. Effecte, sb., 1617, 1916, conclusion, mean- ing. Efte, adv., 560, again. Eftsones, adv., 1007, immediately. Egall, sb., 154, equal. Eke, adv., 247, also. EUes, adv., 33, else; ellys, 161. Enbrowderyd, vb., 332, embroidered. Enforme, vb., 785, inform. Enhaunse, vb., 999, increase, raise. Entent, sb., 108, purpose; 451, attention, effort ; ihenient, 1904. Entresse, sb., 1941, interest. Equyte, sb., 495, justice. Er, Ere, adv., 8, 1558, before. Eschew, vb., 961, avoid. Estate, sb., 27, 424, state, place, rank. Euerychoon, 1806, each one. Euesdroppers, sb., 691, eves-droppers. Euyll, adv., 38, in an evil manner. Evyn, adv., 162, at the time ; 202, evenly; adj., 886, even. Execute, vb., 53, bring to bear. Exorte, vb., 1488, teach, advise. Fade,vb., 70, wither, decrease. Glossary. 109 Fall, vb., 230, fall ; 10, fallen, pp.; 124, befall; 558, happen; fell, 530, hap- pened; fyll, 367, was fitting. Fande, vb., 131, found. Fantasy, sb., 35, 2050, fancy ; fantasyes, pi., 1854. Fare, vb., 810, proceed. Fasers, sb., 674, hypocrites (facers). Fauset, sb., 357 faucet. Fawchon, sb., 283, falchion. Fawcon, sb., 803, falcon. Fayne, adj., 11, inclined, desirous. Fee, sb., 995, domain. Feere, sb., 1952, fear. Feet, sb., 1064, deed. Fell, adj., 434, cruel (many ?). Fendes, sb., 1412, fiendes. Fenyx, sb., 810, phoenix. Fere, 52, in fere=:\n company. Ferre, adv., 102, 1613, 1627, igisfar; ferther, 1932. Feruent, adj., 1448, vehement. Fet, vb., 544, bring, fetch. Feynt, adj., 80, 359, weak, lacking color and energy. Finaunce, sb., 1242, fine, forfeiture. Flayn, vb., 1567, flayed. Foly, sb., 1631, 2097, foolishness, sin. Fone, sb., pi., 1748, foes. Foom (?), sb., 104, foam. Forteresse, sb., 187, palace; 303 figura- tively as strong-hold. Forse, sb., 1057, matter, consequence, no forse^no matter. Forsothe, adv., 211, 581, in truth. Foryete, yb., 239, forgotten. Fowtyn, vb., 1826, fought. Foyson, sb., 408, abundance, plenty. Frese, sb., 325, a cloth. Froward, adj., 1816, ungovernable ; /?-o- wardness, 640. Fructuous, adj., 900, fruitful, profitable. Fury, sb., 53, judgment. Fygure, sb., 1725, form of speech. Fyn, adv., 1463, very. Fysenamy, sb., 870, physiognomy. Gaderyd, vb., 760, gathered. Galaunt, adj., 296, splendid, gay. Gall, sb., 1614, nut-gall. Gan, vb., 202, 534, began, and used as auxiliary=did. Gape, vb., 1316, desire, stand in expecta- tion of. Garnysshyd, vb., 377, adorned. Gastes, sb., 754, guests, (cf. Lat. hostis) followers. Gate, vb., 1836, won. Gawdy, adj., 320, gaudy, perhaps dyed with weld. Geere, sb., 886 ? riches (or ? jeer). Genalogy, sb., 854, lineage. Geomansy, sb., 868, divination by earth. Gesse, vb., 1386, think, suppose. Get, sb., 1678, 1657, fashion. Getters, sb.. 693, ? swaggerers or ? thieves. Gladyd, vb., 383, made glad. Glosyng, adj., 2081, flattering; glosers, sb., 683, flatterers. Go, vb., 1396, gone. Gonnes, sb., 1038, guns. Goostly, adj., 852, spiritual. Gramercy, 575, many thanks. Greefe, sb., 47, harm; 216, sorrow. Grogyng, sb., 217 (grochyng) grumbling, malice. Grounde, sb., 304, reason, agency, 1690, place. Gryffyng, sb., 1718, grafting. Guerdoun, sb., 2087, reward. Guy, vb., 1720, guide. Guytornes, 970, (?guydons) cavalry flags. Gyldyn, adj., 367, golden. Gymlot, sb., 357, gimblet. Gyse, sb., 1965, manner. Habundaunce, sb., 1714, abundance. Habylyte, sb., 1247, ability. Habytacle, sb., 11, habitation. Happyd, vb., 419, chanced. Hasardoures, sb., 696, gamblers. Haunt, sb., 1295, dwelling ; hauntyd, 119. Heede, sb., 10, head. Heede, sb., 1815, care. Hele, sb., 1853, health. Hem, pr., 1636 and often, them. Glossary. Her, pr., 47, 65, 1635, their. Herber, sb., 1479, arbor. Hermyne, sb., 266, ermine. Herowde, sb., 719, herald. Heuynesse, sb., 186, slowness, 10 heavi- ness. Heynous, adj., 962, hateful, reprehensible. Hit, pr., 62 and often, it. Hogy, adj., 1095, huge. Holly, adv., 2014, wholly. Hoole, adj., 967, whole. Houyd, vb., 1608, hovered. Howe be hit, conj., 1081, how-be-it. Hulke, sb., 88. Hy, vb., 765, hie; hyghyd, 941, hied. Hydyr, adv., 604, hither. Hygh, adj., 73, great. Hygh-weyes, sb., 1460, high-ways. Hyghyd, vb., 941, hastened. Hym, pr., 128 and often, them ; also him. Impotent, sb., 1553, sick man. Inconuenyent, sb., 415, inconvenience. lape, sb., 525, jest, mockery. lugement, sb., 161, the court sentence. lurysdyccion, sb., iiii, power. Iust,"vb., 1099, joust. Karyk, sb., 88, cark, a kind of ship. Kendall, adj., 356, describing a kind of cloth. Keruell, sb., 87, caravel. Knowleche, sb., 529, knowledge. Knyt, vb., 991, united; knet, 1186; knette, 2008. Konnyng, sb., 854, wisdom. Krany, vb., 536, crack into fissures. Krauers, sb., 534, crevice. Kynde, sb., 1647, nature; 1544, kind. Kyrtyll, sb., 332, an outer garment. Lak, sb., 369, lack. Langoure, sb., 1853, languor. Lappyd, vb., 126, wrapped. Large, sb., 1239, liberty. Largely, adv., 1637, freely. Largesse, sb., 1327, liberty. Lastyuyous, adj., 686, lascivious. Laurer, sb., 791, laurel. Lawe, vb., 404, laugh. Leese, vb., iioo, lose. Leme, sb., 1609, light. Lore, vb., 887, learn. Leme, vb., 957, teach. Lesynges, sb., 687, lies. Let,vb., 1130, hinder; 251, avoid, neglect; 529, given; 956, let; sb., 319, hinderance. Lewde, adj., 403, worthless, perhaps loud; sb., lewdenesse, 1633, free action. Loft, see aloft. Longeth, vb., 1327, belongs. Loore, sb., 2074, wisdom, lore. Lore, vb., 1309, lost. Loselles, sb., 714, worthless fellows, lorels. Lothe, adj., 881, loath. Lowte, vb., io8g, 1439, 1925, bow, yield. Lurdeyns, sb., 686, block-heads. Luskes, sb., 714, lazy fellows. Lust, sb., 1307, strength, desire; 1277, wish. Lyeftenaunt, sb., 1254, lieutenant, repre- sentative. Lyght, adv., 1201, lightly. Lyke, vb., 225, please. Lyklynes, sb., 1066, probability. Lyst, vb., 1007, wished ; 1291, wish. Lythe, vb., 105, lies. Blace, sb., 476, mace. Malapert, adj., 503, impudent, forward. Males, sb., 686, pockets. Manaces, vb., 61, threatens. Maner, sb., 69, kind oi ; on a matter, 5 ; any maner wey, 1735. Marre, vb., 556, destroy. Mastresse, sb., 243, mistress, governess. Mawgre, prep., 1381, in spite of. Mede, sb., 756, merit. Medewes, sb., 259, meadows. Mekyll, 92, " in as mekyll as " ; mochyll, 1813. Mene, sb., 1 195, mediator ; adj., 946, mean. Mene, adj., 1720, mean, low. Herueyle, sb., 103, marvel, wonder. Glossary. Ill Messe, sb., 257, plate, table. Mesure, sb., 84, degree, out of mesure= beyond due degree or bounds. Meuyd, vb., 145, proposed; meve, 431, propose. Meynt, vb., 361, mingled. Meyny, sb., 853, followers, army; meyne, Slonacorde, sb., 7, agreement. • Moo, 863, 1600 ; more, 1606, moore 1791. Mood, sb., 1571, manner. Mortall, adj., 732, 1450, deadly. Mowte, vb., 1951, been able. Mowthe, sb., 2060, mouth. Multyplyers, sb., 371, 681, money makers. Murre, sb., 329, murre, a. cold in the throat. Muryd, vb., 1460, enclosed, vi'alled. Myscheue, vb., 523, do harm ; sb., mys- chyef, 620. Myddes, sb., 934, midst. Myte, sb., 1607, 1814, mite, thing of no value. Ne, 1 197 and often, not. Nere, adv., t, nearly. Newe, adv., 562, newly. Next, adj., 551, nearest. Woonys, 50Z, nonce. Nouelte, sb., 1705, new thing. Noy, vb., 774, annoy. Nygromansy, sb., 867, divination by the dead. Obstacle, sb., 9, hinderance. Odoryferous, adj., 336, fragrant. Offyce, sb., 494, employment. On, sometimes written 00, 117, one. Onwarde, adj., 162, further. On lyue, 1 85 1, alive. Oon, 6 and often, one. Oonys, adv., 1127, once. Opteygne, vb., 1353, obtain. Or, conj., 752, ere. Ordynatly, adv., 203, in good order. Ordynaunce, sb., 245, decision, law. Ornomancy, sb., 869, divination by birds. Ospray, sb., 813, the fish hawk. Ost, sb., 668, host ; hooste, 1 124, cf. Fr. ost. Othes, sb., 502, oathes. Ouches, sb., 297, jewels. Outlier, conj., 33, either ; owther, 480. Overstert, vb., 1593, ? overlooked. Oweth, vb., 91, is under obligation, fol- lowed by an objective clause intro- duced by an infinitive, with to, as in Chaucer. Pak, sb., 368, company. Panter, sb., 822, panther. Parable, sb., 1987, parable. Parciall, adj., 153, partial. Parde, 619, 1275, (par Dieu). Party, adj., 316, partial, favoring one party. Pase, sb., 632, step, way. Passyd, vb., 368, surpassed. Patent, sb., 496, written bond of office. Pauyse, vb., 1640, used reflexively — bring to pause. Pawmestry, sb., 870, divination by the hand. Paynym, adj., 1679, pagan. Penowns, sb., 970, small banners. Pere, sb., 808, equal. Perfyte, adj., 1491, perfect. Permyssyue, adj., 1731, permitted. Perpetuell, adj., 899, constant. Pesecoddys, sb., 493, pea-pods. Pety, adj., 827, inferior. Peyne, sb., 746, 181 1, pain, trouble. Plenteuous, adj., 408, plenty, cf. O. F. plentevous. Plesaunce, sb., 798, pleasure ; plesere, 197. Plyght, vb., 1473, pledge. Polytyk, adj., 1742, wise. Ponderously, adv., 9, heavily. Posternes, sb., 1296, 1849, gates. Poudryd, vb., 266, powdered. Praters, sb., 674, trifling talkers. Precept, sb., 1682, command. Predicament, sb., 1329, in logic = a general class. Prefyxyd, vb., 549, appointed. Preparate, vb., 1467, prepared. 112 Glossary. Presse, sb., 256, throng; 1755, torment. Prima facie, 157, at first view. Prophetyssa, sb., 1589, prophetess. Proue, vb., 1728, test, determine. Prykeryd, adj., 328, prick-eared. Prynte, vb., 1784, impress. Pryse, sb., 1354, contest. Pseudo-prophetes, sb., 708, false prophets. Purfylyd, vb., 266, trimmed. Purpur, sb., 306, purple garments. Purseuaunte, 776, messenger. Puruey, vb., 75, provide ; 946, prevydyd; 1 029, purveyde. Puruyaunce, sb., 956, 1433, provision, plan. Put, vb., 761, 1090, bring to a condition of; put out, 1481, expel. Pyke, vb., 1348, betake. Pylary, adj., 698, pillory. Pylow, sb., 12, pillovif. Cf. Chaucer's pilwe. Pylyons, sb., 1577, priests' hats. Pyne, sb., 216, punishment. Pyromancy, sb., 869, divination by fire. Pyry, sb., 126, storm of wind. Quelmers, sb., 709, killers, (infanticides). Quod, 1477, said; 12 10, quoth. Rancour, sb., 235, enmity, malice. Ray, sb., 550, striped cloth. Recorde, vb., 272, remember. Recouer, vb., 769, ? cover over, win. Recreaunt, adj. 1256, defeated. Redolence, sb., 161 1, fragrance. Reft, vb., 564, deprived. Reherse, vb., 83, relate. Reioyse, vb., 532, make glad. Rekke, vb., 560, care, reck. Relese, vb., 883, rehearse. Reproche, sb., 71, reproach. Rerewarde, sb., 1094, rear gaurd. Resorte, vb., 63, return. Respyte, sb., 170, postponement. Resydyuacion, sb., 1340, back-sliding. Retourne, vb., 100 (active), turn back. Reuers, sb., 688, robbers. Reyne, vb., 2086, reign. Roode, sb., 1040, cross. Route, sb., 388, 438, company. Rought, vb., 1 197, reached. Rowne, vb., 12, consult with; rownyd, 142, consulted with; rownyd, Sfll, whispered ; rowners, sb., 687, whis- perers. Russet, adj., 325, coarse. Rybaudy, sb., 648, ribaldry. Ryght, adv., 191, very. Rynde, sb., 66, bark (tree). Sabatouns, sb., 346, sabbatons, armorial coverings for the feet. Sad, adj., 270, 390, 1561, earnest, serious. Safe, conj., 402, except. Safecondyte, sb., 89, 490, safe-conduct. Sakcloth, sb., 290, sackcloth. Sanctuary, sb., 1446, a sacred place. Sauns, prep., 1858, without, (v. Nares' Glos.). Sauerys, sb., 336, odors. Sauoryd, vb., 338, smelled. Scalop, sb., 1564, scallop-shell. Scisme, sb., 411, division. Se, pr., 376, she. Secte, sb., 895, sect, kind. See, sb., 365, seat. Seere, adj., 1459, dry, withered. Seethe, sb., 97, restoration. Sekerly, adv., 787, surely. Sentence, sb., 136, 458, decision; 1863, truth. Sequelys, sb., 871, followers. Sercote, sb., 276, surcoat, outer coat. Sesyd, vb., 1744, ceased. Sesyne, sb., 1455, possession (a law term). Set, vb., 2016, settled. Sew, vb., 219; ™, 238, entKut; sewyd, 1198. Sewe, vb., 1023, sowed. Sewerte, sb., 449, surety. Sewre, adj., 524, sure. Shakerles, sb., 67S(?). Shaueldores, sb., 675 (?). Shent, vb., 1092, destroyed, shamed. Shoures, sb., 322, gifts ; shoure, 732, struggle. Glossary. "3 Slepyr, adj., 1026, 1069, slippery. Smokke, sb., 377, smock. Sobre, adj., 1233, sad; 1660, sober. Sodomytes, sb., 708, fornicators. Soort, sb., 619, troop, company; sorte, 1489. Soot, sb., 618, soot. Sore, adv., 341, greatly. Sothe, sb., 1226, truth. Sotyll, adj., 1694, 1701, subtle. Sought, vb., 788, went. Sownde, vb., 1688, sound. Sowneth, vb., 1302, tends, inclines; sownyd, 1987, seemed. Spere, sb., 3, sphere ; speres, pi., 1698. Spreynt, see bespreynt. Stadde, see bestadde. Stale, vb., 2040, stole. Stant, vb., 1887, stands. Stede, sb., 340, place; 1129, steed. Steuyn, vb., 824, proclaim, announce. Stoute, adj., 313 — said of eyes; 439 — ■ said of words: haughty, resolute, bold' Strayte, adj., 45, strict; adv., 539' narrowly. Strechers, sb., 674, Pilars. Stremes, sb'., 1855, streams. Streyngthe, vb., 751, strengthen. Streytyd, vb., 1633, restricted, put in bonds. Styrt, vb., 566, started. Superfluyte, sb., 1824, superfluity. Superfyciall, adj., 538, pertaining to the surface, Sustynaunce, sb., 336, support, living. Sy, vb., 1058, saw. Sygne, sb., 1442, miracle. Sykerly, adv., 270, surely. Sylogyse, vb., ig, reason, contend, argue. Symonyakes, sb., 680, simonists. Synderesys, sb., 937, syneresis. Syngler, adj., 71, special. Syth, conj., 1354, since. Sythe, sb., 127, time. Swage, vb., 1038, ? discharge. Swemfully, adv., 1223, sorrowfully. Swet, sb., 104, 2044, sweat. In 2044 said of body. Take, vb., 59 and often, taken; (akyn 1626. Tane, vb., 2013, taken. Tayll, sb., 754, company, number. Teche, vb., 1701, teach; taught, 1231. Tendre, vb., 135, consider, have a care for. Tenebrus, adj., 1169, dark. Than, adv., 89 and often, then. The, pr., 52 and often, thee. Then, conj., 1607, than. Tho, pr., 447, those. Thorough, prep., 70, on account of (pre- ceded by where) ; thorow, 2061. Thought, sb., 1234, 1360, 2051, anxiety, care ; 1 99 1, thought. Thryd, 1776, third. Thynne, adj., 1591, thin. To, adv., 511 and often, too. Tong, sb., 367, tongue. Tonne, sb., 1897, tub. Trapure, sb., 815; trappings. Traunse, sb., 15, trance. Trauayll, sb., 1971, work. Trayne, sb., 773, snare. Tregetours, sb., 685, jugglers. Trespase, sb., 221, injury, offense. Triumphall, adj., 2087, triumphal. Trouthe, sb., 1473, troth. Trow, vb., 957, believe; 1386, know trowyd, 432. Try (out), vb., 2071, separate. Tryacle, sb., 12, a medicine, (cf. treacle). Tryfyls, sb., 1854, trifles, cheats. Trypartyte, adj., 1031, divided into three parties. Tryphelers, sb., 685, cheaters. Tweyne, sb., 1966, two. Tyburne, sb., 697. See note to this line. Tyde, sb., 334, time. Tylthe, sb., 1710, cultivation. Tyne, 1063, tiny (generally preceded by little, as here). Tytyuyllys, sb., 694. See note on line 694. Vnbrydelyd, vb., 1630, unrestrained. Vnderlowte, sb., 1273, servant. 114 Glossary. Vndyrtake, vb., 233, 1390, 141 1, be surety, promise. Vnkynde, adj., 1023, unnatural, cruel. Vnlustes, sb., 713, idle men. Vre, sb., 1448, use, practice. Vsyd, vb., 117, was accustomed to do, Vtter, adj., 594, absolute. Valewyng, vb., 1607, valuing. Varyaunce, sb., 244, difference, dispute. Vaward, sb., 602, van. Verrey, adj., 918, 2002, true. Veryly, adj., 2042, truly. Vouchesafe, vb., 2019, granted. Walewyng, vb., 557, wallowing. Wanton, adj., 378, sportive ; 1230, reck- less; sb., wantones, 1362, 1635. Ware, adj., 128, aware. Wede, sb., 377, garment. Wedyr, sb., 530, weather. Welde, vb., 670, wielded. Wele, sb., 56, 210, weal,' prosperity, Wende, vb., 739, 1623, go; see wene. Wene, vb., 278, 985, think, suppose; wen- yng, 1651, 1713; wend, 239; wende, 1344- Weryd, vb., 379, wore. Wetewoldes, sb., 710, tame "cuckolds." Wex, vb., 1369, 141 5, grow. Whan, conj., i, when. Whedyr, conj., 24, whether. Whereas, adv., 118, where. Whereon, adv., 48, whereof. Whew, sb., 1316, 2049, hue. Whore, adj., 400, white ; whore-berdyd^ hoar-bearded. Whyle, sb., 129, time. Wood, adj., 1314, mad (also mad 347). Woote, vb., 621, knows; wete, loil. Wrapped, vb., 1383, wrapped. Wrethe, sb., 417, wrath. Wrought, vb., 1882, done. Wrythers, sb., 674 ? Wyght, sb., 987, 1034, man. Wyre, sb., 1872, doubt. Wyse, sb., 51, manner. Wysshe, vb., 1384, direct, recommend. Wyt, sb., 896, wisdom. Ydiote, sb., 1963, idiot. Yef, conj., 56, 63, etc., if. Yeue, vb., 17, 77, give. Yuy, sb., 355, yew. Ywys, adv., 879, 1056, certainly. SPECIAL PHRASES AND PROVERBS. AH and some, 192, each and all, the wliole matter. In especiall, 116, 1445, 1509, especially. By and by, 202, then ; 302, 800, one after the other. More and lesse, 306, 536, more orless ; 1264, altogether. Lest and moost, 766, 784, high and low degree. Most or lesie^ 480. To or fro, 24. Fer and wyde, 626. Make and marre, 556. For feyre or foule, 475. For the nonnys, 502, for the nonce. Out of mesure, 84, 102, beyond measure or reason. What in the deuyllys date, 425, exclam- atory. Howe a deuyll way, 131 7, exclamatory. Croppe and roote, 620, the whole of any- thing. Roote and rynde, 66, the whole tree. Kepe noon in store, 151, keep nothing in reserve. Not worth a peere (pear), 597. Then a myte, 1607; nat a niyie, 1814, myte^^ small thing. Rekke nat a .strawe, 560. Nat yeue two pesecoddys, 493. Bryght as glas, 276. Breched lyke a bere, 325. Grene as any gresse, 334- Here shone as wyre of goold bryght, 373- As a goste came in wyndyng shete, 420. Tomblyng as a ball, 557- Harde as glas, 614. Hard as horn, 618. Blakker then soot, 618. Slepyr as an yele, 1026. I As a castaway or a shoo clowte, 1274. Close as in a chyst, 1300. Coloryd as a crystall, 1603. Darke as a myste or a feynyd fable, 1988. Wyt ys oute where hyt went ynne, 1999. Dreuyn to her wyttes ende, 1665. My wyt ys so thynne, 1997. Ferre ys fro the wytte and ferther good mende, 1932. Thy wytte stant acrooke, 1887. For feere I lookyd as blak as a coole. I wold haue cropyn in a mouse hoole, 1952-53- Howe the game gooth, 426, how the matter stands. Ledeth by the sleue, 1680, causes to fol- low submissively, cf . take me by the sieve 14. 2033- Cast in a boon (of contention), 1805. Hit hyng in hys balaunce, 1012, it de- pended upon his decisions. Of all maner greynes she sealyd the patent, 292; cf. "wcnyng in her honde had leyn all power of cornys habundaunce" 1713-14; v. 449, ye seelyd my patent. Take the mantell and the ryng, 267, vow perpetual widowhood. Varyaunt Fortune, 318. Taught to drawe another draught, 1232, taught to make another move — to do differently. Lerne hem a new daunce, 957, teach them a new motion. Fro poost to pylour was he made to daunce, 1147, he was driven from one thing to another without purpose. IS ii6 Sp&cial Fhrases ahd Proverbs. Made her beerdys on the new gete, 1657, changed their minds. The bende of your bowe begynneth to slake, 1243-44. Put in prese, 1755, enter into torment. He must ne^ys go that the deuell dryues, 21. Where vertew occupyeth must nedys well grow, 1372. A false myrrour deceyueth a mannys look, 1727. Bettyr late then neuer, 1204. Bettyr be dede than a lyve, 518. He ys nat as he doth apere, 2083. As good ys ynowgh as a gret feste, 2035. Such as ye haue sowe must ye nedes reepe, 1244-45. Bettyr were a chylde to be vnbore then let hyt haue fe wyll and for euerbblore, 1308-9. Wealth nnbrydelyd encreseth mys- rewle, 1631. Fooles ouercome ay wyse men, 166]. Try out the corne clene from the chaff, 2071-= "take the best and let the worst be," 2070.