style="font-size:15px;"> 20
Twig.
21
Life (?).—I think she should be he.
22
Field.
23
"Carry you beyond this region."
24
For the knowledge of this poem I am indebted to the Early English Text Society, now printing so many valuable manuscripts.
25
The for here is only an intensive.
26
Pref is proof. Put in pref seems to stand for something more than being tested. Might it not mean proved to be a pearl of price?
1
The rhymes of the first and second and of the fourth and fifth lines throughout the stanzas, are all, I think, what the French call feminine rhymes, as in the words "sleeping," "weeping." This I think it better not to attempt retaining, because the final unaccented syllable is generally one of those e's which, having first become mute, have since been dropped from our spelling altogether.
2
For the grammatical interpretation of this line, I am indebted to Mr. Richard Morris. Shall is here used, as it often is, in the sense of must, and rede is a noun; the paraphrase of the whole being, "Son, what must be to me for counsel?" "What counsel must I follow?"
3
"Do not blame me, it is my nature."
4
Mon is used for man or woman: human being. It is so used in Lancashire still: they say mon to a woman.
5
"They weep quietly and becomingly." I think there must be in this word something of the sense of gently,-uncomplainingly.
6
"And are shrunken (clung with fear) like the clay." So here is the same as as. For this interpretation I am indebted to Mr. Morris.
7
"It is no wonder though it pleases me very ill."
8
I think the poet, wisely anxious to keep his last line just what it is, was perplexed for a rhyme, and fell on the odd device of saying, for "both day and night," "both day and the other."
9
"All as if it were not never, I wis."
10
"So that many men say—True it is, all goeth but God's will."
11
I conjecture "All that grain (me) groweth green."
12
Not is a contraction for ne wat, know not. "For I know not whither I must go, nor how long here I dwell." I think y is omitted by mistake before duelle.
13
This is very poor compared with the original.
14
I owe almost all my information on the history of these plays to Mr.Collier's well-known work on English Dramatic Poetry.
15
Able to suffer, deserving, subject to, obnoxious to, liable to death and vengeance.
16
The word harry is still used in Scotland, but only in regard to a bird's nest.
17
Do-well, Do-better, and Do-best.
18
Complexion.
19
Ruddiness—complexion.
20
Twig.
21
Life (?).—I think she should be he.
22
Field.
23
"Carry you beyond this region."
24
For the knowledge of this poem I am indebted to the Early English Text Society, now printing so many valuable manuscripts.
25
The for here is only an intensive.
26
Pref is proof. Put in pref seems to stand for something more than being tested. Might it not mean proved to be a pearl of price?
27
A word acknowledged to be obscure. Mr. Morris suggests on the left hand, as unbelieved.
28
"Except that which his sole wit may judge."
29
"Be equal to thy possessions:" "fit thy desires to thy means."
30
"Ambition has uncertainty." We use the word ticklish still.
31
"Is mingled everywhere."
32
To relish, to like. "Desire no more than is fitting for thee."
33
For.
34
"Let thy spiritual and not thine animal nature guide thee."
35
"And I dare not falsely judge the reverse."
36
A poem so like this that it may have been written immediately after reading it, is attributed to Robert Henryson, the Scotch poet. It has the same refrain to every verse as Lydgate's.
37
"Mourning for mishaps that I had caught made me almost mad."
38
"Led me all one:" "brought me back to peace, unity, harmony." (?)
39
"That I read on (it)."
40
Of in the original, as in the title.
41
Does this mean by contemplation on it?
42
"I paid good attention to it."
43
"Greeted thee"—in the very affliction.
44
"For Christ's love let us do the same."
45
"Whatever grief or woe enslaves thee." But thrall is a blunder, for the word ought to have rhymed with make.
46
"The precious leader that shall judge us."
47
"When thou art in sorry plight, think of this."
48
"And death, beyond renewal, lay hold upon their life."
49
Sending, message: "whatever varying decree God sends thee."
50
"Receives his message;" "accepts his will."
51
Recently published by the Early English Text Society. S.L. IV.
52
"Child born of a bright lady." Bird, berd, brid, burd, means lady originally: thence comes our bride.
53
In Chalmers' English Poets, from which I quote, it is selly-worme; but I think this must be a mistake. Silly would here mean weak.
54
The first poem he wrote, a very fine one, The Shepheard's Calender, is so full of old and provincial words, that the educated people of his own time required a glossary to assist them in the reading of it.
55
Eyas is a young hawk, whose wings are not fully fledged.
56
"What less than that is fitting?"
57
For, even in Collier's edition, but certainly a blunder.
58
Was, in the editions; clearly wrong.
59
"Of the same mould an
