The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Wright's Chaste Wife, by Adam of Cobsam This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: The Wright's Chaste Wife A Merry Tale (about 1462) Author: Adam of Cobsam Editor: Frederick J. Furnivall Release Date: December 26, 2005 [EBook #17400] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WRIGHT'S CHASTE WIFE *** Produced by David Starner, Taavi Kalju and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net [Transcriber's note: Letters that could not be fully displayed are "unpacked" and shown top-to-bottom within braces: {GH}, {gh} for small and capital yogh. {l~l} for double l with a tilde through. {=u} for u with a macron. {h-} for h with a line through the top. {rh} for r with a upwards hook attached to the horizontal stem. {m~} for a m with a loop back over the character. {n)} for a n with a ) attached to the right side. {d+} for the d with a little crook attached to the top right of the d. {/ĉ} for an ae ligature with an acute accent. There is also one instance of (on line 391 of the poem) a m with a ) attached to the right side (rendered as {m)} and looks like), but this is probably a typo for {m~}. I have left this as is. Text and letters in brackets [ ] is original. Obvious typos are corrected in this e-text.] The Wright's Chaste Wife. Early English Text Society Original Series, No. 12 1865 Reprinted 1891, 1905, 1965 Price 7_s._ 6_d._ The Wright's Chaste Wife, OR "A Fable of a wryg{h-}t that was maryde to a pore wydows dowt_re_ / the whiche wydow havyng noo good to geve w_i_t_h_ her / gave as for a p_re_cyous Johe{l~l} to hy_m_ a Rose garlond / the whyche sche affermyd wold nev_er_ fade while sche kept truly her wedlok." A Merry Tale, by Adam of Cobsam. _From a MS. in the Library of the Archbishop of Canterbury, at Lambeth, about 1462 A.D._ COPIED AND EDITED BY FREDERICK J. FURNIVALL. _Published for_ THE EARLY ENGLISH TEXT SOCIETY _by the_ OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON · NEW YORK · TORONTO FIRST PUBLISHED 1865 REPRINTED 1891, 1905, 1965. Original Series No. 12 REPRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY RICHARD CLAY (THE CHAUCER PRESS) LTD., BUNGAY, SUFFOLK PREFACE. Good wine needs no bush, and this tale needs no Preface. I shall not tell the story of it--let readers go to the verse itself for that; nor shall I repeat to those who begin it the exhortation of the englisher of _Sir Generides_, "for goddes sake, or ye hens wende, Here this tale unto the ende."--(ll. 3769-70.) If any one having taken it up is absurd enough to lay it down without finishing it, let him lose the fun, and let all true men pity him. Though the state of morals disclosed by the story is not altogether satisfactory, yet it is a decided improvement on that existing in Roberd of Brunne's time in 1303, for he had to complain of the lords of his day: Also do ŝese lordynges, Ŝe[y] trespas moche yn twey ŝynges; Ŝey rauys a mayden a{gh}ens here wyl, And mennys wyuys ŝey lede awey ŝertyl. A grete vylanye ŝarte he dous {GH}yf he make therof hys rouse [boste]: Ŝe dede ys confusyun, And more ys ŝe dyffamacyun. The volume containing the poem was shown to me by Mr Stubbs, the Librarian at Lambeth, in order that I might see the version of Sir Gyngelayne, son of Sir Gawain, which Mr Morris is some day, I trust, to edit for the Society in one of his Gawain volumes.[1] Finding the present poem also on the paper leaves, I copied it out the same afternoon, and here it is for a half-hour's amusement to any reader who chooses to take it up. The handwriting of the MS. must be of a date soon after 1460, and this agrees well with the allusion to Edward the Fourth's accession, and the triumph of the White Rose o'er the Red alluded to in the last lines of the poem. The Garlond, It was made ... Of flourys most of honoure, Of roses whyte ŝat wy{l~l} nott fade, Whych floure a{l~l} ynglond doth glade.... Vn-to the whych floure I-wys The loue of God and of the comonys Subdued bene of ryght. For, that the Commons of England were glad of their Yorkist king, and loved Duke Richard's son, let Holinshed's record prove. He testifies: "Wherevpon it was againe demanded of the commons, if they would admit and take the said erle as their prince and souereigne lord; which all with one voice cried: Yea, yea.... "Out of the ded stocke sprang a branch more mightie than the stem; this Edward the Fourth, a prince so highlie fauoured of the peple, for his great liberalite, clemencie, vpright dealing, and courage, that aboue all other, he with them stood in grace alone: by reason whereof, men of all ages and degrees to him dailie repaired, some offering themselues and their men to ioepard their liues with him, and other plentiouslie gaue monie to support his charges, and to mainteine his right." Would that we knew as much of Adam of Cobsam as of our White-Rose king. He must have been one of the Chaucer breed,[2] but more than this poem tells of him I cannot learn. _3, St George's Square, N.W., 23 November, 1865._ P.S.--There are other Poems about Edward IV. in the volume, which will be printed separately.[3] One on Women is given at the end of the present text. * * * * * PP.S. 1869.--Mr C.H. Pearson, the historian of the Early and Middle Ages of England, has supplied me with the immediate original of this story. He says: "The Wright's Chaste Wife is a reproduction of one of the _Gesta Romanorum_, cap. 69, de Castitate, ed. Keller. The Latin story begins 'Gallus regnavit prudens valde.' The Carpenter gets a shirt with his wife, which is never to want washing unless one of them is unfaithful. The lovers are three Knights (_milites_), and they are merely kept on bread and water, not made to work; nor is any wife introduced to see her lord's discomfiture. The English version, therefore, is much quainter and fuller of incident than its original. But the 'morality' of the Latin story is rich beyond description. 'The wife is holy Mother Church,' 'the Carpenter is the good Christian,' 'the shirt is our Faith, because, as the apostle says, it is impossible to please God without faith.' The Wright's work typifies 'the building up the pure heart by the works of mercy.' The three Knights are 'the pride of life, the lust of the eyes, and the lust of the flesh.' 'These you must shut up in the chamber of penance till you get an eternal reward from the eternal King.' 'Let us therefore pray God,' &c." With the Wright's Chaste Wife may also be compared the stories mentioned in the Notes, p. 20, and the Ballad "The Fryer well fitted; or A Pretty jest that once befel, How a maid put a Fryer to cool in the well" printed "in the Bagford Collection; in the Roxburghe (ii. 172); the Pepys (iii. 145); the Douce (p. 85); and in _Wit and Mirth, an Antidote to Melancholy_, 8vo. 1682; also, in an altered form, in Pills to purge Melancholy, 1707, i. 340; or 1719, iii. 325"; and the tune of which, with an abstract of the story, is given in Chappell's _Popular Music_, i. 273-5. The Friar makes love to the Maid; she refuses him for fear of hell-fire. Tush, quoth the Friar, thou needst not doubt; If thou wert in Hell, I could sing thee out. So she consents if he'll bring her an angel of money. He goes home to fetch it, and she covers the well over with a cloth. When he comes back, and has given her the money, she pretends that her father is coming, tells the Friar to run behind the cloth, and down he flops into the well. She won't help him at first, because if he could sing her out of hell, he can clearly sing himself out of the well: but at last she does help him out, keeps his money because he's dirtied the water, and sends him home dripping along the street like a new-washed sheep. [Footnote 1: The since printing of the Romance in the Percy Folio MS. Ballads and Romances, (_Lybius Disconius_, ii. 404,) will probably render this unnecessary. (1869.)] [Footnote 2: Chaucer brings off his Carpenter, though, triumphant, and not with the swived wife and broken arm that he gives his befooled Oxford craftsman in _The Milleres Tale_. (1869.)] [Footnote 3: In _Political, Religious, and Love Poems_, E.E. Text Soc., 1867.] THE WRIGHT'S CHASTE WIFE. [_MS. Lambeth 306, leaves 178-187._] A{l~l}myghty god, maker of all_e_, My sovereigns, Saue you my sou_er_eyns in towre & hall_e_, And send yo{=u} good grace! 3 If ye wy{l~l} a stounde blynne, I will tell you Of a story I wy{l~l} begynne, a tale And telle you a{l~l} the cas, 6 Meny farleyes ŝat I haue herd_e_, Ye would haue wondyr how yt ferde; Lystyn, and ye scha{l~l} here; 9 of a wright Of a wryght I wy{l~l} you telle, of this land, That some tyme in thys land gan dwelle, And lyued by hys myster. 12 who, at work, was Whether that he were yn or owte, afraid of no Of erthely man hadde he no dowte, earthly man. To werke hows, harowe, nor plowgh, 15 Or other werkes, what so they were, Thous wrought he hem farre and nere, And dyd tham wele I-nough. 18 At first he would Thys wryght would wedde no wyfe, wed no wife, Butt yn yougeth to lede hys lyfe [leaf 178, back] In myrthe and oŝer melody; 21 for wherever he Ou_er_ a{l~l} where he gan wende, went he was A{l~l} they seyd "welcome, frende, welcome; Sytt downe, and do gla[d]ly." 24 but at last he Ty{l~l} on a tyme he was wyllyng, THE WRIGHT FALLS wished As tyme comyth of all_e_ thyng, IN LOVE, AND (So seyth the p_ro_fesye,) PROPOSES. 27 to have a spouse A wyfe for to wedde & haue to look after his That myght hys goodes kepe and saue, goods. And for to leue a{l~l} foly. 30 A widow near had a Ther dwellyd a wydowe in ŝat contre fair daughter That hadde a doughter feyre & fre; Of her, word sprang wyde, 33 true and meek. For sche was bothe staby{l~l} & trewe, Meke of maners, and fey{rh} of hewe; So seyd men in that tyde. 36 The wryght seyde, "so god me saue, Her the wright Such a wyfe would I haue would like to lie To lye nyghtly by my syde." 39 by him, He ŝought to speke wyth ŝat may, and therefore went And rose erly on a daye to her mother And ŝyder gan he to ryde. 42 The wryght was welcome to ŝe wyfe, And her saluyd a{l~l} so blyve, And so he dyd her doughter fre: 45 and proposed for For the erand that he for ca{m~} the maiden. Tho he spake, ŝat good yema{n)}; Than to hym seyd sche: 48 The mother says The wydowe seyd, "by heuen kyng, she can only give I may geue wyth her no ŝing, him as a portion (And ŝat forthynketh me;) 51 a garland Saue a garlond I wy{l~l} the geue, Ye scha{l~l} neu_er_ see, whyle ye lyve, None such in thys contre: 54 of roses Haue here thys garlond of roses ryche, In a{l~l} thys lond ys none yt lyche, that will keep its For ytt wy{l~l} eu_er_ be newe, 57 colour [leaf 179] Wete ŝou wele w_i_t_h_owtyn fable, while his wife is A{l~l} the whyle thy wyfe ys stable true, The chaplett wolle hold hewe; 60 but change when And yf thy wyfe vse putry, HE RECEIVES A she is faithless. Or tolle eny man to lye her by, ROSE GARLAND Than wolle yt change hewe, WITH HIS WIFE. 63 And by the garlond ŝou may see, Feky{l~l} or fals yf ŝat sche be, Or ellys yf sche be trewe." 66 The wright is Of thys chaplett hym was fu{l~l} fayne, delighted with his And of hys wyfe, was nott to layne; garland and wife, He weddyd her fu{l~l} sone, 69 marries her and And ladde her home wyth solempnite, takes her home; And hyld her bryda{l~l} dayes thre. Whan they home come, 72 and then begins to Thys wryght in hys hart cast, think that when he If that he walkyd est or west is out at work As he was wonte to done, 75 men will try to "My wyfe ŝat ys so bryght of ble, corrupt his wife. Men wolle desyre he{rh} fro me, And ŝat hastly and sone;" 78 So he plans a Butt sone he hym byŝought crafty room and That a chambyr schuld be wrought tower, Bothe of lyme and stone, 81 Wyth wallys strong as eny stele, And dorres sotylly made and wele, He owte framyd yt sone; 84 and builds it soon The chambyr he lett make fast, with plaster of Wyth plast_er_ of parys ŝ_a_t wy{l~l} last, Paris, Such ous know I neu_er_ none; 87 which no one could Ther ys [ne] kyng ne emp_er_oure, ever get out of if And he were lockyn in ŝat towre, he once got into That cowde gete owte of ŝat wonne. 90 it, Nowe hath he done as he ŝought, And in the myddes of the flore wrought for there was a A wondyr strange gyle, 93 trapdoor in the A trapdoure rounde abowte [leaf 179, back] That no man myght come yn nor owte; middle, It was made wyth a wyle, 96 and if any one That who-so touchyd yt eny thyng, THE WRIGHT only touched it, In to ŝe pytt he schuld flyng GOES TO down he'd go into Wythyn a lyty{l~l} whyle. WORK, AND 99 a pit. For hys wyfe he made that place, LEAVES HIS This was to stop That no man schuld beseke her of grace, WIFE AT any tricks with Nor her to begyle. HOME. 102 his wife. Just then the town By ŝat tyme ŝe lord of the towne Lord Hadde ordeynyd tymbyr redy bowne, An halle to make of tre. 105 sends for him to Aft_er_ the wryght the lord lett sende, build a Hall, For ŝat he schuld wyth hym lende (a job for two or Monythys two or thre. 108 three months,) The lord seyd, "woult ŝou haue ŝi wyfe? and offers to I wy{l~l} send aft_er_ her blyve fetch his wife That sche may com to the." 111 too. The wryght hys garlond hadde take w_y_t_h_ hy{m~}, That was bryght and no ŝing dymme, Yt wes feyre on to see. 114 He sees the The lord axyd hym as he satt, wright's garland, "Felowe, where hadyst ŝou ŝis hatte and asks what it That ys so feyre and newe?" 117 means. The wryght answerd a{l~l} so blyue, "Sir, it will And seyd, "syr, I hadde yt wyth my wyfe, And ŝat dare me neue{rh} rewe; 120 tell me whether my Syr, by my garlond I may see wife is false or Feky{l~l} or fals yf ŝat sche be, true; Or[1] yf ŝat sche be trewe; 123 and will change And yf my wyfe loue a p_ar_amoure, its colour if she Than wy{l~l} my garlond vade coloure, go wrong." And change wy{l~l} yt the hewe." 126 The lord ŝought "by godys myght, "I'll try that," That wy{l~l} I wete thys same nyght thinks the Lord, Whether thys tale be trewe." 129 and goes to the To the wryghtys howse anon he went, wright's wife. He fonde the wyfe ther-in p_re_sente [leaf 180] That was so bryght and schene; THE LORD 132 Sone he hayled her trewly, BRIBES THE And so dyd sche the lord curtesly: WRIGHT'S WIFE Sche seyd, "welcome ye be;" TO LIE WITH 135 Thus seyd the wyfe of the hows, HIM. She asks after her "Syr, howe faryth my swete spouse husband That hewyth vppon you{rh} tre?" 138 but the Lord "Sertes, dame," he seyd, "wele, And I am come, so haue I hele, To wete the wylle of the; 141 declares his own My loue ys so vppon the cast love for her, That me thynketh my hert wolle brest, It wolle none otherwyse be; 144 and prays her to Good dame, graunt me thy grace grant him his To pley with the in some preuy place will. For gold and eke for fee." 147 She entreats him "Good syr, lett be youre fare, to let that be, And of such wordes speke no mare For hys loue ŝat dyed on tre; 150 Hadde we onys begonne ŝat gle, My husbond by his garlond myght see; For sorowe he would wexe woode." 153 but he presses "Certes, dame," he seyd, "naye; her, Loue me, I pray you, in ŝat ye maye: For godys loue change thy mode, 156 and offers her 40 Forty marke scha{l~l} be youre mede marks. Of sylu_er_ and of gold[_e_] rede, And that scha{l~l} do the good." 159 On this she "Syr, that deede scha{l~l} be done; consents if he'll Take me that mony here anon_e_." put down the "I swere by the holy rode 162 money. I thought when I cam hydde{rh} For to bryng[2] yt a{l~l} to-gydde{rh}, As I mott broke my heele." 165 The 40 marks she Ther sche toke xl marke takes Of syluer and gold styff and sterke: Sche toke yt feyre and welle; THE 168 and tells him to Sche seyd, "in to the chambyr wy{l~l} we, LORD IS go [leaf 180, back] Ther no man scha{l~l} vs see; DROPPED into the secret No lenger wy{l~l} we spare." 171 chamber. Vp the steyer they gan[3] hye: THROUGH Upstairs he goes, The stepes were made so queyntly A TRAPDOOR, That farther myght he nott fare. 174 stumbles, The lord stumbyllyd as he went in hast, and pops down 40 He fe{l~l} doune in to ŝat chaste feet through the Forty fote and somedele more. 177 wright's trapdoor. The lord began to crye; The wyfe seyd to hym in hye, "Syr, what do ye there?" 180 He prays the "Dame, I can nott seye howe That I am come hydder nowe To thys hows ŝat ys so newe; 183 I am so depe in thys sure flore That I ne can come owte att no dore; good dame to have Good dame, on me ŝou rewe!" 186 pity on him. "Nay," sche seyd, "so mut y the, "Nay," says she, Ty{l~l} myne husbond come and se, "not till my I schrewe hym ŝat yt ŝought." 189 husband sees you." The lord arose and lokyd abowte The Lord tries to If he myght eny where gete owte, get out, but Butt yt holpe hy{m~} ryght nog{h-}t, 192 can't, The wallys were so thycke w_y_t_h_y{n)}, That he no where myght owte wynne But helpe to hy{m~} were brought; 195 and then threatens And eu_er_ the lord made euy{l~l} chere, the wife, And seyd, "dame, ŝou schalt by thys dere." Sche seyd that sche ne roug{h-}t; 198 but she doesn't Sche seyd "I recke nere care for that, Whyle I am here and ŝou art there, I schrewe herre ŝat ŝe doth drede." 201 The lord was sone owte of her ŝought, and goes away to The wyfe went in to her lofte, her work. Sche satte and dyd her dede. AND HAS 204 Next day the Lord Than yt fe{l~l} on ŝat oŝer daye, TO BEAT FLAX begs for food. Of mete and drynke he gan her p_ra_y, TO EARN HIS There of he hadde gret nede. DINNER. 207 [leaf 181] He seyd, "dame, for seynt charyte, Wyth some mete ŝou comfort me." "You'll get none Sche seyd, "nay, so god me spede, 210 from me For I swere by swete seynt Iohn_e_, Mete ne drynke ne getyst ŝou none unless you sweat Butt ŝou wylt swete or swynke; 213 for it," says she; For I haue both hempe and lyne, "spin me some And a betyngstocke fu{l~l} fyne, flax." And a swyngy{l~l} good and grete; 216 If ŝou wylt worke, tell me sone." He says he will: "Dame, bryng yt forthe, yt scha{l~l} be done, Fu{l~l} gladly would I ete." 219 she throws him the Sche toke the stocke in her honde, tools, And in to the pytt sche yt sclang With a grete hete: 222 the flax and hemp, Sche brought the lyne and hempe on her backe, and says, "Work "Syr lord," sche seyd, "haue ŝou ŝat, away." And lerne for to swete." 225 Ther sche toke hym a bonde For to occupy hys honde, And bade hym fast on to bete. 228 He does, He leyd yt downe on the[4] stone, lays on well, And leyd on strockes we{l~l} good wone, And sparyd nott on to leyne. 231 Whan ŝat he hadde wrought a thraue, and then asks for Mete and drynke he gan to craue, his food, And would haue hadde yt fayne; 234 "That I hadde somewhat for to ete Now aft_er_ my gret swete; Me thynketh yt were ryg{h-}t, 237 for he's toiled For I haue labouryd nyght and daye night and day. The for to plese, dame, I saye, And therto putt my myght." 240 The wife The wyfe seyd "so mutt I haue hele, THE STEWARD And yf ŝi worke be wrought wele RESOLVES TO Thou schalt haue to dyne." TEMPT THE 243 gives him meat Mete and drynke sche hym bare, WRIGHT'S [leaf 181, back] Wyth a thrafe of flex mare WIFE. and drink Of fu{l~l} long boundyn lyne. 246 and more flax, So feyre the wyfe the lord gan praye and keeps him up That he schuld be werkyng aye, to his work. And nought ŝat he schuld blynne; 249 The lord was fayne to werke tho, Butt hys men knewe nott of hys woo Nor of ŝer lordes pyne. 252 The Steward asks The stuard to ŝe wryght gan saye, the wright after "Sawe ŝou owte of my lord to-daye, his Lord, Whether that he ys wende?" 255 The wryght answerde and seyd "naye; I sawe hym nott syth yesterdaye; I trowe ŝat he be schent." 258 then notices the The stuard stode ŝe wryght by, garland, And of hys garlond hadde ferly What ŝat yt be-mente. 261 and asks who gave The stuard seyd, "so god me saue, it him. Of thy garlond wondyr I haue, And who yt hath the sent." 264 "Sir, it will tell "Syr," he seyd, "be the same hatte me whether my wife I can knowe yf my wyfe be badde goes bad." To me by eny other ma{n)}; 267 If my floures ouŝer fade or falle, Then doth my wyfe me wrong wyth-all_e_, As many a woman ca{n)}." 270 "I'll prove that The stuard ŝought "by godes myg{h-}t, this very night," That scha{l~l} I preue thys same nyg{h-}t says the steward, Whether ŝou blys or banne," 273 gets plenty of And in to hys chambyr he gan gone, money, and goes And toke tresure fu{l~l} good wone, off And forth he spedde hem tha{n)}. AND 276 Butt he ne stynt att no stone THINKS to the wright's Ty{l~l} he vn-to ŝe wryghtes hows come HE HAS house, That ylke same nyg{h-}t. SUCCEEDED 279 He mett the wyfe amydde the gate, SO WELL. takes her round Abowte ŝe necke he gan her take, the neck, And seyd "my dere wyght, 282 [leaf 182] A{l~l} the good ŝat ys myne and offers her all I wy{l~l} the geue to be thyne he has, to lie by To lye by the a{l~l} nyght." 285 her that night. Sche seyd, "syr, lett be thy fare, She refuses, My husbond wolle wete wyth-owty{n)} mare And I hym dyd that vnryg{h-}t; 288 I would nott he myght yt wete For a{l~l} the good that I myght gete, So Ih_esus_[5] mutt me spede 291 as her husband For, and eny man lay me by, would be sure to My husbond would yt wete truly, know of it. It ys wythowtyn eny drede." 294 The steward urges The stuard seyd "for hym ŝat ys wrought, her again, There-of, dame, drede the nog{h-}t Wyth me to do that dede; 297 and offers her 20 Haue here of me xx marke marks. Of gold and syluer styf and starke, Thys tresoure scha{l~l} be thy mede." 300 She says, "Then "Syr, and I graunt ŝat to yo{=u}, don't tell any Lett no man wete butt we two nowe." one," He seyd, "nay, wythowtyn drede." 303 The stuard ŝought, 'sykerly Women beth both queynte & slye.' takes his money, The mony he gan her bede; 306 He ŝought wele to haue be spedde, And of his erand he was onredde Or he were fro he{m~} I-gone. 309 sends him up the Vp the sterys sche hym leyde quaint stairs, Ty{l~l} he saw the wryghtes bedde: THE STEWARD IS Of tresoure ŝought he none; SHOT THROUGH 312 and lets him He went and stumblyd att a stone; THE TRAPDOOR, tumble through In to ŝe selle{rh} he fylle sone, the trapdoor. Downe to the bare flore. 315 "What the devil The lord seyd "what deuy{l~l} art ŝo{=u}? are you?" says And ŝou hadest falle on me nowe, the Lord. Thowe hadest hurt me fu{l~l} sore." 318 [leaf 182, back] The stuard stert and staryd abowte The steward finds If he myg{h-}t ower gete owte he can't get out; Att hole lesse or mare. 321 The lord seyd, "welcome, and sytt be tyme, For ŝou schalt helpe to dyght thys lyne For a{l~l} thy fers[e] fare." 324 The stuard lokyd on the knyg{h-}t, and wonders why He seyd, "syr, for godes myght, his Lord is My lord, what do you here?" 327 there. He seyd "felowe, wyth-owtyn oth, "We both came on For o erand we come bothe, one errand, man." The sothe wolle I nott lete." 330 The wife asks what Tho cam the wyfe them vn-to, they're doing; And seyd, "syres, what do you to, Wy{l~l} ye nott lerne to swete?" 333 the Lord says, Than seyd ŝe lord her vn-to, "Your flax is 'Dame, you{rh} lyne ys I-doo, done, and I want Nowe would I fayne ete: 336 my dinner." And I haue made yt a{l~l} I-lyke, Fu{l~l} clere, and no ŝing thycke, Me thynketh yt gret payne." 339 The steward says The stuard seyd "wyth-owtyn dowte, if he ever gets And eu_er_ I may wynne owte, out he'll crack I wy{l~l} breke her brayne." 342 her skull. "Felowe, lett be, and sey nott so, But the wife For ŝou schalt worke or eu_er_ ŝou goo, chaffs him, Thy wordes ŝou torne agayne, 345 says he'll soon be Fayne ŝou schalt be so to doo, glad to eat his And thy good wylle put ŝerto; words, As a man buxome and bayne BUT IS 348 and unless he rubs Thowe schalt rubbe, rele, and spynne, PROUD, AND and reels, he'll And ŝou wolt eny mete wynne, WILL NOT get no meat. That I geue to god a gyfte." WORK FOR 351 "I'll die for The stuard seyd, "then haue I wondyr; HIS DINNER. hunger first, Rather would I dy for hungyr unhouseled," Wyth-owte hosy{l~l} or shryfte." 354 answers he. The lord seyd, "so haue I hele, [leaf 183] Thowe wylt worke, yf ŝou hungyr welle, What worke ŝat the be brought." 357 The Lord works The lord satt and dyd hys werke, away, The stuard drewe in to the derke, Gret sorowe was in hys ŝought. 360 The lord seyd, "dame, here ys youre lyne, Haue yt in godes blessyng and myne, I hold yt welle I-wrought." 363 and gets his food Mete and drynke sche gaue hym y{n)}, and drink. "The stuard," sche seyd, "wolle he nott spynne, Wy{l~l} he do ryght nog{h-}t?" 366 The lord seyd, "by swete sen Ione, None of it will he Of thys mete scha{l~l} he haue none give to the That ye haue me hydder brought." 369 steward, The lord ete and dranke fast, but eats it all The stuard hungeryd att ŝe last, up, For he gaue hym nought. 372 The stuard satt a{l~l} in a stody, Hys lord hadde forgote curtesy: Tho[6] seyd ŝe stuard, "geue me some." 375 and won't give him The lord seyd, "sorowe haue ŝe morse{l~l} or sope one crumb: That scha{l~l} come in thy throte! Nott so much as o crome! 378 let him work and Butt ŝou wylt helpe to dyght ŝis lyne, earn some for Much hungyr yt scha{l~l} be thyne himself. Though ŝou make much mone." 381 The steward gives Vp he rose, and went therto, in, "Bett_er_ ys me ŝus to doo Whyle yt must nedys be do." 384 asks for work; the The stuard began fast to knocke, THE STEWARD wife throws it The wyfe ŝrew hym a swyngelyng stocke, IS OBLIGED him, Hys mete ŝerwyth to wy{n)}; TO WORK 387 Sche brought a swyngy{l~l} att ŝe last, AFTER ALL. "Good syres," sche seyd, "swyngyll_e_ on fast; For no ŝing that ye blynne." 390 Sche gaue hy{m)} a stocke to sytt vppo{n)}, And seyd "syres, ŝis werke must nedys be done, A{l~l} that that ys here y{n)}." 393 [leaf 183, back] The stuard toke vp a stycke to saye, and steward and "Sey, seye, swyngy{l~l} bett_er_ yf ye may, Lord are both Hytt wy{l~l} be the bett_er_ to spynne." 396 spinning away Were ŝe lord neu_er_ so gret, to earn their Yet was he fayne to werke for hys mete dinner, Though he were neu_er_ so sadde; 399 Butt ŝe stuard ŝat was so stowde, Was fayne to swyngell_e_ ŝe scales owte, Ther-of he was nott glad. 402 while the Lord's The lordys meyne ŝat were att home people cannot make Wyst nott where he was bycome, out what has They were fu{l~l} sore adrad. 405 become of him. Then the Proctor The proctoure of ŝe parysche chyrche ryg{h-}t sees the wright Came and lokyd on ŝe wryght, He lokyd as he ware madde; 408 Fast ŝe proctoure gan hym frayne, and asks where he "Where hadest ŝou ŝis garlond gayne? got his garland It ys eu_er_ lyke newe." 411 from. The wryght gan say "felowe, "With my wife; Wyth my wyfe, yf ŝou wylt knowe; That dare me nott rewe; 414 and while she is For a{l~l} the whyle my wyfe trew ys, true it will never My garlond wolle hold hewe I-wys, fade, And neu_er_ falle nor fade; 417 but if she's false And yf my wyfe take a p_ar_amoure, it will." Than wolle my garlond vade ŝe floure, That dare I ley myne hede." 420 The proctor thinks The proctoure ŝought, "in good faye THE PROCTOR he'll test this, That scha{l~l} I wete thys same daye TEMPTS THE Whether yt may so be." WIFE, AND 423 goes to the To the wryghtes hows he went, IS TRAPDOORED. wright's wife He grete ŝe wyfe wyth feyre entente, Sche seyd "syr, welcome be ye." 426 and declares his "A! dame, my loue ys on you fast love for her; Syth the tyme I sawe you last; I pray you yt may so be 429 That ye would graunt me of you{rh} grace he must have her To play w_y_t_h_ you in some p_ri_uy place, [leaf 184] Or ellys to deth mutt me." 432 or die. Fast ŝe proctoure gan to pray, She says nay, And eu_er_ to hy{m~} sche seyd "naye, That wolle I nott doo. 435 as her husband Hadest ŝou done ŝat dede w_y_t_h_ me, will know of it by My spouse by hys garlond myght see, his garland. That schuld torne me to woo." 438 The proctor The proctoure seyd, "by heuen kyng, If he sey to the any ŝing He scha{l~l} haue sorowe vn-sowte; 441 offers her 20 Twenty marke I wolle ŝe geue, marks. It wolle ŝe helpe welle to lyue, The mony here haue I brought." 444 These she takes; Nowe hath sche the tresure tane, they go upstairs, And vp ŝe steyre be they gane, (What helpyth yt to lye?) 447 The wyfe went the steyre be-syde, and the proctor The proctoure went a lyty{l~l} to wyde tumbles into the He fe{l~l} downe by and by. 450 cellar, Whan he in to ŝe seller felle, and thinks he is He wente to haue sonke in to helle, going to hell. He was in hart fu{l~l} sory. 453 The stuard lokyd on the knyght, The steward asks And seyd "proctoure, for godes myght, him to sit down; Come and sytt vs by." 456 The proctoure began to stare, he doesn't know For he was he wyst neu_er_ whare, THE PROCTOR where he is, Butt wele he knewe ŝe knyght CAN'T 459 And the stuard ŝat swyngelyd ŝe lyne. MAKE OUT but asks what the He seyd "syres, for godes pyne, WHERE HE Lord and steward What do ye here thys nyg{h-}t?" HAS GOT 462 are after there, The stuard seyd, "god geue the care, TO. Thowe camyst to loke howe we fare, Nowe helpe ŝis lyne were dyght." 465 He stode sty{l~l} in a gret ŝought, What to answer he wyst noght: "By mary fu{l~l} of myght," 468 working the wife's The proctoure seyd, "what do ye in ŝis yn_e_ flax; For to bete thys wyfees lyne? [leaf 184, back] For Ih_esus_ loue, ffu{l~l} of myght," 471 The proctoure seyd ryght as he ŝoug{h-}t, he, the proctor, "For me yt scha{l~l} be euy{l~l} wroug{h-}t will never do the And I may see aryg{h-}t, 474 like, For I lernyd neu_er_ in lon{d+} it's not his For to haue a swynge{l~l} in hond trade. By day nor be nyght." 477 The steward says, The stuard seyd, "as good as ŝo{=u}. "We're as good as We hold vs that be here nowe, you, and yet And lett preue yt be syg{h-}t; 480 have to work for Yet must vs worke for owre mete, our food." Or ellys scha{l~l} we none gete, Mete nor drynke to owre honde." 483 The Lord says, The lord seyd, "why flyte ye two? "And you'll have I trowe ye wy{l~l} werke or ye goo, to work ere you Yf yt be as I vndyrstond." 486 go." Abowte he goys twyes or thryes; They eat and They ete & drunke in such wyse drink, and give That ŝey geue hym ryght noght. 489 the proctor The proctoure seyd, "thynke ye no schame, nothing, Yheue me some mete, (ye be to blame,) to his great Of that the wyfe ye broug{h-}t." 492 disgust, The stuard seyd "euy{l~l} spede the soppe If eny morce{l~l} come in thy throte Butt ŝou w_y_t_h_ vs hadest wrought." HE HAS 495 till at last The proctoure stode in a stody TO WIND Whether he myg{h-}t worke hem by; AND SPIN And so to torne hys ŝoug{h-}t, FOR HIS 498 To the lord he drewe nere, DINNER. And to hym seyd w_y_t_h_ myld[_e_] chere, "That mary mott the spede!" 501 he too knocks for The proctoure began to knocke, work, The good wyfe rawte hym a rocke, For therto hadde sche nede; 504 Sche seyd "whan I was mayde att home, Other werke cowde I do none My lyfe ther-wyth to lede." 507 gets a distaff and Sche gaue hym in hande a rocke hynde, some winding to And bade hem fast for to wynde [leaf 185] Or ellys to lett be hys dede. 510 do, "Yes, dame," he seyd, "so haue I hele, I scha{l~l} yt worke both feyre & welle As ye haue taute me." 513 He wauyd vp a strycke of lyne, and spins away And he span wele and fyne well. By-fore the swynge{l~l} tre. 516 The lord seyd "ŝou spynnest to grete, Therfor ŝou schalt haue no mete, That ŝou schalt we{l~l} see." 519 Thus they all sit Thus ŝey satt and wrought fast and work till the Ty{l~l} ŝe wekedayes were past; wright comes home. Then the wryght, home came he, 522 As he approaches And as he cam by hys hows syde he hears a noise, He herd[7] noyse that was nott ryde Of p_er_sons two or thre; 525 One of hem knockyd lyne, A-nothyr swyngelyd good and fyne By-fore the swyngy{l~l} tre, 528 The thyrde did rele and spynne, Mete and drynke ther-wyth to wynne, Gret nede ther-of hadde he. 531 Thus ŝe wryght stode herkenyng; THE WRIGHT his wife comes to Hys wyfe was ware of hys comyng, COMES HOME meet him, And ageynst hym went sche. AND FINDS 534 "Dame," he seyd, "what ys ŝis dynne? THE THREE and he asks what I here gret noyse here wythynne; CULPRITS. all that noise is Te{l~l} me, so god the spede." 537 about. "Syr," sche seyd, "workemen thre "Why, three Be come to helpe you and me, workmen have come Ther-of we haue gret nede; 540 to help us, dear. Fayne would I wete what they were." Who are they?" Butt when he sawe hys lord there, The wright sees Hys hert bygan to drede: 543 his Lord in the To see hys lord in ŝat place, pit, He ŝought yt was a strange cas, and asks how And seyd, "so god hym spede, 546 [leaf 185, back] What do ye here, my lord and knyg{h-}t? Te{l~l} me nowe for godes myg{h-}t he came there. Howe cam thys vn-to?" 549 The knyght seyd "What ys best rede? The Lord asks M_er_cy I aske for my mysdede, mercy: he is very My hert ys wondyr wo." 552 sorry. "So ys myne, verame_n_t, "So am I," says To se you among thys flex and hempe, the wright, "to Fu{l~l} sore yt ruyt{h-} me; 555 see you among the To se you in such hevynes, flax and hemp," Fu{l~l} sore myne hert yt doth oppresse, By god in trinite." 558 and orders his The wryght bade hys wyfe lett hy{m~} owte, wife to let the "Nay, ŝen sorowe come on my snowte Lord out. If they passe hens to-daye 561 "No, bother my Ty{l~l} that my lady come and see snout if I do," Howe ŝey would haue done w_y_t_h_ me, says the wife, Butt nowe late me saye." 564 "before his lady Anon sche sent aft_er_ the lady bryg{h-}t sees what he For to fett home her lord and knyght, wanted to do with Therto sche seyd nog{h-}t; 567 me." Sche told her what they hadde ment, So she sends for And of ther purpos & ther intente THE LORD'S WIFE the dame to fetch That they would haue wrought. SEES HIM IN 570 her lord home, Glad was ŝat lady of that tydyng; THE CELLAR. and tells her what When sche wyst her lord was lyuyng, he and his Ther-of sche was fu{l~l} fayne: 573 companions came Whan sche came vn-to ŝe steyre aboue{n)}, there for. Sche lokyd vn-to ŝe seller downe, The lady And seyd,--ŝis ys nott to leyne,-- 576 looks down into "Good syres, what doo you here?" the cellar, "Dame, we by owre mete fu{l~l} dere, and says, "Good Wyth gret trauayle and peyne; 579 sirs, what are you I pray you helpe ŝat we were owte, doing?" And I wy{l~l} swere w_y_t_h_-owtyn dowte "Earning our meat Neu_er_ to come here agayne." 582 full dear: The lady spake the wyfe vn-tyll_e_, [leaf 186] And seyd "dame, yf yt be youre wylle, help us out, and What doo thes meyny here?" 585 I'll never come The carpentarys wyfe her answerd sykerly, here again." "A{l~l} they would haue leyne me by; The lady asks the Eu_er_ych, in ther maner_e_, 588 wife why Gold and syluer they me brought, the men are there And forsoke yt, and would yt noght, The wife says they The ryche gyftes so clere. 591 wanted to lie with Wyllyng ŝey were to do me schame, her, and offered I toke ther gyftes wyth-owtyn blame, her gold and _And_ ther they be a{l~l} thre." 594 silver; The lady answerd her ano{n)}, she took their "I haue thynges to do att home gifts, and there Mo than two or thre; 597 they are. I wyst my lord neu_er_ do ryght noght The lady says she Of no ŝing ŝat schuld be wrought, really wants her Such as fallyth to me." 600 lord for herself, The lady lawghed and made good game and laughs Whan they came owte a{l~l} in-same heartily when the From the swyngy{l~l} tre. 603 three culprits The knyght seyd "felowys in fere, come out. I am glad ŝat we be here, The Lord says, By godes dere pyte; THE 606 "Ah, you'd have Dame, and ye hadde bene wyth vs, WRIGHT'S worked too if Ye would haue wrought, by swete Ih_es_us, WIFE SETS you'd been with As welle as dyd we." THE 609 us, And when they cam vp aboue{n)} CULPRITS They turnyd abowte and lokyd downe, FREE. The lord seyd, "so god saue me, 612 I never had such a Yet hadde I neu_er_ such a fytte turn in my life As I haue hadde in ŝat lowe pytte; before, I can tell So mary so mutt me spede." 615 you." The knyght and thys lady bryght, Then the Lord and Howe they would home that nyg{h-}t, lady go home, For no thyng they would abyde; 618 And so they went home; as ADAM of COBSAM Thys seyd Adam of Cobsa{m~}.[8] [leaf 186, back] By the weye as they rode 621 says. Throwe a wode in ther playeng, On their way home For to here the fowlys syng they halt, They hovyd stylle and bode. 624 and the steward The stuard sware by godes ore, and proctor swear And so dyd the proctoure much more, they'll never go That neu_er_ in ther lyfe 627 back for five and Would they no more come in ŝ_a_t wonne forty years. Whan they were onys thens come, Thys forty yere and fyve. 630 The lady gives all Of the tresure that they brought, their money to the The lady would geue hem ryght noght, wright's wife. Butt gaue yt to the wryghtes wyfe. 633 The garland is Thus the wryghtes garlond was feyre of hewe, fresh as ever. And hys wyfe bothe good and trewe: There-of was he fu{l~l} blythe; 636 I take wytnes att gret and sma{l~l}, Thus true are all Thus trewe bene good women a{l~l} good women now That nowe bene on lyve, 639 alive! So come thryste on ther hedys Whan they momby{l~l} on ther bedys MAY ALL GOOD Ther pat_er_ n_oste_r ryue. WIVES GO 642 TO HEAVEN! Here then is Here ys wretyn a geste of the wryght written a tale of That hadde a garlond we{l~l} I-dyght, the Wright and his The coloure wy{l~l} neuer fade. 645 Garland. Now god, ŝat ys heuyn kyng, God grant us all Graunt vs a{l~l} hys dere blessyng his blessing, Owre hertes for to glade; 648 and may all true And a{l~l} tho that doo her husbondys ryg{h-}t, faithful wives Pray we to Ih_es_u fu{l~l} of myght, That feyre mott hem byfalle, 651 come to heaven's And that they may come to heuen blys, bliss, For thy dere moderys loue ther-of nott to mys, All_e_ good wyues all_e_. 654 and be such Now all_e_ tho that thys tretys hath hard, Ih_es_u graunt hem, for her reward, true lovers as the As trew louers to be 657 [leaf 187] As was the wryght vn-to hys wyfe wright and his And sche to hym duryng her lyfe. wife were. Amen, for charyte. 660 Amen! Here ends our tale Here endyth the wryghtes p_ro_cesse trewe of the Garland Wyth hys garlond feyre of hewe That neu_er_ dyd fade the coloure. 663 It was made, by the avyse Of hys wywes moder wytty and wyse, Of flourys most of honoure, 666 which was made of Of roses whyte ŝat wy{l~l} nott fade, White Roses, Whych floure a{l~l} ynglond doth glade, the flowers that Wyth trewloues medelyd in syg{h-}t; 669 gladden all Vn-to the whych floure I-wys England, The loue of god and of the comenys and receive the Subdued[9] bene of ryg{h-}t. love of God, and of the Commons Explicit. too. [Footnote 1: MS. _of_] [Footnote 2: _or_ hyng. ? _MS._] [Footnote 3: MS. _gar_] [Footnote 4: ? MS. this.] [Footnote 5: MS. _I{h-}c_] [Footnote 6: MS. _The_] [Footnote 7: ? MS. _hard_] [Footnote 8: The letter between the _b_ and _a_ has had the lower part marked over. But it must mean a long _s_.] [Footnote 9: May be _subdied_; the word has been corrected.] NOTES. The two first of the three operations of flax-dressing described in lines 526-529, p. 15, One of hem knocked lyne, A-nothyr swyngelyd good and fyne By-fore the swyngy{l~l}-tre, The thyrde did rele and spynne, must correspond to the preliminary breaking of the plant, and then the scutching or beating to separate the coarse tow or hards from the tare or fine hemp. Except so far as the _swingle_ served as a heckle, the further _heckling_ of the flax, to render the fibre finer and cleaner, was dispensed with, though heckles (iron combs) must have been in use when the poem was written--inasmuch as _hekele_, _hekelare_, _hekelyn_, and _hekelynge_, are in the Promptorium, ab. 1440 A.D. Under _Hatchell_, Randle Holme gives a drawing of a heckle. The lines through the _h_'s in the MS. are not, I believe, marks of contraction. There are no insettings of the third lines, or spaces on changes of subject, in the MS. For reference to two analogous stories to that of the Poem, I am indebted to Mr Thomas Wright. The first is that of _Constant Duhamel_ in the third volume of Barbazan, and the second that of the Prioress and her three Suitors in the Minor Poems of Dan John Lydgate, published by the Percy Society, ed. Halliwell. In the Barbazan tale "the wife is violently solicited by three suitors, the priest, the provost, and the forester, who on her refusal persecute her husband. To stop their attacks she gives them appointments at her house immediately after one another, so that when one is there and stripped for the bath, another comes, and, pretending it is her husband, she conceals them one after another in a large tub full of feathers, out of which they can see all that is going on in the room. She then sends successively for their three wives to come and bathe with her, the bath being still in the same room, and as each is stripped naked in the bath, she introduces her own husband, who dishonours them one after another, one _à l'enverse_, with rather aggravating circumstances, and all in view of their three husbands. Finally the latter are turned out of the house naked, or rather well feathered, then hunted by the whole town and their dogs, well bitten and beaten." (If any one wants to see a justification of the former half of the proverb quoted by Roberd of Brunne, Frenche men synne yn lecherye And Englys men yn enuye, let him read the astounding revelation made of the state of the early French mind by the tales in the 3rd and 4th vols. of Barbazan's Fabliaux, ed. 1808.) The second story, told by Lydgate, is as follows:--A prioress is wooed by "a yonng knyght, a parson of a paryche, and a burges of a borrow." She promises herself to the first if he will lie for a night in a chapel sewn up in a sheet like a corpse; to the second, if he will perform the funeral service over the knight, and bury him; to the third, if he will dress up like a devil, and frighten both parson and knight. This the burges Sir John does well, but is himself terrified at the corpse getting up: all three run away from one another: the knight falls on a stake, and into a snare set for bucks, and breaks his fore top in falling from the tree; the merchant gets tossed by a bull; the parson breaks his head and jumps into a bramble bush; and the prioress gets rid of them all, but not before she has made the "burges" or "marchaunt" pay her twenty marks not to tell his wife and the country generally of his tricks.--_Minor Poems_, p. 107-117, ed. 1840. GLOSSARY. And, 89, 292, if. Bayne, 348, ready. Blynne, 4, cease, stop; AS. _blinnan_. Blyue, 44, 110, 118, speedily. Bonde, 226, a bund-le; Du. _bondt_, a bavin, a bush of thornes. Brayne, 342, scull. Broke, 165, enjoy. AS. _brúcan_, Germ. _brauchen_. H. Coleridge. Brydalle, 71, AS. _brŭd-ál_, bride ale, marriage feast. By, 197, buy. Chaste, 176, chest, box, pit. Dowte, 14, fear. Dyght, 323, 379, prepare, dress. Fare, 148, 324, going on, wish, project. Fere, 604, company. Flyte, 484, wrangle, quarrel; AS._ flít_, strife, wrangling. Forthynketh, 51, repents, makes sorry; AS. _forŝencan_, to despair. Frayne, 409, ask; AS. _fregnan_, Goth. _fraihnan_. Gan, 22, did. Geue to God a gyfte, 351, I make a vow, I promise you, I'll take my oath. Hele, 140, salvation. Hovyd, 624, halted, stopt. Hynde, 508 ? natty; _hende_, gentle. I-doo, 335, done, finished. I-dyght, 644, prepared. In-same, 602, together. Layne, 68, hide, conceal. Lende, 107, stay; ? AS. _landian_, to land, or _lengian_, to prolong. Leyne, 231, lay, beat. Lyne, 214, AS. _lín_, flax; ? rope, 246. Meyne, 403, household. Myster, 12, trade; Fr. _mestier_. O, 329, one. Onredde, 308; AS. _unrét_, _unrót_, uncheerful, sorrowful, or _unr{/ĉ}d_, imprudent. Oŝre, 205, second. Putry, 61, adultery; O. Fr. _puterie_, whoring. Rawte, 503, reached, gave. Rewe, 186, have pity. Rocke, 503, 508; Du. _een Rocke_, _Spinrock_, A Distaffe, or a Spin-rock; _Rocken_, To Winde Flaxe or Wool upon a Rock (Hexham). Dan. _rok_, O.N. _rokkr_, G. _rocken_: "a distaff held in the hand from which the thread was spun by twirling a ball below. 'What, shall a woman with a _rokke_ drive thee away?'" Digby Mysteries, p. 11 (Halliwell). "An Instrument us'd in some Parts for the spinning of Flax and Hemp." Phillips; for reeling and spinning (l. 529). Rought, 198, AS. _róhte_, p. of _récan_, to reck, care for. Ryde, 524, light, small, AS. _geryd_, levis, ĉquus, Lye. Ryue, 642, Du. _rijf_, rife, or abundant. Scales, 401; ? husks, bark, or rind, see _shoves_*, in _Swyngylle_, below. Schent, 258, destroyed; AS. _scendan_. Stounde, 4, short time. Strycke, 514, "_Strike of Flax_, is as much as is heckled at one Handful." Phillips. Swyngylle, 216, "Swingle-Staff, a Stick to beat Flax with," Phil.; AS. _swingele_, a whip, lash. "To _swingle_, to beat; a Term among Flax-dressers." Phillips. Though Randle Holme, Bk. III., ch. viii. No. xxxiii., gives the _Swingle-Tree_ of a Coach-Pole (these are made of wood, and are fastened by Iron hooks, stables (_sic_) chains and pinns to the Coach-pole, to the which Horses are fastened by their Harnish when there is more then two to draw the Coach), yet at Chap, vi., § iv., p. 285, col. 1, he says, "He beareth Sable, a _Swingle_ Hand erected, Surmounting of a _Swingle_ Foot, Or. This is a Wooden Instrument made like a Fauchion, with an hole cut in the top of it, to hold it by: It is used for the clearing of Hemp and Flax from the large broken Stalks or *Shoves, by the help of the said _Swingle_ Foot, which it is hung upon, which said Stalks being first broken, bruised, and cut into shivers by a Brake. S. 3, such erected in Fesse O. born by _Flaxlowe_. S. 3, such in Pale A., born by _Swingler_." (A drawing is given by Holme, No. 4, on the plate opposite p. 285.) "_Swingowing_ is the beating off the bruised inward stalk of the Hemp or Flax, from the outward pill, which as (_sic_) the Hemp or Flax, p. 106, col. 2. _Spinning_ is to twist the Flax hairs into Yarn or Thrid. _Reeling_ is to wind the Yarn of the Wheel Spool on a Reel," p. 107, Col. 2. Take, 161, deliver. The, 187, thrive. Tolle, 62, entice (H.H. Gibbs). Tre, 105, wood, timber. Trewloves, 669, either figures like true-lovers' knots, or the imitations of the berb or flower _Truelove_, which is given by Coles as _Herb Paris_ (a quatrefoil whose leaves bear a sort of likeness to a true-lovers' knot), and in Halliwell as _one-berry:_ but I cannot find that Edward IV. had any such plants on his arms or badge. Knots were often worn as badges, see Edmonston's Heraldry, Appendix, Knots. On the other hand, Willement (Regal Heraldry) notices that the angels attending Richard II. in the picture at Wilton, had collars worked with white roses and broom-buds; and trueloves, if a plant be meant by it, may have been Edward's substitute for the broom (_planta genisla_). The Trewloves bear, one, Ar. on a chev. sa., three cinquefoils, or; the other, Ar. on a chev. sa., a quatrefoil of the field. Vade,[1] 125, 419, fade; Du. _vadden_ (Hexham). Wone, 275, store, quantity. Wonne, 90, 628, dwelling. Woode, 153, wild, mad. Yheue, 491, give. Yougeth, 20, youth, bachelor's freedom. [Footnote 1: The use of the flat _v_ade (l. 419, p. 12) within 2 lines of the sharp _f_ade (l. 417), corresponds with the flat 'stow_d_e,' l. 400, p. 12, riming with 'owte,' l. 401, _badde_ with _hatte_, l. 265-6. _Cost_, _brest_, l. 142-3, are careless rimes too.] WOMEN. [_Lambeth MS_. 306, _leaf_ 135.] Wome{n)}, wome{n)}, loue of wome{n)}, make bare purs w_i_t_h_ some me{n)}, Some be nyse as a nonne hene,[1] {GH}it al thei be nat soo. 4 some be lewde, some all be schrewde; Go schrewes wher thei goo. Su{m~} be nyse, and some be fonde, 8 And some be tame, y vndirstond_e_, And some cane take brede of a manes hande,[2] Yit all thei be nat soo. [Some be lewde, &c.] 12 [leaf 135, back] Some cane part with-outen hire, And some make bate in eueri chire, And some cheke mate with oure Sir_e_, Yit all they be nat so. 16 Some be lewde, and sume be schreued_e_, go wher they goo. Som be browne, and some be whit, 20 And some be tender as a ttripe, And some of theym be chiry ripe, Yit all thei be not soo. Sume be lewde, 24 and some be schrewed_e_, go wher they goo. Some of the{m~} be treue of love Benet{h-} ŝe gerde{l~l}, but nat above, 28 And in a hode aboue cane chove, Yit all thei do nat soo. Some be lewde, and some be schreud_e_, 32 go where they goo. Some cane whister, & some cane crie, Some cane flater, and some can lye, And some cane sette ŝe moke awrie, 36 Yit all thei do nat soo. Sume be lewde, and sume be schreued_e_, go where thei goo. 40 He that made this songe full good, Came of ŝe nort{h-} and of ŝe sother{n)} blode, And some-what kyne to Roby{n)} Hode, Yit all we be nat soo. 44 Some be lewde, and some be schrewed_e_, go where they goo. Some be lewde, some be [s]chrwde, 48 Go where they goo. Explicit. P.S.--This Poem was printed by Mr Halliwell in _Reliquiĉ Antiquĉ_, vol. i., p. 248, and reprinted by Mr Thomas Wright, at p. 103 of his edition of _Songs and Carols_ for the Percy Society, 1847. As, besides minor differences, the reprint has _manne_, and the original _nanne_, for what I read as _nonne_, l. 3, while both have _withowte_ for _with oure_, l. 15, and _accripe_ for _a ttripe_, l. 21 (see Halliwell's Dictionary, "_accripe_, a herb?"), I have not cancelled this impression. The other version of the song, from Mr Wright's MS. in his text, pp. 89-91, differs a good deal from that given above. [Footnote 1: The Rev. J.R. Lumby first told me of the proverb 'As white as a nun's hen,' the nuns being famous, no doubt, for delicate poultry. John Heywood has in his _Proverbes_, 1562 (first printed, 1546), p. 43 of the Spencer Society's reprint, 1867, She tooke thenterteinment of the yong men All in daliaunce, _as nice as a Nun's hen_. The proverb is quoted by Wilson in his _Arte of Rhetorique_, 1553 (Hazlitt's _Proverbs_, p. 69).] [Footnote 2: For _honde_.] End of Project Gutenberg's The Wright's Chaste Wife, by Adam of Cobsam *** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WRIGHT'S CHASTE WIFE *** ***** This file should be named 17400-8.txt or 17400-8.zip ***** This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: http://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/4/0/17400/ Produced by David Starner, Taavi Kalju and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will be renamed. Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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