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Vv
DICTIONARY
OP THE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
IN WHICH
The WORDS are deduced from their ORiGiNALSy Explained in their Different Meanings,
AND
•3
iVuthorized by the NAMES of the WRITERS in
whofe Works they are found.
^:
:^
'r
AbftraSed from the Folio EoiTiolSii V" • A •'— •
B J the Author
SAMUEL JOHNSO N,^^iPM,
To wliich U prefixed, ^
An ENGLISH GRAMMAR,
To this Edition are added,
A HISTORY of the ENGLISH LANGUAGE, The Author's PREFACE to the Folio,
AND
A confiderable Number of WORDS, none of which are
contained in the London 0£lavo.
The Third Edition, carehiUy revifed.
DUBLIN:
PRINTED BY W. O. JONES, FOE THOMAS EWING, IN DAME-STREET,
MDCCLXVIIU
PREFACE.
in* The words arc more correflly fpelledf partly by attention to their etymology^ and partly by obfervation of the pradice of the bed authors.
* ■
FV^. The e^n|Dk>gies afd'^erivations^ whether fipm foreign languagea.or from native roots> are more diligently traced, and more diftindly noted.
V. The fenfes of each word are more copioufly enumeratedf and more clearly explainad.- • , . - - ^ ^ . :
VI. Many words occurring in the elder authors, fuch as Spenfer, Shake- fpeare, and Milton, which had been hitherto omitted, are here carefully tnfertol ; fo that this book may ferve as a gloflary or expoiitory bdex to the poetical writers.
VH. To the words, and to the different fenies of each word> are fub^
i'eined from the large didionary, the names of thofe writers by wh^noi tbe^; tave beenufed ; fo that the reader who knows the different periods of the language, and the time of its authprs, may judge of tbe eleg ance or pfe- ▼atence of any word^ or meaning of a word; and. without rccurriDg. ici other books, nisbf know what are antiquated, wha;t are uAvf^aJj and what are recommended by the beft authority^
The words of thisdidionary, as oppofe4 to others,; 9^ more ^itig^tly} cetleded, more accurately fpelled, more EaLthf^l^ explained, ani fu^vfti authentically afcertained. Oif an abftrafl it is not necefTary to fay more ; j|nd I bppe, it will opt be fouad th^ inah require^^ me ig iay left.
9
•. . JSf. B. The Editors of thi$ Dutlln Edition Iiavp ccdeavoured to render it more worthy of the public attention, by adding at full length, the Au* Aor's cttricus preftcc to the Folio Edition, his Hiftory of the Engtifh lan- guage, and by inferting in their proper places, above 500 Words from the Folio Editioni none of which are contained in ihc^LQndan O^moa: As to rhe Paperi lh:ifit'apd CorreftioD, they will be founct on comparifo%much fnperior^ although the Bovk is £[ven for near ooe half of the price of tbm hondon Edition^ * . " •
^ «
« • « •« ft
PREFACE
PREFACE
ft
To the FOLIO EDITION.
r^ is the fate of thole who toil at the lower empIoTinents of fife, to be ra- ther driven by the fear of evil, than attra6^ed by the profpeA of good ; ta be ezpoicd to cenfore, without hope qf praKe ; to be difgraced by mtfcar- riage, or punifhed fbr negle£t, where Ibccefs woidd ha?e been without applauie, and diligence without reward.
Among thefe unhappy mortals is the writer of didbnaries ; whom mankind hx?e conSdered, not as the pupil, but the flave of fcience, the pioneer of litera- ture, doomed only to remore rubbi/h aid dear obfttu£Hons from the paths of Leamifig and Genius, who prefs forward to conqneft and eiory, without be- ftoWiBg a fmile on the humble drudge that facii hates their progrefs. Every other author may aipire to piaife ; the lexicographer can only hope to efcape re-' praach, and even this negative recompense has been yet granted to very few.
I have« notwithftanding this difcouragement, attenrpted a drdtionary of the En^ip language, which, while it was employed in the cultivation ofcvtrf fpecies of Uterature, has itielf been hitherto neglected, fuflTered to fpread, under the di- ledioik of chance, into wild exuberance, refignedto the tyranny of time and fa- iliioD, and expoied to the corruption of ignorance, and caprices of innovation.
When I took the firft furvey of my undertaking, I found our fpeech copious without order, and energetic without rules : wherever I turned my view, there Wis perplexity to be diientangled, and coniufion to be regulated i choice was td be made out of boundlefs vanety, without any elUbliflied principle of feleflion ; adulterations were to be detedted, without a fettled teft of purity ; and modes ofexpreffionto be rejeded or received, without the fuffirages of any writers of dafiical reputation or acknowledged authority.
Having therefore no aiCftance but from general grammar, I applied myfeif to the pcrttfal of our writers ; and noting whatever might l^e of ufe to afcertain or ilhittrato any word or phrafe, accumulated in time the materials of a dictionary, which, by degreed, I reduced to method, eftabli/hing to myfeif in the progrefs of the work, fbch rules as experience and analogy fbggefted to me ; experience,' which pradice and obfervation were continually encreaiing ; and ansJogy, which,' dioogh in fbme words obfoire, was evident in others.
In adjuflin^ the Orthog ra^ hy, which has been to this time unfettled ancf fortuitous, I found it neceflary tQ difHhgui/fi thofe rrregtdarities that are inherent ffl our tongUTf and perhaps coeval with it, from others which the ignorance or mgliseace of later writers has produced. Every language has its anomalies, which though inconvenient, and m themlelves once unnecefTary, muft be tole- rated among the imperfections of human things, and which require only to be regiflered, that they may not be encreafed, and afcertained, that they may not be coofouiided : but every language has likewife its improprieties and abfuTdities, which it is the duty of the lexicographer to corredt or profcribe.
As language was at its beginning merely oral, all words of neceifary or com" moo fife were fpoken before they were written ; and wh&e they Were unfixed by any vifible figns, muft have been fpoken with great diverfity, as we now^ ob*» fcrTe thofe who cannot read to catch lotinds imperfeCtlv, and utter them negli- gently. When tbia wild and barbarous jargon was firlr reduced to an alphabett
every
PREFACE.
everj penman endeavoured to exprefs, as he could, the founds which he was ac- cuftomed to pronounce or to receive, and vitiated in writing fuch words As were already vitiated in fpeech. The powers of the letters, when they were applied to a new language, muft have been vague and unfettled, and theiefore different hands would exhibit the (ame (bund by different combinations.
From this uncertain pronunciation arife, in a great part, the various dialects of the fame country, ^hich will always be obferved to grow fewer, and lefs dif- ferent, as books are multiplied ; and from this- arbitrary reprefentation of founds by Letters, proceeds that diverfity of fpelling obfervabie in the Saxon remains, and I fuppofe in the firft book of every nation, which perplexes or defboys ana- logy and produces anomalous formations, which> being once incorporated, caa never be afterward difmiifed or reformed.
Of this kind are the derivatives length from long^ftrengtb ftomftrong^ Jarlirtg firom Jear^ breadth from hroad^ from dry^ drougth^ and from higb^ height , which MtUon^ in zeal for analogy, ynilt^ bights S^idteexemptajwvatfpinisdeplw ribus una ; to change all would be too much, and to change one is nothing.
This uncertainty is moll frequent in the vowels, which are fo capricionfly pro- nounced, and fo differently modified, by accident or affection, not only in every Srovince, but in every mouth, that to them, as is well known to etymologies, ttle regard is to be mewn in the dedu^ion of one language from another.
Such defedts are not errours in orthography, but fpots of barbarifm impreffed fo deep hi the Englijh language, that cnticifm can never wafh them away \ thefe, therefore, mud be permitted to remain untouched : but many words have like- wife been altered by accident, or depraved by ignorance, as the pronunciation of the vulgar has been weakly followed ; and (bme (Vili continue to be varioufly writ- ten, as authors differ in their care or Ikill : of thefe it wa;; proper to enquire the true orthography, which I have always confidered as depending on their deriva- tion, and have therefore referred them to their original languages : thus I write tncbanty enchantment^ enchanter^ after the French^ and incarnation after the Latin ; thus entire^ is chofen rather than intire, becauie it paffed to us not from the Latin integer^ but from the French entier.
Of many words it is difficult to fay whether they were immediately received from the uatin or the French^ fince at the time when we had dominions in France^ we had Latin fervice in our churches. It is, however, my opinion, that the French generally fupplied us ; for we have few Latin words, among the terms of domellick ufe, which are not French ; but many French^ which are very re- mote from Latin,
Even in words of which the derivation is apparent, I have been often obliged to (acriiice uniformity to cuftom ; thus I write, in compliance with anumberlefs majority, conuejf and in^'eigh, deceit %iA receipt ^ fancy 2nd phantom ; fometimes the derivative varies from the primitive, as explain and explanation^ repeat and repetition.
Some combinations of letters having the &me power are ufed indifferently with- out a*iy difcoverable reafon of choice, as in choak^ cbo'ke \ foapy fope ; feivel^ fueU and many others ; which I have fometimes inferted twice, that thofe who fearch for them under either form, may not fearch in vain.
In examining the orthography of any doubtful word, the mode of fpelling by which it i^ inferted in the fenes of the di^ionary, is to be confidered as that to which I give, perhaps not often raffily, the preference. I have left, in the exam- ples, to every author his own pradlice unmoleffed, that the reader may balance fuflfrages, and judge between us : but this queff ion Is not always to be determined by reputed or by real learm'ng i fome men, intent upon greater things, have thought little on (bunds and derivations; fome, knowing in the anc'cnt tongues
have
PREFACE.
Laie aegledcd thofe in which our words are commonly to be (ought Thut
Hsmmvmd i^icz ftciblimfs fat feafihlenefs^ becaufe I fuppofe he imagined itde-
.'TTcd inmicdiatclj from the Latin ; and feme words, fuch as dependant^ dependent \
deptndtmce^ dependence^ vary their final iyllable» as one or other language is pre-
icnt to the writer.
la this part of the work, where caprice has long wantoned without controul, and lanitj ibught praife bj petty reformation, I have endeavoured to proceed with a icholai's reverence for antiquity, and a grammarian's regard to the genius cf oar tongue. I have attempted tew alterations, and among tho(e few, perhaps xhe greater part is from the modern to the ancient practice ; and I hope 1 may be iJowcd to recommend to thoie, whofe thoughts have been, perhaps, employed too acxioafly on verbal fingularities, not to diflurb, upon narrow views, or for Tzisute propriety, the orthography of their fathers. It has been aiferted, that for the law to be iii0u/if, is ot more importance than to be right. Change, (ays Hnker^ is not made without inconvenience, even from worle to better There \i in oonftancy and (lability a general and lading advantage, which will always ovcibalaiice the flow improvements of gradual correflion. Much le(s ought our « I iuen language to comply with the corruptions of oral utterance, or copy that « Lich every variation of time or place makes different from itfelf, and imitate «ho(e chax^cs, which will again be changed, while imitation is employed in ob- ierviv them.
Tlus recommendation of fteadinefs and uniformity does not proceed from an opioioB, that particular combinations of letters have much influence on human bappixicft • or that truth may not be fuccefsfuUy taught by modes of fpelling (an- c^ and erroneous : I am not yet (b loft in lexicography, as to forget that iverds Mre the ddmgbters ef earthy and that things are the fins of hea'ven. Language \i o2!y the inmrument of fcience, and words are but the (igns of ideas : I wiih, how- rrrr, that the tndrument might be lefs apt to decay, and that figns might be per- cramt^ like the things which they denote.
la fimling the orthography, I have not wholly negleded the pronunciation, which I have dircded. by printing an accent upon the acute or elevated fyllable. It vtH ibmetinies be found, that the accent is placed by the author quoted, on a cifcrent fyllable from that marked in the alphabetical feries ; it is then to be un-> oHlood, that cuftom has varied, or that the author has, in my opinion, pro- ngnoced wrong. Short diredions are (bmetimes given where the (bund of letters i' irregular ; and if they are fometimes omitted, defedl in ivch minute obferva- ti^os will be more eafily ezcnfed, than fuperfluity.
la rfae invefttgation both of the orthography and fignification of words, their Etymology was neccfTarily to be confidered, and they were therefore to be di- vided into priniitives and derivatives. A primitive word, is that which can be 7'aced ao further to any Englijb root ; thus circumfpeS^ circumvents circumftance^ A'.mde^ cefuavej and complicate ^ though compounds in the Lai in ^ are to us pK- - -Wet. Derivatives, are all thofe that can be referred to any word in EngUJb c'pczttT ficiplicity.
ili£ derivatives I have referred to their primitives, with on accuracy (bmc- rises necdleis ; for who does not fee that remotene/s comes from remote^ ioveh, frym Uve, concavity from concave^ and demonftrative from demenftrate f but this ITasunaticai exuberance the fcheme of my work did not allow ipe to reprefs. Jt IS of great importance in examining the general fabrick of a language, to trace one word fiom another, by noting the ulual modes of derivation and in- fiediott ; and uiuformity muft be preferved in (y(lematical works, though fome- tiaes at the expence of particular propriety.
AiDong other derivatives 1 have been careful to m(ert 'and elucidate the ano- malous
PREFACE.
fnulous plurals of nouns and preterites of verbs, which in the TeutonUk dialefts arc very frequent, and though familiar to thofe who have always ufed them, in- terrupt and embarrais the learne*3 of our language.
' The two languages from which our primitives have been dernred are the R^^ man and Teutonick : under the Roman i comprehend the French and provincial tongues ; and under the Teutonick range the Saxon^ Germany and all their kindred dtaic^f. Moft of our polyfyllables are Roman^ and our words of one iyllable are very often Teutonick.
tn afligning the Roman original, it has perhaps fometimes happened that I have mentioned only the latin^ when the word was borrowed from the French ^ and confidtring myfelf as employed only in the illullration of my own lan- guage, I have not been very caieful to obferve whether the Latin word be pure or barbarous, or the French elegant or obfolete.
For I he Teutonick etymologies I am commonly indebted to Junius and Skinner\ the only names which I have forborn to quote when I copied their books j not that I might appropriate their labours or ufurp their honours, but that I might fpare a perpetual repetition by one general acknowledgment. Of thefe, whom I ought not to mention but with the reverence due to inflrudlers and benefactors, Junius appears ro have excelled in extent of learning, and Skinner in rectitude of Under (landing. Junius was accurately (killed in all the northern languages* Skinner probably examined the ancient and remoter dialects only by occafional infpeftion into didlionaries ; but the learning of Junius is often of no other u(c than to /how him a track by which he may deviate from his purpofe, to which Skinner always prclTes forward by the fliorteft way Skinner is often ignorant, but never ridiculous : Junius is always full of knowledge ; but his variety di(lra6ts his judgment, and his learning is very frequently difgraced by his abfurdtties.
The votaries of the northern mufes will not perhaps eafily reftrain their indignation, when they find the name of Junius thus degraded by a difadvantage- ous comparifon : but whatever reverence is due to his diligence, or his attain- ments, It can be no criminal degree of cenforioufnefs to charge that etymologift with \rant of judgment, who can (erioufly derive iream from arama, becaufe life is a drama^ and a drama is a dream ; ana who declares with a tone of defiance, that no man can fail to derive moan from f«^r9', monos^ who coniiders that grief naturally loves to be alone ♦.
* Thtt 1 mty not t|>peftr to hive fpoken too banc non obfcnre firmire codex Rq(K Mtt. zii.
irrevereaily oi Junius^ 1 hive here fubjoincd t few ii. «b> tmiqii^ fcriptum invcoimus ^emoeCc^y
Specimens of his ecyroologktl extrtvagance. bic emetiS. *' Invcnit etm vtcantem."
Banish, rf/i^orr, ex hann9 vel territfrit Hi Li, mmp/, c§His. A. S hyU. Qaod videri
exigen^ ia exiliuu agere^ G. baawir. It. haW' pocefl abrcifTum ex uoXwn xoA«m;. CoUis, to*
Jire^ h^ndeigUrt. H. bannir. B. bannen Mvi mulus, locus in piano editior. Horn. 11. b. 8i i,
niedii fcriptoret bannire dtcebtnt. V, Spehn. in K* h rt^ irf«ir«(«i^f ir«Xi^ &iiri?£i, *6Kmn, Ubi
Banum & in Baaleof*. Qooaiam verd re- emheri bpeviwn fbhohorom tMjS^n cap. tmtMnc
f ionum vibiumqi Ikpttet trdaia pkrufiiq; moa- ^y^ •*«•>», ytm^tp^ •^*.
tibus, ahis flnmioibns, loDgis deoiq; flexuofifq*, Yik^^tt take amap. Derwure^ cnJtrmiftere,
angoAifllimarnm vitnim smfraAibus iocJudeban- Cym. heppian. A. Sl hoxppan. Qood poftremum
tor, fieri potell id gtnus limites Ban dici ab co- videri poteft defnmptiiin ex xnp«c, obTcarius,
qn^d BAWAtwi 6t BBfMl^ T»reoiima otim, ficuti teocbrx : nihil cnim wqee folet conciliare fern-
irsdlt Hefycbivs, vocabeatur t^ Mfsi xml $m »dv« DQin, qvtmcaligioaft profnadc aotia obTcitriias.
TiMctlbi, *^obUqu« ac minitnc iofedkumica- STAUMtma, BalbuffblrKfosGoihSTAMMS.
** dcotes vix.** Ac fertaflfc qooqae hoc iacit A. S. |Xamep, pcamari D. ftana. ^. (lameler.
quod B«i^c, eodem Hefydilo tefte, dicebMt Su. (lamma. Ifl^ flamr. Sunt a c«Mi;XXsr» vel
ifA c^yYu\% moates ardoos. n^v^'^to, aifntl loqaacittte afioa offendere \
BurTT, emtic,v4nui#, fMt«#.A.S.ibntiS. quod imptditc leqiiraics Itbentiffinne garrirc fb-
Nefcio tn Tint ab if*-^ vel ffii)««. Votno, evomo, leant \ vel quod alHs miwi Temper vLdeamvry
vonaita crscra. t^idetur iaterim ctysologiam etitm paicifiiflae Icqueotcs.
• • • Our
PREFACE.
Cor knowledge of the northern literature is ib (canty, that of words un- (bobtedljr TeuionicJ^ the original is not always to be found in any ancient language, and I iiaYe flterefbre infened Dutch or German fubltitutes, which I confider not ts radical but parallel, not as the parents, but fifters of the Englijb.
The words which are reprelented as thus related by defcent or cognation, do not always agree in fenfe ; for it is incident to words, as to their authors, to de- geomte from their anceftors, and ^ change their manners when they change their country. It is fufficient, in etymological enquiries, if the fcnfes of kindred WDids be found (uch as may eafily pafs into each other, or fuch as may both be referred to one general idea.
The etymol^y, fb far as it is yet known, was eafily found in the volumes where it is particularly and profeiledly delivered ; and, by proper attention to the tules of derivation, the orthography was (bon adjufled. But to collect the Woios of our language was a talk of greater diiHcultv: the deficiency of didi- coiriet was immediately apparent ; and when they were exhaufted, what was yet wtnting muft be fought by fortuitous and unguided excurfions into books, and gieaiied as induilry ihould find, or chance fhould offer it, in the boundiefs chaos of a living fpeech. My fcarch, however, has been either fkilfiil or lucky | for I have mucti augmented the vocabularly.
As fsxf defign was a dictionary, common or appellative, I have omitted all «wds which have relation to proper names ; fuch as^ri^ir, Socinian^ Cahvinifty BentdiSiney Mahometan ; but have retained thole of more general nature, as Htathtny Pagan.
Of the terms of art 1 have received fiich as could be found either In books of feic&ce or technical didionaries ; and have often inferred, from philofbphical writers, words which are fupported perhaps only by a fingle authority^ and which being not admitted into general ufe, (bind yet as candidates or probationers, and maft depend for their adoption on the fiiffrage of futurity.
The words which our authors have introduced by their knowledge of foreign liAgnages, or ignorance oC their own, by vanity or wantonnefs, by compliance v'ith fafhion, or lufb of innovation, I have registered as they occurred, though coininooly only to cenfure them, and w&rn others againfl thefblly of naturalizing sfeleis foreigners to the injury of the natives.
I have not rejected any by defign, merely becaufe they were uruieceffary or naberanl ; but have receivra thofe which by different writers have been diffie- RBtly fbnned, as n^ifcidy and <uifcidityy ^uifcousy and vifcofity.
Compounded or double words I have ieldom noted, except when they obtain a figaincation different firom that which the components have in their fimple ftate. Thu higlrw^mMny njoo94linany and bwfecmirfiry require an explication ; but of ^fikt or coacbdrhfer no notice was nieeded, becaufe the primitives contain the BKaaingof the compounds.
Words arbitrarily formed by a conftant and fettled analogy, like diminutive idjedivcs in (^, z^^greenijby hluijbj adverbs in ly, as dully^ c^enfyy fubfUntives ^^ffif as viienefjy fauitine/sy were lefs diligently fought, and many fbmetimca kve been omitted, when I had no authority that invited me to infert them i not ^ they are not genuine and regular offsprings of Englijb roots, but becaufe their Kjstion to the primitive being always the fame, their fignification carmot be ttiftaken.
The verbal nouns in ingy (uch as the keeping of the cafiley the leading of the «r«f, are always neglected, or placed only to illuflrate the fenfe of the verb, <Kept when thiey fignify things as well as anions, and have therefore a plu:al »mber, mdweiiingy Ivuing ; or have an abfolute and abftraA fignification, as ^^^i^^pmntingy learning.
PREFACE.
The participles are iikewife omitted, unlcfs, hj fignifying rather qualities than aftion, they take the nature of adjedtives : as a thinking man, a man of prii- dence ; a pacing horfe, a horfe that can pace : thcfc 1 have ventured to call participial aJjeclives. But neither are thefe always inferted, becaufe they are commonly to be undcrilood, without any danger of miflake, by confulting the verb.
Obfolete words are admitted, when they are found in authors not obfblete, or when they have any force or beauty that may dtferve revival.
As compofition u one of the chief charaderiltick? of a language, 1 have endea- voured to make fomc icparation for thcuniverlal negligence ot my predeceifors, by inferling great numbers of compounded words, as n:ay be found under after, fore, Kc<ii\ night, fair, and many more. Thefe, numerous as they are, might be multiplied, but that ufe and curiofity are here fatisHcd, and the frame of our language and modes of our combination amply difcovered.
Of fome forms of compofition, fuch as that by which re is prefixed to note repetition^ and un to fignify f o/f/fv7ri>/y ox pri^vation, all the examples cannot be accumulated, becaufe the ufe of thefe p;:rticlcs, if not wholly arbitrary, is fo little limited, that they are hourly alExed to new words as occafion requires, or is imagined to rcquiie them.
There is another kind of con pofition more frequent in our language than per- haps in any other, fiom which aiifes to foreigncis the greatcft cjifficulty. We modify the fignification of many vetbs by a particle iubjoined ; as to come off, to cfcape bya fetch; to fall on, to attack j lo fall off, to apoilatize ; to break off, to fto^amnpily ; xtibcar out, lojuftify j to fall in, to comply ; lo gi<veo*ver, to ccafe J to fet off, to cmbellilli J iofet in, to begin a continual tenour; to /f/ oar, lo begin a couife or journey ; to takeoff, to copy ; with innumerable exprellions of the fame kind, of which fome appear wildly irregular, being fo far diftant from the ftnfe of the fimple words, that no fagacity will be able to trace the fteps by which they arrivtd at the prefent ufe. 1 hefe I have noted with great care ; and though 1 cannot flatter myfelf that the colk^tion is complete, I believe I have lb fkr aifiiled the iltidents pf our language, that this kind of pbrafeology will be no longer infuperable { and the combinations of verbs and particles, by chance omitted, will be eafily explained by compaiifon with thofe that may be found.
Many words yet (land fupported only by the name of Bailey f Ainfnuwrtb^ Philips, or the contradcd Did. for Di&ionaries fubjoined ; of thcfc I am not always certain that they are lead in any book but the woiks of lexicographers. Of fuch I have omitted many, becaufe 1 had never read them ; and many I have inferted, becaufe they may perhaps cxitl) though they have efcaped my notice i ibey are, however, to be yet conUdcrcd as lefting only upon the credit of former dictionaries. Others, which I confidered as u.eful, or know to be proper, though I cotild not at preil'nt lupport ih^m by authorities, I havefufFered to (land upon my own atlefiation, claiming the fame privilege with my predeceifors of L^ing fbmeiimes credited without proof.
The words, thus leledcd and dil'pofed, are grammatically confidered : they Jire referred to the driFerent parts of fpeech ; traced when they are irregularly inflected, thro<igh their Various terminations ; and illullrated by obfervations, not indeed of great or ftriking in>portance, feparaiely confidered, but necefiary to the elucidjllioh of OUT knguage, anti hithuto fieglcded or forgotten by £w^//^ grammarians.
The part of my work on which I expert maiigr.ity moll frequently to fafton,
. n the lixplanation ; in which I cannot hope to latisfy thofe, who are perhaps not
i::cl:nci to be plcaifed, fmcc 1 have not always been able tv falisfy myfelf. T'o
- - - - . - ' intcrptf;!
PREFACE.
isfrprct i hagmgt br idelf is rcrj difficuU ; mznj words cannot be explained by ^JCI:s]Cs, becanic the icJea (tgnitied by them has not more thin one appellation ; fx bt pnaphraie* bccauie liiiiple ideas cannot be defcribed. When the natpie 0^^^ :::ir^s is snicncivn» or the notion unfettled and indehnite, and variolas in ve- mzizAzcs, the worcs hy which fuch notions are conveyed, or Aich ihin^s dc- jtfted, will be amhigruous and perplexed And (iich is the late of haplef;; icxicn- pptT, ihat not on! V darknef:,, but light, impedes and ciitreirca it ; rhi^gs ni:.y :^:o:oalv too little, l.ut too much known, to be happily jiluftratcd. Toex- ;^ requires the ule of terms iefs abihufe than that which h to be explained, iLZ f^ch tcini5 cannot always be fouDii ; for as nothing can be preyed but by fup- >: 129 fbcf thing in lu ill vely known, and evident without proof, fo nothing (an ^ec^r^ed bot b;* the ufe of word? too plain to admit a definition.
C-:er words there are, of which the fimfc is too fiibtle and evanefcent to be *.ir. .3 a parapkrafe; (uch are all thofe which are by the grammarians termed ert:::jr,e:, and, in deed languages, are fuflfcred to pafs for eirpty founds, of no :::-.: a.c fha^ to i?ila vene, or to modulate a period, but which are cafily pcr- cc-.tw in livirg tonjxies to have pov/er tnd empbafis, though it be fcaietimes luch n 3c ether torm of exprt^uon can convey.
M" iiboar h^s Hkcwii'e been much increafed by a clafs of reibs too frequent Ic :2e £«^/r^ language, of which the Agnincation is fo loofe snd general, the <-:^:brag»e and indeterminate, and the fenfes detorted To widely from the m idea, that it is hard to trace them through the nui7.e of vajiation, to catch tr^soo the brink of utter inanity, to circumscribe them Ly any limitations, or r/erprct them by any words of didinf^ and fettled meaning: fuch are hfar^ hrrak^ 'iw, ^'ty f^lU g^t t gi'^^y do^put^ fet^ gOt rufi, malte, take^ iurny thro*w. If of t'it'f i!ie whole power is not ^ccyrately delivered, it mpft he remenibercd, that yi.c oar lamiage is yet living, and variable by the caprice of every one tha( •:«a<!it, theie words jire hourly /hifting their relations, jmd can no niore be af- ii^^'ncd in a di^tonarv, than a grove, in the agitation of a (^orni, caa be ac- ^^^'•y delineated frpm its picture in the water.
Tbe particles are among all nations applied with (6 great Iitiuide, th^t they ^ 'ct eafJy reducible under any regular fchcme of explication ; this diHicuIty is '' ■*^, nor perhaps greater, in Englijby than in other languages. I have la* >-'-'cd them with diligence, J hope with fucceis i fuch at lealt ne can be cxr pcc:ed la a talk, which op man, however learned or frgacious, ha? yet been able ^* peribrin,
^Q^e words there are which I cannot explain, becaufe J do not under dr. nd '^:f:3; thcfe might have been omitted very often with little inconvenience, but I ^-«<<i cot ib far indulge my vani^ as to decline th^s confefTion : for when T^ulij ^^ bimielf ignorant whether/^/, in the twelve tables, means ?l funeral fong^ f^mnmiMg garment ; and ArifiotU doubts whether oT^svcy in the Iliad, fignii- "niaa.Vy or muUieer^ I may neely, without ihame, leave fome obfcutities to '-ppier iodnftry, or future information.
itierigDDr of interpretative lexicography requires that tbs explanathny and the '^^itxfUnned^flywild he alwayi reciprocal I this I have always endeavoured, -^ ccttld not always attain. Words are feldom exa^lly ()'npnimous ; a new term '':sDOt introduced, but becaufe the former v'^s thought inadequate : names, •'f^cfore, have often oiany ideas, but few ideas have many names. It was >.^Qeceflary to ufe the proTtimatc word, for the deficiency of finglc terms can ^p, icldom be fupplied by circumlocution ; nor is the inconvenience great cf '>cii mutilated interpretations, bccaufe the fenfe may eafUy be co!le6led entire i-v3 ibe oamples.
I b a J h
PREFACE.
In every iKibrd of exteniive uie, it Was reqnifite to mark the progrefs of xt» meaning, and ihow by what gradations of mtermediate fenfe, it has pafled from its primitive to its remote and accidental itgniBcation ; ib that every foregoing explanation fhould tend to that which follows^ and the feries be regularly conca- tenated from the firft notion to the iaft.
This is fpecious, but not always pradticable; kindred (enfes may be {o inter* woven, that the perplexity cannot be difentangled, nor any reafon be ailigned why one fhould be ranged before the other. When the radical idea branches out into parallel ramifications, how can a confecutive feries be formed of fefifes in their nature collateral ? The fhades of meaning (bmetimes pafs imperceptibi/ into each other ; fo that thoiagh on one fide they apparently aiffer, yet it is im*? poilible to mark the point of contadl. Ideas of the fame race, though not ex* a6tly alike, are fometimes fo little different, that no words can exprels the diffi- militude, though the mind eafily perceives it, when they are exhibited together ^ and fometimes there is fuch a confiifion of acceptations, that difcernment ia wearied, and diflin£t ion puzzled, and perfeverance herielf hurries to an end, by crouding together what fne cannot (eparate.
Thefe complaints of difficulty will, by thofe that have never confidered words beyond their popular ufe, be thought only the jargon of a man willing to mag? Tiit'y his labours, and procure veneration to his fhidies by involution and oblcUr rity. But every art is obfcure to thole that have not learned it : this uncertainty of terms, and commixture of ideas, is well known to thofe who have joined philofophy with grammar ; and if I have not expreflfed them very clearly, it mufl be remembered that I am fpeaking of that which words are infuficient to explain.
The original fenfe of words is oftep driven out of life by their metaphorical acceptations, yet mud be inferted for the fake of a regular origination. Thus ( know not whether ardour is ufed for material heat, or whether y?«^<jif/, in Eng^ itjb, ever fignifies the fame with ^tfr;f/n^; yet fuch are the primitive ideas of thefe words, which are therefore fet firlt, though without examples, that the figurative fenfes may be commodioufly deduced.
Such is the exuberance of fignification which many words have obtained, that It was fcarcely pofCble to colled all their fenfes ; fometimes the meaning of deri* vatives mufl be fought in the mother term, and fometimes deficient explanations of the primitive may be fupplied in the train of derivation. In any cafe of doubt or difficulty, it will be alv/ays proper to examine all the words of the fame race $ for fome words are flightly pafied over to avoid repetition, fbyne admitted eafiet and clearer explanation than others, and all will be better underftood, as they are confidered in a greater variety of flru6lures and relations.
AH the interpretations of words are not written with the fame fkill, erthe famcf happinefs: things equally eafy in themfelves, are not all equally eafy to any ^ngle mind. Every writer of a long work commits errours* when there appears neither ambiguity to miflead, nor obfcurity to confound him; and in a fearck lilce this, many felicities of expreflion will be cafually overlooked, manyconveni* ent parallels will be forgotten, and many particulars willadmit improvement ftoiti a mind utterly unequal to the whole performance.
But many fecming faults are to be imputed rather to the nature of the under^ taking, than the negligence of the performer, Thus fome explanations are una- voidably reciprocal or circular, zaiinJ^ the female oftbeftag \fiog^ the male of the bind: fometimes eafier words are changed into harder, as2tfr/a/intoye/f/i!/tfr« or interment^ drier into deficcati'oe^ dryfiefivatoJiceityKiX aridity ^txnXopat&xyfm ; for the eafieft word, whatever it be, can never be tranflated into one more eafy. But ^'afinefs and difficulty are merely relative^ and if the prefent prevalence of our Ian-
guag9
PREFACE.
g«ge ftoBid invite foreigners lo tUt diAiomryy man^ will be afllfted hy thofi voids wUch sow (eem oalj to encreafe or produce obicurity. For this reafon I hre cndcavoiired freqnendy to join Teutonick and Roman interpretation, as to CHEEK to ^tmddtn^ or MxbiUwutt^ tliat every learner of Englijb may be afllfted by his own tongue.
Thefelution of all difficulties, and the fupply of all defers, muft be fought in the examples* fubjotned to the various fenfes of ea^ word, and ranged ac- cordiag to the tinie of their authors.
When firft I coUeded thefe autboritieSt I was defirous that every quotation ihoold be niefiil to fbme other end than the illuftradon of a word i I therefore citrsded from pliilolbphers principles of fcience j from hiftorians remarkable fids ; from chymifts cooiplete procefles ; from divines ftriking exhortations ; tnd from poets beautiful defcriptions. Such is delign, while it is yet at a dif- tioce from execution. When the time called upon me to range this accumula- tioQofdeganceand wifilom into an alphabetical feries, I foon difcovered that tlie bulk cf my volumes would fright away the ftudent, and was forced to depart fioni my icheme of including all that was pleafing or ufeful in Englijb literature, sad rednce my tranfcripts very often to clufters of words, in which fcarcely any sKsniag b retained $ thus to the wearinefs of copying, I was condemned to add the relation of expunging. Some paifages I have yet fpared, which may relieve the kboor of verbal learches, and mterlperfe with verdure and flowers the dufty defarts of barren philofephy.
The cxaaDples, thus mutilated, are no longer to be confidered as conveying the famments or dodrine of their authors ; the word for the fake of which they are ioferted, with all its appendant claufes, has been carefully preferved ; but it my femetimes happen, by hafty detruncation, that the general tendency of tbeientCBce may be changed: the divine may defert his tenets, or the philolb- pber his fyilem.
Some of the examples have been taken from writers who were never men- tioocd as mailers of ek^ance or models of (Hie ; but words muft be fought where tbey are ufed % and in what pages, eminent for purity, can terms of manufadure V a^ioiltiire be found ? Many quotations (erve no other purpofe, than that of ptoving the bare exiftence of words, and are therefore felcded with lefs fcrupu- losibcfs than thoAe which are to teach their ftrudures and relations.
My porpoie was to admit no teftimony of living authors, that I might not be milled by partiality, and that none of my contemporaries might have reafon to coiDplaini nor have I departed from this refolution, but when fome perform B*oce of uacofninon exceUence excited my veneration, when my memory (up- piicd ine» from late books, with an example that was wanting, or when i^y ^t in the teadcrnffs of ftiendihip, Solicited admiflion for a favourite saae.
So far have I been from any care to grace my pages with modem decorations, ^t I have ftndioiifly endeavoured to collet exapi^es and authorities from the ^ters before the reftoration, whofe works I regard as ibe luelh of Englijb undf" /k^} as the pure fovrces of geneine diction. Our language, for alnioft a con- tQ7i has, by the concurrence of many caufes, been graduallv departing from it;s original fVtf/MfVi chaniAer, and deviating towards a GaUick uru6lure and pbrafe- ^^f from which it ought to be our enneavour to rccal it, by making our an- ^Kat vohimes the ground-worlc of ftile, admitting among the additions of later ^vi) only inch aa may fupply real deficiencies i Aich are readily adopted by the t^Qsof oar tongae, and incorporate eafily with our native idioms.
But as everv language has a time of ludeitefs antecedent to perfedtion, as well tlrfUfeie^eoieBt nA dedesfioi^ I have been cautious left my zeal for anti>
''■*'' ' ' ' quit/
PREFACE.
quity nii^lit drive mc into times too r^niotei and croud my book with words noxnr no longer underftood. I have fixed Sziiney*s work for the boundary, beyond v*hich 1 make few cxcurfions. From the authors which rofe in the time of Elizabeth^ a fpeech might be formed adequate to all the purposes of u(e and ele- gance. If the language of theology were extradted from Hooker and the tranfla- iron of the Bible j the terms of natural knowledge from Bacon ; the phrales of policy, war, and navigation from /?i?/r/]fi^ ; the diale6t of poetry and fidion from Spenfer and Sidney ; and the didtion of common life from Sbakefpeare^ few ideas would be toil to mankind, for want of Englijb words, in which they might be csprelTed.
It is not fufiicient that a word is found, unleis it be fo combined a« that itt meaning is apparently determined by the tradt and tenour of the (entence ; fuch paffag^ I have therefore chofen, and when it happened that any author gave a definition of a term, or fuch an explanation as is equivalent to a definition, I have placed his authority as a fupplement to my own, without regard to th.e chronological order, that is otherwife obferved.
Some words, indeed, Hand unfupported by any authority, but they are comv iponly derivative nouns or adverbs, formed from their primitives by regular and condant analogy, or names of things (eldoni occurring in books, or words of which I have reafon to doubt their eiqftence.
There is more danger of cenfiire from the multiplicity than paucity of ex* amples ; authprities will fometimes feem to have been accumulated without neceiHty or ufe, and perhaps ibme will be found, which might, ^thout lofs* have l^een omitted. But a work of this kind is not haftily to be charged with luperduitics : thole quotations which to careleCs or unlkilful perufers appear only to repeat the fame fenfe, will often exhibit, to a more accurate examiner, diver-f fities of fignification, or, at leatl, afford d liferent fhades of the lame meaning : one will ffiew the word applied to perfons, another to things ; one will expreHi an ill, another a good, and a third a' neutral fenfe ; one will prove the exprefHon genuine from an ancient author ; another will fhew it elegant from a modern : a 'itnibti'ul authority is corroborated by another of more Credit; an ambiguous ?cntencc is afcertained by a palfage clear and determinate ; the word, how often foever repealed, appears with new aifociates and in different combinations, and rvory quotation contributes fomething to the (lability or enlargement of the lanT
\^ hen v/crc^s arc ufed equivocally, I receive them in either fenfe ; when they are iTietaphorical, I adept them in thrir primitive acceptation.
I Ii.ne fometimes, tho^igh rarely, yielded to the temptation of exhibiting a genealogy of fentimcnts, by fliewing how one author copied the thoughts and dittion of another: fuch quotations are indeed little more than repetitions, which might juftly be cenfured, did they not gratify the mind, by affording a kind of ir.tclledual hiftory.
The various fy ntadlical ftru6lures occurring in the examples have been carer \\iV,y noted j the licence or negligence with which many words have been hi*- rl'erto ui>d, hqs made our ftile capricious and indeterminate; when the different «:.:rnbinat:ons of the fame word are exhibited together, the preference is readily given to propriety, and I have often endeavoured to dire^ the choice.
'i hus I have laboLied to fettle the orthography, riifplay the analogy, regulate r'le (Iruftiire, ;ind afcertain the fignification of Erglijb words, to perform all the parts of a faithful lexicographer : but I have not always executed my own fvihtme, or fatisfied my own cxpeftation. The work, whatever proofs of dili«- gcnce and attention it may exhibit, is yet capable of many improvements : the or.cKgrsphv 'A'hich I recommend is ftJU CQntrovertible) the etymology which J
PREFACE.
adopt b vncertain, and perhaps frequently erroneous ; the explanations are (bme- times too much contracted, and (bmetimes too much diffufed, the fignifications are diibnguifiied rather with fuhtiity than fkill, and the attention is harali'ed with mneceflkry minuteneis.
The examples arc too often injudicioufly truncated, and perhaps fometimes, I bope very rarelj, alleged in a miftaken (enfe ; for in making this collection I tnitUd mote to memorj, than, in a ftate of difquiet and embarraiTment, memory can contain, and purpofed to fupply at the review what was left incomplete in the firft tranfcription.
MsLoj terms appopriated to particular occupations, though neceflary and (ignl- ficant, are undoubtedly omitted ; and of the words mofl ihidioufly conlideied and exemplified, many ienfes have efcaped obfervation.
Yet theie fitilures, however frequent, may admit extenuation and apology. To have attempted much is always laudable, even when the enterprize i& above the ftrei^th that undertakes it : To reft below his own aim is incident to every one whole fkncy is active, and whole views are comprehenlive ; nor is any man (atisfied v/ith himielf becaufe he has done much, but becaufe he can conceive little. When firft I engaged in this work, I refolved to leave neither words nor things unexamined, and pleafed myfelf with a profpefl of the hours which I ihodd revel away in feafts of literature, the obfcure receffes of northern learn- iog which I fhould enter and ranfack, the treafures with which I expedted every Search bto thole negleded mines to reward my labour, and the triumph with which I ihonid difplay my acquiiitions to mankind. When I thus enquired into the original of words, I refolved to ihow likewile my attention to things ; to pierce <kep into every fcience, to enquire the nature of every fubftance of which I in- feited the name, to limit every idea by a definition ftridly logical, and exhibit every prodn^tioa of art or nature in an accurate defcription, that my book might be in place of all other dictionaries whether appellative or technical. But thefe %*ere the dreams of a poet doomed at laft to wake a lexicographer. I foon found thai it ia too late to look for inftruments, when the work calls for execution, ai^ that whatever abilities I had brought to my talk, with thofe I mu(t finally per- form it. To deliberate whenever I doubted, to enquire whenever I was igno- rant, would have protracted the undertaking without end, and, perhaps, v.^ith- out much improvement ; for I did not find by my firft experiments, that wliat I had not of my own was eafily to be obtained : I faw that one enquiry only gave occafion to another, that book referred to book, that to learch was not always to find, and to find was not always to be informed ; and that thus to purfue per- fedioo, was, like the firft inhabitants of Arcadia, to chafe the fun, which, when they had reached the hill where he leemed to reft, was ftill beheld at the fame difl^mce from them.
I then contradted my defign, determining to confide in mylelf, and no longer to folicit auxiliaries, which produced more incumbrance than affiftance : by this I obtained at leaft one advantage, that I fet limits to my work, which would in time be finilhed, though not completed.
Defpondeocy has never fo far prevailed as to deprefs me to negligence ; fome hvks will at leaft appear to be the eflTedts of anxious diligence and perfcvering tdivity. The nice and fubtfe ramifications of meaning were not eafily avoided by a mind intent upon accuracy, and convinced of the necefiity of difentangling comhtnattons, and feparating fimilitudes. Many of the diftindtions which to common readers appear ufeleis and idle, will be found real and important by mea vcriiBd ia the fchool philofophy, without which no dictionary ever fhall be accu- rately compiled, or fkilfully examined Scw€ fenfei how«VCT there aie, which, though not the fame, are yet fo'nearly
all it- J.
F R E F A C «.
allied, tbat they are often confounded. Moft men think indiftinQly» tnd there- fore cannot fpeak with exaftnefs ; and coniequently ibme examplet might be in- differentlj put to either figniBcation : this uncertainty is not to be imputed tc me, who do not form, but regifter the language ; who do not teach men hoiw they ihould think, but relate how they have hitherto exprefled their thoughts.
The imperfect fenfe of (bme examples I lamented, but could not remedy, aad hope they will be compenfated by innumerable paflages ieie^ed with proprietj, and prcferved with exadtnefs ; fome ihining with fparks of imagination, and fome replete with treafures of wifdom.
^ The orthography and etymology, though imperfed, are not impeded for want of care, but becaufe care will not always be fuccefsful, and recofledion or infor- mation come too late for ufe.
That many terms of art and manufafiure are omitted, muft be frankly ac- knowledged i but for this defed I may boldly allege that it was unavoidable. I could not vifit caverns to learn the miner's language, nor take a voyage to per- fe£t my (kill in the dialed of navigation, nor vifit the warehoufes of merchants^ and ihops of artificers, to gain the names of wp.res, tools, operations, of which no mention is found in books ; what favoumble accident, or enquiry brought within my reach, has not been negleded ^ but it had been a hopeleis labour to glean up words, by courting living information, an^ conteftiog with the fullennefs of one, and the roughnefs of another.
To furniih the academicians de/ia Crufca with words of this kind, a (eries of co- medies called la Fitray or the Fair^ was proleiTedly written by Bti%nar9ti ; but I had no fuch affiflant, and therefore was content to want what they muft have wanted likewife, had they not luckily been (b fupplied.
Nor are all words which are not found in the vocabulary, to be lamented as omiilions. Of the laborious and mercantile part of the people, the didion is in a great meafure cafual and mutable ; many of their terms are formed (or fome temporary, or local convenience, and .though current at certain times and places^ are in others utterly unknown. This fugitive cant, which is always fai a Itate of increafe or decay, cannot be regarded as any part of the durable materials of a language, and therefore muft be fuffered to perifli with other things unworthy of prefervation.
Care will (bmetimes betray to the appearance of negligence. He that is catch- ing opportunities which feldom occur, will fufFer thole to pals by unregarded » which he expeds hourly to return j he that is fearching for rare and remote things, will negled thole that are obvious and familiar : thus many of the vao^ common and curfory words have been inferted with little illuftration, becaufe in gathering the authorities, I forbore to copv thofe which I thought likely to occur whenever they were wanted. It is remakable that, in reviewing my coUedion, I found the word Sea unexempli(ied.
Thus it happens, that in thmgs difficult there is danger from ignorance, and in things ea(y from confidence ; the mind, afraid of greatnefa, and difilainful oF littlenels, haftily withdraws herfelf from pain^l fearches, and pafles with fcorn- ful rapidity over talks not adequate to her powers, (bmetimes too fecure for cau- tion, and again too anxious of vigorous effort ; fometimes idle in a plain path* and (bmetimes diftrafted in labyrinths, and diflipated by different intentions.
A large work is difficult becaufe it is large, even though all its parts might (tng- ly be performed with facility i where there are many things to be done, each mufb be allowed its (hare of time and labour, in the proportion only which it betrs to the whole ; nor can it be expected, that the ftones which form the dome of a temple, fhould be (quared and polifhed like the diamond of a ring.
Of the event of this work, for which* having laboured it with lb much appli-^
cation,,
P ft n P A e fe;
cation, I cannot but have fonie degree of parental fondnefs, it is natural to fortrt coajedures. Thofe who have been perfuaded to think well of my defign, re- qaire that it Ihould fijt our language, and put a Hop to thofe alterations which time and chance have hitherto been fuffered to make in it without oppofition. ^^ilhth!sconfequence I will confefs that I flattered myfelf for a whUe ; but DOW begin to fear that I have indulged expectation which neither reafon nor ex- pexience can juftify. When we fee men grow old and die at a certain time one after iinother, from century to century^ ^e laugh at the elixir that promifes t0 prolong life to a thoufand years , and with equal juftice may the lexicographer be derided, who being able to produce no example of a nation that has preferved tctir T/ords and phraies fiom mutability, iliall imagine that his didionary can tmbaiinhif language, and fecure it from corruption and decay, that it is in his pgwcr to change fublunary nature, or dear the world at once trom folly, vanity, isd affectation.
VMih this hope, however, academies have been inftitu ted, to guard the ave- nues of their languages, to retain fugitives, and repulfe intruders ; but their vigi- liccc and activity have hitherto been vain j (bunds are too volatile and fubtile tor i:gil rcUraints; to enchain fyllables, and to lafh the wind, are equally the un- Ueiukings of pride, unwilling to meafure its delires by iu ftrength. The French hnguagehas vilibly changed under the infpedion of the academy j the ftile of .\ntht\ tranflation of father Faul is observed by Le Courajer to be un peupafsi ; fin6m Italian will maintain, that the di£tion of any modern writer is not per- ceptibly different from that of Boccace, Macbiavelf or Carif.
Total and fudden transformations of a language feldom happen $ conquefts tad migrations arc now very rare : but there are other caufes of change, which ^ though (low in their operation, and inviilble in their progrefs, are perhaps as much fcperiour to hunnan refiltance, as the revolutions of the iky, or intumefcencc of ihe tide. Conitnercc, however neceffary^ however lucrative, as it depraves the Qianners, corrupts the language i they that have frequent intercourfe with ftrangers, to whom they endeavour to accommodate themfelves, muft in time Itarn a mingled dialed, like the jargon which ferves the traffickers on the Meifi- terraman and Indian coafts^ This will not altvays be confined to the exchange; the warchoufe, or the port, bUt will be communicated by degrees to other ranks of the people, and be at laft incorporated with the current fpeech/
There are likewife internal cliufes equally forcible; The language moft likey to continue long without alteration, would be that of a nation raifed a littlt^ »wi but a little, above barbarity, fecludedfrom ftrangerf^^-aEd totally emplo)e.l in procuring the conveniencies of life ; either without books, or, like fome of the i1£f^0«ir /an countries, with verr few: men thus bulled and Unlearned, hav- ing only fuch words as common ufe requires, would perhaps long continue to exprefs the fame notions by the lame (igns. But no fuch conftancy can be ex- pe^ed ma people polifbedby arts, andclafTed by (ubordination, where one part of the community is fuftained and accommodated by the labour of tbe other. Thofe who have much leifureto think, will always be enlarging tlie flockof ideas^ md every increaie of knowledge, whether real or fancied, will produce new- words or combination of words. When the mind is unchained from neceffity^ it will range after convenience \ when it is left at large in the 6elds of fpccula- tioQ, it will ihift opinions ; as any cuilom is difufed, the words that exprelfed it iDuft perifli with it \ as any opinion grows popular, it will imioVate fpeech in the iusat proportion as it alters practice.
As by the cultivation of various fciences, d. language is Amplified, it nv ill be more furoiiked with words deflected from their original fenfe; the geometrician
wiUt^k of a courtier's zenith, or the excentrick virtue of a wild hero, $,nd the
[ c ] pbydclan
PREFACE.
phjiician ef fanguine expedtations and phlegmatick delays. Copioufnefs ot fpeech will give opportunities to capricious clioice» by which fbme words will be preferred and others degraded ; viciilitudes of faihion will enforce tht uie of new, or extend the fignification of known terms. The tropes of poetry will make hourly encroachments, and the metaphorical will become the current lenfe : pronunciation will be varied by levity or ignorance, and the pen muft at length comply with the tongue ; illiterate writers will at one time or other, by publick infatuation, rife into renown, who, not knowing the original import of words, will ufe them with colloquial licentioufnefs, confound diftindion, and forget pro- priety. As politenefs increafcs, fome expr^flions will be confidered as too giofs and vulgar for the delicate, others as to</ formal and ceremonious for the gay and aiiy ; new phrafes are therefore adopted, which muft for the feme rca- fons, be in time dilmiifed. Sivi/t^ in his petty treatife on the Englijb language, allows that new words muft fomeiimes be introduced, but propofed that none iliould be fulTered to become obiblete. But what makes a word obfolete more than general agreement to forbear it ? and how fliall it be continued, when it conveys an offenfive idea, or recalled again into the mouths of mankind, when it has OHce by difufe become unfamiliar, and by unfamiliarity unpleafing.
There is another caufe of alteration more prevalent than any other, which yet in the prelent ftate of the world cannot be obviated. A mixture of two lan- guages will produce a third diftinft from both, and they will always be mixed, where th« chief part of education, and the moft confpicuous accomplifliment, is fkitl in ancient or in foreign tongues. He that has long cultivated another lan- guage will find its words and combinations croud upon his memory ; and hafte and negligence, refinement and afte^lation, will obtrude borrowed terms and exotic expiefllcns.
The great peft of fpeech is frequency of tranflation. No book was ever turned from one language into another, without imparting fomething of its native idiom j this is the moft mifchievous and comprehenflve innovation ; (ingle words may enter by thoufands, and the fabrick of the tongue continue the lame, but new phrafeology changes much at once ; it alters not the (ingle ftones of the building, but the order of the Columns. If an academy fliould be eftabliflied for the cultivation of our ftile, which I, who can never wifh to fee dependance multiplied, hope the fpirit of Englijb liberty will hinder or deftroy, let them, inftead of compiling grammars and didlionaries, endeavour, with all their influ- ence, to ftop the licence of tranflators, whofe idlenefs and ignorance, if it be fuffered to proceed, will reduce us to babble a dialeft of France,
If the changes that we fear be thus irrefiftible, what remains but to acquiefce with file nee, as in the other infurmountable diftrefTes of humanity ? it remains that we retard what we cannot repel, that we palliate what we cannot cure. Life maybe lengthened by care, though Heath cannot be ultimately defeated ; tongues, like governments, have a natural tendency to degeneration ; we have long pre- ferved our conftittition, let us make fome ftruggles for our language.
In hope of giving longevity to that which its own nature forbids to be immor- tal, I have devoted this book, the labour of years, to the honour of my country, that we may no longer yield the palm of philology to the nations of the continent. The chief glory of every people arifcs from its authors : whether I fhall add any thing by my own writing to the reputation of Englijb literature, muft be left to time : much of my life has been lo(t under the preffures of difeafe j much has been trifled away j and much has always been fpent in proviiion for the day that was pafllng over me : but I ihall not think my employment ufelefs or ignoble, if by my afliftance foreign nations, and diftant ages, gain accefs to the propagators of knowledge, and imderftand the teachers of trtithj if myjabours
afford
PREFACE.
tford light to the repofitories of fcienccy axxi add celebrity to Bacen^ to Hooker y to Mili^n and to B^le,
When I am animated by this wiih* I look with pleaiure on my book, however defective, and deliver it to the world witly the fpirit of a roan that has endea- voured vrell. That it will immediate!/ become popular I have not promifed to mjfelf : a few wild blunders, and ridble abfiirdities, from which no work of hch mnhiplicitj was ever free, may for a time furni/li folly with laughter, and harden ignorance into contempt ; but ufeful diligence will at la ft prevail, and there never can be wanting fome who diilinguiili defert ; who will conHder thai no dictionary of a living tongue ever can be perfed, (ince while it is haflen* ing to poblication* ibme words are budding, and iome falling away ; that a whole hte cannot be (pent upon fyntaz and etymology, aod that even a whole life would not be (uflncient ; that he, whofe defign mcludcs whatever language can ezprcis, mud often fpeak of what he does not underftand ; that a writer will ibmetimes be hurried by eagernefs to the end, and fometimes faint with weari- ne£i under a talk, which Scaliger compares to the labours of the anvil and x\\c. mine ; that what is obvious is not always known, and what is known is not al- ways prefent ; that fudden hts of inadvertency will furprize vigilance, flight avo- catioos will feduce attention, and cafual eclipfes of the mind will darken learn- ing ; and that the writer Aiall often in vain trace his memory at the moment of need, for that which yefterday he knew with intuitive readmefs, and which will come uncalled into his thoughts to-morrow.
In this work, when it ihall be found that much is omitted, let it not he for- gotten that much likewile is performed ; and though no book was ever fpared cut of tendemefs to the author, and the world is little felicitous to know whence proceeded the faults of that which it condemns ; yet it may gratify curiolity to inform it, that the Englijb Didionary was written with little afll (lance of the learned, and without any patronage of the great $ not in the foft obfcurities of redrement, or under the Ihelter otacademick bowers, but amidfl inconvenience and diftra^on, in ficknefs and in ibrrow : and it may reprefs the triumph of ma- lignant criticifm toob&rve, that if our language is not here fully difjplayed, I have only laiied in an attempt which no human powers have hitherto completed. If the lexicons of ancient tongues, now immutably fixed, and comprifed in a few volumes, be vet, after the toil of fucceflive ages, inadequate and delufive ; if the aggregated knowledge, and co-operating diligence of the Italian aeadcmicians, did not iecure them from the cenfure ofBeni ; if the embodied criticks of France y when fifty years had been fpent upon their work, were obliged to change ils oeconomy, and give their fecond edition another form, I may furely be con- tented vrithont the prai/e of perfection, which if I could obtain, in this gloom of ibiitode, what would it avail me ? I have protracted my work till mo(l of thofe whom I wiihed to pleafe, have (iink into the grave, and fuccefs and mifcarriage are empty founds : -I therefore difmifs it with frigid tranquillity, having little to /ear or hope from cenfure or from praifc.
I c * J THE
THE
HISTORY
O F T H E
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
THOUGH the Brs'tahs or 9^e^ were Bnt^iw^ cannot now be known. They feem t e ihe firft poflfeiTor^ of this ifland, whofe have been a people wiiboot leftraing« ftod very pames are recorded, and are there'ore in civil probably without an alphabet » their fpccch hiflory alwiys coniidercd at the pnd^ceffjrs cf therefore, having been always curfbry snd ex- the prefent iDhabitanci: j yet the dedu£>ion of tcmporaneous mvfl have beep anlel's and on- the EugHJb langaagc from the carlied times of connected, without any modes of tranntioa or which we have any knowledge to its prefent involution of daofes; which abraptnefs and in- Aate, requires no mention of them . tor we connec\ion may be obferved even in ibeir later have fo ^w words, which can, with any probr - writings. This barbarity may be fuppofed to biliiy be refened to Britijb roots, that wc juftly have continued during their wars with the Bti^ regard the Saxms and IVelJb^ as nations totally tatns^ which for a time left them no Icifure for diftinft. It has been conjedlured, that when foi'ter (ludie& ; nor is there any reafon for fup- the iSaxtfsixfetzed this country, they fufiercd I he p^fmg it abated, till the year 570, when ^jk- Britaias to live among them in a ilate of vafTal- ^ufttne came from Rtme to convert them to age, employed in the culture of the ground, and Chriftianity. The Chrii^iin religion always inn- other labiirious and ignoble fervices. But it is plies or produces a certain degree of civility and fcarcely poflible, that a nation, howeverdrpref- learnings they then became by degrrea ac- fed, (huold have been mixed in coniiderabie quaintedwiih the ^tfnian language, and ib ga^Q- Aumbers with the Saxfs without fome commu- ed, from time to time, fome knowledge and e- Siicatioo of their tongue, and theiefore it may, |egance, till in three centuries they had formed with great reafon, be imagined, that thofc, who a language capable of exprefling all the fenti- were not Sheltered in the mountains, perifhcd by ments of a civililed people, as appears by kio^ fhe fword. Alfred" % paraphrafe or imitation ofBtettius^ and The whole fabrick and fcheme of the EngRJh his (hort preface, which I have fele^d aa the language is Gatbick or Tfutsmick : it is a dialect firll fpecimcn of ancient ^nglijh. of that tongue, which prevails over all the nor- thern Countries of EurepCf except thofe where CAP. I. the Sciavomian is fpoken. Of thefe Itngi^ages
pr. Hicka thus exhibited the genealogy. f^^ ^^* ^'^* ^ Cotan op Si^iu mx^J^e
V^ pi)> Romana fucc ;^epin upahopon. ']mi{>
C O T H I C K. heopa cyninxum. RacVjora an*b Gallcpica p«-
«-) non harnc. Romane bupij; abfiaecon. anbeall
I I I I rah a pice "ft if berpux })ara munrum *] Sicjlia.
^KGLo-Saxok, FaAvciCK, Cimbrick, ^m eai >nde m anpilb ;^cpebron. *^ )>a sej^refi
tf>j\M»^ rs,»A.rfi^ )>am pcpefppecenan cyniojum Decbpic pen^
Dutch, Cermaa. Iflandhck, Co ))am ilcan ptce |-e Deobpic pjcp Amulin;^a.
Frifick, Norwegian, he pap Cpipren. ))eah he on )>im Anpi-
^nglifh. Swedilh, »nirian jc^polan ^ophpuno^. i)e S^hcc
Daniih. Romanom hip ppeonbpape. ppa *^ hi mopran
Of the Gcthici^ the only monument remain* heopa calbpihca pyp^e beon. Ac l)e)>a2^bat:
ing is a copy of the gofpth fomewhst mutilated, pi i^e ypele jdacpte. -j ppi^ ppa)>c Sceobobe
which,from the filver with which the characters m»b mani^um mane, 'f p^f to eacanoJ)ptinn
are adorned, i«i call. -d thc^/v/r A»i. It is now unapimcbum yplum. ^ he lohannep )>ontt
preferved at Of>fa!, and has been twice publifhcd. p»pan her opplean. Da pxf pum conpnl. ^
Whether the di 6\ ion of this venerable manufcript pe heperoha baraj>. Boer 1 up pxp har en. fc
he purely Gct/:irky has been doubted; it feems P^r^" boc.pxprum *} on popuib )>eapum pc
however to exhibit thr mo(\ ancient dialed now fuhtpipepra. 8c ^a onjeax )>a roaniSfcalban
to be f »uod of the Tr.v/v /.- race, and the Saxcu^ ypel ))s pc cyoinj Deobpic pi)> fam Irpiptc-
which i«5 the oripinal ol the prefent Kngltjl^ was nafibonrjc ^ pij) ^am Romanipcum pitura bybe.
either derived from it, or both delccndcd Irom he J?a jemundc ftapa ej)ueppa *] ^fu eatbpihra
fome common parent. ^e hi unbep tJam Lapcpum hiepbon heopia
What was the form of the Saxtn lingvage calbhlapopdum. Da onjan he pmeajan ^
^'^en« about the year 45c, they firft cmer«d Icopotsan oa bm pelpum hu he j> pice t5am
^npihrpipaa
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
■•r^mrsa cfoaatst ap>p|iaa mihce. "j on C A P. III.
^»te 5B e«Fpii1pa mnb la ruhtptfTift anpilb DA ic })i ^if leo)) cpx% Boctiof. ;;eom-
t^fuzq;aa>. 6«:fcc J>*ki^cllice xpentjepftiruro picn:^e aj-un^en hxfrbc. %a com tSz f\ jan m t;o
Jim LafCfie co Conf ranrmopolim. pxp. if ire heof^encunb JTifbom. -3 "Ji min mu|\aen>>e
npeca bcah bofiS T fecop* cfnefToX. pofi }>«ni Wob mib hip pcpbum xej^ette. -3 )>iip cpa-b.
feCafepe ^arf berpa cynrfcol. fop^amfe Du ne eafic J)u fc inon )« on miojie pole
Cafcpe fTf becfia ral^Uf |\^ cyonej-. hsbon p«j\e apeb -3 Xenpeb. Ac hponon punbe \m
hiat yxv be ban Co beofu Ilfvip:chbome *] ro mib ^ip f om pup.u(d fonsom ];uf fP'N S^r*
bcofu calbfuhcom ;^ef ulrmnebe. Da "{S onj^eac penc^d. bur on ic pac *(> )m hxff t tSa^ia pzpna
fe pclbcfieo^ cynm^ Deobfuc 9ahcchehine ro hfia]>e iropi^iren ^ ic }>e apt feaibe. Da
{rifVi^Ba on capcepne. T )>'r »'*o* belucan. clip<.be j-e pifbam "^ cp«)> Gepira)) no apip-
ih hir Ita sciorop -Ji yc appyp^a p?. f on FP« Sebe pcpuld fopsa op mincj- ^epjcncf CPodc.
oacclpe neap«tier|-c bccem )>a px|- he ppa pop]>«in Je pnb }>a mxpran r^ea^ao. Lxra]i
nkJc iT^cp ea hip CDobc X«^«F«^- TF* ^^T ^»*o« ep^ bptoppan to ininum lapum. Da eobc
yTob ap fpilSofk to ]>am poputb fxibum un- j-e ptfbom neap, cpij) Boerit'r. minum
:;epfib p*r. -3 h« *a rarp« fpoppe be innan bpcorpcr.ban Sejjohre. •) hit f pa mopohl hpajc
Jam capccpne ne s^^*i»^- •« **' Xepeoil hpe^a upap vpVe. abpi^^be Jja mincnef CPobcf
B:pot Of bottfT on ]>• pop T bine afrpehre eajan. and hir ppan blij)unn popburn. hpzbrp
fTi^ Kcpor. «n^ cpmob bine f elfne onjan bir oncneope hif f:ofrepmodcp. imib ^am be
pepan -] )mr pii5«*e cpx)>. t$a •fi Wob pi)> bepenbe. Ua jccneop hir |-pi^
CAP. II. j-peorele bif ajne mobrp. j) pxf j^e ptfhom
Da bo% l>e ic ppf"cca x«> loftb^phce p>nx. J)e bit lanjc srp rybe *] la?pbe ac hir onjcac
K p**l BU bcopenbe pn^an. *] mib ypi on- hij- lape fyipe rorcpenne -7 j-yipc tobpocenne
^epatoom prpditm seperran. Jwh ic %eo mib bypjpa bonbum. -3 hine )>a fpm hu *}J
hpilvm ;eoopUc« f anlbe. ac ic no prpenbe "j 2;epupbe. Da anbfpyp^e j-e j9ifbom hini •]
Jpraeatee of s^p^>Qa pcpba mif p>. roe abler- pibe. "f bif S'^Sf**" harfbon hine fpa toro-
baa yaf onserpcoj^ pcpalb r»lj». T «Te)>a penne J«cp ]?ip h: tecbhobon j5 hi hinc eaHne
pplrrjtt YF%. Wiribne on Jjij- bimme boK Da babban fceolbon. ac hi n;estbepia% monipealb
hepeafcboa «kepe kij-rbapneffe J>a ^a ic bypi5 on J)'?pc Foprpupunja. *j on ])am
!rm cfpe berf t: cpnpobe, 15a pen4on hi roe jnpe boran hcopa bptlc epc ro hype bore
b^rpa bxc Xo anb me mibctUe fpomj^epiran. j^ecippe !•
To pboo fceolban 1ft mice fpienb f^^n )«C Thia may perhaps be confide red as a fpeclme^
K^eptlq^mon T^Jtr, ha msrj fe beon l^efxlis of tbc Sax§m in its bigheft ftate of purity, for
pe )Se on ^Jam 5epe)]>um tSuphpuroao ne here are fcirccly any wurda borrowed from Ib'c
ocr I • HotMH diale£l a.
Of th« following rerfion of the gofpels the conireoience, that ihe fame book, being tran-
age i» i»t certainly Icnown, but it was proba- flated in dificrent ages, aflbrda opporiunity of
biy wfitten between the time of Alfred tad that maiking the gradations of change, and bringing
oi dx i^sraaa* Gonqoed, and therefore nnay pro- one a^c in companion with another. For thii
perSy be inferted here. pnrpofe I have placed the Saxsn vcrfion and that
TrsollatioAa feldom afford juft fpecimens of* of IVieklifft^ written about the year 1380, in
laognage, and leaft of all thole in which a fcni- oppoftte columns \ becanfe the convenience of
poSona and ▼erbal interpretation ia endeavoured, eafy collation feems greater t|ian that of regujar
becanfe they retain the pbrafeology and ftru^ure chronology, of the original tongue j yet they have of^n this
L U C /E. Cap. I. j^ L' j^^ CnA». I.
FO R D 7^ CD Je pirobhcc otane^i ]7ohron ]?npa J'iRSa pace ^e-eobcbypbaD J^e on up ^pclb^be rpnr.
% Sfa vf- berKhcimjya %e hic of fpym %t gefafon. anb J>xpe tTn*c« Jjenap p*poo.
3 a?e 3cJ>«hre (oc tylij^ ppom ppuma]
rfia ice eftllnm. (mroj enbebypboejye ppiran ya^ f rlnrra Tbcophilur.
4 l^cr bo oncntps )»pa pcpba po^pffj^- prjT-e. Of pam iSt Jjux^peb eapr ; •
5 On pepdbcT basnm lobea cymnexcf . pzj- TK the days of Krotjdc kyng of Jadec thcr pam fKepb on naman. Zachapiaf' op Abtan J^ wsj a preft Zacaryeby name : 'ofihefort coae "3 l^ip pip P^cpop Aapooepbobrpum. of Abii, jind his wyf was of the doughtris of acbfayjie nama p«i" 6l»aberh \* Aaron ; and hir raime was FJlTabi'.'i.
6 So^bce hij parpon bnm pthtpft bepopan a Anbothe werenjude hi ore God: goynpt Xidbt. ^an^enbe on eaHom hip beb(>bam '3 all the maandementis and juHifyingi? of the ptbrppaeppombntta ppohc^i* Lord witboutcn play nt.
7 Anb
THE HISTORY OF THE
7 Ad>> his n«):bon ntn beapa. pnjMun I5e Cluftbecb pzf uabefienbe. *] by on hyfia btsnm bttca pofiU-eobun l»
8 SotSbcc pxf sej^ofxben )>a Zacha)\ttf hyf facepbhabcf bpieac oa bif Sepfiixlcf eobe- bjp)Mic|:re bef opan Ixo^.
9 iEprep ^pnatn \>zf f acepbha*Df f hlotcf . he cobe "(^ be hir of ppun^e yttce, 9a bt on Iiobcp cempel e4be.
10 €all pep> hxf picef pep nee S^^ib- benbe on psrpe opppunj^c Ctman «•
11 Da sc^pbe him Dpihcner enjel f^an- becbe oo }>Jt:j- pcopobef f pi^pan heaifre.
It Da pcapb Zachap-a|- j^bpepeb '^ j^- l^eonbe. "^j hinn rje onhpraf I •
13 Da cpxtl re en^el him Co. Ne onbped ])o Ze Zachaptaf . |:op})am ]>in ben tr Jchypeb. *] ^n pip Ghzabech ]>e fuou ceoo. anb )>u ncmp: hyf naman lobannep
1 4 T be bfS j)e Co Scpein "3 co bliprb. *] maoc^a on hyp t enrcbneppe ^tf^n:;^r.in!6 !•
I $ 8o%lice be hj/ti mxpe btpc^an Dpihcne. anb he nc bpircftS pin ne b<op. "] he bi^jepylleb on eoii];uni Capce. ]>onne 2Jt: o|p hip roobop inoo^.
16 And manc^* Tppahela beapna he S^^^ Co Dpibcne hypa G >bc.
17 And he {£% Copopan him on Sapce *} €bap mihce *)> he ptcbcp* heopcao Co hypa beapnom {ecyppe. ^ unj^ekappolle Co pihc- pippa ^leappcypc. Dpihcne polppemeb pole {ejeappian I •
1 8 i)a cpjt% Zachf p ap co ))am enjele. ^pa- num ptc ic ]?'p. le eom nu ealb. anb mm pip •n hype ba^um poptJeobe I •
1 9 Da ahbppapode htm pe • cnjel. Ic eom Habpiel. re )>e pcaube bepcpan Ixobe. anb ic com apenb pi^ f e pppecan. *] J* )»p bobian.
10 Anb nu ^u hpc pupijenbe. *] ]>\i prP«- , .can ne mihc o^ ]>one bi; fe ))ap )!inj jcpup-
fta^. popJ)am ]>u mmom popbum nc jclypDepc. J>a beo^ on hypacimanjepyilcbc '•
2 1 And "^ pole pa p Rachapiam Jc-anbibi- {enbe. anb pi^ubp«bon "f be on ])am cemplc lsECp*r>
11 Da he nr-eode ne rr.ihce he him co- pppecan. "j hi^joncner.pon ^ he on Jsam cemple rumc gephci5c jepeah. -3 he parp bicnicnbe hym. "J bamb {^upr.punciie ; •
13 Dapxp 5*pcpbfn))a hip J^cnnn^a ba^^p jcpyllcbc pxpon he pf pbe Co hip hupe I'
14 So^hce af rep bi«jum Chzabcch hip pip 2:ccacncbe. anb hco btbijludc hij pip roonj^ap. *] cpx9.
25 8^Wlce nic Dpihten l^c^yic )>up on J>am bfjum )>che j;cpcah mjijac l»(.pp bctpux man- aga n apyppan >
26 8otJlice on J)am pyx ran mon«Se yxf apenb liabriicl pc enjel fpam Dpihcne on CahUa gjapcpc. )>f pc aaraa ficj- Nazipcch.
3 And ihei hidden 00 chiM, for Blizab waa bareyo and boche wcren of greet oge io dayea.
4 And it bifel that whanoe Zacarye Ichoi do ihe office of prefthod in the ordir of hiacou to fore God.
$ Aftir the cuftora of the prefthed, be we forth by lot and eotridc into the temple to < oenfcn.
6 And tt the maltttnde of the paple v without forth and preyedc in the hoar of < cenfying.
7 And an aangel of Che Lord apperide him : and flood on the right half of the auter eocenfe.
8 And Zacarye feynge waa afrayed : and drc fel upon him.
9 And theaongel fkyde to him, Zacaryedre thou not : for thy preler ia herd, and Elixabc thi wif fcbil here to thee a (one : and hia nac fchal be clepid Jon.
I o And joye and gladyng fchal be to thei and manye (chulen have joye in hia oatyvyte
I I For he Ichal be great bifbre the Lon and he fchal not drinke wyn ne fydyr, and i fchal be folfild with the holy goft yit of hia na d r wombe. ^
I a And he (chal convert manye of the chi dren of Ifrael to her Lord God.
13 ^iid he fchal go btfbre in the fpiry te ai verttt of Helyc : and he Ichal tnrne the bean of the fadrifr to the (bnts, and men ont of b^ leeve : to the prudence of juft men, to make r dy to prefer puple to the Lord.
14 And Zacarye feyde to the aungel : wher* of fchal Y wyte this > for Y am old : and nr wyf haih gon fer in hir dayea.
1$ And the avogel anfwerde and feyde \ him, for Yam Gabriel that ftonde nygh befoi God, and Y am fent to thee to fpeke and to 4 vaogeJife te thee ihefe thing ia> and lo thou fcha be doumbe.
16 And thou fchalt not mowe fpeke, til ini the day in which ihefe ibingia (chulen be dei for thou had aoi bclc-vcd my to wordis, which fchulen be folBId in her tyme.
17 And the pople was abidynge Zacarye : ai thci wondrtden that he taryede in the temple.
1 8 And he gede out and myghte not fj|leke ( hem ; and ibei knewen that he hadde feyo vifioun in the temple, and he bekcnide to hem and he d we Hide ft i lie donmbe.
19 And it was don whanne the days of hi office ^ereo fulfillid: he wente into his boas.
£0 And aftir thefe da yes Elizabeih his w confeyvede and hidde hir fyve monethis an fcyde.
2 1 For fu the Lorde dide lo me in the dayi ii whichc he biheld to take away my rcprof amonj men.
%i But in the fixte mooethe the aungfl Ga
bricl was fent from God : into a cytee of Gait
lee whof name was Nazareth.
«7 T.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
17 To be^>9b<^c fmoan mnmn peric »3 To a ratydmi weddid tot m*n: wbos )tf|- MUM Jwc|- lofep. op Daoibep hufc T name wisJoGrph^of the housof Diuuh, todihe ftpe fcmnan nama pxf Wtfiia. ~* - -*. -
i8 Da cpac^ r* «ni«l instnjenfec. pal pep ^rn^^c •gfepjW^>> Dpihrca nub ]>e. ^u fiivt jpWerf u!b 00 fif am I*
19 |?a fear\% beo op hif rrP*^ S*^P*F*^* n^^cc bfzc fco^ecios pa-fte.
30 Da cp«9 r* ^°35«*- '^^ on^futb J>u ?Je
8(AAicc na
}»a na lonobe acb hie
naman ^xlenb
3» isb f ano cefifx
oame dk the maydua was Marye.
14 And the aungel entride 10 hir, and fayde, heil ful of grace the Lord be with thee : bleilid be thoti among wyosmen.
2$ And whanne (che haddeherd: fchcwas troublid In hU word, aod thonghte what manner fiiUtacioan this was.
16 And the aungel (cid to hlr, ne drede not thou Marye : for thou haft fonnden grace aoeptis Gcd
17 Lo thou fchalt confeyve in wombe, and fchalt here a fone: and thou fchalt ciepe his name JheTas.
18 This (hall be gret: and he fchall be depid
ertsoeV anb bim fyiTJ Dnihren Iioi: hij" the fone of highefte, and the Lord God fcKat
33 i^^fae fitq^^ on ecnefpe 00 lacobcf hafe. T hq" picef «nbc ne bA *•
geve to him the feete of Daaiih his fadir.
^9 And he fchal regne in the housof Jacob withoaten cnde, and of his rewme fchal be noon ende.
30 And Marye leyde to the tangel, on what maoer fchal (hit thing be don ? for Y knowe not man.
31 And the aungel anfwerda and fcyde to ISafT OD pe hicfin^ ^ ^f heahf Jwn mihc hir, the holy God fchal come fro above into be of epfceabaTl. aob pap^^tm "f halite )w of thee : aod the vertu of the highefte fchal oner
34 Da cf«^ CPafua ro Jam enj^le. hujepyit^ Jif . pifi^aai ic f^p€ ne oncnape ;.
3$ 9te aiib potc hype je ei^el Se hal^a
btS. teS I'o^r r^^^ Jf nemneb.
^
^6 Sflb on. Cbxabcrh ^ ma^e fuov on hifve ylbe ^cacaa^. anb ^p mona^ if hyjie yyxra. feo if tti^bepeiibe senemneb
37 Poft^am atf ntlc popb mtb Cobe upmi-
hrenc**
3t l>acpa1lCI>ariia. ^efi If Dfiihrncr )'uien. pepof^ ae cp:ef\ >invm popbe ;• Anb pe c^pt hype pum-sepac :•
39 G^Sbce on («m bajam apaf lPaj\ia *^ fepbe cA tDonclanb mtb opfre. on Inbeif q\e
40 1 eobe mco Zacbaptaf bufe. *] Xj\ex^ze
41 0» pacf sepofibeo ]tt Ghzaberh Jehypbe CDafttaa SP'ennse. ^ jef^nabe 'f alo
on
fchadowe thee: and therfore that holy thing that fchal be bornn of thee : fchal bt dcpide the fone of God.
31 And to Elizabeth thi cofyn, and fche alfo hath confeyved a fone in hir eelde, aod this monethe is the fixte to hir that is ctepid bareya.
33 For every word fchal not be impoflyble aoentis God.
34 And Marye fcidc to the bond maydon of the Lord : be it doon to roe aftir thi word > aod aungel departide fro hir.
35 And Marye roos up in tho dayes and wente with hafte into the mououyucs into a citeeof Judee.
3^ And Iche entride into the hous of Za- carye and greile Elizabeth.
37 Aod it was don as Elizabeth herdc the fa- lotacioun of Marye the young childe in hir
-tab ^ peaplS e:»abete hali^um wombe gladide, and Elizabeth was fuifild with
anb and
Infxc sefyllcb.
4a f beo cfypobe roicelpe fcefne. cp^ £>aeapc becpuz pipmx j^ebletf ab jeoiecfiib If ^nef tnno^f p«frm.
43 "3 hpaava if me ^f . 'f ooinef Pjuhrcif acbcft CO me come I*
44 Sana f pa )»&ne Sn^cinje ft:ef o on mi-
the holy Goft.
38 And cryede with a gret voice and feyde, bleflid be thou among wymmen and bleflld be the fruytof thy wombe.
39 And wherof is this thing to m«^ that the inodir o\' nay lord come to me ?
40 For lo as the vois of thy falutacioun wa^* capons jepopben p«f . ]>• p ahnnbe £m niaad ia myn eeris: the yong child gladide in
ll^borc] OHfl a b on muttmmno]>e. joye in my wombe.
45 A^ eabif )Nieapc]hi ))c ;sel7|:befC. j$ 41 Aodbleffid be thou that haft beleeved: fg^fliemebe fpnc^ ^nj;^ Jwfpam Dpihrne for thUke thingis that ben feid of the Lord to i/tf^ rtolb *• thee fchulen be parfytly don.
46 On cfia Cl?apia. CITin fapel mzpfa^ 4% And Marye fcyde, my foul nu^nifieih Dpibcen. * the Lord.
47 7 into f ifC {ebbffube on Cobe mi4iim 43 Aod my fpiryt hath gladide in God myn
helthe. 4$ Fofipun fe pt J^efeah hif ]nnene eab- 44 For he hath behulden the mckene.Te ol sr^ffe. StAtiee h«onam*Fofi9 me ead>2« his haadmayden : for lo this allc >Mg^ ealle cueopeffv* tcholen feyc that I sm bleHi J.
gcneraiioUi*»
49 Pop-
THE HISTORY OF THE
49 Fcp))im J)e me myccle ]>!nJ5 "tfbt fc be iDjhtpS If. T hir nama if halij.
50 "■} ntf milb hc^pcrer ©F cneoperfc on cn€of\ref j-c hme orbp etenbum *•
5 1 B* pophre majne on hif ctpme. he to- bsibc )}a cpcpmiban on mete hypi hccpttn
52 Be apc-^pp ])a pican op fec!e. zah ])a ea^J-mcban upahop.
53 Bin5n»5«nbe he reib jobum jcpylbe. "j opcpmo^e ibele poplec.
54 Be apcnj Ippahel h f cnihr. *] Seroasbe hif lEilb-heopcoef fe
55 8pt he ripacc to vpum pxbe paxii. Ab- pihame anb hip psbe on a peopuib * •
^6 8o%lice CP«pia punube mib hype ppylce ]>f\y mon^ap. *i jepenbe J)t ro hype hupe !•
^7 Da P'p S«FXl*cb Clizabethe ceaoic^^-tub. 10b heo punu cenbe.
5^ T hype n«hchebupap. ^ bype cu^an "p Jjehyp^wn, "f Dpihten hip milb-fceoprneppc inib hype mstppubjC ~] hij mib hype bl pp^don !•
<9 Da On pam ehCeotSan daje hij; coroon *)j CI lb ymbpniVan. anb nennbon hine hip pzbep Daman Ztchapiam * •
60 Dt anbpypapobe hipmob^p. Ne pe po^ep, ftc he hi% lohftnnep ^cnemneb l»
6 1 Da cpa.bon hi Co hype. Nip nan on picpe mz^^e ]}yppum naman 2;enemneb *•
61 Da btcnobon hi Co hip pxbep hyxc be palbe hrne ^enemneboe heon I*
63 pa ppac he S^bebcnvm pex-bpebe. lohtonep ij- hip nama. %a punbpobon hip ealle I •
64 Da peap^ pona hip mu^ ^ hip cunje Xc-opcnob.-j he pppic. Dpihcen blecpijenbe • C
65 Da peap^ ej^e j^epopben i pep ealle hypa nehchebupap. anb apep eaile lub&a munc-laab pzpoo )>ap prpb;^epibmnppobe.
66 ^ ealle }>^ ^e hic ^ebypbon. on hypi heopcan peccun *] cp%bon. J?enpc ^u hp*c by^ )>ep coapa. picoblice Dpiticnep htnb pip mib him * •
6y Anb Zichapiap hip pibcp pxp mib halcjum HtjXe jepyllcb. -3 he picejobe «nb
68 Ue' letpub py Dpihten Ippabela Kob. pcpjjam ye he Sf^neopube. -^ hip polcep alypebneppe bybe.
69 Anb he uf hxle hcpn tpxpbe on Dauibcp hupe hip cnihtep.
70 Spa he pppscc ))uph htp hale^^a picetent mutJ. )>t ^e op poplbep ppym %e ppp^con.
7 1 *] he alypbe up op upum peoobam. anb op ealpi ]>apa hanba }>e up haceboo.
y% W\Vb heopcneppe to pypcenoe mibopom parbepum "^ ^emunan hip haleSan cy^neppe.
73 Byne W to p^llenne ))one a1$ \>e he npum pxbep Abpahame ppcp.
74 pxc pe butan ej^e. op upe peonba hanba alypebe. him }>eopian.
75 On halijneppe bepopan him eallum upnm ^5um ••
76 Anb J)tt cnapa bipc J>«p fcchptanpitcga jenemneb. J)tt prpc bepcpao Dpihtnep inpyne. hip pcjJip 5Cip;'ian.
4$ For he that ia might! hath don tomegr«te thingis, and hianame is holy.
46 And his merfy i» fro kyndrede into kyn- dredis to men that dreden him.
47 He made royt^ht in his arm, he Icateride proude men with the thoughte of his here.
4B He let down myghty men fro Icete aod enhannfide meke men-
49 He haib fuifillid hungry men with goodis^ and he has left ricbe men voidc.
50 He havynge mynde of his roercyitook up Ifrael his child.
91 As he haih fpokun to our fadris, to Abra> ham, and to his feed into worldib.
5Z And Marye dweUide with hir as it were thre monethis and taroed again into his hous.
$3 But the tyme of beringe child waa fuifillid to Elizabeth, aod I'che bar a fon.
$4 And the neyghbouris and cofyos of htr herden (hat the Lord hadde magnyfied his mercy with hir, aod thei thaokiden him.
5^ And it was doon in the eightiihe day thei camen to circurafide the child, and thei depiden him Zacarye by the nanoc of his fadir.
56 And hia modir anfweride and (eide, nay \ but be (halt be depid Jon.
$7 And thei feiden to hir, for no man is in thei kyndrede that ia depid thia name.
58 And thei bikenydcn to hia fadir, wlut h« wolde thai he were depid.
$9 And he axiogc a poyntcl wroot (ieiyngey Jon is his name^ and alle men wodriden.
60 And anoon his mouth was opcnyd and his tange, and he fpak and bleifide God.
6 1 And dredc was maad 00 all hir aeighbourta, and all the wordis wcrcn publUchid on alle the mounteynes of Judee.
62 And alle men that herden puttiden in her herte, and feiden what manner child fcal ibis be, for the bond of the Lord was with him.
^3 And Zacarye his fadir was fiil6llid with the holy Coft, and profcctcde and feide.
64 Bleflid be the Lord God of Ifrael, for he has viixtid and maad rcdcmpcioun of hia puple.
6^ And he haa rered to ua an horn of helthe in the hous of Dauith his child.
66 As he fpak by the mouth of hifc holy pro^ phetis that weren fro the world.
67 Helth fro oore encmyeSf and from the hond of alle men that hatiden ua.
68 To do merfy with oure fiidrisi and to have mynde of his holy teftament.
69 The grote 00th that be fwoor to Abraham our fadir.
70 To geve himfelf to us. that we without drede delyvered fr6 the hond of oure coemyea ferve to him-
7 1 In holineiTe and rightwifiKflc before him, in all our dayea.
7 ft And thou child fchalt be depid the pro- fete of the highefte, for thou fchalt go before the face of th« Lord to make redy hifo wcyes.
73 To
ENGLISH LA N G U A G E.
T: TofjfflcK bir poke fasle %tfiC oo bjfu
*S l>^fb isomf ufi^f Irobtf nul^ heo- paqrc. on ^to be sf scncof o(be of cspcbaelc
79 Cci^facu ^am ^e am \ji t|mm *] on ^*>^Ix<Btepvc>^ ■p' pec ro scficcccaDiie
to SoiOicc fe CMpft pcox. -) p«r oo ST^ ?ntt^ 9 *] fief on frixenom ot( )^iie
on Ij-fuhel**
Ofibe Sttn poetry lane fpedmea is occeT- ftn^ ifei^ ow igooraocc of the laws of their fl»e nd t!ke qvudties of tbetr fy lUblet, wlitcb ^vcoidbe vcrj difficvit, perhaps impoffiblc, to 'wnr, exclB'fes vt from that pleafare which !&c o^d buds Bfidonbudly gave to their contem- frtrn,
Tht ^ potty of the Saxtms was withoot i^Tse, tad conCeqneatly rooft have ikpended i9« dK <|aiacit7 ^ '^i' fy^'*^!^ * ^^ ^cy ^(^ iatiBt to imitate their neighbours, and c^ 'beir fciies with oorrefpoikleat Ibonds.
Tfct two paflages, which I have feleaed,
c^«'« sfj^iemW the rudiments of our prefcot
•-Jt actiBrcH *od the writers may be jnftly
•^^BiionJ as the gtaoine aoceftors of the £•-
^ OB hra fcpe i^bfubm, J^*t \t IStaoe ope biift»e ne motes, ^'^ * ^bnsc^ dome. B« r rr t b«r ao^ bote ^ ^ famoficB borne. J'**^ :ra oo 1fc|- imbelafib ^"c^Scf^licf-ontbe, *:*pBae aab porse and ifpiiic, 'rtaabcDlofltee. 'v KB dbrft ^Uttne ic fej",
* r-*tnfi -J ec a kfie.
• ntei acpc^Janne ic beto«, FT ojjite Co bi mope
^St*fcjoe |-ei«e uopistc, ^" rae o))ef\ «c|i chilbe. ^ N cocnea oo eocic fXe^ ^^S:bhBnbimih>e.
?«^nctohir piae.
? F*i(ttB plac eofuch man,
••'F^ebebtt^tliue.
^CepKk maa mb -f) he haac9,
:*>75nibeBifUvhe.
^ ^5»ae sa^ tfntk he oneppetS,
ti "^.^ 1 *iie rtrfppen, ' *rt|« on hif hbre. P??>t hyec l5cBche% anb hpct ^>,
'T aoioaqib rpich i|- xip:, >e wkiag rpich irbprfire.
ftstae -J tp^ •jall^CtTt ^Uiir w bi|-hoaW.
73 To gtre fcieoce of heclth to hit pnple m- to remiffioon of berfynnes.
74 By the inwardenefs of the merfy of ours God, in the which he fpringyog op fro on high hath vifitcd os.
Ti To geve light Co them that fitten tn derk- neffis, and in fchadowe of deeth, to drelTe ootb feet in the weye of pees ;
76 And the child wezidc, and was confBrtid in fpiryt, and was io defert placis till to the day of his fehewiog to YfraeL
^b«3alf hiTpiUeir, On |-ea anb ec on lodbe.
B^ ir opb albucen opbe, Abb enbe albncen enbe. Be one ip cope on eche prehe, IDeobe pep tJn peobe.
Be If bnoen of abb bme^eo, Bioopen anb ec bibinb. 8e man f jobcf piUe brtJ, Bic mai faioe aihpap mnbe.
Cche pone he ibepTS, Anb por eche bebe.
Be ^oph |-ij^ echef iVaoc, •
UJai hfar fel op «o pcbe.
8e man neope nele b30 J^ob, Ne neape Job lip leben. €^ beTJ "J bom come Co bif bopt, Be oui him rope abfiebeo.
Bvi^q^ 1 TSnppt: hece *] chcld^ GcSfe Bob all nnhel^ Doph belf com on ^f mibelapb. Sob o^ponifeltfe *i
Ne mai son bepce hic i^enafae, Ne no ron^e celle. ^t mncfaele pinom anb ho oele, Bic^ moe belle.
Looie Gobmib ope hiepce. Aob mib all ope mibce. Anb ope emcpifxene ppo op f dpi Sfo Of lepeW bpihce.
* Some fei babbetJ lefr* niep;^8e, j
Anb^f ome 9q\ habbe^ mope. €cb epcep Tten j$ he bebe, Cprep "{J be f pane fojxe.
Ne f el tlep bi bpeb ne pin, Ne ojicp kennef e|xe. God one fel bi echef hp, Anb blip^anb eche pefre.
Ne f al Zajx hi f cere ne f^nb, Ne pop^f pele none. Ac p meps)>e 'f meo of bihat:, All fall ben 30b one.
Ne mai 00 mep3]>e bi fpo mndiel, Spoif jobep ipb^e BiHf fo]> pine anb bpihr, Anb bai bnre nihre.
Oep If pcle bore pane, Anb pef re buren if pmche. 8e *}) mat acb nele 9cbej\ cocr.e, 8ope hir fel oop^enche
Dep If bl;fre buren rpeje, Ai>b li|: bacen bea^^e i>cr c'Jpe fuUcn pome %ep,
[ d ] BUto
THE HISTORY OF THE
Bl>9e hi ble]> tnt ett5e. ^i biben heom m qwaficepne ]>a^ mlbfief ^
Bef\ jf S^^^X^fe bureti elbe, rotkcj- ^ pftbef ptfion inoc. ■] |upeb heom
Anb elde burcn unbel))e. PF*' Some hi b.bcrj m cfiucet huf, •J5ijrin
Nif ^ep popje ne f ofi non, »n ccycc *}) pap pccpr •] nineu. *;; uo-bep. -j
Nc non unifcItJc. bibe fcseppc r'^jmcr ]>tj\ inne. *] })pcaj^ J)c
De|\ me fel bj\:hcen ifen, roan ))af\ innc "p hi bpscon alle J>c iimep In
fipoafcheif mibipffe. mam op J)e capclep pxpoa lop "j Jpi. •p
Be one mil anb pel al bien, pxpon pchcntcXep 'f tpa oTkfi ))pc men ha^
GnJ^lep and manncp blipcc. ^n onoh to baepon onnc *{) pap ppa maceb *Ji ij-
To t5ape blipce up bpin^ TJob, p«pcncb ro an bcom. "] bibcn an pczpp ipcn a-
Dec pixe^bttren enbe. buton ))a manoep J)pote •] hip halp. "p he nc
Danne he upe paula unbinC. mihte nopibeppapdep nt picc^n. ne lien, ne
Op iichamhce bend. plepcn. oc bxpon al "p ipen. Warn )>open hi
Cpipt Jeue up lebe ppich lip, bpapen roib hun^xp. J fle canne. *] ne mai
Snb habbe ppicbne ende, tcllen alic J)e J)unbepr oe alle ))c pinep -p
Dec pe nnocen tJ.bep cumcn, hi bibbcn ppecce men on hip lanb. ^ "p laj-rebe
i)anne pe hennep penbe. ]>a x i x. piatpe pile Srephne pap king. *^
aeupe ic pap uueppe anb naeppe. Bi lsibea«
About ihc year iigo^ the Saxgn began to S^'I^P on J>« tunep aeopeu pile. ^ clepeben
eske a form in which the beginning of the pre- iz cenpepie. ]» }>e ppecce men ne habben
reni£i'^/r/2r may be plainly difcovercd, this change nan mope ro J^iuen. ]>a pxuebea hi anb
teems not to have been the r0e£t of the iVi9riK4is bpenboo alle pc tanep. j$ pel ha mihrep
conqueft, for very few French words are found papen all adaeip pape pculbepr pa neupe-
to have been introduced in the firft hundred years pinben man in Cuoe pirrenbe. ne ianb cileb.
a.'ter it ; the hinguagc muft therefore have been £>a paf copnbxpe. ^ plec. T oepe. "^ bucepe.
altered by caufes like thofe which, notwithdaod- per nan ne paep o })e land. Wpecce men pcup»
ing the care of writers and focieties inflituted to uen op hun^xp pume jcben on xlmep pc
obviate them, are even now daily making in- papen pum pile picc men. pum pluj^eo nc
novations in every living language. 1 have ex- op lanbe. U)ep nscupe ^r mape ppecceheb
hibited a fpecimen of the language of this age on lanb. ne nzupe he9en men peppeneb.ben
from the year 113; to 11 40 of the Saxcu chro- pzn hi biben. pop ouep pi^n ne pop-hapen hi
nicle, of which the latter part was apparently nou^en cipce. ne cypce-ixpb. oc nam al ^e
written near the time to which it relates. 50b p ]>jp ionc pap. ^ bpenben py^en }>e
cypcc -^ alrcSzbcpe. Kc hi nc pop-b^pen
DipSxpepop ]>e kin; Stcphnc opep pse Co bipcopcp lanb, ne abbocep. ne ppeoptep. ac
Nopmanbi. -^ ptjx pep unbtp p^njcn. poptSi "p pxueben niuneCLp -^ clepekep. "j zopic man
hi penbcn "f he pculbe ben alpuic alpe ))e eom o?Jep J)c ouep myhce. Dp rpa men o^fpi
pep. -J pop he hkbbe Jet hip cpcpop ac he co- Jjpc conr.aa p:bcnb ro an run. al J>e runpcipe
belb ir ~j pear jxird porlice. 07icel liabb« penpi piujcn pop heom. penben p hi pxpon pxucpep.
kinxxabcpcbj.lb-j pyiuep anb na 50b nc bibe De bipcopcp ^ leptb men heom coppede
me pop hip paule papop l).i )?c ki 115 Srephne arupc oc pap heom nahr )}ap op pup hi pjc-
ro enjlalanb com }^a macob he hip Jabi p.nj p<»n all pop-cupparb *^ pop punpen *] poplopen
«c Oxcne popb. -] })ap he nam J)e bipcop Ro^tp UJap pje me rilede J)c ep^c oe bap copn.
op Sepepbcpi. "j Alexai.Vpbipcop op Lincoln, pop }>e lanb pap all pop-bon mib puilce bxbep,
•^re Canctlop Rojcp hipc ncuep. ^ bibc scUc -j hi pajben ppenlice p Cpipr plep. •] hij-
in ppipan. ril hi j^pen up hrpe caprlep Da pe halechcn. Suilc "^ mape ]}anne pe cunoen
puikep undepjjeron "p htt milbc man]7ip. -j paein. pe ]}olenben x 1 x pmrpc pop upe pinnef ,
popre p 50b. -^ na jtipripe ne bibe. J>* biben On al J>ip yuelc rime heolb Waprin abbor
hi alle punbcp. Di habbtn him manpeb maktb hipabborpice xx. pmrep. *] halp jcp. ^ viii.
anb atJjp puopen. ac hi nan rpeu^e ne heolben bjetp. mib micel puinc. *} panb J)e munekep. ^
alle he picpon por-ppopen. *j hepc rpeo^ep re jcprcp al 'f heom bchoucb. -i heolb mycel
pop lopen. pop suptc p'ce n«n hip caprltp capireb in rhe hup anb J?o^ ptScfxe ppohre
oiakere anb aj-Kocp hioi hcolben. anb pylbcn on J>e cipce ^ rerre J)ap ro lanbcp *] penrcp.
J)c lanb pull op c.-prlcp. Di puencrcn puitSe -} Jo^cb ic puy%e anb laer ir pepen anb bpohrc
pc ppecce men op J^e lanb mib caprlc-peop- heom inro pe ncps roynprpe on p. Petpep
c«p. ]>a ]>e caprlep papen makeb. j)a pylben hi mxppe dzi mib micel puprpcipe "f pap anno
mib bcoulcp an^ yuvle men. Da namenhi)>a ab uicapnarionc Dom. mcxl. a combuprione
men Jx: ei penVn, p am job hepbcn. ba^e be loci xxi 1 1. Anb he pop ro Rome*] }>xp pep
nihrep anb be da:icp. capl-mcn^ pimmen. an*© pel onbcp-panjcn ppam pe Pape Gujenie. -j
biben heom in jpipon tf r^p julb anb pyluep. beji^r rhape ppjuile^iep. an op alle })e lanbcp
•] pintb heom un rdleiiblice pining, pop ne op J-tabbor-pice •] an 0(5ep op J?e lanbep pe lien
p«pcn nteupe nan maprypp Ppa pineb alpe hi ro ]>c apce-pican. *] Jip he lenj moprc liuen.
pspon. We henjt^ u}> bi pc per and pmokeb alpe he minr ro'bon op Jjc hopbep-pycan. Anb
heommibpulpmokeme hcnj.d bi )>e jjumbep. he bej^r in lanbep •}> p.cc men hepben mib
oUep hi pe hepeb. ^ hen:^en bpynipcp on hep pcppn5j)e. op iJDillclm Walbuir >c heold Ro- per CPebibe cnortcb ptpenjep aburon hcpe S'^i^*"* hitueb. "3 uup)'«Seo ro p ir jxbc pe h«pncp.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
^mj^im pe c«pBel he p*n tlorinsh«m "j he polbe uucn heora up UJin-cefCfie. "j b>^ €'pnm. "3 op ^iijo of llklroile he pan ^jn> hcom comen jMbcfi. Da hi J>jcp innc px^iea fci^b. -J Scaaepi^. "^ lx. fo4- of Albc- J)a com Jjc kinjep cuen . . . hij\e ftfienX^e •) fJ^ «rlc 5^|x- Sob he mftkebe maoie bcf at heom. -f )>cj\ pxf inne micel hun^^zn. mnnekq*. -j pUnrebe pinixp,b. "j mtkebe Da hi ne lenj ne muhccn }>olea. J»a ytali hi ixume peofik«r* T pen^ J)c ciui bcrepe }>aa ur ^^ rl>>S^(^ T ^» puj\^n paji pt^uren ^ ir xp pap xnib pty ;5oi> munec *3 Job man. polccheben heom. anb namen Rofebefic eofvl *7 p»|\7h lu InneWea God ar> S^^ '"^^^ ^^ ^F trlou cef rpe anb lebben him Zo Rouc- fe piikn r^S^" r°™ ^^ F*^ belamp on certpe. anb bibcn Jjapie in fXi'.run. anb Scephoe kio^ej^ ome. On hif time J>e Ja- tc cmpepice pleh mro an mynfrfie. Dm. bear ®F Nof\-pic bohroa an Lniften cilb be- pecpben ^a pij-e men bttpyx. J)c kmgtif fcpen CjTpea. anb pmeben him al!e ])e ilce pjiennb ~j re eofilep |:j\eond. anb pahrlcde pRung -f itpe Dfiihcen pap pineb. aob on lanj- f na -p me f calbe lecen ut: ))e kin^ of pf\if u:i ppibf I him on pobe henjeo ^op ufic CfiibCDer F^T^ N ♦'opJ. 1 tc copil j"c/j\ J>c king. *^ j-aa Inac '3 rj^*** byfiicbea him. UJciAven ji it bibcn. SitSen^epi epteri j-achltben )>e kinj ^ j-caTbe bea pcft-holen. oc ufve Dpitia atypebc Ranbolp eof\I at btan-popb -j a^cf fj>Qj\en "P he pai" halt raafitji^. *] to munekef him anb rpcu^ej- p-ij-ton *J5 hep nou^ep pculbe fwmrn -j bcbyfiieb him he^lice. in iSc myn- hej"\iikcn o^efi. *] it nc pojipcob naht poji ftfie. T KD^Let ^oji ape Cjuhtm pundeplice ]?e ksnghim j-i^cn nam inB»n^^«'»- J'ophcpiCQi afib mam-f tbhce mtfuiclef. *] hatte he p^b. ^ bibe him m fpifo*^ T ^F T^^^^T ^^ I" Uhilelm** ict him ut J>uphe p>"Prc peb to "{? F°n«'
On hif Xxji com Dauid kinj op Scotlanb papbe *f he f u p on hiiibom. ^ Syf^^^F F*°^' mib opnete F^H^ ^^ f'F l^i^b polbc p'nnan *f) he alle hipcafti-j" fijulbc uu^u up. Same ^if lanb. n him com toj^-^nef IDillelm eapl of he iaf up anb purr.^ ne iap he noht. anb Albamafi fe king a^jbe hetehc' Cucp-pic. *] bibe J)anoc p*ppc ^irne he hxp pcuibe. Da Co oSSep focz men mib p«u men *] puhcen pib pap Co^le>iaDb pui^e to beleb. pumc hdben hrofli. -J plembcn J)e kinj wt te ptanbapb. ^ mibtc kinj. *] purre mib J>empepice. prp ju. flo^ea j-ni^ naKel of hip ^et!^ !• J)e kmj f/ny m ppipun. l>e penbcn \c eoplcp ^
Oa ^p pep polde J>e king 8tepbne tzcen tc picc men "p he neupe mape pcuibe cumme RoM)cpt copl of Llouccptpe ]>e ktoj^p pnne ut. 'j ji^htlcben py^ Jj^mpepjci. ^ bpoutcn B^eptcp- »c he ae mihte pop he p^pttt fi^i. hpe into Oxen popb a;ibjau. nhpe J>e bupch > Daeftcfihi ])e leogten fwptepebc fcpnnne. ^ Da tJe kirj pap uce. })a hepdc *)? p'Sen anb te bet X abatoo nontib d^jep. )>a men eten "p toe hip peopb *] bep*:t in {>e tup. -^ mc me Ithccde candlep Co xten hi. 3 "f pap xiri. Icthipe bun on niht op l>e tup nib panep. k f. Appil. pxpoD men pui^ oppunbpeb. ■;| ptal ut *] pc: pich *] ja^ on p tetotUa- Dep eftcp f opb-peopbe IStllelm i£pce-bipcop hnj-popb. Djtp eprep pes pepbe opep p«. ff Cactpap-bypOJ. *] te kinj; makcbe Teubalb ^ hi op Nopmanbi pen'&tn alle ppa j?c king iSpcc-bipcop he pap abbot in J?c Bee. Dtfi to ))e eopi cp Angxn. pume htpe J^ankcp ef cep pjrx fnio« miccI uucppe betuyx fe kinX T pume hepe un ))ankep. f.p he bcpaec *7 Razidolf eopl op Hxptpe noht fop^i y heom til hi aiauen up hepe baptler. ^ hi nan hcseJAf hiaa «1 ^ he culSe anex htm. alpe helpe ne hxp^en op ^e kin;^ Da pepbc he b,bc alle o^pe. oc «ppe J)e m^pe tap heom Cuptace J>e kinjcp pune to Fpance. •] nam ^ pxppe hi pypon him. Dc eopl heolb )>c km^ep puptcp op Fpaoce to pipe. Liaccl a^oep \:c kin^ "} benam hun al "p penbe to bt^xton Nopman'oi ]>xf\ ))aph oc he abte to baaen. *3 te kioj; pep }>»bf:p -^ he ppebbe litcl '3 be ^obe pihte. pep he yif farf^rtxe him "] bp bpo^p tOtllelm be an yuel man. pop pape pe he .... bibe R . . . ape in |?e captel. ^ tt eopl ptsel ut mape yuel }>anne j-b. he peufibc J)e ianbep "j
•] petibe eftep Robbept eopl op nionceptpe. laibc mic p on. he bpohte hip pipe
•j bpcjat turn ]>ibep mid miccl pepb. anb to Cngle-lanb *) bibe hjpc m ))C caprie
pkhccn f7i%e on Hanbelmappc-bxi a{cnep teb. 50b pimman pes px^", oc pc« hebbe heope lanepb. 1 namen him. fop hip men him Iitei blippe m:b bun. and xpipt ne jolbe "p he pifkeo -J pia3;.en. anb beb him to Bpiptope pcnibe lanS" pixan -j p:epb beb anb hip mo- aftib;ben}>ip in f5i.pnn. *;)... tcpcp. Da bep beien. "3 pe eopl op An;52up'pb beb. 'j pap all Cnj^le land pt^b map ])iBxpp.<.p. hip pune penpi tec to J)e p:cc. Anb te cuen aaball yacl pxf in lai.be. Defi epcep com ap Fpance tob«lbe ppa J^e km; T pci; com ]»e kitt^ f dohtep pcnpiep J)e hef^ ben €jn- to J)e iunje e -pi pcnpi. t he toe hipc to puie. pepic on 5'*macic. ^ nu pacp cuntcppe in "5 a I Pcitou mib hipe. Da pcpbe he mib micel X^sza. *;| com to Lunbene. ^ te Lur.be nippcc ptpb into enjle-Unb. *j pan captlcp. *] re folc hipc poibe tsrcen *] poc pleh. *;j poplcp km^ pcpbe ajcnep him micel mape pcp5. [>apaDicel*» Defx eptep )>e bpcop op tUia- *) poSpcpefxe putcn hi noht. oc pcpben Je ccfTpe i)«-opi )« ku^ep bpo'JS p Stephncp. iEpcc-b pop ^ tc pipe men bctpax heom. t rpac p b Robbept ecpl -3 pib J^empcpice aub makebe -p pahte -p te king pcuibe ben laucpb f pop hecm a?Jjp "p he ncupe ma mib tc king ^ kinj pile he liuebc -3 sptep hip bjci pape tif bpo^p polbc halben. *] cuppebe alle ):e Penpi kin^. *] he helbe him pop pabcp. -^ he men l« aiib him hcolbcn. t pjibc hcom "p him pop pune. anb pib -j poehte pcuibe
1^ d a 4 Lcn
THE HISTORY OF THE
''«n betpyx heom ^ on al €ns)e-lanb. Dif rouficn Co oUfie Fdjiauajibep j>ec hi makebrn «nb ce halben J)c kin^ •;) te cofil. tnb te bij-cop. *3 ce coplef. ^ ptcemen a He. D* paf )>c eofil nnbefipan^en set tDin-ccj-rpe anb xz, Lunbene mib micel f ufitfcipe. ami allebiben him man-pieb. anb f uopen ]>e paif Co halben. anb hit papb pone p ui^e job paip f"* '^ neupe fif hepc. Da pap ^c kinj pcpenjcpe })anne he xuepc hep pap. *] Ce copl pepbe coep fx, ^ al pole him luuebe. fofx hebibc job jupcipc •j makebe paip.
Nearly about this time, the following pieces of poetry feems to have been written, of which 1 have infertfd only (Hon fragments ; the firft is a rude attempt at the prefent meafare ' of eight' fyllables*, and the fecood is a natarai introduc- tion to Robert ef Ghucefter, being compofed in the fame meafare, which, however rude and barbarous it may fe^m, taught the way to the AUxaitdrines of the Frtnch poetry.
Tp U R m fee bi wefc fpaynge. X* If a lonb ihoce cokaygnc. Dcr if lonbunber heuenricbe. Of wel of ^obnif hit ihche. Boy paradif be mirt anb briyC Lokaygn if of fainr fiyc. Whar if ))er m paradif. Boc graffe and flnre anbgrenenf. Doy ^r be loi anb grec bate* Der nif met bote frute. Der if halle bure no bench, Bot watir man if J^urfto quench. Be]> ]7er no men but two. Deiy anb enok alfo. niinjlich may hi go. AVhar J)er woniJ> men no mo. In cckaygne if met anb bnnk. WiJ)ute care how anb fwmk. Be met if trie ))e brink fo clerc. To noce ruffin anb Topper. I figge for fo|) boute were. Ber nif lonb on crjie \( pere. Unber heuen nif lonb i wi(Tc. Of fo mochil 101 anb bhfle. Ber if mam fwete fjyte. A I if bai nif J>t'r no nyte. Ber nif baret ncfcr ft: if. IS'if J>er no bej) aC cuer lif. Ber nif lac of met no cloj). Ber nif no man no woman wroj). Ber nif ferpcnt wolf no fox. porf no capil, kowe no ox. ^er nif fchepe no fwine ne g^tc. No non hov/yla gob it wotc. N« )>er huate nofcrtobc. Be lanb if lul of oj^er goN:. Nif J^cr flci fie no lowfc. In clo}? in toune beb no houfe. Ber nilbunnir Pete nohawle. No non vile worrae no fnawilc. No non ftorm rem no wii.bc. Ber Dtf (ran no woman blinbe.
Ok al if game loi anb glc. Wel if him ]>at ]}cr mat be. Ber bej> rivcrf gret anb fine. Of oile melk honi anb wine. Watir ferui]? J)cr to no])ing. Bot to fiyt anb to waumng.
SANCTA MARGARETTA.
OLD E ant youngc i preic ou ourc folieT for TO lete. Binchet on gob J)at yef ou wit oarc fanacf co
bete, pere mai tellenoa. wib worbef feire anr fwccc- pe vie of ooemetban. wafhoten Waregretc-
pire faber waf a patriae af icou t^llen may- In aunrioge wif echef i ^c falfe lay. Deve gobef ant boumbc. he fcrvcd mtt «ac
80 beban mony obcrc. pat fingcb wcilawey. TheoboGoa waf if norae. on crift ne levetoc
he noatt. pc levedc on )« falfc gobef ^at perenwibhoa-
ben wroutc. Bo J)at chilb fcul1« chriftinc ben. ic com him
well in ]x>utt. € bcb wen it were ib«re. to be))e it were ib
poutt. Be mo^er waf an hcj>enc wif J>at hire to
wyman here Bo bat child ibore waf nolbe ho hit: farfiire. ^(enbe it into alye. wibmcflagerf ful yarc. To a nopice J>at hire triftc. ant fctte hire to
lore. Be nonce ])aC hire wide, cbilbren aheuebe
feaene. Be eitte^ waf Waregretc. criftef may af
heuene. Talef ho ani tolbe. ftil feire ant fill eueae. Wou ho })olcben martnbom. fern Laurence anc
lemte 8tfeuene.
In thefe fragments, the adulteration of the Sax9n tongue, by a mixture of the Narmnn^ be- comes apparent; yet it is not fo much changed by the admixture of new words, which might be imputed to commerce with the continent, as by changes of its own forms and terminations : for which no reafon can be given.
Hitherto the language ufed in this ifland, however different in fucceflive time, may be called Snxtn \ nor can it be 'expe£^ed, from the nature of things gradually changing, that any time can be ailigned when the Sax9n may be faid to ceafe, and the EngUJb to commence. i?#- hert of Ghucefler however, who is placed by the criticks in the thirteenth century, feems to have u ed a kind of intermediate diflion, neither Saxon nor EngHJb \ in his work therefore we fee the tranfition eahibited, and, as he is the firft of our writers in rhyme, of whom any large work remains, a more extcnfive quotation is extraft- ed. He writes apparently in the fame meafure with the foregoing author of St. Margarite^ which poJiCbcd into greater citctacf&y appeared
to
.0
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
b) m taeeivn b fsitaUc to the gnivs of the And weade ii^eo pfs Dcneys, Jnit miche we Etf^ hufn^ dsat it was continaed in ofe adde y do.
tMfi» ^ middle of the feveotccoch- cen- Vor vnjd tao hondred fljpes, 6c ib tlf at Temfe try. looab hti come.
And Lofldooo, and Kioteibiiry, tad o]>cr tonnct
F ^ hafajin of Dcaemtrcfci ^t hii nome,
dode fp bode And fo vor]> in to So^yercye, & flowe & bnode }« wvft wcte of alle o]wre« we mme tbbe an vafte,
koode. })ere ^ kyng and ys Com hem mette atu Uile.
W:r4 hn vcre vor o)>ere adde fnmwanne ydo, )>ere was biauyle ftrong yoon yfcny te in an prowe.
X» Kaatfn & Saioot, fie wei wnfte ))at load J)e godes kynj^tes leye adonn at grat, wan medef
}ota. raowe.
Ackiioekepteyt holde BQSt, bote robby, and Heneden, (^t ware yiinyte,) fie o]ier iymes
inde, alio,
Aid deftnc, & heme, fie fle, fie ne con))e abbe Plete in blode al fram )« grovnde, ar. ]>e batayle
au aide. were ydo.
Aii boce late yt oas war]>, ]>ey hii were oner- Wanoe )>at blod ftod al abrod, vas ]>er gret w«
cnse yioBM. i nun.
Vc: B^ flypes and gret poer aa preft eflbne hii Ky« yt rea])e vorto hare, ]>at me (b vole don ?
one ^ Ac onr faete Lonerd atte laite (Tewedc yt fnete
Kpg Adehiolf of ^ lond kyng was tnenty grace.
S^- ^ And iirnde )« CriAyne EnglytTe men])e mayftrye
j>e Ueatyt cook by hym rynor )>an hii dnde cr. in )>e place.
Vsr :a )k il oar vorft ;er of ys kynedom And ]>e be]>eae men of Denemarch byae})e were ^ ^t & ^lytiy Oypnol coca aer prince hyder ecbon.
UBX, ^ Non na« })er ^at in Denemarch Criftendom non ;
Aad a SoQ^hampCon aryned, an haoene by jm kyng her after to holy chyrche yt berte ]je
Sndu m.)re dron,
^)kfT fm oft Jmlke tyme arynede at Portef And te}>c;5ade wel fie al ys lond, at hii ajte, wel
nccj>e. y noo-
>* ^ja; aafie we)>er kepe, at delde ft oft atno. Seyn Swythyn at Wynchcftre bylTop ))o was,
.' DOB adde ^ n^yftie. )K>alwatydo. And Alcftoo at Syrebonrne, ])at amendede *^ ^ Eftaa^ie fie Lynddieye hii weode vor^ moche byt cat.
*^t htle, }>e kfog was wel ])e betere man ]>oni her beyre AiitotiaDnrard al by Kent, fie flowe fie bamde red,
^t. Tu^oty wynter he was kyog, ar he were ded.
AsawJQtcrhii weade hem. ano)>er ^«r eft hii At Wyncheftre hcwafybnred, at he 5at iy]»
cant J>cre.
Aaa oe^nde Kent al oat^ and Londone nome. Hy» tncye Ibnes he Jef ys lond, as he by^et ham /« il ta tea Jcr ^C lond hii bro^te )>er donoe, ere.
^< ^ ia ))e te)ie {jcr of )« kyoge^s croone, Adelbold, the eldore, ]>e kynedom of Eftfex,
^ t>ffav^ hu cone alond, am) ]>et fblc of So- And fii^}>e Adelbry^t, Kent and Weftfex.
>«r^ EySte hondred ^er yt was leneoe and fyfty ^^)>tl7ffopAl€ftoaand])etfolcof Dorfete. al fo.
^ ooa 8c finyte an bauyle, fie I>ere, ^m After ^t God oott'pe com, ]>at ]>yt dede was
/**^CKyi«cre al byae)>e, fie \>c lond folc adde Bo^ hii wofteby her tyme wel her kynedom,
V pUce, At }>e yyfte jer Adelbold oat of yj^ lyoe nome.
^aercprQwcfledade])o,^n])ekyngm7Ste At Sfyreboame he was ybored, fie yt brojier
'yioit, Adelbiyst
r^ gode londe men ne he]> no^ al verlore. Hyt kynedom adde after hym, at lawe wat and /* ^ vai ]« boldore ))o, fie ajcn hem Jw ryjt.
3k>re droa. By yt daye ^ verde nam of ]w he]>ene men wel A^ n fa«re godes (boea woxe vafte y non, prout,
^^^UsrdAdclbry^L, Edelred and Alfred. And Hamieftyre and deftrode Wyncheftre al f7 •» t ftilwarde tcm, fie of gret wyfdom fir oat.
^ And ]-at lond folc of Hamteflfyre hea red pe
*^ ^ycgo were al fsore, and defendede wel n9me
]v hiad. And of Barc(ryre,and fojte and I>e (Trewen oner*
A- ^Wyt dnde flame ynoo, ^at me volwel cnme.
, , '^ Adelbtyj^t wat kyng of Kent Sere* fblle tcne,
.' '^'*}* Se« of J)c kynge's kyoedom And o» Weft&x b«e vyuc, |)o he deyed ych
K tcc^c bae Adelbold gret oft to hym nome, west.
♦** r* tder t)h eod, and obere htve men al-
*, ' ADr^LRED
THE HISTORY OF THE
J)ft kyng Adelredfooe ])o J)en wev of <le]> nome.
A DELRED wts after hjm kyng y mid in As yt vel, J>e yffty jer of js kynedom.
Ajl J>epltce, At Wymbooroe he was ybared, as God je
Ey^ce hondrcd & feaene & fyxty as in 'pt T^er ]>at cts,
of grace. J)e godc Alfred, ys bro]>tt, after hym kyng was ^c vorfte jer of ys kynedom J»c Deneys ])ycke
com, A LFRED, jys noble man, as in J>e Jer o
And robbejie and deftrude, and cytes vafte Jt\. grace he nom
nome EyS^* hondred & fyxty 8e tuelue })c kynedom.
Maydres hii adde of her oft, as yt were duket, Arft he adde at Rome ybe, &, vor ys grete vryi
tucye, dom,
Hynguar and Habba, })at ffirewcn were beye. J>e pope Leon hym bleffede, )>o he fnder com.
In Eil Angle hii bj^leuede; to reft hem as yt And be kynge*s croune of hys bod, pat in "pf
were. lond ^nt ys :
Myd her oft a! J>e wynter, of ])c vorft Jere. And he led hym to be kyng, ar be kyng wen
)>e oj^erjcr hii dude hem vorp, & oner Homber ywys.
come. And he was kyng of Engelond, of alle J>at J>ci
And flowe to grouodc & barnde, & Eoerwyk come,
nome, }>at vorft J»ut ylad was of ]>e pope of Rome,
J>cr was bztayle ftrong f non, vor yflawe was And fubj>e ojwr after hym of J>e crchebyflbpe*
)>ere echon
Ofryc kyng of Homber lond, & monye ]>at with So ]>at hyuor hym pore kyng nas ]>er non.
hym were. In ])c SonJ) (yde of Tcraefe nyne batayles he
)>o Homberlond was ])us yflend, hii wende 6c nome \
tounes nome. Ajen J>e Deneys J)e vorft jer of ys kynedom.
60 )>at attc lartc to Kftangle ajcr hym come. Nye Jer he was J)U8 in J)y8 iond in batayle & in
}>er hii barnde & robbedc, & ))at (olc to grounde wo,
flowc, And ofte (yjje abone was, and bynepc oftor mo :
And, as wolues among Hep, reulych hem to So longe, }>at hym nere by leuede bote }>re
drowe, iTyrcnin ys hond.
Seynt Edmond was }>o her kyng, & )» he fey HamtcfTyre, and Wylteflyrc, and Somerfete, of
]>at deluol cas al ys lond. ^
]>at me mor)>redc fo )>at folc, 6e non amende- A day as he wery was, and afuoddrynge hym
ment nas, nome
He che^ leaete to deye hymfulf, ]}at fuch forwe And ysmen were ywend ouyfle]>, Seyn Cmbert
to y\ey. to hym c«m.
He duiic hym vor J) among ys fon, nolde ho no- ** Ich am,'* he feyde, •* Cutbert, to ^c ychara
pyg flc " ywend
Hii nome hym fie fcourged hym, flc foJ)J>e naked ** To bryngc J)o gode tytynges. Fram God
hym boundc '* ycham yfend.
To a tre, & to hym (Tote, & made hym mooy a ** Vor pat (Ac oi })ys lond to ^nne her wylle
woundc, ** al jeae,
]>at )>e arewe were on hym ]>o ]'ycce, ]>at no ^* And jat nolle herto her iynnes byleae
ftede nas byleuede. *^ ]>oru me & o)>er halewen, }>at in ]7ys load
Atte lafte hii martred hym, & fmyte of vs hcued. ** were ybore ;
}>e fyxte ^cr of ]>e crounement of Aldered ])e ^* ]>an vor joa bydde]> Cod, wanne we he]) hym
kyng. ** byuore,
A nywe oft com into hys lond, gret ])oru alle *' Hour Louerd myd ys eyen of mi Ice on ]>e
])yng, " lokej) ]>ernore,
And anon to Redynge robbede and flowe. ^ " And ]>y poer pe wole jyue ajcn, ]}at ]>ou «i|
^e-king and Alfred ys brofer nome men ynowe, *' ney verlore.
Mette hem, and a batavie fmyte up AflTefdoune. ** And )}at J^ou "per of fo]> yfe, pon (fait abbe
J>er was mony moder cnyid, J)at ibme lay })cr ** tokynynge.
donne *' Vor J)ym men, J)at bcf ago to day auyflfynge,
Pe batayle ylafte wort nyjt, and ])er were *' In lepes ficincouBes fo muche vyfs hii (Tolde
adawe ** hym brynge.
Vyf dukes of Denemarch, ir hii woldc wyj) " J'at ech man wondry (Tall of (b gret cacchynge.
drawe, ** And )>e mor vor J>e harde vorlle, )>at pc wa-
And mony ]>oufend of o]>er men, Se ))o gonne ** ter yfrore hp,
hii to fle ) ** Jjat J>c more ajm )>e kundc of vyflyng yt ys.
Ac hii adde alle ybeaflend, Jyfjje nyjt nadde y " Ot feme yt wel ajcn God, and ylct me ys
be. *' mefiager,
Taeye batayles her after J)e fulf Jjcre ** And bou itall py wylle abyde, as ychara ytold
Hii fmyte, and at bo}>e pe be])ene roayftres *" her."
were. At J>y8 kyng hcrof twoc, and of Jjys lyye J)o5tc,
Hyi
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
Hjs v^Akres come to hjm» ibgrctvoaof fjs "pe men of fysfalne Itod were of ]ie worl«
bva bro^te, P^s*
)« wooder yt was, 6c mmelfche vor ^ wcder And robbcde tod flowe o]>ere,})enior he bTixoodc,
tns (b cokle. ]>tt ]>er were hoodredes in eche cootreye of ys
)oi7vcde ^ god nuui wel, J^ttSyn Cntbert load.
addc ytold. And in ech tonne of ^ hondred t tefynge were
1a DevcnyfTyrc )>cr after aryocde of Deneys alfo,
^ and taenty {fyriaol men, all ajcn }>e peyt. And }>ac ech mtn wy]>oate get load in tej^ynge
}« kyogc*s bro^r of Denemarch dnc of oft wt«. were vdo*
Oaic kyngc^s men of Engelond roccte hem by And ]>at ediman knewe o^r}>at in te])yne were,
cuy And wufte forodel of her' (lat, ;^f me ]>u vp bem
And fisyte )>er io baiayle, and her gretdoc flowe, here.
And e73ce hondred aiod fbnrty men, & her o^ So ftreyt he was, }>at ^ey me ledde amydde
rooycs to drowe. weye« heye
y^ kyng Alfred hurde })ys, ys herte gladede ]k>. Seiner, pat non roan ne dorfte yt nyme, }>ey he
^at load folc u> hym coooc fo J^cke lo yt my^te yt feye.
go. Abbess he rerde mooy on, and oKmy ftudes
Of Socneriete,!^ WyltciTyrejOf Hamtenyre )>erto. ywy«.
E-nerc a« he wende, and of yt owe folc al fa, Ac Wyncheftrye he rerde on. ]itt nywe mnnftre
So pMt be addc poer yoon, and atte lade hti ^ ycloped ys,
come, Hyg lyf ey^te and taenty ^er in y« kynedom
And a bataylc at Edendono ajen ]>e Deneys ylsfte..
After y« de)) he was ybnred at Wyncfaeftre atte
And ilowe to gronndei & woode \)t mayftre of lade.
the relde
}« kyng 6c ys gret dnke bygoone hem to Jeldc ^ Sir Jdn Manieville wrote, as he himfelf
To p€ kyng Alfred to y. wylle, and oftages informs as, in the foarteenth centary, and hia
coke, work, which comprifiog a relntion oifmany dif-
Vano wende ont of ys land, J^yf he yt wolde ferent particulars, coofeqaently required the nfe
loke } of many words and phrafes, may be properly
And ^OL ]Kno, vor ys lone to auonge Criften- fpecified in this place. Of the following qaoU-
dom. ^ tioos, I have chofen the firft, becaufe it ihows,
Garmund, ^ hexte kyog, vorft J^er to in Ibrae meafure the ftate of European fcience
cocne. as well as of the Englijb tongue } and the ie-
Kyag Alfred ys god/ader was, & ybaptyfed ek cond, becaufe it is valaabje for the force of
^r were. thought and beauty of expreifion.
pretty of her hexte dokes, and much of ))at .
iolc }>cre T N (hat lend, ne in many othere bezonde
Kyag Al&ed hem hold wy}> hym tuelf dawes as X t^*(» °o m^u may fee the fterre tranfinon-
be hende, t>yne, that is dept the Aerre of the fee, that ia
And fa)>)>c he s^f bem large Sy^cs, and let hym unmevable, and that is toward the Nonhe, that
wrode. we depen the lode fterre. But men feen ano-
Hii, ^t nolde Criftyn be, of lande flowe }x>, tber fterre, the cootrarie to him, that is toward
And by^nttde fee in France dude wtl muche wo. the Southe, that is dept Antartyk. And right
px he ifrewea come ojen, and muche wo here as the (chip men takea here avys here, and go-
wro^te. verne hem be the lode fterre, right (b don (<£ip
Ac }« kyng Alfred atte lafte to flame hem enere men bezonde the parties, be the fterre of the
bffc^re Southe, the which fterre apperethe not to as.
Kyng Alfred ]>e wyfoft kyn];, ]>at long was And this fterre, that is toward the Northe, that
by Bore. wee clepen the lode fterre, ne apperethe not to
Vor yej me (egge ^ lawes be)) in worre tyroe hem. For whichecaufe, men may wel perceyve,
vorlore, that the lond and the fee ben of rowndo fcapp
Xat yt oo^it lb fails daye, vor ])ey he in worre and forme. For the partie of the firmament
«cre, fcheweihe in o contree, that fchewethe not in
Laws he mede lyj^noliore, and ftrengore ])an er another contree. And men may well preven
vcre. be experience and fotyle compaflement of wytt,
Cioc be was god ynov, and ^ut, ai me telle)) that zif a man fond paftages be fchippes, that
me wolde go to ferchen the worM, men myghte go
He was more )>an ten Jer old, ar he cou]>e ys be fchippe alle aboute the world, and abovea
abece. 'ud benethcn. The whiche thing 1 prove thus,
Acyigode caoderofite fnulc syfteshym toky aftre that I have feyn. For^I have been to-
Vurtobylene ober i7ie, and lokyonys boke. ward the parties of Braban, and beholden the
Sc ^ by por clergye ya ryji lawes he wonde, Aftrolabre, that the fterre that is clept the
}at aeaereer nere y mad, to gouernyys lond. transmontayne, is $3 degrees highe. And
AAJy&r be worre was fo muche ot ])e lu}>er more forthere ia Alroayne and Bewne, ic
Dcacyr, ^»^'*«
THE HISTORY OF THE
btthe $8 dtgrttt. And more forthc toward thit tftrc thtt, thit I raty parccyvc and com- the ptrtiesfcptcmtriontlcj, it is tfi degrees of prehend the loadet of Preftre John, emperouf beghte, tud ceriyn mynntes. For I my felf of Yndc ben undre ns. For in goyoge from have mefurc-1 it by the Aftrolabrc. Ntw Scoilond or from Englond toward Jerufalem, ichulle ze knowc, that axen the Tranfmon- men gon upward alweys. For our load is in tayne, i«ihet«?hcr ftt-rre, that is clrpt Aotar- the lowe parti e of the erthe toward the Weft : tyk; as 1 have feyd bc'ore. And tho a fterres and the lond of Pr«rtre John is the lowe panic ne meeven nevcre. Antl be him turnejhe alle of the erthe, toward the Eft: and they h&n the firmament, r.^hte as doihc a wheel, that there the day, when we have the nyghte, and tnmethe be his axille trtc } (o that tho (Icrrea »Jfo htghe to the contrtrie, thei ban the nyghte, beirn the firirairrnt in 1 fRallc parties; lo that when we han the day. For th« erthe and it hath alb mothil abovc-o, as it bathe bene- the fee ben of round forme and fchapp, as I •hen. A.'trt; t^i% I have gon toward the par- have feyd beforn. And that men gonupwa.rcl to cica meridicnaicK, that is toward theSouthe: o coil, men gon dounward to another coft. Alfo and I have fotuwlen thut in Lybje, men feen zee have herd me feye, that Jernfalem is in 6rft the Iterrc Anurtyk And fo fcr I have gon the myddct of the world ; and that may men more in tho contieef, that I have fo^ndetbtt preven and fchcwen there, be a fpcrc, that fterre more hifihe ; fo that toward the highe it pighte in to the erthe, upon the hour of Lvbye, it 18 1 8 degrees in heighte, and cerieyn mydday, when it is equcnoxium, that fchewethe ininuteK {of the whiche, 6o minutes roaken a no fchidwe oo no fyde. And that it fcholdc ben degree) aftre goynge be fee and be londc, ia the myddes of the world, David wytDeflcthc toward th«R c€»niree, of that I have fpoke, and it in the Pfautre, where he fey the. Dens ope- to other yies and londs bezonde that contree, ratus eft falute in medio tcrre. Thannc tbci I have founden the fterre Antartyk of 33 de- that parten fro the parties of the Weft, for to prees of begbte, and mo roynutea. Ant^ aif go toward Jerufalem, als many iorntys as thei Ihaddehadcompanyeandfchippynge, for to go gon upward for to go thidre, in aU many ior- morc beaonde, 1 trowe well in certyn, that neys may thei gon fro ]erufalem, unto other wee fchoMe have feen alle the rouodneiTe of confynyea of the fuperficialitie of the erthe the 6rmament alle about. For as I have feyd beaonde. And whan man men gon beionde the xon be fora, the half of the firmament is be- iourneyes, towarde Yode and the foryyn yles., twene tho % fterres : the whiche halfondelle alle is envyronyngetbe roundnefTeof the erthe I have feya And of the tother halfondclle, md of the fee, undre oure contrees on this I have feyn toward the Northe, undre the half. And therefore hath it befallen many Tranfmontayne 6t degrees and 10 mynntesj cymes of o thing, that I have herd cowmcil, and toward the partie meridionalle, I have whan I was zong ; how a wonhi man de- feen undre the Antartyk 33 degrees and itf parted fometyme from our contree?, for to mynutes: and thanne the halfondelle of the go ferche the world. And fo he palTedYnde, firmament in alle, ne holdethe not but 180 and the yles bezonde Ynde^ where ben rr^o degiees. And of iho i8g, I have feen 6a on than §000 yles: and fo longe he wente he that o patt, and 33 on that other part, that fee and lood, and fo en vi round the world be ben 95 degrees, and nighe the halfondelle of many fey Pons, that he fond an yle, where he a degree; and fo there ne foylethe but that herde fpck his owne language, callynge on oxen I have feen alle the firmament, faf 84 de- in the plowghe, fache wordes as men fpeken greea and the halfondelle of a degree *, and to beftes in his own contree : whereof he Chat is not the fourth part of the firmament* hadde grct mervayie : for he knew not how For the 4 partie of the roundneffe of the fir- it myghte be» But I feye, that he had gon fo mament holt 90 degrees : fo there faylethe longe, be londe and be fee, that he had en- but 5 degrees and an half, of the fourthe vyround all the erthe, that he was comen pariie. And alfo I have feen the 3 parties azen envyrounynge, that is to feye, goynge a- of alle the roundnelTe of the firmament, and boute, umo hi^ own marches, zif he wolJe more zit § degrees and an half. Be the have paffed forthe, till he had founden his con- whiche I firye zou certainly, that men may tree and his owne knouleche. But he turned cnvirowne alle the erthe of all the world, azen from (hens, from when« he was come. as well undre as aboven, and turnen azen to fro ; and fo he loftcn moche peynefulle labour, hia contree, that hadde company and fchip- as him felf feyde, a great while aftre, that pynge and conduyt : and alle weyes he fcholde he was comen bom. For it befoUe aftre« tynde men, londes, and yles, als wel as in this that he went in to Norweye ; and there countree. For zee wyten welle, that thei that tempeft of the fee toke him \ and he arryved beo toward the Antartyk, thei ben ftreghte, teet in an yle; and when he was in that yle, aaen teet of hem, that dwellen undre the he knew wel, that it was (he yle, where he tranfmontayne ; als wel as wee and thei (hat had herd fpeke his own language before, and the dweilyn under us, ben feet azenft feet For callynge of the oxen ft the plowghe : and that alle the parties of lee and of lond han here was pofiible thinge. But how it femethe to appoficees, habitables or trepaflTables, and thei of fymple men unlerned, that men ne mowe not tht« hal. and beaood halt. Afid wytethe wel, go uodre the erthe, aod aifo that meo fcholde
falU
ENGLISH LANGUAGE. '
toe to«vd die hcTcoc, from nndre ! But cowattd aboven the erthe ; v '^ Tchewcthe be ^ "? T* **• "P** **^*' ***" wecmowe allc the bokes of aflronomye. For the fopcrfi- ^iletowanle hcvcne, fro thecnbe, where wee ciaiiee of the erthe is departed in 7 parties, lot- tea. For fro whftc psntc of the erthe, that the 7 planctet : and tho parties ben dept c!*- ^" ^^"** oBthcT aboven or benethco, it mates. And cure parties be not of the 7 cly-
netfce alwejes to hem that daellen, that mates; for ihei ben dcfcendynge toward the tfcet ^ nnre rrghte than any other folk. ^Weft. And alfo thcfe yJes of Ynde, which beth
And ri^te cs it ferocthe to us, that thei ben eve/ie axenft us, beih noght reckned In the cli-
*=^^e «*, riehte fi> it &raetfae hem, that wee mates; for thei ben aienft ns, thai ben in the
t*3 aadrc hem. For a if a man mv^e fallc lowe contree. And the f climates Rrecchen hem
fw> ^be erthe noto the firmament ; be grettere envyronnynge the World. rc^iL3« tkc erthe snd the fee, that ben fo grete
»^ f-> kery, fiifaolde imllen to the firmament : I!. And I John Manndevylle knyghte above-
tw chat imy not be : and therfore feithc onre feyd, (alle thoughe I be nnworthi) that depart-
Lcrd Cod, Noo dfDeas me, qui fafpcndi terra ed from onr comrees and p^Oed the fee, the
rr cfdkolo ? And alle be it, that it be pofiible xeer ef grace 1311. that hye pafled manye
•-.-.«. tliat men fi>jy fb envyronnc alle the londs and manye yies and coimes, and cerched
^-rvls, oathcles of a 1000 pcrfonnes, on ne manye folle ftraunge places, and hare ben in
c';rhte BQC happen to returnen in to his many a fnlle gode honourable companye, and
<-r-.T^c. For, fro the gretnefle of the erthe and at many a fairedede of anraes (ille be it that:
*-' the fi^, ooea may go be a 1000 ^nd a 1000 I dide none myfelf, for myn unable irtfaffiCance)
'■'^Her werrs, that no man cowde redye him now I am comen horn (mawgree my felf) to
F«r£je«y toward the parties that he cam firo, refte : for gowtcs, artetykes, thaimy diflreynen,
>ct air it were be aventore and happ, or be tho diffynen the Cnde of my labour, azenft my
tfeegrasa oTGod For the erthe is fulte large will (Cod knowethe.) And thus takeyngc io-
««* mile grel, and holt in roundoefle and a- lace in my wrecched reftc, recordynge the tyme
^oce caryroon, be aboven and benethen paffed, I have fulfilled theife thinges and putte
i-415 mylrr, aftre the opynyonn of the olde hem wf7tcn in this boke^ as it wolde come hk
^ ^ aAronomere^. And hare feyeages I re- to my mynde, the xeer of grace 1356 in the
'"TT^ novate. But aftre my litylle wyt, it 34 xeer that I departede from oure contrees.
'<=n«tfee rae, favynee here reverence, that it Wherfore 1 preye to alle the rederes and hererea
" more And lor to have bettere under- of this boke, xif it plefe hem, that thei wolde
t'"^?**<«» I Ctyc tbos, be iher ytiugyned a preyen to God forme: and I fcha lie preye for
-r^-c, that hatbe agretcompas; and aboute hem. And alle tho that feyn for me a Pater noller^
-g wot ofthegret compas, that is clept the with an Ave Maria, that God fon^ve me my
tearr, be mide another liiille comp'tks : than fynnes, I make hem partneres and graunte hem
i^'e, be the gret compas devifed be lines ifl part of alle the gode pilgrymages and of alia the
■33sve paciiea ^ and that alle the lynes meeten gode dedes, that I have don* zif any be to hr<(
K t^ centre ^ lb that in as many parties, plefance : and noghte only of tho, bat of alic
» the grete compas fchal be departed, in als that evere I fchalle do unto my lyfes end. And
Mye, (challe be d<eparted the litille, that is I befeeche Aknyghty God) fro whom alle gode-
^B^Sfae centre, aJle be it, that the fpaces nefle and grace cometh fro, that he vouchcfaf",
■*J«^- Now thanne, be the gret compas re^ of his excellent mercy and habundant grace, to
P^ecBCcd for the firmament, and the litille com- fnlle fylle hire ibnies with infpiratioun of the
PK^reprefented for the erihc. Now thanne the Holv Coft, in makyinge defence of alle hire
^aaaeflt ia devytVd, be allronomeres, in it gO^ly enemyeshere in enhe, tohirefalvacioun^
%=«; aad every ligne is devyfed in 30 de- bothe of body and foule 5 to worfchipe and
pees, that is 360 degrees thst the firmament thankynge of him, that is three and on, with
^«^ aboveti. Alio, be the erth« devyfed id cuten begynnynge And wiihouten endynge^
sn saoy parties, a« the firmament ; and lat that is, with outeo qualitec, good, and with
'^ P^cre anfwere to a degree of the fir- buten quantytee, gret; that in alle places is
aa : and wytcthe it wel, that aftre th< prefent, and alle thinges conteynynge j the
of ailrrinomye, 700 furlonges of erthe whiche that no goodoefTe may amende, ne none
CO a degree of the firmameiit ; and evellecmpeyre; that in perfeyte trynytee ly*
its»ben 87 myles and 4 farlooges. Now be vethe and regnetbe God, be alle worldes and b«»
ttac here ssaltiplyed be 36ofithes4 Ind than ftlletymmes. Ameo> Amen, Araeiu s^ bea 3 1 506 myles, every of 8 furlonges^
a^re mylo of onre contree. So moche hathe The firil of onr authors, who can be proper*
(^ cithe in ronndoe0e, and of heghte oiviroun, ly faid to have written Englijb^ was Sir Jobm
vva mjn oppynoon and myn underllondynge. Gtvfery who, in his ConftJUn efa Lover^ calls
Aoi see Icnnlle nndtrftoade, that aftre the Chaucer his diiciple, and may therefore be con*
tfTsyoon of olde wife pbilofophres and af- fidered at the father of our poetry, trcoanerca, oar contree ne Irelond ne Wales
fcmlooil ne Korweye ne the other yies «:!^age !o hem, ae ben oot ia the fuparficytlte [ ^ 1 KOWE
THE HISTORY OF THE
NOWR for to fpeke or ihe commuae. It if CO dritic ot'that fortuDe^ Vrhieh haih be'alle in rondryc londes ; Hut ofie for de^auir of bocdes Alllodrioly, er it be will, A tairne^ whan W\* He arid Tobrcketh, and renntih alt aboute^ Whiche els (hulde nought gone ouc
And rke full oftet liitoM flcare Vpon a barke, ermen be waie, I^t ^n tbc (Iremc, whiche with gret peine, If any tran it fhall reftreine. Wheic lawe faillfth, errcur pfowrih. He h not w ie, ^ho ihat ne trowcth For it hath fRbued ofter this. And ihtlB the common cUnioar h In cuery londe, inhere people ('wellcih : And cche in his connptainte telle ih, How thatihc worldc is mirweni, And ihervpon his argument Yeueth euery man in fondrie wife : But what man wolde him felr auife His confcience, and nought mi fare. He maie well ttthefirtl excule Hii) god, whiche euer lUnt in ooe| In him there is detaute none So mud it (lande vpon v> klue, Nought only vpon ten ne iwelue. But plenarly vpon vs all For man is caufe of that ihall fall.
The hidory of our language is now brough^ to the point at which the hidory of our poetry is generally luppofed to commence, the time of the illudrious G^«/^ C/itfirrrr, who may per- hapiy with great judice, be dyltd the fird of our
verfifyers who wrote poetically. He does ndt however appear to have deferved all the praife which he has received, or all the cmfurc that he has fuffercd. Dry Jen ^ who midakes genius for learning, and in confidence of his abilities, ventured to write of what he had not eximined, afcribes to Chaucer the fird refinement of our numbers, the fird produ £1 ion of eafy and natural rhymes, and the improvemc nt of our language, by words borrowed from the more polifhcd lan- guages of the continent. Skimmer contrartiy bUmeh him in harlh terms for having vitiated his native fpccch by vohole carthadt of fore/'in noerJi But he that read^ the workn of Gcmer^ will find fmooth numbers ard eafy rhyrrej, of which Chaucer is fuppofed to have been the in- ventor, and the French word?, whether good or bad, of which Chaucer is charged as the im- porter. Some innovations he might probably make, like others, in the infancy of our poetry, which the paucity of books does allow us to dif- ccvcr with particular etaflnefs \ but the works of Gozver and Lydgate fufliciently evince, that hiF di£tinn was in general like that of his con- ttmporarics: and fome improvements he iw doubtcdly made by the various difpofitions of hi» rhymes, and by the mixture of different numbers, in which he feems to have been happy and Judicious. I have felcS\ed fererat Ipt-cimcns both ot his profe andverfe^ and a- mong ihem, part of his tranflation of Beetius, to which another verfion, made in the time of queen Afaijr, isoppofed.lt would be improper to quote very fparingly an author of fo much re- putation, or to make very large cstra^frotn m bock lb generally known.
CHAUCER.
AT< AS ! I wepyng am conftr allied to begin verfe of furrow (ull matter, that whilom in Horilhyng dudie m#e deliiable ditees. For lol readying mufes of Poetes enditen to me things to be wiiien, and drerie teres At lade no drede ne might overcame the mufc.^, that tbei ne werren fc Howes, and feloweden my waie, that is to laic, when I Was exiled, thet that weren of my youth whilom welfnll and grene, com- Ibrten now iorrowfuU wierdes of me olde man : for elde is comen unwarely upon me, hafted by the harmes that I have, and (browe hath com- iraonded his age to be In roc. He res bore area diad overtimcliche upon my bed : and the (lacke AcLone trcmbleth of mine empted bodie. Thilke deth of men is welefull, that he ne cometh not inyereschac befwece, but cometh to wretchee often idcpcd : Alas 1 alas ! with how defe an erd deth cruell turneth awaie fro wretches, and oai- eth for to dofewepying eyes. Whiie fortune linfaithfttll favoured me with light godes, that forowful houie, that is to faie, the deth, had aknoft drente myne hcdde : bat now for fortune
clondie
C O L V I L E.
ITii A T in ty me of profperite, and flofyfliing dudye, made pleafaunte and delectable di- lies, or verfes : alas now bcyng heauy and fad ouetthrownin adueifitie, tjto compelled to feic and tad heutnes and grief. Beholde the mules Poeticall, that ta to feye : the pleafure that is in poe:ea verfes, do appoynt me, and compell me to wilt thefe verfes, in meter, and the foirowfull verfesdo wet my wretched face with very watery e tearesyyifainge out of my eyes for forowe.'Whiche mufes no feare without doute could onercome, but that they wold fblow me in my ionraey of exile or baniflimcnt. Sometyme the ioye of happy and ludy dele£lable youth dyd comfort me, and nowe the courfe of forowful! olde age canfeth me to retoyfe. For hady oM age vnloked for is come vpon me with al her incommoditieaand euyls, and forow hath commauoded and brought^ me into the fame oMe age, that ia to fay : that forowe caufeth me to beold,before my time come of old age. The boer heares do growe vnttrocly vpon my heade, and tny reuilcd flcynne tremble ch my flcihy cicaac conramcd tod waded with fo- rowe
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
tawt. Mamat% dc«h is happf , that cooiech not cloudie hath chaunged her dtcevable chere V>
biccth vlicnanMia icluflyc, sod in pleafurc mewtrde, myce unpiious liie dra-wetb alon^
wvclch: b«e m time of ftdoeriiue, when It It ungreabledwellyngcs. O ye my tier.dcs, what,
oecadciTred. Alas Alashowe doll and deffe be or whereto avauni^d ye n^e'io ben welfpU? For
6c earc* of cmtl dc»rh vnto mrn io rolfery that he that hath fallin, ikode in no (ledfaft degre.
wosiA fajtic dje : and yet refufythe to come and
tkmu vp cheyr carefall wep/ng eyes. Whiles
6a:&iie fertvne fanorydme with her tranfitorye
pudcs, then the howrc of deaih had almofl
eaenam me. That is to (ay deathe was redy to
cfprcffe ne when f wfts io pfoTpciiie. Nowe for
by caste ^at fonajx beynge turned, from pro-
^ricic iflla adaerfiiie (as the clcre day is dirk yd
vitbdooJes) and hath channiEyd her deceyuaMe
PBgfinwr, way wretched lifels yet prolonged
•a: a «h coDtiaue in dolour. O my freikdes >fr by
baeioB S» oRen boiled me» (ayingc that I was
bafpi when I bad bononr, pciTciCoos riches, and
laiboritie wby^ be tranfitory thynges. He that
ba^cUlenwas in oo ftedfalldegrc.
IK t^ mene while, that I ft ill record thefe *\X7'H Y L E S that I confiderydde prynylve
tkyagcawitbioyielf, and marked my wmlie fV with my felfe the thynges before fayd,
cja;»iix«c with ofice of poin£lell ; 1 Uugh *°d defcrybed my wofull complaynte a ler utc
ii£saya(ahoi«ea the hightof myn bed a woman nianer and offyceof a wrytter, me thought I
ot'niii peu reTcrcnce, by fianblaont. Her eyen f^we a woman (land ouer my head of a reuercnd
ircasyag, and dere, feying over the commoo conntenannce, hauyng quycke and glyfteryng
atfkof Bcnne, with a lively colour, and with clcre eyes, abooe the common foric of men in
^c^ ngoor and ftreogth that it oe might not be lyuely anddeleaable coloure, andful of ftrengih,
acapAcd, all were u fin, that (he were fnll of fo although (he /excd fo olde that by no mcanes
pttt age, that mennc wooldea not trowcn in no fhe is thought to be one of this oure tyme, her
Baooe, that (he were of our aide. ftature is of dontelul knowledge, for nowe fhe
'ike ftatnre of her was of doutons Judge- Oiewethe berfeleatthecommen length or ftattir
B£su, tar fiwDCtyiDc ihe conftraioed and fhronke of men, and other whiles Ihe femeth lb high,
to ieiven, kkc to the common melnre ofmenne: as though (he touched heuen with the crown of
Aad Jomctynie it femed, that (he touched the her bed. And when (he wold ftretch fourth her
fccvca with the hight of her hedde. And when hed hygher, it alfo perced thorough heauen, fo
&c kovc her hcdde higher, (he perced the felf that mensfyghte coulde not main to behold her.
teiea, b that the fighte of menne lokyng was Her veftures or cloths were perfyt of the (ioyfte
n ydeil : her cloches wer maked of right delie thredes, and fubtyll workemanfhyp, and of lub-
^Vtdes, aad fnbcel craft of perdunble matter. (Uunce pemitnent, whych vcAures (he had wo-
Tke whichc dochca (be had woven with her uen with her own hands as 1 perceyued a ter by
«*aeha■de^ aa 1 koewe well after by her (elf herowne faiynge. The kynde or beawtyc of the
•edafyag, aad ihewyag to me the beautte : 7<^hyche veftures, a certayne darkeaes or rather
^whkiieclotheaa darknciTeof aforletenand ignoraunce ofoldenes forgotten baudc obfcuryd
^ptM cide had dnikcd and darked, as it is snd darkened, as the fnnoke is wont to darken
•oae tadarfcc by fiookcd Images. Images that ftaod nyghe thefmoke. In the tower
btheaethcrcfl bemmeand border of thefe parte of the faid veftures vra^^ read litegreke let-
tl«A«» ncane rcdde i woven therein a Grekiike ter P. wooen whych lignify eih praftife or a^y^e,
A- ibtt Cignifiedb the lite aatre, and above that ^nd in the hygher part of the veftures the greke
^iaibehiefl hofd^re, a Greki(hc C. that ietier. T. whych eftondeth lor iheorica, thsc
%aificib the liiie conteiDpJadfe. Andbetwene ^gnifiet.h fpeculacion or contemplation. And be<
tdctetwo IcttcrathcfC were fcca degrees nobly twene both the fsiyd letters were I'cne certayne
▼iwglbtiininanncrofladdert, by wbicbe degrees degrees, wrought after the maner of Udders
■aae Bight climben from the ncthereft letter wherein was as it were a palfage or wa) e in
•»*e Wipaeft : nathelcife haadet of feme m«n ftcppes or degrees from the lower part wher the
^•dtoa kcnrc that clothe, by violence or by letter. P. was which is vnderftand irom pradtys
&>^|th, and the hygher parte wher the letter 1 . or afly f, unto cveriche maone of *hcm had borne
*»s which IS vpdcrtUnd fpeculacion or cooum- ^watefoche peces, as i.e ir.ight getten. And
Thdoa, Kcnenhelefit the handes of (ome vyo- forfothe this forefa^ed woman hare tinale bokes
ifU pciiboca had cut the fayde veftures and in her righte hande, and in her le.'t hand (lie
^ akea awaye certayne pecis thereof, fuch as bve a icepter. And when tlie fa we thefe Poeticall
<«try oae conide catch. And (he her felfe dyd niufes appochyng abvut my bed, and endityng
^ ia her rygfat band litel bokes, and in bcr vordes to my wepyogcs, (he wa<! a little amoved,
Itaehande a fcepter« which tbrctayd phylofophy and glowed with cruell eyen. Who (q% (he)
(vUn fcf &EV the msfca poetycal prefent at my bath i'afftrcd approcbeo to this dike icanne thefe
bcd| L c % J commen
THE HISTORY OF THE
coiximen flrompettcs, of which 's the place thtt inenne callen Theatre, the whiche onely ne affwai^en not his forowes with remedies, but ihei ■would feden zai norlflie hym with fwetc venime } Forfothe, that ben tho that with thornes, and prickynges oftalentes of afficcions, whiche (hat ben nothyng fru^tuous nor protiiable, didroien the Corne, pieniuou> of fruicles of refon. For thei holdeo hertcs of men in nfage, but thei ne doltver no foike fro maladie. But if ye mufes had withdrawen tro me with your ikiteries any tinconnyng and unprofitable raanne, a*, brr. wont to finde commcniy emong the p«;ple, 1 would well fuffre the lalfc p.rcvrufly. For why, in foche an unprofitable man myne entrntes were nothyng endamaged. But ye withdrowen fro me this man, that hath ben nourifhed in my lludics or fcoles of Kleaticin, and oi Acadcmicis in Grece. Cut go- cih now rather awaie ye Mermaidens whiche that ben fwcte, till it be at the laft, and fuffreth this man to be cured and hcled by my mufcs, that is to fay, by my notctull fcicnccf. And thus this companie of mufes Iblamed caQcn wrothly the chere dounward to the yerth, and fhcwing by redneiTe ther (hame, thei paflTeden forowfully the threfholde. And I of whom the fight ploung- «d in teres was darked, (o that I ne might not know what that woman was, of fo Imperial audlhoriiie, I woxe all abaOied and (lonied, and cad my fj|;ht doune to the ycrth,and began Oil! for to abide whit Ihe %Y>uJd docn afterward. Then c«me (lie nere, and let here doune upon the uttermbft corner of my bed, and (he beholdyng my chere, that was call to the yerth, hcvie and grevous of wepyng, complained with ihefe wordfs (that I (hall falnc) the pcrturbacioo of my thought.
bed, fpekyng forrowfol wordes to my wepyn°^cf , beyng angry fayd (with terrible or fro>^nvng( cottotenaunce) who fuffred thefc crafty harlotie* to cjm to thys fycke man ? whych can help h yrr by no means o.'hys griefe by any kind of roe^ii ernes, but rather iocreafe the lame wiih fwctc poyfon. Thefe be they that doo dydroye the fertile and plentious commt d^tyes of leal'on anc the fruytef thereof wyih their prickyngc thornt-s or barren atfec^es, and accuftorneor fnbdue men< myndes with fickenes, and heuynes, and do not delyuer or heale ihem of the fame. But yf youi flatterye had conueyed or wythdrawen from me, any vnlernyd man as the comcn forte of people are wonte to be, I coulde haue ben better ccii- tentyd, for in that my worke Oiould not be hurt or hynderyd. But you haue taken and conueyed from me thys man that hath ben brou^^hte vp in the (ludyes of AriUotel and of Plato. But yet get you hence maremaids (that feme fwete ua- tyll you have ^ou^'iite a man to dcaihc) ar,ti fuffer me to healc ih)5. my man w\ih my mutt* or fcyencf s that be holfomc and good. And aftci that |)hild<'ophy had fpoken thefe wordes ihe fayd companyc o: ihc mufys poetical I beynge rcbukx 'i and fad, cafte down their cnuntenaunce to the groande, and by blulTyng c^nfcffed their fham- faftnes, and went out of the dores. But 1 (that had my (ight dull and blynd wylh wepyng, fo that 1 knew not what woman this hauying foo great aocthoriiie) was amafyd or aftonyed, and lokyng downewatd, towardc the grounde, 1 be- gan pryvylye to look what ihyng (he would favc ferther, than (he had faid. Then (he approach- ing and drawyng nere unto ma, fitdowne vpon the vttermod part of my bed, and lokyng vpor: my face fad with wrping, and declyoyd towaru the earth for fnrow, btwayled the trouble ot m^ roinde with thcfc fay inge* tofowynge.
The conclufions of the Astrolabib.
This book (written to hi& fan in the year of onr Lord i39if and in the 14 of King Richard 11.) (landethfo i^ood at thitday, efpecially for the horizon ot'Oxtord, as in the opinion of the learned it cannot be amended, fays an Edit, of Chaucer.
LYTEL Lowys my Tonne, I pcrceve well hy certaine evidences thyne abylyte to lerne icyences, touching nombrcs and proporcions, and alio well conlydrc I thybefye prayer in efpccyal to lerne the tretyfc of the a(\rc!abye. Than ror as moche as a phiiofopher fjithe, he wrapcih hym in his frende, that comiifcendeth to the ryghttull prayers of his fremte : thtrforc I have (;iven the a futlicient aiUolabye for our orizont, compowned after the Ijiiiude of Oxenfordc : upon the which by mediacion of this lytell tre- tife, I purpol'e to ttche the a certain nombre •f conclulions, pertaioynge to this Uicc inftiu-
mcnt I fay a cerialne nornbre of conclafion: to. thre can fcs, the fit i1 caufe is this. Trulle wel that al the conclufions that have be founden, or ells po(riblye njigbt be founde info noble an in- (Irunient as in the allrolabye, ben unknowen perfitely to anye mortal man in this region, a^ 1 fuppofe. Another caufe is this, thaifoihely in any cartes of the adrolabyc thai I have yfene, ther ben fome conciufious, that wol nui in al ihinges permurnie ther behcOes : and fome o! hem ben to hftrde to thy tender age of tea ycre to con- ceve. This tretifc divided in five parte:, wil I flicwe the wondir light rulc>< and naked worde . in KngU(he, for Latine ne can{l thou nai yet bu( fnule,my lite! I'onne. 6u( nevcrtheleffe iuHifctb. to the thefe trcv/e conclufions in £ngli(he, as well as fuilicclh to thefe noble clerkcs grtkes ilii-fc fame corclufjons m greke, and tu the Ara- bircK ia Aiaiiike, and to Jews in Hcbrcv/e, and to the Latin iolkc . in Laiyn : whicbc La^p
lorkf
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
bokc, that nothyr.gc hath of the grete flode of wytte, no of femtrlychc colour?, is ciolven with rude wordes an»1 boillous and Co iirawe togitJer to maVen the catchers (herot hen the more red* to hent fentccce.
Some men there ben, that pa'nten with co- lours riche and fome with wers, as with red inke, and feme with coles and chalke : and yet is tht're gode matter to ihe leude r«<><.p!e of thyike chalkye partreytore, zr. 'hem th.nktth for the time, and atcrward the fyght of the better co- lourfc yeven to 'htm more joyc for the firft Icnde- peflc. So foihly this leude clowdy occapacyon 14 not to prayfe, but by the leude, for comenly Icaie Icudenefle coromendcth. Eke it (hal yevc fight that other precyous thynges (hsll be the more in reverence. In Latin and Freocb hath roany foveraine wiites had grete delytc to endite, anu have many noble thinges fulfilde but ccnes there ben lom'e that fpeken ther poifyt mater io Frenche, or whiche fpeche the Frenche men have as g^Je a fantafye as we have in heryng of Frtnche mens EngliJhe. And many tennes there ben in Englifhc, whiche unneth we Engl i {he men connen declare the know- j^§'"?«* howe (hould than t Frenche man borne? foche tenmes connejumpere in his mat- ter, but as the jay chattereth Englifhe. Right fo trnely the underftandyn of Englifhmeo wol not Hretche to the privie termes in Frenche- what fo ever we boften of ftraunge laogage. Let than clerkes enditen in Latin, for they have the propertie of fcience, and the knowinge ia that facultie : and lettc Frenche men in their Frenche alio enditen tl.er qneinc termes, for it is kyndely to therraouthesi and let us (he we our fanufies in fuch wordes as we lerneden of our dame » torge. And although ihi? tv.ke by lytel thank wonhy for the leuccdfe iu :ravaile yet foch writicg exiten men to ihiike ihinges that ben necefTaric : for every man thcrby may M by a perpetual myrrour fcne the vices or ver- mes of other, in whychc thyngc lightly may be conceved to efchuc perils, and neceifaricb to catch, after as aventurcs hare fallen to other people or pcrfuns.
Certes the faverainft i hinge of defire and moft creturc reibnable, have or els (hu!d have full appe Lite to ther perfecnon: unrefonabic bcftcs mowcn not, fithc the refon bath in 'hem no work- ingc : than relonable that wol not, i« compari- foned to nmefonable, and made lyke 'hem. For f J he the moft (bveraine and finall'pen'^eccion of man is in knowyngc of a fothe, withouico «ny cntent decevable, and in love of one very God, that is inchaungeabie, that is to kAow, and love his creamur.
Nowe principally the mene to bryncre in know- leg ing and lovynge hii creatour, i^ the coafjder- acyon ot ihynge* made by the creatour, wher through by thyike thinges that ben made, undcr- llondynge bere to our wyttcs, arne the unlenc pryviiies of God made to Ui fvghtfuliand kaou: ingc, in our conicmplacion and uDderlloodin2e.
TbUc
^.vr had Imxd firRe oute of other divers lan- t ~c~r% aad vrite liem in ther owne tooge,
"i: - to ^uae in LatJne.
Aa^ God wc:c thai in all thefc languages and "- "=xrye ma, have theTc coocluf^oos ben fuffici- c- - r leraed and tacz^-C,and }et by diver? rules, "^rz as d:rers pathes ledeia divers folkc the ' t-X vaye to Rome.
^c^ w J I prar roekelv every perfon difcrete, '^-*: re-it h b -rcth or his lit\l treatife to have — • r^^ estcdinc; excntcd, and my fuperfluite
: ^jrot%^ Tor t^wo canlcs. The firil caufe is, ' * i^UK ca.':oa^ cnd'.tyng and hard feoteoces is 'z. !3eTy at oar^, tor fuch a childe to leroe. And ~« ?TcaDde canie is this, thti fothe ly me femeth "- *erto wriiTra notoa child twife a gode fen- *' ~r, diaa Le foriete i£ ones. And, Lowis, if • :e f . trjt 1 (he vie the in my lith Pr.glifhe, as *~fv C3cc!s£ons tacching this mater^ and not
— a^ irewe tnzt as many mod fnbtil conclufions a se3 -« '-eved «ii latin, in any comon trctii'e of tt<e a^rt: l^^e, conce me the more thanke, and f.'xve Cos ia.c :be kinge, that is lorde of this -!-::.£«, a."^ all chat him faith bereth, and ' " * r-ik cTcr . Js i a hi * dt ^ree, the more and the i--.'r. Baj c" 2!-v dreth me 11, that 1 ne ofurpe not 1 save touaOen this vrerke of my labour or of r^'^ae CBfin. I o'amc but a leude compilatour
' --X Ufroare of olde aflrologtens, and have it •--ir*ar«; 'a jn-ti englifhe oncly for thy dodirinc: a^. v.in thts fwerde fhal 1 fleae envy.
The fir ft ptrty.
Tbc Sril r^artve of this tretile (hall reherce the it - ■r«, and tL-tf tnembrcs oi thvne aftrolabve, b\ - i^^'. ra,: th>u thalte have the greter knowinge <• - £c owae ibiliument.
The fecoodc party.
TSe iec«5'5*3e rartre (hal teche the to werken ••• Try pra£t k« of the fore fa id conclufions, as -' ~ riic and al^> narowe as may be (hewed in ' rrsic an inllroment portatifir aboute. For *£. -wote every aftrolog-en, that fmalleft frac- ' 3C« DC wo not be ihewed io fo final an inftru- , as lo fubttl tables calculated for a cauie.
T-ePaoLoccEofthc Tcstamkvt of LOVE.
MANY men there ben, that with eres fipcn'y fprad (o mocbe fwalowen the cr ^iafnetTc ot jeiles and ot ryme, by qneint coloores, that of the godentlfe or of of the feotcnce uke they litel heue
^ :Sei«e dalle wttte and a thougfatfulle foule I £.'e have irioed and graffed in my fpi rites,
"at A he craft of coditinge wol nai boi of mine iirza^-tiaunce. And lor mde wordes and boillous ■^-cta the bcTtc ot the herer to the iareft point, »".' Vasiev there the lentence ot thinges, fo
'*'. « :h Utd helpe it liable Co rpnag, this
THE HISTORY OF THE
Tbereth'Qgtsthan forfocheinoche bringransto the noble hulbtnde Boece, although I be
the ful koowleginge fotbe, and to ihc parfyte ilraunger of connioge to come after his d«£lrini
Jove of the vnaker of hevenly thynges. Lo! Da- and thele grete workmen, and glene my han
yid laith : thoa hafte delited me in makioKe, at fah of the fhcdyngc after their hu4e<, and yf rr
who fiiiihf to have delite in the tune how God faile ought of my ful, to encrefe my porcton wii
hath lent mc in cor.fk)eratico of thy makinge. that I (hal drawe bv privyties out otfhockca^
Wherof AriftoCU in the boke de Animalibus, Aye fervaunte in hit owne hclpe is often ^1oc^
faith to naturcll pbilofbphers : it is a grcte hk- commended \ knowyoge of trouthe in 'cauCes <
ynge in love of knowiiige their cr<ti>ure : am^ alfo thynces, was more hardiei in the firfle fecber
in kaowloge of caufes in kicdelye thyngei v con- and lo fayih Ariftoile, and lighter in us that hs
Adrid forlotbe the formes of kindelye'thinf;c& and fol^vcd after. For ther paiHng (ludy ban trefhc
the (htp, a gret kyndely love we f^ulde have to our wittes, and oure uoderflondynge han excr
the weikmao that *bcm made. The cra'te c* a cd in canfideracion of trouth by (harpenet of tli<
werkman is (hewed ia (hewcrk. Herefoir tru- rcfons. Utterly ihefe thingea be no dremes c
lie the phiiofopbers with a lyveiy fludic roan-.e jape^, tothrowetohogges, itislyfelychmetc fc
uobie thinges, righte precious, and worth y u> children o*' trouth, and as they roe betiden wba
memrrye, wriicn, and by a {;rcc fwet and tra- 1 pilgramed out ot my kith in wintrre, wha
vaiUe to us tcflcn of caufes the propenics in na- the wethfr out of mefure wasboitlous, and ih
turesof things,- to whiche therrorephilofuphers wyld wyod Boreas as this kind alkcth, wit
it was more joy, rrore lykinge, more heriy luft dryings coides maked the wawet of the ocean 1
in kindvly vert ues and maiiers of refon the per- ib lo a(ife unkindely over the common baok«
fcccicn by bufy ftudy to knowe^ than to have that it was in point to fpill f U the erthe.
bad al the tret* four, al the richefle,ai the vaine tn.- o- . r .v ^ i* «
Rbry, that the p.ffed emperourt, prlncer, or ^' ^'L???HA;T?rR f^^TU'l^ kinoes hadden. Therfore the names of 'hem ""^ CHAUCER, from the MSS.
in theboke of perpetunll rremorie in venue aixi TXT"^^'--^ *^^ Aprilis with his (Kourit fote, pece arne writen ; and in the coatrarie, that is W "^ he drought of March had percid to tb tofaine in Styie the foulc piite of hcUc ame rote,
ihilke preflVd that foch gcdcnes hated. And hi- And bathid every veyn in fuch licour,
caufc this boke fhall be of love, and the prime Of which venue engendrid is the flour,
caufet of (lering in that doinge with paflltons and When Zephyrus eke, with his Iwetc brcth
difefcs for waoiioge of defire, I wil that this Knfpirid hath, in every holt and hctb
boke be cleped the tefttment of love. The tender croppit; and that the yong Suon
Hut nowe thou reder, who is thilke that will Hath in the Ramm has halve court yrunn }
not in fcorne lau|;he, to here a ev^ari^e or els batfe And fmale foulis makio melodye,
a roan, lay he wil icnde out the fwerde of Her- I'hat flepia allc nighte with opin eye,
cuies handes, and alfo he fhulde fet Hercules (So prickith them nature in tber corage)
Cac'c. a mile yet fcithcr, and over that he had I'hen longin folk to go on pilgrimage :
I»o«^er ol' (Irenfib to pull up the fpere, that A- And palmers for to fekin ftrange flrondes,
(fanderthe noble night never wagge, and that To fcrvin hallowes comb in fondry londes j
paiTioge al ihin-M- to ben mayfter oi Fraunce by And fpecially fro every (hir'is end
TTiight, there as ihen'.bie ^ritciousEdwaide the Of £nglan<l, to Canterbury they weod,
thirde for al his grrt prowelTe in vidories ne The holy blistuU manyr for to feke,
mipht al y0t conqucre ? Thai them haih holpin, wlian that ihec wcr*
Cettes I wole wtll, ther (hall be made more fcke.
fcorne and jape of me, that 1 fo unworthely Befell that in that fefon on a day
ctolhed altogither in the cloudie cloude of uncon* lo Scuthwerk at the Tabbeid as I Is^
O'ng, wil puuen me in prces to fpeak of love, R-cdy to wendin on my pilgrimage
or elsoF the camVs in that matter, iiihen al the To Canterbury, with devote corag^,
gretteli clerkcs han had ynough to don, and as A( night wercome into that hoftery
who faith gatheied up dene toforne *hcm, and Wele nine and twenty in a cumcany
with ther (harp fiihes of conning al mowen and Of fundrie folk, by aventore ytall
jnade ihcrof grcie rckcs end noble, ful' of al In felafhipj and pilgiimea wer they all;
plenties to fade me ard many an other. Envye That toward Canterbury woaldin ride, lorfoii.e commendeth nou^hic his rdcn, that he The chambers aiyi the flablit werlnwide,
bath in bain, be it rcvrr fo u ufty. And al'hough And well we werin eiid at the bed:
tilt' c noble reper?., as gone wcil.;ncn ar.d worthy And (hortly whan the funne was to reft,
I her bier, ban a 1 draw and L ounce up in the fh eves. So had | fpokinwith them cverych one,
and made many (hockes, )et have 1 enfample to That I was of ther telafhip anooe :
ga^r the fmale cromme», and fuUin ma walet And nnade forward erli tor to rife,
ol tho (hat fallen from the bourde among the To take oar weye, ther as I did deviic. fmallc hourdes, noiwiihflonding the iravailc of But nathlefs while that 1 have tintc and fpac^
tHe altr.oigncr, thai hath draw up in the cloth Er" that I farther in this tale pabe,
at the reiriiTailei, a^ trrr.chou^^, ard ihe relefe Meihiakith it accordaunt Co refoQ^
to txrrc to the al:T<(.(}.c. Vci &!io h^vc 1 levc gf To tell you |llc the cocditiott
Ol
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
/falaf ikm, lb askiiRnidme. §i fMA tbey weiiD, aad of what degree, ^ti eke ia vfaat amy tbar they wcr in : ^iitkai^ifaenwoll I firft begin.
The KviOBT.
A ka|k Aer was, and that a worthy man, Tbi ^fhe time that he firft began T: rJa o«« be UrrwA Chcralrie, Tnri) ni feeBoBr, frcdome and cnrtefy. ?tii wonhj wu he in his lord Us werre« Asidincto had he riddin nane more ferre A vril IfiChnftendcai, as in Hethnefa ; i 'i mr bonosred for his wrorthtnefs. ^ At AltlMokt* be waj whan it was won ; T-Jl oft tinis he had the bor<l begon Abvia lUc BKionot in Pmce : hUtum had he rtddia, awl in Lace, Si CariAcB-nan fe ofc of lus degree bGruiiii ia the fcgc had he be 0: ilcotr, and riiU in Belmary \ A: Lcyis vuhe, and at Sataly, V^tbt tfan wer vmit and in the grcte Tee, Aicauf^socUeanny had he be t A: Mittl hnaHs had he bcDfiftene, ^ ^^^^ for ow feith at Trameifcney Is iftii t&rys and alwey flein hit fe. ^ki ihe «K>Rhy lun^ had been aKb ««rtnis wiihifae lord of Patadby, Ajwi iBslhij hethin in Tvrky ; Asdewoxre he had a fiiv*imne prixe | ^tfao^thathe waa woithy, he was wile } ^of Us pott as mckc aa is a maid^ oeacTir yet ao vilbny nc iaid b sO Us fife nato no maimer w igfat : »«« saeiy parfit geodl knight. B« faris teilin yon of his array , 1';^ wcr goad; hoc he was nothing gayi ^•^*«bew«tidagipon, AUhiiaBBridwrth his habnigeon.
^^''■* iatcyoomc from hisviage) Aidncau far to do hia pilgnmage.
N
The Hotrsx of F A M E. The firft Boke.
Ow herfcip^ as 1 have yon (aied, ^ What that I mette or I abnied, r^^ROBher the tcnich daie, *^cwu^gbt. toaepelbie, ^*»1 vas woflUfo to docn, f^Slslepe woodiriboe, J'**4atWM*eri« ibigo r" wimge milis two j^«e corps of &ina Uooarde, ^^** hihe that erll was harda. ^MBeflcptmeiaette I was
1,7? f*^*^ unadeof glas, ^^^*(ifeihflR wcfcia ISO image> rr^ie, ftadyag inibadrie ftagw, r^«a»rkhci«biraacles.
Aid
portrsunns,
cfignris !, Ihcn I (bw cf ir.
Bot certainly I a*\(i nex'ir Where that it was, bai well wld t It was of Venus rcdily This temple, fjr in purtrciture 1 fa we a none riebt her fij^ure Nskid yflctyng m a fc. And alio on her hedde parde Her rofy garland white and redde. And her combe for lo kembe her hedJ£» Her dcvis, aad Dan Copido Her bltnde fonne, and Valcano, ■ That in his face vwas full broune. Bat S!i I romid up and dounne, 1 iboode that on the v;all there was Thos written on a table' nf bras. I woll now fyng, if that I can, The aimis, and alio th? man, Thatfirll came throneh hi^^deOioa Fugitife fro Troye the countre Into Itailc, with full moche pine. Unto the Urondis of Lavlne, And tho b-fjin the ftorie* anone. As I flisil tell in you e.hone. Firft fa we I ihediftroccion Of Trjie, thorough the Grtke Sinon» With his falle uncrne forfwerynges. And with his chere and his lefyn?es That made a hoife, brought into Troye^ By whiche Trojtna lofte ail ther j'lyc:
And aftir this they graved, stas 1 How Iliooscaftill afisiled was. And won, and kyng Priatnos flaio» And Polites his tonne ceruio, DifpitonHy of Dan Pyrrus.
And next that fawe 1 how Vcnns, When that (he fawe tne caftiU brcnde) Donne from hevin th? gan delcende. And bade her fonoe iEsea^ (<«, And how he fled, and bow that he Efcapid wsR from ail the pres. And toke his fathei* old Anchifes, And bare hym on his back awaie. Crying aias and welawaie < The whiche Anchifes in his baade^ Bare iho the goddis of the lande I roeoe thilke that nnbrendid were»
Then fawe I next that all in lerc How Creo&i Dan /Sneas wi:'e. Whom that he lovid all hi&^iii'c. And her yong fonoe clepid Julo, And eke Afcaoins alio, Fleddio eke, with full drerie chere^ That it was pitie for to here. And in a forcH as thei west How at a loumyogofa went Creufa was ilotle, alaf. \ *
That rede not 1, how that it w^s How he her (cvf ht, and hrvv her ghoftt Bad hym to flie the Crckis holle, And faled he muit into Itaile, As was his dcftine, fauns taile, That it was pitie for to here. When that her fpirite gan app*re. The wordts that (he to him laiecl. And. for to kvpe her (bnne i^ym praie^*
Thcr«
THE HISTORY OF THE
There fawe I prtvin eke how he
His fathii eke, and his meine,
Wiih his (hipp's began to iklle
Toward the countrey of Itaile,
As ftreigbt as ere ihei ntightin go. There fawe I eke the, cruiljooo.
That art Dan Jupiter his wife.
That hail ihatid all thy life Mcrcilcfi all the Tiojan blode,
Rennin and crie as thou were wode
On i£o)a% the gcdofwindes,
Toblowin out ofallekiudes
So loode, that he (hould ydrenche
Lorde and ladle, and grome, and wenche
Of all the Trojani^ nacion,
Without any' of their favacion. There fawe I foche lempeft arife.
That every herle might agrifc
To fe it painiid on the wall- There fawe I eke gravin withal I,
Venus, how ye, nny ladie dcre,
Ywepying with full woful cherc
Yprayid Jupiter on hie,
To fave and kepin that navie
Of that dere Trojan iSneas,
Sithins that he your fonne y was.
Code counfaile ofCHAUCtm.
FLIE froihe prefs and dwell with fothfaaeffc, SufHi'e unto thy gode though it be fnnall. For horde h*thhate, and clirabyng tikilnefTe, Precc hath eovie, and wclc it brent ocr all, Savour no morn then the behovin (hall,
Rede well ihyfelf, that other folke canft
rede. And troutbe the (ball delivir it 'is no drede. Ptine the not cche crokid to redre(re.
In truft of her that tournith as a balle, Crete red (landith in liiil bttfine(fe, Beware alio to fpuro again a oalle. Strive not as doiih a crocke with a walle, Demith thy felf that demiitotbir'sdedc. And trouche the (hall delivir it 'is no dredc. That the is fcnt rcceve in buxoroeneflTc \
The wrafttying of this woride a(kith a fall i Here is no home, heie is but wildirnefle.
For the pilgrim, for the o bcft out of thy fttU, Loke up on high, and thank thy God of all, Weivith thy lufte and let thy ghod the
lode. And trouthe the (hall delivir, it 'is nodrcde-
Baiade of the village without paiotyng.
THIS wretchid world'is tranfmuucion As wele and wo, nowe pore, and now honour. Without order or due difcrccion Goverhid is by fortun'is errour. But natheUfTc the lackc of her favour
Ne maic not doe me fyng though that I die, J'ay tout perdu, mon temps & labeu/ For finally fortune I doe defie. Yet is me left the light of my refjua
To knowin frende fro fre in thy mirrour. So moche hath yet thy tournyng up and douai^ I taughtin me to knowin in an hour. But truily no force of thy reddour
To hymthatovir hymfelf hath maidriey My fuflifannce y(hal be my fuccour.
For finally fortune I do defie.
0 Socrates, thou (ledfafl champion.
She ne might nevir be thy tum:ientour. Thou nevir dreddift her oppredlon,
Ne in her chere toundin ihou do favour. Thou knew wele the difceipt of her colour.
And that her mode worihip is to lie, I know her eke a falfe diiTimulour, For finally fortune I do defie.
The anfwere of Fortune.
No man is wretchid but hymfelf it wene. He that yhath hyrafelt hath fuffifauncc. Why faied thou then I am to the fo kenc. That had thy felf out of my govirnauncc ? Saie thus grant mercie of thin habuodance. That thou had lent or this, thos (halt oot drive, Wtiat wod thou yet how I the woll avauoce ? And eke thou had thy bedc frende alive.
1 have the taught divilion betweoe
Frende of elfe^e, and frende of cottDtinauace^ The nedith not the galle of an hine,
Thatcurith eyin dorke for ther peaavnce. Now Cetd thou clere that wer in igoorauoce.
Yet holt thine anker, and thou mated arive There bountie bereth the key of my Tub- daunce. And eke thou hade thy bede freode alive. How many have I refuted to fudene,
Sith I have the fodrid in thy plefaance ? Wolt thou then make a daiute on thy qaeoe. That I fliall be aie at thine ordinaunce } Thou born ar4 in my reign of variaunce. About the whole with othir mud thou drive My lore is bet, then wicke is ihy grevaunce^ And eke thou had thy bede trende alive.
The anfwere to Fortune.
Thy lore I dampne, it is adverfitie,
My frend maid thou not revin blind goddefle. That I thy friendis knowe I thank it the. Take 'hem again, let 'hem go lie a prelTe, The nigardis in kepying ther richede
Pronodike is tbou wolt ther tonre afTalle, Wicke appetite cometh aie before ficknelTe, In generall this rule ne maie not failc
Portnoe.
Thou pinchid at my routabilttiey
For I the lent a droppe of my richeiTe, And now me likiih to withdrawin me. Why (houldid thou my roiakic opprelTe ? The fe maie ebbe and flowin more and leffef The welkin hath might to (hine, rain and haile. Right fo mud I kitbin my brotilneire. In geoeraU this nile ne aiic not^aile.
TW
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
TKe Plaimifie.
toy the* cxecntioo of the imjeftie*
That mil ihepurveighithofhis rightwileiieir:') Tbat fame thyng fortune yctcpio ye, Ye bliade beftlt hill of ludenefs f The heven haih prepirtie of fikirnefs,
l*hi»wortde hath evir reRlelfetravaile, The laft date u the ende of myoe catrefTe, Jn general thitmlenc mai not faile.
Th* cnvoye of Portuoe.
Prlaoes I prase yan of yoar geotilaeffe.
Let not ihii mao and me choscrie aod pluOy
And I fliall qoittin yon thit bttGnefle, Aod if ye lifte relcve hym of his pain,
Praie ye his bed freode of his noblencife. That to facne bettir ftate he may attaia.
Lydgmtt was a tnonk of Bmry^ who wrote t- bvet the faoae time with Cbauter. Out of his prologue to hit third Book of the Fall »f PrtMcei a few ftanxas are feledted, which, being com- pared with the ftyle of his two contemporaries wi!l fliow that oar Laogoage was then not writ- ten by caprice, bet was in a fettled date.
LIK.E a pilgriroe which that goeth on foote. And hath none horfeto rcleue his trauayle, Whote, drye and wciy, and may find no bote Of wel cold whan thruft doth hym alTayle, Wine nor liconr, that may to hym auayle, Tight fi> fisrc which in my bafineife, Ko focconr fynde my rndenet to redreffe.
1 mcane aa thus, 1 have no frefl) liconr Oct of the ccndoites of Calliope, Nor thxoogb Clio in rhetorike no flonre, In my labour for to refrcfh me : Nor of the fodcrs in oonmber thrife three, VilklUi with Cithera on Pamaib dwell, Tbey oaner gave me drink once of their wel.
Nor of tfacyr fpringes clere and chriftallioe. That rprangc by tonchyog of the Pegafe, Their Faoow lacketh my making ten Inmine 1 ffode theyr bawmc of lo great fcarcitte. To tame their tanne« with fiinie drop of pleotie For Polipbemoa throw his great blindnes, Hadt in mc derked of Argns the brightnes.
Oor life here fliort of wit the great dnlnes The be«j (bnle troubled with traoayle^ And of mcmoryc the glafyng brotelhes, Dnde aod vncunning bane made a ftrong baiall Wuh werines my fpirits to alTayle. Aod with their (ubtil crepiog in mod qnient ihik mnde my fp.rit in makyog for to feint.
And ovcrmore, the fcrcfiiU trowardncs Of my ftepmo(hcr called oblioion, ' Hsdk a baftyll of foryctfnhica, Toftoptbe paffage, aod (badow my rcafon That 1 might have ao clere direccton, la tranflating of new to quicke me, Stories to write of olde antiqaite.
Tbos wia 1 liet and ftode in double wcrre
c ibc mctyog of /dircfnl wcyes tweyne.
The one was this, who ener lid to lere, Whereas good wyll gan me condrayne-, Bochas uccompliik for to doe my payne. Came ignoraonce, with a meoace of drede, My penoc to red I durd not procede.
Fcrtefcue was chief judice of ihe Common- Pleas, in the reign of king Htnry VI. He re- tired in 1471. after the battle of Tewke (bury, and probably wrote mod of his works in his pri- vacy. The following paifage is felcaed from his book of the Difirenct bcttoeen an abjolute ««</ Hmited Mtuarchj.
HYTmay peradventnre be marvel id by fomc men, whv one Realme is a Lordlhyp on- ly ^0ya//, and the Pry nee thereof lulyth yt by his Law, callid *Jms Re^ity and another Kyng- dome is a Lordlchip, Roya/i and Pilitike^ and the Prince theaeof ruiytb by a La we, call yd Jut PoUttcum & Re^aii ^ f) ihcn ihes two Princes beih of ^all Allate.
To this dowte it msy be anfweryd in this manner *, the fird lodituiion of il-es twoo Rea'mys, upon the 1 ncorjyjration ot.thcm, is the caufe of this diverfyte.
Wh'-n Nembroth by Might, for his own Glorye, made aitd incorporate the firfl Realme, and fubdnyd it to hymlelf by I'yrannye, he would not have it govercyd by any other Rule or Lawe, but by his o>%n Will ^ by which and for th* accomplilhment thereof he made it. And (herfor, though he has thus made a Realme, holy Scripture denyydto cal hym a Kyng, ^id RfX dicitur a Reggnda i Whych thyrg be i.yd not, but opprcflfyd the People by Myght, and therfor he was a Tyrant, and callsd Pnmus Ty rannorum But holy Writ callith hym Rsbufius Venator coram Dc9. For ab the liunter takyth the wyld beftc for to fcle and catc h)m \ fo Ntm- broth fubdnyd to him the people with Might, to have their fervice and their goods, ufing upon them the Lordfchip that is callid, Dominium Re- lait tantum. After him Belus that was callid fird a Kyng, aod after hym his Sonne Nynns, and after bym other Panyms j They, by Exam- ple of Nembroth, made them Realm ys, would not have them rulyd by other Lawys than by their own Wills. Which Liwys been right good under good Princes ; and their Kyngdoms a then mod rcfembled to the Kingdome t-f God, whidi reynith upon Man, rulyog him by his own Will. Wherfore many Crydyn Princes ofea the fame Lawe; and therfor it is, ihat the Lawys fay en, ^od Principi plaenit Legis kahtt vigonm. And thus I fuppofe fird begaoe in Realmys, Dcmi^ mium tmutum RegaU. But afterward, when Man- kynd was more manfuete, and belter difpoi'yd to Vertue, Crete Communalties, as was the Feliftiip, that came into this Lond with Brute, wyllyng to be unyed and made a Body Polite ke callid a Realme, havying ao Heed to govcrne it ; as after the Saying of the Philofopher, eycry Communaltic unyed o-.' many parts mud needs have an Heed ; than they chole the fame Brute
t n to
THE HISTORY OF THE
to be their Heed and Kyng. And ihcy tnd he ^ upoo this Incorporation and Inftitution, and on- yng of thcmfelf into t Rcalme, ordeynyd the fame Rcalme fo to be mlyd and joftytyd by f«ch Lawys, as they at wcuW affcnt onto; which LawtherforUcallid PpJiticum, and bycaufcit Is roynyftrid by a Kyng, it h callid Regale, 09- minium PeHticum dicitur quafi Regimen^ flmrtum SdentiayJiveCcn/lis min-ftratum. The Kyng of Scotts reynith upon his People by this Lawc, videUcet, Regimine Pclittee «f Regtrh. And as Diodorus Sycnlu* faith, in his Boke de\f>njar Bifloriisy The Realme of Egypte is rutid by the Cime Law, ond therfor the Kyng therof chaung- iih not his Lawcs> without the Affent of h»s People. And in like forme as he faith is ruiid the Kyngdome of Saba, in Felici Arabia, and the Lond of Lihie \ And alfo the more parte of al the Re'.lmys in Afrikt. Which manner of Rule and Lordlliip, the fayd Diodoms in that Boke, prayfith gretely. For it is not only good for the Prince, that may thereby the more fijwerly do juftice, tRan by his own Arbitrimcnt> but it is alfo good for his People that rcceyve therby, fuch Juftice as they defyer themfelf. Now as me feymeth, it y s Ihewyd opinly^ ynough, why one Kyng rulyth and reynith on his People Vemir.U tantum Regalij and that other reynith Dom:ni9 Politico & Regali : For that one Kyng- dome beganne, of and by, the Might oF the Prince, and that other beganne, by the Defier and Inftttuijon of the People of the fame Prince.
Of the works of Sir Thcmas Mire it was ne- cefTary to give a larger fpecimen, both becauffc our language was ihen in a great degree formed and fettled, and becaofe it appears from Ben JohnftWy that his woiRs were confidered as mo- dels of pure and elegant (lyle. The tale, which IS placed firft, becaufe earlieft written, will ihow what an attentive reader wiir, in perufing ovr eld writers, often remark, that the familiar and colloquial part of our }anguage, being difufed a- iXMng thofe clafTes who had no ambition of re- finement, or affeflation of novelty, has foffered very little change. There is another realon why the extrafls from this author are more copious : his works are carefully and Gorre£tIy printed, and may therefore le better trufled than an v other edition of the £ff^/r^ books of that or the pre- ceding ages.
A merry ieft how a fcrgMun6wonldlearneto playe the frere. Written by mtUtcp TfaomM More in bys youth.
WYSE men alway, Affyrme and fay. That bed is for a man v Diligently, For to apply,
The bufines that he can. And in no wyfe, . To enterpryfe,
An other faculte. For he that wyll, Aad can no ikyilv
Is neuer like to the. He that hath lafte. The hofiers crafte.
And falleth lo making (hoie The fmyihe that (hall. To payniyng fall.
His thrift is wcM nigh done. A blacke draper. With whyte paper.
To goe to writyng fcole. An olde butler, Becum a cutler,
I wene (hall prone % fble. And an olde trot. That can I wor,
Nothycg but kyfle the cup,. With her phyfick, Wil kepe oncficke,
Tyll (he hauc foufcd kym vp^. A man of Uwe, That neuer faVi»e.
The wayes to bye tad fcIW Wcnyag to ryfe. By marchauodife,
I with to fpede hym well* A marchaont eke,. That wyll goo fcke^
By all the meanes he may^ To fall in fute, Tyll he difpute.
His money cleane away» Pletying the lawe, For every (Irawe,
Shall prooe a thrifty nutn^ With bate aad ftrife. But by my life,
I cannot tell yov whiOb When an hatter Wyll go fmatter^
In philoibphy,. Or a pedlar. Ware a medlar.
Id theology. All that enfoct Such craftea new.
They diine fo (arve • ttfty That euermore. They do therfbre,
Beflirewc tbemfelfe ttlall. This thing was tryed And Terefyed,
Here by a fergeannt Ute, That thriaiy was. Or he could pas.
Rapped alx)nt ihe ptte, Whyle that be wonid See how he could,
A little play the frere : Nowyf yon wyll, Knowe how it fyll.
Take hede and ye (hiU here. It happed fo, Not long ago.
A thrifty oatn there dycd^ An hnadred powKkj
Of
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
I. f ,
Of mUci foaadc,
Tbttbebaah^sfide: Hb ioomt he wolde« SmmU hmoc dftu g»Mr,
For to begiaoe with all : Bat to Mhtc HH dtyldc, well thrifr.
Tan oioocy WIS to final. Yd or dm ds]r Ifaavchanl fsy.
That many a man cotefle, *)«ii widi good caft, Be rydke at laft.
That hath bccoaae with Idfc. Btt this yova^ mane, Sd wrU beganne.
His money to impio}', Tbt cenaiaiy. His policy.
To fce it was a Joy, For left fwB blaft, MyghtoBcr caft,
Ui«flnp,«rbyi
Met widi liBD wile, Myght hym bcgyle. And minilh hia fflbftauacey
All mancr doiK,
He made a good pnrvay. Par cwy wbyt. By hiaownewyt,
And Coke an other way; Tirft fityre aiid wde, Thoof mnch dele.
He dygged it in a poC, B«t then him thought ^^■^ w«y was oovgfat.
And there he left ivnat. 8» ««a be fnine. From thcaoe agayae.
To pnt it in a cup, Aodbyaad by, Coneionflyy
He fiippod it fiiyre vp, Ufaiaownebreft, Hednoghtit beft.
Has money to enclofr, "nm wift he wdl, VhatcnerleiU
He coaU it never lofe.
He harrowed then. Of -
ft omer "^ntj
Money and msrcfaaVDdiie : Ncner payd it, <7p he laid it,
la like maoer wyfe. Yeon thegere, ''^ he would were.
He rcight not what he fpnt. « « were ayce. As far the price.
Could hun not miicoflleitf. ^•h InHy fporte, Aid with refeft.
Of biy compai^, •• "Mftb tad pby^
Fall many a day.
He lived merely. Aodaaea hid fwome. Some nian is borne.
To hane a lucky howre. And (• was be, For fiich degre.
He gat and fucbc honoor» ThatwiUioot dont, Whao be went out,
A fergeannt well and fayre, Wasredyftrayee, On bim to wayte.
As fooe as on the mayre. Bathe donbtleife. Of bismekenelTe,
Hated fuch pompe and pride. And wpold not go, Companicd fo.
But drewe himfelf a fide« To St. Katharine, Streight as a line.
He gate him at a tyde. For dcaocion. Or promocion.
There would he oedes abyde. There fpent he fafl. Till all were pad.
And to him came there faeoy, To^ik Ihcyr det. But none could get.
The valour of a pcny. 4¥ith vilage ftout, He bare it out,
£uen unto the harde hedge, A month or twaine, Tyll be was faine.
To laye his gowne to pledge. Than was he theie, In greater feare.
Than ere that he came thither, Andiron Id as fayne. Depart againc.
But that be will not whither. Than Alter this, Toafrendeofhit,
He went and there abode, Whese as he lay. So fick alway.
He myght not come abrode. It happed than, A marchaunt man.
That heooght nwoey to. Of an.Officere, Than gan enqvere.
What him was bcft to do. And be anfwerde. Be not aferde.
Take an accion iherfore, I you behefte, I flull hym rede.
And than care for no more. I feare quod he, 4t wyll.aot be,
f ot«he wyll not come out,
[f » 1 The
THE HISTORY OF THE
The fergranot fiid. Be not afrayd,
It (hall be brought about. In maoy a game, Lyke to the lame,
Haue 1 bene well in vre. And Tor your fake, Let me be bake,
But j\ I do this core. Thus part they boih. And toorth then goth,
A pace this ofHcere, And tor a day. Ail hts array.
He chaunged with a frere. So was he dight. Tha no man might,
Hym for a frere deny. He dopped and dookcd. He fpake and looked.
So religioufly. Yet in a glaffe, Or he would paiTe,
He toted and he peered. His harte for pryde, Lepte in his fyde.
To fee how well he frcercd Than orth a pace. Unto ft place.
He goeth withoutea ihame To do this dede, / Bo t now take hede.
For here begynneth the game. He drew hym ny. And fofiely,
Sueyght at the dore he knocked :. And a dam ell, That hard hym well.
There came and it unlocked. The frere fa yd. Good fpede fay re mayd.
Here lodgeth fach a man. It is told me : Well fyr quoth (he.
And yf he do what than. Quoth he mayHreHTe, Mo harm doutletfe ;
It longeth for our order, To hurt no man; Hat a« we can,
Fuery wight to (order. With hym truly, Fayue fpeake would I.
Sir quod (he by my fay. He is lb iike, Yc be not like.
To fpeake with hym to day. ^^cih he fayre may. Yet I you pray.
This much at my defire, Vouchfate to do. As go hym to,
And fay au auilcn frere Would with hym fpcke. And matters breake.
For bis autyle certayn.
Quod (he I wyll, Stonde ye here ftyll.
Till I come d«woe ftgtyn. Vp is (he go, Aod told hym fo.
As (he was bode to fay. He midradying. No maner thyng,
Sayd mayden go thy way. And fetch him hyder. That we togyder.
May talk. A downe (he gothe^ Vp (he him broil ght. No harme (he thouglM,
But it made fome folke wroth^ Thi#o(ficere, This fayned frere.
When he was come alo(t. He dopped than^ And grete this man,
Religioufly aod oft. And he ag^yn, Ryght glad and faya,
I'oke him there by the haod^* The frere than fcyd. Ye bedifmayed.
With trouble I underftaode. Iq dede quod be. It hath with me.
Bene belter than it ia. Syr quod the (rere. Be of good chere.
Yet (hall it after thia. But I would now, Comen with you,
la coonfayle yf yon pleafe. Or eliys nat Of matters that
Shall fetyour heart at eafe. Downe went the mayd, I'he marcbaont fayd,
Now fay on geatld frere, Pf ihys tydyng That ye me bryng,
I long full fore to here* Whan there was none. But they alone.
The frere with euyll grace Seyd, I reft the. Come on with me.
And out he toke his mace ; Thou (halt obay. Come on thy way,
I have the in my douche. Thou gocft not hence. For all the penfe.
The may re hath in his pouchc. This marchauot there. For wrath and fere.
He waxyng weloygh wood, Sayd horfon thefe, Witharoifchefe,
Who hath taught the thy good^ And with his fir(l, Vpon the lyft.
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
He gtne turn foch % blow, Thattnckwafd dowoe, Almoft in fiywae.
The tTcre is ovcinmw* Yet was this ntMn, Wd] feardcr than.
Left he the frere had flayoc^ Tyll with good r«ppes, Aod besny cUppet,
He dawde hym Tp agayne. The frere toke haite, Aod Tp he ftarte.
And well he Uyde «boiit, And lo there goth, Becwene them both,
Many a lady clvt. They rent aod tere Bdic others here,
AndcUoe togyderfa(l| Tyll with luggyng, And with tuggyng.
They fell down both tt laft. Than on the gronnde, Togyder roaade.
With mAoy « fadde ftroke, They roll acd rumble, Tbey tvoe and tumble.
As pygges do m m poke. 80 long abotte, Tbey beue and (hone,
Togider that at laft. The msyd and wyfe, Tobreaketheftrife,
Hycd them vpward faft. And whan they Ipye, The captayncs lye
Both waltrlng on the place^ The fireres hood, Tbey pnlled a ^mx),
Adowoe about his face. Whylebe was biynde. The weochc bchynde.
Lent him leyd on the flore, Many a ioule, Abovt the oonle,
Vf'nh a great batyldore. The wYfe came yet, Aod with her fete.
She hoipe to kepe himdowoe^ And with her rtfcke. Many a knocke.
She gaue hym on the crowoe. They layd his mace, Aboathis face.
That he was wood for payoe. The frere frappe. Gate many a fwappe,
TvH he was fail oygh (layne. yp tbey hym lift. And with yll thritt,
Hedlyog a long the ftayre, Downe they hym threwe, A &yde adewe,
Coramende ns to the mayre. Tha frere arofe, ^Qt I foppo(e«
Amafedwas ht$ hed. He ihoke lus cares, And from grete feares.
He thought hym well yfled. Quod he now loft, Is all this coft,
We be neuer the nerc. Ill mote he be. That caufed me.
To make myfelf a frere. Now mafters all. Here now I (hall«
Ecde there as I began. In any wyfe, I would auyfe,
And coonfayle euery man, Hi? own crafte nfe. All newe refule.
And lightly l^t them gone : play not the frere, Now make good chere.
And welcome euerych one.
A rufnl lamentacion (written by mafter Thomas More in his youth) of the deth of quene Eli- zabeth mother to king Henry the eight, wife to king Henry the feueoth, and eldeft dough' ter to king Edward the fourth, which quene Elifabeth dyed in childbed in February in
the yere of our Lord 18 yere of the reigoe ieuentfa*
1903, and in the of ^ing Henry the
OYe that put your truft and confidence In worldly joy and frayie profperite. That (b lyue here as you ihould neuer hence^ Remember death and loke here vppon me. J&nfaumple I tbynke there may no better be. Your feife wotte well that in this realm was I, Your quene but late, and lo now here I lye.
Was I not borne of oldc worthy linage ? Was not my mother queene my father kyng ? Was I not a kinges fere in marriage ? Had I not plenty of euery pleafaant thyng } Merciful! god this is a ftraunge reckenyng : Rychefle, honour, wellh, and auncdlry > Hath me forfaken and lo now here 1 ly.
If worftiip myght have kept me, I had not gone. If wyt myght haue me fawed, I ncded not fere. If money myght haue holpc, I lacked none. But O good Cod what vayleth all this gcre. When deth is come thy mighty mclTaogerc, Obey we moft there is no remedy. Me hath he fummoned, aad lo now here I Ir.
Yet was 1 late promifed otherwyfe, This yere to Hue in wclth and dclicc. Lo whereto comeih thy blandifliynj promvfc, O falfe aftrolagy and deuynatricc, Of goddes fecreiea makyng thy felt f i wyfe. How true is for this yere thy prophecy. The yere yet lafteth, and lo nowe here I iy.
O bryttili welth, a% full of bitteroelfc. Thy fitngle pleafure doubled is with payne. AccoY^ntmy ibrow £rU and my diJlicirc^
In
THE HISTORY OF THE
In fondry wyfc, and recken there agayne. The wordea of FoitiiDe to the people.
The toy that I bane had, and I dtre fayoe.
For all my honour, eodared yei hane I, A TT'^^ ^'8^ *^*'* power toA aaaoritie^
More wothanwelth, and lo now here I ly. IVL If ye ne know, enfcrche and ye Aal Where are our caftels, now where are our fpye,
^^criy That richeflc, worfhip, welth, and dignitie.
Goodly Rychaionde Tone art thou gone from Joy, reft, and peace, and all thyng fynally,
"*«> That any pleafure or profit may come by.
At Weftminfter that coftly worke of yoort. To manner, comfort, ayde, and faftinauoce,
Myne own dere lorde now (hall I neocr fee. If >11 «t my deuyfe and ordioaunce. Almighty god vonchefafe to grannt that ye. Without my Uuour there i& notbyng wonne.
For you and your children well may edefy. Many a mattes haue I brought at laft.
My palyce bylded is, and lo now here I ly. To good conclufion, that fondly was begoone.
Adew myne owne dere fpoufe my worthy And many a purpofe, bounden fare and faft
lorde, With wife prouifion, I haue onercaft.
The faithful loue that dyd us both combyne, Without good happe there may no wit fuifife.
In mariage and peafeable Concorde, Better is to be fortunate than wyfe. Into your handefchere 1 cleane refyne. And therefore hath there fome men ben or
To be bedowed vpon your children and myne. this,
Krft wer you father, and now mud ye fupply. My deadly foes and written many a boke,
The mothers part alfo, for lo now here I ly. To my difprayfe. And other caufe there nyt^
Farewell my doughter ladv Margerete. But (or me lift not frendly on them loke.
God wottefull oft it greued hath my mynde. Thus like the fox they fare that once forfokc.
That ye (hould go where we Ihould feldome The pleafaant grapes, and gan for to defy them,
mete. Becaufe he lept and yet could not come by Now am I gone, and haue lefte yon behynde. them.
O mortall folke that we be very blysde. But let them write theyr labour is in vayae.
That we leaft feare, full oft it is moft nye, ^or well ye wote, royrth, honour and richefle.
From you depart K fyrft, and lo now here I Much better is than penary and payoe.
lyfc- The nedy wretch that lingereth in diftrefle.
Farewell Madame my lordes worthy mother. Without myne helpe is euer cocnfortleiTe
Comfort your fonne, and be ye of good chere. A wery burden odious and loth.
Take all a worth, for it will be no Bother. To all the world, and eke to him felfe both. Farewell my doughter Katherine late the fore. But hethat by my fauour nuy afcende,
To prince Arthur myne own child fo dere. To mighty power and excellent degree.
It booteth not for me to wepe or cry, A common wele to gouerne and defendt.
Pray for my foule, for lo now here I ly. O in how blift condicion ftandeth he i
Adew lord Henry my louyng fonne adew. Him felf in honour and felicite.
Our lorde encreafe your honovr and eftate. And ouer, that may forther and increafe,
Adew my doughter Mary bright of hew« A region hole in ioyful reft and peace. God make you vertuous wyfe and fortunate. Now in this ppynt there is no more to fry,
Adew fwete hart my little doughter Kate, Fche man hath of him felf the gouernaunce.
Thou fhalt fvete babe foche is thy defteny Let euery wight than folowe hia owne way.
Thy mother neaer know, for lo now here I And he that out of ponertee or mifchaaoce,
ly- Lift for to to Hue, and wyll him felf enhaaoce.
Lady Cicyly Anne and Katheryne, In wealth and richeffe, come forth and wayte oo Farewell my welbe loved lifters three, rne.
0 lafty Briget other (ifter myne. And he that wyll, be a beggar let hym be. Lo here the ende of worldly vanitee.
Now well are ye that earthly foly flee, Thomas Mokx to thfan that tmft in Fortiiiic.
Audheaoenly tbynges lone and magnify. ^
Farewell and pray for me, for lo now here ^ I ^HQU that are prowde of honour (hape •» I ly. A kynne,
Adew my lordes, adew my ladies all. That hepeft vp this wretched worldea treafure^
Adew my UithfuU ferutuntes euerych one, Thy fii^gers ftirincd with gold, thy uwoy Adew my commons whom 1 neuer ftiall, ikynne,
Sec in this worM wherefore to the alone. With frefh spparyle garnifhed out of iqeafarc.
Immortal god verely three snd one. And weoeft to haue fortune at thy pleafure,
1 me comroeode. Th) infinite mercy, Caft vp thyne eye, and loke how flipper Shew to thy feruant, for lo now here i ly. chaunce,
Illudeth her men with chaonge and ▼aryavsce.
C«.in mtters ia Englifl, written by m.fter ^ 'ffi "" '"'''^ " '""''' ^^" "^
Thomas More in hys youth for the boke of *. «.-.-»ji it ' .^ r ^ .
fortune, and cured /hetito be primed in the sitt^jLh*^^ ^^ll^'^"^'' -^
Bfl
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
BttAiidiereikjMdi miy not long abide. Tborcoiscch t doude, tod ftrewcll tU our
pryde. Like taj ferpenc flic begiiuieth to fwcll. Aid lookccb u fierce as tny fury of hell. Yet fat tJl dnt ire brotle men are fayne* (So vrctcbed ii oar natare and fo blyndc) At (oBie u Pomme lift to laugh agayne, Wah fiyre covatcaaaoce aod diiceittoll mynde. To cioodie tod koelc aod gape after the
»?nde. Not oBc or twayne bat tfaoafaodes in a rout, Lfkcfvwmyog bce« ccme flickeryng her a* boat
Tbeaii a biyte flie bryogeth forth her ware, Slofr, pAif richc peric, and preciont (tone : Oq wbidc the mtfcd people gafe and ftare. Aid ppc thcreibre, as dogges do for the bone. Fortaae tt tbcm laoghccby and in her trooe AoTdhertrcirBre and waneryng rychcife, ^vvdly Ak boneth as lady and etnprefle.
Fift by her fyde doth wery laboor ftaad, Hie fcR tlib, and forow all bewcpt, DiStya sod bitred on the other band, £ke rdlics wacche fro flepe with traaayle kept, Hiicyesdrowfy and lokyog as he flept. ^ffvt bcr ftandeth dannger aod enoy, Flstfry,<lyfceyt,mifchiefe aadtiranny.
Aboat ber commcch all the world to begge. He ifcetb lude, and be to pas wonU bryng, T^injt and that, aod all not woith an egge : He voaid in lose proiper abone all thyog : He kaektb downe and would be made a kyng : Hefarceth oot fb he may money hanef .t^gh ilhbc work! accompt hym for a knaue.
U diat ye fee diuers heddes, diners wittes. PortBoc tlone as diners as they all, VaAible here and there among them flittes : Aidatsaeotare downe ber giftes fall, Cirdbwholboay (he throwcth great and fmall N«io ill loen, as oommeth fonne or dewe, ^fior tbe moft part, all among a fewc.
Aod yet her broull giftes long may notlaft. Rtthttibegaae them, loketh prowde and bye. ^ wbirldi about and pluckth away as ftft, Aad {ioctb tbfem to an other by and by. Aad tfau fram man to man cootinnally. ^viedi to gene and take, acd flily tofle, ^ oia to wyonyng of on others loflie.
Aad vbea Ibe r^beth one, down goth his
Hejitpcdi sad waylcCb and cvifeth her foil fore. ^ ^ dist rcccucth it, on that other fyde, ^ iH sad hkSHh ber often tymes therefore. ^ ia t vbyle when flie loueih hym no more, ^gtydeth fimn l^ym, and her giftes to, A*d be ber corfeth, as other fooles do. Aiutbefolyih people cannotceafo, J^< *^ ber tnyne« tvU they the harroe do felc. ^^hcralway, beiely they preace. B« lord how be doth thynk hym felfo full wele, ^ nay fiet aocc his haode Tppon her whele. He boUeib faft : bat upward as he Bieth, ^ vhippath bcr whclc »bo«t, ajid there he ly«b.
Thus fell Julius from his mighty power. Thus fell Darius the worthy kyng of Perfe. Thus fell Alexaoder the great cooquerour. Thus many mo then Imay well reherfe. Thus double fortune, when (he lyft retter(e Her flipper fauour fro tbem that in her truft. She flecth her wey aod Icyeth them in the duft.
She fodeinly eohauoceth them aloft. And ibdeynly mifcheueth all the flocke. The head that late lay eaTily and full foft. In (lede of pyfows lyeth after on the bkicke. And yet alas the moft cruell proude mocke : The deynty mowth that ladyes kifTed haue. She bryngeth in the cafe to kjfft a knaue. In chaunging of her courfe, the chaunge (hewth this, [knight,
Vp ftartih a knaue, and downe there faith a The beggar ryche, and the ryche man pore is^ Hatied is turned to loue, foue to defpygbr. This is her fport, thus proueth (he her myght. Cieat bofte (he maketh yf one be by her power, Wclthy and wretched both within an howre.
Ponertee that of her gi(tes wyl nothing take, Wyth mery chere, looketh vpon the prece, Aiid (eeth how fortunes bonlkold goeih to wrakc. Prft l^ her ftandeth the wyfe Socrates, Arriftippus, Pythagoras, and many a ie(e. Of olde philo(ophers. And eke agaynft the
foone Bekyth hym poore Diogenes in his tone.
With her is Byu, whofc country lack^ de- fence, And whylom of their foes ftode fo in dout. That eche man haftely gan to carry thence. And aflced hym why he nought carycd out. 1 here quod be all myne with me about : Wifedom he ment, not fortunes brotle (Sees ; For nought he counted his that be might ledV. ^^
Heraclitus eke, lyft folowlhip to kc pe With glad pouertee, Demociifus al(b : Of which the fyrft can neoer ceafe but wepr,) To (ee how thick the blinded oeople go. With bbottr great to purcbalc care and wo. That other laugheth to fee thee (bolyfh apes, Howe caimeftly they walk about theyr capes.
Of thia poore fe£t, it is comcnvfage, , Onely to take that nature may fuftayne, Baniwing cleane all other furplufage. They be content, aod of notbyogcomplaynf. No nygarde eke is of his good fo fayoe. But they more pleafure haue a thoufande fokle. The iecret draughts of nature to bcholde.
Set fortunes ferfauntes by them and yc wull. That one is free, the other euer thrall, That one content, that other nener full. That one infareyte, that other like to (all. Who lyft to aduife them both, parceyve he
(hall. As great dilFereace between them as we (ee, Betwixte wrctcbcdnes and felicite. Nowe have 1 (hewed you bothe : thefe whiche ye lyft. Stalely fortune, or humble pouertee : That is to fay, dowe lyeth it in your fyft, To take here bondage, or free liber tte.
B»'
THE HISTORY OF TH.E
But io thy 9 poynte tnd ye do titer me,
Drftw you to forcune^ and labour her to pleafef
IF that ye thynk your felfe to well at eafe.
And fyrd vppon the louely (hall (he fmile. And iirendly on the call her wandering eyes, Kmbrace the in her armes, and for a whyie, Put the and kepeihe in a foolea paradife : And foorth with tU what fo tbon (yd deuiie, She will the graont it l.berally parhappei : But for all (hai beware of after dappes.
Rrcken yea neuer of her fauoure fure : Ye may in ciowds a\ eafily trace an bare. Or in dry lande caufe fiOies lo endure, And make the burnyng fyre his heate to fptre. And all ibys worlde in comfMce to forfire. As her to make by era t or engine ftable. That of her nature is ever variable.
Serue her day and nyght as reuereotly, Vppcn thy knees as any feruant may. And in conciufion, that thou (halt winoe thereby Shall not be worth thy fervyce I dare fay. And iooke yet what (he geueth the to day. With labour wcnne (he R-.a!! happly to morrow, Pluck it agayne out of thine hand with forrow.
Wherefore yt thou in furetye lyd to ftande. Take pouerties parte and let prowdc fortune go, Receyue nothing that commeth from herfaande. Loue maner and vertue : they be onely tho, Whiche doub'.e fortune may not take the fro. Then m«y(l thou boldly defyc her turoyog
chauQce : She can the neyiherhyndernor auaunce.
But a«xi thou wylt nedct medle with her irea- fure. Trull not therein, and fpeode it liberally. Beare the not proude, nor take not out of mea-
lure. By Ide not thyne houfe on heyth vp in the flcye. >Jone falleth farre, but be that climbethhye. Remember nature feni the hyiher biire, The gyftes of fortune count them borrowed ware.
TuoMAB More to them that feke Fortune.
WHO fo delyteth to proncn and aflay. Of waveryog fortune the vnceruyoe lot, It that the aunfwere pleafe you notalway, Biame ye not me : for 1 commaundc you not. Fortune to truft, and eke full well ye wot, 1 haue of her no brydle in my Bil, She renncih looTe, and turaeth where (he iyft. The roily ng dyfe in wbome your luck«do.th (lande. With whofe vnhappy cbaunce ye be fa wroth. Ye knowe yourfeUecame neuer in myne hande. Lo in tliis ponde be fy(he tod frogges both Call in your nette : but be you liefe or loihe. Hold you content as fortune lyft aifyiie*: For ii is your own tiQiyngaod not myne. And though in one cbaunce fortune yoa of- fend, GruJge not there at, but beare a merry f«ce. In maoy an other (he (hall it amende. 1 here u no manne fo farre out of her grace,
But he rometyme hath comfort and roitce : Ne none agaync fo farre foorth in her fouour. That is full fatisfyed with her behanioor. Fortune is ftately, folenane, prowde, anA hye :
And ryobcffc gevetb, to heve fervyce there- fore. The nedy beg^er catcheth an halfpeny: Some manoe a thott£inde pound, fome ieCT^
Come QBore. But for all that (he kepeth euer in (lore. From euery roanne fome ptrcell of hia wylf , That he may pray therefore and fonie her ftyll.
Some manne hath good, but chyldren hath he none Some man hath both, but he can get none
health. Some hath al thre, bur vp to honoora trone. Can he not crepe, by no manner of (telth. To fome (he feodeth, children, rycbes, wealihe Honour, woor(hyp, and reuereoce all hys lyfe : * But yet (he pyncheth hym with a (hrewde