Chaucer. To cry cok! cok! refers rather to the utterance of rapid cries of alarm, as fowls cry when scared. Brand (Pop. Antiq. ed. Ellis, ii. 58) copies Ruddiman's explanation of the above passage. 480. As I hope to retain the use of my two eyes.' So Havelok, 1. 2545: 'So mote ich brouke mi Rith eie!' And 1. 1743:-'So mote ich brouke finger or to.' And 1. 311: 'So brouke i euere mi blake swire!' swire=neck. See also Brouke in the Glossary to Gamelyn, ed. Skeat. 492. daun Burnel the Asse. 'The story alluded to is in a poem of Nigellus Wireker, entitled Burnellus seu Speculum Stultorum, written in the time of Richard I. In the Chester Whitsun Playes, Burnell is used as a nickname for an ass. The original word was probably brunell, from its brown colour; as the fox below is called Russel, from his red colour.'-Tyrwhitt. The Latin story is printed in The Anglo-Latin Satirists of the Twelfth Century, ed. T. Wright, i. 55. There is an amusing translation of it in Lowland Scotch, printed as 'The Unicornis Tale' in Small's edition of Laing's Select Remains of Scotch Poetry, ed. 1885, p. 285. It tells how a certain young Gundulfus broke a cock's leg by throwing a stone at him. On the morning of the day when Gundulfus was to be ordained and to receive a benefice, the cock took his revenge by not crowing till much later than usual; and so Gundulfus was too late for the ceremony, and lost his benefice. Cf. Warton, Hist. E. P., ed. 1871, ii. 352. As to the name Russel, see note to l. 29. 509. Ecclesiaste; not Ecclesiastes, but Ecclesiasticus, xii. 10, 11, 16. Cf. Tale of Melibeus, B. 2368. 515. Tyrwhitt cites the O. F. form gargate from the Roman de Rou. Several examples of it are given by Godefroy. 527. O Gaufred. He alludes to a passage in the Nova Poetria of Geoffrey de Vinsauf, published not long after the death of Richard I. In this work the author has not only given instructions for composing in the different styles of poetry, but also examples. His specimen of the plaintive style begins thus: Neustria, sub clypeo regis defensa Ricardi, These lines are sufficient to show the object and the propriety of Chaucer's ridicule. The whole poem is printed in Leyser's Hist. Poet. Med. Ævi, pp. 862–978.'—Tyrwhitt. 528. Richard I. died on April 6, 1199, on Tuesday; but he received his wound on Friday, March 26. 530. Why ne hadde I=0 that I had. 537. streite swerd = drawn (naked) sword. Cf. Aeneid, ii. 333, 334:'Stat ferri acies mucrone corusco Stricta, parata neci.' 538. See Aeneid, ii. 550-553. 543. Hasdrubal; not Hannibal's brother, but the King of Carthage when the Romans burnt it, B. C. 146. Hasdrubal slew himself; and his wife and her two sons burnt themselves in despair; see Orosius, iv. 13. 3, or Ælfred's translation, ed. Sweet, p. 212. Lydgate has the story in his Fall of Princes, bk. v. capp. 12 and 27. 574. Walsingham relates how, in 1381, Jakke Straw and his men killed many Flemings 'cum clamore consueto.' He also speaks of the noise made by the rebels as 'clamor horrendissimus.' See Jakke in Tyrwhitt's Glossary. 580. houped. See Piers Plowman, ed. Wright, p. 127, 'houped after Hunger, that herde hym,' &c.; or ed. Skeat (Clarendon Press), B. vi. 174. 625. My Lord. A side-note in MS. E. explains this to refer to the Archbishop of Canterbury; probably William Courtenay, archbishop from 1381 to 1396. ADDITIONAL NOTE TO THE KNIGHTES TALE; 1. 319. The note on p. 175 may be amended. The fable is practically the same as that of 'The Lion, the Tiger, and the Fox' in Croxall's edition of Æsop's Fables. In the modern edition by James (London, 1852), it is Fable No. 141, and is entitled 'The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox.' See N. and Q. 7 S. vi. 53, 90, 236. GLOSSARY. A = Prologue. B= Knightes Tale. c-Nonne Prestes Tale. An asterisk prefixed to a form signifies that such a form is theoretical. A. A, one, single. A. S. án, Ger. ein, one; Eng. indef. article an or a. Cf. M. E. o, oo, one; ta, to, the one, the first. A, in, on; cf. a-night, B 184; amorwe, A 822; a-day, in the day, B 1765; a Goddes name, in God's name, A 854; a-three, in three, B 2076. Cf. Mod. Eng. a-foot, asleep, a-hunting, a-building, &c. A. S. and O.S. an, in, on. It is still used in the South of England. Abbey, abbey: C 34. Able, fit, capable, adapted: A 167. Lat. habilis (Lat. habeo, to have), convenient, fit: O.F. habile, able, expert, fit. Aboghte (the pret. of abegge or abye), atoned for, suffered for: B 1445; Pp. aboght, 2242. A. S. ábycgan, to redeem, pay the purchase-money, to pay the penalty (from bycgan, to buy). Cf. the modern expression to buy it dear.' 'So shalt thou honge in helle and bye it dere :' Occleve, De Reg. Princip. 162. Shakespeare and Milton have, from similarity of sound, given the sense of abye to the verb abide, as in the following examples : 'If it be found so, some will dear abide it.'-Julius Cæsar, iii. 2. 119. 'Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, Lest to thy peril thou abide it dear.'-Mids. Night's Dream, iii. 2. 175. 'How dearly I abide that boast so vain.'-Paradise Lost, iv. 87. Abood, delay: B 107. See Abide. Aboven, above: A 53. A. S. ábufan, be-ufan, ufan; Du. boven, above. Cf. the M. E. forms buve, buven, aboon, above. = Abrayde, started (suddenly), awoke: C 188. A. S. bregdan, to move, turn, weave; Icel. bregða, to draw out a sword, to pull down, to awake, to leap. The M. E. braide has all these meanings, and signifies also to cry out suddenly, to scold; whence Eng. braid, upbraid. The A. S. brægd, bregd, Icel. brago, signifies a sudden start, blow, deceit; hence the M. E. phrase 'at a braid,' = in a trice. The Icel. brag is also applied to the features or to the gestures, by which an individual is characterized; hence Prov. Eng. braid, to resemble, pretend; Eng. braid, appearance (Bailey). Shakespeare uses braid = braided, of deceitful manner. Abregge, to shorten, abridge: B 2141. F. a-breger; Lat. abbreviare. Cf. M. E. agregge, agredge, to aggravate, from F. aggréger (from Lat. gravis). Abyde, Abyden (pret. abod, abood; pp. abiden), abide, delay, wait for, await: B 69, 2124; C 260. A. S. abídan, bídan, to wait, remain; Goth. beidan, to expect. Accomplice, to accomplish: B 2006. Accord, Acord, agreement: A 838, C 59. Achat, purchase: A 571. O. F. achepter, to buy; F. acheter, It. accattare, to acquire, get; Low Lat. accaptare. Cf. M. E. acates, cates, victuals, provision, delicacies; catery, store-room; Eng. cater. F. achat, purchase. Achatour, purchaser, caterer: A 568. See Achat. Acordaunt, according to, agreeing, suitable: A 37. Acorde, to agree, suit: A 244, 830; pp. Acorded, B 356. F. accorder, to agree (from Lat. cor, the heart). Adamant, adamant: B 1132. Gr. ἀ-δάμας (α privative, δαμάω, to tame, subdue), the hardest metal, probably steel (also the diamond); whence Eng. adamantine. 'In adamantine chains and penal fire.'-Milton, Par. Lost, i. 48. Adamant is sometimes (but incorrectly) applied to the magnet or loadstone. Cf. 'Well she's a most attractive adamant.'—T. Heywood, ed. Collier, p. 8. Adoun, down, downwards, below: A 393; cf. doun, B 245. A.S. ofdúne (cf. O. F. à val, to the valley, downwards), from the hill, downwards; from dún, a hill, down. Adrad, pp. in great dread, afraid : A 605. Cf. M. E. of-drad, much afraid; where the prefix of is intensitive, like for-, Lat. per-. Aferd, Afered, in great fear, afraid: A 628, в 660. Cf. M. E. ferd, ferdnesse, fear; offered, much afraid. See Adrad. Affeccioun, affection, hope: в 300. Affermed, confirmed: B 1491. Affrayed, terrified, scared: C 458. F. effrayer, to scare, appal; effroi, terror: whence affray. Affyle, to file, polish: A 712. F. affiler, It. affilare, to sharpen : F. fil, edge; Lat. filum, a thread. Afright, in fright, afraid: c 75. From A. S. fyrhtu, fright. Cf. Goth. faurhts, timid. Agast, terrified, aghast: B 1483; Agaste him, was terrified: B 1566. Cf. M. E. gastlic, ghastly, gastnes, fear; A. S. gæstan, Goth. us-gaisjan, to terrify; us-geisnan, to be amazed; Dan. gys, terror. Agayn, Ageyn, again, against, towards: A 66, 801. A.S. ongéan, on-gén, a-gén, opposite, towards, against; géan, opposite, against; O. Sw. gen, opposite; Ger. gegen, against. Agon, Agoon, gone, past, B 418, 924; the past participle of M. E. verb agon, to go, pass away. A. S. ágán, ágangan. We also meet with ygo in the same sense, and some etymologists have erroneously supposed that the prefix a- is a corruption of y-. Agrief, in grief: C 73. 'To take it agrief' to take it amiss, feel aggrieved, be displeased. Al, all, whole (cf. al a=a = a whole, a 584); quite, wholly (cf. al redy, al armed, &c.); although (cf. al speke he, al have I, al be it): A 71, 76, 297, 734, B 1406. See Alle. Alaunts, a species of dog: B 1290. They were used for hunting the boar. Sp.and Ital.alano. Tyrwhitt says they were much esteemed in Italy in the fourteenth century. Gualv. de la Flamma (ap. Murator. Antiq. Med. Æ. t. ii. p. 394) commends the governors of Milan 'quod equos emissarios equabus magnis commiscuerunt, et procreati sunt in nostro territorio DESTRARII nobiles, qui in magno pretio habentur. Item CANES ALANOS altae staturae et mira bilis fortitudinis nutrire studue runt.' Al be, although: A 297. Alderbest. See Aller. Ale-stake, a horizontal stake projecting from an ale-house to support a sign, A 667; ' le moy d'une taverne' (Palsgrave). It appears that a bush was often placed at the end of the ale-stake. Algate, always: A 571. M. E. algates; cf. swagate, thus; North Prov. Eng. gate, way; Eng. gait; Icel. gata, a path; Sw. gata, way, street. Alighte, (pp. alight), alighted: A 722, B 125. Cf. the phrase 'to light upon.' A. S. álihtan, to descend, alight. Alle, pl. of al (all): A 26, 53. Aller, of all (gen. pl. of al). The older forms are alra, alre, aller, later alder, alther; our aller, of us all, A 823; hir aller, of them all, A 586; alderbest, best of all, A 710, &c. The insertion of d or th serves merely to strengthen the word, as in lend, spend (older forms lene, spene). Alliaunce, alliance: B 2115. F. allier, to ally; Lat. ligare, to tie; alligare, to bind. Also, as: A 730. A. S. ealswá; M. E. al-se, ase. These forms Ishew that as is a contraction from al-so. Cf. Ger. also, als; O. Fris. alsa, alse, æsa, ase. Amblere, a nag: A 469. Amiddes, amidst, in the middle: B 1151. Amonges, amongst: A 759. Amorwe, on the morrow: A 822. Amounte, to amount to, signify, denote: B 1504. And=an, if: B 356. Anhanged, hung up, C 242. The prefix an=on, up. Anlas (or Anelace), a kind of knife or dagger, usually worn at the girdle: A 357. Anoint, anointed: A 199. Anon, Anoon, in one (instant), anon: A 32. M. E. an an, or on an. Apalled, become weak, feeble, B 2195; originally 'made pale.' Chaucer speaks of 'an old appalled wight,' i. e. a man enfeebled through old age. It is connected with O. F. appalir, to grow pale; see Murray's Dict. Apayd, pleased, satisfied: B IOIO. F. payer, to satisfy, pay (Lat. pacare); whence M. E. pay, satisfaction, gratification, pleasure; Eng. pay. Ape, metaphorically, a fool: A 706. Apothecarie, apothecary: A 425. Apparailling, preparation: B 2055. |