Dodsley and other editors. ¶ 176. glyster=clyster, an injection; as given in early times it often did more harm than good. (317) 182. bande: i. e., rope. ¶ 188. from out of. 203. The pedler evidently has entered as the preceding line was being spoken. (318) 227. me=my. (319) 305. swiming: 1569 ed., "swynking." (320) 342. wide: i. e., wide of the truth. 347. pretence: i. e., the claim of the palmer. 351. The punctuation, which puts sense into an obscure line, is Professor Manly's. The meaning is that by the pardons of the pardoner (who will wager his soul on the result) a man may go to heaven easily, sitting in his chair as it were; cf. l. 347. (321) 377. clere clearly. ¶ 386. proctours: proctors, in English colleges, are disciplinary officers, not teachers. ¶387. doctours: the word is used in its original sense of "teachers" (Latin "docere," to teach). 398. debyte: a corruption of "depute," deputy. 401. Your: i. e., the pardoner's. (322) 404. prime: 9 A.M. ¶418, 419. All the early editions assign these lines to the poticary; Dodsley made the correction. ¶427. decayeth: Manly's emendation; the early editions have "decayed." ¶432. maner thynge: manner of thing. (323) 454. beholde: 1545 ed., "be bolde." ¶ 455. be: 1569 ed., "lie." ¶456. ye: the pardoner. 458. you: the poticary. (324) 480. manner: i. e., manner of. ¶497. All-Halowes=“all saints"; the ignorant pardoner takes the words to be the name of some particular saint. (325) 526. Seven Slepers: the Seven Sleepers, according to legend, lived at Ephesus in the third century; on account of persecution for their Christian faith they fled to a cave, where they slept for some two or three centuries; upon awaking, they told of the miracle and died. 557. Whiche on: i. e., in which. (326) 564. mary: a mild oath, from the name of the Virgin Mary; the same as the oath or exclamation "marry." ¶ 589. on=in. ¶590. in to. I passe you an ace: i. e., I overplay you, my medicine having higher value than your pardons. ¶594. hollydam: the Virgin Mary. The correct form is "halidom," meaning "holiness," "sacred relic," etc., but popular etymology explained the word as "holy dame." (327) 637. The early editions have "one" after "in"; the emendation is Professor Manly's. (328) 656. The early editions give this line to the pedler, but ll. 670-74 show it is spoken by the palmer. Professor Manly made the correction. 679. God: i. e., Christ. ¶ 680. you twayne: the pardoner and the palmer. (329) 682. us twayne: the pardoner and the poticary. ¶684. ye: inserted by Professor Manly. 703. In the following omitted passage the poticary tells a coarse tale of a wonderful cure which he wrought. (330) 793. out of hande: at once. 799. geare: his pardons and relics. ¶813, 814. It was a popular superstition that to sneeze was a bad omen, which could be averted in the way illustrated in the text. (331) 831, 832. The allusion is to the cycle of miracle plays given at Coventry every year, on Corpus Christi Day, the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. ¶835. me=my. (332) 892. in presens: i. e., into the presence of the Devil; "in presence" is the regular court phrase for an audience with a monarch. (334) 999. A line has evidently dropped out, as the rhyme shows; it is missing in all the editions. ¶ 1000. taried: the reading of the 1569 ed.; 1545 and Copland eds., “maried.” (335) 1014. Poules Churche Yard: an inclosure near St. Paul's Cathedral, London, a center for the book trade. ¶ 1032. ten bones: fingers. ¶ 1041. prevy tythe: an insinuation that the pedler has been bribed by the palmer. ¶ 1044. Thy wyves x commandements: "Ten commandments' seem to have been cant terms for the nails of the hands."-Dodsley. (338) 1144. ye: the palmer. ¶ 1149. ye: the pardoner. ¶ 1165. say the sarvyes apoynted: 1545 ed., "praye for soule departed." (339) 1185. hym-himself. GLOSSARY NOTE.-Words spelled with either "i" or "y" are not always given in both forms. Words having the following peculiarities of form are usually not explained: (1) Plurals in "is" or "ys," instead of "s" or "es." (2) Present participles in "and" or "ande," instead of "ing." (3) Preterites and past participles in "it," instead of "ed." (4) Past participles indicated by the prefix "i" or "y"-as "ido," "idon," for "done'; "i-beo," "y-be," for "been"; "y-bore," for "borne." |