Glosse.
The dialecte and phrase of speache in this Dialogue, seemeth somewhat to
differ from the comen. The cause whereof is supposed to be, by occasion
of the party herein meant, who being very freend to the Author hereof,
had bene long in forraine countreyes, and there seene many disorders,
which he here recounteth to Hobbinoll.
Bidde her) Bidde good morrow. For to bidde, is to praye, whereof commeth
beades for prayers, and so they say, To bidde his beades. .s. to saye
his prayers.
Wightly) quicklye, or sodenlye. Chaffred) solde. Dead at mischiefe) an
vnusuall speache, but much vsurped of Lidgate, and sometime of Chaucer.
Leefe) deare. Ethe) easie. These thre moones) nine monethes. Measured) for
traueled. Wae) woe Northernly. Eeeked) encreased. Caruen cutte. Kenne)
know. Cragge) neck. State) stoutley Stanck) wearie or fainte.
And nowe) He applieth it to the tyme of the yeare, which is in thend of
haruest, which they call the fall of the leafe: at which time the
Westerne wynde beareth most swaye.
A mocke) imitating Horace, Debes ludibrium ventis. Lorne) lefte. Soote)
swete.
Vncouthe) vnknowen. Hereby there) here and there. As the brighte) Translated
out of Mantuane. Emprise) for enterprise. Per Syncopen. Contek) strife.
Trode) path. Marrie that) that is, their soules, which by popish Exorcismes
& practises they damme to hell.
Blacke) hell. Gange) goe. Mister) maner. Mirke) obscure. Warre) worse.
Crumenall) purse. Brace compasse. Encheson) occasion. Ouergrast) ouergrowen
with grasse. Galage) shoe. The grosse) the whole.
Buxome and bent) meeke and obedient.
Saxon king) K. Edgare, that reigned here in Brytanye in the yeare of our
Lorde. which king caused all the Wolues, whereof then was store in thys
countrye, by a proper policie to be destroyed. So as neuer since that
time, there haue ben Wolues here founde, vnlesse they were brought from
other countryes. And therefore Hobbinoll rebuketh him of vnthruth, for
saying there be Wolues in England.
Nor in Christendome) This saying seemeth to be strange and vnreasonable: but
indeede it was wont to be an old prouerbe and comen phrase. The original
whereof was, for that most part of England in the reigne of king
Ethelbert was vnchristened, So that Kent was counted no part of
Chtistendome [Christendome].
Great hunt) Executing of lawes and iustice. Enaunter) least that.
Inly) inwardly. afforesayde. Preuely or pert) openly sayth Chaucer.
Roffy) The name of a shepehearde in Marot his Æglogue of Robin and the
Kinge. whome he here commendeth for great care and wise gouernance of
his flock
Colin cloute) Nowe I thinke no man doubteth but by Colin is euer meante the
Authour selfe. whose especiall good freend Hobbinoll sayth he is, or
more rightly Mayster Gabriel Haruey: of whose speciall commendation,
aswell in Poetrye as Rhetorike and other choyce learning, we haue lately
had a sufficient tryall in duerse his workes, but specially in his
Musarum Lachrymae, and his late Gratulationum Valdinensium which boke in
the progresse at Audley in Essex, he dedicated in writing to her
Maiestie. afterward presenting the same in print vnto her Highnesse at
the worshipfull Maister Capells in Hertfordshire. Beside other his
sundrye most rare and very notable writings, partely vnder vnknown
Tytles, and partly vnder counterfayt names, as hys Tyrannomastix, his
Ode Natalitia, his Rameidos, and esspecially that parte of Philomusus,
his diuine Anticosmopolita, and diuers other of lyke importance. As also
by the names of other shepheardes, he couereth the persons of diuers
other his familiar freendes and best acquayntaunce.
This tale of Roffy seemeth to coloure some particular Action of his. But
what, I certeinlye know not. Wonned) haunted. Welkin) skie. afforesaid.
A Weanell waste) a weaned youngling. Hidder and shidder) He & she. Male and
Female. Steuen) Noyse. Beliue) quickly. What euer) Ouids verse
translated. Quod caret alterna requie, durabile non est.
Forchaile) drawe or distresse. Vetchie) of Pease strawe.
Embleme.
This is the saying of Narcissus in Ouid. For when the foolish boye by
beholding hys face in the brooke, fell in loue with his owne likenesse:
and not hable to content him selfe with much looking thereon, he cryed
out, that plentye made him poore. meaning that much gazing had bereft
him of sence. But our Diggon vseth it to other purpose, as who that by
tryall of many wayes had founde the
[40. misnumbered] worst,
and through great plentye was fallen into great penurie. This posie I
knowe, to haue bene much vsed of the author, and to suche like effecte,
as fyrste Narcissus spake it.
