The Penguin Book of English Verse

by Paul Keegan

  88 luyther wicked;

  90 defyen digest;

  91 yeve me leve given me permission

  1 shoures soote sweet showers;

  2 droghte dryness; perced pierced;

  3 veyne vein (of sap); swich licour such liquid;

  4 flour flower;

  5 eek also;

  6 holt grove;

  11 ‘so much does Nature prick them in their hearts’;

  12 longen folk to goon people long to go;

  13 palmeres pilgrims; straunge strondes foreign shores;

  14 ferne halwes distant shrines; kowthe known;

  16 wende make their way;

  17 seke seek;

  18 hem hath holpen helped them; seeke sick

  2 symple unaffected; coy shy;

  3 ooth oath; but only;

  4 cleped called;

  7 fetisly gracefully;

  8 after the scole of in the manner of;

  9 unknowe unknown;

  10 at mete at table; with alle indeed;

  13 koude knew how to;

  15 ‘she took great delight in courtly manners’;

  17 coppe cup;

  19 raughte reached;

  20 sikerly certainly; desport deportment;

  21 port bearing;

  22 peyned hire took pains;

  23 estatlich dignified;

  24 digne worthy;

  26 pitous compassionate;

  27 saugh saw;

  30 flessh meat; wastel-breed fine white bread;

  32 smoot hit; yerde stick;

  34 pynched was was pleated;

  35 tretys well-formed;

  36 therto moreover;

  37 sikerly certainly;

  38 brood broad; trowe believe;

  40 fetys elegant;

  42 peire of bedes rosary; gauded decorated;

  43 sheene beautiful;

  44 write engraved;

  45 Amor vincit omnia Love conquers all

  1 eek also;

  3 rede red;

  4 brede breadth;

  5 estres interior apartments;

  6 highte is called;

  7 thilke that;

  8 ther as where; sovereyn finest;

  11 knarry gnarled; bareyne barren;

  12 stubbes stumps;

  13 rumbel rumbling; swough sound of wind;

  14 bresten burst;

  15 under close to; bente grassy slope;

  16 armypotente powerful in arms;

  17 burned burnished;

  18 streit narrow;

  19 rage rush of wind; veze blast;

  20 rese shake;

  25 yclenched bound; overthwart crosswise; endelong lengthwise;

  27 pyler pillar; sustene support;

  28 tonne-greet round as a great barrel;

  29 ymaginyng plotting;

  30 compassyng scheming;

  31 Ire Anger; gleede glowing coal;

  32 pykepurs pick-purse; Drede Fear;

  34 shepne stable;

  35 mordrynge murder;

  36 werre war; bibledde covered with blood;

  37 Contek Strife; manace menace;

  38 chirkyng groaning;

  39 sleere of hymself suicide;

  41 shode forehead; anyght by night;

  43 Meschaunce Misfortune;

  45 Woodnesse Madness;

  46 Compleint Grievance; Outhees Outcry; Outrage Violence;

  47 careyne corpse; busk woods; ycorve cut;

  48 and not of qualm ystorve and not killed by the plague;

  49 pray prey; yraft taken away;

  51 brent burnt; hoppesteres dancing (in the storm);

  52 hunte hunter; strangled with killed by;

  53 freten devour;

  54 ladel ladle;

  55 foryeten forgotten; infortune of Marte evil influence of Mars;

  59 bocher butcher;

  60 styth anvil;

  61 depeynted painted;

  64 twynes threed thread of twine

  1 quod said;

  2 cours orbit;

  3 woot knows;

  4 drenchyng drowning; wan dark;

  5 cote cell;

  7 murmure grumbling; cherles peasants’;

  8 groynynge grumbling; pryvee secret;

  9 correccioun punishment;

  10 the leoun Leo;

  13 mynour miner;

  14 slow slew;

  16 castes plots

  4 narwe closely;

  6 been lik likely to be; cokewold cuckold;

  8 simylitude equal;

  10 elde old age;

  14 wezele weasel; gent delicate; smal slender;

  15 ceynt belt;

  16 barmclooth apron; morne morning;

  17 lendes loins; goore flounce;

  18 broyden embroidered;

  19 coler collar;

  21 tapes ribbons; voluper cap;

  22 suyte colour;

  23 filet headband;

  24 sikerly truly; likerous flirtatious;

  25 ypulled plucked;

  26 sloo sloe;

  27 blisful delightful;

  28 pere-jonette early pear;

  29 wether sheep;

  31 latoun brass;

  33 thenche imagine;

  34 popelote little doll;

  36 Tour the Mint (Tower of London); noble gold coin;

  37 yerne lively;

  38 swalwe swallow; berne barn;

  41 bragot country drink; meeth mead;

  42 hey hay;

  43 wynsynge skittish;

  46 boos of a bokeler raised centre of a shield;

  48 prymerole primrose; piggesnye ‘pig’s eye’ (flower);

  49 leggen lay;

  50 yeman yeoman

  1 revelour profligate;

  3 ragerye wantonness;

  4 stibourn stubborn; pye magpie;

  8 cherl villain;

  9 birafte took away from;

  13 al so siker as as sure as;

  14 likerous gluttonous;

  15 vinolent drunken;

  17 it remembreth me I remember;

  19 herte root the bottom of my heart;

  20 boote good;

  22 envenyme poison;

  23 biraft taken away;

  26 bren bran;

  27 fonde try;

  32 croce cross;

  35 grece grease;

  38 hope suppose;

  40 wrong pinched;

  42 twiste tormented;

  43 deyde died;

  44 ygrave buried; roode beem rood beam (in church);

  45 curyus elaborate;

  48 wast waste; preciously expensively;

  50 cheste coffin

  1 riotoures debauchers;

  2 erst er before; prime first hour of the day;

  5 cors corpse;

  7 go bet go quickly;

  10 it nedeth never-a-deel there is no need;

  14 fordronke very drunk;

  15 men clepeth is called;

  19 this pestilence during this plague;

  24 dame mother;

  27 henne from here;

  28 hyne farm worker; page serving boy;

  30 avysed forewarned;

  42 plight pledged;

  49 torente tore to pieces;

  50 hente seize;

  53 povre poor;

  55 God yow see may God look after you;

  57 carl fellow;

  58 forwrapped wrapped up;

  62 Ynde India;

  65 han have;

  68 kaityf wretch;

  69 moodres mother’s;

  74 cheste strongbox;

  76 heyre clowt haircloth;

  78 welked withered;

  87 abyde remain alive;

  91 hasardour gambler;

  96 abye pay for;

  98 oon of his assent in league with him;

  105 ook oak;

  106 boghte agayn redeemed;

  110 floryns gold coins

  1 jugged doomed;

  2 schended battered; schyp ship; schowved shoved;


  3 walterande rolling; Wyrde Fate; schaped decreed;

  4 abyme bottom of the sea; bot boat; flotte floated;

  5 war aware; wyye man;

  6 swenged hym to swepe swung round to swoop; swolw gullet;

  7 folk sailors; haldande holding; tyd hentes seized quickly;

  8 tult tumbled;

  9 swayves glides;

  10 rydelande strondes swirling currents;

  11 malskred dazed;

  12 dreyed suffered;

  13 nade had not;

  14 Warded guarded; warlowes the devil’s;

  15 lede man; leve believe;

  16 ‘that any living creature might survive so long inside him’;

  17 sokored succoured;

  18 wanles of wele without hope of happiness;

  21 cace misfortune; kark hardship; lymped happened to;

  22 bot boat; blober seething water; lached seized;

  23 thrwe rushed; hit its; thret resistance;

  24 mote speck of dust; munster-dor cathedral door; chawles jaws;

  25 giles gills; glaym and glette slime and filth;

  26 Relande tumbling; by a rop along a gut; rode road;

  27 hourlande tumbling;

  28 blunt came to a stop; blok cavern;

  29 festnes the fete gains a foothold; fathmes gropes;

  31 saym grease; sorwe filth;

  32 bour bower;

  33 lurkkes lies low; laytes looks; le shelter;

  35 recoverer remedy; ramel muck;

  37 lenged stood still; lede Lord;

  39 thagh though;

  40 Devoyde withdraw; rauthe mercy;

  41 gaule scum;

  42 gowdes things; graythely truly;

  44 preve the lyghtly prove yourself easily;

  45 hitte to a hyrne hit upon a nook;

  46 fest close;

  47 saf for merk one except only for the darkness;

  48 bulk hold; byfore previously;

  49 best beast; on lyve alive;

  50 thenkande thinking; Dryghtyn the Lord;

  51 mesure moderation;

  52 care misery; sele happiness;

  53 walteres rolls;

  54 ronk of his wylle rank pride;

  56 ‘small though it was compared with him, to make him feel queasy’;

  57 the segge the man; sykerly constantly;

  58 the bygge the great flood

  1 renk knight; ryalme of Logres (Arthur’s kingdom);

  2 on Godes halve for God’s sake; thagh though;

  3 ledeles without company; lenges remains;

  4 fare entertainment;

  5 fere companion; fole horse; frythes woods;

  6 gome man; by gate on the road; to carp to speak to;

  7 neghed approached;

  9 forlondes headlands;

  10 Holy Hede Holyhead; eft again; bonk reached the shore;

  11 Wyrale Wirral;

  11–12 ‘few lived there whom either God or good-hearted men loved’;

  13 frayned asked; ferde journeyed; frekes men;

  14 carp talk;

  16 nikked him with nay said no to him; seye saw; segge man; hewes colour;

  19 gates roads;

  20 bonk hillside; unbene unpleasant;

  21 chere… chaunge looked this way and that;

  24 floten travelled; fremedly as a stranger;

  25 uch each; warthe ford; auther or; wye knight;

  25 bot ferly hit were ‘or else it was a wonder’;

  27 felle fierce;

  29 to tor too difficult; dole part;

  30 Sumwhyle sometimes; wormes dragons; als also;

  31 wodwos trolls; woned lived; knarres crags;

  33 etaynes giants, ogres; anelede pursued;

  34 doghty doughty; drye resolute; Dryghtyn the Lord God;

  35 dreped killed;

  36 werre fighting; wrathed afflicted;

  38 fres froze; fale pale;

  39 slete sleet; yrnes armour;

  40 innogh enough;

  41 borne burn, stream;

  43 plytes hardships;

  44 cayres rides;

  45 all one all alone;

  46 tyde time;

  47 mone complaint;

  48 ‘that she would direct him where to ride’;

  49 wysse guide; wone dwelling-place;

  51 ferly truly;

  52 holtwodes woods;

  54 harled all samen tangled together;

  55 rayled arranged;

  58 gome knight; Gryngolet (his horse); glydes rides;

  59 misy bog; mon all him one a man all alone;

  60–2 ‘anxious about his plight, lest he should not succeed in attending the service of that Lord who on that very night was born of a maiden to end our strife’;

  63 sykyng sighing;

  65 herber lodge;

  66 matynes matins;

  67 prestly promptly;

  70 mysdede sins;

  71 sayned blessed; sythes sere several times

  1 Tobroken shattered; statutz edicts;

  2 creat created; dure endure;

  3 goddis sevene the seven planets;

  4 Mowe may;

  7 errour confusion;

  8 shape decreed;

  9 sercle circle;

  11 spere sphere;

  16 rekelnesse rashness;

  17 forbode forbidden;

  18 for because;

  21 erst previously;

  22 ‘you also contemptuously called on Cupid as your witness’;

  23 thilke that same;

  26 ywroken revenged;

  27 of oure figure shaped like us;

  29 unhap misfortune;

  30 wreche vengeance;

  31 hem them; hoor grey;

  32 so lykly so well qualified; spede succeed;

  33 mede reward;

  35 olde Grisel the old horse; lyst likes;

  36 m’excuse declare myself innocent;

  37 rym rhyme;

  40 in prees in public;

  43 stremes hed the head of the Thames [Windsor castle];

  45 th’ende the mouth of the Thames [Greenwich];

  46 forgete forgotten;

  47 Tullius Cicero;

  48 mynne remember;

  49 eft again; dyffye defy

  1 whilom once; on one;

  4 entaile sculpture; cowthe could (do);

  5 as tho then;

  7 travaile trouble;

  10 feture feature;

  12 lyves living;

  13 yvor ivory;

  23 preide prayed;

  24 ayeinward in answer;

  27 ate mete at dinner;

  31 nome taken;

  34 forwept exhausted with weeping; forwakid deprived of sleep;

  37 rouneth whispers;

  41 wiste knew;

  48 underfonge accepted;

  50 ferde fared

  1 tho then;

  3 oghne own;

  4 wende believed herself;

  15 mette dreamed;

  18 ferde fared;

  25 o word one word;

  29 fold family;

  34 swounede swooned;

  40 clepede called;

  46 liht light; 53 yhen eyes

  1 inned gathered in;

  2 Mihelmesse Michaelmas;

  6 died dyed;

  7 myn herte roote depths of my heart;

  11 wel begoon well provided;

  12 forgoon lose;

  13 thriste thrust;

  15 weyve waive, avoid;

  16 howe however;

  22 sy saw; sithin since;

  26 Hilded poured;

  29 seiden said; as as if; steer young ox;

  30 and so and for this reason;

  31 heed head; to hie too high; beer carried;

  32 bukkissh capricious;

  33 thridde third;

  33–5 ‘and is fit for the company of those who give unreasonable advice’;

  35 sadnesse seriousness;

  36 pas way of walking;

  37 stirt
e started; roo roe deer;

  38 noon abood, noon areest no resting, no stopping;

  42 yen eyes; halke corner (of a room);

  44 caste pondered;

  47 amys amiss; hens hie go hence;

  48 prees crowd; amys me gye conduct myself badly;

  52 leke leek;

  53–4 ‘for which reason I kept quiet as if I had lost the key to my tongue, and took myself off’;

  55 woo-bistaad woebegone;

  58 peinte simulate;

  59 for that because;

  60 qwook trembled;

  61 though as if;

  62 ynow enough; swoot sweat;

  65 wise manner; wrought acted;

  66 streite hurried;

  67 ‘to see how my demeanour looked to me’;

  70 ‘have improved it to the best of my ability’;

  71 saute leap;

  76 if I it forthe use if I go on using it; reprevable reprehensible;

  77 conseitis notions;

  81 plite plight;

  85 Sithen since;

  89 ayen in reply;

  90 deme judge;

  91 fallen in relapsed;

  93 thoughtful hete painful thoughts;

  95 pavyment pavement; a-daies daily; bete beat;

  96 swete sweat;

  97 wondringe anxiety;

  100 prees throng;

  102 lees lie

  1 Noyous Hevynes grievous sadness;

  4 whithir y was away where I was going;

  5 convey guide;

  6 al be me loth although it is hateful to me;

  7 ‘So that all people may fittingly call me’;

  8 forlost completely lost;

  9 ayen in reply; of hir humblesse in her graciousness;

  10 if so I wist, ma fay if I knew, indeed;

  12 shape bring about; ese cure;

  13 here-tofore formerly;

  14 not know not; wroth sad;

  15 aray state;

  18 what nedith to yow say what need is there to tell you;

  19 rudesse harshness;

  20 tane taken; ay ever, always;

  22 passyng great;

  23 to till; did hir day caused her to die;

  26 al fer myswent for fear of going astray; grapsyng wey groping my way;

  27 axe ask; to cloth to cover me

  1 cosse kiss; atonys at once;

  2 maystres mistress;

  5 avert pay attention;

  6 parseyve perceive;

  10 gery capricious;

  11 dresse get ready;

  12 covert covered

  1 myn my;

  2 besynes pains;

  3 seche such;

  6 quippe keep;

  9 hertles without a heart;

  11 dowel play;