1
The rhymes of the first and second and of the fourth and fifth lines throughout the stanzas, are all, I think, what the French call feminine rhymes, as in the words "sleeping," "weeping." This I think it better not to attempt retaining, because the final unaccented syllable is generally one of those e's which, having first become mute, have since been dropped from our spelling altogether.
2
For the grammatical interpretation of this line, I am indebted to Mr. Richard Morris. Shall is here used, as it often is, in the sense of must, and rede is a noun; the paraphrase of the whole being, "Son, what must be to me for counsel?" "What counsel must I follow?"
3
"Do not blame me, it is my nature."
4
Mon is used for man or woman: human being. It is so used in Lancashire still: they say mon to a woman.
5
"They weep quietly and becomingly." I think there must be in this word something of the sense of gently,-uncomplainingly.
6
"And are shrunken (clung with fear) like the clay." So here is the same as as. For this interpretation I am indebted to Mr. Morris.
7
"It is no wonder though it pleases me very ill."
8
I think the poet, wisely anxious to keep his last line just what it is, was perplexed for a rhyme, and fell on the odd device of saying, for "both day and night," "both day and the other."
9
"All as if it were not never, I wis."
10
"So that many men say—True it is, all goeth but God's will."
11
I conjecture "All that grain (me) groweth green."
12
Not is a contraction for ne wat, know not. "For I know not whither I must go, nor how long here I dwell." I think y is omitted by mistake before duelle.
13
This is very poor compared with the original.
14
I owe almost all my information on the history of these plays to Mr.Collier's well-known work on English Dramatic Poetry.
15
Able to suffer, deserving, subject to, obnoxious to, liable to death and vengeance.
16
The word harry is still used in Scotland, but only in regard to a bird's nest.
17
Do-well, Do-better, and Do-best.
18
Complexion.
19
Ruddiness—complexion.
20
Twig.
21
Life (?).—I think she should be he.
22
Field.
23
"Carry you beyond this region."
24
For the knowledge of this poem I am indebted to the Early English Text Society, now printing so many valuable manuscripts.
25
The for here is only an intensive.
26
Pref is proof. Put in pref seems to stand for something more than being tested. Might it not mean proved to be a pearl of price?
1
The rhymes of the first and second and of the fourth and fifth lines throughout the stanzas, are all, I think, what the French call feminine rhymes, as in the words "sleeping," "weeping." This I think it better not to attempt retaining, because the final unaccented syllable is generally one of those e's which, having first become mute, have since been dropped from our spelling altogether.
2
For the grammatical interpretation of this line, I am indebted to Mr. Richard Morris. Shall is here used, as it often is, in the sense of must, and rede is a noun; the paraphrase of the whole being, "Son, what must be to me for counsel?" "What counsel must I follow?"
3
"Do not blame me, it is my nature."
4
Mon is used for man or woman: human being. It is so used in Lancashire still: they say mon to a woman.
5
"They weep quietly and becomingly." I think there must be in this word something of the sense of gently,-uncomplainingly.
6
"And are shrunken (clung with fear) like the clay." So here is the same as as. For this interpretation I am indebted to Mr. Morris.
7
"It is no wonder though it pleases me very ill."
8
I think the poet, wisely anxious to keep his last line just what it is, was perplexed for a rhyme, and fell on the odd device of saying, for "both day and night," "both day and the other."
9
"All as if it were not never, I wis."
10
"So that many men say—True it is, all goeth but God's will."
11
I conjecture "All that grain (me) groweth green."
12
Not is a contraction for ne wat, know not. "For I know not whither I must go, nor how long here I dwell." I think y is omitted by mistake before duelle.
13
This is very poor compared with the original.
14
I owe almost all my information on the history of these plays to Mr.Collier's well-known work on English Dramatic Poetry.
15
Able to suffer, deserving, subject to, obnoxious to, liable to death and vengeance.
16
The word harry is still used in Scotland, but only in regard to a bird's nest.
17
Do-well, Do-better, and Do-best.
18
Complexion.
19
Ruddiness—complexion.
20
Twig.
21
Life (?).—I think she should be he.
22
Field.
23
"Carry you beyond this region."
24
For the knowledge of this poem I am indebted to the Early English Text Society, now printing so many valuable manuscripts.
25
The for here is only an intensive.
