GLOSSARY, STAGE DIRECTIONS, NOTES
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5 vigyle of this nuwe yeere = this new year's eve
6 froward of ther chere: lacuna made up from Stow
7 fallen on ther kne: lacuna made up from Stow
13 importable = unbearable
16 dotage = feeble-mindedness
20 woodnesse = madness
24 Rebecke = fiddle; ellas = alas!
25 stage direction - demonstrando vj Rusticos
27 traas = course
28 possible lacuna follows here?
37 bolling at the nale = quaffing at the ale-house
39 iowsy nolle = juicy noddle
40 pouped = gulped
42 dolled = mulled
44 cely = silly, i.e. simple, innocent
45 harome = harm
46 growell = gruel
48 cokkrowortes = stale brew-mash
53 to chawf with his bloode = to chafe his blood with
54 metyerde = meteyard or yardstick
55 stage direction - demonstrando pictaciarium
57 preost = priest
60 rigge = back
62 reheete = attack, scold
65 qwytt = requited; ther was no thing to seeche = it was plain to see
67 meen = middle way
68 wan = earned; clowting = mending
71 oonys = once
74 leeve = believe
77 ryveld = shrivelled
78 Wit = with; manase = menace
79 Mabyle = Mary
80 Koude yif hir list = could if it please her
84 wol be wrooke = will wreak revenge
85 thoo men = those men
87 Tendure = to endure
88 meede = reward
90 so = to?
91 stage direction - demonstrando Carnificem
95 holde chaumpartye = divide power, or resist
104 skumour = skimmer; reeche = strike; heued = head
111 qwytt him by and by = repaid him in due time
112 quarter sowde = surrender sued for
113 wt = with
115 stage direction - demonstrando the Tynker
117 styth = anvil
119 bokeller = buckler, shield
121 cleped = called
122 she nad no maner fer = she feared not
123 thakke his pilche = thwack his great-coat; stoundemel = sometimes
124 Thikker = more stoutly
126 wafurer = waferer, i.e. pastry-cook
129 or = ere
130 heres = ears
135 preued = proved
139 fetird = fettered
140 him = them
145 Regallye = regality
147 that yee list = if you please; asselen = authorize
150 medle = mingle
153 thyraunye = tyranny
156 tht = that; stage direction - distaves
157 Seothe = see
162 that gif no force = that are of no consequence
166 darrein = decide; chaumpcloos = tilting-field
167 Iupart = imperil; raathe = soon
169 of = or
171 Maugre the feonde = in spite of the devil
174 assayes = attempts, i.e. attacks
177 longethe = belongs; clappen = clatter or prattle
183 dokked = trimmed
184 herdes = coarse flax, 'hards'
186 fette = fetched
192 hir = our?
193 rent = torn
194 shent = injured
197 lowte lowe = bow, make reverence
205 leese = lose
206 gruchche = grumble; cheese = choose
218 vnavysed = unadvised
220 doome = judgment
222 paryll = peril
223 Pourposithe him = He purposeth
231 rokkes = distaffs, also as rocking, set-backs
233 Peysing = weighing
234 tht = that
239 the Kyng wol = the king wills
242 pcesse = process
248 were leuer fetterd beon = were rather to be fettered
250 suage = s(er)vage, servitude