v. 1430. gose] i. e. goose.

v. 1432. ageyne] i. e. against.

v. 1433. Dun is in the myre] A proverbial expression, which occurs in Chaucer’s Manciples Prol. v. 16954. ed. Tyrwhitt (who conjectured that Dun was a nickname given to the ass from his colour), and is common in writers long after the time of Skelton. Gifford was the first to shew that the allusion is to a Christmas gambol, in which Dun (the cart-horse) is supposed to be stuck in the mire; see his note on Jonson’s Works, vii. 283.

v. 1434. rin] i. e. run.

v. 1435. spar the stable dur] i. e. fasten, shut the stable-door; see note, p. 207. v. 91.

v. 1437. sone aspyed] i. e. soon espied.

v. 1438. wele wotith] i. e. well knoweth.

v. 1439. lucerne] i. e. lamp. So in the Lenvoye to Chaucer’s Cuckow and Nightingale;

“Aurore of gladnesse, and day of lustinesse,

Lucerne a night with heauenly influence