—Halliwell. But see Hazlitt's Popular Poetry, iii. 117.
22. This passage is not so licentious as might be supposed, for night linen had not then become in general use.
"A dolefulle syght the knyghte gane see
Of his wyfe and his childir three,
That fro the fyre were flede;
Alle als nakede als thay were borne
Stode togedir undir a thorne,
Braydede owte of thaire bedd."
Romance of Sir Isumbras, 102.
—Halliwell. The illustration itself is not very apt, but still more remarkable examples are in Hazlitt's Popular Poetry, ii. 48, iii. 51, &c.
23. Bed.
24. Here follows some blank music in the original. The song on the next page is set to music.—Halliwell.
25. A very old MS. note here says, "Sensuall Appetite must syng thys song, and hys cumpany must answere hym lykewyse."
26. A common proverbial expression, occurring in Shakespeare, and other writers.
"O, the body of a gorge,
I wold I had them heare;
In faith, I wold chope them.
They ware not so hack this seven yeer!"
Mariage of Witt and Wisdome, p. 33.
—Halliwell.
27. The songs here quoted are very curious. Mr Gutch does not seem to have been able to obtain a copy of the one relating to Robin Hood.— Halliwell. See Hazlitt's "Handbook," p. 513.