And ever morne and say.
For thi parting,
Nether say nor singe
By, by, lully, lullay.
P. [139], l. 16. Now, sere.] This line ought to be pointed thus,
“Now, sere, evyl thedom com to thi snowte!”
The ignorant transcriber of the MS. has written “Thedom” as a proper name, which is an evident absurdity.
P. [140], l. 30. Whylle that it dede snow.] The story of the child of snow was very popular in the middle ages, and is often alluded to. It is briefly told in Latin verse by Geoffrey de Vinsauf, Nov. Poetr. ap. Leyser, Hist. Poet. Med. Æv. pp. 901, 903; and at greater length in a French fabliau of the thirteenth century, printed in the collection of Méon, tom. iii. p. 215, analysed in Legrand d’Aussy, tom. iii. p. 84. It occurs at a later period in the celebrated collection, entitled Les Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles (ed. Le Roux de Lincy, Paris, 1841, tom. i. p. 153), and in many other similar works composed in Italy and France.
P. [145]. The Birth of Christ.] The Protevangelion of James is the authority for this pageant.