Dialogues in French and English

by William Caxton

NAMES OF SEA AND RIVER-FISH, AND OF WHITE MEATS.

De la mer vous viennent	Fro the see to you come
Balainnes, porc de mer,	Whales, pourpays,
Cabellau, plays, esclefins,	Coddelyng, plays, haddoks,
Sugles, rayes,	Sooles, thornbaks,	[4]
Merlens, esparlens, rouges,	Whityng, sprotte, rogettis,
Maqueriaulx, mulets,	Makerell, molettis,
Bresmes, aloses, esturgeon,	Bremes, alouses, sturgeon,
Frescz herencs, congres,	Fressh hering, congres,	[8]
Herencs sorees.	Reed heeryng.
Daultre poissons	Of othir fisshes
De riuieres, mengíes:	Of the river, ete:
Carpres, anguilles,	Carpes, eelis,	[12]
Lu[c]es, becques, becquets,	Luses, pikes, pikerellis,
Tenques, perques,	Tenches, perches,
Roches, creuiches,	Roches, creuyches,
Loques, gouuions,	Loches, gogeorns,	[16]
Saulmon de pluiseurs maniers,	Samon of diuerse maners,
Saulmon de la meuse,	Samon of the mase,
Saulmon de scoche,	Samon of scotland,
Garnars, oysters, moules.	Shrimpes, oystres, muskles.	[20]
Qui plus en scet plus, en nomme;	Who knoweth more, name he more;
Car ie ne scay de plus parler.	For I ne knowe no more to speke.
OR[nommons lescompenages] Et ce quon en fait.	NOw name we the white mete And that wherof is made.
		[24]
Premierment laict et bure,	First mylke and butter,
Fromages dengletere,	Chese of englond,
Fromages de champayne,	Chese of champayne,
De brye, de berghes,	Of brye, of berowe,	[28]
De vaches, de brebys,	Of kien, of sheep,
Fromages de chieueres;	Chese of gheet;
Oefs de gelynes, dauwe,	Egges of hennes, of ghees,
Oefs dannettes.	Egges of dokes.	[32]
De laict et doefs	Of mylke and of egges
Faitton flans;	Men make flawnes;
De laict1 bouly a le flour1 laicts	Of mylke soden with the flour
Faitton rastons,	Men make printed cakes,	[36]
Et de chars pastees;	And of flessh pasteyes;
De craisme faitton bure;	Of kreme make me butter;
De laict de brebis	Of the mylke of sheep
Faitton gaufres;	Make men wafres;	[40]

NAMES OF FRUITS, TREES, HERBS, AND POT-HERBS.

Wasteletz, rastons,	Wastles, eyrekakis,
Furent oublies.	Were forgeten.
DE[fruit oresnommer] Poires, pommes, prounes,	OF fruit shall ye here named Peres, apples, plommes,
		[4]
Cherises, fourd[r]ines,	Cheryes, sloes,
Moures, freses, noix,	Morberies, strawberies, notes,
Pesques, nesples,	Pesshes, medliers,
Figes, roisin,	Fyggis, reysins,	[8]
Amandes, dades.	Almandes, dates.
LEs[noms des arbres:] Porrier, pommier, cherisier,	THe names of trees: Pere tree, apple tree, cherye tree,
Pesquier, figier, mourier,	Pesshe tree, fygtree, morbery tree,	[12]
Nesplier, prounier1, chesne,1 pronnier	Medliertree, plomtree, ooke,
Fresne, gaucquier, Oliuier	Asshe, nokertree, olyuetree,
Saulx, espinier, palmier.	Wylough, thorne, palmetree.
Desoubz ces arbres	Vnder thise trees	[16]
Sont herbes souef2 flairans.2 sonef	Ben herbes suete smellyng.
Il ya roses vermeilles, blances,	There ben roses reed, white,
Mente, confite, et graine,	Mynte, confyte, and grayne,
Fleurdelyts, ouppe,	Lelyes, hoppes,	[20]
Et hayes es prets.	And hedges in medowes.
Es boys sont3 les verdures,3 sout	In wodes ben the verdures,
Grouseillers, grouselles,	Brembles, bremble beries,
Les treuue on souuent	Ther is founden ofte	[24]
En gardins sur les mottes.	In gardyns on the mottes.
Ens es preets est herbes	Within the medewis is the grasse
Dont4 on fait faing;4 Dout	Wherof men make heye;
Sy a des cardons et ortyes;	So ben ther thistles and nettles;	[28]
Encore sont en les gardins	Yet ben in the gardynes
Rouges coulles et blanches,	Rede cool and white,
Porions, oignons5,5 oiguons	Porreette, oynyons,
Betes, cherfeul, persin,	Betes, cheruyll, persely,	[32]
Saulge, ysope, tymon,	Sauge, ysope, tyme,
Laittues, pourcelaine,	Letews, porselane,
Querson, gelouffre,	Kersses, geloffres,
Naueaulx6, aulx, feneulle,6 Naneaulx	Rapes, gharlyk, fenell,	[36]
Espinces, borages.	Spynache, borage.
CE[sont lespottages:] Poys, feues;	THise ben the potages: Pesen, benes;
Garnee quon fait de bled,	Furmente whiche is made of whete,	[40]

COMMON DRINKS.—MARCHANDISE OF CLOTHS.

Chaudel pour les malades,	Caudell for the seke,
Gruwell et porrees.	Growell and wortes.
CE sount les buuraiges: Vin de rin et dausay1,1 dansay	THise ben the drynkes: Rynyssh wyn and of elzeter,
		[4]
Vin de beane et de germole,	Wyn of beane and of germole,
Vin fransoys et de spayne,	Frenssh wyn and of spayne,
Muskadel & bastard,	Muscadel and bastard,
Vin dosoye et de garnate,	Wyn of oseye and of garnade,	[8]
Vin de gascoyne,	Wyn of gascoyne,
Maluesye, romenye,	Malueseye, romeneye,
Vin cuit, vin gregois;	Wyn soden, wyn greek;
Ypocras & clarey sont fait	Ypocras and clarey ben made	[12]
De vin & bonnes espices;	Of wyn and good spices;
Blanc vin, vin vermeil,(Cx. mermeil)	White wyn, rede wyn,
Miel, mies,	Hony, mede,
Seruoise dangletere,	Ale of englond,	[16]
Seruoise dalemayne;	Byre of alemayne;
Sydre est fait de pommes;	Syther is made of apples;
Boulie est faitte	Boulye is made
Diauwe & de leuain,	Of water and of leuayn,	[20]
Et de tercheul.	And of wurte.
Fontaine boit on bien.	Welle watre drynke me well,
Liauwe boiuent les bestes;	Watre drynke the bestes;
Si bue2 on les toilles.2 buc	So wesshe me with all lynnenclothis.	[24]
[[CH. V.]]
DAultres choses saunsattendre, Endementiers quil me souuient,	OF othir thinge withoute taryeng, Whiles that I remembre,
Vous veul deuiser et aprendre.	I wyll to you deuise and teche.
Se vous voules bergaignier	Yf ye wyll bergayne	[28]
Draps ou aultres marchandisses,	Wullen cloth or othir marchandise,
Sy alles a le halle	So goo to the halle
Qui est ou marchiet;	Whiche is in the market;
Sy montes les degretz;	So goo vpon the steyres;	[32]
La trouueres les draps:	There shall ye fynde the clothes:
Draps mesles,	Clothes medleyed,
Rouge drap ou vert,	Red cloth or grene,
Bleu asuret,	Blyew y-asured,	[36]
Gaune, vermeil,	Yelow, reed,
Entrepers, moret,	Sad blew, morreey,
Royet, esquiekeliet,	Raye, chekeryd,
Saye blanche & bleu,	Saye white and blew,	[40]

HOW TO BUY CLOTH. HE TRIES TO BEAT HER DOWN.

Escarlate en grain.	Scarlet in grayne.
SY poes commencer Par tele salutation	SO may ye begynne By suche gretyng
Comme il est en primier chapitle.	As it is in the first chapitre.	[4]
“Dame, que faittes vous laulne	“Dame, what hold ye the elle
De ces draps,	Of this cloth?
Ou que vault le drap entier?	Or what is worth the cloth hole?
Embrief parler, combien laulne?”	In shorte to speke, how moche thelle?”	[8]
“Sire, rayson;	“Syre, resone;
Ie vous en feray rayson;	I shall doo to you resone;
Vous layres au bon marchie.”	Ye shall haue it good cheep.”
“Voir, pour cattel,	“Ye, truly, for catell,	[12]
Dame, il conuient1 gaignier.1 coniuent	Dame, me must wynne.
Gardes que ien paiera.”	Take hede what I shall paye.”
“Quatre soulz de laulne,	“Four shelynges for the elle,
Sil vous plaist.”	Yf it you plese you.”	[16]
“Ce ne seroit mie sens.	“Hit ne were no wysedom.
Pour tant vouldroie je auoir	For so moche wold I haue
Bonne2 escarlate!”2 Bonue	Good scarlete!”
“Vous aues droit,	“Ye haue right	[20]
Se vous puisses.	Yf ye maye.
Mais iay encore tel	But I haue yet somme
Qui nest mie du meillour,	Whiche is not of the beste,
Que ie ne donroye point	Whiche I wold not yeue	[24]
Pour sept souldz.”	For seuen shelynges.”
“Je vous en croys bien;	“I you bileue well;
Mais ce nest mye drap	But this is no suche cloth
De tant dargent,	Of so moche money,	[28]
Ce scaues vous bien!	That knowe ye well!
Ce que vous en laires	This that ye shall leue
Le sera3 vendre.”3 See the Notes.	Shall be solde.”
“Sire, que vault il?”	“Syre, what is it worth?”	[32]
“Dame, il me vauldroit	“Dame, it were worth to me
Bien trois souls.”	Well thre shellyngs.”
“Cest mal offert,	“That is euyll boden,
Ou trop demande;	Or to moche axed;	[36]
Encores ameroie mieulx	Yet had I leuer
Quil fust dor in vostre escrin.”	That it were gold in your cheste.”
“Damoyselle, vous ne perderes	“Damoyselle, ye shold not lese theron
Ja croix;	Neuer a crosse;	[40]

HOW TO BUY CLOTH. THE METER NOT CALLED FOR.

Mais dittes acertes	But saye certainly
Comment je lauray	How shall I haue it
Sauns riens laissier.”	Withoute thyng to leue.”
“Je le vous donray a vng mot:	“I shall gyue it you at one worde:	[4]
Certes, se vous le aues,	Certaynly, if ye haue it,
Vous en paieres chinq souls	Ye shall paye fyue shellyngs
De tant daulnes	For so many elles
Que vous en prenderes;	Whiche ye shall take;	[8]
Car ie nen1 lairay riens2.” 2 rieus 1 neu	For I wyll abate no thyng.”
“Dame, que vaudroit dont	“Dame, what shall auaylle thenne
Longues parolles?	Longe wordes?
Tailles pour moy une pair de robes.”	Cutte for me a pair of gounes.”	[12]
“Combien en tailleray ie?”	“How moche shall I cutte?”
“Tant que vous quidies	“Also moche as ye wene
Que mestier mest	As me shall nede
Pour vng sourcote,	For a surcote,	[16]
Pour vng cotte,	For a cote,
Pour vne heucque,	For an hewke,
Pour vne paire de chausses.”	For a pair hosen.”
“Sire, il vous en fauldra3 3 enfauldra	“Sir, it you behoueth	[20]
Bien quinse aulnes.”	Well fiften elles.”
“De par dieu, tailles les.	“In goddes name, cutte them.
De quelle largesse est il?”	Of what brede is it?”
“De deulx aulnes et demye.”	“Of two ellis and an half.”	[24]
“Cest bonne largesse.	“That is good brede.
Tailles a lautre deboute.”	Cutte at that othir ende.”
“Cest tout ung, par mon alme!	“Hit is all one, by my soule!
Mais ie le feroy volentiers.”	But I shall doo it gladly.”	[28]
“Dame, messures bien.”	“Dame, mete well.”
“Sire, ie ne men confesseray ia	“Sire, I shall never shriue me therof
De ce que ie vous detenray.”	Of that I shall with-holde yow.”
“Dame, ce scay ie bien;	“Dame, that knowe I well;	[32]
Si ie ne vous creusse	If I had not trusted you
Ieuis appelle le messureur.”	I had called the metar.”
“Sire, sil vous plaist,	“Sire, yf it plese you,
On lappellera.”	He shall be called.”	[36]
“Nennil4 voir, dame, 4 Nenuil	“Nay truly, dame,
Ie me tieng bien	I holde me well
Content de vous;	Content with you;
Car il me semble	For me semeth	[40]