Fifteenth Century Prose and Verse

Produced by Bethanne M. Simms, Stephanie Eason, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This file was produced from images generously made availabl...

As with the ballads and carols, so with miracle-plays: the fact that they were handed down from one generation to another, and in each generation revised, altered, and added to,...

Few publishers since Caxton's days have let us so far into their secrets, and we can but hope that his patron really took 'a reasonable quantity' of the edition (another was pub...

To her! Nay! Yet ywas it no reprefe; For all for virtue was, that she ywrought! But he that brewèd hath all this mischief, That spake so fair, and falsely inward thought; His be...

Lithe and listen, Gentlemen That be of free-born blood! I shall you tell of a good yeoman: His name was ROBIN HOOD. ROBIN was a proud outlaw, Whiles he walked on ground, So cour...

Lithe and listen, Gentlemen! All that now be here, Of Little JOHN, that was the Knight's man, Good mirth ye shall hear. It was upon a merry day That young men would go shoot, Li...

Lithe and listen, Gentlemen! And hearken unto your song! How the proud Sheriff of NOTTINGHAM And men of armès strong Full fast came to the High Sheriff The country up to rout, A...

Now farewell, mine own herds-man Wat! Yea, fore God, Lady, even so I hat! Lull well Jesus in thy lap, And farewell Joseph, with thy round cap! Ut hoy! For in his pipe he made so...

This most blessed and best mede He grant to us all! for His holy name, that made us of nought, and sent His only most dear worthy Son, our Lord JESU CHRIST, for to redeem us wit...

"But, Sir, by example chiefly of some, whose names I will not now rehearse, [NICHOLAS DE] H[EREFORD], of J[OHN] P[URVEY], and B[OWLAND]; and also by the present doing of PHILIP...

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, as the 10th Chapter of Matthew and the last Chapter of Mark witnesseth, CHRIST sent his Apostles for to preach. And the 10th Chapter of Luke witness...

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, there is no such virtue in any imagery, that any images should herefore be worshipped; wherefore I am certain that there is no miracle done of GOD i...

+William.+ And I said, "Sir, Saint PAUL saith that tithes were given in the Old Law to Levites and to Priests, that came of the lineage of LEVI. But _our priest_, he saith, _cam...

"And I said then to him, as with my foresaid Protestation, I say to you now here, 'Sir, I counsel you for to absent you from all evil company, and to draw you to them that love...

And so then I was led forth, and brought into a foul unhonest prison, where I came never before. But, thanked be GOD! when all men were gone forth then from me, and had sparred...

And the Lord of COBHAM said to the King, that he had appealed to the Pope from the Archbishop; and therefore, he said, "he ought not to take him for his judge": and so he had th...

For as much as Christ saith that the gospel shall be preached in all the world, and David saith of the apostles and their preaching, "the sound of them yede out into each land,...

THE CLERK--Then God grant us grace grathly to gin, wit and wisdom wisely to work, might and mind of right meaning to make translation trusty and true, pleasing to the Trinity, t...

Thus endeth this book, which is named "The Book of Consolation of Philosophy," which that Boecius made for his comfort and consolation, he being in exile for the common and publ...

After that I had accomplished and finished divers histories, as well of contemplation as of other historical and worldly acts of great conquerors and princes, and also certain b...

JOSEPH. Now, I thank you, Mary, of your goodness, That ye my words will not blame; And sith that to Bethlehem we shall us dress, Go we together in God's holy name. [_They set ou...

THIRD REX. He bade that we should go down by west, For dread of Herod's false betray. FIRST REX. So for to do it is the best; The Child that we have sought guide us the way!

KINDRED. Ah, sir, what! ye be a merry man! Take good heart to you, and make no moan; But one thing I warn you--by Saint Anne, As for me, ye shall go alone!

DOCTOR. This memorial men may have in mind: Ye hearears, take it of worth, old and young, And forsake pride, for he deceiveth you in the end; And remember beauty, five wits, str...

Nicholas Sayer of London, skinner, of the age of 49 years or thereabouts, sworn and examined upon his oath, saith that he and William Knight were desired by the said Rastell and...