Part 28

NATURE. The text will be found on pages 41-133, together with a reduced facsimile of the title-page of the unique copy now in the British Museum (C34,_e_54). Bound up with it, at the end of the volume, are two duplicate leaves. In several places (see 105,_c_; 106,_d_; 112,_d_; 114,_a_) the lower margins have suffered by cutting; otherwise it is a good copy, but without date, place, or printer's name. It is well printed, probably by John Rastell, between 1510-20, and is in excellent preservation. When printing my own text, I was not aware that a fragment comprising two complete and well-preserved pages had been discovered in an album consisting entirely of "Specimens of the English Printers from Caxton to Robert Barker," which Sir John Fenn had collected for the completion of Ames-Herbert's _Typographical Antiquities_, and which was offered for sale by Mr. Bernard Quaritch in his Catalogue, No. 237 (pp. 97-99), the price affixed being £280. For the foregoing particulars I am indebted to _Materialen zur Kunde des alteren_ _Englischen Dramas_, so ably edited by Prof. Bang of Louvain University and other well-known English, American, and Continental scholars. I have, so far, been unable to trace the subsequent history of this volume; but I am not without hopes, later on, of being in a position to supply full and detailed particulars. What more nearly concerns the present purpose is the fact that in vol. xii. of _Materialen_ are given facsimiles of parts of each of these two pages, by means of which two out of the four lines cut away, each on different pages, have been restored, viz. at 112,_d_ and 114,_a_--a fortunate and happy circumstance (see _Corrigenda,_ _etc., infra_). Another fragment was known to exist at the Bodley. This is mentioned by Mr. Greg in his _Handlist of English Plays_; but no particulars are furnished, and on enquiry at the Bodley no trace of the fragment could at first be found. I, thereupon, made search, and at last unearthed it, finding it buried in a mass of uncatalogued early printed scraps. This was after delving through a dozen volumes of similar miscellaneous material, so let it now be ear-marked for future reference. The Bodley shelf-mark is Rawl. 4^o 598 (12). It came into the Bodleian with the Rawlinson collection of MSS. and printed books in 1755. The fragment (Aiiii) is small, and is apparently of the same edition as the British Museum copy, and the extra leaves. As the Quaritch fragment is also undoubtedly of similar parentage, it is unlikely that the play was printed more than once. The Bodley fragment comprises (_a_) "But, if Reason tickle ..." (last line p. 49) down to "... that from above is sent" (p. 50, 11th line of text from bottom); and (_b_) "No well-advised body ..." (page 51, 11 lines from top) down to "It shall not skill as for this intent" (p. 52, 2 lines from top). By this it will be seen that this recovery does not serve to restore either of the two missing lines, not restored by the other fragments. _Nature_ was produced before Archbishop Morton in Henry VII.'s reign (see 51,_c_; 88,_b_); and Bale states that it was translated into Latin. A period of nearly three days seems to have elapsed between the representation of Parts I. and II. (see 90,_d_). Other allusions I have dealt with in this Note-Book as they occur. Of the author little is known save what is revealed by the play, and Bale's mention (see _Medwall_). From the former it is evident, however, as Prof. Gayley first pointed out, that he must have possessed a remarkably vivid imagination, or have enjoyed a closer acquaintance than might be expected of one of his cloth with the seamy side of London life; for there are few racier or more realistic bits of description in our early literature than the account given by Sensuality of Fleyng Kat and Margery, of the perversion of the hero by the latter, and of her retirement when deserted to that house of "Strayt Religyon at the Grene Freres hereby," where "all is open as a gose eye." Dr. Gayley remarks that though "the plot is not remarkable, nor the mechanism of it, for almost the only device availed of is that of feigned names, still the author's insight into the conditions of low life, his common sense, his proverbial philosophy, his humorous exhibition of the morals of the day, and his stray and sudden shafts at the foibles of his own religious class, would alone suffice to attract attention to this work. And even more remarkable than this in the history of comedy is Medwall's literary style; his versification excellent and varied, his conversations witty, idiomatic, and facile. Indeed, he is so far beyond the ordinary convention that he writes the first bit of prose to be found in our drama." _Nature_ has only once before been reprinted in modern times, in Prof. Brandl's admirable _Quellen_ series. The present text is taken direct from the British Museum copy, and has been re-collated with the original in proof: mere misprints I have, as a rule, not noted. It is proper to point out that the "Humility" of the "Names of the Players" (p. 42) appears in the text, except in one instance, as "Meekness"; likewise that "Good Occupation" is the "Good Business" of the text; "Pride" also is occasionally given as "Pry. Co." _Corrigenda, Amended Readings, etc._: The _Names of the Players_ (42,_b_ and _c_), these are from the end of play--"things here _below_" (44,_b_) _by low_ in original--"To _the_ which end" (50,_b_), original _ye_--"nor _yet_ so furious" (51,_b_), original _yt_--"_point_ oversight" (51,_c_), original has _point of_; my mistake--"use thee as a _servant_" (52,_b_), original _servand_--"As _far_ as" (57,_d_), original _for_--"And let thy _word_ be _cousin_ to thy deed" (59,_a_), original _world_ ... _consyn_--"_See_ that ye commit" (59,_b_), original _So_--"to every man's _guise_" (60,_b_), original _ges_--"my chief _counsellor_" (60,_c_), original _conselour_--"_Sens._ Lord! ye say well" (61,_b_), between this and the previous line Dr. Brandl points out that a line has been dropped, but there is no break in the original copy--"To put him_self_" (61,_c_), in original _selse_--"[_He goeth out...._]" (64,_d_), considerable confusion exists in the original from this point to the end of the next page. The lines beginning "Worldly Affection," "Come hither!" are assigned to _The World_, whereas it is clear that _The World_ goes out, and _Mankind_, calling to _Worldly_ _Affection_ (who comes in), continues his speech, addressing the new comer. From this point the speeches now given, rightly I think, to _Worldly_ _Affection_ are in original to _The World_, except the last on page 65, which appears as a continuation of _Mankind's_ speech. I may remark that Dr. Brandl differs--"[_Pride_]. Who dwelleth here" (66,_c_), in original _Pry. Co._--"worn gilt _spurs_ ... cutted _whores_" (66,_d_), original _sperys_ ... _horys_--"How say ye, _sirs_" (67,_a_), original _syrst_: Brandl suggests reading _fyrst_--"_Allez ... vous avant!_" (69,_c_), original _Ale seygniour ale vouse auant_"--"judge in common _pleas_" (71,_c_), original, _place_--"Sir! bid him welcome," etc. (72,_b_), in original the catch-cue to "_Sens._" is repeated here; the present interpolated "direction" makes the action clear--_Man._ Me?" (73,_a_), in original _Man._ is misprinted as part of text, _Man me?_--"The _world_ told me" (73,_c_), read _World_--"Where they _shall_" (93,_b_), original misprinted _shalbe_--"Sirs, God speed _ye_!" (112,_d_), original _you_--"[_A line has been shaved away at the_ _foot of the page_]" (112,_d_), this is now restored from the Quaritch fragment, "_Had I set a done_ (= adown) _my gear_." A line similarly shaved off at 114,_a_ is also restored by "I _wene he wyll be dede_"--"great _scorn_ and disdain" (120,_c_), original _storn_--"mind and good _will_" (121,_b_), Dr. Brandl suggests reading _lust_--"to the uttermost" (122,_d_), Dr. Brandl suggests _uttermest_--"He _speaketh_ sometime" (126,_a_), so in original, Dr. Brandl prints _seeketh_--"[_Help_] to reform" (128,_d_), this word is cut away at the foot of the page: the same mishap has occurred at "in this case" (130,_a_).

NE, "_ne_ would" (N124,_a_), not, neither.

NEAT, "a horse and a _neat_" (M26,_c_), an ox, bullock, cow, heifer: now rare.

NEC, "_nec_ in hasta," etc. (M18,_c_), see 1 Reg. xvii. 47--"Non in gladio, _nec_ in hasta...."

NECK-VERSE, "he could his _neck-verse_" (M27,_d_), a verse on which one's neck depends, in allusion to hanging: originally "a Latin verse printed in black letter (usually the beginning of the 51st Psalm), formally set before one claiming benefit of clergy, ... by reading which he might save his neck" (_O.E.D._). See other volumes of this series.

NEEDINGS (M34,_d_), "relieving nature," doing that is necessary.

NEGLIGENCE, (_a_) "if it please your _negligence_" (M21,_a_), _i.e._ if an "interval" will be acceptable: this usage = a pleasing relaxation of attention, or absence of restraint, was common enough.

(_b_) "Committed to my _negligence_" (N83,_a_), in sarcasm.

NEMBLE, "now am I _nemble_" (IP337,_d_), nimble: cf. trimble = tremble.

NEMESIS (R., _passim_), the embodiment of retributive justice; this passage serves the _O.E.D._, being nearly half a century earlier than the first given by Dr. Murray.

NESH, "tender and _nesh_" (IP337,_b_), succulent, juicy.

NEST, see Feather.

NEW GUISE, see Guise.

NEW JET, see Jet.

NEW YEAR, "in _the worship of the new year_" (IP334,_c_), _i.e._ at the next jollification.

NIL, see Suffer.

NINE STOCKS, "sit in _nine stocks_" (R220,_d_). Mr. Magnus thinks the meaning of this somewhat obscure sentence to be that the culprit shall be sentenced to the stocks nine times running; note the exigency of a rhyme to _mine locks_.

NINNAT (R., _passim_), ne will not.

NOLD, "The skitb[r]ains _nold not_" (R267,_b_)--"for she _nolde_ suffer" (N45_a_), would not be--n[e w]o[u]ld: cf. Namnot, etc.

NOLI ME TANGERE, "He is a _noli-me-tangere_" (M23,_b_), generic for anybody or anything repellant, an awkward tempered person. "He was wont to say of them that they were of the tribe of Dan, and were _noli me tangere's_."--R. Naunton, _Frag. Reg._ (_c._ 1630), 18 (1870).

NOLO, "_Nolo mortem peccatoris, inquit_" (M37,_b_): see _Ezekiel_ xxviii. 11--"_Nolo mortem impii, sed ut_ _convertatus impius a vita sua, et vivat._"

NOMINATION, "that is my _nomination_" (R199,_d_), name, designation. "Because of these two effectes ... hath it the _nomination_ of kayes."--Frith (_d._ 1533), _Workes_, p. 58.

NON, see Inventus.

NONAGE, "the _nonage_ of this gentleman" (N53,_d_), legal minority. "My parents deceased in mine _nonage_."--_Godly Queen Hester_, Anon. Pl., 2 Ser. (E.E.D.S.), 257,_c_.

NONNY, see Hey.

NOURICE, "thy tender _nourice_" (N46,_d_), nurse. "Flatterers ben the devil's _nourices_ that nourish his children with milke of losengrie."--Chaucer, _Cant._ _Tales_ (1383), Persones Tale.

NYMPHS, "at her _nymphs_" (R251,_b_), _i.e._ handmaidens, waiting women.

OAR, see Boat.

OBEDIENT, "subdued to reason as his _obedient_" (N55,_d_), one subject to authority, a subordinate: an earlier instance of the substantive use of _obedient_ than that recorded in the _O.E.D._ by a century and a quarter.

OBSTINANT, "if he be _obstinant_" (IP346,_b_), obstinate: the _O.E.D._ records the word as a substantive, earmarking it "rare," and giving a single quotation only, but the adjectival form is absent.

OCCUPY, "a merchant's place to _occupy_" (IP339,_b_), formerly _occupy_ was almost as hard-worked a verb as the modern American _fix_. Amongst other senses it meant, take possession, seize, enter upon, hold, have in possession, enjoy, reside in, tenant, stay, abide, employ, busy about, engage, make use of, etc.

ODIBLE, "as carene is _odible_" (M32,_d_)--"dispectuous and _odible_" (M33,_b_), hateful, odious. "His face was so hatefull and so _odyble_."--Lydgate, _Chron._ _Troy_ (1412-20), III. xxiv.

OLD BOY, "play ever ... _the old boy_" (N75,_b_), as one who has become skilled, clever, knowing through practice and experience; foreshadowing the slang usage: cf. "olde souldier, _veteranus_" (Huloet., 1552).

OM (_passim_), them--'em.

ONT (_passim_), on it--on[i]t.

OPRAY, OPRY, "_opray_ counsel" (N71,_c_)--"such _opry_" (N71,_c_), not in _O.E.D._:? = _operary_, practical.

ORGANS, "Piers Pickpurse playeth at _organs_" (R240,_a_), _i.e._ as if fingering an organ: formerly organs (pl.) denoted a single instrument.

OSCULARE, "_osculare fundamentum_" (M8,_c_), the modern vulgar jeer wrapped up in Latin.

OTHER (_passim_), either.

OVERBLISS, "he may _overbliss_ it" (M17,_c_), overbless: Nought sarcastically says that Mankind may treat his land too well by using it as a jakes.

OWETH, "he _oweth_ to be magnified" (M3,_b_), ought. "Forgotten was no thing That _owe_ be done."--_Chaucer's_ _Dreme_ (_c._ 1500), 1405.

OWL-FLIGHT, "in the _owl-flight_" (M25,_d_), when owls go abroad, dusk; here under cover of night. "He ran away by nyght In the _owle flyght_ Lyke a cowarde Knyght."--Skelton, _Dk. Albany_ (_c._ 1529), 312.

OYEZ (_passim_). "Hear ye": a call (usually three times given) to command silence and attention.

PAINFUL, "_painful_ ministers" (R234,_b_), "Young, _painful_, tractable" (WS137,_d_), careful, diligent, painstaking: cf. _careful_ = full of care; _hateful_ = full of hate, etc. "Vertuous sermons and _painefull_ preaching."--Stapleton, tr. _Bede's Hist. Ch. Eng._ (1565), 79.

PALE, "four kine to my _pale_" (R229,_a_), an enclosed space, limit: here = holding.

PARDON, "forty days of _pardon_" (M8,_c_), an indulgence, a papal warrant of forgiveness of "faults": see other volumes of this series.

PARIS GATES (N67,_a_),? the entrance to Paris Garden; see Halliwell and Nares.

PARLEMENT, "A _parlement_, a _parlement_," (M35,_a_), conference, consultation, talk.

"He sent to his barrons a _parlement_ to hold."

--_Robert de Brunne,_ p. 244.

PARTICIPABLE, "be _participable of_" (M3,_d_), partakers of.

PARTY, see Mankind, _Amended Readings._

PASH, PASSHE (_passim_), (_a_) the Passover, Easter-tide, properly Pasch.

(_b_) "_Pash_ head! _pash_ brain" (WS143,_b_), smash, dash to pieces.

"And _pash_ the jaws of serpents venomous."

--Marlowe, 1 _Tamburlaine_ (1590), i. 1.

PASS, "I do not _pass_" (WS147,_c_), care, reck, mind: see other volumes of this series.

PASSEIVE, "we _passeive_" (R212,_a_), perceive.

PASSIBLE, "obedient and _passible_" (M33,_a_), able to feel or suffer. "Therein he assumed human nature, mortal, and _passible_."--Chr. Sutton, _Godly Meditations_ (1622), p. 24 (ed. 1849).

PATROCINY, "my several _patrociny_" (M40,_c_), patronage, protection, defence, support. "To take hym and his pore causis into your _patrocynye_ and protection."--Wolsey, _Lett. to Gardener_ (1529) in Strype, _Eccl. Mem._, I. App. xxxiii. 92.

PATUS, "I beshrew your _patus_" (M21,_c_), head: mock Latin.

PAUL'S STEEPLE, etc. (_passim_), Paul's (Poules, Paules, Powlys, Pawles, etc.), _i.e._ St. Paul's Cathedral in London, a favourite lounge and business resort in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,--hence frequent allusions in old writers.

PEAK, "bold to _peak_ in" (R255,_d_), peep. "That other pries and _peekes_ in euery place."--Gascoigne, _Steele Glas._ (1576), 68 (Arber).

PEASON, (_a_) "_peason_ knaves" (R213,_c_), peasant knaves: a generic reproach = low fellow, rascal, "villain." Possibly also with an eye on the chief food staple of the lower classes in Tudor times, pease (or peason) and beans.

(_b_) see Peson.

PEERS, "with all their old _peers_" (IP346,_c_), associates, companions: _perers_ in original. "Children sittynge in Cheepynge ... cryinge to her _peeris_."--Wyclif, _Matt._ xi. 16 (1382).

PERMOUNTED, "how ye beeth _permounted_" (R256,_c_), ? a portmanteau word _promoted_ + _mounted_.

PERSECUTED, "how shall this redress be well _persecuted_" (R269,_c_), pursued (Magnus).

PERSWAGED, "cham _perswaged_" (_passim_), persuaded.

PERVERSIOUS, "this _perversious_ ingratitude" (M33,_b_), perverse.

PERVERTIONATE, "that ever be _pervertionate_" (M10,_c_), perverse.

PERZENT, "whom itch do _perzent_" (R211,_a_), represent.

PESON, "piss my _peson_" (M12,_c_), what _peson_ means is somewhat obscure. The recorded meanings are (1) = pl. of pease; (2) a staff-like instrument used for weighing purposes before scales were employed, and so, maybe, a staff. The context, however, would seem to suggest _peason_ as a shortened or popular name of the _peasecod doublet_, a long-breasted garment carried down to a long peak in front, having the lower part stiffly quilted and projecting.

PESTEL, "a _pestel_ on him" (R199,_a_), _i.e._ a _pestilence_.

PETTICOAT, "_have at thy petticoat_" (R270,_d_); cf. "I'll pay him o' th' _petticoat_."--_Misogonus_, Anon. Pl., 2 Ser. (E.E.D.S.), 157,_b_. "I dare jeopard a groat, If he may reach them, will have on the _petticoat_."--_Jacob_ _and Esau_, 2 Anon. Pl., 2 Ser. (E.E.D.S.), 77,_c_.

PEW, "God give him an ill _pew_" (JE363,_c_), in original pue: a rare transferred usage of the common word = "station, situation, allotted place" (O.E.D.). "Ye lat me peyne here in a peynfull _pewe_, That is a place of grete doloures."--_Pety Job_ (_c._ 1400) 555, in 26 _Pol. Poems_, 139.

PIE, "hands be in the _pie_" (R191,_d_), the modern "finger in the pie" is more modest; the present example is the earliest given in the _O.E.D._

PIKE, "_pike_ thee home" (WS157,_a_)--"they bad me _pike_ me home" (R256,_a_), walk, be off, get home. Mr. Magnus glosses the Respublica example, "pick." "He bad them then go _pyke_ them home."--_Ane_ _Ballat of Matrymonie_ (_c._ 1570) in Laing, _Pop. Poet._ _Scotland_, ii. 77.

PIP, "God send them both the _pip_" (R215,_c_), properly a disease peculiar to poultry and the like, but frequently used jocosely by old writers for various diseases in human beings, specifically, however, of the pox. "I have a master: I wolld he had ye _pyppe_."--_Play Sacram_ (_c._ 1460), 525.

PISS, see Rods.

PLAIN, "did not ich _plain_ me to you?" (R229,_d_), complain, lament, bewail.

"Erles & barons at ther first samnyng, For many maner resons _pleyned_ of the king."

--_Robert de Brunne_, p. 312.

PLAYERS (THE NAMES OF THE). The following references to Players' Names in this volume and the Play in which they occur may be of service.

Abstinence (N); Abundance (IP); Actio (JE); Adulation (R); Avarice (R).

Bodily Lust (N).

Charity (N); Chastity (N); Colhazard (IP); Comfort (WS); Confidence (WS); Conscience (IP).

Diligence (WS).

Envy (N and IP); Eugenio (JE); Evil Counsel (JE); Experience (WS).

Fame (WS); Favour (WS).

Garcon (N); Gluttony (N); Good Occupation (N).

Hance (WH); Health (WH); Honest Recreation (WS); Humility (N).

Idleness (WS); Idleness (JE); Ill-Will (WH); Impatient Poverty (IP); Ingnorancy (WS); Innocency (N); Insolence (R); Instruction (WS); Irisdision (JE).

Justicia (R).

Liberality (N); Liberty (WH).

Man (N); Mankind (M); Mercy (M); Mischief (M); Misericordia (R); Misrule (IP); Mundus (N).

Nature (N); Nemesis (R); New Guise (M); Nought (M); Now-a-days (M).

Oppression (R).

Patience (N); Pax (R); Peace (IP); People (R); Poverty (IP); Pride(N); Prologue (R); Prosperity (IP).

Quickness (WS).

Reason (N and WS); Remedy (WH); Respublica (R); Riches (WS).

St. John the Evangelist (JE); Science (WS); Sensuality (N); Shame (WS); Shamefacedness (N); Shrewd Wit (WH); Sloth (N); Strength (WS); Study (WS); Sumner (IP).

Tediousness (WS); Titivillus (M).

Veritas (R).

Wealth (WH); Wit (WS); Worldly Affection (N); Worship (WS); Wrath (N).

PLETTE, "whom should I _plette_" (IP341,_d_), plead.

"About eftsoones for to _plete_, And bring on you advocacies new?"

--Chaucer, _Troilus and Creseide_, ii.

PLEYSERIS, "ye may be _pleyseris_ with the angels above" (M40,_d_), so in original: Manly suggests _partakers_.

POLICATE, "such a _policate_ wit" (R213,_b_), polished: ? a compound of _polished_ + _delicate_, or a corruption of _politic_ = sharp, clever, well-devised.

POLL, "I see you would _poll_ me" (R220,_c_), plunder, pillage, rob.

POPULORUM, "by his precious _populorum_" (R259,_b_) A coinage of no special worth save a bare record.

PORT, "Wealth hath great _port_" (WH279,_d_), carriage, mien, bearing, state. "With another _port_."--_Jacob_ _and Esau_, Anon. Pl., 2 Ser. (E.E.D.S.), 72,_c_. "Keep house, and _port_, and servants as I should."--Shakespeare, _Taming of the Shrew_ (1593), i. 1.

POTESTATE, "a worthy _potestate_" (N71,_b_), potentate, chief authority. "And whanne thei leeden you unto synagogis and to magistratis and _potestatis_; nyle ye be bisy how or what ye schulen answere, or what ye schulen scye."--Wycliffe, _Luke_ xii.

POTICARY (N125,_a_), apothecary: see Heywood, _The_ _Four P.P._

PRECISE, "as Himself doth _precise_" (M37,_b_), to determine with precision: cf. Fr. _preciser_.

PRECLAIR, "_preclair_ pre-eminence" (IP347,_d_), illustrious, eminent. "That puissant prince _preclair_." Lyndesay, _Monarche_.

PREYS, "the gubbins of booties and _preys_" (R183,_d_), spoil, plunder.

PRYKE, "_pryke_ not your felicities" (M4,_b_), fix.

PRIME, "mass and matins, hours and _prime_" (M31,_c_)--"by _prime_" (JE360,_c_), the first of the canonical hours, succeeding to lauds.

PRIVITY, see Jewels.

PROMIDENCE, "climbing up aloft for promidence" (R212,_d_),? prominence, predominance.

PROUT, "zo thick _prout_ whorecop" (R256,_b_)--"maketh us _prout_" (R256,_c_), proud: in original _prowte_ and _prout_ respectively; A.S. prut.

PUDDINGS, see Dogs.

PURVEY, PURVEYED, "_purvey_ such a lad" (N68,_b_; also 65,_c_)--"hath _purveyed_ me" (N43,_c_), provide, plan, contrive: specifically to supply provisions.

PUTTOCK (JE363,_b_), properly the common kite, but also applied to other birds of prey.

QUALIFIED, "would not be _qualified_" (R224,_c_), appeased, mollified, calmed. "Whan the quene was thus _qualyfyed_"--tr. _Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist._ (_c._ 1540), 210 (Camden, No. 29).

QUORUM, see Justices of Quorum.

RAIL, "if thou _rail_ too far" (N52,_b_), wander, roam. "I _rayle_, I straye abrode, _je trace, je tracasse_. He doth naught els but _rayle_ here and there."--Palsgrave, _Lang. Franc._ (1530), 678, I.

RAISE, "is that the great love ye _raise_ her" (WS147,_a_), bear: cf. the now (except as regards cattle) rare sense of _raise_ = beget.

RAT, "we have smelled a _rat_" (R187,_a_), one of the earliest instances of this proverbial saying.

RATHER, "later or _rather_" (R188,_c_), earlier. "Aftir me is comun a man, which was maad bifor me; for he was _rather_ than Y."--Wyclif (1388), _John_ i. 30.

RAUGHT, "_raught_ to Cumberland" (R254,_a_), reached.

REBATED, "openly _rebated_" (R197,_a_): see Respublica, _Var. readings_, etc.

RECH, "For other wealth I not _rech_" (WH278,_c_), strive or reach out for.