Part 29

RECREATORY, "my singular _recreatory_" (M38,_d_), source of comfort, "joy": the only quotation in the _O.E.D._

RECUMBENTIBUS, "a shrewd _recumbentibus_" (M20,_b_)--"speak to Mankind for the _recumbentibus_ of my jewels" (M22,_c_), "a knock-down blow" (_O.E.D._), but the second example does not quite fit this sense which seems to refer to the position of the object attacked, rather than the act of attacking.

RED CAP, "him that wears the _red cap_" (WH303,_c_). Remedy seems to have worn a red cap:? as the symbol of spiritual authority. The term is of rare occurrence; only two examples of so early a date are quoted in the _O.E.D._, both from State papers--(_a_) "Captaine _Redde Cappe_, one of the rebelles of the last yere" (1549); (_b_) = _red-hat_ = cardinal (1539).

REDE, "by my _rede_" (N121,_d_), counsel. Also as verb.

REDFORD (JOHN), musician, poet, and writer of interludes, was, according to Hawkins, organist and almoner of St. Pauls. Tusser, in his autobiographical poem, mentions him as master of the children of St. Paul's about 1535. As a musician, his instrumental works are well known, consisting mainly of florid counterpoint upon a plain song. As master of the children at St. Paul's, it was part of his duty to provide dramatic entertainments. A quaint specimen of his skill in this respect is afforded by his "Wit and Science." This is preserved among the additional MSS. at the British Museum (No. 15,233), the memorandum book in which it is written, and of which the original binding is still in excellent condition, containing some musical sketches (possibly memoranda only), and fragments of two other moralities, one of them in Redford's name. The date of his death is unknown, but as Sebastian Westcott was master of the children of St. Paul's in 1559, probably Redford had died before that date.

The fragments of other interludes, probably both by Redford, included in add. MSS 15,233, are as follows:--

[_Fragment No. 1._]

* * * * * D. Marye, Tom, such poyntes God send him mani!

T. Well, go to, mok on! your mokes bere can I, Tyll we shall once be evin, I truste.

G. Nay, Tom, all Malles lay in the dust, And syns we have droonke all of one cup, Shake handes lyke freends! all quarelles give up!

D. Ye, by my sowle, and syns the payne is past, Let us be merye, and care awey cast.

I. What els, Tom, syns we have leve to play? Let us be merye all thys long daye! _Fynis, quod Master Jhon Redford._ _Here the syng_ Hey nony nonye, _and so go forth syngyng_.

In the MS. this fragment is cancelled with a pen.

[_Fragment No. 2._]

The other fragment of an interlude (cancelled in the MS.) is as follows:--

CORAGE.

Shall we three joyne in unitee To cheere these gestes?

KYNDNES.

By my trothe, ye. Clennes _cumth in and_ Con. _steylyth away_. Not so, my friends, here me speake. Mum!

CORAGE.

Where is Concupiscence becum?

CLENNES.

My presens hath put her to flyght! Where Clennes doth in place apeere, Ther is Concupiscence gone quighte.

This is not signed by Redford; it is only conjecturally his.

The other works of Redford's in the MS. book (additional MSS. 15,233) appear to be separate poems, with titles (some apparently inserted in his reprint by Halliwell Phillips). The numbers to the right refer to the pages in Halliwell Phillips's reprint.

1. Lamentation of boys learning the prick song. (14 stanzas of 4 lines each) 62

2. "Nolo Mortem peccatoris: hoec sunt verba Salvatoris." (23 stanzas of six lines each) 68

3. "Long have I been a singing man." (8 stanzas of six lines each) 80

4. "Will and Power." (3 stanzas of seven lines each) 86

5. "The Pleasure of Godliness." Besides some irregular opening lines. (22 stanzas of six lines each) 92

6. "The goodness of all God's gifts." (11 stanzas of seven lines each) 97

7. "The sinfulness of man." (8 stanzas of eight lines each) 100

REDUCIBLE, "he will be _reducible_" (M37,_b_), reclaimable.

REFRAIT, "harp both on _refrait_" (N59,_d_), refrain, burden. "Of ther song the _refreit_ was of pees."--Lydgate in _Pol. Poems_ (1443), II., 211 (Rolls).

REMORD, "thou ought to remord" (IP316,_b_), feel remorse. "_Remord_ and rew, and pondir weill my parte."--A. Scott, _Poems_ (_c._ 1560), xiii. 38 (S.T.S.).

REMOTION, "to you ... have recourse and _remotion_" (M3,_d_), inclination to.

REN (_passim_), run.

REPORTURE, "to make _reporture_" (N100,_c_), mention, report. "To hyr I wyll goo and make _reportur_."--_Digby_ _Myst._ (_c._ 1485), III., 2084 (1882).

RESIDED, "one _resided_ me with a bowl of water" (JE358,_a_). I have been unable to arrive at any satisfactory explanation of this passage.

RESPUBLICA. The text is given on pp. 177-272. The original forms one of the Macro plays in manuscript, now the property of Mr. J. H. Gurney of Keswick Hall, near Norwich: see Macro Plays and Manuscripts, _ante_. _Respublica_ has been three times previously printed in modern times--(_a_) by Mr. John Payne Collier in _Illustrations of Old English Literature_, I. (1866), B. M. press-mark, 2326, _c_; (_b_) by Prof. Brandl in _Quellen_, etc. (1904); and (_c_) by the Early English Text Society (Extra Series xciv.), edited by Mr. Leonard A. Magnus, LL.B., "from Mr. Gurney's unique Macro MS. 115" (1905), B. M. press-mark, Ac. 9926/60. I do not know how Mr. Collier got his copy; Dr. Brandl states his copy was made for him by Dr. Emeke, "and we both have collated it." Whether the copy was made direct from the original manuscript, or whether it was (as in the case of _Mankind_) (_q.v._) a copy of a copy, or further, whether the collation of the proof-sheets was with the original or with the copy is not stated: still even the last is _something_ towards assurance, for the ways of the modern "comp." and the oversight of the average "reader" are, at times, passing strange. Yet Mr. Magnus by his remark, "Prof. Brandl had to make his edition from a copy of the manuscript," seems to infer that the German editor was unable to get into close contact with the original. This uncertainty is unfortunate, for were we sure of the contrary, there would have been immediate and well-founded confidence in the fidelity of Prof. Brandl's text. But worse remains. Mr. Magnus, beyond saying that "the manuscript has been kindly lent by the owner," nowhere, so far as I can read, mentions that the copy of the same as prepared for the printers had, when in proof, been compared with the original manuscript. My own experience in collating the three copies of _Mankind_ (_q.v._), made respectively for the E.E.T.S., Prof. Manly, and Prof. Brandl, does not tend to reassure one. Indeed, the sampling of Mr. Manly's printed sheets in another direction has convinced me that though the text may be, and probably is, substantially accurate, yet it would be folly to waste valuable time in furnishing, for this play, even the simplest of textual notes and criticism. Knowing, by experience, the weighty trustworthiness of Prof. Brandl's work in respect to other plays, I commenced by modernising his text, at the same time collating it with that of Collier, only to find, when I came to compare it with the E.E.T. Society's edition, just the same obviously careless miscripts and blunders that I found when collating _Mankind_. This estimate was confirmed when I tested the value of the work done on _Respublica_, apart from the text, in the same fashion that I tested the worth of _Mankind_. Taking pages xviii. (four lines from bottom) to xxii. (two lines from top) of Mr. Magnus' _Introduction_ (E.E.T.S., Extra Series xciv.), to prove the accuracy of the quotations and references, what is the result? In 124 lines there are no fewer than forty errors in quotation, reference figures, and the like, or more than one mistake for every three lines!!! I fear little faith can be placed in the accuracy of the text of the play when such a result is forthcoming in respect to the very structure of the setting. Nor is this an isolated or specially selected weak spot: these particular pages attracted attention as providing an obviously distinctive chance of checking the work done. Turn again to the glossary references, and taking a column haphazard, the second column of page 79, and the same process of verifying the printed page shows five blunders in thirty-four entries from _Cale_ to _Creature_. Or, take page 66 of the notes, and one reaps four blunders in twelve lines (Notes, l. 439-l. 581)! I cannot therefore help feeling uncertain about the text of the play itself, and as I have been unable, as yet, to get access to the original, I prefer to save useless labour by sending forth my own text without comment of any kind. As a matter of course the E.E.T.S. version is no doubt nearest the original, and, in doubtful cases I have, equally of course, followed it in preference to the Collier or Brandl versions; but it must not be taken as worth more than it really is. I can only once again express a sincere hope that some one will in the near future be allowed to reproduce these invaluable Macro Plays in facsimile. _Respublica_ is noteworthy in more respects than one. Obviously written by a Catholic, it is the Reformation in its social and political, and not in its doctrinal, aspect that forms the pivot of the action of the play. The calmest judgments of posterity incline to the view that the mainspring of the revolt against the Papacy in England rested more on zeal as the tool of worldliness than, as elsewhere, on worldliness as the tool of zeal. A king whose character was despotism itself personified, unprincipled ministers, a rapacious aristocracy, a servile Parliament, such were the instruments by which England was delivered from the yoke of Rome. The work which had been begun by Henry, the murderer of his wives, was continued by Somerset, the murderer of his brother, and completed by Elizabeth, the murderer of her guest. By Reformers and Catholics alike, religion was made the tool of spoliation, rapine, and oppression. The Reformation left the country morally and materially bankrupt, and Catholic though Mary was, much seems to have been expected of her by the nation at large. Indeed, the great mass of the people cared little or nothing for the factional strife of either camp, except so far as it affected them from a social point of view. Hence the _motif_ of _Respublica_ and its curiously moderate tone. It would really seem that Queen Mary was possessed of a softness not usually credited to her, and that she succumbed to political faction as her brother before her and her sister after her succumbed. It is, therefore, this aspect--the social aspect--of the great upheaval with which the author of _Respublica_ is concerned, and no more pithy or pungent contemporary narrative or satire exists. Apart from the regrettable shortcomings of Mr. Magnus' volume in other respects, he has done useful yeoman service to English scholarships by tracing and emphasising, point by point, the action of the play in its relation to political events, practically identifying the play as a stage version of the events of the reign of Edward VI. I can only refer my readers to his altogether admirable analysis--a statement of fact and resumé which happily is not and cannot be marred by the evil influence of inaccuracy of reference and quotation. Further, if Mr. Magnus' essay be read in conjunction with that portion of Hallam's _Constitutional History of_ _England_, which concerns this period--Macaulay's famous review of the same will serve admirably--and with Book II. of Burnett's _History of the Reformation_, the key will be found to emphasise the points made by Mr. Magnus, and to illustrate and explain the political and social allusions with which _Respublica_ abounds. On the question of authorship, Mr. Magnus also attempts an attribution, suggesting Udall, the author of _Ralph Roister Doister_. His facts and inferences are, to my mind, inconclusive; as he himself admits. Identity of phraseology, tricks of style, similarity of orthography, and the like, are at best uncertain grounds to form the basis of Tudor attributions. Very shortly the _corpus_ of pre-Shakespearean drama now in progress will enable the student to tackle his subject to more purpose than heretofore.

RESTED, "would have _rested_ me" (IP316,_c_), a contracted form of _arrest_.

RESTORITY, "it is _restority_" (R222,_c_), restorative; note the exigency of the rhyme.

RICEPUDDING-CAKE (R. _passim_), Respublica (_q.v._).

RINGWORM, "a _running ringworm_" (M28,_a_), _i.e._ the mark of the halter round New Guise's neck.

RODS, "_rods in piss_" (R219,_b_), a reckoning in store.

ROND, "_rond_ in your ear" (M14,_c_), whisper.

ROOM, "to have with him a _room_" (N49,_d_; 50,_a_), post, office, station, position. "To have and enjoy that office and _room_."--Holinshed, _Scotland_ (an. 1543).

ROYALS, "give us _red royals_" (M21,_b_), _i.e._ give us gold, not coppers: _red_ = gold is frequently found in old writers, though it is now only used in thieves' slang. The _royal_ was a gold coin of varying value, from 10s. to 30s.: see other volumes of this series. "Ich shall not mis of _red ones_ to haue store."--T. Howell, _Poems_ (1568), i. 91 (Grosart).

RUTTER, "A _rutter_, huffa gallant" (N77,_c_), trooper, horseman: also a swaggering, dashing gallant. That this last mentioned is the sense is clear from the phrase _huffa gallant_, which in old writers is commonly put into the mouths of roisterers and dashing men of fashion: see _Four Elements_, _Hickscorner_, etc.

RUTTERKIN, "what _rutterkin_ have we here" (IP332,_b_), a rutter: see previous entry.

SAD, "_sad_ a-sleep" (M26,_c_), sound, firm, not to be easily awakened. "It was founded on a _sad_ stoon."--Wyclif, Luke vi.

SAINT AUDREY, "_St. Audrey's_ holy bend" (M28,_a_), _bend_ = band: see Nares, _s.v._ Tawdry.

SAINT CATHERINE'S (JE361,_c_). This is probably St. Catherine's near Guildford, which was one of the stations on the "Pilgrim's way" from Winchester to Canterbury, the route lying also through Kent. From St. Catherine's, which stands on a knoll just to the south of Guildford, the "way" leads up through "The Chantries" to St. Martha's Chapel, which crowns a considerable hill, thence proceeding eastward into Kent.

SAINT CHAD (IP336,_c_). Of course this saint was picked for the rhyme's sake. St. Chad was better known by his Saxon name of St. Ceadda, a Northumbrian by birth. His early life was spent in a monastery in Ireland. In 664 he succeeded Bishop Cedda, his brother, as abbot of Lastingham. Subsequently he became Bishop of York, but resigned the bishopric on a question arising as to the regularity of his consecration, retiring to his old office at Lastingham. On the death of Jaruman, bishop of Mercia, Ceadda was induced to enter the episcopate once more. He died at Lichfield in 672. He has always been a popular saint in the English Calendar, his festival falling on the 2nd March.

SAINT CHARITY (M11,_b_), see _Anon. Plays_ (E.E.D.S.), 3 Ser., 293,_d_.

SAINT GABRIEL'S MOTHER (M35,_b_), perhaps a reference to the Virgin Mary. There are three St. Gabriels, of whom the one recognised in the gnostic systems is the more likely. He was the angel specially associated with the conception of the Virgin Mary, and according to some versions was Jesus Himself taking the form of the angel Gabriel for the purpose of preparing the Virgin, in a physical sense, for the miraculous conception.

SAINT GEORGE, "_Saint George thee borrow_" (R208,_a_), whether merely used as a salutation or referring to some song is not clear: as regards the phrase, see Udal, _Works_ (E.E.D.S.), 146,_d_.

SAINT HUGH (IP341,_a_). There are no less than _four_ St. Hughs who were bishops, viz.:--Hugh, 9th Bishop of Geneva, early in 7th century; Hugh, 13th Bishop of Alby, said to have been in possession of the See when the Saracens took the city in 722; Hugh, 37th Bishop of Paris, died in 730; Hugh, 18th Bishop of Séez, in latter half of 8th century. There is also a legendary St. Hugh, patron of the Abbey of Tewkesbury, who is said to have buried Brihtric, King of Mercia, in the chapel of St. Faith at Tewkesbury, and to have been buried there himself in 812. According to _Dictionary of Christian_ _Biography_, the story is an impudent fabrication.

SAINT QUINTIN (M13,_b_) came into Gaul with St. Lucian of Beavais, and was martyred by the Romans under Rectiovarus.

SAINT TRUNNION, see Heywood, _Works_ (E.E.D.S.), I., 272,_d_.

SALLET, "for lack of a _sallet_" (R229,_b_), a light helmet, chiefly used by foot-soldiers in the fifteenth century: see God's Good. "Many a time, but for a _sallet_, my brain-pan had been cleft with a brown-bill."--Shakespeare, 2 _Henry VI._, ix. 10.

SANCTO, "_Cum sancto ... perverteris_" (M15,_c_), see _Psalm_ xvii. 27.

SCAMBLE, SCAMBLING, "I doubt not to _scamble_ and rake" (R187,_c_)--"fall thus to _scambling_" (R194,_d_)--"as quick _scambling_ as ever I saw" (R221,_c_), _i.e._ pilfer and plunder when and how possible; see "Catch that catch may" (R187,_b_), and cf. Cotgrave, "_Scamblingly_, catch that catch may."--"Much more being _scambled_ up after this manner."--Holinshed, _Chronicle_ (Epis. Dedic.).

SCAPE, "the _scape_ of extreats" (R183,_d_), trick, cheat: see Respublica. "They readily pardon all faults and _scapes_ committed by negligence."--North, _Plutarch_, p. 206.

SCOTTLING, "a pretty _scottling_" (M6,_d_), scuttling.

SCOURED, "_scoured_ a pair of fetters" (M28,_d_), a very common piece of Old Cant = to go, or lie, in, or wear fetters: usually, "to _scour_ the cramp-rings or derbies." "Then to the quier-ken to _scoure_ the cramp-ring."--Dekker, _Beggar's Curse_ (1608). "And 'cause we are poor made to _scour_ the cramp-ring."--Dekker, _Lanthorne and Candlelight_. The original is _scoryde_.

SECTOURSHIP, see Respublica.

SECULE, "_secule_ thyself" (IP342,_d_),? a misprint for _secure_.

SEREFUL, "a _sereful_ man" (N81,_c_), I suspect from the context that this is a misprint for fearful = full of fear, timid. Or it may be akin to the use of _sere_ by Ascham, characterised by Nares as "peculiar" to that writer = individual, particular, single: whence _sereful_ would mean "peculiar," "full of idiosyncracies," "difficult."

SHAKED, "They _shaked_ me up" (R255,_d_), shook.

SHALCH, "what _shalch_ zai to om" (R.,_passim_), shall I--shal[l i]ch.

SHALES, "served but with _shales_" (R214,_d_), shells.

SHARINGS (R183,_c_), shearings.

SHENT, "you will be _shent_" (N105,_c, et passim_), blamed.

SHROUD CELL (M17,_c_),? privy place, such as the crypt of a church: shrouds are properly places under ground: the meaning is that Mankind has met Mercy privately.

SIDE, see Aloft.

SIDE-GOWN, "his _side-gown_ may be sold" (M29,_d_), long gown: cf. "side-sleeves" = long sleeves. There are examples enough in Nares.

SI DIDERO (M20,_d_), _i.e._ "I'll pay you back with profit" (E.E.T.S. ed.).

SIGHING, "weeping, _sighing_, and sobbing" (M32,_d_), the _sythynge_ of the original seems worth recording.

SIKER, "_siker_ thyself, man!" (N51,_b_), secure, make all safe, assure

"Now be we duchesses both I and ye, And _sikerde_ to the regals of Athenes, And both hereafter likely to be queenes."

--Chaucer, _Legend of Ariadne_.

SIKERNESS, "In one is _sikerness_" (N55,_b_), certainty, security, sureness: see previous entry.

SILVER HOOK (IP345,_d_), a bribe.

SINDONS, "the _sindons_ in which were wrapped the chalices" (R221,_d_), a wrapper of cotton or linen. "There were found a book and a letter, both written in fine parchment, and wrapped in _sindons_ of linen."--_Bacon._

SINGULAR, "my sing'lar solace" (M36,_c_)--"my ... _singular_ recreatory" (M39,_a_), unique: in original _singler_ and _synguler_ respectively.

"Some villain, ay, and _singular_ in his art."

--Shakespeare, _Cymbeline_ (1605), iii. 4.

SIR WILL--SIR WILLIAM OF TRENTRAM (JE356,_b_; 357,_a_): see Trentham.

SLEET, "I will not _sleet_ my love to greet" (WS172,_c_), neglect.

SLEIGHT (_passim_), art, skill, dexterity, expertness: generic in both a good and bad sense.

SLIPED, "_sliped_ down to the hard knee" (N77,_c_), sloped: note the rhyme with "striped."

SLIPPER, "A _slipper_ sugar-mouthed whorecop" (R212,_c_), "the ground be _slipper_ and sliding" (JE363,_d_), slippery. "I know they _bee slipper_ that I have to do wyth, and there is no holde of them."--Barnes, _Workes_ (1573), p. 283.

SLITHER, "make you to _slither_" (M7,_c_), slide, glide: still dialectical.

SLOUTHY, see Flouthy.

SMATTERING, "a _smattering_ face" (M27,_b_),? a wanton face: cf. _smoterlich_ = wanton; also _smorterest place_ (N95,_a_), _place_ being considered as a misprint for "piece."

"We wyll have cousynge Besse also, And two or thre proper wenchis mo, Ryght feyr and _smotter_ of face."--

_Four Elements_, Anon. Pl., 1 Ser. (E.E.D.S.), 22,_b_.

SMORTEREST, "the _smorterest_ place" (N95,_a_): see previous entry.

SMOULT, "gay, _smoult_ smirking whorecop" (R214,_b_), smooth.

SOCKET, "his wife's _socket_" (M8,_c_), _vulva_.

SONDE, "God ... send us of His _sonde_" (M24,_b_), message, dispensation.

"Fyve yeer and more, as liked Cristes _sonde_, Er that hir schip approched unto londe."

--Chaucer, _Cant. Tales_ (1383), 5322.

SORT (_passim_), company, assemblage, knot of people, gang: see other volumes of this series.

SOVEREIGNS, "_sovereigns_ I beseech you" (M3,_d_; also IP347,_a_), _i.e._ the audience, "Masters," "excellencies": cf. M.E. _soverainly_ = above all.

SOWNETH (JE360,_b_), soundeth: see other volumes of this series.

SPADIBUS, "in _spadibus_" (M18,_c_), spades; cf. Breadibus.

SPARLING, "my own ... _sparling_": (WS162,_c_), properly the smelt: formerly colloquial for "gull," "simpleton," and (so it would appear) as an endearment. Probably, however, the exigencies of a rhyme with "darling" influenced the author. Later, the cry, "Westward for smelts!" = on the spree, in search of conies, male or female.

SPECIAL, "my predelict _special_" (M39,_a_), favourite: most frequently used of a paramour, male or female.

SPIRITUALTY, "an officer of the _spiritualty_" (IP343,_c_), the hierarchy of the Church: here = an officer of the Ecclesiastical Courts.

SQUAT, "_squat_ out ons brain" (R256,_d_), squash.

STARVE, see Grass.

STATE, "a great _state_" (N68,_d_)--"haled up with _states_" (R267,_c_)--"to compare with a _state_" (IP339,_c_), a person of rank or importance. "When _states_ ... sit in the cool."--Heywood, _Works_ (E.E.D.S.), II., 258,_b_.

STATT, see Stow.

STILE, see Hedge.