THE BOOK OF MARGERY KEMPE: FOOTNOTES
2 unspecabyl, unspeakable.
4 deyneth, deigns; nobeley, nobleness.
7 hynderawnce, hinderance; be, by.
9 sumdeel, somewhat.
10 charytefully, charitably; whech, which.
12 penawns, penance.
13 lech, like; reedspyr, reed stalk.
16 worshep, honor.
17 repref, reproof; this creatur, i.e., Margery.
18 gon wyl, become wayward; parfythly, perfectly; steryd, stirred.
20 trad, trod.
21 in party the levyng, in part the life.
23 be, by.
24 werdly, worldly.
26 leyd on syde, put aside; worshepd, honored; sythen, then.
27 kynred, kindred.
34 cheden, chided; indued, endued.
36 dysese, anxiety; lofe, love.
41 trost, trust.
42 prevy, private.
44 awondyr, amazed.
45 wysten, knew; homly, familiar.
49 gostly, spiritual.
52 ankrys, anchorites; hem, them.
53 mende, mind.
56 mevynggys, movings; steringgys, stirrings;
trustly, with faith, trustingly.
63 er than sche ded any wryten, before she committed any to writing.
65 levyngs, manner of living.
66 myth, might.
67 credens, credence.
68 Dewchlond, Germany.
73 comownd, talked the matter over.
74 evel wretyn, badly written.
74-75 cowd lytyl skyll theron, hardly understand it.
76 leved, believed.
77 behyte, promised.
80 behestyd, promised.
85-86 schuld cun best rede the booke, should best be able to read the book.
88 bewreyn, betray, speak ill of, divulge.
91 evel sett, badly set.
92 behestyd, promised.
93 a do, have done.
100 mend, memory.
104 eyn myssyd, eyes failed.
106 creatur, i.e., Margery.
107 lett, hinder.
108 levyn, leave off.
110 lyth, light; qwayr, quire.
111 proym, preface.
114 sythen, afterwards; schamis, shames; reprevys, reproofs.
116 han mend, had memory.
118 clef, cleaved; or, before.
121 bodyn, bidden.
124 obloquie, abuse, calumny.
127 asayd, tried.
129 Mary Maudelyn, Mary Magdalene. July 22 is the day of Mary Magdalene.
130 sumdele, somewhat.
131 worschepful, honorable; kynde, nature.
132 accessys, attacks of illness.
134 dyspered, despaired; wenyng, thinking.
136 lettyd, hindered.
137 heele, health.
138 inow, enough.
139 penawns, penance.
140 dedys, deeds; saf, except.
141 seke, sick; mende, mind.
142 schrevyn, shriven; defawt, lack, sin.
143 iseyd, was said.
145 conselyd, concealed.
146 undyrnemyn, reprove.
148 to, toward, i.e., toward-side.
150 sey, saw.
151 her, their; lowys, flames.
152 rampyng, ramping, adopting a threatening stance; thretyng, threatening.
153 halyng, haling.
154 thretyngys, threats; bodyn, bade.
155 denyin, deny.
157 dede, did.
158 schrewyd, mean-tempered.
160 a fordon hirself, have committed suicide; steryngys, anxieties. See note.
161 bot, bit.
162 roof, rent, tore.
163 agen, against; spetowsly, grievously.
164 a don saf, have done except.
166 wend, thought; a skapyd ne levyd, have escaped nor relinquished.
169 aperyd, appeared.
175 levyn, lightning; stey, rose; eyr, air; esly, easily.
177 stabelyd, settled.
179 botery, buttery.
181 wende, thought.
184 meny, servants.
186 Whan men wenyn . . . fro hem, When men think he is far from them.
187 fel, befell.
188 drawt, spiritual ecstasy.
191 befortym, before that time.
192 wyst, knew.
193 gold pypys on hir hevyd, gold pipes as part of a fashionable headdress.
194 hodys, hoods; typettys, tippets; daggyd, ornamented with points and incisions.
195 staryng, conspicuous.
197 levyn, leave off.
198 kenred, kindred; hym semyd nevyr forto a weddyd hir, i.e., he did not seem like the sort of person to have married her.
199 town N, see note, line 462; hey Gylde of the Trinyté, the Guild of the Trinity was the most powerful of the town of Lynn's parish fraternities.
200 savyn the worschyp, preserve the honor.
201 arayd, arrayed.
205 brewyn, brew (ale).
206 ure, experience.
207 prevyn, be successful.
208 fayr standyng undyr berm, fair standing under the barm, the yeast formed on brewing liquors.
211 punched, punished; war, wary; eftsons, again.
216 huswyfré, household occupation; horsmille, horse mill; tweyn, two.
219 craske, fat, lusty; lykand, in good condition.
221 drawe no drawt, draw no load.
223 don this hors drawyn, make or cause this horse to draw.
231 noysed, noised, rumored.
233 venjawns, vegeance; seyd on, said one (thing).
235 clepyd, summoned; kallyd, called.
236 wretthyd, wretched.
246 habunawnt, abundant.
247 syhyngys, sighings.
248 spytys, scorns.
249 drawt, ecstasy.
252 governawnce, manner of life.
256 to komown fleschly, to have intercourse.
256-57 dette of matrimony, debt of matrimony (a conventional way of speaking of marital relations).
257 levar, rather.
258 wose, ooze; comownyng, intercourse.
263 wyst, knew.
265-66 be her bothins wylle and consentyng of hem bothyn, by both their wills and (by) mutual consent.
272 schrevyn, shriven.
273 conselyd and curyd, concealed and covered.
277-78 an hayr of . . . dryen on malt, a haircloth from a kiln such as men used for drying of malt.
278 kyrtylle, woman's gown; prevylich, secretly.
283 japyd, joked.
286 dyspite, contempt; ches, chose.
291 compunccyon, remorse, penitence; boystows, violent.
292 bethowt, bethought.
296 contwnyng, continuing; wepyn and levyn whan sche wold, weep and leave off whenever she wanted to.
297-98 wept for the world for socowr and for wordly good, wept for the world in order to gain comfort and worldly goods.
302 dure, endure.
306-07 the crucifix, i.e., the figure on the cross, or Christ.
307 halsyn, embrace.
311 for no drede, for doubtless.
312 sergyth, searches.
313 freel , frail; sufferawns, sufferance; snar, snare.
314 skape, escape.
315 wend, thought.
317 hayr, hairshirt.
319 levar, rather.
322-23 Seynt Margaretys Evyn, St. Margaret, whose feast day was July 20, was the virgin martyr tortured and killed for her espousal of Christian chastity by Olybrius, ruler of Antioch. When at home, Margery worshipped in the church of St. Margaret's in Lynn, one of the town's main churches. It was attached to a priory of Benedictines.
325 chese, choose.
326 preve, prove (to).
329 labowrd, labored, afflicted.
330 Pater Noster, Our Father, the Lord's Prayer.
332 levyd, believed; suasyons, persuasions.
334 do, done.
335 symulacyon, simulation.
339 leful, lawful, permissable.
340 was labowrd, was afflicted.
341 inoportunyté, inopportunity.
343 wetyn, know.
344 levar, rather; hewyn, hewn.
350-52 Sche thowt . . . was so fals unto hym, She thought she was deserving of no mercy, for her consenting was so willfully done, not worthy of doing him (i.e., God) service, for she was so false unto him.
352 schrevyn, shriven.
354 rewelys, rules.
356 durst, dared.
357 lettherye, lechery.
359 party, part.
363 wer so wondyrful . . . far wyth hem, were so wonderful (astonishing) that she could hardly deal (fare) with them.
373-74 that have . . . schreve therof, who has brought your sins to your memory and made you to be shriven thereof.
374 contrysyon, contrition.
375 clepe, call.
376 hayr, hair (cloth).
378 derworthy, precious; that, what.
380-81 sacrament of the awter, Eucharist.
383 knawyn, gnawed.
383-84 raton knawyth the stokfysch, rat gnaws the stockfish.
385 inow, enough; be, by.
386 wel, well-being, good fortune; wo, woe.
388 mow, might.
389 leve, leave off; byddyng of many bedys, bidding of many beads (saying of many prayers).
391 be thowt, by thought.
392 hey, high.
393 ankyr, anchorite; Frer Prechowrys, Dominican Priory at Lynn; prevyteys, secrets.
397 ye sowkyn . . . Crysts brest, you suck even on Christ's breast (The nutritive or "female" attributes of Christ were conventional figures in late medieval devotional literature. See Bynum [1987], pp. 270-76.).
398 ernest peny of hevyn, earnest penny (pledge-penny) of heaven.
402 geve hir, devoted herself; bodyn, bidden.
406 sche saw Seynt Anne gret wyth chylde, she saw Saint Anne great with child, i.e., pregnant with the Virgin. For the importance of extra-Biblical fictions relating to the private lives of Saint Anne and the Virgin in late medieval spirituality, see Ashley and Sheingorn.
408 besyde, busied.
409 kerchys, kerchiefs.
418-19 potel of pyment and spycys, two quart vessel of sweetened and spiced wine.
421 wonyd, dwelled.
422 toke hym up fro the erthe, took him up from the earth (where he lay after birth).
424 compassyf, compassionate.
427 dever, duty.
428 Bedlem, Bethlehem; purchasyd hir herborwe, purchased her lodging.
429 beggyd owyr Lady, begged for our Lady.
431 lyg, lie.
434-35 I schal not byndyn yow soor, I shall not bind you (swaddle you) tightly.
442 ob, of (see note).
443 purveyng hir herborw, purveying her lodging.
445 duryng, enduring.
446 sesyng, ceasing.
449-50 for sche was so long dyfferryd therfro, for she was so long deferred therefrom.
451 languren, languish.
456 chastyse us her how thow wylt, chastise us here however you will.
461 felaw, fellow, companion.
463 qwyte, requite.
466-67 executor, executor (of her spiritual estate).
469 halfyndel, half.
470 halvendel, half.
471 mede, reward.
473 even cristen, fellow Christians; dubbyl, double.
476 er Whitsonday, before Whitsunday, the Feast of Pentecost; sle, kill.
477 Estern woke, Easter week.
478 knowlach, knowledge; was wone befor, was accustomed to before; gan neygh hir, came near her.
479 wyse, way.
480 Whytson Evyn, Whitsunday Eve. Whitsunday is the Feast of Pentecost.
482 astoyned, bewildered; voys, voice.
483 venjawns, vengeance.
485 party, part; vowte, vault.
485-86 the fote of the sparre, the foot of the rafter.
486 weyd, weighed.
487-88 sche ferd as . . . a lytyl whyle, for a little while she fared (acted) as though she had been dead.
489 whech hygth, who was called; wondyr cas, wonderful case.
490 gretly dysesyd, greatly distressed.
491 hol, whole; cher, demeanor.
494 levyn, believe.
495-96 Maystyr Aleyn, the Carmelite friar, Alan of Lynn.
498 way, weighted; treys, tree's.
503 venjawns, vengeance.
504 quemfulnes, favor.
506 gostly, spiritual; mygth not, might not.
515 voys, voice; levyng, living.
516 behestyst, promise.
520 bere, beer; cake, cake, loaf.
521 her, there.
522 smyte of, smite off; les than, unless; comown kendly, lit., common naturally, i.e., have intercourse with. See note.
524 medele, meddle, have intercourse with.
525 why meve ye this mater, why do you bring up this matter.
526 For I wyl wete, For I will know.
527 levar, rather.
536 mede, meed, reward; hayr, haircloth; haburgon, jacket of mail (next to your skin).
537 wele, wills.
537-39 "Nay," he seyd . . . not so.", "Nay," he said, "that will I not grant you, for now I may use you without mortal sin and then I might not." (By taking a vow of wedded chastity, John and Margery would sacramentally eliminate the physical element of their marriage.)
541-42 to Brydlyngtonward, toward Bridlington; fornseyd, aforesaid.
544 clepyng, calling.
547 dettys, debts.
549 leve, live.
550 leve, leave.
551 goodlych, well.
557 contraryen, go against; mekyl, great; les, unless.
562 opteyn, obtain.
568 qwyte, requite, pay back.
574 sythen, afterward.
577 ankrys, anchorites; reclusys, recluses.
579 dyvers, different.
580 wetyn, know; dysseyt, deceit.
583 monkys, monks.
584 save, except; bar gret offyce, had great office (duties).
584-85 set hir at nowt, disparaged her.
585 at mete, at the midday meal; of, during.
588 dalyawns, daliance; gan gretly enclyne to hirward, began greatly to incline toward her.
589 savour, savour, delight.
592 levyn, believe.
597-98 in letthery . . . kepyng, in lechery, in despair, and in the keeping (hoarding) of worldly goods. (These are the three classic vices of lust, pride - of which despair is a type - and avarice.)
599 lesyng, lie.
600 leesyngys, lies.
603 schreve, shriven; wythowtynforth, without, outside.
610 Sorwyth, Sorrow (be sorry).
617 suppriowr, sub-prior.
623 as, as if.
624 aloon, alone; cheys hir as sche cowde, lit., choose her as she could, i.e., make her own way.
625 eld, old; an eld monk, whech had ben tresowrer wyth the Qwen, probably John Kynton, chancellor of Queen Joanna, wife of Henry V.
626 dred, feared by.
628 heryn, praise.
630 meynteyn, maintain.
637 in party, as part; that he schuld o yer hyer men, that he should for one year hire men.
640 lawhyng, laughing.
642 lawhyst thu, do you laugh; brothel, wretch.
649 brent, burnt.
650 lollare, Lollard, a follower of the beliefs of John Wyclif, the late fourteenth-century theologian, whose ideas were judged heretical. These included renunciation of the cult of images and saints, of the doctrine of transubstantiation, and of the church's involvement with temporal goods or offices. For the relevance of Wycliffite thought to the Book, see Staley (1994); tonne, tun, large barrel.
653 tremelyng and whakyng, trembling and quaking; erdly, earthly.
657 tweyn, two; eretyke, heretic.
658 loller, Lollard.
659 in, inn.
660 Dewchmannys, German man's.
661 ostel, hostel.
667 eyne, eyes; lestyn, last, survive.
671 peler, pillar.
673 ne were . . . grace, were not my grace alone.
675 chedyn and fletyn, chided and scolded.
676 comownyng in, talking about.
680 for dred of inpacyens, for fear of (her) lack of endurance.
681 stokke, piece of timber; ex, ax; lofe, love.
682-83 that thow woldyst for my lofe, what you would do for my love.
685 deryn, harm.
687 wroth, angry.
688 cun no skyl of the, will be able to have no knowledge of you.
692 funston, baptismal font.
695 hyd, hidden.
697 it arn, these are.
701 sekerest, most certain; les, unless.
705 mete, meal.
707 buxom, gentle; far, fare.
710 hete, heat.
711-12 at thi lyst, at your wish.
714-15 'He that doth . . . unto me,' Mark 3:35.
725 er than, before.
726 Seynt Jamys, the shrine of St. James at Compostella in Spain.
727 good, i.e., money.
731 deyn, die.
732-33 I wyl that thu were clothys of whyte, I will that you wear clothes of white (a sign of virginity).
733 arayd, arrayed.
735 wondryn, wonder.
739 veyn dred, vain dread.
743 proferyd, proferred.
746 commensowr in dyvinyté, doctor of divinity.
747 steryng, stirring, guidance.
748 ferd, fared.
752 thretyd, threatened.
754 dysese, trouble; boystows, unmannerly.
759 Bysshop of Lynkoln . . . Philyp, Philip Repingdon, Bishop of Lincoln from 1405 to 1419, when he resigned his see.
761 abedyn, abided.
762 wetyn, know.
766 lymyt, limited, set.
767 hy, devout.
768 qwyk, quick, alive.
769 hir lysted, she liked.
771 sadly, soberly, wisely.
774-75 the mantyl . . . in whygth, the ceremony by which Margery would officially be granted the clothing of married chastity.
775 in erth, on earth.
784 us, us, we, These are the only times Kempe uses first person pronouns in the Book.
786 er, before; mete, the midday meal; powyr, poor.
787 lovys, loaves.
790 meny, household; hyr eyled, ailed her.
791 swyers, squires.
792 gentylly, graciously; mees, mess.
795 pregnawntly, pregnantly, significantly, insightfully.
800 abyden, abide, wait; prevyd, proved, tested.
804 sey the Bysshop, tell the Bishop.
810 Archbusshop of Cawntyrbery, Arundel, Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1397, 1399-1414.
812 dyocyse, diocese. As an East Anglian, Margery is technically under the rule of the Bishop of Norwich; Lincoln is north of King's Lynn; feyned, feigned, pretended.
816 schelyngys, shillings.
817 clothyg, clothing.
818 Lambhyth, Lambeth, in London, the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
820 rekles, reckless; swyers, squires; yemen, yeomen.
821 othis, oaths.
822 undyrname, rebuked; dampnyd, damned; sweryng, swearing.
823 pylche, pilch, an outer garment of skin trimmed with the fur.
824 forschod, reviled; bannyd, banned.
825 Smythfeld, Smithfield, in London where the first two Lollards were burnt, William Sawtre in 1401 and John Badby in 1410.
826 levyst, livest.
829 auctoryté, authority; chesyng, choosing.
830 howselyd, houseled, be given the Eucharist. This is more frequent than was ordinary in the late Middle Ages when most people received the Sacrament once a year.
831 provynce, province.
836 defawte, lack.
839 aprevyd, approved.
841 meny, household.
842 alderes Lord, Lord of us all; gon, given.
843 tretowrys, traitors; hem, those.
844 les than, unless.
845 benyngly, benignly.
852 Lenne, Lynn, Margery's town.
853 Frer Prechowrys, Dominican priory.
856 owt, out.
857 ther is behyte, there is promised.
858 frenschepys, friendships; wyth condycyon, upon condition.
861 reme, realm.
866 Norwych, Norwich, some twenty miles southeast of Lynn.
868 vykary of Seynt Stefenys, Richard Caister, vicar of St. Stephens in Norwich.
870 prevytés, secrets.
880 revelyd, revealed.
882 aport, deportment, bearing.
883 evyn cristen, fellow Christians.
887 hedows, hideous.
892 er, or.
893 qwyk, quick, alive.
895 veryly, truly.
896 Secunde Persone in Trinyté, i.e., Jesus.
899 Hyltons boke, Walter Hilton's Scale of Perfection; Bridis boke, Liber Revelationum Celestium S. Birgitte; Stimulus Amorys, a fourteenth-century mystical text falsely attributed to St. Bonaventure; Incendium Amoris, a fourteenth-century mystical work by the English hermit Richard Rolle.
902 mend, mind.
903 Seynt Kateryn, St. Katherine of Alexandria, legendary fourth-century virgin martyr.
910 grutchyng, grudging, complaining.
915 trustly, trustfully.
916 enspyr, inspire.
919 howsyld, houseled, administered the Eucharist to.
920 moneschyd, admonished; artyculys, articles.
923 malys, malice.
925 hens, hence.
927 Whyte Frer. . .Wyllyam Sowthfeld, Carmelite friar (d. 1414) known for his devotion; whech hyte, who was named.
928 levar, living person.
933 gremercy, gramercy (an exclamation).
933-34 dredyth ye not, dread ye not.
935 heyly, highly.
944 fawt, fault; soget, subject.
954 bodyn, bidden.
955 ankres . . . Dame Jelyan, Julian of Norwich, anchorite mystic and author of the Revelations of Divine Love.
966 contraryows, contrarious, at cross purposes.
967 levars, living people.
969 dubbyl, double.
970 dowtyng, doubting.
972 lyche, likely.
975 owyth to levyn, should (or ought) to believe.
976 mornynggys, mournings.
978 nowmeryd, numbered.
979 turmentyn, torment.
983 feryth, fear.
989 abyte, habit, clothing.
991 perseverawnt, perseverant.
995 owtforth, outwardly.
996 dom, judgment.
997 her, their.
1000 sekyr, true, spiritually safe.
1002 asayn, assay, try.
1004-05 Than is my bodily . . . wher to have, Then is my bodily comfort gone, and spiritual comfort from any confessor such as you I will not know where to find.
1006 hoose, whose.
1012-13 tryfelys and japys, trifles and jokes.
1013 fawyn, fain.
1016 homly, homely, familiar.
1022 norych, nurse.
1025 levyn, leave.
1027 levyn, believe.
1036 eftsonys, again.
1038 departyd, parted; war, aware.
1040 departyn, separate.
1043 encresyd, increased.
1046 eraend, errand.
1054 talys, tales.
1061 Thow, Though.
1062 sekyr, certain.
1064 owyn, ought.
1065 wete, learn.
1067 les than he had bettyr frendys in erthe, unless he had better friends on earth.
1069 esse, ease.
1070 hede, heed.
1079 schok and flekeryd, shook and flickered.
1080 dowe, dove.
1081 chalys, chalice.
1082 sacre, consecration of the sacrament.
1083 sacreys, consecrations.
1085 Bryde, St. Bridget of Sweden (ca. 1303-73), whose reknown in England was particularly high, owing to the influence of the Brigittine Order; say, saw.
1086 wyse, manner; betokenyth, means.
1087 venjawnce, vengeance.
1088 erdene, earthquake.
1097 derworthy, honored.
1098 pepyl, people.
1100 pyté, pity.
1101 deyn, die.
1103 pestylens, pestilence; bataylys, battles; famynyng, famine.
1113 frwte, fruit.
1114 longyth, belongs; holy maydens, i.e., to virgins.
1116 besynes, business.
1118 wedlake, wedlock.
1119 let me to, hinder me from.
1129 Mary Mawdelyn, Mary Magdalene.
1129-30 Mary Eypcyan, Mary the Egyptian.
1130 Seynt Powyl, Saint Paul.
1136 forberyn, forego.
1139 schuld a brostyn, should have burst; Aswythe, quickly.
1141 sekyr, sure, certain.
1142 hily, highly.
1143 maystres, mistress; wyse, manner.
1146 he cowde most skyl in, he was most learned in.
1150 dawnsyn, dance.
1152 funtston, baptismal font.
1154-55 and that sor rewyth me, and that I sorely regret.
1155 ronnyn, run.
1156 suffer me, allow me.
1157 onyd, united, joined.
1159 behest, promise.
1163 thart, need.
1168 behygth, promised; schuldyst, should.
1175 feryd, frightened.
1176 hevynes, sorrows.
1177 sekenes, sicknesses; anoynted, anointed, i.e., given last rites.
1178 skapyd, escaped.
1181 wonyng, dwelling.
1183 govyn hem drynkyn, given them drink.
1185 wrowte, made.
1186 the body that the hath bowte, the body that has bought (redeemed) you (Jesus through his Passion).
1188 Seynt Barbara, St. Barbara, virgin martyr; dom, doom, judgment.
1189 bone, boon, favor.
1190 and, if.
1191 joyn, rejoice.
1195 thu schalt mown askyn, you shall be able to ask.
1196 telde, told.
1200 clepyn, call; dere abowte, dearly bought, dearly redeemed.
1206 vykary, vicar.
1207 cure, curacy, care of souls; benefyce, benefice, ecclesiastical living.
1208 parysshonys, parishoners.
1213 massage, message.
1215 qwer, choir; cors, corpse.
1217 hele, health; messe peny, mass penny.
1218 cors, body.
1229 an helply to the powyr, helpful to the poor.
1230 mone, moan.
1231 joyntys, joints.
1234 lyster, dyer.
1235 languryn, languish, linger.
1242 hem alle for to . . . of mor profyte, to write them all should perhaps hinder that which is more profitable.
1244 commendacyon, commendation, praise.
1246 ponyschyng, punishment.
1247 levar a, rather have.
1249 trubbyl, trouble.
1249-50 it fel not . . . undyrstandyng, it did not seem credible to her understanding.
1251 turbele, trouble.
1253 prevyn, test, ascertain.
1255 komyn, come; unsekyr, uncertain.
1256 thei, though; loth, loath, hesitant; wylly, willing.
1260 ellys not a, otherwise not have.
1263 gevyn credens, give credence, believe; hyndryd, hindered.
1266 expleyntyng, explaining.
1268 smet, smote, struck.
1269 tweyn, two.
1273 credens, credence; amyabyl, amiable.
1274 faveryd, favored; cuntenawns, countenance; sad, wise.
1275 gestur, gesture; vestur, clothing; purposyng, intending.
1276 into hys relevyng and comfort, for his relief and comfort.
1277 meyrs pere, mayor's peer.
1278 myschef, misfortune.
1283 anow, enough; holpyn, helped; relevyd, relieved.
1284 it was mor almes, it was more charitable.
1289 lettyd, hindered.
1295 medyl, meddle.
1307 whethyr2, whither, from whence.
1311 schrewe, scoundrel.
1312 proferyd, offered; portose, portable breviary.
1313 wetyn, know.
1314 by, buy; cheryd, cared for.
1321 profyr, offer.
1322 thryftyare, more prosperous; richare, richer.
1324 awt, owned.
1325 yef, if; sad, sober.
1327 mevyn, move.
1329 Penteney Abbey, Augustinian priory in Norfolk.
1330 sey, seen.
1331 lyvery, livery.
1332 lokyn, see; acordyn, agree.
1333 woke, week.
1337 matere, matter.
1338 her, here.
1340 o, one.
1342 purificacyons, purifications, the rite of "churching" women after childbirth; person, parson; Benetys, Benedict's, i.e., a Benedictine monk.
1346 fel gret ple, there fell (befell) great legal action; priowr, prior.
1347 paryschenys, parishioners; funtys, baptisms.
1348 on, one.
1349 fayrare, fairer; funte, baptismal font.
1350-51 The bulle was put in ple, The bull was appealed.
1352 derogacyon, detraction.
1355 spede, help; rewth, pity.
1356 er than, rather than; thei, though; powyr, poor.
1359 yrkyn, to irk, to annoy.
1360 my Lord of Norwych Alnewyk, William Alnwick, Bishop of Norwich, 1426-36; be trety, by negotiation.
1361 for to settyn, in order to establish; pes, peace.
1364 suyd, sued, petitioned; her, their.
1370 nobelys, nobles (gold coins).
1375 her intent, their intent; slakyn her bost, reduce their boasting.
1376 menys, means.
1381 sothfast and sekyr, truth and certainty.
1383 whyk, quick, alive.
1385 cleymyd, claimed; dette, debt.
1386 aseth, compensation.
1390 brokebakkyd, broken backed; safté, safety.
1392 Mayster Robert, Robert Spryngolde, parish priest of St. Margaret's church and Margery's chief confessor.
1393 Trinité, Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Norwich.
1394 Yermowth, Yarmouth.
1395 Seryce, Zierikzee, Zeeland, the Netherlands.
1402 Ynglond, England.
1406 mevyng, influence.
1408 lofe, love.
1409 tabyl, table; alto chedyn, severely chided.
1413 wrothar, angrier.
1414 wreth, wrath.
1417-18 develys deth mote . . . and rathe, devil's death might overcome you soon and quickly.
1421 han awey, take away.
1423 and tene to go wher sche wolde, and to direct herself wherever she would.
1424 hem, them.
1426 mekyn hir, humble herself.
1427 Constawns, Constance.
1431-32 dedyn hir don . . . not makyn of hir, made her to wear white canvas in the manner of a woman's sackcloth garment, for she would be taken for a fool and the people should not (then) make much of her.
1433 durst ful evyl, dared hardly.
1434 her, their.
1436 cheryn, take care of.
1438 to Constawnsward, toward Constance.
1446 Popys legat, papal legate.
1448 owyr, hour; ny, nearly.
1464 bordys ende, table's end; won, wont, used.
1466 myryar, merrier.
1470-71 I wyl not don hir etyn, I will not make her eat.
1472 avowe, a vow; barfote, barefoot.
1476 sesyn, cease; ther men wyl her hir, where men will hear her.
1481 maystres, mistress.
1482 behestyd, promised; sekyrd, assured.
1483 made hir chawnge, made her exchange.
1485 ordeyn hir a ledar, appoint her a leader or a guide.
1486 aswythe aftyr, quickly thereafter.
1487 Devynschir, Devonshire.
1488 gyde, guide.
1495 rewful, rueful, mournful.
1496 cowde no langage, lit., could no language (did not know the language).
1498-99 and I . . . forberyn my tabbarde, and I shall be beaten for you and made to give up my tabard (outer garment).
1500 mend, mind, memory.
1501 avowtré, adultery.
1503 defowlyd, defiled.
1504 avow, vow.
1509 Boleyn de Grace, Bologna.
1510 thedyr, thither.
1513 asayn, assay, try.
1514 comnawnt, covenant.
1518 nunnys, nuns.
1519 cher, comfort.
1521 amerveylyd, astonished.
1522 leryd, learned.
1524 hold yow comenawnt, keep covenant with you.
1525 forbodyn it me, forbidden it to me.
1526 toke hir chawmbre, took to her chamber.
1529 maystres, mistress; no dele, no deal, not at all.
1530 tabyl, table.
1531 seylyn, sail.
1533 her, their.
1534 ther, where.
1540 seldyn, sold.
1542-43 for thei . . . otherwyse don, for they dared not do otherwise.
1543 lokyd, locked; her, their.
1544 schete, sheet.
1557-58 in poynt to a fallyn of hir asse, at the point of falling off her ass.
1559 tweyn pylgrymys of Duchemen, two German pilgrims.
1560 spycys, spices.
1564 and thei wer . . . day at evynsong, and they were let in on the one day at evensong.
1571 veryly, verily.
1573 walwyd and wrestyd, wallowed and twisted.
1574 brostyn, burst; cité, city.
1576 mornyng, mourning.
1582 despyte, despite, scorn.
1583 astoynd, astonished.
1586-87 er yf sche sey . . . whethyr it wer, or if she saw a man or beast that had a wound.
1587 bett, beat; smet, smote.
1593 cotidianly, daily.
1599 noyng, annoying.
1601 bannyd, cursed; havyn, haven, harbor.
1602 gostly, spiritual.
1607 blo, leaden-colored.
1608 leed, lead.
1618 duffehows of holys, dovecot of holes.
1619 reverys, rivers.
1626-27 whan we may . . . men and women, when we may see each day with our eyes both men and women.
1628 thorw ovyr fele stody and erdly affeccyon, through over much devotion and earthly affection.
1631-32 to leevyn er seesyn, to leave off or cease.
1638 wrekyn hem, avenge them.
1641 offens, an offense; compassyfe, compassionate.
1643-44 ne not we wylle . . . indued wyth lofe, neither will we support our Lord's own secretaries (i.e., the holy men and women who "trace out" his life) which he has endued with love.
1644 hyndryn, hinder.
1653 ther owyr, where our.
1664 swownyd, swooned.
1668 mad hys Mawndé, made his Last Supper.
1670 sacryd, consecrated.
1672 plenyr remyssyon, plenary remission.
1675 ferd, fourth.
1679 the tyme of tweyn messys heryng, for the time it takes to hear two masses.
1684 asoyld, pardoned.
1684-86 and dispensyd wyth . . . thin owyn selfe, and absolved you so that you need not go (on pilgrimage) to Rome or to St. James (of Compostella) unless you yourself want to.
1697 partabyl in, capable of partaking.
1699 Bedlem, Bethlehem.
1703 Grey Frerys, Franciscans.
1710 Flod of Jurdon, River Jordan.
1713 askyd hem no leve, did not ask them permission.
1715 Mownt Qwarentyne, Mount Quarentyne (near Jericho).
1718 mekyl, much; happyd, came along.
1718-19 a Sarazyn, a welfaryng man, a Saracen, a comely man.
1719 grote, grote (silver coin).
1723 Grey Frerys, Franciscans.
1725 reprevys, reproofs.
1728 tho behestys, those promises.
1733 Betanye, Bethany; ther Lazer, where Lazarus.
1735 Estern Day, Easter Day.
1736-37 "Mary, why wepyst thu?", see John 20:15.
1739 Frerys of the Tempyl, Franciscans of the Convent of the Holy Sepulchre.
1744 Rafnys, Ramleh (town outside Jerusalem on the road to Jaffa).
1746 purchasyn hir mor pardon, lit., to "purchase" for herself more pardon.
1751 Venyce, Venice.
1752 deyin, die.
1759 velany, shame.
1761 diswer, doubt.
1767 deceyvabyl, deceiving.
1769 flowyn on the gret plenté of grace, pour out on you an abundance of grace.
1770 powyr, poor; cowche, hump.
1771 forclowtyd, patched.
1772 eyleth, aileth.
1774 Erlond, Ireland.
1781 bowys and arwys, bows and arrows.
1782 wepyn, weapon; cloke ful of clowtys, cloak full of patches.
1783 defowlyn, defile.
1784 ledyn the, lead you.
1787 too, two.
1788 chyst, chest.
1790 metyn, meet.
1791 gon on my purchase and beggyn my levyng, attend to my occupation and beg my living.
1794 herborwe, lodging; he . . . hemselfe, they . . . themselves; that, so that.
1798 worshepful wyfys lappys, the laps of honorable women.
1798-99 wold puttyn schirtys ther upon, would put shirts on the image.
1799 thei, though.
1806 nerhand, nearly.
1810 gravyn, engrave.
1810-11 "Jhesus est amor meus," Jesus is my love.
1811 thevys, thieves.
1814-15 purposyd befortyme er . . . a weryd ryng, previously intended, before she had it by revelation, never to wear a ring.
1816 cheryn, encourage.
1817 mett, measure.
1822 bone maryd, good marriage.
1823 as ho seyth, as one might say; awey, lost.
1825 sowt, sought.
1828 bordys, boards.
1830 pur, for; Assyse, Assisi.
1831 Frer Menowr, Franciscan.
1839 kerche, veil (The Lower Church of St. Francis holds the Veil of Our Lady.).
1841-42 Lammes Day, Lammas Day (August 1).
1842 plenyr, plenary.
1845-46 Knygtys of Roodys, Knights of Rhodes.
1846 mekyl good caryage, ample means of conveyance.
1855 hospital of Seynt Thomas of Cawntyrbery, hospice for English pilgrims to Rome.
1865 schrevyn, shriven.
1871 howselyd, administered the sacrament.
1876 confiteor, confession of sins.
1878 Seynt John the Evangelyst, St. John, the beloved disciple. He also appeared to Elizabeth of Hungary, whose Revelation was possibly important to Kempe. See McNamer, Staley (1994).
1879 "Benedicité," Bless you; "Dominus," Lord.
1881 swemful, sorrowful.
1882 enjoyned, commanded, directed.
1883 asoyled, absolved.
1887 wistly, certainly; wroth, angry.
1890 tresor, treasure.
1891 werdlys, worldly.
1895 far liche, fare (proceed) like.
1896 to, toward; arayn, array, dress.
1900 holdyn the ryth wel plesyd, hold yourself right well pleased.
1901 the the, you the.
1901-02 He is wel blyssed . . . hys wo stool, He is well blessed who can sit on his well stool and tell of his woe stool, i.e., He is lucky who can sit in good fortune and tell of his former misfortune.
1908 cowde, knew.
1909 be, by means of, through.
1912 sentys, saint; steryn, directing, urging; other that lovedyn, others who loved.
1920 therten, thirteen.
1924 les than, unless.
1928 swech mend, such memory.
1931 demyng, deeming, thinking.
1932 levyng, believing.
1933 symulacyon, simulation.
1944 chesyn, choose.
1946 seyng, seeing.
1950 wetyng, knowing; saf, except.
1956 defamyn, defame; detractyd of, disparaged by.
1957 nerhand, nearly.
1972 wyfys, women; malendrynes, highwaymen.
1979 ryth fawyn, right fain.
1980 schrewyd, sharp.
1986 deynté of, delight in, affection for.
1987 herby, hereby.
1992 party, part; hold, old; poure, poor.
1994 cured, covered.
1995 mentyl, mantle, cloak; vermyn, vermin.
1995-96 fet hom, fetched home.
1996 in her nekke, on her neck; mete, food.
1997 sowr, sour.
1998 gaf, gave.
2000 Postelys Cherch, Apostles' Church; Seynt Laterynes Day, St. John Lateran's Day, November 9.
2005 prevyteys, secrets.
2006 wonyn, dwell; sylens, silence.
2010 to, by.
2014 stede, place (i.e., instead of).
2015 semly, seemly, becoming.
2021 whoys, whose.
2031 fayrar, fairer; fowelar, fouler; powerar, poorer.
2032 buxom, gentle; bonyr, obedient.
2034 suyrté, surety.
2041-42 a levyd . . . a lestyd, could have lived thereby (i.e., on those sweet smells) had they lasted.
2044 nyhand, almost.
2048 sotyl, diaphanous; brygtare, brighter.
2057 der, harm.
2058-59 "Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini," "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," the blessing used to welcome Christ's entrance into the elements of the Mass, thus a sentence underlining the sacramental nature of her visions.
2060 flawme of fyer, the sensation of inward burning was a fairly widespread experience among medieval mystics.
2062 lowe, flame.
2064 fyer, fire.
2071-72 heryn that thu nevyr herdist, hear what you never heard.
2073 sekyr, certain.
2075 onyd, joined.
2079 haburjon, habergeon, jacket of mail.
2080 hayr, hair shirt.
2084-85 byddyn many bedys, say many prayers.
2085 parfyte, perfect.
2086 fastarys, fasters.
2091 o yer, one year.
2094 whedir, whatever.
2095 erde, earth.
2098 homly, familiar.
2100 hed, heed.
2109 mede, reward.
2114 peyr of belwys, pair of bellows; ere, ear.
2115 fer, fear.
2116 voys of a dowe, voice of a dove.
2124 clevyst as sore, cleaves as sorely, tenderly.
2125 stokfysche, fish dried hard in the open air; sothyn, seethed, boiled.
2129 besynes, business.
2134 behestys, promises.
2135 behite, promised.
2136 dowt, doubt.
2140 durst not onys, dared not once.
2142 ostys, host's.
2145 mone, moan.
2148 bar, bare; lofe, love.
2151 gaf, gave.
2154 Brystowe, Bristol; Whitsunwoke, Whitsun week.
2158 Seynt Marcellys Chirche, the Church of Santa Marcello.
2160 cheys, sustain.
2164 theward, thee-ward, i.e., coming to you; hyte the, promised you.
2173 relevyd, relieved.
2179 Assyse, Assisi.
2180 syngnys, signs.
2182 grawnt, great.
2187 potage, soup, stew.
2188 botel, bottle.
2189 bolendinys, coins of Bologna; clepyd, called, named.
2190 bad hir to mete, invited her to dinner.
2193 purveyd, supplied, taken care of.
2197 sowkyng, sucking.
2199 brast, burst.
2201 halvendel, half.
2203 sesyn, cease.
2204 sey, saw.
2208 Seynt Brigypt, Bridget of Sweden.
2213 wolcomear, more welcome.
2217 and wyth ryght schulde a be so stylle, and by right should be so still.
2218 kepar, keeper.
2221 swem, sorrow.
2223 Brydys, Bridget's.
2228 lawhyng cher, laughing countenance; at hoste, boarding.
2229 wend, thought.
2234-35 on of Seynt Brigyptys days, There were three days sacred to St. Bridget, July 23, the feast of her death; May 28, the feast of her translation; and Oct 7, the medieval date for her canonization. See Meech, pp. 304-05, for reasons for linking this passage to the latter date.
2236-37 impressyons of eyrs, changes, disturbances.
2238 in socowryng . . . dyvers perellys, in relief of their bodies [and] to avoid diverse perils.
2239 wold, wanted.
2240 halwyd, hallowed.
2241 Stacyownys, Stations (of Rome), i.e., visiting and praying in a sequence of churches in Rome.
2242 fer, far; ostel, hostel.
2243 levenys, lightnings.
2245 wederyngys, stormy weather; elde, old.
2247 brent, burnt; contentys, contents.
2249-50 ben holpyn and socowryd, be helped and succoured.
2256 speryng, asking.
2266 discuryng the prevyté of hert, disclosing the secret of (her) heart.
2269 les than, unless.
2273 "Gold is to thewarde," lit., Gold is to thee-ward, or gold is coming to you.
2280 late, let.
2281 preyd, prayed, invited.
2286 in, on; hys unwetyng, he (the German priest's) unknowing.
2288 her, their.
2288-89 in party, in part.
2297 alyon, alien.
2306 mornyng, mourning.
2307 crumme, crumb.
2308 entyrlyest, "entireliest," most utterly; melydiows, melodious.
2309 savowrys, delights.
2313 unmythy, unable.
2315 eyled, ailed.
2316 sleth, slays.
2326 Seynt Jerom, The remains of Saint Jerome were held in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
2328 Seynt Lauerawnce, The remains of St. Lawrence lie in the church of San Lorenzo, some two miles from Santa Maria Maggiore.
2335 a boryn, have borne.
2338 Estern er ellys Paske, "Paske" was another word for Easter.
2339 natyf, native.
2340 peraventur, perhaps.
2342 behyte, promised.
2346 catel, chattels, goods.
2347-48 lych as we come hedyr, like (in the same condition) as we came hither.
2354 invyows, envious.
2355 pur, pure.
2356-57 so departyd . . . in oon, so parted asunder those whom charity had joined as one.
2358 kendly, natural.
2366 Medylborwgh, Middelburg (in Zeeland); jurné, journey.
2372 sportyn, disport.
2376 gret wederyng and perlyows, stormy and perilous weathers; hyed, hied, hastened.
2379 levenys, lightning; gresely and grevows, ghastly and grievous.
2382 the her, you here.
2388 defawte, default, lack.
2389 betymes, early.
2392 perseverawns, perseverance.
2394 algatys, anyway.
2395 hecke, small vessel.
2396 leve, permission.
2401 hyly, highly.
2408 Richard Castyr, Richard Caister, vicar of St. Stephen's church, Norwich.
2412 joyn, joyful.
2418 to mekyn hyrselfe, to meeken (humble) herself.
2419-20 wher sche had don . . . whil sche was owte, where she had disposed of her child, the one who was begotten and born while she was out (of the country).
2422-23 I dede nevyr . . . childe, I did nothing since I went out wherethrough I should have a child.
2427 I make no fors, I take no heed.
2428 hite, named.
2433 wostly, certainly.
2434 levyn, lightning.
2435 noy, annoy.
2452 Trinité Sunday, perhaps May 26, 1415 (see Meech, p. 308, n.104, for dating). Trinity Sunday was the Patron's Day of Norwich Cathedral.
2457 dowt, fear.
2458 Seynt Jamys, the shrine of St. James of Compostella in Spain.
2462 heyl, hale; hoyl, whole; drow, drew.
2463 powr, poor.
2474 wrestyd, twisted.
2475 blo, pale, leaden, grey.
2479 bodyn hir, bade hir.
2480 schrewyd, sharp.
2483 awt, owed.
2488 pylche, outer garment of skin.
2489 stody thow for no good, do not strive for goods.
2498 Brystowe, Bristol; Whitson, Whitsunday, the Feast of Pentecost comes seven Sundays and fifty days after Easter and celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit.
2507 lay stille, stayed.
2507-08 for to abyden schepyng, to await shipping.
2509 the kyng, Henry V, whose second expedition to France in 1417 placed great demands on English shipping.
2510 jurné, journey.
2516 schille schrykyngys, shrill shriekings.
2518 born hyr on . . . a seyd, accused her of saying.
2520-21 "Lord, as thu . . . thei don,' Luke 23:34.
2521 crucyfyerys, crucifiers, i.e., those who crucified Jesus.
2524-26 On Corpus Cristi . . . to be do, On Corpus Christi Day, as the priests carried the Sacrament about the town in a solemn procession, with many candles and great solemnity, as was proper to do.
2530 fawyn to takyn an hows, had to enter a house.
2542 rewyd, rued, grieved.
2547 Breteyn, Brittany.
2553 hath no deynté of, has no delight in.
2555 glosyng, glossing, deception.
2557 bischop of Worcetyr, Thomas Peverel, Bishop of Worcester, 1407-1418/19.
2558 moneschid, admonished.
2562-63 al to raggyd and al to daggyd in her clothys, wearing ragged and dagged clothing (clothes fashionably slashed and pointed).
2566 lykar, more like.
2570 abood, awaited.
2571 somownde, summoned.
2572 noye, annoyance.
2574 John of Burnamys, John Brunham's.
2575 far fayr, behave properly.
2579 meny, many, affinity group, household.
2580 deyn, die.
2585 mené, servants.
2588 venjawns, vengeance.
2590 for, because of; wers, worse.
2594 bone, boon, request.
2601 Blod of Hayles, blood of Christ preserved at the Abbey of Hailes in Gloucestershire.
2603 undyrname, rebuked.
2606 yed, went; Leycetyr, Leicester.
2608 petowsly poyntyd, piteously decorated.
2609-10 al to relentyn be, completely dissolve in.
2610 yern, quickly.
2619 osteler, inn-keeper; scryppe, bag.
2620 yerne, quickly.
2623 burwgh, borough, town.
2626 loller, Lollard, heretic.
2628 chedyn, chided.
2632 hows, house.
2637 safwarde, safe-keeping.
2640 awarde, custody.
2643 dede hir etyn, allowed her to eat.
2648 spak Latyn unto hir, spoke Latin to her. In the fifteenth century, laywomen who were latinate were suspect, since they thereby intruded upon a male and clerical preserve and might well have read heretical texts or been inclined to interpret scripture without the mediation of a member of the clergy.
2656 fowyl rebawdy wordys, foul ribald words.
2657 opressyn hir, violate her; forlyn hir, lie with her.
2663-64 strobelyd wyth hir, wrestled with her (?).
2664 schewyng unclene tokenys, showing or making unclean signs; frayd, frightened.
2666 cunyng, cunning; astoyned, astonished.
2667 besynes, business.
2669 gayler, jailor.
2671 Wisbeche, Wisbeach (Cambridgeshire).
2672 hevy, sad.
2675 wederyng, stormy weather; levenys, lightnings.
2691 Alle Halwyn, All Saints.
2692 abbot of Leycetyr, Richard Rothley, the abbot of the house of Augustinian canons in Leicester.
2693 chanownys, canons; den, dean.
2694 freyrs, friars.
2695 stolys, stools.
2700 assessowrys, assessors; dedyn hir, made her.
2701 artyculys of the feyth, Articles of the Faith; in, about.
2702 And fyrst . . . of the awter, The subject of the Eucharist, or of belief in transubstantiation, was a key subject when addressing a suspected heretic. In this scene Margery is asked questions designed to catch suspected Lollards.
2706 Mawndé, Last Supper.
2708 onys, once.
2710 menyth, means.
2713 concelyd, concealed.
2717 For I do yow to wetyn, For I want you to know.
2726 despite, vexation.
2739-40 than schal . . . the trewth, then shall you tell no lies nor shall he know the truth.
2743-44 my Lord of Lynkoln, Philip Repingdon, Bishop of Lincoln.
2752 fettyn, fetch.
2757-58 lenyd hir to a peler, leaned herself against a pillar.
2759 plenté, abundance.
2766 sayd sone, literally, "said son," referring to Thomas Marshall, who calls her "mother."
2768 Melton Mowmbray, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.
2770 feryd, feared; brent, burnt.
2775 a staf of a Moyses yerde, a relic from the Holy Land (?).
2777 scryppe, small bag.
2778 scapyd of hard, escaped with difficulty.
2779 abood, waited for.
2781 forby, past.
2784 scrippe, small bag.
2795 bewté, beauty.
2796 sonar, sooner.
2798 monyschyng, admonishing.
2798-99 ne lettyn hir . . . whan sche wolde, nor hinder her from going and coming as she wished.
2800 demyd, deemed, thought.
2803 lettyd, hindered.
2804 letyn, allow.
2805 hyryd, hired.
2807 ancres, anchoress.
2808 gostly, spiritual; encres, spiritual increase.
2810 owr Ladiis Evyn, possibly September 7, 1417, the Eve of the Nativity of the Virgin.
2811 fremd, strange.
2815 evyl payd, evil pleased, i.e., not pleased.
2830 coler, collar.
2832 Childer of the monastery, Children of the monastery (i.e., going to school in or given to the monastery by their parents).
2833 wulle, wool.
2839 jangelyd, talked idly.
2840 prevyly, secretly.
2842 "Crescite et multiplicamini," Be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:22).
2851 the spiritualté, the churchmen.
2852 sumdel mor, somewhat more.
2859 chapelhows, chapter-house.
2860 monycyon, monition, warning.
2861 party, part.
2863 drow on bakke, hesitated.
2864 chapetilhows, chapter-house; Mynstyr, minister, a church of a monastery.
2874 Seynt William, shrine in York Minster of William Fitzherbert, Archbishop of York (d. 1154).
2881 meynteyn, maintain.
2884 disesyn, trouble.
2885 apere, appear.
2885-86 Erchebischop of Yorke, Henry Bowet, Archbishop of York from 1407 to 1423, known for his antipathy to Lollards.
2886 Cowoode, Cawood, Yorkshire.
2888 undirtakyn, be surety.
2891-92 sotyn ageyn hir, opposed her.
2911 velany, shame.
2914 loller, Lollard.
2918 gedyn, went.
2919 so to be demenyd, so to conduct herself.
2921 evyn cristen, fellow Christians.
2924 fettyn, fetch.
2925 feterys, fetters.
2928 socowryn, succour.
2929 tremelyd and whakyd, trembled and quaked.
2935 see, seat.
2943 welyn, wish.
2947 can, knows.
2949 peraventur, perhaps; pervertyn, pervert.
2950 I her seyn, I have heard it said.
2953 boistowsly, rudely, roughly.
2960 teryin, tarry.
2961 Brydlyngton, Bridlington, site of the cult of the fervently devout St. John of Bridlington (d. 1379), prior of the house of Augustinian canons there.
2962-63 the good priowrys . . . is now canonysed, i.e., William Sleightholme (to whom Kempe refers as Sleytham, chapter 53), confessor to St. John Bridlington.
2964 chalengyn, reprove.
2965 undirnemyn hem, reprove them.
2970 the bar, bore you; tetys, teats; sowkyn, suck.
2973-74 for sche spekyth of the gospel, the Lollards were known as Gospel-quoting "Bible men and women."
2974-75 and leyd Seynt Powyl . . . no woman schulde prechyn, 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, verses that were commonly used against women taking active and vocal parts in religious instruction, for which they might be accused of Lollardy. See Blamires and Marx; Lochrie, pp. 105-13.
2976 comownycacyon, talk.
2977 whil I leve, while I live.
2978 the werst talys, the worst tales.
2980 wil, wayward; wode, wood.
2981 sufferawns, sufferance.
2982 herborwe, lodging; erber, garden.
2983 pertre, pear tree; myddys, midst; floreschyd, adorned; belschyd, embellished; blomys, blooms.
2984 hogely, ugly.
2987 hymyr party, hinder, shameful part.
2990 agydd, aged; palmyr, palmer.
2995 massanger, messenger; aresond, addressed.
2996 sumdel, somewhat.
2998 mateynes, matins, the service that with lauds forms the first of the canonical hours; blaberyd, blabbered.
2999 messe, mass.
3002 choppyng and chongyng, buying and selling.
3003 Thu sittyst at the ale, You sit at ale, i.e., at the table.
3005 bakbytyng, backbiting, malicious gossiping.
3015 far ye be me, fare you by me, i.e., so you treat me.
3019 ledyn, lead.
3023 proferyd, offered.
3024 waryn, spend.
3030 hir not lettryd, her unlettered intelligence.
3032 ledar, leader.
3033 whech hite Sleytham, who was called Sleytham (i.e., William Sleightholme).
3036 jurné, journey.
3038 yed, went; Hulle, Hull.
3044 morwyn, morning.
3045 Hesyl, Hessle, Yorkshire.
3046 Humbyr, Humber; too, two.
3047 yemen, yeomen; Duke of Bedforthys, John, Duke of Bedford, third son of Henry IV, and at this time Lieutenant of the kingdom during Henry V's absence abroad.
3048 boot, boat.
3049 restyd, arrested.
3054 rokkys, distaffs.
3055 to Beverleward, toward Beverly.
3060 schrewyd, sharp.
3065 Me ovyrthynkyth, I regret.
3071 yedyn, went.
3085 for sche was evyl for thryste, she was badly off for thirst.
3087 leddyr, ladder.
3088 pynte of wyn . . . hir a pece, a pint of wine in a pot and took her a wine cup.
3091 clepyng, calling.
3093 sone, soon.
3095 disesys, troubles.
3098 joyn, rejoice.
3099 chapetylhows, chapter-house.
3101 chanowns, canons.
3102 delyveryd, delivered.
3104 Cowode, Cawood, Yorkshire.
3112 dispravyd, disparaged.
3113-14 that sche schulde a be brent . . . ne be, that she should have been burnt at Lynn had his Order, that of the Dominicans, not been there.
3116 Combomis dowtyr, probably a corruption of Cobham's daughter, thus a reference to Sir John Oldcastle, the Lollard who had escaped from the Tower and remained in hiding from 1413 to 1417.
3122 lesyngys, lies.
3124 can, knows.
3137 ferd wyth, fared with, treated.
3142 ben aknowe, confess.
3143 suffragan, suffragen, assistant.
3147 my Lady Westmorlond, Joan de Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and Catherine Swynford; wife of Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmorland.
3149-50 my Lady Greystokke, Elizabeth, daughter of Joan de Beaufort by her first husband; wife of John de Graystoke.
3158 qwite, free; ryth wel apayd, right well satisfied.
3163 baly, bailiff.
3167 hens, hence.
3171 seyl, seal.
3172 attyd, charged; herrowr, error.
3176 good, goods, money.
3186 watyr of Humbyr, i.e., Humber River.
3193 baly, bailiff; scapyd, escaped.
3196 noyful, annoying.
3197 lettyng, hindrance.
3206 It is don us to wetyn, It is given us to know.
3208 wetyngly, knowingly; levyn, leave.
3217 Erchebischop of Cawntyrbery, Henry Chichele, who succeeded Thomas Arundel as Archbishop of Canterbury (1414-43).
3219 credens, credence.
3225 unto Elywarde, unto Ely.
3235 kest a bolful . . . in the strete, cast a bowlful of water on her head as she came down the street.
3239 flyx, flux, dysentery.
3240 spon, spoon.
3241 dey, die; recuryd, recovered.
3247 voydyn, void.
3256 levyr, rather; shrewyd, sharp.
3262 discres, decrease; agens, towards.
3263 lesse, lessen.
3269 scapyd, went away.
3276 habundawns, abundance.
3282 at the tyme of remownyng, at the time of removing, day when clergy within a district moved to new locations.
3285 Thomas Hevyngham, Thomas Hevingham, prior of St. Margaret's.
3285-86 Robert Spryngolde, parish priest of St. Margaret's and Margery's principal confessor.
3299 awte, ought.
3304 Sepulcre, place sanctioned in church for the reserved sacrament.
3310 betyn, beaten.
3311 wowndyng, wounding; pité, pity.
3313 what hir eyled, what ailed her.
3316 bar, bore; priowrys cloistyr, prior's cloister.
3318 blew . . . leed, blue as if she were lead; swet, sweated.
3320 owrys, hours.
3322 febyl and weyke, feeble and weak; mytys, might.
3332 I aske . . . gevyn me, I ask nothing, Lord, but that which you may give me.
3340 constreyn, constrain, compel.
3341 to partyn, to separate.
3354 sese, cease.
3358 hewyn, hewn, chopped; flesch, meat.
3364 alych, equally.
3366 rewe on me, take pity on me.
3369 on fro fer, one from afar.
3371 sey, saw.
3372 speryd, inquired.
3380 redyn, read.
3388 to lokyn, to examine.
3390-92 the Bybyl wyth . . . Incendium Amoris, a vernacular Bible, probably the Wycliffite translation, which Archbishop Thomas Arundel had forbidden for private reading by lay people in the Constitutions of 1409. For other texts, see notes to p. 51.
3398-99 wex benefysyd . . . cur of sowle, received a benefice and had great spiritual charge of souls.
3409 heryn, hear.
3413 levyd, believed.
3414 frowardnes, boldness.
3415 mendys, thoughts.
3420 fowle, evil.
3421 schulde a be comown, should have been common.
3421-22 bar hyr on hande, accused her.
3426 mennys membrys, men's sexual organs.
3428 enchewyn, avoid.
3434 mendys, thoughts.
3435 er what so sche dede, or whatever she did.
3441 sothfastnes, truth.
3454 wrothar, angrier; thei, though.
3458-59 as he was wone to don, as he was wont to do.
3460 thu deynyst not, you do not scorn.
3465 lystere, reader.
3466-67 sche was steryd . . . nedful for hym, she was stirred in her soul to take care of him in God's service. And, when she lacked anything that was necessary for him.
3471 levyn, live.
3472 Seynt Stefenys Chirche wher is beriid the good vicary, i.e., Richard Caistyr (d. 1420), vicar of St. Stephens.
3474 recuryng, the recovery.
3482 divers, diverse.
3488 hym, i.e., Richard Caistyr. The people misunderstood the nature of Margery's tears.
3489 dede hir drynkyn, caused her to drink.
3491 ther, there (where).
3492 pyté, pity, depiction of Mary with the dead Jesus.
3495 thei, though.
3498 awt, ought.
3502 avoket, advocate.
3518 lestith, lasts.
3522 hir, herself; brast, burst.
3526 I trowe, and thu, I believe if you.
3528 sattelyn, settle; her, their.
3529 mict, might.
3534 noyith, annoys.
3539 her, hear; les, unless; levyn, stop.
3543 and assayn yyf he myth mekyn hys hert, and try to humble his heart.
3551 White Frer, White (Carmelite) Friar; aprevyd, approved.
3565 cardiakyl, heart disease.
3568 that, if; kendly, natural.
3575 ther, where.
3598 expleytyd hys conseytys, explained his thoughts.
3599 remowr, rumor.
3602 murmowr and grutchyng, murmur and complaining; geynseyd, gainsayed, contradicted.
3604-05 I schal so smytyn . . . mayntenowrys, I shall so smite the nail on the head (i.e., speak severely) that it shall shame all her supporters.
3607-08 of the whech . . . felyngys aftyr, among whom was the same priest who afterwards wrote this book and had purposed never to have believed her feelings thereafter.
3608 drow, drew.
3611 Maria de Oegines, Marie d'Oignies (c. 1177-1213), whose devotion to Christ and service for others made her one of the most important examplars of female piety. Jacques de Vitry, her contemporary, friend, and confessor, wrote her life.
3615 pyté, pity.
3617 capitulo, chapter; "Bonus es, domine, sperantibus in te," He is good, Lord, whose hope is in you.
3619 turbelyd, troubled; distrawt, distraught.
3621 beyng at messe, being at mass, i.e., when he was at Mass.
3623 mesuryn, restrain.
3633 drow ageyn, drew again; sadly, wisely.
3634 enchewyd, eschewed, avoided.
3635 "The Prykke of Lofe," the fourteenth-century devotional work, Stimulus Amoris, falsely attributed to St. Bonaventure.
3636-37 A, Lord . . . cryen?, A, Lord, of what shall I make the most noise or (of what shall I) cry?
3637 lettyst, tarry.
3638 for to maddyn, to go mad.
3639 thei that se me irkyn and rewyn, those who see me are irked by me and pity me.
3640-41 yen wood man . . . in the stretys, yon mad man cries in the streets.
3641 how meche, how great; parceyve, perceive.
3642 Stimulo Amoris, Stimulus Amoris; Richard Hampol, Richard Rolle of Hampole, the mid fourteenth-century mystic and writer.
3643 Incendio Amoris, the Latin mystical work by Richard Rolle which was translated into English as the Fire of Love by Richard Misyn in 1435.
3644 Elizabeth of Hungry, Elizabeth of Hungary (1207-31), the thirteenth-century saint, whose tears of devotion formed a key element of her legend, a legend that was current in England in the fifteenth century.
3648 demyn, think.
3650-51 slawnderyd, etyn, and knawyn, slandered, eaten, and gnawed.
3666 a chapel . . . the Jesyne, a chapel of our Lady called the Gesine, the chapel in St. Margaret's Church in which stood a picture of the birth of Jesus. See Gibson, p. 64.
3667 Anethe, Hardly.
3676 inqwietyng, disturbing.
3704 anow, enough.
3705 safe, save.
3706 prise, price.
3708 asayd, assayed, tested.
3715 faylyn, fail.
3728 faylyn and brestyn, fail and burst.
3734 leryn, learn, i.e., teach.
3738 deryn, harm.
3739 preyn, pray.
3740 to meward, toward me.
3743 clevyn as sor, cleave as closely.
3750 abyte, habit; curyd, covered.
3752 spar, spare (them).
3755 fayn, fain, eager.
3760 grutchyn, grudge, complain.
3776 her in erde, here on earth.
3780 lazerys, lepers.
3789 good to levyn wyth, "levyn" can mean either "live" or "believe"; hence, "good" might refer to either spiritual or material goods; leful, permissable, lawful.
3790 besyn hem, busy themselves.
3791 owt, out, away from.
3794 undyrnemyn, rebuke.
3805 pyment, sweetened and spiced wine.
3806 yrke, weary.
3812 hele, health.
3816-17 'Lord, . . . into thyn hert.' This couplet is repeated later, in chapter 88.
3821 bonowr, gentle, obedient.
3824 fastydyst, fasted.
3838 mythy, mighty, able.
3841 fode, food; discresyd, decreased.
3842 an, have.
3844 tho, those (weeping and crying); the mor thank, thank you more.
3846 gret fyer, the Guild Hall in Lynn was burned on January 23, 1420-21 (?).
3847 hydows, hideous.
3849 ne had grace ne myracle ne ben, had there not been grace nor miracle.
3865 wrowt, worked.
3869 qwer, choir; lantern, open structure upon a roof to give light to the interior.
3876 myrakyl, miracle.
3882 lettyd, hindered; hys kendly, its natural.
3883 sesyd, ceased.
3890 dur, endure.
3895 levyr, rather.
3898 dede hir drynkyn, caused her to drink.
3899 awter, altar.
3900 skylle, reason.
3902 wysys, manners, ways.
3904 for non, forenoon.
3911 demyng, deeming, thinking.
3912 awt, ought.
3919 chapetyl of the Frer Prechowrys, chapter (provincial assembly) of the Dominicans.
3920 it longyth on, one was obliged.
3928 conseyt, thought, (good) opinion.
3929 steryng, stirring.
3930 wistly, certainly.
3940-41 owr Ladiis Assumpsyon, the assumption of the body of the blessed Virgin into heaven.
3943 wol, well.
3946 supportacyon, support.
3950 maystyrschep, lordship, victory.
3954 compassyfly, compassionately.
3961 the priowr, Thomas Hevingham, see chapter 57.
3962 teme, theme.
3965-66 Bischop Wakeryng, John Wakering, Bishop of Norwich, 1416-25.
3978 the Provincyal of the White Frerys, Thomas Netter, elected provincial prior of the English Carmelites in 1414.
3989 sweme, sorrow.
3997 erde, earth.
4000 benefysed, have benefices, ecclesiastical livings or curacies; dar unethys, dare never.
4002 worthy, precious.
4004 oftynar, more often.
4007 Jesyn, see p. 151.
4014 hith, promised.
4025 levyn, live.
4026 be obediens, by obedience (to the will of figures of spiritual authority).
4029 heyl and hool, hale and whole; leve, leave, permission.
4031 dinyn, dine.
4032 mentyl and the ryng, mantle and ring of chastity, i.e., while continuing to live in the world.
4039-40 sawcyd and sawryd, sauced and savored (flavored).
4040 peyr of knyvys, pair of knives.
4045 remownyd, removed.
4047 clepyd, called.
4049 he that was sent to Lynne, John Derham, who briefly succeeded Thomas Hevingham.
4061 as loth as thu art to levyn my steryngys, as loath as you are to believe my stirrings.
4062 er this day sevenyth, within the week.
4063 rehersyd hir, repeated to her.
4070 wetyn in this mater, learn in this matter.
4073-74 for he was . . . of complexion, for he was a weak man with a feeble complexion (constitution).
4074 the kyng deyid, Henry V died on August 31, 1422.
4075 bood, abode.
4076 Bischop of Wynchestyr, Henry Beaufort, half-brother to Henry IV.
4083 lownes, lowness.
4084 frelté, frailty.
4091 deedly, mortal.
4093 wyth lyte, with candles.
4095 abrostyn, have burst.
4102 as sche, as if she.
4104 whech wolde a levyd ful fawyn, who would fain have lived.
4105 and aftyr me . . . yernyng, and after me you have no yearning.
4107 for cawse of comownyng, in order to talk with her.
4112-13 "To hem that . . . into goodnes," Romans 8:28.
4117 mené, supporters, followers, flock.
4124 telde hir in parcel of the cawse, told her part of the reason.
4126 sche myth not acordyn wyth, might not feel easy with; aray, array, clothing.
4127 say, saw.
4128 Holy Thursday, Thursday of Holy Week, the beginning of the intense period of prayer and ritual that ended in Easter; went processyon, went in procession.
4129 Mary Mawdelyn, Mary Magdalene.
4132 swemful, sorrowful.
4134 schulde a brostyn, should have burst.
4134-35 Sche myth . . . rewlyn hirselfe, She might not measure herself nor rule (control) herself.
4138 ententyd, attended.
4139 steyn up, rise up.
4139-40 for sche . . . in erde, in spite of the fact she could not relinquish him on earth.
4149 be teriid, be held back.
4155 dowt, doubt.
4158 to the, for you.
4159-60 Seynt Nicholas Day, there are no accounts in the Book of St. Nicholas' Day.
4160 plenowr remissyon, full forgiveness.
4166 Rafnys, i.e., Margery's stay at Rafnys when she went to Jerusalem and there received plenary remission for her sins.
4174 to ben sekyr, to be sure.
4179 duryn, endure.
4180 lazer, leper.
4185 that, those.
4186 lothful, loathful, hateful.
4188 halsyn, embrace.
4189-90 how gret desyre . . . lazerys, how great a desire she had to kiss lepers.
4191 algatys, anyhow.
4194 her, their.
4199 oo, one.
4202 horibyl thowtys, horrible thoughts. Kempe draws here upon the ancient and false link between leprosy and lechery.
4211 evyl afeerd, terribly afraid.
4212 manykyld, manacled.
4215 alienyd, aliened, out.
4220 gapyd, gaped.
4223 tediows, irritating.
4227 meke, meek.
4230 faryn, fare.
4231 recuryng, recovering.
4233 purifiid as other women be, The reference is to the ceremony of "churching" or purification which occurred some weeks after childbirth and signified a woman's re-entry into parish life.
4235 sey, seen.
4236 sey, saw.
4240 thre scor yer, sixty years.
4241 slederyd, slipped; fotyng, footing; gresys, steps.
4242 bresyd, bruised.
4243 teyntys, rolls of soft material for distending wounds; holyng, healing.
4245 dene, din, noise; luschyng, rushing.
4246 rowyd, streaked.
4254 enchewyn, avoid; perellys, perils; sojowryd, sojourned.
4255 incontinens, incontinence (to their vow of chastity).
4258-59 many evyl folke . . . Jhesu Crist, many evil folks whose tongues were their own, lacking the dread of and love for our Lord Jesus Christ.
4259 demtyn, thought.
4260 to usyn . . . her bodiis, to use, in the sense of sexual use, their physical desires.
4261 aspyin, spy; wetyn, know.
4263 be her . . . consentyng, by their good will and mutual consent.
4264 boord, meals.
4265 lettyd, hindered.
4270 bone, boon, request.
4275 fawyn, fain, gladly.
4282-83 don hys owyn . . . to a sege, could not relieve himself by going to a stool.
4286 costage in fyryng, expenditure in making fires.
4287 an yrked, have begrudged him; saf, except.
4297 fadom, fathoms.
4299 to synnyn on me wilfully, to sin willfully on account of me.
4306 algate, rather, prefer.
4310 buxom, obedient.
4312 planetys, planets.
4313 thundirkrakkys, thunder claps.
4314 levenys, lightning bolts.
4315 stepelys, steeples.
4318 yyt, yet.
4322 erdedenys, earthquakes.
4329 prys, price.
4340-41 he thar nevyr fallyn in dispeyr, he will never fall into despair because of it (his past).
4351 thei, though.
4352 sithys, times.
4356 hey, high.
4359 lest, least.
4363 hyrdil, hurdle.
4363-64 to wonderyn on, to wonder on, to marvel at.
4364 so it wer no perel to her sowlys, as long as it was no peril to their souls, i.e., as long as the sight did not imperil their souls; slory, slurry, thin mud.
4365 slugge, sludge, slime.
4368 Palme Sonday, Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter and the beginning of Holy Week. On this Sunday worshippers carrying palms would process out of the church, and then around it, from east to south to west and enter into the church again through the west door behind the priest and the sacrament (Duffy, pp. 23-27).
4384 langurith, languishes.
4387 fir, fire.
4390 a brostyn, have burst.
4391 al on a watyr, all wet.
4397 languryng, languishing.
4398 mornyng, mourning.
4409 merowr, mirror.
4410 for to, in order to.
4412 dever, duty.
4416 terys, tears.
4421-22 welyn good, will good.
4424 crossestaf, staff of the cross; smet on the chirche dor, smote on the church door, i.e., the point when the Palm Sunday procession entered the church, an entry that at once evoked Jesus' entry into Jerusalem and his entry into hell's gates on Holy Saturday.
4427 oste, host.
4428 mawgre, in spite of.
4433 drow up a cloth, All during Lent, the Crucifix was hidden from view by a painted veil suspended on the rood screen. At the climax of the Palm Sunday ceremony the people gathered in front of the rood screen and knelt as the veil was drawn up on the pulleys, the anthem "Ave Rex Noster'' was sung, and the priests venerated the Crucifix (Duffy, p. 27).
4449 rewth, pity. Much of Kempe's account of Christ's Passion is indebted to Nicholas Love's influential Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ.
4479 wel levar, far rather.
4481 her, here.
4486-87 how may yowr . . . sone se al this wo?, how may your heart endure and see your blissful son see all this woe?
4487 dur, endure.
4488 yyt, yet.
4491 Mownt of Olyvete, Mount of Olives. On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus took the disciples to the Mount of Olives, where he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. There, he asked that the cup of suffering be taken from his lips but only if it was God's will. Shortly thereafter he was betrayed by Judas. See, for example, Mark 14:26-50.
4494 stavys, staves; swerdys, swords.
4495 polexis, pole-axes.
4497 "Ego sum," I am (he).
4498 sowtyn, sought.
4503 be haldyn and drawyn wyth, be held and drawn by.
4505 betyng, beating; bofetyng, buffeting; bobyng, striking.
4506-07 how smet the, who smot you.
4507 wise, way.
4508 syhyd, sighed.
4509 ferd, fared; venymowslych, venomously.
4510 luggen, pull; erys, ears; drawyn, draw, pull.
4513 peler, pillar.
4516 baleys, scourges.
4525 bowt, bought.
4527 peler, pillar.
4528 babelys, metal tip of a lash; leed, lead.
4529 prekelys, prickles; rowelys, rowels, wheels on spurs having several rotating sharp points; tho, those.
4530 comenawnt, covenant.
4531 petows, piteous.
4533 losyd, loosed.
4535 metyn, meet.
4536 boystows, rough; unethe, scarcely.
4547 rendyn of, rend from.
4548 sylke, silk; the which was . . . owr Lordys body, which had stuck and hardened completely and tightly to our Lord's body.
4549 drow, drew.
4552 flayn, flayed.
4555 a row and a boistews, rough and huge.
4557 schrynkyd, shrank; senwys, sinews.
4561 morkyn, marked.
4564 ye cruel Jewys, The anti-Judaism here is similar to but not as intensely expressed as that found in the N-Town cycle, another work of East Anglian provenance. For remarks about anti-Judaism as it pertains to the Book, see Staley (1994), pp. 68-71.
4572 morteys, hole.
4574 reverys, rivers.
4580 Alas, Lord . . . careful modyr, Alas, Lord, you leave here a careful (care-filled) mother.
4581 too, two.
4592-93 Joseph ab Armathy, Joseph of Arimethea, who claimed Jesus' body and helped to bury it.
4599 kissyn hys feet, Margery here asks to venerate the most humble aspect of the body -the physical person - of Christ that unites him with us. Traditionally Mary Magdalene is pictured at the feet of Jesus, so later (p. 196) Margery assumes the position of the Magdalene in venerating Christ's toes.
4610 beriin, bury.
4623 merveyl, marvel.
4624 thens, thence.
4627 ageyn, towards.
4631 mad for owr Lady a good cawdel, made for our Lady a good hot drink. On this detail, see Gibson, p. 51.
4640 careful reed, care-filled counsel, advice.
4643-44 I, synful Petyr . . . Crist, I, sinful Peter, who has forsaken my Lord Jesus Christ.
4648 yerne, quickly.
4664 "Salve, sancta parens," Greetings, blessed parent.
4667 tastyn, examine.
4668 sorhed, soreness.
4680 and herd and . . . of a gardener, See John 20:1-18.
4682 hast awey, have (taken) away.
4690 up reson, up risen.
4697 Purificacyon Day, Feb. 2, the Feast of the Purification, marked by an elaborate procession in which each parishoner carried a candle. See Duffy, pp. 15ff.
4718 fervowr, fervor.
4725 welyn, will.
4733 prevy, secret.
4735 bareyn, barren.
4737 er a suffyrd . . . hem wyth, or would have suffered great bodily pain in order to get tears.
4746-49 whedyr it wer . . . heryn hir er not, whether it (her weeping) was deceptive or not. Since she cried and wept in the sight of the people, they (the two priests) had a secret plan, without her knowledge, by which they would prove whether she cried in order for the people to hear her or not.
4753 in fere, together.
4770 tho, those.
4774 peraventur, perhaps.
4777 lakkyd, lacked.
4781 a don hir left of hir good purpos, have caused her to leave off her good purpose.
4797 ny everydeel, nearly everything.
4798 Abbas of Denney, Abbess of Denny (Cambridgeshire).
4804 pestylens, pestilence.
4812 bodyn, bidden.
4813-14 bodyn ben at hom, bidden stay at home.
4815 yede, went.
4819 botys, boats.
4822 ordeynd, ordained, taken care of.
4838 yyf thu haddist had good anow, if you had had goods enough.
4849 preyst, prays.
4861 hakkyd, hacked; flesche, meat.
4866 nevyr a deel, never at all.
4870 hyd, hidden.
4873 forbere, do without.
4879 wreth, wrath.
4887 bedys byddyng, prayers bidding (saying).
4897 to demyn thin hert, to judge your heart.
4905-06 to the that hast ben synful, to you who have been sinful.
4910 oryson, prayer; hir eyne wer evyr togedirward, her eyes were closed.
4913 howge, huge.
4916 wist, knew.
4920 for none, before noon.
4932 qwer, choir, i.e., in that part of the church which, during services, is appropriated to the singers.
4935 have mynde of, have memory of.
4937 wistly, certainly.
4943 on, one; baselard knyfe, dagger.
4944 kytt, cut.
4952 toos, toes.
4954 sytys, sights.
4960 instawns, urgency.
4965 sotyl, subtle.
4972 ey ledys, eye lids.
4974 kerche, kerchief.
4976 swathyd, swaddled.
4991 clepist, call.
4998 mene, mean, medium.
5004 confessowrys, confessors, those who have given heroic evidence of their faith in Christ.
5005 arayn, array.
5007 cuschyn, cushion.
5008-09 is apropyrd, is given as a property.
5010-11 I bowt the so der, I bought you so dear, i.e., paid your debts on the cross.
5011 aqwityn, acquit, pay back.
5014 r