But others do suppose that yt was invented at Argenterote, as dothe Mathewe Parker in the lyfe of Thomas Bourchier Archbyshoppe of Canterburye; whiche for the incertentye thereof I leave at this tyme to farther examinatione, not havinge nowe presente leysure therefore.

The Romante of the Rose began by Guillm̄ de Loris, and finished by John de la Meune. In the title of the augmente to euerye tale and booke you write, that the Romante of the Roose was made in frenche by Johne Clopinell alias Johne Moone; when in truthe the booke was not made by hym alone: for yt was begonne by Guillame de Loris, and fynished fourtye yeres after the death of Loris, by Johne de Meune alias Johne Clopinell, as apperethe by Molinet, the frenche author of the moralytye vppon the Romante of the Roose, ca. 50. fo. 57. and may further appere also in the frenche Romante of the Roose in verse, which Chaucer with muche of that matter omytted, not havinge translated halfe the frenche Romante, but ended aboute the middle thereof. Againste whiche Booke Gersone compiled one other, intituled La reprobatione de la Romante del Roose; as affirmethe the sayed Molinett, in the 107 chapter of the sayed moralizatione, where he excusethe Clopinell and reprouethe Gersone for that Booke, because Gersone soughte no further meanynge than what was conteyned in the outewarde letter, this Clopinell begynnynge the Romante of the Rose, in these verses of Chaucer:

Why the dream of Chaucer cannot be the book of the Duchess. Secondlye, under that title you saye, the woorke, before this last editione of Chaucer, termed the Dreame of Chaucer, is mystermed, and that yt is the Booke of the Duches, or the Deathe of Blanche. wherein you bee greatlye mysledde in my conceyte, for yt cannott bee the Booke of the Duches or of the Deathe of Blanche, because Johne of Gaunt was then but fowre and twentye yere olde when the same was made, as apperethe by that tretyse in these verses:

Then yf he were but fowre and twentye yeres of age, being born, as hath Walsingham, in the yere of Christ 1339 the 13. of kinge Edwarde the thirde; and that he was maryed to Blanche the fourtene calendes of June 1359, the 33 of Ed: the thirde; he was at this mariage but twentye yeres of age; who within fower yeres after sholde make his lamentacion for Blanche the duchesse which must be then dedde. But the duchesse Blanche dyed of the pestilence in the yere of xxe 1368, as hath Anonimus MS, or 1369, as hath Walsinghame whiche by the first accompte was the ix. and by the last the x. yere after the mariage, and sixe or at the least five yeres after this lamentatione of Johne of Gaunte made in the fowre and twentye yere of his age. Wherfor this cannott be the boke of the Duches because he colde not lamente her deathe before she was deade. And yf you replye that yt pleinlye apperethe the same treatyce to be mente of the duches Blaunche, whiche signyfyethe whyte, by which name he often termethe his ladye there lamented, but especially in these verses,

I will answere, that there is no necessitye that yt must be of Blanche the Duchesse because he sayeth her name was white; since there ys a famelye of that denominatione, and some female of that lyne myghte be both white in name, and fayre and white in personne; and so had not her name wronge or in veyne, as Chaucer sayeth. or yt mighte be some other louer of his called Blanche, John of Gaunt, his incontinency. since he had many paramours in his youthe, and was not verye contynente in his age. Wherefore, to conclude, yt apperethe as before, that yt coulde not be mente of the Duchesse Blanche his wyfe, whiche dyed long after that compleinte. for whiche cause that Dreame of Chaucer in mye opynyone may well (naye rather of righte sholde) contynewe his former title of The Dreame of Chaucer. for that, whiche you will haue the Dreame of Chaucer, is his Temple of Glasse; as I haue seene the title thereof noted, and the thinge yt selfe confirmethe.

Doubteth master Speight’s ability in the exposition of old words, but commendeth his diligence and knowledge. In the expositione of the olde wordes, as you shewe greate diligence and knowledge, so yet in my opynione, unlesse a manne be a good saxoniste, french, and Italyane linguiste, (from whence Chaucer hathe borowed manye woordes,) he cannott well expounde the same to oure nowe vnder­standinges, and therefore (thoughe I will not presume of much knowledge in these tounges) yt semeth yet to mee, that in your expositione, soome woordes are not so fullye and rightlye explaned as they mighte bee, althoughe peradventure you haue framed them to make sence. Wherefore I haue collected these fewe (from many others lefte for moore leysure) whiche seme to mee not to be fully explaned in their proper nature, thoughe peradventure you will seme to excuse them by a metaphoricall gloose.

Aketon or Slevelesse jacket of plate for the war. Aketon or Haketone you expounde a jackett withoute sleves, without any further additione, that beinge an indiffynyte speache, and therefore may be entended a comone garmente daylye vsed, suche as we call a jerken or jackett withoute sleues: But haketon is a slevelesse jackett of plate for the warre, couered withe anye other stuffe; at this day also called a jackett of plate, suche aketon Walter Stapletone, Bishoppe of Excester and Custos or Wardene of Londone, had vppon hym secretlye, when he was apprehended and behedded in the twentyeth yere of Edwarde the seconde.

A besant is a besant, and not a duckett. Besante you expounde a duckett, But a duckett ys farre from a besante, bothe for the tyme of the inventione, and for the forme; and as I suppose for the valewe, not withstandinge that Hollybande in his frenche-Englishe dictionarye make yt of the valewe of a duckett, whiche duckett is for the most part eyther venetiane or spanyshe, when the Besante ys mere Grekishe; a coyne well knowen and vsed in Englande (and yet not therefore one auncient coyne of Englande, as Hollybande sayethe yt was of france,) emongst the Saxons before, and the Normans after the Conqueste; the forme whereof I will at other tyme describe, onlye nowe settinge downe, that this besante (beinge the frenche name, and in armorye rightlye accordinge to his nature, for a plate of golde,) was called in Latine Byzantium, obteyninge that name because yt was the coyne of Constan­tinople sometyme called Bizantium; and because you shall not thinke this any fictione of myne owne, I will warrante the same with Williame of Malmesberye in the fourthe booke De Regibus, who hathe these wordes: Constan­tinopolis primum Bizantium dicta formam antiqui vocabuli preferunt imperatorii nummi Bizantium dicta; where one other coppye for nummi Bizantium hath Bizantini nummi, and the frenche hath yt besante or Bezantine, makinge yt an olde coyne of france, (when he sholde haue sayed one olde coyne in France and not of France,) of the valewe of a duckette.

Fermentacione is fermen­tacione, and not dawbing even metaphoric­ally. Fermentacione you expounde Dawbinge, whiche cannott anye way be metaphoric­allye so vsed in Chaucer, althoughe yt sholde be improperlye or harsely applied. For fermentacione ys a peculier terme of Alchymye, deduced from the bakers fermente or levyne. And therefore the Chimicall philosophers defyne the fermente to bee anima, the sowle or lyfe, of the philosophers stoone. Whereunto agreethe Clauiger Bincing, one chimicall author, sayinge, ante viuificationem id est fermentacionem, whiche is before tinctinge, or gyvinge tincture or cooler; that beinge as muche to saye as gyvinge sowle or lyfe to the philosophers stoone, wherby that may fermente or cooler or gyue lyfe to all other metaline bodyes.

Orfrayes not Goldsmith’s work, but frysed cloth of gold, a manufacture peculiar to the English. Orfrayes you expounde Goldsmythes worke, whiche ys as nere to goldsmythes woorke as clothe of golde, for this worde orefrayes, beinge compounded of the frenche worde (or) and (frays, or fryse,) the Englishe is that whiche to this daye (beinge now made all of one stuffe or substance) is called frised or perled cloothe of gold; in Latyne, in tymes past, termed aurifrisium or aurifrixorium. A thinge well knowen to the Saxons in Englande before, as to the Normans after, the Conqueste, and therfore fullye to satisfye you thereof, I will produce twoo auctorauctors of the weavinge and vse thereof before the conquest and since, wherin you shall pleynely see what yt was, and in what accompt yt was holden, beinge a worke peculier to the Englishe. The lieger booke of Elye, speakinge of Ediswetha daughter to Brightnothus, aldermanne, erle or duke, of northumber­lande before the Conquest sayethe; cui tradita Coveneia, locus monasterio vicinus, vbi aurifrixorie et texturæ secretiùs cum puellis vacabat; and a little after, Tunica Rubra purpura per gyrum et ab humeris aurifri vndique circumdatum. Then, after the conquest, mathew Paris speakethe thereof aboute ornamentes to be sente to the Poope. but because I haue not my mathewe Paris here, I will vouche one whose name hathe muche affinytye with hym, and that is Mathewe Parker Archbyshoppe of Canterburye, who, in the Lyfe of Bonifacius Archbishoppe of that see, hathe these wordes. “A^o. Domini 1246, Romæ multi Anglicani aderant Clerici, qui capis vt aiunt chorealibus, et infulis, ornamentisque ecclesi­asticis, ex Anglice tunc more gentis, ex lana tenuissima et auro artificiosè intexto fabricatis, vterentur. Huius modi ornamentorum aspectu et concupi­scentia provocatus Papa, rogavit cuiusmodi essent. Responsum est, aurifrisia appellari, quia et eminens ex panno et lana quam Angli fryse appellant, simul contexta sunt. Cui subridens et dulcedine captus Papa, Vere, inquit,” (for these are the woordes of Mathewe Paris whiche lyved at that tyme,) “Hortus noster delitiarum est Anglia, verus puteus est inexhaustus, et vbi multa abundant, de multis multa sumere licet. Itaque, concupi­scentia illectus oculorum, litteras suas Bullatas sacras misit ad Cister­cienses in Anglia Abbates, quorum orationibus se devotè commendabat, vt ipsi hec aurifrisia specios­issima ad suum ornandum chorum compararent. Hoc London­iensibus placuit, quia ea tum venalia habebant, tantique quanti placuit vendiderunt.” In whiche discourse you not onlye see that orefryes was a weued clothe of golde and not goldsmythe worke, and that Englande had before and since the conqueste the arte to compose suche kynde of delicate Cloothe of golde as Europe had not the lyke; for yf yt hadd, the poope wolde haue made suche prouisione thereof in other places, and not from Englande. And because you shall not thinke that yt was onlye vsed of the Clergye, you shall fynde in a record of the Towre that yt was also one ornamente of the kings garmente, since the Conqueste, for, in Rotulo Patentium 6. Johannis in Dorso (in whiche the kinge comaunded the templers to deliuer suche jewells, garmentes, and ornamentes as they had of the kings in kepinge,) are these wordes: “Dalmaticam de eodem samitto vrlatani de orfreyes et cum lapidibus.” Whiche is to saye, the kings Dalmaticall garmente of the same samitte (spoken of before, whiche was crymsone,) vrled or bordrede (suche as we nowe calle garded) withe orfreyes.

Oundye and Crispe meaneth wavy like water. fforthlye Oundye and Crispe is by you expounded slyked and curled, whiche sence althoughe yt may beare after some sorte; yet the proprytye of the true sence of oundye (beinge an especiall terme appropriate to the arte of Heraldye) dothe signifye wavinge or movinge, as the water dothe; being called vndye, of Latyne vnda for water, for so her haire was oundye, that is, layed in rooles vppone and downe, lyke waves of water when they are styrred with the winde, and not slyked or playne, etc.

Resager is ratsbane or arsenic. ffyftlye You expounde not Resager, beinge a terme of Alchymye; as you leave manye of them vntouched. This worde sholde rather be resalgar, wherefore I will shewe you what resalgar ys in that abstruse science, whiche Chawcer knewe full well, althoughe he enveye againste the sophisticall abuse thereof in the chanons Yeomans Tale. This Resalgar is that whiche by some is called Ratesbane, a kynde of poysone named Arsenicke, which the chimicall philosophers call their venome or poysone. Whereof I coulde produce infynyte examples; but I will gyve you onlye these fewe for a taste. Aristotle, in Rosario Philosophorum, sayethe, “nullum tingens venenum generatur absque sole et eius vmbra, id est, uxore.” whiche venome they call by all names presentinge or signifyinge poysone, as a toode, a dragon, a Basilyske, a serpente, arsenicke, and suche lyke; and by manye other names, as “in exercitacione ad turbam philosophorum,” apperethe, wher aqua simplex is called venenum, Argentum vivum, Cinnabar, aqua permanens, gumma, acetum, urina, aqua maris, Draco, serpens, etc. And of this poysone the treatyce de phenice,7 or the philosophers stoone, written in Gothyshe rymynge verse, dothe saye;

Begyns are nuns, though it cometh to mean superstitious and hypocritical women from their nature. Begyn and Bigott you expounde supersticious hypocrites, whiche sence I knowe yt maye somewhat beare, because yt sauorethe of the dispositione of those begins, or Beguines, for that ys the true wrytinge. But this woorde Begyn sholde in his owne nature rightlye haue ben expounded, supersticious or hipocriticall wemenne, as appereth by chaucer himselfe, whiche nombrethe them emongest the wemen in the Romante of the Roose when he sayethe,

And a little after, in the same Romante, he doth write,

These wemene the Frenche call Beguynes or nonnes; being in Latyne called Bigrinæ or Biguinæ. Whose originall order, encrease, and contynuance are sett downe by mathewe Paris and Mathewe Westminster. But as I sayed, since I haue not my mathewe Paris at hand, I will sett you downe the wordes of mathewe Westmynster (otherwise called “Flores Historiarum” or “Florilegus”) in this sorte. Sub eisdem diebus (which was in the yere of Christe 1244, and aboute the 28 of kinge Henry the thirde,) quidam in Almania precipuè se asserentes vitam et habitum relligionis elegisse, in utroque sexu, sed maximè in muliebri, continentiam, cuius vitæ simplicitate profitentes, se voto priuato deo obligarunt. Mulieresque, quas Bigrinas vulgaritèr vocamus, adeò multiplicatæ sunt, quòd earum numerus in vna ciuitate, scilicèt Colonia, ad plus quam mille asseritur ascendisse, etc. After whiche, speakinge yn the yere of Christe 1250 of the encrease of relligious orders, he sayeth, Item in Alemania et Francia mulieres, quas Biguinas nominant, etc.

Citrinatione or perfect digestion. Citrinatione you do not expounde, beinge a terme of Alchymye. Whiche Citrinatione is bothe a color and parte of the philosophers stoone. for, as hathe Tractatus Avicennæ (yf yt be his and not liber suppositi[ti]us, as manye of the Alchimicall woorkes are foysted in vnder the names of the best lerned authors and philosophers, as Plato, Aristotle, Avicen, and suche others,) in parte of the 7 chapter. Citrinatio est que fit inter album et rubrum, et non dicitur coolor perfectus, whiche Citrinatione, as sayethe Arnoldus de Nova Villa, li. i. ca. 5. nihil aliud est quàm completa digestio. For the worke of the philosophers stoone, following the worke of nature, hathe lyke color in the same degree. for as the vrine of manne, being whityshe, sheweth imperfecte digestione: But when he hathe well rested, and slepte after the same, and the digestione perfected: the vrine becomethe citrine, or of a depe yellowe cooler: so ys yt in Alchymye. whiche made Arnolde call this citrinatione perfect digestion, or the cooler provinge the philosophers stoone broughte almoste to the heigh[t]e of perfectione.

Forage is old and hard provision made for horses and cattle in winter, Forage in one place you expounde meate, and in other place fodder. boothe whiche properly cannott stande in this place of chaucer in the reves prologue, where he sayeth, “my fodder is forage.” for yf forrage be fodder, then is the sence of that verse, “my fodder is fodder.” But fodder beinge a generall name for meate gyven to Cattle in winter, and of affynytie withe foode applied to menne and beasts, dothe onlye signyfye meate. And so the sence is, “my meate ys forage,” that is, my meate is suche harde and olde provisione as ys made for horses and Cattle in winter. for so doth this worde forragium in latyne signyfye. and so dothe Chaucer meane. for the word next before dothe well shewe yt, when the Reve sayeth,

or metaphorically, or to help out the ryme it may mean grass. Yet metaphor­ically yt may be taken for other than drye horse meate, although improperlye; as Chaucer hathe, in Sir Topas Ryme, where he makethe yt grasse for his horse, and vseth the woorde rather to make vpp the ryme than to shewe the true nature thereof; sayinge,

Heroner is a long-winged hawk for the heron. Heroner you expounde a certeyne kynde of hawke, whiche is true, for a gowshawke, sparrowe hawke, tassell, &c. be kyndes of hawkes. But this heroner, is an especiall hawke (of anye of the kyndes of longe winged hawkes) of moore accompte then other hawkes are, because the flighte of the Herone ys moore daungerous than of other fowles, insomuch, that when she fyndeth her selfe in danger, she will lye in the ayre vppon her backe, and turne vpp her bellye towardes the hawke; and so defile her enymye with her excrementes, that eyther she will blinde the hawke, or ells with her byll or talons pierce the hawkes brest yf she offer to cease vppon her.

The Hyppe is the berye of the sweet bryer or eglantine. The Hyppe is not simplye the redde berrye one the Bryer, vnlest you adde this epithetone and saye, the redde Berrye one the swete Bryer, (which is the Eglantyne,) to distinguyshe yt from the comone Bryer or Bramble beringe the blacke Berye, for that name Bryer ys comone to them boothe; when the Hyppe is proper but to one, neither maye yt helpe you that you saye the redd Berye, to distinguyshe yt from the Blacke, for the blacke berye ys also redde for a tyme, and then may be called the redde Berye of the Bryer for that tyme.

Nowell meaneth more than Christmas. Nowell you expounde Christmasse, whiche ys that feaste and moore, for yt is that tyme, whiche is properlye called the Advente together with Christmasse and Neweyeres tyde, wherefore the true etymologye of that worde ys not Christmasse, or the twelve dayes, but yt is godd with us, or, oure Godde, expressinge to vs the comynge of Christe in the fleshe, whiche peradventure after a sorte, by the figure synecdoche, you may seeme to excuse, placinge ther xþemasB (Christmasse) a parte of this tyme of Nowell for all the tyme that Nowell conteynethe. for in the same worde is conteyned sometyme xx, but for the most parte thirtye dayes before Christmesse, aswell as the Christmesse yt selfe, that woorde being deduced as hathe Willielmus Postellus in Alphabet. 12 Linguarum, from the hebrue worde Noell: for thus he writethe: ‏נאל‎ noel, sonat deus noster sive Deus nobis advenit, solitaque est hec vox cantari a plebe ante xþi (Christi) natalitia viginti aut triginta dies quodam desiderio.

Porpherye is a peculiar marble, not marble in common. Porpherye you expounde marble, whiche marble ys genus, but porpherye is species, for as there is white and grey marble, so ys there redde marbell, whiche is this porpherye, a stone of reddish purple coolor, distincte or enterlaced with white veynes as you may see in the great pillars entringe into the royall exchange or burse in Cornhill.

Sendale, a sylke stuffe. Sendale you expounde a thynne stuffe lyke cypres. but yt was a thynne stuffe lyke sarcenette, and of a rawe kynde of sylke or sarcenett, but courser and narrower, than the sarcenett nowe ys, as my selfe canne remember.

The trepegett is not the battering-ram, but an engine to cast stones. Trepegett you expounde a ramme to batter walles. But the trepegete was the same that the magonell; for Chaucer calleth yt a trepegett or magonell; wherefore the trepegett and magonell being all one, and the magonell one instrumente to flynge or cast stones (as youreselfe expounde yt) into a towne, or against a towne walles, (an engine not muche vnlyke to the catapulte, an instrumente to cast forthe dartes, stones, or arrowes,) the trepeget must nedes also be one instrumente to cast stones or such lyke against a wall or into a towne, and not a Ramme to batter wales; since the Ramme was no engine to flinge anye thinge, but by mens handes to be broughte and pusshed againste the walles; a thinge farr different in forme from the magonell or catapulte, as appereth by Vigetius and Robertus Valturius de re militari.

Wiuer or Wyvern, a serpent like unto a dragon. Wiuer you expounde not. Wherefore I will tell you, a wyuer is a kynde of serpent of good Bulke, not vnlyke vnto a dragon, of whose kinde he is, a thinge well knowen vnto the Heroldes, vsinge the same for armes, and crestes, & supporters of manye gentle and noble menne. As the erle of Kent beareth a wiuer for his creste and supporters, the erle of Pembroke, a wiuer vert for his creste; the erle of Cumberlande, a wiuer geules for his supporters.

Autenticke meaneth a thing of auctoritye, not of antiquitye. Autenticke you expounde to be antiquytye. But howe you may seme to force and racke the worde to Chaucers meaninge, I knowe not; but sure I ame the proper signyficatione of autenticke is a thinge of auctoritye or credit allowed by menne of auctoritye, or the originall or fyrste archetypum of any thinge; whiche I muse that you did not remember.

Abandone is not liberty though Hollyband sayeth so. Abandone you expounde libertye; whiche in all Italiane, Frenche, and Spanishe, signifyeth relinquere, to forsake and leave a thinge; whiche methinkethe you most hardely stretche to libertye, vnlest you will saye that, when one forsakethe a thinge, he leaveth yt at libertye; whiche ys but a streyned speche, although the frenche Hollybande, not vnder­standinge the true energye of our tongue, hath expounded yt libertye; whiche may be some warrante vnto you.

Vnder the title of youre Annotacions and Corrections.

Of the Vernacle. In youre Annotacions you describe, oute of the prologues, the vernacle to be a broche or figure, wherein was sett the instruments wherewith Christe was crucyfyed, and withall a napkyn whereine was the printe of his face. but the vernacle did not conteyne the instrumentes of his deathe, but only the clothe wherein was the figure of his face; as I conceve yt with others.

Master Thynne would read Campaneus for Capaneus, and giveth reasons. Fo: 1. pa: 2. For Campaneus you wolde reade Capaneus, wherunto I cannott yelde. for althoughe Statius and other latine authors do call hym Capaneus; yet all the writers of Englande in that age call him campaneus; as Gower, in confessione amantis, and Lidgat in the historye of Thebes taken out of Statius, and Chaucer hym selfe in many other places. so that yt semethe they made the pronuntiatione of Campaneus to be the dialecte of our tongue for Capaneus. Besides chaucer is in this to be pardoned, in that taking his knightes tale out of the Thesayde of Bocas, written in Italiane (and of late translated into frenche,) doth there, after the Italiane manner, call him campaneus; for so the Italians pronounce woordes beginninge with cap: with the interpositione of the lettere m, pronouncinge yt camp: for, that whiche the Latins call capitolium, the Italians call campidoglio; and suche lyke. Wherefore since yt was vniversallye receued in that age, to call him Campaneus: lett vs not nowe alter yt, but permytte yt to have free passage accordinge to the pronuntiatione and wrytinge of that age. since, in deducinge woordes from one language to one other, there ys often additione and substractione of letters, or of Sillabes, before, in the middle, and in the ende of those wordes. whereof infynyte examples mighte be produced, whiche I nowe shonne for brevytye.

Liketh the reading of Eros, but preferreth that of Heros, and giveth reasons. Fo: 3. pa: 2. (“Noughte comelye lyke to lovers maladye of Hereos.”) for whiche woorde hereos you reade eros, i. cupide, a very good and probable correctione, well gathered out of Luciane. But (salua patientia vestra, and reservinge to myselfe better iudgmente hereafter yf I nowe mystake yt,) I wolde, for the printed hereos of Chaucer, read heroes. whiche two woordes onlye differ in misplacinge of the letters; a comone thinge for the printer to do, and the corrector to overpasse. for Arcyte, in this furye of his love, did not shewe those courses of gouer[n]mente, whiche the Heroes, or valiante persons, in tymes past vsed, for thoughe they loued, yet that passione did not generallye so farre overrule them (althoughe yt mighte in some one particuler personne) as that theye lefte to contynewe the valor, and heroicke actions, whiche they before performed. for the Heroes sholde so love, as that they sholde not forgett, what they were in place, valor, or magnanymytye, whiche Arcite, in this passione, did not observe “lyke to lovers malady of Heroes.” Whereof I coulde produce six hundred examples, (as the proverbe ys,) were yt not that I avoyde tedious prolixytye.

Of florins and their name from the Florentines. Fo: 6. pa: 2. (“Manye a florence.”) In whiche noote you expounde a florence to be ij^s frenche, and a gelder to be the same in dutche. Wherein you mistake the valewe of the florens, suche as was vsed in Chaucers tyme, whiche taking his name of the woorkemenne, beinge florentynes, (of the terrytorye of florence in Italye,) were called Florens; Sterling money taketh its name from the Esterlings. as sterlinge money tooke their name of Esterlinges, whiche refyned and coyned the silver in the tyme of kinge Henry the seconde. for two shillinges frenche ys not equall in valewe (as I nowe take yt) to two shillinges Englishe: and much lesse equall to the florens in Chaucers tyme, whiche was of the valewe of thre shillings, fowre pence, or halfe a noble, or, at the leaste, of two shillinges tenne pence farthinge, as apperethe by recorde and historye: some of them being called florens de scuto or of the valewe of the shelde or frenche crowne and some of them called florens regall. Whereof you shall fynde, in the recorde of pellis exitus in the exchequer in michelmas terme 41. Ed. 3. this note. Bartholomeo de Burgershe militi in denariis sibi liberatis in parte solutionis 8000 florenorum de scuto pretii petii iij^s. iiij^d. sibi debitis de illis 30000 florenorum de scuto in quibus Rex tenebatur eidem Bartholomeo pro comite de Ventadoure, prisonario suo apud Bellum de Poyters in guerra capto, et ab eodem Bartholomeo ad opus Regis empto, vt patet per litteras Regis patentes, quas idem Bartholomeus inde penes se habet. in Dors. de summa subscripta, per breve de magno sigillo, inter mandata de Term. Michaelis de anno 36 —xx^li. To the valewe whereof agreeth Hipodigma Neustriæ, pa. 127, King John of France, his ransom of three millions of florens. where setting downe the ransome of the frenche kinge taken at Poyters to the valewe of thre milliones of florens, he sayethe “of whiche florens duo valebant vj^s. viij^d.” These florens the same Walsingham in another place callethe scutes or frenche crownes, pa. 170, sayinge: Rex quidem Franciæ pro sua redemptione soluit regi Angliæ tres milliones scutorum, quorum duo valent vnum nobile, videlicet, sex solidos et octo denarios. Whiche scutes in lyke manner, in the tyme of kinge Henry the sixte were of the same valewe, as apperethe in Fortescues commentaries of the lawes of Englande. But as those florens for the redemptione of the frenche kinge, were of the valewe of half one noble: so at the tyme of that kings reigne there were also one other sorte of florens, not of lyke valewe, but conteyned within the price of ij^s. x^d. see correction called florene regales, as apperethe in this record, of Easter terme, of Pellis exitus before sayed, where yt is thus entred one the sixte of Julye: Guiscardo de Angles. Domino de pleyne martyne, In denariis sibi liberatis per manus Walteri Hewett militis in pretio 4000 florenorum regalium pretii petii —ij^s. x^d. see correction de quibus florenis regalibus 7 computantur pro tribus nobilibus, eidem Guiscardo debitis. Whereby you see the meanest of these florens did exceed the valewe of ij^s. frenche, (although you sholde equall that with ii^s. Englishe,) as yt did also in other countryes. for in the lowe countryes at those dayes yt was much aboute the valewe of iij^s. iiij^d. beinge halfe a pistolet Italiane or Spanyshe. for so sayethe Heuterius Delphicus, (in the Historye of Burgundye, in the lyfe of Philippe le hardye,) lyving at that tyme, and sonne to the frenche kinge taken prisoner by the Inglishe. Heuterius’ woordes be these. Illustris viri aliorumque nobilium mors adeò comitem commovit, vt relicta obsidione exercitus ad commeatus ducendos in proxima loca distribuerit. Decem millibus florenorum (moneta Belgica est semipistoletum Italicum pendens) pro Anglicani, aliorumque nobilium cadaverum redemptione solutis, &c.

Of the oken garland of Emelye. Fo: 7. pa: 2. For unseriall you will vs to reade cerriall, for cerrus8 is a kynde of tree lyke one oke, bearinge maste; and therefore by your correctione yt sholde be a garland of grene oke cerriall: But for the same reasone (because cerrus ys a kynde of oke as ys also the Ilex) I judge yt sholde not be redde cerriall but unseriall, that ys, (yf you will nedes have this worde cerriall,) a garlande of greene oke not cerriall, as who sholde saye, she had a Garlande of Grene oke, but not of the oke Cerriall. and therefore a garlande of oke unseriall, signifyinge a garlande that was freshe and Grene, and not of dedd wannyshe Coolor as the oke Cerriall in some parte ys. for the Cerrus, being the tree whiche we comonly call the holme oke, (as Cooper also expoundeth the ilex to be that which wee call holme,) produceth two kyndes; whereof the one hathe greater, and the other lesser acornes, whose leaves beinge somewhat grene one the one syde, and of one ouerrussett and darkyshe Coolor on the other syde, were not mete for this garland of Emelye, whiche sholde be freshe and Grene one everye parte, as were her younge and grene yeres, lyke to the goddesse to whome she sacryfyced, and therefore a garlande of Grene oke unseriall, not beinge of oke cerriall, for yf yt had byn oke serriall, yt wolde haue shewed duskyshe and as yt were of dedishe leaves, and not freshe and orient as chaucer wolde haue her garlande. And this for your e[x]positione of unseriall, in some parte: for I wolde suppose that this worde unseriall dothe not vnaptly signifye perfectione of coolor, so that She having a Garlande of Grene oke unseriall, doth signyfye the oke to be grene and unseriall, that is, (as some do expounde this worde unseriall,) unsered, unsinged, unwithered, of freshe coolor, lyke unto the oke Quercus whiche hath no sered nor withered cooloor in his leafes. And yt was of necessytye that Emely (sacryfysinge to Diana) must haue a garlande of the Grene oke Quercus, because that they whiche sacryfyced vnto Diana, otherwise called Hecate, (which name is attribute to Diana, as natalis Comes affirmethe with statius in his Acheleidos in his first Booke sayinge,

Sic vbi virgineis Hecate lassata pharetris,

being Diana adorned with her bowe and arrowes, called also Triuia because Luna, Diana, and Heccate, were all one, whereof Virgil speaketh,

Tergeminamque Hecaten, tria virginis ora Dianæ,)

were adorned with a crowne of the grene oke Quercus, because that Heccate was wont to be crowned therewith, as hath Pierius Valerianus in his 51 booke of Hieroglyphes, sayinge, Heccate quoquè Quercu coronari solita est. for although Quercus be consecrate to Jupiter, because he gave his oracles in the same in Sylva Dodonea, and therefore called Jupiter Dodoneus; yet Antiqutye adorned and crowned Diana Heccate with the same crowne also. Wherefore I conclude, since she (Emelye) had a garlande of Grene oke, (as Chaucer of purpose addeth that woorde Greene to explane unseriall, whiche signyfyethe unsered, unparched, unwithered in every parte, not lyke to the oke Serriall, whose leafe one the one syde is duskyshe as though yt were somewhat withered,) that the same word unseriall must stand unamended, as well (as I sayed before) by youre owne correctione and the nature of the worde; as for that Diana, called Heccate, was crowned with the oke Quercus and not with the oke cerrus. But yf you obiecte to mee that, in this place, yt must be a garlande of oke cerriall accordinge to the woordes of Chaucer in one other place, because that he in the flower and the leafe (newely printed by you) hath these woordes;