Digital Index of Middle English Verse: No. 2385

DIMEV 2385

IMEV 1425

NIMEV 1425

If that lorel lords this understood

A treatise in reproof of worldiness in the clergy

Subjects: clergy, criticism/satire of

Versification: — two-line — aa

Manuscript Witnesses:

1.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library e Musaeo 198 (SC 3712), ff. 172-173v

First Lines:

Gif þat lorel lordes þis understode
And þise bisshoppis þat cunne litel gode…

Last Lines:

…þat to houre lyf is ful profitable
[ ] oure soule amendable

Note: 126 lines; the poem in this MS is not incorporated into the Prick of Conscience: Brown and Robbins (1943)

XCarleton Fairchild Brown, and Rossell Hope Robbins. The Index of Middle English Verse. New York: Printed for the Index Society by Columbia University Press, 1943

confuses it with the copy in Oxford, Bodleian Library Ashmole 60 (SC 6922); the text is very faded and at places completely unreadable.

Editions:

Halliwell-Phillipps, James Orchard, ed. The Thornton Romances: The Early English Metrical Romances of Perceval, Isumbras, Eglamour, and Degrevant. Camden Society o.s. 30 (1844); repr. F.S. Ellis, Kelmscott Press, 1897: 259-61 (latter portion only).

2.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Ashmole 60 (SC 6922), ff. 1-7v

First Lines:

ȝif lorel lordis þis vnderstode
And þise bischopis þat kunnen litil goode
And þise conkunnynge abbotis and priouris
And many othere rekles doctouris…

Last Lines:

…ffor þer is difference as y wene
Bytwene techyng and prechyng euene

Note: 212 lines; at the beginning of the MS there are four extracts (18 couplets on f. 1; 26 couplets on ff. 1v-2; 29 couplets and one line on ff. 3-3v, 50 couplets on ff. 4-5; 43 couplets on ff. 6-7v) intermixed with Latin prose; extract on f. 3v is incomplete because of missing leaf.

Editions:

Furnivall, Frederick James. Ballads from Manuscripts. London: Ballad Society, 1863; repr. New York: AMS, 1968: 1.63.

Allen, Hope Emily. Writings Attributed to Richard Rolle. New York: Modern Language Association of America, 1927: 391-2 (extracts).

hinder: adj.¹ and noun.² A. adj.¹ 1. Situated behind, at the back, or in the rear; posterior. (Notwithstanding its comparative form, it does not differ in sense from hind, but is more frequently used. Cf. YON adv., YONDER adv., adj., pron., and n.) hinder gate, postern gate. 2. Of time. a. Last past, ‘last’; as in this hinder day yesterday, this hinder night last night, yesternight. OED

priven: verb To deprive (sb.) of (sth.), deny (sb. sth.); ppl. prived, bereaved, bereft of, deprived of; without; (b) ~ of (from), to deprive (sb. of sth.), deny (sth. to sb.), exclude (sb. from sth.); prived of (from), deprived of (sth.), bereft of; lacking, without; ben of god priving, be a robber of goods; (c) to depose (sb.), dismiss; ~ of (from), deprive (sb.) of (power, kingdom, etc.), remove or dismiss (sb.) from (office or position); (d) to take (sth.) away; prevent (sth.), deny, oppose; weaken (the body); -- also without obj. MED

weir: noun 1. Warfare. a. A state or period of hostilities and combat existing between political groups, esp. realms or nations; also, specif. the warlike activity appropriate to knights, and also sometimes applied to the skills involved (see (3) below and cf. some quots. in 2 (1)). b. Hostilities, strife, etc. between (groups of) individuals pursuing private enmities. Dictionary of the Scots Language