Digital Index of Middle English Verse: No. 5364

DIMEV 5364

IMEV 3405.8

NIMEV TM 1547

The knowledge of God passeth comparison

William Cornish, A Treatise bytweene Enformacione and Musyke (A.D. 1504) — Prologue of four stanzas rhyme royal and text of twelve stanzas rhyme royal

Author(s): William Cornish

Title(s): A Treatise bytweene Enformacione and Musyke

Subjects: debates

Versification: — seven-line — ababbcc

Manuscript Witnesses:

1.Source: London, British Library Harley 43, ff. 88-91v

First Lines:

The knowlege of god passythe comparysone
the devyle knowthe all evyle thyng consentyd or done…

Last Lines:

…for yif he dyd then change sholde the thys song
pyte for pacyens & concyens for wrong

Note: Imperfect; added to back flyleaves; damage to f. 88 means that third stanza virtually lost; ends bottom of page on 91 recto; this version has 4-stanza prologue followed by sixteen stanzas rhyme royal.

Attributed Title: A tretyse by twene enformacione and musyke (f. 88v after prologue)

2.Source: London, British Library Royal 18 D.II, ff. 163ra-164ra

First Lines:

The knowledge of god passith comparyson
The devill knowith all il thinge consented or done…

Last Lines:

…ffor if he didde then change shulde this in songe
pitie for pacience and conscience for wronge

Attributed Author: In the fleete maade be me William Cornysshe otherwyse called Nysshewhete Chapelman with the moost famost and noble kyng Henry the viith his raigne the xixth yere, the moneth of Iuly, a Treatise bitwene Trowth and enformacion (f. 163); Ne nysswhete parabolam (f. 164ra, in rubric)

Attributed Title: A. B. of E. how C. for T. was P. in P (f. 163, in rubric)

Facsimiles:

Digital Facsimile of British Library MS Royal 18 D II. 2015; http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/FullDisplay.aspx?ref=Royal_MS_18_D_II.

Editions:

Flügel, Ewald. “Kleinere Mitteilungen aus handschriften: Cornyshe’s Treatise bitwene Trowth and Enformacion (Royal ms. 18.D.II).” Anglia 14 (1892): 466-71: 467.

Hollander, John. The Untuning of the Sky. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 1961; repr. 1983; Norton, 1970: 433-6.

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