The sixth stanza probably began with the letter _D_; in which case, the initial letters of the stanzas give us _M_, _M_, _M_; _D_, _D_, _D_; _J_, _C_, _Q_. And, as it was evidently addressed to a lady named _Margaret_ (see the Notes), we seem to see here _Margaret, Dame Jacques_. The name of _Robert Jacques_ occurs in the Writs of Parliament; Bardsley's English Surnames, 2nd ed., p. 565. Of course this is a guess which it is easy to deride; but it is very difficult to account otherwise for the introduction of the letters _J_, _C_, _Q_ in the third Balade; yet it was evidently intentional, for much force was employed to achieve the result. To make the first stanza begin with _J_, recourse is had to French; and the other two stanzas both begin with inverted clauses. § 64. XXIII. GO FORTH, KING. I give this from Thynne's first edition; but add the Latin lines from the copy printed in Schick's edition of The Temple of Glas, at p. 68. His text is from that printed by Wynken de Worde about 1498, collated with the second and third prints from the same press at somewhat later dates, and a still later copy printed by Berthelet. The only difference between Thynne's text and that given by Schick is that Wynken de Worde printed _ar_ in the last line where Thynne has printed _be_. Schick also notes that 'the Chaucer-Prints of 1561 and 1598 omit _thou_' in l. 9; and I find that it is also omitted in the third edition (undated, about 1550). But it occurs in the edition of 1532, all the same; shewing that the later reprints cannot always be relied upon. I have already said (vol. i. p. 40)--'Surely it must be Lydgate's.' For it exhibits his love for 'catalogues,' and presents his peculiarities of metre. Dr. Schick agrees with this ascription, and points out that its appearance in the four prints above-mentioned, in all of which it is annexed to Lydgate's Temple of Glas, tends to strengthen my supposition. I think this may be taken as removing all doubt on the subject. § 65. I beg leave to quote here Schick's excellent remarks upon the poem itself. 'There are similar pieces to these _Duodecim Abusiones_ in earlier English literature (see ten Brink, _Geschichte der englischen Literatur_, i. 268, and note).[32] The "twelf unþ[=e]awas" existed also in Old-English; a homily on them is printed in Morris, _Old Eng. Homilies_, pp. 101-119[33]. It is based on the Latin Homily "De octo viciis et de duodecim abusivis huius saeculi," attributed to St. Cyprian or St. Patrick; see Dietrich in Niedner's _Zeitschrift für historische Theologie_, 1855, p. 518; Wanley's _Catalogus_, passim (cf. the Index _sub voce_ Patrick). In the Middle-English period we meet again with more or less of these "Abusions"; see Morris, _Old Eng. Miscellany_, p. 185 (11 Abusions); Furnivall, _Early Eng. Poems_, Berlin, 1862 (Phil. Soc.), p. 161; "Five Evil Things," Wright and Halliwell, _Reliquiae Antiquae_, i. 316, and ii. 14.' § 66. XXIV. THE COURT OF LOVE.