The poet Gower, as represented on his monument in the church of St. Mary-Overy, hath, according to Stow, “on his head a chaplet, like a coronet of foure roses;” and it may be remembered that Copland, the printer of this identical May-game, dwelled “at the signe of the rose garlande.” We see, likewise, that “a rose garlonde” was set up (to be shot through, it is presumed) in the “Lytell Geste of Robyn Hode,” fytte 7, v. 177. Though the fashion of wearing such an ornament was formerly common in France (for which see Chaucer’s “Romaunt of the Rose,” a close translation from the French), and at a still later period in Germany, see “The Hystorye of Reynarde the Foxe,” a translation from the language of that country, and Moryson’s Itinerary, 1617 (part 1, p. 25, and part 3, p. 167), no further instance has been met with of its prevalence in this country. [342] Maryet. C. [343] The. C. [344] Not omitted in W. [345] To do. C. to or so omitted in W. [346] Wedded. C. wed. W. [347] Your. C. [348] And. [349] You shall. [350] When. [351] Come tell. [352] Th’ now. MS. [353] Wone. MS. [354] I pray _to_. MS. [355] So. MS. [356] Because of Robyn Hode. MS. [357] The. MS. [358] That gode was _with ale_. MS. [359] Mere. MS. {387} [Illustration] GLOSSARY. _Abye_, [to suffer]. _Air_, early. _Alderbest_, best of all. This phrase, which occurs in Chaucer, is corrupted in De Worde’s edition to “_al ther_” and “_al theyre_,” which Coplande has changed to “_al of the_;” whence it may be inferred that the expression was become already obsolete, and consequently that the poem is of much greater antiquity than 1520: and yet Shakespeare, above half a century after, puts the word _Alderliefest_ into the mouth of Queen Margaret in his _Second Part of Henry the Sixth_. _Angels_, pieces of gold coin, value 10s. _Anker_, hermit, anchorite. _Ar_, ere. _Asay_, _Asayed_, essayed, tried, proved. _A-sound_, in a swoon. _Aunsetters_, ancestors. _Avow_, _Avowe_, protestation, confession. “_I make myn avow to God_,” profess to God: from _aveu_, F. _Avowe_, maintain, _verbum juris_. _Avowè_, founder, patron, protector. See Spelman’s _Glossary_, _v._ ADVOCATUS. _Awayte_, _Awatye me scathe_, lie in wait to do me harm. _Awayted_, lay in wait for. _Awet_, wit, know. _Awkwarde_, backward. _An awkwarde stroke_ seems to mean an unusual or out of the way stroke, one which the receiver could not foresee, be aware of, or guard against; a sort of left or back hand stroke. “_An_ auke _stroke_” is a frequent expression in _La Mort d’Arthur_. _Ayenst_, against. _Baist_, _Baste_, basted, belaboured. _Baith_, both. _Bale_, mischief, woe, sorrow, misery. _Ballup_, p. 306. _Banis_, bane, destruction. _Bear_, moan, lamentation, outcry. _Bearing_, arrow. _Bedene_, behind, one after another? {388} _Bedyng_, asking. _Your bedyng shall be doyn_, your invitation shall be complied with. _Beforen_, before.