See pp. 45-7. In preparing the text, I have reduced in as simple a manner as possible the fifteenth-century spelling to modern forms. Dr. J.A.H. Murray's parallel texts (see note on p. 46) have been consulted, but mainly I have followed the oldest of them--that of the Thornton MS. in Lincoln Cathedral Library. The footnotes explain all words save those that are or ought to be familiar to every reader. [1] l. 1. _endris_, last. [2] l. 6. _meaned_, moaned. [3] l. 7. _bered_, sounded. The woodwale is some kind of wood-bird. [4] l. 14. _wrable and ivry_, ? wriggle and twist, _i.e._ in the attempt to describe her. [5] l. 17. See p. 54. [6] _Swilk_, such. [7] l. 21. _roelle-bone;_ a commonplace in early poetry, as the material for saddles; meaning unknown. [8] l. 24. _crapotee_, toad-stone. [9] l. 32. _overbegone_, overlaid. [10] l. 33. _paytrell_ = poitrail, breast-leather of a horse; _iral_ (?). [11] l. 34. _orphare_ = orferrie, goldsmith's work. [12] l. 38. _raches_, dogs. [13] l. 39. _halse_, neck. [14] l. 40. _flane_, arrow. [15] l. 43. See pp. 46-7 and note. [16] l. 45. _But-if,_ unless. [17] l. 48. For an elaborate investigation of the circumstances concerning the _Eildon tree_, see the special section in Murray's edition. [18] l. 49. _rathely_, quickly. [19] l. 63. _fee_, beasts, cattle. [20] l. 71. _sekerly_, truly. [21] l. 79. _ware_, worse. [22] l. 86. _byrde_, bride. [23] l. 89. _stead_, place. [24] l. 98. _duleful_, painful. [25] l. 103. _gone_ = go (old infinitive). [26] l. 104. _Middle-earth_ = Earth, the middle region in the old Northern cosmogony. [27] l. 107. Thomas is here addressing the Virgin. [28] l. 111. _beteach_, entrust, hand over to. [29] l. 114. _derne_, secret. [30] l. 117. _mountenance_, space. [31] l. 121. _herbere_, garden. [32] l. 126. _bigging,_ building. [33] l. 127. _papejoys_, popinjays, parrots. [34] ll. 131-6. On the danger of eating fairy apples, see p. 53. [35] l. 137. _hight_, command. [36] l. 141. _hight_ (MS. _hye_), ? pleasure. [37] l. 143. _pay_, please. [38] l. 145 et sqq. See p. 46. [39] l. 145. _fair_, pronounced as two syllables. [40] l. 150. _rise_, brushwood, undergrowth. [41] l. 155. _teen and tray_, pain and trouble. [42] l. 167. _me were lever_, I had rather. [43] l. 168. _Or that_, ere that, before that. [44] l. 175. _dess_, dais. [45] l. 183. _main and mood_, might and main. [46] l. 188. _kneeland_ = kneeling. Cf. l. 191. [47] l. 189. _fand_, found. [48] l. 190. _sawtery_ = psaltery. [49] l. 191. _ribib_, rebeck, lute. [50] l. 191. _gangand_ = going. [51] l. 196. _store_, plentiful. [52] l. 199. _brittened_ = brittled, cut up (the deer) [53] l. 208. This sudden and momentary change to the first person is found in all the older MSS. See p. 47. [54] l. 209. _thee buse_--it behoves thee. Cf. l. 234. [55] l. 213. _cheer_, look, face.