1150 dawnsyn, dance.

1152 funtston, baptismal font.

1154-55 and that sor rewyth me, and that I sorely regret.

1155 ronnyn, run.

1156 suffer me, allow me.

1157 onyd, united, joined.

1159 behest, promise.

1163 thart, need.

1168 behygth, promised; schuldyst, should.

1175 feryd, frightened.

1176 hevynes, sorrows.

1177 sekenes, sicknesses; anoynted, anointed, i.e., given last rites.

1178 skapyd, escaped.

1181 wonyng, dwelling.

1183 govyn hem drynkyn, given them drink.

1185 wrowte, made.

1186 the body that the hath bowte, the body that has bought (redeemed) you (Jesus through his Passion).

1188 Seynt Barbara, St. Barbara, virgin martyr; dom, doom, judgment.

1189 bone, boon, favor.

1190 and, if.

1191 joyn, rejoice.

1195 thu schalt mown askyn, you shall be able to ask.

1196 telde, told.

1200 clepyn, call; dere abowte, dearly bought, dearly redeemed.

1206 vykary, vicar.

1207 cure, curacy, care of souls; benefyce, benefice, ecclesiastical living.

1208 parysshonys, parishoners.

1213 massage, message.

1215 qwer, choir; cors, corpse.

1217 hele, health; messe peny, mass penny.

1218 cors, body.

1229 an helply to the powyr, helpful to the poor.

1230 mone, moan.

1231 joyntys, joints.

1234 lyster, dyer.

1235 languryn, languish, linger.

1242 hem alle for to . . . of mor profyte, to write them all should perhaps hinder that which is more profitable.

1244 commendacyon, commendation, praise.

1246 ponyschyng, punishment.

1247 levar a, rather have.

1249 trubbyl, trouble.

1249-50 it fel not . . . undyrstandyng, it did not seem credible to her understanding.

1251 turbele, trouble.

1253 prevyn, test, ascertain.

1255 komyn, come; unsekyr, uncertain.

1256 thei, though; loth, loath, hesitant; wylly, willing.

1260 ellys not a, otherwise not have.

1263 gevyn credens, give credence, believe; hyndryd, hindered.

1266 expleyntyng, explaining.

1268 smet, smote, struck.

1269 tweyn, two.

1273 credens, credence; amyabyl, amiable.

1274 faveryd, favored; cuntenawns, countenance; sad, wise.

1275 gestur, gesture; vestur, clothing; purposyng, intending.

1276 into hys relevyng and comfort, for his relief and comfort.

1277 meyrs pere, mayor's peer.

1278 myschef, misfortune.

1283 anow, enough; holpyn, helped; relevyd, relieved.

1284 it was mor almes, it was more charitable.

1289 lettyd, hindered.

1295 medyl, meddle.

1307 whethyr2, whither, from whence.

1311 schrewe, scoundrel.

1312 proferyd, offered; portose, portable breviary.

1313 wetyn, know.

1314 by, buy; cheryd, cared for.

1321 profyr, offer.

1322 thryftyare, more prosperous; richare, richer.

1324 awt, owned.

1325 yef, if; sad, sober.

1327 mevyn, move.

1329 Penteney Abbey, Augustinian priory in Norfolk.

1330 sey, seen.

1331 lyvery, livery.

1332 lokyn, see; acordyn, agree.

1333 woke, week.

1337 matere, matter.

1338 her, here.

1340 o, one.

1342 purificacyons, purifications, the rite of "churching" women after childbirth; person, parson; Benetys, Benedict's, i.e., a Benedictine monk.

1346 fel gret ple, there fell (befell) great legal action; priowr, prior.

1347 paryschenys, parishioners; funtys, baptisms.

1348 on, one.

1349 fayrare, fairer; funte, baptismal font.

1350 The bulle was put in ple, The bull was appealed.

1352 derogacyon, detraction.

1355 spede, help; rewth, pity.

1356 er than, rather than; thei, though; powyr, poor.

1359 yrkyn, to irk, to annoy.

1360 my Lord of Norwych Alnewyk, William Alnwick, Bishop of Norwich, 1426-36; be trety, by negotiation.

1361 for to settyn, in order to establish; pes, peace.

1364 suyd, sued, petitioned; her, their.

1370 nobelys, nobles (gold coins).

1375 her intent, their intent; slakyn her bost, reduce their boasting.

1376 menys, means.

1381 sothfast and sekyr, truth and certainty.

1383 whyk, quick, alive.

1385 cleymyd, claimed; dette, debt.

1386 aseth, compensation.

1390 brokebakkyd, broken backed; safté, safety.

1392 Mayster Robert, Robert Spryngolde, parish priest of St. Margaret's church and Margery's chief confessor.

1393 Trinité, Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Norwich.

1394 Yermowth, Yarmouth.

1395 Seryce, Zierikzee, Zeeland, the Netherlands.

1402 Ynglond, England.

1406 mevyng, influence.

1408 lofe, love.

1409 tabyl, table; alto chedyn, severely chided.

1413 wrothar, angrier.

1414 wreth, wrath.

1417-18 develys deth mote . . . and rathe, devil's death might overcome you soon and quickly.

1421 han awey, take away.

1423 and tene to go wher sche wolde, and to direct herself wherever she would.

1424 hem, them.

1426 mekyn hir, humble herself.

1427 Constawns, Constance.

1431-32 dedyn hir don . . . not makyn of hir, made her to wear white canvas in the manner of a woman's sackcloth garment, for she would be taken for a fool and the people should not (then) make much of her.

1433 durst ful evyl, dared hardly.

1434 her, their.

1436 cheryn, take care of.

1438 to Constawnsward, toward Constance.

1446 Popys legat, papal legate.

1448 owyr, hour; ny, nearly.

1464 bordys ende, table's end; won, wont, used.

1466 myryar, merrier.

1470-71 I wyl not don hir etyn, I will not make her eat.

1472 avowe, a vow; barfote, barefoot.

1476 sesyn, cease; ther men wyl her hir, where men will hear her.

1481 maystres, mistress.

1482 behestyd, promised; sekyrd, assured.

1483 made hir chawnge, made her exchange.

1485 ordeyn hir a ledar, appoint her a leader or a guide.

1486 aswythe aftyr, quickly thereafter.

1487 Devynschir, Devonshire.

1488 gyde, guide.

1495 rewful, rueful, mournful.

1496 cowde no langage, lit., could no language (did not know the language).

1498-99 and I . . . forberyn my tabbarde, and I shall be beaten for you and made to give up my tabard (outer garment).

1500 mend, mind, memory.

1501 avowtré, adultery.

1503 defowlyd, defiled.

1504 avow, vow.

1509 Boleyn de Grace, Bologna.

1510 thedyr, thither.

1513 asayn, assay, try.

1514 comnawnt, covenant.

1518 nunnys, nuns.

1519 cher, comfort.

1521 amerveylyd, astonished.

1522 leryd, learned.

1524 hold yow comenawnt, keep covenant with you.

1525 forbodyn it me, forbidden it to me.

1526 toke hir chawmbre, took to her chamber.

1529 maystres, mistress; no dele, no deal, not at all.

1530 tabyl, table.

1531 seylyn, sail.

1533 her, their.

1534 ther, where.

1540 seldyn, sold.

1542-43 for thei . . . otherwyse don, for they dared not do otherwise.

1543 lokyd, locked; her, their.

1544 schete, sheet.

1557-58 in poynt to a fallyn of hir asse, at the point of falling off her ass.

1559 tweyn pylgrymys of Duchemen, two German pilgrims.

1560 spycys, spices.

1564 and thei wer . . . day at evynsong, and they were let in on the one day at evensong.

1571 veryly, verily.

1573 walwyd and wrestyd, wallowed and twisted.

1574 brostyn, burst; cité, city.

1576 mornyng, mourning.

1582 despyte, despite, scorn.

1583 astoynd, astonished.

1586-87 er yf sche sey . . . whethyr it wer, or if she saw a man or beast that had a wound.

1587 bett, beat; smet, smote.

1593 cotidianly, daily.

1599 noyng, annoying.

1601 bannyd, cursed; havyn, haven, harbor.

1602 gostly, spiritual.

1607 blo, leaden-colored.

1608 leed, lead.

1618 duffehows of holys, dovecot of holes.

1619 reverys, rivers.

1626-27 whan we may . . . men and women, when we may see each day with our eyes both men and women.

1628 thorw ovyr fele stody and erdly affeccyon, through over much devotion and earthly affection.

1631-32 to leevyn er seesyn, to leave off or cease.

1638 wrekyn hem, avenge them.

1641 offens, an offense; compassyfe, compassionate.

1643-44 ne not we wylle . . . indued wyth lofe, neither will we support our Lord's own secretaries (i.e., the holy men and women who "trace out" his life) which he has endued with love.

1644 hyndryn, hinder.

1653 ther owyr, where our.

1664 swownyd, swooned.

1668 mad hys Mawndé, made his Last Supper.

1670 sacryd, consecrated.

1672 plenyr remyssyon, plenary remission.

1675 ferd, fourth.

1679 the tyme of tweyn messys heryng, for the time it takes to hear two masses.

1684 asoyld, pardoned.

1684-86 and dispensyd wyth . . . thin owyn selfe, and absolved you so that you need not go (on pilgrimage) to Rome or to St. James (of Compostella) unless you yourself want to.

1697 partabyl in, capable of partaking.

1699 Bedlem, Bethlehem.

1703 Grey Frerys, Franciscans.

1710 Flod of Jurdon, River Jordan.

1713 askyd hem no leve, did not ask them permission.

1715 Mownt Qwarentyne, Mount Quarentyne (near Jericho).

1718 mekyl, much; happyd, came along.

1718-19 a Sarazyn, a welfaryng man, a Saracen, a comely man.

1719 grote, grote (silver coin).

1723 Grey Frerys, Franciscans.

1725 reprevys, reproofs.

1728 tho behestys, those promises.

1733 Betanye, Bethany; ther Lazer, where Lazarus.

1735 Estern Day, Easter Day.

1736-37 "Mary, why wepyst thu?", see John 20:15.

1739 Frerys of the Tempyl, Franciscans of the Convent of the Holy Sepulchre.

1744 Rafnys, Ramleh (town outside Jerusalem on the road to Jaffa).

1746 purchasyn hir mor pardon, lit., to "purchase" for herself more pardon.

1751 Venyce, Venice.

1752 deyin, die.

1759 velany, shame.

1761 diswer, doubt.

1767 deceyvabyl, deceiving.

1769 flowyn on the gret plenté of grace, pour out on you an abundance of grace.

1770 powyr, poor; cowche, hump.

1771 forclowtyd, patched.

1772 eyleth, aileth.

1774 Erlond, Ireland.

1781 bowys and arwys, bows and arrows.

1782 wepyn, weapon; cloke ful of clowtys, cloak full of patches.

1783 defowlyn, defile.

1784 ledyn the, lead you.

1787 too, two.

1788 chyst, chest.

1790 metyn, meet.

1791 gon on my purchase and beggyn my levyng, attend to my occupation and beg my living.

1794 herborwe, lodging; he . . . hemselfe, they . . . themselves; that, so that.

1798 worshepful wyfys lappys, the laps of honorable women.

1798-99 wold puttyn schirtys ther upon, would put shirts on the image.

1799 thei, though.

1806 nerhand, nearly.

1810 gravyn, engrave.

1810-11 "Jhesus est amor meus," Jesus is my love.

1811 thevys, thieves.

1814-15 purposyd befortyme er . . . a weryd ryng, previously intended, before she had it by revelation, never to wear a ring.

1816 cheryn, encourage.

1817 mett, measure.

1822 bone maryd, good marriage.

1823 as ho seyth, as one might say; awey, lost.

1825 sowt, sought.

1828 bordys, boards.

1830 pur, for; Assyse, Assisi.

1831 Frer Menowr, Franciscan.

1839 kerche, veil (The Lower Church of St. Francis holds the Veil of Our Lady.).

1841-42 Lammes Day, Lammas Day (August 1).

1842 plenyr, plenary.

1845-46 Knygtys of Roodys, Knights of Rhodes.

1846 mekyl good caryage, ample means of conveyance.

1855 hospital of Seynt Thomas of Cawntyrbery, hospice for English pilgrims to Rome.

1865 schrevyn, shriven.

1871 howselyd, administered the sacrament.

1876 confiteor, confession of sins.

1878 Seynt John the Evangelyst, St. John, the beloved disciple. He also appeared to Elizabeth of Hungary, whose Revelation was possibly important to Kempe. See McNamer, Staley (1994).

1879 "Benedicité", Bless you; "Dominus", Lord.

1881 swemful, sorrowful.

1882 enjoyned, commanded, directed.

1883 asoyled, absolved.

1887 wistly, certainly; wroth, angry.

1890 tresor, treasure.

1891 werdlys, worldly.

1895 far liche, fare (proceed) like.

1896 to, toward; arayn, array, dress.

1900 holdyn the ryth wel plesyd, hold yourself right well pleased.

1901 the the, you the.

1901-02 He is wel blyssed . . . hys wo stool, He is well blessed who can sit on his well stool and tell of his woe stool, i.e., He is lucky who can sit in good fortune and tell of his former misfortune.

1908 cowde, knew.

1909 be, by means of, through.

1912 sentys, saint; steryn, directing, urging; other that lovedyn, others who loved.

1920 therten, thirteen.

1924 les than, unless.

1928 swech mend, such memory.

1931 demyng, deeming, thinking.

1932 levyng, believing.

1933 symulacyon, simulation.

1944 chesyn, choose.

1946 seyng, seeing.

1950 wetyng, knowing; saf, except.

1956 defamyn, defame; detractyd of, disparaged by.

1957 nerhand, nearly.

1972 wyfys, women; malendrynes, highwaymen.

1979 ryth fawyn, right fain.

1980 schrewyd, sharp.

1986 deynté of, delight in, affection for.

1987 herby, hereby.

1992 party, part; hold, old; poure, poor.

1994 cured, covered.

1995 mentyl, mantle, cloak; vermyn, vermin.

1995-96 fet hom, fetched home.

1996 in her nekke, on her neck; mete, food.

1997 sowr, sour.

1998 gaf, gave.

2000 Postelys Cherch, Apostles' Church; Seynt Laterynes Day, St. John Lateran's Day, November 9.

2005 prevyteys, secrets.

2006 wonyn, dwell; sylens, silence.

2010 to, by.

2014 stede, place (i.e., instead of).

2015 semly, seemly, becoming.

2021 whoys, whose.

2031 fayrar, fairer; fowelar, fouler; powerar, poorer.

2032 buxom, gentle; bonyr, obedient.

2034 suyrté, surety.

2041-42 a levyd . . . a lestyd, could have lived thereby (i.e., on those sweet smells) had they lasted.

2044 nyhand, almost.

2048 sotyl, diaphanous; brygtare, brighter.

2057 der, harm.

2058-59 "Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini", "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," the blessing used to welcome Christ's entrance into the elements of the Mass, thus a sentence underlining the sacramental nature of her visions.

2060 flawme of fyer, the sensation of inward burning was a fairly widespread experience among medieval mystics.

2062 lowe, flame.

2064 fyer, fire.

2071-72 heryn that thu nevyr herdist, hear what you never heard.

2073 sekyr, certain.

2075 onyd, joined.

2079 haburjon, habergeon, jacket of mail.

2080 hayr, hair shirt.

2084-85 byddyn many bedys, say many prayers.

2085 parfyte, perfect.

2086 fastarys, fasters.

2091 o yer, one year.

2094 whedir, whatever.

2095 erde, earth.

2098 homly, familiar.

2100 hed, heed.

2109 mede, reward.

2114 peyr of belwys, pair of bellows; ere, ear.

2115 fer, fear.

2116 voys of a dowe, voice of a dove.

2124 clevyst as sore, cleaves as sorely, tenderly.

2125 stokfysche, fish dried hard in the open air; sothyn, seethed, boiled.

2129 besynes, business.

2134 behestys, promises.

2135 behite, promised.

2136 dowt, doubt.

2140 durst not onys, dared not once.

2142 ostys, host's.

2145 mone, moan.

2148 bar, bare; lofe, love.

2151 gaf, gave.

2154 Brystowe, Bristol; Whitsunwoke, Whitsun week.

2158 Seynt Marcellys Chirche, the Church of Santa Marcello.

2160 cheys, sustain.

2164 theward, thee-ward, i.e., coming to you; hyte the, promised you.

2173 relevyd, relieved.

2179 Assyse, Assisi.

2180 syngnys, signs.

2182 grawnt, great.

2187 potage, soup, stew.

2188 botel, bottle.

2189 bolendinys, coins of Bologna; clepyd, called, named.

2190 bad hir to mete, invited her to dinner.

2193 purveyd, supplied, taken care of.

2197 sowkyng, sucking.

2199 brast, burst.

2201 halvendel, half.

2203 sesyn, cease.

2204 sey, saw.

2208 Seynt Brigypt, Bridget of Sweden.

2213 wolcomear, more welcome.

2217 and wyth ryght schulde a be so stylle, and by right should be so still.

2218 kepar, keeper.

2221 swem, sorrow.

2223 Brydys, Bridget's.

2228 lawhyng cher, laughing countenance; at hoste, boarding.

2229 wend, thought.

2234-35 on of Seynt Brigyptys days, There were three days sacred to St. Bridget, July 23, the feast of her death; May 28, the feast of her translation; and Oct 7, the medieval date for her canonization. See Meech, pp. 304-05, for reasons for linking this passage to the latter date.

2236-37 impressyons of eyrs, changes, disturbances.

2238 in socowryng . . . dyvers perellys, in relief of their bodies [and] to avoid diverse perils.

2239 wold, wanted.

2240 halwyd, hallowed.

2241 Stacyownys, Stations (of Rome), i.e., visiting and praying in a sequence of churches in Rome.

2242 fer, far; ostel, hostel.

2243 levenys, lightnings.

2245 wederyngys, stormy weather; elde, old.

2247 brent, burnt; contentys, contents.

2249-50 ben holpyn and socowryd, be helped and succoured.

2256 speryng, asking.

2266 discuryng the prevyté of hert, disclosing the secret of (her) heart.

2269 les than, unless.

2273 "Gold is to thewarde" lit., Gold is to thee-ward, or gold is coming to you.

2280 late, let.

2281 preyd, prayed, invited.

2286 in, on; hys unwetyng, he (the German priest's) unknowing.

2288 her, their.

2288-89 in party, in part.

2297 alyon, alien.
 
 

THE BOOK OF MARGERY KEMPE: NOTES

1157 togedyr. MS: in love in superscript above togedyr in red.

1158 synguler. j crossed out after synguler.

1159 schal. Not in manuscript. In the far right margin, in very large dark letters, are the words that I xal.

1171 And therfor. And therfor is written twice; the first instance is expuncted and crossed through.

1177 anoynted. MS: a noyted.

1189 have. is crossed through after have.

1190 and. and preceding thei has been crossed out in red.

1199 dawnsyn. MS: gostly in superscript above dawnsyn in red.

1213 massage as. & expuncted after massage; as written in superscript above sche.

1217 messe peny. A "mass penny" was given to enter the name of the dead on the parish bede-roll. See Duffy, pp. 334-37.

1260 ellys not a. not in very dark letters above a, with a caret after ellys.

1266 had. The loop of the h is still visible, along with the top of what may be a d.

1270 irregularité. Defined by MED as "violation of the rules of holy orders or provisions of canon law."

1290 a. Only the top of the letter is visible.

1294 latyth. MS: lathyth, with the first h expuncted.

1317 hym. m is destroyed.

1321 than. MS: to in superscript above than in red.

1342 Benetys. Be completely destroyed; n partially destroyed. Meech's reconstruction.

1357 wythstod hem. MS: wythstodhem.

1361 He. Not in MS. Meech's emendation.

1369 geve. e destroyed. There is space at the end of the line for another short word, perhaps hem.

1391 befel in. Completely destroyed. Meech's reconstruction.

1415 gretly. The loop of the e and the tops of two letters are still visible.

1416 of God. Completely destroyed. Meech's reconstruction.

1417-18 The great fear that accompanied the final hours was that of the devil worrying or threatening the soul in extremis. Margery's fellows thus wish upon her not simply death, but a spiritually painful death.

1427 Constance, in Germany, was at once a city on the common route from Lynn to Venice and the site of the important Council of Constance from 1414 to 1418. For remarks about the significance of Constance for Margery's itinerary, see Staley (1994), pp. 157-58.

1429 wentyn. MS: wenty.

1438 to Constanwnsward. to completely destroyed.

1439 harmyd. Only the d is still visible. harmyd is Meech's emendation, but other words such as grevyd or robbyd are possible.

1442 owyr. MS: owryr.

1447 schewyd. hir crossed out after schewyd.

1464 syttyng. g is partially destroyed. After syttyng there is space for a short word, such as stylle.

1468 seyd. Not in MS. Meech's emendation.

1471 don. MS: byd in superscript above don in red.

1488 gyde. gy completely destroyed; de partially destroyed.

1515 speke. Only the top of the letter s is visible.

1535 whech. s crossed out after whech.

1538 to. Added in red in the margin.

1539 so than. Only the an is visible. Meech conjectures & than.

1541 thow it. MS: thowit.

1555 of. MS: written in superscript in black.

1564 to. to is underlined and crossed out in very dark ink. Above to is written on in very dark ink.

1566 on. MS blank at this point. peynys. Only the top of what looks like a p remains; peynys is Meech's suggestion.

1581 for. th crossed through after for.

1583 ellys. MS: elly.

1589 best. Lower part of b destroyed.

1590 alone. a completely destroyed; lone partially destroyed.

1613 beforn. n partially destroyed.

1614 sowle. ow partially destroyed; le completely destroyed.

1637 suffyr yt. fyr completely destroyed; y partially destroyed.

1645 we. thei has been changed to we in red.

1651 so. owyr lady crossed out after so.

1658 was. Not in MS; then in superscript in red.

1663 to the. Conjectural; the words are destroyed in the MS.

1687 as. Only the top part of the s remains.

1688 wyth the. Completely destroyed; the suggestion is Meech's.

1711 hir gon. Letters ir and on are partially destroyed. Lord. ord completely destroyed. Meech conjectures that Jhesu might have followed, since there is room at the end of the line.

1733 ther Lazer. ther and a are partially destroyed; zer is completely destroyed.

1734 went also. Meech's conjecture. Only what looks like the top part of the final o remains.

1748 holy. A caret is after tho; holy is written in very small letters above.

1757 servawnt that. nt that completely destroyed. There is space for, at most, five letters after w. Meech feels, and I concur, that þat is therefore a more likely choice than whech.

1758 Drede. Only the D remains.

1759 bryng the. Only br remains.

1760 be. k crossed out after be.

1774 of2. Added in superscript in red between sche and hir.

1780 For thy. For completely destroyed; th partially destroyed.

1781 whech. whec completely destroyed; h partially destroyed.

1781-82 I have no. I have completely destroyed; no partially destroyed. Meech's reconstruction.

1806 and. Ampersand partially destroyed.

1824 sche. con crossed out after sche.

1828 good wyfe. MS: wyfe good, with signs for inversion.

1829 hir. h partially destroyed.

1852 how. w partially destroyed.

1876 of. o completely destroyed; f partially destroyed.

1897 seyest. Second e in superscript, and second s written on top of a d.

1900 thu. Added in red in outer margin.

1901 blyssed. d partially destroyed.

1917 he. Not in MS. Meech's emendation.

1921 days. MS: dayd.

1932 spiryt, not levyng. er a sodeyn sekenes crossed through after spiryt and before not levyng.

2028 in. MS: gostle in superscript above in in red.

2035 in hir sowle. MS: crossed out in red.

2052 sche. sy crossed through after sche.

2096 many other. MS: other many with signs for inversion.

2106 wife. wife added in red above good, with a caret after good.

2180 undirstand. b crossed out after undirstand.

2227 Brigypt. MS: B.

2231 Brigypt. MS: Bri.

2241 our Lord. owyr lord expuncted after our lord.

2248 the. MS: þo

2266 in. MS: in in.

2270 she. MS: he; s added in red.

2290 lernyd. r in superscript between e and n.