The vicar took the best cow by the heid

Incontinent, when my father was deid.

And when the vicar heard tell how that my mother
Was deid, fra hand, he took till him the other.

LYNDSAY, Satyre of the Thrie Estatis

3. The following series of translations of Matthew iii, 1-4, illustrates the development of Biblical style. Write a short comment upon them, comparing them and pointing out the development.

(a) (1) In po dayes come Ihone baptist prechand in desert of be Iewry, & seyand, (2) Do 3e penaunce; forwhy be kyngdome of heuyne sal come negh. (3) Þis is he of whome it was seide be Isay be prophete, sayand, Þe voice of be cryand in þe desert, redye 3e be way of God, right make 3e þe lityl wayes of him.' (4) & Ihone his kleping of be hoerys of camels, & a gyrdyl of a skyn about his lendys; & his mete was be locust & hony of be wode. ANONYMOUS, 1300

(b) (1) In thilke days came Ioon Baptist, prechynge in the desert of Iude, sayinge, (2) Do 3e penaunce, for the kyngdom of heuens shal nei3 (or cume nize). (3) Forsothe this is he of whome it is said by Ysaye the prophet, A voice of a cryinge in desert, Make 3e redy the wayes of the Lord; make 3e riztful the pathes of hym. (4) Forsothe that ilk Ioon hadde cloth of the heeris of cameylis, and a girdil of skyn aboute his leendis; sothely his mete weren locustis, and hony of the wode.

WYCLIF, First Version, 1384

(c) (1) In tho daies Ioon Baptist cam, and prechide in the desert of Iudee, and seide, (2) Do 3e penaunce, for the kyngdom of heuenes shal neize. (3) For this is he, of whom it is seid bi Ysaie, the prophete, seyinge, A vois of a crier in desert, Make 3e redi the weies of the Lord; make 3e ri3t the pathis of hym. (4) And this Ioon hadde clothing of camels heeris, and a girdil of skynne aboute his leendis; and his mete was honysoukis and hony of the wode. WYCLIF, Second Version, 1388

(d) In those dayes Ihon the baptyser cam and preached in the wyldernes of Iury, saynge, Repent, the kyngedom of heven ys at hond. Thys ys he of whom it ys spoken be the prophet Isay, whych sayth; the voice of a cryer in wyldernes, prepaire ye the lordes waye, and make hys pathes strayght. Thys Ihon had hys

garment of camelles heere, and a gyrdyll of a skynne about hys loynes. Hys meate was locustes and wyldhe ony.

TYNDALE, 1526

(e) In those dayes Ihon the Baptyst came and preached in the wildernes of Jury, saynge: Amende youre selues, the kyngdome of heuen is at honde. This is he, of whom it is spoken by the prophet Esay, which sayeth: The voyce of a cryer in the wyldernes, prepare the Lordes waye, and make his pathes straight. This Ihon had his garment of camels heer, and a lethren gerdell aboute his loynes. Hys meate was locustes and wylde hony.

COVERDALE, 1536

(f) In those dayes came Iohn the Baptyst, preaching in the wyldernes of Iewry, saying, Repent of the life that is past, for the kyngdome of heauen is at hande, For thys is he, of whom the prophet Esay, spake, which sayeth, the voyce of a cryer in the wyldernes, prepare ye the waye of the lorde: make hys pathes strayght. This Iohn had hys garment of camels heer And a gyrdell of a skynne aboute hys loynes. His meate was locustes and wylde hony. The Great Bible, 1539

4. In the following series of extracts from the early plays comment upon the general standard of style, and point out any development that is apparent. Pay particular attention to the meter.

(1) (From the Chester play-cycle, dating probably from
the fourteenth century.)

Ham's Wife. And I will go to gather slich 38
The ship for to clean and pitch;

Anointed it must be, every stitch,

Board, tree, and pin.

Japhet's Wife. And I will gather chips here,

To make a fire for you, in fear,

And for to dight 39 your dinner,

Against you come in.

[Here they make signs as though they were working with divers instruments.

Noah. Now in the name of God I will begin,

38 slime.

To make the ship that we shall in,

That we be ready for to swim,

39 prepare.

(3)

(4)

(2)

At the coming of the flood.

These boards I join together,

To keep us safe from the weather,

That we may roam both hither and thither,
And safe be from this flood.

God. Noah, take thou thy company,

And in the ship hie that you be,

For none so righteous man to me
Is now on earth living.

The Deluge

(From a sixteenth-century interlude.)

Bale [speaking as Epilogue]. The matters are such as we have uttered here,

As ought not to slide from your memorial;

For they have opened such comfortable gear,
As is to the health of this kind universal,
Graces of the Lord and promises liberal,

Which he gives to man for every age,

To knit him to Christ, and so clear him of bondage.
BALE, God's Promises

(A historical play.)

For non other cawse God hath kyngs constytute
And gevyn them the sword, but forto correct all vyce.
I have attempted this thing to execute

Uppon transgressers accordyng unto justyce;

And be cawse I wyll not be parcyall in myn offyce
For theft and murder to persones spirytuall,

I have ageynst me the pristes and the bysshoppes all
A lyke dysplesure in my fathers tyme ded fall,
Forty yeres ago, for ponyshment of a clarke.

No cunsell myght them to reformacyon call,

In ther openyon they were so stordy and so starke,

But ageynst ther prynce to the pope they dyd so barke,
That here in Ynglond in every cyte and towne
Excommunycacyons as thonder bolts came downe.

BALE, Kynge Johan

(From the earliest comedy.)

R. Roister. Now, nurse, take this same letter here to thy mistress, And as my trust is in thee, ply my business,

M. Mumble. It shall be done.

Mathew Merygreeke. Who made it?

R. Roister. I wrote it each whit.

M. Mery. Then needs it no mending.

R. Roister. No, no.

M. Mery. No, I know your wit,

I warrant it well.

M. Mumble. It shall be delivered.

But if ye speed, shall I be considered?

M. Mery. Whough! Dost thou doubt of that?

M. Mumble. What shall I have?

M. Mery. An hundred times more than thou canst devise to crave. M. Mumble. Shall I have some new gear? for my old is all spent. M. Mery. The worst kitchen-wench shall go in ladies' raiment.

[Here they sing, and go out singing. UDALL, Ralph Roister Doister

5. Trace the influence of the Church upon the early English drama, and account for the decay of the Church influence.

6. Point out some of the effects of the Reformation that are apparent in the literature of the day.

7. In what respects is the period 1450-1550 a period of literary decadence, and in what respects does it show an advance?

8. Account for the sudden appearance of Scottish literature, and for its rapid rise to such a high standard.

9. In what respects was the Scottish literature of the time imitative, and in what respects was it original?

10. "As the Romance decays, the Drama develops." Is this quite true? If so, can you account for the fact?

11. "The most original and powerful poetry of the fifteenth century was composed in popular form for the ear of the common people." Discuss this statement with reference to the ballads, the carols, the songs, and the dramas of the time, as they compare with the other poetry of the day.

12. "It is doubtful if anyone in the fifteenth century thought of prose as a medium of artistic expression." Comment upon this statement.

CHAPTER V

THE AGE OF ELIZABETH

TIME-CHART OF THE CHIEF AUTHORS

The thick line indicates the period of active literary production.

THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND (1550-1630)

This chapter introduces the reign of Elizabeth, sees it reach its climax and conclusion, and then witnesses the literary decline under the first of the Stuarts. The dominating features of the period can be conveniently summarized under two heads.

1. Settlement. Both in politics and religion the English nation was attaining to a state of stability. Dynastic prob