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Textual Notes to John Lydgate, "Death's Warning to the World" (DIMEV 4905)

Rubric
None in D, H1. C: Dictamen. Vel lugubre carmen terribilissimi mortis. (Letter. A very grievous song of most frightful death.)back to note source
1
hostesse. So C. D, H1: costes. We have chosen hostesse since it is an existing manuscript reading that fits in with the trope of female addressees found elsewhere in contemporary death poetry.back to note source
2
And in youre book to set myn ymage. In Douce 322 and Harley 1706 (fol. 19v in both), the poem is immediately preceded by an inkdrawn image of a skeleton holding a bell and spear (see Explanatory Note to line 7 and Headnote to the Explanatory Notes) with the words “deth” written in profusion around the skeleton’s form, evoking the pealing of the bell as well as naming the figure.back to note source
3
with gret avyses. So D, H1. C: by gret avisenesse.back to note source
4
mortall. So D, H1. C: my mortal.back to note source
5
to spare. So D. H1: spare.back to note source
nether. So D, H1. C: neither.back to note source
ne. So D. C: ner.back to note source
7
Afore. So D, H1. C: Aforn.back to note source
8
ygrounde. So D. H1: sharpe I grounde. C: whet and grounde.back to note source
9
thys. So D, H1. C: thus.back to note source
10
withstande. So D, H1. C: withstonde.back to note source
11
Ne whomme I merke. So D, H1. C: Nor whan I marke.back to note source
other. So D, H1. C: othir.back to note source
12
of day oure ne space. So D, H1. C: a day houre or space.back to note source
14
Yef. So D, H1. C: Though.back to note source
15
past. So D, H1. C: passed.back to note source
16
lasteth but. So D, H1. C: lastyng.back to note source
17
ey. So D. H1: eye. C: yhe.back to note source
18
blossom falleth. So D, H1. C: blosmes falle.back to note source
20
elde unwarly crepyng. So D, H1. C: age unwardly in crepyng.back to note source
21
purely thanne. So D, H1. C: pouerly you.back to note source
22
The gospell byddeth than wake and prey. So D. H1: The gospel than wake and pray. C: The gospel bit you for to wake and prey.back to note source
24
Ne no manne knoweth whenne. So D, H1. C: Nor no man wote the houre whan.back to note source
dye. So D, H1. C: dey.back to note source
26
kynde. So D, H1. C: kynge.back to note source
knot unknyt. So D, H1. C: knot upknet. These readings point to opposite understandings of the relationship between death and creation. C emphasizes how tightly bound death is with the very idea of life, while D and H1 instead speak to the theme, seen in other death-related works of this period, of death loosening all bonds. Compare the acrostic in “A Mirror for Young Ladies at their Toilet” (DIMEV 3454), spelling out MORS SOLVIT OMNIA (“death loosens all”).back to note source
27
every. So D, H1. C: eche.back to note source
28
For. So D, H1. C: Fro.back to note source
Adams. So D, H1. C: Adames.back to note source
Rubric
Thyese balades that . . . tyme to come. So D, H1. Not in C. This omission is especially interesting since all three manuscripts then continue with an extract from Henry Suso’s Seven Points of True Love and Everlasting Wisdom, entitled “Orologium Sapientie,” suggesting some textual relationship between their contents, despite the differences in their presentation.back to note source
29
worldely. So D, H1. C: wordly.back to note source
31
be. So D, H1. C: bene.back to note source
33
breke. So D, C. H1: breken.back to note source
preceptys. So H1. D: preceprt; C: preceptes.back to note source
ayenst. So D, H1. C: ageyn.back to note source
35
he dyed. So D, H1. C: he shedde it.back to note source
36
hate. So D, H1. C: hateth.back to note source
37
offens. So D, H1. C: offences.back to note source
38
mokry. So D. H1: mokey; C: mockery.back to note source
39
Ayenst. So D, H1. C: ageyn.back to note source
do. So D, H1. C: doth.back to note source
40
for to have. So D, H1. C: to have.back to note source
souveranly. So D, H1. C: soffevenly.back to note source
42
exampeleré. So D, H1. C: exemplary.back to note source
43
redempcioun. So D, H1. C: redempcion.back to note source
44
nayled to. So D, H1. C: nayled on.back to note source
45
Suffred. So H1, C. D: suffird.back to note source
passioun. So D, H1. C: cruel passyon.back to note source
46
asketh. So D, H1. C: axed.back to note source
47
ayenward. So D, H1. C: ageyn.back to note source
48
that we sette. So D, C. H1: we sette.back to note source
all holy. So D, C. H1: alonly.back to note source
52
entré. So D, H1. C: entre ageyn.back to note source
53
From. So D, H1. C: For.back to note source
55
so brynge. So D. H1: brynge. C: do bryng.back to note source
56
by thy dethe had. So D, H1. C: by dethe haddest.back to note source
Amen. So D, H1. Absent in C.back to note source