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