Charles I._, vol. ii. pp. 344. 354.

THOMPSON COOPER.

Cambridge.

* * * * *

EARLY SATIRICAL POEM.

On the turning over the pages of an old printed copy of Durand's _Rationale
Divinorum Officiorus_, edited by Bonetus de locatellis bergomensis, and
printed at Lyons in 1506, by Natalis Brabam, for Jaques Huguetan, I found
the following copy of verses written on the fly-leaf. They are written in a
hand which I am inclined to assign to a date {569} not much later than that
of the book. There is no clue to the author. If they are thought worthy of
insertion in "N. & Q.," I beg to inquire, through the medium of your
columns, whether they are to be found in any collection of early English
poems? and whether the author is known?

The ungallant sentiment of the first three stanzas is obvious. The fourth
is not so plain; nor is its connexion with the others evident, though it is
written without anything to mark separation; and the word "finis" is placed
below it, as if to apply to the whole. I should be obliged if some one of
your readers would give some explanation of it.

W. H. G.

Winchester.

"Wen [_sic_] nettylles in wynter bryngythe forthe rosses red,
And a thorne bryngythe figges naturally,
And grase berrythe appulles in every mede,
And lorrel cherrys on his crope so hye,
And okkys berrythe datys plentyusly,
And kykkys gyvythe hony in superfluans,
The put in women yower trust and confydenc.

"When whythynges walke forrestys hartyse for to chase,
And herrings in parkkys the hornnys boldly bloc,
And marlyons[2] ... hernys in morrys doo unbrace,
And gomards shut ryllyons owght of a crose boow,
And goslyngs goo a howntyng the wolf to overthrow,
And sparlyns bere sperrys and arms for defenc,
Then put yn women yower trust and confydenc.

"When sparrowes byld chorchys and styppyllys of a hyght,
And corlewys carry tymber yn howsys for to dyght,
Wrennys bere sakkys to the myll,
And symgis[3] bryng butter to the market to sell,
And wodcokkys were wodknyffys the crane for to kyll,
And gryffyns to goslynges doo obedienc,
Then put in women yower trust and confydenc.

"O ye imps of Chynner, ye Lydgatys pene,
With the spryght of bookkas ye goodly inspyrryd,
Ye Ynglyshe poet, excydyng other men,
With musyk wyne yower tong yn syrryd,
Ye roll in yower rellatyvys as a horse immyrryd,
With Ovyddes penner ye are gretly in favor,
Ye bere