Translator's words

The translator's words
Guy Marchant, Authority and dead king

Here is a comparison line by line of the Ellesmere manuscript against all other available sources.

In this page there are mainly two differences. The first is that the original »al in fere« (all together) has not been understood by later editors and has mutated into »in all fear« The second is that Dugdale (who follows Tottel) has transposed the last four lines.

In this comparison we ignore punctuation, accents, capitalization, double letters, final e's (and e before final s), differences caused by split words (e.g. "toforne" and "to forne"), and differences caused by interchange of aun/an and cion/cyon/tion.

Deletions are marked in red and insertions in green: In other words, the red words are from the Ellesmere-manuscript.

The translator

Lenvoye de translatoure

Lenvoye de translatoure Lenuoy.
Trinity

Lenvoye de Lenuoye of the translatoure
Tottel

Lenvoye de of the translatoure
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

O ȝe my lordes / and maistres al in fere

O ȝe my lordes/ lordis/ and maistres al in fere
Selden, Trinity

O ȝe my lordes/ and maistres maisters al in fere
Tottel

O ȝe my lordes/ and maistres masters al in fere feare
Dugdale-1658

O ȝe my lordes/ and maistres Masters in al in fere feare
Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

Of a-venture / that shal this daunce [r]ede

Of a venture/ auenture/ that shal this daunce [r]ede
Selden, Trinity

Of a venture/ auenture that shal this daunce [r]ede reade,
Tottel

Of a venture/ that shal this daunce [r]ede reade,
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

Loweli I preye / with al myn herte entere

Loweli Lowly I preye/ with al myn herte entere
Selden

Loweli Lowly I preye/ pray with al myn my herte entere
Trinity

Loweli I preye/ pray with al myn herte heart entere
Tottel

Loweli Lowly I preye/ pray with al myn herte my heart entere
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

To correcte / where as ȝe see nede

To correcte/ where as þat ȝe see nede
Trinity

To correcte/ where as ȝe whereas you see nede
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

For nowght elles / I aske for my mede

For nowght elles/ nouȝt ellis/ I aske axe for my mede
Selden

For nowght elles/ nought ellys I aske for my mede
Trinity

For nowght nought elles/ I aske for my mede
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

But godeli supporte / of this translacioun

But godeli goodly supporte/ of this translacioun
Selden

But godeli goodly supporte/ of this translacioun translacion
Trinity, Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

And with fauowre / to soupewaile drede

And with fauowre/ fauour/ to soupewaile sowpouaile drede
Selden

And with fauowre/ fauour to soupewaile suppowayle drede
Trinity, Tottel

And with fauowre/ favour to soupewaile suppowaile drede
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

Benyngneli / in ȝowre correccioun.

Benyngneli/ Benignely/ in ȝowre ȝoure correccioun.
Selden

Benyngneli/ Benygnely in ȝowre correccioun. your correccion
Trinity

Benyngneli/ Bening[e]lye in ȝowre your correccioun.
Tottel

Benyngneli/ Beninglye in ȝowre correccioun. your correction.
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

Owte of the frensshe / I drowe hit of entent

Owte Out of the frensshe/ I drowe hit drewe it of entent
Selden

Owte Oute of the frensshe/ I drowe drew hit of entent
Trinity

Owte Out of the frensshe/ French I drowe hit drough it of entent
Tottel

Owte OUt of the frensshe/ French I drowe hit drough it of entent intent,
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

Not worde be worde / but folwyng the substaunce

Not worde be by worde/ but folwyng the substaunce
Selden

Not Nat worde be by worde/ but folwyng oonly the substaunce
Trinity

Not worde be by worde/ but folwyng the folowing in substaunce
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

And fro Paris / to Inglond hit sent

And fro Paris/ to Inglond hit Engelonde it sent
Selden

And fro from Paris/ to Inglond hit Englond sent
Trinity

And fro from Paris/ to Inglond hit Eng[e]land it sent
Tottel

And fro fronm Paris/ to Inglond hit England it sent
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718

And fro froum Paris/ to Inglond hit England it sent
Dugdale-1818

Oneli of purpose / ȝow to do plesaunce

Oneli Oonly of purpose/ ȝow to do plesaunce
Selden, Trinity

Oneli Only of purpose/ ȝow you to do plesaunce
Tottel

Oneli Only of purpose/ ȝow you to do plesaunce pleasance.
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

Rude of langage / y was not borne yn fraunce

Rude of langage/ y was not nat borne yn fraunce
Trinity

Rude of langage/ y was not borne yn fraunce Have me excused my name is John Lidgate,
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

Haue me excused / my name is Jon Lidgate

Haue me excused/ excusid/ my name is Jon Iohn Lidgate
Selden

Haue Holde me excused/ excusyd my name is Jon Iohn Lidgate
Trinity

Haue me excused/ my name is Jon Iohn Lidgate
Tottel

Haue me excused/ my name is Jon Lidgate Rude of language, I was not borne in France,
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

Of her tunge / I haue no suffisaunce

Of her tunge/ oþer tong I haue no suffisaunce
Trinity

Of her tunge/ ther tong I haue no suffisaunce
Tottel

Of her tunge/ I haue no suffisaunce curious miters in English to translate,
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818

Her corious metris / In Inglissh to translate.

Her corious metris/ In Inglissh englisshe to translate.
Selden

Her Theyr corious metris/ metres In Inglissh englyssh to translate.
Trinity

Her corious metris/ curious miters In Inglissh Englishe to translate.
Tottel

Her corious metris/ In Inglissh to translate. Of other tong I have no suffisance.
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818