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COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
One Hundred and One Copies Printed, 
 One of which is on Vellum. 
 
 No. J/. 
 
Goche ILorelles Bote 
 
 » ' » 
 
 A SATIRICAL POEM. ... 
 
 > ' » > » » 
 /<>#/;/ an unique copy printed by Wyrikyn de' Worde 
 
 > > » » 
 
 "Come begin; 
 And you the judges bear a wary eye." 
 
 Hamlet. 
 
 ABERDEEN 
 J. & J. P. EDMOND & SPARK 
 
 MDCCCLXXXIV. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 THE singularly interesting fragment of 
 early English literature known as Cocke 
 Lorelles Bote, is a satirical poem of four 
 hundred and fourteen lines, in which various 
 classes of society, chiefly of the lower order, 
 are passed under review in rapid succession. 
 The glimpse we obtain of each class is only 
 momentary, but the author with some well 
 chosen phrase, in that short time sketches 
 their failings. 
 
 The original from which this poem is re- 
 printed, is in black-letter, and is preserved in 
 the Garrick Collection, British Museum. It 
 
vi. Preface. 
 
 is considered unique, but unfortunately it is 
 imperfect at the beginning. 
 
 It was printed in London, by Wynkyn de 
 Worde, and bears no date, but may safely be 
 ascribed to the early part of the reign of 
 Henry the Eighth. The idea of the " Bote," 
 in which so many different characters are 
 gathered together, is supposed to have been 
 taken from Sebastian Brandt's " Shyp of 
 Folys," which was translated into English by 
 Alexander Barclay, and printed by Pynson 
 at the beginning of the sixteenth century. 
 What gives weight to this suggestion, is the 
 fact that the wood-cuts with which the original 
 of Cocke Lorell is illustrated, are similar to 
 those used in the " Ship of Folys." 
 
 The hero of the poem was the leader of a 
 notorious band of robbers which infested the 
 
Preface. vii. 
 
 metropolis, and was probably alive at the 
 time of its publication. He is mentioned by- 
 Samuel Rowlands in " Martin Mark-all, 
 Beadle of Bridewell, his Defence and Answere 
 to the Belman of London," printed in 1610, 
 who describes him in these terms : — " After 
 him, succeeded by general councell, one 
 Cocke Lorrell, the most notorious knave that 
 ever lived : by trade he was a tinker, often 
 carrying a panne and a hammer for show : 
 but when he came to a good booty, he would 
 cast his profession in a ditch, and play the 
 padder,* and then would away, and as hee 
 past through the toune, crie, ' Ha you any 
 worke for a tinker ?' To write of his knave- 
 ries it would aske a long time : I referre you 
 to the old manuscript remayning on record in 
 
 * Padder, or Rumpadder, a thief.— Slang Dictionary. 
 
viii. Preface. 
 
 Maunder's Hall, f This was he that reduced 
 and brought in forme the Catalogue of Vaga- 
 bonds, or Quarterne of Knaves, called the 
 five and twentie Orders of Knaves : but be- 
 cause it is extant, and in every mans shop, I 
 passe them over. . . . This Cocke Lor- 
 rell continued among them longer than any 
 of his predecessors before him, or after him, 
 for he ruled almost two and twentie yeares, 
 until the yeare An. Dom. 1533, and about the 
 five and twenty yeare of K. Henry the 
 Eight." 
 
 The " Catalogue of Vagabonds " to 
 which Rowlands alludes in the above extract 
 as having been written by Cocke Lorell, is 
 a tract printed by John Awdely in 1565, and 
 of which a second edition was issued by the 
 
 + Maunder, a beggar. — Slang Dictionary. 
 
Preface. ix. 
 
 same printer in 1575. It is not improbable 
 that Awdely may have himself been the com- 
 piler of the " Catalogue. 1 ' A copy of the 
 edition of 1575 is in the Bodleian Library, 
 the quaint title of which is as follows : — " The 
 Fraternitye of Vacabondes. As wel of ruf- 
 lyng Vacabondes, as of beggerly, of Women 
 as of Men, of Gyrles as of Boyes, with their 
 proper names and qualities. With a descrip- 
 tion of the crafty company of Cousoners and 
 Shifters. Whereunto also is adioyned the 
 xxv Orders of Knaues, otherwyse called a 
 Quartern of Knaues Confirmed for euer by 
 Cocke Lorell. 
 
 The Vprightman speaketh. 
 Our Brotherhood of Vacabondes, 
 
 If you would know where dwell ; 
 In graues end Barge which seldome standes, 
 
 The talke wyll shew ryght well. 
 
x. Preface. 
 
 Cocke Lor ell aunswereth. 
 
 Some orders of my Knaues also 
 In that Barge shall ye fynde ; 
 
 For no where shall ye walke I trow. 
 But ye shall see their kynde. 
 
 Imprinted at London by John Awdely, dwel- 
 lynge in little Britayne Streete withoute 
 Aldersgate, 1575." 
 
 Dr. Bliss describes the above mentioned 
 tract at length, in the " British Bibliograper," 
 Vol. II., p. 12, and makes further allusion to 
 it in his edition of Earle's " Microcosmo- 
 graphy," p. 256, published in 181 1. 
 
 One of the earliest, if not the earliest, 
 printed mention of the Bote occurs in Thomas 
 Feylde's "A contrauersye bytwene a louer 
 and a J aye. [Colophon.] Imprynted at Lon- 
 don in Fletestrete at the sygne of the Sonne 
 
Preface. xi. 
 
 by Wynkyn de Worde." The Lover in the 
 preceding verses apostrophizes Nature re- 
 garding his passion for his mistress, at which 
 the Jay thus expostulates : — 
 
 "Thoughe nature moue, 
 And bydde the loue, 
 Yet wysdome wolde proue. 
 
 Or it be hote, 
 Whan fortune sowre 
 Dothe on the lowre, 
 Thou getest an ore 
 
 In cocke lorels bote." 
 
 The nexte mention of Cocke Lorell is in 
 a black-letter poem, preserved in the Bodleian 
 Library, without date or printer's name, 
 entitled " Doctour Double Ale." 
 " I hold you a grota 
 Ye wyll rede by rota, 
 That ye wete a cota 
 In cocke lorels bota." 
 
xii. Preface. 
 
 The Rev. Charles H. Hartshorne, in 
 " Ancient Metrical Tales," reprinted "Doctour 
 Double Ale," but rendered the last line cocke 
 losels bota. 
 
 In pointing out this error, Mr. Collier 
 says, that in John Hey wood's " Epigrams 
 upon three hundred proverbs," printed in 
 1566, mention is made of Cocke Lorelles 
 Bote, under the heading of 
 
 "a busy body 
 He will have an ore in every man's barge, 
 Even in cocke lorels barge, he berth that 
 
 charge." 
 
 Later on we find that the rascal is not for- 
 gotten, for Ben Jonson in his masque of the 
 "Gypsies Metamorphosed," has introduced 
 him as feasting the Evil One, in a song which 
 continued popular for some considerable time, 
 
Preface. xiii. 
 
 and was frequently printed as a broadside, 
 copies of which are in the Pepysian and Ash- 
 molean Collections. 
 
 The first verse is as follows : — T&uest, 
 " Cock Lorrel would need have the devil his 
 
 And bid him once into the Peak to dinner, 
 Where never the fiend had such a feast 
 
 Provided him yet at the charge of a sinner." 
 
 In 1807, tne R- ev - William Beloe, in his 
 11 Anecdotes of Literature and Scarce Works," 
 Vol. I., p. 393, called attention to the follow- 
 ing tract, but unfortunately he changed the 
 title to " Cocke Lorells Vote," in place of 
 " Bote." That this was a misprint may be 
 inferred from the fact, that in another place in 
 the same work, he makes reference to a pas- 
 sage in Bishop Percy's Reliques, where the 
 correct title is given. 
 
xiv. Preface. 
 
 Dibdin, who appears never to have seen 
 the work, but says he was " indebted to Mr. 
 H. Ellis of the British Museum" for speci- 
 mens " of this singular performance" has 
 fallen into the droll blunder of writing " of 
 the licentious and predatory character of its 
 Author, . . . one Cock Lorell," whose 
 " popularity has, I believe, escaped the 
 notice of our chroniclers." * 
 
 The poem was presented to the members 
 of the Roxburghe Club in 1817, by the Rev. 
 Henry Drury, but the impression was limited 
 to thirty-five copies, two of which were printed 
 on vellum. 
 
 It was again printed at Edinburgh for 
 Stanley and Blake in 18 17, from a transcript 
 made by the Rev. Joseph Stevenson, with an 
 
 * Dibdin's Ames, Vol. II., p. 352. 
 
Preface, xv. 
 
 introductory notice by Mr. James Maidment. 
 This reprint has become almost as rare as the 
 Roxburghe Club edition, only forty copies 
 having been taken. 
 
 The Percy Society, in 1843, issued an 
 edition of the " Bote" to its members, with a 
 preface by Dr. E. F. Rimbault. The rarity 
 of the two first mentioned reprints, and the 
 form, apart altogether from the comparative 
 scarcity of the last, has led to the reprinting 
 once more of this poem. The writer begs to 
 acknowledge his obligations to both Mr. 
 Maidment's and Dr. Rimbault's editions as 
 supplying the material for the foregoing 
 notice. While aware that there is little that 
 is new which can be said about Cocke Lorell, 
 he trusts that this edition may be favourably 
 received, if for no other reasons than these, 
 
xvi. Preface. 
 
 that while it avoids the many inaccuracies of 
 the Edinburgh edition, it omits the modern 
 punctuation which has been introduced into 
 the Percy Society's reprint. 
 
 The present impression is limited to one 
 hundred and one copies, one of which is 
 printed on vellum. 
 
 J. P. EDMOND. 
 
> > 9 > 
 
 COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 She had a desyre ofte to be wedde 
 
 And also to lye in an other mannes bedde 
 
 Lytell rought she therfore 
 
 She is as softe as a lamme yf one do her meue 
 
 And lyke to y e deuyll wan a ma dothe her greue 
 
 So well is she sette 
 
 good condycyon to her housbonde 
 
 Yf he call her calat she calleth hy knaue agayne 
 
 She shyll not dye in his dette 
 
 By Saynt Jone sayd Cocke than 
 
 These be fayre vertues in a woman 
 
 Thou shalte be my launder 
 
 To wasshe and kepe clene all my gere 
 
 Our two beddes togyder shall be sette 
 
 Without ony lette 
 
2 COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 The nexte that came was a coryar 
 
 And a cobeler his brother 
 
 As ryche as a nevve shorne shepe 
 
 They offred Cocke a blechynge pot 
 
 Other Jewelles they had not 
 
 Scant shoes to theyr fete 
 
 The coryer dresseth so well his lether 
 
 That it wolde drynke water in fayre weder 
 
 Therfore he hath many a crystes curse 
 
 And tho cobeler for his cloutynge 
 
 The people blesseth hym with euyll cheuynge 
 
 To knytte faste in his purse 
 
 A shomaker came to these other two 
 
 Bytwene them two was moche a do 
 
 For a pyese of lether 
 
 They togged with theyr teth and gnewe it there 
 
 And pulde as it had been grehondes at a hare 
 
 It was a shepes skyne of a wether 
 
 And than they tanned it whan they had done 
 
 To make lether to hym with mennes shone 
 
 And all for theyr auayle 
 
 For as sone as the hemme is tore 
 
 The sho is lost for euer more 
 
 And it is lytell meruayle 
 
COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 A tanner for euyll tannyng of leder 
 They foure with sorowe Cocke dyde set togyder 
 And neuer a good without fayle 
 Than came one w l two bolddogges at his tayle 
 And that was a bocher without fayle 
 All be gored in reed blode 
 In his hande he bare a flap for flyes 
 His hosen gresy vpon his thyes 
 That place for magottes was very good 
 On his necke he bare a cole tre logge 
 He had as moche pyte as a dogge 
 And he were ones wrothe 
 He loked perysshe and also rowe 
 A man wolde take hym for a shrewe I trowe 
 And of his company be lothe 
 Than came a gonge fermourer 
 Other wyse called a masser scourer 
 With hym a canyell raker 
 
 Theyr presence made Cocke and his me to spewe 
 For as swete was theyr brethe as henka or rewe 
 To wasshe them they laked water 
 b. ii. a. On these Irysshe copel I wyll not tare 
 
 Cocke dyde set the there as knaues sholde be 
 Amonge the slouenly sorte 
 
4 COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 Than came two false towlers in nexte 
 He set them by pykers of the best 
 For there sholde they abyde 
 But before y t they were plonged in the ryuer 
 To searche theyr bodyes fayre and clere 
 Therof they had good sporte 
 A myller dustypoll than dyde come 
 A Ioly felowe with a golden thome 
 On his necke a sacke was 
 Many sayd that he with reprefe 
 b. ». b. Of all craftes was nexte a thefe 
 In that Cocke founde no lacke 
 He sayd that he touled twys for forgetynge 
 And stele floure and put chauke therin 
 Be sherewe hym that taught hym that 
 Cocke bad hym grynde cherystones and peson 
 To make his men brede for a season 
 By cause whete was very dere 
 Than came a pardoner with his boke 
 His quaterage of euery man he tokc 
 But Cocke wolde theyr names here 
 The pardoner sayd I will rede my roll 
 And ye shall here the names poll by poll 
 There of ye nede not fere 
 
COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 Here is fyrst Cocke Lorell the knyght 
 And symkyn emery mayntenauce agayne ryght 
 With slyngethryfte fleshemonger 
 Also fabyane flaterer 
 And fesly claterer 
 With adam auerus flayle swenger 
 And frauces flaperoche of stewys captayne late 
 With gylys vnyeste mayer of newgate 
 And lewes vnlusty the lesynge monger 
 Here also baude baudyn boiler 
 And his brother copyn coler 
 With mathew marchaunte of shoters hyll 
 Crystofer catchepoll a crystes course gaderer 
 And wat welbelyne of ludgate Iayler 
 With laurence lorell of clerken well 
 Here is gylys Iogeler of ayebery 
 a Hi. a. And hym sougelder of lothe bery 
 With wallys the wrangler 
 Pers potter of brydge water 
 Saunder fely the mustarde maker 
 With Ielyan Iangeler 
 Here is Ienkyne berwarde of Barwycke 
 And torn tombler of warwyke 
 With Phyllyp fletcher of fernam 
 
6 COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 Here is wyll wyly the myl peker 
 And patrycke peuysshe heerbeter 
 With lusty hary hange man 
 Also mathewe tothe drawer of London 
 And sybly sole mylke vvyfe of Islyngton 
 With davydrawelache of rokyngame 
 b. Ui. b. Here is maryone marchauntes at all gate 
 
 Her husbode dwelleth at y e sygne of y e cokeldes pate 
 
 Nexte house to Robyn renawaye 
 
 Also hycke crokenec the rope maker 
 
 And steuen mesyll mouthe muskyll taker 
 
 With Iacke basket seler of alwelay 
 
 Here is george of podynge lane carpenter 
 
 And patrycke peuysshe a conynge dyrte dauber 
 
 Worshypfull wardayn of slouens In 
 
 There is maryn peke small fremason 
 
 And pers peuterer that knocketh a basyn 
 
 With gogle eyed tomson shepster of lyn 
 
 Here is glyed wolby of gylforde squyere 
 
 Andrewe of habyngedon apell byer 
 
 With alys esy a gay tale teller 
 
 Also peter paten maker 
 
 With gregory loue good of rayston mayer 
 
 And hary halter seler at tyborn the ayer 
 
COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 7 
 
 Here is kate with the croked fote 
 
 That is colsys doughter the dronken koke 
 
 A lusty pye baker 
 
 Here is saunder sadeler of froge strete corner 
 
 With Ielyan Ioly at sygne of the bokeler 
 
 And mores moule taker 
 
 Also annys angry with the croked buttocke 
 
 That dwelled at y e sygne of y e dogges hede in y e pot 
 
 By her crafte a breche maker 
 
 Gocke sayd pardoner now ho and sease 
 
 Thou makeste me wery holde thy pease 
 
 A thynge tell thou to me 
 
 What profyte is to take thy pardon 
 
 Shewe vs what mede is to come 
 
 To be in this fraternyte 
 
 Syr this pardon is newe founde 
 
 By syde London brydge in a holy grounde 
 
 Late called the stewes banke 
 
 Ye knowe well all that there was 
 
 Some relygyous women in that place 
 
 To whome men offred many a franke 
 
 And bycause they were so kynde and lyberall 
 
 A merueylous auenture there is be fall 
 
 Yf ye lyst to here how 
 
8 COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 There came suche a winde fro wynchester 
 That blewe these women ouer the ryuer 
 In wherye as I wyll you tell 
 Some at saynt Kateryns stroke a grounde 
 And many in holborne were founde 
 Some at saynt Gyles I trowe 
 Also in aue maria aly and at westmenster 
 And some in shordyche drewe theder 
 With grete lamentacyon 
 And by cause they haue lost that fayre place 
 They wyll bylde at colman hedge in space 
 A nother noble mansyon 
 Fayrer and euer the halfe strete was 
 For euery house newe paued is with gras 
 Shall be full of fayre floures 
 The walles shallbe of hauthorne I wote well 
 And hanged w l whyte motly y l swete doth smell 
 Grene shall be the coloures 
 b. iv. b. And as for this olde place these wenches holy 
 They wyll not haue it called the stewys for foly 
 But maketh it a strabery banke 
 And there is yet a chapell saue 
 Of whiche ye all the pardon haue 
 The saynt is of symme trollanke 
 
COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 5 
 
 I wyll reherse here in generall 
 
 The indulgences that ye haue shall 
 
 Is these that foloweth with more 
 
 At the oure of deth whan ye haue nede 
 
 Ye shall be assoyled of euery good dede 
 
 That you haue done before 
 
 And ye shall be parte taker of as many good dedde 
 
 As is done euery nyght a bedde 
 
 And also ferthermore 
 
 At euery tauerne in the yere 
 
 A solempne dyryge is songe there 
 
 With a grete drynkynge 
 
 At all ale houses trewely 
 
 Ye shall be prayed for hertely 
 
 With a Ioyefull wepynge 
 
 And the pope darlaye hath grauted in his byll 
 
 That euery brother may do what he wyll 
 
 Whyle that they be wakynge 
 
 And the pardone gyueth you that hath the pose 
 
 On your owne sleue to wype your nose 
 
 Without rebuke takynge 
 
 Also pope nycoll graunteth you all in this texte 
 
 The coughe and the colyke the gout and the flyxe 
 
 With the holsome tothe ache 
 
lo COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 b. v. a. Also it is graunted by our bulles of lede 
 That whan ony brother is dede 
 To the chyrche dogges shall cary hym 
 A ryche pal to ly on y e corse late fro rome is come 
 Made of an olde payre of blewe medly popley 
 For y e worshyppe of all y e brethrene [hosone 
 
 b. v. *. Theyr knylles shall be roge in y e myddes of tese 
 And theyr masse songe at shoters hill amonge the 
 With grete deuocyon in dede [elmes 
 
 And many thynges elles shall be done 
 The resydewe I wyll reherse soone 
 For drynke fyrst must I nede 
 Than Cocke cast a syde his hede 
 And sawe the stretes all ouer sprede 
 That to his bote wolde come 
 Of all craftes there were one or other 
 I wyll shewe how many or I passe ferther 
 And rekenjthem one by one 
 The fyrst was golde smythes and grote clyppers 
 Multyplyers and clothe thyckers 
 Called fullers euerychone 
 There is taylers tauerners and drapers 
 Potycaryes ale brewers and bakers 
 Mercers fletchers and sporyers 
 
COCKE LORELLES BOTE. II 
 
 Boke prynters peynters bowers 
 Myllers carters and botyll makers 
 Waxechaundelers clothers and grocers 
 Wolle men vynteners and flesshemongers 
 Salters Iowelers and habardashers 
 Drouers cokes and pulters 
 Yermongers pybakers and waferers 
 Fruyters chese mongers and mynstrelles 
 Talowe chaundelers hostelers and glouers 
 Owchers skynners and cutlers 
 Blade smythes fosters and sadelers 
 Coryers cordwayners and cobelers 
 B. vi. a. Gyrdelers forborers and webbers 
 
 Quylte makers shermen and armorers 
 Borlers tapstry workemakers and dyers 
 Brouderers stray ners and carpyte makers 
 Sponers torners and hatters 
 Lyne webbers setters with lyne drapers 
 Roke makers coper smythes and lorymers 
 Brydel bytters blacke smythes and ferrars 
 Bokell smythes horse leches and gold beters 
 Fyners plommers and penters 
 Bedmakers fedbed makers and wyre drawers 
 Founders laten workers and broche makers 
 
12 COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 Pauyers bell makers and brasyers 
 Pynners nedelers and glasyers 
 Bokeler makers dyers and lether sellers 
 Whyte tanners galyors and shethers 
 Masones male makers and merbelers 
 Tylers brycke leyers harde hewers 
 Parys plasterers daubers and lyme borners 
 Carpenters coupers and ioyners 
 Pype makers wode mogers and orgyn makers 
 Coferers carde makers and caruers 
 Shyppe wryghtes whele wryghtes and sowers 
 Harpe makers leches and vpholsterers 
 Porters fesycyens and corsers 
 Parchemente makers skynners and plowers 
 Barbers boke bynders and lymners 
 Repers faners and homers 
 Pouche makers belowfarmes and cage sellers 
 Lanterners stryngers grynders 
 b. vi. i. Arowe heders maltemen and corne mongers 
 Balancers tynne casters and skryueners 
 Stacyoners vestyment swoers and ymagers 
 Sylke women pursers and garnysshers 
 Table makers sylke dyers and shepsters 
 Golde sheres keuerchef launds and rebe makers 
 
COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 13 
 
 Tankarde berers bouge men and spere planers 
 Spynsters carders and cappe knytters 
 Sargeauntes katche pollys and somners 
 Carryers carters and horskepers 
 Courte holders bayles and honters 
 Constables hede borowes and katers 
 Butlers sterchers and musterde makers 
 Harde waremen mole sekers and ratte takers 
 Bewardes brycke borners and canel rakers 
 Potters brome sellers pedelers 
 Shepherdes cowe herdes and swyne kepers 
 Broche makers glas blowers cadelstycke casts 
 Hedgers dykers and mowers 
 Gonners maryners and shypmaysters 
 Chymney swepers and costerde mongers 
 Lode men and bere brewers 
 Fysshers of the see and muskel takers 
 Schouyll chepers gardeners and rake fetters 
 Players purse cutters money baterers 
 Gold washers tomblers Iogelers 
 Pardoners kyges beche gatherers and lether dyers 
 There were theues hores and baudes w l mortherers 
 Crakers facers and chylderne quellers 
 Spyes lyers and grete sclaunderers 
 1 
 
14 COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 c. i. a. Cursers chyders and grete vengeaunce cryers 
 Dyssymulynge beggers hede brekers borders 
 Nette makers and harlote takers 
 Swerers and outragyous laughers 
 Surmowsers yll thynkers and make brasers 
 With toilers lordaynes and fagot berers 
 Luskes slouens and kechen knaues 
 Bargemen whery rowers and dysers 
 Tyburne collopes and peny pryckers 
 Bowlers mas shoters and quayters 
 Flaterers and two face berers 
 Sluttes drabbes and counseyll whystelers 
 With smoggy colyers and stykyge goge fermers 
 Of euery craft some there was 
 Shorte or longe more or lasse 
 All these rehersed here before 
 In Cockes bote eche man had an ore 
 All tho that ofTyces had 
 
 Some woude at y* capstayne as Cocke the bad 
 Some stode at y e slyge some dyde trusse and thryge 
 Some pulde at the beryll some sprcde y e mayne 
 Some howysed the mayne sayle [myssyll 
 
 Some veryed showte a very slayle 
 Some roped y e hoke some y e pope and some y e lauce 
 
COCKE LORELLES BOTE. if 
 
 Some y* loge bote dyde lauce some mede y e corse 
 Mayne corfe toke in a refe byforce 
 And they that were abyll drewe at the cabyll [swepe 
 Some the anker layde some at the plope a sayll 
 One kepte y e compas and watched y e our glasse 
 Some y e lodysshestde dyd seke some y e bote dyd 
 c. L b. Some made knottes of lynkes endes 
 Some the stay rope suerly byndes 
 Some a satte borte a stare borde 
 Some the standerdes oute dyde brynge 
 Some one the shrowedes dyde clyme 
 Some couched a hogges heed vnder a hatche 
 Some threwe out bayte fysshe to catche 
 Some pulled vp the bonauenture 
 Some to howes the tope sayle dyde entre 
 Some stered at the helme behynde 
 Some whysteled after the wynde 
 There was non that there was 
 But he had an offyce more or lasse 
 Than Cocke Lorell dyde his whystele blowe 
 That all his men sholde hym knowe 
 With that they cryed and made a shoute 
 That the water shoke all aboute 
 Than men myght here the ores classhe 
 
16 COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 And on the water gaue many a dasshe 
 They sprede theyr sayles as voyde of sorowe 
 Forthe they rowed Saint George to borowe 
 For Ioy their trupettes dyde they blowe 
 And some songe heue and howe rombelowe 
 They sayled fro garlyke hede to knaues in 
 And a pele of gonnes gan they rynge 
 Of colman hedge a sight they had 
 That made his company very glad 
 For there they thought all to play 
 Bytwene tyborne and chelsay 
 With this man was a lusty company 
 
 c. H. a. For all raskyllers fro them they dyde trye 
 They banysshed prayer peas and sadnes 
 And toke with them myrthe sporte and gladnes 
 They wolde not haue vertu ne yet deuocyon 
 
 c. H. b. But ryotte and reuell with ioly rebellyon 
 They songe and daunsed full merely 
 With swerynge and starynge heuen hye 
 Some said y l they were getle me of grete myght 
 That ther purses were so lyght 
 And some wente in fured gownes and gay shone 
 That had no mo faces than had the mone 
 Of this daye gladde was many a brothell 
 
COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 17 
 
 That myght haue an ore with Cocke Lorell 
 Thus they daunsed with all theyr myght 
 Tyll that phebus had lost his lyght 
 But than came lucyna with all her pale hewe 
 To take her sporte amonge the cloudes blewe 
 And marcury he trewe downe his golde hemes 
 And sperus her syluer stremes 
 That in the worlde gaue so grete lyght 
 As all the erth had be paued with whyte 
 Tha Cocke wayed anker and housed his sayle 
 And forthe he rowed without fayle 
 They sayled England thorowe and thorowe 
 Vyllage towne cyte and borowe 
 They blessyd theyr shyppe whan they had done 
 And dranke about saynt Iulyans torne 
 Than euery man pulled at his ore 
 With that I coulde se them no more 
 But as they rowed vp the hyll 
 The bote swayne blewe his whystell full shryll 
 And I wente homwarde to mowe shame stere 
 With a company dyde I mete 
 As ermytes monkes and freres 
 c. iij. a. Chanons chartores and inholders 
 
 And many whyte nonnes with whyte vayles 
 
18 COCKE LORELLES BOTE. 
 
 That was full wanton of theyr tayles 
 c. iij. b. To meet with Cocke they asked how to do 
 And I tolde them he was a go 
 Than were they sad euerychone 
 And went agayne to theyr home 
 But my counseyll I gaue them there 
 To mete with Cocke another yere 
 No more of Cocke now I wryte 
 But mery it is whan knaues done mete 
 Cocke had in his hande a grete route 
 The thyrde persone of Englande 
 Thus of Cocke Lorell I make an ende 
 And to heuen god your soules sende 
 That redeth this boke ouer all 
 Chryst couer you with his mantell perpetuall. 
 
 AMEN. 
 
 Here endeth Cocke Lorelles bote. Imprynted at 
 London in the Flete strete at the sygne of the sonne 
 by Wynkyn de Worde. 
 
Reprinted at Aberdeen by Milne & Hutchison. 
 

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