Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

382 NOTES.remember that the poet of course follows the usual descriptions given inthe old so-called ' Bestiaries,' or descriptions of beasts. These containsome of the wildest notions, quite at variance with all facts. An oldEnglish Bestiary is printed in Wright and HalUwell's Reliquiae Antiquse,vol. i. p. 208, and is reprinted in Matzner's Altenglische Sprachproben.The Bestiary of Philip de Thaun, in old Norman-French, is printed inMr. Wright's Popular Treatises on Science. Again, there is a descriptionof the panther in the Codex Exoniensis, or collection of Anglo-Saxon poetry from a MS. at Exeter, edited by Mr. Thorpe, 1842. Thelatter describes the panther as of various colours, like Joseph's coat.All the descriptions agree in assigning to the panther a deliciously sweetodour ; see note to Sect. XXVII. 64.Slawe ass, slow ass, the drudging beast of pain ; i. e. of painful toil.'Werely or warlike porcupine, armed with quills.'—C.Lufar vnicorne. Lvfar, i. e. lover. Why the unicorn is called alover is sufficiently clear from the description in Philippe de Thaun.When a hunter wishes to catch a unicorn, he instincts a young girl toentice it ;the unicorn goes to sleep on the girl's lap, and then the hvmterhas him fast. His ' ivory horn ' was supposed to be poisonous.156. Fery, active.Standar olipbant, elephant that always stands. The elephant wassaid to have only one joint in his legs, and so could not lie down. Heused to lean against a tree to go to sleep. See Philippe de Thaun,p. lOI.The wedowis Inemye, the widow's enemy; because he steals herchickens. An evident allusion to Chaucer's Nonne Prestes Tale,which see.Clymbare gayte, goat that climbs.Alblastrye, warlike weapon for shooting. An arblast or alblast(Lat. arcubalista) is any kind of catapult or crossbow. Mr. Chalmerssuggests that the sinews of the elk may have been used for bowstrings.HerJcnere bore, listening boar, boar with keen hearing.Holsum grey for hortis, badger, wholesome for hurts or wounds.Similar ideas are not uncommon. Mr. Chalmers is hopelessly wronghere, and frequently elsewlaere. He supposes it to mean a greyhound,wholesome for tlie gardens; why it is so, he leaves to the reader'singenuity.157. Bugill, drawar, ox, who draws.Martrik, marten.Foyn^er, probably the beech-marten.Tippit as the lete, tipped like jet, i. e. on its tail.Nocht say bo, never says stop! The word bo is an interjection,meaning ' stop ! ''cease ! ' See Chaucer.