v. 152. _Lyke rotten egges_] Lydgate in a satirical description of a lady has—
“Colowryd _lyche a rotyn eey_ [i. e. egg].”
v. 153. _lewde sorte_] i. e. vile set, low rabble.
v. 163. _shreud aray_]—_shreud_, i. e. evil, bad. “_Araye_ condicion or case _poynt_.” Palsgrave’s _Lesclar. de la Lang. Fr._, 1530. fol. xviii. (Table of Subst.); which, however, may not be the sense of _aray_ in the present passage. We find:—“Soo with this rumoure came in syr launcelot and fond them al at a grete _araye_.” _Morte d’Arthur_, B. xix. c. vi. vol. ii. 374. ed. Southey; the next chapter beginning “What _araye_ is this sayd sir Launcelot,” &c. “For al this foule _araye_, for al this great frai.” _Mery Tales, Wittie Questions_, &c., 1567. p. 18, reprint. See also our author’s sacred poem, _Wofully araid_, vol. i. 141, and note on it.
v. 171. _draffe_] i. e. hog-wash—either the coarse liquor, or brewers’ grains, with which swine are fed.
v. 173. _swyllynge tubbe_] i. e. tub in which _swillings_ (hog-wash) are preserved for swine.
_For, be there neuer so much prese,_ _These swyne go to the hye dese_]
—_prese_, i. e. press, throng: _dese_, or _dais_, a word of doubtful etymology, generally means—a table of estate,—the upper table raised on a platform more elevated than the others. See Tyrwhitt’s note on _Cant. Tales_, v. 372; and Richardson’s _Dict._ in v. _Dais_. It sometimes signifies a long bench (see Jamieson’s _Et. Dict. of Scot. Lang._ in v. _Deis_); and such seems to be its meaning here, as in the fourth line after this “the hye benche” is mentioned.—Roy in his satire against Wolsey, _Rede me, and be nott wrothe_, &c., has imitated the present passage of Skelton;
“_For, be there never so grett prease_, They are set up at _the hy dease_.”
_God gyue it yll preuynge,_ _Clenly as yuell cheuynge_]
“And prechest on thy benche, _with evil prefe_:” (i. e. evil may it prove!)
Chaucer’s _Wif of Bathes Prol._ v. 5829. ed. Tyr.
—_yuell cheuynge_, i. e. evil ending, bad success.
Roy’s _Rede me_, &c., _Harl. Miscell._ ix. 79. ed. Park.
See also _Cocke Lorelles bote_, sig. B i., _Towneley Myst._ p. 108, and Chaucer’s _Chanones Yemannes Tale_, v. 16693. ed. Tyr.
v. 189. _patch_] I know not how to explain.
Page 102. v. 212. _And ye may it broke_] i. e. If you may brook it.