Re: Woolybanana in the Harley Manuscript

[NormanH]

Reading through blogs on Middle English poetics as I am wont to do on a Friday evening I came across this which made me think of our old friend [:D]

Now I pirtle, I pofte, I poute,

I snurpe, I snobbe, I sneipe on snoute,

Throgh kund I comble and kelde.

I lench, I len, on lyme I lasse,

I poke, I rpomple, I palle, I pass

As gallith gome i-geld.

I rivele, I roxle, I rake, I rouwe,

I clyng, I cluche, I croke, I couwe,

Thus he wol me aweld.

I grunt, I grone, I grenne, I gruche,

I nese, I nappe, I nifle, I nuche,

And al this wilneth eld.

I stunt, I stomere, I stumble as sledde,

I blind, I bleri, I bert in bedde,

Such sond is me sent.

I spitte, I spatle in spech, I sporne,

I werne, I lutle, ther-for I murne,

Thus is mi wel i-went

Now I babble, I puff, I pout,

I sneeze, I sob, I sniff in my snout

Through nature I grow numb and cold.

I stoop, I bend, in limb I shrink,

I poke, I hobble, I grow feeble, I walk

Like a castrated man who has saddle-sores.

I shrivel, I weaken, I wander, I cough,

I dry up, I bend over, I twist, I cower,

In this way he wishes to conquer me.

I grunt, I groan, I grimace, I grumble,

I sneeze, I nod off, I snivel, I tremble,

And all of this Old Age wishes.

I stop, I stammer, I stumble as a dray*,

I go blind, I am bleary, I snore in bed,

Such a gift* is sent to me.

I spit, I stumble in speech, I trip,

I wither, I diminish, therefore I lament

That in this way my well-being is gone.

Thanks to the source at

http://stylisticienne.com/

[Loiseau]

QUOTE

Now I babble, I puff, I pout,

I sneeze, I sob, I sniff in my snout

END QUOTE

Hmm, must have been eavesdropping...

;-))

[mint]

I wish you hadn't given the modern version as I much prefer the original![:D]

Now for Wooly's riposte?

[woolybanana]

Lordie, Norman, what are you injecting, snorting, taking orally or, because the French love suppositories, inserting, It is clearly good for the linguistic muscles.

I reckon it is the thought of an "interview" with the all embracing and encompassing Mrs Rottweiler that has got him going.

[PaulT]

I hear on the grapevine that Rory Bremner has approached WB and NH to replace the Johns Bird and Fortune.

[NormanH]

Couldn't afford us[:D]