YE OLDE ENGLISHE PAYRE.
The ghost of Chaucer has sent us his ojHnion through a spirit circle, of "Ye Okie Englishe ' Fayre," as follows : — " As it y'f ell upon a daye, lo I y'went unto ye joustes y'cleped, '" Ye Olde Englishe Fayre" in ye fieldes atte ye Northe Shoyre, being troubled withe ye melancholic engendered of dispitous and muchel studie and eke laboure,. whilke ye arrette it not unto my villainy if I telle you tbilke Fayre n'ia but greate clamour eke Wairaeating, as I wiste I haddey'beenbejaped, eke I liste it not, but devise it as soothly but counterfeite and porpined avenfcures. Insfcede of ye lordes in pavements on their courses, ye knights of retinue and eke squiers in goodly arraye, pipes, trumpets, nakeres and clarions, ye f ayre was withouteu piment, mead, spiced ale, as of wafers piping hotte, n'as my jollie whistle well y' wette ilke as in yore agone in merrie Engleland. N'as ye prickasour, ye burgesses, y' dight in faire costume, nor any of ye goodly thinges whilke y' gladdened our heartes in ye olde Englishe fayres I wot of, but instede but ye melancholic fieldes, f eigne I woulde I n'ere y'wenfc unto. A jangler and a goliaridais thilk'e hadde a fire-red cherabinne's face, f ulle sausefleme whilke cam en much sadness himselve and eke unto_ye wights which y' rouketh were. Soothly enow anaT^ and eke suffisauce of ye things y'cleped ye olde Englishe f ayre hadde I ; no mo' shall I wenden. thereto, I trow. A mannes mirth it will tura all to grame.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TO18820422.2.3.12
Bibliographic details
Observer, Volume IV, Issue 84, 22 April 1882, Page 83
Word Count
261YE OLDE ENGLISHE PAYRE. Observer, Volume IV, Issue 84, 22 April 1882, Page 83
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