176

Ausgaben 1548— 1556.

16 .

1548 — 56 .

Here beginneth a merrye Jest of a man that was called IIow-leglafs, and of many marueylous thinges and Jestes that lie dydin his lyfe, in Eastlande and in many other places.

Ein roher Holzschnitt, welcher das ganze übrige Blatt weg-nimmt, stellt einen König auf dem Throne dar, vor welchem zweiLeute stehen, von denen der eine der Narr, der andere Ulen-spiegel zu sein scheint.

Am Ende : <1 Imprynted at London in Tamestrete at theVintre on the thre Craned wharfc by Wyllyam Copland. ( ■. • )

Das Buch beginnt also auf der Bückseite des Titelblattes:

For the great defyryng and prayng of my good frandes.And I y e first writer of this boke might not denye the. Thushaue I compled and gathired much knauyshnes & falsnes of oneIlowleglas made and done within his lyfe, whiche Ilowleglas dyedy c yeare of our lord God. M. CCCC.&L. ') Nowc I defyre to hepardoned both before ghostly & worldly, afore highe & loweafore noble and vnnohle. And right lowly I requyre all thosey‘ shall reade or lieare this presóte Jeste (my ignorance to ex-cuse). This fable is not but only to renewe y° mindes of menor women, of all degrees fro y° vse of fadnesse to passe thetyme, with laughter or mvrthe. And forbecause y' simple know-yng persones shuld be ware if folkes can see. Me thinke it isbetter no 1 2 ) passe the tyme with fucli a merry Jeste and laughethere at and doo no synne: than for to wepe and do fynne.

Ct Howe Howleglas as he was borne, was christened thretymes vpon one daye. Yn the lande of Sassen, in the vyllageof Kuelnige, there dwelleth a m;i that was named Nicholaus Howle-glas that had a wife named Wvpeke, that lay a childbed in thesame wyllage: and that chylde was borne to christening & namedTyell Howleglas.

Dieser alte Druck mit gothischen Typen in klein Quart in

1. Lies M. CCC.&L, wie im letzten Capitel des englischen Textes steht.

2. Lies : lo.