Vulgar words in The Geste of Duke Jocelyn (Page 1)
This book at a glance
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~ ~ ~ Sentence 34 ~ ~ ~
One was a tall, broad-shouldered, goodly wight In garb of motley like a jester dight, Fool's cap on head with ass's ears a-swing, While, with each stride, his bells did gaily ring; But, 'neath his cock's-comb showed a face so marred With cheek, with brow and lip so strangely scarred As might scare tender maid or timid child Unless, by chance, they saw him when he smiled, For then his eyes, so deeply blue and bright, Did hold in them such joyous, kindly light, That sorrow was from heavy hearts beguiled-- This jester seemed less ugly when he smiled.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 256 ~ ~ ~
Come, let her by and, fool-like to requite ye, With merry jape and quip I will delight ye, Or with sweet song I 'll charm those ass's ears, And melt, belike, those bullish hearts to tears--" Now the chief warder, big and black of jowl, Upon the Duke most scurvily did scowl.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 629 ~ ~ ~
Who, clad like Fool, like Fool will fain be wed, For ass and dolt and fool of fools is he Who'll live in bondage to some talk-full she.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 1,107 ~ ~ ~
Furthermore, I that do seem a sorry jesting-fellow, I that in antic habit go, that cut ye capers with ass's ears a-dangle and languish here your fellow in bonds, am yet no antic, no poor, motley Fool, but a duke and lord of many fair towns and rich cities beyond Morfeville and the Southward March.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,244 ~ ~ ~
All ord'nary lovers, as every one knows, Make love to each other much better in prose.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,432 ~ ~ ~
Now, as they stood, hand in hand, deep hidden 'mid the green, they beheld six merry woodland rogues who led an ambling ass whereon rode a friar portly and perspiring albeit he had a jovial eye.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,435 ~ ~ ~
Here is ass that doth out-patience all asses, both four and two-legged.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,436 ~ ~ ~
Here is meek ass of leisured soul loving not haste--a very pensive perambulator.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,439 ~ ~ ~
Fourthly, beloved, 'tis an ass that--ha!
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,509 ~ ~ ~
And thus, kneeling upon the flower-sprent turf hand in hand and with heads reverently bowed, they were wed, while the six outlaws stared in silent awe and the meek ass cropped the grass busily.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,558 ~ ~ ~
Now as Sir Pertinax wrung his hands in an agony of indecision, rose a whisper of sweet sound, the murmur of softly-plucked lute-strings, and into the glade, cock's-comb aflaunt and ass's ears a-dangle Duke Jocelyn strode and sang as he came a song he had made on a time, a familiar air: "Good Pertinax, why griev'st thou so?
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,685 ~ ~ ~
Hearkening to this singing Yolande shivered, yet not with cold, and casting a cloak about her loveliness came and leaned forth into the warm, still glamour of the night, and saw where stood Jocelyn tall and shapely in the moonlight, but with hateful cock's-comb a-flaunt and ass's ears grotesquely a-dangle; wherefore she sighed and frowned upon him, saying nothing.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,802 ~ ~ ~
She (_scornfully_): Verily, thou art no saint-- He: Not yet, lady, not yet--witness these ass's ears.
~ ~ ~ Sentence 2,927 ~ ~ ~
Now had he worn ass's ears 'bove visage scarred--how then?