Digital Index of Middle English Verse: No. 6521

DIMEV 6521

IMEV 4079.6

NIMEV 4079.6

While the grass groweth

A proverbial saying, translating ‘Gramen dum crescit equus in moriendo quiescit’ — one couplet

Subjects: proverbs; translations; seasons; horses

Versification: — two-line — aa

Manuscript Witnesses:

1.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Douce 52 (SC 21626), f. 15v

Editions:

Förster, Max. “Die Mittelenglische Sprichwörtersammlung in Douce 52.” Festschrift zum XII Deutschen Neuphilolgentage in München 1906. E. Stollreither, ed. Erlangen (1906): 40-64: 45.

2.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Rawlinson D.328 (SC 15444), f. 141v

Transcription:

whyle þe grasse growyth
þe horsse stervyth

Note: Translating ‘Dum gramine crescit equus in uerendo quiescit’, which follows; English portion all written on one line.

Editions:

Meech, Sanford Brown. “A Collection of Proverbs in Rawlinson MS D 328.” Modern Philology 38 (1940-41): 113-32: 120.

3.Source: Oxford, Balliol College 354, p. 4021

Transcription:

While the gresse grwith
the hors stervith

Facsimiles:

Early Manuscripts at Oxford University: Facsimile of Oxford, Balliol MS 354. (http://image.ox.ac.uk/show?collection=balliol&manuscript=ms354).

Editions:

Förster, Max. “Die Mittelenglische Sprichwörtersammlung in Douce 52.” Festschrift zum XII Deutschen Neuphilolgentage in München 1906. E. Stollreither, ed. Erlangen (1906): 40-64: 45.

Flügel, Ewald. “Liedersammlungen des XVI Jahrhunderts….” Anglia 26 (1903): 94-285: 203.

Dyboski, R., ed. Songs, Carols and Other Miscellaneous Poems from Balliol MS. 354, Richard Hill’s Commonplace Book. EETS e.s. 101 (1908); repr. 1984: 128.

4.Source: Oxford, Balliol College 354, p. 42010

Transcription:

While the gresse growith
the hors stervith

Note: Second occurrence in MS.

Facsimiles:

Early Manuscripts at Oxford University: Facsimile of Oxford, Balliol MS 354. (http://image.ox.ac.uk/show?collection=balliol&manuscript=ms354).

Editions:

Förster, Max. “Die Mittelenglische Sprichwörtersammlung in Douce 52.” Festschrift zum XII Deutschen Neuphilolgentage in München 1906. E. Stollreither, ed. Erlangen (1906): 40-64: 45.

Dyboski, R., ed. Songs, Carols and Other Miscellaneous Poems from Balliol MS. 354, Richard Hill’s Commonplace Book. EETS e.s. 101 (1908); repr. 1984: 132.

5.Source: London, British Library Harley 2321, f. 149

Editions:

Wright, Thomas, and James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps, eds. Reliquiae Antiquae. 2 vols. London: Smith, 1845: 8.

6.Source: Manchester, John Rylands Library Lat. 394, f. 7v

Transcription:

while þe gresse growes
þe good hors sterues

Note: Written as prose; Latin follows.

Editions:

Pantin, William A. “A Medieval Collection of Latin and English Proverbs…from Rylands Latin MS. 394.” Bulletin of the John Rylands Library 14 (1930): 81-114: 978.