Editorial note
The aim of the elemental edition is to make the poems accessible to the largest variety
of readers, which involves modernizing spelling and punctuation as well as adding
basic glosses. Spelling and punctuation reflect current standard American usage; punctuation
highlights syntax which might otherwise be obscure. Outmoded but still familiar word
forms (“thou,” “‘tis,” “hold’st”) are not modernized, and we do not modernize grammar
when the sense remains legible. After a brief headnote aimed at offering a “way in”
to the poem’s unique qualities and connections with other verse by Pulter or her contemporaries,
the edition features a minimum of notes and interpretative framing to allow more immediate
engagement with the poem. Glosses clarify synonyms or showcase various possible meanings
in Pulter’s time. Other notes identify named people and places or clarify obscure
material. We rely (without citation) primarily on the Oxford English Dictionary (OED),
the Oxford Reference database, and the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. When
we rely on Alice Eardley’s edition of Pulter’s work, we cite her text generally (“Eardley”);
other sources are cited in full. The result is an edition we consider a springboard
for further work on Pulter’s poetry. See full conventions for this edition here.
Headnote
You can’t please all of the people all of the time: Pulter transforms that truism
into both political history and prophecy in a poem which begins as a light-hearted
fable before taking a darkly murderous turn. The villain here is the instability and
inconstancy of public opinion, figured commonly as a multi-headed Hydra. Pulter uses
the Aesopian tale of how people mercilessly mock any choice made by a man riding through
town to threaten Oliver Cromwell and those who came to power with him in the aftermath
of the civil war: Cromwell will undoubtedly be hoisted on his own petard and suffer
the violent fates of others in history who relied on popular acclamation to overthrow
sovereignty.
Line number 2
Gloss note
a youth
Line number 3
Gloss note
on foot
Line number 4
Gloss note
since it was suitable for him to serve his master
Line number 9
Gloss note
That is, the man dismounted and the boy mounted the horse.
Line number 12
Gloss note
usually, a riding horse; here, the ass; alternatively, a saddle or saddle pad
Line number 15
Gloss note
“light” as in alight or dismount; “for shame” ventriloquizes the people’s admonition,
as does the next line.
Line number 16
Gloss note
injure
Line number 19
Gloss note
an expression indicative of a loud noise (with “welkin” meaning the sky)
Line number 22
Gloss note
carry
Line number 24
Gloss note
attempt
Line number 25
Gloss note
The Hydra was the many-headed serpent in classical mythology that could grow additional
heads when one was cut off; the adjective can be used to refer to anything similarly
destructive, multi-headed, or hard to kill.
Line number 28
Gloss note
flighty, inconstant; whirling with bewildering speed
Line number 29
Gloss note
Andronicus had his joint emperor of Greece, Alexius, killed; the people then revolted
against and tortured Andronicus.
Line number 31
Gloss note
an influential officer in ancient Rome who was arrested and executed (with his body
was torn to pieces by the crowd) on suspicion of intent to kill the emperor Tiberius
Line number 32
Gloss note
The manuscript reads “Barrierus,” which Eardley interprets as Briareus, a monster
in ancient Greek mythology with a hundred arms and fifty heads.
Line number 33
Gloss note
Oliver Cromwell and those who came to power in his regime, supported by popular opinion
Line number 34
Gloss note
When
Line number 34
Gloss note
When people rely on popular opinion (referred to in the line above as the “Hydra’s
love”); to give someone their due is to pay respect to them.
Line number 36
Gloss note
Cromwell, whom the speaker hopes will be rejected and destroyed like the ass in the
fable
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