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Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice
Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice is here in full — 386 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

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Context Illustration Reading 1/77 · 5 lines
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_"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.
"Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."
So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.
"Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.
And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
Editorial verification pending

A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice is here in full — 386 sentences across 78 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/77 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
_"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.
Line 2
"Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."
/ˈaʊər ɡɑːdz ɑːr ɡʊd ðeɪ tel ʌs nɔːr wɪl ˈaʊər ɡɑːdz dɪˈfɜːr riˈmɪʃən ʌv ruːd ˈfeloʊz əˈbɪlətiː tuː er/
Line 3
So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.
Line 4
"Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.
Line 5
And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."

Learner Dictionary

These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.

Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.

apprehending verb US /ˌæprɪˈhendɪŋ/

-ing form of “apprehend” — get the meaning of something

From this reading “"Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.”

err verb US /er/

to make a mistake or be incorrect

From this reading “"Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."”

Explicitly adverb US /ɪkˈsplɪsətli/

in an explicit manner

From this reading “So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.”

extenuate verb US /ɪkˈstenjuːeɪt/

lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

From this reading “And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."”

gat noun US /ɡæt/

a gangster's pistol

From this reading “_"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.”

Remission noun US /riˈmɪʃən/

an abatement in intensity or degree (as in the manifestations of a disease)

From this reading “"Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."”

twiddle verb US /ˈtwɪdəl/

turn in a twisting or spinning motion

From this reading “_"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.”

unravels verb US /ənˈrævəlz/

third-person singular of “unravel” — become or cause to become undone by separating the fibers or threads of

From this reading “So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.”

All words in this reading · 114

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

adeterminerUS /ə/

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

AbilitynounUS /əˈbɪlətiː/

the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

acception

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

actsnounUS /ækts/

a New Testament book describing the development of the early church from Christ's Ascension to Paul's sojourn at Rome

From this reading And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."

additionnounUS /əˈdɪʃən/

a component that is added to something to improve it

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

agoon

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

andeterminerUS /æn/

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

AndconjunctionUS /ənd/

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

anyadjectiveUS /ˈeni/

one or some or every or all without specification

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

apprehendingverbUS /ˌæprɪˈhendɪŋ/

-ing form of “apprehend” — get the meaning of something

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/

the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

asconjunctionUS /æz/

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

authenticadjectiveUS /əˈθentɪk/

conforming to fact and therefore worthy of belief

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

beauxiliary verbUS /biː/

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/

the past participle of “be”

From this reading And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."

BeforeprepositionUS /bɪˈfɔːr/

earlier than; in front of

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

betteradjectiveUS /ˈbetər/

(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

bigadjectiveUS /bɪɡ/

above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

brightadjectiveUS /braɪt/

emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

byprepositionUS /baɪ/

showing who or what does the action

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

ChristianadjectiveUS /ˈkrɪstʃən/

relating to or characteristic of Christianity

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

compromiseverbUS /ˈkɑːmprəmaɪz/

make a compromise; arrive at a compromise

From this reading So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.

conceiveverbUS /kənˈsiːv/

have the idea for

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

condicioun

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

constructionnounUS /kənˈstrʌkʃən/

the act of constructing something

From this reading And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."

ContentnounUS /ˈkɑːntent/

(usually plural) everything that is included in a collection and that is held or included in something

From this reading So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.

countrie

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

deferverbUS /dɪˈfɜːr/

hold back to a later time

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

desirenounUS /dɪˈzaɪər/

the feeling that accompanies an unsatisfied state

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

doauxiliary verbUS /duː/

used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

eachdeterminerUS /iːtʃ/

every one of two or more people or things, taken separately

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

eitherdeterminerUS /ˈiːðər/

one or the other of two

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

eke

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

else

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

emblemnounUS /ˈembləm/

special design or visual object representing a quality, type, group, etc.

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

emblematicaladjective

serving as a visible symbol for something abstract

From this reading And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."

entertainverbUS /ˌentərˈteɪn/

provide entertainment for

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

errverbUS /er/

to make a mistake or be incorrect

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

ExplicitlyadverbUS /ɪkˈsplɪsətli/

in an explicit manner

From this reading So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.

expressionnounUS /ɪkˈspreʃən/

the feelings expressed on a person's face

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

extenuateverbUS /ɪkˈstenjuːeɪt/

lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of

From this reading And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."

fabulousadjectiveUS /ˈfæbjələs/

extremely pleasing

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

fellowsnounUS /ˈfeloʊz/

plural of “fellow” — a boy or man

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

fistsnounUS /fɪsts/

plural of “fist” — a hand with the fingers clenched in the palm (as for hitting)

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

forwardadverbUS /ˈfɔːrwərd/

at or to or toward the front

From this reading And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."

fyre

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

gatnounUS /ɡæt/

a gangster's pistol

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

godsnounUS /ɡɑːdz/

plural of “god” — the supernatural being conceived as the perfect and omnipotent and omniscient originator and ruler of the universe; the object of worship in monotheistic religions

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

goodadjectiveUS /ɡʊd/

having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

hathauxiliary verbUS /hæθ/

an old form of “has”

From this reading And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."

himselfe

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

hisdeterminerUS /hɪz/

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

historynounUS /ˈhɪstəri/

the aggregate of past events

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

InprepositionUS /ɪn/

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

Iurgenius

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

japenoun

a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

JURGEN

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

literaladjectiveUS /ˈlɪtərəl/

being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

maken

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

mennounUS /men/

the force of workers available

From this reading And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."

mencioun

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

misconstructionnoun

a kind of misinterpretation resulting from putting a wrong construction on words or actions (often deliberately)

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

moderationnounUS /ˌmɑːdərˈeɪʃən/

quality of being moderate and avoiding extremes

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

nenounUS /niː/

a colorless odorless gaseous element that give a red glow in a vacuum tube; one of the six inert gasses; occurs in the air in small amounts

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

nonepronounUS /nʌn/

not one, and not any

From this reading So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.

NorconjunctionUS /nɔːr/

and not; used after a negative to add a second negative

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

notadverbUS /nɑːt/

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

OfprepositionUS /ʌv/

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

oldadjectiveUS /oʊld/

(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

orconjunctionUS /ɔːr/

used to join alternatives or possibilities

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

Ordainments

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.

Others

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

OurdeterminerUS /ˈaʊər/

belonging to the speaker and others

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

personsnounUS /ˈpɜːrsənz/

plural of “person” — a human being

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

piecenounUS /piːs/

a separate part of a whole

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

poesynoun

literature in metrical form

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

Poictesme

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

receivedadjectiveUS /rəˈsiːvd/

conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers

From this reading And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."

RemissionnounUS /riˈmɪʃən/

an abatement in intensity or degree (as in the manifestations of a disease)

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

Robuster

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

rudeadjectiveUS /ruːd/

socially incorrect in behavior

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

saintsnounUS /seɪnts/

plural of “saint” — a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization

From this reading And this emblematical construction hath been received by men not forward to extenuate the acts of saints."

sciolists

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

shirte

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

sighsnounUS /saɪz/

plural of “sigh” — an utterance made by exhaling audibly

From this reading So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.

SoconjunctionUS /soʊ/

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.

St

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

storynounUS /ˈstɔːri/

a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

symbolicaladjective

relating to or using or proceeding by means of symbols

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

tarradiddlenoun

a trivial lie

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

tellverbUS /tel/

express in words

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

ThatconjunctionUS /ðæt/

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

thedeterminerUS /ðə/

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

theypronounUS /ðeɪ/

the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

thisdeterminerUS /ðɪs/

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.

toparticleUS /tuː/

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

travelsnounUS /ˈtrævəlz/

plural of “travel” — the act of going from one place to another

From this reading So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.

TremendouslyadverbUS /trəˈmendəsli/

extremely

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

trueadjectiveUS /truː/

consistent with fact or reality; not false

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

twiddleverbUS /ˈtwɪdəl/

turn in a twisting or spinning motion

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

Uncowed

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

unravelsverbUS /ənˈrævəlz/

third-person singular of “unravel” — become or cause to become undone by separating the fibers or threads of

From this reading So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.

untoprepositionUS /ˈʌntuː/

an old word for “to”

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

uspronounUS /ʌs/

the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

veritableadjectiveUS /ˈverɪtəbəl/

often used as intensifiers

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

vulgaradjectiveUS /ˈvʌlɡər/

lacking refinement or cultivation or taste

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

wepronounUS /wiː/

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

Wherein

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

willmodal verbUS /wɪl/

used to talk about the future, or about willingness

From this reading "Our gods are good," they tell us; "Nor will our gods defer Remission of rude fellows' Ability to err."

withprepositionUS /wɪð/

in the company of; together with

From this reading "Others, with better moderation, do either entertain the vulgar history of Jurgen as a fabulous addition unto the true and authentic story of St. Iurgenius of Poictesme, or else we conceive the literal acception to be a misconstruction of the symbolical expression: apprehending a veritable history, in an emblem or piece of Christian poesy.

wyf

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

yetconjunctionUS /jet/

but in spite of that

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

yourdeterminerUS /jɔːr/

belonging to the person or people being spoken to

From this reading So this, your JURGEN, travels Content to compromise Ordainments none unravels Explicitly ... and sighs.

youthe

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading _"Of JURGEN eke they maken mencioun, That of an old wyf gat his youthe agoon, And gat himselfe a shirte as bright as fyre Wherein to jape, yet gat not his desire In any countrie ne condicioun."_ Before each tarradiddle, Uncowed by sciolists, Robuster persons twiddle Tremendously big fists.

Chapter 1 of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice by James Branch Cabell holds 386 sentences, grouped into 78 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice contain?

Chapter 1 holds 386 sentences of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice, unabridged, divided into 78 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice by James Branch Cabell exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 386 sentences, grouped into 78 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice?

Work through the 78 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 78 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice

Common questions about reading Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice by James Branch Cabell on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice?

Yes. All 5097 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8771 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #8771, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice take to read?

About 424 minutes of reading across 1020 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

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How to work through Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

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Vocabulary met early in Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice

Words and structures a reader meets early in Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Jurgen
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Maken
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Mencioun
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Youthe
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jurgen: A Comedy of Justice; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.