I don't think I have anything on the name Cock Lorrell before Cocke Lorelles Bote. But I agree with you the poem makes more sense if he was already some kind of well-known figure from popular culture.
As you may know, the name Cock Lorrell means something like Chief Rogue, or Chief Layabout.
I definitely count the lines in Copeland's Spittal House as canting ('pedlynge frenche').
Re: Cock Lorrell
I don't think I have anything on the name Cock Lorrell before Cocke Lorelles Bote. But I agree with you the poem makes more sense if he was already some kind of well-known figure from popular culture.
As you may know, the name Cock Lorrell means something like Chief Rogue, or Chief Layabout.
I definitely count the lines in Copeland's Spittal House as canting ('pedlynge frenche').