tinued with werkes of charitee. It availeth eke ayenst the vices of the soule: for, as sayth Seint Jerome, by fasting ben saved the vices of the flesh, and by prayer the vices of the soule. After this thou shalt understonde, that bodily peine stont in waking. For Jesu Crist sayth: wake ye and pray ye, that ye ne enter into wicked temptation. Ye shul understond also, that fasting stont in three thinges in forbering of bodily mete and drinke, in forbering of worldly jolitee, and in forbering of dedly sinne: this is to say, that a man shall kepe him fro dedly sinne with all his might. Now have I told you of veray confession, that is the seconde part of penitence: The thridde part is satisfaction, and that stont most generally in almesse dede and in bodily peine. Now ben ther three maner of almesse: contrition of herte, wher a man offreth himself to God: another is, to have pitee of the defaute of his neighbour: and the thridde is, in yeving of good conseil, gostly and bodily, wher as men have nede, and namely in sustenance of mannes food. And take kepe that a man hath nede of thise thinges generally, he hath And thou shalt understonde also, that God nede of food, of clothing, and of herberow, he hathordeined fasting, and to fasting apperteineth foure nede of charitable conseilling and visiting in prison and in maladie, and sepulture of his ded body. And if thou maiest not visite the nedeful in prison in thy person, visite hem with thy message and thy yeftes. Thise ben generally the almesses and werkes of charitee, of hem that have temporel richesses, or discretion in conseilling. Of thise werkes shalt thou heren at the day of dome. This almesse shuldest thou do of thy propre thinges, and hastily, and prively if thou mayest: but natheles, if thou mayest not do it prively, thou shalt not forbere to do almesse, though men see it, so that it be not don for thanke of the world, but only to have thanke of Jesu Crist. For, as witnesseth Seint Mathewe, Cap. v. a citee may not be hid that is sette on a mountaine, ne men light not a lanterne, to put it under a bushell, but setten it upon a candlesticke, to lighten the men in the hous right so shal your light lighten before men, that they mowe see your good werkes, and glorifie your Fader that is in heven. : Now as for to speke of bodily peine, it stont in praiers, in waking, in fasting, and in vertuous teching. Of orisons ye shul understond, that orisons or prayers, is to say, a pitous will of herte, that setteth it in God, and expresseth it by word outward, to remeve harmes, and to have thinges spirituel and perdurable, and somtime temporel thinges. Of which orisons, certes in the orison of the Paternoster hath Jesu Crist enclosed most thinges. Certes it is privileged of three thinges in his dignitee, for whiche it is more digne than any other prayer: for that Jesu Crist himself made it: and it is short, for it shuld be coude the more lightly, and to hold it the more esie in herte, and helpe himself the ofter with this orison, and for a man shuld be the lesse wery to say it, and for a man may not excuse him to lerne it, it is so shorte and so esie: and for it comprehendeth in himself all good prayers. The exposition of this holy prayer, that is so excellent and so digne, I betake to the maisters of theologie, save thus moche wol I say, that whan thou prayest, that God shuld foryeve thee thy giltes as thou foryevest hem that have agilted thee, be wel ware that thou be not out of charitee. This holy orison amenuseth eke venial sinne, and therfore it apperteineth specially to penitence. This prayer must be trewely sayd, and in perfeet feith, and that men prayen to God ordinately, discretely, and devoutly and alway a man shal put his will to be subgette to the will of God. This orison must eke be sayd with gret humblesse and ful pure, and honestly, and not to the annoyance of any man or woman. It must eke be con thinges. Largenesse to poure folk: gladnesse of herte spirituel not to be angry ne annoied, ne grutch for he fasteth: and also resonable houre for to ete by mesure, that is to say, a man shal not ete in untime, ne sit the longer at the table, for he fasteth. Than shalt thou understonde, that bodily peine stont in discipline, or teching, by word, or by writing, or by ensample. Also in wering of here or of stamin, or of habergeons on hir naked flesh for Cristes sake; but ware thee wel that swiche maner penances ne make not thin herte bitter or angry, ne annoied of thyself; for better is to cast away thin here than to cast away the swetenesse of our Lord Jesu Crist. And therfore sayth Seint Poule: clothe you, as they that ben chosen of God in herte, of misericorde, debonairtee, suffrance, and swiche maner of clothing, of whiche Jesu Crist is more plesed than with the heres or habergeons. Than is discipline eke, in knocking of thy brest, in scourging with yerdes, in kneling, in tribulation, in suffring patiently wronges that ben don to thee, and eke in patient suffring of maladies, or lesing of worldly catel, or wif, or child, or other frendes. Than shalt thou understond, which thinges distourben penance, and this is in foure maners; that is drede, shame, hope, and wanhope, that is, desperation. And for to speke first of drede, for which he weneth that he may suffre no penance, ther ayenst is remedie for to thinke, that bodily penance is but short and litel at regard of the peine of helle, that is so cruel and so longe, that it lasteth withouten ende. Now ayenst the shame that a man hath to shrive him, and namely thise Ipocrites, that wold be holden so parfit, that they have no nede to shrive hem, ayenst that shame shuld a man thinke, that by way of reson, he that hath not ben ashamed to do foule thinges, certes him ought not be ashamed to do faire thinges, and that is confessions. A man shuld also thinke, that God seeth and knoweth al his thoughtes, and al his werkes, and to him may nothing be hid ne covered. Men shuld eke remembre hem of the shame that is to come at the day of dome, to hem that ben not penitent in this present lif: for all the creatures in heven, and in erthe, and in helle, shul see apertly all that they hiden in this world. Now for to speke of the hope of hem, that ben so negligent and slowe to shrive hem that stondeth in two maners. That on is, that he hopeth for to live long, and for to purchase moche richesse for his delit, and than he wol shrive him and, as he sayeth, he may, as him semeth, than timely ynough come to shrift: another is, the surquedrie that he hath in Cristes mercie. Ayenst the first vice, he shal thinke that our lif is in no sikernesse, and eke that all the richesse in this world ben in aventure, and passen❘ as a shadowe on a wall; and, as sayth Seint Gregorie, that it apperteineth to the gret rightwisnesse of God, that never shal the peine stinte of hem, that never wold withdrawe hem from sinne, hir thankes, but ever continue in sinne: for thilke perpetuel will to don sinne shall they have perpetuel peine. Wanhope is in two maners. The first wanhope is, in the mercie of God: that other is, that they think that they ne might not long persever in goodnesse. The first wanhope cometh of that, he demeth that he hath sinned so gretly and so oft, and so long lyen in sinne, that he shal not be saved. Certes ayenst that cursed wanhope shulde he thinke, that the passion of Jesu Crist is more stronge for to unbinde, than sinne is strong for to binde. Ayenst the second wanhope he shal thinke, that as often as he falleth, he may arisen again by penitence: and though he never so longe hath lyen in sinne, the mercie of Crist is alway redy to receive him to mercie. Ayenst that wanhope that he demeth he shuld not longe persever in goodnesse, he shal think, that the feblenesse of the devil may nothing do, but if men wol suffre him and eke he shal have strength of the helpe of Jesu Crist, and of all his chirche, and of the protection of angels, if him list. Than shul men understonde, what is the fruit of penance; and after the wordes of Jesu Crist, it is an endeles blisse of heven, ther joye hath no contrariositee of wo ne grevance; ther all harmes ben passed of this present lif; ther as is sikernesse from the peines of helle; ther as is the blisful compagnie, that rejoycen hem ever mo everich of others joye; ther as the body of man, that whilom was foule and derke, is more clere than the sonne; ther as the body that whilom was sike and freele, feble and mortal, is immortal, and so strong and so hole, that ther ne may nothing appeire it; ther❘ as is neither hunger, ne thurste, ne colde, but every soule replenished with the sight of the parfit knowing of God. This blisful regne mowe men purchase by poverte spirituel, and the glorie by lowlinesse, the plentee of joye by hunger and thurst, and the reste by travaile, and the lif by deth and mortification of sinne: to which life he us bring, that bought us with his precious blood. Amen. Now preye I to hem alle that herken this litel tretise or reden it, that if ther be any thing in it that liketh hem, that therof they thanken our Lord Jesu Crist, of whom procedeth all witte and all godenesse; and if ther be any thing that displeseth hem, I preye hem also that they arrette it to the defaute of myn unkonning, and not to my wille, that wold fayn have seyde better if I hadde had konning; for oure boke seyth, all that is writen is writen for oure doctrine, and that is myn entente. Wherfore I beseke you mekely for the mercie of God that ye preye for me, that Crist have mercie of me and foryeve me my giltes, [and namely of myn translations and enditinges of worldly vanitees, the which I revoke in my Retractions, as the boke of Troilus, the boke also of Fame, the boke of the five and twenty Ladies, the boke of the Duchesse, the boke of Seint Valentines day of the Parlement of briddes, the tales of Canterbury, thilke that sounen unto sinne, the boke of the Leon, and many an other boke, if they were in my remembraunce, and many a song and many a lecherous lay, Crist of his grete mercie foryeve me the sinne. But of the translation of Boes of consolation, and other bokes of legendes of Seints, and of Omelies, and moralite, and devotion, that thanke I oure Lord Jesu Crist, and his blisful mother, and alle the Seintes in heven, beseking hem that they fro hensforth unto my lyves ende sende me grace to bewaile my giltes, and to stodien to the savation of my soule,] and graunte me grace of verray penance, confession and satisfaction to don in this present lif, thorgh the benigne grace of him, that is king of kinges and preste of alle prestes, that bought us with the precious blode of his herte, so that I mote ben on of hem atte the laste day of dome that shullen be saved; qui cum Deo patre et Spiritu sancto vivis et regnas Deus per omnia secula. Amen. THE END OF THE CANTERBURY TALES. NOTES ON THE CANTERBURY TALES. FOR a Grammatical and Metrical Analysis of the first eighteen lines, see the Essay &c. p. xlv-xlvii. Ver. 8. Hath in the Ram] Rather, the Bolle. See the reasons in the Introductory Discourse, p. 1. Ver. 13. And Palmeres] The different sorts of Pilgrims are thus distinguished by Dante, Vita nuova, p. 80. Chiamansi Palmieri, inquanto vanno oltra mare, laonde molte voite recano la palma ;-Peregrini, inquanto vanno alla casa di Galizia ;-Romei, inquanto vanno a Roma. But he speaks as an Italian. Chaucer seems to consider all Pilgrims to foreign parts as Palmers. Ver. 20. the Tabard] See Mr. Speght's note, as cited in the Discourse &c. n. 6. Ver. 29. Wel-esed] Bien aisés. The later French usage of aise Sing. and aises Plur. unaccented, seems to be a corruption. Ver. 33. And made forward] More properly, forword. See below, ver. 831, 50, 54, from the Sax. Fore-word, promise. Made, contracted from maked, is a Dissyllable. See ver. 4361. Ver. 43. A Knight] The course of adventures of our Knight may be illustrated by those of a real Knight of Chaucer's age, who, for any thing that appears to the contrary, might have been upon this very pilgrimage. His Epitaph is in Leland's Itin, v. iii. p. cxi. Icy gist le noble et vaillant Chivaler Matheu de Gourney &c.-qui en sa vie fu a la bataille de Benamaryn, et ala apres a la siege d'Algezire sur les Sarazines et aussi a les batailles de L'Escluse, de Cressy, de Deyngenesse, de Peyteres, de Nazare, d'Ozrey et a plusours autres batailles et asseges en les quex il gaigna noblement graunt los et honour—. He died in 1406 at the age of 96. Why Chaucer should have chosen to bring his Knight from Alexandria and Lettowe rather than from Cressy and Poitiers, is a problem difficult to resolve, except by supposing, that the slightest services against Infidels were in those days more honourable than the most splendid victories over Christians. Ver. 48. ferre] i. e. ferer, the Comparative of fer, far. So Chaucer uses derre, for derer, the Compar. of dere, dear, ver. 1450. "Ther n'as no man that Theseus hath derre." Ferrer is used at length by Peter of Langtoft; and Ferrest, the Superl, below, ver. 496. Ver. 51. At Alisandre] Alexandria in Egypt was won, and immediately after abandoned, in 1365, by Pierre de Lusignan, King of Cyprus. The same Prince, soon after his accession to the throne in 1352, had taken Satalie, the antient Attalia; and in another expedition about 1367 he made himself master of the town of Layas in Armenia. Compare 11 Memoire sur les ouvrages de Guillaume de Machaut. Acad des Ins. t. xx. p. 426, 432, and Memoire sur la vie de Philippe de Maizières, t. xvii. p. 493. See also Froissart, v. iii. p. 21. Walsingham mentions the taking of Alexandria, p. 180. and adds; Interfuerunt autem huic captioni cum rege Cypriæ plures Anglici et Aquitanici, referentes tam in Angliam quam in Aquitaniam pannos aureos et holosericos, splendoresque gemmarum exoticos, in testimonium tantæ victoriæ. Ver. 52. he had the bord begonne-in Pruse] He had been placed at the head of the table; the usual compliment to extraordinary merit; as the Commentators very properly explain it. When our military men wanted employment, it was usual for them to go and serve in Pruse, or Prussia, with the Knights of the Teutonic order, who were in a state of constant warfare with their heathen neighbours in Lettow (Lithuania) Ruse (Russia), and elsewhere. A pagan King of Lettow is mentioned by Walsingham, p. 180, 343. Ki Ver. 54. reysed] This is properly a German word. lian. in v. Reysen, iter facere-et Ger. Militare, facere stipendium. The Editions (except M.) and several MSS. have changed it into ridden; which indeed seems to have been used by Chaucer in the same sense, ver. 48. Ver. 56. In Gernade] The city of Algezir was taken from the Moorish King of Granada in 1344. Mariana, L. xvi. c. xi. among other persons of distinction who came to assist at the siege in 1343, names particularly, “de Inglaterra, con licentia del Rey Eduardo, los Condes de Arbid, y de Soluzber;" which I suppose we may safely interpret to mean the Earls of Derby and Salisbury. Knighton says, that the Earl of Derby was there. X Script. 2583. Ver. 57. in Belmarie] I cannot find any country of this name in any authentic Geographical writer. Froissart, v. iv. c. xxiii, reckons it among the kingdoms of Africa; Thunes, Bougie, Maroch, Bellemarine, Tremessen and Chaucer, ver. 1772, speaks of it as producing Lions. The battle of Benamarin, mentioned in Sir M. Gourney's epitaph, is said by a late author of Viage de Espanna, p. 73. n. 1. to have been so called por haber quedado vencido en ella Albohacen, Rey de Marruecos, del linage de Aben Marin. Perhaps therefore the dominions of that family in Africa might be called abusively Benamarin, and by a further corruption Belmarie. Ver. 59. the Grete See] This is generally understood to mean the Pontus Euxinus; but I doubt whether the name of Mare maggiore was given to that Sea by any other nation beside the Italians. Sir John Mandevile, p. 89, calls that part of the Mediterranean which washes the coast of Palestine, the grete Sea; an appellation, which it might possibly have acquired there, to distinguish it from the two inland Seas, as they were improperly styled, the Sea of Tiberias and the Dead Sea. In MS. T. it is the Grekish See; a reading, to which I should have had no objection, if I had found it confirmed by any better MS In the middle ages, the Mediterranean Sea, from Sicily to Cyprus, was sometimes called Mare Græcum. Hoveden, p. 709. So Bracton speaks of Essoigns, de ultra et de citra Mare Græcorum: L. v. Tr. 2. c. 3. The See of Grece is used in the same sense by Chaucer himself, ver. 4884.-And in Isumbras, fol. 130. b. Tyl he come to the Grekes See. Ver. 60. noble armee] I have printed this as the most intelligible reading, though I am not quite satisfied with it. The MSS. have arme, aryve, and ryver. Ver. 65. the lord of Palatie] Palathia in Anatolia. Sp The nature of his Lordship may be explained from Frois sart, v. iii. c. 22. He gives an account there of several Hauts Barons in those parts, who kept possession of their lands, paying a tribute to the Turk. He names particularly le Sire de Sathalie, le Sire de la Palice, et le Sire de HauteLoge. Ver. 84. deliver] Nimble. So below, ver. 15422. Deliverly; Nimbly. The word is plainly from the FR. libre. The Italians use suelto, or sciolto, in the same sense. Ver. 85. in chevachie] Chevauchée. FR. It most properly means an expedition with a small party of Cavalry; but is often used generally for any military expedition. Hollinshed calls it a rode. Ver. 89. Embrouded] Embroidered, from the FR. Broder, originally Border. Ver. 91. floyting] Playing on the flute. So in H. F. iii. 133. "And many a floite and litlyng horne, The first syllable for a time retained the broad sound of its original. See Du Cange, Flauta. Kilian., Flugte. In some copies it is changed to flowting. Ver. 97. nightertale.] Night-time; from the SAX. nihtern dæl; nocturna portio. Lydgate uses nightertyme. Traged. fol. 141. b. 156. b. Ver. 100. And carf before his fader] The practice of Squiers, of the highest quality, carving at their fathers' tables has been fully illustrated by M. de Ste Palaye, Acad. des Insc. t. xx. p. 604. Ver. 101. A Yeman hadde HE] The late Editions call this character the Squier's Yeman, but improperly. The pronoun He relates to the Knight. Chaucer would never have given the son an attendant, when the Father had none. Yeman or Yeoman, is an abbreviation of Yeongeman, as Youthe is of Yeongthe. Young men being most usually employed in service, servants have, in many languages, been denominated from the single circumstance of age; as, πais, puer, garçon, boy, grome. As a title of service or office, Yoman is used in the Stat. 37 E. III. c. 9 and 11, to denote a servant of the next degree above a garson, or groom; and at this day, in several departments of the Royal Household, the attendants are distributed into three classes of Serjeants or Squiers, Yeomen, and Grooms. In the Household of the Mayor of London, some officers of the rank of Yeoman are still, I believe, called Young men. See Chamberlain's State of Great Britain. In the Statute 20 R. II. c. 2. Yomen and Vadletz are synonymous terms. The Chanones Yeman, who is introduced below, ver. 16030, is a common servant. See also ver. 2730. The title of Yeoman was given, in a secondary sense, to people of middling rank, not in service. So the Miller, ver. 3947, is careful "To saven his estat of yemanrie." The appropriation of the word to signify a small landholder is more modern, I apprehend. Ver. 104. peacok arwes] Arrows with peacock feathers. See Mr. Warton's illustration of this passage. Hist. of Eng. Po. p. 450. There is a Patent in Rymer, 15 R. II. de arte sagittandi per Valettos Regis exercenda. The Yeomen, and all other Servants of the Royal household, of whatever state or office, under the degree of Yeoman, are ordered to carry bows and arrows with them, whenever they ride, &c. in the King's train. Ver. 109. A not-hed] A head like a nut; from the hair, probably, being cut short. It has since been called a Roundhead, for the same reason. Ver. 115. A Cristofre] I do not see the meaning of this ornament. By the Stat. 37 E. III. Yomen are forbidden to wear any ornaments of gold or silver. Ver. 119. simple and coy] V. Saintré, T. iii. p. 577. Ver. 120. St. Eloy] In Latin, Sanctus Eligius. I have no authority but that of Ed. Urr, for printing this Saint's name at length. In all the MSS. which I have seen, it is abbreviated, St. Loy, both in this place and in ver. 7146. The metre will be safe, if othe be pronounced as a dissyllable. Ver. 124. And Frenche she spake] It has been mentioned before, Essay, &c. n. 55, that Chaucer thought but meanly of the English-French spoken in his time. It was proper however that the Prioresse should speak some sort of French; not only as a woman of fashion, a character which she is represented to affect, ver. 139, 140, but as a religious person. The instructions from the Abbot of St. Albans to the Nuns of Sopewell, in 1338, were in the French language. See Auct. Add. M. Paris, p. 1171. Ver. 127. At mete] The following circumstances of behaviour at table are copied from Rom. de la R. 1417814199. Et bien se garde qu'elle ne moeille Ses doys au brouet jusqu' ès jointes, &c. Ver. 159. gauded all with grene] Having the Gawdies green. Some were of silver gilt. Monast. V. iii. p. 174. Tria paria precularium del Corall cum le gaudeys argenti deaurata. So in Gower, Conf. Am. f. 190. A paire of bedes blacke as sable Was wryte of gold, pur reposer. Ver. 163. Another Nonne &c.] See Disc. p. lii. Ver. 165. a fayre for the maistrie] We should say, a fair one; but in Chaucer's time such tautology was not, I suppose, elegant. So below, ver. 189. Therfore he was a prickasour, a right. As to the phrase for the maistric, I take it to be derived from the French pour la maistrie, which I find, in an old book of Physick, applied to such medicines as we usually call Sovereign, excellent above all others. MS. Bod. 761. Secreta h. Samp de Clowburnel, fol. 17. b. Ciroigne bone pur la maistrie a briser et a meurer apostemes &c. Medicine magistrel pur festre &c. Medicine pur la maistrie pur festre &c. And in another treatise in the same MS. Medulla Cirurgia Rolandi, similar phrases are used in Latin, fol. 77. Pocio bona pro magisterio ad vulnera sananda &c. fol. 79. Contra lupum &c. medicamen magistrale. In the same sense the Monk is said to be fair, for the maistrie, above all others. The phrase is used by Robert of Gloucester, p. 553. An stede he gan prikie wel vor the maistrie. The several chemical preparations known by the name of Magisterium of Lead, Bismuth &c. I conceive to have originally acquired that name from their being considered at first as masterly operations. Ver. 166. loved venerie] i. e Hunting. If the word in Chaucer's time had born any other sense, he would hardly have put it into the mouth of Emilia in ver. 2310. Tho monks of that age are represented as fond of field-sports. See below, ver. 189-192, and P. P. fol. L. a. Knighton says, that an Abbot of Leicester, who died in 1337, in venatione leporum inter omnes regni dominos famossimuS et nominatissimus habebatur. X. Scriptor. p. 2631. He adds indeed, that the Abbot was used to assert, what perhaps may have been partly true, se non delectasse in hujusmodi frivolis venationibus, nisi solum pro obsequiis dominis regni præstandis, et affabilitate eorum captandâ, et gratid in suis negotiis adipiscendâ. Ver. 169. his bridel-Gingeling] See this fashion of hanging bells on bridles, &c. illustrated by Mr. Warton, Hist. of Eng. Po. p. 164. See also below, ver. 14800, 1. Ver. 177. a pulled hen] See below, ver. 6694. "Swiche arrogance n'is not worth an hen." I do not see much force in the epithet pulled. Ca. 1. reads, pullet. Ver. 179. whan he is rekkeles] MS. C reads, Cloisterles; to which the only objection is, that, if it had been the true reading, there would have been no occasion to explain or paraphrase it in ver. 181. The text alluded to is attributed by Gratian, Decret. P. ii. Cau. xvi. Q. 1. c. viii. to a Pope Eugenius.—Sicut piscis sine aquâ caret vitâ, ita sine monasterio monachus. In P. P. according to MS. Cotton. Vesp. B. xvi. (for the passage is omitted in the printed editions) a similar saying is quoted from Gregory. Gregori the grete clerk garte write in bokes That out of covent or cloistre coveiten to dwelle. As the known senses of rekkeles, viz. careless, negligent, by no means suit with this passage, I am inclined to suspect that Chaucer possibly wrote reghelles, i. e. without rule. Regol, from Regula, was the Saxon word for a Rule, and particularly for a Monastic Rule. Hence Regol-lif; Regularis seu Monastica vita: Regol-lage; Regularium lex and in the quotation from Orm, Essay, &c. n. 52. an regkel-boc signifies the book of Rules, by which the Augustinian Canons were governed. Ver. 187. As Austin bit] i. e. biddeth. Chaucer frequently abbreviates the third person Sing. of the Present Tense in this manner. See ver. 976 983. Rit for Rideth. ver. 4069. 15586. Fint for Findeth. ver. 4191. Rist for Riseth, ver. 5038. 5071, 5. Stant for Standeth. ver. 7239. Sit for Sitteth. ver. 7998. Smit for Smiteth. Ver. 193. his sleves purfiled.] From the FR. Pourfiler, which properly signifies, to work upon the edge. Pur, ENG. and Pour FR. are generally corruptions of the Latin Pro. It is not clear what species of fur the Gris was, only that it was one of the better sorts. See Du Cange in v. Griscum. If it was the same with Vair, commonly called Menever, i. e. Menu Vair, as he supposes, it was probably next in esteem to Ermin. See the Statute 37 E. III. c. 10 and 12. One of Wolsey's ordinances for the reformation of the Augustinian monks in 1519 is directed against the foppery here described. In manicis sub nullo modo furruris utantur aut pellibus, nisi prout iis permissum est in Statutis Benedictinis. Monast. v. ii. p. 567. Ver. 203. His bootes souple] This is part of the description of a smart Abbot, by an anonymous writer of the XIII Century. Ocreas habebat in cruribus, quasi innatæ essent, sine plicâ porrectas MS. Bod. James. n. 6. p. 121. Ver. 233. farsed] Stuffed, from the FR. Farcir. Ver. 237. Of yeddinges] This word being not understood, has been changed in some copies into tidinges, and weddinges. It probably means a kind of Song, from the SAX. Geddian, or Giddian, To sing. See the Saxon Boethius, cap. i. 1. ult. where the words thus singende cuæth are rendered in the Poetical Version, p. 152. gyddode thus. See more instances in Lye's Sax. Dict. The Saxon 3 passes frequently into y. Ver. 256. in principio] This phrase is commonly explained to refer to the Beginning of St. John's Gospel. It may also refer to the Beginning of Genesis. In an old French Romance, l'histoire des trois Maries, it seems to signify some passage in the conclusion of the Mass. Acad. des Ins. t. xiii. p. 521, Moult aise sui quant audio Le Prestre dire In principio, Car la Messe si est finee. It is not very material in which of these senses it is understood, either here or in ver. 15169. Ver. 258. His pourchas was, &c.] From the Rom. de la R. 12288. Mieux vault mon pourchas que ma rente. See R. R. €838. Ver. 260. In Love-dayes] A day appointed for the amicable settlement of differences was called a Love-day. Bracton, 1. v. fol. 369. si ante judicium capiatur Dies Amoris.-Rot. Parl. 13. H. IV. n. 13. agayn the fourme of a Love-day taker bytwen the same parties. The Glossary calls them improperly, Meetings for pleasure and diversion. They were meetings for business; though it is probable that the business, when finished, was usually followed by a treat given to the Arbitrators, &c. See the Parl. Roll, quoted above. In P. P. fol. xxvii. Sloth, in the character of a Priest, says, I can holde Lovedayes, and here a Reves rekenynge, Ver. 278. The see were kept] i. e. guarded. The old Subsidy of Tonnage and Poundage was given to the King pur la saufgarde et custodie del mer. 12 E. IV. c. 3. Ver. 292. his overest courtepy] His uppermost short cloke of coarse cloth. See ver. 6964. and P. P. fol. xxxiii. b. 1. ult. And kyt her copes and courtepies hem made. It is a Teutonic word, from Kort curtus, and Pije, penula coactilis, ex villis crassioribus. Kilian in vv. Ver. 300. Yet hadde he] Hadde is here to be pronounced as a Dissyllable, the h in he being considered as a consonant. So below, ver. 388. See also ver. 9859. 11784. 11804. 12532. 12834. in all which instances, and many others, the e feminine is to be pronounced before h. 304. to scolaie] to attend school; from the old French verb, escoloier. It is used in the same sense by Lydgate. Traged. fol. 99. So Chaucer uses to Werreie, ver. 10324. 14338. and to Festeye, ver. 10659, from Guerroier and Festoier. Ver. 307. in forme and reverence] with propriety and modesty. In the next line, "full of high sentence" means only, I apprehend, "full of high, or excellent, sense."Mr. Warton will excuse me for suggesting these explanations of this passage in lieu of those which he has given in his Hist. of Eng. Po. p. 451. The credit of good letters is concerned, that Chaucer should not be supposed to have made" a pedantic formality," and "a precise sententious style on all subjects," the characteristics of a scholar. Ver. 322. in suspect] in suspicion. See ver. 8781. 12197. Ver. 331. a seint of silk with barres smale] It appears from our author's translation of R. R. ver. 1103. that barres were called clour in French, and were an usual ornament of a girdle. See Mr. Warton's Hist. p. 377. 426. Clavus in Latin, from whence the FR. Cloux is derived, seems to have signified not only an outward border, but also what we call a stripe. Montfaucon, t. iii. part i.ch. vi. A Bar in Heraldry is a narrow stripe, or Fascia. Du Cange, in v. CLAVATUS, quotes the Statut. Andegav. an. 1423, in which the Clergy, and especially the Regulars, are forbid to wear zonas auro clavatas. Ver. 333. A Frankelein] Fortescue de L. L. Ang. c. 29, describes a Franklain to be a Pater familias-magnis dilatus possessionibus. He is classed with, but after, the Miles and Armiger; and is distinguished from the Libere tenentes and Valecti; though, as it should seem, the only real distinction between him and other Freeholders consisted in the largeness of his estate. Spelman, in v. Franklein, quotes the following passage from Trivet's French Chronicle: MS. Bibl. R. S. n. 56. Thomas de Brotherton, filius Edwardi I. Mareschallus Angliæ, apres la mort de son pere esposa la fille de un Francheleyn apelee Alice. The Historian did not think it worth his while even to mention the name of the Frankelein. Ver. 342. Seint Julian] was eminent for providing his votaries with good lodgings and accommodation of all sorts. In the title of his Legende, MS. Bod. 1596. fol. 4, he is called "St. Julian, the gode herberjour." It ends thus. Therfore yet to this day thei that over lond wende, Thei biddeth Seint Julian anon that gode herborw he hem sende, And Seint Julianes Pater noster ofte seggeth also, For his fader soule and his moderes, that he hem bring therto. Of the virtue of Seint Julian's Pater-noster see the Decameron. D. ii. N. 2. |