Tapestry-maker; French, tapissier. ↩
Spruce. ↩
Mounted. ↩
In every part. ↩
On the raised platform at the end of the hall, where sat at meat or in judgment those high in authority, rank, or honour; in our days the worthy craftsmen might have been described as “good platform men.” ↩
Knew. ↩
Fitted. ↩
To take precedence over all in going to the evening service of the Church, or to festival meetings, to which it was the fashion to carry rich cloaks or mantles against the homecoming. ↩
The nonce, occasion. ↩
“Poudre marchand tart,” some now unknown ingredient used in cookery; galingale, sweet or long rooted cyprus. ↩
A rich soup made by stamping flesh in a mortar. ↩
Gangrene, ulcer. ↩
Not what is now known by the name; one part of it was the brawn of a capon. ↩
A seaman who dwelt far to the West. ↩
On a hack, as he could. ↩
Coarse cloth. ↩
Harbourage. ↩
Pilotage; from Anglo-Saxon ladman, a leader, guide, or pilot; hence “lodestar,” “lodestone.” ↩
Make fortunate. ↩
Known. ↩
Remedy. ↩
The authors mentioned here were the chief medical textbooks of the middle ages. The names of Galen and Hippocrates were then usually spelt Gallien and Hypocras or Ypocras. ↩
In red and blue. ↩
A fine silk stuff. ↩
He spent but moderately, keeping the money he had made during the visitation of the plague. ↩
Damage; pity. ↩
Skill. The west of England, especially around Bath, was the seat of the cloth-manufacture, as were Ypres and Ghent in Flanders. ↩
The offering at mass. ↩
Headdresses; Chaucer here satirises the fashion of the time, which piled bulky and heavy waddings on ladies’ heads. ↩
Used in the sense of fresh or new; as in Latin, mustum signifies new wine; and Chaucer elsewhere speaks of “moisty ale” as opposed to “old.” ↩
Now. ↩
Bologna in Italy. ↩
At the shrine of St. Jago of Compostella in Spain. ↩
Knew. ↩
Buck-toothed; goat-toothed, to signify her wantonness; or gap-toothed—with gaps between her teeth. ↩
Jest, talk. ↩
Knew. ↩
Work. ↩
Oftentimes. ↩
He was satisfied with very little. ↩
Great and small. ↩
Gave. ↩
Unlearned. ↩
An endowment to sing masses for the soul of the donor. ↩
Detained. ↩
Severe. ↩
Disdainful. ↩
But if it were. ↩
Reprove; hence our modern snub. ↩
Nonce, occasion. ↩
Double or artificial conscience. ↩
Properly a ton; generally, any large quantity. ↩
Hard worker. ↩
Pain, loss. ↩
Ditch, dig. ↩
Both of his own labour and his goods. ↩
Jacket without sleeves. ↩
Wheresoever. ↩
The usual prize at wrestling matches. ↩
Stub or knot in a tree; it describes a thickset strong man. ↩
Head; German, kopf. ↩
Nostrils; from the Anglo-Saxon, thirlian, to pierce; hence the word drill, to bore. ↩
A babbler and a buffoon; Golias was the founder of a jovial sect called by his name. ↩
The proverb says that every honest miller has a thumb of gold; probably Chaucer means that this one was as honest as his brethren. ↩
A Manciple—Latin, manceps, a purchaser or contractor—was an officer charged with the purchase of victuals for inns of court or colleges. ↩
Buyers; French, acheteurs. ↩
On trust. ↩
Always. ↩
Purchase. ↩
Surpass. ↩
Unless he were mad. ↩
Outwitted, made a fool of, them all. ↩
A land-steward; still called “grieve”—Anglo-Saxon, gerefa—in some parts of Scotland. ↩
A store-place for grain. ↩
Examiner of accounts. ↩
Cattle. ↩
Hind, servant. ↩
His tricks and cheating. ↩
In dread. ↩
Abode. ↩
Also. ↩
Mystery; trade, handicraft. ↩
For stod, a stallion, or steed. ↩
Dapple. ↩
Was called. ↩
Blue-gray, or sky-blue. ↩
The hindermost in the troop or procession. ↩
Summoner, apparitor, who cited delinquents to appear in ecclesiastical courts. ↩
Red or pimply. ↩
Scanty. ↩
Pustules, weals. ↩
Buttons. ↩
Call. ↩
Search. ↩
A cant law-Latin phrase. ↩
A low, ribald fellow; the word was used of both sexes; it comes from the Anglo-Saxon verb to hire. ↩
“Fleece”
