The money given to the priests for performing thirty masses for the dead, either in succession or on the anniversaries of their death; also the masses themselves, which were very profitable to the clergy. ↩
The regular religious orders, who had lands and fixed revenues; while the friars, by their vows, had to depend on voluntary contributions, though their need suggested many modes of evading the prescription. ↩
In Chaucer’s day the most material notions about the tortures of hell prevailed, and were made the most of by the clergy, who preyed on the affection and fear of the survivors, through the ingenious doctrine of purgatory. Old paintings and illuminations represent the dead as torn by hooks, roasted in fires, boiled in pots, and subjected to many other physical torments. ↩
The closing words of the final benediction pronounced at mass. ↩
Pleased. ↩
With his gown tucked up high. ↩
Peer, gaze curiously. ↩
Wrighting tablets. ↩
A style, or pencil. ↩
Daintily. ↩
The word now means sideways or asquint; here it means “as if;” and its force is probably to suggest that the second friar, with an ostentatious stealthiness, noted down the names of the liberal, to make them believe that they would be remembered in the holy beggars’ orisons. ↩
Rye. ↩
Little cake, given for God’s sake. ↩
Small piece. ↩
Choose. ↩
Slip, remnant. ↩
Hired servant; from Anglo-Saxon, hyran, to hire; the word was commonly applied to males. ↩
Trifles, silly tales. ↩
God be in this place; the formula of benediction at entering a house. ↩
God recompense you therefor. ↩
Staff; French, potence, crutch, gibbet. ↩
Servant. ↩
Shaped; purposed. ↩
Mass. ↩
Comment, gloss. ↩
Scholars. ↩
Closely. ↩
Whit. ↩
Always. ↩
A little while. ↩
Confession. ↩
Cover. ↩
By any sort of chance. ↩
This is the fiend’s work. ↩
Forbidden. ↩
Thin slice. ↩
Painstaking. ↩
Watch. ↩
Dormitory; French, dortoir. ↩
Direct. ↩
Infirmary-keeper. ↩
The rules of St. Benedict granted peculiar honours and immunities to monks who had lived fifty years—the jubilee period—in the order. The usual reading of the words ending the two lines is “loan” or “lone,” and “alone;” but to walk alone does not seem to have been any peculiar privilege of a friar, while the idea of precedence, or higher place at table and in processions, is suggested by the reading in the text. ↩
Laymen, people who are not learned; borel was a kind of coarse cloth. ↩
Pleasure. ↩
Contempt. ↩
Clothing. ↩
Elijah (1 Kings 19). ↩
Know. ↩
Physician, healer. ↩
Watch. ↩
Unless. ↩
Narrates. ↩
Simple, lowly. ↩
Compassion. ↩
A kind of comment. ↩
An emperor Jovinian was famous in the medieval legends for his pride and luxury. ↩
Storeroom. ↩
Literally, “My heart has belched forth;” in our translation, “My heart is inditing a goodly matter.” (Ps. 45:1.) “Buf” is meant to represent the sound of an eructation, and to show the “great reverence” with which “those in possession,” the monks of the rich monasteries, performed divine service. ↩
Doctrine. ↩
Poor. ↩
Hearers. ↩
Upon the soar, or rise. ↩
If thou wert not of our brotherhood, thou shouldst have no hope of recovery. ↩
Soon to be able to move thy body freely. ↩
Friars of various sorts. ↩
Better. ↩
Spent. ↩
Gone. ↩
Seek, beseech. ↩
Trick. ↩
Because we have too little. ↩
Made one, united. ↩
Work. ↩
Believe. ↩
If it please thee. ↩
Again. ↩
Mistresses. ↩
Certainly. ↩
Fierce. ↩
Pure; only. ↩
The seven cardinal sins. ↩
Ignorant. ↩
Executioner. ↩
Passionate. ↩
Once. ↩
Chief magistrate or judge; Latin, potestas; Italian, podesta. Seneca relates the story of Cornelius Piso; De Ira, I 16. ↩
Term of office. ↩
Die. ↩
Thought. ↩
Counsel. ↩
At all events. ↩
Caused them to be slain. ↩
A drunkard. ↩
Vicious, ill-tempered. ↩
Suite. ↩
No decree, control. ↩
Especially. ↩
Watching. ↩
Temperately. ↩
Times. ↩
Caused. ↩
