Moderate. ↩
Labour. ↩
“Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God shall destroy both it and them.” (1 Cor. 6:13). ↩
Wine. ↩
See Phil. 3:18, 19. ↩
Cross; French, croix. ↩
Bag; Anglo-Saxon, codde; hence peas-cod, pin-cod (pincushion), etc. ↩
Supply. ↩
Sweet. ↩
Compare with the lines which follow, the picture of the drunken messenger in the “Man of Law’s Tale,” here. ↩
Care. ↩
Doubt. ↩
Especially. ↩
A town near Cadiz, whence a stronger wine than the Gascon vintages afforded was imported to England. French wine was often adulterated with the cheaper and stronger Spanish. ↩
Another reading is “Fleet Street.” ↩
Learn. ↩
He was suffocated in the night by a haemorrhage, brought on by a debauch, when he was preparing a new invasion of Italy, in 453. ↩
Consider, bethink. ↩
“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, nor for princes strong drink; lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.” Prov. 31:4, 5. ↩
Forbid gaming. ↩
Lies. ↩
Property. ↩
Reproach. ↩
Undone, worthless. ↩
Most manuscripts, evidently in error, have “Stilbon” and “Calidone” for Chilon and Lacedaemon. Chilon was one of the seven sages of Greece, and flourished about BC 590. According to Diogenes Laertius, he died, under the pressure of age and joy, in the arms of his son, who had just been crowned victor at the Olympic games. ↩
Reproach. ↩
Gamesters. ↩
Rather. ↩
“Swear not at all;” Christ’s words in Matt. 5:34. ↩
Jeremiah 4:2. ↩
Judgement. ↩
Wickedness. ↩
Commandments. ↩
In vain. ↩
Sooner. ↩
Flatly, plainly. ↩
The nails that fastened Christ on the cross, which were regarded with superstitious reverence. ↩
An abbey in Gloucestershire, where, under the designation of “the blood of Hailes,” a portion of Christ’s blood was preserved. ↩
A term of opprobrious reprobation, applied to the dice. ↩
Before. ↩
Servant. ↩
A hunting phrase; apparently its force is, “go beat up the game.” ↩
Whit. ↩
Completely drunk. ↩
Watchful, on one’s guard. ↩
Lest, in case. ↩
Worthy. ↩
At one. ↩
Born; a better reading is “sworen.” ↩
Dreadful. ↩
Catch. ↩
Greeted. ↩
Preserve, look upon graciously. ↩
Closely wrapt up. ↩
Miserable wretch. ↩
Dear. ↩
To wrap myself in. ↩
Withered. ↩
Except. ↩
To meet. ↩
Advise. ↩
Spy. ↩
Suffer for. ↩
Desired a thing. ↩
Joke, frolic. ↩
Weened, thought. ↩
Cause us to be hanged. ↩
My advice is. ↩
Lots. ↩
Quickly. ↩
What is for thine advantage. ↩
Divided. ↩
Contrive. ↩
Know not. ↩
Secret, in confidence. ↩
Wicked wretch. ↩
Sat down. ↩
Pleasures. ↩
Agreed. ↩
Wicked wretch. ↩
Two; German, zwei. ↩
Leading such a (bad) life. ↩
Kill, destroy, his rats. ↩
Farmyard, hedge. Compare the French, haie. ↩
Slain. ↩
Revenge. ↩
Surery. ↩
Amount. ↩
Lay down, quit. ↩
Die. ↩
At a pace, quickly; so, on several occasions, Chaucer speaks of “a furlong,” or one or two furlongs, when he means to denote a brief lapse of time. See note 1116, for an instance. ↩
Taken. ↩
Purposed. ↩
Labour. ↩
Talk, discourse. ↩
Contrived, plotted. ↩
By chance. ↩
Died. ↩
Avicen, or Avicenna, was among the distinguished physicians of the Arabian school in the eleventh century, and very popular in the Middle Ages. His great work was called Canon Medicinae, and was divided into fens, fennes, or sections. ↩
Outrage, impiety. ↩
Unnatural. ↩
Guard, keep. ↩
Warish, heal. ↩
Sterling money. ↩
Absolve. Compare the Scotch law-term assoilzie, to acquit. ↩
Physician of souls. ↩
Go. ↩
Absolve. Compare the Scotch law-term assoilzie, to acquit. ↩
Both great and small. ↩
