568. tressour; so spelt in Gawain and the Grene Knight, 1739, where a lady is described as having precious stones, in clusters of twenty, 'trased aboute hir tressour.' Roquefort also gives the O. F. forms tressour, tressoir, tresson, 'ornement de tête pour les femmes, ruban pour attacher les cheveux.' It differs from the heraldic term tressure (Lat. tricatura) in the form of the suffix. Tressour can rime with mirrour, whilst tressure (strictly) cannot do so. Her hair was entwined with gilt ribbons or threads.
574. Gaunt, Ghent; see Cant. Ta. A 448.
579, 580. Iournee, day's work. wel bigoon, might mean richly adorned; cf. 'With perle and gold so wel begoon'; Gower, C. A. ii. 45. But it is here equivalent to mery; see l. 693.
584. graythe hir, dress or adorn herself. uncouthly, strikingly, in an unusual way.
593. This is 'the porter Ydlenesse' of the Knightes Tale; A 1940.
602. Alexandryn, of Alexandria; for of may well be omitted. It means that many trees have been imported from the east by way of
Alexandria. Many MSS. of the Fr. text read 'de la terre Alexandrins.' The damson, for example, came from Damascus.
603. I put be hider for hider be; but be, after all, is better omitted. Made hider fet is a correct idiom; see note to Cant. Ta. E 1098.
610. The images and pictures on the outside of the wall were made repellent, to keep strangers aloof.
624. oon, one; i. e. a place. intil Inde, as far as India.