[3]. rendinge, Lat. 'lacerae'; rather rent, or tattered. The sense 'rending' occurs in Ovid, Met. viii. 880.
[6]. that is to seyn. The words in italics are not in the original, but were added by Chaucer as explanatory. Throughout the treatise, I print all such passages in italics.
[8]. werdes, 'weirds,' fate.
'Gloria felicis olim uiridisque iuuentae
Solantur maesti nunc mea fata senis.'
[12]. slake, better slakke; cf. Cant. Ta. E. 1849. empted, 'effeto.' MS. C. has emty.
[13]. in yeres ... swete: 'dulcibus annis.'
[14]. y-cleped, invoked; 'uocata,' sc. 'mors.' Cf. Troilus, iv. 503.
[16]. naiteth, refuseth; 'negat.' Icel. neita, to say nay.
[17]. lighte, i.e. transitory; 'leuibus ... bonis.' The gloss 'sc. temporels' (in A) gives the right sense. sc. = scilicet, namely; the form temporels is the French plural.