[34]. prince and beginnere oddly represents Lat. 'principio.' casten it, laid it down: 'quasi quoddam iecerint fundamentum.' I supply it.
[44]. Aristotulis, Aristotle. The reference is to Aristotle's Physics, bk. ii. ch. 5.
[47]. for grace, for the sake of; 'gratia.'
[50]. Right as, just as if. by cause, for the purpose.
[55]. ne dolve, had not digged; subj. mood.
[57]. abregginge. A mistranslation. 'Hae sunt igitur fortuiti caussae compendii'; these then are the causes of this fortuitous acquisition. Compendium also means 'an abbreviating,' which Chaucer here expresses by abbregginge, introducing at the same time the word 'hap,' to make some sense.
[66]. uneschuable, inevitable; 'ineuitabili.'
Metre 1. [2]. Achemenie: 'Rupis Achaemeniae scopulis,' in the crags of the Achæmenian rock or mountain. Achaemenius signifies 'Persian,' from Achaemenes, the grandfather of Cyrus; but is here extended to mean Armenian. The sources of the Tigris and Euphrates are really different, though both rise in the mountains of Armenia; they run for a long way at no great distance apart, and at last join.
[3]. fleinge bataile, the flying troop; with reference to the well-known Parthian habit, of shooting arrows at those who pursue them; see Vergil, Georg. iii. 31.
[5]. yif they, when they; meaning that they do converge.