[84]. The celebrated story of the Siege of Thebes, known to Chaucer through the Thebais of Statius; see bk. v. 1484. And see l. 100.
[87]. Ey, eh! a note of exclamation, of frequent occurrence in the present poem.
[103]. lettres rede, i.e. the rubric describing the contents of the next section.
[100-105]. Œdipus unwittingly slew his father Laius; and the two sons of Œdipus contended for Thebes. For Amphiorax, see note to bk. v. 1500, and to Anelida, 57.
[108]. bokes twelve; the 12 Books of the Thebais. The death of Amphioraus is related at the end of Book vii.
[110]. barbe, 'part of a woman's dress, still sometimes worn by nuns, consisting of a piece of white plaited linen, passed over or under the chin, and reaching midway to the waist;' New E. Dict. She wore it because she was a widow; see the quotations in the New E. Dict., esp. 'wearing of barbes at funerals.' And see Barbuta in Ducange.
[112]. 'Let us perform some rite in honour of May;' see note to Kn. Ta. A 1500.
[117]. The right reading is necessarily sete, for A. S. sǣte, 3 p. s. pt. t. subj. of sitten; 'it would befit.' Cf. seten, they sat, 81, 1192.
[134]. 'And I am your surety,' i.e. you may depend upon me; see bk. i. 1038.
[151]. unkouth, unknown, strange; hence, very; Sc. unco'.