Nel loco a cui Mercurio la sortio.'
holownesse translates 'concavità.' For seventh, B. has 'ottava,' eighth. The seventh sphere is that of Saturn, from which he might be supposed to observe the motion of Saturn and of all the inferior planets. But surely eighth is more correct; else there is no special sense in 'holownesse.' The eighth sphere is that of the fixed stars; and by taking up a position on the inner or concave surface of this sphere, he would see all the planetary spheres revolving within it. (The 'spheres' were supposed to be concentric shells, like the coats of an onion.) The 'erratic stars,' or wandering stars, are the seven planets. As to the music of their spheres, see notes to Parl. Foules, ll. 59 and 61.
[1810]. in convers leting, leaving behind, on the other side. When, for example, he approached the sphere of Mars, it was concave to him; after passing beyond it, it appeared convex. Some modern editions of the Teseide read connessi (connected parts), but the right reading is conuessi (convex surfaces), for which Chaucer substitutes convers. See converse in the New E. Dictionary.
[1815]. Cf. Parl. Foules, 57. Boccaccio had in mind Cicero's Somnium Scipionis.
[1825]. sholden, and we ought; we is understood.
[1827]. sorted, allotted; Ital. 'sortio.'
[1828-1837]. Chiefly from Il Filostrato, viii. 28, 29.
[1838-1862]. These lines are Chaucer's own, and assume a higher strain.
[1840]. 'This lyf, my sone, is but a chery-feyre.'
Hoccleve, De Regim. Princ. ed. Wright, p. 47.
See four more similar comparisons in Halliwell's Dict., s. v. Cherry-fair.