Aucune fole contenance,
Qu'el scet toute la vielle dance.'
See the English version in vol. i. p. 205, ll. 4285-4300.
82. See the footnote for another reading. The line there given may also be genuine. It is deficient in the first foot.
85. This is like our proverb:—'Set a thief to catch [or take] a thief.' An old poacher makes a good gamekeeper.
98. Cf. Prov. xiii. 24; P. Plowman, B. v. 41.
101. See a similar proverb in P. Plowman, C. x. 265, and my note on the line. The Latin lines quoted in P. Plowman are from Alanus de Insulis, Liber Parabolarum, cap. i. 31; they are printed in Leyser, Hist. Poet. Med. Aevi, 1721, p. 1066, in the following form:—
'Sub molli pastore capit lanam lupus, et grex
Incustoditus dilaceratur eo.'
117. The doctour, i. e. the teacher; viz. St. Augustine. (There is here no reference whatever to the 'Doctor' or 'Phisicien' who is supposed to tell the tale.) In the margin of MSS. E. Hn. is written 'Augustinus'; and the matter is put beyond doubt by a passage in the Persones Tale, l. 484:—'and, after the word of seint Augustin, it [Envye] is sorwe of other mannes wele, and Ioye of othere mennes harm.' See note to l. 484.