320. skilfully, reasonably; the usual meaning at this date. See l. 327.
325-332. Not in the South-E. Legendary.
327. 'And all that has been created by a reasonable Intelligence.'
329. Hath sowled, hath endued with a soul, hath quickened; Lat. 'animauit.'
335. o god, one God. We must suppose this teaching to be included in the mention of Christ in l. 295; otherwise there is no allusion to it in the words of Cecilia. The doctrine had been taught to Valerian however; see ll. 207, 208.
There are continual allusions, in the Lives of the Saints, to the difficulty of this doctrine.
338. Chaucer is not quite exact. The Latin says that three things reside in a man's wisdom, the said wisdom being but one. 'Sicut in una hominis sapientia tria sunt, ingenium, memoria et intellectus.' The notion resembles that in a favourite passage from Isidore quoted in Piers Plowman, B. xv. 39, to the effect that the soul (anima) has different names according to its functions. Compare the curious illustrations of the doctrine of the Trinity in the same, B. xvi. 220-224, xvii. 137-249. The illustration in the text is, as Mr. Jephson points out, by no means a good one.
341. The word Three stands alone in the first foot. See note to l. 353.
343. come, coming, i. e. incarnation; Lat. 'aduentu.' Tyrwhitt reads sonde, i. e. sending, message; but incorrectly.
345. withholde, detained, constrained to dwell; Lat. 'tentus'; Fr. 'tenu.'