[5] A Chaucerian word, which well deserves preservation in the language.
[6] Favell, author of “Lyes.” Favell, the editor of Hoccleve, explains as cajolerie, or flattery, by words given by Carpentier in his supplement to “Du Cange.” Pavel is personified by “Piers Ploughman,” and in Skelton’s “Bouge of Court.” Favele in langue Romane is Flattery—hence Fabel, Fabling.—Roquefort’s “Dictionnaire.” The Italian Favellio, parlerie, babil, caquet—Alberti’s “Grand Dictionnaire”—does not wholly convey the idea of our modern Humbug, which combines fabling and caquet.
[7] The encumbrances to the world. In another poem he calls death “that Coimbre-world.” It was a favourite expression with him, taken from Chaucer. See “Warton,” ii. 352, note.
[8] A title which does not appear in the catalogue of his writings by Ritson, in his “Bibliographia Poetica.”
[9] Unfittingly.
[10] Weight; probably from the French poids.
[11] It is in Royal MS. 17 D. 6. The best is in the Harleian MS. 4866. There is also a very curious full-length preserved in a single leaf of vellum, Sloane MS. 5141; which has been copied in Shaw’s “Dresses and Decorations of the Middle Ages,” vol. i.—Ed.
[12] A single trait, however, has come down to us from that other scholar of Chaucer, whom we are next to follow. Lydgate assures us, from what he heard, that the great poet would not suffer petty criticisms “to perturb his reste.” He did not like to groan over, and “pinch at every blot,” but always “did his best.”—
| My master Chaucer that founde ful many spot, Hym lyste not gruche, nor pynch at every blot; Nor move himself to perturb his reste; I have perde tolde, but seyd alway his beste. Lydgate’s “Troy.” |
