I quote from a copy of a rare fifteenth-century edition (without date or place, but supposed to have been printed about 1490 at Rome), in the Douce collection, Bodleian Library. It has the title ‘Panphylus de amore,’ and ends, ‘Explicit amorem per tractus (i.e. pertractans) Panphyli codex.’ The book is not without some merit of its own, though to a great extent it is an imitation of Ovid. It is quoted several times by Albertano of Brescia in his Liber Consolationis, and was evidently regarded as a serious authority: see Chaucer’s Tale of Melibee, which is ultimately derived from the Liber Consolationis. It is referred to also in the Frankeleins Tale, 381 f.,
‘Under his brest he bar it more secree
Than ever did Pamphilus for Galathee.’
14462. au labourer covient, ‘it is necessary to labour.’
14466. ‘Whoso wishes,’ &c., i.e. ‘if a man wishes’: see note on 1244.
14473. dispense, ‘deals favourably’: cp. l. 1400.
14496. le meulx: see note on 2700.
14551. Matt. vi. 33.
14568. The alteration of ‘contemplacioun’ to ‘contempler,’ used as a substantive as in l. 10699, is the simplest way of restoring the metre: but cp. 3116, and Bal. xxvii. 1.
14581. Isid. Diff. ii. 153.