Book I.
Prologue. 1. The initial letters of the chapters in Book I. form the words MARGARETE OF. See the Introduction.
3. by queynt knitting coloures, by curious fine phrases, that 'knit' or join the words or verses together. For colours = fine phrases, cf. Ch., HF. 859; C. T., E 16, F 726.
7. for, because, seeing that; boystous, rough, plain, unadorned; cf. l. 12. The Glossary in vol. vi should be compared for further illustration of the more difficult words.
19. for the first leudnesse, on account of the former lack of skill.
21. yeve sight, enable men to see clearly.
30. conne jumpere suche termes, know how to jumble such terms together. Jumpere should rather be spelt jumpre; cf. jompre in the Gloss. to Chaucer. For such words, see the Glossary appended to the present volume.
but as, except as the jay chatters English; i.e. without understanding it; cf. Ch. Prol. 642.
43. necessaries to cacche, to lay hold of necessary ideas. Throughout this treatise, we frequently find the verb placed after the substantive which it governs, or relegated to the end of the clause or sentence. This absurd affectation often greatly obscures the sense.
45. The insertion of the words perfeccion is is absolutely necessary to the sense; cf. ll. 47, 50. For the general argument, cf. Ch. Boeth. iii.