103. London is substituted for 'Rome' in Chaucer's Boethius. Chaucer has—'may thanne the glorie of a singuler Romaine strecchen thider as the fame of the name of Rome may nat climben or passen?' See the last note.
112-6. From Ch. Boethius, bk. ii. pr. 7. 58-62.
116-25. From the same, ll. 65-79. Thus, in l. 123, the word ofte (in Thynne) is a misprint for of the; for Chaucer has—'For of thinges that han ende may be maked comparisoun.' The whole passage shews that the author consulted Chaucer's translation of Boethius rather than the Latin text.
127. and thou canst nothing don aright; literally from Chaucer: 'Ye men, certes, ne conne don nothing aright'; Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 7. 79. but thou desyre the rumour therof be heled and in every wightes ere; corresponds to Chaucer's—'but-yif it be for the audience of the people and for ydel rumours'; Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 7. 80. Hence heled (lit. hidden) is quite inadmissible; the right reading is probably deled, i.e. dealt round.
134. The words supplied are necessary; they dropped out owing to the repetition of vertue.
135-6. Again copied from Ch. Boeth. bk. ii. pr. 7. 106: 'the sowle ... unbounden fro the prison of the erthe.'
Chap. IX. 13. than leveth there, then it remains.
15. for thy moebles, because thy goods.
20. This proverb is given by Hazlitt in the form—