28. whiche is faylinge without desert, which is failure without merit; these words are out of place here, and perhaps belong to the preceding clause (after shewed in l. 26). thilke, &c.; amending that first fault.
29. Perhaps for and read an; it refers to guidance into the right path.
37. He says that the English alter the name Margarite-perle into Margery-perle, whereas Latin, French, and many other languages keep the true form. Cf. Lat. margarita, O.F. marguerite, margarete, Gk. μαργαρίτης, Pers. marwārīd, Arab. marjān; all from Skt. manjarī, a pearl.
45. the more Britayne, greater Britain (England and Scotland), as distinguished from lesser Britain (Brittany); see note to bk. ii. ch. 12. 47 above. Pliny says (tr. by Holland, bk. ix. c. 35):—'In Brittaine it is certain that some [pearls] do grow; but they be small, dim of colour, and nothing orient.'
56. conninge, certain knowledge; opinion, uncertain knowledge, supposition; as he proceeds to say.
62. We thus learn that it was at this date an open question, whether the sun was bigger than the earth; there were some who imagined it to be so.
68. He here mentions the quadrivium, or group of four of the seven sciences, viz. arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy; see note to P. Plowman, C. xii. 98.
73. These are the four cardinal virtues, Prudence, Justice, Temperance, and Fortitude; see note to P. Plowman, C. i. 131.
79. Why 'two things' are mentioned, is not clear. It was usual to introduce here the trivium, or second group of the seven arts (see note to l. 68); which contained logic, grammar, and rhetoric. For the two former he has substituted 'art,' the general term.
99. twey, two; viz. natural and reasonable; cf. l. 53. The third is moral. Hence we have the following scheme.