50. 'Has the pot by the handle'; i.e. holds it securely.
54. Note the accentuation: 'Aný womán.' This accentuation of words on the latter syllable in rather unlikely cases, is a marked peculiarity of Hoccleve's verse. Cf. womán in l. 79, journéy in l. 106; axíng in l. 122, purpós in l. 130. Cf. wommán in l. 170 with wómman in l. 174.
71. To here? to her? Dr. Furnivall notes that Hoccleve frequently makes here dissyllabic, when it represents the personal pronoun. Cf. l. 70; and see his Preface, p. xli. The reading 'To hir name yet was yt no reprefe,' given in Dr. Furnivall's edition from one MS. only, affords no sense, and will not scan, as name is properly dissyllabic.
90. souneth in-to, tends to; cf. note to C. T., B 3157.
95. 'They procure such assistants as have a double face.' The accentuation of prócuren on the o was at this time common; we even find the form proker (see Stratmann).
120-2. wolde ... Men wiste, would like men to know.
131. 'Unless he be so far advanced in madness as to spoil all with open coarseness; for that, as I suppose, women do not like.'
145. 'Reason follows it so slowly and leisurely.'
184. dishonest, unworthy of honour, blameworthy. Ray gives the proverb—'it's an ill bird that bewrays its own nest'; and compares the Greek—τὸν οἴκοι θησαυρὸν διαβάλλε
ιν.