181. 'An allusion to the monkish story of the man who brought up a youth ignorant of women, and who, when he first saw them, told him they were geese. The story is in the Promptuarium Exemplorum. It was adopted by Boccaccio, from whom it was taken by Lafontaine, liv. iii. conte 1. See Latin Stories, edited by Mr. Ṭ Wright.'—Bell.
194. From C. T., B 466: 'On many a sory meel now may she bayte.'
202. Cf. 'Comfort is noon'; Chaucer's A B C, 17.
207. how, however. Cf. 'that boghten love so dere'; Legend of Good Women, 258.
229. See the Book of the Duchess, 323-34, where the painted glass windows contain subjects from the Romance of the Rose and others. The story of Dido is common enough; but the reference to Chaucer's Anelida and the false Arcite, is remarkable, especially as it occurs also in XXI. 465 above (p. 395). 'The turtel trewe' is from the Parl. Foules, 577. See the parallel passage in T. G. 44-142, where Lydgate's first example is that of Dido, while at the same time he mentions Palamon, Emilie, and Canacee, all from Chaucer.
246. blew, blue, the colour of constancy; see l. 248.
250. 'And why that ye ben clothed thus in blak?' C. T., A 911.
255. grene only gives an assonance with here, not a rime. Green was the colour of inconstancy, and was sometimes used for despyt, to use Chaucer's phrase; see note to C. T., F 644 (vol. v. p. 386). White may refer to the White Friars or Carmelites, and russet to the hermits; cf. P. Plowman, C. prol. 3, C. xi. 1.
270. an ho, a proclamation commanding silence; see C. T., 2533. Quite distinct from hue (and cry), with which Bell confuses it. A hue and cry was only raised against fleeing criminals.
280. Clearly suggested by the God of Love's stern question in the Legend of Good Women, 315:—'What dostow heer So nigh myn owne flour, so boldely?' At the same time the phrase fer y-stope in yeres is from Chaucer's somdel stape in age, C. T., B 4011, on which see the note (vol. v. p. 248). See the next note.