Chaucerian and Other Pieces / Being a Supplement to the Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer

by Unknown

I wol don sacrifice, and fyres bete.'

329. passe forby, to pass by, i.e. to get out of his way; cf. C. T., B 1759, C 668. an ese, a relief, a way of escape. There is no difficulty, but all the editions have altered it to passe, for thereby, which will not scan.

330. daungerous, grudging, reluctant; see C. T., D 514.

332. of a sight, of what one may see. squeymous (MS. squymouse, Stowe squmous), squeamish, particular; see note to C. T., A 3337 (vol. v. p. 102). It is added that when the lady, on her part, was cruel, it was the lover's duty to toss about in bed and weep; cf. T. G. 12:—'The longe nyght walowing to and fro.' 'To walwe and wepe'; Troil. i. 699. And see Rom. Rose (Eng. version), 2553-62.

338. Cf. 'Him to complein, that he walk [read welk = walked] so sole'; T. G. 552. And cf. Book Duch. 449; Black Knight, 143; Rom. Rose, 2391-6, 2517-9.

340. Cf. 'as though he roughte nought Of life ne deth'; T. G. 939-40.

344. 'Abide awhile,' T. G. 1203; 'patiently t'endure'; T. G. 1267.

347. helden, false grammar for held. The metre shews that it was intentional.

349. 'Fulli to obeye,' T. G. 1151; cf. 1145-50.