[1] In this connection, we must not forget the curious story told in Francis Thynne's Animadversions on Speght's edition of 1598, to the effect that his father (William Thynne) had some thoughts of inserting in the volume a piece called The Pilgrim's Tale, but was advised by the king to let it alone; and this, not on the ground that the Tale was written after 1536, and contained an allusion to Perkin Warbeck, but solely in deference to the king's remark—'William Thynne, I doubt this will not be allowed, for I suspect the bishops will call thee in question for it.' See F. Thynne, Animadversions, &c., ed. Furnivall (Ch. Soc.), pp. 9, 89.
[2] These names are given, in the margin, in MS. Addit. 34360 only.
[3] Morris printed sleepe, giving no sense; MS. 10303 has slepye.
[4] The way in which the spelling was gradually altered can be seen even from the following example, in which the eighth line of the Plowman's Tale is represented:—
Ed. 1542. And honge his harneys on a pynne; fol. cxix.
Ed. 1550. And honged his harnys on a pynne; fol. xc.
Ed. 1561. And honged his harnis on a pinne; fol. xciii.
[5] So in Thynne. But 'tyme' really concludes a sentence; and 'there' should have a capital letter.
[6] He had been imprisoned in 1384 (p. [33], l. 101); but at p. [49], l. 126, he is leisurely planning a future treatise! At p. [60], l. 104, he is in prison again.
[7] See p. [128], l. 16. He did not care to be 'a stinking martyr'; p. [34], l. 115.