s, “impetus cursus,” are indiscriminately used in three meanings: (1) “onset, assault;” (2) “course, run, rush, haste, hurry;” (3) “space, time, occasion.” The last signification is well shewn by the following passages:
“Hit lasteþ but a lutel rees.”
(Cl. Maydenhod, l. 26.)
“Þat ys to seye upon a rees,
Stynkyng Saxone, be on pees.”
(Arthur, ed. Furnivall, l. 525.)
In the Sowdan ras or rees means (1) “time, instant, occasion,” ll. 1349, 1693; (2) “rush, hurry, haste,” ll. 645, 489. rase, l. 774 = “current in the sea,” the same word as the preceding ras and rees, meaning properly, “a narrow rush, or violent current of water.” See Morris, Chaucer’s Prologue (Clarendon Press), s. v. reyse. Cf. the French expressions, “raz de mer,” “raz de courent,” “raz de marée.”
p. 39, l. [1361]. sene : be. Read se as in ll. 1124, 658, 1826.
p. 40, l. [1372]. ryden, which does not rhyme with foghten, is evidently a clerical error. I suppose soghten to be the true reading. For examples of soght = “came, went, moved,” see Zupitza’s note to Guy, l. 7151, and Skeat’s Glossary to Specimens, s. v. socht.—There is still another corruption in this passage, as assembled does not rhyme with ordeyned.