[164]Penmark is placed on the maps on the western coast of Brittany, between Brest and Port l’Orient.
[165]The only means of subsistence a knight had was fighting—of course for hire.
[166]Backgammon.
[167]About the 20th of May by our almanac.
[168]Clerkat that time denoted a man of learning, and a student at the universities—generally in holy orders.
[169]Natural Magic, Chaucer.—All kinds of conjuring were very popular at this time. The minstrels orjougleursadded to their other accomplishments marvellous skill in sleight of hand (derived from the East): hence the modern signification of the wordjuggler. It is quite clear that many of their tricks were due to electro-biology, a science known to those mighty cultivators and preservers of learning, the Arabs. For some knowledge of what we owe to the Arabs, and of their influence upon mediæval European literature, I refer the reader to the ‘Literary Remains of Emanuel Deutsch’ (published by John Murray), containing two articles on Arabic Poetry; and to Draper’s popular ‘History of the Conflict between Religion and Science.’
[170]This and the following line are not in Morris’s edition.
[171]Bell’s edition. This and the next six lines are not in Morris’s edition.
[172]Equal to eight or ten times the amount now.
[173]Equivalent to ‘What is done cannot be undone.’
[174]I could not resist inserting the vigorous old words.
[175]The ale-stake was a stake set up as a sign before the inn, generally adorned with a bush. This custom prevails in Normandy still, where you may see a goodly bunch of mistletoe hanging out wherever wine or cider is sold.
[176]“A small bell used formerly to be rung before the corpse as it was carried to the grave, to give notice to those who were charitably disposed that they might pray for the soul of the deceased. Our ‘passing bell’ has the same origin, though the reason for it has ceased.”—Bell.
[177]“Perhaps an allusion to the great pestilence which devastated Europe during the 14th century.This pestilencemeansduringthis pestilence, asthisyear meansduringthis year.”—Bell.
[178]“This is still the ceremony used in taking an oath in courts of justice in Prussia.”—Bell.Notice the emphasis laid on their close friendship, and their constant allusion to their being all ‘one,’ over and above the solemnity of the profane vow they make.
[179]The kindly custom of greeting passers-by, now rapidly going out even in our country districts, was more common in days when passers-by were infinitely rarer. Probably half a mile from the inn the road was lonesome enough, wherefore the old man’s anticipation of rough treatment from three reckless and half-tipsy ruffians was not unreasonable. His calm and fearless answer was the wisest as well as the most dignified course to pursue with such assailants, being calculated to sober them as well as to save himself.
[180]Making a jest of the close coverings and wraps of old age.
[181]Caitif, wretch, wretched. Italian—cattivo, captive. Fr.-chétif, poor, wretched, paltry, pitiful, &c.Captiveseems to give the most pathetic meaning, as though death were a looked-for freedom by a restless prisoner in the body. Fugitive is the next best for the sense, as the old man may be supposed to be flying to the gate for safety and comfort.
[182]Hair-shroud, sackcloth, the roughest cloth.
[183]Tyrwhitt’s edition has the less bloody threat, ‘Tell wher he is, or thou shalt it abie!’
[184]The old man probably saw that the young men were scarcely responsible for their actions, and determined to wreak violence on some one, and therefore he played on their mood to avert their violence from himself to some other object.
[185]Tyrwhitt.
[186]Probably in the vessels, &c., which had contained the food, thus avoiding the appearance of transporting treasure.
[187]Shall counsel he kept between us? literally, in schoolboys’ language, ‘Mum’s the word—eh?’
[188]Bell’s edition.
[189]Games which we now leave to children were formerly as popular with grown-up people. Hunt-the-slipper and blind-man’s-buff were 200 years ago the common recreation of ladies and gentlemen, and wrestling and other romping was indulged in far more commonly than now by young men. Playing at ball was a favourite pastime.
[190]Tyrwhitt.Outrely, utterly, beyond all things.Videthe French—outre mesure, beyond measure. The common mediæval expressions, ‘out ofmeasure,’ ‘out ofdoubt,’ were probably from the same word,outre= beyond.
[191]Tyrwhitt.
[192]Cast, as in ‘casta nativity,’ means fix upon, arrange, discover.
[193]Tyrwhitt.
[194]Avicen, Ebn Sina, an Arabian physician of the 10th century.Fen, apparently an Arabic word, is the name given to the sections of Avicenna’s great work on physic, entitledCanun.—Tyrwhitt.
[195]A play on the word: light meant also fickle or untrue.
[196]Tyrwhitt has treasure; Morris hastresorere, treasurer. The former seems the most appropriate to a lady-love. A similar expression is found in ‘Li Congiés Adan d’Aras’ (MS. de la Vallière, No. 2736 Bibl. Imp.), ‘De mon cuer serós tresoriere.’
[197]Bereft of money as a friar’s tonsure is of hair.
[198]Bell’s edition readstene, taken.
[199]Tyrwhitt’s and Bell’s editions. Morris has ‘Do wel.’
[200]Fortune with her wheel.
[201]‘Kick against the pricks.’
[202]For the clay pot is the weaker of the two.
[203]Tyrwhitt. Morris hasdaunteanddauntest(Fr.,dompter), meaning control.
[204]See ‘Notes by the Way,’p. 103.