1. Petrarch, in his Latin romance, “De obedientia et fide uxoria
Mythologia,” (Of obedient and faithful wives in Mythology)
translated the charming story of “the patient Grizel” from the
Italian of Bocaccio’s “Decameron;” and Chaucer has closely
followed Petrarch’s translation, made in 1373, the year before
that in which he died. The fact that the embassy to Genoa, on
which Chaucer was sent, took place in 1372-73, has lent
countenance to the opinion that the English poet did actually
visit the Italian bard at Padua, and hear the story from his own
lips. This, however, is only a probability; for it is a moot point
whether the two poets ever met.
2. Vesulus: Monte Viso, a lofty peak at the junction of the
Maritime and Cottian Alps; from two springs on its east side
rises the Po.
3. Buxomly: obediently; Anglo-Saxon, “bogsom,” old English,
“boughsome,” that can be easily bent or bowed; German,
“biegsam,” pliant, obedient.
4. Well ofter of the well than of the tun she drank: she drank
water much more often than wine.
5. Undern: afternoon, evening, though by some “undern”
is understood as dinner-time — 9 a. m. See note 4 to the Wife of
Bath’s Tale.