57. He here addresses his fair one's Pity, whom he personifies, and
addresses as a mistress.
By comparison of this passage with l. 92, it becomes clear that Chaucer
took his notion of personifying _Pity_ from Statius, who personifies
_Pietas_ in his Thebaid, xi. 457-496. I explained this at length in a
letter to The Academy, Jan. 7, 1888, p. 9. In the present line, we find a
hint of the original; for Statius describes _Pietas_ in the words
'pudibundaque longe Ora reducentem' (l. 493), which expresses her
_humility_; whilst the _reverence_ due to her is expressed by _reuerentia_
(l. 467).
59. _Sheweth ... Your servaunt_, Your servant sheweth. _Sheweth_ is the
word used in petitions, and _servant_ commonly means 'lover.'