78. _Of twenty yeer of elde_, of twenty years of age; so in MSS. F., Tn.,
and Harl. 372. See note to l. 80.
80. _Behelde_; so in MSS. Harl., F.; and Harl. 372 has _beheelde_. I should
hesitate to accept this form instead of the usual _beholde_, but for its
occurrence in Gower, Conf. Amant., ed. Pauli, iii. 147:--
'The wine can make a creple sterte
And a deliver man unwelde;
It maketh a blind man to _behelde_.
So also in the Moral Ode, l. 288, the Trinity MS. has the infin.
_behealde_, and the Lambeth MS. has _bihelde_. It appears to be a Southern
form, adopted here for the rime, like _ken_ for _kin_ in Book of the Duch.
438.
There is further authority; for we actually find _helde_ for _holde_ in
five MSS. out of seven, riming with _welde_ (_wolde_); C. T., Group D, l.
272.
82. Penelope and Lucretia are favourite examples of constancy; see C. T.,
Group B, 63, 75; Book Duch. 1081-2; Leg. Good Women, 252, 257. Read
Penélop', not Pénelóp', as in B. D. 1081.