31. 'Gray-headed and round of shape'; i. e. like ourselves. Cf. what
Chaucer says of his own shape; C. T. Group B, 1890.
35. 'See, the old gray-haired man is pleased to rime and amuse himself.'
For _ryme_ (as in the three MSS.), the old editions have _renne_. This
would mean, 'See, the old gray horse is pleased to run about and play.' And
possibly this is right; for the O. F. _grisel_ properly means a gray horse,
as shewn in Godefroy's O. F. Dict.
36. _Mexcuse_, for _me excuse_, excuse myself. Cf. _mawreke_, Compleint to
Pite, 11.
43. For _stremes_, Gg. has _wellis_; but the whole expression _stremes
heed_ is equivalent to _well_, and we have _which streme_ in l. 45 (Koch).
In the MSS., the words _stremes heed_ are explained by _Windesore_
(Windsor), and _ende of whiche streme_ in l. 45 by _Grenewich_ (Greenwich);
explanations which are probably correct. Thus the _stream_ is the Thames;
Chaucer was living, in a solitary way, at Greenwich, whilst Scogan was with
the court at Windsor, much nearer to the source of favour.
47. _Tullius._ Perhaps, says Koch, there is an allusion to Cicero's Epist.
vi. ad Cæcinam. For myself, I think he alludes to his De Amicitia; see note
to Rom. Rose, 5286.