43. _Knight._ It was a common thing in this age for knights to seek
employment in foreign countries which were at war. Cf. Book of the
Duchesse, 1024, and my note. Tyrwhitt cites from Leland's _Itinerary_, v.
iii. p. cxi., the epitaph of a knight of this period, Matthew de Gourney,
who had been at the battle of Benamaryn, at the siege of Algezir, and at
the Battles of Crecy, Poitiers, &c. See note to l. 51.
_worthy_, worthy, is here used in its literal signification of
distinguished, honourable. See ll. 47, 50. Pron. (wur·dhi).
For notes on the dresses, &c. of the pilgrims, see Todd's Illustrations of
Chaucer, p. 227; Fairholt's Costume in England, 1885, i. 129; and Saunders,
on the Canterbury Tales, where some of the MS. drawings are reproduced.
Also Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, sect. 17.
45. _chivalrye_ (chiv·alrii·[*e]), knighthood; also the manners, exercises,
and exploits of a knight.
47. _in his lordes werre_, i. e. in the king's service. 'The knight, by his
tenure, was obliged to serve the king on horseback in his wars, and
maintain a soldier at his own proper charge,' &c.; Strutt, Manners and
Customs, iii. 15. _werre_, war. [6]
48. _therto_, moreover, besides that; see l. 153 below, _ferre_, the comp.
of _fer_, far. Cf. M. E. _derre_, dearer (A. 1448); _sarre_, sorer, &c.
49. _hethenesse_, heathen lands, as distinguished from _Cristendom_,
Christian countries. The same distinction occurs in English Gilds, ed.
Toulmin Smith, p. 36, l. 1.