275. 'Always conducing to the increase of his profit.' _souninge_, sounding
like, conducing to; cf. l. 307. Compare--'thei chargen more [care more for]
a litil thing that _sowneth_ to wynnyng of hem, than a myche more [greater]
thing that _sowneth_ to worchip of God'; Wyclif, Works, ed. Arnold, ii.
383. 'These indulgencis ... done mykel harme to Cristen soulis, and
_sownen_ erroure ageynes the gospel'; id., iii. 459. Cf. Chaucer's
Doctour's Tale, C. 54; also P. Plowman, C. vii. 59, x. 216, xii. 79, xxii.
455. The M. E. sb. _soun_ is from F. _son_, Lat. acc. _sonum_.
276. _were kept_, should be guarded; so that he should not suffer from [30]
pirates or privateers. 'The old subsidy of tonnage and poundage was given
to the king for the safeguard and custody of the sea 12. Edw. IV. c.
3.'--T.
'The _see_ wel _kept_, it must be don for drede.'
A Libell of English Policie, l. 1083.
In 1360, a commission was granted to John Gibone to proceed, with certain
ships of the Cinque Ports, to free the sea from pirates and others, the
enemies of the king; Appendix E. to Rymer's Foedera, p. 50.
_for any thing_, i. e. for any sake, at any cost. The A. S. _thing_ is
often used in the sense of 'sake,' 'cause,' or 'reason.' _For_ in Chaucer
also means 'against,' or 'to prevent,' but not (I think) here.
277. _Middelburgh and Orewelle._ '_Middelburgh_ is still a well-known port
of the island of Walcheren, in the Netherlands, almost immediately opposite
Harwich, beside which are the estuaries of the rivers Stoure and _Orwell_.
This spot was formerly known as the port of _Orwell_ or
_Orewelle_.'--Saunders, p. 229.
This mention of Middelburgh 'proves that the Prologue must have been
written not before 1384, and not later than 1388. In the year 1384 the
wool-staple was removed from Calais and established at Middelburgh; in 1388
it was fixed once more at Calais; see Craik's Hist. of Brit. Commerce, i.
123.'--Hales, Folia Literaria, p. 100. This note has a special importance.
278. 'He well knew how to make a profit by the exchange of his crowns' in
the different money-markets of Europe. _Sheeldes_ are crowns (O. F.
_escuz_, F. _écus_), named from their having on one side the figure of a
shield. They were valued at half a noble, or 3s. 4d.; Appendix E. to
Rymer's Foedera, p. 55. See B. 1521.
279. _his wit bisette_, employed his knowledge to the best advantage.
_bisette_ = used, employed. Cf. Piers Plowman, ed. Skeat, B. v. 297:--
'And if thow wite (know) nevere to whiche, ne whom to restitue
[the goods gotten wrongfully]
Bere it to the bisschop, and bidde hym, of his grace,
_Bisette_ it hymselue, as best is for thi soule.'
281, 282. 'So ceremoniously (_or_, with such lofty bearing) did he order
his bargains and agreements for borrowing money.' A _chevisaunce_ was an
agreement for borrowing money on credit; cf. B. 1519; also P. Plowman, B.
v. 249, and the note. From F. _chevir_, to accomplish; cf. E. _achieve_.
284. _noot_ = _ne_ + _woot_, know not; so _niste_ = _ne_ + _wiste_, knew
not.