_delyt_, delight; the mod. E. word is misspelt; _delite_ would be better.
336. 'A very son of Epicurus.' Alluding to the famous Greek philosopher
[died B. C. 270], the author of the Epicurean philosophy, which assumed
pleasure to be the highest good. Chaucer here follows Boethius, bk. iii.
pr. 2. 54: 'The whiche delyt only considerede Epicurus, and iuged and
establisshed that delyt is the sovereyn good.' Cf. Troil. iii. 1691, v.
763; also E. 2021.
340. '_St. Julian_ was eminent for providing his votaries with good
lodgings and accommodation of all sorts. [See Chambers' Book of Days, ii.
388.] In the title of his legend, Bodl. MS. 1596, fol. 4, he is called "St.
Julian the gode herberjour" (St. Julian the good harbourer).'--Tyrwhitt.
His day is Jan. 9. See the Lives of Saints, ed. Horstmann (E. E. T. S.);
also Gesta Romanorum, ed. Swan, tale 18; Mrs. Jameson, Sacred and Leg. Art,
ii. 393.
341. _after oon_, according to one invariable standard; 'up to the mark';
cf. A. 1781, and the note. A description of a Franklin's feast is given in
the Babees Book, ed. Furnivall, p. 170.
342. _envyned_, stored with wine. 'Cotgrave has preserved the French word
_enviné_ in the same sense.'--Tyrwhitt.
343. _bake mete_ = _baked meat_; the old past participle of _bake_ was
_baken_ or _bake_, as it was a strong verb. _Baked meats_ = meats baked in
_coffins_ (pies). Cf. Hamlet, i. 2. 180.
344. _plentevous_, plenteous, plentiful; O. F. _plentivous_, formed by
adding _-ous_ to O. F. _pleintif_, adj. abundant; see Godefroy's O. F.
Dict. [34]
345. The verb _snewed_ may be explained as a metaphor from snowing; in
fact, the M. E. _snewe_, like the Prov. Eng. _snie_ or _snive_, also
signifies _to abound, swarm_. Camb. MS. reads 'It snowede in his mouth of
mete and drynk.' Cf. 'He was with yiftes [presents] all _bisnewed_'; Gower,
C. A. iii. 51. From A. S. _sn[=i]wan_.