361. _Haberdassher._ Haberdashers were of two kinds: haberdashers of small
wares--sellers of needles, tapes, buttons, &c.; and haberdashers of hats.
The stuff called _hapertas_ is mentioned in the Liber Albus, p. 225.
362. _Webbe_, properly a male weaver; _webstere_ was the female weaver, but
there appears to have been some confusion in the use of the suffixes _-e_
and _-stere_; see Piers Plowman, ed. Skeat, B. v. 215: 'mi _wyf_ was a
_webbe_.' Hence the names _Webb_ and _Webster_. Cf. [36] A. S. _webba_, m.,
a weaver; _webbestere_, fem. _tapicer_, upholsterer; F. _tapis_, carpet.
363. _liveree_, livery. 'Under the term "livery" was included whatever was
dispensed (_delivered_) by the lord to his officials or domestics annually
or at certain seasons, whether money, victuals, or garments. The term
chiefly denoted external marks of distinction, such as the _roba estivalis_
and _hiemalis_, given to the officers and retainers of the court.... The
Stat. 7 Hen. IV expressly permits the adoption of such distinctive dress by
fraternities and "_les gentz de mestere_," the trades of the cities of the
realm, being ordained with good intent; and to this prevalent usage Chaucer
alludes when he describes five artificers of various callings, who joined
the pilgrimage, clothed all _in o lyveré of a solempne and greet
fraternité_.'--Way, note to Prompt. Parv., p. 308. We still speak of the
Livery Companies.
_And they were clothed alle_ (Elles., &c.); _Weren with vss eeke clothed_
(Harl.) The former reading leaves the former clause of the sentence without
a verb.
364. _fraternitee_, guild: see English Gilds, ed. Toulmin Smith, pp. xxx,
xxxix, cxxii. Each guild had its own livery; Rock, Church of our Fathers,
ii. 412.
365. _gere_, gear, apparel. _apyked_, signifies cleaned, trimmed, like
Shakespeare's _picked_. Cotgrave gives as senses of F. _piquer_, 'to
quilt,' and 'to stiffen a coller.'
366. _y-chaped_, having _chapes_ (i. e. plates or _caps_ of metal at the
point of the sheath or scabbard). Tradesmen and mechanics were prohibited
from using knives adorned with silver, gold, or precious stones. So that
Chaucer's pilgrims were of a superior estate, as is indicated in l. 369.
Cf. _chapeless_, Taming of the Shrew, iii. 2. 48.
370. _deys_, _dese_, or _dais_ (Fr. _deis_, from Lat. _discum_, acc.), is
used to denote the raised platform which was always found at the upper end
of a hall, on which the high table was placed; originally, it meant the
high table itself. In modern French and English, it is used of a canopy or
'tester' over a seat of state. Tyrwhitt's account of the word is confused,
as he starts with a false etymology.
_yeld-halle_, guild-hall. See _Gildhall_ in the Index to E. Gilds, ed.
Toulmin Smith.
371. _that he can_, that he knows; so also _as he couthe_, as he knew how,
in l. 390. This line is deficient in the first foot.
372. _shaply_, adapted, fit; sometimes comely, of good _shape_. The mention
of _alderman_ should be noted. It was the invariable title given to one who
was chosen as the head or principal of a guild (see English Gilds, ed.
Toulmin Smith, pp. ciii, 36, 148, 276, 446). All these men belonged to a
fraternity or guild, and each of them was a fit man to be chosen as head of
it.
373. 'For they had sufficient property and income' (to entitle them to
undertake such an office).