999. _I mente_, I intended; as in l. 1051 below. 'But my intention was to
correct that which is amiss.'
The reading _I-ment_, as a past participle, adopted by Mr. Wright, is
incorrect, as shewn by Mr. Cromie's Ryme-Index. Cf. Nonne Pr. Tale, 604 (B.
4614); Sq. Tale, F. 108. See note to G. 534 above.
1005. _by yow_, with reference to you canons. See _By_ in Wright's Bible
Word-book.
1012. _annueleer._ So called, as Tyrwhitt explains, 'from their being
employed solely in singing _annuals_ or anniversary masses for the dead,
without any cure of souls. See the Stat. 36 Edw. III. c. viii, where the
_Chappelleins Parochiels_ are distinguished from others _chantanz annuales,
et a cure des almes nient entendantz_. They were both to receive yearly
stipends, but the former was allowed to take six marks, the latter only
five. Compare Stat. 2 Hen. V. St. 2. c. 2, where the stipend of the
_Chapellein Parochiel_ is raised to eight marks, and that of the
_Chapellein annueler_ (he is so named in the statute) to seven.' See also
the note at p. 505 of Wyclif's Works, ed. Matthew (E. E. T. S.); and
Monumenta Franciscana, p. 605.
1015. That is, to the lady of the house where he lodged.
1018. _spending-silver_, money to spend, ready money. The phrase occurs in
Piers the Plowman, B. xi. 278.
1024. _a certeyn_, a certain sum, a stated sum. Cf. l. 776.
1027. _at my day_, on the day agreed upon, on the third day.
1029. _Another day_, another time, on the next occasion.
1030. _him took_, handed over to him; so in ll. 1034, 1112.
1055. 'In some measure to requite your kindness.' See note to Sq. Tale, F.
471, and cf. l. 1151.
1059. _seen at yë_, see evidently; lit. see at eye.
1066. 'Proffered service stinketh' is among Heywood's Proverbs. Ray remarks
on it--'Merx ultronea putet, _apud_ Hieronymum. Erasmus saith, Quin uulgo
etiam in ore est, ultro delatum obsequium plerumque ingratum esse. So that
it seems this proverb is in use among the Dutch too. In French, Merchandise
offerte est à demi vendue. Ware that is proffered is sold for half the
worth, or at half the price.' The German is--'Angebotene Hülfe hat keinen
Lohn'; see Ida v. Düringsfeld's Sprichwörter, i. 86.