1381. _sy_, saw. The scribes also use the form _sey_ or _seigh_, as in Kn.
Tale, 208 (A. 1066); Franklin's Tale, F. 850, in both of which places it
rimes with _heigh_ (high). Of these spellings _sey_ (riming with _hey_) is
to be preferred in most cases. See note to Group B, l. 1.
1388. This line begins with a large capital C in the Ellesmere MS., shewing
that the Tale itself is at an end, and the rest is the Yeoman's application
of it.
1389. 'There is strife between men and gold to that degree, that there is
scarcely any (gold) left.'
1408. Alluding to the proverb--'Burnt bairns fear fire.' This occurs among
the Proverbs of Hendyng, in the form--'Brend child fur dredeth.' So in the
Romaunt of the Rose, l. 1820--'Brent child of fyr hath muche drede.' The
German is--'Ein gebranntes Kind fürchtet das Feuer'; see Ida v.
Düringsfeld's Sprichwörter, i. 531.
1410. Alluding to the proverb--'Better late than never'; in French 'Il vaut
mieux tard que jamais.' The German is--'Besser spät als nie'; see Ida v.
Düringsfeld's Sprichwörter, i. 204.