_busshes_, as in Tyrwhitt, must be the right reading; but I can find _no
authority_ for it. The MSS. all have _beautees_, i. e. beauties, or some
equivalent form. Thynne (ed. 1550) has _benches_, which is also found in
some MSS.; but it does not help us.
859. Compare this with the March. Tale, E. 1840; and see Ayenb. p. 48, l.
25.
861. 'Si egeris patienter, coniunx mutabitur in sororem'; Hieron. c.
Iouinianum, lib. i. (ed. 1524, t. ii. p. 25). [471]
867. 'St. Paul gives them the kingdom due to sinners.' In fact, St. Paul
denies them the kingdom due to saints; which comes to the same thing. See
Gal. v. 19-21; and see 884 below. Cf. Rev. xxi. 8.
869. _the hundred fruit_, i. e. fruit brought forth a hundred-fold. Cf.
'dabant _fructum_, aliud _centesimum_,' &c.; Matt. xiii. 8. It was usual to
liken virginity, widowhood, and matrimony, respectively, to the bringing
forth of fruit a hundredfold, sixtyfold and thirtyfold; see P. Plowman, C.
xix. 84-90, and note to l. 84; Hali Meidenhad, ed. Cockayne, p. 22; Ayenb.
p. 234. '_Centesimus_ et sexagesimus et tricesimus _fructus_ ... multum
differt in numero. Triginta referuntur ad nuptias ... Sexaginta uero ad
uiduas ... Porro _centesimus_ numerus ... exprimit uirginitatis coronam';
Hieronymus contra Iouinianum, lib. i; ed. 1524, ii. 18. The Fr. text has:
'Ceus qui gardent virginite ont le centiesme fruit.' But Chaucer, being
well acquainted with Jerome's treatise, recognised at once the Latin
source; for in MS. Hl. we find the note, 'secundum Ieronimum contra
Iouinianum.'