276. _lakkest_, dispraisest, decriest. In P. Plowman, B. v. 130, we [483]
find 'to blame mennes ware'; and, only two lines below, the equivalent
phrase 'to lakke his chaffare.'
277. 'By Saint James in Galicia.' In Chaucer's Prologue, the Wife of Bath
had been 'in Galice at Seint Jame.' The shrine of St. James, at Compostella
in Galicia, was much frequented by pilgrims. See my note to Prol. 466, at
p. 44 above. It is remarkable that _the whole of this line_ is quoted from
A Poem on the Times of Edw. II., l. 475; see Political Songs, ed. Wright,
p. 345. It occurs again below, l. 764.
278. 'Yet it is too cheap, that which thou hast bought.' The franklin tells
the defeated wrestler that it is not for him to call Gamelyn's ware dear,
for he has, in fact, been let off much too cheaply. Our modern _cheap_ is
short for _good cheap_, i. e. bought in good market. _To buy in a good
cheap_ was shortened to _to buy good cheap_, and finally became _to buy
cheap_.