[179] The kindly custom of greeting passers-by, now rapidly going out even in our country districts, was more common in days when passers-by were infinitely rarer. Probably half a mile from the inn the road was lonesome enough, wherefore the old man’s anticipation of rough treatment from three reckless and half-tipsy ruffians was not unreasonable. His calm and fearless answer was the wisest as well as the most dignified course to pursue with such assailants, being calculated to sober them as well as to save himself. [180] Making a jest of the close coverings and wraps of old age. [181] _Caitif_, wretch, wretched. Italian--_cattivo_, captive. Fr.-_chétif_, poor, wretched, paltry, pitiful, &c. _Captive_ seems to give the most pathetic meaning, as though death were a looked-for freedom by a restless prisoner in the body. Fugitive is the next best for the sense, as the old man may be supposed to be flying to the gate for safety and comfort. [182] Hair-shroud, sackcloth, the roughest cloth. [183] Tyrwhitt’s edition has the less bloody threat, ‘Tell wher he is, or thou shalt it abie!’ [184] The old man probably saw that the young men were scarcely responsible for their actions, and determined to wreak violence on some one, and therefore he played on their mood to avert their violence from himself to some other object. [185] Tyrwhitt. [186] Probably in the vessels, &c., which had contained the food, thus avoiding the appearance of transporting treasure. [187] Shall counsel he kept between us? literally, in schoolboys’ language, ‘Mum’s the word--eh?’ [188] Bell’s edition. [189] Games which we now leave to children were formerly as popular with grown-up people. Hunt-the-slipper and blind-man’s-buff were 200 years ago the common recreation of ladies and gentlemen, and wrestling and other romping was indulged in far more commonly than now by young men. Playing at ball was a favourite pastime. [190] Tyrwhitt. _Outrely_, utterly, beyond all things. _Vide_ the French--_outre mesure_, beyond measure. The common mediæval expressions, ‘_out of_ measure,’ ‘_out of_ doubt,’ were probably from the same word, _outre_ = beyond. [191] Tyrwhitt. [192] Cast, as in ‘_cast_ a nativity,’ means fix upon, arrange, discover. [193] Tyrwhitt. [194] Avicen, Ebn Sina, an Arabian physician of the 10th century. _Fen_, apparently an Arabic word, is the name given to the sections of Avicenna’s great work on physic, entitled _Canun_.--_Tyrwhitt._ [195] A play on the word: light meant also fickle or untrue. [196] Tyrwhitt has treasure; Morris has _tresorere_, treasurer. The former seems the most appropriate to a lady-love. A similar expression is found in ‘Li Congiés Adan d’Aras’ (MS. de la Vallière, No. 2736 Bibl. Imp.), ‘De mon cuer serós tresoriere.’ [197] Bereft of money as a friar’s tonsure is of hair. [198] Bell’s edition reads _tene_, taken. [199] Tyrwhitt’s and Bell’s editions. Morris has ‘Do wel.’ [200] Fortune with her wheel.