_half-way prime._ That is, half-past seven o'clock; taking _prime_ to mean the first quarter of the day, or the period from 6 to 9 A.M. It was also used to denote the _end_ of that period, or 9 A.M., as in B. 4387, where the meaning is certain. In my Preface to Chaucer's Astrolabe, (E. E. T. S.), I said: 'What _prime_ means in all cases, I do not pretend to say. It is a most difficult word, and I think was used loosely. It might mean the beginning or end of a period, and the period might be an hour, or a quarter of a day. I think it was to obviate ambiguity that the end of the period was sometimes expressed by _high prime_, or _passed prime_, or _prime large_; we also find such expressions as _half prime_, _halfway prime_, or _not fully prime_, which indicate a somewhat long period. For further remarks, see Mr. Brae's Essay on Chaucer's Prime, in his edition of the Astrolabe, p. 90. I add some references for the word _prime_, which may be useful. We find _prime_ in Kn. Ta. 1331 (A. 2189); Mill. Ta. 368 (A. 3554); March. Ta. 613 (E. 1857); Pard. Ta. 200 (C. 662); Ship. Ta. 206 (B. 1396); Squi. Ta. 65 (F. 73); _fully prime_, Sir Topas, 114 (B. 2015); _halfway prime_, Reve's Prol. 52 (A. 3906); _passed prime_, Ship. Ta. 88 (B. 1278), Fre. Ta. 178 (D. 1476); _prime large_, Squi. Ta. ii. 14 (F. 360). See also _prime_ in Troilus, ii. 992, v. 15; _passed prime_, ii. 1095 (in the same); _an houre after the prime_, ii. 1557.' Cf. notes to F. 73, &c. 3911. _somdel_, in some degree. _sette his howve_, the same as _set his cappe_, i. e. make him look foolish; see notes to A. 586, 3143. To come behind a man, and alter the look of his head-gear, was no doubt a common trick; now that caps are moveable, the perennial joy of the street-boy is to run off with another boy's cap. [116] 3912. 'For it is allowable to repel (shove off) force by force.' The Ellesmere MS. has here the sidenote--'vim vi repellere.' 3919. _stalke_, (here) a bit of stick; Lat. _festuca_. _balke_, a beam; Lat. _trabs_. See the Vulgate version of Matt. vii. 3. THE REVES TALE. The origin of this Tale was a French Fabliau, like one that was first pointed out by Mr. T. Wright, and printed in his Anecdota Literaria, p. 15. Another similar one is printed in Méon's edition of Barbazan's Fabliaux, iii. 239 (Paris, 1808). Both were reprinted for the Chaucer Society, in Originals and Analogues, &c., p. 87. See further in vol. iii. p. 397.