19. _Bifel_, it befell. _seson_ (saesun), time. _on a day_, one day. 20. _Tabard_. Of this word Speght gives the following account in his Glossary to Chaucer:--'Tabard--a jaquet or sleveless coate, worne in times past by noblemen in the warres, but now only by heraults (heralds), and is called theyre "coate of armes in servise." It is the signe of an inne in Southwarke by London, within the which was the lodging of the Abbot of Hyde by Winchester. This is the hostelry where _Chaucer_ and the other pilgrims mett together, and, with Henry Baily their hoste, accorded about the manner of their journey to Canterbury. And whereas through time it hath bin much decayed, it is now by Master _J. Preston_, with the Abbot's house thereto adgoyned, newly repaired, and with convenient rooms much encreased, for the receipt of many guests.' The inn is well described in Saunders (on Chaucer), p. 13. See also Stow, Survey of London (ed. Thoms, p. 154); Nares' Glossary, s. v. _Tabard_; Dyce's Skelton, ii. 283; Furnivall's Temporary Preface to Chaucer, p. 18. The tabard, however, was _not_ sleeveless, though the sleeves, at first, were very short. See the plate in Boutell's Heraldry, ed. Aveling, p. 69; cf. note to P. Plowman, C. vii. 203. _lay_; used like the modern 'lodged,' or 'was stopping.' 23. _come_ (kum'), short for _comen_, pp. of _comen_. _hostelrye_, a lodging, inn, house, residence. _Hostler_ properly signifies the keeper of an inn, and not, as now, the servant of an inn who looks after the horses. 24. _wel_ is here used like our word, _full_ or _quite_. 25. _by aventure y-falle_, by adventure (chance) fallen (into company). Pron. (av·entü·r'). 26. _felawshipe_, company; from M. E. _felawe_, companion, fellow. 27. _wolden ryde_, wished to ride. The latter verb is in the infinitive mood, as usual after _will_, _would_, _shall_, _may_, &c. 29. _esed atte beste_, accommodated or entertained in the best manner. _Easement_ is still used as a law term, signifying accommodation. Cf. F. _bien aise_. Pron. (aezed). [5] _atte_, i. e. at the, was shortened from _atten_, masc. and neut., from A. S. _æt th[=a]m_. We also find M. E. _atter_, fem., from A. S. _æt th[=æ]re_. 30. _to reste_, i. e. gone to rest, set. 31. _everichon_, for _ever-ich oon_, every one, lit. ever each one. 32. _of hir felawshipe_, (one) of their company. 33. _forward_, agreement. 'Fals was here _foreward_ so forst is in May,' i. e. their agreement was as false as a frost in May; Ritson's Ancient Songs, i. 30. A. S. _fore-weard_, lit. 'fore ward,' a precaution, agreement. 34. _ther as I yow devyse_, to that place that I tell you of (sc. Canterbury); _ther_ in M. E. frequently signifies 'where,' and _ther as_ signifies 'where that.' _devyse_, speak of, describe; lit. 'devise.'