'Stratford-at-Bow, a Benedictine nunnery, was famous even then for its antiquity.'--Todd, Illustrations of Chaucer, p. 233. It is said by Tanner to have been founded by William, bp. of London, before 1087; but Dugdale says it was founded by one Christiana de Sumery, and [16] that her foundation was confirmed by King Stephen. It was dedicated to St. Leonard. _unknowe_, short for _unknowen_, unknown. 127. _At mete._ Tyrwhitt has acutely pointed out how Chaucer, throughout this passage, merely reproduces a passage in his favourite book, viz. Le Roman de la Rose, ed. Méon, l. 13612, &c., which may be thus translated:--'and takes good care not to wet her fingers up to the joints in broth, nor to have her lips anointed with soups, or garlic, or fat flesh, nor to heap up too many or too large morsels and put them in her mouth. She touches with the tips of her fingers the morsel which she has to moisten with the sauce (be it green, or brown, or yellow), and lifts her mouthful warily, so that no drop of the soup, or relish or pepper may fall on her breast. And so daintily she contrives to drink, as not to sprinkle a drop upon herself ... she ought to wipe her lip so well, as not to permit any grease to stay there, at least upon her upper lip.' Such were the manners of the age. Cf. also Ovid, Ars Amatoria, iii. 755, 756. 129. _wette_, wet; pt. t. of _wetten_. _depe_, deeply, adv. 131. Scan--'Thát | no dróp | e ne fill | e,' &c. The _e_ in _drópe_ is very slight; and the caesura follows. _Fille_ is the pt. t. subjunctive, as distinct from _fil_, the pt. t. indicative. It means 'should fall.' 132. _ful_, very. _lest = list_, pleasure, delight; A. S. _lyst_. 133. _over_, upper, adj. 'The over lippe and the nethere'; Wright's Vocab. 1857, p. 146. _clene_ (klae·n[*e]), cleanly, adv. 134. _ferthing_ signifies literally a fourth part, and hence a small portion, or a spot. In Caxton's Book of Curtesye, st. 27, such a spot of grease is called a 'fatte ferthyng.' _sen-e_, visible, is an adjective, A. S. _ges[=e]ne_, and takes a final _-e_. This distinguishes it from the pp. _seen_, which is monosyllabic, and cannot rime with _clen-e_. The fuller form _y-sen-e_ occurs in l. 592, where it rimes with _len-e_. 136. 'Full seemlily she reached towards her meat (i. e. what she had to eat), and certainly she was of great merriment (or geniality).' _Mete_ is often used of eatables in general, _raughte_ (rauht[*e]), pt. t. of _rechen_, to reach. 137. _sikerly_, certainly, _siker_ is an early adaptation of Lat. _securus_, secure, sure. _disport_; mod. E. _sport_. 139-41. 'And took pains (endeavoured) to imitate courtly behaviour, and to be stately in her deportment, and to be esteemed worthy of reverence.' 144. _sawe_, should see, happened to see (subjunctive).