363. _liveree_, livery. 'Under the term "livery" was included whatever was dispensed (_delivered_) by the lord to his officials or domestics annually or at certain seasons, whether money, victuals, or garments. The term chiefly denoted external marks of distinction, such as the _roba estivalis_ and _hiemalis_, given to the officers and retainers of the court.... The Stat. 7 Hen. IV expressly permits the adoption of such distinctive dress by fraternities and "_les gentz de mestere_," the trades of the cities of the realm, being ordained with good intent; and to this prevalent usage Chaucer alludes when he describes five artificers of various callings, who joined the pilgrimage, clothed all _in o lyveré of a solempne and greet fraternité_.'--Way, note to Prompt. Parv., p. 308. We still speak of the Livery Companies. _And they were clothed alle_ (Elles., &c.); _Weren with vss eeke clothed_ (Harl.) The former reading leaves the former clause of the sentence without a verb. 364. _fraternitee_, guild: see English Gilds, ed. Toulmin Smith, pp. xxx, xxxix, cxxii. Each guild had its own livery; Rock, Church of our Fathers, ii. 412. 365. _gere_, gear, apparel. _apyked_, signifies cleaned, trimmed, like Shakespeare's _picked_. Cotgrave gives as senses of F. _piquer_, 'to quilt,' and 'to stiffen a coller.' 366. _y-chaped_, having _chapes_ (i. e. plates or _caps_ of metal at the point of the sheath or scabbard). Tradesmen and mechanics were prohibited from using knives adorned with silver, gold, or precious stones. So that Chaucer's pilgrims were of a superior estate, as is indicated in l. 369. Cf. _chapeless_, Taming of the Shrew, iii. 2. 48. 370. _deys_, _dese_, or _dais_ (Fr. _deis_, from Lat. _discum_, acc.), is used to denote the raised platform which was always found at the upper end of a hall, on which the high table was placed; originally, it meant the high table itself. In modern French and English, it is used of a canopy or 'tester' over a seat of state. Tyrwhitt's account of the word is confused, as he starts with a false etymology. _yeld-halle_, guild-hall. See _Gildhall_ in the Index to E. Gilds, ed. Toulmin Smith. 371. _that he can_, that he knows; so also _as he couthe_, as he knew how, in l. 390. This line is deficient in the first foot. 372. _shaply_, adapted, fit; sometimes comely, of good _shape_. The mention of _alderman_ should be noted. It was the invariable title given to one who was chosen as the head or principal of a guild (see English Gilds, ed. Toulmin Smith, pp. ciii, 36, 148, 276, 446). All these men belonged to a fraternity or guild, and each of them was a fit man to be chosen as head of it. 373. 'For they had sufficient property and income' (to entitle them to undertake such an office). 376. _y-clept_, called; pp. of _clepen_; see l. 121. [37]