646. _Questio quid iuris._ 'This kind of question occurs frequently in Ralph de Hengham. After having stated a case, he adds, _quid juris_, and then proceeds to give an answer to it.'--T. It means--'the question is, what law (is there)?' i. e. what is the law on this point? 647. _harlot_, fellow, usually one of low conduct; but originally merely a young person, without implication of reproach. See D. 1754. 649. 'For a bribe of a quart of wine, he would allow a boon companion of his to lead a vicious life for a whole year, and entirely excuse him; moreover (on the other hand) he knew very well how to pluck a finch,' i. e. how to get all the feathers off any inexperienced person whom it was worth his while to cheat. Cf. 'a _pulled_ hen' in l. 177. With reference to the treatment of the poor by usurers, &c., we read in the Rom. of the Rose, l. 6820, that 'Withoute scalding they hem _pulle_,' i. e. pluck them. And see Troil. i. 210. 654-7. 'He would teach his friend in such a case (i. e. if his friend led an evil life) to stand in no awe of the archdeacon's curse (excommunication), unless he supposed that his soul resided in his purse; for in his purse [not in his soul] he should be punished' (i. e. by paying a good round sum he could release himself from the archdeacon's curse). 'Your purse (said he) is the hell to which the archdeacon really refers when he threatens you.' See, particularly, Wyclif's Works, ed. Matthew, pp. 35, 62, 496. 661. _assoilling_, absolution; from the vb. _assoil_. 662. _war him of_, i. e. let him beware of; _war_ is the pres. subj. _significavit_, i. e. of a writ _de excommunicato capiendo_ [or excommunication] which usually began, 'Significavit nobis venerabilis frater,' &c.--T. See _Significavit_ in Cowel or Blount. [54] 663. _In daunger_, within his jurisdiction, within the reach or control of his office; the true sense of M. E. _daunger_ is 'control' or 'dominion.' Thus, in the Romaunt of the Rose, l. 1470, we find:-- 'Narcisus was a bachelere, That Love had caught _in his daungere_.' i. e. whom Love had got into his power. So also in l. 1049 of the same. 664. _yonge girles_, young people, of either sex. In the Coventry Mysteries, p. 181, there is mention of 'knave gerlys,' i. e. male children. And see _gerles_ in the Gloss, to P. Plowman, and the note to the same, C. ii. 29. 665. _and was al hir reed_, and was wholly their adviser.