21. “An allusion,” says Mr Wright, “to the story of the Roman sage who, when blamed for divorcing his wife, said that a shoe might appear outwardly to fit well, but no one but the wearer knew where it pinched.” 22. Vigilies: festival-eves; see note 33 to the Prologue to the Tales. 23. Bobance: boasting; Ben Jonson’s braggart, in “Every Man in his Humour,” is named Bobadil. 24. “I hold a mouse’s wit not worth a leek, That hath but one hole for to starte to” A very old proverb in French, German, and Latin. 25. The lines in brackets are only in some of the manuscripts. 26. Gat-toothed: gap-toothed; goat-toothed; or cat- or separate toothed. See note 41 to the prologue to the Tales. 27. Sempronius Sophus, of whom Valerius Maximus tells in his sixth book. 28. The tract of Walter Mapes against marriage, published under the title of “Epistola Valerii ad Rufinum.” 29. “Ars Amoris.” 30. All the mark of Adam: all who bear the mark of Adam i.e. all men. 31. The Children of Mercury and Venus: those born under the influence of the respective planets. 32. A planet, according to the old astrologers, was in “exaltation” when in the sign of the Zodiac in which it exerted its strongest influence; the opposite sign, in which it was weakest, was called its “dejection.” Venus being strongest in Pisces, was weakest in Virgo; but in Virgo Mercury was in “exaltation.” 33. Intermete: interpose; French, “entremettre.” THE TALE. <1> In olde dayes of the king Arthour, Of which that Britons speake great honour, All was this land full fill’d of faerie;* *fairies The Elf-queen, with her jolly company, Danced full oft in many a green mead This was the old opinion, as I read; I speak of many hundred years ago; But now can no man see none elves mo’, For now the great charity and prayeres Of limitours,* and other holy freres, *begging friars <2> That search every land and ev’ry stream As thick as motes in the sunne-beam, Blessing halls, chambers, kitchenes, and bowers, Cities and burghes, castles high and towers, Thorpes* and barnes, shepens** and dairies, *villages <3> **stables This makes that there be now no faeries: For *there as* wont to walke was an elf, *where* There walketh now the limitour himself, In undermeles* and in morrowings**, *evenings <4> **mornings And saith his matins and his holy things, As he goes in his limitatioun.* *begging district Women may now go safely up and down, In every bush, and under every tree; There is none other incubus <5> but he; And he will do to them no dishonour.