NOTES.

NOTE 1. Page 4.

"THE latter part of this story is evidently oriental, The feudal manners, in a book which professes to record the achievements of the Roman people, are remarkable in the introductory circumstances. But of this mixture we shall see many striking instances."-WArton.

NOTE 2. Page 6.

"Precious skin."

Attempts, like the present, to strain every thing into an allegory, are very frequent in these "mystical and moral applications." It is for this reason, among others, that I thought it right to abridge them; for while the reader's patience was exhausted,

his feelings would revolt, as well at the absurdity, as at the apparent impiety of the allusion.

NOTE 3. Page 19.

The deliverance of the youth by the lady, resembles the 236th Night of the Arabian tales.-The Gest is mentioned by Warton as the second tale in his analysis; and two or three other variations occur. What edition he followed I know not. I have examined five *.-The sentiment conveyed by this tale, (p. 18), that she who has deceived her father will deceive her husband, is thus expressed by Shakspeare

"Look to her, Moor; have a quick eye to see; She has deceived her father, and may thee." Othello, Act I. Sc. 3.

* In an 18mo. edition of the GESTA ROMANORUM, published at Leyden, 1555, there is prefixed to the fourth tale, by way of argument, the following remarkable passage. "Justitia nempe

et misericordia Deorum maximè est: ad quos non possumus expeditius et proprius accedere, quám his ducibus." This is literally what Shakspeare makes Portia observe in the "Merchant of Venice."

"But MERCY is above this sceptered sway,

It is an attribute of God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's,
When mercy seasons justice."—Act IV. Sc. 1.

NOTE 5. Page 27.

"This story, but with a difference of circumstances, ends like the beautiful apologue of the Prodigal Son."-Warton.

NOTE 6. Page 32.

This fable is very well told by Gower, but with some variations.

[The letters printed in Italics are to be pronounced as separate syllables; the acute mark denotes the emphasis.]

1

Ere Rom-e came to the creánce
Of Christ-es faith, it fell perchance
Cæsar, which then was emperour,
Him list-e for to do honour
Unto the temple Apollinis ;
And made an image upon this,
The which was cleped' Apolló,
Was none so rich in Rom-e tho3.

Of plate of gold, a beard he had,
The which his breast all over spradde *.
Of gold also, withouten fail,

His mantle was of large entayle 3.

1 Belief

2 Called.

3 Then.

5 Cut; from the French entailler.

4 Spread.

Be-set with perrey all about.

Forth right he stretched his finger out,
Upon the which he had a ring-
To see it, was a rich-e thing,

A fine carbuncle for the nones 2,
Most precious of all stones.

And fell that time in Rom-e thus,
There was a clerk, one Lucius,
A courtier, a famous man;

Of every wit' somewhat he can,
Out-take that him lacketh rule,

4

His own estate to guide and rule;
How so it stood of his speaking,
He was not wise in his doing;
But every riot-e at last

Must need-es fall, and may not last.

After the need of his desert,
So fell this clerk-e in povérte,
And wist not how for to rise
Whereof in many a sundry wise
He cast his wit-es here and there,
He looketh nigh, he looketh far.
Fell on a tim-e that he come
Into the temple, and heed nome

1 Pearls. 2 Purpose. 3 Knowledge. 4 Except.

5 Took.

Where that the god Apollo stood;

He saw the riches, and the good ';
And thought he wold-e by some way,
The treasure pick and steal

away.

And thereupon so slily wrought,
That his purpose about he brought.
And went away unaperceived:

Thus hath the man his god deceived→→→
His ring, his mantle, and his beard,
As he which nothing was afeard,
All privily with him he bare;

And when the wardens were aware
Of that, their god despoiled was,
They thought it was a wondrous case,
How that a man for any weal,
Durst in so holy plac-e steal,

And nam-e-ly, so great a thing!-
This tale cam-e unto the king,

And was through spoken over-all.

But for to know in special,

What manner man hath done the deed,

They soughten help upon the need,

And maden calculatión,

Whereof by demonstratión

The man was found-e with the good. In judgment, and when he stood,