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NOTES TO THE K1NGIS QUAIK (77-79).
77
to Signifer, or the ‘ sign - bearing ’ zodiac containing the twelve
signs. Finally, he arrives in the planet Venus. In the sixth
line, I have supplied quhar (where) as being no less requisite for
the sense than the metre. Chaucer has the word Signifer; Troil.
v. 1020. A long description of the elements, spheres, and signs
is given by Gower; Conf. Amantis, bk. vii.
77. Quhen as, when that; a common phrase. I have supplied
as, for the metre. Cf. i/iere as, where that, in st. 86.
As quho sais, lit. as who says ; as if one should say.
Ai a thoght, at a thought, as quickly as one can think.
Crete repaire, a great resort, i.e., a great concourse. Tytler
observes that he takes the expressions as quho sais at a thoght and
of peple grete repaire to be both Scottish. I do not see any reason
for this. Chaucer has the following, in Troil. iii. 267 :—
For wel thou wost, the name as yet of here
Among the peple, as who saith, halwed is.
And again, in the Book of the Duchess, 1. 559 :—
As who saith, nay, that wol not be.
And again, in his tr. of Boethius, bk. iii. pr. 4. 69 (ed. Morris,
1. 2046) ; ‘ as who seith, none.’
Chaucer also uses repair in the very sense of great resort, or
concourse of people; C. T. 6806 (D 1224).
78. Endit had, had ended. The word had, here supplied, greatly
improves both the sense and metre. Endit had occurs elsewhere,
just above^—viz., in st. 72, 1. 2.
The continuous increase in the number of lovers is curious.
Compare the following :—
And forthermore in the tempi! were
Ful mani a thousand of lovers, here and there.
—Temple of Glass, 143.
In lovis service, many a mylioun.
—Kingis Quair, 78.
Yet eft again, a thousand milion.
—Court of Love, 589.
Chancis, adventures, histories.
Diuerse bukis, various books. Tytler supposes that the poet had
‘ the celebrated Tablature of Cebes in his view, although his groupes
of figures are different.’ It is much more likely that he was think¬
ing of the stories in Ovid, and of Chaucer’s allusion to them in the
Man of Law’s Prologue, which see. Compare also Chaucer’s Legend
of Good Women, and the description of lovers in Gower, Conf.
Amantis, bk. viii. 2500 (ed. Pauli, iii. 359). Also, the Temple of
Glass, 55-110, which mentions Dido, Medea, Penelope, Alcestis, &c.
79. Martris and confessouris, martyrs and confessors for love, just