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NOTES TO THE KINGIS QUAIR (84-94). 79
feet; we seem to require either the form behynde or the form
y-standing.
84. Of lufis craft the curej this is put in apposition with exercise,
so that it means 1 the exercise which is the cure of the craft of love,’
i.e., love-play or dalliance.
85. Faucht, who fought; the relative being omitted.
Mynd, memory, remembrance. Ovid’s poems were probably
better known in the middle ages than those of any other writer.
Homer is not often mentioned, because the tale of Troy was learnt
from Guido de Colonna’s version. Still Chaucer’s House of Fame
contained
the grete Omeer,
And with him Dares and Titus
Before, and eek he, Lollius,
And Guido eek de Columpnis ; 11. 1466-9.
86. Wanting, lacking; not because they wanted or desired their
mates, but because they could not get them. See Temple of Glass,
242.
87. All day, continually; see Chaucer, C. T. 1526 (A 1524);
and cf. Temple of Glass, 243-6.
Surmounting, aspiring above their rank.
88. Compare stanzas 88-90 with the Temple of Glass, 11. 196-
208; especially ‘in wide copis,’ 1. 204; and 1. 208: ‘That on
hir frendis al the wite they leide,’ as in st. 90, 1. 4.
89. Halfdel cowardy, in a half measure, cowardice. The MS.
has merely half, but halfdel is the right phrase, and though com¬
posed of half del (deal, part), is often written as one word.
90. Take, taken. Nothing thay to wyte, they (being) in no
respect to blame. See note to st. 88.
Recounsilit, reconciled, i.e., to their mates or lovers ; restored to
them.
On thame to pleyne, to complain against them.
91. For he, because he. For gruch, Sibbald actually substitutes
the unmeaning word bruckt. For quhich, on which account. Com¬
pare stanzas 91-2 with the Temple of Glass, 209-14.
92. Coplit, coupled with others that could not agree (with them).
Departing, separating those that would never have disagreed.
Fro thair chose dryve, driven from their choice. “The speech
of the voice (st. 83, 1. 2) ends with discord (1. 4).”—A. Lawson.
93. By reading Sche for So (in the MS.) in the fifth line, the
sense of the stanza is at once obvious; with the old reading, it is
nonsense. Perhaps the original had Sho, not an unusual form of
she. Compare the Temple of Glass, 1. 151.
94. Chiere, chair. But it is ill spelt; it should rather be chaiere,
or cheiere; Godefroy notes chiere as an occasional form. Tytler
well remarks that it is worth while to compare this description of
the winged Cupid with Milton’s splendid description of Raphael in