#  Glosses for quiz #1 of The Man of Law's Introduction and Tale (Lines II.1-385) 

 



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**Compare your translations with the glossed text:**

15 And sodeynly he plighte his horse aboute.  
 **plighte**; pulled  
  
28 But los of tyme shendeth us,' quod he.  
 **shendeth**; ruins  
  
37 Acquiteth yow now of youre biheeste;  
 **Acquiteth yow ... of** acquit yourself of (fulfill) : : **biheeste**:promise  
  
73 Thy litel children hangynge by the hals,  
 **hals**: neck  
  
91 Me were looth be likned, doutelees,  
 **Me were looth**: I would hate  
  
108 Thy neighebor thou wytest synfully,  
 **wytest**: accuse  
  
112 For he noght helpeth needfulle in hir neede."  
 **needfulle**: the needy  
  
119 Be war, therfore, er thou come to that prikke!  
 **prikke**; point  
  
131 I were right now of tales desolaat,  
 **of tales desolaat**: lacking in tales  
  
136 That wyde-where senten hir spicerye,  
 **wyde-where**: far and wide **spicerye**: oriental goods (spices, cloths, and such)  
  
155 This was the commune voys of every man:  
 **voys**: opinion  
  
168 Hir hand, ministre of fredam for almesse."  
 **fredam for almesse**: generosity in giving alms  
  
172 And whan they han this blisful mayden sayn,  
 **sayn**: seen  
  
186 That this Sowdan hath caught so greet plesance  
 **plesance**: desire  
  
195 Is writen, God woot, whoso koude it rede,  
 **rede**; interpret  
  
214 They speken of magyk and abusioun.  
 **abusioun**: deception  
  
229 Saveth my lyf, and beth noght recchelees  
 **reechelees**: negligent  
  
236 That in destruccioun of mawmettrie,  
 **mawmettrie**: idolatry  
  
250 Wel may men knowen that so greet ordinance  
 **ordinance**: preparations  
  
265 Ful pale arist, and dresseth hire to wende;  
 **arist**: ( *= ariseth*), arises  
  
277 Over alle thyng, out-taken Crist on-lofte,  
 **out-taken**; except **on-lofte**: on high  
  
287 And to been under mannes governance."  
 **governance**: control  
  
294 But forth she moot, wher-so she wepe or synge.  
 **wher-so**: whether  
  
300 At the bigynnyng of this fiers viage,  
 **fiers**: dangerous  
  
306 O fieble moone, unhappy been thy paas!  
 **unhappy**: unfortunate **paas**: steps  
  
317 Solempnely, with every circumstance.  
 **circumstance**: ceremony

**Score 4 points for each correct answer; if you made an 80 or more, you are doing fine. If you scored 76 or less, go back and again read carefully through this part (lines II.1-385) of The Man of Law's Introduction and Tale, paying close attention to meaning and availing yourself of the page glosses, the explanatory notes, and the glossary.**