statutes of Edward III (see New Eng. Dict.). The form which we have here points very clearly to its derivation from the verb builer, ‘boil,’ as against the supposed connexion with ‘bulla.’

chitoun, ‘kitten.’ This is used also in Bozon’s Contes Moralizés. It seems more likely that the M.E. kitoun comes from this form of chatton with hardening of ch to k by the influence of cat, than that it is an English ‘kit’ with a French suffix.

Civile, i.e. ‘civil law’: cp. the use of the word as a name in Piers Plowman.

eneauer, ‘to wet,’ supplies perhaps an etymology for the word enewing or ennuyng used by Lydgate and others as a term of painting, to indicate the laying on or gradation of tints in water-colour, and illustrates the later Anglo-French words enewer, enewage, used apparently of shrinking cloth by wetting; see Godefroy (who however leaves them unexplained).

flaket, the same as the M.E. flakett, flacket (French flaschet). The form flaquet is assumed as a Northern French word by the New Eng. Dict., but not cited as occurring.

leisour, as a variation of loisir, leisir.

lusard: cp. Piers Plowman, B. xviii. 335.

[Pg xxxiv]

[Pg xxxiv]

menal, meynal, adj. in the sense of ‘subject.’

nice: note the development of sense from ‘foolish,’ Mir. 1331, 7673, to ‘foolishly scrupulous,’ 24858, and thence to ‘delicate,’ ‘pleasant,’ 264, 979.

papir, the same form that we find in the English of Chaucer and Gower.

parlesie, M.E. parlesie, palesie.

perjurie, a variation of perjure, which established itself in English.

phesant: early M.E. fesaun, Chaucer fesaunt.

philosophre, as in M.E., beside philosophe.

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