The Prioresses tale : Sire Thopas, the Monkes tale, the Clerkes tale, the Squieres tale from The Canterbury tales

UC-NRLF

r .

THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

GIFT OF

PROFESSOR
BENJAMIN H. LEHMAN

£far*tt*on

CHAUCER

SKEAT

VOL. II.

HENRY FROWDE, M.A.

PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

LONDON, EDINBURGH
NEW YORK AND TORONTO

CHAUCER

THE PRIORESSES TALE, SIRE THOPAS,

THE MONKES TALE, THE CLERKES TALE

THE SQUIERES TALE

THE CANTERBURY TALES

EDITED BY THE

REV. WALTER W. SKEAT, LiTT.D.
D.C.L., LLD., PH.D.

Elrington and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon
and Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge

NINTH EDITION, REVISED

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

M DCCCC V I

OXFORD

PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

HY HORACE HART, M.A.
PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

Add to Lib.

GIFT

CONTENTS.

PAGE

INTRODUCTION vii

LIST OF CHAUCER'S WORKS Ixxix

GROUP B. THE MAN-OF-LAW HEAD-LINK . . i

„ THE MAN OF LAW'S PROLOGUE . . 4

„ THE SHIPMAN'S PROLOGUE ... 6

„ THE SHIPMAN END-LINK .... 7

„ THE PRIORESSES TALE .... 9

„ THE PRIORESS END-LINK . . . . 17

„ THE RIME OF SIR THOPAS ... 19

„ SIR THOPAS END-LINK .... 27

„ THE MONK'S PROLOGUE .... 29

„ THE MONKES TALE 32

„ THE NONNE PRESTES PROLOGUE . . 56

GROUP E. THE CLERK'S PROLOGUE .... 59

„ THE CLERKES TALE 61

„ CLERK-MERCHANT LINK .... 100

„ THE SQUIRE'S PROLOGUE 101

GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE . . . . 103

„ THE SQUIRE END-LINK . . . . 125

Notes to Group B . . . . . . . 129

Notes to Group E 195

Notes to Group F 206

Glossarial Index 225

Index of Proper Names ....... 309

Index of Subjects Explained in the Notes . . . 313

258

INTRODUCTION.

FOR an account of Chaucer's life, I must beg leave to refer
the reader to the edition of Chaucer's Prologue, Knightes
Tale, &c., by Dr. Morris, in the Clarendon Press Series ; a
volume to which I have frequently had occasion to refer in the
Notes and Glossary.

But it is worth while to remark- that Mr. Furnivall, by
diligent searching amongst old records, has lately succeeded in
finding out some new facts concerning Chaucer, which have
been published from time to time in The Athenaeum, and
since collected and published in his 'Originals and Analogues
of some of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales,' published for the
Chaucer Society, and dated (in advance) 1875. We hence learn
that the poet was the son of John Chaucer, Vintner, of Thames
Street, London, and Agnes, his wife. Also, that John Chaucer
had a half-brother, named Thomas Heroun or Heyroun, both
being born of the same mother, named Maria, who must have
been married to one of the Heroun family first, and then to Robert,
John Chaucer's father. The will of Thomas Heyroun is dated
April ?th, 1349, his executor being his half-brother John Chaucer,
the poet's father. After Robert's death, Maria married a
Richard Chaucer, Vintner, who in his will, dated Easter-day
(April 1 2th) 1349, names Maria his wife, and Thomas Heyroun
her son. Richard Chaucer and Thomas Heyroun must have
died nearly at the same time, carried off probably by the memor-
able plague of 1349. Chaucer's mother, Agnes, had an uncle

vitl INTRODUCTION.

named Hanio de Copton, a moneyer. The most interesting
entries relating to the above matters are (i) that in which occur
the words ' me Galfridum Chaucer, filium Johannis Chaucer,
Vinetarii, Londonie' (City Hustings Roll, no; 5 Ric. II, dated
June 19, 1380), whereby the poet releases, to Henry Herbury,
all his right to his father's house in Thames Street ; and (2) that
in which occur the words ' ego Johannes Chaucer, Ciuis et Vine-
tarius Ciuitatis Londonie, & Agnes Vxor mea, consanguinea &
Heres Hamonis de Copton quondam Ciuis & Monetarii Civitatis
predicte ' (Hustings Roll, 93, dated January 16, 1366), being a
conveyance by John Chaucer and Agnes his wife, of a part of
her land inherited from her uncle Hamo de Copton, moneyer l.
From the Clerk-of-the- Works' Accounts and the Foreign
Accounts we learn that Chaucer was Clerk of the Works at St.
George's Chapel, Windsor, on July 12, 1390, and was succeeded
in the appointment by John Gedney, on July 8, 1391. Whilst
holding this appointment, viz. on September 3, 1390, Chaucer
was robbed, near the ' foule Ok ' (foul oak), of £20 of the King's
money, his horse, and other moveables, by certain notorious
thieves, as was fully confessed by the mouth of one of them
when in gaol at Westminster. The King's writ, wherein he for-
gives Chaucer this sum of ^20, is still extant. In connection
with the author of The Knightes Tale, it is particularly interest-
ing to find that there is a writ dated July i, 1390, allowing him
the costs of putting up scaffolds in Smithfield for the King and
Queen to see the jousts which took place in May, 1390. See
Kn. Tale, 1023.

Chaucer tells us, in his Prologue, 11. 791-795, that it was his
intention to make each of the pilgrims tell four tales, two on the
way to Canterbury and two on the return-journey. But so far
from fulfilling his proposed plan, he did not even complete so
much as a quarter of it, since the number of talcs do not even
suffice to go once round, much less four times. No pilgrim tells
two stories, though the poet represents himself as being inter-

1 For the quotations, see The Athenaeum, Nov. 29 and Dec. 13, 1873.

GROUPS OF THE TALES. ix

rupted in his Rime of Sir Thopas, and telling the tale of Melibeus
in its stead ; and we have no story from the Yeoman, the Haber-
dasher, the Carpenter, the Weaver, the Dyer, the Tapiser, or
the Ploughman1. The series being thus incomplete, it only
remains to investigate to what degree of completeness the author
succeeded in attaining.

It is easy to see that Chaucer may have had a good deal of
material in hand before the idea of writing a connected series
of tales occurred to him. The Prologue, answering somewhat
to a preface, is one of his very latest works, and in his best
manner ; and before writing it, he had in some measure arranged
a part of his materials. His design was to make a collection of
tales which he had previously written, to write more new tales
to go with these, and to unite them all into a series by means of
connecting links 2, which should account for the change from one
narrator to the next in order. In doing this, he did not work
continuously, but wrote-in the connecting links as they occurred
to him, being probably well aware that this was the best way of
avoiding an appearance of artificiality. The result is that some
links are perfectly supplied, and others not written at all, thus
affording a series of fragments or Groups, complete in themselves,
but having gaps between them. A full account of these Groups,
showing which tales are inseparably linked together, and which
are not joined at all, is given in Mr. Furnivall's Temporary
Preface to the Six-text Edition of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales,
published for the Chaucer Society in 1868. The resulting Groups
are nine. Between these are distinct gaps, and it is by no means
clear that the order of the Groups relatively to each other was
finally determined upon. This relative order is, however, settled
to some extent by occasional references to places passed on the

1 Warton wrongly adds, or the Host. But the Host was the umpire,
not a tale-teller himself.

2 The term ' link,' and such terms as ' head-link,' ' end-link,' and the
like, are to be found in the Six-text edition published by the Chaucer
Society, whence I have copied them. See further, on this subject, in my
Introduction to The Man of Lawes Tale.

X INTRODUCTION.

road, and to the time of day. We are also perfectly certain that
the Knight was to tell the first tale, and the Parson the last of
the only existing series, thus leaving us only seven Groups to
arrange. Another question at once arises, however, which must
be settled before we can proceed, viz. whether the pilgrimage
was intended to be performed all in one day, or in two, or three,
or more. Any one who knows what travelling was in the olden
time must be well aware that the notion of performing the whole
distance in one day is out of the question, especially as the pil-
grims were out more for a holiday than for business, that some
of them were but poorly mounted (Prol. 287, 541), and some of
them but poor riders (Prol. 390, 469, 622) J. In fact, such an
idea is purely modern, adopted from thoughtlessness almost as
a matter of course by every modern reader, but certainly not
founded upon truth. Fortunately, too, the matter is put beyond
argument by some incidental remarks. In the first Group, or
Group A, occurs the line —

' Lo Depeford, and it is half-wey pryme ' —

i. e. it is now half-past seven o'clock (1. 3906). After which the
Reve is made to tell a story, and the Cook also, bringing the
time of day to about nine o'clock at the least. But in Group F,
1. 73, the Squire remarks that ' it is pryme,' it is nine o'clock,
which can only mean that hour of another day, not of the same
one. Still clearer is the allusion, in the Canon's Yeoman's Pro-
logue, to the pilgrims having passed the night in a hostelry, as I
understand the passage. This once perceived, it is not of much
consequence whether we allow the pilgrims two days, or three,
or four ; but the most convenient arrangement is that proposed
by Mr. Furnivall, viz, to suppose four days to have been occu-
pied; the more so, as this supposition disposes of another ex-
tremely awkward allusion to time, viz. the mention of ten o'clock

1 In 1749, the coach from Edinburgh to Glasgow, forty-four miles,
took two days for the journey. Twenty miles a day was fast. We may
allow the pilgrims about fifteen miles a day. See Chambers' Book of
Days, ii. 2aS.

GROUPS OF THE TALES. XI

in the morning in Group B, 1. 14, which must refer to yet a third
morning, in order not to clash with the two notes of time already
alluded to ^ whilst the passage in the Canon's Yeoman's Prologue
absolutely requires a fourth morning, because of the pilgrims
having passed the night at a hostelry. The references to places
on the road can cause no trouble ; on the contrary, these allusions
aflbrd much help, for we cannot rest satisfied with the arrange-
ment in Tyrwhitt's edition, which makes the pilgrims come to
Sittingbourne before arriving at Rochester.

But the data are not yet all disposed of : for we can fix the
very days of the month on which the pilgrims travelled. This
is discussed in the note to B 5 * in the present volume, where
the day recognised by the Host is shown to have been the
i8th of April, and not the 28th, as in some editions; which
agrees with the expression in the Prologue, 1. 8 *.

Putting all the results together, we get the following con-
venient scheme of the Groups of tales. It is copied from Mr.
FurnivalPs Preface, with the mere addition of the dates.

April 1 6. The guests arrive at the Tabard, late in the evening
(Prol. 20, 23).

April 17. GROUP A. General Prologue; Knight's Tale;
Miller's Prologue and Tale; Reve's Prologue and Tale; Cook's
Prologue and Tale (the last unfinished). Gap.

Notes of time and place. In the Miller's Prologue, he tells
the company to lay the blame on the ale of Southwark if his
tale is not to their liking ; he had hardly yet recovered from its
effects.

In the Reve's Prologue are the lines —

' Lo Depeford, and it is half-wey pryrne ;
Lo Grenewich, ther many a shrew is inne.'

A 3906, 3907.

1 By • B 5* I mean Group B, 1. 5, as numbered in the Chaucer Society's
Six-text edition ; the arrangement of which I have adopted throughout.

2 See note to 1. 8 in Dr. Morris's edition of the Prologue, third edition,
1872. The note as it stood in the/rs/ edition was wrong. The fault was
mine, and the correction also.

Xll INTR OD UCTION.

That is, they are in sight of Deptford and Greenwich at about
half-past 7 o'clock in the morning.

This Group is incomplete; I shall give my reasons presently
for supposing that the Yeoman's Tale was to have formed a
part of it. Probably the pilgrims reached Dartford that night,
and halted there, at a distance of fifteen miles from London.

April 1 8. GROUPS. Man-of-Law Head-link, bis Prologue,
and Tale (1-1162); Shipman's Prologue and Tale (1163-1624);
Shipman End-link (1625-1642) ; Prioress's Tale (1643-1880) ;
Prioress End-link (1881-1901); Sir Thopas (1902-2156);
Tale of Melibeus (2157-3078); Monk's Prologue and Tale
3079-3956); Nuns' Priest's Prologue and Tale (3957-4636);
End-link (4637-4652). Gap.

Notes tf time and place. In the Man-of-Law Head-link, we
learn that it was 10 o'clock (1. 14), and that it was the i8th of
April (1. 5). In the Monk's Prologue, 1. 3 1 1 6, we find that the pil-
grims were soon coming to Rochester. This Group is probably
incomplete, rather at the beginning than at the end. Something
is wanted to bring the time to 10 o'clock, whilst the travellers
would hardly have cared to pass Rochester that night. Suppose
them to have halted there, at thirty miles from London.

April 19. Group G. Doctor's Tale (1-286); Words of the
Host to the Doctor and the Pardoner (287-328); Pardoner's
Preamble, Prologue, and Tale (329-968). Gap.

GROUP D. Wife of Bath's Preamble (1-856); Wife's Tale
(857-1264) ; Friar's Prologue and Tale (1265-1664) ; Sompnour's
Prologue and Tale (1665-2294). Gap.

GROUP E. Clerk's Prologue and Tale (1-1212); Merchant's
Prologue and Tale (1213-2418); Merchant End-link (2419-
2440). Gap; but the break is less marked than usual.

Notes of places, &>c. At the end of the Wife of Bath's Pre-
amble is narrated a verbal quarrel between the Sompnour and
the Friar, in which the former promises to tell some strange
tales about friars before the company shall arrive at Sitting-
bourne. Again, at the end of his Tale, he says —

'My tale is doon, we ben almost at toune.' D 2294.

GROUPS OF THE TALES. xill

After which, the company probably halted awhile at Sittingbourne,
forty miles from London, but spent the night at Ospringe.

It must also be noted that there are at least two allusions to
the Wife of Bath's Preamble in the course of Group E ; namely,
in the Clerk's Tale, 1. 1170, and in the Merchant's Tale, E 1685 ;
and probably a third allusion in the Merchant End-link, E 2438.
These prove that Group D should precede Group E, and render
it probable that it should precede it immediately.

April 20. Group F. Squire's Tale (1-672) ; Squire-Franklin
Link (673-708) ; Franklin's Tale (709-1624). Gap.

GROUP G. Second Nun's Tale (1-553); Canon's Yeoman's
Tale (554-1481). Gap.

GROUP H. Manciple's Prologue and Tale (1-362). Gap.

GROUP I. Parson's Prologue and Tale.

Notes of time and place. In the Squire's Tale, F 73, the
narrator remarks that he will not delay the hearers, 'for it is
prime,' i. e. 9 a.m.

In the Canon's Yeoman's Prologue is a most explicit state-
ment, which is certainly most easily understood as having refer-
ence to a halt for the night on the road, at a place (probably
Ospringe) five miles short of Boughton-under-Blee. The
Canon's Yeoman says plainly that he had seen the pilgrims ride
out of their hostelry in the morrow-tide. In the Manciple's
Prologue there is mention of a little town called Bob-up-and-
down, ' under the Blee, in Canterbury way ' ; and the Cook is
taken to task for sleeping on the road at so early an hour in the
morning, which cannot, in any case, be the morning of the day
on which they started. In the Parson's Prologue there is
mention of the hour of 4 p.m., and the Parson undertakes to tell
the last tale before the end of the journey.

The above account is useful as shewing the exact extent to
which Chaucer had carried out his intention ; and at the same
time shews what is, on the whole, the best arrangement of the
Tales. This arrangement is not much affected by the question
of the number of days occupied by the pilgrims on the journey.
It possesses, moreover, the great advantage of stamping upon the

XIV INTRODUCTION.

work its incomplete and fragmentary character. The arrange-
ment of the Tales in the various MSS. varies considerably, and
hence Tyrvvhitt found it necessary in his edition to consider the
question of order, and to do his best to make a satisfactory
arrangement. The order which he finally adopted is easily ex-
pressed by using the names already given to the Groups, only
Group B must be subdivided into two parts (a) and (b), the first
of these containing the Man of Law's Prologue and Tale only,
and the second all the rest of the Tales, &c. in the Group. This
premised, his result is as follows : viz. Groups A, B (a), D, E, F,
G, B (b), G, H, I. The only two variations between the two
lists are easily explained. In the first place, Group G is entirely
independent of all the rest, and contains no note of time or place,
so that it may be placed anywhere between A and G ; in this
case therefore the variation is of no importance. In the other
case, however, Tyrwhitt omitted to see that the parts of Group B
are really bound together by the expressions which occur in them.
For, whereas the Man of Law declares in 1. 46, Group B —

' I can ryght now no thrifty tale seyn,'

the Host, at the beginning of the Shipman's Prologue, 1. 1165, is
pleased to give his verdict thus —

' This was a thrifty tale for the nones '

and proceeds to ask the Parson for a tale, declaring that ' ye
learned men in lore,' i. e. the Man of Law and the Parson, know
much that is good : whence it is evident that B (b) must be ad-
vanced so as to follow B (a) immediately ; and the more so,
as there is authority for this in MS. Arch. Seld. B 14 in the
Bodleian Library ; while the Harleian MS. hints at a similar
arrangement. The correctness of this emendation is proved
by the fact that it is necessary for the mention of Rochester in
B (b) to precede that of Sittingbourne in D.

It deserves to be mentioned further, that, of the four days
supposed to be consumed on the way, some of them are in-
adequately provided for. This furnishes no real objection,

THE TALE OF GAMELFN. XV

because the unwritten tales of the Yeoman, Haberdasher, Car-
penter, Weaver, Dyer, Tapiser, and Ploughman, would have
helped in some degree to fill up the gaps which have been
noticed above.

The whole of Group A is so admirably fitted together, and its
details so well worked out, that it may fairly be looked upon as
having been finally revised, as far as it goes ; and I am disposed
accordingly to look upon the incomplete Cook's Tale as almost
the last portion of his great work which the poet ever revised.
There is, in this Group A, only one flaw, one that has often been
noted, viz. the mention of three Priests in the Prologue (1. 164),
whereas we know that there was but one Nun's Priest, his name
being Sir John. At the same place there is a notable omission
of the character of the Nun, and the two things together point to
the possibility that Chaucer may have drawn her character in
too strong strokes, and have then suddenly determined to with-
draw it, and to substitute a new character at some future time.
If we suppose him to have left the line ' That was hire chapel-
leyn ' unfinished, it is easy to see how another hand would have
put in the words ' and prestes thre ' for the mere sake of the
rime, without having regard to reason. We ought to reject those
three words as spurious.

That Chaucer's work did receive, in some small degree, some
touching-up, is rendered yet more probable by observing how
Group A ends. For here, in several of the MSS., we come upon
an additional fragment which, on the face of it, is not Chaucer's
at all, but a work belonging to a slightly earlier period ; I mean
the Tale of Gamelyji. Some have supposed, with great reason,
that this tale occurs among the rest because it is one which
Chaucer intended to recast, although, as a fact, he did not live
to re-write a single line of it. This is the more likely because
the tale is a capital one in itself, well worthy of having been re-
written even by so great a poet ; indeed, the plot bears con-
siderable resemblance to that of the favourite play known to
us all by the title of As You Like It. But I cannot but protest
against the stupidity of the botcher whose hand wrote above it

XVI INTRODUCTION.

' The Cokes Tale of Gamelyn.' That was done because it
happened to be found next after the Cook's Tale, which, instead
of being about Gamelyn, is about Perkin the reveller, an idle
apprentice.

The fitness of things ought to shew at once that this Tale of
Gamelyn, a tale of the woods, in the true Robin-Hood style,
could only have been placed in the mouth of him ' who bare a
mighty bow,' and who knew all the usage of woodcraft ; in one
word, of the Yeoman. (Gandelyn is the name of an archer in
Ritson's Ancient Songs, i. 82). And we get hence the additional
hint, that the Yeoman's Tale was to have followed the Cook's
Tale, a tale of fresh country-life succeeding one of the close
back-streets of the city. No better place can be found for it.

There is yet one more Tale, found only in some of the earlier
printed editions, but in none of the MSS., viz. the Ploughman's
Tale. This is admittedly spurious, in the sense that it is not
Chaucer's ; but it is a remarkable poem in its way. The author
never intended it for an imitation of Chaucer, nor pretended any
disguise about it ; on the contrary, he says plainly that he was the
author of the well-known poem in alliterative verse commonly
known as Pierce the Ploughman's Crede. It can only have
been inserted by inadvertence, but we need not blame Thynne
for doing this, since otherwise the poem would not have been
preserved at all, no MS. of it being now in existence.

The next question that presents itself is this — Have we any
means of telling which of the Tales are of early, and which of
late workmanship? In reply to this, we may note, in the first
place, the following facts and probabilities. .

The Knight's Tale was almost certainly re-written from be-
ginning to end. In the first instance Chaucer took a good
deal of it from Boccaccio's Teseide, and gave it in the name of
Palamon and Arcite ; see Prologue to Legende of Good Women,
1. 420. This he would naturally do just after or just before
writing his Troilus 1, in which he follows the same author, and

1 Several lines are common to Troilus and to the Knight's Tale, shewing
that the former and 'Palamon and Arcite' were probably in hand together.

VARIATIONS OF RHYTHM. xvii

he would naturally employ the seven-line stanza. But this is
not all, for it is obvious upon comparison (and I now find
that Ten Brink said the same in 1870) that Chaucer
also pressed into his service, when writing the Knight's Tale,
a poem also in the seven-line stanza, which has been preserved
under the title ' Of Queen Annelida and False Arcite.' In this
poem, after three introductory stanzas, he quotes three lines
from Statius, beginning — ' lamque domos patrias,' &c. ; and it is
not a little remarkable that the very same three lines reappear
as a heading at the beginning of the Knight's Tale in many of
the MSS. It is interesting to note the traces of resemblance
between this poem and the Knight's Tale, but it must be ad-
mitted that they are very few, such as these : —

' With Emely her j onge suster schene *—

which reappears in the Knight's Tale, 1. 114 ; with a few similar
phrases. For example, the first three lines of the prologue run
thus : —

' O thou fiers God of armes, Mars the rede,
That in thy frosty country called Thrace,
Within thy grisly temples full of drede ' —

which may be compared with the Knight's Tale, 1111-1115. The
general story is, however, widely different, and Chaucer used
up the latter part of it, not in the Knight's Tale, but in the
Squire's Tale. I draw attention to this poem chiefly in support
of a suggestion, to which I shall have occasion to recur, that the
early draught of Palamon and Arcite may have been in seven-line
stanzas; as suggested (I find) by Ten Brink in 1870.

It must next be noted that Mr. Furnivall, who has drawn up,
tentatively, a list of Chaucer's works in their supposed order,
puts down amongst the works of the ' Second Period,' i. e. prior
to the Canterbury Tales, that Tale which is now known as the
Second Nun's, though formerly called by Chaucer himself the
. Life of Saint Cecile. Of this result there has never been a
doubt ; Tyrvvhitt says expressly, ' The Tale of the Nonne is
almost literally translated from the Life of St. Cecilia in the

VOL. II. l>

XV111 INTRODUCTION.

Legenda Aurea of Jacobus Januensis. It is mentioned by
Chaucer as a separate work in his Legende of Good Women,
1. 426, under the title of the Life of Seint Cecile, and it still
retains evident marks that it was not originally composed in the
form of a Tale to be spoken by the Nonne V It is, then, little
more than a translation, and it is in seven -line stanzas.

Mr. Furnivall assigns to this Second Nun's Tale the con-
jectural date of 1373; now this is the very year when Chaucer
met Petrarch at Padua (see note to E 27), and learnt from him
the tale of Griseldis, now known as the Clerk's Tale. This tale
is, for the most part, a translation, and it is in seven-line stanzas.

The Prioress's Tale has a Proem much better suited for a
formal poem than for a Tale to be told, being much in the same
strain as one of the author's other poems, known as Chaucer's
A. B.C. Moreover, it is (by an pversight) still called a song;
see B 1677. This poem is also in seven-line stanzas.

The Monk's Tale is in a very peculiar metre, which appears
nowhere else in Chaucer, except in the above-mentioned poem
called the A. B.C. (perhaps written before A.D. 1369), and in
some of Chaucer's latest but very short poems, such as the
Envoy to Bukton, and the Ballad of the Visage 2 without Painting ;
so that, considered with reference to metre, this Tale may be
of any date. The main part of it shews no great originality, and
seems to me rather early than late.

Having premised these considerations, I wish now boldly to
state that we have, in fact, one test of earliness or lateness on
which we may rely, I believe, with some confidence. It is a
test so obvious that it is a wonder to me that no one, as far as
I know, has pointed it out before ; I mean the test of rhythm.
The canon I propose is simply this. Nearly all of Chaucer's

1 In the Proem, the Nun calls herself an ' unworthy son of Eve.'
1 Oddly spelt Vilage in the MSS. ; but the poem is imitated from
Boethius, and has special reference to the passage — ' This ilke Fortune
hath departyd and vncoueryd to the bothe the certeyn visages, and eke
the dowloi visages of thy felawes'; Chaucer's Uoethius, td. Morris,
p. 62.

VARIATIONS OF RHYTHM. XIX

tales that are in stanzas are early, and nearly all that are in
the usual couplets are late. We have seen that this is known
to be true in the case of the Second Nun's Tale, that it is
highly probable in the case of the Clerk's Tale (of which more
hereafter), and there is nothing against it in the case of the
Monk's Tale, written in the same metre as a poem which is
said to have been his very first, or nearly so, if there be any
truth in the statement that it was written for the use of the
Duchess Blanche, who died in 1369. At the same time, I suppose
' Palamon and Arcite ' to have been written in stanzas, so that
the present metre of the Knight's Tale presents no difficulty.
Of course it will be understood that there is, in these stanza-
tales, some of Chaucer's latest work, but I shall presently shew
that this late work is easily picked out.

The above canon is due to no fancy, but to the simple fact,
that Chaucer cannot be proved to have used his couplets till he
was well advanced in composition. Indeed, it has always been
remarked that no English poet before him ever dreamt of such
a metre, and it has been a source of wonder, for hundreds of
years, whence he derived it. To say that it was derived from
the French ten-syllable verse is not a complete solution of the
mystery ; for nearly all such verse is commonly either in stanzas,
or else a great number of successive lines are rimed together.
What we desire is to find a specimen of French ten-syllable
verse in which only two successive lines are rimed together ; and
these, I believe, are rather scarce. After some search I have,
however, fortunately lighted upon a very interesting specimen,
among the poems of Guillaume de Machault, a French writer
whom Chaucer is known to have imitated1, and who died in

1 See Specimens from Chaucer's Book of the Duchess as compared
with some from Machault's Remede de Fortune in Furnivall's Trial
Forewords, p. 47, where he quotes from Etude sur G. Chaucer, by
M. Sandras, p. 290. The obligations to the Remede de Fortune are
Eomewhat doubtful (Trial Forewords, p. 115): but there are other
instances which go to shew that Chaucer had read Machault ; see Pro-
fessor Ten Brink's note (at the same reference) and the last note in Tyr-
whitt's notes to the Canterbury Tales.

b 2

XX INTRODUCTION.

1377. In the edition of Machault's poems edited by Tarbe,
Reims and Paris, 1849, p. 89, there is a poem of exactly this
character, of no great length, but fortunately dated; for its
title is — ' Complainte ecrite apres la bataille de Poitiers et avant
le siege de Reims par les Anglais' (1356-1358). The first four
lines run thus : —

'A toy, Henry, dous amis, me complain,
Pour ce que ne cueur ne mont ne plein * ;
Car a piet suy, sans cheval et sans selle,
Et si n'ay mais esmeraude, ne belle.'

The last couplet (the second line of which has two examples of
the fully-sounded final e) is as follows : —

4 Et que jamais ne feray chant ne lay,
Adieu te di : car toute joie lay."

Now as Chaucer was taken prisoner in France in 1359, he had an
excellent opportunity for making himself acquainted with this
poem, and with others, possibly, in a similar metre which have
not come down to us. It is also almost certain that the earliest
attempt to use this metre in English was made by Chaucer, in
his Legend of Good Women, commenced, according to Professor
Ten Brink, in the year 1385 (Furnivall's Trial Forewords, p. in).
Surely this date is one of considerable importance; for we at
once derive from it the probability that all of the Canterbury
Tales written in this metre were written after 1385, whilst those
not in this metre were probably earlier. With this to guide us,
I can now proceed to discuss separately such of the Canterbury
Tales as are printed in the present volume.

Man-ot'-Law Head-link. This is an important passage, as
it gives the date (April 1 8) of one of the days of the pilgrimage,
and a list of the Tales which Chaucer meant to include in his
Legend of Good Women. These points are discussed in the

1 Observe particularly this rime of complain with plein. This shews
whence Chaucer derived such rimes as seke, seke; Prol. 17, 18. There
is a poem of 92 lines called Le Dit de la Harpe, printed in Bartsch's
Crestomathie Franchise, p. 408, in which more than half the rimes are of
this character.

PRIORESS'S TALE.

notes to 11. 3 and 61, which see. The metre, by the canon, shews
late or new work, as the subject-matter proves.

Prologue to the Man of Law's Tale. The metre would,
by the canon, indicate early work, yet it is not wholly such.
The truth is that the Man of Law's Tale is, in itself, of early
workmanship, but was revised for insertion amongst the Tales,
the Prologue being made up of old work and new. Lines 131-
133 may be taken to mean, in plain English, that ' I, the poet,
should be in want of a Tale to insert here, and should have
to write one, only fortunately I have one by me which will do
very well.' The 'Merchant' who 'taught' Chaucer the Man
of Law's Tale was his industrious younger self1.

Shipman's Prologue, Tale, and End-link. All in the
poet's latest and best manner.

Prioress's Tale. The real Prologue to this Tale is con-
tained in the Shipman End-link, B 1637-1642. What is now
called the Prologue is, more strictly, a Proem; and the Tale
itself is, more strictly, a Legend, or (as the author calls it) a
'song'; B 1677. The Legend is more original than the Life
of Saint Cecile, and probably belongs to a later period. The
Proem closely resembles that to the Life, and contains a similar
invocation to the Virgin Mary: it seems to have been partly
adapted from an old Proem, now represented by 11. 1657-1677,
though 1. 1663 has been altered or re- written. The two first
stanzas, 11. 1643-1656, belong to the new or revised work, as
shewn by the introduction of the words 'quod she' (1644),
and the line 'To tell a storie I wol doon my labour' (1653).
At the end of 1. 1656 I have inserted a short stroke, by way of
marking off the new work from the old.

The Tale itself is taken from a source similar to that of the
Legend of Alphonsus of Lincoln, a story reprinted by the
Chaucer Society from the Fortalitium Fidei; Lugdun. 1500,

1 For farther notes, sec Specimens of English, Part II, ed. Morris and
Skeat, p. 346, and my edition of the Man of Law's Tale. The French
original by Nicholas Trivet has lately been published by the Chaucer
Society.

XXli INTR OD UC T10N.

fol. ccviii. In another edition, printed in 1485, the Legend of
Alphonsus is said to have been composed in 1459, and it is
stated to be the work of a Minorite friar, whose name, accord-
ing to Hain and others, was Alphonsus a Spina. The story is,
that a widow residing in Lincoln has a son named Alphonsus,
ten years of age, who goes daily to school, singing ' Alma Re-
demptoris ' as he passes through the street where the Jews
dwell. One day the Jews seize him, cut out his tongue, tear
out his heart, and throw his body into a filthy pit. But the
Virgin appears to him, gives him a precious stone in place of
a tongue, and enables him to sing ' Alma Redemptoris ' for four
days. His mother seeks and finds him, and he is borne to
the cathedral, still singing. The bishop celebrates mass ; the
boy reveals the secret, resigns the precious stone to the bishop,
gives up the ghost, and is buried in a marble tomb. A similar
legend is narrated concerning Hugh of Lincoln; see note to
B 1874.

In Originals and Analogues of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales,
pt. iii. (Chaucer Society, 1876) is the story of The Paris Beggar-
boy murdered by a Jew, printed from the Vernon MS., leaf 123,
back. It is well told, and has some remarkable points of agree-
ment with the Prioresses Tale. It clearly identifies the hymn
Alma Redemptoris Mater as agreeing with the second anthem men-
tioned in the note to 1. 1708 of Group B, which is translated by

' Godus Moder, mylde and clene,
Heuene sate and sterre of se,
Saue J>i peple from synne and we [woe]'

The same work contains a similar story, in French verse, of a
boy killed by a Jew for singing Gaude Maria ; from MS. Harl.
4401.

Tyrwhitt's account of the Prioress's Tale is as follows : ' The
transition from the Tale of the Shipman to that of the Prioresse
is happily managed. I have not been able to discover from
what Legende of the Miracles of Our Lady the Prioress's Tale is
taken. From the scene being laid in Asia, it should seem, that

THE PRIORESS'S TALE. xxiii

this was one of the oldest of the many stories which have been
propagated, at different times, to excite or justify several merciless
persecutions of the Jews, upon the charge of murthering Christian
children. The story of Hugh of Lincoln, which is mentioned
in the last stanza, is placed by Matthew Paris under the year
1255. In the first four months of the Acta Sanctorum by
Bollandus, I find the following names of children canonized, as
having been murthered by Jews : xxv Mart. Willielmus Norvi-
censis, 1144; Ricbardus, Parisiis, 1179; xvii Apr. Rudolphus,
Bernse, 1287; Wernerus, JVesalise, anno eodem; Albertus, Polo-
nix, 1598. I suppose the remaining eight months would furnish
at least as many more. See a Scottish Ballad (Percy's Reliques
of Ancient Poetry, i. 32) upon one of these supposed murthers.
The editor [Percy] has very ingeniously conjectured that " Merry-
land " in verse r is a corruption of ' Milan.' Perhaps the real
occasion of the Ballad may have been what is said to have hap-
pened at Trent, in 1475, to a boy called Simon. The Cardinal
Hadrian, about fifty years after, mentioning the Rocks of Trent,
adds — " quo ludaei ob Simonis cxdem ne aspirare quidem audent ; "
Praef. ad librum de Serm. Lat. The change of the name in the
Song, from Simon to Hugh, is natural enough in this country,
where similar stories of Hugh of Norwich and Hugh of Lincoln
had been long current.'

The Ballad alluded to is called ' The Jew's Daughter ' by
Percy, and is to the effect that a boy named Hugh was enticed
to play and then stabbed by a Jew's daughter, who threw him
into a draw-well. His mother, Lady Helen, finds him by hearing
his voice.

I may add that the story of Hugh of Lincoln, and a picture of
the martyrdom of Simon at Trent, are given in an excellent chapter
concerning the Jews in Manners, Customs, and Dress during the
Middle Ages, by P. Lacroix, pp. 434-455.

A last word as to the metre. The question has been raised —
Whence did Chaucer derive his seven-line stanza ? M. Sandras
(6tude sur G. Chaucer, pp. 76, 288) answers — From Guillaume
de Machault, and quotes a stanza to shew this. The answer is

XXIV INTR OD UCTION.

right, but the example ill-chosen, as it contains but two rimes
instead of three. Unexceptionable examples will be found in
Tarbe's edition of Machault, at pp. 56 and 131. 'This stanza
was used, but with a restriction to two rhymes, by Jehan de
Brienne, King of Jerusalem, more than a century before the
birth of Boccaccio. In England it was afterwards called rhyme
royal, from its use, not many years after the death of Chaucer,
by the captive King of Scotland, James I, as the measure of
" The King's Quair." ' — Morley's English Writers, ii. 169.

The Prioress End-link. This passage, like the other End-
links and Prologues in rimed couplets, evidently belongs to
the late period ; we recognise here some of the author's best
work.

Sir Thopas. Judging by the rhythm-test, this might be of
early workmanship; but judging by the language, it is late. It
is, apparently, the only one of all the Canterbury Tales which be-
longs to the late period, although not written in rimed couplets.
Tyrwhitt's estimate of it is judicious and correct. He says —
' The Rime of Sir Thopas was clearly intended to ridicule the
" palpable gross " fictions of the common Rimers of that age,
and still more, perhaps, the meanness of their language and ver-
sification. It is full of phrases taken from Isumbras, Li Beaus
Desconus, and other Romances in the same style, which are still
extant. . . . For the more complete reprobation of this species
of Riming, even the Host, who is not to be suspected of too re-
fined a taste, is made to cry out against it, and to cut short Sire
Thopas in the midst of his adventures. Chaucer has nothing to
say for his Rime, but that "it is the best he can" (B 2118), and
readily consents to tell another Tale ; but having just laughed so
freely at the bad poetry of his time, he might think it, perhaps,
too invidious to exhibit a specimen of better in his own person,
and therefore his other Tale is in prose, a mere translation from
Le Livre de Melibee et de dame Prudence, of which several copies
are still preserved in MS T. It is in truth, as he calls it, " a moral

1 The French version is also not original, but taken from the Liber
Consolationis ct Consilii of Albertano of Brescia, who died about

THE MONK'S TALE. XXV

tale vertuous," and was probably much esteemed in its time;
but in this age of levity, I doubt some readers will be apt to
regret that he did not rather give us the remainder of Sire
Thopas.'

Sir Thopas is admittedly a burlesque, and several of the
passages imitated are quoted in the Notes ; but I cannot quite
resist the suspicion that Chaucer may himself, in his youth, have
tried his hand at such romance-writing in all seriousness, but
lived to have a good-humoured laugh even in some degree at his
own expense; and he seems as if endeavouring to make his
readers feel that they could wish there was somewhat more of it.
Yet we cannot but allow that to

•Praise syr Topas for a noble tale,

And scoine the story that the Knight told'
is much the same as to

•say that Pan

Passeth Appollo in musike manifold,'

as Sir Thomas Wiat has remarked in his second satire. It may
be added that the usual metrical laws are not quite strictly
observed in this Tale.

The Monk's Tale. Judging by the rhythm, this belongs to
the early period. The subject-matter shews, however, that it
was probably written at different times, part of it at an early
period, and part at the period of revision. It can hardly be
called, in strictness, a tale at all, but consists of a whole series of
them, and has all the appearance of having been originally an
independent work, which Chaucer had at one time begun, but,
in his accustomed manner, had left a little less than half finished.
It is formed on the model of Boccaccio's book de Casibus vlrorum
illiistrium, the title of which is actually retained in the rubric
printed at p. 32. The manner in which the poet contrives to
assign this string of tragedies to the monk is highly ingenious.
The Host expects to hear rather a merry and lively story from
. the jovial and corpulent Monk, and rallies him upon his sleek

A.D. 1270. This Latin treatise was edited by Thor Sundby for the
Chaucer Society in 1873.

XX VI* INTR OD UCTION.

appearance; but the Monk, taking all in patience, volunteers
either the Life of Saint Edward the Confessor or else a few of
his 'hundred' tragedies; and then, fearful of interruption, pro-
ceeds to define the word Tragedy, and to start off before any of
the pilgrims have had time to offer any opinion upon the matter.
He also offers an apology for not telling all his stories in strictly
chronological order. This apology is the real key to the whole
matter. We may well believe that, whilst the collection of
tragedies was still an independent work, the arrangement was
strictly chronological, or was intended to have been made such
when the work was completed. Such was the usual formula;
and accordingly the author begins, in the most approved fashion,
with Lucifer, and then duly proceeds to Adam and all the rest.
But as, in the course of composition, he would naturally first
write such lives as most pleased him, and by no means succeeding
in writing anything like a complete collection — for out of the
' hundred ' that existed ' in his cell l ' he produced only seventeen
in all — it clearly became his simplest plan to give specimens only,
and to abandon the chronological arrangement as no longer
necessary. Yet it is worth remarking that the tragedies are
more nearly in chronological order than may at first sight appear.
If they be compared with such a book as Peter Comestor's
Historia Scholastica, we shall see this the better. Peter Comestor
takes the Bible as the foundation of his history, noticing secular
history as he goes on. We thus find a mention of Hercules in
the time of Jephthah, judge of Israel. Strictly, then, Hercules
should precede Samson ; but as they come so near together, the
scriptural character takes precedence. Again, the tragedies of
Antiochus and Alexander both belong, in this way, to the first
book of Maccabees, and therefore come next after the tragedy
of Holofernes, which belongs to the book of Judith. Here,
again, Alexander should, in strictness, precede Antiochus, but
this consideration is overridden by the fitness of coupling

1 The Monk's cell is mentioned in the Prologue, 1. 172 ; Cbaucer's
was his ' celle fantastyk '; Kn. Ta. 518.

THE MONK'S TALE. XXvii

Antiochus with Holofernes, and Alexander with Caesar. Allow-
ing, then, that Samson may precede Hercules, and that Antiochus
may precede Alexander, we may divide the whole series into six
groups, as follows : — (a) Lucifer, Adam, Samson, Hercules,
Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar ; (e) l Zenobia ; (/) 2 Pedro of
Spain, Pedro of Cyprus, Barnabo, Ugolino; (d) Nero; (c)
Holofernes, Antiochus, Alexander, Caesar; and (b~) Croesus.
This grouping is far more suggestive than might be expected,
for it throws some additional light upon the matter, if duly
considered. In the first place, group (/) consists wholly of
what have been called 'modern instances,' as referring to
matters that happened in Chaucer's own time, instead of con-
taining examples from ancient history; three of the four are
remarkably short, and all four only make up eleven stanzas.
One of them, the tragedy of Barnabo, contains the latest allu-
sion in the whole of the Canterbury Tales, as it has reference
to the year 1385, the very year mentioned above as the probable
date of the Prologue to the Legend of Good Women. The
difference in style between the tragedy of Ugolino and such a
tragedy as that of Samson or Hercules, must strike the most
careless reader ; and it is easy to see that this group (/) was an
afterthought, being a piece added at the period of reyision. So
much we can tell from internal evidence, but the fact is curiously
corroborated by evidence that is external. For of course, if
the poet added a few tragedies as an afterthought, he would
naturally add them at the end ; and it is accordingly a fact that
in several good MSS., including the Ellesmere, the Hengwrt, and
the Cambridge MSS., this group is placed at the end, after the
tragedy of Croesus. But Chaucer's apology for want of order
left him free to insert them where he pleased ; and he was
accordingly pleased to put them in the order in which they
appear in the present edition, which follows the arrangement of
the Harleian, Corpus, Petworth, and Lansdowne MSS. That

1 I put («) not (6), in order to show the chronological order, which is
that of the letters a, b, c, d, e,f.
* The group (f) has nothing to do with («) ; as will appear.

XX vill INTRODUCTION.

this removal of group (f) from the end to an earlier place is really
bis own doing is proved by observing that the tragedy of Croesus
must come last, (i) because it repeats, in the last stanza, the
monk's previous definition of tragedy, a repetition of which the
Knight does not approve, and takes occasion to say so; and (2)
because the Host also quotes from this last stanza, and ridicules
the expression about Fortune ' covering things with a cloud ' ; see
B 3972.

But we may, with patience, learn a few things more from
the grouping of the tragedies. Putting aside group (/) as an
addition at the time of revision, we may note that group (<•)
follows (a), for the simple reason that the story of Zenobia is
in Boccaccio, whom Chaucer was imitating. We then have only
groups (d), (c)t and (b) to consider, and we notice at once that
Chaucer has purposely somewhat mixed up these ; for, if we
merely transpose (d) and (<:), we bring the tragedy of Nero next
that of Croesus, and immediately preceding it. That is the
original order of things, since the stories of Nero and Croesus are
both taken from the Romaunt of the Rose, where they appear
together, and Nero preceded Croesus in Chaucer's work as a
matter of course, because his story preceded that of Croesus in
the original. We have thus the pleasure of seeing Chaucer
actually at work ; he begins with Boccaccio and the Vulgate
version of the Bible, drawing upon his recollections l of Boethius
for the story of Hercules ; he next takes a leaf or two from the
Romaunt of the Rose ; the story of Alexander, suggested (see
B 3845) by the book of Maccabees, leads him on to write the
tragedy of Caesar ; then he tires of his work, and breaks off.
Returning to it for the purpose of filling up his great work, he
adds a few 'modern instances,' mixes up the order of tales, writes
an apology for their want of order, humorously assigns them to
the Monk, from whom the Host had expected something widely
different, and makes the Knight cut him short when the right
moment comes.

1 I say ' recollections ' advisedly; see note to B 3293.

THE MONK S TALE. XXIX

The great collection of tragedies which Chaucer may have
originally contemplated, in imitation of Boccaccio, was fully
carried out by his successor Lydgate, one of whose best works
is the ' Falls of Princes.' This poem, written in Chaucer's
favourite seven-line stanza, was not, however, taken from
Boccaccio directly, but through the version of a Frenchman
named Laurent de Premierfait, an ecclesiastic of the diocese
of Troyes ; see Morley's Eng. Writers, ii. 429. Lydgate's poem
long continued in favour, and in its turn suggested the famous
series of tragedies by Sackville, Baldwin, and others, known by
the name of the Mirror for Magistrates; see Morley's First
Sketch of Eng. Lit., pp. 335-337. The most interesting point
in Lydgate's version is his recognition of Chaucer's Monk's
Tale in the following stanza of his prologue : —

' My mayster Chaucer * with his fressh commedies
Is dede, alias, cheif poete of Bretayne,
That sumtyme made full pitous tragidies;
The ' fall of princes ' he dide also compleyne.
As he that was of makynge souereyne ;
Whom all this londe of right ought[e] preferre,
Sith of cure langage he was the lode-sterre."

There is a poem entitled the Fall of Princis in the Percy Folio
MS., ed. Hales and Furnivall, iii. 168 ; but it is of no great merit.
The original sources of the various tragedies are sufficiently
indicated in the Notes. I have only one word more to say,
which has regard to the metre. The poet first used the eight-
line stanza, as I suppose, in his poem called A. B. C., though
the original French from which that poem is translated is in
short lines. Whence then did he derive it? The answer is —
from the French. A good example of it will be found in a
ballad by Eustache Deschamps, written upon the Death of
Guillaume de Machault in 1377 ; see TarbeVs edition of Deschamps,
p. 30.

1 Printed ' Chauncer ' in the old edition which I here follow.

XXX INTRODUCTION.

The Prologue to the Nuns' Priest's Tale needs no com-
ment ; like the tale itself, it is in Chaucer's best manner.

The Clerk's Tale. Of this tale, the main part is a rather
close translation from Petrarch's DC obedientia et Jide uxorid
Mytbologia, as explained in the Notes ; and it must be added
that Petrarch had it from Boccaccio. It is the very last
tale — the tenth tale of the tenth day — in the Decamerone,
written shortly after the year 1348. Whether Boccaccio
invented it or not can hardly be determined ; for an expression
of Petrarch's, to the effect that he had heard it ' many years '
(multos annos) before 1373, is not at all decisive on this point,
as he may easily have beard it twenty years before then, even
though he had never before read the Decamerone, as he himself
asserts. There has been some unnecessary mystification about
the matter. Tyrwhitt wonders why Chaucer should have owned
an obligation to Petrarch rather than to Boccaccio ; but a very
cursory examination shews the now undoubted fact, that Chaucer
follows Petrarch almost word for word in many passages, though
Petrarch by no means closely follows Boccaccio. In fact, 11.
41-55 settle the matter. The date of Petrarch's version, though
a little uncertain, seems to have been 1373 ; and Chaucer himself
tells us that he met Petrarch at Padua. We may therefore
readily adopt Mr. Furnivall's suggestion, that ' during his Italian
embassy in 1373, Chaucer may have met Petrarch.' Only let us
suppose for a moment that Chaucer himself knew best, that he is
not intentionally and unnecessarily inventing his statements, and
all difficulty vanishes. We know that Chaucer was absent from
England on the king's business, visiting Florence and Genoa, from
December i, 1372, till some time before November 22, 1373.
We know that Petrarch's letter to Boccaccio, really forming a
preface to the tale of Griselda, and therefore written shortly
after he had made his version of it, is dated in some copies
June 8, 1373, though in other copies no date appears. And
we know that Petrarch, on his own shewing, was so pleased with
the story of Griselda that he learnt it by heart as well as he
could, for the express purpose qf repeating it to friends, before the

THE CLERK'S TALE. xxxi

idea of turning it into Latin occurred to him. Whence we may
conclude that Chaucer and Petrarch met at Padua early in 1373;
that Petrarch told Chaucer the story by word of mouth, either
in Italian or French1; and that Chaucer shortly after obtained a
copy of Petrarch's Latin version, which he kept constantly before
him whilst making his own translation 2. At this rate, the main
part of the Clerk's Tale was probably written in 1373 or 1374,
and required but little revision to make it suitable for one of
the tales of the Canterbury series. The test of metre gives the
same result, as it shews that it was one of his early works. The
closeness of the translation also proves the same point. Chaucer,
in his revised version, adds the Prologue, containing an allusion
to Petrarch's death (which took place in 1374), and eulogizes the
great Italian writer according to his desert. At the end of the
translation, which terminates with 1. 1162, he adds two new
stanzas, and the Envoy. The lateness of this (undramatic)
addition is proved at once by the whole tone of it, and, in par-
ticular, by the mention of the Wife of Bath in 1. 1170. The
Envoy is a marvel of rhythm, since, though it consists of thirty-
six lines, it contains but three rime-endings, viz. -entf, -aille, and
-ynde. Besides this addition, there is yet one more, in the middle
of the tale, viz. the two stanzas in 11. 995-1008, as pointed out in
the Notes ; they are conspicuous for their excellence. The story
of Griselda, as told by Boccaccio, together with Petrarch's Latin
version of it, and the letter of Petrarch to Boccaccio concerning
it, are all reprinted in the ' Originals and Analogues of some of
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Part II, published for the Chaucer
Society, and dated (in advance) 1875. Were any additional
proof needed that Chaucer had Petrarch's version before him, it
is supplied by the fact that numerous quotations from that ver-
sion are actually written in the margins of the pages of the Elles-
mere and Hengwrt MSS., each in its proper place. All the

1 See E 27, 40.

2 See E 1 147 — ' this Petrark wryleth* And yet Wart on could imagine
that Chaucer did not use a copy of Petrarch's version, hut only wrote
from recollection of what he had heard 1 Besides, see 11. 42-55.

XXX11 INTRODUCTION.

passages that are made clearer by a comparison with the Latin
text are duly considered in the Notes.

Speaking of the story of Griselda, Warton remarks that it ' soon
became so popular in France, that the comedians of Paris repre-
sented a mystery in French verse, entitled Le mystere de Griselidis
Marquh[f] de Saluces, in the year 1393. Before, or in the same
year, the French prose version in Le Menagier de Paris was com-
posed, and there is an entirely different version in the Imperial
library. Lydgate, almost Chaucer's contemporary, in his poem
entitled the Temple of Glass, among the celebrated lovers painted
on the walls of the Temple, mentions Dido, Medea and Jason,
Penelope, Alcestis, Patient Griselda, Belle Isoulde and Sir Tris-
tram, Pyramus and Thisbe, Theseus, Lucretia, Canace, Palamon,
and Emilia.' Elsewhere Warton remarks (Hist. Eng. Poetry, ed.
Hazlitt, iv. 229, note 3) that 'the affecting story of Patient Grisild
seems to have long kept up its celebrity. In the books of the
Stationers, in 1565, Owen Rogers has a licence to print 'a Ballad
entituled the Songe of Pacyent Gressell vnto hyr make ' [husband] ;
Registr. A. fol. 132, b. Two ballads are entered in 1565, "to the
tune of pacyente Gressell" ; ibid. fol. 135, a. In the same year
T. Colwell has licence to print The History of meke and pacyent
G resell ; ibid. fol. 139, a. Instances occur much lower.' See also
Hazlitt's Handbook of Early English Literature.

There is a ballad called 'Patient Grissell,' in Percy's Folio
MS., ed. Hales and Furnivall, iii. 421 ; and there is one by
Thomas Deloney in Professor Child's English and Scottish
Ballads, vol. iv. Professor Child remarks that ' two plays upon
the subject are known to have been written, one of which (by
Dekker, Chettle, and Haughton) has been printed by the Shake-
speare Society, while the other, an older production of the close
of Henry VIII's reign, is lost.'

In Italy the story is so common that it is still often acted in
marionette theatres ; it is to be had, moreover, in common chap-
books, and a series of cheap pictures representing various scenes
in it may often be seen decorating cottage- walls. (Notes and
Queries, 5 S. i. 105, 255). The same thing was done in England.

THE SQUIRE'S TALE. xxxiii

'We in the country do not scorn
Our walls with ballads to adorn
Of patient Grissel and the Lord of Lorn.*

Kitsou's Ancient Songs, i. xcviii.

Mr. Hales tells me that several scenes of the tale are well ex-
hibited in an excellent picture by Pinturicchio, in the National
Gallery.

For remarks upon the conduct of the tale and the character of
the heroine, see Mr. Hales's criticisms in the Percy Folio MS., Hi.
421, and in Originals and Analogues of Chaucer, Part II, pp. 173-
176. There are also a few good remarks on it in Canterbury
Tales from Chaucer, by J. Saunders, p. 308, where the author
points out that, as the Marquis was Griselda's feudal lord, she
could but say ' yes ' when asked to marry him, the asking being
a mere form ; and that the spirit of chivalry appears in her
devotion of herself to his every wish.

The Squire's Tale. This tale is conspicuous as being the one
which has most resisted all attempts to discover an immediate
original for it, and because of its connection with the charac-
teristics of Arabian fiction. Tyrwhitt remarks that he had
' never been able to discover its probable original, and yet would
be very hardly brought to believe that the whole, or even any
considerable part of it, was of Chaucer's invention.'

It is worth remarking that there is just one other case in which
Chaucer is connected with an Arabian writer. I have shewn, in
my edition of Chaucer's treatise on the Astrolabe, that a large
part of it is immediately derived from a Latin version of a treatise
written by Messahala, an Arabian astronomer, by religion a Jew,
who flourished towards the end of the eighth century. So also
in the case of The Squire's Tale, we may suspect that it was
through some Latin medium that Chaucer made acquaintance
with Arabian fiction. But I am fortunate in having found a more
direct clue to some part, at least, of the poem. I shall shew
presently that one of his sources was the Travels of Marco Polo '.

1 Only a few hours after writing this sentence, I found that Mr.
VOL II. C

XXXIV INTRODUCTION.

Warton, in his History of English Poetry, took much pains
to gather together some information on the subject, and his
remarks are therefore quoted here, nearly at length, for the
reader's convenience.

'The Canterbury Tales,' says Warton, 'are unequal, and of
various merit. Few perhaps, if any, of the stories are the inven-
tion of Chaucer. I have already spoken at large of the Knight's
Tale, one of our author's noblest compositions. That of the
Canterbury Tales which deserves the next place, as written in
the higher strain of poetry, and the poem by which Milton de-
scribes and characterises Chaucer, is the Squire's Tale. The
imagination of this story consists in Arabian fiction engrafted on
Gothic chivalry. Nor is this Arabian fiction purely the sport of
arbitrary fancy : it is in great measure founded on Arabian
learning. Cambuscan, a King of Tartary, celebrates his birth-
day festival in the hall of his palace at Sarra with the most royal
magnificence. In the midst of the solemnity, the guests are
alarmed by a miraculous and unexpected spectacle : the minstrels
cease on a sudden, and all the assembly is hushed in silence, sur-
prise, and suspense ; see 11. 77-88.

' These presents were sent by the King of Arabia and India to
Cambuscan, in honour of his feast. The Horse of Brass, on the
skilful movement and management of certain secret springs,
transported his rider into the most distant region of the world
in the space of twenty-four hours ; for, as the rider chose, he
could fly in the air with the swiftness of an eagle : and again,
as occasion required, he could stand motionless in opposition
to the strongest force, vanish on a sudden at command, and
return at his master's call. The Mirror of Glass was endued
with the power of shewing any future disasters which might
happen to Cambuscan's kingdom, and discovered the most
hidden machinations of treason. The Naked Sword could

Keightley, in his Tales and Popular Fictions, published in 1834, at

f. 76, distinctly derives Chaucer's Tale from the travels of Marco Polo.
let the sentence stand, however, as an example of undesigned coin-
cidence.

THE SQUIRE'S TALE. xxxv

pierce armour deemed impenetrable, " were it as thikke as is
a branched ook" (I. 159); and he who was wounded with it
could never be healed, unless its possessor could be entreated
to stroke the wound with its edge. The Ring was intended
for Canace, Cambuscan's daughter, and while she bore it in
her purse, or wore it on her thumb, enabled her to under-
stand the language of every species of birds, and the virtues of
every plant.

' I have mentioned in another place, the favourite philosophical
studies of the Arabians. In this poem the nature of those studies
is displayed, and their operations exemplified : and this considera-
tion, added to the circumstances of Tartary being the scene of
action, and Arabia the country from which these extraordinary
presents are brought, induces me to believe this story to be iden-
tical with one which was current at a very ancient date among
the Arabians 1. At least it is formed on their principles. Their
sciences were tinctured with the warmth of their imaginations,
and consisted in wonderful discoveries and mysterious inven-
tions.

' This idea of a Horse of Brass took its rise from their chemical
knowledge and experiments in metals. The treatise of Jeber,
a famous Arab chemist of the middle ages, called Lapis Philoso-
phorum, contains many curious and useful processes concerning
the nature of metals, their fusion, purification, and malleability,
which still maintain a place in modern systems of that science.
The poets of romance, who deal in Arabian ideas, describe the
Trojan horse as made of brass. These sages pretended the
power of giving life or speech to some of their compositions in
metal. Bishop Grosseteste's speaking brazen head, sometimes
attributed to Roger Bacon, has its foundation in Arabian philo-
sophy. In the romance of Valentine and Orson, a brazen head
fabricated by a necromancer in a magnificent chamber of the

1 So in Mr. Hazlitt's edition ; Warton originally wrote — ' to believe
this story to be one of the many fables which the Arabians imported
into Europe.'

c 2

XXXVI INTRODUCTION.

castle of Clerimond, declares to those two princes their royal
parentage. We are told by William of Malmesbury that Pope
Sylvester II, a profound mathematician who lived in the eleventh
century, made a brazen head, which would speak when spoken
to, and oracularly resolved many difficult questions. Albertus
Magnus, who was also a profound adept in those sciences which
were taught by the Arabian schools, is said to have framed a man
of brass, which not only answered questions readily and truly,
but was so loquacious, that Thomas Aquinas, while a pupil of
Albertus Magnus, and afterwards an Angelic doctor, knocked it
in pieces as the disturber of his abstruse speculations. This was
about the year 1240. Much in the same manner, the notion of
our knight's horse being moved by means of a concealed engine
corresponds with their pretences of producing preternatural
effects, and their love of surprising by geometrical powers.
Exactly in this notion, Rocail, a giant in some of the Arabian
romances, is said to have built a palace, together with his own
sepulchre, of most magnificent architecture and with singular
artifice : in both of these he placed a great number of gigantic
statues or images, figured of different metals by talismanic skill,
which in consequence of some occult machinery, performed
actions of real life, and looked like living men. We must add
that astronomy, which the Arabian philosophers studied with a
singular enthusiasm, had no small share in the composition of this
miraculous steed. For, says the poet,

" He that it wroughte coude ful many a gin ;
He way ted many a constellacion,
Er he had don this operation." (11. 128 130.)

1 Thus the buckler of the Arabian giant Ben Gian, as famous
among the Orientals as that of Achilles among the Greeks, was
fabricated by the powers of astronomy, and Pope Sylvester's
brazen head, just mentioned, was prepared under the. influence
of certain constellations.

' Natural magic, improperly so called, was likewise a favourite
pursuit of the Arabians, by which they imposed false appear-

THE SQUIRE'S TALE. xxxvii

ances on the spectator. . . . Chaucer, in the fiction before us,
supposes that some of the guests in Cambuscan's hall believed
the Trojan horse to be a temporary illusion, effected by the
power of magic (1. 218). . . .

' Optics were likewise a branch of study which suited the
natural genius of the Arabian philosophers, and which they pur-
sued with incredible delight. This science was a part of the
Aristotelic philosophy which, as I have before observed, they
refined and filled with a thousand extravagances. Hence our
strange knight's Mirror of Glass, prepared on the most pro-
found principles of art, and endued with preternatural qualities
(11. 225-234, 132-141).

'Alcen, or Alhazen, mentioned in 1. 232, an Arabic philo-
sopher, wrote seven books of perspective, and flourished about
the eleventh century. Vitellio, formed on the same school, was
likewise an eminent mathematician of the middle ages, and wrote
ten books on Perspective. The Roman Mirror here mentioned
by Chaucer, as similar to this of the strange knight, is thus
described by Gower:

" Whan Rome stood in noble plight,
Virgile, whicli was tho parfite,
A mirrour made of his clergye [by his skill],
And sette it in the townes ye [eye, sigh:]
Of marbre on a piller withoute,
That they, by thritty mile aboute,
By day and eek also by nighte
In that mirrour beholde mighte
Her ennemies, if any were;" Conf- Amant. bk. v.

' The Oriental writers relate that Giamschid, one of their kings,
the Solomon of the Persians and their Alexander the Great,
possessed among his inestimable treasures cups, globes, and
mirrors, of metal, glass, and crystal, by means of which he and
his people knew all natural as well as supernatural things. The
' title of an Arabian book translated from the Persian is — The
Mirror which reflects the World. There is this passage in an
ancient Turkish poet: "When I am purified by the light of

XXXV111 INTRODUCTION.

heaven, my soul will become the mirror of the world, in which
I shall discern all abstruse secrets." Monsieur Herbelot is of
opinion that the Orientals took these notions from the patriarch
Joseph's cup of divination and Nestor's cup in Homer, on which
all nature was symbolically represented. Our great countryman
Roger Bacon, in his Opus Majus, a work entirely formed on the
Aristotelic and Arabian philosophy, describes a variety of Specula,
and explains their construction and uses. This is the most
curious and extraordinary part of Bacon's book, which was
written about the year 1270. Bacon's optic tube, with which he
pretended to see future events, was famous in his age, and long
afterwards, and chiefly contributed to give him the name of a
magician. This art, with others of the experimental kind, the
philosophers of those times were fond of adapting to the pur-
poses of thaumaturgy ; and there is much occult and chimerical
speculation in the discoveries which Bacon affects to have made
from optical experiments. He asserts (and I am obliged to cite
the passage in his own mysterious expressions) ' omnia sciri per
Perspectivam, quoniam omnes actiones rerum fiunt secundum
specierum et virtutum multiplicationem ab agentibus hujus mundi
in materias patientes,' &c. * Spenser feigns that the magician
Merlin made a glassy globe, and presented it to King Ryence,
which showed the approach of enemies, and discovered treasons,
(F. Q^iii. 2. 21). This fiction, which exactly corresponds with
Chaucer's Mirror, Spenser borrowed from some romance, per-
haps of King Arthur, fraught with Oriental fancy. From the
same sources came a like fiction of Camoens in the Lusiad
(canto x), where a globe is shown to Vasco de Gama, represent-
ing the universal fabric or system of the world, in which he sees
future kingdoms and future events. The Spanish historians
report an American tradition, but more probably invented by
themselves, and built on the Saracen fables in which they were
so conversant. They pretended that some years before the

1 All things can be known by Perspective, because all operations of
things take place according to the multiplication of forms and forces, by
means of this world's agents, upon yielding materials.'

THE SQUIRE'S TALE. xxxix

Spaniards entered Mexico, the inhabitants caught a monstrous
fowl of unusual magnitude and shape on the lake of Mexico. In
the crown of the head of this wonderful bird there was a mirror
or plate of glass, in which the Mexicans saw their future invaders
the Spaniards, and all the disasters which afterwards happened
to their kingdom. These superstitions remained, even in the
doctrines of philosophers, long after the darker ages. Cornelius
Agrippa, a learned physician of Cologne about the year 1520,
and author of a famous book on the Vanity of the Sciences,
mentions a species of mirror which exhibited the form of persons
absent, at command. In one of these he is said to have shown
to the poetical Earl of Surrey the image of his mistress, the
beautiful Geraldine, sick and reposing on a couch. Nearly allied
to this was the infatuation of seeing things in a beryl, which was
very popular in the reign of James I, and is alluded to by Shake-
speare (Meas. for Meas. ii. 2. 95.)

' . . . The Naked Sword, another of the gifts presented by the
strange knight to Cambuscan, endued with medical virtues, and
so hard as to pierce the most solid armour, is likewise an Arabian
idea. It was suggested by their skill in medicine, by which
they affected to communicate healing qualities to various sub-
stances, and by their knowledge of tempering iron and hardening
all kinds of metal. It is the classical spear of Peleus, perhaps
originally fabricated in the same regions of fancy; see 11. 236-
246.

' The sword which Berni, in the Orlando Innamorato, gives
to the hero Ruggiero, is tempered by much the same sort of

magic :

"II brando con tal arte fabbricato,
Che taglia incanto, ed ogni fatagione l ; n

Orl. Innamor. ii. 17, ft. 5.
So also his continuator Ariosto :

" Non vale incanto, ov'ella mette il taglio * ; " '

Orl. Fur. xli. 83.

1 ' That sword, wrought with such art, that it cuts through enchant-
ment and every charm.' I correct the errors in these quotations.

2 Enchantment avails not, where it inflicts a cut.

xl INTRODUCTION.

And the notion that this weapon could resist all incantations is
like the fiction above mentioned of the buckler of the Arabian
giant Ben Gian, which baffled the force of charms and enchant-
ments made by giants or demons. Spenser has a sword endued
with the same efficacy, the metal of which the magician Merlin
mixed with the juice of meadow- wort, that it might be proof
against enchantment ; and afterwards, having forged the blade
in the flames of Etna, he gave it hidden virtue by dipping it
seven times in the bitter waters of Styx ; F. Q.,ii. 8. 20. From
the same origin is also the golden lance of Berni, which Galafron
King of Cathaia, father of the beautiful Angelica and the in-
vincible champion Argalia, procured for his son by the help of
a magician. This lance was of such irresistible power, that it
unhorsed a knight the instant he was touched with its point ;
OH. Innamor. i. i. 43. Britomart in Spenser is armed with the
same enchanted spear, which was made by Bladud, an ancient
British king skilled in magic ; F. Q^iii. 3. 60; iv. 6. 6 ; iii. i. 10.

' The Ring, a gift to the king's daughter Canace, which taught
the language of birds, is also quite in the style of some others
of the occult sciences of these inventive philosophers; and it is
the fashion of the Oriental fabulists to give language to brutes
in general. But to understand the language of birds was pecu-
liarly one of the boasted sciences of the Arabians, who pretend
that many of their countrymen have been skilled in the know-
ledge of the language of birds ever since the time of King
Solomon. Their writers relate that Balkis, the Queen of Sheba
or Saba, had a bird called Hudbud, that is, a lapwing, which she
dispatched to King Solomon on various occasions, and that this
trusty bird was the messenger of their amours. We are told
that Solomon having been secretly informed by this winged
confidant that Balkis intended to honour him with a grand
embassy, enclosed a spacious square with a wall of gold and
silver bricks, in which he ranged his numerous troops and atten-
dants in order to receive the ambassadors, who were astonished
at the suddenness of these splendid and unexpected preparations.
Herbelot tells a curious story of an Arab feeding his camels in a

THE SQUIRE'S TALE. xli

solitary wilderness, who was accosted for a draught of water by
Alhejaj, a famous Arabian commander, who had been separated
from his retinue in hunting. While they were talking together,
a bird flew over their heads, making at the same time an unusual
sort of noise, which the camel-feeder hearing, looked steadfastly
on Alhejaj, and demanded who he was. Alhejaj, not choosing to
return him a direct answer, desired to know the reason of that
question. " Because," replied the camel-feeder, " this bird
assures me that a company of people is coming this way, and
that you are the chief of them." While he was speaking, Alhejaj's
attendants arrived.

' This wonderful Ring also imparted to the wearer a knowledge
of the qualities of plants, which formed an important part of
the Arabian philosophy.

' Every reader of taste and imagination must regret that,
instead of our author's tedious detail of the quaint effects of
Canace's ring, in which a falcon relates her amours, and talks
familiarly of Troilus, Paris, and Jason, the notable achievements
we may suppose to have been performed by the assistance of the
horse of brass are either lost, or that this part of the story, by
far the most interesting, was never written. After the strange
knight has explained to Cambuscan the management of this
magical courser, he vanishes on a sudden, and we hear no more
of him; 11. 302-343.

' By such inventions we are willing to be deceived. These
are the triumphs of deception over truth:

" Magnanima mensogna, hor quando e il vero
Si bello, che si possa a te preporre ? * " '

This learned and curious discourse is well worth perusal ;
but the reader will probably be led to remark, that Warton
does not after all tell us whence Chaucer drew his materials,
but only proves that he drew them from some Arabian source.

• * ' O splendid falsehood, when is truth so beautiful that one can prefer
her to thee ? ' In Warton's book, the Italian quotations abound in mis-
prints, not all of which are removed in Hazlitt's edition. I cannot
construe ' al vcro,' as there printed.

xlii INTRODUCTION.

That source may be indicated a little more distinctly; for, as will
be shewn more fully below, nearly all the magical particulars
are to be found in the collection now known as the Arabian
Nights' Entertainments. For the rest, we may trace most of
the descriptions to the travels of Marco Polo, with which
Chaucer must have been acquainted to some extent, either
immediately or through some channel not easily now pointed
out. This suggestion occurred to me on reading a note by
Colonel Yule on the name of Cambuscan ; but in this I have
been long anticipated by Mr. Keightley, as has been said above.
The passage in Colonel Yule's edition of Marco Polo to which
I refer, is as follows : —

' Before parting with Chingis [or Gengis Khan] let me point
out what has not to my knowledge been suggested before, that
the name of " Cambuscan bold " in Chaucer's tale is only a cor-
ruption of the name of Chinghiz. The name of the conqueror
appears in Friar Ricold as Camiuscan, from which the transition
to Cambuscan presents no difficulty. Camius was, I suppose,
a clerical corruption out of Canjus or CianjusS Marco Polo, ed.
Yule, i. 218.

On applying to Professor Palmer for information as to the
meaning of the name, he kindly pointed out to me that, in the
Dictionnaire Turk-Oriental by M. Pavet de Courteille (Paris,
1870), p. 289, the word djengtiiz (as M. de Courteille spells it) is ex-
plained to mean simply^rart. Thus Chingis Khan is no more than
Great Khan ; and Cambuscan merely represents the same title of
Great Khan, which appears so repeatedly in Marco Polo's travels.
The succession of supreme or Great Khans was as follows:— (i)
Chinghiz ; (2) Okkadai ; (3) Kuyuk ; (4) Mangku ; (5) Kublai, &c.
The first of these is always known by the simple title, though his
real name was Temugin ; the second was his son ; and the third,
fourth, and fifth were all his grandsons. The descriptions in
Marco Polo refer to Kublai Khan, who died in 1294. Marco
describes his person with some minuteness : —

' The personal appearance of the Great Kaan, Lord of Lords,
whose name is Cublay, is such as I shall now -tell you. He is

MARCO POLO. xliii

of a good stature, neither tall nor short, but of a middle height.
He has a becoming amount of flesh, and is very shapely in all
his limbs. His complexion is white and red, the eyes black
and fine, the nose well formed and well set on:' ed. Yule,
i. 318. A portrait of him, from a Chinese engraving, is given
by Colonel Yule on the next page. Kublai was succeeded by
his grandson Teimur, to the exclusion of his elder brothers
Kambala (who squinted) and Tarmah (who was of a weak con-
stitution). Here we might perhaps think to see the original
of Chaucer's Camballo, but I suspect the real interpretation
to be very different. It is far more probable that the name
Camballo was caught, not from this obscure Kambala, but from
the famous word Cambaluc, really the name (not of a person,
but) of the celebrated capital which Kublai built and where
he resided ; so that the name may easily have suggested itself
from this connection *. For example, in the splendid Bodleian
MS. No. 264, generally known as the 'Alexander MS.,' there
is a copy of Marco Polo's Travels, with the colophon — Explicit
le L'rvre nomme du Grant Caan de la Graunt Cite de Cambaluc •
Dieux ayde ; Amen. In fact, Cambaluc is but the old name of
the city which is still the capital of China, but better known
as Pekin ; the etymology of the word being merely Kaan-baligh,
i.e. the city of the Khan. All this may seem a little uncertain
at first sight ; but if the reader can turn to the second book
of Marco Polo, he will soon see clearly enough that Chaucer's
Cambuscan (though the name itself is formed from Chingis
Khan) is practically identical with Marco's Kublai Khan, and
that it is to Marco's description of him and his court that
Chaucer is ultimately indebted for some of his details. This
will be best illustrated by examples of correspondences.

' Of a surety he [Kublai Khan] hath good right to such a
title [that of Kaan or Emperor], for all men know for a cer-
tain truth that he is the most potent man, as regards forces
and lands and treasure, that existeth in the world, or ever

1 I find that Mr. Keightley has already suggested this.

xliv INTRODUCTION.

hath existed from the time of our first father Adam until
this day; ' Marco Polo, ed. Yule, i. 295. Cf. Sq. Ta. 14.

' The empire fell to him because of his ability and valour and
great worth, as was right and reason ; ' id. i. 296. Cf. Sq. Ta. 16.

' He had often been to the wars, and had shown himself a
gallant soldier and an excellent captain ; ' id. i. 296. Cf. Sq.
Ta. 23.

In Book ii. ch. 4, is an account of his taking the field in per-
son, and acting with astonishing vigour and rapidity, even at the
age of seventy-three.

In Book ii. ch. 5, it is related that the enemy whom he
then subdued had Christians in his army, some of whom bore
standards on which the Cross was displayed. After the battle,
the Christians were bitterly taunted with this, and were told
that their Cross had not helped them. But Kublai reproved
the scoffers, saying that the Cross had done its part well in
not assisting the rebels. ' The Cross of your God did well in
that it gave him [the rebel chief] no help against the right.'
Cf. Sq. Ta. 16-21.

His rewards to his captains are described fully in chap. 7.
He gave them silver plate, ornaments, 'fine jewels of gold
and silver, and pearls and precious stones ; insomuch that the
amount that fell to each of them was something astonishing.'
Cf. Sq. Ta. 26.

His palace, ' the greatest palace that ever was,' is described
in chap. 10. It was situate 'in the capital city of Cathay,
which is called Cambaluc? The hall of the palace ' could easily
dine 6000 people.' The parks within its enclosure were full
of fine trees and ' beasts of sundry kinds, such as white stags
and fallow deer, gazelles, and roebucks,' &c. Cf. Sq. Ta.
60-62, 392.

' And when the great Kaan sits at table on any great court
occasion, it is in this fashion. His table is elevated a good
deal above the others, and he sits at the north end of the hall,
looking towards the south, with his chief wife beside him on
the left,' &c. ; i. 338. Near the table is a golden butt, at each

MARCO POLO. Xlv

corner of which is one of smaller size holding a firkin, ' and
from the former the wine or beverage flavoured with fine and
costly spices is drawn off into the latter;' i. 339. 'And when
the Emperor is going to drink, all the musical instruments, of
which he has vast store of every kind, begin to play ; ' i. 340.
' I will say nought about the dishes, as you may easily con-
ceive that there is a great plenty of every possible kind. And
when all have dined and the tables have been removed, then
come in a great number of players and jugglers, adepts at all
sorts of wonderful feats,' &c. ; i. 340. Cf. Sq. Ta. 59-68,
77-79, 266-271, 218, 219.

' You must know that the Tartars keep high festival yearly
on their birthdays. . . . Now on his birthday, the Great
Kaan dresses in the best of his robes, all wrought with beaten
gold ;' i. 343. ' On his birthday also, all the Tartars in the world,
and all the countries and governments that owe allegiance to
the Kaan, offer him great presents according to their several
ability, and according as prescription or orders have fixed the
amount;' i. 344. Cf. Sq. Ta. 44-47, 110-114.

The Kaan also holds a feast called the ' White Feast ' on New-
year's day. 'On that day, I can assure you, among the cus-
tomary presents there shall be offered to the Kaan from various
quarters more than 100,000 white horses, beautiful animals, and
richly caparisoned;' i. 346.

When he goes on a hunting expedition, ' he takes with him
full 10,000 falconers, and some 500 gerfalcons besides peregrines,
sakers, and other hawks in great number; ' i. 358. He also has
another ' grand park ' at Chandu ', ' where he keeps his gerfalcons
in mew;' i. 365. At p. 260 he is described again as 'very fond
of hawking.' At p. 2 37 the peregrine falcons are described par-
ticularly. At p. 220 we are told that the Tartars 'eat all kinds
of flesh, including that of horses and dogs, and Pharaoh's rats.'
Cf. Sq. Ta. 424-429, 69-71.

1 Evidently Shangtu, Coleridge's Xanadu. See his well-known lines—
•In Xanadu did Kubla Khan/ &c.

xl VI INTR OD UCTION.

In the great city of Kinsay 'there is an eminence on which
stands a tower.' This was used as an alarm-tower in case of
fire; see vol. ii. p. 148. This may serve to illustrate Chaucer's
' maister tour.' Still more curious is the account of the city of .
Mien, with its two towers covered with plates of gold and silver,
which 'form one of the finest sights in the world;' ii. 73.
These towers were, however, part of a mausoleum. Cf. Sq. Ta.
176, 226.

The following note about the Tartar invasion of Russia is also
worthy of attention.

' Rosia [Russia] is a very great province, lying towards the
north. . . . There are many strong defiles and passes in the
country; and they pay tribute to nobody except to a certain
Tartar king of the Ponent [i.e. West], whose name is Toctai ;
to him indeed they pay tribute, but only a trifle.' Marco Polo,
ed. Yule, ii. 417. On this passage Col. Yule has the note—
' Russia was overrun with fire and sword as far as Tver and
Torshok by Batu Khan (1237-38), some years before his invasion
of Poland and Silesia. Tartar tax-gatherers were established in
the Russian cities as far north as Rostov and Jaroslawl, and for
many years Russian princes as far as Novgorod paid homage to the
Mongol Khans in their court at Sarai 1. Their subjection to the
Khans was not such a trifle as Polo seems to imply ; and at least
a dozen princes met their death at the hands of the Mongol
executioner.'

Some of the Mongolian Tartars, known as the ' Golden Horde,'
conquered a part of S.E. Russia in 1223; in 1242 they estab-
lished the Empire of the Khan of Kaptschak (S.E. Russia), and
exercised great influence there. In 1380 was another Tartar
war; and in 1383 Moscow was burnt. The Tartar power in
Russia was crushed by the general of Ivan III in 1481. See
Haydn's Dictionary of Dates, under Golden Horde and Russia.

The whole subject of magic is so vast that it is not easy to
deal with it within a reasonable space. I must therefore content

1 This is Chaucer's ' Sarra ' ; see note to F 9.

THE MAGIC RING. xlvii

myself with pointing out a few references, &c., that seem most
worthy of being here noted.

the Magic Horse appears in the tale of Cleomades and Clare-
mond; see Keightley's Tales and Popular Fictions. Cervantes
has put him to memorable use in his Don Quixote, where he
describes him as ' that very wooden horse upon which the valiant
Peter of Provence carried off the fair Magalona *. This horse
is governed by a pin he has in his forehead, which serves for a
bridle,' &c. ; see Jarvis's translation, vol. ii. chap, xl., ed. 1809.
But the best story of the Enchanted Horse is in the Arabian
Nights' Entertainments, where he is said to have been presented
by an Indian to the king of Persia on the New Day, i.e. on the
first day of the solar year, at the vernal equinox. This horse is
governed by a peg in his neck, which was turned round when
it was necessary for him to fly : see the Arabian Nights' Enter-
tainment, published by Nimmo, 1865, p. 483 ; or the excellent
edition by Lane, vol. ii. p. 463, which varies considerably from the
more popular editions. Consult also the Story of the City of Brass,
in Lane's Arabian Nights, iii. 128 ; and the Legend of the Arabian
Astrologer, in the Tales of the Alhambra by Washington Irving.

The tale of Cleomades is alluded to, says Mr. Keightley, in
Caxton's edition of Reynart the Foxe, printed in 1481, in the
32nd chapter2. He also cites a note by Sir F. Madden that a
copy of the poem of Cleomades was purchased by Sir Thomas
Phillipps at Mr. Lang's sale in 1828 ; that an undated edition
of the Histolre Plaisante ft Recreative du noble et excellent cbe-ualier
Clamades et de la belle Clermonde was printed at Troyes ; and that
Les Aventures de Clamades et Clarmonde appeared in Paris in 1733.
Mr. Lane agrees with Mr. Keightley in considering the Tale of
Cleomades identical with that of the Enchanted Horse in the
Arabian Nights' Entertainments, and in supposing that it was

1 Mr. Keightley shews, in his Tales and Popular Fictions, p. 75, that
.Cervantes has confused two stories, (i) that of a prince carrying off
a princess on a wooden horse ; and (2) that of Peter of Provence run-
ning away with the fair Magalona.

a See Arber's reprint, p. 85. Reynard, &c.

xlviil INTRODUCTION.

originally a Persian story. Mr. Lane thinks it derived from the
' HezaY Afsdneh '; see his edition, ii. 491.

It is not out of place to observe that the town of Seville is
frequently mentioned in Cleomades, and we have seen that Cer-
vantes had heard of the story. Perhaps, then, we may suppose
that the story, originally Persian, found its way into Arabic, and
thence into Spain ; it would then soon be written down in Latin,
and thence be translated into French, and become generally
known. This must have happened, too, at an early period ; for
the French romance of Cleomades, extending to some 19,000
octosyllabic lines, was written by a poet named Adenes surnamed
le Roi, a native of Brabant, between the years 1275 and 1283;
see Keightley's Tales, p. 40.

Ihe Magic Mirror is much the same as the magic ivory tube,
furnished with glass, which enabled the user of it to see whatever
object he might wish to behold. This fancy occurs in the tale of
the Prince Ahmed and the Fairy Pari Banou, as told in Arabian
Nights' Entertainments (Nimmo, 1865), p. 501. It is hardly worth
while to pursue the subject further, as Warton's comments have
already been cited.

The Magic Ring is to be referred to the story of the seal-ring
made partly of brass and partly of iron, by which Solomon ob-
tained power over the evil Jinn ; see Lane's Arabian Nights, i. 31,
and consult the article on Finger-rings in the British Quarterly
Review, July, 1874, pp. 195, 204. The notion of its conferring
upon the wearer the power of understanding the language of
birds is connected with it, because this was one of the faculties
which Solomon possessed ; for we read in the Koran, as trans-
lated by Sale, that 'Solomon was David's heir; and he said,
" O men, we have been taught the speech of birds " ' ; ch. xxvii.
A clever Arabic epigram of the thirteenth century, ascribing to
King Solomon a knowledge of the language of birds and beasts, is
cited in Professor Palmer's History of the Jewish Nation, at
p. 93. Even Hudibras understood the language of birds; Hudib.
pt. i. c. i. 1. 547.

With regard to the Falcon, Leigh Hunt has well observed, in

THE TALE OF THE FALCON.

his Essay on Wit and Humour, that this bird is evidently 'a
human being, in a temporary state of metempsychosis, a cir-
cumstance very common in tales of the East.' This is certainly
true, as otherwise the circumstances of the story become
poor and meaningless; it is something more than a mere fable
like that of the Cock and Fox. If the story had been com-
pleted, shewing how the Falcon ' gat her love again,' we should
have seen how she was restored to her first shape, by means,
as Chaucer hints, of the magic ring; see 11. 559, 652. A talking
bird appears in the Story of the Sisters who envied their Younger
Sister, the last in some editions of the Arabian Nights' Enter-
tainments, but it is not transformed. On the other hand, in the
story of Beder, Prince of Persia, in the same collection — which,
by the way, mentions a magic ring — we find Prince Beder trans-
formed into a white bird, and recovering his shape on being
sprinkled with magic water ; but he does not speak while so
metamorphosed. The story of a boy who understands the lan-
guage of birds occurs in the Seven Sages, ed. Wright, p. 106 ; and
Mr. Wright shews, in his Introduction, that such oriental tales
are of great antiquity, and known in Europe in the thirteenth
century. He refers the reader to an Essai sur les Fables Indiennes,
ft sur leur Introduction en Europe, by M. Deslongchamps, published
in 1838.

The reader should not forget the hint at p. xvii above, that
some expressions in the Squire's Tale are taken from the poem
of Queen Annelida.

With respect to the ending of the Squire's Tale, two attempts
at least have been made to complete it. Spenser, in his Faerie
Queene, accounts for the fighting for Canacee, but he omits all
about Cambuscan and the Falcon. Another ending was written
by John Lane1 in 1630, and is contained in MS. Ashmole 6937,
in the Bodleian Library. It is, according to Warton, a very
weak performance ; see his Observations on the Faerie Queene,
.p. 2 1 4.

1 A friend of Milton's father; see Masson, Life of Milton, i. 42.
VOL. H. d

INTRODUCTION.

GRAMMATICAL FORMS.

For an account of the Grammatical Forms occurring in
Chaucer's English, I may refer the reader to the Introduction
to Dr. Morris's edition of the Prologue, &c. ; pp. xxxi-xlii (srd
ed. 1872). The remarks there made of course apply equally
well to the extracts printed in the present volume. A few of the
most remarkable features of the grammar are, for convenience,
cited here, with examples and references.

(I may here state, by the way, that some account of the
pronunciation of English in Chaucer's time will be found in the
Introduction to my edition of The Man of Lawes Tale, in the
Clarendon Press Series.)

K"ouns. The nominative plural in -es is mostly used where
the stem is monosyllabic. (By the stem is meant the form of the
substantive when divested of inflection ; thus, taking the words
man, dayes, nyghte, the stems are man, day-, nyght-, since in the
two last words the suffixes -es and -e are inflectional. Also, the
two dots over the e in -es signify that the suffix -es forms a dis-
tinct syllable.) Ex. wyues, B 59 ; woundes, 62 ; fere's, 70 ; muses,
92. Here the monosyllabic stem gives rise to a dissyllabic form,
the plural-ending -es constituting a separate syllable.

When the stem has two or more syllables, the plural-ending
is sometimes written -s (or -«) and sometimes -es, but the ending
does not increase the number of syllables. Ex. degrees, 812;
lordinges, 16; metres, 48; loueres, 53; sermouns, 87; marchauntz,
122. The neuter plural hors is worth notice ; see B 1823.

The gen. case singular commonly ends in -es, as godd'e's, B
1166, 1169, 1175; mann'e's, 1630; ivyu'e's, 1631. An example of
a feminine genitive in -e is seen in sonne strem'e's, 3944. A still
more curious example, of a masculine genitive in -e, is seen in
mone fyght, 2070 ; this is explained by remembering that the
A.S. mona, the moon, does not become mones in the genitive,
but monan. These examples have a peculiar interest as ex-
plaining the present forms of the names of the days of the

GRAMMATICAL FORMS. II

week. The A.S. names are Sunnan dxg. Monan dxg, Tiwes dseg,
Wbdnes dxg, Ihunres dxg, Frige dxg, Sxter dseg 1 ; so that the
modern English has the letter s only in those names where
the -es formerly appeared, and in no others.

Adjectives. The definite form of the adjective (the stem
being monosyllabic) is well marked by the addition of the
finale. Ex. whyte, B 1651; grete, 1672; news, 1817. We
even have excellent e, F 145.

The vocative is also similarly denoted. Ex. 0 grete, 1797;
O der'e, 1835 ; O yonge, 1874.

So also the plural number. Ex. wyse, B 128; smalls', 1691;
olde, 3164. But not when the stem is of more than one syllable,
and the accent is thrown back ; see prudent, 123 ; lerned, 1168.

An instance of an adjective of Romance origin forming the
plural in -es is afforded by the word rotates, B 2038. The words
innocent z, B 1798, gent Us, E 480, subgetz, E 482, and others, are
used as substantives.

Pronouns. We may note the joining of the pronoun to the
verb, as in artow, B 1885 ; may stow, 3267 ; tuostow, £325. See
these forms explained in the Glossary.

Which tfoat = \vho, £205; which that= whom, B 3938; what
that = whatsoever, E 165; the ivhiche - who, £269; whiche—
what sort of, E 2421 ; w/w/ = why, B 56, E 1221 ; that . . bis=*
whose, 1694; what man jo = whatsoever man, F 157; what man
that = whoever, F 160. See also the Glossary.

Verbs. There are several examples of the contracted form of
the present tense singular, 3rd person, from stems ending in d
or /. Ex. stant for standeth, B 3116 ; sit for sitteth, 3358 ; writ
for wryteth, 3516 ; hit for hideth, F 512 ; last for lasteth, E 266 ;
sent for sendeth, E 1151 ; bit for biddeth, F 291. In the past tense
of such verbs as are entitled to take the full ending in -ede,
answering to the A.S. -ode, I cannot but suspect that the actual

1 The form Sateres datg also occurs, in the Blickling Homilies, p. 71.
We also find Sceternes at a later period.

da

Hi INTRODUCTION.

suffix used was considerably influenced by the form of the stem.
In some cases this awkward ending (awkward for verse especially
because consisting of two unaccented syllables) would most easily
pass into the form -ed, and in others into the form -de in pronun-
ciation, whilst at the same time the most careful scribes would
often write the ending in full. In a word like louede, for example,
the easier way is to turn it into lov'de, and such I consider to have
been Chaucer's usage, as seems hinted by the following lines in
the Knightes Tale (11. 338, 339, 340, 344) —

' For in this world he lov'de no man so,
And he lov'd' him as tendrely agayn ;
So wel they lovd\ as olde booke's sayn . . .
Duk Perotheiis lov'de wel Arcite.'

So too we find '/ lov'ti' alwey ' in B 1847. In some cases we
actually find -de written, as in ansiverde, B 1170, E 299, F 599,
from A.S. andswarode ; and again preyd'e clearly stands for preyede,
and rimes with deyde and leyde, E 548, although, in E 680, it takes
rather the form preyed.

Verbs of this character do not seem to be numerous, and the
more usual method was to omit the final e instead of the
medial one; as shewn in words like swowned, F 443, eyled, F
501, &c., which are sufficiently common. But it is somewhat
remarkable that the poet seems to have had some aversion for
the suppression of this e, if we may judge by the numerous cases
in which he contrives to make (he following word begin with
a vowel, which rendered the elision of the final -e more tolerable
and regular. See, for example, peyntede, F 560, demede, 563,
obeyede, 569, couered(e), 644. The full forms, unabridged and
unelided, occur occasionally, e.g. seruede, E 640 ; and, in the
plural, hatede, E 731 ; refuseden, 128. This is an interesting
point, and deserving one day of being fully worked out.

Particular attention should be paid to the forms of the past
tenses of weak and strong verbs. The stem being monosyllabic,
the past tense singular of a weak verb is of more than one
syllable; but the past tense singular of a strong verb must
necessarily remain monosyllabic. This is the more noteworthy,

GRAMMATICAL FORMS. liii

because the final -e in Chaucer is pronounced so frequently, and
for so many reasons, that the student is apt to lose sight of those
grammatical principles which are the best giiide to the spelling
and metre. Amidst the crowd of inflections, clear cases of
non-inflection become both instructive and valuable, and recal
the reader to a sense of the underlying regularity that governs
the harmonious whole. Note then the monosyllabic nature of
words like sey, B i, took, 10, shoon, n, stood, 1163, bar, 1652, and
a large number of others. Even in the second person, where a
final -e appears in the Oldest English, I find but few in Chaucer;
see, e.g. thou drank, B 3416; thou yaf, 3641, though these cases
are not decisive, because a vowel follows in both instances. In
E 1068 we find Thou bare, but here again the word him follows,
and perhaps the form bar may be preferred. However, bigonne
(Group G, 1. 442) is a clear instance of inflection.

Another class of words essentially monosyllabic is seen in the
2nd person singular of the imperative mood, though there are
a few exceptions. Ex. tel, B 1167, help, 1663, ryd, 3117, eet, 3640,
tak, 3641. The word herkn'e, 113, is no real exception, because
the stem is herkn-, not berk- ; it belongs to that interesting class
of verbs which is best illustrated by the Moeso-Gothic verbs in
-nan, all of which have a passive or neuter signification. The
plural imperative in -th or -eth occurs frequently. Ex. gooth,
bringeth, B 3384, beth, E i,prechetb, E 12. But as, in addressing
persons, the words thou and ye are sometimes confused (though in
general well distinguished, as pointed out in the Notes), it is not
uncommon to find the final -th omitted. For example, in the
Host's address to the Clerk at the beginning of the Clerk's
Tale, he endeavours to use the respectful terms ye and your, but
once raps out the familiar thy (1. 14) ; and accordingly, we find
telle, not telleth, in 11. 9, 15, and keepe in 1. 17. Similarly, after
draiueth in B 1632, we have in the next line passe and lat us.
Cf. accepteth, E 127, with chese, 130. In the past participles of
weak verbs, the final -ed is usually a distinct syllable, as in par-
fourned, B 1646, 1648; but just as we saw above an occasional
tendency to turn -ede of the past tense into -de, so here we find

liv INTRODUCTION.

the W turned into -d\ as in apayd, 1897, /«#?/</, 3713, kembd, E
379 ; and even when it is written as -ed, it is sometimes sounded
as -d, or nearly so, especially when a vowel (or b) begins the
next word, as in ycaried hem, B 3240, ivered it, 3315, <wered
al, 3320, &c. Sometimes the ending is written /, as in abayst, E
ion.

METRE AND VERSIFICATION.

Stanzas. The stanzas employed by Chaucer have already
been mentioned. The seven-line stanza, derived from the
French, is employed in the Man of Law's Prologue, in the
Prioress's Prologue and Tale, in the Clerk's Tale, .and in other
Tales and Poems not here printed. The rime-formula is
ababbcc; by which is meant (see B 99-105) that the first
and third lines rime together, as denotd by a a (po-verte, herte) ;
the second, fourth, and fifth lines rime together, as denoted
by b b b (confounded, wounded, ivounde bid) ; and the last two,
c r, rime together (indigence, despence). This is Chaucer's
favourite stanza.

At the end of the Clerk's Tale is an Envoy, in a six-line
stanza. The rime-formula is a b a b c b, all the six stanzas having
the same rimes. The Monk's Tale is in an eight-line stanza,
also from the French. The rime-formula v-> a b a b b c I c.
Spenser's stanza, in the Faerie Queene, is deduced from this
by the addition of a ninth line of twelve syllables (commonly
called an Alexandrine) riming with the eighth line; according
to the formula ababbcbcc.

The Rime of Sir Thopas is in imitation of a favourite
ballad-metre of the period. The rime-formula is a a b c c b;
but c often coincides with a, giving the formula a a b a a b, which
is, indeed, the commoner form of the two. Some stanzas are
lengthened out by adding a tag beginning with a very short line,
which introduces an additional half-stanza. The free swing of
these stanzas introduces a somewhat looser rhythm than in other
poems. Chaucer takes much care to elide the final -e in many

METRE AND VERSIFICATION. JV

places, and in other places disregards it, so as considerably to
reduce the number of faint additional syllables. On this account
instances where the final -<• is preserved are the more inter-
esting, and a list of them is here added, neglecting those which
occur at the ends of lines. I include also the instances where
the final -es, -en, and -ed form distinct syllables.

Final -es. The final -es is sounded in the genitive singular;
as, goddes, 1913, bores, 2060, swerdes, 2066. In the plural; as
lippes, 1916, herbes, 1950, 2103 ; briddes, 1956 ; sydes, 1967, 2026 ;
stones, 2018 ; lordes, 2078 ; romances, 2038, 2087 ; popes, cardinales,
2039. Note also the proper names Flmtndres, 1909, Brugges, 1923.

It marks an adverbial ending in nedes, 2031.

Final -ed. The final -ed occurs in the past tense of a weak
verb, viz. dremed, 1977.

Final -en. The final -en marks the infinitive mood in abyen,
2oi2,percen, 2oi^,slepen, 2 100; liggen, 2101; tellen, 2036, is a gerund.
In one case it marks the plural of a substantive ; viz. in hosen, 1923.

Final -e. In the following substantives (of A. S. origin), it
represents the vowels a or e ; ttede (A. S. steda), 1941, 1972,
2074 ; sonne (A. S. sunne, Moeso-Goth. sunna or sunno), 2069 ;
spere (A. S. spere, Old Friesic spiri, spere, sper), 2071 ; also name
(A. S. nama) 1998 ; but in L 1907 it is monosyllabic, or nearly so.
The word lake answers to the Dutch laken, cloth, 2048. The
genitive mone for A. S. monan in 1. 2070 has already been com-
mented on ; p. 1, last line but one. The final -e in a word of
French origin appears in robe, 1924, answering to the Proven gal
and Low Latin rauba.

In the following adjectives we note the definite form used in
his faire, 1965 ; the softe, 1969 ; the siueete, 2041 ; bis nuhyte, 2047 ;
bis goode, 2093; his bryghte, 2102. The plural forms are nuilde,
1926, bothe, 1946, 2030, 2082. In 1. 1974 the word benedicite
becomes ben'dic'te, as in many other passages, shewing that the
final -e in O seinte marks the vocative case ; unless indeed we
pronounce the word se'int as two syllables, as Mr. Ellis pro-
nounces it in 1. 120 of the Prologue. The latter treatment is
hardly required here.

Ivi INTRODUCTION.

In verbs we have -e in the infinitive mood, as in telle, 1903,
1939 ; tneete, 2008 ; and in the gerundial infinitive to bynde, 1976.
Also in the past tense singular of weak verbs; as coste, 1925,
coude, 1926, sivatte, 1966, dorste, 1995, seyde, 2000, 2035, dide (in
the sense of put on), 2047, nolde, 2100. Also, in the subjunctive
mood, as bityde, 2064. And lastly, we even find it in the first
person singular of the present tense in the word hope, 2010 : in
which case we may observe that the A. S. verb is hopian, not
hopan, and the A. S. first person singular present is hopige, not
hope ; which accounts more easily for the result.

An e appears in the middle of the following words, and con-
stitutes a syllable ; launcegay, 1942, 2011 ; notemuge, 1953 ; <wode-
doivue, 1960; softely, 2076.

All the above results should be compared with the rules in
Dr. Morris's Introduction to the Prologue. They exemplify most
of the more important rules, and may serve to prepare us for
the consideration of Chaucer's metre as employed in his rimed
couplets. The whole of the rules for scansion, as regards the
poems printed in the present volume, may be roughly com-
pressed into the following practical directions: —

1. Always pronounce the final -es, -ed, -en or -e, as a distinct and
separate syllable, whether at the end of a line or in the middle of
one, with the exceptions noted below, and a few others.

2. The final -e is almost invariably elided, and other light
syllables (especially -ed,-en,-er,-es) are constantly slurred over
and nearly absorbed, whenever the next word following begins
with a vowel or is one of the words (beginning with h) in the
following list, viz. he, his, him, her, hir, hem, hath, hadde, have,
hoiu, beer. Ex. open, B 1684 ; yeomen, 1687.

3. The final -e is sometimes elided or ignored in the words
haue, hadde (when used as an auxiliary), were, nere, <wo!de, nolde
(used as auxiliaries), thise, othere, and in a very few other
cases, best learnt by practice and observation. Ex. volume,
B 60 ; richesse, 107 ; both due to the position of the accent.

These three rules will go a very long way, and when
thoroughly understood, practised, and tested by the requirements

METRE AND VERSIFICATION. Ivii

of grammar, will only require to be supplemented by a few
other considerations to render the scansion of Chaucer's lines
a very easy matter.

As this question of the scansion of Chaucer has attracted a
good deal of attention, a few general considerations affecting
the whole subject may not be out of place here.

Feminine Rimes. We have seen that Chaucer derived the
forms of his metre from the French. It has been a subject of
discussion, whether in his rimes he followed the French habit of
riming, where masculine rimes are the rule, or the Italian habit,
where feminine rimes are the rule ; it being understood that by
masculine rimes ai'e meant monosyllabic ones, as in day, lay, and
by feminine rimes such as are dissyllabic, as in asunder, thunder.
Undoubted instances of both kinds occur frequently ; but
as regards the above question, the right answer is that
Chaucer had no need to follow either the French or the Italian
in this particular; we had, long before his time, a well estab-
lished English habit, and it is the Old English of an earlier
period that we may most reasonably consult for our guidance
here. Examination of earlier poems shews that he was at perfect
liberty to use either masculine or feminine rimes at pleasure,
and this is just what he has done. The English feminine rimes
are a stumbling-block to some, no doubt because modern English
is, from the nature of the case, very sparing in their use, but in
old English they were all-abundant. Dr. Guest, in his History of
English Rhythms, instances rimes like wide, side, frodne, godne,
Icenne, scenne, as occurring in early alliterative poems ; and who-
ever will turn to a curious poem in the Codex Exoniensis
known as the Riming Poem (p. 353 in Thorpe's edition) will
find that the masculine and feminine rimes are freely intermixed,
the number of lines with monosyllabic rime-endings being only
47 out of 172, or a little more than a quarter of the whole. In
the remarkable poem called A Moral Ode (printed in Old English
Homilies, ed. Morris, ist Series, p. 159) consisting of 396 lines,
there is not one undoubted instance of masculine rime from be-
ginning to end; and again, in a poem entitled a Good Orison of

1 viii 1NTR OD UCTION.

Our Lady (id. p. 191), consisting of 171 lines, the masculine
lines are in a small minority, though we find just a few, as
biset, let) <was, }pes, me, ¥e, beo, fyeo, ])/'«, miti, charite, me, dai, lai,
leafdi, marie. So again, in such a poem as Havelok the Dane,
the number of feminine rimes is really very large, though a
number of them are due to a final -e, and therefore less striking
to a reader acquainted with modern English only. Yet even
here, the frequent appearance of rimes like i-maked, naked,
sellen, diuellen, kesten,festen, maked, quaked, herden,ferden, Jitngen,
dungen, &c., is quite enough to show even the beginner that
feminine rimes were distinctly sought after ; especially when he
observes such lines as 11. 240-245, where the rimes laten, graten,
ringen, singen, reden, leden, occur in an unbroken succession.

If again, leaving these early examples, we turn to Spenser's
Mother Hubbard's Tale, written in the same metre as the greater
part of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, we find that the fifth and
sixth lines are as follows : —

•And the hot Syrian dog on him awayting,
After the chafed Lyons cruell bayting,'

where the effect of the feminine rime is well exemplified. There
are several more of them in the same poem, as geason, reason,
11. II, 12 ; betided, misguided, 11. 37, 38 ; civil!, e-vill, 11. 45, 46, and
the like ; and it is clear that Spenser recognised them as a beauty,
and would no doubt have employed them more freely, if the
language of his day had permitted of their frequent use.
Chaucer was more fortunate, and has accordingly used them
in abundance.

A good deal of misconception, and much needless mystification of
what is really very simple when rightly explained, have arisen from
the absurdity of confusing different dialects of English. It has
been argued that we need not expect to find many examples of the
final -e in Chaucer, because there are few to be found in Robert
of Brunne, or in Hampole. or in Minot ! The expectation of
finding examples of the final -e in poems of the Northern dialect
can only have arisen from not recognising that it is precisely in

METRE AND VERSIFICATION. llX

this respect that the Northern and Southern dialects are most
opposed ; on which account the non-occurrence of the final -e
in Northern poems is a phenomenon of no importance what-
ever to the right scansion of Chaucer : and if any one should
expect to learn something further about Chaucer's metre from
a consideration of the system of scansion employed in Barbour's
Bruce, for example, he would certainly meet with disappoint-
ment. Yet even in a Midland poem with Northern tendencies,
like Havelok the Dane, we find plenty of examples of feminine
rimes and of the final -e; much more then may we claim
feminine rimes and frequent examples of the use of final -e for
poems like Chaucer's, in which the Midland dialect has ten-
dencies decidedly Southern. In one word, if the student who
compares one poem with another neglects the consideration of
the dialects employed, he will hardly obtain other than confused
and contradictory ideas upon the subject.

There is yet another difficulty that has been raised. It has
been argued that the metre of Occleve's and Lydgate's poems
is rather rough, halting, and irregular; and that therefore we
ought not to expect perfect smoothness in Chaucer. Even if
we grant one of the premises, the conclusion does not follow.
Chaucer seems to have had a perfect ear for melody, such as his
successors did not attain to ; and again, Chaucer lived just at the
very end of the inflected period of English, when the traditions of
the usages of Anglo-Saxon grammar were only "just preserved in
the Southern dialect, and in the Midland dialect where it bordered
on the Southern, but had wellnigh disappeared in the North as
far as the inflections in -e are concerned. In confirmation of this
we may point to Gower's Confessio Amantis, written as late
as 1393, but with an abundance of inflectional endings; whilst
another excellent example is presented by a translation of Pal-
ladius on Husbandry, written perhaps after 1400, and lately
published by the Early English Text Society. In this work, the
author sometimes copies Chaucer's phrases, and has throughout
adopted Chaucer's seven-line stanza ; and many of the pecu-
liarities of Chaucer's diction and metre can be found in it.

Ix INTRODUCTION.

Here, for example, we may find the plural in -es constituting
a distinct syllable, as in

'The chenes, holes, poles, mencle;' i. 442.

'Set rakes, crookes, adse's, and bycornes;' i. 1161.

Here too is the plural adjective in -e, as in

' Oute of the kynde of wilde gees cam thay ; ' i. 705.

Here is the adverbial ending in -es ;

'Wol ones sitte on eyron [eggs] twies ten;' i. 672.

So too we find the adverbial -e in Uicbe, i. 167; the -e in a
nominative case of substantive, due to an A. S. -a, as in balke,
ii. 16, from the A. S. balca; the -e sounded in the middle of a
word, as in molde*u>arf>, i. 924 ; the imperative plural in -etb, as
in ennolnteth, i. 191 ; the coalescence of the definitive article with
the substantive, as thende for the ende, iii. 1106, and of the word
to with a gerund, as to e sc hew = te scheiv, i. 776; and many other
things worthy of note, as being common in the poems of Chaucer.
Feminine rimes occur frequently, as shewn by such rimes as
redes, drede is, i. 743 ; season, reason, i. 258 ; mewes, necessarie,
eschew is, ad<versarie, warit, all in succession, i. 526; and a
whole host of rimes involving the final -e.

If then we do not permit our familiarity with modern English
to stand in our way ; if we will but recognise the fact that the
Middle-English poets delighted in feminine rimes, such as the
grammatical usage of the period often furnished in abundance ; if
we can but remember that the rimes of the Northern dialect are,
on account of the grammatical difference, more likely to differ
from than to resemble those of the Southern dialect, and must
therefore be kept distinct from them ; if we can remember that
Chaucer's metre is to be compared with Gower's Confessio
Amantis and such a poem as that of the translation of Palla-
dius on Husbandry; and if we observe that even Pope did not
consider it ' incorrect ' to rime cowards with Howards, we shall be
enabled to steer clear of the worst error which the student of
Chaucer's metre can commit, viz. the ignoring of final -e as a

METRE AND VERSIFICATION. Ixi

distinct syllable at the end of a line. Instead of this, we shall be
prepared to expect the frequent occurrence of feminine rimes,
and to be best satisfied when they come most often. And on
the other hand, we shall by no means always expect that, after
ending a line (F 675) \vithyoutbe, the poet will take the trouble
to end the next line with allow the, merely to impress upon our
dulness thatyoutbe is dissyllabic. Rather should we be prepared
to be fully awake to this peculiarity of his, and at once recognise
whole stanzas equipped with feminine rimes, as in B 99-105,
113-119, 1713-1719, 1755-1761, 1783-1789, 3317-3324, 3389-
3396, and a number of others, the discovery of which may now
be left to the reader's sagacity, noting only, by way of conclusion,
the wonderful Envoy to the Clerk's Tale, E 1177-1212, with its
thirty-six consecutive rimes of this character.

Caesura. The above question, of the frequent occurrence
of feminine rimes, has been discussed rather fully, because it
tends to throw some light upon the use made by Chaucer of the
caesura or middle pause. Let us ask ourselves why feminine rimes
are permissible, and we shall reflect that it is because, at the ena
of a line, the poet is FREE ; because the pause that naturally
occurs there enables him to insert an additional syllable with
ease, or even two additional syllables, as is so constantly the case,
for example, in Shakespeare, who thinks nothing of lengthening
out a line into such a form as —

•Untainted, unexamined, free, at liberty;' Rich. Ill, iii. 6. 9.

Now, just as this pause at the end of the line leaves the poet
free, so, in a lesser degree, does the medial pause or caesura which
occurs near the middle of every line, leave him free likewise.
We might from this naturally expect to find that, at this point
also, an additional syllable is occasionally inserted. And this
is precisely what we sometimes do find, the following being
examples : —

•And steleth from us— what priuely slepinge ; ' B 21.
'Or elles, certes — ye ben to daiingerous;' 2129.
4 Which that my fader — in his prosperitee ; ' 3385.

Ixii INTRODUCTION.

' That god of heuen — hath dominacioun ; ' 3409.
'And him restored — his regne and his figure;' 3412.
' To Mede's and to Perses yiuen — quod he ; ' 3425.
'Why she conquered — and what till' had therto ; ' 3512.
'Out of his dore's— anon he hath him dyght;' 3719.

In the same way, we may expect to find in such a position a
final -e which ought to be preserved, as in these examples.

' Was as in lengthe — the same quantitee ; ' B 8.
'If thou noon aske — with ned* artow so wounded;' 102.
'Nay! by my fader soule— that shal he nat;' 1178.
'For to declare — thy grete worthynesse ; ' 1672.
'So loude — that al the place gan to ringe;' 1803.
'Me thoughte — she leyd' a greyn vpon my_tonge';' 1852.
'That shal he fynde— that hir misdooth or seith;' 3112.
' He slow and rafte — the skin of the leoiin ; ' 3288.
' A lemman hadde — this noble champioun ; ' 3309.
'And him birafte — the regne that he hadde;' 3404.
'Eek thou, that art his sone— art proud also;' 3413.
' Within the felde — that dorste with hir fyghte ; ' 3530.
' Thy brother sone — that was thy doubl' allye ; ' 3593.
'The gayler shette— the dore's of the tour;' 3615.
1 His children wende — that it for hunger was ; ' 3637.
'That highte Dante — for he can al deuyse ; ' 3651.

Of course this middle pause often preserves from elision a syllable
that would otherwise be elided. Examples are : —

'Fro the sentence— of this tretis lyte;' 2153.
'Beth war by this ensample — old and playn;' 3281.
' Than had your tale — al be told in vayn ; ' 3989.

In some cases it makes little difference whether we look upon
a final syllable as preserved from elision by the caesura, which at
the same time permits its full sound to be given to it, or to be
regularly elided according to the usual rule. Either way the
line scans. Examples are: —

METRE AND VERSIFICATION. Ixiii

'And therfor by the shad we — he took his wit;' B 10.

'To tell* a storie — 1 wol doon my labour;' 1653.

'This povre widwe — awaiteth al that nyght;' 1776.

•Into miserie — and endeth wrecchedly;' 3167.

'Out of misdrie— in which that thou art falle;' 3196.

' In which his glorie — and his delyt he hadde ; ' 3340.

' Toward Cenobie — and shortly for to se"ye ; ' 3545.

•And the contrarie — is ioie and gre"t solas;' 3964.
I will merely add that the introduction of an extra syllable
at the place of the caesura is not peculiar to Chaucer, but a
common habit of English verse1. Indeed, as Mr. Abbott points
out (Shak. Gram. 3rd ed. p. 398), Shakespeare did not hesitate
to insert here two additional syllables if he was so minded, as for
example : —

' To me inveterate — hearkens my brother's suit ; '

Tempest, I. 2. 122,

Trisyllabic Feet. The use of feet containing three syllables
is still common in English verse, as in this line from Pope —
'Or laugh and shake in Rabe/a/s easy chair' —

where the fifth foot, printed in italics, is trisyllabic. Examples
in Chaucer are : —

'That r&uysedest doun fro the deitee;1 B 1659.

'A perilous man of dede;' 1999 (Sir Thopas).

'And therin silked a lilie flour;' 2097 (id.).

'Comprehended in this litel tretis heer;' 2147.

'Or ellw / am but lost, but-if that I; ' 3105.

' That had.de the king Nabugodonosor ; ' 3335.

'lie twyes wan Jerusa/em the citee;' 3337.

' And yaf him wit ; and than, with many a ter'e ; ' 3368.

' Caught with the lymrod, coloured as the glede ; ' 3574-

' And cover' hir bryghte fac' as with a cloude ; ' 3956.

1 ' If there be no Cesure at all, and the verse long, the Jesse is the
makers skill and hearers delight ; ' Pultenham, Arte of English Poesic,
ed. Arber, p. 88.

Ixiv INTRODUCTION.

Accent. The position of the accent in a given word greatly
affects the preservation or suppression of the final syllable,
especially in substantives of French origin. Thus in the word
fortune, if the accent is on the first syllable, the final e is
troublesome to pronounce, and is dropped, so that it becomes
fortun\ much the same as in modern English; see B 3185.
But if the accent be on the second syllable, the final e is easily
retained, so that we then have the trisyllabic word fortune, as
in B 3191. For other examples, observe the silent -e in 'volume,
B 60, and in rtchesse, B 107, as compared with richest e, £795.
The same remark is equally true for words ending in -es, some-
times written s ; so that we find batails, B 3509; but baiaiUe,
E 1198 ; colours, F 39, but colour es, F 511. Further examples
may be found.

Licenses. When all allowances have been made for the effect
of the caesura and the occasional use of the trisyllabic foot,
all the apparent irregularities in Chaucer's metre are very nearly
disposed of. If, besides this, the reader is acquainted with
some scheme that approximately represents the old pronuncia-
tion — and even the mere pronunciation of all the vowels
according to some continental system is better than nothing —
he will soon enter into the beauty of the melody of the
versification of a poet who not only naturally possessed an
exquisite delicacy of ear, but had the advantage of using a
flexible yet energetic dialect, that combined the softness of the
Romance with the strength of the Teutonic. Yet we need
not suppose him to have been a slave to rules, but rather a
master of language; and if he anywhere chooses to ignore a
final -e that grammatically ought to be sounded, it need not cause
us any great surprise. As Mr. Ellis has well pointed out (Early
Eng. Pronunciation, pt. i. p. 322), poets like Goethe, Schiller,
and Heine constantly do the same thing ; as when, for example,
Goethe writes heui1 for heute in the line (Tasso, Act i.)—

' Ich sah ihn heut' von fern ; er hielt ein Buch.'
There is, accordingly, one instance in particular where

METRE AND VERSIFICATION. Ixv

Chaucer seems to have really done this, viz. in the first person
singular indicative of verbs. Ex. warn', B 16 ; bef, 3087 ; prey,
E 154. There are numerous instances, too, where a few very
common words, such as haue, hadde, were, nere, ivolde, nolde,
are mere monosyllables ; but it is remarkable that this is
seldom the case with shold'e ; see B 1848, 3753. And if, on
the other hand, the poet wished to use <wo!de as a dissyllable, of
course he could do so ; see F 577, where wolde and moste
occur in the same line. Then, again, owing to the more
equable accent upon certain words in the olden time, he often
chose to vary the accent, laying the stress at one time upon
one syllable, and at another time upon another ; so that honour,
for example, in B 1654, is followed by honour in the very next
line; and again, fortun' in 1. 3185, with the -e suppressed, be-
comes fortune only six lines lower (1. 3191) with the -e sounded.
In order to obtain a rime more easily, he at one time makes
bees the plural of bee, E 2422, and at another time uses been,
F 204; cf. Nuns' Pr. Ta. 571. In the Clerk's Tale, he uses
the various forms Grisild, Grisilde, Grisildls, with a variable
accent, evidently for mere convenience of rhythm. At one
time he uses dey'e (pronounced something like dai-ye J) to
rime with prey'e, B 3232, and at another has dye (pronounced
something like dee-ye) to rime with cry'e, tirannye, 3631, 3700.
Perhaps there may have been a similar uncertainty with re-
spect to the old word for high ; for though Chaucer uses hy'e
(riming with folye, C. T. ed. Wright, 12436), the scribes con-
stantly write heighe or heye, and both pronunciations are indicated
in the House of Fame (Hi. 43, 72).

The license that, to us moderns, is the least pleasing, is that
of making the first foot to consist of a single accented syllable,
as first pointed out by me in 1866 2 ; the following instances may
serve to illustrate my meaning : —

1 By at I mean the sound in fail, tail, sail ; by ee that in meet, feet ; by
-ye I mean German -je, i.e. a.y-sound followed by a German final -e.

2 In Lowell's article on Chaucer in ' My Study Windows,' it is as-
serted that ' his ear would never have tolerated the verses of nine

VOL. ii. e

] X vi INTR OD UCTION.

' By I a mayde, lyk to hir stature;' E 257.
' Til / wel ny the day bigan to springe ; ' F 346.
'Lygkt/ly, for to pley' and walk* on fote ; ' F 390.
' /a/son ? certe's, ne non other man ; ' F 549.

In some cases, where the stress is thus thrown on to syllables
that are ill-suited for bearing so heavy a stress, the effect is
simply bad. Examples are —

'Bui /a gouernour wyly and wys ; ' 83130.
M«tf/Hermanno and Thymalao j ' 3535.

Here an editor is strongly tempted to suggest a correction ; but
the MSS. afford little help. Perhaps the true reading may be,
in the former case, ' But lyk [or, art] a governour,' &c. ; but this
lacks authority. In the latter case, Boccaccio writes Heremianus
in one of his books, and Herennianus in the other; if we might
invent either the form Hermiano or Heremanno, it would certainly
make the line scan better, and at the same time come nearer to
the original. After all, collation with more MSS. may explain
some of these apparently imperfect lines.

There is another license worth a passing mention. Owing
to the confusion in the declension of substantives due to the
gradual advance in the language, the tendency was to decline
substantives according to a formula which made the nominative
and accusative alike, and assigned -es to the genitive and -e to the
dative. Many nominatives also came to end in -e, representing
A. S. -a, -e, -o, -«, so that in such substantives the formula was
reduced to -es for the genitive, and -e for all other cases; a plan
which was recommended by its superior simplicity. Hence
some substantives came to claim an -e in the nominative to

syllables, with a strong accent on the first, attributed to him by Mr.
Skeate (s/'c) and Dr. Morris.' But we must go by the evidence ; and, as
for nine-syllable lines, they certainly occur in The Vision of Sin, by
a poet whose ear no one blames —

• Then / methought I heard a hollow sound,
Gdth / ering up from all the lower ground.'

METRE OF THE SQUIRE'S TALE. Ixvii

which they had no right ; so that we need not be surprised at
such forms as chllde (A. S. did), B 1996 ; quene (A. S. c-iuen), 3538.
There are a considerable number of similar forms in Dr. Strat-
mann's Old-English Dictionary. Out of the abundance of the
final is as both written and sounded in the thirteenth and
fourteenth centuries came the abundance of the same, still
written but seldom sounded, of the fifteenth century, and the
well-known final -e, never sounded, of modern times, preserved
only because it served at last to indicate that the preceding
vowel was a long one.

PRONUNCIATION.

For an account of the pronunciation of English in the time of
Chaucer, I must refer the reader to the Introduction to my
edition of Chaucer's Man of Lawes Tale, &c, in the
Clarendon Press Series.

METRICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SQUIRE'S TALE,
PART I.

Perhaps the following analysis of the first Part of the Squire's
Tale will best shew which of the rules are of most frequent use.
The order of them follows that in Dr. Morris's Introduction,
3rd ed. pp. xliii-xlviii.

1. Lines of eleven syllables. These abound, owing to the free
use of final -e at the end of a line, as above explained ; e.g. F 5, 6,
9, 10, 19, 20, &c. But the beginner will most easily recognise
such cases as II. 149, 150, ending with heuem, steuene, and 11. 257, 258
(wonder, thonder). Also with final -es, 67, 68, 117, 118, 205, 206,
233> 234, 283> 284, 285, 286; and with final -ed, 181, 182, 201,

202.

2. Lines with only one syllable in the first foot. At least three ;
viz. 346, 390, 549. Probably, 251.

e 2

INTRODUCTION.

3. I insert here a note of rimes formed by repeating a syllable;
diademe, deme, 43 ; affecc'ions, protections, 55 ; deuyse, seruyse, 65,
279; selves, heronsewes, 67; recours, cours, 75; deliriously, sodeynly,
79; style, style (words thus repeated must be used in different
senses), 105; constellation, cper acton, 129; see, Canacee, 143; fore,
adv., here, verb, 145 ; been, verb, been, sb. pi. 203 ; comunly, subtilly,
221 ; fern, s\).,fern, adv. 255 ; parementz, instrumentz, 269. And
perhaps, 49, 50; 229, 230.

4. Two words run into one. Tharray (the array), 63 ; the air
= tbair, 122; the effect = thejfect, 322. Also nas = ne was, 14 ;
nis = ne is, 72, 255 ; nin — ne in, 35 ; noot - ne <woot or ne wot, 342.

In 1. 30 which'e is plural ; read it thus —

'Of whiche th'eldest' highte — Algarsyf —

the e in highte being preserved by caesura.

5. trisyllabic measures. The most striking instance is in as 1
can, 4. In other instances the syllable rapidly pronounced or
slurred over may be indicated by italics. We find then — an-
swerJ1 and seyd', 228 (where there is a caesura after answer Je) :
after the thridde cours, 76. And the following cases, where
certain final syllables are very lightly pronounced, viz. final
-y, e.g. many, n; any, 134: final -es, e.g. sones (caesura), 29;
foulw (caesura), 53: final -er, e.g. eu^r, 108; gossonvr, 259:
final -ie, e.g. Arable, no; contrar/V, 325: final -en, e.g. won-
dredfn (caesura), 307: final -ed, e.g. vanfsslW (caesura), 342:
final -e, e.g. vndertak?, 36, sem<?, 102, ben?, 124, coudf, 128,
ydraw? n'ybore, 326; ye get? na more, 343. Also, the following
cases occur where the middle e is slurred over, viz. eu^ry part,
40; cokrik hote, 51 ; sonvres day, 64; sonvres tyde, 142; eut-ry
place, 119; logelours, 219; lew^dnes, 223 ; and, in one case, the
vowel /' is similarly treated, viz. van/she anon, 328. In illustra-
tion of the last-mentioned word, it may be remarked that it is
sometimes spelt without the /'; e.g. vanshede, Piers Plowman,
C. xv. 217.

6. French words accented in a different manner to that now in use.
(N. B. the apostrophe in the following words denotes elision ;

METRE OF THE SQUIRE'S TALE. Ixix

the printing of a final -e in italics means that it is slurred over,
or else suppressed by poetic license). We find cordg', 22, de*-
sirous, 23, pers6n', 25, citee, 46, Idus, 47, paleys, 60, mir6ur, 82,
6beisance, 93, message, 99, langa"ge, 100, eng^n, 184, natuiv, 197,
£ppar£nc', 218, mag^k, 218, vanfsslW, 342, &c., &c. For the
-variableness of accent, cf. s61empn', 61, sole'mpne, in; mfrour,
132, mir6ur, 175; roi'al, 59, roial, 264; lion, 265, Ie6un, 491, &c.
And for variableness of accent in English words, note conning,
35, hangfng, 84, as compared with wry thing, 127. Some words
in -le and -re may have been pronounced much as in modern
French; perhaps sillable, 101, table, 179, fable, 180, angle, 263,
ordre, 66, may have sounded nearly as sillabl', tab?, fab?, angl',
ordr\ Yet we find egle, 123, angles, 230; both followed by a
cxsura.

7. Genitives in -es. Martes, 50, sonvres, 64, Grekes, 209,
Canacees, 247.

8. Plurals in -es. Armes, 23, son«, 29, foules, 53, sewes, 67,
heronsewes, 68, swannes, 68, minstralles, 78, thinges, 78, lordes,
91, wordes, 103, houres, 117, shoures, 118, woundes, 155, heedw,
203, witter, 203, skikr, 205, fantasyes, 205, poetryes, 206, winges,
208, gestes, 211, armes, 213, festes, 219, doutes, 220, thinges,
222, 227, &c. Note on the other hand, the French plurals
prese ntes = presents, 174, logehurs, 219, reflexions, 230, &c. ; also
parementz, 269, instruments, 270.

9. Adverbs in-'e's. Certes, 2, 196, elles, 118, ehVj, 209, algates,
246, thennes, 326.

10. Past participles in -ed. Excused, 7, cleped, 12, 31, armed,
90, braunched, 159, wounded, 160, remewed, 181, yglewed, 182,
proporcioned, 192, &c. Probably ordeyned, ITT, is to be read
ordeyn'd; otherwise, the List measure in the verse is to be re-
garded as trisyllabic.

n. Past tense of weak verbs in -de -te, or -ed. Ex. (a) deyde,
n, hadde (not an auxiliary verb), 29, hadd^, 32, coud', 39, shold',
40, wold', 64, sholde, 102, wende, 198, seyde, 231, &c. ; (b)
dwelt', 10, kept', 18, 26, highte, 30, 33, moste, 38, wroughte, 128,
lyghte, 169, broughte, 210, &c. ; (c) werreyed, 10, lakked, 16,

INTRODUCTION.

seemed, 56, demed, 202, rowned, 216. Note also the plurals
murmured', 204, wondred', 225, as compared with the full forms
maden, 205, seyden, 207, wondredf«, 307. We also find such
forms as preyed*, 311.

12. Infinitives in -en. Discryuen, 40, teller), 63, 67, tarien, 73,
stroken, 165. Also the gerundial forms : to voyden, 188, to
gauren, 190.

13. Past participles in -'en (strong verbs). Geten, 56. The
final -n is generally dropped.

14. Present plural in -en. Tellen, 69, wayten, 88, shapen, 214,
pleyen, 219, wondren, 258; 2 p. pi. subj. slepen, 126. Past
plural. Seten, 92, maden, 205, seyden, 207, wondred*«, 307.

15. Preposition in -en. Withouten (A.S. wi^-utan), 101, isi, 125.
The various uses of the final -* follow here, and are numbered

separately.

1. Nouns of A.S. origin and of dissyllabic form. Wille, i,
from A.S. <wi!!a; sted', 115, 193, sted*, 124, stede, 170, from
A.S. steda; tale, 6, 102, 168, from A.S. talu; herte, 120,
hert', 138, from A.S. heorte, gen. beortan; bote, 154, from
A.S. hot (gen. and dat. bote) ; sonne, 170, from the A.S. junne,
gen. sunnan. All these are in the nominative or accusative case ;
for other cases, see below. We should probably add son*? (A. S.
sunu) 31 ; and met* (A. S. mete~) 70 ; both before a caesura.

2. Nouns of French origin ; (a) substantives, (£) adjectives. We
find (a) centre (Lat. centrum') 22; diademe (Lat. diadema) 43;
signe (Lat. signum) 51; seruyse (seruitium) 66, nobleye, 77,
obeisance (obedientiam) 93, &c., &c. The final -e is occasionally
slurred over, as in diadem*, 60, which is fully pronounced in
1. 43; plac*, 186, which is fully pronounced in 11. 119, 162;
fest* (with caesura) 61, fully pronounced in 1. 113; nature,
197; and it is often elided, as in corag', 22, person', 25,
form', 100, vie', 101, &c. The clearest cases of the full sound
are given by:— cause, 185, Troye, 210. It is by no means
easy to find instances of its suppression ; the most likely-
looking cases are — natur*, 197, best*, 264; but they may merely
be instances of the use of trisyllable measures.

METRE OF THE SQUIRE'S TALE. Ixxi

We find also (£) noble, 12, 28, riche, 19, 61, benigne, 52,
s61empn', 6r, pryme, 73, commun', 107, lige, in, solempne,
1 1 r, platt', 162, platte, 164, &c. The most remarkable instances
are in 1. in,

' My lige lord, on this solempne day ; '

and (in the definite form) platte, 164. The final e in lalouse,
286, is merely a mark of the plural number, in writing, and
not really pronounced.

With respect to these French words, it is remarkable that
Chaucer is very fond of using them at the end of a line, for
the sake of the feminine rime; see 9, 10, 19, 43, 51, 52, 61,
&c. It may be as well, too, to append the following caution.
Tyrwhitt, in his edition of Chaucer, was led to a partially
correct estimate of Chaucer's metre by his observation of the
final -e in French words, and by noting the frequent use of
the same in French poetry ; whence he inferred that the final
-e may have been pronounced in English words also. Though
his result was partly right, it has yet misled many of his readers,
because he did, in fact, seize the right idea by the wrong end.
The final -e in French words seems to have been of a somewhat
weaker and fainter character than in English ones, the fact
being that the habit of sounding the inflexional final -e was
essentially English, due to the traditions of Anglo-Saxon gram-
mar, and the imported French words (many of which possessed
a final ~e in their own right) had, at any rate, to conform to
the use of the period as a matter of course. It is, accord-
ingly, of no very great consequence to investigate the habits
of the French poetry of the period. The Englishmen who
adopted French words into their language did at first very
nearly what they pleased with them; and, in the conflict be-
tween two systems of grammar, the English had at first its
own way; yet the continually increasing influx of French did
at last begin to tell, and the final result was a confusion in which
such inflexions as ~es and -e, at first all important, have at last
sunk into disuse. We see, for instance, in Chaucer, the use of
the French plural (as in instrument*, F 270) side by side with

Ixxii INTRODUCTION.

the true English plural (as in lordes, F 91); and, in the end, the
French form prevailed. But it must be carefully remembered —
for it is a most essential point — that French alone would never
have produced any so great effect. A far more powerful influence
was at work at the same time, aiding it most fully and efficiently ;
and this was the ever-increasing importance of the Northern
and North-Midland dialects, which had simplified their gram-
matical forms long before Chaucer's time, and at last completely
set aside the numerous inflexions of the flexible and harmonious
Southern- English. Having regard to the mere outward form of
English verse, it cannot be denied that Chaucer's sweetness of
melody is a thing of the past, and that nothing is now left to us but
an approach to the less adorned simplicity of Robert of Brunne.
This note must be regarded as a mere rough sketch of a very
important subject, which the student may with advantage work
out for himself in his own way.

3. Dative Cases. The prepositions for, at, on (or vp-on), by,
in, of,1 to (or vn-to), most often govern a dative in Anglo-
Saxon, and may be considered as always governing a dative in
Chaucer. The following are examples; lond', 9, tym/?, 13,
tongf, 35, grene, 54, tyme, 74, dor', 80, thomb', 83, 148, syd',
84, halk, 86, halle, 92, speche (caesura), 94, specie (or spech'),
104, mynde, 109, heste, 114, drought', 118, rote, 153, wound',
165, met', 173, ere, 196, drede, 212, ende, 224. The French
words conform to the same usage; e.g. courte, 171. The
prep, ageyn may govern either dative or accusative, but tyde
(142) is properly a dative form; so also, then, is shene, 53
(A. S. scenum from nom. scene). Style (106) is probably a dative,
governed by ouer.

4. Genitive Cases. We must not omit to notice the genitive
cases, answering to the A. S. genitives -e or -an. Instances are :
sonne (A. S. sunnan), 53 ; halle (A. S. healle), 80.

5. Adjectives; definite form. The definite form is used when

1 Cyis now regarded as a sign of a possessive or genitive case; but in
Old English it invariably governs the dative.

METRE OF THE SQUIRE'S TALE. Ixxiii

the adjective is preceded by the, this, that, or a possessive
pronoun. Examples: the hote, 51, the yonge, 54, the thridde,
76, the hye, 85, this strange, 89, his olde, 95, the hye, 98, 176,
this same, 124, his newe, 140, her moste, 199, his queynte,
239, the loude, 268, the grete, 306. So even with French
adjectives; e.g. your excellente, 145. Note also thilke, 162.

6. Adjectives; plural forms. Ex. strange, 67, olde, 69, yong',
88, olde, 88, 206, 211, alle, 91, dep', 155, wyde, 155, diverse, 202,
grete, 219, somm', 225, slye, 230, all?, 248, fresshe, 284. So
also: whiche, 30, swiche, 227.

7. Adjectives; vocative case. No example; see B 1874.

8. Adjectives ; inflexion of case. Some adjectives occur in Chaucer
which take final -e even in the nominative. Thus A.S. )>/> is in
the definite form se ficca; by confusion, Chaucer uses thikke
even when indefinite; see 'a thikke knarre,' Prol. 549; in the
Sq. Ta. we have: thikk', 159. Note also liche, 62. The word
blithe = h.§. i>lf6e; Chaucer has blyth<? (with ceesura), 338. The
notion of expressing a dative case by the inflexional -e extended
even to adjectives; e.g. alle, 15.

9. Verbs; infinitive mood. Sey', 4, rebelle, 5, telle, 6, vnder-
take, 36, spek', 41, occupy', 64, deuyse, 65, pleye, 78, amende,
97, 197, sem<r, 102, soun', 105, berc, 124, turn', 127, hyde, 141,
here, 146, know', 151, answer', 152, know^, (ccesura), 154, kerv',
158, byte, 158, close, 165, here, 188, rede, 211, comprehende,
223, &c.

10. Verbs ; gerundial infinitive. To telle, 34, to biholde, 87, to
pace, 120, to sore, 123, to were, 147, to winne, 214, to here, 271,
to hye, 291, to seyne, 314, to done, 334. It is very significant
that there is no case of elision amongst all these examples.

ir. Strong verbs ; past participles. Holde, 70, spok', 86, com',
96, bore, 178, knovve, 215, yswore, 325, ydrawe, 326, ybore, 326.
Only two of these are cases of elision.

12. Weak verbs; past tense. Examples have been already
given ; see art. 1 1 above, p. Ixix.

13. Verbs; subjunctive mood. First person singular', spek', 7.
Third person singular: leste, 125, were, 195, liste, 327. Plural'.
reste, 126.

Ixxiv INTRODUCTION.

14. Verbs: •various other inflexions', (a) r p. pr. indicative:
deme, 44, trow?, 213, sey?, 289, let', 290; (b) pr. pi. indicative,
recche, 71, lere, 104, smyte, 157, mote, 164, 318, iangl', 220,
trete, 220, iangle, 261, deuyse, 261, get?, 343; (c) subj. pi. used
as imper. plural: bidd', 321, trill', 321, trille, 328, ryde (?), 334.
N.B. I believe it will be found that the inflexion of the first
pers. sing, present tense indicative is very weak, and often
dropped or neglected ; cf. p. Ixv. Also, that the imperative plural
is liable to confusion with the imperative singular ; cf. p. liii.

15. Adverbs. Whether the final -e in an adverb represents
(a) an older vowel-ending, or is used (b) merely to form adverbs
from adjectives, or represents (c) the A. S. ending -an, the result
is much the same, viz. that the final -e is especially preserved in
them. Examples: much', 3, yliche, 20, loude, 55, euer-more,
124, bryghte, 170, still', 171, lowe, 216, bothe, 240, sore, 258,
hye, 267, sone, 276, 333, namor?, 314, namor', 343. This rule
being so general, we even find the -e wrongly added, by license,
where we should not expect it; e.g. here (A.S. her), 145; ther-
fore (A.S. )>#r and/or compounded), 177. There is an example
of a preposition in -e, viz. bitwixe, 333. We may note also ad-
verbs in -ely, where e is a syllable ; viz. richely, 90, solempnely,
179, diversely, 202.

The whole matter is much simplified by remembering that
every case of the final -e can be characterised as either (i) essen-
tial, (2) superfluous, or (3) grammatical. To the two first of these
classes the guide is etymology, to the last the guide is a know-
ledge of Anglo-Saxon grammar. For example, the final -e is
essential where it represents an A.S. or Latin termination, as in
stede from A.S. steda, or diademe from Lat. diadema. It is super-
fluous or licentious, if used in a word like quene, B 3538, from A.S.
civen, or in a word like bitwixe, F 333, where the A.S. form is
betiuux or betweox ; all such cases being rare. It is grammatical,
if due to the usage of A.S. grammar. When grammatical, it must
be either oblique (see classes 3, 4). adjectival (classes 5, 6, 7, 8),
verbal (classes 9-14), or adverbial (class 15).

TEXT OF THIS VOLUME. Ixxv

The text of the present selection of the Canterbury Tales is
founded upon that of the Ellesmere MS. as printed in Mr. Fur-
nivall's Six-text Edition for the Chaucer Society. As the scribe
of this MS. almost invariably writes tb instead of j>, and y instead
of 3, I have been able to dispense with the use of those charac-
ters without much varying from his practice. The text has been
collated throughout with six other MSS., five of which are in
the Six-text edition, and the sixth is the Harleian MS. 7334.
The Ellesmere MS. (belonging to the Earl of Ellesmere) is denoted
in the footnotes by E. ; the others are the Hengwrt (belonging
to Mr. Wm. W. E. Wynne of Peniarth), the Cambridge (marked
Gg. 4. 27 in the Cambridge University Library), the Corpus (in
the Library of Corpus Christi College, Oxford), the Petworth
(belonging to Lord Leconfield), and the Lansdowne (known
as MS. Lansdowne 851, in the British Museum). These are
denoted by the abbreviations Hn., Cm., Cp., Pt., and Ln. The
Harleian MS. (in the Harleian collection in the British Museum)
is denoted by HI. The text may be best understood by remem-
bering that it invariably follows that of the Ellesmere MS.,
except where notice is expressly given to the contrary by means
of a footnote at the bottom of the page, which explains what other
MS. has, in such a case, been preferred. Thus, at p. i, 1. 4,
occurs the first variation ; where the reading jstert, of E. Hn.
(i.e. of the Ellesmere and Hengwrt MSS.) has been rejected
in favour of expert, the reading of Cp. Pt. and Ln. ; the Cam-
bridge MS. having a lacuna here. Thus the reader can judge
for himself in every case whether the alteration made recom-
mends itself to him or not. The numbering of the lines follows
that of the Six-text Edition throughout, the Groups being de-
noted by the letters B, E, and F. Between each section will
be found a short statement of whatever part has been omitted ;
see pp. 6, 7, 28, 58, 101, 127.

Collation of the text with the other MSS. has enabled me also
to improve the orthography in some instances ; it was found
impracticable to give an account of this, and such alterations are,
for the most part, slight. The reasons for them are sufficiently

1XXV1 INTRODUCTION.

obvious to any one who possesses the Six-text Edition, and will,
besides consulting the other MSS., take the further trouble of
comparing one part of the Ellesmere MS. with another. Speak-
ing generally, the orthography represents, on the whole, that of
the scribe of the Ellesmere MS., whose system was a very good
one, and tolerably uniform. It may be observed that.y is con-
stantly used to represent the A.S. /, or is, in other words, the
long vowel corresponding to that represented by /'. The scribe
also affects the use of oo to denote a long o-sound, as in looth, B
91. In a few cases where a final e seems to have been added
by accident, it has been suppressed, where there was sufficient
authority for doing so. Also, in the following words, though
generally written, it has been omitted in order to prevent con-
fusion, viz. in euere, neuere, here, hire, hise, which are printed ever,
never, her, hir, bis. The reason why euere, neuere, are commcfh in
MSS. is that they represent the A.S. of re, ncefre, but in Chaucer
they are frequently equivalent in time to a mere monosyllable,
like our modern e'er, ne'er. Here (A.S. hira,of them) is generally
monosyllabic, and the same is true of hire ( = A.S. hire, Mod. E.
her), though a remarkable exception occurs in the Man of Law's
Tale, B 460; see p. 12 of my edition, or Specimens of English,
ed. Morris and Skeat, p. 260. It may be added that here and
hire are constantly confused in MSS. ; I mostly keep the form
her for of them, and hir for Mod. E. her. Hise is written in the
Ellesmere MS. in the sense of his, before plural nouns ; but there
seems no reason for supposing this -e to have been sounded by
Chaucer, though it appears to have been so in the earlier poem
of Havelok. Thise has been retained as the plural of this, for
mere distinction ; but it is always a monosyllable. In further
illustration of the method adopted, I here note every variation
from the Ellesmere text in the first stanza of the Monk's Tale,
p. 32.

L. 3181. E. Hn. biwaille; text, biwayle, suggested by Cm.
Cp. bewayle, Pt. HI. bywaile, Ln. beweile. E. Hn. Cm. Pt.
manere; text, maner, as in Cp. Ln. HI.; the accent being on
the a.

USEFUL BOOKS. Ixxvii

L. 3182. E. Hn. stoode ; text, stode, suggested by observing
that the scribes seldom write oo except in the singular member.

L. 3184. E. Hn. Cm. brynge ; text, bringe, as in the rest,
because y generally denotes the long vowel /. E. Hn. hir ; Cm.
Cp. here; text, her, as in Pt. Ln. HI.

L. 3185. E. ]>at ; text, that. E. Fortune ; text, fortune.

L. 3186. E. hire; text, hir, as in Pt. HI.

L. 3188. E. Pt. of; text, by, as in all the rest. This, being a
real variation of text, is duly accounted for in a footnote.

It will thus be seen that the variations of the text from the
Ellesmere MS. are but very slight, that they can be justified
by collation, and that pains have been taken to make a good
useful text, on the principle of disturbing that of the Ellesmere
MS. as little as possible. The text of the Man of Law's Tale
in the Specimens of English was formed in precisely the same
way ; and similar remarks apply to my other volume of Chaucer
Selections.

The books most useful for explaining Chaucer are much the
same as those which help to explain ' Piers the Plowman ' ; see
ihe list of them given in the preface to Piers the Plowman
(Clarendon Press), 3rd ed. p. xlvi. Such as are cited in the
Notes are there sufficiently indicated. An excellent article on
Chaucer, in Lowell's My Study Windows, a delightful book,
should by all means be consulted. The spelling of the words
cited in the Clossarial Index has been carefully verified by refer-
ence to the usual Dictionaries ; for foreign languages, small pocket-
dictionaries have been used, that the student may easily, if he
pleases, look out such words for himself, which he is strongly
recommended to do. The etymologies are merely suggested, in
the very briefest manner ; in French words, for example, the
Latin root is often given without any account of the mode of
derivation. The Anglo-Saxon and Icelandic words cited should
be looked out, and their various meanings ascertained ; and some
idea of the grammatical rules of those languages should be attained
to. The mere ' cramming up ' of such root-words (to be repro-
duced, as is sometimes done, with some slight change in the

Ixxviii INTRODUCTION.

spelling which at once reveals a most discreditable ignorance), is
worse than useless. The books actually used were the following.
Pocket-dictionaries of German (Fliigel's edited by Feiling), of
Dutch (the Tauchnitz edition), of Danish (by Ferrall and Repp),
of Welsh (by Spurrell), and of Italian and Spanish (both by
Meadows) ; Wedgwood's English Etymology ; Bosworth's Anglo-
Saxon Dictionary ; Skeat's Mceso-Gothic Glossary ; Stratmann's
Old English Dictionary ; Cleasby and Vigfusson's Icelandic
Dictionary ; Wackernagel's Altdeutsches Handwb'rterbuch.
For French words, Brachet's Etymological French Dictionary
(Clarendon Press) is very useful ; and the Dictionary by Randle
Gotgrave (ed. 1660) is often quoted. The Old French words
are taken from Burguy, except when Roquefort is expressly cited.
The Low-Latin words are from the Lexicon Manuale ad Scrip-
tores Mediae et Infimae Latinitatis, compiled from Ducange's great
work by Maigne d'Arnis, and published at Paris by Migne in
1866; price, 12 francs. Prompt. Parv. is an abbreviation for
Promptorium Parvulorum, ed. Way (Camden Society).

With respect to the subject of Chaucer's metre, a brief expla-
nation is necessary. In an essay by myself, printed at pp. 172-196.
of vol. i. of the Aldine edition of Chaucer (Bell and Daldy, 1866),
the results there given were due to an independent investigation,
before I had met with the work by Professor Child. Nearly all
of them agree with his, though they were obtained with less care,
and are deficient in some of the details. But with respect to many
minuter points, I have no doubt I must have since learnt much
from him ; and it ought never to be forgotten that the only full and
almost complete solution of the question as to the right scansion
of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is due to what Mr. Ellis l rightly
terms ' the wonderful industry, acuteness, and accuracy ' of Pro-
fessor F. J. Child, of Harvard College, Cambridge, Mass. U.S. I
wish also to express my obligations to Tyrwhitt's Chaucer, with

1 The account of Chaucer's metre by Mr. Ellis (Early English Pro-
nunciation, pp. 318-342) is much fuller than that in my slight essay,
and contains the results of independent work. In the main, the results
obtained thus independently agree very well together.

LIST OF CHAUCER'S WORKS. Ixxix

its learned and scholarly notes; to Mr. A. J. Ellis's great work
on Early English Pronunciation ; to Mr. Furnivall's Six-text
Edition of the Canterbury Tales, and his numerous useful contri-
butions to our knowledge concerning both the poet and his works ;
to Mr. H. Bradshaw, Cambridge University Librarian, for much
help of various kinds ; to Mr. Hales, for a few hints for the second
edition ; and especially to the Rev. Dr. Morris, who kindly assisted
me in revising the proof-sheets of the first edition.

LIST OF CHAUCER'S WORKS.

The following list, in which the Works are arranged (approxi-
mately) in chronological order, is mainly taken from Mr. Fur-
nivall's ' Trial Fore-words to my Parallel-text edition of Chaucer's
Minor Poems,' Chaucer Society, 1871. I append some observa-
tions upon it.

Chaucer's A. B.C., or, La Priere de Nostre Dame.
Compleynte to Pite.

Romaunt of the Rose. [Lines 1-1705 ; rest spurious.}
1369. Deth of Blaunche. [The Booke of the Duchesse.]

(Lyf of Sainte Cecile ; afterwards inserted in the Tales.)
Parlement of Foules. [The Assembly of Foules.]
The Complaint of Mars. [The Complaint of Mars and
Venus.] But the Venus is a separate poem ; set below,
(e) *A Compleint to his Lady.
Anelida and Arcite.

(a) *Translation of Boethius ' De Consolatione Philosophise.'

(b) *The Former Age ; or, jEtas Prima.

Troilus and Criseyde.

1XXX INTRODUCTION.

Chaucer's Words to his Scrivener Adam *.
ab. 1 384 ? The House of Fame.

The Legend of Good Women,
ab. 1386. The Canterbury Tales.

Good Counseil ; or, Truth ; or, ' Fie from the pres.'
(f) *A Balade to Rosemounde.
(c) * Three Roundels (forming one poem).

Two Proverbes. [Eight lines ; with 16 spurious and un-
connected lines sometimes appended.]
i39i(</)*A Treatise on the Astrelabie.

Complaint of Venus. (See Complaint of Mars, above.)
Lenvoy to Scogan.
Lenvoy to Bukton.

Gentilesse. [A Ballade teaching what is gentilnesse.]
ab. 1 397? Lack of Stedfastnesse. [A Balade sent to King

Richard.]
Balade de Visage saunz Peinture. [A Ballade of the

Village (sic) without Painting.] Or, Fortune.
1 399. Compleint to his Purse. [To his empty Purse.]

All the above poems, except those marked with an asterisk, are
to be found in the common editions. Where the title stands
somewhat differently in the editions, a note has been made of it.
The other six pieces may be thus accounted for. (a) Edited by
Dr. Morris for the Early English Text Society, (b) Printed in
the Aldine edition, ed. Morris, vol. vi. p. 300. Undoubtedly
genuine ; and closely connected with the preceding, (c) Printed
in the Aldine edition, vi. 304. First printed, from a Pepys MS.,
by Percy, in his Reliques of Ancient Poetry, (d) Edited by
me for the E. E. Text Society, (e) See my edition of the
'Minor Poems.' (f) Discovered by me, Apr. 2, 1891.

LOST WORKS. The Book of the Lion; mentioned at the
end of the Persones Tale.

1 Genuine : but the third line ' Under thy longe lokkes maist thou
haue the skalle ' is too long ; omit longe, inserted when lokkes had
become a monosyllable.

LIST OF CHAUCER'S WORKS. Ixxxi

Origenes upon the Maudeleyne ; mentioned in the prologue to
the Legend of Good Women \

A translation of Pope Innocent's treatise de Miseria Con-
ditionis Humanae; mentioned in the Cambridge MS. of the
Legend of Good Women (MS. Gg. 4. 27).

DOUBTFUL WORKS. A Ballad which Chaucer made against
women unconstant2. An Amorous Compleint ; and a Balade of
Compleint ; see my edition of Chaucer's Minor Poems.

SPURIOUS WORKS. The following poems are included in
modern editions. Complaint of the Black Knight (or, Conlplaint of
a Loveres Life) ; now known to be Lydgate's. The Cuckow and
the Nightingale ; first two lines quoted from the Knightes Tale ;
probably written about 1403, by an author named Clanvowe.
The Flower and the Leaf; written by a woman, and clearly
belonging to the fifteenth century. Chaucer's Dream ; first
printed in 1598. The Court of Love ; written about 1500, and
first printed in 1561 \ Virelai (no final e).

The following are to be found in the Aldine edition, vol. vi.,
and elsewhere. A Goodly Ballad, vi. 275. A Praise of Women,
p. 278. Prosperity (8 lines), p. 296. Leaulte vaut richesse (8
lines), p. 302. ' Moder of God ' ; by Hoccleve ; p. 308. Chaucer's
Prophecy (13 lines), p. 307.

Of works printed in the editions, the principal one is The
Testament of Love, written by Thomas Usk, in obvious imita-
tion of Chaucer's translation of Boethius.

Lastly, I must mention the translation (well-known by name)
of the Romaunt of the Rose, which appears in all the editions,
and of which only fragments have come down to us. Only a
small portion of it is Chaucer's; but, as the whole is frequently
and commonly attributed to him, I append a discussion of this
question below ; see p. Ixxxiii.

1 Hence we find a poem called The Lamentation of Mary Magdalene
assigned to Chaucer in the old editions. But this is a different poem, by
an anonymous author.

2 As it consists of only three stanzas, I print it below ; see p. Ixxxii.

s The proof that it is not genuine was given by me in The Academy,
Aug. 3, 1878.

VOL. II. f

Ixxxii INTRODUCTION.

'The following is the Ballad which I suppose to be Chaucer's, though not
usually included in modern editions of Chaucer's works : —

A BALADE WHICH CHAUCER MADE AGAYNST WOMEN
UNCONSTAUNT.

[I take this from Chaucer's Works, ed. 1561, fol. cccxl. ; but make a
few corrections in the spelling to preserve the metre. The dotted e is to
be fully pronounced.]

Madame, for your newefangelnesse,

Many a seruaunt haue ye put out of grace l,

I take my leue of your vnstedfastnesse,

For wel I wot, whyl ye to line haue space,

Ye can not loue ful half yeer in a place ; 5

To newe thinges, your lust is euer kene ;

In stede of blew, thus may ye were al grene.

Right as a mirour, that nothing may enpresse,

But, lightly as it comth 2, so moot it pace,

So fareth3 your loue, your werkes bereth3 witnesse 10

Ther is no feithe may your herte enbrace ;

But, as a wedercok, that turneth* his face

With euery wind, ye fare, and that is sene * ;

In stede of blew, thus may ye were al grene.

Ye might be shrined, for your brotelnesse8, 15

Bet 6 than Dalida 7, Criseide, or Candace ;
For euer in chaunging stant 8 your sikernesse',

1 The old edition has your grace ; omit your.

2 Old ed. cometh; but see Group B, 407, 603 (Man of Lawes Tale).

3 Pronounce far'th, ber'th, tttrn'th, as usual in Chaucer ; see note 2
above.

4 Sene, evident, visible ; an adj., not a pp. ; see the Glossary. Cf. A. S.
gesyne, which also appears asysene in Chaucer, Prol. 592.

* Fickleness ; ' On brotel ground they bilde, and brotelnesse They finden,
when they wenen sikernesse;' with precisely the same rime; Merch.
Tale, 35.

6 Old ed. Setter; wrongly. 7 Dalilah ; as in B. 3253.

• Old ed. stondeth ; but see the Glossary.

ON THE ROM AUNT OF THE ROSE. Ixxxiii

That tache l may no wight from your herte arace a ;

If ye lose oon, ye 3 can wel tweyn purchace ;

Al light for somer, ye wot wel what I mene, 20

In stede of blew thus may ye were al grene.

There is much in favour of the genuineness of this ballad ; the
metre is that of the common ballad-stanza, which is distinguished
by having- only three rime-endings to the three stanzas. We may
note the peculiar words nenuefangelnesse, enbrace, sene, brotelnesse,
Dalida, Criseide, Candace 4, sikernesse, arace, purchace, all of them
Chaucerian; the occurrence of brotelnesse and sikernesse in two
consecutive lines of the Marchantes Tale ; and see the note to
F. 644 in the present volume. The allusion to the weathercock
reminds us of 'chaunging as a vane,' E. 996. Line 20 may be
compared with F. 389, 390, and B. 93°.

NOTE ON 'THE ROMAUNT OF THE ROSE.'

We know that Chaucer made a translation of the Romaunt of
the Rose; but of the three fragments now extant, two are
not his. This point has been obscured by the fact that all the
editions contain this anonymous translation, and it has always
been associated with his name. But the internal evidence
against this hasty conclusion is overwhelming and irrefragable,
though the poem will long continue to be considered as genuine
by readers unacquainted with Chaucer's metre and grammar.
But as the careful perusal of even so small a portion of Chaucer
as is contained in the present volume will enable a student to
exercise his own judgment on this point, a few of the arguments
are here appended.

It must be observed at the outset that there may have been,
for all we know, five or six translations of the Romaunt of the

1 Fault, bad habit ; cf. P. Plowman, B. ix. 146.

* See the Glossary.

3 The old ed. omits ye, though required both for sense and metre.

* Candace is mentioned in the Parlement of Foules, 1. 288,

5 The suggestion that this Ballad is really Chaucer's came to me from
Mr. Furnivall, who, however, has since changed his opinion.

fa

1XXX1V INTRODUCTION.

Rose by different authors. Of other similar works there still
exist several translations, and they are almost all anonymous.
Thus, of the Troy-book, we not only have a version by Lydgate,
and another (unpublished and imperfect) by Barbour, but a third
(also unpublished) in the Bodleian Library, and a fourth, in alli-
terative verse, published by the Early English Text Society.
' These versions are independent translations from Guido de
Colonna, belong to the end of the i4th and beginning of the
1 5th century, and must have been made within a period of fifty
years. Probably the earliest was that by Barbour, then the
Alliterative, then Lydgate's, and last of all the Bodleian ;' Warton,
Hist. Eng. Poetry, ed. Hazlitt, ii. 129, footnote. So again, of
the Story of Alexander, we have the version in Weber's Metrical
Romances, the alliterative Romance printed by Stevenson, the
Alexander fragment printed by myself as an appendix to William
of Palerne, Alexander and Dindimus (E.E.T.S.), and so on. We
find, in fact, that numerous translations, mostly anonymous,
were made at the end of the fourteenth century; a'nd it is
extremely unlikely that Chaucer's translation of the Romaunt
should have been the only one. Moreover, Chaucer either
intentionally suppressed some of his translations, or took no care
to preserve them ; so that we have now only his own word for
his translations of the Book of the Lion, of Origenes upon the
Maudeleyne, and of Pope Innocent's treatise De Miseria. Hence
there is actually, at the very outset of the enquiry, a presumption
in favour of the fact that the existing translation is anonymous,
and not his. Its presence in the editions proves nothing; it
was inserted merely on the strength of the title, just as the early
editions contain The Lamentation of Mary Magdalene, inserted
to supply the place of Chaucer's Maudeleyne. We have to bear
in mind (for it is an important point), that we first meet with the
Romaunt in the edition of 1532, a collection of Chaucer's (sup-
posed) works made a hundred and thirty years after his death.
Most critics calmly ignore this, and speak as if it had been asso-
ciated with Chaucer from the first. A very little reflection will
shew that the external evidence is simply worthies?, and we are

ON THE ROM AUNT OF THE ROSE. 1XXXV

driven to examine the poem itself. We then stand on firm
ground, and the results are interesting and decisive.

To save trouble, I shall call each of the authors 'the trans-
lator,' and his work ' the translation,' and proceed to give a brief
sketch of the nature of the arguments. The translation con-
sists of three Fragments: A (11. 1-1705), which is genuine;
B (11. 1706-5810), in a Northern dialect ; G (sSn-end). I only
argue against the genuineness of fragments B and G1.

TEST I. Ihe Riming of -y with -ye. This is explained in the
note to B. 2092, p. 169. Chaucer never rimes such a word as
trewely, ending in -y, with French substantives ending in -ye, such
asfofye, Jelousye. In the translation, examples abound, e.g.genera/j,
•vilanye, 2I792; worthy, curtesye, 2209 ; folye, by, 2493, 2521;
curtesye, gladly, 2985 ; flaterye, utterly, 3387 ; lelousye, I, 3909;
multiply?, by, 5600. There are plenty more, which the curious
may discover for themselves. The MS. of the translation often
has the absurd spellings bye for by, and the like, to keep up a rime
to the eye ; but the truth lies the other way, that the final -e was
dropped by the translator, just as it always was by Barbour, who
rimes foly with <wykkytly, Bruce, i. 221 ; &c., &c. To meet the
argument drawn from this test, the puerile plea has been set up,
that Chaucer's practice of riming differed at different periods
of his life ! This is purely gratuitous, and contrary to all the
evidence. See, for example, his Book of the Duchesse.

TEST II. The use of assonant rimes. In the poem of Havelok
the Dane, we find rimes that are not true rimes, but mere asso-
nances, such as y erne, quene, 182 ; maked, shaped, 1646; &c., &c.s.
I need hardly say that no such rimes occur in Chaucer4. But, in

1 Several of the points mentioned below will be found in my letter to
The Academy on this subject, Aug. 10, 1878, p. 143.

2 I give the Chaucerian spelling to shew the impossibility of the rimes
being due to Chaucer. The numbers refer to the lines of the poem, as
printed in Morris's Aldine edition of Chaucer, vol. vi.

3 A list is given in my preface to Havelok, p. xlv.

4 Mr. Bradshaw kindly points out the riming of terme, yerne, Book of
the Duchess, 11. 79, 80. This is a most instructive instance ; for yerne
is a mistake of the scribes for erme, the true Chaucerian form, as I shew
in the note to Group C, 1. 312 ; see Man of Law's Tale, 2nd ed., p. 142.

1XXXV1 INTRODUCTION.

the translation, there are numerous examples, which are quite
decisive. Some are: kepe, eke, 2126; shape, make, 2260; escape,
make, 2753; take, scape, 3165; laste, to barste, 3185. In the last
case, we might read to braste. This secures a rime indeed, but it
brings us no nearer to Chaucer; he rimes laste (to last) with
words such ssfaste, caste, &c. ; whereas 'to burst' is, with him,
to breste, riming with leste, it pleased, reste ; &c. He has, indeed,
brast as a past tense, but that is quite a different matter.

TEST III. 1 be riming cohere and there. It has been main-
tained by Dr. Weymouth, in the Transactions of the Philological
Society, that Chaucer rimes a certain set of words with the word
here, and another set of words with the word there ; and no word
in one set ever rimes with a word in the other set. Whether this
be true or not, it can be maintained and defended, and cannot be
easily and formally disproved. In other words, Chaucer distin-
guishes between the open e (as in A. S. \kr) and the close e (as in
A. S. £//•). But the author of Fragment B rimes dene (with open
e) and gr/ne (with close e), 1. 2127 ; and w/ne (close e) with lene
(open e), 1. 2683. And he actually uses thar in place of there
(see p. Ixxxviii).

TEST IV. Strange rimes. We find in the translation all sorts
of rimes such as Chaucer, judging by the evidence, would never
have dreamt of. Examples : joynt, queynt, 2037; aboute, sivote,
1705; desire, nere, 1785, 2441; desire, manere, 2779; storme,
cor tie, 4343; more, ar, 2215; annoy, away, 2675; iqye, conveye,
2915; crowne, per s one, 3201; doun, tourne, 5472. In this case,
I leave the spelling as in the MS. Plenty more such rimes
may be found.

TEST V. The grammatical use of final -e. In the translation,
we find to tel, a gerund, riming with bifel, 3083 ; set, pp., riming
with the gerund to et (to eat), 2755. I have written the preface
to this book in vain if even the beginner cannot see that Chaucer
would have written telle in one place, and etc in the other, and
would not have tolerated such rimes as these. See p. Ixxiii. § 10.
I adduce no more such instances, but there are, in the transla-
tion, hundreds of them. [According to Kaluza, there are 198.]

ON THE ROMAVNT OF THE ROSE. Ixxxvii

TEST VI. The test of dialect. This test alone is decisive, and
deserves great attention. Many have noticed that the translation
bears obvious marks of a more Northern dialect than that of Chaucer.
Mr. Arnold, in a letter to the Academy, July 20, 1878, p. 67, says
— 'that the language of the only existing MS. of the Romaunt is
of a somewhat more Northern cast than that of Chaucer's works
generally, is indisputable. It seems to me tinged by the dialect
of Norfolk and Lincolnshire. . . Lepand (leaping) occurs — a dis-
tinctly Northern form. But the divergence from the language of
London is not greater than can be reasonably set down to the
account of an East-Anglian transcriber, as distinguished from the
original author. In connection with this point, it may be noted
that a memorandum inside the Hunterian volume J states that
the MS. was given in 1720 by Mr. Sturgeon, surgeon, of Bury
St. Edmunds, to one Thomas Martin V My answer is, that this is
a misleading statement ; it implies that the Northern participles
in -and are due to the transcriber. But they are due to the author,
and cannot be explained away. As this is an important point,
I cite four lines, in full, properly spelt, omitting be in 1. 2263.

' Poyntis and slevis wel sittand,
Righte and streighte on the hand;'' 2263.

• They shal hir tel how they thee /and,
Curteys and wys, and wel doand;' 2707.

Change these into Chaucerian spelling, and we have sittinge riming
with hand; and fond (notfand, see fond in Glossary) riming with
doing; which is absurd3. The \vordfand is just as clear an in-
dication of Northern dialect (to those who can see) as the use
of the present participle in -and. I will indicate one more
Northern form, too important to be passed over, viz. the use of
the Scandinavian preposition //'/ in place of the Southern English

1 The MS. of the translation is in the Hunterian collection at Glasgow.

a Meaning Thomas Martin of Palgrave.

* Several years ago, I happened to remark to a friend that the suffix
-and is a sure mark of Northern influence. He observed, that he had
just found some instances of the use of this suffix in Chaucer. I replied —
' then it was in the Romaunt of the Rose.' Answer — ' yes, it was.'

ixxxviii INTRODUCTION.

to. Til occurs as a rime to tail and./?/ thrice; see lines 4593,
4854, 5816. Now, although til is found in the MSS. of Chaucer,
A. 1478, it is of doubtful authenticity; if correct, it seems to have
been used instead of to before a vowel, to avoid the hiatus. But
in Northern works it is very common ; and the use of it, as in the
translation, after its case, is notable.

But the transcript really is often at fault ; being more southern
in character than the translator's real language. The scribe has set
down rimes that are no rimes, but which become so when turned
into the Northern dialect. Thus, he rimes thore (there) with more,
1853, Chaucer's form being there ; and also more with are, 1. 2215,
which is no rime at all. Barbour would have written, thar, mar,
and ar\ which makes the rimes perfect1. So also hate (hot)
riming with state, 2398, is Northern ; Chaucer's form is boot. Cf.
also avenaunt or avenand (as in Barbour's Bruce), riming with
plesaunt or plesand, 4621 ; paramount (Bruce), riming with shouris,
4657; ado (for at do = to do, a well-known Northern idiom),
riming with^o, 5082 ; certis (a Northern form for Chaucer's certes),
riming with is, 5544; fa-we (fain, a Northern form), riming with
saive, a saying, 6477. Chaucer has taughte, taught ; but the
translator has tec bed, riming with preched, 6681. The continual
dropping of the final -e, so common in the translation, is a well-
known mark of Northern idiom ; see p. Iviii. above. For examples,
takejlitte, it, 5362 ; gete, set, 4828 ; lye, erly, 2645 ; feet, lete, 1981.
They may be found in large numbers.

TEST VII. The test of -vocabulary. This is a test I have never
yet seen mentioned, except in the most hap-hazard way ; thus
Mr. Arnold observes that smale f aides occurs in the translation,
1. 106, and also in Chaucer's prologue, 1. 9.2 But smale foules is
merely Middle-English for 'little birds,' and might have been
used by any one. I attach very small importance to this test of

1 Again,/ wote rimes with estate, 5402 ; read Iwat, estat, the Northum-
brian forms. To give many such examples is surely needless ; and it
becomes tedious.

* The argument is trivial, but the result is correct. For 1. 106 belongs
to the genuine portion (Fragment A).

ON THE ROMAUNT OF THE ROSE. IxXXlX

vocabulary, as I believe it to be frequently misleading, and it is
often misapplied. Its value as a proof is very slight, as compared
with the tests furnished by metre and grammar. Still, as it carries
weight with some readers, I will not omit to consider it.

Whoever will really read the translation, must be struck with
the extraordinary number of unusual words in it, especially of words
which never occur in Chaucer. Many of these words have been
attributed to Chaucer over and over again, but solely on the
strength of the translation, and quite erroneously. By way of
illustration, observe knoppe, a rose-bud, in 1. 1691 (Chaucer), but
bothum, or botoun, a bud, elsewhere, 1. 1721, &c.

\Ve may particularly notice three facts.

A. The other translators and Chaucer use different forms of
the same word.

B. The other translators and Chaucer use similar forms in
different senses.

C. Words occur in the translation which do not occur in
Chaucer.

A. The mod. E. abroad is, in Chaucer, abroad'1 ; but in the
translation abrede (miswritten abrade), riming with forivered
(\vrittenfor<weried), 2563.

¥ or found, we find f 'and, 2707. Chaucer, fond.

In Chaucer's translation of Boethius, bk. ii. pr. 5, we find
distingiied, pp. meaning 'distinguished.' But in RR. 1. 6199, we
find distincte, used as an infinitive !

FarfairttifSJ, we rindfairete/e, 2484. Ch. hasfairnesse, E. 334.
So also youtbede, 4934.

F or fared, i.e. gone, we find/or*?, r. w.2 more, 2709. Ch. has
fure, E. 896.

1 I must refer the reader to the Glossaries in Moxon's reprint of The
Poetical Works of Chaucer, 1855; and in Morris's Aldine edition; also
to the glossaries appended to the three volumes of Chaucer Selections in
• the Clarendon Press Series. Most words can thus be traced. I give the
references to the 'translation,' as edited by Morris; remarking that in
Moxon's edition the numbering of the lines s,ligh:ly differs, but never
by more than seven lines.

3 1. e. riming with.

XC INTR OD UCTION.

For to go one's <way, we find nvente her gate (common in the
North), 3332. Ch. would have said <wente her <way; see to take out
<wey, Prol. 33.

For obedience, we find obejsshyng, 3380. Ch. says obeysance,
E. 24.

For piercing, we find persaunt, 2809 ; as in the Court of Love,
849. Surely Ch. would have said percing.

At 1. 3186, we find barste, to burst, riming with laste. Very
likely this is an error for braste. But Chaucer's form of the
infin. mood is neither barste nor braste, but breste\ see Kn. Tale,

1122.

The carelessness of the translator appears in his usingyfrr (fire),
to rime with desire, 2467 ; whilst, only four lines below, the form
is fere, to rime with nere (nigher). •

For sojourn, we find sojcur, r. w. /oar, 4281; but Ch. has
loiorne or soiourne, r. w. tourne, D. 988.

For / ivot, we find Iiuote, 2402 ; but, as it rimes to estate (read
estat), it is meant for the Northern / ivat. Ch. has / wot or /
woot only.

For grieve, we find engreve, 3444. Ch. has grew.

For ' masterly workmanship,' we find maistrise, r. w. purprise,
4171. Ch. has maistrie. For ' impair,' Ch. has both apeire and
cmpeire. But in 1. 6103, we find the formpeire. Note also bonden,
hands, 6667.

B. Different senses of one form. Auaunt means forward,
3958 ; 4793. In Ch., it means a boast.

Baillie means custody, government, 4302, 7574. In Ch., it means
a bailiff.

Bauds means joyous, 5677. In Ch., it means a baivd*.

Bourdon means a staff, 3401, 4092. In Ch., it is the burden of a
song ; Prol. 675.

1 We may also note different words for the same thing ; as vekke for
hag, 4286 ; Chaucer's word is rebeJeke.

" Morris gives only the sense joyous ; but this sense will not suit his
reference to the Freres Tale, 1. 56.

ON THE ROM AUNT OF THE ROSE. XC1

Joine is used with the sense of 'I enjoin' or ' command'; 2355.
In Ch. it has its usual meaning; or else it means 'to adjoin,'
as in Kn. Tale, 202.

To congecte means to plan, 6930. In Ch., it means to conjecture
or suppose ; Troil. iv. 998 (Morris).

Cheinsaunce means remedy, 3337. In Ch., it means a borrowing,
an agreement to borrow, or a dealing for profit.

Quene in Chaucer means a queen ; in the translation, it is used
in the worst sense, 7034.

Solein means sullen, 3896. In Ch., it is merely sole or single.

C. The translation abounds with remarkable words ; all three
translators (for three they were) had considerable command
of language ; but many of the words are to be found in Barbour,
Wyclif, the Promptorium Parvulorum, Havelok, and Piers
Plowman, rather than in Chaucer1. I note a few of these2.

Accusitb, reveals, 1591 ; acoie, to quiet (as in Will, of Palerne),
35645 agree, adv. in good part, 4349; aguiler, needle-case, 98;
alege, alleviate (as in the Prick of Conscience), 6628; aleys
(French alise], lote-trees, I3772; almandres, almond-trees, 1363;
alpes, bulfinches (Prompt. Parv.), 658 ; among (in the sense now
and then, as in Barbour), 3771 ; anker, anchorite (P. Plowman),
6351; anoie, sb. (Barbour), 4404; aqueintable, 2213; arblasters,
crossbow-men (awblasteris in Barbour), 4196; archangel, not a
dead nettle (Prompt. Parv.), but a bird, 915 ; assise, situation,
1237; attour, head-dress, 3718; avaunt, forward, 3958, 4793;
a-venanl, becoming (Barbour), 1263 ; aumener, purse, 2087.

Bagginglj, squintingly, 292 ; baillie, custody, 4302, 7574 ; to her
bandon (Bruce), 1163; basting, sewing slightly, 104 ; batalled, em-
battled, 4162; baude, joyous, 5677; beau sire, sir, 6056; behove,
behoof (Havelok), 1092; benomen, taken away, 1509; bigine,

1 In saying that these words seldom occur in Chaucer, I may make
a few mistakes. I only say that I have overlooked them. The list
must be taken as tentative only, for what it is worth.

'2 In this case, I give examples from all three fragments, including A,
which is Chaucer's.

XCli INTRODUCTION.

beguine, 6863, 7368; bimene, bemoan (Hav.), 2667; bleine, blain
(Wye.), 553; tolas, bullace, 1377; bordellers (bordel in Wye.),
7036; boserd, buzzard, 4033; bothtim, bud, 1721; bourdon, staff
(P. PI.), 3401 ; burnette, brown cloth, 226.

Caleweis, sweet pears (P. PL), 7045; catneline, camlet, 7367;
canelle, cinnamon, 1370; chelaundre, goldfinch, 81; chevisaunce,
remedy, 3337 ; chevisaille, necklace, 1082 ; chideresse, 4266; cierges,
wax-tapers (Hav.), 6251; elopers, rabbitburrows, 1405; clipsy,
eclipsed, 5352 ; closer, inclosure, 4069 ; ccine, quince, 1374 ; condise,
conduits, 1414 ; congect, to plan, 6930 ; conisaunce, understanding,
5468; constablerie, ward of a castle, 4218; cotidien, daily, 2401;
coure, to squat, 46s1 ; coivardise, 2490 ; customer, accustomed, 4939.

Decoped, cut down, 843; disrulily, irregularly, 4903; distorted,
dissonant, 4248; distinct, to distinguish, 6202; dole, deal, part2,
2364 ; dole, grief (Wye.), 2956 ; dwined, wasted (Wye.), 360.

Eisel, vinegar (Wye.), 217; elde, to make old (Wye.), 391 ; en-
doute, to fear, 1664 ; engre-ve, to hurt, 3444 ; entailed, carved, 140,
162 ; equipolences, equivalents, 7078; erke, weary, 4870; espirituel,
spiritual, 650; expleite, to perform, 6177.

Fairhede, beauty, 2484; farce, to paint, 2285; fardel, burden
(Wye.), 5686; felden, fell, 911; faunce, trust, 5484; jlourette,
floweret, 891 ; fordwined, wasted away, 366 ; forfare, to fare ill
(Barbour), 5391 ; forsongen, 664 ; forwandred (P. PI.), 3336 ; for-
ivelked, 360 ; foriuered, 235 ; foxerie, 6797 ; freshe, to refresh, 1513.

Codling (Hav., P. PI.), 938 ; gate, way, 3332 ; girdlestede, waist,
826 ; gisarme, 5981 ; glombe, to be gloomy, 4356 ; gonfanon, 1201,
2018; gospel/ere9, evangelist, 6889; grete, to weep (Barbour),
4116 ; groine, to pout, 7051.*

Habite, to dwell, 660 ; hale, 54 ; havoir, wealth, 4723 ; horriblete,
7189 ; hulstred, hidden, 6149.

1 Chaucer also has couche ; see Glossary.

* So in Court of Love, 1098 ; but Chaucer has del.

3 Chaucer has euangelist, B. 2133.

4 We find groynyng, Knightes Tale, 1602, which Morris explains by
1 slabbing.' But it would be better to explain it by ' pouting ' ; in
which cause groine is a Chaucerian word.

ON THE ROM AUNT OF THE ROSE. xciii

Joyne, to enjoin, 2355.

Kernels, battlements (kyrnail, Barbour), 4195 ; knoppe, a button
(P. PI.), also a bud, 1080, 1702 ; knopped, 7260.

Lakke, to blame, 284; laverock, 662 ; lettred, learned (P. PI.),
7691.

Maisondeuae (P. PL), 5622; maistrise, 4172; maltalent, ill will
(cf. talent, Barbour), 274, 330; mavis1, thrush, 619; merke, dark
(Barbour), 5342 ; metely, proportionable (Ormulum), 822; micher,
thief, 6543 ; minoresse, 149 ; mitche, loaf, 5588 ; moison, growth,
1677; monest*, to admonish, 3579; mordauntt buckle-tongue,
1094; musard, dreamer, 3256, 4034.

Nokked, notched, 942.

Obeysing, 3380 ; onde, malice, 148 ; orfrajs, embroidery, 562, 869.

Paire, to impair (P. PL), 6106; papelard, hypocrite, 7283;
popeholy, ^iS',persaunt, 2809', pesibie (Barb.), 7413; portecolise, 4168;
paste, power (pouste, Barb.), 6486, 6535 ; preterit, 5011 ; primetemps,
4750 ; pullaile (Barb.), 7045 ; purprise, 4171.

Quarel, crossbow-bolt, 1823 ; quene (in bad sense, as in P. PL),
7034; querrour, quarry-man, 4149.

Racine, root, 4884; ramage*, wild, 5387; ravisable, 7018;
refte, rift, 2661; ribaninges, 1077; rimpled, 4495; rive, 5396;
riveting, 7262 ; roigne, roignous, 553, 988, 6193 ; roket, 1240, 4757 ;
roking, 1906.

Saile, to assail, 7338 ; sailours, dancers (cf. saille in P. PL), 770 ;
sarsinishe, 1188; savourous, 84; scantilone, a pattern (Prompt.
Parv., Cursor Mundi), 7066; seignorie (sensory, Barb.), 3213;
semlyhede, comeliness, 777, 1130 ; sere, dry (Prompt. Parv.), 4752 ;
slo^ive, moth (?), 4754 ; soigne, care, 3882 ; solein, sullen (Rom. of
Partenay), 3896; so/our, stay; spannishing, blooming, 3633;
springold, 4191 ; suckiny, loose frock, 1232 ; swire, neck, 325.

Tapinage, sculking, 7363; tatariuagges, rags, 7259; timbre,

1 And in Court of Love, 1388.

2 Observe that Chaucer has only the comp. amoneste; the form monest,
without initial a, is Northern, and occurs in Barbour.

3 Morris refers us also to Ch. C. T., Group G, 887 ; the word there is
rammish, ram-like ; quite a different word, and of E. origin.

XC1V INTRODUCTION.

timbrel, timbestere, timbrel-player, 772, 769 ; tourette, turret, 4164 ;
trashed, betrayed (betreyss, Barb.), 3231; tree hour, cheat, 197;
trepeget, 6282 ; truandise, truanding, 6666, 6723.

Vngodely, uncivil (ungod, Ormulum), 3741 ; unhide, 2168 ; urcbon,
hedgehog, 3135 ; vecke, old woman, 4286, 4495 ; vendable, 5807 ;
•verger, garden, 3618, 3831; •vermeil 'e, 3645 ; voluntee, 5279.

Welmeth, wells up, 1561; <wirry, to worry, 6267; <wode<wale,
658 ; twyndre, 1020.

Touthede, youth, 4934.

The above list is certainly a remarkable one ; and if any critic
should succeed in discovering more than two-fifths of the above
words elsewhere in Chaucer, I shall be much surprised.

When regard is had to all the tests above, when we find that,
each and all, they establish a difference between the language of
fragments B, G, and that of Chaucer, it is surely time to con-
sider the question as settled. Henceforward, to attribute the
whole text to Chaucer may be left to those who have no sense
of the force and significance of such arguments as philology
readily supplies. I have no doubt whatever that the discovery
of still greater discrepancies would reward more careful search.

It remains to state what the translation really is. It scarcely
belongs to the fourteenth century, as it contains many words sup-
posed to be of later date; the date of the MS. is about 1440-50. It
consists of three fragments, certainly by three different authors. The
original dialect of fragment B was not Northumbrian, but a Mid-
land dialect exhibiting Northumbrian tendencies; I hesitate to
make a more explicit statement. The authors, like so many other
authors of the fourteenth century, are anonymous, except in the
case of fragment A (11. 1-1705), which alone is Chaucer's.

LIST OF EDITIONS OF CHAUCER'S WORKS.

The Canterbury Tales were printed by Caxton (1475, 1481),
Wynken de Worde (1495, 1498), and Pynson (1493, 1526); but
no collection of his Works was made till 1532.

i. Edited by Wm. Thynne, London, 1532. Folio.

LIST OF EDITIONS OF CHAUCER'S WORKS. XCV

2. Reprinted with additional matter, London, 1542. Folio.
(Here the Plowman's Tale first appears.)

3. Reprinted, with the matter re-arranged, London, no date,
about 1551. Folio.

4. Reprinted, with large additions by John Stowe. London,
1561. Folio. (Here the Court of Love first appears; Lydgate's
Siege of Thebes is also included.)

5. Reprinted, with additions and alterations by Thomas Speght,
London, 1598. Folio.

6. Reprinted, with further additions and alterations by Thomas
Speght, London, 1602. Folio.

7. Reprinted with slight additions, London, 1687. Folio.

8. Reprinted, with additions and great alterations in spelling,
&c., by John Urry, 1721. Folio.

Later editions only contain the poems. Tyrwhitt's edition of
the Canterbury Tales, with notes and a glossary, first appeared
in 5 vols., 8vo., in 1775-8. There is a convenient reprint of
Chaucer's Poetical Works in a single volume by Moxon, 1843,
said to be edited by Tyrwhitt; but the statement only applies
to the Canterbury Tales, the notes, and the glossary. The
editions by Morris and Bell are well known. Wright's edition
of the Canterbury Tales follows the Harleian MS., but is no safe
authority for the readings of that MS.

POSTSCRIPT (1888). For later information regarding Chaucer's
Works, see my Introduction to Chaucer's Minor Poems.

The first edition of the present work appeared in 1874. I
regret to find that Prof. Ten Brink supposes that I took hints
from a book of his published in 1870 without acknowledgment,
but I never saw his book till 1886, nor read it till 1887. By all
means let his be all the credit. His works on Chaucer are of
great value, and I am not so presumptuous as to pretend to
compete with them.

XCV) INTRODUCTION.

POSTSCRIPT (1901). I subjoin a few further remarks.

P. xvi. It is now argued that The Knight's Tale was never re-
written, and that it preceded the Legend of Good Women. See
the article in An English Miscellany (Oxford, 1901), p. 301.

P. xxii, 1. 8 from bottom. The author of this French story was
Gautier de Coincy. It is probable that Chaucer was acquainted
with it, and also with another poem by the same author, entitled
' De Glerico Sancte Virgini devoto, in cuius iam mortui ore flos
inventus est.' The latter poem is printed in ' La Langue et la
LitteYature Frai^aises," by K. Bartsch and A. Horning (Paris,
1887), col. 367; and my verse translation of it was printed in
The Academy, Sept. 15, 1894, p. 195.

P. Ixxxiv, 1. 4. It is doubtful if the version is really Barbour's.

P. Ixxxiv, 1. 24. Fragments of Chaucer's translation of ' De
Miseria' are found in The Man of Lawes Tale, B 99-121,
421-427, 771-777, 925-931, 1134-1141 ; and in The Pardoneres
Tale, between C 483 and C 561.

P. 1 80, note to 1. 3307. Trophee practically means Guido delle
Colonne, who records the deeds of Hercules, and mentions the
pillars, in his Historia Troiana, bk. i.

GROUP B. MAN OF LAW HEAD-LINK.

[Introduction to the Man of Law's Prologue.]

The wordes of the Hoost to the compaignye.

Our hoste sey wel that the bryghte sonne

The ark of his artificial day hath ronne

The fourthe part, and half an houre, and more;

And though he were not depe expert * in lore,

He wiste it was the eightetethe 2 day 5

Of April, that is messager to May ;

And sey wel that the shadwe of euery tree

Was as in lengthe the same quantitee

That was the body erect that caused it.

And therfor by the shadwe he took his wit 10

That Phebus, which that shoon so clere and bryghte,

Degrees was fyue and fourty clombe on hyghte ;

And for that day, as in that latitude,

It was ten of the3 clokke, he gan conclude,

And sodeynly he plyghte his hors aboute. 15

' Lordinges,' quod he, ' I warne yow, al this route,

1 Cm. wanting ; Cp. Ft. Ln. expert ; E. Hn. ystert.

2 Hn. xviijthe; Cp. xviije; Cm. Pt. Ln. xviij ; E. eighte and twentithc;
HI. threttenthe.

* Cm. Pt. HI. of the ; E. Hn. at the ; Cp. atte ; Ln. att.

Cj VOL. II. B

GROUP B. MAN OF LAW HEAD-LINK.

The fourthe party of this day is goon ;

Now, for the loue of god and of seint lohn,

Leseth no tyme, as ferforth as ye may;

Lordinges, the tyme wasteth nyght and day, 20

And steleth from vs, what priuely slepinge,

And what thurgh necligence in our wakinge,

As dooth the streem, that turneth neuer agayn,

Descending fro the montaigne in-to playn.

Wei can Senec, and many a philosophre 25

Biwailen tyme, more than gold in cofre.

"For los of catel may recouered be,

But los of tyme shendeth vs," quod he.

Sir man of lawe,' quod he, ' so haue ye blis, 33

Tel vs a tale anon, as forward is ;

Ye ben submitted thurgh your free assent 35

To stonde in this cas at my lugement.

Acquiteth yow, and holdeth l your biheste,

Than haue ye doon your deuoir atte lesteV

' Hoste,' quod he, ' depardieux ich assente,

To breke forward is not myn entente. 40

Biheste is dette, and I wol holde fayn

Al my biheste ; I can no better seyn.

For swich lawe as man2 yeueth another wyghte,

He sholde him-seluen vsen it by ryghte;

Thus wol our text, but natheles certeyn 45

I can ryght now no thrifty tale seyn,

But3 Chaucer, though he can but lewedly

On metres and on ryming craftily,

1 HI. and holdeth ; the rest now of (badly).

2 Cm. man; the rest a man.

. 3 MS. Camb. Dd. 4. 24 has But; the rest That; see note.

GROUP B. MAN OF LAW HEAD-LINK. 3

Hath seyd hem in swich english as he can

Of olde tyme, as knoweth many a man. 50

And if he haue not seyd hem, leue brother,

In o boke, he hath seyd hem in another.

For he hath told of loueres vp and doun

Moo than Ovide made of mencioun

In his Epis toh's, that ben ful olde. 55

What sholde I tellen hem, sin they ben tolde?

In youthe he made of Ceys and Alcion,

And sithen hath he spoke of euerichon,

Thise noble wyues and thise loueres eke.

Who so that wol his large volume seke 60

Cleped the seintes legende of Cupyde,

Ther may he seen the large woundes wyde

Of Lucresse, and of Babiloin Tisbee ;

The swerd * of Dido for the false Enee ;

The tree of Phillis for hir Demophon; 65

The pleinte of Dianire2 and Hermion,

Of Adriane and of Isiphilee;

The bareyne yle stonding in the see ;

The dreynte Leander for his3 Erro;

The teres of Eleyne, and eek4 the wo 70

Of Brixseide, and of5 thee, Ladomea;

The cruelte of thee, queen Medea,

Thy litel children hanging by the hals

For thy lason, that was of 6 loue so fals I

O Ypermistra, Penelope, Alceste, 75

Your wyfhood he comendeth with the beste!

1 HI. sorwe ; but the rest swerd.

* E Cm. HI. Diane ; but Hn. Cp. Pt. Ln. Dianire, or Dyanyre.
3 HI. hir Erro.

* E. omits eek, which is in the rest.
8 E. omits of, but it is in the rest.

6 E. Cm. in ; the rest of.

4 GROUP B. MAN OF LAW HEAD-LINK.

But certeinly no word ne wryteth he
Of thilke wikke ensample of Canacee;

And therfor he, of ful auysement, 86

Nolde neuer wryte in none of his sermouns

Of swiche vnkynde abhominaciouns,

Ne I wol noon reherse, if that I may.

But of my tale how shal I doon this day ? 90

Me were looth be lykned douteles

To Muses that men clepen Pierides —

Metamorphoseos wot what I mene —

But natheles, I recche noght a bene

Though I come after him with hawe bake1; 95

I speke in prose, and lete him rymes make.'

And with that word he, with a sobre chere,

Bigan his tale, as ye shal after here.

The prologe of the marines tale of lawe.

0 hateful harm ! condicion of pouerte !

With thurst, with cold, with hunger so confounded ! 100

To asken help thee shameth in thyn herte ;

If thou noon aske, with nede artow so wounded2,

That verray need vnwrappeth al thy wounde hid!

Maugre thyn heed, thou most for indigence

Or stele, or begge, or borwe thy despence! 105

Thou blamest Crist, and seyst ful bitterly,
He misdeparteth richesse temporal ;

1 Hn. Cp. Pt. HI. hawe bake; E. hawebake; Cm. aw bake; Ln. halve
bake.

* So Hn. ; Cm. Cp. with nede art )>ou so wounded; Ln. with nede )>ou
art so wounded ; HI. with neede so art thou wounded ; but E. so soorc artow
ywoundid.

GROUP B. MAN OF LAW'S PROLOGUE. 5

Thy neighebor thou wytest sinfully,

And seist thou hast to lite1, and he hath al.

' Parfay,' seistow, ' somtyme he rekne shal, 1 10

Whan that his [cors] shal brennen in the glede,

For he noght helpeth needfulle in her nede/

Herkne what is the sentence of the wyse : —

' Bet is to dyen than haue indigence ; '

Thy selue neighebor wol thee despyse; n-,

If thou be poure, farwel thy reuerence !

Yet of the wyse man tak this sentence : —

1 Alle the 2 dayes of poure men ben wikke ; '

Be war therfor, er thou come in s that prikkc !

If thou be poure, thy brother hateth thee, 120

And alle thy frendes fleen fro thee, alas !
O riche marchauntz, ful of wele ben ye,

0 noble, o prudent folk, as in this cas !
Your bagges ben nat failed with amles as,

But with sis cink, that renneth for your chaunce; 125
At Cristemasse merie may ye dauncel

Ye seken lond and see for your winninges,

As wyse folk ye knowen al thestaat

Of regnes ; ye ben fadres of tydinges

And tales, both of pees and of debat. 130

1 were ryght now of tales desolat,

Nere that a marchaunt, goon is many a yere,
Me taughte a tale, which that ye shal here.

1 E. Hn. lite ; the rest litel. 2 E. Cm. omit the ; the rest have it.
1 E. Hu. HI. to ; Cm. Cp. Pt. Ln. in.

6 GROUP B. MAN OF LAW END-LINK.

[Here follow s the Man of Lawes Tale, 11. 134-1162. See pp.
*-37 of The Man of Law's Tale, and other extracts from
Chaucer, ed. Skeat (Clarendon Press Series).]

Here endith the man of lawe his tale. And next folwith
the Shipman his prolog1.

Our hoste vpon his stiropes stood anon, 1163

And seyde, ' good men, herkeneth euerich on ;

This was a thrifty tale for the nones ! 1 1 65

Sir parish prest/ quod he, 'for goddes bones,

Tel vs a tale, as was thy forward yore.

I se wel that ye lerned men in lore

Can moche good, by goddes dignitee !'

The persone him answerde, ' benedicite ! 1 1 70

What eyleth the man so sinfully to swere?'

Our hoste answerde, ' O lankyn, be ye there ?

I smelle a loller in the wynd/ quod he.

'Hoo! good men,' quod our hoste, ' herkneth me,

Abydeth, for goddes digne passioun, 1175

For we shal han a predicacioun ;

This loller heer wil prechen vs som-what.'

' Nay, by my fader soule ! that shal he nat/

Seyde the Shipman2, 'heer shal he nat preche,

He shal no gospel glosen heer ne teche. 1180

We leue3 alle in the grete god/ quod1 he,

'He wolde sowen som difficulte"e,
,U^fa*

.

1 Tltis rubric is from MS. Arch. Seld. B. 14. In some MSS. it «s
called The prolog of the squyers tale. The text of the prologue itself is
founded on the Corpus MS. E. Hn. Cm. omit this Prologue ; see note.

2 MS. Arch. Seld. has Shipman ; Cp. Ft. Ln. |>e squier.
s MS. Arch. Seld. We leuen ; Cp. Pt. Ln. He leue£.

4 MS. Arch. Seld, inserts quod, which Cp. Ft. Ln. omit.

GROUP B. SHIPMAN END-LINK.

Or springen cokkel^ in our clene corn,

And therfor, hoste, I warne thee biforn,

My loly body shal a tale telle, 1185

And I shal clinken yow so mery a belle,

That I shal waken al this companye,

But it shal not ben of philosophye,

Ne of ghisyk l, ne termes queinte of lawe ;

Ther is but litel latin in my mawe. 1190

Here endeth the Shipman his prolog. And next
folwyng he bigynneth his tale, &c.2

\Herefolloivs The Shipman's Tale, 11. 1191-1624. After
which — ]

Bihoold the murie wordes of the Hoost to the
Shipman and to the lady Prioresse3.

'Wei seyd, by corpus dominus,' quod our hoste, 1625

' Now longe mot thou sayle by the cos^te,.

Sir gentil maister, gentil marineer* ^

God yeue this monk a thousand last quad yeer !

A ha ! felawes ! beth war of swich a lape,

The monk putte in the mannes hode an ape, 1630

And in his wyues eek, by seint Austin ;

Draweth no monkes more in-to your in.

But now passe ouer, and lat vs seke aboute,

Who shal now telle first of al this route

Another tale?' and with that word he sayde, 1635

As curteisly as it had been a mayde,

1 Tyrwhitt reads of phisike ; the MSS. have the unmeaning word phislyas ;
Sloane MS. phillyas.

3 Rubric from MS. Arch. Seld.

8 From E. ; here again made the basis of the text.

GROUP B. SHIPMAN END-LINK.

'My lady Prioresse, by your leue,

So that I wiste I shulde you nat greue,

I wolde demen that ye tellen sholde

A tale next, if so were that ye wolde. 1640

Now wol ye vouche sauf, my lady dere?'

' Gladly,' quod she, and seyde as ye shal here.

Explicit.

GROUP B. THE PRIORESSES TALE.

The prologe of the Prioresses tale.
Domt'ne, dominus nosier.

O lord our lord, thy name how merueillous

Is in this large worlde ysprad — quod she : —

For noght oonly thy laude precious 1645

Parfourned is by men of dignitee,

But by the mouth of children thy bountee

Parfourned is, for on the brest souking

Som tyme shewen they thyn herying.

Wherfor in laude, as I best can or may, 1650

Of thee, and of the whyte1 lily flour

Which that thee bar, and is a mayde ahvay,

To telle a storie 1 wol doon my labour;

Not that I may encresen hir honour;

For she hir-self is honour, and the rote 1655

Of bountee, next hir sone, and soules bole. — SoJttTJ

O mooder mayde I o mayde mooder free !
O bush vnbrent, brenning in Moyses syghte,
That rauysedest doun fro the deitee,
Thurgh thyn humblesse, the goost that in thalyghte, 1660
Of whos vertu, whan he thyn herte lyghte, I '^
Conceyued was the fadres sapience, ~~
Help me to telle it in thy reuerence i

1 E. omits whyte, found in the rest.

10 GROUP B. THE PRIORESSES TALE.

Lady! thy bountee, thy magnificence,

Thy vertu, and thy grete humilitee 1665

Ther may no tonge expresse in no science;

For som tyme, lady, er men praye to thee,

Thou goost biforn of thy benignitee,

And getest vs the1 lyght, thurgh2 thy preyere,

To gyden vs vn-to thy sone so dere. 1670

My conning is so wayk, o blisful quene,
For to declare thy grete worthynesse,
That I ne may the weighte nat sustene,
But as a child of twelf monthe old, or lesse,
That can vnnethes any word expresse, 1675

Ryght so fare I, and therfor I yow preye,
Gydeth my song that I shal of yow seye.
Explicit.

Heere bigynneth the Prioresses tale.

Ther was in Asie, in a gret citee,

Amonges cristen folk a lewerye,

Sustened by a lord of that contree 1680

For foule vsure and lucre of vilanye,

Hateful to Crist and to his companye;

And thurgh the strete men myght ryde or wende,

For it was free, and open at eyther ende.

A litel scole of Cristen folk ther stood 1685

Doun at the ferther ende, in which ther were
Children an heep, yeomen of Cristen blood,
That lerned in that scole yeer by yere
Swich maner doctrine as men vsed there,

1 Hn. Cm. Ln. HI. the ; E. thurgh ; Cp. Pt. to.
3 E. Hn. of; but the rest thurgh.

GROUP B. THE PRIORESSES TALE.

1 J

This is to seyn, to singen and to rede, 1690

As smale children doon in hir childhede.

Among thise children was a widwes son<
A litel clergeon, seuen yeer of age,
That day by day to scole was his wone,
And eek also, wher as he sey thimage
Of Cristes mooder, hadde he in vsage,
As him was taught, to knele adoun and seye
His Aue Marie as he goth by the weye.

Thus hath this widwe hir litel sone ytaught

Our blisful lady, Cristes mooder dere, 1700

To worshipe ay, and he forgat it naught,

For sely child wol alday sone lere ; j "&"

But ay, whan I remembre on this matere,

Seint Nicholas slant euer in my presence.

For he so yong to Crist did reuerence. 1705

This litel chiFd his litel book lerninge,

As he sat in the scole at his prymer,

He Alma redemptoris herde singe,

As children lerned hir antiphoner;

And, as he dorste, he drough hym ner and ner, 1710

And herkned ay the wordes and the note,

Til he the firste vers coude al by rote.

Noght wiste he whal this latin was to seye,

For he so yong and tendre was of age;

But on a day his felaw gan he preye 1715

Texpounden him this song in his langage,

Or telle him why this song was in vsage;

This preyde he him to construe and declare

Ful ofte tyme vpon his knowes bare.

" *~

12 GROUP B. THE PRIORESSES TALE.

His felaw, which that elder was than he, 1720

Answerde him thus : ' this song, I haue herd seye,

Was maked of our blisful lady free,

Hir to salue, and eek hir for to preye

To been our help and socour whan we deye.

I can no more expounde in this matere; 1725

I lerne song, I can but smal grammere.'

'And is this song maked in reuerence

Of Cristes mooder?' seyde this Innocent;

'Now certes, I wol do my diligence

To conne it al, er Cristemasse is went ; 1 730

Though that I for my prymer shal be shenr,

And shal be beten thrye's in an houre,

I wol it conne, our lady for1 to honoure."

His felaw taughte him homward priuely,

Fro day to day, til he coude it by rote, 17.35

And than he song it wel and boldely

Fro word to word, acording with the note;

T wye's a day it passed thurgh his throte,

To scoleward and homward whan he wente;

On Cristes mooder set was his entente. .% 1740

As I haue seyd, thurgh-out the lewerye

This litel child, as he cam to and fro,

Ful inerily than2 wolde he singe, and crye

O Alma redempioris euer-mo.

The swetnes hath3 his herte perced so 1745

Of Cristes mooder, that, to hir to preye,

He can nat stinte of singing by the weye.

1 Cm. Cp. Pt. HI. omit for ; // seems best retained.

2 Cm. Cp. Pt. Ln. III. than ; E. Hn. omit it.
9 Cm. Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. hath ; E. Hn. omit it.

GROUP B. THE PRIORESSES TALE. 13

Our firste foo, the serpent Sathanas,
That hath in lewes herte his waspes nest,
Vp swal, and seide, 'o Hebraik peple, alias! 1750

Is this to yow a thing that is honest,
jThat swich a boy shal walken as him lest
0 fif^ In £Qjir despyt, and singe of swich sentence,
Which is agayn your1 lawes reuerence?'

Fro thennes forth the lewes han conspyred 1755

This innocent out of this world to chace ;

An homicyde ther-to han they hyred,

That in an aley hadde a priuee place;

And as the child gan forby for to pace,

This cursed lew him hente and heeld him faste, 1760

And kitte his throte, and in a pit him caste.

This poure widwe awaiteth al that nyght 1776

After hir litel child, but he cam noght;

For which, as sone as it was dayes lyght,

With face pale of drede and bisy thoght,

She hath at scole and elles-wher him soght, 1780

Til finally she gan so fer espye

That he last seyn was in the lewerye.

With moodres pitee in hir brest enclosed,

She gooth, as she were half out of hir mynde,

To euery place wher she hath supposed 1785

By lyklihede hir litel child to fynde;

And euer on Cristes mooder meke and kynde

She cryde, and atte laste thus she wroughte,

Among the cursed lewes she him soughte.

1 HI. your ; Pt. Ln. soure ; E. Hn. Cm. Cp. cure.

14 GROUP B. THE PRIORESSES TALE.

She frayneth and she preyeth pitously 1790

To euery lew that dwelte in thilke place,

To telle hir, if hir child wente ought forby.

They seyde, 'nay'; but lesu, of his grace,

Yaf in hir thought, inwith a litel space,

That in that place after hir sone she cryde, 1795

Wher he was casten in a pit bisyde.

0 grete god, that parfournest thy laude

By mouth of Innocentz, lo heer thy myghtl

This gemme of chastitee, this Emeraude,

And eek of martirdom the Ruby bryght, 1800

Ther he with throte ykoruen lay vpryght,

He 'Alma redemp forts' gan to singe

So loude, that al the place gan to ringe.

The Cristen folk, that thurgh the strete wente,

In coomen, for to wondre vp-on1 this thing, 1805

And hastily they for the Prouost sente;

He cam anon with-outen tarying,

And herieth Crist that is of heuen king,

And eek his mooder, honour of mankynde,

And after that, the lewes leet he bynde. 1810

This child with pitous lamentacioun

Vp-taken was, singing his song alway;

And with honour of gret processioun

They carien him vn-to the nexte abba}-.

His mooder swowning by the2 bere lay; 1815

Vnnethe myght the peple that was there

This newe Rachel bringe fro his3 bere.

1 Cp. Pt. wondrenon; Ln. wonderneof; E. Hn. wondre vpon ; HI. wonder
vpon; Cm. wonderyn vp-on. 2 E. Hn. his; the rest the; see I. 1817.

8 Cm. HI. the ; the rest his.

GROUP B. THE PRIORESSES TALE. 15

With torment and with shamful deth echon

This Prouost dooth the lewes for to sterue

That of this mordre wiste, and that anon; 1820

He nolde no swich cursednes obserue.

Euel shal1 haue, that euel wol deserue.

Therfor with wilde hors he dide hem drawe,

And after that he heng hem by the lawe.

Vp-on his2 bere ay lyth this innocent 1825

Biforn the chief auter, whil masse3 laste,

And after that, the' abbot* with his couent

Han sped hem for to burien him ful faste;

And whan they holy water on him caste,

Yet spak this child, whan spreynd was holy water, 1830

And sorig — ' 0 Alma redemptoris mater I'

This abbot, which that was an holy man

As monkes been, or elles oughten be,

This yonge child to coniure he bigan,

And seyde, {o dere child, I halse thee, 1835

In vertu of the holy Trinitee,

Tel me what is thy cause for to singe,

Sith that thy throte is cut, to my seminge ? '

' My throte is cut vn-to my nekke-boon,'

Seyde this child, ' and, as by wey of kynde, 1840

I sholde haue deyed, ye, long tyme agoon,

But lesu Crist, as ye in bokes fynde,

Wil that his glorie laste and be in mynde,

And, for the worship of his mooder dere,

Yet may I singe "O Alma" loude and clere. 1845

1 E. Cm. shal he ; Pt. he shal ; the rest omit he. 2 Hn. HI. his ; the rest this.
s E. Hn. Cm. HI. the masse ; Cp. Pt. Ln. omit the. * HI. thabbot.

1 6 GROUP B. THE PRIORESSES TALE,

This welle of mercy, Cristes mooder swete,
I louede alwey, as after my conninge;
And whan that I my lyf sholde forlete,
To me she cam, and bad me for to singe
This antem1 verraily in my deyinge, 1850

vCvf^ As ye han herd, and, whan that I had songe,

Me thoughte she leyde a greyn vp-on my tonge.

Wherfor I singe, and singe I mot certeyn

In honour of that blisful may den free,

Til fro my tonge of-taken is the greyn; 1855

And afterward thus seyde she to me,

" My litel child, now wol I fecche thee

Whan that the greyn is fro thy tonge ytake;

Be nat agast, I wol thee nat forsake.'"

This holy monk, this abbot, him mene I, 1860

His tonge out-caughte, and took a-wey the greyn..,

And he yaf vp the goost ful softely.

And whan this abbot had this wonder seyn,

His salte teres trikled2 doun as reyn,

And^gruf he fil al plat vp-on the grounde, 1865

And stille he lay as he had ben3 ybounde.

The couent eek lay on the pauement

Weping, and herien Cristes mooder dere,

And after that they rise, and forth ben * went,

And toke awey this martir fro his bere, 1870

And in a tombe6 of marbul-stones clere

1 Cm. Cp. Pt. anteme ; Ln. antime ; HI. antym ; Hn. antheme : E. Anthephen.

2 E. Hn. Cm. trikled ; Cp. Pt. stryked; Ln. strikled ; HI. striken.

3 Cp. HI. ben; Pt. Ln. bene ; E. Hn. Cm, leyu
1 HI. thay ; but the rest been, ben, bene.

5E . temple; the rest tombe, touuibe.

(^ « \

GROUP B. PRIORESS END-LINK. IJ

Enclosen they his litel body swete ; >
Ther he is now, god leue us for1 to mete.

O yonge Hugh of Lincoln, sleyn also

With cursed lewes, as it is notable, gf** 1875

For it nis2 but a litel whyle ago; f

Prey eek for vs, we sinful folk vnstable,

That of his mercy god so merciable

On vs his grete mercy multiplye,

For reuerence of his mooder Marye. Amen. 1880

4-<3ru,. 4cX~*-n_/j~; £ <V'V*~M4^' >fi/,^t^«Lt<y fa C«// . /vW-WH/.
.3 Heere is ended the Prioresses Tale.

i] M.X ^MU*. ^MZU^*

r[FR^Ess"Eitos^.]

Bihoold the murye wordes of the Hoost to Chaucer.

n i^fi/t^ £

Whan seyd was al this miracle, euery man
• As sobre was, that wonder was to se,
Til that our hoste lapen3 tho4 bigan,
And than at erst he loked vp-on me,
And seyde thus, ' what man artow ? ' quod he ; 1885

' Thou lokest as thou woldest fynde an hare,

*

For euer vp-on the ground I se thee stare.

Approche neer, and loke vp merily.

Now war yow, sirs, and lat this man haue place;

He in the waast is shape as wel as I; 1890

This were a popet in an arm tenbrace

For any womman, smal and fair of face.

He semeth eluish by his contenaunce,

For vn-to no wyght doth he daliaunce.

1 E. alle for ; the rest omit alle. * Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. nys ; E. Hn. Cm. is.

* Only HI. inserts to before lapen.

4 Cm. Cp. tho ; E. to ; Hn. he ; Pt. Ln. HI. omit.

VOL. II. C

i8

GROUP B. PRIORESS END-LINK.

Sey now somwhat, sin other folk ban sayd; 1895

Tel vs a tale of mirthe, and that anoon ; ' —
' Hoste,' quod I, ' ne beth nat euel apayd,
For other tale certes can I noon,
But of a ryme I lerned longe agoon.'
' Ye, that is good/ quod he; ' now shul we1 here 1900
Som deyntee thing, me thinketh by his chere.'
Explicit.

Xxut-t_>«»<" xv<n^^ o.<.^<£c_ -

GROUP B. SIR THOPAS.

Heere bigynneth Chaucers tale of Thopas.

Listeth, lordes, in good entent,
And I wol telle verrayment

Of mirthe and of solas;

Al of a knyght was fair and gent 1905

In bataille and in tourneyment,

His name was sir Thopas.

Yborn he was in fer contree,
In Flaundres, al biyonde the see,

At Popering, in the pjace;
His fader was a man ful free,
And lord he was of that contree,

As it was goddes grace.

Sir Thopas wex a doughty swayn,

Whyt was his face as payndemayrti ^ 1915

His lippes rede as rose;
His rode is lyk scarlet in grayn,
And I yow telle in good certayn,

He hadde a semely nose.

His heer, his berd was lyk saffroun, 1920

That to his girdel raughte adoun;
His shoon 1 of Cordewane.

1 E. shoos ; Hn. Ft. shoon ; the rest schoon, schon, schonc.
C 2

20 GROUP B. SIR Til OP AS.

Of Brugges were his hosen broun, \^

His robe was of ciclatoun, .^D

That coste many a lane. ^^ !925

$*

He coude hunte at wilde deer,
nd ryde an haukyng for1 riuer,

With grey goshauk on honde ;
Ther-to he was a good archeer, \ <
Of wrastling was ther noon his peer, \

Ther any ram shal2 stonde.

> ^

.. . ^ ^ v;,..; j,,.,

And so bifel3 vp-on a day,
For sothe, as I yow telle may,

Sir Thopas wolde out ryde; 1940

He worth vpon his stede gray,
And in his honde a launcegay,

A long swerd by his syde.

He priketh thurgh a fair forest,

Ther-inne is many a wilde best, 1945

Ye, bothe bukke and hare;
And, as he priketh4 North and Est,
I telle it yow, him hadde almest

Bitid a sory care.

Ther springen herbes grete and smale, 1950

The lycorys and cetewale,
And many a clowe-gilofre ;

1 5*0 E. Hn. Cm. HI. ; Cp. by ]>e ; Ft. Ln. for J>e.

* So E. Hn. Cm. HI. ; Cp. sc'hulde ; Ft. shulde ; Ln. scholde.

8 Hn. HI. it fel ; Cm. it fil. 4 HI. priketh (not priked).

GROUP D. SIR THOPAS. 21

And notemuge to putte in ale,
Whether it be moyste or stale,

Or for to leye in cofre. 1955

The briddes singe, ^t is no_jiay,
The sparhauk and the papeiay,

That ioye it was to here;
The thrustelcok made eek his1 lay,
The wodedowue vpon the2 spray 1960

She sang ful loude and clere.

Sir Thopas fil in loue-longinge

Al whan he herde the thrustel singe,

And priked as he were wood :

His faire steede in his prikinge 1965

So swatte that men myghte him wringe,

His sydes were al blood.

Sir Thopas eek so wery was
For prikinge on the softe gras,

So fiers was his corage, 1970

That doun he leyde him in that plas
To make his steede som solas,

And yaf him good forage.

'O seinte Marie,

What eyleth this loue at me 1975

To bynde me so sore ?
Me dremed al this nyght, pardee,
An elf-queen shal my [lady be,

And loue me euermore.]

1 E. hir ; the rest his ' E. a ; tie rest the.

11 GROUP B. SIR THOPAS.

An Elf-queen wol I loue1, ywis, . 1980

For in this world no womman is , t>

Worthy to be my make O^T

In toune; T

Alle othere wommen I forsake,
And to an Elf-queen I me take 1985

By dale and eek by doune 1 '

In-to his sadel he clamb anoon,
And priketh ouer style and stoon

An Elf-queen for tespye 2,

Til he so longe had riden and goon 1990

That he foond, in a priuee woon,

The contree of Fairye

So wilde;

For in that contree was ther noon
That to him dorste ryde or goon3, 1995

Neither wyf ne childe.

Til that ther cam a greet geaunt,
His name was sir Olifaunt, .

ci *

A perilous man of dede; »
He seyde 4, ' child, by Termagaunt,
But-if thou prike out of myn haunt,

Anon I sle thy stede

With mace.

Heer is the queen of Fairye,
With harpe and pype5 and symphonye 2005

Dwelling in this place.'

1 Hn. Cm. HI. hane; the rest lone.

3 So E. Hn. Cm. ; Cp.-Pt. Ln. to aspic; HI. to spye.

3 This line is from MS. Reg. 17 D. 15. * HI. swar ; the rest teyde.

6 HI. Inte ; the real pype or p;pe.

GROUP B. SIR THOPAS. 23

The child seyde, 'a]_so mote Ijhee, o*3-»~-~n l
Tomorwe wol I meete1 thee

Whan I haue myn armoure;

And yet I hope, par ma fay, 2010

That thou shall with this launcea

Abyen it ful soure * ;

Thy mawe

Shal I percen, if I may8,
Er it be fully pryme of day,

For heer thou shalt be slawe.'

Sir Thopas drow abak ful faste;
This geaunt at him stones caste

Out of a fel staf-slinge ;
But faire escapeth child* Thopas,
And al it was thurgh goddes gras,

And thurgh his fair beringe.

Yet listeth, lordes, to my tale
Merier than the nyghtingale,

For now5 I wol yow roune 2025

How sir Thopas with sydes smale,
Priking ouer hil and dale,

Is come agayn to toune.

His merie men comanded he

To make him bothe game and glee, 2030

For nedes moste he fyghte

1 E. HI. meete with ; the rest omit with.

8 E. Hn. sowre ; Cm. HI. soure ; the rest sore.

3 E. Cm. Thyn hauberk shal I percen, if I may ; but the rest omit Thyn
hauberk, which is not wanted at all.

4 E. Cm. sire ; but the rest child.

* Cp. Pt. Ln. insert For now, which the rest omit.

24 GROUP B. SIR THOPAS.

With a geaunt with heuedes l three,
.x For paramour and lolitge

Of oon that shoon ful bryghte.

'Do come,' he seyde, 'my minstrales, 1035

<*- And gestours for to tellen tales

Anon in myn arminge;
Of romances that been roiales,
Of popes and of cardinales,

And eek of loue-lykinge.' 2040

They fette2 him first the8 sweete wyn,
And mede eek in a maselyn,

And roial spicerye ;
Of4 gingebreed that was ful fyn,
And lycorys, and eek comyn, ao45

With sugre that is so5 trye.

He djde ) next his whyte lere
Of cloth of lake fyn and clere

A breech and eek a sherte;
And next his sherte an aketoun, •S*rv~ 2050

And ouer that an habergeoun

For percinge of his herte;

And ouer that a fyn hauberk, *
Was al ywtoght of lewes werk.

Ful strong it was of plate ; 2055

1 K. Hn. heuedes; HI. heedes; Cm. hedis; Cp. Pt. Ln. hcdes.
* E. sette ; the rest fette or fet.

3 E. Hn. Cm. omit the ; it occurs in the rest.

4 E. And ; Hn. Cm. HI. Of. Cp. Pt. Ln. omit II. 7042-4.

5 E. alone retains so ; the rest omit it.

GROUP B. STR THOPAS. 2$

And ouer that his cote-armour
As whyt as is a lily flour,
In which he wol l debate.

His sheeld was al of gold so reed,
And ther-in was a bores heed,

A charbocle bisyde 2; i S

And there he swoor, on ale and breed,
How that 'the geaunt shal3 be deed,

Bityde what bityde 1 '

His lajnbeux were of quyrboilly, 2065

His swerdes shethe of yuory,

His helm of laton bryght;
His sadel was of rewel * boon,
His brydel as the sonne shoon,

Or as the mone lyght. 2070

His spere was 5 of fyn ciprees,

That bodeth werre, and no thing pees,

The heed ful sharpe ygrounde ;
His steede was al dappel-gray,
It gooth an ambel in the way 2075

Ful softely and rounde

In londe.

Loo, lordes myne, heer is a fit I
If ye wol any more of it,

To telle it wol I fonde. 2o8°

1 Cm. wolde ; HI. wold ; the rest wol, wole, wil.

8 Hn. Cm. Pt. by his syde ; Cp. him besyde. 3 Cm. Cp. Ln. schulde.

• Pt. HI. rowel ; Cp. Lu. ruel. ' E. it was ; the rest omit it.

26 GROUP B. SIR THOPAS.

[The Second Ftt.\

Now hold your mouth, par charite,
Bothe knyght and lady free,

And herkneth to my spelle ;
Of bataille 1 and of chiualry, f^\jj^C

And of ladyes loue-drury 9 t^^^^^ «o8s

Anon I wol yow telle.

Men speke of romances of prys,
Of Horn child and of Ypotys,

Of Bevys and8 sir Gy,
Of sir__Ly_beux and Pleyn-damour ; 2090

But sir Thopas, he bereth the flour

Of roial chiualry.

His goode stede al he bistrood,
And forth vpon his wey he glood

As sparcle out of the brqnde ;
Vp-on his crest he bar a tour,
And ther-in stiked a lily flour,

God shilde his cors fro shonde !

And for he was a knyght auntrous,

He nolde slepen in noon hous, aioo

But liggen in his hoode j s J1

His bryghte helm was his wonger. ^'

And by him baiteth his dextrer

™ u u f A ~1 -

Of herbes fyne and goode.

1 E. batailles; Hn. bataille; the rest bataile, bntail, batell.

2 HI. And of laclys loue drewery. 3 E. Pt. and of; the rest omit of.
* E. rood; but the rest glood, glod, glode.

GROUP B. SIR THOPAS END-LINK. 2J

Him-self drank water of the wel, 2105

As did the knyght sir Percyuel,

So worthy1 vnder wede.
Til on a day

Heere the Hoost stynteth Chaucer of hia tale of Thopas

' No more of this, for goddes dignitee,'
Quod our hoste, ' for thou makest me
^ So wery of thy verray lewgdnesse
That, also wisly god my soule blesse^
Myn eres aken of thy drasty speche;

This may wel be rym dogerel,' quod he. 2115

' Why so ? ' quod I, ' why wiltow lette me
More of my tale than another man,
Sin that it is the beste rym2 I can?'

' Thou dost nought elles but despendest tyme, 2121
Sir, at o word, thou shall no lenger ryme.
Lat se wher thou canst tellen ought in geste,
Or telle in prose somwhat at the leste
In which ther be som mirthe or som doctrine.' 2125
' Gladly/ quod I, ' [for Cristes] swete pyne,
I wol yow telle a litel thing in prose,
That oughte lyken yow, as I suppose,
Or elles, certes ye ben to daungerous.
It is a moral tale vertuous, 2130

Al be it told8 som tyme in sondry wyse
. Of sondry folk, as I shal yow deuyse.

1 HI. worthy ; E. Hn.worly; Pt. worthely ; Cm. Cp. Ln. omilll. 2105-8.

8 E. tale ; the rest rym, ryme.

8 E, take ; the rest told, tolde, toold.

28 GROUP B. SIR THOPAS END-LINK.

As thus; ye wot that euery Euangelist,
That telleth vs the peyne of lesu Crist,
Ne saith nat al thing as his felaw dooth, 2135

But natheles, her sentence is al sooth,
And alle accorden as in her sentence,
Al be ther in her telling difference.
For somme of hem seyn more, and somme1 lesse,
Whan they his pitous passioun expresse; 2140

I mene of Mark and2 Mathew, Luk and lohn;
But douteles hir sentence is al oon.
Therfor, lordinges alle, I yow biseche,
If that ye8 thinke I varie as in my speche,
As thus, though that I telle som-what more 2145

Of prouerbes, than ye han herd bifore,
Comprehended in this litel tretis heer,
To enforce with the theffect of my mateer,
And though I nat the same wordes seye
As ye han herd, yet to yow alle I preye, 2150

Blameth me nat; for, as in my sentence,
Ye shul not fynden moche4 difference
Fro the sentence of this tretis lyte
After the which this mery tale I wryte.
And therfor herkneth what that I shal seye, 2155

And lat me tellen al my tale, I preye.'
Explicit.

[Here follows, in prose, the long and dull Tale of Melibeus ;
numbered 11. 2157-3078 in the Six-Text edition. After which
comes The Monk's Prologue.]

1 E. Hn. Cm. Ln. somme seyn ; but Cp. Pt. HI. omit seyn.
* Tyr. and ; which the MSS. omit. 3 E. HI. yow ; the rest ye.

4 Cm. Cp. Ln. Ye schal not fynden moche; E. Hn. Pt. HI. Shul ye nowhet
fynden.

GROUP B. THE MONK'S PROLOGUE.

The murye wordes of the Hoost to the Monk.

Whan ended was my tale of Melibee,

And of Prudence and hir benignitee, 3080

Our hoste seyde, ' as I am faithful man,

And by the precious corpus Madn'an,

I hadde leuer than a barel ale

That goode lief my wyf hadde herd this tale I

For1 she nis no-thing of swich pacience 3085

Aswas this Melibeus wyf Prudence.

[So m^Tl thryuelj whan I bete my knaues,

She bringth me forth the grete clobbed staues,

And cryeth, ' slee the dogges euerichoon,

And brek hem, bothe bak and euery boon.' 3090

And if that any neighebor of myne

Wol nat in chirche to my wyf enclyne,

Or be so hardy to hir to trespace,

Whan she comth hoom2, she rampeth in my face,

And cryeth, 1 false coward, wreck thy wyf, 3095

rf^H C*^*Y^4,,*TVV<-<^ ,-, T , , ^1 1 f

[So imoi I thryuen !J I wol haue thy knyf,

And thou shalt haue my distaf and go spinne ! '

Fro day to nyght ryght thus she wol biginne; —

' Alias ! ' she seith, ' that euer I was shape

To wedde a milksop or a coward ape, 3100

1 E. Hn. omit For ; the rest have it.

* Pt. hoom ; HI. horn ; Cp. Ln. home ; E. Hn. omit.

.j
l^jT

30 GROUP B. THE MONK'S PROLOGUE.

That wol be ouerlad with euery \vyght!

Thou darst nat stonden by thy wyues ryght!'

This is my lyf, but-if that I wol fyghte ;

And out at dore anon I mot me dyghte,

Or elles I am but lost, but-if that I 3105

Be lyk a wilde leoun fool-hardy.

I wot wel she wol do me slee som day

Som neighebor, and thanne go my wey.

For I am perilous with knyf in honde,

Al be it that I dar nat hir1 withstonde, 3110

For she is big in armes, by my feith,

That shal he fynde, that hir misdooth or seith. .

But let vs passe awey fro this matere.

My lord the monk/ quod he, ' be mery of chere ;

For ye shal telle a tale trewely. 3115

Lo! Rou[e] Chester stant heer faste by!

Ryd forth, myn owen lord, brek nat our game,

But, by my trewthe, I knowe nat your name,

Wher I shal calle yow my lord dan lohn,

OrTlan Thomas, or elles dan Albon? 3120

Of whatjious be ye, by your fader kin?

I vow [in Teitn], thou hast a ful fair skin,

It is a gentil pasture ther thou goost;

Thou art nat lyk a penaunt or a goost.

Vpon my feith, thou art som officer, 3125

Som worthy sexteyn, or som celerer,

For by my fader soule, as to my doom,

Thou art a maister whan thou art at hoom;

No poure cloisterer, ne no nouys,

But a gouernour, wyl/ and wys. 3130

And therwithal of brawnes and of bones

A wel -faring persone for the nones.'

1 E. Cp. Ln. hire nat ; Hn. Cm. Pt. HI. nat liirr

GROUP S, THE MONK'S PROLOGUE, 31

This worthy monk took al in pacience, 3155

And seyde, ' I wol doon al my diligence,

As fer as souneth in-to honeslee,

To telle yow a tale, or two, or three.

And if yow list to herkne hiderward,

I wol yow1 seyn the lyf of seint Edward; 3160

Or elles first Tragedies wol I telle

Of whiche I haue an hundred in my celle.

Tragedie^is for2 to seyn a certeyn storie,

As olde bokes maken vs memorie,

Of him that stood in greet prosperitee 3165

And is y-fallen out of heigh degree

Into miserie, and endeth wrecchedly.

And they ben versifyed comounly

Of six feet, which men clepe examelron.

In prose eek ben endyted many oon, 3170

And eek in metre, in many a sondry wyse.

Lo! this declaring oughte ynough suffise.

Now herkneth, if yow lyketh for to here ;

But first I yow biseke in this matere,

Though I by ordre telle nat thise thinges, 3175

Be it of popes, emperours, or kinges,

After hir ages, as men writen fynde,

But telle hem som bifore and som bihynde,

As it now comth vn-to my remembraunce ;

Haue me excused of myn ignoraunce. 3180

Explicit.

- E. omits yow ; the rest have it.

* Cp. Pt. Ln. for ; the rest omit it.

•», ~. . __ - i h r

L^-x-<_ o^»-*tX^e--cx-«— < A-*//O^&— ix^ y

TALE.

GROUP B THE MONKES TALE.

Heere bigynneth the Monkes Tale, de casibus virorum
Illustritun.

I wol biwayle in maner of Tragedie

The harm of hem that stode in heigh degree

And fillen so that ther nas no remedie

To bringe hem out of her aduersitee;

For certein, whan that fortune list to flee, 3185

Ther may no man the cours of hir withholde ;

Lat no man truste on blynd prosperitee;

Be war by * thise ensamples trewe and olde.

LUCIFER.
t i • • '

At Lucifer, though he an angel were,

And nat a man, at him I wol biginne; v^Y*^ 3'9°

For, though fortune may non angel dere, fifr <</^u^

From heigh degree yet fel he for his sinne

Doun in-to helle, wher he yet is inne.

O Lucifer ! bryghtest of angels alle,

Now artow Sathanas, that maist nat twinne 3195

Out of miserie, in which that thou art falle.

ADAM.

Lo Adam, in the felde of Damascene,
. „ With goddes owen finger wrought was he,

"V^A"^ r*"**

i /VAA/vv.[And nat a sone of sinful man unclene],

And welte al Paradys, sauing o tree. 3200

Had neuer worldly man so heigh degree
As Adam, til he for misgouernaunce
Was driue out of his heigh prosperitee
To labour, and to helle, and to meschaunce.
1 E. Pt. of; the rest by.

GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE. 33

SAMPSON.

Lo Sampson, which that was annunciat 3205

By thangel1, longe er his natiuitee,

And was to god almyghty consecrat,

And stood in noblesse, whyl he myghte see.

Was neuer swich another as was he,

To speke of strengthe, and therwith hardinesse; 3210

But to his wyues tolde he his secree,

Through which he slow hym-self, for wrecchednesse.

Sampson, this noble myghty champioun,

Withouten wepen saue his hondes tweye,

He slow and al to-rente the leoun, 3215

Toward his wedding walking by the weye.

His false wyf coude him so plese and preye

Til she his conseil knew, and she vntrewe

Vn-to his foos his conseil gan biwreye,

And him forsook, and took another newe. 3120

Three hundred foxes took Sampson for Ire,

And alle her tayles he togider bond,

And sette the foxes tayles alle on fire,

For he on euery tayl had knit a brond;

And they brende alle the comes in that lond, 3225

And alle her oliueres and vynes eek.

A thousand men he slow eek with his hond,

And had no wepen but an asses cheek.

Whan they were slayn, so thursted him that he
Was wel ny lorn, for which he gan to preye 3230

That god wolde on his peyne han som pitee,
And sende him drinke, or elles moste he deye;

1 HI. Cp. thangel ; Hi). Pt. Ln. the aungel ; E. Cm. angel.
VOL. II. D

34 GROUP n. THE MONKES TALE.

And of this asses cheke, that was dreye,
x Out of a wang-tooth sprang anon a welle,

Of which he drank ynow 1, shortly to seye, 3235

Thus halp him god, as ludicum can telle.

By verray force, at Gazan, on a nyght,

Maugre Philistiens of that citee,

The gates of the toun he hath vp-plyght,

And on his bak ycaried hem hath he 3240

Hye on an hille, that men myghte hem see.

0 noble almyghty Sampson, leue and dere,
Had thou nat told to wommen thy secree,
In al this worlde ne hadde been thy pere I

This Sampson neuer sicer2 drank ne wyn, 3245

Ne on his heed cam rasour noon ne shere,

By precept of the messager diuyn,

For alle his strengthes in his heres were;

And fully twenty winter, yeer by yere,

He hadde of Israel the gouernaunce. 3250

But sone shal he wepen many a tere,

For wommen shal him bringen to meschaunce.

Vn-to his lemman Dalida he tolde

That in his heres al his strengthe lay,

And falsly to his foomen she him solde. 3255

And sleping in hir barrne vp-on a day

She made to clippe or shere his heer 8 awey,

And made his foomen al his* craft espyen;

And whan that they him fonde in this array,

They bounde him faste, and putten out his yen. 3260

1 E. anon ; the rest ynogh, ynough, ynouhe, &c.

2 Hn. ciser (for sicer) ; HL siser; Cm. Pt. Ln. sythir ; Cp. cyJer.

* E. HI. heres; the rest heer, here. 4 E. Hn. this ; the rest his.

GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE. 35

But er his heer were1 clipped or yshaue,

Ther was no bond with which men myght him bynde;

But now is he in prisoun in a caue,

Wher as they made him at the querne grynde.

O noble Sampson, strongest of mankynde, 3265

O whylom luge in glorie and in richesse,

Now maystow wepen with thyn yen blynde,

Sith thou fro wele art falle in wrecchednesse.

' f <

Thende of this caytif was as I shal seye;

His foomen made a feste vpon a day, 3270

And made him as her 2 fool bifore hem pleye,

And this was in a temple of greet array.

But atte laste he made a foul affray ;

For he two3 pilers shook, and made hem falle,

And doun fil temple and al, and ther it lay, 3275

And slow him -self, and eek his foomen alle.

This is to seyn, the princes euerichoon,

And eek three thousand bodies were ther slayn

With falling of the grete temple of stoon.

Of Sampson now wol I no more seyn. 3280

Beth war by this ensample old and playn

That no men telle her conseil to her wyues

Of swich thing as they wolde han secree fayn,

If that it touche her limmes or her lyues.

HERCULES.

Of Hercules the souereyn conquerour 3285

Singen his workes laude and hy renoun ;

1 E. were ; the rest was; see 1. 3328. * E. Cm. a; the rest hire, here.
8 E. the ; the rest two.

D 2

36 GROUP E. THE MONKES TALE.

For in his tyme of strengthe he was the flour.

He slow, and rafte the skin of the leoun ;

He of Centauros leyde the boost adoun;

He Arpies slow, the cruel briddes felle ; 3290

He golden apples rafte of the dragoun ;

He drow out Cerberus, the hound of helle :

He slow the cruel tyrant Busirus,

And made his hors to frete him, flesch and boon ;

He slow the firy serpent venemous ; 3295

Of Achelois two homes1, he brak oon;

And he slow Cacus in a caue of stoon ;

He slow the geaunt Antheus the stronge;

He slow the grisly boor, and that anoon,

And bar the heuen on his nekke longe. 3300

Was neuer wyght, sith that the world bigan,
That slow so many monstres as dide he.
Thurgh-out this wyde world his name ran,
What for his strengthe, and for his hy bountee,
n And euery reaume wente he for to see. 3305

. r- He was so strong that no man myghte him lette; u \<-
\f*+A^*4t •

LUMk/ At bothe the worldes endes, seith Trpphee,
In stede of boundes, he a piler sette.

A lemman hadde this noble champioun,
That highte Dianira, fresch as May ; 3310

And, as thise clerkes maken mentioun,
She hath him sent a sherte fresch and gay.
Alias I this sherte, alias and weylaway 1
Envenimed was so subtilly with-alle,
That, er that he had wered it half a day, 3315

It made his flesch al from his bones falle.
1 E. Cm. homes two ; the rest two homes.

GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE. 37

But natheles somme clerkes hir excusen

By oon that highte Nessus, that it maked ;

Be as be may, I wol hir noght accusen ;

But on his bak this sherte he wered al naked, 3320

Til that his flesch was for the venim blaked.

And whan he sey noon other remedye,

In hote coles he hath him-seluen raked,

For with no venim deyned him to dye.

Thus starf this worthy myghty Hercules; 3325

Lo, who may truste on fortune any throwe ?

For him that folweth al this world of prees,

Er he be war, is ofte yleyd ful lowe.

Ful wys is he that can him-seluen knowe.

Beth war, for whan that fortune list to glose, 3330

Than wayteth she hir man to ouerthrowe

By swich a wey as he wolde leest suppose.

NABUGODONOSOR (NEBUCHADNEZZAR).
The myghty trone, the. precious tresor,
The glorious ceptre and roial magestee
That hadde the king Nabugodonosor, 3335

With tonge vnnethes may discryued be.
He twyes wan Jerusalem the citee;
The vessel of the temple he with him ladde.
" At Babiloyne was his souereyn see,

In which his glorie and his delyt he hadde. 3340

The fairest children of the blood roial

Of Israel he [with him ladde] anoon,

And maked ech of hem to been his thral.

Amonges othere Daniel was oon,

That was the wysest child of euerychoon; 3345

38 GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE.

For he the dremes of the king expowned
Wher as in Chaldey clerk ne was ther noon
That wiste to what fyn his dremes sjp_wned.

This proude king leet make a statue of golde,

Sixty cubytes long, and seuen in brede, 3350

To1 which image bothe2 yonge and olde

Comaunded he3 to Jojjie, and haue in drede;

Or in a fourneys ful of flambes rede

He shal be brent, that wolde noght obeye.

But neuer wolde assente to that dede 3355

Daniel, ne his yonge felawes tweye.

This king of kinges proud was and elaat,

He wende that god, that sit in magestee,

Ne myghte him nat bireue of his estaat:

But sodeynly he loste his dignitee, 3360

And lyk a beste him semed for to be,

And eet hay as an ox, and lay ther-oute;

In reyn with wilde bestes walked he,

Til certein tyme was ycome aboute.

And lyk an egles fetheres wexe* his heres, 3365

His nayles lyk a briddes clawes were;
Til god relessed him a certein yeres,
" And yaf him wit ; and than with many a tere
He thanked god, and euer his lyf in fere
Was he to doon amis, or more trespace, 3370

And, til that tyme he leyd was on his bere,
He knew that god was ful of myghte and grace.

1 E. The ; the rest To. * E. Hn. Cm. he bothe ; the rest omit he.

3 E. Hn. Cm. omit Tie ; the rest have it.

* Such is the right reading, whence Cm. wexsyn, and HI. Cp. were (for
wexe) ; E. Hn. wax ; Pt. La. was (for wax).

GROUP D. THE MONKES TALE. 39

BALTHASAR (BELSHAZZAR).
His sone, which that hyghte Balthasar,
That heeld the regne after his fader day,
He by his fader coude nought be war, 3375

For proud he was of herte and of array;
And eek an ydolastre was he l ay.
His hy estaat assured him in pryde.
But fortune caste him doun, and ther he lay,
And sodeynly his regne gan diuyde. 3380

A feste he made vn-to his lordes alle

Vp-on a tyme, and bad hem blythe be,

And than his officeres gan he calle—

' Gooth, bringeth forth the vessels/ [tho] quod he,

'Which that my fader, in his prosperitee, 3385

Out of the temple of Jerusalem birafte,

And to our hye goddes thanke we

Of honour, that our eldres with vs lafte.'

His wyf, his lordes, and his concubynes

Ay dronken, whyl her appetytes laste, 3390

Out of thise noble vessels sundry wynes ;

And on a wal this king his yen caste,

And sey an hond armlees, that wroot ful faste,

For fere of which he quook and syked sore.

This hond, that Balthasar so sore agaste, 3395

Wroot Afane, iechel, phares, and no more.

In al that lond magicien was noon

That coude expoune what this lettre mente;

But Daniel expouned it anoon,

And seyde, 'king, god to thy fader sente 3400

Glorie and honour, regne, tresouf, rente:

1 E. he was ; the rest was he.

40 GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE.

And he was proud, and no-thing god ne dradde,
And therfor god greet wreche vp-on him sente,
And him birafte the regne that he hadde.

He was out cast of mannes companye, 3405

With asses was his habitacioun,

And eet hey as a beste in weet and drye,

Til that he knew, by grace and by resoun,

That god of heuen hath dominacioun

Ouer euery regne and euery creature ; 3410

And thanne had god of him compassioun,

And him restored his regne and his figure.

Eek thou, that art his sone, art proud also,

And knowest alle thise thinges verraily,

And art rebel to god, and art his foo. 3415

Thou drank eek of his vessels boldely;

Thy wyf eek and thy wenches sinfully

Dronke of the same vessels sondry wynes,

And heriest false goddes cursedly;

Therfor to thee yshapen ful gret pyne is. 3420

This hand was sent from god, that on the walle

Wroot mane, techel, phares, trust to1 me;

Thy regne is doon, thou weyest nought at alle;

Diuyded is thy regne, and it shal be

To Medes and to Perses yiuen/ quod he. 3425

And thilke same nyght this king was slawe,

And Darius occupyeth his degree,

Thogh he therto had neither ryght ne lawe.

Lordinges, ensample heer-by may ye take

How that in lordshipe is no sikernesse; 3430

1 E. Hn. Cp. HI. truste ; Pt. trest ; Ln. trust ; Cm. trust to. See note.

GROUP D. THE MONKES TALE. 41

For whan fortune wol a man forsake,

She bereth awey his regne and his richesse,

And eek his frendes, bothe more and lesse ;

For what man that hath frendes thurgh fortune,

Mishap wol make hem enemys, I l gesse : 3435

This prouerbe is ful sooth and ful commune.

CENOBIA (ZENOBIA).

Cenobia, of Palymerie 2 quene,

As writen Persiens of hir noblesse,

So worthy was in armes and so kene,

That no wyght passede hir in hardinesse, 3440

Ne in lynage, ne in8 other gentillesse.

Of kinges blode of Perse is she descended ;

I seye nat that she hadde most fairnesse,

But of hir shape she myghte nat ben amended.

From hir childhede I fynde that she fledde 3445

Office of wommen, and to wode she wente ;

And many a wilde hertes blood she shedde

With arwes brode that she to hem sente.

She was so swift that she anon hem hente,

And whan that she was elder, she wolde kille 3450

Leouns, lepardes, and beres al to-rente,

And in hir armes welde hem at hir wille.

Hir riche array ne myghte nat be told 3493

As wel in vessel as in hir clothing ;

1 E. as I ; the resl omit as.

2 SoE. Hn. Cm.; and Cp. has— De Cenobia Palymerie regina.
* Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. ne in ; E. nor in ; Hn. ne ; Cm. nor.

42 GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE.

She was al clad in perree and in gold, 3495

And eek she lafte noght, for noon hunting,

To haue of sondry tonges ful knowing,

Whan that she leyser hadde, and for to entende

To lernen bokes was al hir lyking,

How she in vertu myghte hir lyf dispende. 3500

And, shortly of this storie * for to trete,

So doughty was hir housbonde and eek she,

That they conquered many regnes grete

In the orient, with many a fair citee,

Apertenaunt vn-to the magestee 3501;

Of Rome, and with strong hond helde hem ful faste;

Ne neuer myghte her foo-men doon hem flee,

Ay whyl that Odenakes2 dayes laste.

Hir batailes, who so list hem for to rede,

Agayn Sapor the king and othere mo, 3510

And how that3 al this proces fil in dede,

Why she conquered and what title had* therto,

And after of hir meschief and hir wo,

How that she was biseged and ytake,

Let him vn-to my maister Petrark go, 3515

That writ ynough of this, I vndertake.

When Odenake5 was deed, she myghtily

The regnes heeld, and with hir propre honde

Agayn hir foos she faught so cruelly,

That ther nas king ne prince in al that londe 3520

1 E. proces ; the rest storie.

2 HI. Odenakes ; the rest Onedakes, Odenake.
* E. omits that ; tha rest have it.

4 Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. had ; which E. Hn. Cm. omit.
' So Gp. Pt. Ln. HJ. ; E. Hn. Cm. Onedake.

GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE. 43

That he nas glad, if that he grace fonde,
That she ne wolde vp-on his lond werreye;
With hir they maden1 alliaunce by bonde
To ben in pees, and lete hir ryde and pleye.

The emperour of Rome, Claudius, 3525

Ne him bifore, the Romayn Galien,

Ne dorste neuer been so corageous,

Ne noon Ermyn, ne noon Egipcien,

Ne Surrien, ne noon Arabien,

Within the felde 2 that dorste with hir fyghte 3530

Lest that she wolde hem with hir hondes slen,

Or with hir meynee putten hem to flyghte.

In kinges habit wente hir sones two,

As heires of hir fadres regnes alle,

And Hermanno, and Thymalao 3535

Her names were, as Persiens hem calle.

But ay fortune hath in hir hony galle;

This myghty quene may no why! endure.

Fortune out of hir regne made hir falle

To wrecchednesse and to misauenture. 3540

Aurelian, whan that the gouernaunce

Of Rome cam in-to his hondes tweye,

He shoop vp-on this queen to do vengeaunce,

And with his legiouns he took his weye

Toward Cenobie, and, shortly for to seye, 3545

He made hir flee, and atte laste hir hente,

And fettred hir, and eek hir children tweye, •

And wan the lond, and hoom to Rome he wente.

1 The MSS. have made.

1 Ln. felde ; Pt. feelde ; Cp. feeld ; HI. feld ; E. Hn. Cm. feeldei. -

44 GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE.

Amonges othere thinges that he wan,

Hir char, that was with gold wrought and perree, 3550

This grete Romayn, this Aurelian,

Hath with him lad, for that men sholde it see.

Biforen1 his triumphe walketh she

With gilte cheynes on hir nekke hanging;

Corouned was she, as 2 after hir degree, 3555

And ful of perree charged hir clothing.

I Alias, fortune! she that whylorn was
Dredful to kinges and to emperoures,
Now gaureth al the peple on hir, alias!
And she that helmed was in starke stoures, 3560

And wan by force tounes stronge and toures^ • ^

Shal on hir heed now were a vitremyte ; vvCAx^. "j
And she that bar the ceptre ful of floures-f^ ' LtJ
Shal bere a distaf, hir cost3 for to quyte. ~$&lt&uL *

Cf, J^.a/*,**

DE PETRO REGE ISPANNIE. „ f ' s .

»i«i.,U*^. V. 1*2.

O noble, o worthy Petro, glorie of Spayne, ;**^<^^5
Whom fortune heeld so hy in magestee,
Wei oughten men thy pitous deeth complayne !
Out of thy lond thy brother made thee flee;
•• And after, at a sege, by subtiltee,
Thou were bitrayed, and lad vn-to his tente, 3570

Wher as he with his owen hond slow thee,
Succeding in thy regne and in thy rente.

The feeld of snow, with thegle of blak ther-inne,
Caught with the lymrod, coloured as the glede,
He brew this cursednes and al this sinne. 3575

The wikked nest was werker of this nede ;

1 MSS. Biforn, Bifore. a K. omits as ; the reft have it.

* Hn. Cm. Ln. cost ; Pt. coste ; E. Cp. costes ; HI. self.

GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE. 45

Nought Charles Olyuer, that ay took1 hede

Of trewthe and honour, but of Armorike

Genylon Olyuer, corrupt for mede,

Broughte this worthy king in swich a brike. 3580

DE PETRO REGE DE CIPRO.

O worthy Petro king of Cypre also,

That Alisaundre wan by hy maistrye,

Ful many a hethen wroughtestow ful wo,

Of which thyn owene liges hadde envye,

And, for no thing but for thy chiualrye, 3585

They in thy bedde han sleyn thee by the morwe.

Thus can fortune hir wheel gouerne and gye,

And out of loye bringe men to sorwe.

DE BARNABO DE LUMBARDIA.
Of Melan grete Barnabo Viscounte,
God of delyt, and scourge of Lumbardye, 3590

Why sholde I nat thyn infortune acounte,
Sith in estaat thou clombe were so hye?
Thy brother sone, that was thy double allye,
For he thy nevew was, and sone in lawe,
With-inne his prisoun made thee to dye; 3595

But why, ne how, noot I that thou were slawe.

DE HUGELINO, COMITE DE PlZE.

Of the erl Hugelyn of Pyse the langour

Ther may no tonge telle for pitee ;

But litel out of Pyse stant a tour,

In whiche tour in prisoun put was he, 3600

And with him been his litel children thre.

The eldeste scarsly fyf yeer was of age.

1 E. Hn. Cm. took ay ; the rest ay took.

46 GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE.

Alias, fortune ! it was greet crueltee

Swiche briddes for to putte in swiche a cage!

Dampned was he to deye in that prisoun, 3603

For Roger, which that bisshop was of Pyse,

Hadde on him maad a fals suggestioun,

Thurgh which the peple gan vpon him ryse,

And putten him to prisoun in swich wyse

As ye han herd, and mete and drink he hadde 3610

So smal, that wel 1 vnnethe it may suffyse,

And therwith-al it was ful poure and badde.

And on a day bifil that in that hour

Whan that his mete wont was to be brought,

The gayler shette the dores of the tour. 3615

He herde it wel, but he ne2 spak right nought,

And in his herte anon ther fil a thought,

That they for hunger wolde doon him dyen. -

' Alias ! ' quod he, ' alias that I was wrought I '

Therwith the teres fillen from his yen. 3620

His yonge sone, that thre yeer was of age,

Vn-to him seyde, ' fader, why do ye wepe?

Whan wol the gayler bringen our potage,

Is ther no morsel breed that ye do kepe?

I am so hungry that I may nat slepe. 3625

Now wolde god that I myghte slepen euer!

Than sholde nat hunger in my wombe crepe;

Ther is no thing, saue3 breed, that me were leuer.'

Thus day by day this child bigan to crye,

Til in his fadres barme adoun it lay, 3630

1 E. Pt. omit wel. ' ne is not in the MSS.

» Ln. HI. saue; Cp. Pt. sauf; E. Hn. but.

GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE. 47

And seyde, ' far wel, fader, I moot dye/

And kiste his fader, and deyde the same day.

And whan the woful fader deed it sey,

For wo his armes two he gan to byte,

And seyde, ' alias, fortune ! and weylaway 1 3635

Thy false wheel my wo al may I wytel'

His children wende that it for hunger was

That he his armes gnow, and nat for wo,

And seyde, ' fader, do nat so, alias 1

But rather eet the flessh vpon vs two; 3640

Our flessh thou yaf vs1, tak our flessh vs fro,

And eet ynough;' right thus they to him seyde,

And after that, with-in a day or two,

They leyde hem in his lappe adoun, and deyde.

Him-self, despeired, eek for hunger starf; 3645

Thus ended is this myghty Erl of Pyse;

From hy estaat fortune awey him carf.

Of this Tragedie it oughte ynough suffyse.

Who-so wol here it in a lenger wyse,

Redeth the grete poete of Itaille, 3650

That highte Dante, for he can al deuyse

Fro point to point, nat o word wol he faille.

NERO.

Al-though that Nero were as2 vicious
As any feend that lyth in helle adoun,
'Yet he, as telleth vs Swetonius, 3655

This wyde world hadde in subieccioun,
Both Est and West, South3 and Septemtrioun ;
Of rubies, saphires, and of perles whyte

1 E. Hn. omit vs. * E. Hn. Cm. omit as.

» The MSS. have North.

48 GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE.

Were alle his clothes brouded vp and doun;

For he in gemmes gretly gan delyte. 3660

More delicat, more pompous of array,

More proud was neuer emperour than he;

That ilke cloth, that he had wered o day,

After that tyme he nolde it neuer see.

Nettes of gold-thred hadde he gret plentee 3665

To fisshe in Tybre, whan him liste pleye.

His lustes were al lawe in his decree,

For fortune as his frend him wolde obeye.

In youthe a maister hadde this emperour, 3685

To teche him letterure and curteisye,

For of moralitee he was the flour,

As in his tyme, but-if bokes lye ;

And whyl this maister hadde of him maistrye,

He maked him so conning and so souple 3690

That longe tyme it was er tirannye

Or any vyce dorste on him vncouple.

This Seneca, of which that I deuyse,

By-cause that1 Nero hadde of him swich drede,

For he fro vyces wolde him ay2 chastyse 3695

Discretly as by worde and nat by dede; —

' Sir,' wolde he seyn, ' an emperour moot nede

Be vertuous, and hate tirannye' —

For which he in a bath made him to blede

On bothe his armes, til he moste dye. 3700

This Nero hadde eek of acustumaunce
In youthe ageyn his maister for to ryse,

1 Cm. that ; which the rest omit. a Hn. Cm. ay ; whit h the rest omit.

GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE. 49

Which afterward him thoughte a l greet greuaunce ;

Therfor he made him deyen in this wyse.

But natheles this Seneca the wyse 3705

Chees in a bath to deye in this manere

Rather than han another tonnentyse;

And thus hath Nero slayn his maister dere.

Now fil it so that fortune list no lenger
The hye pryde of Nero to cheryce; 3710

For though that he were2 strong, yet was she strenger;
She thoughte thus, ' [in feith] I am to nyce
To sette a man that is fulfild of vyce
In hy degree, and emperour him calle.
[Ful sone] out of his sete I wol him tryce; 3715

When he leest weneth, sonest shal he falle.'

The peple roos vp-on him on a nyght

For his defaute, and whan he it espyed,

Out of his dores anon he hath him dyght

Alone, and, ther he wende han ben allyed, 3720

He knokked faste, and ay, the more he cryed,

The faster shette they the dores alle ;

Tho wiste he wel he hadde him-self misgyed3,

And wente his wey, no lenger dorste he calle.

The peple cryed and rombled vp and doun, 3725

That with his eres herde he how they seyde

' Wher is this false tyraunt, this Neroun ? '

For fere almost out of his wit he breyde,

And to his goddes pitously he preyde

For socour, but it myghte nat bityde. 3730

For drede of this, him thoughte that he deyde,

And ran in-to a gardin, him to hyde.

1 E. (only) omits a. * E. Hn. was ; the resl were.

8 E. Hn. wrongly repeat 1. 3731 fora

VOL. n. K

5O GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE.

And in this gardin foond he cherles tweye

That seten by a fyr ful1 greet and reed,

And to thise cherles two he gan to preye 3735

To sleen him, and to girden of his heed,

That to his body, whan that he were deed,

Were no despyt ydoon, for his defame.

Him-self he slow, he coude no better reed,

Of which fortune lough, and hadde a game. 3740

DE OLOFERNO (HOLOFERNES).
Was neuer capitayn vnder a king
That regnes mo putte in subieccioun,
Ne strenger was in felde of alle thing,
As in his tyme, ne gretter of renoun,
Ne more pompous in hy presumpcioun 3745

Than Olofern, which that2 fortune ay kiste
So [tendirly], and ladde him vp and doun
Til that his heed was of, er that he wiste.

Nat only that this world hadde him in awe

For lesinge of richesse or libertee, 3750

But he8 made euery man reneye his lawe.

' Nabugodonosor was god,' seyde he,

' Noon other god sholde honoured4 be.'

Ageyns his heste no wyght dorste trespace

Saue in Bethulia, a strong citee, 3755

Wher Eliachim a prest was of that place.

But tak kepe of the dethe of Olofern;

Amidde his host he dronke lay a nyghte,

With-inne his tente, large as is a bern,

And yit, for al his pompe and al his myghte, 3760

1 E. Hn. Cm. omit ful ; the rest have it. " HI. Pt. that ; which the rest omit.

8 E. Hn. Cm. HI. omit he ; the rest have it.

4 E. Hn. Cm. adourcd ; Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. honoured.

GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE. 51

Judith, a womman, as he lay vpryghte,

Sleping, his heed of smoot and from his tente

Ful priuely she stal from euery wyghte,

And with his heed vnto hir toun she wente. 3764

DE ALEXANDRO.

The storie of Alisaundre is so comune, 3821

That euery wyght that hath discrecioun
Hath herd somwhat or al of his fortune.
This wyde world, as in conclusioun,
He wan by strengthe, or for his hy renoun 3825

They weren glad for pees vn-to him sende.
The pryde of man and beste he leyde adoun,
Wher-so he cam, vn-to the worldes ende.

Comparisoun myght neuer yit be maked

Bitwixe him and another conquerour; 3830

For al this world for drede of him hath quaked,

He was1 of knyghthode and of fredom flour;

Fortune him maad the heir of hir honour;

Saue wyn and wommen, no thing2 myghte aswage

His hy entente in armes and labour; 3835

So was he ful of leonyn corage.

What preys3 were it to him, though I yow tolde

Of Darius, and an hundred thousand mo,

Of kinges, princes, erles, dukes bolde,

Whiche he conquered, and broughte hem in-to wo ? 3840

I seye, as fer as man may ryde or go,

The world was his, what sholde I more deuyse ?

1 E. Hn. Cm. omit was. * E. man; the rest thing.

* Cm. preys; E. Hn. pris ; Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. pile.

£ 2

52 GROUP B. THE MOUSES TAL&.

For though I writ or tolde you euermo
Of his knyghthode, it myghte nat suffyse.

Tvvelf yeer he regned, as seith Machabce ; 3^45

Philippes sone of Macedoyne he was,

That first was king in Grece the contree.

O worthy gentil Alisaundre, alias !

That euer sholde fallen swich a cas I

Empoisoned of thyn owen folk thou were; 3850

Thy sys fortune hath turned into as,

And yit l for thee ne weep she neuer a tere I

Who shal me yiuen teres to compleyne

The deeth of gentillesse and of fraunchyse,

That al the world welded in his demeyne, 3855

And yit him thoughte it myghte nat suffyse?

So ful was his corage of hye empryse.

Alias! who shal me helpe to endyte

False fortune, and poison to despyse,

The whiche two of al this wo I wyte? 3860

DE IULIO CESARE.

By wisdom, manhode, and by greet2 labour

Fro humble bed3 to roial magestee,

Vp roos he, lulius the conquerour,

That wan al thoccident by londe and see,

By strengthe of hond, or elles by tretee, 3865

And vn-to Rome made hem tributarie;

And sith of Rome the emperour was he,

Til that fortune wex his aduersarie.

! E. Hn. Cm. omit yit. * E. Cp. Pt. Ln. omit greet.

» E. Hn. Cm. HI. humble bed ; Pt. Cp. Ln. hmnblehede.

GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE. 53

0 myghty Cesar, that in Thessalye

Ageyn Pompeius, fader thyn in lawe, 3870

That of thorient hadde al the chiualrye

As fer as that the day biginneth dawe,

Thou thurgh thy knyghthode hast hem take and slawe,

Saue fewe folk that with Pompeius fledde,

Thurgh which thou puttest al thorient in awe. 38 75

Thanke fortune, that so wel thee spedde !

But now a litel whyl I wol biwaille

This Pompeius, this noble gouernour

Of Rome, which that fley at this bataille;

1 seye, oon of his men, a fals traitour, 3880
His heed of smoot, to winnen him fauour

Of lulius, and him the heed he broughte.

Alias, Pompey, of thorient conquerour,

That fortune vnto swich a fyn thee broughte I

To Rome ageyn repaireth lulius 3885

With his triumphe, laureat ful hye,

But on a tyme Brutus Cassius1,

That euer hadde of his hye estaat envye,

Ful priuely hath maad conspiracye

Ageins this lulius, in subtil wyse, 3890

And cast the place, in whiche he sholde dye

With boydekins, as I shal yow deuyse.

This lulius to the Capitolie wente

Vpon a day, as he was wont to goon,

And in the Capitolie anon him hente 389;

This false Brutus, and his othere foon,

1 So in the MSS. ; observe hath hi I.

} GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE.

And stikede him with boydekins anoon

With many a wounde, and thus they lete him lye ;

But neuer gronte he at no strook but oon,

Or elles at two, but if his storie lye. 3900

Lucan, to thee this storie I recomende,

And to Sweton, and to Valerie also, 3910

That of this storie wryten ord1 and ende,

How that to thise grete conqueroures two

Fortune was first frend, and sithen foo.

No man ne truste vp-on hir fauour longe,

But haue hir in awayt for euer-moo. 3915

Witnesse on alle thise conqueroures stronge.

CRESUS.

This riche Cresus, whylom king of Lyde,
Of whiche Cresus Cyrus sore him dradde,
Yit was he caught amiddes al his pryde,
And to be brent men to the fyr him ladde. 3920

But swich a reyn doun fro the welkne shadde
That slow the fyr, and made him to escape ;
But to be war no grace yet he hadde,
Til fortune on the galwes made him gape.

Whan he escaped was, he can nat stente 3925

For to biginne a newe werre ageyn.
He wende wel, for that fortune him sente
Swich hap, that he escaped thurgh the reyn,
That of his foos he myghte nat be sleyn ;
And eek a sweuen vp-on a nyghte he mette, 7,930

Of which he was so proud and eek so fayn,
That in vengeaunce he al his herte sette.
8 The MSS. have word ; see the note.

GROUP B. THE MONKES TALE. 55

Vp-on a tree he was, as that him thoughte,

Ther luppiter him wesh, bothe bak and syde,

And Phebus eek a fair towaille him broughte 3935

To drye him with, and ther-for wex his pryde ;

And to his doughter, that stood him bisyde,

Which that he knew in hy science habounde,

He bad hir telle him what it signifyde,

And she his dreem bigan ryght thus expounde. 3940

' The tree,' quod she, ' the galwes is to mene,

And luppiter bitokneth snow and reyn,

And Phebus, with his towaille so clene,

Tho ben the sonne stremes * for to seyn ;

Thou shalt anhanged be, fader, certeyn; 3945

Reyn shal thee wasshe, and sonne shal thee drye ; '

Thus warned she 2 him ful plat and ful pleyn,

His doughter, which that called was Phanye.

Anhanged was Cresus, the proude king,
His roial trone myghte him nat auaille. 3950

Tragedie is3 noon other maner thing,
Ne can in singing crye ne biwaille,
But for4 that fortune alwey wol assaille
With vnwar strook the regnes that ben prcude ;
For when men trusteth hir, than wol she faille. 3955
And couere hir bryghte face as with a cloude.
Explicit Tragedia.

Heere stynteth the Knyght the Monk of his tale.

1 E. bemes ; the rest stremes. 2 Pt. Ln. HI. she ; uhich the rest omit.

8 Cm. Tragedy is ; so Cp. Pt. ; Ln. Tregedrye in ; E. Ha. Tragedies ; HI.
Tegredis (s»c).

1 Cm. HI. for; which the rest omit.

GROUP B. PROLOGUE OF THE NONNE
PRESTES TALE.

The prologue of the Nonne preestes tale.

' Ho !' quod the knyght, ' good sir, no more of this,

That ye han seyd is right ynow, ywis,

And mochel more; for litel heuinesse

Is ryght ynow to mochel folk, I gesse. 3960

I seye for me, it is a greet disese

Wher as men han ben in greet welthe and ese,

To heren of her sodeyn fal, alias !

And the contrarie is loie and greet solas,

As when a man hath ben in poure estaat, 3965

And clymbeth vp, and wexeth fortunat,

And ther abydeth in prosperitee,

Swich thing is gladsom, as it thinketh me,

And of swich thing were goodly for to telle.'

'Ye,' quod our hoste, 'by seint Poules belle, 3970

Ye seye ryght sooth; this monk, he clappeth loude,

He spak how " fortune couered with a cloude "

I noot neuer what, and als of a " Tragedie "

Ryght now ye herde, and parde ! no remedie

It is for to biwaille, ne compleyne 3975

That thatJs doon, and als it is a peyne,

As ye han seyd, to here of heuynesse.

Sir monk, no more of this, so god yow blesse !

GROUP B. THE NONNE PRESTES. PROLOGUE. 57

Your tale anoyeth al this companye ;

Swich talking is nat worth a boterflye ; 3980

For ther-in is ther no disport ne game.

Wherfor, sir Monk, or 1 dan Piers by your name,

I preye yow hertely, telle vs somwhat elles,

For sikerly, nere clinking of your belles,

That on your brydel hange on euery syde, 3985

By heuen king, that for vs alle dyde,

I sholde er this han fallen doun for slepe

Although the slough had neuer ben so depe;

Than had your tale al be told in vayn.

For certeinly, as that thise clerkes seyn, 3990

Wher as a man may haue noon audience,

Nought helpeth it to tellen his sentence.

And wel I woot the substance is in me,

If any thing shal wel reported be.

Sir, sey somwhat of hunting, I yow preye/ 3995

' Nay,' quod this monk, ' I haue no lust to pleye ;

Now let another telle, as I haue told.'

Than spak our host, with rude speche and bold,

And seyde vn-to the nonnes preste anon,

' Com neer, thou prest, com hider, thou sir lohn, 4000

Tel vs swich thing as may our hertes glade.

Be blythe, though thou ryde vp-on a lade.

What though thyn hors be bothe foule and lene,

If he wol serue thee, rek nat a bene ;

Look that thyn herte be merie euermo.' 4005

' Yis, sir,' quod he, ' yis, host, so mote I go,

But I be merie, ywis I wol be blamed : ' —

And ryght anon his tale he hath attained,

1 Pt. or; Hn. o; which the rest omit,

3 END OF GROUP B. GROUPS C AND D.

And thus he seyde vn-to vs euerichon,

This swete prest, this goodly man sir John. 4010

Explicit.

[Here follows The Nonne Prestes Tale, printed in Chaucer's
Prologue, &c., ed. Morris (Clar. Press Series) pp. 97-116; lines
numbered 4011-4636 in the Six-Text; next comes The Nuns'
Priest's End-link, //. 4637-4652, with which Group B ends.

Group C begins with The Doctor's Tale, //. 1-286 ; after
which come The Wordes of the Hoost to the Phisicien and
the Pardoner, //. 287-328, and then The Pardoner's Preamble
and Tale, 11. 329-968. See Man of Law's Tale, &c.; pp. 38-60.

Group D contains The Wife of Bath's Tale, the Friar's Tale,
and the Summoner's Tale.]

GROUP E. THE CLERK'S PROLOGUE
AND TALE.

Heere folweth the Prologe of the clerkes tale of
Oxenford.

' Sir clerk of Oxenford/ our hoste sayde,

as coy and stille as dooth a mayde,
Were newe spoused, sitting at the bord ;
This day ne herde I of your tonge a word.
I trowe ye studie aboute som sophyme, 5

But Salomon seith, " euery thyng hath tyme"<J-<it<zjLt/ ^.t.

For goddes sake, as beth of bettre chere, ^^^^ p-
It is no tyme for to studien here. « <J

Telle vs som merie tale, by your fey;
For what man that is entred in a pley, 10

He nedes moot vnto the pley assente.
But precheth nat, as freres doon in lente,
To make vs for our olde synnes wepe,
Ne that thy tale make vs nat to slepe.

Telle vs som merie thing of auentures; — 15

Your termes, your colours, and your figures,
Keepe hem in stoor til so be ye1 endyte
Hjf style, as whan that men to kinges wryte.
Speketh so pleyn at this tyme, 1 2 yow preye,
That we may vnderstonde what ye seye.' 20

1 E. HI. that ye ; the rest omit that. * E. Hn. HI. we ; the rest I.

60 GROUP E. THE CLERK'S PROLOGUE.

This worthy clerk benignely answerde,
' Hoste,' quod he, ' I am vnder your yerde ;
Ye han of vs as now the gouernaunce,
And therfor wol I do yow obeisaunce,
As fer as reson axeth, hardily. 25

I wol yow telle a tale which that I /^ — -t"j3"7<t
Lerned at Padowe of a worthy clerk, V***-*-^
As preued by his wordes and his werk.
He is now deed and nailed in his cheste,
I prey to god so yiue his soule reste! 30

Fraunceys Petrark, the laureat poete,
Highte this clerk, whos rethoryke sweete.
Enlumined al Itaille of poetrye. »"*&***

As Linian dide of philosophye
- — r f J

Or lawe, or other art particuler; 35

' But deeth, that wol nat suffre vs1 dwellen heer
But as it were a twinkling of an ye,
Hem bothe hath slayn, and alle shul we dye.

But forth to tellen of this worthy man,
That taughte me this tale, as I bigan, 40

/• \* I seye that first with hy style he endyteth,

he the body of his tale wryteth,
A proheme, in the which discryueth he

Pemond. and of Saluces the contree,

•'^•"•~~ «

And speketh of Apennyn, the hilles hye, 45

That been the boundes of West Lumbardye,^
And of Mount Vesulus in special, VhnUA*
Where as the Poo out of a welle smal
Taketh his firste springing and his sours,

t Estward ay encresseth in his cours ,-, ^ 50
o Emelward, to Ferrare)' and Venyse;
The which a long thing were to deuyse.
1 E. omits suffre vs.

GROVP E. THE CLERKES TALE. 6 1

And trewely, as to my lugement,

Me thinketh it a thing impertinent,

Saue that he wol conueyen his matere, 55

But this his tale1, which that ye may here.

Heere bigynneth the tale of the Clerk of Oxenford.

'
Ther is, at the West syde of Itaille,

Doun at the roote of Vesulus the colde,

A lusty playne, habundant of vitaille,

Wher many a tour and toun thou mayst biholde, 60

That founded were in tyme of fadres olde,

And many another delitable syghte,

And Saluces this noble contree hyghte.

A markis whylom lord was of that lond$,

As were his worthy eldres him bifore ; 65

And obeisant and redy to his hond$

Were alle his liges, bothe lasse and more.

Thus in delyt he liueth, and hath doon yore,

Biloued and drad thurgh fauour of fortune

Bothe of his lordes and of his commune. 70

Therwith he was, to speke as of linage,

The gentilleste yborn of Lumbardye,

A fair persone, and strong, and yong of age,

And ful of honour and of curteisye;

Discreet ynough his contree for to gye, 75

Saue2 in somme thinges that he was to blame,

And Walter was this yonge lordes name.

1 E. Hn. this his .tale, omitting is ; HI. Pt. this is the tale ; Ln. this is tale.
* E. Saue that ; the rest omit that.

62 GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE.

I blame him thus, that he considereth nought

In tyme coming what myghte him1 bityde,

But on his lust present was al his thought, 80

As for to hauke and hunte on euery syde ;

Wei ny alle othere cures leet he slyde,

And eek he nolde, and that was worst of alle,

Wedde no wyf, for ought2 that may bifalle.

Only that point his peple bar so sore, 85

That flokmele on a day they to him wente,

And oon of hem, that wysest was of lore,

Or elles that the lord best wolde assente

That he sholde telle him what his peple niente,

Or elles coude he shewe wel swich matere, 90

He to the markis seyde as ye shul here.

' O noble markis, your humanitee

Assureth vs and yiueth3 vs hardinesse,

As ofte as tyme is of necessitee

That we to yow mowe telle our heuinesse; 95

Accepteth, lord, now for your gentillesse,

That we with pitous herte vn-to yow pleyne,

And lete your eres nat my voys disdeyne.

Al haue I nought to doone in this matere

More than another man hath in this place, 100

Yet for as muche as ye, my lord so dere,

Han alwey shewed me fauour and grace,

I dar the better aske of yow a space

Of audience to shewen our requeste,

And ye, my lord, to doon ryght as yow leste. 105

1 So Hn. Ln. ; E. hym myghte; C. Pt. myjt; HI. mighte.

*. C. Cp. Pt. Ln. oujte ; E. Hn. noght ; HI. no thing.

* So Hn. Pt. HI. ; E. to jeue ; C. and jeue ; Ln. and whisse.

>\

ft" GROUP E, THE CLERKES TALE. 63

For certes, lord, so wel ^ys_lyketh vow 0U~*-/^
*- And al your werk and euer han doon, that we ^' •••"
Ne coude nat vs1 self deuysen how
We myghte liuen in more felicitee,
Saue o thing, lord, if it2 your wille be, no

That for to been a wedded man yow leste,
Than were your peple in souereyn hertes reste.

Boweth your nekke vnder that blisful yok

Of soueraynetee, nought of seruyse,

Which that men clepeth spousail or wedlok ; 115

And thenketh, lord, among your thoughtes wyse,

How that our dayes passe in sondry wyse;

For though we slepe or wake, or rome, or ryde,

Ay fleeth the tyme, it nil no man abyde.

And though your grene youthe floure as yit, 120

In crepeth age alwey, as stille as stoon,

And deeth manaceth euery age, and smit

In ech estaat, for ther escapeth noon :

And al so certein as we knowe echoon

That we shul deye, as vncerteyn we alle 125

Been of that day whan deeth shal on vs falle.

Accepteth than of vs the trewe entente,

That neuer yet refuseden your3 heste,

And we wol, lord, if that ye wol assente,

Chese yow a wyf in short tyme atte leste, 130

Born of the gentilleste and of the meste

Of al this lond, so that it oughte seme

Honour to god and yow, as we can deme.

1 Pt. Ln. cure ; E. Hn. Cp. vs. * E. Ln. omit it,

3 So Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. ; E. Hn. Cm. thyn.

64 GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE.

Deliuer vs out of al this bisy drede,

And tak a wyf, for hye goddes sake; 135

For if it so bifelle, as god forbede,

That thurgh your deeth your linage1 sholde slake,

And that a straunge successour sholde take

Your heritage, o ! wo were vs alyue !

Wherfor we pray you hastily to wyue.' 140

Her meke preyere and her pilous chere
Made the markis herte han pitee.
' Ye wol,' quod he, ' myn owen peple dere,
To that I neuer erst thoughte streyne me.
I me reioysed of my libertee, 145

That selde tyme is founde in mariage;
• Ther I was free, I moot been in seruage.

But nathelees I se your trewe entente,

And truste vpon your wit and haue doon ay;

Wherfor of my free wille I wol assente 150

To wedde me, as soone as euer I may.

But ther as ye han profred me this day

To chese me a wyf, I yow relesse

That chois, and prey yow2 of that profre cesse.

For god it woot, that children ofte been 155

Vnlyk her worthy eldres hem bifore;

Bpuntee comth al of god, nat of the

(5F which they been engendred and ybore;

I truste in goddes bountee, and therfore

My mariage and myn estaat and reste 160

I him bitake; he may doon as him leste.

1 Cp. Ft. lynage ; Ln. HI. Hgnage ; E. lyne ; Hn. ligne ; Cm. lyf.
* E. (only) omits yow.

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE. 6$

Lat me alone in chesing of my wyf,

That charge vp-on my bak I wol endure;

But I yow preye, and charge vp-on your lyf,

That what1 wyf that I take, ye me assure 165

To worshipe hir, whyl that hir lyf may dure,

In word and werk, bothe here and euerywhere,

^As she an emperoures doughter were.

And forthermore, this shal ye swere, that ye

Agayn my choys shul neither grucche ne stryue ; 1 70

For sith I shal forgoon my libertee ___

At your requeste, as euer moot I thryue, oo43 'v'UTP* *

Ther as myn herte is set, ther wol I wyue ;

And but ye wole assente in swich2 manere,

I prey yow, speketh naniore of this matere.' 175

With hertly wil they sworen, and assenten

To al this thing, ther seyde no wyght nay j

Bisekinge him of grace, er that they wenten,

That he wolde graunten hem a certein day

Of his spousaille, as sone as euer he may ; 180

For yet alwey the peple som-what dredde

Lest that this markis no wyf wolde wedde.

He graunted hem a day, swich as him leste,

On which he wolde be wedded sikerly,

And seyde he dide al this at her requeste; 185

And they with humble entente buxomly

Knelinge vp-on her knees ful reuerently

Him thanken alle, and thus they han an ende

Of her entente, and hoom agayn they wende.

1 So Hn. Cp. Ln. ; E. Cm. omit That ; Pt. om. what.
' E. this ; the rest swich, such.

VOL. H. F

66 GROUP E. THE CLERK ES TALE.

And heer-vp-on he to his officeres 190

Comaundeth for the feste to purveye,

And to his priuee knyghtes and squieres

Swich charge yaf, as him liste on hem leye ;

And they to his comandement obeye,

And ech of hem doth al his diligence 195

To doon vn-to the feste reuerence.

Explicit prima pars. Incipii secunda pars.

Noght fer fro thilke paleys honurable ^ ,d*4t*"l~

Ther as this markis shoop his mariage, «X^fe^

Ther stood a throp, of site delytable,

In which that poure folk of that village 200

Hadden her bestes and her herbergage,

And of her labour tooke her sustenance

After that the erthe yaf hem habundance.

Amonges this poure folk ther dwelte a man

Which that was holden pourest of hem alle; 305

But hye god som tyme senden can

His grace in-to a litel oxes stalle:

lanicula men of that thrope him calle.

A doughter hadde he fair ynough to syghte,

And Grisildis this yonge may den hyghte. 210

But for to speke of vertuous beautee1,

Than was she oon the faireste vnder sonne;

For poureliche yfostred vp was she,

No [sinful] lust was thurgh hir herte yronne;

Wei ofter of the welle than of the tonne 215

She drank, and for she wolde vertu plese,

She knew wel labour, but noon ydel ese.

1 E bountee ; the rest beautee, beute.

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE. 6

But though this mayde tendre were of age,

Yet in the brest of hir virginitee /-HI^O-W. r

Ther was enclosed type and sad corage ; - • a»o .

And in greet reuerence and charitee

Hir olde poure fader fostred she;

A fewe sheep spinning on feeld she kepte,

She wolde nought been ydel til she slepte.

And whan she homward cam, she wolde bringe 225
Wortes or othere herbes tymes ofte,
The whiche she shredde and seeth for hir liuinge,
And made hir bed ful harde and no thing softe ;
And ay she kepte hir fadres lyf on-lofte gufoffr'
With euerich obeisaunce and diligence 230

That child may doon to fadres reuerence.

Vp-on Grisild this poure creature

Ful ofte sythe this markis sette1 his ye'

As he on hunting rood parauenture;

And whan it2 fil that he myghte hir espye, 335

He nought with wantoun loking of folye

His yen caste on hir, but in sad wyse ^^(-^J^L.

Vp-on hir chere he wolde8 him ofte auyse,

Commending in his herte hir wommanhede,

And eek hir vertu, passing any wyght 240

Of so yong age, as wel in chere as dede.

For though the rjeple. haue * no greet insyght

In vertu, he considered ful ryght

Hir bountee, and disposed that he wolde

Wedde hir oonly, if euer he wedde sholde. 245

1 E. caste ; the rest sette. * E. that it ; the rest omit that.

* E. gan; the rest wolde. « E. hadde ; Hn. Cm. hath ; Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. haue.

F 2

68

GROUP E. THE CLERRES TALE.

The day of wedding cam, but no wyght can

Telle what womman that it sholde be ;

For which merueille wondred many a man,

And seyden, whan they1 were in priuetee,

' Wol nat our lord yet leue his vanitee ? 250

Wol he nat wedde ? alla's, alias the whyle !

Why wol he thus him-self and vs bigyle ? '

But natheles this markis hath doon make
Of gemmes, set in gold and in asure,
Broches and ringes, for Grisildis sake,
And of hir clothing took he the mesure

T/ / / /» ' .

By a mayde, lyk to hir stature",
And eek of othere ornamentes alle
That vn-to swich a wedding sholde falle.

The tyme of _yndern of the same day

Approcheth, that this wedding sholde be ;

And al the paleys put was in array,

Bothe halle and chambres, ech in his degree;

Houses of office stuffed with plentee

Ther maystow seen of deynteuous vitaille, 265

That may be founde, as fer as last Itaille.

This roial markis richely arrayed,

Lordes and ladyes in his companye,

The whiche vnto2 the feste were yprayed,

And of his retenue the bachelrye, 170

With many a soun of sondry melodye,

Vn-to the village, of the which I tolde,

In this array the ryghte wey han holde.

1 E. Cm. that they ; the rest omit that.

9 Cp. Ln. HI. vnto ; Cm. Pt. to ; E. Ho. that to.

GROUP E. THE CLERK ES TALE. 69

Grisilde of this, god wot, ful innocent,

That for hir shapen was al this array, 275

To fecchen water at a welle is went,

And cometh hoom as soone as euer she may.

For wel she had herd seyd, that thilke day

The markis sholde wedde, and, if she myghte,

She wolde fayn han seyn som of that syghte. 280

She thoughte, 'I wol with othere maydens stonde,

That been my felawes, in our dore, a

The markisesse, and therfor wol I fonde

To doon at hoom, as soone as it may be,

The labour which that longeth vn-to me ; 285

And than I may at leyser hir biholde,

If she this wey vn-to the castel holde.'

And as she wolde ouer hir threshfold goon,

The markis cam and gan hir for to calle ;

And she sette doun hir water-pot anoon 290

Bisyde the threshfold, in an oxes stalle,

And doun vp-on hir knees she gan to falle,

And with sad contenance kneleth stille

Til she had herd what was the lordes wille.

This thoughtful markis spak vn-to this mayde 295

Ful sobrely, and seyde in this manere,

' Wher is your fader1, Grisildis?' he sayde,

And she with reuerence, in humble chere,

Answerde, ' lord, he is al redy here.'

And in she gooth with-outen lenger lette, 300

And to the markis she hir fader fette.

1 E. HII. Cm. insert o after fader.

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE.

He by the bond than took this olde man,

And seyde thus, whan he him hadde asyde,

' lanicula, I neither may ne can

Lenger the plesance of myn herte hyde. 305

If that thou vouche sauf, what so bityde,

Thy doughter wol I take er that I wende

As for my wyf, vn-to hir lyues ende.

Thou louest me, I wot it wel certeyn,

And art my feithful lige man ybore; 310

And al that lyketh me, I dar wel seyn,

It lyketh thee, and specially therfore

Tel me that poynt that I haue seyd bifore,

If that thou wolt vn-to that purpos drawe,

To take me as for thy sone in lawe?' 315

This sodeyn cas this man astonied so,

That reed he wex, abayst, and al quaking

He stood; vnnethes seyde he wordes mo,

But only thus : ' lord,' quod he, ' my willing

Is as ye wole, he ayeins youre lyking 320

I wol no-thing; ye be my lord so dere;

Ryght as yow lust gouerneth this matere.' A^VM^UW^I^

' Yet wol I,' quod this markis softely,

' That in thy chambre I and thou and she

Haue a collacion, and wostow why? 325

For I wol axe if it hir wille be

To be my wyf, and reule hir after me;

And al this shal be doon in thy presence,

I wol nought speke out of thyn audience.'

And in the chambre whyl they were aboute 330

Her tret^s, which as ye shal after here,
The peple cam vn-to the hous with-oute,

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE. Jl

And wondred hem in how honest manere

And tentifly she kepte hir fader dere.

But outerly Grisildis wondre myghte, 335

For neuer erst ne sey she swich a syghte.

No wonder is though that1 she were astoned

To seen so greet a gest come in that place;

She neuer was to swiche gestes woned,

For which she loked with ful pale face. 340

But shortly forth this tale for to chace,

Thise arn the wordes that the markis sayde

To this benigne verray feithful mayde.

' Grisilde,' he seyde, ' ye shul wel vnderstonde

It lyketh to your fader and to me 345

That I yow wedde, and eek it may so stonde,

As I suppose, ye wol that it so be.

But thise demandes axe I first,' quod he,

' That, sith it shal be doon in hastif wyse,

Wol ye assente or elles yow auyse?

I seye this, be ye redy with good herte

To al my lust, and that I frely may,

As me best thinketh, do yow laughe or smerte,

And neuer ye to grucche it, nyght ne day?

And eek whan I sey ' ye,' ne sey nat ' nay,' 355

Neither by word ne frowning contenance;

Swer this, and here I swere our2 alliance.'

Wondring vp-on this word, quaking for drede,

She seyde, ' lord, vndigne and vnworthy

Am I to thilke honour that ye me bede; 360

1 E. Pt. omit that * E. yow ; the re.t oure.

72 GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE.

But as ye wol your-self, ryght so wol I.
And heer I swere that neuer willingly
In werk ne thought I nil yow disobeye,

to be deed, though me were loth to deye.'

' This is ynough, Grisilde myn ! ' quod he.

And forth he goth with a ful sobre chere

Out at the dore, and after that cam she,

And to the peple he seyde in this manere,

' This is my wyf,' quod he, ' that standeth here.

Honoureth hir, and loueth hir, I preye, 370

Who so me loueth; ther is namore to seye.'

And for that no-thing of hir olde gere

She sholde bringe in-to his hous, he bad

That wommen sholde dispoilen hir ryght there;

Of which thise ladyes were nat ryght glad 375

To handle hir clothes wher-in she was clad.

But natheles this mayde bryght of hewe

Fro foot to heed 'they clothed han al newe.

Hir heres han they kembd, that lay vntressed

Ful rudely, and with her fingres smale 380

A corone on hir heed they han ydressed,

And sette hir ful of nowches grete and smale;

Of hir array what sholde I make a tale?

Vnnethe the peple hir knew for hir fairnesse,

Whan she translated was in swich richesse. 385

This markis hath hir spoused with a ring

Brought for the same cause, and than hir sette

Vp-on an hors, snow-whyt and wel ambling,

And to his paleys, er he lenger lette,

With ioyful peple that hir ladde and mette, 390

GROUP E. THE CLERK ES TALE. 73

Conueyed hir, and thus the day they spende
In reuel til the sonne gan descende.

And shortly forth this tale for to chace,

I seye that to this newe markisesse

God hath swich fauour sent hir of his grace, 395

That it ne semed nat by lyklinesse

That she was born and fed in rudenesse,

As in a cote or in an oxe-stalle,

But norished in an emperoures halle.

To euery wyght she woxen is so dere 400

And worshipful, that folk ther she was bore

And from hir birthe knewe hir yeer by yere,

Vnnethe trowed they, but dorste han swore

That1 to lanicle, of which I spak bifore,

She doughter nas2, for, as by coniecture, 405

Hem thoughte she was another creature.

For though that euer vertuous was she,
She was encressed in swich excellence

--x

Of the we s goode, yset in heigh bountee,

And so discreet and fair of eloquence, 410

So benigne and so digne of reuerence,

And coude so the peples herte embrace,

That ech hir louede that loked on hir face.

Nought only of Saluces in the toun

Publisshed was the bountee3 of hir name, 415

But eek bisyde in many a regioun,

If oon seyde wel, another seyde the same;

So spradde of hir heigh bountee the fame4,

1 E. That she ; the rest omit she.

2 Cp. Ln. nas ; E. Hn. Cm. Hl.were ; Ft. ne were.

8 E. beautee ; the rest bountee. * E. name ; the rest fame.

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE.

That men and wommen, as wel yonge as olde,

Gon to Saluce, vpon hir to biholde. 420

Thus Walter lowly, nay but roially,

Wedded with forlunat honestetee,

In goddes pees lyueth ful esily

At hoom, and outward grace ynough had he;

And for he sey that vnder low1 degree 425

Was ofte2 vertu hid, the peple him helde

A prudent man, and that is seyn ful selde.

Nat only this Grisildis thurgh hir wit

Coude al the feet of wyfly homlinesse3,

But eek, whan that the cas requyred it, 430

The commune profit coude she redresse.

Ther nas discord, rancour, ne heuinesse

In al that lond, that she ne coude apese,

And wysly bringe hem alle in reste and ese.

Though that hir housbonde absent were anoon, 435

If gentil men, or othere of hir contree

Were wrothe, she wolde bringen hem atoon;

So wyse and rype wordes hadde she,

And Ingementz of so greet equitee,

That she from heuen sent was, as men wende, 440

Peple to saue and euery wrong tamende.

longe tyme after that this Grisild
Was wedded, she a doughter hath ybore,
Al had hir leuer haue born a knaue4 child.
Glad was this markis and the folk therfore ; 445

For though a mayde child come al bifore,

1 E. heigh ; the rest lowe, low. " E. omits ofte.

8 So Cp. Ln. ; the rest humblenesse ; see note.
* E. man ; the rest knaue.

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE. 75

She may vnto a knaue1 child atteyne
By lyklihed, sin she nis nat bareyne.

Explicit secunda pars. Incipit tercia pars.

Ther fil, as it bifalleth tymes mo,

Whan that this child had souked but a throwe, 450

This markis in his herte longeth so

To tempte his wyf, hir sadnesse for to knowe,

That he ne myghte out of his herte throwe

This merueillous desyr, his wyf tassaye,

Needlees, god wot, he thoughte hir for taffraye. 455

He hadde assayed hir ynough bifore
And fond hir euer good; what neded it
Hir for to tempte and alwey more and
Though som men preise it for a subtil wit,,
But as for me, I seye that yuel it sit ^
Tassaye a wyf whan that it is no nede,
And putten her in anguish and in drede.

For which this markis wroughte in this manere ;

He cam alone a-nyghte, ther as she lay,

With sterne face and with ful trouble chere, 465

And seyde thus, ' Grisild,' quod he, ' that day

That I yow took out of your poure array,

And putte yow in estaat of heigh noblesse,

Ye haue nat that forgeten, as I gesse.

I seye, Grisild, this present dignitee, 470

In which that I haue put yow, as I trowe,

* E. man ; the rest knaue.

76 GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE.

Maketh yow nat foryetful for to be

That I yow took in poure estaat ful lower

For any wele ye moot your-seluen knowe.

Tak hede of euery word that I yow seye, 475

Ther is no wyght that hereth it but we tweye.

Ye woot your-self wel, how that ye came here

In-to this hous, it is nat longe ago,

And though to me that ye be lief and dere,

Vn-to my gentils ye be no-thing so ; 480

They seyn, to hem it is greet shame and wo

For to be subgetz and1 been in seruage

To thee. that born art of a smal village.

And namely, sith thy doughter was ybore,

Thise wordes han they spoken doutelees ; 485

But I desyre, as I haue doon bifore,

To Hue my lyf with hem in reste and pees;

I may nat in this caas be recchelees.

I mot don with thy doughter for the beste,

Nat as I wolde, but as my peple leste. 490

And yet, god wot, this is ful looth to me;

But natheles with-oute your witing

I wol nat don, but this wol I,' quod he,

' That ye to me assente as in this thing.

Shewe now your pacience in your werking 495

That ye me hyghte and swore in your village

That day that maked was our mariage.'

Whan she had herd al this, she nought ameued

Neither in word, or chere, or countenance;

For, as it semed, she was nat agreued : 500

1 E. and to ; the rest omit to.

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE. 77

She seyde, 'lord, al lyth in your plesance,
My child and I with hertly obeisance
Ben youres al, and ye mowe saue or1 spille
Your owen thing ; werketh after your wille.

Ther may no-thing, god so my soule saue, 505

Lyken to yow that may displese me ;

Ne I ne2 desyre no-thing for to haue,

Ne drede for to lese, saue only ye 3 ;

This wil is in myn herte and ay shal be.

No lengthe of tyme or deeth may this deface, 510

Ne chaunge my corage to another place.'

Glad was this markis of hir answering,

But yet he feyned as he were nat soj

Al drery was his chere and his loking

Whan that he sholde out of the chambre go. 515

Sone after this, a furlong wey or two. #. Xx/flZe <X/-R

He priuely hath told al his entente

Vn-to a man, and to his wyf him sente.

A maner sergeant was this priuee man,

The which that feithful ofte he founden hadde 520

In thinges grete, and eek swich folk wel can

Boon execucion on thinges badde.

The lord knew wel that he him louede and dradde,

And whan this sergeant wiste his* lordes wille,

In-to the chambre he stalked him ful stille.

'Madame,' he seyde, 'ye mote foryiue it me,
Though I do thing to which I am constreyned;
Ye ben so wys that ful wel knowe ye

1 E. Cp. Pt. Ln. and ; the rest or. 2 E. Ha. Ne 1 ne ; the rest omit ne.
s E. Hn. thee vel yee ; Pt. HI. je ; Cm. Cp. Ln. thee.
* E. the ; Cm. this ; the rest his.

78 GROUP E. THE CLERK ES TALE.

That lordes hestes mowe nat ben yfeyned;

They mowe wel ben biwailled or1 compleyned, 530
put men mot nede vn-to her lust obeye,
JAnd so wol I; ther is namore to seye.

This child I am comanded for to take' —
And spak namore, but out the child he hente
Despitously, and gan a chere make 535

As though he wolde han slayn it er he wente.
Grisildis mot al suffren and consente;
And as a lamb she sitteth meke and stille,
And leet this cruel sergeant doon his wille.

uspecipus was the diffame of this man, 540

Suspect his face, suspect his word also;
Suspect the tyme in which he this bigan.
Alias 1 hir doughter that she louede so
She wende he wolde han slawen it ryght tho.
But natheles she neither weep ne syked, 545

Consenting hir to that the markis lyked.

But atte laste speken2 she bigan,

And mekely she to the sergeant preyde,

So as he was a worthy gentil man,

That she moste kisse hir child er that it deyde; 550

And in her barm this litel child she leyde

With ful sad face, and gan the child to kisse

And lulled it, and after gan it blisse.

And thus she seyde in hir benigne voys,

'Far wel, my child; I shal thee neuer see; 555

But, sith I thee haue marked with the croys,

1 E. Cm. and ; the rest or. * E. to speken ; the rest omit to.

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE. 79

Of thilke fader blessed mote thou * be,

That for vs deyde vp-on a croys of tree.

Thy soule, litel child, I him bitake,

For this nyght shallow deyen for my sake.' 560

I trowe that to a norice in this cas

It had ben hard this rewthe for to se;

Wei myghte a moder than han cryed ' alias !'

But natheles so sad2 stedfast was she,

That she endured all aduersitee, 565

And to the sergeant mekely she sayde,

1 Haue heer agayn your litel yonge mayde.

Goth now/ quod she, 'and doth my lordes heste,

But3 o thing wol I preye yow of your grace,

That, but my lord forbad yow, atte leste 570

Burieth this litel body in som place

That bestes ne no briddes it to-race.'

But he no word wol to that purpos seye,

But took the child and wente vpon his weye.

This sergeant cam vn-to his lord ageyn, 575

And of Grisildis wordes and hir chere

He tolde him point for point, in short and playn,

And him presenteth with his doughter dere.

Somwhat this lord hath rewthe in his manere;

B"ut natheles his purpos heeld he stille, 580

As lordes doon whan they wol han hir wille;

And bad his sergeant that he priuely

Sholde this child ful 4 softe wynde and wrappe

1 E. Hn. Cm. he ; the rest thou. 2 E. Cm. Pt. sad and ; the rest omit and.
8 E, Pt. And ; the rest But. * Cp. Pt. Ln. ful ; the rest omit it.

8O GROUP E. THE CLERK ES TALE.

With alle circumstances tendrely,

And carie it in a cofre or in a lappe ;

But, vp-on peyne his heed of for to jwa

That no man sholde knowe of his entente,

Ne whenne he cam1, ne whider that he wente;

But at Boloigne to his suster deere,

That thilke tyme of Panik 2 was countesse, 590

He sholde it take and shewe hir this matere,

Bisekinge hir to don hir bisinesse

This child to fostre in alk gentilesse ;

And whos child that it was he bad hir8 hyde^_ «

From euery wyght, for ought that may bityde. 595

sergeant goth, and hath fulfild this thing;
But to this markis now retourne we ;
For now goth he ful faste ymagining
If by his wyues chere he myghte se,
Or by hir word aperceyue that she 600

Were chaunged; but he neuer hir coude fynde
. But euer in oon ylyke sad and kynde.

^*- '

As glad, as humble, as bisy in seruyse,

And eek in loue as she was wont to be,

Was she to him in euery maner wyse; 605

Ne of hir dought'er nought a word spak she. -£•

Noon accident fornoon aduersitee c*~f~'>^**\\p'

Was seyn in hir, ne neuer hir doughter name

Ne nempned she, in ernest nor in game.

Explicit tercia pars, Sequilur pars quaria.

1 Hn. Cm. Cp. Pt. HI. he cam ; E. Ln. omit.
8 Cp. HI. Panyke ; the rest Pavik, Pauyk, Pavte.
3 E. him ; the rest hire, hir.

GROUP E. THE CLERK ES TALE. 8 1

In this estaat ther passed ben four yeer 610

Er she with childe was; but, as god wolde,
A knaue1 child she bar by this Walter,

ul gracious and fair for to biholde.
And whan that folk it to his fader tolde,
Nat only he, but al his contree, merie 615

Was for this child, and god they thanke and herie.

Whan it was two yeer old, and fro the brest
Departed of his norice, on a day
This markis caughte yet another lest
To temple his wyf yet ofter, if he may.

0 needles was she tempted in assay 1
But wedded men ne knowe no mesure,

Whan that they fynde a pacient creature.)""' ft

1 Wyf/ quod this markis, ' ye han herd er this, .

My peple sikly berth our mariage, tv7/c&1^ 625

And namely sith my sone yboren is,

Now is it worse than euer in al our age.

The murmur sleeth myn herte and my coragej \r

For to myne eres comth the voys so smerte, 9^^

That it wel ny destroyed hath myn herte. 630

Now sey they thus, 'whan Walter is agoon,
Than shal the blood of lanicle succede
And been our lord, for other haue we noon ;
Swiche wordes seith my peple, out of drede.
Wel oughte I of swich murmur taken hede ; 635 .

4 For certeinly I drede swich sentence,

.Though they nat pleyn speke in myn audience.

wolde liue in pees, if that I myghtej
herfor I am disposed outerly,

1 E. man ; the rest knaue.
VOL. II. O

82 GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE.

As I his suster seruede by nyghte, 640

Ryght so thenke I to serue him pryuely ;
This warne I yow, that ye nat sodeynly
Out of your-self for no wo sholde outraye;
Beth pacient, and ther-of I yow preye.'

' I haue/ quod she, ' seyd thus, and euer shal, 645

I wol no thing, ne nil no thing certayn

But as yow list; nought greueth me at al,

Though that my doughter and my sone be slayn,

At your comandement, this is to sayn.

I haue nought had no part of children tweyne 650

But first siknesse, and after wo and peyne.

Ye ben our lord, doth with your owen thing

Ryght as yow list; axeth no reed at_me.

For, as I lefte at hoom al my clothing,

Whan I first cam to yow, ryght so," quod she, 655

' Lefte I my wil and al my libei tee,

And took your clothing; wherfor I yow preye,

Doth your plesance, I wol your lust obeye.

And certes, if I hadde prescience

Your wil to knowe er ye your lust me tolde, 660

I wolde it doon with-outen necligence ;

But now I wot your lust and what ye wolde,

Al your plesance ferme and stable I holde ;

For wiste I that my deeth wolde do yow ese,

Ryght gladly wolde I deyen, yow to plese. 665

Deth may nought make no comparisoun

Vn-to your loue:' and, whan this markis sey

The Constance of his wyf, he caste adoun

His yen two, and wondreth that she may

In patience suffre al this array. 670

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE. 83

And forth he goth with drery contenance,

But to his herte it was ful erect plesance. /-"

** _-jP t £/>*>

This ygjy_ sergeant in the same wyse «

That he hir doughter caughte, ryght sohe7

Or worse, if men worse can deuyse,

Hath hent hir sone, that ful was of beautee.

And euer in oon so pacient was she,

That she no chere made of heuinesse,

But kiste hir _sone. and after gan it blesse ; JL^C(^

*t^X*j 4&>. <li-4 W<Ua«. ^^ 4v CL, *^A~ ft &Jl^rwJ^**.

Saue; this; she preyede him that, if Jhe myghte, 680

Hir litel sone he wolde in erthe graue,

His tendre lymes, delicat to syghte,

Fro foules and fro bestes for to saue.

But she non answer of him myghte haue.

He wente his wey, as him no thing ne roughte; 685

But to Boloigne he tendrely it broughte.

This markis wondreth1 euerjenger thejnore^*

Vp-on hir pacience, and if that he

Ne hadde soothly knowen ther-bifore,

That parfitly hir children louede she, 690

He wolde haue wend that of som subtiltee,

And of malice or for cruel corage,

That she had suffred this with sad visage.

But wel he knew that next him-self certayn
She louede hir children best in euery wyse.
But now of wommen wolde I axen fayn,
If thise assayes myghte nat suffyse ?
What coude a sturdy housbond more deuyse
To preue hir wyfhod and 2 hir stedfastnesse,
And he continuing euer in sturdinesse?

1 E. wondred ; the rest wondreth. J E. or ; the rest and.

G 2

84 GROUP E. THE CLERK ES TALE.

But ther ben folk of swich condicion,

That, whan they haue a certein purpos take,

They can nat stinte of hir entencion,

But, ryght as they were bounden to a1 stake,

They wol nat of that firste purpos slake. 705

Ryght so this markis fulliche hath purposed

To tempte his wyf, as he was first disposed.

He waiteth, if by word or contenance

That she to him was changed of corage ;

But neuer coude he fynde variance; 710

She was ay oon in herte and in visage ;

And ay the ferther that she was in age,

The more trewe, if that it were possible,

She was to him in loue, and more penible.

which it semed thus, that of hem two
Ther nas but o wil; for, as Walter leste,
The same lust was hir plesance also,
And, god be thanked, al fil for the beste.
She shewed wel, for no worldly vnreste
A wyf as of hir- self no thing ne sholde \ ^^" 720
Wille in effect, but as hir housbond wolde.

The sclaundre_pf Walter ofte and wyde spradde,

That of a cruel herte he wikkedly,

For he a poure womman wedded hadde,

Hath mordred bothe his children priuely. 735

Swich murmur was among hem comunly.

No wonder is, for to the peples ere

Ther cam no word but that they mordred were.

For which, wher as his peple ther-bifore

Had loued him wel, the sclaundre of his diffame 730

1 E. Hn. Cm. that; the rest a.

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE. 85

Made hem that they him hatede therfore,

To ben a mordrer is an hateful name.

But natheles, for ernest ne for game "

He of his cruel purpos nolde stente ; ("- r ^*^T- <*- )

To tempte his wyf was set al his entente. 735

Whan that his doughter twelf yeer was of age,

He to the court of Rome^ in subtil wyse,

Enformed of his wil, sente his message, -^^ju^^*^-*^ *

Comaunding hem swiche bulles to deuyse

As to his cruel purpos may suffyse, 740

How that the pope, as for his peples reste,

Bad him to wedde another, if him leste.

I seye, he bad they sholde countrefete

The popes bulles, making mencion

That he hath leue his firste wyf to lete,
1 As_ by the popes dispensacion,
- To stinte rancour and dissencion

Bitwixe his peple and him; thus seyde the bulle,

The which they han publisshed atte mile.

The rude peple, as it no wonder is, 750

Wenden ful wel that it had ben ryght so;

But whan thise tydinges cam to Grisildis,

I deme that hir herte was ful wo.

But she, ylyke sad for euermo,

Disposed was, this humble creature, 755

Thaduersitee of fortune al tendure.

Abyding euer his lust and his plesance,

To whom that she was yeuen, herte and al,

As to hir verray worldly suffisance;

But shortly if this storie I tellen shal, 760

This markis writen hath in special

86 GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE.

A lettre in which he sheweth his entente,
And secrely he to Boloigne it sente.

To the erl of Panik, which that hadde tho

Wedded his suster, preyde he specially 765

To bringen hoom agayn his children two

In honurable estaat al openly.

But o thing he him preyede outerly,

That he to no wyght, though men wolde enquere,

Sholde nat telle, whos children they1 were, 770

But seye, the mayden sholde ywedded be

Vn-to the markis of Saluce anon.

And as this erl was preyed, so dide he;

For at day set he on his wey is goon

Toward Saluce, and lordes many oon, 775

In riche array, this mayden for to gyde;

Hir yonge brother ryding hir bisyde.

Arrayed was toward hir mariage

This fresshe mayde, ful of gemmes clere;

Hir brother, which that seuen yeer was of age, 780

Arrayed eek ful fresh in his manere.

And thus in greet noblesse and with glad chere,

Toward Saluces shaping her iourney,

Fro day to day they ryden in her wey.

Explicit quarta pars. Sequitur pars quinta.

Among al thisjil after his wikke vsage, v 785

This markis, yet his wyf to temple more
To the vttereste preue of hir corage,

1 E. Hn. Cp. Ln. that they ; the rest omit that.

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE. 87

Fully to ban experience and lore

If that she were as stedfast as bifore,

He on a day in open audience 79°

Ful boistously hath seyd hir this sentence:

' Certes, Grisild, I hadde ynough plesance

To han yow to my wyf for your goodnesse,

As for your trewthe and for your obeisance,

Nought for your linage ne for your richesse; 79?

But now knowe I in verray soothfastnesse

That in greet lordshipe, if I wel auyse,

Ther is greet seruitute in sondry wyse.

I may nat don as euery plowman may;

My peple me constreyneth for to take 800

Another wyf, and cryen day by day;

And eek the pope, rancour for to slake,

Consenteth it, that dar I vndertake;

And treweliche thus muche I wol yow seye,

My newe wyf is coming by the weye. 805

Be strong of herte, and voyde anon hir place,

And thilke dower that ye broughten me

Tak it agayn, I graunte it of my grace;

Retourneth to your fadres hous,' quod he;

' No man may alwey han prosperitee ; 810

With euene herte I rede yow tendure

The1 strook of fortune or of auenture.'

And she answerde agayn in pacience,

' My lord/ quod she, ' I wot, and wiste alway

How that bitwixen your magnificence 815

And my pouerte no wyght can ne may

Maken comparison; it is no nay.

1 E. This ; the rest The.

88 GROUP E. THE CLERK ES TALE.

I ne heeld me neuer digne in no manere
To be your wyf, no, ne your chamberere.

And in this hous, ther ye me lady made — 820

The heiehe god take I for my witnesse,

*"w? -n^yt^^

And also wisly Qie my soule glade —

I neuer heeld me lady ne maistresse,

But humble seruant to your worthinesse,

And euer shal, whyl that my lyf may dure, 8zs

Abouen euery worldly creature.

That ye so longe of your benignitee

Han holden me in honour and nobleye,

Wher as I was nought worthy for to1 be,

That thonke I god and yow, to whom I preye 830

Foryelde it yow; there is namore to seye.

Vn-to my fader gladly wol I wende,

And with him dwelle vn-to my lyues ende.

And of your newe wyf, god of his grace 841

So graunte yow wele and prosperitee:
For I wol gladly yelden hir my place,
In which that I was blisful wont to be.
For sith it lyketh yow, my lord,' quod she, 845

'That whylom weren al myn hertes reste,
That I shal goon, I wol goon whan yow leste.

But ther as ye me profre swich dowaire

As I first broughte, it is wel in my mynde

It were my wrecched clothes, no-thing faire, 850

The whi^h to me were hard now for to fynde.

O goode god! how gentil and how kynde

1 E. omits for to.

GROUP E. THE CLERK ES TALE. 89

Ye semed by your speche and your visage
The day that maked was our manage!

k*. cnjU. *r-6
But sooth is seyd, algate I fynde it trewe — 855 ((

For in effect it preued is on me — fcixZ-4 f /4-vt-*«-<£
Loue is noght old as whan that it is newe. '
But certes, lord, for noon aduersitee,
To deyen in the cas, it shal nat be
That euer in word or werk I shal repente
That I yow yaf myn herte in hool entente.

cr
yX

remenant of your lewels redy be
»n- with ^nnre chambre, dar I saufly sayn;
Naked out of my fadres hous/ quod she,
' I cam, and naked mot I turne agayn.
Al your plesance wol I folwen fayn;
But yet I hope it be nat your entente
That I smokies out of your paleys wente.' * 875

' The smok,' quod he, ' that thou hast on thy bak, 890
^ Lat it be stille, and ber it forth with thee,'
t/W"' But wel vnnethes thilke word he spak,

But wente his wey for rewthe and for pitee.

Biforn the folk hir-seluen strepeth she,

And in hir smok, with heed and foot al bare, 895

Toward hir fader hous forth is she fare.

The folk hir folwe wepinge in hir weye,

And fortune ay they cursen as they goon;

But she fro weping kepte hir ye'n dreye,

Ne in this tyme word ne spak she noon. »>• 900

Hir fader,' that this tyding herde anoon, \O '

Curseth the day and tyme that nature ^

Shopp him to ben a Ivues creature/0-^^o-^

90 GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE,

For out of doute this olde poure man

Was euer in suspect of hir mariage ; 905

For euer he demed, sith that it bigan,

That whan the lord fulfild had his corage,

Him wolde thinke it were a disparage

To his estaat so lowe for talyghte,

And voyden hir as sone as euer he myghte. 910

his doughter hastilich goth he,
For he by noyse of folk knew hir cominge,
And with hir olde cote, as it myghte be,
He couered hir, ful sorwefully wepinge;
But on hir body myghte he it nat bringe. 915

For rude was the cloth, and 1 more of age
By dayes fele than at hir mariage.

Thus with hir fader for a certeyn space

Dwelleth this flour of wyfly pacience,

That neither by hir wordes ne hir face 920

Biforn the folk, ne eek in her absence,

Ne shewed she that hir was doon offence;

Ne of hir heigh estaat no remembrance

Ne hadde she, as_ by hir contenance. $44L/c/x/-tf,

No wonder is, for in hir grete estaat

Hir goost was euer in pleyn humylitee;

No tendre mouth, non herte delicat,

No pompe, no semblant of roialtee,

But ful of pacient benignitee,

Discreet and prydeles, ay honiirable, c-^/la**^ 93G

And to hir housbonde euer meke and stable.

1 E. Hn. Cm. HI. and she ; the rest omit she.

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE. Q1

Men speke of lob and most for his humblesse,
As clerkes, whan hem list, can we] endyte,

of men, but as in soothfastnesse,
Though clerkes preise wommen but a lyte, 935

Ther can no man in humblesse him acquyte
As womman can, ne can J ben half so trew,e i.
As wommen ben, but it be falle of-newe. .

[Pars Sex/a.]

Fro Boloigne is this erl of Panik come, f^juf^Ar^-^-,

Of which the fame vp sprang to more and lesse, 949

And in the peples eres alle and some

Was couth eek, that a newe markisesse

He with him broughte, in swich pompe and richesse,

That neuer was ther seyn with mannes ye

So noble array in al West Lumbardye. 945

The markis, which that shoop and knew al this,

Er that this erl was come, sente his message

For thilke sely poure Grisildis;

And she with humble herte and glad visage, ^

Nat with no swollen thought in hir corage, Y*^*^ 95°

Cam at his heste, and on hir knees hir sette,

And reuerently and wysly she him grette.

1 Grisild,' quod he, ' my wille is outerly,

This mayden, that shal wedded ben to me,

Receiued be to-morwe as roially , 955

As it possible is in myn hous to be.

And eek that euery wyght in his degree

Haue his estaat in sitting and seruyse

And heigh plesance, as I can best deuyse.

1 Hn. kan ; Cp. Ln. HI. can ; which the rest omit.

92 GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE.

I haue no wommen sumgant certayn 960

The chambres for tarraye in ordinance ^rttx/
After my lust, and therfor wolde I fayn
That thyn were al swich maner gouernance;
\Thou knowest eek of old al my plesance; \*
[Though thyn array be badde and yuel biseye,
Do thou thy deuoir at the leste \veye.'

' Nat only, lord, that I am glad,' quod she,
'To doon your lust, but I desyre also
Yow for to serue and plese in my degree
With-outen feynting, and shal euermo. 970

Ne neuer, for no wele ne no wo,
Ne shal the gost with-in myn herte stente
To loue yow best with al my trewe entente.'

And with that word she gan the hous to dyghte,

And tables for to sette and beddes make; 975

And peyned hir to don al that she myghte,

Preying the chambereres, for goddes sake,

To hasten hem and faste swepe and shake;

And shl, the mo'ste se'ruisable of die, *^U>^*£ '

Hath euery chambre arrayed and his halle. 980

Abouten vndern gan this erl alyghte,

That with him broughte these noble children tweye,

For which the peple ran to seen the syghte

Of hir array, so richely biseye;

And than at erst amonges hem they seye, 985

That Walter was no fool, though that him leste

To chaunge his wyf, for it was for the beste.

For she is fairer, as they demen alle,
Than is Grisild, and more tendre of age,

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE. 93

And fairer fruyt bitwene hem sholde falle, 990

And more plesant, for hir heigh lynage;

Hir brother eek so fair was of visage,

That hem to seen the peple hath caught plesance,

Commending now the markis gouernance. —

Auctor. *O stormy peple! vnsad and euer vntrewe! 995

Ay vndiscreet and chaunging as a vane,

Delyting euer in rombel that is newe, ,/VCovH r-^

For lyk the mone ay wexe ye and wane ;

Ay ful of clapping, dere ynough a lanej Gt*^-**-**' a

Your doom is fals, your Constance yuel preueth, khcoo

A ful greet fool is he that on yow leueth!'

Thus seyden sadde folk in that citee,

Whan that the peple gazed vp and doun,

For they were glad, ryght for the noueltee,

To han a newe lady of her toun. 1005

Namore of this make I now mencioun;

But to Grisild agayn wol I me dresse,

And telle hir Constance and hir bisinesse. —

Ful bisy was Grisild in euery thing

That to the feste was apertinent; 1010

Ryght nought was she abayst of hir clothing,

Though it were rude and somdel eek to-rent.

But with glad chere to the yate is1 went

With other folk to grete the markisesse,

And after that doth forth hir bisinesse. 1015

~ f
With so glad chere his gestes she receyueth,

And2 conningly, euerich in his degree,

1 E. Hn. HI. is she ; the rest omit she.

1 E. Hn. Cm. HI. And so ; Cp. Ft. Ln. omit so.

94 GROUP E. THE CLERK ES TALE.

That no defaute no man aperceyueth;

But ay they wondren what she myghte be

That in so poure array was for to see, 1020

And coude swich honour and reuerence;

And worthily they preisen hir prudence.

In al this mene whyle she ne stente

This mayde and eek hir brother to commende

With al hir herte, in ful benigne entente, - ' 1*025

So wel that no man coude hir pjys amende.

But atte laste, whan that thise lordes wende

To sitten doun to mete, he gan to calle ^

Grisild, as she was bisy in his halle.

1 Grisild/ quod he, as it were in his pley, I

'How lyketh thee my wyf and hir beautee?1

' Ryght wel/ quod she, ' my lord ; for, in good fey,

A fairer sey I neuer non than she.

I prey to god^iue hir prosperitee; f

And so hope I that he wol to yow sende 1035

Plesance ynough vn-to your lyues ende.

O thing biseke I yow and warne also,

That ye ne prikke with no tormentinge ^7

„,. If, /, / , / , / ^(tLAX/.

This tendre mayden, as ye nan doon moj

For she is fostred in hir norishinge 1040

More tendrely, and, to my supposinge,

She coude nat aduersitee endure,

As coude a poure fostred creature.'

And whan this Walter sey hir pacience,

Hir glade chere and no malice at al, 1045

And he so ofte had doon to hir offence,

And she ay sad and constant as a wal,

Continuing euer hir Innocence oueral,

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE, 95

This sturdy markis gan his herte dresse ^^ji^n^u^,
To rewen vp-on hir wyfly stedfastnesse. 1050

' This is ynough, Grisilde myn/ quod he, ^ _ r

' Be now namore agast ne yuel apayed; ****• |j|"^

I haue thy_feith and thy benignitee,

As wel as euer womman was, assayed,

In greet estaat and poureliche arrayed. 1055

Now knowe I, dere * wyf, thy stedfastnesse/—

And hir in armes took and gan hir kesse.

And she for wonder took of it no kepe;
She herde nat what thing he to hir seyde;
She ferde as she had stert out of a slepe,
Til she out of hir masednesse

.

' Grisild/ quod he, ' by god that for vs deyae,
Thou art my wyf, ne2 non other I haue,
Ne neuer hadde, as god my soule saue!

This is thy doughter which thou hast supposed 1065

To be my wyf; that other feithfully

Shal be myn heir, as I haue ay purposed8;

Thou bare him in thy body trewely.

At Boloigne haue I kept hem priuely,

Tak hem agayn, for now maystow nat seye

That thou hast lorn non of thy children tweye.

And folk that otherweyes han seyd of me,

I warne hem wel that I haue doon this dede

For no malice ne for no crueltee,

But for tassaye in thee thy wommanhede, 1075

And nat to sleen my children, god forbede!

1 E. goo<Ie; rest dere. 2 Cm. Cp. Ln. HI. ne; Pt. and ; E, Hn. omit ne.
5 Cp. Lu. HI. purposed ; E. Hu. Cm. supposed (wrongly) ; Pt. disposed.

9<5 GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE.

But for to kepe hem priuely and stille,
Til I thy purpos knew and al thy wille.'

K , fcivJi .Whan she this herde, as^vowne doun she falleth

// •:, For pitous loye, and after hir swowning 1080

H./fy. (A She bothe hir yonge children vn-to hir calleth,
And in hir armes, pitously weping,

Embraceth hem, and tendrely kissing
^-wcvjjw ' . . J

"'. rul lyk a mooder, with hir sake teres

She batheth bothe hir visage and hir heres. 1085

O, which a pitous thing it was to se

Hir swowning, and hir humble voys to here !

' Graunt mercy, lord, that thanke I yow,' quod she,

' That ye han saued me my children dere 1

Now rekke I neuer to ben deed ryght here; 1090

Sith I stonde in your loue and in your grace,

No fors of deeth, ne whan my spirit pace I

O tendre, o dere, o yonge children myne,

Your woful mooder wende stedfastly

That cruel houndes or som foul vermyne 1095

Hadde eten yow ; but god, of his mercy,

And your benigne fader tendrely

e
ke

Hath doon_yow*kept;' and in that same stounde
Al sodeynly she swapte adoun to grounde.

And in hir swough so sadly holdeth she iico

Hir children two, whan she gan hem tembrace,
That with greet sleighte and greet difficultee

\f^* &BT^^^ • i*i^^^

The children from hir arm they gonne arace.

O many a teer on many a pitous face

Doun ran of hem that stoden hir bisyde; 1105

Vnnethe abouten hir myghte they abyde.

GROUP E. THE CLERK ES TALE. 97

Walter hir gladeth and hir sorwe slaketh ; '

She ryseth vp abaysed from hir trance,

And euery wyght hir ioye and feste maketh,

Til she hath caught agayn hir contenance. mo

Walter hir dooth so feithfully plesance,

That it was deyntee for to seen the chere ^\

Bitwixe hem two, now they ben met yfere.

Thise ladyes whan that they her tyme sey,

Han taken hir, and in-to chambre gon, 1115

And strepen hir out of hir rude array,

And in a cloth of gold that bryghte shoon,

With a coroune of many a riche stoon

Vp-on hir heed, they in-to halle hir broughte,

And ther she was honoured as hir oughte. 1120

Thus hath this pitous day a blisful ende,

For euery man and womman doth his myght

This day in murthe and reuel to dispende

Til on the welkne shoon the sterres lyght.

For more solempne in euery mannes syght 1125

This feste was, and gretter of costage,

Than was the reuel of hir mariage.

Ful many a yeer in heigh prosperitee

Liuen thise two in concord and in reste, %ji>s> % )

And richely his doughter maried he 1130

Vn-to a lord, oon of the worthieste

Of al Itaille; and than in pees and reste \^

His wyues fader in his court he kepeth,

Til that the soule out of his body crepeth. v

His sone succedeth in his heritage 1135

In reste and pees, after his fader day;
VOL. n. H

98

GROUP E. THE CLERKES TALE.

And fortuhat was eek in mariage,

Al putte he nat his wyf in greet assay.

This world is nat so strong, it is no nay,

As it hath ben of olde tymes yore,

And herkneth what this auctour seith therfore.

This storie is seyd nat for that wyucs sholde
Folwen Grisild as in humilitee,
--< «/ For it were importable, though they wolde;
But for that euery wyght in his degree
Shokle be constant in aduersitee
As was Grisild, therfor this1 Petrark wryteth
This storie, which with hy style he cndyteth.

For, sith a womman was so pacient
Vn-to a mortal man, wel more vs oughte
tyju Receyuen al in gree that god vs senL; tm/r
"Q L>£^lFor greet skile is, he ltfr$ur' that he wroughte,

**\ -r, ' 1 - ""~ I I ,

But ne ne tempteth no man that he boughte,
As seith seint lame, if ye his pistil rede;
He preueth folk al day, it is no drede,

And suffreth vs, as for our excercyse,
With sharpe scourges of aduersitee
Ful ofte to be bete in sondry wyse;
Nat for to knowe our wil, for certes he,
Er we were born, knew al2 our freletee;
for our beste is al his governance;
'Lat vs than Hue in vertuous suffrance.

1140

1145

1150

1155

11.60

«

. But o word, lordinges, herkneth er I
It were ful hard to fynde ngw a day
$4^4 Q& Av^jCxOL-C* | XfvJr A&jfijL* ^o *^.
1 Cm. this ; which the rest omit.
1 E. omits al ; the rest have it.

, rt

GROUP E. CLERK-MERCHANT LINK. OQ

In al a toun Grisildes thre or two; ___ 1165

For, if that they were put to swiche assaves. UM******
The gold of hem hath now so badde alayes o t/t^**V-^
With bras, that though the coyne be fair at ye,
It wolde rather breste atwo than plye.

,

For which Beer, for the wyues loue of Bathe, 1170

Whos lyf and al hir secte god mayntene

In heigh maistrie, and elles were it scathe,

I wol with lusty herte fresshe and grene

Seyn yow a song to glade yow, I we'ne,

And lat vs stinte of ernestful matere: — 1175 (

Herkneth my song that seith in this manere. ^Vp v

Lenuoy de Chaucer ' \» • 'L^f * c\M(v

'

i^ V-

Grisild is deed, and cek hir patience, ^^-i* „ .JU. \us\
And bothe atones buried in Itaille ;

u-

For which I crye in open audience, ^

No wedded man so hardy be tassaille 1180

His wyues pacience, in hope to fynde
Grisildes, for in certein he shal faille I

O noble wyues, ful of heigh prudence,

Lat non humilitee your tonge naille,

Ne lat no clerk haue cause or diligence 1185

To wryte of yow a storie of swich meruaille

As of Grisildis pacient and kynde;

Lest Chicheuache vow swelwe in hir entraille! °f

Fojweth Ekko. that holdeth no silence,

But euere answereth at the countretaille ; 1190

Beth nat bidaffed for your innocence,

But sharply tak on yow the gouernaillc.

H 2

^uj, h_t^

v i'oo GRO

!

GROUP E. CLERK-MERCHANT LINK.

Emprinteth wel this lesson in your mynde
For commune profit, sith it may auaille.

Ye archewyues, stondeth at defence, 1195

Sin ye be stronge as is a greet camaille;

Ne suffreth nat that men yow don offence.

And sklendre wyues, fieble as in bataille,

Beth egre as is a tygre yond in Ynde;

Ay clappeth as a mille, I yow consaille. 1200

Ne dreed hem .nat, do hem no reuerence;

For though thyn housbonde armed be in maille,

The arwes of thy crabbed eloquence

Shal perce his brest, and eek his auentaille ;

In lalousye I rede eek thou him bynde, 1205

And thou shalt make him couche as doth a quaille.

If thou be fair, ther folk ben in presence

Shew thou thy visage and thyn apparaille;

If thou be foul, be fre of thy dispence,

To gete thee frendes ay do thy trauaille; mo

Be ay of chere as lyght as leef on lynde,

And lat him care, and wepe, and wringe, and waillel

The prologe of the Marchantes tale.

' Weping and wayling, care and other sorwe

I knowe ynow, on euen and on morwe,'

Quod the Marchant, ' and so doon othere mo 1215

That wedded ben,» I trowe that it be so.,

For wel I wot it fareth so with me.

I haue a wyf, the worste that may be;

For though the feend to hir ycoupled were,

She wolde him ouermacche, I dar wel swere. 1220

GROUP E. CLERK-MERCHANT LINK.

101

What sholde I yow reherce in special

Hir hy malice P she is a sjjrew.e at al. t^*J^

Ther is a long and large difference

Bitwix Grisildes grete pacience

And of my wyf the passing crueltee. 1225

Were I vnbounden, al so mote I thee!

I wolde neuer eft comen in the snare.

We wedded men liuen in sorwe and care;

Assaye it who so wol, and he shal fynde,

I seye sooth, by seint Thomas of Ynde, 1230

As for the more part, I seye nat alle.

God shilde that it sholde so bifalle!

A ! good sir hoste ! I haue ywedded be

Thise monthes two, and more nat, pardee;

And yit I trowe that he, that al his lyue 1235

Wyflees hath ben, though that men wolde him ryue

Vn-to the herte, ne coude in no manere

Tellen so moche sorwe, as I now here

Coude tellen of my wyues cursednesse 1 '

' Now,' quod our host, ' marchaunt, so god yow blesse,
Sin ye so moche knowen of that art,
Ful hertely I preye yow telle vs part.'
' Gladly,' quod he, ' but of myn owen sore,
For sory herte, I telle may no more^*-^

svSjJt

lie, numbert

[Here follows The Merchant's Tale, numbered 11. 1245-2418 i.
the Six-Text edition ; after <which comes The Merchant's End-link,
called The Squire's Prologue in the Ellesmere MS., as follows^ a ff^

The Prologe of the Squieres Tale.

/~ iV^iV* V
&^ It** rft^

' Ey ! goddes mercy !' seyde our hoste tho, VW

' Now swich a wyf I preye god kepe me fro fyu *jufa* . *^

0 /^ A I jJ*^

fO^

LT

103 GROUP E. MERCHANT'S END- LINK.

Lo whiche sleightes and subtilitees

In wommen ben ! for ay as bisy as bees

Ben they, vs sely men for to deceyue,

And from a sothe euer wol they weyue ;

By this marchauntes tale it preueth \veel. 3425

But douteles, as trewe as any steel

I haue a wyf, though that she poure be;

But of hir tonge a labbing shrewe is she,

And yet she hath an heep of vices mo ;

Ther-of no fors, lat alle swiche thinges go. 2430

But, wite ye what? in conseil be it seyd,

Me reweth sore I am vn-to hir teyd.

For, and I sholde rekenen euery vice

Which that she hath, ywis I were to nice,

And cause why; it sholde reported be 2435

And told to hir of somme of this meynee,

Of whom, it nedeth nat for to declare,

Sin wommen connen outen swich chaffare,

And eek my wit suffiseth nat ther-to

To tellen al; wherfor my tale is do.' 2440

[Here ends Group E, or the fifth fragment, which is followed in
the Ellesmere MS. (without any break) by Group F.J

GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE.
[THE SQUIRE'S HEAD-LINK.]

' Squyer, com neer, if it your wille be,

And sey sormvhat of loue; for certes ye

Konnen ther-on as muche as any man.'

' Nay, sir,' quod he, ' but I wol seye as I can

With hertly wille ; for I wol nat rebelle 5

Agayn your lust; a tale wol I telle.

Haue me excused if I speke amis, ^

My wille is good; and lo, my tale is this.

Heere bigynneth the Squierea Tale.

At Sarray, in the londe of Tartarye,

Ther dwelte a king, that werreyed Russye, 10

Thurgh which ther deyde many a doughty man.

This noble king was cleped Cambynskan, *s

Which in his tyme was of so greet renoun

That ther nas no-wher in no regioun

So excellent a lord in alle thing; 15

Him lakked nought that longeth to a king.

As of the secte of which that he was born

He kepte his lay, to which that he was sworn ;

And ther-to he was hardy, wys, and riche,

And pitous [eek] and lust, alwey ylichej 20

104 GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE.

Sooth of his word, benigne and honurable,

Of his corage as any centre stable;

Yong, fresh, strong, and in armes desirous

As any bacheler of al his hous.

A fair persone he was and fortunat, «5

And kepte alwey so wel roial estat,

That ther was nowher swich another man.

This noble king, this Tartre Cambynskan

Hadde two sones on Elpheta his wyf,

Of whiche the eldeste highte Algarsyf, 30

That other sone was cleped Cambalo. *

A doughter hadde this worthy king also,

That yongest was, and highte Canacee.

But for to telle yow al hir beautee

It lyth nat in my longe, nin my conning; 35

I dar nat vndertake so hy a thing.

Myn english eek is insufficient;

It1 moste ben a rethor excellent,

That coude his colours longing for that art,

If he sholde hir discryuen euery part. 40

I am non swich, I mot speke as I can.

And so bifel that, whan this Cambynskan

Hath twenty winter born his diademe,

As he was wont fro yeer to yeer, I deme,

He leet the feste of his natiuitee 4$

Don cryen thurghout2 Sarray his citee,

The last Idus of March, after the yeer.

Phebus the sonne ful ioly was and cleer;

For he was neigh his exaltacion

In Martes face, and in his mansion 50

In Aries, the colerik hote signe.

1 E. I, perhaps miswritten ; HI. he ; the rest It.

2 Hn. thurghout ; the rest thurgh.

GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE.

Ful lusty was the weder and benigne, /

For which the foules, agayn the sonne/shene,

What for the seson and the yonge grene,

Ful loude songen hir affections ; 55

Him seined han geten hem proteccions

Agayn the swerd of winter kene and cold.

This Cambynskan, of which I haue yow told,

In roial vestiment sit on his deys,

With diademe, ful ny in his paleys, 60

And halt his feste, so solempne and so riche

That in this world ne1 was ther noon it liche.

Of which if I shal tellen al tharray,

Than wolde it occupye a someres day;

And eek it nedeth nat for to deuyse 65

At euery cours the ordre of her seruyse.

I wol nat tellen of her strange sew£fe, "^

Ne of her swannes, ne2 of her heronsewes. «^

Eek in that lond, as tellen knyghtes olde,

Ther is som mete that is ful deyntee holde, 70

That in this lond men recche of it but smal;

Ther nis no man that may reporten al.

I wol nat tarien yow, for it is pryme,

And for it is no fruyt but los of tyme;

Vn-to my firste 1 wol haue my recours. 75

And so bifel that, after the thridde cours,

Whyl that this king sit thus in his nobleye,

Herkning his minstralles her thinges pleye

Biforn him at the bord deliciously,

In at the halle dore al sodeynly 80

Ther cam a knyght vp-on a stecle of bras,

And in his hond a brood mirour of glas.

Vpon his thombe he hadde of gold a ring,

1 E. HI. omit ne ; the rest have it. 2 E. nor; the rest ne.

106 GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE.

And by his syde a naked swerd hanging;
And vp he rydeth to the hye bord. 85

In al the halle ne was ther spoke a word
For merueille of this knyght; him to biholde
Ful bisily ther wayten yonge and olde.
/ This strange knyght, that cam thus sodeynly,
Al armed saue his heed ful richely, 90

Salueth king and queen, and lordes alle,
By ordre as they seten in the halle,
With so hy reuerence and obeisance
As wel in speche as in contenance,
That Gawayn with his olde curteisye, 95

Though he were come ageyn out of Fairye,
Ne coude him nat amende with a word.
And after this, biforn the hye bord,
He with a manly voys seith his message,
After the forme vsed in his langage, 100

With-outen vice of sillable or of lettre.
And, for his tale sholde seme the bettre,
Accordant to his wordes was his chere,
As techeth art of speche hem that it lere;
Al be it1 that I can nat soune his style, 105

Ne can nat clymben ouer so hy a style,
Yet seye I this, as to commune entente,
Thus much amounteth al that euer he mente,
If it so be that I haue it in mynde.
He seyde, ' the king of Arabic and of Ynde, no

My lige lord, on this solempne day
Salueth yow as he best can and may,
And sendeth yow, in honour of your feste,
By me, that am al redy at your heste,
This stede of bras, that esily and wel 115

1 Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. it ; E. Hn. Cm. omit it.

GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE. 107

Can, in the space of o day natural,

This is to seyn, in foure and twenty houres,

Wher so yow list, in droughte or elles shourcs,

Beren your body in-to euery place

To which your herte wilneth for to pace 120

VVith-outen wem of yow, thurgh foul or fair ;

Or, if yow list to fleen as hy in the air

As doth an egle, whan1 him list to sore,

This same stede shal here yow euer-more

With-outen harm, til ye be ther yow leste, 12$

Though that ye slepen on his bak or reste;

And turne ayeyn, with wrything of a pin.

He that it wroughte coude ful many a gin;

He wayted many a constellacion

Er he had don this operacion ; 130

And knew ful many a seel and many a bond.

This mirour eek, that I haue in myn hond,

Hath swich a myght, that men may in it see

Whan ther shal fallen any aduersitee

Vn-to your regne or to your-self also; 135

And openly who is your frend or foo.

And ouer al this, if any lady bryght

Hath set hir herte on2 any maner wyght,

If he be fals, she shal his treson see,

His newe loue and al his subtiltee 140

So openly, that ther shal no thing hyde.

Wherfor, ageyn this lusty someres tyde,

This mirour and this ring, that ye may sec,

He hath sent to* my lady Canacee,

Your excellente doughter that is here. 145

The vertu of the ring, if ye wol here,

1 E. whan |at ; the rest omit {>at. 2 E. Pt. in ; the rest on.

4 E. va-to; Cm. on-to; the rest to.

I08 GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE.

Is this ; that, if hir lust it for to were

Vp-on hir thombe, or in hir purs it bere,

Ther is no foul that fleeth vnder the heuene

That she ne shal wel vnderstonde his steuene, 150

And knowe his mening openly and pleyn,

And answere him in his langage ageyn.

And euery gras that groweth vp-on rote

She shal eek knowe, and whom it wol do bote,

Al be his woundes neuer so depe and wyde. 155

This naked swerd, that hangeth by my syde,

Swich vertu hath, that what man so ye smyte,

Thurgh-out his armure it wol1 kerue and byte,

Were it as thikke as is a branched ook ;

And what man that is wounded with the2 strook 160

Shal neuer be hool til that yow list, of grace,

To stroke him with the platte in thilke3 place

Ther he is hurt : this is as muche to seyn,

Ye mote with the platte swerd ageyn

Stroke4 him in the wounde, and it wol close; 165

This is a verray sooth, with-outen glose,

It failleth nat whyl it is in your hold.'

And whan this knyght had thus his tale told,

He rydeth out of halle, and doun he lyghte.

His stede, which that shoon as sonne bryghte, 170

Slant in the courte, stille as any stoon.

This knyght is to his chambre lad anon,

And is vnarmed and to 5 mete yset.

The presentes ben ful roially yfet,

This is to seyn, the swerd and the mirour, 175

And born anon in-to the hye tour

1 E. wol hym ; the rest omit hym. 2 E. a ; Cm. that ; the rest the.

9 E. Cm. that ; the rest thilke. * E. Cm. Strike ; the rest Stroke.

8 E. vn-to ; the rest to.

GROUP F. THE SQU1ERES TALE. 109

With certeine officers ordeyned therfore ;

And vn-to Canacee this ring was bore

Solempnely, ther she sit at the table.

But sikerly, with-outen any fable, iGo

The hors of bras, that may nat be remewed,

It slant as it were to the ground yglewed.

Ther may no man out of the place it dryue

For noon engyn of wyndas or1 polyue;

And cause why, for they can nat the craft. 185

And therefor in the place they han it laft

Til that the knyght hath taught hem the manere

To voyden him, as ye shal after here.

Greet was the pres, that swarmeth to and fro,

To gauren on this hors that standeth so ; 190

For it so hy was, and so brood and long,

So wel proporcioned for to ben strong,

Ryght as it were a stede of Lumbardye ;

Ther-with so horsly, and so quik of ye

As it a gentil Poileys courser were. 195

For certes, fro his tayl vn-to his ere,

Nature ne art ne coude him nat amende

In no degree, as al the peple wende.

But euermore her moste wonder was,

How that it coude gon, and was of bras ; 200

It was of2 Fairye, as the8 peple semed.

Diuerse folk diuersely they demed;

As many heedes, as many wittes ther been.

They murmurede as doth a swarm of been,

And maden skiles after her fantasyes, 205

Rehersinge of thise olde poetryes,

And seyden, it4 was lyk the Pegasee,

1 E. ne ; the rest or. ' E. Hn. a ; Cm. as ; the rest of.

* E. Cm. al the ; the rest omit al. * E. that it ; the rest omit that.

I TO GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE.

The hors that hadde winges for to flee;

Or elles it was the Grekes hors Synon,

That broughte Troye to destruccion, 210

As men may1 in thise olde gestes rede.

'Myn herte,' quod oon, 'is euermore in drede;

I trowe som men of annes ben ther-inne,

That shapen hem this citee for to winne.

It were ryght good that al swich thing were knowe.' 215

Another rowned to his felawe lowe,

And seyde, 'he lyeth, it is rather lyk

An apparence ymaad by som magyk,

As logelours pleyen at thise festes grete.'

Of sondry doutes thus they langle and trete, 220

As lewed peple demeth comunly

Of thinges that ben maad more subtilly

Than they can in her lewednes comprehende ;

They demen gladly to the badder ende.

And somme of hem wondrede on the mirour, 225

That born was vp in-to the maister2 tour,

How men myghte in it swiche thinges se.

Another answerde and seyde it myghte wel be

Naturelly, by composicions

Of angles and of slye reflexions, 230

And seyde that in Rome was swich oon.

They speken of Alocen and Vitulon,

And Aristotle, that writen in her lyues

Of queynte mirours and of prospectyues,

As knowen they that han her bokes herd. 235

And othere folk han wondred on the swerd

That wolde percen thurgh-out euery-thing;

And h'lle in speche of Thelophus the king,

1 HI. may, which the rest omit.

8 E. hye ; Cm. liyghc ; the rest maister.

GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE. Ill

And of Achilles with his queynte spere,

For he coude with it bothe hele and dere, 240

Ryght in swich wyse as men may with the swerd

Of which ryght now ye han your-seluen herd.

They speke of sondry harding of metal,

And speke of medicynes ther-with-al,

And how, and whan, it sholde yharded be; 245

Which is vnknowe algates vnto me.

Tho speke they of Canacee's ring,

And seyden alle, that swich a wonder thing

Of craft of ringes herde they neuer non,

Saue that he, Moyses, and king Salomon 250

Hadde1 a name of konning in swich art.

Thus seyn the peple, and drawen hem apart.

But natheles somme seyden that it was

Wonder to maken of fern-asshen glas,

And yet nis glas nat lyk asshen of fern; 255

But for they han yknowen 2 it so fern,

Therfor cesseth her langling and her wonder.

As sore wondren somme on cause of thonder,

On ebbe, on flood, on gossomer, and on mist,

And on al thing, til that the cause is wist. 260

Thus langle they and demen and deuyse,

Til that the king gan fro the bord aryse.

Phebus hath laft the angle meridional,

And yet ascending was the beste roial,

The gentil leon, with his Aldiran3, 265

Whan that this Tartre king, this4 Cambynskan,

Ros fro his bord, ther that he sat ful hye.

Toforn him goth the loude minstralcye,

1 HI. Had ; the rest Hadde. 2 HI. i-knowen; the rest knoweu.

s Hn. Aldiran; the reft Aldrian ; see note.
* III. this • which the rest omit.

112 GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE.

Til he cam to his chambre of parementz,

Ther as they sownen diuerse instrumentz, 270

That it is lyk an heuen for to here.

Now dauncen lusty Venus children dere,

For in the fish her lady sat ful hye,

And loketh on hem with a frendly ye.

This noble king is set vp in his trone. 275

This strange knyght is fet to him ful sone,

And on the daunce he goth with Canacee.

Heer is the reuel and the lolitee

That is nat able a dul man to deuyse.

He moste han knowen loue and his seruyse, 280

And ben a festlich man as fresh as May,

That sholde yow deuysen swich array.

Who coude telle yow the forme of daunces,

So vncouthe and so fresshe contenaunces,

Swich subtil loking and dissimulinges 285

For drede of lalouse mennes aperceyuinges ?

No man but Launcelot, and he is deed.

Therefor I passe of al this lustiheed ;

I seye namore, but in this lolynesse

I lete hem, til men to the soper dresse. 290

The sty ward bit the1 spyces for to hye,

And eek the wyn, in al this melodye.

The vsshers and the squyers ben ygon;

The spyces and the wyn is come anon.

They ete and drinke ; and whan this hadde an ende, 295

Vn-to the temple, as reson was, they wende.

The seruice don, they soupen al by day.

What nedeth yow2 rehercen her array?

Ech man wot wel, that at3 a kinges feste

1 HI. the ; which the rest omit. a E. me ; the rest yow.

3 HM. Cp. Pt. Ln. that at ; rest om. at ; see note.

GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE. 113

Hath plentee, to the moste and to the leste, 300

And deyntees mo than ben in my knowing.

At-after soper goth this noble king

To sen this hors of bras, with al the route

Of lordes and of ladyes him aboute.

Swich wondring was ther on this hors of bras 305

That, sin the grete sege of Troye was,

Ther as men wondreden on an hors also,

Ne was ther swich a wondring as was tho.

But fynally the king axeth this knyght

The vertu of this courser and the myghr, 310

And preyede him to telle his gouernaunce.

This hors anon bigan to trippe and daunce,

Whan that this knyght leyde hond vp-on his reyne,

And seyde, ' sir, ther is namore to seyne,

But, whan yow list to ryden any- where, 315

Ye moten trille a pin, stant in his ere,

Which I shall telle yow1 bitwix vs two.

Ye mote nempne him to what place also

Or to what contree that yow list to ryde.

And whan ye come ther as yow list abyde, 310

Bidde him descende, and trille another pin,

For ther-in2 lyth the effect of al the gin,

And he wol doun descende and don your wille;

And in that place he wol abyde3 stille,

Though al the world the contrarie hadde yswore; 325

He shal nat thennes ben ydrawe ne4 ybore.

Or, if yow liste 5 bidde him thennes gon,

1 E. Hn. Cm. yow telle ; the rest telle yow.

* E. ther ; Cm. theere ; the rest ther-iime, ther-in.

3 Cp. HI. abyde ; Hn. abiden ; Ft. Ln. abide ; E. Cm. stonde ; see
I. 7,20.

4 E. Hn. nor; the rest ne.

5 Cp. liste ; Lu. luste ; HI. lust to ; Cm wit ; E. Hn. Pt. list.

VOL. II. I

114 GROUP F. THE SQVIERES TALE.

Trille this pin, and he wol vanishe anon

Out of the syghte of euery maner wyght,

And come agayn, be it by1 day or nyght, 330

When that yow list to clepen him ageyn

In swich a gyse as I shal to yow seyn

Bitwixe yow and me, and that ful sone.

Ryde whan yow list, ther is namore to done.'

Enformed whan the king was of that knyght, 335

And hath conceyued in his wit aryght

The maner and the forme of al this thing,

Thus 2 glad and blythe this noble doughty 3 king

Repeireth to his reuel as biforn.

The brydel is vn-to the tour yborn, 340

And kept among his Jewels leue and dere.

The hors vanisshed, I noot in what manere,

Out of her syghte; ye gete namore of me.

But thus I lete in lust and lolitee

This Cambynskan his lordes festeyinge, 345

Til wel ny the day bigan to springe.

Explicit prima pars, Sequitur pars sectmda.

The norice of digestioun, the slepe,

Gan on hem winke, and bad hem taken kepe,

That muchel drink and labour wolde han reste ;

And with a galping mouth hem alle he keste, 350

And seyde, ' it was tyme to lye adoun,

For blood was in his dominacioun ;

Cherissheth blood, natures frend,' quod he.

They thanken him galpinge, by two, by thre,

And euery wyght gan drawe him to his reste, 355

1 HI. by ; which the rest omit. * So E. Cm. ; the rest Ful.

3 E. Cm. omit doughty.

GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE. 11$

As slepe hem bad; they toke it for the bcste.

Her dremes shul nat ben ytold for me;

Ful were her heedes of fumositee,

That causeth dreem, of which ther nis no charge.

They slepen til that it was pryme large, 360

The moste part, but it were Canacee ;

She was ful mesurable, as wommen be.

For of hir fader hadde she take leue

To gon to reste, sone after it was cue;

Hir liste nat appalled for to be, 365

Nor1 on the morwe vnfestlich for to se;

And slepte hir firste slepe, and thanne awook.

For swich a ioye she in hir herte took

Bothe of hir queynte ring and hir mirour,

That twenty tyme she changed hir colour; 370

And in hir slepe, ryght for impression

Of hir mirour, she hadde a vision2.

Wherfor, er that the sonne gan vp glyde,

She cleped on hir maistresse hir bisyde,

And seyde, that hir liste for to ryse. 375

Thise olde wommen that been gladly wyse,

As is3 hir maistresse, answerde hir anon,

And seyde, ' madame, whider wole ye gon

Thus erly? for the folk ben alle on reste.'

' I wol,' quod she, ' aryse, for me leste 380

No lenger for to slepe, and walke aboute.5

Hir maistresse clepeth wommen a gret route.

And vp they rysen, wel a ten or twelue ;

Vp ryseth fresshe Canacee hir-selue,

As rody and bryght as doth the yonge sonne, 385

That in the Ram is four degrees vp-ronne;

1 Hn. Cm. Nor; E. HI. Ne; Cp. Ft. Ln. For [for NorJ.

8 E. Avision ; the rest a vision. 3 E. omits is ; the rest have it.

I 2

II 6 GROUP F. THE SQU1ERES TALE.

Noon hyer was he, whan she redy was;

And forth she walketh esily a pas,

Arrayed after the lusty seson sote

Lyghtly, for to pleye and walke on fote ; 390

Nat but with fyue or six of hir meynee ;

And in a trench, forth in the park, goth she.

The vapour, which that fro the erthe glood,

Made the sonne to seme rody and brood;

But natheles, it was so fair a syghte 395

That it made alle her hertes for to lyghte,

What for the seson and the morweninge,

And for the foules that she herde singe;

For ryght anon she wiste what they mente

Ryght by her song, and knew al her entente. 400

The knotte why that euery tale is told,

If it be taried til that lust be cold

Of hem that han it after herkned yore,

The sauour passeth euer lenger the more,

For fulsomnesse of his prolixitee. 405

And by the same reson thinketh me,

I sholde to the knotte condescende,

And maken of hir walking sone an ende.

Amidde a tree fordrye1, as whyt as chalk,

As Canacee was pleying in hir walk, 410

Ther sat a faucon ouer hir heed ful hyc,

That with a pitous voys so gan to crye

That all the wode resouned of hir cry.

Ybeten hath she hir-self so pitously

With bothe hir winges til the rede blood 415

Ran endelong the tree ther as 2 she stood.

1 E. fordryed ; Cm. fordreyed ; but Hn. Cp. Pt. I.n. for-drye ; 111. fordruye.
* E. Cm. omit as.

GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE. lij

And euer in oon she cryde alwey and shryghte,

And with hir beek hir-seluen so she pryghte,

That ther nis tygre, ne non so cruel beste,

That dwelleth either1 in wode or in foreste 420

That nolde han wept, if that he 2 wepe coude,

For sonve of hir, she shryghte alwey so loude.

For ther nas neuer yet no man3 on lyue —

If that I coude a faucon wel discryue —

That herde of swich another of fairnesse, 425

As wel of plumage as of gentillesse

Of shap, and al that myghte yrekened be.

A faucon peregryn than semed she

Of fremde londe; and euermore, as she stood,

She swowneth now and now for lakke of blood, 430

Til wel ny is she fallen fro the tree.

This faire kinges doughter, Canacee,

That on hir finger bar the queynte ring,

Thurgh which she understood wel euery thing

That any foul may in his ledene seyn, 435

And coude answere him in his ledene ageyn,

Hath vnderstonde what this faucon seyde,

And wel ny for the revvthe almost she deyde.

And to the tree she goth ful hastily,

And on this faucon loketh pitously, 440

And held hir lappe abrood, for wel she wiste

The faucon moste fallen fro the twiste,

When that it swowned next, for lakke of blood.

A longe while to wayten hir she stood,

Til atte laste she spak in this manere 445

Vn-to the hauk, as ye shul after here.

' What is the cause, if it be for to telle,

1 E. Hn. outher ; the rest eyther. a E. Pt. she ; tits reft he.

8 So Cp. HI. ; E. Hn. Cm. neuerc man yet ; Pt. Ln. ncuere yit man.

Il8 GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE.

That ye be in this furial pyne of helle?'

Quod Canacee vn-to this1 hauk aboue.

' Is this for sorwe of deth or los of loue ? 450

For, as I trowe, thise ben causes two

That causen2 most a gentil herte wo;

Of other harm it nedeth nat to speke.

For ye your-self vpon your-self yow wreke,

Which proueth wel that either3 loue or drede 455

Mot ben encheson of your cruel dede,

Sin that I see non other wyght yow chace.

For loue of god, as doth your-seluen grace

Or what may ben your help; for West nor Est

Ne sey I neuer er now no brid ne best . 460

That ferde with him-self so pitously.

Ye sle me with your sorwe, verraily;

I haue of yow so gret compassioun *.

For goddes loue, com fro the tree adoun;

And, as I am a kinges doughter trewe, 465

If that I verraily the cause knewe

Of your disese, if it lay in my myght,

I wolde amende it, er that it were nyght,

As wisly helpe me gret 6 god of kynde 1

And herbes shal I ryght ynowe yfynde 470

To hele with your hurtes hastily.'

Tho shryghte this faucon yet more8 pitously

Than 'euer she dide, and fil to grounde anon,

And lyth aswowne, deed, and lyk a stoon,

Til Canacee hath in hit lappe hir take 475

Vn-to the tyme she gan of swough awake.

1 E. the ; the rest this. * E. causeth ; the rest causen.

3 E. Hn. outher ; the rest either. * E. passioun ; the rest compassioun.

•'' E. the grete; the rest omit the.

6 Hn. Cp. Pt. yet moore ; E. Cm. moore yet ; HI. Ln. more.

GROUP F. THE SQUfERES TALE. 119

And, after that she of hir swough gan breyde,

Ryght in hir haukes ledene thus she seyde: —

'That pitee renneth sone in gentil herte,

Feling his similitude in peynes smerte, 480

Is preued al-day, as men may it1 see,

As wel by werk as by auctoritee ;

For gentil herte kytheth gentillesse.

I se wel, that 2 ye han of my distresse

Compassion, my faire Canacee, 485

Of verray wommanly benignitee

That nature in your principles hath set3.

But for non hope for to fare the bet,

But for to* obeye vn-to your herte free,

And for to maken other be war by me, 490

As by the whelp chasted is 8 the leoun,

Ryght for that cause and that0 conclusioun,

Whyl that I haue a leyser and a space,

Myn harm I wol confessen, er I pace.'

And euer, whyl that oon hir sorwe tolde, 495

That other weep, as she to water wolde,

Til that the faucon bad hir to be stille;

And, with a syk, ryght thus she seyde hir wille.

' Ther 7 I was bred, alias ! that harde day,

And fostred in a roche of marbul gray 500

So tendrely, that nothing eyled me,

I niste nat what was aduersitee,

Til I coude flee ful hye vnder the sky.

Tho dwelte a tercelet me faste by,

That semed welle of alle gentillesse; 505

1 E. HI. omit it. 2 E. Cm. omit that.

3 E. yset ; Cm. I-set ; the rest set, sette. * E. omits to.

s / should propose to read is chasted ; but authority is lacking.
• So HI. ; the rest for that. 7 E. Cm. That ; the rest Ther.

120 GROUP F. THE SQUJERES TALE.

Al were he ful of treson and falsnesse,

It was so wrapped vnder humble chere,

And vnder hewe of trewthe in swich manere,

Vnder plesance, and vnder bisy peyne,

That I ne coude han wend he coude feyne, 510

So depe in greyn he dyed his coloures.

Ryght as a serpent hit him vnder floures

Til he may sen his tyme for to byte,

Ryght so this god of loue, this ypocryte,

Doth so his cerimonies and obeisances, 515

And kepeth1 in semblant alle his obseruances

That sowneth in-to gentillesse of loue.

As in a toumbe is al the faire aboue,

And vnder is the corps, swich as ye wot,

Swich was this2 ypocrite, bothe cold and hot, 520

And in this wyse he serued his entente,

That (saue the feend) non wiste what he mente.

Til he so longe had wopen and compleyned,

And many a yeer his seruice to me feyned,

Til that myn herte, to pilous arid to nyce, 5*5

Al innocent of his crouned malice,

For-fered of his deth, as thoughte me,

Vpon his othes and his seurelee,

Graunted him loue, on s this condicioun,

That euermore myn honour and renoun 530

Were saued, bothe priuee and apert;

This is to seyn, that, after his desert,

I yaf him al myn herte and al 4 my thought —

God wot and he, that otherwyse nought—

And took his herte in chaunge for myn for ay. 535

1 Pronounced kep'th. * E. the ; the rest this. 3 The MSS. have vp-on.
1 Cm. Ln. HI. al ; which the reit omit.

GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE. J2I

But sooth is seyd, gon sithen many a day,

"A trew wyght and a theef thenken nat oon."

And, whan he sey the thing so fer ygon,

That I had graunted him fully my loue,

In swich a gyse as I haue seyd aboue, 540

And yiuen him my trewe herte, as fre

As he swoor he his herte yaf1 to me;

Anon this tygre, ful of doublenesse,

Fil on his knees with so deuout humblesse,

With so hey reuerence as2 by his chere, 545

So lyk a gentil louere of manere,

So rauisshed, as it semed, for the loye,

That neuer lason s, ne Paris of Troye,

lason ? certes, ne non other man,

Sin Lameth was, that alderfirst bigan 550

To louen two, as wry ten folk biforn,

Ne neuer, sin the firste man was born,

Ne coude man, by twenty thousand part,

Countrefete the sophimes of his art;

Ne were worthy vnbokele his galoche, 555

Ther doublenesse or feyning sholde approche,

Ne so coude thanke a wyght as he did me I

His maner was an heuen for to see

Til any womman, were she neuer so wys;

So peyntede he and kembde at point- deuys 560

As wel his wordes as his contenance.

And I so * louede him for his obeisance,

And for the trewthe I demede in his herte,

That, if so were that any thing him smerte,

Al were it neuer so lyte, and I it wiste, 565

1 All he yaf his herte. a Cm. as; the rest and as.

* E. Cm. Troilus ; the rest lason ; see note. * E. Cm. omit so.

122 GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE.

Me thoughte I felte deth myn herte twiste.

And shortly, so ferforth this thing is went,

That my wil was his willes instrument;

This is to seyn, my wil obeyede his wil

In alle thing, as fer as reson fil, 570

Keping the boundes of my worshipe euer.

Ne neuer hadde I thing so leef, ne leuer,

As him, god wot 1 ne neuer shal namo.

This lasteth lenger than a yeer or two,

That I supposed of him nought but good. 575

But fynally, thus atte laste it stood,

That fortune wolde that he moste twinne

Out of that place which that I was inne.

Wher me was wo, that is no questioun;

I can nat make of it discripcioun ; 580

For o thing dar I tellen boldely,

I knowe what is the peyne of deth ther-by ;

Swich harm I felte for he * ne myghte bileue.

So on a day of me he took his leue,

So sonvefully eek, that I wende verraily 585

That he had felt as muche harm as I,

Whan that I herde him speke, and sey his hewe.

But natheles, I thoughte he was so trewe,

And eek that he repaire sholde ageyn

With-inne a litel whyle, soth to seyn; 590

And reson wolde eek that he moste go

For his honour, as ofte it happeth so,

That I made vertu of necessitee,

And took it wel, sin that it moste be.

As I best myghte, I hidde fro him my sorwe, 595

And took him by the hond, seint lohn to borwe,

1 E. has I ; the rest he.

GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE. 123

And seyde him thus: "lo, I am youres al;

Beth swich as I to yow haue ben, and shal."

What he answerde it nedeth nat reherce,

Who can seyn bet than he, who can do werse ? 600

Whan he hath al wel1 seyd, thanne hath he doon.

" Therfor bihoueth him 2 a ful long spoon

That shal ete with a feend," thus herde I seye.

So atte laste he moste forth his weye,

And forth he fleeth, til he cam ther him leste. 605

Whan it cam him to purpos for to reste,

I trowe he hadde thilke text in mynde,

That " alle thing, repeiring to his kynde,

Gladeth him-self"; thus seyn men, as I gesse;

Men louen of propre kynde newfangelnesse, 610

As briddes doon that men in cages fede.

For though thou nyght and day take of hem hede,

And strawe hir cage faire and softe as silk,

And yiue hem sugre, hony, breed and milk,

Yet ryght anon, as that his dore is vppe, 615

He with his feet wol spume adoun his cuppe,

And lo the wode he wol and wormes ete ;

So newefangel ben they of hir mete,

And louen nouelries3 of propre kynde;

No gentillesse of blood ne4 may hem bynde. 620

So ferde this tercelet, alias the day!

Though he were gentil born, and6 fresh and gay,

And goodly for to seen, and6 humble and free,

He sey vp-on a tyme a kyte flee,

1 Hn. Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. wel seyd ; Cm. I-seyd ; E. seyd.

* E. Hn. Cm. hire ; the rest him.

3 E. nouelrie ; the rest have tJie plural, except Ln. none leueres ; which it
a curious corruption of nouelrie?. * I supply ne ; which all omit.

* Hn. has and ; which the rest omit. 6 E. Pt. omit and.

124 GROUP F. THE SQUIERES TALE.

And sodeynly he loued this kyte so, 625

That al his loue is clene fro me ago,

And hath his trewthe falsed in this wyse ;

Thus hath the kyte my loue in hir seruyse,

And I am lorn with-outen remedye ! '

And with that word this faucon gan to crye, 630

And swowned eft in Canacees barme.

Greet was the sorwe, for the haukes harme,

That Canacee and alle hir wommen made;

They nisten how they myghte the faucon glade.

But Canacee horn bereth hir in hir lappe, 635

And softely in piastres gan hir wrappe,

Thcr as she with hir beek had hurt hir-sclue.

Now can nat Canacee but herbes delue

Out of the grounde, and make salues1 newe

Of herbes precious, and fyne of he\ve, 640

To helen with this hauk; fro day to nyght

She doth hir bisynesse and al hir2 myght.

And by hir beddes heed she made a mewe,

And couered it with velouettes blewe,

In signe of trewthe that is in wommen sene. 645

And al with-oute, the mewe is peynled grene,

In which were peynted3 alle thise false foules,

As beth thise tidifs, tercelets, and oules;

And pyes, on hem for to crye and chyde,

Ryght for despyt were peynted hem bisyde4. 650

Thus lete I Canacee hir hauk keping;

I wol namore as now speke of hir ring,

Til it come eft to purpos for to seyn

How that this faucon gat hir loue ageyn

1 E. Hn. saues ; the rest salues. * E. hire fuile ; the rest al hir.

3 E. ther were ypeynted ; the rest were peynted.

4 The MSS, transpose 11. 649, 650 ; the correction was made by Tyrwhitu

GROUP F. SQUIRE END-LINK. 125

Repentant, as the storie telleth vs, 655

By mediation of Cambalus,

The kinges sone, of whiche1 I yow tolde.

But hennes forth I wol my proces hol'de

To speke of auentures and of batailles,

That neuer yet was herd so grete meruailles. 660

First wol I telle yow of Cambynskan,

That in his tyme many a citee wan ;

And after wol I speke of Algarsyf,

How that he wan Theodora to his wyf,

For whom ful ofte in greet peril he was, 665

Ne hadde he ben holpen by the stede of bras;

And after wol I speke of Cambalo,

That faught in listes with the bretheren two

For Canacee, er that he myghte hir winne.

And ther I lefte I wol ageyn biginne. 670

Explicit secunda pars. Incipit pars lercia.

Appollo whirleth vp his char so hye,

Til that the god Mercurius hous the slye2 —

[SQUIRE-FRANKLIN LINK.]

Heere folwen the wordes of the Frankelyn to the
Squier, and the wordes of the hoost to the Frankelyn.

' In feith, Squyer, thou hast thee wel yquit,
And gentilly I preise wel thy wit/

1 Ln. whiche ; rest which ; Hn. of which I to yow tolde.
* Here the MSS. fail. HI. omits 11. 671, 672, and La. has eight spurious
lines in their place. HI. also omits 11. 1617-670.

12(5 GROUP F. SQUIRE END-LINK.

Quod the Frankeleyn, ' considering thy youthe, 675

So feelingly thou spekest, sir, I allow the !

As to my doom, ther is noon that is here

Of eloquence that shal be thy pere.

If that thou Hue, god yiue thee good chaunce,

And in vertu sende thee continuaunce ! 680

For of thy speche I haue greet deyntee.

I haue a sone, and, by the Trinitee,

I hadde leuer than twenty pound worth lond,

Though it ryght now were fallen in myn hond,

He were a man of swich discrecioun 685

As that ye ben! fy on possessioun

But-if a man be vertuous with-al.

I haue my sone snibbed, and yet shal,

For he to vertu listeth1 nat entende;

But for to pleye at dees, and to dispende, 690

And lese al that he hath, is his vsage.

And he hath leuer talken with a page

Than to comune with any gentil wyght

Ther he myghte lerne gentillesse aryght/

' Straw for your gentillesse,' quod our host; 695

' What, frankeleyn? parde, sir, wel thou wost

That eche of yow mot tellen atte leste

A tale or two, or breken his biheste.'

' That knowe I wel, sir,' quod the frankeleyn;

' I preye yow, haueth me nat in disdeyn joo

Though to this man I speke a word or t\vo.'

' Tel on thy tale with-outen wordes mo.'

' Gladly, sir host,' quod he, ' I wol obeye

Vn-to your wil j now herkneth what I seye.

1 E. listneth ; the rest listeth, lusteth.

GROUP F. SQUIRE END-LINK. 12J

I wol yow nat contrarien in no wyse 705

As fer as that my wittes wol suffyse;

I preye to god that it may plesen yow,

Than wot I wel that it is good ynow.' 708

Explicit.

[Here follows the Franklin's Tale, //. 709-1624 in the Six-Text
edition ; with which Group F ends. Group G contains the Second
Nun's Tale and End-link, and the Canon's Yeoman's Tale. Group
H contains the Manciple's Prologue and Tale. Group I contains
the Parson's Prologue and Tale ; and concludes the series.]

NOTES.

[I am indebted to Dr. Morris for numerous hints, and, in particular, for
the notes marked ' M.']

INTRODUCTION TO THE MAN OF LA WES TALE
(GROUP B).

1. If, as Mr. Furnivall supposes, the time of the telling of the
Canterbury tales be supposed to be longer than one day, we may
suppose the Man of Lawes Tale to begin the stories told on the second
morning of the journey, April 18. Otherwise, we must suppose all the
stories in Group A to precede it, which is not impossible, if we suppose
the pilgrims to have started early in the morning.

Hoste. This is one of the words which are sometimes dissyllabic,
and sometimes monosyllabic ; see the Preface. It is here a dissyllable,
as in 1. 39. See note to line 1 883 below.

Sty, i. e. saw. The forms of ' saw ' vary in the MSS. In this line
we find saugh, sank, segh, sauhe, sawh, none of which are Chaucer's own,
but due to the scribes. The true form is determined by the rime, as in
the Clerkes Tale, E. 667, where most of the MSS. have say. A still
better spelling is sey, which may be fo*und in the Aldine edition of
Troilus and Creseyde, vol. iv. p. 204, 1. 1265, where it rimes with day
and array. The A. S. form is sedh.

2. The ark, &c. In Chaucer's Treatise on the Astrolabe, pt. ii. ch. 7
(ed. Skeat), is the proposition headed — ' To knowe the arch of the day,
that some folk kallen the day artificial, from the sonne arisyng til hit go
to rest.' Thus, while the ' day natural ' is twenty-four hours, the ' day
artificial ' is the time during which the sun is above the horizon. The
4 arc ' of this day merely means the extent or duration of it, as reckoned
along the circular rim of an astrolabe ; or, when measured along the
horizon (as here), it means the arc extending from the point of sunrise
to that of sunset.

Ronne, -run, performed, completed.

3. The fourthe part. The true explanation of this passage, which
Tyrwhitt failed to discover, is due to Mr. A. E. Brae, who first published
it in May, 1851, and reprinted it at p. 68 of his edition of Chaucer's
Treatise on the Astrolabe. His conclusions were based upon actual

VOL. II. K

130 XOTES TO GROUP B.

calculation, and will be mentioned in due order. In re-editing the
' Astrolabe,' I took the opportunity of roughly checking his calculations
by other methods, and am satisfied that he is quite correct, and that the
day meant is not the 2 8th of April, as in the Ellesmere MS., nor the
1 3th of April, as in the Harleian MS., but the i8th, as in the Hengwrt
MS. and most others. It is easily seen that xviii may be corrupted into
xxviii by prefixing x, or into xiii by the omission of v ; this may account
for the variations.

The key to the whole matter is given by a passage in Chaucer's
' Astrolabe,' pt. ii. ch. 29, where it is clear that Chaucer (who, however,
merely translates from Messahala) actually confuses the hour-angle with
Ihe azimuthal arc ; that is, he considered it correct to find the hour of
the day by noting the point of the horizon over which the sun appears to
stand, and supposing this point to advance, with a uniform, not a
variable, motion. The host's method of proceeding was this. Wanting
to know the hour, he observed how far the sun had moved southward
along the horizon since it rose, and saw that it had gone more than
half-way from the point of sunrise to the exact southern point. Now
the 1 8th of April in Chaucer's time answers to the 26th of April at
present. On April 26th, 1874, the sun rose at 4!!. 43m., and set at 7h.
1 2m., giving a day of about 14!!. 3om., the fourth part of which is at
8h. 2om., or, with sufficient exactness, at half-past eight. This would
leave a whole hour and a half to signify Chaucer's ' half an houre and
more,' shewing that further explanation is still necessary. The fact is,
however, that the host reckoned, as has been said, in another way, viz.
by observing the sun's position with reference to the horizon. On April
18 the sun was in the 6th degree of Taurus at that date, as we again
learn from Chaucer's treatise. Set this 6th degree of Taurus on the
East horizon on a globe, and it is found to be 22 degrees to the North
of the East point, or 1 1 2 degrees from the South. The half of this is at
56 degrees from the South ; and the sun would seem to stand above this
56th degree, as may be seen even upon a globe, at about a quarter past
nine ; but Mr. Brae has made the calculation, and shews that it was at
twenty minutes past nine. This makes Chaucer's 'half an houre and
more ' to stand for half an hour and ten minutes ; an extremely neat
result. But this we can check again by help of the host's other observa-
tion. He also took note, that the lengths of a shadow and its object
were equal, whence the sun's altitude must have been 45 degrees.
Even a globe will shew that the sun's altitude, when in the 6th degree
of Taurus, and at 10 o'clock in the morning, is somewhere about 45 or
46 degrees. But Mr. Brae has calculated it exactly, and his result is,
that the sun attained its altitude of 45 degrees at two minutes to ten
exactly. This is even a closer approximation than we might expect,

INTRODUCTION TO THE MAN OF LA WES TALE. 131

and leaves no doubt about the right date being the eighteenth of April.
For fuller particulars, see Chaucer on the Astrolabe, ed. Brae, p. 69 ;
and ed. Skeat, p. 1. (preface).

5. Eightetethe, eighteenth. Mr. Wright prints eighletene, with the
remark that 'this is the reading in which the MSS. seem mostly to
agree.' This is right in substance, but not quite exact. None of
the copies have eightetene at full length ; most of the MSS. denote
the number by an abbreviation, as stated in the foot-note. The
Hengwrt MS. has xviijthe, and the Middle English for eighteenth must
have been eightetethe, the ordinal, not the cardinal number. Though
I can give no instance of this very word, its form is easily inferred from
the numerous examples in which -teenlh is represented by -tethe; see
feowerlethe, fijtethe, &c. in Stratmann's Old English Dictionary. Eighte
is of two syllables, from A. S. eahta, cognate with Lat. octo. Eightetethe
has four syllables; just as eightetene is of four syllables in C. T. 3223,
where Tyrwhitt wrongly inserts I gesse.

8. As in lengthe, with respect to its length.

13. The astrolabe which Chaucer gave to his little son Lewis was
adapted for the latitude of Oxford. If, as is likely, the poet-astronomer
checked his statements in this passage by a reference to it, he would
neglect the difference in latitude between Oxford and the Canterbury
road. In fact, it is less than a quarter of a degree, and not worth con-
sidering in the present case.

14. Gan conclude, did conclude, concluded. Gan is often used thus
as an auxiliary verb.

I5- Plyght", plucked ; cf. shryghte, shrieked, in Kn. Ta. 1959. — M.
1 6. Lordinges, sirs. This form of address is exceedingly common in
Early English poetry. Cf. the first line in the Tale of Sir Thopas.

1 8. Seint John. See the Squire's Tale, 1. 596.

19. Leseth, lose ye ; note the form of the imperative plural in -eth ; cf.
1. 37. ,Asferforth as ye may, as far as lies in your power.

20. Wasteth, consumeth ; ch. wastour, a wasteful person, in P. Plowm.
B. vi. 154. — M. HI. has passeth, i.e. passes away; several MSS. insert
it before wasteth, but it is not required by the metre, since the e in time
in fully sounded ; cf. A. S. tima. Compare —

'The time that passeth night and day,
And rest[e]lesse travayleth ay,
And stealeth from us so privyly,

As water that down runneth ay,
But never drop returne may,1 &c.

Romaunt of the Rose, 1. 369.
See also Clerkes Tale, 1. 118.

K 2

132 NOTES TO GROUP B.

21. What. We now say — what with. It means, ' partly owing to.'

22. Waliinge; strictly, it means watching ; but here, in our ivakinge=*
whilst we are awake.

23. Cf. Ovid, Art. Amat. iii. 62-65 : —

'Ludite; eunt anni more fluentis aquae.

Nee quae praeteriit, cursu reuocabitur unda ;
Nee, quae praeteriit, hora redire potest.

Utendum est aetate ; cito pede labitur aetas.'
25. Seneca wrote a treatise De Breuitate Temporis, but this does not
contain any passage very much resembling the text. I have no doubt
that Chaucer was thinking of a passage which may easily have caught
his eye, as being very near the beginning of the first of Seneca's epistles.
' Quaedam tempora eripiuntur nobis, quaedam subducuntur, quaedam
efflwtnt. Turpissima tamen est iactura, quae per negligentiam fit. Quem
mihi dabis, qui aliquod pretium tempori ponat ? qui diem aestimet ?
... In huius rei unius fugacis ac lubricae possessionem natura nos misit,
ex qua expellit quicumque uult ; et tanta stultitia mortalium est, ut,
quae minima et uilissima sint, certe reparabilia, imputari sibi, quum
impetrauere, patiantur ; nemo se iudicet quidquam debere, qui tempus
accepit, quum interim hoc unum est, quod nt gratus quidem potest reddere;'
Epist. I. ; Seneca Lucilio suo.

33. Man ofLawe. This is the 'sergeant of the lawe' described in the
Prologue, 11. 309-330. So have ye blis, so may you obtain bliss ; as you
hope to reach heaven.

34. As forward is, as is the agreement. See Prologue, 1. 829.

35. Ben submitted, have agreed. This illustrates the common usage
of expressing a perfect by the verb to be and the past part, of an
intransitive verb. Cf. is went, in 1. 1730. — M.

36. At my lugement, at my decree; ready to do as I bid you. See
Prologue, 11. 818 and 833.

37. Acquiteth yow, acquit yourselves, viz. by redeeming your promise.
Holdeth your biheste, keep your promise. Acquit means to absolve or free
oneself from a debt, obligation, charge, &c. ; or to free oneself from the
claims of duty, by fulfilling it.

38. Devoir, duty ; see Knightes Tale, 1. 1 740.

A tie leste, at the least. A tie or alien is common in old English
for at fhe or at then ; the latter is a later form of A. S. eel pant, where
then (=pam) is the dative case of the article. But for the explan-
ation of peculiar forms and words, the Glossarial Index should be
consulted.

39. For ich, Tyrwhitt reads jeo*=je, though found in none of our
seven MSS. This makes the whole phrase French — de par dieux jeo
assente. Mr. Jephson suggests that this is a clever hit of Chaucer's, because

INTRODUCTION TO THE MAN OF LAWES TALE. 133

he makes the Man of La we talk in French, with which, as a lawyer, he
was very familiar. However, we find elsewhere —

' Quod Troilus, " depardieux ich assente " ; ' —
and again —

' " Depardieux" quod she, " God leve all be wele " ;

Troilus and Cres. ii. 1058 and 1212;
and in the Freres Tale, Group D, 1. 1395 —

' " Depardieux," quod the yeman, " dere brother." '
It is much more to the point to observe that the Man of Lawe talks
about law in 1. 43. Cotgrave, in his French Dictionary, under par,
gives — ' De par Dieu so//, a [i. e. in] God's name be it. De par may, by
my means. De par le roy, by the king's appointment.' De par is a
corruption of O. Fr. de part, on the part or side of ; so that de par le roy
means literally, ' as for the king,' i. e. ' in the king's name.' Similarly,
de par Dieu is, ' in God's name.' See Burguy, Grammaiie de la Langue
D'oil, ii. 359. The form dieux is a nominative, from the Latin deus ;
thus exhibiting an exception to the almost universal law in French, that
the substantives are formed from the accusative cases of Latin substantives,
zs Jleur horn florem, &c. Other exceptions maybe found in some proper
names, as Charles, Jacques, from Carolus, Jacobus, and mfils, fromjilius.
41. In the Morality entitled Everyman, in Hazlitt's Old Eng. Plays,
i. 137, is the Proverb — 'Yet. promise is debt.' Mr. Hazlitt wrongly
considers that as the earliest instance of the phrase. — M.

Holde fayn, &c. ; gladly perform all my promise.
43. Man . . . another = one . . . another. The Cambridge MS. is right.
— M. ' For whatever law a man imposes on others, he should in justice
consider as binding on himself." This is obviously a quotation, as ap-
pears from 1. 45. The expression referred to was probably proverbial.
An English proverb says — ' They that make the laws must not break
them ;' a Spanish one — ' El que ley establece, guardarla debe,' he who
makes a law ought to keep it ; and a Latin one — ' Patere legem quam
ipse tulisti," abide by the law which you made yourself. The idea is ex-
panded in the following passage from Claudian's Panegyric on the 4th
consulship of Honorius, carm. viii., 1. 295 —

' In commune iubes si quid censesue tenendum,
Primus iussa subi, tune obseruantior aequi
Fit populus, nee ferre negat cum uiderit ipsum
Autorem parere sibi.'

45. Text, quotation from an author, precept, saying. Thus wol our
text, i. e. such is what the expression implies.

47. But. This reading is given by Tyrwhitt, from MS. Dd. 4. 24 in
the Cambridge University Library and two other MSS. All our seven
MSS. read That; but this would require the word Nath (hath not)

134 NOTES TO GROUP £.

instead of Hath, in 1. 49. Chaucer talks about his writings in a similar
strain at a still earlier period, in his House of Fame, ii. 112, where
Jupiter's eagle says to him : —

' And natheles hast set thy wit,

Although [that] in thy heed ful lyt is,

To make bookes, songes, and dities

In ryme, or elles in cadence,

As thou best canst, in reverence

Of Love, and of his servaunts eke ;' &c.
Cf. Prol. 1. 746 ; Kn. Tale, 1. 602.

Can but lewdly on metres, is but slightly skilled in metre. Can =
knows here ; in the line above it is the ordinary auxiliary verb.

54. Ovid is mentioned for two reasons, because he has so many love-
stories, and because Chaucer himself borrowed several of his own from
Ovid.

Made ofmencioun; we should now say — made mention of.

55. Epistolis, Epistles. Here the Latin ablative is used after in, but it
is more usual in old English to quote Latin titles in the genitive case;
see note to 1. 93. The book referred to is Ovid's Ileioides, which
contains twenty-one love-letters. See note to 1. 61.

56. What, why, on what account ? cf. Prologue, 184.

57. 'The story of Ceyx and Alcyone is related in the introduction to
the poem which was for some time called "The Dreme of Chaucer,"
but which, in the MSS. Fairfax 16 and Bodl. 638, is more properly
entitled, " The Boke of the Duchesse." ' — Tyrwhitt. Chaucer took it
from Ovid's Metamorphoses, bk. xi.

59. Thise is a monosyllable ; the final e is only added for distinction.

61. The seintes legende of Cnpyde ; better known now as The Legend of
Good Women. Tyrwhitt says — ' According to Lydgate (Prologue to
Boccace), the number [of good women] was to have been nineteen ; and
perhaps the Legend itself affords some ground for this notion ; see
1. 283, and Court of Love, 1. 108. But this number was never com-
pleted, and the last story, of Hypermnestra, is seemingly unfinished. . . .
In this passage the Man of Lawe omits two ladies, viz. Cleopatra and
Philomela, whose histories are in the Legend ; and he enumerates eight
others, of whom there are no histories in the Legend as we have it at
present. Are we to suppose that they have been lost?' The Legend
contains the nine stories following ; i. Cleopatra ; 2. Thisbe ; 3. Dido ;
4. Hypsipyle and Medea; 5. Lucretia; 6. Ariadne; 7. Philomela;
8. Phyllis ; 9. Hypermnestra. Of these, Chaucer here mentions, as
Tyrwhitt points out, all but two, Cleopatra and Philomela. Before dis-
cussing the matter further, let me note that in medieval times, proper
names took strange shapes, and the reader must not suppose that the

INTRODUCTION TO THE MAN OF LA WES TALE. 135

writing of Adrians for Ariadne, for example, is peculiar to Chaucer. The
meaning of the other names is is follows : — Lucresse, Lucretia ; Babiloin
Tisbee, Thisbe of Babylon ; Enee, ^Eneas ; Dianire, Deianira ; Hermion,
Hermione ; Adriatic, Ariadne ; Isiphilee, Hypsipyle ; Leander, Erro,
Leander and Hero ; Eleyne, Helena ; Brixseide, Briseis (ace. Briseida) ;
Ladomea, Laodamia ; Ypermis.tr a, Hypermnestra ; Alceste, Alcestis.

Returning to the question of Chaucer's plan for his Legend of Good
Women, we may easily conclude what his intention was, though it was
never carried out. He intended to write stories concerning nineteen
women who were celebrated for being martyrs of love, and to conclude
the series by an additional story concerning queen Alcestis, whom he
regarded as the best of all the good women. Now, though he does not
expressly say who these women were, he has left us two lists, both
incomplete, in which he mentions some of them ; and by combining
these, and taking into consideration the stories which he actually wrote,
we can make out the whole intended series very nearly. One . of the
lists is the one given here ; the other is in a Ballad which is introduced
into the Prologue to the Legend. The key to the incompleteness of
the present list, probably the later written of the two, is that the
poet chiefly mentions here such names as are also to be found in
Ovid's Heroides ; cf. 1. 55. Putting all the information together, it is
sufficiently clear that Chaucer's intended scheme must have been very
nearly as follows, the number of women (if we include Alcestis) being
twenty.

(i) Cleopatra; (2) Thisbe; (3) Dido; (4) and (5) Hypsipyle and
Medea; (6) Lucretia; (7) Ariadne; (8) Philomela; (9) Phyllis; (10)
Hypermnestra (unfinished); after which (n) Penelope; (12) Briseis;
(13) Hermione; (14) Deianira; (15) Laodamia; (16) Helen; (17)
Hero; (18) Polyxena (see the Ballad); (19) either Lavinia (see the
Ballad), or Oenone (mentioned in Ovid, and in the House of Fame) ;
and (20) Alcestis.

Since the list of stories in Ovid's Heroides is the best guide to the
whole passage, it is here subjoined.

In this list, the numbers refer to the letters as numbered in Ovid ;
the italics shew the stories which Chaucer actually wrote ; the asterisk
points out such of the stories as he happens to mention in the present
enumeration ; and the dagger points out the ladies mentioned in his
Prologue to the Legend of Good Women.
I . Penelope Ulixi.* •)•
a. Phyllis Demophoonti. * f

3. Briseis Achilli.*

4. Phaedra Hippolyto.

5. Oenone Paridi.

136 NOTES TO GROUP B.

6. Hypsipyle lasoni;* f I*- Medea lasoni *

7. Dido Aeneae* f

8. Hermione Orestae *.

9. Deianira Herculi*.

10. Ariadne Theseo.*-^

11. Canace Macareo* t (expre&tly rejected}.

13. Laodamia Protesilao.*f

14. Hypermnestra Lynceo* f

15. Sappho Phaoni.

16. Paris Helenae ; 1 7. Helena Paridi.* f
18. Leander Heroni ; 19. Hero Leandro.*t
20. Acontius Cydippae ; 21. Cydippe Acontio.

Chaucer's method, I fear, was to plan more than he cared to finish.
Tie did so with his Canterbury Tales, and again with his Treatise on
the Astrolabe ; and he left the Squire's Tale half-told. According to
his own account (Prologue to Legend of Good Women, 1. 481) he never
intended to write his Legend all at once, but only ' yeer by yere.' Such
proposals are dangerous, and commonly end in incompleteness. To
Tyrwhitt's question — 'are we to suppose that they have been lost?'
the most likely answer is, that they were never written.

Chaucer alludes to Ovid's Epistles again in his House of Fame, bk. i.,
where he mentions the stories of Phyllis, Briseis, Oenone (not mentioned
here), Hypsipyle, Medea, Deianira, Ariadne, and Dido ; the last being
told at some length. Again, in the Book of the Duchesse, he alludes to
Medea, Phillis, and Dido (11. 726-734) ; to Penelope and Lucretia
(1. 1081) ; and to Helen (1. 331). As for the stories in the Legend
which are not in Ovid's Heroides, we find that of Thisbe in Ovid's
Metamorphoses, bk. iv ; that of Philomela in the same, bk. vi ; whilst
those of Cleopatra and Lucretia are in Boccaccio's book De Claris
Mulieribus, from which he imitated the title ' Legend of Good Women,'
and derived also the story of Zenobia, as told in the Monkes Tale.

With regard to the title ' seintes legend of Cupyde,' which in modern
English would be ' Cupid's Saints' Legend,' or ' the Legend of Cupid's
Saints,' Mr. Jephson remarks — 'This name is one example of the way
in which Chaucer entered into the spirit of the heathen pantheism, as
a real form of religion. He considers these persons, who suffered for
love, to haTe been saints and martyrs for Cupid, just as Peter and Paul
and Cyprian were martyrs for Christ.'

63. Gower also tells the story of Tarquin and Lucrece, which he took,
says Professor Morley (English Writers, ii. 131), from the Gesta Ro-
manorum, which again had it from Augustine's De Civitate Dei.

Babiloin, here Babylonian; elsewhere Chaucer has Babiloine**
Babylon, riming with Macedoine; Book of the Duchesse, 1. 1061.

INTRODUCTION TO THE MAN OF LAWES TALE. 137

64. Swerd. sword ; put here for death by the sword. See Virgil's
Aeneid, iv. 646 ; and Chaucer's Legend of Good Women.

65. Tree, put here, most likely, for death by hanging ; cf. last line.
In Chaucer's Legend we find —

' She was her owen death with a cord??

The word may also be taken literally, since Phyllis vis metamorphosed
after her death into a tree ; Gower says she became a nut-tree, and
(wrongly) derives filbert from Phyllis ; Conf. Amant. bk. iv. Lidgate
writes filbert instead of Phyllis ; Complaint of Black Knight, 1. 68.

66. The pleinte of Dianire, the complaint of Deianira, referring to
Ovid's letter 'Deianira Herculi'; so also that of Hermion refers to the
letter entitled ' Hermione Orestae'; that of Adriane, to the 'Ariadne
Theseo ' ; and that of Isiphilee, to the ' Hypsipyle lasoni.'

68. Bareyne yle, barren island; of which I can find no correct explana-
tion by a previous editor. It refers to Ariadne, mentioned in the previous
line. The expression is taken from Ariadne's letter to Theseus, in Ovfd's
Heroides, Ep. x. 59, where we find 'uacat insula cultn'; and just below —

' Omne latus terrae cingit mare ; nauita nusquam,

Nulla per ambiguas puppis itura uias.'

Or, without referring to Ovid at all, the allusion might easily have been
explained by observing Chaucer's Legend of Ariadne, where the island
is described as solitary and desolate. It is said to have been Naxos.

69. Dreynt-e, drowned, is here used in the definite form.

75. Alceste. The story of Alcestis — 'that turned was into a dayesie'
— is sketched by Chaucer in his Prologue to the Legend, 1. 511, etc.
No doubt he intended to include her amongst the Good Women, as the
very queen of them all.

78. Canacee; not the Canace of the Squieres Tale, whom Chaucer
describes as so kind and good as well as beautiful, but Ovid's Canace.
The story is told by Gower, Confess. Amantis, book iii. We have to ob-
serve that Gower's poem really exists in two editions. It seems to have
been in hand in 1386-90; but the date of the later edition is 1393.
Chaucer's Tale first appeared about 1380, and Gower seems to have copied
several expressions from it. This may have aroused Chaucer's resentment;
as he certainly seems to speak harshly of Gower's work in the present
passage, written, apparently, about 1387.

89. If that I may, as far as lies in my power (to do as I please) ; a
common expletive phrase, of no great force.

90. Of, as to, with regard to. Doon, accomplish it.

92. Pierides; Tyrwhitt rightly says — 'He rather means, I think, the
daughters of Pierus, that contended with the Muses, and were changed
into pies ; Ovid, Metam. bk. v.' Yet the expression is not wrong ; it
aignifies — ' I do not wish to be likened to those would-be Muses, the

138 NOTES TO GROUP B.

Piericles'; in other words, I do not set myself up as worthy to be
considered a poet.

93. Metamorphoseos. It was common to cite books thus by a title in
the genitive case, since the word Liber was understood. There is,
however, a slight error in the substitution of the singular for the plural ;
the true title being P. Ovidii Nasonis Metamorphoseon Libri Quindecim.
See the use of Eneydos in the Nonne Prestes Tale, 1. 538 ; and of
Judicum in Monk. Ta. 3236.

94. ' But, nevertheless, I care not a bean.' Cf. 1. 4004 below.

95. With hawe bake, with plain fare, as Dr. Morris explains it ; it
obviously means something of a humble character, unsuited for a refined
taste. This was left unexplained by Tyrwhitt, but we may fairly trans-
late it literally by 'with a baked haw/ i.e. something that could just be
eaten by a very hungry person. The expression / sette not an hawe ( = I
care not a haw) occurs in the Wyf of Bathes Prologue, 1. 6241. Haws
are mentioned as given to feed hogs in the Vision of Piers Plowman,
B. x. 10; but in The Romance of William of Palerne, 1. 1811, a lady
actually tells her lover that they can live in the woods on haws, hips,
acorns, and hazel-nuts. There is a somewhat similar passage in the
Legend of Good Women, Prol. 11. 73-77. I see no difficulty in this
explanation. That proposed by Mr. Jephson — 'hark back' — is out of
the question ; we cannot rime bale with make, nor does it make sense.

96. / speke in prose, I generally have to speak in prose in the law
courts ; so that if my tale is prosy as compared with Chaucer's, it is only
what you would expect.

98. After, afterwards, immediately hereafter. Cf. other for otherwise
in Old English.— M.

PROLOGUE TO THE MAN OF LA WES TALE.

99. Pouerte =poverte, with the accent on the second syllable, as it rimes
with herte; in the Wyf of Bathes Tale, it rimes with sherte. Poverty is
here personified, and addressed by the Man of Lawe. The whole pas-
sage down to 1. 121, is a translation from Pope Innocent's treatise
De Contemptii Mundi or De Miseria Condi tionis Humanae, lib. i. c. 16 ; and
thus preserves a piece of the lost work mentioned at p. Ixxxi. 1. 3.

101. Thee is a dative, like me in 1. 91. — M. See Gen. ii. 25(A.S.
version), where him pas tie sceamode = they were not ashamed of it; lit.
it shamed them not of it.

102. Artow, art thou ; the words being run together ; so also seistow=*
sayest thou, in 1. no.

PROLOGUE TO THE MAN OF LA WES TALE. 139

104. Mangre thyn heed, in spite of all you can do; lit. despite thy
head; see Knyghtes Tale, 11. 311, 1760.

105. Or ... or = either ... or ; an early example of this construction.
— M.

1 08. Neighebor is a trisyllable, as in 1. 115; observe that « in the
middle of a word is frequently sounded. Wytest, blamest.

no. 'By my faith, sayest thou, he will have to account for it here-
after, when his body shall burn in the fire (lit. glowing coal), because he
helps not the needy in their necessity.'

1 14. 'It is better (for thee) to die than be in need.' Tyrwhitt says —
'This saying of Solomon is quoted in the Romaunt of the Rose, 1. 8573
— Mieux vault mourir que pauvres estre.' But the quotation is not
from Solomon, but from Jesus, son of Sirach; see Ecclus. xl. 28.

115. Thy seine neighebor, thy very neighbour, even thy next neighbour.
See note to 1. 108.

116. Poure is written far fovre, O. F. povre, Mod. F. pauvre. Gower
Conf. Amantis, ed. Pauli, ii. 393, rimes potter with recover, i.e. recover.

118. In Prov. xv. 15, the Vulgate version has — 'Omnes dies pauperis,
mali ;' where the A. V. has ' the afflicted.'

1 19. The reading to makes the line harsh, as the final e in come requires
elision. In that prikke, into that point, into that condition.

1 20. Cf. Prov. xiv. 20 — ' the poor is hated even of his neighbour ' ;
and Prov. xix. 7 — ' all the brethren of the poor do hate him ; how much
more do his friends go far from him ! ' So too Ovid, Trist. i. 9. 5 —

'Donee eris felix, multos numerabis amicos,

Tempora si fuerint nubila, solus eris.'

Chaucer has the same thought again in his Tale of Melibeus (Six-text.
Group B. 2749) — 'and if tny fortune change, that thou wexe poure,
farewel frendship and felaweship ! ' See also note to 1. 3436.

133. As in this cas, as relates to this condition or lot in life. In
Chaucer, cas often means chance, hap.

124. Ambes as, double aces, two aces, in throwing dice. Ambes is Old
French for both, from Lat. ambo. The line in the Monkes Tale — ' Thy
sys fortune hath turned into as' (B. 3851) — helps us out here in some
measure, as it proves that a six was reckoned as a good throw, but an ace
as a bad one. So in Shakespeare, Mids. Nt. Dream, v. i. 314, we find
less than an ace explained as equivalent to nothing. In the next line, sis
cink means a six and a five, which was often a winning throw. The
allusion is probably, however, not to the mere attempt as to which of
two players could throw the highest, but to the particular game called
hazard, in which the word chance (here used) has a special sense.
There is a good description of it in the Supplemental volume to the
English Cyclopaedia, div. Arts and Sciences. The whole description

140 NOTES TO GROUP B.

has to be read, but it may suffice to say here that, when the caster
is going to throw, he calls a main, or names one of the numbers five, six,
seven, eight, or nine ; most often, he calls seven. If he then throws
either seven or eleven (Chaucer's s/s cM), he wins ; if he throws aces
(Chaucer's ambes as) or deuce-ace (two and one), or double sixes, he
loses. If he throws some other number, that number is called the
caster's chance, and he goes on playing till either the main or the chance
turns up. In the first case he loses, in the second, he wins. If he calls
some other number, the winning and losing throws are somewhat
varied ; but in all cases, the double ace is a losing throw.

Similarly, in The Pardoneres Tale, where hazard is mentioned by
name (Group C. 1. 591), we have — 'Seuen is my chaunce, and thyn is
cinq and treye' ; 1. 653.

In Lydgate's Order of Fools, printed in Queen Elizabeth's Academy,
ed. Furnivall, p. 81, one fool is described —

4 Whos chaunce gothe nether yn synke or syse;

With ambes ase encressithe hys dispence.'

And in a ballad printed in Chaucer's Works, ed. 1561, fol. 340, back, we
have—

'So wel fortuned is their chaunce

The dice to turne[n] vppe-so-doune,
With sise and siacke they can auaunce.'

Dr. Morris notes that the phrase ' aums ace ' occurs in Hazlitt's O. E.
Plays, ii. 35, with the editorial remark — ' not mentioned elsewhere ' (!)

126. At cristemasse, even at Christmas, when the severest weather
comes. In olden times, severe cold must have tried the poor even more
than it does now.

' Muche myrthe is in mayamonge wilde bestes.
And so forth whil somer lastep • heore solace durejj ;
And muche myi the amonge riche men is • J>at ban meoble [property]

ynow and heele [health'].

Ac beggers aboute myd-somere • bredlees pei soupe,
And 3ut is wynter for hem wors • for wet-shood )>ei gangen,
A-furst and a-fyngred [Athirst and ahungered~\ • and foule rebuked
Of J>ese worlde-riche men'J>at reuthe hit is to huyre [hear of it].'
Piers Plowman, C. xvii. 10; B. xiv. 158.

127. Selten, search through; much like the word compass in the
phrase 'ye compass sea and land' in Matth. xxiii. 15.

128. Thestaat for the estaat, i.e. the estate. This coalescence of the
article and substantive is common in Chaucer, when the substantive
begins with a vowel; cf. thoccident, 1. 3864; thorient, 1, 3871.

129. Fadres, fathers, originators; by bringing tidings from afar.

130. Debat, strife. Merchants, being great travellers, were expected
to pick up good stories.

MAN-OF-LAW END-LINK. 14 I

131. Desolat, destitute. The E. E. word is westi; 'westi of alle gode
Jieawes,' destitute of all good virtues ; O. Eng. Homilies (ed. Morris), i.
p. 285.— M.

132. Nere, for ne were, i.e. were it not. Goon is many a yere, many a
year ago, long since.

MAN-OF-LAW END-LINK; OR SHIPMAN'S PROLOGUE.

1165. The host refers to the Man of Lawes Tale, which had just been
told, and uses the expression ' thrifty tale ' with reference to the same
expression above, 1. 46. Most MSS. separate this end-link widely from
the Tale, but MS. HI. and MS. Arch. Seld. B. 14 have it in the right
place. For the nones, for the nonce, for the occasion ; see Dr. Morris's
note to Chaucer's Prologue, 1. 379. It may be added that the A.S. dnes
( = once) is an adverb with a genitive case-ending ; and, being an adverb,
becomes indeclinable, and can accordingly be used as a dative case after
the preposition /or, which properly governs the dative.

1 166. The Host here turns to the Parson (see Prol. 1. 477), and adjures
him to tell a tale, according to the agreement.

1167. Yore, formerly, already. The phrase of yore is later.

1169. Can tnoche good, know (or are acquainted with) much good;
i.e. with many good things. Cf. 1. 47.

1 1 70. Benedicite, bless ye ; i.e. bless ye the Lord ; the first word of
the Song of the Three Children, and a more suitable exclamation than
most of those in common use at the time. In the Knightes Tale, 1. 927,
where Theseus is pondering over the strange event he had just witnessed,
the word is pronounced in full, as five syllables. But in 1. 1257 it is
pronounced, as here, as a 'mere trisyllable. So also in Cant. Tales, ed.
Tyrwhitt, 11. 5823, 5862. The syllables to be dropped are the second
and fourth, so that we must say ben'dic'te. This is made tolerably certain
by a passage in the Townley Mysteries, p. 85, where it is actually spelt
benste, and reduced to two syllables only. Cf. note to 1. 1974.

1171. Man; dat. case after eyleth. Swearing is alluded to as a preva-
lent vice amongst Englishmen in Robert of Brunne, in the Persones Tale
of Chaucer, and elsewhere. — M. .

1172. O lankyn, &c. ; 'O Johnny, you are there, are you?' That is,
' so it is you whom I hear, is it, Mr. Johnny?' A derisive interruption.
It was common to call a priest, Sir John, by way of mild derision ; see
Monkes Prol. (B. 3119), and Nonne Prestes Prol. (B.. 4000). The Host
carries the derision a little further by using the diminutive form. See
note to 1. 4000.

1173. A toiler, a term of reproach, equivalent to a canting fellow.
Tyrwhitt aptly cites a passage from a treatise of the period, referring to
the Harleian Catalogue, no. 1666: — 'Now in Engelond it is a comun

142 NOTES TO GROUP B.

protectioun ayens persecutioun, if a man is customable to swere nedeles
and fals and unavised, by the bones, nailes, and sides, and other mem-
bres of Christ. And to absteyne fro othes nedeles and unleful, and
repreve sinne by way of charite, is mater and cause now, why Prelates
and sum Lordes sclaundren men, and clepen hem Lollardes, Eretikes,' &c.
The reader will not clearly understand this word till he distinguishes
between the Latin lollardns and the English toiler, two words of different
origin which were purposely confounded in the time of Wyclif. The
Latin Lollardns had been in use before Wyclif. Ducange quotes from
Johannes Hocsemius, who says, under the date 1309 — 'Eodem anno
quidam hypocritae gyrovagi, qui Lollardi, sive Deum laudantes, voca-
bantur, per Hannoniam et Brabantiam quasdam mulieres nobiles dece-
perunt.' He adds that Trithemius says in his Chronicle, under the year
1315 — 'ita appellatos a Gualtero Lolhard, Germano quodam.' Kilian,
in his Dictionary of Old Dutch, says — ' Lollaerd, mussitator, mussita-
bundus ' ; i.e. a mumbler of prayers. This apparently gives two etymo-
logies for Lollardns ; but they are really only one, the use of the word as
a surname being due to its previous use as a nickname. Being thus
already in use as a term of reproach, it was applied to the followers of
Wyclif, as we learn from Thomas Walsingham, who says, under the
year 1377 — 'Hi uocabantur a uulgo Lollardi, incedentes nudis pedibus' ;
and again — 'Lollardi sequaces Joannis Wiclif.' But the Old English
loller (from the verb to loll) meant simply a lounger, an idle vagabond,
as is abundantly clear from a notable passage in Piers the Plowman,
C-text (ed. Skeat), x. 188-218; where William tells us plainly—
' Now kyndeliche, by crist • be]> suche callyd lolleres,
As by englisch of oure eldres • of olde menne techynge.
He that lolle\ is lame • oj^er his leg out of ioynte,' &c.
Here were already two words confused, but this was not all. By a
bad pun, the Latin lolium, tares, was connected with Lollard, so that we
find in Political Poems, i. 232, the following — •
' Lollardi sunt zizania,
Spinae, uepres, ac lollia,

Quae uastant hortum uineae.'

This obviously led to allusions to the Parable of the Tares, and fully
accounts for the punning allusion to cockle, i.e. tares, in 1. 1183. Mr.
Jephson observes that lolium is used in the Vulgate Version, Matt. xiii. 25;
but this is a mistake, as the word there used is zizania, Gower, Prol.
to Conf. Amant. {ed. Pauli, i. 15), speaks of —

' This newe secte of lollardie,
And also many an heresie.'
Also in book v. (ed. Pauli, ii. 187) —

' Be war that thou be nought oppressed
With anticristes lollardie,' &c,

THE PRIORESS'S PROLOGUE. 143

See Mosheim, Eccl. Hist. iii. 355-358 ; Wordsworth's Eccl. Biography,
'• 33 !> note.

1 1 80. ' He shall not give us any commentary on a gospel.' To glose •
is to comment upon, with occasional free introduction of irrelevant
matter; the^ospeHs the text, or portion of the Gospel commented upon.

1181. 'We all agree in the one great fundamental article of faith;'
by which he insinuates — ' and let that suffice ; we want no theological
subtilties discussed here.'

1183. Springen, scatter, sprinle-le. The pt. t. is spreynde or spreynte ;
the pp. spreynd occurs at p. 15, 1. 1830. — M. Gower, Conf. Amant.
bk. v. (ed. Pauli, ii. 190), speaks of lollardie

' Which now is come for to dwelle,
To sowe cockel with the corne.'

1185. Body, i.e. self. Cf. lyf=& person, in P. PI. B. iii. 292. — M.

1186. See 1. 3984 below, which suggests that there is a play upon
words here. The Shipman is going to make the bells upon his horse
ring loud enough to wake them all ; or otherwise, he is going to ring so
merry a peal, that he will rouse them as a church-bell rouses a sleeper.
The reader can interpret it as he pleases. Cf. note to B. 3984.

1189. I do not know that Tyrwhitt had any authority for reading of
phisike here ; but it recommends itself to one's common sense at once,
as nothing can be made of the readings in the MSS.

NOTES TO THE PRIORESS'S PROLOGUE.

1625. Corpus dominus; of course for corpus domini, the Lord's body.
But it is unnecessary to correct the Host's Latin.

1626. 'Now long mayest thou sail along the coast!"

1627. MarineertYr.marinier; we now use the ending -er ; but modern
words of French origin shew their lateness by the accent on the last
syllable, as engineer. — M. The Fi.pionnier is pioner in Shakespeare, but
is now pioneer.

1628. ' God give this monk a thousand cart-loads of bad years !' He
alludes to a deceitful monk described in the Shipman's Tale. A last is
a very heavy load. In a statute of 31 Edw. I, a weight is declared to be
14 stone; 2 weights of wool are to make a sack; and 12 sacks a last.
This makes a last of wool to be 336 stone, or 42 cwt. But the dic-
tionaries shew that the weight was very variable, according to the
substance weighed. The word means simply a heavy burden, from
A.S. hlast, a burden, connected with hladan, to load; so that last and
lading are related words. Laste, in the sense of heavy weight.

144 NOTES TO GROUP B.

occurs in Richard the Redeles, ed. Skeat, iv. 74. Quad is the Old
English equivalent of the Dutch kwaad, bad, a word in very common
use ; cf. Cant. Tales, 1. 4355. In M. E., \>e qued means the evil one, the
devil; P. PI. B. xiv. 189. The omission of the word of before quad may
be illustrated by the expression ' four score years,' i.e. of years.

1630. ' The monk put an ape in the man's hood, and in his wife's too.'
We should now say, he made him look like an ape. The contents of
the hood would be, properly, the man's head and face ; but neighbours
seemed to see peeping from it an ape rather than a man. It is a way of
saying that he made a dupe of him. In the Milleres Tale (1. 3389, ed.
Tyrwhitt), a girl is said to have made her lover an ape, i.e. a dupe ; an
expression which recurs in the Chanones Yemannes Tale, 1. 16781.
Spenser probably borrowed the expression from this very passage; it
occurs in his Faerie Queene, iii. 9. 31 :

' Thus was the ape

By their faire handling put into Malbeccoes cape'
1632. 'Never entertain monks any more.'
1637. See the description of the Prioress in the Prologue.

NOTES TO THE PRIORESS'S TALE.

1643. Cf. Ps. viii. 1-2. The Vulgate version has — ' Domine Dominus
noster, quam admirabile est nomen tuum in uniuersa terra ! Quoniam
eleuata est magnificentia tua super caelos ! Ex ore infantium et lacten-
lium perfecisti laudem,' &c.

1650. Can or may, know how to, or have ability to do.

1651. The 'white lily' was the token of Mary's perpetual virginity.
See this explained at length in Rock, Church of our Fathers, Hi. 245.

1655. 'For she herself is honour, and, next after her Son, the root of
bounty, and the help (or profit) of souls.'

1658. Cf. Chaucer's A. B. C., or Hymn to the Virgin, where we find
under the heading M —

' Moyses, that saw the bosh of flambis rede
Brenning, of which than never a sticke brend[e],
Was sign of thine unwemmed maidenhede ;
Thou art the bosh, on which there can descend[e]
The Holyghost, which that Moyses weend[e]
Had been on fire.'

So also in st. 2 of an Alliterative Hymn in Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, ed.
Hazlitt, ii. 284.

THE PRIORESS'S TALE. 145

1659. 'That, through thy humility, didst draw down from the Deity
the Spirit that alighted in thee.'

1660. Thalyghte = thee alyghte, the two words being run into one.
Such agglutination is more common when the def. art. occurs, or with
the word to; cf. Texpounden in 1. 1716.

1661. Lyghle may mean either (i) cheered, lightened; or (2) il-
luminated. Tyrwhitt and Richardson both take the latter view; but
the following passage, in which hertes occurs, makes the former the
more probable : —

' But natheles, it was so fair a syghte
That it made alle her hertes for to lyghte.'

Sq. Ta.;F. 395.

1664. Partly imitated from Dante, Paradise, xxxiii. 16 —
'La tua benignita non pur soccorre
A chi dimanda, ma molte fiate
Liberamente al dimandar precorre.
In te misericordia, in te pietate,
In te magnificenza, in te s'aduna
Quantunque in creatura e di bontate.*

1668. Goost biforn, goest before, dost anticipate. Of, by. The eighth
stanza of the Seconde Nonnes Tale closely resembles 11. 1664-70.

1677. Gydeth, guide ye. The plural number is used, as a token of
respect, in addressing superiors. By a careful analysis of the words thou
and ye in the Romance of William of Palerne, I deduced the following
results, which are generally true in Old English. ' Thou is the language
of a lord to a servant, of an equal to an equal, and expresses also
companionship, love, permission, defiance, scorn, threatening : whilst ye
is the language of a servant to a lord, and of a compliment, and further
expresses honour, submission, or entreaty. Thou is used with singular
verbs, and the possessive pronoun thine ; but ye requires plural verbs, and
the possessive your.1 — Pref. to Will, of Palerne, ed. Skeat, p. xlii. Cf.
Abbott's Shakespearian Grammar, sect. 231.

For a general account of this Tale, see the Preface.

1678. Asie, Asia; probably used, as Tyrwhitt suggests, in the sense of
Asia Minor, as in the Acts of the Apostles.

1679. A lewerye, a Jewry, i.e. a Jews' quarter. In many towns there
was formerly a Jews' quarter, distinguished by a special name. There
is still an Old Jewry in London. In John vii. I the word is used as

• equivalent to Judea, as also in other passages in the Bible and in
Shakesp. Rich. II, ii. i. 55. Chaucer (House of Fame, iii. 338) says of
Josephus —

'And he bar on his shulders hye
The fame up of the Jeweryt?
VOL. II. L

i4<5 NOTES TO GROUP 6.

Thackeray used the word with an odd effect in his Ballad of ' The
White Squall.' See also note to 1. 1 749.

1681. Vilanye. So the six MSS. ; HI. has felonye, wrongly. In the
margin of the Ellesmere MS. is written ' turpe lucrum,' i.e. vile gain,
which is evidently the sense intended by lucre of vilanye, here put
for villanous lucre or filthy lucre, by poetical freedom of diction. See
Chaucer's use of vilanye in the Prologue, 1. 70 and 1. 726.

1684. Free, unobstructed. People could ride and walk through, there
being no barriers against horses, and no termination in a cul de sac.

1687. Children an keep, a heap or great number of children. Of is
omitted before children as it is before quad yere in 1. 1628. For heep, see
Prologue, 1. 575.

1689. Maner doctrine, kind of learning, i.e. reading and singing, as
explained below. Here again of is omitted, as is usual in M.E. after the
word maner; as — 'In another maner name,' Rob. of Glouc. vol. i.
p. 147; 'with somme manere crafte,' P. Plowm. B. v. 25; 'no maner
wight,' Ch. Prol. 71 ; &c. See Matzner, Englische Grammatik, ii. 2.
313. Men vsed, people used; equivalent to was used. Note this use of
men in the same sense as the French on, or German man. This is an
excellent instance, as the poet does not refer to men at all, but to
children. Moreover, men (spelt me in note to 1. 1702) is an attenuated
form of the sing, man, and not the usual plural.

1693. Clergeon, not 'a young clerk' merely, as Tyrwhitt says, but a
happily chosen word implying that he was a chorister as well. Ducange
gives — ' Clergontis, junior clericus, vel puer choralis ; jeune clerc, petit
clerc ou enfant de chceur ;' see Migne's edition. And Cotgrave has —
'Clergeon, a singing man, or Quirester in a Queer [choir].' It means
therefore ' a chorister-boy.'

1694. That, as for whom. A London street-boy would say — 'which
he was used to go to school.' That . . . his = whose.

1695. Wher as, where that, where. So in Shakespeare, 2 Hen. VI,
i. 2. 58 ; Spenser, F. Q. i. 4. 38. See Abbott's Shakesp. Grammar,
sect. 135. Thimage, the image; alluding to an image of the Virgin
placed by the wayside, as is so commonly seen on the continent.

1698. Aue Marie; so in Spenser, F. Q. i. i. 35. The words were —
• Aue Maria, gratia plena ; Dominus tecum ; benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus uentris tui. Amen.' See the English version in
Specimens of Early English, ed. Morris and Skeat, p. 106. It was made
up from Luke i. 28 and i. 42. Sometimes the word Jesus was added
after tui, and, at a later period, an additional clause — ' Sancta Maria,
Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.' See Rock, Church of our Fathers, iii. 315 ; and iii. pt. 2, 134.

1 702. ' For a good child will always learn quickly.' This was a

TffE PRIORESS'S TALE. 147

proverbial expression, and may be found in the Proverbs of Hending,
st. 9-

• Me may lere a sely focle [one may teach a good child]
That is euer toward gode

With a lutel lore ;

Yef me nul [if one will not] him farther teche,
Thenne is [his] herte wol areche

Forte lerne more.

Sely chyld is sone ylered; Quoth Hendyng.'

T 704. Slant, stands, is. Tynvhitt says — ' we have an account of the
very early piety of this Saint in his lesson; Breviarium Romanum, vi.
Decernb. — Cuius uiri sanctitas quanta futura esset, iam ab incunabulis
apparuit. Nam infans, cum reliquas dies lac nutricis frequens sugeret,
quarta et sexta feria (i. e. on Wednesdays and Fridays,) semel duntaxat,
idque uesperi, sugebat.' Besides, St. Nicholas was the patron of
schoolboys, and the festival of the ' boy-bishop ' was often held on his
day (Dec. 6); Rock, Church of our Fathers, iii. 2. 215.

1708. Alma redemptoris mater. There is more than one hymn with
this beginning. I may first . mention one of five stanzas printed in
Hymni Latini Medii JEvi, ed. F. J. Mone, vol. ii. p. 200, from a St.
Gallen MS. no. 452, p. 141, of the thirteenth century. The first and
last stanzas were sung in the Marian Antiphon, from the Saturday
evening before the ist Sunday in Advent to Candlemas day. These two
stanzas are as follows —

' Alma redemptoris mater,
quam de caelis misit pater
propter salutem gentium;
tibi dicunt omnes "aue!"
quia mundum soluens a uae

mutasti uocem flentium

Audi, mater pietatis,
nos gementes a peccatis
et a malis nos tuere ;
ne damnemur cum impiis,
in aetemis suppliciis,

peccatorum miserere.'

Another anthem is expressly alluded to in a version of the
Prioress's Tale, as printed in Originals and Analogues, pt. iii. p. 282,
• published by the Chaucer Society. It occurs in the Roman Breviary,
ed. 1583, p. 112, and was said at compline from Advent eve to
Candlemas day, like the other ; cf. 1. 1 730. The words are—
•Alma redemptoris mater, quae peruia caeli
Porta manes, et stella mans, succurre cadenti,
L 2

H NOTES TO GROUP B.

Surgere qui curat, populo : Tu quae genuisti.

Natura mirante, tuum sanctum Genitorem,

Uirgo prius ac posterius, Gabrielis ab ore

Sumens illud " Aue 1" peccatorum miserere.'

In the Myrour of Our Lady, ed. Blunt, p. 174, an English translation
of the latter anthem is given, with the heading 'Alma redemptoris mater.'
And this anthem seems intended ; compare the expression ' socour
whan we deye ' with the Lat. succitrre cadenti.

1709. Antiphoner, anthem-book. 'The Antiphoner, or Lyggar, was
always a large codex, having in it not merely the words, but the music
and the tones, for all the invitatories, the hymns, responses, versicles,
collects, and little chapters, besides whatever else belonged to the
solemn chanting of [masses and lauds, as well as the smaller canonical
hours'; Rock, Church of our Fathers, v. 3, pt. 2, p. 212.

1710. Ner and tier, nearer and nearer. The phrase come neor and
neor ( = come nearer and nearer) occurs in King Alisaunder, in Weber's
Metrical Romances, 1. 599.

1713. Was to seye, was to mean, meant. To seye is the gerundial
or dative infinitive; see Morris, Hist. Outlines of English Accidence,
sect. 290.

1716. Texpounden, to expound. So also (allege = to allege, Kn. Ta.
2142; tathenes = lo Athens, id. 1. 165; tespye = io espy, Nonne Pr. Ta.
1. 467. See note to 1. 1733.

1726. Can but smal, know but little. Cf. 'the compiler is smal
learned'; Old Plays, ed. Hazlitt, i. 10. — M. Cf. co//ofe = knew, in

1- >735-

Z733- To honoure; this must be read tonoure, like texpounden in
1. 1716.

1739. To scoleward; cf. From Bordeaux ward in the Prologue,
1. 397.— M.

1 749. The feeling against Jews seems to have been very bitter, and
there are numerous illustrations of this. In Gower's Conf. Amant. bk.
vii (ed. Pauli, iii. 194), a Jew is represented as saying —
• I am a Jewe, and by my lawe
I shal to no man be felawe
To kepe him trouth in word ne dede.'

In Piers the Plowman, B. xviii. 104, Faith reproves the Jews, and says
to them —

•Je cherles, and jowre children • chieue [thrive] shal je neure,
Ne haue lordship in lond • ne no londe tylye [till]
But al bareyne be • & vsurye vsen,
Which is lyf pat owre lorde • in alle lawes acurseth.'
See also P. PI., C. v. 194. Usury was forbidden by the canon law, and
those who practised it, chiefly Jews and Lombards, were held to be

THE PRIORESS'S TALE. 149

grievous sinners. Hence the character of Shylock,- and of Marlowe's
Jew of Malta. Cf. note on the Jews in England in the Annals of
England, p. 162.

1751. Honssl, honourable; as in the Bible, Rom. xii. 17, &c.

1752. Swich, such. The sense here bears out the formation of the
word from so-like. — M.

1753. Your, of you. Shakespeare has 'in your despite,* Cymb. i. 6.
135; 'in thy despite/ I Hen. VI, iv. 7. 22. Despite is used, like the
Early and Middle English mangre, with a genitive; as maugre J>/n, in
spite of thee, in Havelok, 11. 1128, 1789 — M.

1 754. ' Which is against the respect due to your law.' Cf. ' spretae-
que iniuria formae'; ^Eneid, i. 27.

1761. I give an omitted stanza here, from Wordsworth's modernised
version :

•I say that him into a pit they threw,
A loathsome pit, whence noisome scents exhale;
O cursed folk ! away, ye Herods new !
W7hat may your ill intentions you avail?
Murder will out ; cerles, it will not fail ;
Know, that the honour of high God may spread,
The blood cries out on your accursed deed.'

1793. le&u. This word is written 'Ihu' in E. Hn. Cm.; and 'ihc'
in Cp. Pt. Ln. ; in both cases there is a stroke through the h. This is
frequently printed Ihesn, but the retention of h is unnecessary. It is not
really an h at all, but the Greek H, meaning long e (e). So, also, in
' ihc,' the c is not the Latin c, but the Greek c, meaning 2 or « ; and ihc
are the first three letters of the word 1HCOYC = <»;<7ovy = iesus. lesu,
as well as lesiis, was used as a nominative, though really the genitive or
vocative case. At a later period, ihs (still with a stroke through the h)
was written for ike as a contraction of iesus. By an odd error, a new
meaning was invented for these letters, and common belief treated them
as the initials of three Latin words, viz. lesus Hominum Salvator. But
as the stroke through the h or mark of contraction still remained
unaccounted for, it was turned into a cross ! Hence the common
symbol I.H.S. with the small cross in the upper part of the middle
letter. The wrong interpretation is still the favourite one, all errors
being long-lived. Another common contraction is Xpc., where all the
letters are Greek. The * is ch (x), the p is r (/>) and c is s, so that Xpc
= chrs, the contraction for chrisius or Christ. This is less common in
decoration, and no false interpretation has been found for it.

1 794. Inwith, within. This form occurs in E. Hn. Pt. Ln. ; the rest
have within. Again, in the Merchant's Tale (E. I944\ MSS. E. Hn.
Cm. HI. have the form ivuith. It occurs in the legend of St. Katharine,
ed. Moiton, 1. 172; in Sir Perceval (Thornton Romances), 1. 611 ; in

150 NOTES TO GROUP B.

Alliterative Poems, ed. Morris, A. 970; and in Palladius on Husbandry,
ed. Lodge, iii. 404. Dr. Morris says it was (like utwith = without)
originally peculiar to the Northern dialect.

1805. Coomen; so in E. Hn. ; comen in Ft. Cp. But it is the past
tense = came. The spelling comen for the past tense plural is very
common in Early English, and we even find com in the singular. Thus,
in 1. 1807, the Petworth MS. has ' He come.' But herieth in 1. 1808 is
a present tense.

1814. Nexle, nighest, as in Kn. Ta. 555. So also hext - highest, as
in the Old Eng. proverb — ' When bale is hext, then bote is next,' i. e.
• when woe is highest, help is nighest.'

1817. Newe Rachel, second Rachel, as we should now say; referring
to Matt. ii. 18.

1819. Dooth for to sterne, causes to die. So also in 1. 1823, Aide hem
drawe = caused them to be drawn. And cf. leet bynde in 1. 1810.

1822. Evidently a proverb; perhaps from the French honi soil qui mal
y pense. In Old French we commonly find the spelling honni, from the
verb honnir, to contemn, put to shame.

1826. The body occupied the place of honour. 'The bier, if the
deceased had been a clerk, went into the chancel ; if a layman, and not
of high degree, the bearers set it down in the nave, hard by the church-
door;' Rock, Ch. of our Fathers, ii. 472. He cites the Sarum Manual,
fol. c.

1827. The abbot; pronounced lhabbbt. Coueiit, convent ; here used for
the monks who composed the body over which the abbot presided.
So in Shakespeare, Hen. VIII, iv. 2. 18 — 'where the reverend abbot,
With all his covent, honourably received him.' The form covent is Old
French, still preserved in Covent Garden.

1835. Halse; two MSS. consulted by Tyrwhitt read conjure, a mere
gloss, caught from the line above. Other examples of halse in the sense
of conjure occur. ' Ich halsi )>e o godes nome ' = I conjure thee in God's
name; St. Marherete, ed. Cockayne, p. 17. Again, in Joseph of
Arimathie, ed. Skeat, 1. 400 —

' Vppon f e heise trinite • I halse )>e to telle ' —
which closely resembles the present passage.

1838. To my seminge, i.e. as it appears to me.

1840. 'And, in the ordinary course of nature.'

1843. Wil, wills, desires. So in Matt. ix. 13, I will have mercy = I
require mercy ; Gk. t\tov Ol\<u ; Vulgate, misericordiam uolo. Cf. 1. 45.

1848. In the Ellesmere MS. (which has the metrical pauses marked)
the pause in this line is marked after lyf. The word sholde is dissyllabic
here, having more than the usual emphasis ; it has the sense of was
about to. Cf. E. 7146.

THE PRIORESS'S TALE. 151

1857. Now is used in the sense of take notice that, without any reference
to time. There is no necessity to alter the reading to than, as proposed
by Tynvhitt. See Matzner, Engl. Gram, ii, 2. 346, who refers to Luke ii.
41, John. i. 44, and quotes an apt passage from Maundeville's Travels,
p. 63 — ' Now aftre that men han visited the holy places, thanne will they
turnen toward Jerusalem.' In A.S. the word used in similar cases is
styllce = soothly, verily.

1873. Ther, where. Leue, grant. No two words have been more
confused by editors than lene and hue. Though sometimes written
much alike in MSS., they are easily distinguished by a little care. The
A.S. ly/an or lefan, spelt lefe in the Ormulum (vol. i. p. 308), answers
to the Germ, erlauben, and means grant or permit, but it can only be
used in certain cases. The verb lene, A. S. l&nan, now spelt lend, often
means to give or grant in Early English, but again only in certain cases.
I quote from my article on these words in Notes and Queries, 4 Ser. ii.
127 — 'It really makes all the difference whether we are speaking of to
grant a thing to a person, or to grant that a thing may happen. " God
lene thee grace," means "God grant thee grace," where to grant is to
impart; but "God leiie we may do right" means " God grant we may

do right," where to grant is to permit Briefly, lene requires an

accusative case after it, lene is followed by a dependent clause.' Lene
occurs in Chaucer, Prol. 61 1, Milleres Tale, 589, and elsewhere.
Examples of lene in Chaucer are (i) in the present passage, misprinted
lene by Tynvhitt, Morris, Wright, and Bell, though five of our MSS.
have lene; (2) in the Freres Tale, 346, printed lene by Tynvhitt
(1. 7226), leene by Morris, leeve by Wright and Bell ; (3) (4) (5) in three
passages in Troilus and Creseyde (ii. 1212, iii. 7, v. 1749), where
Tyrwhitt prints leve, bub unluckily recants his opinion in his Glossary,
whilst Morris prints lene. For other examples see Stratmann, s.v. lantn
and leven.

It may be remarked that leve in Old English has several other senses ;
such as (i) to believe; (2) to live; (3) to leave; (4) to remain; (5)
leave, sb. ; (6) dear, adj. I give an example in which the first, sixth,
and third of these senses occur in one and the same line —

' What I leuestow, leue lemman, that i the [thee~\ leue wold ?'

Will. ofPalerne, 2358.

1874. Hugh of Lincoln. The story of Hugh of Lincoln, a boy
supposed to have been murdered at Lincoln by the Jews, is placed by
Matthew Paris under the year 1255. Thynne, in his Animadversions
upon Speght's editions of Chaucer (p. 45 of the reprint of the
E. E. T. S.). addresses Speght as follows — ' You saye, that in the 29
Henry iii. eightene Jewes were broughte frowi Lincolne, and hanged for
crucifyinge a childe of eight yeres olde. Whiche facte was in the 39

152 NOTES TO GROUP B.

lien, iii., so that yow mighte verye well haue sayed, that the same
childe of eighte yeres olde was the same hughe of Lincolne ; of whiche
name there were twoe, viz. thys younger Seinte Hughe, and Seinte
Hughe bishoppe of Lincolne, which dyed in the yere 1 200, long before
this little seinte hughe. And to prove that this childe of eighte yeres
olde and that yonge hughe of Lincolne were but one ; I will sett downe
two auctoryties out of Mathewe Paris and Walsinghame, whereof the
fyrste wryteth, that in the yere of Christe 1255, being the 39 of Henry
the 3, a childe called Hughe was sleyne by the Jewes at Lyncolne,
whose lamentable historye he delyvereth at large ; and further, in the
yere 1256, being 40 Hen. 3, he sayeth, Dimissi sunt quieti 24 Judei a
Turri London., qui ibidem infames tenebantur compediti pro crucifixione
sancti Hugonis Lincolniae : All which Thomas Walsingham, in
Hypodigma Neustriae, confirmeth; sayinge, Ao. 1255. Puer quidam
Christianus, nomine Hugo, a Judeis captus, in opprobriuw Christiahi
nominis crudeliter est crucifixus.' There are several ballads in French
and English, on the subject of Hugh of Lincoln, which were collected
by M. F. Michel, and published at Paris in 1834, with the title —
' Hugues de Lincoln, Recueil de Ballades Anglo-Normandes et Ecos-
soises relatives au Meurtre de cet Enfant.' The day of St. Hugh,
bishop of Lincoln, is Aug. 27; that of St. Hugh, boy and martyr, is
June 29. See also Brand's Pop. Antiq. ed. Ellis, i. 431.

1875. With, by. See numerous examples in Matzner, Engl. Gram,
ii. i. 419, amongst which we may especially notice — 'Stolne is he with
lues '; Towneley Mysteries, p. 290.

NOTES TO THE PRIORESS END-LINK.

1881. Miracle, pronounced miracf. Tyrwhitt omits al, and turns the
word into miracle, unnecessarily.

1883. Hoste is so often an evident dissyllable (see 1. 1897), that there
is no need to insert to after it, as in Tyrwhitt.

1885. What man arlow, what sort of a man art thou?

1886. Woldest fynde, wouldst like to find. We learn from this
passage, says Tyrwhitt, that Chaucer ' was used to look much upon the
qround ; that he was of a corpulent habit ; and reserved in his be-
haviour.' Cf. Lenvoy to Scogan, st. 5.

1889. War you, mind yourselves, i. e. make way.

1890. As viel as I; said ironically. Chaucer is as corpulent as the
host himself. See note to 1. 1886 above.

THE RIME OF SIR THOPAS. 1 53

1891. Were, would be. Tenbrace, to embrace. In the Romaunt of
the Rose, true lovers are said to be always lean ; but deceivers are often
fat enough —

'For men that shape hem other way
Falsely hir ladies to betray,
It is no wonder though they be fatte'; 1. 2690.

1893. Bluish, elf-like, akin to the fairies ; alluding to his absent looks
and reserved manner. See Elvish in the Glossary, and cf. ' this eluish
nyce lore ' ; Can. Yeom. Tale Group G, 1. 842. Palsgrave has —
' I waxe eluysshe, nat easye to be dealed with, le deniens mal traictable.'

1900. Ye, yea. The difference in Old English between ye and yis
(yes) is commonly well marked. Ye is the weaker form, and merely
assents to what the last speaker says ; but yis is an affirmative of great
force, often followed by an oath, or else it answers a question containing a
negative particle, as in the House of Fame, ii. 356. Cf. 1. 4006 belpw.

NOTES TO THE RIME OF SIR THOPAS.

Rime. This word is now almost universally misspelt rhyme, owing to
confusion with the Greek rhythm ; but this misspelling is never found in
old MSS. or in early printed books, nor has any example yet been
found earlier than the reign of Elizabeth. The old spelling rime is
confirmed by the A. S. rim, Icel. rim, Dan. rim, Swed. rim, Germ, reim,
Dutch rijm, Old Fr. rime, &c. Confusion with rime, hoarfrost, is
impossible, as the context always decides which is meant ; but it is
worth notice that it is the latter word which has the better title to an h,
as the A. S. word for hoarfrost is hrim. Tyrwhitt, in his edition of
Chaucer, attempted two reforms in spelling, viz. rime for rhyme, and coud
for could. Both are most rational, but probably unattainable.

Thopas. In the Supplement to Ducange we find — ' Tkopasins, pro
Topazius, Acta S. Wencesl. torn. 7. Sept. p. 806, col. i." The Lat.
topazius is our topaz. The whole poem is a burlesque (see the Preface),
and Sir Topaz is an excellent title for such a gem of a knight. The
name Topyas occurs in Richard Coer de Lion, ed. Weber, ii. 11, as that
of a sister of King Richard I ; but no such name is known to history.

The metre is that commonly used before and in Chaucer's time by
long-winded ballad-makers. Examples of it occur in the Romances of
Sir Percevall, Sir Isumbras, Sir Eglamour, and Sir Degrevant (in the
Thornton Romances, ed. Halliwell), and in several romances in the
Percy Folio MS. (ed. Hales and Furnivall), such as Libius Disconius,
Sir Triamour, Sir Eglamour, Guy and Colbrande, The Grene Knight,

154 NOTES TO GROUP B.

&c. ; see also Amis and Amiloun, and Sir Amadas in Weber's Metrical
Romances ; and Lybeaus Disconus, The King of Tars, Le Bone
Florence, Emare, The Erie of Tolous, and Horn Childe in Ritson's
collection. To point out Chaucer's sly imitations of phrases, &c.,
would be a long task ; the reader would gain the best idea of his man-
ner by reading any one of these old ballads. To give a few illustrations
is all that can be attempted here. It is remarkable that we find in
Weber a ballad called ' The Hunting of the Hare,' which is a pure
burlesque, like Chaucer's, but a little broader in tone and more ob-
viously comic.

1902. Listeth, lordes, hearken, sirs. This is the usual style of
beginning. For example, Sir Bevis begins—

• Lordynges, lystenyth, grete and smale'j
and Sir Degare begins —

1 Lystenyth, lordynges, gente and fre,
Y wylle yow telle of syr Degare.*

Warton well remarks — ' This address to the lordings, requesting their
silence and attention, is a manifest indication that these ancient pieces
were originally sung to the harp, or recited before grand assemblies,
upon solemn occasions ' ; Obs. on F. Queene, p. 248.

1904. Solas, mirth. See Prol. 1. 798. ' This word is often used in
describing the festivities of elder days. " She and her ladyes called for
their minstrells, and solaced themselves with the disports of dauncing " ;
Leland, Collectanea, v. 352. So in the Romance of Ywaine and
Gawin —

" Full grete and gay was the assemble
Of lordes and ladies of that cuntre,
And als of knyghtes war and wyse,
And damisels of mykel pryse ;
Ilkane with other made grete gamen
And grete solace, &c." ' (1. 19, ed. Ritson.)

Todd's Illust. of Chaucer, p. 378.

1905. Gent, gentle, gallant. Often applied to ladies, in the sense of
pretty. The first stanzas in Sir Isumbras and Sir Eglamour are much
in the same strain as this stanza.

1910. Papering. ' Peppering, or Poppeling, was the name of a parish
in the Marches of Calais. Our famous antiquary Leland was once
rector of it. See Tanner, Bib. Brit, in v. Leland? — Tyrwhitt. Here
Calais means the district, not the town. Poperinge has a population of
about 10,500, and is situate about 26 miles S. by W. from Ostend, in
the province of Belgium called West Flanders, very near the French
1 marches,' or border. Place, the mansion or chief house in the town.
Dr. Pegge, in his Kentish Glossary (Eng. Dial. Soc.), has — ' Place, that

THE RIME OF SIR THOPAS. 1 55

is, the manor-house. Hearne, in his pref. to Antiq. of Glastonbury, p. xv,
speaks of a manour-place.' He refers also to Strype's Annals, cap. xv.

1915. Payndemayn. 'The very finest and whitest [kind of bread]
that was known, was simnel-bread, which . . . was as commonly known
under the name of pain-demayn (afterwards corrupted into payman} ;
a word which has given considerable trouble to Tyrwhitt and other
commentators on Chaucer, but which means 110 more than " bread of
our Lord," from the figure of our Saviour, or the Virgin Mary, impressed
upon each round flat loaf, as is still the usage in Belgium with respect
to certain rich cakes much admired there ; ' Chambers, Book of Days, i.
119. The Liber Albus (ed. Riley, p. 305) speaks of ' demesne bread,
known as demeine,' which Mr. Riley, annotates by — ' Panis Dominicus.
Simnels made of the very finest flour were thus called, from an
impression upon them of the effigy of our Saviour.' Tyrwhitt refers to
the poem of the Freiris of Berwick, in the Maitland MS., in which
occur the expressions breld of mane and mane breid. It occurs also in
Sir Degrevant (Thornton Romances, p. 235) —
' Paynemayn prevayly

Sche broujth fram the pantry,' &c.

It is mentioned as a delicacy by Gower, Conf. Amantis, bk. Vi (iii. 22).
• 1917. Rode, complexion. Scarlet in grayn, i. e. scarlet dyed in grain,
or of a fast colour. Properly, to dye in grain meant to dye with grain,
i. e. with cochineal. In fact, Chaucer uses the phrase ' with grayn ' in
the epilogue to the Nonne Prestes Tale. See the long note in Marsh's
Lectures on the English Language, ed. Smith, pp. 54-62, and the
additional note on p. 64.

1920. Saffroun ; i. e. of a yellow colour. Cf. Bottom's description of
beards — ' I will discharge it in either your straw-colour beard, your
orange-tawney beard, your purple-in-grain beard, or your French
crown-colour beard, your perfect yellow ' ; Mds. Nt. Dr. i. 2. In Lybeaus
Disconus (ed. Ritson, Met. Rom. ii. 6) a dwarfs beard is described as
' yelow as ony wax.'

1924. Ciclatoun, a costly material. From the O. Fr. clclaton, the
name of a costly cloth, called in Latin cyclas, which Ducange explains
by 'veslis species, et panni genus.' The word cyclas occurs in Juvenal
(Sat. vi. 258), and is explained to mean a robe worn most often by
women, and adorned with a border of gold or purple. The Greek form
KVK\ds is in Propertius, 4. 7, 40. The etymology is given from the
Greek KVK\OS, a circle, and the robe is said to have been circular ; but
it appears to me that the robe is more likely to have been named from
the material. Possibly the word is of Eastern origin, as suggested in
the following note by Col. Yule in his edition of Marco Polo i.
249—

156 NOTES TO GROUP B.

' The term sukldt is applied in the Punjab trade-returns to broad-cloth.
Does not this point to the real nature of the siclatonn of the Middle
Ages ? It is, indeed, often spoken of as used for banners, which
implies that it was not a heavy woollen. But it was also a material for
ladies' robes, for quilts, leggings, housings, pavilions. Michel does not
decide what it was, only that it was generally red and wrought with
gold. Dozy renders it " silk stuff brocaded with gold," but this seems
conjectural. Dr. Rock says it was a thin glossy silken stuff, often with
a woof of gold thread, and seems to derive it from the Arabic sakl,
"polishing" (a sword), which is improbable. Perhaps the name is
connected with Sikiliyal, Sicily.' Compare the following examples,
shewing its use for tents, banners, &c.

' Off silk, cendale, and syclatonn
Was the emperours pavyloun' ;
'Kyng Richard took the pavylouns
Off sendels and off sykelatouns ' ;

Rich. Coer de Lion (Weber, ii. 90, and 201).
' There was mony gonfanoun
Of gold, sendel, and siclatoun ' ;

Kyng Alisaunder (Weber, i. 85).

In England, the cyclas was the transitional stage of garment between
the surcoat of the thirteenth centui'y, and the jupon of the fourteenth.
' The cyclas opened up the sides instead of the front, and it had this
curious peculiarity, that the front skirt was cut much shorter than the
hind skirt ; behind, it reached to the knees, but in front, not very much
below the hips ' ', Cults, Scenes and Characters of the Middle Ages,
p. 342. It dates about 1325-1335.

The matter has been much confused by a mistaken notion of Spenser's.
Not observing that Sir Thopas is here described in his robes of peace,
not in those of war (as in a later stanza), he followed Speght's reading,
viz. chekelatoun, and imagined it was the same as ' that kind of guilded
leather with which they [the Irish] use to embroder theyr Irish jackes ' ;
View of the State of Ireland, in Globe edition, p. 639, col. 2. And
this notion he carried out still more boldly in the lines —
' But in a jacket, quilted richly rare

Upon cheHaton, he was straungely dight'; F. Q. vi. 7. 43.
1925. Jane, a small coin. The word is known to be a corruption of
Genoa, which is spelt Jeans in Hall's Chronicles, fol. xxiv. So too we
find Jawtweys and yam/ayes for Genoese. See Bardsley's English Surnames,
s. v. J oneway. Stow, in his Survey of London, ed. 1599, p. gf, says that
some foreigners lived in Minchin Lane, who had come from Genoa, and
were commonly called galley-men, who landed wines, &c. from the
galleys at a place called 'galley-key' in Thames Street. ' They had a

THE RIME OF SIR THOPAS. 157

certaine coyne of silver amongst themselves, which wore half-pence of
Genoa, and were called galley half-pence. These half-pence were for-
bidden in the i jth year of Henry IV, and again by parliament in the
3rd of Henry V, by the name of half-pence of Genoa .... Notwith-
standing, in my youth, I have seen them passe currant,' &c. Chaucer
uses the word again in the Clerkes Tale, and Spenser adopted it from
Chaucer ; F. Q. iii. 7. 58. Mr. Wright observes that ' the siclaton was a
rich cloth or silk brought from the East, and is therefore appropriately
mentioned as bought with Genoese coin.'

1927. For 'riuer, towards the river. This appears to be the best
reading, and we must take for in close connection with ride ; perhaps it
is a mere imitation of the French en riviere. It alludes to the common
practice of seeking the river-side, because the best sport, in hawking,
was with herons and waterfowl. Tyrwhitt quotes from Froissart, v. i .
c. 140 — 'Le Comte de Flandres estoit tousjours en riviere — un jour
advint qu'il alia voller en la riviere — et getta son fauconnier un faucon
apres le heron' And again, in c. 210, he says that Edward III ' alloit,
chacun jour, ou en chace on en riviere? &c. So we read of Sir
Eglamour —

'Sir Eglamore tooke the way

to the riuer fful right ' ; Percy Folio MS. ii. 347.
Of Ipomydon's education we learn that his tutor taught him to sing, to
read, to serve in hall, to carve the meat, and

' Bothe of howndis and haukis game
Aftir he taught hym, all and same,
In se, in feld, and eke in ryuere,
In wodde to chase the wild dere,
And in the feld to ryde a stede,
That all men had joy of his dede.'

Weber's Met. Romances, ii. 283.
See also the Squire of Low Degree, in Ritson, vol. iii. p. 177.

1931. Ram, the usual prize at a wrestling match. Cf. Gk. Tpayeudta.
Stonde, i. e. be placed in the sight of the competitors ; be seen. Cf.
Prol. 1. 548, and the Tale of Gamelyn. Tyrwhitt says — ' Matthew Paris
mentions a wrestling-match at Westminster, A.D. 1222, in which a ram
was the prize, p. 265.' Cf. also —

'At wresteling, and at ston-castynge
He wan the prys without lesynge,' &c. ;

Octouian Imperator, in Weber's Met. Rom. iii. 194.
1938. Compare — 'So hyt be-felle upon a day'; Erie of Tolous,
Ritson's Met. Rom. iii. 134. Of course it is a common phrase in these
romances.

158 NOTES TO GROUP B.

• 1941. Worth, lit. became; worth vpon = became upon, got upon. It
is a common phrase ; compare —

' Ipomydon sterte vp that tyde ;
Anon he worthyd vppon his stede*;

Weber, Met. Rom. ii. 334.

1942. Lattncegay, a sort of lance. Gower has the word, Conf. Amant.
bk. viii (iii. 369). Cowel says its use was prohibited by the statute of 7
Rich. II, cap. 13. Camden mentions it in his Remains, p. 209. Tyrwhitt
quotes, from Rot. Parl. 29 Hen. VI, n. 8, the following — ' And the said
Evan then and there with a launcegaye smote the said William Tresham
throughe the body a foote and more, wherof he died.' Sir Walter
Raleigh (quoted by Richardson) says — 'These carried a kind of lance de
gay, sharp at both ends, which they held in the midst of the staff.' But
this is certainly a corrupt form. It is no doubt a corruption of lance-
zagay, from the Spanish azagaya, a word of Moorish origin. Cotgrave
gives — 'Zagaye, a fashion of slender, long, and long-headed pike, used
by the Moorish horsemen.' It seems originally to have been rather a
short weapon, a kind of half-pike or dart. The Spanish word is well
discussed in Dozy, Glossaire des mots Espagnols et Portugais derives de
1'Arabe, 2nd ed. p. 225. The Spanish azagaya is for az-zagaya, where
az is for the definite article al, and zagaya is a Berber or Algerian word,
not given in the Arabic dictionaries. It is found in Old Spanish of the
fourteenth century. Dozy quotes from a writer who explains it as a
Moorish half-pike, and also gives the following passage from Laugier
de Tassy, Hist, du royaume d'Alger, p. 58 — ' Leurs armessont tazagaye,
qui est une espece de lance courts, qu'ils portent toujours a la main.'
I suppose that the Caffre word assagai, in the sense of javelin, was
simply borrowed from the Portuguese azagaia.

1949. A sory care, a grievous misfortune. Chaucer does not say what
this was, but a passage in Amis and Amiloun (ed. Weber, ii. 410) makes
it probable that Sir Thopas nearly killed his horse, which would have
been grievous indeed ; see 1. 1965 below. The passage I allude to is
as follows—

'So long he priked, withouten abod,
The stede that he on rode,

In a fer cuntray,

Was ouercomen and fel doun ded ;
Tho couthe he no better red {counsel] ;

His song was " waileway ! " '

Readers of Scott will remember Fitz- James's lament over his ' gallant
grey.'

1950. This can hardly be otherwise than a burlesque upon the Squire
of Low Degree (ed. Ritson, iii. 146), where a long list of trees is followed

THE RIME OF SIR T HOP AS. 159

tp, as here, by a list of singing-birds. Compare also the Romaunt of
the Rose, 1. 1367—

' There was eke wexing many a spice,

As clowe-gilofre and licorice,

Gingere, and grein de Paris.

Canell, and setewale of pris,' &c.
Line 21 of the Milleres Tale runs similarly —

' Of licoris or any setewale.'

Maundeville speaks of the clowe-gilofre and notemnge in his 26th chapter ;
see Specimens of E. Eng. ed. Morris and Skeat, p. 171. Cetewale is
generally explained as the herb valerian, but is rather to be taken as
meaning zedoary ; see the Glossary. Clowe-gilofre, a clove ; notemuge, a
nutmeg. ' Spiced ale ' is amongst the presents sent by Absolon to
Alisoun in the Millers Tale.

1955. Leye in cofre, to lay in a box.

1956. Compare Amis and Amiloun, ed. Weber, ii. 391 —

' She herd the foules grete and smale,
The swete note of the nightingale,

Ful mirily sing on tre.'

See also Romaunt of the Rose, 11. 613-728. But Chaucer's burlesque is
far surpassed by a curious passage in the singular poem of The Land of
Cockaygne (MS. Hail. 913), 11. 71-100 —

' In J;e praer [meadow] is a tre
Swi]>e likful for to se.
f>e rote is gingeuir and galingale,
pe siouns bej> al sed[e]wale ;
Trie maces be> pe flure;
f e rind, canel of swet odur ;
pe frute, gilofre of gode smakke, &c.

per bej> briddes mani and fale,
prostil, fruisse, and nijtingale,
Chalandre and wod[e]wale,
And ojier briddes wi]>out tale [number]
pat stinte)) neuer by har mi3t
Miri to sing[e] dai and nijt,' &c.

1964. As he were wood, as if he were mad, 'like mad.1 So in Amis
and Amiloun (ed. Weber), ii. 419 — .

4 He priked his stede night and day
As a gentil knight, stout and gay."
Cf. note tol. 1949.

1974. Seinte, being in the vocative case, is probably a dissyllable here
• — ' O seinte Marie, ben' 'die' le. Cf. note to 1. 1 1 70 above.

1977. Me dremed, I dreamt. Both dremen (to dream) and nieten

i6o NOTES TO GROUP B.

(also to dream) are sometimes used with an objective case or reflexively
in Middle English. In the Nonne Prestes Tale we have me mette (1. 74)
and this man mette (I. 182).

1978. An elf-queen. Mr. Price says — ' There can be little doubt that
at one period the popular creed made the same distinctions between the
Queen of Faerie and the Elf-Queen that were observed in Grecian
mythology between their undoubted parallels, Artemis and Persephone.'
Chaucer makes Proserpine the ' queen of faerie ' in his Merchaunts
Tale ; but at the beginning of the Wyf of Bathes Tale, he describes the
elf-queen as the queen of the fairies, and makes elf and fairy synonymous.
Perhaps this elf-queen in SireThopas (called the queen of fairy e in 1. 2004)
may have given Spenser the hint for his Faerie Queene. But the subject
is a vast one. See Price's Preface, in Warton's Hist. Eng. Poetry,
ed. Hazlitt, pp. 30-36; Halliwell's Illustrations of Fairy Mythology ;
Keightley's Fairy Mythology; Warton's Observations on the Fairie
Queene, sect, ii ; Sir W. Scott's ballad of Thomas the Rhymer, &c.

1983. In toune, in the town, in the district. But it must not be
supposed that much sense is intended by this inserted line. It is a mere
tag, in imitation of some of the romances. Either Chaucer has
neglected to conform to the new kind of stanza which he now introduces
(which is most likely), or else three lines have been lost before this one.
The next three stanzas are uniform, viz. of ten lines each, of which only
the seventh is very short. For good examples of these short lines, see
Sir Gawayne and the Greene Knyjt, ed. Morris.

1993. Sowilde. Instead of this short line, Tyrwhitt has—
'Wherin he soughte North and South,
And oft he spied with his mouth

In many a forest wilde.'

But none of our seven MSS. agree with this version. The notion of
spying with one's mouth seems a little too far-fetched.

1995. This line is in the Royal MS. only, but something is so
obviously required here, that we must insert it to make some sense.
Even then it seems an anti-climax to say that ' neither wife nor child
durst oppose him.' We may, however, bear in mind that the meeting
of a knight-errant with one of these often preceded some great adven-
ture. ' And in the midst of an highway he [Sir Lancelot] met a damsel
riding on a white palfrey, and there1 either saluted other. Fair damsel,
said Sir Lancelot, know ye in this country any adventures ? Sir knight,
said that damsel, here are adventures near hand, and thou durst prove
them ' ; Sir T. Malory, Morte Arthur, bk. vi. cap. vii. The result was
that Lancelot fought with Sir Turquine, and defeated him. Soon after,
he was ' required of a damsel to heal her brother ' ; and again, ' at the
request of a lady ' he recovered a falcon ; an adventure which ended in
a fight, as usual.

THE RIME OF SIR THOPAS. l6l

1998. OUfauni, i. e. Elephant ; a proper name, as Tyrwhitt observes,
for a giant. Maundeville has the form olyfauntes for elephants. By some
confusion the Mceso-Goth. ulbandvs and A.S. olfend are made to signify
a camel. Spenser has put Chaucer's Olifaunt into his Faerie Queene, bk.
iii. c. 7. st. 48, and makes him the brother of the giantess Argante, and
son of Typhoeus and Earth. The following description of a giant is
from Libius Disconius (Percy Folio MS. vol. ii. p. 465)—
' He beareth haiies on his brow

Like the bristles of a sow,
His head is great and stout;

Eche arme is the lenght of an ell,

His fists beene great and fell,

Dints for to driue about.'
Sir Libius says —

'If God will me grace send,

Or this day come to an end

I hope him for to spill,' &c.

Another giant, 20 feet long, and 2 ells broad, with two boar's tusks,
and also with brows like bristles of a swine, appears in Octouian
Imperator, ed. Weber, iii. 196. See also the alliterative Morte Arthure,
ed. Brock, p. 33.

2000. Child; see note to 1. 2020. Termagaunt; one of the idols
whom the Saracens (in the mediaeval romances) are supposed to
worship. See The King of Tars, ed. Ritson (Met. Rom.), ii. 174-182,
where the Sultan's gods are said to be Jubiter, Jovin (both forms of
Jupiter), Astrot (Astarte), Mahoun (Mahomet), Appolin (Apollo),
Plotoun (Pluto), and Tirmagaunt. Lybeaus Disconus (Ritson, Met.
Rom. ii. 55) fought with a giant ' that levede yn Termagaunt.' The
Old French form is Tervagant, Ital. Tervagante or Trivigante, as in
Ariosto. Wheeler, in his Noted Names of Fiction, gives the following
account — ' Ugo Foscolo says : " Trivigante, whom the predecessors of
Ariosto always couple with Apollino, is really Diana Trivia, the sister
of the classical Apollo." . . . According to Panizzi, Trivagante or
Tervagante is the Moon, or Diana, or Hecate, wandering under three
names. Termagant was an imaginary being, supposed by the crusaders,
who confounded Mahometans with pagans, to be a Mahometan deity.
This imaginary personage was introduced into early English plays and
moralities, and was represented as of a most violent character, so that a
ranting actor might always appear to advantage in it. See Hamlet, iii.
2. 15.' Fairfax, in his translation of Tasso (c. i. st. 84) speaks of
Termagaunt and Mahound, but Tasso mentions ' Macometto ' only. See
also Spenser, F. Q. vi. 7. 47. Hence comes our termagant in the sense

VOL. n. M

l6a NOTES TO GROUP J5.

of a noisy boisterous woman. Shakespeare has — ' that hot termagant
Scot ' ; i Hen. IV, v. 2. 114.

2002. Sle, will slay. In Anglo-Saxon, there being no distinct future
tense, it is expressed by the present. Cf. go for will go in ' we also go
with thee ' ; John xxi. 3.

2005. Symphotiye, the name of a kind of tabor ; see Glossary.

2007. Al so mote I thee, so may I thrive ; or, as I hope to thrive; a
common expression. Cf. ' So mote y thee ' ; Sir Eglamour, ed. Halli-
well, 1. 430 ; Occleve, De Regimine Principum, st. 620. Chaucer also
uses ' so the ik,' i. e. so thrive I, in the Reves Prologue and else-
where.

2012. Abyen itful soure, very bitterly shalt thou pay for it. There is
a confusion between A.S. sur, sour, and A.S. sdr, sore, in this and
similar phrases ; both were used once, but now we should use sorely,
not sourly. In Layamon, 1. 8158, we find ' ]>ou salt it sore abugge,'
thou shalt sorely pay for it ; on the other hand, we find in P. Plowm. B.
a. 140 —

• It shall bisitte jowre soules • ful soure atte laste.'
So also in the C-text, though the A-text has sore. Note that in another
passage, P. Plowm. B. xviii. 401, the phrase is — 'Thow shalt abye it
bittre' For abyen, see the Glossary.

2015. Fully pryme. See note to Nonne Prestes Tale, 1. 35. Prime
commonly means the period from 6 to 9 a.m. Full prime refers to the
end of that period, or 9 a.m. ; and even prime alone may be used with
the same explicit meaning, as in the Nonne Pres. Ta. 1. 376.

2019. Staf-slinge. Tyrwhitt observes that Lydgate describes David
as armed only ' with a staffe-slynge, voyde of plate and mayle.' It
certainly means a kind of sling in which additional power was gained
by fastening the lithe part of it on to the end of a stiff stick. Staff-
slyngeres are mentioned in the romance of Richard Coer de Lyon, 1. 4454,
in Weber's Metrical Romances, ii. 177. In Col. Yule's edition of Marco
Polo, ii. 122, is a detailed description of the artillery engines of the
middle ages. They can all be reduced to two classes; those which,
like the trebuchet and mangonel, are enlarged staff-slings, and those
which, like the arblast and springold, are great cross-bows. Conversely,
we might describe a staff-sling as a hand-trebuchet.

2020. Child Thopas. Child is an appellation given to both knights
and squires, in the early romances, at an age when they had long passed
the period which we now call childhood. A good example is to be
found in the Erie of Tolous, ed. Ritson, iii. 123 —

' He was a feyre chylde, and a bolde,
Twenty wyntur he was oolde,
In londe was none so free.'

THE RIME OF SIR THOPAS. 163

Compare Romance of ' Horn Childe and Maiden Rimnild,' pr. in
Ritson, iii. 282 ; the ballad of Childe Waters, &c. Byron, in his preface
to Childe Harold, says — 'It is almost superfluous to mention that the
appellation "Childe," as "Childe Waters," "Childe Childers," &c., is
used as more consonant with the old structure of versification which I
have adopted.' He adopts, however, the late and artificial metre of
Spenser.

2023. A palpable imitation. The first three lines of Sir Bevis of
Hampton (MS. Camb. Univ. Lib. Ff. ii. 38, leaf 94, back) are —
'Lordynges, lystenyth, grete and smale,
Meryar then the nyghtyngale

I wylle yow synge.'

In a long passage in Todd's Illustrations to Chaucer, pp. 284-292, it is
contended that mery signifies sweet, pleasant, agreeable, without relation
to mirth. Chaucer describes the Frere as wanton and merry, Prol. 208 ;
he speaks of the merry day, Kn. Ta. 641 ; a merry city, N. P. Ta. 251 ;
of Arcite being told by Mercury to be merry, i. e. of good cheer, Kn. Ta.
528; in the Manciple's Tale, the crow sings merrily, and makes a sweet
noise ; Chanticleer's voice was merrier than the merry organ, N. P. T. 31 ;
the 'erbe yve ' is said to be merry, i. e. pleasant, agreeable, id. 146 ; the
Pardoner (Prol. 714) sings merrily and loud. We must remember, how-
ever, that the Host, being 'a mery man," began to speak of 'myrthe' ;
Prol. 757, 759. A very early example of the use of the word occurs in
the song attributed to Canute — ' Merie sungen the Muneches binnen Ely,'
&c. See the phrase ' mery men ' in 1. 2029.

2028. The phrase to come to toune seems to mean no more than simply
to return. Cf. Specimens of E. Eng. ed. Morris and Skeat, p. 48 —

'Lenten ys come wij) loue to toune' —

which merely means that spring, with its thoughts of love, has returned.
See the note on that line.

3033. For paramour, for love ; but the par, or else the for, is redun-
dant, lolite, amusement ; used ironically in the Kn. Ta. 949. Sir
Thopas is going to fight the giant for the love and amusement of one
who shone full bright ; i. e. a fair lady, of course. But Sir Thopas, in
dropping this mysterious hint to his merry men, refrains from saying
much about it, as he had not yet seen the Fairy Queen, and had only
the giant's word for her place of .abode. The use of the past tense shone
is artful ; it implies that he wished them to think that he had seen his
lady-love; or else that her beauty was to be taken for granted.
Observe, too, that it is Sir Thopas, not Chaucer, who assigns to the giant
his three heads.

2035. Do come, cause to come; go and call hither. Cf. House of
Fame, bk. iii —

M a

164 NOTES TO GROUP B.

' Of alle manner of minstrales,
And jesfours, that tellen tales
Both of weeping and of game'

Tyrwhitt's note on gestours is — ' The proper business of a gestour was to
recite tales, or gestes; which was only one of the branches of the
Minstrel's profession. Minstrels and gestours are mentioned together in
the following lines from William of Nassyngton's Translation of a
religious treatise by John of Waldby ; MS. Reg. 170. viii. p. 2—
I warne you furst at the beginninge,
That I will make no vain carpinge
Of dedes of arrays ne of amours,
As dus • mynstrelles and jestonrs,
That makys carpinge in many a place
Of Octoviane and Isembrase,
And of many other jesles,
And namely, whan they come to festes ;
Ne of the life of Bevys of Hampton,
That was a knight of gret renoun,
Ne of Sir Gye of Warwyke,
All if it might sum men lyke, &c.

I cite these lines to shew the species of tales related by the ancient
Gestours, and how much they differed from what we now call jests.'

The Gesta were stories, as in the famous collection called the Gesta
Romanorum. See also Piers the Plowman (Clar. Press Series), note to
1. 3 4. of the Prologue.

2038. Roiales, royal ; some MSS. spell the word reales, but the meaning
is the same. In the romance of Ywain and Gawain (Ritson, i. 130) a
maiden is described as reading ' a real romance.' Tyrwhitt thinks that
the term originated with an Italian collection of romances relating to
Charlemagne, which began with the words — 'Qui se comenza la
hysteria el Real di Franza,' &c. ; edit. Mutinae, 1491, folio. It was
reprinted in 1537, with a title beginning — '/ reali di Franza' &c. He
refers to Quadrio, t. vi. p. 530. The word roial (in some MSS. real)
occurs again in 1. 2043.

2047. Dide, did on, put on. The arming of Lybeaus Disconus is thus
described in Ritson's Met. Rom. ii. 10 —

' They caste on hym a scherte of selk,
A gypell as whyte as melk,

In that semely sale;

And syght [/or sith] an hawberk bryght,
That rychely was adyght

Wytb. mayles thykke and smale.'
1050. Aketoun, a short sleeveless tunic. Cf. Liber Albus, p. 376.

THE RIME OF SIR THOPAS. 165

•And Florentyn, with hys ax so broun,

All thorgh he smoot
Arm and mayle, and akltetoun,
Thorghout hyt hot [bit] ';

Octouian, ed. Weber, iii. 205.
•For plate, ne for ncketton,
For hauberk, ne for cnmpeson ' ;

Richard Coer de Lion, ed. Weber, ii. 18.

The Glossary to the Percy Folio MS., ed. Hales and Furnivall, has —
'Acton, a wadded or quilted tunic worn under the hauberk.— Plancke,
i. 108.' Thynne, in his Animadversions (Early Eng. Text Soc.), p- 24,
szys—'Haiteton "is a slevelesse jackett of plate for the warre, couered
withe anye other stuffe ; at this day also called a jackett of plate.'

2051. Habergeonn, coat of mail. See Prol. 76, and the note.

2052. For percinge, as a protection against the piercing. So in P.
Plowm. B. 6. 62, Piers puts on his cufls, ' for colde of his nailles,' i.e. as
a protection against the cold. So too in the Rom. of the Rose, 1. 4229.

2053. The hauberk is here put on as an upper coat of mail, of finer
workmanship and doubtless more flexible.

'The hauberk was al reed of rust,
His platys thykke and swythe just ' ;

Octouian, ed. Weber, iii. 200.
•He was armed wonder weel,
And al with plates off good steel,
A nd ther aboven, an hauberk ' ;

Richard Coer de Lion, ed. Weber, ii. 222.

2054. Jewes werk, Jew's work. Tyrwhitt imagined that Jew here
means a magician, but there is not the least foundation for the idea.
Mr. Jephson is equally at fault in connecting Jew with jewel, since the
latter word is etymologically connected with joke. The phrase still re-
mains unexplained. I suspect it means no more than wrought with rich
or expensive work, such as Jews could best find the money for or
undertake to supply. It is notorious that they were the chief capitalists,
and they must often have had to find money for paying armourers.

2055. Plate. Probably the hawberk had a breastplate on the front
of it. But on the subject of armour, I must refer the reader to Godwin's
English Archaeologist's Handbook, pp. 252-268; Planche"s History of
British Costume, and Sir S. R. Meyrick's Observations on Body-armour,
in the Archaeologia, vol. xix. pp. 120-145.

2056. The cote-armour was not for defence, but a mere surcoat on
which the knight's armorial bearings were usually depicted, in order to
identify him in the combat or ' debate.' Hence the modern coat-of-

1 66 NOTES TO GROUP B.

2059. Reed, red. In the Romances, gold is always called red, and
silver white. Hence it was not unusual to liken gold to blood, and this
explains why Shakespeare speaks of armour being gilt with blood (King
John ii. i. 316), and makes Lady Macbeth talk of gilding the groom's
faces with blood (Macbeth ii. 2. 56). See also Coriol. v. i. 63,64;
and the expression ' blood betokneth gold'; Cant. Tales, 1. 6163.

2061. 'A carbuncle (Fr. escarboucle) was a common [armorial]
bearing. See Guillim's Heraldry, p. 109.' — Tyrwhitt.

2062. Sir Thomas is made to swear by ale and bread, in ridiculous
imitation of the vows made by the swan, the heron, the pheasant, or
the peacock, on solemn occasions.

2065. lambeux, leggings, perhaps boots. Spenser bdrrows the word,
but spells it giambeux, F. Q. ii. 6. 29.

Quyrboilly, i. e. cuir bouilli, leather soaked in hot water to soften it
that it might take any required shape, after which it was dried and
became exceedingly stiff and hard. In Matthew Paris (anno 1 243) it is
said of the Tartars — ' De coriis bullitis sibi arma leuia quidem, sed tamen
impenetrabilia coaptarunt.' In Marco Polo, ed. Yule, ii. 49, it is said
of the men of Carajan, that they wear armour of boiled leather (French
text, armes cuiraces de cuir bouilli). Froissart (v. iv. cap. 19) says the
Saracens covered their targes with • cuir bouilli de Cappadoce, ou nul fer
ne peut prendre n'attacher, si le cuir n'est trop echaufe.' When Bruce
reviewed his troops on the morning of the battle of Bannockburn, he
wore, according to Barbour, ' ane hat of qwyrbolle ' on his ' basnet,' and
'ane hye croune' above that. Some remarks on cuir bouilli will be
found in Cutts, Scenes and Characters of the Middle Ages, p. 344.

2068. Rewel boon ; Rewel has never been quite explained, and, in the
first edition of the present work, I expressed a belief that it is, in some
one of its meanings, the French rouelle, Lat. rotella. Du Cange gives —
' Rotella, (i) parva rota ; (2) species clypei.' Roquefort gives — ' Rouele,
roelle, rouelle: Fortune, roue de fortune. Sous Philippe- Auguste on
nommoit ainsi une arme blanche fort large ; depuis on lui a donne la
forme d'un poignard ou d'une dague ; partie arrondie d'une lance.'
Also — ' Roelle, sorte de bouclier.' Cotgrave has — ' Rouelle, a little flat
ringe, a wheele of plate or iron in horse's bitts ; also, a round plate of
armour for defence of the arme hole when the arme is lifted up : and
generally, any small hoope, circle, ring, or round thing, thats moveable
in the place which it holds.' In modern English, the rowel of a spur is
well understood ; in the sense of a part of a bit, it occurs in Spenser, F.
Q- i 7- 37- In the Alliterative Morte Arthure, ed. Brock, 1. 3262, rowelle
means the rim of Fortune's wheel. In the Turnament of Tottenham, as
^printed in Percy's reliques, we read that Tyb had ' a garland on her hed
ful of rounde bonys,' where another copy has (says Halliwell, s. v. ruel)

THE RIME OF SIR THOPAS. 167

the reading — 'fulle of ruelle bones.' These melie-'bones were probably
merely round pieces of bone, pierced with a hole, and strung on a string.
Halliwell adds — 'In the romaunce of Rembrun, p. 458, the coping of a
wall is mentioned as made ' of fin ruwal, that schon swithe brighte.'
And in MS. Camb. Univ. Lib. Ff. v. 48, fol. 119, is the passage—
' Hir sadille was of renylle bone,

Semely was Jxit sight to se,
Stifly sette w«t& precious stone,

Compaste about w/tA crapote [toad-stone f].'

Again, in Sir Degrevant, 1. 1429, ed. Halliwell (in the Thornton
Romances, p. 236) :—

' Hyt [the roof~\ was buskyd above
With besauntus ful bryghth

All of ruel-bon.'

But I have lately come across another solution of the difficulty, en-
tirely different in character, yet worth some consideration. It may be
that rewel stands for the old Norman-French roal, ivory got from the
teeth of a whale. Quite near the beginning of the Vie de Seint Auban,
ed. Atkinson, we have—

' mes ne ert d'or adubbee, ne d'autre metal,
de peres premises, de ivoire ne roa/;'

i. e. but it was not adorned with gold nor other metal, nor with precious
stones, nor ivory, nor with roal. Du Cange gives a Low Lat. form
rohanlum, and an O. Fr. rochal, but Prof. Atkinson tells us that the MS.
quoted has rohallum and rohal. The passage occurs in the Laws of
Normandy about wreckage, and should run — ' dux sibi retinet . . ebur,
rohallum, lapides pretiosas;' or, in the French version, Tivoire, et le
rokal et les pierres precieuses.' In this case ruwel-boon might mean
ivory obtained from the cachalot, or narwhal, or walrus.

2071. Ciprees, cypress-wood. In the Assembly of Foules, 1. 179, we
have —

' The sailing firre, the cipres death to plaine * —
i. e. the cypress suitable for lamenting a death. Virgil calls the cypress
1 atra,' JEn. iii. 64, and ' feralis,' vi. 216; and as it is so frequently a
symbol of mourning, it may be said to bode war.

2078. In Sir Degrevant (ed. Halliwell, p. 191) we have just this
expression —

'Here endyth the furst fit.
Howe say ye? will ye any more of hit?'

2085. Loue-dmry, courtship. All the six MSS. have this reading.
The Had. MS. also has ' And of ladys loue drewery,' which Wright
silently altered.

2088. The romance or lay of Horn appears in two forms in English.

1 68 NOTES TO GROUP B.

In King Horn, ed. Lumby, Early Eng. Text Soc. 1866, printed also in
Matzner's Altenglische Sprachproben, i. 207, the form of the poem
is in short rimed couplets. But Chaucer no doubt refers to the
other form with the title Horn Childe and Maiden Rimnild, in the same
metre as Sir Thopas, printed in Ritson's Metrical Romances, iii. 282.
The Norman-French text was printed by F. Michel for the Bannatyne
Club, with the English versions, in a volume entitled — Horn et Riemen-
hild ; Recueil de ce qui reste des poemes relatifs a leurs aventures, &c.
Paris, 1845. See Mr. Lumby's preface and the remarks in Matzner.

It is not quite clear why Chaucer should mention the romance of Sir
Ypotis here, as it has little in common with the rest. There are four
MS. copies of it in the British Museum, and three at Oxford. ' It pro-
fesses to be a tale of holy writ, and the work of St. John the Evangelist.
The scene is Rome. A child, named Ypotis, appears before the
Emperor Adrian, saying that he is come to teach men God's law ;
whereupon the Emperor proceeds to interrogate him as to what is
God's law, and then of many other matters, not in any captious spirit.

but with the utmost reverence and faith There is a little tract

in prose on the same legend from the press of Wynkyn de Worde ; '
J. W. Hales, in Hazlitt's edition of Warton's Hist, of Eng. Poetry,
ii. 183.

The romance of Sir Bevis of Hampton (i. e. Southampton) has been
printed from the Auchinleck MS. for the Maitland Club in 1838, 410.
Another copy is in MS. Ff. 2. 38, in the Cambridge University Library.
There is an allusion in it to the Romans, meaning the French original.
It appears in prose also, in various forms. See Warton's Hist, of Eng.
Poetry, ed. Hazlitt, ii. 142, where there is also an account of Sir Guy,
in several forms ; but a still fuller account of Sir Guy is given in the Percy
Folio MS., ed. Hales and Furnivall, ii. 509. This Folio MS. itself con-
tains three poems on the latter subject, viz. Guy and Amarant, Guy and
Colbrande, and Guy and Phillis.

By Lybenx is meant Lybeaus Disconus, printed by Ritson in his
Metrical Romances, vol. ii, from the Cotton MS. Caligula A. 2. A later
copy, with the title Libius Disconius, is in the Percy Folio MS. ii. 404,
where a good account of the romance may be found. The French
original was discovered in 1855, "* a MS. belonging to the Due
d'Aumale. Its title is Li Biaus Desconneus, which signifies The Fair
Unknown.

Fleyndamoiir evidently means plein d'amonr, full of love, and we may
suspect that the original romance was in French ; but there is now no
trace of any romance of that name. Spenser probably borrowed hence
his Sir Blandamour, F. Q. iv. I. 32.

2094. Glood, glided. So in all the MS. except E., which has the

THE RIME OF SIR THOPAS. 169

poor reading rood, rode. For the expression in 1. 2095, compare the
following : —

'But whenne he was horsede on a stede,
He sprange als any sparke one [read of] glede ' ;

Sir Isumbras, ed. Halliwell, p. 107.
'Lybeaus was redy boun,
And lepte out of the arsoun [saddle-bow]
As sperk thogh out of glede ' ;

Lybeaus Disconus, in Ritson, ii. 27.
' Then sir Lybius with ffierce hart,
Out of his saddle swythe he start
As sparcle doth out of fyer ' ;

Percy Folio MS. ii. 440.

2092. After examining carefully the rimes in Chaucer's Canterbury
Tales, Mr. Bradshaw finds that this is the sole instance in which a word
which ought etymologically to end hi -ye is rimed with a word ending
in y without a following final e. A reason for the exception is easily
found ; for Chaucer has here adopted the swing of the ballad metre,
and hence ventures to deprive chiualrye of its final e, and to call it
chivalry1 so that it may rime with Gy, after the manner of the ballad-
writers. So again chiualrye, drurye become chiualry, drury; 11. 2084,
2085.

2106. The first few lines of the romance of Sir Perceval of Galles
(ed. Halliwell, p. i) will at once explain Chaucer's allusion. It
begins—

•Lef, lythes to me
Two wordes or thre
Of one that was faire and fre

And felle in his fighte;
His right name was Percyvelle,
He was fostered in the felle,
He dranlee water of the welle,
And jitt was he wyghtel"

Both Sir Thopas and Sir Perceval were water-drinkers, but it did not
impair their vigour.
In the same romance, p. 84, we find —

' Of mete ne dryiike he ne roghte,

So fulle he was of care I
Tille the nynte daye byfelle
That he come to a welle,
Tker he was wonte for to dtielle

And drynlt take him thare.'
These quotations set aside Mr. Jephson's interpretation, and solve

1 70 NOTES TO GROUP B.

Tyrwliitt's difficulty. Tynvhitt says that 'The Romance of Perceval
le Galois, or de Galis, was composed in octosyllable French verse by
Chrestien de Troyes, one of the oldest and best French romancers,
before the year 1191 ; Fauchet, 1. ii. c. x. It consisted of above 60,000
verses (Bibl. des Rom. t. ii. p. 250) so that it would be some trouble
to find the fact which is, probably, here alluded to. The romance, under
the same title, in French prose, printed at Paris, 1530, fol., can only be
an abridgement, I suppose, of the original poem.'

2107. Worthy vnder wede, well-looking in his armour. The phrase
is very common. Tyrwhitt says it occurs repeatedly in the romance of
Emare, and refers to folios 70, 71 b, 73 a, and 74 b of the MS. ; but the
reader may now find the romance in print ; see Ritson's Metrical
Romances, ii. pp. 214, 229, 235, 245. The phrase is used of ladies also,
and must then mean of handsome appearance when well-dressed. See
Amis and Amiloun, ed. Weber, ii. pp. 370, 375.

2108. The story is here broken off by the host's interruption.
MSS. Pt. and 111. omit this line, and MSS. Cp. and Ln. omit 11. 2105-7
as well.

NOTES TO SIR THOPAS END-LINK.

21 1 1. Of, by. Lewed/iesse, ignorance ; here, foolish talk.

21 1 2. Also, &c. ; as verily as (I hope) God will render my soul
happy. See Kn. Ta. 11. 1005, 1376.

2113. Drasty, filthy. Tyrwhitt and Bell print drafty, explained by
full of draff or refuse. But there is no such word ; the adjective (were
there one) would take the form draffy. See the Glossary.

2123. In geste, in the form of a story such as are in the Gesta
Romanorum. The Host means a tale in prose; there is no contradic-
tion, if lines 2124 and 2125 be kept together. 'Tell us,' he says, 'a
tale like those in the Gesta, or at least something in prose that is either
pleasant or profitable.'

2131. 'Although it is sometimes told in different ways by different
people.'

2137. 'And all agree in their general meaning.' Sentence, sense;
see 11. 2142, 2151.

2148. Read it — Tenforce with, &c., 'to enforce the moral of my story
with.'

3156. Al, the whole of; do not interrupt me again.

THE MONK'S PROLOGUE.

NOTES TO THE MONK'S PROLOGUE.

3079. The tale of Melibee is about a certain Melibeus and his wife
Prudence, who had a daughter called Sophie. One day, while Melibeus
is absent, four of his enemies break into his house, beat his wife, and
wound his daughter. On returning, he takes counsel as to what must
be done. He is for planning a method of revenge, but his wife advises
him to forgive the injuries, and in the end her counsels prevail.

3082. Corpus Madrian, body of Madrian : which has been inter-
preted in two ways. Urry guessed it to refer to St. Materne, bishop of
Treves, variously commemorated on the I4th, igih, or 25th of September,
the days of his translations being July 18 and October 23. Mr. Steevens
suggested, in a note printed in Tyrwhitt's Glossary, that the ' precious
body ' was that of St. Mathurin, priest and confessor, commemorated on
Nov. i or Nov. 9. The latter is more likely, since in his story in the
Golden Legende, edit. 1527, leaf 151 back, the expressions ' the precious
body ' and ' the holy body ' occur, and the story explains that his body
would not stay in the earth till it was carried back to France, where he
had given directions that it should be buried.

3083. ' Rather than have a barrel of ale, would I that my dear
good wife had heard this story.' Cf. note to 1. 3624.

Lief is not a proper name, as has been suggested, I believe, by some
one ignorant of early English idiom. Cf. ' Dear my lord,' Jul. Caesar,
ii. i. 255 ; and other instances in Abbott's Shakesp. Grammar, sect. 13.

3101. ' Who is willing (or who suffers himself) to be overborne by
everybody.'

3108. Neighebor, three syllables, as in 1. 3091 ; thannk, two syllables.

3112. Observe the curious use of seith for misseith.

3114. Monk. See him described in the Prologue, 1. 165.

3116. Rouechester. The MSS. have Rouchester, but the line then
halts. Tyrwhitt changed slant into stondeth, but all our seven MSS.
have slant. The name of the town was certainly Roveche^ter, in four
syllables. The spelling Hrofeceastre occurs in the A. S Chronicle, anno
1114, and this changes to Rotteceastre, anno 1130; later, Rouecestre,
Old Eng. Miscellany, ed. Morris, p. 145. Note too that the Latin
name was Rovecestria, Rhoffa, or Roffa. The presence of the »/
( = v) points clearly to an omission of the e ; for otherwise the scribes
should have written Rochester simply. Otherwise, we must put Lo into
a foot by itself, and scan the line thus — L6/Rouches/ter stant/heei
fdst/e by.

According to the arrangement of the tales in Tyrwhitt's edition, the
pilgrims reach Rochester after coming to Sittingborne (mentioned in

172 NOTES TO GROUP B.

the Wife of Bath's Prologue), though the latter is some eleven miles
nearer Canterbury. The present arrangement of the Groups remedies
this. See note to B 1165.

3117. Ryd forth, ride forward, draw near us.

3119. Wher, whether. Dan, for Dominus, a title of respect com-
monly used in addressing monks. But Chaucer even uses it of Arcite,
in the Knightes Tale.

3120. The monk's name was Piers. See 1. 3982, and the note.
31 24. Cf. ' He was not pale as a for-pyned goost ' ; Prol. 205.
3127. As to my doom, in my judgment.

3130. Scan the line — But/a g<5u/ernour/wyly/and wys/. ThePetworth
MS. inserts 'boj>* before 'wyly'; but this requires the very unlikely
accentuation ' governour ' and an emphasis on a. The line would scan
better if we might insert art, or lyk, after But, but there is no authority
for this.

3132. Read — A wil-farlng persdne, after which comes the pause, as
marked in E. and Hn.

3157. Souneth into, tends to, is consistent with; see Prol. 307, and
Sq. Ta. 517. The following extracts from Palsgrave's French Dictionary
are to the point. ' I sownde, I appartayne or belong, It tens. Thys
thyng sowndeth to a good purpose, Ceste chose tent a bonne fin? Also,
' I sownde, as a tale or a report sowndeth to ones honesty or dyshonesty,
le redonde. I promise you that this matter sowndeth moche to your
dishonoure, le vous promets que ceste matyere redonde fort a vostre deshon-
neur.'

3160. Seint Edward. There are two of the name, viz. Edward, king
and martyr, commemorated on March 16, 18, or 19, and the second
King Edward, best known as Edward the Confessor, commemorated on
Jan. 5. In Piers the Plowman, B. xv. 217, we have —

' Edmonde and Edwarde • eyther were kynges,
And seyntes ysette • tyl charite hem folwed."

But Edward the Confessor is certainly meant ; and there is a remarkable
story about him that he was ' warned of hys death certain clayes before
hce dyed, by a ring that was brought to him by certain pilgrims coming
fiom Hierusalem, which ring hee hadde secretly given to a poore man
that askyd hys charitie in the name of God and sainte Johan the Evan-
gelist.' See Mr. Wright's description of Ludlow Church, where are
some remains of a stained glass window representing this story, in the
eastern wall of the chapel of St. John. See also Chambers, Book of
Days, i. 53, 54, where we read — ' The sculptures upon the frieze of the
present shrine [in Westminster Abbey] represent fourteen scenes in the life
of Edward the Confessor. . . . He was canonized by Pope Alexander
about a century after his death . . . He was esteemed the patron-saint

THE MONK'S PROLOGUE. Ij$

of England until superseded in the thirteenth century by St. George.'
These fourteen scenes are fully described in Brayley's Hist, of West-
minster Abbey, in an account which is chiefly taken from a Life of St.
Edward written by Ailred of Rievaulx in 1163. Three 'Lives of
Edward the Confessor' were edited, for the Master of the Rolls, by
Mr. Luard in 1858. See Morley's Eng. Writers, i. 434.

3163. Celle, cell. The monks call it his cell because he was 'the
keper'ofit; Prol. 173.

3163. Tragedie; the final it would be slurred over before is, so that
for is required for the metre ; the phrase for to seyn is sufficiently
common. The definition of ' tragedy ' here given is repeated from
Chaucer's own translation of Boethius, which contains the remark —
' Glose. Tragedie is to seyne, a dite [ditty] of a prosperite for a tyme,
pat endij) in wrechednesse ' ; ed. Morris, p. 35. This remark is Chaucer's
own, as the word Glose marks his addition to, or gloss upon, his original.
His remark refers to a passage in Boethius immediately preceding, viz.
' Quid tragoediamm clamor aliud deflet, nisi indiscrete ictu fortunam
felicia regna uertentem '? De Consolatione Philosophiae, lib. ii. prosa 2.
See also the last stanza of ' Cresus ' in the Monkes Tale.

3169. Examelron, hexameter. Chaucer is speaking of Latin, not of
English verse ; and refers to the common Latin hexameter used in heroic
verse ; he would especially be thinking of the Thebaid of Statius, the
Metamorphoseon Liber of Ovid, th« Aeneid of Virgil, and Lucan's
Pharsalia. This we could easily have guessed, but Chaucer has himself
told us what was in his thoughts. For at the conclusion of his Troilus
and Creseide, which he calls a tragedie, he says—

•And kisse the steps whereas thou seest pace
Of Vergil, Ovid, Homer, Lucan, and Stace.'
Lucan is expressly cited in 1. 3909.

3170. In prose. For example, Boccaccio's De Casibus Virorum and
De Claris Mulieribus contain 'tragedies' in Latin prose. Cf. 11. 3655,
3910.

3171. In metre. For example, the tragedies of Seneca are in various
metres, chiefly iambic. See also note to 1. 3285.

3177. After hir ages, according to their periods ; in chronological
order. The probable allusion is to Boccaccio's De Casibus Virorum,
which begins with Adam and Nimrod, and keeps tolerably to the right
order. For further remarks on this, see the Preface,

174 NOTES TO GROUP B.

NOTES TO THE MONKES TALE.

3181. Tragedie ; accented on the second syllable, and riming with
remtdie; cf. 1. 3163. Very near the end of Troilus and Creseide, we
find Chaucer riming it with comedie. That poem he also calls a
tragedie —

•Go, lytel book, go, my lytel tragtdie? &c.

3183. Fillen, fell. Nas no, for ne was no, a double negative. Cf. Ch.
tr. of Boethius — ' and eke of present tyme now is ful of ensaumples how
J>at kynges ben chaunged in-to wrechednesse out of hir welefulnesse ' ;
ed. Morris, p. 75.

3186. The Harl. MS. has — 'Ther may no man the cours of hir
whiel holde,' which Mr. Wright prefers. But the reading of the Six-text
is well enough here ; for in the preceding line Chaucer is speaking
of Fortune under the image of a person fleeing away, to which he adds,
that no one can stay her course. Fortune is also sometimes represented
as stationary, and holding an ever-turning wheel, as in the Book of the
Duchesse, 643 ; but that is another picture.

3188. Be war by, take warning from.

LUCIFER.

3189. Lucifer, a Latin name signifying- light-Wringer, and properly
applied to the morning-star. In Isaiah xiv. 12 the Vulgate has — ' Quo-
modo cecidisti de caelo, Lucifer, qui mane oriebaris ? corruisti in terram,
qui uulnerabas gentes?' &c. St. Jerome, Tertullian, St. Gregory, and
other fathers, supposed this passage to apply to the fall of Satan. It
became a favourite topic for writers both in prose and verse, and the
allusions to it are innumerable. See note to Piers the Plowman, i. 105
(Clar. Press Series). Gower begins his eighth book of the Confessio
Amantis with the examples of Lucifer and Adam.

3192. Sinne, the sin of pride, as in all the accounts; probably from
I Tim. iii. 6. Thus Gower, Conf. Amant. lib. i. (vol. i. p. 153) —
' For Lucifer, with hem that felle,
Bar pride with hym into helle.
Ther was pride of to grete cost,
Whan he for pride hath heuen lost.'

3195. Artow, art thou. Sathanas, Satan. The Hebrew satan means
simply an adversary, as in i Sam. xxix. 4; 2 Sam. xix. 22; &c.
A remarkable application of it to the evil spirit is in Luke x. 18.
Milton also identifies Lucifer with Satan; Par. Lost, vii. 131 ; x. 425 ;
but they are sometimes distinguished, and made the names of two

THE MONKES TALE. 175

different spirits. A remarkable example of this occurs in Piers the
Plowman, B. xviii. 270-283.

3196. The Ellesmere MS. has a mark for a metrical pause after
miserie, pronounced misfrie.

ADAM.

3197. Boccaccio's De Casibus Virorum Illustrium begins with a
chapter ' De Adam et Eua.' It contains the passage — ' Et ex agro, qui
postea Damascenus, . . . ductus in Paradisum deliciarum.' Lydgate, in
his Fall of Princes (fol. a 5) has—

' Of slyme of the erlhe, in damascene the feelde
God made theym above eche creature.'

The notion of the creation of Adam in a field whereupon afterwards
stood Damascus, occurs in Peter Comestor's Historia Scholastica, where
we find (ed. 1526, fol. vii) — 'Quasi quereret aiiquis, Remansit homo in
loco vbi factus est, in agro scilicet damasceno ? Non. Vbi ergo trans-
latus est ? In paradisum.' See also Maundeville's Travels, cap. xv ;
Genesis and Exodus, ed. Morris, 1. 207 ; and note in Matzner's Alten-
glische Sprachproben, ii. 185.

3200. So Boccaccio — 'O caeca rerum cupiditas! Hii, quibus rerum
omnium, dante Deo, erat imperium,' &c. Cf. Gen. i. 29 ; ii. 16.

SAMPSON.

3205. The story of Sampson is also in Boccaccio, lib. i. c. 17 (not 19,
as Tyrwhitt says). But Chaucer seems mostly to have followed the
account in Judges xiii-xvi. The word annunciai, referring to the an-
nouncement of Samson's birth by the angel (Judges xiii. 3) may have
been suggested by Boccaccio, whose account begins — • Praenunciantt
per angelum Deo, ex Manue Israhelita quodam et pulcherrima eius
vxore Sanson progenitus est.' Thangel in 1. 3206 — the angel.

3207. Consecrat, consecrated. A good example of the use of the end-
ing -at ; cf. situate for situated. — M. Shakespeare has consecrate ; Com.
of Err. ii. 2. 134.

3208. Whyl he myghte see, as long as he preserved his eyesight.

3210. To speke of strengths, with regard to strength ; to speke of is a
kind of preposition. — M. Cf. Milton's Samson Agonistes, 126-150.

3211. Wyues. Samson told the secret of his riddle to his wife,
Judges xiv. 1 7 ; and of his strength to Delilah, id. xvi. 1 7.

3215. Alto-rente, completely rent in twain. The prefix to- has two
powers in Old English. Sometimes it is the preposition to in composi-
tion, as towards, or M. E. toflight (G. zuflvcht), a refuge. But more com-
monly it is a prefix signifying in twain, spelt zer- in German, and dis- in
Mceso-Gothic and Latin. Thus (o-ren!e = rent in twain ; to-burst = burst

)J6 NOTES TO GROUP B.

in twain, &c. The intensive adverb al, utterly, was used not merely (as
is commonly supposed) before verbs beginning with to-, but in other
cases also. Thus, in William of Palerae, 1. 872, we find — ' He was al
a-wondred? where al precedes the intensive prefix a- = A. S. of-. Again,
in the same poem, 1. 661, we have — ' al bi-weped for wo,' where al now
precedes the prefix bi-. In Barbour's Bruce, ed. Skeat, x. 596, is the
expression —

4 For, hapnyt ony to slyde or fall,

He suld be soyne to-fruichit al'

Where al to-fruschit means utterly broken in pieces. Perhaps the clearest
example of the complete separability of al from to is seen in 1. 3884 of
William of Palerne : —

' Al to-tare his atir • J>at he to-lere mist';

i. e. he entirely tore apart his attire, as much of it as he could tear apart.
But at a later period of English, when the prefix to- was less understood,
a new and mistaken notion arose of regarding al to as a separable prefix,
with the sense of all to pieces. I have observed no instance of this use
earlier than the reign of Henry VIII. Thus Surrey, Sonnet 9, has 'al-to
shaken ' for shaken to pieces. Latimer has — 'they love and al-to love
(i. e. entirely love) him ' ; Serm. p. 289. For other examples, see Al-to
in the Bible Word-book ; and my notes in Notes and Queries, 3 Ser. xii,

464. 535-

3220. Samson's wife was given to a friend ; Judges xiv. 20. She was
afterwards burnt by her own people ; Judges xv. 6.

3224. On every tayl; one brand being fastened to the tails of two
foxes ; Judg. xv. 4.

3225. Comes. The Vulgate has segetes and fruges ; also uineas for
vynes, and oliueta for oliueres. The plural form cornes is not uncommon
in Early English. Cf. ' Quen thair corns war in don,' i. e. when their
harvests were gathered in ; Spec, of Eng., pt. ii. ed. Morris and Skeat,
p. 70, 1. 39. And again, 'alle men-sleeris and brenneris of houses and
cornes [misprinted corves] ben cursed opynly in parische chirches";
Wyclifs Works, ed. Arnold, iii. 329.

3234. Wang-loth, molar tooth. This expression is taken from the
Vulgate, which has — ' Aperuit itaque Dominus molarem dentem in
maxilla asini ' ; where the A. V. has only — ' an hollow place that was in
the jaw'; Judg. xv. 19.

3236. Judicum, i. e. Liber Judicum, the Book of Judges. Cf. note
to 1. 93 above.

3237. Gazan, a corruption of Gazam, the ace. case, in Judg. xvi. I.
Vulgate version.

3244. Ne hadde been, there would not have been. Since hadde is here
the subjunctive mood, it is dissyllabic. Read- worlds n' hadde.

THE MONKES TALE, 177

3245. Sicer, from the Lat. sicera, Greek aiKtpa, strong drink, is the
word which we now spell cider; see Wyclif's Works, ed. Arnold, i.
363, note. It is used here because found in the Vulgate version of
Judges xiii. 7 ; ' caue r.e uinum bibas, nee siceram.' I slightly amend
the spelling of the MSS., which have citer, siser, sythir, cyder. Wyclif
has sither, cyther, sidir, sydt/r.

3249. Twenty winter, twenty years; Judg. xvi. 31. The English used
to reckon formerly by winters instead of years; as may be seen in a great
many passages in the A.S. Chronicle.

3253. Dalida. The Vulgate has Dalila; but Chaucer (or his scribes)
naturally adopted a form which seemed to have a nearer resemblance to
an accusative case, such being, at that time, the usual practice ; cf.
Briseide (from Briseida), and Annelida. Lydgale also uses the form
Dalida, as in the Septuagint and in Wyclif.

3259. In this array, in this (defenceless) condition.

3264. Querne, hand-mill. The Vulgate has — 'et clausum in carcere
molere fecerunt ' ; Judg. xvi. a i . But Boccaccio says — ' ad molas
manuarias coegere.' The word occurs in the House of Fame, iii. 708 ;
and in Wyclif's Bible, Exod. xi. 5 ; Mat. xxiv. 41. In the Ayenbite of
Inwyt, ed. Morris, p. 181, the story of Samson is alluded to, and it is
said of him that he 'uil [fell] into )>e honden of his yuo [foes'], J>et him
deden grinde ate qverne ssamuolliche,' i.e. who made him grind at the
mill shamefully (in a shameful manner). Lydgate copies the passage
rather closely, in his Fall of Princes, fol. e 7 : —
' And of despite, after as I fynde,
At their quernes made hym for to grinde.'

3269. Thende, the end. Caytif means (i) a captive, (2) a wretch. It
is therefore used here very justly.

3274. Two filers, better than the reading the pilers of MS. E. ; because
two are expressly mentioned ; Judg. xvi. 29.

3282. So Boccaccio — 'Sic aduersa credulitas, sic amantis pietas, sic
mulieris egit inclyta fides. Vt quern non poterant homines, non uincula,
non ferrum uincere, a mulieribus latrunculis uinceretur.' Lydgate has
the expressions —

'Beware by Sampson your counseyll well to kepe,
Though [misprinted That] Dalida compleyne, crye, and wepe';
and again: —

'Surfre no nightworm within your counseyll crepe,'
Though Dalida compleyne, crye, and wepe.'

HERCULES.

3285. There is little about Hercules in Boccaccio ; but Chaucer's
favourite author, Ovid, has his story in the Metamorphoses, book ix,

VOL. II. N

178 NOTES TO GROUP B.

and Heroides, epist. 9. Tyrwhitt, however, has shewn that Chaucer
more immediately copies a passage in Boethius, de Cons. Phil. lib. iv,
met. 7, which is as follows : —

• Herculem duri celebrant labores ;

Ille Centauros domuit superbos;

Abstulit saeuo spolium leoni ;

Fixit et certis uolucres sagittis;

Poma cernenti rapuit draconi,

Aureo laeuam grauior metallo;

Cerberum traxit triplici catena.

Uictor immitem posuisse fertur

Pabulum saeuis dominum quadrigis.

Hydra combusto periit ueneno ;

Fronte turpatus Achelous aninis

Ora demersit pudibunda ripis.

Strauit Antaeum Libycis arenis,

Cacus Euandri satiauit iras,

Quosque pressurus foret altus orbis

Setiger spumis humeros notauit.

Ultimus caelum labor irreflexo

Sustulit collo, pretiumque rursus

Ultimi caelum meruit laboris.'

But it is still more interesting to see Chaucer's own version of this pas-
sage, which is as follows (ed. Morris, p. 147) : —

' Hercules is celebrable for his harde trauaile ; he dawntede )>e proude
Centauris, half hors, half man ; and he rafte ]>e despoylynge fro J>e cruel
lyoun ; J>at is to seyne, he slous ]>e lyoun and rafte hym hys skyn. He
smot J>e birds J>at hysten arpijs in ]>e palude of lyrne wty certeyne arwes.
He rauyssede applis fro ])e wakyng dragoun / & hys hand was ]>e more
heuy for J>e goldene metal. He drous Cerberus ]>e hound of helle by his
treble cheyne ; he, ouer-comer, as it is seid, hap put an vnmeke lorde
fodre to his cruel hors; J)is is to sein, )>at hercules slouj diomedes and
made his hors to etyn hym. And he, hercules, slou} Idra J?e serpent &
brende )>e venym ; and achelaus ]>e flode, defoulede in his forhede, dreinte
his shamefast visage in his strondes ; ]>is is to seyn, ]>at achelaus couj>e
transfigure hymself into dyuerse lykenesse, & as he faujt wi]> ercules, at
| e laste he turnide hym in-to a bole [bull] ; and hercules brak of oon of
hys homes, & achelaus for shame hidde hym in hys ryuer. And he,
hercules, caste adoun Antheus ]>e geaunt in J?e strondes of libye ; & kacus
apaisede )>e wra)>J.es of euander ; Jus is to sein, J>at hercules slous ]>e
monstre kacus & apaisede wij) ]>at deej> J>e wra}>)>e of euander. And ]>e
bristlede boor markede wij> scomes [scums, foam] \>e sholdres of hercules,
\ e whiche sholdres pe heye cercle of heuene sholde Jireste [was to rest

THE MONKES TALE. 179

vpon\. And )>e laste of his labours was, J>at he sustenede ]>e heuene upon
his nekke unbowed ; & he deseruede eftsones pe heuene to ben ])e pris of
his laste trauayle.'

And in his House of Fame, book iii, he mentions—
' Alexander, and Hercules,
That with a sherte his lyf did lese.'

3288. Hercules' first labour was the slaying of the Nemean lion,
whose skin he often afterwards wore.

3289. Centauros; this is the very form used by Boethius, else we might
have expected Centaurus or Centaures. After the destruction of the Ery-
manthian boar, Hercules slew Pholus the centaur; and (by accident)
Chiron.

3290. Arpies, harpies. The sixth labour was the destruction of the
Stymphalian birds, who ate human flesh.

3291. The eleventh labour was the fetching of the golden apples,
guarded by the dragon Ladon, from the garden of the Hesperides.

3292. The twelfth labour was the bringing of Cerberus from the
lower world.

3293. Bmirus. Here Chaucer has confused two stories. One is,
that Busiris, a king of Egypt, used to sacrifice all foreigners who came
to Egypt, till the arrival of Hercules, who slew him. The other is ' the
eighth labour,' when Hercules killed Diomedes, a king in Thrace, who
fed his mares with human flesh, till Hercules slew him and gave his
body to be eaten by the mares, as Chaucer himself says in his transla-
tion. The confusion was easy, because the story of Busiris is mentioned
elsewhere by Boethius, bk. ii. pr. 6, in a passage which Chaucer thus
translates (ed. Morris, p. 53) : — ' I have herd told of busirides Jat was
wont to sleen hys gestes [guests] fat herburghden [lodged] in hys hous ;
and he was slayn hym-self of ercules J?at was hys gest.' Lydgate tells
the story of Busiris correctly.

3295. Serpent, i.e. the Lernean hydra, whom Chaucer, in the passage
from Boethius, calls ' Idra the serpent.'

3296. Achelois, seems to be used here as a genitive form from a nomi-
native A chelo; in his translation of Boethius we find Achelaus. The
spelling of names by old authors is often vague and uncertain. The line
means — he broke one of the two horns of Achelous. The river-god
Achelous, in his fight with Hercules, took the form of a bull, where-
upon the hero broke off one of his horns.

3297. The adventures with Cacus and Antaeus^ are well known.

3299. The fourth labour was the destruction of the Erymanthian
boar.

3300. Longe, for a long time; in the margin of MS. Camb. Univ. Lib.
Dd. 4. 24, is written the gloss diu.

N 2

l8o NOTES TO GROUP B.

3307. The allusion is to the 'pillars' of Hercules. The expression
1 both ends of the world ' refers to the extreme points of the continents
of Europe and Africa, world standing here for continent. The story is
that Hercules erected two pillars, Calpe and Abyla, on the two sides of
the Straits of Gibraltar. The words ' seith Trophee ' seem to refer to
an author named Trophaeus. In Lydgate's prologue to his P'all of
Princes, st. 41, he says of Chaucer that —

'In youth he made a translacion
Of a boke whiche called is Trophe,
In Lumbarde tonge, as men may rede and sc;
And in our vulgar, long er that he deyde,
Gave it the name of Troylus and Creseyde.'

This seems to say that Trophe was the name of a book in Italian,
whence Chaucer drew his story of Troilus. But the notion must be
due to some mistake, since that work was taken from the ' Filostrato '
of Boccaccio. The only trace of the name of Trophoeus as an author is in
a marginal note — possibly Chaucer's own — which appears in both the
Ellesmere and Hengwrt MSS., viz. ' Ille vates Chaldeorum Tropheus.'

3311. Tkise clerkes, meaning probably Ovid and Boccaccio. See
Ovid's Heroides, epist. ix, entitled Deianira Herculi, and Metamorph.
lib. ix ; Boccaccio, De Casibus Virorum Illustrium, lib. i. cap. xviii., and
De Mulieribus Claris, cap. xxii. See also the Trachinise of Sophocles.
33!5- Wered, worn ; so in 1. 3320 we find wered for the form of the
past tense. Instances of verbs with weak preterites in Chaucer, but
strong ones in modern English, are rare indeed ; but there are several
instances of the contrary, e.g. wsp, slep, wesh, wex, now wept, slept,
washed, waxed. Wore is due to analogy with bore ; cf. could for coud.

3317. Both Ovid and Boccaccio represent Deianira as ignorant of the
fatal effects which the shirt would produce. See Ovid, Metam. ix. 133.
Had Chaucer written later, he might have included Gower among the
clerks, as the latter gives the story of Hercules and Deianira in his
Conf. Amantis, lib. ii., following Ovid. Thus he says—
' With wepend eye and woful herte
She tok out thilke vnhappie sherle,
As she that wende wel to do.'

3326. For long upbraidings of Fortune, see The Boke ot the Duchesse,
617; Rom. Rose, 5407; Boethius, ed. Morris, p. 35.

r

NABUGODONOSOR.

3335. Nabngodonosor ; generally spelt Nabtichodonosor in copies of
the Vulgate, of which the other spelling is a mere variation Gower
has the same spelling as Chaucer, and relates the story near the end of

THE MONKES TALE. l8l

book i. of the Conf. Amantis. Both no doubt took it directly from
Daniel i-iv.

3338. The vessel is here an imitation of the French idiom ; F. vaisselle
means the plate, as Mr. Jephson well observes. Cf. 1. 3494.

3349. In the word statue the second syllable is rapidly slurred over,
like that in glorie in 1. 3340. See the same effect in the Kn. Tale,
11- "7. I097-

BALTHASAR.

3373- Balthazar; so spelt by Boccaccio, who relates the story very
briefly, De Cas. Virorum Illust., lib. ii. cap. 19. So also, by Peter
Comestor, in his Historia Scholastica ; and by Gower, Conf. Amant.,
lib. v. The Vulgate generally has Baltassar; Daniel, cap. v.

3379. And ther he lay; cf. 1. 3275 above.

3384. The word tho is supplied for the metre. The scribes have con-
sidered vesselles (sic) as a trisyllable; but see 11. 3391, 3416, 3418.

3388. Of, for. Cf. the old phrase 'thank God of all,' i.e. for all;
occurring in Chaucer's ' Fie fro the pres,' 1. 19. — M.

3422. Trust to. This reading, from the Cambridge MS., is perhaps
the best; cf. 'trust nat to hem,' B. 2374. Tynvhitt has trusteth in the
plural, but thou is used throughout. The singular imperative, however,
may take the form trus/e. Elsewhere Chaucer also has ' on whom \ve
trvste,' Prol. 501 ; ' truste on fortune,' B. 3326; cf. ' syker on to trosten,'
P. PI. Crede, I. 350.

3427. Darius, so accented. Degree, rank, position.

3436. Prouerbe. The allusion is, in the first place, to Boethius, de
Cons. Phil., bk. iii. pr. 5 — ' Sed quern felicitas amicum fecit, infortunium
faciet inimicum ' ; which Chaucer translates — ' Certys swiche folk as
weleful fortune make]) frendes, contrarious fortune make> hem enmyse' ;
PP- ?6» 77 (ed. Morris). Cf. Prov. xix. 4 — 'Wealth makelh many
friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour,' &c. So also
—'If thou be brought low, he [i.e. thy friend] will be against thee, and
will hide himself from thy face' ; Ecclus. vi. 12. In Hazlitt's Collection
of English Proverbs, p. 235, we find —

' In time of prosperity, friends will be plenty ;
In time of adversity, not one among twenty.*

See also note to 1. 120 above, p. 139; and, not to multiply instances,
note st. 19 of Goldsmith's Hermit : —

' And what is friendship but a name,

A charm that lulls to sleep;
A shade that follows wealth or fame,
And leaves the wretch to weep?'

1 82 NOTES TO GROUP B.

ZENOBIA.

3437. Cenobta. The story of Zenobia is told by Trebellius Pollio,
who flourished under Constantino, in cap. xxix. of his work entitled Tri-
ginta Tyranni ; but Chaucer no doubt followed later accounts, one of
which was clearly that given by Boccaccio in his De Mulieribus Claris,
cap. xcviii. Boccaccio relates her story again in his De Casibus Viro-
rum, lib. viii. c. 6 ; in an edition of which, printed in 1 544, I find
references to the biography of Aurelian by Flavius Vopiscus, to the
history of Orosius, lib. vii. cap. 23, and to Baptista Fulgosius, lib. iv.
cap. 3. Palmyra is described by Pliny, Nat. Hist. lib. v. cap. 25.
Zenobia's ambition tempted her to endeavour to make herself a Queen
of the East, instead of remaining merely Queen of Palmyra ; but she
was defeated by the Roman emperor Aurelian, A.D. 373, and carried to
Rome, where she graced his triumph, A.D. 274. She survived this dis-
grace for some years.

Palymerie. Such is the spelling in the best MSS. ; but MS. HI.
reads — ' of Palmire the queene.' It is remarkable that MS. Trin. Coll.
Cam. R. 3. 19 has the reading — ' Cenobia, of Belmary quene,' which
suggests that Belmarie, in the Prol. 1. 57, is merely another form of
Palmyra ; but see Barbour's Bruce, xx. 393. It occupied the site of the
ancient Tadmor, or ' city of palmtrees,' in an oasis of the Great Syrian
desert. It has been in ruins since about A.D. 1400.

3441. In the second ne in, the e is slurred over; cf. «/«, Sq. Tale 35.

3442. Perse. This seems to be Chaucer's mistake. Boccaccio says
expressly that she was of the race of the Ptolemies of Egypt ; but further
on he remarks — ' Sic cum Persis et Armenis principibus, vt illos urbani-
tate et facetia superaret.' This may account for the confusion.

3446. Boccaccio says (de Mul. Clar.) — ' Dicunt autem hanc a pueritia
sua spretis omnino muliebribus officiis, cum iam corpusculum eduxisset
in robur, syluas & nemora incoluisse plurimum, & accinctam pharetra,
ceruis caprisque cursu atque sagittis fuisse infestam. Inde cum in
acriores deuenisset uires, ursus amplecti ausam, pardos, leonesque insequi,
obuios expectare, capere & occiclere, ac in praedam trahere." This
accounts for the word office, and may shew how closely Chaucer has
followed his original.

3497. She was acquainted with Egyptian literature, and studied Greek
under the philosopher Longinus, author of a celebrated treatise on ' The
Sublime.'

3502. Housbonde. Her husband was Odenathus, or Odenatus, the
ruler of Palmyra, upon whom the emperor Gallienus had bestowed the
title of Augustus. He was murdered by some of his relations, and
some have insinuated that Zenobia consented to the crime. She

THE MONKES TALE. 183

succeeded him, and assumed the imperial diadem, A.D. 266. Most
scribes spell the name OnedaJte, by metathesis for Odenake (Odenate),
like the spelling Adrians for Ariadne.

3507. Doon hem flee, cause them (her and her husband) to flee.

3510. Sapor I reigned over Persia A.D. 240-273. He defeated the
emperor Valerian, whom he kept in captivity for the rest of his life.
After conquering Syria and taking Csesarea, he was defeated by Odenatus
and Zenobia, who founded a new empire at Palmyra.

3511. Proces, succession of events. Fil, fell, befell.

3512. Title, pronounced nearly as title in French, the e being elided
before had.

3515. Petrark. Tyrwhitt suggests that perhaps Boccaccio's book had
fallen into Chaucer's hands under the name of Petrarch. We may,
however, suppose that Chaucer had read the account in a borrowed
book, and did not quite remember whether Petrarch or Boccaccio was
the author. Instances of similar mistakes are common enough in Early
English. Modern readers are apt to forget that, in the olden times,
much information had to be carried in the memory, and there was seldom
much facility for verification or for a second perusal of a story.

3519. Cruelly. The Harl. MS. has the poor reading trewely, mis-
written for crewely.

3525. Claudius II, emperor of Rome, A.D. 268-270. He succeeded
Gallienus, as Chaucer says, and was succeeded by Aurelian.

3535. Boccaccio calls them Heremianvs and Timolatts.

3550. Char, chariot. Boccaccio describes this ' currum, quern sibi ex
auro gemmisque praeciocissimum Zenobia fabricari fecerat.'

3556. Charged, heavily laden. She was so laden with chains of
massive gold, and covered with pearls and gems, that she could scarcely
support the weight ; so says Boccaccio.

3562. Vitremyte. I have no doubt this reading (as in Tyrwhitt) is
correct. All the six MSS. in the Six-text agree in it. The old printed
editions have aittremiie, a mere corruption ; and the Harl. MS. has
wyniermyte, which I take to be an attempt to make sense of a part of the
word, just as we have turned ecrevisse into cray-jish. What the word
means, is another question ; it is perhaps the greatest ' crux ' in Chaucer.
As the word occurs nowhere else, the solution I offer is a mere guess.
I suppose it to be a coined word, formed on the Latin vitream mitram,
expressing, literally, a glass head-dress, in complete contrast to a strong
helmet. My reasons for supposing this are as follows.

(i) With regard to mitra. In Low-Latin, its commonest meaning
is a woman's head-dress. But it was especially and widely used as
a term of mockery, both in Latin, Italian, Spanish, and French. The
mitra was the cap which criminals were made to wear as a sign of

184 NOTES TO GROUP B.

degradation ; see Carpenter's Supp. to Ducange, s. v. Mitra; Vocabulario
degli Accad. della Crusca, s. v. Mitera; and any large Spanish Diet. s. v.
Mitra. Even Cotgrave has — 'Mitre, mitred; hooded with a miter,
wearing a miter; set on a pillory or scaffold, with a miter of paper on
his head.* The chief difficulty in this derivation is the loss of the r.

(a) With regard to vitream. This may refer to a proverb, probably
rather English than foreign, to which I have never yet seen a reference.
But its existence is clear. To give a man ' a glazen hood ' meant, in
Old English, to mock, delude, cajole. It appears in Piers the Plowman,
B. xx. 171, where a story is told of a man who, fearing to die, consulted
the physicians, and gave them large sums of money, for which they
gave him in return ' a glasen houve,' i. e. a hood of glass, a thing that
was no defence at all. So also ' And madest me an houve of glas ' ;
Poems of Walter Mapes, ed. Wright, p. 337, 1. 6. Still clearer is the
allusion to the same proverb in Chaucer himself, in a passage never yet
explained, in Troil. and Cres. v. 469, where Fortune is said to have an
intention of deluding Troilus ; or, as the poet says,

' Fortune his howne intended bet to glase,'

i.e. literally, Fortune intended to glaze his hood still better for him, i.e.
to make a still greater fool of him. In the Aldine edition, howue is
printed howen in this passage, but howue occurs elsewhere ; Tyrwhitt
has hove, a common variation of hoivue. If this note is unsatisfactory,
I may yet claim to have explained in it at least one long-standing
difficulty ; viz. this line in Troilus. Tyrwhitt long ago explained that,
in Chaucer, the phrases to set a man's hood, and to set a man's cap, have a
like meaning, viz. to delude him. Chaucer uses verre for glass in
another passage of a similar character, viz. in Troil. and Cres. ii. 867,
where we read —

• And forthy, who that hath an hede of verre
Fro cast of stones ware him in the werre."

3564. A distaf. This is from Boccaccio's other account, in the De
Casibus Virorum. ' Haec nuper imperatoribus admiranda, mine uenit
miseranda plebeis. Haec nunc galeata concionari militibus assueta,
mine uelata cogitur muliercularum audire fabellas. Haec nuper Orienti
praesidens sceptra gestabat, nunc Romae subiacens, colum, sicut ceterae,
baiulat.' Zenobia survived her disgrace for some years, living at Rome
as a private person on a small estate which was granted to her, and
which, says Trebellius Pollio, ' hodie Zenobia dicitur.'

PETER, KING OF SPAIN.

3565. See the Preface for the order in which the parts of the Monk's
Tale are arranged. I follow here the arrangement in the Harleian MS.
Peter, king of Castile, born in 1334, is generally known as Pedro the

THE MONKES TALE. 185

Cruel. He reigned over Castile and Leon from 1350 to 1362, and his
conduct was marked by numerous acts of unprincipled atrocity. After
a destructive civil war, he fell into the hands of his brother, Don
Enrique (Henry). A personal struggle took place between the brothers,
in the course of which Enrique stabbed Pedro to the heart ; March 23,
1 369. See the ballad by Sir Walter Scott, entitled the Death of Don
Pedro, in Lockhart's Spanish Ballads, commencing —
' Henry and Don Pedro clasping

Hold in straining arms each other;
Tugging hard and closely grasping,

Brother proves his strength with brother.*

It is remarkable that Pedro was very popular with his own party, despite
his crimes, and Chaucer takes his part because our Black Prince fought
on the side of Pedro against Enrique at the battle of Najera, April 3,
1367; and because John of Gaunt married Constance, daughter of
Pedro, about Michaelmas, 1371.

3573- See the description of Du Gueschlin's arms as given below.
The ' field ' was argent, and the black eagle appears as if caught by
a rod covered with birdlime, because the bend dexter across the shield
seems to restrain him from flying away. The first three lines of the
stanza refer to Bertrand Du Gneschlin, who ' brew,' i. e. contrived
Pedro's murder, viz. by luring him to Enrique's tent. But the last three
lines refer to another knight who, according to Chaucer, took a still
more active part in the matter, being a worker in it. This second
person was a certain Sir Oliver Mauny, whose name Chaucer conceals
under the synonym of wicked nest, standing for O. Fr. matt ni, where man
is O. Fr. for mal, bad or wicked, and ni is O. Fr. for nid, Lat. nidus, a
nest. Observe too, that Chaucer uses the word need, not deed. There
may be an excellent reason for this ; for, in the course of the struggle
between the brothers, Enrique was at first thrown, ' when (says Lock-
hart) one of Henry's followers, seizing Don Pedro by the leg, turned
him over, and his master, thus at length gaining the upper hand,
instantly stabbed the king to the heart. Froissart calls this man the
Vicomte de Roquebetyn, and others the Bastard of Anisse.' I have no
doubt that Chaucer means to tell us that the helper in Enrique's need
was no other than Mauny. He goes on to say that this Mauny was not
like Charles the Great's Oliver, an honourable peer, but an Oliver of
Armorica, a man like Charles's Ganelon, the well-known traitor, of
whom Chaucer elsewhere says (Book of the Duchess, 1. 1121) —
' Or the false Geniloun,
He that purchased the trayson
Of Rouland and of Olivere.'
This passage has long been a puzzle, but was first cleared up by an

1 86 NOTES TO GROUP B.

excellent letter by Mr. Furnivall in Notes and Queries, which I here
subjoin ; I may give myself the credit, however, of identifying ' wicked
nest ' with O. Fr. man ni.

' The first two lines [of the stanza] describe the arms of Bertrand du
Guesclin, which were, a black double-headed eagle displayed on a silver
shield, with a red band across the whole, from left to right [in heraldic
language a bend dexter, gules] — " the lymrod coloured as the glede " or
live coal — as may be seen in Anselme's Histoire G6nealogique de France,
and a MS. Genealogies de France in the British Museum. Next, if we
turn to Mr. D. F. Jamison's excellent Life and Times of Bertrand du
Guesclin, we not only find on its cover Bertrand's arms as above
described, but also at vol. ii. p. 92-4, an account of the plot and murder
to which Chaucer alludes, and an identification of his traitorous or
" Genylon " Oliver, with Sir Oliver de Mauny of Brittany (or Armorica),
Bertrand's cousin [or, according to Froissart, cap. 245, his nephew].

• After the battle of Monteil, on March 14, 1369, Petro was besieged
in the castle of Monteil near the borders of La Mancha, by his brother
Enrique, who was helped by Du Guesclin and many French knights.
Finding escape impossible, Pedro sent Men Rodriguez secretly to Du
Guesclin with an offer of many towns and 200,000 gold doubloons if
he would desert Enrique and reinstate Pedro. Du Guesclin refused the
offer, and " the next day related to his friends and kinsmen in the camp,
and especially to his cousin, Sir Oliver de Mauny, what had taken place."
He asked them if he should tell Enrique ; they all said yes : so he told
the king. Thereupon Enrique promised Bertrand the same reward that
Pedro had offered him, but asked him also to assure Men Rodriguez of
Pedro's safety if he would come to his (Du Guesclin's) lodge. Relying
on Bertrand's assurance, Pedro came to him on March 23 ; Enrique
entered the lodge directly afterwards, and after a struggle, stabbed Pedro,
and seized his kingdom.

' We see then that Chaucer was justified in asserting that Du Guesclin
and Sir Oliver Mauny "brew this cursednesse"; and his assertion has
some historical importance; for as his patron and friend, John of
Gaunt, married one of Pedro's daughters [named Constance] as his
second wife [Michaelmas, 1371], Chaucer almost certainly had the
account of Pedro's death from his daughter, or one of her attendants,
and is thus a witness for the truth of the narrative of the Spanish
chronicler Ayala, given above, against the French writers, Froissart,
Cuvelier, &c., who make the Begue de Villaines the man who inveigled
Pedro. This connection of Chaucer with John of Gaunt and his second
wife must excuse the poet in our eyes for calling so bad a king as Pedro
the Cruel "worthy" and "the glovie of Spayne, whom Fortune heeld so
heigh in magestee."

THE MONKES TALE. 187

' In the Corpus MS. these knights are called in a side-note Bertheun
Claykyw (which was one of the many curious ways in which Du
Guesclin's name was spelt) and Olyuer Mawny ; in MS. Harl. 1758,
they are called Barthilmewe Claykeynne and Olyuer Mawyn ; and in
MS. Lansdowne 851 they are called Betelmewe Claykyn and Oliner
Mawnye. Mauni or Mauny was a well-known Armorican or Breton
family. Chaucer's epithet of "Genylon" for Oliver de Mauny is
specially happy, because Genelon was the Breton knight who betrayed
to their death the great Roland and the flower of Charlemagne's knights
to the Moors at Roncesvalles. Charles's or Charlemagne's great paladin,
Oliver, is too well known to need more than a bare mention.' — F. J.
Furnivall, in Notes and Queries, 4th Series, viii. 449.

PETER, KING OF CYPRUS.

3581. In a note to Chaucer's Prologue, 1. 51, Tyrwhitt says—
' Alexandria in Egypt was won, and immediately afterwards abandoned,
in 1365, by Pierre de Lusignan, king of Cyprus. The same Prince, soon
after his accession to the throne in 1352, had taken Satalie, the antient
Attalia ; and in another expedition about 1367 he made himself master
of the town of Layas in Armenia. Compare n Memoire sur les
Ouvrages de Guillaume de Machaut, Acad. des Ins. torn. xx. pp. 426,
432, 439 ; and Memoire sur la Vie de Philippe de Maizieres, torn. xvii.
p. 493.' He was assassinated in 1369.

BARNABO OF LOMBARDY.

3589. 'Bemabo Visconti, duke of Milan, was deposed by his nephew
and thrown into prison, where he died in 1385.' — Tyrwhitt. This date
of 1385 is that of the latest circumstance incidentally referred to in the
Canterbury Tales.

UGOLINO OF PISA.

3597. ' Chaucer himself has referred us to Dante for the original of
this tragedy: see Inferno, canto xxxiii.' — Tyrwhitt. An account of
Count Ugolino- is given in a note to Gary's Dante, from Villani, lib. vii.
capp. 120-127. This account is different from Dante's, and represents
him as very treacherous. He made himself master of Pisa in July
1288, but in the following March was seized by the Pisans, who threw
him, with his two sons, and two of his grandsons, into a prison, where
they perished of hunger in a few days. Chaucer says three sons, the
.eldest being five years of age. Dante says/cwr sons.

3606. Roger; i. e. the Archbishop Ruggieri degli Ubaldini, who was
Ugolino's enemy.

3616. I have ventured to insert ne to improve the scansion of the line.
Besides, it is usual to insert it in such a case, and perhaps the scribes

l88 NOTES TO GROUP E.

simply omitted it by accident. The Harl. MS. has — ' lie herd it wel,
but he saugh it nought'; where Mr. Jephson inserts tie before saugh
without any comment.

• The hour drew near

When they were wont to bring us food ; the mind
Of each misgave him through his dream, and I
. Heard, at its outlet underneath, lock'd up

The horrible tower: whence, uttering not a word,
I look'd upon the visage of my sons.
I wept not: so all stone I felt within.
They wept: and one, my little Anselm, cried,
"Thou lookest so! Father, what ails thee?"'&c.

Gary's Dante.

3621. Dante does not mention the ages; but he says that the son
named Gaddo died on the fourth day, and the other three on the fifth
and sixth days. Observe that Chaucer's tender lines, 11. 3623-8, are his
own.

3624. Morsel breed, morsel of bread ; cf. barel ale for barrel of ale,
L 3083.- M.

3636. ' I may lay the blame of all my woe upon thy false wheel.'
Cf. 1. 3860.

3640. Two ; there were now but two survivors, the youngest, accord-
ing to Chaucer, being dead.

'They, who thought
I did it through desire of feeding, rose
O' the sudden, and cried, " Father, we should grieve
Far less, if thou wouldst eat of us : thou gavest
These weeds of miserable flesh we wear,
And do thou strip them off from us again.'"

Gary's Dante.

3651. Dante; i.e. Dante Alighieri, the great poet of Italy, born in
1 265, died Sept. 14, 1321. Chaucer mentions him again in his House
of Fame, book i, as the author of the Inferno, in the Prologue to the
Legend of Good Women, 1. 361, and in the Wyf of Bathes Tale.

NERO.

3655. Swetonius; this refers to the Lives of the Twelve Caesars by
Suetonius; but it would be a mistake to suppose that Chaucer has
followed his account very closely. Our poet seems to have had a habit
of mentioning authorities whom he did not immediately follow, by which
he seems to have meant no more than that they were good authorities
upon the subject. Here, for instance, he merely means that we can
find in Suetonius a good account of Nero, which will give us all minor

THE MONKES TALE. 189

details. But in reality he draws the story more immediately from other
sources, especially from Boccaccio, De Casibus Virorum, lib. vii. cap. 4,
from the Roman de la Rose, and from Boethius, de Cons. Fhilos. lib. ii.
met. 6, and lib. iii. met. 4. The English Romaunt of the Rose does not
contain the passage about Nero, but it is interesting to refer to Chaucer's
translation of Boethius. Vincent of Beauvais has an account of Nero,
in his Speculum Historiale, lib. ix. capp. 1-7, in which he chiefly
follows Suetonius. See also Orosius, lib. vii. 7 ; and Eutropius, lib. vii.
3657. South; the MSS. have North, but it is fair to make the
correction, as Chaucer certainly knew the sense of Septemtrioun, and the
expression is merely borrowed from the Roman de la Rose, 1. 6501,
where we read,

'Ce desloyal, que je te dy,
Et d'Orient et de Midy,
D'Occident, de Septentrion,
Tint il la jurisdicion.'

And, in his Boethius, after saying that Nero ruled from East to West,
he adds — ' And eke Jris Nero gouemede by Ceptre alle }>e peoples fat
ben vndir fe colde sterres J>at hyjten fe seuene triones ; fis is to seyn,
he gouernede alle fe poeples |)at ben vndir fe parties of J>e norfe. And
eke Nero gouerned alle J>e poeples fat J>e violent wynde Nothus
scorchif, and bakif }>e brennynge sandes by his drie hete; fat is to
seyne, alle fe poeples in fe so«f«'; ed. Morris, p. 55.

3665. This is from Suetonius, who says— ' Piscatus est rete aurato,
purpura coccoque funibus nexis'; cap. xxx. So also Orosius, vii. 7;
Eutropius, vii. 9.

3685. A maister; i.e. Seneca, mentioned below by name. In the
year 65, Nero, wishing to be rid of his old master, sent him an order
to destroy himself. Seneca opened a vein, but the blood would not
flow freely ; whereupon, to expedite its flow, he entered into a warm
bath, and thence was taken into a vapour stove, where he was suffocated.
' Nero constreinede his familiar & his maistre seneca to chesen on what
deef he wolde deien'; Chaucer's transl. of Boethius, lib. iii. pr. 5, ed.
Morris, p. 76.

3692. 'It was long before tyranny or any other vice durst attack
him'; literally, 'durst let dogs loose against him.' To uncouple is to
release dogs from the leash that fastened them together; see P. PL B.
pr. 206. Compare —

'At the uncoupling of his houndis.'

Book of the Duchesse, 1. 377.

' The latind on which they fought, th* appointed place
In which th' uncoupled hounds began the chace.'

Dryclen; Palamon and Arcite, bk. ii, 1. 845.

190 NOTES TO GROUP B.

3720. ' Where he expected to find some who would aid him.1
Suetonius says — ' ipse cum paucis hospitia singulorum adiit. Verum
clausis omnium foribus, respondente nullo, in cubiculum rediit,' &c. ;
cap. xlvii. He afterwards escaped to the villa of his freedman Phaon,
four miles from Rome, where he at length gave himself a mortal wound
in the extremity of his despair.

3736. Girden of, to strike off; cf. ' gtirdeth of gyles hed,' P. PI. B. ii.
201. A gird is also a sharp striking taunt or quip. — M.

HOLOFERNES.

3746. Olofern. The story of Holofernes is to be found in the
apocryphal book of Judith.

3750. Forlesinge, for fear of losing, lest men should lose.

3752. 'He had decreed to destroy all the gods of the land, that all
nations should worship Nabuchodonosor only,' &c. ; Judith iii. 8.

3756. Eliachim. Tyrwhitt remarks that the name of the high priest
was Joacim ; Judith iv. 6. But this is merely the form of the name in
our English version. The Vulgate version has the equivalent form
Eliachim ; cf. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 4.

3761. Vpryghte, i.e. on his back, with his face upwards. See
Knightes Tale, 1. 1150.

ALEXANDER.

3821. There is a whole cycle of Alexander romances, in Latin, French,
and English, so that his story is common enough. He was, indeed,
one of the "nine worthies"; see Love's La. Lost, v. i. 130; 2. 565.
There is a good life of him by Plutarch, but in Chaucer's time the principal
authority for an account of him was Quintus Curtius. In Boccaccio's
De Casibus Virorum there is only a casual mention of Alexander, in the
story of Darius, lib. iv. cap. 9. See Warton's Hist, of English Poetry.

3826. ' They were glad to send to him (to sue) for peace.'

3843. Writ, should write, pt. subj. ; hence the change of vowel from
indie, wroot. — M. The MSS. have write (grammatically).

3845. 'So Alexander reigned twelve years, and then died'; i Mac-
i. 7. Machabee, i. e. the first book of the Maccabees, in the Apocrypha.

3851. 'Fortune hath turned thy six (the highest and most fortunate
throw at dice) into an ace (the lowest).' Cf. note to 1. 124, p. 139.

3860. ' Which two (fortune and poison) I accuse of all this woe.'

JULIUS CAESAR.

3862. For humble bed Tyrwhitt, Wright, and Bell print humblehede, as
in some MSS. But this word is an objectionable hybrid compound, and
I think it remains to be shewn that the word belongs to our language.

THE MONKES TALE. 191

In the Knightes Tale, Chaucev has humblesse, and in the Persones Tale,
hitmilitee. Until some authority for humblehede can be adduced, I am
content with the reading of the three best MSS.

3863. Julius. For this story Chaucer refers us below to Lucan,
Suetonius, and Valerius ; see note to 1. 3909. There is also an interest-
ing life of him by Plutarch. Boccaccio mentions him but incidentally.

3866. Tributdrie; observe the rime with aduersdrie. Fortune in 1. 3868
is a trisyllable; so also in 1. 3876.

3870. 'Against Pompey, thy father-in-law.' Caesar gave Pompey
his daughter Julia in marriage ; hence fader is an error for sone.

3875. Fullest; to be read as puli'sl; and thorieiit as in 1. 3883.

3878. Pompeius. Boccaccio gives his life at length, as an example of
misfortune ; De Casibus Virorum, lib. vi. cap. 9. He was killed Sept.
29, B.C. 48.

3881. Him, for himself; but in the next line it means 'to him." — M.

3885. Chaucer refers to this triumph in the Man of Lawes Tale,
1. 400. Cf. Shak. Henry V, v. prol. 28.

3887. Chaucer is not alone in making Brutus and Cassius into one
person ; see note to 1. 3892.

3891. Cast, contrived, appointed.

3892. Boydekins, lit. bodkins, but with the signification of daggers.
It is meant to translate the Lat. pugio, a poniard. In Barbour's Bruce,
i. 545, CaesaF is said to have been slain with a weapon which in one
edition is called a punsoun, in another a botkin, and in the Edinburgh
MS. a pusoune, perhaps an error for pitnsoime, since Halliwell's
Dictionary gives the form pwichion. Hamlet uses bodkin for a dagger ;
Act iii. Sc. 1. 1. 76. In the margin of Stowe's Chronicle, ed. 1614, it is
said that Caesar was slain with bodkins ; Nares' Glossary. Nares also
quotes — 'The chief woorker of this murder was Bruins Cassius, with 260
of the senate, all having bodkins in their sleeves'; Serp. of division,
prefixed to Gorboduc, 1590.

3909. Recomende, commit. He means that he commits the full telling
of the story to Lucan, &c. In other words, he refers the reader to
those authors. •

Lucan (born A.D. 39, died A.D. 65) was the author of the Pharsalia, an
incomplete poem in ten books, narrating the struggle between Pompey
and Caesar. There is an English translation of it by Rowe.

Suetonius Tranquillus (born about A.D. 70) wrote several works, the
principal of which is The Lives of the Twelve Caesars.

Valerius. There were two authors of this name, (i) Valerius Flaccus,
author of a poem on the Argonautic expedition, and (2) Valerius
Maximus, author of De Factis Dictisque Memorabilibus Libri ix. Mr.
Jephson says that Valerius Flaccus is meant here, I know not why. Surely

192 NOTES TO GROUP B.

the reference is to Valerius Maximus, who has at least a passing refer-
ence to Caesar ; lib. vii. cap. 6.

3911. Ord and ende, beginning and end. Tyrwhitt notes that the
suggested emendation of ord for word was proposed by Dr. Hickes, in
his Anglo-Saxon Grammar, p. 70. Hickes would make the same
emendation in Troil. and Cres. v. 1683 ;

'And of this broche he told him ord and ende,'

where the editions have word. He also cites the expression ord and ende
from Caedmon ; see Thorpe's edition, p. 225, 1. 30. We also find from
orde oft ende = from beginning to end, in the poem of Elene (Vercelli MS.)
ed. Grein, 1. 590. Ord and ende occurs also at a later period, in the
Ormulum, 1. 6775 ; and still later, in Floriz and Blancheflur, 1. 47, ed.
Lumby, in the phrase,

' Ord and ende he ha]) him told

Hu blauncheflur was ]>arinne isold.'

Tyrwhitt argues that perhaps Chaucer may himself have mistaken the
true spelling of the phrase ; but perhaps we may put down the error to
the scribes. If conjectural emendation be admissible in rare cases, this
is one where there need be little hesitation in restoring the true
text. Ord and ende explains our modern odds and ends; see Garnett's
Essays, p. 37- Moreover, it is not uncommon to find a w prefixed to a
word where it is not required etymologically, especially before the
vowel o. The examples mocks, oaks, won, one, wodur, other, wostus,
oast-house, wo/A, oath, wots, oats, are all given in Halliwell's Prov.
Dictionary.

CROESUS.

3917. Crestjs; king of Lydia, B.C. 560-546, defeated by Cyrus at
Sardis. Cyrus spared his life, and Croesus actually survived his bene-
factor. Chaucer, however, brings him to an untimely end. The story
of Croesus is in Boccaccio, De Casibus Virorum, lib. iii. cap. 20. See
also Herodotus, lib. I ; Plutarch's life of Solon, &c. But Boccaccio repre-
sents Croesus as surviving his disgraces. Tyrwhitt says that the story
seems to have been taken from the Roman de la Rose, 11. 6512-6571
(ed. Meon) ; where1 the English Romaunt of the Rose is defective. In
Chaucer's translation of Boethius, bk. ii. pr. 2, ed. Morris, p. 35, we
find this sentence. 'Wost [Jtnowesi] ])ou not how Cresus, king of
lyndens (sic), of whiche kyng Cirus was ful sore agast a litel byforne,
J>at ]>is rewlyche [pitiable] Cresus was caujt of [by] Cirus, and lad to fe
fijr to be brent; but fat a reyne descendede doun from heuene, J>at
rescowede him ?' In the House of Fame, bk. i. 1. 104-6, we have an
allusion to the ' avision" [vision, dream] of

' Cresus, that was king of Lide,
That high upon a gibbet dide.'

THE NONNE PRESTES PROLOGUE. 193

See also Nonne Pr. Ta. 1. 318. The tragic version of the fate of Croesus
is given by Vincent of Beauvais, Speculum Historiale, iii. 1 7 ; and I give
an extract, as it seems to be the account which is followed in the
Roman de la Rose. It must be premised that Vincent makes Croesus to
have been taken prisoner by Cyrus three times.

'Alii historiographi narrant, quod in secunda captione, iussit eum
Cyrus rogo superponi et assari, et subito tanta pluuia facta est, vt eius
immensitate ignis extingueretur, vnde occasionem repperit euadendi.
Cumque postea hoc sibi prospere euenisse gloriaretur, et opum copia
nimium se iactaret, dictum est ei a Solone quodam sapientissimo, non
debere quemquam in diuitiis et prosperitate gloriari. Eadem nocte uidit
in somnis quod Jupiter eum aqua perfunderet, et sol extergeret. Quod
cum filiae suae mane indicasset, ilia (vt res se habebat) prudenter absol-
uit, dicens : quod cruci esset affigendus et aqua perfundendus et sole
siccandus. Quod ita demum contigit, nam postea a Cyro crucifixus est.'
Compare the few following lines from the Roman de la Rose, with
11. 3934^8 and 1. 3948—

' Jupiter, ce dist, le lavoit,

Et Phebus la toaille avoit,

Et se penoit de 1'essuier . .

Bien le dist Phanie sa fille,

Qui tant estoit sage et soutille,' &c.

3951. The passage here following is repeated from the Monkes Pro-
logue, and copied, as has been said, from Boethius, bk. ii. pr. 2. It is
particularly to be noted that the passage quoted from Boethius in the
note to 1. 391 7 almost immediately precedes the passage quoted in the
note to 1. 3163.

3956. See note to 1. 3972 below.

NOTES TO THE NONNE PRESTES PROLOGUE.

3957. The knight. See the description of him, Prol. 1. 43.

3961. For me, for myself, for my part. Cp. the phrase 'as for me.'
— M. We also find for me, by my means ; F. 357.

3970. 'By the bell of Saint Paul's church (in London).'

3972. The host alludes to the concluding lines of the Monkes Tale,
!• 3956, then repeats the words no remedie from 1. 3183, and cites the
word biwaille from 1. 3952. Compare all these passages.

3982. Piers. We must suppose that the host had by this time learnt
the monk's name. In 1. 3120 above, he did not know it,
VOL. II. O

194 NOTES TO GROUP B.

3984. ' Were it not for the ringing of your bells'; lit. were there not
a clinking of your bells (all the while). 'Anciently no person seems to
have been gallantly equipped on horseback, unless the horse's bridle or
some other part of the furniture was stuck full of small bells. Vincent
of Beauvais, who wrote about 1 264, censures this piece of pride in the
knights- templars ; Hist. Spec. lib. xxx. c. 85 '; &c.— Warton, Hist. Eng.
Poetry (ed. Hazlitt), ii. 160 ; i. 264. See also note to Prol. 1. 170.

3990. ' Ubi auditus non est, non effundas sermonem ' ; Ecclus. xxxii.
6. (Vulgate) ; the A. V. is different. The common proverb, ' Keep
your breath to cool your broth,' nearly expresses what Chaucer here
intends.

3993. Substance is explained by Tyrwhitt to mean ' the material part
of a thing.' Chaucer's meaning seems not very different from Shake-
speare's in Love's La. Lost, v. 2. 871 —

' A jest's prosperity lies in the ear
Of him that hears it ; never in the tongue
Of him that makes it.'

3995. 'For the propriety of this remark, see note to Prol.'l. 166';
Tyrwhitt.

4000. Sir; 'The title of Sir was usually given, by courtesy, to priests,
both secular and regular ' ; Tyrwhitt. Tyrwhitt also remarks that, ' in
the principal modern languages, John, or its equivalent, is a name of
contempt or at least of slight. So the Italians use Gianni, from whence
Zani [Eng. zany] ; the Spaniards Juan, as Bobo Juan, a foolish John ;
the French Jean, with various additions.' The reason (which Tyrwhitt
failed to see) is simply that John is one of the commonest of common
names. For example, twenty-three popes took that name ; and cf. our
phrase John Bull, which answers to the French Jean Crapaud, and the
Russian Ivan Ivanovitch, ' the embodiment of the peculiarities of the
Russian people'; Wheeler's Noted Names of Fiction. Ivan Ivanovitch
would be John Johnson in English and Evan Evans in Welsh. Hence
sir John became the usual contemptuous name for a priest ; see abundant
examples in the Index to the Parker Society's publications.

4004. Serue is two syllables. Relt in the Harl. "MS. is more correct
than rekke of the other MS. The 2nd pers. imper. sing, exhibits the
stem of a verb, without addition. A bene, the value of a bean ; in the
Milleres Tale a iers (i.e. a blade of grass) occurs in a similar manner;
which has been corrupted into ' not caring a curse ' !

4006. Ye, yea, is a mild form of assent ; yis is a stronger form, gene-
rally followed, as here, by some form of asseveration. See note to 1. 1900
above, p. 153.

4008. Attamed, commenced, begun. The Lat. attaminare and Low
Lat. inlaminare are equivalent to contaminate, to contaminate, soil,

THE CLERKES PROLOGUE. 195

spoil. From Low Lat. tntammare comes the French entamer, to cut
into, attack, enter upon, begin. From attaminare comes the M.E. attame
or atame, with a similar sense. The notion of beginning is taken from
that of cutting into a joint of meat or of broaching or opening a cask.
This is well shown by the use of the word in Piers the Plowman, B.
xvii. 68, where it is said of the good Samaritan in the parable that he
'breyde to his boteles, and bothe he alamede' ; i.e. he went hastily to
his two bottles, of wine and oil, and broached or opened them both.
So here, the priest broached, opened, or began his tale.

NOTES TO THE CLERKES PROLOGUE.

I. Clerk. See the description of him, Prol. 1. 285.

3. Were newe spoused, who should be (i.e. is) newly wedded.

6. See Eccles. iii. i ; ' To every thing there is a season,' &c.

7. As beth, pray be. The word as, nearly equivalent to ' I pray,' is
sometimes used thus with the imperative mood. Since as is short for
al-so, it means literally even so, just so. Cp. as keep, Kn. Ta. 1444; as
sende, id. 1459; as doth, Sq. Ta. 458; 'as beth not wroth with me';
Troil. and Cress, v. 145 ; ' as go we scene,' i. e. pray let us go to see,
id. 523 ; see also Cant. Ta. 1. 3775 (ed. Tyrwhitt). See Matzner, Engl.
Gram. ii. 2. 505.

1 8. Hy style, lofty, learned, somewhat pedantic style ; see 1. 41.

22. Yerde, control, governance ; lit. yard, rod ; so we say 'under the
rod.' This expression occurs also in the Shipman's Tale.

27. Padowe, Padua, in the N.E. of Italy. Petrarch resided at Arqua,
two miles from Padua. He died July 18, 1374. See note m, p. x. of
Dr. Morris's edition of the Prologue, &c. I cannot see the slightest
reason for supposing Chaucer to have told a deliberate and unnecessary
falsehood. Supposing that Petrarch did not write out his Latin version
of the story till June 1373, we may still take Chaucer's words literally,
that he first learnt or heard the story from Petrarch himself, and not
long afterwards translated it from a MS. copy. See Preface, p. xxx.

33. Ofpoetrye, with his poetry. Of is similarly used in 1. 34.

34. Linian ; ' the canonist Giovanni di Lignano, once illustrious, now
forgotten, though several works of his remain. He was made Professor
of Canon Law at Bologna in 1363, and died at Bologna in 1383';
Morley's English Writers, ii. 322. Tyrwhitt first pointed out the person
here alluded to, and says — ' there is some account of him in Panzirolus,
de Cl. Leg. Interpret. 1. iii. c.xxv: Joannes, a Lignano, agri Mediolanensis

O 2

196" NOTES TO GROUP E.

vico oriundus, et ob id Lignanus dictus, &c. One of his works en-
titled Traciatns de Bella, is extant in MS. Reg. 13 B. ix. [Brit. Mus.].
He composed it at Bologna in the year 1360. He was not however a
mere lawyer. Chaucer speaks of him as excelling in philosophy, and so
does his epitaph in Panzirolus. The only specimen of his philosophy
that I have met with is in MS. Harl. 1006. It is an astrological work,
entitled Conclusiones Judicii composite per Domnum Johannem de
Lyniano super coronacione Domni Urbani Pape VI. A.D. 1378,' &c.
Lignano is here said to be near Milan, and to have been the lawyer's
birthplace. In 1. 38, Chaucer speaks of his death, shewing that Chaucer
wrote this prologue later than 1383.

43. Proheme, proem, introduction. Petrarch's treatise (taken from
Boccaccio's Decamerone, Day x, Novel 10) is entitled 'De obedientia ac
fide uxoria Mythologia.' It is preceded by a letter to Boccaccio, but
this is not here alluded to. What Chaucer means is the first section of
the tale itself, which begins thus : — ' Est ad Italiae latus occiduum
Vesulus, ex Apennini iugis mons unus altissimus . . . Padi ortu nobilis-
simus, qui eius a latere fonte lapsus exiguo orientem contra solem fertur,
mirisque mox tumidus incrementis . . . Liguriam gurgite uiolentus inter-
secat ; dehinc Aemiliam, atque Flaminiam, Venetiamque discriminans
... in Adriaticum mare descendit.' Pemond, Piedmont. Sahices,
Saluzzo, S. of Turin. Vesulus, Monte Viso. See the description of the
route from Mont Dauphin to Saluzzo, by the Col de Viso, in Murray's
Guide to Switzerland and Piedmont.

51. To Emelward, towards Aemilia. Tyrwhitt says — 'One of the
regions of Italy was called Aemilia, from the via Aemilia, which crossed
it from Placentia [Piacenza] to Rimini. Placentia stood upon the Po.
Pitiscus, Lex. Ant. Rom. in v. Via Aemilia. Petrarch's description . . .
is a little different.' See note above. Ferrare, Ferrara, on the Po, not
far from its mouth. Venyse, rather the Venetian territory than Venice.

54. ' It seems to me a thing irrelevant, excepting that he wishes to
introduce his story ' ; or it may mean, ' impart his information.'

56. this ; a contraction for this is ; formerly common.

NOTES TO THE CLERKES TALE.

57. In many places this story is translated from Petrarch almost word
for word ; and as Tyrwhitt remarks, it would be endless to cite illus-
trative passages from the original Latin. The first stanza is praised by
Professor Lowell, in his Study Windows, p. 208, where he says — ' What
a sweep of vision is herel* Chaucer is not quite so close a translator
here as usual ; the passage in Petrarch being — ' Inter caetera ad radicem

THE CLERK ES TALE. igj

Vesuli, terra Salutiarum, uicis et castellis satis frequens, Marchionum
arbitrio nobilium quorundum regitur uirorum.'

82. Leet he slyde, he allowed to pass unattended to, neglected. So we
find ' Let the world slide ' ; Induction to Taming of the Shrew, 1. 5 ; and
' The state of vertue never slides'; The Sturdy Rock (in Percy's Re-
liques). See Marsh's Student's Manual of Eng. Lang. p. 125, where the
expression is noted as still current in America. Petrarch has — 'alia
pene cuncta negligeret.' With 11. 83-140, cf. Shakesp. Sonnets, i-xvii.

86. flockmele, in a flock or troop ; Pet. has • cateruatim.' Palsgrave's
French Diet, has — ' Flockmeale, par troupeaux ' ; fol. 440, back. Cf. E.
piece-meal ; we also find witkemalum, week by week, Ormulum, 536 ;
Hm-mele, limb from limb, Layamon, 25618; hipyllmelum, by heaps,
Wycl. Bible, Wisdom xviii. 25: Koch, Eng. Gramm. ii. 292.

99. 'Although I have no more to do with this matter than others
have who are here present.' Observe that the Marquis is addressed as
ye, not thoti, the former being a title of respect.

103-105. These three lines are not in the original.

106. We should have expected to find here us lyketh ye, i.e. you are
pleasing to us ; but we rather have an instance of a double dative, so
that «s lyketh yow is equivalent to 'it pleases us with respect to you.'
The nominative case is ye, the dative and accusative yow or you. Yow
leste, it may please you, in 1. ill, is the usual idiom.

107. And euer hati doon, and (both you and your doings) have ever
brought it about. Such is the usual force of dcon; cf. 11. 253, 1098.

115. Cf. Barbour's Bruce, ed. Skeat, i. 266-8.— M.

118, 119. Expanded from — 'uolant enim dies rapidi.'

121. Still as stoon; Latin text, ' tacita.' Cf. Group F, 1. 171.

129. We wol chese yow, we will choose for you.

147. Ther, where. This line is Chaucer's own.

157. Bountee, goodness. Streeti, race, stock. Petrarch has — ' Quic-
quid in homine boni est, non ab alio quam a Deo est.'

168. As, as if. This line, in Petrarch, comes after 1. 173. Lines 174,
1 75 are Chaucer's own.

172. As euer, &c. as ever I may thrive, as I hope to thrive.

190-196. Expanded from — ' Et ipse nihilominus earn ipsam nup-
tiarum curam domesticis suis imposuit, edixitque diem."

197-203. Expanded from — ' Fuit baud procul a palatio uillula pau-
corum atque inopum incolarum.'

211-217. Sometimes Chaucer translates literally, and sometimes he
merely paraphrases, as here. Lines 215-217 are all his own.

220. Rype and sad corage, a mature and staid disposition. Petrarch
has — ' sed uirilis senilisque animus uirgineo latebat in pectore.'

223. Spinning ; i.e. she spun whilst keeping the sheep; see a picture

198 NOTES TO GROUP E.

of Ste. Genevieve in Mrs. Jameson's Sacred and Legendary Art. Line
224 is Chaucer's.

227. Shredde and seetk, sliced and sod (or boiled). Lat. 'domum
rediens oluscula et dapes fortunae congruas praeparabat, durumque
cubiculum sternebat,' &c.

229. On-lofie, aloft. She kept up her father's life, i.e. sustained him.

234. For this line the Latin has only the word transiens.

237. In sad wyse, soberly ; Lat. senili grauitate.

242. Here the people .means the common people; Lat. 'uulgi oculis.'
In the next line he is emphatic, meaning that his eyes were quicker to
perceive than theirs.

253. Hath doon make, hath caused to be made. Lat. ' Ipse interim et
anulos aureos et coronas et balteos conquirebat.' Chaucer inserts asure,
the colour of fidelity; see Squieres Tale, 1. 644, and note. For balteos,
he substitutes the familiar English phrase broches and ringes; cf. P.
Flowm. B. prol. 75.

257. Scan — By | a mayd | e lyk | to hir | stature.||

259. Here Chaucer seems to omit a material sentence : — ' Uenerat
expectatus dies, et cum nullus sponsae rumor audiretur, admiratio omnium
uehementer excreuerat.' But he has it above ; 11. 246-8.

260. Undern (lit. the intervening or middle period) has two meanings
in the Teutonic tongues; (i) mid-forenoon, i.e. 9 a.m. ; and (2) mid-
afternoon, or 3 p.m. In this passage it is clearly the former that is
meant; indeed in 1. 981, where it occurs again, the original has
'proximae lucis Itora tertia,' i.e. 9 a.m. In this passage, the original
has hora prandii, meaning luncheon -time, which in Chaucer's time
would often be 9 a.m. See note to Piers PI. B. vi. 147 ; and see Undern
in the Glossary.

260-294. Expanded and improved from the following short passage —
' Hora iam prandii aderat, iamque apparatu ingenti domus tota feruebat.
Turn Gualtherus, aduentanti ueluti sponsae obuiam profecturus, domo
egreditur, prosequente uirorum et matronarum nobilium caterua. Gri-
seldis omnium quae erga se pararentur ignara, peractis quae agenda
domi erant, aquam e longinquo fonte conuectans paternum limen intra-
bat: ut, expedita curis aliis, ad uisendam domini sui sponsam cum
puellis comitibus properaret.'

322. Goiierneth, arrange, dispose of. Observe the use of the plural
imperative, as a mark of respect. When the marquis addresses Griseldis
as ye, it is a mark of extreme condescension on his part ; the Latin text
has hi and te.

337-343. Expanded from — ' insolito tanti hospitis aduentu stupidam
inuenere; quam iis uerbis Gualtherus aggreditur.'

350. Yoiv anyse, consider the matter; really a delicate way of ex-

THE CLERKES TALE. 199

pressing refusal. Compare the legal formula le roy s'avisera for expressing
the royal refusal to a proposed measure.

364. For to be deed, even if I were to be dead, were to die ; Lat. ' et
si me mori iusseris, quod moleste feram.'

375, 376. These characteristic lines are Chaucer's own. So are 11. 382,

383-

381. Corone, nuptial garland ; Lat. ' corona.' See Brand's Pop. Antiq.
ed. Ellis, ii. 123.

388. Snow-why t; Lat. ' niueo.' Perhaps Spenser took a hint from
this; F. Q. i. i. 4.

393. Repeated, slightly altered, from 1. 341.

409. Thewes, mental qualities. So also in Cant. Ta. 9416 (Tyrwhitt);
Gower, Conf. Amant. lib. vii, sect, i ; Spenser, F. Q. i. 9. 3 ; i. 10. 4 ;
ii. i. 33, &c. ' The common signification of the word thews in our old
writers, is manners, or qualities of mind and disposition ... By thews
Shakespeare means unquestionably brawn, nerves, muscular vigour
( Jnl. Cses. i. 3 ; 2 Hen. IV, iii. 2 ; Hamlet, i. 3). And to this sense,
and this only, the word has now settled down ; the other sense, wLich
was formerly so familiar in our literature, is quite gone out and forgotten.
[With respect to theawe = sinew, in Layamon, 1. 6361] Sir F. Madden
remarks (iii. 471) : — " This is the only instance in the poem of the word
being applied to bodily qualities, nor has any other passage of an earlier
date than the sixteenth century been found in which it is so used." It
may be conjectured that it had only been a provincial word in this
sense, till Shakespeare adopted it'; Craik's English of Shakespeare;
note on Jul. Ccesar, i. 3.

412. Embrace, hold fast; 'omnium animos nexu sibi magni amoris
astrinxerat? Compare Tennyson's Lord of Burleigh with 11. 394-413.

421. Roially; alluding to the royal virtues of Griseldis,

429. Not only the context, but the Latin text, justifies the reading
hotnlinesse. Feet is fact, i. e. act. The Latin is — ' Neque uero solers
sponsa muliebria tan turn haec domes/tea, sed, ubi res posceret, publica
etiam obibat oftlcia.' Lines 432-434 are Chaucer's own.

444. ' Although it would have been liefer to her to have borne a male
child'; i.e. she would rather, &c. The Latin has — 'quamuis filium
maluisset.'

449-462. Expanded from — ' Cepit (ut fit) interim Gualtherum, cum
iam ablactata esset infantula (mirabilis quaedam quam laudabilis, [aliler,
an mirabile quidem magis quam laudabile,] doctiores iudicent) cupiditas
satis expertam charae fklem coniugis experiendi altius [aliter, ulteriusl,
et iterum atque iterum retentandi.'

483. Note Walter's use of the word thee here, and cf thy twice in the
next stanza, instead of the usual y&. It is a slight, but significant sign

30O NOTES TO GROUP E.

of insult, offered under pretence of reporting the opinion of others, fn
1. 492 we have your again.

504. Thing, possession. Lat. 'de rebus tuis igitur fac ut libet.'

516. A furlong wey or two, the distance of one or two furlongs, a
short distance, a little. Merely an almost proverbial way of expressing
distance, not only of space, but of time. The line simply means — ' a
little after.'

525. Stalked him; marched himself in, as we should say. This use of
him is remarkable, but not uncommon.

533-539- Lat. ' lussus sum hanc infantulam accipere, atque earn —
Hie sermone abrupto, quasi crudele ministerium silentio exprimens,
subticuit.' Compare ' Quos ego — ' ; Virgil, Aen. i. 135.

540-546. Lat. ' Suspecta uiri fama ; suspecta facies ; suspecta hora ;
suspecta erat oratio ; quibus etsi clare occisum iri dulcem filiam intel-
ligeret, nee lachrymulam tamen ullam, nee suspirium dedit.' Mr. Wright
quotes this otherwise, putting dulce for dulcem, and stopping at intel-
ligeret.

547-56?- Chaucer expands the Latin, and transposes some of the
matter. Lines 561-563 precede 11. 547-560 in the original, which
merely has — ' in nutrice quidem, nedum in matre durissimum ; sed
tranquilla fronte puellam accipiens aliquantulum respexit & simul
exosculans benedixit, ac signum sanctae crucis impressit, porrexitque
satelliti.'

570. After That in this line, we ought, in strict grammar, to have ye
burie in the next line, instead of the imperative burieth. But the phrase
is idiomatic, and as all the seven best MSS. agree in this reading, it is
best to retain it. Tyrwhitt alters That but to But if.

579. Somwhat, in some degree. But Petrarch says differently — ' tieJie-
menter paterna animum pietas mouit.'

582-591. Lat. ' lussit satelliti obuolutam pannis, cistae iniectam, ac
iumento impositam, quiete omni quanta posset diligentia Bononiam
deferret ad sororem suam, quae illic comiti de Panico nupta erat,' &c.

586. 'But, under penalty of having his head cut off' ; lit. of cutting
off his head.

589. Boloigne, Bologna, E. by S. from Modena, and a long way from
Saluzzo. Panik answers to the de Panico in note to 1. 582 ; Boccaccio
has Panago. I observe in the map the river Panaro flowing between
Modena and Bologna; perhaps there is some connection between the
names. Tyrwhitt has Pavie (Pavia) in his text, but corrects it in the
notes.

602. In oon, in one and the same state: euer in oon, always alike; so
also in 1. 677. Cf. Kn. Ta. 913.

607. This must mean — ' no accidental sign of any calamity.*

THE CLERKES TALE. 2O1

615. Merit; three syllables; cf. Non. Pr. Ta. 146. LI. 621-623 are
Chaucer's own.

625. Sikly berth, hardly bear, dislike. Lat. ' populum aegreferre? &c.

643. Lat. ' ne te inopinus et subitus dolor tuibet.'

645-651. Expanded from — ' Dixi (ait) et repeto, nihil possum seu
uelle, seu nolle, nisi quae tu; neque uero in ijs filiis fjuicquam habeo,
praeter laborem.'

663. Plesance, three syllables ; slabf, one syllable.

666. The pain of death is not to be compared to the pleasure of your
love. Lat. 'nee mors ipsa nostro fuerit par amori.' Cf. 11. 817, 1091.

687. Euer longer, &c. i.e. ever the longer (he thinks of it) the more
he wonders. In the more, the word the is for A.S. J>y.

700. And he; cf. And ye, 1. 105.

701-707. Expanded from — 'sed sunt qui, ubi semel inceperint, non
desinant; immo incumbant, haereantque proposito.'

704. A stake ; cf. Macb. v. 7. I ; Jul. Caesar, iv. I. 48.

714. More penible, more painstaking ; Lat. ' obsequentior.*

719. ' She made it clear that no wife should of herself, on account of
any worldly anxiety, have any will, in practice, different from that of
her husband.'

7 .'2. Sclaundre, ill fame, ill report concerning Walter. See 1. 730.

738. Message, a messenger ; Lat. ' nuncios Romam misit.' So in Mid.
English we find prisoun or prison for prisoner ; Piers. PL B. vii. 30.

773. Anon, immediately. It was not uncommon in olden times for
girls to be married at twelve years of age. The Wife of Bath was first
married at that age.

797. Lat. 'magna omnis fortuna seruitus magna est.'

850. Were agrees with the word clothes following; cf. it ben, Piers
Plowm. B. vi. 56. She did not really bring her husband even the dower
of her old clothes, as they had been taken from her. Lines 851-861 are
all Chaucer's own, and shew his delicacy of touch.

871. Probably suggested by Job i. 31. So 1. 902 is from Job iii. 3.

903. Lyues, alive ; a lynes creature, a creature alive, a living being.
Lyues is an adverb, formed like nedes, from the genitive case of the sub-
stantive. There are other instances of its use.

'Yif I late him Hues go,' Havelok, 509.

i.e. if I let him go away alive. And again lyues = alive, in Piers PI.
B. xix. 154.

910. After this line, Chaucer has omitted the circumstance of Jani-
cola's preserving his daughter's old clothing ; ' tunicam eius hispidam,
et attritam senio, abditam paruae domus in parte seruauerat.' Seel. 913.

911. Agayns, towards, so as to meet. To go agayns, in Mid. English,
is to go to meet. So also to come agayns, to ride agayns, (or agayn). See

202 NOTES TO GROUP E.

Agayn in Glossary to Spec, of Eng. (Morris and Skeat). LI. 915-917
are Chaucer's own.

916. ' For the cloth was poor, and many days older now than on the
day of her marriage.'

934. Namely of men, especially of men, where men is emphatic. The
whole of this stanza (932-938) is Chaucer's.

938. But, except, unless ; falle, fallen, happened ; of newe, newly, an
adverbial expression. It means then, ' unless it has happened very
lately.' In other words, • If there is an example of a man surpassing a
woman in humility, it must have happened very lately ; for I have never
heard of it.'

939. Pars Sexta. This indication of a new part comes in a fitting
place, and is taken from Tyrwhitt, who may have found it in a MS. But
there is no break here in the Latin original, nor in any of the eight MSS. of
Chaucer which I have consulted. Erl of Panik ; Lat. ' Panicius comes.'

940. More and lesse, greater and smaller ; i.e. everybody. So also in
the Frank. Tale, 'riueres more and lesse'; Cant. Ta. 11366. So also
moche and lite, great and small, Prol. 494 ; mosle and leste, greatest and
least, Kn. Ta. 1340. Spenser has, F. Q. vi. 6. 12, —

' 'Gainst all, both bad and good, both most and least.'

941. Alle and some, i.e. all and one, one and all. See Morris's Eng.
Accidence, sect. 218, p. 142.

960. Wommen; some MSS. have vmmman, as in Tyrwhitt. But MS.
E. is right. Petrarch uses the word foeminas, not foeminam.

965. Yuel biseye, ill provided ; lit. ill beseen. The word yuel is pro-
nounced here almost as a monosyllable (as it were >»'/), as is so com-
monly the case with etier; indeed generally, words ending with el and
er are often thus clipped. A remarkable instance occurs in the Milleres
Tale (Six-text, A. 3715), where we not only have a similar ending, but
the word euer in the same line —

4 That trewe loue was euer so yuel biset.'

See also yuel apayed in line 1053 below. The converse to yuel biseye, is
richely biseye, richly provided or adorned, in 1. 984 below.

981. Lat. ' Proximae lucis hora tertra comes superuenerat ' ; see note
to I. 260.

995-1008. These two stanzas ar-j Chaucer's own, and are so good
that they may have been a later addition. In MS. E. the word Aucfor
is inserted in the margin, and 1. 995 begins with a large capital letter.
At the beginning of 1. 1009 is a paragraph-mark, shewing where the
translation begins again. Vnsad, unsettled. Cf. Shakesp. Cor. i. i. 186,
Jul. Caesar, i. I. 55 ; Scott, Lady of the Lake, v. 30.

999. ' Ever full of tittle-tattle, which would be dear enough at a half-
penny.' lane, a small coin of Genoa ( Janua) ; see Rime of Sir Thopas,

THE CLERKES TALE. <2,O$

1925. The first stanza (995-1001) is supposed to be uttered by the
sober and discreet part of the population ; see 1. 1002.

1031. Lyketh thee, pleases thee. The marquis addresses her as thou,
because all suppose her to be a menial.

1039. M°> lit- more ; but also used in the sense of others, or, as here,
another. The modern phrase would be, ' as you did somebody else.'
The extreme delicacy of the hint is admirable. This use of mo is not
common, but there are a few examples of it. Thus, in Specimens of
English, ed. Morris and Skeat, we have, at p. 47, 1. 51 —
' Y sike for vnsete ;

Ant mourne ase men do]> mo ' ;

i. e. 'I sigh for unrest, and mourn as other men do.' And on the next
page, p. 48, 1. 22, we have

1 Mody rnenej) so do]) mo,
Ichot ycham on of fo ' ;

i.e. ' The moody moan as others do ; I wot I am one of them.' And
again — ' Slanderit folk vald euir haue ma,' i.e. slandered folks always
want others to be like themselves ; Appendix to Barbour's Bruce, ed.
Skeat, p. 53.?, 1. 240. Somewhat similar is the expression o]>er mo,
where we should now say others as well; Piers Plowman, C. v. 10,
xxii. 54, Barbour's Bruce, v. 152. Tyrwhitt's suggestion that Chaucer
has licentiously turned me into mo for the mere sake of getting a rime,
in which he has hitherto been followed by every editor, is only to be
repudiated. It may well have been with the very purpose of guarding
against this error that, in the Ellesmere and Hengwrt MSS., the ori-
ginal Latin text is here quoted in the margin — ' unum bona fide te
precor ac moneo : ne hanc illis aculeis agites, quibus alteram agitasti.'
Chaucer, who throughout surpasses his original in delicacy of treatment,
did not permit himself to be outdone here ; and Boccaccio also has the
word altra. The use of me would have been a direct charge of un-
kindness, spoiling the whole story. See 1. 1045 and 1. 449-

1049. Gan his herte dresse, addressed his heart, i. e. prepared it,
schooled it. The M. E. dresse is our modem direct; both being from
Lat. dirigere.

1053. Here we may once more note the use of the word thy, the more
so as it is used with a quite different tone. We sometimes find it used,
as here, between equals, as a term of endearment ; it is, accordingly, very
significant. See 1. 1056.

1066. That other, the other, the boy.

1071. Non, any, either. The use of it is due to the preceding nat.

1079. Professor Morley, in his English Writers, ii. 324, aptly remarks
here — ' And when Chaucer has told all, and dwelt with an exquisite
pathos of natural emotion all his own upon the patient mother's piteous

204 NOTES TO GROUP E.

and tender kissing of her beloved children — for there is nothing in
Boccaccio, and but half a sentence in Petrarch, answering to these four
beautiful stanzas (1079-1106)— he rounds all, as Petrarch had done, with
simple sense, which gives religious meaning to the tale, then closes with a
lighter strain of satire which protects Griselda herself from the mocker.'

1098. ' Hath caused you (to be) kept.' For the same idiom, see Kn.
Tale, 1055 ; Man of Law's Tale, 171.

1133. His wyues fader, i.e. Janicola. This circumstance should have
been mentioned before I. 1128, as in the original.

1140. For o/(Ellesmere MS.) the other MSS. read in.

1141. Aucfour, author, i. e. Petrarch, whom Chaucer follows down to
1. 1162. LI. 1138-1141 are Chaucer's own, and may be compared with his
poem on the Golden Age; see Chaucer's Boethius, ed. Morris, pp. 50, 180.

1144. Importable, intolerable; Lat. — 'huius uxoris patientiam, quae
mihi nix imitabilis uidetur.' Of course 11. 1147-8 are Chaucer's.

1151. ' Receive all with submission.' Fr. en gre, gratefully, in good
part. Sent, sendeth ; present tense, as in Piers Plowman, C. xxii. 434.
The past tense is sente, a dissyllable, which would not rime.

1153. 'For it is very reasonable that He should prove (or test) that
which He created.'

1153. Bonghte, (hath) redeemed. See St. James i. 13.

1162. Here Petrarch ends his narrative, and here, beyond all doubt,
Chaucer's translation originally ended also. From this point to the end
is the work of a later period, and in his best manner, though unsiiited
to the coy Clerk. He easily links on his addition by the simple expression
lordinges, herkneth ; and in 1. 1 1 70, he alludes to the Wife of Bath, of
whom probably he had never thought when first translating the story.

1 1 77. Here the metre changes ; the stanzas are of six lines, and all
six stanzas are linked together. There are but three rimes throughout ;
•ence in the first and third lines of every stanza, -aille in the second,
fourth, and sixth (requiring eighteen rimes in all), and -ynde in the fifth
line. It is a fine example even from a metrical point of view alone.

1188. Chichenache for chiche vache, i.e. lean cow. The allusion is to
an old fable, apparently of French origin, which describes a monstrous
cow named Chiche Vache as feeding entirely upon patient wives, and
being very lean in consequence of the scarcity of her diet. A later form
of the fable adds a second beast, named Bicorne (two-horned), who, by
adopting the wiser course of feeding upon patient husbands, was always
fat and in good case. Mr. Wright says—' M. Achille Jubinal, in the
notes to his Mysteres inedits dtt xv Siccle, torn. i. p. 390, has printed a
French poetical description of Chichevache from a MS. of the fourteenth
century. In the French miracle of St. Genevieve, of the fifteenth century
(Jubinal, ib. p. 281), a man says satirically to the saint,

THE MARCHAUNTES PROLOGUE. 205

' Gardez vous de la chicheface,
El vous mordra s'el vous encontre,
Vous n'amendez point sa besoigne.'

A poem by Lydgate on Bycorne and Chichevache is printed in Mr.
Halliwell's Minor Poems of Dan John Lydgate, p. 129 (Percy Society) ;
see Morley's English Writers, ii. 426, and his Shorter English Poems,
p. 55. The passage in Chaucer means, ' Beware of being too patient,
lest Chichevache swallow you down.*

1189. Folweth Eltko, imitate Echo, who always replies.

1 200. ' Always talk (or rattle) on, like a mill ' (that is always going
round and making a noise). ' Jangling is whan man spekelh to
moche before folk, and clappeth as a mille, and taketh no kepe what
he seith ' ; Ch. Persones Tale, De Stiperbia. Palsgrave's French Diet,
has — ' I clappe, I make a noyse as the clapper of a mill, le clacque.'
Cf. 'As fast as millwheels strike'; Tempest, i. 2. 281.

1204. Aventaille, the lower half of the moveable part of a helmet
which admitted air ; called by Spenser the ventail, F. Q. iv. 6. 19 ; v. 8.
12 ; and by Shakespeare the beaver, Hamlet, i. 2. 230. It is explained,
in Douce's Illustrations of Shakespeare, that the moveable part of the
helmet in front was made in two parts, which turned on hinges at the
sides of the head. The upper part is the visor, to admit of vision, the
lower the ventail, to admit of breathing. Both parts could be removed
from the face, but only by lifting them upwards, and throwing them
back. If the visor alone were lifted, only the upper part of the face was
exposed ; but if the ventail were lifted, the visor also went with it,
and the whole of the face was seen. Compare Fairfax's Tasso, vii. 7 —
' But sweet Erminia comforted their fear,

Her ventail up, her visage open laid.'

So also in Hamlet. With reference to the present passage, Mr. Jephson
says that and eek his auentaille is a perfect example of bathos. I fail to
see why ; the weapon that pierced a ventail would pass into the head,
and inflict a death-wound. The passage is playful, but not silly.

1211. 'As light as a leaf on a linden- tree ' was an old proverb. See
Piers PI. B. i. 154.

NOTES TO THE MARCHAUNTES PROLOGUE.

1213. Weping and vjayling ; an expression caught from 1. 1212, and
linking this prologue to the foregoing tale. Yet in 14 MSS. the
Merchant's Tale is separated from the Clerk's ; Trial Forewords, by
F. J. Furnivall (Chaucer Soc.), p. 28.

1 22 1, 1222. What, why. At al, in every respect; like Lat. omnino.

206 NOTES TO GROUPS E, F.

1227. This theme is enlarged upon in Lenvoy de Chaucer a Bukton,
a late minor poem.

1230. Seme Thomas. Whenever this Apostle is mentioned, he is nearly
always said to be of India, to distinguish him, it maybe, from Saint
Thomas of Canterbury. Some account of the shrine of St. Thomas, of
the manner of his death, and of miracles wrought by him, is given in
Marco Polo, bk. iii. ch. 18. Colonel Yule tells us that the body of
St. Thomas lay at Mailapur, a suburb of Madras. The legend of
St. Thomas's preaching in India is of very high antiquity. St. Jerome
speaks of the Divine Word being everywhere present in His fulness
' cum Thoma in India, cum Petro Romae,' &c. ; Sci. Hieronomi Epist.
lix., ad Marcellam. Gregory of Tours (A.D. 544-595) speaks of the
place in India where the body of St. Thomas lay before it was trans-
ported to Edessa in the year 394. See the whole of Colonel Yule's long
note upon the subject ; and the account of Saint Thomas in Mrs.
Jameson's Sacred and Legendary Art.

NOTES TO THE MERCHANT'S END-LINK.

2420. Swich a wyf, i.e. the wife described in the Marchauntes Tale, as
deceiving her husband.

2422. Bees. In the Clerk. Ta. 204, Chaucer has been as the plural of
bee ; see Been in the Glossary, and cf. Nonne Pr. Ta. 571.

2431. Inconseil, in (secret) council, between ourselves.

2435. The phrase cause why is now considered vulgar; it is common
in London. The word cause is dissyllabic.

2436. Of somme, by some, by some one. So of whom = by whom, in
the next line. He says he need not say by whom it would be told ;
women are sure to utter such things. This is a clear allusion to the
ladies in the company, and to the Wife of Bath in particular, who
certainly would not have kept such things to herself. Outen, to utter,
occurs again in the Chanouns Yemannes Tale, Group G, 1. 834. It is
a rare word.

NOTES TO THE SQUIERES TALE.

Group F, I. There is nothing to link this tale inseparably with the
preceding one, and, accordingly, in the Six-text edition, the sixth frag-
ment is made to begin here. In the Ellesmere MS., and several others,
the Squire Head-link follows the Merchant End-link without any
break. In many MSS. it follows the Man of Law's Tale ; but that is
the wrong place for it. See note to Group B, 1, 1165, p. 141.

THE SQUIERES TALE.

i. An allusion to Prol. 1. 97, unless (which is quite as probable) the
passage in the Prologue was written afterwards.

9. Sarray, Sarai. This place has been identified, past all doubt, by
Colonel Yule in his edition of Marco Polo's Travels, vol. i. p. 5, and
vol. ii. p. 424. The modern name is Tsarev, near Sarepta. Sarepta is
easily found on any good map of Russia by following the course of the
Volga from its mouth -upwards. At first this backward course runs
N.W. till we have crossed the province of Astrakhan, when it makes a
sudden bend, at Sarepta and Tsaritzin. Tsarev is now a place of no
importance, but the ancient Sarai was so well-known, that the Caspian
Sea was sometimes named from it; thus it is called 'the sea of
Sarain* in Marco Polo, ed. Yule, ii. 424: 'the sea of Sarra' in the
Catalan map of 1375 ; and Mare Seruanicum, or the Sea of Shirwan, by
Vincent of Beauvais. Thynne, in his Animadversions on Speight's
Chaucer, speaks to the same effect, and says of ' Sara ' that it is ' a place
yet well knowen, and bordering vppon the lake Mare Caspium.' But
it is still more to the point to observe that Sarai was the place where
Batu Khan, the grandson of Gengis Khan, held his court. Batu, with
his Mongolian followers known as the Golden Horde, had established an
empire in Kaptchak, or Kibzak, now S. E. Russia, about A.D. 1224.
The Golden Horde further invaded Russia, and made Alexander Newski
grand-duke of it, A.D. 1252. (See Golden Horde in Haydn's Dictionary
of Dates.)

It is also quite clear that Chaucer has here confused two accounts.
There were two celebrated Khans, both grandsons of Gengis Khan, who
were ruling about the same time. Batu Khan held his court at Sarai,
and ruled over the S.E. of Russia ; but the Great Khan, named Kublai,
held his court at Cambaluc, the modern Pekin, in a still more magni-
ficent manner. And it is easy to see that, although Chaucer names
Sarai, his description really applies to Cambaluc. See the Preface.

10. Rtissye, Russia; invaded by the Golden Horde, as just explained.
The end of the Tartar influence in Russia was in the year 1481, when
Svenigorod, general of Ivan III, defeated them at the battle of Biela-
wisch. In the following year Ivan assumed the title of czar.

12. Cambynskan; so in all seven MSS. (Six-text and Harleian) except
that in the Ellesmere MS. it more resembles Cambynskan. Yet Tyrwhitt
prints Cambuscan, probably in deference to Milton, who, however,
certainly accents the word wrongly, viz. on the second syllable ; II
Penseroso, 1. 1 10. Thynne, in his Animadversions on Speight's Chaucer,
speaking of the year 1 240, says — ' whiche must be in the tyme of the
fyrst Tartariane emperor called Caius canne, beinge, I suppose, he
whome Chaucer namethe Cambiuscan, for so ys [it in] the written
copies, such affynytye is there betwene those two names.' Now,

208 NOTES TO GROUP F.

although the celebrated Gengis Khan died probably in 1227, the
allusion to the ' fyrst Tartariane emperor ' is clear ; so that Thynne
makes the forms Cambitis, Cains (perhaps miswritten for Caius, i.e.
Cawius) and Gengis all equivalent. But this is the very result for
which Colonel Yule has found authority, as explained in the Preface, to
which the reader is referred. It is there explained that Chaucer has
used the title as a name ; and, whilst he names Gengis Khan (the first
' Grand Khan '), his description really applies to Kublai Khan, his grand-
son, the celebrated ' Grand Khan ' described by Marco Polo.

18. Lay, religious profession or belief. See the Preface, p. xliv.

20. This line scans ill as it stands in the MSS. unless we insert eek, as
proposed in the text. Tyrwhitt inserts and before alwey, which Wright
adopts ; but this makes the line intolerable, as it gives two accented
' amis '—

And pi I tons and /just dnd / alwty /yliche.
The Hengwi t MS. has —

Pietous and lust, and euere moore yliche,

which suggests that pilous sometimes took the trisyllabic form pietous ;
as, indeed, in Troil. iii. 1444, v. 451. With this form, eek is needless ;
and this I take to be, on the whole, the best solution of the difficulty.

22. Centre; often used in the sense of a fulcrum or point of extreme
stability. Cf. Milton, Par. Reg. iv. 533 —

' Proof against all temptation, as a rock
Of adamant, and, as a centre, firm.'

In the old astronomy, the centre of the earth was the centre of the uni-
verse, and therefore immoveable.

30. Tyrwhitt inserts sone after elde&te; fortunately, it is not in the
MSS. Whiche is a dissyllable, the e denoting the plural form. The
words tV eldest' form but two syllables, the e's being elided ; but we
may fairly preserve the e in highte (cf. 1. 33) from elision, for the
greater emphasis, by a short pause, and we then have a perfect line —

Of which/e th' el/dest' high/te — Al/garsif/.

3 1 . Canibalo. I have no doubt that this name was suggested by the
Cambaluc of Marco Polo. See the Preface, p. xliii.

39. Longing for, belonging to. Cf. longen, Kn. Ta. 1420.

44. I deme, I suppose. This looks as if Chaucer had read some
account of a festival made by the Grand Khan on one of his birthdays,
from which he inferred that he always held such a feast every year ; as,
indeed, was the case. See the Preface, p. xlv.

45. He leet don cryen, he caused (men) to have the feast cried. The
use of both leet and don is remarkable ; cf. E. 253. He gave his orders
to his officers, and they took care that the proclamation was made.

47. It is not clear why Chaucer hit upon this day in particular.

THE SQUIERES TALE.

Kublai's birthday was in September, but perhaps Chaucer noted that the
White Feast was on New Year's day, which he took to mean the vernal
equinox, or some day near it. The day, however, is well denned. The
'last Idus ' is the very day of the Ides, i. e. March 15. The sun entered
Aries according to Chaucer (Treatise on the Astrolabe, ii. i. 4), on the
1 2th of March, at the vernal equinox; and, as a degree answers to a
day very nearly, would be in the first degree of Aries on the 1 2th, in the
second on the J3th, in the third on the I4th, in the fourth on the I5th,
and in the fifth (or at the end of the/o«r/A) on the i6th, as Chaucer
most expressly says below ; see note to 1. 386. The sign Aries was
said, in astrology, to be the exaltation of the Sun, or that sign in which
the Sun had most influence for good or ill. In particular, the igth
degree of Aries, for some mysterious reason, was selected as the Sun's
exaltation, when most exactly reckoned. Chaucer says, then, that the
Sun was in the sign of Aries, in the fourth degree of that sign, and
therefore nigh to (and approaching) the igth degree, or his special
degree of exaltation. Besides this, the poet says the sun was in the
' face ' of Mars, and in the mansion of Mars ; for ' his mansion ' in 1. 50
means Mars' mansion. This is exactly in accordance with the astrology
of the period. Each sign, such as Aries, was said to contain 30 degrees,
or 3 faces; a. face being 10 degrees. The first face of Aries (degrees i-
10) was called the face of Mars, the second (11-20) the face of the Sun,
the third (21-30) that of Venus. Hence the sun, being in the fourth
degree, was in Mars's face. Again, every planet had its (so-called)
mansion or house ; whence Aries was called the mansion of Mars, Taurus
that of Venus, Gemini that of Mercury, &c. See Chaucer's Astrolabe,
ed. Skeat, pref. pp. Ivi, Ixvi ; or Johannis Hispalensis Isagoge in
Astrologiam, which gives all the technical terms.

50. Maries is a genitive formed from the nom. Marte (Kn. Ta. 1163),
which is itself formed, as usual, from the Latin ace. Martem.

51. In the old astrology, different qualities are ascribed to the different
signs. Thus Aries is described as choleric and fiery in MS. Trin. Coll.
Cam. R. 15. 1 8, tract. 3, p. n. So too, Tyrwhitt quotes from the
Calendrier des Bergers that Aries is ' chault et sec,' i. e. hot and dry.

53. Agayn, against, opposite to ; hi return for the sunshine, as it were.
So also in Kn. Ta. 651.

54. What for ; cf. Mod. Eng. what with. See Kn. Tale, 595.

59. Deys, raised platform, as at English feasts. But this is in Marco
Polo too; see the Preface. Cf. Kn. Tale, 1. 1342; and note to Prol.
1. 37°.

63. In a similar indirect manner, Chaucer describes feasts, &c., else-
where: see Kn. Ta. 1339-1348; Man of Lawes Tale (Clar. Press),
701-707. And Spenser imitates him ; F. Q. i. 12. 14 ; v. 3. 3.

VOL. II. P

210 NOTES TO GROUP F.

68. Mr. Wright's note on the line is—' It is hardly necessary to olv
serve that swans were formerly eaten at table, and considered among the
choicest ornaments of the festive board. Tyrwhitt informs us that at the
intronization of Archbp. Nevil, 6 Edward iv, there were " Ileronshawes
iiijc." [i. e. 400] ; Leland's Collectanea, vi. a : and that at another feast in
1530 we read of " 16 Heronsews, every one i 2d " ; Peck's Desiderata Cu-
riosa, ii. 12.' Heronshawis said to be derived from the French heron feau,
a young heron, a form not given in Burguy or Roquefort, and Cotgrave
only has ' Haironneau, a young heron,' and ' Hairon, a heron, heme, herne-
shaw.' Still, heronfeau is a true form, like lionpeau from lion. Halliwell
quotes ' Ardeola, an hearnesew,' from Elyot's Diet. 1559, and the form
herunsew from Reliquiae Antiquse, i. 88. Heronsewe is clearly the name of
a bird, not of a dish, as some have supposed ; and the very word heronsew
(for heron) is still used in Swaledale, Yorkshire. And in Hazlitt's old
Plays (The Disobedient Child), vol. ii. p. 282, we have—
' There must be also pheasant and swan ;
There must be heronsew, partridge, and quail.*

See the quotations in Nares; also Notes and Queries, ist Ser. iii. 450,
507 ; iv. 76 ; vii. 13. Cf. handsaw, for hernshaw, in Hamlet, ii. 2.

70. Som mete; viz. 'horses, dogs, and Pharaoh's rats.' See the
Preface, p. xlv.

73. Pryme ; the word prime seems to mean, in Chaucer, the first
quarter of the day, reckoned from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. ; and more particu-
larly, the end of that period, i. e. 9 a.m. In the Nonne Prestes Tale,
1. 376, the cock crew at prime, or 9 a.m. So here, the Squire says it is
9 o'clock, and he must proceed quickly with his story. The word is
used in different senses by different writers.

75. Firste, first design or purpose. I believe this reading is right.
MS. Harl. has purpos, which will not scan : unless my be omitted, as in
Tyrwhitt, though that MS. retains my. MSS. Cp. Ln. insert purpos as
well asjirste, making the line too long : whilst Hn. Cm. Pt. agree with
the text here given, which is from MS. E.

76. The second syllable in after is rapidly pronounced, and thridde is
a dissyllable.

78. TAinges, pieces of music. Minstrelsy at feasts was common ; cf.
Man of Lawes Tale, 705 ; March. Tale (C. T. 9592).

80. The incident of a man riding into the hall is nothing uncommon
Thus we have, in the Percy Folio MS. ii. 486, the line—

'The one came ryding into the hall.'

Warton observes — 'See a fine romantic story of a Comte de Macon
who, while revelling in his hall with many knights, is suddenly alarmed
by the entrance of a gigantic figure of a black man, mounted on a black
steed. This terrible stranger, without receiving any obstruction from

THE SQVIERES TALE. 211

guards or gates, rides directly forward to the high table, and, with an im-
perious tone, orders the count to follow him. — Nic. Gillos, Chron. ann.
1 1 20.' See also Warton's Obs. on the Fairy Queen, p. 202 ; the Ballad
of King Estmere; and Stowe's Survey of London, p. 387, ed. 1599;
p. 131, ed. 1842. In Scott's Rokeby, Bertram rides into a church.

81. Stede of bras, &c. See note to 1. 209, and the Preface, p. xxxiv.

95. Sir Gawain, nephew to King Arthur, according to the British
History which goes by the name of Geoffrey of Monmouth, is always
upheld as a model of courtesy in the French romances and the English
translations of them. He is often contrasted with Sir Kay, who was
equally celebrated for his churlishness. See the Percy Folio MS. ; Sir
Gawain, ed. by Sir F. Madden ; Sir Gawain and the Grene Knight, ed.
by Dr. Morris ; the Morte D'Arthur, &c. Cf. Rom. Rose, 2205-12.

103. Accordant, according. The change from the Fr. -ant to the
common Eng. -ing should be noted. — M.

106. Style, stile. Such puns are not common in Chaucer; cf. E.
1148.— M.

116. Day naturel. In his Treatise on the Astrolabe, pt. ii. c. 7 (ed.
Skeat, p. 21) Chaucer explains that the clay artificial is the time from
sunrise to sunset, which varies ; to which he adds — ' but the day naturel,
}>at is to seyn 24 houris, is the reuolucioun of the equinoxial with as
moche partie of the zodiak as the sonne of his propre moeuinge passeth
in the mene while.' See note to Group B, 1. 2, p. 129.

122. The air, pronounced th'air, as usual with Chaucer.

129. Wayted, watched ; alluding to the care with which the maker
watched for the moment when the stars were in a propitious position,
according to the old belief in astrology.

131. Seel, seal. Mr. Wright notes that 'the making and arrangement
of seals was one of the important operations of medieval magic, and
treatises on this subject are found in MSS.' He refers to MS. Arundel,
no. 295, fol. 265. Solomon's seal is still commemorated in the name of
a flower.

132. Mironr. For some account of this, see the Preface, p. xxxvii,
and note to 1. 231.

137. Ouer al this, besides all this. Elsewhere ouer-al is a compound
word, meaning everywhere ; as in Prol. 216. — M.

154. And whom, Sec., and to whom it will do good, or operate as a
remedy; alluding to the virtues attributed to many herbs. So Spenser,
F. Q. i. 2. 10—

' O who can tell

The hidden power of herbes, and might of magicke spell!'
162. With the platte, with the flat side of it ; see 1. 164.
171. Slant, stands; contracted from standeth; so also in 1. 182. Cf.
P 2

113, NOTES TO GROUP F.

sit for silteth in I. 179, hit for hideth in 1. 512, and note to E.

"51-

184. ' By means of any machine furnished with a windlass or a pulley.'
The modern windlass may be compounded of wind and lace, but it is
much more probably a corruption of the form windas here used. The
confusion would be facilitated by the fact that there really was a form
windlas (doubtless from wind and lace) with a different meaning, viz.
that of a circuitous way or path ; see note to Hamlet, ii. i. 65 (Clar.
Press). In the Promptorium Parvulorum, our word is spelt both
wyndlas and wyndas; p. 529. The Mid. E. wiiidas may have been derived
from the Low-German directly, or more probably from the Old French,
which has both guindas and windas. The meaning and derivation are
clearly shewn by the Du. windas, which means a winding-axle or capstan,
from the sb. as, an axle; so, too, the Icel. vind-dss. In Falconer's
Shipwreck, canto i, note 3, the word windlass is used in the sense of
capstan.

190. Ganren, gaze, stare. Used again by Chaucer, B. 3559> and in
Troil. and Cres. ii. 1157, v. 1152 ; also in A 3827, B 912, F 190. In
the New English Dictionary it is explained by ' to stare, gape, gaze in
wonder or astonishment.' I believe the word to be of Scandinavian
origin, as it can be derived (phonetically) from Norw. gagra, to stand
with the neck stretched out and chin in the air (Ross) ; which exactly
expresses the gazer's attitude. This is a frequentative form from Norw.
gaga, to bend back (Aasen), allied to Icel. gfigr, bent back. The
N. E. D. also quotes examples from Lydgate's Bochas, and from
Skelton's Magnificence, 1. 2275. It occurs, too, in Caxton's Eneydos, c.
61 : — 'And thou art here, gawrynge about nought.'

Gauring, i. e. stupor, occurs in Batman upon Bartholome, lib. vii. c. 7.

193. Ltttnbardye, Lombardy, formerly celebrated for horses. Tyrwhitt
quotes from a patent in Rymer, 2 Edw. II. — ' De dextrariis in Lumbardid
emendis,' i. e. of horses to be bought in Lombardy.

195. Poileys, Apulian. Apulia was called Poille or Poile in Old
French, and even in Middle English ; the phrase ' king of Poile1 occurs
in the Seven Sages (ed. Weber), 1. 2019. ^ was celebrated for its horses.
Tyrwhitt quotes from MS. James vi. 142 (Bodleian Library) a passage
in which Richard, archbishop of Armagh, in the fourteenth century, has
the words — ' nee mulus Hispanige, nee dextrarius Apuliae, nee repedo
JEihiopix, nee elephantus Asise, nee camelus Syriae.' Chaucer ascribes
strength and size to the horses of Lombardy, and high breeding to those
of Apulia.

200. Gon, i. e. move, go about, have motion.

aoi. Offairye, of fairy origin, magical. I do not subscribe to Warton's
opinion (Obs. on Faerie Queene, p. 86) that this necessarily means that

THE SQUIERES TALE. 213

it was ' the work of the devil.' Cf. the same expression in Piers PI. B.
prol. 6.

203. Compaie the Latin proverb — ' quot homines, tot sentenliae.'
See Hazlitt's Eng. Proverbs, pp. 340, 437. A good epigram on this
proverb is given in Camden's Remaines concerning Britaine, ed. 1657,
sig. Gg.

'So many heads, so many wits — fie, fie I
Is't not a shame for Proverbs thus to lie?
My selfe, though my acquaintance be but small,
Know many heads that have no wit at all.'

207. The Pegasee, Pegasus. In the margin of MSS. E. Hn. HI. is
written ' i. equs Pegaseus,' meaning ' id est, equus Pegaseus ' ; shewing
that Chaucer was thinking of the adjective Pegaseus rather than of the
sb. Pegasus, the name of the celebrated winged horse of Bellerophon
and of the Muses. Cf. Complaint of the Black Knight, 1. 92.

209. ' Or else it was the horse of the Greek named Sinon.' This very
singular-looking construction is really common in Middle English ; yet
the scribe of the Harleian MS. "actually writes ' the Grekissch hors
Synon,' which makes Sinon the name of the horse ; and this odd blunder
is retained in the editions by Wright and Bell. The best way of clearing
up the difficulty is by noting similar examples ; a few of which are here
appended.

•The kinges meting Pharao';
i. e. the dream of King Pharaoh ; Book of the Duchesse, 1. 282.

' The erles wif Alein ' ;

i. e. the wife of earl Alein ; Rob. of Gloucester, in Spec, of Eng. ed.
Morris and Skeat, p. n, 1. 303.

'Themperours moder william,'
i.e. the mother of the Emperor named William ; Will, of Palerne, 1. 5437.

' Pieres pardon j>e plowman ' ;
i. e. the pardon of Piers the Plowman ; P. Fl. B. xix. 182.

'In Piers berne )>e plowman';
i. e. in the barn of Piers the Plowman ; id. xix. 354.

' For Piers loue j-e plowman ' ;

i.e. for love of Piers the Plowman ; id. xx. 76. Chaucer again alludes
to Sinon in the House of Fame, i. 152, and in the Legend of Good
Women, Dido, 8 ; which shews that he took that legend partly from
Virgil, Aen. ii. 195. But note that Chaucer here compares a horse of
brass to the Trojan horse ; this is because the latter was also said to
have been of brass, not by Virgil, but by Guido de Colonna ; see note
tol. 211. This is why Gower, in his Confess. Amant. bk. i, and Caxton,
in hisRecuyell of the Historyes of Troy, both speak of the Trojan horse
as a ' horse of brass ;' see Spec, of English, 1394-1579, p.gi, 1. 67.

314 NOTES TO GROUP F.

211. Olde gestes, old accounts. The account of the taking of Troy
most valued in the middle ages was not that by Virgil, or Homer, but
the Latin prose story written in 1287 by Guido de Colonna, who ob-
tained a great reputation very cheaply, since he borrowed his work
almost entirely from an old French Roman de Troie, written by Benoit
de Sainte-Maure. See the preface to The Gest Hystoriale of the
Destruction of Troy, ed. Panton and Donaldson (Early English Text
Society).

219. Jogelovrs, jugglers. See the quotation from Marco Polo, i. 340,
in the Preface, p. xlv; and Tyrwhitt's note to Cant. Tales, 1. 11453.

224. ' They are very prone to put down things to the worst cause.'

226. Maister tour, principal tower, the donjon or keep-tower. So also
maistre strete, principal street, Kn. Ta. 2044 ; maistre temple, Leg. of
Good Women, 1. 1014.

230. For slye, MS. HI. has heigh, an inferior reading. Mr. Marsh
observes upon this line — ' This reasoning reminds one of the popular
explanation of table-turning and kindred mysteries. Persons who
cannot detect the trick . . . ascribe the alleged facts to electricity. . . .
Men love to cheat themselves with hard words, and indolence often
accepts the name of a phenomenon as a substitute for the reason of it ' ;
Origin and Progress of the English Language, Lect. ix. p. 427.

231. The magic mirror in Rome was said to have been set up there
by Virgil, who was at one time reverenced, not as a poet, but as a great
enchanter. The story occurs in the Seven Sages, in the Introduction to
his edition of which Mr. Wright says, at p. lix. — ' The story of Virgil's
tower, which was called sahatio Roma, holds rather a conspicuous place
in the legendary history of the magician. Such a tower is first men-
tioned, but without the name of Virgil, in a Latin MS. of the eighth
century, in a passage published by Docen and republished by Keller, in
his introduction to the Sept Sages. Vincent of Beauvais, in the thirteenth
century . . . describes Virgil's tower ; and it is the subject of a chapter
in the legendary history of Virgilius.' See also the other version of the
Seven Sages edited by Weber, and reprinted in Matzner's Sprachproben,
i. 254. We there find that besides the tower,

' Amiddeward the cite, on a stage,
Virgil made another ymage,
That held a miroiir in his bond,
And oversegh al that lond.'

Govver tells the story of this mirror in his Confessio Amantis, bk. v.
It occurs also in the Chronicle of Helinand, and in the Otia Imperialia
of Gervase of Tilbury; Morley's Eng. Writers, ii. 126. Warton notes
that the same fiction is in Caxton's Troybook, bk. ii. ch. 22.

•232. 'Alhazeni et Vitellonis Opticae are extant, printed at Basil, 157*.

THE SQVIERES TALE. 21 5

The first is supposed by his editor to have lived about A.D. noo, and
the second to A.D. 1270.' — Tyrwhitt. Hole's Brief Biographical Dic-
tionary has the notices — ' Alhazel or Alhazen, Arabian Astronomer and
Optician ; died A.D. 1038 ' ; and — ' Vitello or Vitellio, Polish Mathema-
tician ; floruit circa 1254.' See also the Preface, p. xxxvii.

233. Aristotle, the famous Grecian philosopher, born B. c. 384, died
322. Writen in hir lynes, wrote in their life-time. Observe that ivriten
is here the past tense. The pres. pi. is uryten ; pt. s. wrat, two/, or
wroot ; pt. pi. writen ; pp. ivriten.

238. Thelophus. Telephus, king of Mysia, in opposing the landing of
the Greeks in the expedition against Troy, was wounded by the spear
of Achilles. But as an oracle declared that the Greeks would require
his aid, he was healed by means of the rust taken from the same spear.
Chaucer may easily have learnt this story from his favourite Ovid, who
says—

Telephus aeterna consumptus tabe perisset
Si non quae nocuit dextra tulisset opera.

Tristium lib. v. El. 2. 15.
And again —

Uulnus Achilleo quae quondam fecerat hosti,
Uulneris auxilium Pelias hasta tulit.

Remcd. Amor. 47.

See also Met. xii. 112 ; xiii. 171 ; Ex Ponto ii. 2. 26. Or he may have
taken it from Dante, Inferno, xxxi. 5. Cf. Shak. a Hen. VI, v. I.
100.

247. Canacees; four syllables, as in 1. 631.

250. Great skill in magic was attributed in the middle ages to Moses
and Solomon, especially by the Arabs. Moses was supposed to have
learnt magic from the Egyptians; cf. Acts vii. 22; Exod. vii. n. See
the story of the Fisherman and Genie in the Arabian Nights' Entertain-
ments, where the genie invokes the name of Solomon.

253- 'Some said it was a wonderful thing to make glass from fern-
ashes, since glass does not resemble fern-ashes at all.' Glass contains
two principal ingredients, sand and some kind of alkali. For the latter,
the calcined ashes of seaweed, called kelp, were sometimes used; or,
according to Chaucer, the ashes of ferns. Modern chemistry has
developed many greater wonders.

256. ' But, because men have known it (the art of glass-making) so
long, their talking and wonder about it ceases.' The art is of very high
antiquity, having been known even to the Egyptians. So fern, so long
ago ; Chaucer sometimes rimes words which are spelt exactly alike, but
only when their meanings differ. See Prol. 1. 1 7, where selte, to seek,
rimes with stke, sick. Other examples are seen in the Kn. Tale, see

2l6 NOTES TO GROUP F.

being repeated in 11. 1097, IO98 5 caste in 11. 1313, 1314; eaas in 11. 1499,
1500; and fare in 11. 1577, 1578. Imperfect rimes like disport, port,
Prol. 137, 138, are common; see Prol. 241, 433, 519, 579, 599, 613,
811 ; Kn. Ta. 379, 381, &c. For examples of fern compare —

•Ye, fanvell all the snow of feme yere,'

i.e. good bye to all last year's snow; Troil. and Cres. v. 1177 (ed.
Tyrwkitt). So also fernyere, long ago, in P. PL B. v. 440 ; spelt uern-
yere, in Ayenbite of Inwyt, ed. Morris, p. 92. Adverbs commonly
terminate in -e, but the scribes are right in writing fern here; see A.S.
Gospels, Matt. xi. 21, for the forms gefyrn, gefern, meaning long ago.
Occleve, in a poem on himself, uses the expression fern ago, i. e. long
ago ; Morley, Eng. Writers, ii. 435. And in Levins's Manipulus Vocabu-
lorum, ed. Wheatley, we find — ' Old fame years, anni praeteriti, seculum
pritis'

With these examples in view, we might interpret feme halwes in
Chaucer's Prologue, 1. 14, by ' olden ' rather than by ' distant ' saints ;
but the latter would appear to be authenticated by a passage in his
translation of Boethius, bk. ii. met. 7, where the expression ' renoune,
yspradde to feme poeples, goth by dyuerse tongues,' can only mean
' distant ' peoples. Fern, in the sense of old, is explained at once by the
Gothic/airwz's, old ; but, in the sense of distant, would seem to be cor-
ruptly and incorrectly formed, since the A.S. feorran, meaning far, is
strictly an adverb, from the adjective feorr. But in course of time this
adverb came to be declined as an adjective ; see the examples in Strat-
mann, s.v. fsorren.

258. Cf. ' What is the cause of thunder ;' K. Lear, iii. 4. 160.

263. For a full explanation of this difficult passage, I must be content
to refer the reader to Mr. Brae's edition of Chaucer's Astrolabe, pp. 77
and 86, and my own edition of the same, p. Ivi. The chief points that
now seem tolerably certain are these.

(1) The Angle Meridional was an astrological term. The heavens
were divided into twelve equal parts called ' mansions,' and four of
these mansions were technically called ' angles ' ; the angle meridional
was the same as the tenth mansion, which was bounded on the one edge
by the meridian, and on the other by a semi-circle passing through the
N. and S. points of the horizon, and lying 30° to the E. of the meridian ;
so that, at the equinoxes, at any place situate on the equator, the sun
would cross this portion of the sky between 10 a.m. and the hour of noon.

(2) Since this 'angle ' corresponds to the end of the forenoon, the sun
leaves the said angle at the moment of noon, and 1. 263 means no more
than ' it was now past noon.'

(3) The 'royal beast' means the king of beasts, the lion, and (here
in particular) the sign of the zodiac named Leo. This sign, on the I5th

THE SQUIERES TALE. 217

of March, in Chaucer's time, and in the latitude of London, began to
' ascend,' or rise above the horizon, just about noon. An additional
reason for calling Leo ' royal ' is because the principal star in the con-
stellation is called Regulus in Latin, Bcun\iffKos in Greek, and Melikhi
in Arabic, all epithets signifying kingly or royal.

(4) But, before the Tartar king rose from the feast, the time past
noon had so increased that the star called Aldiran, situate in Leo, was
now rising above the horizon. In other words, it was very nearly two
o'clock. It may be added, that, by the time the whole of the sign had
ascended, it would be about a quarter to three. Hence Chaucer speaks
of the sign as yet (i. e. still) ascending.

The chief remaining point is to fix the star Aldiran.

Most MSS. read Aldrian, owing to the frequent shifting of r in a
word ; just as brid, for instance, is the old spelling of bird. But the
Hengwrt MS. is right. The name Aldiran, Aldurin, orAldiraan, occurs
in the old Parisian star-lists as the name of a star in the constellation
Leo, and is described in them as being ' in fronte Leonis.' The word
means ' the two fore-paws,' and the notes of the star's position are such
that I am persuaded it is the star now called 0 Hydra, situate near the
Lion's fore-paws, as commonly drawn. The only objection to this ex-
planation arises from the comparative insignificance of the star, but any
who will take the trouble to examine the old lists will see that certain
stars were chosen quite as much for the sake of position as of brightness.
When it was desired to mark particular points in the sky, bright stars
were chosen if they were conveniently placed ; but, failing that, any
would serve the purpose that were fairly distinct. This is why, in a
star-list of only 49 stars in MS. Camb. Univ. Lib. li, 3. 3, such stars as
SCapricorni, 8 Aquarii, 8 Ophiuchi, &c., find a place. The star Aldiran
(0 Hydra) was remarkable for rising, in the latitude of Paris, just before
the splendid star a Leonis of the first magnitude, whose coming it thus
heralded. That star is also found in the same star-lists, with the name
Calbalesed, or ' the lion's heart ' ; in Latin, Cor Leonis ; another name
for it being Regulus, as stated above.

On the whole, we fairly suppose Chaucer's meaning to be, that before
the feast concluded, it was not only fast noon, but nearly two hours past
noon.

269. Chambre of parements. Tyrwhitt's note is — ' Chambre de paremenl
is translated by Cotgrave, the presence-chambre, and lit de parement, a
bed of state. Parements originally signified all sorts of ornamental
furniture or clothes, from Fr. purer, to adorn. See Kn. Ta. 1643, and
Legend of Good Women ; Dido, 1. 181.' He adds that the Italians use
camera de' paramenti in the same sense.

272. Venus children, the worshippers or subjects of Venus. It merely

2l8 NOTES TO GROUP F.

means the knights and ladies at the feast, whose thoughts then turned
upon love, because the season was astrologically favourable for it ; cf.
Kn. Tale, 1628, 1629. The reason is given in 1. 273, viz. that 'her
lady,' i. e. (heir lady or goddess, as represented by the planet Venus,
was then situate in the sign Pisces. This sign, in astrology, is called
the ' exaltation ' of Venus, or the sign in which she exerts most power.
Hence the expression ful hye, and the statement that Venus regarded
her servants with a friendly aspect. In the Wyf of Bathes Prol.,
Chaucer has the line —

' In Pisces, wher Venus is exaltat.'

' Who will not commend the wit of astrology ? Venus, born out of
the sea, hath her exaltation in Pisces ' ; Sir T. Browne, Works, ed.
Wilkin, iv. 382.

287. Lancelot, the celebrated lover of queen Guinever in the Arthur
romances. Cp. Dante, Inf. v. 128.

291. 'The steward bids (them) to be quick with the spices.'
299, 300. Here Hath is used for is; cf. French il y a.
316. ' You must twirl round a pin (which) stands in his ear.'
318. 'You must also tell him to what place or country you wish to ride.'
334. Ryde, ride ; so in all six MSS. MS. Harl. has Byd, i. e. bid.
340. The bridle is here said to have been put away with the jewels.
So also, when Richard I, in a crusade, took Cyprus, among the treasures
in the castles are mentioned precious stones, golden cups, &c., together
with golden saddles, bridles, and spurs ; Geoffrey of Vinsauf, Iter
Hierosol. c. xli. p. 328; in Vet. Script. Angl. torn. ii.

346. Tyrwhitt inserts that after Til, to fill up the line. It is not
necessarily required ; see the note in the Preface upon lines in which
the first syllable is lacking ; p. Ixv.

347. 'Sleep, digestion's nurse, winked upon them, and bade them
take notice, that much drink and exercise must require repose." Cf.
2 Hen. IV, Hi. i. 6. Tyrwhitt supposes 1. 349 to be corrupt, but it
may perhaps stand.

351. To scan the line, retain the e in seyde, preserved by the caesura.

352. By the old physicians, blood was supposed to be in domination,
or chief power, for seven hours, from the ninth hour of the night
(beginning at 8 p.m.) to the third hour of the day. Tyrwhitt quotes
from a book De Natura, ascribed to Galen, torn. v. p. 327 — 'Sanguis
dominatur horis septem, ab hora noctis nona ad horam diei tertiam.'
Other authorities were pleased to state the matter somewhat differently.
' Six houres after midnight bloud halh the mastery, and in the sixe houres
afore noon choler reigneth, and six houres after noon raigneth melan-
choly, and six hours afore midnight reigneth the flegmatick" ; Shepheardes
Kalender, ed. 1656, ch. xxix. Chaucer no doubt followed this latter

THE SQUIERES TALE. 219

account, which he may have found in the original French Calendrier des
Bergers ; see note to 1. 51, p. 209.

357. Forme, for my part, by my means ; still common.

358. Fumositee, fumes arising from wine-drinking. SeeC. T. 12501 ;
and concerning dreams, see the Nonne Prestes Tale, 103-149.

359. No charge, no weight ; to which no weight, or no significance,
can be attached.

360. Pryme large ; probably much the same as fully pryme, Sir Thop.
2015, which see. It must mean the time when the period of prime was
more than ended ; i. e. past 9 a.m. This would be a very late hour for
rising, but the occasion was exceptional.

365. Appalled, enfeebled ; literally, pallid, as Tyrwhitt explains it.
See the Glossary ; and cf. Kn. Ta. 2195 ; and Shipm. Tale, C. T.
13030-2 : —

' " Nece," quod he, " it oughte ynough suffise
Fiue houres for to slepe upon a nyght,
But it were for an old appalled wyght," ' &c.

373. ' Before the sun began to rise ' ; i. e. before 6 a.m., as it was near
the equinox.

374. Maistresse, governess ; as appears from the Doctoures Tale.
376, 377. Though the sense is clear, the grammar is incurably wrong.

Chaucer says — ' These old women, that would fain seem wise, just as
did her governess, answered her at once.' What he means is — ' This
governess, that would fain seem wise, as such old women often do,
answered her,' &c. The second part of this tale seems to have been
hastily composed, left unfinished, and never revised. Cf. 1. 382.
383. Wei a ten, i. e. about ten. Cf. Prol. 1. 24.

386. Four. The Harl. MS. wrongly has (en. There is no doubt about
it, because on the I5th of March, the day before, the sun was in the third
degree of the sign ; on the i6th, he was in Ihe fourth degree.

387. It means — 'and, moreover, the sun had risen but four degrees
above the horizon ' ; i. e. it was not yet a quarter past six.

396. Her hertes, their hearts. Lyghle, to feel light, to feel happy ;
an unusual use of the verb, and a hasty expression. In 1. 398, the
sudden change to the singular she is harsh.

401. Again hastily written. Chaucer says — 'The point for which
every tale is told — if it be delayed till the pleasure of them that have
hearkened after (or listened attentively to) the former part of it grows
cold — then the pleasantness of it passes off, on account of the prolixity
in telling it ; and the more so, the longer it is spun out.' Knotte
here takes the sense of the (unrelated) Lat. nodus, as used by Horace,
ArsPoet. 1. 191.

409. Fordrye, exceedingly dry. The tree was white too, owing to

220 NOTES TO GROUP F.

loss of its bark. Possibly an allusion to the famous Arbre Sec, or Dry
Tree; see Marco Polo, cd. Yule, i. 119; Maundeville, ed. Halliwell,
p. 68 ; Matzner, Sprachproben, ii. 185.

428. Fancon peregryn. ' This species of falcon is thus described in the
Tresor de Brunei Latin, P. i. ch. Des Faucons; MS. Reg. 19 C. x. " La
seconde lignie est fancons, qui horn apele pelerins, par ce que nus ne
trove son ni ; ains est pris autresi come en pelerinage, et est mult legiers
a norrir, et mult cortois et vaillans, et de bone maniere " [i. e. the second
kind is the falcon which is called the pilgrim (or peregrine), because no
one ever finds its nest; so it is otherwise taken, as it were on pilgrimage,
and is very easily fed, and very tame and bold, and well-mannered].
Chaucer adds that this falcon was of fremde land, i. e. from a foreign
country.' — Tyrwhitt.

435. Ledene, language ; from A. S. leden, lyden, sometimes used in
the sense of language, though it is certainly, after all, a mere corrup-
tion of Latin, which is the sense which it most often bears. Thus, the
inscription on the cross of Christ is said to have been written ' Ebreis-
ceon stafon, and Grecisceon, and Leden stafon,' in Hebrew letters and
in Greek and Latin letters ; John xix. 20. So also ' on Ledenisc gereorde,'
in the Latin language; Beda/ bk. iv. c. I. Hence the word was used
more generally in the sense of language ; as, ' Mara is, on ure lyden,
biternes,' i. e. Marah is, in our speech, bitterness ; Exod. xv. 23. This
extension of the meaning, and the form of the word, were both influenced,
probably, by confusion with the sb. hlyd, a noise, and the adj. Mud,
loud. In one instance we find, in Northumbrian English, the word
lydeng with the sense of noise or cry ; Matthew xxv. 6 (ed. Kemble).
The student should learn to distinguish this word from the A. S. lead,
G. lied, i. e. a song. Tyrwhitt notes that Dante uses latino in the sense
of language ; ' E cantine gli augelli Ciascuno in suo latino ; ' Can-
zone i.

458. As doth, so do, pray do. See Note to Cler. Tale, 1. 7. P- r95-

469. ' As verily as may the great God of nature help me.' Wisly,
verily, is quite different from vysly, wisely; cf. Kn. Ta. 1376.

471. 'To heal your hur£s with quickly.1 Note the position of with;
and cf. 1. 641.

474. A swowne = a swowne = on swoime, in a swoon.

479. Chaucer's favourite line ; he repeats it four times. See Kn. Ta.
903; March. Ta. 9860 (ed. Tyrwhitt); Prol. to Leg. G. W. 503.
Also, in The Man of Lawes Ta. 660. we have it again in the form —
' As gentil herte is fulfild of pitee.'

480. Similitude is pronounced nearly as similitude.
483. Kytheth, manifests. Cf. Rom. Rose, 2187-2238.

490. ' And to make others take heed by my example, as the lion is

THE SQV1ERES TALE. 221

chastised (or reproved) by means of the dog.' The explanation of this
passage was a complete riddle to me till I fortunately discovered the
proverb alluded to. It appears in George Herbert's Jacula Prudentum
(Herbert's Works, ed. Willmott, 1859, p. 328) in the form 'Beat the
dog before the lion,' where before means in the sight of. This is cleared
up by Cotgrave, who, in his French Dictionary, s. v. Batre, has the
proverb — ' Batre le chien devant le Lion, to punish a mean person in
the presence, and to the terror of, a great one.' It is even better
explained by Shakespeare, Othello, ii. 3. 272 — 'What, man! there
are ways to recover the general again : you are but now cast in his
mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice ; even so as one would
beat his offenceless dog to affright an imperious lion.'

499. Ther, where. The numerous expressions in this narrative
certainly shew that the falcon was really a princess (cf. 1. 559) who had
been changed into a falcon for a time, as is so common in the Arabian
Tales. Thus, in 1. 500, the roche or rock may be taken to signify a
palace of gray marble, and the tercelet (1. 504) to be a prince. This
gives the whole story a human interest.

505, 506. Welle, well, fountain. Al were he, although he was.

511. Colour es, colours; and, in a secondary sense, pretences, which
meaning is also intended ; cf. 1. 560. On dyeing in grain, i. e. of a fast
colour, see note to Sir Thopas, B. 1917.

512. Hit him, hideth himself. See Preface, p. li. The allusion is to
the well-known lines — ' Qui legitis flores . . . fugite hinc, latet anguis
in herba ;' Verg. Bucol. iii. 92. Cf. Macbeth, i. 5. 66.

517. Sowneth into, tend to, are consonant with ; see Prol. 307.

518. Cf. P. Plowm. B. xv. 109. Both passages are from Matt,
xxiii. 27.

537. Chaucer clearly quotes this as a proverb ; true man means honest
man, according to Dogberry ; Much Ado about Nothing, iii. 3. 54.
The sense seems to be much the same as • You cannot make a silk purse
of a sow's ear,' or ' Once a knave, always a knave.' Compare —
1 Alas ! I see a serpent or a theef
That many a trewe man hath do mescheef ';

Knightes Tale, 1. 467.

548. The reading Troilns must be a mistake, because he was not
guilty of transferring his love to another ; it was Cressida who did that,
so that the falcon would take care not to refer to that story. Paris
deserted Oenone for Helen, and Jason deserted Medea for Glauce.
Lamech was the first to have tsvo wives, viz. Adah and Zillah, Gen.
iv. 23. The whole of this passage is a 'recast of Chaucer's earlier
poem on Queen Annelida, where Lamech is introduced just in the same
way.

222 NOTES TO GROUP F.

555. Imitated, but not with good taste, from Mark i. 7.

579- ' Whether it was a grief to me, does not admit of doubt.'

583. 'Such grief I felt because he could not stay.'

593. Chaucer has this expression again, Kn. Ta. 2184; Troilus, iv.
1586. It was a common proverb. Shakespeare has it frequently ; Two
G. of Ver. iv. i. 62 ; Rich. II, i. 3. 278 ; King Lear, Hi. 2. 70.

596. To borwe, for a security ; borwe being a sb., not a verb. Cf. Kn.
Ta. 360, 764. Hence it means, ' Saint John being for a security/ i e.
Saint John being my security ; as in The Complaint of Mars, 1. 9. She
pledges herself by Saint John, the apostle of truth ; see i John iii. 19,
iv. 20. Lydgate has ' seint John to borowe ' in his Complaint of the
Black Knight, st. 2.

601. 'When he has well said everything, he has done (all he means
to do).'

602. This is a common proverb; cf. Com. of Errors, iv. 3. 64;
Tempest, ii. 2. 103 ; Marlowe, Jew of Malta, iii. 4.

607. From Boethius, De Cons. Phil. lib. iii. met. 2—
'Repetunt proprios quaeque recursus

Redituque suo singula gaudent.'

Chaucer translates this (ed. Morris, p. 69) — ' Alle Binges seken ajein
into hir propre cours ; and alle Binges reioisen hem of hir retournynge
ajein to hir nature.' A few lines above is a passage answering to
11. 611-620, which in the original runs thus: —
' Quae canit altis garrula ramis

Ales, caueae clauditur antro :

Huic licet illita pocula melle,

Largasque dapes dulci studio

Ludens hominum cura minislret,

Si tamen, arto saliens tecto,

Nemorum gratas uiderit umbras,

Sparsis pedibus preterit escas,

Siluas tantum maesta requirit,

Siluas dulci uoce susurrat.'

This Chaucer translates — ' And ]>e langland brid )>at syngijj on ]>e heye
braunches, J>is is to sein, in }>e wode, and after is inclosed in a streit
cage ; alj>ou3 ]>at fe pleiyng besines of men seuej) hem honiede drinkes
and large metes wi]> swete studie ; sit najjeles yif J>ilke brid skippynge
oute of hir streite cage see]) J>e agreable shadewes of J>e wodes, she
defoule|> wi]> hir fete hir metes yshad, and sekej) mournyng oonly )>e
wode, and twitri]), desirynge J>e wode, wij> hir swete voys." And
Chaucer repeats the example yet a third time, in the Manciple's Tale,
1.59-

THE SQV1ERES TALE. $2$

618. Neicef angel, of four syllables, as in 1. 89 of the Manciple's Tale.
The word newefangeltiesse will be found in the poem of Annelida, and in
Leg. of Good Worn. Prol. 154.

624. Ky'e. Mr. Jephson notes that ' the kite is a cowardly species of
hawk, quite unfit for falconry, and was therefore the emblem of every-
thing base.'

644. Blue was the colour of truth and constancy; hence the ex-
pression ' true blue,' as in Butler's Hudibras, pt. i. c. i. 1. 191 ; cf. Cler.
Tale, 254. Green (1. 646) signified inconstancy. Lydgate, in his Fall of
Princes, fol. e 7, speaking of Dalilah, says —

4 In stede of blewe, which stedefast is and clene,

She louyd chaungys of many diuers grene!

Tyrwhitt draws attention to a Ballade upon an inconstant lady, among
Stowe's additions to Chaucer's works, the burden of which is —
' Instede of blew thus may ye were al grene.'

648. Tidifs. The tidifis mentioned as an inconstant bird in Prol. to
Leg. G.W.I. 154-

' And tho that hadde don unkyndenesse
As doth the tidif, for newfangelnesse,' &c.

Draj ton uses tydy as the name of a small bird (see Nares) ; perhaps the
titmouse.

649, 650. These lines are transposed in all the MSS. and editions,
according to Tyvwhitt. He rightly says that no sense is to be got out
of the passage except by putting them in the order in which they stand
here. All the later editors accept his emendation.

667. Observe that Catnbalo, if not inserted here in the MSS. by error.
is quite a different person from the Cambalns in 1. 656 (called Catnbalo
in 1. 31). He is Canace's lover, who is to fight in the lists against her
brothers Cambalo and Algarsif, and win her. Spenser (F. Q. iv. 3)
introduces three brethren as suitors for Canace, who have to fight
against Cambello her brother; this is certainly not what Chaucer
intended, nor is it very satisfactory.

671, 672. Some suppose these two lines to be spurious. I do not
feel sure about that ; for they occur in MS. E. Hn. Cp. Pt., and others,
and are not to be too lightly rejected. The Lansdowne MS. has eight
lines here, which are ceitainly spurious. In MS. E., after 1. 672, the
rest of the page is blank. The lines are quite intelligible, if we add the
words He entreth. We then have — ' Apollo (the sun) whirls up his
chariot so highly (continues his course in the zodiac) till he enters the
mansion of the god Mercury, the cunning one ' ; the construction in the
last line being similar to that in 1. 209. The sun was described as in
Aries, 1. 51. By continuing his upward course, i.e. his Northward
course, by which he approached the zenith daily, he would soon come

224 NOTES TO GROUP F.

to the sign Gemini, which was the mansion of Mercury. It is a truly
Chaucerian way of saying that two months had elapsed. I cannot
believe these lines to be spurious. It may be added that they are
imitated at the beginning of the poem called The Flower and the Leaf,
and in Skelton, Garland of Laurel, 1. 1471.

NOTES TO THE SQUIRE END-LINK.

675. Fonthe is a dissyllable; observe the rime with allow the, i.e.
commend thee, which is written as one word (allowihe) in several MSS.
677. As to my doom, in my opinion.

683. Pound, i.e. pounds worth of land. See the Glossary.
688. And yet shal, and shall still do so.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

B = Group B. E = Group E. F = Group F.
The following are the principal contractions used : —

A.S. = Anglo-Saxon (i.e. Old English
words in Bosworth's A.S. Diet.).

Dan. = Danish.

Du. = Dutch.

E.= English.

E.E. = Early English (A.D. 1100-
1250).

F. = French.

G. = German.
Gk. = Greek.
Icel. = Icelandic.
Ital. = Italian.
La t. = Latin.

M.E. = Middle English (A.D. 1250-

1485).

M.H.G. = Middle High German.
Mceso-Goth. or Goth. = Mceso-

Gothic.

O.F. = Old French.
O.H.G. = Old High German.
PromptParv. = Promptorium Parvu-

lorum, ed. Way, Camden Society,

1865.

Sp. = Spanish.
Sw. = Swedish.
W. = Welsh.

The Dictionaries used for these languages are mentioned at the end of
the Preface. Note also, that v. = a verb in the infinitive mood; pr. s. or
pt, s. means the third person singular of the present or past tense, except
when I p. or 2 p. (first person or second person) is added ; pr. pi. or pt. pi,
means, likewise, the third person plural of the present or past tense ; imp. s.
means the second person singular of the imperative mood. Other contrac-
tions, as s. for substantive, pp. for past participle, will be readily understood.
In the references, when the letter is absent before a number, supply the
letter last mentioned ; thus, under Abayst, all the references refer to
Group E.

The contraction ' Mor. Gloss.' signifies Dr. Morris's Glossary to the Pro-
logue, Knightes Tale, &c. in the Clarendon Press Series.

A.

A, art. a ; al a = the whole of a, E
1165. A.S. an, G. ein. Of the
indef. article, an is the original, a
the abbreviated form.

A ha, interj. Aha ! B 1629.

A, prep, on, upon, in, by ; a nyghte,
by night, B 3758 ; now a dayes,
now in these days, E 1164. A.S.
on, E.E. an, a.

Abak, adv. backwards, B 2017.
A.S. onbcEC, on the back, behind,
backwards.

VOL. n. <

Abayst, pp. abashed, disconcerted,
E 317, ion; amazed, 1108.
O. Fr. esbahir, to frighten, from
bahir, to express astonishment.

Abbay, s. abbey, B 1814. Low
Lat. abbatia, an abbey, from Lat.
abbas, father; from Syriac abba,
father.

Abhominaciouns, s. pi. abomi-
nations, horrible occurrences, B
88. Lat. abominor, to deprecate
an omen, from ab, and omen.

226

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

Abouen, prep, above, E 826.
A. S. dbiifan, where bufan is for
be-ufan, so that dbufan = on-be-
vfan, where vfan means up-
wards.

Abouten, prep, about, around,
near, E 1106. A.S. dbulan,
where butan is for be-ufan, so
that about = on-by-out.

Abreyde, pt. s. started, awoke, E
1061. A.S. dbregdan, to twist
out, from bregdan, to twist,
braid. See Mor. Gloss.

Abrood, adv. abroad, i.e. wide
open, F 441. A.S. on breede,
lit. on breadh, from A. S. brad,
broad. Cf. M. Goth, braidei,
breadth, braids, broad.

Abyde, v. to remain, wait, E
1 106 ; imp. pi. Abydeth, 81175;
pres. part. Abyding, awaiting, E
757- A.S. dbidan, from bidan,
to wait

Abyen, v. to pay for, B 2012.
A.S. dbycgan, to redeem, pay for,
from bycgan, to buy. See A boughte
in Mor. Gloss.

Accepteth, imp. pi. accept, E 96,
127. Fr. accepter, Lat. acceptare.

Accident, s. accidental disturbance,
unusual appearance, E 607. Lat.
accidere.

Accordant, adj. according, agree-
ing, suitable, F 103.

Accorden, pr. pi. agree, B 2137.
Fr. accorder, Lat. accordare, from
cor, the heart.

According, pres. part, agreeing, B

1737-

Acounte, v. to consider, B 3591.
O. Fr. acompter, from Lat. ad
and computare, to count.

Acquyte, v. to acquit oneself, E
936; imp. pi. Acquiteth, B 37.
Fr. acquitter, Lat. adquietare,
from qtties, rest.

Acustumaunce, s. custom ; had
of acustumaunce = was accustom-
ed, B 3701. From O. Fr.

couslvme, Low Lat. costuma, cor-
rupted from consuetudinem.

Adoun, adv. down, B 3630; F
351, 464. A.S. of-ddne, lit. off
the down or hill, from dun, a hill,
a down.

Aduersarie, s. adversary, foe, B
3868. Fr. adver&alre, from ad-
verse, which from Lat. ad and
vertere, to turn.

Aduersitee, s. adversity, F 502.

Affray, s. terror, B 3273. Fr.
effroi, terror, effrayer, to terrify,
Provengal effreidar, orig. to break
the peace, cause a fray (affray);
from Lat. ex and O.H.G. fridtt,
peace.

After, prep, according to, F 100;
after me = according to my com-
mand, E 327; after the year =
according to the time of year, F
47. A. S. after, where trie base
is af= Greek diro, E. of, and -ter
is a comparative suffix.

After, adv. afterwards, B 98.

After that, conj. according as, E
203.

Agaste, pt. s. terrified, B 3395 ;
pp. Agast, terrified, afraid, B
1859, E I052- The prefix a =
A. S. d-, Ger. er-, Mceso-Gothic
its-; cf. Goth, usgaisjan, to terrify.

Agayn, prep, against, B 1754, F
6> 57 ; Ageyn, F 142 ; Ageyns,
B 3754- A. S. on-gedii, against,
towards.

Agayns, prep, towards, to meet,
E 911. Formed from A.S.
ongedn, by adding adverbial
suffix -es. The M. E. agayns is
now corrupted into against.

Age, s. life, E 627; pi. Ages,
times, periods, B 3177. Fr. age,
O.Fr. edage, Low Lat. tetaticum,
derived from Lat. cetatem,

Ageyn, adv. again, F 654. Sec
Agayn.

Agoon, pp. departed, i. e. dead, E
631; Ago, gone away, F 626;

GLOSS ARIAL INDEX.

227

Agoon, ago, B 1841 ; Ago,

1876. A. S. dgdn, pp. of verb

dgdn, to go by, pass by, which is

equivalent to G. ergehen.
Agreued, pp. aggrieved, E 500.

O. Fr. agrever, from Lat. grants,

heavy.
Aken, pr. pi. ache, 82113. A. S.

acan, acian, to ache, pain; also

(Ece, pain.
Akctoun, s. a short sleeveless

tunic, worn under the hauberk,

B 2050. Fr. hoqueton, O. Fr.

anqueton, a cloak, a stuff for

cloaks ; originally alqueton, Span.

alcolon, Arabic al-qoton, where

al is the def. article, and qoton is

our cotton.
Al, adj. all, in phr. temple and al,

83275; herte and al, E 758; at

al = in every respect, E 1222; pi.

Alle, B 118, 121, 1181; Alleand

some = one and all, E 941. A. S.

eal, Mceso-Goth. alls.
Al, adv. completely, B 3215,

3451 ; all blood = completely

covered with blood, 1967 ; conj.

although, E 99; Al be, F 155;

Al be it, F 105, Al so = so, E

1226.
Alayes, s. pi. alloy, E 1167. Cf.

O. Fr. a lei, according to law ; Fr.

aloi, a standard, 0. Fr. alei,

which for a lei = Lat. ad legein ;

alloy being supposed to mean ac-
cording to the standard.
Alday, adv. continually, F 481 ;

always, B 1702.
Alderfirst, adv. first of all, F 550.

A. S. alra, ealra, gen. pi. of eal,

all, became M. E. oiler, alther,

and alder.
Ale, s. ale ; ale and breed = ale and

bread, drink and meat, B 2062 ;

gen. Ale, of ale, 3083. A. S.

ealu, O. Icel. 51.
Aley, s. an alley, B 1758. Fr.

allee, a walk, from alter, to go.
Algate, adv. in all respects, E

855 ; Algates, at any rate, in
every way, wholly, F 246. Hera
gate means way ; cf. always.
Ice\.gata, a path, road; G.gasse,
a street.

Alliauuce, .s. alliance, B 3523;
Alliance, i. e. marriage, espousal,
E 357. From F. allier, Lat.
alligare, from ligare, to bind, tie.

Allow, i p. s. tr. I approve, I ap-
plaud, F 676. O. F. alouer,
which has two sources, often con-
fused,-viz. Lat. locare and Lat.
latidare. In this case it is the
latter.

Allye, s. ally, relative, B 3593.
See Alliaunce.

Allyed, pp. provided with friendly
aid, B 3720.

Almest, adv. almost, B 1948.

Als, conj. also, B 3973, 3976.
A. S. eall-swd, ail-so, corrupted to
also, als, and as.

Alwey, adv. continually, always,
E 458, 810 ; ceaselessly, F 422.

Alyghte, v. to alight, E 981.
A. S. dlili tan, to descend, alight ;
cf. to light upon.

Alyue, adv. alive; lit. in life, E
139. E. E. on liue = A..S. on
life, i. e. in life.

Ambel, s. amble ; an ambel = in
an amble, at an ambling pace, B
2075. Fr. ambler, from Lat.
ambnlare, to walk.

Ambes as, i.e. double aces, B
124. See note. O.F. ambes, a
pair, Lat. ambo. ' The word sur-
vives as a gambling term ; thus,
J'ai gagne tine ambe a la loterie,
i. e. I have drawn two figures, a
pair of chances.' Brachet.

Ambling, pres. part, ambling, E
388.

Amende, v. to improve, F 197 ;
to surpass in right demeanour, 97 ;
pp. Amended, surpassed, B 3444.
F. amender, from Lat. emendare,
by an unusual change.

Q 2

228

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Ameued, pt. s. moved, changed ;
nought ameued = changed not,
altered not, E 498. From Lat.
amouere, through O. French.

Amidde, prep, amid, in the midst
of, F 409. A.S. on-middan, in
the middle.

Amis, adv. amiss, wrongly, B
3370, F 7- For on misse, m a
mistake; cf. Icel. missa, a loss,
Du. mis, an error.

Amonges, prep, amongst, B 3344.
A. S. onmang, among. The -es
is an adverbial suffix ; amonges is
now corrupted to amongst.

Amounteth, pr. s. amounts to, F
108. O. Fr. amonter, to ascend,
increase, from Lat. admontare, to
go uphill, to mount, from Lat.
montem.

And, conj. if, E 2433. Cf. Icel. enda,
if, the same word as E. and.

Angle, s. ' angle,' a term in as-
trology (see note), F 263 ; pi.
Angles, angles, 230. Lat. angulus.

Anhanged, pp. hung, B 3945,
3949. A.S. onhangian, to hang on.

Annunciat, pp. pre-announced, i.e.
whose birth was foretold, B 3205.
From Lat. nuncius, a messenger.

Anoon, adv. suddenly, immedi-
ately, B 3299, E 435; Anon,
B 34, 1896. A.S. on an, lit. in
one, i.e. in one moment.

Anoyeth, pr. s. annoys, displeases,
B 3979. O. Fr. anoier, to dis-
please ; cf. O. Fr. anoi, F. ennui,
displeasure ; der. from Lat. in
odio, in the phrase in odio habui;
see Brachet.

Answerde, pt. s. answered, B
1170, 1172; E 21. A.S. and-
swerian, where and- = in return,
and swerian = to swear, affirm.

Antem, s. anthem, B 1850. A.S.
antefn, which from Lat. antiphona,
Gk. pi. avriffxava, from ovri and
Quvfto, I sound in answer. Hence
also F. antienne.

Antiphoner, s. anthem-book, an-
tiphonarium, B 1 709. See above.

A-nyghte, adv. in the night, by
night, E 464. A. S. on nihte, in
the night.

Apart, adv. apart, F 252. F. a
part, from Lat. partem.

Apayed, pp. pleased : euel apayed
= ill-pleased, E 1052; Apayd, B
1897. O. F. apaier, to appease,
from Lat. ad and pacare, to
satisfy ; cf. E. pay.

Ape, s. ape, B 1630 (see the note),
3100. A.S. apa, Icel. apt, G.
ajfe, &c. ; cf. Sanskrit leapt, a
monkey, shewing the loss of an
initial guttural.

Aperceyue, v. to perceive, E 600 ;
pr. s. Aperceyueth, 1018. F.
apercevoir, from Lat. ad and per-
cipere =per-capere.

Aperceyuinges, s. pi. perceivings,
perceptions, observations, F 286.

Apert, adv. openly, F 531. O. F.
apert, Lat. aperlus, open.

Apertenaunt, adj. appertaining,
belonging, B 3505. F. appar-
tenir, from Lat. adperlinere.

Apertinent, adj. appertaining,
suitable, E 1010.

Apese, v.to appease, pacify, £433.
F. apaiser, derived from Lat.
pacem through O. F. pais, peace.

Appalled, pp. enfeebled, languid,
F 365. Perhaps from F. appalir,
cf. Welsh pallu, to fail, pall,
loss of energy. ' I palle, I fade of
freshenesse in colour or beauty, le
flaitris;' Palsgrave's French Diet.

Apparaille, s. apparel, dress, E
1208. F. appareil, preparation,
from appareillir, to join like to
like; F. />ar«7 = Lat. paricnlus,
dimin. of par, like. Not derived
from Lat. parare.

Apparence, s. appearance, F 218.
From Lat. apparere, from ad and
parere, to be open to view.

Appetytes, s. pi. appetites, B

GLOSS AR1AL INDEX.

229

3390. F. appetit, Lat. appetites,
from petere.

Arace, v. to tear away, remove
forcibly, E 1103. O.K. aracer,
F. arracher, from Lat. eradicare;
cf. O. F. raw, a root, from Lat.
radicem.

Archeer, s. archer, B 1929. From
Lat. arcus, a bow.

Archewyues, s. pi. archwives,
ruling wives, E 1195. The pre-
fix arch- is Greek ; cf. Gk. dpx'-i
chief, from apx5?' a beginning ;
the latter part is from A. S. wif,
a woman, wife.

Ark, s. arc, referring to the arc of the
horizon extending from sunrise to
sunset, B 2. See note. From Lat.
arcus, an arc, bow.

Arminge, s. arming, putting on of
armour, B 2037. From Lat. arma.

Armlees, adj. armless, without an
arm, B 3393. A. S. arm, an
arm ; and suffix -leas, Mceso-
Goth. -laus, deprived of.

Armoure, s. armour, B 2009 ;
Armure, F 158. F. armure,
contr. from Lat. armatura, from
arma.

Am, pr. pi. are, E 342. A.S.
aron, Icel. eru, from root es, to be.

Array, s. order, E 262 ; arrange-
ment, ordinance, 670. O.F.arroi,
order, from sb. roi, which from a
Scandinavian source ; cf. Swed.
reda, to prepare, Moeso-Goth.
garaidjan, to make ready.

Arrayed, pp. dressed, F 389.

Art, s. kind, sort, E 1241. From
Lat. arteni.

Artificial, adj. artificial, in astro-
logy, B 2. See note.

Artow,/or art thou, B 102, 1885,

3I95-
Aryght, adv. rightly, properly, F

694.
Arwes, s. pi. arrows, B 3448, E

1203. A.S. arewe.
As, conj. like, B 1864 ; as if, 1636;

As after, according to, 3555 ; As
in, i. e. for, 3688 ; As now, at
this time, F 652; As of, with
respect to, 17; As to, with refer-
ence to, 107 ; As that, as soon as,
615 ; As ferforth as, as far as, B
19. Ash short for also ; see Als.

As, s. an ace, B 385 1 ; ambes as
= double aces, 1 24. From Lat. as,
a unit.

Ascending, pres, part, ascending,
in the ascendant, i. e. near tie
eastern horizon, F 264. From
Lat. scandere, to climb.

Asken, v. to ask, B 101 ; 2 p. s.
pr. subj. Aske, 102. A. S. dcsian.

Assaille, v. to assail, attack, B
3953. F. assailler, Lat. assalire,
from ad and salire, to leap.

Assay, s. trial, E 621, 1138; pi.
Assayes, trials, 697, 1166.

Assaye, imp. s. 3 p. let him try, E
1229; pp. Assayed, tried, 1054.
Another form of essay, from F.
essayer, which from essai, a trial,
Lat. exagium, a weighing; from
ex and agere.

Assenten, pr. pi. assent, agree, E
176. From Lat. ad and sentire,
to feel.

Asshen, s. //. ashes, E 255. A. S.
axan, ascan, ashes, pi. of axe,
asce, an ash, cinder.

Assured, pt. s. confirmed, B 3378.
Cf. Kn. Ta. 1066.

Astonied, pt. s. astonished, E
316. Compounded from A. S.
prefix d-, completely, and stunian,
to stun, amaze. Probably further
confounded with O. F. es/onner, F.
etonner, to astonish, said to be de-
rived from a supposed Lat. exto-
nare — attonare, to thunder at. Cf.
G. erstaunen, from er-, prefix, and
G. staunen.

Asure, s. azure, blue, E 254.
O. F. aster, F. azur, G. lasur,
from Lat. lapis lazuli, a word of
Persian origin, signifying blue-

230

GLOSS 'A RIAL INDEX.

stone. Probably the / was mis-
taken for the French def. article.

Aswage, v. to assuage, B 3834.
O. F. assoager, where the prefix
= Lat. ad, and soager is to
sweeten, from O. F. soef, Lat.
suauis, which is the same with
Gk. i^Svy, and E. sweet.

Aswowne, adv. in a swoon, E 1079.
F 474. Here a- is for on, in.

Asyde, adv. aside, E 303. For on
side.

At, prep, at; at me = with me,
with respect to me, B 1975 ;
from (after axe) E 653. A. S.
at: cf. Lat. ad.

At-after, prep, after, F 302. At-
after is still used for after in pro-
vincial English (S. Yorkshire).

Atones, adv. at once, E 1178.
A. S. <et, at, and dues, once, geni-
tive of an, one.

Atoon, adv. at one, E 437. A.S.
at, at, an, one ; hence E. atone,
to set at one, reconcile, and
atonement, i. e. at-one-ment, a
setting at one, a reconciliation.
Cf. alone from all-one.

Attained, pp. broached, B 4008.
From Low Lat. altaminare, to
contaminate, from an obsolete
Lat. taminare; cf. F. entamer,
from a form intaminare.

Atte, for at the; Atte leste = at
the least, B 38, E 130; Atte
fulle = fully, E 749; Atte laste
at the last, at last, B 1788, 3546.

Atteyne, v. to attain, E 447. F.
atteindre, from Lat. attingere, i.e.
ad and tangere, to touch.

Atwo, in twain, E 1169. For on
two.

Auaille, v. to avail, E 3950 ; to
be useful, E 1194. From Lat.
ad and valere, to be worth ; cf.
F. valoir.

Auctoritee, s. authority, i. e.
statements of good authors, F
483. From Lat. attctoritatem,

which from anclor, an increaser,
from attgere, to increase.

Auctour, s. author, E 1141. See
above.

Audience, s. hearing, E 329, 637,
1179; audience, B 3991. From
Lat. andire, to hear.

Auentaille, s. aventail, E 1204.
See note. O. F. ventaille, breath-
ing-piece of a helmet, from
Lat. uentus, which is E. wind.

Auenture, s. chance, E 812; pi.
Auentures, adventures, E 15, F
659. O. F. aventure, from Lat. ad
and uenlura, from venire, to come.

Auntrous, adj. adventurous, B
2099. Short for aventrons, from
O.F. aventnros, bold ; see above.

Auter, s. altar, B 1826. F. autel,
O.F. altel, alter, Lat. altar. Here
the form outer lies between alter
and ante!.

Auyse, v. refl. to deliberate, recon-
sider, take counsel with oneself,
E 238, 350. F. aviser, from
avis, advice ; from a and vis, Lat.
uisum, a thing seen, an opinion ;
from uideri, to seem.

Auysement, s. deliberation, B 86.
See above.

Awaiteth, pr. s. waits, watches,
B 1776. O.F. agaitier, to act
as spy, to look out. The prefix
is clearly the G. er- ( = Mceso-
Goth. «s-, A. S. a-), just as the
word gaitier or guaiter (now spelt
guetter) is from O. H. G. wahtan,
now wachten. Thus await is.
through the French, from the
German word now spelt erwachten.

Awake, v. to wake, F 476. A. S.
onwacan, awacian, to awake.
The prefix may be either on- or a-
( = G. er~, Goth. KS-) ; A. S. wacan
is cognate with wait, which is
derived from the German through
the French. See above.

Awayt, s. await, watching; haue
hir in away t = watch her, B 3915.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

231

Awe, «. awe (dative), B 3875 ;

terror, dread, 3749. Icel. agi;

A.S. dga, egisa, Moeso-Goth. agist

terror.
Awook, pi. s. awoke, F 367.

See Awake.
Axen, v. to ask, E 696; Axe,

326; l p. s. pr. Axe, 348; pr.

s. Axeth, requires, E 25 ; asks,

F 309; imp. pi. Axeth, E 653.

A. S. dcsian.
Ay, adv. ever, B 1701, 3721; for

ay, for ever, F 535. Icel. «'. A.S.

a, <z, ever.
Ayeyn, adv. again, F 127. See

Ageyn.
Ayeins, prep, against, E 320. Sec

Agayns.

B.

Bachelor, s. bachelor, F 24. See
the etymology suggested by
Brachet from Low Lat. bacca-
larius, a boy attending a bacca-
laria or dairy farm ; from Low
Lat. bacca, Lat. uacca, a cow.
Cf. F. brebis from Lat. ueruieem.

Bachelrye, s. company of young
men, E 270.

Bad, pt. s. bade, E 373, F 497.
A. S. beodan, to command ; to be
distinguished from A. S. biddan,
to pray.

Badde, adj. bad, B 3612; pi. E
522; cnmp. Badder, F 224.

Bagges, s. pi. bags, B 124. Icel.
baggi, a bag, pack, bundle ; cf.
Goth, balgs, a bag.

Baiteth, pr. s. feeds, B 2103.
Icel. beila, to make to bite, bila,
to bite.

Bake, pp. baked, B 95. A.S.
bacan, Icel. baka, Gk. (pwyetv, to
bake.

Bar, pt. s. bare, bore, B 3300,
3563; E 85, 612; 2 p. Bare,
barest, E 1068. See Bere.

Barel, 5. a barrel, B 3083. F.
baril, barriqtte.

Bareyne, adj. barren, B 68, R

448. F. breJiaigne, O.F. baraigne.

Etym. not known.
Barme, s. (dat.) bosom, lap, TC

3256» 363°. F 631; Barm, E

551. A. S. bearm, Moeso-Goth.

barms, bosom, lap; cf. Gk. <£o/>/to's,

a wicker-basket ; from A.S. heron,

Gk. <ptpuv, to bear.
Bataille, s. a battle, B 3879; pi.

Batails, 3509 ; Batailles, F 659.

F. bataille, Low Lat. batalia, a

fight.
Beautee, s. beauty, F 34. O. F.

beltet, from Lat. ace. bellitatem,

from adj. bellus, fair.
Bed, s. a bed, i. e. station, B 3862 ;

gen. Beddes, F 643. A. S. bed,

Mceso-Goth. badi.
Bede, 2 p. pi. pr. offer, E 360.

A. S. beodan, to offer, command.
Beek, s. beak, F 418. F. bee,

probably of Celtic origin ; Gael.

beic, a point, peak, bill of a bird ;

cf. W. pig, a pike or peak, F. pic.
Been, s. pi. bees, F 204 ; Bees, E
» 2422. A. S. be6, a bee; pi. bedn.
Begge, v. to beg, B 105. A. F.

begger, from the sb. Begard.
Belle, s. a bell, B 1 186, 3970 ; pi.

Belles, 3984. A.S. belle, from

whence the Icel. bjalla is bor-
rowed.
Ben, v. to be, B 3524; pr. pi. i

p. 35, 122, 129; Be, 1172; pr.

pi. Ben, 1 18, 124 ; Beth. F 648 ;

imp. pi. Beth, B 1629, 1897;

Beth war = beware, 3281, 3330;

pr. s. subj. Be, F i ; Be as be

may, i.e. be it as it may, B 3319.

A. S. bedn, to be, from same root

as Lat. fui, I was, and Sanskrit

bhd, to be.
Bene, s. a bean, B 94, 4004. A. S.

bedn, Icel. batm ; cf. Lat. faba, a

bean.
Benedicite, i.e. bless ye (the

Lord), pronounced ben'dic'te in

three syllables, B 1170, 1974.

232

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Lat. bene, well, dieite, speak ye ;
from dicere, to say.

Benigne, adj. benign, F 21. From
Lat. benignus.

Benignely, adv. benignly, court-
eously, £21.

Benignitee, s. benignity, goodness,
F 486. From Lat. benignitatem,
through the French.

Bere, v. to bear, carry, 3564; to
transport, F 119; to carry about,
148; pr. s. Bereth, B 2091, F
635 ; Berth, in phr. sikly berth
= take with ill will, dislike, E
625. A. S. beran, Icel. bera,
Moeso-Goth. bairan, Lat. ferre,
Gk. <t>tpttv.

Bere, s. bier, B 1815, 1825, 3371.
A. S. bar, from beran, to bear,
carry; cf. Gk. (ptperpoy, a bier,
from (ptpfiv, to bear.

Beres, s. pi. bears, B 3451. A. S.
bera, a bear, Icel. bera, a she-
bear; a he-bear is denoted in
Icel. by bjorn.

Beringe, s. bearing, behaviour, B
2022. •

Bern, s. barn, B 3759- A. S.
bern, berern, ber-ern; the latter
form is actually found in the
Northumbrian Gospels, St. Luke
iii. 17, and means a barley-
receptacle, from here, barley, and
ern, a secret place, closet, &c.

Best, s. beast, F 460; Best roial
= royal beast, i. e. Leo, 264 ; pi.
Bestes, B 3363, E 201, 572,
683. O. F. beste, Lat. bestia.

Beste, adj. sttperl. best ; for the
beste = for the best, F 356. A. S.
belst = bet-est, superl. from a root
bat, signifying good, profitable.

Bet, adv. better, B 114, F 488,
600. A.S. bet, better.

Bete, pp. beaten, E 1158; Beten,
B 1732. A. S. bedtan, to beat.

Bidaffed, pp. befooled, E 1191.
O. E. daffe, a foolish person ;
distinct from E. deaf, A. S.

dedf. 'Daffe, or dastard, or ho
that spekythe not yn tyme.
Oridnrus ; ' Prompt. Parv.

Bidde, v. to bid, F 327; imp. pi.
Bidde, 321. A. S. beodan.

Bifalleth, pr. s. happens, E 449 ; pt.
s. Bifel, it came to pass, F 42 ;
Bifil, B 3613; pt. s. subj. Bifelle,
were to befall, E 136. A. S. befeal-
lan, to happen, homfeallan, to fall.

Biforn, adv. before, in anticipation,
B 1668; before, F 339; be-
forehand, B 1184; of old time,
F 551"; Bifore, first, E 446.

Biforn, prep, before, F 79, 98;
Biforen, B 3553. A. S. beforan.

Big, adj. big, B 3111. Connected
with bulge, bag, bole, &c., with
the notion of swelling.

Bigan, pt. s. began, B 98, 1883.
A. S. ginnan, to begin, with prefix
bi added at a later time.

Bigyle, v.to beguile, deceive, £252.
Prefix bi- or be-, and O. F. guile,
from a Teutonic source ; cf. E. wile.

Biheste, s. promise, B 37, 41, 42,
F 698. A. S. behces, a promise,
from prefix be and Aces, a promise ;
from hdtan, to promise, ordain.

Bihoueth, pr. s. impers. it behoves
(him) to have, F 602. A. S.
behofian, to befit; cf. Icel. kesfa,
to hit, to fit, to behove.

Bileue, v. to remain, stay behind,
F 583. A. S. l&fan, to leave, to
leave behind ; whence M. E. bl-
leue, to remain behind ; cf. G.
bleiben.

Bireue, v. to bereave, B 3359 ;
pt. s. Birafte, bereft, took away,
3386, 3404. A. S. beredfian, from
redfian, to seize, strip, from red/,
a garment.

Birthe, s. birth, E 402. A.S.
beor$, fiom beran, to bear.

Biseged, pp. besieged, B 3514.
Prefix bi- or be-, and F. sieger, to
sit ; from Low Lat. sediare, to
sit, sedium, a seat, from sedes.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

233

Cf. Lat. obsidere, to besiege, from
the same root.

Biseke, v. to beseech, B 3174;
i p. s. pr. I beseech, E 1037 ;
pres. part. Bisekinge, beseeching,
E 178, 592. From A.S. secan,
to seek.

Biseye, pp. displayed, made appar-
ent; hence yuel biseye = ill to
look at, ill looking, E 965 ;
richely biseye = rich looking,
splendid, 984. A. S. besegen, pp.
of beseon, to look about, from
sedn, to see. Hence "another
spelling is beseen, as in Spenser,
F. Q^i. I a. 5 — 'And sad habili-
ments right well beseene.'

Bisily, adv. busily, F 88. See Bisy.

Bisinesse, s. diligence, E 1008 ;
Bisynesse, F 642.

Bistrood, pt. s. bestrode, B 2093.
A. S. be- and stridan, to walk
about, pt. t. ie strdd.

Bisy, adj. busy, attentive, F 509.
A. S. bysig.

Bisyde, prep, beside, E 777, 1105 ;
F 374. 650.

Bit,pr. s. bids, F 291. A.S. bed-
dan, to bid. The form bit occurs
in A. S. as equivalent to biddaft,
asks, from biddan, to beg, ask.
The forms beddan and bidaatt
were early confused.

Bitake, I p. s. pr. I commend,
commit, E 161, 559. A.S. be-
teecan, to deliver, commend to,
from tdcan, to teach, influenced
the sense of be-take.

Bitid, pp. befallen, B 1949. See
Bityde.

Bitokneth, pr. s. betokens, signifies,
B 3942. A.S. bi- and tdcnian,
to point out ; from tdcen, a token,
sign ; cf. Gk. Sttievwai.

Bitrayed, pp. betrayed, B 3570.
A hybrid word ; from A. S. prefix
it- and F. trahir, to betray, Lat.
traders.

Bitwise, prep, between, B 3830,

F 33; Bitwixen, E 815; Bitwix,
F 317. A.S. betwix, belwux,
from twd, two.

Bityde, v. to befall, E 79 ; to hap-
pen, arrive, B 373° ; pr. s. *ubj.
Bityde, may betide, E 306; Bi-
tyde what bityde, let that happen
that may, whatever may happen,
B 2064. A. S. tidan, to happen,
from tid, tide, time.

Biwailen, v. to bewail, lament, B
25 ; Biwaille, 3952 ; pp. Biwailled,
E 530. Cf. Icel. vcela, vdla, to
wail ; Ital. guqiolare, to lament ;
Ital. gnat, woe ! so that wail is to
say woe I

Biwreye, v. to bewray, unfold, re-
veal, B 3219. A.S. wregan, to
accuse, Mceso-Goth. wrohjan, Icel.
rcegja, to slander, defame.

Blaked, pp. blackened, rendered
black, B 3321. A.S. blcec, black,
dblacian, to blacken.

Blame, to, gerund, to blame, E 76 ;
imp.pl. Blameth, B 2151. O. F.
blasmer, from Lat. blasphemare,
Gk. QKaaty-liptiv, to speak inju-
riously.

Blesse, imp. s. 3 p. (God) bless,
B 3978, E 1240. A. S. blttsian,
to bless, O. Northumb. bloedsia,
orig. to sacrifice, from bldd, blood.

Blewe, adj. pi. blue, F 644. O. F.
bleu ; cp. Icel. bldr.

Blis, s. bliss, happiness, B 33. A. S.
bits, joy, from blfSe, joyful, blithe.

Blisful, adj. happy, E 844, 1 12 1.

Blisse, v. to bless, E 553. A.S.
bletsian, blessian.

Blood, s. progeny, offspring, E 632.
A.S. bldd, blood, Mceso-Goth.
blotk.

Blythe, adj. blithe, B 4002. A. S.
blfiSe, Icel. blffir, Mceso-Goth.
bleiths, glad, merciful, mild.

Body, s. principal subject, E 42;
my body = myself, B 1185; pi.
Bodies, people, B 3278. A.S.
bodig.

334

GLOSS 'A RIAL TNDEX.

Boistously, adv. loudly, E 791.

WeUh bwystus, rude, brutal ; but

this word is of doubtful origin ;

hence the later form boisterous

(Shakespeare).
Boke, s. a book, B 52 ; />/. Bokes,

3499. A. S. bdc.
Boldely, adv, boldly, F 581. A.S.

bald, beald, Icel. ballr, Mceso-

Goth. balths, bold.
Bord, pt. s. bound, B 3222. A. S.

bindan, to bind. pt. t. ic band.
Bond, s. a band, F 131.
Boon, s. bone, B 3090. A. S. ban,

Icel. bein, a bone.
Boor, s. a boar, B 3299; gen.

Bores, 2060. A. S. bar.
Boost, s. boast, pride, B 3289.

Of unknown origin.
Bord, s. board, table, E 3, F 79.

A. S. bord.
Bore, pp. born, E 401 ; borne,

carried, F 178; Born, borne,

E 444 ; carried, F 1 76 ; worn,

F 43. A. S. beran, to bear, pp.

boren.

Bores, gen. sing, boar's, B 2060.
Borwe, s. a pledge ; to borwe, as a

pledge, F 596. A.S. borh, a

security, pledge.
Borwe, v. to borrow, B 105. A. S.

borgian, from borh, a pledge.
Bote, s. safety, salvation, B 1656;

remedy, good, F 154. A. S. bot,

E. boot, a remedy, from root bat

in Mceso-Goth. batizo, better. See

Beete in Mor. Gloss.
Boterflye, s. a butterfly, B 3980.

A.S. buter-fleoge. See Wedg-
wood's Etym. Diet.
Boughte, pt. s. redeemed, E 1153.

A. S. bohte, I bought, pt. t. of byc-

gan, to buy.
Bounden, pp. bound, E 704. A.S.

bunden, pp. of bindan, to bind.
Boundes, s. pi. bounds, limits, F

571. O.F. bonne, F. borne, spelt

Inning in nth century, from Low

Lat. boiiina, a bound, limit.

Bountee, s. bounty, goodness, B

1647, E 157, 415. From Lat.

bonitatem, through the O. F.

bonteit.
Boweth, imp. pi. bow, E 113.

Cf. A. S. bugdS, imp. pi. ofbugan,

to bow.-
Boydekins, s. pi. poniards, lit.

bodkins, B 3892, 3897. Of

doubtful origin; perhaps allied

to W. bidog, a dagger ; cf. Gael.

biodag, a dagger, from biod, a

pointed top.
Branched, adj. full of branches, F

156. F.branche; cf. Welsh braich,

Lat. brackinm, an arm.
Bras, s. brass, F 115, 181, 303.

A. S. bras.
Brawnes, s. pi. muscles, B 3131.

O. F. braion, braon, a morsel of

flesh, from M.H.G. brdte, O.H.G.

prdlo, a piece of flesh ; cf. G.

braten, roast meat, braten, to

roast.
Bred, pp. bred up, F 499. A. S.

bre"dan, to nourish.
Brede, s. breadth, B 3350. A. S.

braedo, breadth, from brad, broad.
Breech, s. a pair of breeches, 62049.

A. S. brec, a pair of breeches, pi.

of brdc ; cf. E. brogues (from the

Irish), Lat. braccce (of Celtic

origin).
Breed, s. bread, B 3624, F 614.

A. S. bredd, Icel. bravS, G. brot.
Broke, v. to break, B 40. A. S.

brecan, Mceso-Goth. brilean; cf.

Lat. frangere.
Brennen, v. to burn, B in; pt.

pi. Brende, burnt, 3225; pp. Brent,

3354- 392°; pres.part. Brenning,

1658. Icel. brenna, A. S. byrnan,

Mceso-Goth. brinnan, G. brennen.
Brest, s. breast, E 617. A.S.

breost, Icel. brjdst, Mceso-Goth.

brusts.
Breste, v. to burst, break, E 1169.

Icel. bresta, A. S. berstan, Swed.

brista, to burst, break violently.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

235

Bretheren, s. // brethren, F 668.
A.S. broftor, pi. broftra, brdftru;
Icel. brttiSir, pi. 6r<ci5r. We find
also O. E. brether as the pi. ; the
termination -en makes it doubly
plural.

Brew, pt. s. brewed, contrived, B
3575- A. S. breowan, to brew.

Breyde, v. to start suddenly, awake,
F 477; pt. s. Breyde, started,
went (out of his wits), B 3728.
See Abrayde in Morris's Gloss. ;
see also Abreyde.

Brid, s. a bird, F.46o ; gen. Briddes,
B 3366; pi. Briddes, B. 3290,
3604, E 572, F 611. A. S. brid,
the young of birds.

Brike, s. a trap, snare, 'fix,' di-
lemma, B 3580. O. F. bricque,
variant of briche, brice, ' trappe,
atlrape, pifege ' ; Godefroy.

Bringen, v. to bring, B 3623 ;
imp. pi. Bringeth, 3384. A. S.
bringan.

Broches, s. pi. brooches, E 255.
F. broche, a spit, O. F. broche, a
lance, pointed stick, from Low
Lat. brocca, a needle, from Lat.
broccus, a point ; cf. Gael, brog, a
goad, Welsh proc, a stab, prog.
The brooch took its name from
the essential part of it, the pin.
In the Prompt. Parv. we find
' Broche, juelle, Morale, armilla,'
and Way quotes from the Ortus
Vocabulorum as follows — 'Fibula,
a boton, or broche, prykke, or a
pynne, or a lace, monile ; orna-
mentum est quod solet ex femi-
narum pendere collo, quod alio
nomine dicitur firmaculum ; a
broche.'

Erode, adj. pi. broad, thick, B
3448. See Brood.

Brond, s. brand, i. e. a firebrand,
B 3224; dat. Bronde, a piece of
hot metal on the anvil, 2095.
.A. S. brand, brand, a brand ; cf.
byrnan, to burn.

Brood, adj. broad, thick, large, F

82, 191, 394; pi. Erode, B 3448.

A. S. brad, Icel. bretiir, Mceso-

Goth. braids.
Brother, gen. sing, brother's, B

3593- A. S. brdftor ; gen. broiSor,

like the nom.
Brouded, pp. embroidered, B 3659.

F. broder, border; but possibly

these have been confused with

M. E. brcwden (A. S. brogden), pp.

of M. E. breyden (A. S. bregdatt),

to braid. Cf. also Span, bordar,

to embroider, to work on an edge,

Span, borde, a border, a hem.
Brydel, s. a bridle, B 3985, F.

340. A. S. brldel.
Bryghte, adv. brightly, B n, -2034.

A.S. beorht, Icel. bjarlr, bright;

Mceso-Goth. bairhts, evident.
Bukke, s. buck, B 1946. A.S.

bucca.
Bulles, s. pi. bulls (from the Pope),

E 739, 744. So named from the

bulla, or leaden ball affixed to it,

which bore a stamp.
Burieth, imp. pi. bury, E 571.

A. S. byrgan, connected with A. S.

beorgan, to hide.
But, conj. unless, E 1 74. A. S.

bute, except ; from prefix be or

bi and tit, out.
But-if, conj. except, unless, B 2001,

3688, F 687.
Buxomly, adv. obediently, E 186.

A. S. biihsom, obedient, yielding,

pliant, from bugan, to bend, bow.
By, adv. at hand, B 3116. A.S.

be, bi, by, near.
Bynde, 2 p. s. pr. subj. bind, E

1205. A.S. bindan, to bind.
Byte, v. to bite, B 3634 ; to sting,

F 513; to cut deeply, 158. A. S.

bitan ; cf. Icel. bita, to bite, to cut

as a weapon does ; Lzt.foidere.

C.

Cage, s. a cage, F 613 ; pi. Cages,
611. F. cage, from Lat. cauea,

236

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

used by Cicero in the sense of a
cage for birds, lit. a hollow place,
from caiius, hollow.

Calle, v. to call, cry out, B 3724.

' Icel. kalla, to call, cry out.

Cam, pt. s. came, F 81. A. S. cum'
an, to come ; pt. t. ic com.

Camaille, s. a camel, E 1196.
From Lat. camehts, Hebrew ga-
mal. In the Northumbrian Gos-
pels (Lindisfarne MS.), S. Luke
xviii. 25, the Lat. camelnm is
glossed by ' se carnal J)set micla
dear,' i. e. the camel, that great
beast.

Can, i p. s. pr. I know, B 1726,
1 898 ; I know how, am able, E
304, F 4 ; I can, B 42, 46 ; pr.
s. Can, knows, B 47, 49 ; pr. pi.
2 p. ye know, 1 169 ; pr. pi. know,
F 185. A. S. cunnan, to know,
ic can, I know, ic cufie, I knew.

Capitayn, s. captain, B 3741. F.
capitane, Low Lat. capitaneus,
from caput, the head.

Cardinales, s. pi. cardinals, B
2039. F. cardinal, from Lat.
cardinalis, chief, lit. that on which
all hinges ; from Lat. cardinem, a
hinge.

Care, v. to feel anxiety, E 1212.
A. S. cearian, to be anxious, from
cant, cearv, care, anxiety, Moeso-
Goth. kara, care.

Care, s. anxiety, trouble, B 1949.

Carf, pt. s. carved, cut, B 3647.
A. S. ceorfan, to cut, carve ; pt. t.
ic cearf, pp. corf en.

Carie, v. to carry, E 585 ; pr. pi.
Carien, carry, B 1814. O. F.
carter, F. charrier, to carry as in
a car, from O. F. car, F. char,
from Lat. carrus (a Celtic word).

Cas, s. case, occasion, B 36 ; cir-
cumstance, state, condition, 123;
case, £430; chance, hap, 316;
to deyen in the cas = though death
were the result, 859. F. cas,
Lat. casus, from cadere, to fall.

Caste, pt. s. cast, B 1761, 2018 ;
pp. Cast, i.e. contrived, 3891;
Casten, 1796- A Scandinavian
word ; Icel. leas/a, Swed. itaala,
Dan. kaste, to throw. It is con-
jugated sometimes as a strong
verb, even in Tudor English, as
' Aside he kest his eye ' ; Hick-
scorner, in O. E. Plays, i. 179.

Catel, s. chattels, property, §27.
O. F.'calel or chatel, property, F.
chaptel, leased-out cattle, from
Lat. capitals ; which from capiit,
a head. Cf. E. chattels, cattle,
capital.

Caue, s. a cave, B 3297. From
Lat. cauus, hollow.

Caughte, pt. s. took, conceived, E
619 ; pp. Caught, obtained, mo.
E. catch — O. F. coder, chacier, F.
chasser, formed as if from a Low
Lat. captiare, readily suggested by
Low Lat. capita, a chase ; and this is
a mere variation of Lat. captare, to
catch, from capere, to take, seize.
Thus E. catch and chase are really
the same word, or are doublets.
The pt. t. cattghte was suggested
by the conjugation of the similar
word lacche, to seize, pt. t. laugkte,
which is from A. S. leeccan, pt. t.
leehte. See Chace.

Cause, s. reason, F 466 ; cause
why = the reason why is this, E
2435, F 185. F. cause, Lat.
causa.

Causen, pr. pi. cause, F 452.

Caytif, s. wretch, wretched or un-
fortunate man, B 3269. O. F.
caitif, chaitif, F. chelif, miserable,
from Lat. captiuus. See Brachet.

Celerer, s. cellarer, keeper of a
cellar, B 3126. From Low Lat.
cellerarins (Ducange), of same
signification as Lat. cellarius, a
butler. See Cello.

Celle, s. a cell, B 3162. From
Lat. cella.

Ceptre, s. a sceptre, B 3334, 3563,

GLOSS ARIAL INDEX.

337

F. sceptre, Lat. sceptrum, Gk.

aKrjirrpov, a staff, from ffK^nrfir,

to lean upon.
Cerimonies, s. pi. ceremonious

acts, acts of courtship, F 515.

F. cercmonie, Lat. c&rimonia, a

religious observance.
Certayn, s. certainty, B 1918. F.

certain, from Lat. cerlus, sure,

with suffix = Lat. -anus.
Certayn, adv. certainly, assuredly,

F 694; Certeyn, B 45, 1853,

3945-

Certein yeres, i.e. a certain num-
ber of years, B 3367.

Certeinly, adv. assuredly, B 3990.

Certes, adv. certainly, B 1729,
1898, E 106, 659, F 2. F.
cerles, Lat. certe, surely. There
are other instances of addition of*;
see Brachet, Hist. Grammar, p. 80.

Cesse, v. to cease, F 1 54. F. cesser,
Lat. cessare, to leave off.

Cetewale, s. either (i) zedoary;
or (2) the herb valerian, B
1951. Explained as valerian by
Halliwell, s. v. Setewale, who
quotes from Gy of Warwike, p.
421, the following — ' Fykes,reisin,
dates, Almaund, rys, pomme-gar-
nates, Kanel and setewale.' The
explanation is no doubt Somner's,
as we find in his A. S. Diet, the
entry — ' Sydewale, setwall, set-
well, herba quacdam, valeriana.'
But Mr. Cockayne (Leechdoms,
Hi. 344) gives the A. S. word as
sideware, meaning zedoary ; and
Matzner, in his note upon the
Land of Cockaygne, 1. 7> quotes,
from the Promptorium Parvu-
lorum the following — ' Seluale, or
seduale, setwale, setwaly, herbe,
Zedoarinm.' And we find in
Webster, ed. Mahn, the following
— ' Zedoary, n. (F. zedoaire, Prov.
zednari, Ital. zedoario, zeltovario,
Span, and Port, zedoario, zo-
doario, Low Lat. amomnm ze-

doaria, Ger. zilwer, O. H. Ger.
zitawar, Arab. Pers. Hind, djad-
wdr) a medicinal substance ob-
tained in the East Indies, having
a fragrant smell, and a warm,
bitter, aromatic taste, used in
medicine as a stimulant. " It is
the root of a species of Cucuma,
and comes in short, firm pieces,
externally of a wrinkled gray,
ash - coloured appearance, but
within of a brownish-red colour.
There are two kinds : round
zedoary, said to be the root of
Cucuma zerumbet, or Keempferia
rotunda, and long zedoary, of
Cvciima zedoaria." — Dunglison."
The English Cyclopaedia has Cur-
cuma, not Cucuma, and explains
C. Zedoaria as broad-leaved tur-
meric, and says that ' its sensible
properties are very like those of
ginger, but not so powerful.' All
the curcuma belong to the natural
order of Zingiberaceee, or Ginger
tribe. The way in which cetewale
is generally classed with ginger
and spices renders the explanation
' zedoary ' much more probable
than ' valerian,' which I take to
be a bad guess. And since the F.
zedoaire takes in O. French the
forms citoal, citoual, citouart (Ro-
quefort), it is quite clear that
Chaucer's cetewale is the O. F.
citoal, and therefore only another
spelling of zedoary.

Chace, v. to chase, continue, E
341 ; to pursue, E 393, F 457.
F. chasser. See Caughte.

Chaffare, s. merchandise ; hence,
matter, subject, E 2438. For
chap-fare, from A. S. cedp, mer-
chandise, and A. S.feriati, to carry
about ; in the Ayenbite of Inwyt,
ed. Morris, we have the verb
chapfari, to trade, p. 162; and
the substantive chapfare or chap-
uare, chaffer, unfair dealing, pp.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

34. 35, 44. 9°. I2°- See
in Mor. Gloss,

Chalk, s. chalk, F 409. A. S.
cealc, borrowed from Lat. calcem,
lime.

Chamberere, s. maidservant,
chambermaid, E 819; pi. Cham-
bereres, 977. O. F. chamber ere,
ckamberiere, from chambre, a
chamber ; from Lat. camera.

Chambre, s. a chamber, F 269 ;
pi. Chambres, sleeping-rooms,
E 263. F. ckambre, Lat. camera.

Char, s. a chariot, car, B 3550, F
671. F. char. See Carie.

Charbocle, s. carbuncle, a precious
stone, B 2061. F. carboucle,
escarboucle, from Lat. carbim-
culus, a kind of precious stone ;
which from carbo, a burning
coal.

Charge, s. responsibility, E 163,
193; importance, F 359. F.
charger, Ital. caricare, to load ;
from Low Lat. carricare, to load,
from carnts. See Carie.

Charge, i p. s. pr. I charge, I com-
mand, E 164 ; pp. Charged,
loaded, laden, B 3556.

Charitee, s. love, £221. O. F.
charitet, from Lat. caritatem, from
earns, dear.

Chasted, pp. chastened, taught,
F 491. O. F. castier, chastier,
F. chatter, Lat. castigare, to cas-
tigate, chastise.

Chastyse, v. to rebuke, restrain,
B 3695. See above.

Chaunce, s. chance, B 125. F.
chance, O. F. cheance, Lat. cad-
entia, from cadere, to befall.

Chaunge, s. change, exchange, F

535-
Chaunged, pp. changed, E 601.

E. changer, Ital. and Low Lat.

cambiare, Lat. cambire.
Cheek, s. cheek, i. e. cheekbone, B

3228 ; dat. Cheke, 3233. A. S.

ceuce, a cheek.

Chees, pt. s. chose, B 3706. See
Chese.

Chere, s. demeanour, mien, B 97,
1901 ; E 238, 241, 782; F 103,
545; show, E 678; kindly ex-
pression, ii 12. O. F. chere, F.
chere, Low Lat. cara, a face.

Cheryce, v. to cherish, indulge, B
3710; imp.pl. Cherisshelh, cherish
ye, F 353. F. cherir, to hold
dear, from F. cher, dear, Lat.
earns.

Cherles, s. pi. churls, B 3733.
A. S. ceorl, a countryman, G. kerl,
a fellow.

Chese, v. to choose, E 130, 153;
pt. s. Chees, B 3706. A. S. ceosan,
G. kiesen, Du. leiezen, Mceso-Goth.
kiusan, to choose.

Chesing, s. choosing, choice, £162.

Cheste, s. a chest, coffin, E 29.
A. S. cist, G. kiste, Lat. cista. See
Chest in Trench's Select Glossary.

Cheynes, s. pi. chains, B 3554.
F. chains, Lat. catena.

Child, s. child, a term of address to
a young man, B 2000 ; a young
man, 3345. A. S. did, G. kind.

Childhede, s. (dat.) childhood, B
1691, 3445. A. S. cildhdd, G.
kindheit.

Chiualrye, s. chivalry, chivalrous
daring, B 3585 ; (spelt Chiualry)
2084 ; cavalry, troops of horse,
3871. F. chivalerie, cavalerie,
from F. cheval, Lat. caballus, a
horse.

Chois, s. choice, £154; Choys,
170. F. choisir, to choose, bor-
rowed from O. H. G. chiosan.

Chyde, v. to chide, complain, F
649. A. S. cldan.

Ciclatouu, s. a costly kind of thin
cloth, B 1924. See note. I may
add that the expression ' hwite.

'• cidatune'** white ciclatoun occurs
in O. Eng. Homilies, ed. Morris,
1st Ser. p. 193.

Gink. See Sis.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Ciprees, s. cypress, B 2071. F.
cypres, Lat. cupressiis.

Citee, s. city, F. 46. F. ate, O. F.
citet, Lat. ciullatem.

Clad, pp. clothed, E 376. A. S.
gecladed, clothed ; a pp. of which
the infin. does not appear.

Clamb, pt. s. climbed, B 1987.
A. S. climban, pt. t. ic clamb ; G.
klimmen, pt. t. ic Itlomm.

Clappeth, pr. s. talks fast, B 3971;
imp. pi. make a constant clatter,
keep chattering, E 1200. A. S.
clappan (?), to clap, Icel. Happa,
G. Idopfen. Cf. E. clap-trap.

Clapping, s. chatter, idle talk, E
999. See above.

Clawes, s.pl. claws, B 3366. A. S.
cldwti, Icel. Jelo, G. klave, a claw.

Clene, adj. (def. form) clean, pure,
unmixed, B 1183; adv. entirely,
F 626. A.S. claene, pure.

Clepen, v. to call, F 331 ; pr. s.
Clepeth, calls, F 382 ; men cle-
peth = people call, E 115; pr.pl.
Clepen, B 92; pp. Cleped, called,
named, B 61, F 12, 31, 374.
A. S. cleopian, clypian, to call.

Clere, adj.pl. clear, bright, £779.
F. clair, Lat. clams.

Clergeon, s. a chorister-boy, B
1693. See the note.

Clerk, s. a clerk, learned man, stu-
dent, E l ; pi. Clerkes, writers,
B 3990, E 933. F. clerc, Lat.
clericus, Gk. K\i)piKost one who be-
longs to the chosen, from K\rjpos,
a lot.

Clinken, v. to clink, to jingle, to
ring, B 1 1 86. Du. klinken, G.
klingen, to clink, ring.

Clinking, s. tinkling, B 3984.

Clippe, v. to clip, cut, B 3257 ;

pp. Clipped, 3261. Icel. klippa,

to clip, cut ; klippa hdr, to cut

hair.

Clobbed, adj. clubbed, B 3088.

Icel. klnmba, klubba, a club.
Cloisterer, s. a cloister-monk, B

3129. From F. cloitre, O. F.

cloistre, Lat. claustruni.
Clokke, s. a clock ; of the clokke =

by the clock, 814. Du. klokke,

a bell ; cf. G. glocke, F. cloche,

Irish clog, a bell.
Clombe. See Clymben.
Clowe-gilofre, s. clove, spice, B

1952. F. clou de girofle. The

F. clou is from Lat. clonus, a nail,
from the shape ; F. girofle, is cor-
rupted from Lat. caryophyllum,
Gk. napv6(pv\\ov, lit. nut-leaf,
from tcapvov, a nut, and (pv\\ov,
a leaf.

Clymben, v. to climb, F 106 ; pr.
s. Clymbeth, B 3966 ; pp. Clombe,
B 12; were clombe = hadst
climbed, 3592. A.S. climban,

G. klimmen.

Cofre, s. a coffer, box, B 26, 1955,
E 585. F. coffre, O.F. cofre, cofin,
from Lat. cophintis, Gk. Kwpivos,
a basket ; whence also E. coffin.

Cokkel, s. cockle, i. e. the corn -
cockle, Agrostemma githago, B
1183. Gael, cogall, tares, husks,
the corn-cockle ; Cotgrave has —
' Coquiol, a degenerate barley, or
weed commonly growing among
barley, and called havergrasse.'

Colerik, adj. choleric, an epithet of
the sign of Aries, as supposed to
induce choler or anger in those
whom it influenced, F 51. Lat.
colericus, Gk. xoA.c/>(Kor, from
X<>A.i7, cognate with Eng. gall.

Coles, s. pi. coals, 63313. A.S.
col, Icel. kol, a coal, G. kohle.

Collacion, s. a conversation, con-
ference, E 325. F. collation,
from Lat. ace. collalionem. Col-
latio sometimes means a disputing
or debating.

Coloured, pp. coloured, painted,
of the same colour (with), B
3574. F. couletir, Lat. colorem.

Coloures, s. pi. colours, pretences,
F 511 (there is a pun on the

240

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

double sense of colour = hue and
colour = pretence) ; ornaments of
diction, E 16.

Comandement, s. commandment,
order, E 649. F. commande-
inettt, from commander, Lat. com-
ntendare.

Come, pp. come, F 96 ; pr. s. siibj.
3 p. mayst come, B 119 ; 3 p.
may come, comes, F 653. A. S.
cuman, G. kommen.

Comendeth, pr. s. commends,
praises, B 76, Lat. commendare.

Commune, adj. common, general,
B 3436, E 431 ; s. commons, E
70. F. commitn, Lat. communis.

Companye, s. company, B 1187.
F. compagnie, a company ; com-
pagne, a companion ; Low Lat.
companium, a company, society.

Comparisoun, s. comparison, E
666; Comparison, 817. F. com-
paraison, from Lat. comparare, to
compare.

Compassioun, s. compassion, F
463. F. compassion, Lat. ace.
compassionem, from cum, with,
and pad, to suffer.

Compleyne, v. to complain of, B
3975 ; pp. Compleyned, uttered
his plaint, F 523. O. F. com-
plaindre; F.plaindre, Lul.plang-
ere, to wail, lament.

Composicions, s. //. suitable ar-
rangements, F 229. F. compo-
sition, Lat. compositionem ; from
cum, with, and ponere, to place.
The F. composer seems to have
been influenced by the meaning of
Lat. pausare, to pause, from which
the simple verb poser was derived.
See poser in Diez.

Comprehende, v. to comprehend,
conceive of, take in (in the mind),
F 223. Lat. comprehendere, from
cum, with, and prehendere, to lay
hold of.

Cornlh, pr. s. comes, B 3094,
3I79-

Comunly, adv. commonly, E 736.

Comyn, s. cummin, 2045. Lat.
cuminum, Gk. itvfuvov, Heb. kam-
mon. 'A dwarf umbelliferous
plant, somewhat resembling fennel,
cultivated for its seeds, which have
a bitterish, warm taste, with an
aromatic flavour, and are used
like those of anise and caraway.'
— Webster.

Conclude, v. to conclude, draw a
conclusion, 614. See below.

Conclusioun, s. reason, F 492.
F. conclusion, Lat. conclusionein ;
from cum, with, and clandere, to
shut.

Condescende, v. to condescend,
stoop to, come down to, F 407.
Lat. condescendere, from scandere,
to climb.

Condiciou, s. condition, state, B

99. F. condition, Lat. condi-
tionem.

Confounded, pp. overwhelmed, B

100. Cf. the use of the word in
the E. translation of the Te Deum.
From Lat. confundere.

Coniure, v. to conjure, B 1834.

F. conjurer, Lat. coniurare.
Conue, v. to con, learn, B 1730,

1 733. A. S. cunnian, to inquire

into, to con; from cunnan, to

know.
Conning, adj. skilful, B 3690.

From A. S. cunnan, to know ;

Mceso-Goth. kunnan, G. Itonnen.
Conning, s. cunning, skill, expe-
rience, B 1671, F 35 ; dot.

Conninge, B 1847. A. S. cunning,

from cunnan, to know.
Conningly, adv. skilfully, E 1017.
Conseil, s. secret counsel, B 3218.

3219; in conseil = in secret, E

2431. F. conseil, Lat. consil-

ium.
Conspiracye, s. a plot, B 3889.

From F. conspirer, Lat. conspirare,

to conspire.
Constance, s. constancy, E 668,

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

241

1000, 1008. F. Constance, from
Lat. itare, to stand.

Constellacion, s. constellation,
cluster of stars, F 1 29.

Constreyneth, fr. s. constrain, E
800. F. conlraindre, formerly
constraindre, from Lat. constring-
ere.

Construe, v. to construe, to trans-
late, B 1718. F. construir, Lat.
constrvere.

Contenance, s. demeanour, E 924 ;
self-possession, mo. F. conte*
nance, bearing, contenir, to con-
tain, Lat. continere.

Contrarien, v. to go contrary to,
oppose, F 705. From Lat. con-
trarius, contrary, contra, against.

Contrarie, adj. contrary, B 3964.

Contree, s. country, B 1908, 1912,
E 436, F 319. F. contree, Ital.
contrada, from Lat. contrata, the
country over against one, from
contra, against. Cf. G. gegend,
country, from gegen, against.

Conueyen, v. to convey, introduce,
E 55 ; pt. pi. Conueyed, accom-
panied, went as convoy, 391. F.
conveyer, O. F. conveier, Low Lat.
conuiare, to go on the way with,
from via, a way.

Co omen, pt. pi. came, B 1805.
See Come.

Corage, s. courage, B 1970, 3836;
mind, E 511, 950; feeling, dis-
position, E 220, 692, 787; will,
907; of his corage = in his dispo-
sition, F 22. F. courage, O. F.
corage, courage ; derived from
Lat. cor, the heart.

Corageous, adj. courageous, bold,

Cordewane, s. Cordovan leather,

B 1922.
Cornea, s. pi. corn-fields, pieces of

standing corn, B 3225.
Corone, s. crown, garland, E 381 ;

Coroune. 1 1 18. O. F. corone, from

Lat. corona.

VOL IL

Corouned, pp. crowned, B 3555.

Corps, s. corpse, F 519. F. corps,
Lat. corpus, a body.

Corpus, s. body ; corpus Dominus,
false Latin for corpus Domini, the
body of the Lord, B 1625 ; corpus
Madrian (see note), 3082.

Cors, s. body, Bin, 2098.

Cost, s. cost, B 3564. F. couter,
O. F. coster, couster, to cost, from
Lat. cons/are, which sometimes
has the same meaning.

Costage, s. cost, expense, outlay,
E 1126.

Coste, s. the coast, B 1626. O. F.
coste, from Lat. costa, a rib, side-

Coste, pt. s. cost, B 1925.

Cote, s. a cot, E 398. A. S. cote,
Icel. kot, a cottage.

Cote, s. a coat, outer garment, used
of a part of a woman's apparel, E
913. F. cotte, O. F. cote; O. H. G.
chozzo, a coat or mantle of a thick
woolly substance, G. kotze, a
shaggy covering, G. kutte, a cowl.

Cote-armour, s. coat with armorial
bearings, B 2056. See Mor. Gloss.

Couche, v. to cower, E 1 206. F.
coucher, O. F. coucer, colcker, from
Lat. collocare, to place together ;
from locus, a place.

Coude, pt. s. (perhaps subj.) knew,
or should know, F 39 ; knew, B
1735; knew how, 1926, 3375;
could, F 97. See Can.

Couent, s. conventual body, the
monks composing the conventual
body, B 1827, 1867. F. couvent,
O. F. convent, from Lat. convening,
a coming together; from venire,
to come.

Couered, pi. s. covered, E 914.
F. couvrir, from Lat. cooperire, to
cover up, from operire, to hide.

Countenaunces, s. pi. looks, F
284. See Contenance.

Countrefete, v. to counterfeit,
imitate, F 554. F. contrefaire,
to counterfeit; but the E. verb

242

QLOSSARIAL INDEX.

seems to have been formed from
the pp. contrefait.

Countesse, s. a countess, E 590.
O. F. contesse, F. comtesse; from
O.F. conte, comte, F. comte, Lat.
comitem, a companion.

Countretaille. s. lit. countertally,
i.e. correspondence (of sound) ; at
the countretaille = corresponding-
ly, in return, E 1190. F. centre,
against, tattle, a cut, incision, from
tattler, to cut, Low Lat. la Hare,
taleare, to cut; cf. Lat. talea, a
cutting, shoot cut off, a stake.
The idea is here taken from the
cutting of corresponding notches on
two corresponding sticks or tallies.

Cours, s. course, B 3186, F 66.
F. cours, Lat. cursus.

Courser, s. courser, horse, F 310.
F. coursier, lit. a runner, from
course, running, coursing ; Low
Lat. cnrsa, an expedition, from
currere, to run.

Couth, pp. known, E 942. A. S.
cdS, known, pp. of cunnan, to
know ; Mceso - Goth, kunths,
known, from kunnan, to know ;
so that cu'S = cunlS.

Coward, adj. cowardly, B 3100.
F. couard, cowardly ; lit. one who
drops his tail, first spoken of ani-
mals ; from F. cone, Lat. cauda, a
tail. So also Ital. codardo, a
coward, from coda, a tail, Lat.
cauda. Mr. Wedgwood explains
it of the hare, making couard
mean the bobtailed, since in the
Venery de Twety (Reliquiae An-
tiquae, p. 153) the hare is spoken
of as ' le coward ou le court cow '
(short-tail).

Coy, adj. or adv. still, quiet, E 2.
F. coi, from Lat. quietus, quiet ;
so that E. coy and quiet are
doublets; coy being the older.
The / is preserved in the F. fem.
form coite.

Coyn, s. coin, E 1168. F. coin,

a coin : also a stamp upon coin,
from Lat. cuneus, a wedge, no
doubt used in the stamping pro-
cess.

Crabbed, adj. shrewish, cross, bit-
ter, E 1203.

Craft, s. skill, way of doing a thing,
F 185 ; secret power, might, B
3258; subtle contrivance, F 249.
A. S. craft, skill, Icel. kraptr, G.
Itraft.

Craftily, adv. cunningly, skilfully,
B 48.

Crepe, ». to creep, B 3627 ; pr. s.
Crepeth, E 1134. A. S. creopan,
Icel. Ttrjupa, to creep.

Cristen, adj. Christian, B 1679.

Crist emasse, s. Christmas, B 1 26,

I730-

Crouned, pp. crowned, i.e. su-
preme, F 526. See Corone.

Croys, s. cross, E 556. F. croj*,
O. F. crois, Lat. ace. crucem.

Crueltee, s. cruelty, £1225. F.
cruaute, O. F. crualle, cruelte,
Lat. crudelitatem; from crudelis,
cruel.

Cubytes, s. pi. cubits, B 3350.
Lat. cnbitus, the elbow; also a
cubit, the distance of the elbow to
the end of the middle finger,
about 1 8 inches.

Cuppe, s. a cup, F 616. A. S.
cuppe, from Lat. cupa, a cup.

Cures, s. pi. cares, pursuits, £82.
F. cure, Lat. cura, care ; cf. E.
cure (i. e. care) of souls.

Cursedly, adv. wickedly, abomi-
nably, B 3419. A. S. cursian, to
curse, curs, a malediction.

Cursednes, s. malice, B 1821 ;
wickedness, 3575 ; Cursednesse,
shrewishness, E 1 239.

Curteisly, adv. courteously, B
1636.

Curteisye, s. courtesy, refinement,
B 3686, E 74, F 95. F. conrt-
oisie, O. F. curteisie, courtesy,
O.F. curteis, courteous, from O. F.

GL OSS A RIAL INDEX.

243

cort, a court, Lat. cohortem, used
by Palladius to mean a farm ; cf.
court as a suffix in names of
places.

D.

Daliaunce, s. playful demeanour;
he doth daliaunce, he behaves
playfully and goodnaturedly, B
1 894. Evidently formed after the
French manner ; but not in most
French dictionaries. However,
Godefroy has : ' dallier, railler,'
i. e. to mock. From prov. G.
dalen, dahlen, to prattle, to trifle.
The Exmoor dwallee means ' to
talk incoherently.'

Dampned, pp. condemned, B
3605. F. damner, O. F. damp-
neir, Low Lat. dampnare, Lat.
damnare, to condemn.

Dan, s. (for Dominus), sir, B 3982.
F. dom, lord, O. F. dans, from
Lat. dominus.

Dappel-gray, s. dapple gray, B
2074. Dapple is a Low-German
word ; cf. E. dab, a spot ; Icel.
depill, a spot, dot; a dog with
spots over the eyes is also called
depill.

Dar, i p. s. pr. I dare, B 3110, E
803, F 36, 581. A. S. ic dear, I
dare; pt. t. ic dorste, I durst.

Daunce, s. dance, F 277; pi.
Daunces, 283.

Daunce, v. to dance, B 126, F
312 ; pr. pi. Dauncen, F 272. F.
danser, from O. H. G. danson, to
draw along; see Brachet and
Burguy.

Daungerous, a<//. difficult to please,
B 2129. See Daunger in Mor.
Gloss.

Dawe, v. to dawn, B 3872. A. S.
dagian, to become day, from
dag, day.

Day, s. day, time, B 3374; pi.
Dayes, days, lifetime, 118; now a

dayes, now-a-days, at this time,
E 1164. A. S. dag, Icel. dagr,
Mceso-Goth. dags, G. tag.

Debat, s. debate, strife, war, B 1 30.
F. debat, from debattre, to debate,
O. F. debatre , desbatre ; from pre-
fix = Lat. dis, and Lat. batvere, to
beat.

Debate, v. to fight, war, B 2058.
See above.

Declaring, s. declaration, B 3172.

Dede, s. deed, action (dot.), B
1999, E 241, F 456; in dede =
indeed, in reality, B 3511. A. S.
dad, Mceso-Goth. deds.

Deed, pp. dead, B 3517, 3633,
3737, F 287, 474. A. S. dead,
dead ; yet the A. S. verb for to die
is steorfan. See Deyen.

Deer, s. pi. animals, B 1926. A. S.
deor, an animal, a neuter noun,
unchanged in the nom. plural. It
is a general noun, like the G.
thier, not restricted to the animals
now so called.

Dees, s. pi. dice, F 690. F. de, a
die ; O. F. plural dez, dice (Cot-
grave) ; O. F. del, a die (Burguy) ;
Provencal dat, Ital. dud a, said to
be from Lat. datum (Brachet).

Deeth, s. death, B 3567, E 36,
510. A. S. dea$, Icel. daiiQi,
Mceso-Goth. dauthus, G. tod.

Deface, v. to obliterate, £510.

Defame, s. dishonour, B 3738. F.
diffamer, to defame, Lat. dif-
famare. Wyclif has diffame, but
only in the sense of to publish
abroad. See Diffame.

Defaute, s. default, fault, wicked-
ness, B 3718; defect, E 1018.
F. defaut, from favte, Ital. falta,
from Lat. fallere, to fail.
Degrees, s. pi. degrees of the
zodiac, F 386. F. degri, Prov.
degrat, from Lat. de, down, and
gradus, a step.

Delue, v. to dig up, F 638. A. S.
delfan, Du. delven.

R 2

244

GLOSSARTAL INDEX.

Delyt, s. delight, pleasure, B 3340,
3590, E 68. O. F. delit, deleft,
from Lat. delectare, to delight.

Delytable, adj. delectable, delight-
ful, E 62, 199. O. F. delitable,
Lat. delectabilis.

Delyting, pres. fart, delighting, E
997. O. F. deliter, deleiter, Lat.
delectare, to please.

Demandes, s. pi. questions, E 348.
F. demande, from Lat. demand-
are.

Dome, v. judge, E 133 ; Demen, to
give judgment, B 1639 : I p. s.
pr. Deme, I suppose, E 753 ; pr.
pi. Demen, E 988, F 224;
Demeth, F 221 ; I p. s. pt. Dem-
ede, F 563 ; pt. pi. Denied, 20-2 .
A. S. demon, to judge, to deem.
See Doom, Do.

Demeyne, s. dominion, B 3855.
O. F. demeine, from Low Lat.
dominium, power; from Lat. do-
minus, a lord.

Depardieux, inter j. on the part of
God, by God's help, B 39. See
note.

Depe, adj. deep, B 3988 ; adv.
deeply, 4. A. S. deop, Icel. djupr,
Goth, divps.

Dere, adj. dear; voc. case, B 1641,
E 101, 1056; pi. E 999, 1089,
1093, F 272, 341. A. S. dedre,
dyre, Icel. dyrr, G. theuer.

Dere, v. to injure, wound, harm, B
3191, F 240. A. S. derian, Du.
deren, to injure.

Desert, s. desert, deserving, merit,
F 532. O. F. deserte, merit,
deservir, to deserve; from Lat.
seruire, to serve.

Desirous, adj. ardent, F 23. F.
dteireux; from desirer, Lat. de~
siderare, to wish for.

Desolat. adj. desolate, i. e. void of,
lacking in, B 131. F. d&oler, to
ravage ; Lat. desolare, to leave
alone, from solus, alone, sole.

Despeired, pp. filled with despair,

B 3645. Lat. desperare, to give
up hope, from spes, hope.

Despence, s. expenses, expenditure,
money for expenses, B 105. O. F.
despense, F. depense, expense ;
from Lat. dispendere, to spend,
pendere, to weigh out, to pay.

Despendest, 2 p. s. pr. spendest,
wastest, B 2121.

Despitously, adv. despitefully,
cruelly, E 535.

Despyse, v. to despise, B 115.
Lat. despicere.

Despyt, s. despite, a deed expres-
sive of contempt, B 3738 ; in
your despyt = in spite of you, in
contempt of you, 1753. f.depil,
O. F. despit, Lat. despectus, a
looking down upon; from de,
down, specere, to look.

Dette, s. a debt, obligation, B 41.
F. dette, Lat. debita, a sum due ;
from debere, to owe.

Deuoir, s. duty, B 38, E 966. F.
devoir, to owe ; Lat. debere.

Deuyse, v. to relate, B 2132, 3842,
£52; to describe, F. 6e, 279;
to plan, E 698 ; to frame, E 739 ;
Deuysen, to imagine, E 108 ; i
p. s. pr. Deuyse, I tell, B 3693;
pr. pi. Deuyse, imagine, discourse,
F 261. F. deviser, to talk; Low
Lat. diuisa, a division of goods,
a judgment, opinion ; from Lat
diuidere, to divide.

Dextrer, *. a courser, war-horse,
B 2103. F. destrier, a war-horse;
Low Lat. dexlrarius, from Lat.
dextra, the right hand. The
squire rode his own horse, and
led his master's horse beside him,
on his right hand.

Deyen, v. to die, E 665, 859;
Deye, B 3232, E 364; pt. s.
Deyde, E 550, 1062 ; pp. Deyed,
B 184!. Icel. deyja, to die; the
A. S. has only the derivative
deddian, seldom used ; the A, S.
for to die is swellan or steorfan.

OLOSSARIAL INDEX.

245

Deyinge, s. dying, death, B 1850.
A true s6. ; not a pres. part.

Deyned him, pt. s. it deigned him,
i. e. he deigned, B 3324. F.
daigner, O. F. deigner, Lat. dig-
nan, to think worthy ; from dig-
nns, worthy.

Deyntee, s. pleasure, F 681 ; pi.
Deyntees, dainties, 301. O. F.
daintie, agreeableness, from Lat.
dignitatem, honour. See Deyned.

Deyntee, adj. dainty, pleasant, rare,
B 1901, E III2, F 70. The
sense rare explains Spenser, F. CL
i. 2. 27 — ' dainty maketh derth,'
i. e. rarity makes a thing dear or
valuable.

Deynteuous, adj. dainty, E 265.

Days, s. dais, F 59. O. F. deis,
Lat. discus. See Mor. Gloss.

Diademe, s. diadem, crown, F 43,
60. Lat. diadema, Gk. StaSrjfia,
a fillet, that which is bound round,
from Std, across, and Sefv, to bind.

Dide, pt. s. did, E 185; put on,
B 2047 ; dide hem drawe =
caused to be drawn, B 1823.
A. S. dyde, a past tense formed by
reduplication, from don, to do ;
cf. O. H.G. dede, or teta, I did,
from duon or tuon, to do.

Diffame, s. evil name, ill report, E
540, 730. See Defame.

Digestioun, s. digestion, F 347.
F. digestion, Lat. digestionem,
from digerere, to distribute, di-
gest ; dis, apart, gerere, to carry.

Digne, adj. worthy, noble, B 1175,
E 8 1 8. F. digue, Lat. dignus.

Dignitee, s. dignity, rank, E 470.
F. dignite, O. F. digniteit, Lat.
dignitatem; from dignus.

Discriptioun, s. description, F
580. From Lat. describere.

Discryue, v. to describe, F 424;
Discryuen, 40; pt. s. Discryueth,
describes, E 43 ; pp. Discryued, B
3336. F. decrire, O. F. descrire,
Lat. describere.

Disdeyne, v. to disdain, E 98. F.
dedaigner, O. F. desdaigner, Lat.
dedignari, to scorn. Cf. M. E.
dedain (Allit. Poems).

Disdeyn, s. disdain, contempt, F
700. F. dedain, O. F. desdain.

Disese, s. discomfort, source of pain,
distress, B 3961 ; misery, F 467.

Disparage, s. disparagement, dis-
grace, E 908. O. F. desparager
(Cotgrave), Low Lat. disparag-
iare, to form a misalliance;
paragium, equality of rank ; from
Lat. par, equal.

Dispence, s. expense, expenditure,
E 1209. See Despence.

Dispende, v. to spend, B 3500,
F 690.

Dispensacion, s. dispensation, E
746.

Displese, v. to displease, E 506.

Dispoilen, v. to despoil, i. e. strip,
E 374. Lat. spoliare, to strip;
spolium, spoil.

Disport, s. sport, diversion, B
3981. O. F. desporter, to amuse
oneself (Roquefort); from Lat.
portare, to carry.

Dissimulinges, s. pi. dissimula-
tions, pretences that things are
not so, F 285. Lat. dissimvlare,
to pretend that a thing is not.

Distaf, s. a distaff, B 3097, 3564.
A. S. distaef; here staef is our
modern staff; Mr. Wedgwood
cites the Platt-Deutsch diesse,
meaning the bunch of flax on the
distaff, and quotes from Palsgrave
the phrase ' I dyayn a dystaffe,'
meaning ' I supply a distaff with
flax ; ' perhaps the first element
is cognate also with E. Fries.
dissen, a bunch of flax on a
distaff, Low G. diisse, the same
(Berghaus), or dise (Liibben).

Diuerse, adj. pi. diverse, F 202.
Lat. diuersus.

Diuersely, adv. in different ways,
F 202.

246

GLOSS ART AL INDEX.

Diuyde, v. to divide, B 3380 ; pp.
Diuyded, 3424. Lat. diuidere.

Diuyn, adj. divine, B 3247. Lat.
diuinus.

Do, v. to cause, B 3107, E 353 ;
imp. s. Do come = cause to come,
B 2035 ; a p. pi. pr. Do kepe =
cause to be kept, 3624; pp. Do,
done, ended, E 2440. A. S. don,
Du. doen, G. thun, O. H. G. duon,
tuon; the original sense is to
place, as in Sanskr. dha, to place,
put, Gk. TiOijfjtt, I place. From
the same root is the Gk. Offus,
A. S. dom, judgment, doom ;
whence the verb to deem.

Dogerel, adj. doggrel, B 2115.

Dogges, s. pi. dogs, B 3089. Du.
dog, a large dog, mastiff.

Dominacioun, s. domination, su-
premacy, chiefest influence, F
352 ; dominion, B 3409. From
Lat. dominus, a lord.

Dominus. See Corpus.

Don, v. to do, F 323 ; Doon, to
act, B 90; to ply, B 1653; to
cause, 3618; to make, 3507;
leet don crye = caused to be cried,
F 46 ; pr. s. Doth forth = con-
tinues, E 1015; Dooth, doth, B
23 ; gerund, to Done, F 334 ; to
Doone, E 99 ; imp. pi. Doth, do,
E 568, 652 ; as doth = pray do,
F 458 ; pp. Don, F 130 ; ended,
F 297; Doon, B 38;' ended, B
3423, F 601 ; doon make = caused
to be made, E 253; hath doon
yow kept = hath caused you to be
kept, E 1098. See Do.

Doom, s. judgment, opinion, B
3 1 2 7, E looo, F 677. A. S. dom,
judgment, Gk. (?</.«?, judgment,
decision; cf.ri$rj/ju, 1 place, Sanskr.
dkd, to place.

Dore, s. a door, E 282, F 80, 615 ;
pi. Dotes, B 3615, 3719. A. S.
darn, Goth, daur, Gk. Ovpa.

Dorste, pi. s. durst, B 1995, 3527,
£403 See Dar. '

Doubelnessc, s. duplicity, F 556.

F. double, double, Lat. duplus,

Gk. oiir\6os, twofold.
Doughter, gen. sing, daughters, E

608. A. S. dohtor, a daughter ;

gen. dohtor; Gk. Ovyaryp, Sanskr.

duAitri, i. e. a milker, one who

milks the cows, from duh, to

milk.
Doughty, adj. doughty, strong, B

1914, 3502, F 338 ; warlike, F

II. A. S. doktig, valiant, from

diigan, to profit ; so G. tuchtig,

from taugen.
Doun, adv. down, F 323; up and

down = in all directions, in all

ways, B 53. See Adoun.
Donne, s. down, hill (dative), B

1986. A. S. dun, a hill; dat.

dune.
Douteles, adv. doubtless, without

doubt, certainly, B 91, 2142;

Doutelees, E 485.
Doutes, s. pi. fears, F 2 20. ' Double,

{. a doubt ; suspect ; feare, scruple;

mistrust,' &c. — Cotgrave.
Dowaire, s. dower, E 848 ; Dower,

807. F. douer, to endow, Lat.

dotare ; donaire, a dowry, Lat.

doiarium; from Lat. dos.
Dradde, pt. s. dreaded, feared, B

3402, E 523; Dradde him = was

afraid, B 3918; pp. Drad, dreaded,

E 69. See Drede.
Dragoun, s. dragon, B 3291. F.

dragon, Lat. draconem, Gk.

SpaKovra ; probably it meant

originally a watcher, guardian,

from SfpKOfiat, I see, opaKtiv, to

see.
Drank, (or Dranke), 2 p. s. pr. didst

drink, B 3416; pt. s. drank, E

2 1 6. A. S. drincan, pt. t. ie dranc.
Drasty, adj. filthy, worthless,

trashy, B 2113. An adj. formed

from A. S. dresten, dregs, dterst or

doerste, leaven, in the O.Northumb.

version of Matt. xiii. 33. Note

also Goth, drauhma, drausna, a

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

247

crumb, fragment. Hence the word
means full of lees, or dregs. The
Promp. Parv. gives ' drestys of
oyle, drestys or lyys [/««] of wine '
as synonymous with 'dregges.'
Mr. Way's note says — The Me-
dulla renders 'fecula, a little traist,'
'feculentus, fulle of traiste ' (Had.
MS. 2 2 5 7) ; in the Ortus, ' dregges.'
Amurca is explained by Elyot to
mean ' the mother or feme of all
oyles,' in Harl. MS. 1002, ' drastus.'
Palsgrave gives ' dresly, full of
drest, liettx.' Horman says ' the
drastys (floces) of the wyne be
medicynable.' There is then no
doubt about the true reading in
this passage.

Drawe, v. to draw, incline, E 314 ;
Drawe him, to withdraw himself,
F 355 ; pr.pl. Drawen hem, with-
draw themselves, F 252; imp.pl.
Draweth, invite, B 1632. A. S.
dragon, to drag, draw, G. Iragen.

Drede, I p. s. pr. I dread, fear, E
636 ; imp. s. Dreed, dread, fear,
1 201; pt. s. Dredde, dreaded,
feared, 1 8 1. A.S. on drcedan, to
fear ; the simple verb is not used.

Drede, s. dread, fear, awe, B 3694,
373*. E 358, 462 ; jt is no
drede = there is no fear"*or doubt,
beyond doubt, E 1155; out of
drede = out of doubt, certainly,

634-

Dredful, adj. terrible, B 3558.

Drery, adj. sad, E 514. A.S.
dreorig, sorrowful ; lit. bloody,
from dreor, blood. Cf. G. traurig,
sad ; O. H. G. tror, blood, dew,
that which falls ; A. S. dredran,
Mceso-Goth. driusan, to fall. •

Dresse, v. to address oneself, E
1007; to address, prepare, 1049;
pr. pi. Dresse hem, direct them-
selves, i. e. go, draw near, F 290.
F. dresser, Ital. dirizzare ; from
Lat. directus, direct ; from regere,
to rule.

Dreye, adj. dry, B 3233; pi.
Dreye, E 899. A. S. dryge, dry.

Dreynt,/>p. drenched, i.e. drowned,
B 69. A. S. drencan, to make
to drink, drench, drown; pp.
gedrenced.

Driue, pp. driven, B 3203.

Dronke, pt. pi. drank, B 3418;
Dronken, 3390 ; pp. Dronke,
diunk, 3758.

Drough, pt. s. refl. drew himself,
approached, B 1710; pt. s. Drow,
drew, 3292.

Droughte, s. drought, F 118;
A. S. drrigaft, dryness ; drdgian,
drigan, to dry; from dryge, dry.

Dryue, v. to drive, F 183; pp.
Driue, driven, B 3203. A.S.
drifan, to drive, pp. drifen.

Dul, adj. dull, F 279. A.S. dol,
Goth, dwals, foolish.

Dure, v. to last, endure, E 166,
825. F. durer, Lat. durare; from
dttrus, hard.

Dyed,/)/, s. dyed, steeped, F 511.
A.S. dedgian, to dye; dedg, a
dye, a colour.

Dyen, v. to die, B 114, 3618;
Dye, 3324, E 38; pt. s. Dvde,
died, B 3986. See Deyen.

Dyghte, v. to dight, prepare, E
974; Dyghte me, prepare myself
to go, B 3104; pp. Dyght, pre-
pared himself to go, 3719. A. S.
dihlan, to prepare; G. dichten,
O. H. G. tihten, to set in order.

E.

Ebbe, s. ebb, F 259. A. S. ebba,
an ebb, reflux ; ebbian, to ebb.

Echon, adj. each one, B iSiS;
Echoon, E 124.

Eek, adv. eke, also, B 59, 70,
1877. A. S. edc, Du. oo*, G.
auch, Mceso-Goth. auk.

Eet, pt. s. ate, B 3362, 3407 ; imp.
s. eat, 3640. A. S. etan, pt. t. ic
at; cf. G. essen, pt. t. ich ass.

248

GLOSS ARIAL INDEX.

Eft, adv. again, E 1227, F 631.
A.S. eft, again, back, after.

Egle, s. eagle, F 123; gen. Egles,
B 3365. F. aigle, Lat. aquila.
The A.S. word is ern, earn.

Egre, adj. eager, sharp, fierce, E
1199. F. aigre, Lat. ace. acrem,
from acer.

Eightetethe, orJ. adj. eighteenth,
65. A. S. eahlaleti'Sa.

Ekko, s. echo, E 1189. Lat. echo,
Gk. r'ixw ; from ?jxos> a noise.

Elaat, adj. elate, B 3357. Lat.
flatus,

Elder, adj. eomp. older, B 1720,
3450. A. S. eald, old ; comp.
yldra, older.

Eldres, s. pi. elders, forefathers, B
3388, E 65, 156. A. S. yldra,
older ; the pi., yldran, means
elders, parents.

Elf-queen, s. fairy queen, B 1978,
1980. A.S. celf, an elf, whence
JElf-red (elf-counsel), Alfred ; Icel.
dlfr, an elf, fairy; spelt ouphe
in Shakespeare.

Elles, adv. else, otherwise, B 2129,
3232, 3983. A.S. elles, other-
wise ; the A. S. prefix el- means
other, foreign, strange ; cf. Lat.
al-ias, al-ius, al-ienus, al-ter.

Eluish, adj. elvish, i. e. abstracted,
vacant, absent in demeanour,
B 1893. The word occurs as
aluhch in Sir Gawain and the
Grene Knight, 68 1, where it
seems to mean having super-
natural power ; but no such
compliment is intended here.
* As the elves had power to be-
witch men, a silly, vacant person
is in Icelandic called dlfr; hence
dlfalegr, silly ; dlfaskapr and dlfa-
hdttr, silly behaviour ' ; Cleasby's
Icel. Diet. See the note.

Emeraude, s. emerald, B 1799.
F. cmeraude, O. F. estneralde,
from Lat. stnaragdus.

Emperoures, s. pi. emperors, B

3558. F. emperetir, O. F. em*
pereor, Lat. imperatorem.

Empoisoned, pp. poisoned, B
3850. F. empoisonner, to poison ;
poison is a doublet of potion ; from
Lat. potionem, a drink ; from
po'.are, to drink ; whence also
potation.

Emprinteth, imp. pi. imprint, im-
press, E 1193. F. empreindre,
from Lat. imprimere ; from prem-
ere, to press.

Empryae, s. enterprise, B 3857.
O. F. emprise, emprinse, an enter-
prise ; F. prendre, to take, Lat.
prekendere, prendere.

Encheson, s. occasion, cause, F
456. O. F. enckaison, an occa-
sion (Roquefort) ; from ehaoir,
to happen, Lat. cadere.

Encresen, v. to increase, B 1654;
pr. s. Encresseth, E 50; pp. En-
cressed, 408. Norman Fr. en-
crecer, from Lat increscere.

Endelcmg, prep, down along, F
416. A.S. andlang, G. entlang,
along; the prefix is seen in full
in Moeso-Goth. anda, Lat. ante,
Gk. dm-, Sanskr. anti (Vedic),
signifying against, opposite, &c.

Endure, v. to last, B 3538; F.
endurer, Lat. indurare. See
Dure.

Endyte, v. to indict, B 3858 ; pr.
pi. 2 p. endite, compose, E 17;
pr. s. Endyteth, endites, composes,
E 41, 1148; pp. Endyted, com-
posed, B 3170. O. F. endider,
enditier, to indicate, from diiier,
to dictate, Lat. dictare.

Enformed, pp. informed, E 738,
F 335. Lat. informare, through
• the French. Cotgrave has ' En-
former, to form, fashion,' &c.

Engendred, pp. engendered, be-
gotten, E 158. F. engendrer,
Lat. ingenerare, to implant ;
from Lat. genus = E. kin.

Engyn, s. a 'gin,' machine, F 184.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

249

F. engin, meaning (i) skill, (2)
an engine; from Lat. ingenium,
skill.

Enlumined, ft. s. illumined, E
33- F. enlttminer, Lat. illumin-
are; from lumen, light, which
from lux, light.

Enquere, v. to enquire, E 769.
F. enqtierir, Lat. inquirers; from
quaerere, to seek.

Ensample, s. example, B 78,
3281. O. F. ensample (Roque-
fort), Lat. exemplum.

Entencion, s. intention, purpose,
E 703. O. F. intention, a design
(Roquefort) ; Lat. intentionem.

Entende, v . to direct one's atten-
tion, apply oneself, B 3498 ; to
attend, dispose oneself, F 689.
F. entendre, Lat. intendere.

Entente, s. intention, B 40, E
735, 874; meaning, F 400;
design, B 3835, F 521 ; wish,
E 189; mind, B 1740; in good
entent = with good will, B 1902;
as to commune entente, with
reference to its common (i. e.
plain) meaning, i. e. in plain in-
telligible language, F 107.

Entraille, s. entrails, inside, E
1188. F. entrailles, Low Lat.
intrania, Lat. interanea (Pliny),
from interus, inward, intra, with-
in.

Envenimed, pp. envenomed, poi-
soned, B 3314. F. envenimer, to
poison ; F. venin, Lat. venenum,
poison.

Envye, s. envy, jealousy, B 3584,
3888. F. envie, Lat. inuidia.

Epistolis, dat. case pi. (Latiti),
epistles, B 55.

E quite e, s. equity, justice, E 439.
F. eqvite, Lat. aequitatem.

Er, conj. ere, B 119, 1667, aoi5 5
F 130; er now, ere now, F
460; er that, before, E 178. A. S.
air, Mceso-Goth. air, whence E.
tarty.

Ere, s. ear, F 196, 316; pi. Ere?,
B 3726, E 629. A. S. tare,
Mceso-Goth. atiso, Lat. auris.

Erl, s. earl, B 3597, 3646; pi.
Erles, 3839. A.S. eorl, Icel.jarl,
a chief.

Erly, adv. early, F 379. A. S.
eerlice; see Er.

Ernest, s. earnest, £723. A. S.
eornost, certain, sure, G. ernsl;
allied to Icel. ern, brisk, vigorous,
and Gk. opvvfu, I excite.

Ernestful, adj. serious, E 11/5.

Erst, adv. before, E 336; at erst
= at first, first of all, B 1884, E
985. A. S. eerest, first, superl. of
<er, before, ere.

Erthe, s. earth, E 203. A. S.
eorfte, Icel. jorS, Mceso-Golh.
airtha, G. erde.

Ese, s. ease, £217, 434. F. ahe.

Esily, adv. easily, F 115; softlv,
slowly, 388.

Espyen, v. to espy, spy, see, B
3258; pt. s. Espyed, 3718. F.
epier, O. F. espier, from O. H. G.
spehen, to spy, G. spahen.

Est, s. east, B 3657 ; as adv. in
the east, F 459. A. S. east, Icel.
austr ; cf. Lat. A urora ( = A nsosa)
and Sanskr. itshas, the dawn, from
the root us, to burn ; which from
an older root vas, to shine ; Peile's
Greek and Latin Etymology, 2nd
ed. p. 142.

Estaat, s. estate, condition, rank,
B 3592. 3647. 3965; state, E
160, 767; way, E 610; Estat,
state, F 26. F. etat, O. F. estat,
Lat. status.

Estward, adv. eastwards, E 50.

Ete, v. to eat, F 617; pp. Eten,
E 1096. See Eet. A. S. elan,
Mceso-Goth. itan, to eat.

Euangelist, s. Evangelist, writer
of a Gospel, B 2133.

Eue, s. eve, evening, F 364. A. S.
efen; cf. G. abend.

Euel, adv. ill, B 1897. See Yusl.

250

GL OSS A RIAL INDEX.

Euene, adj. even, E 811. A. S.
efen, eefen, equal, Mceso-Goth.
ibns.

Euerich, adj. every one, E
1017.

Euerichon, every one, B 1164;
Euerichon, 4009 ; Euerichoon, B
58, 3089; with pi. sb. 3277.

Euermo, adv. evermore, continu-
ally, B I744> 4005; for euermo
= continually, E 754 ; Euermore,
F 124.

Exametron, s. a hexameter, B 3 1 69.
Gk. (^afntrpov, neuter of If a/^frpos,
a six-foot verse ; from f(, six, and
Utrpov, a metre, measure.

Excellente, adj. excellent, F 145.
F. excellent, Lat. excellentem.

Expert, adj. experienced, B 4. F.
expert, Lat. expertns.

Expoune, v. to expound, explain,
B 3398 ; Expounde, 3940 ; pt.
s. Expouned, 3399 ; Expowned,
3346. O. F. espondre, to ex-
pose, Lat. exponere.

Ey, inter), eh ! E 2419. Cf. G. «.

Eyleth, pr. s. ails, B 1171, 1975;
pt. s. impers. Eyled, ailed, F 501.
A. S. eglian, to feel pain, eglan,
to give pain, egl, trouble ; Moeso-
Goth. agio, tribulation, aglns,
troublesome; cf. Goth, agis, E.
awe.

P.

Pace, s. face; a technical term in
astrology, signifying the third part
of a sign (of the zodiac) ; a part
of the zodiac ten degrees in ex-
tent, F 50. See the note.

Fader, gen. sing, father's, B n/8,
3121, 3127; fader day, father's
day, father's time, 3374, E 1136;
we also find Fadres, B 3534,
3630, E 809 ; pi. Fadres, fathers,
ancestors, E 61 ; parents, origi-
nators, B 129. A. S. fader (gen.
fader} G. vater, Lat. pater. Sanskr.

pilrl, a father, guardian ; from pa,
to guard, nourish.

Faille, v. to fail, B 3955. F.
faillir, Lat. fallere.

Paire, adj. def. as sb. the fair part,
F 518 ; voc. case Faire, 485. A. S.
faegr, Moeso-Goth. fagrs, fair;
cf. Gk. 111770$, well-fastened,
strong, from irrf^vviM, I fasten ;
cf. Goth.fahan, to seize.

Pairnesse, s. fairness, beauty, E
384. A. S.fcegsrnes.

Pairye, s. fairyland, B 1992, 2004,
F 96 ; fairy contrivance, magic,
F 201. ¥.f eerie, O. F. faerie, en-
chantment; F. fee, Ital. fata, a
fairy, from Low Lat. fata, a
witch, who presides over fate;
Lat. fatum, destiny.

Palle, v. to fall, happen, light, E 1 26 ;
to suit, E 259 ; Fallen, to happen,
F 134; pp. Falle, fallen, B 3196,
3268 ; happened, E 938 ; Fallen,
accidentally placed, F. 684. A. S.
feallan.

Pals, adj. false, B 74 ; def. False,
3727. F. faux, O. F. fals, Lat.
falsus.

Palsed, pp. falsified, broken (faith),
F 627.

Fame, s. good report, E 418. F.
fame, Lzt.fama.

Pantasyes, s. pi. fancies, F 205.

F. fantaisie, Gk. <pavraala, from
<paiveiv, to appear; whence also
phantom, phantasm. Fancy is a
doublet of phantasy.

Pare, v. to fare, get on, F 488;
i p. s. pr. Fare, I am, B 1676 ;
pr. s. Fareth, it fares, it is, E
1217; pp- Fare, fared, gone, E
896 ; imp. s. Far wel, farewell,
B Il6, 3631, E 555. A. S.faran,
to go, proceed, fare, Du. varen,

G. fahren, to travel ; cf. Gk.
iroptvu, I carry, noptvoftai, I
travel ; Gk. nopos, E. ferry.

Paste, adv. fast, closely, E 598 ;
quickly, B 2017; Paste by, close

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

251

at hand, B 3116; adv. comp.

Faster, closer, 3722. A.S. fast,

fast, firm ; faeste, firmly, also

quickly.
Faucon, s. a falcon, F 411, 424,

&c. F.faucon, Lat. falconem.
F aught, ft. s. fought, B 3519.
Fauour, s. favour, B 3914. F.

faveur, L&t.fauorem.
Fayn, adv. gladly, willingly, B

41, 3283; wolde fayn = would

fain, would be glad to, E 696.

A..S.f<egn, fain, glad, Icel. feginn.
Fayre, adj. fair, B 69.
Fecche, v. to fetch, B 1857;

Fecchen, E 276. See Fette.
Feeld, s. field, in an heraldic sense,

B 3573! da*- Felde, field, plain,

3197. A.S.feld; dat.felde.
Feend, s. the fiend, F 522; a

fiend, B 3654. The Moeso-Goth.

fijan, to hate, has a pres. part.

fijands, used in the sense of an

enemy; so A.S. feon, to hate,

fednd, a fiend.
Feet, s. performance, E 429. F.

fait, Lat. facium. Thus feat is

an older doublet of fact.
Fel, adj. fell, cruel, terrible, B

2019 ; //. Felle, 3290. A.S. fell,

cruel ; O. F.fel, cruel (Roquefort).

Cf. Low Lat./<?//o,/<?/o, a traitor,

rebel ; whence E. felon,
Felaw, s. fellow, companion, B

1715, 2135; pi. Felawcs, B

1629, 3356, E 282. IceLfelagi,

a companion ; from fe, cattle,

property, and lagi, law, society;

applied to one who possesses

property in partnership with

others.
Felde, s. dot. field, B 3197. See

Feeld.
Fele, adj. pi. many, E 917. A.S.

fela, G. viel, Du. veel, Gk. TTO\VS.
Felle. See Fel.
Felte, I p. s. pi. felt, F 566.
Fer, adj. far, B 1908,3157; adv.

1781, 3872. A S.feorr.

Ferde, pi. s. fared, i.e. behaved,
E 1060, F. 461, 621. See Fare.

Fere, s. dot. fear, B 3369, 3394,
3728. A.S. feer, dat. fare, fear,
danger ; cf. G. gefaftr, danger.

Ferforth, adv. far forward; so
ferforth = to such a degree, F 567 ;
as ferforth as = as far as, B 19.

Ferme, adj. firm, E 663. F. ferine,
Lat._/frnjws.

Fern, adv. long ago ; so fern = so
long ago, F 256. A.S. fyrn,
O.H.G. firni, old. Cf. prov. G.
firner wein, last year's wine. The
root appears also in the Greek
irtpvfft, as in i) irtpvffi Ktuf^caSla,
last year's comedy (Curtius).

Fern, s. fern, ferns, F 255. A.S.
fearn.

Fern-assh.en, s. pi. fern-ashes,
ashes produced by burning ferns,

F254-
Ferther, adj. further, B 1686;

adv. E 712.
Feste, s. feast, festival, E 191, F

61,113. F. fete, O. F.feste, Lat.

festa, pi. offeslum.
Festeyinge, pres. part, feasting,

entertaining, F 345. F.festoyer,

O.Y.festier, to feast.
Festlich, adj. festive, fond of

feasts, F 281.
Fette, pt. s. fetched, £301; pi.

Fette, B 2041; pp. Fet, F 276.

A. S. feccan, to fetch; pt. t. ic

feahte, pp. gefetod.
Fetheres, s. pi. feathers, B 3365.

A.S. fe~Ser, cognate with Lat.

penna (whence E. pen), and Gk.

irtTo/xeu, I fly, Sanskr. patra, a

bird's wing.
Fettred, pi. s. fettered, B 3547.

A.S.feter, Icel. fjottur, G. fessel,

a fetter ; cf. Lat. com-pes.
Fey,^s. faith, E 9, 1032. F. foi,

O.F.fei,feid, L&t.Jidem.
Feyne, v. to feign, F 510; pp.

Feyned, pretended, 524. F.

feindre, Lat. finger e.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

Feyning, s. pretending, cajolery,

F 556.
Feynting, s. fainting, failing, E

970. Orig. pp. of F. feindre, to

feign.
Fieble, adj. feeble, weak, E 1198.

F.faible, O.F. foible, floible, Ital.
fievole, feeble. Derived from Lat.

flebilis, lamentable.
Fiers, adj. fierce, B 1970. Roque-
fort gives O.F. 'fers, fier, hautain,

severe ; ' it seems to be from Lat.

nom. ferns, not from Lat. ace.

ferocem.
Figure, s. shape, i.e. man's shape

or form, B 3412; pi. Figures,

figures of speech, E 16. F. figure,

Lat.figura.
Fil, pt. s. fell, occurred, happened,

B 186;, 1962, 3275, £449, 718;

as fer as reason til = as far as

reason extended, F 570; pt. pi.

Fille, fell, F 238; Ffflen, fell,

B 3183, 3620. A.S. feallan, to

fall; pt. t. icfeol, pp. gefeallen.
Fingres, s. pi. ringers, E 380.

A.S. finger.
Firste, adj. tised as a sb.; my

firstc = my first narration, F 75.
Fish, s. the sign Pisces, F 273.

See note. A. S. fisc, Lat. piseis ;

thus fishes and pisces are the same

word.
Fit, s. a ' fyt ' or ' passus,1 a portion

of a song, B 2078. A. S. fit, a

song.
Flambss, s. pi. flames, B 3353.

F. flamme, O.F. flambe, Lat.

flamma.
Flae, v. to fly, F 502 ; Flcen, 122;

pr. pi. Fleen, flee, B 121 ; pr. s.

Fleeth, flies, E 119, F 149; pi.

s. Fledde, fled, avoided, B 3445,

3874; Fley, fled, 3879. A.S.

fleon, to flee ; fleogan, to fly.
Flokmele, adv. in a flock, in a

great number, E 86. A.S. floe,

a. flock ; masl, a portion ; hence

dat. pi. as adv. mcelum, in parts,

and the compound flocmJelum, by

divisions or companies.
Flood, s. flood, flowing of the sea,

F 259. A. S. fldd, Mceso-Goth.

flodus.
Flour, s. flower, B 2091, 3287,

3687; choice, pattern, E 919.

Y.fleur, Lat. florem.
Floure, pr. s. subj. flower, flourish.

E 1 20.
Folweth, pr. s. follows, B 3327,

imp. pi. follow, imitate, E 1189.

A. S. folgian,fyligean, Icel.fylgja,

G. folgen.
Folye, s. folly, E 236. F. folie,

from fol, fou, mad.
Fond, pt. s. found, E 457 ; Foond,

B J99i. 3733; P>- pl- Fonde,

B 3259 » p1' *• subj. Fonde,

352i.
Fonde, v. to endeavour, B 2080;

to attempt, try, E 283. A. S.

fandian, to try, tempt, search

out ; connected with findan, to

find.
Foo, s. foe, enemy, B 1748, 3415,

F 136; pl. Foon, foes, B 3896;

Foos, B 3219, 3519. A.S. f ah,

a foe ; pl./a; from the same root

zs fiend. See Feend.
Fool, s. a fool, employed to make

sport, B 3271. F. fol, fan.
Fool-hardy, adj. foolishly bold,

B 3106.
Foo-men, *. pl. foes, B 3255,

35°7-

Foon, Foos. See Foo.

Foond. See Fond.

For, conj. because, B 1705, F 74;
in order that, F 102 ; frep. as
regards, with respect to, B 13,
£474; on account of, B 3321;
against, 2052; for me = by my
means, F 357. A.S. for.

Forage, s. forage, food, B 1973.
F. fourrage, O. F. fourage, from
O. F. forre, fodder, Low Lat.
fodrum, fodder; from a Teutonic
source; cf. O. H.G. fuo.'ar, E.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

353

fodder; which from the root of
Moeso-Goth. fodjan, to feed; cf.
E. food. To forage is therefore
to search for fodder and food.

Forbede, imp. s. 3 p. may he for-
bid; god f orbed e = God forbid, E
136, 1076 ; pt. s. Forbad, forbade,
570. A. S. forbeddan, Mceso-
Goth. faurbiudan.

Forby, adv. past, B 1759, I792-
Cf. Dan. forbi, past, gone; G.
vorbei.

Fordrye, adj. very dry, exceed-
ingly dry, withered up, F 409. Cf.
A. S. fordrigan, to dry up, parch.

Forfered, pp. exceedingly afraid;
forfered of, very afraid for, F 527.
The prefix for- is the A. S. for-,
G.ver-, Mceso-Goth./ra-, or some-
times four-, as in faurbiudan, to
forbid.

Forgeten, pp. forgotten, E 469.
A. S. forgitan, to forget, pp. for-
geten, G. vergessen.

Forgoon, v. to forgo (commonly
misspelt forego), E 171. A.S.
forgdn, to forgo, pass by, Mceso-
Goth. faurgaggan, to pass by;
different from Moeso-Goth. fau-
ragaggan, to go before, which
might be represented by forego,
as, indeed, it is in the phrase
1 a foregone conclusion,' Othello,
iii. 3. 428 ; cf. G. vergehen and
vorgehen.

Forlete, v. to leave, yield up, B
1848. A. S. forlfetan, to let go ;
G. verlassen, to leave.

Fors, s. force, matter; no fors =
no matter, E 1092, 2430. F.
force, Low Lat. fortia, strength ;
fiomforlis, strength. • I gyue no
force, I care nat for a thyng, //
ne men chault' ; Palsgrave's French
Diet.

Forsake, v. to forsake, leave, B
3431. A.S. forsacan.

Forth, adv. forth, F 605 ; used as
v. = go forth, F 604. A.S./orS.

Forthermore, adv. furthermore,

moreover, £169.
Forward, s. an agreement, B 34,

1167; promise, 40. A. S. fore-

vieard, an agreement ; from fore,

before, and vieard, a ward, or

guard; not connected with word.
Foryelde, v. to requite, yield in

return, E 831. A. S. forgyldan,

to recompense; from gyldan, to

pay, to yield; cf. Mceso-Goth.

fragildan, G. vergelten.
Foryetful, adj. forgetful, E 472.

The A. S. form isforgitol.
Foryiue, v. to forgive, E 526.

A.S.forgifan, Mceso-Goth. fragib-

an, G. vergeben.
Fostred, pt. s. nurtured, kept, E

322; pp. E 1043, F 500. A.S.

fosterian, to nourish, faster, food ;

from the same root as food and

fodder. See Forage.
Fote» s. a foot ; on fote, on foot,

F 390. A.S. f6t, G. fuss; Lat.

ace. pedem, Gk. ace. voSa, Sanskr.

pad.
Foul, adj. ugly, E 1209; Foule,

poor, wretched, B 4003 ; Foul,

adj. as sb. foul weather, F lai.

A.S. fill, Mceso-Goth. fuls, foul.
Foul, s. bird, F 149, 435; //.

Foules, 53, 398. A. S. fugel, G.

vdgel.
Founde, pp. found, E 146;

Founden, 520.
Fourneys, s. a furnace, B 3353.

F. fournaise, 'Lai. fornacem.
Foxes, s. pi. foxes, B 3121 ; gen.

pi. 3223. A. S.fox, G. fucks.
Frankeleyn, s. franklin, F 675.
Fraunchyse, s. liberality, B 3854.

F. franchise, freedom, franc, free.
Frayneth, pr. s. prays, beseeches,

B 1790. A.S. fregnan, Icel.

fregna, Mceso-Goth. fraihnan, to

ask; cf. G.fragen, Lat. precari.
Fredom, s. liberality, B 3832.
Free, adj. liberal, bounteous, B

1854; Fre, profuse, E 1209;

254

GLOSS 'A RIAL INDEX.

Free, noble, B 1911. A.S.freo,

G.frei.

Frely, adv. freely, E 352.
Freletee, s. frailty, E 1160. F.

frele, frail, fragile. Frailty is a

doublet of fragility, from Lat.

fragiliiatem.
Fremde, adj. foreign, F 429.

A. S. fremed, foreign, Mceso-Goth.

framatkeis, G.fremde, strange.
Frendes, s. pi. friends, B 121.

A.S.frednd, Mceso-Goth. frijonds,

a loving one, from Goth. Jrijon,

to love, Sanskr. pri, to love.
Freres, s. pi. friars, E 12. Y.frere,

Lat. fratrem.
Frete, v. to eat up, devour, B

3294. A.S. frelan, G. fresseti,

Mceso-Goth. fra-itan, to devour ;

lit. tofor-eat, eat up.
Fro, prep, from, B 24, 121, F 464.

A.S./ra.
Fruyt, s. fruit, i.e. result, F 74.

F. fruit, Lat. frttctus.
Ful, adj. full, B 86 ; adv. very, B

3506, F 52 ; Ful many, very

many, F 128. A.S. full, G.

voll.
Fulfild, pp. fulfilled, E 596 ; filled

full, B 3713.

Fulliche, adv. fully, E 706.
Fulsomnesse, s. satiety, profuse-
ness, F 405.
Fumositee, s. fumosity, i.e. the

fumes of drink, F 358. From

Lat./wmws, smoke, fume.
Furial, adj. tormenting, F 448.

Lat. furialis, furious.
Furlong, s. a furlong; furlong

wey = a distance of a furlong,

i.e. a short time, £516. A.S.

furh, a furrow; it means fitrrow~

long, the length of a furrow.
Fy, inter j. fie 1 F 686. Welsh ffi ;

cf. G. pfui.
Fyf, num. five, B 3602. A. S. ftf,

Mceso-Goth. fimf, G. funf, Lat.

quinque, Gk. irivrf, vi^itf, Sanskr.

panchan.

Fyn, s. end, purpose, result, B

3348, 3884. Y.fin, Lat./nw.
Fynally, adv. finally, at last, F

576.
Fyne, adj. pi. fine, good, F 640.

F.Jin, G.fein.
Fyr, s. fire, B 3734. A. S. fyr, G.

fever, Gk. irvp.
Fyue, num. five, Bis. See Fyf.

G.

Galle, s. gall, B 3537. A. S. gealla,
Lat./e/, Gk. \O\TI.

Galoche, s. a shoe, F 555. F.
galoche, Low Lat. calopedia, sug-
gested by Gk. Ka\oirfdi\a, a
wooden shoe; properly a piece
of wood tied to a cow's legs, a
clog ; from K&Xov, a log, irtStA.op,
a clog, fetter.

Galping,/r<?s. part, gaping, F 350 ;
Galpinge, 354.

Galwes, s. pi. gallows, B 3924,
394 1 . A.S. gealga, Icel. gdlgi.

Game, s. sport, E 609 ; joke, 733 ;
amusement, merriment, jest, B
2030, 3740, 3981. A.S. gamen,
Icel. gaman, a game, sport.

Gan, pt. s. began, B 3230 : as anx.
= did, B 14, E 393, 679; pi.
Gonne, did, E 1 103. A. S. ongin-
nan, pt. t. ic ongan; the simple
vb. not being used.

Gape, v. to gape, gasp, B 3924.
Icel. gapa, to open wide, Swed.
gap, a mouth, abyss, Icel. gap,
a gap ; Du. gapen, to yawn.

Gardin, s. a garden, B 3732. F.
jardin, O. F. gardin, Low Lat.
gardinum, from O. H. G. gartin,
gen. case of O. H. G. gart, a yard,
Cf. E. yard, G. garten.

Gat, pt. s. got, obtained, F 654.

Gauren, v. to gaze, stare, F 190;
pr. s. Gaureth, gazes, stares, B
3559. Apparently gaure is a

GLOSSAR1AL INDEX.

255

Scand. word ; cf. Norw. gagra, to
stand with outstretched neck, with
the chin in the air (Ross).

Gayler, s. a gaoler, B 3615. F.
geolee, a gaol, O. F. gaiole, from
Lat. caueola, dimin. of causa, a
cage.

Gazed, pt. s. gazed, E 1003. By
no means from the same root as
Moeso-Goth. us-gaisjan, to terrify,
but from Swed. dial. gasa.

Geaunt, s. a giant, B 1997, 3298.
F. giant, Lat. gigantem.

Gemmes, s. pi. gems, precious
stones, E 254, 779. F. gemme,
Lat. gemma.

Gent, adj. gentle, noble, B 1905.
F. gent, comely; Lat. genitus,
well-born.

Gentil, adj. gentle, worthy, B
1627, F 452 ; excellent, B 3123 ;
compassionate, F 483 ; pi. as sb.
Gentils, gentry, people of rank,
E 480. F. gentil, Lat. gentilis.

Gentillesse, s. nobleness, B 3441,
F 483. 505; nobility, B 3854;
worth, E 96; slenderness, sym-
metry, F 426 ; delicate nurture,
E 593.

Gentilleste, adv. noblest, £72.

Gentilly, adv. in a frank or noble
manner, frankly, F 674.

Gere, s. gear, clothing, E 372.
A. S. gearwa, clothing, prepara-
tion, gearo, ready, yare.

Gesse, i p. s. pr. I suppose, B
3435. 396o, E 469, F 609. Du.
gis'sen, to conjecture; cf. Icel.
gizlta, to guess.

Gest, s. a guest, E 338 ; pi. Gestes,
339. A. S. gaest, a guest, Lat.
hostis, a stranger.

Geste, s. a tale (told in the manner
of the gestours), a stock story;
in geste = like the common stock
stories, B 2123; pi. Gestes,
stories, F ail. O. F. geste, a
tale, Lat. gestum; Lat. pi. gesia,
doings.

Gestours, *. pi. story-tellers, B

2036. See above.
Gete, v. to get (genmd), E 1210;

a p. pl.pr. ye get, F 343; 2 p.

s. pr. Getest, obtainest, B 1669 ;

pp. Geten ; han geten hem = to

have acquired for themselves, F

56. A. S. gitati, Icel. geta.
Gilte, adj. pi. gilt, B 3554.
Gin, s. a contrivance, F 128, 332.

Said to be a shortened form of F.

engin, a machine. See Engyu.
Giugebreed, s. gingerbread, B

2044.
Girdel, s. a girdle, B 1921. A. S.

gyrdels, Icel. gyrftill, G. gurtel ;

A. S. gyrdan, Icel. gyrfta, to

gird.
Girden, v. to strike, B 3736.

Properly to switch; from A.S.

gerd, a yard, a rod, a switch ;

cf. G. gerte, a switch. Mceso-

Goth. gazds, a sting, is not a

connected word.
Glade, v. to make glad, comfort,

cheer, B 4001, E 1174; pr. s.

Gladeth, pleases, cheers, E 1107,

F 609 ; imp. s. 3 p. Glade, may

he comfort, E 822. Cf. A.S.

gladian, to be glad ; from glced,

glad.
Gladly, adv. willingly, F 2 24 ;

that been gladly wyse = that

wish to be thought wise, 376.
Gladsom, adj. pleasant, B 3968.
Glas, s. glass, F 254. A.S. gl<es,

Icel. gler.
Glede, s. a burning coal, B in,

3574' coloured as the glede =

of a bright red colour. A. S.

gled, Icel. gltfS, a burning coal ;

from A. S. glfavan, Icel. glda,

to glow.
Glee, s. entertainment, B 2030.

A. S. gle6, joy, mirth, glee, music,

song.
•Tobal [Tubaf] thair brothir first

vnderfang
Musyk, that es the sonne of sang ;

256

GLOSS 'A RIAL INDEX.

Organis, harpe, and other gleu,
He drou thaini ut of music neu.'
Cursor Mundi, ed. Morris, G 1519.

Glood, pt. s. glided, went quickly,
B 2094, F 393. A. S. glidan,
to glide ; pt. t. ic glad.

Glose, s. glosing, comment, F 166.
F. glose, a gloss, from Lat. glossa,
Gk. f\£>aaa, the tongue ; also a
language; also, a word needing
explanation ; hence, an explana-
tion.

Glose, v. to flatter, B 3330;
Glosen, to comment upon, 1180.

Glyde, v. to glide ; vp glyde = to
rise up gradually, F 373; pt. s.
Glood, q. v. '

Gnow, pt. s. gnawed, B 3638.
A. S. gnagan, to gnaw; pt. t. ic
gn6h.

Goddes, gen. sing. God's, B 1166,
1169, 1175.

Gold-thred, s. gold thread, golden
twine, B 3665.

Gon, v. to go, proceed, F 200, 327 ;
Goon, E 847 ; 2 p. s. pr. Goost,
goest, walkest about, B 3123;
pr. pi. Goon, go, proceed, E 898 ;
pp. Goon, gone, B 17, E 774;
goon is many a yere = many a
year ago, B 132. A.S. gdn, also
gangan ; G. gehen, Mceso-Goth.
gaggan (pronounced gangan).

Gonne, pt. pi. did ; gonne arace =
did tear away, removed, E 1103.
See Gan.

Goode, adj. voc. good, E 852;
nom. def. B 3084. A.S. god,
Icel. gtfSr, G. gut.

Goodly, adj. good, proper, pleas-
ing, right, B 3969 ; good-looking,
portly, 4010. A.S. gddltc.

Goon, Goost. See Gon.

Goost, s. a' ghost, B 3124; spirit,
E 926, 972 ; the Hcly Ghost, B
1660; yaf vp the goost=died,
1862. A.S. gdst, G. geist, the
breath, a spirit.

Goshauk, s. goshawk, B 1928.

A.S. gos, a goose; gdshafoc, a
goosehawk, a hawk used to chase
wild geese ; cf. gos-ling.

Gospel, s. gospel ; here, a text from
a gospel, B 1 180. A. S. godspell,
at first from god, good, spell, a
story, as a translation of the Gk.
tvayy(\iov ; but afterwards a life
of Christ, lit. the story of God, as
appears from O. H. G. golspel and
Icel. guftspjall.

Gossomer, s. gossamer, F 259.

Goth, pr. s. goes, B 1698, F 392 ;
imp. pi. Goth. E 568; Gooth, B
3384. See Gon.

Gouernaille, s. management, mas-
tery, E 1192. Properly it means
the steering, management of the
helm; from F. goiivernail, Lat.
gubernacvlum, the helm of a ship.

Gouernance, s. providence, E
1161; arrangement, plan, 994;
Gouernaunce, control, E 23 ;
sovereignty, B 3541 ; his gouern-
aunce = the way to manage him,

Gouerne, v. govern, control, B
3587 ; imp. pi. Gouerneth, ar-
range, £322. F. gouverner, Lat.
gtibernare.

Gouernour, s. governor, master,
principal, B 3130. F. gouvernevr,
Lat. gubernatorem.

Grace, s. favour, kindness, F 458 ;
Gras, grace, B 2021 ; of grace,
out of favour, in kindness, F
161. F. grace, Lat. gratia.

Grammere, s. grammar, B 1726.
F. grammaire, Low Lat. gram-
maria; from Low Lat. gramma,
Gk. fpapua, a letter; fpd<ptiv,
to write.

Gras, s. grace, B 2021. See
Grace.

Gras, s. grass, F 153. A, S. gars,
grces, Icel. gras, G. gras.

Graue, v. to bury, E 681. A.S.
grafan, to dig; Icel. grafa, G.
graben.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

257

mercy, inlerj. many
thanks, E 1089. F. grand nurd.

Graunten, v. to grant, fix, name,
E *79,' pt. s. Graunted, 183;
imp. s. 3 p. Graunte, may he
graunt, 843. O.K. graanler, to
grant, later form of O. F.
craanter, to caution; the latter
is from the Lat. credere, through
a form credentare. The change
of initial may have been due to
confusion with O. F. garatitir, to
warrant.

Grayn, s. dye; in grayn = in dye,
i.e. dyed of a fast colour, B 1917.
See Greyn.

Gree, s. gratitude, good part, E
1I51- F- Sr^i inclination, from
Lat. gratus, pleasing.

Greet, adj. great, B 3403. See
Grete.

Grene, adj. def. green, E 120;
of a green colour, F 646 ; as sb.
greenery, greenness, F 54. A. S.
grene, Icel. greenn.

Gret, adj. great, F 463; def.
Grete, B 1181; voc. Grete, B
1797; pi. Grete, E 382. See
Greet.

Grette, pt. s. greeted, E 952. A.S.
gretan, pt. t. ic grette.

Gretter, adj. comp. greater, E
1126.

Greuaunce, s. grievance, hardship,
B 3703. O. F. grevance, pain,
hardship, grever, to grieve, weigh
down, from Lat. gravi?, heavy.

Greue, v. to grieve, vex, B 1638;
pr. s. impers. Greueth, it vexes,
it grieves, E 647. F. grever,
Lat. gravare, to weigh down.

Greyn, s. a grain, B 1852, 1855;
in greyn = in grain, i.e. of a fast
colour, F 511. F. graine, Low
Lat. grana, Lat. granum.

Grisly, adj. terrible, B 3299.
A. S. grysUe, grisly, horrible ;
dgrisan, to shudder at ; cf. G.
graufig, terrible, gransen, to

VOL. II.

shudder. Distinct from grizzly,

grayish.
Gronte, pt. s. groaned, B 3899.

A. S. grdnian, to groan ; pt. t. it

grdnede.
Gracche, v. to murmur, E 170;

grucche it = to murmur at it,

354; O. F. groucher, grocer, to

murmur.
Gruf, adv. grovellingly, all along,

flat down, B 1865. Cf. Icel.

phrase a grufu, said of one who

lies grovelling, or who lies face

downwards ; from grilfa, to cower,

crouch down.
Gyde, v. to guide, lead, E 776.

Gyden, to guide, B 1670; imp.

pi. Gydeth, guide, direct, 1677.

O. F. gtiider, another form of

guier. See Gye.
Gye, w. to guide, rule, B 3587, E

75. O. F. guier, to guide, Ital.

guidare; Old Saxon wltan, to

observe, O. H. G. wizan, to ob-
serve.
Gyse, s. guise, wise, way, manner,

F 332, 54°- F- £««*• from °-
H. G. wise, G. weise, a manner,
cognate with E. wise, from A. S.

wise.

Habergeoun, ». a habergeon, hau-
berk, B 2051. O. F. haubergon,
hauberjon, a small hauberk; diniin.
of hauberc or halberc, from O.
H. G. hahberc, the same as A.S.
heahbeorga, lit. a neck-defence,
from heals (G. hals), the neck,
and beorgan (G. bergen), to hide,
protect. The ending -on should
rather signify augmentation, as in
the common Ital. -one, and in

E. balloon, an augmentative of
ball.

Habounde, v. to abound, B 3938.

F. abonder, O. F. habonder, Low
Lat. habundare, written for abun-
dare.

258

GLOSSARTAL INDEX.

Habundanoe, s. abundance, plenty,

E 203.

Habundant, adj. abundant, E 59.
Hadde, pt. s, had, possessed, E

438, F 29, 32 ; took, E 303; pt.

pi. Hadden, had, kept, E 201 ; I

hadde leuer=I would rather, B

3083.
Halle, gen. sing, of the hall ; halle

dore = door of the hall, F 80;

dot. Halle, 86. A. S. heall, a

hall, a fern. sb. ; gen. healle.
Halp, pt. s. helped, B 3236. A.S.

helpan, pt. t. ic healp, pp. holpen.
Hals, s. neck, B 73. A.S. heals,

G. hals, Icel. kdls.
Halse, I p. s. pr. I conjure, B

1835. See note. The proper

meaning of A.S. healsian is to

clasp round the neck (A.S. heals),

and thence to beseech, supplicate;

but the %vord seems to have been

influenced by the Icel. heill, omen,

good luck, heilla, to enchant.
Halt, pr. s. holdeth, F 61.
Han, v. to have, B 1176, F 56;

pr. pi. Han, have, E 188, 381.
Handle, v. to handle, touch, E

376. A. S. handlian.
Hap, s. good fortune, luck, B 3928.

Welsh hap, luck, Icel. happ, luck,

chance.
Happeth, pr, s. chances, F 592.

See above.
Harde, adj. def. hard, cruel, F

499. A. S. heard, Icel. hafftr,

G. hart.
Hardily, adv. boldly, without

doubting, without question, E

25-

Hardinesse, s. boldness, B 3210,
3440, E 93.

Harding, s. hardening, tempering,
F 243. A.S. heardian, to harden.

Hardy, adj. bold, sturdy, F 19.
F. hardi, from M. H. G. hert-
en, O. H.G. hartjan, to make
strong, from adj. hart, strong = E.
hard.

Hare, sb. a hare, B 1886, 1946.
A. S. hara, G. hase.

Harme, s. harm, injury, suffering
(dative), F 632. A.S. hearm,
Icel. karmr.

Harpe, s. harp (dat.), B 2005.
Icel. harpa.

Hastif, adj. hasty, E 349. O. F.
hastif, from haste, F. hate; of
Germ, origin; cf. G. hast, haste.

Hastily, adv. soon, F 471 ; Hasti-
lich, quickly, £911.

Hatede, pt. s. hated, E 731. A. S.
kalian, Icel. hata, G. Aassen.

Hauberk, s. a hauberk, B 2053.
See Habergeoun.

Haue, v. to have, B 114; imp. s.
Haue, hold, consider, F 7 ; receive,
E 567; 3 p. Haue, let him have,
B 3915 ; 2 p. pi. Haue ye, may
ye have, B 33 ; imp. pi. Haueth,
hold, F 700.

Hauk, s. a hawk, F 446; gen.
Haukes, 631. A.S. hafoc, Icel.
hankr, G. habicht, Welsh hebog.

Hauke, v. to hawk, E 81.

Haukyng, s. hawking; anhaukyng,
= a-hawking; lit. on hawking, B
1927.

Haunt, s. abode, B 2001. F.
hanter, to haunt.

Hawe, s. a haw ; with hawe bake,
with baked haws, with coarse fare,
B 95. See note. A.S. haga, a
haw, a hedge.

Hede, s. care, heed, B 3577, F
612. A. S. kedan, to take care of.

Heed, s. a head, B 2060, 2073, F
411, 643; pi. Heedes, F 203,
358; Heuedes, B 2032; maugre
thyn heed = in spite of thy head,
in spite of all thou canst do, B
104. Contracted from E.E. heued,
A.S. heafod; cf. Icel. hofitt,
Mceso-Goth. haubith, O. H. G.
houbit, G. hatipt, Lat. caput, Gk.
/re</>aAij ; cf. S.inskr. kapdla, a
skull (Curtius).

Eeeld, i p. s. pt. held, considered,

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

259

E 818; ft. s. Heeld, held, B

1760,3374; possessed, 3518; pi.

Helde, held, B 3506 ; considered,

E 426. A. S. healdan, pt. t. ic

heold.

Heep, s. a heap, i. c. a great num-
ber, quantity, B 1687, E 2429.

A. S. heap ; note the use of the

G. katife, a heap, a great number,

a throng.
Hesr, adv. here, B 1177, 1180,

E 36. A. S. her.
Heer-vp-on, adv. hereupon, here-

on, E 190.
Heigh, adj. high, lofty, B 3192.

See Hy.
Heir, s. heir, B 3833 ; //. Heires,

3534- O.F. heir, hoir, Lat.

hares.
Hele, v. to heal, F 240, 471 ;

Helen (gerund), 641 . A. S. h&lan,

to make whole ; from hdl, whole ;

cf. Icel. heill, hale.
Helde. See Heeld.
Helle, s. (dative), hell, B 3292.

A. S. hell, gen., and dat. helle.
Helmed, pp. provided with a

helmet, B 3560. A. S. helm, a

helmet ; lit. a covering, from

helan, to cover.
Help, s. help, F 459. A.S. help,

Icel. hjalp, G. hulfe.
Hem, pron. pi. ace. them, B 51,

52, 56, &c.; dat. E 614, &c.

A.S. him, dat. pi. of he.
Heng, pt. s. (transitive), hung, B

1824. A.S. h6n, to hang; pt. t.

ic hing, pp. hangen.
Hermes forth, adv. henceforth, F

658. The A. S. form is heonan-

/ortS.
Hente, pt. s. seized, caught, B 1 760,

3895 ; seized, took forcibly, E

534; took in hunting, B 3449;

pp. Kent, seized, E 676. A.S.

kentan, to seize; the Moeso-

Goth. has the compound verb

fra-hinthan, to take captive ; cf.

E. hand, hunt.

Her, pron. poss. their, B 3284,
339°. 3536, E 185. A. S. heora,
gen. pi. of he.

Herbergage, s. lodging, abode, E
20 1. O. F. herberage, herbergage,
lodging (Roquefort); from her-
berge (F. auberge), a lodging;
O. H. G. heriberga, cognate with
Icel. herbergi, a station where
an army rests on its march ; Icel.
herr, an army, bergi, a shelter;
the modern spelling of herbergi
is harbour.

Herbes, s. pi. herbs, E 226, F
470, 640. F. kerbe, Lat. herba.

Here, v. to hear, B 98, 133, 1642 ;
Keren, 3963 ; pt. s. Herde, heard,
1708; pp. Herd, 2146, 3823.
A. S. keran.

Heres, s. pi. hair, B 3248, E 379,
1085. A.S. hoar.

Herieth, pr. s. praises, B 1808 ;
2 p. Heriest, praisest, worshippest,
3419; pr. pi. Herie, E 616 ;
Herien, B 1868. A.S. herian,
to praise, from here, fame.

Herkne, v. to hearken, listen to,
B 3159; imp. s. Herkua, B 113;
imp. pi. Herkneth, B 1 1 74, 2083,
2155, 31 73. El 141, 1 163; Herk-
eneth, B 1164; pt. s. Herkned,
B 1711; pres. part. Herkning,
listening to, F 78; pp. Herkned
after = listened for, expected, F
403. A.S. heorcnian, to listen
to.

Heronsewes, s. pi. hernshaws,
young herons, F 68. Cotgrave
has — ' Hairon, a heron, herne,
herneihawe? The spelling hern-
show is to be found in Spenser,
F. Q^ vi. 7. 9. Halliwell has —
' Hernshaw, a heron,' and quotes
' Ardeola, an hearnesew' from
Elyot's dictionary, 1559 ; and
also notes the spelling Heronsew
in Reliquiae Antiquae, i. 88.
Heironsew occurs in a list of
birds in the Babees Boke, ed.

S 2

260

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Furnivall, p. 165. The term
keronsew for a heron is still
known in Swaledale, Yorkshire,
and in other parts of England
is found as hernshaw or harnsa.
The sense is quite certain, though
the etymology is less clear. It
answers, however, to O. F.
heronfeau, found as herouncel
in Anglo-French. And, as it is
correctly formed, like lionpeau
from lion, this suggestion is pro-
bably correct.

Herying, s. praise, B 1649. See
Herieth.

Herte, *. heart, B 101, 1661,
1745, £412; sing, or pi. gen.
Herte?, hearts, E 112. A. S.
heorte, Moeso-Goth. hairto, G.
kerz.

Hertely, adv. heartily, B 3983.

Hertes, s. gen. hart's, B 3447.
A. S. heorot, heart, G. hirsch.

Hertly, adj. hearty, lit. heart-like,
E 176, 502, F 5.

Heste, s. command, B 3754, E
128, 568, F 114; pi. Hestes,
£529. A.S. has, a command;
the addition of / after s is com-
mon in English, as in amongst,
amidst.

Heuedes, s. pi. heads, B 2032.
See Heed.

Ileuen, s. heaven, the celestial
sphere, B 3300 ; a heaven, a
supreme delight, F 558 ; gen.
Heuen, of heaven, B 3986 ; dot.
Heuene, F 149. A.S. heofon.

Heuinesse, s. heaviness, grief,
sorrow, B 3959, E 432, 678.
A. S. hefignes, from hefig, heavy.

Hewe, s. hue, appearance, mien, E
377- F 5°8, 587. 640. A.S.
hiw, hue, colour, form.

Hey, s. hay, grass, B 3407. A. S.
Aig, Moeso-Goth. hawi, G. hen.
The word in this passage probably
means green growing grass uncut.
Cf. A.S. Gospels, S. Mark vi. 39,

where ' on the green grass * is ex-
pressed by 'ofer thaet grene hig.'

Hey, adj. high, F 545. See Hy.

Hidde, I p. s. pt. hid, F 595.
A. S. hydan, pt. t. ic hydde.

Hider, adv. hither, nearer, B 4000.
A.S. hider.

Hiderward, adv. hither, in this
direction, B 3159. A.S. hider-
ward.

Highte, pt. s. was called, was
named, B 3310, F 30, 33; is
called, B 3651. See Hyghte.

Him, dot. pi. to them ; him semed,
it seemed to them, they supposed,
F 56 ; dot. sing, to him ; him
semed, it seemed to him, he
appeared, B 3361. A.S. him,
dat. sing, and pi. of he.

Him-seluen, pron. himself, B 44.

Hir, pron. poss. their, B 112
(better spelt Her) ; her, B 65,
3438. A.S. hira, of them, gen.
pi. ; hire, of her, to her, gen. and
dat. sing. ; often used instead of
the ace. hi. ,

Hir-selue,/>roH. herself, F 384.

His, poss. pron. neut. its, E 263,
F 405. A.S. his, gen. sing,
neuter of he.

Hit, pr. s. hides, F 512. Hit is
a contracted form, equivalent to
hideth. It also appears as hut;
as in ' yef me hut ant heleS it.'
if one hides and conceals it ; St.
Marharete, p. 15.

Ho, inttrj. halt! B 3957. Cf. Du.
hou, hold I from houden, to hold.

Hode, s. dat. a hood, B 1630;
Hoode, 2101. A.S. hdd.

Hold, s. hold, grasp, F 167.

Holde, v. to hold, keep, B 41 ; to
keep to, F 658 (see Proces); pr.
s. subj. keep, take, E 287; pp.
Holde, held, kept, E 273; con-
sidered to be, F 70 ; Holden,
considered, E 205, 8 a 8 ; imp. pt.
Holdeth, B 37. A.S. healdan,
Icel. halda, Moeso-Goth. haldan.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

26l

Holpen, pp. helped, aided, F 666.

Horn, adv. home, homewards, F
435. A. S. ham, a home, house,
village ; G. helm, Gk. KW/XOS.

Homicyde, s. homicide, assassin,
B 1757. Lat. homicida, a man-
slayer.

Homlinesse, s. homeliness, domes-
ticity, E 429.

Horn-ward, adv. homeward, B 1 739.
A. S. hdtnweard, hdmweardes.

Hond, s. hand, B 3393, 3506;
pi. Hondes, 3214, 3542. A. S.
hand, hand; cf. hentan, to grasp.

Honest, adj. honourable, worthy,
B 1751, E 333. F. honnete, O.F.
fr.oneste, Lat. honeslits.

Honestee, s. honour, dignity, B

3157.

Honestetee, s. honourableness,
honour, E 422.

Honoureth, imp. pi. honour ye,
E 370 ; pp. Honoured, wor-
shipped, B 3753. O. F. honourer,
Lat. honorare.

Honurable, adj. honourable, E
767.

Hony, s. honey, B 3537, F 614.
A. S. hunig.

Hoo, inter/, hoi B 1174. See
Ho.

Hoode, s. dot. a hood, B 2101.
See Hode.

Hool, adj. whole, E 861 ; well, F
161. A. S. Ml, cognate with
Gotb. hails, whole.

Hcom, adv. homewards, B 3548.

Hope, s. hope, F 487. A. S. hopa.

Hors, s. a horse, B 15, E 388; pi.
Hors, horses, B 1823, 3294. A. S.
hors, a neuter noun, with pi. hors ;
Icel. Aross, pi. hross, sometimes
spelt hors; O.H.G.hros; whence
G. ross. Hors occurs as a plu-
ral in Trevisa, Spec, of English,
xviii a. 108. Cf. A. S. horse, swift,
Lat. currere, to run.

Horsly, adj. horselike, like all that
a horse should be, F 194.

Hosen, s. pi. hose, B 1923. A. S.
hose, a stocking ; pi. hosan.

Hoste, s. host, B r, 39, i62e,, 3970,
E i. F. hole, O.F. hoste, Portu-
guese hospede, Lat. hospidcm.

Hote, adj. hot, an epithet of Aries,
as supposed to induce anger and
heat of blood, F 51. A.S. hat,
G. heiss.

Hous, s. a ' house,' or ' mansion,'
in astrology, F 672 ; a house-
hold, 24. A. S. hus.

Housbond, s. a husband, E 698 ;
Housbonde, B 3502. A.S. hus-
bonda; Icel. husbondi, which is
a pres. part, contracted from hus-
bdandi, or hus-buandi, the inhabi-
tant or occupier of a house ; from
bua, to inhabit. The sense is there-
fore that of the possessor of a
farm or master of a house. No
connection with bond or bind.

Houndes, s. pi. dogs E 1095.
A. S. Inind, Icel. hundr, Lat.
canem, Gk. it'vva.

Human! tee, s. kindness, £92
From Lat. hvmanus, kind.

Humblesse, s. humility, B 1660,
F 544. Cotgrave gives this form,
which he says has the same sense
as F. humilite,

Humilitee, s. humility, E 1143.
O. F. humilittit, Lat. hvmilitafem.

Hunte, v. to hunt, E 81. A.S.
hunt tan, to hunt; cf. hentan,
to catch.

Huntyng, Hunting, *. hunting,
B 3496> 3995 5 on huntyng = a-
hunting, for the purpose of the
chase, E 234. A. S. huntung, a
hunting, sb. ; quite distinct from
huntiende, pres. part, of huntian.

Hurtes, s. pi. hurts, F 471. O.F.
hurt, a stroke, hit, from hurter, F.
heurter, to strike, hit ; whence E.
hurtle.

Hy, adj. high, learned, E 18; dot.
Hye, great, 135 ; def. Hye, F 85,
98 ; pi. Hye, high, E 45 ; comp.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Hyer, F 387. A. S. hedh, Icel.

bar, G. hoch.
Hyde, v. to hide, used intransitively,

i.e. lie concealed, F 141 ; gerund,

to hide, B 3732. A. S. hydan,

cognate with Gk. icevOtiv.
Hye, adv. high, aloft, B 3592, F

411,671. A. S. he dge, high, adv. ;

hedh, high, adj.
Hye, v. or gerund, to hasten, to

bring hastily, F 291. A. S. higan,'

higian, to haste ; cf. Lat. citus,

quick, Gk. KIVV/MLI, I go.
Hyghte, s. height, B 12. A. S.

JiedfSo.
Hyghte, pt. pi. 2 p. promised, E

496. A. S. hdtan, to promise ;

pt. t. ic heht, pi. heton.
Hyghte, pt. s. was called, was

named, B 3373, E 32, 2IO.

See Highte. A. S. hdtan, to

be named, pt. t. ic hdtte. This

verb and the preceding were

often confused.
Hyred, pp. hired, B 1757. A. S.

hyrian, to hire ; pt. t. hyrode,

pp. hyrod.

I.

lade, s. a jade, i. e. a miserable
hack, B 4002.

lalouse, adj. pi. jealous, F 286.
F.jaloux, O.F. jalous, Lat. zelo-
sus. Thus jealous is a doublet of
zealous.

lalousye, s. jealousy, E 1205.

lambeuz, s. pi. leggings, leg-
armour, B 2065. From F.jambe,
the leg.

lane, s. a small coin, properly of
Genoa, B 1925, E 999. Lat.
Janua, Genoa.

laugle, pr. pi. talk, prate, F 220,
261. O. f.jangler, from a Teu-
tonic source ; cf. Du. janken, to
howl.

Tangling, s. prating, idle talking,
disputing, F 257.

lape, s. a jape, a jest, a trick, B 1629.

lapen, v . to jest, B 1883.

Ich, pers. pron. I, B 39. A. S. ie.

Idus, s. pi. ides, F 47. The ides
is a name given to the fifteenth
day of the months of March, May,

' July, and October, and the thir-
teenth of other months.

lewerye, s. Jewry, Jews' quarter,
B 1679, I74I. 1782. See the
note, p. 145.

like, adj. same ; that ilke, that
same, B 3663.

Impertinent, adj. not pertinent,
irrelevant, E 53.

Importable, adj. intolerable, in-
sufferable, E 1144. Lat. impor-
tabilis, that cannot be carried ;
from for tare, to carry.

Impression, s. impression, re-
membrance, F 371.

In, s. inn, lodging, B 1632. A. S.
inn, an inn, house, chamber.

In, prep, into, B 119. A. S. in, G.
in, Lat. in, Gk. kv.

Infortune, s. misfortune, B 3591.
F. infortune, Lat. infortunium.

Inne, adv. in, B 3193 ; as prep, in,
F 578. A. S. innan, adv. within,
inwardly.

Instrumentz, s. pi. instruments of
music, F 270.

Inwith, prep, within, B 1794, E
870.

logelours, s. pi. jugglers, men who
exhibit feats of legerdemain and
pretended magic, F 219. F.
jongleur, O.Y.jogleor, Lat. ace.
ioculatorem,one who makes sport;
from iocus, sport.

loie, 5. joy, B 3964 ; loye, F 368.
F. joie ; from Lat. gaudium.

lolitee, s. amusement, B 2033 ;
enjoyment, F344; joviality, 278.

loly, adj. pleasant, F 48 ; festive,
B 1185. F. joli, from a Scandi-
navian source ; Icel. j6l, Yule, a
great feast held in midwinter.

lolynesse, s. festivity, F 289.

lourney, s. journey, F 783. F.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

263

journee, a day's time, jour, a day ;

from Lat. diurnus, daily, dies, a

day.
loye, s. joy, F 368 ; loie, B 3964.

See loie.
Ire, s. anger, B 3221. F. ire, Lat.

ira.
Is, pr. s. (used with two sbs.), F

294.
luge, s. a judge, B 3266. F.juge,

Lat. iudicem.
lugement, s. judgment, decision,

B 36 ; opinion, K 53 ; pi. luge-

mentz, decisions, E 439.

K.

Kembde, pt. s. combed, F 560 ;

pp. Kembd, E 379. A. S. cemb-

an, to comb ; pt. t. ic cembde.
Kene, adj. keen, bold, B 3439, F

57. A. S. cene, G. Ituhn.
Kepe, s. heed, E 1058; taken

kepe = take heed, F 348.
Kepeth, pr. s. keeps, E 1133;

observes, F 516; pt. s. Kepte,

kept, E 223; pres. part. Keping,

keeping, tending, F 651 ; pp.

Kept, E 1098. A. S. cepan, pt.

t. ic cepie.
Kerue, v. to carve, cut, F 158.

A. S. ceorfan.
Kesse, v. to kiss, E 1057 ', pt. s.

Keste, kissed, F 350 ; Kiste, B

3632, 3746, E 679. A. S. cys<an,

pt. t. ic cyste; Icel. kyssa, G.

kusfen.
Kin, s. kin, kindred, B 3121. A. S.

cyn, Icel. kynni, Moeso-Goth.

Jtuni, Lat. genus.
Kinges, s. pi. kings, B 3558.

A. S. cing, cyn'tng, Icel. Itonungr,

G. konig.
Kitte, pt. s. cut, B 1761. M.E.

ctttten, to cut ; not in A. S. Of

obscure origin ; we find, however,

O. Swed. kot.'a, to cut; Icel.

kvti, a little blunt knife, Norw.

Ityiel.

Knaus, s. boy, male, E 444, 447 ;
Knaue child, man-child, boy,
612; pi. Knaues, boys, lads, B
3087. A. S. cnapa, cnafa, a boy,
youth ; G. knabe.

Knewe, i p. s. pt. sub}, could know,
F 466; pt. s. Knew, 131; pp.
Knowe, known, 215; Knowen,
E 689. A. S. cndivan ; pt. t. ic
cnedw, pp. cndwen ; cf. Lat. gnos-
cere, Gk. fiyvuff/ceiv.

Knit, pp. knit, B 3224. A. S.
cnyttan, to knit.

Knokked, pt. s. knocked, B 3721.
A. S. cnocian, to knock.

Kuotte, s. knot, principal point of
a story, gist of a tale, F 401, 407.
A. S. cnotta.

Knowe, pp. known, F 215 ;
Knowen, E 689 ; 2 p. pi. pr.
Knowen, ye know, B 128.

Knowes, s. pi. knees, B 1719.
A. S. cne6iv, pi. cnedwas, Lat.
genu.

Knowing, s. knowledge, F 301.

Knyghthode, s. dot. knighthood,
B 3832. A. S. cnihthdd.

Konnen, a p. pi. pr. ye know, F
3. See Can.

Konning, s. cunning, skill, F 251.
See Conning, sb.

Kynde, s. dot. nature, B 1840 ;
the natural world, creation, F
469 ; nature, natural bent, 608,
619. A. S. cynd, nature.

Kyte, s. a kite, F 624. A. S.
cyta.

Kytheth, pr. s. makes known, dis-
closes, shews, F 483. A. S.
cy'iSan, to make known, whence
CM S, known (cf. E. mKOUlk) ; cy'S,
knowledge ; cunnan, to know.

L.

tabbing, />m. part, blabbing, bab-
bling, E 2427. Cf. Du. labben,
to tell tales, labbei, gofsip.

Ladde, //. s. led, carried, B 3338 ;

254

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

conducted, 3747 ; pt. pi. Ladde,
led, 3920, E 390; pp. Lad, B
3552. 357°. F !72- A- s- l&dan,
pt. t. ic lasdde; Icel. leifta, G.
leiten.

Lady, s. lady, B 1637. A.S.
Alafdige.

Lafte, //. s. ceased, B 3496 ; pt.
pi. Lafte, left, 3388 ; pp. Laft, F
186, 263. A.S. Ids/an, pt. t. ic
latfde ; Icel. /«/«.

Lake, s. a kind of fine white linen
cloth, B 2048. Halliwell notes
that shirts were formerly made of
it, and quotes a passage containing
the phrase ' white as lake.' The
word probably was imported from
the Low Countries, as laken is a
common Dutch word for cloth ;
the Dutch for ' a sheet ' is also
laken or bedlaken.

Lakke, s. dni. lack, want, loss, F
43°> 443- Cf. Icel. lakr, lacking,
deficient.

Lakked, pt. s. wanted, lacked;
him lakked = there lacked to
him, i. e. he lacked, F 16. See
above.

Langage, s. language, F 100. F.
langage; from Lat. lingua, a
tongue.

Langour, s. languishment, slow
starvation, B 3597. F. languetir,
Lat. languorem.

Lappe, s. lap, fold of the dress, F
441; a wrapper, E 585; dat.
Lappe, B 3644, F 475. A.S.
Iceppa, a lap, border, hem ; Du.
lap, a remnant, shred, rag.

Lasse, adj. pi. smaller, of less rank ;
lasse and more, smaller and
greater, i. e. all, E 67 ; cf. F 300.
A.S. leessa, less.

Last, s. pi. lasts, i.e. burdens, loads,
B 1628. See the note. A.S.
Mast, a burden, load, a ship's
freight, from hladan, to lade ; cf.
Icel. Mats, a cartload, from hla$a,
to lade.

Last, pr. s. lasteth, extends, E
266; pt. s. Laste, lasted, B 1826;
pt. pi. Laste, 3390, 3508. A. S.
last an.

Lat, imp. s. let, B 1633, £163;
imp.pl. B 2156. See Lete.

Latitude, s. latitude (in an astro-
nomical sense), B 13.

Laton, s. latten, or latoun, a mixed
metal, closely resembling brass,
B 2067. See Halliwell. F.
laiton, O. F. laton, Low Lat.
lato.

Laude, s. praise, honour, B 1645,
3286. Lat. laudem, from Ictus.

Laughe, v. to laugh, E 353. A.S.
hleahan, hlihan, Icel. lilaja, Goth.
hlahjan, G. lachen.

Launcegay, s. a kind of lance, B
1942,2011. See note to 1. 1942.

Laureat, adj. laureate, crowned
with laurel, B 3886, E 31. From
Lat. laureates; from laurus, a
laurel.

Lawe, s. law, B 1189, 3870.
A. S. lagu, Icel. lag, log ; cf. Lat.
legem. See below.

Lay, s. religious belief, creed, F 18.
So also in the Cursor Mundi,
1. 21616. From O. F. lei, F. lot,
law ; cognate with A. S. lagu,
whence M. E. lawe, E. law.

Lay, s. a song, lay, B 1959. O. F.
lai, of Celtic origin ; cf. W. llais,
voice, sound (Brachet). We find
also A. S. led®, G. lied, a song.

Lay, pi. s. lay, B 3630, F 467.

Ledene, s. (dat.) language, talk, F
435, 478. A.S. leden, a corrup-
tion of the word Latinus, meaning
(i) Latin; (a) any language or
speech. Not to be confused with
G. lied, which = A. S. leoft.

Leef, adv. dear; comp. Leuer.
dearer, liefer, F 572. See Lief,
Leue.

Lsef, s. a leaf, E 1211. A. S. leaf,
Icel. latif, G. laub.

Leet, pt. s. let, E 82 ; caused, as in

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

265

lect don cryen — caused to be pro-
claimed, F 45; leet mdke = caused
to be made, B 3349 ; leet bynde =
caused to be bound, 1810. A. S.
l&lan, to let. Ste Lete.

Lefte, I p. s. pt. I left off, F
670.

Legiouiis, s. pi. legions, B 3544.

Lsmmau, s. sweetheart, B 3253.
A. S. Ie6fman} lit. a dear person,
man being of either gender ; as in
wifman, a woman. Cf. Lammas
for loaf-mass,

Lene, adj. lean, B 4003. A. S.
Maine, lean, meagre, thin.

Lenger, adj. longer, E 30x3 ; adv.
B 2122, 3709, F 381; euer
lenger the more = the longer, the
more, E 687, F 404. A. S. leng-
ra, comp. of long,

Lente, s. Lent, E 1 2. A.S.lencten,
the springtime.

Lenuoy, s. f envoy, i. e. the epilogue
or postscript addressed to the
hearers or readers, E 1 1 77 (rw*
brio). F. ? envoi, lit. the sending,
from envoyer, to send.

Leonyn, adj. lionlike, B 3836.
F. leonin, Lat. leoninus.

Leoun, s. a lion, B 3106, 3215,
3288, F 491 ; pi. Leouns, B
3451 ; Leon, the sign Leo, F-a65.
F. lion, O. F. leon, Lat. leonem.

Lepardes, s. pi. leopards, B 3-451.
From Lat. leopardus.

Lere, s. flesh, skin, B 2047. This
is quite a different word from M.E.
lere, the face, countenance, from
A.S. hledr. Properly it means
the muscles, especially the muscles
of the thigh, which special sense
is perfectly suitable here. It is
the A. S. lira, flesh, muscle, Icel.
leer, the thigh, the leg above the
knee, the ham, Danish laar, the
thigh. Halliwell gives — ' Lire
(i) flesh, meat ; swynes lire
[swine's flesh], Ord. and Reg. p.
442 ; lyery, abounding with lean

flesh; North of England; (2) face,
countenance;' &c.

Lere, v. to learn, B 1702 : pr.
pi. Lere, learn, F 104. Chaucer
uses the word wrongly; it pro-
perly means to irach, from A. S.
leeran; the contrary error, of
using learn in the sense of to
teach, is common still.

Itemed, pp. as adj. learned, B
1168.

Lese, v. to lose, E 508, F 691 ;
imp.pl. Leseth, B 19; pp. Lorn,
q. v. A. S. levsan, Mceso-Goth.
fra-linsan.

Lesing, s. losing, loss ; for lesinge,
for fear of losing, B 3750. See
above.

Lest, s. desire, £619. See Lust.

Leste, adj. sup. least, E 966; at
the leste weye = at any rate ; atte
leste = at the least, at least, B 38 ;
pi. Leste, F 300, cf. E 67. ' At
the leste way, an moyns ; ' Pals-
grave's French Diet. fol. 438,
back.

Leste, pr. s. subj. itnpers. it may
please, E 105, F 125; it may
(i. e. can) please, F 380 ; pt. s. it
pleased, E 716, 986, F 605.
A. S. lystan, to choose ; generally
used impersonally.

Lete, v. to let, B 3524 ; i p. s. pr.
Lete, I leave, B 96, F 290, 344,
651; pt. pi. Lete, let, B 3898;
imp. pi. Lete, let, E 98. See
Lat, Leet. A. S. latan, to let.

Lette, v. to hinder, B 2116; to
oppose, stay, 3306 ; pt. s. intrans.
Lette, delayed, E 389. A. S. let-
tan, to hinder; Du. letten; Icel.
letja, to hold back; cf. E. late.

Lette, s. let, impediment, hindrance,
delay, E 300. Cf. Icel. leti, lazi-
ness, sloth ; from letja, to hinder.
See above.

Letterure, s. literature, B 3686.
O. F. letreure, from Lat. litera-
tura.

266

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Lettre, s. writing, B 3398. F.
leltre, Lat. litera.

Leue, v. to leave, give up, E 250.
A.S. l&fan, Icel. leifa.

Leue, I p. pi. pr. we believe, B
1181; pr. s. Leueth, E icoi.
A. S. lyfan, Du. ge-looven, G.
g-lauben.

Leue, imp. s. 3 p (God) grant, B
1873. See note. A. S. lyfan, to
permit ; G. erlauben.

Leue, s. leave, B 1637, F 363,
584. A.S. leaf, leave, permis-
sion.

Leue, adj. (voc.) dear, 851, 3242 ;
pi. Leue, dear, valued, F 341.
See Leef, Lief. A.S. led/, G.
lieb.

Leuer, adj. comp. liefer, dearer,
more desirable, B 3628.

Leuer, adv. liefer, rather, B 3083,
F 444, F 683, 692.

Leueth, pr. s. believes, E 1001.
See Leue,

Lswed, adj. ignorant, F 221.
A. S. laewed, belonging to the
laity.

Lewedly, adv. ignorantly, B 47.

Lewednesse, s. lewdness (in the
old sense), ignorance, stupidity, B
am, F 223. See Lewed.

Leye, v. to lay, E 193; gerund,
B 1955; pt. s. Leyde, laid, B
1971, 3289, 3827; pp. Leyd,
3371. A. S. lecgan, pt. t. iclegde,
pp. gelegd, geled; Icel. leggja,
Du. leggen, G. legen.

Leyser, s. leisure, B 3498, E 286,
F 493. F. loisir, originally an
infin. mood of a verb, viz. Lat.
licere, to have time for.

Liche, adj. like; it Iiche = like it,
F 62. A. S. lie, Icel. likr, com-
monly glikr; cf. G. gleick, Du.
gelijk.

Lief, adj. dear, cherished, E 479 ;
goode lief my wyf=my dear good
wife, B 3084. See Leef. A. S.
leof, G lieb.

Lige, adj. liege, E 310, F in;
pi. sb. lieges, subjects, B 3584, E
67. F. lige, a word of G. origin;
G. ledig, free (Brachet).

Liggen, v. to lie, lie down, B 2101.
A.S. licgan, Icel. liggja, Du. lig-
gen, G. liegen.

Limmes, s. pi. limbs, B 3284.
A. S. lint, Icel. Itntr.

Linage, s. lineage, E 71, 795. F.
lignage, O. F. linage; from Lat.
linca, a line.

List, pr. s. pleases, 63185, 3330,
35°9. 37°9; Listeth, likes, F
689 ; impers. List, it pleases, E
647. 933, F 118, 122, 161, 315 ;
pt. s. impers. Liste, B 3666, F
365 ; pr. s. impers. subj. it may
please, F 327. A.S. lystan, to
please.

Listes, s. pi. the lists, F 668. List
is sometimes a border, bound ; cf
A.S. list, the list or border of
cloth. But in the sense here in-
tended, it was corrupted from O. F.
lices, pi. of lisse, lice, a barrier ;
Low Lat. licice duelli, the lists for
tournaments.

Listeth, imp. pi. listen ye, B
1902, 3023. A. S. hlystan, to
hear.

Lite, adj. little, B 109. A. S. lyt,
little, few.

Litel, adj. little, B 73, 1190. A. S.
lytel.

Liuen, v. to live, E 109. A.S.
lybban, Icel. Ufa, G. leben.

Loked, pt. s. looked, E 340. A.S.
locian, pt. t. ie lucode.

Loking, s. looking, looks, aspect,
E 514; glances, looks, F 285.

Loller, s. a loller, a lollard, 61173.
On the confusion of these terms,
see the note. Cf. Icel. lull a, to
loll about ; litllari, a sluggard.

Lond, s. land, B 127, 3225;
country, 3548 ; dat. Londe, 2077.
A. S. land, land.

Longe, adv. long, a long while, B

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

267

1626, 33°o. In the latter place,

the word is glossed by the Latin

diii.
Longeth, pr. s. belongs, E 285, F

16. Cf. Du. langen, to reach,

belangen, to concern, G. gelangen,

to arrive at.
Longing for, i. e. belonging to,

suitable for, F 39.
Looth, adj. loath, displeasing ; me

were looth = it would be displeasing

to me, B 91. A.S. /o"S, hateful,

Icel. letiSr.
Lordes, s. pi. lords, F 91. A. S.

hldford, Icel. Idvarftr, a lord. The

original meaning may have been

loaf-ward.
Lordinges, s. pi. sirs, B 16, 2143,

Lordshipe, s. lordship, rank, E 797.

A. S. hldfordscipe.
Lore, s. lore, learning, experience,

knowledge, B 4, 1168, £87,

788. A. S. Idr.
Lorn, pp. lost, B 3230, E 1071,

F 629. See Lese. A. S. leosan,

to lose, pp. loren ; cf. G. verlieren,

to lose, pp. verloren.
Los, s. loss, 627, 28, F 450.
Loude, def. adj. loud, F 268 ;

adv. loudly, B 1803, F 55.

A. S. hlud, loud ; cf. Gk. K\vfiv,

to hear.
Loue, s. love, B 18, 74. A. S. Infe,

lufu.
Louede, pt. s. loved, E 413, 690 ;

imp. pi. Loueth, love ye, 370.

A. S. lufigan.
Loue-drury, s. affection, B 2085.

The latter part of the word is O.F.

drurie, druerie, love, passion ;

from drvt, a lover, which is

O. H. G. true, G. trnut, dear, be-
loved ; from O. H. G. trinwa =

true.
Loue-longinge, s. desire, fond

affection, B 1962. The O. E.

langung expresses a strong feeling

of deep regret in the Blickling

Homilies, ed. Morris, p. 1 13, 1. 10,

and p. 131, 1. 12.
Loue-lykinge, s. love-liking, loving

affection, love, B 2040.
Louere, s. a lover, F 546 ; pi.

Loueres, B 53, 59.
Loueth, imp. pi. love ye, E 370.
Lough, pt. s. laughed, B 3740.

A. S. hleahan, to laugh ; pt. t. ie

hlok.
Loute, v. to bow down, B 3352.

A. S. lutan, Icel. luta.
Lowe, adv. in a low voice, F 216.
Lucre, s. lucre, gain; lucre of

vilanye = villanous lucre, vile gain,

B 1681. F. lucre, Lat. lucrum.
Lulled, pt. s. soothed, E 553.
Lust, s. pleasure, E 80, 963, F. 6,

344; will, desire, wish, E 658;

interest (of a story), F 402 ; pi.

Lustes, desires, wishes, B 3667.

A. S. lust, pleasure, will.
Lust, pr. s. impers. it pleases, E

3:2, F 147. See List.
Lustiheed, s. pleasure, enjoyment,

F 288. Cf. Du. Imtigheid, G.

lustigkeit, merriment.
Lusty, adj. pleasant, E 59, F 52,

142, 389 ; jocund, 272. Cf. Du.

lustig, merry.
Lycorys, s. liquorice, B 1951,

2045. Evidently through the O.

French; from Gk. y\vKvpfii£a,

lit. sweet root; from f\vicvs,

sweet, and /5t'£d, root.
Lyf, s. life; his lyf= during his

life, B 3369. A.S. lif, Icel.

lif.
Lyght, s. light, shining, E 1124.

A.S. leoht, Icel. lettr, G. lickt,

Lat. lucem,
Lyghte, v. lit. to lighten, render

light, but here to feel light, F

396 ; pt. s. Lyghte, lighted ;

either in the sense (i) lightened,

made light, made happy (see the

note); or (2) illuminated, B

1661. A.S. ledhtan, to lighten,

alleviate.

268

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

Lyghte, pi. s. alighted, F 169;
cf. in thalyghte = in thee alyghte,
alighted in thee, B 1660. A. S.
lihtan, to alight, descend.

Lyghtly, adv. lightly, F 390.

Lyk, adj. like, B 3361, F 207.
See Liche.

Lyken, v. to please, B 2128, E
506 ; pr. s. Lyketh, it pleases, E
311, 845; vs lyketh yow = it
pleases us with respect to you,
106; how lyketh thee my wyf=
how does it please you with re-
spect to my wife, 1031. A. S.
lician, to delight.

Lyking, s. liking, pleasure, delight,
B 3499. A. S. licung, pleasure.

Lyklihede, s. likelihood, proba-
bility, 61786.

Lyklinesse, s. probability, E 396.

Lykned, pp. likened, compared, B
91. Cf. Swed. likna, to compare,
resemble, liken.

Lymes, s. pi. limbs, £682. See
Lim.

Lymrod, s. lime-rod, lime-twig, B
3574. A. S. lint, lime, and r6d,
a rood, rod.

Lynage, s. lineage, high birth, B
3441, £991. See Linage.

Lynde, s. a linden-tree, E 12 it.
A. S. lind, linde, a linden-tree, Icel.
lind, G. linde.

Lyte, adj. little, B 2153, F 565;
adv. a little, E 935. See Lite.

Lyth, pr. s. lies, is situate, is, B
3654. ? 35. 322. A.S. /«, lies,
from licgan, to lie.

Lyue, dat. from Lyf, whence on
lyue = during life, i.e. alive, F
423 ; pi. Lyues, lives, B 3284,
F 233; 8en- sinS- Lyues, life's,
E 308. A. S. /*/, life ; gen. lifes,
dat. life.

Lyues, gen. sing, used as adv.
living, E 903. So in Havelok, 1.
509 — 'Yif y late him lives go,'
i,e. if I let him go alive; it
occurs also in Piers Plowm. B.

x!x. 154; C. xxii. 159. Also in
Gower, Conf. Amant. ii. 14 —
' Right as a Hues creature She
temeth,' &c.

M.

Maad, pp. made, B 3607, F 222.
See Make.

Mace, s. a mace, club, B 2003.
F. masse, O. F. mace ; this word
preserves the original Latin matea,
only known otherwise by its di-
minutive mateola, a mallet.

Madame, s. madam, F 378.

Made, pt. s. composed, B 57 ; pi.
pi. Maden, made, 3523 ; pp.
Maad, 3607.

Magestee, s. majesty, dominion, B
3334. 35°5. 3862. F. majeste,
O. F. majestet, Lat. maies.'atem.

Magicien, s. magician, B 3397.

Magyk, s. magic, F 218. From
Lat. magia, Gk. fiayela, sorcery.

Maille, s. mail, ringed armour, E
1202. F. maille, a mesh, Lat.
macula.

Maister, s. master, B 1627, 3128 ;
maister tour = principal tower, F
226. F. maitre, O. F. maistre,
Lat. magi&trnm.

Maistresse, s. mistress, F 374.

Maistry, ». mastery, victory, B
3582 ; governance, control, 3689.

Make, s. mate, companion, wife,
B 1982. A. S. maca, Icel. maki.
Make and mate are unallied.

Make, v. to compose (said of
poetry, &c.), B 96 ; pt. s. Maked,
made, 3318, 3690; pp. Maked,
1722, 1727; Maad, 3607. A. S.
macian, pt. t. ic macode ; pp.
macod; cf. G. machen.

Man, s. man, esp. a devoted servant,
one who has vowed homage, B
3331 ; used for one, 43 ; gen. sing.
Mannes, man's, 1630. A.S. man,
Icel. mannr.

Manaoeth, pr. s. menaces, E 1 2 2.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

269

F. menacer, O. F. manacer ; from
Lat. minacia, a threat.

Maner, s. manner, kind, used with-
out of following, as in maner doc-
trine, kind of doctrine, B 1689 ;
maner thing, 3951 ; maner ser-
geant, E 519 ; maner wyse, 605 ;
maner wyght, F 329.

Manere, s. manner, way, B 3706,
E 781; of manere = in his be-
haviour, F 546. F. maniere,
Low Lat. maneria, kind, lort;
from Lat. mantis, a hand (Bra-
chet).

Mansion, 5. mansion (a term in
astrology), F 50. See note. Lat.
mansionem.

Marbul, s. marble, F 500. F.
marbre, Lat. marmorem.

Marbul-stones, s. pi. blocks of
marble, B 1871.

Marchaunt, s. merchant, 6132;
//. Marchauntz, 122. F. mar-
ckand, O. F. marchant, Low Lat.
mercatantem, a trafficker, from
mercatare, to traffic ; from Lat.
merx.

Maried, pt. s. trans, he caused to be
married, E 1130. F. marier, Lat.
maritare ; maritus, a husband.

Marineer, *. mariner, B 1627.
F. marinier ; from Lat. marinus,
marine, mare, the sea.

Markis, 5. a marquis, E 64 ; gen.
sing, marquis's, 994. E. marchis,
Low Lat. marchensis, a governor
of the marches or frontiers ;
O. H. G. marcha, a mark, a
frontier.

Markisesse, s. a marchioness, E
283, 394, 942, 1014.

Masednesse, s. amaze, E 1 06 1.
Cf. Norwegian masast, to fall into
a slumber (Aasen) ; Icel. masa, to
chatter.

Maselyn, s. a bowl of maple-wood,
B 2042. [Distinct from maslin or
brass, a metal mentioned in Gy
of Warwike, p. 421, 'bras,

maslyn, yren and stel' (Halli-
well). Cf. A. S. mcestling, a brass
vessel, moestlen, maslen, brass. In
St. Mark vi. 8, the phrase ' nor
money in their purse ' is expressed
by ' ne on gyrdils maslen ' in
the Northumbrian glosses.] O. F,
maselin, allied to the M. E.
mazer, a drinking cup made of
maple-wood; Icel. mosurr, a
maple tree.

Matere, s. matter, subject, business,
B 1703, 2148, E 90, 1176. O.F.
malere, Lat. materia.

Maugre, prep, in spite of; maugre
thyn heed = in spite of thy head,
despite all thou canst do, B 104 ;
maugre Philistiens, in spite of the
Philistians, 3238. F. man gre,
mal gr6, ill will.

Mawe, 5. maw, B 1190, 2013.
A. S. maga, the maw, stomach ;
Icel. magi, G. magen.

May, I /. s. pr. I may, B 89, 2014,
E 304 ; pr. s. May, has power,
F 112 ; 2 p. pi. pr. May, B 19.
A. S. mvgan, pr. t. ie mceg ; pt. t.
ic mihte; Icel. mega, G. mo gen,

Mayde, s. maid, maiden, B 1636,
E 257, 377, 446, 779. A.S.
magf}, G. magd.

Mayntene, pr. s. imp. may he
maintain, E 1171. Y.maintenir,
from main, Lat. manus, the hand,
and tenir, Lat. tenere, to hold ;
lit. to hold by the hand, support
by force.

Maystow,/or mayst thou, B 3267,
E 265, 1070.

Mede, s. meed, reward, a bribe, B
3579. A- s- m^> G- miethe.

Mede, s. mead, B 2042. A.S.
medu, Icel. mjifSr, Welsh medd,
Gk. pe6v ; Sanskr. madhu, sweet,
also honey, nectar.

Meke, adj. meek, E 141. E. E.
meoc (not in A. S.) ; Icel. mjultr,
Mceso-Goth. tnuks, soft, mild.

Melodye, s. melody, E 271.

270

GLOSS 'ARIAL INDEX.

Memorie, s. mention, remem-
brance, B 3164. O. F. memorie,
Lat. memoria.

Mencioun, s. mention; made of
mencioun = made mention of, B
54; Mentioun, 3311. From Lat.
mentionem.

Mene, I p. s. pr. I mean, B 93,
1860, 2141; gerund to mene =
to signify, 3941 ; pt. s. Mente,
meant, F 108. 522. A.S. man-
on, to have in mind, to intend,
mean, G. meinen.

Mening, s. meaning, intent, F
151.

Merciable, adj. merciful, B 1878.
O. F. merciable, from tnerci, mer-
cit ; Lat. mercedem, which came
to mean favour.

Meridional, adj. southern, F 263.
See Angle. From Lat. meridies,
the South.

Merie, adj. glad, E 615; Mery,
pleasant (to hear), B ll86;pl.
Merie, merry (i.e. merrily), B
126 ; Merie men, followers, 2029 ;
comp. Merier, pleasanter, 2024.
A. S. myrig.

Meruaille, s. marvel, wonder, E
1 1 86; Merueille, 248; merueille
of = wonder at, F 87; pi. Mer-
uailles, marvels, F 660. F.
merveille, O. F. mervaille ; from
Lat. mirabilia, wonderful things.

Merueillous, adj. marvellous, B
1643.

Meschaunce, s. misery, a miser-
able condition, B 3204. O. F.
ineschaance, a mishap ; from Lat.
minus, less, badly, and cadentia,
hap ; from cadere, to fall, hap-
pen.

Meschief, s. misfortune, B 3513.
F. mechef, O. F. meschief; from
Lat. minus, less, badly, and caput,
the head ; from the latter came
O. F. ckevir, to accomplish, and
chief, accomplishment.

Messager, s. a messenger, B 6,

3247. F. messager, from message,
Low Lat. missatictim, a message.
Meste, adj. superl. most, i.e.
highest in rank, most considerable,
£131. A.S. mast.
Mesurable, adj. moderate, F
362. F. mesurable, Lat. mensura-
bilis.

Mesure, s. measure, E 256 ; mo-
deration, 622. F. mesure, Lat.
mensiira ; from metiri, to mete.
Metal, s. metal, F 243. F. metal

Lat. metallum.

Metamorphoseos, gen. s. (the
book) of Metamorphosis ; it
should be pi. Metamorphoseon ; B
93. Gk. ntTafj.op<fxiiff(a)s, gen. of
HtTa.i>.6p<f>ajffis, a transformation,
from ptTO,, with, across, and fiop<f>rj,
form, figure. Ovid's poem treats
of the transformation of men and
women into birds, &c.
Mete, s. food, meat, F 173, 618.
A. S. mete,lce\. matr, Moeso-Goth.
mats.

Mete, v. to meet together, B
1873. The old meaning is to
find; so here it implies to find
each other. See Mette.
Metres, s. pi. metres, B 48.
Mette, pt. s. dreamt, B 3930.

A. S. mditan, to dream.
Mette, pt. pi. met, E 390. A. S.

metan, to meet, Icel. mceta.
Mewe, s. a mew, F 643. F. mue,
a coop ; a mew in which birds
were kept when moulting ; F.
muer, to moult, change feathers,
Lat. mutare, to change.
Meynee, s. company, E 2436 ; fol-
lowers, army, B 3532 ; attend-
ants, suite, F 391. O. F. maisne,
mesnee, meignee, a household, said
to be from Low Lat. maisnada
(as though for Lat. mansionata),
a company of menials.
Milk, s. milk, F 614. A. S. mile,
meolc, G. milch ; cf. Lat. mttlgere,
Gk.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

271

Milksop, s. a milk-sop, lit. a piece
of bread sopped in milk ; hence,
anything soft, esp. a weak effemi-
nate man, B 3100.

Mille, s. a mill, £ 1200. A.S.
miln, whence milner, a miller ;
cf. Lat. mo/a.

Miustralcye, s. minstrelsy, a play-
ing upon instruments of music, the
sound made by a band of minstrels,
F 268.

Minstrales, s. pi. minstrels, B
2035; Minstralles, F 78. F.
menestrel, Low Lat. ministralis, a
servant.

Mirour, s. mirror, F 82, 132, 143,
175. F. miroir, mirror ; mirer,
to look at, Lat. mirari, to
wonder.

Miracle, s. miraculous story, legend,
B 1881. F. miracle, Lat. mira-
citlum.

Misauenture, s. ill fortune, mis-
fortune, B 3540.

Misdeparteth, pr. s. parts or
divides amiss, B 107. The use
of the Teutonic prefix mis- before
the French verb was made easier
by its similarity to the French pre-
fix mes (Lat. minus).

Misdooth, pr. s. doeth amiss to, ill
treats, B 3112.

Miserie, s. misery, B 3167. Lat.
miseria, from miser, wretched.

Misgouernaunce, s. misconduct,
B 3202.

Misgyed, pp. misguided, miscon-
ducted, B 3723. See Gye.

Mishap, s. ill luck, B 3435.

Mist, s. mist, F 259. A. S. mist.

Mo. See Moo.

Moche, adj. much, B 1169, 2152 ;
Muchel, a great deal of, F 349.
A. S. mycel, much.

Mochel, adv. much, B 3959 ; adj.
960. A. S. mycel.

Mone, s. moon, E 928 ; gen.
Mone, moon's, B 2070. A. S.
mono, a masc. sb. with gen.

mdnan ; I eel. man!, G. mond,
Moaso-Goth. mena ; all mascu-
line.

Monk, s. a monk, B 3114; pi.
Monkes, 1632. A.S. mvnuc,
borrowed from Lat. monachtts.

Monstres, s. pi. monsters, B 3302.
Lat. monstrum.

Montaigne, s. a mountain, B 24.
F. monlagne, O. F. monlaigne,
Low Lat. monlanea; from Lat.
mons.

Monthe, s. pi. months, B 1674.
A. S. mdnctfS, Icel. mdnaftr, G.
monal. See Mone.

Moo, adj. pi. comp. more, B 54 ;
Mo, 3742, 3838, E 318, F 301,
702; tymes mo = at more times,
at other times, E 449 ; mo = more
than her, others, 1039; see note.
A. S. via, more. See More.

Mooder, s. a mother, B 1657,
1696, &c. gen. Moodres, mo-
ther's, 1783. A.S. modor, Icel.
mobir, G. mutter, Lat. mater, Gk.
HTJTTJP, Sanskr. ma/ri.

Moralitee, s. morality, B 3687.

Mordre, s. murder, B 1820. A.S.
wzor'Sor, murder, moriS, death ;
Moeso-Goth. maurthr; cf. Lat,
mars.

Mordred, pp. murdered, E 725,
728.

Mordrer, s. murderer, E 733.

More, adj. comp. greater, E 1231 ;
pi. More, in phr. more and lesse,
greater and lesser, all alike, B
3433, E 940 ; adv. more, fur-
ther, in a greater degree, B 3745,
3842. A.S. mare. See Mo.

Morsel, s. a morsel; morsel breed
= morsel of bread, B 3624. F.
morceau, O. F. morsel, Low Lat.
morsellum, a little bit or bite,
from mordere, to bite.

Morwe, s. morrow, morning ; by
the morwe = in the morning, early
in the day, B 3856. A. S. morg-
en, G. morgen, the morning.

273

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

Morweninge, s. morning. F 397.

Moste, adj. superl. greatest, F
199 ; chiefest, 361 ; //. Moste, in
phr. moste and leste, greatest and
least (see More) 300. A. S.
nteest.

Mot, I p. fr. s. I must, B 1853,
3104, E 872, F 41 ; Moot, E
172; sitbj. Mote in phr. mote I
thee = may I thrive, B 2007; 2
p. s. pr. mbj. mot thou = majst
thou, B 1626, E 557 ; pr. s Mot,
he must, F 456 ; Moot, B 3697 ;
pr. pi. 2 p. Mote, ye must, ought
to, should, E 526, F 164 ; pt. s.
a p. Most, B 104 ; pt. s. Moste,
must, ought to, B 2031, 3232, F
442; ought to (be), F 38; was
obliged to, was made to, B 3700 ;
pt. s. subj. Moste, might, E 550.
A. S. ic mot, pt. t. ic moste.

Mowe, pr. pi. may, E 530. A. S.
magon, we may.

Moyste, adj. fresh, new, B 1954.

F. moite, O. F. moiste, Lat. must-
eus, new, fresh ; from musttts,
fresh. The signification moist is
late.

Muchel, adj. much, a great deal
of, F 349. A. S. mycel.

Murmurede, pt. pi. murmured,
talked continually in a low voice,
buzzed, F 204. F. murmurer,
Lat. murnntrare, from murmur.

Murthe, s. mirth, joy, E 1123.
A. S. wyrU.

Myght, 3. might, power, F 467 ;
magic power, 133. A. S. miht,

G. macht.

Myghte, //. *. could, B 3444 ; I p.
s. pt. subj., I could, E 638.

Myghtily, adv. mightily, B 3517.

Myn, pass. pron. mine, my (used
before a vowel), B 40 ; (used
after a name}, E 365. A. S. mln,
properly gen. case of ic, I.

Mynde, s. memory, F 109, 607 ;
in mynde = in remembrance, B
1843. A. S. mynd; from mynan,

to remember ; cf. Lat. mfmini,
Gk. fif/o'rjfMi.

N.

Naille, imp. s. 3 p. let it nail, let it
fasten, E 1184; pp. Nailed, fas-
tened, 29. A.S. nttgel, Icel.
nagl, G. nagel, a nail ; A. S.
nceglian, to nail.

Namely, adv. especially, E 484,
626.

Namo,/or na mo, no more, F 573 ;
Namore, for na more, no more,
289, 314.

Nas,/or ne was, was not, £405,
F 14. A. S. naf, was not.

Nat, adv. not, B 1 24, &c. ; Nat
but, only, F 391, 638. Short for
nd iviht, i. e. no whit ; whence
naught, not. See Naught.

Natheles, adv. nevertheless, none
the less, B 45, 94, 3317. A.S.
nd, not.

Natiuitee, s. nativity, birth, B
3206, F 45. From Lat. natiuita-
tem ; which from Lat. nascor.

Nature!, s. natural, F 116. A
' day natural ' meant a period of
24 hours ; as differing from the
' day artificial.' See Artificial.

Naturelly, adv. naturally, by natu-
ral causes, F 229.

Naught, adv. not, B 1 702. See
Nat.

Nay, adv. no, nay, £177; opposed
to yea, 355 ; answers a direct
question, B 1 793 ; it is no nay =
there is no denying it, B 1956, E
817, 1139- Icel. net.

Nayles, s. pi. nails, B 3366. A. S.
nagel. See Naille.

Ne, adv. (i) not ; when used with
a verb, a second negative is often
added, as in no — ne, B 77 ; ne —
noon, 89 ; (2) nor, B 1180, 1189.
A. S. ne, not, nor ; not bor-
rowed from the French.

Necessitee, s. necessity, F 593.
From Lat. necessitatem.

GLOSSAR1AL INDEX.

273

Necligence, s. negligence, B 22,

E 66 1. From Lat. negligenlia.
Need, s. need, indigence, B 103 ;

dot. Nede, 102, 112; extreme ne-
cessity, peril, 3576 ; see the note.

A. S. nedd, Icel. nan's, G. noth.
Nede, adv. (dative form) needs, B

3697, E 53* J (genitive form)

Nedes, B 2031, E n. A. S. nedd,

need ; gen. neddes, dat. nedde.
Nedeth, pr. s. needs it, it needs, F

65, 298 ; pt. s. Neded, it needed,

E 457- A. S. neddian, to compel.
Needles, adv. needlessly, E 621;

Needlees, without a cause, 455.
Neer, adv. near ; or perhaps adv.

comp. nearer, B 4000. See Ner.
Neigh, adj. near, nigh, F 49. See

Ny.
Neighebor, 5. neighbour, B 108,

115, 3108. A. S. nedh-biir, from

nedh, near, and bur, a dweller;

from buan, to dwell.
Nekke, s. neck, B 3300, £113.

A.S. necca, hnecca.
Nekke-boon, *. neck-bone, B

1839.
Nempne, v. to name, tell, F 318;

pt. s. Nempned, named, E 609.

A. S. nemnan, to name, call ; cf.

G. nennen, to name ; Lat. nornen,

a name.
Ner, adv. nearer; ner and ner =

nearer and nearer, B 1710. See

Neer. A. S. nedh, nigh (adv.) ;

comp. nedr, nyr, nigher ; cf. G.

n'dher.
Nere, pt. s. subj. were not, B 3984 ;

were it not, 133. A.S. naeron,

were not.
Nest, s. nest ; wiMied nest, \. e. man

ni, or Mauny, B 3576. See note.

A.S. nest, G. nest.
Nettes, s. pi. nets, B 3665. A. S.

and Icel. net, G. netz.
Neuer, adv. never, B 87. A. S.

n&fre.
Nevew, s. nephew, B 3594. F.

neveu, Lat. nepotem,

VOL. II. 1

Newe, adj. def. new, E 841 ; adv.
Newe, newly, afresh, E 3, 378.
A. S. niive, neowe, adj. ; niwan,
adv. anew ; cf. Icel. nyr, Lat.
nouus, Gk. vfos, Sanskr. nava.

Newefangel, adj. newfangled,
taken with novelty, F 618. Cf.
A. S. fangennes, a taking ; the
root is clearly A. S. f6n, Goth.
fahan, to take ; cf. G. fangen ;
whence also A. S. unbefangenlic,
incomprehensible, onfengnes, a
receiving.

Newfangelnesse, s. newfangled-
ness, fondness for novelty, F 610.
See above.

Nexte, superl. adj. nearest, B
1814. A.S. ncksta, nighest; from
nedh, nigh.

Nice, adv. foolish, E 2434. F.
nice, Span, necio, Port, nescio or
necio, foolish, ignorant, from Lat.
nescius, ignorant. This is clearly
the etymology of ' nice ' as used
by Chaucer ; the modern word nice
is the same, differently used.

Nil, i p. s. pr. I desire not, I dis-
like, E 646 ; I will not, 363 ; pr.
s. will not, 119. A.S. nyllan, to
be unwilling, Lat. nolle.

Nin, for ne in, i. e. nor in, F 35.

Nis, for ne is, is not, B 1876, E

448. F 72-

Niste, i p. s. pt. knew not, F 502 ;
pt. pi. Nisten, knew not, 634.
A. S. nytan, not to know, pt. t. ic
nyste ; from ne, not, and ivilan, to
know.

Noblesse, s. nobility, magnificence,
B 3438, E 782 ; high honour, B
3208. F. noblesse; Low Lat.
nobililia ; from Lat. nobilis, noble,

Nobleye, s. nobleness, i. e. dignity,
state, F 7 7. Cf.O.Fr. nobloier,
to shine, lit. to look noble; from
Lat. nobilis.

Noght, adv. not ; shortened from
nought, and signifying in no re-
spect, B 94, 112. See Nat.

274

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Nolde, pi. s. would not, B 87,
1821, 3664. A. S. nyllan, pt. t.
ic nolde; see Nil.

Nones, in pkr. for the nones = for
the nonce, for the once, for the oc-
casion, B 1165, 3133. Originally
for then ones, for the once ; where
then is dative of art. the, and ones
is an adverb used as a noun.

Nonnes, s. pi. gen. nuns', B 3999.
F. nonne, Low Lat. nonna, used
by St. Jerome (Brachet).

Noon, adj. none, no, B 102 ; pi.
Noon, 89. A. S. nan.

Noot, I p. s. pr. I know not, B

3596. 3973. F 342- A- s- ndt>

for ne wot, knows not; I and 3

p. s. pr. indie.
Norice, s. a nurse, E 561, 618, F

347. Y. nourrice, O. F. norris,

Lat. nulricem.
Norished, pp. nourished, brought

up, E 399.
Norishiuge, s. nurture, bringing

up, E 1040.
Notable, adj. notorious, B 1875.

Lat. notabilis.
Note, s. a note (of music), B 1737.

Lat. no/a.
Notemuge, *. nutmeg, B 1953.

Note is A. S. hnut, G. nuss ; the

ending muge = O. F. muguet, Lat.

muscata, musk - scented ; from

muscus, scent, musk.
No-thing, adv. in no respect, not

at all, B 3402, E 228, 480.
Nouelries, s. pi. novelties, F 619.

Cf. House of Fame, ii. 178. O. F.

novelerie, which commonly means

a quarrel ; O. F. novel, new, Lat.

nouellus; from nouus.
Noueltee, s. novelty, E 1004.

O. F. noveliteit, Low Lat. nouelli-

tatem; from nouus.
Nouys, s. novice, B 3129. F.

novice, Lat. nouicius ; from nouus.
Now and now, adv. at times,

from time to time, occasionally, F

430.

Nowches, s. pi. jewels, E 382,
O. F. noitche, nosche, a buckle,
bracelet ; Low Lat. nusca, a
brooch ; O. H. G. nusca, an orna-
ment, brooch, bracelet ; cf. O. H.
G. nusta, a knitting tog?ther.
Spenser has ouch.

Ny, adv. nearly, F 346 ; wel
ny = almost, E 82. A. S. nedh.

Nyce, adj. weak, foolish, B 3712.
F 525. See Nice.

Nyghte, s. dat. night; a nyghte,
at night, by night, B 3758. A. S.
nihtf Icel. ndtt, Lat. nocleni.

O.

O, adj. one, B 52, 2122, 3663.

Shortened from M. E. on, A. S. an,

one.
Obeisaunce, s. obedience, £24,

502 ; obedient act, E 230 ; pi.

Obeisances, submissive acts, acts

expressing obedient attention, F

SIS-

Obeisant, adj. obedient, E 66.

Obeye, v. to obey, F 489 ; pt. s.
Obeyede, 569. F. obtir, Lat.
obedire.

Obseruances, s. pi. duties, atten-
tions, F 516.

Obserue, v. to give countenance to,
favour, B 1821. F. observer,
Lat. obseruare.

Occupye, v. to occupy, take up, F
64. F. occuper, Lat. occtipare.

Of, prep, by, B 2132, E 70, 2436;
with, for, B 1779, E 33 '• as re'
gards, with respect to, B 90, 3388,
F 425 ; of grace = by his favour,
out of his favour, E 178. A. S. o/,
Icel. a/, G. ab. Lat. ab, Gk. diro.

Of, adv. off, away, B 3748, 3762.

Office, s. duty, employment (see
note), B 3446 ; houses of office =
servants' offices, pantries, larders,
&c. E 264. From Lat. qfficium.

Of-newe, adv. newly, lately, E
938. Hence E. anew.

GLOSSARTAL INDEX.

275

Of-ta!*en, pp. taken off, taken
away, B 1855. Cf. 1. 1858.

Ofte, adj. pi. many, frequent, E
226 ; adv. often, 722 ; adv. coinp.
Ofter, oftener, 215, 620. A. S.
oft, Icel. off, oft, Goth, tifta, often,

Olde, adj. pi. old, F 69. A. S.
eald, G. alt, Goth, altheis.

Oliueres, s. pi. oliveyards, B 3226.
The O. F. oliver is used to trans-
late Lat. oliueta (Burguy).

On, prep, upon, concerning, B 48 ;
on, in, at; on cue = in the even-
ing ; on morwe = in the morning,
£1214; on reste = at rest, F
379. A. S. on, Icel. d, G. an,
Goth. ana.

On, adj. one; euerich on, every
one, B 1164. See O, Oon.

Onlofte, adv. aloft, i. e. still above
ground, E 229. Icel. lopt (pron.
loft), cognate with A. S. lyft, air.

Ook, s. an oak, F 159. A. S de,
Icel. eik, G. eiche.

Oon, adj. one, B 2034, 3880 ; the
same, 2142, £711; the same
thing, alike, F 537 ; oon the
faireste = one who was the fairest,
one of the fairest, E 212; euer
in oon = continually alike, con-
stantly in the same manner, E
602, 677, F 4*7? many oon,
many a one, E 775. A. S. an,
Icel. einn, Goth, ains, Lat. unus.

Open, adj. open, B 1684. A. S.
open, Icel. opinn, G. off en.

Ord, s. beginning ; ord and ende =
beginning and end, B 3911.
A. S. ord, a beginning, a point of
a sword, Icel. oddr, whence E.
odd. We find pennys ord = a
point of a pen, in Cursor Mundi,
G 10626, altered to penne poynt
in text T.

Ordeyned, pp. appointed, F 177.
O. F. ordener, F. ordonner, Lat.
ordinare.

Orient, s. the east, B 3504. Sec
Thorient. From Lat. orienlem.

Othere, adj. pi. other, B 3344

?5loi 3896 ; sing. Other ; whence

that other = the other, answering

to that oon = the one, F 496.

A.S. o'&Vr, G. ander.
Otherweyes, adv. otheiwise, E

1072. Lit. other-ways.
Otherwyse, adv. on any other

condition, F 534.
Othes, s. pi. oaths, F 528. A. S.

a5, Icel. «voV, Goth, aiths.
Ouer, prep, besides, F 137. A.S.

ofer, Icel. yfir, G. iiber.
Ouer, adv. over, on, B 1633.
Oueral, adv. in every respect,

throughout, E 1048. Cf. G.

iiberall.
Ouerlad, pp. put upon, B 3101.

Lit. led over. See P. Plowm. B

3-3I4-
Ouermacche, v. to overmatch,

overreach, conquer, E 1220.
Ought, adv. at all, B 1792. A.S.

dht, for an hwit, a whit.
Oughte,pt. s. subj. it should behove

us, E 1150; pt. s. indie, it was

fit, it was due, 1120; pt. pi.

Oughten, ought, B 1833, 3567.

A. S. dgan, to owe, to own ; pt. t.

ic dhte.
Oules, i. pi. owls, F 648. A.S.

ule, Icel. vgla, G. enle, Lat. ulula.
Out-caughte, pt. s. caught out,

drew out, B 1 86 1.
Outen, v. to come out with, to

utter, E 2438. A. S. Man, to put

out, to eject ; cf. O. H. G. uzon,

to put out. The word is very rare.
Outerly, adv. utterly, entirely, E

335. 639. 768, 953- A. S. a/or,

utter.
Outrage, v. to become outrageous,

to lose patience, lose temper, E

643. F. outrer, O. F. oltrer, to

pass beyond bounds ; O. F. ollre ,

Lat. ultra, beyond.
Owen, adj. own, B 3198, 3571,

E 504, 652 ; pi. Owene, B 3584.

A. S. dgen, G. eigen, own, peculiar.

T 2

GLOSS ARIAL INDEX.

Oxes, gen. sing, ox's, E 207, 291.
A. S. oxa, Icel. oxi, vxi, Goth.
auksa, G. ochs.

Oxe-stalle, s. oxstall, E 398. A. S.
oxaii steal, where oxan is the gen.
case of oxa, or it may be con-
sidered as a compound, oxa-steal.
In either case the sonant e after x
is accounted for.

P.

Pace, v. to pass, go. B 1759, F
120; pr. s. subj. 1 p. er I pace
=ere I depart, ere I die, F 494;
pr. s, subj. may pass away, may
depart, E 1092. F. passer, Low
Lat. passare, to pass over ; from
pandere. See Passe.

Page, s. a page, boy, F 692. F.
page, Low Lat. pagius, a servant.
Deduced by Diez from Gk. irais,
iraiSiov. Ducange gives pagius,
pagita,pagesius, pagensis (whence
F. pays), all meaning a domestic
servant or a rustic. Surely from
the sb. pagus, a village, whence
also Lat. paganus.

Paleys, 5. palace, E 197, F 60. F.
palais, Lat. palatium.

Papeiay, s. a popinjay, a parrot, B
I957- F« papegai, from Span.
papagayo ; hardly from Arab, ba-
bagd, a parrot, a late word (Diez).

Paradys, s. Paradise, B 3200. Gk.
irapaSeiaos, a pleasure-ground,
Heb. pardes, known to be of Aryan
(Persian) origin.

Paramour, i. e. par amour, for love,
B 2033. See note.

Parauenture, adv. peradventure,
by chance, E 234.

Pardee, interj. an oath, from French
par dieu, B 1977, £1234; Parde,
B 3974, F 696.

Pareinentz, s. pi. ornaments ;
chambre of paramentz = orna-
mented chamber, F 269. F.
parement, an ornament, from
parer, to adorn, Lat. parare.

Parfay, interj. by my faith, B HO.
O. F. parfei, F. par foi.

Parfitly, adv. perfectly, E 690.
F. parfait, Lat. perfectus.

Parfournest, pr. s. 2 p. perform-
est, B 1797; pp. Parfourned,
1 646. Cotgrave has — ' Parfour-
nir, to perform, consummate,' &c.
From O.F.fornir (F. fournir\
to accomplish ; from O. H. G.
frumjan, to accomplish, whence
also G.frommen, to avail ; which
from O. H. G. frum, good ; cf.
Mceso-Goth. frums, beginning,
fruma, first, Lat. primus ; from the
root of G. i/or, E.fore, Lat. prae.

Park, s. a park, F 392. Cf. F. pare,
probably from a Teut. source; cf.
Welsh pare, parwg, an enclosure ;
there is also A. S. pearroc, an en-
closure, park, which gives the ety-
mology of the E. word. The root
is seen in M. E. parre> to enclose.

Party, s. a part, 817. F. parti,
divided, from partir, to divide,
Lat. partiri.

Pas, s. a pace, i. e. a footpace, at
a slow rate, F 388. See Prol. 1.
825. Lat. passus.

Passe, imp. s. or pi. pass (over), go
(on), proceed, B 1633 ; I p. s. pr.
Passe of = pass by, F 288 ; pr. s.
Passeth, passes away, 404 ; pp.
Passed, past, spent, E 610 ; pres.
part. Passing, surpassing, extreme,
£240,1225. See Pace.

Passioun, s. passion, suffering, B
1175. Lat. passionem.

Pauement, s. pavement, B 1867.
O. F. pavement, Lat. pavimentum.

Payndemayn, s. bread of a peculiar
whiteness, B 1915. See note.
From Lat. pants Dominicus.

Peer, s. peer, equal, B 1930. See
Pere.

Pees, s. peace, B 130, 3524, 3826.
O.F. pes, F. paix, Lat. pacem.

Penaunt, s. a penitent, one who
does penance, B 3124. O.F.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

277

peneant, penitent; from Lat.
poena, pain.
Penible, adj. painstaking, careful

to please, E 714. F. penible,

from peine, Lat. poena.
Peples, gen. sing, people's, E 412.

F. penple, Lat. populiis.
Perce, Percen, v. to pierce, B

2014, E 1204, F 237; pp.

Perced, B 1745. F. percer.
Percinge, s. piercing ; for percinge

= to prevent any piercing, B 2052.
Pere, s. peer, equal, B 3244, F 678.

See Peer. O. F. per, F. pair,

Lat. par,
Peregryn, adj. peregrine, i. e.

foreign, F 428. Lat. peregrinus.
Perilous, adj. dangerous, terrible,

B IQ99) 31O9- From Lat. peri-

cnlum.
Perles, s. pi. pearls, B 3658. F.

perle,Port.perola, Low Lzt.pernla.
Perree, s. jewellery, precious stones,

B 3495. 355°. 3556- F.pierrerie ;

Low Lat. petrarice, jewels ; from

Lat. petra, a stone.
Persone, s. parson, B 1170; per-

son, E 73. Lat. persona.
Peyne, s. pain, suffering, B 2134;

trouble, care, F 509 ; gen.

Peynes, F 480 ; vpon peyne =

under a penalty, E 586. F. peine,

Lat. poena.
Peyned hir, pt. s. refl. took pains,

£976.
Peyntede, pt. s. painted, F 560;

pp. Peynted, 646. F. peindre,

Lat. ping ere.
Philosophre, s. a philosopher, di-

dactic writer, B 25.
Phisyk, s. physic, the art of medi-

cine, B 1189. F. physique; Gk.

Pitee, s. pity, B 3231, F 479. F.

pitie, O. F. piled, Lat. pietatem.

Thus pity is a doublet of piety.
Pitous, adj. sad, B 2140, 3567, E

1121; pitiful, full of compassion,

F 20. O. F.pitos, F.piteux ; Lat.

pietosus.
Pitously, adv. piteously, sadly,

pitiably, B 3729, F 414, 461.
Place, s. manor-house, residence of

a chief person in a village or

small town, B 1910. See note.

F. place, Lat. plalea.
Piastres, s. pi. plaisters, or plasters,

F 636. F. platre. Low Lat. plas-

trum, short for emplastrum, Gk.

Piler, s. a pillar, B 3308 ; pi.

Filers, 3274. F. pilier ; from

pile, Lat. pila, a pillar.
Pin, s. a pin, small peg, F 127, 316.

From Lat. pinna, for penna.
Pistil, s. epistle, E 1154.

Plat, adv. flat, B 1865; flatly,

bluntly, 3947. F.plat, G. platt ;

both from Gk. irXarvs, broad.
Plate, s. plate, stiff iron defence for

a hauberk, B 2055. O. F. plate,

a flat piece of metal ; see above.
Platte, adj. dot. flat, flat side (of a

sword), F 162, 164. See Plat.
Playn, adj. plain ; in short and

piayn = in brief plain terms, E

577. F. plain, Lat. plantts.
Playn, s. a plain, B 24 ; Playne,

E 59.
Pleinte, s. complaint, lament, B

66. F.plainte,from La.t.plangere,

to wail. See Pleyne.
Plentee, s. plenty, abundance, E

264, F 300; gret plentee = in

great quantity, B 3665. O. F.

plentet, Lat. plenitatem, from

pie mis, full.
Plesaiice, s. pleasure, will, E 501,

659, 663, 672, 959, 964; kind-

ness, II II; pleasing behaviour,

F 509. F. plaisance, from Lat.

placere.
Plesen, v. to please, F 707. F.

flaisir, Lat. placere.
Pley, s. a play, sport, diversion, E
10, II, 1030. A.S.plega, sport.
Pleye, v. to amuse oneself, B 3524,

3666, 3996 ; pres. part. Pleying,

278

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

amusing herself, F 410. A. S. pleg-
an.

Pleyn, adv. plainly, B 3947, E 19 ;
openly, E 637. See Plasm.

Pleyne, pr. pi. subj. I p. we may
complain, £97. F. plaindre, Lat.
plangere.

Plowman, s. ploughman, E 799.

Plumage, s. plumage, F 426. F.
plumage, Lat. plutna, a feather.

Plye, v. to bend, E 1169. Y.plier,
Lat. plicare.

Plyghte, pt. s. plucked, pulled,
B 15. Cf. A.S. plucdan, pt. t.
pluccode ; though this hardly ac-
counts for the present form. We
may note, however, similar forms
in Chaucer elsewhere, viz. shryghte
(shrieked), Kn. Ta. 1959; twygh'.e
(twitched), Tro. and Cres. iv.
"85 ; pryghte, F 418.

Poetrye, s. poetry, E 33 ; pi. Poe-
tryes, poems, F 206.

Point, s. point ; fro point to point
= from beginning to end, B 3652 ;
point for point, exactly, in every
detail, E 577. F. point, Lat.
puncttim.

Point-deuys, s. point-device, F
560.

Poison, s. poison, B 3859. F. poi-
son, Lat. potionem ; lit. a potion.

Polyue, s. a pulley, F 184. F.
poulie; the Prompt. Parv. has
f'oleyn, but the rime is decisive as
to the form used here.

Pompous, adj. stately, magnificent,

B 3745-

Pope, s. the pope, E 74 T ! £*»•
Popes, 746; pi. Popes, B 2039.
A. S. papa, Lat. papa, a father.

Popet, s. poppet, puppet, doll ;
spoken ironically, and therefore
here applied to a corpulent per-
son, B 1891. Cotgrave has —
' Poiipstte, a little b.iby, puppet,
bable* [i.e. bauble]. Cf. F.
poupee, a doll ; Lat pupa, a doll.

Possessioun, s. possession, i. e.

large property, great possessions.

wealth, F 686.
Potage, 5. pottage, broth, B 3623.

F. potage, from pot (Welsh pot), a

pot.
Pouerte, s. poverty, B 99, E 816.

O. F. povrete, poverle, Lat. pauper-

latem. Note ; the u in this word

is sounded as v.
Pound, s. pi. pounds, F 683. A. S.

fund, a pound ; a neut. sb. with

pi. pund ; cf. Icel. and Goih.pund.
Poure, adj. poor, B 116, 120; pi.

Poure, 188. The M is here a v;

povre = O.F. povre, F. pauvre ;

from Lat. pauperem.
Poure, adv. poorly, E 1043. See

above.
Pourest, adj. svperl. poorest, E

205. See Poure.
Poureliche, adj. poorly, in poverty,

£213, 1055. See Poure.
Preche, v. to preach, B 1179;

Prechen, 1177; imp. pi. Precheth,

E 1 2. F. precher, Lzt.praedicare.
Predicacioun, *. preaching, ser-
mon, B 1176.
Prees, s. press, crowd, B 3327 ;

Pies, F 189. F. presse; from

Lat. premere.
Preise, I p. s. pr. I praise, F 674.

O. F. preiser, to praise ; preis,

price, Lat. pretium.
Prescience, *. foreknowledge, E

659. From Lat. praescire.
Presence, s. presence ; in presence

= in company, in a large assem-
bly, E 1207.
Prest, s. priest, B 1166, 4000. O. F.

prestre, F. pretre ; Lat. presbyter.
Presumpcioun, s. presumption,

pride, B 3745.
Preue, s. proof, E 787. F.preuve,

from Lat. probare.
Preue, v. to test ; E 699 ; pr. s.

snbj. may test ; he preue = that he

test or try, 1152 ; pr. s. Preueth,

proves, 1000 ; tries, tests, 1155 ;

shews, 2425 ; pp. Preued, ap-

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

279

proved, 38 ; exemplified, 856 ;
shewn, F 481. See above.

Freyede, pt. s. prayed, besought, F
311 ; Preyde, B 3729, E 548,
765 ;pp. Preyed, 7 73. O.V.preier,
F. prier ; Lat. precari.

Preyere, s. prayer, B 1669, £141.
F. priere.

Preys, s. praise, B 3837. O. F.
preis, Lat. pretium. See Preise.

Priketh, pr. s. spurs, rides, B 1944 ;
pt. s. Priked, 1964; Pryghte, F
418 ; 2 p. s. fubj. Prike, B 2001 ;
Prikke, prick, goad, torture, E
1038. A. S. priccian, to prick,
goad. See Pryghte.

Prickinge, s. spurring, hard riding,
B 1965.

Prikke, s. prick, point, critical
condition, B 119. A. S. prica, a
prick, point.

Principles, s. pi. principles, deep
feelings, natural disposition, F 48 7.

Prioresse, s. prioress, B 1637.

Priuee, adj. secret, privy, closely
attendant, E 192, 519; secret, B
1991. F. prive, Lat. privates.

Priuee, adv. privately, secretly, F
531; Priuely.B 21, 3889.

Priuitee, privity, secrecy, E 249.

Proces, s. narrative, history, occur-
rence of events, B 3511 ; proces
holde = keep close to my story, F
658. F. proces, a suit at law,
Lat. processtts.

Profred, pp. offered, E 152. O. F.
profrir, porofrir ; from O. F. por-
(Lat. pro) and o/rir, to offer.

Proheme, *. a proem, prologue, E
43. F. proeme (Cotgrave), Gk.
irpootfuov, a prelude ; from irpo,
before, and o?//o?, a way, also, a
strain of song.

Prolixitee, s. prolixity, tediousness,
F 405. From Lat. prolixus.

Prologe, s. prologue, rubric to B
99. Gk. irpo\oyos.

Proporcioned, pp. made in pro-
portion, F 192.

Propre, adj. own, peculiar, B 3518 ;
of propre kynde = by their own
natural bent, F 610, 619. F.
propre, Lat. proprius.

Prose, s. prose, B 96. Lat. prosa.

Prospectyues, s. pi. perspective-
glasses, lenses, F 234. No doubt
Chaucer here makes the usual dis-
tinction between reflecting mirrors
and refracting lenses. Milton (Va-
cation Exerc. 1. 71) seems to apply
the word to a combination of
lenses, or telescope. See Trench,
Select Glossary, s. T. Perspective.

Prouerbe, s. a proverb, B 3436 ;
pi. Prouerbes, proverbial sayings,
saws, 2146. Lat. prouerbium.

Proueth, pr. s. proves, F 455. See
Preue.

Prouost, s. provost, chief magis-
trate, B 1806. A.S. prdfosl, from
Lat. praepositus ; F. privot.

Prydeles, adj. void of pride, E
930. A. S. pryta, pride.

Pryghte, pt. s. pricked, F 418.
A. S. priccian, pt. t. priccode,
whence pryghte is contracted.

Pryme, s. prime, i. e. nine o'clock,
F 73 ; fully pryme, the end of the
period of prime, i. e. nine o'clock,
B 2015; pryme large, just past
nine o'clock, F 360. Lat. prima.

Prymer, s. primer, elementary
reading-book, B 1707. Lat. prim-
arium.

Prys, s. price, value, estimation, B
2087 ; praise, E 641 ; Pryse, E
1026. O. F. pris, preis, Lat. pre-
tium. Thus price and prize are
the same word as praise.

Pryuely, adv. secretly, £641.

Publisshed, pp. published, spread
abroad, E 415, 749.

Purpos, s. purpose ; it cam him to
purpos = he purposed, F 606. F.
propos, Lat. propositnm. We find
the verb spelt proposer and pur-
poser in Old French.

Purposed, pp. purposed, E 1067.

280

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

Purs, s. purse, F 148. A. S. purs,

Gk. &\jpaa, a skin.
Purveye, v. to purvey, provide, E

191. F. pourvoir, Lat. prouidere.

Thus purvey is a doublet of pro-

vide.
Putte, pt. s. put, B 1630, 3742 ;

2 p. Puttest, didst put, 3875 ; pp.

Put, E 471. Cf. Welsh pwtio, to

push, poke; Gael, put, to push.

The E. E. form pulte, with the

sense of put, is Mod. E. pelt.
Pyes, s. pi. pies, magpies, F 649.

F. pie, Lai. pica.
Pyne, s. pain, suffering, the passion,

B 2126; woe, torment, 3420, F

448. A. S. pin, from Lat. poena.
Pype, s. pipe, a musical instrument,

B 2005. A.S. pip, Icel. pipa,

G.

Q

Quad, a<#. bad, B 1628. Du.
Itvaad, bad, evil ; O. Du. quad.
'Een qitade boom brenght voort
qttade vruchten,' a corrupt tree
brlngeth forth evil fruit ; Matt.
vii. 1 7, in Dutch New Test. A. D.
1700.

Quaille, s. quail, E 1 206. O. F.
quaille, F. caille, Low Lat.
qnaqttila, of Teutonic origin ; cf.
Du. kwakkel, a quail, lewdken, to
croak, to quack. The name is
from the sound made.

Quaking, pres. part, quaking, E
3*7. 358; pp. Quaked, B 3831 ;
pt. s. Quook, quaked, shook,
3394. A. S. cwacian, to quake.

Quene, s. queen, B 1671. A.S.
cwen, Icel. kvdn, Goth. Inverts,
Gk. yvvfi, a woman. Quean and
queen are doublets.

Querne, s. (dot.) a handmill, B
3264. A.S. cweorn, cwyrn, Icel.
levern, Goth, kwairnus. In the
Mceso-Gothic version of St. Mark
ix. 42, the word ' mill-stone ' is
rendered by asila-kwairnus, i. e. a

quern turned by an ass, a quern of
large size. In Iceland Iwern is a
handmill, which used to be turned
by bondwomen, who sang as they
sat at work.

Queynte, adj. def. quaint, curious,
F 369 ; dot. 239 ; pi. Queinte,
B 1189; Queynte, curiously con-
trived, F 234. O. F. cointe, in-
structed, Lat. cognitus; but it has
probably been influenced in its
meanings by the Lat. comptus,
trimmed.

Quod, pt. s. quoth) said, B 16, 28,
II 66, &c. A.S. cweftan, to say,
speak ; pt. t. ic cwce^S ; pi. we
cwadon ; Icel. kvefta, Goili.kwith-
an, to speak.

Quook, pt. s. quaked, shook, B
3394. See Quaking.

Quyrboilly, s. boiled leather, B
2065. F. cuirbouilli; see note.

Quyte, v. to acquit, free ; hir cost
for to quyte = to pay for her ex-
penses, B 3564. O. F. gutter, F.
quitter; Lat. quietare ; from quiet,
rest.

B.

Baffce, pt. s. reft (from the vb.
reue, to reave), B 3288, 3291.
A. S. reafian, pt. t. ic redfode ;
Icel. raufa, G. rauben ; cf. E. rob.

Baked, pp. raked, B 3323. Lite-
rally, the sentence is — ' Amongst
hot coals he hath raked himself; '
the sense is, of course, ' he hath
raked hot coals around himself.'
A. S. racian, to rake together,
Icel. rdka ; cf. ' Rakyn, rastro,'
Prompt. Parv.

Bam, s. the ram, the sign Aries, F
386.

Bampeth, pr. s. (lit. ramps, romps,
rears, but here) rages, acts with
violence, B 3094. We should
now say — ' she flies in my face.'
The following quotation, in which
rampe means an ill-conditioned

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

28l

woman, a romp, 5s much to the
purpose. ' A woman ought not
to striue with her husbonde, nor
yeae him no displesaunce, ... as
dede onis a woman that dede an-
suere her husbonde afore straun-
gers like a rampe, with gret
uelonis [felon's] wordes, dis-
praising hym and setting hym atte
not [at naught]' — The Knight of
la Tour-Landry, ed. Wright, p. 25.

Rancour, s. rancour, malice, E
432, 747. O. F. rancor, Lat.
rancor, rancidity ; from rancere,
to be rancid.

Rasour, s. razor, B 3246. F.
rasoir, Low Lat. rasorium, from
Lat. radtre, to scrape.

Bather, adj. comp. sooner, E
1169. A. S. hrafte, soon ; comp.
kra'Sor.

Raughte, pi. s. reached, B 1921.
A. S. racan, pt. t. ic rcehte; G.
reichen.

Rauysedest, 2 p. s. pt. didst ra-
vish, didst draw (down), B 1659 ;
pp. Rauisshed, ravished, overjoyed,
F 547. F. ravir, Ital. rapire,
Lat. rapere, to snatch away.

Reaume, s. realm, country, B
3305. F. royanme, Low Lat.
regalimen, from regalis; from
Lat. rex, a king.

Rebel, s. a rebel; or adj. rebel-
lious, B 3415. F. rebelle ; Lat.
rebellis, one that renews war ;
from re, again, and bellum, war.

Recche, I p. s. pr. I reck, care, B
94 » P1"- pl- reck, care ; recche of
it = care for it, F 71. See Rek.

Recchelees, adj. reckless, careless,
indifferent, E 488. A. S. receleds.

Receyuen, v. to receive, E 1151.
F. recevoir, Lat. recipere.

Recovered, pp. recovered, regain-
ed, B 27. F. recouvrer, Lat. recii-
perare.

Recours, s. recourse ; I wol have
my recours = 1 will return, F 75.

F. recours, Lat. recnrsns ; from
cnrstis, a course.

Rede, adj. def. red, F 415. A. S.
redd, Icel. rauftr, G. roth, Gk.
tpvOpus. See Reed.

Rede, v, to read, B 1690, F 211 ;
I p. s. pr. Rede, I advise, E 811,
1 205 ; imp. pi. Redeth, read, B
3650. A. S. raedan, G. ralhen.

Redresse, v. to set right, E 431.
See Dresse.

Redy, adj. ready, E 299, F 114;
dressed, 387. A. S. raede, ready ;
cf. Swed. redig, evident, orderly.

Reed, adj. red, B 2059, 3734, E
317. See Rede.

Reed, s. counsel, B 3739, E 653.
A. S. r&d, G. rath.

Reflexions, s. pi. reflexions by
means of mirrors, F 230.

Refuseden, pt. pi. refused, E 128.
Due to Lat. refntare. Refuse and
refute are (nearly) doublets.

Regne, *. kingdom, dominion,
reign, B 3401, 3404, 3432, F
1355 tl- Regnes, B 129, 3518;
governments, 3954. F. regne,
Lat. regntim.

Regned, pt. s. reigned, B 3845.

Reherse, v. to rehearse, relate, re-
count, B 89, E 1 221 ; Reher-
cen, F 298 ; pres. part. pi. Re-
hersinge, relating, F 206. O. F.
rehercer, to repeat (Roquefort) ;
lit. to harrow over again, as one
does a field ; from O. F. herce, a
harrow, F. herse ; Lat. herpicem, a
harrow, used by Varro (Brachet).

Reioysed, pt. s. i p. reflex. I re-
joiced, £145.

Rek, imp. s. reck, care, B 4004,
i p. s. pr. Rekke, I care, E 1090.
See Recche.

Rekne, v. to reckon, account, B
no; Rekenen, reckon, count, E
2433. A. S. recnan, G. rechnen.

Relesse, I p. s. pr. I release, E
153; pt. s. Relessed, forgave, B
3367. O. F. relaitser, Lat. relax-

282

GLOSS ARIAL INDEX.

are. Relay, release, and relax

are all the same word.
Remedie, s. remedy, B 3974. Lat.

remedium.
Hemenant, s. remnant, rest, E 869.

From Lat. manere, to remain.
Remewed, pp. removed, F 181.

From Lat. mouere, to move.
Reneye, v. to deny, renounce, B

3751. From Lat. negare, to deny.
Kenneth, pr. s. runs, F 479 ; renn-

eth for = runs in favour of, B

125; see the note; pp. Ronne,

B 2. A. S. rennan, yrnan, to

run, G. rennen, Icel. retina.
Rente, s. rent, i. e. revenue, B

3401, 3572. F. rente, from F.

rendre, Lat. reddere.
Repaire, v. to repair, return, F

589 ; pr. s. Repaireth, returns,

339 ; g°es. B 3885 : pres. fart.

Repeiring, returning, F 608.

O. F. repairer, repairier, from

Low Lat. repatriare, to return to

one's native country (Lzt.patria').
Rsporten, v. report, tell, F 72.

F. reporter, Lat. reportare.
Reson, s. reason, E 25 ; Resoun,

63408. F. raison, Lzt.ra.'ionem.
Resouned, pi. s. resounded, F 413.

From Lat. resonart.
Reste, v. to rest, F 606 ; 2 p.pl.pr.

snbj. may rest, 126. A. S. restart.
Reste, s. rest, F 355.
Retsnue, s. retinue, suite, E 270.

F. relenue ; from Lat. retinere.
Rethor, s. orator, F 38. Lat

rhetor, Gk. fr/Toip.
Rethoryke, s. rhetoric, £32.
Retourneth, imp. pi. return, E

809. F. retovrner ; from Lat.

tornare, to turn.
Reuel, s. revelry, E 392, 1123, F

278, 339. O.F. revel, rebellion;

also tumult, joyous noise ; from

O. F. reveler, Lat. rebellare, to

rebel. Not from Dutch, as Mr.

Wedgwood suggests.
Reuerence, s. reverence, respect.

honour, E 196; thy reuerence=»

the respect shewn to thee, B 116.

From Lat. reuerentia.
Reule, v. to rule ; reule hir = guide

her conduct, £327. A.S. regol, a

rule; borrowed from Lat. regtila.
Rewelboon, s. a kind of ivory,

obtained from the sperm-whale,

narwhal, or walrus, B 2 068.
Rewen, v. to rue, have pity, E

1050 ; pr. s. impers. me Reweth,

I rue, I am sorry, 2432. A. S.

hreow, grief; hredwian, to be

grieved.
Rewthe, s. ruth, pity, E 579, 893,

F 438; a pitiful sight, 'lit. ruth,

£562.
Reyn, s. rain, 1864, 3363, 3921.

A. S. regen, G. regen, Goth, rign ;

cf. Lat. rigare.
Reyne, s. rein, F 313. O. F. re^ue,

F. rene, Ital. redina ; prob. from

Lat. retinere, to hold back.
Riche, adj. pi. rich, B 122. A.S.

rice, Goth, reiks, O. H. G. riche.

The Norman pronunciation of

A. S. rice produced riche, which

nearly agreed with the French

pronunciation of O. H. G. riche.
Richely, adv. richly, F 90.
Richesse, s. riches, B 107, 3432,

3750. F. richesse, a sing, noun ;

from F. riche. See Riche.
Riden, pp. ridden, B 1990. See

Ryden.
Ring, s. ring, F 83, 143, 247 ; pi.

Ringes, E 255. A. S. hring, Lat.

circus.
Rise, pt. pi. rose, B 1869. See

Ryse.
Riuer, s. river ; ryde for riuer =

ride towards the river, B 1927.

F. riviere, Low Lat. riparia, a

river ; from Lat. ripa, a bank.
Roche, s. rock, F 500. F. roche;

from Late Lat. rocca.
Rode, s. complexion, B 1917-

A. S. rndu, redness, from rud,redd,
led.

GLOSS 'A RIAL INDEX.

283

Body, adj. ruddy, F 385, 394. See

above.
Boial, adj. royal, F 59 ; pi.

Roiales, B 2038. F. roial, Lat.

regal is.
Boially, adv. royally, E 955 ; with

pomp, F 1 74.

Boialtee, s. royalty, £928.
Bomances, s. pi. romances, B

2038,2087. F. romance, roman,

lit. Roman, a term applied to the

vulgar tongue of Italy and some

of its dependencies.
Bombel.s. rumour, £997. Cf. Du.

rommeln, to rumble, to buzz.
Bombled, pt. s. made a murmuring

noise, rumbled, buzzed, muttered,

B 3725- The infin. romblen =

to rumble like thunder, occurs in

the Legend of Good Women, 1.

1216. See Bomb el.
Borne, pr. pi. i p. we roam, E 118.
Bonne, pp. run, B 2. See Ch.

Prol. 1. 8. See Benneth.
Bood, pt. s. rode, E 234 ; pp.

Riden, B 1990. See Byden.
Boos,//, s. rose, B 3717, 3863;

Ros, F 267 ; pi. Rise, rose, B

1869. See Byse.
Bote, s. root, source, B 1655 ; dot.

Rote, F 153 ; Roote, root, i. e.

foot, E 58. Icel. rdt; cf. Lat.

radix.
Bote, s. rote ; by rote, by heart, B

1712. Conjectured to be from

the O. F. rote, a way, spelt route

in modern French ; a derivative

of route is routine, O. F. ratine,

and Cotgrave gives — ' Par ratine,

by rote.'
Boughte, pt. s. impers. it recked ;

him roughte = he recked, £685.

A. S. recan, to reck ; pt. t. ie

rdhte. See Becche.
Bounde, adv. roundly, i. e. easily,

with an easy motion, B 2076.

O. F. roond, round, F. rand, Lat.

rotiindus.
Boune, v. to whisper, B 2025;

pt. s. Rowned, whispered, F 216.
A. S. rilnian, to whisper, speak
mysteriously ; from rUn, a rune,
a magical character, a mystery.
See a note on runes in Earle's
Philology of the Eng. Tongue.

Boute, s. company, B 16, 1634,
E 303, 382. F. route, from Lat.
rupta, which from rumpere, to
break ; cf. G. rolte.

Buby, s. ruby, B 1800 ; pi. Rubies,
3658. Lat. rubeus, red; ruber,
red.

Bude, adj. common, rough, poor,
£916. Lat. rudis.

Budely, adv. rudely, E 380.

Budenesse, s. rusticity, E 397.

Byden, pr. pi. ride, E 784 ; pt. s.
Rood, 234; pp. Riden, B 1990.
A. S. rtdan, Icel. rifta, G. reiten;
pt. t. ie rdd; pp. riden.

Byghte, s. dot. right ; by ryghte =
by rights, B 44.

Byght, adv. precisely, just, exactly,
F 193, 492. A.S. rih'e, adv.;
riht, adj. ; cf. Icel. rettr, G. reckt,
Lat. reetus.

Bym, s. rime, rhyme, B 2115,
21 18; a tale in verse, 1899; /'•
Ryrnes, verses, B 96. The spell-
ing with h is later than A.D. 1550.
With the old spelling rime or
ryme cf. A. S. rim, Icel. rlma, G.
reim, Du. rijm, Swed. rim, Dan.
riim, F. rime, Ital. rima, Span.
rima, Port. rima. The introduc-
tion of the h, being due to confu-
sion with rhythm, is of later date
than the introduction of a know-
ledge of Greek, temp. Edward VI.

Byrne, v. to rime or rhyme, to
make rimes, to tell a tale in verse,
B 2122. A. S. riman, F. rimer.

Byming, s. the art of riming, B
48. See Bym.

Bype, adj. ripe, mature, E 220;
/>/. Rype, seasonable, 438. A. S.
ripe, mature; rip, a reaping,
harvest, rlpan, to reap.

284

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Kyse, v. to arise, get up, F 375 ;

pr. pi. Rysen, rise, 383 ; pi. s.

Roos, B 3717, 3863; Ros, F

267 ; pi. Rise, rose, B 1869.

A. S. rtsan, pt. t. ic rds, pi. we

rison, pp. risen ; Icel. risa.
Ryue, i/. to rive, tear, E 1236.

Icel. rifa, Dan. rive, to tear,

rend.

8.

Sad, adj. sedate, fixe-i, constant,

unmoved, settled, E 693, 754;

sober, E 220, 237; pi. Sadde,

discreet, grave, 1002. A. S. saed,

originally ' sated.'
Sadly, adv. firmly, tightly; E

noo.
Sadnesse, s. soberness, constancy,

patience, £452.
Saffroun, s. saffron ; like saffroun

= of a bright yellowish colour, B

1920. F. safran ; from Arab.

za'fardn.
Salte, adj. pi. salt, E 1084. A. S.

sealt, Icel. salt, Lat. sal, salt.
Salue, v. to salute, greet, B 1723 ;

pr. s. Salueth, salutes, F 91, 112,

F. saltier, Lat. salutare.
Salues, s.pl. salves, F 639. A. S.

sealf, G. salbe. (Here u =v).
Saphires, s. pi. sapphires, B 3658.

F. sapkir, Lat. saphirt/s.
Sapience, s. Wisdom, i. e. the book

so called, B 1662. Lat. sapientia.
Saue, prep, save, except, B 3214,

3628 ; E 76, 508. F. sauf; Lat.

saluus.
Saue, v. to save, keep, E 683 ; imp.

s. 3 p. may he save, E 505, 1064 ;

pp. Saued, saved, kept inviolate,

F 531. F. sauver, O. F. saver,

Lat. saluare.

Saufly, adv. safely, certainly, E 870.
Sailing, prep, except, B 3200.
Sauour, s. savour, pleasantness, F

404. F. saveur, Lat. saporem.
Sayde, pt. s. said, B 1635, &c.

See Seye.

Sayle, v. to sail, B 1626. A. h.
seglian, Icel. sigh.

Scarlet, adj. scarlet, B 1917. Of
Persian origin.

Scarsly, adv. scarcely, B 3602.
O. F. escars, scarce, small ; Low
Lat. excarpsim, for excerptus;
from excerpere, to select.

Scathe, s. scathe, harm, pity, E
1172. A. S. sceaftian, to injure.

Science, s. learning, learned writing,
B 1666.

Sclaundre, s. slander, i. e. ill fame,
E 722. F. esclandre, O. F. es-
candle, Lat. scandalum, a scandal.
Scandal and slander are doublets.

Scole, s. school, B 1685, 1694.
A. S. sc6lii, from Lat. schola ;
Gk. <TX<>\T), leisure, time for study.

ScoleTvard ; to scoleward = toward
school, B 1 739. Cf. Bnrdenx-
wnrd in the Prologue, 1. 397 ;
Thebesward, Kn. Tale, 1. 109.

Scourges, s. pi. scourges, whips,
plagues, £1157. O. F. escorgi',
a scourge, thong ; answering to a
Lat. form excoriata, from corium,
leather.

Se, v . to see, look, F 366 ; Sen,
•203 ; Seen, B 62 ; gerund, F
623 ; i p. s. pr. Se, I see, B 1 168 ;
pt. s. Sey, saw, B i, 7; I p. F
460; pp. Seyn, B 1863. A. S.
se6n, pt. t. ic sedh, pp. gesegen ,
G. sehen, Goth, saikwan.

Secrely, adv. secretly, E 763.
From Lat. secernere, to put sepa-
rate.

Secree, s. a secret, B 3211.

Secte, s. suite, company, E 1171;
religion, faith, (lit. following), F
17. Low Lat. secta, a following,
applied to a following of people
or suite; also to a suit at law or
a suit of clothes ; from Lat. seqni,
to follow, not from secare, to
cut.

See, s. sea, B 68, 127. A. S. see,
G. see, Du. zee.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

28-

See, s. seat, sc. of empire, B 3339.
O. F. se, sied, Lat. sedem.

Seek, v. to search through, B 60.
See Seke.

Seel, s. seal, F 131. O. F. seel,
Lat. sigillum.

Seen. See Se.

Sseth, pt. s. sod, seethed, boiled, E
227. A. S. setfian, to seethe ; pt.
t. ic sea'^, pp. soden ; Icel. sju^a,
pt. t. sau^, pp. softinn.

Sege, s. siege, B 3569, F 306. F.
siege, Low Lat. sedium, Lat. se-
dem, a seat.

Seint, s. saint, B 1631 ; gen. pi.
Seintes, B 61. F. saint, Lat.
sanctus.

Seist, 2 p. s. pr. sayest, B 109 ;
seistow = sayest thou, no. See
Seye.

Seke, v. to seek, B 1633 > 3 P- P^-
pr. Seken, ye seek, search through,
127. A. S. secan, Icel. sokja.

Selde, adj. pi. seldom, few ; selde
tyme = few times, E 146; adv.
seldom, 427. A. S. seld, seldan,
seldom.

Selue, adj. self, very; thy selue
neighebor, thy very neighbour,
B 115. A.S. self, sylf; cf. G.
selbst.

Sely, adj. simple, good, innocent,
B 1702, E 948. A. S. salig,
happy, G. selig; hence E. silly,
which is much altered in mean-
ing.

Semblant, s. outward show, sem-
blance, appearance, E 928, F5i6.
F. semblant; from sembler, Lat.
simulare.

Seme, v. to seem, appear, E 132,
F 102 j pt. s. itnpers. Semed, it
seemed, E 396; him semed=it
appeared to them, they supposed,
F 56 ; the peple semed = it seemed
to the people, the people supposed,
F 201. A. S. seman.
Semely, adj. seemly, comely, B
1919.

Seminge, s. appearance; to my
seminge = as it appears to me, B
1838.

Sen. See Se.

Sene, adj. apparent, F 645. A. S.
gesyne, visible, Icel. synn, evident.
It is used as a veritable adjective,
with a final e ; as is proved by 1.
2173 of the Ormulum.

Sent, pr. s. sendeth, sends, E 1 15 1 ;
pt. s. Sente, sent, B 3927. A. S.
sendan ; 3 p. s. pr. he sent or he
sendeft ; pt. t. ic stride.

Sentence, s. opinion, B 113, 3992 ;
meaning, subject, result, B 1753,
2136. F. sentence, Lat. sentenlia.

Septemtrioun, s. north, B 3657
From Lat. septem triones, the
seven stars of Ursa Major com-
monly known as Charles's wain.

Sergeant, s. sergeant, officer, E
519. F.sergent, Lat. seruientem.
Thus sergeant and servant are
very nearly doublets.

Sermouns, s. pi. writings, B 87.
From Lat. sermonem.

Seruage, s. service, E 147 ; servi-
tude, 482. F. servage, from serf,
Lat. seruus.

Serue, v. to serve, B 4004 ; I p. s.
pt. Seruede, served, E 640 ; pt. s.
Serued, preserved, kept hid, F 521.
F. server, Lat. seruare.

Seruisable, adj. serviceable, use-
ful, £979.

Seruitute, s. servitude, E 798.
O. F. servitttt, Lat. seruitutem.

Seruyse, 5. service, serving, E 603,
958, F 66, 280, 628. F. service,
Lat. seruitium.

Seson, s. season, F 54, 389. O. F.
seson, F. saison, Lat. sationem,
a sowing-time.

Sette, v. to set, E 975 ; pi. s. Sette,
set, placed, B 3932 ; cast, E 233 ;
put, 382 ; pp. Set, appointed, 774.
A. S. settan, pt. t. ic setle, pp.
geset.

Bete, s. seat, B 3715. Icel. steli, in

286

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

A. S. we find the dimin. sell, a

settle, a stool.
Seten, pt. pi. sat, B 3734, F 92.

A. S. sittan, pt. t. ic scet, pi. we

sceton.

Seuretee, s. assurance, sure pro-
mise, trustworthiness, F 528.

O. F. seurte, Lat. securitatem.
Sewes, s. pi. lit. juices, gravies;

prob. used here for seasoned dishes,

delicacies, F 67. A. S. seaw,

juice, moisture. The Prompt.

Parv. has " Sew, cepulatum ; "

cepulatitm means broth seasoned

with onions.
Sexteyn, s. sacristan, B 3126.

Sexton is a contracted form of

sacristan.
Sey, imp. s. say, tell, B 3995, F 2.

See Seye.
Sey, pt. s. saw, B i, 7, 1695; E

1044; i p. F 460. See Se.
Seyde, pt. s. said, B 1 1 79 ; pt. pi.

Seyden, F 207, 253 ; pp. Seyd, B

49, 51, 52. See Seye.
Seye, v. to say, F 4, 332 ; Seyn,

532 ; I p. s. pr. Seye, I say, 107;

imp. s. Sey, B 3995, F 2 ; 2 p. s.

pr. Seist, sayest, B 109 ; Seistow

= sayest thou, no; pt. s. Seyde,

said, B 1179; pi. Seyden, F 207,

253: pp. Seyd, B 49, 51, 52.

A. S. secgan, pt. t. ic segde, pp.

gesaed; Icel. segja, G. fagen.
Seyn, pp. seen, B 1863, E 280.

See Se.
Seyn, v. to say, B 42, 46 ; pr. pi.

say, F 609. See Seye.
Seyne, gerund, infin. to say, F

314. A. S. to secganne, gerund

of secgan.
Seyst, 2 p. 5. pr. sayest, B 106.

See Seist.
Shadde, pt. s. shed, poured, B 3921.

See Shedde.
Shadwe, s. shadow, B 7, 10. A. S.

sceadu, Goth, skadus.
Shake, v. to shake, E 978. A. S.

scacan, Icel. sltaka.

Shal, i p. s. pr. I shall (do so), F

688 ; pr. s. Shal, must, is to, 603.

i p. pi. Shul, we must, E 38.

A. S. ic sceal.

Shaltow,/or shall thou, E 560.
Shameth, pr. s. impers. ; thee

shameth=it shameth thee, thou

art ashamed, B 101. A. S. sceam-

ian, to be ashamed ; commonly

used impersonally.
Snap, s. shape, F 427. A.S. ge-

sceap, Icel. skap.
Shape,//, shaped, B 1890; created,

B 3099 ; Shapen, planned, E 275 ;

pr.pl. Shapen hem = dispose them-
selves, intend, F 214. A.S. scap-

an, Icel. skapa.
Sharpe, adv. sharply, B 2073.

A. S. scearp, sharp.
Shedde, pt. s. shed, B 3447.

A. S. sceddan ; cf. Lat. scindere,

Gk. <rxl'C«"'-
Shendeth, pr. s. ruins, confounds,

B 28; pp. Shent, scolded, 1731.

A. S. scendan, G. schdnden.
Shene, adj. bright, F 53. A.S.

scene, scyne, G. schon.
Shent. See Shendeth.
Shore, v. to shear, cut, B 3257.

A.S. sceran, Icel. sJtera, G. scheren.
Shore, s. shear, a cutting instru-
ment, scissors, B 3246.
Sherte, s. a shirt, B 2049, 3312.

Icel. skyrta; cf. G. schurz, an

apron. Shirt is a doublet of

skirt.
Shethe, s. sheath, B 2066. Icel.

skeifiir, G. scheide.
Shette, pt.pl. shut, B 3615, 3722.

A. S. scyttan, to lock up, pt. t. ic

scytlode.
Shilde, imp. s. 3 p. may he shield,

may he defend, B 2098, E 1232.

A. S. seildan, to protect, scild, a

shield ; cf. Sansk. sku, to cover.
Shipman, s. a shipman, skipper, B

1 1 79. A. S. sciptnann, a sailor ;

cf. Du. scUpper, a captain, skipper.
Sholde, i p. s. pt. I should, B 56 ;

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

287

pt. s. ought to, B 44. E 247, 261 ;

had to, E 515, F 40; was to, B

3891; would, 3627. A.S. sceolde,

pt. t. of sceal.
Shonde, s. shame, disgrace, harm,

B 2098. A. S. sceond, shame.

See Shendeth.
Shoon, s.-pl. shoes, B 1922. A.S.

sc6, seed, a shoe ; pi. seeds, scedn,

gescy.
Shoon, pt. s. shone, B n, 2034, E

1124, F 170. A.S. sctnan, pt. t.

scan.
Shoop, pt. s. plotted, lit. shaped, B

3543 ' prepared for, E 198 ;

created, E 903 ; contrived, 946.

A.S. scapan, to shape; pt. t.

ic sc6p.
Shoures, s. pi. showers, F 1 1 8.

A. S. scur, Icel. skur.
Shredde, pt. s. shred, cut, E 227.

A. S. screadian, to cut, pt. t.

ic screadode.
Shrewe, s. a shrew, peevish woman,

E 1222, 2428. ' Schrewe, Pra-

vus ' ; Prompt. Parv.
Shryghte, pt. s. shrieked, F 417,

422, 472. Swed. slirika, stria,

to shriek, screech ; Icel. sliriJtja,

the shrieking bird, the shrike.
Shul, i p. pi. pr. shall, must, B

1900, E 38. The sing, is Shal, q.v.
Shulde, I p. s. pr. stibj. I should,

B 1638. See Sholde.
Sicer, s. strong drink, B 3245.

Lat. sicera, Gk. aiitfpa, strong

drink ; from the Hebrew.
Signifyde, pt. s. signified, B 3939.

From Lat. significare.
Sikerly, adv. certainly, assuredly,

surely, 3 3984, E 184, F 1 80.

From Lat. securus (Kluge).
Sikernesse, s. security, B 3430.
Sikly, adv. ill, with ill will, E 625.
- A. S. sedc, sick; Icel. sjukr.
Siknesse, s. sickness, E 651. A. S.

sedcnes.
Silk, s. silk, F 613. A.S. seolc,

Icel. silki, from Lat. Sericum;

which from Lat. Seres, the

Chinese.
Sillable, s. syllable, F 101. F.

syllabe, Lat. syllabum ; from the

Greek.
Similitude, s. similitude, likeness,

sympathy, F 480. From Lat.

similis, like.
Sin, conj. since, B 56, E 448, F

306, 550. Contr. from A. S.

si'Sftan, since. See Sithen.
Singing, s. a singing, song, B

J747-

Sir, s. sir, a title of respectful ad-
dress ; sir man of lawe, B 33 ;
sir parish prest, 1166; dr gentil
maister, 1627. F. sire; Lat. senior,
older.

Sis cink, i. e. six-five or eleven, a
throw with two dice, which often
proved a winning one in the game
of 'hazard,' B 125. See note.
F. six cinq. See Sys.

Sit, pr. s. itnper. it sitteth, i. c. it
suits; yuel it sit = it ill suits, it is
quite misbecoming, E 460 ; pr. s.
sits, B 3358, F 59, 77,179. A.S.
sittan, pr. s. sit. " It sytteth, it
becometh, U sied;" Palsgrave's
French Diet.

Site, s. site, situation, E 199. Lat.
sitvs.

Sith, conj. since, B 1838, 3268,
3867; Sith that, since that, 3301.
A. S. sffi, afterwards.

Sithen, adv. since, afterwards, B
58, 3913, F 536. A. S. slfttian,
since. See Sin.

Skile, s. reason; gret skile = good
reason, E 1152 ; pi. Skiles, rea-
sons, reasonings, arguments, F
205. Icel. skil, distinction, dis-
cernment; Icel. skilja, A.S. scilian,
to separate.

Sklendre, adj.pl. slender, E 1198.
O. Du. slinder, thin, slender
(Kilian).

Slake, v. to slacken, desist from,
E 705 ; to cease, 137 ; to end,

288

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

802 ; pr. s. Slaketh, assuages,

1107. A.S. slacian, to slacken.
Slawe, pp. slain, B 2016, 3426,

3596 ; Slawen, E 544 ; Slayn, B

3708, E 536. See Sleen.
Sleen, v. to slay, B 3736; gerund,

E 1076 ; 2 p. pi. pr. Sle, ye slay,

F 462 ; pr. s. Sleeth, slays, E 628 ;

imp. s. Slee, B 3089 ; I p. s. pr.

as future, Sle, I shall slay, B 2CO2 ;

pt. s. Slow, slew, B 3212; extin-
guished, 3922 ; pp. Slawe, slain,

2016; Slayn, 3708; Slawen, E

544. A. S. sledn, pt. t. sl6h, pp.

slagen ; Icel. sld, G. schlagen, to

strike.
Sleighte, s. contrivance, E no2j

pi. Sleightes, tricks, 2421. Icel.

slcegft, slyness ; slcegr, slogr, sly.
Slen, v. to slay, B 3531. See

Sleen.
Slepe, s. sleep, F 347. A. S. sleep;

the MSS. have slepe, riming with

Itepe ; the readings sleep, keep,

would be better. See p. Ixvi.
Slepen, v. to sleep, B 2100; pr.

pi. Slepen, sleep, F 360 ; pt. s.

Slepte, slept, E 224, F 367. A. S.

slapatt, G. schlafen.
Sleyn, pp. slain, B 1874, 3586,

3929. See Sleen.
Slough, s. slough, mire, B 3988.

A. S. sl6g, a slough, a hollow

place.
Slow, //. s. slew, B 3212, 3293,

3297'357!; extinguished, 3922.

See Sleen.
Slyde, v. to slide, pass, E 82.

A. S. slidan.
Slye, adj. def. sly, crafty, skilful, F

672 ; pi. Slye, artfully contrived,

230. Icel. sl<egr, slogr, sly ; cf.

G. slauheit, slyness.
Smal, adj. little, B 1726; adv. but

smal = but little, F 71; adj. pi.

Smale, E 380, 382. A. S. smal.
Smelle, I />. s. pr. I smell, B 1173.
Smerte, adv. smartly, sorely, E 629.
Smerte, v. to smart, to feel grieved,

E 353 ; pi. s. subj. impers. Smerte,

grieved, F 564. Observe that the

pt. t. is smerle like the present ; see

Gloss, to Prologue, ed. Morris.

Du. smarten, to give pain.
Smerte, s. smart, dolour, F 480.

See Cant. Ta. 3813. Du. smart,

G. schmerz.
Smit, pr. s. smites, E 12 3. See

Smyte.
Smok, s. smock, E 890. Icel.

smokier. ' Smok, schyrt, Cami-

sia' ; Prompt. Parv.
Smokies, adj. without a smock, E

875-
Smyte, 2 p. pi. pr. ye smite, F 157;

pt.s. Smoot, smote, B 3762, 3881.

A. S. smltan, pt. t. smdl ; G.

sckmeisseti.
Snare, s. snare, trap, E 1227.

Icel. snara, a snare of string, a

noose ; Du. snaar, a string, G.

schnur.
Snibbed, pp. snubbed, reproved, F

688. Cf. Du. snibbig, snappish.

'Snybbyn or vndurtakyn, Repre-

hendo, deprehendo ' ; Prompt.

Parv.
Snow, s. snow, i. e. argent in

heraldry, white, B 3573. A.S.

stuiiv.
Snow-whyt, adj. snow-white, E

388.
Sobre, adj. sober, sedate, B 97. F.

sobre, Lat. iobrius.
Socour, s. succour, B 3730. F.

secour, O. F. socors ; from Lat.

succitrrere.
Sodeyn, adj. sudden, B 3963, E

316. F. sondain, Lat. tubitaneus.
Sodeynly, adv. suddenly, B 15,

3380, F 80, 89.
Softe, adv. softly, E 583. A.S.

s6ft, G. san//, .soft, mild.
Softely, adv. softly, F 636.
Solas, s. rest, relief, B 1972; diver-
sion, 1904; comfort, solace, plea-
sure, 3964. O. F. solaz, Lat.

solatium.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

289

Solempne, adj. grand, festive, mag-
nificent, E 1125; superb, F 61 ;
illustrious, Fill. O. F. solempne,
celebre, de grande reputation,
illustre (Roquefort) ; Lat. solennis.

Solempnely, adv. with state, with
pomp, F 179.

Som, indef. pron. some, B 1182,
1667; pi. Somme, 2139, E 76.
A. S. som, sum, some.

Somdel, adv. partially, lit. some
deal, E 1012.

Someres, gen. sing, summer's, F
64, 142. A. S. siimer, Icel. sumar.

Somtyme, adv. at some time, some
day, at a future time, B 1 10.

Sondry, adj. sundry, diverse, va-
rious, B 2131, 3418, 3497, E
271. A. S. syndrig, separate;
synder, sunder, different.

Sone, adv. soon, B 1702. A. S.
sdna.

Sone, s. son, F 688 ; pi. Sones, 29.
A. S. suntt, Icel. sonr, G. sohn.

Sone-in-lawe,s. son-in-law, E 315.

Sonest, adv. svperl. soonest, B
3716. See Sone, adv.

Song, pt. s. sang, B 1736, 1831 ;
pt. pi. Songen, F 55 ; pp. Songe,
B 1851. A. S. singan, pt. t. ie
sang ; pi. vie sungon.

Sonne, s. the sun, F 48, 53; gen.
Sonrie, sun's, B 3944. A. S.
stmne, Icel. sunna, Goth, sunno,
G. sonne, all fern. ; but Goth.
sunna is masc. ; the gen. of stmne
is sunnan.

Sooth, s. truth, B 3970, E 1230,
F 166; dot. Sothe, B 1939, E
2424. A. S. sdi5, true, Gk. «T€<5s;
so'S, truth. Cf. Skt. sant, being,
pres. part, of as, to be ; used as an
adj. in the sense of ' right.' The
A. S. so'5 has lost an n, and stands
for sonS or satriS.

Sooth, adj. true, B 2136, 3436, F
21 ; as adv. truly, F 536.

Soothfastnesse, s. truth, E 796,
934. A. S. softftEstnes, veracity.

VOL. II.

Soothly, adv. verily, E 689. A. S.
stfSlice, verily.

Soper, s. supper, E 290. F. soitfer,
O. F. soper, to take supper, to
sup; O. F. sope, F. soupe, of Teu-
tonic origin ; cf. Icel. supa, A. S.
suppan, to sup.

Sophyme, s. a sophism, trick of
logic, E 5 ; pi. Sophimes, subtle-
ties, deceits, F 554. Lat. sophis-
ma, through the French; Gk.
aotyifffM, a device.

Sore, v. to soar, mount aloft, F
123. F. essorer, to soar, Low
Lat. exaurare; from Lat. aura,
the air.

Sore, s. sore, misery, E 1243. A.S.
s/tr, Icel. sdr, a wound.

Sore, adv. sorely; bar so sore =
bore so ill, E 85. A. S. sore,
sorely.

Sorwe, s. sorrow, grief, sympathy,
compassion, F 422. A.S. sorh,
gen. sorge; Icel. sorg, Goth.
saurga, G. sorge.

Sorwefully, adv. sorrowfully, F

585-
8ory,adj. sad, unfortunate, B 1949.

A. S. sdrig, sore, wounded, sad ;

from sa'r, a sore, not from sorh,

sorrow.
Sote, adj. sweet, F 389. Icel. stetr,

Goth, suts, G. siiss, Gk. ijSvs ;

cf. A. S. swete, swet, sweet, Lat.

stta(cT)uis,

Sothe. See Sooth.
Soure, adv. sourly, bitterly, B

2012. A. S. stfr, sour, Icel. siirr.
Souereyn, adj. sovereign, chief, B

3339' E 112. F souverain, O.F.

soverain, Low Lat. superanus, one

who is above ; from super, above.
Soueraynetee, s. sovereignty, E

114.
Souked, pp. sucked, been at the

breast, E 450 ; pres. part. Souk-
ing, sucking, B 1648. A. S.

stlcan, Icel. suga, G. saugeti, Lat.

sugere.

290

GLOSS ART AL INDEX.

Soun, s. sound, E 271. F. sow,
Lat. sotmm.

Soune, v. imitate in sound, speak
like, F 105 ; pr. s. Souneth, tends
(to), is consonant (with), B 3157.
See Sownen.

Soupen, pr. pi. sup, F 297. See
Soper.

Souple, adj. supple, obedient, yield-
ing, B 3690. F. souple; Lat.
stipplicem, beseeching.

Sours, s. source, origin, E 49. F.
source; from Lat. surgere, to
arise.

Sowen, v. to sow, B 1182. A.S.
si'iwan, Icel. sd, G. saen.

Sownen, pr.pl. sound, i. e. play, F
270; pr. pi. Sowneth, tend (to),
are consonant (with), 517; pt. pi.
Sowned, tended, B 3348. F.son-
ner, Lat. sonare. See Soun.

Space, s. an opportunity, leisure, E
103. F. espace, Lat. spatium.

Sparcle, s. sparkle, spark, B 2095.
A. S. spearca, a spark ; Du. sparkel-
en, to sparkle.

Spak, pt. s. spake, E 295, F 445.
See Speken.

Sparhauk, s. a sparrow-hawk, B
1957. A. S. spear-hafoc, from
fpearwa, a sparrow, and hafoc, a
hawk.

Speohe, s. (dative) speech, elocu-
tion, oratory, F 104. A.S. spaec,
sprac, G. spreche, Du. spraak.

E. speech should rather have been
spreech.

Specially, adv. especially, £313.

F. special.

Spedde, pt. s. prospered, made to
prosper, B 3875. A.S. spedan,
pt. t. spedde, Du. spoeden, to
speed.

Speken, v. to speak, E 547; pt. t.
Spak, E 295, F 445 ; imp. pi.
Speketh, E 175 ; pp. Spoke, B 58,
F 86. A. S. sprecan, Du. spreken,
. G. fprechen, E. tpeak stands for
spreak.

Spelle, 5. dal. a spell, relation, story,
B 2083. A.S. spel, a history,
dat. spelle.

Spere, s. spear, F. 239. A.S. spere,
Du. and G. speer.

Spicerye, s. mixture of spices, B
2043. ' Espicerie, f. a spicery;
also, spices. Es petis sacs son/ les
fines espiceries, the finest spices are
in little bags; Proverb.' — Cot-
grave. From Lat. species.

Spille, v. to destroy, E 503. A.S.
spillan, Icel. spilla.

Spoke, pp. spoken, B 58, F 86.
See Speken.

Spoon, s. spoon, F 602. A.S. span,
a chip, a splinter of wood, Icel.
spdnn, sponn, a shaving, a wooden
tile, a spoon. The primitive
spoons were of wood.

Spousaille, s. espousal, wedding, E
1 80; Spousail, 115. Cotgrave
has — ' Espousailles,f, an espousals,
or bridall ; a wedding, or mar-
riage.' Lat. spoiisalia, nuptials.

Spoused, pp. espoused, wedded, E
3, 386. O. F. esponser, Lat.
spoiisare.

Spradde, pt. s. spread, E 418, 72 3.
A. S. spraedan, Du. spreide/i, G.
spreiteu.

Spray, s. spray, sprig, B 1960.
A. S. spree, a sprig, a branch.

Spreynd, pp. sprinkled, B 1830.
See Springen.

Springe, v. to rise, dawn, F 346.
Cf. E. dayspring.

Springen, v. to sprinkle, scatter,
sow broadcast, B 1183; pp.
Spreynd, sprinkled, 1830. A. S.
sprengan, to make to spring, to
scatter, pp. sprenged ; cf. G.
sprengen, to cause to break, to
sprinkle, Du.sprengen,to sprinkle.

Springing, s. beginning, source, E
49. A. S. springan, to spring up.

Spume, v. to spurn, kick, F 616.
A. S. spnrnan, Icel. spyrna ; cf.
Icel. fpyrja, A S. spyriau, to track

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

291

footsteps, A. EL spot; a foot-track,
spora, a spur.

Spycas, s. pi. spices, F 291, 204.
F. epice, O. F. espices, Lat. species,
which is sometimes used with the
sense of spice.

Squyer, s. a squire, F I ; pi.
Squieres, £192. E. esquire, F.
ecuyer, from O. F. escuyer, Low
Lat. scutarius, a shield -bearer,
from Lat. scutum, a shield.

Stable, at/;, stable, constant, firm,
fixed, E 664, 931. F. stable,
Lat. stabilis; from store, to stand
fast.

Staf-slinge, s. a stafT-sling, B 2019.
See note.

Stake, s. a stake, E 704. A. S.
staca, a stake, pole.

Stal, pt. s. stole, went stealthily, B
3763. See Stele.

Stalle, s. da!, a stall, E 207, 291.
A. S. steal, steel ; gen. stealles, dat.
stealle.

Stalked him, pt. s. walked slowly,
E 525. A. S. stahan, to walk
slowly. ' Stalkyn, or gon softe or
softely, Serpo, clamculo, et clan-
culo '; Prompt. Parv. The It is a
mere suffix, as in Aar-k. compared
with hear. See Stele.

Stant, pr. s. stands, B 3599, F 171,
182; is, B 3116; Standeth, F
190. A. S. standan, to stand; pr.
s. he stent or he stynt; cf. Goth.
standan, Lat. stare.

Stare, v. to stare, gaze, B 1887.
A. S. starian, Icel. stara. ' Staryn
wythe brode eyne or iyen, Patent-
ibus oculis respicere'; — Prompt.
Parv.

Starf, pt. s. died, B 3325, 3645.
See Sterue.

Starke, adj. pi. severe, B 3560.
A. S. stearc, stark, strong, severe,
hard, rough ; G. stark.

Stede, s. place; in stede of=in
stead of, B 3308. A. S. stede,
Icel. sta'Sr, Goth, staths, a place.

Stede, s. steed, horse, F 81. A. S.

steda.
Stedefastnesse, s. steadfastness,

firmness, E 699. A. S. sled/ast,

firm; from slede, a place, and

fast, firm, fast.

Stedfastly, adv. assuredly, E 1094.
Steel, s. steel, E 2426. A. S. styl,

Icel. stdl, G. stakl.
Stele, v. to steal, B 105; pr. s.

Steleth, steals away, 21; pt. s.

Stal, stole away, 3763. A. S.

stelan, IceL.stela, Goth, stilan.
Stente, v. to cease, stint, leave off,

B 3925, E 734, 972 ; ft. s. Stente,

1023. See Stinte.
Sterres, gen. pi. of the stars, E

1 1 24. A. S. steorra, a star ; cf.

Lat. aslrum, and stella (for sterula,

a little star).
Stert, pp. started, E 1060. Cf. Du.

slorten, to plunge, fall, rush, G.

stiirzen, to dash.
Sterue, v. to die, B 1819; pt. s.

Starf, died, 3325, 3645. A. S.

steorfan, pt. t. stearf; cf. Du.

sterven, G. sterben, to die.
Steuene, s. voice, language, F 1 50.

A. S. stefen, a voice.
Stiked, pt. s. stuck, fixed, B 2097 ;

Stikede, pierced, 3897. A. S. site-

tan, to stick, stab, pt. t. ic sticode.
Stille, adv. stilly, quietly, still, E

1077, F 171, 497. A.S. still,

quiet, stille, quietly.
Stinte, v. to stint, to cease, leave

off, B 1747, E 1175; to end, E

747. See Stente. A. S. stintan,

to be blunt, to be weary ; hence

E. stunted.
Stiropes, s. pi. stirrups, B 1163.

A. S. stlg-rdp, lit. a mounting-
rope, from stigan, to mount, and

rdp, a rope.
Stonde, v. to stand, B 36 ; to be

understood, be fixed, E 346 ; to

be set in view (as a prize at a

game), 81931; imp. pi. Stondeth,

stand, E 1195; pres. part. Stond-

U 2

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

ing, B 68 ; pt. s. Stood, E 318 ;

pt.pl. Stoden, stood, 1105. See

Stant.
Stoon, s. a stone, B 3297, E 121 ;

a precious stone, gem, 1 1 18. A.S.

stdn, Du. steen, G. stein.
Stoor, *. store, £17. O. F. e-

storer, to furnish ; Lat. instatirare.
Storie, s. tale, history, B 3900, F

655. O.F. estoire, Lat. kisloria.

History and story are doublets.
Stounde, s. hour, time, instant, E

1098. A. S. stund, stand, a space

of time ; cf. G. stunde, an hour.
Stoures, s. pi. battles, combats, B

3560. O. F. estour, a combat ;

cf. Icel. styrr, a tumult, battle, a

stir ; connected with Icel. styrma,

to storm.
Strange, def. adj. strange, F 89 ;

pi. 67. O.F. estrange, F. etrange ;

Lat. extraneus ; from extra, with-
out.
Straw, inter}, a straw! F 695.

A.S. streaw, Icel. strd.
Strawe, 2 p. s. pr. subj. strew, F

613. A.S. stredwian, Icel. strd,

Goth, stratijan, G. strenen, to

strew, cover.

Streen, s. strain, i.e. stock, pro-
geny, race, E 157. A.S. strynd,

stock, race, breed ; from strynan,

to produce.
Stremes, s. pi. rays, beams, B

3944. A. S. stream, a stream,

river ; stredmian, to flow ; cf. E.

streamer.
Stronger, adj. comp. stronger, B

3711. A.S. strong, comp.

strengra.
Strengthes, s. pi. sources of

strength, B 3248. A. S. streng'Su,

power.
Strepeth, pr. s. strips, E 894; pi.

Strepen, 1116. A.S. bestrypan,

to strip, rob.
Btreyne, v. to constrain, E 144.

O. F. estreindre, F. etreindre, Lat.

stringere, to compel.

Stroken, v. to stroke, F 165. A. S.
strdcian, G. streichen.

Strook, s. a stroke, B 3899, 39541
E 812, F 160. A.S. strica, G.
stretch.

Stryue, v. to strive, oppose, E 170.
O. F. estriver, to contend ; estrif,
strife, from Icel. strlft ; cf.
O.H.G. stritan, G. streiten, to
contend ; G. streit, a dispute.

Studien, v. to study, E 8 ; 2 p. pi.
pr. Studie, E 5. From Lat. ttudium.

Sturdinesse, s. sternness, E 700.

Sturdy, adj. cruel, stern, E 698,
1049. Apparently O. F. estourdi,
F. etoiirdi, deafened ; hence dull,
obstinate.

Style, s. style, mode of writing, E
1 8, 41. Lat. stilus.

Style, s. a style, a means to get
over a barrier by climbing, F 106.
A. S. stigel, dimin. of stig, a way,
path ; cf. Prov. Eng. stee, a
ladder.

Styward, s. steward, F 291. A.S.
stige, a sty, pen for cattle, and
weard, a ward or keeper ; cf. Icel.
stivar%r, from stia, a sty. The
Icel. word seems to have been
borrowed from the English (Cleas-
by and Vigfusson).

Subgetz, s. pi. subjects, E 482.
F. sujet, O. F. sosgeit, Lat. sub-
iectus.

Subieccioun, s. subjection, govern-
ance, B 3656, 3712.

Submitted, pp.; ye ben submit-
ted = ye have submitted, B 35.

Subtilly, adv. subtly, F 2.22.

Subtiltee, s. a trick, device, E
691 ; subtlety, F 140; pi. Subtili-
tees, subtleties, tricks, E 2421.
Lat. subtilitatem.

Sufflsance, s. sufficiency, that which
is sufficient for one, E 759. F.
suffisance, from sujftre, to suffice.
Lat. stifficere. See Suffyse.

Sufflsant, adj. sufficient, i. e. suf-
ficiently good, E 960.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

293

Suffraunce, s. endurance, patience,
£ 1 162. O. F. sojfrance, from sof-
frir ; from Lat. snfferre, to bear.

Suflfreth, imp.pl. suffer, E 1197.

Suffyse, v. to suffice, B 3648, E
739. Lat. sitjflcere.

Suggestioun, s. a criminal charge,
B 3607.

Sugre, s. sugar, B 2046, F 614. F.
sucre, Lat. saccarum.

Supposinge, s. supposition, im-
agining, E 1041.

Suspecious, adj. suspicious, omin-
ous of evil, E 540.

Suspect, s. suspicion, E 905.

Suspect, adj. suspicious, ominous
of evil, E 541. Lat. smpectus,
suspicious.

Sustenance, s. sustenance, support,
living, E 202.

Susteue, v. to sustain, B 1673;
pp. Sustened, 1680. Lat. snsiinere.

SuEter, s. sister, E 589, 640. A.S.
sweostor, swustor, G. schwester;
cf. Lat. soror (for sosor).

Swal, pt. s. swelled ; vp swal,
swelled up, was puffed up with
anger, B 1750; pp. Swollen,
proud, E 950. A.S. swellan,
pt. t. sweall, pp. sivollen.

Swannes, s. pi. swans, F 68.
A.S. swan, G.schivan, Icel. svanr.

Swappe, v. to swap, strike, E 586 ;
pt. s. intrans. Swapte, fell suddenly,
1099. Akin to sweep and swoop.

Swarm, s. a swarm, F 204. A/S.
swearm, G. schwarm.

Swarmeth, pr. s. swarms, gathers,
F 189. See above.

Swatte, pt. s. sweated, B 1966.
A. S. swcetan, to sweat ; swat,
sweat, blood, G. sclweiss.

Swayn, s. lad, young man, B 1914.
Icel. sveinn, A. S. ^w&n, a lad.

Sweete, def. adj. sweet, B 2041.
See Sote.

Swelwe, pr. *. tubj. swallow, E
1188. A.S. stvelgan,G. schwelg-
en, to devour greedily.

Swepe, v. to sweep, E 978. A. S.
swdpan, G. schweifen.

Swere, v. to swear, B 1171; pt. s.
Swoor, 2062 ; pi. Sworen, £176;
2 p. Swore, 496 ; pp. Swore,
sworn, 403 ; Sworn, bound by
oath, F 1 8. A. S. swerian, G.
tchworen.

Swerd, s. sword, B 64, F 57, 84.
A.S. sweord, G. schwert, Icel.
sver'5.

Sweuen, *. a dream, B 3930.
A. S. swefen, Icel. svefn ; cf. Lat.
somnium, somnus, Gk. vn-voy.

Swich, such, B 43, 49, 1629; pi.
Swiche, B 88 ; Swich a, such a, B
3921, F 133 ; Swich oon, such an
one, F 231. Goth, swa-leiks, lit.
so-like ; A. S. swylc.

Swollen, pp. swollen, i. e. proud, E
950. See Swal.

Swoor, pt. s. swore, B 2062, F
542; pi. Sworen, E 176; a p.
Swore, 496 ; pp. Swore, sworn,
403; Swoin, bound by oath, F
1 8. See Swere.

Swough, s. swoon, E noo, F
476. This word seems to esta-
blish a connection between the
words sough and su/oon.

Swowneth, pr. s. swoons, F 430 ;
pt. s. Swowned, swooned, 44.?,
631 ; pres. part. Swowning, B
1815. Cf. A. S. geswogen, in
a swoon ; orig. pp. of swdgan. to
sough, to sigh as the wind. See
my Etym. Diet.

Swowning, s. a swooning, swoon,
E 1080.

Syk, s. a sigh, F 498.

Syked, pt. s. sighed, B 3394, E
545. A. S. skew, to sigh.

Symphonye, s. an instrument of
music, B 2005. From the Greek.
In Ritson's Ancient Songs, i. Ixiv,
is a quotation from Hawkins's
History of Music, ii. 284, in
which Hawkins cites a passage
from Batman's translation of Bar-

294

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

tholomaeus dc Proprietatibus Re-
rum, to the effect that the *y//j-
phonie was ' an instrument of
musyke, . . made of an holowe
tree [i. e. a piece of wood], closyd
in lether in eyther syde, and
mynstrels beteth it wyth styckes.'
That is, it was a kind of tabor. It
was probably the same as a sym-
phangle, which, according to Hal-
liwell $ Dictionary, occurs in MS.
Harl. 1701, fol. 32, in the lines—
' Yn harpe, yn thabour and sym-

phangle,
Wurschepe God yn troumpes

and sautre.'

Query — is symphangle miswritten
for symphonyet Halliwell also
has : ' Simphoner, a musician.'

Sys, num. six, B 3851. See Sis.

Sythe, s. pi. times ; ful ofte sythe
= full oftentimes, E 233. A. S.
sty, a path, a journey, a time;
the long i shews loss of « ; cf.
Goth, siiiths, Icel. sinn, a way,
W. hynt, a way.

T.

Tafifraye,/or to affraye, to frighten,

E455-

Tak, imp. s. take, receive, 8117;
tak kepe = take heed, observe,
3757 ! * P" s- Pr- Take me, offer
myself, betake myself, 1985 ;
pp. Take, taken, E 702, F 475.
Icel. taka, Goth, tekan.

Tale, s. a long story, E 383 ; pi.
Tales, B 130. A.S. getal, number,
order, a tale.

Talyghte, for to alyghte, i. e. to
alight, E 909.

Tamende, for to amende, to re-
dress, £441.

Tarien, v. to delay, used actively;
F 73 ; pp. Taried, delayed, 402.
This word seems to be due to the
confusion of two others ; see
Teryar in Prompt, Parv. These

two are (i) A. S. tlrlan, tyrgan,
to irritate, vex, to ' tane ' oa, as
when one sets on a dog, Du.
tergeti, to provoke, O. F. tarier,
to irritate, torment ; and (2) O.F.
targier, to delay, from Lat. tar-
dare. In borrowing the latter
word, English has allowed it to
approach the form of the former.

Tarraye, for to arraye, to array,
arrange, £961.

Tassaille, for to assaille, i. e. to
assail, E 1180.

Tassaye, for to assaye, to test,
prove, try, E 454, 1075.

Taughte, pi. s. taught, B 133.

Tayl, s. tail, B 3224, F 196; pi.
Tayles, 3222. A.S. tagel,lcel
tagl, G. zagel; cf. E. tag.

Teche, v. to teach, B 1180 ; pt. s.
Taughte, q. v. A. S. t<eean, pt. t.
tashte, pp. ttfhl, lit. to show, point
out, allied to E. token; cf. Gk.
otiKw/Mi, Lat. dicere.

Teer, s. a tear, E 1104; pi. Teres,
1084. A.S. taker, cognate with
Lat. lacruma (for dacruma) and
Gk. S<iftpv ; and therefore the
same word with F. lanne.

Tellen, v. to tell, relate, B 56,
1639; F63, 67; Telle, B 1185,
1634 ; gerund, F 447 ; pr. pi.
Tellen, tell, F 69 ; imp. s. Tel, B
1167. A. S. tellan, to count, tell,
G. zahlen, erziihlen.

Tembraoe, for to embrace, E
HOC.

Temple, s. a temple, F 296.

Tenbrace, for to enbrace = to em-
brace, B 1891.

Tendrely, adv. tenderly, E 686.
F. tendre, Lat. lenernm.

Tendure, v. to endure, E 756,
811.

Tente, s. tent, B 3570, 3762. F.
tente; Lat. tentus, stretched, from
tendere.

Tentifly, adv. attentively, care-
fully, E 334. Cf. F. atttntif,

GLOSS ARIAL INDEX.

295

Lat. attenttuiis; the simple stem
is found in E. tend, and Scot.
tent, to take heed.

Tercelet, s. a small hawk, F 504,
621 ; pi. Tercelets, 648. ' Tier-
celet, m. the tassell, or male of
any kind of hawke, so tearmed,
because he is, commonly, a third-
part lesse then the female ' ; Cot-
grave's French Diet. F. tiercelet,
O. F. tierfol, from Low Lat.
tertiolus, a goshawk, in medieval
Latin texts (see Brachet). Ter-
tiolus is from Lat. tertins, third,
from tres, three.

Tere, s. a tear, B 3852 ; pi. Teres,
7°. 3853- See Teer.

Termes, s. pi. terms, pedantic ex-
pressions, B 1189. F. terme, Lat.
terminus.

Tespye, for to espye, to espy, B
1989.

Texpounden, for to expounden,
i.e. to expound, to explain, B
I?l6.

Text, s. text, quotation from an
author, B 45. F. texte, Lat.
textus.

Teyd, pp. tied, bound, E 2432.
A. S. tygan, to tie ; from teon, to
tug. Cf. tug.

Thaduersitee, s. the adversity, E
756.

Thalyghte, for the alyghte; in
the alyghte = alighted in thee, B
1660.

Than, adv. then, B 3368, &c. A. S.
]>onne.

Thangel,/or the angel, B 3206.

Thanke, l p. s. pr. I thank, E
1088 ; pr. pi. Thanken, F 354.
A. S. pane/an, Icel. ]>akka, G.
danleen.

Tharray,/or the array, F 63.

That that, that which, B 3976.

The, pron. thee, F 676.

Thee, r. to thrive, prosper, suc-
ceed ; also mote I thee = so may
I thrive, B 2007, E 1226. A. S.

\>e6n, to prosper, flourish, G.

gedeihen.
Theef, s. thief, F 537. A. S. p«f/,

Icel. ]>jofr, G. dieb.
Theffect, for the effect, i. e. the

moral, B 2148.
Thegle, for the egle, i. e. the eagle,

B 3573-
Thende, for the ende, i. e. the end,

B 3269.
Thenke, I p. s. pr. I think, I in-

tend, E 641 ; pr. pi. Thenken, F

537; imp- pi- Thenketh, E 116.

A.S. \>encan, G. denJeen; distinct

from the impers. Thinketh, q. v.
Thennes, adv. thence, F 326, 327.

A. S. pflHon.
Thennes-forth, adv. thenceforth,

B I755-

Ther, adv. there, B 62, 1190;
where, 1873, 1931, F 125, 16.},
499 ; there as = there where, F
416 ; ther that = where, 267.
A. S. par.

Therbifore, adv. beforehand, E
689, 729.

Therfore, adv. on that account, E
445; on that point, 1141; for
that purpose, F J 77. Ther- (A. S.
\&re) is the dat. fem. sing, of the
def. art. ; understand a fem. sb. as
sacu, sake, and we have therefore
=/or p<£re sace, for the sake.

Ther-inne, adv. therein, in it, B
1945.3573' A.S. Jxeriuw.

Ther-of, adv. with respect to that,
to that end, E 644.

Ther-on, adv. thereupon, thereof,
F 3. A. S. ]>eer-on.

Ther-oute, adv. out there, out in
the open air, B 3362. A. S. \<krfae.

Therto, adv. besides, moreover, F
19. A.S. ]>d;rtd.

Therwith, adv. besides, at the
same time, B 3210, F 194. A.S.

Therwithal, adv. besides all that,

as well, B 3131, 3612.
Thestaat, for the estaat, i. e. tl:e

296

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

state, condition, B 128. O.F. estat,

F. ctat, Lat. status.
Thewes, s. pi. qualities, E 409.

A. S. \eaw, manner, quality ; from

\ie6n, to grow, flourish, prosper.
Thikke, adj. thick, F 159. A.S.

\iic, \>icca, Du. dik.
Thilke, dem. pron. that, B 78,

1791, 3426, E 892, F 607. A.S.

]>ylc, \>yllc; from \y, instrumental

case of se, seo, JXB/, and lie, like.
Thimage,/or the image, B 1695.

Lat. imago.
Thinges, s. pi. things ; but used in

the sense of pieces of music,

musical compositions, F 78. Cf.

Ch. Prol. 1. 325. A. S. tyng, Icel.

tyng, G. ding.
Thinketh, pr. s. impers. it seems,

B 1901, 3968, F 406; pt. s.

Thoughte, B 3703, E 406, F 527.

A. S. me )>ynriS, it seems to me ;

G. mir diinkt ; see Thenke.
Thise, pi. of This, but a monosylla-
ble, B 59, &c.

Tho, adv. then, E 544, F 308.

A. S. \>d.
Thoccident, for the Occident, B

3864. Lat. occidens, the west.
Thoght, s. care, anxiety, B 1779.

Thought, E 80. A.S. ge]>oht,

properly pp. of \encan, to think ;

Icel. \6tti; cf. G. gedacht, pp. of

denken.
Thombe, *. thumb, F 83, 148.

A. S. ]>uma, G. daum.
Thonder, s. thunder, F 258. A.S.

Jjwnor, G. donner, Lat. tonitru;

cf. Gk. T<5j/or, a sound, Sanskr.

tan, to sound.
Thonke, I p. s. pr. I thank, E 830.

See Thanke.
Thorient,/or the orient, the east,

83871,3883. Lat. orient.
Thought, s. anxiety, E 80. See

Thoght.
Thoughte, pt. s. impers. seemed,

B 3703, E 406, F 527. See

Thinketh.

Thral, s. thral, slave, B 3343. A.S:
}>r<2/, Icel. \rcell.

Threshfold, s. threshold, E ?88,
291. Sometimes also tAresh-
tvold=A. S. tyrsc-wald, from
]>encan, to thresh, beat, and wald,
wood, as if the piece of wood
which receives the ' tread * of feet.
Cf. arche-wold, the wood of
Noah's ark, in Genesis and Exo-
dus, ed. Morris, 1. 576.

Thridde, ord. third, F 76. A. S.
\>ridda, Icel. bntK, G. dritte.

Thrifty, adj. profitable, B 1165.
Icel. JTI//, profit, tyrlfa-sk, to
thrive.

Throp, s. a thorpe, small village, E
199; dot. Thrope, 208. A.S.
brq/>, fyorpe, Icel. bor/>, G. dorf,
Goth, tkaurp; cf. Lat. turba, a
crowd.

Throwe, s. a short time, a period,
a while, B 3326, E 450. A.S.
]>rdg, ]>rdh, a short space of time,
a period.

Thrustel, s. a throstle, thrush, B
1963; Thrustelcock, 1959. A.S.
]>ros!le, Lat. tttrdus.

Thryes, adv. thrice, B 1732. A.S.
]>rywa; but M.E. thryes is from
A.S. bry, three, with adverbial
ending -es.

Thryue, v. to thrive, prosper, E
172. Icel. ]>rifask, to prosper, a
reflexive verb, from a form ]>rifa,
with the suffix -s& = G. sick.

Thurgh, prep, through, by help of,
by means of, B 1669, 3434; by,
22, 35, F II. A.S. \>nrk, Goth.
ba«>A, G. dnrch.

Thurghout, prep, throughout, B
3303, F 46.

Thurst, s. thirst, B 100. A. S.
)>urst, Icel. l>orsti, Goth. \>anrstei,
G. durst.

Thursted him, pt. s. impers. he
was thirsty, B 3229. A.S. ]>yrst-
an.

Thyn, poss. pron. thine, B 101,

GLOSSARJAL INDEX.

297

104, 3584; Thy, 73, 74. A.S.
\>in, gen. case of J>ii, thou.

Tidifs, s. pi. small birds, F 648.
Skinner guessed this to mean a
titmouse, but adduced no author-
ity; cf. Icel. tittr, a tit, small
bird ; and cf. Eng. titmouse, tit-
lark. Drayton, in his Polyolbion,
bk. xiii, mentions a singingbird
which he calls a tydy, whose notes
are as delicate as those of the
goldfinch, and Nares supposes him
to refer to the golden-crested
wren, motacilla regulus. See
Nares. Whether a tidifis a tit-
mouse or a wren can hardly now
be determined.

Tirannye, *. tyranny, tyrannous
behaviour, B 3691, 3698. Cot-
grave has — ' Tyrannie, f. tyranny,
lordly cruelty, a violent or bloody
government.' From Lat. lyran-
nus, Gk. rvpavvos, a tyrant.

Title, s. title, B 3513. O.F. title,
F. litre, Lat. titulus.

To, adv. too, B 2129, 3712.

Toforn, prep, before, F 268. A.S.
t of or an.

Toke, pt. pi. took, received, F 356.

Togider, adv. together, B 3222.
A. S. tdgcedre.

Tolde, pp. told, B 56; Ytold, F
357. See Tellen.

Tombe, s. tomb, B 1871 ; Toumbe,
F 518. F. tombe, Lat. tumba.

Tonge, s. tongue, B 1852, E 1184,
F 35 ; //. Tonges, languages, B
3497. A.S.tunge; cognate with
O.Lat. dingua, Lat. lingua.

Tonne, s. a tun, winecask, E 215.
A.S. tunne, Icel. tunna.

To-race, pr. pi. sttbj. may scratch
to pieces, £572. The prefix lo-
is the same as in to-rente, q. v.
The word is a hybrid, as race is
for F. raser, Lat. radere, with
the original sense of scrape or
scratch. 'Rasyn or scrapyn, the
same as racyn' ; Prompt. Parv.

And Palsgrave uses race with the
sense of erase, efface. See Way's
note to Prompt. Parv. s. v. Rasyn.

To-rente, pt. s. rent in twain, rent
in pieces, B 3215, 3451 ; pp.
Torent, torn to pieces, E 1012.
The prefix /o- = G. z<?r- = Goth.
and Lat. dis-, meaning in twain,
apart, and is not uncommon in
A. S. and M. E. For the root, cf.
A. S. rendan, O. Friestan renda,
to rend. The compound verb
torcnda — \o rend apart, occurs in
O. Friesic.

Tormentinge, s. tormenting, tor-
ture, E 1038. From Lat. torment-
tint.

Tormentyse, s. torment, B 3707.

Touche, pr. s. subj. affect, concern,
B 3284. Cf. phr. 'as touching.'

Toumbe, s. a tomb, F 518; Tombe,
B 1871. See Tombe.

Toune, s. (dative) town, B 1983,
2028. See the notes. A. S. tun,
a hedge, enclosure, farmyard,
village ; Icel. tun, G. zatm.

Tour, s. a tower, B 3599, 3615, F
176; in B 2096, it means that
his crest was a miniature tower,
with a lily projecting from it ; pi.
Toures, B 3561. F. tour, Lat
lurris.

Tourneyment, s. a tournament,
B 1906. F. tournoiement, Low
Lat. torneamentum, from tornare,
to turn about.

Towaille, s. a towel, B 3935, 3943,
F. toiiaille, O.F. toailIe,Lovt Lat.
toacula, of Teut. origin ; M.H.G.
twehel, dwehele, G. zwehle, Du.
dwell, a clout, towel. In East
Anglia, dwlle (with long «') is a
familiar word for a clout. The
root is seen in the Dan. toe,
M.H.G. dwahen, O.H.G. twahen,
A. S. \wean, to wash.

Tragedie, s. a tragedy, tragic tale,
B 3163, 3648, 3951 ; pi. Trage-
dies, 3161. Lat. tragoedia.

298

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

Trance, s. trance, E 1108. F.
iranse, from transir, to be chilled,
Lat. transire, which in late Latin
means to pass away, to die.

Translated, pp. changed, dressed
afresh, E 385. From Lat. trans-
latus.

Trauaille, s. travail, toil, labour,
pains, E 1 2 1 o. F. travail.

Tree, *. a tree, B 3933, 3941 ;
wood, E 558. A.S. treow, Icel. tn',
Goth, triii ; cf. Gk. Spvs, an oak.

Trench, s. a hollow walk, alley, F
392. F. (rancher, to cut.

Treson, s. treason, treachery, false-
hood, F 139, 506. F. trahison,
O. F. traison, Lat. traditionem.
Treason and tradition are doublets.

Tresour, s. treasure, B 3401. F.
tresor ; Lat. thesaurus ; from Gk.
riOrjfu, I lay up in store.

Trespace, v. to trespass, transgress,
sin, B 3370. F. trepasser, O. F.
trespasser, Lat. trans-passare, to
pass across or beyond.

Trete, v. to treat, B 3501 ; pr. pi.
treat, discourse, F 220. F. trait'
er, Lat. tractare.

Tretee, s. a treaty, B 3865. F.
traite., Lat. tractatus.

Tretis, s. treatise, tract, story,
B 2146 ; Tretys, a treaty, E 331.

Trew, adj. true, F 537; Trewe,
465. A.S. tredwe, Icel. trur, G.
treu. See Trowe.

Trewely, adv. truly, E 53 ; Trewe-
liche, 804.

Trewthe, s. truth, troth, B 3118,
F 627. A.S. tredwft.

Tributarie, adj. tributary, B 3866.

Trikled, pt.pl. trickled, B 1864.

Trille, v. to turn, F 316; imp. pi.
Trille, 321. Cf. Swed. trilla, to
roll, turn round ; trilla, a roller,
trind, round ; and Du. drillen, to
drill, bore, turn round and round.

Trippe, v. to trip, to move briskly
with the feet, F 312. Cf. Du. trip-
pen, to $kip,trippelen, to trip along.

Trone, s. throne, F 275. F. tr'me;
from Gk. 0p6vos, a seat.

Trouble, adj. troubled, gloomy, E
465. F. tronbler, to trouble, Low
Lat. tnrbulare; from tnrbare, to
disturb.

Trowe, I p. *. pr. I believe, £471,
F 213, 451 ; pt. pi. Trowed, be-
lieved, 210. A. S. tre6wian, Icel.
trtia, to believe.

Truste, imp. s. 3 p. let him trust, B
3914. Icel. traust, sb. trust,
traustr, trusty, treysta-sk, to trust in .

Tryce, v. to pull away, B 3715.
Apparently the same as E. trice,
to hoist a sail ; with which cf.
Swed. trissa, Dan. tridse, a
pulley ; Dan. tridse, to trice ;
Low G. trllzen, trlssen, to trice
(Liibbeu).

Trye, adj. choice, excellent, B 20.) 6.
From F. trier, to choose, select.

Twelf, num. twelve, E 736, F 383.
A. S. twelf, Goth, tivalif.

Tweye, twain, two, B 3214, 3356,
3547, E 476; Tweyne, E 650.
A. S. twegen (twain) used in masc.
and two, in fern, and neut. Cf.
G. zwei, Lat. duo, Gk. Svo.

Twinkling, s. a twinkling, momen-
tary blinking, £37. A. S. twine-
lian, to twinkle, glitter.

Twinne, v. to separate oneself, de-
part from, B 3195; to depart, F
577. From two, A. S. twd.

Twiste, v. to twist, wring, torment,
F 566. Du. twist, discord, tuist-
en, to dispute, quarrel, contend.

Twiste, s. (dative), twig, spray, F
442.

Twyes, adv. twice, B 1738, 3337.
See Thryes.

Tyde, s. tide, time, season, F 142.
A. S. tid, Icel. ti$, G. zeit, a time.

Tyding, s. tidings, E 901 ; //.
Tydinges, B 129, E 752. Icel.
ttiSindi, tidings, news, from ti'S,
time. In the OrmuUim, it is
spelt tfyenndt.

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

299

Tygre, s. tiger, F 419, 453. Lat.

tigris.
Tyme, s. time, B 19, 20 ; sometimes

a monosyllable, F 476, &c. ; pi.

Tyme, F 370; Tymes, E 226.

A.S. tima, Icel. ttmi; the pi. of

tima is tlman, whence tymen, tyme ;

tymes is a later form.
Tyraunt, s. tyrant, B 3727. F.

tyran, from Gk. rvpavvos.

V.

Vane, s. a vane, E 996. A. S. fana,
a flag, standard ; G. fahne, a ban-
MT.

Vanishe, v. to vanish, F 328 ; pt.
s. Vanished, 342. Cf. F. evanouir,
to vanish ; from Lat. itanus, empty.

Vanitee, s. vanity, folly, E 250.
Lat. vanitatem.

Vapour, s. vapour, mist, F 393.
Lat. tiaporem.

Velouettes, s. pi. velvets, F 644.
F. velours, velvet, veloule, velvety;
from Lat. uillosus, shaggy, hairy.

Venim, s. venom, poison, B 3321.
O. F. venim, F. venin, Lat.
uenenum.

Vennyne, s. vermin, E 1095.
From Lat. iiermis, a worm.

Verraily, adv. verily, truly, B
1850, 3414.

Verray, adj. very, true, B 103, E
343 ; verray force = main force,
B 3237- O. F. verai, F. vrai,
Lat. ueracem ; cf. Lat. uerus, true.

Verrayment, adv. verily, B 1903.

Versifyed, pp. put into verse, B
3168.

Vertu, s. virtue, F 593 ; vertu plese
= satisfy virtue, be virtuous, E
216; magic power, magic in-
fluence, F 146, 157. F. vertu,
Lat. virtutem.

Vessel, s. (collective) vessels, plate,
B 3338, 3494. Cf. F. vaisselle,
plate. See below.

Vessels, s. pi. vessels, B 3384,

3416. O. F. vesstl, F. vaisseatt,

vascel, Lat. vascellum, dimin. of

uas, a vessel.
Vestiment, s. vestment, clothing,

robes, F 59. From Lat. uestire,

to clothe.
Vgly, adj. ugly, E 673. Icel.

uggligr, terrible, uggi, fear, vgga,

to fear ; cf. Goth, ogan, to fear.
Vice, s. fault, mistake, error, F 101.

F. vice, Lat. uitium.
Vilanye, s. villany, evildoing, B

1681. O. F. vilanie, from vilaitt,

Lat. ttillantis, a farm-labourer ;

Lat. uilla, a farm.
Visage, s. face, E 693. F. visage;

from Lat. IIMIS, mdere.
Viscounte, s. a viscount, B 3589.

O. F. viscomte, F. vicomte, Lat.

uice-comitem, a vice-count.
Vision, s. a vision, F 372. Lat.

visionem.

Vitaille, s. victuals, food, provi-
sions, E 59, 265. O. F. vitaille,

Lat. uictnalia, victuals; from

viuere, to live.
Vitremyte, s. a woman's cap, an

effeminate headdress, B 3562.

See note.
Vnbokele, v. to unbuckle, F 555.

F. boucle, Low Lat. bucula, boss

of a shield.
Vnbounden, pp. unbound, unwed-

ded, divorced, E 1226. A.S.

bindan, to bind.
Vnbrent, pp. unburnt, B 1658.

Icel. brenna, to burn, pp. brunnit.
Vncerteyn, adj. uncertain, E 125.
Vncouple, v. to let loose, B 3692.

See note. F. couple, Lat. copula,

a link.
Vnoouthe, adj. pi. strange, F 284.

A. S. vncitiS, lit. unknown ; from

ciffi, known, pp. of cunnan, to

know.
Vndern, s. a particular period of

the day, generally from 9 a.m.

to midday ; it here probably

means the beginning of that

300

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

period, or a little after 9 a.m.,
E 260, 981. Icel. undor/t, mean-
ing either mid-forenoon, i.e. 9
a.m., halfway between 6 a.m.
and noon, or else mid-afternoon,
i.e. 3 p.m. In Mceso-Goth. we
have undaurni-mals = undern-
meat, to translate Gk. apiarov,
Luke xiv. 12.

Vnderstonde, v. to understand, E
20, F 150; pp. Vnderstonde,

F437-

Vndertake, v. to undertake to
affirm, to affirm, E 803 ; I p. s.
pr. Vndertake, I am bold to say,

Vndigne, adj. unworthy, E 359.

See Digue.
Vndiscreet, adj. indiscreet; or

rather, undiscerning, E 996.
Vnfestlich, adj. unfestive, jaded,

F 366. Here the O. F. feste (F.

fete) is found between an A.S.

prefix ttn- and an A. S. suffix -lie.
Vnknowe, pp. unknown, F 246.

Vnknowe is short for unknowen.
Vnkynde, adj. pi. unnatural, B 88.
Vnlyk, adj. unlike, E 156.
Vnnethe, adv. scarcely, hardly,

with difficulty, B 1816, 3611, E

384, 403. A. S. «ot5, easy, ediSe,

easily.
Vnneth.es, adv. scarcely, hardly,

B 1675, 3356, E 318, 893.
Vnreste, s. unrest, want of rest,

£719.
Vnsad, adj. unsettled, E 995. See

Sad.
Vnstable, adj. unstable, weak, B

1877. See Stable.
Vntressed,/>/>. undight, unarranged,

E 3 79. F. tresser, to plait ; pro-

bably to plait in three, from Gk.

T/M'X«. tripartite (Brachet).
Vntrewe, arf/.untrue, false, B 3218.
Vnwar, adj. unexpected, B 3954.

A. S. war, cautious, wary, pre-

pared.
Vnwrappeth,/>r.s. discloses, B 103.

Vouche, v. to vouch ; vouch e
sauf, to vouchsafe, deign, B 1641 ;
2 p. s. pr. subj. E 306. O. F.
vocher, voucher, to call, Lat.
ttocare; voucher sauf = to pro-
claim as safe, to assure.

Voyden, v. to get rid of, E 910, F
1 88 ; imp. s. depart from, E 806.
O. F. voidier, F. vider, to empty,
deprive of. Of disputed origin ;
see Korting.

Voys, s. voice, E io87,.F 99, 412;
rumour, E 629. F. voix, Lat.
tiocem, ace. of ttox.

Vp and down, adv. up and down,
i.e. in all directions, all over, in
various ways, B 53, 3725, 3747.

Vpon, prep, upon, B 1 163, 3640,
&c.

Vppe, adv. up, i.e. left open, F 615.
A. S. uppe, aloft.

Vp-plyght, pp. plucked up, pulled
UP. B 3239.

Vpronne, pp. run up, i. e. ascended,
F 386. See Ironne in Prologue, 1. 8.

Vpryght, adv. on one's back, B
1806; Vpryghte, on his back,
3761. See Kn. Ta. 1150.

Vs, pron. us, B 21, 34, &c. A.S.
MS, G. uns.

Vs self, ourselves, E 108.

Vsage, s. usage, custom, E 785, F
691 ; hadde in vsage = was accus-
tomed, B 1696; was in vsage =
was used, 1717. F. usage; from
Lat. uti, to use.

Vsen, v. to use, B 44 ; pt. s. or pi.
Vsed, B 1689. F. user; from
Lat. uti, to use.

Vsshers, s. pi. ushers, F 293. O.F.
uissier, F. huissier, Lat. ostiarius,
a doorkeeper.

Vsure, s. usury, B 1681. From Lat.
nsura.

Vttereste, adj. superl. utterest,
supreme, E 787. A badly formed
word. A. S. tit, out ; it/or, outer ;
hence vtterest = outerest. The A.S.
form is yteniest, E. utmost.

GLOSS ART AL INDEX.

301

W.

Waast, s. waist, B 1890.

Waille, v. to wail, lament, E 1212.
Cf. Icel. vala, to wail ; Ital.
giiaiolare, to wail ; gtiai, wo !

Waiteth, pr. s. watches, E 708.
O.F. gv alter, waiter, F.guetler;
from O. H. G. wahtan, G. wachlen,
cognate with E. wake.

"Waken, v. act. to awake, B 1187.
A.S. wacan, G. wachen.

Wakinge, s. a keeping awake,
period of wakefulness, B 22.

Wai, s. wall, B 3392, E 1047. A.S.
iveall, \V. gwal, both perhaps
borrowed from Lat. itallnm, a
rampart ; the true A. S. word for
wall is wdh.

Walking, s. a walking, walk, F 408.

Wan, pt. s. won, conquered, B
3337. 3548. 356i, 3825. F 664.
A. S. winnan, pt. t. ic wan, pp.
wtinnen.

Wane, 2 p. pi. pr. wane, grow slack
(in applauding), E 998. A.S.
wanian, to diminish, wana, defi-
ciency, Icel. vanr, lacking.

Wang-tooth, s. molar tooth, B
3234. A. S. wangle's, a molar
tooth, lit. a cheek-tooth, from
wang, the cheek.

Wantoun, adj. wanton, E 236.
For wan-towen, where wan = A. S.
wan-, Du. wan-, denoting lack,
used in the same sense as the
prefix wi-; and towen = A.S. logen,
pp. oftedn = G. ziehen, to educate ;
thus wanton = G. vngezogen, un-
educated, ill brought up.

War, adj. aware, wary, on one's
guard ; be war = beware, take
heed, B 119, 3188; belli war,
1629, 3281. A.S. war, wary,
cautious ; cf. Lat. nereor, I fear.

War, imp. s. as pi. war yow, take
care of yourselves, make way, B
1889. A.S. Wfirian, to be on
one's guard, from war, wary.

Warne, 2 p. s. pr. I warn, I bid
you take heed, B 16, 1184. A.S.
wearnian.

Waspes, gen. sing, wasp's, B 1749.
A. S. wtsps, Lat. uespa.

Wasteth, pr. s. wastes away, passes,
B 20. O.F. waster, guaster, Ital.
gnastare, from the Teutonic;
O. H. G. wuasti, G. wiist, waste,
empty.

Waterpot, s. a waterpot, E 290.
A. S. wceter, F. pot.

Wayk, adj. weak, B 1671. Cf.
A. S. wdc, Icel. veikr. Wayk is
a form due to the der. verb
wcecan. The A.S. wdc produced
the M. E. wok or wook.

Wayten, v. to watch, F 444 ; pr.s.
Wayteth, B 3331 ; pr. pi. Wayten,
F 88 ; pt. s. Wayted, watched, ob-
served, 1 29. See Waiteth.

Wede, s. a 'weed,' a garment, B
2107. A. S. wad, a garment.

Weder, s. weather, F 52. A.S.
weder, Icel. t/eftr, G. wetter.

Wedlock, s. wedlock, £115. A.S.
wed-lac, a pledge of espousal ; from
wed, a pledge, and lac, a gift, a
play, sport.

Weel, adj. well, E 2425. A.S. wel.

Weep, pt. s. wept, B 3852, E 545,
F 496. A. S. wepan, to weep,
pt. t. wedp, pp. wepen.

Weet, s. wet, B 3407. A. S. w&t,
Icel. vdlr.

Wel, adv. well, B 25 ; very, as in
wel roial = very royal, F 26 ; about
(used with numbers), F 383 ; cer-
tainly, by all means, E 635.

Wel ny, adv. very nearly, B 3230.

Welde, pt. s. wielded, overpowered,
B 3452; Welded, 3855. A.S.
wealdan, Goth, waldan, Icel.
valda, to exercise power.

Wele, s. wealth, well-being, pros-
perity, B 122, 3268, E 474, 842,
971. A.S. wela, weal.

Wei-faring, adj. wellfaring, thriv-
ing, prosperous, B 3132.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

Welkne.s. welkin, BSQJI.E 1124.
A. S. wolcen, a cloud, the welkin ;
cf. Du. wolk, a cloud, G. wolke.

Welle, s. well, source, B 1846,
3234, E 215, 276, F 505. A.S.
well, wyl, Du. wel ; but we also
find the dissyllabic A.S. tvella,
Icel. vella.

Welte, pi. s. wielded, i.e. lorded it
over, possessed for use, B 3200.
See Welde.

Wem, s. injury, hurt, F 121. A.S.
went, Icel. vamm, Goth, wamm,
a spot, blemish.

Wenches, s. pi. women, B 3417.
Cf. A.S. wencle, a maid ; probably
allied to wancol, tottering, weak,
unsteady. Cf. G. wanken, to
totter.

Wene, I p. s. pr. I ween, imagine,
suppose, E 1174; pr. s. Weneth,
supposes, B 3710; I p. s. pt.
Wende, supposed, F 585 ; pt. s.
Wende, B 3358, 3927; ex-
pected, 3720; pt. pi. Wende,
3637, F 198; Wenden, E 751;
pp. Wend, imagined, thought, E
691, F 510. A.S. wenan, Icel.
vcena, Goth, wenjan, G. wiihnen,
to imagine, from A. S. wen, Icel.
van, Goth, wens, G. wahn, expec-
tation, hope.

Wende, v. to wend, go, pass, B
1683 ; pr. pi. wend, go, E 189, F
296 ; I p. s. pr. subj. Wende, E
307 ; pt. s. Wente, went, B 1739 ;
pp. Went, gone, B 1730, 1869, E
276. A. S. wendan, G. wenden,
to turn.

Wepen, s. weapon, B 3214, 3228.
A. S. ivtipen, Icel. vdpn, G.
waffien.

Were, pt. s. subj. were, should be,
in modern English was, B 3189,
3711; it were = it was, E 850;
if so were = if so be, B 1640; as
it were = as if it was, F 195;
I p. s. I were = I should be, B
131 ; 2 p. Were = wast, B 3592;

indie, wast, B 3570; 2 p. pi. pr.
Weren, were, E 846.

Were, v. to wear, F 147; //. s.
Wered, wore, B 3320 ; pp. Wered,
worn, 3315. A..S.werian, to wear,
Icel. verja, Goth. wasjant\.o put on
clothing ; cf. Lat. uestis, clothing.

Work, s. work, i.e. reality, prac-
tice, F 482. A.S. weorc, Icel.
verb, Gk. tpyov.

Werketh, imp. pi. act, E 504.
A. S. weorcan, to work.

Working, s. deeds, actions, E 495.

Werre, s. war, B 3926. O. Du.
werre, O. H. G. werra, discord ;
from the O. H. G. comes F.
guerre (O. F. werre). The com-
mon A. S. word for war is wig ;
and it is quite possible that even in
the following quotation the word
' wyrre may have been taken, after
all, from the Old French. ' Her
call this gear wunode se cyng
Henri on Normandig, for )>es
cynges wyrre of France' ; ' here,
all this year, King Henry dwelt in
Normandy, on account of the
war of the king of France ' ; A.S.
Chron. anno i iiS.

Werreye, v. to make war, B 3522 :
pt. s. Werreyed, made war upon,
warred against, F 10. O. F.
werrier, to make war, werre, war ;
from a Teutonic root (Roque-
fort). See above.

Wery, adj. weary, B ail I. A.S.
werig, weary; werian, to become
tired.

Wesh, pt. s. washed, B 3934. A. S.
wascan, to wash, pt. t. ic wusc, pp.
wcescen.

West, s. as adv. in the west, F 459.

Wexe, a p. pr. pi. wax, increase,
grow (in applauding), E 998 ; pr. s.
Wexeth, grows to be, B 3966 ;
pt. s. Wex, waxed, became, grew,
increased, B 1914, 3868, 3936, E
3 1 7 J pt- pi- Wexc, B 3 365 . A.S.
weaxan, Icel.vaxa, Goth, wahsjan,

GLOSSARIAL INDEX.

3°3

G. wachsen, Lat. augere, Gk.
avfavtiv, to grow.

Wey, s. way, E 273 ; a furlong \vey
= a small distance, a short time,
516; by the weye, by the way,
B 1698, 1747; dat. Weye, on
(his) way, F 604. A. S. weg, Icel.
vegr, Goth, wigs, Lat. via.

"Weyest, i p. s. pr. dost weigh, B
3423. A.S. wegan, to carry, to
weigh, Icel. vega, Lat. uehere.

"Weylaway, inter j. wellaway! B
3313, 3635. A. S. wd la wd, lit.
woe 1 lo I woe ! Welladay, and
wellaway are meaningless corrup-
tions.

Weyue, v. to turn aside, twist
away, E 2424. O. F. weiver,
guesver, guever. ' Guesver, to
waive, refuse, abandon, give over ;
also, to surrender, give back, re-
signe, redeliver'; Cotgrave.

Whan, adv. when, B in, &c.
A. S. hwanne.

.What, int. pron. why, B 56, 3842,
E 283, E 1 2 21 ; rel. pron. as adv.
what with, B 21, 22 ; What that
= whatever, E 165 ; What for =
because of, F 54 ; What man so,
or that = whomsoever, 157, 160;
What man that, B 3434 ; What —
and, both — and, B 3304 ; cf. Kn.
Ta. 595.

Whelp, *. a dog, F 491. A. S.
hweolp, Icel. hvelpr, a cub.
•Whelp, lytyl hounde, Catulus';
Prompt. Parv. Wyclif uses the
word ' welpis' in his translation,
S. Mark vii. 28.

Whenne, adv. whence, E 588,

A. S. hwanon.

Wher, adv. whether, B 3119, F

579; adv. where, 1785, &c.

Wher as a contraction of whether

is very common in M. E.

Wher- as, adv. where that, B 3347,

3962.

Wherein, adv. in which, E 376.
Whcr-so, adv. whithersoever, F 1 1 8.

Which, for whom ; of which =

concerning whom, F 58; //.

Whiche, which, B 3860, F 30.

A.S. hwylc, Goth, hwa-letks, lit.

who-lilte, Lat. qualis.
Whider, adv. whither, E 588, F

378. A.S.Awider.
Whirleth, pr. s. whirls, wheels

swiftly, F 671. Icel. hvirfla, to

whirl, from Icel. hverfa, A. S.

hweorfan, to turn round.
Whos, rel. pron. gen. whose, B

1661, E 770; dat. Whom, to

whom,F 154. A.S. hwd, gen. hwds.
Whyl, s. while, time, B 3538;

conj. whilst, 3208. A. S. hwil,

Goth, hweila, a time.
Whylom, adv. once, formerly, B

3266, 3557, 3917, E 64, 846.

A.S. hwilmn, lit. at times, dat. pi.

of hwil, a time.
Whyte, adj. white, B 2047 ; pi.

3658. A.S. hwit, Icel. hvitr, Goth.

hweits, G. weiss.
Widwe, s. widow, B 1699; gen.

Widwes, 1692. A.S. widwe, vmdn-

we, G. wittwe, Goth, widtiwo, Lat.

nidua.
Wikke, adj. wicked, B 78, E 785 ;

pi. B 118; Wikked, B 3576 (see

note). Cf. A. S. wiceian, to use

witchcraft, wicca, a wizard, wicce,

a witch ; or else A. S. wlcan, to

give way.

Wikkedly, adv. wickedly, E 723.
Wille, s. will, pleasure, desire, E

326, F i, 8; gen. Willes, 568;

dat. Wille, 5. A.S. willa, Icel.

vili, Goth, wilja.
Wille, v. to will, desire, E 721;

pr. s. Wil, desires (Lat. wilt), B

1843. A. S. willan, Goth, wiljan,

Lat. nelle, Gk. @ov\tffOai.
Willing, s. desire, E 319. A.S.

willvng, a wish.

Willingly, adv. of free will, E 362.
Wilneth, pr. s. desires, F 120. A. S.

wilnian, to desire ; a derivative of

willan, to will.

3°4

GLOSS ARIAL INDEX.

Wiltow,/or Wilt thou, i.e. wishest
thou, B 2116.

Winges, s. pi. wings, F 415. Dan.
vinge, Icel. vangr.

"Winke, v. to wink, nod, F 348.
A. S. wincian.

Winne, v. to win, conquer, F 214.
A. S. winnan, Icel. vinna, Goth.
winnan, G. winnen.

Winninges, s. pi. winnings, gains,
B 127.

Winter, s. pi, winters, years, B
3249, F 43. A. S. winter, pi.
winter, used in the sense of years.

Wisly, adv. certainly, verily, surely,
B 2112, £822, ¥469. Icel. viss,
sure, Du. gewis, G. gewiss; from
the root witan, to know.

Wiste, I p. s. pt. I knew, £814;
pt. s. knew, B 5, 3348, 3723,
3748, F 399; pi. B 1820; i p.
s. pt. subj. F 565; pp. Wist, F
260. See Wite.

Wit, *. intelligence, a proof of in-
telligence, E 459 ; judgment, B
10, F 674; understanding, B
3368 ; pi. Wittes, wits, F 706 ;
opinions, 203. A. S. wit. See
Wite.

Wite, 2 p. pi. pr. know, E 2431 ;
pt. s. Wiste, pp. Wist, q. v. A. S.
witan, to wit; pres. ic wdt, bti
wdst, he wdt, I wot, thou wost
(wottest), he wot (not wots) ; pi.
we, ge, hi witon, we, ye, they wit ;
pt. ic wisle, I wist; pp. ^uiten,
wist. The pres. t. is an old pre-
terite = Gk. ofSa ; in fact, it is the
same word. Cf. Goth, witan, to
know, see (Lat. ttidere"), pres. ik
wait, pt. ik wissa; Icel. vita, pres.
veil, pt. vissa ; G. wissen, pres.
iveiss, pt. wusste.

Witing, s. knowledge, cognisance,
E 492.

With, prep, with ; to hele with
your hertes = to heal your hurts
with, F 471, 641 ; by, B 1875.
A. S. wiQ, Icel. vid.

With-al, adv. therewith, F 687.

With-inne, prep, within, F 590.
A. S. wffi-innan, prep, and adv.

With-outen, prep, without, E 66 1,
F 121, 166, 702 ; With-oute, adv.
outside, E 332. A. S. wtiS-iitan,
prep, and adv.

Withstonde, v. to withstand, op-
pose, 63110. A. S. wifi-standan,
to oppose, Icel. vffistanda.

Wo, s. woe ; wo were vs = woe
would be to us, E 139. A.S. wd;
cf. Icel. vei, G. wehe, Lat. vae,
inter), wo 1

Wo, adj. sad, E 753. A. S. wd,
sb. and adj. It is used adjectively
in Caedmon, ed. Thorpe, p. 40 —
bi5 bam men full wd, it will be
very sad for the man.

Wode, s. a wood, B 3446, F 413,
617. A.S.wudu.

Wode-dowue, s. wood-dove, wood-
pigeon, B 1960. A. S. wvdti, a
wood ; A. S. dufa, Icel. dufa, G.
taube, Goth, dubo, a dove.

Wol, I p. s. pr. I desire, E 646 ;
I will, B 41, 89 ; 2 p. Wolt, wilt,
E 314; pr. s. Wol, will, B 60,
115; will go, F 617; 2 p. pi.
Wol, will, B 1641; Wole ye =
wish you, F 378; I p. s. pt.
Wolde, I should like, B 1639, E
638 ; pt. s. Wolde, would, would
like to, B 1182; would, F 64;
required, F 577; would go, would
turn, 496 ; pt. pi. Wolde, wished,
E 1144. A.S. will an, pres. ic
wile, pt. ic wolde.

Wombe, s. belly, B 3627. A.S.
wamb, Goth, wamba, Lat. venter.

Wommanhede, s. womanhood, E
239, 1075. The A.S. word is
wlfhdd, wifehood.

Wonder, s. as adj. a wonder,
wonderful, B 1882, F 248, 254.
A. S. wundor, G. wander, Icel.
undr.

Wondre, v. to wonder, B 1 805 ;
pr. pi. Wondren, F 258 ; pt. pi.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

3°5

Wondreden, 307 ; pp. Wondred,
236. A. S. wundrian, Icel. undra.

Wondring, s. wondering, amaze,
F 305. A. S. wundrung.

Wone, s. wont, custom, B 1694.
A.S. wuna, Icel. vani; cf. G.
gnvohnheit.

Woned, pp. accustomed, wont, E
339. See Wont. A. S. wunian,
to dwell, remain, pp. wunod, ac-
customed ; Icel. vanr, accustomed ;
cf. G. gewohnt.

Wonger, s. pillow, B a 102. A.S.
wangere, a pillow, rest for the
cheek, from wang, a cheek ; Goth.
waggari, a pillow.

Wont, pp. wont, accustomed, B
3614, 3894. E 844, F 44. See
Woned. From this word has
been formed the modern wonted,
with a needless repetition of the
pp. ending.

Wood, adj. mad, B 1964. A.S.
w6d, Goth, weds, Icel. o&V; cf. G.
wuthend, raging.

Woon, s. abode, B 1991. Cf.
A. S. wunung, an abode ; from
wunian, to dwell.

Woot, i p. s. pr. I know, B 3993.
See Wot, Wite.

Wopen, pp. wept, F 523. See
Weep.

Wormes, s. pi. worms, F 617.
A. S. wyrm, Icel. ormr, G. ivurm,
Lat. uermis.

Worse, adv. comp. worse, E 675.
A. S. wyrs, Goth, wairs.

Worshipe, v. to honour, respect,
Ei66.

Worshipe, s. honour, F 571. A.S.
weorftscipe, honour; lit.worthship.

"Worshipful, adj. worthy of
honour, E 401.

Worste, adj. superl. def. worst,
E 1218. A.S. wyrsta.

Wortes, s. pi. worts, roots, vege-
tables, E 226. A.S. wyrt, Goth.
waiirts, G.ti'urze, Lat. radix, Gk.
f>ifa; see Curtius.

VOL. II.

Worth, pr. s. becomes ; worth
vpon = gets upon, B 1941. A.S.
weorfSan, Icel. ver 5a, Goth, wairth-
an, G. werden, to become, Lat.
vertere, to turn.

Worthy, adj. worthy, brave, B
2107. A. S. wut^Sig, G. wurdig.

Wost, 2 p. s. pr. thou knowest, F
696. See Wot, Wite.

Wostow,/or wost thou, i.e. know-
est thou, £325.

Wot, I p. s. pr. I know, E 814, F
708; i p. Wost, F 696; pr. s.
Wot, knows, B 93, E 274, F 299,
534; a p. pi. Wot, B 2133, F
519. See Wite.

Woundes, s. pi. wounds, B 62.
A. S. wund, Icel. wid, G. wunde.

Woxen, pp. grown, E 400. See
Wex.

Wrappe, v. to wrap, envelop, E
583, F 636 ; pp. Wrapped, F 507.

Wrastling, s. wrestling, B 1930.
A. S. wrdxlung, from wrdxlian,
wr(tstlian, to wrestle ; which
from wr&stan, to turn, wrest.

Wrecchednesse, s. misery, B
3212, 3540. A.S. wrcecca, an
exile, a wretch, from wr<ee,
punishment, banishment.

Wreehe, s. vengeance, B 3403.
A.S. wrcec, punishment, ven-
geance ; wrecan, to wreak, af-
flict ; G. racke, revenge.

Wreck, imp. s. wreak, avenge, B
3095 ; 2 p. pi. pr. Wreke, F 454.
A. S. wrecan, G. rdchen.

Wringe, v. to wring the hands, E
1212; to force wet out by pres-
sure, B 1966. A.S. wringan, to
press, wring; G. ringen, to
struggle.

Writ, pr. s. writeth, B 3516 ; pt. s.
Wroot, wrote, 3393 ; i p. s. pt.
subj. Writ, I were to write, 3843 ;
pt. pi. Writen, wrote, F 233 ; pp.
Writen, E 761, B 3177. A.S.
writan, Icel. rita, to write ; but
the original meaning is to scratch,

3°6

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

to scratch strokes, still kept in G.
reissen, to tear.

Wrothe, adj. pi. wroth, angry, E
437. A. S. wrdU, Icel. ra'oV.

Wroughte, pt. s. made, E 1152, F
1 28 ; pt. s. worked, contrived, B
1788, E 463; pp. wrought, cre-
ated, B 3619. A. S. wear can, to
work, pt. t. worhte, pp. geworht.

Wroughtestow, for wroughtest
thou, thou didst cause, B 3583.

Wryte, v. to write, B 87; pr. s.
Wryteth, 77; contracted to Writ,
3516 ; pr. s. Wroot ; pp. Writen ;
see "Writ.

Wrything, s. turning, F 127.
A. S. wriftan, to writhe, twist,
Icel. rffia.

Wyde, adj. def. wide, B 3824; pi.
B 62 ; adv. widely, E 722. A.S.
wid, Icel. v£$r, G. weit.

'Wyfh.ood, s. wifehood ; or rather,
womanhood, B 76. A. S. wlfhad,
G. weibheit; A. S. wif, G. weib,
a woman.

Wyflees, adj. wifeless, E 1236.

Wyfly, adj. wifelike, E 429, 919,
1050. A.S. wifllc.

Wyght, s. a wight, person, B 1894,
3822, E 177; dat. Wyghte, B
43. A.S. wiht, wuht, Goth.
waiht, G. wicht ; E. wight and
whit.

Wyly, adj. wily, wary, B 3130.
A. S. wile, Icel. nil, veel, a wile, a
trick ; the O. F. guile is from a
Teutonic source ; thus guile and
wile are doublets.

Wynd, s. wind, B 1173. A.S.
wind, Icel. vindr, Goth, winds,
Lat. uentus.

Wyndas, s. windlass, F 184. Da.
windas, from winden, to wind,
and as, an axle-tree; so in Ice-
landic, we find vind-dss, from
vinda, to wind, and ass, a beam.

Wynde, v. to wind, bind with
cloths, E 583. A. S. windan, Icel.
vinda, G. vjinden.

Wynes, s. pi. wines, B 3391, 3418.
A. S. win, G. wein, Lat. uinum.

Wys, adj. wise, B 3 1 30 ; def. Wyse,
i'3> li?> 37°55 />/. Wyse, 128;
superl. Wysest, 3345. A. S. wif,
Icel. vlss, G. weise; from witan,
to know.

Wyse, s. (dative), wise, way, man-
ner, B 2131, 3704, E 673. A. S.
wise, a way, G. weise ; F. guise is
from O.H.G. ; wise and guise are
doublets.

Wyte, v. to blame, B 3636; I p.
s. pr. Wyte, 3860; 2 p. Wytest,
108. A. S. witan, to blame,
punish ; Icel. vita, to fine, mulct.

Wyue, v. to wive, to marry, E
140, 173. A.S. wifian, to take
a wife, from wif, a woman,
wife.

Wyues, gen. sing, wife's, B 1631,
E 599 ; pi. Wyues, wives, women,
B 59. 32 "• A.S. wif, Icel. vif,
G. weib, a woman.

Y.

Yaf, I p. s. pt. I gave, E 861, F

533! 3 P- Yaf=gavest, B 3641 ;

pt. s. Yaf, 1862, 1973, 3368, E

!93» 2«>3- See Yiue.
Yate, s. gate, £1013. A.S. geat.
Ybeten, pp. beaten, F 414. A. S.

bedtan, pt. t. be6t, pp. beaten.
Ybore, pp. born, E 158, 310, 484;

Yborn, 72; Yboren, 626 ; Ybore,

borne, carried, moved, 443, F

326 ; Yborn, carried, F 340.

A. S. beran, pp. geboren.
Ybounde, pp. bound, B 1866.

A. S. bindan, pp. gebunden.
Ycaried, pp. carried, B 3240.

O.F. carter, to carry, char, a car.
Ycorne, pp. come ; ycomeaboute =

come about, passed, B 3364 ;

Yeomen, come, 1687. A. S. cum-

an, pp. cutnen, gecumen.
Ycoupled, pp. coupled, wedded, E

1219. F. coupler, Lat. copulare.

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

3°7

Ydel, adj. idle, E 217. A.S. {del,
G. eitel.

Ydolastre, 5. an idolater, B 3377.
F. idolatre, Lat. idolatra ; from
ti$<a\ovt an idol, Karptvtiv, to
serve. The circumflex in the
F. form points to an O. F. idolas-
tre, and accounts for the form.

Ydoon, pp. done, B 3738. A.S.
dun, to do ; pp. ged6n.

Ydrawe, pp. drawn, F 326. A.S.
dragon, to draw, drag ; pp. ge-
d rag en.

Ydressed, pp. dressed, arranged,
set, £381. F. dresser, to arrange ;
Lat. dirigere.

Ye, s. (pronounced as long e, fol-
lowed by e obscure, i. e. like G. ie
followed by G. e final), eye, E 37,
F 194; at ye = to sight, to view,
E 1168 ; pi. Yen, B 3260, 3392,
3620, E 669. A.S. edge, Icel.
auga, Goth, augo, G. auge, Lat. oc-
ulus. The A. S. pi. is «<ig-a«,whence
Chaucer's yen, Shakespeare's eyne.

Ye, adv. yea, B 1900, E 355. A. S.
ge,gea, G.ja.

Ye, pron. nom. ye; saue only ye,
you alone except, E 508. See
Yow. A. S. ge, nom. ; edw, ace.

Yeer, s. year, F 44, 524 ; pi. Yeer,
years, B 1628, 3602, E 610 ;
Yeer by yere, B 1688, E 402.
A. S. gear, Icel. dr, Goth.jer, G.
jaTir; the A. S. pi. is also gear.

Yelden, v. to yield, E 843. A. S.
gildan, gyldan, to pay; Icel.
gjalda, G. gel ten. Hence E.
yield and sb. guild.

Yen, s. pi. eyes ; see Ye.

Yerde, s. yard, rod ; hence, correc-
tion, £22. A.S. gyrd, gerd, a
rod, stick ; G. gerte, a switch.

Yere, s. year, B 132. See Yeer.

Yeue, pr. s. imp. may he give, B
1628 ; pr. s. Yeueth, gives, B 43 ;
/>/>.Yeuen, given, E 758. SeeYiue.

Y-fallen, pp. fallen, B 3166. A. S.
feallan, pp. gefeallen.

Yfere, adv. together, E 1113. Cf.

A. S. gefera, a travelling comrade,

homfaran, to fare, go.
Yfet, pp. fetched, F 174. A.S.

fetian, pp. gefetod.
Yfeyned, pp. feigned (to be done),

evaded, E 529. Cf. F. feindre,

Lzt.jingere.
Yfostred, pp. fostered, E 213.

A. S. fostrian, pp. gefdstrod;
foster, food, nourishment ; from

the same root as food; cf. Sanskr.

pa, to protect.
Yfynde, v. to find, F 470. A. S.

gejindan, to find.
Yglewed, pp. glued, fixed tight, F

182. Cf. F. en-glner, to glue

together, glut glue ; from Lat.

glus, gin/is (Ausonius) ; cf. Lat.

gluten.
Ygon, pp. gone, F 293, 538. A. S.

gdn, to go ; pp. gegdn. Not to

be confused with Ago, q. v.
Ygrounde, pp. ground, sharpened,

pointed, B 2073. A. S. grindan,

pp. grunden, gegrunden.
Yharded, pp. hardened, F 245.

A. S. heardian, to harden ; pp.

heardod, geheardod.
~Yis,adv. yes, 64006. A.S.gys,gese.
Yit, adv. yet, B 3760; as yit=«

hitherto, now, E 1 20. A. S. git, gyt.
Yiue, v. to give, E 1034 ! Yiuen,

B S^SS; pr- s. Yiueth, gives, E

93 ! pr. s. imp. Yiue, may he

give, E 30, F 679 ; 3 p. s. pr.

subj. F 614; pp. Yiuen, given, B

3425, F 541- A. S. gifan, pt. t.

g<zf, geaf, pp.gifen; Icel. gefa,

Goth, gifan, G.geben.
Yknowen, />/>. known, F 256. A.S.

cndwan, pp. cndwen, gecndwen.
Ykoruen, pp. cut, B 1801. A.S.

ceorfan, to carve ; pp. corfen, ge-

corfen.
Yle, s. isle, B 68. F. He, O. F. He,

isle, Lat. insula.
Yleyd, pp. laid, B 3328. A. S. lecg-

an, to lay ; pp. geled, gelegd.

X 2

3o8

GLOSS A RIAL INDEX.

Yliclie, adv. alike, equally, F 20.

A. S. gelice, adv. ; cf. G. gleich.
Ylyke, adv. alike, equally, £602,

754. See Yliche.
Ymaad, pp. made, F 218. A. S.

macian, pp. macod. Thus made

is a contraction of malted.
Ymagining, pres. part, imagining,

E598.
Yuough, adv. enough, E 365 ;

Ynow, B 3235, 3958, E 1214, F

708. A. S. genohf sufficiently ;

G. gemig.
Ynowe, adj. pi. enough, F 470.

A. S. genoh, sufficient, pi. gendge ;

Goth, ganohs, sufficient.
Yond, adv. yonder, E 1199. A.S.

geond, yonder; cf. G.jener, that,

yon.
Yonge, adj. def. young, B 1834, E

777. F 54. 385! vocative, B

1874. A.S. geong, Icel. ungr,

Golh.juggs (= jungs), G.jung.
Yore, adv. formerly, B 1167, E

1140; of long time, for a long

time, E 68. A.S. gedra, formerly ;

from gear, a year.
Youres, pron. yours, F 597.
Yourseluen, pron. yourself, F 242.
Youthe, s. youth, F 675. A.S.

geoguft. See Yonge.
Yow, pron. pers. ace. you, B 16,

37, 1 1 86. A. S. eow, ace. ofge,

ye.

Ypocryte, «. hypocrite, F 514, 520.
Yprayed, pp. bidden, asked to

come, invited, E 269. F. prier,

O. F. preier, Lat. precari.
Yquit, pp. quit, acquitted, F 673.

F. quitter, to hold free, quittt,

freed, Lat. quietus, left in peace.
Yrekened, pp. reckoned, consid-

ered, taken into account, F 417.

A. S. recnan, to reckon.
Yronne, pp. run, E 214. A.S.

rennan, to run.
Yset, pp. set, E 409 ; set down, F

1 73. A. S. settan, to set ; pp. geset.
Yshapen, pp. shaped, i. e. prepared,

B 3420. A. S. scippan, to shape ;

pp. scapen, gescapen.
Yshaue, pp. shaved, B 3261. A. S.

scafan, to shave ; pp. scafen, ge~

scafen.
Ysprad, pp. spread, B 1644. A. S.

spratdan, to spread.
Yswore, pp. sworn, F 325. A. S.

swerian, to swear ; pp. gesworen.
Ytake, pp. taken, captured, B 3514 ;

taken away, 1858. Icel. taka, A. S.

tacan, to take ; pp. getacen.
Ytaught, pp. taught, B 1699. A. S.

tacan, to teach ; pp. t&ht, getceht.
Ytold, pp. told, F 357. A. S. tell-
on, pp. geteald.
Yuel, adv. ill, E 460, 965. A. S.

yfel, Goth, ubils, G. ubel, evil,

bad ; yfele, evilly, ill.
Yuory, s. ivory, B 2066. F.

ivoire; Lat. eboreus, made of

ivory ; from Lat. ebur, ivory.
Ywedded, pp. wedded, E 771,

J233- A. S. weddian, to pledge,

pp. vieddod, geweddod; from wed,

a pledge.
Yvris,adv. certainly, B 1980,3958,

4007, E 2434. A. S. gewis, Du.

gewis, G. gewiss, adv. Often

wrongly supposed to mean I know,

but the latter is properly repre-
sented by 7 wot. See Wite.
Ywroght, pp. wrought, made, B

2054. A.S. weorcan, to work;

pp. worht, geworht.

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES, &c.

N.B. Many of the names are commented upon in the Notes.

Aehelois, Achelous, B 3296.

Achilles, F 239.

Adam, B 3197.

Adriane, Ariadne, B 67.

Albon, Alban, B 3120.

Alceste, Alcestis, B 75.

Alcioun, Halcyone or Alcyone, B
57. Hence E. halcyon.

Aldiran, the name of a star, F 265.
See note.

Algarsyf, F 30, 663.

Alisaundre, Alexander, B 3821.

Alisaundre, Alexandria, B 3582.

Alma redemptoris, the first two
words of a Latin hymn, B J 708,
1744, 1802; Alma redemptoris
mater, benign mother of the Re-
deemer, 1831.

Alocen, Alhazen, F 233.

Antheus, Anteus, B 3298.

Apennyn, the Apennines, £ 44.

Arable, s, Arabia, F no.

Arabieu, adj. Arabian, B 3529.

Aries, s. the Ram, the sign of the
zodiac for the latter part of March
and the former part of April, F

51.

Aristotle, F 233.
Armorike, Armorica, Brittany, B

3578.
Arpies, s. pi. the Harpies, B 3290.

Asie, s. Asia, put for Asia Minor,

B 1678.

Aurelian, B 3541.
Austin, Augustine, B 1631.

Babiloin, adj. Babylonian, B 63.
Babiloyne, Babylon, B 3339.
Balthasar, Belshazzar, B 3373.
Barnabo, B 3589.
Bathe, Bath, £ 1170.
Bethulia, 83755.
Bevys, Bevis, B 2089.
Boloigne, Bologna, E 686, 763,

939-
Brixseide, Briseis, B 71. This

form is from the ace. Briseida.
Brugges, Bruges, B 1923.
Brutus, B 3896; Brutus Cassius

(see note), 3887.
Busirus, Busiris, B 3293.

Cacus, B 3297.

Cambalo, F 31, 667 ; Cambalus,
656.

Cambynskan, F 12. Sec note.

Canacee, (O B 78; (2) F 33,
J78; g"*- Canacees, 247, 631.

Capitolie, s. the Capitol, B 3893.

Cenobia, Zenobia, B 3437.

Centauros, Centaurus, the Cen-
taur, B 3289.

3io

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

Cerbsrus, B 3292.

Cesar, Caesar, B 3869.

Ceys, Ceyx, 657.

Chaldey^ Chaldea, B 3347.

Charles, B 3577.

Chicheuache, s. (lit. a lean cow,
from F. chicke, niggardly, lean,
which from Lat. ciccum, a trifle,
and F. vache, Lat. uacca, a cow),
En88.

Claudius, B 3525.

Cresus, Croesus, B 3917.

Crist, Christ, B 106.

Cristemasse, s. Christmas, B 126,

1730.

Cupyde, Cupid, B 61.
Cypre, Cyprus, B 3581.
Cyrus, B 3918.

Dalida, Delilah, B 3253.
Damascene, adj. as sb. Damascene,

used for Damascus, B 3197-
Daniel, B 3344.
Dante, 63651.
Darius, B 3427, 3838.
Demophon, B 65.
Dianire, Deianira, B 66 ; Dianira,

3310-
Dido, B 64.

Edward, 83160.

Egipcien, adj. Egyptian, B 3528.

Eleyne, Helen, B 70.

Eliachim, Eliakim or Joachim, B

3756.

Elpheta, F 29.
Emelward; to Emel ward = to wards

the JEmilian Way, £51.
Enee, /Eneas, B 64.
English, adj. as sb. English, i..e.

English talk, B 49, F 37.
Ermyn, adj. Armenian, B 3528.
Erro, Hero, B 69.

Ferrate, Ferrara, E 51.
Flaundres, Flanders, B 1909.
Fraunceys, Francis, E 31.

Qalien, Gallienus, B 3526.

Gawayn, Gawain, F 95.

Gazan, Gaza, B 3237. From Lat.

ace. Gazam.
Genylon, Genilon, Ganelon, B

3.S79-

Grece, Greece, B 3847.
Grekes, s. gen. Greek's, F 209-

The Grekes hors Synon = the

horse of Sinon the Greek.
Grisildis, Griselda, E 210; Gri-

sild, 232.
Gy, Guy, B 2089.

Hebraik, adj. Hebrew, B 1750.

Lat. Hebraicus.
Hermanno, B 3535.
Hermion, Hermione, B 66.
Horn, B 2088.
Hugelyn, Ugolino, B 3597.
Hugh, B 1874.

lame, James, E 1154.

lanicle, Janicola, E 404, 632 ;

Janicula, 208, 304.
lankyn, a diminutive of John, B

1172.

lason, Jason, B 74, F 548.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, B 3337.
lewerye, s. Jewry, Jews' quarter, B

1679, 1741, 1782.
lewes, s. pi. Jews, B 1755, 1810;

gen. 2054.
lob, Job, E 932.
lohn, John, B 3119; St. John, F

596 ; (used as a term of mild con-
tempt) B 4000.
Isiphilee, Hypsipyle, B 67.
Itaille, s. Italy, B 3650, E 266.
ludicum, for liber Judicum, i. e.

the book of Judges, B 3236.
ludith, Judith, B 3761.
lulius, Julius, B 3863.
luppiter, Jupiter, B 3934, 3942.

Ladomea, Laodamia, 671.
Lameth, Lamech, F 550.
Launcelot, Lancelot, F 287.
Leander, B 69.
Leon, s. the sign Leo, F 265.

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

Lincoln, B 1874.
-Linian, E 33. See note.
Lucan, Lucanus, 8 3909.
Lucifer, 63189.
Lucresse, Lucretia, B 63.
Lumbardye, Lombardy, B 3590,

E 72, F 193 ; West, E 46, 945.
Lybeux, B 2020. O. F. It betix,

the fair.
Lyde, Lydia, B 3917.

Macedoyne, Macedonia, B 3846.

Machabee, Machabeus, B 3845.

Madrian, probably St. Mathurin, B
3083. See note.

Mane, i. e. mene, B 3396. It sig-
nifies ' numbered.'

Martes, gen. s. Mars's, F 50.

Medea, B 72.

Medes, s.pl. Medes, B 3425.

Melan, Milan, B 3589.

Melibee, Melibeus, B 30/9 ; spelt
Melibeus, 3086.

Mercurius, gen. sing. Mercury's,
F672.

Moyses, Moses, F 250.

Muses, s. pi. the Muses, 693.

Nabugodonosor, Nebuchadnez-
zar. B 3335. 3752-

Nero, B 3653 ; Neroun (from Lat.
ace. Neronem), 3727-

Nessus, B 3318.

Odenake, Odenates, B 3517; gen.

Odenakes, 3508.
Olifaunt, signifying elephant, B

1998.

Olofern, Holophernes, B 3746.
Olyuer, Oliver, B 3577, 3579.
Ovide, Ovid, B 54.
Oxenford, Oxford, E I.

Padowe, Padua, £27.
Palymerie, Palmyra, B 3437.
Panik, s. the name of a district in

Italy, E 764, 939.
Pegasee, s. the Pegasean horse, i. e.

Pegasus, F 207.

Pemond, Piedmont, E 44.
Penelope, B 75. (Pronounced

Penelop').

Percyuel, Percival, B 2106.
Perse, Persia, B 3442 ; Perses, i. e.

Persians, 3425, &c.
Petrark, Petrarch, B 3515, £31,

1147.

Petro, Pedro, or Peter, B 3565,3581.
Phanye, B 3948.
Phares, i. e. phares, or peres, B

3396. The word signifies • a breach .'
Phebus, s. Phcebus, i. e. the sun, B

". 3935. 3943. F 48.
Philippes, gen. sing. Philip's, B

3846-

Philistiens, «. pi. Philistines, B
3238.

Phillis, Phyllis, B 65.

Pierides, s. pi. the Pierides, daugh-
ters of Pierus, B 92.

Piers, Pierce, i. e. Peter, B 3982.

Pleyn-damour, B 2090. It mean$
' full of love,' F. plein d'amonr.

Poileys, adv. Apulian, F 195.

Pompeius, Pompey, B 3870.

Poo, the Po, E 48.

Popering, B 1910. See note.

Poules, gen. sing. Paul's, B 3970.

Prudence, B 3080.

Pyse, Pisa, B 3597, 3606.

Bachel, B 1817. See note.
Boger,/or Ruggieri, B 3606.
Bomayn, adj. Roman, B 3526,

3551-

Borne, 63525, 3542, E 737, F 231.
Bouechester, Rochester, B 3116.

Salomon, Solomon, E 6, F 250.
Saluces, Saluzzo, E 44, 64,414;

Saluce, 420.
Sampson, Samson, B 3205, 3213,

&c.

Sapor, B 3510.
Sarray, Sarai, F 9, 46.
Sathanas, Satan, B 1748, 3195.
Senec, Seneca, B 25; spelt Seneca,

B 3693-

312

INDEX OF PROPER NAMES.

Spayne, Spain, B 3565.
Surrien, adj. Syrian, B 3529.
Sweton, Suetonius, B 3910 ; spelt

Swctonius, 3655.
Synon, Sinon, F 209.

Tartarye, Tartary, or rather, Ta-
tary, F 9.

Tartre, adj. Tartar, or rather,
Tatar, F 266.

Teehel, i. e. tekel, B 3396. It sig-
nifies 'weighed.'

Termagaunt, Termagant, a hea-
then idol, B 2000.

Thelophus, F 238.

Theodora, F 664.

Thessalye, Thessaly, B 3869.

Thomas, B 3120, E 1230.

Thopas, B 1907, &c.
Thymalao, B 3535.
Tisbee, Thisbe, B 63.
Trophee, B 3307.
Troye, Troy, F 210, 306.

Valerie, Valerius, i. e. Valerius

Maximus, B 3910.
Venus, F 272.
Venyae, Venice, ESI.
Vesulus, Monte Viso, E 47, 58.
Vitulon, F 232.

Walter, E 77, &c.

Ynde, s. India, E 1199, F no.
Ypermistra, Hypermnestra, B 75.
Ypotys, B 2088.

INDEX

PRINCIPAL SUBJECTS EXPLAINED IN THE NOTES.

For explanations of words, see the preceding Glossarial Index. A few
words are also more particularly explained in the Notes ; these are indicated
in the following Index by being printed in italics. The references are to
the pages of the volume.

A. B. C., Chaucer's, 144.

abyen, 162.

Adam, 175.

agayns, 201.

aketoun, 164.

Aldiran, 217.

Alcestis, 137.

Alexander, 190.

Alhazen, 215.

alle and some, 201.

Alma redemptoris mater, 147.

atnbes as, 139, 140.

Angle meridional, 216.

Antiphoner, 148.

Ape, to put in one's hood an, 144.

appalled, 219.

April 1 8, position of sun on, 130.

Apulian horses, 212.

Ariadne, 137.

Aries, sign of, 209.

ark (of the day), 129.

Armour, 164, 165, 166.

artow, 139, 152,174.

as (I pray), 195, 220.

as (ace), 139, 140, 190.

Asie (Asia Minor), 145.

assegai, 158.

Astrolabe, 131.

-at, (-ate), suffix, 1 75.

attained, 194.

atte (at the), 132.

Ave Maria, 146.

aventayl, 205.

avyse you, 198.

Baraabo of Lombardy, 187.

be, with pp. of verb, 132.

been, bees, (pi. of bee), 206.

Bells, clinking of, 143, 194.

Belshazzar, 181.

benedicite, how pronounced, 141.

Benoit de Sainte-Maure, 214.

Bevis, Sir, 168.

Bier, where to be placed, 150.

biseye, 202.

Black Prince, 185.

Blood in domination, 218.

Blue, colour of truth, 223.

Boccaccio, 173, 175, 177, 180-184,

189, 192.
bodkins, 191.
Boethius, 178, 193, 223.
borwe, to, 222.
Bridles, value of, 2 1 8.
Brutus and Cassius, 191.
Bush, the burning, 144.
Busiris, 179.

Cambynskan, 207.
can (know), 141, 144, 148.
Canace, 137.
Carbuncle, 166.
Caxton, 213.
centre, 208.
Ceyx, story of, 134.
charge, 219.

Chaucer's corpulence, 152; his self-
depreciation, 134.
Chichevache, 204.

INDEX OF SUBJECTS EXPLAINED.

child, 162.

Christmas weather, 140.
cidatoun, 155.
cider, 177.
clergeoun, 146.
comes, corn, 1 76.
corone, 199.
cote-armour, 165.
covent, 150.
Croesus, 192.
'curse,' to care a, 194.
Cypress, 167.

Damascus, 175.

dan (dominus), 172.

Dante, 147, 187, 188.

Date of Man of Law's Prologue, 130.

Day, artificial, 129, 130, 21 1 ; natural,

130, 211.

Deianira, 137, 180.
depardieux, 133.
Domination, blood in, 2 1 8.
doo.'h (causes), 150 ; do (cause), 163.
drasly, 170.
Du Gueschlin, 185, 186.

Edward, Saint, 172.

•eer (-«•), suffix, 143.

eighletetne, 131.

Elf-queen, 160.

eluish, 153.

Equinox, vernal, 209.

•eth, (imp. pi. suffix), 131, 132.

examelron, 173.

Face (in astrology), 209.
Fairies, 160, 212.
Falcons, 220, 221.
Feasts described, 209.
feme, 215, 216.
// (canto), 167.
Jlocfunele, 197.
for (against), 165.
for me, 193, 219.
fumositee, 219.
furlong wey, 200.

Galley halfpence, 157.

pan (did), 131.

Gaunt, John of, 185, 186.

gauren, 212.

Gawain, Sir, 211.

Genoa, coins of, 157.

gent (gentle), 154.

gesles, 214.

gesioiirs, 164.

Giants, 161.

gird, 190.

Glass-making, 215.

glose, 143.

Gold called 'red,' 166.

Good Women, Legend of, 134.

Gower, 137, 142, 148, 174, jSo.

213, 214.

grain, to dye in, 155.
Guy, Sir, 168.

Jiabergeon, 165.
halse (conjure), 150.
hauberk, 165.
hawe bake, 138.
Hazard, game of, 140.
Herbs, power of, 211.
Hercules, 177 ; pillars of, 180.
heronsew, 210.
Hexameters, 173.
Holofernes, 190.
Hood, ape in a, 144.
Horn, romance of, 168.
Horse of brass, 213.
hoste (dissyllabic), 129, 152.
Hugh of Lincoln, 151.

ihu (contraction forjesu'), 149; ih!,

149.
tnwith, 149.

jambeux, 1 66.
Jane (a coin), 156, 202.
jangle, 205.
Jankyn, 141.
Jesters, 164.

Jesus, son of Sirach, 139.
Jewry, 145.

Jews, feeling against the, 148.
Jews' work, 165.

John, name of contempt, 141, 194.
Judith, 190.
Jugglers, 214.
Julius Caesar, 190.

INDEX OF SUBJECTS EXPLAINED.

3*5

Khan, Great, 207.
Kite (bird), 223.

Lancelot, 218.

last (load), 14.?.

Latitude of Oxford, 131.

launcegay, 158.

ledene, 220.

leet don, 208.

Legend of Good Women, 1 34.

Leo, 216.

hue and lene, confused, 151.

Lignano, 195.

Lily, emblem of virginity, 144.

toiler, lollard, 141, 142.

Lombardy horses, 212.

Longinus. 182.

lordinges (sirs), 131, 154.

Lucan, 173, 191.

Lucifer, 174.

Lucrece, 136.

Lybeaus Disconus, 168.

Lydgate, 177, 205.

lyghte, verb, 145.

lyues (alive), 201.

Maccabees, 190.

Madrian, corpus, 171.

Magic, 214, 215.

maister tour, 214.

matter (without of), 1 46.

maugre, 139.

Mauny, Sir Oliver, 185, 186, 187.

me dremed, 159.

-meal (suffix), 197.

Melibee, tale of, 171.

men (one), 146.

mery, 163.

message, 201.

Metamorphoses, Ovid's, 138, 173.

M etre of Sir Thopas, 153; of Clerk's

Envoy, 204.
Minstrels, 164.
Mirror, magic, 214.
mo (others besides), 203.
more and lesse, 202.

Nebuchadnezzar, 180.
ner (nearer), 148.

Nero, 1 88, 189.
newefangel, 223.
next (nighest), 150.
Nicholas, Saint, 147.
nones, for the, 141.

Odenatus, 182.

of, (by), 206; (as to), 137 ; strange

position of, 21 3; omitted, 146,189.
Olifaunt, Sir, 16 1.
con, in, 2OO.
ord and ende, 192.
Ovid, 134, 136, 137, 138, 173, 177.

180.

Palmyra, 182.

parements, 217.

payndemayn, 155.

Pegasus, 213.

Percival, Sir, 169.

peregrine, 220.

Peter of Cyprus, 187.

Peter of Spain, 184, 185.

Petrarch, 183, 195, 196, 204.

Pierides, 137.

Plate armour, 165.

plyghte (plucked), 131.

Pompey, 191.

Peppering, 154.

Poverty, 138.

Pride, sin of, 1 74.

Prime, hour of, 162, 210, 219.

Proverbs alluded to : — ' as spark out
ofglede,' 169; 'as many heads,
so many wits,' 213 ; ' good child
soon learns,' 146, 147; 'fortune
and friends,' 181 ; 'light as linden-
leaf,' 205 ; ' long spoon for him
who sups with fiend,' 222 (1. 602) ;
'lion chastised by dog,' 221; 'make
virtue of necessity,' 222 (1. 593);
•promise is debt,' 133; 'the poor
is hated,' 139; 'they that make
laws,' 133.

quad, 144.
querne, 177.
quyrboilly, 166.

316

INDEX OF SUBJECTS EXPLAINED.

Rani, prize for wrestling, 157.

Regulus, 217.

rewel-boon, 166.

Riding into a hall, 210.

rime, so spelt, 153; rimes, 215.

riiter,for, 157.

Rochester, old spelling of, 171, 172.

rodt (complexion), 154.

roiales, 164.

Roman de la Rose, 189, 192, 193.

Russia, 207.

Saffron, 155.

Sampson, 175.

Sapor, 183.

Sarai, 207.

Satan, 174.

s becomes r, 212.

Seals, 211.

Seneca, 132 ; his death, 189.

sey (saw), 129.

steer (cider), 177*

sink (five), 140.

sir (a title), 194.

sise (six), 140, 190.

Skelton, 224.

slide, 197.

solas, 154.

Solomon, 139.

souneth into, 172, 221.

springen (sprinkle), 143.

Squire of Low Degree, 158.

Staff-sling, 162.

Statius, 173.

Suetonius, 188, 189, 190, 191.

Sun, position of, April 18, 130.

Swans eaten, 210.

Swearing, vice of, 141.

swich (so-like), 149.

Telephus' spear, 215.

Termagaunt, 161.

that his (whose), 146.

the more, 201.

thee (thrive), 162.

thee (dative), 138.

ther (where), 151.

thestaat, for the enfant, &c., 140.

thewes, 199.

Thomas, Saint, 206.

Thopas, meaning of, 153 ; metre of,

153-

thon and ye, use of, 145.
thy, use of, 203.
tidif, 223.

Time, flight of, 131, 132.
to, coalesces with vowel, 148.
to-ward, 148.
to-, prefix, 175.
tonne, come to, 163.
Tragedy defined, 173, 174.
tree (death by hanging), 137.
Trophe, 180.
Troy, story of, 214.

Ugolino, Count, 187.
uncouple, 189.
undern, 198.
Usury, 148.

Valerius, 191.
Venus, planet, 218.
Virgil the enchanter, 2 1 4,
Vitellio, 215.
vitremite, 183.
Vows, 1 66.

wang-tooth, 176.

were (would be), 153, 195.

wered (worn), 180.

what (what with), 132 ; (why), 134,

205.

wher, (whether), 1 72 ; wher as, 146.
Wikkednest (Mauny), 185.
wil (wishes), 150.
windas, 150.
with, curious position of, 220; (by),

152-

worth upon (got on), 158.
worthy under wede, 1 70.

•y, -ye, rime, 169.

ye (yea), 153, 194.

ye used for thou, 198, 199.

ye, you, 197.

your (of you), 149.

yuel, adv., 202.

Ypotis, Sir, 168.

Zenobia, 182.

CLARENDON PRESS SCHOOL BOOKS

(All books are in extra foap 8vo unless otherwise described)

ENGLISH

School Dictionaries

Concise Etymological Dictionary, by w. w. SKEAT.

A new edition (1901), rewritten throughout and arranged alpha-
betically. Crown 8vo, 676 pp. 5s. 6d.

Saturday Review : — * Mr. Skeat's larger dictionary has estab-
lished his title to the gratitude of all scholars ; and of his smaller
dictionary we can only say that it is not less useful and valuable.'

Student's Dictionary of Anglo-Saxon, by H. SWEET.

Small 4to. 233 pp., printed in 3 columns. 8s. 6d. net.

Notes and Queries : — ' For the purpose of the student, no
work so trustworthy, so convenient, and so valuable has seen
the light.'

Concise Dictionary of Middle English, from

A.D. 1150 to A.D. 1580 ; intended to be used as a glossary to the
Clarendon Press Specimens of English Literature, etc. ; by
A. L. H&YHXW and W. W. SKEAT. Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d.

Dr. Sweet's Grammars

New English Grammar, logical and historical, in two
parts, sold separately : Part I, Introduction, Phonology and
Accidence, crown 8vo, second edition, 523 pp., 10s. 6d. Part II,
Syntax, crown 8vo, second edition, 146 pp., 3s. 6d.

School World: — ' As an English grammar the book is of high
value ; as an historical study it is of the deepest interest, while
its clearness and careful style make it as readable to the literary
man as to the grammatical student.'

Short Historical English Grammar. 272 pp. 4s. ed.

Guardian: — ' In the best sense of the word a scholarly book
— one that, we hope, will for a long time exercise its influence
on the teaching of English.'

Educational Times: — ' Excellent in every way.'

Primer of Historical English Grammar, including

History of English, Phonology, Accidence, Composition, and
Derivation, with Specimens of Old, Middle, and Modern English
added. 120 pp. 2s.

u 10,000

CLARENDON PRESS SCHOOL BOOKS

Dr. Sweet's Primers and Readers

First Steps in Anglo-Saxon, containing 25 pages of
grammar, 43 of text, and 40 of explanatory notes. 2s. 6d.

Anglo-Saxon Primer. With grammar and glossary.
Eighth edition revised. 126 pp. 2s. 6d.

Anglo-Saxon Reader, in prose and verse. With grammar,
metre, notes, and glossary. Seventh edition, revised and
enlarged (1898). Crown 8vo. 414 pp. 9s. 6d.

A Second Anglo-Saxon Reader, archaic and dialectal.
220 pp. 4s. 6d.

Old English Reading Primers, being supplements to

the Anglo-Saxon Readers.

I : Selected Homilies of iElfric. Second edition. 2s.
II : Extracts from Alfred's Orosius. Second edition. 2s.

First Middle English Primer, with grammar and
glossary. Second edition. 2s. 6d.

Second Middle English Primer: extracts from

Chaucer, with grammar and glossary. Second edition. 2s. 6d.

Primer Of Phonetics. Second edition (1903). 3s. 6d.

Educational Times: — 'A concise, definite and practical
primer, eminently the book for a beginner.'

Primer of Spoken English. Second ed. revised. 3s. 6d.

A Book for the Beginner in Anglo-Saxon.

By J. EARLE. Fourth edition (1903). 2s. 6d.

A Primer of English Etymology. By w. w. SKEAT.

Fourth and revised edition (1904). Stiff covers. 120pp. Is. 6d.

A Primer of Classical and English Philology.

ByW. W. SKEAT. Cloth, 2s.

ENGLISH

Annotated Texts
Old and Middle English

Laurence Minot's Poems, edited by J. HALL. Second
edition. 4s. 6d.

Gospel of St. Luke in Anglo-Saxon, edited by

J. W. BRIGHT. 5s.

Selections from Gower's Confessio Amantis,

edited by G. C. MACAULAY (1903). 302 pp. 4s. 6d.

Miracle Plays, Moralities and Interludes, being

specimens of the pre-Elizabethan drama. Edited, with intro-
duction, notes, and glossary, by A. W. POLLARD. Fourth
edition (1903), with ten illustrations. Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d.

Specimens of Early English : with introductions, notes,

and glossarial index.
Part I : From Old English Homilies to King Horn (A.D. 1150 to

A. n. 1300): by R. MORRIS. Second edition. 572pp. »s.
Part II : From Robert of Gloucester to Gower (A.D. 1298 to A.D. 1393) :

by R. MORRIS and W. W. SKEAT. Fourth edition revised. 530 pp.

7s. 6d.
Part III : From the Ploughman's Crede to the Shepheards Calendar

(A.D. 1394 to A.D. 1579): by W. W. SKEAT. Sixth edition.

582 pp. 7s. 6d.

Prof. Skeat's editions

The Oxford Chaucer, containing in one volume the com-
plete text of Chaucer's works ; with introduction and glossarial
index. Crown 8vo. 906 pp. 3s. 6d. On India paper, from 5s.

The Minor Poems of Chaucer. With notes, etc.

Crown 8vo. Second edition. 586 pp. 10s. 6d.

The Hous of Fame. Crown 8vo. ise pp. 2s.

The Legend of Good Women. Crown svo. 286pp. 6s.

The Prologue, the Knightes Tale, the Nonne

Prestes Tale, from the Canterbury Tales. R. MORRIS'S edition,
re-edited. 324 pp. 2s. 6d.

The Prologue. School edition. 96 pp. Is.

3

CLARENDON PRESS SCHOOL BOOKS

The Prioresses Tale, Sir Thopas, the Monkes

Tale, the Clerkes Tale, the Squieres Tale, etc. Seventh edition.
412 pp. 4s. 6d.

The Tale of the Man of Lawe, the Pardoneres

Tale, the Second Nonnes Tale, the Chanouns Yemannes Tale,
from the Canterbury Tales. New edition revised (1904). 4s. 6d.

Langland's Piers the Plowman. Sixth edition.

264 pp. 4s. 6d.

The Tale of Gamelyn. Second edition. 104 pp. is. 6d.

Wydiffe's Bible : Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and
the Song of Solomon. 3s. 6d. The New Testament. 6s.

The Lay of Havelok the Dane (1903). With two

illustrations. 4s. 6d.

The Dream Of the Rood. An Old English poem attri-
buted to Cynewulf. Edited by ALBERT S. COOK. 3s. 6d.

Elizabethan

More's Utopia, edited, with introduction, notes, and full
glossary (by Miss MURRAY), by J. CHURTON COLLINS (1904).
Crown 8vo. 3s. 6d.

Elizabethan Critical Essays, selected and edited by
GREGORY SMITH : with introduction on the value of Elizabethan
criticism and notes. Crown 8vo, 2 vols. 12s. net.

Specimens of the Elizabethan Drama. From Lyiy

to Shirley, A.D. 1.580 to A.D. 1642. Edited, with introductions
and notes, by W. H. WILLIAMS. Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d.

The Oxford Shakespeare, containing the complete text
of Shakespeare's works, edited, with glossary, by W. J. CRAIG.
3s. 6d. 1264 pp. Crown 8vo. On India paper, from 5s.

Select Plays of Shakespeare, stiff covers.

Edited by W. G. CLARK and W. ALDIS WRIGHT.
Hamlet. 2s. Merchant of Venice. Is.

Macbeth. Is. 6d. Richard the Second. Is. (id.

Edited by W. ALDIS WRIGHT.
As You Like It. Is. 6d. King John. Is. 6d.

Coriolanus. 2s. 6d. King Lear. Is. 6d.

Henry the Eighth. 2s. Midsummer Night's Dream. Is. 6d.

Henry the Fifth. 2s. Much Ado about Nothing. Is. 6d.

Henry the Fourth, Part I. 2s. Richard the Third. 2s. 6d.
Julius Caesar. 2s. Tempest. Is. 6d.

Twelfth Night. Is. 6d.
4

ENGLISH

Marlowe's Edward 1 1 , edited, with introduction and notes,
by O. W. TANCOCK. Third edition. 2s. and 3s.

Marlowe's Dr. Faustus and Greene's Friar Bacon

and Friar Bungay, edited by A. W. WARD. Fourth
edition (1901). Crown 8vo. 448 pp. 6s. 6d.

Spenser's Faery Queene, Books i and n, with intro-
duction and notes by G. W. KITCHIN, and glossary by A. L.
MAYHEW. 2s. 6d. each.

Hakluyt's Principal Navigations : being narratives

of the Voyages of the Elizabethan Seamen to America. Selection
edited by E. J. PAYNE, containing the voyages of Gilbert,
Hawkins, Drake, Frobisher, Raleigh and others. Crown 8vo,
with portraits. First and second series. Second edition. 324
and 350 pp. 5s. each.

Specimens from 1394 to 1579 : see p. 3.

Bacon's Advancement of Learning, edited by

W. ALOIS WRIGHT. Crown 8vo, with woodcuts. 424 pp. 3s. 6d.
BaCOn's Essays, by S. H. REYNOLDS. 8vo. 12s. 6d.

Shakespeare as a Dramatic Artist. By R. G.

MOULTON. Third edition, enlarged. Crown 8vo. 7s. 6d.

Seventeenth Century

The Oxford Milton, edited by H. C. BEECHING. Demy
8vo, with facsimiles, 7s. 6d. ; crown 8vo, 3s. 6d. ; or, India paper,
from 5s. ; miniature edition, on India paper, 3s. 6d.

Milton's Poems, edited by R. C. BROWNE. 422 and 344 pp.
Two volumes, 6s. 6d. ; or separately, vol. I, 4s., vol. II, 3s.
Paradise Lost : Book I, edited by H. C. BEECHING.
Is. 6d. Book II, edited by E. K. CHAMBERS. Is. 6d.
Together, 2s. 6d.

Samson AgOmsteS, edited by J. CHURTON COLLINS.
Stiff covers. Is.

In paper covers

Lycidas, 3d. ; Comus, 6d. : edited Lycidas, 6d. ; L' Allegro, 4d. ; II
by R. C. BROWNE. Penseroso, 4d. ; Comus, Is. :

edited by O. ELTON.

ArCOpagitica, edited by J. W. HALES. 3s.

CLARENDON PRESS SCHOOL BOOKS

Pilgrim's Progress, and Grace Abounding,
edited, with biographical introduction and notes, by E. VENABLES.
Second edit., revised by M. PEACOCK. Cr.Svo, with portrait. 3s. 6d.

Holy \Var and the Heavenly Footman, by M. PEACOCK.
3s. 6d.

Clarendon's History of the Rebellion, Book vi,

edited by T. ARNOLD. Second edition. Crown 8vo. 5s.

Selections from Dryden, including Astraea Redux, Annus
Mirabilis, Absalom and Achitophel, Religio Laici, and The Hind
and the Panther : edited by W. D. CHRISTIE. Fifth edition,
revised by C. H. FIRTH. 372 pp. 3s. 6d.

Dryden's Essays, selected and edited by W. P. KER (1900).
Two volumes crown 8vo. 404 and 324 pp. 10s. 6d.

Dramatic Poesy, edited by T. ARNOLD. Third edition
(1904) revised by W. T. ARNOLD. 3s. 6d.

Manchester Guardian: — 'In its new form this book ought
long to hold its place as the standard separate edition of one
of the two or three finest achievements of English critic-ism.'

Milton's PrOSOdy, by R. BRIDGES. Crown 8vo. 5s. net.

Eighteenth Century

Locke's Conduct of the Understanding, edited by

T. FOWLER. Third edition. 2s. 6d.

Selections from Addison's papers in the Spec-
tator. By T. ARNOLD. 560 pp. 4s. 6d.

Selections from Steele, being papers from the Tatler,
Spectator, and Guardian, edited, with introduction, by AUSTIN
DOBSON. Second ed. Cr. 8vo, with portrait. 556 pp. 7s. 6d.

Selections from Swift, edited, with biographical intro-
duction and notes, by Sir HENRY CRAIK, containing the greater
part of Tale of a Tub, Gulliver's Travels, Battle of the Books, etc.
Two volumes crown 8vo, 484 and 488 pp. 7s. 6d. each.

Selections from Pope, with introductions and notes by
MARK PATTISON. (1) Essay on Man, sixth edition, Is. 6d.
(2) Satires and Epistles, fourth edition, 2s.
6

ENGLISH

Parnell's Hermit. Paper covers. 2d.

Thomson's Seasons and the Castle of Indolence,

edited by J. LOGIE ROBERTSON. Extra fcap. 8vo. 4s. 6d. Also
Castle of Indolence separately. Is. 6d.

Selections from Gray, edited by EDMUND GOSSE. 3s.
With additional notes for schools by F. WATSON. Is. 6d.

Gray's Elegy and Ode on Eton College. 2d.

Selections from Goldsmith, edited, with introduction
and notes, by AUSTIN DOBSON. 3s. 6d.

Goldsmith's Traveller, edited by G. BIRKBECK HILL.
Stiff covers. Is. The Deserted Village. Paper covers. 2d.

Johnson's RaSSClaS, edited, with introduction and notes,
by G. BIRKBECK HILL. Cloth flush, 2s. ; also 4s. 6d.

Rasselas, and Lives of Dryden and Pope,

edited by A. MILNES. 4s. 6d. Lives separately. 2s. 6d.

Life Of Milton, edited by C. H. FIRTH. Cloth, 2s. 6d. ;
stiff covers, Is. 6d.

Vanity Of Human Wishes, ed. by E.J.PAYNE. 4d.

Selections from Cowper, edited, with a life, introduction,
and notes, by H. T. GRIFFITH. 314 and 332 pp.

Vol. I : Didactic Poems of 1782, with some minor pieces 1779-

1783. 3s.

Vol. II : The Task, with Tirocinium and some minor poems
1784-1799. Third edition. 3s.

Selections from Burke, edited by E. J. PAYNE.

I : Thoughts on the Present Discontents : the two Speeches

on America. Second edition. 4s. 6d.

II: Reflections on the French Revolution. Second edition. 5s.
Ill : Letters on the proposed Regicide peace. Seconded. 5s.

Selections from Burns, edited, with introduction, notes,
and glossary, by J. LOGIE ROBERT-SON. Crown 8vo. 3s. 6d.

7

CLARENDON PRESS SCHOOL BOOKS

Nineteenth Century

Byron's Childe Harold, edited by H. F. TOZER. Third

edition. 3s. 6d.

Keats' Odes, edited by A. C. DOWNER. With four illustra-
tions. 3s. 6d. net.

Hyperion, Book I, with notes by W. T. ARNOLD. Paper

covers. 4d.

Scott's Lady of the Lake, edited by W. MINTO. 3s. 6d.
Lay of the Last Minstrel, by the same editor.

Second edition. Is. 6d. Separately, introduction and

Canto I. 6d.

Lord of the Isles, edited by T. BAYNE. 2s. and 2s. 6d.

by the same editor. 3s. 6d.
edited by C. E. THEODOSIUS. Crown 8vo. 2s.
Talisman, edited by H. B. GEORGE. Crown 8vo. -2s.

Shelley's Adonais, edited by W. M. ROSSETTI and A. O.
PRICKAHD. Second edition (1904). Crown 8vo. 3s. 6d.

Campbell's Gertrude of Wyoming, edited by H. M.

FrrzGiBBON. Second edition. Is.

Wordsworth's White Doe of Rylstone, etc., edited ^

by WILLIAM KNIGHT. 2s. 6d.

The Oxford Book of English Verse A. D. 1250-1900.

Chosen and edited by A. T. QUILLER-COUCH. 1096 pp. In
two editions. Crown 8vo, gilt top. 7s. 6d. (fifth impression).
Fcap 8vo on Oxford India paper, cloth extra, gilt top. 10s. 6d.
(sixth impression). Also in leather bindings.

Typical Selections from the best English writers with intro-
ductory notices. Second edition. 3s. 6d. each.
Vol. I : Latimer to Berkeley. Vol. II : Pope to Macaulay.

The Treasury of Sacred Song. By F. T. PALGHAVE.

4s. 6d. On India paper, 7s. 6d.

Poems of English Country Life, selected and edited
by H. B. GEORGE and W. H. HADOW. Crown 8vo. 2s.

The Complete Poetical Works of Shelley,

including materials never before printed in any edition of the
Poems. Edited, with Textual Notes and Bibliographical List
of Editions, by THOMAS HUTCHINSON. 8vo, with portrait of
Shelley and two other collotype illustrations. 7s. 6d. net.

8

14 DAY USE

RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED

LOAN DEPT.

RENEWALS ONLY — TEL. NO. 642-3405
This book is due on the last date stamped below, or

on the date to which renewed.
Renewed books are subject to immediate recall.

AIMS? 1870

HBTDLD JfN2670 -4PM !
flPR 13 1988

trfrW*

LD21A-60m-3,'70

(N5382slO)476-A-32

General Library

University of California

Berkeley

U.C. BERKELEY LIBRARIES

•'••'*.

'