Chaucer_s Works_ Volume 3 _ The House of Fame_ The Legend of Good Women_ The Treatise on the Astrolabe_ The Sources of the Canterbury Tales Geoffrey Chaucer 26910 downloads.pdf

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Title: Chaucer's Works, Volume 3 — The House of Fame; The Legend of
Good Women; The Treatise on the Astrolabe; The Sources of the
Canterbury Tales

Author: Geoffrey Chaucer

Editor: Walter W. Skeat

Release date: February 27, 2014 [eBook #45027]
Most recently updated: October 24, 2024

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45027

Credits: Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Keith Edkins and the Online
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAUCER'S
WORKS, VOLUME 3 — THE HOUSE OF FAME; THE LEGEND OF
GOOD WOMEN; THE TREATISE ON THE ASTROLABE; THE
SOURCES OF THE CANTERBURY TALES ***

Transcriber's In this edition the two versions of the Prologue to the
note: Legend are each assembled for continuous reading.
Page numbers {66a} etc. refer to the upper parts of
the printed pages, {66b} etc. refer to the lower parts.
Skeat's commentary on the Astrolabe (mentioned in
the text as "Footnotes") has been similarly separated
from Chaucer's text.

A Glossary including words from the texts in this
volume is included in Skeat's Volume VI, available
from Project Gutenberg at
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/43097/43097-h/43097-
h.htm.

MS. Fairfax 16. Legend of
Good Women, 414-450
Frontispiece***

THE COMPLETE WORKS

OF

GEOFFREY CHAUCER

EDITED, FROM NUMEROUS MANUSCRIPTS

BY THE

R e v . WA L T E R W . S K E AT , M.A.
Litt.D., LL.D., D.C.L., Ph.D.

ELRINGTON AND BOSWORTH PROFESSOR OF ANGLO-SAXON
AND FELLOW OF CHRIST'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE

***

THE HOUSE OF FAME: THE LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN
THE TREATISE ON THE ASTROLABE
WITH AN ACCOUNT OF THE SOURCES OF THE CANTERBURY TALES

'He made the book that hight the Hous of Fame.'
Legend of Good Women; 417.

'Who-so that wol his large volume seke
Cleped the Seintes Legende of Cupyde.'
Canterbury Tales; B 60.

'His Astrelabie, longinge for his art.'
Canterbury Tales; A 3209.

SECOND EDITION

Oxford
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
M DCCCC

Oxford
PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
BY HORACE HART, M.A.
PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Introduction to the House
of Fame.—§ 1.
Authorship. § 2.
Influence of Dante. §
3. Testimony of
Lydgate. § 4.
Influence of Ovid. § 5.
Date of the Poem. § 6.
Metre. § 7. Imitations.
§ 8. Authorities. § 9.
Some Emendations vii

Introduction to the xvi
Legend of Good

Women.—§ 1. Date of
the Poem. § 2. The
Two Forms of the
Prologue. § 3.
Comparison of these.
§ 4. The Subject of the
Legend. § 5. The
Daisy. § 6. Agaton. §
7. Chief Sources of the
Legend. § 8. The
Prologue; Legends of
(1) Cleopatra; (2)
Thisbe; (3) Dido; (4)
Hypsipyle and Medea;
(5) Lucretia; (6)
Ariadne; (7)
Philomela; (8) Phyllis;
(9) Hypermnestra. § 9.
Gower's Confessio
Amantis. § 10. Metre.
§ 11. 'Clipped' Lines.
§ 12. Description of
the MSS. § 13.
Description of the
Printed Editions. § 14.
Some Improvements
in my Edition of 1889.
§ 15. Conclusion

Introduction to a Treatise lvii
on the Astrolabe.—§
1. Description of the
MSS. §§ 2-16. MSS.
A., B., C., D., E., F.,
G., H., I., K., L., M.,
N., O., P. § 17. MSS.
Q., R., S., T., U., W.,

X. § 18. Thynne's
Edition. § 19. The two
Classes of MSS. § 20.
The last five Sections
(spurious). § 21. Gap
between Sections 40
and 41. § 22. Gap
between Sections 43
and 44. § 23.
Conclusion 40. § 24.
Extant portion of the
Treatise. § 25.
Sources. § 26. Various
Editions. § 27. Works
on the Subject. § 28.
Description of the
Astrolabe Planisphere.
§ 29. Uses of the
Astrolabe Planisphere.
§ 30. Stars marked on
the Rete. § 31.
Astrological Notes. §
32. Description of the
Plates

Plates illustrating the
description of the
Astrolabe lxxxi

The Hous of Fame: Book I. 1
The Hous of Fame: Book
II. 16
The Hous of Fame: Book
III. 33

The Legend of Good
Women: The Prologue 65

I. The Legend of
Cleopatra 106
II. The Legend of
Thisbe 110
III. The Legend of
Dido 117
IV. The Legend of
Hypsipyle and Medea 131
V. The Legend of
Lucretia 140
VI. The Legend of
Ariadne 147
VII. The Legend of
Philomela 158
VIII. The Legend of
Phyllis 164
IX. The Legend of
Hypermnestra 169

A Treatise on the
Astrolabe 175

Critical Notes to a
Treatise on the
Astrolabe 233

Notes to the House of
Fame 243

Notes to the Legend of
Good Women 288

Notes to a Treatise on the
Astrolabe 352

An Account of the
Sources of the
Canterbury Tales 370

INTRODUCTION TO THE HOUSE OF FAME

§ 1. It is needless to say that this Poem is genuine, as Chaucer himself
claims it twice over; once in his Prologue to the Legend of Good Women, l.
417, and again by the insertion in the poem itself of the name Geffrey (l.
729)[1].

§ 2. Influence of Dante. The influence of Dante is here very marked, and
has been thoroughly discussed by Rambeau in Englische Studien, iii. 209,
in an article far too important to be neglected. I can only say here that the
author points out both general and particular likenesses between the two
poems. In general, both are visions; both are in three books; in both, the
authors seek abstraction from surrounding troubles by venturing into the
realm of imagination. As Dante is led by Vergil, so Chaucer is upborne by
an eagle. Dante begins his third book, Il Paradiso, with an invocation to
Apollo, and Chaucer likewise begins his third book with the same;
moreover, Chaucer's invocation is little more than a translation of Dante's.

Among the particular resemblances, we may notice the method of
commencing each division of the Poem with an invocation[2]. Again, both
poets mark the exact date of commencing their poems; Dante descended
into the Inferno on Good Friday, 1300 (Inf. xxi. 112); Chaucer began his
work on the 10th of December, the year being, probably, 1383 (see note to l.
111).

Chaucer sees the desert of Lybia (l. 488), corresponding to similar waste
spaces mentioned by Dante; see note to l. 482. Chaucer's eagle is also
Dante's eagle; see note to l. 500. Chaucer gives an account of Phaethon (l.
942) and of Icarus (l. 920), much like those given by Dante (Inf. xvii. 107,
109); both accounts, however, may have been taken from Ovid[3]. Chaucer's
account of the eagle's lecture to him (l. 729) resembles Dante's Paradiso, i.
109-117. Chaucer's steep rock of ice (l. 1130) corresponds to Dante's steep
rock (Purg. iii. 47). If Chaucer cannot describe all the beauty of the House
of Fame (l. 1168), Dante is equally unable to describe Paradise (Par. i. 6).
Chaucer copies from Dante his description of Statius, and follows his

mistake in saying that he was born at Toulouse; see note to l. 1460. The
description of the house of Rumour is also imitated from Dante; see note to
l. 2034. Chaucer's error of making Marsyas a female arose from his
misunderstanding the Italian form Marsia in Dante; see note to l. 1229.

These are but some of the points discussed in Rambeau's article; it is
difficult to give, in a summary, a just idea of the careful way in which the
resemblances between these two great poets are pointed out. I am quite
aware that many of the alleged parallel passages are too trivial to be relied
upon, and that the author's case would have been strengthened, rather than
weakened, by several judicious omissions; but we may fairly accept the
conclusion, that Chaucer is more indebted to Dante in this poem than in any
other; perhaps more than in all his other works put together.

It is no longer possible to question Chaucer's knowledge of Italian; and it is
useless to search for the original of The House of Fame in Provençal
literature, as Warton vaguely suggests that we should do (see note to l.
1928). At the same time, I can see no help to be obtained from a perusal of
Petrarch's Trionfo della Fama, to which some refer us.

§ 3. Testimony of Lydgate. It is remarkable that Lydgate does not expressly
mention The House of Fame by name, in his list of Chaucer's works. I have
already discussed this point in the Introduction to vol. i. pp. 23, 24, where I
shew that Lydgate, nevertheless, refers to this work at least thrice in the
course of the poem in which his list occurs; and, at the same time, he speaks
of a poem by Chaucer which he calls 'Dant in English,' to which there is
nothing to correspond, unless it can be identified with The House of
Fame[4]. We know, however, that Lydgate's testimony as to this point is
wholly immaterial; so that the discussion as to the true interpretation of his
words is a mere matter of curiosity.

§ 4. Influence of Ovid. It must, on the other hand, be obvious to all readers,
that the general notion of a House of Fame was adopted from a passage in
Ovid's Metamorphoses, xii. 39-63. The proof of this appears from the great
care with which Chaucer works in all the details occurring in that passage.
He also keeps an eye on the celebrated description of Fame in Vergil's

Æneid, iv. 173-183; even to the unlucky rendering of 'pernicibus alis' by
'partriches winges,' in l. 1392[5].

I here quote the passage from Ovid at length, as it is very useful for
frequent reference (cf. Ho. Fame, 711-24, 672-99, 1025-41, 1951-76, 2034-
77):—

'Orbe locus medio est inter
terrasque, fretumque,
Caelestesque plagas, triplicis
confinia mundi;
Unde quod est usquam, quamuis
regionibus absit,
Inspicitur penetratque cauas uox
omnis ad aures.
Fama tenet, summaque domum sibi
legit in arce;
Innumerosque aditus, ac mille
foramina tectis
Addidit, et nullis inclusit limina
portis.
Nocte dieque patent. Tota est ex
aere sonanti;
Tota fremit, uocesque refert,
iteratque quod audit.
Nulla quies intus, nullaque silentia
parte.
Nec tamen est clamor, sed paruae
murmura uocis;
Qualia de pelagi, si quis procul
audiat, undis
Esse solent; qualemue sonum, cum
Iupiter atras
Increpuit nubes, extrema tonitrua
reddunt.
Atria turba tenet; ueniunt leue
uulgus, euntque;

Mixtaque cum ueris passim
commenta uagantur
Millia rumorum, confusaque uerba
uolutant.
E quibus hi uacuas implent
sermonibus aures;
Hi narrata ferunt alio; mensuraque
ficti
Crescit, et auditis aliquid nouus
adicit auctor.
Illic Credulitas, illic temerarius
Error,
Vanaque Laetitia est, consternatique
Timores,
Seditioque repens, dubioque
auctore Susurri.
Ipsa quid in caelo rerum, pelagoque
geratur,
Et tellure uidet, totumque inquirit in
orbem.'

A few other references to Ovid are pointed out in the Notes.

By way of further illustration, I here quote the whole of Golding's
translation of the above passage from Ovid:—

'Amid the world tweene heauen and
earth, and sea, there is a
place,
Set from the bounds of each of
them indifferently in space,
From whence is seene what-euer
thing is practizde any-
where,
Although the Realme be neere so
farre: and roundly to the

eare
Commes whatsoeuer spoken is;
Fame hath his dwelling
there,
Who in the top of all the house is
lodged in a towre.
A thousand entries, glades, and
holes are framed in this
bowre.
There are no doores to shut. The
doores stand open night and
day.
The house is all of sounding brasse,
and roreth euery way,
Reporting double euery word it
heareth people say.
There is no rest within, there is no
silence any-where.
Yet is there not a yelling out: but
humming, as it were
The sound of surges being heard
farre off, or like the sound
That at the end of thunderclaps long
after doth redound
When Ioue doth make the clouds to
crack. Within the courts is
preace
Of common people, which to come
and go do neuer ceace.
And millions both of troths and lies
run gadding euery-where,
And wordes confuselie flie in
heapes, of which some fill
the eare
That heard not of them erst, and
some cole-cariers part do
play,

To spread abroade the things they
heard, and euer by the way
The thing that was inuented growes
much greater than before,
And euery one that gets it by the
end addes somewhat more.
Light credit dwelleth there, there
dwells rash error, there doth
dwell
Vaine ioy: there dwelleth hartlesse
feare, and brute that loues to
tell
Uncertaine newes vpon report,
whereof he doth not knowe
The author, and sedition who fresh
rumors loues to sowe.
This Fame beholdeth what is done
in heauen, on sea, and land,
And what is wrought in all the
world he layes to
vnderstand.'

§ 5. Date of the Poem. Ten Brink, in his Chaucer Studien, pp. 120, 121,
concludes that The House of Fame was, in all probability, composed shortly
after Troilus, as the opening lines reproduce, in effect, a passage concerning
dreams which appears in the last Book of Troilus, ll. 358-385. We may also
observe the following lines in Troilus, from Book I, 517-8:—

'Now, thonked be god, he may goon
in the daunce
Of hem that Love list febly for to
avaunce.'

These lines, jestingly applied to Troilus by Pandarus, are in the House of
Fame, 639, 640, applied by Chaucer to himself:—

'Although thou mayst go in the
daunce
Of hem that him list not avaunce.'

Again, the House of Fame preceded the Legend of Good Women, because
he here complains of the hardship of his official duties (652-660); whereas,
in the Prologue to the Legend, he rejoices at obtaining some release from
them. We may also note the quotation from Boethius (note to l. 972). As
Boethius and Troilus seem to have been written together, somewhere about
1380, and took up a considerable time, and the apparent date of the Legend
is 1385, the probable date of the House of Fame is about 1383 or 1384. Ten
Brink further remarks that the references to Jupiter suggest to the reader
that the 10th of December was a Thursday (see note to 111). This would
give 1383 for beginning the poem; and perhaps no fitter date than the end of
1383 and the spring of 1384 can be found.

§ 6. Metre. Many of Chaucer's metres were introduced by him from the
French; but the four-accent metre, with rime as here employed, was
commonly known before Chaucer's time. It was used by Robert of Brunne
in 1303, in the Cursor Mundi, and in Havelok. It is, however, of French
origin, and occurs in the very lengthy poem of Le Roman de la Rose.
Chaucer only employed it thrice: (1) in translating the Roman de la Rose;
(2) in the Book of the Duchesse; and (3) in the present poem.

For normal lines, with masculine rimes, see 7, 8, 13, 14, 29, 33, &c. For
normal lines, with feminine rimes, see 1, 2, 9, 15, 18, &c. Elision is
common, as of e in turne (1), in somme (6), in Devyne (14); &c. Sometimes
there is a middle pause, where a final syllable need not always be elided.
Thus we may read:—

'By abstinencë—or by seknesse'
(25):
'In studie—or melancolious' (30):
'And fro unhappë—and ech disese'
(89):
'In his substáuncë—is but air' (768).

Two short syllables, rapidly pronounced, may take the place of one:—

'I noot; but who-so of these mirácles'
(12):
'By avisiouns, or bý figúres' (47).

The first foot frequently consists of a single syllable; see 26, 35, 40, 44; so
also in l. 3, where, in modern English, we should prefer Unto.

The final e, followed by a consonant, is usually sounded, and has its usual
grammatical values. Thus we have think-e, infin. (15); bot-e, old accus. of a
fem. sb. (32); swich-e, plural (35); oft-e, adverbial (35); soft-e, with
essential final e (A.S. sōfte); find-e, pres. pl. indic. (43); com-e, gerund (45):
gret-e, pl. (53); mak-e, infin. (56); rod-e, dat. form used as a new nom., of
which there are many examples in Chaucer (57); blind-e, def. adj. (138).
The endings -ed, -en, -es, usually form a distinct syllable; so also -eth,
which, however, occasionally becomes 'th; cf. comth (71). A few common
words, written with final e, are monosyllabic; as thise (these); also shulde
(should), and the like, occasionally. Remember that the old accent is
frequently different from the modern; as in orácles, mirácles (11, 12):
distaúnc-e (18), aventúres, figúres (47, 48): povért (88): málicióus (93): &c.
The endings -i-al, -i-oun, -i-ous, usually form two distinct syllables.

For further remarks on Metre and Grammar, see vol. v.

§ 7. Imitations. The chief imitations of the House of Fame are The Temple
of Glas, by Lydgate[6]; The Palice of Honour, by Gawain Douglas; The
Garland of Laurell, by John Skelton; and The Temple of Fame, by Pope.
Pope's poem should not be compared with Chaucer's; it is very different in
character, and is best appreciated by forgetting its origin.

§ 8. Authorities. The authorities for the text are few and poor; hence it is
hardly possible to produce a thoroughly satisfactory text. There are three
MSS. of the fifteenth century, viz. F. (Fairfax MS. 16, in the Bodleian
Library); B. (MS. Bodley, 638, in the same); P. (MS. Pepys 2006, in
Magdalene College, Cambridge). The last of these is imperfect, ending at l.

1843. There are two early printed editions of some value, viz. Cx. (Caxton's
edition, undated); and Th. (Thynne's edition, 1532). None of the later
editions are of much value, except the critical edition by Hans Willert
(Berlin, 1883). Of these, F. and B., which are much alike, form a first
group; P. and Cx. form a second group; whilst Th. partly agrees with Cx.,
and partly with F. The text is chiefly from F., with collations of the other
sources, as given in the footnotes, which record only the more important
variations.

§ 9. Some emendations. In constructing the text, a good deal of emendation
has been necessary; and I have adopted many hints from Willert's edition
above mentioned; though perhaps I may be allowed to add that, in many
cases, I had arrived at the same emendations independently, especially
where they were obvious. Among the emendations in spelling, I may
particularise misdemen (92), where all the authorities have mysdeme or
misdeme; Dispyt, in place of Dispyte (96); barfoot, for barefoot or barefote
(98); proces (as in P.) for processe, as in the rest (251); delyt, profyt, for
delyte, profyte (309, 310); sleighte for sleight (462); brighte[7], sighte, for
bright, sight (503, 504); wighte, highte, for wight, hight (739, 740); fyn,
Delphyn (as in Cx.), for fyne, Delphyne (1005, 1006); magyk, syk, for
magyke, syke (1269, 1270); losenges, for losynges (1317), and frenges (as in
F.) for frynges, as in the rest (1318); dispyt for dispite (1716); laughe for
laugh (Cx. lawhe, 1809); delyt for delyte (P. delit, 1831); thengyn (as in Th.)
for thengyne (1934); othere for other (2151, footnote). These are only a few
of the instances where nearly all the authorities are at fault.

The above instances merely relate to questions of spelling. Still more
serious are the defects in the MSS. and printed texts as regards the sense;
but all instances of emendation are duly specified in the footnotes, and are
frequently further discussed in the Notes at the end. Thus, in l. 329, it is
necessary to supply I. In 370, allas should be Eneas. In 513, Willert rightly
puts selly, i.e. wonderful, for sely, blessed. In 557, the metre is easily
restored, by reading so agast for agast so. In 621, we must read lyte is, not
lytel is, if we want a rime to dytees. In 827, I restore the word mansioun; the
usual readings are tautological. In 911, I restore toun for token, and adopt
the only reading of l. 912 that gives any sense. In 1007, the only possible
reading is Atlantes. In 1044, Morris's edition has biten, correctly; though

MS. F. has beten, and there is no indication that a correction has been made.
In 1114, the right word is site; cf. the Treatise on the Astrolabe (see Note).
In 1135, read bilt (i.e. buildeth); bilte gives neither sense nor rhythm. In
1173, supply be. Ll. 1177, 1178 have been set right by Willert. In 1189, the
right word is Babewinnes[8]. In 1208, read Bret (as in B.). In 1233, read
famous. In 1236, read Reyes[9]. In 1303, read hatte, i.e. are named. In 1351,
read Fulle, not Fyne. In 1372, adopt the reading of Cx. Th. P., or there is no
nominative to streighte; and in 1373, read wonderliche. In 1411, read
tharmes (= the armes). In 1425, I supply and hy, to fill out the line. In 1483,
I supply dan; if, however, poete is made trisyllabic, then l. 1499 should not
contain daun. In 1494, for high the, read highte (as in l. 744). In 1527, for
into read in. In 1570, read Up peyne. In 1666, 1701, and 1720, for werkes
read werk. In 1702, read clew (see note)[10]. In 1717, lyen is an error for
lyuen, i.e. live. In 1750, read To, not The. In 1775, supply ye; or there is no
sense. In 1793, supply they for a like reason. In 1804, 5, supply the, and al;
for the scansion. In 1897, read wiste, not wot. In 1940, hattes should be
hottes; this emendation has been accepted by several scholars. In 1936, the
right word is falwe, not salwe (as in Morris). In 1960, there should be no
comma at the end of the line, as in most editions; and in 1961, 2 read werre,
reste (not werres, restes). In 1975, mis and governement are distinct words.
In 2017, frot[11] is an error for froyt; it is better to read fruit at once; this
correction is due to Koch. In 2021, suppress in after yaf. In 2049, for he
read the other (Willert). In 2059, wondermost is all one word. In 2076, I
read word; Morris reads mothe, but does not explain it, and it gives no
sense. In 2156, I supply nevene.

I mention these as examples of necessary emendations of which the usual
editions take no notice.

I also take occasion to draw attention to the careful articles on this poem by
Dr. J. Koch, in Anglia, vol. vii. App. 24-30, and Englische Studien, xv. 409-
415; and the remarks by Willert in Anglia, vii. App. 203-7. The best general
account of the poem is that in Ten Brink's History of English Literature.

In conclusion, I add a few 'last words.'

L. 399. We learn, from Troil. i. 654, that Chaucer actually supposed
'Oënone' to have four syllables. This restores the metre. Read:—And Paris
to Oënone.

503. Read 'brighte,' with final e; 'bright' is a misprint.

859. Compare Cant. Tales, F 726.

1119. 'To climbe hit,' i.e. to climb the rock; still a common idiom.

2115. Compare Cant. Tales, A 2078. Perhaps read 'wanie.'

INTRODUCTION TO THE LEGEND OF GOOD
WOMEN.

§ 1. Date of the Poem: A.D. 1385. The Legend of Good Women presents
several points of peculiar, I might almost say of unique interest. It is the
immediate precursor of the Canterbury Tales, and enables us to see how the
poet was led on towards the composition of that immortal poem. This is
easily seen, upon consideration of the date at which it was composed.

The question of the date has been well investigated by Ten Brink; but it may
be observed beforehand that the allusion to the 'queen' in l. 496 has long
ago been noticed, and it has been thence inferred, by Tyrwhitt, that the
Prologue must have been written after 1382, the year when Richard II.
married his first wife, the 'good queen Anne.' But Ten Brink's remarks
enable us to look at the question much more closely.

He shows that Chaucer's work can be clearly divided into three chief
periods, the chronology of which he presents in the following form[12].

First Period.

1366 (at latest). The Romaunt of the
Rose.
1369. The Book of the Duchesse.
1372. (end of the period).

Second Period.

1373. The Lyf of Seint Cecile.
The Assembly of Foules.
Palamon and Arcite.
Translation of Boethius.
Troilus and Creseide.
1384. The House of Fame.

Third Period.

1385. Legend of Good Women.
Canterbury Tales.
1391. Treatise on the Astrolabe.

It is unnecessary for our present purpose to insert the conjectured dates of
the Minor Poems not here mentioned.

According to Ten Brink, the poems of the First Period were composed
before Chaucer set out on his Italian travels, i.e. before December, 1372,
and contain no allusions to writings by Italian authors. In them, the
influence of French authors is very strongly marked.

The poems of the Second Period (he tells us) were composed after that date.
The Life of Seint Cecile already marks the author's acquaintance with
Dante's Divina Commedia; lines 36-51 are, in fact, a free translation from
the Paradiso, canto xxxiii. ll. 1-21. See my note to this passage, and the
remarks on the 'Second Nun's Tale' in vol. v. The Parlement of Foules
contains references to Dante and a long passage translated from Boccaccio's
Teseide; see my notes to that poem in vol. i. The original Palamon and

Arcite was also taken from the Teseide; for even the revised version of it
(now known as the Knightes Tale, and containing, doubtless, much more of
Chaucer's own work) is founded upon that poem, and occasionally presents
verbal imitations of it. Troilus is similarly dependent upon Boccaccio's
Filostrato. The close connexion between Troilus and the translation of
Boethius is seen from several considerations, of which it may suffice here
to mention two. The former is the association of these two works in
Chaucer's lines to Adam—

'Adam scriveyn, if ever it thee
befalle
Boece or Troilus to wryten newe.'
Minor Poems; see
vol. i. p.
379.

And the latter is, the fact that Chaucer inserts in Troilus (book iv. stanzas
140-154) a long passage on predestination and free-will, taken from
Boethius, book v. proses 2, 3; which he would appear to have still fresh in
his mind. It is probable that his Boethius preceded Troilus almost
immediately; indeed, it is conceivable that, for a short season, both may
have been in hand at the same time.

There is also a close connexion between Troilus and the House of Fame, the
latter of which shows the influence of Dante in a high degree; see p. vii.
This connexion will appear from comparing Troil. v. stt. 52-55 with Ho.
Fame, 2-54; and Troil. i. st. 74 (ll. 517-8) with Ho. Fame, 639, 640. See Ten
Brink, Studien, p. 121. It would seem that the House of Fame followed
Troilus almost immediately. At the same time, we cannot put the date of the
House of Fame later than 1384, because of Chaucer's complaint in it of the
hardship of his official duties, from much of which he was released (as we
shall see) early in 1385. Further, the 10th of December is especially
mentioned as being the date on which the House of Fame was commenced
(l. 111), the year being probably 1383 (see Note to that line).

It would appear, further, that the Legend was begun soon after the House of
Fame was suddenly abandoned, in the very middle of a sentence. That it
was written later than Troilus and the House of Fame is obvious, from the
mention of these poems in the Prologue; ll. 332, 417, 441. That it was
written at no great interval after Troilus appears from the fact that, even
while writing Troilus, Chaucer had already been meditating upon the
goodness of Alcestis, of which the Prologue to the Legend says so much.
Observe the following passages (cited by Ten Brink, Studien, p. 120) from
Troilus, bk. v. stt. 219, 254:—

'As wel thou mightest lyen on
Alceste
That was of creatures—but men lye
—
That ever weren, kindest and the
beste.
For whan hir housbonde was in
Iupartye
To dye himself, but-if she wolde
dye,
She chees for him to dye and go to
helle,
And starf anoon, as us the bokes
telle.

Besechinge every lady bright of
hewe,
And every gentil womman, what
she be,
That, al be that Criseyde was
untrewe,
That for that gilt she be not wrooth
with me.
Ye may hir gilt in othere bokes see;
And gladlier I wol wryten, if yow
leste,

Penelopeës trouthe, and good
Alceste.'

There is also a striking similarity between the argument in Troilus, bk. iv. st.
3, and ll. 369-372 (B-text) of the Prologue to the Legend. The stanza runs
thus:—

'For how Criseyde Troilus forsook,
Or at the leste, how that she was
unkinde,
Mot hennes-forth ben matere of my
book,
As wryten folk thorugh whiche it is
in minde.
Allas! that they shulde ever cause
finde
To speke hir harm; and, if they on
hir lye,
Y-wis, hem-self sholde han the
vilanye.'

I will here also note the fact that the first line of the above stanza is quoted,
almost unaltered, in the earlier version of the Prologue, viz. at l. 265 of the
A-text, on p. 88.

From the above considerations we may already infer that the House of
Fame was begun, probably, in December, 1383, and continued in 1384; and
that the Legend of Good Women, which almost immediately succeeded it,
may be dated about 1384 or 1385; certainly after 1382, when King Richard
was first married. But now that we have come so near to the date, it is
possible to come still nearer; for it can hardly be doubted that the extremely
grateful way in which Chaucer speaks of the queen may fairly be connected
with the stroke of good fortune which happened to him just at this very
period. In the House of Fame we find him groaning about the
troublesomeness of his official duties; and the one object of his life, just
then, was to obtain greater leisure, especially if it could be had without

serious loss of income. Now we know that, on the 17th of February, 1385,
he obtained the indulgence of being allowed to nominate a permanent
deputy for his Controllership of the Customs and Subsidies; see Furnivall's
Trial Forewords to the Minor Poems, p. 25. If with our knowledge of this
fact we combine these considerations, viz. that Chaucer expresses himself
gratefully to the queen, that he says nothing more of his troublesome duties,
and that Richard II. is known to have been a patron of letters (as we learn
from Gower), we may well conclude that the poet's release from his burden
was brought about by the queen's intercession with the king on his behalf.
We may here notice Lydgate's remarks in the following stanza, which
occurs in the Prologue to the Fall of Princes[13]:—

'This poete wrote, at the request of
the quene,
A Legende, of perfite holynesse,
Of Good Women, to fynd out
nynetene
That did excell in bounte and
fayrenes;
But for his labour and besinesse
Was importable, his wittes to
encombre,
In all this world to fynd so gret a
nombre[14].'

Lydgate can hardly be correct in his statement that Chaucer wrote 'at the
request' of the queen: for, had our author done so, he would have let us
know it. Still, he has seized the right idea, viz. that the queen was, so to
speak, the moving cause which effected the production of the poem.

It is, moreover, much to the point to observe that Chaucer's state of
delightful freedom did not last long. Owing to a sudden change in the
government we find that, on Dec. 4, 1386, he lost his Controllership of the
Customs and Subsidies; and, only ten days later, also lost his Controllership
of the Petty Customs. Something certainly went wrong, but we have no
proof that Chaucer abused his privilege.

On the whole we may interpret ll. 496, 7 (p. 101), viz.

'And whan this book is maad, yive
hit the quene,
On my behalfe, at Eltham[15] or at
Shene,'

as giving us a date but little later than Feb. 17, 1385, and certainly before
Dec. 4, 1386. The mention of the month of May in ll. 36, 45, 108, 176, is
probably conventional; still, the other frequent references to spring-time, as
in ll. 40-66, 130-147, 171-174, 206, &c., may mean something; and in
particular we may note the reference to St. Valentine's day as being past, in
ll. 145, 146; seeing that chees (chose) occurs in the past tense. We can
hardly resist the conviction that the right date of the Prologue is the spring
of 1385, which satisfies every condition.

§ 2. The two forms of the Prologue. So far, I have kept out of view the
important fact, that the Prologue exists in two distinct forms, viz. an earlier
and a revised form. The lines in which 'the queen' is expressly mentioned
occur in the later version only, so that some of the above arguments really
relate to that alone. But it makes no great difference, as there is no reason to
suppose that there was any appreciable lapse of time between the two
versions.

In order to save words, I shall call the earlier version the A-text, and the
later one the B-text. The manner of printing these texts is explained at p. 65.
I print the B-text in full, in the lower half of the page. The A-text appears in
the upper half of the same, and is taken from MS. C. (Camb. Univ. Library,
Gg. 4. 27), which is the only MS. that contains it, with corrections of the
spelling, as recorded in the footnotes. Lines which appear in one text only
are marked with an asterisk (*); those which stand almost exactly the same
in both texts are marked with a dagger ( † ) prefixed to them; whilst the
unmarked lines are such as occur in both texts, but with some slight
alteration. By way of example, observe that lines B. 496, 497, mentioning
the queen, are duly marked with an asterisk, as not being in A. Line 2,
standing the same in both texts, is marked with a dagger. And thirdly, line 1

is unmarked, because it is slightly altered. A. has here the older expression
'A thousand sythes,' whilst B. has the more familiar 'A thousand tymes.'

The fact that A. is older than B. cannot perhaps be absolutely proved
without a long investigation. But all the conditions point in that direction. In
the first place, it occurs in only one MS., viz. MS. C., whilst all the others
give the B-text; and it is more likely that a revised text should be multiplied
than that a first draft should be. Next, this MS. C. is of high value and great
importance, being quite the best MS., as regards age, of the whole set; and
it is a fortunate thing that the A-text has been preserved at all. And lastly,
the internal evidence tends, in my opinion, to shew that B. can be more
easily evolved from A. than conversely. I am not aware that any one has
ever doubted this result.

We may easily see that the A-text is, on the whole, more general and vague,
whilst the B-text is more particular in its references. The impression left on
my mind by the perusal of the two forms of the Prologue is that Chaucer
made immediate use of the comparative liberty accorded to him on the 17th
of February, 1385, to plan a new poem, in an entirely new metre, and in the
new form of a succession of tales. He decided, further, that the tales should
relate to women famous in love-stories, and began by writing the tale of
Cleopatra, which is specially mentioned in B. 566 (and A. 542)[16]. The idea
then occurred to him of writing a preface or Prologue, which would afford
him the double opportunity of justifying and explaining his design, and of
expressing his gratitude for his attainment of greater leisure. Having done
this, he was not wholly satisfied with it; he thought the expression of
gratitude did not come out with sufficient clearness, at least with regard to
the person to whom he owed the greatest debt. So he at once set about to
amend and alter it; the first draught, of which he had no reason to be
ashamed, being at the same time preserved. And we may be sure that the
revision was made almost immediately; he was not the man to take up a
piece of work again after the first excitement of it had passed away[17]. On
the contrary, he used to form larger plans than he could well execute, and
leave them unfinished when he grew tired of them. I therefore propose to
assign the conjectural date of the spring of 1385 to both forms of the
Prologue; and I suppose that Chaucer went on with one tale of the series

after another during the summer and latter part of the same year till he grew
tired of the task, and at last gave it up in the middle of a sentence. An
expression of doubt as to the completion of the task already appears in l.
2457.

§ 3. Comparison of the two forms of the Prologue. A detailed comparison
of the two forms of the Prologue would extend to a great length. I merely
point out some of the more remarkable variations.

The first distinct note of difference that calls for notice is at line A. 89 (B.
108), p. 72, where the line—

'When passed was almost the month
of May'

is altered to—

'And this was now the firste morwe
of May.'

This is clearly done for the sake of greater definiteness, and because of the
association of the 1st of May with certain national customs expressive of
rejoicing. It is emphasized by the statements in B. 114 as to the exact
position of the sun (see note to the line). In like manner the vague
expression about 'the Ioly tyme of May' in A. 36 is exchanged for the more
exact—'whan that the month of May Is comen'; B. 36. In the B-text, the
date is definitely fixed; in ll. 36-63 we learn what he usually did on the
recurrence of the May-season; in ll. 103-124, we have his (supposed) actual
rising at the dawn of May-day; then the manner in which he spent that day
(ll. 179-185); and lastly, the arrival of night, his return home, his falling
asleep, and his dream (ll. 197-210). He awakes on the morning of May 2,
and sets to work at once (ll. 578, 579).

Another notable variation is on p. 71. On arriving at line A. 70, he puts
aside A. 71-80 for the present, to be introduced later on (p. 77); and writes
the new and important passage contained in B. 83-96 (p. 71). The lady

whom he here addresses as being his 'very light,' one whom his heart
dreads, whom he obeys as a harp obeys the hand of the player, who is his
guide, his 'lady sovereign,' and his 'earthly god,' cannot be mistaken. The
reference is obviously to his sovereign lady the queen; and the expression
'earthly god' is made clear by the declaration (in B. 387) that kings are as
demi-gods in this present world.

In A., the Proem or true Introduction ends at l. 88, and is more marked than
in B., wherein it ends at l. 102.

The passage in A. contained in ll. 127-138 (pp. 75, 76) is corrupt and
imperfect in the MS. The sole existing copy of it was evidently made from a
MS. that had been more or less defaced; I have had to restore it as I best
could. The B-text has here been altered and revised, though the variations
are neither extensive nor important; but the passage is immediately
followed by about 30 new lines, in which Mercy is said to be a greater
power than Right, or strict Justice, especially when Right is overcome
'through innocence and ruled curtesye'; the application of which expression
is obvious.

In B. 183-187 we have the etymology of daisy, the declaration that 'she is
the empress of flowers,' and a prayer for her prosperity, i.e. for the
prosperity of the queen.

In A. 103 (p. 73), the poet falls asleep and dreams. In his dream, he sees a
lark (A. 141, p. 79) who introduces the God of Love. In the B-text, the
dream is postponed till B. 210 (p. 79), and the lark is left out, as being
unnecessary. This is a clear improvement.

An important change is made in the 'Balade' at pp. 83, 84. The refrain is
altered from 'Alceste is here' to 'My lady cometh.' The reason is twofold.
The poet wishes to suppress the name of Alcestis for the present, in order to
introduce it as a surprise towards the end (B. 518)[18]; and secondly, the
words 'My lady cometh' are used as being directly applicable to the queen,
instead of being only applicable through the medium of allegory. Indeed,
Chaucer takes good care to say so; for he inserts a passage to that effect (B.

271-5); where we may remember, by the way, that free means 'bounteous' in
Middle-English. We have a few additional lines of the same sort in B. 296-
299.

On the other hand, Chaucer suppressed the long and interesting passage in
A. 258-264, 267-287, 289-312, for no very obvious reason. But for the
existence of MS. C., it would have been wholly lost to us, and the recovery
of it is a clear gain. Most interesting of all is the allusion to Chaucer's sixty
books of his own, all full of love-stories and personages known to history,
in which, for every bad woman, mention was duly made of a hundred good
ones (A. 273-277, p. 88)[19]. Important also is his mention of some of his
authors, such as Valerius, Livy, Claudian, Jerome, Ovid, and Vincent of
Beauvais.

If, as we have seen, Alcestis in this Prologue really meant the queen, it
should follow that the God of Love really meant the king. This is made
clear in B. 373-408, especially in the comparison between a just king (such
as Richard, of course) and the tyrants of Lombardy. In fact, in A. 360-364,
Chaucer said a little too much about the duty of a king to hear the
complaints and petitions of the people, and he very wisely omitted it in
revision. In A. 355, he used the unlucky word 'wilfulhed' as an attribute of a
Lombard tyrant; but as it was not wholly inapplicable to the king of
England, he quietly suppressed it. But the comparison of the king to a lion,
and of himself to a fly, was in excellent taste; so no alteration was needed
here (p. 94).

In his enumeration of his former works (B. 417-430), he left out one work
which he had previously mentioned (A. 414, 415, p. 96). This work is now
lost[20], and was probably omitted as being a mere translation, and of no
great account. Perhaps the poet's good sense told him that the original was a
miserable production, as it must certainly be allowed to be, if we employ
the word miserable with its literal meaning (see p. 307).

At pp. 103, 104, some lines are altered in A. (527-532) in order to get rid of
the name of Alcestis here, and to bring in a more immediate reference to the
Balade. Line B. 540 is especially curious, because he had not, in the first

instance, forgotten to put her in his Balade (see A. 209); but he now wished
to seem to have done so.

In B. 552-565, we have an interesting addition, in which Love charges him
to put all the nineteen ladies, besides Alcestis, into his Legend; and tells him
that he may choose his own metre (B. 562). Again, in B. 568-577, he
practically stipulates that he is only to tell the more interesting part of each
story, and to leave out whatever he should deem to be tedious. This proviso
was eminently practical and judicious.

§ 4. The subject of the Legend. We learn, from B. 241, 283, that Chaucer
saw in his vision Alcestis and nineteen other ladies, and from B. 557, that
he was to commemorate them all in his Legend, beginning with Cleopatra
(566) and ending with Alcestis (549, 550). As to the names of the nineteen,
they are to be found in his Balade (555).

Upon turning to the Balade (p. 83), the names actually mentioned include
some which are hardly admissible. For example, Absalom and Jonathan are
names of men; Esther is hardly a suitable subject, whilst Ysoult belongs to a
romance of medieval times. (Cf. A. 275, p. 88.) The resulting practicable
list is thus reduced to the following, viz. Penelope, Marcia, Helen, Lavinia,
Lucretia, Polyxena, Cleopatra, Thisbe, Hero, Dido, Laodamia, Phyllis,
Canace, Hypsipyle, Hypermnestra, and Ariadne. At the same time, we find
legends of Medea and Philomela, though neither of these are mentioned in
the Balade. It is of course intended that the Balade should give a
representative list only, without being exactly accurate.

But we are next confronted by a most extraordinary piece of evidence, viz.
that of Chaucer himself, when, at a later period, he wrote the Introduction to
the Man of Lawes Prologue (see vol. iv. p. 131). He there expressly refers
to his Legend of Good Women, which he is pleased to call 'the Seintes
Legende of Cupide,' i.e. the Legend of Cupid's Saints. And, in describing
this former work of his, he introduces the following lines:—

'Ther may be seen the large
woundes wyde

Of Lucresse, and of Babilan Tisbee;
The swerd of Dido for the false
Enee;
The tree of Phillis for hir
Demophon;
The pleinte of Dianire and
Hermion,
Of Adriane and of Isiphilee;
The bareyne yle stonding in the see;
The dreynte Leander for his Erro;
The teres of Eleyne, and eek the wo
Of Brixseyde, and of thee,
Ladomea;
The cruelte of thee, queen Medea,
Thy litel children hanging by the
hals
For thy Iason, that was of love so
fals!
O Ypermistra, Penelopee, Alceste,
Your wyfhod he comendeth with
the beste!
But certeinly no word ne wryteth he
Of thilke wikke example of
Canacee'; &c.

We can only suppose that he is referring to the contents of his work in quite
general terms, with a passing reference to his vision of Alcestis and the
nineteen ladies, and to those mentioned in his Balade. There is no reason for
supposing that he ever wrote complete tales about Deianira, Hermione,
Hero, Helen, Briseis, Laodamia, or Penelope, any more than he did about
Alcestis. But it is highly probable that, just at the period of writing his
Introduction to the Man of Lawes Prologue, he was seriously intending to
take up again his 'Legend,' and was planning how to continue it. But he
never did it.

On comparing these two lists, we find that the following names are
common to both, viz. Penelope, Helen, Lucretia, Thisbe, Hero, Dido,

Laodamia, Phyllis, Canace, Hypsipyle, Hypermnestra, Ariadne, and (in
effect) Alcestis. The following occur in the Balade only, viz. Marcia,
Lavinia, Polyxena, Cleopatra. And the following are mentioned in the
above-quoted passage only, viz. Deianira, Hermione, Briseis, Medea. We
further know that he actually wrote the Legend of Philomela, though it is in
neither of the above lists; whilst the story of Canace was expressly rejected.
Combining our information, and rearranging it, we see that his intention
was to write nineteen Legends, descriptive of twenty women, viz. Alcestis
and nineteen others; the number of Legends being reduced by one owing to
the treatment of the stories of Medea and Hypsipyle under one narrative.
Putting aside Alcestis, whose Legend was to come last, the nineteen women
can be made up as follows:—

1. Cleopatra. 2. Thisbe. 3. Dido. 4 and 5. Hypsipyle and Medea. 6. Lucretia.
7. Ariadne. 8. Philomela. 9. Phyllis. 10. Hypermnestra (all of which are
extant). Next come—11. Penelope: 12. Helen: 13. Hero: 14. Laodamia (all
mentioned in both lists). 15. Lavinia: 16. Polyxena[21] (mentioned in the
Balade). 17. Deianira: 18. Hermione: 19. Briseis (in the Introduction to the
Man of Lawe).

This conjectural list is sufficient to elucidate Chaucer's plan fully, and
agrees with that given in the note to l. 61 of the Introduction to the Man of
Lawes Tale, in vol. v.

If we next enquire how such lists of 'martyred' women came to be suggested
to Chaucer, we may feel sure that he was thinking of Boccaccio's book
entitled De Claris Mulieribus, and of Ovid's Heroides. Boccaccio's book
contains 105 tales of Illustrious Women, briefly told in Latin prose. Chaucer
seems to have partially imitated from it the title of his poem—'The Legend
of Good Women'; and he doubtless consulted it for his purpose. But he took
care to consult other sources also, in order to be able to give the tales at
greater length, so that the traces of his debt to the above work by Boccaccio
are very slight.

We must not, however, omit to take notice that, whilst Chaucer owes but
little to Boccaccio as regards his subject-matter, it was from him, in

particular, that he took his general plan. This is well shewn in the excellent
and careful essay by M. Bech, printed in 'Anglia,' vol. v. pp. 313-382, with
the title—'Quellen und Plan der Legende of Goode Women und ihr
Verhältniss zur Confessio Amantis.' At p. 381, Bech compares Chaucer's
work with Boccaccio's, and finds the following points of resemblance.

1. Both works treat exclusively of women; one of them speaks particularly
of 'Gode Women,' whilst the other is written 'De Claris Mulieribus.'

2. Both works relate chiefly to tales of olden time.

3. In both, the tales follow each other without any intermediate matter.

4. Both are compacted into a whole by means of an introductory Prologue.

5. Both writers wish to dedicate their works to a queen, but effect this
modestly and indirectly. Boccaccio addresses his Prologue to a countess,
telling her that he wishes to dedicate his book to Joanna, queen of
Jerusalem and Sicily; whilst Chaucer veils his address to queen Anne under
the guise of allegory.

6. Both record the fact of their writing in a time of comparative leisure.
Boccaccio uses the words: 'paululum ab inerti uulgo semotus et a ceteris
fere solutus curis.'

7. Had Chaucer finished his work, his last Legend would have related to
Alcestis, i.e. to the queen herself. Boccaccio actually concludes his work
with a chapter 'De Iohanna Hierusalem et Sicilie regina.'

See further in Bech, who quotes Boccaccio's 'Prologue' in full.

To this comparison should be added (as Bech remarks) an accidental
coincidence which is even more striking, viz. that the work 'De Claris
Mulieribus' bears much the same relation to the more famous one entitled 'Il

Decamerone,' that the Legend of Good Women does to the Canterbury
Tales.

Boccaccio has all of Chaucer's finished tales, except those of Ariadne,
Philomela, and Phyllis[22]; he also gives the stories of some whom Chaucer
only mentions, such as the stories of Deianira (cap. 22), Polyxena (cap. 31),
Helena (cap. 35), Penelope (cap. 38); and others. To Ovid our author is
much more indebted, and frequently translates passages from his Heroides
(or Epistles) and from the Metamorphoses. The former of these works
contains the Epistles of Phyllis, Hypsipyle, Medea, Dido, Ariadne, and
Hypermnestra, whose stories Chaucer relates, as well as the letters of most
of those whom Chaucer merely mentions, viz. of Penelope, Briseis,
Hermione, Deianira, Laodamia, Helena, and Hero. It is evident that our poet
was chiefly guided by Ovid in selecting stories from the much larger
collection in Boccaccio. At the same time it is remarkable that neither
Boccaccio (in the above work) nor Ovid gives the story of Alcestis, and it is
not quite certain whence Chaucer obtained it. It is briefly told in the 51st of
the Fabulae of Hyginus, but it is much more likely that Chaucer borrowed it
from another work by Boccaccio, entitled De Genealogia Deorum[23],
where it appears amongst the fifty-one labours of Hercules, in the following
words:—

'Alcestem Admeti regis Thessaliae coniugem retraxit [Hercules] ad uirum.
Dicunt enim, quod cum infirmaretur Admetus, implorassetque Apollinis
auxilium, sibi ab Apolline dictum mortem euadere non posse, nisi illam
aliquis ex affinibus atque necessariis subiret. Quod cum audisset Alcestis
coniunx, non dubitauit suam pro salute uiri concedere, et sic ea mortua
Admetus liberatus est, qui plurimum uxori compatiens Herculem orauit, vt
ad inferos uadens illius animam reuocaret ad superos, quod et factum est.'—
Lib. xiii. c. 1 (ed. 1532).

§ 5. The Daisy. To this story Chaucer has added a pretty addition of his own
invention, that this heroine was finally transformed into a daisy. The idea of
choosing this flower as the emblem of perfect wifehood was certainly a
happy one, and has often been admired. It is first alluded to by Lydgate, in a

Poem against Self-Love (see Lydgate's Minor Poems, ed. Halliwell, p.
161):—

'Alcestis flower, with white, with
red and greene,
Displaieth hir crown geyn Phebus
bemys brihte.'

And again, in the same author's Temple of Glas, ll. 71-74:—

'I mene Alceste, the noble trewe wyf
...
Hou she was turned to a dayesye.'

The anonymous author of the Court of Love seized upon the same fancy to
adorn his description of the Castle of Love, which, as he tells us, was—

'With-in and oute depeinted
wonderly
With many a thousand daisy[es]
rede as rose
And white also, this sawe I verely.
But what tho deis[y]es might do
signifye
Can I not tel, saufe that the quenes
floure,
Alceste, it was, that kept ther her
soioure,
Which vnder Uenus lady was and
quene,
And Admete kyng and souerain of
that place,
To whom obeied the ladies good
ninetene,
With many a thousand other bright
of face[24].'

The mention of 'the ladies good ninetene' at once shews us whence this
mention of Alcestis was borrowed.

In a modern book entitled Flora Historica, by Henry Phillips, 2nd ed. i. 42,
we are gravely told that 'fabulous history informs us that this plant [the
daisy] is called Bellis because it owes its origin to Belides, a granddaughter
of Danaus, and one of the nymphs called Dryads, that presided over the
meadows and pastures in ancient times. Belides is said to have encouraged
the suit of Ephigeus, but whilst dancing on the green with this rural deity
she attracted the admiration of Vertumnus, who, just as he was about to
seize her in his embrace, saw her transformed into the humble plant that
now bears her name.' It is clear that the concocter of this stupid story was
not aware that Belides is a plural substantive, being the collective name of
the fifty daughters of Danaus, who are here rolled into one in order to be
transformed into a single daisy; and all because the words bellis and Belides
happen to begin with the same three letters! It may also be noticed that 'in
ancient times' the business of the Dryads was to preside over trees rather
than 'over meadows and pastures.' Who the 'rural deity' was who is here
named 'Ephigeus' I neither know nor care. But it is curious to observe the
degeneracy of the story for which Chaucer was (in my belief) originally
responsible[25]. See Notes and Queries, 7th S. vi. 186, 309.

Of course it is easy to see that this invention on the part of Chaucer is
imitated from Ovid's Metamorphoses, where Clytie becomes a sun-flower,
Daphne a laurel, and Narcissus, Crocus, and Hyacinthus become,
respectively, a narcissus, a crocus, and a hyacinth. At the same time,
Chaucer's attention may have been directed to the daisy in particular, as
Tyrwhitt long ago pointed out, by a perusal of such poems as Le Dit de la
fleur de lis et de la Marguerite, by Guillaume de Machault (printed in
Tarbe's edition, 1849, p. 123), and Le Dittié de la flour de la Margherite, by
Froissart (printed in Bartsch's Chrestomathie de l'ancien Français, 1875, p.
422); see Introduction to Chaucer's Minor Poems, in vol. i. p. 36. In
particular, we may well compare lines 42, 48, 49, 60-63 of our B-text with
Machault's Dit de la Marguerite (ed. Tarbé, p. 123):—

'J'aim une fleur, qui s'uevre et qui
s'encline
Vers le soleil, de jour quant il
chemine;
Et quant il est couchiez soubz sa
courtine
Par nuit obscure,
Elle se clost, ainsois que li jours
fine.'

And again, we may compare ll. 53-55 with the lines in Machault that
immediately follow, viz.

'Toutes passe, ce mest vis, en
coulour,
Et toutes ha surmonté de douçour;
Ne comparer
Ne se porroit nulle à li de coulour':
&c.[26]

The resemblance is, I think, too close to be accidental.

We may also compare (though the resemblance is less striking) ll. 40-57 of
the B-text of the Prologue (pp. 68, 69) with ll. 22-30 of Froissart's poem on
the Daisy:—

'Son doulç vëoir grandement me
proufite,
et pour ce est dedens mon coer
escripte
si plainnement
que nuit et jour en pensant ie recite
les grans vertus de quoi elle est
confite,
et di ensi: "la heure soit benite

quant pour moi ai tele flourette
eslite,
qui de bonté et de beauté est dite
la souveraine,"' &c.

At l. 68 of the same poem, as pointed out by M. Sandras (Étude sur G.
Chaucer, 1859, p. 58), and more clearly by Bech (Anglia, v. 363), we have a
story of a woman named Herés—'une pucelle [qui] ama tant son mari'—
whose tears, shed for the loss of her husband Cephëy, were turned by
Jupiter into daisies as they fell upon the green turf. There they were
discovered, one January, by Mercury, who formed a garland of them, which
he sent by a messenger named Lirés to Serés (Ceres). Ceres was so pleased
by the gift that she caused Lirés to be beloved, which he had never been
before.

This mention of Ceres doubtless suggested Chaucer's mention of Cibella
(Cybele) in B. 531. In fact, Chaucer first transforms Alcestis herself into a
daisy (B. 512); but afterwards tells us that Jupiter changed her into a
constellation (B. 525), whilst Cybele made the daisies spring up 'in
remembrance and honour' of her. The clue seems to be in the name Cephëy,
representing Cephei gen. case of Cepheus. He was a king of Ethiopia,
husband of Cassiope, father of Andromeda, and father-in-law of Perseus.
They were all four 'stellified,' and four constellations bear their names even
to the present day. According to the old mythology, it was not Alcestis, but
Cassiope, who was said to be 'stellified[27].' The whole matter is thus
sufficiently illustrated.

§ 6. Agaton. This is, perhaps, the most convenient place for explaining who
is meant by Agaton (B. 526). The solution of this difficult problem was first
given by Cary, in his translation of Dante's Purgatorio, canto xxii. l. 106,
where the original has Agatone. Cary first quotes Chaucer, and then the
opinion of Tyrwhitt, that there seems to be no reference to 'any of the
Agathoes of antiquity,' and adds: 'I am inclined to believe that Chaucer must
have meant Agatho, the dramatic writer, whose name, at least, appears to
have been familiar in the Middle Ages; for, besides the mention of him in
the text, he is quoted by Dante in the Treatise de Monarchia, lib. iii. "Deus

per nuncium facere non potest, genita non esse genita, iuxta sententiam
Agathonis."' The original is to be found in Aristotle, Ethic. Nicom. lib. vi. c.
2:—

Μόνου γὰρ ἀυτοῦ καὶ θεὸς
στερίσκεται
Ἀγένητα ποιεῖν ἅσσ' ἄν ᾖ
πεπραγμένα.

Agatho is mentioned by Xenophon in his Symposium, by Plato in the
Protagoras, and in the Banquet, a favourite book with our author [Dante],
and by Aristotle in his Art of Poetry, where the following remarkable
passage occurs concerning him, from which I will leave it to the reader to
decide whether it is possible that the allusion in Chaucer might have arisen:
ἐν ἐνίαις μὲν ἓν ἢ δύο τῶν γνωρίμων ἐστὶν ὀνομάτων, τὰ δὲ ἄλλα
πεποιημένα· ἐν ἐνίαις δὲ ὀυθέν· οἷον ἐν τῷ Ἀγάθωνος Ἄνθει. ὁμοίως γὰρ ἐν
τούτῳ τά τε πράγματα καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα πεποίηται, καὶ ὀυδὲν ἧττον
ἐυφραίνει. Edit. 1794, p. 33. "There are, however, some tragedies, in which
one or two of the names are historical, and the rest feigned; there are even
some, in which none of the names are historical; such is Agatho's tragedy
called 'The Flower'; for in that all is invention, both incidents and names;
and yet it pleases." Aristotle's Treatise on Poetry, by Thos. Twining, 8vo.
edit. 1812, vol. i. p. 128.'

The peculiar spelling Agaton renders it highly probable that Chaucer took
the name from Dante (Purg. xxii. 106), but this does not wholly suffice[28].
Accordingly, Bech suggests that he may also have noticed the name in the
Saturnalia of Macrobius, an author whose Somnium Scipionis Chaucer
certainly consulted (Book Duch. 284; Parl. Foules, 111). In this work
Macrobius mentions, incidentally, both Alcestis (lib. v. c. 19) and Agatho
(lib. ii. c. 1), and Chaucer may have observed the names there, though he
obtained no particular information about them. Froissart (as Bech bids us
remark), in his poem on the Daisy, has the lines:—

'Mercurius, ce dist li escripture,
trouva premier

la belle flour que j'ainc oultre
mesure,' &c.

The remark—'ce dist li escripture,' 'as the book says'—may well have
suggested to Chaucer that he ought to give some authority for his story, and
the name of Agatho (of whom he probably knew nothing more than the
name) served his turn as well as another. His easy way of citing authors is
probably, at times, humorously assumed; and such may be the explanation
of his famous 'Lollius.' It is quite useless to make any further search.

I may add that this Agatho, or Agathon (Ἀγάθον), was an Athenian tragic
poet, and a friend of Euripides and Plato. He was born about B.C. 447, and
died about B.C. 400.

Lounsbury (Studies in Chaucer, ii. 402) rejects this explanation; but it is not
likely that we shall ever meet with a better one.

§ 7. Chief Sources of the Legend. The more obvious sources of the various
tales have frequently been pointed out. Thus Prof. Morley, in his English
Writers, v. 241 (1890), says that Thisbe is from Ovid's Metamorphoses, iv.
55-166; Dido, from Vergil and Ovid's Heroides, Ep. vii; Hypsipyle and
Medea from Ovid (Met. vii., Her. Ep. vi, xii); Lucretia from Ovid (Fasti, ii.
721) and Livy (Hist. i. 57); Ariadne and Philomela from Ovid (Met. viii.
152, vi. 412-676), and Phyllis and Hypermnestra also from Ovid (Her. Ep.
ii. and Ep. xiv). He also notes the allusion to St. Augustine (De Civitate Dei,
cap. xix.) in l. 1690, and observes that all the tales, except those of Ariadne
and Phyllis[29], are in Boccaccio's De Claris Mulieribus. But it is possible to
examine them a little more closely, and to obtain further light upon at least a
few other points. It will be most convenient to take each piece in its order.
For some of my information, I am indebted to the essay by Bech, above
mentioned (p. xxviii).

§ 8. Prologue. Original. Besides mere passing allusions, we find references
to the story of Alcestis, queen of Thrace (432[30], 518). As she is not
mentioned in Boccaccio's book De Claris Mulieribus, and Ovid nowhere
mentions her name, and only alludes in passing to the 'wife of Admetus' in

two passages (Ex Ponto, iii. 1. 106; Trist. v. 14. 37), it is tolerably certain
that Chaucer must have read her story either in Boccaccio's book De
Genealogia Deorum, lib. xiii. c. 1 (see p. xxix), or in the Fables of Hyginus
(Fab. 51). A large number of the names mentioned in the Balade (249) were
suggested either by Boccaccio's De Claris Mulieribus, or by Ovid's
Heroides; probably, by both of these works. We may here also note that the
Fables of Hyginus very briefly give the stories of Jason and Medea (capp.
24, 25); Theseus and Ariadne (capp. 41-43); Philomela (cap. 45); Alcestis
(cap. 51); Phyllis (cap. 59); Laodamia (cap. 104); Polyxena (cap. 110);
Hypermnestra (cap. 168); Nisus and Scylla (cap. 198; cf. ll. 1904-1920);
Penelope (cap. 126); and Helena (capp. 78, 92). The probability that
Chaucer consulted Machault's and Froissart's poems has already been
discussed; see p. xxxi.

It is interesting to note that Chaucer had already praised many of his Good
Women in previous poems. Compare such passages as the following:—

'Of Medea and of Iason,
Of Paris, Eleyne, and Lavyne.'
Book of the Duch.
330.

'By as good right as Medea was,
That slow her children for Iason;
And Phyllis als for Demophon
Heng hir-self, so weylaway!
For he had broke his terme-day
To come to her. Another rage
Had Dydo, quene eek of Cartage,
That slow hir-self, for Eneas
Was fals; a! whiche a fool she was!'
Id. 726.

—'as moche debonairtee
As ever had Hester in the bible.' Id.
986.

'For love of hir, Polixena— ...
She was as good, so have I reste,
As ever Penelope of Greece,
Or as the noble wyf Lucrece,
That was the beste—he telleth thus,
The Romain, Tytus Livius.' Id.
1071, 1080.

'She passed hath Penelope and
Lucresse.'
Anelida;
82
.

'Biblis, Dido, Tisbe and Piramus,
Tristram, Isoude, Paris, and
Achilles,
Eleyne, Cleopatre, and Troilus.'
Parlement of
Foules;
289.

'But al the maner how she [Dido]
deyde,
And al the wordes that she seyde,
Who-so to knowe hit hath purpos,
Reed Virgile in Eneidos
Or the Epistle of Ovyde,
What that she wroot or that she
dyde;
And, nere hit to long to endyte,
By god, I wolde hit here wryte.'
House of Fame;
375.

The last quotation proves clearly, that Chaucer was already meditating a
new version of the Legend of Dido, to be made up from the Æneid and the
Heroides, whilst still engaged upon the House of Fame (which actually
gives this story at considerable length, viz. in ll. 140-382); and
consequently, that the Legend of Good Women succeeded the House of
Fame by a very short interval. But this is not all; for only a few lines further
on we find the following passage:—

'Lo, Demophon, duk of Athenis,
How he forswor him ful falsly,
And trayed Phillis wikkedly,
That kinges doghter was of Trace,
And falsly gan his terme pace;
And when she wiste that he was
fals,
She heng hir-self right by the hals,
For he had do hir swich untrouthe;
Lo! was not this a wo and routhe?
Eek lo! how fals and reccheles
Was to Briseida Achilles,
And Paris to Oënone;
And Iason to Isiphile;
And eft Iason to Medea;
And Ercules to Dyanira;
For he lefte hir for Iöle,
That made him cacche his deeth,
parde!
How fals eek was he, Theseus;
That, as the story telleth us,
How he betrayed Adriane;
The devel be his soules bane[31]!
For had he laughed, had he loured,
He mostë have be al devoured,
If Adriane ne had y-be[32]!' &c. Id.
387.

Here we already have an outline of the Legend of Phyllis; a reference to
Briseis; to Jason, Hypsipyle, Medea, and to Deianira; a sufficient sketch of
the Legend of Ariadne; and another version of the Legend of Dido.

We trace a lingering influence upon Chaucer of the Roman de la Rose; see
notes to ll. 125, 128, 171. Dante is both quoted and mentioned by name; ll.
357-360. Various other allusions are pointed out in the Notes.

In ll. 280, 281, 284, 305-308 of the A-text of the Prologue (pp. 89, 90),
Chaucer refers us to several authors, but not necessarily in connexion with
the present work. Yet he actually makes use (at second-hand) of Titus (i.e.
Livy, l. 1683), and also further of the 'epistles of Ovyde.' He takes occasion
to refer to his own translation of the Roman de la Rose (B. ll. 329, 441,
470), and to his Troilus (ll. 332, 441, 469); besides enumerating many of his
poems (417-428).

I. The Legend of Cleopatra. The source of this legend is by no means clear.
As Bech points out, some expressions shew that one of the sources was the
Epitome Rerum Romanarum of L. Annæus Florus, lib. iv. c. 11; see notes to
ll. 655, 662, 679. No doubt Chaucer also consulted Boccaccio's De Claris
Mulieribus, cap. 86, though he makes no special use of the account there
given. The story is also in the history of Orosius, bk. iv. c. 19; see Sweet's
edition of King Alfred's Orosius, p. 247. Besides which, I think he may
have had access to a Latin translation of Plutarch, or of excerpts from the
same; see the notes.

It is worth while to note here that Gower (ed. Pauli, iii. 361) has the
following lines:—

'I sigh [saw] also the woful quene
Cleopatras, which in a cave
With serpents hath her-self begrave
Al quik, and so was she to-tore,
For sorwe of that she hadde lore
Antonie, which her love hath be.

And forth with her I sigh Thisbe';
&c.

It is clear that he here refers to Chaucer's Legend of Good Women, because
he actually repeats Chaucer's very peculiar account of the manner of
Cleopatra's death. See § 9, p. xl. Compare L. G. W. ll. 695-697; and note
that, both in Chaucer and Gower, the Legend of Thisbe follows that of
Cleopatra; whilst the Legend of Philomela immediately follows that of
Ariadne. This is more than mere coincidence. See Bech's essay; Anglia, v.
365.

II. The Legend of Thisbe. This is from Ovid's Metamorphoses, iv. 55-166,
and from no other source. Some of the lines are closely translated, but in
other places the phraseology is entirely recast. The free manner in which
Chaucer treats his original is worthy of study; see, as to this, the excellent
criticism of Ten Brink, in his Geschichte der Englischen Litteratur, ii. 117.
Most noteworthy of all is his suppression of the mythological element. The
story gains in pathos in a high degree by the omission of the mulberry-tree,
the colour of the fruit of which was changed from white to black by the
blood of Pyramus; see note to l. 851. This is the more remarkable, because
it was just for the sake of this very metamorphosis that Ovid admitted the
tale into his series. See also notes to ll. 745, 784, 797, 798, 814, 835, 869,
&c.; and cf. Gower's Confessio Amantis, ed. Pauli, i. 324.

III. The Legend of Dido. Chiefly from Vergil's Aeneid, books i-iv. (see note
to l. 928, and compare the notes throughout); but ll. 1355-1365 are from
Ovid's Heroides, vii. 1-8, quoted at length in the note to l. 1355. And see,
particularly, the House of Fame, ll. 140-382. Cf. Gower, C. A. ii. 4-6[33].

IV. The Legends of Hypsipyle and Medea. The sources mentioned by
Morley are Ovid's Metamorphoses, bk. vii., and Heroides, epist. vi.; to
which we must add Heroides, epist. xii. But this omits a much more
important source, to which Chaucer expressly refers. In l. 1396, all previous
editions have the following reading—'In Tessalye, as Ovyde telleth us'; but
four important MSS. read Guido for Ovyde, and they are quite right[34]. The
false reading Ovyde is the more remarkable, because all the MSS. have the

reading Guido in l. 1464, where a change would have destroyed the rime.
As a matter of fact, ll. 1396-1461 are from Guido delle Colonne's Historia
Troiana, book i. (see notes to ll. 1396, 1463); and ll. 1580-3, 1589-1655 are
also from the same, book ii. (see notes to ll. 1580, 1590). Another source
which Chaucer may have consulted, though he made but little use of it, was
the first and second books of the Argonautica of Valerius Flaccus, expressly
mentioned in l. 1457 (see notes to ll. 1457, 1469, 1479, 1509, 1558)[35]. The
use made of Ovid, Met. vii., is extremely slight (see note to l. 1661). As to
Ovid, Her. vii., xii., see notes to ll. 1564, 1670. The net result is that Guido
is a far more important source of this Legend than all the passages from
Ovid put together. Chaucer also doubtless consulted the fifth book of the
Thebaid of his favourite author Statius; see notes to ll. 1457, 1467. Perhaps
he also consulted Hyginus, whose 14th Fable gives the long list of the
Argonauts, and the 15th, a sketch of the story of Hypsipyle. Compare also
Boccaccio, De Claris Mulieribus, capp. 15, 16; and the same, De
Genealogia Deorum, lib. xiii. c. 26. Observe also that Gower gives the story
of Medea, and expressly states that the tale 'is in the boke of Troie write,' i.e.
in Guido. See Pauli's edition, ii. 236.

V. The Legend of Lucretia. Chaucer refers to Livy's History (bk. i. capp.
57-59); and to Ovid (Fasti, ii. 721-852). With a few exceptions, the Legend
follows the latter source. He also refers to St. Augustine; see note to l.
1690[36]. Cf. Boccaccio, De Claris Mulieribus, cap. 46, who follows Livy.
Several touches are Chaucer's own; see notes to ll. 1812, 1838, 1861, 1871,
1881.

Gower has the same story (iii. 251), and likewise follows Ovid and Livy.

VI. The Legend of Ariadne. From Ovid, Met. vii. 456-8, viii. 6-182; Her.
Epist. x. (chiefly 1-74); cf. Fasti, iii. 461-516. But Chaucer consulted other
sources also, probably a Latin translation of Plutarch's Life of Theseus;
Boccaccio, De Genealogia Deorum, lib. xi. capp. 27, 29, 30; also Vergil,
Aen. vi. 20-30; and perhaps Hyginus, Fabulae, capp. 41-43. Cf. House of
Fame, 405-426; and Gower, ii. 302[37].

VII. The Legend of Philomela. Chiefly from Ovid, Met. vi. 424-605; and
perhaps from no other source, though the use of the word radevore in l.
2352 is yet to be accounted for. Cf. Boccaccio, De Genealogia Deorum, lib.
ix. c. 8; and Gower, Conf. Amantis, ii. 313, who refers us to Ovid.

VIII. The Legend of Phyllis. Chiefly from Ovid, Her. Epist. ii.; cf.
Remedia Amoris, 591-608. But a comparison with the story as told by
Gower (C. A. ii. 26) shews that both poets consulted some further source,
which I cannot trace. The tale is told by Hyginus (Fab. capp. 59, 243) and
Boccaccio in a few lines. Cf. House of Fame, 388-396. A few lines are from
Vergil, Æn. i. 85-102, 142; iv. 373. And see notes to Lydgate's Temple of
Glas, ed. Schick, p. 75.

IX. The Legend of Hypermnestra. Chiefly from Ovid, Her. Epist. xiv. But
Ovid calls her husband Lynceus, whereas Chaucer calls him Lino. Again,
Ovid does not give the name of Lynceus' father. Chaucer not only
transposes the names of the two fathers[38], but calls Ægyptus by the name
of Egiste or Egistes. Hence we see that he also consulted Boccaccio, De
Genealogia Deorum, lib. ii. c. 22, where we find the following account:
'Danaus Beli Prisci fuit filius, ut asserit Paulus[39], et illud idem affirmat
Lactantius, qui etiam et ante Paulum Orosium, dicit Danaum Beli filium ex
pluribus coniugibus .l. filias habuisse, quas cum Ægistus frater eius, cui
totidem erant melioris sexus filii, postulasset in nurus, Danaus oraculi
responso comperto se manibus generi moriturum, uolens euitare periculum,
conscensis nauibus in Argos uenit.... Ægistus autem, quod spretus esset
indignans, ut illum sequerentur filiis imperauit, lege data ut nunquam
domum repeterent, ni prius Danaum occidissent. Qui cum apud Argos
oppugnarent patruum, ab eo diffidente fraude capti sunt. Spopondit enim se
illis iuxta Ægisti uotum filias daturum in coniuges, nec defuit promisso
fides. Subornatae enim a patre uirorum intrauere thalamos singulis cultris
clam armatae omnes, et cum uino laetitiaque calentes iuuenes facile in
soporem iuissent, obedientes patri uirgines, captato tempore iugulauerunt
uiros, unaquaeque suum, Hypermestra excepta, quae Lino seu Linceo uiro
suo miserta pepercit.' We may note, by the way, that Chaucer's spelling
Hypermistre is nearer to Boccaccio's Hypermestra than to the form in Ovid.

§ 9. Gower's Confessio Amantis. The relationship of Gower's Confessio
Amantis to Chaucer's Legend has been investigated by Bech; in Anglia, v.
365-371. His conclusion is, that the passages in Gower which resemble
Chaucer are only three at most; and I am here concerned to shew that, in
two of these, the supposed resemblance is delusive.

1. In Gower's introduction, at the very beginning, ed. Pauli, i.4, we are told
that, but for books, the renown of many excellent people would be lost. This
seems to be copied from Chaucer's Prologue to the Legend, ll. 17-28. I have
no doubt that such is the case; but we must be careful to remember that
these lines by Gower form part of the prologue to his second edition, and
were not written till 1393; by which time Chaucer's lines were common
property, and could be imitated by any one who chose to do it; so we really
learn nothing at all from this comparison.

2. In Gower, i. 45-48, there is a passage which bears some resemblance to
Chaucer's Prologue to the Legend. But if it be considered impartially, I
believe it will be found that the resemblance is too vague to be of any value,
and cannot be relied upon. We really must not set much store by such
generalities as the mention of the month of May; the address of the poet to
Cupid and Venus; the wrathful aspect of Cupid; and the graciousness of
Venus, who bids him disclose his malady and shrive himself. If Gower
could not 'invent' such common poetical talk, he had small business to write
at all. I would rather conclude, that Gower had no opportunity of seeing
Chaucer's poem till somewhat later; for it is a striking fact, that, whereas
Gower seized the opportunity of copying some of Chaucer's phrases in the
Tale of Constance (see this discussed at p. 415), he tells several of
Chaucer's Legends, such as those of Thisbe, Dido, Medea, Lucrece,
Ariadne, Philomela, and Phyllis in a wholly independent manner; and, when
telling the tale of Alcestis (iii. 149), he had no idea that she was ever
transformed into a daisy. Moreover, if he had been able to refer to the
Legend, l. 1355-6, he would hardly have translated 'Maeandri' by 'king
Menander' (ii. 5).

Without hesitation, I dismiss these alleged resemblances as trifling, and the
deduction from them as misleading.

3. But when we come to the very end of Gower's work (iii. 357-367), the
case is entirely altered, and the resemblances are striking and irrefragable.
This is best seen by comparing the whole passage. Gower is in the midst of
lamenting his old age, a subject to which he afterwards returns, when he
suddenly introduces a digression, in which he sees

'Cupide with his bowe bent;
And, like unto a parlement
Which were ordeined for the nones,
With him cam al the world atones
Of gentil folk, that whilom were
Lovers; I sigh hem alle there'....

'Garlondes, nought of o colour,
Some of the lefe, som of the flour,
And some of grete perles were.'

After which we are introduced to Tristram and Isolde, Jason and Hercules,
Theseus and Phedra, Troilus and Criseide and Diomede, Pyramus, Dido,
Phyllis, Adriane, Cleopatra, Tisbe, Progne and Philomene and Tereus,
Lucrece, Alcestis; and even Ceyx and Alcyone (cf. Chaucer's youthful
poem). The matter is put beyond doubt by Gower's adoption of Chaucer's
peculiar account of Cleopatra's death, as already noted above; see p. xxxvii.

The conclusion to be drawn from these facts is obvious. We see that, in the
year 1385, Gower had almost completed his long poem, and communicated
the fact to his friend Chaucer; and Chaucer, in return, told him of the new
poem (the Legend) upon which he was then himself engaged, so planned as
to contain nineteen tales or sections, and likely to extend to some 6,000
lines. Moreover, it was written in a new metre, such as no Englishman had
ever employed before. Gower was allowed to see the MS. and to read a
considerable portion of it. He was so struck with it as to make room for
some remarks about it; and even went out of his way to introduce a personal
reference to his friend. He makes Venus say to himself (iii. 374):—

'And grete wel Chaucer, whan ye
mete,
As my disciple and my poete....
Forthy now, in his dayes olde[40],
Thou shall telle him this message,
That he, upon his later age[40],
To sette an ende of alle his werke,
As he, which is myn owne clerke,
Do make his testament of love,
(As thou hast do thy shrift above),
So that my court it may recorde.'

That is to say, Chaucer, being the poet of Venus, is to make his testament of
love, or final declaration concerning love, in a form suitable for being
recorded in the court of the goddess. This 'testament' is, of course, the
Legend of Good Women, in which the martyrs of love are duly recorded;
and their stories, written at the command of Cupid and by way of penance
for what he had missaid against women, were to be placed to the good side
of the author's account with Venus and her son. Moreover, they were finally
to be sent in to the visible representative of the court of Love, viz. to the
queen of England and her court.

It is interesting to observe that Gower, like Chaucer himself at the moment,
regarded this poem as the crowning effort of Chaucer's poetical career.
Neither of them had, at the time, any suspicion that Chaucer would, after
all, 'sette an ende of alle his werke' in a very different manner. We may thus
confidently date the first edition of Gower's Confessio Amantis in the year
1385, before the Legend of Hypermnestra was abandoned in the middle of a
sentence. The date of the second edition of the same is 1393; and it is a
great help to have these dates thus settled.

§ 10. Metre. The most interesting point about this poem is that it is the first
of the 'third period' of Chaucer's literary work. Here, for the first time, he
writes a series of tales, to which he prefixes a prologue; he adopts a new
style, in which he seeks to delineate characters; and, at the same time, he
introduces a new metre, previously unknown to English writers, but now

famous as 'the heroic couplet.' In all these respects, the Legend is evidently
the forerunner of the Canterbury Tales, and we see how he was gradually,
yet unconsciously, preparing himself for that supreme work. In two notable
respects, as Ten Brink remarks, the Legend is inferior to the Tales. The
various legends composing it are merely grouped together, not joined by
connecting links which afford an agreeable relief. And again, the Prologue
to the Legend is mere allegory, whilst the famous Prologue to the Tales is
full of real life and dramatic sketches of character.

Chaucer had already introduced the seven-line stanza, unknown to his
predecessors—the earliest example being the Compleint unto Pite—as well
as the eight-line stanza, employed in his earliest extant poem, the A. B. C.
For the hint as to this form of verse, he was doubtless indebted in the first
instance to French poets, such as Guillaume de Machault, though he
afterwards conformed his lines, as regarded their cadence and general laws,
to those of Boccaccio and Dante[41].

The idea of the heroic couplet was also, I suppose, taken from French; we
find it in a Complainte written by Machault about 1356-8 (see below, p.
383); but here, again, Chaucer's melody has rather the Italian than the
French character. The lines in Froissart's poem on the Daisy (p. xxxi) are of
the same length, but rime together in groups of seven lines at a time,
separated by short lines having two accents only. Boccaccio's favourite
stanza in the Teseide, known as the ottava rima, ends with two lines that
form an heroic couplet[42].

§ 11. 'Clipped' Lines. It ought to be clearly understood that the introduction
of the new metre was quite an experiment, for which Chaucer himself offers
some apology when he makes the God of Love say expressly: 'Make the
metres of hem as thee leste' (l. 562). Hence it was that he introduced into
the line a variety which is now held to be inadmissible; though we must not
forget that even so great a master of melody as Tennyson, after beginning
his 'Vision of Sin' with lines of normal length, begins the second portion of
it with the lines:—

'Then methought I heard a hollow
sound
Gathering up from all the lower
ground;
Narrowing in to where they sat
assembled,
Low voluptuous music winding
trembled,' &c.

It is precisely this variation that Chaucer sometimes allowed himself, and it
is easy to see how it came to pass.

In lines of a shorter type we constantly find a similar variation. There are a
large number of 'clipped' lines in the House of Fame. Practically, their first
foot consists of a single syllable, and they may be scanned accordingly, by
marking off that syllable at the beginning. Thus, ll. 2117-2120 run thus:—

'And leet | hem gon. Ther might' I
seen
Weng | ed wondres faste fleen,
Twent | ty thousand in a route,
As E | olus hem blew aboute.'

This variation is still admissible, and is, of course, common enough in such
poems as Milton's L'Allegro and Il Penseroso. It is considered a beauty.

The introduction of two more syllables in lines of the above type gives us a
similar variation in the longer line. If, for example, after the word thousand
in the third of the above lines, we introduce the word freres (dissyllabic),
we obtain the line:—

'Twen | ty thousand freres in a route.'

It is a remarkable fact, that this very line actually occurs in the Canterbury
Tales (Group D, 1695); as I have pointed out in the note to l. 2119 of the
House of Fame, at p. 286 below. Persistent efforts have often been made to

deny this fact, to declare it 'impossible,' and to deride me for having pointed
it out (as I did in 1866, in Morris's edition of Chaucer, i. 174); but I believe
that the fact is now pretty generally admitted. It is none the less necessary to
say here, that there is rather a large number of such lines in the Legend of
Good Women; precisely as we might expect to find in a metre which was, in
fact, a new experiment. As it is advisable to present the evidence rather
fully, I here cite several of these lines, marking off the first syllable in the
right way:—

'That | of all' the flour-es in the med-
e'; 41.
'Suf | fisaunt this flour to preys'
aright'; 67.
'Of | this flour, when that it shuld
unclos-e'; 111.
'Mad' | her lyk a daisie for to sen-e';
224.
'Half | hir beautee shulde men nat
fynd-e'; 245.
'With | the whyt-e coroun, clad in
gren-e'; 303.
'Mai | dens been y-kept, for Ielosy-
e'; 722.
'For | to met' in o plac' at o tyd-e';
783.
'With | her fac' y-wimpled subtilly';
797.
'Both | e with her hert' and with her
y-ën'; 859.
'Bet | ing with his hel-es on the
ground-e'; 863.
'We | that wer-en whylom children
your-e'; 901.
'Been | as trew' and loving as a man';
911.
'Had | den in this temple been ov'r-
al'; 1024.

'We | that wer-en in prosperitee';
1030.
'Lyk | ed him the bet, as, god do bot-
e'; 1076.
'Lov' | wol lov', for no wight wol hit
wond-e'; 1187.
'Send' | her lettres, tokens, broches,
ring-es'; 1275.
'Mer | cy, lord! hav' pitè in your
thoght'; 1324.
'Twen | ty tym' y-swowned hath she
than-ne'; 1342.
'With | her meynee, end-e-long the
strond-e'; 1498.
'Yift | es gret', and to her officeres';
1551.
'Fad | er, moder, husbond, al y-fer-e';
1828.
'Fight | en with this fend, and him
defend-e'; 1996.
'Tell | en al his doing to and fro';
2471.
'Y | permistra, yongest of hem all-e';
2575.

It is worth notice that they become scarcer towards the end of the poem. For
all that, Chaucer regarded this form of the line as an admissible variety, and
Hoccleve and Lydgate followed him in this peculiarity. The practice of
Hoccleve and Lydgate is entirely ignored by those to whom it is convenient
to ignore it. Perhaps they do not understand it. The usual argument of those
who wish to regulate Chaucer's verse according to their own preconceived
ideas, is to exclaim against the badness of the MSS. and the stupidity of the
scribes. This was tolerably safe before Dr. Furnivall printed his valuable
and exact copies of the MSS., but is less safe now. We now have twelve
MSS. (some imperfect) in type, besides a copy of Thynne's first edition of
the poem in 1532, making thirteen authorities in all. Now, as far as this
particular matter is concerned, the chief MSS. shew a wonderful unanimity.

In ll. 41, 111, 224, 722, 797, 901, 911, 1076, 1187, 1996, there is no
variation that affects the scansion. And this means a great deal more than it
seems to do at first sight. For the scribes of MSS. A. and T. evidently did
not like these lines, and sometimes attempted emendations with all the
hardihood of modern editors. The fact that the scribes are unwilling
witnesses, with a tendency to corrupt the evidence, makes their testimony
upon this point all the stronger. Added to which, I here admit that, wherever
there seemed to be sufficient evidence, I have so far yielded to popular
prejudice as to receive the suggested emendation. I now leave this matter to
the consideration of the unprejudiced reader; merely observing, that I
believe a considerable number of lines in the Canterbury Tales have been
'emended' in order to get rid of lines of this character, solely on the strength
of the Harleian MS., the scribe of which kept a keen look-out, with a view
to the suppression of this eccentricity on the part of his author. To give him
much encouragement seems inconsistent with strict morality.

The introduction (ll. 249-269) of a Balade of twenty-one lines makes every
succeeding couplet end with a line denoted by an odd number. The whole
number of lines is 2,723. Dr. Furnivall was the first person who succeeded
in counting their number correctly.

§ 12. Description of the Manuscripts. The MSS. easily fall into two
distinct classes, and may be separated by merely observing the reading of l.
1396: see note to that line. MSS. C., T., A. here read Guido or Guydo;
whilst MSS. F., Tn., B. read Ouyde. MS. P. is here deficient, but commonly
agrees with the former class. Those of the same class will be described
together. Besides this, MS. C. is, as regards the Prologue only, unique of its
kind; and is throughout of the highest authority, notwithstanding some
unpleasant peculiarities of spelling. It is necessary to pay special attention
to it.

The list of the MSS. (including Thynne's edition) is as follows:—

A.—Arch. Selden B. 24; Bodleian Library (First class).

Add.—Additional 9832; British Museum (First class).

Additional 12524; British Museum (First class).

B.—Bodley 638; Bodleian Library (Second class).

C.—Cambridge Univ. Library, Gg. 4. 27 (First class).

F.—Fairfax 16; Bodleian Library (Second class).

P.—Pepys 2006; Magd. Coll., Cambridge (First class).

T.—Trinity College, Cambridge, R. 3. 19 (First class).

Th.—Thynne's edition, pr. in 1532 (Second class?).

Tn.—Tanner 346; Bodleian Library (Second class).

α.—Additional 28617; British Museum (First class); but only a
fragment, viz. ll. 513-610, 808-1105, 1306-1801, 1852-2110, 2125-
2135, 2151-2723.

β.—Cambridge Univ. Library, Ff. 1. 6 (Thisbe only).

γ.—Rawlinson C. 86; Bodleian Library (Dido only).

They may be thus described.

C. (Camb. Univ. Lib. Gg. 4. 27) is the famous Cambridge MS., containing
the Canterbury Tales, denoted by the symbol 'Cm.' in the footnotes to vol. iv
(i.e. throughout the Canterbury Tales); also by the symbol 'Gg.' in vol. i., i.e.
in the Minor Poems; see p. 49 of the Introduction to vol. i. It also contains
some other pieces by Chaucer, viz. the A. B. C., Envoy to Scogan, Truth,
Troilus, and the Parlement of Foules. It is of early date, and altogether the
oldest, best, and most important of the existing copies of the Legend. I shall
call all those that resemble it MSS. of the first class.

Its great peculiarity is that it possesses the unique copy of the early draught
of the Prologue; see p. xxi. Upon comparison of it with the Fairfax MS. (the
best MS. of the second class), it is found to offer slight differences in many
places throughout the various Legends, besides presenting large differences
throughout the Prologue. The variations are frequently for the better, and it
becomes clear that the first class of MSS. is of an older type. The second
class is of a later type, and differs in two ways, in one way for the worse,
and in another way for the better. In the former respect, it presents corrupted
or inferior readings in several passages; whilst, on the other hand, it
presents corrections that are real improvements, and may have been due to
revision. No doubt there was once in existence a correct edition of the
revised text, but no existing MS. represents it. We can, however, practically
reconstruct it by a careful collation of MS. C. with MS. F.; and this I have
attempted to do. Throughout the Prologue, I take MS. C. as the basis of the
'A-text,' correcting its eccentricities of spelling, but recording them in
footnotes wherever the variation is at all important; such a variation as hym
for him, or yt for hit, I regard as being of no value. At the same time, I take
MS. F. as the basis of the B-text, and correct it, where necessary, by
collation with the rest. Throughout the Legends themselves, I take MS. F. as
the basis of the text, collating it with C. throughout, so that the text really
depends on a comparison of these MSS.; if MS. C. had been made the basis,
the result would have been much the same. It was convenient to take F. as
the basis, because it agrees, very nearly, with all previous editions of the
poem. Unfortunately, leaf 469 of MS. C. has been cut out of it; and, in
consequence, ll. 1836-1907 are missing. The scribe has missed ll. 1922,
1923, 2506, 2507, in the process of copying.

Addit. 9832. This is an imperfect MS., ending at l. 1985, no more leaves of
the MS. being left after that line. Besides this, the scribe has omitted several
lines, viz. ll. 166, 233, 234, 332, 333, 351, 865-872, 960, 961, 1255, 1517,
1744-1746, 1783, 1895, 1945. It belongs to the first class of the MSS., but
is an unsatisfactory copy, and I have not fully collated it. It confirms,
however, several of the readings of this edition, as distinguished from
former editions.

Addit. 12524. This also is only a fragment. The first leaf begins at l. 1640
of the poem, from which point it is complete to the end, though ll. 2454-

2461 are partially effaced. It belongs to the first class of MSS., but is a late
copy, and I have not fully collated it. It confirms several of my readings.

T.—MS. Trin. Coll. Cam. R. 3. 19. Denoted by the symbol 'Trin.' in my
edition of the Minor Poems, and described in vol. i., Introd. p. 56. It is of
rather late date, about 1500, but belongs to the first class of MSS. The
scribe has omitted the following lines, viz. 233, 234, 332, 333, 489, 960,
961, 1627, 2202, 2203, 2287-2292, and 2569.

A.—MS. Arch. Selden B. 24 (Bodley). Denoted by the symbol 'Ar.' in my
edition of the Minor Poems, and described in vol. i., Introd. p. 54. A
Scottish copy, written about 1472. It belongs to the first class of MSS., but
the Scottish scribe sometimes takes liberties, and gives us a reading of his
own. For example, l. 714 becomes:—'As in grete townis the maner is and
wone.' But its readings, on the whole, are good. It alone preserves the word
'almychti' in l. 1538, which in all the rest is too short; this may not have
been the original reading, but it gives a fair line, and furnishes as good an
emendation as we are likely to get. The scribe has omitted ll. 860, 861, 960,
961, 1568-1571, 2226, and 2227; besides which, one leaf of the MS. is
missing, causing the loss of ll. 2551-2616.

P.—Pepys 2006, Magd. Coll., Cambridge. Denoted by 'P.' in my edition of
the Minor Poems, of which it contains ten. It belongs, on the whole, to the
first class of MSS. The scribe has omitted ll. 232, 437, 623, and 1275.
Besides this, it has lost at least one leaf, causing the complete loss of ll.
706-776, whilst ll. 777-845 are in a different handwriting. At l. 1377 it
breaks off altogether, so that it is only a fragment. It gives l. 1377 in the
following extraordinary form:—'And thow wer not fals to oon, but thow
wer fals to twoo'; giving six feet at least to the line, and a syllable over.

α.—Addit. 28617. A fair MS., but only a fragment, as already noted (p.
xlvii). It confirms many of my readings; as, e.g., in ll. 1995, 2019, 2020,
2199, &c. It varies in l. 1999, but gives there an excellent reading:—That is
nat derk, and ther is roum and space.

β.—Camb. Univ. Library, Ff. 1. 6. Contains the Legend of Thisbe only. A
late and poor MS., of small account.

γ.—Rawl. C. 86 (Bodleian Library). Contains the Legend of Dido only. A
poor text, with many errors. Yet it seems to be of the first class, and
preserves ll. 960-1. It confirms my readings of ll. 1048, 1074, 1079, 1139,
1144, 1159, 1174, 1195, 1196, 1215, 1366.

F.—Fairfax 16 (Bodleian Library). This is the valuable MS. which contains
so many of the Minor Poems. It is described in my Introd. to the Minor
Poems; vol. i. p. 51. I have taken it as the basis of the edition, though it was
necessary to correct it in all the places where the MSS. of the first class
have better readings. It is the best MS. of the second class, and Bell's
edition does little more than follow it, almost too faithfully, though the
editor professes to have collated with it the MS. A. described above. The
same text, in the main, reappears in the editions by Thynne, Morris, Corson,
Gilman. The scribe is careless, and frequently leaves out essential words; he
also omits ll. 249, 487, 846, 960, 961, 1490[43], 1643, 1693, 1998, part of
2150, 2151, 2152, part of 2153[44], 2193, 2338 (in place of which a spurious
line is inserted in a wrong place), and 2475. Besides this, the scribe often
ruins the scansion of a line by omitting an essential word in it, as has
already been mentioned. Thus in l. 614, he drops the word for, which occurs
in all the other MSS. The scribe often wrongly adds or omits a final e, and
is too fond of substituting y for i in such words as him, king. When these
variations are allowed for, the spelling of the MS. is, for the most part, clear
and satisfactory, and a fair guide to the right pronunciation. Rejected
spellings are given in footnotes as far as l. 924; after which I have made
such alterations as are purely trivial without giving notice. Even in ll. 1-924
I have changed hym into him, and kyng into king; and, conversely, strif into
stryf, (where the y denotes that the vowel is long), without hesitation and
without recording the change. My text is, in fact, spelt phonetically; and,
after all, the test of a text of Chaucer is to read it with the Middle-English
pronunciation as given by Dr. Sweet in his Second Middle-English Primer,
and to observe whether the result is perfectly in accord with the flowing
melody so manifest in the Canterbury Tales.

B.—Bodley 638. Closely related to MS. F., and almost a duplicate of it,
both being derived from a common source. B. is sometimes right where F.
is wrong; thus in l. 1196 it has houyn, where F. has heuen. See Introd. to the
Minor Poems, vol. i. p. 53. Of course this MS. belongs, like F., to the
second class. It preserves l. 1693 (missing in F.); otherwise it omits all the
lines that are omitted in F., as well as ll. 157, 262, 623, 1345, 1866; all of
which F. retains. Like F., it has a spurious line in place of l. 2338.

Tn.—Tanner 346 (Bodley). This is a MS. of the second class, strongly
resembling F.; see Introd. to the Minor Poems, vol. i. p. 54. It preserves ll.
1693, 2193, 2475; otherwise it omits all the lines omitted in F., as well as
the latter half of l. 1378 and the former half of l. 1379. It has a spurious line
in place of l. 2338. It is clear that F., B., and Tn. are all from a common
source, which was an older MS. not now known.

§ 13. Description of the Printed Editions. Th.—Thynne's edition; A.D.
1532. This follows, mainly, the MSS. of the second class; its alliance with
F., B., and Tn. is shewn by its containing the spurious form of l. 2338. But it
gives the genuine form also, so that in this place three lines rime together. It
is more complete than any of those MSS., preserving the lines which they
omit (excepting ll. 960, 961), save that it omits ll. 1326, 1327 (doubtless by
oversight), which are found in these three MSS., and indeed in all the
copies. Probably Thynne used more than one MS., as he sometimes agrees
with the MSS. of the first class. Thus, in l. 1163, he reads vpreysed had, as
in C., T., A., P., instead of vp-reyseth hath, as in F., Tn., B. He might,
however, have corrected this by the light of nature. In ll. 1902, 1923,
Thynne alone gives the right reading Alcathoe; unfortunately, both these
lines are missing in MS. C. The chief faults of Thynne's edition are its
omission of ll. 960, 961, 1326, 1327, and its spurious l. 2338. Thynne was
also unfortunate in following, in general, the authority of a MS. of the
second class.

Some later editions.—Later editions appeared in the collected editions of
Chaucer's Works, viz. in 1542, (about) 1550, 1561, 1598, 1602, 1687; after
which came Urry's useless edition of 1721. Excepting the last, I suppose the
editions are all mere reprints; each being worse than its predecessor, as is

almost always the case. At any rate, the edition of 1561 is a close reprint of
Thynne, with a few later spellings, such as guide in place of Thynne's gyde
in l. 969. This edition of course omits ll. 960, 961, 1326, 1327; and gives
the spurious l. 2338.

According to Lowndes, other later editions of Chaucer's Works are the
following:—Edinburgh, 1777; 18mo. 12 vols.—Edinburgh, 1782; 12mo. 14
vols.—In Anderson's British Poets, Edinburgh, 1793-1807; royal 8vo. 13
vols.—In Cooke's British Poets, London, 1798, &c., 18mo. 80 parts.—In
Chalmers' English Poets, London, 1810; royal 8vo. 21 vols. I suppose that
all of these are mere reprints; such is certainly the case with the edition by
Chalmers, which merely reproduces Tyrwhitt's edition of the Canterbury
Tales, and follows 'the black-letter editions' throughout the other poems.
The same remark applies to the edition printed by Moxon in 1855, and
attributed to Tyrwhitt as editor.

Other editions are those by S. W. Singer, London, 1822, fcp. 8vo. 5 vols.;
by Sir H. Nicolas (in the Aldine edition of English Poets), London, 1845,
post 8vo. 6 vols.; and by Robert Bell, London, 1855, 12mo. 8 vols. The last
was really edited by Mr. Jephson.

Bell's (so-called) edition was conveniently reprinted in four volumes, in
Bohn's Standard Library; a revised edition of this was published in 1878,
with a Preliminary Essay by myself. Of the Legend of Good Women, the
editor (Mr. Jephson) remarks that 'the text of the present edition is founded
upon a careful collation of the MS. Fairfax 16, in the Bodleian Library, and
MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24'; i.e. upon a collation of F. with A. It gives us the text
of MS. F., with the missing lines supplied from Thynne or from MS. A. It
omits ll. 960, 961, and inserts ll. 1326, 1327 in the wrong place, viz. after l.
1329. At l. 2338, it gives both the correct and the spurious forms of the line;
so that here (as in Thynne) three lines rime together. In l. 2150-3, the same
confusion occurs as is noticed below, in the account of Morris's edition. The
chief gain in this edition is that it has a few explanatory notes. Of these I
have freely availed myself, marking them with the word 'Bell' whenever I
quote them exactly; though they were really written, as I am told, by Mr.

Jephson, whose name nowhere appears, except at p. 12 of my Essay, as
prefixed to the revised edition.

The Aldine edition was reprinted in 1866, on which occasion it was edited
by Dr. Morris. With respect to the Legend of Good Women, Dr. Morris says
that it is copied from MS. F., collated with MSS. A., C. (privately printed at
Cambridge by Mr. H. Bradshaw, 1864), and MSS. Addit. 9832 and 12524.
In this edition, variations from the MS. (F.) are denoted by italic letters, but
such variations are very few. Practically, we here find a correct print of MS.
F., with most of the missing lines supplied by collation, and with very few
corrections. Lines 960, 961 are, however, still omitted, though found in MS.
C.; but ll. 1326, 1327 (also omitted by Thynne) are duly given, being found,
in fact, in MS. F. At l. 2338, the correct line is given, but the spurious line is
also retained; so that (as in Thynne) three lines here rime together. In the
former part of l. 2153, a part of l. 2150 is repeated, giving us by instead of
eek; the fact is that the scribe slipped from gayler in l. 2150 to gayler in l.
2153, omitting all that came between these words. Nothing is said about the
interesting form of the Prologue as existing in MS. C. There are no
explanatory notes.

Besides the English editions, two editions of the Legend of Good Women
have appeared in America, which demand some notice.

Of these, the former is a very handy edition of the Legend of Good Women,
published separately for the first time, and edited by Professor Hiram
Corson. The text is that of Bell's edition; but the explanatory notes are fuller
and better, and I have carefully consulted them. At the end is an Index of all
the words explained, which really serves the purpose of a glossary. This is
certainly the best edition I have met with.

The other edition is that of Chaucer's Works, edited by Arthur Gilman, and
published at Boston in 1879, in three volumes. The Legend of Good
Women occurs in vol. iii. pp. 79-183. The harder words are explained in
footnotes, and there are just a few notes on the subject-matter. The chief
point in this edition is that the editor quotes some of the more remarkable
variations in the Prologue from MS. C., which he says is 'evidently an

earlier one than the one followed in the text, Fairfax 16, in the Bodleian
Library, Oxford.' Yet his text is a mere reprint from that of Morris; it omits
ll. 960, 961, and gives l. 2338 both in its correct and in its spurious form.
Consequently, it contains 2722 lines instead of 2723. The true number of
lines is odd, because of the Balade of 21 lines at l. 249.

The net result is this; that none of the editions are complete, and they are all
much the same. After twenty editions, we are left almost where we started at
first. Thynne's edition was founded on a MS. very closely resembling F., but
more complete; still it omits four lines, and gives l. 2338 twice over, in
different forms. The same is true of all the numerous reprints from it. Bell's
edition restores ll. 1326, 1327, but in the wrong place; whilst Morris's
edition restores them in the right place. These lines actually occur in MS. F.
(in the right place), and could hardly have been unnoticed in collating the
proofs with the MS. These editions are both supposed to be collated with
MS. A. at least, but the results of such collation are practically nil, as that
MS. was merely consulted to supply missing lines. The editors practically
ignore the readings of that MS., except where F. is imperfect. Hence they
did not discover that MS. A. belongs to a different class of MSS., and that it
frequently gives earlier and better readings. But even A. omits ll. 960, 961,
though it also rightly suppresses the spurious form of l. 2338.

§ 14. Some Improvements in my Edition of 1889. No real advance towards a
better text was made till Dr. Furnivall brought out, for the Chaucer Society,
his valuable and exact prints of the manuscripts themselves. This splendid
and important work gives the texts in extenso of all the MSS. above
mentioned, viz. MSS. C., F., Tn., T., A., and Th. (Thynne's ed.) in the
'Parallel-Text edition of Chaucer's Minor Poems,' Part III; MSS. B., Addit.
9832, P., and Addit. 12524, in the 'Supplementary Parallel-Texts,' Part II;
and MSS. α, β, γ, in 'Odd Texts,' 1880. But for the invaluable help thus
rendered, the edition of 1889 would never have been undertaken, and I
should never have attained to so clear an understanding of the text. I have
already said that Dr. Furnivall was the first person who succeeded in
numbering the lines of the poem correctly; indeed, most editions have no
numbering at all.

I have not thought it necessary to encumber the pages with wholly inferior
readings that are of no value, but I have carefully collated the best MSS.,
viz. C., F., Tn., T., A., B., and sometimes P., besides keeping an eye upon
Th., i.e. Thynne's edition. I thus was enabled to see the true state of the
case, viz. that the MSS. of the first class (C., T., A., P., Addit. 9832, 12524,
and 28617) have been practically neglected altogether; whilst, of the MSS.
&c. of the second class (F., Tn., B., Th.), only F. and Th. have received
sufficient attention. It is now abundantly clear that the best authorities are
C. and F., as being of different classes, and that the right plan is to consult
these first, and then to see how the other MSS. support them. A long list of
important emendations, and an exposure of the extreme inaccuracy of most
of the previous editions, will be found in the Introduction to my edition of
1889, and need not be repeated here.

§ 15. Conclusion. In conclusion, I may mention the Poem in MS. Ashmole
59, entitled 'The Cronycle made by Chaucier. ¶ Here nowe folowe the
names of the nyene worshipfullest Ladyes ... by Chaucier.' It is a poor
production, perhaps written by Shirley, and merely gives a short epitome of
the contents of the Legend of Good Women. The words 'by Chaucier' refer
to Chaucer's authorship of the Legend only, and not to the authorship of the
epitome, which, though of some interest, is practically worthless. The
author makes the odd mistake of confusing the story of Alcestis with that of
Ceyx and Alcyone in the Book of the Duchesse (62-230). This 'Cronycle'

was printed by Dr. Furnivall in his Odd-texts of Chaucer's Minor Poems,
Part i.

I have now only to record my indebtedness to others, especially to Dr.
Furnivall for his invaluable prints in the Parallel-Texts; to the excellent
essay by M. Bech, in vol. v. of Anglia[45]; to Mr. Jephson for his notes in
'Bell's' edition; and to the notes in the edition by Professor Corson. Also to
Professor Ten Brink, the second part of whose second volume of the
Geschichte der englischen Litteratur has just appeared (1893).

Note.—If the reader finds the two forms of the Prologue troublesome, he
has only to confine his attention to the 'B-text,' in the lower part of pp. 65-
105. The text agrees with that usually given, and contains 579 lines. The
first line of 'Cleopatra' is l. 580, the numbering being continuous. Besides
this, the lines of each Legend are given separately, within marks of
parenthesis. Thus l. 589 is the 10th line of 'Cleopatra'; and so in other cases.

I here subjoin an Additional Note to lines 1896-8.

At p. xxxix. above (footnote no. 2), I give Bech's reference to Godfrey of
Viterbo. The passage runs thus:—

'De Ioue primo rege Atheniensi.

A Ioue nostrorum uenit generatio
regum,
A Ioue principium recipit descriptio
regum,
A Ioue philosophi dogmata prima
legunt.
Rex erat ex rege quondam patre
natus Athenis,
Indeque quadriuii triuiique scientia
uenit;

Legis et artis ibi rex ydioma
dedit.'

INTRODUCTION TO A TREATISE ON THE
ASTROLABE.

§ 1. Description of the MSS. The existing MSS. of the 'Astrolabe' are still
numerous. I have been successful in finding no less than twenty-two, which
I here describe. It is remarkable that, although many printed editions of the
treatise have appeared, no first-class MS. has ever hitherto come under the
notice of any one of the various editors. This point will appear more clearly
hereafter.

§ 2. A.—MS. Dd. 3. 53 (part 2) in the Cambridge University Library. The
'Treatise on the Astrolabie' begins at fol. 212 of the MS. considered as a
whole, but the folios are now properly renumbered throughout the treatise.
The MS. is of vellum, and the writing clear and good, with a great number
of neatly drawn diagrams, which appear wherever the words 'lo here thi
figure' occur in the text. This MS. I have made the basis of the text, and it is
followed with sufficient exactness, except when notice to the contrary is
given in the Critical Notes.

This MS. is of considerable importance. The handwriting exactly resembles
that in MS. B., and a comparison of these MSS. leads to the following
results. It appears that MSS. A. and B. were written out by the same scribe,
nearly at the same time. The peculiarities of spelling, particularly those
which are faulty, are the same in both in a great many instances. It is also
clear that the said scribe had but a very dim notion of what he was writing,
and committed just such blunders as are described in Chaucer's Lines to
Adam Scriveyn, and are there attributed to 'negligence and rape[46].' It is
still more interesting to observe that Chaucer tells us that he had to amend
his MSS. by 'rubbing and scraping' with his own hand; for MS. A. and B.
differ precisely in this point, viz. that while the latter is left uncorrected, the

former has been diligently 'rubbed and scraped' by the hand of a corrector
who well knew what he was doing, and the right letters have been inserted
in the right places over the erasures. These inserted letters are in the hand of
a second scribe who was a better writer than the first, and who was
entrusted with the task of drawing the diagrams. The two hands are
contemporaneous, as appears from the additions to the diagrams made by
the writer of the text. Unfortunately, there are still a good many errors left.
This is because the blunders were so numerous as to beguile the corrector
into passing over some of them. When, for example, the scribe, having to
write 'lo here thy figure' at the end of nearly every section, took the trouble
to write the last word 'vigure' or 'vigour' in nearly every instance, we are not
surprised to find that, in a few places, the word has escaped correction. It
further appears that some of the later sections, particularly sections 39 and
40, have not been properly revised; the corrector may very well have
become a little tired of his task by the time he arrived at them. It must also
be remembered, that such blunders as are made by a scribe who is not clear
as to the meaning of his subject-matter are by no means the blunders which
are most puzzling or most misleading; they are obvious at once as evident
blotches, and the general impression left upon the mind by the perusal of
this MS. is—that a careless scribe copied it from some almost perfect
original, and that his errors were partially corrected by an intelligent
corrector (possibly the author), who grew tired of his task just towards the
end.

The order of the Conclusions in Part ii. differs from that in all the editions
hitherto printed, and the MS. terminates abruptly in the middle of a
sentence, at the words 'howre after howre' in Conclusion 40 (p. 223). A
portion of the page of the MS. below these words is left blank, though the
colophon 'Explicit tractatus,' &c. was added at the bottom of the page at a
later period.

Certain allusions in the former part of the MS. render it probable that it was
written in London, about the year 1400.

§ 3. B.—MS. E Museo 54, in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. This is an
uncorrected duplicate of the preceding, as has been explained, and ends in

the same way, at the words 'howre after howre,' followed by a blank space.
The chief addition is the rubricated title—'Bred and mylk For childeren,'
boldly written at the beginning; in the margin are the following notes in a
late hand—'Sir Jiffray Chaucer'—'Dominus Gaufredus
Chaucerus'—'Galfredi Chauceri Tractatus de Ratione et vsu Astrolabij ad
Ludouicum filium.'

§ 4. C.—MS. Rawlinson, Misc. 1262, otherwise 1370 (leaves 22-42), in the
Bodleian Library, Oxford.

This is a beautifully written MS., on vellum, with 38 pages of text, and 4
blank pages. It has the Conclusions in the same order as the preceding, six
well-executed diagrams, and corrections on nearly every page. It is of early
date, perhaps about A.D. 1420, and of considerable importance. It agrees
closely with the text, and, like it, ends with 'howre after howre.' Some
variations of spelling are to be found in the Critical Notes. In this MS. the
Conclusions are numbered in the margin, and the numbers agree with those
adopted in this edition.

§ 5. D.—MS. Ashmole 391, in the Bodleian Library. I have made but little
use of this MS., on account of its being very imperfect.

§ 6. E.—MS. Bodley 619. This MS., like B., has the title—'Brede and
Milke for children.' Like other good MSS., it ends sect. 40 with 'houre after
houre.' But after this, there occurs an additional section, probably not
genuine, but printed here (for the sake of completeness) as section 46; see p.
229. Cf. § 17.

At fol. 21 is an additional section, not found elsewhere, which is printed in
the Notes; see p. 360. This Conclusion has some claims to our notice,
because, whether genuine or not, it is translated from Messahala.

§ 7. F.—MS. 424, in the Library of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
Very imperfect, especially at the beginning, where a large portion has been
lost.

The Conclusions follow the right order, as in the best MSS.

§ 8. G.—MS. R. 15, 18, in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge. This
is a curious and interesting volume, as it contains several tracts in English
on astrology and astronomy, with tables of stars, &c.

The copy of the 'Astrolabe' in this MS. is not a good one. It ends in Part ii.
sect. 34, l. 14. The Conclusions are in the right order, and there are a few
diagrams.

§ 9. H.—MS. Sloane 314, British Museum. A late MS. on paper, absurdly
said in a note to be in Chaucer's handwriting, whereas it is clearly to be
referred to the end of the fifteenth century.

§ 10. I.—MS. Sloane 261. This is an 'edited' MS., having been apparently
prepared with a view to publication. Mr. Brae has made considerable use of
it, and gives, in his preface, a careful and interesting account of it. He
concludes that this MS. was written by Walter Stevins in 1555, and
dedicated by him to Edward Earl of Devonshire; and that MS. H. was one
of those which Stevins especially consulted, because it contains marginal
notes in Stevins' handwriting. The contents of this MS. can be so well
ascertained from Mr. Brae's edition that it is unnecessary to say more about
it here. The Conclusions are arranged in the same order as in other MSS.
that are not of the first class.

§ 11. K.—MS. Rawlinson Misc. 3, in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. On
vellum, 49 folios, with rich gold capitals, beautifully ornamented; in a large
clear handwriting, with red rubrics. Title—'Astralabium.' Begins—'Lityl
lowys my sone,' &c.—and ends—'For þe mone meuyth the contrarie from
other planetys. as yn here epicircle. but in none other maner'; see end of
Part ii. sect. 35; p. 217. Order of Conclusions in Part ii. as follows; 1-12,
19-21, 13-18, 22-35; as in other late MSS. There are no diagrams, and the
MS., though well written, may perhaps be referred to the latter half of the
fifteenth century.

§ 12. L.—MS. Additional 23002, British Museum. A fair MS., on vellum,
without diagrams; imperfect. See description of MS. R. in § 17. And see the
Note on Part ii. sect. 3 (p. 360).

§ 13. M.—MS. E. 2 in the Library of St. John's College, Cambridge. Small
MS. on vellum, without diagrams. The leaves have been misplaced, and
bound up in a wrong order, but nothing is lost. I have printed from this MS.
the last five words of sect. 40; also 41-43, and 41a-42b; besides collating it
for the improvement of the text in sect. 44; sect. 45 is missing. I have also
been indebted to it for the Latin rubrics to the Conclusions, which I have
not found elsewhere. Several various readings from this MS. appear in the
Critical Notes (pp. 233-241).

§ 14. N.—MS. Digby 72, in the Bodleian Library. From this MS. I have
printed the text of sections 44 and 45 (pp. 226-9), but have made little
further use of it.

§ 15. O.—MS. Ashmole 360, in the Bodleian Library. Late MS., on paper;
former owner's name, Johan Pekeryng; without diagrams. There are
evidently some omissions in it. But it includes sections 44 and 45, and I
have given various readings from it in those sections (p. 240). It ends at the
end of sect. 43a, with the words—'one to twelfe. & sic finis'; see p. 232.

§ 16. P.—MS. Dd. 12. 51 in the Cambridge University Library. Small MS.
on vellum; written in the fifteenth century. The text is by no means a bad
one, though the spelling is peculiar. Some of the pages are very much
rubbed and defaced. I have taken from it some various readings, recorded in
the Critical Notes.

One point deserves particular attention. It not only contains the Conclusions
of Part ii. in the right order, but continues it without a break to the end of
Conclusion 43 (p. 225); at the end of which is the colophon—Explicit
tractatus astrolabii.

§ 17. Q.—MS. Ashmole 393, in the Bodleian Library; on paper. Of little
importance.

R.—MS. Egerton 2622, in the British Museum. A neat MS., but without
diagrams. Contains: Part I. (except 15-23); Part II. §§ 1-12, 19-21, 13-18,
22-35, 41-43, 44, 45; 41a, 41b, 42a, 43a, 42b, 36, 37. Thus it has all the
additional sections except 46; but 38-40 are missing. MS. L. contains the
same sections in the same order; see § 12.

S.—MS. Addit. 29250. A poor MS., but remarkable for containing the
scarce section no. 46; of which there is but one other copy, viz. that in MS.
E (§ 6); cf. pp. 240, 241.

T.—MS. Phillipps 11955; at Cheltenham. On vellum; 31 leaves; said to be
of the fourteenth century, which is improbable.

U.—MS. Bodley 68. Imperfect; ends at Part ii. § 36.

W.—MS. E Museo 116, in the Bodleian Library. A mere fragment.

X.—A MS. at Brussels, no. 1591. See F. J. Mone, Quellen und
Forschungen, (Aachen, 1830); pp. 549-551.

§ 18. Of the above MSS., Mr. Brae describes H., I., and L. only, and does
not seem to have made use of any others. Mr. Todd, in his Animadversions
on Gower and Chaucer, p. 125, enumerates only four MSS., which are
plainly A., P., F., and G. The rest seem to have escaped attention.

In addition to the MS. authorities, we have one more source of text, viz. the
Editio Princeps, which may be thus described.

Th.—The edition of Chaucer's Works by Wm. Thynne, printed at London
by Thomas Godfray in 1532. This is the first edition in which the Treatise
on the Astrolabe appeared; it begins at fol. ccxcviii, back. The Conclusions
in Part ii. are in the order following, viz. 1-12, 19-21, 13-18, 22-40; after
which come 41-43, and 41a-42b. This order does not agree precisely with
that in any MS. now extant, with the exception of I., which imitates it. It has
some corrupt additions and exhibits many grave errors. All later editions,

down to Urry's in 1721, contribute no new information. The few slight
alterations which appear in them are such as could have been made without
reference to MSS. at all.

§ 19. Remarks on the Classes of the MSS. On comparing the MSS., it at
once appears that they do not agree as to the order of the Conclusions in
Part ii. The MSS. A., B., C. (which are unquestionably the oldest), as well
as E., F., G., and P., adopt the order which appears in this edition, but which
has never appeared in any previous edition. In all other editions we find the
three sections 19-21 made to precede sections 13-18. Now we might here
appeal to authority only, and say that the order in the oldest MSS. ought to
be preferred. But it so happens that we can appeal to internal evidence as
well, and there are two considerations which shew that the oldest MSS. are
certainly correct. These are as follows. In the first place, sect. 18 amounts to
finding the degree of the zodiac which souths with any star, and begins with
the words 'Set the centre of the sterre upon the lyne meridional'; whilst sect.
19 amounts to finding the degree of the zodiac that rises with any star, and
begins with the words 'Set the sentre of the sterre upon the est orisonte.'
Clearly, these Conclusions are closely linked together, and one ought to
follow the other. But, in all the editions, this continuity is broken. In the
second place, the rubric of sect. 21 is—'To knowe for what latitude in any
regioun,' &c.; whilst that of sect. 22 is—'To knowe in special the latitude of
oure countray,' &c. Clearly, these Conclusions are closely linked, and in
their right order. But, in all the editions, this continuity is again broken; and
we have this absurd result, viz. that a proposition headed—'To knowe the
degrees of the longitudes of fixe sterres' is followed by one headed—'To
knowe in special the latitude of oure countray.' Hence we are enabled to
draw a line, and to divide the MSS. into two classes; those in which the
order of sections is correct, and those in which it has suffered
misplacement, the number in each class being much the same. This gives us
the following result.

First Class. A., B., C, (probably D.,) E., F., G., P.

Second Class. H., I., K., L., M., N., O., R.; to which add Th.

But this division immediately leads to another very curious result, and that
is, a certain lack of authority for sections after the fortieth, which ends on p.
223.

A. ends with an incomplete sentence, in sect. 40, with the words—'howre
after howre.' B., C. end exactly at the same place.

E. ends sect. 40 with the same words; and, after this, has only one
additional section (46), which is, in my opinion, spurious; especially as it
does not appear in Messahala, of which more anon.

D., F., and G. all fail at an earlier point.

In none of the first-class MSS. (excepting P., which terminates with section
43) is there a word about umbra recta or umbra versa.

Even in the second class of MSS., we find H. breaking off at sect. 36, and
K. at sect. 35; so that the sections on the umbrae rest only on MSS. I.
(obviously an edition, not a transcript), L., M., N., O., P., and R. Putting
aside the first of these, as being 'edited,' we have but six left; and in the first
four and the last of these we find that the additional Conclusions appear in a
certain order, viz. they insert 44 and 45 (on the 'mene mote') between three
sections 41-43 on the 'umbrae' and five other sections 41a-42b on the same.

§ 20. The last five sections spurious. This at once suggests two results. The
first is, that, as this gives two sets of sections on the 'umbrae,' we can hardly
expect both to be genuine; and accordingly, we at once find that the last five
of these are mere clumsy repetitions of the first three; for which reason, I
unhesitatingly reject the said last five as spurious. This view is strikingly
confirmed by MS. P.; for this, the only first-class MS. that is carried on
beyond section 40, contains the first three sections on the 'umbrae' only. The
second result is, that if the first three sections on the 'umbrae' are to be
received, there is good reason why we should consider the possible
genuineness of sections 44 and 45 on the 'mene mote,' which rest very
nearly on the same authority.

Now the sections on the 'mene mote' have in their favour one strong piece
of internal evidence; for the date 1397 is mentioned in them more than once
as being the 'root' or epoch from which to reckon. In most cases, the
mention of a date 1397 would lead us to attribute the writing in which it
occurs to that year or to a later year, but a date fixed on for a 'root' may very
well be a prospective one, so that these sections may have been written
before 1397; an idea which is supported by the line 'behold whether thy date
be more or lasse than the yere 1397'; sect. 44, l. 5. But I suspect the date to
be an error for 1387, since that [see Somer in Tyrwhitt's Glossary] was
really the 'rote' used by Nicholas Lenne. In either case, I think we may
connect these sections with the previous sections written in 1391[47].
Besides which, Chaucer so expressly intimates his acquaintance with the
subjects of these sections in the Canterbury Tales[48], that we may the more
readily admit them to be really his. There is still less difficulty about
admitting the first three sections (41-43) on the 'umbrae,' because we find
similar matter in the treatise of Messahala, from which, as will appear, he
derived so much. And hence we may readily conclude that, in the second
part, the first forty sections, found in the oldest MSS., are certainly genuine,
whilst sections 41-43, as well as 44 and 45, have every claim to be
considered genuine also. This need not, however, force us to accept the
remaining sections, since they may easily have been added by another hand;
a circumstance which is rendered the more probable by the fact that
sections 41a-42b merely repeat 41-43 in a more clumsy form, and by the
consideration that, if genuine, they should have occupied their proper place
immediately after sect. 43, instead of being separated from the former set.
As to sect. 46, I pronounce no decided opinion; there is but little to be said
either for or against it, and it is of little consequence.

§ 21. Gap between §§ 40 and 41. But admitting the genuineness of sections
40-45, it at once becomes evident that there are two distinct gaps or breaks
in the continuity of the treatise; the first between 40 and 41; and the second
between 43 and 44. A little consideration will account for these. Looking at
the Canterbury Tales, we observe the very same peculiarity; at certain
points there are distinct breaks, and no mending can link the various groups
together in a satisfactory manner. This can be accounted for in part by our
knowledge of the fact that the poet died before he had completed the proper
linking-together of the tales which he had more or less finished; but I think

it also shews him to have been a fragmentary worker. To suppose that, upon
reaching Conclusion 40, he suddenly turned to the sections upon the
'umbrae,' which are at once more easy to explain, more suitable for a child,
and illustrative of a different and more practical use of the Astrolabe, seems
to me natural enough; and more probable than to suppose that anything is
here lost. For, in fact, it is to the very MSS. that contain sections 41-43 that
we are indebted for the last five words of sect. 40, so curiously omitted in
the oldest and best MSS.; and this is a direct argument against the
supposition of any matter having been here lost.

§ 22. Gap between §§ 43 and 44. The break between sections 43 and 44
may be explained in a totally different manner. In this case, the break
indicates a real, not an accidental, gap. I suppose section 43 to have been
really the last section of Part ii, and I refer sections 44 and 45 to the Fourth
Part of the Treatise, and not to the Second at all[49]. For if we run through
the contents of Parts Three and Four (p. 177), we observe that they chiefly
involve tables, with reference to one of which we find the words 'upon
which table ther folwith a canon,' &c. Now sections 44 and 45 exactly
answer the description; they are alternative canons, shewing how certain
tables may be used. It happens that Conclusion 40 is particularly dependent
upon tables. To supply these was partly the object of Part iv—'the whiche
ferthe partie in special shal shewen a table of the verray moeving of the
mone from houre to houre, every day and in every signe, after thyn
almenak; upon which table ther folwith a canon, suffisant to teche as wel
the maner of the wyrking of that same conclusioun, as to knowe in oure
orizonte with which degree of the zodiac that the mone ariseth in any
latitude; and the arising of any planete after his latitude fro the ecliptik
lyne.' The opening words of the same Conclusion are—'Knowe by thyn
almenak the degree of the ecliptik of any signe in which that the planete is
rekned for to be:' (p. 221). This is easily said; but I suppose that it was not
so easy in olden times to know off-hand the exact position of a planet. It
must have been shewn by tables, and these tables chiefly considered the
'mene mote,' or average motion of the planets, and that only for periods of
years. If you wanted the position of a planet at a given hour on a given day,
you had to work it out by figures; the rule for which working was called a
'canon.' This very 'canon' is precisely given at length in sect. 44; and sect.
45 is only another way of doing the same thing, or, in other words, is an

alternative canon. When all this is fairly and sufficiently considered, we
shall find good grounds for supposing that these sections on the 'mene mote'
are perfectly genuine, and that they really belong to Part iv. of the Treatise.

I will only add, that the fact of sections 41a-42b being thus placed after a
portion of Part iv. is one more indication that they are spurious.

§ 23. Conclusion 40. But it may be objected, as Mr. Brae has fairly
objected, that Conclusion 40 itself ought to belong to Part iv. So it ought
perhaps, if Chaucer had followed out his own plan. But it is clear from its
contents that the Prologue to the 'Astrolabie' was written before the
commencement of the treatise itself, and not, as prefaces generally are,
afterwards. He was pleased with his son's progress. Little Lewis had asked
him if he might learn something about an astrolabe. The father at once sent
him a small astrolabe[50] by way of reward, constructed for the latitude of
Oxford, and having 45 circles of latitude on the flat disc (see Fig. 5) instead
of having 90 such circles, as the best instruments had[51]. This, however,
was a 'sufficient' astrolabe for the purpose. But he believes the Latin
treatises to be too hard for his son's use, and the Conclusions in them to be
too numerous. He therefore proposes to select some of the more important
Conclusions, and to turn them into English with such modifications as
would render them easier for a child to understand, He then lays down a
table of contents of his proposed five parts, throughout which he employs
the future tense, as 'the firste partie shal reherse,'—'the second partie shal
teche,' &c. This use of the future would not alone prove much, but taken in
connexion with the context, it becomes very suggestive. However, the most
significant phrase is in the last line of the Prologue, which speaks of 'other
noteful thinges, yif god wol vouche-sauf & his modur the mayde, mo than I
behete,' i.e. other useful things, more than I now promise, if God and the
Virgin vouchsafe it. In accordance with his habits of seldom finishing and of
deviating from his own plans at pleasure, we have but an imperfect result,
not altogether answerable to the table of contents. I therefore agree with Mr.
Brae that the 40th Conclusion would have done better for Part iv., though I
do not agree with him in rejecting it as spurious. This he was led to do by
the badness of the text of the MSS. which he consulted, but we can hardly
reject this Conclusion without rejecting the whole Treatise, as it is found in

all the oldest copies. By way of illustration, I would point out that this is not
the only difficulty, for the Conclusions about astrology ought certainly to
have been reserved for Part v. These are Conclusions 36 and 37, which
concern the 'equaciouns of houses'; and this is probably why, in three of the
MSS. (viz. L., N., and R.), these two conclusions are made to come at the
end of the Treatise. There is nothing for it but to accept what we have, and
be thankful.

§ 24. Extant portion of the Treatise. If, then, the questions be asked, how
much of the Treatise has come down to us, and what was to have been the
contents of the missing portion, the account stands thus.

Of Part i. we have the whole.

Of Part ii. we have nearly all, and probably all that ever was written,
including Conclusions 1-40 on astronomical matters, and Conclusions 41-
43 on the taking of altitudes of terrestrial objects. Possibly Conclusion 46 is
to be added to these; but Conclusions 41a-42b are certainly spurious.

Part iii. probably consisted entirely of tables, and some at least of these may
very well have been transmitted to little Lewis. Indeed, they may have been
prepared by or copied from Nicholas of Lynn and John Somer, before
Chaucer took the rest in hand. The tables were to have been (and perhaps
were) as follows:—

1. Tables of latitude and longitudes of the stars which were represented on
the 'Rete' of the Astrolabe. Specimens of such tables are found in MSS.

2. Tables of declinations of the sun, according to the day of the year.

3. Tables of longitudes of cities and towns.

4. Tables for setting clocks and finding the meridian altitudes (of the sun,
probably).

Such tables as these are by no means lost. There are MSS. which contain
little else, as e.g. MS. Hh. 6. 8 in the Cambridge University Library. The
longitudes of towns are given in MS. Camb. Ii. 3. 3, at fol. 214b. Again, in
MS. F. 25, in St. John's College Library, Cambridge, we find tables of fixed
stars, tables of latitudes and longitudes of towns, tables of altitudes of the
sun at different hours, and many others.

Part iv. was to explain the motions of the heavenly bodies, with their
causes. This was probably never written, though there is an allusion to it in
Part ii. § 11, l. 12. It was also to contain a table to shew the position of the
moon, according to an almanac; and such a table is given in the St. John's
MS. above mentioned, and in MS. Camb. Ii. 3. 3, at fol. 143. This was to
have been followed by a canon, and an explanation of the working of the
Conclusion—'to knowe with which degree of the zodiac that the mone
ariseth,' and 'the arising of any planete,' &c. The canon is partly accounted
for, as regards the planets at least, by sections 44 and 45, and the
'Conclusion' by section 40.

Part v. was to contain the general rules of astrology, with tables of equations
of houses, dignities of planets, and other useful things which God and the
Virgin might vouchsafe that the author should accomplish. Sections 36 and
37 tell us something about the equations of houses; but, in all probability,
none (or, at least, no more) of this fifth Part was ever written. Tables of
equations of houses, for the latitude of Toledo, are given in MS. Camb. Ii. 3.
3, at fol. 177, and elsewhere. Of the general rules of astrology we find in
old MSS. somewhat too much, but they are generally in Latin; however, the
Trinity MS. R. 15. 18 has some of them in English.

On the whole, we have quite as much of Chaucer's Treatise as we need care
for; and he may easily have changed his mind about the necessity of writing
Part v; for we actually find him declaring (and it is pleasant to hear him)
that 'natheles, thise ben observauncez of iudicial matiere & rytes of payens,
in which my spirit ne hath no feith'; ii. 4. 36; (p. 192).

§ 25. Sources of the Treatise. I next have to point out the sources whence
Chaucer's treatise was derived. Mr. Halliwell, in a note at the end of his

edition of Mandeville's Travels, speaks of the original treatise on the
Astrolabe, written in Sanskrit, on which he supposes Chaucer's treatise to
have been founded. Whether the Latin version used by Chaucer was
ultimately derived from a Sanskrit copy or not, need not be considered here.
The use of the Astrolabe was no doubt well known at an early period in
India and among the Persians and Arabs; see the 'Description of a
Planispheric Astrolabe constructed for Sháh Sultán Husain Safawí, King of
Persia,' by W. H. Morley, in which elaborate and beautifully illustrated
volume the reader may find sufficient information. Marco Polo says (bk. ii.
c. 33) that there were 5000 astrologers and soothsayers in the city of
Cambaluc, adding—'they have a kind of Astrolabe, on which are inscribed
the planetary signs, the hours, and critical points of the whole year'; Marco
Polo, ed. Yule, i. 399. Compare also the mention of the instrument in the
161st night of the Arabian Nights' Entertainments, where a translation
which I have now before me has the words—'instead of putting water into
the basin, he [the barber] took a very handsome astrolabe out of his case,
and went very gravely out of my room to the middle of the yard, to take the
height of the sun'; on which passage Mr. Lane has a note (chap. v. note 57)
which Mr. Brae quotes at length in his edition. There is also at least one
version of a treatise in Greek, entitled περὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀστρολάβου χρήσεως,
by Johannes Philoponus, of which the Cambridge University Library
possesses two copies, viz. MSS. Dd. 15. 27 and Gg. 2. 33. But it is clear,
from his own words, that Chaucer followed the Latin, and I can point out[52]
one of the Latin treatises to which he was very considerably indebted. This
is the 'Compositio et Operatio Astrolabie,' by Messahala[53], of which
copies are, I have no doubt, sufficiently numerous. The Cambridge Library
has four, viz. Hh. 6. 8, Ii. 1. 13, Ii. 3. 3[54], and Kk. 1. 1, and there is another
copy in St. John's College Library, Cambridge, marked F. 25. The title
should be particularly observed; for the treatise is distinctly divisible into
two separate parts, viz. the 'Compositio Astrolabii' and the 'Operatio
Astrolabii.' The former begins with the words—'Scito quod astrolabium sit
nomen Graecum,' and explains how to make an astrolabe, and how to
inscribe on it the various necessary lines and circles with sufficient
exactness. It is much the longer portion of the treatise, and (in MS. Ii. 3. 3)
is illustrated by numerous diagrams, whilst the second part has no such
illustrations. But it does not appear that Chaucer made any use of this
former part, as his astrolabe had been procured ready-made. The second

part of the treatise, or 'Operatio Astrolabii,' begins with the words 'Nomina
instrumentorum sunt hec.' This is evidently one of the sources from which
Chaucer drew largely[55]. Chaucer's Part i. is almost wholly taken from this,
but he has expanded it in several places, with the evident intention of
making it more easy to understand. In Part ii. he has taken from it, with
more or less exactness, sections 1-3, 5-8, 10, 11, 13-18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27-
31, 33-37, 41 and 42; whilst sections 4, 9, 12, 19, 22, 23, 26, 32, 38-40 and
43 do not appear in it. In other words, Messahala's treatise accounts for
thirty-one conclusions out of forty-three, or about two-thirds of the whole.
In some places, Chaucer has translated almost word for word, so as to leave
no doubt as to his authority. Besides which, I have already remarked that
Chaucer's version is directly connected with Messahala by the quotations
from the latter which appear in MS. E.; see description of this MS. at p. lix.
If it be inquired, whence did Chaucer derive the remaining third of his
Second Part, I think it very likely that some of it may be found amongst the
varied and voluminous contents of such a MS. as Ii 3. 3, which is a sort of
general compendium of astronomical and astrological knowledge. The
complete solution of this question I leave to some one with more leisure
than myself, being satisfied that to have found the original of Part i. and
two-thirds of Part ii. is to have made a good start. It must not be omitted,
that the MSS. of Messahala are not all alike; that some copies have
propositions which are not in others; and that the order of the Conclusions
is not invariable. The chief noteworthy difference between Chaucer's
version and the Latin original is in the order of the Conclusions; it is clear
that Chaucer not only took what he liked, but rearranged his materials after
his own fashion.

§ 26. Various Editions. About the early printed editions of the Astrolabe, I
have not much to say. The Editio Princeps of 1532 was clearly derived from
some MS. of the second class, and, what between the errors of the scribes
and printers, absurdities abound. After a careful examination of the old
editions, I came to the conclusion that the less I consulted them the better,
and have therefore rather avoided them than sought their assistance. All the
editions not only give the conclusions in a wrong order, but (like the MSS.
of the second class) absurdly repeat Conclusion I. of Part ii., and reckon the
repetition of it as Conclusion III. MSS. of the first class are free from this
defect, and may thus be easily known. The only edition worth consulting is

that by Mr. A. E. Brae, published quite recently, in 1870. Mr. Brae made
much use of MS. I., besides which he consulted the Printed Editions, and
MSS. H. and L. See the descriptions of these MSS. above. From this edition
I have taken many hints, and I wish to express, very thankfully, my
obligations to it. Mr. Brae has brought to bear upon his work much skill and
knowledge, and has investigated many points with much patience,
minuteness, and critical ability. But I cannot but perceive that he has often
expended his labour upon very inferior materials, and has been sometimes
misled by the badness of those MSS. to which alone he had access[56].

Besides his print of Chaucer's Astrolabe, Mr. Brae has reprinted some
curious and interesting critical notes of his own, and has added some essays
on Chaucer's 'prime,' on 'the Carrenare,' and 'shippes opposteres.' To all that
he has done I am much indebted.

§ 27. Works on the Subject. The works upon, and descriptions of, the
astrolabe, are numerous. I have had neither time nor inclination to make
researches into the subject; for which reason I here note the names of a few
books which may be examined by the curious reader.

In his Universal Lexicon, Zedler explains that astrolabes are of two kinds,
'universal' and 'particular.' He speaks of the astrolabes (1) of Gemma
Frisius; see Petri Apiani Cosmographia, per Gemmam Phrysium restituta;
(2) of Johan de Rojas, a Spaniard, A.D. 1550; (3) of De la Hire the elder,
professor of mathematics at Paris, A.D. 1702; (4) of Johannes Stoflerinus (or
Stöffler), A.D. 1510. The last of these varied from the others in adopting a
different and more convenient system of projection, viz. that upon the plane
of the equator, or one parallel to it, the eye being in the antarctic pole, and
the arctic pole being made the centre of the instrument. This projection is
the same as that which was used by Ptolemy, and it is adopted in the
diagrams which accompany Chaucer's treatise in some of the MSS. It
should be observed here that the term 'astrolabe' alone is vague; it was
originally a general name for any circular instrument used for observation
of the stars; but in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it was restricted
to the particular kind called the 'Astrolabe Planisphere,' or astrolabe on a

flat surface, in which sense alone the word is used throughout this volume.
See the English Cyclopaedia, Arts and Sciences, s.v. Astrolabe.

The simplest work is that by Stöffler or Stoflerinus, as he calls himself; see
also Gemma Frisius, Metius, Clavius Bambergensis, the Cursus
Mathematicus of Dechales, vol. iv. p. 161, Delambre's History of
Astronomy, and other works. The plates in Metius are most exquisitely
engraved, and on a large scale, and give a better representation of the
instrument than any others that I have seen.

One of the MSS., viz. MS. E., refers to an astrolabe belonging to Merton
College, Oxford[57]. There is a very nice one, made of brass, and by a Dutch
engraver, in the library of King's College, Cambridge. It has several discs or
plates, or, as Chaucer calls them, 'tables[58].' Of this instrument the same
library contains a written description, with some account of the problems it
will solve, and an investigation of its probable date, by H. Godfray, Esq., of
St. John's College.

There is a book entitled 'A verie briefe and most plaine description of Mr.
Blagrave his Astrolabe,' &c., by Mr. Blundevill; London, printed by
William Stansby. But it turns out to be of little practical assistance, because
Blagrave's astrolabe was on a different principle.

§ 28. Description of the Astrolabe Planisphere. There is not, however,
much need of reference to books to understand what the astrolabe used by
Chaucer was like. The instrument may be readily understood from a brief
description, and from the Plates in this volume.

The most important part of the 'astrolabe planisphere' consisted of a
somewhat heavy circular plate of metal from four to seven inches in
diameter, which could be suspended from the thumb by a ring (i. 1),
working with such freedom as would allow the instrument to assume a
perfectly perpendicular position (i. 2). One side of the plate was perfectly
flat, and was called the back. This is represented in Fig. 1. On it was
described a number of concentric rings, marked with various divisions,
which may be readily understood from the figure. Beginning at the

outermost ring, the first two represent the ninety degrees into which each
quadrant of a circle can be divided (i. 7). The next two represent the signs
of the zodiac, each subdivided into thirty degrees (i. 8). The next two
represent the days of the year, and are rather difficult to mark, as the circle
has, for this purpose, to be divided into 365¼ equal parts (i. 9). The next
three circles shew the names of the months, the number of days in each, and
the small divisions which represent each day, which coincide exactly with
those representing the days of the year (i. 10). The two innermost rings
shew the saints' days, with their Sunday-letters. Thus, above the 21st of
December is written 'Thome,' i.e. St. Thomas's day, its Sunday-letter being
E; the rest can easily be traced by the tables in a Prayer-book (i. 11). These
may be thus briefly recapitulated:—

1 and 2. Circles of degrees of the quadrant and circle.

3 and 4. Circles of the zodiacal signs, with their degrees.

5 and 6. Circles of the days of the year, with their numbers.

7, 8 and 9. Circles of the months, with their days and numbers of the
days.

10 and 11. Circles of saints' days, with their Sunday-letters.

Within all these, are the Scales of Umbra Recta and Umbra Versa, in each
of which the scale is divided into twelve equal parts, for the convenience of
taking and computing altitudes (i. 12). This primitive and loose method of
computation has long been superseded by the methods of trigonometry.
Besides these circles, there is a perpendicular line, marking the South and
North points, and a horizontal line from East to West.

The other side of the plate, called the front, and shewn in Fig. 2, had a thick
rim with a wide depression in the middle (i. 3). The rim was marked with
three rings or circles, of which the outermost was the Circle of Letters (A to
Z) representing the twenty-four hours of the day, and the two innermost the
degrees of the quadrants (i. 16). The depressed central portion of the plate

was marked only with three circles, the 'Tropicus Cancri,' the
'Æquinoctialis,' and the 'Tropicus Capricorni' (i. 17); and with the cross-
lines from North to South, and from East to West (i. 15). But several thin
plates or discs of metal were provided, which were of such a size as exactly
to drop into the depression spoken of. The principal one of these, called the
'Rete,' is shewn in Fig. 2. It consisted of a circular ring marked with the
zodiacal signs, subdivided into degrees, with narrow branching limbs both
within and without this ring, having smaller branches or tongues
terminating in points, each of which denoted the exact position of some
well-known star. The names of these stars, as 'Alhabor,' 'Rigel,' &c., are
(some of them) written on the branches (i. 21). The 'Rete' being thus, as it
were, a skeleton plate, allows the 'Tropicus Cancri,' &c., marked upon the
body of the instrument, to be partially seen below it. Another form of the
'Rete' is shewn in Fig. 9, and other positions of the Rete in Fig. 11 and Fig.
12. But it was more usual to interpose between the 'Rete' and the body of
the instrument (called the 'Mother') another thin plate or disc, such as that in
Fig. 5, so that portions of this latter plate could be seen beneath the
skeleton-form of the 'Rete' (i. 17). These plates are called by Chaucer
'tables,' and sometimes an instrument was provided with several of them,
differently marked, for use in places having different latitudes. The one in
Fig. 5 is suitable for the latitude of Oxford (nearly). The upper part, above
the Horizon Obliquus, is marked with circles of altitude (i. 18), crossed by
incomplete arcs of azimuth tending to a common centre, the zenith (i. 19).
The lower part of the same plate is marked with arcs denoting the twelve
planetary hours (i. 20).

At the back of the astrolabe revolved the 'rule,' made of metal, and fitted
with sights, represented in Fig. 3 (i. 13). At the front of it revolved the
'label,' represented in Fig. 6 (i. 22).

All the parts were held together by the central pin (Fig. 4) which passed
through the holes in the 'moder,' plates, 'Rete,' rule, and label[59], and was
secured by a little wedge (i. 14), which was sometimes fancifully carved to
resemble a horse (Fig. 7).

Another 'table' or disc is shewn in Fig. 14, and was used for ascertaining the
twelve astrological houses.

§ 29. Uses of the Astrolabe Planisphere. I here briefly enumerate such
principal uses of the instrument as are mentioned by Chaucer.

The back (Fig. 1) shews at once the degree of the zodiac answering to every
day in the year (ii. 1). The altitude of the sun can be taken by the 'Rule,'
elevated at the proper angle (ii. 2). If the Rete be properly adjusted to this
altitude, we can thus tell the hour of the day (ii. 3). The duration of twilight
can be calculated by observing when the sun is 18° below the horizon (ii.
6). Observe the times of sunrise and sundown, and the interval is the
'artificial day' (ii. 7). This day, with the duration of morning and evening
twilights added to it, is called the 'vulgar day' (ii. 9). The plate in Fig. 5
shews the planetary hours (ii. 12). The placing of the sun's degree on the
South-line gives the sun's meridian altitude (ii. 13), and conversely (ii. 14).
The back of the instrument can shew what days in the year are of equal
length (ii. 15). The degree of the zodiac which souths with any star can be
ascertained by observing two altitudes of the star; but the observations must
be made when the star is very near the meridian (ii. 17). If the star be
marked on the Rete, the said degree is easily found by use of the Rete (ii.
18). We can also find with what degree of the zodiac the same star rises (ii.
19). The use of the Rete also shews the declination of every degree in the
zodiac (ii. 20). We can always tell for what latitude a disc such as that in
Fig. 5 is constructed, by properly examining it (ii. 21). The latitude of any
place can be found by two observations of the altitude of the Pole-star (ii.
23); or of any circumpolar star (ii. 24); or by observing the sun's meridional
altitude (ii. 25). The Rete also tells us the 'ascensions of signs,' or how many
degrees of the equinoctial circle pass the meridian with a given sign (ii. 27);
as also the 'oblique ascensions' of the same (ii. 28). The astrolabe can also
be used to discover (but only in an imperfect and approximate manner) the
four cardinal points of the compass (ii. 29). We can also compare the
altitude of a planet with that of the sun (ii. 30). We can find in what part of
the horizon the sun rises (ii. 31); and in what direction to look for a
conjunction of the sun and moon (ii. 32); also near what point of the
compass the sun is at any given hour (ii. 33). The moon's observed altitude
will shew her longitude (ii. 34). We can tell, from two observations of a

planet properly made, whether the planet's movement is direct or retrograde
(ii. 35). The disc shewn in Fig. 14 helps to shew the 'equations of houses'
(ii. 36). The four cardinal points can be found without an astrolabe, by an
experiment properly conducted (ii. 38). The astrolabe can be used to find
the degree of the zodiac with which any planet ascends, even when the
planet is not situated in the ecliptic (ii. 40).

By the use of the Umbra Recta on the back of the instrument, we can take
the altitude of an accessible object by a single observation (ii. 41); or of an
inaccessible object by two observations (ii. 43). Or, the height of an
inaccessible object may likewise be taken by two observations, by the scale
marked Umbra Versa (ii. 42).

The few Conclusions not here referred to are chiefly explanatory, or of
minor interest.

§ 30. Stars marked on the Rete. Several of the Latin MSS. upon the
Astrolabe give a list of the stars marked upon the Rete. There is a double
list, for example, in MS. Ii. 3. 3, in the Cambridge University Library, fol.
70, back. It is given in the form of two tables; the first mentions forty-nine
stars, with the degrees of the zodiac which south along with them, and their
declinations from the equinoctial line. The second table mentions some only
of the same stars, with their longitudes and latitudes, as referred to the
ecliptic.

A list of the principal stars usually marked upon the Rete, as shewn in Fig.
2, is given in the Note to Part i. § 21. 4 (p. 357). Fig. 9 shews another Rete,
with many of the same stars, with the addition of Markep (ι Argous).
Alchimech is the same as Azimech, i.e. α Virginis; Cor Leonis is α Leonis;
and Alfart is α Hydræ.

§ 31. Astrological Notes. For a general sketch of Astrology, see the
English Cyclopaedia, s.v. Worthless as the science is, it is useful to have a
few 'facts' for handy reference. I therefore attempt a synopsis of the chief
points of it, drawn from Johannis Hispalensis Isagoge in Astrologiam.

To save space, I give the information in a tabular form, wherein I denote the
twelve Signs by A., T., G., C., L., V., Li., S., Sa., Cp., Aq., P.; and the seven
Planets, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, by St., J., Ms.,
Sn., V., My., Mo. What the table exactly means shall be explained presently.

Signs.Man. Ex. Day. Nt. Com.Face Face Face
1. 2. 3.
A. Ms. Sn. Sn. J. St. Ms. Sn. V.
(19)
T. V. Mn. V. Mn. Ms. My. Mn. St.
(3)
G. My. D. St. My. J. J. Ms. Sn.
H.
C. Mn. J. V. Ms. Mn. V. My. Mn.
(15)
L. Sn. Sn. J. St. St. J. Ms.
V. My. My. V. Mn. Ms. Sa. V. My.
(15)
Li. V. St. St. My. J. Mn. St. J.
(19)
S. Ms. V. Ms. Mn. Ms. Sn. V.
Sa. J. D. Sn. J. St. My. Mn. St.
T.
Cp. St. Ms. V. Mn. Ms. J. Ms. Sn.
(28)
Aq. St. St. My. J. V. My. Mn.
P. J. V. V. Ms. Mn. St. J. Ms.
(21)

The first line is to be read thus.

Aries is the mansion (or house) of Mars; the exaltation (or honour) of the
Sun, in the 19th degree of the sign; the lord of the Triplicity of Aries with its
attendant signs is the Sun by day, Jupiter by night, and Saturn in Common,
both by day and night; the first Face of Aries (degrees 1 to 10) is that of
Mars; the second Face (degrees 11 to 20) is that of the Sun; the third Face

(degrees 21 to 30) is that of Venus. And so on for the rest; noting that
Gemini is the Exaltation of the Dragon's Head (D. H.), and Sagittarius that
of the Dragon's Tail (D. T.).

The meanings of the words are as follows:—

A Mansion or House appears to be that sign in which the planet is
peculiarly at home for some reason or other.

The Exaltation or Honour is that degree of a sign in which the planet named
has its greatest power; but the degree was often neglected, and Aries was
called the Exaltation of the Sun, simply.

The Fall (Lat. occasus vel detrimentum) of a planet is the sign opposite its
mansion. Libra is opposite Aries; therefore Libra is the Fall of Mars.

The Dejection or Depression (Lat. dedecus) of a planet is the sign opposite
to that of its exaltation. Libra is opposite Aries; therefore Libra is the
Dejection of the Sun. And so on.

A Triplicity is a combination of three signs in the form of a triangle, each
120° apart. Thus Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius form the first triplicity; Taurus,
Virgo, Capricorn, the second; Gemini, Libra, Aquarius, the third; Cancer,
Scorpio, Pisces, the fourth. Equal divisions of a sign (third-parts, namely)
are called Faces. There were also unequal divisions called Terms.

The 'mobill' or movable signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn. The 'fixe'
or fixed signs are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius. The 'common' signs are
Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces.

The signs Aries, Gemini, Leo, &c. (taking every other sign) are diurnal or
masculine. The rest, Taurus, Cancer, &c., are nocturnal or feminine.

The first six signs, Aries to Virgo, are northern or sinister signs. So called
because astrologers looked towards the east or ascendent.

The last six, Libra to Pisces, are southern or dexter signs.

The signs Cancer to Sagittarius are western, sovereign, right, or direct
signs. Cf. Astrol. ii. 28, and see Fig. 2.

The rest, Capricorn to Gemini, are eastern, obedient, tortuous, or oblique
signs.

This is all that a reader is likely to want. For other points, see the
authorities.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES.

§ 32. Plate I. Fig. 1. The flat back of the Astrolabe; see § 28.

Plate II. Fig. 2. The front of the Astrolabe, with raised border. In the wide
depression in the middle, the plate called the 'Rete' is dropped in, and is
shewn in its primary position. Other positions of it are sketched in Fig. 11
and Fig. 12.

Plate III. Fig. 3. The 'Rewle' carrying two sights, which revolved at the back
of the Astrolabe. Astrol. i. 13.

Fig. 4. The central 'Pin,' shewn with the 'Wedge' inserted through it. Astrol.
i. 14; cf. Fig. 7.

Fig. 5. One of the Tables or discs, used by being dropped within the
depression on the front of the Astrolabe; i. 17. They were marked
differently, according to the latitude of the place. The one here drawn is
suitable for the latitude of Oxford, nearly.

Fig. 6. The 'Label,' which revolved at the front of the Astrolabe; i. 22.

Plate IV. Fig. 7. Another form of the 'Pin,' shewing the Wedge cut into the
shape of a Horse (i. 14); from MS. Camb. Ii. 3. 3.

Fig. 8. Diagram, shewing how to draw the three 'principal circles'; see
footnote on p. 183.

Fig. 9. Another form of the 'Rete,' from MS. Ii. 3. 3; cf. Fig. 2. This figure
shews the 'Almury' very clearly; Astrol. i. 23.

Plate V. Fig. 10. Diagram of the nine spheres; from MS. Camb. Ii. 3. 3.
Astrol. i. 17.

Fig. 11. Rough sketch of the position of the 'Rete' in Astrol. ii. 3 (first part).
Denticle opposite C, and first point of Aries opposite X; 9 a.m.

Fig. 12. Rough sketch of the position of the 'Rete' in Astrol. ii. 3 (second
part). Denticle near O; first point of Aries near H; 8h. 8m. p.m.

Fig. 13. Diagram of the Elevation of the Pole; Astrol. ii. 23. The arc AN is
56°; A′N is 48°; A′P is 4°; and PN is 52°. A, A′ are two positions of the
Pole-star.

Plate VI. Fig. 14. A 'Table' or disc shewing the twelve astrological 'Houses';
Astrol. ii. 36 and 37.

Fig. 15. Diagram shewing how to ascertain the meridional line from two
shadows of an upright gnomon; Astrol. ii. 38.

Fig. 16. Diagram illustrating the use of the Umbra Recta; Astrol. ii. 41, 41a,
and 41b.

Fig. 17. Diagram of the use of the Umbra Versa, at two observations; Astrol.
ii. 42, 42a, and 42b.

Fig. 18. Use of the Umbra Recta, at two observations; Astrol. ii. 43 and 43a.

FIG. 1. BACK OF THE 'ASTROLABE.'

FIG. 2. FRONT OF THE 'ASTROLABE.'

FIG. 3. LABEL. FIG. 4. PIN. FIG. 5.
PLATE FOR A CLIMATE. FIG. 6. RULE.

FIG. 7. WEDGE AND HORSE (from a MS.).
FIG. 8. DIAGRAM FOR A PROPOSITION.
FIG. 9. STAR-POINTS.

FIG. 10. NINE SPHERES. FIGS. 11, 12, 13.
PROBLEMS.

FIG. 14. HOUSES. FIGS. 15-18. UMBRA
RECTA AND UMBRA VERSA.

THE HOUS OF FAME.

BOOK I.

God turne us every dreem to gode!
For hit is wonder, by the rode,
To my wit, what causeth swevenes
Either on morwes, or on evenes;
And why the effect folweth of somme, 5
And of somme hit shal never come;
Why that is an avisioun,
And this a revelacioun;
Why this a dreem, why that a sweven, 10
And nat to every man liche even;
Why this a fantom, these oracles,
I noot; but who-so of these miracles
The causes knoweth bet than I,
Devyne he; for I certeinly
Ne can hem noght, ne never thinke 15
To besily my wit to swinke,
To knowe of hir signifiaunce
The gendres, neither the distaunce
Of tymes of hem, ne the causes
For-why this more than that cause is; 20
As if folkes complexiouns
Make hem dreme of reflexiouns;
Or elles thus, as other sayn,
For to greet feblenesse of brayn,
By abstinence, or by seeknesse, 25
Prison, stewe, or greet distresse;
Or elles by disordinaunce
Of naturel acustomaunce,
That som man is to curious
In studie, or melancolious, 30
Or thus, so inly ful of drede,
That no man may him bote bede;
Or elles, that devocioun
Of somme, and contemplacioun

Causeth swiche dremes ofte; 35
Or that the cruel lyf unsofte
Which these ilke lovers leden
That hopen over muche or dreden,
That purely hir impressiouns
Causeth hem avisiouns; 40
Or if that spirits have the might
To make folk to dreme a-night
Or if the soule, of propre kinde,
Be so parfit, as men finde,
That hit forwot that is to come, 45
And that hit warneth alle and somme
Of everiche of hir aventures
By avisiouns, or by figures,
But that our flesh ne hath no might
To understonden hit aright, 50
For hit is warned to derkly;—
But why the cause is, noght wot I.
Wel worthe, of this thing, grete clerkes,
That trete of this and other werkes;
For I of noon opinioun 55
Nil as now make mencioun,
But only that the holy rode
Turne us every dreem to gode!
For never, sith that I was born,
Ne no man elles, me biforn, 60
Mette, I trowe stedfastly,
So wonderful a dreem as I
The tenthe day [dide] of Decembre,
The which, as I can now remembre,
I wol yow tellen every del. 65

The Invocation.

But at my ginning, trusteth wel,
I wol make invocacioun,
With special devocioun,

Unto the god of slepe anoon,
That dwelleth in a cave of stoon 70
Upon a streem that comth fro Lete,
That is a flood of helle unswete;
Besyde a folk men clepe Cimerie,
Ther slepeth ay this god unmerie
With his slepy thousand sones 75
That alway for to slepe hir wone is—
And to this god, that I of rede,
Preye I, that he wol me spede
My sweven for to telle aright,
If every dreem stonde in his might. 80
And he, that mover is of al
That is and was, and ever shal,
So yive hem Ioye that hit here
Of alle that they dreme to-yere,
And for to stonden alle in grace 85
Of hir loves, or in what place
That hem wer levest for to stonde,
And shelde hem fro povert and shonde,
And fro unhappe and ech disese,
And sende hem al that may hem plese, 90
That take hit wel, and scorne hit noght,
Ne hit misdemen in her thoght
Through malicious entencioun.
And who-so, through presumpcioun,
Or hate or scorne, or through envye, 95
Dispyt, or Iape, or vilanye,
Misdeme hit, preye I Iesus god
That (dreme he barfoot, dreme he shod),
That every harm that any man
Hath had, sith [that] the world began, 100
Befalle him therof, or he sterve,
And graunte he mote hit ful deserve,
Lo! with swich a conclusioun
As had of his avisioun
Cresus, that was king of Lyde, 105

That high upon a gebet dyde!
This prayer shal he have of me;
I am no bet in charite!
Now herkneth, as I have you seyd,
What that I mette, or I abreyd. 110

The Dream.

Of Decembre the tenthe day,
Whan hit was night, to slepe I lay
Right ther as I was wont to done,
And fil on slepe wonder sone,
As he that wery was for-go 115
On pilgrimage myles two
To the corseynt Leonard,
To make lythe of that was hard.
But as I sleep, me mette I was
Within a temple y-mad of glas; 120
In whiche ther were mo images
Of gold, stondinge in sondry stages,
And mo riche tabernacles,
And with perre mo pinacles,
And mo curious portreytures, 125
And queynte maner of figures
Of olde werke, then I saw ever.
For certeynly, I niste never
Wher that I was, but wel wiste I,
Hit was of Venus redely, 130
The temple; for, in portreyture,
I saw anoon-right hir figure
Naked fletinge in a see.
And also on hir heed, parde,
Hir rose-garlond whyt and reed, 135
And hir comb to kembe hir heed,
Hir dowves, and daun Cupido,
Hir blinde sone, and Vulcano,
That in his face was ful broun.

But as I romed up and doun, 140
I fond that on a wal ther was
Thus writen, on a table of bras:
'I wol now singe, if that I can,
The armes, and al-so the man,
That first cam, through his destinee, 145
Fugitif of Troye contree,
In Itaile, with ful moche pyne,
Unto the strondes of Lavyne.'
And tho began the story anoon,
As I shal telle yow echoon. 150
First saw I the destruccioun
Of Troye, through the Greek Sinoun,
[That] with his false forsweringe,
And his chere and his lesinge
Made the hors broght into Troye, 155
Thorgh which Troyens loste al hir Ioye.
And after this was grave, allas!
How Ilioun assailed was
And wonne, and king Priam y-slayn,
And Polites his sone, certayn, 160
Dispitously, of dan Pirrus.
And next that saw I how Venus,
Whan that she saw the castel brende,
Doun fro the hevene gan descende,
And bad hir sone Eneas flee; 165
And how he fledde, and how that he
Escaped was from al the pres,
And took his fader, Anchises,
And bar him on his bakke away,
Cryinge, 'Allas, and welaway!' 170
The whiche Anchises in his honde
Bar the goddes of the londe,
Thilke that unbrende were.
And I saw next, in alle this fere,
How Creusa, daun Eneas wyf, 175
Which that he lovede as his lyf,

And hir yonge sone Iulo,
And eek Ascanius also,
Fledden eek with drery chere,
That hit was pitee for to here; 180
And in a forest, as they wente,
At a turninge of a wente,
How Creusa was y-lost, allas!
That deed, [but] noot I how, she was;
How he hir soughte, and how hir gost 185
Bad him to flee the Grekes ost,
And seyde, he moste unto Itaile,
As was his destinee, sauns faille;
That hit was pitee for to here,
Whan hir spirit gan appere, 190
The wordes that she to him seyde,
And for to kepe hir sone him preyde.
Ther saw I graven eek how he,
His fader eek, and his meynee,
With his shippes gan to sayle 195
Toward the contree of Itaile,
As streight as that they mighte go.
Ther saw I thee, cruel Iuno,
That art daun Iupiteres wyf,
That hast y-hated, al thy lyf, 200
Al the Troyanisshe blood,
Renne and crye, as thou were wood,
On Eolus, the god of windes,
To blowen out, of alle kindes,
So loude, that he shulde drenche 205
Lord and lady, grome and wenche
Of al the Troyan nacioun,
Withoute any savacioun.
Ther saw I swich tempeste aryse,
That every herte mighte agryse, 210
To see hit peynted on the walle.
Ther saw I graven eek withalle,
Venus, how ye, my lady dere,

Wepinge with ful woful chere,
Prayen Iupiter an hye 215
To save and kepe that navye
Of the Troyan Eneas,
Sith that he hir sone was.
Ther saw I Ioves Venus kisse,
And graunted of the tempest lisse. 220
Ther saw I how the tempest stente,
And how with alle pyne he wente,
And prevely took arrivage
In the contree of Cartage;
And on the morwe, how that he 225
And a knight, hight Achatee,
Metten with Venus that day,
Goinge in a queynt array,
As she had ben an hunteresse,
With wind blowinge upon hir tresse; 230
How Eneas gan him to pleyne,
Whan that he knew hir, of his peyne;
And how his shippes dreynte were,
Or elles lost, he niste where;
How she gan him comforte tho, 235
And bad him to Cartage go,
And ther he shuldë his folk finde,
That in the see were left behinde.
And, shortly of this thing to pace,
She made Eneas so in grace 240
Of Dido, quene of that contree,
That, shortly for to tellen, she
Becam his love, and leet him do
That that wedding longeth to.
What shulde I speke more queynte, 245
Or peyne me my wordes peynte,
To speke of love? hit wol not be;
I can not of that facultee.
And eek to telle the manere
How they aqueynteden in-fere, 250

Hit were a long proces to telle,
And over long for yow to dwelle.
Ther saw I grave, how Eneas
Tolde Dido every cas,
That him was tid upon the see. 255
And after grave was, how she
Made of him, shortly, at oo word,
Hir lyf, hir love, hir lust, hir lord;
And dide him al the reverence,
And leyde on him al the dispence, 260
That any woman mighte do,
Weninge hit had al be so,
As he hir swoor; and her-by demed
That he was good, for he swich semed.
Allas! what harm doth apparence, 265
Whan hit is fals in existence!
For he to hir a traitour was;
Wherfor she slow hir-self, allas!
Lo, how a woman doth amis,
To love him that unknowen is! 270
For, by Crist, lo! thus hit fareth;
'Hit is not al gold, that glareth.'
For, al-so brouke I wel myn heed,
Ther may be under goodliheed
Kevered many a shrewed vyce; 275
Therfor be no wight so nyce,
To take a love only for chere,
For speche, or for frendly manere;
For this shal every woman finde
That som man, of his pure kinde, 280
Wol shewen outward the faireste,
Til he have caught that what him leste;
And thanne wol he causes finde,
And swere how that she is unkinde,
Or fals, or prevy, or double was. 285
Al this seye I by Eneas
And Dido, and hir nyce lest,

That lovede al to sone a gest;
Therfor I wol seye a proverbe,
That 'he that fully knoweth therbe 290
May saufly leye hit to his yë';
Withoute dreed, this is no lye.
But let us speke of Eneas,
How he betrayed hir, allas!
And lefte hir ful unkindely. 295
So whan she saw al-utterly,
That he wolde hir of trouthe faile,
And wende fro hir to Itaile,
She gan to wringe hir hondes two.
'Allas!' quod she, 'what me is wo! 300
Allas! is every man thus trewe,
That every yere wolde have a newe,
If hit so longe tyme dure,
Or elles three, peraventure?
As thus: of oon he wolde have fame 305
In magnifying of his name;
Another for frendship, seith he;
And yet ther shal the thridde be,
That shal be taken for delyt,
Lo, or for singular profyt.' 310
In swiche wordes gan to pleyne
Dido of hir grete peyne,
As me mette redely;
Non other auctour alegge I.
'Allas!' quod she, 'my swete herte, 315
Have pitee on my sorwes smerte,
And slee me not! go noght away!
O woful Dido, wel away!'
Quod she to hir-selve tho.
'O Eneas! what wil ye do? 320
O, that your love, ne your bonde,
That ye han sworn with your right honde,
Ne my cruel deeth,' quod she,
'May holde yow still heer with me!

O, haveth of my deeth pitee! 325
Y-wis, my dere herte, ye
Knowen ful wel that never yit,
As fer-forth as I hadde wit,
Agilte [I] yow in thoght ne deed.
O, have ye men swich goodliheed 330
In speche, and never a deel of trouthe?
Allas, that ever hadde routhe
Any woman on any man!
Now see I wel, and telle can,
We wrecched wimmen conne non art; 335
For certeyn, for the more part,
Thus we be served everichone.
How sore that ye men conne grone,
Anoon as we have yow receyved!
Certeinly we ben deceyved; 340
For, though your love laste a sesoun,
Wayte upon the conclusioun,
And eek how that ye determynen,
And for the more part diffynen.
'O, welawey that I was born! 345
For through yow is my name lorn,
And alle myn actes red and songe
Over al this lond, on every tonge.
O wikke Fame! for ther nis
Nothing so swift, lo, as she is! 350
O, sooth is, every thing is wist,
Though hit be kevered with the mist.
Eek, thogh I mighte duren ever,
That I have doon, rekever I never,
That I ne shal be seyd, allas, 355
Y-shamed be through Eneas,
And that I shal thus Iuged be—
"Lo, right as she hath doon, now she
Wol do eftsones, hardily;"
Thus seyth the peple prevely.'— 360
But that is doon, nis not to done;

Al hir compleynt ne al hir mone,
Certeyn, availeth hir not a stre.
And whan she wiste sothly he
Was forth unto his shippes goon, 365
She in hir chambre wente anoon,
And called on hir suster Anne,
And gan hir to compleyne thanne;
And seyde, that she cause was
That she first lovede [Eneas], 370
And thus counseilled hir therto.
But what! when this was seyd and do,
She roof hir-selve to the herte,
And deyde through the wounde smerte.
But al the maner how she deyde, 375
And al the wordes that she seyde,
Who-so to knowe hit hath purpos,
Reed Virgile in Eneidos
Or the Epistle of Ovyde,
What that she wroot or that she dyde; 380
And nere hit to long to endyte,
By god, I woldë hit here wryte.
But, welaway! the harm, the routhe,
That hath betid for swich untrouthe,
As men may ofte in bokes rede, 385
And al day seen hit yet in dede,
That for to thenken hit, a tene is.
Lo, Demophon, duk of Athenis,
How he forswor him ful falsly,
And trayed Phillis wikkedly, 390
That kinges doghter was of Trace,
And falsly gan his terme pace;
And when she wiste that he was fals,
She heng hir-self right by the hals,
For he had do hir swich untrouthe; 395
Lo! was not this a wo and routhe?
Eek lo! how fals and reccheles
Was to Briseida Achilles,

And Paris to Enone;
And Iason to Isiphile; 400
And eft Iason to Medea;
And Ercules to Dyanira;
For he lefte hir for Iöle,
That made him cacche his deeth, parde.
How fals eek was he, Theseus; 405
That, as the story telleth us,
How he betrayed Adriane;
The devel be his soules bane!
For had he laughed, had he loured,
He mostë have be al devoured, 410
If Adriane ne had y-be!
And, for she had of him pitee,
She made him fro the dethe escape,
And he made hir a ful fals Iape;
For after this, within a whyle 415
He lefte hir slepinge in an yle,
Deserte alone, right in the see,
And stal away, and leet hir be;
And took hir suster Phedra tho
With him, and gan to shippe go. 420
And yet he had y-sworn to here,
On al that ever he mighte swere,
That, so she saved him his lyf,
He wolde have take hir to his wyf;
For she desired nothing elles, 425
In certein, as the book us telles.
But to excusen Eneas
Fulliche of al his greet trespas,
The book seyth, Mercurie, sauns faile,
Bad him go into Itaile, 430
And leve Auffrykes regioun,
And Dido and hir faire toun.
Tho saw I grave, how to Itaile
Daun Eneas is go to saile;
And how the tempest al began, 435

And how he loste his steresman,
Which that the stere, or he took keep,
Smot over-bord, lo! as he sleep.
And also saw I how Sibyle
And Eneas, besyde an yle, 440
To helle wente, for to see
His fader, Anchises the free.
How he ther fond Palinurus,
And Dido, and eek Deiphebus;
And every tourment eek in helle 445
Saw he, which is long to telle.
Which who-so willeth for to knowe,
He moste rede many a rowe
On Virgile or on Claudian,
Or Daunte, that hit telle can. 450
Tho saw I grave al tharivaile
That Eneas had in Itaile;
And with king Latine his tretee,
And alle the batailles that he
Was at him-self, and eek his knightes, 455
Or he had al y-wonne his rightes;
And how he Turnus refte his lyf,
And wan Lavyna to his wyf;
And al the mervelous signals
Of the goddes celestials; 460
How, maugre Iuno, Eneas,
For al hir sleighte and hir compas,
Acheved al his aventure;
For Iupiter took of him cure
At the prayere of Venus; 465
The whiche I preye alway save us,
And us ay of our sorwes lighte!
Whan I had seyen al this sighte
In this noble temple thus,
'A, Lord!' thoughte I, 'that madest us, 470
Yet saw I never swich noblesse
Of images, ne swich richesse,

As I saw graven in this chirche;
But not woot I who dide hem wirche,
Ne wher I am, ne in what contree. 475
But now wol I go out and see,
Right at the wiket, if I can
See o-wher stering any man,
That may me telle wher I am.'
When I out at the dores cam, 480
I faste aboute me beheld.
Then saw I but a large feld,
As fer as that I mighte see,
Withouten toun, or hous, or tree,
Or bush, or gras, or ered lond; 485
For al the feld nas but of sond
As smal as man may see yet lye
In the desert of Libye;
Ne I no maner creature,
That is y-formed by nature, 490
Ne saw, me [for] to rede or wisse.
'O Crist,' thoughte I, 'that art in blisse,
Fro fantom and illusioun
Me save!' and with devocioun
Myn yën to the heven I caste. 495
Tho was I war, lo! at the laste,
That faste by the sonne, as hyë
As kenne mighte I with myn yë,
Me thoughte I saw an egle sore,
But that hit semed moche more 500
Then I had any egle seyn.
But this as sooth as deeth, certeyn,
Hit was of golde, and shoon so bright,
That never saw men such a sighte,
But-if the heven hadde y-wonne 505
Al newe of golde another sonne;
So shoon the egles fethres brighte,
And somwhat dounward gan hit lighte.

Explicit liber primus.

The authorities are F. (Fairfax 16); B. (Bodley 638); P. (Pepys 2006); Cx.
(Caxton's ed.); Th. (Thynne's ed. 1532). I follow F. mainly, correcting the
spelling.

1. P. drem; rest dreme. 8. All have And why; I omit why. 9, 10. F. swevene,
evene; Cx. Th. sweuen, euen. 11. Th. B. a fantome; P. a fauntom; Cx. a
fanton; F. affaintome; after which, all needlessly insert why. 12. F. Th. B. P.
not; Cx. note (= noot). Elide o in so. 20. All wrongly insert is before more.
24. B. of the; rest of her; I omit the (her). 26. F. B. stewe; P. stoe; Cx. stryf;
Th. stryfe. 35. P. sweche; rest suche, such. 45. F. B. forwote; rest wote. 50.
F. vnderstonde, followed by a metrical mark, indicating a pause: I add n.
58, 62. MSS. dreme (= dreem). 63. See note. 64. B. P. now; F. yow; rest om.
71. P. strem; rest streme (= streem); so P. drem (rest dreme) in l. 80. MSS.
cometh (= com'th). 73. Cx. Th. clepe; F. clepeth. 77. F. That; rest And. 78.
Th. wol; P. wol; Cx. wyl; F. B. wolde. 85. F. B. stonde; Cx. Th. stande; P.
stond. Cx. alle; F. Th. al (wrongly). 88. All pouerte. 89. B. ech; F. eche. 100.
I supply that. 103. P. om. a. 109, 110. Cx. seyd, abreyd; the rest seyde
(sayde), abreyde (abrayde). Grammar requires seyd, abreyd; (abreyde also
occurs). 117, 118. Cx. P. leonard, hard; F. Th. B. leonarde, harde. P. om. of.
119. MSS. slept, slepte; read sleep, as in l. 438. 122. F. Th. golde; Cx. P.
gold; B. goold. 126. All queynt. 127. F. B. olde; Th. golde; Cx. P. gold. F.
sawgh. 131. Th. This; rest The. 132. F. sawgh. 134. Th. heed; B. hed; F. Cx.
hede. Cx. Th. P. parde; F. B. partee (!). 135. B. red; F. Th. rede; Cx. Rose
garlondes smellynge as a mede. 136. MSS. combe. B. hed; rest hede. 139.
Cx. P. brown; F. broune. 140. Cx. down; F. dovne. 141. P. fond; F. Cx. B.
fonde; Th. founde. Cx. Th. wal; B. wall; F. walle. 143. F. B. say; rest synge.
F. B. P. om. that. 146. F. B. Troy. 148. Cx. Th. P. Lauyne; F. B. Labyne. 152.
Cx. Th. P. Troye; F. B. Troy; see l. 155. 153. All om. That. F. B. P. fals; Cx.
fals vntrewe; Th. false vntrewe. 159. Cx. Th. kyng; F. B. kynge. F. y-slayne;
rest slayn. 160. Th. Polytes; F. B. Polite. From this point I make no further
note of obvious corrections in spelling. 172. Cx. P. Th. goddes; F. B.
goddesse (wrongly) 173. F. B. -brende; rest -brenned. 174. Cx. P. this; F. B.
his. 184. F. P. That dede not I how she was; B. That ded not I how she was;
Cx. That rede note I how it was; Th. That rede nat I howe that it was. Read
deed, and insert but. 188. Cx. Th. destyne; F. destanye. 193. Cx. Th. grauen;

P. graven; F. grave; B. graue. 196. F. B. Towardes. 199. P. Iubiter; rest
Iupiters; read Iupiteres. 204. F. blowe; P. Cx. Th. blowen. 210. Th. herte;
rest hert. 220. F. omits from lisse to tempest in next line; the rest are right.
221, 222. F. B. stent, went; Cx. Th. stente, wente. 227. P. Cx. Th. Metten; F.
B. Mette. 235. F. P. comfort; rest comforte. 237. P. folk; rest folke; but
shulde is here dissyllabic. 242. F. tel; B. telle; P. Cx. Th. tellen. 257, 8. All
worde, lorde. 260. Th. the; rest omit. 270. F. vnknowe; rest vnknowen. 278.
Th. Or speche; rest Or (F. Of!) for speche; read For speche. Lines 280-2 3
are in Th. only, which reads some; fayrest; lest; than. 285. Cx. Th. (3rd) or;
F. B. P. om. 290. F. B. therbe (= the herbe); P. Cx. Th. the herbe. 305. Cx.
Th. one; P. on; F. B. love. 309, 310. All delyte, profyte. 313. For mette, Cx.
Th. have mette dremyng (!). 314. F. auttour = auctour. 315. F. he; the rest
she. 320. F. Th. wol; P. wille; Cx. wyl. 322. F. ha; P. B. haue; rest om. 328.
All had. 329. I insert I; which all omit. 332. P. hadde; rest had. 334. Cx.
telle; P. tellen; F. tel. 340. F. omits this line; the rest have it. 347. F. B. al
youre; Cx. Th. P. myn (om. al). 352. F. B. om. be. 353. Th. duren; F. B. dure.
358. Th. done; rest omit. 362. All insert But before Al. 363. Cx. Th. P.
Certeyn; F. B. Certeynly. 365. Cx. goon; P. gon; F. agoon; B. agon. 366. in]
All in to. 370. All Allas (alas); read Eneas. 371. F. B. As; rest And. 375. Cx.
Th. P. But; F. B. And. 381. F. And nor hyt were to; Cx. And nere it were to;
Th. And nere it to; B. P. And ner it were to. Th. B. to endyte; F. Cx. tendyte.
387. P. thenken; F. B. thynke; Cx. Th. thynken. 391. F. B. om. was. 402. Cx.
Th. P. And; F. B. omit. 410. Th. al; Cx. all; P. alle; F. B. om. 426. F. B. om.
as and us. 428. F. B. om. greet. 429. B. Mercure; F. Mercure; rest om. 433.
F. B. how that; rest how. 434. Cx. P. to saylle; Th. for to sayle; F. B. for to
assayle. 446. Th. longe is for; F. B. is longe. Cx. P. whyche no tonge can
telle. 451. For tharivaile, F. B. Th. have the aryvayle; Cx. the arryuaylle; P.
the arevaille. 458. F. labina; rest Lauyna. 468. Cx. P. seyn; rest seen (sene).
473. F. B. grave; rest grauen. 475. F. B. omit in. 478. Th. sterynge any; the
rest any stiryng (sterynge). 486. Cx. Th. P. was but of sonde (sande); F. B.
nas but sonde. 491. I insert for. Cx. Th. P. insert I after saw; but it is in l.
489. 496. F. B. omit lo. 504. F. B. omit lines 504-507. Colophon and Title.
So in Cx.; the rest omit them.

BOOK II.

Incipit liber secundus.

Proem.

Now herkneth, every maner man
That English understonde can, 510
And listeth of my dreem to lere;
For now at erste shul ye here
So selly an avisioun,
That Isaye, ne Scipioun,
Ne king Nabugodonosor, 515
Pharo, Turnus, ne Elcanor,
Ne mette swich a dreem as this!
Now faire blisful, O Cipris, (10)
So be my favour at this tyme!
And ye, me to endyte and ryme 520
Helpeth, that on Parnaso dwelle
By Elicon the clere welle.
O Thought, that wroot al that I mette,
And in the tresorie hit shette
Of my brayn! now shal men see 525
If any vertu in thee be,
To tellen al my dreem aright;
Now kythe thyn engyn and might! (20)

The Dream.

This egle, of which I have yow told,
That shoon with fethres as of gold, 530
Which that so hyë gan to sore,
I gan beholde more and more,
To see hir beautee and the wonder;
But never was ther dint of thonder,
Ne that thing that men calle foudre, 535

That smoot somtyme a tour to poudre,
And in his swifte coming brende,
That so swythe gan descende, (30)
As this foul, whan hit behelde
That I a-roume was in the felde; 540
And with his grimme pawes stronge,
Within his sharpe nayles longe,
Me, fleinge, at a swappe he hente,
And with his sours agayn up wente,
Me caryinge in his clawes starke 545
As lightly as I were a larke,
How high, I can not telle yow,
For I cam up, I niste how. (40)
For so, astonied and a-sweved
Was every vertu in my heved, 550
What with his sours and with my drede,
That al my feling gan to dede;
For-why hit was to greet affray.
Thus I longe in his clawes lay,
Til at the laste he to me spak 555
In mannes vois, and seyde, 'Awak!
And be not so a-gast, for shame!'
And called me tho by my name. (50)
And, for I sholde the bet abreyde—
Me mette—'Awak,' to me he seyde, 560
Right in the same vois and stevene
That useth oon I coude nevene;
And with that vois, soth for to sayn,
My minde cam to me agayn;
For hit was goodly seyd to me, 565
So nas hit never wont to be.
And herwithal I gan to stere,
And he me in his feet to bere, (60)
Til that he felte that I had hete,
And felte eek tho myn herte bete. 570
And tho gan he me to disporte,
And with wordes to comforte,

And sayde twyës, 'Seynte Marie!
Thou art noyous for to carie,
And nothing nedeth hit, parde! 575
For al-so wis god helpe me
As thou non harm shalt have of this;
And this cas, that betid thee is, (70)
Is for thy lore and for thy prow;—
Let see! darst thou yet loke now? 580
Be ful assured, boldely,
I am thy frend.' And therwith I
Gan for to wondren in my minde.
'O god,' thoughte I, 'that madest kinde,
Shal I non other weyes dye? 585
Wher Ioves wol me stellifye,
Or what thing may this signifye?
I neither am Enok, ne Elye, (80)
Ne Romulus, ne Ganymede
That was y-bore up, as men rede, 590
To hevene with dan Iupiter,
And maad the goddes boteler.'
Lo! this was tho my fantasye!
But he that bar me gan espye
That I so thoghte, and seyde this:— 595
'Thou demest of thy-self amis;
For Ioves is not ther-aboute—
I dar wel putte thee out of doute— (90)
To make of thee as yet a sterre.
But er I bere thee moche ferre, 600
I wol thee telle what I am,
And whider thou shalt, and why I cam
To done this, so that thou take
Good herte, and not for fere quake.'
'Gladly,' quod I. 'Now wel,' quod he:— 605
'First I, that in my feet have thee,
Of which thou hast a feer and wonder,
Am dwelling with the god of thonder, (100)
Which that men callen Iupiter,

That dooth me flee ful ofte fer 610
To do al his comaundement.
And for this cause he hath me sent
To thee: now herke, by thy trouthe!
Certeyn, he hath of thee routhe,
That thou so longe trewely 615
Hast served so ententifly
His blinde nevew Cupido,
And fair Venus [goddesse] also, (110)
Withoute guerdoun ever yit,
And nevertheles hast set thy wit— 620
Although that in thy hede ful lyte is—
To make bokes, songes, dytees,
In ryme, or elles in cadence,
As thou best canst, in reverence
Of Love, and of his servants eke, 625
That have his servise soght, and seke;
And peynest thee to preyse his art,
Althogh thou haddest never part; (120)
Wherfor, al-so god me blesse,
Ioves halt hit greet humblesse 630
And vertu eek, that thou wolt make
A-night ful ofte thyn heed to ake,
In thy studie so thou wrytest,
And ever-mo of love endytest,
In honour of him and preysinges, 635
And in his folkes furtheringes,
And in hir matere al devysest,
And noght him nor his folk despysest, (130)
Although thou mayst go in the daunce
Of hem that him list not avaunce. 640
'Wherfor, as I seyde, y-wis,
Iupiter considereth this,
And also, beau sir, other thinges;
That is, that thou hast no tydinges
Of Loves folk, if they be glade, 645
Ne of noght elles that god made;

And noght only fro fer contree
That ther no tyding comth to thee, (140)
But of thy verray neyghebores,
That dwellen almost at thy dores, 650
Thou herest neither that ne this;
For whan thy labour doon al is,
And hast y-maad thy rekeninges,
In stede of reste and newe thinges,
Thou gost hoom to thy hous anoon; 655
And, also domb as any stoon,
Thou sittest at another boke,
Til fully daswed is thy loke, (150)
And livest thus as an hermyte,
Although thyn abstinence is lyte. 660
'And therfor Ioves, through his grace,
Wol that I bere thee to a place,
Which that hight the Hous of Fame,
To do thee som disport and game,
In som recompensacioun 665
Of labour and devocioun
That thou hast had, lo! causeles,
To Cupido, the reccheles! (160)
And thus this god, thorgh his meryte,
Wol with som maner thing thee quyte, 670
So that thou wolt be of good chere.
For truste wel, that thou shalt here,
When we be comen ther I seye,
Mo wonder thinges, dar I leye,
Of Loves folke mo tydinges, 675
Bothe soth-sawes and lesinges;
And mo loves newe begonne,
And longe y-served loves wonne, (170)
And mo loves casuelly
That been betid, no man wot why, 680
But as a blind man stert an hare;
And more Iolytee and fare,
Whyl that they finde love of stele,

As thinketh hem, and over-al wele;
Mo discords, and mo Ielousyes, 685
Mo murmurs, and mo novelryes,
And mo dissimulaciouns,
And feyned reparaciouns; (180)
And mo berdes in two houres
Withoute rasour or sisoures 690
Y-maad, then greynes be of sondes;
And eke mo holdinge in hondes,
And also mo renovelaunces
Of olde forleten aqueyntaunces;
Mo love-dayes and acordes 695
Then on instruments ben cordes;
And eke of loves mo eschaunges
Than ever cornes were in graunges; (190)
Unethe maistow trowen this?'—
Quod he. 'No, helpe me god so wis!'— 700
Quod I. 'No? why?' quod he. 'For hit
Were impossible, to my wit,
Though that Fame hadde al the pyes
In al a realme, and al the spyes,
How that yet she shulde here al this, 705
Or they espye hit.' 'O yis, yis!'
Quod he to me, 'that can I preve
By resoun, worthy for to leve, (200)
So that thou yeve thyn advertence
To understonde my sentence. 710
'First shall thou heren wher she dwelleth,
And so thyn owne book hit telleth;
Hir paleys stant, as I shal seye,
Right even in middes of the weye
Betwixen hevene, erthe, and see; 715
That, what-so-ever in al these three
Is spoken, in privee or aperte,
The wey therto is so overte, (210)
And stant eek in so Iuste a place,
That every soun mot to hit pace, 720

Or what so comth fro any tonge,
Be hit rouned, red, or songe,
Or spoke in seurtee or drede,
Certein, hit moste thider nede.
'Now herkne wel; for-why I wille 735
Tellen thee a propre skile,
And worthy demonstracioun
In myn imagynacioun. (220)
'Geffrey, thou wost right wel this,
That every kindly thing that is, 730
Hath a kindly stede ther he
May best in hit conserved be;
Unto which place every thing,
Through his kindly enclyning,
Moveth for to come to, 735
Whan that hit is awey therfro;
As thus; lo, thou mayst al day see
That any thing that hevy be, (230)
As stoon or leed, or thing of wighte,
And ber hit never so hye on highte, 740
Lat go thyn hand, hit falleth doun.
'Right so seye I by fyre or soun,
Or smoke, or other thinges lighte,
Alwey they seke upward on highte;
Whyl ech of hem is at his large, 745
Light thing up, and dounward charge.
'And for this cause mayst thou see,
That every river to the see (240)
Enclyned is to go, by kinde.
And by these skilles, as I finde, 750
Hath fish dwellinge in floode and see,
And treës eek in erthe be.
Thus every thing, by this resoun,
Hath his propre mansioun,
To which hit seketh to repaire, 755
As ther hit shulde not apaire.
Lo, this sentence is knowen couthe

Of every philosophres mouthe, (250)
As Aristotle and dan Platon,
And other clerkes many oon; 760
And to confirme my resoun,
Thou wost wel this, that speche is soun,
Or elles no man mighte hit here;
Now herkne what I wol thee lere.
'Soun is noght but air y-broken, 765
And every speche that is spoken,
Loud or privee, foul or fair,
In his substaunce is but air; (260)
For as flaumbe is but lighted smoke,
Right so soun is air y-broke. 770
But this may be in many wyse,
Of which I wil thee two devyse,
As soun that comth of pype or harpe.
For whan a pype is blowen sharpe,
The air is twist with violence, 775
And rent; lo, this is my sentence;
Eek, whan men harpe-stringes smyte,
Whether hit be moche or lyte, (270)
Lo, with the strook the air to-breketh;
Right so hit breketh whan men speketh. 780
Thus wost thou wel what thing is speche.
'Now hennesforth I wol thee teche,
How every speche, or noise, or soun,
Through his multiplicacioun,
Thogh hit were pyped of a mouse, 785
Moot nede come to Fames House.
I preve hit thus—tak hede now—
By experience; for if that thou (280)
Throwe on water now a stoon,
Wel wost thou, hit wol make anoon 790
A litel roundel as a cercle,
Paraventure brood as a covercle;
And right anoon thou shalt see weel,
That wheel wol cause another wheel,

And that the thridde, and so forth, brother, 795
Every cercle causing other,
Wyder than himselve was;
And thus, fro roundel to compas, (290)
Ech aboute other goinge,
Caused of othres steringe, 800
And multiplying ever-mo,
Til that hit be so fer y-go
That hit at bothe brinkes be.
Al-thogh thou mowe hit not y-see
Above, hit goth yet alway under, 805
Although thou thenke hit a gret wonder.
And who-so seith of trouthe I varie,
Bid him proven the contrarie. (300)
And right thus every word, y-wis,
That loude or privee spoken is, 810
Moveth first an air aboute,
And of this moving, out of doute,
Another air anoon is meved,
As I have of the water preved,
That every cercle causeth other. 815
Right so of air, my leve brother;
Everich air in other stereth
More and more, and speche up bereth, (310)
Or vois, or noise, or word, or soun,
Ay through multiplicacioun, 820
Til hit be atte House of Fame;—
Tak hit in ernest or in game.
'Now have I told, if thou have minde,
How speche or soun, of pure kinde,
Enclyned is upward to meve; 825
This, mayst thou fele, wel I preve.
And that [the mansioun], y-wis,
That every thing enclyned to is, (320)
Hath his kindeliche stede:
That sheweth hit, withouten drede, 830
That kindely the mansioun

Of every speche, of every soun,
Be hit either foul or fair,
Hath his kinde place in air.
And sin that every thing, that is 835
Out of his kinde place, y-wis,
Moveth thider for to go
If hit a-weye be therfro, (330)
As I before have preved thee,
Hit seweth, every soun, pardee, 840
Moveth kindely to pace
Al up into his kindely place.
And this place of which I telle,
Ther as Fame list to dwelle,
Is set amiddes of these three, 845
Heven, erthe, and eek the see,
As most conservatif the soun.
Than is this the conclusioun, (340)
That every speche of every man,
As I thee telle first began, 850
Moveth up on high to pace
Kindely to Fames place.
'Telle me this feithfully,
Have I not preved thus simply,
Withouten any subtiltee 855
Of speche, or gret prolixitee
Of termes of philosophye,
Of figures of poetrye, (350)
Or colours of rethoryke?
Pardee, hit oghte thee to lyke; 860
For hard langage and hard matere
Is encombrous for to here
At ones; wost thou not wel this?'
And I answerde, and seyde, 'Yis.'
'A ha!' quod he, 'lo, so I can, 865
Lewedly to a lewed man
Speke, and shewe him swiche skiles,
That he may shake hem by the biles, (360)

So palpable they shulden be.
But tel me this, now pray I thee, 870
How thinkth thee my conclusioun?'
[Quod he]. 'A good persuasioun,'
Quod I, 'hit is; and lyk to be
Right so as thou hast preved me.'
'By god,' quod he, 'and as I leve, 875
Thou shall have yit, or hit be eve,
Of every word of this sentence
A preve, by experience; (370)
And with thyn eres heren wel
Top and tail, and everydel, 880
That every word that spoken is
Comth into Fames Hous, y-wis,
As I have seyd; what wilt thou more?'
And with this word upper to sore
He gan, and seyde, 'By Seynt Iame! 885
Now wil we speken al of game.'—
'How farest thou?' quod he to me.
'Wel,' quod I. 'Now see,' quod he, (380)
'By thy trouthe, yond adoun,
Wher that thou knowest any toun, 890
Or hous, or any other thing.
And whan thou hast of ought knowing,
Loke that thou warne me,
And I anoon shal telle thee
How fer that thou art now therfro.' 895
And I adoun gan loken tho,
And beheld feldes and plaines,
And now hilles, and now mountaines, (390)
Now valeys, and now forestes,
And now, unethes, grete bestes; 900
Now riveres, now citees,
Now tounes, and now grete trees,
Now shippes sailinge in the see.
But thus sone in a whyle he
Was flowen fro the grounde so hyë, 905

That al the world, as to myn yë,
No more semed than a prikke;
Or elles was the air so thikke (400)
That I ne mighte not discerne.
With that he spak to me as yerne, 910
And seyde: 'Seestow any [toun]
Or ought thou knowest yonder doun?'
I seyde, 'Nay.' 'No wonder nis,'
Quod he, 'for half so high as this
Nas Alexander Macedo; 915
Ne the king, dan Scipio,
That saw in dreme, at point devys,
Helle and erthe, and paradys; (410)
Ne eek the wrecche Dedalus,
Ne his child, nyce Icarus, 920
That fleigh so highe that the hete
His winges malt, and he fel wete
In-mid the see, and ther he dreynte,
For whom was maked moch compleynte.
'Now turn upward,' quod he, 'thy face, 925
And behold this large place,
This air; but loke thou ne be
Adrad of hem that thou shalt see; (420)
For in this regioun, certein,
Dwelleth many a citezein, 930
Of which that speketh dan Plato.
These ben the eyrish bestes, lo!'
And so saw I al that meynee
Bothe goon and also flee.
'Now,' quod he tho, 'cast up thyn yë; 935
See yonder, lo, the Galaxyë,
Which men clepeth the Milky Wey,
For hit is whyt: and somme, parfey, (430)
Callen hit Watlinge Strete:
That ones was y-brent with hete, 940
Whan the sonnes sone, the rede,
That highte Pheton, wolde lede

Algate his fader cart, and gye.
The cart-hors gonne wel espye
That he ne coude no governaunce 945
And gonne for to lepe and launce,
And beren him now up, now doun,
Til that he saw the Scorpioun, (440)
Which that in heven a signe is yit.
And he, for ferde, loste his wit, 950
Of that, and leet the reynes goon
Of his hors; and they anoon
Gonne up to mounte, and doun descende
Til bothe the eyr and erthe brende;
Til Iupiter, lo, atte laste, 955
Him slow, and fro the carte caste.
Lo, is it not a greet mischaunce,
To lete a fole han governaunce (450)
Of thing that he can not demeine?'
And with this word, soth for to seyne, 960
He gan alway upper to sore,
And gladded me ay more and more,
So feithfully to me spak he.
Tho gan I loken under me,
And beheld the eyrish bestes, 965
Cloudes, mistes, and tempestes,
Snowes, hailes, reines, windes,
And thengendring in hir kindes, (460)
And al the wey through whiche I cam;
'O god,' quod I, 'that made Adam, 970
Moche is thy might and thy noblesse!'
And tho thoughte I upon Boëce,
That writ, 'a thought may flee so hyë,
With fetheres of Philosophye,
To passen everich element; 975
And whan he hath so fer y-went,
Than may be seen, behind his bak,
Cloud, and al that I of spak.' (470)
Tho gan I wexen in a were,

And seyde, 'I woot wel I am here; 980
But wher in body or in gost
I noot, y-wis; but god, thou wost!'
For more cleer entendement
Nadde he me never yit y-sent.
And than thoughte I on Marcian, 985
And eek on Anteclaudian,
That sooth was hir descripcioun
Of al the hevenes regioun, (480)
As fer as that I saw the preve;
Therfor I can hem now beleve. 990
With that this egle gan to crye:
'Lat be,' quod he, 'thy fantasye;
Wilt thou lere of sterres aught?'
'Nay, certeinly,' quod I, 'right naught;
And why? for I am now to old.' 995
'Elles I wolde thee have told,'
Quod he, 'the sterres names, lo,
And al the hevenes signes to, (490)
And which they been.' 'No fors,' quod I.
'Yis, pardee,' quod he; 'wostow why? 1000
For whan thou redest poetrye,
How goddes gonne stellifye
Brid, fish, beste, or him or here,
As the Raven, or either Bere,
Or Ariones harpe fyn, 1005
Castor, Pollux, or Delphyn,
Or Atlantes doughtres sevene,
How alle these arn set in hevene; (500)
For though thou have hem ofte on honde,
Yet nostow not wher that they stonde.' 1010
'No fors,' quod I, 'hit is no nede;
I leve as wel, so god me spede,
Hem that wryte of this matere,
As though I knew hir places here;
And eek they shynen here so brighte, 1015
Hit shulde shenden al my sighte,

To loke on hem.' 'That may wel be,'
Quod he. And so forth bar he me (510)
A whyl, and than he gan to crye,
That never herde I thing so hye, 1020
'Now up the heed; for al is wel;
Seynt Iulyan, lo, bon hostel!
See here the House of Fame, lo!
Maistow not heren that I do?'
'What?' quod I. 'The grete soun,' 1025
Quod he, 'that rumbleth up and doun
In Fames Hous, ful of tydinges,
Bothe of fair speche and chydinges, (520)
And of fals and soth compouned.
Herkne wel; hit is not rouned. 1030
Herestow not the grete swogh?'
'Yis, pardee,' quod I, 'wel y-nogh.'
'And what soun is it lyk?' quod he.
'Peter! lyk beting of the see,'
Quod I, 'again the roches holowe, 1035
Whan tempest doth the shippes swalowe;
And lat a man stonde, out of doute,
A myle thens, and here hit route; (530)
Or elles lyk the last humblinge
After the clappe of a thundringe, 1040
When Ioves hath the air y-bete;
But hit doth me for fere swete.'
'Nay, dred thee not therof,' quod he,
'Hit is nothing wil byten thee;
Thou shalt non harm have, trewely.' 1045
And with this word bothe he and I
As nigh the place arryved were
As men may casten with a spere. (540)
I nistë how, but in a strete
He sette me faire on my fete, 1050
And seyde, 'Walke forth a pas,
And tak thyn aventure or cas,
That thou shalt finde in Fames place.'

'Now,' quod I, 'whyl we han space
To speke, or that I go fro thee, 1055
For the love of god, tel me,
In sooth, that wil I of thee lere,
If this noise that I here (550)
Be, as I have herd thee tellen,
Of folk that doun in erthe dwellen, 1060
And comth here in the same wyse
As I thee herde or this devyse;
And that ther lyves body nis
In al that hous that yonder is,
That maketh al this loude fare?' 1065
'No,' quod he, 'by Seynte Clare,
And also wis god rede me!
But o thinge I wil warne thee (560)
Of the which thou wolt have wonder.
Lo, to the House of Fame yonder 1070
Thou wost how cometh every speche,
Hit nedeth noght thee eft to teche.
But understond now right wel this;
Whan any speche y-comen is
Up to the paleys, anon-right 1075
Hit wexeth lyk the same wight,
Which that the word in erthe spak,
Be hit clothed reed or blak; (570)
And hath so verray his lyknesse
That spak the word, that thou wilt gesse 1080
That hit the same body be,
Man or woman, he or she.
And is not this a wonder thing?'
'Yis,' quod I tho, 'by hevene king!'
And with this worde, 'Farwel,' quod he, 1085
'And here I wol abyden thee;
And god of hevene sende thee grace,
Som good to lernen in this place.' (580)
And I of him took leve anoon,
And gan forth to the paleys goon. 1090

Explicit liber secundus.

511. P. listeth; Th. lysteth; F. Cx. listeneth; B. lystneth. 513. All sely; read
selly (Willert). 514. Cx. Th. Scipion; F. P. Cipion; B. Cypyon. 516. Th.
Alcanore. 533. Cx. Th. P. her; F. B. the. 535. F. B. kynge (by mistake for
thing). 536. Cx. Th. P. smyte; F. B. smote. Cx. Th. P. to; F. B. of. 537. Cx.
Th. P. brende; F. beende; B. bende. 543. Cx. Th. P. at; F. B. in. 545. F.
cryinge (!). 548. Cx. P. cam; F. came. 552. P. Cx. Th. That; F. B. And. F.
felynge. 557. Cx. Th. P. agast so (but read so agast); F. B. omit so. 558. Cx.
Th. tho; which F. B. P. omit. 566. B. Th. nas; F. Cx. was. 570. F. that; the
rest tho. 573. All seynt. 575. F. B. omit hit. 592. All made. 603. All do; read
done (gerund). 618. goddesse is not in the MSS. The line is obviously too
short. 621. F. Th. lytel; Cx. lytyl; B. litell; P. litil (all wrong); read lyte. 622.
Cx. P. bookes songes or ditees; Th. bokes songes and ditees; F. B. songes
dytees bookys. 635. F. B. and in; rest and. 647. F. frerre (by mistake). 650.
Cx. Th. dwellen; P. dwelleth; F. B. dwelle. 651. F. ner; B. nor; Cx. Th. P. ne.
653. F. ymade; B. I-made; Cx. made alle thy; Th. made al thy; P. I-made alle
thy. 658. Cx. P. daswed; F. B. dasewyd; Th. dased. 673. Cx. Th. comen; F.
come. 676. F. sothe sawes; Cx. Th. P. sothsawes. 680. Cx. Th. ben; P. been;
F. B. omit. 682. fare] Cx. Th. P. welfare. 685. Cx. Th. and; rest om. 696. F.
B. acordes (!). 705. Cx. she; rest he. 711. P. heren; rest here. 715. F. and
erthe; rest omit and. 717. Cx. Th. P. in; F. B. either. 723. or] F. B. or in. 727.
Cx. Th. a worthy; P. a wurthy; F. worthe a; B. worth a; omit a. 739, 740. I
add e in wighte, highte. 746. Cx. Th. vp; F. B. P. vpwarde. Cx. Th. P.
transpose 745, 746. 755. B. it; F. om.; Cx. Th. P. he. 764. All herke; see l.
725. 766. Cx. Th. spoken; P. poken (!); F. B. yspoken. 773. Cx. Th. P. As; F.
B. Of (copied from l. 772). 780. Cx. Th. P. And ryght so brekyth it; F. B.
omit this line. 789. F. Thorwe; B. P. Throw; Cx. Th. Threwe. 794. F. Th. B.
whele sercle (for 1st wheel); Cx. P. omit the line. (Sercle is a gloss upon
wheel). 798. F. B. this; rest thus. F. B. om. to. 800. Cx. Th. P. Causeth. 803.
F. Tyl; rest That. 804. F. om. thogh. 805. F. B. om. alway. 810. F. B.
yspoken. 817. F. B. om. in. Read another (Willert). 821. Cx. Th. P. at the.
823. Cx. Th. P. thou haue; F. B. ye haue in. 827. F. And that sum place stide;
B. And that som styde; Th. And that some stede; Cx. P. omit ll. 827-864.
read And that the mansioun (see ll. 754, 831). 830. For That read Than?
838. MSS. a wey, away. 839. F. Th. B. haue before; Cx. P. omit the line.

853. Th. B. this; F. thus. 859. Th. of; F. B. or. 860. All ought. 866. P. to a
lewde; Cx. Th. vnto a lewde; F. trealwed (!); B. talwyd (!). 872. All omit
Quod he; cf. ll. 700, 701. 873. P. Cx. Th. I; F. B. he. F. B. me (for be). 886.
P. Cx. speken; rest speke. 896. Cx. Th. gan to; rest to (!). 899. F. B. P. om.
and. 911. F. B. omit this line; for Seestow, Cx. Th. P. have Seest thou. For
toun, all have token; see l. 890. 912. From P.; F. B. omit this line. Cx. Or
ought that in the world is of spoken; Th. Or aught that in this worlde is of
spoken; see l. 889. 913. F. B. om. I seyde. 932. F. B. om. the. 951. Cx. P. lete
(= leet); F. B. lat. 955. F. Cx. Iubiter. 956. F. B. fer fro; P. Cx. Th. om. fer.
957. Cx. P. grete; Th. great; F. mochil; B. mochill. 961. Cx. Th. P. alway
vpper; F. B. vpper alway for. Cf. l. 884. 964. F. Th. B. ins. to bef. loken.
969. P. Cx. And; rest om. 973. Cx. Th. wryteth; F. writ. F. B. of (for a). 978.
So P. Cx.; rest ins. and erthe bef. and. 984. F. B. Nas (om. he me); Th. Nas
me; Cx. P. Nadde he me. 998. to] F. B. ther-to. 999. F. B. insert and before
No. 1003. F. B. Briddes; P. Brid; Cx. Byrd; Th. Byrde. 1007. F. Cx. Th. B.
Athalantes (-ys); P. athlauntres; see note. 1014. Cx. Th. P. As; F. Alle; B. Al.
1015. Cx. P. they shynen; F. Th. B. thy seluen (!). 1029. F. inserts that
before soth. 1030. Cx. Herkne; P. Th. Herken; F. B. Herke. 1034. F. B. P.
om. lyk. 1040. Cx. Th. P. the; F. P. a. Cx. Th. P. a; F. B. oo. 1044. F. P. beten;
Th. B. byten; Cx. greue. 1056. Th. tel; P. tell; rest telle. 1057. Cx. Th. P. I
wyl; F. B. wil I. 1063. F. B. om. And. 1071. F. B. ins. now bef. how. 1072.
Th. the efte; Cx. the more; F. B. eft the; P. the. 1079. Cx. Th. hath so very;
P. hath so verrey; F. B. so were (!). 1080. Cx. P. That; F. B. Th. And (!).
1088. F. Cx. Th. lerne; read lernen. Colophon.—From Cx. Th.

BOOK III.

Incipit liber tercius.

Invocation.

O god of science and of light,
Apollo, through thy grete might,
This litel laste book thou gye!
Nat that I wilne, for maistrye,
Here art poetical be shewed; 1095
But, for the rym is light and lewed,
Yit make hit sumwhat agreable,
Though som vers faile in a sillable;
And that I do no diligence
To shewe craft, but o sentence. (10) 1100
And if, divyne vertu, thou
Wilt helpe me to shewe now
That in myn hede y-marked is—
Lo, that is for to menen this,
The Hous of Fame to descryve— 1105
Thou shalt see me go, as blyve,
Unto the nexte laure I see,
And kisse hit, for hit is thy tree;
Now entreth in my breste anoon!—

The Dream.

Whan I was fro this egle goon, (20) 1110
I gan beholde upon this place.
And certein, or I ferther pace,
I wol yow al the shap devyse
Of hous and site; and al the wyse
How I gan to this place aproche 1115
That stood upon so high a roche,
Hyer stant ther noon in Spaine.

But up I clomb with alle paine,
And though to climbe hit greved me,
Yit I ententif was to see, (30) 1120
And for to pouren wonder lowe,
If I coude any weyes knowe
What maner stoon this roche was;
For hit was lyk a thing of glas,
But that hit shoon ful more clere; 1125
But of what congeled matere
Hit was, I niste redely.
But at the laste espyed I,
And found that hit was, every deel,
A roche of yse, and not of steel. (40) 1130
Thoughte I, 'By Seynt Thomas of Kent!
This were a feble foundement
To bilden on a place hye;
He oughte him litel glorifye
That her-on bilt, god so me save!' 1135
Tho saw I al the half y-grave
With famous folkes names fele,
That had y-been in mochel wele,
And hir fames wyde y-blowe.
But wel unethes coude I knowe (50) 1140
Any lettres for to rede
Hir names by; for, out of drede,
They were almost of-thowed so,
That of the lettres oon or two
Was molte away of every name; 1145
So unfamous was wexe hir fame;
But men seyn, 'What may ever laste?'
Tho gan I in myn herte caste,
That they were molte awey with hete,
And not awey with stormes bete. (60) 1150
For on that other syde I sey
Of this hille, that northward lay,
How hit was writen ful of names
Of folk that hadden grete fames

Of olde tyme, and yit they were 1155
As fresshe as men had writen hem there
The selve day right, or that houre
That I upon hem gan to poure.
But wel I wiste what hit made;
Hit was conserved with the shade— (70) 1160
Al this wrytinge that I sy—
Of a castel, that stood on by,
And stood eek on so cold a place,
That hete mighte hit not deface.
Tho gan I up the hille to goon, 1165
And fond upon the coppe a woon,
That alle the men that ben on lyve
Ne han the cunning to descryve
The beautee of that ilke place,
Ne coude casten no compace (80) 1170
Swich another for to make,
That mighte of beautee be his make,
Ne [be] so wonderliche y-wrought;
That hit astonieth yit my thought,
And maketh al my wit to swinke 1175
On this castel to bethinke.
So that the grete craft, beautee,
The cast, the curiositee
Ne can I not to yow devyse,
My wit ne may me not suifyse. (90) 1180
But natheles al the substance
I have yit in my remembrance:
For-why me thoughte, by Seynt Gyle!
Al was of stone of beryle,
Bothe castel and the tour, 1185
And eek the halle, and every bour,
Withouten peces or Ioininges.
But many subtil compassinges,
Babewinnes and pinacles,
Imageries and tabernacles, (100) 1190
I saw; and ful eek of windowes,

As flakes falle in grete snowes.
And eek in ech of the pinacles
Weren sondry habitacles,
In whiche stoden, al withoute— 1195
Ful the castel, al aboute—
Of alle maner of minstrales,
And gestiours, that tellen tales
Bothe of weping and of game,
Of al that longeth unto Fame. (110) 1200
Ther herde I pleyen on an harpe
That souned bothe wel and sharpe,
Orpheus ful craftely,
And on his syde, faste by,
Sat the harper Orion, 1205
And Eacides Chiron,
And other harpers many oon,
And the Bret Glascurion;
And smale harpers with her gleës
Seten under hem in seës, (120) 1210
And gonne on hem upward to gape,
And countrefete hem as an ape,
Or as craft countrefeteth kinde.
Tho saugh I stonden hem behinde,
A-fer fro hem, al by hemselve, 1215
Many thousand tymes twelve,
That maden loude menstralcyes
In cornemuse and shalmyes,
And many other maner pype,
That craftely begunne pype (130) 1220
Bothe in doucet and in rede,
That ben at festes with the brede;
And many floute and lilting-horne,
And pypes made of grene corne,
As han thise litel herde-gromes, 1225
That kepen bestes in the bromes.
Ther saugh I than Atiteris,
And of Athenes dan Pseustis,

And Marcia that lost her skin,
Bothe in face, body, and chin, (140) 1230
For that she wolde envyen, lo!
To pypen bet then Apollo.
Ther saugh I famous, olde and yonge,
Pypers of the Duche tonge,
To lerne love-daunces, springes, 1235
Reyes, and these straunge thinges.
Tho saugh I in another place
Stonden in a large space,
Of hem that maken blody soun
In trumpe, beme, and clarioun; (150) 1240
For in fight and blood-shedinge
Is used gladly clarioninge.
Ther herde I trumpen Messenus,
Of whom that speketh Virgilius.
Ther herde I Ioab trumpe also, 1245
Theodomas, and other mo;
And alle that used clarion
In Cataloigne and Aragon,
That in hir tyme famous were
To lerne, saugh I trumpe there. (160) 1250
Ther saugh I sitte in other seës,
Pleyinge upon sondry gleës,
Whiche that I cannot nevene,
Mo then sterres been in hevene,
Of whiche I nil as now not ryme, 1255
For ese of yow, and losse of tyme:
For tyme y-lost, this knowen ye,
By no way may recovered be.
Ther saugh I pleyen Iogelours,
Magiciens and tregetours, (170) 1260
And phitonesses, charmeresses,
Olde wicches, sorceresses,
That use exorsisaciouns,
And eek thise fumigaciouns;
And clerkes eek, which conne wel 1265

Al this magyke naturel,
That craftely don hir ententes,
To make, in certeyn ascendentes,
Images, lo, through which magyk
To make a man ben hool or syk. (180) 1270
Ther saugh I thee, queen Medea,
And Circes eke, and Calipsa;
Ther saugh I Hermes Ballenus,
Lymote, and eek Simon Magus.
Ther saugh I, and knew hem by name, 1275
That by such art don men han fame.
Ther saugh I Colle tregetour
Upon a table of sicamour
Pleye an uncouthe thing to telle;
I saugh him carien a wind-melle (190) 1280
Under a walsh-note shale.
What shuld I make lenger tale
Of al the peple that I say,
Fro hennes in-to domesday?
Whan I had al this folk beholde, 1285
And fond me lous, and noght y-holde,
And eft y-mused longe whyle
Upon these walles of beryle,
That shoon ful lighter than a glas,
And made wel more than hit was (200) 1290
To semen, every thing, y-wis,
As kinde thing of fames is;
I gan forth romen til I fond
The castel-yate on my right hond,
Which that so wel corven was 1295
That never swich another nas;
And yit hit was by aventure
Y-wrought, as often as by cure.
Hit nedeth noght yow for to tellen,
To make yow to longe dwellen, (210) 1300
Of this yates florisshinges,
Ne of compasses, ne of kervinges,

Ne how they hatte in masoneries,
As, corbets fulle of imageries.
But, lord! so fair hit was to shewe, 1305
For hit was al with gold behewe.
But in I wente, and that anoon;
Ther mette I crying many oon,—
'A larges, larges, hold up wel!
God save the lady of this pel, (220) 1310
Our owne gentil lady Fame,
And hem that wilnen to have name
Of us!' Thus herde I cryen alle,
And faste comen out of halle,
And shoken nobles and sterlinges. 1315
And somme crouned were as kinges,
With crounes wroght ful of losenges;
And many riban, and many frenges
Were on hir clothes trewely.
Tho atte laste aspyed I (230) 1320
That pursevauntes and heraudes,
That cryen riche folkes laudes,
Hit weren alle; and every man
Of hem, as I yow tellen can,
Had on him throwen a vesture, 1325
Which that men clepe a cote-armure,
Enbrowded wonderliche riche,
Al-though they nere nought y-liche.
But noght nil I, so mote I thryve,
Been aboute to discryve (240) 1330
Al these armes that ther weren,
That they thus on hir cotes beren,
For hit to me were impossible;
Men mighte make of hem a bible
Twenty foot thikke, as I trowe. 1335
For certeyn, who-so coude y-knowe
Mighte ther alle the armes seen
Of famous folk that han y-been
In Auffrike, Europe, and Asye,

Sith first began the chevalrye. (250) 1340
Lo! how shulde I now telle al this?
Ne of the halle eek what nede is
To tellen yow, that every wal
Of hit, and floor, and roof and al
Was plated half a fote thikke 1345
Of gold, and that nas no-thing wikke,
But, for to prove in alle wyse,
As fyn as ducat in Venyse,
Of whiche to lyte al in my pouche is?
And they wer set as thikke of nouchis (260) 1350
Fulle of the fynest stones faire,
That men rede in the Lapidaire,
As greses growen in a mede;
But hit were al to longe to rede
The names; and therfore I pace. 1355
But in this riche lusty place,
That Fames halle called was,
Ful moche prees of folk ther nas,
Ne crouding, for to mochil prees.
But al on hye, above a dees, (270) 1360
Sitte in a see imperial,
That maad was of a rubee al,
Which that a carbuncle is y-called,
I saugh, perpetually y-stalled,
A feminyne creature; 1365
That never formed by nature
Nas swich another thing y-seye.
For altherfirst, soth for to seye,
Me thoughte that she was so lyte,
That the lengthe of a cubyte (280) 1370
Was lenger than she semed be;
But thus sone, in a whyle, she
Hir tho so wonderliche streighte,
That with hir feet she therthe reighte,
And with hir heed she touched hevene, 1375
Ther as shynen sterres sevene.

And ther-to eek, as to my wit,
I saugh a gretter wonder yit,
Upon hir eyen to beholde;
But certeyn I hem never tolde; (290) 1380
For as fele eyen hadde she
As fetheres upon foules be,
Or weren on the bestes foure,
That goddes trone gunne honoure,
As Iohn writ in thapocalips. 1385
Hir heer, that oundy was and crips,
As burned gold hit shoon to see.
And sooth to tellen, also she
Had also fele up-stonding eres
And tonges, as on bestes heres; (300) 1390
And on hir feet wexen saugh I
Partriches winges redely.
But, lord! the perrie and the richesse
I saugh sitting on this goddesse!
And, lord! the hevenish melodye 1395
Of songes, ful of armonye,
I herde aboute her trone y-songe,
That al the paleys-walles ronge!
So song the mighty Muse, she
That cleped is Caliopee, (310) 1400
And hir eighte sustren eke,
That in hir face semen meke;
And evermo, eternally,
They songe of Fame, as tho herde I:—
'Heried be thou and thy name, 1405
Goddesse of renoun and of fame!'
Tho was I war, lo, atte laste,
As I myn eyen gan up caste,
That this ilke noble quene
On hir shuldres gan sustene (320) 1410
Bothe tharmes and the name
Of tho that hadde large fame;
Alexander, and Hercules

That with a sherte his lyf lees!
Thus fond I sitting this goddesse, 1415
In nobley, honour, and richesse;
Of which I stinte a whyle now,
Other thing to tellen yow.
Tho saugh I stonde on either syde,
Streight doun to the dores wyde, (330) 1420
Fro the dees, many a pileer
Of metal, that shoon not ful cleer;
But though they nere of no richesse,
Yet they were maad for greet noblesse,
And in hem greet [and hy] sentence; 1425
And folk of digne reverence,
Of whiche I wol yow telle fonde,
Upon the piler saugh I stonde.
Alderfirst, lo, ther I sigh,
Upon a piler stonde on high, (340) 1430
That was of lede and yren fyn,
Him of secte Saturnyn,
The Ebrayk Iosephus, the olde,
That of Iewes gestes tolde;
And bar upon his shuldres hye 1435
The fame up of the Iewerye.
And by him stoden other sevene,
Wyse and worthy for to nevene,
To helpen him here up the charge,
Hit was so hevy and so large. (350) 1440
And for they writen of batailes,
As wel as other olde mervailes,
Therfor was, lo, this pileer,
Of which that I yow telle heer,
Of lede and yren bothe, y-wis. 1445
For yren Martes metal is,
Which that god is of bataile;
And the leed, withouten faile,
Is, lo, the metal of Saturne,
That hath ful large wheel to turne. (360) 1450

Tho stoden forth, on every rowe,
Of hem which that I coude knowe,
Thogh I hem noght by ordre telle,
To make yow to long to dwelle.
These, of whiche I ginne rede, 1455
Ther saugh I stonden, out of drede:
Upon an yren piler strong,
That peynted was, al endelong,
With tygres blode in every place,
The Tholosan that highte Stace, (370) 1460
That bar of Thebes up the fame
Upon his shuldres, and the name
Also of cruel Achilles.
And by him stood, withouten lees,
Ful wonder hye on a pileer 1465
Of yren, he, the gret Omeer;
And with him Dares and Tytus
Before, and eek he, Lollius,
And Guido eek de Columpnis,
And English Gaufride eek, y-wis; (380) 1470
And ech of these, as have I Ioye,
Was besy for to bere up Troye.
So hevy ther-of was the fame,
That for to bere hit was no game.
But yit I gan ful wel espye, 1475
Betwix hem was a litel envye.
Oon seyde, Omere made lyes,
Feyninge in his poetryes,
And was to Grekes favorable;
Therfor held he hit but fable. (390) 1480
Tho saugh I stonde on a pileer,
That was of tinned yren cleer,
That Latin poete, [dan] Virgyle,
That bore hath up a longe whyle
The fame of Pius Eneas. 1485
And next him on a piler was,
Of coper, Venus clerk, Ovyde,

That hath y-sowen wonder wyde
The grete god of Loves name.
And ther he bar up wel his fame, (400) 1490
Upon this piler, also hye
As I might see hit with myn yë:
For-why this halle, of whiche I rede
Was woxe on highte, lengthe and brede,
Wel more, by a thousand del, 1495
Than hit was erst, that saugh I wel.
Tho saugh I, on a piler by,
Of yren wroght ful sternely,
The grete poete, daun Lucan,
And on his shuldres bar up than, (410) 1500
As highe as that I mighte see,
The fame of Iulius and Pompee.
And by him stoden alle these clerkes,
That writen of Romes mighty werkes,
That, if I wolde hir names telle, 1505
Al to longe moste I dwelle.
And next him on a piler stood
Of soulfre, lyk as he were wood,
Dan Claudian, the soth to telle,
That bar up al the fame of helle, (420) 1510
Of Pluto, and of Proserpyne,
That quene is of the derke pyne.
What shulde I more telle of this?
The halle was al ful, y-wis,
Of hem that writen olde gestes, 1515
As ben on treës rokes nestes;
But hit a ful confus matere
Were al the gestes for to here,
That they of write, and how they highte.
But whyl that I beheld this sighte, (430) 1520
I herde a noise aprochen blyve,
That ferde as been don in an hyve,
Agen her tyme of out-fleyinge;
Right swiche a maner murmuringe,

For al the world, hit semed me. 1525
Tho gan I loke aboute and see,
That ther com entring in the halle
A right gret company with-alle,
And that of sondry regiouns,
Of alleskinnes condiciouns, (440) 1530
That dwelle in erthe under the mone,
Pore and ryche. And also sone
As they were come into the halle,
They gonne doun on kneës falle
Before this ilke noble quene, 1535
And seyde, 'Graunte us, lady shene,
Ech of us, of thy grace, a bone!'
And somme of hem she graunted sone,
And somme she werned wel and faire;
And somme she graunted the contraire (450) 1540
Of hir axing utterly.
But thus I seye yow trewely,
What hir cause was, I niste.
For this folk, ful wel I wiste,
They hadde good fame ech deserved, 1545
Althogh they were diversly served;
Right as hir suster, dame Fortune,
Is wont to serven in comune.
Now herkne how she gan to paye
That gonne hir of hir grace praye; (460) 1550
And yit, lo, al this companye
Seyden sooth, and noght a lye.
'Madame,' seyden they, 'we be
Folk that heer besechen thee,
That thou graunte us now good fame, 1555
And lete our werkes han that name;
In ful recompensacioun
Of good werk, give us good renoun.'
'I werne yow hit,' quod she anoon,
'Ye gete of me good fame noon, (470) 1560
By god! and therfor go your wey.'

'Alas,' quod they, 'and welaway!
Telle us, what may your cause be?'
'For me list hit noght,' quod she;
'No wight shal speke of yow, y-wis, 1565
Good ne harm, ne that ne this.'
And with that word she gan to calle
Hir messanger, that was in halle,
And bad that he shulde faste goon,
Up peyne to be blind anoon, (480) 1570
For Eolus, the god of winde;—
'In Trace ther ye shul him finde,
And bid him bringe his clarioun,
That is ful dyvers of his soun,
And hit is cleped Clere Laude, 1575
With which he wont is to heraude
Hem that me list y-preised be:
And also bid him how that he
Bringe his other clarioun,
That highte Sclaundre in every toun, (490) 1580
With which he wont is to diffame
Hem that me list, and do hem shame.'
This messanger gan faste goon,
And found wher, in a cave of stoon,
In a contree that highte Trace, 1585
This Eolus, with harde grace,
Held the windes in distresse,
And gan hem under him to presse,
That they gonne as beres rore,
He bond and pressed hem so sore. (500) 1590
This messanger gan faste crye,
'Rys up,' quod he, 'and faste hye,
Til that thou at my lady be;
And tak thy clarions eek with thee,
And speed thee forth.' And he anon 1595
Took to a man, that hight Triton,
His clariouns to bere tho,
And leet a certeyn wind to go,

That blew so hidously and hye,
That hit ne lefte not a skye (510) 1600
In al the welken longe and brood.
This Eolus no-wher abood
Til he was come at Fames feet,
And eek the man that Triton heet;
And ther he stood, as still as stoon. 1605
And her-withal ther com anoon
Another huge companye
Of gode folk, and gunne crye,
'Lady, graunte us now good fame,
And lat our werkes han that name (520) 1610
Now, in honour of gentilesse,
And also god your soule blesse!
For we han wel deserved hit,
Therfor is right that we ben quit.'
'As thryve I,' quod she, 'ye shal faile, 1615
Good werkes shal yow noght availe
To have of me good fame as now.
But wite ye what? I graunte yow,
That ye shal have a shrewed fame
And wikked loos, and worse name, (530) 1620
Though ye good loos have wel deserved.
Now go your wey, for ye be served;
And thou, dan Eolus, let see!
Tak forth thy trumpe anon,' quod she,
'That is y-cleped Sclaunder light, 1625
And blow hir loos, that every wight
Speke of hem harm and shrewednesse,
In stede of good and worthinesse.
For thou shalt trumpe al the contraire
Of that they han don wel or faire.' (540) 1630
'Alas,' thoughte I, 'what aventures
Han these sory creatures!
For they, amonges al the pres,
Shul thus be shamed gilteles!
But what! hit moste nedes be.' 1635

What did this Eolus, but he
Tok out his blakke trumpe of bras,
That fouler than the devil was,
And gan this trumpe for to blowe,
As al the world shulde overthrowe; (550) 1640
That through-out every regioun
Wente this foule trumpes soun,
As swift as pelet out of gonne,
Whan fyr is in the poudre ronne.
And swiche a smoke gan out-wende 1645
Out of his foule trumpes ende,
Blak, blo, grenish, swartish reed,
As doth wher that men melte leed,
Lo, al on high fro the tuel!
And therto oo thing saugh I wel, (560) 1650
That, the ferther that hit ran,
The gretter wexen hit began,
As doth the river from a welle,
And hit stank as the pit of helle.
Alas, thus was hir shame y-ronge, 1655
And giltelees, on every tonge.
Tho com the thridde companye,
And gunne up to the dees to hye,
And doun on knees they fille anon,
And seyde, 'We ben everichon (570) 1660
Folk that han ful trewely
Deserved fame rightfully,
And praye yow, hit mot be knowe,
Right as hit is, and forth y-blowe.'
'I graunte,' quod she, 'for me list 1665
That now your gode werk be wist;
And yit ye shul han better loos,
Right in dispyt of alle your foos,
Than worthy is; and that anoon:
Lat now,' quod she, 'thy trumpe goon, (580) 1670
Thou Eolus, that is so blak;
And out thyn other trumpe tak

That highte Laude, and blow hit so
That through the world hir fame go
Al esely, and not to faste, 1675
That hit be knowen atte laste.'
'Ful gladly, lady myn,' he seyde;
And out his trumpe of golde he brayde
Anon, and sette hit to his mouthe,
And blew hit est, and west, and southe, (590) 1680
And north, as loude as any thunder,
That every wight hadde of hit wonder,
So brode hit ran, or than hit stente.
And, certes, al the breeth that wente
Out of his trumpes mouthe smelde 1685
As men a pot-ful bawme helde
Among a basket ful of roses;
This favour dide he til hir loses.
And right with this I gan aspye,
Ther com the ferthe companye— (600) 1690
But certeyn they were wonder fewe—
And gonne stonden in a rewe,
And seyden, 'Certes, lady brighte,
We han don wel with al our mighte;
But we ne kepen have no fame. 1695
Hyd our werkes and our name,
For goddes love! for certes we
Han certeyn doon hit for bountee,
And for no maner other thing.'
'I graunte yow al your asking,' (610) 1700
Quod she; 'let your werk be deed.'
With that aboute I clew myn heed,
And saugh anoon the fifte route
That to this lady gonne loute,
And doun on knees anoon to falle; 1705
And to hir tho besoughten alle
To hyde hir gode werkes eek,
And seyde, they yeven noght a leek
For fame, ne for swich renoun;

For they, for contemplacioun (620) 1710
And goddes love, hadde y-wrought;
Ne of fame wolde they nought.
'What?' quod she, 'and be ye wood?
And wene ye for to do good,
And for to have of that no fame? 1715
Have ye dispyt to have my name?
Nay, ye shul liven everichoon!
Blow thy trumpe and that anoon,'
Quod she, 'thou Eolus, I hote,
And ring this folkes werk by note, (630) 1720
That al the world may of hit here.'
And he gan blowe hir loos so clere
In his golden clarioun,
That through the world wente the soun,
So kenely, and eek so softe; 1725
But atte laste hit was on-lofte.
Thoo com the sexte companye,
And gonne faste on Fame crye.
Right verraily, in this manere
They seyden: 'Mercy, lady dere! (640) 1730
To telle certein, as hit is,
We han don neither that ne this,
But ydel al our lyf y-be.
But, natheles, yit preye we,
That we mowe han so good a fame, 1735
And greet renoun and knowen name,
As they that han don noble gestes,
And acheved alle hir lestes,
As wel of love as other thing;
Al was us never broche ne ring, (650) 1740
Ne elles nought, from wimmen sent,
Ne ones in hir herte y-ment
To make us only frendly chere,
But mighte temen us on bere;
Yit lat us to the peple seme 1745
Swiche as the world may of us deme,

That wimmen loven us for wood.
Hit shal don us as moche good,
And to our herte as moche availe
To countrepeise ese and travaile, (660) 1750
As we had wonne hit with labour;
For that is dere boght honour
At regard of our grete ese.
And yit thou most us more plese;
Let us be holden eek, therto, 1755
Worthy, wyse, and gode also,
And riche, and happy unto love.
For goddes love, that sit above,
Though we may not the body have
Of wimmen, yet, so god yow save! (670) 1760
Let men glewe on us the name;
Suffyceth that we han the fame.'
'I graunte,' quod she, 'by my trouthe!
Now, Eolus, with-outen slouthe,
Tak out thy trumpe of gold, let see, 1765
And blow as they han axed me,
That every man wene hem at ese,
Though they gon in ful badde lese.'
This Eolus gan hit so blowe,
That through the world hit was y-knowe. (680) 1770
Tho com the seventh route anoon,
And fel on kneës everichoon,
And seyde, 'Lady, graunte us sone
The same thing, the same bone,
That [ye] this nexte folk han doon.' 1775
'Fy on yow,' quod she, 'everichoon!
Ye masty swyn, ye ydel wrecches,
Ful of roten slowe tecches!
What? false theves! wher ye wolde
Be famous good, and no-thing nolde (690) 1780
Deserve why, ne never roughte?
Men rather yow to-hangen oughte!
For ye be lyk the sweynte cat,

That wolde have fish; but wostow what?
He wolde no-thing wete his clowes. 1785
Yvel thrift come on your Iowes,
And eek on myn, if I hit graunte,
Or do yow favour, yow to avaunte!
Thou Eolus, thou king of Trace!
Go, blow this folk a sory grace,' (700) 1790
Quod she, 'anoon; and wostow how?
As I shal telle thee right now;
Sey: "These ben they that wolde honour
Have, and do noskinnes labour,
Ne do no good, and yit han laude; 1795
And that men wende that bele Isaude
Ne coude hem noght of love werne;
And yit she that grint at a querne
Is al to good to ese hir herte."'
This Eolus anon up sterte, (710) 1800
And with his blakke clarioun
He gan to blasen out a soun,
As loude as belweth wind in helle.
And eek therwith, [the] sooth to telle,
This soun was [al] so ful of Iapes, 1805
As ever mowes were in apes.
And that wente al the world aboute,
That every wight gan on hem shoute,
And for to laughe as they were wode;
Such game fonde they in hir hode. (720) 1810
Tho com another companye,
That had y-doon the traiterye,
The harm, the gretest wikkednesse
That any herte couthe gesse;
And preyed hir to han good fame, 1815
And that she nolde hem doon no shame,
But yeve hem loos and good renoun,
And do hit blowe in clarioun.
'Nay, wis!' quod she, 'hit were a vyce;
Al be ther in me no Iustyce, (730) 1820

Me listeth not to do hit now,
Ne this nil I not graunte you.'
Tho come ther lepinge in a route,
And gonne choppen al aboute
Every man upon the croune, 1825
That al the halle gan to soune,
And seyden: 'Lady, lefe and dere,
We ben swich folk as ye mowe here.
To tellen al the tale aright,
We ben shrewes, every wight, (740) 1830
And han delyt in wikkednes,
As gode folk han in goodnes;
And Ioye to be knowen shrewes,
And fulle of vyce and wikked thewes;
Wherfor we preyen yow, a-rowe, 1835
That our fame swich be knowe
In alle thing right as hit is.'
'I graunte hit yow,' quod she, 'y-wis.
But what art thou that seyst this tale,
That werest on thy hose a pale, (750) 1840
And on thy tipet swiche a belle!'
'Madame,' quod he, 'sooth to telle,
I am that ilke shrewe, y-wis,
That brende the temple of Isidis
In Athenes, lo, that citee.' 1845
'And wherfor didest thou so?' quod she.
'By my thrift,' quod he, 'madame,
I wolde fayn han had a fame,
As other folk hadde in the toun,
Al-thogh they were of greet renoun (760) 1850
For hir vertu and for hir thewes;
Thoughte I, as greet a fame han shrewes,
Thogh hit be [but] for shrewednesse,
As gode folk han for goodnesse;
And sith I may not have that oon, 1855
That other nil I noght for-goon.
And for to gette of Fames hyre,

The temple sette I al a-fyre.
Now do our loos be blowen swythe,
As wisly be thou ever blythe.' (770) 1860
'Gladly,' quod she; 'thou Eolus,
Herestow not what they preyen us?'
'Madame, yis, ful wel,' quod he,
'And I wil trumpen hit, parde!'
And tok his blakke trumpe faste, 1865
And gan to puffen and to blaste,
Til hit was at the worldes ende.
With that I gan aboute wende;
For oon that stood right at my bak,
Me thoughte, goodly to me spak, (780) 1870
And seyde: 'Frend, what is thy name?
Artow come hider to han fame?'
'Nay, for-sothe, frend!' quod I;
'I cam noght hider, graunt mercy!
For no swich cause, by my heed! 1875
Suffyceth me, as I were deed,
That no wight have my name in honde.
I woot my-self best how I stonde;
For what I drye or what I thinke,
I wol my-selven al hit drinke, (790) 1880
Certeyn, for the more part,
As ferforth as I can myn art.'
'But what dost thou here than?' quod he.
Quod I, 'that wol I tellen thee,
The cause why I stondë here:— 1885
Som newe tydings for to lere:—
Som newe thinges, I not what,
Tydinges, other this or that,
Of love, or swiche thinges glade.
For certeynly, he that me made (800) 1890
To comen hider, seyde me,
I shulde bothe here and see,
In this place, wonder thinges;
But these be no swiche tydinges

As I mene of.' 'No?' quod he. 1895
And I answerde, 'No, pardee!
For wel I wiste, ever yit,
Sith that first I hadde wit,
That som folk han desyred fame
Dyversly, and loos, and name; (810) 1900
But certeynly, I niste how
Ne wher that Fame dwelte, er now;
Ne eek of hir descripcioun,
Ne also hir condicioun,
Ne the ordre of hir dome, 1905
Unto the tyme I hider come.'
'[Whiche] be, lo, these tydinges,
That thou now [thus] hider bringes,
That thou hast herd?' quod he to me;
'But now, no fors; for wel I see (820) 1910
What thou desyrest for to here.
Com forth, and stond no longer here,
And I wol thee, with-outen drede,
In swich another place lede,
Ther thou shalt here many oon.' 1915
Tho gan I forth with him to goon
Out of the castel, soth to seye.
Tho saugh I stonde in a valeye,
Under the castel, faste by,
An hous, that domus Dedali, (830) 1920
That Laborintus cleped is,
Nas maad so wonderliche, y-wis,
Ne half so queynteliche y-wrought.
And evermo, so swift as thought,
This queynte hous aboute wente, 1925
That never-mo hit stille stente.
And ther-out com so greet a noise,
That, had hit stonden upon Oise,
Men mighte hit han herd esely
To Rome, I trowe sikerly. (840) 1930
And the noyse which that I herde,

For al the world right so hit ferde,
As doth the routing of the stoon
That from thengyn is leten goon.
And al this hous, of whiche I rede, 1935
Was made of twigges, falwe, rede,
And grene eek, and som weren whyte,
Swiche as men to these cages thwyte,
Or maken of these paniers,
Or elles hottes or dossers; (850) 1940
That, for the swough and for the twigges,
This hous was also ful of gigges,
And also ful eek of chirkinges,
And of many other werkinges;
And eek this hous hath of entrees 1945
As fele as leves been on trees
In somer, whan they grene been;
And on the roof men may yit seen
A thousand holes, and wel mo,
To leten wel the soun out go. (860) 1950
And by day, in every tyde,
Ben al the dores open wyde,
And by night, echoon, unshette;
Ne porter ther is non to lette
No maner tydings in to pace; 1955
Ne never reste is in that place,
That hit nis fild ful of tydinges,
Other loude, or of whispringes;
And, over alle the houses angles,
Is ful of rouninges and of Iangles (870) 1960
Of werre, of pees, of mariages,
Of reste, of labour, of viages,
Of abood, of deeth, of lyfe,
Of love, of hate, acorde, of stryfe,
Of loos, of lore, and of winninges, 1965
Of hele, of sekenesse, of bildinges,
Of faire windes, of tempestes,
Of qualme of folk, and eek of bestes;

Of dyvers transmutaciouns
Of estats, and eek of regiouns; (880) 1970
Of trust, of drede, of Ielousye,
Of wit, of winninge, of folye;
Of plentee, and of greet famyne,
Of chepe, of derth, and of ruyne;
Of good or mis governement, 1975
Of fyr, of dyvers accident.
And lo, this hous, of whiche I wryte,
Siker be ye, hit nas not lyte;
For hit was sixty myle of lengthe;
Al was the timber of no strengthe, (890) 1980
Yet hit is founded to endure
Whyl that hit list to Aventure,
That is the moder of tydinges,
As the see of welles and springes,—
And hit was shapen lyk a cage. 1985
'Certes,' quod I, 'in al myn age,
Ne saugh I swich a hous as this.'
And as I wondred me, y-wis,
Upon this hous, tho war was I
How that myn egle, faste by, (900) 1990
Was perched hye upon a stoon;
And I gan streighte to him goon
And seyde thus: 'I preye thee
That thou a whyl abyde me
For goddes love, and let me seen 1995
What wondres in this place been;
For yit, paraventure, I may lere
Som good ther-on, or sumwhat here
That leef me were, or that I wente.'
'Peter! that is myn entente,' (910) 2000
Quod he to me; 'therfor I dwelle;
But certein, oon thing I thee telle,
That, but I bringe thee ther-inne,
Ne shalt thou never cunne ginne
To come in-to hit, out of doute, 2005

So faste hit whirleth, lo, aboute.
But sith that Ioves, of his grace,
As I have seyd, wol thee solace
Fynally with [swiche] thinges,
Uncouthe sightes and tydinges, (920) 2010
To passe with thyn hevinesse;
Suche routhe hath he of thy distresse,
That thou suffrest debonairly—
And wost thy-selven utterly
Disesperat of alle blis, 2015
Sith that Fortune hath maad a-mis
The [fruit] of al thyn hertes reste
Languisshe and eek in point to breste—
That he, through his mighty meryte,
Wol do thee ese, al be hit lyte, (930) 2020
And yaf expres commaundement,
To whiche I am obedient,
To furthre thee with al my might,
And wisse and teche thee aright
Wher thou maist most tydinges here; 2025
Shaltow anoon heer many oon lere.'
With this worde he, right anoon,
Hente me up bitwene his toon,
And at a windowe in me broghte,
That in this hous was, as me thoghte— (940) 2030
And ther-withal, me thoghte hit stente,
And no-thing hit aboute wente—
And me sette in the flore adoun.
But which a congregacioun
Of folk, as I saugh rome aboute 2035
Some within and some withoute,
Nas never seen, ne shal ben eft;
That, certes, in the world nis left
So many formed by Nature,
Ne deed so many a creature; (950) 2040
That wel unethe, in that place,
Hadde I oon foot-brede of space;

And every wight that I saugh there
Rouned ech in otheres ere
A newe tyding prevely, 2045
Or elles tolde al openly
Right thus, and seyde: 'Nost not thou
That is betid, lo, late or now?'
'No,' quod [the other], 'tel me what;'—
And than he tolde him this and that, (960) 2050
And swoor ther-to that hit was sooth—
'Thus hath he seyd'—and 'Thus he dooth'—
'Thus shal hit be'—'Thus herde I seye'—
'That shal be found'—' That dar I leye:'—
That al the folk that is a-lyve 2055
Ne han the cunning to discryve
The thinges that I herde there,
What aloude, and what in ere.
But al the wonder-most was this:—
Whan oon had herd a thing, y-wis, (970) 2060
He com forth to another wight,
And gan him tellen, anoon-right,
The same that to him was told,
Or hit a furlong-way was old,
But gan somwhat for to eche 2065
To this tyding in this speche
More than hit ever was.
And nat so sone departed nas
That he fro him, that he ne mette
With the thridde; and, or he lette (980) 2070
Any stounde, he tolde him als;
Were the tyding sooth or fals,
Yit wolde he telle hit nathelees,
And evermo with more encrees
Than hit was erst. Thus north and southe 2075
Went every [word] fro mouth to mouthe,
And that encresing ever-mo,
As fyr is wont to quikke and go
From a sparke spronge amis,

Til al a citee brent up is. (990) 2080
And, whan that was ful y-spronge,
And woxen more on every tonge
Than ever hit was, [hit] wente anoon
Up to a windowe, out to goon;
Or, but hit mighte out ther pace, 2085
Hit gan out crepe at som crevace,
And fleigh forth faste for the nones.
And somtyme saugh I tho, at ones,
A lesing and a sad soth-sawe,
That gonne of aventure drawe (1000) 2090
Out at a windowe for to pace;
And, when they metten in that place,
They were a-chekked bothe two,
And neither of hem moste out go;
For other so they gonne croude, 2095
Til eche of hem gan cryen loude,
'Lat me go first!' 'Nay, but lat me!
And here I wol ensuren thee
With the nones that thou wolt do so,
That I shal never fro thee go, (1010) 2100
But be thyn owne sworen brother!
We wil medle us ech with other,
That no man, be he never so wrothe,
Shal han that oon [of] two, but bothe
At ones, al beside his leve, 2105
Come we a-morwe or on eve,
Be we cryed or stille y-rouned.'
Thus saugh I fals and sooth compouned
Togeder flee for oo tydinge.
Thus out at holes gonne wringe (1020) 2110
Every tyding streight to Fame;
And she gan yeven eche his name.
After hir disposicioun,
And yaf hem eek duracioun,
Some to wexe and wane sone, 2115
As dooth the faire whyte mone,

And leet hem gon. Ther mighte I seen
Wenged wondres faste fleen,
Twenty thousand in a route,
As Eolus hem blew aboute. (1030) 2120
And, lord! this hous, in alle tymes,
Was ful of shipmen and pilgrymes,
With scrippes bret-ful of lesinges,
Entremedled with tydinges,
And eek alone by hem-selve. 2125
O, many a thousand tymes twelve
Saugh I eek of these pardoneres,
Currours, and eek messangeres,
With boistes crammed ful of lyes
As ever vessel was with lyes. (1040) 2130
And as I alther-fastest wente
Aboute, and dide al myn entente
Me for to pleye and for to lere,
And eek a tyding for to here,
That I had herd of som contree 2135
That shal not now be told for me;—
For hit no nede is, redely;
Folk can singe hit bet than I;
For al mot out, other late or rathe,
Alle the sheves in the lathe;— (1050) 2140
I herde a gret noise withalle
In a corner of the halle,
Ther men of love tydings tolde,
And I gan thiderward beholde;
For I saugh renninge every wight, 2145
As faste as that they hadden might;
And everich cryed, 'What thing is that?'
And som seyde, 'I not never what.'
And whan they were alle on an hepe,
Tho behinde gonne up lepe, (1060) 2150
And clamben up on othere faste,
And up the nose on hye caste,
And troden faste on othere heles

And stampe, as men don after eles.
Atte laste I saugh a man, 2155
Which that I [nevene] naught ne can;
But he semed for to be
A man of greet auctoritee.... (1068) 2158

(Unfinished.)

1101. Cx. Th. thou; P. thow; F. nowe; B. now. 1102. Cx. P. now; Th. nowe;
F. yowe; B. yow. 1105. Cx. to; rest for to. 1106. F. B. men; rest me. 1107.
Cx. lawrer; Th. laurer. 1113. F. B. this; rest the. 1114. F. citee; P. cite (=
site); rest cyte (= syte). 1115. F. hys (for this). 1119. Cx. P. it; B. yt; F. Th.
om. 1127. Th. I nyste; Cx. I ne wyst; P. I nust; F. B. nyste I neuer. 1132. F.
B. fundament; rest foundement. 1135. bilt = bildeth; Th. B. bylte. 1136. F.
B. om. al; cf. l. 1151. 1145. Cx. Th. Were; rest Was. 1154. F. B. folkes; rest
folk. 1155. F. tymes; rest tyme. F. there; rest they. 1156. Cx. Th. P. there; F.
B. here. 1162. F. om. that. 1173. I supply be. 1177. Supply craft from l. 1178,
where it occurs, after cast, in Cx. Th. P. (Willert). 1178. F. To; the rest The.
1185. Cx. Th. P. ins. the before castel. 1189. F. Rabewyures or Rabewynres;
B. Rabewynnes; Cx. As babeuwryes; Th. As babeuries; P. Babeweuries.
1195. F. B. om. stoden. 1197. F. om. of. 1201. F. B. vpon; rest on. 1202. F.
B. sowneth; rest sowned. 1204. P. Cx. his; Th. B. this; F. the. 1206. F.
Eaycidis; P. Eaycides; Cx. Th. Gacides. 1208. B. bret; Th. Briton; Cx.
Bryton; P. Bretur; F. gret. 1210. F. Saten; B. Sate; Cx. Th. Sat; P. Sett; read
Seten. 1210, 1, 2, 4. F. hym (for hem); P. hym (in 1210 only); B. him (in
1211, 2, 4). 1211. Cx. Th. P. gape; F. iape; B. yape. 1220. F. Cx. Th. B. to
pipe; P. om. to. 1221. F. B. riede; rest rede. 1222. Cx. Th. P. brede; B.
Bryede; F. bride. 1227. F. Atiteris; B. Atyterys; Cx. Th. dan Cytherus; P. an
Citherus. F. B. transpose lines 1227 and 1228. 1228. F. Pseustis; B.
Pseustys; Cx. Th. proserus; P. presentus. 1233. F. B. fames; rest famous.
1234. F. B. of alle; Th. of al; P. Cx. of. F. om. the. 1236. Cx. Th. Reyes; P.
Reyþs; F. B. Reus. 1241. F. seight (!); for fight. 1245. F. B. trumpe Ioab.
1255. Cx. Th. P. as now not; F. B. not now. 1259. Th. pleyeng; rest pley;
read pleyen. 1262. F. wrecches (wrongly); for wicches. 1269. P. magyk; rest
magyke. 1270. F. B. syke; rest seke. 1271. All the. 1272. Cx. Th. P. Circes;

F. Artes; B. Artys. 1273. So in all. 1274. Cx. Th. Lymote; F. Limete; B.
Lumete; P. Llymote. 1275, 6. From B.; F. om. both lines. P. hem; Cx. hym;
B. Th. om. 1278. Th. Sycamour; F. B. Sygamour; Cx. Sycomour; P.
Cicomour. 1283. F. B. y ther; rest that I. 1285. F. B. folkys. 1286. B. I-
holde; Cx. Th. P. holde; F. y-colde. 1287. Cx. P. eft; F. oft; B. all; Th. om. F.
B. P. I mused. 1293. F. B. to; rest forth. 1299. Cx. P. for; rest more. 1301. B.
this; rest these; see 1294. 1303. F. how they hat; B. how they hate; Cx. how
the hackyng; P. Th. how the hackynge. 1304. Cx. Th. P. As corbettis(-es)
and ymageries; B. As corbettz, full of ymageryes; F. As corbetz, followed by
a blank space. 1309. F. hald; rest hold (holde). 1315. Cx. Th. P. shoke; F.
shoon; B. shone. 1316. F. B. As (for And). 1317. P. Cx. lesynges; rest
losynges; read losenges. 1318. F. frenges; B. Th. frynges. 1321. F. B.
herauldes. 1326. F. crepen (!). 1327. P. wonderliche; the rest wonderly.
1328. Cx. P. Alle though; F. Th. B. As though. 1332. Cx. Th. P. cotes; F. B.
cote. 1335. F. B. om. as. 1349. F. B. litel; rest lyte. 1350. B. thicke; Th.
thyke; F. thik. 1351. P. Cx. Full; rest Fyne. 1353. P. As; Cx. Th. Or as; F. B.
Of. 1356. P. Cx. riche lusty; rest lusty and riche. 1361. F. Sit; B. Syt; Cx. P.
Sat; Th. Satte; read Sitte. 1369. F. B. om. that. 1371. F. B. omit semed be.
1372. So Cx. Th. P.; F. B. read—This was gret marvaylle to me. 1373. All
wonderly; cf. l. 1327. 1374. F. B. erthe. 1377. F. B. om. to. 1404. F. synge;
rest songe. 1406. F. B. or; rest and. 1411. Th. the armes; rest armes; read
tharmes (i.e. th' armes). 1415. All And thus. 1416. Cx. P. nobley; F. Th. B.
noble (= noblee). 1421. F. peler; B. pylere. 1425. I supply and hy. 1431. All
fyne. 1432. Cx. Hym that wrote thactes dyuyne; P. om.; F. B. Th. Saturnyne.
1435. Cx. P. bare vpon; F. Th. B. he bare on. 1436. F. B. om. up. 1437. F.
stonden; rest stoden. 1442. P. Cx. Th. as of other merveilles. 1443. P. Cx.
piler; F. B. pilere. 1444. All here. 1450. F. B. a ful; rest ful. 1456. F. B.
stonde; Cx. Th. stande; P. stond. 1460. F. B. Tholausan; Th. Tholason; P.
Tolofan; Cx. tholophan. 1477. So Cx. Th. P.; F. B. seyde Omere was. 1483.
I supply dan; see l. 1499. 1484. F. B. omit a. 1492. F. And; rest As; B. As I
hit myght se with myn ye; P. Cx. Th. As I myght see it wyth myn ye. 1494.
F. high the (= highthe); Cx. Th heyght; see l. 744. 1498. F. sturmely. 1507.
F. om. a. 1510. F. B. om. al. 1515. F. inserts al of the before olde; B. inserts
of the. 1527. All in-to (for in). 1530. F. alle skynnes; Cx. alle kyns. 1543.
Cx. Th. grace (for cause). 1546. F. B. om. this line. 1549. F. B. herke. 1551.
Cx. Th. P. yet; F. B. right. 1553. Cx. Th. P. sayd; F. quod; B. quoth. 1570. F.
B. Vpon the peyn to be blynde, omitting l. 1572; Cx. Th. om. the. Read Vp,

the usual idiom. 1572. In Cx. Th. only. 1585. F. B. om. that. 1594. F. B.
clarioun; see l. 1597. 1599. F. B. And (for That). 1603. Cx. P. at; rest to.
1609. F. B. om. now. 1614. F. B. insert wel after be. 1618. F. B. wete; rest
wote; read wite. 1621. F. B. om. wel. 1623. Cx. Th. P. And thou dan; F. B.
Haue doon. 1637. P. blak; F. B. blake. 1647. Cx. Th. P. swartysh; F. B.
swart, swarte. 1657. B. thridde; F. thirdde. 1661. F. ben; rest han. 1666. All
werkes, pl.; see 1701. Th. That your good workes shal be wyst (perhaps
better). 1668. F. B. om. Right. 1675. F. B. om. Al. 1682. F. B. Cx. Th. hath;
P. have. 1686. All of bawme; omit of (Koch). 1701. werk] all werkes
(werkys); see 1666, 1720, 1. 1702. B. clew; F. clywe; Cx. Th. P. torned,
turned. 1707. Cx. P. To hyde; Th. To hyden; F. B. And hidden. 1709. P. Cx.
fame; rest no fame. P. Cx. Th. ne (om. for); F. B. for (om. ne). 1717. F. B.
Th. lyen (for lyuen); P. be; Cx. om. 1720. werk] all werkes (werkys); but
see hit in 1721. 1725. F. B. Th. Al so; rest And so; read So. 1726. So F. B.;
Cx. Th. That theyr fame was blowe a lofte. 1735. Cx. P. so good a; Th. as
good a; F. B. as good. 1742. Th. Cx. P. in her herte; F. in hem; B. in her.
1744. Th. on; rest upon. 1745. F. B. om. the. 1748, 1749. F. a; rest as. 1750.
P. Cx. To; rest The. 1765. F. B. now let se (I omit now); rest quod she. 1775.
I supply ye. 1779. P. wher; Cx. Th. where; F. B. or. 1781. F. B. neuer ye;
rest om. ye. 1782. F. B. om. to-. 1783. F. swynt; B. sweynte; Cx. Th. P.
slepy. 1786. Cx. P. on; the rest to. 1787. Cx. Th. P. on; F. B. to. 1792. F. B.
om. thee. 1793. F. B. om. they. 1801. P. blak; F. B. blake. 1804. I supply the.
1805. al is not in the MSS.; but P. has as (= al-so). 1813. All grete, gret;
read gretest (Willert). 1816. MSS. doon (don, do) hem. 1818. F. B. in a; P.
Cx. Th. in. 1821. B. liste; rest list, short for listeth. F. B. P. om. to; Cx. Th.
insert it. 1822. P. not; which F. B. Cx. Th. omit. 1824. F. choppen; B.
choppyn; Th. clappen; Cx. P. clappe. 1828. B. P. folk; rest folkes. 1834. P.
vice; Cx. Th. vyce; F. B. vices. 1836. F. B. suche be; Cx. Th. P. be suche.
1843. Here P. ends. 1853. F. Th. be noght for; Cx. B. be for; read be but for
(Koch). 1862. Cx. Th. they; F. B. this folke. 1880. F. selfe; read selven.
1883. Th. than; Cx. thenne; F. B. om. 1887. All thing, thinge; read thinges.
Cf. l. 1889. 1891. All come. 1897. All wote (for wiste); see l. 1901. 1898.
All had. 1902. All dwelled or dwellyth. 1903. F. And; rest Ne. 1906. B. the;
F. om.. B. hidyr; Th. hyder; Cx. hether; F. thidder. 1907. B. Whi then; rest
Why than; Koch suggests Which than; read Which-e. Ll. 1907-9 are
probably corrupt; see note. 1908. I supply thus. 1926. Th. it stil; rest stil
hyt. 1931. Th. B. that I; F. I haue; Cx. I had. 1938. F. B. Whiche; Cx. Th.

Suche. 1940. F. Cx. B. hattes; Th. hutches. Read hottes. 1941. F. twynges
(!); B. twigys. 1944. Corrupt. From Cx. Th.; B. omits the line; F. has only
As ful this lo. 1946. Cx. Th. as; F. of; B. as of. Th. on; F. B. in; Cx. of.
1948. Cx. roof; Th. rofe; F. B. roue. 1952. Cx. Th. open; F. opened; B. I-
opened. 1955. Cx. out (for in). 1957. F. silde; B. fylde; Cx. Th. fylled. 1961.
All werres (pl.); read werre. 1962. All restes (pl.). Cx. of labour; F. Th. B.
and of labour. 1967. All insert and eek before of; see l. 1968. 1975. All write
mis governement as one word. 1976. All and of; omit and. 1984. F. B. and
of; Cx. Th. om. of. 1997. Th. paraunter. 2009. I substitute swiche for these.
2010. Th. syghtes; rest syght. 2017. F. The frot; B. The foot; Cx. Th. The
swote. Read The fruit (Koch). 2018. Cx. Th. Languysshe; F. B. Laugh.
2020. Th. B. the (for thee); Cx. the an; F. than (perhaps = the an). 2021. All
insert in after yaf. 2026. F. B. insert anoon (anon) after here, which Cx. Th.
omit. For here anoon read anoon heer. 2028. F. B. omit this line. 2036. F. B.
omit this line; it is probably corrupt. Read Many a thousand in a route
(Koch). 2042. Cx. one; F. Th. B. a. 2044. F. Rovned in; B. Rownyd yn; Cx.
Th. Rowned euerych in. 2048. F. has only—That ys betydde; B. That is
betyd late or now; Cx. Th. That ys betyd lo ryght now. 2049. All he; read
the other (Willert). 2053. All insert And (twice) before thus; but compare
the next line. 2059. All wonder most (moste). 2061. F. B. forth ryght to; Cx.
forth vnto; Th. streyght to. 2063. Cx. to; rest om. 2066. F. Tho; rest To.
2069. F. B. That he; Cx. Th. Tho. F. thoo; B. tho; Cx. Th. that. 2076. F. B.
Went every mouthe; Cx. Th. Wente euery tydyng. 2081. Cx. Th. vp spronge.
2083. All and (for 2nd hit). 2087. F. flygh; B. fligh; Cx. Th. flewe. 2088. F.
om. I. 2090. Cx. Th. drawe; F. B. thrawe. 2091. Cx. Th. at; F. B. to. 2093. F.
B. a cheked; Cx. Th. a chekked. 2095-2158. Cx. omits. 2099. B. om. the.
2103. Th. he; F. B. they. 2104. F. han on two (sic); B. haue that oon (om. of
two); Th. haue one two. I supply that from B.; and also of. 2106. Th.
amorowe; F. B. morwe. 2112. All yeue. 2115. Th. wane; F. B. wynne (!).
2123. Th. scrippes; F. B. shrippes. 2129. F. boystes; Th. boxes; B. bowgys.
2150. Th. gonne; B. bigonne; F. begunne. 2151, 3. F. other; B. othir; read
othere (oth're), plural. 2152. F. noyse an highen (!); Th. noyse on hyghen
(!); B. nose and yen; read on hye (Koch). 2153. F. B. other; Th. others.
2154. F. B. stampen; Th. stampe. 2156. I supply nevene. 2158. Here F. B.
end; Cx. Th. add 12 spurious lines.

THE LEGEND OF GOOD WOMEN.

The Prologue to this Poem exists in two different versions, which differ
widely from each other in many passages. The arrangement of the material
is also different.

For the sake of clearness, the earlier version is here called 'Text A,' and the
later version 'Text B.'

'Text A' exists in one MS. only, but this MS. is of early date and much
importance. It is the MS. marked Gg. 4. 27 in the Cambridge University
Library, and is here denoted by the letter 'C.' It is the same MS. as that
denoted by the abbreviation 'Cm.' in the footnotes to the Canterbury Tales
and Troilus and Criseyde. This text is printed in the upper part of the
following pages. The footnotes give the MS. spellings, where these are
amended in the text.

'Text B' occupies the lower part of the following pages. It follows the
Fairfax MS. mainly, which is denoted by 'F.' In many places, the inferior
spellings of this MS. are relegated to the footnotes, amended spellings being
given in the text. Various readings are given from Tn. (Tanner MS. 346); T.
(Trinity MS., R. 3. 19); A. (Arch. Seld. B. 24 in the Bodleian Library); Th.
(Thynne's Edition, 1532); B. (Bodley MS. 638); P. (Pepys MS. 2006); and
sometimes from C. (already mentioned) or Add. (Addit. 9832).

Lines which occur in one text only are marked (in either text) by a prefixed
asterisk. Lines marked with a dagger (†) stand just the same in both texts.
The blank space after A 60 (p. 70) shews that there is nothing in Text A
corresponding to B 69-72. Where the corresponding matter is transposed to
another place, one or other text has a portion printed in smaller type.

The prologe of .ix. goode Wimmen.

A thousand sythes have I herd men telle,

†That ther is Ioye in heven, and peyne in helle;
And I acorde wel that hit be so;
But natheles, this wot I wel also,
That ther nis noon that dwelleth in this contree, 5
That either hath in helle or heven y-be,
†Ne may of hit non other weyes witen,
†But as he hath herd seyd, or founde hit writen;
†For by assay ther may no man hit preve.
But goddes forbode, but men shulde leve 10
†Wel more thing then men han seen with yë!
†Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë
For that he seigh it nat of yore ago.
God wot, a thing is never the lesse so
†Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see. 15
†Bernard the monk ne saugh nat al, parde!
†Than mote we to bokes that we finde,
†Through which that olde thinges been in minde,
†And to the doctrine of these olde wyse,
†Yeven credence, in every skilful wyse, 20
And trowen on these olde aproved stories
†Of holinesse, of regnes, of victories,
†Of love, of hate, of other sundry thinges,
†Of whiche I may not maken rehersinges.
†And if that olde bokes were a-weye, 25
†Y-loren were of remembraunce the keye.
Wel oghte us than on olde bokes leve,
Ther-as ther is non other assay by preve.
And, as for me, though that my wit be lyte,
†On bokes for to rede I me delyte, 30
†And in myn herte have hem in reverence;
And to hem yeve swich lust and swich credence,
That ther is wel unethe game noon
That from my bokes make me to goon,
But hit be other up-on the haly-day, 35
Or elles in the Ioly tyme of May;
Whan that I here the smale foules singe,
†And that the floures ginne for to springe,

Farwel my studie, as lasting that sesoun!
Now have I therto this condicioun 40
†That, of alle the floures in the mede,
†Than love I most these floures whyte and rede,
†Swiche as men callen daysies in our toun.
†To hem have I so greet affeccioun,
†As I seyde erst, whan comen is the May, 45
†That in my bed ther daweth me no day
†That I nam up, and walking in the mede
To seen these floures agein the sonne sprede,
Whan hit up-riseth by the morwe shene,
*The longe day, thus walking in the grene. 50

From A. 55-58.
This dayesye, of alle floures flour, (B. 53)
Fulfild of vertu and of alle honour,
†And ever y-lyke fair and fresh of hewe,
As wel in winter as in somer newe—

And whan the sonne ginneth for to weste, (B. 61)
Than closeth hit, and draweth hit to reste.
So sore hit is afered of the night,
*Til on the morwe, that hit is dayes light.
This dayesye, of alle floures flour, 55
Fulfild of vertu and of alle honour,
†And ever y-lyke fair and fresh of hewe,
As wel in winter as in somer newe,
Fain wolde I preisen, if I coude aright; (B. 67)
*But wo is me, hit lyth nat in my might! 60

For wel I wot, that folk han her-beforn (B. 73)
†Of making ropen, and lad a-wey the corn;
†And I come after, glening here and there,
†And am ful glad if I may finde an ere
Of any goodly word that they han left. 65
And, if hit happe me rehersen eft
That they han in her fresshe songes sayd,
I hope that they wil nat ben evel apayd,

Sith hit is seid in forthering and honour
Of hem that either serven leef or flour. 70
For trusteth wel, I ne have nat undertake
As of the leef, ageyn the flour, to make;
Ne of the flour to make, ageyn the leef,
†No more than of the corn ageyn the sheef.
For, as to me, is leefer noon ne lother; 75
I am with-holde yit with never nother.
I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour;
That nis nothing the entent of my labour.
For this werk is al of another tunne,
Of olde story, er swich stryf was begunne. 80
†But wherfor that I spak, to yeve credence (B. 97)
To bokes olde and doon hem reverence,
Is for men shulde autoritees beleve,
Ther as ther lyth non other assay by preve.
*For myn entent is, or I fro yow fare, 85
*The naked text in English to declare
*Of many a story, or elles of many a geste,
*As autours seyn; leveth hem if yow leste!

Whan passed was almost the month of May, (B. 108)
And I had romed, al the someres day, 90
*The grene medew, of which that I yow tolde,
Upon the fresshe daysy to beholde,
And that the sonne out of the south gan weste,
And closed was the flour and goon to reste
For derknesse of the night, of which she dredde, 95
†Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde;
†And, in a litel erber that I have,
Y-benched newe with turves fresshe y-grave,
†I bad men shulde me my couche make;
†For deyntee of the newe someres sake, 100
†I bad hem strowe floures on my bed.
†Whan I was layd, and had myn eyen hed,
I fel a-slepe with-in an houre or two.
Me mette how I was in the medew tho,

*And that I romed in that same gyse, 105
To seen that flour, as ye han herd devyse.
*Fair was this medew, as thoughte me overal;
With floures swote enbrowded was it al;
As for to speke of gomme, or erbe, or tree,
†Comparisoun may noon y-maked be. 110
For hit surmounted pleynly alle odoures,
†And eek of riche beaute alle floures.
†Forgeten had the erthe his pore estat
†Of winter, that him naked made and mat,
And with his swerd of cold so sore had greved. 115
Now had the atempre sonne al that releved,
And clothed him in grene al newe agayn.
†The smale foules, of the seson fayn,
†That from the panter and the net ben scaped,
†Upon the fouler, that hem made a-whaped 120
†In winter, and distroyed had hir brood,
†In his despyt, hem thoughte hit did hem good
†To singe of him, and in hir song despyse
†The foule cherl that, for his covetyse,
†Had hem betrayed with his sophistrye. 125
†This was hir song—'the fouler we defye!'
Somme songen [layes] on the braunches clere (B. 139)
Of love and [May], that Ioye hit was to here,
In worship and in preysing of hir make,
And of the newe blisful someres sake, 130

That songen, 'blissed be seynt Valentyn! (B. 145)
[For] at his day I chees yow to be myn,
†With-oute repenting, myn herte swete!'
†And therwith-al hir bekes gonnen mete.
[They dide honour and] humble obeisaunces, 135
And after diden other observaunces
Right [plesing] un-to love and to nature;
*So ech of hem [doth wel] to creature.
*This song to herkne I dide al myn entente,
*For-why I mette I wiste what they mente. 140

From A. 90.
And I had romed, al the someres day, (B. 180)

From A. 92.
Up-on the fresshe daysy to beholde. (B. 182)

From A. 71-80.
For trusteth wel, I ne have nat undertake (B. 188)
As of the leef, ageyn the flour, to make;
Ne of the flour to make, ageyn the leef,
†No more than of the corn ageyn the sheef.
For, as to me, is leefer noon ne lother; 75
I am with-holde yit with never nother.
I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour;
That nis nothing the entent of my labour.
For this werk is al of another tunne,
Of olde story, er swich stryf was begunne. 80

From A. 93-96.
And that the sonne out of the south gan weste,
And closed was the flour and goon to reste
For derknesse of the night, of which she dredde,
†Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde

From A. 106.
To seen that flour, as ye han herd devyse.

From A. 97-104.
†And, in a litel erber that I have,
Y-benched newe with turves fresshe y-grave,
†I bad men shulde me my couche make;
†For deyntee of the newe someres sake, 100
†I bad hem strowe floures on my bed.
†Whan I was layd, and had myn eyen hed,
I fel a-slepe within an houre or two.
Me mette how I was in the medew tho,

*Til at the laste a larke song above: 141

*'I see,' quod she, 'the mighty god of love!
*Lo! yond he cometh, I see his winges sprede!'

From A. 106.
To seen that flour, as ye han herd devyse,

Tho gan I loken endelong the mede, (B. 212)
And saw him come, and in his hond a quene, 145
Clothed in ryal abite al of grene.
†A fret of gold she hadde next hir heer,
†And up-on that a whyt coroun she beer
With many floures, and I shal nat lye;
For al the world, right as the dayesye 150
†I-coroned is with whyte leves lyte,
Swich were the floures of hir coroun whyte.
For of o perle fyn and oriental
†Hir whyte coroun was y-maked al;
†For which the whyte coroun, above the grene, 155
†Made hir lyk a daysie for to sene,
Considered eek the fret of gold above.
†Y-clothed was this mighty god of love
Of silk, y-brouded ful of grene greves;
A garlond on his heed of rose-leves 160
*Steked al with lilie floures newe;
*But of his face I can nat seyn the hewe.
For sekirly his face shoon so brighte,
*That with the gleem a-stoned was the sighte;
A furlong-wey I mighte him nat beholde. 165
But at the laste in hande I saw him holde
†Two fyry dartes, as the gledes rede;
And aungellich his wenges gan he sprede.
†And al be that men seyn that blind is he,
Al-gate me thoughte he mighte wel y-see; 170
†For sternely on me he gan biholde,
†So that his loking doth myn herte colde.
†And by the hande he held the noble quene,
†Corouned with whyte, and clothed al in grene,

†So womanly, so benigne, and so meke, 175
†That in this world, thogh that men wolde seke,
†Half hir beautee shulde men nat finde
†In creature that formed is by kinde,
Hir name was Alceste the debonayre;
I prey to god that ever falle she fayre! 180
†For ne hadde confort been of hir presence,
†I had be deed, withouten any defence,
†For drede of Loves wordes and his chere,
†As, whan tyme is, her-after ye shal here.
Byhind this god of love, up-on this grene, 185
†I saw cominge of ladyës nyntene
†In ryal abite, a ful esy pas,
†And after hem com of wemen swich a tras
That, sin that god Adam made of erthe,
The thredde part of wemen, ne the ferthe, 190
†Ne wende I nat by possibilitee
Hadden ever in this world y-be; (B. 289)
†And trewe of love thise wemen were echoon.
†Now whether was that a wonder thing or noon,
†That, right anoon as that they gonne espye 195
†This flour, which that I clepe the dayesye,
†Ful sodeinly they stinten alle at-ones,
And kneled adoun, as it were for the nones.
*And after that they wenten in compas,
*Daunsinge aboute this flour an esy pas, 200
*And songen, as it were in carole-wyse,
*This balade, which that I shal yow devyse.

Balade.

†Hyd, Absolon, thy gilte tresses clere;
†Ester, ley them thy meknesse al a-doun;
†Hyd, Ionathas, al thy frendly manere; 205
†Penalopee, and Marcia Catoun,
†Mak of your wyfhod no comparisoun;
†Hyde ye your beautes, Isoude and Eleyne,

Alceste is here, that al that may desteyne.

†Thy faire body, lat hit nat appere, 210
†Lavyne; and thou, Lucresse of Rome toun,
†And Polixene, that boghte love so dere,
Eek Cleopatre, with al thy passioun,
Hyde ye your trouthe in love and your renoun;
And thou, Tisbe, that hast for love swich peyne: 215
Alceste is here, that al that may desteyne.

Herro, Dido, Laudomia, alle in-fere,
Eek Phyllis, hanging for thy Demophoun,
†And Canace, espyed by thy chere,
Ysiphile, betrayed with Jasoun, 220
Mak of your trouthe in love no bost ne soun;
Nor Ypermistre or Adriane, ne pleyne;
Alceste is here, that al that may desteyne.

Whan that this balade al y-songen was, (B. 270)

From A. 179-198.
Hir name was Alceste the debonayre;
I prey to god that ever falle she fayre! 180
†For ne hadde confort been of hir presence,
†I had be deed, withouten any defence,
†For drede of Loves wordes and his chere,
†As, whan tyme is, her-after ye shal here.
Byhind this god of love, up-on this grene, 185
†I saw cominge of ladyës nyntene
†In ryal abite, a ful esy pas,
†And after hem com of wemen swich a tras,
That, sin that god Adam made of erthe,
The thredde part of wemen, ne the ferthe, 190
†Ne wende I nat by possibilitee
Hadden ever in this world y-be.
†And trewe of love these wemen were echoon.
†Now whether was that a wonder thing or noon,
†That, right anon as that they gonne espye 195

†This flour, which that I clepe the dayesye,
†Ful sodeinly they stinten alle atones,
And kneled adoun, as it were for the nones.

*Upon the softe and swote grene gras 225
†They setten hem ful softely adoun, (B. 301)
By ordre alle in compas, alle enveroun.
First sat the god of love, and than this quene
†With the whyte coroun, clad in grene;
†And sithen al the remenant by and by, 230
As they were of degree, ful curteisly;
†Ne nat a word was spoken in the place
†The mountance of a furlong-wey of space.
I, lening faste by under a bente,
†Abood, to knowen what this peple mente, 235
†As stille as any stoon; til at the laste,
The god of love on me his eye caste,
And seyde, 'who resteth ther?' and I answerde
Un-to his axing, whan that I him herde,
†And seyde, 'sir, hit am I'; and cam him neer, 240
†And salued him. Quod he, 'what dostow heer
In my presence, and that so boldely?
†For it were better worthy, trewely,
A werm to comen in my sight than thou.'
†'And why, sir,' quod I, 'and hit lyke yow?' 245
†'For thou,' quod he, 'art ther-to nothing able.
*My servaunts been alle wyse and honourable.
Thou art my mortal fo, and me warreyest, (B. 322)
†And of myne olde servaunts thou misseyest,
†And hinderest hem with thy translacioun, 250
And lettest folk to han devocioun
†To serven me, and haldest hit folye
To troste on me. Thou mayst hit nat denye;
For in pleyn text, hit nedeth nat to glose,
†Thou hast translated the Romauns of the Rose, 255
†That is an heresye ageyns my lawe,
†And makest wyse folk fro me withdrawe.

*And thinkest in thy wit, that is ful cool.
*That he nis but a verray propre fool
*That loveth paramours, to harde and hote. 260
*Wel wot I ther-by thou beginnest dote
*As olde foles, whan hir spirit fayleth;
*Than blame they folk, and wite nat what hem ayleth.
*Hast thou nat mad in English eek the book
How that Crisseyde Troilus forsook, (B. 332) 265
In shewinge how that wemen han don mis?
*But natheles, answere me now to this,
*Why noldest thou as wel han seyd goodnesse
*Of wemen, as thou hast seyd wikkednesse?
*Was ther no good matere in thy minde, 270
*Ne in alle thy bokes coudest thou nat finde
*Sum story of wemen that were goode and trewe?
*Yis! god wot, sixty bokes olde and newe
*Hast thou thy-self, alle fulle of stories grete,
*That bothe Romains and eek Grekes trete 275
*Of sundry wemen, which lyf that they ladde,
*And ever an hundred gode ageyn oon badde.
*This knoweth god, and alle clerkes eke,
*That usen swiche materes for to seke.
*What seith Valerie, Titus, or Claudian? 280
*What seith Ierome ageyns Iovinian?
*How clene maydens, and how trewe wyves,
*How stedfast widwes during al hir lyves,
*Telleth Jerome; and that nat of a fewe,
*But, I dar seyn, an hundred on a rewe; 285
*That hit is pitee for to rede, and routhe,
*The wo that they enduren for hir trouthe.
For to hir love were they so trewe, (B. 334)
*That, rather than they wolde take a newe,
*They chosen to be dede in sundry wyse, 290
*And deyden, as the story wol devyse;
*And some were brend, and some were cut the hals,
*And some dreynt, for they wolden nat be fals.
*For alle keped they hir maydenhed,

*Or elles wedlok, or hir widwehed. 295
*And this thing was nat kept for holinesse,
*But al for verray vertu and clennesse,
*And for men shulde sette on hem no lak;
*And yit they weren hethen, al the pak,
*That were so sore adrad of alle shame. 300
*These olde wemen kepte so hir name,
*That in this world I trow men shal nat finde
*A man that coude be so trewe and kinde,
*As was the leste woman in that tyde.
*What seith also the epistels of Ovyde 305
*Of trewe wyves, and of hir labour?
*What Vincent, in his Storial Mirour?
*Eek al the world of autours maystow here,
*Cristen and hethen, trete of swich matere;
*It nedeth nat alday thus for tendyte. 310
*But yit I sey, what eyleth thee to wryte
*The draf of stories, and forgo the corn?
By seint Venus, of whom that I was born, (B. 338)
Although [that] thou reneyed hast my lay, (B. 336)
As othere olde foles many a day, (B. 337) 315
Thou shalt repente hit, that hit shal be sene!'
Than spak Alceste, the worthieste quene,
†And seyde, 'god, right of your curtesye,
†Ye moten herknen if he can replye
Ageyns these points that ye han to him meved; 320
†A god ne sholde nat be thus agreved,
†But of his deitee he shal be stable,
And therto rightful and eek merciable.
*He shal nat rightfully his yre wreke
*Or he have herd the tother party speke. 325
*Al ne is nat gospel that is to yow pleyned;
*The god of love herth many a tale y-feyned.

From A. 338, 339.
This man to yow may wrongly been accused,
†Ther as by right him oghte been excused;

†For in your court is many a losengeour,
†And many a queynte totelere accusour,
That tabouren in your eres many a thing 330
For hate, or for Ielous imagining,
And for to han with yow som daliaunce.
Envye (I prey to god yeve hir mischaunce!)
Is lavender in the grete court alway.
†For she ne parteth, neither night ne day, 335
†Out of the hous of Cesar; thus seith Dante;
Who-so that goth, alwey she moot [nat] wante.
This man to yow may wrongly been accused,
†Ther as by right him oghte been excused.
Or elles, sir, for that this man is nyce, 340
He may translate a thing in no malyce.
But for he useth bokes for to make,
And takth non heed of what matere he take;
*Therfor he wroot the Rose and eek Crisseyde
*Of innocence, and niste what he seyde; 345
†Or him was boden make thilke tweye
†Of som persone, and durste hit nat with-seye;
*For he hath writen many a book er this.
†He ne hath nat doon so grevously amis
†To translaten that olde clerkes wryten, 350
†As thogh that he of malice wolde endyten
Despyt of love, and hadde him-self y-wroght.
†This shulde a rightwys lord han in his thoght,
†And nat be lyk tiraunts of Lumbardye,
That usen wilfulhed and tirannye, 355
†For he that king or lord is naturel,
†Him oghte nat be tiraunt ne cruel,
†As is a fermour, to doon the harm he can.
†He moste thinke hit is his lige man,
*And that him oweth, of verray duetee, 360
*Shewen his peple pleyn benignitee,
*And wel to here hir excusaciouns,
*And hir compleyntes and peticiouns,
*In duewe tyme, whan they shal hit profre.

†This is the sentence of the philosophre: (B. 381) 365
†A king to kepe his liges in Iustyce;
†With-outen doute, that is his offyce.
*And therto is a king ful depe y-sworn,
*Ful many an hundred winter heer-biforn;
And for to kepe his lordes hir degree, 370
†As hit is right and skilful that they be
†Enhaunced and honoured, and most dere—
†For they ben half-goddes in this world here—
This shal he doon, bothe to pore [and] riche,
Al be that here stat be nat a-liche, 375
†And han of pore folk compassioun.
†For lo, the gentil kind of the lioun!
†For whan a flye offendeth him or byteth,
†He with his tayl awey the flye smyteth
†Al esily; for, of his genterye, 380
†Him deyneth nat to wreke him on a flye,
†As doth a curre or elles another beste.
†In noble corage oghte been areste,
†And weyen every thing by equitee,
†And ever han reward to his owen degree. 385
†For, sir, hit is no maystrie for a lord
To dampne a man with-oute answere or word;
†And, for a lord, that is ful foul to use.
†And if so be he may him nat excuse,
[But] axeth mercy with a sorweful herte, 390
†And profreth him, right in his bare sherte,
†To been right at your owne Iugement,
†Than oghte a god, by short avysement,
†Considre his owne honour and his trespas.
†For sith no cause of deeth lyth in this cas, 395
†Yow oghte been the lighter merciable;
†Leteth your yre, and beth somwhat tretable!
†The man hath served yow of his conning,
And forthered your lawe with his making.
*Whyl he was yong, he kepte your estat; 400
*I not wher he be now a renegat.

But wel I wot, with that he can endyte,
He hath maked lewed folk delyte
†To serve you, in preysing of your name.
†He made the book that hight the Hous of Fame, 405
†And eek the Deeth of Blaunche the Duchesse,
†And the Parlement of Foules, as I gesse,
†And al the love of Palamon and Arcyte
†Of Thebes, thogh the story is knowen lyte;
†And many an ympne for your halydayes, 410
†That highten Balades, Roundels, Virelayes;
And for to speke of other besinesse,
†He hath in prose translated Boëce;
*And of the Wreched Engendring of Mankinde,
*As man may in pope Innocent y-finde; 415
†And mad the Lyf also of seynt Cecyle; (B. 426)
†He made also, goon sithen a greet whyl,
†Origenes upon the Maudeleyne;
†Him oghte now to have the lesse peyne;
†He hath mad many a lay and many a thing. 420
†'Now as ye been a god, and eek a king,
†I, your Alceste, whylom quene of Trace,
†I axe yow this man, right of your grace,
†That ye him never hurte in al his lyve;
†And he shal sweren yow, and that as blyve, 425
†He shal no more agilten in this wyse;
†But he shal maken, as ye wil devyse,
†Of wemen trewe in lovinge al hir lyve,
†Wher-so ye wil, of maiden or of wyve,
†And forthren yow, as muche as he misseyde 430
†Or in the Rose or elles in Crisseyde.'
†The god of love answerde hir thus anoon,
†'Madame,' quod he, 'hit is so long agoon
†That I yow knew so charitable and trewe,
†That never yit, sith that the world was newe, 435
†To me ne fond I better noon than ye.
That, if that I wol save my degree,
†I may ne wol nat warne your requeste;

Al lyth in yow, doth with him what yow leste
†And al foryeve, with-outen lenger space; 440
†For who-so yeveth a yift, or doth a grace,
†Do hit by tyme, his thank is wel the more;
†And demeth ye what he shal do therfore.
†Go thanke now my lady heer,' quod he.
†I roos, and doun I sette me on my knee, 445
†And seyde thus: 'Madame, the god above
†Foryelde yow, that ye the god of love
†Han maked me his wrathe to foryive;
†And yeve me grace so long for to live,
†That I may knowe soothly what ye be 450
That han me holpen, and put in swich degree.
†But trewely I wende, as in this cas,
†Naught have agilt, ne doon to love trespas.
†Forwhy a trewe man, with-outen drede,
†Hath nat to parten with a theves dede; 455
†Ne a trewe lover oghte me nat blame,
†Thogh that I speke a fals lover som shame.
†They oghte rather with me for to holde,
†For that I of Creseyde wroot or tolde,
†Or of the Rose; what-so myn auctour mente, 460
†Algate, god wot, hit was myn entente
†To forthren trouthe in love and hit cheryce;
†And to be war fro falsnesse and fro vyce
†By swich ensample; this was my meninge.'
†And she answerde, 'lat be thyn arguinge; 465
†For Love ne wol nat countrepleted be
In right ne wrong; and lerne this at me!
†Thou hast thy grace, and hold thee right ther-to.
†Now wol I seyn what penance thou shalt do
†For thy trespas, and understond hit here: 470
†Thou shalt, whyl that thou livest, yeer by yere,
The moste party of thy lyve spende
†In making of a glorious Legende
†Of Gode Wemen, maidenes and wyves,
†That were trewe in lovinge al hir lyves; 475

†And telle of false men that hem bitrayen,
†That al hir lyf ne doon nat but assayen
†How many wemen they may doon a shame;
For in your world that is now holden game.
And thogh thee lesteth nat a lover be, 480
†Spek wel of love; this penance yeve I thee.
†And to the god of love I shal so preye,
†That he shal charge his servants, by any weye,
†To forthren thee, and wel thy labour quyte;
Go now thy wey, thy penance is but lyte.' (B. 495) 485

†The god of love gan smyle, and than he seyde,
†'Wostow,' quod he, 'wher this be wyf or mayde,
†Or quene, or countesse, or of what degree,
†That hath so litel penance yeven thee,
†That hast deserved sorer for to smerte? 490
†But pitee renneth sone in gentil herte;
†That mayst thou seen, she kytheth what she is.'
†And I answerde, 'nay, sir, so have I blis,
†No more but that I see wel she is good.'
†'That is a trewe tale, by myn hood,' 495
†Quod Love, 'and that thou knowest wel, pardee,
†If hit be so that thou avyse thee.
†Hastow nat in a book, lyth in thy cheste,
†The grete goodnesse of the quene Alceste,
†That turned was into a dayesye: 500
†She that for hir husbonde chees to dye,
†And eek to goon to helle, rather than he,
†And Ercules rescued hir, pardee,
†And broghte hir out of helle agayn to blis?'
†And I answerde ageyn, and seyde, 'yis, 505
†Now knowe I hir! And is this good Alceste,
†The dayesye, and myn owne hertes reste?
†Now fele I wel the goodnesse of this wyf,
†That bothe after hir deeth, and in hir lyf,
†Hir grete bountee doubleth hir renoun! 510
†Wel hath she quit me myn affeccioun

†That I have to hir flour, the dayesye!
†No wonder is thogh Iove hir stellifye,
†As telleth Agaton, for hir goodnesse!
†Hir whyte coroun berth of hit witnesse; 515
†For also many vertues hadde she,
†As smale floures in hir coroun be.
†In remembraunce of hir and in honour,
†Cibella made the dayesy and the flour
†Y-coroned al with whyt, as men may see; 520
†And Mars yaf to hir coroun reed, pardee,
†In stede of rubies, set among the whyte.'
†Therwith this quene wex reed for shame a lyte,
†Whan she was preysed so in hir presence.
†Than seyde Love, 'a ful gret negligence 525
Was hit to thee, to write unstedfastnesse
*Of women, sith thou knowest hir goodnesse
*By preef, and eek by stories heer-biforn;
*Let be the chaf, and wryt wel of the corn.
*Why noldest thou han writen of Alceste, 530
*And leten Criseide been a-slepe and reste?
*For of Alceste shulde thy wryting be,
Sin that thou wost that kalender is she (B. 542)
Of goodnesse, for she taughte of fyn lovinge,
†And namely of wyfhood the livinge, 535
†And alle the boundes that she oghte kepe;
†Thy litel wit was thilke tyme a-slepe.
†But now I charge thee, upon thy lyf,
†That in thy Legend thou make of this wyf,
Whan thou hast othere smale mad before; 540
†And fare now wel, I charge thee no more. (B. 551)
†At Cleopatre I wol that thou beginne; (B. 566)
†And so forth; and my love so shalt thou winne.'

And with that word of sleep I gan a-awake, (B. 578)
†And right thus on my Legend gan I make. 545

Explicit prohemium.

1. thousent sythis. 2. there; heuene. 3. it. 4. wit (over erasure); read wot. 5.
ne is; dwellyth; cuntre. 6. heuene. 10. goddis; schulde. 13. say (better
seigh). 14. neuere. 21. trowyn; aprouede storyis. 27. ouȝte; thanne; bokys.
28. There; othyr a-say (see l. 9); be (for by). 29. thow; myn. 30, 34. bokys.
33. onethe. 39. stodye; lastynge. 48. sen; flouris a-gen; sunne to sprede. 49.
be (for by); schene. 50. walkynge. 51. sunne be-gynnys. 52. it; drawith it.
53. it; a-ferid. 54. it; dayis. 55. flouris. 57. frosch. 58. wyntyr; somyr. 59.
preysyn; a-ryht. 60. myn. 62. makynge ropyn. 63. C. om. And; aftyr
glenynge; ther. 64. er. 65. ony; laft. 66. reherse. 67. here frosche songis. 68.
wele; euele a-payed. 69. Sithe. 70. eythir seruyn lef. 71. trustyth; vndyr-
take. 72. lef a-gayn. 73. lef. 74. a-gen; shef. 75. lefere non; lothere. 76.
witholde; nothire. 77. ho seruyth lef. 80. old. 81. -fore. 82. bokys; don. 83.
schulde autoriteis. 84. There; there; othyr a-say; be. 86. nakede tixt; englis.
87. manye (twice); ellis. 88. autourys; leuyth. 89. monyth. 90. hadde;
somerys. 91. medewe. 92. frosche dayseie. 93. souht (!). 94. clothede (error
for closed). 95. derknese; nyht; sche dradde. 96. spadde. 97. lytyl. 98. I-
benchede; turwis frorsche I-grawe (!). 99. schulde; myn. 100. somerys. 101.
flouris. 102. hadde; hid (for hed). 103. with-Inne; our. 104. medewe. 105.
romede. 106. sen. 107. medewe. 108. flouris sote embroudit. 110. non I-
makede. 111. surmountede; odours. 112. om. eek; beute; flourys. 113.
Forgetyn hadde. 114. wyntyr; nakede. 115. hadde greuyd. 116. hadde the
tempre; releuyd. 117. clothede; a-geyn. 127. I supply layes. 128. I supply
May. 129. worschepe; hire. 130. somerys. 131. sungyn blyssede; volentyn.
132. I supply For; ches. 133. repentynge. 134. here bekys gunne. 135. C. is
here corrupt; it has—The honour and the humble obeysaunce. I try to give
some sense; in any case we must read obeisaunces. 136. dedyn othere. 137,
138. C. is again corrupt and imperfect; I supply plesing and doth wel. C.
has natures, cryaturys; but read nature. 139. herkenyn; dede; entent. 140.
ment. 143. comyth; hise wyngis. 144. loke. 146. Clothid. 147. frette; goold;
hyre her. 148. corone sche ber. 149. mane (!) flourys. 150. dayseye. 151. I-
corounede; leuys. 152. flourys; corene (sic). 159. I-broudede; greuys. 160.
hed; leuys. 161. Stekid; lylye flourys. 163. schon; bryhte. 164. glem a-
stonede; syhte. 165. myhte; not. 167. Tho (error for Two); fery dartis;
gleedys. 168. hyse wengis. 179. the thebonoyre (sic). 180. preye; euere.
186. nynetene. 192. Haddyn euere. 199. aftyr; wentyn. 201. songyn. 202.
whiche; schal. 206. Penolope. 209. destene. 221. ȝoure. 224. I-songyn. [179.
thebonoyre.] [185. Byhynde.] [186. ladyis nynetene.] [192. Haddyn.] [196.

whiche; dayseye.] [197. styntyn; atonys.] [198. knelede; nonys.] 225. sote.
226. settyn. 227. ordere; cumpas; in-veroun. 228. thanne. 231. degre. 234.
lenynge; vndyr. 238. ho (for who). 239. axsynge. 243. bettere. 244. come;
syht. 247. Myne; ben. 248. myn. 249. mysseyst. 251. lettist. 252. seruyn;
haldist. 254. tixt. 258. thyn; cole. 259. fole. 260. louyth paramouris. 262.
folis; spryt (sic) faylyth. 263. wete; ealyth. 264. englys ek; bok. 265. forsok.
267. Bit (for But). 268. noldist; a (for have or han); goodnes. 269.
wekedenes. 270. matyr; thyn. 271. thyne bokys ne coudist; (I omit ne). 273.
lx. bokys. 274. thyn-self; storyis. 275. romaynys; ek grekis. 276. sundery;
whiche; ledde. 277. euere; hunderede goode; on. 278. knowith; clerkis ek.
279. vsyn sweche materis; sek. 282. maydenys; wyuys. 283. stedefaste
wedewys durynge all here lyuys. 284. Tellyth. 285. hunderede. 286. pete.
287. endure; here. 289. rathere; wole (error for wolde). 290. chose; ded;
sundery. 291. deiedyn; wele (for wol). 293. dreynkt (!); thy (for they);
woldyn. 294. kepid maydynhed. 295. ellis wedlek; here wedewehed. 299.
were hethene. 302. trowe; schal. 303. trowe. 305. epistelle (see note). 306.
wyuys. 307. estoryal. 308. te (for the); autourys. 309. Cristene; hethene.
310. nedyth; to endite. 311. seye; eylyth the. 312. storyis; forgete, with gete
over erasure; read forgo. 313. Be (for By). 314. Al-thow; I supply that;
reneyist (sic) hast myn. 315. folys. 316. so that (for that; I omit so). 317.
Thanne; worthyere (!). 320. poyntys; mevid. 322. dede (for deitee; the
scribe's error). 323. ek. 325. tothyr. 327. hereth manye; I-feynyd. 328.
losenger. 329. totulour. 330. tabourryn; ȝoure; manye. 332. sum. 333. prere
(!). 335. che; partyth; nygh (!). 337. mote; I supply nat. 338. ben acused.
339. There; be; oughte ben excusid. 340. sere. 342. vsyth bokis. 343. takyth;
hed. 344. ek. 348. wrete manye; bok. 355. vsyn. 357. oughte. 358. don. 359.
must. 360. owith; o (error for of); verry. 361. Schewyn; benygnete. 362.
heryn here. 363. here compleyntys. 367. Which oughtyn (!). 369. manye;
hunderede wyntyr here-. 370. lordys. 372. Enhaunsede; om. 2nd and. 373.
goddys. 374. don; I supply and. 388. C. wol; for ful. 389. ascuse. 390. I
supply But. 397, 399, 400. ȝoure. 401. where (= whether); renagat. 403.
makid lewede folk to; I omit to. 412. othyr. 413. translatid. 414. wrechede
engendrynge. 436. I neuere non betere; the. 437. wele; myn. 438. wel. 456.
may (for oghte). 507. herte is reste. 518. Of (for In). 526. the;
onstedefastnesse. 527. sithe thow knowist here. 528. pref; ek; storyis here.
530. noldist; writyn. 531. latyn; ben. 532. thyn wrytynge. 533. wist (badly);
calandier. 544. slep. 545. myn legende.

The prologe of .ix. goode Wimmen.

A thousand tymes have I herd men telle,
†That ther is Ioye in heven, and peyne in helle;
And I acorde wel that hit is so;
But natheles, yit wot I wel also,
That ther nis noon dwelling in this contree, 5
That either hath in heven or helle y-be,
†Ne may of hit non other weyes witen,
†But as he hath herd seyd, or founde hit writen;
†For by assay ther may no man hit preve.
But god forbede but men shulde leve 10
†Wel more thing then men han seen with yë!
†Men shal nat wenen every-thing a lyë
But-if him-self hit seeth, or elles dooth;
For, god wot, thing is never the lasse sooth,
†Thogh every wight ne may hit nat y-see. 15
†Bernard the monk ne saugh nat al, parde!
†Than mote we to bokes that we finde,
†Through which that olde thinges been in minde.
†And to the doctrine of these olde wyse,
†Yeve credence, in every skilful wyse, 20
That tellen of these olde appreved stories,
†Of holinesse, of regnes, of victories,
†Of love, of hate, of other sundry thinges,
†Of whiche I may not maken rehersinges.
†And if that olde bokes were a-weye, 25
†Y-loren were of remembraunce the keye.
Wel oghte us than honouren and beleve
These bokes, ther we han non other preve.
And as for me, thogh that I can but lyte,
†On bokes for to rede I me delyte, 30
And to hem yeve I feyth and ful credence,
†And in myn herte have hem in reverence
So hertely, that ther is game noon
That fro my bokes maketh me to goon,
But hit be seldom, on the holyday; 35
Save, certeynly, whan that the month of May
Is comen, and that I here the foules singe,

†And that the floures ginnen for to springe,
Farwel my book and my devocioun!
Now have I than swich a condicioun, 40
†That, of alle the floures in the mede,
†Than love I most these floures whyte and rede,
†Swiche as men callen daysies in our toun.
†To hem have I so greet affeccioun,
†As I seyde erst, whan comen is the May, 45
†That in my bed ther daweth me no day
†That I nam up, and walking in the mede
To seen this flour agein the sonne sprede,
Whan hit upryseth erly by the morwe;
*That blisful sighte softneth al my sorwe, 50
*So glad am I whan that I have presence
*Of hit, to doon al maner reverence,
As she, that is of alle floures flour,
Fulfilled of al vertu and honour,
†And ever y-lyke fair, and fresh of hewe; 55
And I love hit, and ever y-lyke newe,
*And ever shal, til that myn herte dye;
*Al swere I nat, of this I wol nat lye,
*Ther loved no wight hotter in his lyve.
*And whan that hit is eve, I renne blyve, 60
As sone as ever the sonne ginneth weste,
To seen this flour, how it wol go to reste,
For fere of night, so hateth she derknesse!

From B. 53-56.
As she, that is of alle floures flour,
Fulfilled of al vertu and honour,
†And ever y-lyke fair, and fresh of hewe;
And I love hit, and ever y-lyke newe.

*Hir chere is pleynly sprad in the brightnesse
*Of the sonne, for ther hit wol unclose. 65
*Allas! that I ne had English, ryme or prose,
Suffisant this flour to preyse aright!

*But helpeth, ye that han conning and might,
*Ye lovers, that can make of sentement;
*In this cas oghte ye be diligent 70
*To forthren me somwhat in my labour,
*Whether ye ben with the leef or with the flour.
For wel I wot, that ye han her-biforn
†Of making ropen, and lad awey the corn;
†And I come after, glening here and there, 75
†And am ful glad if I may finde an ere
Of any goodly word that ye han left.
And thogh it happen me rehercen eft
That ye han in your fresshe songes sayd,
For-bereth me, and beth nat evel apayd, 80
Sin that ye see I do hit in the honour
Of love, and eek in service of the flour,

From B. 188-196.
But natheles, ne wene nat that I make
In preysing of the flour agayn the leef,
†No more than of the corn agayn the sheef.
For as to me, nis lever noon ne lother;
I nam with-holden yit with never nother.
Ne I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour;
Wel brouken they hir service or labour.
For this thing is al of another tonne,
Of olde story, er swich thing was begonne.

*Whom that I serve as I have wit or might.
*She is the clernesse and the verray light,
*That in this derke worlde me wynt and ledeth, 85
*The herte in-with my sorowful brest yow dredeth,
*And loveth so sore, that ye ben verrayly
*The maistresse of my wit, and nothing I.
*My word, my werk, is knit so in your bonde,
*That, as an harpe obeyeth to the honde 90
*And maketh hit soune after his fingeringe,
*Right so mowe ye out of myn herte bringe

*Swich vois, right as yow list, to laughe or pleyne.
*Be ye my gyde and lady sovereyne;
*As to myn erthly god, to yow I calle, 95
*Bothe in this werke and in my sorwes alle.
†But wherfor that I spak, to give credence
To olde stories, and doon hem reverence,
And that men mosten more thing beleve
Then men may seen at eye or elles preve? 100
*That shal I seyn, whan that I see my tyme;
*I may not al at ones speke in ryme.
*My besy gost, that thrusteth alwey newe
*To seen this flour so yong, so fresh of hewe,
*Constreyned me with so gledy desyr, 105
*That in my herte I fele yit the fyr,
*That made me to ryse er hit wer day—
And this was now the firste morwe of May—
*With dredful herte and glad devocioun,
*For to ben at the resureccioun 110
*Of this flour, whan that it shuld unclose
*Agayn the sonne, that roos as rede as rose,
*That in the brest was of the beste that day,
*That Agenores doghter ladde away.
*And doun on knees anon-right I me sette, 115
*And, as I coude, this fresshe flour I grette;
*Kneling alwey, til hit unclosed was,
*Upon the smale softe swote gras,

From B. 180, 182.
The longe day I shoop me for to abyde ...
But for to loke upon the dayesye.

From B. 197-200.
Whan that the sonne out of the south gan weste,
And that this flour gan close and goon to reste
For derknesse of the night, the which she dredde,
†Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde;

From B. 203-211.

†And, in a litel herber that I have,
That benched was on turves fresshe y-grave,
†I bad men sholde me my couche make;
†For deyntee of the newe someres sake,
†I bad hem strawen floures on my bed.
†Whan I was leyd, and had my eyen hed,
I fel on slepe in-with an houre or two;
Me mette how I lay in the medew tho,
To seen this flour, that I so love and drede,

That was with floures swote enbrouded al,
*Of swich swetnesse and swich odour over-al, 120
That, for to speke of gomme, or herbe, or tree,
†Comparisoun may noon y-maked be;
For hit surmounteth pleynly alle odoures,
†And eek of riche beautee alle floures.
†Forgeten had the erthe his pore estat 125
†Of winter, that him naked made and mat,
And with his swerd of cold so sore greved;
Now hath the atempre sonne al that releved
That naked was, and clad hit new agayn.
†The smale foules, of the seson fayn, 130
†That from the panter and the net ben scaped,
†Upon the fouler, that hem made a-whaped
†In winter, and distroyed had hir brood,
†In his despyt, hem thoughte hit did hem good
†To singe of him, and in hir song despyse 135
†The foule cherl that, for his covetyse,
†Had hem betrayed with his sophistrye.
†This was hir song—'the fouler we defye,
And al his craft!' And somme songen clere
Layes of love, that Ioye hit was to here, 140
In worshipinge and preisinge of hir make.
And, for the newe blisful somers sake,
*Upon the braunches ful of blosmes softe,
*In hir delyt, they turned hem ful ofte,
And songen, 'blessed be seynt Valentyn! 145

For on his day I chees yow to be myn,
†Withouten repenting, myn herte swete!'
†And therwith-al hir bekes gonnen mete,
Yelding honour and humble obeisaunces
To love, and diden hir other observaunces 150
That longeth unto love and to nature;
*Construeth that as yow list, I do no cure.
*And tho that hadde doon unkindenesse—
*As dooth the tydif, for new-fangelnesse—
*Besoghte mercy of hir trespassinge, 155
*And humblely songen hir repentinge,
*And sworen on the blosmes to be trewe,
*So that hir makes wolde upon hem rewe,
*And at the laste maden hir acord.
*Al founde they Daunger for a tyme a lord, 160
*Yet Pitee, through his stronge gentil might,
*Forgaf, and made Mercy passen Right,
*Through innocence and ruled curtesye.
*But I ne clepe nat innocence folye,
*Ne fals pitee, for 'vertu is the mene,' 165
*As Etik saith, in swich maner I mene.
*And thus thise foules, voide of al malyce,
*Acordeden to love, and laften vyce
*Of hate, and songen alle of oon acord,
*'Welcome, somer, our governour and lord!' 170
*And Zephirus and Flora gentilly
*Yaf to the floures, softe and tenderly,
*Hir swote breth, and made hem for to sprede,
*As god and goddesse of the floury mede;
*In which me thoghte I mighte, day by day, 175
*Dwellen alwey, the Ioly month of May,
*Withouten sleep, withouten mete or drinke.
*A-doun ful softely I gan to sinke;
*And, leninge on myn elbowe and my syde,
The longe day I shoop me for to abyde 180
*For nothing elles, and I shal nat lye,
But for to loke upon the dayesye,

*That wel by reson men hit calle may
*The 'dayesye' or elles the 'ye of day,'
*The emperice and flour of floures alle. 185
*I pray to god that faire mot she falle,
*And alle that loven floures, for hir sake!
But natheles, ne wene nat that I make
In preysing of the flour agayn the leef,
*No more than of the corn agayn the sheef: 190
For, as to me, nis lever noon ne lother;
I nam with-holden yit with never nother.
Ne I not who serveth leef, ne who the flour;
Wel brouken they hir service or labour;
For this thing is al of another tonne, 195
Of olde story, er swich thing was be-gonne.
Whan that the sonne out of the south gan weste,
And that this flour gan close and goon to reste
For derknesse of the night, the which she dredde,
†Hoom to myn hous ful swiftly I me spedde 200
*To goon to reste, and erly for to ryse,
To seen this flour to sprede, as I devyse.
†And, in a litel herber that I have,
That benched was on turves fresshe y-grave,
†I bad men sholde me my couche make; 205
†For deyntee of the newe someres sake,
†I bad hem strawen floures on my bed.
†Whan I was leyd, and had myn eyen hed,
I fel on slepe in-with an houre or two;
Me mette how I lay in the medew tho, 210

To seen this flour that I so love and drede.
And from a-fer com walking in the mede
The god of love, and in his hande a quene;
And she was clad in real habit grene.
†A fret of gold she hadde next hir heer, 215
†And upon that a whyt coroun she beer
With florouns smale, and I shal nat lye;
For al the world, ryght as a dayesye

†Y-corouned is with whyte leves lyte,
So were the florouns of hir coroun whyte; 220
For of o perle fyne, oriental,
†Hir whyte coroun was y-maked al;
†For which the whyte coroun, above the grene,
†Made hir lyk a daysie for to sene,
Considered eek hir fret of gold above. 225
†Y-clothed was this mighty god of love
In silke, enbrouded ful of grene greves,
In-with a fret of rede rose-leves,
*The fresshest sin the world was first bigonne.
*His gilte heer was corouned with a sonne, 230
*In-stede of gold, for hevinesse and wighte;
Therwith me thoughte his face shoon so brighte
That wel unnethes mighte I him beholde;
And in his hande me thoughte I saugh him holde
†Two fyry dartes, as the gledes rede; 235
And aungellyke his winges saugh I sprede.
†And al be that men seyn that blind is he,
Al-gate me thoughte that he mighte see;
†For sternely on me he gan biholde,
†So that his loking doth myn herte colde. 240
†And by the hande he held this noble quene,
†Corouned with whyte, and clothed al in grene,
†So womanly, so benigne, and so meke,
†That in this world, thogh that men wolde seke,
†Half hir beautee shulde men nat finde 245
†In creature that formed is by kinde.

From B. 276-295.
That is so good, so fair, so debonaire;
I prey to god that ever falle hir faire!
†For, nadde comfort been of hir presence,
†I had ben deed, withouten any defence,
†For drede of Loves wordes and his chere; 280
†As, when tyme is, her-after ye shal here.
Behind this god of love, upon the grene,

†I saugh cominge of ladyës nyntene
†In real habit, a ful esy paas;
†And after hem com of women swich a traas, 285
That, sin that god Adam had mad of erthe
The thridde part of mankynd, or the ferthe,
†Ne wende I nat by possibilitee,
Had ever in this wyde worlde y-be;
†And trewe of love thise women were echoon. 290
†Now whether was that a wonder thing or noon,
†That, right anoon as that they gonne espye
†This flour, which that I clepe the dayesye,
†Ful sodeinly they stinten alle at ones,
And kneled doun, as it were for the nones, 295

*And therfor may I seyn, as thinketh me, 247
*This song, in preysing of this lady fre.

Balade.

†Hyd, Absolon, thy gilte tresses clere;
†Ester, ley thou thy meknesse al a-doun; 250
†Hyd, Ionathas, al thy frendly manere;
†Penalopee, and Marcia Catoun,
†Mak of your wyfhod no comparisoun;
†Hyde ye your beautes, Isoude and Eleyne,
My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne. 255

†Thy faire body, lat hit nat appere,
†Lavyne; and thou, Lucresse of Rome toun,
†And Polixene, that boghten love so dere,
And Cleopatre, with al thy passioun,
Hyde ye your trouthe of love and your renoun; 260
And thou, Tisbe, that hast of love swich peyne;
My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne.

Herro, Dido, Laudomia, alle y-fere,
And Phyllis, hanging for thy Demophoun,
†And Canace, espyed by thy chere, 265

Ysiphile, betraysed with Jasoun,
Maketh of your trouthe neyther boost ne soun;
Nor Ypermistre or Adriane, ye tweyne;
My lady cometh, that al this may disteyne.

This balade may ful wel y-songen be, 270
*As I have seyd erst, by my lady free;
*For certeynly, alle these mow nat suffyse
*To apperen with my lady in no wyse.
*For as the sonne wol the fyr disteyne,
*So passeth al my lady sovereyne, 275
That is so good, so fair, so debonaire;
I prey to god that ever falle hir faire!
†For, nadde comfort been of hir presence,
†I had ben deed, withouten any defence,
†For drede of Loves wordes and his chere; 280
†As, when tyme is, her-after ye shal here.
Behind this god of love, upon the grene,
†I saugh cominge of ladyës nyntene
†In real habit, a ful esy paas;
†And after hem com of women swich a traas, 285
That, sin that god Adam had mad of erthe,
The thridde part of mankynd, or the ferthe,
†Ne wende I nat by possibilitee,
Had ever in this wyde worlde y-be;
†And trewe of love thise women were echoon. 290
†Now whether was that a wonder thing or noon,
†That, right anoon as that they gonne espye
†This flour, which that I clepe the dayesye,
†Ful sodeinly they stinten alle at ones,
And kneled doun, as it were for the nones, 295
*And songen with o vois, 'Hele and honour
*To trouthe of womanhede, and to this flour
*That berth our alder prys in figuringe!
*Hir whyte coroun berth the witnessinge!'
And with that word, a-compas enviroun, 300
†They setten hem ful softely adoun.

First sat the god of love, and sith his quene
†With the whyte coroun, clad in grene;
†And sithen al the remenant by and by,
As they were of estaat, ful curteisly; 305
†Ne nat a word was spoken in the place
†The mountance of a furlong-wey of space.
I kneling by this flour, in good entente
†Abood, to knowen what this peple mente,
†As stille as any stoon; til at the laste, 310
This god of love on me his eyen caste,
And seyde, 'who kneleth ther'? and I answerde
Unto his asking, whan that I hit herde,
†And seyde, 'sir, hit am I'; and com him neer,
†And salued him. Quod he, 'what dostow heer 315
So nigh myn owne flour, so boldely?
†For it were better worthy, trewely,
A worm to neghen neer my flour than thou.'
†'And why, sir,' quod I, 'and hit lyke yow?'
†'For thou,' quod he, 'art ther-to nothing able. 320
*Hit is my relik, digne and delytable,
And thou my fo, and al my folk werreyest,
†And of myn olde servaunts thou misseyest,
†And hindrest hem, with thy translacioun,
And lettest folk from hir devocioun 325
†To serve me, and holdest hit folye
To serve Love. Thou mayst hit nat denye;
For in pleyn text, with-outen nede of glose,
†Thou hast translated the Romaunce of the Rose,
†That is an heresye ageyns my lawe, 330
†And makest wyse folk fro me withdrawe.
And of Criseyde thou hast seyd as thee liste,
That maketh men to wommen lasse triste,
That ben as trewe as ever was any steel.
*Of thyn answere avyse thee right weel; 335
For, thogh that thou reneyed hast my lay,
As other wrecches han doon many a day,
By seynt Venus, that my moder is,

If that thou live, thou shalt repenten this
So cruelly, that hit shal wel be sene!' 340
Tho spak this lady, clothed al in grene,
†And seyde, 'god, right of your curtesye,
†Ye moten herknen if he can replye
Agayns al this that ye han to him meved;
†A god ne sholde nat be thus agreved, 345
†But of his deitee he shal be stable,
And therto gracious and merciable.
*And if ye nere a god, that knowen al,
*Than mighte hit be, as I yow tellen shal;
This man to you may falsly been accused, 350
†Ther as by right him oghte been excused.
†For in your court is many a losengeour,
†And many a queynte totelere accusour,
That tabouren in your eres many a soun,
Right after hir imaginacioun, 355
To have your daliance, and for envye;
*These been the causes, and I shall nat lye.
Envye is lavender of the court alway;
†For she ne parteth, neither night ne day,
†Out of the hous of Cesar; thus seith Dante; 360
Who-so that goth, algate she wol nat wante.

From B. 350, 351.
This man to yow may falsly been accused,
†Ther as by right him oghte been excused.

And eek, paraunter, for this man is nyce,
He mighte doon hit, gessing no malyce,
But for he useth thinges for to make;
Him rekketh noght of what matere he take; 365

†Or him was boden maken thilke tweye
†Of som persone, and durste hit nat with-seye;
*Or him repenteth utterly of this.
†He ne hath nat doon so grevously amis
†To translaten that olde clerkes wryten, 370

†As thogh that he of malice wolde endyten
Despyt of love, and had him-self hit wroght.
†This shulde a rightwys lord have in his thoght,
†And nat be lyk tiraunts of Lumbardye,
Than han no reward but at tirannye. 375
†For he that king or lord is naturel,
†Him oghte nat be tiraunt ne cruel,
†As is a fermour, to doon the harm he can.
†He moste thinke hit is his lige man,

*And is his tresour, and his gold in cofre. 380
†This is the sentence of the philosophre:
†A king to kepe his liges in Iustyce;
†With-outen doute, that is his offyce.
Al wol he kepe his lordes hir degree,
†As hit is right and skilful that they be 385
†Enhaunced and honoured, and most dere—
†For they ben half-goddes in this world here—
Yit mot he doon bothe right, to pore and riche,
Al be that hir estat be nat y-liche,
†And han of pore folk compassioun. 390
†For lo, the gentil kynd of the leoun!
†For whan a flye offendeth him or byteth,
†He with his tayl awey the flye smyteth
†Al esily; for, of his genterye,
†Him deyneth nat to wreke him on a flye, 395
†As doth a curre or elles another beste.
†In noble corage oghte been areste,
†And weyen every thing by equitee,
†And ever han reward to his owen degree.
†For, sir, hit is no maystrie for a lord 400
To dampne a man with-oute answere of word;
†And, for a lord, that is ful foul to use.
†And if so be he may him nat excuse,
But asketh mercy with a dredful herte,
†And profreth him, right in his bare sherte, 405
†To been right at your owne Iugement,

†Than oghte a god, by short avysement,
†Considre his owne honour and his trespas.
†For sith no cause of deeth lyth in this cas,
†Yow oghte been the lighter merciable; 410
†Leteth your yre, and beth somwhat tretable!
†The man hath served yow of his conning,
And forthred wel your lawe in his making.
'Al be hit that he can nat wel endyte,
Yet hath he maked lewed folk delyte 415
†To serve you, in preysing of your name.
†He made the book that hight the Hous of Fame,
†And eek the Deeth of Blaunche the Duchesse,
†And the Parlement of Foules, as I gesse,
†And al the love of Palamon and Arcyte 420
†Of Thebes, thogh the story is knowen lyte;
†And many an ympne for your halydayes,
†That highten Balades, Roundels, Virelayes;
And, for to speke of other holynesse,
†He hath in prose translated Boëce, 425

†And mad the Lyf also of seynt Cecyle;
†He made also, goon sithen a greet whyl,
†Origenes upon the Maudeleyne;
†Him oghte now to have the lesse peyne;
†He hath mad many a lay and many a thing. 430
†'Now as ye been a god, and eek a king,
†I, your Alceste, whylom quene of Trace,
†I aske yow this man, right of your grace,
†That ye him never hurte in al his lyve;
†And he shal sweren yow, and that as blyve, 435
†He shal no more agilten in this wyse;
†But he shal maken, as ye wil devyse,
†Of wommen trewe in lovinge al hir lyve,
†Wher-so ye wil, of maiden or of wyve,
†And forthren yow, as muche as he misseyde 440
†Or in the Rose or elles in Creseyde.'
†The god of love answerde hir thus anoon,

†'Madame,' quod he, 'hit is so long agoon
†That I yow knew so charitable and trewe,
†That never yit, sith that the world was newe, 445
†To me ne fond I better noon than ye.
If that I wolde save my degree,
†I may ne wol nat werne your requeste;
Al lyth in yow, doth with him as yow leste.
†I al foryeve, with-outen lenger space; 450
†For who-so yeveth a yift, or doth a grace,
†Do hit by tyme, his thank is wel the more;
†And demeth ye what he shal do therfore.
†Go thanke now my lady heer,' quod he.
†I roos, and doun I sette me on my knee, 455
†And seyde thus: 'Madame, the god above
†Foryelde yow, that ye the god of love
†Han maked me his wrathe to foryive;
†And yeve me grace so long for to live,
†That I may knowe soothly what ye be 460
That han me holpe and put in this degree.
†But trewely I wende, as in this cas,
†Naught have agilt, ne doon to love trespas.
†Forwhy a trewe man, with-outen drede,
†Hath nat to parten with a theves dede; 465
†Ne a trewe lover oghte me nat blame,
†Thogh that I speke a fals lover som shame.
†They oghte rather with me for to holde,
†For that I of Creseyde wroot or tolde,
†Or of the Rose; what-so myn auctour mente, 470
†Algate, god wot, hit was myn entente
†To forthren trouthe in love and hit cheryce;
†And to be war fro falsnesse and fro vyce
†By swich ensample; this was my meninge.'
†And she answerde, 'lat be thyn arguinge; 475
†For Love ne wol nat countrepleted be
In right ne wrong; and lerne that of me!
†Thou hast thy grace, and hold thee right ther-to.
†Now wol I seyn what penance thou shalt do

†For thy trespas, and understond hit here: 480
†Thou shalt, whyl that thou livest, yeer by yere,
The moste party of thy tyme spende
†In making of a glorious Legende
†Of Gode Wommen, maidenes and wyves,
†That weren trewe in lovinge al hir lyves; 485
†And telle of false men that hem bitrayen,
†That al hir lyf ne doon nat but assayen
†How many wommen they may doon a shame;
For in your world that is now holde a game.
And thogh thee lyke nat a lover be, 490
†Spek wel of love; this penance yive I thee.
†And to the god of love I shal so preye,
†That he shal charge his servants, by any weye,
†To forthren thee, and wel thy labour quyte;
Go now thy wey, this penance is but lyte. 495
*And whan this book is maad, yive hit the quene
*On my behalfe, at Eltham, or at Shene.'
†The god of love gan smyle, and than he seyde,
†'Wostow,' quod he, 'wher this be wyf or mayde,
†Or quene, or countesse, or of what degree, 500
†That hath so litel penance yiven thee,
†That hast deserved sorer for to smerte?
†But pitee renneth sone in gentil herte;
†That maystow seen, she kytheth what she is.'
†And I answerde, 'nay, sir, so have I blis, 505
†No more but that I see wel she is good.'
†'That is a trewe tale, by myn hood,'
†Quod Love, 'and that thou knowest wel, pardee,
†If hit be so that thou avyse thee.
†Hastow nat in a book, lyth in thy cheste, 510
†The grete goodnesse of the quene Alceste,
†That turned was into a dayesye:
†She that for hir husbonde chees to dye,
†And eek to goon to helle, rather than he,
†And Ercules rescowed hir, pardee, 515
†And broghte hir out of helle agayn to blis?'

†And I answerde ageyn, and seyde, 'yis,
†Now knowe I hir! And is this good Alceste,
†The dayesye, and myn owne hertes reste?
†Now fele I wel the goodnesse of this wyf, 520
†That bothe after hir deeth, and in hir lyf,
†Hir grete bountee doubleth hir renoun!
†Wel hath she quit me myn affeccioun
†That I have to hir flour, the dayesye!
†No wonder is thogh Iove hir stellifye, 525
†As telleth Agaton, for hir goodnesse!
†Hir whyte coroun berth of hit witnesse;
†For also many vertues hadde she,
†As smale floures in hir coroun be.
†In remembraunce of hir and in honour, 530
†Cibella made the dayesy and the flour
†Y-coroned al with whyt, as men may see;
†And Mars yaf to hir coroun reed, pardee,
†In stede of rubies, set among the whyte.'
†Therwith this quene wex reed for shame a lyte, 535
†Whan she was preysed so in hir presence.
†Than seyde Love, 'a ful gret negligence
Was hit to thee, that ilke tyme thou made
*"Hyd, Absolon, thy tresses," in balade,
*That thou forgete hir in thy song to sette, 540
*Sin that thou art so gretly in hir dette,
And wost so wel, that kalender is she
*To any woman that wol lover be.
For she taughte al the craft of fyn lovinge,
†And namely of wyfhood the livinge, 545
†And alle the boundes that she oghte kepe;
†Thy litel wit was thilke tyme a-slepe.
†But now I charge thee, upon thy lyf,
†That in thy Legend thou make of this wyf,
Whan thou hast other smale y-maad before; 550
†And fare now wel, I charge thee no more.
*'But er I go, thus muche I wol thee telle,
*Ne shal no trewe lover come in helle.

*Thise other ladies sittinge here arowe
*Ben in thy balade, if thou canst hem knowe, 555
*And in thy bokes alle thou shalt hem finde;
*Have hem now in thy Legend alle in minde,
*I mene of hem that been in thy knowinge.
*For heer ben twenty thousand mo sittinge
*Than thou knowest, that been good wommen alle 560
*And trewe of love, for aught that may befalle;
*Make the metres of hem as thee leste.
*I mot gon hoom, the sonne draweth weste,
*To Paradys, with al this companye;
*And serve alwey the fresshe dayesye. 565
†'At Cleopatre I wol that thou beginne;
†And so forth; and my love so shalt thou winne.
*For lat see now what man that lover be,
*Wol doon so strong a peyne for love as she.
*I wot wel that thou mayst nat al hit ryme, 570
*That swiche lovers diden in hir tyme;
*It were to long to reden and to here;
*Suffyceth me, thou make in this manere,
*That thou reherce of al hir lyf the grete,
*After thise olde auctours listen to trete. 575
*For who-so shal so many a storie telle,
*Sey shortly, or he shal to longe dwelle.'
And with that word my bokes gan I take,
†And right thus on my Legend gan I make.

1. T. C. A. have I herd; rest I have herd. F. B. P. om. men; the rest have it. 2.
F. B. (only) om. That. 5. F. T. is; rest nis. 6. F. Tn. Th. B. P. ins. 2nd in
before helle; T. A. om. 8. F. seyde. 13. F. -selfe; dooth. 14. F. sooth. 16. F.
monke; all. 18. F. ben. 20. C. Yeuyn (for Yeve). 23. F. sondry. 25. F. awey;
C. Tn. A. aweye. 26. F. Y-lorne; C. I-loryn; P. I-lore. F. key; C. Tn. A. keye.
27. F. ought; thanne. 28. F. there; noon. 29. F. though. A. Th. P. can; T. con;
F. Tn. konne. 31. F. yiue; rest yeue. 33. F. hertly; Tn. Th. B. hertely; T.
hertyly; A. hertfully. 36. Tn. A. Th. month; B. P. moneth; F. monethe. 39. C.
Th. Farwel; F. Faire wel. F. boke. 40. F. thanne. F. B. suche a; T. Th. eke
thys; A. lo this; Tn. ek; P. eke a. 41. F. al. 42. F. Thanne; thise. 43. C.

Swyche; F. Suche. F. her (for our); rest our. 44. F. grete. 45. C. whan; F.
whanne. 47. F. vppe. 48. F. floure ayein. 49. F. vprysith. 50. All sight: read
sighte. 52. A. all maner; Add. hit alle maner; Th. alle; F. Th. it al; Tn. B. it
alle; P. it alle. 53. Tn. T. alle; F. al (wrongly). 54. F. vertue. 55. F. faire;
fressh. 57. F. hert; Tn. herte. 61. F. evere. 64. F. Hire. 66. F. englyssh. 68. F.
konnyng. 69. F. sentment; rest sentement. 70. F. case. All oght, ought
(wrongly); read oghte. 72. F. Whethir; read Whe'r. 73. F. -biforne. 74. F.
makynge; corne. 79. F. fresshe; A. fresche; Th. fresshe. F. sayede; Tn. said.
80. F. euele apayede; Tn. euylle a-paid. 82. F. eke; Tn. ek. 83. F. witte; Tn.
wit. 84. F. clerenesse; Tn. clernesse. 85. F. ledyth. 86. All hert. F. sorwfull;
dredith. 88. F. witte; Tn. wyt. F. not thing (over erasure); rest nothyng. 89.
F. worde. F. werkes; Tn. werkes; T. werke; A. werk. F. youre. Tn. bonde; F.
bond. 90. Tn. honde; F. hond. 92. F. oute. Th. B. herte; rest hert. 93. F.
pleyn; Tn. pleyne. 94. F. souereyn; Tn. souereyne. 95. F. erthely; yowe. 96.
A. B. in my; rest omit 2nd in. 97. F. wherfore. A. spak; F. spake. 100. Tn.
Th. B. P. men; A. man; T. they; F. om. F. eighe. 101. Tn. whan; F. whanne.
102. F. (only) om. al. T. A. at ones; Tn. atones; F. attones. 103. F. trusteth
(!); A. B. thrustith; Tn. Th. P. thursteth. 104. F. fressh. 105. F. Tn. A. B. P.
gledy; T. glad; Th. gredy. 106. F. feele yet the fire. 108. F. om. this. 109. F.
hert. 111. F. om. that. 112. F. Agayne. F. rede; better reed, as in Th. 114. F.
doghtre. 115. F. dovne; knes anoon ryght. 116. F. koude. F. fresshe; A.
fresche. 118. Tn. T. smale; F. smal. 120. F. suetnesse. 124. A. eke rest omit.
F. beaute. F. (only) of (for alle). 125. F. estate; C. Tn. estat. 126. F. wynter.
F. B. hem; rest him. C. mat; Tn. maat; rest mate. 127. F. colde. 128. Th. the
atempre; Tn. A. B. the attempre; F. thatempre; P. the a-tempred. F. alle. 131.
C. T. A. from; rest of. F. nette; C. Tn. net. 132. Tn. T. A. fouler; F. foweler.
133. F. hadde; broode. 134. F. dispite; C. dispit. F. goode; C. good. 135. C.
song; F. songe. C. Tn. despise; F. dispise. 136. F. cherle. 138. F. hire. Tn. T.
A. fouler; C. foulere; F. foweler. 139. F. crafte; T. A. craft. 141. F. Tn. B. in
preysinge; rest om. in. 144. F. hire. 146. C. ches; T. chase; P. chose; F. chees
(rightly); rest chese. 147. C. herte; F. hert. 148. F. -alle hire. 150. F. hire
othere. 151. F. Tn. on to; T. A. Th. B. vnto. 153. F. thoo. Tn. vnkyndenesse;
F. vnkyndnesse. 154. F. dooth. 156. F. Tn. B. humblely (trisyllabic); T. Th.
humbly. A. P. songen; T. sangen; rest songe. 158. F. hire. 159. F. hire (and
elsewhere). 161. F. thurgh. 162. Tn. T. Th. B. P. made; F. mad. 163. F.
Thurgh. 164. F. Tn. Th. P. clepe it nat; but T. A. om. it. T. also om. nat; and
A. has that for nat. 165. F. vertue. 166. Tn. A. Etic; B. Etyk; F. etike; T.

Ethik. 167. Tn. foules; F. foweles. 169. A. songen; T. songyn; F. Tn. B.
songe. F. Tn. acorde; T. acord; A. accord. 170. F. oure. F. Tn. lorde; T. A.
lord. 171. Tn. zephirus; F. Zepherus. 173. F. Hire swoote. 175. F. whiche;
thoght; myght. 176. F. Duellen. Tn. A. month; T. moneth; F. monyth. 177.
Tn. sleep; F. slepe. 178. F. A-dovne. 180. F. shoope. Tn. to a-bide; F. tabide.
181. F. ellis. 182. Tn. dayesye; F. daysie. 183. F. B. (only) transpose wel
and men. 184. Tn. dayesie; F. daisie. 185. F. floure; A. flour. 186. T. mot; P.
may; rest mote. 190. F. corne; Tn. corn. 192. F. mother (!); rest nother. 194.
F. browken; her. 196. T. story; F. storye; Tn. storie. F. swiche thinge. 197.
All west; read weste (as in MS. Add. 9832). 198. F. floure. All rest; read
reste (as in MS. Add. 9832 and in l. 201). 199. Th. dredde (rightly); rest
dred. 200. Tn. hom; F. Home. Th. spedde (rightly); rest sped. 202. F. B.
(only) omit to. 208. F. leyde; A. laid. 209. F. twoo. 210. Tn. medew; F.
medewe; T. A. medow. 211, 212. F. (only) transposes these lines. 211. T. A.
Add. so love; rest love so. 212. Tn. com; Th. cam; rest come. 214. Tn.
habit; F. habite. 215. C. hadde; rest had (badly). 216. C. whit; P. whyt; F.
Tn. B. white. T. coroun; C. corone; F. corwne; Tn. Th. crowne (but corowne
in ll. 220, 223). 217 (and 220). Th. florouns; Tn. floruns; F. flourouns; B.
flowrouns; rest floures. 218. C. world; F. worlde. Tn. dayesie; F. daysye.
220. P. corown; F. corovne; T. coroune; Tn. Th. B. corowne; A. croun. 222.
F. Hire. F. corovne; C. coroun (and in l. 223). 224. F. hire lyke. 225. F. eke;
golde. 229. F. worlde; Tn. world. 230. F. Tn. gilte; T. A. gilt. Tn. heer; F.
here; A. hair. 231. F. I stede; rest In stede. F. golde; Tn. gold. 232. F. thoght.
In 231, 232, most MSS. have wight, bright; but C. has bryhte, riming with
syhte. 233. F. myght. 234. F. thoght. 235. F. Twoo. 238. F. thoght; myght.
240. F. dooth; C. both (!). C. herte; F. hert. 241. F. helde; C. held. C. the (for
this). 242. F. Corowned. 244. F. om. wolde seke. 245. F. imperfect; has only
nat fynde. C. Half hire beute schulde men; A. (only) inserts of after Half.
[282. C. this; for the.] [286. C. om. had.] [287. C. thredde. C. Wemen ne; for
mankynd or.] 247. F. therfore. 248. F. songe. 249. F. Tn. omit. C. Hyd
absalon thynne gilte tressis clere. T. A. Th. absolon thy. 250. C. meknesse;
F. mekenesse. C. adoun; F. adowne. 252. C. T. P. Penolope. 253. C. Mak;
rest Make. F. youre; Tn. your. C. wyfhod; F. wifhode. 254. F. youre. 255. F.
comith (and in l. 262). 257. F. tovne; C. toun. 261. F. Tesbe; C. Tysbe; Tn.
A. Th. Tisbe; T. Tisbee. F. Tn. Th. B. P. of; C. T. A. for. C. swich; F. suche.
263. Th. Hero; MSS. Herro. C. Th. Laodomya; rest laudomia. 266. C. T. Th.
bytrayed. 267. C. soun; F. sovne. 271. F. seyde; Tn. seid. 272. Tn. mow; F.

Th. mowe; T. A. may. 274. F. wole; fire. 276. F. faire; Tn. fair. 279. F. Tn.
hadde; T. A. had. F. dede; Tn. deed. 282. F. Behynde; A. Behynd. 283. F.
comyng; Tn. comynge. F. Nientene; Tn. nyentene; T. A. nyntene. 284. F.
habite. 285. F. coome. F. wymen; T. wemen; Th. B. P. women; A. wommen.
286. F. hadde made. 290. F. echon. 291. F. wheither (pronounced whe'r). F.
non. 293. F. daysie; Tn. dayesie. 294. F. styten (miswritten for stynten). T. at
ones; F. attones. 295. F. knelede dovne. 296. T. A. hele; Tn. heele; F. heel.
297. F. The (for To); rest To. 298. F. bereth. 299. F. Hire; corowne. F.
beryth; Tn. berth. 301. F. softly; Tn. softely. 303. F. corowne; C. corone.
304. F. remenannt; C. remenant. 306. F. worde. 308. F. floure. 309. F.
Aboode; Tn. Abood. 310. F. ston. F. last; C. laste. 311. F. hyse eighen. 312.
F. there. 314. F. B. (only) om. sir. C. cam; F. come. C. ner; F. nere (see l.
318). 315. A. salued; F. salwed; C. salewede. C. her; F. here. 316. F. ovne
floure. 317. C. A. For; rest om. 318. F. worme; Tn. worm; C. werm. Tn.
neer; F. ner. 319. F. sire. 321. Tn. relik; F. relyke. 322. F. foo; folke. 323. F.
servauntes; Tn. seruauntz. 324. Tn. hindrest; F. hynderest. 325. F. folke.
326, 327. F. om. from me to serve. 328. F. pleyne. 329. F. Tn. B. om.
translated (!); perhaps read translat; but see l. 425. 330. F. ayeins. 331. F.
folke. 332. F. Creseyde; A. Criseide. F. seyde; the. 335. F. the. 336. T. A.
that; rest om. 340. Tn. wel; F. wele. 341. F. Thoo spake. 342. F. youre. 343.
A. herknen; C. herkenyn; rest herken. 348. F. alle. 349. F. Thanne myght;
shalle. 350. F. mane (!). 351. C. There; rest That. F. oughte ben. 352. F.
youre courte. 353. C. Tn. queynte; F. queynt. 354. F. youre; swon (!), for
sown. 356. F. youre. 357. F. Thise. 358. F. B. lauendere. 360. C. hous; F.
house. 362. F. eke parauntere. 363. F. myght. 364. F. B. (only) om. But. 367.
Tn. som; F. somme. 368. T. vttyrly; A. vtirly; F. Tn. outrely. 371. F. Tn. B. P.
And; rest As. 372. F. Despite. 373. F. shoolde. 374. F. lyke tirauntez. 376. F.
kynge. F. lord ys in; rest om. in. 377. F. oght; C. oughte. F. crewel; B. cruel.
378. F. harme. 379. F. leege; C. Tn. lige; Th. T. A. B. liege. 382. F. leeges;
Tn. liges; C. lygis. 384. F. hise. Th. P. in her; rest om. in. 387. F. -goddys.
388. F. mote; T. A. Add. om. bothe; poore. 389. F. hire estaat. 390. F. poore.
391. F. loo; kynde. T. A. leoun; F. lyoun. 392. F. offendith. 393. F. tayle. F.
fle; C. Tn. A. B. P. flye. 394. F. esely; A. esily. C. A. genterye; F. gentrye.
396. F. dooth; best. 397. C. oghte; F. ought. F. ben arest. 399. F. Tn. Th. B.
vnto; rest to. 401. C. P. or; rest of. 402. C. wol; T. ryght; rest ful. F. foule.
403. C. T. A. if; rest it. 404. C. om. But. 405. F. profereth; P. profreth. 406.
F. owen; C. Tn. owene; T. oune. 407. F. oght. 409. F. dethe lyeth; caas. 410.

All but T. wrongly insert to before been. 412. F. kunnyng. 413. F. furthred;
Tn. forthred. F. youre. 415. C. makid; rest made (line too short). 425. F.
proce; rest prose. 426. F. maade; lyfe. 427. A. sithen; rest is. F. grete. 429. F.
oughte. 430. F. maade; thinge. 431. F. be; C. A. ben. 435. A. sueren; rest
swere to (less happily). C. T. A. as; which the rest omit. 436. C. T. A. no;
rest neuer. 437. C. T. A. he; rest om. F. wol. 438. F. lyfe (but see l. 434).
439. F. wol; wyfe. 442. C. F. answerede; Th. answerde (better). F. (only)
om. thus. 444. C. knew; F. knewe. 445. C. sith; F. syn. F. worlde. 446. C. T.
A. fond; F. founde. 447. F. ye; rest I. F. wolde; P. Add. wolde; rest wol,
wole, wolle. 449. C. Th. lyth; Tn. lith; F. lyeth. F. liste. 451. F. yifte; dooth.
454. P. her; rest here. 455. F. dovne. 457. C. Tn. T. A. Add. ye; rest om. 459.
F. Tn. Th. B. P. all om. yeve me (wrongly); C. T. A. retain it. 461. C.
holpyn; Th. holpen; rest holpe. C. F. Tn. needlessly insert me after put. C.
swich (for this). 462. C. trewely; F. trewly. 466. F. oght. All wrongly omit
final e in oght; and all but C. wrongly insert to before blame. 467. F. spake;
Tn. spede; rest speke. 473. F. ben; C. be. 477. C. this at (for that of). 478. F.
holde; all the. 480. C. A. and; rest om. T. to put the out of were (for and—
here). 481. F. while; yere by yere. 482. F. most partye. C. lyf (for tyme).
484. C. goode; F. good. F. wymmen; Tn. A. wommen; C. T. wemen. 485. F.
trew. C. leuynge (error for lonynge). 486. C. false; F. fals. 487. From C.; F.
Tn. omit this line. 488. F. women; Tn. wommen. C. Tn. A. B. P. they; F.
that. 489. F. youre worlde. 490. F. the; lovere bee. 491. C. Spek; F. Speke.
493. F. servantez; Tn. seruauntz. 495. F. Goo. C. thyn (for this). 496. F.
maade. 497. F. Sheene; Tn. T. Th. Shene. 502, 503. F. omits from sorer to
renneth. C. sorere; T. A. sorer; rest sore. C. Tn. Th. smerte. C. pete rennyth;
Tn. A. pitee renneth. F. soone. 505. C. answerde; F. answered. C. sere; F.
sire; Tn. sir. 506. F. Tn. B. Na; rest No. F. moore. 508. C. T. A. that; rest om.
511. C. Tn. grete; F. gret. 512. C. Tn. dayesye; F. daysye. 514. F. eke. 516.
F. agayne. 518. F. hire. 519. C. dayes eye; F. daysie. F. owene. 520. F. weel.
521. C. bothe; F. both. F. aftir hir deth. C. ek (for in). 524. C. dayesye; F.
daysye. 526. F. hire goodenesse. 527, 529. C. coroun; F. corowne. 527. F.
berith. 528. C. hath (badly). 529. F. Th. florouns; rest floures. 530. F.
honoure. 531. In margin of F.—Cibella mater deorum. F. maade; daysye;
floure. 532. C. I-coroned; F. Y-crowned. F. white. 533. C. corone; F.
corowne. F. reede. 534. C. set; F. sette. 537. F. Thanne. C. gret; F. grete. F.
necligence. 538. F. ys (wrongly); rest hit, it. 540. Th. forgete; F. Tn. forgate;
T. A. forgat. F. songe. 542. T. A. Add. so; rest om. F. shee. 543. F. bee. 544.

C. taughte; F. taught. F. crafte; Tn. T. A. craft. 545. F. wyfhode; lyvyng. 546.
F. al; oght. 547. F. witte. 548. F. the. C. lyf; F. lyfe. 549. F. legende. C. wif;
F. wyfe. 550. F. y-maade. 551. C. no more; F. namore. 552. F. goo; the. 555.
F. Th. my; rest thy. 556. F. bookes. 557. F. misplaces now after legende; Tn.
Th. place now after hem. 558. F. ben; knowyng. 559. F. here; thousande
moo sittyng. 560. F. Thanne. A. that ben; T. Add. and; rest om. 561. Tn.
aught; F. oght. 562. F. lest; Tn. leste. 563. F. home. F. west; Tn. weste. 564.
F. thise; rest this. 565. F. fressh; Th. fresshe; A. fresche. 566. F. wole. 567.
F. forthe. C. Tn. shalt; F. shal. 569. F. stronge. 571. F. Tn. A. swich; T. Th. P.
suche. F. Tn. dide; T. dedyn; P. deden; Add. diden. 573. B. Suffyceth; F.
Suffich (!). 574. A. lyf; F. lyfe. 575. A. listen trete; Tn. the lasse to trete (!);
Add. the lesse to trete (!); rest listen for to trete (badly; omit for). 576. F.
storye. 578. A. word; F. worde. 579. F. legende.

I. THE LEGEND OF CLEOPATRA.

Incipit Legenda Cleopatrie, Martiris, Egipti regine.

After the deeth of Tholomee the king, 580
That al Egipte hadde in his governing,
Regned his quene Cleopataras;
Til on a tyme befel ther swiche a cas,
That out of Rome was sent a senatour,
For to conqueren regnes and honour 585
Unto the toun of Rome, as was usaunce,
To have the world unto her obeisaunce;
And, sooth to seye, Antonius was his name.
So fil hit, as Fortune him oghte a shame (10)
Whan he was fallen in prosperitee, 590
Rebel unto the toun of Rome is he.
And over al this, the suster of Cesar,
He lafte hir falsly, er that she was war,
And wolde algates han another wyf;
For whiche he took with Rome and Cesar stryf. 595
Natheles, for-sooth, this ilke senatour
Was a ful worthy gentil werreyour,
And of his deeth hit was ful greet damage.
But love had broght this man in swiche a rage, (20)
And him so narwe bounden in his las, 600
Al for the love of Cleopataras,
That al the world he sette at no value.
Him thoughte, nas to him no thing so due
As Cleopatras for to love and serve;
Him roghte nat in armes for to sterve 605
In the defence of hir, and of hir right.
This noble quene eek lovede so this knight,
Through his desert, and for his chivalrye;
As certeinly, but-if that bokes lye, (30)
He was, of persone and of gentilesse, 610
And of discrecioun and hardinesse,

Worthy to any wight that liven may.
And she was fair as is the rose in May.
And, for to maken shortly is the beste,
She wex his wyf, and hadde him as hir leste. 615
The wedding and the feste to devyse,
To me, that have y-take swiche empryse
Of so many a storie for to make,
Hit were to long, lest that I sholde slake (40)
Of thing that bereth more effect and charge; 620
For men may overlade a ship or barge;
And forthy to theffect than wol I skippe,
And al the remenant, I wol lete hit slippe.
Octovian, that wood was of this dede,
Shoop him an ost on Antony to lede 625
Al-outerly for his destruccioun,
With stoute Romains, cruel as leoun;
To ship they wente, and thus I let hem saile.
Antonius was war, and wol nat faile (50)
To meten with thise Romains, if he may; 630
Took eek his reed, and bothe, upon a day,
His wyf and he, and al his ost, forth wente
To shippe anoon, no lenger they ne stente;
And in the see hit happed hem to mete—
Up goth the trompe—and for to shoute and shete, 635
And peynen hem to sette on with the sonne.
With grisly soun out goth the grete gonne,
And heterly they hurtlen al at ones,
And fro the top doun cometh the grete stones. (60)
In goth the grapenel so ful of crokes 640
Among the ropes, and the shering-hokes.
In with the polax presseth he and he;
Behind the mast beginneth he to flee,
And out agayn, and dryveth him over-borde;
He stingeth him upon his speres orde; 645
He rent the sail with hokes lyke a sythe;
He bringeth the cuppe, and biddeth hem be blythe;
He poureth pesen upon the hacches slider;

With pottes ful of lym they goon to-gider; (70)
And thus the longe day in fight they spende 650
Til, at the laste, as every thing hath ende,
Antony is shent, and put him to the flighte,
And al his folk to-go, that best go mighte.
Fleeth eek the queen, with al her purpre sail,
For strokes, which that wente as thikke as hail; 655
No wonder was, she mighte hit nat endure.
And whan that Antony saw that aventure,
'Allas!' quod he, 'the day that I was born!
My worshipe in this day thus have I lorn!' (80)
And for dispeyr out of his witte he sterte, 660
And roof him-self anoon through-out the herte
Er that he ferther wente out of the place.
His wyf, that coude of Cesar have no grace,
To Egipte is fled, for drede and for distresse;
But herkneth, ye that speke of kindenesse. 665
Ye men, that falsly sweren many an ooth
That ye wol dye, if that your love be wrooth,
Heer may ye seen of women whiche a trouthe!
This woful Cleopatre hath mad swich routhe (90)
That ther nis tonge noon that may hit telle. 670
But on the morwe she wol no lenger dwelle,
But made hir subtil werkmen make a shryne
Of alle the rubies and the stones fyne
In al Egipte that she coude espye;
And putte ful the shryne of spycerye, 675
And leet the cors embaume; and forth she fette
This dede cors, and in the shryne hit shette.
And next the shryne a pit than doth she grave;
And alle the serpents that she mighte have, (100)
She putte hem in that grave, and thus she seyde: 680
'Now love, to whom my sorweful herte obeyde
So ferforthly that, fro that blisful houre
That I yow swor to been al frely youre,
I mene yow, Antonius my knight!
That never waking, in the day or night, 685

Ye nere out of myn hertes remembraunce
For wele or wo, for carole or for daunce;
And in my-self this covenant made I tho,
That, right swich as ye felten, wele or wo, (110)
As ferforth as hit in my power lay, 690
Unreprovable unto my wyfhood ay,
The same wolde I felen, lyf or deeth.
And thilke covenant, whyl me lasteth breeth,
I wol fulfille, and that shal wel be sene;
Was never unto hir love a trewer quene.' 695
And with that word, naked, with ful good herte,
Among the serpents in the pit she sterte,
And ther she chees to han hir buryinge.
Anoon the neddres gonne hir for to stinge, (120)
And she hir deeth receyveth, with good chere, 700
For love of Antony, that was hir so dere:—
And this is storial sooth, hit is no fable.
Now, er I finde a man thus trewe and stable,
And wol for love his deeth so freely take,
I pray god lat our hedes never ake! 705

Explicit Legenda Cleopatrie, martiris.

N.B.—Readings not marked with any letter are from F. (Fairfax MS.)

580. deth. 582. queene. 583. swich. 586. tovne. 587. worlde. C. vn-to; T.
vnder; rest at. 589. oght. 591. tovne. 594. wold. 595. which. 597. fulle. 598.
F. (only) this; rest his. gret. 599. swich. 600. laas. 601. F. Alle; C. Tn. Al.
602. worlde; noo. 603. C. there nas to hym no thyng so dewe; rest there was
no thing to him so due (all too long). 604. F. Tn. B. Cleopataras; rest
Cleopatras. 607. ek. C. lovede; F. loved. 608. Thurgh; decert. 609. bookes.
611. All but T. A. Add. insert of after and; I omit it. 612. C. lyuyn; F. leven.
613. faire. 614. F. (only) om. for. 615. MSS. wax, wox; read wex. 616. C.
Tn. feste; F. fest. 617. swich. 619. T. A. P. Add. long; rest longe. C. T. A.
lest; F. lyst. 621. shippe. 622. A. Add. theffect; C. thefeect (sic); F. effect.
623. remenaunt. 624. woode. 625. oost. 627. Romaynes crewel. T. leoun; F.

lyoun. 628. shippe. 630. Romaynes. 631. eke; rede; booth. 632. oost forthe
went (C. wentyn). 633. stent; C. stente. 635. gooth. 637. sovne; gooth. 638.
C. Tn. heterly; A. hatirly; F. hertely. hurtelen; attones. 639. dovne. 640.
gooth. 641. C. Among; F. Amonge. 642. preseth. 643. By-hynde; maste
begyneth. 646. sayle. 647. F. A. Add. him; rest hem. 648. slidre. 649. to-
gedre. 651. C. Tn. laste; F. last. 652. flyght. 653. folke to-goo; goo myght.
654. ek; queene; sayle. 655. went; thik; hayle. 656. myght. 657. C. saw; F.
saugh. 658. borne. 659. worshippe; lorne. 660. dispeyre. 661. thurgh-. 662.
went. 665. herkeneth. T. speke; rest speken. 666. C. Tn. oth; F. oothe. 667.
C. Tn. wroth; F. wroothe. 668. which. 669. C. Tn. Cleopatre; F. Cleopatrie.
made. 671. C. morwe; F. morowe. 672. werknen (!). 673. Tn. rubies; F.
rubees. 675. C. Tn. putte; F. put. 676. Tn. leet; C. F. let. C. cors; F. corps
(and in l. 677). 678. C. pet; Tn. pyt; F. pitte. dooth. 679. C. alle; F. al. C.
myghte; F. myght. 680. C. Tn. putte; F. put. sayde. 682. ferforthely. 683.
ben. 687. woo. 688. couenaunt; thoo. 689. T. A. Th. wele; C. F. Tn. wel.
690. C. power; F. powere. 692. life; deethe. 693. couenaunt while. 694.
seene. 696. C. word; F. worde. 700. C. receyuyth; F. receveth. 704. F. (only)
wolde. 705. oure; neuere. F. take (!); rest ake.

II. THE LEGEND OF THISBE OF BABYLON.

Incipit Legenda Tesbe Babilonie, Martiris.

At Babiloine whylom fil it thus,
The whiche toun the queen Semiramus
Leet dichen al about, and walles make
Ful hye, of harde tyles wel y-bake.
Ther weren dwellinge in this noble toun 710
Two lordes, which that were of greet renoun,
And woneden so nigh, upon a grene,
That ther nas but a stoon-wal hem bitwene,
As ofte in grete tounes is the wone.
And sooth to seyn, that o man hadde a sone, 715
Of al that londe oon of the lustieste. (11)
That other hadde a doghter, the faireste,
That estward in the world was tho dwellinge.
The name of everich gan to other springe
By wommen, that were neighebores aboute. 720
For in that contree yit, withouten doute,
Maidens been y-kept, for Ielosye,
Ful streite, lest they diden som folye.
This yonge man was cleped Piramus,
And Tisbe hight the maid, Naso seith thus; 725
And thus by report was hir name y-shove (21)
That, as they wexe in age, wex hir love;
And certein, as by reson of hir age,
Ther mighte have been bitwix hem mariage,
But that hir fadres nolde hit nat assente; 730
And bothe in love y-lyke sore they brente,
That noon of alle hir frendes mighte hit lette
But prively somtyme yit they mette
By sleighte, and speken som of hir desyr;
As, wry the gleed, and hotter is the fyr; 735
Forbede a love, and it is ten so wood. (31)
This wal, which that bitwix hem bothe stood,

Was cloven a-two, right fro the toppe adoun,
Of olde tyme of his fundacioun;
But yit this clifte was so narwe and lyte, 740
It as nat sene, dere y-nogh a myte.
But what is that, that love can nat espye?
Ye lovers two, if that I shal nat lye,
Ye founden first this litel narwe clifte;
And, with a soun as softe as any shrifte, 745
They lete hir wordes through the clifte pace, (41)
And tolden, whyl that they stode in the place,
Al hir compleynt of love, and al hir wo,
At every tyme whan they dorste so.
Upon that o syde of the wal stood he, 750
And on that other syde stood Tisbe,
The swote soun of other to receyve,
And thus hir wardeins wolde they deceyve.
And every day this wal they wolde threte,
And wisshe to god, that it were doun y-bete. 755
Thus wolde they seyn—'allas! thou wikked wal, (51)
Through thyn envye thou us lettest al!
Why nilt thou cleve, or fallen al a-two?
Or, at the leste, but thou woldest so,
Yit woldestow but ones lete us mete, 760
Or ones that we mighte kissen swete,
Than were we covered of our cares colde.
But natheles, yit be we to thee holde
In as muche as thou suffrest for to goon
Our wordes through thy lyme and eek thy stoon. 765
Yit oghte we with thee ben wel apayd.' (61)
And whan thise ydel wordes weren sayd,
The colde wal they wolden kisse of stoon,
And take hir leve, and forth they wolden goon.
And this was gladly in the even-tyde 770
Or wonder erly, lest men hit espyde;
And longe tyme they wroghte in this manere
Til on a day, whan Phebus gan to clere,
Aurora with the stremes of hir hete

Had dryed up the dew of herbes wete; 775
Unto this clifte, as it was wont to be, (71)
Com Pyramus, and after com Tisbe,
And plighten trouthe fully in hir fey
That ilke same night to stele awey,
And to begyle hir wardeins everichoon, 780
And forth out of the citee for to goon;
And, for the feldes been so brode and wyde,
For to mete in o place at o tyde,
They sette mark hir meting sholde be
Ther king Ninus was graven, under a tree; 785
For olde payens that ydoles heried (81)
Useden tho in feldes to ben beried
And faste by this grave was a welle.
And, shortly of this tale for to telle,
This covenant was affermed wonder faste; 790
And longe hem thoughte that the sonne laste,
That hit nere goon under the see adoun.
This Tisbe hath so greet affeccioun
And so greet lyking Piramus to see,
That, whan she seigh her tyme mighte be, 795
At night she stal awey ful prively (91)
With her face y-wimpled subtilly;
For alle her frendes—for to save her trouthe—
She hath for-sake; allas! and that is routhe
That ever woman wolde be so trewe 800
To trusten man, but she the bet him knewe!
And to the tree she goth a ful good pas,
For love made her so hardy in this cas;
And by the welle adoun she gan her dresse.
Allas! than comth a wilde leonesse 805
Out of the wode, withouten more areste, (101)
With blody mouthe, of strangling of a beste,
To drinken of the welle, ther as she sat;
And, whan that Tisbe had espyed that,
She rist her up, with a ful drery herte, 810
And in a cave with dredful foot she sterte,

For by the mone she seigh hit wel with-alle.
And, as she ran, her wimpel leet she falle,
And took noon heed, so sore she was a-whaped.
And eek so glad of that she was escaped; 815
And thus she sit, and darketh wonder stille. (111)
Whan that this leonesse hath dronke her fille,
Aboute the welle gan she for to winde,
And right anoon the wimpel gan she finde,
And with her blody mouth hit al to-rente. 820
Whan this was doon, no lenger she ne stente,
But to the wode her wey than hath she nome.
And, at the laste, this Piramus is come,
But al to longe, allas! at hoom was he.
The mone shoon, men mighte wel y-see, 825
And in his weye, as that he com ful faste, (121)
His eyen to the grounde adoun he caste,
And in the sonde, as he beheld adoun,
He seigh the steppes brode of a leoun,
And in his herte he sodeinly agroos, 830
And pale he wex, therwith his heer aroos,
And neer he com, and fond the wimpel torn.
'Allas!' quod he, 'the day that I was born!
This o night wol us lovers bothe slee!
How sholde I axen mercy of Tisbe 835
Whan I am he that have yow slain, allas! (131)
My bidding hath yow slain, as in this cas.
Allas! to bidde a woman goon by nighte
In place ther as peril fallen mighte,
And I so slow! allas, I ne hadde be 840
Here in this place a furlong-wey or ye!
Now what leoun that be in this foreste,
My body mote he renden, or what beste
That wilde is, gnawen mote he now myn herte!'
And with that worde he to the wimpel sterte, 845
And kiste hit ofte, and weep on hit ful sore, (141)
And seide, 'wimpel, allas! ther nis no more
But thou shalt fele as wel the blood of me

As thou hast felt the bleding of Tisbe!'
And with that worde he smoot him to the herte. 850
The blood out of the wounde as brode sterte
As water, whan the conduit broken is.
Now Tisbe, which that wiste nat of this,
But sitting in her drede, she thoghte thus,
'If hit so falle that my Piramus 855
Be comen hider, and may me nat y-finde, (151)
He may me holden fals and eek unkinde.'
And out she comth, and after him gan espyen
Bothe with her herte and with her yën,
And thoghte, 'I wol him tellen of my drede 860
Bothe of the leonesse and al my dede.'
And at the laste her love than hath she founde
Beting with his heles on the grounde,
Al blody, and therwith-al a-bak she sterte,
And lyke the wawes quappe gan her herte, 865
And pale as box she wex, and in a throwe (161)
Avysed her, and gan him wel to knowe,
That hit was Piramus, her herte dere.
Who coude wryte whiche a deedly chere
Hath Tisbe now, and how her heer she rente, 870
And how she gan her-selve to turmente,
And how she lyth and swowneth on the grounde,
And how she weep of teres ful his wounde,
How medeleth she his blood with her compleynte,
And with his blood her-selven gan she peynte; 875
How clippeth she the dede cors, allas? (171)
How doth this woful Tisbe in this cas!
How kisseth she his frosty mouth so cold!
'Who hath doon this, and who hath been so bold
To sleen my leef? O spek, my Piramus! 880
I am thy Tisbe, that thee calleth thus!'
And therwith-al she lifteth up his heed.
This woful man, that was nat fully deed,
Whan that he herde the name of Tisbe cryen,
On her he caste his hevy deedly yën 885

And doun again, and yeldeth up the gost. (181)
Tisbe rist up, withouten noise or bost,
And seigh her wimpel and his empty shethe,
And eek his swerd, that him hath doon to dethe;
Than spak she thus: 'My woful hand,' quod she, 890
'Is strong y-nogh in swiche a werk to me;
For love shal yive me strengthe and hardinesse
To make my wounde large y-nogh, I gesse.
I wol thee folwen deed, and I wol be
Felawe and cause eek of thy deeth,' quod she. 895
'And thogh that nothing save the deeth only (191)
Mighte thee fro me departe trewely,
Thou shalt no more departe now fro me
Than fro the deeth, for I wol go with thee!
'And now, ye wrecched Ielous fadres oure, 900
We, that weren whylom children youre,
We prayen yow, withouten more envye,
That in o grave y-fere we moten lye,
Sin love hath brought us to this pitous ende!
And rightwis god to every lover sende, 905
That loveth trewely, more prosperitee (201)
Than ever hadde Piramus and Tisbe!
And lat no gentil woman her assure
To putten her in swiche an aventure.
But god forbede but a woman can 910
Been as trewe and loving as a man!
And, for my part, I shal anoon it kythe!'
And, with that worde, his swerd she took as swythe,
That warm was of her loves blood and hoot,
And to the herte she her-selven smoot. 915
And thus ar Tisbe and Piramus ago. (211)
Of trewe men I finde but fewe mo
In alle my bokes, save this Piramus,
And therfor have I spoken of him thus.
For hit is deyntee to us men to finde 920
A man that can in love be trewe and kinde.
Heer may ye seen, what lover so he be,

A woman dar and can as wel as he.

Explicit legenda Tesbe.

707. tovne; queene. 710. tovne. 711. grete. 712. C. nygh; F. neigh. 714.
grette. 715. C. hadde; F. had (so in l. 717). 716. C. Tn. Th. of; rest om. 717.
Tn. doghter; F. doghtre. 718. esteward; worlde. 719. eueryche. 722. C. been;
F. ben. 723. Tn. som; C. sum; F. somme. 724. C. Tn. yonge; F. yong. 725.
All but C. om. And. Tn. A. Tisbe; C. Th. Tysbe; F. B. Tesbe; T. Thesbe.
maide. 726. C. report; F. reporte. 727. C. wex, wex; F. T. wex, wax; Tn.
wox, wax; B. wox, wox. 729. C. Tn. bitwixe; F. betwex. 730. nold. 731.
booth; soore. 733. Tn. priuely; F. preuely. 734. C. sleyghte; F. sleight. A.
speken; Tn. T. Th. spaken; F. C. spoken. Tn. som; F. somme. C. desyr; F.
desire. 735. C. wry; F. Tn. wre. glede. C. fyr; F. fire. 736. woode. 737.
bitwixe; stoode. 738. a-twoo; adovne. 740. C. clyfte; F. clyft. 741. C. A.
nas; rest was. C. sene; F. seene. deere. 743. twoo. 745. C. soun; F. sovne.
746. leete. 747. while. C. stode; F. stoden. 748. woo. 749. soo. 750. F. the;
rest that. wale. 751. Tesbe. 752. swoote sovne. 754. C. wal; F. walle.
threete. 755. dovne. C. Tn. I-bete; F. y-bette. 756. C. Tn. wal; F. walle. 757.
Thurgh. C. Tn. al; F. alle. 758. C. nylt thou; F. nyltow. 759. A. Th. B. leste;
C. laste; F. leest. 760. let; meete. 761. oones; myght; sweete. 762. oure. 763.
the. 765. Tn. Our; F. Or (!). thurgh; ek. 766. C. oughte; F. oght. the;
apayede. 767. sayde. 768. walle. C. kysse; F. kyssen. 769. foorth. 770. F.
Alle; rest And. T. A. euyn-tyde; Th. euentyde; C. F. Tn. B. euetyde. 771.
espyede. 772. C. wroughte; F. wroght. 775. dewe. 777. F. Come; Tn. Com
(twice). Tesbe. 778. C. fey; F. faye. 779. steele awaye (C. awey). 780.
euerychone. 781. gone. 782. feeldes; broode. 783. meete. 786. C. Idolys; F.
ydoyles. F. heriode (!). 787. thoo; feeldes; beriede. 788. C. Tn. faste; F. fast.
790. couenaunt. 792. F. (only) om. goon. 793. F. Tn. B. om. hath; greete.
794. F. Had (!); rest And. grete lykynge. 795. C. myghte; F. myght. 796.
stale. A. priuely; F. prevely. 802. gooth; goode paas. 803. caas. 804. a-
downe. 805. Tn. comth; F. comith. 806. woode. 807. strangelynge. 812.
moone; saugh. 813. ranne. 814. tooke; hede; soore. 815. eke. T. of; rest om.
816. C. sit; F. sytte 817. T. leones; F. lyonesse. 821. don. 822. woode. 824.
home. 825. moone shoone; well. 826. C. weye; F. wey. C. com; F. come.
827. Hise eighen; adovne. 828. behelde a-dovne. 829. broode. T. leoun; F.
lyoune. 832. Tn. neer; C. ner; F. nere. C. Tn. com; F. come. C. fond; F.