CHAUCER

THE
THE

PRIORESSES
MONKES

SIRE

TALE,
THE

TALE,

CLERKES

SQUIERES

THE

TALES

EDITED

WALTER

REV.

BY

W.

THE

SKEAT,

D.C.L., LLD.,
Elrington
and

and
Fellow

NINTH

AT

THE

TALE

TALE

CANTERBURY

THE

THOPAS,

Bosworth

PH.D.

Professor

of Christ's

REVISED

CLARENDON

DCCCC

of Anglo-Saxon

College, Cambridge

EDITION,

LiTT.D.

PRESS

OXFORD

PRINTED

AT

HY

PRINTER

THE

CLARENDON

HORACE

HART,

TO

Add

PRESS

THE

to

GIFT

M.A.

UNIVERSITY

Lib.

CONTENTS.
PAGE

vii

INTRODUCTION
LIST

B.

GROUP

WORKS

CHAUCER'S

OF

Ixxix

MAN-OF-LAW

THE
THE

MAN

THE

SHIPMAN'S

"

"

THE

HEAD-LINK
LAW'S

OF

END-LINK

SHIPMAN

PRIORESS
RIME

SIR

SIR

OF

....

....

17

THOPAS

19

...

END-LINK

THOPAS

...

THE

END-LINK

"

"

TALE

PRIORESSES

"

THE

PROLOGUE

"

THE

PROLOGUE

"

THE

MONK'S

THE

MONKES

TALE

THE

NONNE

PRESTES

THE

CLERK'S

THE

CLERKES

PROLOGUE

"

....

27

....

29
32

"

PROLOGUE

E.

GROUP

PROLOGUE

56

"

59

....

TALE

61

"

LINK

CLERK-MERCHANT
"

THE

SQUIRE'S

THE

SQUIERES

THE

SQUIRE

"

F.

GROUP
"

100

....

PROLOGUE

101

TALE

END-LINK

103

125

129

Notes

to

Group

Notes

to

Group

195

Notes

to

Group

206

Glossarial

Index

225

Names

Index

of

Proper

Index

of

Subjects Explained

309

.......

in the

258

Notes

313

INTRODUCTION.

FOR
the

reader

Tale,

which

it

Morris,
have

worth

is

out

published

since

collected

of

some

from

poet

the

April ?th,

named

of the

one

his

;
the

in

son.

nearly
plague

1349,

at

of

The

same

1349.

who

his

half-brother

time,

carried

Chaucer's

will,

wife,

Thomas
off

of

Chaucer
both

Heyroun,

have

must

Robert,

to

is dated

and

John

Chaucer,

Maria

married

dated

Easter-day

Thomas

probably
Agnes,

Heyroun

Heyroun

mother,

Thames

John

then

the
learn

Heyroun

death,
his

for

who

first,and

Thomas

his

and

or

of

in

and

hence

that

Maria,

family

Maria

names

Chaucer

the

named

have

Analogues

We

Heroun

Robert's

Vintner,

and

Vintner,

Also,

in

Athenaeum,

1875.

wife.

will

which

published

Chaucer,

being

After

Richard

his

The

by

succeeded

lately

Tales,'

John

Furnivall,

'Originals

his

Heroun

executor

father.

2th)

in

mother,

same

Chaucer,

(April

refer

Chaucer,
in

Thomas

father.

1349,

poet's

Richard

died

to

of

Agnes,

the

Chaucer's

the

Knightes
Series

to

Mr.

has

(in advance)

son

and

of

married

John

her

the

was

that

time

to

dated

and

London,

born

been

refer

to

Press

occasion

concerning

Canterbury

half-brother,

being

had

records,

published

Chaucer's

that

leave

Prologue,

Clarendon

remark-

old

time

and

Society,

had

the

to

facts

new

Chaucer

Street,

Chaucer's

frequently

amongst

some

been

of

in

while

diligent searching
finding

of

beg

must

Glossary.

and

But

life, I

Chaucer's

edition

Dr.

by

to

Notes

the

to

"c.,

volume

of

account

an

have

must

by

the

had

able
memor-

an

uncle

vitl

INTRODUCTION.

named

de

Hanio

Copton,

The

moneyer.

most

interesting

(i)that in which occur

Galfridum
the words
me
Chaucer, filium Johannis Chaucer,
Londonie'
Vinetarii,
(City Hustings Roll,no; 5 Ric. II, dated
to Henry Herbury,
June 19, 1380),whereby the poet releases,
all his rightto his father's house in Thames
Street ; and (2)that
in which occur
the words
ego Johannes Chaucer, Ciuis et Vinetarius Ciuitatis Londonie, " Agnes Vxor
consanguinea"
mea,
Heres
Hamonis
de Copton quondam Ciuis " Monetarii Civitatis
predicte (HustingsRoll,93, dated January 16, 1366),being a
and Agnes his wife,of a part of
by John Chaucer
conveyance
her land inherited from her uncle Hamo
l.
de Copton, moneyer
From
the
Clerk-of-the- Works'
Accounts
and
the
Foreign
entries

relatingto the above

matters

are

'

'

'

Accounts

we

learn that Chaucer

George's Chapel,Windsor,

was

Clerk

of the Works

at St.

July 12, 1390, and was succeeded

Whilst
in the appointment by John Gedney, on
July 8, 1391.
holding this appointment, viz. on September 3, 1390, Chaucer
was
robbed, near the foule Ok
(fouloak),of "20 of the King's
his horse, and
other
moveables, by certain notorious
money,
of one
of them
fullyconfessed by the mouth
thieves,as was
in gaol at Westminster.
gives
when
The
King's writ,wherein he for'

'

Chaucer
with the

author

this

sum

on

of

^20,

is still extant.

In

connection

of The

ing
interestKnightes Tale, it is particularly
to find that there is a writ dated July i, 1390, allowinghim
the costs of puttingup scaffolds in Smithfield for the King and
See
Queen to see the jousts which took place in May, 1390.
Kn. Tale, 1023.
tells us, in his Prologue, 11. 791-795, that it was
Chaucer
his
the
each of the pilgrims
intention to make
tell four tales,
two
on
to Canterbury and two
the return-journey. But so far
on
way
his proposed plan,he did not even
from
fulfilling
complete so
much
of talcs do not even
as
a
quarter of it,since the number
suffice to go once
round, much less four times. No pilgrimtells
two
stories,
though the poet represents himself as being inter-

For

the

see
quotations,

The

Athenaeum, Nov. 29 and Dec. 13, 1873.

GROUPS

rupted in

his Rime

in its stead

; and

of Sir
have

we

ix

TALES.

THE

OF

the
Thopas, and telling

tale of Melibeus

dasher,
story from the Yeoman, the HaberWeaver, the Dyer, the Tapiser, or

no

the

Carpenter, the
the Ploughman1.
The
series being thus incomplete, it only
remains to investigate
to what degree of completenessthe author
succeeded

in

attaining.

It is easy
material
of

to

that

see

before

in hand

tales occurred

Chaucer

may

the

of

idea

good

deal of

writing a connected

series

have

had

The

Prologue,answering somewhat
of his very latest works, and in his best
to a preface,is one
manner
measure
arranged
; and before writingit,he had in some
His design was
a part of his materials.
to make
a collection of
tales which
he had previously
tales
new
written,to write more
to go with these,and to unite them
of
all into a series by means
for the change from one
connectinglinks 2,which should account
narrator

to

the

him.

to

in order.

next

In

doing this,he did not work

connectinglinks as they occurred

but wrote-in
the
continuously,
to him, being probablywell aware

avoidingan

that this

the

was

best way

of

of

The
result is that some
artificiality.
links are perfectly
and others not written at all,thus
supplied,
affordinga series of fragments or Groups,complete in themselves,
but having gaps between
them.
A full account
of these Groups,
which

showing
Preface

the

to

publishedfor
nine.

are

tales

joined

not

are

appearance

inseparablylinked together,and which

all, is given in Mr. Furnivall's Temporary

at

are

Six-text

Edition

the Chaucer

Between

Societyin

these

clear that the order

of Chaucer's

are

1868.

Canterbury Tales,
The resulting
Groups

distinct gaps, and

it is by

no

means

of the

to each other
was
Groups relatively
determined
This relative order is,however, settled
finally
upon.
to some
extent
by occasional references to placespassed on the
1

not
2

Warton
a

wrongly adds,

or

the Host.

But the Host

was

the

umpire,

tale-tellerhimself.

The

like,are

term

'

to be

whence
Society,
Introduction

link,'and such
found

as

'

and
head-link,'end-link,'
'

in the Six-text edition

I have

to The

terms

Man

copiedthem.
of Lawes

See

Tale.

the

publishedby the Chaucer

this subject,
in my
further,
on

INTRODUCTION.

certain that
road,and to the time of day. We are also perfectly
the Knight was
and the Parson the last of
to tell the first tale,
the

thus leavingus only seven

only existingseries,
Groups to
Another
arrange.
questionat once
however, which must
arises,
be settled before we
the pilgrimage
can
proceed, viz. whether

intended

was
or

Any

more.

time

to be

distance

in

one

who

one

be well

must

performed
knows

what

one

of the

is out

day, or

in two,

or

in the

travellingwas

three,
olden

performing the whole

the pilas
grims
question,especially

that the notion

aware

day

all in

of

holidaythan for business,that some

of them
of
but poorly mounted
were
(Prol.287, 541),and some
them
but poor riders (Prol.390, 469, 622)J. In fact,such an
idea is purelymodern, adopted from
almost as
thoughtlessness
out

were

of

for

more

by every modern
reader,but certainlynot
founded upon truth.
Fortunately,too, the matter is put beyond
incidental remarks.
In the first Group, or
argument
by some
the line
Group A, occurs
a

matter

course

"

'

i.e. it is now

Lo

Depeford,and

it is

half-weypryme

'
"

(1.3906). After which the

Reve is made
to tell a story, and
the Cook
also,bringingthe
time of day to about nine o'clock at the least. But in Group F,
1. 73, the Squire remarks
it is pryme,' it is nine o'clock,
that
seven
half-past

o'clock

'

which

can

that hour

only mean

of another

day, not

of the

same

logue,
ProYeoman's
in the Canon's
allusion,
to the pilgrimshaving passedthe night in a hostelry,
as I
understand the passage.
This once
perceived,it is not of much
allow the pilgrimstwo days,or three,
whether we
consequence
four ; but the most
convenient
or
arrangement is that proposed
four days to have been occuviz, to suppose
pied;
by Mr. Furnivall,

Stillclearer is the

one.

the

more

awkward

so,

as

this

allusion to

tremely
suppositiondisposesof another extime,viz. the mention of ten o'clock

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

In

1749, the coach

from

GROUPS

in the

morning

morning, in
alluded

in

order

OF

Group B, 1. 14,
not

to ^ whilst

TALES.

THE

which

to clash with

the two

absolutely
requires a fourth morning,
the road

on

can

cause

trouble ; on

no

of

notes

Prologue

Yeoman's

of the

because

pilgrims

references to

hostelry. The

yet a third
time already

refer to

must

in the Canon's

the passage

havingpassed the nightat

XI

places

the contrary, these allusions

aflbrd much

ment
help,for we cannot rest satisfied with the arrangein Tyrwhitt'sedition,
to
makes
the pilgrims
which
come
before arriving
at Rochester.
Sittingbourne

But
very

the data

days of

the

month

is discussed in the
the

yet all disposed of

not

are

which

on

to

note

day recognisedby

the

the

for

fix the

can

we

pilgrimstravelled.

in the

Host

This

present volume, where

is shown

to

have

been

the

editions;which
28th, as in some
with the expression
in the Prologue, 1. 8 *.
agrees
venient
Putting all the results together,we get the followingconscheme
of the Groups of tales. It is copied from Mr.
FurnivalPs Preface,with the mere
addition of the dates.
i8th

of

April,and

The

April 1 6.

the

not

guests arrive at the Tabard, late in the evening

(Prol.20, 23).
April 17. GROUP

General

Prologue; Knight's Tale;

Miller's Prologue and Tale; Reve's Prologue and Tale; Cook's
Prologue and Tale (thelast unfinished).Gap.
Notes of time and place. In the Miller's Prologue, he tells
the company
if his
to lay the blame
the ale of Southwark
on
tale is not

to their

A.

liking;

he had

hardlyyet

recovered

from

its

effects.
In the Reve's
'

Lo
Lo

By

"

5* I

mean

Prologue are

the lines
"

Depeford, and it is half-weypryrne ;

Grenewich, ther many a shrew is inne.'
A 3906, 3907.

Group B, 1. 5, as

numbered

in the Chaucer

Society's

Six-text edition ; the arrangement of which I have adoptedthroughout.

2
See note to 1. 8 in Dr. Morris's edition of the Prologue,
third edition,

1872. The note as it stood in the/rs/edition

mine, and the correction also.

was

wrong.

The

fault

was

Xll

OD

INTR

That

in

is,they are
half-past
7 o'clock

UCTION.

sightof Deptford

in the

Group is incomplete;I
supposing that the Yeoman's

shall

give my

Tale

halted

there,at

April 1 8.
and

Tale

Prioress

night,

Man-of-Law

Melibeus

(2157-3078); Monk's

3079-3956); Nuns' Priest's Prologue

End-link (4637-4652). Gap.
Notes

that

London.

(1625-1642)
; Prioress's Tale
(1881-1901); Sir Thopas

End-link

of

Dartford

Head-link,bis Prologue,
(1-1162);Shipman's Prologue and Tale (1163-1624);

Shipman End-link
Tale

formed

have

to

distance of fifteen miles from

GROUPS.

presently

reasons

was

part of it. Probablythe pilgrimsreached

and

at about

Greenwich

morning.

This
for

and

tf

and

time

learn that it

was

In

place.

the

April (1.5).

In the Monk's

Host

Doctor

(1902-2156);

and

Tale

and

Prologue

(3957-4636);

Tale

Man-of-Law

o'clock (1.14),and

10

(1643-1880);

Head-link,we

that it

the

was

i8th of

Prologue,1. 3 1 1 6, we find that the pilgrims

This Group is probably
were
soon
coming to Rochester.
incomplete,rather at the beginning than at the end.
Something
is wanted
to bring the time to 10 o'clock,
whilst the travellers
would hardlyhave cared to pass Rochester
that night. Suppose
them to have halted there,at thirtymiles from London.
of the
April19. Group G. Doctor's Tale (1-286);Words
to

the

(287-328);Pardoner's
Tale (329-968). Gap.
Bath's Preamble
(1-856);Wife's Tale

and

Preamble, Prologue,and
D.

GROUP

Wife

of

the

Pardoner

(857-1264); Friar's Prologue and

E.

Prologue and
2440). Gap;
Notes

(1665-2294). Gap.
Clerk's Prologue and Tale (1-1212);Merchant's
Tale
End-link
(2419(1213-2418); Merchant

but the break is less marked

""c.
of places,
is narrated

the

Friar,in which

tales about
bourne.

tale is

the

At

end

than usual.

of the Wife

verbal quarrel between

the

former

friars before

Again,at
'My

(1265-1664)
; Sompnour's

Tale

Prologue and
GROUP

Tale

the

the end

doon,

we

promises

company

of his
ben

the

Sompnour

tell

some

shall arrive at

Tale, he

almost

to

of Bath's

at

says

"

toune.' D

2294.

amble
Preand

strange

Sitting-

OF

GROUPS

After

which,the

in the Clerk's

Tale, 1. 1170,

probably a

These

Link

F.

Group

(673-708); Franklin's

GROUP

and

are

at least two

allusions to

of

course

should

(709-1624). Gap.
Tale
(1-553);Canon's

Tale

Nun's

Second

G.

Sittingbourne,

precede Group E, and render

precedeit immediately.
Squire'sTale (1-672); Squire-Franklin
D

Group

it probablethat it should

April 20.

awhile at

Group E ; namely,
in the Merchant's Tale, E 1685 ;
the Merchant
End-link,E 2438.

in the

third allusion in

that

prove

there

that

of Bath's Preamble

the Wife

xill

spent the night at Ospringe.

but

London,

also be noted

It must

and

probablyhalted

company

from

fortymiles

TALES.

THE

Yeoman's

Tale

(554-1481). Gap.
GROUP
H.
Manciple'sPrologue and Tale (1-362). Gap.
GROUP
I. Parson's Prologue and Tale.
Notes of time and place. In the Squire'sTale, F 73, the
narrator
remarks
that he will not delay the hearers,'for it is
prime,'i.e.
In the

a.m.

Yeoman's

Prologue there
'

down,
taken

under

to

is mention

the

task for

morning, which
which

on

mention

which
time

Tales.

started.

of
It

In

case, be

the

of 4 p.m., and
the end

above

account

Chaucer

had

This

called

Blee, in Canterbury way

; and
sleepingon the road at so earlyan

of the hour

what

most

little town

cannot, in any

they

shews

of

'

the last tale before

The

Prologue

is

ment,
explicitstateence
most
which is certainly
as having refereasilyunderstood
the road, at a place (probably
to a halt for the night on
Ospringe) five miles short of Boughton-under-Blee. The
Canon's Yeoman
that he had seen
the pilgrimsride
says plainly
of their hostelryin the morrow-tide.
out
In the Manciple's

Canon's

of the

is useful

carried

is,on

the

out

as

the

Cook

hour

is

in the

morning of the day

Prologue there is

Parson's
the Parson

undertakes

to tell

journey.
shewing

the

exact

his intention ; and

whole, the
is not

the

Bob-up-and-

much

best

at

extent

the

arrangement

affected

to

same

of the

by the question
the number
of days occupied by the pilgrimson the journey.
the great advantage of stamping upon the
possesses, moreover,
arrangement

INTRODUCTION.

XIV

work

its

in the various

of the Tales

Tyrvvhittfound

hence

fragmentary character.

incomplete and

The

of these

lists are

into two

follows

as

The

the first
parts (a)and (b),

of Law's

Man

Prologue and Tale only,

Tales,"c. in the Group. This
viz.

In

placed anywhere

be

variation is of

the

(a),D, E, F,
the

the first place,Group G

all the rest,and contains

that it may

Groups A,

variations between

only two

easilyexplained.

independentof
so

is

satisfactory

he

all the rest of the

premised,his result
G, B (b),G, H, I.

make

to

case

therefore

case,

however, Tyrwhitt omitted

note

of time

between

and

; in this

parts of Group B

that the

see

which occur
togetherby the expressions
declares in 1. 46, Group
of Law
the Man

For, whereas

'

ryght now

can

place,

or

In the other

importance.

no

to

no

two

is entirely

in them.

reallybound

are

the

pressed
finally
adopted is easilyexalreadygiven to the Groups, only

names

containingthe

the second

and

which

be subdivided

must

and
considerably,

varies

his best

do

to

order

by using the
Group

ment
arrange-

it necessary in his edition to consider

question of order, and

arrangement.

MSS.

The

"

tale seyn,'
thrifty

no

Host, at the beginningof the Shipman's Prologue,1. 1165,is

pleasedto givehis verdict thus
the

"

This

'

proceeds to

and

learned
much

men

that
so

as

there

Bodleian

ask

the

thriftytale for the

tale,declaringthat

of Law and
i.e. the Man
lore,'
it is evident that
is good : whence
to follow B (a) immediately;
as

is

authorityfor

Library ;

while

The

this in MS.
the

(b)to precede that

It deserves
to

to

be

be

of

and

the

more

at

this emendation

for the mention

be

(b)must

hints

MS.

ye

vanced
adso,

14

in the

similar

is

proved

of Rochester

Sittingbournein D.
mentioned
further,that,of

'

Parson, know

the

Seld. B

Arch.

Harleian

correctness

the fact that it is necessary

supposed

for

Parson

'

nones

in

arrangement.

by

was

in

of

consumed

provided for.

on

the

This

way,

four

of them

some

furnishes

the

no

real

are

days

adequate
in-

objection,

TALE

THE

tales of the

the unwritten

because

GAMELFN.

OF

in

degree

some

to

penter,
Haberdasher, Car-

Yeoman,

Weaver, Dyer, Tapiser, and

helped

XV

Ploughman,

would

have

which

have

been

the

fill up

gaps

above.

noticed

admirably fitted together,and its

be looked
as
details so well worked
upon
out, that it may fairly
revised,as far as it goes ; and I am disposed
having been finally
accordinglyto look upon the incomplete Cook's Tale as almost
of

whole

The

Group

so

which

portion of his great work

is,in this Group A, only one

last

the

There

noted,viz.
whereas

know

there

that

of the

of the character

too

it,and
we

leyn

to

'

substitute
him

suppose

rime, without
three

have

to

unfinished,it is easy to

put in the words

words

'

and

Nun's

have

may

then

Prologue (1.164),
his name
Priest,

new

character

left the
see

drawn

her

line

how

'

at

another
'

for the
We

to reason.

draw
with-

to

future time.

some

That

in

character

suddenly determined

prestes thre

havingregard
as

that has often been

in the

one

revised.

ever

same

that Chaucer
possibility
and
have
strong strokes,

the

but

poet

place there is a notable omission

Nun, and the two thingstogetherpoint to

the

At

John.

was

the

flaw,one

of three Priests

the mention

we

Sir

being

If

is

hire

was

hand

have

would
sake

mere

chapelof the

ought to rejectthose

spurious.

small degree,some
receive,in some
probable by observinghow
yet more
touching-up,is rendered
For here,in several of the MSS., we come
Group A ends.
upon
the face of it,is not Chaucer's
additional fragment which, on
an
but a work
earlier period; I mean
at all,
belongingto a slightly
have supposed,with great reason,
the Tale of Gamelyji. Some
That

that

this tale

Chaucer
to

work

did

among

occurs

intended

to

the

rest

because

recast, although,as

it is

one

fact,he did

which
not

live

singleline of it. This is the more

likelybecause
well worthy of having been reis a capitalone
in itself,
written
even
siderable
by so great a poet ; indeed,the plot bears conresemblance
to that of the favourite
to
play known

re-write

the tale

us

Chaucer's

all by the title of As

You

Like

It.

of the botcher
against the stupidity

But

whose

I cannot

hand

but protest

wrote

above

it

INTRODUCTION.

XVI

'

The

Cokes

Tale

of

Gamelyn.'

That

was

done

because

it

happened to be found next after the Cook's Tale, which, instead

of being about Gamelyn, is about Perkin
the reveller,
idle
an
apprentice.
fitness of thingsought to shew at once
The
that this Tale of
Gamelyn, a tale of the woods, in the true Robin-Hood
style,
could only have been placed in the mouth
of him
who
bare a
mighty bow,' and who knew all the usage of woodcraft ; in one
of an archer in
(Gandelynis the name
word, of the Yeoman.
Ritson's Ancient Songs, i. 82). And
we
get hence the additional
'

hint,that the Yeoman's

tale of

Tale

was

to

have

followed

the

Cook's

fresh

of the close
succeeding one
country-life
back-streets of the city. No better placecan be found for it.
There
is yet one
of the earlier
more
Tale, found only in some
but in none
of the MSS., viz. the Ploughman's
printededitions,
Tale.
This is admittedlyspurious,in the sense
that it is not

Tale, a

in its way.
poem
; but it is a remarkable
intended it for an imitation of Chaucer, nor

Chaucer's

The

author

pretended any
about it ; on the contrary,he says plainly
that he was
the
disguise
in alliterative verse
author of the well-known
commonly
poem
Pierce
the Ploughman's Crede.
It can
known
as
only have
but we
need not blame Thynne
been inserted by inadvertence,
never

for

doing this,since otherwise

the

poem

would

not

have

been

preservedat all,no MS. of it being now in existence.

The
next
question that presents itself is this Have we any
of early,
which
of the Tales are
and which of
of telling
means
In reply to this,
late workmanship?
we
note, in the first
may
place,the followingfacts and probabilities.
ginning
The
Knight's Tale was almost certainlyre-written from beIn the first instance Chaucer
took
to end.
a
good
of
Boccaccio's
deal of it from
Teseide,and gave it in the name
Palamon
and Arcite ; see Prologue to Legende of Good
Women,
This he would
1. 420.
naturallydo just after or just before
writing his Troilus 1, in which he follows the same
author,and
"

Several lines are common

that the former and 'Palamon

Knight'sTale,shewing
in hand together.
probably

to Troilus and to the

and Arcite'

were

VARIATIONS

would

he

all,for

not

that

Ten

also
a

it is obvious

Brink

said

pressed into

his

under

the title Of

poem,

after three

'

in

same

service,when

1870)

False

and

Chaucer

Knight'sTale,

has been

stanza, which

find

now

that

writing the

Annelida

Queen

comparison (and

this is

preserved

Arcite.'

In this

'

"

a
a

the

the

But

stanza.

introductorystanzas, he quotes three

"c. ; and
Statius,
beginning lamque domos patrias,'

from

as

seven-line

upon

also in the seven-line

poem

not

the

naturallyemploy

xvii

RHYTHM.

OF

little remarkable

that the very

heading at the beginningof the

MSS.

between

it is

lines reappear

three

same

lines

It is

resemblance

of

to note
the traces
interesting
this poem
and the Knight'sTale, but
that they are very few, such as these :

of

in many

Knight'sTale

it must

be

mitted
ad-

"

'

which

For

Emely

her j onge

schene *"

suster

in the

Knight'sTale, 1. 114
example, the firstthree lines

reappears

phrases.
thus

With

; with
of the

few

similar

prologue run

"

'

thou

That

in

Within

fiers God

of armes,

the rede,

Mars

thy frostycountry called Thrace,

thy grislytemples full of drede
'

"

The
compared with the Knight'sTale,1111-1115.
used
and Chaucer
general story is, however, widely different,
up the latter part of it,not in the Knight'sTale, but in the
in support
I draw attention to this poem
Squire'sTale.
chiefly
which

of

be

may

suggestion,to which

earlydraught of
stanzas;

as

It must

Palamon

next

be noted

to

the

Second

amongst

occasion

and Arcite may

suggested (Ifind)by Ten

a list of
tentatively,

puts down

I shall have

that Mr.

Chaucer's
the works

have

Brink

works
of the

Cecile.

Of

recur,

that the

in seven-line

been

in 1870.

who
Furnivall,

has drawn

up,

in their
'

Second

Canterbury Tales,that Tale which

Nun's, though formerly called by

Life of Saint

to

this result

is

supposed order,
Period,'i.e. prior

now

known

has

the

himself the

Chaucer

there

as

been

never

doubt ; Tyrvvhittsays
almost
VOL.

expressly,The

translated
literally
II.

'

from

the

l"

Tale

of the

Nonne

Life of St. Cecilia

is

in the

INTRODUCTION.

XV111

Aurea

Legenda
Chaucer

as

1. 426, under

of

Mr.

Tale

that it was

Petrarch

the tale of

is,for

than

poem

strain

as

This

Monk's

nowhere

has

Proem

Tale

to

author's

Moreover,
1677.

The

for

of the

one

A. B.C.

Tale

it is

be

other

very

Chaucer,except in
B.C. (perhapswritten

called

the

some

of Chaucer's

latest but

Envoy to Bukton, and the Ballad of

so
that,considered with reference
of any

date.

The

main

part of

before
short

the
to

which

which
test
I

we
so

such

poems,

Visage2
no

The

canon

in

as

the

Painting;

without

metre, this Tale

it shews

poem

may

be

and
great originality,

rather

me

may

obvious

know,

appears

1369),and

A.D.

earlythan late.
I wish
Having premised these considerations,
state that we
test of earliness
have, in fact,one
to

seems

song;

above-mentioned

the

very

same

stanzas.

peculiarmetre,

else in

Chaucer's

as

still called
pversight)

(by an

is in

in the

known

poems,

stanzas.

suited for

told,being much

is also in seven-line

poem

Tale

A.

This tale

Tale.

better

much

him

learnt from

27),and

the Clerk's

as

jectural
con-

Chaucer

when

year

and it is in seven-line
part, a translation,

Prioress's

formal

known

the

Tale

Nun's

Second

to E

(seenote

now
Griseldis,

the most

The

-line stanzas.

seven

this is the very

now

Padua

at

the
in

it still

Cecile, and

composed in the
originally
V
Nonne
It is,then, little

not

to be

of 1373;

date

see

marks

Women,

of Good

of Seint

Life

spoken by
than a translation,
and it is
Furnivall assignsto this

more

met

title of the

by

mentioned

is

Jacobus Januensis. It
in his Legende
separate work

the

retains evident
form

of

has

rely,I believe,with
that

it is

pointed it
I

propose

out

is

wonder

before ; I

simply this.

lateness

or

me
mean

that

no

the

one,

test

on

It is

confidence.

some

to

boldly to

now

of

as

far

as

rhythm.

all of Chaucer's

Nearly

calls herself an ' unworthy son of Eve.'

In the Proem, the Nun
Oddly speltVilage in the MSS. ; but the poem is imitated from
This ilke Fortune
Boethius,and has specialreference to the passage
and
hath departydand vncoueryd to the bothe the certeyn visages,
eke
the dowloi
td.
Chaucer's
Morris,
of
Uoethius,
felawes';
visages thy
1

'

"

p. 62.

INTRODUCTION.

XX

1377.

In

Reims

and

edition

the

of

Paris,1849,

Machault's

89, there

p.

is

by Tarbe,
of exactly this

edited

poems

poem

character,of no great length,but fortunatelydated; for its

title is
Complainte ecrite apres la bataille de Poitiers et avant
le siege de Reims
first four
par les Anglais' (1356-1358). The
'

"

lines

thus

run

"

'A

toy, Henry, dous

Pour

ce

Car
Et

The

last

the

pietsuy,

si

taken

was

down

come

attempt

to

his

derive

once

Tales

written

can

now

Tales

as

Observe

whence

of

"

which

similar metre

have

certain that the earliest

made

by Chaucer, in

were

commenced,

written

were

after 1385, whilst those

probably earlier.

This

date

Good

(April1 8) of
Tales

With

Women.

this
particularly

Chaucer

this character.

an

of the

one

which

is

Chaucer
These

rime

of

this to
of the

guide us,
Canterbury

important passage, as
days of the pilgrimage,

meant

points are

to

include

discussed

in his
in the

complainwith plein. This

shews

seke,seke; Prol. 17, 18.

There

derived such rimes as

called Le Dit de
lines
of
poem
92
Crestomathie
Franchise,p. 408, in which

is

examples

two

English was

Head-link.

list of the

Legend of
1

has

proceed to discuss separatelysuch

are
printedin the present volume.

givesthe

and

in

Women,

in this metre

Man-ot'-Law

it

ne

accordingto Professor
the year 1385 (Furnivall's
Trial Forewords, p. in).
date is one
of considerable
at
importance; for we
it the probability
from
that all of the Canterbury
Good

in this metre

not

belle.'

It is also almost

us.

this metre

use

Legend of
Ten Brink,in
Surely this

to

selle,

sans

prisonerin France in 1359, he had an

making himself acquainted with this

opportunityfor
and with others,possibly,
in

poem,

et

feraychant ne lay,
toute
joielay."

que jamais ne
Adieu
te di : car

excellent

not

follows

plein*

ne

line of which

Et

Chaucer

as

cheval

esmeraude,

final e)is as
fully-sounded

Now

complain,

me

mont

ne

sans

n'ay mais

couplet(thesecond
4

cueur

ne

que

amis,

la
more

Harpe, printedin
than

Bartsch's
of
are

halfthe rimes

PRIORESS'S

late

or

the

to

the

the

Man

indicate

canon,

truth

The

as

work,

new

Prologue

by

61, which

to 11.3 and

notes

the

is that

TALE.

metre, by the canon, shews

The

see.

subject-matterproves.
Law's

of

The

Tale.

early work, yet it

of Law's

Man

revised
workmanship, but was
the Prologue being made
up of

wholly such.
of early
is,in itself,
amongst the Tales,

is not

Tale

for insertion
and

work

old

would,

metre

Lines

new.

131-

plainEnglish,that ' I, the poet,

have
should
of a Tale
to insert here, and
should be in want
to write one, only fortunatelyI have
one
by me which will do
the Man
The
'Merchant'
who
'taught' Chaucer
very well.'
133

may

be

taken

Tale

of Law's

Shipman's

poet'slatest

his industrious

was

Prologue,
and

in

to mean,

best

younger

Tale, and

self1.

End-link.

All

in

the

manner.

tained
Prologue to this Tale is conWhat
is now
in the Shipman End-link, B 1637-1642.
called the Prologue is,more
a
strictly,
Proem; and the Tale
itselfis,more
a
Legend, or (as the author calls it)a
strictly,

Prioress's

Tale.

The

real

originalthan the Life

'song'; B 1677. The Legend is more
of Saint Cecile,and
probably belongs to a later period. The
Proem
closelyresembles that to the Life,and contains a similar
it seems
been
to have
to the Virgin Mary:
invocation
partly
representedby 11. 1657-1677,
adapted from an old Proem, now
though 1. 1663 has been altered
stanzas, 11. 1643-1656, belong to

or

written.

re-

the

The

two

first

revised

work, as
shewn
by the introduction of the words 'quod she' (1644),
tell a storie I wol doon
labour'
and the line 'To
(1653).
my
At the end of 1. 1656 I have inserted a short stroke,by way of
marking off the new work from the old.
The

Legend

Tale

itself is taken

of

of

Chaucer
1

Alphonsus
Society from

the

from

new

source

or

similar to that of the

Lincoln, a

story reprinted by the

Fortalitium Fidei; Lugdun. 1500,

farther notes, sec Specimens of English,Part II, ed. Morris and

Skeat, p. 346, and my edition of the Man of Law's Tale.
The
French
been publishedby the Chaucer
originalby Nicholas Trivet has lately
For

Society.

XXli

INTR

OD

T10N.

UC

edition,
printed in 1485, the Legend of
Alphonsus is said to have been composed in 1459, and it is
whose
ing
accordstated to be the work
of a Minorite
friar,
name,
and others,was
to Hain
Alphonsus a Spina. The story is,
fol. ccviii. In another

that
ten

widow

years

residingin

of age, who
'

demptoris
dwell.

day
heart,and

has

named

son

the

dailyto school,singing
through the street where

Jews

throw

Alphonsus,
'

goes

passes

One

his

out

he

as

Lincoln

seize

his

him,

cut

into

body

Alma

Re-

the

Jews

his tongue, tear

out

But

pit.
filthy

the

him, gives him a preciousstone in place of

a
tongue, and enables him to sing Alma
Redemptoris for four
seeks and
finds him, and
he is borne
to
days. His mother
still singing. The
the cathedral,
bishop celebrates mass ; the
boy reveals the secret, resignsthe preciousstone to the bishop,
A similar
givesup the ghost,and is buried in a marble tomb.
legend is narrated concerning Hugh of Lincoln; see note to
Virgin appears

to

'

'

1874.

Originalsand Analogues of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales,

pt. iii.(ChaucerSociety,1876)is the story of The Paris Beggarby a Jew, printedfrom the Vernon MS., leaf 123,
boy murdered
remarkable
It is well told,and has some
back.
pointsof agreement
It clearlyidentifies the hymn
with the Prioresses Tale.
Alma
tioned
RedemptorisMater as agreeingwith the second anthem menin the note to 1. 1708 of Group B, which
is translated by
In

Godus

'

Heuene
Saue

The

same

work

boy killed by

Moder, mylde and

sate and sterre of se,

J"ipeplefrom synne and

contains

Jew

for

clene,

[woe]'

we

story, in French

similar

singing Gaude

; from

Maria

of

verse,

MS.

Harl.

4401.

Tyrwhitt'saccount
transition from
is

of the

the Tale

happilymanaged.

what
taken.

Legende
From

of the

I have

of the Miracles
the

scene

Prioress's Tale

Shipman
not

been

of Our

being laid

is

as

follows

to that of the

able

Lady the
in Asia,it

to

'

The

Prioresse

discover

from

Prioress's Tale
should

seem,

is

that

PRIORESS'S

THE

this

was

of the

one

oldest of the

xxiii

TALE.

many

stories which

have

been

several merciless
propagated,at different times,to excite or justify
of the Jews, upon the charge of murtheringChristian
persecutions
children. The
story of Hugh of Lincoln,which is mentioned
in the last stanza, is placed by Matthew
Paris under
the year
In the first four months
of the Acta
Sanctorum
by
1255.
of children canonized,as
Bollandus,I find the followingnames
Mart.
Willielmus
Norvihaving been murthered
by Jews : xxv
xvii Apr. Rudolphus,
Ricbardus, Parisiis,1179;
censis,1144;
anno
eodem; Albertus,PoloBernse,1287; Wernerus, JVesalise,
the remaining eight months
would
furnish
nix, 1598. I suppose
See a Scottish Ballad (Percy'sReliques
at least as many
more.
of Ancient
Poetry,i. 32) upon one of these supposed murthers.
The editor [Percy]has very ingeniously
conjecturedthat " Merryland
Milan.'
in verse
is a corruptionof
r
Perhaps the real
occasion of the Ballad may have been what is said to have happened
The
Cardinal
at Trent,in 1475, to a boy called Simon.
Hadrian, about fifty
mentioning the Rocks of Trent,
years after,
adds
ne
aspirarequidem audent ;
quo ludaei ob Simonis cxdem
in the
The
Praef. ad librum de Serm. Lat.
change of the name
to Hugh, is natural enough in this country,
Song, from Simon
where
similar stories of Hugh of Norwich
and Hugh of Lincoln
had been long current.'
The
Ballad alluded to is called ' The
Jew's Daughter by
Hugh was enticed
Percy,and is to the effect that a boy named
to play and then stabbed
by a Jew's daughter,who threw him
into a draw-well.
His mother, Lady Helen, finds him by hearing
"

'

"

"

"

'

his voice.
I may

add

that the

pictureof
excellent chapter
Dress during the

story of Hugh of Lincoln,and

martyrdom of Simon at Trent, are givenin an

concerning the Jews in Manners, Customs, and
Middle Ages, by P. Lacroix,pp. 434-455.
The
A last word
as to the metre.
questionhas
the

Whence

did Chaucer

(6tudesur
de

G.

derive his seven-line

Chaucer, pp. 76, 288)answers

Machault,and

quotes

stanza

to shew

stanza
"

been
?

From

this.

The

M.

raised

"

Sandras

Guillaume
answer

is

INTR

XXIV

the

right,but

edition of

Tarbe's

royal,from
the

"

its use, not

many

captive King
King'sQuair."

The

the

of

of

'

The

links

restriction to two

Jerusalem, more
In England
Boccaccio.

birth of

Prioress
and

late

it contains

but

Unexceptionable examples will

Machault, at pp. 56 and 131.

with

used, but
Brienne, King

was

by

UCTION.

as
example ill-chosen,

of three.

instead

OD

"

than
it

years

found

be

'This

in

stanza

rhymes, by Jehan

de

century before

the

afterwards

was

rimes

two

after the

called
of

death

Scotland, James I, as the

rhyme

Chaucer,
of

measure

Morley's EnglishWriters,ii.169.
This

End-link.

passage,

like the

other

End-

Prologues in rimed
couplets,evidentlybelongs to
of the author's best
period; we recognisehere some

work.
this might be
Judging by the rhythm-test,
earlyworkmanship; but judgingby the language,it is late.
Sir

of

Thopas.

the onlyone
is,apparently,

of all the

Canterbury Tales

which

It
longs
be-

to the late

period,although not written in rimed couplets.

He
Tyrwhitt's estimate of it is judiciousand correct.
says
of Sir Thopas was
The Rime
clearlyintended to ridicule the
"
fictions of the common
Rimers
of that age,
palpablegross
"

'

"

and

stillmore,
It

perhaps,the meanness
is full of phrases taken

of their

language and

sification.
ver-

from

Isumbras,Li Beaus
in the same
which
still
are
Desconus, and other Romances
style,
For the more
extant.
complete reprobationof this species
the Host,who
is not to be suspectedof too reof Riming, even
fined
and to cut short Sire
to cry out againstit,
a taste,is made
.

Thopas

in the midst

say for his

Rime,

consents
readily

freelyat

but

to

the bad

of his adventures.
that "it is the

tell another

poetry of his

too

invidious to exhibit

and

therefore

Le

Livre

his other

The

Tale

French

Consolationis

nothingto

best he can"

of better

is in prose,

in his

mere

truth,as

he

person,

translation from

Prudence,of which

It is in

own

several

calls

it,"

copies
a

moral

but taken from

is also not original,
the Liber
of Brescia, who
died about
Consilii of Albertano

version
ct

T.

has

(B 2118),and
Tale ; but havingjustlaughed so
time,he might think it,perhaps,

specimen

de Melibee et de dame

stillpreservedin MS

are

Chaucer

MONK'S

THE

tale

vertuous,"and

but

in this age

Thopas.'
Sir Thopas
resist the

and

readers

feel that

Yet

cannot

added

be

observed

as

that

if

as

endeavouring

wish there

noble

his

of it.

more

tale,

story that the Knight told'

the

has remarked
usual

metrical

laws

not

are

It may

satire.

in his second

quite strictly

in this Tale.

Judging by the rhythm,this belongs to

shews, however, that it
subject-matter

Tale.

in strictness,
a tale
called,

them, and

has

in his accustomed
It is formed

on

manner,

the model

p. 32.

had

of

having

had

at

is

jovialand corpulent Monk,

A.D.

1270.

treatise

Societyin 1873.

hardly be

whole

series of

an
originally
time begun, but,

was

de Casibus vlrorum

actuallyretained
in which

manner

the

Latin

early

left a little less than half finished.

expects to hear rather

This

can

an

been

one

and

rubric

poet contrives to
is highly ingenious.

and

merry

rallies him

edited

in the

the

assign this stringof tragediesto the monk

Host

It

of Boccaccio's book

which

The

of it at

consists of

but
all,

appearance
which
Chaucer

the title of
illiistrium,

printedat

at

all the

independent work,

Chaucer

make

to

somewhat

was

earlyperiod. The
was
probablywritten at different times,part
period,and part at the period of revision.

his

"say that Pan

Appollo in musike manifold,'

the

The

quite
youth,have

I cannot

to

Wiat

Monk's

The

the

scoine

same

Sir Thomas

seems

Topas for

syr

Passeth
as

several of the

himself,in

may

of Sire

allow that to

but

And

the

he

they could

"Praise

is much

Chaucer

apt to

remainder

the

us

time;

such

at

expense;

we

will be

readers

some

give

in its

romance-writing in all seriousness,but

in some
degree at his
good-humoured laugh even

tried his hand

own

doubt

rather

not

suspicionthat

lived to have

esteemed

admittedlya burlesque, and

are
quoted in the Notes ; but

is

imitated

passages

levity,I

did

regret that he

XXV

probablymuch

was

of

TALE.

by

Thor

lively
story from
upon

his sleek

Sundby

for the

XX

VI*

INTR

but

appearance;

the

Monk, taking all

Life of Saint Edward

either the

his 'hundred'

tragedies;and

to define the

the

UCTION.

OD

pilgrimshave

word

had

the

patience,volunteers

Confessor

then,fearful

Tragedy, and

time

in

to

of

or

else

few

of

interruption,
ceeds
pro-

start off before any

of

offer any

opinionupon the matter.

He also offers an apology for not telling
all his stories in strictly
chronologicalorder. This apology is the real key to the whole
We

matter.

may

well

to

believe

that, whilst

the

collection

of

still an

tragedies was

independent work, the arrangement was

intended
to have
been made
was
such
or
strictly
chronological,
when
the work
the usual formula;
was
completed. Such was
and accordinglythe author begins,in the most
approved fashion,
with Lucifer,and then duly proceeds to Adam
and all the rest.
But as, in the course
of composition,he would
naturallyfirst
write such lives as most
pleasedhim, and by no means
succeeding
in writing anythinglike a complete collection
for out of the
"

'

hundred

'

that existed

'

in his cell l

'

he

produced only seventeen

his simplestplan to givespecimens only,
became
in all it clearly
the chronologicalarrangement
and to abandon
as
no
longer
Yet it is worth
remarking that the tragediesare
necessary.
order than may at firstsightappear.
more
nearlyin chronological
Peter
If they be compared with such a book
Comestor's
as
shall see this the better.
Peter Comestor
Historia Scholastica,
we
of his history,
takes the Bible as the foundation
noticingsecular
We
thus find a mention
of Hercules
in
historyas he goes on.
the time of Jephthah,
judge of Israel. Strictly,
then, Hercules
should precede Samson
so
near
together,the
; but as they come
takes precedence. Again, the tragediesof
character
scriptural
both belong,in this way, to the first
and Alexander
Antiochus
after the tragedy
next
of Maccabees, and therefore come
book
of Holofernes,which
belongs to the book of Judith. Here,
should,in strictness,
precede Antiochus, but
again, Alexander
is overridden
this consideration
by the fitness of coupling
"

was

Monk's

The
his

'

celle

cell is mentioned

in the

'; Kn. Ta. 518.

fantastyk

Prologue,1. 172

Cbaucer's

vill

XX

INTRODUCTION.

this removal

of group

the end to

(f)from

an

earlier placeis really

doing is proved by observingthat the tragedy of Croesus

must
come
last,(i) because it repeats, in the last stanza, the
monk's
previous definition of tragedy,a repetitionof which the
Knight does not approve, and takes occasion to say so; and (2)
bis

own

because
the
B

the Host

expressionabout

'

Fortune

this last stanza, and

coveringthingswith

ridicules

cloud

'

; see

3972.

But
the

we

follows

with

may,

grouping

addition

in

also quotes from

at

of the

the

time

(a),for

the

Boccaccio,whom

groups

patience,learn a few things more

tragedies. Putting aside group (/)

has

as

an

of

that group
note
("")
revision,we
may
that the story of Zenobia
is
simple reason
Chaucer
was
imitating. We then have only

and (b)to consider,and

(d),(c)t

Chaucer

from

purposely somewhat

notice

we

mixed

up

at

these ;

once

that

for, if

we

merely transpose (d)and (":),

we
bring the tragedyof Nero next
that of Croesus,and
immediatelypreceding it. That is the
since the stories of Nero and Croesus are
order of things,
original
both taken from the Romaunt
of the Rose, where
they appear
together,and Nero preceded Croesus in Chaucer's work as a
matter

of course,

because

his

story preceded that of Croesus

in

the

thus the pleasure of seeing Chaucer

have
original.We
and the Vulgate
actuallyat work ; he begins with Boccaccio
version of the Bible,drawing upon his recollections l of Boethius

for the story of Hercules

of the

Romaunt

Rose

; he
; the

next

takes

leaf

or

two

from

the

story of Alexander, suggested (see

Maccabees, leads him on to write the

tragedy of Caesar ; then he tires of his work, and breaks off.
Returning to it for the purpose of filling
up his great work, he
writes
mixes up the order of tales,
adds a few 'modern
instances,'
an
apology for their want of order,humorously assignsthem to
the Monk, from whom
the Host had expected something widely
and makes
short when
the right
the Knight cut him
different,
B

3845) by

moment

the

book

of

comes.

I say

'

recollections

'

see
advisedly;

note

to B 3293.

MONK

THE

TALE.

great collection of tragedieswhich

The

originallycontemplated,in
carried out
is the

'

his

by

of

Falls

favourite

Princes.'

This

stanza,

named

fully

was

works

best

Chaucer's

in

written

from

however, taken

not,

but through the

directly,
de Premierfait,an
Laurent

have

may

of whose

poem,

was

Chaucer

Boccaccio,

Lydgate, one

successor

seven-line

of

imitation

Boccaccio

of

XXIX

of

version

ecclesiastic

Frenchman

of

the

diocese

Morley'sEng. Writers,ii. 429. Lydgate's poem

long continued in favour,and in its turn suggested the famous
series of tragediesby Sackville,
by
Baldwin, and others,known
for Magistrates; see
of the Mirror
the name
Morley's First
The
of Eng. Lit.,pp. 335-337.
Sketch
most
interesting
point
is his recognition of Chaucer's
Monk's
in Lydgate's version
in the followingstanza
of his prologue:
Tale
Troyes

see

"

'

mayster Chaucer

My

Is dede, alias, cheif

That

The

he

As

all

Sith

There

is

MS.,

has

in the

as

lines.

from

the

ballad

by

Guillaume

the

to

from

Whence

French.

then
A

Eustache

de Machault

have

only
The

metre.

suppose,

originalFrench

short

; but it is of

of the various

Notes.

regard

line stanza,
the

iii.168
Furnivall,

and

originalsources

indicated

which

cure

dide

entitled the Fall of Princis in the

poem

ed. Hales

The

of

he

pitoustragidies;

also compleyne.
princes
of makynge souereyne ;
was
this londe of rightought[e] preferre,
langage he was the lode-sterre."

that

Whom

full
'

fall of

'

poete of Bretayne,

made

sumtyme

his fressh commedies

with

did

he

that

word

one

good example of
Deschamps, written
in 1377 ; see TarbeVs

to

A. B.

The

it?

it will be
upon

the

edition of

eightC., though
answer

found
Death

Printed

'

Chauncer

'

in the old edition which

is in
is
"

in

of

Deschamps,

p. 30.

say,

the

is translated

poem

derive

sufficiently

more

poet firstused
called

Folio

great merit.

no

tragediesare

in his poem

which

Percy

I here follow.

INTRODUCTION.

XXX

Prologue

The

; like the

tale

Clerk's

The

it is in
itself,
Of

from

this

Petrarch

tale

"

the

had

tenth

written

shortly

invented

it

or

of

after

not

can

Chaucer's

best

Boccaccio.

the
the

tenth

hardly be

to the effect
Petrarch's,
(multosannos) before 1373,
he may
as
easilyhave beard
before
though he had never

of

day

"

It

is

in

the

determined

that he
is not

had

be

the

very

last

Boccaccio
an
'

it

at all decisive

added

Decamerone,

; for

heard

rather

Jide uxorid

et

Whether

1348.

year

part is
it must

; and

ment
com-

no

manner.

obedientia

DC

Notes

needs

main

tale,the

the

it from

tale

Tale

Petrarch's

as
explained in
Mytbologia,

that

Priest's

Nuns'

Tale.

translation

close

the

to

expression
'

years

many
this

point,
it twenty years before then, even
read the Decamerone, as he himself
There
has been
about
asserts.
some
mystification
unnecessary
the matter.
Tyrwhitt wonders why Chaucer should have owned
to Petrarch rather than to Boccaccio
an
obligation
; but a very
shews the now
undoubted
fact,that Chaucer
cursory examination
almost word for word
in many
follows Petrarch
passages, though
In fact,11.
Petrarch by no
means
closelyfollows Boccaccio.
The
date of Petrarch's version,though
settle the matter.
41-55
a

littleuncertain,seems

tells

us

that

he

met

to

have

Petrarch

at

1373

; and

Chaucer

We

Padua.

may

himself
therefore

'

during his Italian

Chaucer
Only let us
may have met Petrarch.'
that Chaucer himself knew
best,that he is
suppose for a moment
and unnecessarily
not
inventinghis statements, and
intentionally
readilyadopt Mr.
embassy in 1373,

Furnivall's

been

on

that
suggestion,

We
that Chaucer
vanishes.
know
difficulty
Florence
visiting
England on the king'sbusiness,

all

December
We

know

i,

1372,

till some

that Petrarch's

time

letter to

before

was

and

November

absent

from

Genoa, from
22,

1373.

Boccaccio,reallyforming a
prefaceto the tale of Griselda,and therefore written shortly
his version of it,is dated
in some
copies
after he had made
And
date
June 8, 1373, though in other copies no
appears.
know that Petrarch,on his own
we
shewing,was so pleasedwith
the story of Griselda that he learnt it by heart as well as he
before the
it to friends,
could,for the express purpose qf repeating

CLERK'S

THE

idea of turningit into Latin

conclude
that

that Chaucer

Petrarch

in Italian

copy
him

told

of Petrarch's

making

occurred
Petrarch

Chaucer

French1;

or

whilst

and

and

Latin
his

the

to

story by word

translation 2.

may

earlyin
of mouth,

1373;

either

main

At this rate, the

in

probably written

was

we

shortlyafter obtained a
before
he kept constantly

which
version,

part of the Clerk's Tale

Whence

him.

at Padua

met

that Chaucer

own

xxxi

TALE.

1373

or

1374,

required but little revision to make it suitable for one of

the tales of the Canterbury series. The
test of metre
givesthe
The
of his earlyworks.
same
that it was
as it shews
one
result,
closeness of the translation also proves the same
point. Chaucer,
in his revised version,
adds the Prologue,containingan allusion
the
to Petrarch's death (whichtook placein 1374),and eulogizes
and

great Italian writer according to his desert.

which
translation,

stanzas, and
addition

is

the

proved
the

by

terminates

The

Envoy.
at

once

mention

with

by
of the

1.

whole

Wife

of
tone

of Bath

the
adds

1162, he

lateness

the

At

this
of

end

of the

two

new

(undramatic)

it,and, in

in 1. 1170.

ticular,
par-

The

Envoy is a marvel of rhythm, since,though it consists of thirtysix lines,

it contains but three rime-endings,
viz. -entf, -aille,
and
there is yet one
-ynde. Besides this addition,
more, in the middle
of the tale,
viz. the two stanzas in 11.995-1008, as pointed out in
the Notes

The story
conspicuousfor their excellence.
of Griselda,
told by Boccaccio,togetherwith Petrarch's Latin
as
version of it,and the letter of Petrarch to Boccaccio
concerning
of
it,are all reprintedin the Originalsand Analogues of some
Chaucer's
Canterbury Tales,Part II,publishedfor the Chaucer
Society,and dated (in advance) 1875. Were
any additional
proof needed that Chaucer had Petrarch's version before him, it
is suppliedby the fact that numerous
sion
quotationsfrom that verare
actuallywritten in the margins of the pages of the Ellesand Hengwrt MSS., each in its proper
mere
place. All the
; they are

'

See E

See E

27, 40.

'
this Petrark wryleth*And yet Wart on could imagine
147
that Chaucer
did not use a copy of Petrarch's version, hut only wrote
from recollection of what he had heard 1 Besides,see 11.42-55.

"

INTRODUCTION.

XXX11

that

passages

made

are

clearer

by

comparison with

duly considered in the Notes.

Warton
Speaking of the story of Griselda,

text

are

became

so

popular in France, that

mystery in French

Marquh[f] de Saluces,in
year, the French
and

there

remarks

the comedians

the year

of Paris

'

soon

sented
repre-

version

is

different version
entirely

in Le

in the

Before,or

1393.

prose
an

that it

verse, entitled Le mystere de Griselidis

Menagier de

library. Lydgate,almost Chaucer's

entitled the Temple of Glass,among

Paris

same
posed,
com-

was

Imperial

in the

contemporary, in his poem

lovers

the celebrated

the walls of the Temple, mentions

on

Latin

the

Dido, Medea

painted
Jason,

and

tram,
Patient Griselda,Belle Isoulde and Sir TrisPenelope, Alcestis,
Pyramus and Thisbe, Theseus, Lucretia,Canace, Palamon,
and Emilia.' Elsewhere
Warton
remarks
(Hist.Eng. Poetry,ed.
Hazlitt,iv. 229, note 3) that 'the affecting
story of Patient Grisild
of the
to have long kept up its celebrity. In the books
seems
in 1565, Owen
Rogers has a licence to print'a Ballad
Stationers,
entituled the

Songe of Pacyent Gressell

Registr.A. fol. 132, b. Two

of

tune

T.

pacyente Gressell"

Colwell

has

licence

G resell; ibid. fol. 139,

Hazlitt's Handbook

to

ballads

are

entered

; ibid. fol. 135,

a.

print The Historyof

Instances

a.

hyr make

vnto

occur

much

in
In

'

[husband];

1565, "to the

the

meke

same

and

lower.'

year

pacyent
See

also

of

Early English Literature.

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

of

Henry
In

VIII's

reign,is lost.'

Italythe story is

so

common

it is still often

acted

in

in common
had, moreover,
chapbooks, and a series of cheap picturesrepresentingvarious scenes
often be seen
in it may
decorating cottage-walls. (Notes and
thing was done in England.
Queries,5 S. i. 105, 255). The same
marionette

theatres

; it is to be

that

SQUIRE'S

THE

'We

in the

Our
Of

country do

xxxiii

TALE.

not

scorn

ballads to adorn

walls with

patientGrissel

and

the Lord

of Lorn.*

Kitsou's Ancient

Mr. Hales
in

tellsme

that several

excellent

an

Songs,i. xcviii.

of the tale

scenes

in
pictureby Pinturicchio,

well

are

the

hibited
ex-

National

Gallery.
For

remarks

the conduct

upon

of the tale and the character

of

the

Mr. Hales's criticisms in the Percy Folio MS., Hi.

see
heroine,
and Analogues of Chaucer,Part II,pp. 173421, and in Originals
176. There are also a few good remarks on it in Canterbury
Tales from Chaucer, by J. Saunders,p. 308, where the author
pointsout that,as the Marquis was Griselda's feudal lord,she
could but say
asked to marry
him, the askingbeing
yes when
form ; and
that the spiritof chivalryappears
a
in her
mere
'

'

devotion
The

which

of herself to

Squire's

Tale.

has most

resisted all

originalfor it,and
of
'

his every

never

been

This

because

Arabian

wish.

tale is

conspicuousas being the

attempts

to

discover

of its connection

fiction.

Tyrwhitt

remarks

immediate

an

with

the characteristics

Chaucer

part of

had

able to discover its probableoriginal,

and yet would

remarking that

is connected

with

edition of Chaucer's

my

he

that

be very hardly brought to believe that the whole, or

considerable part of it,was
of Chaucer's invention.'
It is worth

one

an

there is justone
Arabian

treatise

on

other

writer.
the

case

I have

even

any

in which

shewn, in

Astrolabe,that

large

immediatelyderived from a Latin version of a treatise

written by Messahala,an Arabian
a Jew,
astronomer, by religion
who flourished towards
the end of the eighthcentury. So also
of The
in the case
Squire'sTale, we may suspect that it was
that Chaucer
Latin medium
made
through some
acquaintance
I
fortunate in havingfound a more
with Arabian fiction. But
am
of the poem.
I shall shew
direct clue to some
part, at least,
the Travels of Marco
that one of his sources
Polo '.
was
presently
1

it is

Only

VOL

II.

few

hours

after

writingthis
C

sentence, I found

that Mr.

INTRODUCTION.

XXXIV

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

convenience.

Canterbury Tales,'says Warton, 'are unequal, and of

tion
various merit.
Few
perhaps,if any, of the stories are the invenI have alreadyspoken at largeof the Knight's
of Chaucer.
of the
of our
author's noblest compositions. That
Tale, one
Canterbury Tales which deserves the next place,as written in
'The

scribes
higher strain of poetry, and the poem by which Milton deand
The
characterises
Chaucer, is the Squire'sTale.
imaginationof this story consists in Arabian fiction engraftedon
Gothic
chivalry. Nor is this Arabian fiction purely the sport of
Arabian
founded
on
arbitraryfancy : it is in great measure
the

learning. Cambuscan,

King of Tartary,celebrates his

his palaceat Sarra with the most

festival in the hall of

magnificence.
alarmed

by

on

cease

These

presents

were

in honour

skilful movement

and

transportedhis
space

of

fly in

the

in the

could
as

occasion

to

the

with

the

happen
hidden

and

all the

solemnity,the guests are

unexpected spectacle: the minstrels

assemblyis hushed

sent

by

to

the

King

of his feast.

The

the most

twenty-four hours
air with

the

swiftness

call.

stand
on

The

of

treason.

the

of

an

sudden

The

India to

Brass,on

the

springs,

secret

rider

eagle :

motionless

Mirror

and

region of the world

for,as

of

certain

distant

of

machinations

surprise,
silence,

of Arabia
Horse

of

management

shewing any future

Cambuscan's
kingdom, and

power

in

11.77-88.

rider into

his master's

royal

of the

required,he could
strongest force,vanish

at

return

see

suspense

Cambuscan,

midst

miraculous

sudden, and

and
'

the

In

day
birth-

at

and

again,

in

opposition
command, and

of Glass
disasters

endued

was

which

discovered
Naked

chose, he

the

Sword

might
most

could

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

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

INTRODUCTION.

XXXVI

castle of

Clerimond, declares to those two princestheir royal

told by William
of Malmesbury that Pope
are
parentage. We
who
lived in the eleventh
SylvesterII,a profoundmathematician
brazen
a
head, which would speak when spoken
century, made
resolved many
difficult questions. Albertus
to, and oracularly
also a profound adept in those sciences which
Magnus, who was
is said to have framed
were
a man
taughtby the Arabian schools,
of brass,which
not
questionsreadilyand truly,
only answered
but was
so
loquacious,that Thomas
Aquinas, while a pupil of
Magnus, and afterwards an Angelic doctor, knocked
piecesas the disturber of his abstruse speculations.This

it

Albertus
in

about

the

year

Much

1240.

in the

same

the

manner,

notion

was

of

of a concealed
by means
engine
knight'shorse being moved
corresponds with their pretences of producing preternatural
their love of surprisingby geometrical powers.
and
effects,
of the Arabian
Exactly in this notion,Rocail,a giant in some
is said to have built a palace,together with his own
romances,
sepulchre,of most magnificentarchitecture and with singular
of gigantic
artifice: in both of these he placed a great number
statues or images,figuredof different metals by talismanic skill,
of some
occult
in consequence
which
machinery, performed
and
looked like livingmen.
We
add
must
actions of real life,
the Arabian
that astronomy, which
philosophersstudied with a
singularenthusiasm,had no small share in the compositionof this
our

steed.

miraculous

"

He
He
Er

by

wroughte

coude

ful many

gin ;

constellacion,
a
way ted many
he had don this operation."(11.128

the Orientals

fabricated
brazen

that it

the buckler

Thus

among

For, says the poet,

the

of the Arabian
as

powers

giant Ben

that of Achilles among

of

astronomy, and

head, just mentioned, was

130.)

Gian,

as

famous

the

Greeks, was
Pope Sylvester's

prepared under

the. influence

of certain constellations.
'

Natural

pursuitof

likewise a favourite
was
magic,improperlyso called,
the Arabians,by which
they imposed false appear-

SQUIRE'S

THE

ances

the

on

spectator.

that

supposes

fiction before

in the

us,

hall believed

guests in Cambuscan's

of the

some

Chaucer,

xxxvii

TALE.

effected by the
Trojan horse to be a temporary illusion,
of magic (1.218).
power
suited the
of study which
likewise a branch
Optics were
natural genius of the Arabian
and which they purphilosophers,
sued

the

'

with

incredible

Aristotelic
refined

philosophywhich,

and

This

delight.

filled with

science

thousand

strange knight'sMirror

of

before

I have

as

was

part of the

observed,they
Hence

extravagances.

Glass, prepared

on

the

our

most

found
pro-

of art,and endued
with preternatural
qualities
principles
(11.225-234,
132-141).
in 1. 232, an
Arabic
'Alcen, or Alhazen, mentioned
sopher,
philoof perspective,
and flourished about
wrote
books
seven
the eleventh century. Vitellio,
formed
the same
on
school,was
likewise

books

ten

by Chaucer,
described by

similar

as

Mirror

Roman

Perspective. The

on

of the middle

mathematician

eminent

an

this of the

to

ages, and

here

wrote

mentioned

strange knight,is thus

Gower:
Whan

"

Rome

stood

whicli
Virgile,

in noble

plight,

tho

parfite,
mirrour made
of his clergye[by his skill],
And
sette it in the townes
sigh:]
ye [eye,
Of marbre
withoute,
on
a
piller
That
mile aboute,
they,by thritty
By day and eek also by nighte
In that mirrour beholde mighte
was

Her
'

the

The

Oriental

ennemies, if any

writers relate that

of the

Solomon

Persians

bk.

were;" Conf-Amant.

Giamschid,one

and

their

of their

Alexander

the

v.

kings,
Great,

his inestimable
treasures
possessed among
cups, globes,and
of which
he and
mirrors,of metal,glass,and crystal,
by means
his people knew
all natural as well as supernaturalthings. The
'

title of
Mirror
ancient

an

Arabian

which

book

reflects the World.

Turkish

from

translated

poet: "When

There
I

am

the Persian

is
"

is this passage

purifiedby

the

The
in

an

light of

INTRODUCTION.

XXXV111

soul will become

heaven,my

I shall discern

opinionthat
Joseph'scup
all nature

the

all abstruse

secrets."

the Orientals

took

of divination

and

of the

mirror

world,in

Monsieur

these

notions

Nestor's

is of

Herbelot

from
in

cup

which

the

Homer,

patriarch
on

which

symbolically
represented. Our great countryman
Roger Bacon, in his Opus Majus, a work entirelyformed on the
Aristotelic and Arabian
philosophy,describes a varietyof Specula,
and explainstheir construction
is the most
and uses.
This
curious
and
extraordinarypart of Bacon's book, which was
written
about the year 1270.
Bacon's optictube,with which he
pretended to see future events, was famous in his age, and long
of a
afterwards,and chieflycontributed to give him the name
magician. This art, with others of the experimentalkind, the
fond of adapting to the purphilosophersof those times were
poses
of thaumaturgy ; and there is much
occult and chimerical
was

in
speculation

the discoveries

which

Bacon

affects to

have

made

from

opticalexperiments. He asserts (and I am obligedto cite

the passage in his own
mysteriousexpressions)omnia sciri per
actiones rerum
fiunt secundum
Perspectivam,quoniam omnes
ab agentibushujus mundi
specierum et virtutum multiplicationem
"c. * Spenser feignsthat the magician
in materias
patientes,'
made
Merlin
a
glassyglobe,and presented it to King Ryence,
the approach of enemies, and discovered treasons,
which showed
which
exactlycorresponds with
(F. Q^iii.2. 21). This fiction,
from
Chaucer's
Mirror, Spenser borrowed
some
romance,
haps
perthe
of King Arthur, fraught with Oriental fancy. From
'

(cantox),where
future

kingdoms

report

an

conversant.

All

thingscan

thingstake
means

They

the

Lusiad

Gama, representing
he

sees

Spanish historians
more
probably invented by
fables in which
they were

events.

pretended

that

The

some

years

before

the

of
because
all operations
by Perspective,
of
forms
and
forces,
by
multiplication
materials.'
agents, upon yielding
known

place accordingto the

of this world's

de

in

system of the world,in which

the Saracen

on

Camoens

to Vasco

but
tradition,

built

be

or

shown

future

and

American

themselves,and

globe is

universal fabric

the

so

like fiction of

came

sources

same

SQUIRE'S

THE

xxxix

TALE.

Spaniardsentered Mexico, the inhabitants caught

fowl of unusual
magnitude and shape on the lake of
the

of this wonderful

of the head

crown

bird there

monstrous

Mexico.
was

In

mirror

their future invaders

in which the Mexicans
saw
plateof glass,
afterwards
the Spaniards,and all the disasters which
happened
in the
to their kingdom.
These
remained, even
superstitions
Cornelius
doctrines of philosophers,
long after the darker ages.
Agrippa,a learned physicianof Cologne about the year 1520,
and
author of a famous
book
the Vanity of the Sciences,
on
or

mentions

speciesof

mirror

absent,at command.
to the
poeticalEarl

In

which

exhibited

of these

one

the form

of persons

he is said to have

Surrey the image of

shown

his

mistress,the
beautiful Geraldine,sick and reposingon a couch.
Nearly allied
the infatuation of seeingthings in a beryl,which was
to this was
speare
very popular in the reign of James I,and is alluded to by Shake(Meas. for Meas. ii.2. 95.)
Naked
The
Sword, another of the giftspresentedby the
with medical
and
virtues,
strange knight to Cambuscan, endued
is likewise an Arabian
solid armour,
hard as to piercethe most
so
It was
idea.
suggested by their skill in medicine,by which
stances,
to various subhealingqualities
they affected to communicate
and by their knowledge of tempering iron and hardening
It is the classical spear of Peleus,perhaps
all kinds of metal.
of

'

fabricated
originally

in the

same

regions

of

fancy; see

11. 236-

246.
'

sword

The
the

to

magic

hero

Berni, in the Orlando

Ruggiero, is tempered by much
which

Innamorato, gives
the

brando

Che

con

tal arte

fabbricato,

n
l
;
tagliaincanto, ed ogni fatagione

Orl. Innamor.

also his continuator

"

Non

Ariosto

ii. 17, ft.5.

vale incanto, ov'ella mette

il

*
;
taglio

Orl. Fur.

'

That
and

of

"II

So

sort

same

sword, wrought with such

every

Enchantment

charm.'

I correct

avails not, where

the

"

'

xli. 83.

ment
art, that it cuts through enchantin
these
errors
quotations.

it inflictsa cut.

xl

INTRODUCTION.

the notion

And

like the

could resist all incantations is

that this weapon

fiction above

mentioned

of the

buckler

Arabian

of the

ments
Gian, which baffled the force of charms and enchantmade
by giantsor demons.
Spenser has a sword endued
the metal of which
the magician Merlin
with the same
efficacy,
mixed
with the juice of meadowwort, that it might be proof
againstenchantment
; and afterwards,having forged the blade
in the flames of Etna, he gave
it hidden
virtue by dippingit
From
of Styx ; F. Q.,ii.
times in the bitter waters
8. 20.
seven
the same
originis also the golden lance of Berni,which Galafron
vincible
King of Cathaia,father of the beautiful Angelica and the inchampion Argalia,procured for his son by the help of
of such irresistible power,
that it
a
magician. This lance was
unhorsed a knight the instant he was
touched with its point;

giantBen

Spenser is armed with the

enchanted
made
same
was
by Bladud, an ancient
spear, which
British king skilled in magic ; F. Q^iii.3. 60; iv. 6. 6 ; iii.i. 10.
The
Ring, a giftto the king'sdaughter Canace, which taught
the language of birds,is also quite in the styleof some
others
OH.

i. i. 43.

Innamor.

Britomart

in

'

of the occult sciences

fashion

the
in

of

But

of the

the

Solomon.

dispatchedto
trusty bird

was

Solomon

confidant

that

it is

give language to brutes

the language of birds was
to understand
liarly
pecuboasted sciences of the Arabians,who
pretend

language of

Their

Saba, had

that

inventive philosophers;and

fabulists to

of their countrymen

that many

or

of the Oriental

general.
one

of these

have

birds

writers relate

ever

been

ledge
know-

skilled in the

since

the

time

of

King

Balkis,the Queen of Sheba

bird called Hudbud, that is,a lapwing,which
she
various occasions,
and that this
on
King Solomon
the

of their

messenger

having
Balkis

been

that

secretlyinformed

intended

to

We

amours.

honour

him

by

are

this

with

told

winged
a

grand

embassy, enclosed a spacious square with a wall of gold and

silver bricks,in which he ranged his numerous
dants
troops and attenin order to receive the ambassadors,who
astonished
were
at the suddenness
of these splendidand unexpected preparations.
Herbelot tells a curious story of an Arab feedinghis camels in a

SQUIRE'S

THE

xli

TALE.

who was
accosted for a draught of water by
wilderness,
solitary
famous Arabian
a
commander, who had been separated
Alhejaj,
from his retinue in hunting. While
talkingtogether,
they were
time an unusual
their heads,making at the same
a bird flew over
which the camel-feeder
sort of noise,
hearing,looked steadfastly
who he was.
on
Alhejaj,not choosing to
Alhejaj,and demanded
him

return

This

of the
the
'

While

he

this

bird

way,

and

Alhejaj's
speaking,

was

arrived.

wonderful

Ring also imparted to

formed
of plants,which
qualities

Arabian

of

the

wearer

knowledge

important part

an

of

philosophy.

reader

Every

instead

of that

reason
"

the chief of them."

are

attendants
'

the

to know

Because," replied the camel-feeder,

that a company
of people is coming this

me

that you

desired

"

question.
assures

direct answer,

our

of

author's

imagination must
regret that,
detail of the quaint effects of

and

taste

tedious

Canace's

and talks
ring,in which a falcon relates her amours,
of Troilus,Paris,and Jason,the notable achievements
familiarly
we
may suppose to have been performed by the assistance of the
horse of brass are
either lost,
that this part of the story,by
or
far the most
After the strange
written.
was
never
interesting,
of this
the management
knight has explained to Cambuscan
magical courser, he vanishes on a sudden, and we hear no more
of him; 11. 302-343.
These
By such inventions we are willingto be deceived.
the triumphs of deception over
truth:
are
'

"

This
but

reader

only proves

curious

will

probably be

that he

us

te

splendidfalsehood,when

them

preporre ?

discourse

whence
drew

quando

led

il
*

"

vero
'

worth

is well
to

remark,

Chaucer
from

drew
some

perusal
;

that
his

Arabian

Warton

materials,
source.

is truth so beautiful that one can prefer

her to thee ?
in misprints,
In Warton's book, the Italian quotations
abound
all of which are removed
in Hazlitt's edition. I cannot
not
al vcro,'
there printed.
construe
as
'

hor

and

after all tell

not

but

"

learned

the

does

Magnanima mensogna,
Si bello, che si possa

'

'

xlii
That
be

INTRODUCTION.

source

shewn

found

in

the

This

out.

Colonel
been

the

on

passage

refer,is as follows

of Cambuscan
Mr.

edition

easilynow
reading
;

pointed
note
by

in this

but

has been

Keightley,as

Yule's

extent, either

some

on

of

which

Polo, with

not

me

most

trace

of Marco

I have

said above.
to which

Polo

"

Before
what

the

name

point
partingwith Chingis [or Gengis Khan] let me
has not to my knowledge been suggestedbefore,that
of
bold
in Chaucer's
Cambuscan
tale is only a corruption
of the name
of Chinghiz. The
of the conqueror
name
"

"

in Friar Ricold

appears

Cambuscan

to

to

Arabian

the

as

may

of Marco

channel

some

name

in Colonel

rest, we

to

will

magical particulars

known

acquainted

suggestion occurred

Yule

out

through

the

now

the

travels

been

long anticipated
by

The

'

the

have

must

immediatelyor

For

to
descriptions

Chaucer

for,as
distinctly;

little more

collection

Nights' Entertainments.
the

fullybelow, nearly all

more

be

to

are

be indicated

may

clerical

as

presents

out
corruption

Yule, i. 218.
On
applying to
of the

Camiuscan, from

which

Camius
difficulty.

no

of

Palmer

for

was,

Canjus or CianjusS

Professor

the transition

Marco

information

suppose,

Polo,ed.
as

to

the

he

kindlypointed out to me
that,in the
Turk-Oriental
Dictionnaire
by M. Pavet de Courteille (Paris,
plained
1870),
(asM. de Courteille spells
it)is exp. 289, the word djengtiiz
than
to mean
simply^rart.Thus ChingisKhan is no more
title of
Great Khan ; and Cambuscan
merely represents the same
Great
Khan, which appears so repeatedlyin Marco Polo's travels.

meaning

succession

The

name,

of supreme

Great

or

Khans

was

as

follows:"

(i)

Chinghiz; (2)Okkadai ; (3)Kuyuk ; (4)Mangku ; (5)Kublai,"c.

firstof these is always known
The
though his
by the simpletitle,
real name
was
Temugin ; the second was his son ; and the third,
all his grandsons. The
fourth, and fifth were
descriptionsin
Marco
Marco
Polo refer to Kublai
Khan, who died in 1294.
describes
'

The

whose

his person

with

minuteness

some

personalappearance
is Cublay, is
name

of the Great
such

as

I shall

:
"

Kaan,
now

Lord

of

-tell you.

Lords,
He

is

xliv

INTRODUCTION.

existed from

hath

the

of

time

Adam

father

first

our

until

'

Cf. Sq. Ta. 14.

day; Marco Polo,ed. Yule, i. 295.
The empire fell to him because
and valour
of his ability
great worth, as was rightand reason
; id. i. 296. Cf. Sq. Ta.
this

and

'

'

'

He

had

often

gallantsoldier
Ta. 23.
In Book

been

and

to

the

excellent

an

ii.ch. 4, is

had
'

captain;

and
of

age

In

actingwith astonishing
vigour and
seventy-three.

Book

ii. ch.

subdued

then

standards
the

had

Christians

that their

Christians

which

on

had

Cross

not

that

Sq. Ta.

Cf.

His
He

the
'

Cross

The

had

done

he
bore

the

battle,
told

were

reproved

part well in

its

of your

Cross

at the

of whom

some

son,
per-

whom

enemy

was

did well

God

in

help againstthe right.'

[the rebel chief]no

him

it gave

the

296. Cf. Sq.

even
rapidity,

in his army,

Cross

scoffers,
saying that
the rebels.
assisting

the

id. i.

displayed. After
bitterlytaunted with this,and
But
Kublai
not
helped them.

the

were

that

it is related

5,

himself

shown

taking the fieldin

of his

account

an

and

wars,

16.

16-21.

rewards

his

to

captainsare

described

fullyin chap.

7.

plate,ornaments, 'fine jewels of gold

that the
and
and silver,
pearlsand precious stones ; insomuch
that fell to each of them
amount
was
something astonishing.'
them

gave

silver

Cf.

in

Sq. Ta. 26.

His palace,' the greatest palace that ever
was,' is described
It was
situate 'in the capitalcity of Cathay,
chap. 10.

which
dine

is called Cambaluc?

fallow

60-62,
'

And

palace

'

could

easily

people.' The

6000

of fine trees
and

hall of the

The

full
were
parks within its enclosure
and
beasts of sundry kinds,such as white stags
Cf. Sq. Ta.
deer, gazelles,and roebucks,'"c.
'

392.

when

occasion,it
deal above

the great Kaan

is in

the

this

sits at

fashion.

His

others,and he sits at
the south, with his

looking towards
the left,'
"c. ; i. 338.

Near

the

table

table

table

on

is elevated

the north
chief
is

any great court

wife

end

of

beside

good
the hall,
a

him

on

golden butt,at each

MARCO

of which

corner

from

the

is

former

of smaller

one

the

wine

Xlv

POLO.

size

with

flavoured

beverage

or

'
and
firkin,

holding a

fine and

when
'And
costlyspicesis drawn off into the latter;'i. 339.
the Emperor is going to drink,all the musical instruments, of
which

he

has vast

'

of every

kind, begin to play; i. 340.

I will say nought about
the dishes,as
ceive
easilyconmay
you
that there is a great plentyof
And
every possiblekind.
when
all have dined and the tables have been
removed, then
store

'

come

in

sorts

of

wonderful

77-79,
'

You

Kaan

know

must

and

all the

the

Kaan,

On

Tartars

of his

and

robes, all

that

governments

Cf.

Sq. Ta.

also holds

44-47,

world,

allegianceto

owe

orders

prescriptionor

beaten

in the

Tartars

yearly
Great

birthday,the
wrought with

his

on

great presents according

according as

festival

keep high

birthdayalso,all the

offer him

Kaan

i. 340.

Now

best

his

i. 344.

amount;'

countries

and
ability,

The

'

the

that

in the

gold ;' i. 343.

jugglers,
adepts at all
Cf. Sq. Ta.
59-68,

playersand

219.

birthdays.

dresses

of

feats,'"c.

266-271, 218,

their

on

great number

their several

to

fixed the

have

110-114.

feast called the

'

Feast

White

'

on

New-

the customary
you, among
presents there shall be offered to the Kaan from various
than 100,000
white horses,beautiful animals,and
quarters more
that

'On

year'sday.

day,

assure

can

richlycaparisoned;' i. 346.
When
he goes on
a
hunting expedition, he takes with him
full 10,000 falconers,
and
some
gerfalconsbesides peregrines,
500
'

sakers,and other hawks

another
in

'

grand park

mew;' i. 365.
hawking.' At

of

At

p.

'

220

p. 260
37 the
we

includingthat
flesh,

of

Cf.

Sq. Ta.

424-429,

are

',
he

'

where

did

Kubla

he

is described

peregrine falcons

i. 358.

of horses

and

He

also has

keeps his gerfalcons

again as 'very fond
are

told that the Tartars

dogs, and

described particularly
'eat

all kinds

Pharaoh's

rats.'

69-71.

Xanadu.
EvidentlyShangtu,Coleridge's

"In Xanadu

'

great number;

at Chandu

At
p.

in

Khan/

"c.

See his well-known

lines"

xl VI

INTR

In

'

This

tower.'

maister

tour.'

Still

used

was

vol. ii. p. 148.

fire;see

UCTION.

great cityof Kinsay 'there

the

stands

OD

This

in

of

case

illustrate Chaucer's

to

is the

which

on

alarm-tower

serve

may

eminence

an

an

as

curious

more

is

of the

account

cityof
silver,
.

Mien,

with its two

which

'form

These

towers

covered

towers

of

one

the

finest

with

platesof gold and

sights in the world;'

however, part of

were,

mausoleum.

Cf.

ii. 73.

Sq. Ta.

176, 226.
The

worthy of
'

north.

There

country; and
to him

'

of Russia

are

they

strong defiles and

many

tribute

passes

by

of Poland

Batu

and

the Russian

Col.

fire and

sword

some
(1237-38),

Khan

Silesia.

cities as

to

this passage
with

overrun

was

Torshok

pay

On

Yule, ii. 417.

Russia

is also

the

great province,lying towards

very

nobody except
[i.e.West],whose name
king of the Ponent
but only a trifle.'
indeed they pay tribute,

Tartar

ed.

invasion

attention.
is
[Russia]

Rosia

the Tartar

about

followingnote

Tartar

the

Polo,
note"

Tver

as

years before

Rostov

certain

Marco

far

as

the

is Toctai

has

Yule

were
tax-gatherers

far north

to

in

and

his invasion

established

in

and

and for
Jaroslawl,
many
years Russian princesas far as Novgorod paidhomage to the
Mongol Khans in their court at Sarai 1. Their subjectionto the
Khans
not such a trifle as Polo
to imply ; and at least
seems
was
dozen
a
princes met their death at the hands of the Mongol
as

executioner.'
of the

Some

Mongolian Tartars,known

conquered a part of
the Empire of
exercised
war;
Russia

and
was

S.E.

there.

1383 Moscow

by

crushed

the

This

In

1380

Horde,'

another

was

general of

Ivan

Tartar
III in

Golden Horde
vast

so

space.

'

Golden

in 1242

The

reasonable

is Chaucer's

1223;

burnt.

was

Haydn's Dictionaryof Dates, under

The
whole
subject of magic is
deal with it within

in

'

the

lished
they estabKaptschak (S.E.Russia),and

of

the Khan

great influence
in

Russia

as

Sarra

that

I must

'

; see

note

and

Tartar

1481.

See

Russia.

it is not

therefore

to F 9.

in

power

easy
content

to

myselfwith pointingout

few

worthy of being here noted.

in
the Magic Horse appears
mond; see Keightley'sTales
has

put him

to

describes him

as

of Provence

Peter

is governed

by

"c.
bridle,'

But

the

best

see

memorable
'

references,
"c.,that

the

tale of Cleomades

and

Popular

Fictions.

in his Don

use

wooden

that very

xlvii

RING.

MAGIC

THE

horse

upon

most

seem

and

Clare-

Cervantes

Quixote, where
which

he

the valiant

Magalona *. This horse

for a
pin he has in his forehead,which serves
translation,vol. ii.chap,xl.,ed. 1809.
Jarvis's
fair

off the

carried

story of the

Enchanted

Horse

is in the Arabian

Nights'Entertainments,where he is said to have been presented

by an Indian to the king of Persia on the New Day, i.e.on the
first day of the solar year, at the vernal equinox. This horse is
governed by a peg in his neck, which was turned round when
the Arabian
tainment,
it was
Nights'Enternecessary for him to fly: see
publishedby Nimmo, 1865, p. 483 ; or the excellent
edition by Lane, vol. ii.p. 463, which varies considerably
from the
more
populareditions. Consult also the Storyof the Cityof Brass,
in Lane's Arabian Nights,iii.128 ; and the Legend of the Arabian
in the Tales of the Alhambra
Astrologer,
by Washington Irving.
The
tale of Cleomades
is alluded to, says Mr. Keightley,in
Caxton's
edition of Reynart the Foxe, printed in 1481, in the
that a
32nd chapter2. He also cites a note by Sir F. Madden
of Cleomades
was
purchased by Sir Thomas
copy of the poem
Phillippsat Mr. Lang's sale in 1828 ; that an undated edition
of the Histolre Plaisante
Clamades

et de la

Les Aventures
Mr. Lane

Arabian

with

Mr.

identical with

du noble et excellent cbe-ualier

Recreative

belle Clermonde

de Clamades

agrees

Cleomades

ft

printedat Troyes ;
et Clarmonde
appeared in Paris
Keightleyin consideringthe
that

was

of

Nights' Entertainments,

the
and

Enchanted
in

and

Horse

supposing that

that

in 1733.

Tale

of

in the
it

was

Mr. Keightley
shews, in his Tales and Popular Fictions,p. 75, that
.Cervantes has confused
two
stories,(i) that of a prince carrying off
a

princesson
a

horse ; and (2) that of Peter of Provence

a wooden
the
fair
with
Magalona.
away
See Arber's reprint,
p. 85. Reynard,"c.

ning
run-

xlviil

INTRODUCTION.

a Persian
originally
story. Mr.
'

Afsdneh

HezaY

It is not

of

out

heard

thinks

of the

edition,ii.491.

story. Perhaps,then, we

that the story, originally

Persian,found
thence
and

into

it would

Spain ;

thence

be

the

it derived from

place to observe that the town

in Cleomades, and we
have seen

frequentlymentioned
had

his

'; see

Lane

translated

then

its way

that

may

into

be written

soon

of Seville is
vantes
Cer-

suppose

Arabic,

down

in

and

Latin,

into

French, and become

generally
This
have
known.
must
happened, too, at an earlyperiod; for
of Cleomades, extending to some
French
the
romance
19,000
written by a poet named
Adenes
surnamed
was
lines,
octosyllabic
the years 1275
le Roi, a native of Brabant,between
and 1283;
see
Keightley'sTales,p. 40.
Ihe

Magic

is much

Mirror

which
furnished with glass,
wish

objecthe might
the Prince

Ahmed

while to pursue

alreadybeen
The

the

the

same

enabled

to behold.

and

Nights'Entertainments

the

the

as

the

This

user

magic ivorytube,

of it to

see

in the tale of

fancyoccurs

Fairy Pari Banou,

as

(Nimmo, 1865),
p. 501.
Warton's
subjectfurther,as

whatever

told in Arabian

It is hardlyworth
have

comments

cited.

Magic Ring is
partlyof brass

be

to

referred

to

the

story of the seal-ring

tained
obpartlyof iron,by which Solomon
the evil Jinn ; see Lane's Arabian Nights,i. 31,
over
power
and consult the article on Finger-ringsin the British Quarterly
The
notion of its conferring
Review, July,1874, pp. 195, 204.
the power
of understanding the language of
the wearer
upon
made

birds is connected

which

Solomon

and

with

it,because

possessed;

by Sale, that

'Solomon

we

read

was

of the faculties

in the

David's

was

one

Koran,
heir; and

speech of birds

"

as

he

lated
trans-

said,

'

taught the
; ch. xxvii.
A clever Arabic epigram of the thirteenth century, ascribingto
King Solomon a knowledge of the languageof birds and beasts,is
Palmer's
cited in Professor
History of the Jewish Nation, at
understood
the languageof birds; Hudib.
Even Hudibras
p. 93.
"

men,

pt. i.

c.

With

we

have

been

for

this

i. 1. 547.

regard to

the

Falcon,Leigh

Hunt

has well

observed,in

TALE

THE

his

Essay

human

Wit

on

and

being, in

true,

temporary

as

and

like

that

Cock

how

seen

is

and

something
'

bird appears

in the

last in

the
Sister,

but it is not

than

fable

mere

story had

her

to

been

pleted,
com-

should

first shape,by means,

11.559,

the Sisters who

editions

some

story become

we
gat her love again,'

restored

Storyof

the

more

If the

Fox.

Falcon

was

of

hints,of the magic ring; see

Chaucer

as

she

of

state

is

evidently'a
cumstance
metempsychosis,a cirEast.'
This is certainly

circumstances

the

shewing how

that this bird

in tales of the

meaningless;it
of the

FALCON.

THE

Humour,

very common
the
otherwise

poor

have

OF

652.

envied

their

talking

Younger

of the Arabian

transformed.

On

story of Beder, Prince of Persia,in the

the

same

tainments,
Nights' Enterother hand, in the
collection
which,
"

formed
magic ring we find Prince Beder transinto a white bird, and recoveringhis shape on
being
sprinkledwith magic water ; but he does not speak while so
guage
metamorphosed. The story of a boy who understands the lanof birds occurs
in the Seven
Sages,ed. Wright, p. 106 ; and
Mr. Wright shews,in his Introduction,that such oriental tales
and
in Europe in the thirteenth
of great antiquity,
known
are

the way,

by

mentions

century. He

refers the reader

leur Introduction

ft sur

"

en

to

an

Europe,by

Essai

M.

sur

les Fables

Indiennes,

Deslongchamps,published

in 1838.
The

reader

should

expressionsin

some

of Queen

forgetthe
Squire'sTale

not

the

hint at p. xvii

above, that

taken

the poem

are

from

Annelida.

ending of the Squire'sTale, two attempts

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

.p.2

4.

VOL.

respectto

the

friend of Milton's
H.

father;see Masson, Life of Milton,i. 42.

INTRODUCTION.

GRAMMATICAL

For

Chaucer's

English,I

to Dr. Morris's

ed.

remarkable

the

of the

remarks

well to the extracts

most

Grammatical
refer

may

edition

The

1872).

the

of

account

an

FORMS.

reader

the

printedin

of

made

the

to

Prologue, "c.

there

occurring

Forms

Introduction

; pp. xxxi-xlii

(srd

apply equally

course

A few

present volume.
are, for

features of the grammar

in

of the

convenience,

cited

here,with examples and references.

here state, by the way, that
(I may
time
of English in Chaucer's
pronunciation
Introduction

to

Clarendon

Press

K"ouns.

The

the

stem

two

nominative

divested

dayes,nyghte,the
dots

two

over

the

Here

stems

are

man,

-es

the

signifythat

in

-es

wyues,

and

-e

is

-es

in the

Tale, in

mostly used

the

where

the form

is meant

of inflection ;

the suffixes

Ex.
syllable.)
92.

found

Series.)

when

last words

will be

of Lawes

Man

pluralin
is monosyllabic.(By the stem

substantive
man,

of The

edition

my

of the

account

some

of the

thus, taking the

words

day-,nyght-,since in the
inflectional. Also, the
are
the suffix

forms

-es

tinct
dis-

woundes, 62 ; fere's,
70 ; muses,

59 ;

the

monosyllabicstem gives rise to a dissyllabic

form,
constitutinga separate syllable.
-es
plural-ending

When

the stem

is sometimes

does

written

increase

not

lordinges,
16;
The

122.

The

has
-s

the

two

the plural-ending
syllables,

more

or

(or-")and

sometimes

number

syllables.Ex.

of

48; loueres,
53;

metres,

sermouns,

pluralhors is worth

neuter

-es, but

notice

the

ending
degrees,
812;

87; marchauntz,

; see

1823.

B
singularcommonly ends in -es, as godd'e's,
mann'e's,
1166, 1169, 1175;
1630; ivyu'e's,
1631. An example of
A still
in sonne
a feminine
strem'e's,
genitivein -e is seen
3944.
case

gen.

more

curious

mone

fyght,2070

A.S.
but

mona,

example,

the

the

this is

moon,

These

monan.

of

does

genitivein -e,
explained by remembering
a

masculine

not

examples

present forms

of

become

have
the

mones

in the

is

seen

in

that

the

genitive,

peculiar interest
of the days
names

as

plaining
ex-

of the

Hi

INTRODUCTION.

suffix used
In

influenced by the form of the stem.

considerably
this awkward
cases
especially
ending (awkward for verse
of two unaccented
would most easily
consisting
syllables)

some

because

was

pass into the form

whilst
often write

the

at

the

in others

-ed,and

ending in

the form

most

careful

the

time

same

into

full. In

word

-de in pronunciation,

scribes would

for example,
louede,

like

the easier way is to turn it into

been Chaucer's
usage, as seems

and such I consider to have

lov'de,
hinted by the followinglines in

the

340,

KnightesTale (11.
338, 339,
For

in this world

And

he lov'd' him

'

So

wel

Duk
So

too

and

rimes

rather the

medial
501,

method

which

are

that

the

suppressionof
he

was

shewn

as

one;

"c.,

in which

so,
;

booke's sayn

Arcite.'

In

1847.

cases

some

we

in

written,as

of this character

remarkable
the

-de

usual

more

man

ansiverde,B 1170, E 299, F 599,

andswarode
clearlystands for preyede,
; and againpreyd'e
with deydeand leyde,
E 548, although,in E 680,it takes
form preyed.

A.S.

Verbs

olde

as

lov'de wel

Perotheiis

no

tendrelyagayn

as

find '/ lov'ti' alwey ' in B

we

actuallyfind
from

"

lov'de

he

they lovd\

344)

do

not

to

omit

in words

the
like

poet

to

to

seems

final

swowned,

common.
sufficiently

this e, if we

contrives

to be numerous,

seem

have

But

had

instead
F

443,

and

the

of

the

F
eyled,

it is somewhat
aversion

some

for

cases
judge by the numerous
(he followingword
begin with

may

make

tolerable
vowel,which rendered the elision of the final -e more
F 560, demede, 563,
and regular. See, for example, peyntede,
full forms, unabridged and
569, couered(e),
obeyede,
644. The
640 ; and, in the
unelided,occur
occasionally,
e.g. seruede,E
plural,hatede,E 731 ; refuseden,128. This is an interesting
point,and deservingone day of being fullyworked out.
Particular attention should be paid to the forms of the past
and strong verbs.
The
tenses of weak
stem
being monosyllabic,
a

the

past tense

syllable;but

singularof
the

remain
necessarily

weak

verb

is of

more

than

one

singularof a strong verb must

noteworthy,
monosyllabic. This is the more

past tense

GRAMMATICAL

because

liii

FORMS.

and
frequently,
for so many
reasons, that the student is apt to lose sightof those
the best giiideto the spelling
which are
grammatical principles
of
clear cases
and
Amidst
the crowd
of inflections,
metre.
instructive
both
and valuable,and recal
non-inflection become
that governs
of the underlyingregularity
the reader to a sense
of
whole.
Note then the monosyllabicnature
the harmonious
words like sey, B i, took,10, shoon,n, stood,1163, bar, 1652, and
of others.
in the second person, where
Even
a
a
large number
final -e appears in the Oldest English,I find but few in Chaucer;
see, e.g. thou drank, B 3416; thou yaf, 3641, though these cases
not

are

1068

the final -e in Chaucer

because
decisive,
we

find Thou

is

pronounced

vowel

so

follows in both

bare,but here again the word

perhaps the form

(Group G, 1. 442) is a

and

bar

may

be

instances.
him

In

follows,

preferred. However, bigonne

clear instance

of inflection.

monosyllabicis seen in the

essentially
2nd
person singularof the imperativemood, though there are
a few
exceptions.Ex. tel,B 1167, help,1663, ryd, 3117, eet,3640,
real exception,
because
tak,3641. The word herkn'e,
113, is no
the stem is herkn-,
class
not berk- ; it belongs to that interesting
is best illustrated by the Moeso-Gothic
of verbs which
verbs in
have a passiveor neuter
The
signification.
-nan, all of which
frequently. Ex. gooth,
pluralimperativein -th or -eth occurs
B 3384, beth,E i,prechetb,
E 12.
But as, in addressing
bringeth,
thou and ye are
sometimes
confused
(thoughin
persons, the words
as
pointed out in the Notes),it is not
generalwell distinguished,
For example,in the
to find the final -th omitted.
uncommon
the Clerk at the beginning of the Clerk's
to
address
Host's
Tale, he endeavours to use the respectfulterms ye and your, but
find
we
once
raps out the familiar thy (1.14); and accordingly,
after
in 11. 9, 15, and keepein 1. 17.
not
telleth,
Similarly,
telle,
Another

draiueth

class of words

in B

1632,

we

have

in the

next

line

passe and

lat

us.

of
In the past participles
E 127, with
chese,130.
accepteth,
weak
as in parverbs,the final -ed is usuallya distinct syllable,
fourned,B 1646, 1648; but just as we saw above an occasional
tendency to turn -ede of the past tense into -de,so here we find
Cf.

liv

INTRODUCTION.

the W

turned

into

-d\

in

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

ion.

METRE

The

Stanzas.
been

is

Prioress's

employed by

stanzas

mentioned.

French,

VERSIFICATION.

AND

The

seven-line

stanza, derived

Man

the

in

employed

have

Chaucer

of

Law's

already

from

the

Prologue, in the
Tale,.and in other

Tale, in the Clerk's

here
not
Tales
and
Poems
rime-formula
is
printed. The
ababbcc;
(see B 99-105) that the first
by which is meant
and third lines rime together,as denotd
by a a (po-verte,
herte);
fifth lines rime
the second, fourth, and
together,as denoted
wounded, ivounde bid); and the last two,
by b b b (confounded,
is Chaucer's
together (indigence,
despence). This
c
r, rime
favourite
the

At

also

of

end

the

the

called
the

to

an

of

Sir

of the

often coincides

is,indeed,the

poems.

is in

rime-formula

in

six-line

six stanzas

having
eight-line
stanza,
b

v-" a

is

Queene,

b b

deduced

from

c.

this

of twelve

line

the

an

is in

of the

form
a

syllables
(commonly
eighth line; according

imitation

takes

half-stanza.

somewhat

much

care

looser
to

of
is

Some

two.

tag beginningwith

additional

introduces

Chaucer

an

period. The rime-formula

with a, givingthe formula

commoner

introduces

these stanzas

b, all the

Tale

Thopas

lengthenedout by adding
which

Envoy,

an

ababbcbcc.

formula

ballad-metre
but

is

Alexandrine)riming with
Rime

The

Faerie

ninth

The

in the

of

addition

Tale

Monk's

The

Spenser'sstanza,
by

is

French.

the

from

Clerk's

rime-formula

rimes.

same

and

stanza.

The

stanza.

the

Prologue

favourite

a
a
a

b;

b,which

stanzas

are

very short

The

free

rhythm

than

line,
swing of
in other

elide the final -e in many

METRE

places,and
instances

where

and
at

occur

the

the

of faint additional
final

the

list of them
ends

The

-es.

is

-""

is here

-es

esting,
inter-

which
where

also the instances

distinct

-ed form

final

as

preserved are the more

added, neglectingthose

I include

of lines.

final -es, -en, and

Final

to
considerably
On this account
syllables.

placesdisregardsit,so

in other

the number

reduce

JV

VERSIFICATION.

AND

is

syllables.
in the genitive
sounded
singular;

In the plural; as
goddes,1913, bores,2060, swerdes, 2066.
1916, herbes,1950, 2103 ; briddes,1956 ; sydes,1967, 2026 ;
lippes,
2078 ; romances,
2038, 2087 ; popes, cardinales,
stones, 2018 ; lordes,
Note also the proper names
Flmtndres,1909, Brugges,1923.
2039.
in
adverbial ending
It marks
an
nedes,2031.
as,

Final

The

-ed.

verb, viz. dremed,

Final

final -ed

in the

past tense

of

weak

1977.

The

-en.

occurs

final -en

marks

the

infinitive mood

in

abyen,

2 100; liggen,
2036, is a gerund.
2oi2,percen, 2oi^,slepen,
2101; tellen,

pluralof a substantive ; viz. in hosen,1923.

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

one

and

case

it marks

Latin

Low

the

rauba.

In the

followingadjectiveswe note the definite form used in

his faire,1965 ; the softe,
1969 ; the siueete,2041 ; bis nuhyte,
2047 ;
bis goode,2093;
his bryghte,2102.
The
pluralforms are nuilde,
In 1. 1974
the word
benedicite
1926, bothe,1946, 2030, 2082.
becomes
in many
other passages, shewing that the
as
ben'dic'te,
final

-e

pronounce

in O

seinte marks

the

word

it in 1.

120

hardlyrequired here.

the

se'int as
of the

vocative

case

unless

indeed

Mr. Ellis
as
syllables,
Prologue. The latter treatment
two

we

nounces
prois

Ivi

INTRODUCTION.

In

verbs

we

have

1939

; tneete,2008

Also

in the

-e

in the

infinitive

; and

in the

gerundial infinitive to

tense

past

singular of weak

coude,1926, sivatte, 1966, dorste,1995,

of put on),2047, nolde,
the sense
2100.
we
mood, as bityde,
2064. And lastly,
person singularof the present tense in

mood,

as

in

telle,
1903,
bynde,1976.

verbs; as coste, 1925,

seyde,
2000, 2035, dide (in
Also,in the subjunctive
find it in the

even

first

hope,2010 : in
which
observe
that the A. S. verb is hopian,not
we
case
may
not
hopan,and the A. S. first person singularpresent is hopige,
hope; which accounts more
easilyfor the result.
An e appears in the middle
of the followingwords, and constitutes
a syllable
; launcegay,
1942, 2011
; notemuge, 1953 ; "wode2076.
doivue,1960; softely,
All the above
results should
be compared with the rules in
Dr. Morris's Introduction
to the Prologue. They exemplifymost
of the more
for
to prepare
us
important rules,and may serve
the consideration
of Chaucer's
metre
as
employed in his rimed
couplets. The whole of the rules for scansion,as regards the
pressed
printed in the present volume, may be roughly compoems
into the followingpractical
directions:
the final -es, -ed,-en or -e, as a distinct and
1.
Always pronounce
whether
of
at the end of a line or in the middle
separate syllable,
one, with the exceptionsnoted below, and a few others.
is almost
final -e
2. The
invariablyelided,and other light
are
syllables(especially
constantlyslurred over
-ed,-en,-er,-es)
and
the next
word
nearly absorbed, whenever
followingbegins
with a vowel or is one
of the words
(beginningwith h) in the
viz. he,his,him, her, hir,hem, hath,hadde,have,
followinglist,
the

word

"

hoiu,beer. Ex. open, B 1684

final

3. The

-e

1687.

; yeomen,

is sometimes

elided

or

ignored in

haue, hadde

(when used as an auxiliary),

were,
and
in
a
thise,othere,
auxiliaries),

nere,

(used as

very

cases,

best

B 60 ;

richesse,
107 ; both

These

learnt

three

by practiceand

rules

due

will

to the
go

observation.

the

words

nolde
"wo!de,

few
Ex.

other

volume,

positionof the accent.

very

and
thoroughlyunderstood, practised,

long
tested

way,

and

when

by the requirements

METRE

will

of grammar,
a

this

good
the

deal

whole

We

Rimes.

from

of his metre

whether
discussion,

riming, where
masculine

by

feminine

meant

such

as

had

the

above
need

no

It has

subjectof

the French

followed

habit of

the

are

both

kinds

question, the
to

been

the

rule,or the Italian habit,

that by
the rule ; it being understood
monosyllabic
ones, as in day,lay,and
in asunder,thunder.
as
are
dissyllabic,

of

instances

regards

Chaucer

ai'e

derived

Chaucer

that

seen

he

rimes

are

rimes

Undoubted
as

in his rimes

rimes

rimes

have

the French.

masculine

feminine

where

lines

question of the scansion of Chaucer has attracted a

of attention,a
few general considerations
affecting
subjectmay not be out of place here.

Feminine

forms

few

of Chaucer's

scansion

the

render

to

supplementedby

be

to

matter.

easy

very
As

only require

considerations

other

Ivii

VERSIFICATION.

AND

follow

occur

frequently
;

right

answer

either the

French

is

but
that

the Italian

or

in this

lished
we
had, long before his time, a well estabparticular;
Englishhabit, and it is the Old English of an earlier
period that we may most reasonablyconsult for our
guidance
here. Examination
of earlier poems
shews that he was
at perfect
libertyto use either masculine or feminine rimes at pleasure,
and this is just what
he has done.
The
Englishfeminine rimes
doubt because modern English
a stumbling-block
to some,
no
are

is,from the nature of the case, very sparing in their use, but in
old Englishthey were
all-abundant.
Dr. Guest, in his History of
English Rhythms, instances rimes like wide, side,frodne,godne,
ever
Icenne,
scenne, as occurring in earlyalliterative poems
; and whowill turn
known

as

the

to

curious

Riming Poem

find that the masculine

the number
47 out

of lines with

of 172,

the remarkable

or

not

to

one

ist

undoubted

end;

and

feminine

rimes

the

Codex

Exoniensis

Thorpe's edition)will
are

freelyintermixed,

monosyllabicrime-endingsbeing only

called A

poem

in

(p. 353

little more

Homilies,ed. Morris,
there is

and

in

poem

than
Moral

quarter of the whole.

Ode

(printedin

Old

Series,p. 159) consistingof

instance

again,in

poem

of masculine
entitled

rime
Good

In

English
396 lines,
from
Orison

ginning
be-

of

1viii

1NTR

UCTION.

OD

Lady (id.p. 191),consistingof 171 lines,the masculine

in a small
lines are
minority,though we find just a few, as
biset,
let)
miti,charite,
"was, }pes,
me, "e, beo, fyeo,
])/'",
me, dai,lai,
Our

of

number

the

again,in

So

marie.
leafdi,

feminine

of them

number

rimes

due

are

such

to

is

the

Dane,

reallyvery large,though

final -e, and

Havelok

as

poem

therefore

less

striking

reader

acquainted with modern

English only. Yet even
of rimes like i-maked,naked,
here, the frequent appearance
sellen,
diuellen,
kesten,festen,
maked, quaked,herden,ferden,
Jitngen,
the beginner that
dungen, "c., is quite enough to show even
to

feminine
observes

rimes
such

distinctly
sought after

were

lines

as

11. 240-245,

where

the

when
especially
rimes

he

laten,graten,

in

unbroken
succession.
occur
an
reden,leden,
singen,
ringen,
If again,leavingthese early examples, we
turn
to Spenser's
Hubbard's
Mother
metre
Tale,written in the same
as the greater

part of Chaucer's
sixth lines

are

as

"And
After

where

11. II,

follows

more

find that

the

fifth and

the hot

"

Syriandog

the chafed

Lyons

the effect of the feminine

several

are

CanterburyTales,we

of them

in

on

cruell

rime

the

him

same

awayting,

bayting,'

is well

exemplified. There

poem,

as

geason,

reason,

11. 37, 38 ; civil!,

11.45, 46, and
betided,
misguided,
e-vill,
the like ; and it isclear that Spenser recognisedthem as a beauty,
doubt
and would
have employed them
no
more
freely,if the
language of his day had permitted of their frequent use.
Chaucer
was
more
fortunate,and has accordinglyused them
12

in abundance.

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

Ix

INTRODUCTION.

Here, for example, we

a

distinct

find the

may

pluralin

constituting

-es

in

as
syllable,

'The

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

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

is the

too

Oute

'

of the

'Wol
too

find the

we

ending in

sitte

ones

on

-e, as

in

gees

cam

wilde

kynde of

is the adverbial

Here

So

pluraladjectivein

-es

-e

'

i. 705.

[eggs]twies ten;'

eyron

adverbial

thay;

in

i. 672.

Uicbe,i. 167;

the

-e

in

due to an
A. S. -a, as in balke,
substantive,
in the middle
of a
ii. 16, from the A. S. balca; the -e sounded
i. 924 ; the imperativepluralin -etb,as
word, as in molde*u"arf",
of the definitive article with
in ennolnteth,
i. 191 ; the coalescence
the substantive,
thende for the ende,iii.1106, and of the word
as
other
to with a gerund, as
to e sc hew
te scheiv,i. 776; and
many
of Chaucer.
in the poems
thingsworthy of note, as being common
Feminine
rimes occur
by such rimes as
frequently,as shewn
nominative

case

of

redes,drede is,i. 743

; season,

i. 258 ; mewes,

reason,

necessarie,

is,ad"versarie,
warit, all in succession,i. 526; and a
whole host of rimes involving
the final -e.
If then we do not permit our
with modern English
familiarity
to stand in our
will but recognisethe fact that the
way ; if we
Middle-English poets delightedin feminine rimes,such as the
grammaticalusage of the periodoften furnished in abundance ; if
eschew

can

on

account

from

of the

be

Chaucer's
Amantis
on

and

distinct from
is to

metre

such

Husbandry;

consider

it

enabled

to

Chaucer's

kept

'

incorrect
steer

metre

of the

those

be

and
'

if

we

to rime

clear of the
can

them

; if

compared
as

poem

Southern

commit,

that

with

of the

with

cowards
worst

error

viz. the

that

Confessio

translation

of Palla-

Pope
Howards, we
even

which

differ
must

remember

Gower's

that

observe

and
dialect,
can

we

dialect are,

likelyto

grammaticaldifference,more

than to resemble

therefore

dius

that the rimes of the Northern

but remember

we

did not
shall be

the student

ignoringof

final

-e

as

of
a

METRE

Ixi

VERSIFICATION.

AND

shall be
at the end of a line. Instead of this,we
syllable
of feminine
rimes,
prepared to expect the frequent occurrence
and to be best satisfied when
often.
And
most
on
they come
the other hand, we
shall by no
means
always expect that,after
the poet will take the trouble
ending a line (F 675) \vithyoutbe,
line with allow
to end the next
the, merely to impressupon our
be prepared
should we
dulness thatyoutbeis dissyllabic.
Rather
awake
of his,and at once
to be fully
to this peculiarity
recognise
whole
stanzas
equipped with feminine rimes, as in B 99-105,
distinct

113-119,

1713-1719,

3396, and

1755-1761,

3389-

3317-3324,

others, the discoveryof which

of

number

1783-1789,

may

now

notingonly,by way of conclusion,

sagacity,
Envoy to the Clerk's Tale, E 1177-1212, with its

be left to the reader's

the wonderful

consecutive
thirty-six
The

rimes

above

of this character.

question,of

the

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

out

line into such

form

as

"

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

Now, justas this pause at the end of the line leaves the poet
which
free,so, in a lesser degree,does the medial pause or caesura
the middle
of every
occurs
near
line,leave him free likewise.
We
might from this naturallyexpect to find that,at this point
also, an additional syllableis occasionallyinserted. And this
is preciselywhat
do find,the followingbeing
sometimes
we
examples :
"

steleth from

"And
'Or
4

elles,certes

Which

that my

"

what

us"

ye ben
fader

"

to

priuelyslepinge;

'

21.

daiingerous;'
2129.

in his

'

prosperitee
; 3385.

Ixii

INTRODUCTION.

'

That

'And

him

To

Mede's

'

In the

same

Was

ought

to

as

'For
'So

loude

the

noon

aske

with

'Me

she

slow

and

him

birafte

'Eek

thou, that

'

Thy

'The
1

brother

children

'That

'Beth

some

that

"

Than
cases

had

thy

was

can

doubl'

al

'

3593.

3615.
'

was

deuyse;

'

elision a

from
are

3637.
3651.

syllable

"

lyte;' 2153.

"

al be

3404.

allye;

hunger

Examples

of this tretis

"

3309.

'

often preserves

tale

3288.

'

dore's of the tour;'

for he

"

'

proud also;' 3413.

with hir fyghte;
3530.

by this ensample old and

it makes

seith;' 3112.

or

art

sone"

be elided.

your

1672.

1852.
my_tonge';'

vpon

that it for

"

pause

the sentence"
war

the

wende

otherwise

'Fro

'

sone

102.

nat;' 1178.
'

that he hadde;'

that dorste

"

highteDante

this middle

that would

his

gaylershette"

His

course

the regne

art

the felde

B 8.

champioun ;

this noble

"

"

'

ringe;' 1803.

to

greyn

positiona

wounded;'

so

that shal he

place gan

3512.

examples.

the skin of the leoiin;

"

'And

Within

ned* artow

leyd'a

rafte

hadde

in these

fynde" that hir misdooth

shal he

lemman

'

In

that al the
"

He

"

'

dyght;' 3719.

thy grete worthynesse;

"

3425.

therto ;

till'had
him

'

he ;

quantitee
;

same

fader soule"

thoughte

'That

Of

"

"

what

preserved,as

lengthe

declare

to

figure;'
3412.

expect to find in such

may
be

his

"

he hath

anon

in

my

and

3409.

yiuen quod

and

"

we

'Nay! by

'

Perses

to

'

dominacioun

his regne

"

conquered

way,

'If thou

'

and

hath

"

of his dore's"

final -e which
'

restored

she

'Why
'Out

of heuen

god

playn;' 3281.

told in vayn ;

little difference

'

whether

3989.
we

look

upon

preserved from elision by the caesura, which at

to be
the same
time permits its full sound
to be given to it,
or
the
Either way
regularlyelided according to the usual rule.

final syllable
as

line

scans.

Examples

are:

"

METRE

'And

therfor
tell* a

'To

storie

widwe

povre

"Into

miserie

'Out

of misdrie"

In which

his

Toward

'

"And

doon

endeth

"

the contrarie

is

"

nyght;'1776.

al that

his

falle;' 3196.

art

'

delyt he hadde

3340.

'

and

"

labour;' 1653.

my

that thou

and

glorie

10.

wrecchedly;'3167.

in which

Cenobie

he took his wit;' B

"

awaiteth

"

and

"

we

1 wol

"

'This

'

the shad

by

Ixiii

VERSIFICATION.

AND

for to se"ye
shortly
; 3545.
ioie and gre"t
solas;' 3964.

merely add that the introduction of an extra syllable

at the place of the caesura
is not
peculiarto Chaucer, but a
habit of English verse1.
common
Indeed, as Mr. Abbott points
out (Shak.Gram.
3rd ed. p. 398),Shakespeare did not hesitate
to insert here two
if he was
additional syllables
so minded, as for
I will

example
'

"

To

inveterate

me

hearkens

"

brother's suit

my

'

Tempest,I. 2.

is stillcommon

in

'Or

laugh

where

the

The

Feet.

Trisyllabic

English verse,
and

shake

are

'That
'A

of

silked

therin

'Comprehended in

'lie
'

'

'

ellw /

That

And

am

easy chair'

"

is trisyllabic.
italics,
Examples

twyes

1659.

dede;' 1999 (SirThopas).

a

lilie flour;'2097

(id.).

heer;' 2147.

lost,but-if that I;

king Nabugodonosor ;

'

3105.
'

3335.

Jerusa/emthe citee;' 3337.

wan

yaf him

fro the deitee;1 B

this litel tretis

but

had.de the

Caught with
And

"

"

man
perilous

'Or

in

r"uysedestdoun

'And

as

containingthree syllables
this line from Pope

in Rabe/a/s

fifth foot,printedin

in Chaucer

'

of feet

use

122,

wit ; and
the

cover' hir

than, with

lymrod,coloured

bryghtefac'

as

with

many

the

as

ter'e;

glede;

cloude ;

'

'

3368.

'

3574-

3956.

If there be no Cesure at all,and the verse

long,the Jesse is the
makers skill and hearers delight
Pultenham, Arte of EnglishPoesic,
;
'

'

ed. Arber, p. 88.

Ixiv

INTRODUCTION.

The

positionof the accent in a given word greatly

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

be found.

may

When

Licenses.

and

all allowances
the

have

occasional

been
of

made

for the effect

the

trisyllabic
foot,
in Chaucer's
metre
are
all the apparent irregularities
very nearly
disposedof. If, besides this,the reader is acquainted with
that approximately represents the old pronunciascheme
tion
some
the
and
mere
even
pronunciation of all the vowels
continental system is better than nothing
according to some
into the
enter
he will soon
beauty of the melody of the
not
versification of a poet who
only naturallypossessed an
exquisitedelicacyof ear, but had the advantage of using a
the softness of the
that combined
flexible yet energeticdialect,
the strength of the Teutonic.
with
Yet we
Romance
need
him to have been
slave to rules,but rather a
not
a
suppose
of language; and if he anywhere chooses
to ignore a
master
final -e that grammaticallyought to be sounded, it need not cause
us
any great surprise. As Mr. Ellis has well pointedout (Early
Eng. Pronunciation,pt. i. p. 322), poets like Goethe, Schiller,
and Heine constantlydo the same
thing; as when, for example,
of the

caesura

use

"

"

Goethe

writes heui1 for heute in the line

'

There

Ich

sah

ihn

heut'

von

is, accordingly,one

fern

er

instance

(Tasso,Act i.)"
hielt ein Buch.'
in

particular where

METRE

Chaucer

have

to

seems

reallydone

singularindicative of verbs.
E

There

154.

are

are

seldom

the

the other

in

could
the

do

so

line.

equableaccent

upon

certain

chose

the

to vary

and
syllable,

one

at

B
to

see

is

see

wished

same

occur

it

shold'e;

hand, the poet

he

course

in the firstperson

16 ;

bef, 3087

prey,

instances,
too, where a few very
ivolde,nolde,
haue, hadde, were,
nere,

as

with

case

warn', B

Ex.

monosyllables
; but

mere

this,viz.

numerous

words, such

common

Ixv

VERSIFICATION.

AND

use

577,

remarkable

that

1848, 3753.

And

"wo!de
where

as

in the

words

accent, layingthe

wolde

another

time

upon

at

to

and

moste

the

more

time, he

olden

stress

if,on
of
dissyllable,

Then, again,owing

time

one

another ;

is

this

so

that

often
upon

honour,

for

example, in B 1654, is followed by honour in the very next

comes
beline; and again,fortun' in 1. 3185, with the -e suppressed,
fortune only six lines lower (1.3191) with the -e sounded.
In order to obtain a rime
he at one
time makes
more
easily,
bees the pluralof bee, E 2422, and at another time uses
been,
F 204;
cf. Nuns' Pr. Ta. 571.
In the Clerk's Tale, he uses
the various forms
with
variable
a
Grisild,Grisilde,
Grisildls,
convenience
of rhythm. At one
accent, evidentlyfor mere
time
he uses
dey'e(pronounced something like dai-yeJ) to
rime with prey'e,
B 3232, and
has dye (pronounced
at another
to rime with cry'e,
something like dee-ye)
tirannye,3631, 3700.
spect
Perhaps there may have been a similar uncertaintywith reto the old word
for high; for though Chaucer
uses
hy'e
stantly
(rimingwith folye,C. T. ed. Wright, 12436),the scribes conwrite heigheor heye,and both pronunciations
are indicated
in the House
of Fame
(Hi.43, 72).
The license that,to us moderns, is the least pleasing,
is that
of making the firstfoot to consist of a singleaccented
syllable,
2
as firstpointedout
by me in 1866 ; the followinginstances may
to illustrate my

serve

"

sail ; by ee that in meet, feet;

I mean
the sound in fail,tail,
German
followed
i
.e.
mean
a.y-sound
by a German final -e.
-je,
In Lowell's article on
Chaucer in My Study Windows,' it is

By

-ye I

meaning

at

'

that
VOL.

ii.

'

his

ear

would

never

have
e

tolerated

the

verses

by
serted
as-

of nine

]X vi

INTR

'

By I a mayde, lyk

'

Til

/ wel

ny the

In

/a/son?

some

that

pley'and

simplybad.

/a

'Bui

are

gouernour

M"tf/Hermanno
Here

stress

bearing

Examples

walk*

257.

man

346.

F
'

heavy

390.

F 549.

thrown

is thus

so

'

fote ;

on
'

other

non

the

ill-suited for

are

hir stature;' E

to

ne
certe's,

where

cases,

UCTION.

day bigan to springe;

for to
'Lygkt/ly,
'

OD

to

on

syllables

stress,the effect is

"

wyly
and

'

and

wys

Thymalao j

83130.

'

3535.

editor is

stronglytempted to suggest a correction ; but

the MSS.
afford little help. Perhaps the true reading may
be,
in the former case, ' But lyk [or,
art]a governour,'"c. ; but this
lacks
in

an

authority.In
of his

one

the latter case, Boccaccio

books, and

invent either the form

make

the line

Herennianus

Hermiano

writes Heremianus

other; if we might
Heremanno, it would certainly

or

in the

to
time come
nearer
better,and at the same
the original.After all,
collation with more
MSS.
explain
may
of these apparentlyimperfectlines.
some
There
is another
license worth
a
Owing
passing mention.
to

the

scan

confusion

in the

declension

of

due

substantives

to

the

to decline
gradual advance in the language,the tendency was
substantives accordingto a formula
the nominative
which made
and -e to the
and assigned-es to the genitive
and accusative alike,
dative.
to end in -e, representing
Many nominatives also came

A. S. -a, -e, -o, -",

reduced
which
some

to

that

so

for the

-es

in such

genitive,and

recommended

was

substantives

with
syllables,

by

-e

its

claim

to

came

strong

substantives

accent

on

and Dr. Morris.'

(s/'c)

for all other

formula
cases;

-e

in

the

attributed
first,

But we
Skeate
for nine-syllable
occur
lines,they certainly
blames
whose
ear
no
one
a poet
must

nominative

Then
Gdth

/ methought I heard
/ ering up from all

plan

to him

to

by Mr.

go by the evidence ; and,as

Vision of Sin, by
in The

"

"

was

superior simplicity.Hence
an

the

the

hollow

the lower

sound,

ground.'

INTRODUCTION.

a syllable;
by repeating
protections,
55 ; deuyse,
seruyse, 65,
diademe,deme, 43 ; affecc'ions,
sodeynly,
279; selves, heronsewes, 67; recours, cours, 75; deliriously,

3. I insert here

formed

of rimes

note

style(words thus repeated must be used in different

style,
senses),105; constellation,
cperacton, 129; see, Canacee,143; fore,
adv.,here,verb, 145 ; been, verb,been,sb. pi.203 ; comunly,subtilly,
79;

adv. 255 ; parementz,

; fern, s\).,fern,

221

perhaps,49,

50;

words

4. Two

nis

is,72,

ne

In 1. 30

230.

Tharray (thearray),63 ; the

Also nas
ne
was,
effect thejfect,
322.
into

run

the

tbair,122;

229,

one.

255 ; nin

which'e is
'Of

And

instrumentz,269.

in,35

ne

"

read

plural;

whiche

; noot

th'eldest'

ne

it thus

"woot

or

ne

air
14

wot, 342.

"

highte Algarsyf
"

"

in

hightebeing preserved by caesura.

The
most
measures.
strikinginstance is in as 1
5. trisyllabic
In other instances the syllablerapidlypronouncedor
can, 4.
find then
slurred over
be indicated by italics. We
anmay
after answer
swerJ1 and seyd',228 (where there is a caesura
Je):
the

"

followingcases, where
certain final syllablesare
lightlypronounced, viz. final
very
final -es, e.g. sones
(caesura),
29;
-y, e.g. many,
n;
any, 134:
foulw
final -er, e.g. eu^r, 108; gossonvr,
(caesura),
259:
53:
final -ie,e.g. Arable, no;
contrar/V,325: final -en, e.g. wondredfn (caesura),
final -ed, e.g. vanfsslW
(caesura),
307:
342:
final -e, e.g. vndertak?, 36, sem"?, 102, ben?, 124, coudf, 128,
ydraw? n'ybore,326; ye get? na more, 343. Also, the following
after the

cases

occur

cokrik

40;

place,119;
vowel

/' is

of the
sometimes
C.

xv.

where

cours,

the

76.

middle

And

the

is slurred

over,

viz. eu^ry

part,

hote,51 ; sonvres
day, 64; sonvres
tyde,142; eut-ry
logelours,
lew^dnes, 223 ; and, in one case, the
219;
tion
similarly
treated,viz. van/she anon, 328. In illustralast-mentioned

spelt without

word,
the

it may

be

that

remarked

it is

Plowman,

/';e.g. vanshede,Piers

217.

6. French

(N. B.

thridde

the

words

accented in

apostrophe

in

the

manner
different
followingwords

to that

now

denotes

in

use.

elision ;

METRE

OF

THE

SQUIRE'S

TALE.

Ixix

that it is slurred over,

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

the

cxsura.

7. Genitives

in

-es.

Martes,

50,

sonvres,

64, Grekes, 209,

Canacees,247.
8. Plurals

foules,
53, sewes, 67,
heronsewes, 68, swannes,
78, thinges,78, lordes,
68, minstralles,
91, wordes, 103, houres,117, shoures,118, woundes, 155, heedw,
205, poetryes,206,winges,
203, skikr,205, fantasyes,
203, witter,
208, gestes, 211, armes,
213, festes,
219, doutes, 220, thinges,
Note
the other hand, the French
on
plurals
227, "c.
222,
presents, 174, logehurs,219, reflexions,
230, "c. ; also
presentes
in

-es.

Armes,

23, son",

29,

parementz, 269, instruments,270.

9.

Adverbs

in-'e's. Certes,2, 196, elles,

118, ehVj,209,

algates,

246, thennes,326.
in -ed.
Excused, 7, cleped,12, 31, armed,
participles
90, braunched, 159, wounded, 160, remewed, 181, yglewed, 182,
proporcioned,192, "c. Probably ordeyned,ITT, is to be read
is to be rein the verse
garded
ordeyn'd;otherwise,the List measure
as
trisyllabic.
Ex. (a) deyde,
Past tense of weak verbs in -de -te,or -ed.
n.
(not an auxiliary
verb),29, hadd^,32, coud',39, shold',
n, hadde
40, wold', 64, sholde, 102, wende, 198, seyde, 231, "c. ; (b)
dwelt',10, kept',18, 26, highte,30, 33, moste, 38, wroughte, 128,
lyghte,169, broughte, 210, "c. ; (c) werreyed, 10, lakked, 16,
10.

Past

INTRODUCTION.

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

forms

preyed*,311.
in -en.
Infinitives

as

12.

Also

stroken, 165.
gauren,

63, 67, tarien,73,

Discryuen,40, teller),
to
voyden, 188, to
gerundialforms

the

190.

-'en (strongverbs). Geten, 56. The

in
participles
final -n is generallydropped.
in -en.
Tellen,69,wayten, 88, shapen, 214,
14. Present plural
Past
pleyen, 219, wondren, 258; 2 p. pi. subj.slepen, 126.
plural. Seten,92, maden, 205, seyden, 207, wondred*", 307.
in -en.
Withouten
15. Preposition
(A.S.wi^-utan),
101, isi, 125.
The various uses of the final -* follow here,and are numbered
separately.
Nouns
1.
of A.S. originand of dissyllabic
form. Wille, i,
from A.S. "wi!!a;sted',115, 193, sted*, 124, stede, 170, from
A.S.
A.S. steda; tale, 6, 102,
talu; herte, 120,
168, from
hert', 138, from A.S. heorte,gen. beortan; bote, 154, from
13. Past

A.S.

hot

gen.

sunnan.

(gen.and

dat. bote)
; sonne,

All these

for other cases,

see

are

below.

from

170,

in the nominative

We

should

or

the

A.S. junne,

accusative

probably add

son*?

case

(A.S.

(A.S. mete~)
70 ; both before a caesura.
We
Nouns of French origin
2.
(")adjectives.
; (a)substantives,
find (a) centre (Lat. centrum')
(Lat.diadema)43;
22; diademe
66, nobleye, 77,
signe (Lat. signum)51; seruyse (seruitium)
sunu) 31

; and

obeisance
slurred
1. 43;

met*

The

final -e is

occasionally
is fullypronounced in
over, as in diadem*, 60, which
plac*,186, which is fullypronounced in 11. 119, 162;

(obedientiam)
93, "c., "c.

fest*

(with caesura)61, fully pronounced

197;

and

it is often

elided,as

in

in

1. 113;

nature,

corag', 22, person', 25,

of the full sound

The
clearest cases
form', 100, vie',101, "c.
It is by no
are
means
given by:" cause, 185, Troye, 210.
most
find instances
of its suppression
likely; the
easy to
looking cases are
natur*, 197, best*,264; but they may merely
"

be instances of the

use

of

measures.
trisyllable

find also

We

s61empn',6r,

SQUIRE'S

THE

OF

METRE

(") noble, 12, 28, riche, 19, 61, benigne, 52,

73,

pryme,

commun',
The

162, platte,164, "c.

r, platt',

1 1

Ixxi

TALE.

107,

lige,in,

solempne,

most

remarkable

instances

in 1. in,

are

'

and

(inthe

definite

of

is

With

respect

Chaucer

these

to

this

solempneday ;

form) platte,164.

merely a mark
reallypronounced.

286,
not

My ligelord, on

the

The

final

pluralnumber,

French

'

in

lalouse,

writing,and

in

words, it is remarkable

that

using them at the end of a line,for

the sake of the feminine
rime; see 9, 10, 19, 43, 51, 52, 61,
It may
be as well,too, to append the followingcaution.
"c.
led to a partially
Tyrwhitt,in his edition of Chaucer, was
estimate of Chaucer's
correct
metre
by his observation of the
final -e in French
words, and by noting the frequent use of
the

is very

fond

in French

same

have

of

poetry ; whence

he

inferred

pronounced in English words

his result was
partlyright,it has yet misled many
he did, in fact,seize the rightidea by
because

-e

The

may

been

final -e in French
and

weaker

fainter

words

seems

character

than

to have

in

been

that the

final

also.

Though

of his

readers,

the
of

wrong
a

English ones,

end.

somewhat
the

fact

being that the habit of sounding the inflexional final -e was

due to the traditions of Anglo-Saxon gramessentially
English,
mar,
and the imported French
words
(many of which possessed
to
a final ~e in their own
right)had, at any rate, to conform
of the period as
the use
of course.
matter
It is,accordingly,
a
of

the habits
investigate
of the French
poetry of the period. The
Englishmen who
words
into their language did at first very
adopted French
tween
nearly what they pleasedwith them; and, in the conflict bethe English had
two
at first its
systems of grammar,
did
own
yet the continuallyincreasinginflux of French
way;
and the final result was
in which
at last begin to tell,
a confusion
such inflexions as ~es and -e, at first all important,have at last
We
sunk into disuse.
in Chaucer, the use
of
see, for instance,
the French plural(as in instrument*,F 270) side by side with
no

very

great consequence

to

Ixxii

INTRODUCTION.

the true

F 91); and, in the end, the

Englishplural(as in lordes,
French
form prevailed. But it must
be carefully
remembered
for it is a most
essential point that French
alone would
never
have produced any so great effect. A far more
powerful influence
at the same
at work
was
time,aidingit most fullyand efficiently
;
and this was
the ever-increasing
of
the
Northern
importance
and North-Midland
their gramwhich
had simplified
dialects,
matical
forms long before Chaucer's time,and at last completely
"

"

set aside the

Southern-

inflexions of the flexible and

numerous

English. Having regardto

the

harmonious

outward

mere

form of

of
English verse, it cannot be denied that Chaucer's sweetness
melody is a thingof the past,and that nothing is now left to us but
of Robert
of Brunne.
an
approach to the less adorned simplicity
be regarded as a mere
This note must
rough sketch of a very
which the student may
with advantage work
important subject,
for himself in his

out

3. Dative

own

way.

The

Cases.

prepositions
for, at,

on

by,
(or vp-on),

often govern
dative in Angloa
in, of,1to (or vn-to),most
Saxon, and may be considered as always governing a dative in
The
Chaucer.
following are
examples; lond',9, tym/?, 13,

tongf, 35, grene,

54,

tyme, 74, dor',80, thomb', 83, 148, syd',

84, halk, 86, halle,92, speche (caesura),

94, specie (or spech'),
104, mynde, 109, heste, 114, drought',118, rote, 153, wound',
The
French
165, met', 173, ere, 196, drede, 212, ende, 224.
conform

words
prep,

ageyn

(142)

is

may
from

Old

either

We

must

the A. S.

regardedas

Englishit

; halle

not

The

accusative,but

or

omit

genitives-e

Adjectives;
definite
form.

now

dative

171.

tyde
form; so also,then, is shene,53
scene).Style(106)is probablya dative,

nom.

(A.S. sunnan),
53

Cyis

courte,

e.g.

dative

Cases.

cases, answering to

5.

usage;

ouer.

4. Genitive

sonne

same

govern

properlya

(A.S. scenum
governed by

the

to

to
or

notice

-an.

the

genitive

Instances

are

is used

when

80.
(A.S. healle),

The

definite form

signof a possessive
or genitive
case;

invariably
governs

the dative.

but in

METRE

the

SQUIRE'S

THE

OF

adjectiveis preceded by the,this,that,or

pronoun.

76, the

possessive
Examples: the hote,51, the yonge, 54, the thridde,
hye, 85, this strange, 89, his olde,95, the hye, 98, 176,

this same,

124,

his newe,

140,

her

moste, 199, his queynte,

the

loude, 268, the grete, 306. So

Note
adjectives;
e.g. your excellente,
145.
239,

Ixxiii

TALE.

even

with

French

also

162.
thilke,
6. Adjectives;
pluralforms. Ex. strange, 67, olde,69, yong',
88, olde,88, 206, 211, alle,
91, dep',155, wyde, 155, diverse,
202,
grete, 219, somm', 225, slye,230, all?,248, fresshe,
284. So
also: whiche,30, swiche,227.
vocative case.
No example; see B 1874.
7. Adjectives;
8. Adjectives
in Chaucer
occur
of case. Some adjectives
; inflexion

take final -e

which
the

definite form

even
se

in the

nominative.

Thus

ficca;by confusion,Chaucer

A.S.

is
)"/"

uses

in

thikke

when

'a thikke knarre,'

in the
Prol. 549;
see
indefinite;
The word
62.
Sq. Ta. we have: thikk',159. Note also liche,
Chaucer
has blyth"?
blithe h.". i"lf6e;
(with ceesura),
338. The
notion of expressing
a dative case
by the inflexional -e extended
even

adjectives;
e.g. alle,
15.
mood.
Verbs; infinitive
Sey',4, rebelle,
6,
5, telle,
to

even

9.

vnder-

take,36, spek',41, occupy',64, deuyse, 65, pleye,78, amende,

97, 197, sem"r, 102, soun',105, berc, 124, turn',127, hyde, 141,
here,146, know', 151, answer',152, know^, (ccesura),
154, kerv',
158, byte, 158, close,165, here, 188, rede, 211, comprehende,
223, "c.

To telle,
infinitive.
gerundial
34,

biholde,87, to
pace, 120, to sore, 123, to were, 147, to winne,214, to here,271,
It is very significant
to hye, 291, to seyne, 314, to done, 334.
that there is no case of elision amongst all these examples.
ir.
Holde, 70, spok',86, com',
Strongverbs ; past participles.
96, bore, 178, knovve,215, yswore, 325, ydrawe, 326, ybore,326.
Only two of these are cases of elision.
Weak
12.
verbs; past tense. Examples have been already
given; see art. 1 1 above, p. Ixix.
mood.
First person singular',
spek',7.
13. Verbs; subjunctive
Plural'.
Third person singular:leste,
327.
125, were, 195, liste,
10.

Verbs ;

reste,126.

to

Ixxiv

INTRODUCTION.

Verbs:

inflexions',
(a) r p. pr. indicative:
deme, 44, trow?, 213, sey?, 289, let',290; (b)pr. pi.indicative,
recche, 71, lere,104, smyte, 157, mote, 164, 318, iangl',220,
trete, 220, iangle,261, deuyse, 261, get?, 343; (c)subj.pi.used
as
imper. plural:bidd',321, trill',
328, ryde (?),
321, trille,
334.
14.

"various other

I believe

N.B.

it will be

found

inflexion of the

that the

first

sing, present tense indicative is very weak, and often

dropped or neglected; cf. p. Ixv. Also,that the imperativeplural
is liable to confusion with the imperativesingular
; cf. p. liii.
pers.

Whether

Adverbs.

15.

the

final

in

-e

an

adverb

represents

vowel-ending,or is used (b)merely to form adverbs

from adjectives,
or
represents(c)the A. S. ending -an, the result
the same,
viz. that the final -e is especially
is much
preservedin
them.
Examples: much', 3, yliche,20, loude, 55, euer-more,
171, lowe, 216, bothe, 240, sore, 258,
124, bryghte, 170, still',
older

(a)an

This rule
namor', 343.
find the -e wrongly added,by license,
where
should not
we
expect it; e.g. here (A.S.her),145; theris an example
fore (A.S.)"#rand/or compounded), 177.
There
of a preposition
in -e, viz. bitwixe,333.
We
also adnote
verbs
may
in -ely,
where
e is a syllable
; viz. richely,
90, solempnely,
202.
179, diversely,

hye, 267, sone, 276, 333,

being so general,we even

whole

The
every

is much

matter

of the

case

namor?,

final -e

314,

simplified
by remembering that
be characterised

can

as

either

tial,
(i)essen-

or
(3)grammatical. To the two firstof these
(2)superfluous,
classes the guide is etymology,to the last the guide is a knowledge

of

Anglo-Saxon

essential where
stede from
or

civen,

betiuux
if due
be

it

representsan

A.S.

steda,or
if used
licentious,
in

or
or

word

betweox

to the usage

either

For

grammar.

like
;

A.S.
from

diademe
in

Lat. diadema.

like quene, B

word

bitwixe,F

all such

or

333,

being

cases

of A.S. grammar.

example, the final -e

Latin termination,
as

where
rare.

When

is
in

It is superfluous

3538, from
the A.S.

A.S.

form

is

It is grammatical,

grammatical,it must
4).adjectival
(classes
5, 6, 7, 8),

oblique
(see classes 3,
verbal (classes
9-14),or adverbial (class
15).

1XXV1

INTRODUCTION.

obvious

to any

who

one

besides consulting the

possesses
other

the Six-text
take

MSS.,

Edition,and will,
further

the

of

trouble

comparing one part of the Ellesmere MS. with another.

ing
Speakthe orthographyrepresents, on
the whole, that of
generally,
the scribe of the Ellesmere
MS., whose system was a very good
uniform.
It may
be observed
stantly
that.yis conone, and tolerably
used to represent the A.S. /, or is,in other words, the
long vowel correspondingto that representedby /'. The scribe
B
also affects the use of oo to denote a long o-sound,as in looth,
In

91.

few

where

cases

final

have

to

seems

added

been

suppressed,where there was sufficient

Also, in the followingwords, though

by accident,it has been

authority for doing so.
generallywritten,it has

been

omitted

in order

to

prevent

fusion,
con-

which
are
printedever,
here,hire,hise,
in
reason
why euere, neuere, are commcfh

viz. in euere, neuere,

never,

her,hir,bis.

MSS.

is that

they
like

The

but in Chaucer
they represent the A.S. ofre, ncefre,
monosyllable,
frequentlyequivalentin time to a mere
modern
e'er,ne'er. Here (A.S.hira,ofthem) is generally

are

our

the

and
monosyllabic,

her),though a
Tale, B 460;

hir for Mod.

of them,and
MS.

Ellesmere
no

seems

of

12

Skeat,p. 260.
constantlyconfused in

are

her for

p.

in the
for

reason

Thise has

distinction ; but

mere

the

p. 32.
L. 3181.

E.

Cp. bewayle, Pt.

manere;

the

a.

Hn.
HI.

text, maner,

hire,Mod.

A.S.

of

Specimens
added

be

; I

that

mostly keep

it is

been

retained

here and
form

the

in the

; but

sounded

by

in the earlier poem

the

here

first stanza

note

every

of the

variation

Monk's

biwaille;text, biwayle,suggestedby
bywaile,Ln.
in Cp. Ln.
as

there

pluralof this,for
monosyllable. In further
as

always a
adopted, I

so

English,

is written

Hise

E.

of Law's

in the Man

E. her.

have

to

text in the

Ellesmere

MSS.

of

been

illustration of the method

from

It may

his,before pluralnouns
supposing this -e to have been
sense

Chaucer, though it appears

of Havelok.

of hire

exceptionoccurs
or
edition,
my

and

ed. Morris
hire

remarkable
see

is true

same

beweile.

HI.;

the

E.

Hn.

accent

Tale,
Cm.

Cm.

being

Pt.
on

L.

E.

3182.

Hn.

L. 3184.
because

E.

by observing
text, stode,suggested

stoode ;

that the scribes seldom

singularmember.
brynge; text, bringe,as in the rest,

write

Hn.

Cm.

generallydenotes

except

oo

the

longvowel

L. 3185.

E.

]"at
; text, that.

L.

E.

hire;text, hir,as

L. 3188.

E. Pt.

real variation of
It will thus

Ellesmere

MS.

of; text, by,as

seen

and
by collation,

that

but

are

hir ; Cm.

E. Hn.

/.

E. Fortune ;
in Pt. HI.
in all the

text, is duly accounted

be

in the

in Pt. Ln. HI.

Cp. here;text, her,as

3186.

Ixxvii

BOOKS.

USEFUL

the

text,fortune.

for in

footnote.

variations of the

slight,that they

very

This,being a

rest.

from

text

be

can

the

justified
a
good

that

pains have been taken to make

useful text, on
the principle
of disturbingthat of the Ellesmere
MS. as little as possible. The
of the Man
of Law's
Tale
text
in the Specimens of English was
in precisely
the same
formed
apply to my other volume of Chaucer
way ; and similar remarks
Selections.
The
same

ihe

books

useful for

most

those which

as

list of

them

'

help to explain Piers

given in the preface to

(Clarendon Press),3rd
Notes

Chaucer
explaining

there

are

ed. p. xlvi.

Plowman

Piers

Such

indicated.
sufficiently

Chaucer, in Lowell's
should by all means

the

as

An

much

are

the

are

'

see

Plowman

cited

excellent

the

in

the

article

on

book,
Study Windows, a delightful
be consulted.
The
spellingof the words
cited in the Clossarial Index has been carefully
verified by reference
to the usual Dictionaries ; for foreignlanguages,
small pocketdictionaries have been used, that the student may
easily,if he
pleases,look out such words for himself,which he is strongly
recommended
The etymologiesare
to do.
merely suggested,in
the very briefest manner
words, for example, the
; in French
Latin
is often given without
root
of the mode
of
any account
derivation.

The

My

and

Anglo-Saxon

be looked

out, and their various

idea of the

grammatical rules of

to.

The
as

mere

is

'

'

cramming up
sometimes
done,

Icelandic

words

meanings ascertained
those languagesshould
of such
with

some

root-words

cited should
; and

some

be attained

(tobe
slightchange

duced,
reproin the

Ixxviii

INTRODUCTION.

which
spelling

at

than useless.

worse

reveals

once

The

books

most

discreditable

used
actually

were

is
ignorance),
the

following.

of
edited by Feiling),
(Fliigel's
Dutch
of Danish
(theTauchnitz edition),
(by Ferrall and Repp),
of Welsh
and of Italian and Spanish (both by
(by Spurrell),
Meadows) ; Wedgwood's EnglishEtymology ; Bosworth's AngloPocket-dictionaries

of German

Dictionary; Skeat's Mceso-Gothic

Glossary; Stratmann's
Old
English Dictionary
Cleasby and Vigfusson's Icelandic
;
Handwb'rterbuch.
Wackernagel's Altdeutsches
Dictionary
;
For French
words, Brachet's EtymologicalFrench Dictionary
(Clarendon Press)is very useful ; and the Dictionaryby Randle
Old French
words
Gotgrave (ed.1660) is often quoted. The
Saxon

taken

are

The

from

Low-Latin

Burguy, except when

words

from

Roquefortis expresslycited.

the Lexicon

Manuale

ad

Scriptores Mediae et Infimae Latinitatis,

compiled from Ducange's great
work
by Maigne d'Arnis,and published at Paris by Migne in
1866; price,12 francs. Prompt. Parv. is an abbreviation for
Promptorium Parvulorum, ed. Way (Camden Society).
With
nation
respect to the subjectof Chaucer's metre, a brief explais necessary.
In an essay by myself,printedat pp. 172-196.
of vol. i. of the Aldine edition of Chaucer
(Belland Daldy,1866),
due to an independentinvestigation,
the results there given were
with the work
before I had met
by Professor Child. Nearlyall
obtained with less care,
of them agree with his,though they were
and

deficient in

are

points,I

minuter

are

of the details.

some

have

no

doubt

I must

But

with

have

respectto

many

since learnt much

that the onlyfull and

forgotten
almost complete solution of the questionas to the rightscansion
of Chaucer's
Canterbury Tales is due to what Mr. Ellis l rightly
of Professor
the wonderful
terms
industry,
acuteness, and accuracy
I
F. J. Child,of Harvard
College,Cambridge, Mass. U.S.
wish
also to express my obligations
to Tyrwhitt'sChaucer, with

from

him ; and

it ought never

to be

'

'

nunciation,
by Mr. Ellis (EarlyEnglishProin
than
fuller
that
slight
my
essay,
pp.
In the main, the results
and contains the results of independent
work.
obtained thus independently
agree very well together.
The

account

of Chaucer's

metre

318-342) is much

LIST

CHAUCER'S

OF

Ixxix

WORKS.

scholarlynotes; to Mr. A. J. Ellis's great work

on
Early English Pronunciation ; to Mr. Furnivall's Six-text
Edition
butions
of the Canterbury Tales,and his numerous
useful contriits learned

to
to

Mr.

H.

helpof

and

our

knowledge concerning both the poet

various kinds ; to Mr.

Hales, for

LIST

The

much

few hints for the second

Morris,who kindlyassisted

the firstedition.

CHAUCER'S

OF

WORKS.

in which the Works

are
followinglist,
arranged (approximately)
nivall's
in chronological
order,is mainly taken from Mr. Fur'

Minor

Dr.

to the Rev.
especially
of
revisingthe proof-sheets

in

his works

Bradshaw, Cambridge UniversityLibrarian,for

edition ; and
me

and

Trial Fore-words

Society,1871.

Poems,' Chaucer
upon

Parallel-text edition of Chaucer's

to my

append

some

tions
observa-

it.

Chaucer's

A.

Compleynte
Romaunt

B.C., or,

(Lyf

de Nostre

Dame.

Pite.

to

[Lines1-1705 ; rest spurious.}

[The Booke of the Duchesse.]

of the Rose.

of Blaunche.

1369. Deth

Priere

La

of Sainte Cecile ;

afterwardsinserted in the Tales.)

Parlement
of Foules.
[The Assembly of Foules.]
The Complaint of Mars.
[The Complaint of Mars and

Venus.]

But the Venus

(e)*A Compleint to
Anelida

and

(a) *Translation
(b) *The Former
Troilus and

his

is

separate poem ; set below,

Lady.

Arcite.
of Boethius

Age

'

De

Consolatione

; or, jEtas Prima.

Criseyde.

Philosophise.'

1XXX

INTRODUCTION.

ab.

384 ? The

Legend of Good Women,

Canterbury Tales.

1386. The
Good

(f) *A
(c)*

of Fame.

House

The
ab.

*.

Adam

to his Scrivener

Words

Chaucer's

Counseil

Balade

Three
Two

; or, Truth

; or,

'

the

Fie from

pres.'

Rosemounde.

to

(formingone poem).
Proverbes.
and
[Eightlines; with 16 spurious
lines sometimes
appended.]
Roundels

connected
un-

Treatise on the Astrelabie.

i39i("/)*A
Complaint of Venus.
(SeeComplaint of Mars, above.)
Lenvoy to Scogan.
Lenvoy to Bukton.
Gentilesse.
[A Ballade teachingwhat is gentilnesse.]
of
ab. 1 397? Lack
Stedfastnesse.
to
King
[A Balade sent
Richard.]
Balade
de Visage saunz
Peinture.
[A Ballade of the
without Painting.]Or, Fortune.
Village(sic)
1 399. Compleint to his Purse.
[To his empty Purse.]
All the above
be

to

found

poems,

in the

except those marked

editions.

common

with

Where

an

the

are
asterisk,

title stands

of it.
in the editions,
has been made
a note
differently
The other six piecesmay be thus accounted
for. (a)Edited by
Dr. Morris
for the Early English Text Society, (b)Printed in
the Aldine
edition,ed. Morris, vol. vi. p. 300.
Undoubtedly
genuine ; and closelyconnected with the preceding, (c) Printed
in the Aldine edition,
from a Pepys MS.,
First printed,
vi. 304.
by Percy, in his Reliques of Ancient
Poetry, (d) Edited by
for the E. E. Text
me
Society, (e)See my edition of the
'Minor
Poems.'
(f) Discovered by me, Apr. 2, 1891.
somewhat

end

The

WORKS.

LOST

of the Persones

Book

of the

Lion;

mentioned

at

the

Tale.

Genuine : but the third line ' Under

thy longe lokkes maist thou
lokkes had
is too long ; omit longe,inserted when
haue the skalle
'

become

monosyllable.

LIST

CHAUCER'S

OF

Ixxxi

WORKS.

Origenesupon the Maudeleyne ; mentioned in the prologueto

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

DOUBTFUL

unconstant2.

women

Compleint ;

see

SPURIOUS

my

Ballad

A
An

Amorous

which

Chaucer

Compleint ;

edition of Chaucer's

Minor

made
and

against

Balade

of

Poems.

The

in
included
are
followingpoems
modern
editions. Complaint of the Black Knight (or,
of
Conlplaint
and
a Loveres
Life); now known to be Lydgate's.The Cuckow
the Nightingale
lines quoted from the Knightes Tale ;
; firsttwo
Clanvowe.
probably written about 1403, by an author named
The
and the Leaf; written
Flower
and clearly
by a woman,
belonging to the fifteenth century. Chaucer's Dream ; first
printedin 1598. The Court of Love ; written about 1500, and
firstprintedin 1561 \
Virelai (no final e).
The
vol. vi.,
followingare to be found in the Aldine edition,
and elsewhere.
A Goodly Ballad,
A Praise of Women,
vi. 275.
richesse (8
p. 278. Prosperity(8 lines),
p. 296. Leaulte vaut
'
Moder
of God
lines),
; by Hoccleve ; p. 308. Chaucer's
p. 302.
Prophecy (13lines),
p. 307.
Of works
the principalone
is The
printed in the editions,
Testament
of Love, written by Thomas
tion
Usk, in obvious imitaWORKS.

'

of Chaucer's

Lastly,I

must

translation of Boethius.
mention

the translation

(well-knownby name)

Rose, which appears in all the editions,

down
to us.
and of which
Only a
only fragments have come
is frequently
small portionof it is Chaucer's;but,as the whole
and commonly attributed to him, I append a discussion of this
questionbelow ; see p. Ixxxiii.
of the Romaunt

of the

of Mary Magdalene
called The Lamentation
find a poem
is
different poem, by
But
this
a
Chaucer
the
old
editions.
in
assignedto
author.
an
anonymous
2
As it consists of only three stanzas, I printit below ; see p. Ixxxii.
s
The proof that it is not genuinewas
givenby me in The Academy,
1

Hence

Aug.

3,

VOL.

we

1878.
II.

Ixxxii

INTRODUCTION.

'Thefollowingis the Ballad

usuallyincluded

BALADE

in modern

WHICH

I suppose to be

which

Chaucer's,
thoughnot

of Chaucer's works

editions

CHAUCER

WOMEN

AGAYNST

MADE

"

UNCONSTAUNT.

[I take

this from

Chaucer's Works, ed.

few corrections in the

to
spelling
fullypronounced.]

be

for your

Madame,

Many

but make
a
dotted e is to

1561,fol. cccxl. ;
The

preserve the metre.

newefangelnesse,
haue

seruaunt

put

ye

of grace

out

l,

leue of your vnstedfastnesse,

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

I take
For
Ye

can

To

newe

ful half yeer in

thinges,your lust is euer
loue

not

In stede of blew, thus

may

place;

kene ;
al grene.
ye were

Right as a mirour, that nothing may enpresse,

it pace,
But, lightlyas it comth 2, so moot
So

fareth3

Ther

is

But,

as

no
a

your loue, your werkes bereth3 witnesse

feithe may
your herte enbrace ;
wedercok, that turneth* his face

With

were

Ye

might

brotelnesse8,

Bet

For

1
2
3

than
euer

shrined,for

be

Dalida
in

that is

euery wind, ye fare, and

In stede of blew, thus may
ye
your
8

your

al grene.

Candace

7, Criseide, or

chaungingstant

sene

10

15

sikernesse',

The
Old

old edition has your grace ; omit your.

ed. cometh; but see Group B, 407, 603 (Man of Lawes
Pronounce
usual in Chaucer ; see
tttrn'th,
as
far'th,ber'th,

Tale).
note

above.
4

Sene, evident,visible ;

adj.,not

the

Glossary.Cf.

A. S.
which
in
also
Prol.
Chaucer,
asysene
gesyne,
appears
592.
*
Fickleness ; On brotel ground they bilde,and brotelnesse They finden,
when
with precisely
the same
rime; Merch.
sikernesse;'
they wenen
an

pp.

; see

'

Tale, 35.
6

Old ed. Setter; wrongly.

"

Old

ed. stondeth ; but

see

the

Glossary.

Dalilah ;

as

in B. 3253.

1XXX1V

INTRODUCTION.

Rose

by

different authors.

exist

several

Of

and
translations,

other

they

are

similar works
almost

there still

all anonymous.

of the

Troy-book, we not only have a version by Lydgate,

and another (unpublished
and imperfect)
by Barbour, but a third
in the Bodleian Library,
terative
and a fourth,in alli(alsounpublished)
Thus,

These

the

published by

verse,
'

versions

Early English Text

translations
independent

are

Society.
de

Guido

from

beginning of the
have been made
within a period of fifty
must
1 5th century, and
that by Barbour, then the
Probably the earliest was
years.
then Lydgate's,
and last of all the Bodleian ;'Warton,
Alliterative,
So again,of
Hist. Eng. Poetry, ed. Hazlitt,ii. 129, footnote.
Metrical
the Story of Alexander,we have the version in Weber's
Romances, the alliterative Romance
printed by Stevenson, the
Alexander
fragment printedby myself as an appendix to William
Colonna, belong

of

the

to

made

were

end

of the

extremely unlikelythat
been

have

should

the

preserve

them

only

that

so

his translations of the

Maudeleyne, and

of

Book

Pope

and

and
(E.E.T.S.),

fourteenth

so

We

on.

one.

of his
have

we

century; a'nd it is

translation

Chaucer's

suppressedsome
intentionally
to

i4th

translations,mostly anonymous,

numerous

the

at

of the

and Dindimus

Palerne,Alexander

find,in fact, that

end

of the

Innocent's

of the

Romaunt

either
Moreover, Chaucer
took no
care
or
translations,
for
word
now
only his own
Lion, of Origenes upon the
treatise De

Miseria.

Hence

at the very outset of the enquiry,a presumption

there is actually,
translation is anonymous,
in favour of the fact that the existing

nothing; it
inserted merely on the strength of the title,
was
justas the early
Lamentation
of Mary Magdalene, inserted
editions contain The
to supply the place of Chaucer's
Maudeleyne. We have to bear
in mind
(forit is an importantpoint),that we firstmeet with the
in the edition of 1532, a collection of Chaucer's
Romaunt
posed)
(supworks
made
hundred and thirtyyears after his death.
a
Most
critics calmly ignore this,and speak as if it had been associated
and

not

his.

with
shew

that

Its presence

Chaucer
the

from

external

in the

editions

the first. A

evidence

is

very

proves

little reflection will

and
simplyworthies?,

we

are

driven

trouble,I

save

and

sketch

'

his work

the

of the nature
of

three

authors

of the

shall call each

Fragments:

B. 2092,

lator,'
trans-

brief
sists
con-

(11.1-1705),which is genuine;
dialect ; G (sSn-end). I only

169. Chaucer

p.

'the

translation

The

of the arguments.

in a Northern
(11.
1706-5810),
argue againstthe genuinenessof fragments B
This
TEST
I. Ihe Riming of -y with -ye.
to

firm

on

and proceed to givea

translation,'

note

stand

decisive.

and
interesting

are

then

itself. We

poem

the results

ground, and
To

the

examine

to

1XXXV

ROSE.

THE

OF

AUNT

ROM

THE

ON

and
is

rimes

never

G1.

explainedin

the

word

as

such

trewely,ending in -y, with French substantives ending in -ye, such

examples abound,e.g.genera/j,
asfofye,
Jelousye.In the translation,
2I792; worthy, curtesye, 2209 ; folye,by, 2493, 2521;
"vilanye,
I, 3909;
3387 ; lelousye,
utterly,
2985 ; flaterye,
curtesye, gladly,
There

multiply?,
by,5600.

The

for themselves.

discover

may

to the eye ; but

the truth

the

lies the other

the

curious
often

of the translation

MS.

spellings
bye for by,and

has the absurd

which

plenty more,

are

like,to keep

up

rime

that the final -e

way,

was

justas it always was by Barbour, who

dropped by the translator,
To
the
meet
rimes foly with "wykkytly,
Bruce, i. 221 ; "c., "c.
argument drawn from this test,the puerilepleahas been set up,
that Chaucer's
practiceof riming differed at different periods
and contrary to all the
of his life ! This is purely gratuitous,
evidence.
See, for example, his Book of the Duchesse.
TEST
the

II. The

The
2

we

find rimes

Academy

In

the poem

of Havelok

that

are

not

true

below will be found in my letter to

pointsmentioned
subject,
Aug. 10, 1878, p. 143.
of the rimes
Chaucerian
to shew the impossibility
spelling

give the

on

this

to Chaucer.

listis

Mr.

refer to the lines of the poem,

numbers
edition of Chaucer, vol. vi.
prefaceto Havelok, p. xlv.

The

Morris's Aldine

givenin my
Bradshaw
kindlypointsout
of the scribes for

erme,

1. 312

; see

Man

Duchess, 11.79, 80.

is

mistake

in the note

to

Group C,

This

is

the

as

of
terme, yerne, Book
instructive instance ; for yerne
the true Chaucerian
form, as I shew

the
a

rimes.

assonant

Several of the

beingdue
printedin
3

of

nances,
assorimes,but mere
such as y erne, quene, 182 ; maked, shaped,1646; "c., "c.s.
in Chaucer4.
But, in
hardly say that no such rimes occur

Dane,

I need
1

use

rimingof

most

of Law's

Tale, 2nd ed.,p. 142.

1XXXV1
the

INTRODUCTION.

there
translation,

decisive.

Some

are

examples, which

numerous

are

quite

kepe,eke, 2126; shape,make, 2260; escape,

to barste,
make, 2753; take,scape, 3165; laste,
3185. In the last
a rime
might read to braste. This secures
indeed,but it
case, we
laste (to last)with
to Chaucer; he rimes
brings us no nearer
such

words
to

are:

ssfaste, caste, "c. ; whereas

it pleased,reste
riming with leste,
breste,

brast

III. 1 be

by Dr.
Society,that

riming cohere
Weymouth, in the

Chaucer

here,and another
set

one

burst'

; "c.

is,with him,

has,indeed,

He

past tense,but that is quitea different matter.

as

TEST

in

'to

set

rimes

ever

rimes

of words
with

It has

there.

and

Transactions

of the

certain set of words

with

word

the word

Philological
the word

with

there ; and

in the other

tained
main-

been

no

Whether

set.

word
this

defended,and cannot be
guishes
distineasilyand formallydisproved. In other words, Chaucer
between
the open e (asin A. S. \kr)and the close e (asin
A. S. "//").But the author of Fragment B rimes dene (withopen
e)and gr/ne (with close e),1. 2127 ; and w/ne (closee) with lene
(open e),1. 2683. And he actuallyuses thar in place of there
(seep. Ixxxviii).

be true

TEST

IV.

of rimes
have

such

desire,nere,

tie, 4343;

2915;

may

more,

the

1785, 2441;
ar,

2215;

and

spellingas

desire,manere,

doun, tourne,

in the

MS.

storme,

2779;

2675; iqye,conveye,

away,

annoy,

per s one, 3201;

crowne,

leave

be maintained

can

Strangerimes. We find in the translation all sorts

as
Chaucer, judging by the evidence,would never
of. Examples : joynt,queynt, 2037;
aboute,sivote,

dreamt

1705;
cor

not, it

or

In

5472.

Plenty

this case,

such

more

rimes

be found.

V.

TEST

The

In the translation,
grammatical use offinal-e.
find to tel,
a gerund,riming with
we
bifel,
3083 ; set,pp., riming
with the gerund to et (toeat),2755.
I have written
the preface
to this book in vain if even
the beginner cannot
that Chaucer
see
would have written telle in one
place,and etc in the other, and

would

not

I adduce

have
no

hundreds

more

tolerated such
such

of them.

rimes

as

but
instances,

these.
there

See
are,

p. Ixxiii."

in the

[Accordingto Kaluza, there

are

10.

tion,
transla-

198.]

TEST

The

bears obvious

Arnold, in

'that the

"

of

This

test

marks
a

of

letter to the

language of

somewhat

more

have

Northern

a more

THE

OF

of dialect.
great attention.
Many

VI.

deserves

Mr.

ROMAVNT

THE

ON

test alone

noticed

is

and
decisive,

that the translation

dialect than that of Chaucer.

Academy, July 20, 1878, p. 67, says

only existingMS.

the

Ixxxvii

ROSE.

Northern

cast

is indisputable.It
generally,

of the Romaunt

that of Chaucer's

than

is

works

tinged by the dialect

of Norfolk and Lincolnshire.
tinctly
occurs
a disLepand (leaping)
Northern
form.
But the divergencefrom the language of
London
is not greater than can
be reasonablyset down
to the
of an East-Angliantranscriber,
from the
account
as
distinguished
In connection
with this point,it may be noted
originalauthor.
seems

to

me

"

that
the

memorandum

MS.

inside the

given in

was

by

1720

Hunterian
Mr.

volume

Sturgeon,

states

that

of

Bury

surgeon,

Martin V
is,that this is
Edmunds, to one Thomas
My answer
a
misleadingstatement ; it impliesthat the Northern
participles
in -and are due to the transcriber.
But they are due to the author,
As this is an
and
be explainedaway.
cannot
important point,
I cite four lines,
in full,
properlyspelt,
omittingbe in 1. 2263.
St.

'

"

Poyntis and slevis wel sittand,

the hand;'' 2263.
on
Righte and streighte
They shal hir tel how they thee /and,
Curteys and wys, and wel doand;' 2707.

these into Chaucerian

and we have sittinge

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

Change

The

Meaning Thomas

Several years ago, I happened to remark

mark
of Northern
influence.
a sure

MS.

of the translation is in the Hunterian

Martin

-and is

justfound
'

then it

was

some

of

Glasgow.

Palgrave.
to

friend that the suffix

He

observed,that he had
of this suffix in Chaucer.
I replied
of the Rose.'
Answer
yes, it was.'

instances of the

in the Romaunt

collection at

use

"

'

"

ixxxviii
Til

to.

INTRODUCTION.

occurs

as

rime

to

tail

and./?/thrice; see

lines 4593,

Now, althoughtil is found in the MSS. of Chaucer,

to have
A. 1478, it is of doubtful authenticity;
if correct, it seems
But
been used instead of to before a vowel,to avoid the hiatus.
the
in Northern
works it is very common
; and the use of it,as in
translation,
afterits case, is notable.
southern
But the transcript
reallyis often at fault ; being more
4854, 5816.

in character

than the translator's real

language.The

scribe has set

rimes,but which become so when turned

with more,
into the Northern
dialect. Thus, he rimes thore (there)
with are, 1.2215,
1853, Chaucer's form being there ; and also more
would have written,thar,mar,
which is no rime at all. Barbour
and ar\
which
makes
the rimes perfect1. So also hate (hot)
down

rimes

that

are

no

riming with state,2398,

is Northern

; Chaucer's

form

is boot.

Cf.

Bruce), riming with

(Bruce),
rimingwith shouris,
plesauntor plesand,4621 ; paramount
Northern
idiom),
4657; ado (for at do to do, a well-known
rimingwith^o,5082 ; certis (aNorthern form for Chaucer's certes),
Northern
a
form),riming with
riming with is,5544; fa-we (fain,
has taughte,taught ; but the
saive, a saying, 6477. Chaucer
continual
The
translator has tec bed,riming with preched,6681.
is a wellin the translation,
dropping of the final -e, so common
mark
known
above.
For examples,
of Northern
idiom ; see p. Iviii.
1981.
takejlitte,
it,5362 ; gete,set,4828 ; lye,
erly,2645 ; feet,lete,
They may be found in largenumbers.
TEST
VII. The test of -vocabulary.
This is a test I have never
mentioned, except in the most hap-hazard way ; thus
yet seen
also avenaunt

or

avenand

(as in

Barbour's

Mr.

Arnold

observes

that smale

f aides

occurs

in the

translation,

prologue,1. 9.2 But smale foulesis

been
and might have
merely Middle-English for 'little birds,'
used by any one.
I attach very small importance to this test of
1. 106, and

also in Chaucer's

Again,/ wote
forms.

becomes
*

The

to the

To
tedious.

argument

rimes with estate,5402 ; read Iwat, estat,the Northumbrian

it
such
is
needless
; and
give many
examples surely
is trivial,
but the result is correct.

genuineportion(Fragment A).

For 1.106

belongs

ON

ROMAUNT

THE

IxXXlX

ROSE.

THE

OF

and it is
I believe it to be frequently
misleading,
as
vocabulary,
as compared
often misapplied. Its value as a proof is very slight,
as it carries
and grammar.
with the tests furnished by metre
Still,
weight with some
readers,I will not omit to consider it.
be struck with
must
Whoever
will reallyread the translation,
of words
the extraordinary
of unusual words in it,
number
especially
which

never

in Chaucer.

occur

attributed to

Chaucer

over

Many
and

have

of these words

been
the

again,but solelyon
quite erroneously. By way
over

of
and
translation,
but
observe knoppe,
a
rose-bud,in 1. 1691 (Chaucer),
illustration,
1. 1721, "c.
a bud, elsewhere,
bothum, or botoun,
notice three facts.
\Ve may particularly

strengthof

A.

the

The

translators

other

and

Chaucer

of

different forms

use

word.

same

other

B. The
different
C.

the

translators

and

Chaucer

similar

use

forms

in

occur

in

senses.

Words

in the

occur

translation

which

do

not

Chaucer.
A.

The

mod.

translation

E. abroad

is,in Chaucer, abroad'1; but in the

abrede

(miswritten abrade),riming
(\vrittenfor"weried),
2563.
" or found,we
find f 'and,
Chaucer,fond.
2707.
In

Chaucer's

translation

of

Boethius,bk.
But
distingiied,
pp. meaning 'distinguished.'
find distincte,
used as an infinitive !
we
FarfairttifSJ,
rindfairete/e,
2484.

Ch.

with

ii. pr.
in

RR.

forivered

5,

find

we

1. 6199,

we

E.
hasfairnesse,

334.

Ch.

has

So also
F

or

youtbede,
4934.
fared,i.e. gone,

we

r. w.2
find/or*?,

more,

2709.

fure, E. 896.
1

I must refer the reader to the Glossaries in Moxon's

Poetical Works
of Chaucer, 1855; and in Morris's Aldine
to the
"

glossaries
appended to the three volumes

more

1. e.

The

edition;also

Selections in
thus be traced. I givethe
Morris; remarkingthat in

the Clarendon
Press Series.
Most words can
references to the 'translation,'
edited by
as
Moxon's
edition the numbering of the lines

by

of
reprint

than

lines.
rimingwith.
seven

of Chaucer

but
differs,
s,ligh:ly

never

INTR

XC

For

to

one's "way,

go

find

we

Ch. would

North),3332.

UCTION.

OD

have

nvente

said "wente

in the

(common

her gate

her "way;

see

to

take

out

"wey, Prol. 33.

E.

find

we
obedience,

For

Ch.

obejsshyng,3380.

obeysance,

says

24.

For

849.

1. 3186,

At

find persaunt, 2809 ;

we
piercing,
Surely Ch.

likelythis

is

would
find

we
an

said

barste,to
for

error

is neither

infin. mood

have

But

with

laste. Very
form

Chaucer's

but breste\see
braste,

nor

of Love,

in the Court

percing.
burst,riming

braste.

barste

as

of the

Kn. Tale,

1122.

The

carelessness

to rime

with

desire,2467

isfere,to rime
For
loiorne

For

of the translator appears

with

or

/ ivot,

we

w.

find

lines

below, the form

"

find

r.
soiourne,

whilst,only four

(nigher).

nere

sojourn,we

usingyfrr(fire),

in his

sojcur,r.

w.

/oar, 4281;

Ch.

but

has

tourne, D. 988.

Iiuote,2402

but, as

it rimes

to estate

(read

/
for the Northern
it is meant
Ch. has / wot
/ ivat.
or
estat),
woot
only.
For grieve,we
find engreve, 3444.
Ch. has grew.
For
masterly workmanship,' we find maistrise,r. w. purprise,
Ch. has maistrie.
For
4171.
impair,'Ch. has both apeireand
cmpeire. But in 1. 6103, we find the formpeire. Note also bonden,
hands, 6667.
B. Different
of one
form.
Auaunt
means
senses
forward,
In Ch., it means
boast.
a
3958 ; 4793.
Baillie means
In Ch., it means
custody,
government, 4302, 7574.
a bailiff.
Bauds means
In Ch., it means
baivd*.
a
joyous, 5677.
Bourdon
In Ch., it is the burden of a
means
a staff,
3401, 4092.
'

'

song

; Prol.

We

may

hag, 4286
"

675.

also

note

; Chaucer's

Morris

reference to

different words for the

word is rebeJeke.

same

gives only the sense joyous; but this

the Freres Tale, 1. 56.

sense

thing;

as

will not

vekke for
suit his

XCli

INTRODUCTION.

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

Caleweis,sweet pears (P. PL), 7045; catneline,

camlet, 7367;
canelle,cinnamon, 1370;
chelaundre,
goldfinch,81; chevisaunce,
necklace,1082 ; chideresse,
remedy, 3337 ; chevisaille,
4266; cierges,

(Hav.),6251; elopers,rabbitburrows,1405;

wax-tapers

eclipsed,
5352

conduits,1414

closer,
inclosure,
4069
;

ccine,
quince,1374

clipsy,
condise,

understanding,
congect,to plan,6930 ; conisaunce,
of

ward
5468; constablerie,

castle,4218; cotidien,
daily,2401;
coure, to squat,46s1 ; coivardise,
2490 ; customer, accustomed,4939.
distorted,
Decoped,cut down, 843; disrulily,
irregularly,
4903;
to distinguish,
dissonant,4248; distinct,
6202; dole,deal,part2,
2364 ; dole,grief(Wye.), 2956 ; dwined,wasted (Wye.),360.
a

Eisel,vinegar(Wye.),217; elde,to make

doute,to fear,1664 ; engre-ve, to hurt, 3444

old
;

(Wye.),391

en-

entailed,
carved, 140,

7078; erke,weary, 4870; espirituel,

equipolences,
equivalents,
to perform, 6177.
650; expleite,
spiritual,
Fairhede,beauty, 2484; farce,to paint,2285; fardel,burden
(Wye.), 5686; felden,fell,911; faunce, trust, 5484; jlourette,
162 ;

floweret,891

(Barbour),
5391
ivelked,
360

fordwined, wasted

away,

366 ; forfare,to fare ill

; forsongen,664 ; forwandred

; foriuered,
235

(P.PI.),3336 ; for-

6797 ; freshe,to
; foxerie,

refresh,
1513.

938 ; gate, way, 3332 ; girdlestede,

waist,
Codling (Hav.,P. PI.),
826 ; gisarme,5981 ; glombe,to be gloomy, 4356 ; gonfanon,1201,
6889; grete, to weep
(Barbour),
evangelist,
2018; gospel/ere9,
4116 ; groine,to pout, 7051.*
Habite,to dwell,660 ; hale,54 ; havoir,wealth,4723 ; horriblete,

hidden,6149.
7189 ; hulstred,
1

Chaucer

So in Court

B. 2133.
Chaucer
has euangelist,
find groynyng, KnightesTale, 1602, which
We

4
1

also has couche

slabbing.'But

which

cause

of Love,

; see

1098

Glossary.

; but

Chaucer

be better to
it would
is
Chaucerian
word.
a
groine

has del.
Morris

explain it by

'

explainsby
pouting ; in
'

ON

THE

ROM

AUNT

OF

THE

ROSE.

xciii

Joyne,to enjoin,2355.
battlements
Barbour),4195 ; knoppe,a button
(kyrnail,
Kernels,
(P.PI.),also a bud, 1080, 1702 ; knopped,7260.
learned (P. PI.),
Lakke, to blame, 284; laverock,662 ; lettred,
7691.
illwill
maltalent,
(P. PL), 5622; maistrise,
4172;
(cf.talent,Barbour),274, 330; mavis1, thrush,619; merke, dark
(Ormulum), 822; micher,
(Barbour),5342 ; metely,proportionable
thief,6543 ; minoresse,149 ; mitche,loaf,5588 ; moison,growth,
mordauntt buckle-tongue,
1677; monest*, to admonish, 3579;
Maisondeuae

musard, dreamer, 3256, 4034.

Nokked,notched, 942.
3380 ; onde,malice,148 ; orfrajs,
embroidery,562,869.
Obeysing,
Paire, to impair (P. PL), 6106; papelard,hypocrite,7283;
(Barb.),
4168;
7413; portecolise,
popeholy,
^iS',persaunt, 2809',pesibie
Barb.),
6486, 6535 ; preterit,
5011 ; primetemps,
paste,power (pouste,
(Barb.),
4171.
7045 ; purprise,
4750 ; pullaile
1823 ; quene (inbad sense, as in P. PL),
Quarel,crossbow-bolt,
1094;

7034;

querrour,

quarry-man,

Racine, root, 4884;

4149.

ramage*, wild, 5387;

ravisable,7018;

rift,2661; ribaninges,
rimpled,4495;
rive, 5396;
refte,
1077;
7262 ; roigne,
roignous,
riveting,
553, 988, 6193 ; roket,
1240, 4757 ;
roking,1906.
dancers (cf.
to assail,
saille in P. PL), 770 ;
Saile,
7338 ; sailours,
a
sarsinishe,
84; scantilone,
1188; savourous,
pattern (Prompt.
Parv., Cursor
Mundi), 7066; seignorie(sensory,
Barb.),3213;
semlyhede,
comeliness,
777, 1130 ; sere, dry (Prompt. Parv.),
4752 ;
moth (?),
sullen
slo^ive,
4754 ; soigne,
care, 3882 ; solein,
(Rom. of
Partenay), 3896; so/our,stay; spannishing,blooming, 3633;
loose frock,1232 ; swire, neck, 325.
springold,
4191 ; suckiny,
Tapinage,sculking,7363; tatariuagges, rags, 7259;
timbre,
1
2

And

in Court

of Love,

1388.

Observe that Chaucer

has only the comp. amoneste;
the form monest,
without initial a, is Northern, and occurs
in Barbour.
3
Morris refers us also to Ch. C. T., Group G, 887 ; the word there is
rammish, ram-like ; quitea different word, and of E. origin.

INTRODUCTION.

XC1V

timbrel,
timbestere,
timbrel-player,
772, 769
trashed,betrayed (betreyss,
Barb.),3231;

; tourette,turret,4164 ;
tree

hour, cheat, 197;

6282 ; truandise,
trepeget,
6666, 6723.
truanding,

uncivil (ungod,
Vngodely,
Ormulum),

hedgehog,3135

vecke,old

3741

unhide,2168

urcbon,

vendable,5807 ;
3645 ; voluntee,
5279.
"verger, garden, 3618, 3831; "vermeil'e,
Welmeth, wells up, 1561; "wirry,to worry, 6267; "wode"wale,
;

4286,

woman,

4495

658 ; twyndre,1020.

Touthede,
youth, 4934.
The

above

should

list is

succeed

in

elsewhere

words

a remarkable
certainly

discovering more

in

Chaucer, I

if any critic

; and

one

two-fifths of the above

than

shall be much

surprised.

regard is had to all the tests above, when we find that,

each and all,they establish a difference between
the language of
sider
fragments B, G, and that of Chaucer, it is surelytime to conthe question as settled. Henceforward, to attribute the
When

whole
of

to Chaucer

text

the

force

and

readilysupplies.I

left to those who

be

may

of
significance
have

doubt

no

of stillgreater

would
discrepancies

It remains

what

to state

the fourteenth

belongsto

such

have

arguments

whatever
reward

the translation

as

that the

no

sense

philology
discovery

careful search.

more

reallyis.

century,as it contains many

It

scarcely

words

posed
sup-

to be of later

It
date; the date of the MS. is about 1440-50.
consists of three fragments,certainly
authors. The
by three different
dialect of fragment B was
not Northumbrian, but a Midland
original
dialect exhibitingNorthumbrian
tendencies; I hesitate to
The authors,
make a more
like so many
statement.
other
explicit
authors
of

case

of the fourteenth

fragment A (11.
1-1705),which

LIST

Wynken
no

OF

EDITIONS

Canterbury Tales

The

de Worde

Edited

by

Wm.

OF

anonymous,

except in the

alone is Chaucer's.

CHAUCER'S

WORKS.

printedby Caxton
(1475,1481),
(1495,1498),and Pynson (1493,1526); but

collection of his Works

i.

century, are

were

was

made

till 1532.

Thynne, London,

1532.

Folio.

LIST

OF

OF

EDITIONS

CHAUCER'S

WORKS.

XCV

Reprinted with additional matter, London, 1542.

Tale first appears.)
(Here the Plowman's
re-arranged,London,
3. Reprinted, with the matter

Folio.

2.

about

Folio.

1551.

Reprinted, with large additions by John

4.

Siege of Thebes
5. Reprinted,with additions
London, 1598. Folio.

and alterations

Reprinted,with further additions

Folio.
Speght,London, 1602.
6.

London,

Stowe.

Lydgate's

first appears;

(Here the Court of Love

is also included.)

Folio.

1561.

date,

no

and

by

Thomas

alterations

London, 1687.
additions,
7. Reprinted with slight

by

Speght,
Thomas

Folio.

Reprinted,with additions and great alterations in spelling,

Folio.
"c.,by John Urry, 1721.
Later editions
only contain the poems.
Tyrwhitt'sedition of
the Canterbury Tales, with notes and a glossary,
first appeared
8.

in 5

There

authorityfor

the

The

but
means

my

convenient

to

find that

book
never

of
saw

let his be

great value, and

later information

Introduction

first edition

regret
from

see

readings of that MS.

(1888).For

POSTSCRIPT

Works,

in 1775-8.

is

reprintof
Chaucer's
Poetical Works
in a singlevolume
by Moxon, 1843,
said to be edited by Tyrwhitt; but the statement
only applies
to the
Canterbury Tales, the notes, and the glossary. The
and
Bell are
well known.
editions by Morris
Wright's edition
of the Canterbury Tales follows the Harleian MS., but is no safe
vols.,8vo.,

his

of the

Brink

am

till 1886,
credit.
not

so

Minor

nor

His

Poems.

appeared
that

supposes

publishedin 1870

all the

compete with them.

present work

Prof. Ten

his book

Chaucer's

to

regardingChaucer's

without
read
works

presumptuous

in

1874.

I took

hints

acknowledgment,
it till 1887.
Chaucer

on
as

to

By
are

pretend

all
of
to

INTRODUCTION.

XCV)

(1901).

POSTSCRIPT
xvi.

P.

is

It

article

the
P.

in
1. 8

xxii,

Gautier

it, and

'

Glerico

Sancte

col.

Sept.

P.

Ixxxiv,

P.

Ixxxiv,

1.

Miseria'

4.

It

80,

who

Colonne,

pillars,

note

in

his

verse

15,

1894,

483

to

1.

records
Historia

and

3307.

the

this

p.

301.

French

story

same

iam
'

author,

entitled

mortui

ore

La

Langue

it

was

flos
la

et

Horning

A.

was

acquainted

was

of

version

the

of

Chaucer's

Man

of

is

(Paris,
in

printed

really

Barbour's.
of

translation

Tale,

Lawes

1134-1141
C

See

195.

p.

The

925-931,

and

written,
re-

Women.

1901),

in

printed

Bartsch

if

Good

cuius

translation

doubtful

in

771-777,
between

my

in
is

K.

the

never

was

Chaucer

by

poem

by

of

that

devoto,

Fragments

24.

found

are

421-427,

is

author

poem

latter

and

367;

1.

P.

another

Tale

(Oxford,

probable

Virgini

The

Academy,

Tale,

is

of

Legend

The

Frai^aises,"

LitteYature

1887),

It

remarks.

Knight's

Miscellany

bottom.

with

also

est.'

inventus

The

from

Coincy.

de

with
De

English

An

further

The

the

preceded

it

few

that

argued

now

that

and

subjoin

and

The

in

'

De

99-121,

Pardoneres

561.

Trophee
deeds

Troiana,

practically
of

bk.

Hercules,
i.

means

and

Guido

mentions

delle
the

GROUP

B.

to the
[Introduction

wordes

The

Our

of

the

HEAD-LINK.

LAW

OF

MAN

of Law's Prologue.]

Man

Hoost

to

the

compaignye.

hoste sey wel that the

bryghte sonne
ark of his artificialday hath ronne
fourthe part, and half an houre, and more;
not
though he were
depe expert * in lore,
2
the eightetethe
wiste it was
day
April,that is messager to May ;

The
The
And

He
Of
And
Was

That
And
That

sey wel that the shadwe

in lengthethe same
as
the

body
therfor by the
Phebus, which
was

erect

of euery

tree

quantitee

that caused

shadwe

he

that shoon

it.

took

his wit

so

clere and

It

was

10

bryghte,
hyghte;

fyue and fourtyclombe on

for that day, as in that latitude,
ten of the3 clokke, he gan
conclude,

Degrees was
And

sodeynlyhe plyghtehis hors aboute.

Lordinges,'quod he, I warne
yow, al

And
'

'

15

this route,

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

Hn. xviijthe;
Cp. xviije;Cm. Pt. Ln. xviij; E. eighteand
HI. threttenthe.
* Cm.
Pt. HI. of the ; E. Hn. at the ; Cp. atte ; Ln. att.
1
2

Cj

VOL.

II.

twentithc;

GROUP

The

MAN

B.

fourthe party of this

Now, for the loue of god

Leseth

no

tyme,

LAW

OF

is goon ;
and of seint lohn,

day

ferforth

as

Lordinges,the tyme

HEAD-LINK.

as

ye may;
nyght and

wasteth

day,
steleth from vs, what priuelyslepinge,
what thurgh necligencein our
wakinge,

And
And
As

dooth

the streem, that turneth

neuer

agayn,

Descending fro the montaigne in-to playn.

Wei can
Senec, and many a philosophre
than gold in cofre.
Biwailen tyme, more
recouered be,
los of catel may
"For
But los of tyme shendeth vs," quod he.

Sir

of lawe,'quod he,

man

Tel

tale anon,

vs

ben

To

stonde

in

Acquitethyow,
'

haue

breke

ye doon

forward

your

my biheste ; I
For swich lawe as
Al

sholde
wol

Thus

ye

blis,

is ;
35

deuoir atte lesteV

is not

entente.
myn
I wol holde fayn
no

can

40

better seyn.

man2

him-seluen
our

yeueth another wyghte,

it by ryghte;
vsen

text, but

natheles certeyn

45

tale seyn,
thrifty
but lewedly
But3 Chaucer, though he can
and on ryming craftily,
On metres

ryghtnow

can

1
2

3
.

33

depardieuxich assente,

'

Biheste is dette,and

He

forward

as

haue

thurgh your free assent

this cas at my lugement.
and holdeth l your biheste,

Hoste,'quod he,

To

so

25

submitted

Ye

Than

'

20

no

of (badly).
HI. and holdeth ; the rest now
the rest a man.
Cm. man;
MS. Camb.
Dd. 4. 24 has But; the rest That;

see

note.

GROUP

But
Of

no
certeinly

thilke wikke

And

MAN

B.

word

HEAD-LINK.

LAW

OF

wrytethhe
ensampleof Canacee;
ne

therfor he, of ful auysement,

Nolde
Of

swiche

Ne

I wol

But

wryte in

neuer

were

To

Muses

of his

sermouns

vnkynde abhominaciouns,
noon

of my

Me

none

86

reherse,if that

tale how
looth be
that

men

I may.

shal I doon

this

day ?

90

lykned douteles
clepenPierides

"

Metamorphoseoswot what I mene

But natheles,
I recche noght a bene
after him with hawe bake1;
Though I come
I speke in prose, and lete him rymes make.'
And
with that word he, with a sobre chere,
Bigan his tale,as ye shal after here.
"

The

prologe

hateful harm

of

the

! condicion

marines

of pouerte !

help thee shameth

If thou noon
aske,with nede
To

asken

of lawe.

tale

thurst,with cold,with hunger

With

95

so

confounded

in

thyn herte ;
artow
so
wounded2,
That verray need vnwrappethal thy wounde
hid!
Maugre thyn heed, thou most for indigence
Or stele,
or
begge, or borwe thy despence!
Thou
He

Hn.
bake.
*

art

blamest

100

105

Crist,and seyst ful bitterly,

richesse temporal;
misdeparteth
Cp. Pt.

HI. hawe

bake; E. hawebake; Cm.

aw

bake; Ln. halve

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

ywoundid.

GROUP

MAN

B.

LAW'S

OF

PROLOGUE.

Thy neighebor thou wytest sinfully,

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

seistow, somtyme he rekne shal,

Parfay,'
in the glede,
Whan
that his [cors]
shal brennen
For he noght helpethneedfulle in her nede/
'

Herkne
'

Bet

what

of

is the sentence

dyen than haue

is to

the wyse

indigence;

"

'

Thy selue neighebor wol thee despyse;

If thou

Yet
1

be

of the wyse

Alle the

Be

farwel

poure,

tak this sentence

man

war

"

wikke ;

ben

in s that

'

prikkc!

thy brother hateth thee,

alle thy frendes fleen fro thee, alas !

And

be

riche

noble, o

Your

marchauntz, ful of wele

bagges

ben

failed with

nat

At

Cristemasse

merie

Ye

seken

and

As

wyse

Of

regnes ; ye

lond

folk ye

tales,both

And
were

Nere

knowen

ben

cas

amles

E. Hn.

lite; the rest litel.

E. Hu.

HI. to ; Cm.

Cp.

as,

chaunce;

125

winninges,

al thestaat

and

tydinges
of debat.

of tales desolat,
ryght now
that a marchaunt, goon
is many

taughte a tale,which

for your

for your

fadres of

of pees

ye,

ye dauncel

may

see

ben

in this

prudent folk,as

with sis cink, that renneth

But

120

poure,

Me

n-,

reuerence

dayes of poure men

thou come
er
therfor,

If thou

thy

1 10

that ye

E. Cm.

Pt. Ln. in.

130

yere,

shal here.

omit the ; the

rest

have it.

GROUP

MAN

B.

[Herefollows

the Man

LAW

OF

END-LINK.

of Lawes

Tale, 11. 134-1162. See pp.

Tale, and other extracts from

of Law's
of The Man
Chaucer,ed. Skeat (ClarendonPress Series).]
*-37

endith

Here

the

the

Our

hoste vpon

And

of

man

lawe

Shipman
his

his
his

tale.

And

next

folwith

prolog1.

stiropesstood

anon,

seyde, good men, herkeneth euerich on ;

tale for the nones
This was
!
a
thrifty
Sir parishprest/quod he, 'for goddes bones,
Tel vs a tale,as was
thy forward yore.
I

se

1163

'

wel that ye lerned

Can

moche

The

persone

11

65

1 1

70

in lore

men

!'
good, by goddes dignitee
him

answerde,

'

benedicite
!

to swere?'
so
eyleththe man
sinfully
Our hoste answerde, O lankyn,be ye there ?
I smelle a loller in the wynd/ quod he.
'Hoo!
good men,' quod our hoste, herkneth me,
Abydeth,for goddes digne passioun,
shal han a predicacioun
For we
;
This loller heer wil prechen vs som-what.'

What

'

'

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

Seyde the Shipman2, 'heer shal he nat preche,
He shal no gospel glosenheer ne teche.
leue3 alle in the grete god/ quod1 he,
We
som
'He wolde sowen
difficulte"e,

1175

'

1180

,U^fa*
.

called The

foundedon
2

s
4

MSS.
it "s
from MS. Arch. Seld. B. 14. In some
the
The
tale.
of
the
text
of
prologueitself
squyers
is
prolog
E. Hn. Cm. omit this Prologue
the Corpus MS.
; see note.

Tltis rubric

is

MS. Arch. Seld. has Shipman ; Cp. Ft. Ln. |"esquier.

MS. Arch. Seld. We leuen ; Cp. Pt. Ln. He
MS. Arch. Seld, insertsquod,which Cp. Ft. Ln. omit.

leue".

GROUP

B.

SHIPMAN

END-LINK.

Or

in our
clene corn,
springencokkel^
And
thee biforn,
therfor,hoste,I warne
My lolybody shal a tale telle,
I shal clinken yow
And
a
so
belle,
mery

That

I shal waken

But

it shal not

Ne

of

Ther

al this companye,

ben

of

philosophye,
termes
queinteof lawe

l, ne
ghisyk

is but litellatin in my
endeth

Here

the

The
\Herefolloivs
which
]

mawe.

his

Shipman
he

folwyng

1185

1190

prolog.
his

bigynneth

And

next

tale, "c.2

Shipman's Tale, 11. 1191-1624.

After

"

the

Bihoold

Shipman

murie

wordes

and

to

of

the

Hoost

to

the

lady Prioresse3.

the

seyd,by corpus dominus,' quod our hoste,

Now
longe mot thou sayleby the cos^te,.
Sir gentilmaister,gentilmarineer* ^

'Wei

1625

'

God
A

yeue

this monk

ha ! felawes ! beth

The

monk

thousand

war

putte in the

last

of swich
mannes

quad yeer
lape,

hode

an

ape,

1630

in his wyues eek,by seint Austin ;

monkes
in-to your in.
Draweth
more
no
But now
passe ouer, and lat vs seke aboute,
And

Who

shal

Another
As

now

telle firstof al this route

tale?' and

as
curteisly

with that word

it had

been

he

sayde,

1635

mayde,

Tyrwhittreads of phisike
phislyas
; the MSS. have the unmeaning word
;
Sloane MS. phillyas.
3 Rubric
from MS. Arch. Seld.
8
E. ; here again made the basis of the text.
From
1

GROUP

'My
So

lady
that

wolde

tale

Now
'

Prioresse,

by

shulde

wiste

demen

next,
wol

Gladly,'

ye

quod

that
if

so

vouche

she,

END-LINK.

SHIPMAN

B.

ye

leue,

your

tellen
that

were

sauf,
and

nat

you

greue,

sholde
wolde.

ye

my

seyde
Explicit.

dere?'

lady
as

1640

ye

shal

here.

GROUP

B.

The

prologe of the

lord

lord, thy

our

Is in this

tale.

Prioresses

Domt'ne,dominus
O

TALE.

PRIORESSES

THE

nosier.

how

name

ysprad quod she :

For noght oonly thy laude precious
Parfourned
of dignitee,
is by men
But by the mouth
of children thy bountee
Parfourned
is,for on the brest souking
Som
tyme shewen they thyn herying.
Wherfor
Of

large worlde

merueillous

in laude,

thee,and

Which

can

of the

that thee

telle a

To

I best

as

whyte1
bar, and is

storie 1 wol

that I may

For

she hir-self is honour, and

bountee, next
O

hir

hir

sone,

1650

or

mayde ahvay,
labour;
my

doon

encresen

1645

may,
lilyflour

Not

Of

"

"

honour;

and

the rote

1655

soules bole.
"

SoJttTJ

free !
mayde I o mayde mooder
O bush vnbrent, brenning in Moyses syghte,
That rauysedestdoun fro the deitee,
1660
Thurgh thyn humblesse, the goost that in thalyghte,
Of

mooder

whos

vertu, whan

I '^
thyn herte lyghte,
fadres sapience,
in thy reuerence
he

~~

Conceyued was the

Help me to telle it
1

E. omits

whyte,found

in the rest.

GROUP

10

B.

THE

TALE.

PRIORESSES

Lady! thy bountee, thy magnificence,

Thy vertu, and thy grete humilitee
Ther may no tonge expresse in no science;
For som
tyme, lady,er men
praye to thee,
Thou
goost biforn of thy benignitee,
And getest vs the1 lyght,thurgh2thy preyere,
To gyden vs vn-to thy sone
dere.
so

My conning is
For

But

That

1670

blisful quene,

declare

to

That

wayk,

so

1665

thy grete worthynesse,

the weighte nat sustene,
may
child of twelf monthe
old, or lesse,

ne

as

vnnethes

can

any word expresse,

fare I, and therfor I yow preye,

Ryght so
Gydeth my

song

that I shal of yow

1675

seye.

Explicit.
Heere

Ther

in Asie, in

was

the

bigynneth

Prioresses

tale.

gret citee,

Amonges cristen folk a lewerye,

Sustened by a lord of that contree
For

foule

Hateful
And
For
A

vsure

to

Crist and

thurghthe
it

and

strete

free,and

was

lucre of
to

1680

vilanye,

his companye;

men

open

myght ryde or wende,

at eytherende.

litelscole of Cristen folk ther stood

Doun

at

Children

the ferther ende, in which

an

heep, yeomen

ther

1685
were

of Cristen blood,

lerned in that scole yeer by yere

Swich maner
vsed there,
doctrine as men
That

Cm. Ln. HI. the ; E. thurgh;

E. Hn. of; but the rest thurgh.

Hn.

Cp. Pt.

to.

GROUP

12

His

felaw,which

Answerde
Was

him

maked

Hir

been

can

that elder

thus

of

our

no

more

I lerne song, I

can

than he,

was

herd

this song, I haue

blisful lady free,
'

help and socour

expounde in

our

TALE.

PRIORESSES

salue,and eek hir for

to

To

THE

B.

to

1720

seye,

preye

whan

deye.

we

this matere;

1725

grammere.'

but smal

'And
Of

is this song maked

in reuerence
Cristes mooder?'
seyde this Innocent;

'Now

certes, I wol

To

it

conne

al,er

do

my diligence
Cristemasse is went ;

that I for my prymer

in
shal be beten thrye's

Though
And

I wol
His

our

taughtehim
day to day, til he

And

than he

Fro

word

song

it

scoleward

On

Cristes mooder

This

coude

it wel

and

shenr,

honoure."

to

priuely,
it by rote,
boldely
the

17.35

note;

passed thurgh his throte,

To

I haue

homward

730

houre,

word, acordingwith

to

wye'sa day

As

an

lady for1

felaw

Fro

it conne,

shal be

and

homward
set

was

whan

he wente;

his entente.

.%

1740

seyd,thurgh-outthe lewerye

litel child,as

he

cam

to

and

fro,

than2 wolde he singe,and crye

inerily
O Alma
euer-mo.
redempioris
The swetnes
hath3 his herte perced so
Of Cristes mooder, that,to hir to preye,
Ful

He

can

nat

Cm.

Cm.

Cm.

stinte of

singingby

the weye.

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

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

1745

GROUP

Our

TALE.

PRIORESSES

13

firste foo, the serpent Sathanas,

That

hath in lewes

herte his waspes nest,

seide,'o Hebraik peple,alias!

Vp swal, and
Is this to yow
jThatswich a

THE

B.

1750

thing that is honest,

boy shal walken as him lest
In "Qjir despyt,and singe of swich sentence,
fif^
Which
Fro

This

is agayn

your1 lawes

forth the lewes

thennes
innocent

reuerence?'
han

of this world

out

conspyred
to

1755

chace ;

homicyde ther-to han they hyred,

That in an aleyhadde a priueeplace;
the child gan forbyfor to pace,
And
as
An

This

cursed

lew

And

kitte his

him

hente

throte,and

heeld him

and

in

pit him

faste, 1760

caste.

awaiteth al that nyght

poure widwe
After hir litelchild,but he cam
noght;
This

For

dayes lyght,
face pale of drede and bisy thoght,

which, as

With
She
Til

it

sone

as

hath at scole and

she
finally

so

gan

he last seyn

That

moodres

was

was

elles-wher him

soght,

She

euer

on

in the

piteein hir

lewerye.

atte

the cursed

Among
1

brest

Cristes mooder

cryde,and

1780

fer espye

enclosed,
half out of hir mynde,
She gooth,as she were
To euery place wher she hath supposed
hir litelchild to fynde;
By lyklihede
With

And

1776

laste thus
lewes

meke
she

she him

kynde
wroughte,
soughte.
and

HI. your ; Pt. Ln. soure ; E. Hn. Cm.

Cp. cure.

1785

GROUP

14

THE

B.

TALE.

PRIORESSES

preyethpitously
To euery lew that dwelte in thilke place,
To telle hir,if hir child wente
ought forby.
They seyde,'nay';but lesu, of his grace,
Yaf in hir thought,inwith a litel space,
she cryde,
That in that place after hir sone
in a pitbisyde.
he was
casten
Wher
she

and
frayneth

She

1790

1795

thy laude
grete god, that parfournest

of Innocentz,lo heer

thy myghtl
this Emeraude,
of chastitee,
This gemme
the Ruby bryght,
eek of martirdom
And
Ther he with throte ykoruen lay vpryght,
He 'Alma
redempforts' gan to singe
So loude, that al the placegan to ringe.
By

mouth

The

Cristen

In coomen,
And
He
And
And
And

folk,that thurghthe strete wente,

for to wondre
vp-on1 this thing,

hastilythey for
cam

anon

the Prouost

with-outen

tarying,

king,
eek his mooder, honour of mankynde,
after that,the lewes leet he bynde.

herieth Crist that is of heuen

1810

child with

Vnnethe
This

1805

sente;

pitouslamentacioun
Vp-takenwas, singinghis song alway;
with honour of gret processioun
And
They carien him vn-to the nexte abba}-.
His mooder
swowning by the2 bere lay;

This

1800

myght

newe

the

Rachel

peple that was

bringe fro his3

1815

there
bere.

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

Cm.

HI. the

; the rest

his.

GROUP

THE

B.

With

torment

This

Prouost

That

of this mordre

He

nolde

and

with

dooth

for to

wiste,and
cursednes

Therfor

with wilde hors he

after that he

And

Vp-on

his2 bere

heng
ay

that anon;

by

lyth this

after that, the' abbot*

Han

sped

innocent

1825

laste,

with his couent

for to burien

him

ful

faste;

they holy water on him caste,

whan
spreynd was holywater,
spak this child,
mater I'
sorig 0 Alma redemptoris

And

whan

Yet
And

1830

'

"

This
As

hem

drawe,

the lawe.

Biforn the chief auter, whil masse3

And

1820

deserue.

dide hem

hem

sterue

obserue.

shal1 haue, that euel wol

Euel

15

deth echon

shamful

the lewes

swich

no

TALE.

PRIORESSES

abbot, which
monkes

been,

This

yonge

And

seyde,{o

In vertu
Tel
Sith

that
or

child to

holy man
elles oughten be,
coniure he bigan,
was

an

dere child,I halse thee,

1835

of the

holy Trinitee,
what is thy cause
for to singe,
me
that thy throte is cut, to my seminge?

'

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

Seyde this child, and, as by wey of kynde,
I sholde haue deyed,ye, long tyme agoon,
But lesu Crist,as ye in bokes fynde,
Wil that his glorielaste and be in mynde,
And, for the worshipof his mooder
dere,
I singe "O
Alma"
loude and clere.
Yet may
'

'

E. Cm.

E. Hn. Cm.

1840

1845

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

shal he

GROUP

THE

B.

TALE,

PRIORESSES

welle of mercy, Cristes mooder

swete,
I louede alwey,as after my
conninge;

This

To
This

antem1

thoughteshe leydea

Me

Wherfor

that I had

herd, and, whan

ye han

As

vCvf^

she

me

lyfsholde forlete,
for to singe
and bad me
cam,
in my
deyinge,
verraily

that I my

whan

And

singe,and singe I

mot

tonge.

certeyn

of that blisful may den

In honour

songe,
my

vp-on

greyn

1850

free,

Til fro my tonge of-taken is the greyn;

afterward thus seyde she to me,
And
"

litelchild,now

My

Whan
Be

His
And
And
His

agast, I wol

thee nat

3
1

forsake.'"

I,
holy monk, this abbot, him mene
and took a-wey the
tonge out-caughte,
he yaf vp the goost ful softely.

And

stillehe

The

couent

fil al

after that

And

toke awey

And

in

he had

lay on

herien

And

as

platvp-on

lay as
eek

and

this wonder

trikled2 doun

salte teres

had

this abbot

whan

Weping,

thy tonge ytake;

is fro

he
And^gruf

I fecche thee

that the greyn

nat

This

wol

1855

greyn..,

seyn,

reyn,

the

grounde,
ben3 ybounde.

1865

the pauement

Cristes mooder

they rise,and
this martir

tombe6

1860

dere,

forth ben

fro his bere,

of marbul-stones

went,
1870

clere

: E. Anthephen.
Ln. antime ; HI. antym ; Hn. antheme
HI.
striken.
strikled
Ln.
trikled ; Cp. Pt. stryked;
;
E. Hn. Cm.
Cp. HI. ben; Pt. Ln. bene ; E. Hn. Cm, leyu

Cm.

HI.

5E

Cp. Pt.

anteme

thay ; but the rest been, ben, bene.

temple; the rest tombe, touuibe.

(^
GROUP

B.

"

\
END-LINK.

PRIORESS

Enclosen

they his litelbody swete

Ther he is now, god leue us for1
O

Prey eek for

On

mete.

to

notable,
f
litelwhyle

vs,

gf**

it is

cursed lewes,as

For it nis2 but

That

"

Hugh of Lincoln,sleynalso

yonge

With

IJ

1875

ago;

sinful folk

we

of his mercy god

his grete mercy
vs

vnstable,

merciable

so

multiplye,

1880
Marye. Amen.
fa C"// /vW-WH/.
" "V'V*~M4^'
"fi/,^t^"Lt"y
4-"3ru,.4cX~*-n_/j~;
the Prioresses
is ended
Tale.
Heere
.3
^MZU^*
i]M.X ^MU*.

For

of his mooder

reuerence

r[FR^Ess"Eitos^.]
the

Bihoold

Hoost

of the

wordes

murye

to
n

"

al this

seyd was

Whan

that wonder

sobre was,

As

Til that
And

hoste

our

miracle,euery
to

was

'

man

at erst

lokest

Thou

"

lapen3 tho4 bigan,

'

And

i^fi/t^

se,

he loked vp-on me,

artow ?
seyde thus,' what man

than

Chaucer.

as

thou

woldest fynde

quod he ;
an

1885

hare,

For

vp-on the

euer

ground I

se

thee stare.

Approche neer, and loke vp merily.

Now
He

and lat this

yow, sirs,
in the waast is shape as wel
war

This

For any
He

womman,

semeth

For vn-to
1
*
4

popet in

were

an

arm

smal and

man

as

haue

I;

place;
1890

tenbrace
fair of face.

by his contenaunce,
wyght doth he daliaunce.

eluish
no

*
Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. nys ; E. Hn. Cm.
E. alle for ; the rest omit alle.
lapen.
Only HI. insertsto before
Cm. Cp. tho ; E. to ; Hn. he ; Pt. Ln. HI. omit.

VOL.

II.

is.

i8

GROUP

Sey
Tel
'

vs

Hoste,'

For

other

But

of

'

Ye,

Som

sin

somwhat,

now

of

tale

tale

that

ryme
is

deyntee

beth

'

ne

certes

can

lerned

good/
thing,

me

he;
thinketh

apayd,

agoon.'
'

now

by

shul

we1

his

chere.'

Explicit.

Xxut-t_"""""
xv"n^^

"

noon,

longe

quod

anoon

euel

nat

1895

'

that

and

sayd;

ban

folk

other

mirthe,

I,

quod

END-LINK.

PRIORESS

B.

o.".^""c_
-

here

1900

Of

Brugges

His

robe

That

He
nd

his hosen

were

coste

at

.^D
!925

$*

wilde deer,
for1 riuer,

haukyng

an

\^

^^

lane.

many

hunte

ryde

broun,

of ciclatoun,

was

coude

Til OP AS.

SIR

B.

GROUP

20

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

grey

Ther

any

And

bifel3 vp-on
sothe,as I yow

Sir

Thopas

day,

telle may,

wolde

ryde;

out

1940

his stede gray,

in his honde a launcegay,

worth

And

vpon

long swerd by

He

j,,.,

v;,..;

so

For

He

"

^ ^

..

shal2 stonde.

ram

his

fair forest,

prikeththurgh a

Ther-inne

is many
Ye, bothe bukke

And,

as

he

syde.

wilde best,

and

hare;

priketh4North

I telle it yow, him hadde

Bitid a sory care.

and

Est,

almest

springenherbes grete and smale,

The lycorysand cetewale,
And
a
clowe-gilofre
;
many
Ther

1
*
8

1945

5*0 E. Hn. Cm. HI. ; Cp. by ]"e

; Ft. Ln. for J"e.
So E. Hn. Cm. HI. ; Cp. sc'hulde
; Ft. shulde ; Ln. scholde.
4
Hn. HI. it fel; Cm. it fil.
HI. priketh(notpriked).

1950

And

it be

Whether
Or

moyste

or

stale,

cofre.

leye in

for to

21

putte in ale,

to

notemuge

THOPAS.

SIR

D.

GROUP

1955

singe,^t is no_jiay,
The sparhaukand the papeiay,
to here;
That ioye it was
The

briddes

The

thrustelcok made

eek his1

The

wodedowue

the2 spray

She

ful loude

sang

he

Al whan

clere.

loue-longinge
herde the thrustel singe,
he

prikedas

And

and

1960

filin

Thopas

Sir

vpon

lay,

wood

were

faire steede in his

His
So

that

swatte

His

For

And

yaf him

seinte

To

so

al this

dremed

An

elf-queenshal

som

loue at

Me

And

plas

Marie,

eyleththis
bynde me

What

1970

solas,
good forage.

his steede

make

'O

wery was
the softe gras,

so

his corage,
he leyde him in that

doun

That

1965

al blood.

fiers was

So

To

men

sydes were

Thopas eek
prikingeon

Sir

prikinge
myghte him wringe,

loue

me

sore

1975

me

nyght,pardee,
[ladybe,
my

euermore.]

E. hir ; the rest his

'

E.

; tie rest the.

GROUP

11

B.

An

Elf-queenwol

For

in this world

SIR

THOPAS.

I loue1, ywis,
no

is

womman

1980

t"
,

Worthy

be my

to

make

O^T

In toune;
Alle othere
And

wommen

forsake,

Elf-queenI me take
By dale and eek by doune 1
to

1985

an

'

In-to his sadel he clamb

anoon,

And

prikethouer styleand stoon

An
Elf-queenfor tespye2,
Til he so longe had riden and goon
That he foond, in a priueewoon,
of Fairye
The contree
So wilde;
For

in that contree

That

to

him

dorste

Neither wyf

Til that ther

His

name

noon

ryde or goon3,

1995

childe.

ne

cam

was

ther

was

1990

greet geaunt,

sir Olifaunt,

.
*

ci

of dede;
perilousman
He seyde4, child,by Termagaunt,
But-if thou prike out of myn
haunt,
Anon
I sle thy stede
A

"

'

With
Heer
With

mace.

is the queen of Fairye,

harpe and pype5 and symphonye

2005

Dwelling in this place.'

1

Hn. Cm.

So E. Hn.

This line is from MS.

HI. Inte ; the real pype

HI. hane; the rest lone.

Cm. ; Cp.-Pt.Ln. to aspic;HI.

Reg. 17 D. 15.
or

p;pe.

to

spye.
HI. swar

; the rest

teyde.

GROUP

child

The

Tomorwe

And

I meete1

I haue

thou

it be

For

Sir

This

of

Out

abak ful faste;

drow

him

at

shalt be slawe.'

heer thou

geaunt

2010

Thy mawe
may8,
of day,

fullypryme

Thopas

fay,

this launcea

soure

Shal I percen, if I
Er

thee

ma

shall with
it ful

Abyen

Ijhee,

armoure;

myn

yet I hope, par

That

23

o*3-"~-~nl

seyde,'a]_somote
wol

Whan

THOPAS.

SIR

B.

stones

caste

fel

staf-slinge
;
But faire escapethchild* Thopas,
And
al it was
thurghgoddes gras,
And
thurgh his fair beringe.
Yet

Merier

than

For

now5

How

the

hil and

To

come

merie
make

For

1
8
3

E. Cm.

with
; Cm.

Thyn

hauberk, which

him

bothe

toune.

he

game

he

moste

2025

sydes smale,
dale,

comanded

men

nedes

E. HI. meete
E. Hn. sowre

to

agayn

roune

yow

with

Thopas

sir

Is

nyghtingale,

I wol

Prikingouer

His

tale

listeth,
lordes,to my

and

glee,

2030

fyghte

the rest omit with.

HI.

hauberk

is not wanted

soure

; the rest

shal I percen,
at

sore.

if I may

; but the rest

all.

E. Cm.

sire ; but the rest child.

Cp. Pt.

Ln. insert For now,

which the

rest

omit.

omit

Thyn

GROUP

24

geaunt with heuedes

and lolitge
paramour

With

For

.x

Of

"*-

THOPAS.

SIR

B.

that shoon

oon

ful

three,

bryghte.

'Do

come,' he seyde,'my minstrales,

And

gestours for

Of

tellen tales

in myn

Anon

Of

to

1035

arminge;
that been roiales,

romances

popes and of cardinales,

And
eek of loue-lykinge.'

They fette2 him

eek

firstthe8 sweete

And

mede

in

And

and
lycorys,

2040

wyn,

maselyn,
roial spicerye
And
;
ful fyn,
Of4 gingebreedthat was
With

sugre

his

cloth of lake

Of
A

breech

eek

and

eek

an

next

his sherte

And

ouer

that

And

an

percingeof

ouer

that

ao45

trye.

whyte lere
fyn and clere

And

For

comyn,

that is so5

djde ) next

He

sherte;
aketoun, "S*rv~

habergeoun
his herte;

fyn hauberk,

ywtoght of lewes werk.

of plate
Ful strong it was
;

Was

1
*
3
4
5

2050

al

K. Hn. heuedes; HI. heedes; Cm. hedis; Cp. Pt. Ln. hcdes.
E. sette ; the rest fette or fet.
in the rest.
E. Hn. Cm. omit the ; it occurs
HI. Of.
E. And ; Hn. Cm.
Cp. Pt. Ln. omit II. 7042-4.
E. alone retains so ; the rest omit it.

2055

GROUP

And

whyt
In

His

is

as

which

And

there

How

that

bisyde2;

he

'the geaunt

His

swerdes

sadel

His

brydel as

His

steede

gooth
Ful

ful
was

of

bryght;

and

Cm.
Hn.

"

Pt. HI. rowel

wolde
Cm.

Pt.

by
; Cp.

thing pees,

no

2075

londe.
is

fitI

of it,
I fonde.

2o8"

the rest wol, wole, wil.

syde ; Cp. him besyde.

HI. wold
his

heer

more

telle it wol

2070

rounde

Loo, lordes myne,

any

shoon,

in the way

In

wol

boon,

sharpe ygrounde;
al dappel-gray,

and
softely

If ye
To

fyn ciprees,

ambel

an

2065

lyght.

werre,

heed

deed,

quyrboilly,

sonne

mone

bodeth

The
His

the

was

spere

That

It

the

breed,

'

of rewel

was

be

of yuory,

of laton

His

as

of

shethe

helm

shal3

bityde1

lajnbeuxwere

ale and

on

swoor,

His

Or

gold so reed,
bores heed,

was

Bityde what

His

debate.

al of

charbocle

wol

was

ther-in

lilyflour,

he

sheeld

And

2$

that his cote-armour

ouer

As

THOPAS.

STR

B.

Lu. ruel.

'

E. it

was

Cm.

; the

Cp.

rest

Ln. schulde.

omit

it.

26

GROUP

THOPAS.

SIR

B.

[The Second Ftt.\

Now

hold your mouth, par charite,

Bothe knyght and lady free,
And

herkneth

to

bataille1 and

Of
And

f^\jj^C
t^^^^^

ladyesloue-drury
I wol

Anon

speke of
Horn

Of

of

of

Men

spelle
;
chiualry,

my

"o8s

telle.

yow

of prys,

romances

child and

of

Ypotys,

Bevys and8 sir Gy,

Of sir__Ly_beux
and Pleyn-damour
;
But sir Thopas, he bereth the flour
Of roial chiualry.
Of

His

stede al he bistrood,

goode

forth vpon

his wey he glood

sparcleout of the brqnde;

And
As

Vp-on

his

crest

he bar

ther-in stiked

And

God

And
He

2090

shilde his

for he

was

cors

tour,

lilyflour,
fro shonde !

knyght auntrous,

hous,
slepenin noon
But liggenin his hoode j
His bryghtehelm was
his wonger.
nolde

And

by

him

aioo
s

J1

^'

baiteth his dextrer

~1
f
A
-

"

Of

1
2

u
herbes

fyne

and

goode.

batell.
Hn. bataille;the rest bataile,bntail,
batailles;
3
E. Pt. and of; the rest omit of.
loue drewery.
HI. And of laclys
E. rood; but the rest glood,glod,
glode.

E.

28

GROUP

As

thus; ye

That
Ne

wot

telleth vs
saith nat

al

thingas

natheles,her

And

alle accorden

Whan
I

dooth,
is al sooth,

2135

in her sentence,

as

difference.
telling

of hem

seyn

and

more,

somme1

lesse,

they his pitouspassiounexpresse;

of Mark
and2 Mathew, Luk and lohn;

mene

But

his felaw

sentence

Al be ther in her
somme

END-LINK.

that euery Euangelist,

the peyne
of lesu Crist,

But

For

THOPAS

SIR

B.

douteles hir sentence

is al

Therfor, lordingesalle,I yow

2140

oon.

biseche,

ye8 thinke I varie as in my speche,

As thus,though that I telle som-what
more
Of prouerbes,than ye han herd bifore,
Comprehended in this liteltretis heer,

If that

enforce with the theffect of my

To

2145

mateer,

wordes seye
though I nat the same
alle I preye,
As ye han herd, yet to yow
Blameth me
nat; for,as in my sentence,

And

Ye

fynden moche4

shul not

Fro

tale I wryte.

this mery

And

therfor herkneth

And

lat

what

tellen al my

me

difference

of this tretis lyte

the sentence

After the which

2150

that I shal seye,

2155

tale,I preye.'

Explicit.
prose, the long and

[Herefollows,in
numbered
comes

1
*

The

E. Hn. Cm.

11. 2157-3078
Monk's

the

Ye

Six-Text

of Melibeus

edition.

After which

Prologue.]

Ln. somme
seyn ; but
which the MSS. omit.

Tyr. and ;
Cm. Cp. Ln.
fynden.
4

in

dull Tale

schal

not

Cp. Pt. HI.

3

omit seyn.

E. HI. yow

fyndenmoche;

; the rest ye.

E. Hn. Pt. HI. Shul ye nowhet

GROUP

The

B.

MONK'S

wordes

murye

Whan

THE

ended

of Prudence

Our

hoste

Hoost

my

tale of

and

hir

was

And

of the

PROLOGUE.

to

the

Monk.

Melibee,
benignitee,

3080

seyde, as I am faithful man,

by the preciouscorpus Madn'an,

And

I hadde
That

'

leuer than

barel

ale

wyf hadde herd this tale I

For1 she nis no-thingof swich pacience
Aswas
this Melibeus wyf Prudence.
[So m^Tl thryueljwhan I bete my knaues,
goode

She

lief my

bringthme

And

forth the grete clobbed

staues,

And

cryeth, slee the dogges euerichoon,

brek hem, bothe bak and euery boon.'

And

if that any

Wol

nat

'

Or

be

Whan
And

neighebor of

in chirche

hardy

so

she

comth

And

thou

Fro

day

hir to

thryuen!J I

shalt haue

wedde

E. Hn.

Pt. hoom

she

wol

my

Alias ! ' she seith,' that

To

trespace,

haue

distaf

nyght ryght thus

to

milksop

myne

rampeth in my
coward, wreck thy wyf,

,-,

or

3090

wyf enclyne,

my

hoom2,

cryeth,1 false

[So imoi

to

to

rf^H C*^*Y^4,,*TVV"-"^

'

3085

euer

^1

was

coward

For ; the rest have it.

Cp. Ln. home
; HI. horn ;

3095

thy knyf,
and go spinne!

she wol
I

face,

biginne;
shape
"

ape,

omit

; E.

'

Hn. omit.

3100

GROUP

30
That

be

wol

Thou

darst

This

is my

And

out

at

MONK'S

THE

B.

PROLOGUE.

ouerlad with euery

\vyght!
nat stonden by thy wyues
ryght!'
but-if that I wol fyghte;
lyf,
dore anon
I mot
me
dyghte,

Or

elles I

Be

lyk a wilde leoun fool-hardy.

I wot

but lost,but-if that I

am

wel she wol

do

slee

me

3105

day

som

Som

neighebor,and thanne go my wey.

For I am
perilouswith knyf in honde,
Al be it that I dar nat
For

big in armes, by my feith,

shal he fynde,that hir misdooth or seith.

But

let

passe awey fro this matere.

lord the monk/ quod he, ' be mery

My
For

Ryd

forth,myn

But, by my

owen

lord,brek

trewthe,I knowe

3115

by!

nat

our

Albon?

3120

whatjious

be ye, by your fader kin?

thou hast a ful fair skin,
[inTeitn],

vow

It is
Thou

gentilpasture ther thou goost;

art nat lyk a penaunt or
a goost.

Vpon

my

thou
feith,

Som

art

art

poure

But
And

maister whan

cloisterer,
ne

gouernour,

wyl/and

therwithal of brawnes

wel

-faring
persone
1

E.

to

doom,

my

thou
no

art

at

hoom;

nouys,
wys.
and of bones

for the nones.'

Cp. Ln. hire nat

3125

celerer,

or

Thou
No

officer,

som

worthy sexteyn,
som
For by my fader soule,as

game,

nat

I shal calle yow my

OrTlan Thomas, or elles dan

of chere ;

your name,
lord dan lohn,

Wher

Of

vs

ye shal telle a tale trewely.

Rou[e]Chester stant heer faste

Lo!

l^jT

3110

she is

That

.j

hir1 withstonde,

; Hn.

Cm.

Pt. HI. nat liirr

3130

GROUP

This

worthy monk
seyde, I wol
fer

To

telle yow
if yow

And

PROLOGUE,

31

took

al in

pacience,

3155

tale,or

al my

diligence,
in-to honeslee,

souneth

As

as

MONK'S

doon

'

And

THE

S,

two,

herkne

list to

three.

hiderward,

yow1 seyn the lyf of seint Edward;

I wol

Or

elles first Tragedieswol

Of

whiche

I haue

for2
Tragedie^is
As

olde

Of

him

And

or

to

that stood

in my

celle.

certeyn storie,

seyn

maken

bokes

I telle

hundred

an

3160

memorie,

vs

in greet

prosperitee

3165

y-fallenout of heigh degree

Into miserie,and endeth wrecchedly.
is

they ben versifyedcomounly

Of six feet,which men
clepe examelron.
And

In

prose

And

eek

Lo!

this

in metre,

first I yow

Though

Haue

3170

sondry wyse.

telle hem
it

in this matere,

by ordre telle nat

it of popes,
After hir ages,

As

oon,

many

in many

biseke

Be

But

endyted

ben

declaringoughte ynough suffise.

herkneth, if yow lykethfor to here ;

Now
But

eek

som

now

comth

me

excused

men

my

of myn

som

bihynde,

remembraunce

ignoraunce.

Explicit.

3175

or

bifore and
vn-to

thinges,

kinges,
writen fynde,

emperours,
as

thise

E. omits yow
; the rest have it.
Cp. Pt. Ln. for ; the rest omit it.

3180

"",

~.

__

L^-x-"_

o^"-*tX^e--cx-""

"

A-*//O^""

ix^

TALE.

GROUP
Heere

bigynneth

MONKES

THE

the

TALE.

Tale, de casibus

Monkes

virorum

Illustritun.

I wol

biwaylein

The

harm

And

fillenso

To

Ther

Be

of hem

no

may

that ther

nas

by

war

thise

remedie

no

her aduersitee;
fortune listto flee,

the

man

truste

man

no

Tragedie
stode in heigh degree

that

bringehem out of
whan that
certein,

For

Lat

of

maner

3185

of hir withholde ;

cours

blynd prosperitee;

on

and

ensamplestrewe

olde.

LUCIFER.
t

"

And

nat

"

At Lucifer,thoughhe
a

man,

an

at him

'

angel were,
I wol biginne; v^Y*^ 3'9"
non
angel dere,fifr ""/^u^

For, though fortune may

From heigh degreeyet fel he for his sinne
in-to helle,
Doun
wher he yet is inne.
O Lucifer ! bryghtest
of angelsalle,
Now
artow
Sathanas,that maist nat twinne
Out

of

in
miserie,

which

3195

that thou art falle.

ADAM.
Lo

Adam,

in the felde of

Damascene,
With goddes owen
fingerwrought was he,
"V^A"^
of sinful man
nat a sone
unclene],
/VAA/vv.[And
And welte al Paradys,sauingo tree.
Had neuer
so
heighdegree
worldlyman
As Adam, tilhe for misgouernaunce
Was driue out of his heighprosperitee
To labour,and to helle,and to meschaunce.
.

"

r*"**

E. Pt. of; the rest

by.

3200

GROUP

MONKES

THE

B.

TALE.

33

SAMPSON.

Sampson, which that was annunciat

longe er his natiuitee,
By thangel1,
And was
to god almyghtyconsecrat,
And stood in noblesse,whyl he myghte see.
Was
swich another as was
neuer
he,
To speke of strengthe,
and therwith hardinesse;
Lo

But

Through

which

Sampson, this
Withouten

noble

for
hym-self,

wrecchednesse.

myghty champioun,

saue

his hondes

tweye,

the leoun,

al to-rente

3215

wedding walkingby the weye.

false wyf coude him so pleseand preye
she his conseil knew, and she vntrewe

Toward
His
Til

Vn-to
And
Three

his

his foos his conseil gan biwreye,

him forsook,
and took another newe.
hundred

3120

foxes took

Sampson for Ire,

alle her tayleshe togiderbond,
alle on fire,
sette the foxes tayles
he on euery taylhad knit a brond;
in that lond,
theybrende alle the comes

And
And
For
And

3225

alle her oliueres and

And
A

he slow

wepen

slow and

He

3210

tolde he his secree,

his wyues

to

3205

thousand

men

vynes eek.
he slow eek with his

hond,

And

had

Whan

they were slayn,so thursted him that he

wel ny lorn,for which he gan to preye
god wolde on his peyne han som
pitee,
elles moste
sende him drinke,
he deye;
or

Was
That
And
1

VOL.

no

wepen

but

an

asses

HI. Cp. thangel

; Hi). Pt. Ln. the
II.

cheek.

aungel
;

E. Cm.

angel.

3230

GROUP

34

And

of this

Out

of

wang-toothsprang

which

Of

cheke, that

asses

he drank

dreye,

was
anon

welle,

to seye,
1, shortly

ynow

halp him god, as

Thus

TALE.

MONKES

THE

n.

ludicum

telle.

can

By verray force,at Gazan, on a nyght,

Maugre Philistiens of that citee,
he hath vp-plyght,
The gates of the toun
hath he
his bak ycariedhem
And
on
that men
myghte hem see.
Hye on an hille,
0 noble almyghtySampson, leue and dere,
thou nat told to wommen
Had
thy secree,
In al this worlde ne hadde been thy pere I
Sampson

This

Ne

his heed

on

sicer2 drank

neuer
cam

noon

rasour

3235

3240

3245

ne

wyn,

ne

shere,

of the messager diuyn,

in his heres were;
alle his strengthes

By precept
For

fullytwenty winter,yeer by yere,

And
He

hadde

But

sone

For

wommen

She

made

And

whan

tere,

bringen to meschaunce.
he tolde

Dalida

strengthelay,

al his* craft espyen;

that they him fonde in this array,
him

faste,and

putten

out

his yen.

"c.
; the rest ynogh,ynough,ynouhe,
Ln.
Pt.
Cm.
HL
sythir
;
ciser
siser;
Hn.
(forsicer)
;

E.

E.

3255

his foomen

They bounde
2

3250

she him solde.

to his foomen
falsly
slepingin hir barrne vp-on a day
shere his heer 8 awey,
made
to clippeor

And

many

in his heres al his

That

And

shal he wepen
shal him

his lemman

Vn-to

And

of Israel the gouernaunce.

3260

anon

HI. heres; the rest heer, here.

E. Hn.

Cp. cyJer.

this ; the rest his.

36

GROUP

THE

E.

MONKES

TALE.

For

in his

He

slow,and rafte the skin of the leoun ;

of Centauros leyde the boost adoun;
Arpies slow, the cruel briddes felle;
golden applesrafte of the dragoun ;
drow
out
Cerberus,the hound of helle :

He
He
He
He

tyme of strengthehe

the flour.

was

3290

He

slow the cruel tyrantBusirus,

And
made
his hors to frete him, flesch and
He

slow the

firyserpent venemous
Of Achelois two homes1, he brak

And

he slow

Cacus

in

He

slow the geaunt

He

slow the

And

bar

Was

neuer

That

Antheus

the

his nekke

on

wyght,sith

r-

\f*+A^*4t

so

for his

And
He

stronge;
anoon,

longe.

as

his

3300

bigan,

dide he.
name

ran,

and for his hy bountee,

strengthe,
for to

he

wente

reaume

euery

that the world

monstres
many
Thurgh-outthis wyde world

What

3295

oon;

grislyboor, and that

the heuen

slow

of stoon

caue

boon ;

see.

3305

\"myghte him lette;

u
At bothe the worldes endes,seith Trpphee,
In stede of boundes, he a pilersette.
was

so

strong that

no

man

"

LUMk/

hadde

lemman

this noble

That

highteDianira,fresch

And,

as

She

thise clerkes maken

hath him

sent

champioun,
as
May ;

3310

mentioun,

sherte fresch and

gay.

Alias I this sherte,alias and

weylaway 1
Envenimed
was
so
with-alle,
subtilly
That, er that he had wered it half a day,
It made

his flesch al from

1

E. Cm.

homes

two

his bones
;

the

rest two

falle.
homes.

3315

GROUP

But

natheles

By

oon

Be

as

But

THE

B.

clerkes hir

somme

TALE.

MONKES

37

excusen

highteNessus, that it maked ;

be may, I wol hir noght accusen
;
his bak this sherte he wered al naked,
that

on

Til that his flesch

blaked.

for the venim

was

3320

he sey noon
other remedye,
In hote coles he hath him-seluen raked,
And

whan

with

For

Lo, who
Er

he be war,

Ful

wys

Beth

is he that
for whan

war,

swich

wey

as

yleydful

of prees,

lowe.

him-seluen

can

knowe.

that fortune list to

hir

waytethshe

Than

By

is ofte

to

man

glose,

3330

ouerthrowe
leest suppose.

he wolde

NABUGODONOSOR

3325

throwe ?

fortune any

on

that folweth al this world

him

For

truste

may

dye.

to

worthy myghty Hercules;

starf this

Thus

deyned him

venim

no

(NEBUCHADNEZZAR).

myghty trone, the.precioustresor,

The gloriousceptre and roial magestee
That hadde the king Nabugodonosor,
With tonge vnnethes may
discryuedbe.
Jerusalem the citee;
He twyes wan
The

vessel of the

The
"

temple he with

him

3335

ladde.

Babiloynewas his souereyn see,

In which his glorieand his delythe hadde.
At

fairest children of the blood

The
Of

Israel he

And

maked

roial

[withhim ladde]anoon,
ech of hem
Daniel

to

been

Amonges

othere

That

the wysest child of

was

3340

was

his thral.

oon,

euerychoon;

3345

38

GROUP

the dremes

he

For
Wher

as

That

in

wiste

THE

B.

MONKES

of the

TALE.

king expowned

Chaldey clerk ne was

to what fyn his dremes

ther

noon

sjp_wned.

This

proude king leet make a statue of golde,

in brede,
Sixtycubyteslong,and seuen
To1
which image bothe2 yonge and olde
Comaunded
he3 to Jojjie,
and haue in drede;
Or

in

He

shal be brent,that wolde

But

neuer

Daniel,ne
This
He
Ne
But
And
And

fourneysful
wolde

of flambes

assente

his yonge

to

3350

rede

noght obeye.

that dede

3355

felawes tweye.

king of kingesproud was and elaat,

wende
that god, that sit in magestee,
myghte him nat bireue of his estaat:
sodeynlyhe loste his dignitee,
lyk a beste him semed for to be,
eet hay as an
ox, and lay ther-oute;

3360

In reyn with wilde bestes walked he,

aboute.
Til certein tyme was
ycome
And
His
Til
"

And
He
Was

lyk an eglesfetheres wexe* his heres,

nayleslyk a briddes clawes were;
god relessed him a certein yeres,
yaf him wit ; and than with many a tere
his lyfin fere
thanked god, and euer
he to doon

amis, or

more

And, til that tyme he leyd was

He

knew

that

god

was

ful of

trespace,
on

3365

3370

his bere,

myghte

and

grace.

*
E. Hn. Cm. he bothe ; the rest omit he.
E. The ; the rest To.
E. Hn. Cm. omit Tie ; the rest have it.
*
Such is the rightreading,
whence Cm. wexsyn, and HI. Cp. were
(for
Pt.
La. was (forwax).
wexe) ; E. Hn. wax ;
1

GROUP

THE

D.

BALTHASAR
His

which

sone,

That
He

And

eek

But

fortune caste

he

assured him

be

regne

war,

3375

of array;
ay.

pryde.
diuyde.

gan

3380

his lordes alle

vn-to

bad

tyme, and

in

day,

doun, and ther he lay,

him

feste he made

And
'

estaat

sodeynlyhis

Vp-on

nought

was
ydolastre

an

hy

after his fader

of herte and

was

His

And

(BELSHAZZAR).

fader coude
he

39

hyghte Balthasar,

heeld the regne

by his
proud

For

that

TALE.

MONKES

hem

than his officeres gan

blythebe,
he calle"

Gooth, bringethforth the vessels/[tho]quod he,

'Which

of the

Out
And
Of

that my

to

our

fader,in his prosperitee,

temple of Jerusalem birafte,
hye goddes thanke we

honour, that

eldres with

our

3385

lafte.'

vs

wyf, his lordes,and his concubynes

Ay dronken, whyl her appetytes laste,
Out of thise noble vessels sundrywynes ;
wal this king his yen caste,
And
a
on
His

And
For

sey an hond
fere of which

he

quook

hond, that Balthasar

This
Wroot

so

coude

magicienwas

expoune

what

ful faste,

wroot

and

syked sore.
agaste,

sore

Afane,iechel,
phares,and

In al that lond
That

armlees,that

no

3395

more.

noon

this lettre mente;

expouned it anoon,
And seyde,'king,god to thy fader sente
Glorie and honour, regne, tresouf, rente:
But

3390

Daniel

E. he

was

; the rest

was

he.

3400

GROUP

40
And

he

And

therfor

And

him

He
With

birafte the regne

asses

TALE.

MONKES

proud,and no-thinggod ne dradde,

god greet wreche vp-on him sente,

was

out

was

THE

B.

of

cast
was

that he hadde.

mannes

companye,

3405

his habitacioun,

hey as a beste in weet and drye,

Til that he knew, by grace and by resoun,
That god of heuen hath dominacioun
And

eet

Ouer

euery

And

thanne

regne
had

and

euery

creature

3410

of him

And

compassioun,
him restored his regne and his figure.

Eek

thou, that

god

his sone,

proud also,
And
knowest alle thise thingesverraily,
And
art rebel to god, and art his foo.
Thou
drank eek of his vessels boldely;
Thy wyf eek and thy wenches sinfully
Dronke
of the same
vessels sondry wynes,
And
heriest false goddes cursedly;
Therfor to thee yshapen ful gret pyne is.
art

art

3415

3420

god, that on the walle

Wroot
techel,
phares,trust to1 me;
mane,
Thy regne is doon, thou weyest nought at alle;
This

hand

sent

was

from

Diuyded is thy regne,

To

Medes

and

and

it shal be

yiuen/ quod he.

thilke same
And
nyght this king was slawe,
And
Darius occupyeth his degree,
Thogh he therto had neither ryght ne lawe.
to

Perses

Lordinges,ensampleheer-bymay ye take
How
that in lordshipe
is no
sikernesse;
1

E. Hn.

Cp. HI.

truste ;

Pt. trest ; Ln. trust ; Cm.

trust to.

3425

3430

See note.

THE

D.

GROUP

fortune wol

For

whan

She

bereth

what

For

his richesse,

and

eek his frendes,bothe

And

Mishap wol make

This prouerbe is

thurgh fortune,
l

hem

enemys,
ful sooth and
CENOBIA

lesse ;

and

more

that hath frendes

man

41

forsake,

man

his regne

awey

TALE.

MONKES

gesse

ful

3435

commune.

(ZENOBIA).

Cenobia,of Palymerie
As

quene,
writen Persiens of hir noblesse,

and so kene,
worthy was in armes
That no wyght passede hir in hardinesse,
Ne in lynage,ne in8 other gentillesse.
Of kingesblode of Perse is she descended ;
I seye nat that she hadde most
fairnesse,
But of hir shape she myghte nat ben amended.
So

and

Office of wommen,
And

With
She

brode

arwes
was

so

whan

And

swift that she

that she

was

elder,she

in hir

Hir
As

riche array ne
wel in vessel as

E.

SoE.

welde

armes

as

Cp.

I ; the resl omit

Hn. Cm.; and
Pt. Ln. HI.

ne

in hir

hente,
wolde

kille

nat

at

hir wille.

be

told

clothing
;

as.

Cp. has"

in ; E.

nor

De
in

3450

al to-rente,

hem

myghte

sente.

hem

anon

3445

shedde

she

that she to hem

and beres
Leouns, lepardes,
And

she wente

wode

to

wilde hertes blood

many

she fledde

fynde that

hir childhede

From

3440

Cenobia
Hn.

ne

Palymerieregina.
; Cm.

nor.

3493

GROUP

42
She
And
To

B.

TALE.

MONKES

THE

al clad in perree and in

eek she lafte noght,for noon

gold,
hunting,
knowing,

was

haue

of

sondry tonges ful

that she leyser
Whan
hadde, and for to entende
To lernen bokes was
al hir lyking,
How
she in vertu myghte hir lyfdispende.
of this storie* for
And, shortly

to

3495

3500

trete,

doughty was hir housbonde and eek she,

That they conquered many
regnes grete
So

In the orient,with many

fair citee,

3501;
Apertenauntvn-to the magestee
ful faste;
Of Rome, and with strong hond helde hem
Ne neuer
myghte her foo-men doon hem flee,
Ay whyl that Odenakes2 dayes laste.

Hir batailes,
who

so

Agayn Sapor the king and

And

conqueredand

Why

she

And

after of hir meschief

that she

Let him
That

The

vn-to

writ

regnes

Agayn
That

*
4

'

3510

what
and

titlehad*

therto,

hir wo,

my

maister Petrark go,

of this,I vndertake.

was

3515

deed, she myghtily

heeld,and with hir propre honde

faughtso cruelly,
king ne princein al that londe

hir foos she

ther
1

othere mo,

bisegedand ytake,

was

ynough

Odenake5

When

rede,

that3 al this proces filin dede,

how

How

for to

listhem

nas

E. proces ; the rest storie.

HI. Odenakes ; the rest Onedakes,Odenake.
E. omits that ; tha rest have it.
Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. had ; which E. Hn. Cm. omit.
Onedake.
So Gp. Pt. Ln. HJ. ; E. Hn. Cm.

3520

GROUP

44

MONKES

THE

B.

TALE.

Amonges othere thingesthat he wan,

Hir char,that was
with gold wrought
This grete Romayn, this Aurelian,
Hath

with

Biforen1

him

lad,for that

and

perree, 3550

sholde it

men

see.

his

triumphe walketh she

With giltecheynes on
hir nekke hanging;
Corouned
was
she, as 2 after hir degree,
And

ful of perree

3555

chargedhir clothing.

Alias,fortune! she that whylornwas

Dredful
Now

kingesand to emperoures,
gaurethal the pepleon hir,alias!

And

she that helmed

And

wan

to

by force
hir heed

in starke stoures,

was

stronge and toures^

tounes

on

And

she that bar the ceptre ful of

Shal bere

were

PETRO

"j

vitremyte
;

hir cost3 for

distaf,
DE

"

vvCAx^.

Shal

now

3560

REGE

floures-f^LtJ
'

*
quyte.~$"lt"uL

to

Cf,J^.a/*,**

ISPANNIE.

'

"i"i.,U*^.V.
"

1*2.

noble, o worthy Petro, glorieof Spayne, ;**^"^^5

Whom
fortune heeld so hy in magestee,
O

Wei
Out
""

thy pitousdeeth complayne!

of thy lond thy brother made
thee flee;
after,at a sege, by subtiltee,
and lad vn-to his tente,
were
bitrayed,
oughten

And
Thou
Wher

as

men

he with his

Succeding in thy regne and

The

feeld of snow,

Caught with
He

brew

The

MSS.

Hn.

nest

was

Biforn, Bifore.
Cm.

in

thy rente.

thegleof

lymrod, coloured

this cursednes

wikked
1

the

with

slow thee,

hond

owen

and

blak

ther-inne,
the glede,

as

al this sinne.
of this nede ;

werker

K. omits

Ln. cost ; Pt. coste ; E.

3570

as

; the reft have it.

Cp. costes

; HI. self.

3575

GROUP

Nought

Charles

Of trewthe and

MONKES

THE

B.

TALE.

ay took1 hede
honour, but of Armorike

Olyuer,that

Genylon Olyuer,corrupt for mede,

Broughtethis worthy king in swich
DE

45

REGE

PETRO

brike.

3580

CIPRO.

DE

king of Cypre also,

That Alisaundre wan
by hy maistrye,
Ful many
a hethen
wroughtestow ful wo,
Of which thyn owene
ligeshadde envye,
And, for no thing but for thy chiualrye,
They in thy bedde han sleynthee by the morwe.
O worthy Petro

Thus

fortune hir wheel

can

And

out

gouerne

loye bringe men

of

DE

BARNABO

DE

to

and

gye,

sorwe.

LUMBARDIA.

grete Barnabo

Viscounte,
and scourge of Lumbardye,
of delyt,
God
Why sholde I nat thyn infortune acounte,
so
Sith in estaat thou clombe were
hye?
Thy brother sone, that was thy double allye,
in lawe,
For he thy nevew
was, and sone
thee to dye;
With-inne his prisounmade

Of

Melan

why,

But

how,

ne

the erl

Ther

But

I that thou

noot

HUGELINO, COMITE

DE
Of

3585

Hugelyn

of

Pyse

DE

were

3590

3595

slawe.

PlZE.

the

langour
pitee;

tonge telle for

may no
litelout of Pyse stant a tour,

In whiche

tour

And

with him

The

eldeste

in
been

prisounput

was

he,

his litelchildren thre.

scarslyfyfyeer
E. Hn. Cm.

was

of age.

took ay ; the rest ay took.

3600

46

GROUP

Alias,fortune
Swiche

B.

THE

was

greet crueltee

! it

briddes for to

Dampned was he
For Roger, which

MONKES

TALE.

putte in swiche

cage!

deye in that prisoun,

that bisshopwas
of Pyse,
Hadde
him maad
fals suggestioun,
a
on
Thurgh which the peple gan vpon him ryse,
And
putten him to prisounin swich wyse
As ye han herd, and mete
and drink he hadde
So smal, that wel 1 vnnethe it may suffyse,
to

And

therwith-al it

And

on

He
And

day

and

3610

badde.

bifil that in that hour

that his mete

Whan
The

ful poure

was

3603

wont

gaylershette the
herde it wel, but
in his herte

be

to

was

brought,

dores of the tour.

he

3615

ne2 spak rightnought,

ther fil a

thought,
That they for hunger wolde doon him dyen.
Alias ! quod he, alias that I was
wroughtI
anon

'

'

Therwith
His

yonge
Vn-to him

'

'

fillen from

the teres

sone,

his yen.

that thre yeer

was

3620

of age,

seyde, fader,why do ye wepe?

Whan
wol the gaylerbringen our potage,
Is ther no
morsel breed that ye do kepe?
I am
so
hungry that I may nat slepe.
3625
wolde god that I myghte slepeneuer!
Now
wombe
sholde nat hunger in my
Than
crepe;
Ther is no thing,saue3 breed, that me
leuer.'
were
'

day by day this child bigan to crye,

adoun
it lay,
Til in his fadres barme
Thus

E. Pt. omit wel.

"

Ln. HI. saue;

Cp.

'

Pt.

sauf; E.

ne

Hn.

is not in the MSS.

but.

3630

GROUP

And

seyde,

And

kiste his

And

whan

For

'

fader,and deyde

seyde,

Thy

false wheel

That
And

my

children wende
he his

dye/

the

fader deed

47

same

day.

it sey,

he gan to byte,
alias,fortune ! and weylaway1

And

His

TALE.

two

armes
'

MONKES

far wel, fader,I moot

the woful

his

wo

THE

B.

gnow,

seyde, fader,do
'

rather eet

Our

flessh thou

that it for

armes

But

al may

wo

wytel'

hunger was

and

nat

3635

for wo,

nat

so, alias1

the flessh vpon

vs

3640

two;

yaf vs1, tak our flessh vs fro,

And eet ynough;' rightthus they to him seyde,
And
after that,with-in a day or two,
They leydehem in his lappe adoun, and deyde.
eek for hunger starf;
Him-self,despeired,
Thus

ended

is this

myghty

Erl

of

3645

Pyse;

From

hy estaat fortune awey him carf.

Of this Tragedie it oughte ynough suffyse.
wol here it in a lengerwyse,
Who-so
Redeth the grete poete of Itaille,
That highteDante, for he can
al deuyse
Fro point to point,nat o word wol he faille.

3650

NERO.

Al-thoughthat

Nero

were

as2 vicious

feend that

lythin helle adoun,

'Yet he, as telleth vs Swetonius,
This wyde world hadde in subieccioun,
Both Est and West, South3 and Septemtrioun
;
and of perleswhyte
Of rubies,saphires,
As

any

E. Hn.

omit

vs.
"

The MSS.

E. Hn. Cm.

have North.

omit

as.

3655

48

GROUP

THE

B.

alle his clothes brouded

Were
For

he in gemmes

More

More

3660

of array,

pompous

than he;
proud was neuer
emperour
ilke cloth,that he had wered o day,

That

After that tyme he

it

nolde

Nettes of

hadde
gold-thred
fisshe in Tybre,whan

To
His

lustes

For

fortune

In

and

doun;
delyte.

vp

gretlygan

more
delicat,

TALE.

MONKES

as

he gret

teche him

plentee
liste pleye.

him

wolde

his frend him

maister hadde

youthea

see.

3665

in his decree,

al lawe

were

neuer

obeye.

this emperour,

3685

letterure and

curteisye,
the flour,
For of moralitee he was
As in his tyme, but-if bokes lye;
To

whyl this maister hadde of him maistrye,

him so conning and so souple
He maked
That longe tyme it was
er
tirannye
And

Or

any

vyce

dorste

him

on

3690

vncouple.

This

Seneca,of which that I deuyse,

By-cause that1 Nero hadde of him swich drede,
For he fro vyces wolde him ay2 chastyse
3695
as
Discretly
by worde and nat by dede;
wolde he seyn,
nede
moot
an
Sir,'
emperour
"

'

Be

'

vertuous, and

For

which

On

bothe

This
In
1

Cm.

Nero

he in

hate

youthe ageyn

"

bath

his armes,
hadde

tirannye'
made

him

til he moste

eek

to

blede

dye.

3700

of acustumaunce

his maister for to ryse,

that ; which the rest omit.

Hn. Cm.

ay ; whit h the rest omit.

THE

B.

GROUP

afterward him

Which
Therfor

him

he made

TALE.

MONKES

49

thoughtea l greet greuaunce

deyen in this wyse.

But natheles this Seneca

Chees

in

the wyse
bath to deye in this manere

than han

Rather

fil it

Now

3705

another tonnentyse;

thus hath Nero

And

slaynhis

dere.

maister

that fortune list no

lenger
cheryce;

so

She

hye pryde of Nero to

though that he were2 strong,yet was
I am
to
thoughtethus, [infeith]

To

sette

The

For

In

nyce

that is fulfild of vyce

degree,and emperour him calle.
a

man

[Fulsone]out

of his sete I wol him

peple roos vp-on him

his defaute,and whan

tryce;

3715

shal he falle.'

he leest weneth, sonest

When

3710

she strenger;

'

hy

nyght
he it espyed,
For
he hath him dyght
Out of his dores anon
Alone, and, ther he wende han ben allyed,
he cryed,
He knokked
faste,and ay, the more
The faster shette they the dores alle;
Tho wiste he wel he hadde him-self misgyed3,
his wey, no lengerdorste he calle.
And wente
The

peplecryed and

The

with his

That
'

eres

on

rombled

vp

and

herde he how

doun,

3720

3725

they seyde
'

is this false tyraunt,this Neroun ?

fere almost out of his wit he breyde,

Wher

For

he preyde
goddes pitously
socour, but it myghte nat bityde.
drede of this,him thoughtethat he deyde,
in-to a gardin,him to hyde.
ran

And

to

For

For
And
1

E.

his

omits
(only)
8

VOL.

n.

*
a.

E. Hn.

E. Hn.

was

the resl

wrongly repeat 1. 3731 fora

K

were.

3730

GROUP

5O
And

MONKES

THE

B.

TALE.

in this

That
And

seten
to

To

gardin foond he cherles tweye

by a fyr ful1 greet and reed,

thise cherles two

sleen him, and

That

to

Were

no

he gan

to

preye

girden of his heed,

his body, whan
that he were
deed,
to

despytydoon, for his defame.

Him-self he slow, he coude no better reed,
Of which fortune lough,and hadde a game.
DE
Was

OLOFERNO

capitaynvnder

neuer

That

regnes

putte in

mo

strenger

As

in his tyme,

Ne

more

So

was

king
subieccioun,
a

gretterof

ne

thing,

renoun,

in hy presumpcioun
pompous
Olofern,which that2 fortune ay kiste

and
[tendirly],

Til that his heed

ladde him
was

and

vp

of, er that he wiste.

only that this world hadde him in

For lesingeof richesse or libertee,
he8

made

euery

3745

doun

Nat

But

3740

(HOLOFERNES).

in felde of alle

Ne

Than

3735

man

reneye

awe

3750

his lawe.

Nabugodonosor was god,'seyde he,

be.'
Noon
other god sholde honoured4
Ageyns his heste no wyght dorste trespace
Saue in Bethulia,a strong citee,
'

'

Eliachim

Wher
But

tak

Amidde
With-inne
And
1

kepe

largeas is

al his pompe

E. Hn. Cm.

Olofern;
lay a nyghte,

dronke

his tente,

and

E. Hn.

omit ful ; the rest have it.

HI. omit he ; the rest have
Cm.

E. Hn.

Cm.

adourcd

place.

of the dethe of

his host he

yit,for

of that

prest was

3755

Cp.

"

bern,

al his

myghte,

3760

HI. Pt. that ; which the rest omit.

it.

Pt. Ln. HI. honoured.

B.

GROUP

52

THE

TAL".

MOUSES

though I writ or tolde you euermo

Of his knyghthode,it myghte nat suffyse.

For

regned,as seith Machabce

of Macedoyne he was,
sone
Philippes
That firstwas
king in Grece the contree.
O worthy gentilAlisaundre,alias!
he

Tvvelf yeer

That

sholde fallen swich

euer

Empoisoned of thyn
Thy sys fortune hath
And yitl for thee ne

owen

cas

were;

she

neuer

tere I

me

DE

and

Fro

humble

Vp

roos

bed3

to

roial magestee,

he, lulius the conquerour,

wan

al thoccident

Til that fortune

"

3860

by greet2labour

by londe and see,

By strengtheof hond, or elles by tretee,
hem tributarie;
Rome
made
And
vn-to
the emperour
sith of Rome
And
he,
was

3855

CESARE.

IULIO

By wisdom, manhode,

That

3850

into as,

yiuen teres to compleyne

and of fraunchyse,
The deeth of gentillesse
That al the world welded in his demeyne,
And yithim thoughteit myghte nat suffyse?
his corage of hye empryse.
So ful was
Alias! who shal me
helpe to endyte
False fortune,and poison to despyse,
I wyte?
The whiche two of al this wo
shal

Who

3^45

folk thou

turned
weep

E. Hn. Cm.
E. Hn. Cm.

omit

wex

his aduersarie.

yit.

HI. humble

3865

bed ; Pt.

E.

Cp. Pt. Ln. omit greet.

Cp. Ln. hmnblehede.

GROUP

THE

B.

MONKES

TALE.

53

myghty Cesar, that in Thessalye

Ageyn Pompeius, fader thyn in lawe,
That of thorient hadde al the chiualrye
As fer as that the day biginnethdawe,
Thou
thurgh thy knyghthodehast hem take
Saue fewe folk that with Pompeius fledde,
Thurgh which thou puttest al thorient in awe.
Thanke
fortune,that so wel thee spedde!
But

now

litelwhyl I wol

3870

and

slawe,

38 75

biwaille

Pompeius, this noble gouernour

Rome, which that fleyat this bataille;

This
Of

1 seye,

His
Of

of his men,

oon

heed

of smoot,

lulius,and

him

To

fortune vnto

Rome

With
But

That

winnen

the heed

him
he

broughte.

swich

fyn

thee

broughteI

lulius
repaireth
triumphe,laureat ful hye,
tyme Brutus Cassius1,
hadde

euer

hye estaat envye,

conspiracye

hath maad
priuely
Ageins this lulius,in subtil wyse,
he sholde dye
And
cast the place,in whiche
I shal yow deuyse.
With boydekins,
as

the

This

lulius to

Vpon

day, as he was wont to goon,

him hente
in the Capitolie
anon
false Brutus,and his othere foon,

This

3885

of his

Ful

And

3880

fauour

ageyn

his
on

fals traitour,

of thorient conquerour,

Alias,Pompey,
That

to

3890

wente
Capitolie

So in the MSS.

observe hath hi I.

389;

GROUP

}
And

stikede him

With

many

But
Or

elles at two, but

And
That

TALE.

with

gronte he

Lucan,

MONKES

boydekins anoon
wounde, and thus they lete

neuer

THE

B.

at

strook but

no

if his storie

him

lye;

oon,

lye.

3900

thee this storie I

recomende,
to Sweton, and to Valerie also,
of this storie wryten ord1 and ende,
to

3910

that to thise grete conqueroures

two
Fortune was
first frend,and sithen foo.
How

No

man

hir in

haue

But

truste

ne

Witnesse

vp-on

hir fauour

awayt for

longe,

euer-moo.

3915

alle thise conqueroures

on

stronge.

CRESUS.
This
Of

riche Cresus,whylom king of

whiche

Yit
And
But
That
But

Cresus

Cyrus sore him dradde,

caught amiddes al his pryde,
brent men
to the fyr him
ladde.

he

was

to

be

swich
slow
to

be

Til fortune

Lyde,

reyn doun
the fyr,and

war
on

fro the welkne

made

him

to

shadde
escape ;

no

grace yet he

hadde,

the

galwes made

him

gape.

escaped was, he can nat stente

For to biginnea newe
werre
ageyn.
He wende
wel, for that fortune him sente
Swich hap, that he escaped thurgh the reyn,
That of his foos he myghte nat be sleyn;
eek a sweuen
And
vp-on a nyghte he mette,
Of which he was
so
proud and eek so fayn,
Whan

That

he

in vengeaunce
8

The MSS.

he al his herte sette.

have word

see

the

3920

note.

3925

7,930

TALE.

MONKES

THE

B.

GROUP

55

that him

thoughte,
bothe bak and syde,
Phebus eek a fair towaille him broughte
And
his pryde ;
To drye him with,and ther-for wex
And
bisyde,
to his doughter,that stood him
in hy science habounde,
that he knew
Which

Vp-on a tree he was, as

Ther luppiterhim wesh,

He

bad

she his dreem

And

'

hir telle him

what

signifyde,
bigan ryghtthus expounde.
it

tree,'quod she, the galwes is

'

The

to

And
Tho

ben

the

stremes

sonne

shalt

Reyn

shal thee wasshe, and

Thus

warned

His

she

him

ful

3945

drye;
ful pleyn,
Phanye.

shal thee

sonne

platand

that called

doughter,which

Anhanged

seyn ;

anhanged be, fader,certeyn;

Thou

His

for to

3940

mene,

and reyn,
luppiterbitokneth snow
Phebus, with his towaille so clene,

And

3935

was

'

Cresus, the proude king,

was

myghte

roial trone

him

auaille.

nat

3950

other maner
thing,
Tragedie is3 noon
in singingcrye ne biwaille,
Ne can
But for4 that fortune alwey wol assaille

With
For

when

And

that ben

strook the regnes

vnwar

trusteth hir,than

men

couere

hir

bryghte face

as

she

wol

with

prcude ;

faille.

3955

cloude.

ExplicitTragedia.
Heere

stynteth the

E. bemes

; the rest stremes.

Cm.

Tragedy is ;

so

Cp.

Knyght

Cm.

HI.

Monk

of

his

tale.

Pt. Ln. HI. she ; uhich the rest omit.

in ; E. Ha. Tragedies
Pt. ; Ln. Tregedrye
; HI.
2

Tegredis(s"c).
1

the

for; which the

rest

omit.

GROUP

B.

The

OF

PRESTES

TALE.

of the

prologue

!' quod the

Ho

NONNE

THE

PROLOGUE

Nonne

preestes

'

That

ye han

knyght, good sir,no more

seyd is rightynow, ywis,

And

mochel

more;

'

Is

ryght ynow

Wher
To

as

heren

it is

when

ben

And

3960

in greet welthe

and

ese,

sodeyn fal,alias !
hath

man

this,

greet disese

the contrarie is loie and

And
As

of her

folk,I gesse.

mochel

han

men

of

for litelheuinesse

to

I seye for me,

tale.

clymbeth vp,

and

ben

greet solas,

in poure

wexeth

estaat,

3965

fortunat,

abydeth in prosperitee,
Swich thing is gladsom, as it thinketh me,
of swich thing were
And
goodly for to telle.'
'Ye,' quod our hoste, 'by seint Poules belle,
3970
Ye seye ryght sooth; this monk, he clappethloude,
ther

And

He

spak

I noot

how

As

now

ne
biwaille,

han

Sir monk,

cloude

"

"

compleyne

doon, and

thatJs
ye

with
"

It is for to
That

fortune couered

what, and als of a

Tragedie
remedie
ye herde, and parde! no

neuer

Ryght

"

seyd, to
no

more

als it is

here
of

of

3975

peyne,

heuynesse.
this,so god yow blesse !

GROUP

Your

tale

Swich
For

THE

B.

NONNE

anoyeth al

talkingis

I preye

or

3980

dan

Piers

by

your

name,

telle vs somwhat
hertely,
elles,
For sikerly,
nere
clinkingof your belles,
That
on
your brydel hange on
euery syde,
By heuen king, that for vs alle dyde,
yow

I sholde

the

had

For

this han

er

Although
Than

as

your

fallen doun

slough had

man

haue

may

wel I woot

If any

ben

neuer

slepe
so
depe;

told in vayn.
that thise clerkes seyn,

Nought helpethit to
And

for

audience,

noon

tellen his sentence.

the substance

thing shal

3990

is in me,

wel

reportedbe.
of hunting,I yow
Sir,sey somwhat
preye/
Nay,' quod this monk, I haue no lust to pleye;
Now
let another telle,
I haue told.'
as
Than
spak our host, with rude speche and bold,
'

3995

'

And
'

3985

tale al be

as
certeinly,

Wher

57

boterflye
;
disportne game.

no

Wherfor, sir Monk,

PROLOGUE.

this companye
worth

nat

ther-in is ther

PRESTES.

seyde vn-to

Com

Tel
Be

thou

neer,

the

preste

nonnes

prest, com

anon,

hider,thou

sir

lohn,

4000

swich

thing as may our hertes glade.

though thou ryde vp-on a lade.
blythe,
vs

What
If he

though thyn hors be bothe foule

wol serue
thee, rek nat a bene ;

Look

that

and

lene,

thyn herte be merie euermo.'

Yis, sir,'
quod he, yis,host,so mote I go,
But I be merie, ywis I wol be blamed :
And
his tale he hath attained,
ryght anon

'

'

'

"

Pt. or;

Hn.

o;

which

the

rest

omit,

4005

And

thus

This

GROUP

OF

END

he

swete

GROUPS

B.

seyde

vn-to

AND

D.

euerichon,

vs

goodly

this

prest,

sir

man

John.

4010

Explicit.

[Here
Prologue,

"c.,

numbered

which

//.
11.

Tale,

the

the

Summoner's

The

the

The

of

Law's

Wife

of

Bath's

Tale.]

Group
//.

Tale,

Hoost
then

pp.
comes

which

with

Man

See

329-968.
contains

and

287-328,

next

Doctor's

of

printed

Series)

Six-Text;

The

Wordes

Pardoner,

Press

4637-4652,

with

Tale,

Prestes

(Clar.

in

begins
The

come

Group
and

Morris

//.

End-link,

Group

and

ed.

4011-4636

Priest's

the

Nonne

The

follows

the

to

Chaucer's

in

Tale,

Nuns'

The
B

ends.

1-286

after

and

Phisicien

Pardoner's

Tale,

lines

97-116;

"c.;
the

Preamble

pp.
Friar's

38-60.

Tale,

60

GROUP

E.

CLERK'S

THE

PROLOGUE.

This

'

worthy clerk benignelyanswerde,

Hoste,'quod he, I am vnder your yerde ;
'

Ye

han

of

as

fer

I wol

as

Lerned

I do yow
tale which

telle a
Padowe

at

of

He

is

and

that I

"

/^

-t"j3"7"t

V***-*-^

preued by his wordes

deed

25

worthy clerk,

As

now

obeisaunce,

axeth,hardily.

reson

yow

the gouernaunce,

now

therfor wol

And
As

vs

and

his werk.

nailed in his

cheste,

god so yiue his soule reste!

Fraunceys Petrark,the laureat poete,
Highte this clerk,whos rethorykesweete.

I prey to

As

Linian

Or

lawe,

dide of philosophye
r
J
-

'

But

"

other art

or

deeth,that wol

particuler;

nat

35

suffre vs1 dwellen

heer

twinklingof an ye,
bothe hath slayn,and alle shul we
Hem
dye.
But forth to tellen of this worthy man,
this tale,as I bigan,
That taughteme
\* I seye that firstwith hy stylehe endyteth,
he the body of his tale wryteth,
he
A proheme, in the which discryueth
But

/"

""*"***

al Itailleof poetrye.

Enlumined

30

it

as

Pemond.

were

and

"

spekethof Apennyn,

And

That

been

Where

as

Taketh
t

the boundes

of Mount

And

The

the contree,

of Saluces

"'^"""~~

40

the Poo

of West

Vesulus
out

the hilles hye,

of

in
a

ay

Emelward,
which

to

Lumbardye,^

special, VhnUA*
welle smal

his firstespringingand
Estward

his sours,

encresseth in his

cours

Ferrare)'
and Venyse;

long thingwere
1

45

to

E. omits suffre vs.

deuyse.

,-,

50

GROVP

And

as
trewely,

Me

thinketh it

TALE.

CLERKES

THE

E.

lugement,
thingimpertinent,

to
a

my

his matere,
conueyen
But this his tale1,which that ye may here.
Saue that he wol

Heere

the

bigynneth

of

Clerk

of the

tale

55

Oxenford.

'

Ther

is,at the West

syde

of Itaille,

colde,
of vitaille,
A lustyplayne,habundant
thou mayst biholde,
tour and toun
Wher
a
many
in tyme of fadres olde,
That founded were
Doun

at

the

of Vesulus

the roote

another delitable syghte,

many
Saluces this noble contree
hyghte.

And
And

whylom lord was of that lond$,

his worthy eldres him bifore ;
As were
obeisant and redy to his hond$
And
bothe lasse and more.
alle his liges,
Were
Thus in delythe liueth,and hath doon yore,
Biloued and drad thurgh fauour of fortune
A

markis

Bothe

of his lordes and

The

70

commune.

Saue2 in
And

to

and

ynough
was

of age,

curteisye;

his contree

for to gye,

and

thingesthat

somme

Walter

strong, and yong

of

ful of honour

Discreet

he was,

fair persone,

And

of his

65

speke as of linage,
yborn of Lumbardye,
gentilleste

Therwith

60

this yonge

he

was

lordes

to

75

blame,

name.

is ; HI. Pt. this is the tale ; Ln. this is tale.

E. Hn. this his .tale,
omitting
E. Saue that ; the rest omit that.

62

GROUP

I blame

THE

E.

TALE.

CLERKES

thus, that he considereth nought

him

In tyme coming what myghte him1

But on his lust present was
al his
As

for to hauke

Wei

and

hunte

bityde,
thought,
euery syde;

on

80

leet he slyde,
ny alle othere cures
eek he nolde, and that was
of alle,
worst

And
Wedde

wyf, for ought2 that may

no

bifalle.

Only that point his peplebar so sore,

That flokmele on a day they to him wente,
And oon
of lore,
of hem, that wysest was
Or

elles that the lord best wolde

That

he sholde telle him

Or

elles coude

He

to

he shewe

the markis

assente

his

peple niente,

wel swich

matere,

90

seyde as ye shul here.

markis,your humanitee
Assureth vs and yiueth3vs hardinesse,
'

what

85

noble

ofte

As

That

tyme is of necessitee

as

telle our

heuinesse;
for your gentillesse,
Accepteth,lord,now
That
with pitousherte vn-to yow
we
pleyne,
And lete your eres nat my voys disdeyne.
we

Al haue
More
Yet
Han

to

than

for

as

yow

mowe

nought to
another
muche

alwey shewed

man
as

me

doone

in this matere

hath in this
ye, my

95

lord

so

fauour and

place,
dere,

100

grace,

I dar the better aske of yow a space

Of audience to shewen our
requeste,
And
1

lord,to doon

ryghtas

yow

leste.

Ln. ; E. hym myghte; C. Pt. myjt; HI. mighte.

Ln. oujte ; E. Hn. noght; HI. no thing.
Pt.
Cp.
So Hn. Pt. HI. ; E. to jeue ; C. and jeue ; Ln. and whisse.
So Hn.

*. C.
*

ye, my

105

"\
ft"GROUP

E,

For certes, lord,so

*-

And

THE

wel

CLERKES

vow
^ys_lyketh

0U~*-/^

al your werk and euer

han doon, that
coude nat vs1 self deuysen how

Ne

63

TALE.

we

^'

""""

We

felicitee,
myghte liuen in more
Saue o thing,
lord,if it2 your wille be,
for to been

That
Than

Of

How
For

Ay
And
In

your nekke

man

vnder that blisfulyok

soueraynetee,nought of seruyse,

Which
And

yow leste,
your peplein souereyn hertes reste.

were

Boweth

wedded

wedlok ;
or
clepethspousail
thenketh,lord,among your thoughteswyse,
that our dayes passe in sondry wyse;
though we slepeor wake, or rome, or ryde,
fleeth the tyme, it nil no man
abyde.
that

men

though your grene youthefloure as yit,

crepethage alwey,as stilleas stoon,
deeth manaceth

euery age, and

In ech estaat,for ther escapethnoon
And

And

al

certein

so

That

we

Been

of that

shul

That
And

Chese

we

knowe

of

vs

the trewe

yet refuseden

neuer
we

as

wol, lord,if that

echoon

; E. Hn.
3

So

Cp. vs.

Cp.Pt. Ln.

125

entente,

your3 heste,
ye wol assente,

wyf in short tyme atte leste,

Born
and of the meste
gentilleste
Of al this lond,so that it oughte seme
Honour
to god and yow, as we
deme.
can
cure

120

yow a
of the

Pt. Ln.

115

smit

deye,as vncerteyn we alle

day whan deeth shal on vs falle.

Accepteththan

no

E. Ln. omit it,

HI. ; E. Hn. Cm.

thyn.

130

64

GROUP

Deliuer
And

For
That

CLERKES

TALE.

of al this

bisydrede,
tak a wyf, for hye goddes sake;
135
if it so bifelle,
as
god forbede,
thurgh your deeth your linage1sholde slake,
out

vs

that

And
Your

straunge

o !
heritage,

Wherfor

Her

alyue!
to wyue.'
hastily
vs

were

pray you

we

sholde take

successour

wo

140

meke

preyere and her

the markis herte han

pilouschere
Made
pitee.
Ye wol,'quod he, myn
owen
peple dere,
To that I neuer
erst thoughtestreyne me.
I me
reioysedof my libertee,
That selde tyme is founde in mariage;
Ther I was
free,I moot been in seruage.
'

'

"

THE

E.

nathelees I

But
And

truste

Wherfor
To

wedde

But

ther

To

chese

That

entente,
your trewe
your wit and haue doon

se

vpon

free wille I wol

of my

as

me,
as
me

soone

as

euer

chois,and

ay;

assente

150

I may.
this day

profredme
wyf, I yow relesse
prey yow2 of that profrecesse.

han

ye

god it woot, that children ofte been

Vnlyk her worthy eldres hem bifore;
Bpunteecomth al of god, nat of the
(5Fwhich they been engendredand ybore;
I truste in goddes bountee, and therfore
My mariage and myn estaat and reste
doon as him leste.
I him bitake;he may
For

Cp. Ft. lynage;

E.

145

Ln. HI.

omits yow.
(only)

Hgnage;

E.

lyne;

Hn.

155

160

ligne
; Cm. lyf.

GROUP

Lat

me

E.

alone in

chesingof

my wyf,
I wol endure;

my bak
But I yow preye, and charge vp-on
That what1 wyf that I take,ye me
That

chargevp-on

6$

TALE.

CLERKES

THE

your

lyf,
165

assure

worshipehir,whyl that hir lyfmay dure,

In word and werk, bothe here and euerywhere,
^As she an emperoures doughterwere.
To

this shal ye
forthermore,

And

swere,

that ye

my choys shul neither grucche ne

sith I shal forgoonmy libertee

Agayn
For

At

stryue;

'v'UTP* *

of this matere.'

spekethnaniore

70
___

thryue,oo43

moot
your requeste,as euer
herte is set, ther wol I wyue ;
Ther as myn
And but ye wole assente in swich2 manere,

I prey yow,

175

hertlywil they sworen, and assenten

To al this thing,ther seyde no wyght nay j
Bisekingehim of grace, er that theywenten,
That he wolde graunten hem a certein day
he may ;
Of his spousaille,
as
sone
as
euer
dredde
For yet alwey the peplesom-what
Lest that this markis no wyf wolde wedde.
With

grauntedhem

He

he wolde

which

On

day, swich
be

wedded

180

him

leste,
sikerly,

as

seyde he dide al this at her requeste;

And
theywith humble entente buxomly
Knelingevp-on her knees ful reuerently
thanken alle,
Him
and thus they han an ende
Of her entente, and hoom
agayn theywende.
And

VOL.

H.

So Hn.

'

E. this ; the rest

Cp.Ln.

; E. Cm.

omit That

swich,such.
F

; Pt. om.

185

what.

66

GROUP

And

THE

E.

heer-vp-onhe

to

ES

CLERK

TALE.

his officeres

190

for the feste to purveye,

Comaundeth

priueeknyghtesand squieres
Swich chargeyaf,as him liste on hem
leye;
And
obeye,
they to his comandement
And ech of hem
doth al his diligence
And

To

his

to

doon

the feste

vn-to

195

reuerence.

secunda pars.
Incipii

Explicit
prima pars.

paleyshonurable
^ ,d*4t*"l~
Ther as this markis shoop his mariage, "X^fe^
Ther stood a throp,of site delytable,
200
In which that poure folk of that village
Hadden
her bestes and her herbergage,

Noght

And

fer fro thilke

of her labour tooke

her sustenance
habundance.

yaf hem

After that the erthe

Amonges this poure folk ther dwelte a

holden pourest of hem
that was
Which
But hye god som
tyme senden can
His

grace

in-to

liteloxes

man

alle;

stalle:

thrope him calle.

A doughter hadde he fair ynough to syghte,
Grisildis this yonge may den hyghte.
And
lanicula

But
Than
For
No

for

of that

men

to

was

305

speke of
she

oon

beautee1,

vertuous

the faireste vnder

yfostredvp was she,

poureliche
lust was
thurgh hir herte
[sinful]

sonne;

yronne;

Wei

ofter of the welle than of the tonne

She

drank,and

She

knew

for she

wolde

wel labour,but
1

bountee

210

noon

; the rest

plese,
ydel ese.

vertu

beautee, beute.

215

68

GROUP

The

day

of

wedding

Telle what
For

'

nat

he nat

Why

wol

But
Of

many

they1 were

in

he thus him-self and

priuetee,

set

in

vs

250

whyle!

bigyle?

'

make

in asure,

gold and

and

ringes,for Grisildis sake,

of hir clothingtook he the mesure
/"
/
/
hir
to
stature",
mayde, lyk

Broches

'

T/

By

man,

hath doon

natheles this markis

And

can

be ;

alias the
? alla's,

wedde

gemmes,

wyght

no

lord yet leue his vanitee ?

our

Wol

but

cam,

wondred

merueille

seyden,whan

Wol

TALE.

CLERRES

that it sholde

womman

which

And

THE

E.

And

eek of othere ornamentes

That
The

vn-to

swich

tyme of

wedding sholde falle.

of
_yndern

Approcheth,that
And

alle

this

the

same

day

wedding sholde

be ;

al the

paleysput was in array,

halle and chambres, ech in his degree;

Bothe

of office stuffed with

Houses

Ther

maystow

That

may

This

roial markis

Lordes

be

of

seen

plentee

deynteuousvitaille,

founde,as fer

as

265

last Itaille.

richely
arrayed,

and

ladyesin his companye,

The
whiche vnto2 the feste were
yprayed,
And
of his retenue
the bachelrye,
With many
of sondry melodye,
a
soun
of the which I tolde,
Vn-to the village,
In this array the ryghte wey han holde.
1
9

E. Cm.

that

Cp. Ln.

HI. vnto

they;

the rest omit that.

; Cm.

Pt. to ; E. Ho.

that to.

170

THE

E.

GROUP

TALE.

ES

CLERK

69

Grisilde of this,god wot, ful innocent,

That
To
And
For

for hir
fecchen

water

cometh

at

hoom

wel she had

markis

She

wolde

She

'I
thoughte,

The
To

The
And

she may.
seyd,that thilke day

as

been

wol

with othere

myghte,
syghte.

as

dore, a

our

The

markis

And

she sette

ouer

and

cam

doun

285

the castel holde.'

vn-to

she wolde

280

maydens stonde,

and therfor wol I fonde

markisesse,
it may be,
doon at hoom, as soone
as
labour which that longethvn-to me ;
than I may at leyserhir biholde,

And

hir threshfold goon,

gan hir for to calle;

hir water-pot anoon

in
Bisydethe threshfold,

And

she

of that

som

seyn

euer

and, if

felawes,in

my

If she this wey

And

as

soone

sholde wedde,

fayn han

275

welle is went,

herd

The

That

al this array,

shapen was

oxes

an

290

stalle,

vp-on hir knees she gan to falle,

kneleth stille
with sad contenance
doun

Til she had

herd

what

was

the lordes wille.

markis spak vn-to this mayde

thoughtful
Ful sobrely,
and seyde in this manere,
Wher
is your fader1,Grisildis?' he sayde,
This

295

'

And

she with reuerence,

Answerde,
And

in she

And

to

'

in humble

chere,

lord,he is al redy here.'

gooth

the markis

with-outen

lengerlette,

she hir fader fette.

E. HII. Cm.

inserto

afterfader.

300

GROUP

He

by the bond than

seyde thus,whan

And
'

THE

E.

took

this olde man,

he him

I neither may
lanicula,

TALE.

CLERKES

ne

hadde

can

Lenger the plesanceof

If that thou

herte
myn
sauf,what so

vouche

Thy doughter wol I

As for my wyf,vn-to
Thou

hir

I wot

louest me,

And

take

asyde,

hyde.
bityde,

that I wende

er

lyuesende.

it wel certeyn,

ybore;
my feithful ligeman
And al that lykethme, I dar wel seyn,
It lykeththee,and specially
therfore
art

Tel

that poynt that I haue

me

If that thou

wolt vn-to

To

as

take

me

310

seyd bifore,

that purpos drawe,

for thy sone
in lawe?'
this

This

sodeyn

That

reed he wex,

cas

305

315

astonied so,

man

and al quaking
abayst,
He stood; vnnethes seyde he wordes mo,
But only thus :
lord,'quod he, my willing
Is as ye wole, he ayeinsyoure lyking
320
I wol no-thing;
ye be my lord so dere;
Ryght as yow lust gouerneththis matere.' A^VM^UW^I^
'

'

'

Yet wol I,'quod this markis

'

That

Haue
For

in
a

thy chambre

and
collacion,

I wol

axe

I and
wostow

softely,
thou and

she

why?

325

if it hir wille be

be my wyf,and reule hir after me;

And
al this shal be doon in thy presence,
To

I wol

nought speke out

And

in the chambre

Her

tret^s,which

The

peplecam

of

thyn audience.'

whyl they were

aboute

ye shal after here,

the hous with-oute,
vn-to
as

330

GROUP

And

wondred

And

THE

E.

hem

in how

honest

she kepte hir

tentifly
outerlyGrisildis wondre

But
For

erst

neuer

No

wonder

To

seen

is

gest

She

neuer

was

For

which

she loked

But

shortlyforth

Thise
To

arn

this

she

335

astoned

were

in that

come

swiche

to

manere

myghte,
swich a syghte.

though that1

greet

so

Jl

fader dere.

sey she

ne

TALE.

CLERKES

place;

gestes woned,

with ful

pale face.

340

this tale for to chace,

the wordes

that the markis

sayde

feithful mayde.

benigne verray

'

he seyde,' ye shul wel vnderstonde

Grisilde,'
It lykethto your fader and to me
That I yow wedde, and eek it may so stonde,
As

I suppose,

ye wol that it so be.

thise demandes
I first,'
axe
quod

But
'

345

That, sith it shal be doon

Wol

ye assente

or

elles yow

he,

in hastif wyse,

auyse?

I seye this,be ye redy with good herte

To al my lust,and that I frelymay,
As

best thinketh,do

me

And

neuer

ye

to

And

eek whan

Neither
Swer

laughe or smerte,
grucche it,nyght ne day?
ye,'ne sey nat nay,'
sey
ne
frowningcontenance;

by word
this,and here

yow

'

'

swere

our2

355

alliance.'

Wondring vp-on this word, quaking for drede,

She seyde, lord,vndigne and vnworthy
I to thilke honour that ye me
Am
bede;
'

E. Pt. omit that

E. yow

; the re.t oure.

360

GROUP

72
But

E.

THE

CLERKES

TALE.

wol

your-self,
ryght so wol I.
And
heer I swere
that neuer
willingly
In werk ne thought I nil yow disobeye,
to be deed, though me
loth to deye.'
were
as

'

ynough, Grisilde myn ! quod he.

And
forth he goth with a ful sobre chere
Out at the dore,and after that cam
she,
And to the peple he seyde in this manere,
This is my wyf,'quod he, that standeth here.
Honoureth
hir,and loueth hir,I preye,
Who
to seye.'
so
me
loueth;ther is namore
'

This

ye

is

'

And

'

for that

no-thingof hir olde gere

She sholde bringein-to his hous, he bad
That wommen
sholde dispoilen
hir ryght there;
Of which thise ladyeswere
nat ryghtglad
To

370

handle

hir clothes wher-in

she

clad.

was

But

natheles this

mayde bryghtof hewe

Fro

foot to heed

'theyclothed

Hir

heres han

han

al

375

newe.

they kembd, that lay vntressed

Ful rudely,and with her fingressmale
A corone
hir heed they han ydressed,
on
And
sette hir ful of nowches
grete and smale;

380

Of

tale?
hir array what sholde I make
a
Vnnethe
for hir fairnesse,
the peple hir knew
Whan
This

she translated
markis

hath hir

was

in swich richesse.

spousedwith

385

ring

Brought for the same

cause, and than hir sette
Vp-on an hors, snow-whyt and wel ambling,
he lengerlette,
And
to his paleys,
er
With ioyful
peplethat hir ladde and mette,

390

CLERK

THE

E.

GROUP

TALE.

ES

73

Conueyed hir,and thus the day they spende

In reuel til the

sonne

forth
shortly

And

it

That

she

in

As

was

cote

But

norished

To

euery

or

in

in

an

oxe-stalle,

an

halle.

emperoures

And
And

from

woxen

is

dere

so

folk ther she

bore

was

hir yeer
they,but dorste han

hir birthe knewe

trowed

400

by

yere,

swore

of which I spak bifore,

lanicle,
She doughternas2,for,as by coniecture,

That1

to

thoughteshe

Hem

395

nat

wyght she
that
worshipful,

Vnnethe

hir of his grace,

by lyklinesse
born and fed in rudenesse,

semed

ne

chace,

markisesse

newe

fauour sent

hath swich

That

descende.

this tale for to

I seye that to this

God

gan

For

though that

She

was

was

euer

encressed

another
vertuous

in swich

405

creature.

was

she,

excellence
--x

heigh bountee,
discreet and fair of eloquence,
so
benigne and so digne of reuerence,
coude so the peplesherte embrace,

the we

Of
And

So
And

That

goode,yset in

ech hir louede

So
1
2

hir face.

the bountee3

of hir name,

bisydein many a regioun,

oon
seyde wel, another seyde the same;
spradde of hir heigh bountee the fame4,

But
If

was

on

Saluces in the toun

Nought only of
Publisshed

that loked

eek

omit she.
Cp. Ln. nas ; E. Hn. Cm. Hl.were ; Ft. ne
*
E.
E. beautee ; the rest bountee.

E. That

410

she ; the

rest

were.

name

; the rest fame.

415

GROUP

That

and

men

Gon

THE

E.

wommen,

Saluce,vpon

to

TALE.

CLERKES

wel yonge
hir to biholde.

olde,

as

as

420

lowly,nay but roially,

Wedded
with forlunat honestetee,
In goddes pees lyuethful esily
At hoom, and outward grace ynough had he;
And for he sey that vnder low1 degree
ofte2 vertu hid, the peple him helde
Was
A prudent man, and that is seyn ful selde.
Walter

Thus

thurgh hir wit

al the feet of wyfly homlinesse3,
Coude
that the cas requyredit,
But eek, whan
The
commune
profitcoude she redresse.
Ther nas
discord,rancour, ne heuinesse
In al that lond, that she ne coude apese,
And
wysly bringe hem alle in reste and ese.

Were

bringen hem atoon;

wordes hadde she,

heuen
and

saue

so

greet equitee,
sent

euery

wende,

men

as

was,

440

tamende.

wrong

longe tyme after that this Grisild

wedded, she a doughterhath ybore,

Was

hir leuer haue

had

Glad
For

and

she from

Peple to

Al

435

othere of hir contree

or

rype
Ingementz of

That

anoon,

were

430

wrothe, she wolde

wyse

And

absent

hir housbonde

Though that
If gentil
men,
So

Grisildis

only this

Nat

425

this markis

was

though

mayde

E.

heigh;

So

Cp. Ln.

E.

man

born
and
child

knaue4

the folk therfore ;

come

al bifore,
"

the rest lowe, low.

; the rest humblenesse

the rest knaue.

child.

see

E. omits ofte.
note.

445

76

GROUP

Maketh
That

yow
I yow

THE

E.

for
foryetful

nat

took

TALE.

CLERKES

in poure

to

estaat

be
ful lower

For

your-seluenknowe.
any wele ye moot
Tak hede of euery word that I yow seye,
Ther is no wyght that hereth it but we
tweye.
Ye

here
your-self
wel, how that ye came
In-to this hous, it is nat longe ago,
And
though to me that ye be lief and dere,
Vn-to my gentils
ye be no-thingso ;
They seyn, to hem it is greet shame and wo
For to be subgetzand1 been in seruage
To thee. that born art of a smal village.

475

woot

namely,sith thy doughterwas ybore,

Thise wordes han they spoken doutelees ;
But I desyre,as I haue doon bifore,
To Hue my lyfwith hem
in reste and pees;

480

And

I may

nat

in this

I mot

don

with

Nat

as

And
But

caas

485

be recchelees.

thy doughterfor the beste,

wolde, but as my pepleleste.

yet, god wot, this is ful looth

to

490

me;

natheles with-oute your

I wol nat don, but this wol
'

That

Shewe
That
That

witing
I,'quod he,
in this thing.
assente
as
ye to me
now
your paciencein your werking
in your village
hyghte and swore
ye me
day that maked was our mariage.'
she had

Whan

herd

Neither in word,

For,

as

or

al this,she

chere,or

it semed, she
1

E. and

was

to ;

nat

the

rest

nought

495

ameued

countenance;

agreued:
omit to.

500

THE

E.

GROUP

CLERKES

TALE.

77

She

seyde,'lord,al lyth in your plesance,

My child and I with hertlyobeisance
Ben youres al,and ye mowe
or1 spille
saue
Your

owen

Ther

may

no-thing,
god

after your

so

Ne
Ne
This

to

soule saue,

my

505

that may

yow

wil is in myn

Ne
Glad

sholde out

that he

Vn-to

to

which

execucion

The

lord knew

And

whan

on

nat

were

his

soj

loking

of the chambre
two.

or

wey

go.
#.

515

Xx/flZe

"X/-R

wyf

this

him

sente.

priueeman,

eek

swich

hadde

folk wel

520

can

thingesbadde.
louede

and

dradde,

this sergeant wiste his* lordes wille,

'Madame,'
Though I

he

Ye

wys

so

answering,

wel that he him

In-to the chambre

ben

place.'

that feithful ofte he founden

thingesgrete, and

Boon

his

sergeant was

maner

The

and

man,

510

told al his entente

priuelyhath

He

furlong

after this,a

Sone

In

he

his chere and

drery was

Whan

another

to

of hir

yet he feynedas

But
Al

this markis

was

ay shal be.
deeth may this deface,

herte and

lengtheof tyme or
chaunge my corage

No

do

seyde,'ye mote
thing to which
that ful wel

E. Hn. thee vel yee ; Pt. HI. je ; Cm.

E. the ; Cm. this ; the rest his.

and ; the rest

foryiueit me,
I am
constreyned;

knowe

E.

Cp. Pt. Ln.

ful stille.

he stalked him

wille.

displeseme ;
I ne2 desyre no-thingfor to haue,
drede for to lese,saue
only ye 3 ;

Lyken

thing; werketh

or.

E. Ha.

Cp.

ye
Ne

ne

Ln. thee.

; the rest omit ne.

78
That

lordes hestes

They

put

JAnd

so

nede

mot

wol

am

ben

vn-to

her lust
to

namore

comanded

seye.

for to take'

spak namore, but out the child

and gan a chere make
Despitously,
As though he wolde han slaynit er
al suffren and

as

And

leet this cruel sergeant doon

lamb

"

he hente
535

he wente.

consente;

And

530

obeye,

And

Grisildis mot

TALE.

ES

yfeyned;
biwailled or1 compleyned,

I; ther is

child I

This

CLERK

nat

mowe

wel ben

mowe

men

THE

E.

GROUP

she sitteth meke

and

stille,

his wille.

uspecipuswas the diffame of this man,

Suspecthis face,suspect his word also;
Suspectthe tyme in which he this bigan.
Alias 1 hir doughter that she louede so
She wende
he wolde han slawen it ryghttho.
But natheles she neither weep
ne
syked,
Consentinghir to that the markis lyked.
But

And
So

540

545

speken2she bigan,
mekely she to the sergeant preyde,
he was
a
as
worthy gentilman,
atte

laste

kisse hir child

that it

deyde;
And
in her barm
this litelchild she leyde
With ful sad face,and gan the child to kisse
lulled it,and after gan it blisse.
And
That

she moste

And

thus

she

'Far

wel, my

E. Cm.

550

seyde in hir benigne voys,

child;I shal thee neuer
see;

But, sith I thee haue marked

1

er

and ; the rest

or.

555

with the croys,

E.

to

speken; the rest omit

to.

GROUP

Of

thilke fader blessed mote

That

for

deyde vp-on

vs

TALE.

CLERKES

THE

E.

thou

be,

croys of tree.

Thy soule,litelchild,I him bitake,

For this nyght shallow deyen for my sake.'
that to

I trowe
It had
Wei

myghte

But

natheles

moder

And

heer

agayn

But3

thing wol
but

Burieth

But

took

no

ne

no

word

wol

to

This

sergeant

And

of Grisildis wordes

place

som

that purpos
wente

vn-to

vpon

seye,

his weye.

his lord ageyn,

and hir chere

575

him

point for point,in short and playn,

with his doughter dere.
presenteth

this lord hath

B"ut natheles his purpos

And

570

tolde him

Somwhat

As

lordes heste,

my

briddes it to-race.'

the child and

cam

doth
yow

lord forbad

my

bestes
he

And

565

of your grace,
yow, atte leste

I preye

this litel body in

But

He

'

mekely she sayde,

your litelyonge mayde.

now/ quod she, 'and

That

cryed alias!'
was
she,

han

all aduersitee,

Goth

That,

cas

the sergeant

to

Haue

than

560

for to se;

sad2 stedfast

so

she endured

That

this rewthe

hard

ben

norice in this

79

lordes doon
bad

Sholde

whan

rewthe

heeld he

they wol

E. Hn. Cm.

E, Pt. And

stille,
han hir wille;

580

his sergeant that he

this child ful 4 softe

in his manere;

he ; the rest thou.

; the rest But.

priuely
wynde and

E. Cm.

Cp.

wrappe

Pt. sad and ; the rest omit and.

Pt. Ln. ful ; the rest omit it.

8O

TALE.

ES

CLERK

THE

E.

GROUP

tendrely,
cofre or in a lappe;

alle circumstances

With

carie it in

And

of for to jwa
of his entente,
sholde knowe

But, vp-on
That

no

Ne

his heed

peyne

man

he cam1,

whenne

Boloigne to his

But

at

That

thilke tyme of Panik 2

sholde it take and shewe

He

Bisekingehir

to

deere,

suster

child to fostre in alk

And

whos

child that it

590

hir this matere,

gentilesse
;
he bad

was

wyght,for ought

euery

countesse,

was

hir bisinesse

don

This

From

that he wente;

whider

ne

hir8

that may

hyde^_
"

bityde.

595

sergeant goth, and hath fulfildthis thing;

But to this markis
For

we

goth he ful faste ymagining

chere he myghte se,
wyues

now

by his
Or by hir word aperceyue that she
hir coude
Were
chaunged; but he neuer
in oon
But euer
ylykesad and kynde.
If

retourne

now

600

fynde

'

^*-

As

glad,as humble,
in loue

And

eek

Was

she to him

Ne
Noon

of hir

as

as

bisyin

she

to

wont

was

in euery

seruyse,

maner

wyse;

Was

seyn in hir,ne

aduersitee

Ne

nempned she, in

neuer

hir

ernest

nor

c*~f~'"^**\\p

doughter name
in game.

Explicittercia pars, Sequilurpars quaria.

1
8

Cp. Pt. HI.

Cp. HI. Panyke ; the
Hn.

Cm.

E. him ; the

rest

he
rest

cam

E. Ln. omit.

Pavik,Pauyk, Pavte.

hire,hir.

605

spak she. -""

dought'er
nought a word

accident fornoon

be,

GROUP

In this estaat

THE

E.

CLERK

81

TALE.

ES

passedben four yeer

Er she with childe was; but, as god wolde,
A knaue1 child she bar by this Walter,
ul gracious
and fair for to biholde.
And whan that folk it to his fader tolde,
Nat onlyhe, but al his contree, merie
Was for this child,and god they thanke and
old,and fro the
Departedof his norice,on a day
This markis caughteyet another lest
To temple his wyf yet ofter,
if he may.
0 needles was
she tempted in assay 1
Whan

But

it was

wedded

Whan

two

yeer

men

that

610

ther

knowe

ne

no

615
herie.

brest

mesure,

theyfyndea pacientcreature.)""'
ft

Wyf/ quod this markis, ye han herd er this,

tv7/c"1^
My peplesiklyberth our mariage,
And namely sith my sone
yboren is,
1

'

Now
The
For

is it

to

myne
it wel ny

age.

our

herte and

the voys
hath myn
destroyed

my
so

smerte,

And

been

seith my
oughteI of swich

Swiche
Wel

lord,for other haue

wordes

we

peple,out
murmur

noon

of drede.

taken hede ;

I drede swich sentence,

certeinly
.Though theynat pleynspekein myn
For

audience.

liue in pees, if that I myghtej

herfor I am
disposedouterly,

wolde

VOL.

II.

E.

man

; the rest knaue.

O

9^^
630

herte.

Than

our

\r

coragej

sey theythus,'whan Walter is agoon,

shal the blood of lanicle succede

Now

in al

euer

sleeth myn
comth
eres

murmur

That

than

worse

625

635

82

GROUP

As

I his suster

Ryght
This
Out

I yow,

warne

CLERKES

by nyghte,
him pryuely;
to serue
that ye nat sodeynly

of

for no wo
your-self
and ther-of I
pacient,

Beth

TALE.

seruede

thenke

so

THE

E.

640

sholde outraye;
yow

preye.'

haue/ quod she, seyd thus,and euer shal,

I wol no
thing,ne nil no thing certayn
But as yow list;
nought greuethme at al,
be slayn,
Though that my doughter and my sone
'

'

your comandement, this is to sayn.

I haue nought had no part of children tweyne

645

At

But

after

firstsiknesse,
and

Ye

ben

Ryght
For,

peyne.

lord,doth with your owen

thing
yow list;axeth no reed at_me.

our
as

I lefte at hoom

as

I firstcam

Whan

and

wo

to

al my

yow,
al my

clothing,
ryght so,"quod she,

libeitee,
Lefte I my wil and
took your clothing;
wherfor I yow
And
'

Doth

your

plesance,I

wol

certes,if I hadde

And

I wolde

But

your

lust

it doon

prescience

er

The
His
In

tolde,

660

your lust and what ye wolde,

plesanceferme and stable I holde ;

Al your
For wiste I that my deeth wolde
Ryght gladlywolde I deyen,yow

nought

may

Vn-to

preye,

I wot

now

Deth

655

obeye.

ye your lust me
with-outen necligence
;

wil to knowe

Your

650

your
Constance

yen

make

no

two, and

patiencesuffre al

plese.

this markis

wyf,he

wondreth

to

ese,

yow

665

comparisoun

loue:' and, whan

of his

do

caste

sey

adoun

that she may

this array.

670

84

E.

GROUP

But

ther ben

That, whan

They

THE

folk of swich

they haue
nat

can

waiteth,if by word
she to him

She

was

The

Ther

nas

The

same

he

as

wel, for

no

For

of

Hath
Swich
No
Ther

of hir-self

no

as

hir housbond

cruel herte he

murmur

was

is,for

wonder
no

word

For

which, wher

Had

loued him

as

his

720

wolde.

wyde spradde,
wikkedly,
hadde,

priuely.
hem
comunly.
among
to the peplesere
but that they mordred
were.

735

peple ther-bifore

wel, the
1

\ ^^"

ofte and

cam

penible.

more

wedded
poure womman
bothe his children
mordred

he

possible,

worldlyvnreste
thingne sholde

Walter
sclaundre_pf

That

in age,

be thanked, al filfor the beste.

Wille in effect,
but
The

710

it semed

shewed

wyf

705

thus,that of hem two

but o wil; for,as Walter leste,
hir plesancealso,
lust was

And, god
A

slake.

contenance

in loue, and

him

to

was

which

She

was

or

stake,

changed of corage ;
fynde variance;
herte and in visage;

was

coude

he

a1

take,

purposed
first disposed.

in
ay oon
ay the ferther that she was
more
trewe, if that it were

And

She

to

of that firste purpos

this markis fulliche hath

He

neuer

bounden

nat

tempte his wyf, as

But

condicion,

certein purpos
stinte of hir entencion,

To

That

TALE.

ES

But, ryght as they were

They wol
Ryght so

CLERK

E. Hn. Cm.

sclaundre of his diffame

that; the

rest a.

730

GROUP

Made

hem

that

To

ben

But

natheles,for

He
To

that his

He

How
Bad

hateful

an

ernest

name.

for game

ne

nolde

"

stente

("- r ^*^T-

al his entente.

set

"*-

735

of age,
yeer was
of Rome^ in subtil wyse,

of his wil, sente

Comaunding

therfore,

doughter twelf

the court

to

Enformed

As

is

of his cruel purpos

tempte his wyf was

Whan

hatede

85

TALE.

CLERKES

they him

mordrer

THE

E.

hem

his message,

-^^ju^^*^-*^

bulles to

swiche

deuyse
to his cruel purpos
suffyse,
may
that the pope, as for his peples reste,
him to wedde
another,if him leste.

740

I seye, he bad they sholde countrefete

The popes bulles,
making mencion
That
1

he

As_ by
To

hath

the popes

stinte

Bitwixe

which

The

rude

Wenden

I deme
But

peple,as

it

thise

wonder

no

that hir herte

Thaduersitee

Abyding
whom

euer

750

ryght so;
Grisildis,

to

ful

was

is,

ben

tydingescam

she, ylyke sad for

To

dissencion

peple and him; thus seyde the bulle,

they han publisshedatte mile.

Disposed was,

As

and

ful wel that it had

whan

lete,

dispensacion,

rancour

his

The

But

leue his firste wyf to

wo.

euermo,

this humble

creature,

755

of fortune al tendure.
his lust and

that she

was

his

yeuen,

plesance,
herte and

hir verray worldlysuffisance;

shortlyif this storie I tellen shal,

al,

to

But
This

markis

writen

hath

in

special

760

86

GROUP

E.

he
secrely

To

To

TALE.

his entente,

Boloigneit sente.

to

Panik, which

the erl of

Wedded

CLERKES

he sheweth

lettre in which

And

THE

his suster,

that hadde

tho

preyde he specially

765

agayn his children two

al openly.
estaat

bringen hoom

In honurable
But

thinghe

That

he to

Sholde

nat

him

preyedeouterly,
wolde enquere,
no
wyght,though men
whos children they1were,
telle,

770

seye, the mayden sholde ywedded be

Vn-to the markis of Saluce anon.
But

And
For

as

at

this erl

day

set

preyed,so

was

he

on

Saluce,and

Toward

dide

he;

his wey is goon

lordes many
oon,

775

In riche array, this mayden for to gyde;

Hir yonge brother ryding hir bisyde.
toward

Arrayed was
This
Hir

mayde, ful of gemmes

brother,which that seuen
yeer
ful fresh in his

day

clere;
of age,

was

780

manere.

thus in greet noblesse and

Toward
Fro

mariage

fresshe

Arrayed eek
And

hir

with

glad chere,

shaping her iourney,

day theyryden in her wey.

Saluces
to

pars quinta.
Explicitquarta pars. Sequitur
after his wikke vsage,
Among al thisjil
This markis, yet his wyf to temple more
To

the vttereste
1

E. Hn.

preue

of hir corage,

Cp. Ln. that they; the rest omit that.

785

GROUP

Fullyto
He

stedfast

as

as

bifore,

To

79"

Certes,Grisild,I
han

sentence:

hadde

ynough plesance
wyf for your goodnesse,

to

my
trewthe and

yow

for your obeisance,

for your
Nought for your linagene for your richesse;
But now
knowe
I in verray soothfastnesse
As

in greet

Ther

is

don

plowman may;
for to take
My peple me constreyneth
Another wyf, and cryen day by day;
for to slake,
And
eek the pope, rancour
Consenteth it,that dar I vndertake;
My
Be

nat

as

wyf

newe

is

thilke dower

Tak

it agayn,

Retourneth
No

With

The1
And
'

to

may

man

coming by

that

And

Maken

800

seye,
805

hir place,
voyde anon
ye broughten me

fadres

your

yow

the weye.

graunte it of my

alwey han

grace;

hous,'quod he;
prosperitee
;

810

I rede yow tendure

strook of fortune or of auenture.'

euene

herte

she answerde

agayn

My lord/ quod she,

How

I wol

muche

strong of herte,and

And

'

euery

treweliche thus

And

79?

if I wel auyse,
lordshipe,
greet seruitute in sondry wyse.

That

I may

87

lore

day in open audience

hath seyd hir this
boistously

on

Ful
'

were

TALE.

CLERKES

and
experience

ban

If that she

THE

E.

that bitwixen

my

pouerte

pacience,

I wot, and

'

wiste

magnificence
wyght can ne may

your

no

comparison;it
1

in

is

no

nay.

E. This ; the rest The.

alway
815

88
I

heeld

ne

To

THE

E.

GROUP

digne in

neuer

me

wyf, no,

be your

CLERK

ne

your

ES

no

TALE.

manere

chamberere.

hous, ther ye me lady made

heiehe god take I for my
witnesse,

in this

And
The

"

820

*"w? -n^yt^^

wisly
Qie my soule glade
I neuer
heeld me
lady ne maistresse,
to your worthinesse,
But humble
seruant
And
euer
shal,whyl that my lyfmay dure,
Abouen
euery worldlycreature.
And

also

That

"

longe of

ye so
holden

Han
Wher

as

me
was

thonke

That

benignitee
and nobleye,
nought worthy for to1 be,
I preye
god and yow, to whom
your
in honour

there is

Foryeldeit yow;
Vn-to
And

And
So
For

my fader gladlywol
with him dwelle vn-to

to

namore

I wende,
my

lyues ende.

For
'That
That

newe

that I

blisful wont

was

lykethyow,
al
whylom weren

sith it

I shal goon,

my

to

ther

as

ye

841

be.

lord,'
quod she,

845

hertes reste,
myn
I wol goon whan
yow leste.

profreswich dowaire
As I firstbroughte,it is wel in my mynde
It were
clothes,
no-thingfaire,
my wrecched
hard now
for to fynde.
The whi^h to me
were
O goode god! how gentiland how kynde
But

830

seye.

wyf,god of his grace

graunte yow wele and prosperitee:
I wol gladlyyeldenhir my place,
of your

In which

8zs

me

E. omits for to.

850

GROUP

Ye

semed

The

day

THE

E.

by

your
that maked

specheand
was

89

TALE.

ES

CLERK

visage
manage!
your

our

k*. cnjU. *r-6

But

sooth is

For

in effect it

Loue
But
To

seyd,algate I fyndeit

euer

That

I yow

in word

and

I cam,

lewels

redy be
chambre, dar I sauflysayn;
my fadres hous/ quod she,
naked

I smokies

That

The

I turne

mot

But

The
And
But
Ne
Hir

fayn;
entente
*

paleyswente.'

that thou

thilke word

wel vnnethes
wente

hast

on

875

thy bak, 890

he

spak,
his wey for rewthe and for pitee.
folk hir-seluen strepeth
she,

in hir

Toward

'

agayn.

and ber it forth with thee,'

stille,

Biforn the
And

of your

out

smok,'quod he,

Lat it be

t/W"'But

/4-vt-*"
'

I shal repente
herte in hool entente.

Al your plesancewol I folwen

But yet I hope it be nat your

'

fcixZ-4f

"

werk

of your

of

out

or

yaf myn

with ^nnre

Naked
'

me

noght old as whan that it is newe.

aduersitee,
certes, lord,for noon
deyen in the cas, it shal nat be

remenant

yX

on

855 ((

"

is

That

cr "n-

preuedis

trewe

smok, with heed and foot al bare,

hir fader hous

folk hir folwe

895

forth is she fare.

wepinge

in hir weye,

fortune ay they cursen

as
theygoon;
she fro weping kepte hir ye'ndreye,
in this tyme word

spak she noon.

tydingherde anoon,

that this
fader,'

Curseth

Shopp

the
him

day
to

and

ben

"""

ne

tyme that
Ivues

nature

'

\O

creature/0-^^o-^

900

GROUP

90
For
Was
For

THE

E.

of doute

this olde poure man

in suspect of hir mariage;

out
euer

he

euer

sith that it

demed,

That

whan

the lord fulfildhad

Him

wolde

thinke it

To
And

TALE,

CLERKES

his estaat

so

voyden hir

bigan,

his corage,

disparage
for talyghte,
he myghte.
as
euer

were

lowe
as

905

sone

doughter hastilich goth he,

hir cominge,
he by noyse of folk knew
with hir olde cote, as it myghte be,
couered hir,ful sorwefully
wepinge;
hir body myghte he it nat bringe.
on
of age
the cloth,and 1 more
rude was

910

his

For
And
He
But
For

By dayes fele
Thus

with hir fader for

this flour of

Dwelleth
That

than at hir

neither

by

wyflypacience,

she that hir

Ne

of hir

Ne

hadde

heigh estaat no
she, as_by hir

No

wonder

Hir

goost

No

tendre mouth,

pompe,
But ful of
Discreet
And

to

is,for

no

euer

ne

in her

eek

shewed

No

certeyn space

Ne

was

mariage.

hir wordes

Biforn the folk,ne

915

was

hir face

920

absence,

doon

offence;

remembrance

$44L/c/x/-tf,

contenance.

in hir grete estaat

in
non

semblant

pleyn humylitee;
herte delicat,
of roialtee,

pacientbenignitee,
and prydeles,
ay honiirable, c-^/la**^ 93G

hir housbonde

E. Hn. Cm.

euer

meke

and

stable.

HI. and she ; the rest omit she.

I haue

THE

E.

GROUP

92

CLERKES

TALE.

960

sumgant certayn
^rttx/
The chambres
for tarrayein ordinance
After my lust,and therfor wolde I fayn
That
al swich maner
thyn were
gouernance;
\Thou

wommen

no

knowest

thyn
[Though

thy deuoir

thou

Do

eek of old al my
array be badde and
at

the leste

plesance;

\*

yuelbiseye,

\veye.'

only,lord,that I am glad,'quod she,

'To doon your lust,
but I desyrealso
Yow
for to serue
and plesein my degree
With-outen feynting,
and shal euermo.
'

Nat

for

wele

Ne

neuer,

Ne

shal the gost with-in myn

loue yow best with al my

To

no

ne

And

with that word

And

tables for to sette and

no

970

wo,

she gan

herte stente
trewe

entente.'

the hous

to

dyghte,

beddes make;

peyned hir to don al that she myghte,

Preying the chambereres,for goddes sake,
To hasten hem and faste swepe and shake;
se'ruisable
of die,
shl,
the mo'ste
And

975

And

'

*^U"^*"

Hath

euery chambre

Abouten

vndern

gan

arrayedand his halle.

this erl

980

alyghte,

broughte these noble children tweye,

the syghte
For which the pepleran to seen
Of hir array, so richely
biseye;
hem
And than at erst amonges
they seye,
985
That Walter was
no
fool,though that him leste
for the beste.
To chaunge his wyf, for it was
That

For
Than

with him

she

is

is fairer,
as

they demen

and
Grisild,

more

alle,

tendre of age,

THE

E.

GROUP

And

fairer fruytbitwene

And

more

for
plesant,

hem

to

Commending
Auctor.

*O

hem

93

falle,

sholde

990

hir

seen

heigh lynage;
of visage,
fair was
the peple hath caught plesance,

now

the markis

Hir brother eek

That

TALE.

CLERKES

so

gouernance.

stormy peple! vnsad

and

"

vntrewe!

euer

995

Ay vndiscreet and chaunging as a vane,

,/VCovH
Delytingeuer in rombel that is newe,
r-^
For lyk the mone
;
ay wexe
ye and wane
a
Ay ful of clapping,dere ynough a lanej Gt*^-**-**'
Your doom
is fals,your Constance
yuel preueth,khcoo
A

ful greet fool is he that

on

yow

leueth!'

seyden sadde folk in that citee,

Whan
that the peplegazed vp and doun,
For they were
glad,ryght for the noueltee,
To han a newe
lady of her toun.
of this make
I now
Namore
mencioun;
But to Grisild agayn
wol I me
dresse,
Thus

telle hir Constance

And
Ful

and

1005

hir bisinesse.
"

Grisild in euery thing

to the feste was
apertinent;

bisy was

That

1010

Ryght nought was she abaystof hir clothing,

Though it were rude and somdel eek to-rent.
But with glad chere to the yate is1 went
With other folk to grete the markisesse,
And

after that doth

forth hir bisinesse.

1015
~

With

And2

glad chere his gestes she

so

conningly,euerich
1
1

E. Hn.

HI. is she

E. Hn. Cm.

in his

; the rest

HI. And

so

receyueth,
degree,

omit she.

Cp. Ft.

Ln. omit

so.

94
That

GROUP

E.

defaute

no

no

THE

ES

CLERK

TALE.

aperceyueth;
what she myghte be

man

But

ay they wondren
That in so poure array

for to see,

was

And

coude

And

worthily
they preisenhir prudence.

In

swich

al this

honour

and

whyle she

mene

1020

reuerence;

stente

ne

This

mayde and eek hir brother to commende

With al hir herte,in ful benigne entente,

'

1*025

wel that

So
But

sitten doun

she
as
Grisild,
1

to
was

hir

pjys amende.

that thise lordes wende

mete, he gan to calle
bisy in his halle.
in his

Grisild/quod he, as it were

pley,I

wyf and hir beautee?1

Ryght wel/ quod she, my lord ; for,in good fey,

'How
'

coude

man

laste,whan

atte

To

no

lyketh thee

my

'

fairer sey I

she.

than

non

neuer

I prey to god^iue hir prosperitee;

f
And so hope I that he wol to yow sende
Plesance

ynough

vn-to

thingbiseke I yow and

That ye ne prikke with no
If,

",.

tendre

For
More

As
And
Hir

/,

also,
tormentinge ^7

warne

doon
ye nan
moj
she is fostred in hir norishinge

This

She

lyuesende.

your

mayden,

and,
tendrely,
coude

coude

nat
a

whan

to

my

so

1040

supposinge,

aduersitee endure,

poure

fostred creature.'

this Walter

glade chere and

he

^(tLAX/.

as

no

sey hir pacience,

malice at al,
hir

offence,
she ay sad and constant
And
a
wal,
as
Continuingeuer hir Innocence oueral,
And

1035

ofte had

doon

to

1045

E.

GROUP

This
To

sturdymarkis
rewen

vp-on

his herte dresse

gan

hir

TALE,

CLERKES

THE

95

^^ji^n^u^,

wyfly stedfastnesse.

1050

ynough, Grisilde myn/ quod he,

Be now
namore
agast ne yuel apayed; ****" |j|"^
I haue thy_feith
and thy benignitee,
As wel as euer
womman
was, assayed,
In greet estaat and poureliche
arrayed.
1055
*
Now
knowe
I, dere wyf, thy stedfastnesse/"
This

'

is

'

took

And

hir in

And

she for wonder

She

herde

She

ferde

armes

and

gan

took of it

hir kesse.

kepe;
nat what thing he to hir seyde;
she had stert out of a slepe,
as

Til she out

no

of hir masednesse
.

Grisild/quod he, by god that for vs deyae,

Thou
other I haue,
art my
wyf, ne2 non
Ne neuer
hadde, as god my soule saue!
'

'

thy doughter which thou hast supposed

To be my wyf; that other feithfully
Shal be myn
heir,as I haue ay purposed8;
bare him in thy body trewely.
Thou
At Boloigne haue I kept hem priuely,

This

is

Tak

hem

agayn, for
thou hast lorn

That
And
I

folk that

warne

hem

now
non

maystow
of

nat

seye
children
thy
tweye.

otherweyeshan seyd of
wel that I haue

malice

for

doon

me,

this dede

crueltee,
But for tassaye in thee thy wommanhede,
And
nat
to sleen my
children,
god forbede!
For

1
5

no

ne

1065

no

1075

Cm. Cp. Ln. HI. ne; Pt. and ; E, Hn. omit ne.
rest dere.
goo"Ie;
; Pt. disposed.
; E. Hu. Cm. supposed(wrongly)
Cp. Lu. HI. purposed

E.

9"5

GROUP

But

for to

Til I

thy

THE

E.

kepe

CLERKES

TALE.

hem

priuelyand stille,
knew and al thy wille.'

purpos

fcivJi.Whan she this herde,as^vowne doun she falleth

//":, For pitousloye, and after hir swowning

1080

H./fy.(A She bothe hir yonge children vn-to hir calleth,

And
in hir armes, pitously
weping,
Embraceth
hem, and tendrelykissing
J
^-wcvjjw
"'.

'

rul

lyk

She

batheth bothe

O, which

mooder, with hir sake

hir

teres

visageand

hir heres.

1085

pitousthingit was to se
Hir swowning, and hir humble
voys to here !
Graunt mercy, lord,that thanke I yow,'quod she,
a

'

'

That

Now

ye han
rekke I

Sith I stonde
No
O

me

whan

tendre,o dere, o yonge

woful

That

cruel houndes

And

Al

Hir
That
"BT^^^

The

yow

som

stedfastly
foul vermyne
of his mercy,

ke
and in
doon_yow*kept;'

in hir

swough

so

children two, whan

with greet

children from

many
Doun
ran
Vnnethe

adoun

to

she gan

i*i^^^

hir

that

1095

same

stounde

grounde.

sadlyholdeth

and
sleighte
"

children myne,

; but

sodeynlyshe swapte

And

grace,

spirit
pace

my

wende
or

in your

1090

god,
fader tendrely
e
benigne

eten

your

Hath

mooder

ryght here;

deed

loue and

in your

Your

children dere 1

my
ben

to

neuer

fors of deeth,ne

Hadde

\f^*

saued

hem

she

iico

tembrace,

greet difficultee

they gonne arace.

teer on
a
a
pitousface
many
of hem that stoden hir bisyde;
hir myghte they abyde.
abouten
arm

1105

E.

GROUP

Walter

THE

CLERK

TALE.

ES

hir

97

slaketh ;
gladethand hir sorwe
She rysethvp abaysed from hir trance,
And
euery wyght hir ioye and feste maketh,
Til she hath caught agayn hir contenance.
Walter hir dooth so feithfully
plesance,
That it was
deynteefor to seen the chere
Bitwixe hem two, now
theyben met yfere.
'

mo

^\

Thise
Han

ladyeswhan
taken hir,and

And

strepen hir

And

in

With

Vp-on
And

For

they her tyme

in-to chambre

out

cloth of

of hir rude

sey,

gon,
array,

gold that bryghteshoon,

of many
riche stoon
a
hir heed, they in-to halle hir broughte,
was

hath this

honoured

pitousday
and

as

hir

oughte.

man

feste was,

Than

was

and

doth his

womman

the reuel of hir

mariage.

richelyhis doughtermaried he
of the worthieste
Vn-to a lord,oon
and than in pees and reste
Of al Itaille;
\^
he kepeth,
His wyues fader in his court
v
Til that the soule out of his body crepeth.
And

sone

In

reste

VOL.

n.

succedeth in his
and

1125

gretter of costage,

Ful many
a yeer in heigh prosperitee
%
Liuen thise two in concord and in reste,%ji"s"

His

1120

blisful ende,

myght
This day in murthe and reuel to dispende
Til on the welkne shoon the sterres lyght.
For more
solempne in euery mannes
syght
euery

This

1115

coroune

ther she

Thus

that

pees, after

heritage
his fader day;
H

)
1130

1135

98

GROUP

And
Al

fortuhat

putte he

This

world

--"

"/

herkneth

mariage,
in greet assay.

strong, it is

no

nay,

of olde tymes yore,

what this auctour
seith therfore.

storie is

seyd

Grisild

But

for that euery

for that wyucs

nat

in

as

it

1140

sholde

humilitee,

importable,
though they wolde;

were

be

wyght

in his

degree

1145

in aduersitee

constant

Grisild,therfor this1 Petrark wryteth

storie,which with hy stylehe cndyteth.

was

This

For, sith
Vn-to

womman

mortal

Receyuen al

L""^lForgreet

**\

TALE.

CLERKES

in

wyf

so

For

As

"Q

is nat

And

Shokle

tyju

his

nat

it hath ben

Folwen

eek

was

As

This

THE

E.

was

wel

man,

in gree

pacient

so

that

more

oughte

vs

god

vs

1150

senL; tm/r

skile is,he ltfr$ur'

that he

wroughte,

""~

'

-r,

But
As

tempteth no
seith seint lame, if

He

preueth folk

And

suffreth vs,

ofte to be

Nat

for to

Er

were

we

for

our

vs

But

It

were

$4^4Q"

that he

as

for

bete

man

our

excercyse,

in

is al his governance;
in vertuous
suffrance.

beste

than Hue

herkneth
word, lordinges,
ful hard

er

fynde ngw a day

^o *^.
Av^jCxOL-C*
| XfvJrA"jfijL*
1
1

to

Cm.

1155

of aduersitee

sondry wyse;
knowe
our
wil,for certes he,
born, knew al2 our freletee;

"

'Lat

al

sharpe scourges

Ful

boughte,
rede;
ye his pistil
day, it is no drede,

ne

ne

With

this ; which the

rest

omit.

E. omits al ; the rest have it.

11.60

h_t^
^uj,
v

i'oo

GROUP
GRO

wel
Emprinteth
For
Ye

CLERK-MERCHANT

E.

commune

LINK.

this lesson in your mynde

sith it may auaille.
profit,

stondeth
archewyues,

Sin ye be stronge as
Ne suffreth nat that

is

at

defence,

1195

greet camaille;

yow don offence.

And sklendre wyues, fieble as in bataille,
Beth egre as is a tygre yond in Ynde;
as
Ay clappeth

Ne

dreed hem

For
The

men

mille,I yow

.nat, do hem

consaille.

no

1200

reuerence;

though thyn housbonde armed be

of thy crabbed eloquence
arwes

in

maille,

Shal perce his brest,and eek his auentaille;

I rede eek thou him bynde,
In lalousye
And

thou shalt make

him

couche

as

doth

1205

quaille.

ther folk ben in presence

fair,
Shew thou thy visageand thyn apparaille;
If thou be foul,
be fre of thy dispence,
To gete thee frendes ay do thy trauaille;
Be ay of chere as lyghtas leef on lynde,
And lat him care, and wepe, and wringe,and
If thou

be

The
'

Weping

prologe of the

and

and

and
ynow, on euen
the Marchant, ' and so

I knowe

Quod
That

wedded

ben,"I

For wel I wot

trowe

it fareth

wyf,the worste
For though the feend to

I haue

She wolde him

so

on

waillel

tale.

Marchantes

wayling,care

mo

other

sorwe

morwe,'

doon

othere mo

1215

that it be so.,
with me.
that may
hir

be;

ycoupledwere,

ouermacche,I dar wel

swere.

1220

GROUP

CLERK-MERCHANT

E.

LINK.

101

What

sholde I yow reherce in special

Hir hy malice P she is a sjjrew.e
at al. t^*J^
Ther

long and largedifference

Bitwix Grisildes grete pacience
And
of my wyf the passingcrueltee.
is

Were

vnbounden, al

I wolde
We

eft

neuer

wedded

Assaye it who

in the

comen

liuen in

men

snare.

and care;
he shal fynde,

sorwe

wol, and

so

I thee!

mote

so

1225

of Ynde,
I seye sooth,by seint Thomas
As for the more
part,I seye nat alle.
God shilde that it sholde so bifalle!

1230

sir hoste ! I haue

ywedded be
Thise monthes two, and more
nat, pardee;
And yitI trowe that he, that al his lyue
Wyfleeshath ben, though that men wolde him
A !

good

the herte,ne

Vn-to

Tellen

so

Coude

tellen of my

'

moche

coude

sorwe,

Now,'quod our

in

no

as

1235

ryue

manere

now

here
'

wyues

cursednesse 1

host, marchaunt,so god yow blesse,

'

of that art,
Sin ye so moche knowen
I preye yow tellevs part.'
Ful hertely
'

Gladly,'
quod he,

'

but of myn

For sory herte,I tellemay

no

owen

sore,

more^*-^

svSjJt
The
[Herefollows

Merchant's

numbert
numbered
11.1245-2418 i.
lie,
Tale,
The Merchant's
"which comes
the Six-Text edition; after
End-link,
calledThe Squire's
Prologuein the Ellesmere MS.,as follows^ ff^
a

The

Prologe

of the

Squieres Tale.
/~

'

Ey

'

Now

"^
hoste tho,

goddesmercy !' seydeour

swich a wyf I preye god kepe me

iV^iV*

rft^

It**

VW

*jufa*

fro fyu

0 /^

fO^

LT

jJ*^

*^

Lo

whiche

In

ben

Ben

they,

And

from
this

But
I

Me

For,

of

hir

yet

And

told

wommen

And

eek

To

[Here

lat

why;

it

hir

of

tellen

al;

wherfor

ends

Group

E,

Ellesmere

MS.

euery

vice

or

(without

my

the
any

be

this

tale

meynee,

chaffare,

ther-to
is

do.'

fifth fragment,
break)

2435

declare,

to

nat

2430

nice,

to

swich

outen

suffiseth

wit

teyd.

were

go.

seyd,

it

be

hir

for

thinges

of

nat

she,

mo

reported

somme

connen

vices

ywis

sholde

nedeth

is

swiche

rekenen

hath,

my

of

vn-to

3425

be;

poure

shrewe

conseil

am

she

it

she

heep
alle

\veel.

steel

any

that

weyue

preueth

it

as

in

sholde

to

whom,

Sin

fors,
what?

that
cause

an

sore

they

labbing

hath

ye

And

Of

she

reweth
and

trewe

tonge

no

wite

tale

bees

as

deceyue,

to

wol

though

wyf,

Which

for

euer

as

bisy

as

ay

men

sothe

Ther-of

But,

for

marchauntes

haue

And

the

sely

vs

douteles,

But

LINK.

END-

subtilitees

and

sleightes

wommen

By

MERCHANT'S

E.

GROUP

103

by Group

2440

which

F.J

is

followed

in

TALE.

SQUIERES

THE

F.

GROUP

[THE SQUIRE'S HEAD-LINK.]

'

Squyer,com

And

sey

Konnen

if it your

neer,

of loue; for

sormvhat
ther-on

wille be,

muche

as

as

certes

any

ye

man.'

Nay, sir,'quod he, but I wol seye as I can

With
hertlywille ; for I wol nat rebelle
Agayn your lust; a tale wol I telle.
excused if I speke amis,
Haue
me
My wille is good; and lo, my tale is this.
'

'

Heere

At

the

Sarray,in
dwelte

Ther

That
So
Him
As

excellent
lakked

lord

nought

of the secte

Tale.

Tartarye,

of

was

no-wher

nas

10

man.

so

in

no

in alle
that

of which

greet

*s

renoun

regioun

thing;

15

longeth to
that he

was

king.
born

kepte his lay,to which that he was sworn

ther-to he was
And
hardy, wys, and riche,
And
pitous [eek] and lust,alwey ylichej
He

cleped Cambynskan,

was

in his tyme

ther

of

londe

Squierea

king, that werreyed Russye,

ther deyde many
a
doughty

Thurgh which
This noble king
Which

the

bigynneth

20

GROUP

104
Sooth
Of

THE

F.

of his word,

his corage

as

benigne and honurable,

stable;
any centre

Yong, fresh,strong, and

As
A

TALE.

SQUIERES

in

desirous

armes

bacheler of al his hous.

any

fair persone

he

and

was

And

kepte alwey so wel

That

ther

This

noble

nowher

was

fortunat,

roial estat,

swich

king,this

"5

another

man.

Tartre

Cambynskan
Hadde
two
sones
on
Elpheta his wyf,
Of whiche the eldeste highteAlgarsyf,
That other sone
was
cleped Cambalo.
A doughter hadde this worthy king also,
That yongest was, and highte Canacee.

30

But
It

for to telle yow

lythnat

in my

al hir beautee

longe, nin my

conning;
I dar nat vndertake so hy a thing.
Myn englisheek is insufficient;
ben a rethor excellent,
It1 moste
coude his colours longing for that art,
That
If he sholde hir discryueneuery part.
I am
non
swich, I mot speke as I can.
bifel that,whan
And
this Cambynskan
so
twenty winter born

Hath
As
He

Don
The

he

was

In
In

40

his diademe,

fro yeer

to

yeer, I

deme,

leet the feste of his natiuitee

4$

cryen thurghout2Sarrayhis citee,

last Idus of March, after the yeer.
the

Phebus
For

wont

35

sonne

ful

iolywas

and

cleer;

neigh his exaltacion

Martes face,and in his mansion
Aries,the colerik hote signe.
he

was

E.

Hn.

I,perhapsmiswritten

; HI.

he ; the

thurghout
; the rest thurgh.

50

rest

It.

GROUP

Ful

lustywas

For

which

THE

F.

the weder

and

benigne, /
the sonne/shene,

the foules,agayn
and the yonge
for the seson

What
Ful

loude

grene,

hir affections ;

songen

geten hem

seined han

Him

TALE.

SQUIERES

55

proteccions

Agayn the swerd of winter kene and cold.

This Cambynskan, of which I haue yow told,
his deys,
In roial vestiment sit on
With
diademe, ful ny in his paleys,
And halt his feste,
so
solempne and so riche
in this world

That
Of

At

eek it nedeth

nat

nat

the ordre

cours

euery

I wol

tellen of her

ne2

of her swannes,

Ne

in that

Eek

lond, as

"^
strange sew"fe,

of her

that

in this lond

men

Ther

nis

that may

nat

no

man

70

reporten al.

tarien yow,

for it is pryme,
fruytbut los of tyme;

And

for it is

Vn-to

my firste 1 wol haue my recours.

bifel that,after the thridde cours,
so

And

"^

knyghtesolde,
is ful deyntee holde,
recche of it but smal;

That

mete

heronsewes.

tellen

is

som

65

of her seruyse.

Ther

I wol

it liche.

noon

tharray,
a
someres
day;
for to deuyse

it occupye

wolde

And

ther

was

if I shal tellen al

which

Than

ne1

60

no

75

Whyl that this king sit thus in his nobleye,

Herkning his minstralles her thingespleye
Biforn him at the bord deliciously,
In at the halle dore al sodeynly
Ther cam
a
knyght vp-on a stecle of bras,
brood mirour of glas.
And in his hond
a
Vpon his thombe he hadde of gold a ring,
1

E. HI. omit

ne

; the rest have it.

E. nor;

the rest

80

ne.

106

GROUP

THE

F.

TALE.

SQUIERES

by his syde a naked swerd hanging;

And
vp he rydeth to the hye bord.
ther spoke a word
In al the halle ne
was
For merueille of this knyght; him to biholde
Ful bisily
ther wayten yonge and olde.
thus sodeynly,
This strange knyght, that cam
his heed ful richely,
Al armed
saue
Salueth king and queen, and lordes alle,
By ordre as they seten in the halle,

And

With

so

hy

and

reuerence

Ne

wel in

him

coude

amende

nat

with

after this,biforn the

And
He

with

manly

After the forme

in his

And, for his tale sholde

seme

his wordes

was

Accordant

to

techeth art of

Al be it1 that I
Ne

can

nat

so

the bettre,
his chere,
that it
his

hy

al that

it in

lere;

style,
style,

euer

he mente,

mynde.

seyde, the king of Arabic and of Ynde,

My ligelord,on this solempne day

He

'

Salueth yow
And sendeth

as

he best

can

and

Cp. Pt. Ln.

no

may,

of your feste,
yow, in honour
By me, that am al redy at your heste,
and wel
This stede of bras, that esily
1

105

entente,

commune

that I haue

be

so

100

of lettre.

soune

clymben ouer

nat

Yet seye I this,as to

amounteth
Thus much
If it

langage,

speche hem

can

word.

seith his message,

voys

vsed

95

hye bord,

vice of sillableor

With-outen

As

90

obeisance

speche as in contenance,
That
Gawayn with his olde curteisye,
out of Fairye,
Though he were come
ageyn
As

85

HI. it ; E. Hn. Cm.

omit it.

115

I08

GROUP

THE

F.

Is this ; that,if hir lust it for to

hir thombe,

Vp-on
Ther

is

That

she

And

answere

And

vnderstonde

This

Thurgh-out his
And

it

Shal
To

depe and
hangeth by my
so

is

bote,
wyde.
syde,

155

ye smyte,
kerue and byte,

branched

do

so

man

ook ;

with the2 strook

that is wounded

man

160

of grace,
hool til that yow list,
stroke him with the plattein thilke3 place
be

neuer

Ther
Ye

as

it wol

it wol1

armure

thikke

as

what

whom

hath, that what

vertu

Were

neuer

swerd, that

naked

Swich

150

mening openly and pleyn,

him in his langage ageyn.
gras that groweth vp-on rote

his woundes

be

his steuene,

his

euery
shal eek knowe, and

She
Al

or

shal wel

ne

knowe

were

in hir purs it bere,

foul that fleeth vnder the heuene

no

And

TALE.

SQUIERES

he is hurt

this is

muche

as

to

seyn,

with the

platteswerd ageyn
Stroke4 him in the wounde, and it wol close;
This is a verray sooth,with-outen glose,
It faillethnat whyl it is in your hold.'
this knyght had thus his tale told,
And
whan
He rydethout of halle,and doun he lyghte.
His stede,which that shoon as sonne
bryghte,
mote

165

170

Slant in the courte, stille as

any stoon.
is to his chambre
lad anon,

This

knyght

And

is vnarmed

The

presentes ben

This

is to

seyn, the swerd

and

And

born

anon

in-to the

hye

E. wol

E. Cm.

hym

the

and

to

ful

rest omit

mete

roially
yfet,

hym.

that ; the rest thilke.

8

yset.

E. vn-to

the mirour,
tour

E.

E. Cm.

the

175

Cm. that ; the rest the.

Strike ; the rest Stroke.

rest to.

GROUP

With

THE

F.

vn-to

Canacee

Solempnely,ther

this

bore

ring was

sit at the table.

she

with-outen
sikerly,

But

109

ordeyned therfore ;

certeine officers

And

TALE.

SQU1ERES

fable,

any

iGo

hors of bras, that may nat be remewed,

It slant as it were
to the ground yglewed.

The

Ther

of the

place it dryue
For
of wyndas or1 polyue;
noon
engyn
And
cause
why, for they can nat the craft.
And
therefor in the place they han it laft
Til that the knyght hath taught hem
the manere
To voyden him, as ye shal after here.
Greet was
the pres, that swarmeth
to and fro,
To

may

gauren

For

it

So

wel

it

Ther-with

so

As
For

ne

art

was

ne

190

long,

strong,

Lumbardye
quik of ye

were.

195

his ere,
amende

coude

him

al the

peple wende.

nat

wonder

was,

diuersely
they demed;
wittes ther
heedes, as many

murmurede

maden

as

E. Cm.

; the rest

doth

skiles after her

Rehersingeof thise
And
seyden,it4 was
ne

185

200

folk

many

And

E.

stede of

of bras ;
gon, and was
of2 Fairye,as the8 peple semed.

They

ben

and

so

that it coude

Diuerse

brood
to

her moste

euermore

How

As

were

degree,as

no

But

It

so

horsly,and so
it a gentilPoileyscourser
certes, fro his taylvn-to

Nature
In

and

was,

for
proporcioned
as

Ryght

this hors that standeth

on

hy

so

out

man

no

been.

of been,

swarm

fantasyes,

205

olde poetryes,

lyk the Pegasee,

or.

al the ; the rest omit al.

'

E. Hn.

E. that it ; the

; Cm.

as

; the rest of.

rest

omit that.

GROUP

I TO

The

THE

F.

hors that hadde

TALE.

SQUIERES

winges for

flee;
Or elles it was
the Grekes hors Synon,
That broughte Troye to destruccion,
As men
may1 in thise olde gestes rede.
in drede;
'Myn herte,'quod oon, 'is euermore
I trowe
of annes
ben ther-inne,
som
men
That shapen hem
this citee for to winne.
It were
ryghtgood that al swich thingwere knowe.'
Another rowned
to his felawe lowe,
And
seyde,'he lyeth,it is rather lyk
An
magyk,
ymaad by som
apparence
As logelours
pleyen at thise festes grete.'
Of sondry doutes thus they langle and trete,
As lewed peple demeth
comunly
Of thingesthat ben maad
more
subtilly
Than
they can in her lewednes comprehende;
They demen gladlyto the badder ende.
And
the mirour,
of hem
wondrede
somme
on
That

born

How

men

was

vp

to

in

Alocen

Of

queynte mirours

As

knowen

And
That
And

Rome

and

wolde
h'llein

be

Vitulon,

in her

her

wondred

lyues

bokes
on

herd.

the swerd

thurgh-outeuery-thing;
speche of Thelophus the king,

HI. may,

which the

E.

Cm.

230

oon.

percen

hye ;

225

of prospectyues,

and

they that han

othere folk han

swich

was

that writen
Aristotle,

And

220

in it swiche

thingesse.
Another
and seyde it myghte wel
answerde
Naturelly,
by composicions
Of angles and of slye reflexions,

seyde that
They speken of

215

in-to the maister2 tour,

myghte

And

210

rest omit.

liyghc
; the rest

maister.

235

GROUP

And

TALE.

SQUIERES

Ill

of Achilles with his queynte spere,

For

with it bothe

coude

he

Ryght
Of

THE

F.

in swich

wyse

as

hele and

men

dere,

240

with the swerd

may

ryght now
ye han your-seluenherd.
They speke of sondry harding of metal,
And
speke of medicynes ther-with-al,
And
how, and whan, it sholde yharded be;
Which
is vnknowe
algatesvnto me.
Tho
speke they of Canacee's ring,
And
seyden alle,that swich a wonder thing
Of craft of ringesherde they neuer
non,
Saue
that he, Moyses, and king Salomon
Hadde1
of konning in swich art.
name
a
Thus
hem
seyn the peple,and drawen
apart.
But natheles somme
seyden that it was
Wonder
of fern-asshen glas,
to maken
And
yet nis glas nat lyk asshen of fern;
But for they han yknowen 2 it so fern,
Therfor cesseth her langlingand her wonder.
which

As
On

wondren

sore

ebbe,

somme

flood,on

on

on

cause

gossomer,

al

on

HI. Had

Hn.

III. this

the rest Hadde.

Aldiran; the
"

which

reft Aldrian ; see

the rest omit.

HI.

note.

250

255

of thonder,
and

on

mist,

is wist.
thing,til that the cause
Thus
langlethey and demen and deuyse,
Til that the king gan fro the bord aryse.
Phebus
hath laft the angle meridional,
And
the beste roial,
yet ascendingwas
The gentilleon, with his Aldiran3,
Whan
that this Tartre king, this4 Cambynskan,
Ros fro his bord, ther that he sat ful hye.
him goth the loude minstralcye,
Toforn

And

245

260

265

i-knowen; the rest knoweu.

GROUP

112

Til he
Ther

to

cam

THE

F.

his chambre

of parementz,

diuerse instrumentz,
they sownen
it is lyk an heuen for to here.
dauncen
lustyVenus children dere,
in the fish her lady sat ful hye,
loketh on hem with a frendlyye.
noble king is set vp in his trone.
strange knyght is fet to him ful sone,
the daunce he goth with Canacee.
on
as

That
Now
For
And

This
This
And
Heer

is the reuel and

That

is nat

He

able

han

moste

And

ben

festlich man

sholde yow

Who

coude

and

to

loue

and

as

fresh

his seruyse,

280

May,

as

array.

of daunces,

the forme

fresshe contenaunces,

loking and dissimulinges

?
drede of lalouse mennes
aperceyuinges
but Launcelot,and he is deed.
man

Swich

No

so

275

deuyse.

man

deuysen swich

telle yow

vncouthe

For

dul

270

the lolitee

knowen

That

So

TALE.

SQUIERES

subtil

I passe

Therefor
I seye
I lete

hem,

of al this lustiheed ;

but

namore,

til

men

in this
to

lolynesse

the soper

bit the1 spyces

The

styward

And

eek

The

vsshers and

the wyn,

285

in al this

the squyers

dresse.

290

for to

hye,
melodye.
ben

ygon;

is come
anon.
spyces and the wyn
They ete and drinke ; and whan this hadde
The

Vn-to

The
What
Ech
1
3

ende, 295

temple,as reson
was, they wende.
al by day.
seruice don, they soupen
nedeth yow2 rehercen her array?
wot
man
wel, that at3 a kingesfeste
the

HI. the
HM.

an

Cp.

which the rest omit.

Pt. Ln. that at ; rest

om.

at ; see

E.

me

note.

; the rest yow.

GROUP

THE

F.

TALE.

SQUIERES

113

and to the leste,

to the moste
plentee,
And
deynteesmo than ben in my knowing.
At-after soper goth this noble king
Hath

To
Of

this hors

sen

lordes and

Swich

of

of bras, with al the route

ladyeshim
ther

wondring was

on

aboute.
this hors

That, sin the grete sege of Troye

Ther

as

wondreden

men

300

on

an

of bras

305

was,

hors also,

wondring as was tho.

the king axeth this knyght
But fynally
and the myghr,
The vertu of this courser
310
And preyedehim to telle his gouernaunce.
This hors anon
bigan to trippeand daunce,
that this knyght leyde hond vp-on his reyne,
Whan
And seyde, sir,ther is namore
to seyne,
But, whan yow listto ryden any- where,
315
Ye moten
trillea pin,stant in his ere,
Which
I shall telle yow1 bitwix vs two.
Ye mote
him to what placealso
nempne
Or to what contree
that yow listto ryde.
And whan ye come
ther as yow list abyde,
310
Bidde him descende,and trilleanother pin,
For ther-in2 lyththe effect of al the gin,
And he wol doun descende and don your wille;
And in that placehe wol abyde3 stille,
Though al the world the contrarie hadde yswore;
325
He shal nat thennes ben ydrawe ne4 ybore.
Or, if yow liste5 bidde him thennes gon,

Ne

was

ther swich

'

1
*
3

E. Hn. Cm. yow telle; the rest telle yow.

E. ther ; Cm. theere ; the rest ther-iime,
ther-in.
Ft.
HI.
Hn.
abiden
abide ; E. Cm.
Ln.
Cp.
abyde;
;

stonde ;

I. 7,20.
4
5

E. Hn.

Cp.

nor;

the rest

ne.

liste ; Lu. luste ; HI. lust to ; Cm

VOL.

II.

wit ; E. Hn. Pt. list.

see

GROUP

114

THE

F.

he wol vanishe

Trille this pin, and

Out

of the

syghte of

anon

wyght,
nyght,

maner

euery

agayn, be it by1 day or

that yow list to clepenhim ageyn

And

come

When

swich

In

TALE.

SQVIERES

Bitwixe

gyse
yow and

whan

Ryde

yow

I shal to yow seyn

me, and that ful sone.

as

ther is
list,

to

namore

done.'

king was of that knyght,

And
hath conceyued in his wit aryght
and the forme of al this thing,
The maner
Thus 2 glad and blythethis noble doughty3 king
whan

Enformed

the

Repeirethto his reuel as biforn.

The brydelis vn-to the tour yborn,
And
kept among his Jewels leue and dere.
I noot in what manere,
The hors vanisshed,
of me.
Out of her syghte;ye gete namore
Cambynskan his lordes festeyinge,
Til wel ny the day bigan to springe.

This

norice of

Gan

on

And
For

'

blood

was

reste ;
350

lye adoun,

in his dominacioun

frend,'quod he.
galpinge,by two, by thre,

blood, natures

They thanken him

And
euery wyght
HI.

to

han

alle he keste,

hem

Cherissheth

labour wolde

galpingmouth
seyde, it was tyme

with

345

the slepe,
digestioun,
winke, and bad hem taken kepe,

drink and

muchel

That

And

hem

340

Sequitur
pars sectmda.

Explicit
prima pars,
The

335

lolitee

thus I lete in lust and

But

330

by ; which

gan

drawe

the rest omit.

3

E. Cm.

him

omit

to

his reste,

So E. Cm.

doughty.

; the rest Ful.

355

II

GROUP

Noon

TALE.

SQU1ERES

he, whan

hyer was

And

THE

F.

she

redy was;

forth she walketh

esilya pas,
sote
Arrayed after the lustyseson
Lyghtly,for to pleye and walke on fote ;
Nat but with fyue or six of hir meynee ;
And
in a trench,forth in the park,goth she.
The vapour, which that fro the erthe glood,
Made
the sonne
to seme
rody and brood;
it was
But natheles,
fair a syghte
so
That it made
alle her hertes for to lyghte,
What
for the seson
and the morweninge,
And
for the foules that she herde singe;
she wiste what they mente
For ryght anon
Ryght by her song, and knew al her entente.
The knotte why that euery tale is told,
If it be

taried til that lust be

Of

that han

hem

The

of his

fulsomnesse

For
And

by

the

I sholde

Amidde

tree

Canacee

As

was

faucon

That

with

That

all the wode

Ran

E.

prolixitee.

405

thinketh me,

condescende,

ende.
an
walking sone
as
whyt as chalk,
fordrye1,
pleyingin hir walk,

sat

With

cold

yore,
lengerthe more,

reson

Ther

Ybeten

400

of hir

maken

And

same

the knotte

to

395

it after herkned

passetheuer

sauour

390

a
a

hath
bothe

ouer

pitousvoys
she
hir

hir heed ful

so

gan

resouned

endelong the

tree

ther

E. Cm.

crye

pitously

til the rede

; but
fordryed
; Cm. fordreyed

hyc,

of hir cry.

hir-self so

winges

to

410

Hn.

as

she

blood

415

stood.

Cp. Pt. I.n. for-drye

; 111.fordruye.

omit

as.

GROUP

THE

F.

And

euer

in

And

with

hir beek

That

ther nis tygre, ne

That

dwelleth either1 in wode

That

nolde

For

sonve

For

ther

nas

herde

in foreste

or
2

420

coude,

wepe

faucon

"

"

of swich

shap, and

plumage

than semed

is she

faire

That

any

she

now

she

as

euermore,

and

now

425

gentillesse
myghte yrekenedbe.

londe; and

ny

of fairnesse,

of

al that

swowneth

This

another
as

peregryn

fremde

Til wel

cruel beste,

so

shryghtealwey so loude.
on
lyue
yet no man3
faucon wel discryue

neuer

Of

She

non

of hir,she

wel of

Of

cryde alwey and shryghte,

hir-seluen so she pryghte,

wept, if that he

han

As

she

oon

If that I coude

That

lij

TALE.

SQUIERES

for lakke

fallen fro the

stood,
of blood,

430

tree.

kinges doughter,Canacee,
That on hir fingerbar the queynte ring,
Thurgh which she understood wel euery thing
foul may

coude

And
Hath

answere

vnderstonde
wel ny

And

to

And

on

And

held hir

The

faucon

the tree

she

lappe abrood, for

to

'

spak
as

is the cause,

What
1

E. Hn.

So

wel

440

she wiste

next, for lakke

wayten

Til atte laste she

hauk,

she

fallen fro the twiste,

moste

that it swowned

the

435

deyde.
goth ful hastily,
loketh pitously,

this faucon

longe while

Vn-to

seyn,
him in his ledene ageyn,
what this faucon seyde,

for the revvthe almost

And

When

in his ledene

ye

hir she

in this

of blood.

stood,

manere

445

shul after here.

if it be

outher ; the rest eyther.

man
Cp. HI. ; E. Hn. Cm. neuerc

for to telle,
a

E. Pt. she ; titsreft he.

yet

; Pt. Ln.

ncuere

yitman.

Il8

GROUP

That

Quod
'

THE

F.

TALE.

ye be in this furial pyne of helle?'

Canacee
this1 hauk aboue.
vn-to

Is this for

sorwe

of deth

For, as I trowe, thise

That

SQUIERES

causen2

ben

or

los of loue ?

causes

450

two

gentilherte wo;
Of other harm it nedeth nat to speke.
For ye your-self
your-self
vpon
yow wreke,
Which
proueth wel that either3 loue or drede
Mot ben encheson
of your cruel dede,
Sin that I

most

455

wyght yow chace.

For loue of god, as doth your-seluen
grace
Or what may ben your help; for West nor Est
see

non

other

Ne

brid ne best
no
er
now
sey I neuer
That ferde with him-self so pitously.

Ye

sle

with your

460

verraily;
I haue of yow
so
gret compassioun*.
fro the tree adoun;
For goddes loue, com
a
And, as I am
kingesdoughter trewe,
If that I verraily
the cause
knewe
Of your disese,if it lay in my myght,
amende
I wolde
it,er that it were
nyght,
6
As wislyhelpe me
gret god of kynde 1
And
herbes shal I ryght ynowe
yfynde
To hele with your hurtes hastily.'
Tho
shryghtethis faucon yet more8 pitously
she dide, and fil to grounde anon,
Than 'euer
And
deed, and lyk a stoon,
lythaswowne,
hath in hit lappe hir take
Til Canacee
Vn-to the tyme she gan of swough awake.
me

sorwe,

E. the ; the rest this.

3
E. Hn. outher ; the rest either.
"''
E. the grete; the rest omit the.
6
Hn. Cp. Pt. yet moore
; E. Cm.
1

E. causeth ; the rest

E.

moore

passioun
; the
yet ; HI. Ln.

rest

more.

465

470

475

causen.

compassioun.

GROUP

THE

F.

And, after that she

Ryght in hir haukes

of hir

'That

piteerenneth
Feling his similitude

TALE.

SQUfERES

gan breyde,
she seyde:

swough

ledene

thus

in

sone

119

"

gentilherte,

in peynes

smerte,

480

Is

it1 see,
preued al-day,as men
may
As wel by werk as by auctoritee ;
For gentilherte kythethgentillesse.
I se wel, that 2 ye han of my
distresse
Compassion, my faire Canacee,
Of

485

wommanly

benignitee
in your principles
That nature
hath set3.
But for non
hope for to fare the bet,
But for to* obeye vn-to your herte free,
And
for to maken
other be war
by me,
8
As by the whelp chasted is the leoun,
and that0 conclusioun,
Ryght for that cause
Whyl that I haue a leyserand a space,
Myn harm I wol confessen,er I pace.'
And
hir sorwe
tolde,
euer, whyl that oon
verray

other

That

weep,

as

Til that the faucon

And, with
'

Ther

was

Tho

dwelte

That

semed

s
"

what

Til I coude

stille;

roche

of marbul

wille.

gray

500

that nothing eyled me,

tendrely,

I niste nat

hir to be

bad

495

wolde,

syk,ryght thus she seyde hir

bred, alias ! that harde day,

fostred in

And
So

she to water

490

E. HI. omit it.

was

flee ful
a

aduersitee,

hye

tercelet

vnder

me

welle of alle

the

sky.

faste

by,
gentillesse;
2

E. Cm.

E. yset ; Cm. I-set ; the rest set, sette.

/ should propose to read is chasted ; but
7
So HI. ; the rest for that.
E. Cm.

505

omit that.
*

E. omits to.

is lacking.
authority
That

; the rest

Ther.

GROUP

120

Al
It

THE

was

and

falsnesse,
wrapped vnder humble chere,

so

vnder

Vnder

TALE.

SQUJERES

he ful of treson

were

And

F.

hewe

of trewthe

in swich

manere,

plesance,and vnder bisy peyne,

That

coude

ne

han

wend

he

coude

feyne,

510

So

depe in greyn he dyed his coloures.

Ryght as a serpent hit him vnder floures
Til he may

Ryght

his tyme

sen

for to

byte,

this

god of loue, this ypocryte,

Doth so his cerimonies and obeisances,
And
kepeth1in semblant alle his obseruances
That sowneth in-to gentillesse
of loue.
As in a toumbe
is al the faire aboue,
And

so

vnder

Swich

is the corps, swich as ye wot,

this2 ypocrite,
bothe cold and hot,

was

in this wyse

And
That

Til he

longe had

And

a
many
Til that myn

Al

innocent

For-fered

Vpon

serued

wiste what

wopen

and

of his deth, as

him

myn
saued, bothe

to

nyce,

5*5

malice,

thoughte me,

his seurelee,

loue,on

euermore

he mente.

compleyned,
me
feyned,

herte,to pilousarid
of his crouned

this

honour

condicioun,

and

renoun

530

priueeand apert;
This is to seyn, that,after his desert,
I yaf him al myn
herte and al
thought
my
God
and he, that otherwysenought"
wot
for ay.
And took his herte in chaunge for myn

Were

520

his entente,

his seruice to

yeer

his othes and

Graunted
That

he

(saue the feend)non

so

515

"

Pronounced

kep'th.
1

Cm.

E. the ; the rest this. 3 The MSS.

Ln. HI. al ; which the reit omit.

535

have vp-on.

GROUP

But

sooth is

"A

trew

THE

F.

TALE.

SQUIERES
sithen many

seyd,gon
wyght and a

day,

theef thenken

J2I

oon."

nat

thing so fer ygon,

That I had graunted him fullymy loue,
In swich a gyse as I haue seyd aboue,
And
yiuen him my trewe herte,as fre
he sey the

And, whan

As

he

yaf1 to

his herte

me;

this tygre, ful of doublenesse,

Anon

Fil

he

swoor

540

with

his knees

on

deuout

so

humblesse,

as2 by his chere,

hey reuerence
So lyk a gentillouere of manere,
So rauisshed,as it semed, for the loye,
Paris of Troye,
lason s, ne
That neuer

With

545

so

lason ? certes,
Sin

Lameth

To

louen

Ne

neuer,

that alderfirst bigan

was,

two,

other man,

non

ne

as

550

folk biforn,

wry ten

sin the firste man

born,

was

by twenty thousand part,

Countrefete the sophimes of his art;
Ne were
worthy vnbokele his galoche,
Ther doublenesse or feyningsholde approche,
Ne so coude thanke a wyght as he did me I

Ne

His

coude

man,

was

maner

Til any

So

peyntedehe

As

wel

louede

at

And

for the trewthe I demede

Al

1
*

were

All he
E. Cm.

so

it

were
neuer

yaf his herte.

so

wys;

pointdeuys

560

for his obeisance,

him

That, if

see

his contenance.

as

And

so

to

neuer

kembde

and

his wordes
*

she

were

womman,

for

heuen

an

555

in his

herte,

thing him smerte,

lyte,and I it wiste,

that any
so

Cm.

Troilus ; the rest lason ;

as;
see

the rest and

note.

565

as.

E. Cm.

omit

so.

Me

That

wil

my

his willes

was

instrument;
wil obeyede his wil
as
reson
fil,

This

is to seyn, my
In alle thing,as fer
the boundes

Keping

hadde

Ne

neuer

As

him, god

This

lasteth

That

TALE.

SQUIERES

felte deth myn

herte twiste.
ferforth this thing is went,

thoughte I
so
shortly,

And

THE

F.

GROUP

122

of my

wot

worshipeeuer.

thing so leef,ne

ne

shal

neuer

lengerthan

570

leuer,

namo.

two,

or

yeer

supposed of him nought but good.

thus atte laste it stood,
fynally,

But
That

fortune wolde

Out

of that

Wher

that he moste
that I

place which

that is

575

twinne
was

inne.

questioun;
make
of it discripcioun
I can
nat
;
For o thing dar I tellen boldely,
of deth ther-by
I knowe
what is the peyne
;
me

Swich
So
So

Whan
But
And

I felte for he

harm

on

he

And
For
That

had

felt

that I herde

no

wende

harm

him

that he

repairesholde
litel whyle, soth to

his honour,
I made
took

As I best
took

eek

wolde

reson

as

vertu

that he

ofte it
of

as

sey

585

I,
his hewe.

trewe,

ageyn

seyn;

moste

happeth

590

go
so,

necessitee,

wel, sin that it moste

myghte, I hidde fro him
him by the hond, seint
it

bileue.

verraily

speke, and
so
natheles,I thoughte he was
eek

580

his leue,

muche

as

myghte

ne

took

With-inne

And

wo,

he
day of me
sonvefullyeek, that

That

And

was

E. has I ; the

rest

he.

be.
my

lohn

sorwe,
to

borwe,

595

GROUP

124
And

THE

F.

TALE.

SQUIERES

sodeynlyhe loued this kyte so,

That

al his loue is clene fro

And

hath his trewthe

Thus

hath the
I

And

with that word

And

swowned

Greet

remedye !

this faucon

eft in Canacees

the sorwe,

was

Canacee

That

loue in hir seruyse,

lorn with-outen

am

and

ago,

falsed in this wyse ;

kyte my

And

me

625

gan

to

630

crye,

barme.

for the haukes

alle hir

'

harme,
made;

wommen

they myghte the faucon glade.

But Canacee
horn bereth hir in hir lappe,
And
softelyin piastres
gan hir wrappe,
nisten how

They

Thcr

as

Now

can

Out

she with
nat

hir beek

Canacee

had

but

hurt hir-sclue.

herbes

delue

grounde, and make salues1 newe

Of herbes precious,
and fyne of he\ve,
To helen with this hauk; fro day to nyght
She doth hir bisynesseand al hir2 myght.
And
by hir beddes heed she made a mewe,

of the

And
In

635

it with

couered

velouettes blewe,

signe of trewthe that

And

640

al with-oute,the

is in

wommen

is

mewe

645

sene.

peynledgrene,

peynted3 alle thise false foules,

and oules;
As beth thise tidifs,
tercelets,

In which

And

were

pyes,

on

hem

for to crye

Ryght for despyt were

lete I Canacee

Thus

I wol

namore

How
1

E. Hn.

E. ther
The

now

chyde,
peynted hem bisyde4.
hir hauk keping;
speke of hir ring,

650

eft to purpos for to seyn

that this faucon gat hir loue ageyn

Til it

as

and

come

saues
were

MSS,

the

rest salues.

E. hire fuile ; the rest al hir.

peynted.
ypeynted; the rest were
the
correction was
11.
650
;
649,
transpose

made

by Tyrwhitu

SQUIRE

F.

GROUP

Repentant,as the storie telleth vs,

By mediation of Cambalus,
The kinges sone, of whiche1 I yow
But

hennes

To

speke of

That

forth I wol

yet

neuer

First wol
That

auentures

of

I telle yow

in his tyme many

655

tolde.

proces hol'de
of batailles,

my
and

herd

was

125

END-LINK.

so

grete meruailles.

660

Cambynskan,
a

citee

wan

speke of Algarsyf,
that he wan
How
Theodora
to his wyf,
For whom
ful ofte in greet perilhe was,
Ne hadde he ben holpen by the stede of bras;
And
after wol I speke of Cambalo,
That faughtin listes with the bretheren two
For Canacee, er that he myghte hir winne.
And
ther I lefte I wol ageyn biginne.
And

after wol

Explicitsecunda pars. Incipit

pars

665

670

lercia.

Appollo whirleth vp his char so hye,

Til that the god Mercurius hous the slye2
"

LINK.]
[SQUIRE-FRANKLIN
Heere

Squier,

folwen
and

the

wordes

the
wordes

of

of
the

Frankelyn

the

hoost

to

the

to

the

Frankelyn.

feith,Squyer,thou hast thee wel yquit,

I preisewel thy wit/
And gentilly

'

In

Ln. whiche

Here

lines in

; rest which

the MSS.

Hn. of which I to yow tolde.

HI. omits 11.671,672,and La. has
;

fail.
their place. HI. also omits

11.1617-670.

eightspurious

12(5

GROUP

F.

END-LINK.

SQUIRE

Quod the Frankeleyn,consideringthy youthe,

So feelingly
thou spekest,
sir,I allow the !
As to my doom, ther is noon
that is here
Of eloquencethat shal be thy pere.
If that thou Hue, god yiue thee good chaunce,

675

And

680

'

in vertu
of

For

sende

thee continuaunce

thy speche I

I haue

haue

leuer than twenty

Though

it

were

ryght now

were

of swich

man

greet deyntee.

and, by the Trinitee,

sone,

I hadde

He

worth

pound

lond,

fallen in myn
discrecioun

hond,
685

As

that ye ben! fy on possessioun

with-al.
be vertuous
But-if a man

snibbed,and yet shal,

he to vertu listeth1 nat entende;
for to pleye at dees, and to dispende,
lese al that he hath, is his vsage.

I haue

For
But
And
And

he hath leuer talken with

Than

to

Ther

he

'

'

tale

or

two,

knowe

'

I preye

Though
Tel

of yow

eche

That

'

myghte

or

with any gentilwyght

lerne gentillesse
aryght/

mot

thou

breken

695

wost

his biheste.'

I wel, sir,'
quod the

frankeleyn;
disdeyn

nat in
yow, haueth me
I speke a word
to this man

on

your

host;

our

tellen atte leste

thy tale with-outen

Gladly,sir host,'quod he,

Vn-to

690

page

quod
gentillesse,'
What, frankeleyn?parde,sir,wel

'

'

comune

for your

Straw

That
A

sone

my

wil j

now

wordes
'

herkneth

E. listneth; the rest

I wol
what

or

t\vo.'

mo.'

obeye
I seye.

lusteth.
listeth,

joo

GROUP

wol
fer

As
I

Than

that

as

to

preye

contrarien

nat

yow

god
I

wot

wel

in

that

it

that

no

wol

wittes

my

END-LINK.

SQUIRE

F.

it

wyse

is

705

suffyse;
plesen

may

12J

yow,

ynow.'

good

708

Explicit.

[Here
edition
Nun's
H
the

follows
;

contains
Parson's

which

with

Tale

the

Franklin's

Group

and

End-link,

the

Manciple's

Prologue

and

//.

Tale,
F

and

ends.

the

Canon's

Prologue
Tale

Group

and
and

Tale.

Second

Tale.

Group
the

Six-Text

the

contains

Yeoman's

concludes

the

in

709-1624

series.]

Group
I

contains

NOTES.

indebted

[I am

Morris

to Dr.

for

the notes

TO

INTRODUCTION

for
hints,and, in particular,

numerous

marked

THE

If, as

Mr.

Furnivall

Canterbury tales
the

suppose

be

of Lawes

Man

WES

time

of

the

TALE

the

tellingof
day, we

longer than one

begin the stories told

be

to

Tale

LA

B).

supposes,

supposed

OF

MAN

(GROUP
1.

M.']

'

to

all the

journey,April 18. Otherwise, we must suppose

is not impossible,if we
stories in Group A to precede it,which
the pilgrimsto have started early in the morning.
This

Hoste.
and

sometimes

is

the words

of

one

monosyllabic;

in 1. 39.
See note to line
The
forms
Sty, i.e. saw.

as

find

we

due

the

Clerkes

Troilus

The

667,

Tale, E.

The

array.

The

2.

scribes.

of

'

'

saw

A.

some

S. form

Treatise

arc

of this

along

the

horizon
to

MSS.

have
Aldine

"

To

edition

it rimes

the Astrolabe,
knowe

still

say.

the arch

with

of

day

pt. ii.ch. 7
of the

'

during which
the
day merely means

artificial is the
4

on

'

'

'

'

of the

in

as

day,

folk kallen the day artificial,

from the sonne
arisyngtil hit go
is twenty-fourhours, the
day
Thus, while the day natural

rest.'

to

by the rime,

is determined

most

(ed.Skeat), is the propositionheaded

that

In this line
vary in the MSS.
Chaucer's
of which
are
own,

be fo*und in the
may
iv. p. 204, 1. 1265, where
is sedh.

In Chaucer's

ark, "c.

form

true

where

spellingis sey, which

and Creseyde,vol.

better

and

the

to

dissyllable,

883 below.

saugh, sank, segh,sauhe, sawh, none

but

It is here

suppose

dissyllabic,

sometimes

are

the Preface.

see

which

may

the second

on

of the

morning

the

time

circular

rim

(as here), it

of

means

an

the
extent

astrolabe
the

'

or

; or,

duration
when

extending from

arc

the horizon.

is above

sun

of

it,as reckoned

measured
the

The

along

point

the

of sunrise

that of sunset.

performed, completed.
The
true
fourthe part.
explanation of

Ronne,
3. The

-run,

Tyrwhitt failed to discover, is due

it
it in May, 1851, and reprinted
Treatise
VOL.

on

II.

the

Astrolabe.

His

this passage,
which
first published
to Mr. A. E. Brae, who
p. 68 of his
conclusions
were
at

edition
based

of Chaucer's
upon

actual

XOTES

130

TO

GROUP

B.

and will be mentioned

in due order.
In re-editing
the
calculation,
of roughlychecking
his calculations
I took the opportunity
Astrolabe,'
by other methods, and am satisfied that he is quitecorrect,and that the
'

day
1

is not

meant

the

8th of

April,as

and most

xxviii

others.

MS.,

nor

the

MS., but the i8th, as in the Hengwrt

3th of April,as in the Harleian

MS.

in the Ellesmere

that xviii may be corrupted

into
the omission of v ; this may account

It is easily
seen
into xiiiby

by prefixing
x, or

for the variations.

The
'

key

to

the whole

matter

Astrolabe,'
pt.ii.ch. 29, where

merelytranslates

from

passage in Chaucer's
it is clear that Chaucer
(who, however,
is

given by

confuses
Messahala)actually

the

hour-anglewith

is,he considered it correct to find the hour of

the day by notingthe pointof the horizon over
which the sun appears to
and
this
stand,
point to advance, with a uniform,not a
supposing
of proceeding
motion.
The host's method
this. Wanting
was
variable,
southward
the hour, he observed how far the sun had moved
to know
Ihe azimuthal

; that

arc

than
along the horizon since it rose, and saw that it had gone more
half-wayfrom the point of sunrise to the exact southern point. Now
the 1 8th of April in Chaucer's
time answers
to the 26th of Aprilat
present. On April 26th, 1874,the sun rose at 4!!.
43m., and set at 7h.
the
fourth
of
about 14!!.
1 2m., giving
a day
part of which is at
3om.,
8h. 2om., or, with sufficient exactness, at half-past
eight. This would
leave

whole

hour

and

Chaucer's half
signify
is stillnecessary.
explanation

half to

more,'shewing that further

'

houre

an

The

and

fact is,

however, that the host reckoned, as has been said,in another way, viz.

by observingthe

sun's

On April
to the horizon.
positionwith reference
18 the sun
in the 6th degree of Taurus at that date,as we
was
again
this
6th
learn from Chaucer's treatise. Set
degree of Taurus on the
East horizon on a globe,and it is found to be 22 degreesto the North
from the South.
of the East point,
The half of this is at
1 1 2 degrees
or
56 degreesfrom the South ; and the sun would seem to stand above this
56th degree,as may be seen even upon a globe,at about a quarterpast
the calculation,
nine ; but Mr. Brae has made
and
Chaucer's
twenty minutes past nine. This makes
'

more

stand

to

But

result.

He

this

for
we

half an

equal,whence

Even

globe will

check

can

also took

were

the
shew

sun's

46 degrees. But

Mr. Brae

exactly.This

even

minutes

has

an

houre

an

at

and

extremelyneat

tion.
help of the host's other observa-

againby
lengthsof
altitude

o'clock in the

attained
is

ten

that it was

'half

must

shadow
have

that the sun's altitude,

when

10

sun

and

note, that the

of Taurus, and at
that the

hour

shews

been

calculated

it

its

object
degrees.

45
in the 6th

morning,is somewhere
and
exactly,

its altitude of 45 degreesat

closer approximationthan
a

and

two
we

degree

about

45 or
his result is,
minutes

to

ten

might expect,

NOTES

132

TO

what
say
it means
strictly,
Waliinge;

What.

21.
22.

whilst

we

We

"

B.

with.

'
It means,
partly
owing to.'
watching; but here,in our ivakinge=*

awake.

are

23. Cf.

now

GROUP

iii.62-65 :

Ovid, Art. Amat.

'Ludite; eunt
Nee

quae

"

anni

fluentis aquae.
reuocabitur unda

more

cursu
praeteriit,

hora
praeteriit,

redire potest.
Nee, quae
Utendum
est aetate ; cito pede labitur aetas.'
Breuitate Temporis,but this does not
a treatise De
25. Seneca wrote
contain any passage very much
resemblingthe text. I have no doubt
that Chaucer

thinkingof

which

have
may easily
the beginningof the firstof Seneca's

caught
his eye, as being very near
epistles.
nobis, quaedam subducuntur, quaedam
Quaedam tempora eripiuntur
est iactura,
Turpissimatamen
efflwtnt.
fit. Quem
quae per negligentiam
mihi dabis,qui aliquod pretiumtemporiponat ? qui diem aestimet ?
In huius rei unius fugacis
natura
ac lubricae possessionem
nos
misit,
stultitia
uult
mortalium
tanta
et
ex
est, ut,
quicumque
;
qua expellit
was

passage

'

...

minima

quae

et

uilissima sint, certe

impetrauere,
patiantur
;
interim
hoc
accepit,
quum
Epist.I. ; Seneca Lucilio

nemo

33. Man

se

unum

reparabilia,
imputarisibi,quum

iudicet

quidquam debere, qui tempus

est,quod nt gratus

quidem potestreddere;'

suo.

This is the

ofLawe.

11. 309-330.
Prologue,
hope to reach heaven.

'sergeantof the lawe' described in the

have ye blis,
so may
you obtain bliss ; as you

So

forward is,as is the agreement. See Prologue,1. 829.

have agreed. This illustrates the common
usage
35. Ben submitted,
of expressing
be
the
the
verb
and
to
a
perfectby
past part, of an
34. As

Cf.

intransitive verb.

36. At

is

went, in 1. 1730.

lugement,at

my

11.818
Prologue,

and

my

"

M.

decree; ready to do

as

I bid you.

See

833.

viz. by redeemingyour promise.

acquityourselves,
to absolve or free
biheste,
keep your promise.Acquitmeans

37. Acquiteth
yow,
Holdeth

your

debt,obligation,
charge,"c. ; or to free oneself from the
claims of duty,by fulfilling
it.
38. Devoir,duty ; see KnightesTale, 1. 1 740.
in old English
A tie leste,
at the least. A tie or alien is common
oneself from

for
then

at

fhe

or

then ; the latter is a later form of A. S. eel pant,where

of the article. But for the explanis the dative case
ation

at

(=pam)
of peculiar
forms

and

Index

words, the Glossarial

should

be

consulted.
39. For
MSS.
seven
assente.

Mr.

ich, Tyrwhitt reads jeo*=je,though found

This

makes

the whole

Jephsonsuggeststhat

phrase French

this is a

"

in

none

de par

of
dieux

our

jeo

because
clever hit of Chaucer's,

INTRODUCTION

he makes
was

of La

the Man
familiar.

very

MAN

THE

talk in French, with

we

However,

find elsewhere

we

Troilus, depardieuxich

TALE.

LAWES

OF

"

Quod

'

and

TO

which, as

133

he
lawyer,

"

'

"

assente

"

again
"

' "

Depardieux"quod she,

God

"

Troilus
and in the Freres Tale,

leve all be

and Cres. ii. 1058

D, 1. 1395

"

wele

and

1212;

Group
dere brother."
Depardieux,"quod the yeman,
It is much
talks
of Lawe
to the point to observe that the Man
more
about law in 1. 43.
under par,
Cotgrave,in his French Dictionary,
De
God's
be it. De par may, by
e. in]
name
gives
par Dieu so//,a [i.
De
le
the
means.
king'sappointment.' De par is a
roy, by
my
par
of O. Fr. de part, on the part or side of ; so that de par le roy
corruption
i.e.
in the king's
name.'
means
as for the king,'
Similarly,
literally,
de par Dieu is, in God's name.'
See Burguy, Grammaiie
de la Langue
'

"

'

"

"

'

"

'

'

'

D'oil,ii. 359.
thus

The

an
exhibiting

the substantives

Jleurhorn

are

form

is

dieux

exceptionto the almost

formed

universal law in

from the accusative

found

deus

French,that
substantives,

of Latin

cases

Other

florem,"c.

the Latin

nominative,from

in

some
exceptionsmaybe
proper
from Carolus,
as Charles,Jacques,
names,
Jacobus,and mfils,fromjilius.
41. In the Moralityentitled Everyman, in Hazlitt's Old Eng. Plays,
i. 137, is the Proverb
'Yet.promiseis debt.' Mr. Hazlitt wrongly
considers that as the earliest instance of the phrase. M.
Holde fayn,"c. ; gladlyperform all my promise.
another
another.
The Cambridge MS. is right.
one
43. Man
M.
For whatever law a man
imposes on others,he should in justice
consider as binding on
himself." This is obviouslya quotation,
as appears
from 1. 45.
The expressionreferred to was
probablyproverbial.
An English proverb says
They that make the laws must not break
them ;' a Spanishone
El que leyestablece,
guardarladebe,'he who
makes a law ought to keep it ; and a Latin one
Patere legem quam
which
abide
law
made
the
panded
ipsetulisti,"
by
yourself.The idea is exyou
in the followingpassage from Claudian's Panegyricon the 4th
zs

"

"

'

"

'

"

'

"

'

"

of Honorius,
consulship
'

In

Fit

iubes si

commune

Primus

iussa

quid

subi, tune

populus,nee

Autorem

1. 295
viii.,

carm.

parere

45. Text,quotationfrom

"

obseruantior

ferre negat
sibi.'
an

tenendum,

censesue

cum

aequi
uiderit ipsum

author, precept,saying. Thus

text,i.e. such is what the expression

implies.
This readingis givenby Tyrwhitt,from
47. But.
the
MSS.

Cambridge
read

University
Libraryand

That;

but

this would

two

other MSS.

requirethe word

MS.

Dd.
All

Nath

wol

our

4. 24 in
our

seven

(hath not)

NOTES

134
instead of
strain at

Hath, in 1. 49.
stillearlier

Jupiter's
eagle says
'

to

And

his House

period,in
him

Although

".

talks about

Chaucer

his
of

in
writings

hast set

[that]in

similar

ii. 112, where

Fame,

thy wit,
heed

thy

make

ful

lyt is,

bookes, songes,
In ryme, or elles in cadence,
As thou best canst, in reverence
eke
Of Love, and of his servaunts

Cf. Prol. 1. 746 ; Kn.

"

natheles

To

GROUP

TO

and

dities

;' "c.

Tale, 1. 602.

skilled in metre.
Can
metres, is but slightly
verb.
knows here ; in the line above it is the ordinaryauxiliary
because he has so many lovefor two
reasons,
54. Ovid is mentioned
himself
borrowed
several of his own
from
a
nd
because Chaucer
stories,
but

Can

lewdlyon

Ovid.
mention of.
made
ofmencioun; we should now
say
Epistles.Here the Latin ablative is used after in,but it
55. Epistolis,
usual in old English to quote Latin titles in the genitive
is more
case;
Made

1. 93.

to

note

see

"

contains

The

referred to

book

twenty-one love-letters. See

56. What, why,

on

what

time

the poem
for some
was
but which, in the MSS.
Fairfax
from

1. 61.

? cf. Prologue,184.

account

which

entitled,

to

which
Ileioides,

story of Ceyx and Alcyone is related in the introduction

57. 'The

"

note

is Ovid's

The

Ovid's

Boke

called "The

of the Duchesse."

Metamorphoses,bk.

Bodl.

16 and
'
"

Dreme

638, is

Tyrwhitt.

of

to

Chaucer,"

properly

more

Chaucer

took

it

xi.

59. Thise is a monosyllable; the final e is onlyadded for distinction.

61. The seintes legende
of Cnpyde; better known now as The Legend of
'

According to Lydgate (Prologueto

Tyrwhitt says
Boccace),the number [ofgood women] was to have been nineteen ; and
perhaps the Legend itself affords some
ground for this notion ; see
Good

1.

Women.

283, and

"

Court

of

Love, 1. 108.

But

this number

pleted,
com-

never

was

the last story,of Hypermnestra,is seeminglyunfinished.

omits two
viz. Cleopatraand
In this passage the Man
of Lawe
ladies,
and

Philomela,whose histories are in the Legend ; and he

there are no histories in the Legend
others,of whom
present. Are

we

theyhave been
following
;
; i. Cleopatra

to suppose

contains the nine stories

that

lost?'
2.

have

we

The

Thisbe

eight

enumerates
as

it at

Legend

; 3. Dido

Ariadne; 7. Philomela;
Medea;
Hypsipyle
5. Lucretia;
here mentions, as
Of
Chaucer
these,
Phyllis; 9. Hypermnestra.
Before discussing
Tyrwhitt pointsout, all but two, Cleopatraand Philomela.
4.
8.

and

the matter

names

6.

further,let me note that in medieval times,proper

took strange shapes,
that the
and the reader must
not suppose

TO

INTRODUCTION

of
writing

MAN

THE

for Ariadne,for

Adrians

LA

OF

WES

to
example,is peculiar

TALE.

135

Chaucer.

The

Lucretia ; Babiloin
Lucresse,
Tisbee,Thisbe of Babylon ; Enee, ^Eneas ; Dianire,Deianira ; Hermion,
Hermione ; Adriatic,Ariadne ; Isiphilee,
Hypsipyle; Leander, Erro,
Briseis (ace.Briseida)
Leander and Hero ; Eleyne,Helena ; Brixseide,
;
Alcestis.
Ladomea, Laodamia
; Ypermis.tr
a, Hypermnestra ; Alceste,

meaning

of the other

Returningto
Women,

we

questionof
easilyconclude

the

may

He

carried out.

never

is is follows

names

"

plan for

Chaucer's
what

intended

to

his

Legend

of Good

his intention was, thoughit was

write stories concerningnineteen

being martyrs of love,and to conclude

he
whom
the series by an additional storyconcerningqueen Alcestis,
Now, thoughhe does not
regardedas the best of all the good women.
who

women

celebrated for

were

these
expressly
say who
in which
he
incomplete,

women

mentions

some

these,and takinginto consideration the

can

we

make

the whole

out

he

were,

intended

left

has

us

both
lists,

two

; and

by combining
stories which he actually
wrote,
of the
One
series very nearly.
of them

one
givenhere ; the other is in a Ballad which is introduced
of
into the Prologue to the Legend. The key to the incompleteness

listsis the

the

of

present list,probably the later written

mentions
poet chiefly
Ovid's

Heroides

here

; cf. 1. 55.

clear
sufficiently

such

number

are

Puttingall the information

intended

that Chaucer's

nearlyas follows,the

as

names

the two, is that the

also to be found
in

of

scheme

include

(ifwe

women

must

it
together,

is

have been very

Alcestis)
being

twenty.
(i) Cleopatra;(2) Thisbe; (3) Dido; (4) and (5) Hypsipyle and
Medea; (6) Lucretia; (7) Ariadne; (8) Philomela; (9) Phyllis;(10)
afterwhich (n) Penelope; (12) Briseis;
Hypermnestra (unfinished);
(13) Hermione; (14) Deianira; (15) Laodamia; (16) Helen; (17)
Hero; (18) Polyxena (see the Ballad); (19) either Lavinia (see the
Ballad),or Oenone (mentionedin Ovid, and in the House of Fame) ;
and

(20) Alcestis.

Since

the list of stories in Ovid's

Heroides

is the best

passage, it is here subjoined.

In this list,
the numbers
refer to the letters

guideto

the

whole

as

numbered

in Ovid

wrote
; the asterisk
actually
the present
in
pointsout such of the stories as he happens to mention
in his
the dagger points out the ladies mentioned
enumeration
; and
Prologueto the Legend of Good Women.
I
PenelopeUlixi.* ")"

the italicsshew

the stories which

Chaucer

a.

PhyllisDemophoonti.* f

3. Briseis Achilli.*
Hippolyto.
4. Phaedra
5. Oenone

Paridi.

136

TO

NOTES

6.

GROUP

lasoni;*f
Hypsipyle

7. Dido

Medea

I*-

lasoni

Aeneae*

8. Hermione

B.

Orestae *.

9. Deianira Herculi*.
Ariadne Theseo.*-^
10.
11.

Macareo*

Canace

t (expre"tly
rejected}.

Protesilao.*f
14. HypermnestraLynceo* f
13. Laodamia

15. Sappho Phaoni.

16. Paris Helenae ;

18. Leander

; 19.

Heroni

Paridi.*

7. Helena

Leandro.*t

Hero

Cydippae ; 21. Cydippe Acontio.

than he cared to finish.
Chaucer's
to plan more
method, I fear,was
Tie did so with his Canterbury Tales, and again with his Treatise on
Tale half-told. According to
the Astrolabe ; and he left the Squire's
his own
account
(Prologueto Legend of Good Women, 1.481) he never
intended to write his Legend all at once, but only yeer by yere.'Such
To
proposalsare dangerous,and commonly end in incompleteness.
Tyrwhitt'squestion 'are we to suppose that they have been lost?'
written.
the most
never
is,that they were
likelyanswer
Chaucer alludes to Ovid's Epistles
again in his House of Fame, bk. i.,
where he mentions the stories of Phyllis,
Briseis,Oenone (not mentioned
here),Hypsipyle,Medea, Deianira, Ariadne, and Dido ; the last being
told at some
length.Again,in the Book of the Duchesse, he alludes to
Medea, Phillis,and Dido
(11.726-734) ; to Penelope and Lucretia
(1.1081) ; and to Helen (1.331). As for the stories in the Legend
20.

Acontius

'

"

which

are

not

bk.
Metamorphoses,
those

of

Heroides, we

in Ovid's

find

iv ; that of Philomela

Cleopatraand

Mulieribus,from which

Lucretia
he

are

that of Thisbe

in the

same,

in Boccaccio's

imitated the title

'

in Ovid's

bk. vi ; whilst
book

De

Legend of Good

derived also the story of Zenobia, as told in the Monkes

which
With regardto the title seintes legendof Cupyde,'

and

'

Claris

Women,'

Tale.
in modern

the Legend of Cupid's

or
Englishwould be Cupid'sSaints' Legend,'
is one
Mr. Jephson remarks
'This name
Saints,'
example of the way
Chaucer
of the heathen pantheism,
entered into the spirit
in which
as
He
who
suffered
real
form
of
considers
these
for
a
religion.
persons,
love,to haTe been saints and martyrs for Cupid, justas Peter and Paul
and Cyprianwere
martyrs for Christ.'
63. Gower also tellsthe story of Tarquinand Lucrece, which he took,
says Professor Morley (EnglishWriters, ii. 131), from the Gesta Rowhich againhad it from Augustine's
De Civitate Dei.
manorum,
has
Chaucer
Babiloine**
Babiloin, here Babylonian; elsewhere
Babylon,riming with Macedoine; Book of the Duchesse, 1. 1061.
'

'

"

INTRODUCTION

sword

64. Swerd.
Aeneid,

iv.

646

Chaucer's

Chaucer's

; and

Legend
She

'

The

OF

put here for death

find

we

her

was

the sword.

by

of Good

Legend

TALE.

LAWES

likely,for death

65. Tree, put here, most

In

MAN

THE

TO

137

See

Virgil's

Women.

by hanging; cf. last line.

"

death

owen

with

cord??

word

since Phyllis
vis
may also be taken literally,
her death into a tree ; Gower
says she became
derives
from
filbert
(wrongly)
Phyllis
; Conf. Amant.

metamorphosed

after

nut-tree, and

bk. iv.

Lidgate

writes

filbertinstead of Phyllis
Knight, 1. 68.
; Complaint of Black
66. The pleinteof Dianire, the complaint of Deianira, referring
to
Ovid's letter 'Deianira Herculi'; so also that of Hermion
refers to the
letter entitled Hermione
Orestae'; that of Adriane, to the 'Ariadne
Theseo
that of Isiphilee,
to the
; and
Hypsipylelasoni.'
'

'

'

68. Bareyne yle,barren

island;of which I can find no correct explanation

by a previouseditor. It refers to Ariadne,mentioned in the previous
line. The expression
is taken from Ariadne's letter to Theseus,in Ovfd's
where
find 'uacat insula cultn';and justbelow
Heroides,Ep. x. 59,
we
"

cingitmare ; nauita nusquam,

Nulla per ambiguas puppis itura uias.'
have been
to Ovid at all,the allusion might easily
Or, without referring
explainedby observingChaucer's Legend of Ariadne, where the island
is described as solitary
and desolate.
It is said to have been Naxos.
'

Omne

latus terrae

drowned, is here used in the definite form.

69. Dreynt-e,
is sketched

"

No

doubt

as

kind

so

that Gower's
been

in hand

the Canace

not

story is told

The

to include

in

'that turned

"

the

Prologueto
her amongst

as

and

good

by Gower,

of the

Women,

as

well

Confess.

SquieresTale,
as

as

the

iii. We

reallyexists in two editions.

1386-90; but the date of the later

from
expressions
to

it. This may

whom

Chaucer

beautiful,but Ovid's Canace.

Amantis, book

poem

certainlyseems

he

dayesie'
Legend, 1. 511, etc.

the Good

about 1380,and Gower

Chaucer's Tale firstappeared
several

into

was

all.

of them

78. Canacee;

in his

Chaucer

by

he intended

very queen

describes

story of Alcestis

The

75. Alceste.

seems

It

seems

about 1387.
passage, written,apparently,
89. If that I may, as far as lies in my power
common
phrase,of no great force.
expletive

work

resentment;

in the present
I

please)
; a

'He
rather means,
I
says
92. Pierides; Tyrwhittrightly
contended
with
the
that
and
of
Muses,
were
daughters Pierus,

think,the

90.

Of, as to, with regardto.

Doon,

(to do

to have

edition is 1393.
to have copied

have aroused Chaucer's

speak harshlyof Gower's

have to observe

as

accomplishit.

"

into

pies; Ovid, Metam.

aignifies I
'

"

do

not

wish

bk. v.'
to

Yet

the

be likened

expressionis not
to

those would-be

changed
wrong

; it

Muses, the

138

NOTES

in
Piericles';
considered

other

TO

GROUP

words, I do

not

B.

myself up

set

worthy

as

poet.

thus
to cite books
common
93. Metamorphoseos. It was
the genitivecase, since the word
Liber
understood.
was

however, a slight
error

in the substitution of the

the true title being P. Ovidii Nasonis

See

the

of

use

Judicum

be

to

Eneydos

in Monk.

Ta.

in

the

by

Prestes

titlein

is,

for the
singular

Metamorphoseon Libri

Nonne

There

plural;
Quindecim.
of

Tale, 1. 538 ; and

3236.

Cf. 1. 4004 below.

I care
not a bean.'
But, nevertheless,
95. With hawe bake, with plainfare, as Dr. Morris explainsit ; it
'

94.

means
obviously

This

somethingof

humble

character,unsuited for

refined

left unexplained
by

Tyrwhitt,but we may
haw/ i.e.somethingthat

translate
fairly
it literally
could justbe
by 'with a baked
/
eaten
by a very hungry person. The expressionsette not an hawe ( I
not a haw) occurs
in the Wyf of Bathes Prologue,1. 6241. Haws
care
mentioned
are
as
given to feed hogs in the Vision of Piers Plowman,
B. x. 10; but in The
of William
of Palerne, 1. 1811, a lady
Romance
actuallytells her lover that they can live in the woods on haws, hips,

taste.

was

and

acorns,

There

hazel-nuts.

is

somewhat

similar passage

Legend of Good Women, Prol. 11. 73-77. I see no

explanation.That proposed by Mr. Jephson 'hark
the question
rime bale with make, nor does
cannot
; we
/
in
have to speak in
96. speke prose, I generally
; so that if my tale is prosy
you would expect.

what

comparedwith

as

hereafter.
98. After,afterwards,immediately
in Old

the

in this
difficulty
back'

"

courts

in

"

it make
prose

is out of
sense.

in the law

Chaucer's,it is only

Cf. other for otherwise

M.
English."

TO

PROLOGUE

MAN

THE

OF

LA

WES

TALE.

as it rimes
99. Pouerte =poverte, with the accent on the second syllable,
with herte; in the Wyf of Bathes Tale, it rimes with sherte. Povertyis

here

and
personified,
down

addressed

by

of Lawe.

the Man

The

whole

sage
pas-

1. 121, is a translation from Pope Innocent's treatise

De Contemptii
Mundi or De Miseria Condi tionisHumanae, lib.i.c. 16 ; and
thus preserves a pieceof the lost work mentioned
at p. Ixxxi. 1. 3.
to

Thee

101.

is

dative, like

where
version),

him

pas

it shamed

not

of it.

102.

them

Artow,

tie

me

sceamode

art thou ; the words

sayest thou,in 1. no.

in 1. 91.
=

"

M.

they were

See
not

Gen.
ashamed

beingrun together
;

so

ii. 25(A.S.
of

it; lit.

also seistow=*

TO

NOTES

140

GROUP

B.

read, but it may suffice to say here that, when the caster
six,
of the numbers
is goingto throw, he calls a main,or names
five,
one
throws
If he then
seven,
eight,or nine ; most often,he calls seven.
has to be

either

seven

eleven

or

(Chaucer'sambes

he wins ; if he throws aces

one), or double sixes,he

s/s cM),
(Chaucer's

deuce-ace

as) or

and

(two

is called the
other number, that number
caster's chance,and he goes on playingtilleither the main or the chance
turns
In the firstcase he loses,in the second, he wins. If he calls
up.
If he

loses.

other

some

throws

some

number,

the

winning

losing throws

and

are

somewhat

varied ; but in all cases, the double ace

is a losingthrow.
in The
Pardoneres Tale, where
hazard is mentioned
Similarly,
name

by
thyn is

'Seuen is my chaunce, and

(Group C. 1. 591),we have
1.
treye'
653.
;
Lydgate'sOrder of Fools, printedin Queen Elizabeth's Academy,
"

cinq and
In
ed.

Furnivall,
p. 81, one
4

Whos

chaunce

With
And

in

ambes

ballad

fool is described

gothe nether
encressithe

ase

printedin

"

synkeor

yn

syse;

hys dispence.'

Works, ed. 1561,fol. 340, back, we

Chaucer's

have"
'So

wel
The

With
Dr. Morris

126. At

Muche

forth whil

And

muche

at

'

ace

aums
'
"

cold must

mentioned

not

Christmas,

in Hazlitt's O. E.

occurs

when

elsewhere

the severest

have tried the poor

in mayamonge

'

(!)

weather
even

more

wilde

bestes.

"

somer

"

beggers
and

[property]

heele

[health'].
myd-somere bredlees pei soupe,

aboute

"

3ut is wynter for hem

A-furst

auaunce.'

they can

lastep heore solace durejj

;
riche men
is J"at
ban meoble
myi the amonge

and

ynow

Of

'

times,severe

myrthe is
so

And

siacke

now.

And

Ac

vppe-so-doune,
turne[n]

phrase

cristemasse,even

than it does
'

sise and

is their chaunce

with the editorial remark

In olden

comes.

dice to

that the

notes

Plays,ii.35,

fortuned

wors

"

and
a-fyngred[Athirst

J"eseworlde-riche

127. Selten,search

for wet-shood

)"eigangen,

and
ahungered~\
"

foule rebuked

men'J"at reuthe hit is to huyre [hearof it].'

Piers Plowman, C. xvii. 10; B. xiv. 158.

through; much

like the

word

compass in the

and land' in Matth. xxiii. 15.

sea
This coalescence of the
for the estaat, i.e.the estate.
substantive is common
in Chaucer, when
the substantive

phrase 'ye compass

128.

Thestaat

article and

1. 3864; thorient,
1, 3871.
vowel; cf. thoccident,
by bringingtidingsfrom afar.
129. Fadres, fathers,originators;
were
expected
130. Debat, strife. Merchants, being great travellers,

beginswith

to

pickup good stories.

MAN-OF-LAW

END-LINK.

14

131. Desolat,destitute. The E. E. word is westi; 'westi of alle gode

destitute of all good virtues ; O. Eng. Homilies (ed.Morris),
i.
Jieawes,'
p.

285." M.

132. Nere, for ne were, i.e.were

year ago, long since.

MAN-OF-LAW

told,and

OR

END-LINK;
host refers to the Man

1165.The

Goon

it not.

SHIPMAN'S

of Lawes

tale
the expression
thrifty
'

uses

MSS.

Most

above, 1. 46.
expression

is many

'

note

justbeen
same

separatethis end-link

widelyfrom
it in the right

Seld. B. 14 have
for the occasion ; see

for the nonce,

to Chaucer's Prologue,
1. 379.

place. For

had

reference to the

Tale,but MS. HI. and MS. Arch.

the

many

PROLOGUE.

Tale, which
with

yere,

the nones,

It may

be added

Dr. Morris's

that the A.S. dnes

case-ending
; and,beingan adverb,
genitive
becomes indeclinable,
be used as a dative case after
and can accordingly
the preposition
/or,which properly
governs the dative.
the
The
Host
here
Parson (seeProl. 1.477),and adjures
turns
166.
to
1
him to tell a tale,accordingto the agreement.
1167. Yore,formerly,
already. The phraseofyore is later.
1169. Can tnoche good, know (or are acquaintedwith)much good;
i.e.with many good things. Cf. 1. 47.
(

once)is an

70. Benedicite,bless ye

1 1

the

with

adverb

Song

of the Three

of those in

most

where

Children,and
use

common

more

at the time.

the Lord

; the

firstword

suitable exclamation
In the

of

than

KnightesTale, 1.927,

the strange event he had justwitnessed,

But in 1. 1257 it is
is pronounced in full,as five syllables.

Theseus

the word

; i.e. bless ye

ispondering
over

So also in Cant. Tales,ed.

as
here, as a 'mere trisyllable.
pronounced,
the second
to be dropped are
Tyrwhitt,11.5823, 5862. The syllables
and

fourth,so that
in the

by a passage
and reduced
benste,

say ben'dic'te. This is made tolerablycertain

spelt
Townley Mysteries,
p. 85, where it is actually

we

must

only. Cf. note to 1. 1974.

syllables
1171. Man; dat. case after eyleth.Swearingis alluded to as a prevalent
vice amongst Englishmenin Robert of Brunne,in the Persones Tale
to two

Chaucer, and elsewhere. M.

1172. O lankyn,"c. ; 'O Johnny,you are there,are you?' That is,
I hear,is it,Mr. Johnny?' A derisive interruption.
so it is you whom
Sir John, by way of mild derision ; see
It was
call
to
a priest,
common
Monkes
Prol. (B. 3119),and Nonne
Prestes Prol. (B..
4000). The Host
carries the derision a littlefurther by using the diminutive form.
See

of

"

'

note

to 1. 4000.

1173. A

toiler,
a

term

of

to
reproach,equivalent

Tyrwhittaptlycites a passage from

the Harleian Catalogue,no. 1666:

a
"

treatise of the
'Now

in

canting fellow.
to
referring
period,
a

Engelond it

is

comun

TO

NOTES

142

GROUP

if a
protectioun
ayens persecutioun,

B.

is customable

man

to

swere

nedeles

and sides,
and other memunavised,by the bones, nailes,
And
and
to absteynefro othes nedeles and unleful,
bres of Christ.
i
s
and
cause
now,
why Prelates
repreve sinne by way of charite, mater
Lordes sclaundren men, and clepenhem Lollardes,Eretikes,'
and sum
"c.

and

fals and

understand this word till he distinguishes

clearly
two words of different
between the Latin lollardns and the Englishtoiler,
originwhich were purposelyconfounded in the time of Wyclif. The
Latin Lollardns had been in use before Wyclif. Ducange quotes from
'Eodem
anno
Johannes Hocsemius, who says, under the date 1309
vocalaudantes,
quidam hypocritaegyrovagi,qui Lollardi, sive Deum
Brabantiam
mulieres
nobiles
deceet
bantur, per Hannoniam
quasdam
in
his
under
the
He
adds
that
Trithemius
Chronicle,
perunt.'
says
year
'ita
Gualtero
Germano
a
Lolhard,
quodam.' Kilian,
appellatos
1315
in his Dictionaryof Old Dutch, says
Lollaerd, mussitator,mussitabundus
of prayers.
This apparently
givestwo etymo; i.e.a mumbler
logies
for Lollardns ; but theyare really
onlyone, the use of the word as
surname
a
beingdue to its previoususe as a nickname.
Being thus
of
of
in
the
followers
term
to
i
t
already use as a
reproach, was applied
Wyclif,as we learn from Thomas
Walsingham, who says, under the
'Hi uocabantur a uulgo Lollardi,incedentes nudis pedibus'
;
year 1377
and again 'Lollardi sequaces JoannisWiclif.' But the Old English
loller (from the verb to loll)
meant
simplya lounger,an idle vagabond,
is abundantlyclear from a notable passage in Piers the Plowman,
as
C-text (ed.Skeat),
x.
188-218; where William tellsus plainly"
Now
kyndeliche,
by crist be]"suche callydlolleres,
As by englisch
of oure
eldres of olde menne
techynge.
He that lolle\
"c.
is lame
of
his
out
oj^er
ioynte,'
leg
Here were
words confused,but this was
two
not all. By a
already
The

reader will not

"

"

'

"

'

"

"

'

"

"

"

connected with Lollard,so

pun, the Latin lolium,tares,was
find in Political Poems, i. 232, the following

bad

"

'

zizania,
Spinae,uepres, ac lollia,

obviouslyled to allusions to
for the punning allusion
accounts
observes
that lolium is used
Jephson
to

hortum

uastant

This

this is

uineae.'

Tares,and fully
cockle,i.e.tares,in 1. 1183. Mr.

the Parable
to

in the

of the

mistake, as the word there used is zizania,

Conf. Amant.
{ed.Pauli,i. 15),speaksof
"

This

newe

v.

of

secte

also many
(ed.Pauli,ii. 187)
And

Also in book

xiii.25;
Gower, Prol.

VulgateVersion,Matt.

'

an

lollardie,
heresie.'

"

'

Be

we

Lollardi sunt

Quae

but

that

"

war

With

that thou
anticristes

be

nought oppressed

"c,
lollardie,'

PRIORESS'S

THE

143

Mosheim, Eccl. Hist. iii.355-358; Wordsworth's

See

33 !" note.
'
He
1 1 80.

'"

PROLOGUE.

shall not

Eccl.

Biography,

any commentary on a gospel.'To glose

occasional free introduction of irrelevant

giveus

is to comment

with

"

upon,
matter; the^ospeHsthe text,or portionof the Gospelcommented
article of
all agree in the one great fundamental
1181. 'We
which

by

he insinuates

'
"

let that suffice;

and

we

want

upon.

faith;'

theological

no

subtiltiesdiscussed here.'
The
scatter, sprinle-le.
1183. Springen,
pt.t. is spreyndeor spreynte;
the pp. spreyndoccurs
M.
at p. 15, 1. 1830.
Gower, Conf. Amant.
"

bk.

v.

(ed.Pauli,ii. 190),speaksof
Which

'

To

is

now

for to

come

with

cockel

sowe

lollardie

dwelle,

the corne.'

1185. Body, i.e.self. Cf. lyf=" person, in P. PI. B. iii.292.

1186. See 1.
words

M.

"

below, which

3984
suggests that there is a play upon
is
going to make the bells upon his horse
Shipman
enough to wake them all ; or otherwise,he is going to ringso
The

here.

ringloud

them as a church-bell rouses

that he will rouse
a
merry a peal,
The reader can interpret
it as he pleases.Cf. note to B. 3984.

1189. I

do not

here
phisike

; but

nothingcan

as

know

TO

PRIORESS'S

THE

1625.Corpus dominus;
'Now

for readingof
authority
common

sense

at

once,

of the readingsin the MSS.

be made

But it is unnecessary

any

itself to one's

it recommends

NOTES

1626.

Tyrwhitthad

that

sleeper.

of

PROLOGUE.

for corpus domini,the Lord's

the Host's Latin.

body.

course

to correct

thou sail along the coast!"

long mayest

1627.MarineertYr.marinier;we now use the ending-er ; but modern

words of French originshew their lateness by the accent
the last
on
The Fi.pionnier
is pionerin Shakespeare,
but
as engineer.M.
syllable,
"

is

now

pioneer.

1628.

God

'

alludes to
a

very

givethis monk

deceitful monk

heavyload.

14 stone;
This makes

In

described

statute of 31 Edw.

weightsof wool
a

years !' He
A last is
Tale.
in the Shipman's

thousand

last of wool

are

to

be

to

make

cart-loads of bad

I, a weightis declared
a

sack; and

336 stone, or

42 cwt.

12

sacks

But

to be
a

last.

the dictionaries

variable,accordingto the
substance weighed.
The word
means
simply a heavy burden, from
A.S. hlast,
a
burden,connected with hladan, to load; so that last and
shew

lading are

that

related

the

weight was

words.

very

Laste, in the

sense

of

heavy weight.

NOTES

144

GROUP

TO

B.

Redeles, ed. Skeat, iv. 74.

Quad is the Old
Englishequivalentof the Dutch kwaad, bad, a word in very common
In M. E., \"equed means
the evil one, the
use
; cf. Cant. Tales,1. 4355.
devil;P. PI. B. xiv. 189. The omission of the word of before quad may
be illustrated by the expressionfour score
i.e.of years.
years,'
in
the man's hood, and in his wife's too.'
1630. The monk put an ape
occurs

in Richard

the

'

'

The contents of
ape.
the hood would
the man's head and face ; but neighbours
be, properly,
seemed to see peepingfrom it an ape rather than a man.
It is a way of
We

should

say, he

now

he made

sayingthat

him

made

dupe

look

of him.

like

an

In the Milleres Tale

(1.3389, ed.

is said to have made

her lover an ape, i.e.a dupe ; an
a girl
Tyrwhitt),
in the Chanones
Yemannes
Tale, 1. 16781.
expressionwhich recurs
the expression
from this very passage; it
Spenserprobably borrowed
in his Faerie Queene, iii.9. 31 :
occurs
'

Thus

the ape

was

1632. 'Never

handlingput into Malbeccoes

entertain monks
any more.'

1637. See

of
description

By

their faire

the

NOTES

1643. Cf.

admirabile

noster, quam
eleuata est
lium

PRIORESS'S

THE

TO

Ps. viii.1-2.

the Prioress in the

est

tua
magnificentia

super

has

'
"

Domine

in uniuersa

tuum

nomen

Prologue.

TALE.

Vulgateversion

The

cape'

caelos !

Ex

ore

terra

Dominus
!

infantium

Quoniam
et lacten-

laudem,'"c.
perfecisti

1650. Can
1651. The
See this

or

know

may,

was
lily'

'white

to do.
ability
of Mary'sperpetual
virginity.

to, or have

how

the token

at lengthin Rock,
explained

Church

of

our

Fathers,Hi. 245.

after her

Son, the root of

1655. 'For she herself is honour, and, next
of souls.'
bounty,and the help (or profit)
1658. Cf. Chaucer's A. B. C., or Hymn to the Virgin,where we find
under the heading M
the bosh of flambis rede
Moyses, that saw
sticke brend[e],
a
Brenning,of which than never
maidenhede
Was
;
sign of thine unwemmed
which
Thou
there can
art the bosh, on
descend[e]
that
which
The Holyghost,
Moyses weend[e]
"

'

Had
So also in st.

been
of

Hazlitt, ii. 284.

an

on

fire.'

Alliterative

Hymn

in Warton,

Hist.

Eng. Poetry,ed.

THE

PRIORESS'S

TALE.

145

from the Deity

didst draw down
1659. 'That, throughthyhumility,
the Spirit
that alightedin thee.'
words being run
into one.
the two
1660. Thalyghtethee alyghte,
Such agglutination
is more
when the def. art. occurs, or with
common
the word to; cf. Texpoundenin 1. 1716.
luminat
1661. Lyghle may
either (i) cheered, lightened;or (2) ilmean
=

the

Tyrwhittand
following
passage, in

Richardson
which

both

take the latter

hertes occurs,

makes

view; but

the former

the

probable:

more

"

'

But

natheles,it

That

it made

was

fair

so

syghte

lyghte.'

alle her hertes for to

Sq. Ta.;F.
1664.Partlyimitated from
'La

benignitanon

tua

chi

395.

"

pur soccorre
molte fiate

dimanda, ma

Liberamente
In te

Dante, Paradise,xxxiii. 16

al dimandar

in
misericordia,

te

In te

in
magnificenza,
Quantunque in creatura

precorre.

pietate,
te s'aduna
e

di bontate.*

1668. Goost biforn,

goest before,dost

anticipate.
Of,by. The eighth
Tale closely
resembles 11. 1664-70.
stanza of the Seconde Nonnes
1677. Gydeth,guide ye. The pluralnumber is used,as a token of
of the words thou
By a careful analysis
respect,in addressing
superiors.
and ye in the Romance
of William of Palerne,I deduced the following
which are generally
true in Old English. Thou is the language
results,
of a lord to a servant, of an equal to an equal,
and expresses also
'

love,permission,
: whilst
defiance,
companionship,
scorn, threatening
is the

ye

lord,and of a compliment,and further

or
entreaty. Thou is used with singular
expresses honour, submission,
verbs,and the possessive
verbs,and
plural
pronoun thine ; but ye requires
the possessive
your.1 Pref. to Will, of Palerne,ed. Skeat, p. xlii. Cf.
Abbott's Shakespearian
Grammar, sect. 231.
For a general
account of this Tale, see the Preface.
in the sense
of
1678.Asie,Asia; probablyused, as Tyrwhittsuggests,
Asia Minor, as in the Acts of the Apostles.

languageof

servant

to

"

"

1679.A lewerye,a Jewry,i.e.a Jews'quarter. In many towns there

There
was
name.
formerlya Jews' quarter,distinguished
by a special
Old
is still an
In John vii. I the word is used as
Jewry in London.
also
in
t
o
other
equivalent Judea,as
passages in the Bible and in
Shakesp.Rich. II,ii. i. 55. Chaucer (House of Fame, iii.338) says of

Josephus
"

'And
The
VOL.

II.

he bar
fame

up

on

of

his shulders

hye
the Jeweryt?
L

i4"5

NOTES

Thackerayused
White

Squall.'See

1681.

word

the

with

also note

to 1.

of the Ellesmere

MS.

effect in his

odd

an

Ballad of

'

The

749.

; HI.

Vilanye. So the six MSS.

margin

6.

GROUP

TO

wrongly. In the
felonye,
turpe lucrum,'i.e. vile gain,

has

is written

'

is

intended
evidentlythe sense
by lucre of vilanye,here put
See
for villanous lucre or filthy
freedom
of diction.
lucre,by poetical
Chaucer's use of vilanyein the Prologue,1. 70 and 1. 726.
there
1684.Free, unobstructed.
Peoplecould ride and walk through,
beingno barriers againsthorses,and no termination in a cul de sac.

which

1687. Children
omitted

before children

as

it is before

quad yere

Of is
For heep,see

of children.

great number

keep,a heap or

an

in 1. 1628.

Prologue,1. 575.
i.e. readingand singing,
as
doctrine,kind of learning,
1689. Maner
below.
Here
after
the
usual
in
M.E.
againof is omitted,as is
explained
word

as

maner;

'with

'In

"

another

Glouc.

of

name,' Rob.

maner

vol. i.

P. Plowm.
B. v. 25; 'no maner
crafte,'
Ch. Prol. 71 ; "c.
See Matzner, EnglischeGrammatik, ii. 2.
wight,'
Men
Note this use of
used.
to was
vsed, peopleused; equivalent
313.
p. 147;

in the

men

somme

same

manere

sense

as

excellent instance,as

Moreover,

children.

the poet
and not

German

on, or

does

(speltme

men

of the

form

the French

refer to

not

in note

to 1.

This

man.

at

men

1702) is

an

is

an

all,but

to

attenuated

the usual

sing,man,
plural.
clerk'
not
'a
merely,as Tyrwhittsays, but a
1693.Clergeon,
young
that he was
a chorister as well.
Ducange
happilychosen word implying
juniorclericus,vel puer choralis ; jeune clerc,petit
gives Clergontis,
And
clerc ou enfant de chceur ;'see Migne'sedition.
Cotgrave has
It means
'Clergeon,a singingman, or Quiresterin a Queer [choir].'
therefore a chorister-boy.'
A London
would
'which
street-boy
1694. That, as for whom.
say
'

"

"

'

"

he

i.

used to go to school.'
That
1695. Wher as, where that,where.
was

2.

sect.

58

135.

placedby

his

So

the

wayside,as
Marie;

so

is
in

so

F. Q.
Spenser,
tecum

benedictus fructus uentris tui.

Amen.'

whose.

VI,
2 Hen.
Shakespeare,
Abbott's
Shakesp.Grammar,

commonly

Maria, gratiaplena; Dominus

Aue

et

in

Spenser,F. Q. i. 4. 38. See

Thimage,the image; alludingto

1698.Aue
"

seen

an

on

image

of the

the continent.

i. i. 35.
The
words were
benedicta
tu in mulieribus,
;
"

See the

Englishversion

Specimensof EarlyEnglish,ed. Morris

and Skeat, p. 106. It was

the word Jesuswas
Sometimes

i. 28 and i. 42.
up from Luke
after tui,and, at a later period,an

Virgin

additional

clause

'
"

Sancta

in

made
added

Maria,

et in hora mortis nostrae.

nunc
Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
See
Church
of
iii.
Amen.'
Fathers,
our
Rock,
315 ; and iii.pt. 2, 134.

Mater

702.

'

For

good

child will

always learn quickly.'This

was

NOTES

TO

GROUP

Surgerequi curat, populo:

Natura

mirante, tuum

Tu

B.

Genitorem,

sanctum

Gabrielis
Uirgo priusac posterius,
In the

Sumens

illud

Myrour

of Our

of the latteranthem
And

this anthem

whan

we

genuisti.

quae

ab

1" peccatorum miserere.'

Lady, ed. Blunt, p. 174, an Englishtranslation

is given,
with the

mater.'
redemptoris

heading'Alma

intended ; compare
with the Lat. succitrre
cadenti.

'

ore

Aue

"

the

seems

expressionsocour
'

deye
anthem-book.
'The
or
Lyggar,was
1709. Antiphoner,
Antiphoner,
alwaysa largecodex, havingin it not merelythe words, but the music
and the tones, for all the invitatories,
the hymns, responses, versicles,
and little chapters,
besides whatever
else belonged to the
collects,
solemn chantingof [masses
and lauds,as well as the smaller canonical
hours';Rock, Church
1710. Ner

neor

and

come

of

Fathers,v. 3, pt. 2, p.

our

and

tier, nearer

and

nearer

dative

or

in

nearer)occurs

Metrical Romances, 1. 599.

to
1713. Was to seye, was

The

nearer.

phrase come

King

Morris,Hist. Outlines

infinitive;
see

neor

and

Alisaunder,in Weber's
seye is the

To

meant.

mean,

212.

of

gerundial

EnglishAccidence,

sect. 290.

Kn. Ta.
to expound. So also (allegeto allege,
1716. Texpounden,
Pr. Ta.
lo Athens, id. 1. 165; tespye io espy, Nonne
2142; tathenes
1. 467. See note to 1. 1733.
1726. Can but smal, know but little. Cf. 'the compileris smal
Cf. co//ofe knew, in
learned';Old Plays,ed. Hazlitt,i. 10. M.
=

"

1- "735-

Z733- To

honoure; this

be

must

read

texpoundenin

like

tonoure,

1. 1716.

1739. To

scoleward; cf. From

Bordeaux

in the

ward

Prologue,

1. 397." M.
1

749. The

there

are

againstJews
feeling

illustrations of this.

numerous

vii (ed.Pauli,iii.194),a
"

am

To

no

be

man

him

kepe

felawe

trouth

in word

ne

dede.'

B. xviii. 104, Faith reproves the

Jews,and

says

"

and
"Je cherles,
Ne

In Gower's
"

In Piers the Plowman,

and
very bitter,
Conf. Amant. bk.

been

as saying
Jew is represented
and
lawe
by my
Jewe,

I shal to

to them

to have

seems

children

jowre

haue

lordshipin lond

al

be

But

Which

bareyne
is lyfpat

See also P. PI.,C.

those who

v.

"

"

owre

194.

"

"

ne

no

vsurye

lorde

shal je
[thrive]
londe tylye[till]

chieue

neure,

vsen,
"

Usury was

in alle lawes
forbidden

acurseth.'

by the

it,chiefly
practised
Jews and Lombards,

canon

were

law, and
held to be

PRIORESS'S

THE

sinners.
grievous

Cf. note

Jew of Malta.

England,p.

the character

Hence

the

on

TALE.
of

of Marlowe's

and
Shylock,England in

in

Jews

149

the Annals

162.

1751. Honssl,honourable;as in the Bible,Rom. xii. 17, "c.

here bears out the formation
1752. Swich,such. The sense
word

of

of the

from so-like. M.
"

1753. Your, of you.

135; 'in thy despite/I

has
Shakespeare
Hen.

despite,*
Cymb. i. 6.

'in your

VI, iv. 7.

Despiteis used,like the

in
as
genitive;
maugre J"/n,

22.

Early and Middle Englishmangre, with a

spiteof thee, in Havelok, 11. 1128, 1789 M.
Which
1 754.
is againstthe respect due to
"

your law.'

'

que iniuria formae';^Eneid, i. 27.

1761. I give an omitted stanza
version

Cf.

here,from Wordsworth's

'

spretae-

modernised

"I say that him into a pitthey threw,

A loathsome
pit,whence noisome scents
cursed folk ! away, ye Herods
W7hat may
your ill intentions you
O

Murder

new

avail?
fail;

will out ; cerles, it will not

that the honour
of high God

Know,
The

blood

cries out

spread,

may

deed.'

accursed

on

exhale;

your
'Ihu' in E. Hn. Cm.; and 'ihc'
This
is
written
word
le"u.
1793.
there is a stroke through the h. This is
in Cp. Pt. Ln. ; in both cases
frequently
printedIhesn,but the retention of h is unnecessary. It is not
h at

an
really
'

all,but the Greek

H,

meaning long e (e). So, also,in

Greek c, meaning 2 or " ; and ihc

is not the Latin c, but the

the first three letters of the word

the
ihc,'

are

well

as

as

vocative

At

case.

written for ike

was

used

lesiis,
was

later

as

the stroke

as

unaccounted

symbol I.H.S.
letter.

The

with

wrong

the small

Greek.

of iesus.

stroke

By

odd

an

or

into

Hence

The

contraction

common

is ch

is

the

common

Xpc.,where

and
(x),the p is r (/")

Cm.

This form

794. Inwith,within.
within.
HI. have

But

still remained

is s,

so

all the

that

Christ. This is less common

or
chrs,the contraction
a
nd
false
has
no
decoration,
interpretation been found for it.
=

have

new

cross

for chrisius

Salvator.

contraction

cross

error,

belief treated them

common

of

mark

throughthe h)

in the upper part of the middle

is still the favourite one, all errors
interpretation

Another
beinglong-lived.
letters are

lesu,

words, viz. lesus Hominum

turned

was

"";"7ovy iesus.

the genitive
nominative, though really
or

for these letters,

and

through the
for, it

ihs (still
with
period,

the initialsof three Latin

as

contraction

invented

meaning was

as

1HCOYC

Again,in
the form

occurs

the Merchant's

ivuith. It

in

in E. Hn.

Tale

(E.

Pt. Ln. ; the rest

I944\ MSS. E. Hn.

legendof St. Katharine,

(ThorntonRomances), 1. 611 ; in

occurs

ed. Moiton, 1. 172; in Sir Perceval

Xpc

in the

NOTES

150
Alliterative

Lodge, iii. 404.

to
originally
peculiar
1805. Coomen; so

in E. Hn.

comen

in 1. 1807, the Petworth

a

Morris

B.

MS.

has

it

says

the Northern

spelling
and we
Early English,

in

common

Dr.

The

came.

GROUP

Poems, ed. Morris,A. 970; and in Palladius

ed.

tense

TO

Husbandry,
(likeutwith without)

was

on

dialect.
in Ft.

comen

Cp.

But

it is the

past

for the past tense

pluralis very
find com
in the singular.Thus,
even
'

come.'

He

But herieth in 1. 1808 is

present tense.

in Kn. Ta. 555.

So also hext
as
as
1814. Nexle, nighest,
highest,
When
bale is hext,then bote is next,'i.e.
in the Old Eng. proverb
when woe
is highest,
help is nighest.'
Newe
Rachel, second Rachel, as we should now
1817.
say; referring
-

'

"

"

to Matt.

ii.18.

1819. Dooth for

to sterne, causes

caused them

to be drawn.

drawe

to

die.

And

cf. leet bynde in 1. 1810.

Evidentlya proverb;perhapsfrom
pense. In Old French we commonly find
1822.

verb honnir,to contemn,

1826.

The

high degree,the

the

honi soil

qui mal

honni,from
spelling

the

honour.

bier, if the

'The

into the chancel ; if a layman,and not

set it down
in the nave, hard by the church-

clerk,went

bearers

door;' Rock, Ch. of

the French

to shame.

body occupiedthe place of

deceased had been

of

put

So also in 1. 1823, Aide hem

our

Fathers,ii.472.

He

cites the Sarum

Manual,

fol. c.

1827. The abbot; pronouncedlhabbbt. Coueiit,convent

who
the monks
composed the body over which the
So

Hen.
in Shakespeare,

VIII, iv.

2.

18

"

'where

all his covent, honourablyreceived him.'

in Covent Garden.
French, stillpreserved

The

With

1835. Halse;

two

caughtfrom
gloss,
of conjure
occur.
name;

MSS.

consulted

abbot

presided.

the reverend
form

covent

abbot,
is Old

a
by Tyrwhitt read conjure,

mere

examplesof halse in the sense

Ich halsi )"eo godes nome
I conjurethee in God's
Marherete, ed. Cockayne, p. 17. Again, in Joseph of

St.

the line above.

; here used for

Other

'

'

Arimathie,ed. Skeat, 1. 400

Vppon fe heise trinite I halse )"eto telle
"

'

'

"

"

which

resembles the present passage.

closely
i.e. as it appears to me.
1838. To my seminge,
of nature.'
1840. 'And, in the ordinarycourse

1843. Wil, wills,desires.

require
mercy

; Gk.

t\tov

1848. In the Ellesmere

So

Ol\"u ;
MS.

ix. 13, I will have

Vulgate,misericordiam uolo.
in Matt.

(which has

Cf. E.

7146.

the metrical pauses marked)

The word sholde is dissyllabic

the pause in this line is marked

after lyf.
than the usual emphasis; it has the
here, having more
about to.

I
mercy
Cf. 1. 45.

sense

of

was

PRIORESS'S

THE

There

to time.

151

of take notice that,without any reference

to alter the readingto than,as proposed
necessity

is used in the

1857.Now

TALE.

is no

sense

by Tynvhitt. See Matzner, Engl.Gram, ii,2. 346,who refers to Luke ii.

Travels,
41, John. i. 44, and quotes an apt passage from Maundeville's
han visited the holyplaces,
thanne will they
Now
aftre that men
p. 63
'

"

Jerusalem.'In

toward

turnen

the word

A.S.

used

in similar

is

cases

verily.
styllce soothly,
=

1873. Ther, where.

confused by editors

Leue, grant. No
than

lene and

have

words

two

been

sometimes

hue.

more

written

Though
The
by a littlecare.
theyare easilydistinguished
A.S. ly/anor lefan,
speltlefein the Ormulum
(vol.i. p. 308),answers
and means
to the Germ,
erlauben,
grant or permit,but it can only be
used in certain cases.
The verb lene,A. S. l"nan,now
speltlend,often
but againonlyin certain cases.
to giveor grant in Early English,
means
alike in MSS.,

much

quote from my

127

article on

"

these words

in Notes

all the difference whether

makes
'It really

thingto a person,

grant that
grant thee

and
we

Queries,4 Ser. ii.

are

speakingof to
God
happen.
"

thingmay
lene thee grace,"
"God
means
grace,"where to grant is to
leiiewe
God
do right" means
impart; but "God
may
grant we
may
lene requires
where to grant is to permit
do right,"
an
Briefly,
after it, lene is followed by a dependentclause.' Lene
accusative case
elsewhere.
in Chaucer, Prol. 61 1, Milleres Tale, 589, and
occurs
lene
Chaucer
of
in
in
the
are
(i)
Examples
present passage, misprinted
MSS.
lene by Tynvhitt,Morris, Wright, and Bell, though five of our
have lene; (2) in the Freres Tale, 346, printed lene by Tynvhitt
(1.7226),leene by Morris, leeve by Wright and Bell ; (3) (4)(5) in three
in Troilus and
Creseyde (ii.1212, iii. 7, v. 1749), where
passages
Tyrwhittprintsleve,bub unluckilyrecants his opinionin his Glossary,

grant

or

to

"

whilst Morris

lene.
prints

For

other

examplessee Stratmann,s.v.

lantn

and leven.
It may
such as

be remarked

that leve in Old

Englishhas

several other

senses

(i) to believe;(2) to live; (3) to leave; (4) to remain; (5)

(6) dear,adj. I give an example in which the first,
sixth,

leave,sb. ;

and third of these

'

What

senses

occur

in

one

the

and

leuestow,leue lemman, that i

same

the

line

"

leue
[thee~\

wold ?'

Will. ofPalerne,

1874.Hugh of Lincoln. The

supposed to have been murdered
Paris under

the year 1255.

Speght'seditions of Chaucer

Matthew
upon

E. E. T.

Henry

2358.
story of Hugh of Lincoln, a boy
at Lincoln by the Jews, is placed
by

S.).addresses Speght

iii.eightene
Jewes were

a childe
crucifyinge

of

Thynne, in
(p. 45 of

the

reprintof

the

You

saye, that in the 29

broughtefrowi Lincolne,and hanged for
as

eightyeres

follows

his Animadversions

olde.

'

"

Whiche

facte

was

in the 39

TO

NOTES

152

that yow

lien, iii.,
so
childe of

olde

eighteyeres

there

mighte
was

twoe, viz.

GROUP

sayed,that the same

verye well haue
the same
hughe of Lincolne ; of whiche

thys

younger

Hughe bishoppeof Lincolne,which

dyed

name

were

this little seinte

olde and

hughe.

that yonge

to prove
of Lincolne

of Mathewe

Seinte

but

were

Seinte

and

Hughe,

in the yere 1 200,

that this childe of

And

hughe

B.

long before
eighteyeres

; I will sett downe

one

Walsinghame, whereof the

fyrstewryteth,that in the yere of Christe 1255, being the 39 of Henry
the 3, a childe called Hughe was
sleyneby the Jewes at Lyncolne,
lamentable
whose
historyehe delyverethat large; and further,in the
yere 1256,being 40 Hen. 3, he sayeth,Dimissi sunt quieti24 Judei a
Turri London., qui ibidem infames tenebantur compediti
pro crucifixione
sancti Hugonis Lincolniae : All
which
Thomas
Walsingham, in
Hypodigma Neustriae, confirmeth; sayinge,Ao. 1255. Puer quidam
Christianus,nomine
Hugo, a Judeis captus, in opprobriuwChristiahi
out
auctoryties

two

crudeliter est crucifixus.'

nominis

'

F.

M.

by

subjectof Hugh
Michel, and publishedat

de

Hugues

There

the

English,on

and

Paris and

Lincoln, Recueil

soises relatives

de

Meurtre

au

de

several ballads

in French

Lincoln,which were collected

Paris in 1834, with the title
of

"

Ballades
cet

are

Anglo-Normandes

Enfant.'

day

The

et Ecos-

of St.

Hugh,

bishop of Lincoln,is Aug. 27; that of St. Hugh, boy and martyr, is
June 29. See also Brand's Pop. Antiq.ed. Ellis,i. 431.
1875. With, by. See numerous
examples in Matzner, Engl. Gram,
notice
ii. i. 419, amongst which we
may especially
lues ';Towneley Mysteries,
p. 290.

TO

NOTES

THE

PRIORESS

Miracle,pronouncedmiracf.
into miracle,unnecessarily.

1883.
is no

Hoste

need

so

often

an

to insert to after

1885. What
1886.

is

man

Woldest

passage, says

evident

it,as

in

END-LINK.

Tyrwhitt omits al,and

1881.
word

that

host himself.

he

was

See note

'

was

to 1. 1886

the

there

Tyrwhitt.

used to look much

corpulenthabit ; and
Cf. Lenvoy to Scogan,st. 5.
i.e. make
1889. War you, mind yourselves,
way.
said
C
haucer
As
viel
is
as
I;
ironically.
1890.

qround ;

of

Chaucer

turns

(see1. 1897),that
dissyllable

art thou?
arlow, what sort of a man
learn
fynde, wouldst like to find. We

that
Tyrwhitt,

is he with

'Stolne

"

above.

reserved

as

from

this

upon the
in his behaviour.

as
corpulent

the

THE

1891. Were,

OF

RIME

would

the Rose, true lovers

Tenbrace,

be.

53
of

In the Romaunt

embrace.

to

are

often

though they be fatte';1. 2690.

to his absent
the fairies; alluding

looks

alwayslean

said to be

are

THOPAS.

SIR

but deceivers

fat enough

"

'For

Falselyhir ladies to
It is

wonder

no

akin
1893. Bluish,elf-like,
reserved

and

lore

nyce
'

'

in the

and
Glossary,
1.

Group G,

Tale

Yeom.

Can.

with, le

to be dealed

nat easye
eluysshe,

waxe

to

way

betray,

See Elvish

manner.

other

shape hem

that

men

cf. ' this eluish

842. Palsgravehas
deniens mal

"

traictable.'

The difference in Old English between

ye and yis
1900. Ye, yea.
and
Ye
the
weaker
is
form,
merely
(yes) is commonly well marked.
the last

to what

assents

force,often followed by

TO

NOTES

yisis an affirmative of great

oath, or else itanswers

an

of

the House

as in
particle,
negative

; but

speakersays

THE

a
questioncontaining
Fame, ii.356. Cf. 1. 4006 belpw.

OF

RIME

SIR

THOPAS.

universally
misspeltrhyme, owing to
is never
found in
confusion with the Greek rhythm ; but this misspelling
has
MSS.
in
old
or
earlyprintedbooks, nor
any example yet been
old spelling
rime is
The
found earlier than the reign of Elizabeth.
confirmed by the A. S. rim, Icel. rim, Dan. rim, Swed. rim, Germ, reim,
Dutch

rijm, Old

Confusion

rime, "c.

always

decides

notice that it is the latter word

A. S. word

the

as

Fr.

almost

the context

as
impossible,

worth

is now

This word

Rime.

for hoarfrost

for could.

Both

are

most

topaziusis
and Sir

of

topaz.

our

Topaz

is

sister of

The

metre

in Richard

King

Richard

is that

but

it is
an

h,

for

rhyme,and

coud

probablyunattainable.
find

we

'
"

Tkopasins,pro

Sept.p. 806, col. i." The Lat.

is a burlesque(see the Preface),
poem
title for such a gem
of a knight. The

torn.

7.

whole

excellent

an

Topyas occurs

name

The

Tyrwhitt,in his edition of

viz. rime
spelling,

rational,but

S. Wencesl.

is meant

has the better titleto

Thopas. In the Supplement to Ducange

Topazius,Acta

rime, hoarfrost,is

which

which

is hrim.

reforms in

Chaucer,attemptedtwo

with

Coer

I ; but

no

used

de

Lion, ed. Weber, ii.11,

such

name

before

is known
and

to

as

that

history.
time by

in Chaucer's

commonly
in the Romances
of
Examples of it occur
Isumbras, Sir Eglamour, and Sir Degrevant (in the

long-windedballad-makers.
Sir

Percevall,Sir

Thornton

in the
Halliwell),and in several romances
and Furnivall),such as Libius Disconius,
Sir Triamour, Sir Eglamour, Guy and Colbrande, The
Grene
Knight,

Romances,

Percy Folio MS.

ed.

(ed.Hales

154
"c. ;

NOTES

also Amis

see

Romances

and

TO

GROUP

B.

Amiloun, and Sir Amadas

in Weber's

Metrical

and

Lybeaus Disconus, The King of Tars, Le Bone

Florence,Emare, The Erie of Tolous, and Horn Childe in Ritson's
collection. To
point out Chaucer's sly imitations of phrases,"c.,
would be a long task ; the reader would
ner
gain the best idea of his manby readingany one of these old ballads. To givea few illustrations
is all that can
be attempted here.
It is remarkable
that we
find in
Weber
ballad called
The
a
Hunting of the Hare,' which is a pure
l
ike
viously
obChaucer's,but a little broader in tone and more
burlesque,
;

'

comic.

Listeth,lordes, hearken, sirs. This

1902.

is the

usual

styleof

beginning. For example,Sir Bevis begins"

Lordynges,lystenyth,
grete and smale'j
and Sir Degare begins
Lystenyth,
lordynges,
gente and fre,
Y wylle yow
telle of syr Degare.*
Warton
well remarks
This address to the lordings,
their
requesting
silence and attention,
is a manifest indication that these ancient pieces
were
originally
sung to the harp, or recited before grand assemblies,
; Obs. on F. Queene, p. 248.
upon solemn occasions
"

"

'

"

'

1904.

Solas,mirth.

the
describing

See

Prol. 1. 798.

festivitiesof elder

days.

and solaced themselves

their minstrells,

Leland, Collectanea,v.
Gawin

So

352.

"

'

This

word

She and

with
in the

the

is often used

in

ladyescalled for
of dauncing ;
disports
her

"

Romance

of

Ywaine

and

"

Full

"

Of

grete and

the assemble

was

gay

and

lordes

And

ladies of that cuntre,

als of knyghtes war
and wyse,

And

damisels

Ilkane

with

of

mykel

other

made

grete solace, "c."

And

pryse ;

grete gamen
'

(1.19, ed. Ritson.)

Todd's Illust.of Chaucer, p. 378.
gallant.Often appliedto ladies,in the sense of
1905. Gent, gentle,
and Sir Eglamour are much
pretty. The firststanzas in Sir Isumbras
in the

same

strain

as

this stanza.
of a parish
Poppeling,was the name
famous
antiquaryLeland was once
Brit, in v. Leland?
Tyrwhitt. Here

1910. Papering. Peppering,or

in the Marches
of Calais.
Our
'

rector

of it. See

Tanner, Bib.

"

of
Poperingehas a population
about 10,500, and is situate about 26 miles S. by W. from Ostend, in
the provinceof Belgium called West
Flanders,very near the French
Calais

means

the

marches,' or

Dr.

Pegge,in

not
district,

border.

the town.

Place, the mansion

his Kentish

or

in the town.

chief house

Glossary(Eng. Dial. Soc.),has

'
"

Place, that

156
'

NOTES

The

Does

term

GROUP

sukldt is applied
in the

this

not

TO

the

pointto

B.

Punjab trade-returns

real nature

of the

siclatonn

to broad-cloth.

of the Middle

Ages ? It is, indeed, often spoken of as used for banners, which

also a material for
But it was
impliesthat it was not a heavy woollen.
ladies' robes,for quilts,
Michel does not
leggings,
housings,
pavilions.
decide what it was, only that it was
generallyred and wrought with
gold. Dozy renders it silk stuff brocaded with gold,"but this seems
conjectural.Dr. Rock says it was a thin glossysilken stuff,often with
woof of gold thread,and seems
the Arabic sakl,
to derive it from
a
is
"polishing"(a sword), which is improbable. Perhaps the name
with Sikiliyal,
connected
Sicily.'Compare the followingexamples,
shewing its use for tents, banners,"c.
"

Off

'

silk,cendale, and syclatonn

Was

the emperours

'Kyng

Richard

took

Off sendels and

There
Of

In

pavylouns
'

sykelatouns
;

(Weber, ii.90,
gonfanoun

de Lion

mony

and

201).

'

gold,sendel,and siclatoun ;
Kyng Alisaunder (Weber, i. 85).

England,the cyclaswas

the
'

was

the

off

Rich. Coer
'

pavyloun'
;

surcoat

the transitional stage of garment between

of the thirteenth centui'y,and the jupon of the fourteenth.

cyclasopened up the sides instead of the front,and it

The

curious

that
peculiarity,

the front skirt

hind skirt ; behind, it reached

below

the

'

hips

to

Cults, Scenes

',

the

was

this

shorter than the

much

cut

had

knees, but in front,not very much

and

Characters

of the Middle

Ages,

It dates about

p. 342.
The matter
Not
not

1325-1335.
has been much confused

observingthat Sir
in those of

by

notion of

mistaken

Spenser's.

in his robes of peace,

Thopas
(as in a later stanza),he followed Speght'sreading,

war

viz. chekelatoun,
and

is here

described

that kind of

guilded
leather with which
to embroder
theyrIrish jackes ;
of the State of Ireland, in Globe
View
edition,p. 639,col. 2. And
this notion he carried out stillmore
boldlyin the lines
' But
in a jacket,quiltedrichlyrare
Upon cheHaton,he was straungelydight'; F. Q. vi. 7. 43.
of
to be a corruption
1925. Jane,a small coin. The word is known
fol.xxiv.
So too we
Genoa, which is speltJeans in Hall's Chronicles,
find Jawtweys and yam/ayesfor Genoese. See Bardsley's
EnglishSurnames,
Stow, in his Surveyof London, ed. 1599, p. gf, says that
s. v. J oneway.
lived in Minchin
from Genoa, and
some
Lane, who had come
foreigners
called
landed
who
were
wines, "c. from the
commonly
galley-men,
in Thames
Street.
They had a
galleysat a placecalled 'galley-key'
imagined it was
they[theIrish]use

the

same

as

'

'

"

'

THE

RIME

OF

THOPAS.

SIR

157

half-penceof
amongst themselves,which wore
bidden
forgalleyhalf-pence.These half-pencewere
in the i jth year of Henry IV, and again by parliamentin the
standing,
Notwithof half-pence
3rd of Henry V, by the name
of Genoa
Chaucer
"c.
in my youth,I have seen
them
passe currant,'

certaine coyne
of silver
called
Genoa, and were

....

the word

uses

Chaucer

again in

; F.

rich cloth

or

mentioned

Clerkes

the

Spenseradopted it from

Tale, and

Q. iii.7. 58. Mr. Wright observes that

silk

brought
bought with

as

Genoese

'riuer,towards the river. This appears

reading,and we must take for in close connection with
a

mere

imitation

was

appropriately

coin.'

1927. For

is

the siclaton

is therefore

the East, and

from

'

of the French

ride ;

best

perhaps it

It alludes to the

riviere.

en

the

be

to

common

because
the best sport,in hawking,
practiceof seeking the river-side,
with herons and waterfowl.
was
Tyrwhitt quotes from Froissart,v. i
'Le
Comte
de
Flandres
estoit tousjoursen riviere un jour
c.
140
fauconnier un faucon
advint qu'il
alia voller en la riviere
et getta son
And again,in c. 210, he says that Edward
III alloit,
apres le heron'
So we
chacun
read
of Sir
jour, ou en chace on en riviere?"c.
Eglamour
.

"

"

"

'

"

'Sir

Eglamore
the riuer

to

Of

Ipomydon'seducation

read, to

in

serve

'

hall,to

carve

se, in
wodde

That

all

'

right

haukis

taught hym,

all and

feld,and
to

men

Squireof

ii.347.
to

sing,to

the meat, and

chase

feld to
had

eke

game
same,

in ryuere,

the wild

dere,

ryde a stede,
joy of his dede.'
Weber's

See also the

Percy Folio MS.

tutor taught him

and

in the

And

the way

learn that his

we

Aftir he

In

fful

of howndis

Bothe

In

tooke

Met.

Romances, ii. 283.

Low

Degree, in Ritson,vol. iii.p. 177.

match.
Cf. Gk. Tpayeudta.
1931. Ram, the usual prizeat a wrestling
Cf.
Stonde, i.e. be placed in the sightof the competitors
; be seen.
Prol. 1. 548, and the Tale of Gamelyn. Tyrwhitt says
Matthew
Paris
mentions
in
which
a
t
a wrestling-match
a
Westminster, A.D. 1222,
ram
the prize,
Cf.
also
was
p. 265.'
'At wresteling,
and at ston-castynge
He
the prys without
"c. ;
wan
lesynge,'
'

"

"

1938. Compare
Ritson's Met.
romances.

"

Rom.

Octouian

Imperator,in Weber's

'So

be-felle

hyt

iii.134.

Of

course

a
upon
it is

Met.

day';
a

common

Rom.

Erie

of

iii.194.

Tolous,

phrasein these

158
"

is

GROUP

Worth, lit.became; worth vpon

1941.
a

TO

NOTES

phrase; compare
Ipomydon sterte

common

B.

became

"

'

Anon

he

that

vp

worthyd

tyde;
stede*;

vppon his

ii.334.

Weber, Met. Rom.

of lance.

a sort
Lattncegay,
viii (iii.
369). Cowel

1942.
bk.

It

got upon.

upon,

has the word, Conf. Amant.

Gower

says its use

statute of 7

prohibited
by the

was

Camden
mentions itin his Remains, p. 209.
Tyrwhitt
Rot. Parl. 29 Hen. VI, n. 8, the following' And the said
Tresham
then and there with a launcegaye
the said William
smote

Rich. II,cap. 13.

quotes,from
Evan

"

throughe the body a foote and more, wherof he died.' Sir Walter
Raleigh(quotedby Richardson)says 'These carried a kind of lance de
gay, sharpat both ends,which theyheld in the midst of the staff.' But
of lancethis is certainly
a
corrupt form. It is no doubt a corruption
origin.Cotgrave
zagay, from the Spanish azagaya, a word of Moorish
pike,used
gives 'Zagaye,a fashion of slender,long,and long-headed
horsemen.'
rather a
Moorish
It
have
been
to
seems
originally
by the
"

"

of half-pike
dart.
The Spanishword is well
short weapon,
a kind
or
derives de
discussed in Dozy, Glossaire des mots
Espagnolset Portugais

1'Arabe,2nd ed. p. 225.

The

Spanish azagaya

is for az-zagaya, where

Berber or Algerianword,

is for the definite article al, and zagaya is a

not givenin the Arabic dictionaries. It is found
az

fourteenth

Moorish

century. Dozy quotes from

and
half-pike,

also

givesthe

Spanishof

in Old

it as a
explains
followingpassage from Laugier
writer who

de Tassy,Hist, du royaume
Leurs armessont
d'Alger,
p. 58
de
lance
est
une
courts, qu'ils
qui
portent toujoursa
espece
'

"

I suppose

that the Caffre word

simplyborrowed

from the

the

assagai,in the

of

sense

tazagaye,
la main.'

was
javelin,

Portugueseazagaia.

Chaucer does not say what

1949. A sory care, a grievousmisfortune.
this was, but a passage in Amis and Amiloun
(ed.Weber, ii.410) makes
it probablethat Sir Thopas nearlykilled his horse,which would have
been
as

grievousindeed

see

The

1. 1965 below.

passage

I allude to is

follows"

long he priked,withouten

'So
The

stede that he

In

fer

Was

ouercomen

Tho

couthe

His

song

abod,

rode,

cuntray,
and
he
was

of Scott will remember

Readers

on

no
"

fel doun

ded ;

{counsel]
;

better red

waileway!

"

'

Fitz-James'slament

over

his

'

gallant

grey.'
1950. This
of Low

can

hardlybe

otherwise

than

Degree (ed.Ritson,iii.146),where

a
a

burlesque
upon
listof
trees
long

the

Squire

is followed

THE

tp,
the

RIME

OF

SIR

AS.

T HOP

159

here, by a list of singing-birds.

Compare also the Romaunt
Rose, 1. 1367"

as

'

There

eke

was

wexing many

of

spice,

and licorice,
clowe-gilofre
Gingere,and grein de Paris.

As

Canell, and
Line

21

setewale

of the Milleres Tale

'

Of

licoris

"c.
pris,'

similarly

runs

or

of

"

setewale.'

any

Maundeville

and notemnge in his 26th chapter

;
speaksof the clowe-gilofre
see
Specimens of E. Eng. ed. Morris and Skeat, p. 171. Cetewale is
generally
explainedas the herb valerian,but is rather to be taken as
a clove ; notemuge, a
meaning zedoary ; see the Glossary.Clowe-gilofre,
ale
is
the
to
Spiced
amongst
presents sent by Absolon
nutmeg.
'

'

Alisoun

in the Millers Tale.

to
1955. Leye in cofre,

1956.Compare
'

Amis

She
The

lay in

box.

and

herd
swete

Amiloun, ed. Weber, ii.391

the foules grete and smale,
of the

note

"

nightingale,

Ful

mirilysing on tre.'
is
Rose, 11.613-728. But Chaucer's burlesque
far surpassed
of The Land of
by a curious passage in the singular
poem
Cockaygne (MS. Hail. 913),11.71-100
In J;e praer [meadow] is a tre
Swi]"elikful for to se.
f"e rote is gingeuirand galingale,
pe siouns bej"al sed[e]wale
;
Trie maces
be" pe flure;
See also Romaunt

of the

"

'

f e rind, canel of swet odur ;

of gode smakke, "c.
pe frute,gilofre
per bej"briddes mani and fale,
prostil,fruisse,and nijtingale,
Chalandre

and

wod[e]wale,

And

ojierbriddes wi]"outtale [number]

pat stinte))
neuer
by har mi3t
Miri to sing[e]
dai and nijt,'
"c.

1964.

As

and Amiloun

he

were

wood,

as

if he

were

mad, 'like mad.1

So in Amis

(ed.Weber), ii.419
He priked his stede nightand day
As a gentilknight,stout and gay."
"

Cf. note

tol. 1949.

1974. Seinte,being in the vocative

'
""

seinte Marie, ben''die'

le.

1977.

Me

dremed, I dreamt.

case, is

here
probablya dissyllable

Cf. note

to 1. 1

Both

dremen

70 above.

(to dream) and

nieten

i6o

NOTES

TO

GROUP

B.

case
(alsoto dream) are sometimes used with an objective
or reflexively
in Middle English. In the Nonne
Prestes Tale we have me mette (1.74)
and this man
mette
(I.182).
An
Mr. Price says
There can be littledoubt that
1978.
elf-queen.
at one
periodthe popularcreed made the same distinctions between the
observed in Grecian
Queen of Faerie and the Elf-Queen that were
Artemis and Persephone.'
mythologybetween their undoubted parallels,
Chaucer
makes
Proserpinethe queen of faerie in his Merchaunts
Tale ; but at the beginningof the Wyf of Bathes Tale, he describes the
of the fairies,
and makes elfand fairysynonymous.
as the queen
elf-queen
this
in
the queen offairy
e in 1.2004)
Perhaps
elf-queen SireThopas(called
have givenSpenserthe hint for his Faerie Queene. But the subject
may
is a vast one.
See Price's Preface, in Warton's
Hist. Eng. Poetry,
ed. Hazlitt,pp. 30-36; Halliwell's Illustrations of FairyMythology;
Keightley's
Fairy Mythology; Warton's Observations on the Fairie
Queene,sect, ii ; Sir W. Scott's ballad of Thomas the Rhymer, "c.
1983. In toune, in the town, in the district. But it must not be
supposedthat much sense is intended by this inserted line. It is a mere
'

"

'

'

tag, in imitation

conform

to
neglected

(which is most
The

of

to the

the

which

he

Chaucer

has

introduces

now

lines have been lost before this

uniform, viz. of

are

Either

romances.

kind of stanza

new

or else three
likely),

three stanzas

next

of

some

ten

lines each, of which

one.

only

see
good examplesof these short lines,
Sir Gawayne and the Greene Knyjt,ed. Morris.
Instead of this short line,Tyrwhitthas"
1993. Sowilde.
'Wherin
he soughte North
and South,

the seventh is very short.

oft he

And
In

But

of

none

our

seven

spiedwith

seems

line is in the

Royal

then it

seems

an

ridingon

white

insert it to make

some

so

sense.

'

to

may,
of these often

one

in the midst of

And

only,but something is

say that neither wife nor child

however, bear in mind that the meeting

anti-climax

We
durst oppose him.'
with
of a knight-errant
'

must

we

MS.

notion of

The

agree with this version.

a littletoo far-fetched.

obviously
requiredhere, that
Even

his mouth

forest wilde.'

many
MSS.

spyingwith one's mouth

1995. This

For

highway he

an

ture.
precededsome
great adven[SirLancelot]met a damsel

there1 either saluted other.

and
palfrey,

Fair damsel,

said Sir Lancelot,know

ye in this country any adventures ? Sir knight,
said that damsel, here are adventures near
hand, and thou durst prove
them
Arthur, bk. vi. cap. vii. The result was
; Sir T. Malory,Morte
'

that Lancelot
he

foughtwith

'

of a
required
requestof a lady he
a fight,
as usual.
was

'

Sir

Turquine,and

damsel
recovered

to heal
a

defeated him.

her brother

falcon ;

an

'

and

adventure

after,

Soon

again, at

which

'

ended

the
in

RIME

THE

OF

1998. OUfauni,i.e. Elephant;

for a giant. Maundeville
has the
confusion
a

the Mceso-Goth.

camel.

olfendare made to signify

Olifauntinto his Faerie Queene,bk.

Spenserhas put Chaucer's

Libius Disconius
'

He

head
arme

Dints

his brow

on
a

sow,

is great and stout;

is the lenghtof an ell,

fists beene

His

great and

fell,

for to driue about.'

"

'If God
Or

this
I

with

brows

Imperator,ed. Weber,

will

me

day

come

send,

grace
to

for to

him

hope

feet

giant,20

also

haiies

the bristles of

Eche

Another

The

beareth

His

Sir Libius says

Argante,and
giantess
of a giantis
followingdescription
MS. vol. ii.p. 465)"

the brother of the

(PercyFolio

Like

and

as
Tyrwhittobserves,
proper name,
for elephants.
form olyfauntes
By some
a

ulbandvs and A.S.

iii.c. 7. st. 48, and makes

him
of
and
Earth.
son
Typhoeus
from

l6l

THOPAS.

SIR

long,and

an

end

"c.
spill,'

ells broad, with

like bristles of

boar's tusks,

two

in Octouian

swine, appears

iii.196. See also the alliterative Morte Arthure,

ed. Brock, p. 33.

Child;

2000.

see

note

to

1.

of the

Termagaunt; one

2020.

idols

romances) are supposed to

(in the mediaeval
worship. See The King of Tars, ed. Ritson (Met. Rom.), ii. 174-182,
said to be Jubiter,
where the Sultan's gods are
Jovin(both forms of
Astrot (Astarte),Mahoun
(Mahomet), Appolin (Apollo),
Jupiter),
the

whom

Saracens

(Pluto),and Tirmagaunt. Lybeaus Disconus (Ritson,Met.

ii. 55) fought with a giant that levede yn Termagaunt.' The
Rom.
in
Ital. Tervagante or Trivigante,
Old French
form is Tervagant,
as
the
Ariosto.
following
Wheeler, in his Noted Names of Fiction,gives
'
whom
the
of
Foscolo
account
predecessors
Trivigante,
Ugo
says :
Diana
is really
Ariosto always couplewith Apollino,
Trivia,the sister
of the classical Apollo."
According to Panizzi,Trivagante or
is the Moon,
or
Diana, or Hecate, wanderingunder three
Tervagante
names.
Termagantwas an imaginarybeing,supposedby the crusaders,

Plotoun

'

"

"

confounded

who
This

Mahometans

deity.
pagans, to be a Mahometan
introduced into earlyEnglishplaysand

with

imaginarypersonage was
and was
as
moralities,
represented
rantingactor might alwaysappear

of

most

violent character,so

to advantagein it. See

Fairfax, in his translation

of Tasso

Termagaunt and Mahound, but Tasso

F. Q. vi. 7. 47. Hence
also Spenser,

mentions

2.

15.'

VOL.

n.

comes

(c. i. st.
'

our

Macometto

that

Hamlet,
84) speaks of

iii.

'

only. See

termagant in the

sense

l6a
of

NOTES

noisy boisterous

Scot

Hen. IV,

'

; i

v.

tense, it is
'

with thee

GROUP

J5.

Shakespearehas

woman.

114.
there
In Anglo-Saxon,

2.

Sle,will slay.

2002.

TO

expressedby
; John xxi. 3.

the

Cf. go

present.

'
"

that hot

being no

termagant

distinct future

for will go in

'

we

also go

the name
of a kind of tabor ; see Glossary.
Symphotiye,
I thrive ; or, as I hope to thrive;a
so may
2007. Al so mote I thee,
2005.

expression.Cf.

common

well,1. 430
'

uses

So

mote

thee

'

; Sir

Halli-

Eglamour, ed.

Occleve,De Regimine Principum,st. 620. Chaucer

the ik,'i.e. so thrive I, in the Reves
Prologue and

so

also
where.
else-

shalt thou pay for it. There

Abyen itfulsoure, very bitterly

2012.
a

'

confusion

A.S.

between

and

sour,

sur,

A.S.

sdr,

sore,

is

in this and

used once, but now

should use sorely,
we
phrases; both were
sourly. In Layamon, 1. 8158, we find ]"ou salt it sore abugge,'
B.
shalt sorely
pay for it ; on the other hand, we find in P. Plowm.

similar

'

not

thou
a.

140

"

soules
ful soure
It shall bisitte jowre
So also in the C-text,though the A-text has sore.
"

B. xviii. 401, the

passage, P. Plowm.
bittre' For abyen,see the Glossary.
2015.

atte

"

See

Fullypryme.

note

to

Note

phrase is

'Thow

"

Nonne

laste.'
that in another
shalt

abye it

Prestes

Tale, 1. 35. Prime

Full prime refers to the

the periodfrom 6 to 9 a.m.

commonly means
end of that period,
or 9 a.m.
even
; and
prime alone may be used with
the same
meaning,as in the Nonne Pres. Ta. 1. 376.
explicit
Tyrwhitt observes that Lydgate describes David
2019. Staf-slinge.
armed
as
only with a staffe-slynge,
voyde of plateand mayle.' It
kind
of
in
which
additional power was
means
a
sling
certainly
gained
lithe
of
the
it
end
of
stiffstick.
to
t
he
a
on
part
by fastening
Staffin
mentioned
the
of
Richard
Coer
de
1.
are
romance
Lyon, 4454,
slyngeres
'

in Weber's

Metrical

Polo, ii. 122, is

Romances, ii.177.
detailed

of
description

all be

middle

They can
ages.
like the trebuchet and

In Col. Yule's edition of Marco

reduced

to

the

enginesof
artillery

two

the

classes;those which,

and those
mangonel,are enlargedstaff-slings,
are
springold,
greatcross-bows. Conversely,
hand-trebuchet.
describe
as a
a staff-sling
we
might
Child Thopas. Child is an
2020.
given to both knights
appellation
at an age when
and squires,
in the early
romances,
theyhad longpassed
call childhood.
the periodwhich we
A good example is to be
now

which, like the arblast and

found

in the Erie of
'

He

Tolous, ed. Ritson,iii.123

was

feyrechylde,and

Twenty wyntur
In londe

was

he

was

none

"

oolde,
so

free.'

bolde,

164

NOTES

'

Of

TO

alle

And

of

note
Tyrwhitt's

on

recite

gestes; which

Minstrel's

of

manner

B.

minstrales,

that tellen tales

jesfours,

Both

tales,or

GROUP

weeping

gestours is

The

'

"

of

game'

to
proper business of a gestourwas
only one of the branches of the

was

Minstrels
profession.

and

and

togetherin

mentioned

gestours are

Translation
followinglines from William of Nassyngton's
treatise by John of Waldby ; MS. Reg. 170. viii.p. 2"
religious
I warne
you furst at the beginninge,
That
I will make
vain carpinge
no

of

the

Of

dedes

As

dus

That
Of

"

of arrays

makys carpingein

And

namely,whan
was

Ne

of Sir

All

if it

Bevys of Hampton,
a knight of gret renoun,
Gye of Warwyke,

might

much

the

maiden

tales related

from

what

we

by

now

the ancient

call jests.'

collection called the Gesta

also Piers the Plowman

the

is described

the term

speciesof

note
(Clar.Press Series),

MSS.

as

Charlemagne, which

the
spell

'

reading
an

began

but the
word reales,
Gawain

and

of Ywain

romance

with
originated

real romance.'

Italian collection
with

the

words

"

meaning

i. 130)
(Ritson,

Real

was

He

"

refers to

Quadrio,t.

vi. p. 530.

occurs
again in 1. 2043.
2047. Dide,did on, put

on.

described in Ritson's Met. Rom.

'

word

The

The

roial

(in some

MSS.

arming of Lybeaus Disconus

ii.10

real)
is thus

"

They caste on hym a scherte of selk,

A gypellas whyte as melk,
In that semely sale;
And
syght [/orsith]an hawberk bryght,
That
rychelywas adyght
Wytb. mayles thykke and smale.'

1050. Aketoun,a short sleeveless tunic.

Tyrwhittthinks that
of romances
to
relating
la
'Qui se comenza

di Franza,' "c. ; edit. Mutinae, 1491, folio. It

"c.
in 1537, with a title beginning '/ reali di Franza'
reprinted
el
hysteria

to

Prologue.
In

same.

lyke,"c.

men

theydiffered

2038. Roiales,royal; some

is the

sum

in the famous
as
stories,

were

See

1. 3 4. of the

to festes ;

they come

of the life of

Gestours, and how

Romanorum.

place

Isembrase,
other jesles,

of many

I cite these lines to shew

Gesta

many

and

And

That

The

of amours,

ne

mynstrellesand jestonrs,

Octoviane

Ne

Cf. Liber

Albus, p. 376.

THE

OF

RIME

Florentyn,with hys

"And
All

thorgh he

165

THOPAS.

SIR

broun,

so

ax

smoot

mayle, and akltetoun,

';
Thorghout hyt hot [bit]

Arm

and

Octouian, ed. Weber, iii.205.

"For

plate,ne

for ncketton,

hauberk,

ne

For

'

for cnmpeson
;
ed.
Weber,
Coer de Lion,

Richard
the

Glossaryto

The

'Acton,

wadded

or

Percy Folio MS.,

quiltedtunic worn

ed. Hales

and

ii.18.

Furnivall,has

the hauberk."

under

"

Plancke,

(EarlyEng. Text Soc.),p- 24,

couered
slevelesse jackettof plate for the warre,
withe anye other stuffe ; at this day also called a jackett
of plate.'
See Prol. 76, and the note.
2051. Habergeonn,coat of mail.
2052. For percinge,as a protectionagainstthe piercing.So in P.

i. 108.'

Thynne, in
"is a
szys"'Haiteton

B. 6.

Plowm.
a

his Animadversions

62, Piers puts

againstthe
protection
The

2053.

hauberk

workmanship and

cold.

His

So too

is here

doubtless

'The

his cufls,' for colde of his

on

put

as

an

upper

of the Rose, 1. 4229.

coat of mail, of finer

flexible.

more

hauberk

on

in the Rom.

i.e. as
nailles,'

al reed

was

'

swythe just ;

and

platysthykke

of rust,

Octouian, ed. Weber, iii.200.

"He

was

armed

And

al with

A nd

ther

wonder

aboven,
Richard

means

Mr.

an

good steel,

hauberk

Coer

Jewes werk, Jew'swork.

2054.

weel,

platesoff

de

'

Lion, ed. Weber, ii.222.

Tyrwhitt imagined

that

Jew

here

magician,but there is not the least foundation for the idea.

at fault in connectingJew with jewel,since the
Jephson is equally
a

latter word

is

connected with joke. The

mains
etymologically
phrase stillrewith
rich
than
no
more
unexplained. I suspectit means
wrought
for or
find
the money
such
could
best
or
as
expensivework,
Jews
undertake to supply. It is notorious that they were
the chief capitalists,
and they must
often have had to find money
for paying armourers.
the front
on
Probably the hawberk had a breastplate
2055. Plate.
I must
of it. But on the subject
of armour,
refer the reader to Godwin's
Handbook, pp. 252-268; Planche"s Historyof
English Archaeologist's
British Costume, and Sir S. R. Meyrick's
Observations
on
Body-armour,
in the Archaeologia,
vol. xix. pp. 120-145.

2056. The
which

the

cote-armour

was

knight'sarmorial

identifyhim

in the combat

not

for

defence,but

bearingswere
or

'

debate.'

mere

surcoat

on

in order to
usuallydepicted,
Hence

the modern

coat-of-

66

NOTES

2059. Reed, red.

silver white. Hence

GROUP

TO

gold is always called red,and

In the Romances,
it was

not

B.

unusual

to liken

gold to blood, and this

beinggiltwith blood (King
talk of gilding
the groom's

explains
why Shakespeare
speaksof armour
John ii. i. 316),and makes Lady Macbeth
faces with blood (Macbeth ii. 2. 56). See also Coriol. v. i. 63,64;
and the expressionblood betokneth gold';Cant. Tales,1. 6163.
'

2061.

'A

carbuncle

bearing.See Guillim's
2062. Sir Thomas
imitation
the

of the

peacock,on

was
(Fr. escarboucle)

Heraldry,p. 109.' Tyrwhitt.

to swear
by ale and bread, in ridiculous
made
or
by the swan, the heron, the pheasant,

is made

vows

solemn

occasions.

Spenserbdrrows

2065. lambeux, leggings,

perhaps boots.
but

[armorial]

common

"

the

word,

it giambeux,F.
spells

i. e.
Quyrboilly,
that it
became

Q. ii.6. 29.
cuir bouilli,leather soaked

in hot

might take any required

shape,after
stiffand hard.
In Matthew
exceedingly

said of the Tartars

'
"

coriis bullitissibi

De

which

arma

water

to soften it

it

dried and

was

Paris (anno 1 243) it is

leuia quidem,sed tamen

impenetrabilia
coaptarunt.'In Marco Polo, ed. Yule, ii.49, it is said
of
of boiled leather (French
men
armour
Carajan,that theywear
cuiraces de cuir bouilli).Froissart (v.iv. cap. 19) says the
text,armes
of the

Saracens
ne

covered

their targes with " cuir bouillide Cappadoce,ou

When
si le cuir n'est trop echaufe.'
prendren'attacher,

peut

reviewed

his

troops on

the

morning

accordingto Barbour,

wore,

hye

'ane

found

in

croune'

above

'

that.

Bruce

of the battle of Bannockburn, he

hat

ane

nul fer

of

remarks

Some

Cutts,Scenes and Characters

'

qwyrbolle on his
cuir

on

'

basnet,'and

bouilli will be

of the Middle

Ages, p. 344.
and, in the
quiteexplained,
firstedition of the presentwork, I expresseda belief that it is,in some
of its meanings,the French rouelle,
Lat. rotella. Du Cange gives
one
Rotella,(i)parva rota ; (2)species
Roquefortgives Rouele,
clypei.'
Sous
rouelle:
de
fortune.
roelle,
Fortune, roue
PhilippeAuguste on
ainsi une
blanche fort large; depuison lui a donne la
nommoit
arme
forme d'un poignard ou d'une dague ; partiearrondie d'une lance.'
Also
Roelle,sorte de bouclier.' Cotgrave has
Rouelle,a little flat
of plateor iron in horse's bitts ; also,a round plateof
a wheele
ringe,
2068. Rewel

boon ; Rewel

has

been

never

"

'

'

"

'

'

"

"

armour

for defence of the

small

generally,
any
in the

placewhich

hole

arme

when

hoope, circle,
ring,or

it holds.'

In modern

the
round

is lifted up : and
thing,thats moveable

arme

English,the

rowel of

spur

is

in Spenser,
F.
part of a bit,it occurs
Q- i 7-37- In the Alliterative Morte Arthure,ed. Brock, 1. 3262,rowelle
the rim of Fortune's wheel.
In the Turnament
of Tottenham, as
means

well understood

; in the sense

of

in Percy's
read
we
^printed
reliques,
ful of rounde

bonys,'where

another

that
copy

Tyb
has

had

'

garlandon

(saysHalliwell,s.

her hed
v.

ruel)

THE

the

RIME

SIR

OF

167

THOPAS.

reading 'fulle of ruelle bones.' These melie-'bones were probably

merelyround piecesof bone, piercedwith a hole,and strungon a string.
Halliwell adds
of Rembrun, p. 458, the copingof a
'In the romaunce
"

"

of fin ruwal, that schon

wall is mentioned

as

And

Univ. Lib. Ff.

in MS.

Camb.
'

Hir

made

sadille

Semely

se,

preciousstone,

Compaste about w/tA crapote[toad-stone

f].'
Sir Degrevant,1. 1429, ed. Halliwell
(in the

Again, in

brighte.'

48, fol. 119, is the passage"

Jxitsightto

w"t"

sette

v.

swithe

of renyllebone,

was

was

Stifly

'

Thornton

Romances, p. 236) :"

'

was
Hyt [theroof~\

With

besauntus

All

of ruel-bon.'

come
lately

But I have

different in

ful

buskyd above
bryghth
solution of the

another

across

character,
yet worth

consideration.

It may be
roal,ivorygot from the

some

that rewel stands for the old Norman-French

teeth of
ed.

whale.

Atkinson,we
'

i.e. but it was

stones,

mes

Quitenear
have"
ert d'or

ne

rohanlum,and

an

with

O. Fr.

d'autre

adubbee, ne

de peres premises,
not adorned with

ivory,nor

nor

the Vie de Seint Auban,

beginningof

the

tirely
endifficulty,

de ivoire

gold nor

roal.

Du

ne

roa/;'

metal,nor with precious

Cange gives a Low Lat. form
other

tellsus that the MS.

rochal,but Prof. Atkinson

quoted has rohallum and rohal.

Normandy about wreckage,and

The

run

'
"

in the Laws

occurs

passage

should

metal,

dux

sibi retinet

of

ebur,

Tivoire,et le
rohallum,lapides
pretiosas;'
or, in the French version,
rokal et les

In
pierresprecieuses.'

this

case

ruwel-boon

might mean

ivoryobtained from the cachalot,or narwhal, or walrus.

2071.
have

Ciprees,
cypress-wood.In the Assembly of Foules,1. 179,

we

"

'

The

sailingfirre,the cipresdeath

i.e. the cypress suitable for lamenting

a death.
vi. 216; and
atra,'JEn. iii. 64, and
feralis,'
1

'

to

plaine
Virgilcalls the

as

"

it is

so

symbol of mourning,it may be said to bode war.

2078. In Sir Degrevant (ed.Halliwell,p. 191) we
expression

cypress

a
frequently

have

justthis

"

'Here
Howe

endyththe
say

furst fit.

ye? will

ye

of hit?'
any more
the six MSS.
have

this reading.
2085. Loue-dmry, courtship.All
'
The Had.
MS. also has
And
of ladys loue drewery,'
which Wright
altered.
silently
2088. The romance
or layof Horn
appears in two forms in English.

68

NOTES

TO

GROUP

B.

King Horn, ed. Lumby, EarlyEng. Text Soc. 1866, printedalso in

i. 207, the form of the poem
Matzner's
Altenglische
Sprachproben,
is in short rimed
couplets. But Chaucer no doubt refers to the
In

other form
metre

The

as

with

Sir

Thopas, printedin Ritson's Metrical

Norman-French

Club, with the

hild

Recueil

Rimnild, in the

Maiden

Childe and

the titleHorn

text

printedby

was

in
Englishversions,

de

ce

qui

reste

for the

entitled

volume

Romances,

F. Michel

leurs aventures, "c.

relatifs a

des poemes

Paris,1845. See Mr. Lumby'sprefaceand the remarks

It is not

quiteclear why

Chaucer

should

Bannatyne
et Riemen-

Horn

"

same

iii.282.

the

mention

in Matzner.
of Sir

romance

There are four

with the rest.
Ypotishere, as it has littlein common
It proMS. copiesof it in the British Museum, and three at Oxford.
fesses
of St. John the Evangelist.
to be a tale of holy writ,and the work
named
The
is Rome.
A
child,
scene
Ypotis, appears before the
God's law ;
to teach men
Emperor Adrian, saying that he is come
him as to what
is
whereupon the Emperor proceedsto interrogate
God's law, and then of many
other matters,not in any captious
spirit.
'

but with

the utmost

and

reverence

faith

There

is

in prose on
the same
legend from the press of Wynkyn
J. W. Hales, in Hazlitt's edition of Warton's Hist, of

littletract

de

Worde

'

Eng. Poetry,

ii. 183.
The

romance

printedfrom
Another
There

of Sir Bevis of
the Auchinleck
is in MS.

Ff.

Hampton (i.e. Southampton)has

MS.

for the

Maitland

Club

in

been

1838, 410.

38, in the

Library.
Cambridge University
the
French
original.
Romans, meaning

2.
copy
is an allusion in it to the

It appears in prose also,in various forms.

See Warton's Hist, of
Poetry,ed. Hazlitt,ii. 142, where there is also an account of Sir
in several forms ; but
Folio MS., ed. Hales

stillfulleraccount

and

of Sir

Furnivall,ii.509.

Guy

is givenin the

This Folio MS.

Eng.
Guy,

Percy

itselfcontains

three poems
the latter subject,
viz. Guy and Amarant,
on
and
Colbrande,
Guy and Phillis.

Guy

and

Lybeaus Disconus, printedby Ritson in his

Metrical Romances, vol. ii,
from the Cotton MS. Caligula
A. 2.
A later
is in the Percy Folio MS. ii.404,
copy, with the title Libius Disconius,
where
of the romance
The French
be found.
a
good account
may
discovered
in 1855, "* a MS.
originalwas
belongingto the Due
Its title is Li Biaus Desconneus, which
d'Aumale.
The Fair
signifies

By Lybenx

is meant

Unknown.

Fleyndamoiir evidently
means

pleind'amonr, full

romance
suspect that the original
of that name.
trace of any romance

his Sir

Blandamour, F.

Q.

iv.

2094. Glood, glided. So

was

in French

of love,and

we

but there is

now

Spenserprobablyborrowed

I. 32.
in all the MS.

except E., which

may
no

hence

has

the

RIME

THE

poor

readingrood,

rode.

in
expression

the

For

169

THOPAS.

SIR

OF

the

1. 2095, compare

:
following
"

he

whenne

'But

horsede

was

sprange als any

He

stede,
'

[readof] glede ;
Isumbras,ed. Halliwell,p. 107.

redy boun,

'Lybeaus was

of the

lepteout

As

sparkeone
Sir

And

on

sperkthogh

[saddle-bow]

arsoun

'

of

out

glede

LybeausDisconus, in Ritson,ii. 27.

'

sir

Then
Out

Lybius with

ffierce hart,

of his saddle

As

swythe he start
sparcledoth out of fyer ;
Percy Folio MS. ii.440.
the rimes in Chaucer's Canterbury
examining carefully
'

2092. After
Tales, Mr. Bradshaw

finds that this is the sole instance in which

word

which

to end hi -ye is rimed with a word

ought etymologically
ending
in y without a followingfinal e.
for the exceptionis easily
A reason
found ; for Chaucer
here
the
has
adopted
swing of the ballad metre,
and hence ventures
to deprive chiualryeof its final e, and to call it

of the balladthat it may rime with Gy, after the manner

so
chivalry1
writers. So again chiualrye,
chiualry,drury; 11. 2084,
drurye become
2085.
2106.

The

lines of the

firstfew

(ed. Halliwell,
p. i) will

at

of Sir Perceval

romance

explainChaucer's

once

of Galles

allusion.

It

begins"
"Lef, lythesto
Two
Of

wordes

His
He

Sir

Thopas

impair their
In the

and

same

fre

fighte;
Percyvelle,

was

fostered in the felle,

dranlee

he

jittwas

Sir Perceval

the

of

water

welle,

wyghtel"
but it did
water-drinkers,

were

not

vigour.
romance,
'

p.

Of

mete

So

84,we find
ne
dryiikehe
"

fulle he

Tille the
he

come

Tker

he

was

quotationsset

of

was

ne
care

roghte,
I

nynte daye byfelle

That

And

These

faire and

was

rightname

And
Both

thre

felle in his

was

He

or

that

one

And

me

to

wonte

welle,

for

to

dtielle

drynlttake him thare.'

aside

Mr.

and
solve
Jephson'sinterpretation,

NOTES

70

TO

GROUP

B.

of Perceval
Tyrwliitt's
difficulty.
Tynvhitt says that 'The Romance
le Galois, or de Galis, was
French
verse
by
composed in octosyllable
Chrestien
de Troyes, one
of the oldest and
best French
romancers,
before

the year 1191 ;

(Bibl.des Rom.

It consisted of above 60,000

Fauchet, 1. ii. c. x.
that it would
trouble
be some
t. ii.p. 250) so
verses
to find the fact which
under
is,probably,here alluded to. The romance,
the same
in French
title,
can
only be
prose, printedat Paris, 1530, fol.,
I
abridgement,

an

Worthy

2107.
is very

common.

Emare, and
reader

and

must

Amis

and

2108.
MSS.
as

vnder

original
poem.'

in
well-looking

wede,

his

The

armour.

phrase

of
Tyrwhitt says it occurs
repeatedlyin the romance
refers to folios 70, 71 b, 73 a, and 74 b of the MS. ; but the

may

Romances,

of the

suppose,

find

now

the

in

romance

print; see Ritson's Metrical

phrase is used of ladies also,

ii.pp. 214, 229, 235, 245.

The
then mean
of handsome
when
appearance
Amiloun, ed. Weber, ii. pp. 370, 375.

The

story is here

Pt. and

broken

off

111. omit

this line,and

MSS.

NOTES

TO

by

host's

the

Cp.

well-dressed.

and

Ln.

See

interruption.

omit

11. 2105-7

well.

21

1 1.

21

1 2.

END-LINK.

THOPAS

SIR

Of, by. Lewed/iesse, ignorance; here, foolish talk.

will render
Also, "c. ; as verily as (I hope) God
Kn.

See

happy.

Ta.

11. 1005,

or

refuse.

there one) would

In

2123.
Romanorum.

But

is

there

take the form

geste, in the
The
Host

of

means

be
or

no

Bell
such

draffy. See

form

if lines 2124 and 2125

tale like those in the Gesta,

soul

1376.

Drasty, filthy.Tyrwhitt and

2113.
full of draff

my

at

print drafty,explained by
word ; the adjective
(were
the Glossary.

story such

tale in prose;

as

are

there is

in
no

the

tion,
contradic-

kept together. 'Tell us,'he

least something in prose that

pleasantor profitable.'
2131. 'Although it is sometimes

told in different ways

Gesta

by

says, 'a
is either

different

people.'
2137.
see

'And

11. 2142,

2148.

Read

all agree
2151.
it
"

in

their

general meaning.' Sentence,

Tenforcewith,"c., 'to enforce the moral

with.'

3156. Al, the

whole

of; do

not

me
again.
interrupt

of my

sense;

story

NOTES

172
of Bath's

the Wife

this.

to B

See note

GROUP

B.

Prologue),
though the

latter is

miles

1165.

3117. Ryd forth,ride forward,draw

near

us.

Dan, for Dominus,

3119. Wher, whether.
used in addressing
But Chaucer
monks.
in the

eleven

some

presentarrangement of the Groups remedies

The

Canterbury.

nearer

TO

title of

monly
respectcom-

it of Arcite,

uses

even

KnightesTale.
The

3120.

monk's

31 24. Cf.

He

name

See 1. 3982,and

Piers.

was

the note.

for-pyned
goost ; Prol. 205.
3127. As to my doom, in my judgment.
wys/. ThePetworth
3130. Scan the line But/ag"5u/ernour/wyly/and
MS. inserts 'boj"*before 'wyly'; but this requires
the very unlikely
accentuation
and an emphasison a.
The
line would scan
governour
'

'

pale as

not

was

"

'

'

better if we

might

lyk,after But, but there is no

insert art, or

authority

for this.
A wil-farlng
Read
3132.
persdne,after which
in E. and Hn.
marked

517. The

Sq.Ta.

the

to

are

point.

thyng sowndeth
'

I sownde,

as

to

dishonoure,le

'

tale

le redonde.

from

extracts
following

sownde, I appartayne

good

or

that this matter

promets que

vous

tent

bonne

Thys

tens.

fin? Also,

honestyor dyshonesty,

sowndeth

matyere redonde

ceste

see

belong,It

or

purpose, Ceste chose

reportsowndeth to ones

promiseyou

as

Prol. 307, and

French Dictionary
Palsgrave's

into,tends to, is consistent with;

3157. Souneth

the pause,

comes

"

moche

fort

vostre

to

your
deshon-

neur.'

3160. Seint

There

Edward.

two

are

of the name,

viz.

Edward, king

March
on
16, 18, or 19, and the second
martyr, commemorated
known
Edward
the Confessor, commemorated
as
on
King Edward, best
In
Piers
the
Plowman, B. xv. 217, we have
Jan. 5.
and

"

'

Edmonde

and

Edwarde

And

But Edward

"

eytherwere

seyntesysette tyl charite hem

the Confessor is certainly
meant
; and

story about him

"

was

remarkable

of

of
Wright'sdescription

Mr.

Ludlow

Church, where

are

this story,in the

glasswindow representing
wall of the chapelof St. John. See also Chambers, Book
of
eastern
The sculptures
Days, i. 53, 54, where we read
upon the frieze of the
shrine
fourteenscenes in the life
[inWestminster Abbey] represent
present
canonized
the Confessor.
of Edward
He
was
by Pope Alexander
some

remains

of

'

warned

there is

before
hys death certain clayes
hce dyed,by a ringthat was
brought to him by certain pilgrimscoming
fiom Hierusalem, which ringhee hadde secretly
given to a poore man
and sainte Johan the Evanof God
gelist.'
that askydhys charitie in the name
See

that he

kynges,
folwed."

stained

'

"

about

century after his death

He

was

esteemed

the

patron-saint

MONK'S

THE

PROLOGUE.

fourteen

Edward

written

Edward

the

Mr.

of
in Brayley'sHist,
fullydescribed
Life
taken
from
which
is chiefly
account
a

scenes

in

Abbey,

an

Ailred

by

Confessor'

3163. Celle, cell.

The

keper'ofit; Prol. 173.

3163. Tragedie; the
is

for

required
The

common.

Chaucer's

definition

as

remark

His
'

the word

refers

to

'

English
verse

he

would

told

what

us

in his

was

"And

is

prose.

that

is,so

'

remark

ictu

of

fortunam

used

of the Thebaid
of

guessed,but

thoughts. For at
he
calls a tragedie,
whereas

Latin,

hexameter

Aeneid

easilyhave

tyme,

of

says"
thou

and

of

in heroic

Lucan's

Virgil, and

seest

not

Statius, the

Chaucer

has

the conclusion

Lucan,

2.

Tale.

speaking

Latin

Ovid, th"

"

is Chaucer's

Philosophiae, lib. ii.prosa

is

common

remark

or

in the Monkes

Chaucer

the

the

prosperite for

This

himself

of his Troilus

pace

Stace.'

in 1. 3909.

example, Boccaccio's
contain
'tragedies' in

De

For

Claris Mulieribus

before

deflet,nisi indiscrete

steps
Vergil, Ovid, Homer,

expresslycited
In

3170.

he
kisse

Of
Lucan

of

'the

was

glossupon, his original.

immediately preceding,viz.

to,

Consolatione

the

to

of
[ditty]

Boethius

in

Cresus

'

he

because

contains

Morris, p. 35.

aliud

could

we

Creseide, which

and

De

Liber

This

i. 434.

over

which

his addition

'? De
of

dite

especiallybe thinking

Metamorphoseon
Pharsalia.

; ed.

clamor

refers

; and

verse

Rolls, by

the

'

hexameter.

3169. Examelron,

of

of

phrase for to seyn is sufficiently

tragedy here given is repeated from

passage

felicia regna
uertentem
See also the last stanza

Master

slurred

be

Boethius,

seyne,

Quid tragoediamm

'

of

marks

Glose

'Lives

the

of

translation

own

Three

it his cell

call

metre

Glose.

own,

monks

final it would

Tragedie is to
pat endij)in wrechednesse

'

edited, for the

of St.

1163.

in

Morley's Eng. Writers,

the

for

Rievaulx

of

were

See

in

minster
West-

are

1858.

Luard

century by St. George.'

thirteenth

of England until superseded in the

These

Ij$

Latin

Casibus

Virorum

and

Cf. 11. 3655,

prose.

3910.
In

3171.

3177.
which
order.

For

chieflyiambic.

metres,

order.

metre.

begins
For

See

also

the

hir

with

further

Adam
remarks

tragedies of
to 1.

note

ages, according
probable allusion is to

After
The

example,

on

periods ;

Boccaccio's

Nimrod,

and

this,see

and
the

are

in various

3285.

their

to

Seneca

De

in

chronological

Casibus

Virorum,

keeps tolerablyto the right

Preface,

NOTES

174

NOTES

TO

TO

3181. Tragedie; accented

remtdie; cf. 1. 3163. Very
find Chaucer

GROUP

THE

MONKES

TALE.

the second

on

the end

near

riming it with

B.

and rimingwith
syllable,

of Troilus

That

comedie.

and

Creseide, we

he

poem

calls

also

tragedie
"

"Go, lytelbook,

"c.
tragtdie?
go, my lytel
for
double
ne
was
no,
no, a
negative.Cf. Ch.
and eke of present tyme now
is ful of ensaumples
how

fell. Nas
3183. Fillen,
tr. of Boethius

'
"

J"atkyngesben chaunged in-to wrechednesse

ed. Morris,p. 75.

3186. The
whiel

Harl.

holde,'which

MS.

has

Mr.

"

'Ther

may

Wright prefers.But

out

no

the

of hir welefulnesse

the

man

of hir

cours

readingof

'

the Six-text

is well

enough here ; for in the precedingline Chaucer is speaking

of Fortune under the image of a person fleeing
away, to which he adds,
that no one can stay her course.
Fortune is also sometimes
represented
and holdingan ever-turning
stationary,
wheel,as
that
but
is
another
Duchesse, 643 ;
picture.
take
Be
from.
war
by,
3188.
warning

in the Book

as

of the

LUCIFER.

3189. Lucifer,a Latin

name

and properly
signifyinglight-Wringer,

morning-star.In Isaiah xiv. 12 the Vulgatehas

Quooriebaris ? corruisti in terram,
modo
cecidistide caelo,Lucifer,
qui mane
qui uulnerabas gentes?'"c. St. Jerome,Tertullian,St. Gregory,and
It
other fathers,supposedthis passage to applyto the fall of Satan.
favourite topicfor writers both in prose and verse, and the
became
a

appliedto

the

'

"

allusions to it are

innumerable.

See

note

to Piers the

(Clar.Press Series). Gower begins his eighthbook

Amantis with the examplesof Lucifer and Adam.
I

Plowman, i. 105
of the Confessio

from
3192. Sinne, the sin of pride,as in all the accounts; probably
lib. i. (vol.i. p. 153)
Tim. iii.6. Thus Gower, Conf. Amant.
'
that felle,
For Lucifer,with hem
"

Bar

pride with hym into helle.

Ther
Whan
3195.

Artow,

was

he

art thou.

pride of to grete cost,

for pride hath heuen lost.'
Sathanas,Satan.

simplyan adversary, as in i
of
A remarkable
application
Milton
but

they

sometimes

Hebrew

satan

means

xix. 22; "c.

xxix. 4; 2 Sam.
Luke
is
in
it to the evil spirit
18.
x.
Sam.

also identifies Lucifer with

are

The

Satan; Par. Lost, vii. 131

and made
distinguished,

the

names

; x.

of

425 ;
two

different

175
this

example of

remarkable

A
spirits.

TALE.

MONKES

THE

in

occurs

Piers the

Plowman, B. xviii. 270-283.

3196.The Ellesmere MS.

miserie,
pronouncedmisfrie.

has

mark

for

metrical

after

pause

ADAM.

3197. Boccaccio's De

chapter

De

'

Casibus

et Eua.'

Adam

posteaDamascenus,

begins with

Et
the passage
deliciarum.'
in Paradisum

It contains

ductus

Illustrium

Virorum

'

"

qui
Lydgate,in

ex

agro,

his Fall of Princes

'

a 5) has"
(fol.
of
the
erlhe,in
slyme

Of
God

The

notion

made

theym

of the creation

creature.'

eche

above

the feelde

damascene

of Adam

in

field

whereupon afterwards

stood

Historia Scholastica,where
in Peter Comestor's
Damascus, occurs
find (ed.1526, fol. vii) 'Quasi quereretaiiquis,
in
Remansit
homo

we

"

loco vbi factus est, in agro

latus est ?
Genesis

In

and

scilicetdamasceno

paradisum.'See

Vbi ergo

Non.

trans-

also Maundeville's

Exodus, ed. Morris, 1. 207

; and

Travels, cap. xv ;
in Matzner's Alten-

note

ii. 185.
glische
Sprachproben,
3200.

So

Boccaccio

omnium, dante Deo,

"

erat

'O

caeca

cupiditas!Hii, quibusrerum

rerum

Cf. Gen. i. 29 ; ii. 16.

"c.
imperium,'
SAMPSON.

3205.
as

The

storyof Sampson is also in Boccaccio,lib.i.c. 17 (not 19,

Tyrwhittsays).

account

in

Judges

But

Chaucer

xiii-xvi.

of Samson's

mostly to

seems

The

word

birth

the

have

followed

the

to the anannunciai,referring
nouncement
xiii.
have
angel (Judges
3) may

by
suggestedby Boccaccio, whose account
begins Praenunciantt
Manue
Israhelita quodam et pulcherrimaeius
per angelum Deo, ex
Sanson
vxore
progenitusest.' Thangelin 1. 3206 the angel.
A good example of the use of the ending
3207. Consecrat,consecrated.
been

"

"

"

-at ;

cf. situate for situated. M.

"

Shakespearehas

consecrate

Com.

of Err. ii. 2. 134.

3208. Whyl he

his eyesight.
myghtesee, as long as he preserved
with regardto strength
3210. To spekeof strengths,
; to spekeof is
kind of preposition.
M.
Cf. Milton's Samson
126-150.
Agonistes,

"

3211.

Wyues.

Judgesxiv.

Samson

7 ; and

told

of his

the

secret

of his

riddle

Delilah,id. xvi.

strengthto

his

wife,

7.

prefixto- has two

it is the preposition
to in composition,
powers in Old English. Sometimes
a refuge.But
as towards, or M. E. toflight
more
(G.zuflvcht),
monly
comin
in
it is a prefix
and
dis- in
German,
signifying twain, speltzerrent
3215. Alto-rente,completely

Mceso-Gothic

and

Latin.

Thus

in twain.

to

(o-ren!e

The

rent in twain ; to-burst=

burst

)J6

NOTES

TO

GROUP

in

twain,"c.

The intensive adverb

is

commonly

supposed)before verbs

cases

also.

Thus, in William

of

B.

was
al,utterly,

used not

beginningwith

precedesthe intensive prefixa-

in the

1. 661,we

same

poem,

have

'

al

"

in other

to-, but

Palerae,1. 872, we

a-wondred? where al

merely(as

find

'

He

"

A. S.

al

was

of-. Again,

bi-wepedfor wo,' where

al

now

bi-. In Barbour's Bruce, ed. Skeat, x. 596,is

precedesthe prefix
expression
For, hapnyt ony to slydeor fall,

the

"

He

suld be soyne to-fruichit

al'
al to-fruschit
broken in pieces.Perhapsthe clearest
means
utterly

Where

example of
William

the

of al
completeseparability

of Palerne
'

Al

entirely

But at

new

tore

later

shaken

'

"

J"athe

English,when

notion

of all

earlier than the

his atir

to

arose

of

of it as he could tear

the

prefix
regardingal to
Thus

to pieces.Latimer
'

e. entirely
love) him
(i.

in the Bible Word-book

; Serm.
; and

p.

my

notes

as

separable
prefix,

of this

instance

no

apart.
understood,
use

9, has 'al-to
love
and
al-to love
'they

Surrey,Sonnet

has

289.

less

to- was

pieces.I have observed

reignof Henry VIII.

for shaken

mist';

to-lere

as much
apart his attire,

periodof

sense

in 1. 3884 of

"

and mistaken

with the

is seen

to

to-tare

i.e. he

from

"

other

For

in Notes

and

examples,see Al-to
Queries,3 Ser. xii,

464.5353220. Samson's wife was

afterwards burnt by her own
3224. On every tayl; one
foxes ; Judg. xv. 4.

She
givento a friend ; Judgesxiv. 20.
people; Judgesxv. 6.
brand being fastened to the tails of

The Vulgatehas segetes and

3225. Comes.
vynes, and oliueta for oliueres. The pluralform

fruges; also
cornes

is not

EarlyEnglish. Cf. Quen thair corns war in don,' i.e.

harvests were
gatheredin ; Spec,of Eng.,pt.ii.ed. Morris
'

in

was

two

uineas for

uncommon

when
and

their

Skeat,

again,'alle men-sleeris and brenneris of houses and

cornes
corves]ben cursed opynly in parischechirches";
[misprinted
Wyclifs Works, ed. Arnold, iii.329.
p. 70, 1. 39.

3234.

And

Wang-loth,molar

Vulgate, which

has

tooth.

molarem
dentem
Aperuit itaque Dominus
hollow placethat was
the A. V. has only
an

maxilla asini ; where

the jaw';Judg.xv. 19.

3236.Judicum,i.e.
3237.

taken from

'

"

'

to 1. 93

is
expression

This

Liber

'

"

Judicum,the

Book

of

Judges.

Cf.

the
in
in

note

above.

Gazan,

of Gazam,
corruption

the

ace.

case, in

Judg.xvi. I.

Vulgateversion.
Since hadde is here
3244. Ne hadde been,there would not have been.
the subjunctive
Readworlds n'hadde.
mood, it is dissyllabic.

MONKES

THE

3245. Sicer,from
word
which we
now

363,

'

of
spelling

caue

the

Greek
sicera,

spellcider;

It is used

note.

Judges xiii. 7
the

the Lat.

TALE,

MSS., which

found

aiKtpa,

Vulgate version of
amend
bibas,nee siceram.' I slightly
have citer,
siser,
sythir,
cyder. Wyclif

uinum

r.e

strong drink,is the

Wyclif'sWorks, ed. Arnold, i.

see

here because

177

in the

has

sidir,sydt/r.
sither,
cyther,
3249. Twenty winter,twenty years; Judg.xvi. 31.

to reckon

The

Englishused

instead of years; as may be seen in a great

many passages in the A.S. Chronicle.
3253. Dalida. The Vulgatehas Dalila; but Chaucer (orhis scribes)

by winters
formerly

form which

naturally
adopteda
accusative

an

Briseide

case,

(from

in this

in

resemblance

nearer

that time, the usual

Lydgale
Wyclif.

Annelida.

and
Septuagint

In this array,

3259.

to have

seemed

being,at

Briseida),and

in the

Dalida,as

such

also

"

clausum

'

says

manuarias

coegere.' The

the form

uses

condition.
(defenceless)

3264. Querne,hand-mill. The Vulgate has 'et

fecerunt ; Judg. xvi. a i
But Boccaccio

molere

to

practice
; cf.

word

in the House

occurs

and in

in
'

"

ad

carcere

molas

of

Fame, iii.708 ;
In the Ayenbiteof

Wyclif'sBible,Exod. xi. 5 ; Mat. xxiv. 41.

Inwyt, ed. Morris, p. 181, the story of Samson is alluded to, and it is
said of him that he 'uil [fell]
into )"ehonden of his yuo [foes'],
J"ethim
deden grindeate qverne ssamuolliche,'
him grindat the
i.e.who made
mill shamefully
(ina shameful manner). Lydgatecopiesthe passage
rather

in his
closely,
'

And

of

Fall of

Princes,fol. e 7 :
"

after
despite,

their quernes
3269. Thende, the end.
At

as

made

fynde,

hym

Caytif

means

for to

is therefore used here very justly.

better than the readingthe
3274. Two filers,
two

are

grinde.'

(2) a wretch.
(i) a captive,
of
pilers

MS.

It

E. ; because

mentioned
expressly

; Judg.xvi. 29.
sic amantis
'Sic aduersa credulitas,

sic
pietas,
3282. So Boccaccio
fides. Vt quern non
mulieris egitinclyta
poteranthomines,non uincula,
ferrum uincere,
mulieribus latrunculis uinceretur.' Lydgate has
non
a
"

the

expressions
'Beware
by Sampson your counseyllwell to kepe,
Though [misprinted
That] Dalida compleyne,crye,

and

"

and

wepe';

again:
"

'Surfre

no

Though

crepe,'
nightworm within your counseyll
and
wepe.'
compleyne,crye,

Dalida

HERCULES.

3285. There
favourite
VOL.

is little about

Hercules

in Boccaccio

but

Chaucer's

author,Ovid, has his story in the Metamorphoses,book

II.

ix,

178
and

NOTES

TO

GROUP

B.

more

that Chaucer
Heroides,epist.
9. Tyrwhitt,however, has shewn
copiesa passage in Boethius, de Cons. Phil. lib. iv,
immediately

met.

7, which

is as follows
"

:
"

Herculem

duri celebrant

Ille Centauros

labores ;

domuit

superbos;
spolium leoni ;
Fixit et certis uolucres sagittis;
Poma
cernenti rapuitdraconi,
laeuam
Aureo
grauiormetallo;
Cerberum
traxit triplici
catena.
Uictor immitem
posuissefertur
Abstulit

saeuo

Pabulum

saeuis dominum

quadrigis.

Hydra

combusto

Fronte

turpatusAchelous

Ora

pudibunda ripis.
Antaeum
Libycisarenis,

periit

ueneno

demersit

Strauit
Cacus

Euandri

satiauit

Quosque pressurus

iras,

foret altus orbis

Setigerspumis humeros
Ultimus

caelum

Sustulit
Ultimi
But it is stillmore
which
'

is

Hercules

labor

notauit.
irreflexo

collo,pretiumquerursus

caelum

meruit

laboris.'

Chaucer's
to see
interesting
follows (ed.Morris,p. 147):

as

aninis

version of this passage,

own

"

is celebrable for his harde trauaile ; he dawntede

Centauris,half hors, half

)"eproude

and he rafte

man
;
]"edespoylyngefro J"ecruel
lyoun; J"atis to seyne, he slous ]"elyoun and rafte hym hys skyn. He
in ]"epaludeof lyrnewty certeynearwes.
smot
J"ebirds J"athystenarpijs

rauyssedeapplisfro ])ewakyng dragoun / " hys hand was ]"emore

heuy for J"egoldenemetal. He drous Cerberus ]"ehound of helle by his
He

treble

cheyne; he, ouer-comer,

fodre to his cruel

hors;

as

is to
J)is

it is seid,hap put

an

lorde

vnmeke

sein,)"athercules slouj diomedes

and

made his hors to etyn hym. And

he, hercules,slou} Idra J?eserpent "
defoulede in his forhede,
dreinte
brende )"e
venym ; and achelaus ]"eflode,
his shamefast

his strondes ;

visagein

is
]"is

" as
transfigure
hymselfinto dyuerselykenesse,
; and
|e laste he turnide hym in-to a bole [bull]
hys homes, " achelaus for shame hidde hym

hercules,caste adoun

Antheus

kacus

"

bristlede boor markede

\e whiche

hercules brak
in

hys

ryuer.

J?estrondes of

of

oon

And

of

he,

libye; " kacus

Jus is to sein, J"athercules slous ]"e

of euander.
And
wij)]"atdeej"J"ewra}")"e
]"e
apaisede

of
apaisede)"ewra)"J.es
monstre

]"egeaunt in

]"atachelaus couj"e
he faujtwi]"ercules,at

to seyn,

sholdres pe

euander ;

wij"scomes

heye cercle

[scums,
foam] \"esholdres
of heuene

sholde

of hercules,

Jireste
[was to

rest

l8o

NOTES

allusion is to the

3307. The
1

'

both ends of the world

of

TO

GROUP

B.

of Hercules.
'pillars'

The

standinghere for continent.

that Hercules erected two pillars,
Calpe and Abyla, on the
the Straits of Gibraltar. The words
seith Trophee seem
author named
an
Trophaeus. In Lydgate'sprologueto

Europe and Africa,world

'In

youth he

Of

boke

in

This

to

seems

whence
due to

of Boccaccio.
a

called is

tonge,

as

marginalnote

Ellesmere

"

his P'all of

Trophe,

vulgar,long er
of Troylus and Creseyde.'
the name
the name
of a book
in Italian,
Trophe was
his story of Troilus.
be
But the notion must

drew

The

to refer to

rede and sc;

may
that he deyde,

men

mistake, since that work

some

sides of

that

say

Chaucer

two

"

our

it

Gave

storyis

translacion

whiche

In Lumbarde
And

made

that

The

'

'

Princes,st. 41, he says of Chaucer

expression

pointsof the continents

refers to the extreme

taken from

was

onlytrace of the name

Chaucer's own
possibly

of
"

the

as
Trophoeus

an

which

appears
Chaldeorum

Filostrato

'

'

author is in
in both

the

Hengwrt MSS., viz. Ille vates

Tropheus.'
Ovid
Tkise
and
Boccaccio.
See
clerkes,
meaning probably
3311.
Ovid's Heroides,epist.
ix,entitled Deianira Herculi, and Metamorph.
and

'

lib.ix ; Boccaccio, De
De

Casibus

Virorum

Mulieribus Claris,
cap. xxii.

See also the Trachinise of

33!5- Wered, worn

; so in 1. 3320
Instances of verbs with
past tense.
in modern

strong ones
instances

of the

washed, waxed.

English,are

Chaucer

clerks,as

we

find wered

weak
rare

is due to

Wore

written later,
he

Sophocles.

for the form

of the

in Chaucer,
preterites

indeed ; but there

contrary, e.g. wsp, slep,wesh, wex,

analogywith

3317. Both Ovid and Boccaccio

fatal effectswhich the shirt would
Had

and
Illustrium,lib.i.cap. xviii.,

are

now

but

several

wept, slept,

bore ; cf. could for coud.

representDeianira

as

ignorantof

the

produce. See Ovid, Metam. ix. 133.

might have included Gower among the

givesthe story of Hercules and Deianira

Conf. Amantis, lib. ii.,
Thus he says"
Ovid.
following
With
wepend eye and woful herte
the latter

in his

'

She
As

tok

out

thilke

she that wende

vnhappiesherle,
wel

to

do.'

of Fortune,see
3326. For longupbraidings

617;

Rom.

The

Boke

ot the

Duchesse,

Rose, 5407; Boethius,ed. Morris, p. 35.

r

NABUGODONOSOR.
; generally
3335. Nabngodonosor
speltNabtichodonosor in
the Vulgate,
of which the other spelling
is a mere
variation

has the

same

as
Chaucer,and
spelling

relates the story near

copiesof
Gower

the end of

i. of the Conf. Amantis.

book
Daniel

Both

no

took

doubt

from
directly

it

i-iv.
vesselis here

3338. The

the plate,
as Mr.

means

l8l

TALE.

MONKES

THE

idiom ; F. vaisselle
Cf. 1. 3494.

imitation of the French

an

Jephsonwell

observes.

slurred over,
is rapidly
the second syllable
3349. In the word statue
effect in the Kn. Tale,
See the same
in 1. 3340.
like that in glorie
11- "7.

I097BALTHASAR.

3373- Balthazar;

speltby Boccaccio,

so

relates the

who

storyvery

lib. ii. cap. 19.

also, by Peter
Illust.,
Comestor, in his Historia Scholastica ; and by Gower, Conf. Amant.,
has Baltassar; Daniel,cap. v.
The Vulgategenerally
lib. v.
Virorum

Cas.

De
briefly,

3379. And

So

lay; cf. 1. 3275 above.

ther he

The scribes have confor the metre.

sidered
supplied
but see 11.3391, 3416,3418.
vesselles(sic)
as a trisyllable;
3388. Of, for. Cf. the old phrase'thank God of all,'i.e. for all;
1. 19. M.
Fie fro the pres,'
in Chaucer's
occurring
from the Cambridge MS., is perhaps
This reading,
3422. Trust to.

3384. The

tho is

word

'

"

hem,' B. 2374.

the best; cf. 'trust nat

but thou is used
plural,

throughout. The

take the form

Elsewhere

may

to

trus/e.

Prol. 501 ; ' truste

trvste,'
P. PI. Crede, I. 350.

Tynvhitt has trusteth in the

however,
imperative,
singular
also has

Chaucer

fortune,'B. 3326; cf.

on

'

'

on

syker

on

whom
to

\ve

trosten,'

Degree,rank,position.
allusion is,in the first place,to Boethius,de

3427. Darius, so accented.

The

3436.Prouerbe.
Cons.

bk. iii.pr. 5
Phil.,

faciet inimicum

'

'
"

which

Sed quern felicitasamicum

infortunium
fecit,
translates
Chaucer
swiche
folk as
Certys
'

"

contrarious fortune make" hem enmyse' ;

make])frendes,
'Wealth
makelh
many
PP- ?6" 77 (ed.Morris). Cf. Prov. xix. 4
his
from
"
c.
is
So
but
the
also
neighbour,'
separated
friends;
poor
will be against
"'If thou be broughtlow, he [i.e.
thee,and
thy friend]
In Hazlitt's Collection
will hide himself from thy face' ; Ecclus. vi. 12.
weleful fortune

"

of

In time

p. 235, we find
friends will be
of prosperity,

In time

of

EnglishProverbs,
'

See also
note

st.

note

to

1.

"

not
adversity,

19 of Goldsmith's
'
what
And
A
A

Hermit

among

and,

not

twenty.*
to

instances,
multiply

"

is

charm

shade

And

one

above, p. 139;

120

;
plenty

that

but a name,
friendship
that lulls to sleep;

followswealth

leaves the wretch

or

to

fame,

weep?'

82

NOTES

TO

GROUP

B.

ZENOBIA.
The

3437. Cenobta.
who

story of Zenobia

is told

by

Trebellius Pollio,

flourished under

Constantino, in cap. xxix. of his work entitled TriChaucer

doubt followed later accounts, one
but
of
no
gintaTyranni;
that
which was
Boccaccio
in
his
De
Mulieribus
givenby
Claris,
clearly
relates her story again in his De Casibus Virocap. xcviii. Boccaccio
edition of which, printedin 1 544, I find
lib. viii. c. 6 ; in an
rum,
the

references to

biography of

Aurelian

by

Flavius

Vopiscus,to the
BaptistaFulgosius,lib. iv.

historyof Orosius, lib. vii.cap. 23, and to

by Pliny,Nat. Hist. lib. v. cap. 25.
cap. 3. Palmyra is described
ambition
her
herself a Queen
Zenobia's
to endeavour
to make
tempted
of the East, instead of remainingmerelyQueen of Palmyra ; but she
defeated by the Roman
Aurelian, A.D. 373, and carried to
was
emperor
grace
Rome, where she graced his triumph,
A.D.
274. She survived this disfor

some

years.
is the

Palymerie. Such
reads

'
"

of Palmire

the

spellingin the

queene.'It

best

is remarkable

MSS.

; but

that MS.

MS.

HI.

Trin. Coll.

R. 3. 19 has the reading Cenobia, of Belmary quene,'which

suggeststhat Belmarie, in the Prol. 1. 57, is merely another form of
'

Cam.

"

but

Palmyra ;

Barbour's

see

Tadmor,

ancient

or

'

It has been

desert.

in ruins since about

3441.
3442.

Perse.

he remarks

on

This
she
'

"

tate et facetia

was

Sic

393.

in an
cityof palmtrees,'

In the second

that
expressly

Bruce, xx.

It

occupiedthe

site of the

oasis of the Great

Syrian

A.D.

1400.
is slurred over; cf. "/",Sq.Tale 35.
mistake.
Boccaccio says
to be Chaucer's
seems
of the race of the Ptolemies of Egypt ; but further

cum

ne

in,the

Persis et Armenis

superaret.'This

may

account

vt illosurbaniprincipibus,

for the confusion.

3446. Boccaccio says (de Mul. Clar.) Dicunt autem hanc a pueritia
iam corpusculumeduxisset
omnino
muliebribus officiis,
cum
sua
spretis
incoluisse plurimum," accinctam
in robur, syluas" nemora
pharetra,
fuisse
infestam.
in
Inde
ceruis caprisquecursu
cum
sagittis
atque
acriores deuenisset uires,ursus
amplectiausam, pardos,leonesqueinsequi,
in praedam trahere." This
"
obuios expectare,capere
ac
occiclere,
for the word
and may shew how
accounts
closelyChaucer has
office,
followed his original.
'

"

with Egyptianliterature,
and studied
acquainted
author of a celebrated treatise on
philosopher
Longinus,

3497. She
under

the

was

Greek
'

The

Sublime.'
Her husband
was
Odenathus, or
3502. Housbonde.
ruler of Palmyra,upon whom
Gallienus had
the emperor
title of Augustus. He was
murdered
of his
by some
some

have

insinuated

that

Zenobia

consented

to

the

Odenatus, the
bestowed

the

and
relations,
crime.

She

THE

succeeded

him, and

assumed

183

TALE.

MONKES

imperialdiadem,

the

Most

266.

A.D.

scribes

OnedaJte,by metathesis for Odenake (Odenate),

spellthe name
like the spelling
Adrians for Ariadne.
them (her and her husband) to flee.
cause
3507. Doon hem flee,
Persia A.D. 240-273.
He defeated the
3510. Sapor I reignedover
for the rest of his life.
he kept in captivity
Valerian, whom
emperor
After conqueringSyriaand takingCsesarea, he was defeated by Odenatus
and Zenobia, who founded a new
empireat Palmyra.
Proces,succession of events.
3512. Title,pronounced nearlyas

Fil,fell,befell.

3511.

titlein French, the

beingelided

before had.
3515. Petrark. Tyrwhittsuggeststhat perhapsBoccaccio's book had
fallen into Chaucer's
of Petrarch.
hands under the name
We
may,
in a borrowed
however, suppose that Chaucer had read the account

book, and did

the author.

English.

whether

quiteremember

not

Instances of similar mistakes

Modern

readers

are

Boccaccio

or

was

enough in Early

common

to forgetthat, in the olden

apt

are

Petrarch

times,

information

and there was

seldom
had to be carried in the memory,
for verification or for a second perusalof a story.
facility

much
much

3519. Cruelly. The

written for crewely.
Claudius

3525.

Harl.

MS.

says, and

A.D.

succeeded

was

and

268-270.

Boccaccio

3550.

Char, chariot. Boccaccio describes this

Heremianvs

He

succeeded

by Aurelian.

3535.

calls them

misreadingtrewely,

the poor

of Rome,

II,emperor

Gallienus,as Chaucer

has

Timolatts.
'

sibi

quern

currum,

ex

fabricari fecerat.'

Zenobia
praeciocissimum

gemmisque
3556.Charged,heavilyladen. She was so laden with chains of
massive gold,and covered with pearls
and gems, that she could scarcely
support the weight; so says Boccaccio.
is
3562. Vitremyte. I have no doubt this reading(as in Tyrwhitt)
All the six MSS. in the Six-text agree in it. The old printed
correct.
the Harl. MS.
has
editions have aittremiie,a mere
corruption
; and

auro

wyniermyte, which

I take to be

attempt to make sense of a partof the

the word
word, justas we have turned ecrevisse into cray-jish.What
is another question
in Chaucer.
; it is perhapsthe greatest crux
means,
an

'

'

else,the solution I offer is a mere

guess.
I suppose it to be a coined word, formed on the Latin vitream mitram,
a glass
head-dress,in complete contrast to a strong
literally,
expressing,
the word

As

helmet.

My

(i) With
is
a

mitra

of
was

reasons

nowhere

for

regard to

woman's

term

occurs

supposingthis

mitra.

head-dress.

mockery,both
the cap

which

But
in

In

are

as

follows.

Low-Latin, its

it

was

and
especially

Latin,Italian,
Spanish,and

criminals

were

made

meaning
widely used as

commonest

to

wear

French.
as

The

sign of

184

TO

NOTES

GROUP

B.

degradation
Supp.to Ducange, s. v.
; see Carpenter's
degliAccad.

della Crusca, s.

Even

Mitra.

miter;

wearinga
his head.*

The

set

on

chief

Mitera; and any largeSpanishDiet. s. v.

with a miter,
'Mitre, mitred; hooded

v.

Cotgrave has

"

with
or
scaffold,
pillory

in this
difficulty

(a) With

its existence is clear.

But

171, where

xx.

the

To

him

at

them

gave

in return

defence

no

was

'

story is told of

and
physicians,

gave

'

all.

So

also

And

yet seen

in Troil. and
explained,

intention of

Cres.

v.

intended

make

to

meant, in

for which

they
a thingthat
of glass,
houve of glas ;
an
'

madest

me

Still clearer is the

a

Fortune

the poet says,

intended bet to

yet
passage never
is said to have an

as

'

Fortune
i.e.literally,

'

in Piers the Plowman,

hood

469,where

deludingTroilus ; or,
his howne
Fortune

reference.

glazen hood

Mapes, ed. Wright,p. 337, 1. 6.

same
proverbin Chaucer himself,in

allusion to the

r.

proverb,probably

of money,

large sums
'

on

to die, consulted
who, fearing

man

glasen houve,'i.e.

of Walter

Poems

to

derivation is the loss of the

a
give a man
to
It
mock,
delude,
English,
cajole. appears

Old
B.

which

miter of paper

may refer to
I have never

This

regard to vitream.
to
Englishthan foreign,

rather

Mitra; Vocabulario

glaze his

still greaterfool of him.

glase,'

stillbetter for him, i.e.

hood

In the Aldine

edition,howue

is

in this passage, but howue

elsewhere ; Tyrwhitt
occurs
variation of hoivue. If this note
is unsatisfactory,
common

printedhowen
has

hove,a
yet claim

I may

have

to

explainedin it at least one long-standing

Troilus.
Tyrwhittlong ago explainedthat,

difficulty
; viz. this line in
in Chaucer, the phrasesto set
like

meaning, viz.

another
where

we

delude

to

of

passage
read

man's

hood, and

him.

Chaucer

to

set

uses

man's

verre

cap, have a
for glass in

similar character,viz. in Troil. and Cres. ii.867,

"

"

Fro

3564. A

forthy,who

And

cast

distaf.This

Casibus Virorum.

that hath

of stones

'

Haec

ware

is from
nuper

an

him

hede

of

verre

in the werre."

Boccaccio's

other

account,

in the De

uenit
admiranda, mine
imperatoribus
galeataconcionari militibus assueta,

plebeis. Haec nunc

muliercularum
uelata cogitur
audire fabellas. Haec
mine
nuper Orienti
Romae
nunc
subiacens,colum, sicut ceterae,
sceptra gestabat,
praesidens
Zenobia
survived
her disgrace
for some
at Rome
baiulat.'
years, living
small
which
estate
was
as
a private
granted to her,and
person on a

miseranda

which, says Trebellius Pollio, hodie Zenobia

'

PETER,

KING

OF

dicitur.'

SPAIN.

3565. See the Preface for the order in which the parts of the Monk's
Tale are arranged. I follow here the arrangement in the Harleian MS.
known
born in 1334, is generally
Pedro the
as
Peter, king of Castile,

THE

Cruel.

He

conduct

was

marked

by

of

acts

numerous

1350 to 1362, and his

from

Castile and Leon

reignedover

185

TALE.

MONKES

atrocity.After
unprincipled

of his brother, Don

civil war, he fell into the hands
took placebetween the brothers,
Enrique(Henry). A personalstruggle
of which Enrique stabbed Pedro to the heart ; March
in the course
23,
destructive

by Sir Walter Scott,entitled the Death of Don

Pedro, in Lockhart's Spanish Ballads,commencing
Henry and Don Pedro clasping
Hold
each other;
in straining
arms
Tugging hard and closelygrasping,
Brother proves his strengthwith brother.*
that Pedro was
It is remarkable
party,despite
very popularwith his own
See the ballad

369.

"

'

takes his part because our Black Prince fought

againstEnrique at the battle of Najera,April3,

his

crimes,and Chaucer

on

the side of Pedro

and

1367;

Gaunt

of

John

because

Pedro, about

Michaelmas, 1371.

3573- See
field'
The

the

'

Bertrand

refer to

stanza

from

restrain him

to

seems

dexter

as

given below.
if caughtby
the shield

across

firstthree lines of the

The

flyingaway.

Gneschlin,who

Du

as

arms

eagle appears

the bend

with birdlime,because

daughterof

Constance,

Gueschlin's

Du

the black

argent, and

was

covered

rod

of
description

married

brew,' i.e. contrived

'

But the last three

tent.
luringhim to Enrique's
lines refer to another knight who, according to Chaucer, took a still
active part in the matter, being a worker in it. This second
more
Chaucer
conceals
name
a certain Sir Oliver Mauny, whose
person was
of wicked nest, standing
for O. Fr. matt
under the synonym
ni,where man
Pedro's murder, viz. by

is O. Fr. for mal, bad

Observe

nest.

may be
between

hart) one
him

and

his

stabbed
instantly
doubt
was

no

means

other than

Mauny.

Chaucer

man

elsewhere
Or
He
Of

passage

He

goes

'

by

of the

has

struggle

(says Lock-

the

leg,turned

length gaining the

upper
Froissart calls this man

that the
on

of Anisse.'

honourable

says

hand,
the

I have

no

need
helperin Enrique's

to say that this

(Book of the
the false Geniloun,
that

There

deed.

when

Mauny

Oliver,an
peer, but
like Charles's Ganelon, the well-known

'

This

tell us

the Great's

at

Pedro

others the Bastard

to

course

at first thrown,

the heart.

to

that Chaucer

like Charles

whom

the

king
Roquebetyn,and

de

Armorica,

thus

master,

need, not

for,in the

Henry'sfollowers,seizingDon

of

Vicomte

for this ;

reason

the word

uses

brothers,Enrique was

the

over,

wicked, and ni is O. Fr. for nid, Lat. nidus,a

too, that Chaucer

excellent

an

or

not

was

Oliver

an

of

of
traitor,
Duchess, 1. 1121)
"

purchasedthe trayson

Rouland

long been

and
a

of Olivere.'

puzzle,but

was

first cleared up

by

an

1 86

NOTES

excellent letter by Mr.

TO

Furnivall

subjoin; I may givemyselfthe

'
with O. Fr. man
nest
ni.
'

The

first two

GROUP

B.

in Notes

which
I here
Queries,
credit,
however,of identifyingwicked
and

'

lines

[ofthe stanza]describe the arms of Bertrand du

Guesclin,which were, a black double-headed eagledisplayed
a silver
on
with a red band across
the whole, from left to right[inheraldic
shield,
languagea bend dexter,gules] " the lymrodcoloured as the glede or
live coal
de France,
as
may be seen in Anselme's Histoire G6nealogique
and a MS. Genealogies
in the British Museum.
de France
Next, if we
turn
Bertrand
du
to Mr. D. F. Jamison'sexcellent Life and
Times
of
"

"

"

above
Bertrand's arms
as
Guesclin,we not only find on its cover
but also at vol. ii.p. 92-4, an account
of the plotand murder
described,
to which
Chaucer
alludes,and an identification of his traitorous or
"
Genylon Oliver,with Sir Oliver de Mauny of Brittany(orArmorica),
Bertrand's cousin [or,accordingto Froissart,
cap. 245, his nephew].
"

After the battle of Monteil, on March

besieged
14, 1369,Petro was
in the castle of Monteil near
the borders of La Mancha, by his brother
"

Enrique,who was helped by Du

Pedro
Finding escape impossible,

Guesclin
sent

Men

and

French

many

knights.

to
Rodriguezsecretly

Du

offer of many
and 200,000
towns
gold doubloons if
desert Enriqueand reinstate Pedro.
Du Guesclin refused the

Guesclin with
he would

an

and
the next day related to his friends and kinsmen in the camp,
offer,
and especially
had taken place."
to his cousin,Sir Oliver de Mauny, what
"

He

asked

the

king. ThereuponEnriquepromisedBertrand

Pedro

had

Pedro's
on

them

if he should

offered

safetyif he

Bertrand's

tell

Rodriguez of
lodge. Relying
(Du Guesclin's)
March
to him
on
23 ; Enrique

him, but asked him also

would

assurance,

come

Pedro

said yes : so he told

the same
reward that

Enrique; theyall

to his
came

to assure

Men

stabbed Pedro,
afterwards,and after a struggle,
lodgedirectly
and seized his kingdom.
'
that Du Guesclin
in asserting
We see then that Chaucer was justified
and Sir Oliver Mauny "brew
this cursednesse";and his assertion has
historical importance; for as his patron and friend,John of
some
Gaunt, married one of Pedro's daughters [named Constance]as his
almost certainly
had the
second wife [Michaelmas,1371], Chaucer
of her attendants,
of Pedro's death from his daughter,
account
or
one
entered the

and

is thus

witness

for the truth of

the narrative

of the

Spanish

Ayala,given above, againstthe French writers,Froissart,

who inveigled
Cuvelier,"c., who make the Begue de Villaines the man
Pedro.
This connection of Chaucer with John of Gaunt and his second
wife must excuse
the poet in our eyes for calling
so bad
a king as Pedro
of Spayne,
whom
Fortune heeld so
the Cruel "worthy" and "the glovie

chronicler

heighin magestee."

l88

NOTES

TO

The

simplyomitted it by accident.
but he saugh it nought';where
without

any

E.

Harl.

Mr.

MS.

Jephson

has

'
"

inserts

lie herd it wel,

before

tie

saugh

comment.

hour

The

"

drew

near

When

the mind

Of

and

wont
to bring us food ;
they were
each misgave him through his dream,

its outlet underneath, lock'd up

horrible tower:
whence, utteringnot a

Heard,

GROUP

The

at

I look'd

upon

visageof my sons.
all stone I felt within.

wept not: so
They wept: and
lookest

"Thou

word,

the

one,

little Anselm,

my

cried,

ails thee?"'"c.

Father, what

so!

Gary'sDante.
does

3621. Dante
named

Gaddo

and sixth

died

the ages; but he says that the son

the fourth day, and the other three on the fifth
mention

not
on

that Chaucer's

Observe

days.

tender

11.3623-8,are his
lines,

own.

3624. Morsel breed,morsel

L

of bread ; cf. barel ale for barrel of ale,

3083.- M.

3636. ' I may lay the blame of all my woe

upon thy false wheel.'
Cf. 1. 3860.
the youngest,according
3640. Two ; there were now but two survivors,
to Chaucer, being dead.
'They, who thought
desire
did
it
of feeding,
I
rose
through
should grieve
O' the sudden, and cried, Father,we
"

Far

less,if thou wouldst

weeds

These
And

do

eat

of

us

of miserable

flesh

stripthem

off from

thou

we

thou

gavest

wear,
us

again.'"

Gary'sDante.
the great poet of Italy,
born in
3651. Dante; i.e. Dante Alighieri,
Chaucer mentions
him again in his House
1 265,died Sept.
14, 1321.
author
of
the
book
the
of Fame,
i,as
Inferno,in the Prologue to the
Legend of Good Women, 1. 361,and in the Wyf of Bathes Tale.
NERO.

3655. Swetonius; this refers to

it would

be

the Lives

mistake

of the Twelve

Caesars

by

that Chaucer

has
to suppose
Our
have
had
habit
to
a
poet seems
very closely.
authorities whom
he did not immediately
of mentioning
follow,by which

Suetonius; but

followed his account

he

theywere good authorities

that we
the subject. Here, for instance, he merely means
can
in Suetonius a good account of Nero, which will giveus all minor

seems

upon
find

to have

meant

no

more

than

that

THE

details. But in

met.

draws

the

other

Virorum, lib. vii.cap. 4,

Casibus

Rose, and from Boethius,de Cons. Fhilos. lib. ii.

de la

the Roman

immediatelyfrom

storymore

from Boccaccio, De
especially

sources,

from

he
reality

189

TALE.

MONKES

6, and lib. iii.met.

4.

of the Rose does not

EnglishRomaunt
to refer to Chaucer's
Nero, but it is interesting
The

contain the passage about

translation of Boethius.
Vincent

of Beauvais

has

of

account

an

Nero,

in his

Speculum Historiale,lib. ix. capp. 1-7, in which he chiefly

follows Suetonius.
See also Orosius,lib.vii. 7 ; and Eutropius,
lib. vii.
the MSS.

3657.South;

as Chaucer
correction,

have

knew
certainly

expressionis merely borrowed

where

it is fair to

North, but
the

from

the

and
Septemtrioun,

of

sense

make

the Roman

de

the

Rose, 1. 6501,

la

read,

we

desloyal,
que je te dy,

'Ce
Et

d'Orient

et

D'Occident, de
Tint

il la

de

Midy,

Septentrion,

jurisdicion.'

Boethius,after sayingthat Nero ruled from East to West,

And,
eke JrisNero gouemede by Ceptre alle }"epeoplesfat
And
he adds
triones ; fisis to seyn,
ben vndir fe colde sterres J"athyjtenfe seuene
he gouernedealle fe poeples|)atben vndir fe parties
of J"enorfe. And
eke Nero
gouerned alle J"e poeples fat J"e violent wynde Nothus
and bakif }"ebrennynge sandes by his drie hete; fat is to
scorchif,
ed. Morris,p. 55.
seyne, alle fe poeplesin fe so"f"';
in his
'

"

3665. This

is from

Suetonius, who

funibus

coccoque
vii. 9.
Eutropius,

purpura

says"

nexis';cap.

xxx.

3685. A maister; i.e. Seneca, mentioned

year 65, Nero, wishingto be rid of his old

'

Piscatus

est

So

Orosius,vii. 7;

below

Nero

In

name.

sent

him

the blood
entered

an

would

into

the

order
not
warm

suffocated.
vapour stove, where he was
his maistre seneca
to chesen on what

deien';Chaucer's

transl. of Boethius, lib. iii.pr. 5, ed.

deef he

wolde

taken into

rete aurato,

constreinede his familiar "

bath,and thence
'

by

master,

destroyhimself. Seneca opened a vein, but

flow freely
; whereupon, to expediteits flow, he

to

also

was

Morris,p. 76.

3692.'It was long before tyranny or any other vice durst attack
'durst let dogs loose againsthim.'
To uncoupleis to
him'; literally,
release dogs from the leash that fastened them together;
P. PL B.
see
pr. 206.

Compare

"

'At

the

of
uncoupling

his houndis.'
Book

'

The

latind

In which

on

th'

which

of the

Duchesse, 1. 377.

they fought,th* appointedplace

uncoupledhounds began the chace.'
Dryclen;Palamon and Arcite,bk. ii,1. 845.

NOTES

190
'

3720.

Where

he

TO

GROUP

find

expectedto

B.

aid him.1

would

who

some

paucishospitia
singulorumadiit. Verum
"c. ;
rediit,'
foribus,respondentenullo,in cubiculum
Phaon,
cap. xlvii. He afterwards escapedto the villa of his freedman
four miles from Rome, where he at lengthgave himself a mortal wound
in the extremityof his despair.
of gyleshed,'P. PI. B. ii.
3736. Girden of,to strike off; cf. ' gtirdeth
A gird is also a sharpstriking
taunt
or
201.
quip. M.
Suetonius

'

says
clausis omnium

"

ipse cum

"

HOLOFERNES.
The

3746. Olofern.

apocryphalbook

of

story of Holofernes

3752. 'He

fear of

decreed

had

lest men
should
losing,
all the gods of
destroy

to

worship Nabuchodonosor

nations should

be

found

in

the

Judith.

for
Forlesinge,

3750.

is to

"c.
only,'

lose.
the land, that all

Judithiii.8.
of the high priest

3756. Eliachim. Tyrwhittremarks that the name

was
Joacim ; Judithiv. 6. But this is merelythe
our
English version. The Vulgate version has

the

Eliachim ; cf. 2 Chron. xxxvi. 4.

3761. Vpryghte,i.e. on his

face

back, with

his

of the

form

in

name

equivalentform

upwards.

See

KnightesTale,1. 1150.
ALEXANDER.

3821.There is a whole cycleof Alexander

and English,so that his story is common
one

There

is a

good

authorityfor
De

worthies";

of the "nine

Casibus

lifeof him
account

an

Virorum

see

3826. They

of him

there is

glad to

were

3845.
i. 7.

"

'So

M.

The

was

only a

at

3860.

dice)into
'

Which

an

two

casual mention

have write

3862. For humble

some

MSS.

Hist, of

indeed,

i. 130;
2. 565.
time the principal

In Boccaccio's

Alexander,in the

EnglishPoetry.

change of vowel
(grammatically).

of the

the

years, and

then

from

died'; i Mac-

Maccabees, in the Apocrypha.

turned

thy six (thehighestand most fortunate

ace
(thelowest).'Cf. note to 1. 124, p. 139.
of all this woe.'
and poison)
I accuse
(fortune

bed

to be

CAESAR.

Tyrwhitt,Wright, and Bell printhumblehede,as

is an objectionable
hybridcompound, and
shewn
that the word belongsto our
language.

But this word

I think it remains

of

was,

(tosue) for peace.'

send to him

JULIUS
in

v.

Quintus Curtius.

reignedtwelve

hath

He

See Warton's

Machabee, i.e. the firstbook

3851. 'Fortune
throw

MSS.

Alexander

enough.

Love's La. Lost,

3843. Writ, should write,pt.subj.

; hence
indie, wroot.

in Latin,French,

by Plutarch,but in Chaucer's

story of Darius, lib. iv. cap. 9.

'

romances,

THE

In the

KnightesTale, Chaucev

hitmilitee. Until

191
in the Persones

has humblesse,and

for humblehede
authority

some

with the

content

TALE.

MONKES

be

can

Tale,

adduced, I

am

readingof the three best MSS.

refers us below
to Lucan,
3863. Julius. For this story Chaucer
and Valerius ; see note to 1. 3909.
There is also an interesting
Suetonius,
lifeof him by Plutarch.
Boccaccio
mentions him but incidentally.

3866. Tributdrie;observe the rime with aduersdrie.

is a

so also
trisyllable;

in 1. 3868

Fortune

in 1. 3876.

3870. 'Against Pompey, thy father-in-law.' Caesar gave Pompey

his daughter
Juliain marriage; hence fader is an error for sone.
and thorieiitas in 1. 3883.
3875. Fullest;to be read as puli'sl;
as
an
exampleof
3878. Pompeius. Boccaccio giveshis life at length,
misfortune

; De

Casibus

Virorum, lib. vi. cap. 9.

48.
3881. Him, for himself;but in the

29,

killed

was

Sept.

B.C.

3885. Chaucer

refers to

Cf. Shak.

1.400.

Henry V,
is not

3887. Chaucer
person ;

note

see

this
v.

triumph

i. 545, CaesaF

alone in

MS.

making

1. 76.

said that Caesar

quotes

"

of the

senate, all

slain with
a

Tale,

and

Cassius

into

one

pwichion.
margin of

slain with

of daggers.
signification

in one
which
weapon
and in the Edinburgh
botkin,

for

error

In the

was

the

pitnsoime, since

Hamlet

chief woorker

'The

M.

pugio,a poniard. In Barbour's Bruce,

been

perhaps an

Dictionarygivesthe form
1.

Brutus

with

punsoun, in another

pusoune,

iii.Sc.

"

of Lawes

to 1. 3892.

is said to have

edition is called

in the Man

prol.28.

to translate the Lat.

It is meant

'to him."

line it means

next

3891. Cast,contrived,appointed.
3892. Boydekins,lit. bodkins, but

Act

He

uses

Stowe's

having bodkins

in their

was

dagger;

Chronicle,ed. 1614,it is

bodkins ; Nares'

of this murder

Halliwell's

bodkin for

Glossary. Nares
Bruins

also

with 260
Cassius,

sleeves';Serp. of division,

prefixed Gorboduc,
to

3909.
of the

1590.
commit.
Recomende,

He

story to Lucan, "c.

In

means

other

that he commits

the full telling

words, he refers the reader

those authors.

to

"

(born A.D. 39, died A.D. 65) was the author of the Pharsalia,
an
in
t
he
ten
between
books, narrating struggle
incompletepoem
Pompey
Lucan

and

There

Suetonius

of which
principal
There

Valerius.
author

of

Maximus,

is an

Englishtranslation of it by Rowe.
Tranquillus(born about A.D. 70) wrote several works,the

Caesar.

is The
were

on
poem
author of De

Jephson says

Lives of the Twelve

Caesars.

authors of this name,

(i)Valerius Flaccus,
the Argonautic expedition,
and (2) Valerius
two

Factis

DictisqueMemorabilibus

that Valerius Flaccus is meant

here,I know

Libri ix.
not

Mr.

why. Surely

NOTES

192

the reference is to Valerius

to Caesar

GROUP

B.

Maximus, who

; lib. vii. cap. 6.

and ende,beginning
and

3911. Ord
emendation
suggested
his

TO

of ord for word

has at least a

end.
was

Tyrwhittnotes that the

proposedby Dr. Hickes, in

Anglo-Saxon Grammar,

emendation

where

p. 70. Hickes
Cres. v. 1683 ;

in Troil. and
'And

of this broche

the editions have word.

Caedmon

from

orde oftende

see

from

ed.

he
He

ence
passingrefer-

told him

make

would

the

ende,'
ord
expression

same

ord and

also cites the

and ende

Thorpe'sedition,p. 225, 1. 30. We also find from

to end,in the poem
of Elene (Vercelli
MS.)
beginning
in the
Ord and ende occurs
also at a later period,

Grein,1.590.
in Floriz and Blancheflur,
1.47, ed.
Ormulum, 1. 6775 ; and stilllater,

Lumby,

in the

phrase,
'

Ord

and

Hu

blauncheflur

ende he

ha])him

told

isold.'
]"arinne

was

Tyrwhittargues that perhapsChaucer may himself have mistaken the

to
of the phrase; but perhapswe
the error
true spelling
may put down
the scribes. If conjectural
emendation
be admissible in rare cases, this
the true
where
there need be little hesitation in restoring
is one
Ord

text.

and

ende

where

it is not

modern

odds

and

ends;

see

Garnett's

to a
prefixed
before the
requiredetymologically,
especially

Moreover, it is

Essays,p. 37word

our
explains

not

uncommon

to find a

examples mocks, oaks, won, one, wodur, other,wostus,

oast-house,wo/A, oath, wots, oats, are all given in Halliwell's Prov.

vowel

The

o.

Dictionary.
CROESUS.

3917. Crestjs; king of Lydia,B.C.

560-546, defeated by Cyrus at

survived his benefactor.
and Croesus actually
Cyrus sparedhis life,
Chaucer,however, bringshim to an untimelyend. The story

Sardis.

of Croesus
also

is in

Herodotus,lib. I
Croesus

seems

Boccaccio,De

to

have

(ed.Meon)

as

Casibus

; Plutarch's lifeof

See
Virorum, lib. iii.cap. 20.
Solon,"c. But Boccaccio sents
reprethat the story
de la Rose, 11. 6512-6571

his disgraces.Tyrwhittsays
surviving

been

taken

; where1 the

from

the Roman

EnglishRomaunt

of the Rose

is defective.

In

Morris,p. 35, we
Cresus, king of
of whiche kyng Cirus was
ful sore
lyndens(sic),
agast a litelbyforne,
Cresus was
caujt of [by]Cirus,and lad to fe
J"at]"isrewlyche[pitiable]
doun from heuene, J"at
to be brent; but fat a reyne descendede
fijr
rescowede
of Fame, bk. i.1. 104-6,we have an
him ?' In the House
translation of Boethius, bk. ii. pr. 2, ed.
find this sentence.
'Wost
])ou not how
[Jtnowesi]
Chaucer's

allusion to the

'

dream] of
[vision,
Cresus,that was king of Lide,
That high upon a gibbetdide.'

avision"
'

THE

See also Nonne

NONNE

PRESTES

Pr. Ta. 1.318.

The

PROLOGUE.

version
tragic

193

of the fate of Croesus

is givenby Vincent of Beauvais,Speculum Historiale,

iii.1 7
extract,

an

as

it

de la Rose.

be

to

seems

the

account

which

and

is followed

give

in the

premisedthat Vincent makes Croesus to

prisoner
by Cyrus three times.
'Alii historiographi
iussit eum
narrant, quod in secunda captione,
et subito tanta
Cyrus rogo superponiet assari,
pluuiafacta est,vt eius
immensitate
vnde occasionem
ignisextingueretur,
repperiteuadendi.
et opum
Cumque postea hoc sibi prospere euenisse gloriaretur,
copia
nimium
dictum est ei a Solone quodam sapientissimo,
se
non
iactaret,
debere quemquam
in diuitiiset prosperitate
Eadem
nocte uidit
gloriari.
in somnis quod Jupitereum
et sol extergeret. Quod
aqua perfunderet,
filiae
ilia
absolcum
suae
mane
indicasset, (vtres se habebat) prudenter
et sole
et aqua perfundendus
uit,dicens : quod cruci esset affigendus
siccandus. Quod ita demum
nam
contigit,
posteaa Cyro crucifixus est.'
de la Rose, with
Compare the few followinglines from the Roman
11.
and 1. 3948"
3934^8
ce
dist,le lavoit,
Jupiter,

Roman

It must

be

have been taken

'

Et Phebus
Et

penoitde

se

Bien

la toailleavoit,
1'essuier

le dist Phanie

sa

fille,

estoit sage et soutille,'

"c.
Qui
is repeated
from the Monkes
3951. The passage here following
has been said,from Boethius,bk. ii.pr. 2.
and copied,
as
tant

to be
particularly
note

to 1. 391

note

to 1. 3163.

3956.See

NOTES
3957. The

"

noted

7 almost

that the passage

THE

knight.See

host alludes

the
the

below.

NONNE

PRESTES

PROLOGUE.

the

of him, Prol. 1. 43.

description
3961. For me, for myself,for my part. Cp. the phrase'as
M.
We also find for me, by my means
; F. 357.
the
bell
of
Saint
Paul's
church (inLondon).'
3970. 'By

3972. The

It is

quotedfrom Boethius in
immediatelyprecedesthe passage quotedin

note to 1. 3972

TO

logue,
Pro-

to

the

for me.'

concluding lines of the Monkes Tale,

remedie from 1. 3183, and cites the
no

!" 3956,then repeats the words

word biwaille from 1. 3952.
Compare all these passages.
3982. Piers. We must suppose that the host had by this time learnt
the monk's name.
In 1. 3120 above,he did not know it,
VOL.

II.

NOTES

194

TO

GROUP

B.

3984. Were it not for the ringingof your bells';lit.were

of your bells (allthe while). 'Anciently
no
a clinking
person
have been gallantly
equippedon horseback,unless the horse's
'

other part of the furniture

some

of Beauvais, who

about

wrote

templars;
knights-

Hist.

ii.160
Poetry (ed.Hazlitt),
'

3990.
6.

auditus

Ubi

the

(Vulgate);
breath

your

A. V.

cool

to

c.

to Prol. 1.
'

effundas

sermonem

is different. The

common

170.

; Ecclus. xxxii.

proverb, Keep
'

broth,'nearlyexpresses what

your

or

Vincent

pieceof pridein the

85 ';"c." Warton, Hist. Eng.

See also note

; i. 264.

est,non

non

bridle

this

264,censures

Spec.lib. xxx.

to

seems

stuck full of small bells.

was
1

there not

Chaucer

here

intends.

of

is

Substance

3993.

by Tyrwhittto
explained

thing.'Chaucer's meaning

seems

in Love's La. Lost, v.

871

'

2.

Of

him

that hears it ;

Of

him

that makes

3995. 'For

the

proprietyof

the material

very different from

not

part

speare's
Shake-

"

lies
jest's
prosperity

'

mean

in the

never

ear

in the

tongue

it.'

this

remark,

note

see

to

Prol.'l.166';

Tyrwhitt.
to priests,
usuallygiven,by courtesy,
4000. Sir; 'The titleof Sir was
both secular and regular ; Tyrwhitt. Tyrwhitt also remarks that, in
'

'

is a name
of
languages,John, or its equivalent,
least
of
So
the
Italians
from
whence
at
use
Gianni,
slight.
contempt or
Bobo
the
Zani [Eng. zany]
SpaniardsJuan, as
Juan, a foolish John ;
;
The reason
the French Jean, with various additions.'
(which Tyrwhitt
failed to see) is simplythat John is one
of the commonest
of common
For example,
names.
twenty-three
; and cf. our
popes took that name
to the French
Jean Crapaud,and the
phraseJohn Bull, which answers
Ivan
Russian
of the peculiarities
of the
Ivanovitch, the embodiment
Russian people';Wheeler's Noted Names
of Fiction.
Ivan Ivanovitch
would be John Johnson in Englishand Evan Evans
in Welsh.
Hence
sir John became
the usual contemptuous name
for a priest
; see abundant
examplesin the Index to the Parker Society's
publications.
Serue
R
elt
is
in
the
Harl.
"MS. is more
two
correct
syllables.
4004.
than rekke of the other MS.
exhibits the
The
2nd pers. imper.sing,
the

modern
principal

'

of

verb,without addition. A bene,the value of a bean ; in the

Milleres Tale a iers (i.e.
in a similar manner;
a blade of grass) occurs

stem

which

has been

corruptedinto

'

not

caringa

'

curse

form of assent ; yis

4006. Ye, yea, is a
a
strongerform, generally
asseveration.
form
See
note
1.
of
to
followed,as here,by some
1900
mild

is

above, p. 153.

4008. Attamed, commenced,

Lat. inlaminare

are

and Low
begun. The Lat. attaminare
equivalentto contaminate, to contaminate,soil,

196"

de

Traciatns

GROUP

E.

id

ob

oriundus,et

vico

TO

NOTES

Lignanusdictus,"c. One
Bella,is extant in MS. Reg. 13

composed it at

Bologna in the year

Chaucer
speaks of him as

of his works
B. ix.

titled
en-

[Brit.
Mus.].

however
1360.
a
in philosophy,
and so
mere
lawyer.
excelling
in Panzirolus.
The onlyspecimen of his philosophy
does his epitaph
that I have met with is in MS. Harl. 1006.
It is an astrological
work,
Conclusiones
entitled
Judiciicomposite per Domnum
Johannem de
coronacione
Domni
Urbani
VI.
A.D.
1378,' "c.
Lyniano super
Pape
said
be
to
is
here
and
have
to
been
the
near
Milan,
Lignano
lawyer's
Chaucer
In
1.
of
his
that
Chaucer
death,shewing
speaks
birthplace. 38,
later than 1383.
this prologue
wrote
He

introduction.

43. Proheme, proem,

He

Petrarch's

not

was

treatise

(taken from

Day x, Novel 10) is entitled 'De obedientia ac

Mythologia.'It is precededby a letter to Boccaccio, but

Boccaccio's Decamerone,
fide uxoria

this is not here alluded to.

which
the tale itself,

What

begins thus

Vesulus, ex Apenniniiugismons

simus,qui eius

it from

to

Emelward, towards

Padi

ortu

nobilis-

its mouth.

Pemond,

Viso.

Saluzzo,by
Aemilia.

Italywas called Aemilia, from

to Rimini.
Placentia [Piacenza]
in

v.

littledifferent.' See note

far from

occiduum

See

the Col

Piedmont.
the

Sahices,

of the
description
Murray's

de Viso, in

Piedmont.

and

Lex. Ant. Rom.

Pitiscus,
is

Vesulus,Monte

Dauphin

Mont

to Switzerland

51. To
regionsof

descendit.'

mare

Saluzzo, S. of Turin.
from

Italiae latus

ad

altissimus

unus

...

Guide

is the firstsection of

means

Est

latere fonte

; dehinc
in Adriaticum

route

'
"

lapsusexiguoorientem contra solem fertur,

tumidus incrementis
Liguriam gurgiteuiolentus interAemiliam, atque Flaminiam, Venetiamque discriminans

mirisquemox
secat

Chaucer

Tyrwhitt

says

"

'One

the via Aemilia, which

Placentia

Via Aemilia.

stood

of

the

crossed
the Po.

upon

Petrarch's description
.

Ferrare, Ferrara, on the Po, not

than Venice.
Venyse,rather the Venetian territory

'
It seems
to me
a thingirrelevant,
exceptingthat he wishes
54.
'
'
introduce his story ; or it may
mean,
imparthis information.'
56. this ; a contraction for this is ; formerlycommon.

NOTES

57. In many
for word

; and

above.

TO

THE

CLERKES

to

TALE.

placesthis storyis translated from Petrarch

as
Tyrwhittremarks, it would be endless

almost

word

trative
to cite illus-

The firststanza is praisedby

Latin.
passages from the original
Professor Lowell, in his Study Windows, p. 208, where he says
What
of vision is herel*
Chaucer
is not quiteso close a translator
a sweep
'

"

here

as

usual

the passage

in Petrarch

being
"

'

Inter caetera

ad radicem

THE

uicis
Vesuli, terra Salutiarum,
arbitrio nobilium
82. Leet he
find
'

'

state

igj

castellis satis

et

Marchionum
frequens,

quorundum regituruirorum.'
to pass unattended

he allowed
slyde,
'

Let the world

The

TALE.

ES

CLERK

slide

of vertue

Induction

Student's Manual

we

of the Shrew, 1.5 ; and

Sturdy Rock (inPercy'sRe-

Taming

to

slides';The

never

See Marsh's
liques).

to, neglected.So

p. 125, where the

'alia
Petrarch has

of

Eng. Lang.

expressionis noted as still current in America.

With 11.83-140, cf. Shakesp.Sonnets, i-xvii.
negligeret.'
pene cuncta
86. flockmele,
in a flock or troop ; Pet. has
cateruatim.'
Palsgrave's
"

"

French

Diet, has

Flockmeale, par troupeaux

'
"

'

Cf. E.

fol.440, back.

also find witkemalum, week

piece-meal
by week, Ormulum, 536 ;
; we
Hm-mele, limb from limb, Layamon, 25618; hipyllmelum,by heaps,
ii. 292.
xviii. 25: Koch, Eng. Gramm.
Wycl. Bible,Wisdom
than others
to do with this matter
99. 'Although I have no more
have who are here present.'
Observe that the Marquisis addressed as
the former beinga titleof respect.
thoti,

ye, not

103-105.
106. We
to
pleasing

These

three lines

should
us

that

"s

The

nominative

have

; but

rather have

to
equivalent

107. And

Such

115. Cf. Barbour's

find here

instance

an

'it

'uolant enim

"

quid in homine
are

This

as

euer,

"c.

as

respect to you.'
Yow

cf. 11. 253,

ever

1098.

M.

rapidi.'
Group F, 1. 171.

line is Chaucer's

I may
'
from
Et

ever

"

domesticis

curam

suis

197-203. Expanded from

own.

stock.

has

Petrarch

'
"

Quic-

Lines 174,

thrive,as I hope

to thrive.

ipsam nupipse nihilominus earn

diem."
imposuit,edixitque
uillula pauFuit baud
procula palatio
'

"

atque inopum incolarum.'

corum

211-217.

Sometimes

as
merelyparaphrases,

'
"

223.

Chaucer
here.

translates

Lines

and
literally,

215-217

are

all his

sometimes

he

own.

and staid disposition.

Petrarch
corage, a mature
sed uirilissenilisque
latebat in pectore.'
animus uirgineo

Rype

220.

has

dative,so

own.

190-196.Expanded
tiarum

double

boni est, non

ab alio quam
est.'
a Deo
if. This line,in Petrarch, comes
after 1. 173.

Chaucer's

172. As

with

Latin text, tacita.' Cf.

wol chese yow, we will choose for you.

race,
157. Bountee, goodness. Streeti,

75

of

are

dies

'

147. Ther, where.

lykethye, i.e. you

pleasesus

Bruce, ed. Skeat, i. 266-8."

Still as stoon;

168. As,

us

is the usual force of dcon;

118, 119. Expanded from

129.

original.

is ye, the dative and

broughtit about.

We

in the

accusative yow or you.

case
pleaseyou, in 1. ill, is the usual idiom.
hati doon, and (bothyou and your doings)have
euer

it may
leste,

121.

not

expectedto

we

is

lykethyow

are

and

sad

Spinning; i.e. she spun whilst keepingthe sheep; see

picture

198

TO

NOTES

of Ste. Genevieve

in Mrs.

seetk,sliced and

rediens

dapes

cubiculum

et

E.

Sacred
Jameson's

224 is Chaucer's.
227. Shredde and
oluscula

GROUP

and

sod

fortunae

Line

LegendaryArt.

(or boiled).Lat. 'domum

praeparabat,durumque

congruas

sternebat,'"c.

aloft. She kept up her father's life,

i.e.sustained him.
On-lofie,
234. For this line the Latin has only the word transiens.
229.

237. In sad

wyse,

soberly;

Lat. senili grauitate.

the common
242. Here the people.means
people; Lat. 'uulgioculis.'
In the next line he is emphatic,
meaning that his eyes were
quickerto
than theirs.
perceive
doon

253. Hath
anulos

make, hath caused

to be

made.

Lat.

Ipseinterim

'

et

et balteos

Chaucer
inserts asure,
conquirebat.'
the colour of fidelity;
For balteos,
see
SquieresTale, 1. 644,and note.
he substitutes the familiar Englishphrase broches and ringes;cf. P.
Flowm.
B. prol.75.
Scan
By | a mayd | e lyk | to hir | stature.||
257.
et coronas

aureos

"

259.

Here

Chaucer

omit

material

sentence

'

:
"

nullus sponsae rumor

admiratio
audiretur,
excreuerat.' But he has it above ; 11. 246-8.

expectatusdies,et
uehementer

in the Teutonic

afternoon, or

Uenerat
omnium

cum

the intervening
middle period)has two meanings
or
(lit.
tongues; (i) mid-forenoon,i.e. 9 a.m. ; and (2) mid-

260. Undern

meant;

to

seems

In this passage
it
in 1. 981, where

it is

3 p.m.

indeed

the
clearly

former

again, the

occurs

that is

originalhas
the original

i.e. 9 a.m.
In this passage,
'proximae lucis Itora tertia,'
in Chaucer's
has hora prandii,meaning luncheon -time,which

would

often be 9

in the

Glossary.

See note to Piers PI. B. vi. 147 ; and

a.m.

see

time
Undern

short passage
260-294.Expanded and improvedfrom the following
domus
tota feruebat.
Hora iam prandii
aderat,iamque apparatu ingenti
domo
Turn Gualtherus,aduentanti ueluti sponsae obuiam
profecturus,
"

'

egreditur,
prosequenteuirorum

nobilium

et matronarum

Gri-

caterua.

pararentur ignara,peractisquae agenda

e longinquofonte conuectans
erant, aquam
paternum limen intrasui sponsam
domini
ad uisendam
cum
ut, expeditacuris aliis,

seldis omnium
domi
bat:

quae

erga

se

comitibus
puellis
322.

properaret.'
Goiierneth,
arrange, disposeof.

as a
imperative,
as

ye, it is a mark

has

hi

and

mark

of

respect.When

of extreme

Observe
the

condescension

the

use

of the

plural

marquisaddresses Griseldis
on

his

part; the Latin

text

te.

337-343.

Expanded from

inuenere;quam
350. Yoiv

'
"

insolito tanti

iis uerbis Gualtherus

anyse, consider

the

aduentu
hospitis

stupidam

aggreditur.'

matter;

reallya

delicate way

of

ex-

THE

TALE.

CLERKES

le roy s'aviserafor

refusal. Compare the legalformula

pressing
the royalrefusal to a proposedmeasure.

364. For
si

mori

me

if I

deed,even

to be

to be

were

iusseris,quod moleste

383381. Corone, nuptial

garland; Lat.
ed.

dead,

expressing

to die ;

were

Lat.

'

et

feram.'

characteristic lines are

375, 376. These

199

'

Chaucer's

corona.'

So

own.

are

See Brand's

11.382,

Pop.Antiq.

ii. 123.
Ellis,

388. Snow-why t; Lat.

this; F. Q. i. i. 4.

'

niueo.'

PerhapsSpensertook

hint from

from 1. 341.
altered,
Repeated,slightly
So also in Cant. Ta. 9416 (Tyrwhitt);
409. Thewes,mental qualities.
lib. vii,sect, i ; Spenser,F. Q. i. 9. 3 ; i. 10. 4 ;
Gower, Conf. Amant.
of the word thews in our old
ii. i. 33, "c.
The common
signification
mind
of
and disposition By thews
writers,is manners, or qualities
muscular
brawn, nerves,
Shakespeare means
vigour
unquestionably
Hen.
i.
i.
Cses.
iii.
And
this
2
to
2
IV,
3).
(Jnl.
; Hamlet,
sense,
3 ;
393.

'

...

and this

only,the word

has

settled down

; the

other sense, wLich

is quitegone out and forgotten.
was
so familiar in our
literature,
formerly
[With respect to theawe sinew, in Layamon, 1. 6361] Sir F. Madden
now

remarks

"

beingappliedto

This is the

than

may

be

till Shakespeareadoptedit'; Craik's

sense,
on

fast; 'omnium

animos

Tennyson'sLord

an

earlier

English of Shakespeare;
sibi

nexu

magni

amoris

of

Burleighwith 11.394-413.
Roially; alludingto the royalvirtues of Griseldis,

429. Not only the context, but

hotnlinesse. Feet is fact,i.e. act.

the Latin
The

Latin

the
text, justifies
is

'

'

Although

rather,"c.

The

Latin

reading
solers

uero

posceret,publica

res
own.

have been liefer to her to have borne

it would

child'; i.e. she would

Neque

"

sed, ubi
sponsa muliebria tan turn haec domes/tea,
oftlcia.'
Chaucer's
etiam obibat
Lines 432-434
are
444.

of

Jul.Ccesar, i. 3.

412. Embrace, hold

astrinxerat?
Compare
421.

of the word

the sixteenth century been found in which it is so used."

It
in this
word
that it had only been a provincial
conjectured

date

note

only instance in the poem

has any other passage
nor
bodilyqualities,

(iii.
471) :

"

has

"

'quamuis

male
filium

maluisset.'

Cepit (ut fit)interim Gualtherum, cum

iam ablactata esset infantula (mirabilis
quaedam quam laudabilis,[aliler,
mirabile
doctiores iudicent)
an
quidem magis quam laudabile,]
cupiditas
satis expertam charae fklem coniugisexperiendi
altius [aliter,
ulteriusl,

449-462.Expanded

et iterum

atque

iterum

483. Note Walter's

next

from

'

"

retentandi.'
use

of the word

stanza, instead of the usual y".

thee
It is

here,and cf thy twice in the

a

but significant
slight,
sign

TO

NOTES

30O

GROUP

E.

offered under pretenceof reporting

the opinionof others,
insult,

of

1. 492

have

fn

again.
fac ut libet.'
504. Thing,possession.Lat. 'de rebus tuis igitur
a
516. A furlong wey or two, the distance of one or two furlongs,
short distance, a little. Merely an almost proverbial
way of expressing
distance,not onlyof space, but of time. The line simply means
a
we

your

'

"

littleafter.'
525. Stalked him; marched himself in,as
him is remarkable,but not uncommon.
Lat.

533-539Hie

'

lussus

sum

hanc

we

should

infantulam

say. This

of

use

accipere,
atque earn

"

abrupto,quasi crudele ministerium silentio exprimens,

subticuit.' Compare Quos ego
Aen. i. 135.
; Virgil,
540-546.Lat. Suspectauiri fama ; suspecta facies ; suspectahora ;
suspecta erat oratio ; quibus etsi clare occisum iri dulcem filiam inteldedit.' Mr. Wright
nee
ligeret,
lachrymulam tamen ullam,nee suspirium
sermone

'

'

"

'

quotes this otherwise,puttingdulce for dulcem, and

stoppingat

intel-

ligeret.
of the
547-56?- Chaucer expands the Latin, and transposes some
Lines 561-563 precede 11. 547-560 in the original,
which
matter.
' in
has
nutrice quidem, nedum
durissimum
in matre
merely
; sed
fronte
simul
"
tranquilla
puellam accipiens
aliquantulumrespexit
exosculans benedixit,
ac
porrexitque
signum sanctae crucis impressit,
"

satelliti.'
570. After That in this
burie in the next

all the

as

best to retain it.

some

paterna animum

iumento

best MSS.

seven

Tyrwhittalters

579. Somwhat, in

582-591. Lat.

ought,in

strict grammar,

have ye

to

burieth. But the phrase

line,instead of the imperative

is idiomatic,
and

menter

we
line,

'

agree in this

if.

That but to But

degree. But
mouit.'
pietas

tieJiedifferently

Petrarch says

lussit satelliti obuolutam

it is
reading,
'

"

pannis,cistae iniectam,ac

impositam,quiete omni

deferret ad

sororem

suam,

Bononiam
quanta posset diligentia
"c.
quae illiccomiti de Panico nupta erat,'

586. 'But, under penaltyof having his head

off' ; lit.of

cut

cutting

off his head.

Bologna,E. by
589.Boloigne,
Saluzzo.
has

Panik

Panago.

to

answers

I observe

S. from Modena, and

the de Panico

in note

long way

1. 582 ; Boccaccio
flowingbetween

to

in the map
the river Panaro
connection
perhapsthere is some

Modena

and

names.

Tyrwhitthas Pavie

Bologna;

from

(Pavia)in his text, but

between

corrects

the

it in the

notes.

602. In oon, in one and the same

also in 1. 677. Cf. Kn. Ta. 913.

607. This

must

mean

'
"

no

state:

accidental

euer

signof

in oon,

any

alwaysalike;so

calamity.*

THE

615. Merit;
Chaucer's

three

TALE.

CLERKES

2O1

LI.

146.

Pr. Ta.

cf. Non.
syllables;

621-623 are

own.

"c.
625. Siklyberth,hardlybear, dislike. Lat. populumaegreferre?
643. Lat. ne te inopinuset subitus dolor tuibet.'
Dixi (ait)et repeto,nihil possum
seu
645-651. Expanded from
uelle,seu nolle,nisi quae tu; neque uero in ijsfiliisfjuicquamhabeo,
'

'

'

"

praeter laborem.'
three syllables
663. Plesance,
one
syllable.
; slabf,
of your
666. The pain of death is not to be compared to the pleasure
love. Lat. 'nee mors
ipsanostro fuerit par amori.' Cf. 11.817, 1091.
"c. i.e. ever
the longer (he thinks of it)the more
687. Euer longer,
he wonders.

700. And

In the more, the word

he; cf. And ye, 1. 105.

701-707.

Expanded

stake ; cf. Macb.

704. A

714. More

719.

'

J"y.

non
qui,ubi semel inceperint,
incumbant, haereantqueproposito.'

desinant; immo

from

the is for A.S.

v.

7.

sunt

Jul.Caesar,iv. I. 48.

painstaking
; Lat.

more
penible,

She made

'sed

"

it clear that

have
any worldlyanxiety,
her husband.'

any

no

obsequentior.*

'

wife should

of

on
herself,

account

different from
will,in practice,

of

that of

See 1. 730.
misit.' So in Mid.

Walter.
7 .'2. Sclaundre,ill fame, illreportconcerning

'
nuncios Romam
738. Message,
a messenger
; Lat.
Englishwe find prisounor prisonfor prisoner
; Piers. PL B. vii.30.
in olden times for
not
uncommon
773. Anon, immediately. It was

girlsto

be married

married

at that age.

at

twelve years of age.

797. Lat. 'magna omnis

850. Were
of her old

was

first

est.'
fortuna seruitus magna
the word
clothes following;cf. it ben, Piers

agrees with
B. vi. 56. She did not

Plowm.

Wife of Bath

The

really
bringher

husband

clothes,as theyhad been taken from her.

own, and shew his delicacyof touch.

the dower

even

Lines

851-861 are

all Chaucer's

871. Probablysuggestedby Job

So 1. 902 is from

Job iii.3.
alive,a livingbeing.
903. Lyues, alive ; a lynescreature, a creature
of the substantive.
Lyues is an adverb,formed like nedes,from the genitive
case
There

are

'Yif
i.e. if I let him
B. xix. 154.
910. After
cola's

go

this

et attritam

other instances of its use.

I late him
alive.

away

to meet.

has

paruae

So also

to

as
come

509.

again lyues alive,in

And

omitted

the circumstance

daughter'sold clothing
;

senio,abditam

911. Agayns,towards, so
is to go

go,'Havelok,

Hues

line,Chaucer

his
preserving

i. 31.

domus

to meet.

agayns,

'

tunicam

eius

Piers PI.

of

Janihispidam,

in parte seruauerat.' Seel. 913.

To go agayns, in Mid. English,
to

ride agayns,

(or agayn). See

TO

NOTES

202

GROUP

E.

to Spec,of Eng. (Morrisand Skeat). LI. 915-917

Agayn in Glossary

Chaucer's

are

'

916.

day of

For

her

own.

the cloth

days older

poor, and many

was

938. But, except,unless

adverbial expression.It
lately.'In other words,
"

in

heard

on

the

marriage.'

of men, where
934. Namely of men, especially
whole of this stanza (932-938)is Chaucer's.

woman

than

now

it must
humility,

is

men

fallen,
happened ;
; falle,
then,

means

If there is

of

example

an

newly, an
happened very
a
man
surpassing

of

newe,

it has

unless

'

emphatic. The

; for I
happenedvery lately

have

have

never

of it.'

939. Pars Sexta.

place,and is taken

This

which

of

part

new

in

comes

fitting

But
Tyrwhitt,who may have found it in a
in the Latin original,
in any of the eightMSS. of
nor

MS.

from

there is no break here

Chaucer

indication

I have

consulted.

Erl

of Panik

Lat.

'

Panicius comes.'

940. More and lesse,

greater and smaller ; i.e.everybody.So also in
the Frank. Tale, 'riueres more
and lesse'; Cant. Ta. 11366. So also
moche

and

lite,
great and small, Prol. 494

least,Kn. Ta. 1340.

Spenserhas, F. Q. vi. 6. 12,

all,both bad and good, both most

'Gainst

'

Alle and

941.

"

i.e.all and

some,

Accidence,sect.

960.
E. is right.

leste,
greatestand

and

mosle

and

one

one,

and

least.'

See Morris's

all.

Eng.

218, p. 142.

Wommen;

MSS.

some

Petrarch

have

as

vmmman,

in

Tyrwhitt.

But

MS.

the word

foeminas,not foeminam.
ill provided; lit.ill beseen.
The word yuel is pro965. Yuel biseye,
nounced
here almost as a monosyllable(as it were
is so commonly
as
""'/),
the case with etier;
indeed generally,
words ending with el and

er

are

Tale

often thus

uses

clipped.A

remarkable

A. 3715), where
(Six-text,

the word

in the

euer

That

instance

onlyhave

not

we

in the Milleres

occurs
a

similar

line

same

"

trewe

loue

was

euer

so

yuel biset.'

The
converse
yuel apayed in line 1053 below.
richlyprovidedor adorned, in 1. 984 below.
richelybiseye,
See also

981. Lat.

'

lucis hora

Proximae

ending,but

tertra

to

is
yuelbiseye,
'

superuenerat ;

comes

see

note

so

good

to I. 260.

995-1008.

These
have

that

theymay
is inserted in the

stanzas

two

been

ar-j

Chaucer's

later addition.

own,

In MS.

and

are

E. the word

Aucfor

margin,and 1. 995 beginswith a largecapitalletter.

At the beginningof 1. 1009 is a paragraph-mark,shewing where the
translation beginsagain. Vnsad, unsettled.
Cf. Shakesp.Cor. i. i. 186,
Jul.Caesar, i. I. 55 ; Scott,Lady of the Lake, v. 30.
Ever full of tittle-tattle,
penny.'
which would be dear enough at a half999.
small
of
of
coin
Genoa
Sir Thopas,
lane, a
(Janua); see Rime
'

and

TO

NOTES

204
tender

kissingof

her

GROUP

beloved

E.

for there is

children

"

nothingin

Petrarch,answeringto these four

(1079-1106)"he rounds all,as Petrarch had done,with

Boccaccio, and but half

beautiful stanzas

in

sentence

simplesense, which givesreligious

meaning to the tale,then closes with a
strain of satire which protectsGriselda herself from the mocker.'
lighter
idiom, see Kn.
1098. Hath caused you (tobe) kept.' For the same
'

Tale, 1055

; Man

of Law's

His

Tale, 171.

fader,i.e.Janicola. This

1133.
wyues
been mentioned before
I. 1128,

1140. For

in the

as

circumstance

original.

the other MSS.

o/(EllesmereMS.)

should have

read in.

to
Chaucer follows down
1141. Aucfour,author, i.e. Petrarch,whom
1. 1162. LI. 1138-1141 are Chaucer's own, and may be compared with his
poem on the Golden Age; see Chaucer's Boethius,ed. Morris,pp. 50, 180.

'huius uxoris patientiam,

intolerable;Lat.
quae
1144. Importable,
mihi nix imitabilisuidetur.' Of course
11. 1147-8 are Chaucer's.
"

Receive all with

'

1151.

submission.'

Fr.

en

in good
gratefully,

gre,

part. Sent,sendeth ; present tense, as in Piers Plowman, C. xxii. 434.

The

which would
past tense is sente,a dissyllable,

1153. 'For it is very reasonable

which He created.'

Bonghte,(hath)redeemed.

1153.
1162.

Here

Chaucer's

Petrarch

of

the coy Clerk.

1 1

77. Here
are

line.

James i. 13.

his narrative,
and

in 1. 1

here, beyond all doubt,

70, he alludes

to

the

Wife of Bath, of

the story.
thoughtwhen firsttranslating
the metre
changes; the stanzas are of six lines,and all
linked together.There are but three rimes throughout
;
had

never

third lines of every stanza, -aillein the second,

and -yndein the fifth
sixth (requiring
rimes in all),
eighteen

It is a fine example even

1188.
old

cow

(ortest)that

in the first and

fourth,and

an

and

probablyhe

six stanzas
"ence

prove

this pointto the end

ended also. From
originally
later period,
and in his best manner,
thoughunsiiited
He easily
links on his addition by the simpleexpression

herkneth
lordinges,
whom

ends

See St.

should

rime.

translation

is the work
to

that He

not

Chichenache

from

metrical

for chiche vache, i.e. lean

pointof
cow.

view alone.

The

allusion is to

which describes a monstrous

origin,
wives, and
feedingentirely
upon patient

fable,apparentlyof French

named

Chiche

Vache

as

lean in consequence
of her diet. A later form
of the scarcity
Bicorne (two-horned),
of the fable adds a second beast,named
who, by

beingvery

husbands, was always

feedingupon patient
in the
Mr. Wright says"' M. Achille Jubinal,
a
torn. i. p. 390, has printed
to his Mysteresinedits dtt xv
Siccle,
of Chichevache from a MS. of the fourteenth
poetical
description

adoptingthe wiser course

fat and in good case.
notes

French

century. In the French

ib. p. 281),a
(Jubinal,

of

miracle of St. Genevieve, of the fifteenth century

man

says

to the saint,
satirically

MARCHAUNTES

THE

'

Gardez
El

n'amendez

205

chicheface,
vous

point

sa

encontre,

besoigne.'

printedin Mr.
of Dan John Lydgate,p. 129 (PercySociety)
Poems
;
Morley'sEnglishWriters,ii.426, and his Shorter English Poems,
of being too patient,
Beware
The passage in Chaucer
means,
55.
by Lydgate

and

Bycorne

on

poem
Halliwell's Minor

see

la

s'el

mordra

vous

Vous
A

de

vous

PROLOGUE.

Chichevache

is

'

p.
lest Chichevache

you down.*
Eltko,imitate Echo, who
swallow

1189. Folweth

alwaysreplies.
like
a mill
(or
(thatis alwaysgoing
Always
rattle)
on,
and
round
man
spekelh to
making a noise). Jangling is whan
before folk,and clappethas a mille, and taketh no kepe what
moche
French Diet,
he seith ; Ch. Persones Tale, De Stiperbia.Palsgrave's
'

talk

'

1 200.

'

'

has

fast

Cf. 'As

make

clappe,I

'
"

as

millwheels

clapperof a mill,le clacque.'

strike'; Tempest, i. 2. 281.
as

noyse

the

1204. Aventaille,the lower half of the moveable

F.
which admitted air ; called by Spenserthe ventail,
12

Q.

by Shakespearethe beaver,Hamlet, i. 2. 230.

; and

in Douce's

Illustrations of
front

in

helmet

part of

made

was

The

sides of the head.

Shakespeare,that
in two

upper
of

to admit
ventail,

lower the

part is the

turned

on

to admit
visor,

breathing. Both

helmet

iv. 6. 19 ; v. 8.
It is explained,

the moveable

parts,which

part of the

hingesat
of

the

vision,the

parts could be removed

them
upwards, and throwing them
face,but only by lifting
If the visor alone were
lifted,
only the upper part of the face was

the

from
back.

exposed;

but

if the ventail

and the whole of the face

'

lifted,the visor also

were

was

seen.

Erminia

Compare
comforted

went

Fairfax's Tasso, vii. 7

their

it,
"

fear,

But

sweet

Her

ventail up, her visageopen laid.'

With reference to the present passage, Mr.

So also in Hamlet.

with

Jephson

auentaille is a perfect
I fail to
example of bathos.
says that and eek his
see
why ; the weapon that pierceda ventail would pass into the head,

and

inflicta death-wound.

1211.

'As

lightas

leaf

The

but not silly.

passage is playful,
linden- tree
old proverb. See
an
was
'

on

Piers PI. B. i. 154.

NOTES

TO

THE

MARCHAUNTES

PROLOGUE.

an
;
expressioncaughtfrom 1. 1212, and
Weping and vjayling
linkingthis prologue to the foregoing tale. Yet in 14 MSS. the
Merchant's
Tale is separatedfrom the Clerk's ; Trial Forewords, by
F. J. Furnivall (Chaucer Soc.),p. 28.
1 22 1, 1222.
What, why. At al, in every respect; like Lat. omnino.

1213.

206

NOTES

1227. This theme

late minor poem.
said to be

always
Thomas
the

Thomas.

Seme

1230.

is

of

TO

of his

to

of miracles
Colonel

18.

lay at Mailapur, a

St. Thomas's

preachingin

speaks
'

cum

India

Word

in India, cum

Thoma

lix.,ad

Marcellam.

placein

India

to Edessa

suburb

the

Romae,'

in the year 394.

See

Swich

2420.

bee ;

The

word

2436.Of

somme,

by

line.

He

cause

some,

he

says

to

sure

are

the whole

word.

TO

NOTES
There

I.

to

the wrong

Thomas

long

in

Mrs.

Tale,as

In many

MSS.

placefor

it.

pluralof

vulgar; it

is common

need

not

say

by

things. This
the

to

Wife

Yemannes

THE

whom

is

by whom,

it would

be

in

told ;

clear allusion to the

of Bath

in

herself.

who
particular,

Outen, to utter,

Tale, Group G, 1. 834.

It is

TALE.

SQUIERES

is nothingto link this tale

begin here.

Squire Head-link

break.

Yule's

ourselves.

considered

now

in
precedingone, and, accordingly,
the

ported
trans-

was

END-LINK.

kept such thingsto

again in the Chanouns

is made

Saint

of

it

of Colonel

dissyllabic.
So of whom
one.
by some

and

occurs

Group F,

Epist.

is

such

utter

company,
would
not have
certainly

rare

lay before

MERCHANT'S

why is

phrasecause

in the

ladies

fulness

(A.D. 544-595) speaks of the

204, Chaucer has been as the

a
nd
cf. Nonne
Pr. Ta. 571.
Glossary,

2435. The
in London.

the next

in His

Sci. Hieronomi

"c. ;

council,between
Inconseil,in (secret)

2431.

women

legend of
high antiquity.St. Jerome

In the Clerk. Ta.

in the

Been

see

body of

husband.

Bees.

2422.

given in

The

wyf,i.e.the wife described in the Marchauntes

her
deceiving

THE

TO

NOTES

is

that the

us

Madras.

of St. Thomas

body

the

upon

of

is of very

the account
subject
; and
Jameson'sSacred and Legendary Art.
note

tells

being everywhere present

Petro

Thomas, of

wrought by him,

Yule

Gregory of Tours

where

Bukton,

of the shrine of St.

account

St. Thomas

of the Divine

Chaucer

Apostleis mentioned,he is nearly

him, it maybe, from Saint
distinguish

death, and

Polo, bk. iii.ch.

Lenvoy de

this

Whenever

of India,

F.

E,

in

enlargedupon

Canterbury. Some

manner

Marco

GROUPS

the Six-text

In the Ellesmere

follows

Merchant

the

it follows the
See note

to

Man

with the
inseparably
edition,the sixth fragment

MS., and several others,

End-link

of Law's

Group B,

without

any

Tale ; but that is

1, 1165, p. 141.

THE

allusion to Prol. 1. 97, unless (which is

written afterwards.
in the Prologuewas

An

i.

passage

This

Sarray, Sarai.

9.

Colonel

Yule

The

identified,
past all doubt, by
Polo's Travels, vol. i. p. 5, and

been

is Tsarev,

name

have

crossed the

provinceof

bend, at Sarepta and Tsaritzin.

sudden

the ancient Sarai

but
importance,
Sea

modern

sometimes

was

Sarain*

the
quiteas probable)

Sarepta. Sareptais

near

of Russia by following
the
any good map
its mouth
-upwards. At first this backward

from
tillwe

N.W.

placehas

in his edition of Marco

vol. ii.p. 424.

found on
easily

Volga

TALE.

SQUIERES

was

from

named

is

it makes

now

placeof

it; thus

it is called

a
no

Caspian

well-known, that the

so

runs

course

Astrakhan,when
Tsarev

of the

course

'the

sea

of

Polo, ed. Yule, ii. 424: 'the sea of Sarra' in the

of
1375 ; and Mare Seruanicum, or the Sea of Shirwan, by
map
of Beauvais.
on
Thynne, in his Animadversions
Speight's
in Marco

Catalan
Vincent

Chaucer, speaksto the

and says of
effect,

same

yet well knowen, and

borderingvppon

it is stillmore

pointto

to the

'

the lake

that it is

place
Caspium.' But

Mare

that Sarai

observe

'

Sara

the

was

'

placewhere

Batu, with
Khan, the grandson of Gengis Khan, held his court.
his Mongolian followers known
as the Golden
Horde, had established an
S. E. Russia, about
A.D.
empire in Kaptchak, or Kibzak, now
1224.
Batu

The

Golden

Horde

grand-dukeof it,A.D.
of

Russia, and made

further invaded

(See Golden

1252.

Horde

in

Alexander

Newski

Haydn'sDictionary

Dates.)
It is also

There

held

two

were

ruled

over

his court
manner.

has

that Chaucer

celebrated Khans, both

rulingabout

were

and

quiteclear
the

time.

same

here confused

The

held his court

Khan

Batu

the S.E. of Russia ; but the Great Khan, named

at Cambaluc, the modern
Pekin, in a still more
And

it is easy

Rtissye,
Russia; invaded
end

of the Tartar

Svenigorod,
generalof
wisch.
12.

In the

accounts.

grandsons of Gengis Khan, who

to

see

following
year

Cambynskan;

that in the Ellesmere

so

by the Golden

influence in Russia
Ivan

in all

MS.

assumed
MSS.

seven

it more

Sarai,

Kublai,

ficent
magninames

See the Preface.

Horde,

was

III,defeated them
Ivan

at

that, although Chaucer

Sarai,his description
to Cambaluc.
applies
really
10.

two

as

justexplained.

in the year 1481,when

at the battle of Biela-

the title of

and
(Six-text

czar.

Harleian)except

resembles Cambynskan. Yet Tyrwhitt

deference to Milton, who, however,

printsCambuscan, probably in
the word
accents
certainly
wrongly, viz. on the second syllable
; II
1.
in
his Animadversions
Penseroso, 1 10. Thynne,
on
Chaucer,
Speight's
of
the
in
whiche
the
1
be
must
speaking
year
240, says
tyme of the
called Caius canne,
fyrst Tartariane emperor
beinge,I suppose, he
Chaucer
whome
namethe
Cambiuscan, for so ys [itin] the written
such
is
there
those two
betwene
names.'
affynytye
copies,
Now,
'

"

208

NOTES

although the

celebrated

allusion to

the

makes

forms

'

TO

Gengis Khan

died

fyrstTartariane

is clear ;
(perhaps miswritten

emperor

Cawius) and
which

Colonel

Yule

which

the reader

used the title as

'

has found

name

as
authority,

for Caius, i.e.

very result for

explainedin the Preface, to

to Kublai
Khan, his grand'),his description
applies
son,
really
Grand
the celebrated
Khan
Polo.
described by Marco
18. Lay, religious
belief.
See
the Preface, p. xliv.
or
profession

Grand

Khan

'

'

This line

20.

proposedin

ill as it stands in the MSS.

scans

Tyrwhittinserts and

the text.

this makes

adopts; but
'

Thynne

that

explainedthat Chaucer has

names
Gengis Khan (the first

and, whilst he

so

1227, the

this is the

is referred. It is there
a

probably in

'

Cambitis,Cains
Gengis all equivalent.But

the

F.

GROUP

the line

unless

before

insert eek,as

we

alwey,which

Wright
accented

it givestwo
as
intolerable,

amis '"

The

Hengwi

And

pi I

t MS.

has

Pietous

tons

and

/justdnd / alwty/yliche.

"

lust, and

and

euere

yliche,

moore

which

form pietous
took the trisyllabic
;
suggests that piloussometimes
this
needless
Troil.
iii.
With
eek
in
is
form,
;
as, indeed,
1444, v. 451.
and this I take to be, on the whole, the best solution of the difficulty.
often used

Centre;

22.

in the

of

sense

Cf. Milton,Par. Reg. iv. 533

stability.
'

is

Whiche

fairlypreserve
by
greateremphasis,
may

Of
3

after elde"te; fortunately,

it is not

but
the

two
e

in

of Marco

denotingthe pluralform. The

the e's being elided ; but we
syllables,

highte(cf.1. 33)

from

of

indeed, was

for the
elision,

"

"

I have

no

doubt

that this

name

by
suggested

was

the

Polo.

I suppose.
festival made

deme,

which

in the

See the Preface,p. xliii.

Longingfor,belongingto. Cf. longen,Kn. Ta.

44. I
account

verse,
the centre of the uni-

was

line
short pause, and we then have a perfect
which/e th' el/dest'
high/te Al/garsif/.

Canibalo.

39.

from

sone

Cambaluc

extreme

"

of the earth

centre

the
dissyllable,

tV eldest'form

words

pointof

therefore immoveable.

Tyrwhittinserts

MSS.

or

againstall temptation,as a rock

adamant, and, as a centre,firm.'

astronomy, the

and
30.

fulcrum

Proof
Of

In the old

This

by

looks

the Grand

as

if Chaucer

Khan

he inferred that he always held such

See the Preface, p. xlv.
the case.

on
a

one

1420.
had
of his

read

some

birthdays,

feast every year ; as,

feast cried. The

45. He leet don cryen, he caused (men) to have the
He gave his orders
of both leet and don is remarkable
; cf. E. 253.
use
made.
that the proclamation
and they took care
was
to his officers,
47. It is not

clear

why Chaucer

hit upon

this

day

in

particular.

THE

Kublai's
White

equinox,or

was
some

'

'last Idus
Aries

September,but perhapsChaucer noted that the

the vernal
New
Year's day,which he took to mean
on
The
day near it. The day,however, is well denned.
The sun entered
15.
very day of the Ides,i.e. March

birthdaywas

Feast

is the

TALE.

SQUIERES

to
according

in

Chaucer

2th of March, at the

Astrolabe,ii.i. 4),on

the

(Treatiseon

the

to a
equinox; and, as a degreeanswers
would be in the first
day very nearly,
degreeof Aries on the 1 2th,in the
second on the J3th,in the third on the I4th,in the fourth on the I5th,
and in the fifth(or at the end of the/o"r/A)
the i6th, as Chaucer
on
most
expresslysays below ; see note to 1. 386. The sign Aries was
1

vernal

said, in astrology,
to be the exaltation of the Sun,
the Sun

had

influence for

most

good

that

sign in which
ill. In particular,
the igth

or

or

selected as the Sun's

degree of Aries,for some
mysteriousreason, was
Chaucer
when
most
exaltation,
exactlyreckoned.
says, then, that the
Sun was
in the sign of Aries, in the fourth degree of that sign,and
therefore nigh to (and approaching)the igth degree,or his special

degree of
face

'

'

of

exaltation.

this,the poet says the

Mars, and in the mansion

Mars'

means

Besides

of Mars

for

'

in the

was

his mansion

This is exactly
in accordance

mansion.

sun

'

in 1. 50

with the

astrology
30 degrees,
(degreesi-

of the

period. Each sign,such as Aries,was said to contain

firstface of Aries
or 3 faces; a. face being 10 degrees. The
called
the
the
face
of
second
Mars,
10) was
(11-20) the face of the Sun,
the third (21-30) that of Venus.
the sun, being in the fourth
Hence
in Mars's face. Again, every planethad its (so-called)
degree,was
mansion
house ; whence Aries was
called the mansion of Mars, Taurus
or
that of Venus, Gemini
See Chaucer's Astrolabe,
that of Mercury, "c.
ed. Skeat, pref.pp. Ivi, Ixvi ; or Johannis HispalensisIsagoge in

Astrologiam,which

givesall

the technical terms.

50. Maries is a genitiveformed from the nom.

which is itselfformed, as usual,from the Latin

Marte
ace.

(Kn. Ta. 1163),

Martem.

ascribed to the different

different qualities
are
51. In the old astrology,
signs. Thus Aries is described as choleric and fieryin MS. Trin. Coll.
Cam.

R.

15.

Calendrier des

So too, Tyrwhitt quotes from the

3, p. n.
Bergersthat Aries is chault et sec,'i.e. hot and dry.

1 8,

tract.

'

Agayn, against,oppositeto
So also in Kn. Ta. 651.
53.

; hi return

for the sunshine,as it were.

54. What for ; cf. Mod. Eng. what with. See Kn. Tale, 595.
as at English feasts. But this is in Marco
59. Deys, raised platform,
Polo

too;

see

the Preface.

Cf. Kn.

Tale,1. 1342;

and

note

to

Prol.

1. 37".

63. In

see

And

701-707.
VOL.

similar indirect manner,

Chaucer
describes feasts,
where:
"c., elseKn. Ta. 1339-1348; Man
of Lawes
Tale (Clar.Press),

II.

Spenserimitates

him
P

F.

Q. i. 12. 14

; v. 3. 3.

TO

NOTES

210

68. Mr.
that

serve

Wright'snote
swans

at

Archbp. Nevil,

Tyrwhittinforms

6 Edward

iv,there

e. 400] ; Leland's Collectanea,vi. a

iiijc."
[i.

and

to olv

hardlynecessary

table,and considered

of the festive board.

choicest ornaments

F.

the line is"' It is

on

formerlyeaten

were

intronization of

GROUP

"

were

us

among

the

that at the

Ileronshawes
feast in

that at another

"

Cu16 Heronsews, every one

i 2d
; Peck's Desiderata
riosa,ii.12.' Heronshawis said to be derived from the French heron feau,
and Cotgrave
a young
heron, a form not givenin Burguy or Roquefort,
1530

read of

we

onlyhas

"

Haironneau,

'

young

'

quotes Ardeola,

Hairon,

'

heron, heme, herne-

form, like lionpeaufrom lion. Halliwell

hearnesew,'from Elyot'sDiet. 1559, and the form

Still,
heronfeauis a

shaw.'

heron,'and

an

true

of
the name
i.88.
Heronsewe is clearly
Reliquiae
Antiquse,
of a dish,as some
have supposed; and the very word heronsew

from

herunsew

bird,not
(forheron) is stillused in Swaledale,Yorkshire.

quotationsin

Child),vol. ii. p. 282, we have"

be also pheasant and swan
;
and quail.*
be heronsew,partridge,
Nares; also Notes and Queries,ist Ser.

76 ; vii. 13.

Cf. handsaw, for hernshaw, in

Plays(The

Disobedient
There

must

There

must

'

See

the

507

; iv.

in Hazlitt's old

And

70. Som

viz. 'horses,

mete;

Hamlet, ii.2.

Pharaoh's

dogs, and

iii.450,
See

rats.'

the

Preface,p. xlv.
73. Pryme

the

word

prime

quarter of the day, reckoned

the end of that
1. 376, the cock

from

period,i.e.
at

crew

to

seems

6
9

prime,or 9

a.m.
a.m.

a.m.

in Chaucer, the first

mean,
to 6 p.m. ; and more
larly,
particuIn the Nonne
So

Prestes

Tale,

here,the Squiresays it is

9 o'clock,and he must
used in different senses

proceed quicklywith his story. The word is

by different writers.
I believe this readingis right.
75. Firste, first design or purpose.

MS.

Harl.

has purpos, which

will not scan
be omitted, as in
: unless my
MSS. Cp. Ln. insert purpos as
Tyrwhitt,though that MS. retains my.
well asjirste,
making the line too long: whilst Hn. Cm. Pt. agree with
the text here

given,which is from MS. E.

second syllable
in afteris rapidly
76.
pronounced,and thridde is
a dissyllable.
at feasts was
78. TAinges,
piecesof music.
common
Minstrelsy
; cf.
Man of Lawes
Tale, 705 ; March. Tale (C. T. 9592).
80. The incident of a man
ridinginto the hall is nothing uncommon
Thus we have, in the Percy Folio MS. ii.486, the line"
'The
came
one
rydinginto the hall.'
The

Warton

observes

'See

"

fine romantic

story of

Comte

de

Macon

in his hall with

who, while revelling

by

the entrance

steed.

This

of

is suddenlyalarmed
knights,
many
o
f
black
mounted
giganticfigure a
a black
on
man,

terrible

stranger,without

receiving
any

obstruction

from

TO

NOTES

113,

sit for

for hideth

I. 179, hit

silteth in

F.

GROUP

in

1. 512,

and

note

E.

to

"51of any machine furnished with a windlass or a pulley.'

and lace,but it is
be compounded of wind
windlass
may

184. ' By
The

means

modern

The
of the form windas here used.
probablya corruption
confusion would be facilitated by the fact that there really
was
a form
from wind and lace)with a different meaning, viz.
windlas (doubtless
that of a circuitous way or path; see note to Hamlet, ii. i. 65 (Clar.
Press). In the Promptorium Parvulorum, our word is speltboth

much

more

Mid. E. wiiidas may have been derived

or more
directly,
probablyfrom the Old French,

wyndlas and wyndas; p. 529.

the Low-German

from
which

guindas and

has both

shewn
clearly
the

from

by the

sb.

Shipwreck,canto
capstan.
190. Ganren,

windas.

Du. windas, which

an

as,

The

axle;

so,

meaning

means

and derivation

is used

windlass

Falconer's

In

in the

of

sense

againby Chaucer, B. 3559" and

Troil. and Cres. ii. 1157, v. 1152 ; also in A 3827, B 912, F 190.
the New
EnglishDictionaryit is explainedby to stare,gape, gaze
gaze,

stare.

Used

'

wonder

astonishment.'

or

as
origin,

it

with

I believe the word

be derived

can

the neck

stretched

out

E.

Skelton's

Icel.

1. 2275.
Magnificence,

in

gagra, to stand
(Ross); which exactly

gfigr, bent

from

too, in Caxton's

Norw.

back.

The

and

from

Lydgate's Bochas,

It occurs,

In

of Scandinavian

form
frequentative

quotes examples from

also

D.

be

in

Norw.

chin in the air

attitude. This is a
expresses the gazer's
back
(Aasen),allied to
gaga, to bend
N.

to

from
(phonetically)
and

are

or capstan,
winding-axle

too, the Icel. vind-dss.

3, the word

i, note

The

Eneydos,c.

here,gawrynge about nought.'

in Batman
stupor,occurs
upon Bartholome,lib. vii.c. 7.
celebrated
for horses.
Lombardy,formerly
Tyrwhitt
193. Ltttnbardye,
from
in
dextrariis
Lumbardid
Edw.
II.
De
in
a
patent
Rymer, 2
quotes
emendis,'i.e. of horses to be bought in Lombardy.
called Poille or Poile in Old
195. Poileys,Apulian. Apulia was
French, and even in Middle English; the phrase king of Poile1 occurs
in the Seven Sages (ed.Weber),1. 2019.
^ was
celebrated for itshorses.
61

thou art

'And

"

Gauring,i.e.

'

"

'

Tyrwhitt quotes

from

MS.

James vi. 142 (BodleianLibrary)a passage

in which Richard,archbishopof Armagh, in the fourteenth century,has
the words
mulus
dextrarius Apuliae,nee
nee
nee
Hispanige,
repedo
Chaucer
ascribes
nee
JEihiopix,
elephantusAsise,nee camelus Syriae.'
a
nd
size
the
horses
to
of Lombardy, and high breedingto those
strength
of Apulia.
'

"

200.

Gon, i.e.

aoi.

of fairy
Offairye,
origin,
magical.

opinion(Obs.on

move,

Faerie

go about, have

motion.
I do not subscribe to Warton's

Queene,p. 86) that

this

means
necessarily

that

THE

it was

of the devil.'

the work

'

TALE.

SQUIERES
Cf. the

213

in
expression

same

Piers PI. B.

prol.6.
quot homines, tot sentenliae.'
203. Compaie the Latin proverb
A good epigram on this
See Hazlitt's Eng. Proverbs, pp. 340, 437.
ed. 1657,
concerningBritaine,
proverb is given in Camden's Remaines
'

"

sig.Gg.
many
Is't not

wits
fie,fieI
many
Proverbs
thus
for
to lie?

heads, so

'So

shame

"

acquaintancebe but small,

my
heads that have no wit at all.'

My selfe,though
Know

Pegasee,Pegasus. In the margin of MSS.

207. The
written

'

many

Pegaseus,'
meaning

i. equs

that Chaucer

thinkingof the

was

Pegasus,the

sb.

'

209.

Cf.

Or else it was

Synon,'which

makes

Sinon

the

Sinon.'

named

Middle

in
common
really
writes
MS. "actually
is

the

shewing

winged horse of Bellerophon

Black Knight,1. 92.

the horse of the Greek

the scribe of the Harleian

Pegaseus

HI. is

adjective
Pegaseusrather than of the

Complaint of

construction
singular-looking

E. Hn.
'

id est, equus

of the celebrated

name

of the Muses.

and

'

'

the

This very

English; yet

Grekissch

hors

of the horse ; and this odd blunder

name

by Wright and Bell. The best way of clearing

notingsimilar examples; a few of which are here

is retained in the editions

is by
up the difficulty

appended.
"The
i.e. the dream

of

King
'

kingesmeting Pharao';
Pharaoh

The

; Book

erles wif Alein

i.e. the wife

of earl Alein ; Rob.

and Skeat,p. n, 1. 303.

Morris

i.e.the mother

of

of the Duchesse, 1. 282.

of

'

Gloucester,in Spec,of Eng. ed.

'Themperours moder william,'

the Emperor named
William ; Will,
Pieres pardon j"eplowman ;

i.e. the

pardon of

Piers the Plowman

'In Piers berne

i.e. in the barn

of Piers the Plowman

'

For

Piers

loue

i.e.for love of Piers the Plowman

to

Sinon

in the House

to

have
tol.

been

the

note

is why

182.

)"e plowman';
; id. xix. 354.

j-eplowman

76.

i. 152, and
that he

took

that Chaucer

'

Chaucer
in the
that

again alludes

Legend of Good

legendpartlyfrom

here compares
a horse of
the latter was
also said to

Trojan horse ; this is because

of brass,not by Virgil,
but by Guido
This

Palerne,1.5437.

de Colonna

Gower, in his Confess. Amant.

; see

bk. i,and

note

Caxton,
Historyesof Troy, both speak of the Trojan horse
horse of brass ;' see Spec,of English,1394-1579, p.gi, 1.67.

211.

in

hisRecuyellof

as

'

shews

; P. Fl. B. xix.

; id. xx.

of Fame,

Dido, 8 ; which
Women,
But
Aen. ii. 195.
Virgil,
brass

of

'

'

the

314

NOTES

211.

most

TO

Olde gestes,
old accounts.
valued in the middle ages

the Latin

prose story written

GROUP

The

in

account

that

not

was

F.

of the

takingof Troy
or
by Virgil,
Homer, but

1287 by Guido

de

Colonna, who

tained
ob-

his work
great reputationvery cheaply,since he borrowed
from
old French Roman
de Troie,written by Benoit
an
entirely
Sainte-Maure. See the prefaceto The Gest Hystorialeof the
a

almost
de

Destruction

of

Troy, ed.

Panton

and

Donaldson

(EarlyEnglishText

Society).
219. Jogelovrs,
jugglers.See the quotationfrom
in the Preface,p. xlv; and Tyrwhitt's
note to Cant.

Polo, i. 340,

Marco

Tales,1. 11453.

They are very prone to put down thingsto the worst cause.'
224.
226. Maister tour, principal
tower, the donjon or keep-tower.So also
'

maistre

Good

strete,principal
street, Kn.
1.
Women,
1014.
For

Ta.

2044 ; maistre

temple,Leg. of

HI. has

heigh,an inferior reading. Mr. Marsh

observes upon this line
This reasoningreminds
of the popular
one
of table-turning
kindred
and
explanation
mysteries. Persons who
detect the trick
ascribe the allegedfacts to electricity.
cannot
230.

slye,MS.

'

"

Men

love

acceptsthe

with

hard

words, and

The

The

enchanter.

story

was

Mr.

Wright says,

the

without

the

Seven

up there

as

great

'

The

"

holds rather

Virgil,in

storyof Virgil's

conspicuousplace
is first mentioned,

tower

Latin

to

MS.

of the

eighth

republished
by Keller,in

Beauvais,in the thirteenth

tower
Virgil's
; and it is the subjectof a chapter
See also the other version of the
of Virgilius.'
legendaryhistory
in Matzner's Sprachproben,
Sages edited by Weber, and reprinted

century
in the

'

Sages,in the Introduction

by Docen and
passage published
introduction
the
to
his
SeptSages. Vincent of
century,in

poet, but

magician. Such
of

name

as

at p. lix.

called sahatio Roma,

historyof
legendary
but

reverenced,not

in the Seven

occurs

his edition of which

tower, which

time

of it ;

at one

was

often

indolence

phenomenon as a substitute for the reason

Progressof the EnglishLanguage, Lect. ix. p. 427.
magic mirror in Rome was said to have been set

who
by Virgil,

in the

themselves

of

name

Originand
231.

cheat

to

i. 254.

We

describes

there find that besides the tower,

'

cite,on

Amiddeward

the

Virgilmade

another

That
And

held

miroiir

stage,

ymage,
in his

bond,

overseghal that lond.'

story of this mirror in his Confessio Amantis, bk. v.

also in the Chronicle of Helinand, and in the Otia Imperialia
It occurs
Warton
notes
of Gervase of Tilbury;Morley'sEng. Writers,ii. 126.
Govver

that the

tells the

same

fiction is in Caxton's

"232. 'Alhazeni

et

Troybook, bk.

Vitellonis Opticaeare

extant,

ii.ch.

22.

printedat Basil,157*.

THE

supposedby his

first is

The

the second

to

1038

A.D.

Alhazel

'
"

'

; and

Brief

tionary
BiographicalDic-

and
Alhazen, Arabian Astronomer
tician
Vitello or Vitellio,Polish Mathema-

"

also the

Preface,p. xxxvii.

born B.
Grecian philosopher,
233. Aristotle,the famous
life-time.
Observe
in their
Writen in hir lynes,
wrote
322.

that ivriten

238.

The

the Greeks

aid,he

Chaucer

expedition
againstTroy, was

in the

of Achilles.
his

384, died

c.

past tense.
pres. pi.is uryten ; pt. s. wrat, two/, or
pt.pi.writen ; pp. ivriten.
Thelophus.Telephus,kingof Mysia,in opposingthe landingof

is here the
wroot

and

noo,

A.D.

or
'

1254.' See

; floruit circa

21

lived about

Hole's

1270.' Tyrwhitt.

A.D.

died

editor to have

"

has the notices

Optician;

TALE.

SQVIERES

But

healed

was

may

by

of the rust taken from

means

would

the

require

same

spear.

storyfrom his favourite Ovid, who

learnt this

have
easily

the spear

by

that the Greeks

oracle declared

an

as

wounded

says"

consumptus tabe perisset

Telephusaeterna
Si
And

non

nocuit

quae

dextra

tulisset opera.
Tristium lib. v. El.

2.

15.

again
"

Uulnus

Achilleo

quae quondam fecerat

auxilium Pelias hasta tulit.

Uulneris

hosti,

Remcd.
See also Met. xii. 112
it from

taken

; xiii. 171 ; Ex

ii.2. 26.

Ponto

Cf. Shak.

Dante, Inferno,xxxi. 5.

Amor.

47.

he may have
Hen. VI, v. I.

Or
a

100.

247. Canacees; four

as in
syllables,

1. 631.

attributed in the middle ages to Moses

250. Great skill in magic was
and Solomon, especially
Moses
was
by the Arabs.
supposed to have

magic from

learnt

the

Egyptians;cf. Acts

vii. 22;

Exod.

the story of the Fisherman

and Genie in the Arabian
where the genieinvokes the name
of Solomon.
'Some

253-

said it was

ashes, since glassdoes

wonderful

resemble

not

sand and
principal
ingredients,

two

the calcined ashes

according to

256. But, because

men

long,their talkingand
having been
antiquity,
Chaucer

only when
rimes

with

the

make

ments,
Nights'Entertain-

glassfrom

fern-ashes at all.'
kind of alkali.

some

kelp,were

of

ashes

ferns.

Glass
For

sometimes
Modern

See

fern-

contains

the

latter,
used; or,

chemistryhas

greater wonders.

'

thingto

of seaweed, called

Chaucer,

developedmany

ago

vii. n.

sometimes

their

have

wonder
known

known

about
even

it

so
(the art of glass-making)

it ceases.'
to

rimes words

The

art is of very

high
Egyptians. So fern,so long
which are spelt
but
exactlyalike,
the

meanings differ. See Prol.

stke,sick. Other examples are

1. 1 7, where selte,
to
seek,
in
seen
the Kn. Tale, see

2l6

TO

NOTES

GROUP

F.

IO98 5 caste in 11.1313, 1314; eaas in 11.1499,

port,
1500; and fare in 11. 1577, 1578. Imperfectrimes like disport,
Prol.
Prol. 137, 138, are common;
see
241, 433, 519, 579, 599, 613,
For examplesof fern compare
811 ; Kn. Ta. 379, 381, "c.
of feme yere,'
"Ye, fanvell all the snow
Troil. and Cres. v. 1177 (ed.
i.e. good bye to all last year'ssnow;
long ago, in P. PL B. v. 440 ; speltuernTyrwkitt).So also fernyere,
of
Adverbs
Inwyt, ed. Morris, p. 92.
yere, in Ayenbite
commonly
terminate in -e, but the scribes are rightin writing
fern here; see A.S.
Gospels,Matt. xi. 21, for the forms gefyrn,
gefern,meaning long ago.
himself,uses the expression
Occleve, in a poem
on
fern ago, i.e. long
ago ; Morley,Eng.Writers,ii.435. And in Levins's ManipulusVocabuOld fame years, anni praeteriti,
seculum
lorum, ed. Wheatley,we find
in
beingrepeated

11. 1097,

"

'

"

pritis'
With

these

examples in view, we
Prologue,1. 14, by olden

Chaucer's

'

the latter would

but

be

to

appear

'

might interpret
feme halwes in
rather than by distant saints ;

authenticated

translation of Boethius, bk. ii.met.

'

'

7, where

by

in his

passage

the

expression renoune,
to
can
feme
poeples,goth by dyuerse tongues,'
yspradde
only mean
of old,is explained
at once
distant peoples.Fern, in the sense
by the
'

'

'

old ; but, in the sense

of distant,
would seem
to be corruptly
Gothic/airwz's,
and incorrectly
formed, since the A.S. feorran,meaning far, is
the adjective
of time this
from
an
adverb,
feorr. But in course
strictly
adverb

s.v.

mann,

declined

to be

came

as

the

adjective
; see

an

examples in

Strat-

fsorren.

Cf.

258.
263. For

is the

What

'

cause

;' K. Lear, iii.4. 160.

of thunder

full explanation
of this difficultpassage, I must be content
to refer the reader to Mr. Brae's edition of Chaucer's Astrolabe, pp. 77
a

seem

now

(1) The

own

Angle

divided

were

the

by

Meridional

into twelve

these mansions
was

p. Ivi.

edition of the same,

certain are these.
tolerably

and 86, and my

were
as

same

an

was

equal parts

called
technically

The

heavens

mansions,'and four of
angles ; the angle meridional

called
'

pointsthat

'

'

was

bounded

the

edge
passingthroughthe
on

one

by a semi-circle
lying30" to the E. of the meridian
place situate on the equator, the sun

the other

on

chief

term.
astrological

the tenth mansion, which

the meridian, and

The

N. and S. pointsof the horizon, and

so

that,at the

would

cross

at
equinoxes,

this

any
of
the
sky between
portion

10

a.m.

and the hour

of noon.

to the end of the forenoon,the

(2) Since this 'angle corresponds
'

leaves the said

than

'

it

was

(3) The
in

now

angleat

the moment

sun

of noon,

and 1. 263

king

beasts,the lion,and (here

means

no

more

past noon.'

'royalbeast'

means

the sign of the

particular)

the

zodiac named

of

Leo.

This

sign,on

the

I5th

'

the horizon, justabout

ascend,'or rise above

Leo
calling

for

reason

217

in the latitude of

March, in Chaucer's time, and

of

TALE.

SQUIERES

THE

'

'

royal is because

the

London, began

noon.

additional

An

star
principal

to

in the

stellation
con-

Regulus in Latin,Bcun\iffKos in Greek, and Melikhi

in Arabic, all epithets
kinglyor royal.
signifying
(4) But, before the Tartar king rose from the feast,the time past
is called

had

noon

risingabove

now

the horizon.

It may
be added,
ascended, it would be about
o'clock.

of the

called Aldiran, situate in Leo,

increased that the star

so

very nearlytwo
the whole of the signhad

that,by the time

a

was

In other words, it was

quarter to three.

Hence

Chaucer

speaks

ascending.
sign as yet (i.e. still)

remainingpointis to fix the star Aldiran.

MSS.
of r in a
Most
read Aldrian, owing to the frequentshifting
the
old
of
word ; justas brid,for instance, is
spelling bird. But the
Aldiran,Aldurin, orAldiraan, occurs
Hengwrt MS. is right. The name
The

chief

in the old Parisian star-listsas

Leo, and is described in them

means

that I
Lion's

who

would

in the

star

constellation

in fronte Leonis.'

The

word

of the star's position

are

such

persuadedit is the star now called 0 Hydra, situate near the

The only objection
to this explanation
as commonly drawn.
fore-paws,
of the star, but any
arises from the comparativeinsignificance

will take the trouble to examine

chosen

quiteas

if

they were

the purpose

serve

the old listswill

for the sake of

much

desired to mark

it was
chosen

were

the notes

'

am

stars were

When

of

name

being

as

and
fore-paws,'

the two

'

the

see

as
position

that certain
of

brightness.

particular
pointsin the

sky,brightstars
convenientlyplaced; but, failingthat, any
that were
fairlydistinct. This is why, in a

only 49 stars in MS. Camb. Univ. Lib. li,3. 3, such stars as

8 Aquarii,
8 Ophiuchi,"c., find a place. The star Aldiran
SCapricorni,
in the latitude of Paris,justbefore
(0 Hydra) was remarkable for rising,
of the firstmagnitude,whose coming it thus
the splendid
star a Leonis
star-listof

heralded.

That

Calbalesed,or

'

star is also found

the lion's heart

for it beingRegulus,as

in the

same

with the
star-lists,

'

; in Latin, Cor
stated above.

Leonis ; another

name
name

whole, we fairly
suppose Chaucer's meaning to be, that before
hours past
the feast concluded,it was
not only fast noon, but nearlytwo
On

the

noon.

Chambre
de paremenl
note is
269. Chambre ofparements. Tyrwhitt's
translated
the
de
lit
is
and
by Cotgrave,
presence-chambre,
parement, a
Parements
sorts
bed of state.
a
ll
of
ornamental
originally
signified
furniture or clothes,from Fr. purer, to adorn.
See Kn. Ta. 1643,and
He adds that the Italians use
; Dido, 1. 181.'
Legend of Good Women
'

"

camera

de'

paramentiin the

272. Venus

same

sense.

the worshippers
of Venus.
or
children,
subjects

It

merely

2l8

NOTES

the

means

knightsand

love,because

TO

GROUP

ladies at the

the

F.

feast,whose

thoughtsthen

turned

favourable for it ; cf.

astrologically
is given in 1. 273, viz. that 'her
1629. The reason
i
.
(heir
lady,' e.
lady or goddess,as representedby the planetVenus,
then situate in the signPisces. This sign,in astrology,
was
is called
the exaltation of Venus, or the sign in which
she exerts most
power.
Hence the expression
and
the
statement
that
Venus
ful hye,
regarded
her servants
with a friendly
In
the
of
Bathes
Prol.,
Wyf
aspect.
upon

season

was

Kn. Tale, 1628,

'

'

Chaucer

has

the line

"

'

Who

'

will not

In Pisces,wher

Venus

the wit

commend

of

is exaltat.'

?
Venus,
astrology

the sea, hath her exaltation in Pisces

Wilkin, iv. 382.

'

; Sir T.

Cp. Dante,

291. 'The

steward

Inf.

bids

v.

be

of

in the Arthur

lover of queen Guinever

128.

(them)to

out

Browne, Works, ed.

the celebrated
287. Lancelot,
romances.

born

quickwith

the

spices.'

299, 300. Here Hath is used for is; cf. French il y a.

316. You must twirl round a pin (which)stands in his ear.'
'

318. 'You must also tellhim to what placeor country you wish to ride.'
MS. Harl. has Byd, i.e. bid.
334. Ryde,ride ; so in all six MSS.
with the jewels.
340. The bridle is here said to have been put away
So also,when Richard I,in a crusade, took Cyprus,among
the treasures
in the castles are mentioned
preciousstones, golden cups, "c., together
with golden saddles, bridles,and
spurs ; Geoffrey of Vinsauf, Iter
Hierosol. c. xli. p. 328; in Vet. Script.
Angl. torn. ii.
346.Tyrwhittinserts that after Til, to fill up the line. It is not

required;
necessarily
the first syllable
is

see

the note

in the Preface

p. Ixv.
winked
nurse,
digestion's
347. 'Sleep,
upon
drink and exercise must
take notice, that much

IV, Hi.

Hen.

may

the

scan

the old

352. By
chief power,

at
(beginning

from

book

dominatur
Other
'

Tyrwhittsupposes

1. 349

them, and bade them

requirerepose."Cf.
to

be

corrupt, but it

perhaps stand.

351. To

or

lacking;

6.

i.

lines in which

upon

seven

p.m.)to

horis

the

blood
physicians,

for

seyde,
preservedby the

in

supposedto be in

was

the

hours, from
the third hour

Natura, ascribed

De

to

were

pleasedto state

midnightbloud

hour

domination,
of the

night

of the

"

nona

ad

the matter

horam

somewhat

diei tertiam.'

differently.

halh the mastery, and in the sixe houres

choly,
six houres after noon
raignethmelan-

and
reigneth,
the flegmatick"
and six hours afore midnightreigneth
; Shepheardes
Kalender,ed. 1656, ch. xxix. Chaucer no doubt followed this latter

afore

noon

choler

ninth

caesura.

day. Tyrwhittquotes
Galen, torn. v. p. 327
'Sanguis

septem, ab hora noctis

authorities

Six houres after

line,retain

NOTES

220

loss of its bark.

TO

GROUP

allusion to

Possiblyan

F.

the famous

Dry

Arbre Sec, or

Tree; see
Polo, cd. Yule, i. 119; Maundeville, ed. Halliwell,
ii. 185.
p. 68 ; Matzner, Sprachproben,
428. Fancon peregryn. This speciesof falcon is thus described in the
Marco

'

Tresor

de Brunei

Latin, P. i. ch. Des Faucons;

MS.

Reg. 19

"

C.

x.

La

seconde

lignieest fancons, qui horn apele pelerins,

par ce que nus ne
ni ; ains est prisautresi come
et est mult legiers
en
pelerinage,
et mult cortois et vaillans,
et de bone maniere
a norrir,
[i.e. the second
kind is the falcon which is called the pilgrim(or peregrine),
because no
trove

son

"

one

finds its nest;

ever

it is otherwise

so

taken, as it

and

is very easilyfed, and very tame

Chaucer adds that this falcon was
of

and

fremde

on

were

bold, and

pilgrimage,

well-mannered].
a
foreign

land, i.e. from

country.' Tyrwhitt.
"

A. S. leden,lyden,sometimes
; from
435. Ledene, language
the sense
of language,though it is certainly,
after all,a mere
of

Latin,which
the

on
inscription

in Greek

which

sense

of Christ

cross

stafon, and

ceon

is the

Grecisceon, and

and Latin

letters ;

it most

often bears.

is said to have

So also

20.

'

'

Ebreis-

letters and

Ledenisc

on

in

corruption
Thus, the

written

in Hebrew
stafon,'

Leden

John xix.

been

used

gereorde,'

language; Beda/ bk. iv. c. I. Hence the word was used

more
generallyin the sense of language; as, Mara is, on ure lyden,
i.e. Marah
biternes,'
is,in our speech,bitterness ; Exod. xv. 23. This
both influenced,
extension of the meaning,and the form of the word, were
in the

Latin

'

confusion

probably,by
loud.

In

lydeng

with

The

instance

one

the

student

with

sense

should

G.

i. e.
lied,

of

language;

or

cantine

cry

English,the

Matthew

xxv.

distinguishthis word

Tyrwhittnotes

hlyd,a noise, and the adj. Mud,

find, in Northumbrian

we

of noise
learn to

song.
'

the sb.

that Dante

word

(ed.Kemble).

from the A. S. lead,

uses

gli augelliCiascuno

in

latino in the
suo

latino

sense
'

zone
Can-

i.

458. As doth, so do, pray do. See Note to Cler. Tale, 1. 7. P- r95469. As verilyas may the great God of nature help me.' Wisly,
is quitedifferent from vysly,wisely;cf. Kn. Ta. 1376.
verily,
of with;
471. 'To heal your hur"s with quickly.1Note the position
and cf.1. 641.
'

474. A

swowne

swowne

on

swoime,

in

swoon.

479. Chaucer's favourite line ; he repeatsit four times. See Kn. Ta.
March.
Ta. 9860 (ed. Tyrwhitt); Prol. to Leg. G. W.
503.
903;
of Lawes
Ta. 660. we
have it again in the form
Also, in The Man
"

'

As

gentilherte is fulfildof

pitee.'

480.
pronouncednearlyas similitude.
483. Kytheth,manifests. Cf. Rom. Rose, 2187-2238.
And
others take heed by my
to make
example,as the lion
490.
Similitude

'

is

is

THE

TALE.

SQV1ERES

chastised (or reproved)by

means

of the

proverb

devant

le Lion, to

221

of this
dog.' The explanation
discovered the
a
complete riddle to me till I fortunately
passage was
proverb alluded to. It appears in George Herbert's JaculaPrudentum
(Herbert'sWorks, ed. Willmott, 1859, p. 328) in the form 'Beat the
in the sight
dog before the lion,'where beforemeans
of. This is cleared
s. v.
Batre, has the
up by Cotgrave,who, in his French Dictionary,
Batre

'

"

the

le chien

and

the

person in
It is even
better

punisha

mean

of, a great one.'

explainedby Shakespeare,
Othello, ii. 3. 272
'What,
presence,

to

terror

"

are

to

ways

mood,

the

recover

beat his offenceless

shew
certainly
Tales.

policythan

falcon for

now

even

so

cast

in his

one

would

as

to

that the

changed into

are
you
in malice ;

an
affright
imperiouslion.'
The
numerous
expressionsin this narrative
falcon was
(cf.1. 559) who had
reallya princess

dog

Ther, where.

499.
been

in

punishmentmore

but

generalagain :

there

man!

Thus, in 1. 500,

time,

the roche

is

as

so

rock

in the Arabian

common

be

taken

signifya
palace of gray marble, and the tercelet (1.504) to be a prince. This
interest.
givesthe whole story a human
Al were
he, althoughhe was.
505, 506. Welle, well, fountain.
511. Colour es, colours; and, in a secondarysense, pretences,which
meaning is also intended ; cf. 1. 560. On dyeing in grain,i.e. of a fast
colour, see note to Sir Thopas, B. 1917.
512. Hit him, hideth
the well-known
lines

or

may

to

himself.

Qui

'

"

See Preface,p. li. The

allusion is to
flores
legitis
fugitehinc, latet anguis
.

;' Verg. Bucol. iii.92. Cf. Macbeth, i. 5. 66.

tend to, are consonant
with ; see Prol. 307.
517. Sowneth into,
B. xv.
Both
from
518. Cf. P. Plowm.
are
109.
passages

in herba

Matt,

xxiii. 27.
537.
man,

The
of

Chaucer

clearly
quotes this as
accordingto Dogberry ; Much

sense

sow's

ear,'or
1

much

to be

seems

'

Once

Alas ! I
That

many

a
a

trewe

reading Troilns
his love
guiltyof transferring
that the falcon would

deserted

Oenone

Lamech

was

iv. 23.

The

poem
way.

on

the

for

Queen

"

as

true

or

hath

be

must

to another

take

care

You

Nothing, iii. 3. 54.

make a silk purse
cannot

have

Annelida,where

Compare

mescheef

it was

Cressida

Lamech

who

not

did that,

to refer to

that story. Paris

Medea
for Glauce.

not

is

"

';
KnightesTale, 1. 467.
mistake, because he was
do

Jason deserted
tsvo wives, viz. Adah

of this passage

honest

means

theef

man

man

about

Helen, and

first to

whole

same

serpent

548. The

so

Ado

knave, always a knave.'

see

the

proverb;

'recast

and

Zillah,Gen.

of Chaucer's

is introduced

earlier

justin the

same

TO

NOTES

222

555.

Imitated,but

579-

'

Whether

583. 'Such

not

it was

griefI

F.

GROUP

with

good taste, from

griefto me, does not

felt because

he could

Mark
admit

i. 7.
of doubt.'

stay.'
has this expressionagain,Kn. Ta. 2184; Troilus, iv.
593. Chaucer
1586. It was a common
; Two
proverb. Shakespearehas it frequently
G. of Ver. iv. i. 62 ; Rich. II,i. 3. 278 ; King Lear, Hi. 2. 70.
596. To borwe, for a security
; borwe
being a sb.,not a verb. Cf. Kn.
i e.
Ta. 360,764. Hence
it means,
Saint John being for a security/
Saint John being my security
; as in The
Complaintof Mars, 1.9. She
pledgesherself by Saint John, the apostleof truth ; see i John iii. 19,
iv. 20.
seint John to borowe
in his Complaintof the
Lydgate has
Black Knight,st. 2.
601. 'When
he has well said everything,
he has done (allhe means
to do).'
602. This
is a common
proverb; cf. Com. of Errors, iv. 3. 64;
Tempest, ii. 2. 103 ; Marlowe, Jew of Malta, iii.4.
607. From Boethius,De Cons. Phil. lib. iii.met. 2"
not

'

'

'

Chaucer
into hir

ajein

to

'Repetunt propriosquaeque recursus

Redituquesuo singulagaudent.'
translates this (ed.Morris, p. 69)
Alle Binges seken ajein
of hir retournynge
; and alle Bingesreioisen hem
propre cours
hir nature.'
A
few lines above
is a passage answeringto
'

"

11.611-620, which
'

in the

runs
original

thus:

"

Quae canit altis garrularamis

clauditur

Ales,

caueae

Huic

licet illita pocula melle,

Largasque dapes
Ludens

hominum

antro

dulci studio
cura

minislret,

Si tamen,

saliens tecto,

arto

Nemorum

gratas uiderit umbras,

Sparsispedibus preteritescas,
Siluas tantum
maesta
requirit,
Siluas dulci

This Chaucer

translates

uoce

susurrat.'

on
]"elanglandbrid )"atsyngijj
]"eheye
sein,in }"ewode, and after is inclosed in a streit
'

"

And

braunches, J"isis to
]"atfe pleiyngbesines of men seuej)hem honiede drinkes
cage ; alj"ou3
brid skippynge
and largemetes
wi]"swete studie ; sitnajjeles
yifJ"ilke
of hir streite cage see])J"e agreable shadewes
of J"ewodes, she
oute
defoule|"wi]"hir fete hir metes
yshad, and sekej)mournyng
oonly )"e
and
hir
swete
twitri]),
desiryngeJ"e wode, wij"
wode,
voys." And
Chaucer
Tale,
repeatsthe example yet a third time, in the Manciple's

1.59-

$2$

in 1. 89 of the Manciple's
Tale.
of four syllables,
as
Neicef
angel,

618.
The

TALE.

SQV1ERES

THE

Leg. of

Good

in the poem

found

will be
newefangeltiesse

word

of

and
Annelida,

in

Prol. 154.

Worn.

that

624. Ky'e. Mr. Jephsonnotes

hawk, quiteunfit for

and
falconry,

the kite is

'

of
cowardlyspecies

therefore the emblem

was

of everything

base.'

644. Blue
'

the colour of truth

was

and

constancy; hence

blue,'as in Butler's Hudibras, pt.i. c. i.1. 191

true

the

cf. Cler.

in his
inconstancy.Lydgate,
(1.646)signified
Princes,fol. e 7, speakingof Dalilah,says
In stede of blewe, which stedefast is and clene,
She louyd chaungys of many
diuers grene!

Tale, 254.

pression
ex-

Green

Fall of

"

attention to

Tyrwhittdraws
Stowe's additions

to Chaucer's

Instede

'

648. Tidifs. The

Leg. G.W.I.
154And

'

Draj ton

the

of

ye
as

don

for
tidif,

name

inconstant

an

works, the burden

that hadde

tho

tydyas the

uses

upon

of blew thus may

mentioned
tidifis

doth

As

Ballade

an

of which
al

were

lady,among
is
"

grene.'

inconstant

bird in Prol. to

unkyndenesse

"c.
newfangelnesse,'

small bird

(seeNares) ; perhapsthe

titmouse.

transposedin all the MSS. and editions,

is to be got out
accordingto Tyvwhitt. He rightly
says that no sense
of the passage except by puttingthem in the order in which they stand
lines

649,650. These

are

here.

All the later editors accept his emendation.

667. Observe that Catnbalo, if not inserted here in the MSS.

is

different person

quitea

in 1. 31).

He

Cambalo

brothers

three

introduces

from

is Canace's
and

her

is it very

intended,nor

lover,who
as

in 1. 656

error.

(calledCatnbalo

is to fightin the listsagainsther

win

Algarsif,and

brethren

against Cambello

the Cambalns

by

her.

Spenser (F. Q.

suitors for Canace, who

not
brother; this is certainly

have
what

iv. 3)

fight

to

Chaucer

satisfactory.

671, 672. Some

these two lines to be spurious. I do not

suppose
that ; for they occur
in MS. E. Hn. Cp. Pt., and others,
MS. has eight
to be too lightly
rejected.The Lansdowne

feel sure

about

and

not

are

spurious. In MS. E., after 1. 672, the

ceitainly
The lines are quiteintelligible,
if we add the
page is blank.
then have
entreth. We
Apollo (the sun) whirls up his

lines here, which

rest of the

words
chariot

He
so

mansion
last line

are

'

"

highly(continueshis

of the

god

Mercury,the

course

in the

zodiac)tillhe

enters

the

'

cunningone ; the construction in the

that in 1. 209.
The
described as in
was
sun

being similar to
Aries, 1. 51. By continuinghis upward course, i.e. his
he would
course, by which he approached the zenith daily,

Northward
soon

come

to

TO

GROUP

the

mansion

NOTES

224

the

Gemini,

sign

Chaucerian
believe

these

in

of

way

imitated
and

which

the

be

to

of

Skelton,

Garland

of

Fonthe

thee,

commend

677.

As

683.

Pound,

688.

And

to

my

which

i.e.
yet

in

doom,

pounds

shal,

and

my
worth
shall

elapsed.
added

that

Flower

and

still

the
word

one

land.
do

truly

cannot

they
the

are

Leaf,

END-LINK.

with

rime

(allowihe)

allow
in

opinion.
of

is

1471.

observe

as

be
The

SQUIRE

THE

written

may

It

Mercury.
had

called

1.

dissyllable;
is

It

poem

Laurel,

TO

is

the

of

months

two

spurious.

beginning

NOTES

675.

that

saying

lines

at

was

F.

so.

See

the

Glossary.

several

the,
MSS.

i.e.

GLOSSARIAL

The
A.S.

B.

Group E.

the

in Bosworth's

"

A.S.

Diet.).

Danish.
Dutch.

1485).
Middle High German.
M.H.G.
Goth.
McesoMceso-Goth.
or
Gothic.
O.F.
Old French.
=

E.=
E.E.

English.

F.

French.

Early English(A.D.11001250).

G.

Group F.

contractions used :
principal
Old English M.E.
Middle English
Anglo-Saxon(i.e.
(A.D.1250-

Du.

Group

are
following

words
Dan.

INDEX.

O.H.G.

High German.

Old

PromptParv. Promptorium Parvulorum, ed. Way, Camden Society,

=

German.
Gk.
Greek.
Icel. Icelandic.
Ital. Italian.
La t.
Latin.
=

1865.

Sp. Spanish.

Sw.

W.

Swedish.

Welsh.

The Dictionaries used for these languages

mentioned at the end of
are
the Preface. Note also, that v.
verb in the infinitive
a
mood; pr. s. or
the third person singular
of the present or past tense, except
pt, s. means
=

when

p. or 2 p. (first
person or second person)is added ; pr. pi.or pt. pi,
likewise,the third person pluralof the present or past tense ; imp.s.

means,

the second

means

person

of
singular

the imperativemood.

Other

tions,
contrac-

understood.
will be readily
s. for substantive,
pp. for past participle,
the letter is absent before a number, supplythe
when
references,
letter last mentioned ; thus, under
Abayst, all the references refer to
as

In the

Group
The

E.

contraction

Mor.

logue,
Gloss.' signifies
Dr. Morris's Glossary
to the ProKnightesTale,"c. in the Clarendon Press Series.
'

A.

A,

art.

; al

1165.
indef.

A.S.

the whole

an,

G. ein.

of a, E
Of the

Abayst, pp. abashed,disconcerted,

E 317, ion;
amazed, 1108.

is the original,
an
article,
a

the abbreviated

form.

Aha ! B 1629.
ha, interj.
A, prep, on, upon, in,by ; a nyghte,
A

a
dayes,
by night,B 3758 ; now
in these days,E 1164. A.S.
now

on, E.E. an, a.

adv. backwards, B 2017.
Abak,
A.S. onbcEC,
the back, behind,
on

backwards.
VOL.

n.

from
O. Fr. esbahir, to frighten,
astonishment.
to
bahir, express

abbey, B 1814. Low

Lat. abbatia,an abbey,from Lat.
abbas,father; from Syriacabba,

Abbay,

father.

Abhominaciouns,
horrible

88.
an

"

s.

s.

nations,
pi. abomi-

occurrences,

Lat. abominor, to deprecate

from ab, and omen.
omen,

226

A RIAL

INDEX.

826.

Lat. costuma,
couslvme, Low
from consuetudinem.

GLOSS

Abouen,
A. S.

above,

prep,

is for

where
dbiifan,

rupted
cor-

bufan
adv. down, B 3630; F
Adoun,
be-ufan,so that dbufan on-bewhere
vfan,
vfan means
351, 464. A.S. of-ddne,lit. off
wards.
upthe down
from dun, a hill,
or
hill,
=

Abouten,

about, around,
A.S.
dbulan,
is for be-ufan, so

prep,

1106.

near,

where

butan

that about

A.S.

open,

twist

dbregdan,
bregdan, to

to

A.S.

441.

breede,

on

breadh, from

broad.

Cf.

A. S. brad,
Goth, braidei,

M.

broad.
breadth,braids,
to
Abyde,
v.
remain, wait, E
1

106

E
Abyding,awaiting,

dbidan, from bidan,

wait

Abyen,
A.S.
from

vertere, to

Affray,

to

pay

and

for, B

2012.

turn.
s.

F 502.
adversity,

terror, B

s.

Fr.

3273.

to terrify,
terror, effrayer,
effroi,
to break
Provengaleffreidar,
orig.

the peace,
from Lat.

cause

and

ex

fray(affray);
fridtt,

O.H.G.

peace.

After, prep,
after

me

to,
according

F 100;

accordingto

327;

mand,
my comafter the year =

of year, F
A. S. after,
where
trie base
the time

to
according

47.
is

v.

verse,
ad-

Fr. adver"alre,from
from
Lat. ad

Aduersitee,

imp.pi.Abydeth,81175;

pres. part.
757- A.S.
to

3868.

foe, B
adversary,

s.

which

twist,
out, from
braid. See Mor. Gloss.
adv. abroad, i.e. wide
Abrood,
lit. on

Aduersarie,

on-by-out.

pt. s. started,awoke, E

Abreyde,
1061.

down.

af= Greek diro,E. of,and

comparativesuffix.

-ter

is a

B 98.
dbycgan,to redeem, pay for, After, adv. afterwards,
A
After
See
t
o
that, conj.according
bycgan, buy.
boughte
as,

in Mor. Gloss.

203.

imp.pi. accept, E

Accepteth,

96,

127. Fr. accepter,Lat. acceptare.

Accident, s. accidental disturbance,
unusual

appearance,

607.

Lat.

accidere.

Accordant, adj. according,

ing,
agreeF 103.
suitable,
pr. pi. agree, B 2137.
Fr. accorder,Lat. accordare,
from
cor, the heart.

Accorden,

Agaste,
pp.

B 3395 ;
terrified,
Agast, terrified,
afraid,B

pt.

s.

1859, E I052- The prefixa

A. S. d-, Ger. er-, Mceso-Gothic
to terrify.
its-; cf. Goth, usgaisjan,
=

B 1754, F
against,
F
6" 57 ; Ageyn,
142 ; Ageyns,
B 3754A. S. on-gedii,
against,

Agayn,

prep,

towards.

Agayns,

prep, towards,to
Formed

B
According, pres. part, agreeing,

1737Acounte,

ongedn, by
v.

to

consider,B 3591.

O. Fr. acompter, from

Lat.

ad

911.

suffix -es.
now

adding

The

M.

into
corrupted

meet,

from

A.S.

adverbial

E. agayns

against.

acquitoneself,E
936; imp. pi. Acquiteth,B 37.
Fr.
derived from Lat. cetatem,
acquitter,Lat. adquietare,
from qtties,
rest.
Ageyn, adv. again,F 654.
v.

to

Acustumaunce,
of acustumaunce
B

3701.

s.
=

custom
was

From

is

Age, s. life, E 627; pi. Ages,

B 3177.
Fr. age,
times,periods,
Lat. tetaticum,
O.Fr. edage,Low

and computare, to count.

Acquyte,

; had

ed,
accustom-

O. Fr.

Sec

Agayn.
i.e. dead, E
Agoon,
pp. departed,

631; Ago, gone

away,

626;

228

GLOSSARIAL

Ameued,

pt.

nought

moved, changed;

s.

ameued

changed
498. From
throughO. French.
=

altered not, E
amouere,

INDEX.

Antiphoner,

not,
Lat.

mis, an

E 1052; Apayd, B
ill-pleased,
1897. O. F. apaier,to appease,
=

from

error.

adverbial suffix ; amonges

Ape,

is

pr.

s.

to
uphill,

mount,

word

s.

angle,'

term

Lat.

in

to

1630 (seethe note),

apa, Icel. apt, G.
cf.

Sanskrit

a
leapt,
an

E 600 ;
perceive,
1018.
F.
pr. s. Aperceyueth,
from Lat. ad and perapercevoir,
cipere
=per-capere.
v.

to

Aperceyuinges, s. pi.perceivings,
F 286.
observations,
perceptions,

E. and.

as

3100.

A.S.

Aperceyue,

And, conj.
if,E 2433. Cf. Icel.enda,
'

ape, B

monkey,
initialguttural.

montem.

same

pacare,

shewingthe loss of

108.
O. Fr. amonter, to ascend,
from Lat. admontare, to
increase,
from

and

ad

s.

ajfe,"c.
to, F

amounts

Lat.

satisfy
; cf.E. pay.

corruptedto amongst.

Amounteth,

if,the

nihte,in

F. a
adv. apart, F 252.
Lat. partem.
: euel apayed
Apayed,
pp. pleased

Amonges, prep, amongst, B 3344.

A. S. onmang,
The
-es
among.

Angle,

night,by

on

part, from

amiss, wrongly, B
7- For on misse,m a
mistake; cf. Icel. missa, a loss,

go

A. S.

Apart,

3370, F

now

709. See above.

in the

night,E 464.
the night.

the middle.
adv.
Amis,

is an

adv.

A-nyghte,

Amidde, prep, amid, in the midst

A.S. on-middan, in
of, F 409.

Du.

anthem-book,an-

s.

B
tiphonarium,

trology
as-

(see note), F 263 ; pi. Apert, adv. openly,F 531. O. F.

Angles,angles,
apert, Lat. aperlus,open.
230. Lat. angulus.
B
Anhanged,
Apertenaunt,
pp. hung,
adj. appertaining,
3945,
A.S.
B
to
on.
hang
onhangian,
belonging, 3505. F. appar3949.
from Lat. adperlinere.
i.e.
tenir,
Annunciat, pp. pre-announced,
whose birth was
B 3205.
foretold,
Apertinent,
adj. appertaining,
From Lat. nuncius,
E
1010.
a messenger.
suitable,
adv. suddenly,immediately,
Anoon,
"433.
Apese, v.to appease, pacify,
B 3299, E 435;
Lat.
F. apaiser,derived from
Anon,
B 34, 1896. A.S. on
in
O.
F.
pais,peace.
pacem through
an, lit.
one, i.e. in one

Anoyeth, pr. s.
B

displeases,

annoys,

please
O. Fr. anoier, to discf.
O.
Fr.
F.
;
anoi, ennui,
Lat. in
displeasure
; der. from

3979.

odio,in
see

the

phrasein

odio

habui;

Brachet.

Answerde,

answered,

pt.
1170, 1172; E

s.

swerian,where

and-

and swerian

A.S.

21.
=

and-

in return,

affirm.
1850. A.S.

to swear,

s. anthem, B

pp. enfeebled, languid,

365. Perhapsfrom F. appalir,
cf. Welsh
pallu, to fail,pall,

Appalled,

moment.

I fade of
loss of energy. ' I palle,
freshenesse in colour or beauty,le
French Diet.
flaitris;'
Palsgrave's
Apparaille,
s.
apparel,dress, E
1208.
F. appareil,
preparation,
from appareillir,
to join like to
like; F. /"ar"7 Lat. paricnlus,
=

dimin. of par, like.

from Lat. parare.

Not

Antem,
which from Lat. antiphona, Apparence,
s. appearance,
antefn,
From
Gk. pi.avriffxava,
from ovri and
Lat. apparere, from
Quvfto, I sound
also F. antienne.

in

answer.

Hence

parere,

to

Appetytes,

be open
s.

to

derived
F

218.

ad

and

view.

B
pi. appetites,

AR1AL

GLOSS

appetites,

Lat.
3390. F. appetit,
from petere.
Arace, v. to tear away,

remove

O.K.

E 1103.
forcibly,

aracer,

F. arracher,from Lat. eradicare;

cf. O. F. raw, a root, from Lat.
radicem.

Archeer,

archer,B

s.

Lat. arcus,

1929.

From

bow.

Archewyues,
pi. archwives,
fix
rulingwives, E 1195. The prearch- is Greek ; cf. Gk. dpx'-i
chief, from apx5?' a beginning
;
latter part is from

A. S.

wif,

wife.
to the arc of the
Ark, s. arc, referring
horizon extendingfrom sunrise to
woman,

sunset, B
arcus,

s.

arm

3393.
and

Lat.

suffix

arma.

Armure,

2009 ;

F.

158.

armure,

Lat. armatura,

from

an

A. S. arm,
an
-leas, Mceso-

Goth. -laus,
deprivedof.
B
s.
armour,
Armoure,
contr.

of

arming,puttingon

adj.armless,without

from

ence
respectto, 17; As to, with referto, 107 ; As that,as soon
as,
ferforth as, as far as, B
short for also ; see Als.
Ash
an
as
ace, B 3851 ; ambes

615 ;
19.

As,
a

s.

As

double aces,
unit.

pr. pi.

aron,

are,

Icel. eru, from

Array,

order, E

s.

342.
root

A.S.

es, to

be.

262 ; arrangement,

ordinance,670. O.F.arroi,
order, from sb. roi,which from a
Scandinavian

reda,

source

to

prepare,
garaidjan,to make

cf. Swed.

Moeso-Goth.

ready.
Arrayed, pp. dressed,F 389.
From
Art, s. kind, sort, E 1241.
Lat. arteni.
B

See note.

2.

Artow,/or

art

thou, B 102, 1885,

3I95-

Aryght,

adv.

F
rightly,
properly,

694.
Arwes,
1203.

pi. arrows,

A.S.

B
As, conj.like,

3448, E

Asken,
pr.

1864 ;

as

if,1636;

ask,

to

v.

subj.Aske,

Assaille,

as,

101

p.

s.

A. S. dcsian.

102.

assail,attack,

to

v.

Lat. assalire,
assailler,
to leap.
salire,
E 621, 1138; pi.
Assay, s. trial,
697, 1166.
Assayes,trials,
s.
Assaye, imp. 3 p. let him try,E
1229; pp. Assayed,tried, 1054.
F.

3953.

ad and

Another

form

of essay,

from

F.

from essai,a trial,

essayer, which
Lat. exagium, a weighing;from
ex

and

agere.

pr. pi. assent, agree, E

Lat. ad and sentire,

Assenten,
to

From

feel.

//.ashes,E 255. A. S.
ashes, pi. of axe,
ascan,

Asshen,

s.

axan,

ash, cinder.
pt. s. confirmed,B 3378.

an

asce,

Assured,

Ta. 1066.

Cf. Kn.

Astonied,

pt.

s.

astonished, E

316.
Compounded from A. S.
and stunian,
d-, completely,
prefix
to stun, amaze.
Probablyfurther
to

etonner,
from

with O. F. es/onner, F.
said to be derived
astonish,
a

supposedLat.

exto-

attonare, to thunder at. Cf.

and
G. erstaunen, from er-, prefix,

nare

"

G. staunen.
O. F.

s.

azure,

aster,

F.

blue, E
azur,

G.

254.

lasur,

of
Lat. lapislazuli,
a word
bluePersian origin,
signifying
from

arewe.

Lat.

pres, part, ascending,

tie
ascendant, i.e. near
F
From
eastern
horizon,
264.
Lat. scandere,to climb.

Asure,
s.

24. From

in the

confounded

in astrology,
Artificial,adj.artificial,

Ascending,

176.

arma.

Am,

after,according
to, 3555 ; As
in, i.e. for,3688 ; As now, at
this time, F 652; As of, with

from

2037. From

Armlees,
arm,

Lat.

arc, bow.

Arminge,
armour,

From

See note.

2.

an

229

As

s.

the

INDEX.

GLOSS

230

Probably the /

stone.

for the French

Aswage,

INDEX.

taken
mis-

which

3834.

the prefix
O. F. assoager, where
Lat. ad, and
=
soager is to
from

suauis, which
and
i^Svy,

E. sweet.

sweeten,

Gk.

adv. in

Aswowne,

Here

Asyde,

swoon,

See

1079.

prep, at;
respect

me

to

me,

(afteraxe)

from

with

note.

on

helmet,

from

chance,E 812; pi.

E 15, F
Auentures, adventures,
s.

659. O.

1975

;
A. S.

F. aventure, from Lat. ad

to come.
uenlura, from venire,

and

Auntrous,

At-after, prep, after,F 302.

ing-piece
breathventaille,

Lat. uentus,which is E. wind.

me,

653.

From

E
aventail,
1204.

s.

O. F.
of

cf. Lat. ad.

See

E 329, 637,
hearing,

s.

1179; audience, B 3991.

Lat. andire, to hear.

Auenture,
at

with

at:

Audience,

a-

side.

At,

author,E 1141.

s.

above.

Auentaille,
E

is for on, in.

E 303.
For
adv. aside,

F 474.

anclor, an increaser,
attgere,to increase.

Auctour,

soef,Lat.
with
same

O. F.
is the

from

from

def. article.

assuage, B

to

v.

was

'A RIAL

At-

adj. adventurous,
Short

2099.

for aventrons, from

O.F. aventnros, bold ; see above.

afteris stillused for afterin provincial
F. autel,
Auter, s. altar,B 1826.
English(S.Yorkshire).
Lat.
altar.
Here
O.F.
adv.
E
at
altel,
alter,
Atones,
1178.
once,
the form outer liesbetween
alter
A. S. "et,at, and dues, once, genitive
of an,

adv.

Atoon,

at, at,
to

an,

set

and ante!.

one.

at

one,

E 437.

; hence

one

at

one,

atonement,

i.e.

A.S.
E. atone,

Auyse,

take
E

reconcile,and

Attained, pp.
From

Low

4008.

obsolete

an

the

the; Atte

at

least,B

38,

leste

130;

oneself,
aviser,from

F.

to
uideri,

Auysement,

seem.

B 86.
deliberation,

s.

See above.

Awaiteth, pr.
B

Lat. taminare; cf. F. entamer,

from a form intaminare.

Atte, for

238, 350.

from

altaminare,to

Lat.

contaminate, from

with

counsel

avis,advice ; from a and vis,Lat.

uisum, a thingseen, an opinion;

at-one-ment, a
setting one, a reconciliation.
Cf. alone from all-one.
at

broached,B

to deliberate,
sider,
reconrefl.

v.

waits, watches,

s.

1776.

O.F.

to

look

as

spy,

is

clearlythe

to
agaitier,

The

out.

( McesoGoth. "s-, A. S. a-),justas the

word gaitier
or guaiter
(now spelt

at

Atte

fulle=

E
fully,
749; Atte laste
B 1788,3546.
at the last,
at last,
E 447.
to
F.
v.
Atteyne,
attain,

G.

is from
guetter)

O. H. G. wahtan,
Thus

wachten.

now

er-

await

from Lat. attingere,

i.e.
atteindre,

through the French,

ad and tangere,to touch.

German

in

Atwo,

twain, E 1169. For

on

Awake,

two.

Auaille,
be
ad

v.

v.

avail,E

useful,E 1194.
valere,to be

and

3950

The

to

statements

483.

From

s.

of

to

awacian,

Lat.

to

be either

prefix
may
G. er~, Goth.

awake.
on-

or

a-

A. S. wacan

Lat.

worth

; cf.

is
is cognate with wait, which
derived from the German
through

authors, F

the French.

authority,i.e.
good

from

now

From

F. valoir.

Auctoritee,

is.
the

erwachten.
spelt
F
wake, 476. A. S.

word

onwacan,
to

act

prefix

Awayt,

attctoritatem,

s.

KS-);

See above.

await, watching;haue

hir in away

watch

her,B 3915.

A RIAL

GLOSS

Awe,

".

3875

terror.

448.
Etym.
Barme,

pi.

awoke,

s.

367.

696; Axe,
p. s. pr. Axe, 348; pr.
E 25 ; asks,
Axeth, requires,

326;
s.

imp. pi. Axeth,

309;

653.

Ay, adv.

ever,

again,F 127.

Ageyn.
Ayeins, prep,
Agayns.

See

the

E 320.
against,

Sec

See

etymology suggested by
Low

from

bacca-

Lat.

Low
laria or dairyfarm ; from
Lat. bacca, Lat. uacca,
a
cow.
Cf. F. brebis from Lat. ueruieem.
of young
Bachelrye, s. company
E
men,
270.
Bad, pt. s. bade, E 373, F 497.
A. S. beodan, to command
; to be
from
distinguished

adj. bad,

A. S.

biddan,

522;

3612; pi.E

cnmp. Badder, F 224.

a
batalia,

fight.
s.

beauty,F 34. O. F.
Lat. ace.
bellitatem,

from
beltet,
fair.
adj.bellus,
Bed, s. a bed, i.e. station,B 3862 ;

E
p. pi. pr. offer,

bed,

360.

A. S.

command.
beodan,to offer,
F
s.
Beek,
beak,
418. F. bee,
probablyof Celtic origin
; Gael.
beic,a point,peak,bill of a bird ;
cf. W. pig,a pikeor peak,F. pic.
Been, s. pi. bees, F 204 ; Bees, E
A. S. be6, a bee; pi.bedn.
2422.
Begge, v. to beg, B 105. A. F.
"

from
begger,

Belle,

the sb. Begard.

B
bell,

s. a

186, 3970

pi.

Belles,3984. A.S. belle,from

the Icel. bjalla
is borrowed.
whence

s.

Baiteth,

pr.
Icel. beila,to

s.

feeds, B

make

35, 122,

pr. pi.i
Be,
1172; pr.
129;

; cf.

imp. pi. Beth,

Beth

2103.

pr.

war
s.

may,

Beth. F

648 ;

1629, 1897;

beware, 3281, 3330;

subj.Be,

; Be

i.e. be it as it may,

as

be

B 3319.

bedn,to be, from same root

Lat. fui, I was, and Sanskrit
as
bhd, to be.
A. S.

pp. baked,

B
A.S.
95.
Icel.
Gk.
baka,
bacan,
(pwyetv,to
bake.

3563;

be, B 3524;

to

pi.Ben, 1 18, 124

bite.

Bar, pt.

v.

Icel.

bite,bila,

to

Ben,
p.

pi. bags,B 124.

baggi, a bag, pack, bundle
Goth, balgs,
a bag.

Bagges,

Bake,

Lat.

pray.

Badde,

to

Low
F. bataille,

Bede,

larius,a boy attendinga bacca-

to

"ptpuv, to bear.
B 3879; pi.
Bataille, s. a battle,
F 659.
Batailles,
Batails,3509 ;

gen. Beddes, F 643. A. S.

Mceso-Goth. badi.

bachelor,F 24.

s.

Brachet

wicker-basket ; from A.S. heron,

from

B.

Bachelor,

Barm,

A. S.

Beautee,

adv.

Ayeyn,

Icel. "'. A.S.

a, "z, ever.

631;

Gk.

for

1701, 3721;

ay, for ever, F 535.

bearm, Moeso-Goth.
barms,bosom, lap;cf.Gk. ""o/"/to'

A. S. dcsian.

lap, TC

(dat.)bosom,

s.

551.

ask, E

to

v.

68,

O.F. baraigne.
breJiaigne,
not known.

3256" 363".

See Awake.

Axen,

adj. barren,

F.

Moeso-Goth. agist
dga,egisa,

Awook,

231

Bareyne,

Icel. agi;

dread, 3749.

terror,

A.S.

B
(dative),

awe

INDEX.

Bene,

s. a

bean, B 94, 4004.

s.

bare, bore, B

3300,

bedn,Icel.batm ; cf. Lat.

85, 612;

Bare,

bean.

p.

See Bere.
barest, E 1068.
Barel, 5. a barrel,B 3083.

baril,
barriqtte.

Benedicite,
F.

A. S.

faba,a

i.e. bless

(the
ye
Lord), pronounced ben'dic'te in

three

B
syllables,
1170, 1974.

GLOSSARIAL

232

bene,well,dieite,
speakye

Lat.

INDEX.

from

dicere,to say.
F
Benigne, adj.benign,

From

21.

benignus.

Lat.

adv.

Benignely,

courteously,
benignly,

"21.
s. benignity,
goodness,
486. From Lat. benignitatem,
throughthe French.

Benignitee,
F

Bere,

bear, carry,

to

v.

transport, F 119;

3564; to

carry about,
Bereth, B 2091, F
to

148; pr. s.
635 ; Berth, in phr. siklyberth
=

with

take

A. S.

625.

Moeso-Goth.
Gk.

Bere,

will, dislike,E
beran, Icel. bera,
ill

bairan, Lat. ferre,

"t"tpttv.
s.

bier,B 1815, 1825, 3371.

beran, to bear,

A. S. bar, from

carry; cf. Gk. (ptperpoy,

from (ptpfiv,to bear.

Beres,

pi.bears, B

s.

bera,
bear;

he-bear

is

she-

denoted

in

bjorn.
behaviour,B
Beringe, s. bearing,
Icel.by

"

2022.

A. S.
barn, B 3759latter
the
ber-ern;
bern, berern,

Bern,

'

A. S. beodan.
Bidde, 321.
E 449
Bifalleth,pr. s. happens,

Bifel,it

s.

s.

pass, F

to

came

B 3613; pt.
Bifil,

pt.

42 ;

subj.Bifelle,
E 136. A. S. befealto befall,
were
lan,to happen,homfeallan,to fall.
Biforn, adv. before,in anticipation,
1668;

s.

before, F
B

1184;

339;

of old

forehand
be-

time,

E 446.
551";Bifore,first,

Biforn, prep, before, F 79, 98;

A. S. beforan.
Biforen,B 3553.
B
Connected
Big, adj.big, 3111.
with bulge,bag, bole,"c., with
the notion of

swelling.

began, B 98, 1883.

with prefix
S. ginnan,to begin,

Bigan, pt.
A.

A. S.

3451.

bear, Icel. bera,

bier,

dedf. 'Daffe,or dastard,or ho

that
spekythe not
tyme.
yn
Oridnrus ; Prompt. Parv.
Bidde, v. to bid,F 327; imp. pi.

bi added

Bigyle,

s.

at

later time.

deceive,
"252.
beguile,
and
F.
O.
be-,
guile,

v.to

Prefix bi- or
from

Teutonic

source

; cf.E. wile.

promise,B 37, 41, 42,

698. A. S. behces,a promise,
from prefix
be and Aces,
a promise;
from hdtan,to promise,ordain.
it behoves
Bihoueth, pr. s. impers.
602.
F
A. S.
to
have,
(him)
cf.
Icel. kesfa,
to befit;
behofian,
Biheste,

s.

actuallyfound in the
Gospels,St. Luke
and
iii. 17,
a
means
barleyand
from here, barley,
to hit,to fit,
to behove.
receptacle,
to
"c.
closet,
Bileue, v.
remain, stay behind,
ern, a secret place,
F 583. A. S. l"fan,to leave,to
Best, s. beast,F 460; Best roial
leave behind ; whence
M. E. blroyal beast,i.e. Leo, 264 ; pi.
E
behind
remain
B
leue, to
201,
; cf. G.
572,
Bestes, 3363,
is

form

Northumbrian

O. F. beste,Lat. bestia.
best ; for the
adj.sttperl.

683.
Beste,
beste
belst=

for the best,F

356.

from
superl.
bet-est,

A. S.
root

bat, signifying
good,profitable.
Bet, adv. better, B 114, F 488,
A.S. bet,better.
600.
Bete, pp. beaten, E 1158; Beten,
B

1732.

Bidaffed,

bedtan,to beat.
pp. befooled,E 1191.
A. S.

foolish person ;
O. E. daffe,a
from
E.
distinct
deaf, A. S.

bleiben.

Bireue,
pt.

s.

bereave, B
bereft,took
Birafte,
v.

to

3386,3404.

3359

away,
from
A. S. beredfian,

from red/,
to
seize,strip,
redfian,

garment.
Birthe, s. birth,E
a

402.

A.S.

beor$,fiom beran, to bear.

pp. besieged,B 3514.

Biseged,

Prefix bi-

to
be-,and F. sieger,
Low
Lat. sediare, to
sit ; from
sit,sedium, a seat, from sedes.
or

GLOSSARIAL

Cf. Lat. obsidere,

to
the same
root.

Biseke,

INDEX.

from
besiege,

beseech,B

to

3174;
pr. I beseech, E 1037 ;
pres. part. Bisekinge,
beseeching,
i

p.

v.

s.

178, 592.

to

seek.

A.S.

secan,

ill

at,

looking,E

965 ;

richely biseye rich looking,

splendid,
984. A. S. besegen,pp.
of beseon,to look about, from
=

sedn,

to

Q^i.

Hence

see.

is
spelling

F.

beseen,as

I a.

"

in

'And

and

A. S. be-

sad

ments
habili-

2093.

stridan, to walk

biddan,

forms

were

earlyconfused.
I

p.

commit, E

to

beg, ask.

and

bidaatt

pr. I commend,
161, 559. A.S. bes.

deliver,commend
to,
tdcan, to teach, influenced

teecan,
the

beddan

sense

happen

happen,
happen,

tid,tide,time.
Biwailen, v. to bewail,lament, B
25

Biwaille,3952

pp. Biwailled,

say

woe

so

that wail is to

woe

v.

to

veal,
bewray,unfold,re-

A.S. wregan, to
3219.
Mceso-Goth.
accuse,
wrohjan,Icel.
to
rcegja, slander,defame.

Blaked,

pp. blackened,rendered
A.S. blcec,
black,
blacken.

Blame, to, gerund,to blame,E 76 ;

blasmer, from

2151.

O. F.

Lat.

blasphemare,
Gk. QKaaty-liptiv,
to speak injuriously.

bed-

bit occurs

to biddaft,
equivalent

as

asks,from

Bitake,

A.S.

form

The

from

650.
The

that

from

imp.pl.Blameth,

prep, beside,E 777, 1105

in A. S.

let
bityde,

that may, whatever

may
B 2064. A. S. tidan,to

dblacian, to

bysig.

bid.

pen,
hap-

black,B 3321.

F 509.
Bisy, adj.busy,attentive,

Bit,pr. s. bids,F 291.

; to

arrive,B 373" ; pr. s. *ubj.

tyde
Bityde,may betide, E 306; Bi-

Biwreye,

about, pt. t. ie strdd.

to

betwix, belwux,

A.S.

twd, two.
E 79
Bityde, v. to befall,

Ital.gnat,

B
pt. s. bestrode,

Bistrood,

dan,

317.

from

Spenser,

F 642.
Bisynesse,

F 374.

"another

F 88. See Bisy.

Bisily, adv. busily,
E
1008 ;
Bisinesse, s. diligence,

Bisyde,

33;

E 530.
Cf. Icel. vcela,
vdla, to
wail ; Ital. guqiolare,
to lament ;

rightwell beseene.'

A. S.

Bitwixen, E 815; Bitwix,

what

made
pp. displayed,
apparent;
hence yuel biseye
ill to
=

Biseye,
look

From

233

to

of be-take.

B
to

imp.

3 p. (God) bless,
A. S. blttsian,
1240.
bless,O. Northumb. bloedsia,

Blesse,

s.

3978, E

from bldd,blood.
orig.to sacrifice,
Blewe, adj.pi.blue,F 644. O. F.

bleu

cp. Icel. bldr.

B 33. A. S.
Blis, s. bliss,
happiness,
blithe.
bits,
joyful,
joy,from blfSe,

adj.happy,E 844, 1 12 1.
E 553.
A.S.
Blisse, v. to bless,
Blisful,

B 1949.
See
bletsian,blessian.
Bitid, pp. befallen,
E 632.
Bityde.
Blood, s. progeny, offspring,
A.S.
Mceso-Goth.
Bitokneth, pr. s. betokens,
bldd,
blood,
signifies,
B

3942.

A.S.

bi- and

tdcnian,

blotk.

B 4002.
A. S.
blithe,
pointout ; from tdcen,a token, Blythe, adj.
Sttievwai.
cf.
Gk.
I
cel.
blffir,Mceso-Goth.
blfiSe,
sign;
bleiths,
Bitrayed, pp. betrayed,B 3570.
glad,merciful,mild.
A hybridword ; from A. S. prefix Body,
E 42;
s. principal
subject,
B
it- and F. trahir,to betray,Lat.
body myself, 1185; pi.
my
traders.
Bodies,people,B 3278. A.S.
Bitwise, prep, between, B 3830,
bodig.
to

'A RIAL

GLOSS

334
adv.

Boistously,
WeUh

loudly,E

791.

bwystus,rude, brutal ; but

is of doubtful origin
;

this word
hence

the

later form

boisterous

(Shakespeare).
Boke,

s. a

book, B 52

Bokes,
/"/.

581. A.S.
Boldely,
bald, beald, Icel. ballr, McesoA. S.
Bord, pt. s. bound, B 3222.
bindan,to bind. pt. t. ic band.
Bond, s. a band, F 131.
A. S. ban,
Boon,
s. bone, B 3090.
Icel.bein,a bone.

Boor, s. a boar, B 3299;

Bores, 2060. A. S. bar.
Boost, s. boast, pride, B

gen.

origin.
79.

boar's,B
gen. sing,

596.
security,
pledge.

to

Bote,

v.

borwe, as
borh,

A.S.

154.

E. boot,a
in Mceso-Goth. batizo,better.
Beete in Mor. Gloss.
A.S.

See

B 3980.
butterfly,
S
ee
wood's
Wedgbuter-fleoge.
Etym. Diet.
a

Boughte, pt. s. redeemed, E 1153.

A. S. bohte,I bought,
pt.t. of bycgan,

to

Bounden,

buy.
pp. bound, E 704. A.S.

bunden, pp. of bindan, to bind.

Boundes,
s. pi. bounds, limits, F
571. O.F. bonne, F. borne, spelt
Inning in nth

3892, 3897. Of
origin;perhaps allied
to W.
bidog,a dagger; cf. Gael.
biodag,a dagger,from biod, a
B

bodkins,

pointedtop.
adj.full of branches, F
156. F.branche;cf.Welsh braich,

Branched,

Lat. brackinm,

century, from Low

Lat. boiiina,
a bound, limit.

arm.

an

brass,F

s.

115,

181, 303.

A. S. bras.
s.

pi. muscles,B 3131.

braion,braon, a morsel of
flesh,from M.H.G. brdte,O.H.G.
O. F.

piece of

prdlo, a
braten,

flesh ;

meat,

roast

cf. G.

braten, to

roast.

Bred,

A. S.

A. S. bot,
remedy, from root bat

Boterflye, s.

pi. poniards,lit.

s.

A. S.

pp. bred up, F 499.

Breech,

to

remedy,good, F

Boydekins,

B 1656;
salvation,
safety,

s.

bow.-

2060.

borrow, B 105. A. S.
from
borh, a pledge.
borgian,

Borwe,

Cf. A.

bre"dan,to nourish.
A. S.
Brede, s. breadth,B 3350.
braedo,breadth,from brad, broad.

boren.

pledge;

O. F.

imp. pi. bow, E 113.

S. bugdS,imp.pi.ofbugan,

Brawnes,

Bore, pp. born, E 401 ; borne,

carried, F 178; Born, borne,
E 444 ; carried,F 1 76 ; worn,
F 43.
A. S. beran, to bear, pp.

pledge, F

Lat.

the

bonteit.

Bras,

3289.

Bord, s. board, table,E 3, F

A. S. bord.

s. a

From

doubtful

bold.
Goth. balths,

Bores,
Borwe,

B
bounty, goodness,

s.

1647, E 157, 415.

bonitatem, through

to

F
adv, boldly,

Of unknown

Bountee,

Boweth,

A. S. bdc.

3499.

TNDEX.

pairof breeches,62049.
brec, a pair of breeches,pi.
s. a

of brdc ; cf. E.

Irish),Lat.

brogues(from

braccce

(of

the

Celtic

origin).
bread, B 3624,F 614.
A. S. bredd,Icel. bravS, G. brot.

Breed,

s.

Broke,

v.

to

break, B 40.

brecan, Mceso-Goth.
Lat. frangere.

A. S.

brilean;cf.

to burn, B
v.
in;
Brennen,
pt.
pi.Brende, burnt,3225; pp. Brent,

3354- 392";

1658.

pres.part.Brenning,

Icel. brenna, A. S.

byrnan,

brinnan, G. brennen.
breast, E 617. A.S.

Mceso-Goth.
Brest,

s.

Mceso-Goth.
breost,Icel. brjdst,
brusts.

Breste, v. to burst,break,E 1169.

Icel. bresta,A. S. berstan, Swed.
brista,to burst,break violently.

236

A RIAL

GLOSS

used

Cicero

by

in the

cage for birds,lit.a hollow

from caiius, hollow.

Calle,

to

an,

3724.

out.

A. S.

camel,

s.

sometimes

verb,

1196.

From

Lat. camehts, Hebrew

mal.

In the Northumbrian

gapels
Gos-

MS.), S. Luke
(Lindisfarne
xviii. 25,

the

glossedby

'

se

camelnm

Lat.
carnal

dear,'i.e. the camel,

is

185. A. S. cunnan, to know,

I knew.
ic can, I know, ic cufie,
B 3741.
F.
Capitayn,
s. captain,
Lat. capitaneus,
capitane,Low

caput, the head.

Cardinales,

s.

pi. cardinals,B

cardinal,from Lat.
2039.
chief,lit.that on which
cardinalis,
Lat. cardinem,

all hinges
; from

feel

to

E
anxiety,

A. S.

cearian,to be

cant,

cearv,

Moesoanxiety,

care,

kara,
B 1949.
trouble,
anxiety,

Carie, v. to carry, E
Carien, carry, B
carter, F.
car,

Cas,

s.

O. F.

carrus

case,

; pt. t.

carry

car,

as

in

F. char,

(a Celtic

occasion, B

O. F.

word).

"430; chance, hap, 316;

thoughdeath
deyenin the cas
=

the

Lat. casus,

cave,

From

3297.

hollow.

Lat. cauus,

Caughte, pt. s. took, conceived,E

619 ; pp. Caught,obtained,mo.
E. catch
O. F. coder, chacier,
F.
chasser,formed as if from a Low
"

captiare,
readily
by
suggested

Lat.

Lat. capita,a chase ; and this is

variation of Lat. captare,to
mere

Low
a

Thus
the

E. catch and chase

word,

same

The

pt. t.

result,859. F. cas,
from cadere,to fall.

or

really

are

doublets.

are

was
cattghte

by the conjugationof

suggested
the similar

to seize,
lacche,
pt. t. laugkte,

which

is from

A. S.

leeccan,
pt. t.

leehte. See Chace.

Cause,

466 ;

reason,

s.

the

reason

why

185.

F.

is

cause

this,E
Lat.

cause,

causa.

pr. pi.cause, F 452.

Caytif, s. wretch, wretched or

Causen,

man,

3269.

fortunate
un-

O. F.

F. chelif,
chaitif,
miserable,
caitif,
See Brachet.
from Lat. captiuus.
Celerer, s. cellarer,keeper of a

3126.

cellar,B

cumstance, cellerarins
36 ; cir-

case,

were

585 ; pr. pi.

1814.

state, condition,123;
to

F.

Cf. E. chattels,
cattle,

s.

2435,

3647.

carve

charrier,to

from
Lat.

Caue,

why

care.

A. S. ceorfan,
to cut,
ic cearf,
en.
corf
pp.

1212.

anxious,from

Carf, pt. s. carved,cut,

from

head.

word

hinge.

s.

"27.

chatel,property,

catch,from capere,to take,seize.

F.

Care,

or

Goth.

chattels,property,

s.

micla
J)set

s.

v.

scorner,

that great

Can, knows, B 47, 49 ; pr. pi.

p. ye know, 1 169 ; pr. pi.know,

Care,

as
English,

he

capital.

from

strong

kest his eye ' ; Hickin O. E. Plays,

i. 179.

Aside

Catel,

as

Tudor

chaptel,leased-out cattle, from

Lat. capitals
; which from capiit,

p.
pr. I know, B 1726,
I
know
1 898 ;
how, am
able,E
304, F 4 ; I can, B 42, 46 ; pr.

s.

'

in

even

O. F.'calel

beast.

Can,

Caste, pt. s. cast, B 1761,2018 ;

pp. Cast, i.e. contrived,3891;
Casten, 1796- A Scandinavian
word ; Icel. leas/a,
Swed. itaala,
Dan. kaste, to throw.
It is conjugated

cum'

; pt. t. ic com.

come

Camaille,

place,

out, B

call,cry

to

v.

Icel.kalla,
to call,
cry
Cam, pt.s. came, F 81.

'

of

sense

INDEX.

From

(Ducange),

Low
of

Lat.
same

Lat. cellarius,
as
a
signification

butler.

Celle,
Lat.

s.

See Cello.

cell,B 3162.

From

sceptre,B 3334,

3563,

cella.

Ceptre,

s. a

GLOSS

F. sceptre,Lat.

ARIAL

sceptrum, Gk.

from
a
staff,
aKrjirrpov,

ffK^nrfir,

to lean upon.

Cerimonies,

pi.

s.

INDEX.

337
zilwer,O.

doaria, Ger.

fragrantsmell,and

of courtship,F 515.
acts, acts
F. cercmonie,Lat. c"rimonia, a

bitter, aromatic

observance.
religious

medicine

with

suffix=

Certayn,
F

Lat.

-anus.

adv.

assuredly,
certainly,
694; Certeyn, B 45, 1853,

3945Certein

yeres,

of years, B

speciesof Cucuma,
pieces,

in short, firm
comes
externallyof a wrinkled
and
ash

coloured

within of a
There
are

either
the
herb

valerian,B

Explainedas valerian by
1951.
Halliwell,s. v. Setewale,who
quotes from Gy of Warwike, p.
421, the following Fykes,reisin,

kinds

two
to

the

be

round

long zedoary,of

zedoaria."

Cvciima

Dunglison."

"

has
EnglishCyclopaedia

The

Cucuma, and

not

C. Zedoaria

says that

properties

are

not

so

meric,
tur-

its sensible

'

like those

of

powerful.'All

belongto

curcuma

order of

very

cuma,
Cur-

explains

broad-leaved

as

and

the

of

root

zerumbet, or Keempferia

rotunda, and

the natural

or
Ginger
Zingiberaceee,

way in which cetewale

generallyclassed with ginger
The

tribe.
is

but
colour.

brownish-red

but
ginger,

(i) zedoary;

s.

gray,

appearance,

Cucuma

Lat. cessare, to leave off.

(2)

of

root

3367.

see Brachet,Hist. Grammar,

p. 80.
Cesse, v. to cease, F 1 54. F. cesser,

or

the

warm,

taste, used in
It is
stimulant.
"

as

zedoary,said

cerles, Lat. certe, surely. There

are other instances of addition of*;

Cetewale,

i.e. a certain number

B 3990.
Certeinly, adv. assuredly,
B
Certes, adv. certainly,
1729,
F.
1898, E 106, 659, F 2.

Ger.

Indies,having

in the East

ceremonious

B 1918. F.
Certayn, s. certainty,
from
Lat.
certain,
cerlus, sure,

H.

zitawar, Arab. Pers. Hind, djadtained

wdr) a medicinal substance ob-

dates,Almaund, rys, pomme-gar-

renders the explanation

spices
more
probable
zedoary much
which I take to
than
valerian,'

nates, Kanel

be

'

"

and

is no
explanation
as

setewale.'
doubt

The

Somner's,

Cockayne (Leechdoms,
Hi. 344) givesthe A. S. word
as
sideware,meaning zedoary; and
in

Matzner,
Land
from

of

his

note

upon

the

Cockaygne,1. 7" quotes,

the

Promptorium Parvulorum the following Seluale,

or
seduale,setwale, setwaly,herbe,
'

"

Zedoarinm.'

And

we

find

in

Webster, ed. Mahn, the following

'
"

forms

citouart (Rocitoual,
citoal,
quefort)
it is

"

Mr.

But

bad guess. And since the F.

zedoaire takes in O. French the
a

'

Sydewale, setwall, setwell, herba

quacdam, valeriana.'
entry

'

'

'

find in his A. S. Diet, the

we

and

Prov.
Zedoary,n. (F.zedoaire,

zednari,Ital.zedoario,zeltovario,
and

Port, zedoario, zoSpan,

Lat. amomnm
zedoario, Low

quite

clear that

Chaucer's

cetewale

is the O. F.

and
citoal,

therefore

onlyanother

of zedoary.
spelling

Chace,

v.

to

chase, continue, E

341 ; to pursue, E 393, F 457.

F. chasser. See Caughte.
merchandise ; hence,
Chaffare,
s.

subject,E 2438. For

from
A. S. cedp,merchandise,
chap-fare,
and A. S.feriati,
to carry
about ; in the Ayenbiteof Inwyt,

matter,

ed.

Morris,

we

have

the

to trade,p. 162;
chapfari,

the substantive
uare,

verb
and

chapfareor chapunfair dealing,

chaffer,
pp.

GLOSSARIAL

34. 35, 44. 9".

in Mor. Gloss,

INDEX.

See

I2"-

Chees, pt.s. chose, B

See

Chese.

A. S.
Chalk, s. chalk, F 409.
from
borrowed
Lat.
cealc,
calcem,

Chere,

demeanour, mien, B 97,

s.

1901 ; E

lime.

238, 241, 782; F 103,

show, E 678; kindly expression,

545;

Chamberere,

maidservant,
819; pi. Cham-

ii

s.

chambermaid, E
bereres,977. O. F. chamber ere,
ckamberiere, from
chambre, a
chamber

3706.

Lat.

; from

camera.

chere,Low

O. F.

12.

Lat. cara,

chere,F.
face.

B
cherish,
Cheryce, v.
indulge,
cherish
3710; imp.pl.Cherisshelh,
F
F.
hold
to
cherir,
ye,
353.
from
F. cher, dear, Lat.
dear,
to

a chamber, F
s.
Chambre,
269;
pi. Chambres, sleeping-rooms, earns.
E 263. F. ckambre,Lat. camera.
Cherles, s. pi. churls,B 3733.
A. S. ceorl,
a countryman, G. kerl,
Char, s. a chariot,car, B 3550, F

F. char.

671.

See Carie.

fellow.

carbuncle,a precious Chese, v. to choose, E 130, 153;

F. carboucle,
stone,
pt. s. Chees,B 3706. A. S. ceosan,
G. kiesen,
Du. leiezen,
Mceso-Goth.
escarboucle,from Lat. carbim-

Charbocle,

s.

2061.

culus,a kind

of

which

carbo,

from

preciousstone

burning

coal.

Charge,

importance, F

359.

caricare,to load ;
Lat. carricare,
to load,

from Low

See Carie.

carnts.

Charge,

p.

I command,
pr. I charge,
164 ; pp. Charged,

B
daring,

3695.

Chaunce,

from

rebuke, restrain,

See above.
s.

chance, B

Chaunged,

pp.

changed,E

changer,Ital. and

Low

cheek.

A. S.

cildhdd, G.

chivalrous
chivalry,
Chiualry)
3585 ; (spelt
s.

a
cheval,Lat. caballus,

F.

choice,"154;
Choys,
rowed
borto choose,
choisir,
O. H. G. chiosan.

from

Chyde,

649.

v.

chide, complain,F

to

A. S. cldan.
s.

601.

B 1924.
cloth,

Lat.

add

cambiare,Lat. cambire.
Cheek, s. cheek, i. e. cheekbone, B
3228 ; dat. Cheke, 3233. A. S.
ceuce,

s.

170.

Ciclatouu,

535E.

F.

Chois,
125.

young

horse.

F.

chance, O. F. cheance, Lat. cadentia,from cadere,to befall.

F
Chaunge,
s. change,exchange,

2084 ; cavalry,troops of horse,

3871. F. chivalerie,cavalerie,

chastise.
B

s.

Chiualrye,

to

kindheit.

pp. chastened, taught,

O. F. castier,chastier,
F 491.
F. chatter,Lat. castigare,
to castigate,
v.

2000

did, G. kind.
(dat.)childhood, B

1691, 3445.

O. F.

Chasted,

Chastyse,

29.

A. S.

3345.

Childhede,

dear.

man,

young

man,

from Lat. caritatem,

from
charitet,
earns,

chest,coffin,E

s.

Cheynes, s. pi. chains,B 3554.

F. chains,Lat. catena.
Child, s. child,a term of address to

s.

loaded,laden,B 3556.
Charitee, s. love, "221.

choice,"162.
choosing,

s.

A. S. cist,
Lat. cista. See
G. kiste,
Chest in Trench's Select Glossary.

F.

Ital.
charger,
from

Chesing,
Cheste,

E 163,
responsibility,

s.

193;

kiusan,to choose.

'"

costlykind

of thin

See note.

I may

that the expression' hwite.

cidatune'** white ciclatoun occurs
in O.
1st

Gink.

Eng. Homilies,

Ser. p. 193.
See Sis.

ed. Morris,

GLOSSARIAL

Ciprees,

cypress, B

s.

2071.

F.

cypres,Lat. cupressiis.
F. 46. F. ate, O. F.
Citee, s. city,
Lat. ciullatem.
citet,
Clad, pp. clothed,E 376.
clothed
gecladed,

Clamb,

pt.

A. S.

1987.

A. S. climban, pt. t. ic clamb ; G.

klimmen, pt. t. ic Itlomm.

Clappeth,

pr.

talks fast,
B 3971;

s.

clatter,
imp.pi. make a constant
E
A. S.
1200.
keep chattering,
clappan(?),to clap,Icel.Happa,
G. Idopfen.Cf. E. clap-trap.
Clapping,

chatter,idle talk,E

s.

See above.

999.

clock ; of the clokke

Du. klokke,
by
bell
cf.
G.
a
glocke,F. cloche,
;
Irish clog,
a bell.

Clokke,

s. a

See Clymben.

Clombe.

appear.

climbed,

s.

From
O. F.
F. cloitre,
3129.
Lat. claustruni.
cloistre,

the clock,814.

pp. of which

the infin.does not

INDEX.

Clowe-gilofre,
1952.
F. clou is from

girofle.The

Lat.

clonus,a nail,

from

the

Gk.

lit. nut-leaf,
napv6(pv\\ov,

is corrupted
shape; F. girofle,
from
Lat. caryophyllum,

from
a

tcapvov, a nut, and (pv\\ov,

leaf.

Clymben,
s.

Clawes, s.pl.claws, B 3366. A. S.

Icel.Jelo,
G. klave,a claw.
cldwti,
Clene, adj.(def.
form) clean,pure,

clove,spice,B

s.

F. clou de

to

v.

Clymbeth,B

12;

climb,F 106

; pr.
Clombe,
3966 ; pp.

clombe

were

climbed,3592.

hadst

climban,

A.S.

G. klimmen.

box, B 26, 1955,

unmixed, B 1183; adv. entirely, Cofre, s. a coffer,
E
F 626.
F.
A.S. claene,
O.F. cofre,
585. coffre,
cofin,
pure.

Clepen,

call,F

to

v.

331 ; pr. s.
cle382 ; men

Clepeth,calls,F
E 115; pr.pl.
peth people call,
Clepen,B 92; pp. Cleped,called,
=

61,

named,

12,

to
A. S. cleopian,
clypian,

31, 374.
call.

Clere, adj.pl.clear,bright,
"779.
F. clair,
Lat. clams.
B
Clergeon, s. a chorister-boy,

1693.
Clerk,

See the note.

dent,
clerk,learned man, stul ; pi. Clerkes,writers,

s. a

E
B

F. clerc,Lat.
3990,
933.
Gk. K\i)piKost
longs
who beclericus,
one
the

to
a

chosen,from

K\rjpos,

lot.

Clinken,

v.

to

1 86.

ring,B

to
clink,to jingle,
Du.
G.
klinken,

to clink,ring.
klingen,
B 3984.
s. tinkling,

from
a

Lat.

Gk.
cophintis,

basket ; whence

1183.

Gael,

tares, husks,
cogall,
Cotgrave has
or
Coquiol,a degenerate
barley,
weed
commonly growingamong
and called havergrasse.'
barley,
an
Colerik, adj.choleric,
epithetof
the signof Aries, as supposedto
the

corn-cockle ;

induce

choler

whom

it influenced,F

colericus,Gk.

3257 ;

from
xoA.c/"(Kor,

Eng.gall.

A.S.
Coles, s. pi. coals,63313.
col,Icel.kol,a coal,G. kohle.

Collacion,

s.

conversation, conference,
F. collation,
325.
a

Clippe,

anger in those
Lat.
51.

or

X""A.i7,
cognate with

latio sometimes

clip,cut,

"

'

from

to

coffin.

Cokkel, s. cockle,i. e. the corn

cockle,Agrostemma githago,B

Clinking,

v.

Kwpivos,

also E.

Lat.

ace.

collalionem.
means

Col-

disputing

or
debating.
pp. Clipped,3261. Icel. klippa,
to
cut
to
cut
Coloured,
clip, ; klippahdr,
pp. coloured,painted,

hair.

of

Clobbed, adj. clubbed, B 3088.

Icel.klnmba, klubba,a club.

Cloisterer,s.

B
cloister-monk,

the

3574.

Coloures,
F

511

same

F.
s.

colour

(with),B

Lat. colorem.
couletir,

pi. colours,pretences,

(thereis

pun

on

the

GLOSSARIAL

240
double
colour

of colour =

sense

pretence)
;

hue

INDEX.

and

of

ornaments

E 16.
diction,

Comandement,
s. commandment,
order, E 649. F. commandefrom commander, Lat. cominettt,
ntendare.

Come, pp. come,

96 ; pr. s. siibj.
B 119 ; 3 p.
3
p. mayst come,
come,

may

653.

comes,

A. S.

G. kommen.

cuman,

adj.common,

3436, E

s.

F. commitn,

70.

Companye,
F.

431 ;
s.

general,

commons,

Lat. communis.

1187.

company,

compagnie,a

pagne,

; comcompany
Low
Lat.
companion ;

companium, a

society.
comparison,E
666; Comparison,817. F. comfrom Lat. comparare, to
paraison,

Comparisoun,

s.

company,
s.

warm
bitterish,

taste, with

aromatic

flavour,and

like those

of anise and

"

are

caraway.'

conclude,draw

to

v.

See below.

conclusion,
614.

F 492.
reason,
Lat.
conclusionein
conclusion,
;

Conclusioun,
F.

an

used

Webster.

from

s.

with,and clandere,to

cum,

shut.

Condescende,
stoop to,
Lat.
to

condescend,

to

v.

down

come

to, F 407.

from
condescendere,

scandere,

climb.

Condiciou,

condition, state, B

s.

F.
99.
tionem.

condition,Lat.

Confounded,

compare.

736.

cultivated for itsseeds,

which have

Conclude,

Comendeth,
commends,
pr. s.
B
praises, 76, Lat. commendare.
Commune,

commonly,
cummin, 2045.

Lat.
Heb.
kamGk.
cuminum,
itvfuvov,
'A
dwarf
umbelliferous
mon.
somewhat
plant,
fennel,
resembling
a

adv.

Comunly,
Comyn,

condi-

pp. overwhelmed,B

of the word in
100.
use
compassion,F
the E. translation of the Te Deum.
463. F. compassion,Lat. ace.
From
from
Lat. confundere.
compassionem,
with,
cum,
and pad, to suffer.
to
Coniure,
v.
conjure,B 1834.
F.
B
coniurare.
Lat.
to
conjurer,
Compleyne, v.
complainof,
Conue, v. to con, learn,B 1730,
3975 ; pp. Compleyned, uttered
his plaint,
F 523.
A. S. cunnian, to inquire
O. F. com1 733.
from
to
to
into,
plaindre;F.plaindre,
con;
Lul.plangcunnan,
know.
ere, to wail,lament.
B
suitable
rangements,
arComposicions,
Conning,
s. //.
3690.
adj. skilful,

Compassioun,

Cf. the

s.

229.

F. composition,

Lat.

cum,
The

from

A. S.

From

Mceso-Goth.

compositionem
with, and ponere, to place. Conning,
;

F. composer

been influenced

to

seems

by

the

meaningof

Lat. pausare, to pause, from which

the simpleverb poser was
derived.
See poser in Diez.

comprehend,
(inthe mind),
F 223.
from
Lat. comprehendere,
and
to
prehendere, lay
cum, with,

Comprehende,

v.

to

of,take in

conceive

Cornlh,

3I79-

pr.

3219;
2431.

s.

comes,

3094,

1847.
to

adv.
secret

in

F.

F
35 ; dot.
A. S. cunning,

know.
E 1017.
skilfully,
B 3218.
counsel,

conseil =

in

secret, E

conseil,Lat. consil-

ium.

Conspiracye,
From

hold of.

1671,

cunnan,

Conningly,
Conseil, s.

cunning,skill,
experience,

s.

Conninge,B
from

know

kunnan, G. Itonnen.

have

to

cunnan,

to

s.

plot,B 3889.
conspirare,

Lat.
F. conspirer,

conspire.

Constance,

s.

constancy,E 668,

A RIAL

GLOSS

F. Constance, from

1008.

INDEX.

241

Corouned,

pp. crowned,B 3555.

Lat. itare, to stand.
Corps, s. corpse, F 519. F. corps,
s.
Constellacion,
constellation, Lat. corpus,a body.
cluster of stars,F 1 29.
Corpus, s. body ; corpus Dominus,
E
falseLatin for corpus Domini, the
s.
constrain,
Constreyneth,
fr.
F. conlraindre,
800.
formerly
body of the Lord, B 1625 ; corpus
Madrian
from Lat. constring(see note),3082.
constraindre,
ere.
Cors, s. body, Bin,
2098.
late,
Cost, s. cost, B 3564. F. couter,
Construe, v. to construe, to trans1000,

F.

1718.

Lat.
construir,

O. F. coster, couster, to cost, from

which sometimes
cons/are,
has the same
meaning.
Lat.

constrvere.

Contenance,

demeanour, E 924

s.

F.

mo.
self-possession,
to
nance,
bearing,contenir,

conte*
tain,
con-

Lat. continere.

Contrarien,

go contrary to,

to

v.

From

Lat.

Costage,

cost, expense,

s.

outlay,

1126.
Coste, s. the coast, B 1626.
E

coste,from

Lat. costa,

O. F.

rib,side-

Coste, pt. s. cost, B 1925.

705.
oppose,
trarius,
contrary, contra, against. Cote, s. a cot, E 398. A. S. cote,
Icel.kot,a cottage.
Contrarie, adj.contrary,B 3964.
B
s.
Cote, s. a coat, outer garment, used
Contree,
country, 1908,1912,
E 436, F 319.
F. contree, Ital.
of a part of a woman's apparel,
E
F.
O.
O.
H.
F.
G.
contrada,from Lat. contrata, the
cote;
cotte,
913.
chozzo,a coat or mantle of a thick
againstone, from
country over
F

against.Cf.

contra,

con-

G.

gegend,
gegen, against.

country,from

v. to convey, introduce,
E 55 ; pt. pi. Conueyed, accompanied,

Conueyen,

went

conveyer,

as

O. F.

convoy,

391.

Low
conveier,

conuiare, to go
via,a way.

on

the way

F.
Lat.

with,

Corage,

s.

mind, E

pi. came,

Cote-armour,

s. coat

with armorial

B 2056. See Mor. Gloss.

bearings,

Couche,

v.

to

coucher,O.

cower,

206.

F.

from
colcker,

F. coucer,

to placetogether
collocare,
;
a place.
locus,
Coude, pt. s. (perhaps
subj.)knew,
should know, F 39 ; knew, B
or

Lat.

from

from

Co omen,
pt.
See Come.

woolly substance, G. kotze, a

G. kutte,
a cowl.
shaggycovering,

1805.

1735; knew
courage, B 1970, 3836;
position, could,F 97.
disfeeling,
511, 950;

how,

1926,3375;

See Can.

E 220, 692, 787; will, Couent,

conventual
s.
body, the
his
his
monks
the
in
of
=
conventual
sition,
dispocomposing
corage
907;
F. courage, O. F.
F 22.
body,B 1827,1867. F. couvent,
O. F. convent, from Lat. convening,
corage, courage ; derived from

Lat.

cor,

the heart.

adj.courageous, bold,

Corageous,

to

comingtogether;from venire,
come.

Couered,
Cordewane,

s.

Cordovan

leather,

B 1922.

piecesof
pi. corn-fields,
B
corn,
standing
3225.
E 381 ;
Corone, s. crown, garland,
Cornea,

s.

Coroune. 1
Lat. corona.
VOL

IL

18. O. F. corone, from

pi.

s.

covered, E

914.

from Lat.
F. couvrir,

to
cooperire,
from
hide.
to
cover
operire,
up,
s. pi. looks,F
Countenaunces,
See
Contenance.
284.
v.
Countrefete,
imitate,F 554.

to

F.

to counterfeit;but

counterfeit,

contrefaire,
the E. verb

QLOSSARIAL

242
have

to

seems

the pp.

formed

been

INDEX.

from

contrefait.

Countesse,

s.

countess,

590.

O. F. contesse, F. comtesse; from

O.F. conte, comte, F. comte, Lat.

coin

also

coin,

stamp upon

from

Lat. cuneus,

doubt

used

wedge, no

in the

stampingprocess.

adj.shrewish,
cross,

Crabbed,

ter,
bit-

E 1203.
companion.
s. lit. countertally, Craft, s. skill,
way of doinga thing,
F
i.e. correspondence
185 ; secret power,
(ofsound) ; at
might, B
the countretaille correspondingly,
3258; subtle contrivance,F 249.
F. centre,
G.
in return, E 1190.
A. S. craft,skill,
Icel. kraptr,
from
a cut, incision,
tattle,
Itraft.
against,
tattler,to cut, Low Lat. la Hare,
Craftily, adv. cunningly,
skilfully,
B 48.
taleare,to cut; cf. Lat. talea,a
Crepe, ". to creep, B 3627 ; pr. s.
cutting,shoot cut off, a stake.
from
the
is
here
taken
The idea
Crepeth,E 1134. A. S. creopan,
notches on
of corresponding
Icel. Ttrjupa,
to creep.
cutting
sticks
tallies.
B 1679.
two
or
Cristen, adj.Christian,
corresponding
B 1 26,
Crist emasse,
s. Christmas,
Cours, s. course, B 3186, F 66.

comitem,

Countretaille.

F. cours, Lat.

Courser,

horse, F 310.

courser,

s.

coursier,lit.

F.

I730-

cursus.

; Low
running,coursing
from
an
expedition,
cnrsa,

Lat.

to

currere,

Croys,

know

pp.
Goth,
Mceso

kunnan,

known, from
so

to

kunths,

that cu'S =

A. S.

942.

of cunnan,

cdS, known,

to

know

the

Cuppe,

tail. So

coward, from
cauda.
it of

Mr.

Wedgwood explains
the hare, making couard
bobtailed, since in the

the

mean

AnVenery de Twety (Reliquiae

tiquae,
p. 153) the hare is spoken

of

as

'

le coward

ou

le court

'

cow

(short-tail).
Coy,
F.
so

adj.

or

coi,from
that

E.

E
adv. still,
quiet,

2.

Lat.

quiet;
quietus,

coy

and

quiet are

being the

croj*,

older.
doublets; coy
The / is preservedin the F. fem.
form coite.
1168.
F. coin,
s. coin, E
Coyn,

the
1 8 inches.
of

s.

cuppe, from
Cures,

s.

F. cure,
cure

3350.

cnbitus,the elbow;
end

Lat. cauda, a
Ital. codardo, a
coda, a tail,Lat.

cone,

pi. cubits,B

s.

cubit,the distance
about

F.

556. F.

cruel.

Cubytes,

anidropshis tail,first spoken of mals

also

crois,Lat. ace. crucem.

Crueltee, s. cruelty,
"1225. F.
cruaute, O. F. crualle,cruelte,
Lat. crudelitatem; from crudelis,

Lat.

cunlS.

adj. cowardly,B 3100.

Coward,
F. couard,cowardly; lit.one who
; from

cross,

s.

preme,
su-

See Corone.

O. F.

run.

pp. known, E

Couth,

526.

course,

i.e.

pp. crowned,

from

runner,

Crouned,

cup,

also

of the elbow to

middle

finger,

616.

Lat. cupa,

A. S.

cup.

"82.
pi. cares, pursuits,
Lat.

cura,

care

; cf. E.

(i.e. care)of souls.

adv. wickedly,abominably,

Cursedly,

A. S. cursian,to
3419.
curse, curs, a malediction.
malice, B 1821 ;
Cursednes,
s.
B

wickedness, 3575 ; Cursednesse,

E 1 239.
shrewishness,
B
adv.
courteously,
Curteisly,

1636.
Curteisye,
B

s.

courtesy, refinement,

3686, E 74,

oisie, O. F.

F 95.

F. conrt-

curteisie,courtesy,

O.F. curteis,
courteous, from O. F.

GLOSSARTAL

244
Delyt,

B
pleasure,
delight,

s.

3340,

O. F. delit,deleft,
3590, E 68.
Lat. delectare,to delight.

from

delightful,
adj.delectable,

Delytable,
E

O. F. delitable,

62, 199.

pres. fart,

E
delighting,

O. F.

Lat.
deleiter,
deliter,
to please.
delectare,
E 348.
s. pi.questions,
Demandes,

997.

from

F. demande,

Lat. demand-

3645.

up

hope, from spes,hope.

s. expenses, expenditure,

Dome,

judge,E

v.

133

Demen,

give judgment, B 1639 :

p.

to
s.

pr. Deme, I suppose, E 753 ; pr.

pi. Demen, E 988, F 224;
Demeth, F 221 ; I p. s. pt. Dem-

ede, F 563

pt. pi. Denied,

A. S. demon,
See Doom,
Demeyne,

to

20-2

deem.

judge,

to

Do.

dominion, B 3855.
F.
Lat.
O.
demeine, from Low
dominium, power; from Lat. do-

minus, a lord.
interj.on
Depardieux,

God, by

the part of
See

help,B 39.

note.

adj. deep, B 3988 ; adv.

deeply,
4. A. S. deop,Icel.djupr,
Goth, divps.
Dere, adj.dear; voc. case, B 1641,
E 101, 1056; pi. E 999, 1089,
Depe,

1093, F

272, 341.

A. S.

dedre,

dyre,Icel. dyrr,G. theuer.

v.

3191,

to

wound, harm,
injure,
240.

A. S.

derian,Du.

deren, to injure.
merit,
Desert, s. desert,deserving,
F
O. F.
deserte, merit,
532.
to
deserve; from Lat.
deservir,
seruire,to serve.
Desirous, adj. ardent, F 23. F.
dteireux; from desirer,Lat. de~
to wish for.
siderare,
Desolat.
i.e. void of,
adj.desolate,

F. d"oler, to
131.
leave
to
Lat.
desolare,
ravage ;
from
sole.
alone,
alone,
solus,
Despeired, pp. filled with despair,

in, B
lacking

to give
desperare,

for expenses, B 105. O. F.

despense,F. depense, expense ;
money

Lat.

to
spend,
dispendere,
pendere,to weigh out, to pay.
Despendest, 2 p. s. pr. spendest,

wastest, B

2121.

Despitously, adv.
E 535.
cruelly,

B
despise,

to

v.

despitefully,
115.

Lat.

despicere.
a
Despyt, s. despite,
of
your

contempt,

despyt
=

in

deed
B

sive
expres-

3738

spiteof

you,

in

in

contempt of you, 1753. f.depil,

O. F. despit,Lat. despectus,
a

lookingdown

from

upon;

de,

look.

s.

God's

Lat.

Despence,

Despyse,

are.

Dere,

from

Lat. delectabilis.

Delyting,

INDEX.

down, specere,to
B 41.
Dette, s. a debt, obligation,
F. dette,Lat. debita,
due ;
sum
a
from debere,to owe.
Deuoir, s. duty,B 38, E 966. F.
devoir,to owe ; Lat. debere.
B 2132, 3842,
Deuyse, v. to relate,
"52; to describe,F. 6e, 279;
to plan,E 698 ; to frame,E 739 ;

Deuysen, to imagine,E 108 ; i

B 3693;
p. s. pr. Deuyse, I tell,
discourse,
pr. pi.Deuyse,imagine,
F 261.
F. deviser,
to talk; Low
Lat. diuisa,
division of goods,
a
a
judgment,opinion; from Lat
to divide.
diuidere,
Dextrer, *. a courser, war-horse,
B 2103.
F. destrier,
a war-horse;

Lat.

Low

dexlrarius, from

Lat.

dextra, the

The
right hand.
his own
horse,and
led his master's horse beside him,

squirerode
on

his

Deyen,

righthand.
v.

to

die, E

665, 859;

Deye, B 3232, E 364; pt. s.

Deyde, E 550, 1062 ; pp. Deyed,
B 184!. Icel. deyja,
to die; the
derivative
A. S. has only the
used ; the A, S.
for to die is swellan or steorfan.

deddian, seldom

OLOSSARIAL

Deyinge,
A

dying,death, B 1850.

s.

s6. ;

true

Deyned

not

pres. part.

it

him, pt.s.

i. e.

deignedhim,

deigned, B

he

daigner,O. F.

F.

3324.

Lat.
deigner,

digdig-

to think worthy; from

worthy.
F 681 ; pi.
Deyntee, s. pleasure,
O. F.
Deyntees,dainties,301.
from
Lat.
daintie, agreeableness,
honour. See Deyned.
dignitatem,
Deyntee, adj.dainty,
rare,
pleasant,

nan,

nns,

1901,

III2,

The

70.

INDEX.

245

Disdeyne,

E 98. F.
disdain,

to

v.

O.
dedaigner,
to
dedignari,

Lat.
desdaigner,

F.

E.

Cf. M.

scorn.

Poems).
(Allit.

dedain

disdain, contempt, F
F. dedain, O. F. desdain.

Disdeyn,

s.

700.

Disese,

s.

source
discomfort,

of

3961 ; misery,F

B
distress,

pain,

467.

grace,
disdisparagement,
E 908. O. F. desparager
Lat. disparagLow
(Cotgrave),

Disparage,

iare,

s.

form

to

misalliance;

of
paragium,equality

rank ; from

F. CL
Lat. par, equal.
explainsSpenser,
i. 2. 27
derth,' Dispence, s. expense, expenditure,
dainty maketh
E 1209.
See Despence.
makes a thingdear or
i. e. rarity
valuable.
Dispende, v. to spend, B 3500,
F 690.
E 265.
Deynteuous,
adj.dainty,
sense

rare

'

"

Days,

s.

dais, F

Lat. discus.

deis,

O. F.

59.

See Mor.

Dispensacion,

E
dispensation,

s.

746.

Gloss.

E 506.
displease,
i. e. strip,
60.
Lat. diadema, Gk. StaSrjfia,Dispoilen, v. to despoil,
E 374.
that which is bound round,
to strip;
Lat. spoliare,
a fillet,
and
bind.
from Std,
Sefv,to
across,
spolium,spoil.

Diademe,

s.

diadem, crown,

Dide, pt.

s.

did, E

dide

2047

caused
A. S.

be

to

drawn,

dyde, past
a

185;
hem

tense

from
reduplication,
from

duon
s.

put

drawe
B

on,
=

1823.
by

formed

don,

to

do ;

teta, I did,
or
tuon, to do.
evil name,
ill report, E

cf. O. H.G.

Diffame,

F 43,

dede,

s.

; dis,apart, gerere, to carry.

Digne, adj.worthy,noble, B 1175,

8.

F.

Dignitee,

s.

E 8

digue,Lat.

dignus.
rank, E 470.
dignity,
F. dignite,
O. F. digniteit,
Lat.
from
dignitatem;
dignus.
F
Discriptioun,
s.
description,
From
Lat.
describere.
580.
1

Discryue,

v.

to

describe, F

424;

to

sport, diversion, B

s.

3981.

O. F.

oneself

(Roquefort);from

portare, to

to
desporter,

to

so,

A.

S.

modern
cites

thingsare
dissimvlare,

Lat.

285.

pretendthat
s.

Lat.

tions,
pi. dissimula-

s.

pretences that
not

amuse

carry.

Dissimulinges,

Distaf,

F 347.
digestion,
Lat.
F.
digestion,
digestionem,
from
gest
didigerere,to distribute,

Digestioun,

v.

Disport,

or

See Defame.

540, 730.

Displese,

thingis not.

distaff,B 3097,

distaef;here

3564.

staefis

our

staff;Mr. Wedgwood
Platt-Deutsch
the
diesse,
bunch

meaning the

of flax

and quotes from

distaff,

the

on

the

Palsgrave
dystaffe,'

phrase
dyayn
meaning ' I supplya distaff with
flax ;
perhaps the first element
'

'

is cognate also
dissen, a bunch
Low
distaff,

with

E. Fries.
of flax on
a

G. diisse,
the

or
(Berghaus),

dise

same

(Liibben).

Discryuen,40; pt. Discryueth, Diuerse, adj.pi. diverse, F 202.

E 43 ; pp. Discryued,
Lat. diuersus.
B
describes,
3336. F. decrire,O. F. descrire, Diuersely, adv. in different ways,
s.

Lat. describere.

202.

246

ART

GLOSS

Diuyde,

B 3380 ; pp.
divide,

to

v.

Lat. diuidere.

Diuyded,3424.
Diuyn, adj.divine,B 3247.

Lat.

cause, B 3107, E 353 ;

imp.s. Do come = cause to come,
B 2035 ; a p. pi.pr. Do kepe=
to be kept,3624; pp. Do,
cause
to

v.

A. S. don,
done, ended, E 2440.
Du. doen, G. thun, O. H. G. duon,
the

tuon;

original

in Sanskr.

place,as

dha, to place,
I place. From
TiOijfjtt,

put, Gk.
the

dom,

whence

is the Gk.

root

same

A. S.

is to

sense

judgment,

INDEX.

Doubelnessc,

Offus,
doom

the verb to deem.

s.

F 556.
duplicity,

double, double, Lat.

F.

diuinus.

Do,

AL

duplus,
twofold.
oiir\6os,
E
Doughter, gen. sing,daughters,
Gk.

608.

A. S. dohtor,

;
daughter

gen. dohtor; Gk. Ovyaryp,Sanskr.

milker, one who

the cows, from duh, to

duAitri,i. e.
milks

milk.

adj. doughty,strong,B
1914, 3502, F 338 ; warlike,F
A. S. doktig,
II.
valiant,from
diigan,to profit
; so G. tuchtig,

Doughty,

from

Doun,
down

taugen.
adv.

down, F 323; up and

all directions,
in all

in

See Adoun.
B 2115.
Dogerel, adj.doggrel,
ways, B 53.
B
down, hill (dative),
s.
Donne,
Dogges, s. pi.dogs,B 3089. Du.
A.
S.
dat.
mastiff.
dun, a hill;
dog, a largedog,
1986.
dune.
premacy,
sus. domination,
Dominacioun,
chiefest

influence,F
From

352 ; dominion, B 3409.

Lat. dominus, a lord.
Dominus.

Don,

See Corpus.
do, F 323 ;

to

v.

act, B

Doutes,

Doon,

pr.

s.

Doth

forth

1015; Dooth, doth, B

gerund, to Done, F 334 ; to

Doone, E 99
E
F

568, 652

458 ;

297;

pp.

imp. pi.Doth, do,

doth

as

Don,

Doon,

do,
ended,

pray

130 ;

38;'ended,

'

20.

Double,

"c.
mistrust,'

23 ;

2142;

to

tinues,
con-

F 2
pi.fears,

s.

91,

485.

{.a doubt ; suspect ; feare,scruple;

46 ;

B
certainly,

to

make, 3507;
cause, 3618; to
leet don crye
caused to be cried,
F

without
adv. doubtless,

E
Doutelees,

ply, B 1653;

to

90;

Douteles,
doubt,

Cotgrave.

"

dower, E 848 ; Dower,

F.
to
douer,
endow, Lat.
807.
dotare ; donaire, a dowry, Lat.

Dowaire,

s.

Dradde,

pt.

3402, E

Lat. dos.

from

doiarium;

s.

523;

dreaded, feared,B
Dradde

B 3918;pp.
afraid,
E

69.

Dragoun,

him

was

Drad, dreaded,

See Drede.

dragon,B 3291.

s.

F.

caused
3423, F 601 ; doon make
to
be made, E 253; hath doon

dragon,
SpaKovra;

kept
kept,E 1098. See

originally watcher, guardian,

yow

Doom,
3

12

hath caused

you

to be

7, E looo,

judgment, Gk.

677.

A. S.

dom,

(?"/."?,
judgment,

1 place,
Sanskr.
decision;
cf.ri$rj/ju,
dkd, to place.
Dore, s. a door, E 282,F 80, 615 ;
B 3615, 3719.
A. S.
darn, Goth, daur, Gk. Ovpa.
Dorste, pi. s. durst,B 1995, 3527,

pi. Dotes,

'

"403

See Dar.

draconem,

probably

it

Gk.

meant

from

Do.

judgment,opinion,B

s.

Lat.

I see, opaKtiv,
SfpKOfiat,

to

see.

Drank, (orDranke),2 p. s. pr. didst

drink, B 3416; pt. s. drank, E
2 1

6. A. S. drincan,pt. t. ie dranc.

Drasty,

adj. filthy,worthless,

An
B 2113.
adj.formed
trashy,
S.
dterst or
from A.
dresten,
dregs,

in the O.Northumb.
doerste,
leaven,
version

of Matt.

also Goth,

xiii. 33.

drauhma,

Note

drausna,a

GLOSSARIAL

crumb,

fragment.Hence
full of

means

Parv.

as

Way's

Dreye,

lees,or dregs. The

gives drestys of

synonymous

Mr.

adj. dry, B 3233; pi.

Dreye,E 899. A. S. dryge,dry.

the word

Promp.
of
or lyys[/""]
oyle,drestys
note

Dreynt,/"p. drenched, i.e.drowned,

'

with
says

"

wine

247

INDEX.

'

A. S. drencan,

69.

'dregges.'

to

The

gedrenced.

dulla
Me-

make

to

drink, drench, drown;

pp.

a littletraist,' Driue,
'fecula,
pp. driven,B 3203.
Dronke,
(Had.
pt. pi. drank, B 3418;
MS. 2 2 5 7); in the Ortus, dregges.'
Dronken, 3390 ; pp. Dronke,
Amurca
is explainedby Elyot to
diunk,3758.
the mother
feme of all
mean
or
Drough, pt. s. refl.drew himself,
in Harl. MS. 1002,
drastus.'
B 1710; pt. s. Drow,
oyles,'
approached,
full
of
drew, 3292.
Palsgravegives dresly,
the
drest,liettx.' Horman
s.
Droughte,
drought, F 118;
says
of
the
be
A.
S.
drastys(floces)
drrigaft,
dryness; drdgian,
wyne
There is then no
medicynable.'
drigan,to dry; from dryge,dry.
doubt about the true readingin
Dryue, v. to drive,F 183; pp.
this passage.
A.S.
Driue, driven, B 3203.
E 314 ;
to
Drawe, v. to draw, incline,
drifan, drive,pp. drifen.
Drawe
him, to withdraw himself, Dul, adj. dull,F 279. A.S. dol,
F 355 ; pr.pl.Drawen
draw
Goth, dwals, foolish.
hem, withF
themselves, 252; imp.pl. Dure, v. to last,endure, E 166,
Draweth, invite,B 1632. A. S.
825. F. durer, Lat. durare; from
to
G.
dttrus,hard.
dragon, drag,draw,
Iragen.
Drede, I p. s. pr. I dread, fear,E
Dyed,/)/, s. dyed,steeped,F 511.
A.S. dedgian,to dye; dedg, a
636 ; imp. s. Dreed, dread, fear,
1 201;
pt. s. Dredde, dreaded,
dye,a colour.
to
die, B 114, 3618;
feared,1 8 1. A.S. on drcedan,to
v.
Dyen,
fear ; the simpleverb is not used.
Dye, 3324, E 38; pt. s. Dvde,

renders

fulle of traiste'
'feculentus,
'

'

'

'

'

Drede,

s.

373*.
drede

dread, fear,awe,
E

358, 462 ;

there is

no

3694,

jt

is

fear"*or
doubt,

634B 3558.
Dredful, adj.terrible,
A.S.
Drery,
adj. sad, E 514.
from

lit.

to

dight,prepare,

Dyghte me,

myself

prepare

3104; pp. Dyght,prepared

A. S.
himself to go, 3719.
dihlan, to prepare; G. dichten,

to

go,

O. H. G.

to
tihten,

bloody,

set in order.

E.

dreor,blood. Cf. G. traurig,

sad ; O. H. G. tror,
that which
falls; A.

Dresse,

v.

1007;

to

Ebbe,

blood, dew,

S. dredran,
driusan, to fall.
address oneself, E
to
address,prepare, 1049;

Mceso-Goth.

"

selves,
pr. pi.Dresse hem, direct themi.e. go, draw near, F 290.
F.

v.

974;

beyond doubt, E 1155; out of

drede
of doubt, certainly,
out

dreorig,sorrowful

died,B 3986. See Deyen.

Dyghte,

no

dresser,Ital. dirizzare

Lat. directus,
direct ; from
to rule.

; from

regere,

s.

ebb, F 259.

A. S.

ebba,

an
ebb, reflux ; ebbian, to ebb.
Echon,
adj. each one, B iSiS;

Echoon, E 124.
adv. eke, also, B
Eek,
A. S.

1877.
edc, Du.
auch, Mceso-Goth. auk.

59,

Eet, pt. s. ate, B 3362, 3407

s.

imp.

A. S. etan, pt. t. ic
cf. G. essen, pt. t. ich ass.

eat,

at;

3640.

70,

oo*, G.

248
Eft, adv.

again,E

GLOSS

ARIAL

INDEX.

1227, F

631.

3558.

A.S.

eft,again,back,after.
eagle,F 123; gen. Egles,
3365. F. aigle,Lat. aquila.

Egle,
B

s.

The

A.S. word

is ern,

earn.

E
adj. eager, sharp,fierce,

Egre,

F.

1199.
from

Lat.
aigre,

ace.

emperetir, O. F.

F.

pereor, Lat.

imperatorem.
Empoisoned,
pp. poisoned, B
to poison
3850. F. empoisonner,
;
from
of
is
doublet
a
potion
;
poison
drink ; from
Lat. potionem, a
drink ;

po'.are,to

acrem,

A. S. eahlaleti'Sa.

Ekko,

echo, E

s.

Gk.

1189. Lat. echo,

a noise.
?jxos"

r'ixw
; from

adj. elate,B

Elaat,

Lat.

3357.

from

A. S.

eald, old

s.

older ;

s.

occasion, cause, F
O. F. enckaison, an
sion
occa-

Encheson,

B
forefathers,
pi. elders,
A.
S.
65, 156.
yldra,
the pi.,yldran, means

elders,
parents.
Elf-queen, s. fairyqueen, B 1978,
an
elf,whence
1980. A.S. celf,

456.
to

s.

Encresen, v. to increase,B 1654;

pr. s. Encresseth,E 50; pp. Encrecer,

Endelcmg,

3983.

A. S.

al-ter.
al-ias,
al-ius,
al-ienus,
adj.elvish,i.e. abstracted,
absent
in
demeanour,
vacant,

seems

The

in

word

occurs

Sir Gawain

but

is intended
elves had power

compliment
*

As

as

the

Endyte,

witch
be-

vacant
silly,
person
dlfr;hence
and dlfasilly
; dlfaskapr
dlfalegr,
behaviour ; Cleasby's
hdttr, silly

men,

pr. s.
E

Icel. Diet.

See the note.

from

Lat.

Emperoures,

stnaragdus.
s.

pi. emperors,

17;

endites,composes,
Endyteth,

41,

posed,
1148; pp. Endyted, com-

O. F. endider,
indicate,from diiier,

3170.

enditier,to

Lat. dictare.
dictate,
Enformed,
pp. informed, E
to

F 335.
"

Lat.

the French.

738,
informare,through
Cotgrave has

'

En-

former,to form, fashion,'"c.

Engendred,

emerald, B 1799.
s.
Emeraude,
F.
cmeraude, O. F. estneralde,

See

B 3858 ; pr.
indict,

to

v.

is in Icelandic called

'

indurare.

pi. 2 p. endite,compose,

here.
to

in full

Dure.

such

no

entlang,

seen

anda, Lat. ante,

endurer, Lat.

Knight, 68 1, where it
to
mean
having supernatural
power

andlang,G.

dm-, Sanskr. anti (Vedic),

"c.
opposite,
signifying
against,
B
to
last,
v.
3538; F.
Endure,

the

and

en-

along,F

prep, down

A.S.

in Moeso-Goth.

Eluish,

1893.

Fr.

increscere.

Gk.

means

other, foreign,
strange ; cf. Lat.

aluhch

Lat

along; the prefixis

wise
elles,other-

prefixel-

from

416.

Elles, adv. else,otherwise,B 2129,

; the

Norman

cressed,408.

dlfr,an elf,fairy;speltouphe
in Shakespeare.
A.S.

ehaoir,

(Roquefort); from
happen,Lat. cadere.

Alfred ; Icel.
JElf-red
(elf-counsel),

Grene

from prem-

B 3857.
enterprise,
prise
a
n
emprise,
emprinse, enter; F. prendre,to take, Lat.
prekendere,
prendere.

comp.

yldra,older.

empreindre,

imprimere;

O. F.

3450.

3232,

F.

press.

Empryae,

Elder, adj. eomp. older, B 1720,

3388,

also

impress,
imp.pi.imprint,

1193.

Lat.

ere, to

flatus,

Eldres,

whence

potation.

acer.

Eightetethe, orJ. adj.eighteenth,Emprinteth,

65.

em*

gotten,
beengendered,

pp.
E

158.

F.

engendrer,
implant;

Lat. ingenerare,
E. kin.
from Lat. genus
to

Engyn,

s.

machine, F 184.
'gin,'

GLOSSARIAL

F.
an

ft.

illumined,E

s.

F. enlttminer,
Lat. illuminfrom
which
lumen, light,

33are;

from lux,light.

Enquere,

769.

quaerere, to seek.

example,
78,
ensample (Roquefort),
Lat. exemplum.

Ensample,

s.

O. F.

3281.

s.
intention,purpose,
F.
O.
intention,a design
703.
(Roquefort); Lat. intentionem.

Entencion,
E

Entende,

direct one's attention,

to

apply oneself,B

3498

attend, disposeoneself, F

; to

689.

F. entendre,Lat. intendere.

Entente, s. intention,B 40, E

735, 874; meaning, F 400;
design,B 3835, F 521 ; wish,

189;

as

to

mind,

entente,

commune

to

in

1740;
good
good will,B 1902;

with

reference

its

common

plain)meaning,i. e.

in

with

atiso, Lat. auris.

Entraille,

s.

Erl, s.
3597, 3646; pi.
Erles,3839. A.S. eorl,Icel.jarl,
a

chief.

entrails,inside,E

early,F

adv.

Ernest,

s.

earnest,

firstof all,B 1884,E

first,
of
superl.
985. A. S. eerest,first,
=

at

"er,

ere.
before,

A. S.
Erthe, s. earth, E 203.
eorfte,Icel. jorS, Mceso-Golh.
airtha,G. erde.
Ese, s. ease, "217, 434. F. ahe.
F 115; softlv,
Esily, adv. easily,

slowly,388.
Espyen,

to

v.

soned,
poi-

s.

s.

B
envy, jealousy,

3584,

3657 ;

east, B

the root

as

F.
G.

adv. in

the dawn, from

itshas,
burn ; which from
vas, to shine ; Peile's

us, to

older

root

and Latin

Etymology,2nd

ed. p. 142.

Estaat,
B

s.

3592.

estate, condition,rank,
3647. 3965; state, E

160, 767;

poison.

see, B

the east, F 459.

A. S. east, Icel.
austr ; cf.Lat. A urora
(= A nsosa)

Greek

pp. envenomed,

espy, spy,

3258; pt. s. Espyed,3718.

O. F. espier,
from O. H.
epier,
G.
to
spehen, spy,
spahen.

an

B 3314.
F. envenimer,to
poison; F. venin, Lat. venenum,

A. S.

adj.serious,E 11/5.
Erst, adv. before,E 336; at erst

from

Envenimed,

"723.

Ernestful,

and Sanskr.

in.
interus,
inward,intra,with-

A. S.

eornost, certain, sure, G. ernsl;

allied to Icel.ern, brisk,vigorous,
and Gk. opvvfu, I excite.

F. entrailles,Low
Lat.
interanea
Lat.
intrania,
(Pliny),
1188.

379.

Er.
see
eerlice;

(i.
telligible
Est,
plainine.

F 107.
language,

Envye,

196,316; pi.Ere?,
629. A. S. tare,

earl, B

Erly,

enquire,E

to

v.

Lat. inquirers;
from
enqtierir,

entent

F
E

Mceso-Goth.

Enlumined,

249

engin,meaning (i) skill,(2) Ere, s. ear,

B
3726,
engine;from Lat. ingenium,

skill.

F.

INDEX.

state, F 26.

way, E 610; Estat,

F. etat, O. F. estat,

Lat. status.
3888. F. envie,Lat. inuidia.
adv. eastwards,
E 50.
Epistolis, dat. case pi. (Latiti), Estward,
B 55.
Ete, v. to eat, F 617; pp. Eten,
epistles,
E quite e, s. equity,
E 1096. See Eet.
E
A. S. elan,
justice, 439.
Lat.
Mceso-Goth.
F. eqvite,
itan, to eat.
aequitatem.
writer
Er, conj.ere, B 119, 1667,aoi5 5
s.
Euangelist,
Evangelist,
F
of
F
B
er
ere
a Gospel,
now,
now,
130;
2133.
E 178. A. S.
F 364. A. S.
460; er that,before,
Eue, s. eve, evening,
Mceso-Goth.
whence
cf.
G.
E.
abend.
air,
air,
efen;

tarty.

B 1897. See Yusl.

Euel, adv. ill,

GL OSS A RIAL

250

adj. even, E 811. A. S.

efen, eefen,equal, Mceso-Goth.

Euene,

ibns.

adj. every

one,

Euerichon, every one,

1164;
Euerichon, 4009 ; Euerichoon,B
B

58, 3089;
Euermo, adv.

pi.sb. 3277.

with

fail,B

to

v.

ally,
continu-

evermore,

for

I744" 4005;

E 754
continually,

518 ;

euermo

six-foot

metre,

Utrpov,

verse

; from

f(,six,and

F. excellent,
Lat. excellentem.

Faire,485.

A. S.

fagrs, fair;

111770$, well-fastened,

irrf^vviM, I fasten ;
Goth.fahan, to seize.

strong, from

Pairnesse,
Pairye,
F
F

96 ;
201.

measure.

Excellente, adj.excellent,F 145.

case

Gk.

384.

124.

voc.

sb. the fair part,

faegr,Moeso-Goth.

cf.

Euermore,

F.

3955.

Lat. fallere.
faillir,

cf.

Exametron, s. a hexameter,B 3 1 69.

Gk. (^afntrpov,
neuter of If
a/^frpos,
a

guard,nourish.

to

Paire, adj.def.as

1017.

a father,
pilrl,
; from pa,
guardian

Faille,

Euerich,

INDEX.

A.

s.

S.fcegsrnes.

B 1992, 2004,
fairyland,
fairycontrivance, magic,
chantment;
en".feerie,O. F. faerie,
F. fee, Ital. fata, a

s.

fairy,from
witch,

fairness,
beauty,E

Low

Lat.

fata,

who

presidesover fate;
fatum, destiny.
E 1 26 ;
Palle, v. to fall,
happen,light,
expert,Lat. expertns.
E 259 ; Fallen,to happen,
to suit,
Expoune, v. to expound, explain,
F 134; pp. Falle,fallen,B 3196,
B 3398 ; Expounde, 3940 ; pt.
s. Expouned, 3399 ; Expowned,
3268 ; happened,E 938 ; Fallen,
F. 684. A. S.
F.
O.
to
pose,
exaccidentally
placed,
espondre,
3346.
Lat. exponere.
feallan.
eh ! E 2419.
Cf. G. ".
Pals, adj. false,B 74 ; def.False,
Ey, inter),
F. faux, O. F. fals,Lat.
Eyleth, pr. s. ails,B 1171, 1975;
3727.
falsus.
pt. s. impers.Eyled,ailed,F 501.
broken (faith),
A. S. eglian,
to feel pain,eglan,
Palsed, pp. falsified,
F 627.
trouble ; Moesoto givepain,egl,
Expert,

B 4.
adj.experienced,

F.

Lat.

agio, tribulation,aglns, Fame, s. good report,E 418.

troublesome; cf. Goth, agis,E.
fame, Lzt.fama.

Goth.

Pantasyes,

awe.

F.

face; a technical

s.

term

in

the third part

astrology,
signifying
of a sign(of the zodiac)
; a part
of the

zodiac

ten

degreesin

tent,
ex-

See the note.

F 50.

B n/8,
father's,
Fader, gen. sing,

fader day, father's

3121, 3127;
day,father'stime, 3374, E 1136;
we

also

3630,

pi. fancies,F 205.

Gk.
fantaisie,

from
"pavraala,

whence
to
"paiveiv,
appear;
phantom, phantasm. Fancy

P.

Pace,

s.

find Fadres, B 3534,

809 ; pi.Fadres, fathers,

doublet of

F.

also
is

phantasy.

Pare, v. to fare,get on, F 488;

B 1676 ;
i p. s. pr. Fare, I am,
pr. s. Fareth, it fares,it is,E
1217; pp- Fare, fared, gone, E
896 ; imp. s. Far wel, farewell,

Il6,3631,E 555. A. S.faran,

to
go, proceed,fare, Du. varen,
G. fahren, to travel ; cf. Gk.
B

I
iroptvu,
travel ; Gk.

carry,

noptvoftai,

61 ; parents, originators,
nopos, E. ferry.
E 598 ;
S.
adv.
A.
fast,
closely,
fader (gen. Paste,
129.
B
Paste
quickly, 2017;
fader}G. vater, Lat. pater.Sanskr.
by, close
ancestors,
B

A RIAL

GLOSS

Feyning,
F 556.

pretending,
cajolery,

s.

and

the

compound flocmJelum,
by

divisions

E
Feynting, s. fainting,
failing,
of
F. feindre,
to
970. Orig.pp.

feign.
Fieble, adj.feeble,
weak, E 1198.
O.F. foible,
Ital.
F.faible,
floible,
feeble.
fievole,

Derived from
lamentable.
flebilis,

B 1970.
Fiers, adj.fierce,

Lat.

fort
Roque-

fier,
hautain,
givesO.F. 'fers,
severe

INDEX.

'

it seems

to

be from

Lat.

Flood,
F

or

companies.

of the
flood,flowing

s.

sea,

A. S. fldd,Mceso-Goth.

259.

flodus.
flower,B 2091, 3287,
s.
3687; choice, pattern, E 919.
Lat. florem.
Y.fleur,
Floure, pr. s. subj.flower,flourish.
Flour,

1 20.

Folweth,

pr.

s.

follows,B 3327,

E 1189.
imp. pi. follow,imitate,

A. S. folgian,fyligean,
ferns, not from Lat. ace.
Icel.fylgja,
G. folgen.
ferocem.
E 236. F. folie,
Folye, s. folly,
Figure, s. shape,i.e. man's shape
from fol,
or
form, B 3412; pi. Figures,
fou,mad.
16.
of
E
F.
figures speech,
figure, Fond, pt. s. found,E 457 ; Foond,
B
Lat.figura.
P"- pl- Fonde,
J99i. 3733;
B
Fil, pt. s. fell,occurred, happened,
*"
subj. Fonde,
3259 " p1'
B 186;, 1962,
352i.
3275, "449, 718;
nom.

as

fer

as

til

reason

extended, F

reason

as

570;

far

as

pt. pi.

Fonde,
to

v.

endeavour, B

to

try, E

attempt,

2080;

283.

A. S.

fandian, to try, tempt, search

238; Ffflen,fell,
with findan,to
out ; connected
A.S.
to
3183, 3620.
feallan,
find.
fall;pt. t. icfeol,
pp. gefeallen.
Foo, s. foe, enemy, B 1748, 3415,
Fingres, s. pi. ringers, E 380.
F 136; pl. Foon, foes, B 3896;
A.S. finger.
A.S. f ah,
Foos, B 3219, 3519.
Firste, adj. tised as a sb.; my
firstc my firstnarration,F 75.
root
a foe ; pl./a; from the same
zs fiend. See Feend.
Fish, s. the sign Pisces, F 273.
See note.
A. S. fisc,Lat. piseis
Fool,
s. a fool,employed to make
;
the same
thus fishes
and pisces
F. fol,fan.
are
sport, B 3271.
word.
Fool-hardy,
bold,
adj. foolishly
B
a portion
Fit, s. a fyt or passus,1
3106.
of a song, B 2078. A. S. fit,a
*.
Foo-men,
pl. foes, B 3255,
Fille, fell,F
B

'

'

'

35"7-

song.

pi. flames, B 3353.

F. flamme, O.F.
flambe, Lat.
flamma.
F 502 ; Flcen,122;
Flae, v. to fly,
pr. pi. Fleen, flee,B 121 ; pr. s.
Flambss,

s.

E 119, F 149; pi.

Fleeth, flies,
avoided, B 3445,
s. Fledde, fled,
3874; Fley, fled, 3879. A.S.

fleon,to

to
flee ; fleogan,

fly.

adv. in a flock,in a
Flokmele,
E 86.
A.S. floe,
number,
great
flock ; masl, a portion; hence
dat. pi.as adv. mcelum, in parts,
a.

Foon,

See Foo.

Foos.

See Fond.

Foond.

For, conj.because,
in

that,

order

1705, F

74;

; frep.

102

as

with
regards,

respect to, B 13,

account
of, B 3321;

"474; on
against,2052;
means,

F 357.

for

A.S.

me

by

my

for.

forage,food, B 1973.
F. fourrage,O. F. fourage,from
O. F. forre, fodder, Low
Lat.
Teutonic
from
a
fodder;
fodrum,
cf. O. H.G.
source;
fuo.'ar,E.

Forage,

s.

A RIAL

GLOSS

fodder; which from the root of

Moeso-Goth. fodjan,to feed; cf.
food. To forage is therefore
to search for fodder and food.
bid;
Forbede, imp. s. 3 p. may he forE.

god forbed e God forbid,E

136,1076 ; pt. s. Forbad, forbade,
=

forbeddan, McesoGoth. faurbiudan.

A. S.

570.

adv.

Forby,
Cf.

past, B

1759, I792G.

forbi,past, gone;

Dan.

ingly
dry, exceed-

adj. very

Fordrye,

dry,withered
Forfered,

pp.

Cf.

up, F 409.

A. S. fordrigan,
to

dry up, parch.

afraid;
exceedingly

forfered of, very afraid for,F 527.

The
prefix
for- is the A. S. for-,
times
or someG.ver-, Mceso-Goth./ra-,

in

four-,as

faurbiudan,

E 469.
forgotten,
S. forgitan,
to forget,
pp. for-

Forgeten,

pp.

forgo(commonly
E 171.
A.S.
forego),
misspelt
Mcesoto
forgdn, forgo,
pass by,
Goth. faurgaggan,to pass by;

Forgoon,

to

v.

Moeso-Goth.

different from
to

ragaggan,

fau-

before,which

go

representedby forego,
indeed, it is in the phrase

might be

Othello,
foregoneconclusion,'

iii.3.

; cf. G.

428
vorgehen.
Forlete,

v.

vergehenand

to

leave,yieldup,

to leave.
verlassen,
Fors, s. force,matter;

G.

no

fiomforlis,
strength. I gyue
"

force,I

no

to

A.S.
adv.

E 526.
forgive,
Mceso-Goth. fragibA.S.forgifan,

Foryiue,
G.

an,

v.

vergeben.

Fostred, pt.

nurtured,

s.

pp. E 1043,

kept,E
A.S.

500.

food ;
fosterian, nourish,
faster,
from the same
root
as food and
to

See Forage.
foot ; on fote,on

fodder.
Fote"

s.

A.S.

390.

f6t,G.

pedem, Gk.
pad.

ace.

ace.

adj.ugly,E

Foul,

foot,

fuss; Lat.

voSa, Sanskr.
1209;

Foule,

wretched, B 4003 ; Foul,

sb. foul weather, F lai.
as
adj.
poor,

A.S.

Mceso-Goth. fuls,foul.
fill,

Foul,

bird, F

s.

Foules,53, 398.

149, 435; //.

A. S. fugel,
G.

vdgel.
Founde,

found,

pp.

146;

Fourneys,

s.

furnace, B

3353.

'Lai.fornacem.
F. fournaise,

pi.foxes, B

s.

pi.3223.
Frankeleyn,
Fraunchyse,

A.

3121

S.fox,G.

gen.

fucks.

s.

franklin,F

s.

B 3854.
liberality,

675.

F. franchise,
freedom,franc,free.

forsake,leave, B

fregna,Mceso-Goth. fraihnan,to
ask; cf. G.fragen,Lat. precari.

forsacan.

forth,F 605 ; used as

F 604. A.S./orS.
go forth,

Forth,
v.

v.

isforgitol.

to

Frayneth,
pr. s. prays, beseeches,
A.S.
B
fregnan, Icel.
1790.

for

Diet.

3431.

A. S. form

The

thyng,//
French
Palsgrave's

nat

care

chault';

Forsake,

E 472.
adj.forgetful,

Foryetful,

Foxes,
fors

E 1092, 2430.
F.
Lat. fortia,
;
strength

matter,
force,Low
no

men

yield; cf. Mceso-Goth.

to

pay,

an

s.

Founden, 520.

A. S. forlfetan,
to let go ;

1848.

ne

agreement,B 34,
1167; promise,40. A. S. forevieard,an agreement ; from fore,
before,and vieard, a ward, or
guard; not connected with word.
Foryelde,
v. to
yield in
requite,
return, E 831. A. S. forgyldan,
from gyldan, to
to recompense;

Forward,

geten, G. vergessen.

"169.

moreover,

322;
to

forbid.

as,

furthermore,

adv.

Forthermore,

fragildan,G. vergelten.

vorbei.

A.

353

INDEX.

Fredom,

s.

B 3832.
liberality,

adj. liberal,bounteous, B
1854; Fre, profuse,E 1209;

Free,

'A RIAL

GLOSS

254
Free, noble,B 1911.

A.S.freo,

G.frei.

Fyn,

end, purpose,

s.

result,B

3348, 3884. Y.fin,Lat./nw.

E 352.
freely,
E 1160.
s. frailty,

Frely, adv.
Freletee,

Fynally,
F.

frele,frail,fragile.Frailtyis
doublet

INDEX.

of

from
fragility,

Lat.

fragiliiatem.

adj.

Fremde,

429.

Mceso-Goth.
A. S. fremed,foreign,

at
last, F
finally,

576.

adj.pi. fine,good, F 640.

Fyne,

F.Jin,G.fein.
Fyr,

F
foreign,

adv.

B 3734.
fire,

s.

A. S. fyr,G.

fever,Gk. irvp.
Fyue,

five,Bis.

num.

See Fyf.

framatkeis,G.fremde, strange.
121.
s. pi. friends,B
Mceso-Goth.
A.S.frednd,
frijonds,
G.
a
lovingone, from Goth. Jrijon,
to love,Sanskr. pri,to love.
E 12.
B 3537. A.
Freres, s. pi.friars,
Y.frere, Galle, s. gall,
Lat. fratrem.
Gk. \O\TI.
Lat./e/,

Frendes,

Frete,

to

v.

eat

devour, B

up,

A.S.
3294.
Mceso-Goth.

frelan, G. fresseti,
to devour ;
fra-itan,
eat up.
lit.tofor-eat,

464.

Fro, prep, from, B 24, 121, F

A.S./ra.
Fruyt,
F.

74.

Lat. frttctus.
fruit,

86 ; adv. very, B

adj.full,B
3506, F 52 ;

Ful,

many,
voll.

s.

shoe, F

555.

F.

galoche,Low Lat. calopedia,

gested
sugGk.
a
Ka\oirfdi\a,
by
wooden
shoe; properlya piece
of wood

tied to

cow's

legs,a

K"Xov, a log,irtStA.op,
clog,fetter.
F 350 ;
Galping,/r"?s.
part, gaping,

clog; from

fruit,i.e. result,F

s.

Galoche,

S. gealla,

Ful

128.

many,

very
full, G.

A.S.

Galpinge,
354.
B 3924,
pi. gallows,
Icel.
gdlgi.
gealga,
394 1
Game,
s. sport, E 609 ; joke,733 ;
merriment, jest,B
amusement,

Galwes,

s.

A.S.

E 596 ; filled
Fulfild, pp. fulfilled,
full,B 3713.
2030, 3740, 3981. A.S. gamen,
E 706.
Icel.gaman,
a
Fulliche, adv. fully,
game, sport.
Fulsomnesse,
s. satiety,
profuse- Gan, pt. s. began,B 3230 : as anx.
F 405.

ness,

Fumositee,

s.

of drink, F

fumes

did, B 14, E 393, 679; pi.

Gonne, did,E 1 103. A. S. ongin=

fumosity,i.e. the

358.

From

Lat./wmws, smoke, fume.

nan,

pt.

adj. tormenting,F 448.

furious.
Lat. furialis,

Furial,

Gape,

the

ic ongan;

t.

simple

beingused.

vb. not
v.

to

gape,

Icel. gapa,

to

gasp, B

open

wide,

3924.
Swed.

furlong;furlong
gap, a mouth, abyss,Icel. gap,
distance of a
a gap ; Du. gapen, to yawn.
a
furlong,
wey
i.e. a short time, "516.
A.S.
Gardin, s. a garden,B 3732. F.
furh, a furrow; it means fitrrow~
jardin,O. F. gardin,Low Lat.
the
of
furrow.
a
gardinum,from O. H. G. gartin,
long, length
686.
fie
F
Welsh
inter
Fy,
ffi;
j. 1
gen. case of O. H. G. gart, a yard,
Furlong,

s.

cf. G.

Fyf,

num.

Cf. E.

pfui.
five,B

Mceso-Goth.
Gk.
quinque,

panchan.

3602.

A. S.

ftf,

fimf, G. funf, Lat.

Sanskr.
irivrf,
vi^itf,

yard, G. garten.

Gat, pt. s. got, obtained,F 654.

gaze, stare, F 190;
pr. s. Gaureth, gazes, stares, B
Apparentlygaure is a
3559.

Gauren,

v.

to

GLOSSAR1AL

Scand. word

; cf. Norw.

gagra, to
stand with outstretched neck,with
the chin in the air (Ross).

Gayler,

s.

gaol,O. F.

geolee,
a

Lat.

3615. F.
from
gaiole,

B
gaoler,

caueola,dimin.

of causa,

Gazed, pt.

gazed,E

s.

from

means

Moeso-Goth.
but from

Geaunt,
F.

the

s.

By

1003.
root

same

as

acquiredfor themselves,F
Icel. geta.
gitati,
56.
B 3554.
Gilte, adj.pi.gilt,
A. S.

contrivance, F 128, 332.

s.

Said to be

dial. gasa.

B 1997, 3298.
giant,

s.

F. gemme,

noble, B 1905.
adj. gentle,
F. gent, comely; Lat. genitus,
well-born.

Gentil,

adj. gentle,worthy,

1627,F

452 ; excellent,B 3123 ;

F 483 ; pi. as sb.

compassionate,
Gentils,gentry, people of rank,
E 480. F. gentil,
Lat. gentilis.

Gentillesse,

483.

s.

505;

nobleness,B 3441,
B 3854;
nobility,

worth, E 96; slenderness,symmetry,

426 ;

delicate nurture,

E 593.
adv. in

Gentilly,

frank

or

noble

F 674.
frankly,
E
s.
372.
gear, clothing,
clothing,
tion,
preparagearwa,

manner,

A. S.

gearo,

Gesse,

p.

ready,yare.
s.

3435. 396o,E

pr. I suppose,

469,F

609.

conjecture;cf.

to
gis'sen,

Du.
Icel.

to guess.
gizlta,

Gest,

guest,E 338 ; pi.Gestes,

339.
gaest,a guest,Lat.
hostis,a stranger.
s. a

tale

(toldin the manner

stock story;
a
gestours),

s. a

the

geste like the

stories, B
2123;
=

common

stock

pi. Gestes,
F
ail.
O. F. geste, a
stories,
tale,Lat. gestum; Lat. pi.gesia,

doings.

See Engyu.
B
gingerbread,

s.

gerte, a switch.

cf. G.

Mceso-

is
gazds, a sting,

Goth.

connected

not

word.
make

glad,comfort,
cheer, B 4001, E 1174; pr. s.
cheers, E 1107,
Gladeth, pleases,
F 609 ; imp. s. 3 p. Glade, may

Glade,

v.

to

comfort, E

gladian,to
glad.

822.

Cf.

be glad; from

A.S.

glced,

F
2 24 ;
willingly,
that
that
been
gladly wyse
wish to be thoughtwise, 376.
B 3968.
Gladsom,
adj.pleasant,
F 254.
A.S. gl"es,
Glas, s. glass,
Icel.gler.
Glede, s. a burningcoal,B in,
3574' coloured as the glede
A. S.
of a brightred colour.
coal
Icel.
a
;
gled,
gltfS, burning
A. S. glfavan,Icel. glda,
from
to glow.

Gladly,

adv.

A. S.

Geste,

of F.

gird.
Girden, v. to strike,B 3736.
Properlyto switch; from A.S.
gerd, a yard, a rod, a switch ;

he

Gentilleste, adv. noblest,

"72.

s.

form

B 1921.
A. S.
girdle,
G. gurtel
;
gyrdels,Icel. gyrftill,
A. S. gyrdan, Icel. gyrfta,to

Girdel,

Gent,

shortened

engin,a machine.

gigantem.
Giugebreed,
pi. gems, precious
2044.

254, 779.
Lat. gemma.

in

See above.
to

v.

giant,Lat.

Gere,

B
pi. story-tellers,

get (genmd), E 1210;

a p. pl.pr.
ye get, F 343; 2 p.
s. pr. Getest, obtainest,B
1669 ;
hem
Geten
han
to
;
pp.
geten

Gete,

us-gaisjan, terrify, Gin,

stones, E

of

*.

2036.

to

Swed.

Gemmes,

Gestours,

have

cage.
no

255

INDEX.

entertainment,B 2030.
A. S. gle6,
music,
joy,mirth,glee,

Glee,

song.
"Tobal

s.

[Tubaf]thair brothir first

vnderfang
Musyk, that es the sonne of sang ;

256

other

harpe,and
Organis,
He

'A RIAL

GLOSS

gleu,

thaini ut of music

drou

gos,

goosehawk, a

gdshafoc,a
goose;
hawk
used to chase

wild geese ; cf.gos-ling.

1519.

quickly, Gospel, s. gospel; here,a text from

pt.
glided,
F
S.
A.
B 1 180.
A. S. godspell,
a gospel,
glidan,
393.
2094,
at first from
a
; pt. t. ic glad.
glide
god, good, spell,

Glood,
to

A.S.

neu.'

Cursor Mundi, ed. Morris,G

B

INDEX.

went

s.

F 166.
comment,
glosing,
F. glose,
from Lat. glossa,
a gloss,
Gk. f\""aaa,the tongue ; also a
language;also, a word needing

Glose,

story,

s.

explanation
; hence, an

as

appears from O. H. G.
Icel. guftspjall.

tion.
explana-

flatter,B

to

v.

3330;

Goth,

Glosen, to comment
upon, 1180.
Glyde, v. to glide
; vp glyde to
F 373; pt.
gradually,

Glood, q.

Gnow,

s.

gnawed,

A. S. gnagan,

to

3638.

pt.

gnaw;

the

ic

t.

gen.
1169,1175.

sing.God's, B 1166,

is many

yere

gangan

(pronouncedgangan).
pt. pi.did ; gonne arace

gaggan

Gonne,

did tear

away,

aunce

nom.

adj.good,

B 3969 ;
right,

portly,
4010.

A.S.

to

manage

him,

govern,

v.

gtibernare.
s.

governor, master,
F. gouvernevr,

B 3130.
principal,

Grace,

gubernatorem.
favour,kindness,F

s.

Gras, grace, B
of

161.

2021

favour,in

F. grace,

Lat.

458 ;

of grace,
kindness, F
;

gratia.

good-looking,

B 1726.
grammar,
Low
Lat.
grammaire,
gramLat. gramma,
maria; from Low
Gk. fpapua,
a
letter; fpd"ptiv,

gddltc.

to

god,

Grammere,

Icel.gtfSr,
G. gut.

Goodly,

the way

Gouernour,

852;

A.S.

s.

control, B
range,
3587 ; imp. pi. Gouerneth, arLat.
F.
"322.
gouverner,

out

adj. voc.
def. B 3084.

from

Gouerne,

See Gan.

Goode,

means

of the

control, E
23 ;
his
B
sovereignty,3541 ;
gouern-

removed, E 1103.

good, E

1192.

tery,
mas-

Gouernaunce,

Lat.
=

Properlyit

providence,E
1161; arrangement, plan, 994;

many

A.S. gdn, also

132.
G. gehen,Mceso-Goth.

year ago, B

management,

s.

Gouernance,

pr. pi.Goon, go, proceed,E 898 ;

pp. Goon, gone, B 17, E 774;
goon

s.

F.

proper,

ing,
pleas-

write.

See Gon.
See
Goon, Goost.
s.
2021.
Gras,
grace, B
B
a'
Grace.
s.
Goost,
ghost, 3124; spirit,
E 926, 972 ; the Hcly Ghost, B
Gras, s. grass, F 153. A, S. gars,
1660; yaf vp the goost=died,
grces, Icel.gras, G. gras.

1862.

A.S.

the
gdst,G. geist,
breath,a spirit.

Goshauk,

s.

568; Gooth, B

Lat.
F. goiivernail,
helm
of
a ship.
gubernacvlum,the

s. goldthread,
Gold-thred,
golden
B
twine,
3665.

Gon, v. to go, proceed,F 200, 327 ;

Goon, E 847 ; 2 p. s. pr. Goost,
goest, walkest about, B 3123;

steering,
management

helm;

gn6h.
Goddes,

s.

See Gon.

v.
s.

gossamer, F 259.
goes, B 1698,F 392

Gouernaille,

'

pt.

pr.

imp.
3384.

and
golspel

s.

pi.Goth.

rise up

Gk.

tvayy(\iov ; but afterwards a life

of Christ,lit.the story of God, as

Gossomer,
Glose,

translation of the

goshawk,B

1928.

Graue,

v.

to

grafan, to

graben.

bury,E 681.

A.S.

dig; Icel. grafa,G.

GLOSSARIAL

INDEX.

mercy,
inlerj.many
thanks, E 1089. F. grand nurd.

Graunten,
E

Graunted, 183;
imp. s. 3 p. Graunte, may he
graunt, 843. O.K. graanler, to
of
O. F.
grant, later form
craanter, to caution; the latter
is from the Lat. credere,through
*79,' pt.

s.

form credentare. The change

of initial
have been due to
may
confusion with O. F. garatitir,
to
a

dye;

s.

i.e.dyed of
See

in grayn

in

fast colour,B

dye,

1917.

Greyn.

Gree,

pt.

groaned,B 3899.

s.

grdnian,to groan
grdnede.

A. S.

Gracche,

to

v.

gruccheit

Greet, adj. great, B

3403.

See

Grete.

Grene,

adj.def. green,
120;
green colour,F 646 ; as sb.
A. S.
greenery, greenness, F 54.
Icel.
grene,
greenn.
Gret, adj. great, F 463; def.
E

Grete,

1181;

Grete,

voc.

1797; pi. Grete, E

382.

See

Greet.
E 952. A.S.
Grette,pt. s. greeted,

pt.t. it

murmur,
to

O. F.

354;

170;
it,

at

murmur

groucher,
grocer,

to

murmur.

all along,
Gruf, adv. grovellingly,
flat down, B
1865. Cf. Icel.

phrasea grufu,said

of

downwards

; from

who

one

lies face

to cower,
grilfa,

crouch down.

guide,lead, E 776.
Gyden,
guide,B 1670; imp.
pi. Gydeth,guide,direct,1677.
of
another form
O. F. gtiider,

Gyde,

gratitude,
good part, E
F- Sr^i inclination,
from

s.

1I51Lat. gratus, pleasing.

of

grizzly,

grayish.

lies grovelling,
who
or

warrant.

Grayn,

Distinct from

shudder.

Gronte,

grant, fix,name,

to

v.

257

to

v.

to

guier.
Gye,
75.

See Gye.

to

w.

guide,rule,B 3587,E
guier,to guide,Ital.

O. F.

guidare;Old

Saxon

wltan,

observe, O. H. G. wizan,
Gyse,

s.

wise,way,
guise,

to

to

serve.
ob-

manner,

"332, 54"H. G. wise, G. weise, a manner,

cognate with E. wise,from A. S.
F

F- """*"

from

wise.

gretan, pt. t. ic grette.

Gretter,

adj. comp.

greater, E

1126.

Habergeoun,

Greuaunce,
B

s.

grievance,
hardship,
pain,

O. F. grevance,

3703.

hardship,
grever,
down, from

to

grieve,
weigh

Lat.

gravi?,heavy.
vex, B 1638;
grieve,
pr. s. impers. Greueth, it vexes,
E 647.
it grieves,
F. grever,

Greue,

to

v.

Lat. gravare,

Greyn,

s. a

in greyn

colour, F

to

weighdown.

B 1852, 1855;
grain,
i.e. of a fast
grain,

in

511.

F.

graine,Low

Lat. grana, Lat. granum.

adj. terrible,B 3299.

A. S. grysUe, grisly,horrible ;
dgrisan,to shudder at ; cf. G.
graufig, terrible,gransen, to

Grisly,

VOL.

II.

". a

2051.

berk,
hauhabergeon,
O. F.

haubergon,

a small hauberk; diniin.

hauberjon,

hauberc or halberc,from O.
H. G. hahberc,the same
as A.S.
of

heahbeorga,lit. a neck-defence,
from
and

(G. hals),the neck,

to hide,
(G. bergen),
beorgan
heals

ending-on should
as in
augmentation,
signify

protect. The
rather
the

common

E. balloon, an
ball.

Ital. -one,

and

in

of
augmentative

v. to abound, B 3938.
Habounde,
F. abonder, O. F. habonder,Low
Lat. habundare, written for abun-

dare.

258

GLOSSARTAL

Habundanoe,

INDEX.

adj.abundant,E 59.

pt.

E
possessed,

had,

s,

438, F 29, 32 ; took, E 303;

pi. Hadden, had, kept,E 201
hadde

leuer=I

pt.
;

rather,B

would

Halle, gen. sing,of the hall ; halle

door
of the hall, F 80;
A. S. heall, a
Halle, 86.
hall,a fern. sb. ; gen. healle.
=

dot.

A.S.

B 3236.
pt. s. helped,

Halp,

helpan,pt. t. ic healp,pp. holpen.

Hals, s. neck, B 73. A.S. heals,
G. hals, Icel. kdls.

Halse,

p.

pr. I conjure,B

s.

See

1835.

The

note.

proper

but the %vord

seems

influenced

the Icel.heill,
omen,

by

to

to
good luck,heilla,

have

been

enchant.

Halt, pr. s. holdeth, F 61.

to
have, B 1176, F 56;
v.
Han,
pr. pi.Han, have, E 188, 381.

Handle,

handle, touch, E

to

v.

A. S. handlian.

376.
s.

good fortune,luck,B 3928.

Welsh hap,luck,Icel. happ,luck,

chance.

Happeth,

pr,

chances, F 592.

s.

See above.

Harde,

Hardily,

Icel.karmr.

Harpe,

harp (dat.),B

s.

2005.

Icel. harpa.

question,E

25-

Hardinesse,

s.

B
boldness,

3210,

3440, E 93.

Harding,
F 243.

cf. G. hast,haste.
origin;

Germ,

Hastily,

s.

hardening,
tempering,

A.S.

heardian,to harden.

adj. bold, sturdy,F

F.

hardi,

en,

O. H.G.

strong, from

from

adv.

F 471 ; Hasti-

soon,

lich,quickly,
"911.

Hatede, pt. s. hated,E 731. A. S.

kalian, Icel.hata,G. Aassen.
hauberk, B 2053.
s.
a
Hauberk,
to have, B 114;
v.
imp. s.
Haue, hold,consider,F 7 ; receive,
E 567; 3 p. Haue, let him have,
B 3915 ; 2 p. pi. Haue
ye, may

Haue,

have, B 33 ; imp.pi.Haueth,
hold,F 700.
s.
a
hawk, F 446; gen.
Hauk,
Haukes, 631. A.S. hafoc,Icel.
hankr, G. habicht,Welsh hebog.
Hauke,
v. to hawk, E 81.
ye

hawking;anhaukyng,
a-hawking;lit. on hawking,B

Haukyng,
=

M. H. G.

19.
hert-

hartjan,to make
adj.hart,strong E.
=

s.

1927.
F.
s.
Haunt,
abode, B 2001.
to
haunt.
hanter,
bake,
Hawe,
s. a haw
; with hawe
with baked haws, with coarse
fare,
See

95.

Heed,

A.S.

note.

haga,a

hedge.

612.

boldly, without

adv.

O. F.

haste, F. hate; of

hastif,from

doubting, without

hard.

hearm,

A.S.

632.

F
(dative),

haw,
adj. def. hard, cruel, F
S.
Icel.
A.
heard,
hafftr, Hede,

499.
G. hart.

Hardy,

injury,suffering

harm,

s.

See Habergeoun.

meaning of A.S. healsian is to

claspround the neck (A.S.heals),
and thence to beseech,supplicate;

Hap,

Harme,

Hastif, adj.hasty,E 349.

3083.
dore

1886, 1946.

hare, B

hara, G. hase.

A. S.

Habundant,
Hadde,

sb.

abundance,plenty, Hare,

s.

E 203.

3577, F

heed, B

care,

s.

A. S. kedan, to take
s.

head,

care

of.

2060, 2073,

411,

643; pi. Heedes,

358;

Heuedes, B

maugre

thyn heed
in spiteof

in

2032;

spiteof thy head,

all thou

canst

104. Contracted from E.E.

A.S.
heafod; cf. Icel.
Mceso-Goth.

houbit, G.

Eeeld,

do, B

heued,
hofitt,

haubith, O. H. G.
Lat. caput, Gk.
hatipt,

/re"/"aAij
; cf. S.inskr.
skull

203,

kapdla, a

(Curtius).
i

p.

s.

pt. held,considered,

260

GLOSSARIAL

165.

Furnivall,p.
keronsew
known
and

for

heron

still

is

in

other

parts of

hernshaw

as

England
harnsa.

or

is quite
certain,though

sense

the

is less clear.

'

where

term

in Swaledale, Yorkshire,

is found
The

The

INDEX.

It

on

pressedby

the green grass is ex'ofer thaet grene hig.'

F 545.
Hey, adj.high,

Hidde,

p.

A. S.

See Hy.
pt. hid, F 595.

s.

hydan, pt. t. ic hydde.

Hider, adv. hither,nearer,

B 4000.

A.S. hider.

etymology
O.
adv. hither, in this
F.
however, to
Hiderward,
herouncel
A.S. hiderdirection,B 3159.
heronfeau,found as
in Anglo-French.And, as it is
ward.
correctlyformed, like lionpeau Highte, pt. s. was
called, was
from lion,this suggestion
B
is proF
is
named,
3310,
30, 33;
bably
answers,

correct.

Herying,

1649.

B
praise,

s.

See

it seemed

Herieth.

Herte,

heart, B

*.

1661,

101,

1745, "412;

sing,or pi. gen.

A. S.
Herte?, hearts,E 112.
heorte,Moeso-Goth.
kerz.

Hertely,
Hertes,

B 3983.
heartily,

adv.
s.

hairto, G.

hart's,B

gen.

3447.

A. S.

heorot,heart,G. hirsch.
lit.heart-like,
Hertly, adj.hearty,
E

176,502,

Heste,

command,

s.

"529.

114;

A.S.

has,

the addition
in

of

3754,

in

as
English,

is

s.

mon
com-

amongst,

pi. heads, B

2032.

See Heed.

heaven, the celestial

3300

heaven,

F
558 ;
delight,

supreme

Heuen, of heaven, B
A.S.

Heuene,F 149.
Heuinesse,

s.

3986

from
hefignes,

dot.

heofon.

heaviness,

3959,

gen.
;

678.
heavy.
hefig,
432,

Hewe, s. hue, appearance,

377- F 5"8, 587. 640. A.S.
hiw, hue, colour,form.
Hey, s. hay, grass, B 3407. A. S.
Aig, Moeso-Goth. hawi, G. hen.
in this passage

probably
growing grass uncut.
Cf. A.S. Gospels,S. Mark vi. 39,
means

green

to

him, he
A.S.
him,
44.
112

65,

hira, of them, gen.

3438.
of
pi.; hire, her, to her, gen. and
the

sing.; often

instead

used

of

hi.

ace.

herself,F 384.
Hir-selue,/"roH.

as

if

263,
sing,

its,E

his, gen.

of he.

neuter

neut.

A.S.

405.

hides,F 512. Hit is

contracted form, equivalent
to
in

'

s.

It also appears

hut

yef me

hides and

one

ant

hou, hold I from

dat.

s.

Hoode,

2101.

hut;

as

heleS

houden,

it.'

it ; St.

conceals

Marharete,p. 15.
halt! B 3957.
Ho, inttrj.

grief, Hode,

mien, E

word

seemed

him

A.S.

hideth.

Ileuen, s.
sphere,B

him

sing,to

appeared,B 3361.
dat. sing,and pi.of he.
Him-seluen, pron. himself,B
Hir, pron. poss. their,B
(betterspeltHer) ; her, B

Hit, pr.

Heuedes,

The

semed,

amidst.

sorrow,

it

His, poss. pron.

command;

dot.

pi. Hestes,

after

them, they supposed,

to

56 ;

dat.

F 5.

128, 568,

A. S.

called,B 3651. See Hyghte.

Him, dot. pi.to them ; him semed,

Cf. Du.
to

hood, B

hold.

1630;

A.S. hdd.

Hold, s. hold,grasp, F 167.

Holde, v. to hold,keep,B 41

; to

F 658 (seeProces);pr.
take, E 287; pp.
keep,
subj.
Holde, held, kept, E 273; considered
to
be, F 70 ; Holden,
considered,E 205, 8 a 8 ; imp.pt.

keep to,

s.

Holdeth,

B
37. A.S.
Icel.halda,Moeso-Goth.

healdan,
haldan.

A RIAL

GLOSS

26l

INDEX.

A. S.
Holpen, pp. helped,aided, F 666.
Hosen, s. pi.hose, B 1923.
adv. home, homewards, F
Horn,
hose,a stocking
; pi.hosan.
A.
S.
B
ham,
a
house,
host,
home,
s.
r,
Hoste,
435.
39, i62e,,3970,
Gk.
E
G.
O.F.
guese
F. hole,
hoste, Portuhelm,
i.
village
;
KW/XOS.
Lat. hospidcm.
Homicyde,
s.
homicide,assassin,
hospede,
B 1757.
Lat. homicida,a manHote, adj.hot,an epithetof Aries,

slayer.
Homlinesse,
E

429.
adv. homeward, B

Horn-ward,
A. S.

s.

739.

hdtnweard, hdmweardes.

Hond,

s.

hand,

A. S.

3542.

3157.

ye,

shipped,
370 ; pp. Honoured, worB 3753. O. F. honourer,

Lat. honorare.

Honurable,

honourable, E

adj.

767.

'

mansion,'
a

hold,
house-

A. S. hus.

24.

from hus-

pres. part, contracted

tant
hus-buandi, the inhabi-

bdandi,or

a house ; from
fore
The sense istherethat of the possessor of a

occupierof

or

s.

inter/,hoi

1174.

614.
See

Ho.
s.

dot.

hood, B

See Hode.
A. S.

Gotb.

Ml,

hails,whole.
homewards,

hope,F

well, F

cognate with

adv.
s.

neuter

bind.
E

1095.

Inind, Icel. hundr, Lat.

A. S.

Gk. it'vva.

canem,
Human!

tee,
Lat.

Humblesse,

kindness,"92

s.

hvmanus, kind.
B 1660,
humility,

s.

this form,
F 544. Cotgravegives
which he says has the same
sense

F. humilite,
s.

E
humility,

1143.

Lat. hvmilitafem.
humilittit,
81.
A.S.
to hunt, E
v.
Hunte,
cf.
hunt tan,
hentan,
to
hunt;

487.

to

3548.

A. S.

hopa.

Hors, s. a horse, B 15, E 388; pi.

Hors, horses,B 1823,3294. A. S.

hors,a

or

No

O. F.

adj.whole, E 861

161.

house.

pi. dogs

s.

Humilitee,

2101.

with bond

connection

as

Hoode,

of

master

or

Houndes,

From

honey,B 3537,
S. hunig.

Hony,

Hcom,
Hope,

house,'or

husband, E 698 ;
s. a
Housbond,
A.S. husHousbonde, B 3502.
bonda; Icel. husbondi, which is

farm

imp. pi. honour

Honoureth,

Hool,

'

51.

F 672 ;
astrology,

honourableness,

s.

honour, E 422.

Hoo,

s.

anger and
A.S. hat,

bua,to inhabit.

Honestetee,

A.

Hous,
in

hand, hand; cf. hentan, to grasp.

Honest,
adj. honourable, worthy,
B 1751, E 333.
F. honnete,O.F.
Lat.
honeslits.
fr.oneste,
B
Honestee, s. honour, dignity,

heat of blood, F
G. heiss.

3506;

3393,

pi. Hondes, 3214,

induce

supposedto

as

ticity,
homeliness,domes-

noun,

with

pi.hors

Icel. Aross,

pi.hross, sometimes
spelthors; O.H.G.hros; whence
Hors
G. ross.
occurs
as
a
ral
pluin Trevisa,

Spec, of English,

xviii a. 108. Cf. A. S. horse,swift,

Lat. currere, to run.
like all that
Horsly, adj.horselike,
a horse should be, F 194.

catch.

Hunting,

Huntyng,

3496" 3995 5
hunting,for the
B

chase, E

234.

on

hunting,
huntyng a*.

of the

purpose
A. S. huntung,a

sb. ; quitedistinct from

hunting,

huntiende,pres. part, of huntian.

Hurtes,

s.

pi. hurts,F 471.

O.F.

hurt,a stroke,hit,from hurter, F.

hit ; whence E.
to strike,
heurter,
hurtle.

adj.high,learned,E 18; dot.

Hye, great, 135 ; def.Hye, F 85,
98 ; pi. Hye, high,E 45 ; comp.

Hy,

GLOSSARIAL

Hyer,

A. S.

387.

INDEX.

hedh, Icel.

B 1883.
lapen, v to jest,
Ich, pers. pron. I,B 39. A. S. ie.
hide,used intransitively,
Idus, s. pi. ides, F 47. The ides
.

bar, G. hoch.
Hyde,

to

v.

i.e. lieconcealed,F 141 ; gerund,

A. S. hydan,
to
hide, B 3732.

cognate with Gk. icevOtiv.

Hye, adv. high,aloft,B 3592,

'

gerund,

or

v.

higian,to
quick,Gk.
Hyghte,

s.

hasten,to

to

F 291.
bringhastily,

A. S.

haste ; cf. Lat.

KIVV/MLI, I go.

citus,

height,B

A. S.

12.

pt.

t.

called,was
pt. s. was
named, B 3373, E
32, 2IO.
See Highte.
A. S. hdtan, to
be named, pt. t. ic hdtte. This
and

the
often confused.

precedingwere

pp. hired,B 1757. A. S.

hyrian,to hire ; pt. t. hyrode,

Hyred,
pp.

s.

note, p. 145.

hyrod.

that
tabilis,

Impression,

In, s.

miserable

hack, B 4002.
F 286.
lalouse, adj.pi. jealous,
F.jaloux,O.F. jalous,Lat. zeloThus jealous
is a doublet of
sus.
lalousye,

s.
pi. leggings,leg2065. From F.jambe,

armour,

E 1205.
jealousy,

s.

lambeuz,

F.

s.

small

Genoa,

coin, properlyof

1925,

999.

Janua, Genoa.
laugle, pr. pi. talk,prate,
261.

O.

from
f.jangler,

source

; cf. Du.

Lat.

Tangling,

F 220,
tonic
a Teu-

janken, to

s.

idle talking,
prating,

F 257.
disputing,
a

membrance,
impression,re-

in,B 3193

adv.

Instrumentz,

1632.

A. S.

; as

prep, in,

S. innan, adv. within,

s.

pi.instruments

music, F 270.
Inwith, prep, within, B

of

1794, E

870.
logelours,

s.

who
men
pi.jugglers,

and
legerdemain
F
F.
pretended magic,
219.
L
at.
ace.
O.Y.jogleor,
jongleur,

ioculatorem,one who

F.

B 1629.
a jest,
a trick,
jape,

makes

sport;

iocus,sport.

joy,B 3964 ; loye,F 368.

joie; from Lat. gaudium.

loie,

5.

lolitee,

howl.

lape, s.

s.

Lat. infortunium.
infortune,

from

leg.

lane,

carried ;

be

exhibit feats of

zealous.

the

cannot

inn, an inn, house,chamber.

In, prep, into, B 119. A. S. in,G.
in,Lat. in, Gk. kv.
Infortune, s. misfortune,B 3591.

578. A.
inwardly.

jade,i.e.

pertinent,

sufferab
inadj. intolerable,
Lat. impor1144.

F 371.
inn, lodging,B

Inne,
I.

s.

adj.not

E 53.
irrelevant,

lade,

ilke, that

3663.

same,

that

from for tare, to carry.

Hyghte,

verb

Jewry, Jews' quarter,

1679, I74I. 1782. See the

Impertinent,

promise;

fifteenth

of other months.

lewerye,

Importable,
pt. pi. 2

the

day of the months of March, May,

teenth
July,and October, and the thir-

p. promised,E

A. S. hdtan, to
ic heht,pi.heton.

496.

given to

name

higan,' like, adj. same

JiedfSo.

Hyghte,

411,671. A. S. hedge,high,adv.
hedh, high,adj.
Hye,

is

amusement,

s.

2033 ;

278.
enjoyment,F344; joviality,
F
loly, adj.pleasant, 48 ; festive,
from a Scandinavian
B 1185. F. joli,
Icel.
source
j6l,Yule, a
;
great feast held in midwinter.

lolynesse,
lourney,

s.

s.

F 289.
festivity,

journey,F 783. F.

A RIAL

GLOSS

time, jour,a day ;

a day's
journee,
from Lat. diurnus, daily,
dies,a
day.
loye, s. joy,F 368 ; loie,B 3964.
See loie.

Ire,

F. ire,Lat.

anger, B 3221.

s.

Is, pr.

(used

s.

with

F
sbs.),

two

s.

judge,B 3266. F.juge,

Lat. iudicem.

lugement,

612; pi. Knaues, boys, lads, B

3087. A. S. cnapa, cnafa,a boy,

youth ; G. knabe.
could know,
Knewe, i p. s. pt.sub},

466; pt.

Knowe,

Knew,

s.

known,

215;

131; pp.
Knowen,

A. S. cndivan ; pt. t. ic
cnedw, pp. cndwen ; cf.Lat. gnos-

689.
Gk.

cere,

53 ;

pi. luge-

E 439.
decisions,

child, man-child, boy,

fiyvuff/ceiv.
pp. knit, B
3224.
cnyttan, to knit.

A. S.

judgment, decision, Knit,

s.

36 ; opinion,K

mentz,

boy, male, E 444, 447

s.

Knaue

294.

luge,

Knaus,

ira.

263

INDEX.

pt. s. knocked, B 3721.

Knokked,

A. S. cnocian, to knock.

Kuotte,

K.

560 ;
pt. s. combed,
S.
cembE
A.
Kembd,
pp.
379.
F

Kembde,

an, to comb

pt.

t.

ic cembde.
F

A. S. cene, G. Ituhn.
taken

heed, E 1058;
take heed, F 348.

s.

kepe

Kepeth,

pr.
observes, F

516; pt.

1133;

Kepte,
pres. part. Keping,
s.

kept,E 223;
keeping, tending,F 651 ; pp.
Kept, E 1098. A. S. cepan, pt.
t. ic

cepie.

Kerue,
A. S.

to

v.

158.

cut, F

carve,

ceorfan.

pp.

A. S.

Knowing,
Knyghthode,
B

A. S. cys"an,

kyssa,G.

kusfen.

Kin,

Icel.

cyn,

kynni, Moeso-Goth.

Jtuni,Lat. genus.

Kinges,
A. S.
G.

pi.pr.
1719.
Lat.

knowledge,F 301.
s. dot. knighthood,

s.

p. pi.pr. ye know,

See Can.

3.

the

dot. nature,

s.

natural

1840 ;

nature, natural bent, 608,

Kyte,

world, creation, F

A. S.
s.

cynd,nature.
kite, F 624.

A. S.

cyta.
A. S.

kin, kindred,B 3121.

s.

215 ;

p.

F 251.
skill,
Konning,
s. cunning,
sb.
See Conning,

619.

cyste;

A. S. cnihthdd.

3832.

Konnen,

469

',

Icel.

689 ;

cne6iv, pi. cnedwas,

3632,3746,E 679.
pt. t. ic

known,

Knowen, ye know, B 128.

Knowes,
s. pi. knees, B

Kynde,

to

v.

tale,F 401, 407.

A. S. cnotta.

Knowe,

kiss, E 1057 pt. s.

Keste, kissed, F 350 ; Kiste, B

Kesse,

genu.

keeps, E

s.

of
story, gist

Knowen,

adj.keen, bold, B 3439,

Kene,
57.
Kepe,

knot, principal
pointof

s.

pi. kings, B

s.

3558.

Icel. Itonungr,
cing,cyn'tng,

closes,
pr. s. makes known, disshews, F
483. A. S.
make
to
known, whence
cy'iSan,

Kytheth,

E. mKOUlk); cy'S,
S,known (cf.
knowledge; cunnan, to know.

CM

konig.

Kitte, pt.
to
ctttten,

obscure

s.

cut, B
cut

; not

origin;

we

1761. M.E.
in A. S.

L.

Of

however,
find,

Swed.
kot.'a,to cut; Icel.
kvti, a littleblunt knife,Norw.
O.

Ityiel.

bling,
bab/"m. part, blabbing,
E 2427.
Cf. Du. labben,
tell tales,
labbei,gofsip.

tabbing,
to

B 3338 ;
Ladde, //. s. led,carried,

254

A RIAL

GLOSS

pt. pi. Ladde,

led,3920, E 390; pp. Lad, B
3552. 357". F !72- A- s- l"dan,

conducted, 3747

G.
pt. t. ic lasdde; Icel. leifta,
leiten.
s.
Lady,
lady, B 1637. A.S.

Alafdige.
Lafte, //. s. ceased, B 3496 ; pt.
pi.Lafte,left,3388 ; pp. Laft,F

186, 263. A.S. Ids/an,

pt.
latfde
; Icel. /"/".
Lake,

s.

kind

of fine white
Halliwell

2048.

cloth, B

that shirts were

t. ic

INDEX.

Last, pr. s. lasteth,extends, E

266; pt. s. Laste, lasted,B 1826;
pt. pi. Laste, 3390, 3508. A. S.
lastan.

Lat, imp.

2067.

F.

Halliwell.

See

laiton,O. F.

laton,

Lat.

Low

lato.

notes

formerlymade

1633, "163;

let, B

imp.pl.B 2156. See Lete.

nomical
Latitude, s. latitude (in an astroB
sense), 13.
or
latoun,a mixed
Laton, s. latten,
metal,closelyresembling brass,
B

linen

s.

of

Laude,

s.

honour, B 1645,
praise,

3286. Lat. laudem, from Ictus.

passage containing
A.S.
the phrase white as lake.' The
v. to laugh,E 353.
Laughe,
from
Goth.
Icel.
word probablywas
imported
hleahan,hlihan,
lilaja,

it,and quotes

'

the Low

Countries,as

common

Dutch

the Dutch

laken

Lakke,

for

laken is

for cloth ;
sheet ' is also

word
'

bedlaken.

or

43"" 443deficient.

Lakked,

pt.

s.
=

wanted, lacked;

lacked to
lacked,F 16. See
there

above.
s.

kind

of

lance,B

See note

to

1. 1942.

s.

1942,2011.

laureate,crowned

adj.

laurel,B 3886, E 31. From

Lat. laureates; from
laurus, a
with

Lawe,

language,F

100.

F.

law,

s.

A. S.

s.

So

1189, 3870.

lagu,Icel.lag,log; cf. Lat.

legem.
Lay,

Langage,

lachen.

laurel.

lakked
him, i.e. he
him

Launcegay,
Laureat,

lack, want, loss,F

Cf. Icel.lakr,lacking,

dni.

s.

hlahjan,G.

See below.

belief,
creed,F
religious
the

also in

1. 21616.

Cursor

18.

Mundi,

F. lot,
O. F. lei,
lingua,
langage;
with
law
A.
S.
lagu,
; cognate
tongue.
E.
law.
slow
whence
M.
E.
s.
lawe,
Langour,
languishment,
O. F.
starvation,B 3597. F. languetir, Lay, s. a song, lay,B 1959.
from

Lat.

Lat.

languorem.
Lappe, s. lap,fold of the dress,F
a

441;

wrapper,
B

585;

dat.

A.S.

3644, F

Lappe,
475.
Iceppa,a lap,border, hem ; Du.
lap,a remnant, shred, rag.
of less rank ;
Lasse, adj.pi.smaller,
lasse

and

more,

smaller

and

From

lai,of Celtic origin

; cf. W. llais,
voice,sound (Brachet). We find
also A. S.

led",G. lied,a

435,

478.

A.S.

less.
leessa,
i.e.burdens,loads,
lasts,
pi.
Last,

G. lied,which

1628.

See

the

note.

A.S.

tion
corrup-

Latinus,meaning
(i) Latin; (a) any language or
speech. Not

s.

leden,a

of the word

greater,i.e. all,E 67 ; cf. F 300.

A.S.

song.

Lay, pi. s. lay,B 3630,F 467.

talk,F
Ledene, s. (dat.)language,

to be confused
=

with

A. S. leoft.

dear; comp. Leuer.

F 572. See Lief,
liefer,
dearer,

Leef,

adv.

Leue.
burden, load, a ship's
lade
E 1211.
A. S. leaf,
cf.
from
to
hladan,
Lsef, s. a leaf,
;
freight,
laub.
from hla$a,
G.
Icel.latif,
Icel.Mats,a cartload,
to lade.
Leet, pt. s. let,E 82 ; caused,as in

Mast,

GLOSSARIAL

lect don cryen

caused

"

leet mdke

F 45;

be claimed,
procaused

to
=

be made, B 3349 ; leet bynde=

A. S.
caused to be bound, 1810.
to

l"lan, to let. Ste

Lefte,

p.

Lete.

pt. I

s.

s.

sweetheart, B

Ie6fman} lit.a

beingof

either

3253.

dear

person,

gender;

woman.

4003.

Maine,lean,meagre,

thin.

more

the

687,F 404.
more,
of long,
ra, comp.
E

Lente,

Lent,E

s.

A. S.

381; euer
longer,the

3709, F

lengerthe

leng-

A. S.

or

epilogue

postscriptaddressed

hearers

readers, E

or

envoyer,

to

the

to

1 1

brio).F. ? envoi,lit.the
from

sending,

send.

491

pi. Leouns,

Leon, the signLeo, F-a65.

3451
F. lion,O. F. leon,Lat. leonem.
B 3-451.
Lepardes, s. pi.leopards,
;

From

Lere,

Lat.
s.

leopardus.

flesh,
skin,B 2047.

is quitea differentword

This

M.E.

from

lere,the face, countenance, from

Properlyit means
the muscles
muscles,especially
which
of the thigh,
sense
special
is perfectly
suitable here. It is
A.S.

hledr.

the

the A. S.

leer,the

muscle, Icel.
lira,flesh,
the leg above
thigh,

knee,the ham,

thigh.

to

still.

adj. learned,

as

Danish

Halliwell

levsan,Mceso-Goth.

A. S.

q. v.

fra-linsan.
loss ; for lesinge,
s. losing,

Lesing,

for fear of

See

B 3750.
losing,

above.

Lest,

s.

desire,"619.

See Lust.

adj. sup. least,E 966;

at

the leste weye = at any rate ; atte

leste at the least,at least,B 38 ;
pi.Leste, F 300, cf. E 67. ' At

the leste way,

the

French

"

'

Lire

lire
(i) flesh,meat ; swynes
Ord. and Reg. p.
[swine's
flesh],
aboundingwith lean
442 ; lyery,

s.

E
please,

moyns

grave's
Pals-

Diet. fol.

438,

it may
subj.itnpers.
F

it may
F 380 ; pt. s. it
(i.e. can) please,
E
pleased,
716, 986, F 605.
A. S.
used

105,

125;

to choose
lystan,
impersonally.

generally

Lete, v. to let,B 3524 ; i p. s. pr.

Lete, I leave, B 96, F 290, 344,
651; pt. pi.Lete, let,B 3898;
imp. pi. Lete, let, E 98. See
A. S. latan, to let.
Lat, Leet.
Lette, v. to hinder, B 2116; to
oppose, stay, 3306 ; pt. s. intrans.
E 389. A. S. letLette, delayed,
tan, to

hinder;Du. letten; Icel.

letja, hold back; cf. E. late.

Lette, s. let,impediment,
hindrance,
E
laziness,
Cf.
Icel.
leti,
delay, 300.
to

laar, the

gives

'

an

back.

Leste, pr.

adj. lionlike,B 3836.

F. leonin,Lat. leoninus.
Leoun, s. a lion, B 3106, 3215,
F

of

lose,E 508, F 691 ;

to

v.

77 (rw*

Leonyn,

3288,

of

error,

sense

f envoy, i.e. the

s.

it perly
proA. S.

1168.

Leste,
A.S.lencten,

1 2.

springtime.

Lenuoy,

contrary
in the

teach,is common
Itemed,
pp.
Lese,

30x3 ; adv.

adj.longer,E

2122,

as

104.

irach,from

to

means

pr.

Chaucer

wrongly;

word

the

1702

imp.pl. Leseth, B 19; pp. Lorn,

B

Lenger,

in

Cf. Lammas

wifman,
for loaf-mass,
Lene,
adj. lean,

the

pi.Lere, learn,F

using learn

B 3544.
pi.legions,

s.

learn, B

to

v.

leeran; the

Legiouiis,
Lsmmau,
man

Lere,

off, F

670.

A. S.

North of England;(2) face,

flesh;
"c.
countenance;'

uses

left

265

INDEX.

sloth ; from

to
letja,

hinder.

See above.

Letterure,

s.

B
literature,

from
O. F. letreure,
tura.

3686.

Lat. litera-

266

GLOSSARIAL

B
Lettre, s. writing,
Lat. litera.
leltre,

Leue,

F.

3398.

Icel.leifa.
l"fan,

lyfan, Du.

G.
ge-looven,

g-lauben.
Leue, imp. s. 3 p (God) grant, B
1873. See note. A. S. lyfan,to
permit; G. erlauben.
Leue, s. leave,B 1637, F

584.

363,

dear,851, 3242 ;
Leue, adj.(voc.)
valued, F 341.
dear,
pi. Leue,
See Leef, Lief.
A.S. led/,G.

Liggen,
A.S.

v.

gen, G.

Linage,

adj. comp. liefer,dearer,

B 3628.
desirable,
adv.
liefer,
Leuer,
rather,B 3083,
more

683,692.

linca,a line.

List, pr.

s.

37"9;

adj. ignorant,F
A. S. laewed,belongingto
laity.

Lewedly,

adv.

the

B 47.
ignorantly,

F 223.

Leye,
B

to

v.

1955;

list,the

pt.

s.

gerund,

193;

Leyde,

But in the

border

or
sense

cf
of

tended,
here in-

from O. F.
corrupted
of
lices,pi.
lice,a barrier ;
lisse,
Low
Lat. liciceduelli,
the listsfor

Listeth,

imp. pi. listen

1902, 3023.

A. S.

ye,

hlystan,to

hear.

See Lewed.

lay,E

list

List

tournaments.

lewdness
s.
(in the
B
sense),ignorance,
stupidity,

am,

please.
F 668.
s. pi.the lists,
is sometimes
bound
a border,

it was

221.

Lewednesse,
old

impers.subj.it may
A.S. lystan,to
327.

s.

Listes,

cloth.

See Leue,

pleases,
63185, 3330,

Listeth, likes, F
E
689 ; impers.List, it pleases,
F
161,
647.933,
118, 122,
315 ;
pt. s. impers.Liste,B 3666, F

A.S.

1001.

Lswed,

3284.

E 71, 795.
F.
lineage,
from
Lat.
linage;

s.

Leuer,

pr.

2101.

Icel.Itntr.
lint,

please,F

believes,E

pi. limbs, B

s.

365 ; pr.

s.

lie,lie down, B

liegen.

Limmes,
A. S.

to

Icel. liggja,
Du. liglicgan,

lieb.

F 444, F

3584,E

of G. origin;
a word
67. F. lige,
f
ree
ledig, (Brachet).

35"9.

Leueth,

in;

O. F.
lignage,

leaf,leave,permission.

A.S.

B
subjects,
lieges,

G.

Leue, I p. pi.pr. we believe, B

1181; pr. s. Leueth, E icoi.
A. S.

E 310,
Lige, adj. liege,

pi.sb.

leave,give up, E 250.

to

v.

A.S.

INDEX.

laid, B

1971, 3289, 3827; pp. Leyd,

3371. A. S. lecgan,
pt.t. iclegde,

B 109.
A. S. lyt,
Lite, adj. little,
few.
little,
B 73, 1190. A. S.
Litel, adj.little,

lytel.
geled; Icel. leggja, Liuen, v. to live,E 109. A.S.
pp. gelegd,
Du. leggen,
G. legen.
lybban,Icel.Ufa,G. leben.
B
A.S.
E
Loked, pt. s. looked,E 340.
Leyser, s. leisure, 3498, 286,
F 493.
F. loisir,
an
locian,pt. t. ie lucode.
originally
of a verb, viz. Lat.
infin. mood
Loking,
s. looking,looks,aspect,
E
licere,to have time for.
looks,F 285.
514; glances,
a lollard,
Liche, adj.like; it Iiche like it, Loller, s. a loller,
61173.
=

F 62.

A. S.

On

monly
lie,Icel. likr,comDu.
glikr;cf. G. gleick,

see

lollabout ;

gelijk.
Lief, adj. dear, cherished,E

goodelief my

wyf=my

dear

wife,B 3084. See Leef.

G
leof,

lieb.

the confusion of these terms,

the note.
Cf. Icel. lulla, to

479

good
A. S.

a sluggard.
litllari,

s.
land, B
127, 3225;
country, 3548 ; dat. Londe, 2077.
A. S. land, land.
a
Longe, adv. long,
longwhile,B

Lond,

268

A RIAL

GLOSS

F
169;
alighted,
cf. in thalyghte in thee alyghte,
A. S.
in thee, B 1660.
alighted
descend.
lihtan,to alight,
F 390.
adv.
lightly,
Lyghtly,
B
3361, F 207.
Lyk,
adj. like,

Lyghte,

pi.

s.

INDEX.

C.

x!x. 154;

Gower,

Right as

'

Maad,

it
845; vs lyketh yow
pleasesus with respect to you,
106; how lykeththee my wyf=
spect
how does it pleaseyou with re-

Mace,

506;

pr.

to
s.

please,B

311,

to

A. S.

wife, 1031.

my

She

creature

M.

2128, E
E
Lyketh,it pleases,

v.

"

temeth,'"c.

See Liche.

Lyken,

ii. 14

Amant.

Hues

Also in

xxii. 159.

Conf.

3607, F

pp. made, B

222.

See Make.
s.

mace,

O. F.

F. masse,

club, B
; this

mace

2003.
word

Latin matea,
preserves the original
minutive
only known otherwise by its dimallet.
a
mateola,

F 378.
lician,to delight.
s. madam,
Madame,
delight, Made, pt. s. composed, B 57 ; pi.
pleasure,
Lyking, s. liking,
A. S. licung,
B 3499.
pleasure.
made,
pi. Maden,
3523 ; pp.

Lyklihede,

likelihood,probability,

s.

61786.
E 396.
Lyklinesse, s. probability,
Lykned,
pp. likened, compared,B
Cf. Swed.

91.

likna,to compare,

liken.
resemble,

Lymes,

s.

pi. limbs,"682.

See

Lim.

Maad, 3607.
Magestee, s. majesty,dominion, B
3334. 35"5. 3862. F. majeste,
Lat. maies.'atem.
O. F. majestet,
B 3397.
Magicien, s. magician,
From
218.
F
s.
magic,
Magyk,

Lat.

sorcery.
magia,Gk. fiayela,

Maille,

Lymrod,

B
s. lime-rod,lime-twig,
and
r6d,
A. S. lint,lime,

3574.
a rood, rod.
s. lineage,
high birth,B
Lynage,
See Linage.
3441, "991.
Lynde,

s.

E
linden-tree,

A. S. lind,linde,
a
linde.
G.
lind,

12

it.

Icel.
linden-tree,

B 2153, F 565;
Lyte, adj.little,
E 935.
See Lite.
adv. a little,
Lyth, pr. s. lies,is situate,is,B

s.

E
mail, ringedarmour,
mesh, Lat.

F. maille,a

1202.

macula.

Maister,

s.

maister

tour

1627,3128

tower,
principal

F. maitre, O. F.

226.
Lat.

master, B

maistre,

magi"trnm.
F 374.
s. mistress,

Maistresse,
Maistry, ".

3582 ;
Make,
B

mastery, victory,B
governance, control,3689.

s.

1982.

companion,wife,

mate,

A. S. maca,

Icel. maki.

and mate are unallied.

Make
3654.? 35. 322. A.S. /", lies,
lie.
to
to
(said of
Make,
v.
licgan,
compose
Lyue, dat. from Lyf, whence on
poetry, "c.), B 96 ; pt.s. Maked,
F
i.e.
alive,
life,
made, 3318, 3690; pp. Maked,
lyue during
B
3284,
1722, 1727; Maad, 3607. A. S.
423 ; pi. Lyues, lives,
F 233; 8en- sinS-Lyues,life's,
macian, pt. t. ic macode ; pp.
from

macod; cf. G. machen.

308. A. S. /*/,life; gen. lifes,
dat. life.
Man, s. man, esp. a devoted
E

sing,used

adv.
as
Lyues, gen.
So in Havelok, 1.
E 903.
living,
'Yif
late
him lives go,'
y
509
"

i,e. if I let him

occurs

also in

go

Piers

alive; it
Plowm.

B.

who has vowed

one
3331 ; used for one, 43

servant,

homage, B
; gen. sing.

Mannes, man's,1630. A.S.

man,

Icel.mannr.

Manaoeth,

pr.

s.

menaces,

1 2 2.

GLOSSARIAL

F. menacer,
O. F. manacer
Lat. minacia, a threat.

Maner,

of following,
as
kind

E 519 ; maner
wyght,F 329.

maner

Manere,

s.

781;

manere

F.

546.

3706,

his

in

maniere,

Lat.

F 50.
astrology),

See note.

Lat.

s.
marble, F
Marbul,
Lat.
marmorem.
marbre,

Marbul-stones,

s.

F.

500.

pi. blocks

of

1871.
s. merchant,6132;
Marchaunt,
F. mar//. Marchauntz, 122.
marble,

ckand, O. F. marchant, Low Lat.

from
a
trafficker,
mercatantem,
to

mercatare,

traffic; from

Lat.

he caused

to be

merx.

Maried, pt. s.

trans,

E 1130. F. marier,Lat.
married,
maritare ; maritus,a husband.

mariner, B 1627.
*.
Marineer,
F. marinier ; from Lat. marinus,
marine, mare, the sea.

Markis,

5.

marquis,E 64 ; gen.

sing,marquis's,
994.

E. marchis,

Lat. marchensis,a governor

of the
marches
frontiers;
or
O. H. G.
marcha, a
mark, a
Low

frontier.

Markisesse,

s.

marchioness,E

283, 394, 942, 1014.

Masednesse,
Cf.
a

amaze,

s.

06

1.

to fallinto

Norwegianmasast,
(Aasen); Icel.masa,

slumber

to

chatter.

Maselyn,
B 2042.

brass,a
of

maple-wood;
maple tree.

to

M.
made

bowl

of maple-wood,
from maslin or
[Distinct
metal mentioned
in Gy

Warwike,

p.

421,

'bras,

F,

E.
of

Icel. mosurr,

malere, Lat. materia.

prep, in spiteof; maugre

Maugre,

thyn heed

in

spiteof thy head,

do, B 104

canst

in spite
of the
maugre Philistiens,
F.
Philistians,
man
3238.
gre,

mal

gr6,illwill.

Mawe,

5.

maw,

1190,

A. S. maga, the maw,

Icel. magi, G. magen.

May,

2013.
stomach
;

pr. I may, B 89,2014,

E 304 ; pr. s. May, has power,
F 112 ; 2 p. pi.pr. May, B 19.
A. S. mvgan,
pr. t. ie mceg ; pt. t.
I

/.

s.

ic

mihte; Icel. mega, G. mo gen,

Mayde,
s. maid, maiden, B 1636,
E

257,

A.S.

377, 446, 779.

magf},G. magd.
Mayntene,

pr.

s.

imp.

he

may

maintain, E
from
and

Y.maintenir,
1171.
main, Lat. manus, the hand,

tenir,Lat. tenere,

lit.to hold

to

hold

by the hand, support

by force.
Maystow,/or mayst thou,B 3267,
E 265, 1070.
Mede, s. meed, reward, a bribe,B
3579. A- s- m^" G- miethe.

Mede,

mead,

2042.

A.S.

Welsh
medu, Icel. mjifSr,

medd,

s.

Gk. pe6v

Sanskr.

madhu, sweet,
;
honey,nectar.
Meke,
adj.meek, E 141. E. E.
meoc
(not in A. S.); Icel.mjultr,
also

s. a

in

business,
Matere, s. matter, subject,
B 1703, 2148, E 90, 1176.O.F.

all thou
despite

mansionem.

the

drinkingcup

mazer,

haviour,
be-

maneria, kind, lort;

from Lat. mantis,
a hand
(Brachet).
mansion
Mansion,
5.
(a term in
Low

'

by ne on gyrdilsmaslen
theNorthumbrian glosses.]
O.

maselin,allied

way,

manner,

of

is expressed

'

605 ;

wyse,

'

in their purse

money

geant,
ser-

maner

(Halli-

a brass
mcestling,

S.

'

trine,
doc-

maner

doctrine,B 1689 ;

of

thing,3951

maner

in

stel'

and

moestlen,maslen, brass. In
vessel,
vi. 8, the phrase nor
St. Mark

out
kind,used with-

manner,

s.

maslyn, yren
well). Cf. A.

from

269

INDEX.

Mceso-Goth.

Melodye,

s.

tnuks,soft,mild.

melody,E 271.

'ARIAL

GLOSS

270
Memorie,

mention,

s.

3164.

3247. F. messager, from message,

brance,
remem-

memorie,

O. F.

Lat. memoria.

Mencioun,

made

mention;

From

54; Mentioun, 3311.

mentionem.

of

of, B

mention

made

Low

adj. superl.most, i.e.

in rank,most considerable,
highest
"131. A.S. mast.
Mesurable,
adj. moderate, F
362. F. mesurable,Lat. mensurabilis.

1860, 2141; gerund to mene

to
signify,
3941 ; pt. s. Mente,

Mesure,

p.

pr. I mean,

Lat.
93,

Mene,

s.

meant,
to

on,

mean,

A.S. man108. 522.

have in mind, to intend,
G. meinen.

meaning,

s.

intent, F

Metal,

O. F.

adj. merciful,B 1878.

tnerci,mer-

merciable,from

mercedem, which

cit; Lat.

Lat. metallum.

adj.southern,F

Meridional,
See Angle.

From

Lat.

263.

meridies,

the South.

of the transformation

126

Mete,

Merier, pleasanter,
2024.

comp.
A. S.

followers,2029

myrig.
E

Meruaille, s. marvel, wonder,

1 1 86; Merueille,248; merueille
wonder
of
at, F 87; pi. Mer=

660.

uailles, marvels,

merveille,O. F. mervaille
wonderful
Lat. mirabilia,

F.

from

things.

adj. marvellous, B

Merueillous,

1643.
s.

condition,

misery,a
B

3204.

able
miser-

O. F.

Lat.
a mishap ; from
ineschaance,
minus, less,badly,and cadentia,

cadere,

from

hap ;

Meschief,

to

mechef,O. F.

3513.

meschief; from

Lat. minus, less,badly,and caput,

the head ; from the latter came
O. F.

and
ckevir,to accomplish,

Messager,

s.

messenger,

to

v.

1873.
find;

here

so

Metres,
Mette,

6,

meaning is to
impliesto find

old

each other.

B
together,

meet

The

it

See Mette.
B

pi.metres,

s.

pt.

48.
B

dreamt,

s.

mditan,to
Mette, pt.pi.met,
A. S.

3930.

dream.

to

metan,

Mewe,

s. a

coop

meet,
mew,

were

kept

muer,

to

when

moult,

Lat. mutare,

to

643.
in

mew

A. S.

390.

Icel. mceta.
F. mue,

which

birds

moulting;

F.

changefeathers,

change.

E 2436 ; followers,
company,
B
ants,
attend;
3532
army,
O. F. maisne,
suite,F 391.

Meynee,

mesnee,

be

to

s.

a household, said
meignee,

from

Low

maisnada

Lat.

(as though for Lat. mansionata),

a

company

Milk,

s.

of menials.

milk,

Gk.

614.

meolc,G. milch

chief,
accomplishment.

173, 618.

mete,lce\.
matr, Moeso-Goth.

fall,
happen.

misfortune, B

s.

and

men

mats.

Meschaunce,

s.

A. S.

of

into birds,"c.
food, meat, F

women

men,

Metamorphosis; it
; B
pi.Metamorphoseon

from ptTO,, with,across, and fiop"f"rj,

treats
form, figure.Ovid's poem

Mete,

; Merie

(the

s.

gen.

should be
Gk. ntTafj.op"fxiiff(a)s,
93.
gen. of

adj. glad,E 615; Mery,

pleasant(to hear),B ll86;pl.
Merie, merry
(i.e.merrily),B

Merie,

F.

of

transformation,
a
HtTa.i".6p"f"ajffis,

came

favour.

mean

mete.

F. metal

metal,F 243.

s.

deration,
mo-

Lat.

mesure,

to
metiri,

from

book)

Merciable,

F.

Metamorphoseos,

151.

to

mensiira

256 ;

measure,

s.

622.

Mening,

a
missatictim,
message.

Lat.

Meste,

s.

mencioun

INDEX.

A. S.

cf. Lat.

mile,

mttlgere,

lit.a piece
milk-sop,
sopped in milk ; hence,

Milksop,
of

s.

bread

anythingsoft,esp.
B

man,

3100.
A.S.
miller ;

cf. Lat. mo/a.

Miustralcye,

a playminstrelsy,
ing

s.

s.

pi. minstrels,B

Minstralles, F
78. F.
2035;
Low
Lat. ministralis,
a
menestrel,
F 82, 132, 143,
s. mirror,
F.
mirror ; mirer,
miroir,
175.
look
Lat.
to
mirari, to
at,

Mirour,

wonder.
miraculous

1881.

story,legend,

F. miracle, Lat. mira-

Misauenture,
B

s.

ill

3540.

of the Teutonic

the French

parts
The

or

mis- before
prefix

verb

was

made

easier
fix
pre-

(Lat.minus).
Misdooth, pr. s. doeth amiss to, ill
mes

treats, B

B 3202.

Misgyed,

pp.

misconducted,
misguided,

B 3723.

See Gye.

pi.
3114;
A.S.
mvnuc,
Lat. monachtts.

from
s.

F.

Lat.

mountain, B 24.

s.

O. F.

monlagne,

Low

1169, 2152

great deal of, F

from

A.

s.

See Mone.

Moo,

adj.pi. comp.

mycel,much.
adv. much, B 3959
Mochel,
960. A. S. mycel.

349.

moon's,
a

1696,

masc.

mo

see

more

note.

See More.

more.

mother,

s.

1657,

"c.

ther's,
gen. Moodres, mo1783. A.S. modor, Icel.
mobir, G. mutter, Lat. mater, Gk.

ma/ri.

B 3687.
Moralitee, s. morality,
A.S.
Mordre, s. murder, B 1820.

wzor'Sor,murder,
Moeso-Goth.

moriS, death

maurthr;

cf. Lat,

mars.

pp. murdered, E

725,

728.
Mordrer,

murderer,E 733.

s.

adj.comp. greater,E 1231 ;

and lesse,
pi. More, in phr. more

More,

940

adv. more,

ther,
fur-

greater degree,B 3745,

See Mo.
A.S. mare.
a

s.

morsel

morceau,

from

lesser,all alike, B

morsel; morsel breed

of bread, B 3624. F.
O. F. morsel, Low
Lat.
little bit

or

bite,

mordere, to bite.

Morwe,

s.

gen.

2070.
sb. with

A. S.

in the

gen.

en, G. morgen,

morwe

morning; by
morning,early
3856. A. S. morg-

morrow,

928 ;

the

moon,

s.

adj.

54 ;

other times,E 449 ;

than her,others,1039;

morsellum,
;

more,

Mo, 3742, 3838, E 318, F 301,

at more
times,
702; tymes mo

3842.

A. S.

Lat.

pi. months, B 1674.

S. mdnctfS, Icel. mdnaftr, G.

Monthe,

in

monlaigne,

monlanea;

mons.

Morsel,

adj.much,

Muchel,

B 3302.

pi.monsters,

Montaigne,

3433,

See Moo.
B

line.
mascu-

1632.

greater and

Mishap, s. illluck,B 3435.

Mist, s. mist, F 259. A. S. mist.

mono,

monk,

mond,

all

Lat. monstrum.

Mordred,

3112.

Miserie, s. misery,B 3167. Lat.

miseria,from miser,wretched.
Misgouernaunce,
s.
misconduct,

Mone,

HTJTTJP, Sanskr.

use

its similarity
to the French

Mone,

borrowed

A. S. via,

fortune,
fortune,mis-

Misdeparteth,
pr. s.
divides amiss, B 107.

Moche,

Monk,
s.
Monkes,

Mooder,

citlum.

Mo.

mena

at

Miracle, s.

by

Moaso-Goth.

monal.

servant.

man!, G.

I eel.

Monstres,

upon instruments of music, the

sound made by a band of minstrels,
F 268.

Minstrales,

mdnan

271

nate
effemi-

weak

Mille, s. a mill, " 1200.

miln, whence
milner, a

INDEX.

A RIAL

GLOSS

in the

day,B

the

morning.

273

A RIAL

GLOSS

Morweninge, s. morning.F 397.

Moste,
adj. superl.greatest, F
chiefest,
;
361 ; //.Moste,in
199
and leste,
phr. moste
greatestand
least (see More)
A. S.
300.
nteest.

Mot,

p. fr.

s.

872,
Mote
172; sitbj.

3104,
thee

p.

s.

may

I must,
F

1853,
41 ; Moot, E
in phr. mote
I

thrive,B 2007;

pr. mbj.

thou

mot

majst

thou, B 1626, E 557 ; pr. s Mot,

he must, F 456 ; Moot, B 3697 ;
pr. pi.2 p. Mote, ye must,
to,
a

ought
526, F 164 ; pt. s.

should,E

p. Most, B

must,

442;

104 ; pt.

s.

Moste,

ought to, B 2031, 3232, F

ought to (be),F 38; was

obligedto,

made

was

to, B 3700 ;

pt.
subj.Moste, might,E 550.
A. S. ic mot, pt. t. ic moste.
s.

Mowe,
magon,

pr. pi.may,
we

E 530.

A. S.

1954.
F. moite, O. F. moiste,Lat. mustfresh ; from
eus,
musttts,
new,
fresh. The signification
moist is
late.

adj.much,

great deal

of,F 349. A. S. mycel.

Murmurede,
pt. pi. murmured,
talked continually
in a low voice,
buzzed, F 204.

F.

Lat. murnntrare,

Murthe,

from

wyrU.
Myght, 3. might,

F
power,
S.
A.
133.

in

E 484,
especially,

adv.

626.

Namo,/or

na

Namore, for

more,

no

more,

na

F 573 ;

more,

no

mo,

289,314.
Nas,/or

F 14.
A. S. naf,
adv.
Nat,
not, B

not.

was

24, "c. ; Nat

638. Short for

but, only,F 391,

nd iviht,i. e. no

whit ;

See

naught,not.

"405,

not,

was

was,

ne

whence

Naught.

adv. nevertheless,
none
B 45, 94, 3317.
A.S.
the less,

Natheles,

Natiuitee,

3206, F
tem

which

day

from

nascor.

116.

'

meant

periodof

the

from
differing

as

See Artificial.
day artificial.'
adv. naturally,
ral
by natu-

Naturelly,

F 229.
adv. not, B

causes,

Nay, adv.

no,

nay,

355 ;

yea,

B
question,

miht,

there is no

remembrance,

mynd; from

Lat.

natural, F

natural

hours ;

24
'

s.

Lat. natiuita-

From

45.

Nature!,
'

nativity,birth,B

s.

See

702.

mynan,

Nayles,

adv.

direct

; it is no

nay

1956,E

Icel.net.

pi.nails,B 3366.

s.

nagel.
Ne,

793

opposed

"177;

answers

denyingit,B

817, 1139-

1843.A. S.

A. S.

nail ;

to nail.
nceglian,

Namely,

467 ;

Myghte, //. *. could,B 3444 ; I p.

I could, E 638.
s. pt. subj.,
B 3517.
Myghtily, adv. mightily,
Myn,
pass. pron. mine, my (used
before a vowel), B 40 ; (used
aftera name},E 365. A. S. mln,
properly
gen. case of ic,I.
Mynde, s. memory, F 109, 607 ;
mynde

nttgel,Icel.

A.S.
29.
G.
nagel, a
nagl,

to

G. macht.

in

Naille, imp.s. 3 p. let it nail,let it

tened,
fasten,E 1184; pp. Nailed,fas-

Nat.

murmur.

A. S.

magic power,

cf. Lat. mfmini,

N.

Naught,

murmurer,

mirth, joy, E 1123.

s.

remember

to

Gk. fif/o'rjfMi.

nd, not.

may.

Moyste, adj.fresh,new,

Muchel,

INDEX.

A. S.

See Naille.

(i) not

when

used

with

is often
verb, a second negative

added,
noon,

A. S.

as

no

"

ne, B 77 ;
B 1180,

89 ; (2)nor,

not, nor ;
ne,
from the French.

Necessitee,
From

in

s.

not

ne

"

1189.
rowed
bor-

F 593.
necessity,

Lat. necessitatem.

INDEX.

GLOSSAR1AL

Necligence,

B 22,
Newe, adj.def.new, E 841 ; adv.
negligence,
From
Lat. negligenlia.
Newe, newly, afresh,E 3, 378.
B
A. S. niive, neowe, adj.; niwan,
need, indigence, 103 ;

E 66 1.

Need,

s.

s.

dot. Nede, 102, 112;

extreme

peril,
3576 ;

cessity,
ne-

the note.

see

B 108,
neighbour,

5.

A. S.

115, 3108.

from
nedh-biir,

nedh, near, and bur, a dweller;

from buan, to dwell.
Nekke, s. neck, B 3300, "113.
A.S. necca, hnecca.

Nekke-boon,
1839.
Nempne,

G. nennen,
a

to

to

call ; cf.
Lat.
;
nornen,

name,

name

name.

nearer;
and nearer,

Neer.

A. S.

comp.
n'dher.

See

1710.

nedr, nyr,

nigher
; cf. G.

A.S.

ni,or

; wiMied nest, \.e. man

Mauny, B 3576. See note.

s.

3665.

A. S.

87. A. S.

VOL.

nephew,

3594.

F.

the

etymologyof

F.

'

nice as used
the modern word nice
used.
differently

'

like,
pr. I desire not, I dis-

p.

s.

646 ;

I will not,

363 ; pr.

will not, 119.

A.S. nyllan,
to
be unwilling,
Lat. nolle.
s.

Nin, for ne in,i.e. nor in,F 35.

Nis, for ne is,is not, B 1876, E
448. F 72Niste, i p. s. pt. knew not, F 502 ;
not, 634.
pt. pi. Nisten, knew
A. S. nytan, not to know, pt. t. ic

s.

3438,

nobility,
magnificence,
782 ; high honour, B

i.e. dignity,
nobleness,
nobloier,
state, F 77. Cf.O.Fr.
to shine,
lit.to look noble; from
s.

adv.

nought,and

Lat. nepotem,
II.

E 2434.
foolish,

nice,Span,necio,Port, nescio or
from Lat.
necio,foolish,
ignorant,
nescius,ignorant.This is clearly

Noght,
s.

Lat. nobilis.

n"fre.
neveu,

adv.

Nice,

Nobleye,

and

Nevew,

superl. adj. nearest,

F. noblesse; Low
Lat.
nobililia; from Lat. nobilis,
noble,

nest.

Icel. net, G. netz.

B
adv. never,
Neuer,

newfangled-

3208.

nest

pi.nets, B

s.

F 610.
novelty,

See above.

A.S. nest,G.

Nettes,

ness, fondness for

Noblesse,

naeron,

not.
s.

Newfangelnesse,

to
nyste ; from ne, not, and ivilan,
know.

3984 ;

not, B

it not, 133.

were

Nest,

ner

nedh, nigh (adv.)

;

were
Nere, pt.s. subj.

were

and

ner

the

f6n, Goth.

incomprehensible,
onfengnes,a
receiving.

Nil,

Ner, adv.
nearer

whence

to

pt. s.
A. S. nemnan,

taking;

take ; cf. G. fangen ;

also A. S. unbefangenlic,

is the same,

F 318;
name, tell,
Nempned, named, E 609.
v.

nava.

adj. newfangled,
F 618.
Cf.
novelty,

fahan, to

by Chaucer
neck-bone, B

*.

Lat.

from
1814. A.S. ncksta,nighest;
nedh,nigh.

Ny.

Neighebor,

vfos,

Sanskr.

clearlyA. S.

is

root

Nexte,

See

49.

cf. Icel. nyr,

Gk.

taken with
A. S. fangennes,a

See Ner.

adj.near, nigh,F

anew

Newefangel,

A. S. nedd,
Nedes, B 2031, E n.
need ;
dat.
nedde.
gen. neddes,
Nedeth, pr. s. needs it,it needs,F
65, 298 ; pt. s. Neded, it needed,
E 457- A. S. neddian, to compel.
E 621;
Needles, adv. needlessly,
without
Needlees,
a cause, 455.
Neer, adv. near ; or perhaps adv.

comp. nearer, B 4000.

adv.
nouus,

A. S. nedd, Icel. nan's,G. noth.

Nede, adv. (dative
form) needs,B
E
3697,
form)
53* J (genitive

Neigh,

273

B
1

94,

; shortened from
in no
spect,
resignifying

not

112.

See Nat.

GLOSSARIAL

274
Nolde,

pi.

nolde;

ic

would

s.

3664.

1821,

nyllan,pt.

pkr. for

the

nones

pi. jewels,E

s.

O. F.

noitche, nosche,

382,

buckle,

bracelet ; Low
Lat. nusca,
brooch ; O. H. G. nusca, an ornament,

for

for the once, for the

the nonce,
B

Nowches,

t.

Nil.

see

in

Nones,

87,

not,

A. S.

INDEX.

brooch,bracelet

casion,
oc-

; cf. O. H.

G.
1165,3133. Originally
nusta, a knittingtog?ther.
where
the
for
then
once
for
Spenserhas ouch.
;
ones,
then is dative of art. the,and ones
adv.
Ny,
nearly, F 346 ; wel
is an adverb used as a noun.
almost,E 82. A. S. nedh.
ny
=

Nonnes, s. pi.gen. nuns',B 3999.

F. nonne,
Low
Lat. nonna,
used
St. Jerome

by

(Brachet).

Nyce, adj.weak, foolish,B 3712.

F 525.

See Nice.

night; a nyghte,
B 3758. A. S.
by night,
night,

Nyghte,

Noon,
adj. none, no, B 102 ; pi.
Noon, 89. A. S. nan.
I p. s. pr. I know
Noot,
not, B

at

dat.

s.

nihtfIcel. ndtt,Lat.

F 342A- s- ndt"
knows
wot,
not; I and 3

3596. 3973.
for
p.

ne

s.

s.

nurse,

561,618, F

Y. nourrice,O. F. norris,
Lat. nulricem.
347.

pp. nourished,brought

Norished,
up, E

399.

Norishiuge,
up, E

s.

nurture,

bringing

1040.

1875.

Lat. notabilis.

Note,
Lat.

one.

Obeisaunce,
502

obedient

Obeisances,submissive acts, acts

expressingobedient attention,F
Obeisant, adj.obedient,E 66.
to
Obeye,
v.
obey, F 489 ; pt.

Obeyede, 569.

nutmeg, B

*.

is A. S.

hnut,

1953.

Obseruances,

; the

O. F. muguet, Lat.
musk
from
scented ;
muscata,
musk.
scent,
muscus,

Obserue,

endingmuge

G.

nuss

No-thing, adv. in no respect, not

B 3402, E 228,480.
at all,
Nouelries, s. pi.novelties,F 619.
Cf. House of Fame, ii. 178. O. F.
which
novelerie,
a

quarrel
; O.

commonly

means

F. novel, new,

nouellus; from

Lat.

s.
Noueltee,
Low
O. F. noveliteit,

Nouys,

from
s.

1004.
Lat. nouelli-

3129.

novice, Lat. nouicius ; from

adv. at
and
Now
now,
from

430.

time

F.

s.

obtir,Lat.

to

F.

nouus.

times,

F
time, occasionally,

attenpi. duties,tions,

s.

516.
givecountenance

to

v.

1821.

F.

to,

observer,

Lat. obseruare.

Occupye,

v.

to

occupy,

take up, F

64. F. occuper, Lat. occtipare.

Of, prep, by, B 2132, E 70, 2436;
as
re'
1779, E 33
B
with
gards,
respect to,
90, 3388,
F 425 ; of grace
by his favour,

with, for, B

'"

of his

favour,E 178. A. S. o/,

Icel. a/,G. ab. Lat. ab, Gk.

Of, adv. off,away,

Office,

nouus.

novice, B

favour,

out

nouus.

novelty, E

tatem;

obedience,"24,
act, E 230 ; pi.

s.

obedire.

no/a.

Notemuge,
Note

(ofmusic),B 1737.

note

s. a

adj. one, B 52, 2122, 3663.

Shortened from M. E. on, A. S. an,

SIS-

adj.notorious,B

Notable,

O.

O,

pr. indie.

Norice,

nocleni.

s.

diro.

3748, 3762.
duty, employment (see
B

note),B 3446 ; houses of office

servants' offices,
pantries,
larders,
=

"c. E

Of-newe,

938.

264.

From

adv.
Hence

E.

Lat.

qfficium.

E
newly, lately,
anew.

GLOSS

ARIAL

ox's, E 207, 291.

Oxes, gen. sing,
A. S. oxa,
Icel. oxi, vxi, Goth.
G.
ochs.
auksa,
Oxe-stalle, s. oxstall,E 398. A. S.
where oxan
is the gen.
oxaii
steal,
of

case

as

it may

or

oxa,

be

sidered
con-

compound, oxa-steal.

In either case
is accounted

the sonant

after

for.
P.

Pace,

pr.

120;

go. B 1759, F
subj.1 p. er I pace

to

v.

pass,

s.

depart,ere I die, F 494;

pr. s, subj.may pass away, may
E 1092.
F. passer, Low
depart,
=ere

Lat. passare,
a

s.

page,
Lat.

page, Low
Deduced

pass

; from

over

See Passe.

pandere.
Page,

to

by

boy, F 692. F.

pagius,a

Diez

from

servant.

Gk.

irais,

iraiSiov.

Ducange givespagius,
(whence
pagita,pagesius,
pagensis
F. pays),all meaning a domestic
servant

or

Surelyfrom

rustic.

whence
sb. pagus, a village,
also Lat. paganus.

the

Paleys,

5.

palace,E 197, F 60.

F.

Lat.
palais,

palatium.
a
parrot,B
popinjay,
F" papegai,from
Span.
I957papagayo ; hardlyfrom Arab, babagd,a parrot, a late word (Diez).

Papeiay,

Paradys,

s.

s.

Gk.

B 3200.
Paradise,

INDEX.

Parfay, interj.
by my
O. F.

B
faith,

HO.

parfei,F. par

foi.
E 690.
perfectly,
F. parfait,
Lat. perfectus.
Parfournest,
pr. s. 2 p. performadv.

Parfitly,

est, B

1797;

646.

Parfourned,

pp.

Cotgravehas

Parfournir,to perform,consummate,' "c.

From
O.F.fornir (F. fournir\
from
O. H. G.
to
accomplish;
frumjan, to accomplish,whence
also G.frommen, to avail ; which
1

'

"

from

cf.

O. H. G. frum,
Mceso-Goth.
frums,

good;

Welsh

enclosure

beginning,
Lat. primus; from the
fruma, first,
Lat. prae.
root of G. i/or, E.fore,
F
Cf.
F. pare,
Park, s. a park, 392.
probablyfrom a Teut. source; cf.
pare, parwg,

an

there is also A. S. pearroc, an enclosure,

park,which givesthe mology
etyof the E. word.
The root
in M. E. parre" to enclose.

is seen

F. parti,
Party, s. a part, 817.
from
divided,
partir,to divide,
Lat.

Pas,
a

partiri.

s.

pace, i.e. a
rate, F 388.

slow

825.

footpace,at
See Prol. 1.

Lat. passus.

Passe, imp. s.

or pi.pass (over),
go
(on),proceed,B 1633; I p. s. pr.
Passe of
pass by, F 288 ; pr. s.
=

Passeth,passes away,

404 ; pp.
Passed, past, spent, E 610 ; pres.
extreme,
surpassing,
part. Passing,

a
pleasure-ground,
irapaSeiaos,
See Pace.
Heb. pardes,known to be of Aryan
"240,1225.
B
Passioun,
s. passion,
suffering,
(Persian)
origin.
Paramour, i.e. par amour, for love,
1175. Lat. passionem.

2033.

See

pavement, B 1867.
O. F. pavement, Lat. pavimentum.

Pauement,

note.

s.

adv. peradventure,
Parauenture,
E
s. bread of a peculiar
chance,
Payndemayn,
by
234.
French
B
See
from
note.
oath,
an
Pardee, interj.
whiteness,
1915.
From
Lat. pants Dominicus.
par dieu, B 1977, "1234; Parde,
See
B 3974, F 696.
Peer, s. peer, equal,B 1930.
Pere.
Pareinentz,
s.
pi. ornaments
;
of
chambre
mented
ornaPees,
3826.
s. peace, B 130, 3524,
paramentz
=

chamber,

269.

F.

from
ornament,
parement, an
Lat.
to
adorn,
parare.
parer,

pes, F. paix,Lat. pacem.

who
one
s.
a
Penaunt,
penitent,
O.F.
does

penance,

3124.

O.F.

GLOSSARIAL

INDEX.

277

pity,B 3231, F 479. F.

piled,Lat. pietatem.
poena, pain.
is
Thus pity a doublet of piety.
careful
Penible, adj. painstaking,
F. penible, Pitous, adj.sad, B 2140, 3567,E
to
please,E 714.
full of compassion,
from peine,
Lat. poena.
pitiful,
1121;
E 412.
F 20.
O. F.pitos,
F.piteux; Lat.
Peples, gen. sing,people's,
Lat. populiis.
F. penple,
pietosus.
to
Pitously, adv. piteously,
v.
sadly,
Perce, Percen,
pierce,B
F
B
F
E
461.
pitiably,
pp.
3729,
237;
414,
2014,
1204,
peneant, penitent; from

Lat.

Pitee,

s.

pitie,O. F.

Perced, B 1745. F. percer.

Percinge, s. piercing
; for percinge
B 2052.
to prevent any piercing,
=

Place,

s.

manor-house, residence of

chief person
small town,
B

in

1910.

or
village

See

note.

F. place,
Lat. plalea.
678.
or
s.
Piastres,
pi.plaisters,
plasters,
pair,
F
L
ow
F.
Lat.
Lat. par,
636.
platre.
plastrum, short for emplastrum,Gk.
Peregryn,
adj. peregrine,i.e.
F 428. Lat. peregrinus.
foreign,
F

B 3244,
equal,

Pere,

s. peer,
See Peer.

O. F. per, F.

adj.dangerous,terrible, Plat, adv. flat,B 1865; flatly,

From
Lat. peribluntly,
;
3947. F.plat,G. platt
IQ99) 31O9-

Perilous,
B

both

cnlum.

from

Gk.

irXarvs,broad.

stiffiron defence for

B 3658. F.
Plate, s. plate,
pi. pearls,
O. F. plate,
B
Low
hauberk,
a
perle,Port.perola, Lzt.pernla.
2055.
of metal ; see above.
a flat piece
Perree, s. jewellery,
stones,
precious
flat side (ofa
B 3495. 355". 3556- F.pierrerie
Platte, adj.dot. flat,
;
F
from
Low
Lat. petrarice,
sword), 162, 164. See Plat.
jewels
;
Lat. petra, a stone.
Playn,
adj. plain; in short and
B
Persone, s. parson,
piayn in brief plain terms, E
1170; person,
E 73. Lat. persona.
577. F. plain,Lat. plantts.
B 2134;
Peyne, s. pain,suffering,
Playn, s. a plain,B 24 ; Playne,

Perles,

s.

trouble,

care,

509

Peynes, F 480 ; vpon

E 586.
under a penalty,

gen.

peyne =
F. peine,

Lat. poena.

Peyned

E 59.

Pleinte, s. complaint,lament, B
66. F.plainte,from
La.t.plangere,
to

hir,

pt. s.

took pains,
refl.

wail.

Plentee,

264,

"976.

See Pleyne.
s.

plenty,abundance, E

300;

gret plentee
=

in

painted,F 560;
great quantity,B 3665. O. F.
F.
plentet,Lat. plenitatem,from
peindre,
pp. Peynted, 646.
Lat. pingere.
piemis, full.
dactic Plesaiice, s. pleasure,
diwill,E 501,
Philosophre,
s. a philosopher,
ness,
B
writer, 25.
659, 663, 672, 959, 964; kindthe art of medicine,
II II;
Phisyk, s. physic,
pleasingbehaviour,
F 509.
F. plaisance,
from Lat.
B 1189. F. physique;Gk.
placere.
B
Piler, s. a pillar,
3308 ; pi. Plesen, v. to please,F 707. F.
Lat. placere.
F. pilier
from
Filers,3274.
flaisir,
;
Pley, s. a play,sport, diversion,E
pile,Lat. pila,a pillar.
Pin, s. a pin,small peg, F 127, 316.
10, II, 1030.
A.S.plega,sport.
for
From
Lat. pinna,
oneself,B 3524,
Pleye, v. to amuse
penna.
E 1154.
3666, 3996; pres. part. Pleying,
Pistil,s. epistle,

Peyntede,

pt.

s.

278

GLOSSARIAL

F 410.
amusingherself,

A. S.

INDEX.

pleg-

an.

B 3947,
Pleyn, adv. plainly,
E
openly,

637.

19

See Plasm.

Pleyne, pr. pi. subj.I p.

complain,"97.

F.

we

largeproperty, great possessions.

wealth,F 686.
Potage, 5. pottage,broth,B 3623.
F. potage,from pot (Welshpot),a
pot.

may

Lat.
plaindre,

Pouerte,

plangere.
Plowman,
Plumage,

s.
s.

E 799.
ploughman,

is sounded

F.

plumage,F 426.

Pound,

as

v.

pi.pounds,F 683. A. S.
Plye, v. to bend, E 1169. Y.plier,
fund, a pound ; a neut. sb. with
Lat. plicare.
pi.pund ; cf.Icel. and Goih.pund.
Plyghte, pt. s. plucked,pulled, Poure, adj.poor, B 116, 120; pi.
B 15.
The
Cf. A.S. plucdan, pt. t.
M is here a v;
Poure, 188.
O.F. povre, F. pauvre ;
counts
pluccode; though this hardlyacpovre

plumage,Lat. plutna,a

feather.

poverty, B 99, E 816.

s.

O. F. povrete, poverle,Lat. pauperNote ; the u in this word

latem.
s.

for the present form.

from Lat. pauperem.

We

See
Poure, adv. poorly,E 1043.
however,similar forms
viz. shryghte
above.
elsewhere,
Kn. Ta. 1959; twygh'.e Pourest, adj. svperl.
(shrieked),
poorest, E
See Poure.
(twitched),Tro. and Cres. iv.
205.
F
in poverty,
Poureliche, adj.poorly,
"85 ; pryghte, 418.
"213, 1055. See Poure.
Poetrye, s. poetry, E 33 ; pi.Poe206.
F
to
Preche,
v.
preach,B 1179;
tryes,poems,
Prechen, 1177; imp.pi.Precheth,
Point, s. point; fro point to point
E 1 2. F. precher,
from beginning
to end, B 3652 ;
Lzt.praedicare.
i
n
for
mon,
serPredicacioun, *. preaching,
point
point,exactly, every
may note,
in Chaucer

detail,E

F.

577.

point,Lat.

puncttim.

Point-deuys,

F
point-device,

s.

560.
Poison,

s.

poison,B

F.

3859.

poison,
potion.

Lat. potionem; lit.a

pulley,F 184. F.
poulie; the Prompt. Parv. has

Polyue,

s.

Prescience,

659.

74 T ! "*""

Popes, 746; pi. Popes, B

A. S. papa, Lat. papa,

Popet,

s.

spoken
here
'

and
ironically,

1891.

2039.
father.

puppet, doll ;

poppet,

appliedto
B

therefore

corpulentperson,

Cotgrave has

poupee,

[i.e.bauble].
a

doll ; Lat

Possessioun,

s.

pupa,

Cf.
a

F.

doll.

i.e.
possession,

3327 ;
presse; from

F.

*.

E
foreknowledge,

Lat.

praescire.

presence ; in presence
in company,
in a largeassembly,

Presence,

s.

1207.

B 1166,4000. O. F.
priest,
F.
prestre, pretre ; Lat. presbyter.
s.
Presumpcioun,
presumption,

Prest,

s.

pride,B 3745.
Preue, s. proof,E 787. F.preuve,
from

Preue,

"

little b.iby,
a
Poiipstte,
puppet,

bable*

From

the pope,

s.

189.

crowd,

F 674.
praise,
O. F. preiser,
to
; preis,
praise
Lat.
price, pretium.

B 3745-

Pope,

press,

Lat. premere.
Preise, I p. s. pr. I

adj.stately,
magnificent,

Pompous,

s.

Pies, F

but the rime is decisive as

f'oleyn,
to the form used here.

1176.

Prees,

Lat.
v.

snbj.may
test or

probare.

to

test ;

699 ;

test ; he preue

try, 1152 ; pr.

proves, 1000

shews, 2425

;
;

s.

pr. s.

that he

Preueth,

tries,tests, 1155

pp.

Preued,

ap-

GLOSSARIAL

INDEX.

279

B 3518 ;
proved, 38 ; exemplified,
856 ;
Propre, adj.own, peculiar,
of propre
shewn,F 481. See above.
kynde by their own
F
natural
Freyede, pt. s. prayed,besought,
bent, F 610, 619. F.
311 ; Preyde, B
propre, Lat. proprius.
3729, E 548,
765 ;pp. Preyed,7 73. O.V.preier, Prose, s. prose, B 96. Lat. prosa.
F. prier; Lat. precari.
Prospectyues,
s. pi. perspectiveF
No doubt
Preyere, s. prayer, B 1669,"141.
lenses,
glasses,
234.
=

F.

Chaucer here makes

priere.

Preys,

praise,B 3837.

s.

and

Priketh, pr. s. spurs, rides,B 1944 ;

pt. s. Priked, 1964; Pryghte,F
418 ; 2 p. s. fubj.Prike,B 2001 ;
Prikke, prick,goad, torture, E

mirrors
reflecting

between

O. F.

preis,Lat. pretium. See Preise.

tinction
the usual dis-

lenses. Milton
refracting
Exerc. 1. 71)seems

the

word

to

to

cation
(Vaapply

combination

of

lenses,or telescope.See Trench,

Select

s. T. Perspective.
Glossary,
to prick,
1038.
priccian,
Prouerbe, s. a proverb,B 3436 ;
goad. See Pryghte.
pi.Prouerbes,proverbial
sayings,
hard
Lat.
Prickinge, s. spurring,
prouerbium.
riding,
saws, 2146.

A. S.

1965.

Prikke,

Proueth, pr. s. proves, F 455.

prick,point, critical
B
condition, 119. A. S. prica,a
s.

trate,
provost, chief magisfrom
B 1806.
A.S. prdfosl,

Prouost,

prick,point.

Principles,

See

Preue.
s.

Lat. praepositus
pi.principles,
; F. privot.
deep
natural disposition,
F 48 7.
Prydeles, adj. void of pride,E
feelings,
B 1637.
A. S. pryta, pride.
Prioresse, s. prioress,
930.
Priuee, adj. secret, privy,closely Pryghte,
pt. s. pricked,F 418.
A. S. priccian,
attendant, E 192, 519; secret, B
pt. t. priccode,
is
whence
F.
Lat.
prive,
pryghte contracted.
privates.
1991.
F
s. prime, i. e. nine
o'clock,
Priuee, adv. privately,
Pryme,
secretly,
the
end
of the
F
531; Priuely.B21, 3889.
73 ; fully
pryme,
of
nine
o'clock,
Priuitee, privity,
period prime,i.e.
secrecy, E 249.
B
Proces, s. narrative,
rence
occurj
ust
past
large,
history,
2015;
pryme
of events, B 3511 ; proces
nine o'clock,F 360. Lat. prima.
holde
s.
Prymer,
keep close to my story,F
primer, elementary
B 1707. Lat. primsuit
F.
at
a
658.
reading-book,
law,
proces,
s.

Lat. processtts.

Profred,

arium.

E 152.
pp. offered,

O. F.

profrir,
porofrir; from O. F. porto offer.
(Lat.pro) and o/rir,
Proheme,

*.

proem,

E
prologue,

B
price,value, estimation,
E
2087 ; praise, 641 ; Pryse,E
Lat. pre1026.
O. F. pris,
preis,
tium.
Thus price and prize are

Prys,

s.

word

F. proeme (Cotgrave),
Gk.
a
irpootfuov,
prelude; from irpo,
before, and o?//o?,
a
way, also,a

the

F 405.

he purposed,F 606.
F.
find
We
Lat.
propositnm.
propos,

43.

same

as

praise.

Pryuely, adv. secretly,

"641.
Publisshed,
spread
pp. published,
strain of song.
abroad, E 415, 749.
Prolixitee, s. prolixity,
tediousness, Purpos, s. purpose ; it cam him to

Prologe,

From
s.

Lat.

prolixus.
prologue,rubric to

Gk.

irpo\oyos.
Proporcioned,
pp. made
F 192.
99.

purpos

the verb
in proportion,

speltproposer

and

pur-

poser in Old French.

Purposed, pp. purposed,E 1067.

280

A RIAL

GLOSS

Purs,

purse, F

s.

Gk.

A. S. purs,

148.

"\jpaa, skin.
a

Purveye,

to

v.

E
provide,
prouidere.

purvey,

191.

Lat.
F. pourvoir,

Thus

purvey is

doublet of provide.

INDEX.

quern turned by an ass, a quern of

largesize. In Iceland Iwern is a

handmill,which used
at

sat

be turned

to

who

by bondwomen,

sang

as

they

work.

adj.def.quaint,curious,
369 ; dot. 239 ; pi. Queinte,
trived,
con1189; Queynte, curiously

Queynte,

Putte, pt. s. put, B 1630, 3742 ;

2 p. Puttest,didst put, 3875 ; pp.

F
B

F 234.
structed
O. F. cointe,inpwtio,
Lat. cognitus;
but it has
push,poke; Gael, put, to push.
The
influenced
been
in its
E. E. form pulte,with the
probably
the
of
is
Mod. E. pelt.
Lat. comptus,
sense
put,
meanings by
F 649.
trimmed.
Pyes, s. pi.pies,magpies,
F. pie,Lai. pica.
said,B 16, 28,
Quod, pt. s. quoth)
A.S. cweftan,
the passion,
to say,
II 66, "c.
Pyne, s. pain,
suffering,
ic
cwce^S
B 2126; woe,
F
t.
speak; pt.
torment, 3420,
; pi.we
Icel.
Goili.kwithcwadon ;
kvefta,
448. A. S. pin, from Lat. poena.
to
Pype, s. pipe,a musical instrument,
speak.
an,
B
A.S. pip, Icel. pipa,
Quook, pt. s. quaked, shook, B
2005.

Put, E 471.

Cf. Welsh

to

See Quaking.
boiled
s.
Quyrboilly,

G.

3394.

Q
Quad,

2065.

a"#. bad,

1628.

Du.

Itvaad, bad, evil ; O. Du.

quad.

'Een

voort

qitadeboom

vii.

7,

in Dutch

F. cuirbouilli;see

note.

free
acquit,

hir cost

v.

for to

to

quyte

tree

evil fruit ; Matt.

New
Test. A. D.

to

for her

pay

3564.

brenght

a
qttadevruchten,'
corrupt

brlngethforth

Quyte,

leather,B

penses,
ex-

O. F. gutter, F.

Lat. quietare
; from quiet,
quitter;
rest.

B.

1700.

Quaille,

E
quail,

s.

206.

O. F.

caille, Low

Lat.
quaille, F.
of Teutonic origin
qnaqttila,
; cf.
Du. kwakkel, a quail,
lewdken,to
the sound

from

The

quack.

croak, to

Quaking,

is

name

quaking,E

A. S.

to

1671.
queen,
Icel. kvdn, Goth.

Quene,

a woman.
yvvfi,

queen

are

Querne,

3264.

and

Quean

the

cweorn,

cwyrn,

kwairnus.

Icel.

In the

version of St. Mark

word

is

sentence

'

"

rally,
Lite-

hot coals he hath raked

the sense
is, of course,
raked hot coals around
A. S. racian, to
Icel. rdka ; cf. '

Amongst
'

himself;
'

he hath
himself.'

rake

together,
Rakyn, rastro,'

Prompt. Parv.
Bam,

s.

the ram,

the

signAries,F

386.

(dot.)a handmill, B

A.S.

Mceso-Gothic

rendered

Inverts,

doublets.
s.

levern, Goth,
ix. 42,

A.S.

s.

cwen,

Gk.

cwacian,

3831 ;
shook,
quake.

reft

pp. raked,B 3323.

Baked,

the

pres. part,

s.

reave),B

made.

3*7. 358; pp. Quaked, B

pt. s. Quook, quaked,
3394.

(from the vb.

to
3288, 3291.
reue,
ic redfode
A. S. reafian,
t.
;
pt.
Icel.raufa,G. rauben ; cf. E. rob.

Baffce, pt.

'

mill-stone

'

i.e.
by asila-kwairnus,

pr. s. (lit.
ramps, romps,

Bampeth,
but

rears,

here) rages,

violence,B
now

3094.

We

acts

with

should

fliesin my face.'
say
in which
quotation,
following

is

The

rampe

'

"

means

she

an

ill-conditioned

A RIAL

GLOSS

romp, 5s much

woman,

'

A
purpose.
striue with
to
yeae

him

dede

onis

woman

husbonde

like

gers
uelonis

with

hym

Rede,

gret

wordes,
[felon's]
and

tpvOpus.See

an-

afore straun-

rampe,

hym
setting

O. F. rancor,
Lat.
from
;
rancere,
rancidity

rancor,

be rancid.

to

Rasour,

F.

3246.

Lat. rasorium, from

rasoir,Low
Lat. radtre,to scrape.

adj. comp.

Bather,

Redy,
adj.ready,E 299, F 114;
dressed,387. A. S. raede,ready;

pi.

sooner,

s.

reached,B 1921.

pt. didst

s.

vish,
ra-

(down),B 1659 ;
overjoyed,
pp. Rauisshed,ravished,
F 547.
F. ravir, Ital. rapire,
didst draw

Lat. rapere,to snatch away.

Reaume,

Due

Low
Lat.
royanme,
regalimen,from regalis; from

Rebel,

s.

king.

rebel;

3415.

rebellis,
one
re,

Recche,

F.

that

or

lious,
adj. rebel-

rebelle ; Lat.
renews

war

again,and bellum, war.

p.

s.

pr. I reck, care, B

pl-reck, care ; recche of

94 " P1"it
for it,F 71.
See Rek.
care
Recchelees,
adj.reckless,careless,
E 488. A. S. receleds.
indifferent,
receive,E 1151.
Receyuen,
v. to
F. recevoir,Lat. recipere.
Recovered,
ed,
pp. recovered,regain-

pt. pi. refused,E 128.

F. recouvrer,

perare.
Recours,
recours

Lat.

s.

recourse
=

kingdom, dominion,

*.

reign, B 3401, 3404, 3432, F

1355 tl- Regnes,B 129, 3518;
F. regne,

governments, 3954.
Lat.

regntim.

recii-

have

1 will return, F 75.

89,

1 221

Reher-

298 ; pres. part. pi. ReF 206.

O. F.
hersinge,
relating,
to
rehercer,
;
repeat (Roquefort)
lit.to harrow
over
as
one
again,
cen,

field; from O. F. herce,a

a
harrow, F. herse ; Lat. herpicem,

does

harrow,
Reioysed,
Rek,
i

used

by

pt. s.

Varro
i

p.

(Brachet).
I rejoiced,
reflex.

"145.
imp. s. reck, care, B 4004,
p. s. pr. Rekke, I care, E 1090.

See Recche.

Rekne,
no;

reckon, account,

Rekenen, reckon, count,

A. S. recnan,

2433.
153;

to

v.

G. rechnen.

E
p.
pr. I release,
B
pt. s. Relessed, forgave,

Relesse,
; I wol

refntare.Refuseand
doublets.
(nearly)

Lat.

to

refuteare

B 27.

by

of mirrors,F 230.

F.

Lat. rex,

reflexions

B 3845.
Regned, pt. s. reigned,
count,
Reherse, v. to rehearse,relate,re-

realm, country, B

s.

3739, E 653.

counsel, B

s.

Regne,
p.

2059, 3734, E

See Rede.

317.

means

; comp.

reichen.

my

adj.red,

r"d, G. rath.
Reflexions,
s.
pi.

pt. t. ic rcehte; G.

Rauysedest,

3305.

evident,orderly.
redig,

cf. Swed.

Refuseden,

A. S. racan,

from

See Dresse.

Reed,

kra'Sor.

Raughte,

E 431.
right,

set

to

v.

A. S.

A. S. hrafte,soon

1169.

Redresse,

Reed,

razor,

s.

747.

432,

211

pr. Rede, I advise, E 811,

p.
205 ; imp. pi. Redeth, read, B

3650. A. S. raedan, G. ralhen.

malice, E

rancour,

s.

1690,F

read, B

to

v,
s.

praising
dis-

"

Rancour,

Reed.

atte

[atnaught]' The Knightof

la Tour-Landry,
ed. Wright,
p. 25.
not

from

A. S.
Rede, adj.def.red, F 415.
redd, Icel. rauftr,G. roth, Gk.

as

...

that dede

recnrsns

course.

cnrstis,

husbonde,nor

her

Lat.

F. recours,

ought not

woman

displesaunce,

no

her

suere

the

to

28l

INDEX.

3367.

O. F.

s.

Lat. relaxrelaitser,

282

ARIAL

GLOSS

relax

Relay, release,and

are.

all the

are

Remedie,

word.

same

Lat.

remedy,B 3974.

s.

remedium.

Lat. mouere,

Reneye,

to

v.

3751. From
Kenneth, pr.
for =

125;
B

to

to

s.

runs, F 479 ;
in favour

the note;

2.

to

yrnan,

Icel. retina.

rennen,

s.

3401,

Rewelboon,

F.

rendre,Lat. reddere.
to
v.
Repaire,
repair,return, F

kind

s.

from

the

to

v.

I rue, I

s.

am

of

ivory,

sperm-whale,

B
narwhal,or walrus,

Rewen,

regtila.

Lat.

from

rule; borrowed

068.

pity,E

have

rue,

Reweth,

impers.

me

A. S.

sorry, 2432.

hreow, grief;hredwian,

to

be

grieved.
Rewthe,

rent, i.e. revenue,

F. rente, from
3572.

Rente,

Reule, v. to rule ; reule hir guide

a
her conduct,"327. A.S. regol,

1050 ; pr.

renn-

of, B
pp. Ronne,

A. S. rennan,

run, G.

116.

the respect shewn to thee, B

From
Lat. reuerentia.

obtained

move.

B
deny, renounce,
Lat. negare, to deny.

runs

see

181.

pp. removed,

Remewed,

eth

rest,E 869.
remain.

remnant,

s.

Lat. manere,

From

196; thy reuerence="

honour, E

Hemenant,
From

INDEX.

s.

438;

ruth, pity,E 579, 893,

'lit.
ruth,
pitiful
sight,

"562.
Reyn,

s.

rain, 1864,3363,3921.

A. S. regen, G. regen, Goth,

rign;
cf. Lat. rigare.
Repaireth,returns,
O. F. re^ue,
Reyne, s. rein,F 313.
339 ; g"es. B 3885 : pres. fart.
F
608.
F. rene, Ital. redina ; prob. from
Repeiring, returning,
from
Lat. retinere, to hold back.
O. F. repairer,repairier,
A.S.
to
to
return
Low
Lat. repatriare,
Riche, adj.pi. rich,B 122.
O. H. G. riche.
one's native country (Lzt.patria'). rice, Goth, reiks,
F
The
Norman
v.
pronunciationof
Rsporten,
report, tell, 72.
A. S. rice produced riche,which
F. reporter,Lat. reportare.
nearly agreed with the French
Reson, s. reason, E 25 ; Resoun,
of O. H. G. riche.
Lzt.ra.'ionem.
pronunciation
63408. F. raison,
F 90.
Richely, adv. richly,
Resouned, pi. s. resounded, F 413.
589 ;

pr.

From

Lat.

Reste,

rest, F 606

rest, 126.
rest, F 355.

s.

Retsnue,

s.

; 2

809.

F.

restart.

Lat. retinere.

38.

Lat

imp. pi.
retovrner

s.

return, E
from Lat.

E 392,
revelry,

278, 339.
also

O. F.

1123,

O.F. revel,rebellion;

tumult, joyousnoise ; from

reveler,Lat. rebellare,to

rebel.

Not

from

Dutch,

as

Mr.

s.

See Riche.

pp. ridden, B 1990.

Ryden.
Ring, s. ring,F 83, 143, 247

Ringes,E 255.

See

A. S.

pi.

hring,Lat.

reverence,

respect.

rose,

1869.

See

Ryse.
river ; ryde for riuer =
the river,B 1927.
ride towards

Riuer,

s.

F. riviere, Low
river ; from Lat.

Roche,
from

s.

Late

Rode,
A. S.

Wedgwood suggests.

Reuerence,

F. riche.

from

Rise, pt. pi.

tornare, to turn.

Reuel,

3750.

circus.

rhetoric,"32.

s.

s.

Riden,

Rethor, s. orator, F
rhetor,Gk. fr/Toip.
Rethoryke,
Retourneth,

p.pl.pr.

A. S.

retinue, suite,E 270.

; from

relenue

riches,B 107, 3432,

F. richesse,a sing,noun
;

Richesse,

resonart.

Reste, v. to
snbj.may

F.

s.

led.

Lat.

ripa,a bank.

rock, F 500.
Lat.

a
riparia,

F. roche;

rocca.

complexion, B 1917from rud,redd,

rndu,redness,
s.

284

GLOSSARIAL

to arise,
v.
get up, F 375 ;
rise,
pi.
Rysen,
383 ; pi. s.
pr.

Kyse,

3717, 3863; Ros, F

267 ; pi. Rise, rose, B 1869.

Roos, B

A. S. rtsan, pt.

rison,pp. risen
Ryue,

rds, pi.we

rifa, Dan.

rive, to

1236.
tear,

rend.

adj. sedate,fixe-i,
constant,

693, 754;

unmoved, settled,E
sober, E 220, 237;

pi. Sadde,

A. S. saed,
discreet,
grave, 1002.
sated.'
originally
adv. firmly,tightly;E
Sadly,
'

Sadnesse,

s.

soberness,constancy,

scarce, small ; Low

excarpsim, for excerptus;

Lat.
from

excerpere,to select.
s. scathe, harm,
pity,E
A.
S. sceaftian,
to injure.
1172.
learned writing,
Science, s. learning,
B 1666.

i.e. illfame,
s. slander,
F.
esclandre,O. F. es722.
candle,Lat. scandalum, a scandal.

Sclaundre,
E

and slander

Scandal

Scole,

school, B

s.

are

doublets.

1685, 1694.

Saffroun,
a

s.

saffron ; like saffroun

yellowishcolour,B
bright
F.

1920.

sc6lii,from Lat. schola ;

Gk. "TX""\T),
time for study.
leisure,
ScoleTvard

patience,
"452.
of

A. h.

A. S.

noo.

1626.

sail,B

to

v.

Icel. sigh.
seglian,
Scarlet, adj.scarlet,B 1917. Of
Persian origin.
Scarsly, adv. scarcely,B 3602.

Scathe,
8.

Sad,

Sayle,

O. F. escars,

Icel.risa.

rive, tear, E

to

i/.

Icel.

t. ic

INDEX.

safran;

from

Arab.

; to scoleward

school, B

in

wnrd

Salte, adj.pi.salt,E 1084. A. S.

Icel. salt,Lat. sal,salt.
sealt,
Salue, v. to salute,greet,B 1723 ;
F 91, 112,
pr. s. Salueth,salutes,
Lat. salutare.
saltier,
Salues, s.pl.salves,F 639. A. S.
G. salbe. (Here u =v).
sealf,
B 3658.
Saphires, s. pi.sapphires,
F. sapkir,
Lat. saphirt/s.
F.

toward

739.

the

Prologue,1. 397
Kn.
Tale, 1. 109.
Thebesward,

pi. scourges, whips,

plagues,"1157. O. F. escorgi',
a scourge, thong; answeringto
a

Scourges,

za'fardn.

Cf. Bnrdenx-

s.

excoriata,from corium,

Lat. form
leather.

Se,

to

see,

look, F 366 ; Sen,

Seen, B

"203 ;

623 ;

62

gerund, F

p. s. pr. Se, I see, B

168

Sey, saw, B i, 7; I p.
pt.
460; pp. Seyn, B 1863. A.
s.

F
S.

Sapience, s. Wisdom, i.e. the book

se6n,pt. t. ic sedh,pp. gesegen
B
Lat.
G. sehen,Goth, saikwan.
1662.
so
called,
sapientia.
E
Secrely, adv. secretly,
Saue, prep, save, except, B 3214,
763.
,

3628 ;

76,508.

F.

sauf; Lat.

From

Lat. secernere,

to

put separate.

saluus.

keep,E 683 ; imp.

s. 3 p. may
1064 ;
pp. Saued, saved, kept inviolate,

Saue,

v.

to save,

he save, E 505,

F. sauver,
531.
Lat. saluare.
F

O. F. saver,

E 870.
Saufly, adv. safely,
certainly,
Sailing, prep, except, B 3200.

Sauour,

s.

savour,

F
pleasantness,

F. saveur, Lat. saporem.

404.
Sayde,
pt. s. said, B 1635, "c.
See Seye.

Secree,
Secte,

s.

s.

secret, B 3211.
E
suite,company,
a

1171;

F
faith,(lit.
religion,
following),
Low
Lat.
a
secta,
following,
17.
of people
appliedto a following
or

suite; also

to

suit at

a suit of clothes ; from

from
to
follow, not

law

Lat.

or

seqni,

secare,

to

cut.

See,

s.

sea, B

G. see, Du.

68, 127.

zee.

A. S. see,

GLOSSARIAL

See,

seat,

s.

of

sc.

Seminge,

empire,B 3339.

O. F. se, sied,Lat. sedem.

Seek,

search

to

v.

Lat.

60.

B
through,

O. F. seel,

131.

sigillum.

Seen.

See Se.

setfian,
to seethe

A. S.

227.

pt.

sea'^,
pp. soden ; Icel.sju^a,
pt. t. sau^, pp. softinn.
B 3569, F 306. F.
Sege, s. siege,
t. ic

Low
siege,

Seint,

Lat. sedium, Lat.

dem,
se-

1631 ;

saint, B

s.

61.

Seintes,B

gen. pi.
saint,Lat.

F.

sanctus.

Seist,

p.

seistow

pr. sayest,

s.

thou,

sayest

109

See

no.

seek,B 1633 3 P- P^pr. Seken,ye seek,search through,

to

"

Icel.sokja.

A. S. secan,

127.

Selde, adj.pi. seldom, few ; selde

tyme = few times, E 146; adv.
A. S.

seldom, 427.

seld,seldan,

seldom.

neighebor,thy
B

A.S.

115.
selbst.

very

thy

neighbour,

1702,

948.

A. S.

happy, G. selig;hence
which

is much

salig,

E.

altered in

Semblant,

s.

outward

sendan

appearance,

F. semblant; from

3 p.

blance,
sem-

928, F5i6.

sembler, Lat.

adjective,
provedby 1.

as

s.

15

A. S.

pr. he sent

he

or

B 113, 3992 ;
opinion,
B 1753,
result,
meaning,subject,
s.

2136.

F. sentence, Lat. sentenlia.

s. north, B
Septemtrioun,
3657
From

Lat.

Sergeant,

triones,the

septem

Major

of Ursa

stars

seven

monly
com-

Charles's wain.

as

E
sergeant,officer,

s.

519.

Lat. seruientem.
F.sergent,

Thus

sergeant and

servant

are

very nearlydoublets.

Sermouns,
From

s.

482.
Lat.

B 87.
pi. writings,

s.

Lat.

sermonem.

E 147
service,

tude,
; servi-

F. servage, from

serf,

seruus.

Serue,

v.

to

serve, B

4004

p.

s.

640 ; pt. s.

Serued,preserved,
kept hid,F 521.
F. server, Lat.

silly, Seruisable,

simulare.
v.

is

sendeft; pt. t. ic stride.

seruare.

ful,
useadj.serviceable,

"979.

ing.
mean-

show,

my
B

veritable

2173 of the Ormulum.

Sent, pr. s. sendeth,sends,E
pt. s. Sente, sent, B 3927.

servitude,E 798.
O. F. servitttt,
Lat. seruitutem.
E 603,
Seruyse, 5. service,
serving,
958, F 66, 280, 628. F. service,

Seruitute,

Seme,

as

final e

pt. Seruede,served,E

Sely, adj.simple,good, innocent,

B

with

selue

self,sylf;cf. G.

me,

See Se.

Seruage,

adj. self,very;

to

Sene, adj.apparent, F 645. A. S.

Icel. synn, evident.
gesyne, visible,

known

Seye.
Seke, v.

Selue,

it appears

to

1838.

Sentence,

seat.

as

It is used

E
sod, seethed,
boiled,

Sseth, pt. s.

appearance;

Sen.

seal,F

s.

s.

seminge

See Seke.

Seel,

28-

INDEX.

s.

Lat. seruitium.

to

seem,

appear,

132,

Seson,

s. season,

F 54,

389.

O. F.

F. saison,Lat. sationem,
Semed, it
itnpers.
seson,
him
semed=it
396;
a sowing-time.
appearedto them, they supposed, Sette, v. to set, E 975 ; pi. s. Sette,
F 56 ; the peplesemed
it seemed
B 3932 ; cast, E 233 ;
set, placed,
the peoplesupposed,
to the people,
put, 382 ; pp. Set,appointed,
774.
102

j pt.

s.

seemed, E

201.

A. S.

Semely,

adj.

1919.

seman.

seemly, comely,B

A. S. settan, pt. t. ic setle, pp.

geset.
Bete, s. seat, B 3715.

in
Icel.steli,

286

A RIAL

GLOSS

A. S.

find the

we

dimin.

sell,a

pi. sat, B

pt.
3734, F 92.
A. S. sittan,
pt. t. ic scet, pi.we

sceton.

Seuretee,

assurance,

s.

sure

mise,
pro-

trustworthiness,F

528.

O. F. seurte, Lat. securitatem.

Sewes,
s.
pi. lit. juices,
gravies;
here for seasoned

prob.used

67.

delicacies,F
"

has

dishes,

A. S.

Prompt.
cepulatum;
"

Sew,

cepulatitm

broth

means

seasoned

with onions.

Sexteyn,

is

contracted

of

form

3995, F

2.

Seyde,

i, 7, 1695; E
saw,
p. F 460. See Se.
B

pt. s. said,B

79 ; pt. pi.
Seyden,F 207, 253 ; pp. Seyd,B
See Seye.
49, 51, 52.
Seye, v. to say, F 4, 332 ; Seyn,
532 ;

imp. s.

1 1

p. s. pr. Seye,I say, 107;

Sey,B 3995, F 2 ; 2 p. s.

pr. Seist,sayest, B
sayest thou, no;

109 ; Seistow
pt. s. Seyde,

B 1179; pi.Seyden,F 207,

said,
253: pp. Seyd, B 49, 51, 52.
A. S. secgan, pt. t. ic segde,pp.
G. fagen.
gesaed;Icel. segja,

Seyn,

pp. seen, B

1863, E

280.

to

v.

say, F

Seyne,
314.

say, B

609.

42,

46 ; pr. pi.

gerund, infin.to
A. S. to

say, F

secganne, gerund

p.

5.

pr. sayest,B

106.

See Seist.

Shadde,

pt. s.

shed,poured,B 3921.

Shadwe,
s. shadow,
7, 10.
sceadu, Goth, skadus.
B

scacan,

art

ian, to
used

be

thee

thee, thou

shameth

ashamed, B

A. S.

101.

ashamed

sceam-

commonly

impersonally.
shape,F 427.

s.

A.S.

ge-

sceap,Icel.skap.

Shape,//, shaped,B 1890;created,

E 275 ;
B 3099 ; Shapen,planned,
themselves,
pr.pl.Shapenhem
dispose
intend,F 214.
an,

A.S.

scap-

Icel.skapa.
adv.

sharply,B

2073.

A. S. scearp,sharp.

pt.

Gk.

shed, B

s.

A. S. sceddan ;

3447.

cf. Lat. scindere,

"rxl'C""'-

confounds,
pr. s. ruins,
B 28; pp. Shent, scolded,1731.
A. S. scendan, G. schdnden.
A.S.
F 53.
Shene, adj. bright,

Shendeth,

scene, scyne, G. schon.

Shent.

See Shendeth.

Shore,

to

v.

A.S. sceran,

Shore,

shear, cut, B 3257.

Icel.sJtera,
G. scheren.

shear, a

s.

ment,
cuttinginstru-

B 3246.
scissors,

Sherte,
Icel.

s.

shirt,B

2049,

Shirt

apron.

is

3312.

schurz,

skyrta; cf. G.
a

an

of

doublet

v.

to

Shethe,

s.

sheath, B 2066.

Shette, pt.pl.shut, B

A. S.

shake, E 978. A. S.

Icel.sltaka.

Icel.

3615,3722.

A. S. scyttan,to lock up, pt. t. ic

scytlode.
Shilde, imp. s. 3 p. may

he shield,

may he defend, B 2098,E 1232.

to
A. S. seildan,
protect, scild,a
shield ; cf.Sansk. sku, to

See Shedde.

Shake,

shameth=it

560.

impers.
;

s.

G. scheide.
skeifiir,

See Seye.

of secgan.

Seyst,

pr.

skirt.

See Se.

Seyn,

Shameth,

Shedde,

See Seye.
s.

s.

A. S. ic sceal.
Shaltow,/or shall thou,E

Sharpe,

Sey, imp.s. say, tell,B

1044;

pr. I shall (do so),F

s.

Shal,must, is to, 603.

E 38.
Shul,
we
must,
p. pi.

3126.

sacristan.

Sey, pt.

p.
pr.

sacristan,B

s.

Sexton

Snap,

seaw,

The

juice,moisture.
Parv.

Shal,

688 ;

settle,
a stool.
Seten,

INDEX.

cover.

B
shipman,skipper,
sailor
A. S. sciptnann,
a
;
1 1 79.
a captain,
cf.Du. scUpper,
skipper.

Shipman,

Sholde,

s.

p.

s.

pt. I should, B

56 ;

A RIAL

GLOSS

had

44. E 247, 261 ;

oughtto, B

pt. s.

to, E

F 40;

515,

to, B

was

287

INDEX.

which

from

Seres, the

Lat.

Chinese.

F
3891; would, 3627. A.S. sceolde, Sillable, s. syllable,

pt.

t.

of sceal.

Shonde,
B

Lat. syllabum;
syllabe,

shame,

s.

A. S.

2098.

harm,
disgrace,
sceond, shame.

See Shendeth.

Shoon,

sc6, seed,a shoe ;

1922.

A.S.

pi.seeds, scedn,

Similitude,

Shoon,

shone, B

pt. s.

similitude,likeness,

s.

1124, F 170.

n,

2034, E

A.S. sctnan, pt. t.

From

480.

Lat.

like.
similis,

Sin,

56, E 448, F

conj.since,B

306,

gescy.

the

from

Greek.

sympathy,F

s.-pl.
shoes,B

F.

101.

Contr.

550.

since.
si'Sftan,
Singing, s. a

from

A. S.

See Sithen.

singing,
song,

J747-

scan.

lit.shaped,B
pt. s. plotted,
prepared for, E 198 ;

Shoop,
3543

'

903 ; contrived,946.
scapan, to shape; pt. t.

Sir,

dress
adsir,a title of respectful

s.

; sir

man

of

lawe,

33

created,E

sir

A.S.

maister,1627.F. sire;Lat. senior,

ic

pi. showers,

s.

1 1

8.

A. S. scur, Icel.skur.
A. S.

to
screadian,

Sis

cink,

throw

pt. s. shred, cut, E

Shredde,

gentil

older.

sc6p.

Shoures,

parishprest, 1166;

dr

227.
cut, pt. t.

i. e. six-five or

with two

eleven,a

dice,which often
in the game
See note.
125.

proved a winningone

'hazard,'B
cinq. See Sys.
i. c. it
it sitteth,
a
Shrewe, s. shrew,peevish
Sit, pr. s. itnper.
woman,
E
1222,
suits; yuel it sit it illsuits,it is
2428. Schrewe, PraParv.
vus
; Prompt.
quitemisbecoming,E 460 ; pr. s.
F
sits,B 3358, F 59, 77,179. A.S.
Shryghte, pt. s. shrieked, 417,
Swed.
It sytteth,
it
slirika,stria,
sittan,pr. s. sit.
422, 472.
to
shriek,screech ; Icel. sliriJtja, becometh, U sied;" Palsgrave's
of

F. six

ic screadode.

'

'

"

the

bird,the
shrieking

Shul,

1900, E

Shulde,
B

1638.

Sicer,
Lat.

shrike.

p. pi.pr. shall,must, B
38. The sing,isShal,q.v.
I should,
I p. s. pr. stibj.
See Sholde.

strong drink, B 3245.

sicera,Gk. aiitfpa,
strong
s.

drink ; from

Signifyde,
From

the Hebrew.

pt. s.

B 3939.
signified,

French

Site,

s.

Diet.
E 199.
situation,
site,

Lat.

sitvs.

Sith, conj. since, B 1838, 3268,

3867; Sith that,since that,3301.
A. S. sffi,afterwards.

Sithen,

adv.

since,afterwards,B
A. S. slfttian,

58, 3913, F 536.

since. See Sin.

Lat.

significare.
Skile, s. reason; gret skile good
E 1152 ; pi.Skiles,reasons,
certainly,
assuredly,
reason,
3
E
surely, 3984,
184, F 1 80.
reasonings,arguments, F
Lat.

From

Sikernesse,
-

adv.

Sikerly,

securus

(Kluge).

with illwill,E 625.

Sikly, adv. ill,
A. S. sedc, sick; Icel.sjukr.

Siknesse,

s.

E 651. A. S.
sickness,

sedcnes.

Silk,

s.

Icel.

205.

Icel. skil,distinction,
cernment;
disA.S. scilian,
Icel.skilja,

B 3430.
s. security,

silk,F 613. A.S. seolc,

silki,from Lat. Sericum;

to

separate.

E 1198.
Sklendre, adj.pl.slender,
O.
Du.
slinder, thin, slender

(Kilian).
Slake, v.
E 705 ;

to

to

slacken,desist from,
cease, 137 ; to end,

288

A RIAL

GLOSS

802 ; pr. s. Slaketh, assuages,

A.S. slacian,
to slacken.
1107.

Slawe,

2016, 3426,

pp. slain,B

3596 ; Slawen, E

544 ;

Slayn,B

3708, E 536. See Sleen.

Sleen, v. to slay,B 3736; gerund,
E 1076 ; 2 p. pi.pr. Sle,ye slay,
F 462;
E 628 ;
slays,
pr. s. Sleeth,
imp. s. Slee,B 3089 ; I p. s. pr.
B 2CO2
as future,
Sle,I shall slay,
;
pt.

guished,
extin-

Slow, slew,B 3212;

s.

3922 ; pp. Slawe, slain,

2016; Slayn,3708; Slawen, E
A. S. sledn,pt. t. sl6h,pp.
544.

slagen;

Icel.sld,G.

to
schlagen,

strike.

E 353

Sleighte, s.
no2j
Icel.
tricks,2421.
pi. Sleightes,
slcegft,
slyness
sly.
; slcegr,
slogr,
See
Slen, v. to slay,B 3531.

smarten, to givepain.
s. smart, dolour, F
Smerte,
480.
See Cant. Ta. 3813. Du. smart,
Du.

G. schmerz.

Smit,

pr.
Smyte.

Smok,
sia' ;

smites,E

s.

See

12 3.

smock, E 890. Icel.

Smok, schyrt,Cami-

s.

smokier.

'

Prompt. Parv.

adj.without

Smokies,

smock, E

875p. pi.pr. ye smite,F 157;

A. S.

3762,3881.

pt.s.Smoot, smote,

smltan, pt.

smdl

t.

G.

sckmeisseti.

Snare,

Du.

s.

trap, E

snare,

s.

F 347. A. S. sleep;
noose
sleep,
;
have slepe,
schnur.
with
riming
the readingssleep,keep, Snibbed,
Itepe
;

the

that the

Observe

pt. t. is smerle like the present; see

Gloss, to Prologue,
ed. Morris.

Icel. snara,

Sleen.

Smerte,
impers.
subj.

pi.s.

F 564.
grieved,

Smyte,

contrivance,E

Slepe,

INDEX.

of

snare

snaar,

1227.

a
string,

G.
string,

MSS.

would

See p. Ixvi.
sleep,B 2100; pr.

be better.

Slepen,

to

v.

pi. Slepen,sleep,F 360 ; pt. s.

E 224, F 367. A. S.
Slepte,
slept,
G. schlafen.
slapatt,
Sleyn, pp. slain,B

slough,mire, B

s.

sl6g,a slough,a

3988.
hollow

place.
Slow, //.

s.

3212,

3293,

extinguished,
3922.

3297'357!;
See Sleen.

Slyde,

v.

'

Parv.

Snow,

82.

672 ; pi.Slye,artfully
contrived,
Icel.
sl"egr,
slogr,sly; cf.
230.
slauheit,
slyness.
B 1726; adv. but
Smal, adj.little,
smal
F 71;
but little,
adj.pi.
Smale, E 380, 382. A. S. smal.
G.

/".s. pr. I smell,B 1173.

Smerte,

adv.

Smerte,

v. to

E 629.
smartly,
sorely,

smart,

snow,

argent in

i.e.

white, B
heraldry,

3573.

A.S.

to feel

grieved,

adj.snow-white, E

Snow-whyt,

388.

adj.sober,sedate,B 97.

F.

sobre,Lat. iobrius.
Socour,

s.

succour,

O. F.

socors

3730.

from

F.
Lat.

succitrrere.

adj. sudden,

Sodeyn,

F
Slye, adj.def.sly,
skilful,
crafty,

s.

secour,

slide, pass, E

to

A. S. slidan.

Smelle,

'Snybbyn or vndurtakyn,Reprehendo, deprehendo ;

Prompt.

Sobre,

slew, B

snappish.
snibbig,

Cf. Du.

stuiiv.

See Sleen.

3929.

Slough,
A. S.

1874, 3586,

688.

F
pp. snubbed, reproved,

316.

adv.

Sodeynly,

3380, F
Softe,

3963, E

F. sondain, Lat. tubitaneus.

suddenly,B

80, 89.
softly,E

adv.

s6ft,G.

583.

15,
A.S.

.soft,mild.
san//,

F 636.
Softely, adv. softly,
sion,
Solas, s. rest,relief,B 1972; divercomfort,
solace,
sure,
plea1904;

3964.
solatium.

O. F.

solaz, Lat.

GLOSS

A RIAL

289

INDEX.

E 689. A. S.
festive,
adj.grand,
nificent,Soothly, adv. verily,
magF
61
stfSlice,
;
verily.
1125; superb,
Fill.
O. F. solempne, Soper, s. supper, E 290. F. soitfer,
illustrious,
O. F. soper, to take supper, to
celebre, de grande reputation,
illustre(Roquefort)
tonic
; Lat. solennis.
sup; O. F. sope,F. soupe,of Teu-

Solempne,

adv. with state,with

Solempnely,
F

pomp,

suppan,

179.

Som,

indef.pron. some, B
1667; pi. Somme, 2139,

1182,

76.

A. S. som, sum, some.

lit. some
Somdel, adv. partially,

deal,E
Someres,

sing,summer's, F

A. S. siimer, Icel. sumar.

adv.

day,at

1 10.

271.

3418, 3497,

2131,

A. S.

syndrig,separate;

adv. soon,

A. S.

1702.

son, F 688 ;

s.

pi.Sones,29.

A. S. suntt, Icel. sonr,

G. sohn.

E 315.
son-in-law,

Sone-in-lawe,s.
Sonest, adv. svperl.soonest, B
3716. See Sone, adv.
Song, pt. s. sang, B 1736, 1831 ;
pt. pi. Songen,F 55 ; pp. Songe,
B

1851.

A. S.

singan,pt.

pi.vie sungon.
sang
Sonne, s. the sun, F 48, 53;
Sonrie, sun's,B 3944.

t. ie

Goth,
Icel. sunna,
stmne,
all fern.; but
G. sonne,
sunna

sunno,

; the gen. of

is masc.

gen.
A. S.

Goth.
stmne

is sunnan.

Sooth,

s.

166;

truth,B 3970,
dot.

Sothe, B

1230,
1939, E

A. S. sdi5,
true,Gk.
2424.
so'S,truth. Cf. Skt. sant,

A. S. so'5 has lost an

for sonS or satriS.

s.

sore,

Lat. aura,

Icel. sdr,a
s/tr,

wound.

Sore, adv. sorely;bar

E 85.
ill,

so

Low

soar,

misery,E 1243. A.S.

so

sore

A. S. sore,

sorely.
s. sorrow,
grief,
sympathy,
F 422.
A.S. sorh,
compassion,

; as

adv.

n, and

A. S.
from

sdrig,sore, wounded,
a
sa'r,

sore, not

stands

Sote, adj.sweet,

from

sad ;

sorh,

389.

Icel.stetr,

suts, G. siiss,Gk.
ijSvs
;
cf. A. S. swete, swet, sweet, Lat.

Goth,

stta(cT)uis,
Sothe.

See Sooth.

Soure,

adv.

Souereyn,

who

B
sourly,bitterly,

A. S. stfr,
sour, Icel. siirr.

2012.

chief,B
adj.sovereign,

soverain,Low

Soothfastnesse,
s.
796,
A. S. softftEstnes,
veracity.
934.
II.

585B 1949.
8ory,adj.sad,unfortunate,

being,

truth,E

Icel. sorg, Goth.

gen. sorge;
saurga, G. sorge.
F
Sorwefully, adv. sorrowfully,

"T""5s;

2136,3436,F
F 536.
truly,

Sooth, adj.true,

VOL.

Sore,

3339' E

pres. part, of as, to be ; used as an

adj.in the sense of ' right.'The

21

to

sorrow.

F
aloft,

mount

soar,

Sorwe,

sdna.

Sone,

to

v.

bore

sunder, different.
synder,
Sone,

Sore,

essorer,
123.
from
Lat. exaurare;
the air.

various,
adj. sundry,diverse,

Sondry,

F.

time,some

at some

future time, B

sophism,trick of
ties,
pi.Sophimes,subtleF 554.
Lat. sophisdeceits,
the
through
French; Gk.
s.

E 5 ;
logic,

a device.
aotyifffM,

gen.

Somtyme,

Icel. supa, A. S.

to sup.

Sophyme,

ma,

1012.

64,142.

origin
; cf.

112.

O.F.
souverain,

Lat. superanus, one

super,above.

is above ; from

Soueraynetee,

s.

E
sovereignty,

114.

Souked,
pp. sucked,been at the
E
breast, 450 ; pres. part. Souk-

1648. A. S.
G.
Icel.
stlcan,
suga,
saugeti,Lat.
ing, sucking,B

sugere.

ART

GLOSS

290
Soun,

sound, E

s.

Lat.

AL

F. sow,

271.

imitate

v.

Spelle, 5. dal. a spell,

relation,
story,

2083. A.S.
spelle.

sotmm.

Soune,

INDEX.

like,F 105 ; pr.

(to),is consonant

in sound, speak

Souneth, tends

s.

B 3157.
(with),

See Sownen.

spel,a

history,

dat.

Spere,

s. spear, F. 239.
Du. and G. speer.

Spicerye,

mixture

A.S. spere,
of

B
spices,
f. a spicery;
Soupen, pr. pi. sup, F 297. See
Espicerie,
2043.
Es
Soper.
also,spices. petissacs son/ les
the finestspices
Souple, adj.supple,
are
obedient,ing,
yieldfinesespiceries,
in little bags; Proverb.'
B 3690. F. souple; Lat.
CotFrom
Lat. species.
stipplicem,
beseeching.
grave.
E 49.
F.
E 503.
A.S.
Spille, v. to destroy,
Sours, s. source, origin,
Icel.
from
to
Lat.
spillan, spilla.
source;
surgere,
arise.
Spoke, pp. spoken,B 58, F 86.
s.

'

"

Sowen,

to

v.

1182.

sow,

A.S.

Icel.sd, G. saen.
si'iwan,
Sownen,
pr.pl.sound, i.e. play,F
270; pr. pi.Sowneth, tend (to),

(with),
517; pt.pi.
B
Sowned, tended, 3348. F.sonconsonant

are

ner,

Lat.

See Soun.

sonare.
an

s.

A. S. spearca,a spark
; Du.
en, to

Spak,

F 445.

B
sparrow-hawk,

fpearwa,

from
spear-hafoc,
and
hafoc,a
sparrow,

hawk.
elocution,
(dative)speech,

s.

oratory, F 104.

A.S. spaec,
sprac, G. spreche,Du. spraak.
should rather have been
E. speech

Specially, adv.

"313.
especially,

special.

made
Spedde, pt. s. prospered,
prosper, B
t.

to

A.S.

3875.

spedde,Du.

spedan,
spoeden,to

speed.
Speken,

Spak,
F 86.
.

spoons
1

80;

has
or

'
"

v.

primitive

Spousail,115.
Cotgrave
an
Espousailles,f,
espousals,

bridall;

wedding,or

riage.'
mar-

Lat.

nuptials.
spoiisalia,
E
wedded,
espoused,
pp.

3,

386.

O. F.

esponser, Lat.

spoiisare.
E 418, 72 3.
Spradde, pt.s. spread,
A. S.

G.
spraedan,Du. spreide/i,
spreiteu.
s.

sprig,B 1960.
a branch.
sprig,

spray,

A. S. spree,a

B 1830.
Spreynd,
pp. sprinkled,
See Springen.

Springe,

v.

to

rise,dawn, F 346.

dayspring.
scatter,
Springen, v. to sprinkle,
sow
broadcast, B 1183; pp.
1830. A. S.
Spreynd,sprinkled,
to
make
to
to spring,
sprengan,
cf. G.
;
scatter, pp. sprenged
sprengen, to

to

speak,E 547; pt. t.

295, F

E 175
Speketh,

445 ;

imp. pi.

pp. Spoke,B 58,

A. S. sprecan,Du. spreken,
;

fprechen, E. tpeakstands
spreak.
G.

The
spoon.
of
wood.
were

Cf. E.

spreech.

pt.

tile,a

Spray,

Speohe,

F.

Spoused,

See Speken.

Sparhauk, s.
A. S.
1957.

spoon, F 602. A.S. span,

of wood, Icel.
chip, splinter
a wooden
spdnn,sponn, a shaving,
s.

sparkel-

sparkle.
pt. s. spake,E 295,
a

Speken.

Spoon,

Spousaille, s. espousal,
wedding,E

E
leisure,
opportunity,
F. espace,Lat. spatium.
103.
Sparcle, s. sparkle,
spark,B 2095.

Space,

See

for

cause

to

break,

to

sprinkle,
sprinkle.
Du.sprengen,to
s.
Springing,
source, E
beginning,
S.
springan,to spring
up.
49. A.
Spume, v. to spurn, kick,F 616.
A. S.

spnrnan, Icel. spyrna ; cf.

A S.
Icel.fpyrja,

to track
spyriau,

GLOSSARIAL

68 ; pt. s. Stood, E

ing,B

INDEX.

318 ;

pt.pl.Stoden,stood, 1105.

See

Stant.

Stoon,
a

stone, B

s. a

3297,

stone, gem,
precious

1 1

121

18. A.S.

stdn,Du. steen,G. stein.

O. F. e*.
store, "17.
storer,to furnish ; Lat. instatirare.
B 3900, F
tale,history,
Lat. kisloria.
655. O.F. estoire,
s.

Historyand story are

Stounde,

s.

doublets.

s.

E
hour, time, instant,

pi. battles,
combats,B

3560. O. F. estour, a combat ;

cf. Icel. styrr, a tumult, battle,a
stir; connected with Icel.styrma,
to storm.

Strange,

89 ;

F. etrange;
pi.67. O.F. estrange,
Lat. extraneus

from extra, without.

a
Straw, inter},

695.

straw!

A.S. streaw, Icel. strd.

Strawe,

p.

613.
Goth,

G.
stratijan,

stredwian,Icel.

strd,

strenen,

to

strain,i.e. stock, progeny,

s.

race, E

A.S.

strynd,
157.
stock,race, breed ; from strynan,
to produce.
s.
Stremes,
pi. rays, beams, B
A. S.

3944.
river ;

stream,

a
stream,
flow
stredmian,to
; cf. E.

adj.comp.
A.S.

stronger,B

strong,

comp.

Strengthes,

s.

pi.

B 3248.
strength,

sources

of

A. S. streng'Su,

estrif,

a dispute.
streit,

; G.

Studien, v.
study,E 8 ; 2 p. pi.
pr.Studie,E 5. From Lat. ttudium.
sternness, E 700.
adj.cruel, stern, E 698,

Sturdinesse,
Sturdy,

s.

ApparentlyO. F. estourdi,
1049.
deafened ; hence dull,
F. etoiirdi,
obstinate.

Style,

s.

E
writing,

of

mode
style,

Lat. stilus.

8, 41.
Style, s.

to get
style,a means
F 106.
over
a barrier by climbing,
dimin. of stig,
A. S. stigel,
a way,
path; cf. Prov. Eng. stee, a
a

ladder.
s.

steward,F 291.

for cattle,and
keeper; cf. Icel.

stige,a sty, pen

ward

weard, a
stivar%r,from

A.S.

or

stia,a sty. The

to

seems

have

been

borrowed from the English

(Cleasand
by
Vigfusson).

Subgetz,
F.

E 482.
pi. subjects,

s.

sujet,O.

F.

Lat.
sosgeit,

sub-

iectus.

Subieccioun,
B

s.

subjection,
ance,
govern-

3656,3712.

ted
pp.; ye ben submithave
B
submitted,
35.
ye
F 2.22.
Subtilly, adv. subtly,
=

s.

trick, device, E

pi.Subtilisubtleties,tricks,E 2421.

F 140;
691 ; subtlety,
tees,

Lat. subtilitatem.

power.

Strepeth, pr.

s.

Strepen,1116.

E 894; pi.
strips,
A.S.

bestrypan,

rob.
strip,

Btreyne,
O. F.

contend

Subtiltee,

strengra.

to

contend
to
estriver,

cf.
Icel. strlft;
strife, from
to
O.H.G.
G.
streiten,
stritan,

Submitted,

streamer.

Stronger,
3711.

O. F.

strive,
oppose, E 170.

to

v.

Icel. word

cover.

Streen,

stretch.

Styward,

strew,
subj.

pr.

s.

A.S.

strew,

Strook, s. a stroke,B 3899,39541

E 812, F 160.
A.S. strica,G.

def.adj.strange,F

stroke,F 165. A. S.

to

to

1098. A. S. stund,stand, a space

of time ; cf. G. stunde,an hour.
Stoures,

v.

G. streichen.
strdcian,

Stryue,

Stoor,

Storie,

Stroken,

v.

to

constrain,E

144.

F. etreindre,
Lat.
estreindre,

to compel.
stringere,

Sufflsance,

s.

that which
sufficiency,
F.
suffice.
to
sujftre,

is sufficient for one,

759.

from
suffisance,
See Suffyse.
Lat. stifficere.
Sufflsant,

i.e.
adj. sufficient,
good, E 960.

ficiently
suf-

GLOSS

Suffraunce,
"

162.

INDEX.

A RIAL

293

patience, Swepe, v. to sweep, E 978.

endurance,
from
swdpan,G. schweifen.
sojfrance, sof-

s.

to bear.
frir; from Lat. snfferre,
E
Suflfreth, imp.pl.suffer, 1197.

Swere,

suffice,B

to

v.

Lat.

sucre,

Lat.

saccarum.

Supposinge,

agining,
imsupposition,

s.

swear,

ous
ominadj.suspicious,

Suspecious,
Suspect,

s.

E 905.
suspicion,

suspicious.
Sustenance,

sustenance, support,

s.

B 1673;
Susteue, v. to sustain,
snsiinere.
1680.
Lat.
pp. Sustened,
E 589, 640. A.S.
SuEter, s. sister,

sweostor, swustor, G. schwester;

cf. Lat. soror
(forsosor).
Swal, pt. s. swelled ; vp swal,
swelled

up,

anger,

puffedup

was

Swollen,

pp.

1750;

with

A.S.
swellan,
pt. t. sweall,pp. sivollen.
F 68.
s.
Swannes,
pi. swans,
E

proud,

G. schwarm.

swearm,

Swarmeth,
F

s.

pt.

A. S.

sweat
swcetan, to
;
G.
sclweiss.
blood,
sweat,

Swayn,

s.

lad, young

Icel.sveinn, A. S.

Sweete,

swat,

^w"n, a
B

lad.

2041.

403;
1 8.

1188.

pr.
A.S.

en, to

devour

*.

tubj.swallow, E

stvelgan,G.schwelg-

greedily.

a, B

such

oon,

swore,

an

496 ;

2062,

176;

pp. Swore,

Swoin, bound

p.

sworn,

by oath,

See Swere.

Swough,

s.

This

476.

swoon,
word

soughand

Swowneth,

pr.

noo,
to

seems

connection

words

s.

pi. Sworen,

542;

Swore,

blish
esta-

between

the

su/oon.

s.

swoons,

F 430 ;

pt. s. Swowned, swooned, 44.?,

631 ; pres. part. Swowning, B

1815. Cf. A. S. geswogen, in

swoon
; orig.
pp. of swdgan. to
sough,to sigh as the wind. See
my Etym. Diet.
a

s. a

swoon,
swooning,

1080.

Syk, s.
Syked,

F 498.
sigh,
pt. s. sighed,B 3394,
A. S. skew, to sigh.

Symphonye,

s.

music, B 2005.

instrument

an

From

In Ritson's Ancient

E
of

the Greek.

Songs,i. Ixiv,

quotationfrom Hawkins's
History of Music, ii. 284, in

is

See Sote.

Swelwe,

Swoor, pt.

545.

B 1914.

man,

def.adj.sweet,

1966.

a, such

See Swal.

950.

sweated,

s.

1629; pi.

i.e. proud,E
pp. swollen,

gathers, Swowning,

swarms,

See above.

189.

Swatte,

pr.

vn-voy.

Goth, swa-leiks,
lit.
one, F 231.
so-like ; A. S. swylc.

950.

A.S. swan, G.schivan, Icel.svanr.

strike,E 586 ;
v. to swap,
Swappe,
pt.s. intrans. Swapte,fellsuddenly,
Akin to sweep and swoop.
1099.
A/S.
F 204.
s. a
Swarm,
swarm,

Gk.

somnus,

Swiche, B 88 ; Swich
3921, F 133 ; Swich

Swollen,

E 202.
living,

such, B 43, 49,

Swich,

ominous
Suspect, adj.suspicious,
Lat. smpectus,
of evil, E 541.

schwert, Icel.

dream, B
3930.
Icel.
cf.
Lat.
;
swefen,
svefn
*.

A. S.

somnium,

of evil,E 540.

64, F 57, 84.

A.S.
sweord, G.
sver'5.

Sweuen,

1041.

1171; pt. s.
Swoor, 2062 ; pi.Sworen, "176;
2
p. Swore, 496 ; pp. Swore,
sworn,
by
403 ; Sworn, bound
F
8.
A.
1
S.
swerian, G.
oath,
to

v.

3648, E
sitjflcere.
739.
s. a criminal charge,
Suggestioun,
tchworen.
B 3607.
F.
F
s. sword,
Swerd,
Sugre, s. sugar, B 2046, 614.
Suffyse,

A. S.

O. F.

which
from

Hawkins
Batman's

cites

a
passage
translation of Bar-

GLOSSARIAL

294

Redc Proprietatibus
rum, to the effect that the *y//j'
of
instrument
an
phonie was

tholomaeus

musyke,

e.
[i.

tree

in lether

of

made

holowe

an

pieceof wood],closyd
eyther syde, and

in

beteth it wyth styckes.'

mynstrels
it
is, was a kind of tabor. It
as a symwas
probablythe same

That

to Halwhich, according
phangle,

liwell $

in MS.

occurs
Dictionary,

Harl. 1701, fol.32, in the lines"

Yn harpe,yn thabour and sym'

phangle,
Wurschepe God

yn

troumpes

"

Sythe,
=

six,B 3851. See Sis.

pi.times ; ful ofte

s.

full oftentimes, E

sty, a
the

Goth,
W.

sythe
A. S.

233.

path,a journey,a time;

long

shews

loss of

"

cf.

Icel. sinn, a way,

siiiths,

hynt,a

to

(i) A.

are

S. tlrlan,tyrgan,

irritate,
vex,

when

sets

one

'

to
on

'

tane

oa,

as

Du.

dog,

tergeti,to provoke, O. F. tarier,

to irritate,
torment
; and (2)O.F.
from Lat. tarto delay,
targier,
dare. In borrowing the latter
word, Englishhas allowed it to

approachthe
Tarraye, for
arrange,

of the former.

form
to

to

arraye,

array,

"961.

Tassaille, for

i.e.
assaille,

to

to

E 1180.
assail,

for

to

to

assaye,

prove, try, E 454,

test,

1075.

B 133.
Taughte, pi.s. taught,

Query is symphanglemiswritten
for symphonyet Halliwell also
has : ' Simphoner,a musician.'
num.

two

Tassaye,

and sautre.'

Sys,

INDEX.

Tayl,

tail,B 3224, F 196; pi.

s.

Tayles,3222.
Teche,

Taughte,q.

tag.
;

pt. s.

A. S. t"eean, pt. t.

v.

tashte,
pp. ttfhl,lit.to show, point
out, allied to E. token; cf. Gk.
Lat. dicere.

otiKw/Mi,

Teer,

tear, E 1104; pi.Teres,

A.S. taker,cognate with

s. a

Lat. lacruma

Gk.

T.

tagel,lcel

teach, B 1180

to

v.

1084.

way.

A.S.

zagel;cf. E.

tagl,G.

same

(fordacruma)

S"iftpv
; and
word

therefore

and

the

with F. lanne.

to affraye,
to frighten, Tellen, v.
to
Tafifraye,/or
tell,relate,B 56,
E455F63,
1639;
67; Telle,B 1185,
take,
receive,
Tak, imp. s.
8117;
1634 ; gerund, F 447 ; pr. pi.

tak

kepe

take

heed, observe,

P"
Pr- Take me, offer
3757 !
betake
myself,
myself,1985;
*

s-

pp. Take, taken, E 702, F 475.

Icel.taka,Goth, tekan.

for

to count, tell,
S. tellan,
G. zahlen,erziihlen.

to

to

i.e.
alyghte,

amende,

for

Tembraoe,
Temple,

s.

Tenbrace,
B

to

E 909.
alight,

Tamende,

1167. A.

to

embrace,

HOC.

Tale, s. a long story, E 383 ; pi.

Tales,B 130. A.S. getal,number,
order,a tale.
Talyghte, for

F 69 ; imp. s. Tel, B
Tellen,tell,

to

dress,
re-

"441.

temple,F 296.
for to enbrace to
a

1891.

Tendrely, adv.
F. tendre,Lat.
Tendure,

brace,
em-

v.

to

E 686.
tenderly,
lenernm.

endure, E

756,

811.

v. to
delay,used actively; Tente, s. tent, B 3570, 3762. F.
F 73 ; pp. Taried, delayed,
from
tente; Lat. tentus, stretched,
402.
This word seems
to be due to the
tendere.
confusion
of two
others ; see
fully,
careTentifly, adv. attentively,

Tarien,

Teryar in Prompt,Parv.

These

334.

Cf.

F.

atttntif,

GLOSS

ARIAL

Lat. attenttuiis; the simplestem

in E. tend, and
Scot.
tent,to take heed.
is found

hawk,
Tercelet,
621 ; pi. Tercelets,
648.
s.

celet,m.

small

the

F 504,
'
Tier-

male

tassell,
or

of

any kind of hawke, so tearmed,

because he is,commonly, a third-

part lesse then the female

French Diet. F.
grave's
O. F.

tierfol,from

'

; Cot-

tiercelet,

Low

Lat.
a
tertiolus,
goshawk,in medieval
Latin texts (see Brachet). Tertiolus
Lat. tertins,
third,

is from
from

tres,three.

Tere,

tear, B 3852 ;
See Teer.

s. a

pi.Teres,

7". 3853-

Termes,

INDEX.

295

\"e6n, to

flourish,G.

prosper,

gedeihen.
Theef,

A. S.

F 537.
thief,

s.

p"f/,

Icel. ]"jofr,
G. dieb.

i.e. the
Theffect, for the effect,
B
moral, 2148.
i.e. the eagle,
Thegle, for the egle,
B

3573-

for the ende,i.e. the end,

Thende,
B

3269.

Thenke,

p.

641 ;

tend,
pr. I think, I inpr. pi. Thenken, F
s.

537; imp- pi- Thenketh, E 116.

G. denJeen; distinct
A.S. \"encan,
from the impers.
Thinketh,
q. v.

Thennes,

thence,F 326,327.

adv.

A. S. pflHon.

pressions, Thennes-forth, adv.

pi.terms, pedanticexthenceforth,
B I7551189. F. terme, Lat.
terminus.
adv. there, B
Ther,
62, 1190;
Tespye, for to espye, to espy, B
where, 1873, 1931, F 125, 16.},

s.

1989.
Texpounden,

for to expounden,
expound, to explain,B

i.e. to

I?l6.
Text,

s.

quotation from

45.

F.

an

texte, Lat.

textus.

2432.
A. S. tygan, to tie; from teon, to
tug. Cf. tug.
E
Thaduersitee, s. the adversity,

756.
for

the

alyghte;in

in thee, B
alyghte alighted
=

1660.
adv.

then,B 3368,"c.

A. S.

]"onne.

Thangel,/or the angel,B 3206.

Thanke,
1088
A. S.

p.

s.

pr. I thank, E

pr. pi. Thanken,

354.
pane/an, Icel. ]"akka,G.
F

danleen.

that,

63.

array, F

Therfore, adv.
on

that account, E

on

that

; also

thrive,B

mote

I thee

2007, E 1226.

so

ceed
suc-

may
A. S.

for

point,1141;

that purpose, F J 77. Ther- (A.S.

of the
\"re)is the dat. fem. sing,
def. art. ; understand a fem. sb. as
have therefore
sacu, sake,and we
for the sake.

adv. therein,in it,B

A.S. Jxeriuw.
1945.3573'
with
Ther-of, adv.
respect to that,
to that end, E 644.
thereof,
Ther-on, adv. thereupon,

Ther-inne,

F 3.

A. S.

Ther-oute,

]"eer-on.

adv.

out

there,out

in

the open air,B 3362. A. S. \"krfae.

F
Therto, adv. besides,moreover,
A.S.

Therwith,

3976.

that which, B

The, pron. thee,F 676.

to
thrive, prosper,
Thee,
r.
I

689, 729.

19.

Tharray,/or the
That

that

=/or p""re
sace,

Thalyghte,

Than,

where, F
where, 267.

there

A. S. par.

445;

pp. tied, bound, E

the

as

Therbifore, adv. beforehand, E

text,

author,

Teyd,

499 ; there
416 ; ther

same

adv.

besides, at

time, B 3210, F 194.

Therwithal,
as

]"d;rtd.

well,B

adv.

3131,

Thestaat, for

the

the
A.S.

besides all that,

3612.
estaat, i.e. tl:e

296

A RIAL

GLOSS

B 128. O.F. estat,

state,condition,
F. ctat, Lat. status.

Thewes,

s.

to grow, flourish,
\ie6n,
prosper.
Thikke, adj.thick, F 159. A.S.

Du. dik.
\iic,
\"icca,
dem.

Thilke,

that, B

pron.

1791, 3426, E

78,
A.S.

892,F 607.

from \y,instrumental
]"ylc,
\"yllc;
of se, seo, JXB/,
and lie,like.
case
Thimage,/or the image,B 1695.
Lat. imago.
Thinges, s. pi.things
; but used in
the
of pieces of music,
sense
F 78. Cf.
musical compositions,

Ch. Prol. 1. 325.

A. S.

tyng,Icel.

tyng,G. ding.
Thinketh,
B

pr.

seems,

3968, F 406; pt.

1901,

Thoughte,B
A. S.

impers.it

s.

3703,

it seems
)"ynriS,

me

G. mir diinkt;

see

s.

406,F 527.

to

me

Thenke.

Thise, pi.of This,but

then, E

adv.

ble,
monosylla-

A. S.

544,

s.

308.

\"d.

A.S:

B 3343.
thral,slave,

Icel. \rcell.
}"r"2/,

291.
tvold=A.

E ?88,
threshold,

s.

also

Sometimes

tAresh-

tyrsc-wald, from
beat,and wald,
]"encan, thresh,
wood, as if the pieceof wood
S.

to

which receives the tread of feet.

of
wood
Cf. arche-wold, the
dus,
Noah's ark, in Genesis and Exo'

ed. Morris,1. 576.

Thridde, ord. third,F 76. A. S.
Icel.bntK, G. dritte.
\"ridda,
B
Thrifty, adj. profitable,
1165.

Icel. JTI//,profit,
to
tyrlfa-sk,
thrive.
E
thorpe,small village,
A.S.
dot. Thrope, 208.
199;
G
.
Icel. bor/",
dorf,
brq/",
fyorpe,

Throp,

s. a

Goth,
crowd.

Lat. turba, a

tkaurp;cf.

Throwe,
a

B 59, "c.

Tho,

Thral,

Threshfold,

E 409.
pi. qualities,
; from
\eaw,manner,
quality

A. S.

INDEX.

s.

while, B

short time, a

3326, E

a
]"rdh,
]"rdg,
a period.

Thrustel,

s.

period,

450.

thrush,B
throstle,

1963; Thrustelcock, 1959.

for the Occident,B

the west.
Lat. occidens,

Thoccident,

A.S.

short space of time,

A.S.

Lat. tttrdus.
]"ros!le,

B 1732. A.S.
Thryes, adv. thrice,
B 1779.
Thoght,
s. care,
anxiety,
]"rywa; but M.E. thryesis from
E
A.S.
80.
A.S. bry, three, with adverbial
ge]"oht,
Thought,
think
;
properlypp. of \encan,to
ending-es.
of
Icel. \6tti;
cf. G. gedacht,
Thryue, v. to thrive,prosper, E
pp.

3864.

denken.

Thombe,
A. S.

83, 148.

thumb, F

*.

]"uma,G. daum.

Thurgh,

tonitru;
a
T"5j/or,
sound, Sanskr.

by

s.

donner, Lat.

Jjwnor,G.
cf. Gk.
to

thunder,F 258. A.S.

Thonder,

tan,

Icel. ]"rifask,
to prosper, a
reflexiveverb, from a form ]"rifa,
with the suffix-s" G. sick.

172.

p.

s.

pr. I thank,E 830.

22,

Thurghout,
3303, F

See Thanke.
the

orient,the east,

Thorient,/or
Lat. orient.
83871,3883.
Thought, s. anxiety,E 80. See

Thurst,

Thoght.
Thoughte,

Thursted

by,

\"nrk,Goth.

A.S.

was

an.

527.

B
throughout,

46.
s.

thirst,B

A. S.

100.

\"anrstei,

G. durst.

See

406,

prep,

Icel. l"orsti,
Goth.
)"urst,

pt. s. impers.seemed,

3703, E
Thinketh.

of, B 1669, 3434;

35, F II.

ba""A, G. dnrch.

sound.

Thonke,

prep, through,by helpof,

means

Thyn,

him,

pt.

B 3229.
thirsty,

s.

impers.he
]"yrst-

A.S.

poss. pron. thine,B

101,

GLOSSARJAL

A.S.

3584; Thy, 73, 74.

104,

\"in,
gen.

case

pi. small birds,F 648.

Skinner guessedthis to mean
a

Tidifs,

s.

titmouse,but adduced
cf. Icel. tittr,a
bird ; and

cf.

Eng.

xiii,mentions

which
are

he calls a

and
goldfinch,

refer

to

wren,

Whether
a

or

and

apart, and
A. S. and

is not

M. E.

A. S. rendan,
rend.
The
torcnda

compound

verb

rend apart, occurs

\o

"

in

uncommon

For the root, cf.

O. Friestan renda,

to

in

O. Friesic.

Tormentinge,
E

be determined.

pp.

1012.

Lat.

hardlynow

can

wren

mouse
tit-

tidifisa

3451 ;

E
pieces,

to
=

singingbird
the

twain,rent

prefix/o- G. z"?r- Goth.

dis-,meaning in twain,

The

notes

3215,

torn

Rasyn.

s. v.

in

pt. s. rent

Torent,

golden-crested
regulus. See

to

Prompt. Parv.

pieces,B

in

supposes him

Nares

to

Polyolbion,

those of

as

the
motacilla

Nares.

ity;
author-

tydy,whose

delicate

as

note

To-rente,

tit, small
lark.
titmouse, tit-

Drayton,in his
bk.

no

sense

with the
race
uses
Palsgrave
of erase, efface.See Way's

And

thou.
J"ii,

of

297

INDEX.

s.

1038.

ture,
tortormenting,

From

Lat. torment-

tint.

Tirannye, *. tyranny, tyrannous

behaviour,B 3691,3698. CotTyrannie,f. tyranny,
grave has
a violent or
lordlycruelty,
bloody
'

"

Tormentyse,
Touche, pr.
B

s.

torment, B

3707.

affect,
concern,
subj.
3284. Cf. phr.'as touching.'
s.

s. a tomb, F 518; Tombe,

From
Lat.
B
government.'
lyran1871. See Tombe.
town, B 1983,
nus, Gk. rvpavvos, a tyrant.
Toune, s. (dative)
B 3513.
See the notes.
A. S. tun,
O.F. title,
2028.
Title, s. title,
F. litre,
Lat. titulus.
a
hedge, enclosure, farmyard,

To, adv. too, B 2129, 3712.

F 268.
Toforn, prep, before,

ofor

; Icel. tun,
village

A.S.

F 356.
Toke, pt.pi.took,received,
B 3222.
Togider, adv. together,

tdgcedre.
See Tellen.

357.

s. tomb,
1871 ; Toumbe,
518. F. tombe, Lat. tumba.

Tonge,
F

1852,E 1184,
B
//. Tonges, languages,

s.

35 ;

A.S.tunge; cognate with

dingua,Lat. lingua.

3497.
O.Lat.

Tonne,

tongue, B

s.

tun,

winecask, E 215.

A.S. tunne, Icel.tunna.

To-race, pr. pi. sttbj.

may scratch
to pieces,
The prefix
lo"572.
is the
The

same

word

as

is

in to-rente, q.

hybrid,as race is
Lat. radere, with

for F. raser,
the original
sense

scratch.
same

as

v.

of

scrape

or

the

'Rasyn
scrapyn,
racyn'; Prompt. Parv.
or

zatm.

miniature tower,
his crest was
a
from it ; pi.
with a lily
projecting
F.
B
tour, Lat
Toures,
3561.

lurris.

Tourneyment,

Tombe,
F

56; Ytold, F

pp. told, B

Tolde,

Tour,

G.

tower, B 3599, 3615,F

that
in B 2096, it means

s. a

176;

an.

A. S.

Toumbe,

tournament,
B 1906. F. tournoiement, Low
from tornare,
Lat. torneamentum,
to

turn

s.

about.

Towaille,
s. a towel,B 3935, 3943,
O.F. toailIe,LovtLat.
F. toiiaille,
Teut.
of
origin
; M.H.G.
toacula,
twehel, dwehele, G. zwehle, Du.
dwell, a clout, towel. In East

Anglia,dwlle (with long "')is

The

clout.
the Dan. toe,
M.H.G.
dwahen, O.H.G. twahen,
A. S. \wean, to wash.
familiar word
root

is

for

in

tragedy,tragictale,
3163,3648,3951 ; pi. Tragedies,

Tragedie,
B

seen

s.

3161.

Lat.

tragoedia.

298

GLOSSARIAL

INDEX.

F.
1108.
s. trance, E
from
be
to
chilled,
iranse,
transir,

Trance,
Lat.

which
transire,

in late Latin

die.
pass away,
Translated, pp. changed,dressed
E 385. From
Lat. transafresh,
latus.
to

means

to

Trauaille,
E
pains,

toil,labour,
travail,

s.

s.

treason,

hood,
falsetreachery,

506.

F. trahison,
Lat.
traditionem.
traison,
Treason and traditionare doublets.
Tresour, s. treasure, B 3401. F.
tresor ; Lat. thesaurus ; from Gk.
139,

O. F.

I layup
riOrjfu,

throne,F 275. F. tr'me;

s.

a seat.
0p6vos,

Gk.

Trouble, adj.troubled,gloomy, E
Low
to trouble,
465. F. tronbler,
Lat. tnrbulare;from tnrbare,to
disturb.

Trowe,

p.

*.

F 213, 451 ;

"471,
pr. I believe,
lieved,
pt. pi.Trowed, beA. S.

210.

Goth, triii; cf. Gk. Spvs,an oak.

F
Trench, s. a hollow walk, alley,
F.
cut.
to
(rancher,
392.
F

from

F. travail.

1 2 1 o.

Tree, *. a tree, B 3933, 3941 ;

wood, E 558. A.S. treow, Icel.tn',

Treson,

Trone,

tre6wian,Icel.

to believe.
trtia,
Truste, imp. s. 3 p. lethim trust,B

Icel. traust, sb.

3914.

trust,

to trust in
traustr, trusty,
treysta-sk,
to
Tryce, v.
pullaway, B 3715.
the
E. trice,
same
as
Apparently
.

hoist

to

sail;

with which

cf.

trissa, Dan. tridse, a

pulley; Dan. tridse,to trice ;
Low G. trllzen,trlssen,to trice
Swed.

(Liibbeu).
B 20.)6.
Trye, adj.choice,
excellent,

in store.

From
F. trier,
to choose,select.
trespass,transgress,
sin,B 3370. F. trepasser,O. F.
twelve, E 736,F 383.
Twelf, num.
A. S. twelf,
Goth, tivalif.
trespasser,Lat. trans-passare,to

Trespace,

pass

Trete,

v.

or

across

treat,discourse,F

pr. pi.

3501 ;
F. trait'

220.

and

er, Lat. tractare.

Tretee,

s.

Lat.
traite.,

Tretis,
B

treaty, B

3865.

tractatus.

2146 ; Tretys,a treaty,E

Trew,

adj. true, F

331.

Trewe,

537;

G.

in fern, and neut.

Lat.
duo, Gk. Svo.
zwei,

A.S.
See Trowe.
treu.
E 53
Trewely, adv. truly,
liche,804.

Trewthe,

s.

627.

two,

s. a

Twinne,

to

v.

truth,troth,B 3118,

A.S. tredwft.

B 3866.
Tributarie, adj.tributary,
B
trickled, 1864.
Trikled, pt.pl.
Trille, v. to turn, F 316; imp. pi.

depart
separate oneself,

from, B 3195;
577. From

Trewe-

Cf.

tary
momentwinkling,
A.
S.
twine"37.
blinking,
lian,to twinkle,glitter.

Twinkling,

tredwe, Icel. trur, G.

465.

F.

treatise,tract, story,

s.

twain, two, B 3214, 3356,

E
476; Tweyne, E 650.
3547,
A. S. twegen (twain)used in masc.

Tweye,

beyond.

treat, B

to

v.

to

Twiste,
F

v.

566.

en, to

Twiste,

to

depart,F

two, A. S. twd.

twist,wring,
torment,
Du. twist,discord,tuistto

contend.
quarrel,
dispute,
s.

(dative),
twig,spray,

442.

adv. twice,B 1738,3337.

Twyes,
See Thryes.
Cf.
Swed.
to
trilla,
Trille,321.
Tyde, s. tide,time, season, F 142.
A. S. tid,Icel.ti$,G. zeit,
a time.
roll,turn round ; trilla,a roller,
E 901 ; //.
to
Tyding, s. tidings,
trind,round ; and Du. drillen,
Tydinges,B 129, E 752. Icel.
bore, turn round and round.
drill,
from ti'S,
ttiSindi,
to move
news,
tidings,
briskly
Trippe, v. to trip,
In the
time.
with the feet,F 312. Cf. Du. tripOrmuUim, it is

pen, to

to trip
along.
$kip,trippelen,

spelttfyenndt.

GLOSS

300

A RIAL

period,or a littleafter 9 a.m.,

E 260, 981. Icel.undor/t,meaning
either mid-forenoon,i.e. 9
and

halfway between

a.m.,

else

or

noon,

i.e. 3 p.m.
have
undaurni-mals
meat,
Luke xiv.

20,

to

pp.

150;

p.

to

88

Vnderstonde,

imp. s. depart from, E 806.

O. F.

voidier,F. vider,to empty,

see

to

Vndigne,

am

bold

adj.unworthy,E

to

p.

s.

say,

Vndiscreet,

voice, E

rumour,
tiocem,

ace.

and

io87,.F99, 412;

629.
of

F. voix, Lat.

ttox.

adv. up and down,

down,

prep, upon,

163,3640,

"c.
adv. up, i.e.leftopen, F
A. S. uppe, aloft.

Vppe,

615.

pp. plucked up, pulled

Vp-plyght,

UP. B 3239.

pp. run up, i.e. ascended,

See
Ironne in Prologue,
1.8.
386.

Vpronne,
F

246.

is short for unknowen.

Vnknowe

s.

Vpon,

pp. unknown,

Vnknowe,

disputedorigin;

all over,
i.e. in all directions,
in
various ways, B 53, 3725, 3747.

adj. indiscreet;or

E 996.
rather,
undiscerning,
Vnfestlich, adj.unfestive,jaded,
F 366. Here the O. F. feste(F.
fete)is found between an A.S.
prefixttn- and an A. S. suffix -lie.

Of

Korting.
E

Vp

359.

See Digue.

assure.

get rid of, E 910, F

to

v.

depriveof.

understand, E

pr. Vndertake,I

O. F.

apiarov,

affirm,to affirm,E 803 ;

306.
=

safe,to

Voyden,

Voys,
v.

call,Lat.
sauf to proclaim

voucher

ttocare;
as

F437Vndertake,

pr. subj.E

s.

we

undertake

vouch

vocher, voucher, to

12.
v.

vouch ;

to

v.

sauf,to vouchsafe,
deign,B 1641 ;

a.m.

undern-

translate Gk.

Vnderstonde,
F

Vouche,

mid-afternoon,

In Mceso-Goth.

to

INDEX.

adv.

Vpryght,

on

back, B
back,

one's

his

B 88.
1806; Vpryghte, on
adj.pi.unnatural,
See Kn. Ta. 1150.
E
3761.
unlike,
156.
adj.
adv.
Vnnethe,
scarcely,
hardly, Vs, pron. us, B 21, 34, "c.

Vnkynde,

Vnlyk,
with

B 1816, 3611, E
difficulty,

384,403.

A. S.

"ot5,easy, ediSe,

easily.
adv.

Vnneth.es,
B

1675,3356,E

Vnreste,

s.

scarcely,
hardly,
318, 893.

unrest,

want

of rest,

G.

E 995.
adj.unsettled,

See

uns.

E 108.
self,ourselves,
Vsage, s. usage, custom, E 785,F
Vs

691 ;

hadde

was

Vsen,

used, 1717.

uti,to
v.

to

Vsed, B

Sad.

in vsage

1696;

Lat.

"719.
Vnsad,

MS,

A.S.

was

tomed,
accus-

in vsage =
F. usage; from

was

use.

B 44 ; pt. s.
1689. F. user;
use,

or

pi.

from

uti,to use.
F 293. O.F.
Vsshers, s. pi.ushers,
1877. See Stable.
F
.
Lat.
ostiarius,
uissier,
huissier,
Vntressed,/"/".
unarranged,
undight,
E 3 79. F. tresser,to plait
a doorkeeper.
; probably
Gk.
to plaitin three, from
Vsure, s. usury, B 1681. From Lat.
nsura.
T/M'X".
tripartite
(Brachet).
B 3218.
Vttereste,
adj. superl. utterest,
Vntrewe,
false,
arf/.untrue,
E
B
Vnwar,
787. A badlyformed
adj.unexpected, 3954.
supreme,
A. S. war,
word.
A. S. tit,
out ; it/or,outer ;
cautious,wary, prepared.
Vnstable,

adj.unstable,weak,

Lat.

hence vtterest
B 103.
Vnwrappeth,/"r.s.discloses,

outerest.

E. utmost.
form is yteniest,

The

A.S.

ART

GLOSS

AL

INDEX.

Warne,

W.

Icel. vala,

1212.

Ital.

!
to wail ; gtiai,
wo
giiaiolare,
Waiteth, pr. s. watches, E 708.
O.F. gv alter,waiter, F.guetler;
from O. H. G. wahtan, G.
cognate with E. wake.

"Waken,

act. to

v.

A.S. wacan,

wachlen,

rampart ; the

Lat.

itallnm,a

A. S. word

true

for

wall is wdh.

Walking, s. a walking,
walk,F 408.
s.
Wan,
won,
pt.
conquered,B

356i, 3825. F

3548.

3337.
A. S.

664.

t. ic wan,

winnan, pt.

pp.

(in

p. pi.pr. wane,

E
applauding),

wanian,

Wang-tooth,

A.S.

998.

ciency,
defi-

tooth, B
molar

wangle's,
a

tooth, lit. a

cheek-tooth,from
E

adj. wanton,

Wantoun,

236.

For wan-towen, where wan

=
A. S.
Du.
denotinglack,
wan-,
wan-,
in

the

same

and

prefix
wi-;
pp. oftedn

thus wanton

sense

towen

G.

A.S. logen,

ziehen,to

G.

the

as

educate ;

vngezogen,

educated,
un-

illbroughtup.

War,

adj. aware,

guard;
heed,

be

119,

1629, 3281.

care

one's

on

wary,

war

take

beware,

belli war,

3188;
A.S.

war,

cautious ; cf. Lat. nereor,

War,

wary,
I fear.

imp. s. as pi.war yow, take

of yourselves,
make
way, B

1889.
one's

gen.

Wasteth,
B

A.S.

Wfirian,to

guard,from

war,

B 1749.
wasp's,
sing,

pr. s. wastes away, passes,

O.F. waster, guaster, Ital.

20.

from

gnastare,

Teutonic;

the

O. H. G. wuasti,G. wiist, waste,

Waterpot,
Wayk,

s.

waterpot, E

adj.weak,

A. S.

290.

be

wary.

on

Cf.

1671.

wdc, Icel. veikr.

Wayk

is

form

due to the der. verb

a
The A.S. wdc produced
wcecan.
the M. E. wok or wook.

Wayten,

v. to

watch,

F 444 ;

pr.s.

Wayteth,B 3331 ; pr. pi.Wayten,

F 88 ; pt. s. Wayted, watched,observed,
1

Wede,

29.

s.

See Waiteth.

'weed,'

A. S.

2107.

wad,

garment, B

garment.

weather, F

s.

G.
weder, Icel. t/eftr,

A.S.

52.
wetter.

wedlock,"115. A.S.
of espousal
wed-lac, a pledge
; from

Wedlock,

s.

and
pledge,

a
lac, a gift,

play,sport.
Weel, adj.well,E 2425. A.S. wel.
Weep, pt. s. wept, B 3852, E 545,
F

the cheek.

wang,

A.S.

A. S. wtsps, Lat. uespa.

wed,

lacking.
molar

s.

A. S.

3234.

slack

grow

diminish, wana,

to

Icel. vanr,

used

Waspes,

Weder,

wtinnen.

Wane,

16, 1184.

A. S. wceter, F. pot.

G. wachen.

from

I bid

warn,

empty.

awake, B 1187.

a
s.
Wakinge,
keeping awake,
periodof wakefulness,B 22.
Wai, s. wall,B 3392, E 1047. A.S.
iveall,\V. gwal, both perhaps

borrowed

pr. I

s.

wearnian.

wail ;

to

p.

take heed,B

you

Waast, s. waist,B 1890.

Waille, v. to wail,lament, E
Cf.

301

496.

pt. t.
Weet,

A. S. wepan,

to

weep,

wedp, pp. wepen.

wet, B 3407.

s.

A. S.

w"t,

Icel. vdlr.

Wel,

adv. well,B

wel roial =

25 ; very, as in
F 26 ; about
very royal,

tainly,
(usedwith numbers),F 383 ; cerby all means, E 635.
B 3230.
Wel
ny, adv. very nearly,
Welde, pt.s. wielded,overpowered,
B
Welded, 3855. A.S.
3452;

wealdan,

Goth,

waldan,

Icel.

valda,to exercise power.

Wele,

s.

wealth,
122,

perity,
proswell-being,

3268, E 474, 842,

971. A.S. wela, weal.

ing,
thrivWei-faring,
adj.wellfaring,
prosperous, B 3132.

GLOSS

A RIAL

welkin,BSQJI.E 1124.
A. S. wolcen,a cloud, the welkin ;
cf. Du. wolk, a cloud,G. wolke.
Welle, s. well, source, B 1846,

INDEX.

indie, wast, B 3570;

Welkne.s.

3234, E 215, 276,F 505.

well,wyl, Du. wel ; but we

Weren,
Were, v.
Wered,

A.S.
also

to

wear,

147; //. s.
B 3320 ; pp. Wered,
A..S.werian,to wear,

wore,

3315.

worn,

p. pi.pr.

846.

were,

Icel. verja,
Goth.

put on
wasjant\.o
find the dissyllabic
A.S. tvella,
clothing.
; cf. Lat. uestis,
clothing
i.e.
Icel.vella.
Work,
s. work,
reality,
tice,
pracIcel.
F 482.
A.S. weorc,
Welte, pi. s. wielded,i.e.lorded it
verb,Gk. tpyov.
over,
possessedfor use, B 3200.
See Welde.
Werketh,
imp. pi. act, E 504.
A.S.
A. S. weorcan,
to work.
hurt,F 121.
s. injury,
Wem,
Icel. vamm,

went,

Goth,

spot,blemish.
Wenches,
s. pi. women,

Working,
s.
Werre,

wamm,

Cf. A.S. wencle,a maid

3417.

E 495.
deeds,actions,

s.

werre,

from

O. Du.

3926.

war,

O. H. G. werra,
the
O. H. G.

discord ;

probably
allied to wancol,tottering,
weak,
unsteady. Cf. G. wanken, to

guerre (O. F.

totter.

that
and it is quitepossible

Wene,

p.

s.

suppose, E

pr. I

pr. s. Weneth,
I p. s. pt.
3710;
supposes,
Wende, supposed,F 585 ; pt. s.
pected,
exWende, B 3358, 3927;
pt. pi. Wende,
3720;
3637, F 198; Wenden, E 751;
pp. Wend, imagined,
thought,E
1174;

691, F

A.S.

510.
Goth,

Icel.

wenan,

wenjan,G. wiihnen,
vcena,
from A. S. wen,
to imagine,
Icel.
Goth,
G.
wahn,
van,
wens,
tation,
expecto

v.

wend, go,

1683 ; pr. pi.wend,

go, E

pass, B
189,F

Wende, E
p. s. pr. subj.
s.
Wente,
went, B 1739 ;
307 ; pt.
pp. Went, gone, B 1730, 1869,E
276. A. S. wendan, G. wenden,

296 ;

to

B 3214, 3228.
Icel.
ivtipen,
vdpn, G.
s.

weapon,

waffien.
Were, pt. s. subj.
were, should be,
in modern
it

3711;
it
I

so

were

were

p.

131 ;

Englishwas,
were
=

s.

is

war

wig

in

even

word

may have been taken, after

'
the Old French.
Her
from
all,

wyrre

wunode

call this gear

Henri

se

cyng

for

Normandig,

on

)"es

of France' ; ' here,

all this year, King Henry dwelt in
of the
account
Normandy, on

cynges wyrre

war

of the

king of

Chron.

anno

Werreye,

v.

make

F
against,

werrier,to make
from

Teutonic

B 3522

war,

Werreyed, made

pt. s.

; A.S.

iiS.

to

'

France

war

upon,
O. F.

10.

war,

werre,

root

war

fort).
(Roque-

See above.

adj.weary, B ail I. A.S.

werig,weary; werian, to become

Wery,

tired.

pt. s. washed, B 3934. A. S.

to wash,pt. t. ic wusc, pp.
wascan,

Wesh,

turn.

A. S.

for

mon
com-

quotationthe
following

Wepen,

if

'

warred

hope.
Wende,

the

imagine,

ween,

The

werre).

A. S. word

F.

comes

if

as

so

it was,
be, B

if it

were

p. Were

850;
1640; as

was,

I should

3189,

195;

be,

wast, B 3592;

wcescen.

adv. in the west, F 459.

West,

s. as

Wexe,

increase,
E 998 ; pr. s.
(inapplauding),

grow

p. pr. pi. wax,

to
be, B 3966 ;
waxed,
became,
pt. s. Wex,
grew,
B 1914, 3868, 3936,E
increased,
A.S.
3 1 7 J pt-pi-Wexc, B 3 365

Wexeth,

grows

weaxan,

Goth,
Icel.vaxa,

wahsjan,

GLOSSARIAL

INDEX.

wachsen, Lat. augere, Gk.

avfavtiv,to grow.
Wey, s. way, E 273 ; a furlong
\vey
short time,
small distance,
a
a
516; by the weye, by the way,
G.

1698, 1747;
(his)
way, F 604.

dat.

Weye,

on

A. S. weg, Icel.
vegr, Goth, wigs,Lat. via.
"Weyest, i p. s. pr. dost weigh,B

A.S.

wegan, to carry,
weigh,Icel. vega, Lat. uehere.

to

interj.

3423.

"Weylaway,
3313,

3635.

wellaway!

A. S. wd

for whom ;
concerning whom,

Which,

Whiche, which,

!
1 lo I woe
woe
Welladay, and
wellaway are meaningless
tions.
corrupto

v.

away,

O. F.

2424.

guesver,

'

guever.

weiver,
Guesver, to

waive,refuse,
abandon, giveover

also, to surrender,give back, re-

redeliver';
Cotgrave.
signe,
when,

adv.

Whan,

in,

"c.

A. S. hwanne.
int. pron.

.What,
E

283,E

what

why, B 56,3842,

; rel. pron. as adv.

1 2 21

Whirleth,

pr.

whirls, wheels

s.

F 671. Icel. hvirfla,

to
swiftly,
from
Icel.
A.
whirl,
hverfa, S.
hweorfan,to turn round.

rel. pron.

1661,
whom,F

gen. whose, B

770;

while, time,

once,

hwil,a time.
Whyte,
adj. white, B 2047 ; pi.
3658. A.S. hwit,Icel.hvitr,Goth.
G. weiss.
hweits,
s.
widow, B 1699; gen.
Widwe,
of

1692. A.S. widwe, vmdnGoth, widtiwo, Lat.

G.
wittwe,
we,
nidua.
Widwes,

adj.wicked,
118; Wikked,

What

that,B 3434

man

and, both

; What

and,B 3304

"

"

; cf. Kn.

Ta. 595.

3538;

formerly,B
3266, 3557, 3917, E 64, 846.
A.S. hwilmn, lit.at times,dat. pi.
adv.

pi.B

A. S. hwil,

hweila, a time.

Whylom,

Wikke,

that

to

154. A.S. hwd, gen. hwds.

s.

Goth,

Whom,

dat.

whomsoever, 157, 160;

or

22

30.

378. A.S.Awider.

that
21,
; What
What
E
for
whatever,
=
=
165 ;
because of, F 54 ; What
man
so,

with,B

58; //.

Lat. qualis.
who-lilte,
adv. whither,E 588, F
Whider,

Whyl,

aside, twist

turn

which

lit.
hwa-letks,

conj.whilst,3208.
Weyue,

of

3860, F

hwylc, Goth,

A.S.

Whos,

la wd, lit.

3"3

B
B

78,E 785 ;
3576 (see

note). Cf. A. S. wiceian,to use

witchcraft,
wicca,a wizard, wicce,
a

witch ;

or

else A. S. wlcan, to

dog, F

A. S.
*. a
giveway.
491.
E 723.
hweolp, Icel. hvelpr, a cub.
Wikkedly, adv. wickedly,
E
d
esire,
Catulus';
"Whelp, lytylhounde,
Wille, s. will, pleasure,
the
Prompt. Parv.
Wyclif uses
326, F i, 8; gen. Willes, 568;
word
dat. Wille,5. A.S. willa, Icel.
welpis'in his translation,
S. Mark vii.28.
Goth, wilja.
vili,

Whelp,

'

adv.
A. S. hwanon.

Whenne,

588,

579;
Wher

as

is very

contraction

of whether

in M. E.

common

as, adv. where

that,B 3347,

3962.
Wherein,
Whcr-so,

adv. in
adv.

to will,desire,E
721;
B
desires
Wil,
(Lat.wilt),
pr.
S.
Goth,
A.
willan,
1843.
wiljan,
Lat. nelle,Gk. @ov\tffOai.
A.S.
Willing, s. desire,E 319.

Wille,

v.

s.

adv. whether, B 3119, F

adv.
where, 1785, "c.

Wher,

Wher-

whence,

which, E 376.
F 1 1 8.
whithersoever,

a wish.
willvng,

E 362.
Willingly, adv. of free will,
F 120.
A. S.
Wilneth, pr. s. desires,

wilnian, to desire;
to will.
willan,

derivative of

ARIAL

GLOSS

3"4

Wiltow,/or Wilt thou,i.e.wishest

thou,B 2116.
Winges,

F 415.
pi. wings,

s.

Dan.

vinge,Icel. vangr.
"Winke,

A. S. wincian.

Winne,

win, conquer,

to

v.

F 214.

winnan, Icel. vinna, Goth.

winnan, G. winnen.
A. S.

Winninges,
B

s.

F 687.
With-al, adv. therewith,
With-inne,
prep, within, F 590.
A. S. wffi-innan,
prep, and adv.

prep, without,E 66 1,
F 121, 166, 702 ; With-oute, adv.
outside,E 332. A. S. wtiS-iitan,

With-outen,

wink, nod, F 348.

to

v.

INDEX.

prep, and

Withstonde,

pi.winnings,
gains,

to

3249,

pi,winters,years,
A. S.

43.

winter, pi.

s.

withstand,
oppose,
A. S. wifi-standan,
to

Icel.vffistanda.

oppose,

Wo,
s.

v.

63110.

127.

Winter,

adv.

woe

wo

were

vs

woe

would

be to us, E 139. A.S. wd;

cf. Icel. vei, G. wehe, Lat. vae,

1
wo
winter,used in the sense of years.
inter),
adv.
Wisly,
surely, Wo, adj.sad, E 753. A. S. wd,
certainly,
verily,
sb. and adj. It is used adjectively
B 2112, "822, "469. Icel. viss,
in
from
G.
Du.
Caedmon, ed. Thorpe, p. 40
gewis, gewiss;
sure,
bi5 bam
full wd, it will be
the root witan, to know.
men
sad
for
I
the
I
knew,
s.
man.
"814;
Wiste,
p.
very
pt.
Wode, s. a wood, B 3446,F 413,
pt. s. knew, B 5, 3348, 3723,
"

3748,

pi.B 1820; i p.
pp. Wist, F

399;

F 565;
s. pt. subj.
260.
See Wite.

Wit,

A. S. wit.

opinions,203.

See

Wite.
p.

pi. pr. know, E 2431

A. S.
pt. s. Wiste, pp. Wist, q. v.
witan, to wit; pres. ic wdt, bti

wdst, he wdt, I wot, thou

he
(wottest),

wot

wost

(not wots); pi.

we, ge, hi witon, we, ye, theywit ;

pt. ic wisle,I wist; pp. ^uiten,

The

old terite
prepres.
Gk. ofSa ; in fact,it is the
=
Cf. Goth, witan,to
word.

wist.

same

t.

is

an

(Lat.ttidere"),
pres. ik
Icel.
ik
wissa;
vita,pres.
wait, pt.
veil,pt. vissa ; G. wissen, pres.
know,

see

s.

prep, with

your

hertes

heal your

with,

A. S.

471,

to

Icel.

wvdti,a
dufa,G.

dufa,
taube,Goth, dubo, a dove.
Wol, I p. s. pr. I desire,E 646 ;
I will,B 41, 89 ; 2 p. Wolt, wilt,
E 314; pr. s. Wol, will,B 60,

617; 2 p. pi.
1641; Wole ye
378; I p. s. pt.

will go, F

Wol, will,B
wish

you,

Wolde, I should like,B

1639,E

638 ; pt. s. Wolde, would, would

like to, B 1182; would, F 64;
F 577; would go, would
required,

turn, 496 ; pt. pi.Wolde, wished,

E 1144.
A.S.
will an, pres. ic
wile,pt. ic wolde.
B 3627. A.S.
s. belly,
Wombe,
wamb, Goth, wamba, Lat. venter.

Wommanhede,
239,

knowledge,cognisance, Wonder,

E 492.

With,

A. S.

s.

womanhood, E

The

1075.

A.S.

word

is

wlfhdd,wifehood.

iveiss,
pt. wusste.
Witing,

wood-dove,wood-

; A. S.

115;
2

s.

pigeon,B 1960.

judgment,B
B
F
10,
674; understanding,
F
706 ;
3368 ; pi. Wittes,wits,
459

A.S.wudu.

Wode-dowue,

telligence,
wood
proof of inintelligence,
a

*.

Wite,

617.

to

hele with

641 ; by,

wiQ, Icel. vid.

hurts

1875.

s.

as

adj. a

wonder,

wonderful, B 1882, F 248,254.

A. S. wundor, G. wander, Icel.
undr.

Wondre,
pr.

v.

to

wonder, B

pi. Wondren,

805 ;

258 ; pt. pi.

A RIAL

GLOSS

Wondreden, 307

pp. Wondred,
A. S. wundrian, Icel.undra.

236.

Wondring,

s.

F 305.

A. S.

customed
ac-

; Icel.vanr, accustomed

gewohnt.
s.

wangere,

B a 102.
A.S.
pillow,
a
pillow,rest for the

cheek,from wang,

cheek

Goth.

waggari,a pillow.
Wont,

3614,3894. E
been

with
pp.

accustomed, B

pp. wont,

844,

formed

44.
this word

From

Woned.

the modern

See

has

wonted,

needless repetition
of the

gets upon,

werden,

G.

vertere,to

worth
A.S.

1941.

ending.

Wost,

become, Lat.

to

turn.

adj. worthy,brave,

Worthy,

G.
A. S. wut^Sig,

2107.

339.
to dwell, remain, pp. wunod,

Wonger,

becomes

s.

an,

pp. accustomed,wont, E
See Wont.
A. S. wunian,

cf.G.

vpon

pr.

wundrung.

gnvohnheit.
Woned,

Worth,

Icel.ver 5a,Goth, wairthweorfSan,

s.

A.S.

3"5

amaze,
wondering,

wont, custom, B 1694.

Icel. vani; cf. G.
wuna,

Wone,

INDEX.

p.

pr. thou

s.

See Wot,

696.

wurdig.

knowest,F

Wite.

est
Wostow,/or wost thou,i.e.knowthou,"325.
I p. s. pr. I know, E 814, F
Wot,
708; i p. Wost, F 696; pr. s.

Wot, knows, B 93,

534;
519.

E 274, F 299,
B 2133, F

p. pi. Wot,

See Wite.

62.
s. pi. wounds, B
Woundes,
A. S. wund, Icel. wid, G. wunde.
See
Woxen,
pp. grown, E 400.
Wex.
v. to
wrap, envelop,E
583, F 636 ; pp. Wrapped, F 507.

Wrappe,

Wood,
adj.mad, B 1964. A.S.
w6d, Goth, weds, Icel.o"V; cf. G.

Wrastling,

wuthend,raging.
abode, B
s.
Woon,

wrestle ; which
wr(tstlian,
to
from wr"stan,to turn, wrest.
Wrecchednesse,
s.
misery, B

1991.
abode

A. S. wunung,
an
dwell.
wunian, to

Woot,

p.

See Wot,

Wopen,

s.

Cf.
from

pr. I know, B 3993.

B 1930.
wrestling,
wrdxlung,from wrdxlian,

A. S.

3212,

3540.

exile,

pp. wept,

523.

See

Wreehe,
A.S.

Weep.
s.

pi. worms,

Icel.ormr,
A. S. wyrm,
Lat. uermis.

to

v.

675.

honour,respect,

Ei66.

honour,F 571. A.S.

honour,E 401.
adj. superl.def. worst,

Worste,

E 1218.

Wortes,

A.S. wyrsta.
s.

pi. worts,

E 226.

A.S.

roots, tables,
vegewyrt, Goth.

Lat.
waiirts,G.ti'urze,
Curtius.

see
f"ifa;

VOL.

II.

radix,Gk.

3403.

geance
punishment, ven-

to

wreak,

flict
af-

racke,revenge.
imp. s. wreak, avenge, B
2 p. pi.pr. Wreke, F 454.

3095 ;

G. rdchen.

A. S. wrecan,

Wringe,

v.

to

to

wring the hands, E

force wet

A.S.

1966.
honour;lit.worthship. press, wring;
weorftscipe,
"Worshipful,
adj. worthy of
struggle.
s.

wr"ee,

; G.

1212;

Worshipe,

an

wrcecca,

vengeance,

wrecan,

Wreck,

adv. comp. worse,

A. S. wyrs, Goth, wairs.

s.

wrcec,

617.

G. ivurm,

Worse,

Worshipe,

A.S.

wretch, from

punishment,banishment.

Wite.

Wormes,

s.

Writ, pr.

s.

G.

writeth,B

out

by

sure,
pres-

wringan,to
ringen,

to

3516 ; pt.s.

Wroot,

wrote, 3393 ; i p. s. pt.

to write,
Writ, I were
3843 ;
subj.

pt.pi.Writen, wrote, F 233 ; pp.

A.S.
Writen, E 761, B 3177.
writan, Icel. rita, to write ; but
the original
meaningis to scratch,

3"6
to

GLOSS

A RIAL

scratch strokes,
still
kept in G.

to
reissen,

A. S.

437.

28 ; pt.
1788, E
1

angry,

wrdU, Icel. ra'oV.

pt. s. made, E 1152, F

Wroughte,

s.

Wynes,

s.

pi.wines,B

A. S. win, G.

tear.

adj.pi.wroth,

Wrothe,

INDEX.

worked, contrived,B

adj.wise,B

Wys,

3418.

3391,

wein, Lat. uinum.

3

i'3" li?" 37"55

def.Wyse,

30 ;

Wyse, 128;
/"/.

Wysest, 3345.
superl.
Icel. vlss, G.
to know.

A. S. wif,

weise; from

witan,

ated,
463; pp. wrought,crewise, way, manner,
s. (dative),
Wyse,
3619. A. S. wear can, to
B 2131, 3704, E 673. A. S.
work, pt. t. worhte,pp. geworht.
Wroughtestow,
for wroughtest
wise,a way, G. weise ; F. guiseis
from
O.H.G. ; wise and guiseare
thou, thou didst cause, B 3583.
B
doublets.
to
v.
Wryte,
write, 87; pr. s.
Wyte,
v. to
Wryteth, 77; contracted to Writ,
blame, B 3636; I p.
Wroot
Writen
s.
s.
3516 ; pr.
; pp.
;
pr. Wyte, 3860; 2 p. Wytest,

108.

"Writ.

see

Wrything,

s.

turning,F

wriftan,to

A. S.

127.

writhe,twist,

Icel.rffia.

3824; pi.

E 722.
B 62 ; adv. widely,
wid, Icel. v"$r, G. weit.

A.S.

to

v.

wife,

witan,

blame,

to

E
marry,
to take
wifian,

wive,

A.S.
from

to

wif,

woman,

wife.

Wyues,

'Wyfh.ood, s. wifehood ; or rather,

womanhood, B 76. A. S. wlfhad,
G. weibheit;A. S. wif, G. weib,
a

Wyue,

140, 173.

adj.def.wide, B

Wyde,

A. S.

punish; Icel.vita,to fine,mulct.

gen.

B 1631,
sing,wife's,

E 599 ; pi.Wyues, wives,women,

B 59. 32 ""
A.S. wif,Icel.vif,
G.

weib,a

woman.

woman.

E 1236.
adj.wifeless,
E
Wyfly, adj.wifelike, 429, 919,
A.S. wifllc.
1050.
s. a wight,
Wyght,
person, B 1894,
3822, E 177; dat. Wyghte, B

Wyflees,

43.

A.S.

waiht, G.

wiht, wuht, Goth.

wicht ;

E. wight and

whit.

Wyly,
A. S.

adj.wily,wary,

3130.

wile,Icel. nil,veel,a wile,a

trick ; the O. F. guileis from a

and
Teutonic source
; thus guile
wile are doublets.
A.S.
s. wind, B
Wynd,
1173.
wind, Icel. vindr, Goth, winds,

Y.

Yaf,

p.

s.

P-

pt. I gave, E

861,

Yaf=gavest,B

3641 ;

533!

pt.

Yaf, 1862, 1973, 3368, E

s.

!93" 2""3-

See Yiue.

A.S. geat.
Yate, s. gate,"1013.
A. S.
Ybeten, pp. beaten,F 414.
beaten.
bedtan,pt.t. be6t,pp.
Ybore, pp. born, E 158, 310, 484;
Yborn, 72; Yboren, 626 ; Ybore,
F

borne, carried,moved, 443,

326 ; Yborn, carried, F

A. S.

340.

beran,pp. geboren.

1866.
Ybounde,
pp. bound, B
A. S. bindan, pp. gebunden.
F 184. Da.
s. windlass,
Wyndas,
Ycaried,
pp. carried, B
3240.
O.F. carter, to carry, char, a car.
windas, from winden, to wind,
landic, Ycorne, pp. come
and
axle-tree; so in Iceas, an
; ycomeaboute
find vind-dss, from
we
come
about, passed, B 3364 ;
Yeomen, come, 1687. A. S. cumvinda, to wind, and ass, a beam.
bind
with
to
v.
wind,
Wynde,
an, pp. cutnen, gecumen.
Ycoupled,
wedded, E
cloths,E 583. A. S. windan, Icel.
pp. coupled,
Lat.

uentus.

vinda,G. vjinden.

1219.

F.

Lat. copulare.
coupler,

3o8
Yliclie, adv.
A. S.

alike, equally, F

gelice,adv.

754.

See Yliche.

pp. made,

macian,
a

taken

pp.

Ymagining,

218.

A. S.

Thus

made

macod.

contraction

adv.

Ynow,
708.

enough,
3958,

3235,

365

1214,

genohf sufficiently
;

A. S.

G. gemig.
A. S.

Goth,

adv.

Yond,

yonder,

A.S.

A.S.

214.

run.

pp. shaped, i. e. prepared,

A.

3420.

S.

scippan,to shape

scapen, gescapen.

3261.

pp. shaved, B

Yshaue,
scafan,

shave

to

; pp.

A. S.

scafen,ge~

scafen.
A. S.

1644.

pp. spread, B

Ysprad,

adj. pi. enough, F 470.

pi.gendge ;
genoh, sufficient,
ganohs, sufficient.

run,

F
E 409 ; set down,
S.
settan, to set ; pp. geset.
73. A.

pp.

Yuough,

to

F 417.

reckon.

to

pp.

Yshapen,

imagining,

pres. part,

account,

Yset, pp. set,

1

of malted.

E598.

Ynowe,

A. S. recnan,

Yronne,

rennan,

into

ered,

gleich.

; cf. G.

Ymaad,

INDEX.

20.

alike, equally,"602,

adv.

Ylyke,

is

A RIAL

GLOSS

spratdan,to spread.
Yswore,
pp. sworn,
swerian, to swear

F 325.

A. S.

; pp. gesworen.

Ytake,

geond, yonder; cf. G.jener, that,

pp. taken,captured,B 3514 ;

taken away,
1858. Icel. taka, A. S.

yon.

tacan,

1199.

1834,
adj.def. young,
B
F
vocative,
385!
54.

Yonge,

777.

1874.

A.S.

Icel. ungr,

geong,

Golh.juggs (= jungs), G.jung.

Yore,

formerly, B 1167, E
of long time, for a long
68. A.S. gedra, formerly;

adv.

1140;

time, E
from

gear,

pron. yours, F 597.

Youres,
Youthe,

s.

geoguft.

See

Yow,

pron.
37, 1 1 86.

Yonge.

pers.

ace.

you,

A. S. eow,

ace.

ofge,

Ypocryte,
come,

".

hypocrite,F
bidden,

pp.
invited, E

269.

514,

520.

asked
F.

to

prier,

O. F.

preier,Lat. precari.
Yquit, pp. quit, acquitted,F 673.
F. quitter,to
hold free, quittt,
left in peace.
freed, Lat. quietus,

Yrekened,

pp. told, F 357.

on,

pp.

reckoned, consid-

A. S. tell-

geteald.

pp.

ill,E 460, 965. A. S.

ubils, G. ubel, evil,
yfel,
ill.
bad ; yfele,evilly,
adv.

Yuel,

Goth,

ivory,

s.

Lat.

ivory ; from

pp.
a

eboreus,
Lat. ebur,

2066.

F.

made

of

ivory.

E
wedded,
771,
pp.
A. S. weddian,
to pledge,

Ywedded,

vieddod, geweddod;

from

wed,

pledge.

Yvris,adv.

ye.

Yprayed,

to

tacan,

Ytold,

J233-

16,

taught,B 1699. A. S.
teach ; pp. t"ht,
getceht.

pp.

ivoire;

F 242.
pron. yourself,
F
675. A.S.
youth,

Yourseluen,

Ytaught,

Yuory,

year.

take ; pp. getacen.

to

4007,

certainly,B 1980,3958,
A. S. gewis, Du.
2434.

Often
gewis, G. gewiss, adv.
I
to
know,
mean
wrongly supposed
but the latter is properly represented
7
See
Wite.
wot.
by
B
Ywroght,
pp. wrought, made,
2054.
pp.

A.S.

weorcan,

worht, geworht.

to

work;

INDEX

OF

N.B.

Many

PROPER

of the

names

are

NAMES,

commented

upon

"c.

in the Notes.

Aehelois, Achelous,B 3296.

Achilles, F 239.
B 3197.
Adam,
Adriane, Ariadne, B 67.
Albon, Alban, B 3120.

Asie,

B 75.
Alceste, Alcestis,
Alcioun,
Halcyone or

B 63.
Babiloin, adj.Babylonian,
B
Babiloyne, Babylon, 3339.

Hence

57.

the

Aldiran,

E.

of

Alcyone,B
star,F

265.

See note.

Algarsyf, F 30, 663.

Alisaundre, Alexander,B 3821.
Alexandria, B 3582.

Alisaundre,
Alma

redemptoris,

words

of

Asia, put for Asia Minor,

1678.

Aurelian, B 3541.
B 1631.
Austin, Augustine,

halcyon.

name

s.

the firsttwo

Balthasar, Belshazzar,B 3373.

B 3589.
Barnabo,
Bathe, Bath, " 1170.
Bethulia, 83755.
Bevys, Bevis, B 2089.

Boloigne,

Bologna,E 686, 763,

939-

Brixseide, Briseis,B 71. This

hymn, B J 708,
Alma
form is from the ace. Briseida.
redemptoris
1744, 1802;
deemer, Brugges, Bruges,
B 1923.
mater, benignmother of the Rea

Latin

1831.
Alhazen, F 233.
Anteus, B 3298.

Alocen,

Antheus,
Apennyn,
Arable,

Brutus,

the
s,

Apennines,"

Arabia,F

Arabieu,
Aries,

the

s.

44.

3529.

Ram, the signof the

Cacus, B 3297.
F 31,
Cambalo,

Cambynskan,
Canacee,

part of

April,F

Cambalus,

(O

12.

Sec note.

78; (2)

33,

J78; g"*- Canacees, 247, 631.

51.

Aristotle, F 233.
Armorike,
Armorica, Brittany,B

3578.
Arpies,

667

656.

and

former

Cassius

(seenote),3887.

zodiac for the latterpart of March

the

Brutus

B 3293.
Busirus, Busiris,

no.

adj.Arabian,B

3896;

B 3893.
Capitolie, s. the Capitol,
Cenobia, Zenobia, B 3437.

Centauros,
s.

pi. the Harpies,B 3290.

taur,
Centaurus,the Cen-

3289.

INDEX

3io
Cerbsrus,

OF

B 3292.

Gawain, F 95.
Gazan, Gaza, B 3237. From
Gawayn,

Cesar,
3869.
Ceys, Ceyx, 657.
Caesar,B

Chaldey^Chaldea,B

ace.

3347.

Charles, B 3577.
lean cow,
a
Chicheuache,
s. (lit.

from

F.

chicke,niggardly,
lean,

which

from

and

vache, Lat. uacca,

F.

Lat.

ciccum, a trifle,
a

cow),

En88.

Claudius, B 3525.
Cresus, Croesus,B 3917.
Crist, Christ,B 106.

Cristemasse,

s.

Christmas,B 126,

Daniel,
Darius,

65.

B 66
Dianire, Deianira,

adj. Hebrew,

Hebraik,

1750.

B 3535.

Hermione, B 66.

B 2088.

B 3597.
Hugelyn, Ugolino,
B
Hugh,
1874.

3427, 3838.
B

Horn,

adj.as sb. Damascene,

Damascus,B 3197-

Demophon,

hors
The
Grekes
Synon the
of
Greek.
horse
Sinon the
Grisildis, Griselda,E 210; Gri-

Hermion,

B 3344.
B

Genilon, Ganelon, B
Genylon,
3.S79Grece, Greece,B 3847.
Grekes, s. gen. Greek's,F 209-

Hermanno,

63651.

Dante,

Gazam.

Lat. Hebraicus.

Dalida, Delilah,B 3253.

used for

Lat.

sild,232.
Gy, Guy, B 2089.

1730.
Cupyde,
Cupid,B 61.
Cypre, Cyprus,B 3581.
Cyrus, B 3918.

Damascene,

NAMES.

PROPER

James,E 1154.
lanicle, Janicola,E 404, 632 ;
208, 304.
Janicula,
lankyn, a diminutive of John, B
lame,

1172.

Dianira, lason, Jason,B 74, F 548.

B 3337.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
3310Dido, B 64.
s.
Jews'
quarter,B
Jewry,
lewerye,
1679,1741, 1782.
Edward,
lewes, s. pi.Jews,B 1755, 1810;
83160.
B 3528.
Egipcien, adj.Egyptian,
gen. 2054.
Eleyne, Helen, B 70.
lob, Job, E 932.
lohn, John, B 3119; St. John, F
Eliachim, Eliakim or Joachim, B
tempt)
3756.
596 ; (usedas a term of mild conElpheta, F 29.
to Emel ward
Emelward;

B 4000.
=

to wards

the JEmilian

Way, "51.
Enee, /Eneas, B 64.
i..e.
English, adj.as sb. English,
talk,B 49, F 37.
English
Ermyn,
adj.Armenian,B 3528.
Erro,

Hero, B

69.

Ferrate, Ferrara,E 51.

Flaundres, Flanders,B 1909.
Francis,E 31.
Fraunceys,

B 67.
Isiphilee, Hypsipyle,
B 3650,E 266.
Itaille,s. Italy,
liber
ludicum,
for
Judicum, i.e.
the book

Judges,B 3236.
3761.

B 3863.
lulius, Julius,
B 3934, 3942.
luppiter, Jupiter,

Laodamia, 671.

Ladomea,

Lamech, F 550.
Lameth,
Lancelot, F 287.
Launcelot,
Leander,

Qalien, Gallienus,B 3526.

of

ludith, Judith,B

Leon,

s.

the

69.
signLeo, F 265.

Lincoln,

Piedmont, E 44.
Pemond,
B
Penelope,
75. (Pronounced

1874.

-Linian, E 33. See note.

Lucan, Lucanus,8 3909.
Lucifer, 63189.
B 63.
Lucresse, Lucretia,

Lombardy,

Lumbardye,
E

72, F

193
B

Lybeux,

West,

Penelop').
B 2106.
Percyuel, Percival,
Perse, Persia,B 3442

46,945.

the fair.

Lyde, Lydia,B 3917.

3845.
probablySt. Mathurin,B
Machabeus,B

See note.

3083.

i.e. mene,

Mane,

'

3396.

It

Perses,i.e.

"c.

Petrark,
3515, "31,
1147.
Petro, Pedro,or Peter,B 3565,3581.
Phanye, B 3948.
i. e. phares,or peres, B
Phares,

3396.The
".

nifies
sig-

word

a breach .'
signifies
"

Phcebus,i.e.
3935. 3943. F 48.

Phebus,

s.

Philippes,

numbered.'

Petrarch,B

Macedonia, B 3846.

Macedoyne,
Machabee,
Madrian,

Persians,
3425,

3590,

O. F. It betix,

2020.

NAMES.

PROPER

OF

INDEX

gen.

the sun, B

B
sing.Philip's,

3846B
Philistiens, ". pi. Philistines,

Martes, gen. s. Mars's,F 50.

Medea, B 72.
Medes, s.pl.Medes, B 3425.
Melan, Milan, B 3589.
Melibee, Melibeus, B 30/9 ; spelt

3238.
B 65.
Phillis, Phyllis,
Pierides, s. pi.the Pierides,
ters
daughof Pierus,B 92.

Piers, Pierce,i.e. Peter,B

3982.

B 2090. It mean$
Melibeus, 3086.
Pleyn-damour,
d'amonr.
full of love,'
F. plein
Mercurius, gen. sing.Mercury's,
F
Poileys, adv. Apulian, 195.
F672.
'

Moyses,

Muses,

s.

Moses, F 250.
pi.the Muses, 693.

Nabugodonosor,
Nero,
ace.

zar.
Nebuchadnez-

B 3335. 3752B 3653 ; Neroun

(from Lat.

Neronem), 3727B 3318.

Nessus,

Pompey,

Pompeius,

Poo, the Po, E 48.

Popering, B 1910.

3870.

See note.

Paul's,B 3970.
Poules, gen. sing.

Prudence, B 3080.
Pyse, Pisa,B 3597, 3606.
Bachel,

1817.

See

note.

Boger,/or Ruggieri, 3606.

Bomayn,
adj. Roman, B 3526,
B

Odenake, Odenates,B 3517; gen.

Odenakes, 3508.
Olifaunt,

B
elephant,
signifying

Bouechester, Rochester, B 3116.

1998.
B 3746.
Olofern, Holophernes,
Olyuer, Oliver,B 3577, 3579.
Ovide, Ovid, B 54.

Oxenford,

3551-

Borne, 63525, 3542, E 737, F 231.

Oxford, E

Solomon,E 6, F 250.
Saluces, Saluzzo,E 44, 64,414;
Salomon,

Saluce,420.
Samson, B 3205, 3213,

I.

Sampson,

Padua,"27.
Palymerie, Palmyra,B 3437.
Padowe,
Panik,

s.

the

name

of

districtin

E 764,939.
Italy,
i.e.
Pegasee, s. the Pegaseanhorse,
F 207.
Pegasus,

"c.

Sapor, B 3510.
Sarray, Sarai,F 9, 46.
Satan, B 1748,3195.
Sathanas,
Senec, Seneca,B 25; speltSeneca,
B

3693-

INDEX

312

Spain,

Spayne,

3565.

Surrien,

adj. Syrian,

Sweton,

Suetonius,

Sinon,

tary,

i.

Teehel,

Troye,

209.

Ta-

rather,

or

9.

Tartar,

or

rather,

266.

Tatar,

tekel,

e.

3396.

nifies
sig-

'weighed.'
Termagant,

Termagaunt,
idol,

Thelophus,
F

Thomas,

63.

3307.

Troy,

210,

B
F

Venus,

306.

i.

Valerius,

Valerie,

Valerius

e.

3910.

272.

Venice,

Vesulus,

Monte

Vitulon,

ESI.
Viso,

47,

58.

232.

then
heaE

Walter,

"c.

77,

238.

664.

Ynde,

Thessaly,

Thessalye,

2000.

Theodora,

Venyae,
It

3535.

Thisbe,

Tisbee,

Maximus,

adj.

Tartre,

Trophee,

Tartary,

Tartarye,
F

3910

spelt

"c.

1907,

Thymalao,

3529.

3655.

Swctonius,
Synon,

Thopas,

NAMES.

PROPER

OF

3120,

1230.

3869.

s.

Ypotys,

India,

1199,

Hypermnestra,

Ypermistra,
B

2088.

no.

75.

INDEX

PRINCIPAL
For
words
in the

SUBJECTS

IN

EXPLAINED

NOTES.

THE

Glossarial Index.
A few
of words, see the preceding
explanations
are also more
explainedin the Notes ; these are indicated
particularly
Index
following
by beingprintedin italics. The references are to

the pages of the volume.

A. B. C., Chaucer's,
144.
abyen,162.
Adam, 175.

agayns,

Baraabo

of

201.

aketoun,164.
Aldiran,217.

de Sainte-Maure, 214.

Alcestis,137.
Alexander, 190.

Benoit

Alhazen, 215.

Bier, where

Bevis,Sir,168.

alle and some, 201.

Alma
redemptoris
mater,
atnbes

as,

147.

139, 140.

to

put in one's hood

appalled,
219.
of
April1 8, position
Apulianhorses,212.

sun

Ariadne,137.
Aries,signof,209.
ark

(ofthe

day),129.

164,165,166.

Armour,

139, 152,174.
(Ipray),195, 220.
(ace),139, 140, 190.

to

be

placed,150.

202.
biseye,

Angle meridional,216.
Antiphoner,148.
Ape,

Lombardy, 187.

be, with pp. of verb, 132.

been,bees,(pi.of bee),206.
Bells,clinking
of,143, 194.
181.
Belshazzar,
how pronounced,141.
benedicite,

Black Prince,185.
Blood in domination, 218.
Blue,colour of truth, 223.

Boccaccio,173, 175, 177, 180-184,

189, 192.

an, 144.

on,

130.

bodkins,191.
Boethius,178, 193,
borwe, to,

223.

222.

value of, 2 1 8.
Bridles,
and Cassius,191.
Bush, the burning,
144.
Busiris,
179.
Brutus

artow,
as
as

Asie

(AsiaMinor), 145.
assegai,
158.
Astrolabe,131.
-at,

suffix,1 75.
(-ate),

attained,194.
atte

Ave

(at

the),132.

Maria,

146.

aventayl,205.
avyse you,

198.

Cambynskan,207.
(know),141, 144, 148.

can

Canace, 137.
Carbuncle,166.
Caxton, 213.
centre, 208.

Ceyx, story of,134.

charge,219.
corpulence,
152; his selfdepreciation,
134.
Chichevache,204.
Chaucer's

child,162.
Christmas weather, 140.
cidatoun,155.

Gawain, Sir,211.

Genoa, coins of,157.

154.
gent (gentle),

146.
clergeoun,
corn,

corone,

199.

gesles,214.
164.
gesioiirs,
Giants,161.

76.

gird,190.

165.

cote-armour,

212.

gauren,

cider,177.
comes,

EXPLAINED.

SUBJECTS

OF

INDEX

covent, 150.

Glass-making,
215.

Croesus,192.

glose,143.

to
'curse,'

care

a,

'red,'166.
Women, Legend of, 134.
Gower, 137, 142, 148, 174, jSo.

Good

167.
Cypress,
Damascus, 175.

213, 214.

dan

(dominus),172.
Dante, 147, 187, 188.
of Law's

of Man

Date

grain,to dye in,155.

Guy, Sir,168.

Prologue,
130.

Day,artificial,
129, 130,
130,

21

natural,

depardieux,133.
Domination, blood in,2 1 8.

(causes),
150

; do

163.
(cause),

drasly,170.
Du

Gueschlin, 185, 186.

Edward, Saint,172.
"eer

165.
Jiabergeon,
halse

211.

Deianira,137, 180.

doo.'h

called

Gold

194.

suffix,
(-""),
143.

131.
eighletetne,

(conjure),
150.
hauberk,165.
hawe bake,138.
Hazard, game of,140.
Herbs, power of, 211.
of, 180.
Hercules, 177 ; pillars

heronsew,210.
Hexameters, 173.
Holofernes,190.
Hood, ape in a, 144.
Horn,

160.
Elf-queen,

Horse

eluish,
153.
Equinox,vernal,209.
"eth,(imp.pi.suffix),
131, 132.

hoste

examelron,

173.

Hugh
ihu

of, 168.
of brass,213.

romance

(dissyllabic),
129, 152.
of

Lincoln,151.

forjesu'),
149; ih!,
(contraction

149.

(inastrology),
209.
212.
160,
Fairies,
Face

Falcons,220,

221.

Feasts described,209.

feme, 215, 216.

167.
// (canto),
197.
Jlocfunele,
165.
for (against),

for me, 193, 219.

fumositee,
219.

furlongwey,

200.

157.
Galleyhalfpence,
131.
pan (did),
Gaunt, John of, 185, 186.

tnwith,149.

jambeux,1 66.
156,202.
Jane (a coin),
jangle,205.
Jankyn,141.
164.
Jesters,
Jesus,son of Sirach,139.
Jewry, 145.
the,148.
against
Jews,feeling
Jews'work, 165.
of contempt, 141, 194.
John, name
Judith,190.

Jugglers,
214.
JuliusCaesar,190.

316

INDEX

OF

Rani, prizefor wrestling,

157.

Regulus,
217.
rewel-boon,166.
Ridinginto a hall,210.
rime,so spelt,
153; rimes,215.

riiter,for,
157.
Rochester,old spelling
of, 171, 172.
rodt

(complexion),
154.

roiales,
164.
Roman

Thomas, Saint,206.
Thopas,meaningof,153 ;

metre

use

of,145.

thy,use of,203.
tidif,
223.
Time, flight
of,131, 132.
to, coalesces with vowel, 148.

148.

to-, prefix,
175.

Saffron,155.

163.
Tragedydefined,
173, 174.
tree (deathby hanging),
137.

Sampson, 175.
Sapor,183.

Trophe,180.
Troy,story of, 214.

Russia,207.

tonne,

Sarai,207.
Satan,174.
s

becomes

r, 212.

211.
Seals,

Seneca,132
sey
steer

; his

death, 189.

(saw),129.
(cider),
177*

sink

of,

153thon and ye,

to-ward,

Rose, 189,192, 193.

de la

EXPLAINED.

SUBJECTS

come

to,

Count, 187.
Ugolino,
uncouple,
189.
undern, 198.
Usury,148.
Valerius,
191.
218.
Venus, planet,

(five),
140.

the enchanter,
2 1 4,
Virgil

sir

(a title),
194.
sise (six),
140, 190.

Vitellio,
215.
vitremite,
183.

Skelton,224.
slide,
197.

Vows, 1 66.

solas,154.
Solomon, 139.
souneth into,172,

176.
wang-tooth,
were
(wouldbe),153, 195.
wered (worn),180.
what (whatwith),132 ; (why),134,

221.

springen(sprinkle),
143.
Squireof Low Degree,158.
162.
Staff-sling,

205.
1 72
wher, (whether),

; wher as,

Statius,
173.

Wikkednest

Suetonius,188, 189,190, 191.

Sun, position
of,April18, 130.

wil

Swans

with,curious position
of,220;

eaten,

210.

vice
Swearing,

swich

Telephus'
spear, 215.
Termagaunt,161.
that his
the more,

thee
thee
ther

(whose),146.
201.

162.
(thrive),
138.
(dative),
(where),151.

for the enfant,"c., 140.

thestaat,
thewes,199.

(Mauny),185.
(wishes),
150.

windas, 150.

of,141.

(so-like),
149.

146.

152worth

upon (goton),158.
worthyunder wede, 1 70.
"y, -ye, rime, 169.
ye

(yea),153, 194.

ye used for thou, 198,199.

ye, you,

197.

(ofyou),149.
yuel,adv., 202.
Ypotis,Sir,168.
your

Zenobia,182.

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