CHAUCER 
 
 THE PROLOGUE, THE KNIGHTES TALE 
 THE NONNE PREESTES TALE 
 
 MORRIS 
 
HENRY FROWDE 
 
 OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE 
 AMEN CORNER, E.G. 
 
CHAUCER 
 
 THE -PROLOGUE, THE KNIGHTES TALE 
 THE NONNE PREESTES TALE 
 
 FROM 
 
 THE CANTERBURY TALES 
 
 REV. RICHARD MORRIS, LL.D. 
 
 Author of ' Historiri.1 <~>u f lines of English Accidence* 
 
 Editor of Hampole's 'Priest of (. ottfcience,' " Early Englis,-: Alliterative Poems' 
 
 ' The Story of Genesis and E:vdits,' ' The Ayenbite of In-wyt? 'Old English Homilies' &c. 
 
 Memoes of the Coi'ncil of t,te c h-'loli>ycu^ Society 
 
 A NEW EDITION 
 
 WITH COLLATIONS AND ADDITIONAL NOTES 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. WALTER W. SKEAT, LITT.D. 
 
 ' O maister dere and fader reverent, 
 My maister Chaucers, flour of eloquence ! ' 
 
 HOCCLEVE, De Regim. Print, st. 281. 
 
 AT THE CLARENDON PRESS 
 MDCCCLXXXIX 
 
 [All rights reserved] 
 
p 
 /*& 
 
 IIY MORSE STEPHENS 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 CHAUCER was, like Spenser, Ben Jonson, Milton, etc., a 
 Londoner born and bred a . In his Release of his right to his 
 father's former house in Thames-street, London, to one Henry 
 Herbury, the poet describes himself as son of John Chaucer, 
 citizen and vintner of London (City Hustings Roll, no, 5 Ric. II, 
 membrane 2). His mother was no doubt Agnes Chaucer, who is 
 described in another Roll as the wife of John Chaucer in 1349. 
 Chaucer's grandfather was Robert Chaucer, of Ipswich and Lon- 
 don, who married a widow, Maria Heyroun, with a son Thomas 
 Heyroun. (Her third husband was Richard Chaucer, a London 
 vintner.) This Thomas Heyroun left his land to be sold by his 
 brother (that is, brother of the half-blood) John Chaucer, the poet's 
 father. As John Chaucer's house in Thames-street was by Wai- 
 brook a stream flowing from Finsbury Moor it must have been 
 near the spot where the South Eastern Railway (from Cannon 
 street) now crosses Thames-street. There, on Thames bank, the 
 poet spent his earliest days ; there for twelve and a half years later, 
 1374-1386, he did his daily work in the Custom House, after his 
 marriage and settling down in his rooms at Aldgate. Near there 
 he must have gone to school. Out of school and after play, the 
 boy would probably sometimes help his father in his wineshop and 
 cellar, and fill citizens' pots with the wine they required. 
 
 Young men in Chaucer's time finished their education either at 
 the University, or in some nobleman's house as pages. Chaucer's 
 father (John) was in attendance on Edward III and his queen 
 Philippa in their expedition to Flanders and Cologne in 1338 
 (Rymer, v. 51) ; and to the father's connection with the court, 
 the son no doubt owed his training and first appointment. 
 
 The first records of the name of Geoffrey Chaucer are on 
 two parchment leaves, fragments of a Household Account, 
 
 a The Testament of Love, which names London as the birthplace of 
 its writer, contains internal evidence that it was not the poet's work. 
 
 514244 
 
VI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 for the years 1356 to 1359, of Elizabeth, wife of Prince Lionel, 
 third son of Edward III ; and they contain, besides other things, 
 entries of (i) in April 1357, ' An entire suit of clothes, consist- 
 ing of a paltock' (or short cloak), 'a pair of red and black 
 breeches, with shoes, provided for Geoffrey Chaucer b ; ' (2) on 
 May 20, 1357, an article of dress, of which the name is lost by a 
 defect in the leaf, purchased for Geoffrey Chaucer in London ; 
 (3) in December of the same year, a donation of $s. 6d. to 
 Geoffrey Chaucer, for ' necessaries.' That this Geoffrey Chaucer 
 was the poet is almost certain. But the next and very important 
 record as to Chaucer is quite certain. It heads his own state- 
 ment, in a deposition made by him at Westminster in October 
 1386, at the famous trial between Richard Lord Scrope and Sir 
 Robert Grosvenor. The Council-clerk then entered Chaucer 
 no doubt by the poet's own authority as forty years of age and 
 upwards, and as having borne arms for twenty- seven years. 
 
 If then we take Chaucer's ' forty years and upwards ' as forty- 
 six, we fix the date of his birth at 1340 ; and this would make 
 him seventeen years old when he was in Prince Lionel's house- 
 hold, probably as a page, as the sums paid for his dress, and given 
 to him, are a good deal lower than those allotted to other mem- 
 bers of the household. This date would also make Chaucer nine- 
 teen when, doubtless in the retinue of Prince Lionel, he joined 
 Edward the Third's army, which invaded France in the autumn 
 of 1359, and was taken prisoner in that country, as he himself 
 informs us. (Against this date of 1340 as that of the poet's birth 
 used to be set the traditional date of 1328. But the Petition of 
 Geffrey Stace in 1328 see Rolls of Parliament^ ii. 14 expressly 
 states that John Chaucer (the poet's father, whom Stace and his 
 confederates had forcibly carried off from London in December 
 1324) was then still unmarried, ' unkore dismarie] and living with 
 his mother Maria, and his stepfather Richard Chaucer. More- 
 over, the Coram-Rege Roll of Trinity Term, 5 Edward III, 
 A.D. 1331, shows no plea by Geffrey Stace that John Chaucer 
 
 b At a cost of 7-r. (of which the paltock was 4?.), equal to about 5/. of 
 our present money. 
 
LIFE OF CHAUCER. vii 
 
 had then married the Joan de Esthalle whom they tried to marry 
 him to in 1324.) Chaucer's position in Prince Lionel's house- 
 hold would, says Mr. Bond, have given him 'the benefit of society 
 of the highest refinement, in personal attendance on a young and 
 spirited prince of the blood. He would have had his imagination 
 fed by scenes of the most brilliant court festivities c , rendered 
 more imposing by the splendid triumphs with which they were 
 connected ; and he would have had the advantage of royal patrons 
 in the early exercise of his genius.' He would have been helped 
 in ' perfecting that gift which so transcendently distinguishes him 
 from the versifiers of his time refinement of expression in his 
 own language ' a gift which his first poems show as well as his 
 last. It is quite certain that Chaucer was a diligent student and 
 a man of the most extensive learning. * The acquaintance he 
 possessed with the classics, with divinity, with astronomy, with 
 so much as was then known of chemistry, and indeed with every 
 other branch of the scholastic learning of the age, proves that 
 his education had been particularly attended to d . J 
 
 Chaucer's military career commenced, as we have seen, in 
 the year 1359, at which time he must have joined Edward the 
 Third's army, which invaded France in the beginning of No- 
 vember of that year. After ineffectually besieging Rheims the 
 English army laid siege to Paris (1360), when at length, suffer- 
 ing from famine and fatigue, Edward made peace at Bretigny 
 near Chartres. This treaty, called the ' Great Peace,' was rati- 
 fied in the following October, and King John was set at liberty. 
 In this expedition Chaucer was made prisoner, and on March i, 
 1360, Edward III paid i6/. towards Chaucer's ransom; 13^. 4^. 
 less than he gave another man for a horse. 
 
 c That most splendid entertainment given by Edward III (in 1358) to 
 the royal personages then in England including the King of France, the 
 Queen of Scotland, the King of Cyprus, and the sister of the captive King 
 of France, and Edward's own mother, the almost forgotten Queen Isabella 
 at what was ever after called ' the Great Feast of St. George.' Chaucer 
 was probably also present, with Prince Lionel, at the wedding of John of 
 Gaunt and Lady Blanche of Lancaster, at Reading, and at the famous 
 joustings subsequently held at London in honour of the event. 
 
 d Life of Chaucer by Sir H. Nicolas ; see Chaucer, ed. Morris, i. 4. 
 
Vlll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 We have no means of ascertaining how he spent the next six 
 years of his life, except from hints in our official records 6 and the 
 poet's own works. In 1367 the first notice of the poet occurs on 
 the Issue Rolls of the Exchequer, when a pension of 20 marks f 
 for life was granted by the king to Chaucer as one of the ' valets 
 of the king's chamber ' or, as the office was sometimes called, 
 ' valet of the king's household ' in consideration of former and 
 future services. This pension for 'former' services as well as 
 future, leaves little doubt that Chaucer entered the king's house- 
 hold soon after his return to England. In this service the poet, 
 then probably twenty-one, seems to have fallen desperately and 
 hopelessly in love, probably with a lady above him in rank, who 
 rejected him. His earliest original poem, his Compleynte to 
 Pite (pity), which may have been written about 1367, after his 
 rejection by his lady-love, tells us that for many years he dared 
 not speak his feelings towards her, and when at last he did so, 
 he found Pity dead in her heart ; but still he pleads pathetically 
 with her for her love, and declares that, though she still refuses 
 it, and he desires only death, he will love her alone till that 
 death comes 8. See also his Minor Poems, ed. Skeat, pp. 213-7. 
 
 e Issue Rolls of the Exchequer and the Tower Rolls. The details here 
 are from Sir H. Nicolas' Life of Chaucer, prefixed to Chaucer's poetical 
 works in the Aldine series of the Poets. 
 
 f A mark was 13^. ^d. of our money, but the buying power of money 
 was at least ten times greater than at present. In 1350 the average price 
 of a horse was 1 8s. ^d. ; of an ox I/. 4^. 6d. ; of a cow i js. 2d.\ of a sheep 
 is. 6d. ; of a goose 9^.; of a hen 2d. ; of a day's labour in husbandry ^d. 
 In Oxford, in 1310, wheat was los. a quarter; in December 7*. 8d. ; and 
 in October, 1311, 4^. icW. 
 
 * The old supposition that the 'Philippa' whom Chaucer married was 
 the daughter of Sir Paon de Roet (a native of Hainault and King of Arms 
 of Guienne) and sister to Katherine, widow of Sir Hugh Swynford, succes- 
 sively governess, mistress, and wife to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, 
 was founded on heraldic grounds. The Roet arms were adopted by 
 Thomas Chaucer. Then Thomas Chaucer was made (without the slightest 
 evidence) Geoffrey's son, and Philippa Roet was then made Geoffrey's 
 wife. Chaucer's wife Philippa was one of the ladies in attendance on 
 Queen Philippa, and in 1366 a pension of 10 marks was granted to her. 
 After the death of the queen she appears to have been attached to the 
 court of Constance of Castile, second wife of John of Gaunt. 
 
LIFE OF CHAUCER. ix 
 
 During the years 1368 and 1369, Chaucer was in London, and 
 received his pension in person. 
 
 In 1369 (Aug. 15) the death of Queen Philippa took place, and 
 in less than a month later, Blanche, the wife of John of Gaunt, 
 died, at the age of twenty-nine. Chaucer did honour to the 
 memory of his patron's wife in a funeral poem entitled ' The 
 Deth of Blaunche the Duchesse V And in this poem he tells 
 us, though sadly, that his own hopeless eight years' love is cured, 
 ' what will not be, must needs be left ; ' or, as he says in Troilus, 
 
 ' Criseyde loveth the sone of Tydeus, 
 And Troilus mot wepe in cares colde. 
 Swich is .this world, whoso kan it biholde ! 
 In ech estat is litil hertes reste ! 
 God leve i us for to take it for the beste ! ' 
 
 (Bk. V. st. ccli. 11. 1760-4.) 
 
 Chaucer's lines in the Blaunche (3 5-42) about his hopeless love, 
 which are referred to above, are in answer to the question why 
 
 he cannot sleep at night. 
 
 ' Trewely, as I gesse, 
 
 I holde hit [moot] be a siknesse 
 
 That I have suffred this eight yere ; 
 
 And yet my boote is never the nere; 
 
 For there is phisicien but oon 
 
 That may me hele. But that is doon. 
 
 Passe we over until eft; 
 
 That wil not be, moot nede be left.' 
 
 It was no good crying for the moon ; and although the early 
 shadow of disappointed love was still thrown over Chaucer's life, 
 and made him tell of Troilus' sorrow, and sing the Complaint of 
 Mars for his lost Venus, yet ,our poet was henceforth to work 
 himself out into the freshness and brightness that still draw 
 men to him as to spring sunshine. 
 
 h 'And goode faire whyte she heet (was called), 
 
 That was my lady name right. 
 
 She was bo the fair and bright, 
 
 She hadde not hir name wrong.' 
 
 (Deth of Blaunche the Duchesse, 11. 948-951.) 
 1 = allow, grant. 
 
X INTR OD UCTION. 
 
 In the course of the next ten years (1370-1380) the poet was 
 attached to the court, and employed in no less than seven 
 diplomatic services. In 1370 he was abroad in the king's service, 
 and received letters of protection, to be in force from June till 
 Michaelmas. Two years after this (Nov. 12, 1372) Chaucer was 
 joined in a commission with two citizens of Genoa to treat with 
 the doge, citizens, and merchants of Genoa, for the choice of an 
 English port where the Genoese might form a commercial 
 establishment. He appears to have left England before the end 
 of the year, having on the 1st of December received the sum of 
 66/. 13^. ^d. in aid of his expenses. He remained in Italy nearly 
 twelve months, and went on the king's service to Florence as 
 well as to Genoa. His return to England must have taken place 
 before the 22nd of Nov. 1373, as on this day he received his 
 pension in person k . 
 
 This was Chaucer's first important mission. It was no doubt 
 skilfully executed, and gave entire satisfaction to the king, who 
 on the 23rd of April, 1374, on the celebration of the feast of 
 St. George, at Windsor, made him a grant of a pitcher of wine 
 daily, to be received in the Port of London from the hands of the 
 king's butler 1 . On the loth of May the Corporation of London 
 granted Chaucer a lease for his life of the dwelling-house above 
 the gate of Aldgate, with the rooms built over, and a certain 
 cellar beneath, on condition that he kept these buildings in good 
 
 k In this embassy Chaucer is supposed to have made acquaintanceship 
 with Petrarch, who was at Arqua, two miles from Padua, in 1373, from 
 January till September, and to have learned from him the tale of the patient 
 Griselda. But it is not certain that the old biographers of Chaucer are 
 to be trusted in this matter. If the date of the later editions of Petrarch's 
 version can be trusted (there is no date in Ulrich TelFs first edition), Pe- 
 trarch did not translate this tale from Boccaccio's Decameron into Latin 
 until the end of Sept. 1373, after Chaucer's return [but some copies give 
 the date June 8, 1373]. And though it is the Clerk of Oxenford, and not 
 Chaucer, that asserts that he learned the tale of * a worthy clerk' at Padua, 
 ' Fraunces Petrarch, the laureate poete,' yet there can be no question that 
 Chaucer's Clerk's Tale is an enlarged and adorned translation of Pe- 
 trarch's Latin version of Boccaccio's Italian story. 
 
 1 This was commuted in 1378 for a yearly payment of 20 marks. 
 
LIFE OF CHAUCER. XI 
 
 repair. About four weeks later, on the 8th of June, he was 
 appointed Comptroller of the Customs and Subsidy of Wools, 
 Skins, and Leather, in the Port of London m , and on the I3th of 
 the same month he received a pension of io/. for life from the 
 Duke of Lancaster for the good service rendered by him and his 
 wife Philippa to the said Duke, to his Consort, and to his mother 
 the Queen. This is the first mention of Philippa Chaucer as 
 Geoffrey's wife, though a Philippa Chaucer is named as one of 
 the Ladies of the Chamber to Queen Philippa on Sept. 12, 1366, 
 and subsequently. It is possible that Philippa Chaucer was a 
 relative or namesake of Geoffrey, and that he married her in the 
 spring or early summer of 1374 ; if not, he must have married 
 her before Sept. 12, 1366. 
 
 Chaucer's Italian journey, and his study of Italian literature in 
 consequence of it, exercised a marked influence on his writings, 
 and opened the second period of his development, in which his 
 Lyf of Seynt Cecile, Parlement of Foules, Compleynt of Mars, 
 Anelida and Arcite, Boece, Former Age, Troilus, and House of 
 Fame, were probably composed. 
 
 In 1375 Chaucer's income was augmented by receiving from 
 the crown (Nov. 8) the custody of the lands and person of 
 Edmond Staplegate of Kent, which he retained for three years, 
 during which time he received as wardship and marriage fee the 
 sum of io4/. ; and (on Dec. 28) the custody of five ' solidates ' of 
 rent n in Soles in Kent. Toward the end of 1376 Sir John 
 Burley and Chaucer were employed in some secret service, the 
 nature of which is not known. On the 23rd of the same month 
 the poet received 6/. 13^. 4^., and Burley twice that sum, for the 
 work upon which they had been employed. 
 
 In February 1377, the last year of Edward's reign, the poet was 
 associated with Sir Thomas Percy (afterward Earl of Worcester) 
 
 m In July 1376, Chaucer, as Comptroller of Wool Customs, received from 
 the king the sum of 7 1 /. 45-. 6d., being the fine paid by John Kent of London 
 for shipping wool to Dordrecht without having paid the duty thereon. 
 
 n A solidafe of land was as much land (probably an acre) as was worth 
 a shilling. 
 
Xll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 in a secret mission to Flanders , and was shortly afterwards 
 (April) probably joined with Sir Guichard d' Angle (afterwards 
 Earl of Huntingdon) and Sir Richard Sturry to treat of peace 
 with Charles V, King of France P. In 1377 Richard II succeeded 
 to the throne, and Chaucer appears to have been reappointed one 
 of the king's esquires. In January, 1378, he was probably 
 sent with the Earl of Huntingdon to France to treat for a 
 marriage of Richard with the daughter of the king of France. 
 On his return he was employed in a new mission to Lombardy, 
 along with Sir Edward Berkeley, to treat with Bernard Visconti, 
 Lord of Milan (whose death Chaucer afterwards brought into 
 his Monk's Tale) and Sir John Hawkwood, * on certain affairs 
 touching the expediting the king's warV When Chaucer set 
 out on this embassy he appointed Gower as one of his trustees 
 to appear for him in the courts in case of any legal proceed- 
 ings being instituted against him during his absence 1 . 
 
 By deed of May i, 1380, Cecilia Chaumpayne released Chaucer 
 from his raptus of her. On the 8th of May, 1382, he was made 
 Comptroller of the Petty Customs, retaining at the same time his 
 office of Comptroller of the Wool Customs. These emoluments he 
 continued to hold till Dec. i, 1386, and in Feb. 1385 was allowed the 
 privilege of nominating a deputy, so that he had perhaps now, or 
 perhaps soon after the loss of his office, leisure to devote himself to 
 his great work, the Canterbury Tales, which, though never com- 
 pleted, was written at different times of his life, from 1373 to 
 
 Chaucer received for this service io/. on Feb. 17, and 2O/. on April n. 
 P Chaucer received 26/. 13^. 4^. on April 30, as part payment for this 
 
 service, and in 1381 (March) he was paid an additional sum of 22/. 
 
 1 Chaucer was absent on this service from May 28 to Sept. 19, but 
 was not paid till 1380, when he received 567. 13^. 4^. 
 
 r This circumstance proves the existence of an intimate friendship 
 between the two poets. Chaucer dedicated his Troilus and Criseyde to 
 Gower ; and the latter poet, in the Confessio Amantis (Book viii.), makes 
 Venus speak of Chaucer as follows : 
 
 'And grete wel Chaucer, whan ye mete, 
 As my disciple and my poete, 
 For in the floures of his youthe, 
 In sondry wyse, as he wel couthe, 
 
LIFE OF CHAUCER. Xlll 
 
 1400, and prefaced by a Prologue, written on or about a journey 
 in 1388. To this, the third period of his poetical life, also belong 
 The Legende of Good Women (written about 1385), and Truth. 
 (The ' Moder of God' formerly attributed to him is Hoccleve's.) 
 In 1386 Chaucer was elected a knight of the shire for Kent, 
 in the Parliament held at Westminster. John of Gaunt was 
 abroad at this time ; and the Duke of Gloucester, at the head of 
 the government, was most likely not well disposed towards the 
 protege of his brother, with whom he was now on ill terms. On 
 the 1st of December, Chaucer was dismissed from his offices of 
 Comptroller of Wool, Woolfells, and Leather, and of Comptroller 
 of Petty Customs, and others were appointed in his place 8 . 
 The loss of his emoluments reduced the poet from affluence to 
 poverty his beautiful ' balade of Truth ' ( ( Flee fro the prees ') 
 probably speaks his own feelings in this time of his distress and 
 we find him raising money upon his two pensions of 20 marks, 
 which on the 1st of May, 1388, were cancelled and assigned to 
 John Scalby. To add to his trouble, his wife died in 1387 : yet in 
 1388 he made his merry Canterbury pilgrimage. Richard, in 1389, 
 dismissed his council, and took the reins of government into his 
 own hands ; the Lancastrian party were restored to power, and 
 Chaucer was appointed Clerk of the King's Works at West- 
 minster, at a salary of 2s. a-day, about I/, of our money. The 
 
 Of dytees and of songes glade, 
 
 The whiche he for my sake made, 
 
 The land fulfilled is over al ; 
 
 "Whereof to him in special 
 
 Above alle other, I am most holde (beholden). 
 
 Forthy now in his dayes olde 
 
 Thou shalt him telle this message, 
 
 That he upon his latter age, 
 
 To sette an end of al his werke, 
 
 As he, whiche is myn owne. clerke, 
 
 Do make his Testament of Love, 
 
 As thou hast doon thy shrift above, 
 
 So that my court it may recorde.' 
 
 1 The Parliament of 1386 compelled Richard to appoint a commission 
 to enquire into the state of the subsidies and customs. The commis- 
 sioners began their duties in November, and the removal of certain 
 officers may be attributed to their investigations. 
 
xvi INTRODUCTION. 
 
 whom he addressed his treatise on the Astrolabe in 1391. There 
 is no evidence whatever that Thomas Chaucer, who attained to 
 immense wealth, and whose great-grandson, John de la Pole 
 (Earl of Lincoln), was declared by Richard III heir-apparent to 
 the throne, was Chaucer's son, though he may have been a relative. 
 In the Prologue to The Rime of Sir Thopas x , we have prob- 
 ably a faithful picture of Chaucer's personal appearance in 1388, 
 agreeing in some points with his later portrait by Hoccleve a . 
 In person he was corpulent, and, like his host of the Tabard, c a 
 large man/ and no ( poppet ' to embrace ; but his face was small, 
 fair, and intelligent, his eye downcast and meditative, but dazed 
 by age and study. Altogether, he had an * elvish ' or weird b ex- 
 pression of countenance, which attracted the attention of those 
 who came into contact with him for the first time, and with whom 
 he seems to have been reserved and reticent. His extensive ac- 
 quirements and voluminous writings show that he was a hard- 
 working student ; from incidental allusions in The House of 
 Fame, we learn that when his labours and ' reckonings' at the 
 Custom House were over, and he returned home, instead of rest 
 and novelties he sat and pored over his books until his eyes were 
 ' dased ' and dull ; and often at night an aching head followed 
 the making of ' books, songs, and ditties.' So absorbed was he in 
 
 1 'Our hoste iapen tho began, 
 
 And than at erst he loked upon me, 
 And seyde thus, " What man artow ? " quod he ; 
 " Thou lokest as thou woldest fynde an hare, 
 For ever upon the ground I se thee stare ; 
 
 Approche neer, and loke up merily. 
 Now war you, sirs, and lat this man have place ; 
 He in the waast is shape as wel as I; 
 This were a popet in an arm tenbrace 
 For any womman, smal and fair of face. 
 He semeth elvish by his contenance, 
 For unto no wight doth he daliaunce."' 
 
 a This is a coloured portrait found in the margin of Hoccleve's work 
 
 ' De Regimine Principum ' in Harl. MS. 4866. Other MSS. contain other 
 
 paintings of Chaucer ; but the care bestowed on the Harleian one, which 
 
 really looks like a portrait, has made critics believe it a genuine likeness. 
 
 b Tyrwhitt renders elvish by ' shy/ 
 
THE POETRY OF CHAUCER. Xvii 
 
 his studies, that for the time neither foreign affairs, his neigh- 
 bours' gossip, ' nor anything else that God had made,' had any 
 interest for him. Hermit-like though he lived, Chaucer was not 
 naturally a recluse, and still less an ascetic : given more to 
 observe than to talk, he loved'good and pleasant society, and to 
 sit at the festive board ; for, as he himself tells us, ' his absti- 
 nence was but little.' 
 
 Though an essentially dramatic spirit pervades nearly the whole 
 of his works, yet Chaucer is above all things a narrator, and we 
 must reckon him among the objective and not the subjective poets; 
 among the epic, of Goethe's threefold division of all poets into epic, 
 dramatic, and lyrical. Yet he is subjective, lyrical, too. Chaucer 
 himself is in all his original works : hopeless and sad in his early 
 poems, bright and humourful in his later ones, poor and suppliant in 
 his last. Among his chief characteristics are his delightful freshness 
 and simplicity, his roguish genial humour he was full of quaint 
 fun his heartfelt love of nature, his tender pathos, his knowledge 
 of women -the naughty he quizzed in most happy style, and the 
 good he honoured and praised with all his might his love of his 
 dear old books, his power of lifelike portraiture, his admirable 
 story-telling, and the perfection of his verse. * His best tales run 
 on like one of our inland rivers, sometimes hastening a little and 
 turning upon themselves in eddies that dimple without retarding 
 the current ; sometimes loitering smoothly, while here and there 
 a quiet thought, a tender feeling, a pleasant image, a golden - 
 hearted verse, opens quietly as a water-lily, to float on the surface 
 without breaking it into ripple c .' Chaucer's ardent love of 
 Nature, finely apostrophised by the poet as 'the vicar of the 
 Almighty Lord/ is everywhere apparent. What is more spon- 
 taneous and characteristic of the poet than such joyous outbursts 
 as the following ? 
 
 * Herkneth thise blisful briddes how they singe, 
 
 And see the fresshe floures how they springe; 
 
 Ful is myn hert of revel and solas.' 
 
 (Nonne Prestes Tale, 11. 381-383.) 
 
 c Prof. J. R. Lowell's essay, in his ' My Study Windows,' p. 87, a 
 book that every Chaucer student should buy and read. 
 
 b 
 
xviii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Even his love and reverence for books gave way before an 
 eager desire to enjoy the beauties of nature in that season of the 
 year when all around him was manifesting life and loveliness d . 
 
 Not less evident is Chaucer's high estimation of women, and 
 his i perception of a sacred bond/ spiritual and indestructible, in 
 true marriage between man and woman e .' Of all the flowers 
 in the mead, the daisy, ' the emperice and flour of floures alle,' 
 was Chaucer's favourite, because to him it was the fit repre- 
 sentative of the ' trouthe of womanhede' ; Good Worn. 185, 297. 
 
 d 'And as for me, thogh that I can but lyte (little), 
 On bokes for to rede I me delyte, 
 And to hem yeve (give) I feyth and ful credence, 
 And in myn herte have hem in reverence 
 So hertely that there is game noon, 
 That fro my bokes maketh me to goon, 
 But hit be seldom, on the holy day, 
 Save, certeynly, whan that the month of May 
 Is comen, and that I here the foules singe, 
 And that the floures ginnen for to springe, 
 Farwel my book, and my devocioun ! ' 
 
 (Legend of Good Women, ed. Skeat, p. 3, 11. 29-39.) 
 
 * * For who can be so buxom as a wyf? 
 "Who is so trewe and eek so ententyf, 
 To kepe him, seek and hool, as is his make? 
 For wele or woo sche wol him not forsake. 
 Sche is not wery him to love and serve, 
 Theigh that he lay bedred til that he sterve. 
 
 A wyf is Goddes yifte verrayly; 
 Manage is a ful gret sacrament ; 
 
 Her may ye see, and here may ye prove, 
 
 That wyf is mannes help and his comfort, : 
 
 His paradis terrestre and his de sport. 
 
 So buxom and so vertuous is sche, 
 
 Thay mosten neede lyve in unite; 
 
 O fleisch thay ben, and on blood, as I gesse, 
 
 Have but oon herte in wele and in distresse. 
 
 A wyf? a! Seinte Mary, benedicite, 
 
 How mighte a man have eny adversite 
 
 That hath a wyf? certes I can not save.' 
 
 The Marchaundes Tale ; 41, 67, 75, 86. 
 See Morley's English Writers, vol. ii. pp. 135, 256, 286. 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. XXV 
 
 have been a dramatist before that which is technically known 
 as the existing drama was invented m .' 
 
 6 The Knightes Tale, or at least a poem upon the same 
 subject, was originally composed by Chaucer as a separate work. 
 As such, it is mentioned by him, among some of his other works, 
 in the Legende of Goode Women (11. 420, i), under the title of 
 " Al the love of Palamon and Arcyte Of Thebes, thogh the storye 
 ys knowen lyte ; " and the last words [copied from Boccaccio] 
 seem to imply that it [the old story] had not made itself very 
 popular. It is not impossible that at first it was a mere trans- 
 lation of the Teseide of Boccaccio, and that its present form 
 was given it when Chaucer determined to assign it the first 
 place among his Canterbury Tales n . 
 
 * It may not be unpleasing to the reader to see a short summary 
 of it, which will show with what skill Chaucer has proceeded in 
 reducing a poem of about ten thousand lines to a little more than 
 two thousand without omitting any material circumstance. 
 
 ' The Teseide is distributed into twelve Books or Cantos. 
 ' Bk. i. Contains the war of Theseus with the Amazons, their 
 submission to him, and his marriage with Hippolyta. 
 
 * Bk. ii. Theseus, having spent two years in Scythia, is re- 
 proached by Perithous in a vision, and immediately returns to 
 
 m Marsh, Origin and History of the English Language, pp. 417-419. 
 
 n 'The Knight's Tale is an abridged translation of a part of Boccaccio's 
 Teseide, but with considerable change in the plan, which is, perhaps, not 
 much improved, and with important additions in the descriptive and the 
 more imaginative portions of the story. These additions are not inferior to 
 the finest parts of Boccaccio's work ; and one of them, the description of 
 the Temple of Mars, is particularly interesting, as proving that Chaucer 
 possessed a power of treating the grand and terrible, of which no modern 
 poet but Dante had yet given an example.' (Marsh, Origin and History of 
 the English Language, pp. 423, 424.) 'Out of 2,250 of Chaucer's lines, he 
 has only translated 270 (less than one-eighth) from Boccaccio ; only 374 
 more lines bear a general likeness to Boccaccio ; and only 132 more a slight 
 likeness.' (Furnivall, Temporary Preface to Six-Text Edition of Chaucer.) 
 
 'Several parallel lines between Chaucer's Troilus and the Knightes Tale 
 show that Troilus and the original draught of the Knightes Tale, to which, 
 Chaucer himself gives the name of " Palemon," were in hand at about 
 the same time.' (Skeat, .in Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, iv. 292.) 
 
XXVI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Athens with Hippolyta and her sister Emilia. He enters the city 
 in triumph ; finds the Grecian ladies in the temple of Clemenzia ; 
 marches to Thebes ; kills Creon, &c., and brings home Palemone 
 and Arcita who are " Damnati ad eterna presone.' 
 
 4 Bk. iii. Emilia, walking in a garden and singing, is heard and 
 seen first by Arcita , who calls Palemone. They are both 
 equally enamoured of her, but without any jealousy or rivalship. 
 Emilia is supposed to see them at the window, and to be not dis- 
 pleased with their admiration. Arcita is released at the request 
 of Perithous ; takes his leave of Palemone, with embraces, &c. 
 
 1 Bk. iv. Arcita, having changed his name to Pentheo, goes into 
 the service of Menelaus at Mycenae, and afterwards of Peleus 
 at Aegina. From thence he returns to Athens and becomes a 
 favourite servant of Theseus, being known to Emilia, though 
 to nobody else ; till after some time he is overheard making 
 his complaint in a wood, to which he usually resorted for that 
 purpose, by Pamphilo, a servant of Palemone. 
 
 6 Bk. v. Upon the report of Pamphilo, Palemone begins to be 
 jealous of Arcita, and is desirous to get out of prison in order 
 to fight with him. This he accomplishes with the assistance 
 of Pamphilo, by changing clothes with Alimeto, a physician. 
 He goes armed to the wood in quest of Arcita, whom he finds 
 sleeping. At first, they are very civil and friendly to each other. 
 Then Palemone calls upon Arcita to renounce his pretensions to 
 Emilia, or to fight with him. After many long expostulations on 
 the part of Arcita, they fight, and are discovered first by Emilia, 
 who sends for Theseus. When he finds who they are, and the 
 
 ' In describing the commencement of this amour, which is to be the 
 subject of the remainder of the poem, Chaucer has entirely departed from 
 his author in three principal circumstances, and, I think, in each with very 
 good reason: (i) By supposing Emilia to be seen first by Palamon, he 
 gives him an advantage over his rival which makes the catastrophe more 
 consonant to poetical justice ; (2) The picture which Boccaccio has ex- 
 hibited of two young princes violently enamoured of the same object, 
 without jealousy or rivalship, if not absolutely unnatural, is certainly very 
 insipid and unpoetical ; (3) As no consequence is to follow from their 
 being seen by Emilia at this time, it is better, I think, to suppose, as 
 Chaucer has done, that they are not seen by her.' Tyrwhitt. 
 
TH& KNIGHTES TALE. XXV11 
 
 cause of their difference, he forgives them, and proposes the 
 method of deciding their claim to Emilia by a combat of a 
 hundred on each side, to which they gladly agree. 
 
 ' Bk. vi. Palemone and Arcita live splendidly at Athens, and 
 send out messengers to summon their friends, who arrive ; and 
 the principal of them are severally described, viz. Lycurgus, 
 Peleus, Phocus, Telamon, &c. ; Agamemnon, Menelaus, Castor 
 and Pollux, &c.; Nestor, Evander, Perithous, Ulysses, Diomedes, 
 &c. ; with a great display of ancient history and mythology. 
 
 * Bk. vii. Theseus declares the laws of the combat, and the 
 two parties of a hundred on each side are formed. The day 
 before the combat, Arcita, after having visited the temples of 
 all the gods, makes a formal prayer to Mars. The prayer, being 
 personified^ is said to go and find Mars in his Temple in Thrace, 
 which is described ; and Mars, upon understanding the message, 
 causes favourable signs to be given to Arcita. In the same 
 manner Palemone closes his religious observances with a .prayer 
 to Venus. His prayer being also personified, sets out for the 
 temple of Venus on Mount Citherone, which is also described ; 
 and the petition is granted. Then the sacrifice of Emilia to 
 Diana is described, her prayer, the appearance of the goddess, 
 and the signs of the two fires. In the morning they proceed 
 to the theatre with their respective troops, and prepare for the 
 action. Arcita puts up a private prayer to Emilia, and harangues 
 his troop publicly, and Palemone does the same. 
 
 * Bk. viii. Contains a description of the battle, in which Pale- 
 mone is taken prisoner. 
 
 * Bk. ix. The horse of Arcita, being frighted by a Fury, sent 
 from Hell at the desire of Venus, throws him. However, he is 
 carried to Athens in a triumphal chariot with Emilia by his 
 side ; is put to bed dangerously ill ; and there by his own desire 
 espouses Emilia. 
 
 ' Bk. x. The funeral of the persons killed in the combat. Arcita, 
 being given over by his physicians, makes his will, in discourse 
 with Theseus, and desires that Palemone may inherit all his pos- 
 sessions and also Emilia. He then takes leave of Palemone and 
 
xxvill INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Emilia, to whom he repeats the same request. Their lamen- 
 tations. Arcita orders a sacrifice to Mercury, which Palemone 
 performs for him, and dies. 
 
 * Bk. xi. Opens with the passage of Arcita's soul to heaven, 
 imitated from the Ninth Book of Lucan. The funeral of Arcita. 
 Description of the wood felled takes up six stanzas. Palemone 
 builds a temple in honour of him, in which his whole history 
 is painted. The description of this painting is an abridgment 
 of the preceding part of the poem. 
 
 6 Bk. xii. Theseus proposes to carry into execution Arcita's 
 will by the marriage of Palemone and Emilia. This they both 
 decline for some time in formal speeches, but at last are per- 
 suaded and married. The kings, &c. take their leave, and 
 Palemone remains in gioia e in diporto con la sua dona nobile 
 e cortese P.' 
 
 The Wonne Prestes Tale is so characteristic of Chaucer's 
 geniuSj, that Dryden, who modernised it as the fable of the ( Cock 
 and Fox/ thought it to be of the poet's own invention ; but it is 
 no doubt taken from a fable of about forty lines, * Dou Coc et 
 dou Werpil, 3 in the poems of Marie of France, which is amplified 
 in the fifth chapter of the old French metrical Roman de Renart, 
 entitled 'Si comme Renart prist Chantecler le Coc/ See p. liii. 
 
 Chaucer's English, like that of the present day, is an unin- 
 flected or analytic language, and in this respect it differed from 
 the language of many earlier authors, and especially from that 
 oldest form of English usually termed Anglo-Saxon, which was 
 originally inflected or synthetic, that is to say, it expressed 
 grammatical relation by a change in \heform of words, instead of 
 employing auxiliary words. The circumstances which led to this 
 conversion are well known, forming as they do a part of the history 
 of the English people. The first in order of time is the invasion, 
 settlement, and conquest of the country by the Danes, extend- 
 ing over a period of nearly a century and a half (A.D. 867-1013). 
 The Danish influence upon the language seems to have affected 
 
 P Tyrwhitt, Introductory Discourse to the Canterbury Tales. 
 
CHAUCER'S ENGLISH. xxix 
 
 chiefly the dialects of the north and east parts of the island, in con- 
 sequence of which their inflexions and syntactical structure were 
 much simplified, and they assumed a more modern appearance 
 than the speech prevailing in other districts. Doubtless it caused 
 the language generally to be in a very unsettled state, and the re- 
 volution thus commenced was accelerated by the Norman Con- 
 quest, which followed in the year 1066. Norman rule introduced 
 a new civilization of a far higher order than had ever before ex- 
 isted in England, and of this the Normans were fully sensible, and 
 utterly despised both the language and literature of the Saxons as 
 only fit for churls and villains. In a certain sense English ceased 
 to be the language of literature <i, and for about two hundred 
 years Norman -French was the language of the Court, the 
 Church, the Courts of Law, and of the upper and middle classes 
 of society, and divided literature with the Latin tongue. But 
 though the English were thus made to feel their position as a 
 subject people, they clung most pertinaciously to the speech 
 of their forefathers, and after a long and continuous struggle 
 English regained its supremacy as the language of literature 
 and the common tongue of all who claimed the name of 
 Englishmen, while Norman-French was reduced to a mere 
 provincial dialect. This was brought about by the fusion of 
 the Saxon and Norman races, about the time of Henry II ; by 
 the severance of Normandy from England and its annexation 
 to France, in the time of John ; by the wars of Edward III, 
 which did much to promote religious and political liberty, and 
 by the adoption of English as the household speech by that 
 part of the nation that had previously spoken French, which 
 happened about the middle of the fourteenth century. 
 
 The Norman Conquest wrought a twofold revolution in the 
 language : the first, which extended over nearly the whole of 
 
 * It is altogether erroneous to suppose that immediately after the Nor- I 
 man Conquest English ceased to be written, for from ^Ifric to Chaucer 
 we have an almost unbroken series of vernacular literature by which we 
 are able to determine with tolerable exactness the various changes in 
 grammar and vocabulary which occurred during this interval. 
 
XXX INTRODUCTION". 
 
 the twelfth century, affected the grammatical forms of the 
 language ; final vowels were changed, some consonants became 
 softened, and many of the older inflexions of nouns, adjectives 
 and verbs went out of use, their place being supplied by 
 prepositions and auxiliary words. This was a period of great 
 grammatical confusion, but the vocabulary remained unchanged. 
 At the beginning of the thirteenth century, we find the 
 grammatical forms more settled ; but many provincial elements 
 unknown to the oldest English had crept in, and about the 
 middle of this period we have to note a further change in the 
 substance of the language, caused by the infusion of the Norman- 
 French element. The additions to the vocabulary were at first 
 small, but they gradually increased, and about the middle of 
 the fourteenth century they formed no inconsiderable part of 
 the written language. In Chaucer's works these loans are so 
 numerous that he has been accused of corrupting the English 
 language by a large and unnecessary admixture of Norman- 
 French terms. But Chaucer, with few exceptions, employed 
 only such terms as were in use in the spoken language, and 
 stamped them with the impress of his genius, so that they 
 became current coin of the literary realm. 
 
 The period in which Chaucer lived was one of great literary 
 activity, and such names as Richard Rolle of Hampole, Minot, 
 Mandeville, Langland, WiclifTe, and Gower, prove that the 
 English language was in a healthy and vigorous condition, and 
 really deserving of the importance into which it was rising. But 
 as yet there was no national language, and consequently no 
 national literature ; the English of the twelfth, thirteenth, and 
 fourteenth centuries diverged into many dialects, each having 
 its own literature intelligible only to a comparatively small 
 circle of readers, and no one form of English can be considered 
 as the type of the language of the period. Of these dialects 
 the East Midland, spoken, with some variation, from the 
 Humber to the Thames, was perhaps the simplest in its 
 grammatical structure, the most free from those broad provin- 
 cialisms which particularised the speech of other districts, and 
 
CHAUCER'S ENGLISH. xxxi 
 
 presented the nearest approach in form and substance to the 
 language of the present day as spoken and written by educated 
 Englishmen. In the works of Ormin and Robert of Brunne 
 we have evidence of its great capacity for literary purposes. 
 Wicliffe and Gower added considerably to its importance, but 
 in the hands of Chaucer it attained to the dignity of a national 
 language r . He represented, and identified himself with, that 
 new life which the English people at this time were just com- 
 mencing, and his works reflect not only his own inimitable 
 genius, but the spirit, tastes, and feelings of his age. It was 
 this, combined with his thorough mastery over the English 
 language, that caused Chaucer to become to others (what no 
 one had been before) a standard of literary excellence ; and for 
 two hundred years after he had no equal, but was regarded 
 as the father of English poetry, the Homer 8 of his country, and 
 the well of English undefiled. 
 
 With the Canterbury Tales commences the modern period 
 of English literature. Our earlier authors are usually studied 
 for their philological importance, and most of them require 
 the aid of a grammar and a glossary, but Chaucer is as easily 
 understood as Spenser and Shakespeare. Not many of his 
 terms are wholly obsolete, and but few of his inflections have 
 gone wholly out of use. But as some special acquaintance with 
 Chaucer's English will be of great service in mastering the 
 poet's system of versification, an outline of his grammatical 
 forms (for the most part taken from Prof. F. J. Child's Essay on 
 Chaucer) is here subjoined, which will be found useful should 
 
 r 'From this Babylonish confusion of speech [i.e. the numerous local 
 dialects of the English language in the fourteenth century] the influence 
 and example of Chaucer did more to rescue his native tongue than any 
 other single cause ; and if we compare his dialect with that of any writer 
 of an earlier date, we shall find that in compass, flexibility, expressiveness, 
 grace, and all the higher qualities of poetical diction, he gave it at once 
 the utmost perfection which the materials at his hand would admit of.' 
 (Marsh, Origin and History of the English Language, p. 381.) 
 
 8 'In the first place, as he (Chaucer) is the father of English poetry, 
 so I hold him in the same degree of veneration as the Grecians held 
 Homer, or the Romans Virgil/ (Dryden's Preface to The Fables^ 
 
XXXll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 the young student feel disposed to make himself acquainted 
 with the works of earlier English writers. 
 
 NOUNS. 
 
 Number. The plural for the most part terminates in 
 -es\ 
 
 'And with his sir ernes dryeth in the grevZs 
 The silver dropes hanging on the leves.' 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 11. 637-8.) 
 
 1. -s is frequently added, (a) to nouns terminating in a liquid 
 or dental, as bargayns, naciouns, palmers, pilgryms, c. ; (b) to 
 most words of more than one syllable. 
 
 In some MSS. we find -is, -us, for -es as bestis, beasts ; 
 leggus, legs ; othus, oaths which seem to be dialectical 
 varieties, and probably due to the scribes who copied the MSS. 
 
 2. Some few nouns (originally forming the plural in -an) have 
 -en, -n ; as asschen, ashes ; assert, asses ; been, bees ; eyen, yen, 
 eyes ; fleen, fleas ; flon, arrows ; oxen ; ton, toon, toes ; schoon, 
 slioon, shoes. 
 
 The following have -n, which has been added to older forms 
 (a) in -e (originally in -u) ; (b) in -y. 
 
 (a) Brethren (A. S. brothru, O. E. brothre, brethre), brothers. 
 Doughtren (A. S. dohtru, O. E. dohtre), daughters. 
 Sistren, sustren (A. S. s-weostru, O. E. swustre), sisters. 
 Children (A. S. cildni, Q.E. childre), children*. 
 
 (b) Kyn (A. S. ^?), kine. u . PadAfon^foon (A. S.fdri), foes. 
 
 3. The following nouns, originally neuter, have no termination 
 in the plural : deer, folk, good, hors, neet, scheep, swin, thing, 
 yer, yeer ; as in the older stages of the language night, winter, 
 freond (A. S.frynd) are used as plurals. 
 
 4. Feet, gees, men, teeth, are examples of the plural by vowel- 
 change. 
 
 * In some of the O.E. Northern and Midland dialects we find brether 
 (brothers), childer (children), deghter (daughters). 
 
 a In some of the Northern and Midland dialects we find kye (cows). 
 
CHAUCER S GRAMMAR. XXXlil 
 
 Case. The genitive case singular ends in -es ; as 
 ' Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre.' (Prol. 1. 47.) 
 
 1. In Anglo-Saxon, feeder, brothor, dohtor, took no inflexion 
 in the genitive singular : this explains such phrases as ''fader 
 day,' 'fader soule,' ' brother sone,' ' daughter name.* 
 
 2. The following phrases contain remnants of feminine nouns 
 which originally formed the genitive in -an (first declension of 
 A. S. nouns): * Lady (=ladye] grace;' '/tf^/j/veyl;' * cherche 
 blood ; ' ' herte blood ; ' ' widow ( = widewe) sone ; ' ' sonrie 
 upriste' (uprising). 
 
 3. The dative case singular occasionally occurs and terminates 
 in -e ; as bedd'e, holte, c. 
 
 4. The genitive plural is much the same as in modern Eng- 
 lish; as * foxes tales;' ' mennes wittes.' Forms in -en (= -ene] 
 are not common in Chaucer's works : ' his eyghen (of eyes) 
 sight' occurs in Canterbury Tales, 1. 10134 (Wright's Text). 
 
 ADJECTIVES. 
 
 Adjectives, like the modern German, have two forms Definite 
 and Indefinite. The definite form is preceded by the definite 
 article, a demonstrative adjective, or a possessive pronoun, and 
 terminates in -e in all cases of the singular ; as ' the yong-e 
 sone,' ' his half-e cours.' Words of more than one syllable nearly 
 always omit the final -e. 
 
 The vocative case of the adjective takes this -e; as ' lev-e 
 brother' (1. 326, p. 42) ; ' O strong-e God' (1. 1515, p. 8 1). 
 
 Degrees of Comparison. The Comparative degree is 
 formed by adding -er (-re) to the Positive ; as lever, gretter*. 
 
 We find some few forms in -re remaining ; as derre (dearer) ; 
 more (mare) ; ferre (further) ; herre (higher) ; nerre> ner 
 (nearer) ; sorre (sorer). 
 
 Leng, lenger (lengre\ = longer ; strenger, stronger, are 
 
 x Occasionally the definite form of the comparative seems to end in 
 ere (-re), to distinguish it from the indefinite form in -er ; but no posi- 
 tive rule can be laid down, as -er and -re are easily interchanged, 
 
 C 
 
XXXIV INTRODUCTION. 
 
 examples of vowel-change ; as seen in the modern English elder, 
 the comparative of old. 
 
 Bet (bettre) and mo are contracted forms. 
 
 The Superlative degree terminates in -este (-est)?: nest or 
 -next, and hext (highest) are abbreviated forms. 
 
 Number. The plural of adjectives is denoted by the final -e : 
 'And smale fowles maken melodye.' (Prol. 1. 9.) 
 
 Adjectives of more than one syllable, and adjectives used pre- 
 dicatively, mostly drop the -e in the plural. Some few adjectives 
 of Romance origin form the plural in -es ; as ' places delitables? 
 
 DEMONSTRATIVES. 
 
 1. The old plural tho (A. S. thd) of the definite article is still 
 used by Chaucer, but the uninflected the is more frequently used. 
 
 In the phrases ' that oon,' ' that other ' which in some dia- 
 lects became the toon (tori), the t other that is the old form of 
 the neuter article ; but Chaucer never uses that except as a 
 demonstrative adjective, as in the present stage of the language. 
 
 2. Atte=ak the (A.S. at thdm ; O.E. at than, attan, atta, masc. 
 and neut.); the feminine would be atter (O. E.), at \czre (A.S.). 
 
 3. Tho must be rendered those, as well as the ; as ' tho wordes,' 
 ' and tho were bent.' It is occasionally used pronominally, as 
 ' oon of tho that,' one of those that. 
 
 4. This has for its plural thise, thes, these (A. S. thds, thces). In 
 some MSS. this occurs for thise. 
 
 5. Thilk'e (A.S. thyllic, thylc=ite like; O.K..theZlich, pi. 
 thelliche), the like, that. 
 
 6. That ilke, that same (A. S.ylc, same ; y is a remnant of an 
 old demonstrative base ; -/=//V=like). 
 
 7. Som ... s0m = onQ . . . another. 
 
 1 He moot ben deed, the king as shal a page ; 
 Som in his bed, som in the depe see, 
 Som in the large feeld, as men may se.' 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 11. 2172-4;) 
 
 y The superlatives of adverbs always seem to end in -est, and not in 
 -este\ cp. p. 76, 11. 1340, 1349, with 11. 1342, 1343, 1344, 1345. 
 
CHAUCER'S GRAMMAR. 
 
 XXXV 
 
 PRONOUNS. 
 
 Nom. 
 Gen. 
 Dat. ) 
 Ace. \ 
 Nom. 
 Gen. 
 Dat. ) 
 Ace. \ 
 
 SINGULAR. 
 
 I, Ich, Ik, 
 
 min (myn), mi (my), 
 
 me, 
 
 thou, thow, 
 
 thin (thyn), thi (thy), 
 
 the, thee, 
 
 Masc. 
 
 Fern. 
 
 Neut. 
 
 Nom. 
 
 he, 
 
 she, 
 
 hit, it, 
 
 Gen. 
 
 his, 
 
 hire, hir, 
 
 his, 
 
 Dat. ) 
 Ace. J 
 
 him, 
 
 ( hir, hire, ) 
 1 here, { 
 
 hit, it, 
 
 PLURAL. 
 
 we. 
 
 our, oure. 
 
 us. 
 
 ye. 
 
 your, youre. 
 
 yow, you. 
 
 thei, they. 
 
 here (her, her, hir). 
 
 hem. 
 
 1. The Independent forms of the pronouns, which are also 
 used predicatively, are min (pi. mine) ; cure, oures> ours ; thin 
 (pi. thine) ; youre, youres, yours ; hire, heres, hers ; "here, heres, 
 theirs. 
 
 2. The Midland dialect seems to have borrowed the forms 
 oures, youres, &c., from the Northern dialect, in which oure, 
 youre, &c., are not used. 
 
 3. The dative cases of the pronouns are used after wel, wo, 
 loth, leef (lief); with impersonal verbs, as 'me mette,' 'him 
 thoughte '; and with some verbs of motion, as ' goth him? ' he 
 rydeth htm. 9 
 
 4. The pronoun thow is sometimes joined to the verb, as 
 schaltoiv, wtltow. 
 
 5. The Interrogative pronouns are who (gen. whos\ dat. and 
 ace. whom), which and what. 
 
 (a) Which has often the sense of what, what sort of: 
 
 ' Which a miracle ther bifel anoon.' 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 1817 J see proL h 40 
 C 2 
 
XXXVI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 It is not used exactly as a relative, as in modern Eng- 
 lish, but is joined with that; as 'Hem ivhiche that 
 wepith ; ' * His love the which that he oweth.' 
 (b) What is occasionally used for why (cp. Lat. quid, Ger. 
 was) : 
 
 ' What sholde he studie and make himselven wood ? ' 
 
 (Prol. 1. 184.) 
 ' What sholde I alday of his wo endyte ? * 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 1. 522.) 
 
 6. That is a relative pronoun, but it is often used with the 
 personal pronouns, in the following manner : 
 
 (a) That he=w\iv. 
 
 ' A knight ther was, and that a worthy man, 
 7^hat fro the tyme that he first began 
 To ryden out, he loved chivalrye.' (Prol. 11. 43-45.) 
 
 (b) That his whose. 
 
 * Al were they sore y-hurt, and namely oon, 
 That with a spere was thirled his brest-boon.' 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 11. 1851-52.) 
 
 (c) That him vfhvm. 
 
 -* I saugh to-day a corps yborn to chirche 
 That now on Monday last I saugh him wirche.' 
 
 (Milleres Tale, 1. 243.) 
 
 This construction occurs in A.S. writers. Cp. Thcetnasnd eowres 
 \ances ac thurh God^ j>E ic \urh HIS willan hiderdsend was that 
 was not of your own accord but through God, through whose 
 will I was sent hither. (Gen. xlv. 8.) 
 
 7. The words who and who so are used indefinitely ; as, ' As 
 who seith'=as one says; 'Who so that can him rede' (Prol. 
 1. 741) = if that any one can read him. 
 
 8. Me and men are used like the French on^ English one. 
 Me, which must be distinguished from the dative me, was 
 
 in use as an indefinite pronoun much later than is usually 
 considered by English grammarians : 
 
 'And stop me ( = let any one stop) his dice, you are a villaine.' 
 
 (Lodge, < Wits Miserie.') 
 
CHAUCER'S GRAMMAR. xxxvn 
 
 VERBS. 
 I. WEAK VERBS. 
 INDICATIVE MOOD. 
 
 Present Tense. 
 Singular. Plural. 
 
 1. I lov-e, We lov-en, lov-e. 
 
 2. Thou lov-est, Ye lov-en, lov-e. 
 
 3. He lov-eth, They lov-en, lov-e. 
 
 Past Tense. 
 Singular. Plural. 
 
 1. I lov-ede z , We lov-eden, lov-ede. 
 
 2. Thou lov-edest, Ye lov-eden, lov-ede. 
 
 3. He lov-ede, They lov-eden, lov-ede. 
 
 1. In some manuscripts the / of the 2nd person sing, present 
 tense is sometimes dropped, as in the Harl. MS. dfo = dost, has 
 = hast. This has been considered by some as a mere clerical 
 error ; but in the East Midland dialects, there was a tendency 
 to drop the /, probably arising from the circumstance of the 2nd 
 person of the verb in the Northumbrian dialects terminating 
 always in -es. 
 
 2. Verbs of Saxon origin, which have d or / for the last letter 
 of the root (and one or two that have s), sometimes keep the 
 contracted form in the 3rd sing, as sit = sitteth, sits ; writ = 
 writeth, writes ;yfo//=fmdeth, finds ; #<z//=holdeth, holds ; rist 
 riseth, rises; stont = stondeth-=\.2&&s. 
 
 3. We often find -th instead of -etk, as j^^/^=speaketh a . 
 
 4. In some MSS. of the Cant. Tales, the plural of the pre- 
 sent indicative occasionally ends in -eth (-tti), which was the 
 
 z In this edition I have often given the full form of the preterite in -ede, 
 although the MSS. mostly write -ed\ but in the best MS. of Chaucer's 
 prose translation of Boethius the preterite ends in ede (-ed, -te\ very seldom 
 in -ed (~d, -t). Either the medial or the final e was frequently dropped. 
 
 a This contraction occasionally takes place in the imperative plural. 
 See Nonne Prestes Tale, 1. 620, where read Taftth. 
 
XXXV111 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 ordinary inflexion for all persons in the Old English Southern 
 dialects. 
 
 1 And over his heed ther schyneth two figures/ 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 1. 1185, Harl. MS.) 
 
 5. There are two other classes of the weak conjugation which 
 form the past tense by -de or -te. To the first class belong 
 
 PRES. PAST. 
 
 Heren, to hear, herde. 
 
 Hiden, to hide, hidde. 
 
 Kepen, to keep, kepte. 
 
 Some few verbs have a change of vowel in the past tense ; as 
 
 PRES. PAST. 
 
 Delen, to deal, dalte. 
 
 Leden, to lead, ladde. 
 
 Leven, to leave, lafte. 
 
 If the root ends in d or /, preceded by another consonant, e 
 only is added, as 
 
 PRES. PAST. 
 
 Wenden, to turn, wende ( = wend-de). 
 
 Sterten, to start, sterte (=stert-te). 
 
 Letten, to hinder, lette (=let-te). 
 To the second class belong 
 
 PRES. PAST. 
 
 Tellen, to tell, tolde. 
 
 Sellen, to sell, solde. 
 
 Sechen, to seek, soughte. 
 
 II. STRONG VERBS. 
 
 1. These verbs have a change of vowel in the past tense, and 
 the past participle ends in -en or -e ; as sterven, to die ; pret. starf\ 
 p.p. storven or starve. (See Participles, p. xxxix. 3.) 
 
 2. Some few strong verbs take the inflexions of the weak verbs, 
 so that we have double forms for the past tense, as 
 
 Slepen, sleep, slep, and slep-te. 
 Crepen, creep, crep, and crep-te. 
 Wepen, weep, wep, and wep-te. 
 
CHAUCER'S GRAMMAR. xxxix 
 
 3. The ist and 3rd persons of the past indicative of strong 
 verbs do not take an -e in the singular number ; the addition of 
 this syllable turns them into plurals. Cf. 6 (below.) 
 
 4. The East Midland dialect, in the Early English period, 
 dropped the -e in the 2nd person past indicative ; and we find in 
 Chaucer ' thou bar] ' thou spak] ' thou dronk ' (O. E. thou ber-e, 
 thou spek-e, thou drunfc-e),=ihou barest, thou spakest, thou 
 drankest. But these forms may be due merely to the scribes. 
 
 Occasionally we find -est, as in modern English ; as bygonnest, 
 knewest, &c. 
 
 5. The plural indicative ends in -en or -e. 
 
 6. Some few verbs, as in the older stages of the language, have 
 a change of vowel in the past tense plural, as 
 
 INFINITIVE. PRET. SING. PAST PL. 
 
 Ryden, to ride, rood, rod, riden (rlden). 
 
 Smyten, to smite, smoot, smot, smiten (smften). 
 Sterven, to die, starf, storven. 
 
 SUBJUNCTIVE MOOD. 
 
 1. The present subjunctive, singular number, terminates in -, 
 the plural in -en ; the past (of weak verbs) in -ede, -de, -te, the 
 plural in -eden, -den, -ten, through all persons. 
 
 2. Such forms as speke we, go ?/,= let us speak, let us go. 
 
 IMPERATIVE MOOD. 
 
 1. Verbs conjugated like loven and tellen have the 2nd person 
 sing, imperative in -e ; as love thou, telle thou. All other verbs 
 have properly no final e, as ' her thou ' = hear thou, ' ches thou ' 
 = choose thou. 
 
 2. The plural terminates usually in -eth, but sometimes the -tk 
 is dropped. 
 
 INFINITIVE MOOD. . 
 
 The infinitive ends in -en or -e ; as speken, speke, to speak. The 
 -n was dropped at a very early period in the Southern English 
 dialect of the fourteenth century, and -e is preferred to -en. 
 
xl INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The gerundial infinitive, or dative case of the infinitive (pre- 
 ceded by to), occasionally occurs, as to doon-e ( = to don-ne], to 
 sen-e (=to sen-ne), to do, to see. (See Kn. Ta. 177.) 
 
 PARTICIPLES. 
 
 1. The present participle ends usually in -ing. The A. S. suffix 
 was -ende, which is used by Gower ; but in the Southern dialect 
 of Early English we find -inde b , which has evidently given rise 
 to -inge, of which -ing is a shorter form ; but the longer -inge is 
 occasionally employed by Chaucer, to rhyme with an infinitive 
 verb in -e. 
 
 The suffix -ing, of nouns like morning, was -ung in the older 
 stages of the language. 
 
 2. The past participle of weak verbs terminates in -ed, -d, and 
 occasionally in -et, -t ; that of strong verbs in -en or -e. 
 
 3. The prefix/- or /- (A. S.^z-) occurs frequently before the 
 past participle, as y-ronne (run), i-falle (fallen), &c. 
 
 ANOMALOUS VERBS. 
 
 1. Ben, been, to be : 1st sing. pres. indie, am ; 2nd art; 3rd 
 beth, is ; pi. been, ben, aren, are; past, 1st and 3rd was ; 2nd 
 were. Imperative pi. beth ; p.p. been, ben. 
 
 2. Conne, to know, be able : pres. indie., 1st and 3rd can ; 
 2nd can, canst; pi. connen, conne ; past, 1st and 3rd couthe, 
 cowthe, cowde ; p.p. couth, coud. 
 
 3. Daren, dare \ pres. indie, sing., ist and 3rd dar; 2nd 
 darst ; pi. dar, dorre ; past dorste, durste. 
 
 4. May : pres. indie, sing., ist and 3rd mow, may ; 2nd 
 mayst, maist, might ; pi. mowe, mowen ; pres. subjunctive 
 mowe; past tense, ist and 3rd mighte, moghte, 2nd mightest 
 (Kn. Ta. 797). 
 
 5. Mot, must, may : indie, pres. sing., ist and 3rd mot, moot ; 
 2nd must, moot ; pi. mooten, moote ; past moste. 
 
 b The Northern form of the participle was -ande, -and, which occa- 
 sionally occurs in the Romaunt of the Rose, as lepand, leaping. The East 
 Midland dialect had the double forms -end and -and. 
 
CHAUCER'S GRAMMAR. xli 
 
 6. Owen, to owe (debeo) : pres. oweth\ past oghte^ oughte, 
 attghte ; pi. oghten, oughten, oughte. 
 
 7. Shal, schal, shall: pres. indie, sing., 1st and 3rd shal; 
 2nd shalt ; pi. shullen, shuln, shul ; past shulde, sholde. (Also 
 .w:&*/, c.) 
 
 8. Thar, need : pres. indie, sing., 1st and 3rd thar ; past 
 thurte ; subjunctive 3rd ther. 
 
 9. Witen, to know : pres. indie, sing., 1st and 3rd woof, wat, 
 wot 2nd wost ; pi. witen, wite, woote ; past wiste. 
 
 10. Wil, will : pres. indie, sing., istwit, wo^wille, wolle ; 
 2nd wilt, wolt ; 3rd wile, wole, ivol ; pi. woln, wille, willen ; 
 past wolde. 
 
 NEGATIVE VERBS. 
 
 Nam, m's, = am not, is not; nas, were, was not, were not; 
 M=hath not; nadde, nad,=ha.d not; w///^, //= will - not; 
 nolde would not; ^<2/, not, noot knows not ; ##.$/ =knowest 
 not ; niste, nisfen,=knew not. 
 
 ADVERBS. 
 
 1. Adverbs are formed from adjectives by adding -e to the 
 positive degree ; as brighte, brightly ; deepe, deeply ; lowe, lowly. 
 
 2. Some few adverbs have e before ly, as boldely, needely, 
 softely, semely, trewely. 
 
 3. Adverbs in -en and -e : abouen, aboue ; abouten, aboute ; 
 biforn, bifore ; siththen, siththe (since) ; withputen, withoule. 
 Many have dropped the form in -n ; as asondre, behynde, bynethe, 
 bytwene, biyonde ; henne (hence), thenne (thence). 
 
 4. Adverbs in -e : ofte, selde (seldom), sone, soone (soon), twie 
 (twice), thrie (thrice). 
 
 5. Adverbs in -es: needes (A. S. neade), needs; ones (A. S. 
 cene), once ; twies (A. S. twtwa), twice ; thries (A. S. ihriwa], 
 thrice. 
 
 (a) -es for -e, -an or -a : unnethes (A. S. uneathe), scarcely; 
 whiles (A. S. hwile), whilst ; by sides (A. S. besidan) ; 
 togideres (A. S. to-gcedere). 
 
xli-i INTRODUCTION. 
 
 (b) -es for -e or -en : hennes (A. S. heonari) ; thennes 
 
 (A.S. thanori) ; whennes (A.S. hwanon) ; hence, thence, 
 whence. 
 
 (c) -es = -st : agaynes, ay ens (A. S. ongtari), against ; 
 
 amonges (A. S. gemang], amongst ; amyddes (A. S. 
 on middan, dmiddari), amidst. 
 
 6. Of-newe, newly (cp. of yore, of late), recently ; as-now, at 
 present ; on slepe, asleep (cp. on honting, a hunting , c.). 
 
 7. Negative Adverbs. Two or more negatives (more common 
 than one in Chaucer) do not make an affirmative. 
 
 ' He nevere yet no vileinye ne sayde, 
 In al his lyf, unto no maner wight.' (Prol. 11. 70, 71.) 
 
 But (only) takes a negative before it ; as, ' I nam but deed.' 
 (Knightes Tale, 1. 416.) 
 
 8. *As, used before in, to, for ; by, of,= considering, with re- 
 spect to, so far as concerns. See ProL 1. 87. 
 
 As is used before the imperative mood in supplicatory phrases. 
 See Knightes Tale, 11. 1444, 1459. 
 
 9. TJier, tho, occasionally signify where, when. 
 
 PREPOSITIONS. 
 
 Occasionally ///=to, unto until, z/j = upon, ufi-0n=ou. 
 
 CONJUNCTIONS. 
 
 Ne . . . #=neither . . . nor ; other p =or ; other . . . other = either 
 * . . or ; what . . . and both . . . and c . 
 
 METRE AND VERSIFICATION. 
 
 I. Except the Tale of Melibeus and the Persones Tale, 
 the Canterbury Tales are written in rhyming verse ; but this 
 system of versification did not come into general use in England 
 until after the Norman Conquest. The poetry of the Anglo- 
 Saxons, like that of the Scandinavian and old Germanic races, 
 
 c For a more detailed account of Chaucer's grammar, see Professor 
 Child's Essay on Chaucer, from which I have derived much assistance. 
 
CHAUCER'S METRE. xliii 
 
 was rhythmical and alliterative. Their poems are written in 
 couplets, in such a manner that in each couplet there are 
 three (or two) emphatic syllables, two (or one) in the first line 
 and one in the second, commencing with the same letter ; and 
 this letter is also the initial of the chief emphatic syllable in the 
 second line. 
 
 ' Ge/ic wses he tham /eohtum steorrum, 
 
 /of sceolde he drihtnes wyrcean, 
 ^yran sceolde he his </reamas on heofonum, 
 
 and sceolde his ^rihtne thancian 
 thses /eanes the he him on tham /eohte gescerede, 
 
 thonne /ete he his hine /ange wealdan : 
 ac he awende hit him to wyrsan thinge, 
 
 ongan him zmnn up-ahebban 
 with thone /zehstan ^eofnes wealdend, 
 the siteth on tham ^algan stole d .' 
 
 (Caedmon, ed. Thorpe, p. 17, 11. 7-16.) 
 
 Langland's Vision of Piers Ploughman, partly written in 
 1362, presents all the peculiarities of this form of verse : 
 * I was weori of wandringe, 
 
 And wente me to reste 
 Undur a food anke 
 Bi a bourne syde ; 
 And as I /ay and /eonede 
 
 And /okede on the watres, 
 I jlumberde in a jlepyng, 
 
 Hit jownede so murie.' (11. 7-10, A- text.) 
 
 In the North and West of England alliteration was employed 
 as late as the end of the fifteenth century, but it appears to 
 have gone out of use in the Southern and Eastern parts of the 
 country, which early in the thirteenth century adopted the 
 classical and Romance forms of versification. 
 
 d Zike was he (Satan) to the /ight stars ; 
 
 The /aud (praise) of the Ruler ought he to have wrought, 
 Z>ear should he hold his delights (joys) in heaven, 
 
 And thank should he his /director (Lord) 
 For the /oan (gift) he had bestowed on him in that /ight (heaven), 
 
 Then would he have /et him /ong possess it ; 
 But he did wend (turn) it for himself to a worse purpose, 
 
 Began, for his part, to raise up war 
 Against the highest Ruler of /zeaven 
 
 Who sitteth on the 7*oly stool (seat). 
 
xliv INTRODUCTION. 
 
 2. The greater part of the Canterbury Tales is written in 
 heroic couplets, or lines containing five accents. In this metre 
 we have ten syllables ; but we often find eleven, and occasionally 
 nine. Of these variations the former is obtained by the addition 
 of an unaccented syllable at the end of a line e . 
 
 1 Him wolde | he snib | ben sharp | ly for | the nones. 
 A bet | tre preest | I trowe | that no | wher non is.' 
 
 (Prol. 11. 523-4.) 
 
 ' Th' answere | of this | I le | te to | divynis, 
 But wel | I woot | that in | this world | gret pyne is.' 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 11. 465-6.) 
 
 So in lines I and 2 of the Prologue: 
 
 ' Whan that | April | le with | his shou | res soote 
 The droght' | of Marche | hath per | ced to | the roote.' 
 
 In the second variation, the first foot consists of a single 
 accented syllable. See Prol. 170, 247, 294, 371, 391 ; Kn. Ta. 
 156, 324, 368, 652, 677, 1072, 1073, 1171, 1172, 1269, 1631, 1653, 
 1855, 1979, J 996, 2094. E.g. : 
 
 ' Now | it shyneth, now it reyneth fasteV (Knightes Tale, 1. 677.) 
 
 3. Chaucer frequently contracts two syllables into one ; as 
 nam, m's, nath, naddene am, ne is, ne hath, ne hadde, am not, 
 is not, hath not, had not ; thasse, thejffect, tabide=\hz ass, the 
 effect, to abide, &c. In Troilus and Criseyde we find ny=ne I, 
 not I, nor I ; mathinketh=me athinketh, it seems to me. But 
 this contraction is not always so expressed in writing, though 
 observed in reading : 
 
 ' And cer | tes lord | to aby \ den your | presence.' 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 1. 69.) 
 
 1 By eter \ ne word | to dy | en in | prisoun.' (Ib. 1. 251.) 
 
 4. The syllables -en, ~er, -eth, -el, -oiv (-we, -ewe}, are often 
 said to be contracted, but properly speaking they are shtrred over 
 and nearly, but not quite, absorbed by the syllable preceding : 
 
 6 For fuller information the reader is referred to Prof. Child's ex- 
 haustive Essay on Chaucer, and to the Introd. to Chaucer's Prioresses 
 Tale, &c., ed. Skeat ; also to Mr. A. J. Ellis' valuable work on Early 
 English Pronunciation, with special reference to Chaucer and Shakespeare 
 (Chaucer Soc.). For the pronunciation, see Introd. to Man of Lawes Tale. 
 
CHAUCER'S METRE. xlv 
 
 ' Weren of | his bit | tre sal | te te | res wete.' 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 1. 422 ; see 1. 2034.) 
 
 . * And though | that I | no wepne \ have in | this place.' (Ib. 1. 733.) 
 ' Thou shol | dest nevere \ out of | this gro | ve pace.' (Ib. 1. 744.) 
 
 With these compare the following : 
 
 * And forth | we riden \ a li | tel more | than pas/ (Prol. 1. 825.) 
 
 * And won | derly | delivere, \ and greet | of strengthe.' (Ib. 1. 84.) 
 
 s As a | ny ra | venesfether \ it shoon | for-blak.' (Kn. Ta. 1. 1286.) 
 'I noot | whether 1 she | be worn | man or | goddesse.' (Ib. 1. 243.) 
 
 * And thinketh \ heer cometh \ my mor | tel e | nemy.' (Ib. 1. 785.) 
 c She ga | dereth flou | res par | ty whyte | and rede.' (Ib. 1. 195.) 
 
 4 Thus hath | this widwe \ hir li | tel sone I y-taught* 
 
 (Prioresses Tale; Group B ; 1. 1699.) 
 
 ' A man | to light | a candel \ at his | lanterne.' 
 
 (Cant. Tales, 1. 5916, Wright's edition.) 
 
 5. Many words of French origin ending in -ance (-aunce, -ence), 
 -oun, -ie (-ye), -er (-ere), -age, -une, -ure, are often accented on 
 the final syllable (not counting the final -e) 9 but at other times 
 the accent is thrown further back, as in modern English : e. g. 
 batdille and bdtaille ; fortune and fortune, &c. 
 
 So also many nouns of A. S. origin, in -ing(-inge, -ynge%), as 
 hunting 9&& hunting. (See Knightes Tale, 11. 821, 1450.) 
 
 6. Many nouns (of French origin) ending in -le, -re, were 
 written, and probably pronounced, as in modern French ; e. g. 
 table, temple, miracle, obstacle, propretabP, tempF, miracF, c. 
 
 7. Final -es is a distinct syllable in 
 
 (a) The genitive case singular of nouns ; as ' sow'es eres ' 
 
 (Prol. 1. 556) ; l kinges court' (Knightes Tale, 1. 323). 
 
 (b) The plural of nouns (see Prol. 11. I, 7, 9, &c.). 
 
 (c) Adverbs ; as nones, elles, tivyes. 
 
 f The spelling wher in the text represents whether ; see footnote 3, p. 39. 
 
 & The forms of the present participle in M. E. ended in -inde (-ende, 
 -ande], and many verbal nouns ended in -ting. These endings were 
 gradually changed into the affix -ing, which represented both. 
 
xlvi INTRODUCTION. 
 
 S. The -ed of past participles is generally sounded ; zspercea, 
 entimed, pinched (Prol. 11. 2, 123, 151). 
 
 9. The past tense of weak verbs ends in -de or -te\ : as 
 wente, coude, wolde, bledde,fedde, hadde(Pro[. 11. 78, 94, 144, 145, 
 146, 163). 
 
 A fuller form of the suffix is -ede ; shortened occasionally to *de 
 or to -ed ; as lovede = lov*de (Prol. 1. 97) ; whilst in 1. 133 of Pro- 
 logue we have wyped. In Troilus and Criseyde we often find 
 shrighte and sighte written for shrikede and sighede. 
 
 10. Final -en is for the most part a distinct syllable in 
 
 (a) The gerund or the infinitive mood ; as to seken, to 
 
 wenden, yeven, maken (Prol. 11. 13, 21, 487,775). : 
 
 (b) Past participles of strong verbs ; as holpen, spoken (Prol. 
 
 11. 18, 31). 
 
 (c) Present and past tenses plural of verbs ; as maken, slepen, 
 
 longen, iveren (Prol. 11. 9, 10, 12, 29) ; biseken, maken, 
 lost'en (Knightes Tale, 11. 60, 77, 78). 
 
 (d) Adverbs, prepositions, or conjunctions (originally ending 
 
 in -on or -an) ; as without en, sithen (Prol. 461, 538 ; 
 Kn. Ta. 663). 
 
 11. Final -e. As the manuscripts of the Canterbury Tales are 
 not always grammatically correct, an attention to the final e 
 is of great importance. The following remarks will enable the 
 reader to understand when and why it is employed. 
 
 a. In nouns and adjectives (of A. S. origin) the final e re- 
 
 presents one of the final vowels a, u, e ; as asse, bane, 
 cuppe = A. S. ass a, bana, cuppa ; herte, mere=K. S. heorte, 
 mere ; bale, care> e wode=A. S. bealu, caru, wudit', dere, 
 drye=A.S. dtore, dryge, &c. 
 
 b. The final e (unaccented) in words of French origin is 
 
 sounded as in French verse (but it is also frequently 
 silent) ; as 
 
 'Who springeth up for loye but Arcite.' 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 1. 1013.) 
 
 ( Ne wette hir fingres in hir sauce depe.' (Prol. 1. 129.) 
 
CHAUCER'S METRE. xlvii 
 
 c. Final -e is a remnant of various grammatical inflexions : 
 
 (1) It is a sign of the dative case in nouns; as roote, 
 
 reste (Prol. 11. 2, 30). 
 
 /"is often changed into v (written u in the MSS.) before 
 e> as nom. ivyf, lyf', dat. wyve, lyve (Kn. Ta. 1002). 
 
 bedde, brigge (bridge), c., are the datives of bed, 
 brig, c. 
 
 (2) In adjectives it marks 
 
 (a) The definite form of the adjective ; as ' the yonge 
 
 sonne ' (Prol. 1. 7). 
 
 (b) The plural of adjectives ; as ' smale fowles ' (Prol. 
 
 i. 9 ). 
 
 (c) The vocative case of adjectives ; as 4 O strange god ' 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 1. 1515). 
 
 (3) In verbs the final -e is a sign 
 
 (a) Of the infinitive mood ; as, ryde, wryte (Prol. 11. 27, 
 
 9 6). 
 
 (b) Of the gerundial infinitive. See Infinitive Mood, 
 
 p. xxxix. See Kn. Ta. 177. 
 
 (c) Of the past participles of strong verbs ; as yronrie, 
 
 yfalle (Prol. 11. 8, 25) ; dronke, knowe (Knightes 
 Tale, 11. 404, 406, 1442). 
 
 (d) Of the past tense (attached to -ed, -d> or -/). See 
 
 p. xlv, sect. 9. 
 
 (e) Of the subjunctive and optative moods. See Prol. 
 
 11. 131, 770. 
 
 (/) Of the imperative mood 3rd person (properly the 
 3rd person of the subjunctive mood). See Sub- 
 junctive Mood, p. xxxix, sect. 2. 
 
 (4) In adverbs the e is very common : 
 
 (a) It represents an older vowel-ending ; as, sorie (soon), 
 S. sona, twiwa^ thriivd)* 
 
xlviii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 (b) It distinguishes adverbs from adjectives; asfaire, 
 
 righte= fairly, rightly (Prol. 94). 
 
 (c) It represents an -en ; as about e, above = E. E. 
 
 abouten, aboven = A. S. abutan, abufan. 
 
 (d) -e- is a distinct syllable in adverbs ending in -ely, 
 
 as lustely, nedely^ semely, trewely (Prol. 136). 
 On the other hand, the final e is often silent 
 
 1. In the personal pronouns ; as oure, youre, hire, here. 
 
 2. In many words of more than one syllable, and in words 
 
 of Romance origin. Cf. p. xlv, 6. 
 
 It is elided 
 
 1. Before a word commencing with a vowel : 
 
 ' For I mot wep* and weyle whyl I live.' (Knightes Tale, 1. 437.) 
 ' And in the grov^ at tym<? and place yset.' (Ib. 1. 777.) 
 
 2. Often before some few words beginning with h ; as he, 
 
 his, htm, hem, hire, hath, hadde, have, how, her, heer : 
 
 ' Wei coudtf he dress^ his takel yemanly.' (Prol. 1. 106.) 
 * Then woldi he wep^, he mighte nat be stent.' 
 
 (Knightes Tale, 1. 510.) 
 
 6 That in that grov^ he wolck him hyd^ al day.' (Ib. 1. 623.) 
 In all other cases h is regarded as a consonant ; as * to feme 
 halwes ' (Prol. 1. 14) ; ' of smale houndes' (Ibid. 1. 146) ; 
 'thefaire hardy queen' (Knightes Tale, 1. 24). 
 The following metrical analysis of the opening lines of the 
 Prologue will enable the reader to apply the rules already given. 
 The mark " represents an unaccented, and " an accented syllable ; 
 the italic e represents that e is elided. 
 
 ' Whan that | April | le with | his sh5u | res soote 
 The droghte | of March* | hath per | ced t5 | the roote, 
 And ba | thed ev^ | ry veyn^ | in swich | licour, 
 Cf which | vertu | engen | dred is | the flour ; 
 Whan Ze | phirus | eek with | his swe | te breeth 
 Inspi | red hath | in ev | ry holt | and heeth 
 The ten | dre crop | pes, and | the yon | ge sonne 
 Hath In | the Ram ) his hal | fe cours | 
 
CHAUCER'S METRE. xlix 
 
 And sma | le f5w | les ma | ken me | lodye, 
 
 That sle | pen al | the night | with 5 | pen ye, 
 
 So pri | keth hem | nature | in hir | corages : 
 
 Than Ion | gen folk | to goon | on pil | gnmages, 
 
 And pal | mers for | to se | ken straun ge strondes, 
 
 To fer | ne hal | wes, couth* | in son | dry londes ; 
 
 And spe | cially, | from eve \ rj shi res ende 
 
 >f En | gelond, | to Gaunt | terbur^ | they wende, 
 
 The h5 | ty blis | ful mar | tir for | to seke, 
 
 That hem | hath holp | en whan | that they | wer* seke.* 
 
 1. The final e in Aprille, melody e, is sounded ; but is elided in 
 Marche, veyne, nature ; because in these cases it is followed by 
 a word commencing with a vowel or with the letter h. 
 
 2. The final e in soote, smale^ straunge, feme, seke (1. 18), is 
 sounded, as the sign of the plural number. 
 
 3. The final e in roote is sounded, as the sign of the dative 
 case. 
 
 4. The final e in swete, yonge, halfe, is sounded, as the sign of 
 the definitive form of the adjective. 
 
 5. The final e in sonne, y-e, ende, is sounded, and represents 
 an older A. S. vowel-ending (A. S. sunne, tage, ende). 
 
 6. The final e in yronne is sounded, as the sign of the past 
 participle, j7W//z representing the older yronnen (&.S.gerunneri). 
 
 7. The final e in to seke is sounded, as the sign of the gerund 
 representing the fuller form to sekene (A. S. to secanne). 
 
 8. The final en in holpen is sounded, as being the sign of the 
 p.p. of a strong verb. 
 
 9. The final en is sounded in maken, slepen, longen, as the 
 sign of the present plural indicative. 
 
 10. The final en is sounded in to seken, as the sign of the 
 gerund ; see above. 
 
 11. The final es in shoures, croppes,fowles, strondes, halwes, 
 londes, is sounded, as the inflexion of the plural number. 
 
 12. The final es is sounded in shires, as the inflexion of the 
 genitive case. 
 
 d 
 
1 POSTSCRIPT TO THE INTRODUCTION. 
 
 13. Licour, vertu, nature, and corages, are accented on the 
 second syllable, as in Old French. 
 
 I gladly take the present opportunity of thanking my kind 
 friends the Rev. W. W. Skeat and Mr. Furnivall for many 
 
 valuable notes and suggestions. 
 
 R. M. 
 
 KING'S COLLEGE, LONDON, 
 September , 1872. 
 
 POSTSCRIPT TO THE REVISED EDITION OF 1888. 
 (Bv THE REV. PROFESSOR SKEAT.) 
 
 THE text of former editions of this selection from the Canter- 
 bury Tales was at first taken from the well-known MS. Harl. 
 7334 (in the British Museum), which, however, is by no means 
 free from clerical errors. It was afterwards revised throughout 
 by a careful collation with the Ellesmere, Hengwrt, and Corpus 
 MSS. printed in Dr. Furnivall's Six- Text edition of Chaucer's 
 Canterbury Tales b . The Cambridge, Lansdowne, and Petworth 
 MSS. in the same edition were also consulted in cases of 
 difficulty, but did not prove of much service in correcting the 
 blunders of the Harleian MS. 
 
 The present text, as revised in 1888, is entirely new, having 
 been reprinted throughout. The differences thus introduced, 
 though extremely numerous, are almost all of a minute character, 
 and may not appear, at first sight, of any particular value or im- 
 portance. They are, in fact, due to taking the Ellesmere MS. 
 as the basis of the text, instead of the Harleian MS. This 
 produces very little change in the wording, but the result is 
 more satisfactory from a phonetic point of view, as the spelling in 
 the Ellesmere MS. is remarkable for clearness and intelligibility, 
 and is fairly uniform in character. There is also a great ad- 
 
 h This work, which is itself a great tribute to the memory of Chaucer, 
 should be in the hands of every Chaucerian scholar. 
 
\ 
 
 POSTSCRIPT TO THE INTRODUCTION. 'li 
 
 vantage in conforming the spelling in the present selection to 
 that in the other two books of selections published in the same 
 series 1 ; for in both of these books the Ellesmere MS. was taken 
 as the chief authority for the text. 
 
 A few modifications have been made in the spelling in order to 
 render the text more exactly phonetic. Of these, one is a more 
 regular use of i and y, symbols which are needlessly confused in 
 the MS. The short vowel is here usually printed as z', as in the 
 words hiS) swich, is, Zephirus, &c. ; whilst the long vowel is 
 usually denoted by j/, as melody e, nyne, ryde, wyde. This distinc- 
 tion is frequently made in the MS., and occurs in all the words 
 here cited. The MS. is also followed in words like inspired \ 
 shires, where there can hardly be any mistake ; the modern 
 sound is here a sure guide to the length of the vowel, though we 
 now substitute the sound of the ei in height for the Chaucerian / 
 (as in Mod. E. machine). It must suffice to say that the text is 
 now much more exactly phonetic than before, whilst at the same 
 time the readings of the Ellesmere MS. are usually better than 
 those of any other MS. The student who wishes to understand 
 the pronunciation of Chaucer's English, which is a very important 
 matter, is referred to the clear and full account of it by Mr. Ellis, 
 as printed in the Preface to The Tale of the Man of Lawe, 
 pp. ix-xix, where the spelling of the MS. is fully explained. 
 
 In the present edition, the opportunity has also been taken of 
 giving all the variations from the Ellesmere MS. that are of any 
 importance in the form of footnotes at the bottom of every page. 
 The abbreviations here used are the same as in the other 
 Selections from Chaucer, and are there explained. Briefly, the 
 symbols, E., Hn., Cm., Cp., Pt., Ln., HI., denote respectively the 
 Ellesmere MS., the Hengwrt MS., the Cambridge MS. (marked 
 Gg. 4. 27 in the Cambridge University Library), the MS. in 
 Corpus Christi College, Oxford, the Petworth MS. (belonging 
 to Lord Leconfield), the Lansdowne MS. 851 (in the British 
 
 V See 'The Prioresses Tale/ &c.; and 'The Tale of the Man of 
 Lawe,' &c. ; edited by the Rev. W. W. Skeat. 
 
 d2 
 
lii POSTSCRIPT TO THE INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Museum), and the Harleian MS. 7334 (in the same). The text 
 follows E., except where notice is given to the contrary. 
 
 The numbering of the lines in the Six-Text edition is noted, 
 throughout. In the Prologue, there is no variation. In the 
 Knightes Tale, 1. 2 corresponds to 1. 860 of Group A in that 
 edition, which is denoted by printing (860) within marks of 
 parenthesis ; and so on. In the Nonne Preestes Tale, 1. I 
 corresponds to 1. 4011 of Group B in that edition, denoted by 
 printing (4011); and so on. In the Index of Proper Names, the 
 references are given to the Six-Text edition only, but can easily 
 be found by help of the numbers within marks of parenthesis. 
 
 The Introduction to The Prioresses Tale, c., contains, 
 amongst other things; (i) the method of grouping the Tales, 
 according to the right dates ; (2) remarks on Chaucer's varieties 
 of rhythm ; (3) further remarks on grammatical forms ; (4) 
 further remarks on metre and versification ; (5) an analysis of 
 the metre of the Squire's Tale ; (6) hints as to books useful for 
 understanding Chaucer; (7) a list of Chaucer's works, with 
 notes on some that have been falsely attributed to him ; and 
 (8) a discussion of the Romaunt of the Rose. Some of this 
 information is almost indispensable, but is too full of detail to 
 be here repeated. 
 
 The Introduction to the Man of Lawes Tale, c., contains 
 the account, by Mr. Ellis, of the pronunciation of Chaucer's 
 English, as already stated. 
 
 The Introduction to the Clarendon Press Edition of Chaucer's 
 Minor Poems discusses the genuineness of the numerous pieces 
 at various times attributed to Chaucer, and gives some account 
 of the editions of the poet's works. Some of the remarks upon 
 the poems of ' Anelida and Arcite ' and * The Parlement of 
 Foules' are so important for the right understanding of the 
 Knightes Tale that the substance of them is here repeated. 
 
 It appears, from internal evidence, that ' Anelida and Arcite' 
 was written before the Knightes Tale, and was never finished. 
 It is probable that Chaucer actually wrote an earlier draught of 
 the Knightes Tale, with the title of Palamon and Arcite ', which 
 
POSTSCRIPT TO THE INTRODUCTION. Hit 
 
 he afterwards partially rejected ; for he mentions ' The Love of 
 Palamon and Arcite ' in the Prologue to the Legend of Good 
 Women as if it were an independent work. We must suppose 
 that Chaucer originally translated the Teseide of Boccaccio rather 
 closely, substituting a seven-line stanza for the ottava rima of 
 the Italian poet ; this formed the original ' Palamon and Arcite/ 
 a poem which was perhaps never finished. Not wishing, how- 
 ever, to abandon it altogether, Chaucer probably used some 
 of the lines over again in ' Anelida,' and introduced others into 
 the Parlement of Foules and elsewhere. At a later period, he 
 rewrote the whole story in rimed pairs of five-accent lines, which 
 is now known to us as The Knightes Tale. Whatever the right 
 explanation may be, we are at any rate certain that the Teseide 
 is the source of (i) sixteen stanzas in the Parlement of Foules k ; 
 (2) of part of the first ten stanzas of Anelida and Arcite 1 ; (3) 
 of three stanzas near the end of Troilus and Creseida m ; (4) of 
 the original Palamon and Arcite ; (5) of the Knightes Tale. 
 
 For further information, see Ten Brink, Chaucer-Studien, 
 Minister, 1870; and Essays on Chaucer, published by the Chaucer 
 Society. It must be added that Professor Ten Brink has written 
 another valuable work on Chaucer, entitled Chaucers Sprache 
 ^md Verskunst, Leipzig, 1884 ; from which much may be learnt. 
 
 With regard to the Nonne Preestes Tale, it has already been 
 remarked (at p. xxviii) that the germ of it is to be found in a 
 short fable by Marie de France, afterwards amplified in the old 
 French Roman du Renart. The fable by Marie de France 
 consists of 38 short lines, and is printed in Dr. Furnivall's 
 Originals and Analogues (Chaucer Society), p. 116, from MS. 
 Harl. 978, leaf 56 (formerly 76). The corresponding portion of 
 Le Roman du Rnart, as edited by Me"on in 1826, vol. i. p. 49, is 
 also printed in the same, p. 117; it comprises 454 lines (11. 1267- 
 1720). Professor Ten Brink shews that Marie's fable closely 
 
 k LI. 183-294; from the Teseide, bk. vii. st. 51-66. 
 1 From the Teseide, bk. i. st. 1-3 ; bk. ii. st. 10-12. 
 m Viz. st. 7, 8, 9 from the end of bk. v. ; translated from the Teseide, 
 xi. 1-3. Boccaccio here follows Lucan's Pharsalia, bk. ix. 
 
liv POSTSCRIPT TO THE INTRODUCTION. 
 
 resembles one found in a Latin collection of ^Esopian fables in 
 a MS. at Gottingen, which he quotes in full (id. p. 114), and 
 refers us for it to Oesterley, Romulus, Berlin, 1870, p. 108. 
 
 A translation of Marie's fable, by myself, was printed in The 
 Academy, July 23, 1887 (p. 56) ; and is here reprinted for the 
 purpose of comparison with Chaucer's story. 
 
 THE COCK AND THE Fox. 
 
 A Cock our story tells of, who 
 High on a dunghill stood and crew. 
 A Fox, attracted, straight drew nigh, 
 And spake soft words of flattery. 
 
 ' Dear Sir ! ' said he, ' your look 's divine ; 
 I never saw a bird so fine! 
 I never heard a voice so clear 
 Except your father's ah! poor dear! 
 His voice rang clearly, loudly but 
 Most clearly, when his eyes were shut ! ' 
 
 1 The same with me ! ' the Cock replies, 
 And flaps his wings, and shuts his eyes. 
 Each note rings clearer than the last 
 The Fox starts up, and holds him fast ; 
 Towards the wood he hies apace. 
 
 But as he crossed an open space, 
 The shepherds spy him ; off they fly ; 
 The dogs give chase with hue and cry. 
 The Fox still holds the Cock, though fear 
 Suggests his case is growing queer. 
 * Tush ! ' cries the Cock, ' cry out, to grieve 'em, 
 " The cock is mine ! I'll never leave him ! " ' 
 The Fox attempts, in scorn, to shout, 
 And opes his mouth; the Cock slips out, 
 And, in a trice, has gained a tree. 
 
 Too late the Fox begins to see 
 How well the Cock his game has play'd ; 
 For once his tricks have been repaid. 
 In angry language, uncontrolled, 
 He 'gins to curse the mouth that 's bold 
 To speak, when it should silent be. 
 
 'Well,' says the Cock, 'the same with me; 
 I curse the eyes that go to sleep 
 Just when they ought sharp watch to keep 
 Lest evil to their lord befall.' 
 
 Thus fools contrariously do all : 
 They chatter when they should be dumb, 
 And, when they ought to speak, are mum. 
 
POSTSCRIPT TO THE INTRODUCTION. Iv 
 
 The Notes have been carefully revised throughout, and the 
 opportunity has been taken of verifying all the references, 
 wherever practicable. Besides this, a considerable number of 
 new Notes have been added (from my own stores), so that the 
 additions amount to about a third of the whole. 
 
 The Glossarial Index has also been revised, because the 
 numerous slight alterations in the spelling of the text rendered 
 this absolutely necessary. For this purpose, every reference has 
 been verified, and a few misprints in the numbers corrected. 
 The etymologies have, in some cases, been reconsidered and 
 altered. 
 
 The List of Proper Names, following the Glossarial Index, is 
 a new addition. See p. Hi. 
 
 We hope that the present reprint will be of increased service 
 to all students and readers. 
 
 CAMBRIDGE, 
 
 July 9, 1888. 
 
TABLE OF* HISTORICAL EVENTS. 
 
 AT HOME. A.D. 
 
 Edward III crowned . . 1327 
 Death of Robert Bruce and 
 
 accession of David II . 1328 
 
 Edward Baliol crowned at 
 
 Scone .... 1332 
 Battle of Halidon Hill . 1333 
 
 Freedom of trading guaran- 
 teed by the Legislature to 
 foreign merchants . . 1335 
 
 Exports of Wool prohibited ; 
 Foreign cloth-makers al- 
 lowed to settle in England 1337 
 
 V Birth of Chaucer . . i 340 
 
 One weight and measure 
 established for the whole 
 kingdom (14 Edward III, 
 c. 12) ... 
 
 Defeat of the French off 
 Sluys . 
 
 The Ayenbite of Inivyt, by 
 Dan Michel of North- 
 gate, Kent . . . 
 
 ? Death of Robert of Brunne 
 
 Philip VI (Valois) King of 
 
 France .... 1328 
 
 Germany under Papal inter- 
 dict .... 1330 
 
 Order of Teutonic Knights 
 
 settled in Prussia . . 1331 
 
 Benedict XII 
 
 J334 
 
 Sir John Froissart born . 1337 
 Simon Boccanegra (first 
 
 Doge of Genoa) . . 1339 
 
 Petrarch crowned at Rome 
 
 on Easter Day 
 Brittany the seat of civil war 
 
 1341 
 
Iviii 
 
 HISTORICAL EVENTS. 
 
 AT HOME. 
 
 A.D. 
 
 Battle of Neville's Cross 
 Battle of Cre9y . 
 
 1346 
 
 Death of Richard Rolle of 
 Hampole, author of The 
 Pricke of Conscience . 1 349 
 The First Great Pestilence 
 Order of the Garter insti- 
 tuted ....,, 
 
 Papal Provisions forbidden 1351 
 Poems on the Wars of Ed- 
 ward III, by Lawrence 
 Minot .... 1352 
 Polychronicon, by Ralph 
 
 Higden 
 
 Sir John Mandeville . . 1 354 
 The Scots surprise Berwick 1355 
 Battle of Poictiers . . 1356 
 Last Age of the Church (not 
 
 by Wycliffe) 
 
 Chaiicer probably a Page to 
 Prince Lionels wife . 1.357 
 
 Edward III invades France 1359 
 Chaucer commences his mili- 
 tary career ; is taken pri- 
 soner by the French . ,, 
 
 ABROAD. A.D. 
 
 Clement VI . . . 1342 
 
 Boccaccio crowned in the 
 Capitol by Robert the 
 Good 
 
 Settlement of Turks in Eu- 
 rope . . . .1343 
 
 Jacob van Arteveldt (Ed- 
 ward the Third's partisan 
 in Flanders) killed . 1345 
 
 Charles IV of Germany . 1 347 
 The Plague of Florence 1 348-9 
 
 The Black Death 
 
 1349 
 
 John II King of France . 1350 
 
 Innocent VI 
 
 135 2 
 
 Death of Rienzi . . 1354 
 
 La Jacquerie in France . 1358 
 Charles the Bad claims the 
 
 crown of France . . 1359 
 
 Peace between the English 
 
 and French at Bretigny . 1 360 
 
HISTORICAL EVENTS. 
 
 lix 
 
 AT HOME. A.D. 
 
 The Second Great Pestilence 1361 
 
 Chaucer probably in Ed- 
 ward I IPs service. . ,, 
 
 Law pleadings, &c. in Eng- 
 lish (36 Edward III, c. 
 15) J 362 
 
 The Vision of Piers Plow- 
 man (A- text), by Lang- 
 land 
 
 Diet and apparel of each 
 class of the community 
 regulated by Statute . 1363 
 
 Chaucer receives an annual 
 pension of '20 marks . 1367 
 
 Chaucer s Compleynte to 
 Pite (his love has re- 
 jected him) . . ? i 367-8 
 
 The Third Great Pestilence 1369 
 
 Chaucer s Deth qfBlaunche 
 the Duchesse . . . 1369 
 
 Robert II (the first of the 
 
 Stuart family in Scotland) 1371 
 
 Chaucer employed on a mis- 
 sion to Pisa and Genoa . 1372 
 
 Death of Sir John Mande- 
 ville 
 
 Chaucer s Lyfe of St. Cecile 1373 
 A pension of a pitcher of 
 wine daily granted to 
 Chaucer . . .1374 
 Chaucer appointed Comp- 
 troller of the Customs and 
 Subsidy of Wools, &>c. . 
 ? Chaucer's Compleynt of 
 
 Mars . . . . ,, 
 The Bruce, by Barbour . 1375 
 Death of Edward the Black 
 
 Prince . . . .1376 
 
 Urban V . . . *. 1362 
 War between Florence and 
 Pisa ; English auxiliaries 
 employed by the Pisans . 
 
 Charles V of France . . 1364 
 
 War re-commenced between 
 
 France and England 
 Gregory XI 
 
 1370 
 
 Truce between England and 
 
 France .... 1374 
 Death of Petrarch . . 
 
 Death of Boccaccio . 
 
 1375 
 
Ix 
 
 HISTORICAL EVENTS. 
 
 AT HOME. A.D. 
 
 Chaucer sent on a mission to 
 
 France (Stowe, Annals) . 1377 
 
 ? Chaucer s Boece . . 
 
 Death of Edward III, and 
 accession of Richard II . 
 
 The Vision of Piers Plow- 
 man (B-text) 
 
 Wycliffe condemned by 
 
 papal bull . . . 1378 
 
 Bible translated into Eng- 
 lish by Wycliffe . about 1380 
 
 (The work must have begun 
 earlier, as it is alluded to 
 in the B-text of Piers 
 Plowman?} 
 
 Poll-tax of 12 pence levied 
 upon all persons above 
 fifteen years of age . 
 
 Wat Tyler's Rebellion . 1381 
 
 Chaucer is appointed Comp- 
 troller of the Petty Cus- 
 toms .... 1382 
 
 ? Chaucer s Troilus . . 
 Death of Wycliffe . . 1384 
 ? Chaucer s Hous of Fame . 
 
 ? Chaucer s Legende of Good 
 
 Women . . . .1385 
 
 Chaucer dismissed from his 
 offices of Comptroller of 
 Wool and Petty Customs 1 386 
 
 ? Chaucer's Truth . . 
 The Polychronicon trans- 
 lated into English by 
 John Trevisa . . . 1387 
 
 . Chaucer writes some of his 
 
 Canterbury Tales . . 
 Chaucer s wife dies . . 
 
 Chaucer is appointed Clerk 
 of the King's Works at 
 Westminster . . . 1389 
 
 ABROAD. A.D. 
 
 Gregory XI returns to Rome 1377 
 
 Clement VII ... 1378 
 Charles VI of France . . 1380 
 
 John I of Portugal . . 1385 
 
 Conversion of the Lithu- 
 anians .... 1387 
 
 Victory of the Swiss over 
 
 the Austrians at Nafels . 1389 
 
HISTORICAL EVENTS. 
 
 Ixi 
 
 AT HOME. 
 
 Chaucer has scaffolds put 
 up in Smithfield for see- 
 ing the jousts there . 1390 
 Chaucer is appointed clerk 
 
 of the works at Windsor. 
 Chaucer robbed of 2o/. of . 
 
 the King's money . . 
 Robert III of Scotland . 
 Chaucer appointed joint 
 Forester* of North Peth- 
 erton , Somerset . 1390-1 
 Chaucer 's Astrolabe . . 1391 
 Gower's Confessio Amantis 1393 
 A pension of 20 a-yearfor 
 
 life granted to Chaucer . 1394 
 Persecution of Lollards . 1395 
 Death of Barbour . . 
 Some of Chaucer s Minor 
 
 Poems . . . 1392-8 
 
 Chaucer appointed sole For- 
 ester* of North Pether- 
 ton, Somerset . 
 
 Chaucer sued for 14 . 
 
 A grant of a tun of wine 
 a-year made to Chaucer . 
 
 Henry IV becomes King . 
 
 Chaucer sends his Purse 
 Poem to Henry IV . 
 
 Chaucer's Pension doubled . 
 
 Death of John of Gaunt . 
 
 Poem on ' Richard the Rede- 
 les (probably by Lang- 
 land) . 
 
 Death of Chaucer . . 
 
 I39 
 1399 
 
 ABROAD. A.D. 
 
 Ottoman victory over Chris- 
 tians at Kossova . . 1389 
 Boniface IX . . 
 
 Restoration of the Greek 
 Language in Italy by 
 Manuel Chrysolaras . 1390 
 
 Benedict XIII 
 
 Battle of Nicopolis 
 Union of Calmar 
 
 1394 
 
 1396 
 1397 
 
 1400 
 
 * See p. xiv. Chaucer as Forester of North Petherton Park, Co. Somer- 
 set. The Earls of March were Foresters of North Petherton under 
 the King, and appointed substitutionary foresters. Among the appoint- 
 ments are these : 
 
Ixii CHA UCER AS FORESTER OF N. PETHERTON PARK. 
 
 1 10 Ric. II (June 1386-7). Richard Brittle, by the appointment of 
 the Earl of March. 
 
 '14 Ric. II (June 1390-1). Richard Brittle and Gefferey Chaucer, 
 by the appointment of the Earl of March (Roger, who died July 20, 
 1398). 
 
 ' 21 Ric. II (June 1397-8). Gefferey Chaucer, by Alianor, Countess 
 of March.' Collinson, Hist, and Antiq. of the Co. of Somerset, iii. 62. 
 
 I take Chaucer's first appointment to be a joint one with Brittle, and 
 suppose that this continued till Chaucer was made sole Forester by Lady 
 March, probably while her husband was lying on his death-bed. Mr. 
 Floyd, however, who found the entries, and Mr. Walford D. Selby,who 
 wrote on them in the Athen&um, Nov. 20, 1886, and Life Records of 
 Chaucer, ii. p. 117 (Chaucer Soc. 1886), both better authorities than I, 
 hold that as a joint appointment is most unusual, R. Brittle was For- 
 ester until 14 Ric. II ; that in that year, that is, between June 22, 1390, 
 and June 21, 1391, Chaucer succeeded him, and remained Forester till 
 his own death in 1400. Earl Roger died July 20, 1398, and soon after, 
 his widow appointed Chaucer, that is, continued him in his office. 
 Collinson should therefore read 22 Ric. II (June 1398-9), not 21. 
 I doubt. F. J. F. 
 
CHAUCER. 
 
 THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 (GROUP A, 11. 1-858 in the Six-text edition.) 
 
 &>> 
 
 WHAN that Aprille with his 1 shoures soote 
 The droghte of Marche hath perced to the roote, 
 And bathed every veyne in swich licour, 
 Of which vertu engendred is the flour; 
 Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth 
 Inspired hath in every holt and heeth 
 The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne 
 Hath in the Ram his halfe- cours y-ronne, 
 And smale fowles 3 maken melody e, 
 That slepen al the night with open ye 4 , ] 
 
 (So priketh hem nature in hir corages): 
 Than 5 longen folk to goon on pilgrimages 6 , 
 And palmers 7 for to seken straunge strondes, - 1 
 To feme halwes, couthe in sondry londes ; 
 And specially, from every shires ende i 
 
 Of Engelond, to Caunterjniry 8 they wende, 
 
 1 E. hise ; rest his. - lit.' halfe ; rest half. 
 
 8 Pt. Ln. foules; E. Hn. foweles. * HI. yhe; Hn. lye; E. eye. 
 5 Pt. Ln. Than ; E. Thanne. t; E. pilgmnage (by mistake^' 
 
 7 Pt. palmers ; E. Palmeres. 8 Hn. Gaunter- ; E. Caimttir-. 
 
 4Y 
 
& (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 The holy blisftu mavtir for to sekc, 
 
 That hem hath holpen, whan that they were seke 1 . 
 
 Bifcl 2 that, in that sesoun 3 on a day, 
 In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay 
 Redy to wenden on my pilgrimage 
 To Caunterbury with ful devout corage, 
 At night was 4 come in-to that hostelry e 
 Wei nyne and twenty in a compaignyeT 
 Of sondry folk, by aventure y-falle 
 In felawshipe 5 , and pilgrims 6 were they alle, 
 That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde ;_ 
 The chambres and the stables weren wyde, 
 And wel we weren esed atte beste. 
 And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste, 
 So hadde I spoken with hem everichon, 
 That I was of hir felawshipe 5 anon, 
 And made forward erly for to ryse, 
 To take our 7 wey, ther as I yow devyse. 
 
 But natheles 8 , whyl I have tyme and space, 
 Er that I ferther in this tale pace, 
 Me thinketh it acordaunt to resoun, 
 To telle yow al the condicioun 
 Of ech of hem, so as it semed me, 
 And whiche they weren 9 , and of what degree; 
 And eek in what array that they were inne : 
 And at a knight than wol I first biginne. 
 
 A KNIGHT ther was, and that a worthy man, 
 That fro the tyme that he first bigan 
 To ryden out, he loved chivalrye, 
 Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisye. 
 
 1 E. seeke. 2 Hn. Bifel ; E. Bifil. '' E. seson. 
 
 * E. were ; rest was. 5 E. felaweship*. 
 
 HI. pilgryms ; E. pilgrimes. 7 E. oure. 8 E. nathelees. 
 
 9 HI. weren : rest were, weere. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 3 
 
 Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre. 
 
 And therto hadde he riden (no man ferre) 
 
 As wel in cristendom as 1 hethenesse, 
 
 And evere honoured for his worthinesse. 50 
 
 At Alisaundre he was, whan it was wonne; 
 
 Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne 
 
 Aboven alle naciouns 2 in Pruce. 
 
 In Leitow hadde he reysed and in Ruce, 
 
 No cristen man so ofte of his degree. 55 
 
 In Gernade at the sege 3 eek hadde he be 
 
 Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye. 
 
 At Lyeys was he, and at Satalye, 
 
 Whan they were wonne ; and in the Crete See 
 
 At many a noble aryve 4 hadde he be. 60 
 
 At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene, 
 
 And foughten for our 5 feith at Tramissene 
 
 In listes thryes, and ay slayn his foo. 
 
 This ilke worthy knight hadde been also 
 
 Somtyme with the lord of Palatye, 65 
 
 Ageyn another hethen in Turkye: 
 
 And everemore 6 he hadde a sovereyn prys. 
 
 And though that he were 7 worthy, he was wys, 
 
 And of his port as meek as is a mayde. 
 
 He nevere yet no vileinye ne sayde 70 
 
 In al his lyf, un-to no maner wight. 
 
 He was a verray parfit gentil knight. 
 
 But for to tellen yow of his array, 
 
 His hors were 8 goode, but he was 9 nat gay. 
 
 Of fustian he wered a gipoun 75 
 
 Al bismotered with his habergeoun. 
 
 1 Hn. as ; rest as in. 2 E. nacions. 3 E. seege. 
 
 * HI. ariue ; Cm. aryue ; E. Hn. armee ; Cp. Ln. arme. 
 6 E. cure. 6 E. -moore. 7 So E. Hn. Cm. ; rest was. 
 
 8 E. weren ; HI. Ln. was ; rest were. 8 HI. Hn. he ne was. 
 
 B 2 
 
4 (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 For he was late y-cbme from his viage, 
 And wente for to doon his pilgrimage. 
 
 With him ther was his sone, a yong SQUYER, 
 A lovyer, and a lusty bacheler, 80 
 
 With lokkes crulle, as they were leyd in presse. 
 Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse. 
 Of his stature he was of evene l lengthe, 
 And wonderly delivere, and greet of 2 strengthe. 
 And he hadde 3 been somtyme in chivachye, 85 
 
 In Flaundres, in Artoys, and Picardye, > 
 And born him wel 4 , as of so litel space/ 
 In hope to stonden in his lady grace. 
 Embrouded was he, as it were a mede 5 
 Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and rede 5 . 90 
 
 Singinge he was, or floytinge, al the day; 
 He was as fresh 6 as is the month 7 of May. 
 Short was his goune, with sieves longe and wyde. 
 Wel coude he sitte on hors, and faire ryde. 
 He coude songes make and wel endyte, 95 
 
 luste and eek daunce, and wel 4 purtreye and wryte. 
 So hote he lovede, that by nightertale 
 He sleep 8 namore 9 than doth 10 a nightingale. 
 Curteys he was, lowly 11 , and servisable, 
 And carf biforn his fader at the table./ ioc 
 
 A YEMAN hadde v he, and servaunts 12 namo 
 At that tyme, for him liste ryde so 13 ; 
 And he was clad in cote and hood of grene ; 
 A sheef of pecok 14 arwes brighte 15 and kene 
 
 1 Ln. euen ; rest euene. 2 E. Hn. of greet ; Cm. of gret ; rest gret of. 
 3 Ln. had. * E. weel. 5 E. meede, reede. 6 E. fressh. 
 
 7 E. Hn. Monthe ; Cp. month ; HI. Ft. Ln. moneth. 
 
 8 HI. Cp. sleep ; rest slepte. 9 E. -moore. 10 E. dooth. 
 11 HI. lowly ; E. lowely. 12 E. seruantz. 13 E. soo. 
 14 HI. Cp. Pt. Ln. pocok. 15 E. bright. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 5 
 
 Under his belt he bar ful thriftily, 105 
 
 (Wei coude he dresse his takel yemanly: 
 
 His * arwes drouped noght with fetheres lowe), 
 
 And in his hand he bar 2 a mighty bowe. 
 
 A not-heed hadde he, with a broun visage. 
 
 Of wode-craft wel coude he al the usage. no 
 
 Upon his arm he bar 2 a gay bracer, 
 
 And by his syde a swerd and a bokeler, 
 
 And on that other 3 syde a gay daggere, 
 
 Harneised wel, and sharp as point of spere; 
 
 A Cristofre 4 on his brest of silver shene 5 . 115 
 
 An horn he bar, the bawdrik was of grene; 
 
 A forster was he, soothly^ as L gesse. 
 
 Ther was also a Nonne, a PRIORESSE, 
 That of hir smyling was ful simple and coy; 
 Hir gretteste ooth was but by seynt Loy; 120 
 
 And she was cleped madame Eglentyne. 
 Ful wel she song 6 the service divyne, 
 Entuned in hir nose ful semely; 
 And Frensh she spak ful faire and fetisly, 
 After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe, 125 
 
 For Frensh of Paris was to hir unknowe. 
 At mete wel y-taught was she with-alle; 
 She leet no morsel from hir lippes falle, 
 Ne wette hir fingres in hir sauce depe. 
 Wel coude she carie a morsel, and wel kepe, 130 
 That no drope ne fille up-on hir brest 7 . 
 In curteisye was set ful moche 8 hir lest 9 . 
 Hir over lippe wyped she so clene, 
 
 1 E. Hise. 2 E. baar. 3 E. oother. 
 
 4 Hn. Cristofre ; E. Cristophere. 5 E. sheene. E. soong. 
 
 7 Cm. brest; E. Hn. brist. 
 
 8 Pt. moche ; Cm. meche ; E. Hn. muchel. 
 
 9 HI. lest ; E. Hn. Cm. list. 
 
(GROUP A^) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 That in hir coppe was 1 no ferthing sene 
 
 Of grece, whan she dronken hadde hir draughte. 
 
 Ful semely after hir mete she raughte, 136 
 
 And sikerly she was of greet disport 2 , 
 
 And ful plesaunt, and amiable of port, 
 
 And peyned hir to countrefete chere 
 
 Of court, and been 3 estatlich of manere, 140 
 
 And to ben holden digne of reverence. 
 
 But, for to speken of hir conscience. 
 
 She was so charitable and so pitous, 
 
 She wolde wepe, if that she sawe 4 a mous 
 
 Caught in a trappe, if it were deed or bledde. 145 
 
 Of smale. houndes had 5 she, that she fedde 
 
 With rested flesh, or milk and wastel breed. 
 
 But sore weep 6 she if oon 7 of hem were deed. 
 
 Or if men smoot it with a yerde smerte: 
 
 And al was conscience and tendre herte. 150 
 
 Ful semely 8 hir wimpel 9 pinched was : 
 
 Hir nose tretys ; hir eyen greye as glas ; 
 
 Hir mouth ful smal, and ther-to softe and reed ; 
 
 But sikerly she hadde a fair forheed. 
 
 It was almost a spanne brood, I trowe; 155 
 
 For, hardily, she was nat undergrowe. 
 
 Ful fetis was hir cloke, as I was war. 
 
 Of smal coral aboute hir arm she bar 
 
 A peire of bedes, gauded al with grene ; 
 
 And ther-on heng a broche of gold ful shene, 160 
 
 On which ther was first write a crowned A, 
 
 And after, Amor vincit omnia. 
 
 1 HI. was; rest ther was. 2 E. Hn. despoil; rest disport. 
 
 3 E. to been; HI. Hn. omit to. 4 HI. Hn. sawe; E. saugh. 
 
 ' Ft. Ln. had ; rest hadde. 6 Ln. wepped ; rest wepte ; read weep. 
 7 E. any; rest oon, on, one. 8 E. semyly. 
 
 9 E. wympul; Hn. wympel. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. J 
 
 Another NONNE with hir hadde she, 
 That was hir chapeleyne, and PREESTES thre. 
 
 A MONK ther was, a fair for the maistrye, 165 
 
 An out-rydere, that lovede venerye ; 
 A manly man, to been an abbot able. 
 Ful many a deyntee hors hadde he in stable : 
 And, whan he rood, men mighte his brydel here 
 Ginglen in a whistling 1 wynd as 2 clere, 170 
 
 And eek as loude as doth the chapel-belle. 
 Ther as this lord was keper of the celle, 
 The reule of seint Maure or of seint Beneit 
 By-cause that it was old and som-del streit, 
 This ilke monk leet olde thinges pace, 175 
 
 And held 3 after the newe world the space. 
 He yaf nat of that text a pulled hen, 
 That seith, that hunters been 4 nat holy men; 
 Ne that a monk, whan he is cloisterlees 5 , 
 Is likned til a fish that is waterlees; 180 
 
 This is to seyn, a monk out of his cloistre. 
 But thilke text held :! he nat worth an oistre. 
 And I seyde his opinioun was good. 
 What sholde he studie, and make him-selven wood, 
 Upon a book in cloistre alwey to poure, 185 
 
 Or swinken with his handes, and laboure, 
 As Austin bit? How shal the world be served? 
 Lat Austin have his G swink to him reserved. 
 Therfor he was a pricasour aright ; 
 Grehoundes he hadde, as swifte 7 as fowel in flight ; 
 Of priking and of hunting for the hare 191 
 
 1 Cp. whistlyng ; E. whistlynge. 2 E. Cm. als ; HI. so ; rest as. 
 
 3 E. Hn. heeld; Cm. held. * Hn. been ; E. beth. 
 
 "' HI. cloysterles ; E. Hn. recchelees ; Cp. Pt. Ln. recheles ; Cm. 
 rekeles (Ten Brink proposes recetlees). 
 . e E. his owene ; rest om. owene. 7 HI. swifte ; rest swift. 
 
! (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 Was al his lust, for no cost \volde he spare. 
 
 I seigh his sieves purfiled 1 at the hond 
 
 With grys, and that the fyneste of a lond; 
 
 And, for to festne his hood under his chin, 195 
 
 He hadde of gold y-wroght a 2 curious pin : 
 
 A love-knot 2 in the gretter ende ther was. 
 
 His heed was balled, that shoon as any glas, 
 
 And eek his face, as he 3 hadde been anoint. 
 
 He was a lord ful fat and in good point ; 200 
 
 His eyen stepe, and rollinge in his heed, 
 
 That stemed as a forneys of a leed ; 
 
 His botes souple, his hors in greet estat 4 . 
 
 Now certeinly he was a fair prelat 4 ; 
 
 He was nat pale as a for-pyned goost. 205 
 
 A fat swan loved he best of any roost. 
 
 His palfrey was as broun as is a berye. 
 
 A FRERE ther was, a wantown 5 and a merye, 
 A limitour, a ful solempne man. 
 In alle the ordres foure is noon that can 210 
 
 So moche 6 of daliaunce and fair langage. 
 He hadde maad ful many a mariage 
 Of yonge wommen, at his owne 7 cost. 
 Un-to his ordre he was a noble post. 
 Ful 8 wel biloved and famulier was he 215 
 
 With frankeleyns over-al in his contree, 
 And eek 9 with worthy wommen of the toun : 
 For he had power of confessioun, 
 As seyde him-self, more than a curat, 
 For of his ordre he was licentiat. 220 
 
 Ful swetely herde he confessioun, 
 
 1 HI. Hn. purfiled ; E. ypurfiled. 2 All but HI. ins. ful. 
 
 :; Cm. knot ; rest knotte. * E. it ; rest he. 5 E. estaat, prelaat. 
 f E. wantowne. ~ HI. moche ; E. muchel. 8 HI. owne ; E. owene. 
 9 E. And ; rest Ful. 10 HI. Hn. eek ; rest omit. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 9 
 
 And plesaunt was his absolucioun; 
 
 He was an esy man to yeve penaunce 
 
 Ther as he wiste to han 1 a good pitaunce; 
 
 For unto a povre ordre for to yive 225 
 
 Is signe that a man is wel y-shrive. 
 
 For if he yaf, he dorste make avaunt, 
 
 He wiste that a man was repentaunt. 
 
 For many a man so hard 2 is of his herte, 
 
 He may nat wepe al-thogh him sore smerte. 230 
 
 Therfore, in stede of weping 3 and preyeres, 
 
 Men moot 4 yeve silver to the povre freres. 
 
 His tipet was ay farsed ful of knyves 
 
 And pinnes. for to yeven faire 5 wyves. 
 
 And certeinly he hadde a mery 6 note; 235 
 
 Wel coude he singe and pleyen on a rote. 
 
 Of yeddinges he bar 7 utterly 8 the prys. 
 
 His nekke whyt was as the flour-de-lys. 
 
 Ther-to he strong was as a champioun. 
 
 He knew the tavernes wel in every 9 toun, 240 
 
 And everich hostiler and tappestere 
 
 Bet than a lazar or a beggestere; 
 
 For un-to swich a worthy man as he 
 
 Acorded nat, as by his facultee, 
 
 To have with seke 10 lazars aqueyntaunce. 245 
 
 It is nat honest 11 , it may nat avaunce 
 
 For to delen with no swich poraille, 
 
 But al with riche and sellers of vitaille. 
 
 And over-al, ther as profit sholde aryse, 
 
 Curteys he was, and lowly 12 of servyse. 250 
 
 1 HI. Cm. han ; E. haue. 2 E. harde. 3 E. wepynge. 
 
 4 E. Hn. moote ; see note. 5 E. yonge ; rest faire. 
 
 6 HI. mery ; E. murye. 7 E. baar. 
 
 8 Pt. vttirly ; HI. utturly ; E. Hn. outrely. 
 
 9 E. al the ; rctfeuery. 10 E. Hn. Cm. sike ; Pt. Ln. seke. 
 11 Cm. honest ; E. honeste. 12 E. lowely. 
 
TO (GRC&P A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 Ther nas no man nowher so vertuous. 
 
 He was the beste beggere in his hous 1 ; 
 
 For thogh a widwe hadde noght a sho, 
 
 So plesaunt was his In principio^ 
 
 Yet wolde he have a ferthing, er he wente. 255 
 
 His purchas was wel bettre than his rente. 
 
 And rage he coude as it were right a whelpe. 
 
 In love-dayes ther coude he mochel 2 helpe. 
 
 For ther he was nat lyk a cloisterer 3 . 
 
 With a thredbare cope, as is a povre scoler, 260 
 
 But he was lyk a maister or a pope. 
 
 Of double worsted 4 was his semi-cope, 
 
 That rounded as a belle out of the presse. 
 
 Somwhat he lipsed, for his wantownesse, 
 
 To make his English swete up-on his tonge ; 265 
 
 And in his harping, whan that he had 5 songe, 
 
 His eyen twinkled in his heed aright, 
 
 As doon the sterres in the frosty night. 
 
 This worthy limitour was cleped Huberd. 
 
 A MARCH ANT was ther with a forked berd, 270 
 In mottelee 6 , and hye on horse he sat, 
 Up-on his heed a Flaundrish bever 7 hat; 
 His botes clasped 8 faire and fetisly. 
 His 9 resons he spak ful solempnely, 
 Sowninge alway thencrees of his winning. 275 
 
 He wolde the see were kept for any thing 
 Bitwixe Middelburgh and Orewelle. 
 Wel coude he in eschaunge sheeldes selle. 
 
 1 Hn. alone inserts And yaf a certeyn ferme for the gratmt 
 Noon of his bretheren cam ther in his haunt. 
 
 2 E. muchel ; HI. mochil. 3 HI. Cm. cloysterer ; E. Cloystrer. 
 ^//worstede (badly -\ 5 Pt. Ln. had; rest hadde. 
 6 Ln. motteley ; HI. motteleye ; E. Hn. motlee. 7 E. beiu?re. 
 8 Cp. Pt. elapsed ; HI. clapsud. E. Hise. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. II 
 
 This worthy man ful wel his wit bisette; 
 
 Ther wiste no wight that he was in dette, 280 
 
 So estatly 1 was he of his governaunce, 
 
 With his bargaynes, and with his chevisaunce. 
 
 For sothe he was a worthy man with-alle, 
 
 But sooth to seyn, I noot how men him calle. 
 
 A CLERK ther was of Oxenford also, 285 
 
 That un-to logik hadde longe y-go. 
 As 2 lene was his hors as is a rake, 
 And he nas nat right fat, I undertake ; 
 But loked holwe, and ther-to soberly \ 
 Ful thredbar 4 was his overest 5 courtepy; 290 
 
 For he had 6 geten him yet no benefice, 
 Ne was so worldly for to have office. 
 For him was levere have at his beddes heed 
 Twenty bokes, clad in blak or reed 
 Of Aristotle and his philosophye, 295 
 
 Than robes riche, or fithele, or gay sautrye. 
 But al be that he was a philosophre. 
 Yet hadde he but litel gold in cofre; 
 But al that he mighte of his frendes hente, 
 On bokes and on 7 lerninge he it spente, 300 
 
 And bisily gan for the soules preye 
 Of hem that yaf him wher-with to scoleye. 
 Of studie took he most cure and most hede. 
 Noght o word spak he more than was nede, 
 And that was seyd in forme and reverence, 305 
 
 And short and quik, and ful of hy sentence. 
 Sowninge in moral vertu was his speche, 
 And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche. 
 
 1 Cp. statly. 2 E. And ; HI. Al so; rest As. 3 E. sobrely. 
 
 4 AH -bare. 5 HI. ouerest ; E. Hn. Cm. ouereste. 
 
 6 Cp. Ln. had ; rest hadde. 7 E. HI. his ; rest on. 
 
12 (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 A SERGEANT OF THE LAWE, war and wys, 
 That often hadde been at the parvys, 310 
 
 Ther was also, ful riche of excellence. 
 Discreet he was, and of greet reverence : 
 He semed swich, his wordes weren so wyse, 
 Justice he was ful often in assyse, 
 By patente, and by pleyn commissioun ; 315 
 
 For his science, and for his heigh renoun 
 Of fees and robes hadde he many oon. 
 So greet a purchasour was nowher noon. 
 Al was fee simple to him in effect, 
 His purchasing mighte nat been infect 320 
 
 Nowher so bisy a man as he ther nas, 
 And yet he semed bisier than he was. 
 In termes hadde he caas and domes alle, 
 That from the tyme of king William were falle *. 
 Therto he coude endyte, and make a thing, 325 
 
 Ther coude no wight pinche 2 at his wryting; 
 And every statut coude he pleyn by rote. 
 He rood but hoomly in a medlee cote 
 Girt with a ceint of silk, with barres smale; 
 Of his array telle I no lenger tale. 330 
 
 A FRANKELEYN was in his compaignye; 
 Whyt was his berd 3 , as is the 4 dayesye. 
 Of his complexioun he was sangwyn. 
 Wei loved he by the morwe a sop in wyn. 
 To liven in delyt was evere 5 his wone, 335 
 
 For he was Epicurus owne 6 sone, 
 That heeld opinioun that pleyn delyt 
 Was verraily 7 felicitee parfyt. 
 
 1 E. yfalle ; rest falle. 2 E. Hn. pynchen ; rest pynche, pinche. 
 ' E. heed ; rest berd, berde. 4 E. a ; rest the. 5 HI. al. 
 
 f> E. Hn. Cm. owene ; rest owne. 
 7 HI. verraily ; rest verray, verrey, uery. 
 
(GROUP A.}. THE PROLOGUE. 13 
 
 An housholdere, and that a greet, was he; 
 
 Seynt lulian he was 1 in his contree. 340 
 
 His breed, his ale, was alwey 2 after oon ; 
 
 A bettre envyned man was nevere 3 noon. 
 
 With-oute bake mete was nevere his hous, 
 
 Of fish and flesh, and that so plentevous, 
 
 It snewed in his hous of mete and drinke, 345 
 
 Of alle deyntees that men coude thinke. 
 
 After the sondry sesons of the yeer, 
 
 So chaunged he his mete and his soper. 
 
 Ful many a fat partrich hadde he in mewe 4 , 
 
 And many a breem and many a luce in stewe 4 . 350 
 
 Wo was his cook, but-if his sauce were 
 
 Poynaunt and sharp, and redy al his gere. 
 
 His table dormant in his halle alway 
 
 Stood redy covered al the longe day. 
 
 At sessiouns ther was he lord and sire. 355 
 
 Ful ofte tyme he was knight of the shire. 
 
 An anlas 5 and a gipser al of silk 
 
 Heng 6 at his girdel, whyt as morne milk. 
 
 A shirreve hadde he been, and a 7 countour; 
 
 Was nowher such a worthy vavasour. 360 
 
 An HABERDASSHER and a CARPENTER, 
 A WEBBE, a DYERE, and a TAPICER, 
 And they were clothed alle in o liveree, 
 Of a solempne and 9 greet fraternitee. 
 Ful fresh and newe hir gere apyked was ; 365 
 
 Hir knyves were y-chaped 10 noght with bras, 
 
 1 E. was he ; rest he was. 
 
 2 Cm. Ln. alwey ; HI. alway ; E. Hn. alweys. 3 HI. Pt. nowher. 
 
 4 E. Hn. mu we, stuwe. 
 
 5 E. Hn. anlaas ; Cp. Pt. Ln. anelas ; HI. Cm. anlas. 
 
 f> E. Hn. heeng. 7 E. Hn. Cm. om. a. 8 HI. deyer. 
 
 <J All but HI. insert a. 10 HI. ichapud; Cm. chapid; rest chaped. 
 
\4 (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 But al with silver wroght ful clene and weel, 
 
 Hir girdles and hir pouches everydeel. 
 
 Wei semed ech of hem a fair burgeys, 
 
 To sitten in a yeldhalle 1 on a deys. 370 
 
 Everich, for the wisdom that he can, 
 
 Was shaply for to been an alderman. 
 
 For catel hadde they ynogh and rente, 
 
 And eek hir wyves wolde it wel assente ; 
 
 And elles certein were they to blame. 375 
 
 It is ful fair to been y-clept 2 ma dame, 
 
 And goon to vigilyes al bifore, 
 
 And have a mantel roialliche y-bore. 
 
 A COOK they hadde with hem for the nones, 
 To boille 3 chiknes with the mary-bones, 380 
 
 And poudre-marchant tart, and galingale. 
 Wel coude he knowe a draughte of London ale. 
 He coude roste, and sethe, and broille 4 , and frye, 
 Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye. 
 But greet harm was it, as it thoughte me, 385 
 
 That on his shine a mormal hadde he ; 
 For blankmanger, that made he with the beste. 
 
 A SHIPMAN was ther, woning fer by weste : 
 For aught I woot, he was of Dertemouthe. 
 He rood up-on a rouncy, as he couthe, 390 
 
 In a gowne of falding to the knee. 
 A daggere hanging on a laas hadde he 
 Aboute his nekke under his arm adoun. 
 The hote somer had maad his hewe al broun; 
 And, certeinly, he was a good felawe. 395 
 
 1 E. yeldehalle. 
 
 2 E. Hn. ycleped ; HI. clept ; rest cleped, clepid. 
 
 3 All but HI. insert the. 
 
 4 E. boille ; Cm. boyle ; rest broille, broile. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 15 
 
 Ful many a draughte of wyn had he y-drawe 1 
 
 From Bur deux- ward, whyl that the chapman sleep. 
 
 Of nyce conscience took he no keep. 
 
 If that he faught, and hadde the hyer hond, 
 
 By water he sente hem hoom to every lond. 400 
 
 But of his craft to rekene wel his tydes, 
 
 His stremes and his daungers him bisydes, 
 
 His herberwe and his mone, his lodemenage, 
 
 Ther nas noon swich from Hulle to Cartage. 
 
 Hardy he was, and wys to undertake; 405 
 
 With many a tempest hadde his berd been shake. 
 
 He knew wel 2 alle the havenes, as they were, 
 
 From Gootlond to the cape of Finistere, 
 
 And every cryke in Britayne and in Spayne ; 
 
 His barge y-cleped was the Maudelayne. 410 
 
 With us ther was a DOCTOUR OF PHISYK, 
 In al this world ne was ther noon him lyk 
 To speke of phisik and of surgery e ; 
 For he was grounded in astronomye. 
 He kepte his pacient a ful greet del 5 415 
 
 In houres, by his magik naturel *. 
 Wel coude he fortunen the ascendent 
 Of his 6 images for his pacient. 
 He knew the cause of evgrich maladye, 
 Were it of hoot or cold, or moiste, or drye, 420 
 
 And where G engendred, and of what humour ; 
 He was a verrey parfit practisour. 
 The cause y-knowe, and of his harm the rote, 
 Anon he yaf the seke 7 man his bote. 
 Ful redy hadde he his 8 apothecaries, 425 
 
 1 Cm. I-drawe ; rest drawe. . 2 HI. ins. wel ; rest om. 
 
 3 HI. wondurly wel ; rest a ful greet deel. 4 E. Hn. natureel. 
 
 5 E. Hn. hise; Cm. hese. 6 E. Cm. HI. ins. they; Hn. ins. it. 
 7 Cm. Ln. seke ; rest sike. 8 E. hise. 
 
16 (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 To sende him drogges 1 , and his letuaries, 
 
 For ech of hem made other for to winne; 
 
 Hir frendschipe nas nat newe to biginne. 
 
 Wei knew he the olde Esculapius, 
 
 And Deiscorides, and eek Rufus 2 ; 430 
 
 Old Ypocras, Haly, and Galien; 
 
 Serapion, Razis, and Avicen; 
 
 Averrois, Damascien, and Constantyn ; 
 
 Bernard, and Gatesden, and Gilbertyn. 
 
 Of his diete mesurable was he, 435 
 
 For it was of no superfluitee, 
 
 But of greet norissing and digestible. 
 
 His studie was but litel. on the Bible. 
 
 In sangwin and in pers he clad was al, 
 
 Lyned with taffata and with sendal; 440 
 
 And yet he was but esy of dispence; 
 
 He kepte that he wan in pestilence. 
 
 For gold in phisik is a cordial, 
 
 Therfor he lovede gold in special. 
 
 A good WYF was ther of bisyde BATHE, 445 
 
 But she was som-del deef, and that was scathe. 
 Of cloth-making she hadde swiche an haunt, 
 She passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunt. 
 \ In al the parisshe wyf ne was ther noon 
 
 That to the offring bifore hir sholde goon; 450 
 
 And if ther dide, certeyn, so wrooth was she, 
 
 That she was 3 out of alle charitee. 
 
 Hir coverchiefs ful fyne were 4 of ground ; 
 
 I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound 
 
 That on a Sonday were 4 upon hir heed. 455 
 
 1 E. Hn. Cm. drogges ; Cp. Pt. Ln. drugges ; HI. dragges. 
 
 2 HI. Pt. Rufus ; Cm. Rufijs ; Hn. Cp. Ln. Rusus ; E. Risus. 
 
 3 HI. inserts thanne. 4 E. weren. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 17 
 
 Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed, 
 Ful streite y-teyd, and shoos 1 ful moiste and newe. 
 Bold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe. 
 She was a worthy womman al hir lyve, 
 Housbondes at chirche-dore she hadde fyve, 460 
 
 Withouten other compaignye in youthe; 
 But therof nedeth nat to speke as nouthe. 
 And thryes hadde 2 she been at Jerusalem; 
 She hadde passed many a straunge streem; 
 At Rome she hadde been, and at Boloigne, 465 
 
 In Galice at seint lame, and at Coloigne. 
 She coude moche 3 of wandring by the weye. 
 x Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye. 
 Up-on an amblere esily she sat, 
 Y- wimpled wel, and on hir heed an hat 470 
 
 As brood as is a bokeler or a targe ; 
 A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large, 
 And on hir feet a paire of spores sharp e. 
 In felaweschip wel coude she laughe and carpe. 
 Of remedies of love she knew per-chaunce, _ 475 
 For she coude of that art 4 the olde daunce. 
 
 A good man was ther of religioun, 
 And was a povre PERSOUN of a toun; 
 But riche he was of holy thoght and werk. 
 He was also a lerned man, a clerk, 480 
 
 That Cristes gospel trewely wolde preche; 
 His parisshens devoutly wolde he teche. 
 Benigne he was, and wonder diligent, 
 And in adversitee ful pacient ; 
 And swich he was y-preved 5 ofte sythes. 485 
 
 1 Cp. HI. schoos ; E. shoes. 2 Ln. had. 
 
 8 HI. Pt. Cp. moche ; E. Hn. muchel. 
 
 4 HI. For of that art sche knew. 
 
 5 HI. i-proued ; E. Cp. Pt. preued. 
 
 C 
 
1 8 (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 v . 
 
 ' < ^ t ^^^^ S ^ N *V>JLP^x 
 
 Ful looth were him to cursen for his 1 tythes, 
 
 But rather wolde he yeven, out of doute, 
 
 Un-to his povre parisshens aboute 
 
 Of his offring, and eek of his substaunce. 
 
 He coude in litel thing han 2 suffisaunce. 490 
 
 Wyd was his parisshe, and houses fer a-sonder, 
 
 But he ne lafte nat, for reyn ne thonder, 
 
 In siknes 3 nor in meschief to visyte 
 
 The ferreste in his parisshe, moche 4 and lyte, 
 
 Up-on his feet, and in his hand a staf. 495 
 
 This noble ensample to his sheep he yaf, 
 
 That first 5 he wroghte, and afterward 6 he taughte ; 
 
 Out of the gospel he tho wordes caughte ; 
 
 And this figure he added eek ther-to, 
 
 That if gold ruste, what shal yren do? 500 
 
 For if a preest be foul, on whom we truste, 
 
 No wonder is a lewed man to ruste; 
 
 And shame it is, if 7 a preest take keep, 
 
 A [spotted] shepherde and a clene sheep. 
 
 Wei oghte a preest ensample for to yive 8 , 
 
 By his clennesse, how that his sheep shold live. 
 
 He sette nat his benefice to hyre, 
 
 And leet his sheep encombred in the myre, 
 
 And ran to London, un-to seynt 9 Poules, 
 
 To seken him a chaunterie 10 for soules, . 
 
 Or with a bretherhed to been withholde; 
 
 But dwelte 11 at hoom, and kepte 12 wel his folde, 
 
 So that the wolf ne made it nat miscarie ; 
 
 i E. hlse. 2 HI. Cm. Pt. hanj'E. Hn. Cp. haue. 
 
 8 E. siknesse. 4 HI. Cp. moche ; E. Hn. muche. 
 
 5 E. firste. 6 E. ins. that (by mistake}. 7 HI. alone ins. that. 
 
 * HI. aiue ; E. yeue. 9 HI. Cp. seynte. 
 
 10 HI. chaunterie ; E. chauntrie. " E. dwelleth ; rest dwelte. 
 
 12 E. keepeth ; Ln. keped ; rest kepte. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 19 
 
 He was a shepherde and no J mercenarie. 
 
 And though he holy were, and vertuous, 515 
 
 He was to sinful man nat 2 despitous, 
 
 Ne of his speche daungerous ne digne, 
 
 But in his teching discreet and benigne. 
 
 To drawen folk to heven by fairnesse 
 
 By good ensample, this was his bisynesse : 520 
 
 But it were any persone obstinat, 
 
 What so he were, of heigh or lowe 3 estat, 
 
 Him wolde he snibben sharply for the nones 4 . 
 
 A bettre preest, I trowe that nowher non is. 
 
 He wayted 5 after no pompe and reverence, 525 
 
 Ne maked him a spyced conscience, 
 
 But Cristes lore, and his 6 apostles twelve, 
 
 He taughte, but first he folwed it him-selve. 
 
 With him ther was a PLOWMAN, was his brother, 
 That hadde y-lad of dong ful many a fother, 530 
 A trewe swinkere and a good was he, 
 Livinge in pees and parfit charitee. 
 God loved he best with al his hole herte 
 At alle tymes, thogh him 7 gamed or smerte, 
 And thanne his neighebour right as him-selve. 535 
 He wolde thresshe, and ther-to dyke and delve, 
 For Cristes sake, for 8 every povre wight, 
 Withouten hyre, if it lay in his might. 
 His tythes payed 9 he ful faire and weL^jr 
 Bothe of his propre 10 swink and his catei. 540 
 
 In a tabard he rood upon a mere. 
 
 1 HI. no ; rest not a. 
 
 2 HI. to senful man nought; rest nat to sinful man. 
 
 :: Hn. lowe ; E. lough. 4 E. nonys. 
 
 ;> E. waiteth ; rest waited, wayted. 6 E. hise. 
 
 7 E. Pt. Ln. he; rest him. a Hn. HI. with. 
 
 9 Cp. Pt. payed ; Cm. HI. payede ; E. Hn. payde. 10 HI. owne. 
 C 2 
 
20 (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 Ther was also a Reve and a Millere, 
 A Somnour and a Pardoner also, 
 A Maimciple, and my-self; ther were namo. 
 
 The MILLER was a stout carl, for the nones, 545 
 Ful big he was of braun, and eek of bones; 
 That proved wel, for over-al ther he cam, 
 At wrastling he wolde have alwey the ram. 
 He was short-sholdred, brood, a thikke knarre, 
 Ther nas no dore that he nolde 1 heve of harre, 550 
 Or breke it, at a renning, with his heed. 
 His herd as any sowe or fox was reed, 
 And ther-to brood, as though it were a spade. 
 Up-on the cop right of his nose he hade 
 A werte, and ther-on stood a tuft 2 of heres s , 555 
 Reed as the bristles 4 of a sowes eres 3 ; 
 His nose-thirles blake were and wyde. 
 A swerd and 5 bokeler bar he by his syde; 
 His mouth as greet 6 was as a greet forneys. 
 He was a langlere and a goliardeys, 560 
 
 And that was most of sinne and harlotryes. 
 Wel coude he stelen corn, and tollen thryes ; 
 And yet he hadde a thombe of gold, pardee. 
 A whyt cote and a blew hood wered he. 
 A baggepype wel 7 coude he blowe and sowne, 565 
 And therwithal he broghte us out of towne. 
 
 A gentil MAUNCIPLE was ther of a temple, 
 Of which achatours mighte take exemple 
 For to be wyse in bying of vitaille. 
 For whether 8 that he payde, or took by taille, 570 
 
 1 Cp. HI. nolde ; Hn. noolde ; E. ne wolde. 
 
 2 E. toft ; Ln. tofte ; rest tuft. 3 E. herys, erys. 
 
 4 Hn. bristles; E. brustles ; Pt. brysteles ; HI. Cp. berstles. 
 
 5 All but Cp. ins. a. 6 HI. wyde ; rest greet, gret. 7 HI. om. wel. 
 8 E. Hn. wheither. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 21 
 
 to" \ ^^^ 
 
 Algate he way ted so in his achat 1 , 
 
 That he was ay biforn and in good stat 2 . 
 
 Now is nat that of God a ful fair grace, 
 
 That swich a lewed mannes wit shal pace 
 
 The wisdom of an heep of lerned men ? 575 
 
 Of maistres hadde he mo than thryes ten, 
 
 That were 3 of lawe expert and curious; 
 
 Of which 4 ther were a doseyn 5 in that hous, 
 
 Worthy to been stiwardes of rente and lond 
 
 Of any lord that is in Engelond, ^^ Xlx) P 1 *^ 580 
 
 To make 6 , him live by his propre good, 
 
 In honour dettelees, but 7 he were wood, 
 
 Or live as scarsly as him list desire ; 
 
 And able for to helpen al a shire 
 
 In any cas 8 that mighte falle or happe ; 585 
 
 And yit this maunciple sette hir aller cappe. 
 
 The REVE was a sclendre colerik man, 
 His berd was shave as ny as ever he can. 
 His heer was by his eres 9 round y-shorn. 
 His top was dokked 10 lyk a preest biforn. 590 
 
 Ful longe were his legges, and ful lene, 
 Y-lyk a staf, ther was no calf y-sene. 
 Wei coude he kepe a gerner and a binne ; 
 Ther was noon auditour coude on 11 him \vinne. 
 Wei wiste he, by the droghte, and by the reyn, 595 
 The yeldyng of his seed, and of his greyn. 
 His lordes sheep, his neet, his dayerye, 
 His swyn, his hors, his stoor, and his pultrye, 
 Was hoolly in this reves governing, 
 
 1 E. Achaat. 2 E. staat. :i E. weren. * E. whiche. 
 
 r> Cm. doseyn ; E. duszeyne. f> E. maken. 
 
 7 Cm. but ; Cp. Pt. but if that ; rest but if. * E. Hn. caas. 
 
 9 All but HI. Ln. ins. ful. 10 E. doked. " E. of; rest on. 
 
22 (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 And by his covenaunt yaf the rekening, 
 Sin that his lord was twenty yeer of age ; 
 Ther coude no man bringe him in arrerage. 
 Ther nas baillif, ne herde, ne l other hyne, 
 That he 2 ne 3 knew his sleighte and his covyne ; 
 They, were adrad of him, as of the deeth. 
 His woning was fill fair 4 up-on an heeth, 
 With grene trees shadwed 5 was his place. 
 He coude bettre than his lord purchace. 
 Ful riche he was astored prively. 
 His lord wel coude he plesen subtilly, 
 To yeve and lene him of his owne 6 good, 
 And have a thank, and 7 yet a cote 8 , and hood. 
 In youthe he lerned hadde 9 a good mister 10 ; 
 He was a wel good wrighte, a carpenter. 
 This reve sat up-on a ful good stot, 
 That was al pomely grey, and highte Scot. 
 A long surcote of p'ers up-on he hade, 
 And by his syde he bar 11 a rusty blade. 
 Of Northfolk was this reve, of which I telle, 
 Bisyde a toun men clepen Baldeswelle. 
 Tukked he was, as is a frere, aboute, 
 ^And evere he rood the hindreste of our route. 
 
 A SOMNOUR 12 was ther with us in that place, 
 That hadde a fyr-reed cherubinnes face, 
 For sawceflem he was, with eyen narwe. 
 [And quik] he was, and [chirped] as a spar we, 
 
 1 E. Hn. Cp. Pt. nor ; rest ne. 2 HI. they. 3 E. Cm. om. ne. 
 1 HI. fair ; E. faire. 
 
 r> E. Hn. shadwed ; HI. i-schadewed ; Cm. I-schadewid ; Cp. Pt. 
 shadewed; Ln. schadowed. 
 
 6 HI. owne ; E. owene. 7 E. om. and. 8 E. gowne ; resfcote. 
 9 So Hn. HI. ; E. and rest hadde lerned. l>) Cp. HI. mester. 
 
 11 E. baar. 12 Cp. Pt. Somnotrr; HI. sompnonr; E. Hn. Somonour. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 2$ 
 
 With sqalled l browes blake, and piled berd ; 
 
 Of his visage children were aferd. 
 
 Ther nas quik-silver, litarge, ne brimstoon 2 , 
 
 Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon, 630 
 
 Ne oynement that wolde dense and byte, 
 
 That him mighte helpen of his 3 whelkes whyte, 
 
 Ne of the knobbes sittinge on his chekes. 
 
 Wei loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes, 
 
 And for to drinken strong wyn, reed as blood. 635 
 
 Thanne wolde he speke, and crye as he were wood. 
 
 And whan that he wel dronken hadde the wyn, 
 
 Than wolde he speke no word but Latyn. 
 
 A fewe termes hadde he, two or thre, 
 
 That he had lerned out of som decree ; 640 
 
 No wonder is, he herde it al the day; 
 
 And eek ye knowen wel, how that a lay 
 
 Can clepen ' Watte/ as well as can the pope. 
 
 But who-so coude in other thing him grope, 
 
 Thanne hadde he spent al his philosophy e ; 645 
 
 Ay ( Questio quid iuris ' wolde he crye. 
 
 He was a gentil harlot and a kynde ; 
 
 A bettre felawe sholde men noght fynde. 
 
 He wolde suffre for a quart of wyn 
 
 A good felawe to have his [wikked sin] 650 
 
 A twelf-month, and excuse him atte fulle: 
 
 And prively a finch eek coude he pulle. 
 
 And if he fond owher a good felawe, 
 
 He wolde techen him to have non awe, 
 
 In swich cas, of the erchedeknes 4 curs, 655 
 
 But-if a mannes soule were in his purs; 
 
 For in his purs he sholde y-punisshed be. 
 
 1 E. Hn. Cm. scaled. 2 Cp. Pt. bremston. 
 
 3 E. the ; rest his. 4 Cp. erche- ; E. erce- ; HI. arche-. 
 
24 (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 ' Purs is the erchedeknes helle/ seyde he. 
 But wel I woot he lyed right in dede; 
 Of cursing oghte ech gulty man him 1 drede 660 
 For curs wol slee right as assoilling saveth 2 
 And also war him of a significavit. 
 In daunger hadde he at his owne 3 gyse 
 The yonge girles of the diocyse, 
 And knew hir counseil, and was al hir reed. 665 
 A gerland hadde he set up-on his heed, 
 As greet as it were for an ale-stake; 
 A bokeler 4 hadde he maad him of a cake. 
 With him ther rood 5 a gentil PARDONER 
 Of Rouncivale, his frend and his compeer, 670 
 
 That streight was comen fro the court of Rome. 
 Ful loude he song 6 , ' Com hider, love, to me.' 
 This somnour bar to him a stif burdoun, 
 Was nevere trompe of half so greet a soun. 
 This pardoner hadde heer as yelow as wex, 675 
 
 But smothe it heng 7 , as doth a strike of flex ; 
 By ounces henge his 8 lokkes that he hadde, 
 And ther-with he his 8 shuldres overspradde ; 
 But thinne it lay, by colpons oon and oon; 
 But hood, for lolitee, ne 9 wered he noon, 680 
 
 For it was trussed up in his walet. 
 Him thoughte, he rood al of the newe let; 
 Dischevele 10 , save his cappe, he rood al bare. 
 Swiche glaringe eyen hadde he as an hare. 
 A vernicle hadde he sowed on 11 his cappe. 685 ! 
 
 His walet lay 12 biforn him in his lappe, 
 
 1 Cp. Ln. him ; HI. Pt. to ; rest om. 2 HI. saveth ; E. sauith. 
 
 3 HI. owne ; E. owene. 4 E. bokeleer. 
 
 r> E. was ; rest rood, rode. 6 E. soong. 7 E. heeng. 
 
 * E. hise. 9 HI. ne ; rest omit. 30 E. Discheuelee. 
 
 11 HI. Cp. on ; rest vp on. 12 HI. lay; which the rest omit. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 25 
 
 Bret-ful of pardoun come 1 from Rome al hoot. 
 
 A voys he hadde as smal as hath a 2 goot. 
 
 No herd hadde he, ne nevere sholde have, 
 
 As smothe it was as it were late y-shave 3 ; 690 
 
 But of his craft, fro Berwik into Ware, 
 
 Ne was ther swich another pardoner. 
 
 For in his male he hadde a pilwe-beer, 
 
 Which that, he seyde, was our 4 lady veyl: 695 
 
 He seyde, he hadde a gobet of the seyl 
 
 That seynt Peter hadde, whan that he wente 
 
 Up-on the see, til lesu Crist him hente. 
 
 He hadde a croys of latoun, ful of stones, 
 
 And in a glas he hadde pigges bones. 700 
 
 But with thise relikes, whan that he fond 
 
 A povre person dwelling up-on lond, 
 
 Up-on a day he gat him more moneye 
 
 Than that the person gat in monthes tweye. 
 
 And thus with feyned flaterye and lapes, 705 
 
 He made the person and the peple his apes. 
 
 But trewely to tellen, atte laste, 
 
 He was in chirche a noble ecclesiaste. 
 
 Wei coude he rede a lessoun or a storie, 
 
 But alderbest he song an offertorie; 710 
 
 For wel he wiste, whan that song was songe, 
 
 He moste preche, and wel' affyle his tonge, 
 
 To winne silver, as he ful 5 wel coude; 
 
 Therefore he song so meriely 6 and loude. 
 
 Now have I told you shortly 7 , in a clause, 715 
 
 HI. Cm. come ; rest comen. 2 HI. eny (for hath a). 
 
 Hn. yshaue ; E. shaue. 4 All cure. 5 HI. right. 
 
 Cp. Pt. Ln. so meriely ; E. Hn. Cm. the murierly. 
 E. HI. shortly ; rest soothly. 
 
26 (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 Thestat 1 , tharray, the nombre, and eek the cause 
 
 Why that assembled was this compaignye 
 
 In Southwerk, at 2 this gentil hostelrye, 
 
 That highte the Tabard, faste by the Belle. 
 
 But now is tyme to, yow for to telle . 720 
 
 How that we baren us that ilke night, 
 
 Whan we were in that hostelrye alight. 
 
 And after wol I telle of our viage, 
 
 And al the remenaunt of our 3 pilgrimage. 
 
 But first I pray yow of your 4 curteisye, 725 
 
 That ye narette 5 it nat my vileinye, 
 
 Thogh that I pleynly speke in this matere, 
 
 To telle yow hir wordes and hir chere ; 
 
 Ne thogh I speke hir wordes proprely. 
 
 For this ye knowen al-so wel as I, 730 
 
 Who-so shal telle a tale after a man, 
 
 He moot reherce, as ny as evere he can, 
 
 Everich a word, if it be in his charge, 
 
 Al speke he never so rudeliche and 6 large ; 
 
 Or elles he moot telle his tale untrewe, 735 
 
 Or feyne thing, or fynde wordes newe. 
 
 He may nat spare, al-thogh he were his brother; 
 
 He moot as wel seye o word as another. 
 
 Crist spak him -self ful brode in holy writ, 
 
 And wel ye woot, no vileinye is it. 740 
 
 Eek Plato seith, who-so that 7 can him rede, 
 
 The wordes mote be cosin to the dede. 
 
 Also I prey yow to foryeve it me, 
 
 Al have I nat set folk in hir degree 
 
 Here in this tale, as that they sholde stonde ; 745 
 
 1 HI. Thestat; Hn. Thestaat; E. The staat; Cm. Cp. The estat. 
 
 2 E. as ; rest at. 3 E. oure (but our in 1. 723). 
 
 4 E. youre ; HI. your. 5 E. Hn. Cm. narette ; Cp. Pt. HI. ne rette. 
 6 E. or ; HI. ne ; rest and. 7 All but HI. om. that. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 27 
 
 My wit is short, ye may wel understonde. 
 
 Greet chere 1 made our hoste us everichon, 
 And to the soper sette he us anon ; 
 And served us with vitaille at the beste. 
 Strong was the wyn, and wel to drinke us leste. 750 
 A semely man our hoste 2 was with-alle 
 For to han 3 been a marshal in an halle; 
 A large man he was with eyen stepe, 
 A fairer burgeys was ther noon in Chepe: 
 Bold of his speche, and wys, and wel y- taught, 755 
 And of manhod him lakkede 4 right naught. 
 Eek therto he was right a mery man, 
 And after soper pleyen he bigan, 
 And spak of mirthe amonges othere thinges, 
 Whan that we hadde maad our rekeninges; 760 
 
 And seyde thus : l Now 5 , lordinges, trewely 
 Ye ben to me right welcome hertely: 
 For by my trouthe, if that I shal nat lye, 
 I ne saugh 6 this yeer so mery 7 a compaignye 
 At ones in this herberwe as is now. 765 
 
 Fayn wolde I doon yow mirthe, wiste I how. 
 And of a mirthe I am right now bithoght, 
 To doon yow ese, and it shal coste noght. 
 
 Ye goon to Caunterbury ; God yow spede, 
 The blisful martir quyte yow your mede. 770 
 
 And wel I woot, as ye goon by the weye, 
 Ye shapen yow to talen and to pleye; 
 For trewely, confort ne mirthe is noon 
 To ryde by the weye doumb as a 8 stoon ; 
 And therfore wol I maken yow disport, 775 
 
 E. chiere. 2 HI. ooste ; E. boost. 3 HI. han; rest om. 
 
 Cm. Cp. lakkede ; E. lakked. 5 HI. lo. 
 
 HI. ne saugh ; rest saugh nat (seigh not, &c.). 
 
 HI. Cm. mery ; E. myrie. * E. the ; Hn. om ; rest a. 
 
28 (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 As I seyde erst, and doon yow som confort. 
 
 And if yow lyketh alle, by oon assent, 
 
 Now 1 for to stonden at my lugement, 
 
 And for to werken as I shal yow seye, 
 
 To-morwe, whan ye ryden by the weye, 780 
 
 Now, by my fader soule, that is deed, 
 
 But 2 ye be merye 3 , I wol yeve yow 4 myn heed. 
 
 Hold up your hond, withoute more speche/ 
 
 Our counseil was nat longe for to seche; 
 
 Us thoughte it was 5 noght worth to make it wys, 785 
 
 And graunted him with-outen more avys, 
 
 And bad him seye his verdit 6 , as him leste. 
 
 'Lordinges,' quod he, 'now herkneth for the beste; 
 But tak 7 it not, I prey yow, in desdeyn; 
 This is the poynt, to speken short and pleyn, 790 
 That ech of yow, to shorte with our weye, 
 In this viage, shal telle tales tweye, 
 To Caunterbury-ward, I mene it so, 
 And horn-ward he shal tellen othere two, 
 Of aventures that whylom 8 han bifalle. 795 
 
 And which of yow that bereth him best of alle, 
 That is to seyn, that telleth in this cas 9 
 Tales of best sentence and most solas 9 , 
 Shal han a soper at our aller cost 
 Here in this place, sitting by this post, 800 
 
 Whan that we come agayn fro Caunterbury. 
 And for to make yow the more mery 10 , 
 I wol my-selven gladly 11 with yow ryde, 
 
 1 All but HI. om. Now. 2 E. But if; rest But. 
 
 3 HI. merye ; E. myrie. 4 HI: smyteth of. 5 HI. nas. 
 
 6 *Cp. verdit ; Pt.veredit ; HI. Ln. verdite ; Cm. verdoit ; E. Hn. voirdit. 
 
 7 E. taak ; Ln. tak ; Cp. Pt. take ; HI. taketh. 8 HI. then 
 9 E. caaSj solaas. 10 E. Hn. Cp. mury. 
 
 11 HI. myseluen gladly ; E. my self goodly. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. ' 29 
 
 
 Right at myn owne cost, and be your gyde. 
 
 And who-so wol 1 my lugement withseye 805 
 
 Shal paye al that we spenden by the weye. 
 And if ye vouche-sauf that it be so, 
 Tel me anon, with-outen wordes mo, 
 And I wol erly shape me therfore.' 
 
 This thing was graunted, and our othes swore 810 
 With ful glad herte, and preyden him also 
 That he wold 2 vouche-sauf for to do so, 
 And that he wolde been our governour, 
 And of our tales luge and reportour, 
 And sette a soper at a certeyn prys; 815 
 
 And we wold 3 reuled been at his devys, 
 In heigh and lowe 4 ; and thus, by oon assent, 
 We been acorded to his lugernent. 
 And ther-up-on the wyn was fet anoon; 
 We dronken, and to reste wente echoon, 820 
 
 With-outen any lenger taryinge. 
 A-morwe, whan that 5 day bigan to springe 6 , 
 Up roos our host, and was our aller 7 cok, 
 And gadrede us togidre, alle in a flok, 
 And forth we riden, a litel more than pas 8 , 825 
 
 Un-to the watering of seint Thomas. 
 And there our host bigan his hors areste, 
 And seyde ; l Lordinges, herkneth if yow leste. 
 Ye woot your forward 9 , and I 10 it yow recorde. 
 If even-song and morwe-song acorde, 830 
 
 Lat se now who shal telle the firste tale 11 . 
 As evere mote I drinke wyn or ale, 
 
 1 E. wole (but wol in 1. 809). 2 E. would. 
 
 3 HI. wolde; Pt. wold; rest wol, wolen, wiln, wil. 
 
 HI. lowe ; E. lough. 5 So E. Hn. ; HI. that the ; rest the. 
 
 6 E. gan for to sprynge. 7 HI. althur ; Cp. alther ; Pt. Ln. alder. 
 8 E. paas. 9 E. foreward (badly. 10 E. Hn. om. I. 
 
 11 HI. ferst a tale. 
 
30 (GROUP A.) THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 Who-so be rebel to my lugement 
 
 Shal paye for al that by the weye is spent. 
 
 Now draweth cut, er that we ferrer twinne ; 835 i 
 
 He which that hath the shortest 1 shal biginne/ 
 
 ; Sire knight/ quod he, ' my maister and my lord, 
 
 Now draweth cut, for that is myn acord. 
 
 Cometh neer/ quod he, ' my lady prioresse ; 
 
 And ye, sir clerk, lat be your shamfastnesse 2 , 840 j 
 
 Ne studieth noght; ley hond to, every man/ 
 
 Anon to drawen every wight bigan, 
 And shortly for to tellen, as it was, 
 Were it by aventure, or sort, or cas, 
 The sothe is this, the cut fil to the knight, 845 
 
 Of which ful blythe and glad was every wight; 
 And telle he moste his tale, as was resoun, 
 By forward 3 and by composicioun, 
 As ye han herd ; what nedeth wordes mo ? 
 And whan this goode man saugh 4 it was so, 850 
 As he that wys was and obedient 
 To kepe his forward 3 by his free assent, 
 He seyde : ' Sin I shal biginne the game, 
 What, welcome be the 5 cut, a Goddes name ! 
 Now lat us ryde, and herkneth what I seye/ 855 
 
 And with that word we riden forth our weye ; 
 And he bigan with right a mery 6 chere 
 His tale anon, and seyde in this manere. 
 
 Heere endith the prolog of this book; and heere 
 bigynneth the first tale which is the Knyghte[s]J 
 Tale. 
 
 1 E. Hn. shorteste. 2 E. shamefastnesse. 
 
 3 E. foreward (badly\ * All insert that after sough (needlessly \. 
 5 HI. them. p Cm. mery ; E. myrie. 
 
 COLOPHON : from MS. Sloane 1685. 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 (GROUP A, 11. 859-3108 in the Six-text edition.) 
 
 lavique domos patrias, Scithice post aspera gentis 
 Prelia laurigero, &>c. 
 
 [Statins, Theb. xii. 519.] 
 
 WHYLOM, as olde stories tellen us, 
 
 Ther was a duk that highte Theseus ; (860) 
 
 Of Athenes he was lord and governour, 
 
 And in his tyme swich a conquerour, 
 
 That gretter was ther noon under the sonne. 5 
 
 Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne ; 
 
 That with his wisdom and his chivalrye 
 
 He conquered al the regne of Femenye, 
 
 That whylom was y-cleped Scithia; 
 
 And weddede 1 the queen Ipolita, 10 
 
 And broghte hir hoom with him in his contree 
 
 With muchel glorie and greet solempnitee, (870) 
 
 And eek hir yonge 2 suster Emelye. 
 
 And thus with victorie and with melodye 
 
 Lete I this noble duk to Athenes ryde, 15 
 
 And al his hoost, in armes him bisyde. 
 
 And certes, if it nere to long to here, 
 I wolde han told yow 3 fully the manere, 
 
 Cp. HI. weddede ; Cm. weddide ; the rest wedded. 
 
 E- faire ; Pt. yenge ; the rest yonge. 
 
 HI. han told yow ; E. yow haue toold ; the rest haue toold(told). 
 
32 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 How wonnen was the regne of Femenye 
 
 By Theseus, and by his chivalrye ; 
 
 And of the grete bataille for the nones 
 
 Bitwixen Athenes and the l Amazones ; (880) 
 
 And how asseged was Ipolita, 
 
 The faire hardy queen of Scithia; 
 
 And of the feste that was at hir weddinge, 
 
 And of the tempest at hir hoom-cominge ; 
 
 But al that thing I moot as now forbere. 
 
 I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere, 
 
 And wayke been the oxen in my plough. 
 
 The remenant of the tale is long ynough; 
 
 I wol nat letten eek noon of 2 this route, 
 
 Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute, (890) 
 
 And lat see now who shal the soper winne, 
 
 And ther I lefte, I wol ageyn biginne. 
 
 This duk, of whom I make mencioun, 
 When he was come almost unto the toun, 
 In al his wele and in his moste pryde, 
 He was war, as he caste his eye asyde, 
 Wher that ther kneled in the hye 3 weye 
 A compaignye of ladies, tweye and tweye, 
 Ech after other, clad in clothes blake; 
 But swich a cry and swich a wo they make, (900) 
 That in this world nis creature livinge, 
 That herde swich another weymentinge ; 
 And of this cry they nolde nevere stenten, 45 
 
 Til they the reynes of his brydel henten. 
 
 'What folk been ye, that at myn hoom-cominge 
 Perturben so my feste with cryinge ? ' 
 
 1 HI. the : which the rest omit. 
 
 2 HI. lette eek hon of al ; the rest have letten, and omit al. 
 5 E. om. hye ; the rest hye, heighe, hihe, highe, high. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 33 
 
 Quod Theseus, 'have ye so greet envye 
 
 Of myn honour, that thus compleyne and crye ? 50 
 
 Or who hath yow misboden, or offended ? 
 
 And telleth me if it may been amended; (9 10 ) 
 
 And why that ye been clothed thus in blak?' 
 
 The eldest * lady of hem alle spak, 
 When she hadde swowned with a deedly chere, 55 
 That it was rewthe 2 for to seen and 3 here, 
 And seyde : ' Lord, to whom Fortune hath yiven 
 Victorie, and as a conquerour to liven, 
 Noght greveth us your glorie and your 4 honour; 
 But we biseken mercy and socour. 60 
 
 Have mercy on our wo and our distresse. 
 Som droppe of pitee, thurgh thy gentillesse, (920) 
 Upon us wrecched wommen lat thou falle. 
 For certes, lord, ther nis 5 noon of us alle, 
 That she nath 6 been a duchesse or a quene; 65 
 Now be we caitifs 7 , as it is wel sene : 
 Thanked be Fortune, and hir false wheel, 
 That noon estat assureth to be weel. 
 And certes, lord, to abyden youre presence, 
 Here in the temple of the goddesse Clemence 70 
 We han ben way tinge al this fourtenight; 
 Now help us, lord, sith it is in thy might. (930) 
 
 I wrecche, which that wepe and waille 8 thus, 
 Was whylom wyf to king Capaneus, 
 That starf at Thebes, cursed be that day ! 75 
 
 And alle we, that been in this array, 
 And maken al this lamentacioun, 
 We losten alle our housbondes at that toun, 
 
 1 Cm. eldest ; E. eldeste. 2 Ln. rewthe ; Cm. reuthe ; E. routhe. 
 
 3 HI. or ; rest and. * HI. om. your. 5 HI. nys ; rest is. 
 
 6 E. Hn. Pt. Ln. ne hath. 7 Cm. HI. caytife ; E. caytyues. 
 
 8 E. crie ; Hn, HI. waille ; Cm. Cp. Pt. weile. 
 
34 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Whyl that the sege ther-aboute lay. 
 
 And yet * the olde Creon, weylaway ! 80 
 
 That lord is now of Thebes the citee, 
 
 Fulfild of ire and of iniquitee, (940) 
 
 He, for despyt, and for his tirannye, 
 
 To do the dede bodyes vileinye, 
 
 Of alle our lordes, whiche that ben slawe, 85 
 
 Hath 2 alle the bodyes on an heep y-drawe, 
 
 And wol nat suffren hem, by noon assent. 
 
 Neither to been y-buried nor y-brent, 
 
 But maketh houndes ete hem in despyt/ 
 
 And with that word, with-outen more respyt, 90 j 
 
 They fillen gruf, and cry den pitously, 
 
 1 Have on us wrecched wommen som mercy, (950) 
 
 And lat our sorwe sinken in thyn herte.' 
 
 This gentil duk doun from his courser sterte 
 With herte pitous, whan he herde hem speke. 
 Him thoughte that his herte wolde breke, 
 Whan he saugh hem so pitous and so mat 3 , 
 That whylom weren of so greet estat 3 . 
 And in his armes he hem alle up hente, 
 And hem conforteth in ful good entente; 
 And swoor his oth, as he was trewe knight, 
 He wolde doon so ferforthly his might ( 
 
 Upon the tyraunt Creon hem to wreke, 
 That al the peple of Grece sholde speke 
 How Creon was of Theseus y-served, 
 As he that hadde his deth ful wel deserved. 
 And right anoon, with-outen more abood, 
 His baner he desplayeth, and forth rood 
 To Thebes-ward, and al his host bisyde; 
 
 1 All but HI. ins. now. 2 E. He hath ; rest Hath. 
 
 3 E. maat, estaat. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 35 
 
 No neer Athenes wolde he go ne ryde, no 
 
 Ne take his ese fully half a day, 
 
 But onward on his wey that night he lay; (970) 
 
 And sente anoon Ipolita the quene, 
 
 And Emelye hir yonge suster shene, 
 
 Un-to the toun of Athenes to dwelle; 115 
 
 And forth he rit; ther is namore to telle. 
 
 The rede statue of Mars with spere and targe 
 So shyneth in his whyte baner large, 
 That alle the feeldes gliteren up and doun; 
 And by his baner born is his penoun 120 
 
 Of gold ful riche, in which ther was y-bete 
 The Minotaur which that he slough in Crete. (980) 
 Thus rit this duk, thus rit this conquerour, 
 And in his host of chivalrye the flour, 
 Til that he cam to Thebes, and alighte 125 
 
 Faire in a feeld, ther as he thoughte fighte. 
 But shortly for to speken of this thing, 
 With Creon, which that was of Thebes king, 
 He faught, and slough him manly as a knight 
 In pleyn bataille, and putte the folk to flight ; 130 
 And by assaut he wan the citee after, 
 And rente adoun bothe wal, and sparre, and rafter; 
 And to the ladyes he restored agayn (991) 
 
 The bones of hir housbondes that were slayn. 
 To doon obsequies, as was tho the gyse. 135 
 
 But it were al to long for to devyse 
 The grete clamour and the waymentinge 
 That 1 the ladyes made at the brenninge 
 Of the bodyes, and the grete honour 
 That Theseus, the noble conquerour, 140 
 
 Doth to the ladyes, whan they from him wente; 
 1 HI. Which that. 
 D 2 
 
36 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 But shortly for to telle is myn entente. (1000) 
 
 Whan that this worthy duk, this Theseus, 
 Hath Creon slayn, and wonne Thebes thus, 
 Stille in that feeld he took al night his reste, 145 
 And dide with al the contree as him leste. 
 To ransake in the tas 1 of 2 bodyes dede, 
 Hem for to strepe of harneys and of wede, 
 The pilours diden bisynesse and cure, 
 After the bataille and disconfiture. 150 
 
 And so bifel, that in the tas 1 thei founde, 
 Thurgh-girt with many a grevous blody wounde, (1010) 
 Two yonge knightes ligging by and by, 
 Bothe in oon armes, wroght ful richely; 
 Of whiche two, Arcita hight 3 that oon, 155 
 
 And that other knight hight 3 Palamon. 
 Nat fully quike, ne fully dede they were, 
 But by hir cote-armures, and by hir gere, 
 The heraudes knewe hem best in special, 
 As they that weren of the blood roial 160 
 
 Of Thebes, and of sustren two y-born. 
 Out of the tas 1 the pilours han hem torn, (1020) 
 And han hem caried softe un-to the tente 
 Of Theseus, and he ful sone 4 hem sente 
 To Athene's 5 , to dwellen in prisoun 165 
 
 Perpetuelly, he nolde no raunsoun. 
 And whan this worthy duk hath thus y-don. 
 He took his host, and hoom he rood anon 
 With laurer crowned as a conquerour; 
 And there he liveth in loye and in honour 170 
 
 Terme of his 6 lyf; what nedeth wordes mo? 
 
 1 E. Hn. Cm. taas ; HI. cas ; Cp. Pt. Ln. caas ; read tas. 
 
 2 E. of the; Hn. Cm. of. 3 HI. hight; E. highte. 
 4 E. ful soone he. 5 HI. Tathenes for. 6 E. Cm. om. his. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 37 
 
 And in a tour, in angwish and in wo, (1030) 
 
 This Palamon, and his felawe Arcite, 
 
 For everemore, ther may no gold hem quyte. 
 
 This passeth yeer by yeer, and day by day, 175 
 Til it fil ones, in a morwe of May, 
 That Emelye, that fairer was to sene 
 Than is the lilie vpon his 1 stalke grene, 
 And fressher than the May with floures newe 
 For with the rose colour strof hir hewe, 180 
 
 I noot which was the fairer 2 of hem two 
 Er it were day, as was hir wone to do, (1040) 
 
 She was arisen, and al redy dight; 
 For May wol have no slogardye 3 anight. 
 The sesoun priketh every gentil herte, 185 
 
 And maketh him out of his sleep to sterte, 
 And seithj 'Arys, and do thyn observaunce/ 
 This maked Emelye have remembraunce 
 To doon honour to May, and for to ryse. 
 Y-clothed was she fresh, for to devyse; 190 
 
 Hir yelow heer was broyded 4 in a tresse, 
 Bihynde hir bak, a yerde long, I gesse. (1050) 
 
 And in the gardin, at the sbnne up-riste, 
 She walketh up and doun, and as hir. liste 
 She gadereth floures, party whyte and rede, 195 
 
 To make a sotil 5 gerland for hir hede, 
 And as an aungel hevenly 6 she song. 
 The grete tour, that was so thikke and strong, 
 Which of the castel was the chief dongeoun, 
 (Ther as the knightes weren in prisoun, 200 
 
 HI. on hire. 2 E. HI. fyner ; Cm. fynere ; Hn. Cp. Pt. fairer. 
 E. slogardrie ; rest slogardye (sloggardye, sluggardie). 
 E. Hn. Cm. Cp. broyded ; Pt. breided ; Ln. HI. browded. 
 Ln. sotil ; Cp. sotyl ; E. Hn. Cm. subtil ; Pt. subtile ; HI. certeyn. 
 HI. Pt. heuenly ; Cm. heueneliche ; E. Hn. Cp. Ln. heuenysshly. 
 
38 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Of which I tolde yow, and tellen shal) 
 Was evene loynant to the gardin-wal, (1060) 
 
 Ther as this Emelye hadde hir pleyinge. 
 Bright was the sonne, and cleer that morweninge, 
 And Palamon, this woful prisoner, 205 
 
 As was his wone, by leve of his gayler, 
 Was risen, and romed in a chambre on 1 heigh, 
 In which he al the noble citee seigh, 
 And eek the gardin, ful of braunches grene, 
 Ther as this fresshe Emelye the shene 210 
 
 Was in hir walk, and romed up and doun. 
 This sorweful prisoner, this Palamoun, ( I0 71 
 
 Goth in the chambre, roming to and fro, 
 And to him-self compleyning of his wo; 
 That he was born, ful ofte he seyde, 'alas!' 215 
 
 And so bifel, by aventure or cas, 
 That thurgh a window, thikke of many a barre 
 Of iren greet, and square as any sparre, 
 He caste his eye upon Emelya, 
 
 And ther-with-al he bleynte, and cryde 'a!' 220 
 
 As though he stongen were un-to the herte. 
 And with that cry Arcite anon up-sterte, (loSol 
 
 And seyde, ' Co sin myn, what eyleth thee, 
 That art so pale and deedly on to see ? 
 Why crydestow? who hath thee doon offence? 220 
 For Goddes love, tak al in pacience 
 Our prisoun, for it may non other be; 
 Fortune hath yeven us this adversitee. 
 Som wikke aspect or disposicioun 
 Of Saturne, by sum constellacioun, 230 
 
 Hath yeven us this, al-though we hadde it sworn; 
 So stood the heven whan that we were born ; (109(3! 
 1 HI. on ; E. an. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 39 
 
 We moste endure it 1 : this is the short and pleyn/ 
 
 This Palamon answerde, and seyde ageyn, 
 'Cosyn, for sothe, of this opinioun 235 
 
 Thou hast a veyn imaginacioun. 
 This prison caused me nat for to crye. 
 But I was hurt right now thurgh-out myn ye' 2 
 In-to myn herte, that wol my bane be. 
 The fairnesse of that lady that I see 240 
 
 Yond in the gardin romen to and fro, 
 Is cause of al my crying and my wo. (noo) 
 
 I noot wher 8 she be womman or goddesse; 
 But Venus is it, sothly, as I gesse/ 
 And ther-with-al on knees doun 4 he fil, 245 
 
 And seyde : ' Venus, if it be thy wil 
 Yow in this gardin thus to transfigure, 
 Bifore me sorweful wrecche creature, 
 Out of this prisoun help that we may scapen. 
 And if so be my destinee be shapen 250 
 
 By eterne word to dyen in prisoun, 
 Of our linage have som compassioun, ( II10 ) 
 
 That is so lowe y-broght by tirannye.' 
 And with that word Arcite gan espye 
 Wher- as this lady romed to and fro. 255 
 
 And with that sighte hir beautee hurte him so, 
 That if that Palamon was 5 wounded sore, 
 Arcite is hurt as moche as he, or more. 
 And with a sigh he seyde pitously: 
 'The fresshe beautee sleeth me sodeynly 260 
 
 Of hir that rometh in the yonder place; 
 And but I have hir mercy and hir grace, (1120) 
 
 E. om. it ; the rest retain it. 
 
 Cm. Pt. ye ; Hn. lye ; Cp. yhe ; E. eye. 
 
 Cm. whej?er ; HI. whethur. 4 HI. Cp. a doun. 
 
 E. wrongly om. was. 
 
40 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 That I may seen hir atte leste weye, 
 
 I nam but deed ; ther nis l no more to seye.' 
 
 This Palamon, whan he tho wordes herde, 265 
 Dispitously he loked, and answerde: 
 'Whether 2 seistow this in ernest or in pley?' 
 'Nay/ quod Arcite, 'in ernest, by my fey! 
 God help me so, me list ful evele pleye/ 
 
 This Palamon gan knitte his browes tweye: 270 
 'It nere/ quod he, 'to thee no greet honour 
 For to be fals, ne for to be traytour (1130) 
 
 To me, that am thy cosin and thy brother 
 Y-sworn ful depe, and ech of us til 3 other, 
 That never e, for to dyen in the peyne, 275 
 
 Til that the 4 deeth departe shal us tweyne, 
 Neither of us in love to hindren 5 other, 
 Ne in non other cas, my leve brother; 
 But that thou sholdest trewely forthren me 
 In every cas, and I shal forthren thee. 280 
 
 This was thyn ooth, and myn also, certeyn; 
 I wot right wel, thou darst it nat withseyn. (1140) 
 Thus artow 6 of my counseil, out of doute. 
 And now thou w oldest falsly been aboute 
 To love my lady, whom I love and serve, 285 
 
 And evere shal, til that myn herte sterve. 
 Now 7 certes, fals Arcite, thou shalt nat so. 
 I loved hir first, and tolde thee my wo 
 As to my counseil, and 8 my brother sworn 
 To forthre me, as I have told biforn. 290 
 
 For which thou art y-bounden as a knight 
 To helpen me, if it lay in thy might, ("S ) 
 
 1 E. is; rest nys. 2 E. Wheither. 3 Cm. Pt. Ln. HI. to. 
 
 4 E. Ln. HI. om. the. 5 E. hyndre ; Cm. hynderyn. 
 
 6 E. Hn. artow ; rest art thou. 7 E. Nay ; rest Now. 
 
 * E. Cm. ins. to. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 41 
 
 Or elles artow 1 fals, I dar wel seyn.' 
 
 This Arcite ful proudly spak ageyn, 
 
 t Thou shalt/ quod he, ' be rather fals than I ; 295 
 
 But 2 thou art fals, I telle thee utterly 3 ; 
 
 For par amour I loved hir first er thow. 
 
 What wiltow 4 seyn? thou wistest nat yet now 
 
 Whether she be a womman or goddesse. 
 
 Thyn is affeccioun of holynesse, 300 
 
 And myn is love, as to a creature; 
 
 For which I tolde thee myn aventure (1160) 
 
 As to my cosin, and my brother sworn. 
 
 I pose, that thou lovedest hir biforn; 
 
 Wostow 5 nat wel the olde clerkes sawe, 305 
 
 That 'who shal yeve a lover any lawe?' 
 
 Love is a gretter lawe, by my pan, 
 
 Than may be yeve to 6 any erthly man. 
 
 And 7 therfore positif lawe and swich decree 
 
 Is broke 8 al-day for love, in ech degree. 310 
 
 A man moot nedes love, maugree his heed. 
 
 He may nat flee it, thogh he sholde be deed, 
 
 Al be she mayde, or widwe, or elles wyf. ( II 7 I ) 
 
 And eek it is nat lykly, al thy lyf, 
 
 To stonden in hir grace; namore shal I; 315 
 
 For wel thou wost thy-selven, verraily, 
 
 That thou and I be dampned to prisoun 
 
 Perpetuelly; us gayneth no raunsoun. 
 
 We stryve 9 , as dide the houndes for the boon, 
 
 They foughte al day, and yet hir part was noon; 320 
 
 1 E. Hn. artow ; rest art thou. 2 E. Hn. And ; rest But. 
 
 3 HI. Cm. uttirly; Cp. Pt. Ln. witterly; E. Hn. outrely. 
 
 4 Cp. Pt. wilt thou ; HI. wolt thou. 
 
 5 Cm. Wist thou ; HI. Ln. Wost thou ; Pt. Woost thow. 
 
 6 E. of ; rest to. 7 HI. om. And. 8 E. Cm. broken. 
 9 Hn. Cm. HI. stryue ; rest stryuen. 
 
42 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Ther cam a kyte, whyl that 1 they were 2 wrothe, 
 And bar awey the boon bitwixe hem bothe. (1180) 
 And therfore at the kinges court, my brother, 
 Ech man for him-self, ther is non other. 
 Love if thee list; for I love and ay shal; 325 
 
 And sothly, leve brother, this is al. 
 Here in this prisoun mote we endure, 
 And everich of us take his aventure/ 
 
 Greet was the stryf and long bitwixe hem tweye, 
 If that I hadde leyser for to seye; 330 
 
 But to theffect. It happed on a day, 
 (To telle it yow as shortly as I may) ( 1][ 9 )j 
 
 A worthy duk that highte Perotheus, 
 That felawe was un-to 3 duk Theseus 
 Sin thilke day that they were children lyte, 335 
 
 Was come to Athenes, his felawe to visyte, 
 And for to pleye, as he was wont 4 to do, 
 For in this world he loved no man so: 
 And he loved him as 5 tendrely ageyn. 
 So wel they loved, as olde bokes seyn, 340 
 
 That whan that oon was deed, sothly to telle, 
 His felawe wente and soughte him doun in helle; 
 But of that story list me nat to wryte. ( I201 ) 
 
 Duk Perotheus loved wel Arcite, 
 And hadde him knowe at Thebes yeer by yere; 345 
 And fynally, at requeste and prey ere 
 Of Perotheus, with-oute 6 any raunsoun, 
 Duk Theseus him leet out of prisoun, 
 Frely to goon, wher that him liste over-al, 
 In swich a gyse, as I you tellen shal. 35 
 
 1 E. om. that. 2 All but Cm. HI. ins. so. 
 
 3 E. to ; HI. to the ; rest un-to. 4 E. won ; Cm. wone ; rest wont. 
 
 5 E. als; Hn. Cm. HI. as. 
 
 6 HI. Cp. Pt. with-oute; rest with-outen. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 43 
 
 This was the forward, pleynly for tendite, 
 
 Bitwixen Theseus and him Arcite: (1210) 
 
 That if so were, that Arcite were y-founde 
 
 Evere in his lyf, by day or night, o 1 stounde 
 
 In any contree of this Theseus, 355 
 
 And he were caught, it was acorded thus, 
 
 That with a swerd he sholde lese his heed; 
 
 Ther nas noon other remedye ne reed, 
 
 But taketh 2 his leve, and homward he him spedde; 
 
 Let him be war, his nekke lyth to wedde ! 360 
 
 How greet a sorwe suffreth now Arcite! 
 The deeth he feleth thurgh his herte smyte; (1220) 
 He wepeth, weyleth, cryeth pitously; 
 To sleen him-self he wayteth prively. 
 He seyde, ' Alias that 3 day that 1 4 was born ! 365 
 Now is my prisoun worse than biforn ; 
 Now is me shape eternally to dwelle 
 Noght 5 in 6 purgatorie, but in helle. 
 Alias! that evere knew I Perotheus! 
 For elles hadde I dwelled 7 with Theseus 370 
 
 Y-fetered in his prisoun evere-moo. 
 Than hadde I been in blisse, and nat in wo. (1230) 
 Only the sighte of hir, whom that I serve, 
 Though that I nevere hir grace may deserve, 
 Wolde han suffised right ynough for me. 375 
 
 O dere cosin Palamon/ quod he, 
 ' Thyn is the victorie of this aventure, 
 Ful blisfully in prison maistow dure; 
 In prison? certes nay, but in 8 paradys! 
 Wei hath fortune y-turned thee the dys, 380 
 
 1 HI. o ; rest or. a HI. (alone"} took. 3 Hn. HI. the. 
 
 4 E. he; rest 1. 5 Hn. Noght ; E.Nat; Cm. Not; rest Nought. 
 
 6 E. (alone) ins. my. 7 HI. dweld. 8 Cp. Pt. Ln. om. in. 
 
44 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 That hast the sight of hir, and I thabsence. 
 
 For possible is, sin thou hast hir presence, (1240) 
 
 And art a knight, a worthy and an able, 
 
 That by 1 som cas, sin fortune is chaungeable, 
 
 Thou maist to thy desyr som-tyme atteyne. 385 
 
 But I, that am exyled, and bareyne 
 
 Of alle grace, and in so greet despeir, 
 
 That ther nis erthe, water, fyr, ne eir, 
 
 Ne creature, that of hem maked is, 
 
 That may me helpe 2 or doon confort in this. 390 
 
 Wei oughte I sterve in wanhope and distresse; 
 
 Fanvel my lyf, my lust, and my gladnesse. (1250) 
 
 Alias, why pleynen folk .so in commune 
 
 Of purveiaunce of God, or of fortune, 
 
 That yeveth hem ful ofte in many a gyse 395 
 
 Wei bettre than they can hem-self devyse? 
 
 Som man desyreth for to han richesse, 
 
 That cause is of his mordre 3 or greet siknesse. 
 
 And som man wolde out of his prison fayn, 
 
 That in his hous is of his meynee slayn. 400 
 
 Infinite harmes been in this matere; 
 
 We witen nat what thing 4 we prayen here. (1260) 
 
 We faren as he that dronke is as a mous; 
 
 A dronke man wot wel 6 he hath an hous, 
 
 But he noot which the righte wey is thider; 405 
 
 And to a dronke man the wey is slider; 
 
 And certes, in this world so faren we ; 
 
 We seken faste after felicitee, 
 
 But we goon wrong ful often trewely. 
 
 Thus may we seyen 6 alle, and namely I, 410 
 
 1 E. (alone) om. by. 2 E. (alone) heele. 
 
 5 Cp. Ln. mordre ; E. Hn. moerdre ; Cm. Pt. mordere ; HI. morthre. 
 * E. (alone) om. thing. 5 E. Cm. ins. that. 
 
 6 HI. seyen ; E. Hn. Cm. Cp. seyn. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 45 
 
 That wende and hadde a greet opinioun, 
 
 That if I mighte escapen from prisoun, (1270) 
 
 Than hadde I been in loye and per fit hele, 
 
 Ther 1 now I am exyled fro my wele. 
 
 Sin that I may nat seen yow, Emelye, 415 
 
 I nam but deed; ther nis no remedye/ 
 
 Up-on that other syde Palamon, 
 Whan that he wiste Arcite was agon, 
 Swich sorwe he maketh, that the grete tour 
 Resouneth 2 of his youling and clamour. 420 
 
 The pure fettres on his shines grete 
 Weren of his bittre salte teres wete. (1280) 
 
 ( Alias!' quod he, 'Arcita, cosin myn, 
 Of al our stryf, God woot, the fruyt is thyn. 
 Thow walkest now in Thebes at thy large, 425 
 
 And of my wo thou yevest litel charge. 
 Thou mayst, sin thou hast wisdom and manhede, 
 Assemblen alle the folk of our kinrede, 
 And make a werre so sharpe on this citee, 
 That by som aventure, or som tretee, 430 
 
 Thou mayst have hir to lady and to wyf, 
 For whom that I mot 3 nedes lese my lyf. (1290) 
 For, as by wey of possibilitee, 
 Sith thou art at thy large, of prison free, 
 And art a lord, greet is thyn avauntage, 435 
 
 More than is myn, that sterve here in a cage. 
 For I mot wepe and weyle, whyl I live, 
 With al the wo that prison may me yive 4 , 
 And eek with peyne that love me yiveth 4 also, 
 That doubleth al my torment and my wo.' 440 
 
 1 E. (alone} That. 2 E. Resouned ; rest Resouneth. 
 
 3 All moste, most, muste ; but read mot ; see 1. 437. 
 
 4 HI. $yue ; E. yeue. 4 E. yeueth. 
 
46 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Ther-with the fyr of lelousye 1 up-sterte 
 
 With-inne his brest, and hente him by the herte 
 
 So woodly, that he lyk was to biholde (1301) 
 
 The box-tree, or the asshen dede and colde. 
 
 Tho 2 seyde he; 'O cruel goddes, that governe 445 
 
 This world with bynding of your word eterne, 
 
 And wryten in the table of athamaunte 3 
 
 Your parlement, and your eterne graunte, 
 
 What is mankynde more un-to yow holde 
 
 Than is the sheep, that rouketh in the folde ? 450 
 
 For slayn is man right as another beste 4 , 
 
 And dwelleth eek in prison and areste 5 , (1310) 
 
 And hath siknesse, and greet adversitee, 
 
 And ofte tymes giltelees 6 , pardee. 
 
 What governaunce is in this prescience, 455 
 
 That giltelees 6 tormenteth innocence? 
 
 And yet encreseth 7 this al my penaunce, 
 
 That man is bounden to his observaunce, 
 
 For Goddes sake, to letten of his wille, 
 
 Ther as a beest may al his lust fulfille. 460 
 
 And whan a beest is deed, he hath no peyne; 
 
 But man after his deeth 8 moot wepe and pleyne, 
 
 Though in this world he have care and wo: (1321) 
 
 With-outen doute it may stonden so. 
 
 The answere of this I lete 9 to divynis, 465 
 
 But wel I woot, that in this world gret pyne is. 
 
 Alias! I se a serpent or a theef. 
 
 That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef, 
 
 1 HI. lelousye; E. lalousie. 2 HI. Tho; E. Thanne. 
 
 : ' HI. Cm. athamaunte ; E. Atthamaunt. 
 
 1 Cm. HI. beste ; E. beest. 5 Cm. areste ; HI. arreste ; E. arreest. 
 
 6 Cm. Cp. HI. gilteles ; E. giltlees. 
 
 7 Cm. Cp. Pt. Ln. encreseth ; E. encresseth. 
 
 * So Hn. Cm. HI. ; rest after his deeth man. 9 So HI. ; rest lete I. 
 
'(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 47 
 
 Goon at his large, and wher him list may turne. 
 
 But I moot been in prison thurgh Saturne, 470 
 
 And eek thurgh luno, lalous and eek wood, 
 
 That hath destroyed wel ny al the blood (1330) 
 
 Of Thebes, with his 1 waste walles wyde. 
 
 And Venus sleeth me on that other syde 
 
 For lelousye 2 , and fere of him Arcite/ 475 
 
 Now wol I stinte of Palamon a lyte, 
 And lete him in his prison stille dwelle, 
 And of Arcita forth I wol yow telle. 
 The somer 3 passeth, and the nightes longe 
 Encresen 4 double wyse the peynes stronge 480 
 
 Bothe of the lovere and the prisoner. 
 I noot which hath the wofullere mester. (1340) 
 
 For shortly for to seyn, this Palamoun 
 Perpetuelly is dampned to prisoun, 
 In cheynes and in fettres to been deed; 485 
 
 And Arcite is exyled upon 5 his heed 
 For evere-mo as out of that contree, 
 Ne nevere-mo he shal his lady see. 
 Yow 6 loveres axe I now this questioun, 
 Who hath the worse, Arcite or Palamoun? 490 
 
 That oon may seen his lady day by day, 
 But in prisoun he moot 7 dwelle alway. (1350) 
 
 That other wher him list may ryde or go, 
 But seen his lady shal he nevere-mo. 
 Now demeth as yow liste 8 , ye that can, 495 
 
 For I wol telle forth as I bigan. 
 
 Explicit prima Pars. Sequitur pars secunda. 
 
 E. hise. 2 E. Jalousie. 3 E. (alone] sonne. * E. Encressen. 
 Cm. Cp. Pt. vp (perhaps rightly]. 6 E. Now (^wrongly]. 
 
 Hn. Cp. Pt. moot he. 8 Ln. liste ; Cm. lyste ; HI. luste ; rest list. 
 
48 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Whan that Arcite to Thebes comen was, 
 Ful ofte a day he swelte and seyde 'alias/ 
 For seen his lady shal he nevere-mo. 
 And shortly to concluden al his wo, 50 
 
 So muche sorwe had 1 nevere creature 
 That is, or shal, whyl that the world may dure. 
 His sleep, his mete, his drink is him biraft, (1361 
 That lene he wex 2 , and drye as is a shaft. 
 His eyen holwe, and grisly to biholde; 5c 
 
 His hewe falwe 3 , and pale as asshen colde, 
 And solitarie he was, and evere allone, 
 And wailling al the night, making his mone. 
 And if he herde song or instrument, 
 Then wolde he wepe, he mighte nat be stent; 5] 
 So feble eek were his spirits 4 , and so lowe, 
 And chaunged so, that no man coude knowe (1371 
 His speche nor his vois, though men it herde. 
 And in his gere, for al the world he ferde 
 Nat oonly lyk the loveres maladye 5 
 
 Of Hereos, but rather lyk manye 
 Engendred of humour malencolyk, 
 Biforen, in his 5 celle fantastyk. 
 And shortly, turned was al up-so-doun 
 Bothe habit and eek disposicioun 5 
 
 Of him, this woful lovere daun Arcite. 
 What sholde I al-day of his wo endyte ? (138 
 
 Whan he endured hadde a yeer or two 
 This cruel torment, and this peyne and wo, 
 At Thebes, in his contree, as I seyde, 5 
 
 1 HI. Pt. Ln. had ; rest hadde. 2 E. Pt. wexeth. 
 
 HI. Cm. falwe ; E. Hn. falow. 4 E. spiritz. 
 
 5 E. Biforn his owene ; Cm. Be-forn hese owene; Hn. Cp. Pt. LR. 
 Biforn his ; HI. Beforne in his. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 49 
 
 Up-on a night, in sleep as he him leyde, 
 Him thoughte how that the winged god Mercurie 
 Biforn him stood, and bad him to be murye. 
 His slepy yerde in hond he bar uprighte; 
 An hat he werede up-on 1 his heres brighte. 530 
 
 Arrayed was this god (as he 2 took keep) 
 As he was whan that Argus took his sleep; (1390) 
 And seyde him thus : ' To Athenes shaltou wende ; 
 Ther is thee shapen of thy wo an ende/ 
 And with that word Arcite wook and sterte. 535 
 
 'Now trewely, how sore that me smerte/ 
 Quod he, ' to Athenes right now wol I fare ; 
 Ne for the drede of deeth shal I nat spare 
 To see my lady, that I love and serve; 
 In hir presence I recche nat to sterve.' 540 
 
 And with that word he caughte a greet mirour, 
 And saugh that chaunged was al his colour, (1400) 
 And saugh his visage al in another kynde. 
 And right anoon it ran him in his mynde, 
 That, sith his face was so disfigured 545 
 
 Of maladye, the which he hadde endured, 
 He mighte wel, if that he bar him lowe, 
 Live in Athenes evere-more unknowe, 
 And seen his lady wel ny day by day. 
 And right anon he chaungede his array, 550 
 
 And cladde him as a povre laborer, 
 And al allone, save oonly a squyer, (n 10 ) 
 
 That knew his privetee and al his cas, 
 Which was disgysed povrely, as he was, 
 To Athenes is he goon the nexte way. 555 
 
 And to the court he wente up-on a day, 
 And at the gate he profreth his servyse, 
 E. vp (perhaps rightly} ; rest vp-on. 2 E. I ; rest he. 
 
 E 
 
50 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 To drugge and drawe, what so men wol devyse. 
 And shortly of this matere for to seyn, 
 He fil in office with a chamberleyn, 560 
 
 The which that dwelling was with Emelye. 
 For he was wys, and coude soon aspye (14-) 
 
 Of every servaunt, which that serveth here. 
 Wei coude he he wen wode, and water here, 
 For he was yong and mighty for the nones, 565 
 
 And ther-to he was strong ] and big of bones 
 To doon that any wight can him devyse. 
 A yeer or two he was in this servyse, 
 Page of the chambre of Emelye the brighte ; 
 And ' Philostrate ' he seide that he highte. 570 
 
 But half so wel biloved a man as he 
 Ne was ther nevere in court, of his degree; (1430) 
 He was so gentil of 2 condicioun, 
 That thurghout al the court was his renoun. 
 They seyden that it were a charitee 575 
 
 That Theseus wolde enhauncen his degree, 
 And putten him in worshipful servyse, 
 Ther as he mighte his vertu excercyse. 
 And thus, with-inne a whyle, his name is spronge 
 Bothe of his dedes, and his goode tonge, 580 
 
 That Theseus hath taken him so neer 
 That of his chambre he made him a squyer, (1440) 
 And yaf him gold to mayntene his degree ; 
 And eek men broghte him out of his contree 
 From yeer to yeer ful prively his rente; 585 
 
 But honestly and slyly he it spente, 
 That no man wondred how that he it hadde. 
 And thre yeer in this wyse his lyf he ladde, 
 And bar him so in pees and eek in werre, 
 1 E. Cm. long ; rest strong. - E. HI. ins. his. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 51 
 
 Ther nas no man that Theseus hath derre. 590 
 
 And in this blisse lete I now Arcite, 
 
 And speke I wol of Palamon a lyte. (*45) 
 
 In derknesse and horrible and strong prisoun 
 This seven yeer hath seten Palamoun, 
 Forpyned, what for wo and for distresse ; 595 
 
 Who feleth double soor 1 and 2 hevynesse 
 But Palamon? that love destreyneth so, 
 That wood out of his wit he goth for wo; 
 And eek therto he is a prisoner 
 Perpetuelly, noght oonly for a yeer. 600 
 
 Who coude ryme in English proprely 
 His martirdom? for sothe, it am nat I; (H^O) 
 
 Therefore I passe as lightly as I may. 
 It fel that in the seventhe yeer, in May, 
 The thridde night, (as olde bokes seyn, 605 
 
 That al this storie tellen more pleyn,) 
 Were it by aventure or destinee, 
 (As, whan a thing is shapen, it shal be,) 
 That, sone after the midnight, Palamoun, 
 By helping of a freend, brak his prisoun, 610 
 
 And fleeth the citee faste as he may go, 
 For he had yive 3 his gayler drinke so (1470) 
 
 Of a clarree, maad of a certeyn wyn, 
 With* nercotikes and opie of Thebes fyn, 
 That al that night, thogh that men wolde him shake, 
 The gayler sleep, he mighte nat awake; 616 
 
 And thus he fleeth as faste as evere he may. 
 The night was short, and faste by the day, 
 That nedes-cost he moste 5 him-selven hyde, 
 
 1 So E. Hn. Pt. ; Cp. Ln. sore ; Cm. HI. sorwe. 
 a E. om. and. :! HI. sine ; E. yeue. 
 
 4 E. Of; wfWith. 
 
 5 E. moot ; rest moste, most, muste. 
 
 E 2 
 
52 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 And til a grove, faste ther besyde, 620 
 
 With dredful foot than 1 stalketh Palamoun. 
 
 For shortly, this was his opinioun, (1480) 
 
 That in that grove he wolde him hyde al day, 
 
 And in the night than wolde he take his way 
 
 To Thebes-ward, his frendes for to preye 625 
 
 On Theseus to helpe him to werreye ; 
 
 And shortly, outher he wolde lese his lyf, 
 
 Or winnen Emelye un-to his wyf ; 
 
 This is theffect and his entente pleyn. 
 
 Now wol I torne un-to 2 Arcite ageyn, 630 
 
 That litel wiste how ny that was his care, 
 Til that fortune had broght him in the snare. (1490) 
 
 The bisy larke, messager of daye, 
 Salueth in hir song the morwe graye; 
 And fyry Phebus ryseth up so brighte, 635 
 
 That al the orient laugheth of the lighte, 
 And with his 3 stremes dryeth in the greves 
 The silver dropes, hanging on the leves. 
 And Arcite 4 , that is in the court roial 
 With Theseus, his squyer principal, 640 
 
 Is risen, and loketh on the myrie day. 
 And, for to doon his observaunce to May, (1500) 
 Remembring on the poynt of his desyr, 
 He on a 5 courser, sterting 6 as the fyr, 
 Is riden in-to the feeldes, him to pleye, 645 
 
 Out of the court, were it a myle or tweye ; 
 And to the grove, of which that I yow tolde, 
 By aventure his wey he gan to holde, 
 
 1 E. Hn. Cm. thanne ; rest than. 2 E. Hn. Ln. to ; rest vn-to. 
 
 E. hise. * HI. Arcite ; rest Arcita. 
 
 E. Hn. Cm. a ; rest his. 
 * Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. stertyng ; E. Hn. startlynge ; Cm. stertelynge. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 53 
 
 To maken him a gerland of the graves, 
 
 Were it of wodebynde or hawethorn-leves, 650 
 
 And loude he song ageyn the sonne shene: 
 
 ' May, with alle thy floures and thy grene, (151) 
 
 Wei-come be thou, wel 1 faire fresshe May, 
 
 I 2 hope that I som grene gete may/ 
 
 And from his courser, with a lusty herte, 655 
 
 In-to the 3 grove ful hastily he sterte, 
 
 And in a path he rometh up and doun, 
 
 Ther as by aventure this Palamoun 
 
 Was in a bush, that no man mighte him see, 
 
 For sore afered 4 of his deeth 5 was he. 660 
 
 No-thing ne knew he that it was Arctic* : 
 
 God wot he wolde have trowed it ful lyte. (1520) 
 
 But soth is seyd, gon 6 sithen many yeres, 
 
 That feeld hath eyen, and the wode hath eres. 
 
 It is ful fair a man to bere him evene, 665 
 
 For al-day meteth men at unset stevene. 
 
 Ful litel wot Arcite of his felawe, 
 
 That was so ny to herknen al his sawe, 
 
 For in the bush he sitteth now ful stille. 
 
 Whan that Arcite had romed al his fille, 670 
 
 And songen al the roundel lustily, 
 In-to a studie he fil al sodeynly, (i 5 30) 
 
 As doon thise loveres in hir queynte geres, 
 Now in the croppe 7 , now doun in the breres, 
 Now up, now doun, as boket in a welle. 675 
 
 Right as the Friday, sothly for to telle, 
 Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste, 
 
 HI. wel ; rest omit. 2 E. Hn. Cm. In ; rest I. 
 
 E. a ; rest the. 4 Hn. HI. afered ; Cm. ofered ; rest aferd. 
 
 E. (alone] ins. thanne. 
 
 HI. Pt. goon ; Cm. Ln. gon ; E. Hn. Cp. go. 
 
 E. Hn. Cm. crop; Cp. HI. Pt. croppe. 
 
54 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGPITES TALE. 
 
 Right so can l gery Venus overcaste 
 
 The hertes of hir folk ; right as hir day 
 
 Is gerful 2 , right so chaungeth she array. 6so 
 
 Selde is the Friday al the wyke 3 ylyke. 
 
 Whan that Arcite had songe, he gan to syke, (1540) 
 
 And sette him doun with-outen .any more : 
 
 { Alas ! ' quod he, ' that day that I was bore ! 
 
 How longe, luno, thurgh thy crueltee, 685 
 
 Woltow werreyen Thebes the citee ? 
 
 Alias ! y-broght is to confusioun 
 
 The blood roial of Cadme and Amphioun ; 
 
 Of Cadmus, which that was the firste man 
 
 That Thebes bulte, or first the toun bigan, 690 
 
 And of the citee first was crouned king, 
 
 Of his linage am I, and his of-spring (1550) 
 
 By verray ligne 4 , as of the stok roial : 
 
 And now I am so caitif and so thral, 
 
 That he, that is my mortal enemy, 695 
 
 I serve him as his squyer povrely. 
 
 And yet doth luno me wel more shame. 
 
 For I dar noght biknowe myn owne 5 name, 
 
 But ther as I was wont to highte 6 Arcite, 
 
 Now highte I Philostrate, noght worth a myte. 700 
 
 Alias! thou felle Mars, alias! luno, 
 
 Thus hath your ire our kinrede al fordo, (1560) 
 
 Save only me, and wrecched Palamoun, 
 
 That Theseus martyreth in prisoun. 
 
 And over al this, to sleen me utterly 7 , 705' 
 
 Love hath his fyry dart so brenningly 
 
 1 So E. Hn. Cm. ; rest gan. 
 
 2 E. gereful ; Cp. geerful ; HI. grisful ; rest gerful. 
 
 8 HI. wyke ; Hn. Cp. wike; Pt. Ln. weke ; Cm. wouke ; E. wowke. 
 4 Cm. Pt. HI. lyne. 5 Cp. Pt. Ln. owne; E. owene. fi HI. hote.j 
 7 HI. vtterly ; E. outrely. 
 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 55 
 
 Y-stiked thurgh my trewe careful herte, 
 
 That shapen was my deeth erst than my sherte. 
 
 Ye sleen me with your eyen, Emelye ; 
 
 Ye been the cause wherfor that I dye. 710 
 
 Of al the remenant of myn other care 
 
 Ne sette I nat the mountaunce of a tare, (1570) 
 
 So that I coude doon aught to your plesaunce.' 
 
 And with that word he fil doun in a traunce 
 
 A long 1 tyme ; and he afterward 2 upsterte. 715 
 
 This Palamoun, that thoughte that thurgh his herte 
 He felte a cold swerd sodeynliche glyde, 
 For ire he quook, no lenger wolde he byde. 
 And whan that he had herd Arcites tale, 
 As he were wood, with face deed and pale, 720 
 
 He sterte him up out of the buskes 3 thikke, 
 And seyde: 'Arcite, false traitour wikke, (^So) 
 
 Now artow 4 hent, that lovest my lady so, 
 For whom that I have al this peyne and wo, 
 And art my blood, and to my counseil sworn, 725 
 As I ful ofte have told 5 thee heer-biforn, 
 And hast by-iaped heer duk Theseus, 
 And falsly chaunged hast thy name thus ; 
 I wol be deed, or elles thou shalt dye. 
 Thou shalt nat love my lady Emelye, 730 
 
 But I wol love hir only and namo 6 ; 
 For I am Palamoun, thy mortal fo. ( I 59) 
 
 And though that I no wepne have in this place, 
 But out of prison am astert by grace, 
 I drede noght that outher thou shalt dye, 735 
 
 1 E. Hn. longe ; Cm. long. 
 
 2 Ln. he afterwarde ; E. after he ; HI. om. he ; rest afterward he. 
 
 3 HI. bussches ; Cm. boschis ; Ln. boskes. 
 
 * E. Hn. artow ; rest art thou. 5 E. Cm. seyd. 
 
 6 E. Hn. namo ; HI. Cm. no mo. 
 
56 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Or thou ne shalt nat loven Emelye. 
 
 Chees which thou wilt \ for 2 thou shalt nat asterte/ 
 
 This Arcite, with ful despitous herte, 
 
 Whan he him knew, and hadde his tale herd, 
 
 As fiers as leoun pulled out a 3 swerd, 740 
 
 And seyde thus: 'by God that sit above, 
 
 Nere it that thou art sik and wood for love, (1600) 
 
 And eek that thou no wepne hast in this place, 
 
 Thou sholdest nevere out of this grove pace, 
 
 That thou ne sholdest dyen of myn hond. 745 
 
 For I defye the seurtee and the bond 
 
 Which that thou seyst that I have maad to thee. 
 
 What, verray fool, think wel that love is fre, 
 
 And I wol love hir, maugre al thy might! 
 
 But, for as much thou art a worthy knight, 750 
 
 And wilnest to darreyne 4 hir by batayle, 
 
 Have heer my trouthe, to-morwe I wol nat fayle, 
 
 With-outen witing of any other wight, (^n) 
 
 That heer I wol be founden as a knight, 
 
 And bringen harneys right ynough for thee; 755 
 
 And chees the beste, and leve the worste for me. 
 
 And mete and drinke this night wol I bringe 
 
 Ynough for thee, and clothes for thy beddinge. 
 
 And, if so be that thou my lady winne, 
 
 And sle me in this wode ther I am inne, 760 
 
 Thou mayst wel have thy lady, as for me/ 
 
 This Palamon answerde : <I graunte it thee/ (1620) 
 
 And thus they been departed til a-morwe, 
 
 When ech of hem had leyd his feith to borwe. 
 
 O Cupide, out of alle charitee ! 765 
 
 O regne, that wolt no felawe have with thee! 
 
 1 E. Hn. wolt. 2 HI. for; rest or. 3 E. Hn. his. 
 
 4 Cp. derreyne ; HI. dereyne. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 57 
 
 Ful sooth is seyd, that love ne lordshipe 
 
 Wol noght, hir thankes, have no felaweshipe; 
 
 Wei fynden that Arcite and Palamoun. 
 
 Arcite is riden anon un-to the toun, 770 
 
 And on the morwe, er it were dayes light, 
 
 Ful prively two harneys hath he dight, (1630) 
 
 Bothe suffisaunt and mete to darreyne 
 
 The bataille in the feeld bitwix hem tweyne. 
 
 And on his hors, allone as he was born, 775 
 
 He carieth al this * harneys him biforn ; 
 
 And in the grove, at tyme and place y-set, 
 
 This Arcite and this Palamon ben met. 
 
 Tho 2 chaungen gan the colour in hir face ; 
 
 Right as the hunter 3 in the regne of Trace, 780 
 
 That stondeth at the gappe with a spere, 
 
 Whan hunted is the leoun or 4 the bere, (1640) 
 
 And hereth him come russhing in the graves, 
 
 And breketh bothe bowes and the leves, 
 
 And thinketh, ' heer cometh my mortel enemy, 785 
 
 With-oute faile, he moot be deed, or I; 
 
 For outher I moot sleen him at the gappe, 
 
 Or he moot sleen me, if that me mishappe :' 
 
 So ferden they, in chaunging of hir hewe, 
 
 As fer as everich of hem other knewe. 790 
 
 Ther nas no good day, ne no saluing; 
 
 But streight with-outen word or rehersing, (1650) 
 
 Everich of hem halp 5 for 6 to armen other, 
 
 As frendly as he were his owne 7 brother; 
 
 And after that, with sharpe speres stronge 795 
 
 They foynen ech at other wonder longe. 
 
 E. the ; Hn. Cm. HI this. 2 HI. Tho ; rest To. 
 
 HI. honter; rest hunters, hunterys. 4 E. and; rest or. 
 
 Cm. halp ; Cp. hilp ; E. Hn. heelp ; HI. Pt. helpeth; Ln. helpe. 
 HI. Ln. om. for. 7 E. owene. 
 
58 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Thou mightest wene that this Palamoun 
 
 In his fighting were as 1 a wood leoun, 
 
 And as a cruel tygre was Arcite : 
 
 As wilde bores gonne they to smyte, Sooj 
 
 That frothen whyte as foom for ire wood. 
 
 Up to the ancle 2 foghte they in hir blood. (i66o)j 
 
 And in this wyse I lete hem fighting dwelle ; 
 
 And forth I wol 3 of Theseus yow telle. 
 
 The destinee, ministre general, 805, 
 
 That executeth in the world over-al 
 The purveiaunce, that God hath seyn biforn. 
 So strong it is, that though the world had sworn 
 The contrarie of a thing, by ye or nay, 
 Yet somtyme it shal fallen on a day 81 
 
 That falleth nat eft with-inne a thousand yere. 
 For certeinly oure appetytes here, 
 Be it of werre, or pees, or hate, or love, (1670 
 
 Al is this 4 reuled by the sighte above. 
 This mene I now by mighty Theseus, 81 
 
 That for to honten is so desirous, 
 And namely at the grete hert in May, 
 That in his bed ther daweth him no day, 
 That he nis clad, and redy for to ryde 
 With hunte and horn, and houndes him bisyde. 820 
 For in his hunting hath he swich delyt, 
 That it is al his loye and appetyt (1680 
 
 To been him-self the grete hertes bane, 
 For after Mars he serveth now Diane. 
 
 Cleer was the day, as I have told er this, 82 
 
 And Theseus, with alle loye and blis, 
 With his Ipolita, the fayre quene, 
 And Emelye, clothed al in grene, 
 1 HI. as : rest omit. 2 E. anclee. 3 E. wole * HI. it. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 59 
 
 On hunting be they riden roially. 
 
 And to the grove, that stood ful faste by, 830 
 
 In which ther was an hert, as men him tolde, 
 
 Duk Theseus the streighte wey hath holde. (1690) 
 
 And to the launde he rydeth him ful right, 
 
 For thider was the hert wont have his flight, 
 
 And over a brook, and so forth in his weye. 835 
 
 This duk wol han a cours at him or tweye 
 
 With houndes, swiche as that 1 him list comaunde. 
 
 And whan this duk was come un-to the launde, 
 
 Under the sonne he loketh, and anon 
 
 He was war of Arcite and Palamon, 840 
 
 That foughten breme, as it were bores two; 
 
 The brighte swerdes wenten to and fro ( 1 7 Q ) 
 
 So hidously, that with the leste strook 
 
 It semed as it wolde felle 2 an ook; 
 
 But what they were, no-thing he ne woot. 845 
 
 This duk his courser with his spores smoot, 
 
 And at a stert he was bitwix hem two, 
 
 And pullede out a swerd and cryed 3 , ' ho ! 
 
 Namore, up 4 peyne of lesing of your heed. 
 
 By mighty Mars, he shal anon be deed, 850 
 
 That smyteth any strook, that I may seen ! 
 
 But telleth me what mister 5 men ye been, (1710) 
 
 That been so hardy for to fighten here 
 
 With-outen luge or other officere, 
 
 As it were in a listes roially?' 855 
 
 This Palamon answerde hastily, 
 
 And seyde: 'sire, what nedeth wordes mo? 
 
 We have the deeth deserved 6 bothe two. 
 
 1 Hn. Cp. Pt. that ; rest om. 2 E. fille. 
 
 E. cride ; Hn. Cp. Pt. cryed. * E. Hn. Ln. vp-on ; rest vp. 
 
 6 Hn. Cm. Cp. Pt. myster; E. mystiers ; Ln. mester; HI. mestir. 
 
 6 E. Hn. disserued. 
 
60 (GROUP A.} THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Two woful wrecches been we, two caytyves, 
 That been encombred of our owne 1 lyves; 
 And as thou art a rightful lord and luge, 
 Ne yeve us neither mercy ne refuge. (i; 
 
 And 2 sle me first, for seynte charitee; 
 But sle my felawe eek as wel as me. 
 Or sle him first ; for, though thou knowe 3 it lyte, 
 This is thy mortal fo, this is Arcite, 
 That fro thy lond is banished on his heed, 
 For which he hath deserved to be deed. 
 For this is he that cam un-to thy gate, 
 And seyde, that he highte Philostrate. 
 Thus hath he laped thee ful many a yeer, 
 And thou has maked him thy chief squyer; (i; 
 And this is he that loveth Emelye. 
 For sith the day is come that I shal dye, 
 I make pleynly my confessioun, 
 That I am thilke woful Palamoun, 
 That hath thy prisoun broken wikkedly. 
 I am thy mortal foo, and it am I 
 That loveth so hote Emelye the brighte, 
 That I wol dye present in hir sighte. 
 Therfore I axe deeth and my luwyse; 
 But sle my felawe in the same wyse, (i; 
 
 For bothe han we deserved to be slayn.' 
 This worthy duk answerde anon agayn, 
 And seide, ' This is a short conclusioun : 
 Youre owne 4 mouth, by your confessioun, 
 Hath dampned you, and I wol it recorde, 
 It nedeth noght to pyne yow with the corde. 
 
 1 E. Hn. Cm. owene. 2 HI. And ; rest But. 
 
 3 HI. Hn. knowe ; rest knowest. 
 
 4 E. Hn. Cm. owene ; HI. Cp. Pt. owne. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 6l 
 
 Ye shul * be deed, by mighty Mars the rede ! ' 
 
 The quene anon, for verray wommanhede 890 
 
 Gan for to wepe, and so dide Emelye, 
 
 And alle the ladies in the compaignye. (1750) 
 
 Gret pitee was it, as it thoughte hem alle, 
 
 That evere swich a chaunce sholde falle; 
 
 For gentil men they were, of greet estat 2 , 895 
 
 And no-thing but for love was this debat 3 ; 
 
 And sawe hir bloody woundes wyde and sore; 
 
 And alle cryden, bothe lasse and more, 
 
 'Have mercy, lord, up-on us wommen alle!' 
 
 And on hir bare knees adoun they falle, 900 
 
 And wolde have kist his feet ther as he stood, 
 
 Til at the laste aslaked was his mood; (1760) 
 
 For pitee renneth sone in gentil herte. 
 
 And though he firste for ire quook and sterte, 
 
 He hath considered shortly, in a clause, 905 
 
 The trespas of hem bothe, and eek the cause: 
 
 And al-though that his ire hir gilt accused, 
 
 Yet in his resoun he hem bothe excused; 
 
 And thus he thoghte wel, that every man 
 
 Wol helpe him-self in love, if that he can, 910 
 
 And eek delivere him-self out of prisoun ; 
 
 And eek his herte hadde 4 compassioun (177) 
 
 Of wommen, for they wepen evere in oon; 
 
 And in his gentil herte he thoghte anoon, 
 
 And softe un-to himself he seyde : ' fy 915 
 
 Up-on a lord that wol have no mercy, 
 
 But been a leoun, bothe in word and dede. 
 
 To hem that been in repentaunce and drede, 
 
 As wel as to a proud despitous man, 
 
 1 Hn. Pt. shul ; Cm. HI. schul ; E. shal. 2 E. estaat. 
 
 : ' E. debaat. 4 HI. Pt. Ln. had ; rest hadde. 
 
62 (GROUP A.} THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 That wol maynteyne that he first bigan ! 920 
 
 That lord hath litel of discrecioun, 
 
 That in swich cas can no divisioun, (1780) 
 
 But weyeth pryde and humblesse after oon/ 
 
 And shortly, whan his ire is thus agoon, 
 
 He gan to loken up with eyen lighte, 925 
 
 And spak thise same wordes al on highte: 
 
 'The god of love, a! benedicite, 
 
 How mighty and how greet a lord is he! 
 
 Ayeins his might ther gayneth none obstacles, 
 
 He may be cleped a god for his 1 miracles; 930 
 
 For he can maken at his owne 2 gyse 
 
 Of everich herte, as that him list devyse 3 . (1790) 
 
 Lo heer, this Arcite and this Palamoun, 
 
 That quitly weren out of my prisoun, 
 
 And mighte han lived in Thebes roially, 935 
 
 And witen I am hir mortal enemy, 
 
 And that hir deth lyth in my might also, 
 
 And yet hath love, maugree hir eyen two, 
 
 Y-broght 4 hem hider bothe for to dye! 
 
 Now loketh, is nat that an heigh folye? 940 
 
 Who may nat 6 ben a fool, if that 6 he love ? 
 
 Bihold, for Goddes sake that sit above, (1800) 
 
 Se how they blede ! be they noght wel arrayed? 
 
 Thus hath hir lord, the god of love, y-payed 
 
 Hir wages and hir fees for hir servyse! 945 
 
 And yet they wenen for to been ful wyse 
 
 That serven love, for aught that may bifalle ! 
 
 But this is yet the beste game of alle, 
 
 That she, for whom they han this lolitee, 
 
 ' E - h ise. 2 E. Hn. Cm. owene ; Cp. Pt. owne. 
 
 E. diuyse. HI. I-brought ; rest Broght, Brought. 
 
 HI. not ; rest omit. '' HI. if that ; rest but if. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 63 
 
 Can hem ther-for as moche thank as me ; 950 
 
 She woot namore of al this hote fare, 
 
 By God, than woot a cokkow or 1 an hare! (1810) 
 
 But al moot ben assayed, hoot and cold; 
 
 A man moot ben a fool, or yong or old; 
 
 I woot it by my-self ful yore ago on : 955 
 
 For in my tyme a servant was I oon. 
 
 And therfore, sin I knowe of loves peyne, 
 
 And woot how sore it can a man distreyne, 
 
 As he that hath ben caught ofte in his las 2 , 
 
 I yow foryeve al hoolly this trespas 3 , 960 
 
 At requeste of the quene that kneleth here, 
 
 And eek of Emelye, my suster dere. (1820) 
 
 And ye shul bothe anon un-to me swere, 
 
 That nevere-mo ye shul my contree 4 dere, 
 
 Ne make werre up-on me night ne day, 965 
 
 But been my frendes in al that ye may; 
 
 I yow foryeve this trespas every del 5 / 
 
 And they him swore 6 his axing fayre and wel 5 , 
 
 And him of lordshipe and of mercy preyde, 
 
 And he hem graunteth grace, and thus he seyde : 970 
 
 'To speke of roial lynage and richesse, 
 Though that she were a quene or a princesse, (1830) 
 Ech of yow bothe is worthy, doutelees, 
 To wedden when tyme is, but nathelees 7 
 I speke as for my suster Emelye, 975 
 
 For whom ye have this stryf and lelousye 8 , 
 Ye woot your-self she may not wedden two 
 At ones, though ye tighten evere-mo : 
 
 1 E. Hn. Cp. of; rest or. 
 
 2 E. Hn. Cp. Pt. laas ; Cm. las ; HI. Ln. lace. 
 
 3 E. Pt. trespaas. * Cp. Ln. HI. coroune. 
 
 5 E. deel, weel; Hn. Cm. Cp. del, wel. 
 
 6 HI. Pt. swore; rest sworen, sworne, sworyn. 
 
 7 E. wrongly repeats doutelees. 8 E. lalousye. 
 
64 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 That oon of yow, al be him looth or leef, 
 
 He moot go 1 pypen in an ivy-leef; 9-Sc 
 
 This is to seyn, she may nat now han bothe, 
 
 Al be ye nevere so lelous 2 , ne so wrothe. (1840) 
 
 And for-thy I yow putte in this degree, 
 
 That ech of yow shal have his destinee 
 
 As him is shape; and herkneth in what wyse; 985 
 
 Lo, heer your ende of that I shal devyse. 
 
 My wil is this, for plat conclusioun, 
 With-outen any replicacioun, 
 If that yow lyketh, tak it for the beste, 
 That everich of yow shal goon wher him leste 990 
 Frely, with-outen raunsoun or daunger; 
 And this day fifty wykes, fer ne ner, (1850) 
 
 Everich of yow shal bringe an hundred knightes, 
 Armed for listes up at alle rightes, 
 Al redy to darreyne hir by bataille. 995 
 
 And this bihote I yow with-outen faille 
 Up-on my trouthe, and as I am a knight, 
 That whether 3 of yow bothe that hath might, 
 This is to seyn, that whether 3 he or thou 
 May with his hundred, as I spak of now, IOOG 
 
 Sleen his contrarie, or out of listes dryve, 
 Him 4 shal I yeve Emelya 5 to wyve, (1860) 
 
 To whom that fortune yeveth so fair a grace. 
 The listes shal I maken in this place, 
 And God so wisly on my soule re we, 1005 
 
 As I shal even luge been and trewe. 
 Ye shul non other ende with me maken, 
 That oon of yow ne shal be deed or taken. 
 
 1 E. om. go. 2 E. Hn. Cp. lalouse. 3 E. wheither. 
 
 4 HI. Him; Cp. Ln. That; E. Hn. Thanne; Cm. Pt. Than. 
 
 5 So E. Cp. Ln. ; HI. Hn. Emelye. 
 
(GROUP A.} THE KNIGHTES TALE. 65 
 
 And if yow thinketh this is wel y-sayd, 
 
 Seyeth your avys, and holdeth yow apayd. 1010 
 
 This is your ende and your conclusioun/ 
 
 Who loketh lightly now but Palamoun? (1870) 
 
 Who springeth up for loye but Arcite? 
 Who couthe telle, or who couthe it 1 endyte, 
 The loye that is maked in the place 1015 
 
 Whan Theseus hath doon so fair a grace? 
 But doun on knees wente every maner wight, 
 And thanked 2 him with al hir herte and might, 
 And namely the Thebans ofte 8 sythe. 
 And thus with good hope and with herte blythe 1020 
 They take hir leve, and horn-ward gonne they ryde 
 To Thebes, with his olde walles wyde. (1880) 
 
 Explicit secunda pars. Sequitur pars tercia. 
 
 I trowe men wolde deme it necligence, 
 If I foryete to tellen the dispence 
 Of Theseus, that goth so busily 1025 
 
 To maken up the listes roially; 
 That swich a noble theatre as it was, 
 I dar wel seyn that 4 in this world ther nas. 
 The circuit a myle was aboute, 
 
 Walled of stoon, and diched al with-oute. 1030 
 
 Round was the shap, in manere of compas 5 , 
 Ful of degrees, the heighte of sixty pas, 0^9) 
 
 That, whan a man was set on o degree, 
 He lette nat his felawe for to see. 
 
 Est-ward ther stood a gate of marbel 6 whyt, 1035 
 
 1 E. Cm. HI. om. it. 
 
 2 HI. thanked ; Cm. thankede ; Cp. Pt. Ln. thonked ; E. Hn. thonken. 
 
 3 E. often ; Ln. oft ; Pt. mony ; rest ofte. * HI. that ; rest om. 
 5 E. compaas. 6 E. Hn. marbul. 
 
66 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 West- ward, right swich another in the opposit. 
 
 And shortly to concluden, swich a place 
 
 Was noon in erthe, as in so litel space; 
 
 For in the lond ther nas no crafty man, 
 
 That geometric or ars-metrik can, 1040 
 
 Ne portreyour 1 , ne kervere of images, 
 
 That Theseus ne yaf him 2 mete and wages (1900) 
 
 The theatre for to maken and devyse. 
 
 And for to doon his ryte and sacrifyse, 
 
 He est-ward hath up-on the gate above, 1045 
 
 In worship of Venus, goddesse of love, 
 
 Doon make an auter and an oratorie; 
 
 And west- ward, in the mynde and in memorie 3 
 
 Of Mars, he maked hath right swich another, 
 
 That coste largely of gold a fother. 1050 
 
 And 'north-ward, in a touret on the wal, 
 
 Of alabastre whyt and reed coral (1910) 
 
 An oratorie riche for to see, 
 
 In worship of Dyane of chastitee, 
 
 Hath Theseus doon wroght in noble wyse. 1055 
 
 But yet hadde I foryeten to devyse 
 
 The noble kerving, and the portreitures, 
 
 The shap, the contenaunce, and the figures, 
 
 That weren in thise oratories thre. 
 
 First in the temple of Venus may stow se 1060 
 
 Wroght on the wal, ful pitous to biholde, 
 The broken slepes, and the sykes colde; (1920) 
 
 The sacred teres, and the waymenting; 
 The fyry strokes of 4 the desiring, 
 That loves servaunts in this lyf enduren; 1065; 
 
 1 HI. portreyour ; Hn. purtreyour ; E. portreitour. 
 * Cp. Pt. Cm. him ; HI. hem ; rest om. 
 
 2 So HI. ; E. (wrongly} And on the westward, in memorie. 
 
 E. and ; rest of. 
 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTED TALE. 6j 
 
 The othes, that hir covenants assuren; 
 
 Plesaunce and hope, desyr, fool-hardinesse, 
 
 Beautee and youthe, bauderie, richesse, 
 
 Charmes and force, lesinges, flaterye, 
 
 Dispense, bisynesse, and lelousye 1 , 1070 
 
 That wered of yelwe goldes 2 a gerland,. 
 
 And a cokkow sitting on hir 3 hand; ( J 93o) 
 
 Festes, instruments, caroles, daunces, 
 
 Lust and array, and alle the circumstaunces 
 
 Of love, whiche that I rekne and rekne shal 4 , 1075 
 
 By ordre weren peynted on the wal, 
 
 And mo than I can make of -mencioun. 
 
 For soothly, al the mount of Citheroun, 
 
 Ther Venus hath hir principal dwelling, 
 
 Was shewed on the wal in portr eying, 1080 
 
 With al the gardin, and the lustinesse. 
 
 Nat was foryete the porter Ydelnesse, (i 940) 
 
 Ne Narcisus the faire of yore agon, 
 
 Ne 5 yet the folye of king Salamon, 
 
 Ne yet 6 the grete strengthe of Hercules 7 , 1085 
 
 Thenchauntements of Medea and Circes, 
 
 Ne of Turnus, with the hardy fiers corage, 
 
 The riche Cresus, caytif in servage. 
 
 Thus may ye seen that wisdom ne richesse, 
 
 Beautee ne sleighte, strengthe, ne 8 hardinesse, 1090 
 
 Ne may with Venus holde champartye; 
 
 For as hir list the world than may she gye. (1950) 
 
 Lo, alle thise folk so caught were in hir las, 
 
 Til they for wo ful ofte seyde ' alias ! ' 
 
 1 E. Hn. Cp. lalousye. a HI. guides. 3 Cp. Ln. Cm. his. 
 
 4 Cm. I reken and rekne schal ; Hn. I rekned and rekne shal ; E. 
 1 rekned haue and rekne shal (too long}. 
 
 5 E. Cm. And ; rest Ne. 6 E. And eek ; Hn. Ne yet ; HI. Ne eek. 
 ' E. Hn. Cm. Ercules. 8 E. Hn. Pt. om. 
 
68 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Suffyceth heer ensamples oon or two, 1095 
 
 And though I coude rekne a thousand mo. 
 
 The statue of Venus, glorious for to see, 
 Was naked fleting in the large see, 
 And fro the navele doun al covered was 
 With wawes grene, and brighte as any glas. noo 
 
 A citole in hir right hand hadde she, 
 And on hir heed, ful semely for to see, (1960) 
 
 A rose gerland, fresh and wel smellinge; 
 Above hir heed hir dowves flikeringe. 
 Biforn hir stood hir sone Cupido, 1105 
 
 Up-on his shuldres winges hadde he two; 
 And blynd he was, as it is 1 ofte sene; 
 A bowe he bar and arwes brighte and kene. 
 
 Why sholde I noght as wel eek telle yow al 
 The portreiture, that was up-on the wal mo 
 
 With-inne the temple of mighty Mars the rede? 
 Al peynted was the wal, in lengthe and brede, (1970) 
 Lyk to the estres of the grisly place, 
 That highte the grete temple of Mars in Trace, 
 In thilke colde frosty regioun, 1115 
 
 Ther as Mars hath his sovereyn mansioun. 
 
 First on the wal was peynted a foreste 2 , 
 In which ther dwelleth neither man ne beste', 
 With knotty knarry bareyn trees olde 
 Of stubbes sharpe and hidous to biholde; 1120 
 
 In which ther ran a rumbel 4 in 5 a swough, 
 As though a storm sholde bresten 6 every bough: 
 And downward from 7 an hille, under a bente, (1981) 
 Ther stood the temple of Mars armipotente, 
 
 1 E. was; rest is. 2 HI. foreste; E. forest. 3 HI. beste; E. best. 
 4 SoE; Cm. ruwbil; Hn. rombul; Cp. Ln. rombel ; HI. swymbul. 
 ' E. Pt. and; restin. Ln.berste; HI. berst. 7 Hn. HI. on. 
 
(GROUP A.} THE KNIGHTE3 TALE. 69 
 
 Wroght al of burned steel, of which thentree 1 1125 
 Was long and streit, and gastly for to see. 
 And ther-out cam a rage and such a vese 2 , 
 That it made al the gates 3 for to rese. 
 The northren light in at the dores shoon, 
 For windowe on the wal ne was ther noon, 1130 
 Thurgh which men mighten any light discerne. 
 The dores were 4 alle of adamant eterne, (1990) 
 
 Y-clenched overthwart and endelong 
 With iren tough; and, for to make it strong, 
 Every piler, the temple to sustene, 1135 
 
 Was tonne-greet, of iren bright and shene. 
 Ther saugh I first the derke 5 imagining 
 Of felonye, and al 6 the compassing; 
 The cruel ire, as 7 reed as any glede; 
 The pykepurs, and eek 8 the pale drede; 1140 
 
 The smyler with the knyf under the cloke; 
 The shepne brenning with the blake smoke ; (2000) 
 The tresoun of the mordring in the bedde ; 
 The open werre, with woundes al bi-bledde; 
 Contek, with blody knyf and sharp manace ; 1145 
 Al ful of chirking was that sory place. 
 The sleere of him-self yet saugh I ther, 
 His herte-blood hath bathed al his heer; 
 The nayl y-driven in the shode a-night; 
 The colde deeth, with mouth gaping up-right. 1150 
 Amiddes of the temple sat meschaunce, 
 With disconfort and sory contenaunce. (2010) 
 
 Yet saugh I woodnesse laughing in his rage; 
 
 1 E. Hn. the entree. 
 
 2 Cp. vese ; Cm. vvese ; E. Hn. Ln. veze ; HI. prise. 
 
 3 E. Hn. Cm. gate. 4 E. Hn. Pt. dore was. 
 5 E. Hn. dirke. 6 E Cm. om. 
 
 7 HI. Ln. as ; rest om. 8 E. Cm. om. 
 
70 (GROUP- A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Armed compleint, outhees l , and fiers outrage. 
 The careyne in the bush 2 , with throte y-corve : 1155 
 A thousand slayn, and nat 3 of qualm y-storve ; 
 The tiraunt, with the prey by force y-raft ; 
 The toun destroyed, ther was no- thing laft. 
 Yet sawgh I brent the shippes hoppesteres ; 
 The hunte strangled with the wilde beres : 1160 
 
 The sowe freten the child right in the cradel ; 
 The cook y-scalded, for al his longe ladel. (2020) 
 Noght was foryeten t>y the infortune of Marte ; 
 The carter over-riden with his carte. 
 Under the wheel ful lowe he lay adoun. 1165 
 
 Ther were also, of Martes divisioun, 
 The barbour 4 , and the bocher, and the smith 
 That forgeth sharpe swerdes on his stith. 
 And al above, depeynted 'in a tour, 
 Saw I conquest sittinge in greet honour, 1170 
 
 With the sharpe swerde 5 over his heed 
 Hanginge by a sotil twynes threed. (2030) 
 
 Depeynted was the slaughtre of lulius, 
 Of grete Nero, and of Antonius ; 
 Al be that thilke tyme they were unborn, 1175 
 
 Yet was hir deeth depeynted ther-biforn, 
 By manasinge of Mars, right by figure ; 
 So was it shewed in that portreiture 
 As is depeynted in the sterres 6 above, 
 Who shal be slayn or elles deed for love. 1180 
 
 Suffyceth oon ensample in stories olde, 
 I may not rekne hem alle, tliogh I wolde. (2040) 
 The statue of Mars up-on a carte stood, 
 
 ' Cm. outes. 2 E. Cp. Ln. busk; Cm. bosch; Hn. Pt. bussh. 
 
 E. alone ins. oon. * E. Cm. laborer: rest barbour. 
 
 Pt. Ln. swerde; rest swerd. 
 6 HI. sterres ; E. Pt. certres ; rest sertres. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. *J\ 
 
 Armed, and loked grim as he were wood; 
 
 And over his heed ther shynen two figures 1185 
 
 Of sterres, that been cleped in scriptures, 
 
 That oon Puella, that other Rubeus. 
 
 This god of armes was arrayed thus : 
 
 A wolf ther stood biforn him at his feet 
 
 With eyen rede, and of a man he eet ; 1190 
 
 With sotil * pencel was depeynt 2 this storie, 
 
 In redoutinge of Mars and of his glorie. (2050) 
 
 Now to the temple of Diane the chaste 
 As shortly as I can I wol me haste, 
 To telle yow al the descripcioun. 1195 
 
 Depeynted been the walles up and doun 
 Of hunting and of shamfast chastitee. 
 Ther saugh I how woful Calistopee, 
 Whan that Diane agreved was with here, 
 Was turned from a womman to a bere, 1200 
 
 And after was she maad the lode-sterre; 
 Thus was it peynt 3 , I can say yow no ferre; (2060) 
 Hir sone is eek a sterre, as men may see. 
 Ther saugh I Dane, y-turned til a tree, 
 I mene nat the goddesse Diane, 1205 
 
 But Penneus doughter, which that highte Dane. 
 Ther saugh I Attheon an hert y-maked, 
 For vengeaunce that he saugh Diane al naked;' 
 I saugh how that his 4 houndes have him caught, 
 And freten him, for that they knewe him naught. 1210 
 Yet peynted was 5 a litel forther-moor, 
 How Atthalante hunted the wilde boor, (2070) 
 
 And Meleagre 6 , and many another mo, 
 
 1 Cm. sotyl; E. soutil. 2 ^//depeynted (badly], 
 
 3 ^//peynted; seel. 1191. * E. Hn. hise. 
 
 5 E. om. was. ; 6 E. Hn. Meleagree . 
 
72 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 For which Diane wroughte him l care and woo. 
 
 Ther saugh I many another wonder storie, 1215 
 
 The whiche me list nat drawen to memorie. 
 
 This goddesse on an hert ful 2 hye seet, 
 
 With smale houndes al aboute hir feet; 
 
 And undernethe hir feet she hadde a mone, 
 
 Wexing it was, and sholde wanie sone. 12 
 
 In gaude grene hir statue clothed was, 
 
 With bowe in honde, and arwes in a cas. (2080) 
 
 Hir eyen caste she ful lowe adoun, 
 
 Ther Pluto hath his derke regioun. 
 
 A womman travailinge was hir biforn, 1225 
 
 But, for hir child so longe was unborn, 
 
 Ful pitously Lucyna gan she calle, 
 
 And seyde, ' help, for thou mayst best of alle/ 
 
 Wei couthe he peynten lyfly that it wroghte, 
 
 With many a florin he the hewes boghte. 1230 
 
 Now been thise 3 listes maad, and Theseus, 
 That at his grete cost arrayed thus (2090) 
 
 The temples and the theatre every del, 
 Whan it was doon, him lyked wonder wel. 
 But stinte I wol of Theseus a lyte, 1235 
 
 And speke of Palamon and of Arcite. 
 
 The day approcheth of hir retourninge, 
 That everich sholde an hundred knightes bringe, 
 The bataille to darreyne, as I yow tolde ; 
 And til Athenes, hir covenant 4 for 5 to holde, 1240 
 Hath everich of hem broght an hundred knightes 
 Wel armed for the werre at alle rightes. (2100) 
 
 And sikerly, ther trowed many a man 
 That nevere, sithen that the world bigan, 
 
 1 HI. hem. 2 E. Cp. Pt. ins. wel. 3 E. the. 
 
 4 E. couenant/. 5 HI. (alone} om. for. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 73 
 
 As for to speke of knighthod of hir bond, 1245 
 
 As fer as God hath maked see or lond, 
 
 Nas, of so fewe, so noble a compaignye. 
 
 For every wight that loved chivalrye, 
 
 And wolde, his thankes, ban a passant name, 
 
 Hath preyed 1 that he mighte ben of that game; 1250 
 
 And wel was him, that ther-to chosen was. 
 
 For if ther fille to-morwe swich a cas 2 , (2110) 
 
 Ye knowen wel, that every lusty knight, 
 
 That loveth paramours, and hath his might, 
 
 Were it in Engelond, or elles- where, 1255 
 
 They wolde, hir thankes, wilnen to be there. 
 
 To fighte for a lady, benedicite ! 
 
 It were a lusty sighte for to see. 
 
 And right so ferden they with Palamon. 
 
 With him ther wenten knightes many oon ; 1 260 
 
 Som wol ben armed in an habergeoun. 
 
 In a 3 brest-plat and in a light gipoun; (2120) 
 
 And somme woln have a peyre plates large ; 
 
 And somme woln have a Pruce sheld, or a targe ; 
 
 Somme woln been armed on hir legges weel, 1265 
 
 And have an ax, and somme a mace of steel. 
 
 Ther nis no newe gyse, that it nas old. 
 
 Armed were they, as I have you told, 
 
 Everich after his opinioun. 
 
 Ther maistow seen coming with Palamoun 1270 
 Ligurge him-self, the grete king of Trace ; 
 Blak was his berd, and manly was his face. (2130) 
 The cercles of his eyen in his heed, 
 They gloweden bitwixe yelow and reed ; , 
 
 And lyk a griff oun loked he aboute, 1275 
 
 1 E. preyd ; Hn. prayd ; HI. Cm. preyed. 2 E. Cp. Pt. caas. 
 
 3 HI. In a ; E. And in ; Hn. Cm. Cp. Ln. And in a. 
 
74 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 With kempe heres on his l browes stoute ; 
 
 His 1 limes grete, his 1 braunes harde and stronge, 
 
 His 1 shuldres brode, his 1 armes rounde and longe. 
 
 And as the gyse was in his contree, 
 
 Ful hye up-on a char of gold stood he, 1280 
 
 With foure white boles in the trays. 
 
 In-stede of cote-armure over his harnays, (2140) 
 
 With nayles yelwe 2 , and brighte as any gold, 
 
 He hadde a beres skin, col-blak, for-old. 
 
 His longe heer was kembd bihynde his bak, 1285 
 
 As any ravenes fether it shoon for-blak. 
 
 A wrethe of gold arm-greet, of huge wighte, 
 
 Upon his heed, set ful of stones brighte, 
 
 Of fyne rubies and of dyamaunts. 
 
 Aboute his char 3 ther wenten whyte alaunts, 1290 
 
 Twenty and mo, as grete as any steer, 
 
 To hunten at the leoun or the deer, (2150) 
 
 And folwed him, with mosel faste y-bounde, 
 
 Colers 4 of golde, and torets 5 fyled rounde. 
 
 An hundred lordes hadde he in his route 1295 
 
 Armed ful wel, with hertes sterne 6 and stoute. 
 
 With Arcita, in stories as men fynde, 
 The grete Emetreus, the king of Inde, 
 Up-on a stede bay, trapped in steel, 
 Covered in cloth of gold diapred wel, 1300 
 
 Cam ryding lyk the god of armes, Mars. 
 His cote-armure was of cloth of Tars, (2160) 
 
 Couched with perles whyte and rounde and grete. 
 His sadel was of brend gold newe y-bete ; 
 
 1 E. hise. 2 Hn. yelwe : E. yelewe. 3 E. chaar. 
 
 * Pt. Ln. Colers; Cp. Coleres; E. HI. Colerd; Hn. Colered; Cm. 
 Colerid. 
 
 5 E. towrettes ; Cp. HI. torettes (.better torets). 6 E. Hn. stierne. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 75 
 
 A mantelet 1 upon his shuldre hanginge 1305 
 
 Bret-ful 2 of rubies reede, as fyr sparklinge. 
 
 His crispe heer lyk ringes was y-ronne, 
 
 And that was yelow, and glitered as the sonne. 
 
 His nose was heigh, his eyen bright citryn, 
 
 His lippes rounde, his colour was sangwyn, 1310 
 
 A fewe fraknes in his face y-spreynd, 
 
 Betwixen yelow and somdel blak y-meynd, (2170) 
 
 And as a leoun he his loking caste. 
 
 Of fyve and twenty yeer his age I caste. 
 
 His berd was wel bigonne for to springe; 1315 
 
 His voys was as a trompe thunderinge. 
 
 Up-on his heed he wered of laurer grene 
 
 A gerlond fresh and lusty for to sene. 
 
 Up-on his hand he bar, for his deduyt, 
 
 An egle tame, as eny lilye whyt. 1320 
 
 An hundred lordes hadde he with him there, 
 
 Al armed, sauf hir heddes, in al 3 hir gere, (2180) 
 
 Ful richely in alle maner thinges. 
 
 For trusteth wel, that dukes, erles, kinges, 
 
 Were gadered in this noble compaignye, 1325 
 
 For love, and for encrees of chivalrye. 
 
 Aboute this king ther ran on every part 
 
 Ful many a tame leoun and lepart 4 . 
 
 And in this wyse thise lordes, alle and some, 
 
 Been on the Sonday to the citee come 1330 
 
 Aboute pryme, and in the toun alight. 
 
 This Theseus, this duk, this worthy knight, (2190) 
 Whan he had broght hem in-to his citee, 
 And inned hem, everich in 5 his degree, 
 He festeth hem, and doth so greet labour 1335 
 
 1 E. Cm. Pt. mantel. 2 E. Brat-ful. 3 HI. om. ai. 
 
 * HI. Cp. lepart ; E. leopard. 5 E. in ; Pt. after ; rest at. 
 
76 (GROUP A.} THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 To esen hem, and doon hem al honour, 
 
 That yet men weneth that no mannes l wit 
 
 Of noon estat ne coude amenden it. 
 
 The minstralcye, the service at the feste, 
 
 The grete yiftes to the moste 2 and leste, 1340 
 
 The riche array of Theseus paleys, 
 
 Ne who sat first ne last up-on the deys, (2200) 
 
 What ladies fairest been or best daunsinge, 
 
 Or which of hem can dauncen best and singe, 
 
 Ne who most felingly speketh of love: 1345 
 
 What haukes sitten on the perche above, 
 
 What houndes liggen on 3 the floor adoun: 
 
 Of al this make I now no mencioun; 
 
 But al 4 theffect, that thinketh me the beste; 
 
 Now comth 5 the poynt, and herkneth if yow leste. 
 
 The Sonday night, er day bigan to springe, 1351 
 When Palamon the larke herde singe, (2210) 
 
 Although it nere nat day by houres two, 
 Yet song the larke, and Palamon also. 
 With holy herte, and with an heigh corage 1355 
 
 He roos, to wenden on his pilgrimage 
 Un-to the blisful Citherea benygne, 
 I mene Venus, honurable and dygne. 
 And in hir houre he walketh forth a pas 6 
 Un-to the listes, ther hir temple was, 1360 
 
 And doun he kneleth, and with 7 humble chere 
 And herte soor, he seide as ye shul here 8 . (2220) 
 
 ' Faireste of faire, o lady myn Venus, 
 Doughter to 9 love, and spouse of 10 Vulcanus, 
 Thou gladere of the mount- of Citheroun, 1365 
 
 1 E. maner. - E. Hn. meeste ; Cm. Cp. meste ; rest most. 
 
 ; E. Cm. HI. in ; rest on. 4 HI. of. 5 Hn. comth ; E. cometh. 
 '' E. paas. 7 E. with ful ; rest and with. 
 
 8 E. and seyde in this manere. 9 Hn. HI. of. 10 E. Cm. of; rest to. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 77 
 
 For thilke love thou haddest to Adoun, 
 
 Have pitee of my bittre teres smerte, 
 
 And tak myn humble preyere at 1 thin herte. 
 
 Alias! I ne have no langage to telle 
 
 Theffectes ne the torments of myn helle; 1370 
 
 Myn herte may myne harmes nat biwreye; 
 
 I am so confus, that I can noght seye. (2230) 
 
 But mercy, lady bright, that knowest wele 2 
 
 My thought, and seest what harmes that I fele 3 , 
 
 Considere al this, and rewe up-on my sore, 1375 
 
 As wisly as I shal for evermore, 
 
 Emforth my might, thy trewe servant be, 
 
 And holden werre alway with chastitee ; 
 
 That make I myn avow, so ye me helpe. 
 
 I kepe noght of armes for to yelpe, 1380 
 
 Ne I ne axe 4 nat to-morwe 5 to have victorie, 
 
 Ne renoun in this caas, ne veyne glorie (2240) 
 
 Of pris of armes blowen up and doun, 
 
 But I wolde have fully possessioun 
 
 Of Emelye, and dye in thy servyse; 1385 
 
 Fynd thou the manere how, and in what wyse. 
 
 I recche nat, but it may bettre be, 
 
 To have victorie of hem, or they of me, 
 
 So that I have my lady in myne armes. 
 
 For though so be that Mars is god of armes, 1390 
 
 Your vertu is so greet in hevene above, 
 
 That, if yow list, I shal wel have my love. (2250) 
 
 Thy temple wol I worshipe everemo, 
 
 And on thyn auter, wher I ryde or go, 
 
 I wol doon sacrifice, and fyres bete. 1395 
 
 And if ye wol nat so, my lady swete, 
 
 1 HI. to. * Cm. HI. wel. 3 Cm. HI. fel. 
 
 4 HI. aske. 5 HI. Ln. to morn. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Than preye I thee, to-morwe with a spere 
 
 That Arcita me thurgh the herte bere 
 
 Thanne rekke I noght, whan I have lost my lyf, 
 
 Though that Arcita winne hir to his wyf. 1400 
 
 This is theffect and ende of my preyere, 
 
 Yif me my love, thou blisful lady dere/ (2260) 
 
 Whan thorisoun 1 was doon of Palamon, 
 
 His sacrifice he dide, and that anon 
 
 Ful pitously, with alle circumstaunces 2 , 1405 
 
 Al telle I noght as now his observaunces 3 . 
 
 But atte laste the statue of Venus shook, 
 
 And made a signe, wher-by that he took 
 
 That his preyere accepted was that day. 
 
 For thogh the signe shewed a delay, 1410 
 
 Yet wiste he wel that graunted was his bone; (2269) 
 
 And with glad herte he wente him hoom ful sone. 
 
 The thridde houre inequal that Palamon 
 Bigan to Venus temple for to gon, 
 Up roos the sonne, and up roos Emelye, 1415 
 
 And to the temple of Diane gan 4 hye. 
 Hir maydens, that she thider with hir ladde, 
 Ful redily with hem the fyr they hadde 5 , 
 Thencens, the clothes, and the remenant al 
 That to the sacrifyce longen shal ; 1420 
 
 The homes fulle of meth 6 , as was the gyse; 
 Ther lakked noght to doon hir sacrifyse. (2280) 
 
 Smoking the temple, ful of clothes faire, 
 This Emelye with herte debonaire 
 Hir body wessh with water of a welle; 1425 
 
 But how she dide hir ryte I dar nat telle, 
 
 1 HI. thorisoun ; rest the orison (orisoun). 
 * E. Cm. circumstaunce. 3 E. Cm. observaunce. 
 
 4 Pt. HI. ins. she. E. ladde ; rest hadde. 
 
 6 Cp. Pt. Ln. methe ; HI. meth ; E. meeth ; Hn. mede. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 79 
 
 But it be any thing in general ; 
 
 And yet it were a game to heren al; 
 
 To him that meneth wel, it were no charge : 
 
 But it is good a man ben at his large. 1430 
 
 Hir brighte heer was kempt 1 , untressed al; 
 
 A coroune of a grene ook cerial (2290) 
 
 Up-on hir heed was set ful fair and mete. 
 
 Two fyres on the auter gan she bete, 
 
 And dide hir thinges, as men may biholde 1435 
 
 In Stace of Thebes, and thise bokes olde. 
 
 Whan kindled was the fyr, with pitous chere 
 
 Un-to Diane she spak, as ye may here. 
 
 * O chaste goddesse of the wodes grene, 
 To whom bothe hevene and erthe and see is sene, 
 Quene of the regne of Pluto derk and lowe, 1441 
 Goddesse of maydens, that myn herte hast knowe 
 Ful many a yeer, and woost what I desyre, (2301) 
 As keep me fro thy vengeaunce and thyn ire. 
 That Attheon 2 aboghte cruelly 3 . 1445 
 
 Chaste goddesse, wel wostow that I 
 Desyre to been a mayden al my lyf, 
 Ne nevere wol I be no love ne wyf. 
 I am, thou woost, yet of thy compaignye, 
 A mayde, and love hunting and venerye, 1450 
 
 And for to walken in the wodes wylde, 
 And noght to been a wyf, and be with chylde. 
 Nought wol I knowe the compaignye of man. (2311) 
 Now help me, lady, sith ye may and can, 
 For tho thre formes that thou hast in thee. 1455 
 
 And Palamon, that hath swich love to me, 
 And eek Arcite, that loveth me so sore, 
 This grace I preye thee with-oute more, 
 
 1 E. kempd. a HI. Atheon. 3 HI. trewely. 
 
80 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 As 1 sende love and pees bitwixe hem two; 
 
 And fro me torne awey hir hertes so, 1460 
 
 That al hir hote love, and hir desyr, 
 
 And al hir bisy torment, and hir fyr (2320) 
 
 Be queynt, or turned in another place; 
 
 And if so be thou wolt do me no grace, 
 
 Or 2 if my destinee be shapen so. 1465] 
 
 That I shal nedes have oon of hem two, 
 
 As sende me him that most desyreth me. 
 
 Bihold, goddesse of clene chastitee, 
 
 The bittre teres that on my chekes falle. 
 
 Sin thou art mayde, and kepere of us alle, 1470 
 
 My maydenhode thou kepe and wel conserve, 
 
 And whyl I live a mayde, I wol thee serve.' (2330) 
 
 The fyres brenne up-on the auter clere, 
 Whyl Emelye was thus in hir preyere; 
 But sodeinly she saugh a sighte queynte, 1475 
 
 For right anon oon of the fyres queynte, 
 And quiked agayn, and after that anon 
 That other fyr was queynt, and al agon; 
 And as it queynte, it made a whistelinge, 
 As doon thise wete brondes in hir 3 brenninge, 1480 
 And at the brondes ende out-ran anoon 
 As it were blody dropes many oon; (2340) 
 
 For which so sore agast was Emelye, 
 That she was wel ny mad, and gan to crye, 
 For she ne wiste what it signifyed; 1485 
 
 But only for the fere thus hath 4 she cryed, 
 And weep, that it was pitee for to here. 
 And ther-with-al Diane gan appere, 
 With bowe in hond, right as an hunteresse, 
 
 1 Hn. HI. As ; rest And. 2 E. And ; rest Or. 
 
 3 HI. (enfy) As doth a wete brond in his. * Pt. HI. om. hath. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 8l 
 
 And seyde : ' Doghter, stint thyn hevinesse. 1490 
 
 Among the goddes hye it is affermed, 
 
 And by eterne 1 word write 2 and confermed, (2350) 
 
 Thou shalt ben wedded un-to oon of tho 
 
 That han for thee so muchel care and wo; 
 
 But un-to which of hem I may nat telle. 1495 
 
 Farwel, for I ne may no lenger dwelle. 
 
 The fyres which that on myn auter brenne 
 
 Shul thee declaren 3 , er that thou go henne, 
 
 Thyn aventure of love, as in this cas.' 
 
 And with that word, the arwes in the cas 4 1500 
 
 Of the goddesse clateren faste and ringe, 
 
 And forth she wente, and made a vanisshinge; (2360) 
 
 For which this Emelye astoned was, 
 
 And seyde, 'What amounteth this, alias! 
 
 I putte me in thy proteccioun, 1505 
 
 Diane, and in thy disposicioun. 5 
 
 And hoom she goth arion the nexte weye. 
 
 This is theffect, ther is namore to seye. 
 
 The nexte houre of Mars folwinge this, 
 Arcite un-to the temple walked is 1510 
 
 Of fierse 5 Mars, to doon his sacrifyse, 
 With alle the rytes of his pay en wyse. (2370) 
 
 With pitous herte and heigh devocioun, 
 Right thus to Mars he seyde his orisoun : 
 6 O stronge god, that in the regnes colde 1515 
 
 Of Trace honoured art and lord y-holde, 
 And hast in every regne and every lond 
 Of armes al the brydel in thyn hond, 
 And hem fortunest as thee list devyse, 
 Accept of me my pitous sacrifyse. 1520 
 
 So all 2 HI. write ; Pt. writt ; rest writen. 3 E. Cp. HI. declare. 
 * E. cas. 5 E. Hn. fierse ; Cm. ferse ; HI. fyry. 
 
 G 
 
82 (GROUP A.} THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 If so be that my youthe may deserve, 
 
 And that my might be worthy for to serve (238* 
 
 Thy godhede, that I may been oon of thyne, 
 
 Than preye I thee to rewe up-on my pyne. 
 
 For thilke peyne, and thilke hote fyr, 15: 
 
 In which thou whylom brendest for desyr, 
 
 For thilke sorwe that was in thyn herte, (239 
 
 Have routhe as wel up-on my peynes smerte. 
 
 I am yong and unkonning, as thou wost, 15 
 
 And, as I trowe, with love offended most, 
 
 That evere was any lyves creature; 
 
 For she, that doth me al this wo endure, 
 
 Ne reccheth nevere wher I sinke or flete. 
 
 And wel I woot, er she me mercy hete, 15 
 
 I moot with strengthe winne hir in the place ; 
 
 And wel I woot, withouten help or grace (240 
 
 Of thee, ne may my strengthe noght availle. 
 
 Than help me, lord, to-morwe in my bataille, 
 
 For thilke fyr that whylom brente thee, 15 
 
 As wel as thilke fyr now brenneth me; 
 
 And do that I to-morwe have victorie. 
 
 Myn be the travaille, and thyn be the glorie ! 
 
 Thy soverein temple wol I most honouren 
 
 Of any place, and alwey most labouren 15 
 
 In thy plesaunce and in thy craftes stronge, 
 
 And in thy temple I wol my baner honge, (241 
 
 And alle the armes of my compaignye ; 
 
 And evere-mo, un-to that day I dye, 
 
 Eterne fyr I wol biforn thee fynde. 15 
 
 And eek to this avow I wol me bynde : 
 
 My berd, myn heer that hongeth long adoun, 
 
 That nevere yet ne felte offensioun 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 83 
 
 Of rasour nor of shere, I wol the yive, 
 
 And ben thy trewe servant whyl I live. 1560 
 
 Now lord, have routhe up-on my sorwes sore, 
 
 Yif me l victorie, I aske thee namore.' (2420) 
 
 The preyere stinte of Arcita the stronge, 
 The ringes on the temple-dore that honge, 
 And eek the dores, clatereden ful faste, 1565 
 
 Of which Arcita som-what him agaste. 
 The fyres brende up-on the auter brighte, 
 That it gan al the temple for to lighte; 
 And swete smel the ground anon up-yaf, 
 And Arcita anon his hand up-haf, 1570 
 
 And more encens in-to the fyr he caste, 
 With othere rytes mo ; and atte laste (2430) 
 
 The statue of Mars bigan his hauberk ringe. 
 And with that soun he herde a murmuringe 
 Ful lowe and dim, that sayde thus, 'Victorie/ 1575 
 For which he yaf to Mars honour and glorie. 
 And thus with loye, and hope wel to fare, 
 Arcite anon un-to his inne is fare, 
 As fayn as fowel is of the brighte sonne. 
 
 And right anon swich stryf ther is bigonne 1580 
 For thilke graunting, in the hevene above, 
 Bitwixe Venus, the goddesse of love, (2440) 
 
 And Mars, the sterne god armipotente, 
 That lupiter was bisy it to stente ; 
 Til that the pale Saturnus the colde, 1585 
 
 That knew so manye of aventures olde, 
 Fond in his olde experience an 2 art, 
 That he ful sone hath plesed every part. 
 As sooth is sayd, elde hath greet avantage, 
 In elde is bothe wisdom and usage ; 1590 
 
 1 All insert the ; (read victorie). 2 E. Pt. and. 
 
 G 2 
 
84 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Men may the olde at-renne, and 1 noght at-rede. 
 
 Saturne anon, to stinten stryf and drede, (2450) 
 
 Al be it that it is agayn his kynde, 
 
 Of al this stryf he gan remedie fynde. 
 
 ' My dere doughter Venus/ quod Saturne, 1595 
 
 'My cours, that hath so wyde for to turne, 
 
 Hath more power than woot any man. 
 
 Myn is the drenching in the see so wan ; 
 
 Myn is the prison in the derke cote ; 
 
 Myn is the strangling and hanging by the throte; 1600 
 
 The murmure, and the cherles rebelling, 
 
 The groyning, and the pryve empoysoning : (2460) 
 
 I do vengeance and pleyn correccioun, 
 
 Whyl I dwelle in the 2 signe of the leoun. 
 
 Myn is the mine of the hye halles, 1605 
 
 The falling of the toures and of the walles 
 
 Up-on the mynour or the carpenter. 
 
 I slow Sampsoun in 3 shaking the piler; 
 
 And myne be the maladyes colde, 
 
 The derke tresons 4 , and the castes olde; 1610 
 
 My loking is the fader of pestilence. 
 
 Now weep namore, I shal doon diligence (2470) 
 
 That Palamon, that is thyn owene knight, 
 
 Shal have his lady, as thou hast him hight. 
 
 Though Mars shal helpe his knight, yet nathelees 
 
 Bitwixe yow ther moot be som tyme pees, 1616 
 
 Al be ye noght of o complexioun, 
 
 That causeth al day swich divisioun. 
 
 I am thin ayel, redy at thy wille; 
 
 Weep thou namore, I wol thy lust fulfilled 1620 
 
 Now wol I stinten of the goddes above, 
 
 1 HI. Pt. but ; rest and. - E. om. the. 
 
 3 HI. in ; rest om. * HI. tresoun. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 85 
 
 Of Mars, and of Venus, goddesse of love, (2480) 
 And telle yow, as pleynly as I can, 
 The grete effect, for which that I bigan. 
 
 Explicit tercia pars. Sequitur pars quarta. 
 
 Greet was the feste in Athenes that day, 1625 
 
 And eek the lusty seson of that May 
 Made every wight to been in swich plesaunce, 
 That al that Monday lusten they and daunce, 
 And spenden it in Venus heigh servyse. 
 But by the cause that they sholde aryse 1630 
 
 Erly, for to seen the grete fight, 
 Unto hir reste wente they at night. (2490) 
 
 And on the morwe, whan that day gan springe, 
 Of hors and harneys, noyse and clateringe 
 Ther was in 1 hostelryes al aboute ; 1635 
 
 And to the paleys rood ther many a route 
 Of lordes, up-on stedes and palfreys. 
 Ther maystow seen devysing of herneys 
 So uncouth and so riche, and wroght so weel 
 Of goldsmithrie, of browding, and of- steel ; 1640 
 
 The sheeldes brtghte, testers, and trappures; 
 Gold-hewen 2 helmes, hauberks, cote-armures ; (2500) 
 Lordes in paraments on hir courseres, 
 Knightes of retenue, and eek squyeres 
 Nailinge 3 the speres, and helmes bokelinge, 1645 
 Gigginge 4 of sheeldes, with layneres lacinge ; 
 Ther as need is, they weren no-thing ydel ; 
 The fomy stedes on the golden brydel 
 Gnawinge, and faste the armurers also 
 
 1 E. ins. the. 2 HI. Gold-beten. 
 
 3 HI. Rayhyng. 4 HI. Girdyng. 
 
86 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 With fyle and hamer prikinge to and fro; 1650 
 
 Yemen on fote, and communes many oon 
 
 With shorte staves, thikke as they may goon; (2510) 
 
 Pypes, trompes, nakers 1 , clariounes, 
 
 That in the bataille blowen blody sounes ; 
 
 The paleys ful of peples up and doun, 1655 
 
 Heer thre, ther ten, holding hir questioun, 
 
 Divyninge of thise Thebane knightes two. 
 
 Somme seyden thus, somme seyde it shal be so; 
 
 Somme helden with him with the blake berd, 
 
 Somme with the balled, somme with the thikke herd; 1660 
 
 Somme sayde, he loked grim and he wolde fighte ; 
 
 He hath a sparth of twenty pound of wighte. (2520) 
 
 Thus was the halle ful of divyninge, 
 
 Longe after that the sonne gan to springe. 
 
 The grete Theseus, that of his sleep awaked 1665 
 With minstralcye and noyse that was maked, 
 Held yet the chambre of his paleys riche, 
 Til that the Thebane knightes, bothe y-liche 
 Honoured, were into the paleys fet. 
 Duk Theseus was at a window set, 1670 
 
 Arrayed right as he were a god in trone. 
 The peple presseth thider-ward ful sone (2530) 
 
 Him for to seen, and doon heigh reverence, 
 And eek to herkne his hest and his sentence. 
 An heraud on a scaffold made an ho 2 , 1675 
 
 Til al the noyse of the 3 peple was y-do ; 
 And whan he saugh the peple of noyse 4 al stille, 
 Tho shewed he the mighty dukes wille. 
 
 ' The lord hath of his heigh discrecioun 
 Considered, that it were destruccioun 1680 
 
 * E. nakerers (wrongly}. 2 E. Hn. Pt. oo. 
 
 2 E. om. the. 4 E. Cm. the noyse of peple. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 87 
 
 To gentil blood, to fighten in the gyse 
 
 Of mortal bataille now in this empryse ; ( 2 54) 
 
 Wherfore, to shapen that they shul not dye, 
 
 He wol his firste purpos modifye. 
 
 No man therfor, up peyne of los of lyf, 1685 
 
 No maner shot, ne 1 pollax, ne short knyf 
 
 Into the listes sende, or 2 thider bringe; 
 
 Ne short swerd for to stoke, with poynt bytinge, 
 
 No man ne drawe, ne bere by his syde. 
 
 Ne no man shal tm-to his felawe ryde 1690 
 
 But o cours, with a sharp y-grounde spere ; 
 
 Foyne, if him list, on fote, him-self to were. (2550) 
 
 And he that is at meschief, shal be take, 
 
 And noght slayn, but be broght un-to the stake 
 
 That shal ben ordeyned on either syde; 1695 
 
 But thider he shal by force, and ther abyde. 
 
 And if so falle 3 , the chieftayn * be take 
 
 On either syde, or elles sleen his make, 
 
 No lenger shal the turneyinge laste. 
 
 God spede yow; goth forth, and ley on faste. 1700 
 
 With long swerd and with maces fight 5 your fille. 
 
 Goth now your wey; this is the lordes wille.' (2560) 
 
 The voys of peple touchede the hevene, 
 So loude cryden 6 they with mery 7 stevene : 
 * God save swich a lord, that is so good, 1 705 
 
 He wilneth no destruccioun of blood ! ' 
 Up gon the trompes and the melodye. 
 And to the listes rit the compaignye 
 By ordinaunce, thurgh-out the citee large, 
 Hanged with cloth of gold, and nat with sarge. 1710 
 
 1 E. Cm. om. ne. 2 E. Cm. Ln. ne. 3 E. be. 
 
 4 Cm. cheuynteyn ; Cp. cheuentein ; HI. cheuenten. 
 
 5 HI. fight ; Ln. fihten ; rest fighteth. 
 
 6 Cm. cryedyn ; E. cride. 7 E. murie. 
 
88 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Ful lyk a lord this noble duk gan ryde, 
 
 Thise two Thebanes 1 up-on either syde ; (2570) 
 
 And after rood the quene, and Emelye, 
 
 And after that another compaignye, 
 
 Of oon and other, after hir degree. 1715 
 
 And thus they passen thurgh-out the citee, 
 
 And to the listes come they by tyme. 
 
 It nas not of the day yet fully pryme, 
 
 Whan set was Theseus ful riche and hye, 
 
 Ipolita the quene and Emelye, 1720 
 
 And other ladies in degrees aboute. 
 
 Un-to the seetes presseth al the route; (2580) 
 
 And west-ward, thurgh the gates under Marte, 
 
 Arcite, and eek the hundred of his parte, 
 
 With baner reed is entred right anon ; 1 725 
 
 And in that selve moment Palamon 
 
 Is under Venus, est-ward in the place, 
 
 With baner whyt, and hardy chere and face. 
 
 In al the world, to seken up and doun, 
 
 So even with-outen variacioun, 1730 
 
 Ther nere swiche compaignyes tweye. 
 
 For ther nas noon so wys that coude seye, (2590) 
 
 That any hadde of other avauntage 
 
 Of worthinesse, ne of estaat, ne age, 
 
 So even were they 2 chosen, for to gesse. 1735 
 
 And in two renges faire they hem dresse. 
 
 Whan that hir names rad were everichoon, 
 
 That in hir nombre gyle were ther noon, 
 
 Tho were the gates shet, and cried was loude: 
 
 ' Do 3 now your devoir, yonge knightes proude ! ' 1 740 
 
 The heraudes lefte hir priking up and doun; 
 Now ringen trompes loude and clarioun ; (2600) 
 
 1 E. Hn. HI. Thebans; see 1. 1765. 2 E. om. they. 3 HI. Doth. 
 
(GROUP A.} THE KNIGHTES TALE. 89 
 
 Ther is namore to seyn, but west and est 
 
 In goon the speres ful sadly in arest; 
 
 In goth the sharpe spore in-to the syde. 1745 
 
 Ther seen men who can luste, and who can ryde; 
 
 Ther shiveren shaftes up-on sheeldes thikke; 
 
 He feleth thurgh the herte-spoon the prikke. 
 
 Up springen speres twenty foot on highte; 
 
 Out goth the swerdes as the silver brighte. 1750 
 
 The helmes they to-hewen and to-shrede; 
 
 Out brest the blood, with sterne stremes rede. (2610) 
 
 With mighty maces the bones they to-breste. 
 
 He thurgh the thikkeste of the throng gan threste. 
 
 Ther stomblen 1 steedes stronge, and doun goth alle. 
 
 He rolleth under foot as doth a balle. 1756 
 
 He foyneth on his feet with his tronchoun, 
 
 And he him hurtleth with his hors adoun. 
 
 He thurgh the body is hurt, and sithen take, 
 
 Maugree his heed, and broght un-to the stake, 1760 
 
 As forward was, right ther he moste abyde; 
 
 Another lad is on that other syde. (2620) 
 
 And som tyme doth hem Theseus to reste, 
 
 Hem to refresshe 2 , and drinken if hem leste. 
 
 Ful ofte a-day han thise Thebanes two 1765 
 
 Togidre y-met, and wroght his felawe wo ; 
 
 Unhorsed hath ech other of hem tweye. 
 
 Ther nas ,no tygre in the vale of Galgopheye, 
 
 Whan that hir whelp is stole, whan it is lyte, 
 
 So cruel on the hunte, as is Arcite 1770 
 
 For lelous herte upon this Palamoun: 
 
 Ne in Belmarie ther nis so fel leoun, (2630) 
 
 That hunted is, or for his hunger wood, 
 
 Ne of his praye desyreth so the blood, 
 
 ' E. Cm. semblen. 2 E. fresshen. 
 
90 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 As Palamon to sleen his foo Arcite. 1775 
 
 The lelous strokes on hir helmes byte; 
 Out renneth blood on bothe hir sydes rede. 
 
 Som tyme an ende ther is of every dede; 
 For er the sonne un-to the reste wente, 
 The stronge king Emetreus gan hente 1780 
 
 This Palamon, as he faught with Arcite, 
 And made his swerd depe in his flesh to byte ^2640) 
 And by the force of twenty is he take 
 Unyolden, and y-drawe unto the stake. 
 And in the rescous 1 of this Palamoun 1785 
 
 The stronge king Ligurge is born adoun ; 
 And king Emetreus, for al his strengthe, 
 Is born out of his sadel a swerdes lengthe, 
 So hitte him Palamon er he were take; 
 But al for noght, he was broght to the stake. 1790 
 His hardy herte mighte him helpe naught; 
 He moste abyde, whan that he was caught, (2650 
 By force, and eek by composicioun. 
 
 Who sorweth now but woful Palamoun, 
 That moot namore goon agayn to fighte? 1795 
 
 And whan that Theseus hadde seyn this sighte, 
 Un-to the folk that foghten thus echon 
 He cryde, c Ho ! namore, for it is don ! 
 I wol be trewe luge, and no partye. 
 Arcite of Thebes shal have Emelye, 1800 
 
 That by his fortune hath hir faire y-wonne.' 
 Anon ther is a noyse of peple bigonne (2660) 
 
 For loye of this, so loude and heigh with-alle, 
 It semed that the listes sholde falle. 
 
 What can now faire Venus doon above ? 1805 
 
 What seith she now? what doth this quene of love? 
 
 1 E. rescus ; Pt. rescowe ; rest rescous. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 91 
 
 But wepeth so, for wanting of hir wille, 
 
 Til that hir teeres in the listes fille; 
 
 She seyde : ' I am ashamed, doutelees.' 
 
 Saturnus seyde: 'Doghter, hold thy pees. 1810 
 
 Mars hath his wille, his knight hath al his bone, 
 
 And, by myn heed, thou shalt ben esed sone.' (2670) 
 
 The trompes with the loude minstralcye, 
 The heraudes, that ful loude yolle and crye, 
 Been in hir wele for loye of daun Arcite. 1815 
 
 But herkneth me, and stinteth now a lyte, 
 Which a miracle ther bifel anon. 
 This fierse 1 Arcite hath of his helm y-don, 
 And on a courser, for to shewe his face, 
 He priketh endelong the large place, 1820 
 
 Loking upward up-on this 2 Emelye; 
 And she agayn him caste a frendlich ye, (2680) 
 
 (For wommen, as to speken in comune, 
 They folwen al the favour of fortune), 3 
 And she 4 was al his chere, as in his herte. 1825 
 
 Out of the ground a furie 5 infernal sterte, 
 From Pluto sent, at requeste of Saturne, 
 For which his hors for fere gan to turne, 
 And leep asyde, and foundred as he leep; 
 And, er that Arcite may taken keep, 1830 
 
 He pighte him on the pomel of his heed, 
 That in the place he lay as he were deed, (2690) 
 His brest to-brosten with his sadel-bowe. 
 As blak he lay as any cole or crowe, 
 So was the blood y-ronnen in his face. 1835 
 
 Anon he was y-born out of the place 
 
 1 Cm. ferse ; E. fierse. 2 E. Pt. om. this. 
 
 3 E. Hn. Cm. omit 11. 1823, 1824. 4 Hn. she ; rest om. 
 
 5 E. furie ; Hn. Cm. furye ; rest fyr, fir, fire, fyre; see note. 
 
92 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 With herte soor, to Theseus paleys. 
 
 Tho was he corven out of his harneys, 
 
 And in a bed y-brought ful faire and blyve, 
 
 For he was yet in memorie and alyve 1 , 1840 
 
 And alway crying after Emelye. 
 
 Duk Theseus, with al his compaignye, (2700) 
 
 Is comen hoom to Athenes his citee, 
 With alle blisse and greet solempnitee. 
 Al be it that this aventure was falle, 1845 
 
 He nolde noght disconforten hem alle. 
 Men seyde eek, that Arcite shal nat dye, 
 He shal ben heled of his maladye. 
 And of another thing they were as fayn, 
 That of hem alle was ther noon y-slayn, 1850 
 
 Al were they sore y-hurt, and namely oon. 
 That with a spere was thirled his brest-boon. (2710) 
 To othere woundes, and to broken armes, 
 Some hadden salves, and some hadden charmes, 
 Fermacies of herbes, and eek save 1855 
 
 They dronken, for they wolde hir limes have. 
 For which this noble duk, as he wel can, 
 Conforteth and honoureth every man, 
 And made revel al the longe night, 
 Un-to the straunge lordes, as was right. 1860 
 
 Ne ther was holden no disconfitinge, 
 But as a lustes or a tourney inge; (2720) 
 
 For soothly ther was no disconfiture, 
 For falling nis nat but an aventure; 
 Ne to be lad with fors un-to the stake 1865 
 
 Uny olden, and with twenty knightes take, 
 O persone allone, with-outen mo, 
 And haried forth by arme 2 , foot, and to, 
 
 1 HI. Pt. on lyue. * E. Hn. Cm. arm. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 93 
 
 And eek his stede driven forth with staves, 
 
 With footmen, bothe yemen and eek knaves, 1870 
 
 It nas aretted him no vileinye, 
 
 Ther may no man clepen it 1 cowardye. ( 2 73) 
 
 For which anon duk Theseus leet crye, 
 To stinten alle rancour and envye, 
 The gree as wel of o syde as of other, 1875 
 
 And either syde y-lyk as otheres brother; 
 And yaf hem yiftes after hir degree, 
 And fully heeld a feste dayes three; 
 And conveyed 2 the kinges worthily 
 Out of his toun a lournee largely. 1880 
 
 And hoom wente every man the righte way. 
 Ther was namore, but ' far 3 wel, have good day ! ' 
 Of this bataille I wol namore endyte, (2741) 
 
 But speke of Palamon and of Arcite. 
 
 Swelleth the brest cf Arcite, and the sore 1885 
 Encresseth at his herte more and more. 
 The clothered blood, for any lechecraft, 
 Corfupteth 4 , and is in his bouk y-laft, 
 That nother veyne-blood, ne ventusinge, 
 Ne drinke of herbes may ben his helpinge. 1890 
 
 The vertu expulsif, or animal, 
 
 Fro thilke vertu cleped natural, (2750) 
 
 Ne may the venim voyden, ne expelle. 
 The pypes of his longes gonne to swelle, 
 And every lacerte in his brest adoun 1895 
 
 Is shent with venim and corrupcioun. 
 Him gayneth neither, for to gete his lyf, 
 Vomyt upward, ne dounward laxatif; 
 Al is to-brosten thilke regioun. 
 
 Nature hath now no dominacioun. 1900 
 
 1 HI. ins. no. 2 E. conuoyed. 3 E. fare. * HI. Pt. Corrumpith. 
 
94 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 And certeynly, ther nature wol nat wirche, 
 
 Fare-wel, phisyk ! go ber the man to chirche. (2760) 
 
 This al and som, that Arcita moot dye, 
 
 For which he sendeth after Emelye, 
 
 And Palamon, that was his cosin dere; 1905 
 
 Than seyde he thus, as ye shul after here. 
 
 ' Naught may the woful spirit in myn herte 
 Declare o poynt of alle my sorwes smerte 
 To yow, my lady, that I love most; 
 But I biquethe the service of my gost 1910 
 
 To yow aboven every creature, 
 
 Sin that my lyf ne 1 may no lenger dure. (2770) 
 
 Alias, the wo! alias, the peynes stronge, 
 That I for yow have suffred, and so longe ! 
 Alias, the deeth ! alias, myn Emelye ! 1915 
 
 Alias, departing of our compaignye ! 
 Alias, myn hertes quene! alias, my wyf! 
 Myn hertes lady, endere of my lyf! 
 What is this world? 'what asketh men to have? 
 Now with his love, now in his colde grave 1920 
 
 Allone, with-outen any compaignye. 
 Fare-wel, my swete fo! myn Emelye! (2780) 
 
 And softe tak me in your armes tweye, 
 For love of God, and herkneth what I seye. 
 
 I have heer with my cosin Palamon 1925 
 
 Had stryf and rancour, many a day a-gon, 
 For love of yow, and for my lelousye 2 . 
 And lupiter so wis my soule gye, 
 To speken of a servant proprely, 
 With alle circumstaunces trewely, 1930 
 
 That is to seyn, trouthe, honour, and 3 knighthede, 
 
 1 Tyrwhitt siipplied ne ; it is not in the MSS. 
 
 2 E. Cm. Cp. lalousye. 3 Cp. Pt. HI. and ; rest om. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 95 
 
 Wisdom, humblesse, estaat, and heigh kinrede, (2790) 
 
 Fredom, and al that longeth to that art, 
 
 So lupiter have of my soule part, 
 
 As in this world right now ne knowe I non 1935 
 
 So worthy to be loved as Palamon, 
 
 That serveth yow, and wol doon al his lyf. 
 
 And if that evere ye shul been a wyf, 
 
 Foryet nat Palamon, the gentil man.' 
 
 And with that word his speche faille gan, 1940 
 
 For * fro his feet 2 up to his brest was come 
 
 The cold of deeth, that hadde him overcome. (2800) 
 
 And yet more-over 3 , in his armes two 
 
 The vital strengthe is lost, and al ago. 
 
 Only the intellect, with-outen more, 1945 
 
 That dwelled in his herte syk and sore, 
 
 Gan faillen, when the herte felte deeth, 
 
 Dusked his eyen two, and failled breeth. 
 
 But on his lady yet caste he his ye; 
 
 His laste word was, 'mercy, Emelye!' 1950 
 
 His spirit chaunged hous, and wente ther, 
 
 As I cam ^nevere, I can nat tellen wher. (2810) 
 
 Therfor I stinte, I nam no divynistre; 
 
 Of soules fynde I nat in this registre, 
 
 Ne me ne list thilke opiniouns to telle 1955 
 
 Of hem, though that they wryten wher they dwelle. 
 
 Arcite is cold, ther Mars his soule gye ; 
 
 Now wol I speken forth of Emelye. 
 
 Shrighte Emelye, and howleth Palamon, 
 And Theseus his suster took anon 1960 
 
 Swowninge, and bar 4 hir fro the corps away. 
 What helpeth it to tarien forth the day, (2820) 
 
 To tellen how she weep, bothe eve and morwe ? 
 1 E. And. 2 E. HI. Cm. herte. 3 All but HI. ins. for. 4 E. baar. 
 
96 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 For in swich cas wommen can l have swich sorwe, 
 Whan that hir housbonds been 2 from hem ago, 1965 
 That for the more part they sorwen so, 
 Or elles fallen in swich maladye, 
 That at the laste certeynly they dye. 
 
 Infinite been the sorwes and the teres 
 Of olde folk, and folk 3 of tendre yeres, 1970 
 
 In al the toun, for deeth of this Theban, 
 For him ther wepeth bothe child and man ; (2830) 
 So greet a weping was ther noon certayn, 
 Whan Ector was y-broght, al fresh y-slayn, 
 To Troye ; alias ! the pitee that was ther, 1975 
 
 Cracching of chekes, rending 4 eek of heer. 
 'Why woldestow be deed/ thise wommen crye, 
 1 And haddest gold ynough, and Emelye ? ' 
 No man mighte gladen Theseus, 
 Savinge his olde fader Egeus, 1980 
 
 That knew this worldes transmutacioun, 
 As he had seen it chaungen 5 up and doun, (2840) 
 loye after wo, and wo after gladnesse : 
 And shewed hem ensamples and lyknesse. 
 
 ' Right as ther deyed nevere man/ quod he, 1985] 
 * That he ne livede in erthe in som degree, 
 Right so ther livede nevere man/ he seyde, 
 ' In al this world, that som tyme he ne deyde. 
 This world nis but a thurghfare ful of wo, 
 And we ben pilgrimes, passinge to and fro; 
 Deeth is an ende of every worldly 6 sore/ 
 And over al this yet seyde he muchel more (2850) 
 To this effect, ful wysly to enhorte 
 The peple, that they sholde hem reconforte. 
 
 HI. can ; rest om. 2 E housbond is. 
 
 E. eek ; rest folk. 4 E. Hn. Cm. Pt. rentynge. 
 
 5 Hn. chaungen ; HI. tome ; rest om. 6 E. worldes. 
 
 . 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 97 
 
 Duk Theseus, with al his bisy cure, 1995 
 
 Caste 1 now wher that the sepulture 
 Of good Arcite may best y-maked be, 
 And eek most honurable in his degree. 
 And at the laste he took conclusioun, 
 That ther as first Arcite and Palamoun 2000 
 
 Hadden for love the bataille hem bitwene, 
 That in that selve grove, swote and grene, (2860) 
 Ther as he hadde his amorous desyres, 
 His compleynt, and for love his hote fyres, 
 He wolde make a fyr, in which thoffice 2 2005 
 
 Of 3 funeral he mighte al accomplice; 
 And leet comaunde anon to hakke and hewe 
 The okes olde, and leye hem on a rewe 
 In colpons wel arrayed for to brenne ; 
 His officers with swifte feet they renne, 2010 
 
 And ryde anon at his comaundement. 
 And after this, Theseus hath y-sent (2870) 
 
 After a bere, and it al over-spradde 
 With cloth of gold, the richest that he hadde. 
 And of the same suyte he cladde Arcite; 2015 
 
 Upon his hondes hadde he gloves whyte ; 
 Eek on his heed a coroune of laurer grene, 
 And in his hond a swerd ful bright and kene. 
 He leyde him bare the visage on the bere, 
 Therwith he weep that pitee was to here. 2020 
 
 And for the peple sholde seen him alle. 
 Whan it was day, he broghte him to the halle, (2880) 
 That roreth of the crying and the soun. 
 
 Tho cam this woful Theban Palamoun, 
 With flotery berd, and ruggy 4 asshy heres, 2025 
 
 1 Hn. Caste ; E. Cast. 2 E. the office ; HI. thoffice. 
 
 3 HI. Of; rest o?n. ; see 1. 2054. 4 E. rugged. 
 
98 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 In clothes blake, y-dropped al with teres ; 
 
 And, passing othere of weping, Emelye, 
 
 The rewfulleste of al the compaignye. 
 
 In as muche as the service sholde be 
 
 The more noble and riche in his degree, 2030 
 
 Duk Theseus leet forth three stedes bringe, 
 
 That trapped were in steel al gliteringe, (2890) 
 
 And covered with the armes of daun Arcite. 
 
 Up-on thise stedes, that weren 1 grete and white, 
 
 Ther seten 2 folk, of which oon bar his sheeld, 2035 
 
 Another his spere up 3 in his hondes heeld; 
 
 The thridde bar with him his bowe Turkeys, 
 
 Of brend gold was the cas, and eek the harneys ; 
 
 And riden forth a pas with sorweful chere 
 
 Toward the grove, as ye shul after here. 2040 
 
 The nobleste of the Grekes that ther were 
 
 Upon hir shuldres carieden the bere, (2900) 
 
 With slake 4 pas, and eyen rede and wete, 
 
 Thurgh-out the citee, by the maister-strete, 
 
 That sprad was al with blak, and wonder hye 2045 
 
 Right of the same is al 5 the strete y-wrye. 
 
 Up-on the right hond wente old Egeus, 
 
 And on that other syde duk Theseus, 
 
 With vessels in hir hand of gold wel fyn, 
 
 Al ful of hony, milk, and blood, and wyn ; 2050 
 
 Eek Palamon, with ful greet compaignye; 
 
 And after that cam woful Emelye, (2910) i 
 
 With fyr in honde, as was that tyme the gyse, 
 
 To do thoffice 6 of funeral servyse. 
 
 Heigh labour, and ful greet apparaillinge 2055 
 
 HI. that weren ; rest om. 2 E. Ln. sitten. 
 
 3 E. om. up. * Ln. slake ; rest slak. 
 
 HI. al; rest om. So HI. Cp.; rest the office. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 99 
 
 Was at the service and the fyr-makinge, 
 
 That with his grene top the heven raughte, 
 
 And twenty fadme of brede the armes l straughte ; 
 
 This is to seyn, the bowes were so brode. 
 
 Of stree first ther was leyd ful many a lode. 2060 
 
 But how the fyr was maked up on highte, 
 
 And eek the names how 2 the trees highte, (2920) 
 
 As ook, firre, birch, asp, alder, holm, popler, 
 
 Wilow, elm, plane, ash, box, chasteyn, lind, laurer, 
 
 Mapul, thorn, beech, hasel, ew, whippeltre, 2065 
 
 How they weren feld 3 , shal nat be told for me ; 
 
 Ne how the goddes ronnen up and doun, 
 
 Disherited 4 of hir habitacioun, 
 
 In which they woneden in reste and pees, 
 
 Nymphes 5 , Faunes, and Amadrides; 2070 
 
 Ne how the bestes and the briddes alle 
 
 Fledden for fere, whan the wode was falle ; (2930) 
 
 Ne how the ground agast was of the light, 
 
 That was nat wont to seen the sonne bright ; 
 
 Ne how the fyr was couched first with stree, 2075 
 
 And than 6 with drye stokkes 7 cloven a three, 
 
 And than 6 with grene wode and spycerye, 
 
 And than 6 with cloth of gold and with perrye, 
 
 And gerlandes hanging with ful many a flour, 
 
 The mirre, thencens, with al so greet odour; 2080 
 
 Ne how Arcite lay among al this, 
 
 Ne what richesse aboute his body is; (2940) 
 
 Ne how that Emelye, as was the gyse, 
 
 Putte in the fyr of funeral servyse; 
 
 Ne how she swowned whan men made the 8 fyr, 2085 
 
 1 HI. tharme. 2 E. that. 3 E. fild. * HI. Disheryt. 
 
 5 E. Cm. Nymphus. 6 Pt. Ln. than ; rest thanne. 
 
 7 E. Cp. stokkes ; rest stikkes. 8 E. om. the. 
 
]co (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 Ne what she spak, ne what was hir desyr ; 
 
 Ne what leweles men in the fyr tho 1 caste, 
 
 Whan that the fyr was greet and brente faste ; 
 
 Ne how som caste hir sheeld, and som hir spere, 
 
 And of hir vestiments, whiche that they were, 2090 
 
 And cuppes ful of wyn, and milk, and blood, 
 
 Into the fyr, that brente as it were wood; (2950 
 
 Ne how the Grekes with an huge route 
 
 Thryes 2 riden al the fyr 3 aboute 
 
 Up-on the left hand, with a loud shoutinge, 2095 
 
 And thrye's with hir speres clateringe ; 
 
 And thryes how the ladies gonne crye ; 
 
 Ne 4 how that lad was horn- ward Emelye ; 
 
 Ne how Arcite is brent to asshen colde; 
 
 Ne how that liche-wake was y-holde 2 
 
 Al thilke night, ne how the Grekes pleye 
 
 The wake-pleyes, ne kepe I nat to seye; (2960 
 
 Who wrastleth best naked, with oille enoynt, 
 
 Ne who that bar him best, in no disioynt. 
 
 I wol nat tellen eek how that they goon 2 
 
 Hoom til Athenes whan the pley is doon. 
 
 But shortly to the poynt than wol I wende, 
 
 And maken of my longe tale an ende. 
 
 By processe and by lengthe of certeyn yeres 
 Al stinted is the moorning and the teres 2 
 
 Of Grekes, by oon general assent. 
 Than semed me ther was a parlement (2970 
 
 At Athenes, up-on certeyn poynts and cas; 
 Among the whiche poynts y-spoken was 
 To have with certeyn contrees alliaunce, 2 
 
 1 HI. tho ; rest om. 
 
 2 So all but HI, which has Thre tymes ; see 1. 2096. 
 
 3 E. place. * E. Hn. And. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. IOI 
 
 And have fully of Thebans cbeisaunc^ ' 
 
 For which this noble Theseus anon 
 
 Leet senden after genii 'iPakin'on; - "* 
 
 Unwist of him what was "the cause a*nd why ; 
 
 But in his blake clothes sorwefully 2120 
 
 He cam at his comaundement in hye. 
 
 Tho sente Theseus for Emelye. (2980) 
 
 Whan they were set, and hust was al the place, 
 
 And Theseus abiden hadde a space 
 
 Er any word cam from his wyse brest, 2125 
 
 His eyen sette he ther as was his lest, 
 
 And with a sad visage he syked stille, 
 
 And after that right thus he seyde his wille. 
 
 ' The firste moevere of the cause above, 
 Whan he first made the faire cheyne of love, 2130 
 Greet was theffect, and heigh was his entente ; 
 Wei wiste he why, and what ther-of he mente; (2990) 
 For with that faire cheyne of love he bond 
 The fyr, the eyr, the water, and the lond 
 In certeyn boundes, that they may nat flee; 2135 
 That same prince and that 1 moevere/ quod he, 
 ' Hath stablissed 2 , in this wrecched world adoun, 
 Certeyne dayes and duracioun 
 To al that is 3 engendred in this place, 
 Over the whiche day they may nat pace, 2140 
 
 Al mowe they yet tho dayes wel abregge ; 
 Ther needeth 4 non auctoritee allegge 5 , (3000) 
 
 For it is preved by experience. 
 But that me list declaren my sentence. 
 Than may men by this ordre wel discerne, 2145 
 
 1 Hn. Ln. that ; rest (except HI.) that same ; HI. and moeuere eek. 
 
 2 HI. Ln.^ stabled. 3 HI. alle that er ; Cp. all* that beth. 
 
 4 E. Cp. ins. noght. 5 HI. tallegge; Hn. to allegge; Cm. to legge. 
 
102 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 That thi-lke, moevero stable :s and eterne. 
 
 Wei may men knowe, but- -it be a fool, 
 
 That ewry p^.rt deryVeth l ' from his hool. 
 
 For tialure frath' nat 'take 2 his biginning 
 
 Of no partye ne 3 cantel of a thing, 2150 
 
 But of a thing that parfit is and stable, 
 
 Descending so, til it be corrumpable. (3^1) 
 
 And therfore of his wyse purveiaunce, 
 
 He hath so wel biset his ordinaunce, 
 
 That speces of thinges and progressiouns 2155 
 
 Shullen endure by successiouns, 
 
 And nat eterne be, with-oute lye 4 : 
 
 This maistow understonde and seen at 5 eye. 
 
 'Lo the ook, that hath so long a norisshinge 
 Fro tyme that it first biginneth springe, 2160 
 
 And hath so long a lyf, as we may see, 
 Yet at the laste wasted is the tree. (3020) 
 
 ' Considereth eek, how that the harde stoon 
 Under our feet, on which we trede and goon, 
 Yit wasteth it, as it lyth by the weye. 2165 
 
 The brode river somtyme wexeth dreye. 
 The grete tounes 6 see we wane and wende. 
 Than may ye see that al this thing hath ende. 
 
 ' Of man and womman seen we wel also, 
 That nedeth in oon of thise termes two, 2170 
 
 This is to seyn, in youthe or elles age, 
 He moot ben deed, the king as shal a page; (3030) 
 Som in his bed, som in the depe see, 
 Som in the large feeld, as men may se. 
 Ther helpeth noght, al goth that ilke weye. 2175 
 
 1 E. dirryueth. 2 HI. Ln. take ; rest taken ; E. Cm. om. nat. 
 
 3 HI. ne ; E. Hn. Cm. Pt. or of. 
 
 * So HI. ; rest eterne, with-outen any lye. 5 E. it. 
 
 6 E. toures. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 103 
 
 Thanne may I seyn that 1 al this thing moot deye. 
 
 What maketh this but lupiter the king? 
 
 The which 2 is prince and cause of alle thing, 
 
 Converting al un-to his propre welle, 
 
 From which it is deryved, sooth to telle. 2180 
 
 And here-agayns no creature on lyve 
 
 Of no degree availleth for to stryve. (3040) 
 
 * Thanne is it wisdom, as it thinketh me, 
 To maken vertu of necessitee, 
 
 And take it wel, that we may nat eschue, 2185 
 
 And namely that to us alle is due. 
 And who-so gruccheth ought, he doth folye, 
 And rebel is to him that al may gye. 
 And certeinly a man hath most honour 
 To dyen in his excellence and flour, 2190 
 
 Whan he is siker of his gode name ; (3049) 
 
 Than hath he doon his freend, ne him, no shame. 
 And gladder oghte his freend ben of his deeth, 
 Whan with honour up-yolden is his breeth, 
 Than whan his name apalled is for age; 2195 
 
 For al forgeten is his vasselage. 
 Than is it best, as for a worthy fame, 
 To dyen whan that he 3 is best of name. 
 The contrarie of al this is wilfulnesse. 
 Why grucchen we? why have we hevinesse, 2200 
 That good Arcite, of chivalrye 4 flour 
 Departed is, with duetee and honour (3060) 
 
 Out of this foule prison of this lyf ? 
 Why grucchen heer his cosin and his wyf 
 Of his wel-fare that loved hem so wel? 2205 
 
 Can he hem thank? nay, God woot, never a del, 
 
 1 E. Cm. om. that. a So HI. ; rest That. 
 
 3 HI. whan a man. .* HI. Cp. Pt. Ln. ins. the. 
 
104 (GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 That bothe his soule and eek hem-self offende, 
 And yet they mowe hir lustes nat amende. 
 
 < What may I conclude of this longe serye, 
 But after wo I rede us to be merye, 22 
 
 And thanken lupiter of al his grace? 
 And er that we departen from this place, (3070) 
 
 I rede that l we make, of sorwes two, 
 O parfyt loye, lasting evere-mo: 
 And loketh now wher most sorwe is her-inne, 2215 
 Ther wol we first amenden and biginne. 
 
 ' Suster/ quod he, c this is my fulle assent, 
 With al thavys heer of my parlement, 
 That gentil Palamon, your 2 owene knight, 
 That serve th yow with wille, herte, and might, 2220 
 And evere hath doon, sin that ye first him knewe, 
 That ye shul, of youre grace, up-on him re we, (3080) 
 And taken him for housbonde and for lord: 
 Leen 3 me youre hond, for this is our acord. 
 Lat see now of your wommanly pitee. 2225 
 
 He is a kinges brother sone, pardee; 
 And, though he were a povre bacheler, 
 Sin he hath served yow so many a yeer, 
 And had for yow so greet adversitee, 
 It moste been considered, leveth me; 2230 
 
 For gentil mercy oghte to passen right.' 
 
 Than seyde he thus to Palamon ful right; (3090) 
 'I trowe ther nedeth litel sermoning 
 To make yow assente to this thing. 
 Com neer, and tak your lady by the hond/ 2235 
 
 Bitwixen hem was maad anon the bond, 
 That highte matrimoine or manage, 
 By al the counseil and the baronage. 
 
 1 HI. that ; rest om. 2 E. thyn 3 Hn. Leen ; rest Lene. 
 
(GROUP A.) THE KNIGHTES TALE. 105 
 
 And thus with alle blisse and melodye 
 
 Hath Palamon y- wedded Emelye. 2240 
 
 And God, that al this wyde world hath wroght, 
 
 Sende him his love, that hath 1 it dere a-boght. (3100) 
 
 For now is Palamon in alle wele, 
 
 Living in blisse, in richesse, and in hele; 
 
 And Emelye him loveth so tendrely, 2245 
 
 And he hir serveth al-so 2 gentilly, 
 
 That nevere was ther no word hem bitwene 
 
 Of lelousye 3 , or any other tene. 
 
 Thus endeth Palamon and Emelye; 
 
 And God save al this faire compaignye! 2250 
 
 Here is ended the knightes tale. 
 
 1 E. om. hath. 2 HI. al so ; rest so. 3 E. Hn. Cp. lalousye. 
 
THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 
 (GROUP B, 11. 4011-4636 in the Six-text edition.) 
 
 Here biginneth the Nonne Preestes Tale of the Cok 
 and Hen, Chauntecleer and Pertelote. 
 
 A POVRE widwe somdel stope 1 in age, (4011) 
 
 Was whylom dwelling in a narwe cotage, 
 
 Bisyde a grove 2 , stondyng in a dale. 
 
 This widwe, of which I telle yow my tale, 
 
 Sin thilke day that she was last a wyf, 5 
 
 In pacience ladde a ful simple lyf, 
 
 For litel was hir catel and hir rente; 
 
 By housbondrye, of such as God hir sente, 
 
 She fond hir- self, and eek hir doghtren two. (4019) 
 
 Three large sowes hadde she, and namo, 10 
 
 Three kyn 3 , and eek a sheep that highte Malle. 
 
 Ful sooty was hir bour, and eek hir halle, 
 
 In which she eet ful many a sclendre meel. 
 
 Of poynaunt sauce hir neded never a deel. 
 
 No deyntee morsel passed thurgh hir throte; 15 
 
 Hir dyete was accordant to hir cote. 
 
 Repleccioun ne made hir nevere syk; 
 
 Attempree dyete was al hir phisyk, 
 
 And exercyse, and hertes suffisaunce. 
 
 The goute lette hir no-thing for to daunce, 20 
 
 1 E. Cm. stape ; Ln. stoupe ; rest stope. 2 E. greue. 
 
 3 E. keen ; Hn. HI. Cp. kyn. 
 
(GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE, 107 
 
 Ne poplexye 1 shente nat hir heed; (403 1) 
 
 No wyn ne drank she, neither whyt ne reed; 
 Hir bord was served most with whyt and blak, 
 Milk and broun breed, in which she fond no lak, 
 Seynd bacoun, and somtyme an ey or tweye, 25 
 
 For she was as it were a maner deye. 
 
 A yerd she hadde, enclosed al aboute 
 With stikkes,- and a drye dich with-oute, 
 In which she hadde a cok, hight 2 Chauntecleer, 
 In al the land of crowing nas his peer. 30 
 
 His vois was merier 3 than the merye 4 orgon (4041) 
 * On messe-dayes that in the chirche gon ; 
 Wei sikerer was his crowing in his logge, 
 Than is a clokke, or an abbey orlogge. 
 By nature knew he 5 ech ascencioun 35 
 
 Of 6 equinoxial in thilke toun; 
 For whan degrees fiftene were ascended, 
 Thanne crew he, that it mighte nat ben amended. 
 His comb was redder than the fyn coral, 
 And batailed, as it were a castel-wal. 40 
 
 His bile was blak, and as the leet 7 it shoon; (4051) 
 Lyk asur were his legges, and his toon; 
 His nayles whytter than the lilie flour, 
 And lyk the burned 8 gold was his colour. 
 This gentil cok hadde in his governaunce 45 
 
 Sevene hennes, for to doon al his plesaunce, 
 Whiche were his sustres and his paramours, 
 And wonder lyk to him, as of colours. 
 Of whiche the faireste hewed on hir throte 
 
 1 E. Hn. Napoplexie ; rest Ne poplexie. 
 
 2 E. Hn. heet ; HI. hight ; rest that hyght. 3 E. Hn. Cm. murier. 
 4 E. Cm. murie. 5 HI. knew he ; E. Pt. he crew ; rest he knew. 
 6 E. Ln. ins. the. 7 HI. geet ; Pt. Ln. gete. 
 
 8 HI. Cp. Pt. Ln. burnischt. 
 
io8 (GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 
 
 Was cleped faire damoysele Pertelote. 50 
 
 Curteys she was, discreet, and debonaire, (4061) 
 
 And compaignable, and bar hir-self so 1 faire, 
 
 Sin thilke day that she was seven night old, 
 
 That trewely she hath the herte in hold 
 
 Of Chauntecleer loken in every lith; 55 
 
 He loved hir so, that wel him was therwith. 
 
 But such a loye was it to here hem singe, 
 
 Whan that the brighte sonne gan 2 to springe, 
 
 In swete accord, 'my lief is faren in londe/ 
 
 For thilke tyme, as I have understonde, 60 
 
 Bestes and briddes coude speke and singe. (4071) 
 
 And so bifel, that in a 3 dawenynge, 
 As Chauntecleer among his wyves alle 
 Sat on his perche, that was in the halle, 
 And next him sat this faire Pertelote, 65 
 
 This Chauntecleer gan gronen in his throte, 
 As man that in his dreem is drecched sore. 
 And whan that Pertelote thus herde him rore, 
 She was agast, and seyde, ' o herte deere, 
 What eyleth yow, to grone in this manere ? 70 
 
 Ye ben a verray sleper, fy for shame!' (4081) 
 
 And he answerde and seyde thus, 'madame, 
 I pray yow, that ye take it nat agrief : 
 By God, me mette 4 I was in swich meschief 
 Right now, that yet myn herte is sore afright. 75 
 Now God/ quod he, ' my swevene rede 5 aright, 
 And keep my body out of foul prisoun ! 
 Me mette, how that I romed up and doun 
 Withinne our yerde, wher as I saugh a beste, 
 Was lyk an hound, and wolde han maad areste 80 
 
 1 HI. fal. * E. Cm. Ln. bigan. * E. Pt. the. 
 
 4 E. thoughte. 5 E. Hn. recche ; Cm. reche ; rest rede, reed. 
 
(GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 109 
 
 Upon my body, and wolde 1 ban had me deed. (4091) 
 
 His colour was bitwixe yelwe and reed ; 
 
 And tipped was his tail, and bothe his eres 
 
 With blak, unlyk the remenant of his heres ; 
 
 His snowte smal, with glowinge eyen tweye. 85 
 
 Yet of his look for fere almost I deye ; 
 
 This caused me my groning, douteles.' 
 
 ' Avoy ! ' quod she, ' fy on yow, herteles ! 
 Alias ! ' quod she, ' for, by that God above, 
 Now han ye lost myn herte and al my love ; 90 
 
 I can nat love a coward, by my feith. (4101) 
 
 For certes, what so any womman seith, 
 We alle desyren, if it mighte be, 
 To han housbondes hardy, wyse, and free, 
 And secree, and no nigard, ne no fool, 95 
 
 Ne him that is agast of every tool, 
 Ne noon avauntour, by that God above ! 
 How dorste ye sayn for shame unto youre love, 
 That any thing mighte make yow aferd ? 
 Have ye no mannes herte, and han a berd ? 100 
 Alias! and conne ye been agast of swevenis ? (4111) 
 No-thing, God wot, but vanitee, in sweven is. 
 Swevenes engendren of replecciouns, 
 And ofte of fume, and of complecciouns, 
 Whan humours been to habundant in a wight. 105 
 Certes this dreem, which ye han met to-night, 
 Cometh of the 2 grete superfluitee 
 Of youre rede colera, pardee, 
 Which causeth folk to dremen 3 in here dremes 
 Of arwes, and of fyr with rede lemesj no 
 
 Of grete bestes, that they wol hem byte, (4121) 
 
 1 E. Hn. Cm. om. wolde. 2 E. om. the, and has greet. 
 
 3 E. Hn. Cm. dreden. 
 
J10 (GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 
 
 Of contek, and of whelpes grete and lyte ; 
 
 Right as the humour of malencolye 
 
 Causeth ful many a man, in sleep, to crye, 
 
 For fere of blake beres, or boles blake 1 , 115 
 
 Or elles, blake develes wole him take. 
 
 Of othere humours coude I telle also, 
 
 That werken many a man in sleep ful wo; 
 
 But I wol passe as lightly as I can. 
 
 Lo Catoun, which that was so wys a man, 120 
 Seyde he nat thus, ne do no fors of dremes ? (4131) 
 Now, sire,' quod she, ' whan we 2 flee fro the bemes, 
 For Goddes love, as tak som laxatyf; 
 Up peril of my soule, and of my lyf, 
 I counseille yow the beste, I wol nat lye, 125 
 
 That both of colere, and of malencolye 
 Ye purge yow; and for ye shul nat tarie, 
 Though in this toun is noon apotecarie, 
 I shal my-self to herbes techen yow, 
 That shul ben for your hele, and for your prow; 130 
 And in our yerd tho herbes shal I fynde, (4141) 
 
 The whiche han of here propretee, by kynde, 
 To purgen yow binethe, and eek above. 
 Forget not this, for Goddes owene love ! 
 Ye been ful colerik of compleccioun. 135 
 
 Ware the sonne in his ascencioun 
 Ne fynde yow nat repleet of humours hote ; 
 And if it do, I dar wel leye a grote, 
 That ye shul have a fever e terciane, 
 Or an agu, that may be youre bane. 140 
 
 A day or two ye shul have digestyves (vs 1 ) 
 
 1 So E. Hn. Cm. ; HI. Cp. of beres and of boles ; Ln. Pt. of beres 
 and boles. 
 
 8 E. ye ; rest we. 
 
(GROUP B.} THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. Ill 
 
 Of wormes, er ye take your laxatyves, 
 
 Of lauriol, centaure, and fumetere, 
 
 Or elles of ellebor, that groweth there, 
 
 Of catapuce, or of gaytres 1 beryls, 145 
 
 Of erbe yve, growing in our yerd, that 2 mery is; 
 
 Pekke hem up right as they growe, and ete hem in. 
 
 Be mery, housbond, for your fader kyn ! 
 
 Dredeth no dreem ; I can say yow namore/ 
 
 ' Madame/ quod he, ' graunt mercy of your lore. 
 But natheles, as touching daun Catoun, (4161) 
 
 That hath of wisdom such a gret renoun, 
 Though that he bad no dremes for to drede, 
 By God, men may in olde bokes rede 
 Of many a man, more of auctoritee 155 
 
 Than evere Catoun was, so moot I thee, 
 Than al the revers seyn of this sentence, 
 And han wel founden by experience, 
 That dremes ben significaciouns, 
 As wel of loye as 3 tribulaciouns 160 
 
 That folk enduren in this lyf present. (4 I 7 I ) 
 
 Ther nedeth make of this noon argument; 
 The verray preve sheweth it in dede. 
 Oon of the gretteste auctours 4 that men rede 
 Seith thus, that why lorn two felawes wente 165 
 
 On pilgrimage, in a ful good entente; 
 And happed so, thay come into 5 a toun, 
 Wher as ther was swich congregacioun 
 Of peple, and eek so streit of herbergage, 
 That they ne founde as muche as o cotage, 170 
 
 1 Cp. Ln. gaytres ; E. gaitrys ; Hn. gaytrys ; HI. gaytre ; Cm. gattris ; 
 Pt. gatys. 
 
 2 Ln. that; Hn. they ; rest ther. 3 E. Cm. Cp. Ln. HI. ins. of. 
 
 4 HI. auctours; Cm. autourys; rest auctour (sic]. 
 
 5 E. Hn. coomen in ; Cm. comyn in. 
 
12 (GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 
 
 In which they bothe mighte y-logged 1 be. (4181) 
 Wherfor thay mosten, of necessitee, 
 As for that night, departen compaignye ; 
 And ech of hem goth to his hostelrye, 
 And took his logging as it wolde falle. 175 
 
 That oon of hem was logged in a stalle, 
 Fer in a yerd, with oxen of the plough ; 
 That other man was logged wel y-nough, 
 As was his aventure, or his fortune, 
 That us governeth alle as in commune. 180 
 
 And so bifel, that, long er it were day, (4 J 9i) 
 
 This man mette in his bed, ther as he lay, 
 How that his felawe gan up-on him calle, 
 And seyde, ' alias ! for in an oxes 2 stalle 
 This night I shal be mordred ther I lye. 185 
 
 Now help me, dere brother, or I dye; 
 In alle haste com to me/ he sayde. 
 This man out of his sleep for fere abrayde; 
 But whan that he was wakned of his sleep, 
 He turned him, and took of this 3 no keep; 190 
 
 Him thoughte his dreem nas but a vanitee. (4201) 
 Thus twyes in his sleping dremed he. 
 And atte thridde tyme yet his felawe 
 Com, as him thoughte, and seide, ' I am now slawe ; 
 Bihold my bloody woundes, depe and wyde ! 195 
 Arys up erly in the morwe-tyde, 
 And at the west gate of the toun/ quod he, 
 'A carte ful of donge ther shaltow see, 
 In which my body is hid ful prively; 
 Do thilke carte arresten boldely. 200 
 
 My gold caused my mordre, sooth to sayn ; ' (4211) 
 And tolde him every poynt how he was slayn, 
 1 E. logged. 2 HI. Cp. Ln. oxe. 3 E. it. 
 
(GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 113 
 
 With a ful pitous face, pale of he we. 
 
 And truste wel, his dreem he fond ful trewe; 
 
 For on the morwe, as sone as it was day, 205 
 
 To his felawes in he took the way; 
 
 And whan that he cam to this oxes 1 stalle, 
 
 After his felawe he bigan to calle. 
 
 The hostiler answerde him anon, 
 
 And seyde, 'sire, your felawe is agon, 210 
 
 As sone as day he wente out of the toun/ (4 221 ) 
 
 This man gan fallen in 2 suspecioun, 
 
 Remembring on his dremes that he mette, 
 
 And forth he goth, no lenger wolde he lette, 
 
 Unto the west gate of the toun, and fond 215 
 
 A dong-carte, as it were 3 to donge lond, 
 
 That was arrayed in that same wyse 
 
 As ye han herd the dede man devyse; 
 
 And with an hardy herte he gan to crye 
 
 Vengeaunce and Justice of this felony e: 220 
 
 ' My felawe mordred is this same night, (423 1 ) 
 
 And in this carte 4 he lyth gapinge upright. 
 
 I crye out on the ministres,' quod he, 
 
 'That sholden kepe and reulen this citee; 
 
 Harrow! alias! her lyth my felawe slayn 1 ' 225 
 
 What sholde I more un-to this tale sayn? 
 
 The peple out-sterte, and caste the cart to grounde, 
 
 And in the middel of the dong they founde 
 
 The dede man, that mordred was al newe. 
 
 O blisful God, that art so lust and trewe! 230 
 Lo, how that thou biwreyest mordre alway ! (4241) 
 Mordre wol out, that se we day by day. 
 
 1 HI. Cp. Ln. oxe. 2 HI. ins. a ; Cp. Pt. Ln. ins. gret (grete). 
 
 3 So E ; Hn. Cm. HI. wente as it were ; Cp. Pt. Ln. as he went. 
 
 4 E. Hn. Cm. ins. heere. 
 
114 (GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 
 
 Mordre is so wlatsom and abhominable 
 
 To God, that is so lust and resonable, 
 
 That he ne wol nat suffre it heled be; 235 
 
 Though it abyde a yeer, or two, or three, 
 
 Mordre wol out, this * my conclusioun. 
 
 And right anoon 2 , ministres of that toun 
 
 Han hent the carter, and so sore him pyned. 
 
 And eek the hostiler so sore engyned, 240 
 
 That thay biknewe hir wikkednesse anoon, (4251) 
 
 And were an-hanged by the nekke-boon. 
 
 'Here may men seen that dremes been to drede. 
 And certes, in the same book I rede, 
 Right in the nexte chapitre after this, 245 
 
 (I gabbe nat, so have I loye or 3 blis,) 
 Two men that wolde han passed over see, 
 For certeyn cause, in-to a fer contree, 
 If that the wind ne hadde been contrarie, 
 That made hem in a citee for to tarie, 250 
 
 That stood ful mery upon an haven-syde. (4261) 
 
 But on a day, agayn the even-tyde, 
 The wind gan chaunge, and blew right as hem leste. 
 lolif and glad they wente un-to hir reste, 
 And-casten hem ml erly for to saille; 255 
 
 But 4 to that oo man fel a greet mervaille. 
 That oon of hem, in sleping as he lay, 
 Him mette a wonder dreem, agayn the day; 
 Him thoughte a man stood by his beddes syde, 
 And him comaunded, that he sholde abyde, 260 
 
 And seyde him thus, 'if thou to-morwe wende, (4271) 
 Thou shalt be dreynt ; my tale is at an ende/ 
 He wook, and tolde his felawe what he mette, 
 
 1 Cp. Pt. Ln. HI. ins. is (perhaps rightly}. 
 
 2 HI. ins. the. 3 HI. Cp. Ln. and. 
 4 All but HI. ins. herkneth (herken). 
 
(GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 115 
 
 And preyde him his viage for 1 to lette; 
 
 As for that day, he preyde him to abyde 2 . 265 
 
 His felawe, that lay by his beddes syde, 
 
 Gan for to laughe, and scorned him ful faste. 
 
 ' No dreem,' quod he, ' may so myn herte agaste, 
 
 That I wol lette for to do my thinges. 
 
 I sette not a straw by thy dreminges, 270 
 
 For swevenes been but vanitees and lapes. (4281) 
 
 Men dreme al-day of owles or of apes, 
 
 And eek 3 of many a mase therwithal ; 
 
 Men dreme of thing that nevere was ne shal. 
 
 But sith I see that thou wolt heer abyde, 275 
 
 And thus for-sleuthen wilfully thy tyde, 
 
 God wot it reweth me ; and have good day.' 
 
 And thus he took his leve, and wente his way. 
 
 But er that he hadde halfe his cours y-seyle*d, 
 
 Noot I nat why, ne what mischaunce it eyled, 280 
 
 But casuelly the shippes botme rente, (429 1) 
 
 And ship and man under the water wente 
 
 In sighte of othere shippes it 4 byside, 
 
 That with hem seyled at the same tyde. 
 
 And therfor, faire Pertelote so dere, 285 
 
 By swiche ensamples olde 5 maistow lere, 
 
 That no man sholde been to recchelees 
 
 Of dremes, for I sey thee, doutelees, 
 
 That many a dreem ful sore is for to drede. 
 
 ' Lo, in the lyf of seint Kejielm, I rede, 290 
 
 That was Kenulphus sone, the noble king (4301) 
 Of Mercenrike, how Kenelm mette a thing; 
 A lyte er he was mordred, on a day, 
 His mordre in his avisioun he say. 
 
 1 E. Hn. HI. om. for; cf. 1. 255. 2 E. Hn. byde. 
 
 3 HI. eke ; rest om. * Cp. Pt. him ; Ln. hem ; HI. ther. 
 
 5 E. ins. yet. 
 
 I 2 
 
n6 (GROUP B.} THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 
 
 His norice him expouned every del 
 
 His swevene, and bad him for to kepe him wel 
 
 For traisoun; but he nas but seven yeer old, 
 
 And therfore litel tale hath he told 
 
 Of any dreem, so holy was 1 his herte. 
 
 By God, I hadde levere than my sherte 
 
 That ye had rad his legende, as have I. 
 
 Dame Pertelote, I sey yow trewely, 
 
 Macrobeus, that writ the avisioun 
 
 In Affrike of the worthy Cipioun, 
 
 Affermeth dremes, and seith that they been 
 
 Warning of thinges that men after seen. 
 
 And forther-more, I pray yow loketh wel 
 
 In the olde testament, of Daniel, 
 
 If he held dremes any vanitee. 
 
 Reed eek of loseph, and ther shul ye see 
 
 Wher dremes ben somtyme (I sey nat alle) 
 
 Warning of thinges that shul after falle. 
 
 Loke of Egipt the king, daun Pharao, 
 
 His bakere and his boteler 2 also, 
 
 Wher they ne felte noon effect in dremes. 
 
 Who so wol seken actes of sondry remes, 
 
 May rede of dremes many a wonder thing. 
 
 'Lo Cresus, which that was of Lyde king, 
 Mette he nat that he sat upon a tree, 
 Which signified he sholde anhanged be ? 
 Lo heer Andromacha 3 , Ectores wyf, 
 That day that Ector sholde lese his lyf, 
 She dremed on the same night biforn, 
 How that the lyf of Ector sholde be lorn, 
 
 1 E. is ; rest was. 
 
 2 Cm. Ln. boteler; Pt. botelere; E. Hn. butiller. 
 
 3 E. Adromacha. 
 
(GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 117 
 
 If thilke day he wente in- to bataille; 325 
 
 She warned him, but it mighte nat availle ; 
 
 He wente for to fighte natheles, 
 
 But l he was slayn anoon of Achilles. 
 
 But thilke tale is al to long to telle, 
 
 And eek it is ny day, I may nat dwelle. 330 
 
 Shortly I seye, as for conclusioun, (4341) 
 
 That I shal han of this avisioun 
 
 Adversitee; and I seye forther-more, 
 
 That I ne telle of laxatyves no store, 
 
 For they ben venimous 2 , I woot it 3 wel; 335 
 
 I hem defye 4 , I love hem nevere a del. 
 
 ' Now let us speke of mirthe, and stinte al this ; 
 Madame Pertelote, so have I blis,' 
 Of o thing God hath sent me large grace; 
 For whan I see the beautee of your face, 340 
 
 Ye ben so scarlet-reed about youre yen, (435 1) 
 
 It maketh al my drede for to dyen ; 
 For, also siker as In principio, 
 Mulier est hominis confusio ; 
 
 Madame, the sentence of this Latin is 345 
 
 Womman is mannes loye and al his blis. 
 
 I am so ful of loye and of solas 350 
 
 That I defye 4 bothe sweven and dreem.' (4361) 
 
 And with that word he fley 5 doun fro the beem, 
 
 For it was day, and eek his hennes alle; 
 
 And with a chuk he gan hem for to calle, 
 
 For he had 6 founde a corn, lay in the yerd. 355 
 
 Roial 7 he was, he was namore aferd ; 
 
 1 Hn. HI. And. 2 E. Hn. Cm. venymes. 3 HI. Cp. Pt. Ln. right. 
 
 4 E. Cp. diffye. 5 Hn. Cm. fley ; E. fly ; HI. Cp. fleigh. 
 
 6 E. Hn. Cm. hadde. 7 Cm. Ln. Royal ; rest Real ; but see 1. 364. 
 
118 (GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 
 
 He loketh as it were a grim leoun; 
 
 And on his toos 1 he rometh up and doun, 360 
 
 Him deyned 2 not to sette his foot to grounde. (4371) 
 
 He chukketh, whan he hath a corn y-founde, 
 
 And to him rennen thanne his wyves alle. 
 
 Thus roial, as a prince is in his 3 halle, 
 
 Leve I this Chauntecleer in his pasture; 365 
 
 And after wol I telle his aventure. 
 
 Whan that the month in which the world bigan, 
 That highte' March, whan God first maked man, 
 Was complet, and y-passed 4 were also, 
 Sin March bigan, thritty dayes and two 5 , 370 
 
 Bifel that Chauntecleer, in al his pryde, (4381) 
 
 His seven wyves walking by his syde, 
 Caste up his eyen to the brighte sonne, 
 That in the signe of Taurus hadde y-ronne 
 Twenty degrees and oon, and somwhat more ; 375 
 And 6 knew by kynde, and by noon other lore, 
 That it was pry me, and crew with blisful stevene. 
 ' The sonne/ he sayde, ' is clomben up on hevene 
 Fourty degrees and oon, and more, y-wis. 
 Madame Pertelote, my worldes blis, 380 
 
 Herkneth thise blisful briddes how they singe, (4391) 
 And see the fresshe floures how they springe; 
 Ful is myn hert of revel and solas/ 
 But sodeinly him fil a sorweful cas; 
 For evere the latter ende of loye is wo. 385 
 
 Got woot that worldly loye is sone ago ; 
 And if a rethor coude faire endyte, 
 He in a chronique 7 saufly mighte it write, 
 
 1 HI. toon. 2 Cm. deyneth. 3 E. Cm. an. 
 
 HI. y-passed ; rest passed. 5 HI. tway monthes and dayes tuo. 
 
 6 HI. Cp. Pt. Ln. He. 7 HI. Cp. cronique ; rest cronicle. 
 
(GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 1.19 
 
 As for a sovereyn notabilitee. 
 
 Now every wys man, lat him herkne me; 390 
 
 This storie is al-so trewe, I undertake, (440 1) 
 
 As is the book of Launcelot de Lake, 
 
 That wommen holde in ml gret reverence. 
 
 Now wol I torne l agayn to my sentence. 
 
 A col-fox, ful of sly iniquitee, 395 
 
 That in the grove hadde woned yeres three, 
 By heigh imaginacioun forn-cast, 
 The same night thurgh-out the hegges brast 
 Into the yerd, ther Chauntecleer the faire 
 Was wont, and eek his wyves, to repaire ; 400 
 
 And in a bed of wortes stille he lay, (441 1) 
 
 Til it was passed undern 2 of the day, 
 Wayting his tyme on Chauntecleer to falle 
 As gladly doon thise homicydes alle, 
 That in awayt liggen to mordre men. 405 
 
 O false mordrer, lurking in thy den ! 
 O newe Scariot, newe Genilon ! 
 False dissimilour, O Greek Sinon, 
 That broghtest Troye al outrely to sorwe ! 
 O Chauntecleer, acursed be that morwe, 410 
 
 That thou into that yerd flough 3 fro the bemes! (4421) 
 Thou were ful wel y-warned by thy dremes, 
 That thilke day was perilous to thee. 
 But what that God fonyot mot nedes be, 
 After the opinioun of certeyn clerkis. 415 
 
 Witnesse on him, that any perfit clerk is, 
 That in scole is gret altercacioun 
 In this matere, and greet disputisoun, 
 And hath ben of an hundred thousand men. 
 
 1 E. come. 2 E. Hn. Pt. vndren. 
 
 3 E. Hn. flauh ; Cm. flaw ; Cp. fley^e ; HI. flough. 
 
12C (GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 
 
 But I ne can not bulte it to the bren, 420 
 
 As can the holy doctour Augustyn, (4431) 
 
 Or Boece, or the bishop Bradwardyn, 
 Whether 1 that Goddes worthy forwiting 
 Streyneth me nedely for to doon 2 a thing, 
 (Nedely clepe I simple necessitee); 425 
 
 Or elles, if free choys be graunted me 
 To do that same thing, or do it noght, 
 Though God forwot it, er that it was wroght; 
 Or if his witing streyneth nevere a del 
 But by necessitee condicionel. 430 
 
 I wol not han to do of swich matere; (444 
 
 My tale is of a cok, as ye may 3 here, 
 That took his counseil of his wyf, with sorwe, 
 To walken in the yerd upon that morwe 
 That he had met the dreem, that I of tolde. 435 
 Wommennes counseils been ful ofte colde ; 
 Wommannes counseil broghte us first to wo, 
 And made Adam fro 4 paradys to go, 
 Ther as he was ful mery, and wel at ese. 
 But for I noot, to whom it mighte displese, 440 
 
 If I counseil of wommen wolde blame, (445 1) 
 
 Passe over, for I seyde 5 it in my game. 
 Rede auctours, wher they trete of swich matere, 
 And what thay seyn of wommen ye may here. 
 Thise been the cokkes wordes, and nat myne; 445 
 I can noon harme of no womman divyne. 
 Faire in the sond, to bathe hire merily, 
 Lyth Pertelote, and alle hir sustres by, 
 Agayn the sonne ; and Chauntecleer so free 
 Song merier 6 than the mermayde in the see; 450 
 
 1 E. Wheither. 2 E. nedefully to doon. 
 
 3 HI. Cp. Pt. schal ;schuln). 4 E. out of. 5 E. seve. 6 E. murier. 
 
(GROUP J5.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 12,1 
 
 For Phisiologus seith sikerly, (4461) 
 
 How that they singen wel and merily. 
 
 And so bifel, that as he caste his ye, 
 
 Among the wortes, on a boterflye, 
 
 He was war of this fox that lay ful lowe. 455 
 
 No-thing ne liste him thanne for to crowe, 
 
 But cryde anon, 'cok, cok,' and up he sterte, 
 
 As man that was affrayed in his herte. 
 
 For naturelly a beest desyreth flee 
 
 Fro his contrarie, if he may it see, 460 
 
 Though he never erst had seyn it with his ye. (4471) 
 
 This Chauntecleer, whan he gan him espye, 
 He wolde han fled, but that the fox anon 
 Seyde, ' Gentil sire, alias ! wrier wol ye gon ? 
 Be ye affrayed of me that am your freend? 465 
 
 Now certes, I were worse than a feend, 
 If I to yow wolde harm or vileinye. 
 I am nat come your counseil for tespye ; 
 But trewely, the cause of my cominge 
 Was only for to herkne how that ye singe. 470 
 
 For trewely ye have as mery a stevene, (4481) 
 
 As eny aungel hath, that is in hevene ; 
 Therwith ye han in musik more felinge 
 Than hadde Boece, or any that can singe. 
 My lord your fader (God his soule blesse I ) 475 
 
 And eek your moder, of hir gentilesse, 
 Han in myn hous y-been, to my gret ese ; 
 And certes, sire, ful fayn wolde I yow plese. 
 But for men speke of singing, I wol 1 saye, 
 So mote I brouke wel myn eyen tweye, 480 
 
 Save yow, I herde 2 nevere man so 3 singe, (4491) 
 As dide your fader in the morweninge; 
 1 E. ins. yow. 2 E. herde I. 3 E. yet. 
 
122 (GROUP .} THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 
 
 Certes, it was of herte, al that he song. 
 
 And for to make his voys the more strong, 
 
 He wolde so peyne him, that with both his yen 485 
 
 He moste winke, so loude he wolde cryen, 
 
 And stonden on his tiptoon therwithal, 
 
 And strecche forth his nekke long and smal. 
 
 And eek he was of swich discrecioun, 
 
 That ther nas no man in no regioun 
 
 That him in song or wisdom mighte passe. 
 
 I have weel rad in daun Burnel the Asse, 
 
 Among his vers, how that ther was a cok. 
 
 For that a prestes sone yaf him a knok 
 
 Upon his leg, whyl he was yong and nyce, 
 
 He made him for to lese his benefyce. 
 
 But certeyn, ther nis no comparisoun 
 
 Bitwix 1 the wisdom and discrecioun 
 
 Of your fader, and of his subtiltee. 
 
 Now singeth, sire, for seinte charitee, 
 
 Let se, conne ye your fader countrefete ? ' 
 
 This Chauntecleer his winges gan to bete, 
 
 As man that coude his tresoun nat espye, 
 
 So was he ravisshed with his flaterye. 
 
 Alias ! ye lordes, many a fals flatour 505 
 
 Is in your courtes, and many a losengeour, 
 That plesen yow wel more, by my feith, 
 Than he that soothfastnesse unto yow seith. 
 Redeth Ecclesiaste of flaterye ; 
 
 Beth war, ye lordes, of hir trecherye. 510 
 
 This Chauntecleer stood hye up-on his toos, (4521) 
 Strecching his nekke, and held his eyen cloos, 
 And gan to crowe loude for the nones; 
 And daun Russel the fox sterte 2 up at ones, 
 1 E. Cm. Cp. Bitwixe. 2 E. Hn. Cm. stirte. 
 
(GROUP B.} THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 123 
 
 And by the gargat 1 hente Chauntecleer, 515 
 
 And on his bak toward the wode him beer, 
 
 For yet ne was ther no man that him sewed. 
 
 O destinee, that mayst nat ben eschewed ! 
 
 Alias, that Chauntecleer fleigh fro the bemes ! 
 
 Alias, his wyf ne roghte nat of dremes ! 520 
 
 And on a Friday fil 2 al this meschaunce. (4531) 
 
 O Venus, that art goddesse of plesaunce, 
 
 Sin that thy servant was this Chauntecleer, 
 
 And in thy service dide al his poweer, 
 
 More for delyt, than world to multiply e, 525 
 
 Why woldestow sufTre him on thy day to dye? 
 
 O Gaufred, dere mayster soverayn, 
 
 That, whan thy worthy king Richard was slayn 
 
 With shot, compleynedest his deth so sore, 
 
 Why ne hadde I now thy sentence and thy lore, 530 
 
 The Friday for to chide, as diden ye? (4541) 
 
 (For on a Friday soothly slayn was he.) 
 
 Than wolde I shewe yow how that I coude pleyne 
 
 For Chauntecleres drede, and for his peyne. 
 
 Certes, swich cry ne lamentacioun 535 
 
 Was nevere of ladies maad, whan Ilioun 
 Was wonne, and Pirrus with his streite swerd, 
 Whan he hadde hent king Priam by the berd, 
 And slayn him (as saith us Eneydos), 
 As maden alle the hennes in the clos, 540 
 
 Whan they had seyn of Chauntecleer the sighte. (4551) 
 But sovereynly 3 dame Pertelote shrighte, 
 Ful louder than dide Hasdrubales wyf, 
 Whan that hir housbond hadde lost his lyf, 
 And that the Romayns hadde brend Cartage, 545 
 
 1 E. Hn. gargat ; Cm. HI. garget ; Ln. gorge. 
 
 - So E. Hn. Cm. 3 E. sodeynly. 
 
124 (GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 
 
 She was so ful of torment and of rage, 
 
 That wilfully into the fyr she sterte, 
 
 And brende hir-selven with a stedfast herte. 
 
 O woful hennes, right so cryden ye, 
 
 As, whan that Nero brende the citee 550 
 
 Of Rome, cryden senatoures wyves, (4561) 
 
 For that hir housbondes losten alle hir lyves; 
 
 Withouten gilt this Nero hath hem slayn. 
 
 Now wol I tome 1 to my tale agayn: 
 
 This sely widwe, and eek hir doghtres two, 555 
 Herden thise hennes crye and maken wo, 
 And out at dores sterten thay anoon, 
 And syen the fox toward the grove goon, 
 And bar upon his bak the cok away ; 
 And 2 cryden, ' Out ! harrow ! and weylaway ! 560 
 Ha, ha, the fox ! ' and after him they ran, (4571) 
 And eek with staves many another man ; 
 Ran Colle our dogge, and Talbot, and Gerland, 
 And Malkin, with a distaf in hir hand ; 
 Ran cow and calf, and eek 3 the verray hogges 565 
 So were they 4 fered for berking of the dogges 
 And shouting of the men and wimmen eke, 
 They ronne so, hem thoughte hir herte breke. 
 They yelleden 5 as feendes doon in helle; 
 The dokes cryden as men wolde hem quelle ; 570 
 The gees for fere flowen over the trees; (4581) 
 
 Out of the hy ve cam the swarm of bees ; 
 So hidous was the noyse, a! benedicite / 
 Certes, he lakke Straw, and his meynee, 
 Ne maden nevere shoutes half so shrille 6 , 575 
 
 1 E. Now turne I wole. 2 HI. Pt. They. 
 
 3 E. om. eek. 4 HI. were they ; rest om. 
 
 5 E. yolleden. 6 E. Ln. shille. 
 
(GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 125 
 
 Whan that they wolden any Fleming kille, 
 
 As thilke day was maad upon the fox. 
 
 Of bras thay broghten bemes, and of box, 
 
 Of horn, of boon, in whiche they blewe and pouped, 
 
 And therwithal thay shryked 1 and they houped; 580 
 
 It semed as that hevene sholde falle. (459 1) 
 
 Now, gode men, I pray yow herkneth alle ! 
 
 Lo, how fortune turneth sodeinly 
 The hope and pryde eek 2 of hir enemy ! 
 This cok, that lay upon the foxes bak, 585 
 
 In al his drede, un-to the fox he spak, 
 And seyde, 'sire, if that I were as ye, 
 Yet sholde 3 I seyn (as wis God helpe me), 
 Turneth agayn, ye proude cherles alle ! 
 A verray pestilence up-on yow falle I 590 
 
 Now am I come un-to this 4 wodes syde, (4601) 
 
 Maugree your heed, the cok shal heer abyde; 
 I wol him ete in feith, and that anon.' 
 The fox answerde, 'In feith, it shal be don/ 
 And as he spak that word, al sodeinly 595 
 
 This cok brak from his mouth deliverly, 
 And heighe up-on a tree he fleigh anon. 
 And whan the fox saugh that he was y-gon 5 , 
 ; Alias ! ' quod he, ' O Chauntecleer, alias ! 
 I have to yow,' quod he, c y-doon trespas, 600 
 
 In-as-muche as I maked yow aferd, (4611) 
 
 Whan I yow hente, and broghte out of the 6 yerd ; 
 But, sire, I dide it in 7 no wikke entente ; 
 Com doun, and I shal telle yow what I mente. 
 I shal seye sooth to yow, God help me so.' 605 
 
 1 E. Hn. skriked. 2 E. om. eek. 3 E. wolde. 
 
 4 E. the. 5 HI. i-goon ; rest gon, goon. 
 
 6 E. Hn. into this. 7 E. of. 
 
136 (GROUP B.) THE NONNE PREESTES TALE. 
 
 1 Nay than/ quod he, ' I shrewe us bothe two, 
 
 And first I shrewe my-self, bothe blood and bones, 
 
 If thou bigyle me 1 ofter than ones. 
 
 Thou shalt namore, thurgh thy flaterye 
 
 Do me to singe and winke with myn ye. 610 
 
 For he that winke th, whan he sholde see, (4621) 
 
 Al wilfully, God lat him never thee ! ' 
 
 'Nay/ quod the fox, 'but God yive him meschaunce, 
 
 That is so undiscreet of governaunce, 
 
 That iangleth whan he sholde holde his pees/ 615 
 
 Lo, swich it is for to be recchelees, 
 And necligent, and truste on flaterye. 
 But ye that holden this tale a folye, 
 As of a fox, or of a cok and hen, 
 Taketh the moralitee therof 2 , good men. 620 
 
 For seint Paul seith, that al that writen is, (4631) 
 To our doctryne it is y- write, y-wis. 
 Taketh the fruyt, and lat the chaf be stille. 
 
 Now, gode God, if that it be thy wille, 
 As seith my lord, so make us alle good men; 625 
 And bringe us to his heighe blisse. Amen. 
 
 Here is ended the Wonne 3 preestes tale. 
 
 1 E. Hn. HI. ins. any. 2 HI. therof; which the rest omit. 
 
 Cp. Nonne ; E. Hn. Nonnes. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 In the Notes, c CH. 2 ' refers to the Clarendon Press edition of Chaucer's 
 Prioresses Tale, &c. ; and * CH. 3 ' to the same of Chaucer's Man of 
 Law's Tale, &c. 
 
 THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 T. Aprille. It appears that Chaucer's Prologue refers to the i6th and 
 1 7th of April. See Man of Law's Prol. 11. 1-6 ; and CH. 2, p. 129 and 
 p. xi. 
 
 soote, pi. of soot, swete in 1. 5 is the definite form of sweet. 
 
 4. vertu, power, corresponding to the A.S. miht, might. 
 
 4-6. Hawes seems to have had Chaucer's opening lines in view in the 
 first and second stanzas, chap, i, of his Pastime of Pleasure : 
 * When that Aurora did well appeare 
 In the depured ayre and cruddy firmament, 
 Forth then I walked without impediment 
 
 Into a medowe both gaye and glorious, 
 Whiche Flora depainted with many a colour, 
 Lyke a place of pleasure moste solacious, 
 Encensyng out the aromatike odoure 
 Of Zepherus breath, whiche that every floure 
 Through his fume doth alwaye engender.' 
 
 Lydgate (Minor Poems, ed. Halliwell, pp. 243, 244) copies Chaucer 
 still more closely in his description of Ver (spring). 
 
 On the other hand, Chaucer seems to have had in his mind some 
 passage like the following account in Vincent of Beauvais, Speculum 
 Naturale, lib. xv. c. 66, entitled De Vere : ' Sol vero ad radices 
 herbarum et arborum penetrans, humorem quern ibi coadunatum hyeme 
 reperit, attrahit ; herba vero, vel arbor suam inanitionem sentiens 
 a terra attrahit humorem, quem ibi sui similitudine adiuuante calore 
 Sotis transmutat, sicque reuiuiscit ; inde est quod quidem mensis huius 
 temporis Aprilis dicitur, quia tune terra praedicto modo aperitur.' 
 
 5. Chaucer twice refers again to Zephirus, in his translation of 
 Boethius, bk. i. met 5 ; bk. ii. met. 3. 
 
 7. yonge sonne. The sun is here said to be young because it had not 
 long entered upon its annual course through the signs of the zodiac. 
 
128 NOTES TO THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 8. the Ram. ' The difficulty here really resides in the expression 
 " his halfe cours," which means what it says, viz. " his half-course," and 
 not, as Tyrwhitt unfortunately supposed, " half his course." The results 
 of the two explanations are quite different. Taking Chaucer's own 
 expression as it stands, he tells us that, a little past the middle of April, 
 " the young sun has run his half-course in the Ram." Turning to Fig. i 
 (in The Astrolabe, ed. Skeat) we see that, against the month " Aprilis" 
 there appears in the circle of zodiacal signs, the latter half (roughly 
 speaking) of Aries, and the former half of Taurus. Thus the sun in 
 April runs a half-course in the Ram and a half-course in the Bull. " The 
 former of these was completed," says the poet ; which is as much as to 
 say, that it was past the eleventh of April. 
 
 March. April. May. 
 
 Aries. 
 
 Taurus. 
 
 Gemini. 
 
 
 The sun had, in fact, only just completed his course through the first of 
 the twelve signs, as the said course was supposed to begin at the vernal 
 equinox. This is why it may well be called " the yonge sonne," an 
 expression which Chaucer repeats under similar circumstances in the 
 Squyeres Tale, Part ii. 1. 39.' Chaucer's Astrolabe, ed. Skeat, p. xlvii. 
 Mr. Brae, in his edition of Chaucer's Astrolabe, shews that Chaucer 
 never refers to the constellations, but always to the signs. ' Also twelue 
 monies ben in the $ere, and eueriche mone }>e sonne entre]> into a signe 
 as it fallej) for J>e mon]>e. And so in March J>ey entre]> into ]>e We}?er ; 
 in Auerel in-to )>e Boole.' Trevisa's transl. of Higden's Polychronicon, 
 ii. 207. 
 
 10. open ye. 
 
 1 Hit bifelle bytwyxte March and Maye, 
 
 Whan kynd corage begynneth to pryke, 
 
 Whan frith and felde[s] wexen gaye, .... 
 
 Whan lovers slepen with opyn y$e, 
 
 As nightyngalis on grene tre.' 
 
 The Sowdone of Babyloyne, 11. 41-46. 
 
 12, 13. Professor Ten Brink thinks that a colon should be placed 
 after pilgrimages, and wenden understood afar palmers. According to 
 ordinary English construction the verb longen must be supplied after 
 palmers, and seken before To feme halwes. 
 
 13. palmer, originally one who made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land 
 and brought home a palm-branch as a token. Chaucer, says Tyrwhitt, 
 seems to consider all pilgrims to foreign parts as palmers. The essential 
 difference between the two classes of persons here mentioned, the palmer 
 
THE PROLOGUE. T29 
 
 and the pilgrim, was, that the latter had ' some dwelling-place, a palmer 
 had none ; the pilgrim travelled to some certain place, the palmer to all, 
 and not to any one in particular ; the pilgrim might go at his own 
 charge, the palmer must profess wilful poverty ; the pilgrim might give 
 over his profession, the palmer must be constant;' Blount's Glosso- 
 graphia. See note to P. Plowman, v. 523 (Clar. Press, smaller edition). 
 
 ' But a prest that a palmer was 
 A palme in his hand he had, 
 And in a slaveyn he was clad.' Tundal's Poems, p. 14. 
 
 14. feme halwes, distant saints, i.e. shrines. Here feme =ferrene 
 distant, foreign ; cf. ' )>rie kinges . . . comen fram verrene londes ; ' 
 O.E. Miscel. p. 27. Also 'this man of feme londe,' i.e. from a distant 
 land; Havelok, 2031. ' To feme peoples;' Chaucer's Boethius, bk. ii. 
 met. 7. See Matzner. Feme also means ' ancient,' but not here. 
 
 halwes, saints; cp. Scotch Hallow-e'en, the eve of All Hallows, or 
 All Saints ; here applied to their shrines. 
 
 Chaucer has : ' to go seken halwes? to go (on a pilgrimage) to seek 
 saints' shrines ; C. T. 6239. 
 
 1 6. wende, go ; pret. wente, Eng. went. The old preterite of go (A.S. 
 gangan) was gieng, which gave place to eode, $ede, or yode, from the root 
 i (cf. Lat. i-re) of the weak conjugation. Spenser uses yode as a past 
 tense, but also yeed (wrongly) as a gerund (F. Q. ii. 4. 2). 
 
 17. The holy blisful martir, Thomas a Becket. On pilgrimages, see 
 Saunders, Chaucer, p. 15 ; and Erasmus, Peregrinatio religionis ergo. 
 
 1 8. holpen, pp. of helpen. The older preterites of this verb are heolp, 
 help, halp. Seke, sick, rimes to seke, seek ; this apparent repetition is only 
 allowed when the repeated word is used in two different senses. 
 
 20. Tabard. Of this word Speght gives the following account in his 
 Glossary to Chaucer : ' Tabard a jaquet or slevelesse coate, worne in 
 times' past by noblemen in the warres, but now only by heraults (heralds), 
 and is called theyre "coate of armes in servise." It is the signe of an 
 inne in Southwarke by London, within the which was the lodging of the 
 Abbot of Hyde by Winchester. This is the hostelry where Chaucer and 
 the other Pilgrims mett together, and, with Henry Baily their hoste, 
 accorded about the manner of their journey to Canterbury. And whereas 
 through time it hath bin much decayed, it is now by Master J. Preston, 
 with the Abbot's house thereto adgoyned, newly repaired, and with con- 
 venient rooms much encreased, for the receipt of many guests.' The 
 inn is well described in Saunders (on Chaucer), p. 19. The Taberdars 
 of Queen's College, Oxford, were scholars supposed originally to have 
 worn the tabard, since called, by mistake, the Talbot. 
 
 23. hostelry e, a lodging, inn, house, residence. Hostler properly signi- 
 fies the keeper of an inn, and not, as now, the servant of an inn who 
 
 K 
 
130 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 looks after the horses. (The A.S. hors-hus signifies an inn another 
 term \va.s gcest-hus ; and hors-herde = an inn-keeper.) 
 
 24. wel is here used like our word full. 
 
 25. by aventtire y-falle, by adventure (chance) fallen (into company). 
 
 26. felawshipe, fellowship, from M.E.felawe, companion, fellow. 
 
 29. esed atte beste, accommodated or entertained in the best manner. 
 Easement is still used as a law term, signifying accommodation. 
 
 atte = M.E. atfian = attan or atten, A.S. <zt thdm. In the older stages 
 of the language we find atte used only before masc. and neuter nouns 
 beginning with a consonant; the corresponding feminine form is after 
 (A.S. at th<zre}, which is not used by Chaucer. 
 
 30. to reste = at rest. Spenser has to friend for friend; F. Q. i. I. 28. 
 
 33. forward, agreement. 'Fals was here foreward so forst is in May,' 
 i.e. their agreement was as false as a frost in May; Ritson's Ancient 
 Songs, i. 30. 
 
 34. ther as I yow devyse, to that place that I tell you of (sc. Canter- 
 bury) ; ther in M. E. frequently signifies where ; devyse = to speak of, 
 describe. 
 
 35. whyl, whilst ; Eng. while, time. Cp. M.E. hwilum, hwile, whilen, 
 awhile. The form in -es (whiles, the reading of some MSS.) is com- 
 paratively a modern adverbial form, and may be compared with M.E. 
 hennes, thennes, hence, thence ; ones, fwies, thries, once, twice, thrice ; of 
 which older forms are found in -enne and -e respectively. 
 
 37. ' It seemeth to me it is reasonable.' 
 
 Me thinketh me thinks, where me is the dative before the impersonal 
 vb. thinken, to appear, seem ; cp. me liketh, me list, it pleases me. So the 
 phrase if you please = if it please you, you being the dative and not the 
 nominative case, semed me, = it seemed to me, occurs in 1. 39. 
 
 41. inne. In M.E. in is the preposition, and inne the adverb. 
 
 43. Knight. It was a common thing in this age for knights to seek 
 employment in foreign countries which were at war. Tyrwhitt cites 
 from Leland the epitaph of a knight of this period, Matthew de Gourney, 
 who had been at the battle of Benamaryn, at the siege of Algezir, and 
 at the battles of Crecy, Poitiers, &c. See note to 1. 51. 
 
 worthy, worthy, is here used in its literal signification of distinguished, 
 honourable. See 11. 47, 50. 
 
 For notes on the dresses, &c., of the pilgrims, see Todd's Illustrations 
 of Chaucer, p. 227; and Fairholt's Costume in England, 1885,1. 129. 
 Also Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, sect. 17. 
 
 45. chivalry e, knighthood ; also the manners, exercises, and exploits 
 of a knight. 
 
 48. ferre, the comp. offer, far. Cf. M.E. derre, dearer, sarre, sorer, &c. 
 
 49. hethenesse, heathen lands, as distinguished from Crisfendom, Chris- 
 tian countries. 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 131 
 
 51. Alisaundre, in Egypt, * was won, and immediately after aban- 
 doned in 1365, by Pierre deJLusignaii, King of Cyprus;' Tyrwhitt. 
 Froissart (Chron. bk. iii. c. 22) gives the epitaph of Pierre de Lusignan, 
 king of Cyprus, who ' conquered in battle . . the cities of Alexandria in 
 Egypt, Tripoli in Syria, Layas in Armenia, Satalia in Turkey, with 
 several other cities and towns, from the enemies of the faith of Jesus 
 Christ;' tr. by Johnes, vol. ii. p. 138. 
 
 52. he hadde the bord bigonne. Here bord board, table, so that the 
 phrase signifies ' he had been placed at the head of the dais, or table of 
 state.' Warton, in his Hist, of Eng. Poetry, ed. 1840, ii. 209 (ed. 1871, 
 ii- 373)? aptly cites a passage from Gower which is quite explicit as to 
 the sense of the phrase. See Gower, Conf. Amantis, bk. viii. ed. Pauli, 
 iii. 299. We there read that a knight was honoured by a king by being 
 set at the head of the middle table in the hall. 
 
 ' And he, which had his prise deserved, 
 After the kinges owne word, 
 Was maad beginne a middel bord' 
 
 The context shews that this was at supper-time, and that the knight 
 was placed in this honourable position by the marshal of the hall. 
 
 It thus appears that the proposal made by Mr. Marsh to explain bord 
 as meaning 'a tournament' is quite uncalled for. Once more, in Sir 
 Beves of Hamptoun, ed. Kolbing (E. E. T. S.), p. 104, we find in one 
 text (1. 2122) 
 
 ' Thow schelt this dai be priour, 
 And beginne oure deis' [dais']', 
 where another text has (1. 1957) the reading 
 
 'Palmer, thou semest best to me, 
 Therfore men shal worshyp the; 
 Begyn the borde, I the pray.' 
 See also Murray's Diet., s.v. Board. 
 
 53. 54. Pruce. When our English knights wanted employment, 'it was 
 usual for them to go and serve in Pruce, or Prussia, with the knights of 
 the Teutonic order, who were in a state of constant warfare with their 
 heathen neighbours in Lettow (Lithuania), Ruce (Russia), and elsewhere.' 
 Tyrwhitt. Similarly, Gower (Conf. Amant. bk. iv, ed. Pauli, ii. 56) 
 says that knights were expected to make ' rodes,' i. e. raids 
 
 ' Somtime in Pruce, somtime in Rodes ; ' &c. 
 
 54. Walsingham, in his History, ed. Riley, ii. 197, tells us that, in 
 1390, no less a person than Henry, earl of Derby (afterwards Henry IV) 
 set out for Prussia (profectus est in le Pruys), where ' devicit exercitum 
 Regis de Lettowe, captis quatuor Ducibus,' &c. Warton, Hist. Eng. 
 Poetry, ed. 1840, ii. 210, remarks * Thomas duke of Gloucester, 
 youngest son of Edw. Ill, and Henry earl of Derby, afterwards Henry 
 IV, travelled into Prussia ; and, in conjunction with the grand Masters 
 
 K 2 
 
132 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 and Knights of Prussia and Livonia, fought the infidels of Lithuania. 
 Lord Derby was greatly instrumental in taking Vilna, the capital of that 
 country, in the year 1390. Here is a seeming compliment to some of 
 these expeditions.' Hackluyt, in his Voyages, ed. 1598, i. 122, cites and 
 translates the passage from Walsingham referred to above. 
 
 56-58. Gernade, Granada. 'The city of Algezir was taken from the 
 Moorish King of Granada in 1344.' T. It is the modern Algeciras on 
 the S. coast of Spain, near Cape Trafalgar. 
 
 Belmarye and Tramissene (Tramessen), 1. 62, were Moorish kingdoms 
 in Africa, as appears from a passage in Froissart (bk. iv. c. 24) cited by 
 Tyrwhitt. Johries's translation has ( Tunis, Bugia, Morocco, Benmarin, 
 Treme9en.' Cf. Kn. Tale, 1. 1772. Benmarin is called Balmeryne in 
 Barbour's Bruce, xx. 393 ; cf. Belmore, Sowdone of Babylon, 3122. 
 
 Lyeys, in Armenia, was taken from the Turks by Pierre de Lusignan 
 about 1367. It is the Lay as mentioned by Froissart (see note to 1. 51), 
 and the modern Ayas ; see Marco Polo, ed. Yule, i. 15. 
 
 Satalye (Attalia, now Adalia, on the S. coast of Asia Minor) was 
 taken by the same prince soon after 1352. T. See Acts xiv. 25. 
 
 Palatye (Palathia, see 1. 65), in Anatolia, was one of the lordships 
 held by Christian knights after the Turkish conquests. T. Cf. Frois- 
 sart, bk. Hi. c. 23. 
 
 59. the Grete See. The name Great Sea is applied by Sir J. 
 Maundeville (cap. 7) to that part of the Mediterranean which washes the 
 coast of Palestine, to distinguish it from the two so-called inland seas, 
 the sea of Tiberias and the Dead Sea. Cf. its proper name in Scripture, 
 Numb, xxxiv. 6, 7 ; Josh. i. 4. 
 
 60. aryve, arrival or disembarkation of troops. Tyrwhitt, following 
 the Ellesmere and other MSS., reads armee. 
 
 be = ben, been. Cf. ydo =ydon, done, &c. 
 
 62. foughten, pp. fought. This verb belongs to the strong, and not, 
 like the past participles soght, broght, to the weak conjugation. 
 
 63. slayn: hadde must be supplied from 1. 61. 
 67. sovereyn prys, exceeding great renown. 
 
 70. vileinye, any conduct unbecoming a gentleman. ' The villain is,. 
 first, the serf or peasant, villanus, because attached to the villa or farm. 
 He is, secondly, the peasant, who, it is further taken for granted, will be 
 churlish, selfish, dishonest, and generally of evil moral conditions, these 
 having come to be assumed as always belonging to him, and to be per- 
 manently associated with his name, by those . . . who in the main 
 commanded the springs of language. At the third step nothing of the 
 meaning which the etymology suggests nothing of villa survives any 
 longer ; the peasant is wholly dismissed, and the evil moral conditions 
 of him who is called by this name, alone remain.' Trench ; English 
 Past and Present, ch. 7. 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 133 
 
 71. no matter wight, no kind of person whatever. 
 
 74. ' His horses were good, but he himself was not gaudily dressed/ 
 
 75. gipoun, a diminutive of gipe r & short cassock, a tight-fitting vest. 
 
 76. habergeoun, though etymologically an augmentative, is practically 
 a diminutive of hauberk, but often used as synonymous with it. ' It was 
 a defence of an inferior description to the hauberk ; but when the intro- 
 duction of plate-armour, in the reign of Edward III, had supplied more 
 convenient and effectual defences for the legs and thighs, the long skirt 
 of the hauberk became superfluous ; from that period the habergeon alone 
 seems to have been worn.' Way, note to Promptorium Parvulorum, 
 p. 220. 
 
 * And Tideus, aboue his Habergeoun, 
 A gipoun hadde, hidous, sharpe, and hoor, 
 Wrought of the bristles of a wilde Boor.' 
 
 Lydgate, Siege of Thebes, pt. ii. 
 
 77. 78. 'For he had just returned from his journey, and went to 
 perform his pilgrimage (which he had vowed for a safe return) in his 
 knightly array.' 
 
 79. squyer = esquire, one who attended on a knight, and bore his 
 lance and shield. See Strutt, Sports and Pastimes, Introd. 8. 
 
 80. lovyer, lover. The y in this word is not euphonic as in some 
 modern words ; lovyer is formed from the verb lovie, A.S. lufian, to love. 
 
 bacheler, a young aspirant to knighthood. Cf. 
 
 'Wightly Olyuer upsterte 
 As bacheler, doughti of dede.' 
 
 The Sowdone of Babylone, 1. 1211. 
 
 82. yeer. In the older stages of the language, year, goat, swine, &c., 
 being neuter nouns, underwent no change in the nom. case of the plural 
 number ; but after numerals the genitive case was usually required. 
 
 I gesse, I should think. In M.E. gesse signifies to judge, believe, 
 suppose. See Kn. Tale, 1. 192. 
 
 85. chivachye. Fr. chevauchee. It most properly means an expedition 
 with a small party of cavalry ; but is often used generally for any military 
 expedition. Holinshed calls it a rode (i.e. raid*); cf. note to 1. 53 
 above. 
 
 87. born him wel, conducted himself well, behaved bravely. 
 
 88. lady grace, lady's grace. In the earlier stages of our language 
 the genitive of feminine nouns terminated in -e, so that lady is for ladye. 
 Cf. the modern phrase ' Lady-day/ as compared with ' Lord's day.' 
 
 89. ' That was with floures swete embrouded al;' Prol. to Legend of 
 Good Women, 1. 119. 
 
 97. nightertale, night-time, time (or reckoning) of night. So also wit 
 nighter-tale, lit. with night-time, Cursor Mundi, 1. 2783 ; on nighter-tale, 
 
134 NOTES. 
 
 id. 2991. The word is used by Holinshed in his account of Joan of 
 Arc (under the date 1429). 
 
 98. deep, also written slep, slepte. Cf. weep, wepte ; leep, lepte, &c. ; such 
 verbs, once strong, became weak. See 1. 148 ; and Kn. Ta. 1829. 
 
 100. car/", "the past tense of kerven, to carve (pp. corven}. 
 
 101. Yeman, yeoman. * As a title of service, it denoted a servant of 
 the next degree above a garson or groom .... The title of yeoman was 
 given in a secondary sense to people of middling rank not in service. 
 The appropriation of the word to signify a smalf landholder is more 
 modern.' Tyrwhitt. 
 
 102. him liste, it pleased him. liste is past tense ; list = pleaseth. 
 See note on 1. 37. 
 
 104. a sheef of pecok-arwes, a sheaf of arrows with peacocks' feathers. 
 Ascham, in his Toxophilus, ed. Arber, p. 129, does not say much in 
 favour of ' pecock fethers' ; for 'there is no fether but onely of a goose 
 that hath all commodities in it. And trewelye at a short but, which 
 some man doth vse, the pecock fether doth seldome kepe vp the shaft 
 eyther ryght or level, it is so roughe and heuy, so that many men which 
 haue taken them vp for gaynesse, hathe layde them downe agayne for 
 profyte; thus for our purpose, the goose is best fether for the best 
 shoter.' In the Geste of Robyn Hode, pr. by W. Copland, we read 
 1 And every arrowe an ell longe 
 
 With peacocke well ydight, 
 And nocked they were with white silk, 
 
 It was a semely syght.' 
 
 In the Liber Compotis Garderobse, sub anno 4 Edw. II, p. 53, is this 
 entry Pro duodecim flecchiis cum pennis de pauone emptis pro rege, 
 de 1 2 den. ; that is, For 1 2 arrows plumed with peacock's feathers, bought 
 for the king, I2d. (MS. Cotton, Nero C. viii). Strutt, Sports and 
 Pastimes, bk. ii. ch. i, 12. Cf. Warton, Hist. Eng. Poetry, ed. 1840, 
 ii. 211. 
 
 1 06. takel, lit. 'implement' or 'implements'; here (perhaps) the set 
 of arrows. Strutt, Sports, bk. ii. ch. I, 16, quotes a ballad in which 
 Robin Hood proposes that each man who misses the mark shall lose 
 ' his takell ' ; and one of the losers says ' Syr abbot, I deliver thee myne 
 arrowe? In the Cursor Mundi, 1. 3600, Isaac sends Esau to hunt, 
 saying : 
 
 'Ga lok thi fade be puruaid.' 
 
 Fairholt (s.v. tackle) quotes from A Lytel Geste of Robyn Hood 
 ' When they had theyr bowes ibent, 
 
 Their tables fedred fre.' 
 
 109. not-heed. Tyrwhitt badly explains this as a head like a nut, horn. 
 the hair probably being cut short ; but not-heed = crop-head. Cf. ' To Notte 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 135 
 
 his haire, comas recidere;' Baret's Alvearie, 1580. Cf. ' notted heare,' 
 Jack Juggler, p. 22 ; where Hazlitt's edition of Dodsley's Plays, vol. ii. 
 p. 135, has the inferior reading 'knotted hair.' Shakespeare has not- 
 pated, i.e. crop-headed, I Henry IV, ii. 4. 78. Cooper's Thesaurus, 
 1565, has: ' Tondere, to cause his heare to be notted or polled of a 
 harbour;' also, 'to notte his heare shorte;' also, ' Tonsus homo, a man 
 rounded, polled, or notted? Cotgrave explains the F. tonsure as ' a 
 sheering, clipping, powling, notting, cutting, or paring round.' Florio, 
 ed. 1598, explains the Ital. Zucconare as ' to poule, to nott, to shaue, or 
 cut off ones haire,' and zuccone as ' a shauen pate, a notted poule, a pouled 
 pate, a gull, a ninnie, a ioult-head.' Gouldman's Lat. and E. Diet., 
 1664, has 'To nott or cut the hair away, Tondeo. Notted or clipped, 
 Tonsus' In later days the name of Roundhead came into use for a 
 like reason. 
 
 in. bracer, a guard for the arm used by archers to prevent the 
 friction of the bow-string on the coat. It was made like a glove with a 
 long leathern top, covering the fore-arm (Fairholt). Fr. bras, the arm, 
 whence bracelet. 
 
 ' Phi. Which be instrumentes [of shotynge] ? 
 
 Tox. Bracer, shotyng-glove, stryng, bowe and shafte 
 
 A bracer serueth for two causes, one to saue his arme from the strype 
 of the strynge, and his doublet from wearynge, and the other is, that the 
 strynge glydynge sharpelye and quicklye of the bracer, may make the 
 
 sharper shoote In a bracer a man muste take hede of .iii. thinges, 
 
 that it haue no nayles in it, that it haue no bucles, that it be fast on 
 with laces wythout agglettes.' Ascham's Toxophilus, ed. Arber, pp. 
 107, 108. 
 
 114. Harneised, equipped. The word harness signifies equipage, furni- 
 ture, tackling for sea or land. 'A certain girdle, harnessed with silver' 
 is spoken of in Riley's Memorials of London, p. 399, with reference to 
 the year 1376 ; cf. Riley's tr. of Liber Albus, p. 521. 
 
 115. Cristofre. ' A figure of St. Christopher, used as a brooch. . . . 
 The figure of St. Christopher was looked upon with particular reverence 
 among the middle and lower classes; and was supposed to possess the 
 power of shielding the person who looked on it from hidden dangers ; ' note 
 in Wright's Chaucer. St. Christopher's day is July 25. There is a well- 
 known early woodcut which is supposed to exhibit one of the earliest 
 specimens of printing from a wooden block, engraved at p. 123 of the 
 second volume of Chambers, Book of Days, and frequently elsewhere. 
 The inscription beneath the figure of the saint runs as follows : 
 
 ' Christofori faciem die quacunque tueris, 
 Ilia nempe die morte mala non morieris.' 
 
 Hence the Yeoman wore his brooch for good luck. See also, for the 
 
136 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 "1 corn- 
 
 legend, Mrs. Jameson's Sacred and Legendary Art, ii. 48-59 ; and com- 
 pare Brand's Popular Antiquities, ed. Ellis, i. 359, 364 ; Butler's Lives 
 of the Saints, July 25. 
 
 116. Riley, in his Memorials of London, p. 115, explains baldric as 
 4 a belt passing mostly round one side of the neck, and under the opposite 
 arm.' See Spenser, F. Q. i. 7. 29. 
 
 1 20. seynt Loy. Tyrwhitt says that Loy is from Eloy, i. e. St. Eligius, 
 whose day is Dec. i ; see the long account of him in Butler's Lives of 
 the Saints. He was a goldsmith, and master of* the mint to Clotaire II, 
 Dagobert I, and Clovis II of France ; and was also bishop of Noyon. 
 He became the patron saint of goldsmiths, farriers, smiths, and carters. 
 The Lat. Eligius necessarily became Eloy in O. French, and is Eloy or 
 Loy in English, the latter form being the commoner. The Catholicon 
 Anglicum (A.D. 1483) gives: ' Loye, elegius (sic"), nomen propritim.' 
 Sir T. More, Works, ed. 1577, p. 194, says : 'St. Loy we make an horse- 
 leche.' Barnaby Googe, as cited in Brand, Pop. Antiq. i. 364 (ed. 
 Ellis), says: 
 
 ' And Loye the smith doth looke to horse, and smithes of all degree, 
 
 If they with iron meddle here, or if they goldesmithes bee.' 
 Dr. Oliver, in his Ecclesiastical Antiquities in Devon, speaks of St. 
 Eligius's Chapel or St. Eloy's Chapel ; it is the half- ruined chapel near 
 Exeter commonly called St. Loyes (see The Academy, June 5, 1880, 
 p. 122 ; and the same, May 29, June 5, 12 and 19, 1880). There is a 
 district called St. Loye's in Bedford. There was a St. Loy's house in 
 Wedon-Pinckney, Northamptonshire, mentioned in Bridges' History of 
 that county (Brand). Churchyard mentions 'sweete Saynct Loy; 1 Siege 
 of Leith, st. 50. In Lyndesay's Monarche, bk. ii. lines 2299 and 2367, 
 he is called ' sanct Eloy.' Much more might be added ; see, e. g. 
 St. Eligius in the Index to the Parker Society's publications. In the 
 Cant. Tales, 7146, the carter prays to God and Saint Loy, joining the 
 names according to a common formula ; but the Prioress dropped the 
 divine name. Perhaps she invoked St. Loy as being the patron saint of 
 goldsmiths ; for she seems to have been a little given to a love of gold 
 and corals ; see 11. 158-162. Guillaume de Machault (ed. 1849, p. 120), 
 in his Confort d'Ami, near the end, uses the expression : ' Car je te jur, 
 par saint Eloy.' ' By St. Loy, that draws deep ; ' Nash's Lenten Stuff, 
 p. xiv. ed. Hindley. 
 
 'We use to call her at home, dame Coye, 
 A pretie gingerlie piece, God save her and Saint Loye' 
 
 Jack Juggler, ed. Roxb. Club, p. 9. 
 
 See also Mrs. Jameson's Sacred and Legendary Art, p. 728. The Harl. 
 MS. has nas, which is merely a shorter form of ne was. Mr. A. J. Ellis 
 thinks that nas should stand, and that seynt should be pronounced as 
 a word of two syllables. 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 137 
 
 123. nose. This is the reading of the best MSS. Speght reads voice 
 (wrongly). 
 
 semely is in some MSS. written semily. The e is here to be distinctly 
 sounded; hertily is sometimes written for hertely. See 1. 136. 
 
 125. scale, school ; here used for style or pronunciation. 
 . 126. Frensh. ' The French taught in England was the debased form 
 of the Old Anglo-Norman, somewhat similar to that used at a later 
 period in the courts of law ; and it was this at which Chaucer and some of 
 his contemporaries sneered. The writer of the Vision of Piers Plowman 
 speaks of French of Norfolk, 1. 2949;' Wright. 'Chaucer thought but 
 meanly of the English- French spoken in his time. It was proper, how- 
 ever, that the Prioress should speak some sort of French ; not only as a 
 woman of fashion, a character which she is represented to affect (11. 139, 
 140), but as a religious person ;' Tyrwhitt. 
 
 * It is necessary to quote the above rather odd criticisms by Wright and 
 Tyrwhitt because they have been too often repeated. There is nothing 
 to shew that Chaucer intended a sneer ; he merely states a, fact, viz. that 
 the Prioress spoke the usual Anglo-French of the English court, of the 
 English law-courts, and of the English ecclesiastics of the higher rank. 
 The poet, however, had been himself in France, and knew precisely the 
 difference between the two dialects ; yet there is no proof that he thought 
 more highly of the Parisian than of the Anglo-French. He merely states 
 that the French which the Prioress spoke was, naturally, such as was 
 spoken in England. She had never travelled, and was therefore quite 
 satisfied with the French which she had learnt at home. The language 
 of the King of England was quite as good, in the esteem of Chaucer's 
 hearers, as that of the King of France. Warton's note on the line is 
 quite sane. He shews that queen Philippa wrote business letters in 
 French (doubtless Anglo-French) with "great propriety." What 
 Mr. W T right means by saying that " it was similar to that used at a later 
 period in the courts of law" is somewhat puzzling. It was, of course, not 
 similar to, but the very same language as was used at the very same period 
 in the courts of law. In fact, he and Tyrwhitt have unconsciously given 
 us the view entertained, not by Chaucer, but by unthinking readers of 
 the present age ; a view which is not expressed, and was probably not 
 intended. At the modern Stratford we may find Parisian French in- 
 efficiently taught ; but at the ancient Stratford, the very important Anglo- 
 French was taught efficiently enough. There is no parallel between the 
 cases, nor any such jest as the modern journalist is never weary of. The 
 "French of Norfolk" as spoken of in P. Plowman (B. v. 239) was no 
 French at all, but English; and the alleged parallel is misleading, as the 
 reader who cares to refer to that passage will easily see.' Skeat. 
 
 127. At mete. These simple conditions of good breeding are to be 
 found in most of the mediaeval tracts on Curtesy and Nurture, written for 
 
138 NOTES. 
 
 the purpose of teaching manners at table. See The Babees Book, 
 Early Eng. Text Society. 
 
 It is, however, of much more importance to observe that Tyrwhitt has 
 acutely pointed out how Chaucer, throughout this passage, merely re- 
 produces what he had found in his favourite book, viz. Le Roman de la 
 Rose, 1. 13612, &c. 
 
 'Et bien se gart qu'ele ne moile 
 Ses dois es broez jusqu'as jointes, 
 Ne qu'el n'ait pas ses levres ointes 
 De sopes, d'aulx, ne de char grasse, 
 Ne que trop de morsiaus n'entasse, 
 Ne trop gros, nes mete en sa bouche. 
 Du bout des dois le morsel touche 
 Qu'el devra moillier en la sauce, 
 Soit vert, ou cameline, ou jauce, 
 Et sagement port sa bouchee 
 Que sus son piz goute n'en chee 
 De sope, de savor, de poivre. 
 Et si gentement redoit boivre, 
 Que sor soi n'en espande goute.' 
 
 I.e. 'and takes good care not to wet her fingers up to the joints in 
 broth, nor to have her lips anointed with soups, or garlic, or fat flesh, 
 nor to heap up too many or too large morsels and put them in her 
 mouth. She touches with the tips of her fingers the morsel which she 
 has to moisten with the sauce (be it green, or brown, or yellow), and 
 lifts her mouthful warily, so that no drop of the soup, or relish or pepper 
 may fall on her breast. And so daintily she contrives to drink, as not 
 to sprinkle a drop upon herself.' 
 Again, a few lines below : 
 
 f Si doit si bien sa bouche terdre, 
 Qu'el n'i lest nule gresse aerdre, 
 Au mains en la levre desseure.' 
 
 I. e. ' she ought to wipe her lip so well, as not to permit any grease to 
 stay there, at least upon her upper lip.' Cf. also Ovid, Ars Amatoria, 
 iii- 755, 756. 
 
 132. lest = list, pleasure, delight. 
 
 T 34. ferthing signifies literally a fourth part, and hence a small portion. 
 
 'Embrewe not youre vesselle ne youre napery 
 Ouer mesure and maner, but saue them clene : 
 Ensoyle not youre cuppe, but kepe hit clenely, 
 Lete no fatte ferthyng of youre lippe be sen ; 
 For that is foule; wotte you what I mene? 
 Or than ye drincke, for youre owne honeste, 
 Youre lippis wepe [wipe], and klenly loke they be. 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 139 
 
 Blowe not in youre drincke ne in youre potage, 
 Ne farsith not youre disshe to full of brede, 
 Ne here not youre knyf towarde youre vysage, 
 For there-in is parell and mekell drede. 
 Clawe not youre face ne touche not youre hede 
 Wyth youre bare hande, sittyng at the table, 
 For in norture that is reprouable.' 
 
 Caxton's Book of Curtesye, p. 20. 
 
 1 39. peyned hir, took pains, endeavoured. 
 
 139, 140. to countrefete chere Of court, to imitate courtly behaviour. 
 
 141. to ben holden, &c., to be esteemed worthy of reverence. 
 
 147. wastel breed. Horses and dogs were not usually fed on wastel 
 breed or cake bread (bread made of the best flour), but on coarse lentil 
 bread baked for that purpose. ' The domestic baker prepared several 
 kinds and qualities of bread, suitable to the various departments of the 
 household ; the manchet loaf of wheaten flour was for the master's table, 
 the fine chete for the side- tables, and the brown bread for the board's 
 end. The finer quality was made of flour passed through a sieve or 
 boulting-cloth, and sometimes called boulted bread ; the chete was of 
 unboulted flour, and the household was made of a mixture of flour and 
 rye-meal, called mystelon or maslin ; the latter was the quality usually 
 made in the houses of the middle class ; the poor ate bread made of rye, 
 lentils, and oatmeal. Fancy bread, such as paynepuff and marchpane, 
 was prepared for company; the latter was in old times a favourite 
 delicacy, made of flour, sugar, and almonds; originally it was used 
 especially at Easter, and called mass-pane, or mass-bread, and some- 
 times payne-mayne.' Our English Home, pp. 79, 80. Cf. Riley, 
 Memorials of London, p. 108 ; tr. of Liber Albus, p. 305. In 1. 334 
 we read that the Frankeleyn loved a ' sop in wyn.' In the Anturs of 
 Arther at the Tarnewathelan, st. 37, we read that 
 
 'Thre soppus of demayn (i.e. paindemayne) 
 Wos broghte to Sir Gauan 
 For to cumford his brayne.' 
 
 And in Hari. MS. 279, fol. 10, we have the necessary instruction for the 
 making of these sops. ' Take mylke and boyle it, and thanne (then) 
 tak (take) yolkys (yolks) of eyroun (eggs), ytryid (separated) fro (from) 
 the whyte, and hete it, but let it nowt boyle, and stere (stir) it wyl tyl 
 it be somwhat thikke ; thenne cast therto salt and sugre, and kytte 
 (cut) fayre paynemaynnys in round soppys, and caste the soppys theron, 
 and seme it forth for a potage/ Way, in Promptorium Parvulorum, 
 
 P- 378. 
 
 148. But sore weep she ifoon, &c. Read But so / re weep / shif oon, &c. 
 
 149. men smoot. If men were the ordinary plural of man, smoot ought 
 
140 NOTES. 
 
 to be uniten (pi. past) ; but men, M.E. me 3 is used like the Ger. man, 
 French on, with the singular verb. 
 
 yerde, stick, rod. Cf. .yarrf-measure, and yard as a nautical term ; 
 a gird of land (about seven acres of ploughland, and pasture for two 
 oxen, one cow, and six sheep). 
 
 151. wimpel. The wimple or gorger is stated first to have appeared 
 in Edward the First's reign. It was a covering for the neck, and was 
 used by nnns and elderly ladies. See Gloss, to Spec, of English, Part 
 I ; Reliq. Antiquae, ii. 15 ; Fairholt's Costume, 1885, ii. 413. 
 
 pinched. 'But though I olde and hore be, sone myne, 
 And poore by my clothing and aray, 
 And not so wyde a gown have as is thyne 
 So small ypynched and so gay, 
 My rede in happe yit the profit may.' 
 
 Occleve, De Reg. Principum, p. 15. 
 
 152. eyen greye. This seems to have been the favourite colour of 
 ladies' eyes in Chaucer's time. Cf. C. T. 3972 ; Rom. Rose, 546, 862 ; 
 also 
 
 ' Hyr forheed lely whyht, 
 Hyr bent browys blake, and hyr grey eyne, 
 Hyr chyry chekes, hyr nose streyt and ryht, 
 Hyr lyppys rody.' Lives of Saints, Roxb. Club, p. 14. 
 ' Her eyes are grey as glass.' Two Gent, of Verona, iv. 4. 197. 
 
 156. hardily is here used for sikerly, certainly ; see CH. 2, Gloss. 
 
 itf.fetis literally signifies 'made artistically,' and hence well-made, 
 feat, neat, handsome. See Glossary. 
 
 war, aware ; ' I was war ' = I perceived. 
 
 159. bedes. The word bede signifies, (i) a prayer; (2) a string of 
 grains upon which the prayers were counted, or the grains themselves. 
 See Glossary, s. v. Bede. A pair here means ' a set.' A peire of bedis 
 eke she bere ; ' Rom. Rose, 7372. 
 
 ' Sumtyme with a portas, sumtyme with a payre of bedes! 
 
 Bayle's King John, p. 27 ; Camden Soc. 
 
 In the year 1399, Eleanor of Gloucester in her last will left her mother 
 'a pair of paternosters of coral.' Nicolas, Test. Vet. i. 147. In 1412, 
 Roger de Kyrkly had unum par de bedes et unus agnns del. Wills and 
 Inventories, p. 56 ; Surtees Soc. 
 
 gauded al with grene, having the gawdies green. Some were of 
 silver gilt. The gawdies or gaudees were the larger beads in the set 
 ' A peyre bedys of jeete [get], gaudied with corall;' Bury Wills, p. 82, 
 1. 16. The note says that every eleventh bead, or gaud, stood for a Pater- 
 noster; the smaller beads, each for an Ave Maria. The full number 
 was 55 or 165. ' Gaudy e of beedes, signeau de paternoster? Palsgrave. 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 141 
 
 c A paire of bedes blacke as sable 
 She toke and hyng my necke about ; 
 Upon the gaudees all without 
 Was wryte of gold, pur reposer* 
 
 Gower, Confessio Amantis, f. 190; ed. Pauli iii. 372. 
 
 1 60. broche = brooch, signified, (i) a pin ; (2) a breast-pin ; (3) a buckle 
 or clasp ; (4) a jewel or ornament. It was an ornament common to 
 both sexes. The brooch seems to have been made in the shape of 
 a capital A, surmounted by a crown. See the figure of a silver-gilt 
 brooch in the shape of an A in the Glossary to Fairholt's Costume in 
 England. The ' crowned A' is supposed to represent Amor or Charity, 
 the greatest of all the Christian graces. ' Omnia uincit amor ; ' Vergil, 
 Eclog. x. 69. 
 
 163. Another Nonne. It was not common for Prioresses to have female 
 chaplains ; but Littre gives ckapelaine, fern., as an old title of dignity in 
 a nunnery. Moreover, it is an office still held in most Benedictine 
 convents, as is fully explained in a letter written by a modern Nun- 
 Chaplain, and printed in Anglia, iv. 238. 
 
 164. The mention of three priests presents some difficulty. To make 
 up the twenty-nine mentioned in 1. 24, we only want one priest, and it is 
 afterwards assumed that there was but one priest, viz. the Nonnes Freest, 
 who tells the tale of the Cock and Fox. Chaucer also, in all other 
 cases, supposes that there was but one representative of each class. 
 
 The most likely solution is that Chaucer wrote a character of the 
 Second Nun, beginning 
 
 ( Another Nonne with hir hadde she 
 
 That was hir chapeleyne' 
 
 and that, for some reason, he afterwards suppressed the description. 
 The line left imperfect, as above, may have been filled up, to stop a 
 gap, either by himself (temporarily), or indeed by some one else. 
 
 If we are to keep the text (which stands alike in all MSS.), we must 
 take ' wel nyne and twenty ' to mean ' at least nine and twenty/ 
 
 The letter from the Nun-Chaplain mentioned in the last note shews 
 that an Abbess might have as many as Jive priests, as well as a chaplain. 
 The difficulty is, merely, how to reconcile this line with 1. 24. 
 
 165. a fair, i.e. a fair one. H* 
 
 for the maistrie is equivalent to the French phrase pour la maistrie, 
 which in old medical books c is applied to such medicines as we usually 
 call sovereign, excellent above all others ; ' Tyrwhitt. In the Prompto- 
 rium Parvulorum we find ' maystrye, or soverente, and heyare (higher) 
 honde yn stryfe or werre (war) : Dextre, pi., victoria, triumphus.' Another 
 copy reads, c maistri or worchip (honour) or the heyer hond;' &c. The 
 phrase vor the maistre is in Rob. of Glouc. 1. 11554. 
 
142 NOTES. 
 
 1 66. venerye, hunting. ' The monks of the middle ages were extremely 
 attached to hunting and field-sports ; and this was a frequent subject of 
 complaint with the more austere ecclesiastics, and of satire with the 
 laity.' Wright. 
 
 1 68. deyntee, dainty, is frequently used by Chaucer in the sense of 
 precious, valuable., rare. 
 
 170. Ginglen, jingle. Fashionable riders were in the habit of hanging 
 small bells on the bridles and harness of their horses. ' Wycliffe, in his 
 Triloge, inveighs against the priests [of his time] for their "fair hors, and 
 joly and gay sadeles and bridles ringing by the way ;" Lewes' Wycliffe, 
 p. 121 ;' cited by Warton, ed. 1840, i. 167. At a much later period 
 Spenser (F. Q. i. 2. 13) makes mention of these ' bells J in his description 
 of a lady's steed : 
 
 ' Her wanton palfrey all was overspred 
 With tinsell trappings, woven like a wave, 
 Whose bridle rung with golden bels and bosses brave.' 
 See also Warton, as above ; and C. T. 14800. 
 
 172. Ther as = where that. 
 
 173. The reule (rule) of seint Maure (St. Maur) and that of seint Beneyt 
 (St. Benet or Benedict) were the oldest forms of monastic discipline in 
 the Romish Church. St. Maur (Jan. 15) was a disciple of St. Benet 
 (Dec. 4). 
 
 175. Harl. MS. reads, 'This ilke monk leet forby hem pace' (leet 
 hem forby him pace?), 'This same monk let them pass by him un- 
 observed.' hem refers to the rules of St. Maur and St. Benet, which 
 were too streit (strict) for this 'lord' or superior of the house, who 
 seems to have preferred a milder sort of discipline. Forby is still used 
 in Scotland for by or past, and occurs frequently in the North English 
 literature of the fourteenth century in the sense of by, past, near. 
 
 176. space. Lansd. MS. reads pace (steps). Tyrwhitt reads trace, 
 path. 
 
 177.0 pulled hen, lit. a plucked hen ; hence, the value of a hen without 
 its feathers ; see 1. 652. In C.T. 6694, the phrase is 'not worth a hen. 1 
 Mr. Earle suggests that pulled = pullet ; but the later phrase is also polled 
 hen ; (see below). Tyrwhitt says, ' I do not see much force in the epithet 
 pulled; ' but adds, in his Glossary ' I have been told since, that a hen 
 whose feathers are pulled, or plucked off, will not lay any eggs.' Becon 
 speaks of a ' polled hen,' i. e. pulled hen, as one unable to fly. ' But to 
 pray at the shrines of his canonized saints, or in places of pilgrimage, where 
 the devil worketh stiracles, I would say miracles, but namely at Rome, at 
 Compostella, at Jerusalem, &c., this passeth all. Prayers made in those 
 places with this confidence, that they be the sooner heard and the better 
 accepted by the reason of the places, fly to heaven as it were a polled 
 <?/ Becon's W T orks, p. 533; Parker Soc. Another explanation is to 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 143 
 
 suppose pulled to be put for pilled ; though these words are properly 
 distinct. Pilled means bald, or scurfy ; and hence, perhaps ( moulting.' 
 ' Pylld, or scallyd, depilatus, glabellus ; ' Prompt. Parv. Cf. peeled in 
 Isaiah xviii. 2, 7 (also 'plucked off the hair* in Isa. 1. 6); Ezek. xxix. 
 18; Shakespeare, I Hen. VI. i. 3. 30. 
 
 179. reccheles (in MS. E.) means careless; but, as Professor Ten 
 Brink says, c a careless monk' is not necessarily 'a monk out of his 
 cloister/ He proposes to read reset-les, without a resting-place or place 
 of retreat; reset is a common word in M.E. writers for resting-place, 
 abode. Cf. Allit. Poems (ed. Morris), A. 1067: 'Ther entrez non to 
 take reset ;' ' No one enters to take up (their) abode there.' But the 
 reading cloisterlees (in MS. Harl.) solves the difficulty ; being a coined 
 word, Chaucer goes on to explain it. 
 
 179-181. This passage is a literal translation of one from the Decretal 
 of Gratian : ' Sicut piscis sine aqua caret vita, ita sine monasferio monachus.' 
 Joinville says, * The Scriptures do say that a monk cannot live out of 
 his cloister without falling into deadly sins, any more than a fish can 
 live out of water without dying.' Cf. P. Plowm. B. x. 292. Moreover, 
 the poet here imitates a passage in Le Testament de Jehan de Meung, 
 ed. Meon, 1. 1166 : 
 
 ' Qui les voldra trover, si les quiere en leur cloistre . . . 
 Car ne prisent le munde la montance d'une oistre.' 
 
 182. held, esteemed. Some MSS. read hild or liuld. 
 184. what has here its earliest sense of wherefore, or why. 
 wood, mad, foolish, is frequently employed by Spenser. 
 
 1 86. swinken, to toil ; whence * swiiiked hedger,' used by Milton (Comtis, 
 1. 293). But swinken is, properly, a strong verb. 
 
 187. bit, the 3rd pers. sing. pres. of bidden, to command. 
 
 187, 188. Austyn. St. Augustine made his cathedral clergy, as far as 
 their duties permitted it, live as strictly as the monkish orders. 
 189. a pricasour, a hard rider. 
 
 192. for no cost, &c., for in no way would he abstain from these 
 sports. Cf. ' Of my nede gyfe }>ou no coost? The Sowdone of Baby- 
 loyne, 1. 1721. See note on Knightes Tale, 1. 619. 
 
 193. purfiled. The M.E. purfil signifies the embroidered or furred 
 hem of a garment, so that purfile is to work upon the edge. Purfiled 
 has also a more extended meaning, and is applied to garments overlaid 
 with gems or other ornaments. * Pourfiler cfor, to purfle, tinsell, or 
 overcast with gold thread, &c. Pourfileure, purfling, a purfling lace or 
 work, bodkin work, tinselling ; ' Cotgrave. 
 
 194. grys, a sort of costly fur, formerly very much esteemed; but 
 what species of fur it was is not clear ; O. F. grls, Rom. de la Rose, 
 9121, 9307. Some suppose it to be that of the grey squirrel. Such a 
 
144 NOTES. 
 
 dress as is here described must have been very expensive. Occleve 
 refers to the fashion in the following lines : 
 
 'But this me thynkethe a grete abusioun, 
 To see one walke in gownes of scarlet 
 Twelve yerdes wide, with pendaunt sieves doune 
 On the grounde, and the furre therm set, 
 Amountyng unto twenty pound and bet.' 
 
 De Regimine Principum, p. 16, ed. Wright. 
 'His armes two han right ynoughe to done, 
 And somwhat more, his sieves up to holde. 
 The taillours, I trowe, mote hereafter sone 
 Shape in the felde, they shalle not sprede and folde 
 On her bord, though they never so fayne wolde, 
 The clothe that shall be in a gowne wrought. ' Ib. p. 18. 
 The fur of the grey rabbit was used up to a very late period. ' After 
 him followed two pert apple-squires ; the one had a murrey cloth gown 
 on, faced down before with grey coney, and laid thick on the sleeves 
 with lace, which he quaintly bare up, to show his white taffata hose 
 and black silk stockings.' 1592. A Quip for an Upstart Courtier, p. 83, 
 ed. Hindley. 
 
 198. balled, bald. See Specimens of Early English, pt. ii. p. 15, 
 1. 408. 
 
 200. in good point = Fr. embonpoint, i. e. in good case. 
 
 201. stepe, M. . steap, does not here mean sunken, but bright, burn- 
 ing, fiery. Mr. Cockayne has illustrated the use of this word in his 
 Seinte Marherete, pp. 9, 108 : ' His twa ehnen [semden] steappre ]>ene 
 steorren,' his two eyes seemed brighter than stars. So also : ' schininde 
 and schenre, of simstanes steapre then is eni steorre,' shining and clearer, 
 brighter with gems than is any star ; St. Katherine, 1. 1647. 
 
 202. stetned as a forneys of a leed, shone like the fire under a cauldron. 
 
 203. botes souple. 'This is part of the description of a smart abbot, 
 by an anonymous writer of the thirteenth century : " Ocreas habebat in 
 cruribus quasi innatse essent, sine plica porrectas." Bod. MS. James, 
 n. 6, p. 121.' Tyrwhitt. 
 
 205. for-pyned, tormented, and hence wasted away; from pine, torment, 
 pain ; pined also signifies wasted, as in the modern verb pine. Tlie for- 
 is intensive, as in Eng. forswear. 
 
 208. Frere, friar. The four orders of mendicant friars mentioned in 
 1. 210 were: (i) The Dominicans, or friars-preachers, who took up 
 their abode in Oxford in 1221, known as the Black Friars. (2) The 
 Franciscans, founded by St. Francis of Assisi in 1209, and known by the 
 name of Grey Friars. They made their first appearance in England in 
 1224. (3) The Carmelites, or White Friars. (4) The Augustin (or 
 Austin) Friars. The friar was popular with the mercantile classes on 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 145 
 
 account of his varied attainments and experience. ' Who else so welcome 
 at the houses of men to whom scientific skill and information, scanty as 
 they might be, were yet of no inconsiderable service and attraction. He 
 alone of learned and unlearned possessed some knowledge of foreign 
 countries and their productions; he alone was acquainted with the 
 composition and decomposition of bodies, with the art of distillation, 
 with the construction of machinery, and with the use of the laboratory.' 
 See Professor Brewer's Preface to Monumenta Franciscana, p. xlv. 
 
 wantown, sometimes written wantowen, literally signifies untrained, 
 and hence wild, brisk, lively, wan- is a common M. E. prefix, equivalent 
 to our un- or dis-, as wanhope, despair ; wanbeleve, unbelief; wantruste, 
 distrust: towen or town occurs in M. E. writers for well-behaved, well 
 taught. See Glossary. 
 
 merye, pleasant ; cf. M. E. merry wether, pleasant weather. 
 
 209. limitour was a begging friar to whom was assigned a certain 
 district or limit, within which he was permitted to solicit alms. Hence 
 in later times the verb limit signifies to beg. 
 
 'Ther walketh noon but the limitour hymself, 
 In undermeles and in morweninges ; 
 And saith his matins and his holy thinges 
 As he goth in his limitacioun? 
 
 Wife of Bath's Tale ; C. T. 6456. 
 
 210. can here signifies knows. See Glossary. 
 
 211. daliaunce and fair langage, gossip and flattery, daliaunce in M. E. 
 signifies tittle-tattle, gossip. The verb dally signifies not only to loiter 
 or idle, but to play, sport ; cf. daly t a die, plaything ; Prov. Eng. daily- 
 bones, sheep's trotters. See Glossary. 
 
 214. post, pillar or support. See Gal. ii. 9. 
 
 220. licentiat. He had a licence from the Pope to give absolution for 
 all sins without being obliged to refer to his bishop. The curate, or 
 parish priest, could not grant absolution in all cases, some of which 
 were reserved for the bishop's decision. 
 
 224. pitaunce here signifies a mess of victuals. It originally signified 
 an extraordinary allowance of victuals given to monastics, in addition 
 to their usual commons, and was afterwards applied to the whole 
 allowance of food for a single person, or to a small portion of 
 anything. 
 
 226. y-shrive^y -shriven, confessed, shriven. The final n is dropped. 
 
 233. tipet, hood, cuculla, or cowl, which seems to have been used as 
 a pocket. ' When the Order [of Franciscans] degenerated, the friar 
 combined with the spiritual functions the occupation of pedlar, huxter, 
 mountebank, and quack doctor.' (Brewer.) In an old poem printed in 
 Professor Brewer's Monumenta Franciscana, we have the following 
 allusion to the dealings of the friars : 
 
146 NOTES. 
 
 ' For thai have noght to lyve by, they wandren here and there, 
 And dele with dyvers marche, right as thai pedlers were. 
 Thei dele with pynnes and knyves, ) Ther thai are haunted 
 
 With gyrdles, gloves for wenches and wyves, ) till. 1 
 See the chapter on Bride-knives in Brand's Popular Antiquities. 
 
 236. rote is a kind of fiddle or ' crowd/ not a hurdy-gurdy. 
 
 237. yeddynges, songs embodying some popular tales or romances. 
 239. champioun. 
 
 'The regent was there that daye a lion, 
 And faught in armes like any champion.' 
 
 Hardyng, p. 393. 
 
 241. tappestere, a female tapster. In olden times the retailers of beer, 
 and for the most part the brewers also, appear to have been females. 
 Cf. ' the tapper of Taystocke,' and ' the tapsters potte ' (Thyrsytes, ed. 
 Roxb. Club, p. 68). The -stere or -ster as a feminine affix (though in 
 the fourteenth century it is not always or regularly used as such) occurs 
 in M. E. brewstere, webbestere ; Eng. spinster. In huckster, maltster, 
 songster, this affix has acquired the meaning of an agent ; and in yotmg- 
 ster, gamester, punster, &c., it implies contempt. See Skeat, Principles 
 of Etymology, 238. 
 
 242. lazar, a leper; from Lazarus, in the parable of Dives and 
 Lazarus ; hence lazarette, a hospital for lepers, a lazar-house. 
 
 246. ' It is not becoming, it may not advance (profit) to deal with 
 (associate with) such poor people.' 
 248. riche, i. e. rich people. 
 250. * Courteous he was, and humble in offering his services.' 
 
 252, 253. Between these two lines the Hengwrt MS. inserts the fol- 
 lowing two lines, which are omitted by the Harl., Corpus, Cambridge, 
 Petworth, Ellesmere, and Lansdowne MSS. : 
 
 < And yaf a certeyn ferme for the graunt 
 
 Noon of his bretheren cam ther in his hau?it? 
 
 Tyrwhitt inserts these two lines ; hence a slight difference in the methods 
 of numbering the lines after this line. 
 
 253. sho. It has been proposed to read sou (a halfpenny, as we now 
 should say), but the best MSS. do not countenance any such reading; 
 which would (in fact) give a false rime. The friars do not seem to have 
 been above taking small articles. ' Ever be giving of somewhat, though 
 it be but a cheese or a piece of bacon, to the holy order of St. Francis, 
 or to any other of my [Antichrist's] friars, monks, canons, &c. Holy 
 Church refuseth nothing, but gladly taketh whatsoever cometh.' Becon's 
 Acts of Christ and of Antichrist, p. 531 ; Parker Society. So also 'not 
 worth his olde sho ; ' C. T. 6290. Cf. 
 
 ' For had a man slayne al his kynne, 
 Go shryve him at a frere, 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 147 
 
 And for lesse then a payre of shone, 
 He wyl assoil him clene and sone.' 
 
 Polit. Poems, ed. Wright, i. 266. 
 
 254. In principle. * Tyrwhitt, in his note on the line, leaves it doubt- 
 ful whether these words refer to the beginning of St. John's Gospel; the 
 beginning of Genesis, or some passage in the conclusion of the Mass. 
 (He notes that the words are also used in 1. 15169.) The following 
 passage from Tyndale sets the question at rest : " And where he [the 
 priest] should cross himself, to be armed and to make himself strong to 
 bear the cross with Christ, he crosseth himself to drive the cross from 
 him ; and blesseth himself with a cross from the cross. And if he leave 
 it undone, he thinketh it no small sin, and that God is highly displeased 
 with him, and if any misfortune chance, thinketh it is therefore ; which 
 is also idolatry, and not God's word. . . . Such is the limiter's saying of 
 'In principio erat verbum,' from house to house." Tyndale, vol. iii. 
 pp. 6 1, 62, in his Answer to Sir T. More's Dialogue, 1530, edited for 
 the Parker Society, by the Rev. H. Walter, B.D.'- F. J. Furnivall, in 
 Temp. Pref. to the Six-Text edit, of Chaucer, p. 93. Hence the refer- 
 ence is to John i. I. 
 
 256. purchas = proceeds of his begging. What he acquired in this 
 way was greater than his rent or income. 
 
 We find also : ' My purchas is theffect of al my rente ; ' C. T. 7033. 
 <To wynnen is always myn entente, 
 My purchace is bettir than my rente? 
 
 Romaunt of the Rose, 1. 6840. 
 
 Here the F. original has (1. 11760) 'Miex vaut mes porchas que ma 
 rente.' 
 
 257. as it were right (Elles. &c.) ; and pleyen as (Harl.). 
 
 258. love-day es. 'Love-days (dies awor/s) were days fixed for settling 
 differences by umpire, without having recourse to law or violence. The 
 ecclesiastics seem generally to have had the principal share in the 
 management of these transactions, which, throughout the Vision of Piers 
 Ploughman, appear to be censured as the means of hindering justice and 
 of enriching the clergy.' Wright's Vision of Piers Ploughman, vol. ii. 
 
 P- 535- 
 
 'Ac now is Religion a rydere, and a rennere aboute, 
 
 A ledere of love-dayes,' &c. 
 
 Piers Ploughman, A. xi. 208, ed. Skeat ; see also note to P. PL ed. Skeat, 
 B. iii. 1 96. (Mr. Kitchin suggests that these private days of peace are 
 analogous to the Treuga Dei y truce of God, so often proclaimed by 
 bishops between A. D. 1000 and 1300. This truce lasted from 3 p.m. on 
 Saturday to 6 a.m. on Monday. But all the evidence shews that the 
 love-day was a totally different thing.) 
 
148 NOTES. 
 
 260. cope, a priest's vestment ; a cloak forming a semicircle when laid 
 flat ; the semi-cope (1. 264) was a short cloak or cape. 
 
 270. a forked herd. In the time of Edward III forked beards were the 
 fashion among the franklins and bourgeoisie, according to the old custom 
 before the Conquest. See Fairholt's Costume in England, fig. 30. 
 
 276. were kept, should be guarded; so that he should not suffer from 
 pirates or privateers. The old subsidy of tonnage and poundage was 
 given to the king for the safeguard and custody of the sea. 
 
 'The see wel kept, it must bee doo for drede.' 
 
 Hakluyt, i. 206 [marked 204] ; cited from A Libell of English Policie. 
 for any thing, i. e. for fear of anything ; for = for fear of. ' Lyons 
 folde up their nailes when they are in their dennes for wearing them in 
 the earth and neede not. Eagles draw in their tallants as they sit in 
 their nestes, for blunting them there amonge drosse : And I will caste 
 Ancor in these abuses, rest my Barke in the simple roade, for grating my 
 wits upon needelesse shelues.' Gosson, The Schoole of Abuse, p. 54, 
 ed. Arber. 
 
 277. Middelburgh and Orewelle. ' Middleburgh is still a well-known 
 port of the island of Walcheren, in the Netherlands, almost immediately 
 opposite Harwich, beside which are the estuaries of the rivers Stoure 
 and Orwell. This spot was formerly known as the port of Orwell or 
 Orewelle.'' Saunders, p. 229. 
 
 278. He well knew how to make a profit by the exchange of his 
 crowns in the different money-markets of Europe. Sheeldes are French 
 crowns (ecus}, from their having on one side the figure of a shield. 
 
 279. his wit bisette, employed his knowledge to the best advantage. 
 bisette = used, employed. Cf. Piers Plowman, ed. Skeat, B. v. 297 : 
 
 ' And if thow wite (know) nevere to whiche, ne whom to restitue 
 
 [the goods gotten wrongfully] 
 
 Bere it to the bisschop, and bidde hym of his grace, 
 Bisette it hymselue, as best is for thi soule.' 
 
 281, 282. ( So respectably did he order his bargains and agreements 
 in borrowing money/ 
 
 284. noot = ne + wot, know not; so nost = ne + wost, (thou) knowest 
 not. 
 
 285. Clerk, a university student, a scholar preparing for the priesthood. 
 It also signifies a man of learning, a man in holy orders. See Audley's 
 Munimenta Academica for much interesting information on early Oxford 
 life and studies. 
 
 Oxenford^Oxfoid, as if the ford of the oxen (A.S. Oxnaford); and 
 it has not been proved that this etymology is wrong. 
 
 287. As . . . as. Some MSS. read also ... as = as ... as. 
 
 290. ' His uppermost short cloak of coarse cloth.' 
 
 297. philosophre is used in a double sense; it sometimes meant an 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 149 
 
 alchemist, as in C. T. Group G, 1. 1427. The clerk knew philosophy, 
 but he was no alchemist, and so had but little gold. 
 
 301. Chaucer often imitates his own lines. He here imitates Troil. 
 iv. 1 1 74 ' And pitously gan for the soule preye/ 
 
 302. yafhim. An allusion to the common practice, at this period, of 
 poor scholars in the Universities, who wandered about the country 
 begging, to raise money to support them in their studies. In a poem 
 in MS. Lansd. 762, the husbandman, complaining of the many burdens 
 he supports in taxes to the court, payments to the church, and charitable 
 contributions of different kinds, enumerates among the latter the alms to 
 scholars : 
 
 1 Than commeth clerkys of Oxford, and make their mone, 
 
 To her scole-hire they most have money/ 
 
 See God spede the Plough, p. 71, in Pierce the Ploughman's Crede, 
 ed. Skeat. 
 
 scoleye, to attend school. It is used in the same sense by Lydgate. 
 307. Sowninge in, tending to. Cf. our phrase, 'it sounds bad/ 
 'That day (Domesday) sal (shall) na man be excused 
 Of nathyng that he wrang (wrong) here used, 
 That sounes in ille on any manere, 
 Of whilk (which) he was never delyverd here.' 
 
 Pricke of Conscience, p. 164, 1. 6079. 
 
 Ascham evidently plays upon the word in the following passage: 
 * Some siren shall sing him a song sweete in tune, but sounding 1 in the 
 ende to his utter destruction.' The Scholemaster, p. 72, ed. Mayor, 
 1863 >* or ed. Arber, p. 74. 
 
 310. at the parvys, at the church-porch, or portico of St. Paul's, where 
 the lawyers were wont to meet for consultation. Cf. Parvisum, the 
 church-porch of St. Mary's, Oxford, where the examinations used to 
 be held. See Warton, ed. 1871, ii. 377 ; Todd, Illustrations, p. 245 ; 
 Saunders, p. 164. 
 
 320. Purchasing, conveyancing ; infect, invalid. ' The learned Ser- 
 geant was clever enough to untie any entail, and pass the property as 
 estate in fee simple.' W. H. H. Kelke, in N. and Q. 5 S. vi. 487, 
 
 323, 324. ' He was well acquainted with all the legal cases and de- 
 cisions (or decrees) which had been ruled in the courts of law since the 
 time of William the Conqueror.' The Harl. MS. reads, of King Will 
 werefalle ( = were fallen, had befallen or occurred)* , 
 
 326. pinche at, find fault with. Its .original meaning was to act in a 
 niggardly manner (as in the modern verb pinch), to deny oneself common 
 necessaries ; from which sprang a secondary meaning, to deny or refuse 
 the courtesy or praise due to another, and hence to blame. Palsgrave 
 uses the phrase, ' / pynche courtaysye (as one that doth that is nyce of 
 condyscions, lefays le ?tyci).' 
 
150 NOTES. 
 
 328. medlee cote, a coat of mixed stuff or colour. 
 
 329. Gird, which is the reading in the Harl. MS., is the same as girt, 
 girded. The past tense would be girde. 
 
 ceint of silk, See., a girdle of silk with small ornaments. The barres 
 were called cloux in French, and were the usual ornaments of a girdle 
 (Lat. clavns}. They were perforated to allow the tongue of the buckle 
 to pass through them. ' Originally they were attached transversely to 
 the wide tissue of which the girdle was formed, but subsequently were 
 round or square, or fashioned like the heads of lions, and similar devices, 
 the name of barre being still retained, though improperly.' Way, in 
 Promptorium Parvulorum ; s.v. barre. 
 
 331. Fortescue describes a franklin to be a pater familias magnis 
 ditatns possessionibus. The following extract from John Russell's Boke 
 of Nurture (p. 170, ed. Furnivall) gives us a good idea of a franklin's 
 feast : 
 
 * A Franklen may make a feste Improberabille, ) bakoun serued with 
 brawne with mustard is concordable, ) pesoun, 
 
 Beef or motoun stewed seruysable, ) convenyent for ])e se- 
 
 Boyled Chykoun or capoun agreable, ) soun ; 
 
 Rosted goose & pygge fulle profitable, ) W *? oun 
 
 Capoun / Bakemete, or Custade Costable, ( , Crayme , 
 
 ) (scarce). 
 
 perfore stuffe of household is behoveable, ) for the second course 
 
 Mortrowes or lusselle ar delectable ) by resoun. 
 
 Thanne veel, lambe, kyd, or cony, ) bakemetes or dow- 
 
 Chykoun or pigeoun rosted tendurly, \ cettes with alle. 
 
 penne followynge frytowrs, & a leche lovely ; 1 to serue with bothe 
 Suche seruyse in sesoun is fulle semely \ chambur and halle. 
 
 Thenne appuls & peris with spices delicately ) with bred and chese 
 Aftur J>e terme of )>e yere fulle deynteithly, \ to calle. 
 Spised cakes and wafurs worthily, ) plese welle bothe gret 
 
 With bragot & methe, ]ms men may meryly \ & smalle.' 
 334. a sop in wyn. See note to 1. 147. 
 
 340* * St. Julian was eminent for providing his votaries with good 
 lodgings and accommodation of all sorts. [See Chambers' Book of 
 Days, ii. 388.] In the title of his legend, Bodl. MS. 1596, fol. 4, he is 
 called "St. Julian the gode herberjour " (St. Julian the good harbourer . 
 It ends thus : 
 
 "Therfore yet to this day thei that over lond wende (go), 
 Thei biddeth (pray) Seint Julian anon that gode herborw (lodging) 
 
 he hem sende, 
 
 And Seint Julianes Paternoster ofte seggeth (say) also 
 For his fader soule and his moderes, that he hem bringe therto." 
 Of the virtue of St. Julian's Paternoster see the Decameron, Day 2, 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 151 
 
 nov . 2.' Tyrwhitt. His day is Jan. 9. See also Gesta Romanorum, 
 ed. Swan ; tale 18. 
 
 342. envyned, stored with wine. ' Cotgrave has preserved the French 
 word envine in the same sense.' Tyrwhitt. 
 
 343. bake mete = baked meat ; the old past participle of bake was baken. 
 Baked meats = meats baked in coffins (pies). 
 
 345. The verb snewed is usually explained as a metaphor from snow- 
 ing ; but the M. E. sneiue, like the Prov. Eng. snie or snive, also signifies to 
 aboujid, swarm. Camb. MS. reads 'It snowede in his mouth of mete 
 and drynk.' Cf. * He was with yiftes [presents] all bisnewed ; ' Gower, 
 C. A. in. 51. 
 
 349. mewe. The mewe was the place where the hawks were kept 
 while moulting ; it was afterwards applied to the coop wherein fowl 
 were fattened, and lastly to a place of confinement or secrecy. 
 
 350. stewe, fish-pond. < To insure a supply of fish, stew-ponds were 
 attached to the manors, and few monasteries were without them ; the 
 moat around the castle was often converted into a fish-pond, and well 
 stored with luce, carp, or tench.' Our English Home, p. 65. 
 
 351. Wo was his cook, woeful or sad was his cook. We only use wo 
 or woe as a substantive. Cf. 'Who was woo but Olyvere then.' 
 Sowdone of Babyloyne, 1. 1271. ' I am woe for 't;' Tempest, v. i. 139. 
 Rob. of Brunne (Handling Synne, 7250) says that a rich man's cook 
 ' may no day Grey the hym hys mete to pay.' 
 
 351, 352. sauce Poynaunt is like the modern phrase sauce piquant. 
 ' Our forefathers were great lovers of " piquant sauce." They made it 
 of expensive condiments and rare spices. . . In the statute of Henry III to 
 restrain high living, the use of sauce is prohibited unless it could be 
 procured at a very moderate cost/ Our English Home, p. 62. 
 
 353. table dormant. 'Previous to the fourteenth century a pair of 
 common wooden trestles and a rough plank was deemed a table sufficient 
 for the great hall. . . . Tables, with a board attached to a frame, were 
 introduced about the time of Chaucer, and, from remaining in the hall, 
 were regarded as indications of a ready hospitality. 5 Our English 
 Home, p. 29. 
 
 355. sessiouns. At the Sessions of the Peace. Cf. 'At Sessions and at 
 Sises we bare the stroke and swaye.' Higgins's Mirrour for Magistrates, 
 ed. 1571, p. 2. 
 
 357. anlas or anelace. Speght defines this word as a. falchion, or wood- 
 knife. It was, however, a short two-edged knife or dagger usually worn 
 at the girdle, broad at the hilt and tapering to a point. See Murray's 
 New Eng. Dictionary ; Liber Albus, p. 75 ; Knight, Pict. Hist, of 
 England, i. 872. 
 
 gipser was properly a pouch or budget used in hawking, &c., but 
 commonly worn by the merchant, or with any secular attire. (Way.) 
 
152 NOTES. 
 
 358. Heng (or Hing in some MSS.),the past tense of kongen or hangen, 
 to hang. 
 
 morne mylk = morning milk. 
 
 359. schirreve, the reve of a shire, governor of a county ; our modern 
 word sheriff. 
 
 countour, O. Fr. comptour, an accountant, a person who audited 
 accounts or received money in charge, &c. ; ranked with pleaders 
 in Riley's Memorials of London, p. 58. It occurs in Rob. of 
 Gloucester, 1. 11153. In the Book of the Duch. 435, it simply means 
 ' accountant.' 
 
 360. vavasour, or vavaser, originally a sub-vassal or tenant of a vassal 
 or tenant of the king's, one who held his lands in fealty. Tyrwhitt says 
 ' it should be understood to mean the whole class of middling land- 
 holders.' See Lacroix, Military Life of Middle Ages, p. 9. Spelt 
 
 favasour in King Alisaunder, ed. Weber, 1. 3827. 
 
 361. Haberdassher. Haberdashers were of two kinds: haberdashers 
 of small wares sellers of needles, tapes, buttons, &c. ; and haberdashers 
 of hats. 
 
 362. Webbe, properly a male weaver; webstere was the female weaver, 
 but there appears to have been some confusion in the use of the suffixes 
 -e and -stere (see Piers Plowman, ed. Skeat, B. v. 215), 'mi wyf was a 
 webbe' 
 
 363. liveree, livery. Under the term ' livery ' was included whatever 
 was dispensed (delivered) by the lord to his officials or domestics 
 annually or at certain seasons, whether money, victuals, or garments. 
 The term chiefly denoted external marks of distinction, such as the 
 roba estivalis and hiemalis, given to the officers and retainers of the 
 court, as appears by the Wardrobe Book, 28 Edw. I, p. 310, and the 
 Household Ordinances. The practice of distributing such tokens of 
 general adherence to the service or interests of the individual who 
 granted them, for the maintenance of any private quarrel, was carried 
 to an injurious extent during the reigns of Edward III and Richard II, 
 and was forbidden by several statutes, which allowed liveries to be 
 borne only by menials, or the members of guilds. (See Stat. of Realm,, 
 ii. pp. 3, 74, 93, 156, 167.) The 'liveree des chaperons,' often mentioned 
 in these documents, was a hood or tippet, which being of a colour 
 strongly contrasted to that of the garment, was a kind of livery much 
 in fashion, and well adapted to serve as a distinctive mark. This, in 
 later times, assumed the form of a round cap, to which was appended 
 the long liripipium, which might be rolled around the head, but more 
 commonly was worn hanging over the arm ; and vestiges of it may still 
 be traced in the dress of civic liverymen. The Stat. 7 Hen. IV expressly 
 permits the adoption of such distinctive dress by fraternities and ' les 
 gentz de mesterej the trades of the cities of the realm, being ordained 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 153 
 
 with good intent ; and to this prevalent usage Chaucer alludes when he 
 describes five artificers of various callings, who joined the pilgrimage, 
 clothed all ' in o lyvere of a solempne and greet fraternite? (All from 
 Way, note to Prompt. Parv., p. 308.) 
 
 And they -were clothed cdle (Elles. &c.) ; Weren with us eeke clothed 
 (Harl.). 
 
 365. apyked signifies cleaned, trimmed. Bullinger, in his fortieth 
 sermon on the Apocalypse, inveighing against the Roman clergy, says, 
 ' They be commed, and piked, and very finely apparelled.' 
 
 366, y-chaped, having chapes (i. e. plates or caps of metal at the point of 
 the sheath or scabbard). Tradesmen and mechanics were prohibited from 
 using knives adorned with silver, gold, or precious stones. So that 
 Chaucer's pilgrims were of a superior estate, as is indicated in 
 
 i. 369- 
 
 370. deys, dese, or dais (Fr. dels or daioc, whence Low Lat. dasium), is 
 used to denote the raised platform which was always found at the upper 
 end of a hall, the table or seat of distinction placed thereon ; it also 
 meant the tester (Lat. discus} with hanging drapery, called also seler, cloth 
 of estate, and in French del, suspended over it. 
 
 371. that he can, that he knows; as he couthe, as he knew how. See 
 1. 390- 
 
 372. shaply, adapted, fit. It sometimes signifies comely, of good shape 
 or form. 
 
 373. ' For they had sufficient property and income' (to entitle them to 
 undertake the office of alderman). 
 
 377. And gon to vigilyes al bifore. ( It was the manner in times past, 
 upon festival evens, called vigilia, for parishioners to meet in their church- 
 houses, or church-yards, and there to have a drinking-fit for the time. 
 Here they used to end many quarrels betwixt neighbour and neighbour. 
 Hither came the wives in comely manner, and they which were of the 
 better sort had their mantles carried with them, as well as for show as to 
 keep them from cold at table.' Speght. 
 
 379. for the nones for the nonce; this expression, if grammatically 
 written, would be for then once, M. E. for }>an anes, for the once, i. e. for 
 the occasion ; where the adv. anes (orig. a gen. form) is used as if it were 
 a sb. in the dat. case, Such phrases as at the nale, at the noke = at the 
 ale, at the oak, contain also a remnant of the dative case (then) of the 
 article : for then or for \an was originally for ]>am. Cf. M. E. atte = atten 
 = at ]>an = at ]>am. 
 
 381. poudre-marchaunt tart is a sharp (tart) kind of flavouring powder, 
 twice mentioned in Household Ordinances and Receipts (Soc. Antiq. 
 1790) at pp. 425, 434: 'Do therto pouder mar chant? and 'do thi flessh 
 therto, and gode herbes and poudre marchaunt, and let hit well stew.' 
 Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, iii. 180. 
 
154 NOTES. 
 
 In the Boke of Nurture (Harl. MS. 4011), 1. 533, we read that 
 ' Mustard is meete for brawne, beef, or powdred motoun ; 
 Verdius to boyled capoun, veel, chiken, or bakoun; 
 
 Roost beeff and goos with garlek, vinegre, or pepur; . . . 
 
 Gynger sawce to lambe, to kyd, pigge, or fawn ; . . . 
 
 To feysand (pheasant), partriche, or cony, mustard with the sugure.' 
 * Tart and galingale, which Chaucer, pre-eminentest, economioniseth above 
 all junquetries or confectionaries whatsoever.' Nash's Lenten Stuff, 
 p. 36, ed. Hindley. galyngale is the root of sweet cyperus. Harman 
 (ed. Strother) notices three varieties : Cyperus rotundus, Galanga major, 
 Galanga minor ; Babees Book, ed. Furnivall, pp. 1 5 2, 2 1 6. See Beaumont 
 and Fletcher's Bloody Brother, ii. 2 (near the end) ; Marco Polo, ed. 
 Yule, ii. 181 ; Prompt. Parv., p. 185, note 4; and Rogers, Hist, of 
 Agriculture and Prices, i. 629. 
 
 382. London ale. London ale was famous as early as the time of 
 Henry III, and much higher priced than any other ale ; cf. C. T. 3142. 
 
 384. mortreux or mortrewes. There were two kinds of 'mortrews,' 
 * mortrewes de chare* and 'mortrewes of fysshe.' The first was a kind of 
 soup in which chickens, fresh pork, crumbs of bread, yolks of eggs, and 
 saffron formed the chief ingredients ; the second kind was a soup con- 
 taining the roe (or milt) and liver of fish, bread, pepper, ale. The 
 ingredients were first stamped or brayed in a mortar, whence it probably 
 derived its name. Lord Bacon (Nat. Hist. i. 48) speaks of ' a mortresse 
 made with the brawne of capons stamped and strained/ See Babees Book, 
 pp. 151, 170, 172. 
 
 386. mormal, a cancer or gangrene. Ben Jonson, in imitation of this 
 passage, has described a cook with an ' old mortmal on his skin ; ' Sad 
 Shepherd, act ii. sc. 2. Palsgrave gives ' Mormall, a sore.' In MS. 
 Oo. i. 20, last leaf, in the Camb. Univ. Library, are notices of remedies 
 ' Por la maladie que est apele malum mortuum? It says that it comes 
 from melancholy, and shows a broad hard scurf or crust. Lydgate 
 speaks of ' Goutes, mormaHes, horrible to the sight ; ' Fall of Princes, 
 bk. vii. c. 10. 
 
 388. by weste = westward. A good old expression, which was once 
 very common as late as the i6th century. Cf. 
 
 c And made hym kyng agayne by north and south.' 
 
 Hardyng's Chronicle, p. 69. 
 
 389. Dartmouth was once a very considerable port; see Essays on 
 Chaucer, p. 456. 
 
 390. rouncy, a common hackney horse, a nag. Cf. Rozlnante. ' Rocin- 
 ante significative de lo que habia sido cuando fue rocin, antes de lo que 
 ahora era.' Don Quijote, cap. i. 'From Rozin, a drudge-horse, and 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 1 55 
 
 ante, before.' Jarvis's note. 'A Runcina cost 5 los. at Burton in 
 1262.' (Rogers.) 
 
 391. a goiune of /aiding, a gown (robe) of coarse cloth. The term 
 /aiding signifies c a kind of frieze or rough-napped cloth/ which was 
 probably ' supplied from the North of Europe, and identical with the 
 woollen wrappers of which Hermoldus speaks, "quos nos appellants 
 Faldones" ' Way. ' Folding was a coarse serge cloth, very rough and 
 durable,' &c. ; Essays on Chaucer, p. 458. 
 
 394. the hote somer. ' Perhaps this is a reference to the summer of 
 the year 1351, which was long remembered as the dry and hot summer.' 
 Wright. There was another such summer in 1370, much nearer the 
 date of this Prologue. 
 
 396-398. ' Very many a draught of wine had he drawn (stolen away 
 or carried off from Bordeaux, cask and all) while the chapman (merchant 
 or supercargo to whom the wine belonged) was asleep ; for he paid no 
 regard to any conscientious scruples.' 
 
 399. hyer hand, upper hand. 
 
 400. * He sent them home to wherever they came from by water J i. e. 
 he made them 'walk the plank,' as it used to be called; or,, in plain 
 English, threw them overboard, to sink or swim. However cruel this 
 may seem now, it was probably a common practice. ' This battle (the 
 sea-fight off Sluys) was very murderous and horrible. Combats at sea 
 are more destructive and obstinate than upon land;' Froissart's Chron. 
 bk. i. c. 50. 
 
 1 Fone (few) left J>ai oliue (alive), bot did tham to lepe (made them leap 
 overboard) . . . 
 
 i To wade war tho wrecches casten in the brim, 
 The kaitefs come out of France at lere tham to swim ; f 
 i. e. those wretches were cast into the surf to wade (if they could) ; the 
 caitiffs came out of France, to teach themselves to swim. Minot's Poems, 
 ed. Hall, p. 16. And see Essays on Chaucer, p. 460. 
 
 403. lodemenage, pilotage. A pilot was called a lodesman ; see Way's 
 note in Prompt. Parv. p. 310; Riley's Memorials of London, p. 655; 
 Chaucer's Legend of Good Women, 1486 ; Furnivall's Temporary 
 Preface, p. 98; Essays on Chaucer, pp. 480, 481, 484. At a later 
 period lodesman meant any guide; Monk of Evesham, ed. Arber, 
 p. 1 06. 
 
 409. crylee, creek, harbour, port. 
 
 410. We find actual mention of a vessel called the Mandelayne 
 belonging to the port of Dartmouth, in the years 1379 an( ^- J 3^^> see 
 Essays on Chaucer, p. 484. See also N. & Q. 6 S. xii. 47. 
 
 411. With us ther was (Elles. &c.) ; Ther was also (Harl.). 
 
 414. astronomye, (really) astrology. See Saunders on Chaucer, 
 P- *75- 
 
156 NOTES. 
 
 415. 416. kepte, watched. The houres are the astrological hours. He 
 carefully watched for a favourable star in the ascendant. ( A great 
 portion of the medical science of the middle ages depended upon astro- 
 logical and other superstitious observances.' Wright. Cf. Nonne 
 Preestes Tale, 1. 135. 
 
 416. magik naturel. Chaucer alludes to the same practices in the 
 House of Fame, bk. iii. 11. 169-180: 
 
 * Ther saugh I pleyen jugelours 
 
 And clerkes eek, which conne wel 
 Al this magyke naturel, 
 That craftely doon her ententes 
 To make, in certeyn ascendentes, 
 Images, lo! through which magyke, 
 To make a man ben hool or syke.' 
 
 417. The ascendent is the point of the zodiacal circle which happens 
 to be ascending above the horizon at a given moment, such as the moment 
 of birth. Upon it depended the drawing out of a man's horoscope, 
 which represented the aspect of the heavens at some given critical 
 moment. The moment, in the present case, is that for making images. 
 It was believed that images of men and animals could be made of certain 
 substances and at certain times, and could be so treated as to cause good 
 or evil to a patient, by means of magical and planetary influences. See 
 Cornelius Agrippa, De Occulta Philosophia, lib. ii. capp. 35-47. Cf. 
 Horace, Sat. i. 8. 30; Ovid, Heroid. vi. 91. In Norton's Ordinall, 
 printed in Ashmole's Theatrum Chemicum, p. 60, it is said that 
 astrologers 
 
 1 With Astrologie joyne Elements also, 
 
 To foriune\n\ their Workings as theie goe ; ' &c. 
 Cf. Notes to Man of Law's Tale, 312 ; Squire's Tale, 352. 
 
 420. These are the/owr humours, hot, cold, dry, moist. Milton, Par. 
 Lost, ii. 898. Diseases were supposed to be caused by an undue excess 
 of some one humour. 
 
 424. his bate, his remedy. 
 
 426. drogges. MS. Harl. dragges ; the rest drogges, drugges, drags. 
 The Promptorium Parvulorum has dragge, dragetum; and Cotgrave 
 defines dragee (the French form of the word dragge~) as f a kind of 
 digestive powder prescribed unto weak stomachs after meat, and hence . 
 any jonkets, comfits, or sweetmeats served in the last course for stomach- 
 closers.' Old English writers occasionally employ dragy in the sense of 
 a small comfit, and dragoir, dragenall, a vessel for dragges. 
 
 429-434. Read ttiolde. ' The authors mentioned here wrote the chief 
 medical text-books of the middle ages. Rufus was a Greek physician 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 157 
 
 of Ephesus, of the age of Trajan ; Haly, Serapion, and Avicen were 
 Arabian physicians and astronomers of the eleventh century ; Rhasis was 
 a Spanish Arab of the tenth century; and Averroes was a Moorish 
 scholar who flourished in Morocco in the twelfth century. Johannes 
 Damascenus was also an Arabian physician, but of a much earlier date 
 (probably of the ninth century) ; Constant! [n]us Afer, a native of 
 Carthage, and afterwards a monk of Monte Cassino, was one of the 
 founders of the school of Salerno he lived at the end of the eleventh 
 century ; Bernardus Gordonius, professor of medicine at Montpellier, 
 appears to have been Chaucer's contemporary ; John Gatisden was a dis- 
 tinguished physician of Oxford in the earlier half of the fourteenth 
 century ; Gilbertyn is supposed by Warton to be the celebrated Gilbertus 
 Anglicus. The names of Hippocrates and Galen were, in the middle 
 ages, always (or nearly always) spelt Ypocras and Galienus.' Wright. 
 ./Esculapius, god of medicine, was fabled to be the son of Apollo. 
 Dioscorides was a Greek physician of the second century. Cf. Book of 
 the Duchess, 572. Cf. * Ippocrate, Avicenna, e Galieno, Averrois,' &c. ; 
 Dante, Inf. iv. 143. And see the long note in Warton, 1871, ii. 368. 
 
 439. ' In cloth of a blood-red colour and of a blueish-grey/ Cf. ' robes 
 de pers,' Rom. de la Rose, 9116. 
 
 'And where ben my gownes of scarlet, 
 Sangweyn, imirrey, and blewes sadde and light, 
 Grenes also, and the faire vyolet, 
 Hors and barneys, fresshe and lusty in sight?' 
 
 Occleve, De Reg. Principum, p. 26. 
 
 440. taffata (or taffety], a sort of thin silk. 
 
 sendal (or cendal}, a kind of rich thin silk used for lining, very highly 
 esteemed. Thynne says 'a thynne stuffe lyke sarcenett.' Palsgrave 
 however has * cendell, thynne lynnen, sendal.' See Piers Plowman, B. vi. 
 ii ; Marco Polo, ed. Yule (see the index). 
 
 441. esy of dispence, moderate in his expenditure. 
 
 442. wan in pestilence, acquired during the pestilence. This is an 
 allusion to the great pestilence of the years 1348, 1349 > or to tne * ater 
 pestilences in 1362, 1369, and 1376. See Introd. to Piers Plowman 
 (Clarendon Press Series) ; table at end of Preface. 
 
 443. For = because, seeing that. It was supposed that aurum potabile 
 was a remedy in some cases. ' Aurum potabile est auri oleum vel in 
 liquorem redactum;' Ducange. The actual reference is, probably, to 
 Les Remonstrances de Nature, by Jean de Meun, 11. 979, 980, &c. ; 
 ' C'est le fin et bon or potable, L'humide radical notable ; C'est souve- 
 raine medicine ; ' and the author goes on to refer us to Ecclus. xxxviii. 4 
 * The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth ; and he that is wise 
 will not abhor them.' Hence the Doctor would not abhor gold. And 
 further 'C'est medicine cordiale^ ib. 1029. 
 
158 NOTES. 
 
 445. ofbisyde &c., from (a place) near Bath. 
 
 446. ' But she was somewhat deaf, and that was her misfortune.' 
 
 447. cloth-makyng. ' The West of England, and especially the neigh- 
 bourhood of Bath, from which the "good wif " came, was celebrated, till 
 a comparatively recent period, as the district of cloth-making. Ypres 
 and Ghent were the great clothing-marts on the Continent.' Wright. 
 1 Edward the third brought clothing first into this Island, transporting 
 some families of artificers from Gaunt hither.' Burton's Anat. of Mel. 
 
 P. 51- 
 
 450. to the ojfring. We have here an allusion to the offering on 
 Relic-Sunday, when the congregation went up to the altar in succession 
 to kiss the relics. ' But the relics we must kiss and offer unto, especially 
 on Relic-Sunday.' Book of Homilies. 
 
 453. coverchief (keverchef, or kerchere, kerche}. The kerchief, or covering 
 for the head, was, until the fourteenth century, almost an indispensable 
 portion of female attire. 
 
 'Upon hir hed a kerche of Valence.' 
 
 Lydgate's Minor Poems, p. 47. 
 
 ful fyne of ground, of a very fine texture. See Pierce the Ploughman's 
 Crede, 1. 230, which means ' it was of fine enough texture to take dye in 
 grain.' 
 
 454. ten pound. ' Ornaments of golden net-work were worn at this 
 time at the side of the face, thickest just beside the eyes, which formed, 
 in reality, part of the caul.' Pierce the Ploughman's Crede, note to 1. 84, 
 ed. Skeat. Cf. the following amusing description of the head-dress of 
 Elizabethan dames from c The Anatomy of Abuses/ 1585 : 'They have 
 also other ornamentes besides these to furnishe forthe their ingenious 
 heades, whiche they call (as I remember) cawles, made netwise, to the 
 ende, as I think, that the clothe of golde, clothe of silver, or els tinsell, 
 (for that is the worst wherewith their heads are covered and attired 
 withall underneath their caules), may the better appeare, and shewitselfe 
 in the bravest maner ; so that a man that seeth them (their heades glister 
 and shine in such sorte) would thinke them to have golden heades . . . 
 Then have they petticoates (see Prol., 11. 455, 472) of the beste clothe 
 that can be made. And sometimes they are not of clothe neither, for 
 that is thought too base, but of scarlet, grograine, taffatie, silke and 
 such like, fringed about the skirtes, with silke fringe, of chaungeable 
 colour. But whiche is more vayne, of whatsoever their petticoates be, 
 yet must they have kirtles (for so they call them) either of silke, velvett, 
 grograine, taffatie, satten or scarlet, bordered with gardes, lace, fringes, 
 and I cannot tell what besides . . . Their nether-stockes, in like maner, 
 are either of silke, ieamsey, worsted, crewell, or, at least, of as fine 
 yearne, thread or cloth as is possible to be hadde; yea, they are not 
 ashamed to weare hoase all kinde of chaungeable colours, as green, red, 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 159 
 
 white, russet, tawny and elswhat.' pp. 63, 70, 72 (or ed. Furnivall, 
 pp. 69, 74, 76). And see Fairholt's Costume, figs. 125, 129, 130, 151. 
 457. moiste, soft not *as hard as old boots.* 
 
 460. chirche-dore. The priest married the couple at the church-porch, 
 and immediately afterwards proceeded to the altar to celebrate mass, at 
 which the newly-married persons communicated. See Warton, Hist. 
 E. Poetry, 1871, ii. 366, note i ; Anglia, vi. 106 ; cf. C. T. 5588. 
 
 461. Withouten besides. Other campaignie, other lovers. This ex- 
 pression (copied from Le Rom. de la Rose, 1. 12985 ' autre companie') 
 makes it quite certain that the character of the Wife of Bath is copied, 
 in some respects, from that of La Vieille in the Roman de la Rose. 
 
 465. Boloigne. Cf. ' I will have you swear by our dear Lady of 
 Boulogne;' Gammer Gurton's Needle, Act 2, sc. 2. An image of the 
 virgin was preserved at Boulogne. See Heylin's Survey of France, 
 p. 193, ed. 1656 (quoted in the above, ed. Hazlitt). 
 
 466. In Galice (Galicia), at the shrine of St. James of Compostella, a 
 famous resort of pilgrims in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. As 
 the legend goes, the body of St. James the Apostle was supposed to 
 have been carried in a ship without a rudder to Galicia, and preserved 
 at Compostella. See Piers Plowman, A. iv. 109, no, and note to B. 
 Prol. 47. 
 
 Coloigne. At Cologne, where the bones of the Three Kings or 
 Wise Men of the East, Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, are said to 
 be preserved. See Coryat's Crudities; Chambers, Book of Days, 
 ii. 751. 
 
 468. Gat-tothed=gat-toothed, meaning gap-toothed, having teeth wide 
 apart or separated from one another. A gat is an opening, and is allied 
 to E. gate. Cf. Icel. gat,* a hole, as in skrdr-gat, a key-hole; O. Sax. 
 gat, an opening, as in nddlon gat, the eye of a needle. Hexham's Dutch 
 Diet, has : * een Gat, a hole ; net Gat van een Net, the hole of a net ; also 
 een Gat, a dore, or a gate.' The Friesic gat, Dan. gat, and Norweg. 
 gat all mean a hole, or a gap. Very similar is the use of the Shropshire 
 glat, a gap in a hedge, also a gap in the mouth caused by loss of teeth. 
 Example : ' Dick, yo' bin a flirt ; I thought yo' wun (were} gwein to marry 
 the cook at the paas'n's. Aye, but 'er 'd gotten too many glats i' the 
 mouth for me;' Miss Jackson's Shropshire Word-book. Speght reads 
 cat-tothed. Gat-toothed has also been explained as goat-toothed, lascivious, 
 but the word goat appears as goot in Chaucer. ' Famine the gap-toothed 
 elf;' Golding's Ovid, b. 8; leaf 105. Holland uses it for tut-mouthed= 
 having the lower jaw projecting beyond the upper. See Trench's ' On 
 some Deficiencies in our Eng. Dictionaries,' p. 42. It occurs again, 
 C.T. 6185. 
 
 472. foot-mantel. Tyrwhitt supposes this to be a sort of riding-petticoat, 
 such as is now used by market-women. It is clearly shewn, as a blue 
 
l6o NOTES. 
 
 outer skirt, in the drawing in the Ellesmere MS. At a later time it was 
 called a safe-guard, and its use was to keep the gown clean. 
 
 475. remedy es. An allusion to the title and subject of Ovid's book, 
 Remedia Amoris. 
 
 476. the olde daunce, the old game, or custom. Cotgrave has the 
 French phrase, < Elle sfait asses de la vieille danse? Cf. wrechit dans, 
 Launcelot of the Laik, 1. 1321, and loves daunce, Chaucer (Aldine), vol. 
 iv. p. 198, 1. 4. The phrase is borrowed from Le Roman de la Rose, 
 1. 3946 'Qu'el scet toute la vielle dance;' E. version, 1. 4300 'For 
 she knew alle the olde daunce.' It occurs again ; Troil. iii. 695. 
 
 478. Persoun of a toun, the parson or parish priest. Chaucer, in his 
 description of the parson, contrasts the piety and industry of the secular 
 clergy with the wickedness and laziness of the religious orders or 
 monks. See Dryden's ' Character of a Good Parson.' 
 
 486. ' He was very loath to excommunicate those who failed to pay the 
 tithes that were due to him.' 'Refusal to pay tithes was punishable 
 with the lesser excommunication ; ' Bell. 
 
 489. ojfring, the voluntary contributions of his parishioners. 
 
 substaunce, income derived from his benefice. 
 492. lafte not, left not, ceased not. 
 
 502. lewed, unlearned, ignorant. Lewed or lewd originally signified 
 the people, laity, as opposed to the clergy ; the modern sense of the 
 word is not common in Middle English. 
 
 503-504. St. John Chrysostom also saith, * It is a great shame for 
 priests, when laymen be found faithfuller and more righteous than they.' 
 Becon's Invective against Swearing, p. 336. * 
 
 507. to hyre. The parson did not leave his parish duties to be per- 
 formed by a strange curate, that he might have leisure to seek a chantry 
 in St. Paul's. See Piers Plowman, B-text, Prol. 1. 83: and cf. the 
 following : 
 
 ' Fulle many men knowe I that yane and gape 
 After some fatte and riche benefice; 
 Chirche ne prebende unnethe hem may escape, 
 But they as blive it hent up and trice. 
 
 Adayes now, my sone, as men may see, 
 O (one) chirche to o man may nat suffise, 
 But algate he mote have pluralitee, 
 Elles he kan not lyve[n] in no wise. 
 Ententyfly he kepeth his servise 
 In court, ther his labour shall not moule, 
 But to his cure loketh he fulle foule. 
 
 Though that his chauncelle roof be alle to-torne, 
 And on hye awtere reyne or snewe, 
 
THE PROLOGUE. l6l 
 
 He rekkethe not, the cost may be forborne 
 Cristes hous to repaire or make newe ; 
 And thoughe ther be fulle many a vicious hewe 
 Undir his cure, he takethe of it no kepe : 
 He rekkethe never how rusty ben his shepe.' 
 
 Occleve, De Reg. Principum, pp. 51, 52. 
 
 510. chaunterie, chantry, an endowment for the payment of a priest to 
 sing mass agreeably to the appointment of the founder. 
 
 517. daungerous, not affable, difficult to approach, digne, full of 
 dignity ; hence, repellent. ' She was as digne as water in a ditch ; ' C. T. 
 3962 ; because stagnant water keeps people at a distance. 
 
 519. fairnesse, i. e, by leading a fair or good life. The Harleian MS. 
 has clennesse } that is, a life of purity. 
 
 525. wayted after, looked for. See line 571. Cf. Knightes Tale, 
 line 364. 
 
 526. spyced conscience; so also in C. T. 6017. Spiced here seems to 
 signify, says Tyrwhitt, nice, scrupulous. It occurs in the Mad Lover, 
 act iii. sc. i, by Beaumont and Fletcher. When Cleanthe offers a purse, 
 the priestess says, 
 
 ( Fy ! no corruption .... 
 
 Cle. Take it, it is yours ; 
 Be not so spiced; 'tis good gold; 
 And goodness is no gall to th' conscience.' 
 
 * Under pretence of spiced holinesse.' Tract dated 1594, ap. Todd's 
 Illustrations of Gower, p. 380. 
 
 534. though him gamed or smerte, though it was pleasant or unpleasant 
 to him. 
 
 541. mere. People of quality would not ride upon a mare. 
 
 548. the ram. This was the usual prize at wrestling-matches. See 
 CH. II., note to Group B, 1. 1931. 
 
 549. a thikke knarre, a thickly knotted (fellow), i.e. a muscular fellow. 
 
 550. of harre, off its hinges, lit. hinge. ' I horle at the notes, and heve 
 hem al of herre;' Poem on Singing, in Reliq. Antiquae, ii. 292. Gower 
 has out of herre, off its hinges, out of use, out of joint; Conf. Amant. bk. 
 ii, ed. Pauli, i. 259 ; bk. iii, i. 318. 
 
 553. Todd cites from Lilly's Midas ' How, sir, will you be trimmed ? 
 Will you have your beard like a spade or a bodkin ? ' Illust. of Gower, 
 p. 258. 
 
 559. forneys. 'Why, asks Mr. Earle, should Chaucer, so readily fall 
 on the simile of a, furnace? What, in the uses of the time, made it come 
 so ready to hand? The weald of Kent was then, like our "black 
 country" now, a great smelting district, its wood answering to our coal ; 
 and Chaucer was Knight of the Shire, or M.P. for Kent.' Temporary 
 Preface to the Six-Text edition of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, p. 99. 
 
 M 
 
1 62 NOTES. 
 
 560. golyardeys, one who gains his living by following rich men's 
 tables, and telling tales and making sport for the guests. Tyrwhitt says, 
 'This jovial sect seems to have been so called from Golias', the real or 
 assumed name of a man of wit, towards the end of the twelfth century, 
 who wrote the Apocalypsis Golise, and other pieces in burlesque Latin 
 rhymes, some of which have been falsely attributed to Walter Map. In 
 several authors of the thirteenth century, quoted by Du Cange, the 
 goliardi are classed with the joculatores et buffones? But Mr. Skeat 
 thinks that Golias is the sole invention of Walter Map, the probable 
 author of the ' Golias' poems. See Piers Plowman, ed. Skeat, p. 101 
 (Clarendon Press Series) ; Morley's Eng. Writers, 1866, i. 586. 
 
 562. ' Besides the usual payment in money for grinding corn, millers 
 are always allowed what is called " toll," amounting to 4 Ibs. out of 
 every sack of flour.' Bell. 
 
 563. a thombe of gold. c An explanation of this proverb is given on 
 the authority of Mr. Constable, the Royal Academician, by Mr. Yarrell 
 in his History of British Fishes, who says, when speaking of the Bullhead 
 or Miller's Thumb, " The head of the fish is smooth, broad, and rounded, 
 and is said to resemble exactly the form of the thumb of a miller, as 
 produced by a peculiar and constant action of the muscles in the exercise 
 of a particular and most important part of his occupation. It is well 
 known that all the science and tact of a miller is directed so to regulate 
 the machinery of his mill that the meal produced shall be of the most 
 valuable description that the operation of grinding will permit, when 
 performed under the most advantageous circumstances. His profit or 
 his loss, even his fortune or his ruin, depend upon the exact adjustment 
 of all the various parts of the machinery in operation. The miller's ear 
 is constantly directed to the note made by the running-stone in its 
 circular course over the bed-stone, the exact parallelism of their two 
 surfaces, indicated by a particular sound, being a matter of the first 
 consequence ; and his hand is as constantly placed under the meal-spout, 
 to ascertain by actual contact the character and qualities of the meal 
 produced. The thumb, by a particular movement, spreads the sample 
 over the fingers ; the thumb is the gauge of the value of the produce, 
 and hence have arisen the sayings of worth a miller* s thumb, and an 
 honest miller hath a golden thumb, in reference to the amount of the 
 profit that is the reward of his skill. By this incessant action of the 
 miller's thumb, a peculiarity in its form is produced, which is said to 
 resemble exactly the shape of the head of the fish, constantly found in 
 the mill-stream, and has obtained for it the name of the Miller's Thumb, 
 which occurs in the comedy of Wit at several Weapons by Beaumont 
 and Fletcher, act v. sc. I ; and also in Merrett's Pinax. Although the 
 improved machinery of the present time has diminished the necessity 
 for the miller's skill in the mechanical department, the thumb is still 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 163 
 
 constantly resorted to as the best test for the quality of flour." After 
 all, is not the old proverb satirical, inferring that all millers who "have 
 not golden thumbs are rogues argal, as Shakspeare says, that all millers 
 are rogues?' See Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, iii. May I, 1869, 
 p. 407. The latter is Tyrwhitt's explanation. Cf. 
 
 * When millers toll not with a golden thumbe.' 
 
 Gascoigne's Steel Glass, 1. 1080. 
 
 Ray's Proverbs give us ' An honest miller has a golden thumb ; ' ed. 
 1768, p. 136. Brand, in his Pop. Antiquities, ed. Ellis, iii. 387, quotes 
 from an old play ' Oh the mooter-dish, the miller's thumbe ! ' 
 
 567. Maunciple or manciple, an officer who had the care of purchasing 
 provisions for a college, an inn of court, &c. (Still in use. ) 
 
 570. took by faille, took on credit. Cf. Piers Plowman, ed. Wright, 
 vol. i. p. 68, and ed. Skeat (Clarendon Press Series), B. iv. 58 : 
 'And (he) bereth awey my whete, 
 And taketh me but a taille 
 For ten quarters of otes.' 
 572. ay biforn, ever before (others). 
 584. al a, a whole. Cf. f al a summer's day' (Milton, P. L. i. 449). 
 
 586. hir aller cappe, the caps of them all. Htr aller = eorum 
 omnium. ' To sette ' a man's * cappe ' is to overreach him, to cheat him, 
 or to befool him. Cf. C. T. 3145. 
 
 587. Reve. See Mr. Thorold Rogers' capital sketch of Robert 
 Oldman, the Cuxham bailiff, a serf of the manor (as reeves always were), 
 in his Agriculture and Prices in England, i. 506-510. 
 
 609. astored (Elles. &c.) ; istored (Harl.). 
 
 612. and yet a gowne and hood (Elles.) ; a cote and eek an hood (Harl.). 
 
 615. Stot, probably what we should now call a cob. Mr. J. E. T; 
 Rogers, in his Hist, of Agriculture, i. 36, supposes that a stot was a 
 low-bred undersized stallion. 
 
 6 1 6. Scot. ' The name given to the horse of the reeve (who lived at 
 Bawdeswell, in Norfolk) is a curious instance of Chaucer's accuracy ; for 
 to this day there is scarcely a farm in Norfolk or Suffolk, in which one 
 of the horses is not called Scot ;' note in Bell's Chaucer. 
 
 617. pers. Some MSS. read blew. See note on 1. 439. 
 
 621. Tuleked aboute, with his long coat tucked up round him by help 
 of a girdle. In the pictures in the Ellesmere MS., both the reeve 
 and the friar have girdles, and rather long coats. See Tuck in Skeat, 
 Etym. Diet. 
 
 624. cherubinnes face. H. Stephens, Apologie for Herodotus, i. c. 30, 
 quotes the same thought from a French epigram <Nos grands docteurs 
 au cherubin visage' T. 'His face was red as any cherubyn^ Thynne, 
 Debate between Pride and Lowliness. 
 
 M 2 
 
164 NOTES. 
 
 625. sawceflem or sawsfleam, having a red pimpled face. 'Tyrwhitt 
 has a note upon the word, which proves that sawceflem was a special 
 kind of malady. He quotes from an old French physic-book, and from 
 the Thousand Notable Things : " Oignement magistrel pur sausefleme 
 et pur chescune manere de roigne. ... A sawsfleame or red pimpled face 
 is helped with this medicine following." In his Glossary, however, he 
 gives a quotation from "MS. Bodl. 2463," which seems to settle the 
 etymology of the word ''Unguentum contra sahum flegma, scabiem, &c. 
 See Galen in Hippoc. de Aliment. Comment, iii. p. 277 : o XcLxnv . . . 
 yivcTCu dirb <f>\y^aros a\fjivpov KOL rrjs av0fjs X.O\TIS. And again : 
 6 a\(pos . . . viro rov <f>\y^aTos } OVK aXvKov" See also Halliwell under 
 " Sauseflemed." In John Russell's Boke of Nurture, 1. 776 (Manners 
 and Meals in Olden Time), we have " a flewische countenance " given 
 as the sign of the phlegmatic temperament, and a note refers us to 
 Promptorium Parvulorum, where we find flew &nd.flewme=flegma. (In 
 some MSS. of Chaucer we get sawceflewm and sauseflewme.} The four 
 humours of the blood, and the four consequent temperaments, are 
 constantly referred to in various ways by early writers by Chaucer as 
 much as by any. In the Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 157, we are told how the 
 Devil tempts men through the four complexions " ane fleumati'ke mid 
 glotonye and be sleau]?e/' As to imposthumes, &c. arising from dis- 
 orders of the four humours, I find an apposite fragment in the Retro- 
 spective Review (New Series, ii. p. 411, August, 1854): "It is to wit 
 atte begynny[n]g that all empostimes withoutforth, that be hoven and 
 swollen, eythir thei ben litill or grett. If thei be grett, thei ben sprongen 
 of iiij humers synnynge. Wherfor empostume off blode and yer-off 
 engendred is callyd fflegmon ; empostume sprungen off flewme is callyd 
 baas, that is to say law, empostume ; of rede coleryk is called hersipula. 
 Empostume sprungen off malancoli is called sclyros." ' John Addis, 
 M.A.; in Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, iv. 64, July 17, 1869. 
 
 632. Cf. 'Such whelJies [on the head] haue small hoales, out of the 
 which matter commeth. . . And this euill commeth of vicious and 
 gleymie [viscous] humour, which commeth to the skin of their head, 
 and breedeth therein pimples and whelks.' Batman on Bartholome, 
 lib. 7. c. 3. In the same, lib. 7. c. 67, we read that 'A sauce flume face 
 is a priuye signe of leprosie.' Cf. Shak. Hen. V. iii. 6. 108. 
 
 643. Can clepen Watte, i. e. can call Walter (Wat) by his name ; just 
 as parrots are taught to say f Poll.' In Political Songs, ed. Wright, 
 p. 328, an ignorant priest is likened to a jay in a cage, to which is 
 added : ' God Engelish he speketh, ac [but} he wot nevere what/ 
 
 646. Questio quid iuris. 'This kind of question occurs frequently in 
 Ralph de Hengham. After having stated a case, he adds, quid juris, 
 and then proceeds to give an answer to it/ T. It means * the question 
 is, what law (is there) ?' i. e. what is the law on this point? 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 165 
 
 654-657. ' He would teach his friend to stand in no awe of the 
 archdeacon's curse (excommunication), unless he supposed that his soul 
 resided in his purse; for in his purse [not in his soul] he should be 
 punished 7 (i.e. by paying a good round sum he could release himself 
 from the archdeacon's curse). 
 
 662. war him of, i. e. let him beware of. 
 
 significavit, i. e. of a writ de excommunicato capiendo, which usually 
 began, ' Significavit nobis venerabilis frater,' &c. T. 
 
 663. In daunger, in his jurisdiction, within the reach or control of 
 his office ; the true sense of M. E. daunger is ' power to harm.' For 
 gyse (Elles. &c.) Harl. alone has assise. 
 
 665. and was al hir reed, and was wholly their adviser. 
 
 666. 667. gerland. The garland here spoken of was distinct from 
 the bush. The latter was made of ivy-leaves ; and every tavern had an 
 ivy-bush hanging in front as its sign; hence the phrase, 'Good wine 
 needs no bush/ &c. See Becon's works, 'The Acts of Christ,' p. 524. 
 But the garland, often used in addition to the bush, was made of three 
 equal hoops, at right angles to each other, and decorated with ribands. 
 It was also called a hoop. The sompnour wore only a single hoop. In 
 Riley's Memorials of London, p. 133, garland means a metal circlet 
 worn on the head. 
 
 667. ale-stake, a support for a garland in front of an ale-house. For 
 a picture of an ale-stake with a garland, see Jgotten's Book of Sign- 
 boards. Chatterton, in his poem of Aella, st. 30, has the line 
 
 * Around the ale-stake minstrels sing the song.' 
 
 On this Mr. Skeat remarks, in his edition of Chatterton, vol. ii. p. xix 
 ' The very use of the prep, around shews that the line was written long 
 after ale-stakes had ceased to exist, by a person who had never seen one. 
 It is true that Speght wrongly explains an ale-stake by a May-pole, in 
 which he is, as usual, carefully copied by Kersey and Bailey ; but it is, 
 in reality, nothing of the sort, nor would minstrels be able to gather 
 around it, unless they possessed the unusual qualification of being able 
 to walk like flies up and down the side of a house. The position of it 
 was such that it did not stand upright, but projected horizontally from 
 the side of a tavern at some height from the ground, as shewn in Lar- 
 wood and Hotten's Book of Signboards. Hence the enactments made 
 that it should never extend above the roadway for more than seven feet ; 
 
 see Liber Albus, ed. H. T. Riley, 1861, pp. 292, 389 The right 
 
 expression is "at this ale-stake," Cant. Tales, 12255.' 
 
 670. Of Rouncivale. f I can hardly think that Chaucer meant to 
 bring his Pardoner from Roncevaux, in Navarre, and yet I cannot find 
 any place of that name in England. An hospital, Beatse Marios de 
 Rouncyvalle, in Charing, London, is mentioned in the Monast. torn. ii. 
 p. 443 ; and there was a Runceval-Hall in Oxford. (Stevens, vol. ii. 
 
1 66 NOTES. 
 
 p. 262.) So that perhaps it was the name of some fraternity.' 
 Tyrwhitt. 
 
 672. Com hider, love y to me. ' This, I suppose, was the beginning, or 
 the burthen of some known song.' Tyrwhitt. 
 
 673. bar ... a stifburdoun, sang the bass. Cf. Fr. bourdon, the name 
 of a deep organ-stop. 
 
 682. the newe let, the new fashion, which is described in 11. 680-683. 
 'Also, there is another newe gette, 
 A foule waste of clothe and excessyfe, 
 There goth no lesse in a mannes typette 
 Than of brode clothe a yerd, by my lyfe.' Occleve. 
 685. vernicle, ' a diminutive of Veronike (Veronica), a copy in minia- 
 ture of the picture of Christ, which is supposed to have been miraculously 
 imprinted upon a handkerchief preserved in the church of St. Peter at 
 Rome. . . It was usual for persons returning from pilgrimages to bring 
 with them certain tokens of the several places which they had visited ; 
 and therefore the Pardoner, who is just arrived from Rome, is repre- 
 sented with a vernicle sowed on his capped Tyrwhitt. See Piers Plowman, 
 ed. Skeat, B. v. 526: 
 
 'A bolle and a bagge he bare by his syde; 
 An hundreth of ampulles on his hatt seten, 
 Signes of Synay, and shelles of Galice, 
 And many a cruche on his cloke and keyes of Rome, 
 And the vernicle bifore, for men shulde knowe 
 And se bi his signes, whom he sought hadde.' 
 687. Bret-ful of pardoun, brim-full (top-full, full to the top) of in- 
 dulgences. 
 
 692. Fro Berwik, from Berwick to Ware (in Hertfordshire), from 
 North to South of England. See the similar phrase ' From Barwick to 
 Dover, three hundred miles over' in Pegge's Kenticisms (E.D.S.), p. 70. 
 701. Heywood in the following lines has borrowed, with some altera- 
 tions, the preamble to Chaucer's Pardoner's Tale (see f A Dialogue of 
 Wit and Folly,' ed. Fairholt, pp. liii-lvi) : 
 
 ' The pardoner. God and saynte Leonarde sende ye 
 
 all his grace 
 As many as ben assembled in this place. 
 
 Good devout people that here do assemble, 
 I pray God that ye may all well resemble 
 The ymage, after whiche you are wrought ; 
 And that ye save that Chryst in you bought. 
 Devout chrysten people, ye shall all wytte 
 That I am comen hyther ye to vysytte, 
 Wherfore let us pray thus or I begynne, 
 
THE PROLOGUE. l6j 
 
 Our sauyoure preserue ye all from synne ! 
 And enable ye to receyue this blessed pardon, 
 Whiche is the greatest vndor the son, 
 Graunted by the pope in his bulles under lede, 
 Whiche pardon ye shall fynde whan ye are dede, 
 That offereth outher grotes er els pens, 
 To these holy relyques, whiche or I go hens 
 I shall here shewe, in open audyence, 
 Exortynge ye all to do to them reuerence. 
 
 But first ye shall know well, y* I com fro Rome, 
 Lo here my bulles, all and some, 
 Our lyege lorde scale here on my patent 
 I bere with me, my body to warant ; 
 That no man be so bolde, be he preest or clarke, 
 Me to dysturbe of Chrystes holy warke ; 
 Nor haue no dysdayne, nor yet scorne, 
 Of these holy reliques whiche sayntes haue worne. 
 
 Fyrst, here I shewe ye, of a holy Jewes shepe 
 A bone, I pray you take good kepe 
 To my wordes, and marke them well : 
 Yf any of your bestes belyes do swell, 
 Dyppe this bone in the water that he dothe take 
 Into his body, and the swellynge shall slake. 
 And yf any worme haue your beestes stonge, 
 Take of this water, and wasshe his tonge, 
 And it wyll be hole anon ; and furthermore 
 Of pockes, and scabbes, and every sore, 
 He shall be quyte hole that drynketh of the well 
 That this bone is dipped in ; it is treuth that I tell 1 
 And yf any man that any beste oweth 
 Ones in the weke, or that the cocke croweth, 
 Fastynge wyll drynke of this well a draughte, 
 As that holy Jew hath vs taught, 
 His beestes and his store shall multeply. 
 And maysters all, it helpeth well ; 
 Thoughe a man be foule in ielous rage, 
 Let a man with this water make his potage, 
 And neuermore shall he his wyfe mystryst. 
 
 Here is a mytten eke, as ye may se; 
 He that his hande wyll put in this myttayn, 
 He shall haue encrease of his grayn, 
 That he hath sowne, be it w[h]ete or otys, 
 So that he offer pens, or els grotes. 
 And another holy relyke eke here se ye may; 
 
!68 NOTES. 
 
 The blessed arme of swete Saynt Sondaye ! 
 
 And who so euer is blessyd with this ryght hande, 
 
 Can not spede amysse by se nor by lande; 
 
 And if he offereth eke with good deuocyon, 
 
 He shall not fayle to come to hyghe promocyon. 
 
 And another holy relyke here may ye see, 
 The great too of the Holy Trynyte. 
 And who so euer ones doth it in his mouthe take, 
 He shall neuer be dysseasyd with the tothe-ake ! 
 Canker nor pockys shall there none brede! 
 This that I shewe ye is matter indede ! 
 
 And here is of our Lady, a relyke full good, 
 Her bongrace which she ware with her French hode* 
 Whan she wente oute, al-wayes for sonne-bornynge ; 
 
 And if this bongrace they do deuoutly kys, 
 And offer therto, as theyre deuocyon is. 
 
 Here is another relyke, eke a precyous one, 
 Of all helowes [All Saints] the blessyd jaw-bone, 
 Which relyke, without any fayle, 
 Agaynst poyson chefely dothe preuayle. 
 For whom so euer it toucheth, without dout, 
 All maner venym from hym shall issue out ; 
 So that it shall hurt no maner wyghte ; 
 Lo, of this relyke the great power and myght, 
 Which preseruyth from poyson euery man. 
 Lo of Saynt Myghell, eke the brayn-pan ! 
 Which for the hed-ake is a preseruatyfe, 
 To every man or beste that beryth lyfe. 
 And further it shall stande hym in better stede, 
 For his hede shall neuer ake whan that he is dede. 
 Nor he shall fele no maner grefe nor payn, 
 Though with a sworde one cleue it than a-twayn ! 
 But be as one that lay in a dede slepe, 
 Wherfore to these relykes now come crouche and crepe. 
 But loke that ye offerynge to them make 
 Or els can ye no maner profyte take.' 
 Cf. Pardoner's Prol. 336-340, 350-376; see CH. 3, pp. 40, 41. 
 
 * The French hood was the close coif, fashionable among ladies at 
 this period; the bongrace -was a frontlet attached to the hood, and 
 standing up round the forehead ; as may be particularly seen in the 
 portraits of Queen Anne Bullen. See History of Costume in England, 
 p. 243, and Glossary, p. 441 (vol. i. p. 232, vol. ii. p. 57, ed. 1885). 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 169 
 
 716. Thestal, iharray the estate, the array: the coalescence of the 
 article with the noun is very common in Old English writers. 
 
 726. ' That ye ascribe it not to my ill-breeding.' 
 
 727. pleynly speke (Elles. &c.) ; spelte al pleyn (Harl.). 
 734. Al spelte he, although he speak. See al have I, 1. 744. 
 
 741, 742. This saying of Plato is taken from Boethius, De Consola- 
 tione, lib. iii. pr. 12. ' Thou hast lerned by the sentence of Plato, that 
 nedes the wordes moten ben cosynes to tho thinges of whiche thei 
 speken ;' see Boeth., ed. Morris, p. 106, 11. 16, 17. In Le Roman de la 
 Rose, 7131, Jean de Meun says that Plato tells us speech was given 
 us to express our wishes and thoughts, and proceeds to argue that men 
 ought to use coarse language. Chaucer was thinking of this singular 
 argument. We also find in Le Roman (1. 15372) the very words of the 
 present passage : 
 
 1 Li dis doit le fait resembler ; 
 Car les vois as choses voisines 
 Doivent estre a lor faiz cosines.' 
 
 764. / saugh nat (Elles. &c.) ; / ne saugh (Harl.). To scan the 
 line, read 7 #' saugh, dropping the e in ne. 
 
 770. ' May the blessed martyr reward you ! ' 
 
 772. talen to tell tales. 
 
 785. to make it wys, to make it a matter of wisdom or deliberation; 
 so also made it straunge = made it a matter of difficulty, C. T. 3978. 
 
 8 10. and our othes swore, and we our oaths swore ; see next line. 
 
 817. In heigh and lowe. *Lat. In, or de alto et basso, Fr. de haut en 
 has, were expressions of entire submission on one side, and sovereignty 
 on the other.' Tyrwhitt.' It here means ' under all circumstances.' 
 
 822. day. It is the morning of the I7th of April. See CH. 2, p. xi. 
 
 826. St. Thomas a Waterings was a place for watering horses, at a 
 brook beside the second mile-stone on the road to St. Thomas's shrine, 
 i. e. to Canterbury. See Nares. 
 
 838. draweth cut, draw lots, lit. draw the short straw. In the Gloss, 
 to Allan Ramsay's poems, ed. 1721, he explains ' cutts, lots. These 
 cuts are usually made of straws unequally cut, which one hides between 
 his -finger and thumb, whilst another draws his fate.' See Brand, Pop. 
 "Antiq., iii. 337. The one who drew the shortest (or else the longest) 
 straw was the one who drew the lot. Cf. ' Sors, a kut, or a lotte;' 
 Reliquiae Antiquse, i. 7. * Froissart calls it tlrer a longue paille, to draw 
 the long straw,' vol. i. c. 294. T. ' After supper, we drew cuttes for a 
 score of apricoks, the longest cut stil to draw an apricoke ;' Marston, 
 Induction to The Malcontent. 
 
 847. as was resoun, as was reasonable or right. 
 
170 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 THE KNIGHTES TALE. 
 
 It is only possible to give here a mere general idea of the way in which 
 the Knightes Tale is related to the Teseide of Boccaccio. The following 
 table gives a sketch of it, but includes very many lines wherein Chaucer 
 is quite original. The reference to the Knightes Tale are to the lines ; 
 those to the Teseide are to the books and stanzas. 
 
 Kn. Tale. 
 
 Tes. 
 
 Kn. Tale. 
 
 Tes. 
 
 7-25 
 
 I. and II. 
 
 1244-1348 
 
 VI. 71, 14-22, 65- 
 
 35-^9 
 
 II. 2-5, 25-95. 
 
 
 70, 8. 
 
 172-416 
 
 III. i-n, 14-20, 47, 
 
 13^4-1735 
 
 VII. 40-49, 68-93, 
 
 
 51-54, 75- 
 
 
 23-4 1 * 67, 95-99, 
 
 503-59 
 
 IV. 26-29, 59. 
 
 
 7-13, 131, 132, 14. 
 
 593-621 
 
 V. 1-3, 24-27, 33. 
 
 
 100-102, II3-II8, 
 
 687-707 
 
 IV. 13, 14, 31, 85, 
 
 
 19. 
 
 
 84, 17, 82. 
 
 1742-1825 
 
 VIII. 2-131. 
 
 780-783 
 
 VII. 106, 109. 
 
 1826-1876 
 
 IX. 4-61. 
 
 810-881 
 
 V. 77-91. 
 
 1877-1881 
 
 XII. 80, 83. 
 
 954-1002 
 
 V. 92-98. 
 
 1885-1950 
 
 X. 12-112. 
 
 1029-1164 
 
 VII. 108-110,50-64, 
 
 1951-2104 
 
 XL 1-67. 
 
 
 29-37- 
 
 2109-2244 
 
 XII. 3-19, 69-83. 
 
 The MSS. quote a line and a half from Statius, Thebaid, xii. 519, 520, 
 because Chaucer is referring to that passage in his introductory lines to 
 this tale; see particularly 11. 9, n, 12. 
 
 Lines 1-24 and 106-123 should be compared with Chaucer's Anelida 
 and Arcite, 11. 22-46. Lines 24 and 114 are borrowed from that poem, 
 with but slight alteration. 
 
 3. governour. It should be observed that Chaucer continually accents 
 words in the Anglo-French manner, on the last syllable. Thus we have 
 here governour ; again in the next line, conquerour ; in 1. 7, chivalrye ; in 
 1. n, contree ; in 1. 18, matter e, &c. &c. The most remarkable examples 
 are when the words end in -oun (11. 35, 77). 
 
 6. contree is here accented on theirs/ syllable; in 1. n, on the last. 
 This is a good example of the unsettled state of the accents of such 
 words in Chaucer's time, which afforded him an opportunity of licence, 
 which he freely uses. In fact, contree shews the English, and contree the 
 French accent. 
 
 7. chivalrye, knightly exploits. In 1. 20, chivalrye = knights ; Eng. 
 chivalry. So also in 1. 1 24. 
 
 8. regne of Femenye. The kingdom (Lat. regnum) of the Amazons. 
 Femenye is from Lat./a>?m'a, a woman. Cf. Statius, Theb. xii. 578. 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. Ijl 
 
 9. Cithea, Scythia. Cf.Scythicce in the quotation from Statius; p. 31. 
 
 10. Ipolita, Shakespeare's Hippolyta, in Mids. Night's Dream. The 
 name is in Statius, Theb. xii. 534, spelt Hippolyte. 
 
 27. as now, at present, at this time. Cf. the M.E. adverbs as-swithe, 
 as-sone, immediately. 
 
 31. / wol nat letten eek noon of this route, I desire not to hinder eke 
 (also) none of all this company. Wol - desire ; cf. c I will have 
 mercy,' &c. 
 
 43. creature is here a word of three syllables. In 1. 248 it has four 
 syllables. 
 
 45. nolde, would not : ne wolde was no doubt pronounced nolde, would 
 not ; so ne hath, hath not, was pronounced nath. 
 
 stenten, stop. ' It stinted, and said aye.' Romeo and Juliet, i. 3. 48. 
 
 50. that thus, i. e. ye that thus. 
 
 53. clothed thus (Elles.) ; clad thus al (Harl.). 
 
 54. alle is to be pronounced ol-le. Tyrwhitt inserts than, then, after 
 alle, against the authority of the best MSS. 
 
 Statius (Theb. xii. 545) calls this lady Capaneia coniux; see 1. 74, below. 
 He says all the ladies were from Argos, and their husbands were kings. 
 
 55. a deedly chere, a deathly countenance. 
 
 60. we biseken, we beseech, ask for. For such double forms as beseken 
 and besechen, cf. mod. Eng. dike and ditch, kirk and chirch, sack and satchel, 
 slick and stitch. In the Early Eng. period the harder forms with k were 
 very frequently employed by Northern writers, who preferred them to the 
 palatalised Southern forms (perhaps influenced by Anglo-French) with 
 ch. Cf. M. E. brig and rigg with bridge and ridge. 
 
 68. This line means ' that ensureth no estate to be (always) good.' 
 
 70. Clemence, Clemency, Pity. Suggested by ' il tempio . . . di Cle- 
 menza,' Tes. ii. 17 ; which again is from * mitis posuit dementia sedem,' 
 Theb. xii. 482. 
 
 74. Capaneus, one of the seven heroes who besieged Thebes : struck 
 dead by lightning as he was scaling the walls of the city, because he had 
 defied Zeus ; Theb. x. 927. See note to 1. 54, above. 
 
 83. for despyf, out of vexation ; mod. E. 'for spite.' 
 
 84. To do the dede bodyes vileinye, to treat the dead bodies shamefully. 
 
 90. withouten more respyt, without longer delay. 
 
 91. they jfillen gruf, they fell flat with the face to the ground. In 
 M.E. we find the phrase to fall grove linges, or to fall groveling. 
 
 96. Him tkoughte, it seemed to him ; cf. methinks, it seemed to me. In 
 M.E. the verbs like, list, seem, rue (pity), are used impersonally, and 
 take the dative case of the pronoun. Cf. the modern expression ' if you 
 please ' = if it be pleasing to you. 
 
 97. mat, dejected. f Ententyfly, not feynt, wery ne mate.'' Hardyng, 
 p. 129. 
 
173 NOTES. 
 
 102. ferforthly, i.e.far-forth-like, to such an extent, as far as. 
 
 107. abood, delay, awaiting, abiding. 
 
 108. His baner he desplayeth, i. e. he summons his troops to assemble 
 for military service. 
 
 no. No neer, no nearer. 
 
 112. lay, lodged for the night. 
 
 117. statue, the image, as depicted on the banner. 
 
 119. feeldes, field, is an heraldic term for the ground upon which the 
 various charges, as they are called, are emblazoned. Some of this 
 description was suggested by the Thebais, lib. xii. 665, &c. ; but the 
 resemblance is very slight. 
 
 1 20. penoun, pennon, y-bete, beaten; the gold being hammered out 
 into a thin foil in the shape of the Minotaur ; see Marco Polo, ed. Yule, 
 i. 344. But, in the Thebais, the Minotaur is upon Theseus' shield. 
 
 130. In pleyn bataille, in open or fair fight. 
 
 135. obsequies (Elles., &c.) ; exequies (Harl.) ; accented on the second 
 syllable. 
 
 146. as him leste, as it pleased him. 
 
 147. tas, heap, collection. Some MSS. read cas (caas}, which might 
 = downfall, ruin, Lat. casus ; but, as c and t are constantly confused, this 
 reading is really due to a mere blunder. Gower speaks of gathering a 
 tasse of sticks; Conf. Amant. bk. v. ed. Pauli, ii. 293. Palsgrave has 
 ' On a heape, en vng tas ;' p. 840. Hexham's Dutch Diet. (1658) has 
 * een Tas, a Shock, a Pile, or a Heape.' 
 
 148. harneys. ' And arma be not taken onely for the instruments of al 
 maner of crafts, but also for harneys and weapon ; also standards and 
 banners, and sometimes battels.' Bossewell's Armorie, p. i, ed. 1597. 
 Cf. 1. 755- 
 
 152. Thurgh-girt, pierced through. This line occurs again in Troilus, 
 iv. 599 [or 627] : ' Thorwgh-gyrt with many wyde and blody wounde.' 
 
 I 53- liggyng by and by, lying separately. In later English, by and by 
 signifies presently, immediately, as ' the end is not by and 6y.' 
 
 154. in oon armes, in one (kind of) arms or armour, shewing that they 
 belonged to the same house. Chaucer adapts ancient history to medieval 
 times. 
 
 157. Nat fully quike, not wholly alive. 
 
 158. by her cote-armures, by their coat-armour, by the devices on the 
 armour covering the breast. Cf. 1. 1 54. 
 
 by hir gere, by their gear, i. e. equipments. 
 
 1 60. they. Tyrwhitt reads tho, those; but the seven best MSS. have 
 they. 
 
 165. Tathenes, to Athens; Harl. MS. Cf. tallegge, 1. 2142 (footnote). 
 
 166. he nolde no raunsoun, he would accept of no ransom. 
 
 171. Terme of his lyf, the remainder of his life. Cf. 'The end and 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. 173 
 
 term of natural philosophy/ Bacon's Advancement of Learning, Bk. ii. 
 p. 129, ed. Aldis Wright. 
 
 177. Cf. Leg. of Good Women, 2422, 2423. 
 
 1 80. strofhir hewe, strove her hue, i.e. her complexion contested the 
 superiority with the rose's colour. 
 
 181. J noot, I know not; noot ne wot. 
 
 189. May. ( Against Maie, every parishe, towne, and village, 
 assembled themselves together, bothe men, women, and children, olde 
 and yonge, even all indifferently, and either going all together or 
 devidying themselves into companies, they goe, some to the woodes and 
 groves, some to the hills and mountaines, some to one place, some to 
 another, when they spend all the night in pastimes ; in the morninge 
 they return, bringing with them birche, bowes and branches of trees, to 
 deck their assemblies withalle.' Stubbs, Anatomy of Abuses, ed. 1585, 
 leaf 94 (ed. Furnivall, p. 149). Cf. Midsummer Night's Dream, i. i. 
 167:- 
 
 ' To do observance to a morn of May.' 
 See also 1. 642, and the note. 
 
 191. Hir yelow heer was broyded, her yellow hair was braided. Yellow 
 hair was esteemed a beauty ; see Seven Sages, 477, ed. Weber ; King 
 Alisaunder, 207. Boccaccio has here c Co' biondi crini avvolti alia 
 sua testa ;' Tes. iii. 10. 
 
 193. the sonne upriste, the sun's uprising; the -e in sonne represents the 
 old genitive inflexion. Upriste is here the dat. of the sb. uprist. It 
 occurs also in Gower, Conf. Amantis, bk. i. ed. Pauli, i. 116. 
 
 194. as Tiir liste, as it pleased her. 
 
 195. party, partly; Fr. en par tie. 
 
 196. sotil gerland, a subtle garland; subtle has here the exact force of 
 the Lat. subtilis, finely woven. 
 
 197. Cf. ' Con angelica voce ;' Tes. iii. 10. 
 
 202. even-Ioynant, closely joining, or adjoining. 
 
 203. Ther as this Emelye Tiadde hir pleyinge, i.e. where she was 
 amusing herself. 
 
 205. In the Teseide (iii. n) it is Arcite who first sees Emily. 
 
 216. by aventure or cas, by adventure or hap. 
 
 > 218. sparrej a square wooden bolt ; the bars, which were of iron, were 
 as thick as they must have been if wooden. See 1. 132. 
 
 220* bleynte, the past tense of blenche, or blenke (to blench), to start, 
 draw back suddenly. Cf. dreynte, pt. t. of drenchen. ' Tutto stordito, 
 Grido, Ome!' Tes. iii. 17. 
 
 229. Som wikke aspect. ' Cf. " wykked planetes, as Saturne or Mars," 
 Astrolabe, ii. 4. 21 ; notes in Wright's edition, 11. 2453, 2457; and Piers 
 the Plowman, B. vi. 327. Add to these the description of Saturn, 
 " Significat in quartanis, lepra, scabie, in mania, career e, submersione, &c. 
 
174 NOTES. 
 
 Est infortuna." Johannis Hispalensis, Isagoge in Astrologiam, cap. xv. 
 See Knightes Tale, 11. 470, 1576, 1611.' Skeat's Astrolabe, p. xlviii. 
 
 231. al-though, &c., although we had sworn to the contrary. Cf. 'And 
 can nought flee, if I had it sworn ; ' Lydgate, Dance of Machabre, The 
 Sergeaunt. Also ' he may himselfe not sustene Upon his feet, though 
 he had it sworne ; ' Lydgate, Siege of Thebes (The Sphinx), pt. i. 
 
 233. the short and pleyn, the brief and manifest statement of the case. 
 
 243. wher, a very common form for whether. This line is also in 
 Troilus, i. 425, with slight alteration. 
 
 247. Yow (used reflexively), yourself. 
 
 248. wrecche, wretched, is a word of two syllables, like wikke, wicked, 
 where the d is a later and unnecessary addition. 
 
 250. shapen, shaped, determined. ' Shapes our ends.' Shakespeare, 
 Hamlet, v. 2. 10. 
 
 262. ' And except I have her pity and her favour.' 
 
 263. atte leste iveye, at the least. Cf. leastwise = at the leastwise; ( at 
 leastwise;' Bacon's Advancement of Learning, ed. Wright, p. 147, 1. 23. 
 See English Bible (Preface of The Translators to the Reader'). 
 
 264. C I am not but (no better than) dead, there is no more to say.' 
 Chaucer uses ne but much in the same way as the Fr. ne que. Cf. 
 North English ' I'm nobbut clemmed' = I am almost dead of hunger. 
 
 268. by my fey, by my faith, in good faith. 
 
 269. me listful evele pleye, it pleaseth me very badly to play. 
 
 270. This debate is an imitation of the longer debate (in the Teseide}, 
 where Palamon and Arcite meet in the grove ; cf. 1. 722 below. 
 
 271. It nere = it were not, it would not be. 
 
 275. 'That never, even though it cost us a miserable death, a death 
 by torture.' So in Troilus, i. 674 : ' That certein, for to dyen in the 
 peyne.' Also in the E. version of The Romaunt of the Rose, 3326. 
 
 276. ' Till that death shall part us two.' Cf. the ingenious alteration 
 in the Marriage Service, where the phrase ' till death us depart ' was 
 altered into * do part' in 1661. 
 
 278. cas, case. It properly means event, hap. See 1. 216. 
 my leve brother, my dear brother. 
 
 283. out ofdoute, without doubt, doubtless. 
 
 289. to my counseil, to my adviser. See 1. 303. 
 
 293. 7 dar wel seyn, I dare maintain. 
 
 295. Thou shalt be. Chaucer occasionally uses shall in the sense of 
 owe, so that the true sense of 7 shall is 7 owe (Lat. debeo) ; it expresses a 
 strong obligation. So here it is not so much the sign of a future tense 
 as a separate verb, and the sense is ' Thou art sure to be false sooner 
 than I am.' 
 
 297. par amour, with love, in the way of love. To love par amour is 
 an old phrase for to love excessively. 
 
THE KN1GHTES TALE. 175 
 
 300. affeccioun of holynesse, a sacred affection, or aspiration after. 
 
 304. / pose, I put the case, I will suppose. 
 
 305. 'Knowest thou not well the old writer's saying?' The olde clerk 
 is Boethius, from whose book, De Consolatione Philosophise, Chaucer 
 has borrowed largely in many places. The passage alluded to is in lib. 
 iii. met. 12: 
 
 'Quis legem det amantibus? 
 Major lex amor est sibi.' 
 
 Chaucer's translation (ed. Morris, p. 108) has * But what is he that 
 may yeue a lawe to loueres. Loue is a gretter lawe . . . than any lawe 
 that men may yeuen.' 
 
 309. and swich decree, and (all) such ordinances. . 
 
 310, in ech degree, in every rank of life. 
 
 314. And eek it is, &c., 'and moreover it is not likely that ever in all 
 thy life thou wilt stand in her favour.' 
 
 319. This fable is not in any of the usual collections. 
 328. everich of us, each of us, every one of us. 
 331. to theffect, to the result, or end. 
 
 342. in helle. An allusion to Theseus accompanying Pirithous in his 
 expedition to carry off Proserpina, daughter of Aidoneus, king of the 
 Molossians, when both were taken prisoner, and Perithous torn in pieces 
 by the dog Cerberus. At least, such is the story in Plutarch; see 
 Shakespeare's Plutarch, ed. Skeat, p. 289. Chaucer found the mention 
 of Pirithous' visit to Athens in Boccaccio's Teseide, iii. 47-5 1 - The 
 rest he found in Le Roman de la Rose, 8186 
 
 ' Si cum vesquist, ce dist 1'istoire, 
 Pyrithous apres sa mort, 
 Que Theseus tant ama mort, . . . 
 Que vis en enfer 1'ala querre.' 
 
 354. Most MSS. read or stounde. The Harl. MS. has o stound, one 
 moment, any short interval of time. 
 
 'The storme sesed within a stownde.' 
 
 Ywaine and Gawin, 1. 384. 
 360. his nekke lyth to wedde, his neck is in jeopardy. 
 
 364. To sleen himself he wayteth prively, he watches for an opportunity 
 to slay himself unperceived. 
 
 365. This line, slightly altered, occurs also in the Legend of Good 
 Women, 658. 
 
 367. Now is me shape, now am I destined ; literally, now is it shapen 
 {or appointed) for me. 
 
 389. It was supposed that all things were made of the four elements 
 mentioned in 1. 388. 'Does not our life consist of the four elements?' 
 Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, ii. 3. 10. 
 
 397. Cf. P. Plowman, C. xiii. 236. 
 
176 NOTES. 
 
 399. ' And another man would fain (get) out of his prison.' 
 
 401. matere, in the matter of thinking to excel God's providence. 
 
 402. ' We never know what thing it is that we pray for here below.' 
 See Romans viii. 26. 
 
 403. dronke is as a mons. The phrase seems to have given way to 
 ' drunk as a rat.' ' Thus satte they swilling and carousyng, one to 
 another, till they were both as dronke as rattes.' Stubbes, Anatomic of 
 Abuses ; ed Furnivall, p. 113. 
 
 ' I am a Flemyng, what for all that, 
 Although I wyll be dronken otherwhyles as a rat.' 
 
 Andrew Boorde, ed. Furnivall, p. 147. 
 
 Cf. ' When that he is dronke as a dreynt mous;' Ritson, Ancient Songs, 
 i. 70. ' And I will pledge Tom Tosspot, till I be drunk as a mouse-a;' 
 Old Plays, ed. Hazlitt, iii. 339. 
 
 404. This is from Boethius, De Consolatione, lib. iii. pr. 2 : * But I 
 retourne ayeyne to the studies of men, of which men the corage alwey 
 rehersith and seeketh the sovereyne good of alle, be it so that it be with a 
 derke memorie ; but he not by whiche path, ryght as a dronke man not 
 nat by whiche pathe he may retourne home to hys house.' Chaucer's Trans- 
 lation of Boethius ; ed. Morris, pp. 66, 67. 
 
 406. slider, slippery ; as in the Legend of Good Women, 1. 648. Cf. 
 the gloss 'Lubricum, slidere;' Reliquiae Antiquse, i. 7. 
 
 421. pure fettres, the very fetters. 'So in the Duchesse, 1. 583, the 
 pure deth. The Greeks used /caOapos in the same sense.' Tyrwhitt. 
 
 425. at thy large, at large. 
 
 444. ' White like box-wood, or ashen-gray ; ' cf. 1. 506. Cf. c And pale 
 as box she wex;' Legend of Good Women, 1. 866. Also ' asshen pale 
 and dede ; ' Troil. ii. 539. 
 
 459. to letten of his wille, to refrain from his will (or lusts). 
 
 475. Cf. the phrase ' paurosa gelosia; ' Tes. v. 2. 
 
 486. upon his heed t on pain of losing his head. Froissart has sur sa 
 teste, sur la teste, and sur peine de la teste. T. 
 
 489. this questioun. ' An implied allusion to the medieval courts of 
 love, in which questions of this kind were seriously discussed.' Wright. 
 
 508. making his mone, making his complaint or moan. 
 
 514-517. ' And in his manner, for all the world, he conducted himself 
 not merely like one suffering from the lover's disease of Eros, but 
 rather (his disease was) like mania engendered of melancholy humour.' 
 This is one of the numerous allusions to the four humours, viz. the 
 choleric, phlegmatic, sanguine, and melancholic. An excess of the 
 latter was supposed to produce f melancholy madness.' 
 
 518. in his celle fantastyk. Tyrwhitt reads Beforne his hed in his celle 
 fantastike. Elles. has Biforn his owene celle fantastik. ' The division of 
 the brain into cells, according to the different sensitive faculties, is very 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. 177 
 
 ancient, and is found depicted in medieval manuscripts. The fantastic 
 cell (fantasia] was in front of the head. 1 Wright. Hence Biforen means 
 * in the front part of his head.' 
 
 Madnesse is infection of the formost eel of the head, with priuation 
 of imagination, lyke as melancholye is the infection of the middle cell of 
 the head, with priuation of reason, as Constant saith in libro de Melan- 
 colia. Melancolia (saith he) is an affection that hath mastry of the soule, 
 the which commeth of dread and of sorrow. And these passions be 
 diuerse after the diuersity of the hurt of their workings ; for by madnesse 
 that is called Mania, principally imagination is hurted ; and in the other 
 reson is hurted.' Batman upon Bartholome, lib. vii. c. 6. Vincent of 
 Beauvais, bk. xxviii. c. 41, cites a similar statement from the Liber de 
 Anatomia* 
 
 532. Argus, Argus of the hundred eyes, whom Mercury charmed to 
 sleep before slaying him. Ovid, Met. i. 714. 
 
 543. Cf. ' Her face . . . Was al ychaunged in another kind ; ' Troil. iv. 864. 
 
 547. bar him lowe, conducted himself as one of low estate. 
 
 551. Cf. 'in maniera di pover valletto ;' Tes. iv. 22. 
 
 570. In the Teseide, iv. 3, he takes the name of Penteo. Philostrato 
 is the name of another work by Boccaccio, answering to Chaucer's 
 Troilus. 
 
 586. slyly, prudently, wisely. The M. E. sleigh, sly = wise, know- 
 ing ; and sleight = wisdom, knowledge. (For change of meaning compare 
 cunning, originally knowledge; craft, originally power; art, &c.) 
 *Ne swa sleygh payntur never nan was, 
 Thogh his sleght mught alle other pas, 
 That couthe ymagyn of j>air [devils'] gryslynes.' 
 
 Hampole's Pricke of Consc., 11. 2308, 2309. 
 
 605. c The third night is followed by the fourth day; so Palamon and 
 Arcite meet on the 4th of May (1. 715), which was a Friday (1. 676) ; the 
 first hour of which was dedicated to Venus (1. 678) and to lovers' vows 
 (1. 643).' Skeat. The 4th of May was a Friday in 1386. 
 
 613. clarree. * The French term dare seems simply to have denoted a 
 clear transparent wine, but in its most usual sense a compound drink of 
 wine with honey and spices, so delicious as to be comparable to the 
 nectar of the gods. In Sloan MS. 1. 2584, f. 173, the following direc- 
 tions are found for making clarre : " Take a galoun of honi, and skome 
 (skim) it wel, and loke whanne it is isoden (boiled) that ther be a galoun ; 
 thanne take viii galouns of red wyn, than take a pounde of pouder canel 
 (cinnamon) , and a half a pounde of pouder gynger, and a quarter of a 
 pounde of pouder pepper, and medle (mix) alle these thynges togeder 
 and (with) the wyn ; and do hym in a clene barelle, and stoppe it fast, 
 and rolle it wel ofte sithes, as men don veriotis, iii dayes." " Way ; note 
 to Prompt. Parv., p. 79. 
 
178 NOTES. 
 
 619. nedes-cost, for needes costs, by the force of necessity. It seems to 
 be equivalent to M. E. needes-wyse, of necessity. Alre-coste (Icelandic 
 alls-kostar, in all respects) signifies ' in every wise.' It occurs in Old 
 English Homilies (ed. Morris), part i. p. 21 : 'We ne ma^en alre-coste 
 halden Crist (es) bibode,' we are not able in every wise to keep Christ's 
 behests. The right reading in Leg. Good Women, 2694, is : 
 'And nedes cost this thing moot have an ende.' 
 
 636. A beautiful line ; but copied from Dante, Purg. i. 20 ' Faceva 
 tutto rider 1'oriente.' 
 
 642. See note to 1. 189, where the parallel line from Shakespeare is 
 quoted. See the interesting article on May-day Customs in Brand's 
 Popular Antiquities (where the quotation from Sttibbes will be found) ; 
 also Chambers, Book of Days, i. 577, where numerous passages relating- 
 to May are cited from old poems. An early passage relative to the ist 
 of May occurs in the Orologium Sapientise, printed in Anglia, x. 387 : 
 ' And thanne is the custome of dyuerse contrees that yonge folke gone on 
 the nyghte or erely on the morow to Medowes and woddes, and there 
 they kutten downe bowes that haue fayre grene leves, and arayen hem 
 with flowres; and after they setten hem byfore the dores where they 
 trowe to haue amykes [friends ?] in her lovers, in token of frendschip 
 and trewe loue.' 
 
 650. Were iV = if it were only. 
 
 651. So in Troilus, ii. 920 : 
 
 Ful lowde song ayein the moone shene.' 
 
 664. 'Veld haueS hege, and wude haueS heare,' i.e. ' Field hath eyes, 
 and wood hath ears.' 
 
 ' Campus habet lumen, et habet nemus auris acumen.' 
 This old proverb, with Latin version, occurs in MS. Trin. Coll. Cam. O. 
 2. 45, and is quoted by Mr. T. Wright in his Essays on England in 
 the Middle Ages, vol. i. p. 168. Cf. Cotgrave's F. Diet. s. v. Oeillet. 
 
 666. at unset stevene, at a meeting not previously fixed upon, an un- 
 expected meeting or appointment. 
 
 'Wee may chance to meet with Robin Hood 
 
 Here att some unsett stevenS 
 
 Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne ; in Percy's Reliques of Eng. Poetry. 
 'And ther they setten steven for to mete;' C.T. 4381. 
 
 673. here queynte geres, their strange behaviours. 
 
 674. Now in the top (i. e. elevated, in high spirits), now down in the 
 briars (i. e. depressed, in low spirits). 
 
 ' Alias ! where is this worldes stabilnesse ? 
 Here up, here doune ; here honour, here repreef; 
 Now hale, now sike ; now bounte, now myscheef.' 
 
 Occleve, De Reg. Princip. p. 2. 
 
 675. boket in a welle. Cf. Shakespeare's Richard II. iv. i. 184. 'Like 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. 179 
 
 so many buckets in a well ; as one riseth another falleth, one's empty, 
 another's full.' Burton's Anat. of Mel. p. 33. 
 
 678. gery, changeable ; so also gerful in 1. 680. Observe also the sb. 
 gere, a changeable manner, in 11. 514, 673, and Book of the Duchesse, 
 1257. This very scarce word deserves illustration. Matzner's Dictionary 
 gives us some examples. 
 
 'By revolucion and turning of the yere 
 A gery March his stondis doth disclose, 
 Nowe reyne, nowe storme, nowe Phebus bright and clere.' 
 
 Lydgate, Minor Poems, p. 25. . 
 
 'Her gery laces,' their changeful ribands; Richard Redeless, iii. 130. 
 'Now gerysshe, glad and anoon aftir wrothe.' 
 
 Lydgate, Minor Poems, p. 245. 
 
 ' Gerysshe, wylde or lyght-headed ;' Palsgrave's Diet., p. 31 3. In Skelton's 
 poem of Ware the Hauke (ed. Dyce, i. 157) we find: 
 1 His seconde hawke wexid gery, 
 And was with flying wery.' 
 
 Dyce, in his note upon the word, quotes two passages from Lydgate's 
 Fall of Princes, B. iii. c. 10. leaf 77, and B. vi. c. I. leaf 134. 
 
 'Howe gery fortune, furyous and wode/ 
 ' And, as a swalowe geryshe of her flyghte, 
 
 Twene slowe and swyfte, now croked, now upright.' 
 Two more occur in the same, B. iii. c. 8, and B. iv. c. 8. 
 ' The gery Romayns, stormy and unstable. 1 
 'The geryshe quene, of chere and face double.' 
 68 1. A writer in Notes and Queries quotes the following Devonshire 
 proverb : ' Fridays in the week are never aleek,' i. e. Fridays are unlike 
 other days. 
 
 ' Vendredy de la semaine est 
 Le plus beau ou le plus laid;' 
 Recueil des Contes, par A. Jubinal, p. 375. 
 
 708. Compare Legend of Goode Women, 2626 : 
 
 ' Sens first that day that schapen was my sherte, 
 Or by the fatal suster had my dome.' 
 735 I drede nof, I have no fear, I doubt not. 
 735, 736. outher . . . or = either ... or. 
 
 , 764. to bonus. This expression has the same force as to wedde, in 
 pledge. See 1. 360. 
 
 768, 1 249. hir thankes, willingly, with their good-will. Cf. M. E. myn 
 unthonkes = ingratis. ' He faught with them in batayle their unthankes? 
 Hardyng's Chronicle, p. 112. 
 
 780-4. Cf. Teseide, vii. 106, 119; Statius, Theb. iv. 494-9. 
 807. hath seyn biforn, hath seen before, hath foreseen. 
 8 10, 811. From the Teseide, v. 77. 
 N 2 
 
180 NOTES. 
 
 8 1 8. her daweth him no day, no day dawns upon him. 
 840. Similarly, Adrastus stopped the fight between Tydeus and 
 Polynices ; Statius, Theb. i. 
 
 848. Ho, an exclamation made by heralds, to stop the fight. It was 
 also used to enjoin silence. See 11. 1675, 1798- 
 
 849. Up peine is the old phrase ; as in ' up peyne of emprisonement of 
 40 days;' Riley's Memorials of London, p. 580. 
 
 878. it am I. This is the regular construction in early English. In 
 modern English the pronoun it is regarded as the direct nominative, and 
 7 as forming part of the predicate. 
 
 881. 'Therefore I ask my death and my doom.' 
 
 889. Mars the rede. Boccaccio uses the same epithet in the opening 
 of his Teseide, i. 3 : ' O Marte rubicondo* Rede refers to the colour of 
 the planet. 
 
 903. This line occurs again three times ; Squire's Tale, 479 ; Cant. 
 Tales, 9860 ; Legend of Good Women, 503. 
 
 922. can no divisoun, knows no distinction. 
 
 923. after oon = after one mode, according to the same rule. 
 925. eyen lighte, cheerful looks. 
 
 941. ' Amare et Sapere vix Deo conceditur.' Publius Syrus, Sent. 15. 
 Cf. Adv. of Learning, ii. proem. 15 ' It is not granted to man to love 
 and to be wise ; J ed. Wright, p. 84. So also in Bacon's loth Essay. 
 
 949. jolitee, joyfulness said of course ironically. 
 
 950. Can . . . thank , acknowledges an obligation, owes thanks. 
 957, 960. Cf. the Teseide, v. 92. 
 
 979. Looth or Ieef 9 displeasing or pleasing. 
 
 980. pypen in an ivy leef is an expression like ' blow the buck's-horn,' 
 to console oneself with any useless or frivolous employment ; it occurs 
 again in Troilus, v. 1434. Cf. the expression 'to go and whistle.' 
 Cf. ' farwel the gardiner ; he may pipe with an yue-leafe ; his fruite is 
 failed ; ' Test, of Love, bk. iii ; ed. 1561, fol. 316. Boys still blow against 
 a leaf, and produce a squeak. Lydgate uses similar expressions : 
 
 'But let his brother blowe in an horn, 
 Where that him list, or pipe in a reede.' 
 
 Destruction of Thebes, part ii. 
 
 992. fer ne neer, farther nor nearer, neither more nor less. 'After 
 some little trouble, I have arrived at the conclusion that Chaucer has 
 given us sufficient data for ascertaining both the days of the month and 
 of the week of many of the principal events of the " Knightes Tale." 
 The following scheme will explain many things hitherto unnoticed. 
 
 'On Friday, May 4, before i A.M., Palamon breaks out of prison. 
 For (1. 605) it was during the "third night of May, but (I. 609) a little 
 after midnight." That it was Friday is evident also, from observing 
 that Palamon hides himself at day's approach, whilst Arcite rises " for 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. l8l 
 
 to doon his observance to May, remembring on the poynt of his desire" 
 To do this best, he would go into the fields at sunrise (1. 633), during 
 the hour dedicated to Venus, i.e. during the hour after sunrise on a 
 Friday. If however this seem for a moment doubtful, all doubt is 
 removed by the following lines : 
 
 " Right as the Friday y sothly for to telle, 
 Now it shyneth, now it reyneth faste, 
 Right so gan gery Venus overcaste 
 The hertes of hir folke ; right as hir day 
 Is gerful, right so chaungeth she array. 
 Selde is the Friday al the wyke ylyke." 
 
 ' All this is very little to the point unless we suppose Friday to be the 
 day. Or, if the reader have still any doubt about this, let him observe 
 the curious accumulation of evidence which is to follow. 
 
 1 Palamon and Arcite meet, and a duel is arranged for an early hour 
 on the day following. That is, they meet on Saturday, May 5. But, as 
 Saturday is presided over by the inauspicious planet Saturn, it is no 
 wonder that they are both unfortunate enough to have their duel inter- 
 rupted by Theseus, and to find themselves threatened with death. Still, 
 at the intercession of the queen and Emily, a day of assembly for a 
 tournament is fixed for "this day fyfty weekes" (1. 992). Now we must 
 understand "fyfty wekes" to be a poetical expression for a year. This 
 is not mere supposition, however, but a certainty ; because the appointed 
 day was in the month of May, whereas fifty weeks and no more would 
 land us in April. Then "this day fyfty wekes" means "this day year," 
 viz. on May 5. [In fact, Boccaccio has ' un anno intero ; ' Tes. v. 98.] 
 
 ' Now, in the year following (supposed not a leap-year), the 5th of 
 May would be Sunday. But this we are expressly told in 1. 1330. It 
 must be noted, however, that this is not the day of the tournament *, but 
 of the muster for it, as may be gleaned from 11. 992-995 and 1238. The 
 tenth hour u inequal " of Sunday night, or the second hour before sunrise 
 of Monday, is dedicated to Venus, as explained by Tyrwhitt (1. 1359); 
 and therefore Palamon then goes to the temple of Venus. The third 
 hour after this, the first after sunrise on Monday, is dedicated to Luna 
 or Diana, and during this Emily goes to Diana's temple. The third 
 hour after this again, the fourth after sunrise, is dedicated to Mars, and 
 therefore Arcite then goes to the temple of Mars. But the rest of the 
 day is spent merely in jousting and preparations 
 
 <{ Al the Monday jousten they and daunce." (1. 1628.) 
 The tournament therefore takes place on Tuesday, May 7, on the day 
 
 1 ' It has been objected, that this makes the tournament to take place, 
 not on the anniversary of the duel, but two days later. I cannot help it. 
 It is Chaucer's doing, not mine. Let the reader judge. See 1. 1237.' 
 
1 82 NOTES. 
 
 of the week presided over by Mars, as was very fitting ; and this perhaps 
 helps to explain Saturn's exclamation in 1. 1811, " Mars hath his wille." ' 
 Walter W. Skeat, in Notes and Queries, Fourth Series, ii. 2, 3 ; Sept. 
 12, 1868. 
 
 To this was added the observation, that May 5 was on a Saturday in 
 1386, and on a Sunday in 1387. But Ten Brink (Studien, p. 189) thinks 
 it is of no value. 
 
 1008. ' That one of you shall be either slain or taken prisoner ; ' i.e. 
 one of you must be fairly conquered. 
 
 1031. The various parts of this round theatre are subsequently de- 
 scribed. On the North was the turret of Diana, with an oratory ; on the 
 East the gate of Venus, with altar and oratory above ; on the West 
 the gate of Mars, similarly provided. 
 
 1032. Ful of degrees, full of steps (placed one above another, as in an 
 amphitheatre). 'But now they have gone a nearer way to the wood, 
 for with wooden galleries in the church that they have, and stairy degrees 
 of seats in them, they make as much room to sit and hear, as a new west 
 end would have done.' Nash's Red Herring, p. 21. See Shakespeare, 
 Julius Caesar, ii. 126, and also 2 Kings xx. 9. Cf. 'While she stey up 
 from gre to gre.' Lives of Saints, Roxb. Club, p. 59. Lines 1029-1036 
 are more or less imitated from the Teseide, vii. 108-110. 
 
 1 06 1. on the wal, viz. on the walls within the oratory. The descrip- 
 tion is loosely imitated from Boccaccio's Teseide, vii. 55-59. It is 
 remarkable that there is a much closer imitation of the same passage 
 in Chaucer's Parl. of Foules, 11. 183-294. Thus at 1. 246 of that poem 
 we find : 
 
 4 Within the temple, of syghes hote as fyr, 
 I herde a swogh, that gan aboute renne 
 Which syghes were engendred with desyr 
 That maden every auter for to brenne 
 Of newe flaume ; and wel aspyed I thenne 
 That al the cause of sorwes that they drye 
 Com of the bitter goddesse lelosye.' 
 
 There is yet another description of the temple of Venus in the House 
 of Fame, 119-139, where we have the very line 'Naked fleting in a 
 see' (cf. 1. 1098 below), and a mention of the f rose garlond ' (cf. 1. 1 103), 
 and of ' Hir dowves and dan Cupido' (cf. 11. 1104-5). 
 
 1071. golde, a gold or turnsol. Goolde, herbe. Solsequium, quia 
 sequitur solem, elitropium, calendula ; ' Prompt. Parv. The corn-mari- 
 gold in the North is called goulans, guilde, or goles, and in the South, 
 golds (Way). Gower says that Leucothea was changed 
 'Into a floure was named golde, 
 Which stant governed of the sonne.' 
 
 Conf. Am., ed. Pauli, ii. 356. 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. 18.3 
 
 1078. Citheroun = Cithaeron, sacred to Venus. 
 
 1082. In the Romaunt of the Rose, Idleness is the porter of the garden 
 in which the rose (Beauty) is kept. In the Parl. of Foules, 261, the 
 porter's name is Richesse. Cf. 11. 2, 3 of the Second Nonnes Tale. 
 
 1083. of yore agon, of years gone by. Cf. Ovid, Met. iii. 407. 
 
 1113. estres, the inner parts of a building; as also in C. T. 4293, and 
 Leg. of Good Women, 1711. 
 
 'For thow knowest better then I 
 Al the estris of this house.' 
 
 Pardoner and Tapster, 556 ; pr. with Tale of Beryn (below). 
 ' His sportis [portes ?] and his estris ; ' Tale of Beryn, ed. Furnivall, 
 837. Cf. ' Qu'il set bien de 1'ostel les estres; ' Rom. de la Rose, 12720. 
 By mistaking the long s (f ) for f t this word has been misprinted as 
 eftures in the following. ' Pleaseth it you to see the eftures of this 
 castle?' Sir Thomas Malory, Mort Arthurs, b. xix. c. 7. 
 112 1. a rumbel in a swough, a rambling in a gust of wind. 
 1124. Mars armypotente. 
 
 ' O thou rede Marz armypotente, 
 That in the trende baye hase made thy throne ; 
 That God arte of bataile and regent, 
 And rulist all that alone ; 
 To whom I profre precious present, 
 To the makande my moone 
 With herte, body and alle myn entente, 
 
 In worshipe of thy reverence 
 
 On thyn owen Tewesdaye.' 
 
 Sowdone of Babyloyne, 11. 939-953. 
 
 The word armipotent is borrowed from Boccaccio's armipotente, in the 
 Teseide, vii. 32. Other similar borrowings occur hereabouts, too nume- 
 rous for mention. 
 
 Let the reader take particular notice that the temple here described 
 (11. 1124-1136) is merely a painted temple, depicted on one of the walls 
 inside the oratory of Mars. The other walls had paintings similar to 
 those inside the temple of which the outside is thus depicted. Chaucer 
 describes the painted temple as if it were real, which is somewhat 
 confusing. Inconsistent additions were made in revision. 
 
 1126. Streit, narrow; c la stretta entrata;' Tes. vii. 32. 
 
 1127. vese is glossed impetus in the Ellesmere MS. See the Glossary. 
 Copied from ' salit Impetus amens E foribus ; J Theb. vii. 47, 48. 
 
 1128. rese = to shake, quake. *]?e eortJe gon to-rusien,' 'the earth 
 gan to shake/ Lasamon, 1. 15946. To resye, to shake, occurs in 
 Ayenbite of Inwyt, pp. 23, 116. Cf. also ' The tre aresede as hit wold 
 falle ;' Seven Sages, ed. Weber, 1. 915. 
 
1 84 NOTES. 
 
 1129. 'I suppose the northern light is the aurora borealis, but this 
 phenomenon is so rarely mentioned by mediaeval writers, that it may be 
 questioned whether Chaucer meant anything more than the faint and 
 cold illumination received by reflexion through the door of an apartment 
 fronting the north.' (Marsh.) The fact is, however, that Chaucer here 
 copies Statius, Theb. vii. 40-58 ; see the translation in the note to 1. 1159 
 below. The 'northern light' seems to be an incorrect rendering of 
 ' adversum Phcebi iubar ; ' 1. 45. 
 
 1132. ' E le porte eran d'eterno diamante ;' Teseide, vii. 32. Such is 
 the reading given by Warton. However, the true source is the phrase 
 in Statius c adamante perenni . . . fores ; ' Theb. vii. 68. 
 1139-40. Cf. the Teseide, vii. 33 : 
 
 'Videvi T Ire rosse, come fuoco, 
 E le Paure pallide in quel loco.' 
 
 But Chaucer follows Statius still more closely. LI. 1137-1154 answer 
 to Theb. vii. 48-53. 
 
 ' csecumque Nefas, Irseque rubentes, 
 Exsanguesque Metus, occultisque ensibus astant 
 Insidise, geminumque tenens Discordia ferrum. 
 Innumeris strepit aula minis ; tristissima Virtus 
 Stat medio, Isetusque Furor, vultuque cruento 
 Mars armata sedet.' 
 
 1143. See Chaucer's Legend of Hypermestre. 
 
 1146. chirkyng is properly the cry of birds. The Lansd. MS. has 
 schrilieinge (shrieking). See House of Fame, iii. 853 (or 1943). In 
 Batman upon Bartholome, lib. viii. c. 29, the music of the spheres is 
 attributed to the f cherkyng of the mouing of the circles, and of the 
 roundnes of heauen.' 
 
 1 149. This line contains an allusion to the death of Sisera, Judges iv. 
 But Dr. Koch has pointed out (Essays on Chaucer, Chaucer Soc. iv. 
 371) that we have here some proof that Chaucer may have altered his 
 first draft of the poem without taking sufficient heed to what he was 
 about. The original line may have stood 
 
 * The sleer of her husband saw I there ' 
 
 or something of that kind ; for the reason that no suicide has ever yet 
 been known to drive a nail into his own head. That a wife might do 
 so to her husband is Chaucer's own statement ; for, in the Cant. Tales, 
 6347-52, we find 
 
 ' Of later date of wives hath he red, 
 That somme han slain hir husbonds in hir bed . . . 
 And somme han driven nailes in hir brain, 
 Whyl that they slepe, and thus they han hem slain.' 
 Of course it may be said that 1. 1148 is entirely independent of 1. 1149; 
 but the suggestion is worth notice. 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. 185 
 
 1159. hoppesteres. Speght explains this word by pilots (gubernaculum 
 tenentes) ; Tyrwhitt, female dancers (Ital. ballatrice}. Others explain it 
 hopposteres opposteres = opposing, hostile, so that schippes hoppesteres 
 = bellatrices carinae (Statius). As, however, it is impossible to suppose 
 that even opposteres without the h can ever have been formed from the 
 verb to oppose, the most likely solution is that Chaucer mistook the 
 word bellatrices in Statius (vii. 57) or the corresponding Ital. word 
 bellatrict in the Teseide, vii. 37, for ballatrices or ballatrici, which might 
 be supposed to mean 'female dancers*; an expression which would 
 exactly correspond to an M. E. form hoppesteres, from the A. S. hoppestre, 
 a female dancer. Herodias' daughter is mentioned (in the dative case) 
 as pare lyfiran hoppystran (better spelt hoppestran) in ^Ifric's A. S. 
 Homilies, ed. Thorpe, i. 484. Hence shippes hoppesteres simply means 
 ' dancing ships.' Shakespeare likens the English fleet to ' A city on the 
 inconstant billows dancing; 9 Hen. V. iii. prol. 15. 
 
 The following extract from Lewis' translation of Statius' Thebaid, 
 bk. vii. is of some interest. 
 
 * Beneath the fronting height of ./Emus stood 
 The fane of Mars, encompass'd by a wood. 
 The mansion, rear'd by more than mortal hands, 
 On columns fram'd of polish'd iron stands ; 
 The well- compacted walls are plated o'er 
 With the same metal; just without the door 
 A thousand Furies frown. The dreadful gleam, 
 That issues from the sides, reflects the beam 
 Of adverse Phoebus, and with cheerless light 
 Saddens the day, and starry host of night. 
 Well his attendants suit the dreary place ; 
 First frantic Passion, Wrath with redd'ning face, 
 And Mischief blind from forth the threshold start ; 
 Within lurks pallid Fear with quiv'ring heart, 
 Discord, a two-edged falchion in her hand, 
 And Treach'ry, striving to conceal the brand.' 
 
 1162. for al, notwithstanding. Cf. Piers the Plowman, B. xix. 274. 
 
 1163. infortune of Marie. 'Tyrwhitt thinks that Chaucer might 
 intend to be satirical in these lines; but the introduction of such 
 apparently undignified incidents arose from the confusion already men- 
 tioned of the god of war with the planet to which his name was given, 
 and the influence of which was supposed to produce all the disasters 
 here mentioned. The following extract from the Compost of Ptolemeus 
 gives some of the supposed effects of Mars : " Under Mars is borne 
 theves and robbers that kepe hye wayes, and do hurte to true men, and 
 nyght-walkers, and quarell-pykers, bosters, mockers, and skoffers, and 
 these men of Mars causeth warre and murther, and batayle ; they wyll 
 
1 86 NOTES. 
 
 be gladly smythes or workers of yron, lyght-fyngred, and lyers, gret 
 swerers of othes in vengeable wyse, and a great surmyler and crafty. 
 He is red and angry, with blacke heer, and lytell iyen ; he shall be a 
 great walker, and a maker of swordes and knyves, and a sheder of 
 mannes blode, and a fornycatour, and a speker of rybawdry .... and 
 good to be a barboure and a blode-letter, and to drawe tethe, and is 
 peryllous of his handes." The following extract is from an old astro- 
 logical book of the sixteenth century : " Mars denoteth men with red 
 faces and the skinne redde, the face round, the eyes yellow, horrible to 
 behold, furious men, cruell, desperate, proude, sedicious, souldiers, 
 captaines, smythes, colliers, bakers, alcumistes, armourers, furnishers, 
 butchers, chirurgions, barbers, sargiants, and hangmen, according as they 
 shal be well or evill disposed." ' Wright. Chaucer has ' cruel Mars ' 
 in The Man of Lawes Tale, 301 ; and cf. note to 1. 229. 
 
 1164. From Statius, Theb. vii. 58 : 
 
 * Et uacui currus, protritaque curribus ora.' 
 
 1171. For the story of Damocles see Cicero, Tuscul. 5. 61 ; cf. Horace, 
 Od. iii. i. 17. 
 
 1 1 79, sterres (Harl.) Elles. &c. have certres (sertres) ; but this strange 
 reading can hardly be other than a mistake for sterres, which is proved 
 to be the right word by the parallel passage in The Man of Lawes Tale, 
 194-6. 
 
 1187. ' The names of two figures in geomancy, representing two con- 
 stellations in heaven. Puella signifieth Mars retrogade, and Rubeus 
 Mars direct/ (Speght.) 
 
 1198. Calistopee Callisto, a daughter of Lycaon, King of Arcadia, 
 and companion of Diana. See Ovid's Fasti, ii. 153 ; Gower, Conf. 
 Amantis, ed. Pauli, ii. 336. 
 
 1 201, 1203. 'Cf. Ovid's Fasti, ii. 153-192 ; especially 189, 190, 
 1 ' Signa propinqua micant. Prior est, quam dicimus Arcton, 
 
 Arctophylax formam terga sequentis habet." 
 
 The nymph Callisto was changed into Arctos or the Great Bear. This 
 was sometimes confused with the other Arctos or Lesser Bear, in which 
 was situate the lodestar or Polestar. Chaucer has followed this error. 
 Callisto's son, Areas, was changed into Arctophylax or Bootes: here 
 again Chaucer says a sterre, when he means a whole constellation ; 
 as, perhaps, he does in other passages/ Skeat's Astrolabe, pp. xlviii, 
 xlix. 
 
 1204, 1206. Dane = Daphne, a girl beloved by Apollo, and changed 
 into a laurel. See Ovid's Metamorph. i. 450 ; Gower, Conf. Amantis, 
 ed. Pauli, i. 336. 
 
 1207. Attheon = Actaeon. See Ovid's Metamorph. iii. 138. 
 
 1 21 2. Atthalante Atalanta. See Ovid's Metamorph. x. 560. 
 
 1216. not drawen to memorie = not draw to memory, not call to mind. 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. 187 
 
 1228. thou mayst best, art, best able to help, thou hast most power. 
 Lucina was a title both of Juno and Diana ; see Vergil, Eel. iv. 10. 
 
 1257. benedicite is here pronounced as a trisyllable, viz. ben? cite. It is 
 so sometimes, though five syllables in 1. 927. Cf. benste in Towneley 
 Myst. p. 85. 
 
 1267. This line seems to mean that there is nothing new under the 
 sun. 
 
 1271. This is the 're Licurgo' of the Teseide, vi. 14; and the Ly- 
 curgus of the Thebaid, iv. 386, and of Homer, //. vi. 130. But the 
 description of him is partly taken from that of another warrior, Tes. vi. 
 21, 22. 
 
 1276. kempe heres, shaggy, rough hairs. Tyrwhitt and subsequent 
 editors have taken for granted that kempe kemped, combed (an impos- 
 sible equation) ; but kempe is rather the reverse of this, and instead of 
 smoothly combed, means bristly, rough, or shaggy. In an Early English 
 poem it is said of Nebuchadnezzar that 
 
 ' Hol^Ae (hollow) were his yg^en anunder (under) campe hares' 
 
 Early Eng. Alliterative Poems, p. 85, 1. 1695. 
 
 Campe hores shaggy hairs (about the eyebrows), and corresponds exactly 
 in form and meaning to kempe heres. See Glossary. 
 
 1284. for-old, very old. See next note. 
 
 1286. for- blak is generally explained as for blackness; it means very 
 black. 
 
 1294. Colers of, having collars of. Some MSS. read Colerd of. 
 Colerd is not an improbable form : cf. ' as they (the Jews) were tied up 
 with girdles .... so were they collared about the neck.' (Fuller's Pisgah 
 Sight of Palestine, p. 524, ed. 1869.) 
 
 torets, ' probably eyes in which rings will turn round, because each 
 eye is a little larger than the thickness of the ring.' Skeat. This 
 appears from Chaucer's Astrolabe, ed. Skeat, i. 2. I ' This ring renneth 
 in a maner turet,' i. e. in a kind of eye. Warton, in his Hist. E. Poet, 
 ed. 1871, ii. 314, gives several instances. It also meant a small loose 
 ring. Cotgrave gives : ' Touret, the annulet, or little ring whereby a 
 hawk's lune is fastened unto the jesses/ 
 
 1297. Emetrius is not mentioned either by Statius or by Boccaccio; 
 cf. Tes. vi. 29, 17, 16, 41. 
 
 1302. cloth of Tars, ' a kind of silk, said to be the same as in other 
 places is called Tartarine (tartarinum), but the exact derivation of which 
 appears to be somewhat uncertain.' Wright. Cf. Piers the Plowman, 
 B. xv. 224, and Skeat's note to the same, C. xvii. 299. 
 
 1329. alle and some, 'all and singular,' ' one and all.' 
 
 1347. See the Teseide, vi. 8. 
 
 1359. And in "hire houre. ' I cannot better illustrate Chaucer's astrology 
 than by a quotation from the old Kalendrier de Bergiers, edit. 1500, 
 
1 88 NOTES. 
 
 Sign. K. ii. b : " Qui veult savoir comme bergiers scevent quel planete 
 regne chascune heure du jour et de la nuit, doit savoir la planete du jour 
 qui veult s'enquerir ; et la premiere heure temporelle du soleil levant ce 
 jour est pour celluy planete, la seconde heure est pour la planete en- 
 suivant, et la tierce pour 1'autre," &c., in the following order: viz. 
 Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercury, Luna. To apply this 
 doctrine to the present case, the first hour of the Sunday, reckoning from 
 sunrise, belonged to the Sun, the planet of the day ; the second to Venus, 
 the third to Mercury, &c. ; and continuing this method of allotment, we 
 shall find that the twenty-second hour also belonged to the Sun, and the 
 twenty-third to Venus ; so that the hour of Venus really was, as Chaucer 
 says, two hours before the sunrise of the following day. Accordingly, 
 we are told in 1. 1413, that the third hour after Palamon set out for the 
 temple of Venus, the Sun rose, and Emily began to go to the temple of 
 Diane. It is not said that this was the hour of Diane, or the Moon, but 
 it really was ; for, as we have just seen, the twenty-third hour of Sunday 
 belonging to Venus, the twenty-fourth must be given to Mercury, and 
 the first hour of Monday falls in course to the Moon, the presiding 
 planet of that day. After this Arcite is described as walking to the 
 temple of Mars, 1. 1509, in the nexte houre of Mars, that is, the fourth 
 hour of the day. It is necessary to take these words together, for the 
 nexte houre, singly, would signify the second hour of the day ; but that, 
 according to the rule of rotation mentioned above, belonged to Saturn, 
 as the third did to Jupiter. The fourth was the nexte houre of Mars that 
 occurred after the hour last named.' Tyrwhitt. ' In fact, just as Emily 
 is three hours later than Palamon, so Arcite is three hours later than 
 Emily.' Skeat. 
 
 1 36 3-1406. To be compared with the Teseide, vii. 43-49, and vii. 68. 
 
 1366. Adoun, Adonis. See Ovid, Met. x. 503. 
 
 1380. ' I care not to boast of arms (success in arms).' 
 
 1381. Ne I ne axe, &c., are to be pronounced as ni naxe, &c. So in 
 1. I77 2 of this tale, Ne in must be pronounced as nin. 
 
 1394. wher I ryde or go } whether I ride or walk. 
 
 J 395- fyres bete, kindle or light fires. Bete also signifies to mend 
 or make up the fire ; see 1. 1434. 
 
 1413. The thridde hour inequal. ' In the astrological system, the day, 
 from sunrise to sunset, and the night, from sunset to sunrise, being each 
 divided into twelve hours, it is plain that the hours of the day and night 
 were never equal except just at the equinoxes. The hours attributed to 
 the planets were of this unequal sort. See Kalendrier de Berg. loc. cit., 
 and our author's treatise on the Astrolabe.' Tyrwhitt. 
 
 1417-1502. Cf. the Teseide, vii. 71-92. 
 
 1428. a game, a pleasure. 
 
 1432. 'E corono di quercia cereale ;' Tes. vii. 74. 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. 189 
 
 1436. In Stace of Thebes, in the Thebaid of Statius, where the reader 
 will not find it. Cf. the Teseide, vii. 72. 
 
 1445. aboghte, atoned for. Cf. the phrase ' to buy dearly/ 
 1455. thre formes. Diana is called Diva Triformis; in heaven, Luna; 
 on earth, Diana and Lucina, and in hell, Proserpina. 
 
 1507. the nexte waye, the nearest way. Cf. the Teseide, vii. 93. 
 1510. walked is, has walked. 
 1513-1576. Cf. the Teseide, vii. 23-28, 39-41. 
 1537. lyves creature, creature alive, living creature. 
 1547. do, bring it about, cause it to come to pass. 
 1579. 'As joyful as the bird is of the bright sun.' So in Piers PL, 
 B. x. 153. 
 
 1 580-3. Cf. the Teseide, vii. 67. 
 
 1591. 'Men may outrun old age, but not outwit (surpass its counsel)/ 
 Cf. 'Men may the wise at-renne, and nought at-rede. J Troilus, iv. 1428, 
 ed. Morris; (or iv. 1456). 
 
 'For of him (the old man) )>u migt leren 
 Listes and fele |?ewes, 
 pe baldure }m migt ben : 
 Ne for-lere )>u his redes, 
 For J?e elder mon me mai of-riden 
 Betere J>enne of-reden/ 
 
 ' For of him thou mayest learn 
 Arts and many good habits, 
 The bolder thou mayest be. 
 Despise not thou his counsels, 
 For one may out-ride the old man 
 Better than out-wit/ 
 
 The Proverbs of Alfred, ed. Morris, in an Old Eng. Miscellany, p. 136. 
 
 1593, agayn his kynde. According to the Compost of Ptolemeus, 
 
 Saturn was influential in producing strife : ' And the children of the 
 
 sayd Saturne shall be great jangeleres and chyders .... and they will 
 
 never forgyve tyll they be revenged of theyr quarell/ Wright. 
 
 1596. My cours. 'The course of the planet Saturn. This refers to 
 the orbit of Saturn, supposed to be the largest of all. So it was, till 
 Uranus and Neptune were discovered/ Skeat. 
 
 1597. more power. The Compost of Ptolemeus says of Saturn, 'He 
 is mighty of hymself. ... It is more than xxx yere or he may ronne his 
 course. . . . Whan he doth reygne, there is moche debate/ Wright. 
 
 1604. In astrology, Leo is the 'mansion 3 of the Sun; but the first 
 10 degrees of the sign are called ' the face of Saturn. 7 
 
 1611. 'Er ffyue ser ben folfult, such ffamyn schal aryse, 
 f>orw modes and foul weder, ffruites schul fayle, 
 And so sei)> Saturne, and sent vs to warne/ 
 
 Specimens of Early English, 2nd ed. vol. ii. p. 202. 
 
190 NOTES. 
 
 1633-1667. Cf. the Teseide, vii. 95-99. 
 1646. In Sir Bevis, ed. Kolbing, p. 134, we find 
 'Sir Beues was ful glad, iwis, 
 Hise laynerys [printed layueres] he took anon, 
 And fastenyd his hawberk hym upon.' 
 1653. Cf. House of Fame, 1239, 1240: 
 
 ' Of hem that maken blody soun 
 In trumpe, beme, and clarioun.' 
 
 Also Tes. viii, 5 : 'D'armi, di corni, nacchere e trombette.' 
 'The Nakkdrak or Naqdrah was a great kettle-drum, formed like a 
 brazen cauldron, tapering to the bottom, and covered with buffalo-hide, 
 often 3^ or 4 feet in diameter . . . The crusades naturalised the word in 
 some form or other in most European languages, but in our own appa- 
 rently with a transfer of meaning. Wright defines naker as " a cornet 
 or horn of brass," and Chaucer's use seems to countenance this.' Marco 
 Polo, ed. Yule, i. 303-4 ; where more is added. But Wright's explana- 
 tion is a mere guess, and should be rejected. There is no reason for 
 assigning to the word naker any other sense than ' kettle-drum.' Minot 
 (Songs, iv. 80) is explicit : 
 
 ' The princes, that war riche on raw, 
 Gert nakers strike, and trumpes blaw.' 
 
 Hence a naker had to be struck, not blown. See also Naker in Halli- 
 well's Dictionary. Boccaccio has the pi. nacchere ; see above. Cf. Hous 
 of Fame, 1239, 1240. 
 
 1679. As to tne regulations for tournaments, see Strutt's Sports and 
 Pastimes, book iii. c. i. 16-24; th e passages are far too long for 
 quotation. We may, however, compare the following extract, given by 
 Strutt, from MS. Harl. 326. 'All these thinges donne, thei were em- 
 batailed eche ageynste the othir, and the corde drawen before eche 
 partie; and whan the tyme was, the cordes were cutt, and the trum- 
 pettes blew up for every man to do his devoir [duty"]. And for to asser- 
 tayne the more of the tourney, there was on eche side a stake ; and at 
 eche stake two kyngs of armes, with penne, and inke, and paper, to 
 write the names of all them that were yolden, for they shold no more 
 tournay.' And, from MS. Harl. 69, he quotes that ' no one shall bear 
 a sword, pointed knife, mace, or other weapon, except the sword for the 
 tournament.' 
 
 1682-1735. Cf. the Teseide, vii. 12, 131-2, 12, 14, 100-2, 113-4, 
 118, 19. 
 
 1688. f Nor short sword having a biting (sharp) point to stab with.' 
 1707. Cf. Legend of Good Women, 635 : ' Up goth the trompe.' 
 1742-66. Cf. the Teseide, viii. 5, 7, 14, 12, &c. 
 
 1744. ' In go the spears full firmly into the rest, 9 i. e. the spears were 
 couched ready for the attack. 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. 191 
 
 'Thai layden here speres in areeste, 
 Togeder thai ronnen as fire of thondere, 
 That both here launces to-braste ; 
 That they seten, it was grete wonder, 
 So harde it was that they gan threste ; 
 Tho drowen thai oute here swordes kene, 
 And smyten togeder by one assente.' 
 
 The Sowdone of Babyloyne, 1. 1166. 
 See Glossary, s.v. Arest. 
 
 1756-7. he . . . 7ze = one . . . another. See Historical Outlines of English 
 Accidence, p. 282. Cf. the parallel passage in the Legend of Good 
 Women, 642-8. 
 
 I 757- f eet - Some MSS. read foot. Tyrwhitt proposed to read /oo, 
 foe, enemy; but see 1. 1692. 
 
 1766. wrought . . . wo, done harm to his opponent. 
 
 1768. Galgopheye. ' This word is variously written Colaphey, Gal- 
 gaphey, Galapey. There was a town called Galapha in Mauritania 
 Tingitana, upon the river Malva (Cellar. Geog. Ant. v. ii. p. 935), which 
 perhaps may have given name to the vale here meant.' Tyrwhitt. But 
 doubtless Chaucer was thinking of the Vale of Gargaphie, where Actseon 
 was turned into a stag : 
 
 'Vallis erat, piceis et acuta densa cupressu, 
 Nomine Gargaphie, succinctae sacra Dianae.' 
 
 Ovid, Met. iii. 155, 156. 
 
 1769. Cf. the Teseide, viii. 26. 
 1788. swerdes lengthe. Cf. 
 
 'And then he bar me sone bi strenkith 
 Out of my sadel my speres lenkith.' 
 
 Ywaine and Gawin, 11. 421, 2. 
 1817. Which a, what a, how great a. 
 1818-22. Cf. the Teseide, viii. 131, 124-6. 
 
 1825. al his chere may mean 'all his delight, as regarded his heart' 
 The Harl. MS. alone inserts in before his chere. 
 
 1826. Elles. reads/wn>, as noted; so in the Teseide t ix. 4. 
 1828-1848. Cf. the Teseide, ix. 7, 8, 47, 48, 38, 26. 
 
 1831. The following is a very remarkable account of a contemporary 
 occurrence, which took place at the time when a parliament was held at 
 Cambridge, A. D. 1388, as told by Walsingham, ed. Riley, ii. 177. 
 
 ' Tempore Parliament!, cum Dominus Thomas Tryvet cum Rege sublimis 
 equitaret ad Regis hospitium, quod fuit apud Bernewelle [Barn well], 
 dum nimis urget equum calcaribus, equus cadit, et omnia pene interiora 
 sessoris dirumpit [cf. 1. 1833]; protelavit tamen vitam in crastinum.' 
 The saddle-bow or arsoun was the ' name given to two curved pieces of 
 wood or metal, one of which was fixed to the front of the saddle, and 
 
192 NOTES. 
 
 another behind, to give the rider greater security in his seat ; ' Murray's 
 Eng. Diet. s.v. Arson. Violent collision against the front saddle-bow 
 produced very serious results. Cf. the Teseide, ix. 8 c E '1 forte arcione 
 gli premette il petto.' 
 
 1838. ' Then was he cut out of his armour.' I.e. the laces were cut, 
 to spare the patient trouble. 
 
 1840. in memorie, conscious. 
 
 1853. ' As a remedy for other wounds/ &c. 
 
 1854, 1855. charmes . . . save. 'It may be observed that the salves, 
 charms, and pharmacies of herbs were the principal remedies of the 
 physician in the age of Chaucer. Save (salvia, the herb sage) was con- 
 sidered one of the most universally efficiently mediaeval remedies.' 
 Wright. Hence the proverb of the school of Salerno, ' Cur moriatur 
 homo, dum salvia crescit in horto ? ' 
 
 1864. nis nat 6w/ = is.only. aventure, accident. 
 
 1867. persone, one person. 
 
 1875. Gree, preeminence, superiority; lit. rank, or a step; answering 
 to Lat. gradus (not gratus). The phrases to win the gree t i.e. to get 
 the first place, and to bear the gree, i. e. to keep the first place, are still 
 in common use in Scotland. See note to the Allit. Destruction of Troy, 
 ed. Panton and Donaldson, 1. 1353, and Jamieson's Dictionary. 
 
 1878. dayes thre. Wright says the period of three days was the usual 
 duration of a feast among our early forefathers. As far back as the 
 seventh century, when Wilfred consecrated his church at Ripon, he held 
 ' magnum convivium trium dierum et noctium reges cum omni populo 
 laetificantes.' Eddius, Vit. S. Wilf. c. 17. 
 
 1903. This al and sow, i.e. this (is) the al and som, this is the short 
 and long of it. With 11. 1903-50 compare the Teseide } x. 12, 37, 51, 54, 
 55, 64, 102-3, 60-3, 1 1 1-2. 
 
 1942. overcome. Tyrwhitt reads overnome, overtaken, the pp. of over- 
 nimen ; but none of the seven best MSS. have this reading. 
 
 1952. The real reason why Chaucer could not here describe the 
 passage of Arcite's soul to heaven is because he had already copied 
 Boccaccio's description, and had used it with respect to the death of 
 Troilus ; see Troil. V (Stanzas 7, 8, 9 from the end). 
 
 1957. ther Mars, &c., where I hope that Mars will, &c. ; may 
 Mars, &c. 
 
 1964. swich sorwe, so great sorrow. 
 
 1969-1988. Cf. the Teseide, xi. 8, 7, 9-11, xii. 6. 
 
 1995-2104. Cf. the Teseide, xi. 13-16, 30, 31, 35, 38, 40, 37, 18, 26-7, 
 22-5, 2I > 2 7~9 39-67- 
 
 2005-2104. The whole of this description should be compared with 
 the funeral rites at the burial of Archemorus, as described in Statius, 
 Thebaid, bk. vi; which Chaucer probably consulted, as well as the 
 
THE KNIGHTES TALE. 193 
 
 imitation of the same in Boccaccio's Teseide. For example, the ' tree- 
 list ' in 11. 2063-5 is not a little remarkable. The first hint of it is in 
 Vergil, JEn. vi. 180; Statins took the hint, and amplified it. After 
 which, it reappears in Boccaccio, Teseide, xi. 22 ; in Chaucer, Pad. of 
 Foules, 176; in the present passage; in Tasso, Gier. Lib. iii. 75; and 
 in Spenser, F. Q. i. i. 8. Again, we may just compare 11. 2093-2097 
 with the following lines in Lewis's translation of Statius : 
 'Around the pile an hundred horsemen ride, 
 With arms reversed, and compass every side ; 
 They faced the left (for so the rites require); 
 Bent with the dust, the flames no more aspire. 
 Thrice, thus disposed, they wheel in circles round 
 The hallow'd corse: their clashing weapons sound. 
 Four times their arms a crash tremendous yield, 
 And female shrieks re-echo through the field.' 
 
 Moreover, Statius imitates the whole from Vergil, Mn. xi. 185-196. And 
 Lydgate copies it all from Chaucer in his Sege of Thebes, part 3 (near 
 the end). 
 
 2006. Funeral he myghte al accomplice (Elles.) ; Funeral he mighte hem 
 all complise (Corp., Pet.). 
 
 2027. 'And surpassing others in weeping came Emily.' 
 
 2037. Cf. 'deux ars Turquois,' i.e. two Turkish bows; Rom. de la 
 Rose, 913. 
 
 2070. Amadrides; i.e. Hamadryades ; see Ovid, Met. i. 192, 193, 690. 
 
 2085. men made thefyr (Heng.) ; maad was the fire (Corp. Pet.). 
 
 2095. loud (Elles.); heth (Harl.) ; bowe (Corp.). 
 
 2100. 'Chaucer seems to have confounded the wake-plays of his own 
 time with the funeral games of the antients.' Tyrwhitt. Cf. Troil. v. 
 304 ; and see ' Funeral Entertainments ' in Brand's Popular Antiquities. 
 
 2104. in no disioynt, with no disadvantage. 
 
 2109-28. Cf. the Teseide, xii. 3-5. 
 
 2133-2135. that faire cheyne of love. This sentiment is taken from 
 Boethius, lib. ii. met. 8 : ' f>at Ipe world with stable feith / varieth 
 acordable chaungynges // ]>at the contraryos qualite of elementz holden 
 amonge hem self aliaunce perdurable / J>at phebus the sonne with his 
 goldene chariet / bryngeth forth the rosene day / J^at the mone hath 
 commaundement ouer the nyhtes // whiche nyhtes hesperus the eue- 
 sterre hat[h] browt // ]>at Ipe se gredy to flowen constreyneth with a 
 certeyn ende hise floodes / so ])at it is nat l[e]ueful to strechche hise 
 brode termes or bowndes vpon the erthes // J>at is to seyn to couere alle 
 the erthe // Al this a-cordaunce of thinges is bownden with looue / ]?at 
 gouerneth erthe and see and [he] hath also commaundementz to the 
 heuenes and yif this looue slakede the brydelis / alle thinges >at now 
 louen hem togederes / wolden maken a batayle contynuely and stryuen 
 
1 94 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 to fordoon the fasoun of this worlde / the which they now leden in 
 acordable feith by fayre moeuynges // this looue halt to-gideres peoples 
 ioygned with an hooly bond / and knytteth sacrement of maryages of 
 chaste looues // And love enditeth lawes to trewe felawes // O weleful 
 weere mankynde / yif thilke lone fat gouerneth heuene gouerned[e] 
 yowre corages.' Chaucer's Boethius, ed. Morris, p. 62. And cf. the 
 Teselde, ix. 51 ; and Homer, //. viii. 19. Also Rom. de la Rose, 16988 : 
 'La bele chaene doree 
 
 Qui les quatre elemens enlace.' 
 
 2136. What follows is taken from Boethius, lib. iv. pr. 6 : 'J?e en- 
 gendrynge of alle f inges, quod she, and alle f e progressiouns of muuable 
 nature, and alle fat moeue}> in any manere, takif hys causes, hys ordre, 
 and hys formes, of f e stablenesse of f e deuyne f oust ; [and thilke deuyne 
 thowht] fat is yset and put in ])e toure, fat is to seyne in f e heyjt of fe 
 simplicite of god, stablisif many manere gyses to Jnnges fat ben to don.' 
 Chaucer's Boethius, ed. Morris, p. 134. 
 
 2147. Chaucer again is indebted to Boethius, lib. iii. pr. 10, for what 
 follows: 'For al fing fat is cleped inperfit, is proued inperfit by J?e 
 amenusynge of perfeccioun, or offing fat is perfit ; and her-of comef it, 
 fat in euery f ing general, yif fat fat men seen any f ing fat is inperfit, 
 certys in f ilke general f er mot ben somme f ing fat is perfit. For yif so 
 be fat perfeccioun is don awey, men may nat f inke nor seye fro whennes 
 f ilke f ing is fat is cleped inperfit. For f e nature of f inges ne token nat 
 her bygynnyng of f inges amenused and imperfit ; but it procedif of 
 fingus fat ben al hool and absolut, and descendef so doune into 
 outerest f inges and into fingus empty and wif oute frvyt ; but, as I haue 
 shewed a litel her-byforne, fat yif f er be a blisfulnesse fat be frele and 
 vein and inperfit, f er may no man doute fat f er nys som blisfulnesse fat 
 is sad, stedfast, and perfit.' Chaucer (as above), p. 89. 
 2158. seen at eye, see at a glance. 
 
 2161-2210. Cf. the Teseide, xii. 7-10, 6, n, 13, 9, 12-17, 19. 
 2184. So in Troilus, iv. 1586: 'Thus maketh vertu of necessite;' 
 and in Squire's Tale, pt. ii. 1. 247 (Group F, 1. 593): 'That I made 
 vertu of necessite/ It is from Le Roman de la Rose, 14217 : 
 c S'il ne fait de necessite 
 
 Vertu.' 
 Cf. Horace, Carm. i. 24 : 
 
 ' Durum ! sed leuius fit patientia 
 
 Quidquid corrigere est nefas. 
 2210. Cf. 'The time renneth toward right fast, 
 
 Joy cometh after whan the sorrow is past. 1 
 
 Hawes' Pastime of Pleasure, ed. Wright, p. 148. 
 2231. oghte to passen right, should surpass mere equity or justice. 
 2236-44. Cf. the Teseide, xii. 69, 72, 83. 
 
THE NONNE PRESTES TALE. 195 
 
 THE NONNE PRESTES TALE. 
 
 i. stope. Lansd. MS. reads stoupe, as if it signified bent, stooped; but 
 the verb stoop is a weak verb. Stope is the past participle of the (formerly) 
 strong verb steppen, to step, advance. Stope in age advanced in years. 
 Roger Ascham has almost the same phrase : ' And [Varro] beyng depe 
 stept in age, by negligence some wordes do scape and fall from him in 
 those bookes as be not worth the taking up,' &c. The Schoolmaster, 
 ed. Mayor, p. 189 ; ed. Arber, p. 152. 
 
 8. by housbondrye, by economy. 
 
 12. Ful sooty was Tiir hour, and eek hir halle. The widow's house 
 consisted of only two apartments, designated by the terms bower and 
 hall. Whilst the widow and her * daughters two ' slept in the bower, 
 Chanticleer and his seven wives roosted on a perch in the hall, and the 
 swine ensconced themselves on the floor. The smoke of the fire had to 
 find its way through the crevices of the roof. See Our English Home, 
 pp. 139, 140. Cf. 
 
 'At his beds feete feeden his stalled teme, 
 His swine beneath, his pullen ore the j>eame? 
 
 Hall's Satires, bk. v. sat. I ; v. I. p. 56, ed. 1599. 
 
 15. No deyntee (Elles. &c.) ; Noon deynteth (Harl.). 
 
 19. hertes suffisaunce, a satisfied or contented mind, literally heart's 
 satisfaction. Cf. our phrase ' to your heart's content.' 
 
 22. wyn . . . whyt nor reed. The white wine was sometimes called 
 * the wine of Osey ' (Alsace) ; the red wine of Gascony, sometimes 
 called ' Mountrose,' was deemed a liquor for a lord. See Our English 
 Home, p. 83 ; Piers PL prol. 1. 228. 
 
 25. Seynd bacoun, singed or broiled bacon. 
 an ey or tweye, an egg or two. 
 
 26. deye. The data (from the Icel. deigja} is mentioned in Domesday 
 among assistants in husbandry; and the term is again found in 2nd Stat. 
 25 Edward III (A.D. 1351). In Stat. 37 Edward III (A.D. 1363), the 
 deye is mentioned among others of a certain rank, not having goods or 
 chattels of 405. value. The deye was mostly a female, whose duty was 
 to make butter and cheese, attend to the calves and poultry, and other 
 odds and ends of the farm. The dairy (in some parts of England, as in 
 Shropshire, called a tfey-honse) was the department assigned to her. See 
 Prompt. Parv., p. 116. 
 
 29. In Caxton's translation of Reynard the Fox, the cock's name is 
 Chantecleer. In the original, it is Canticleer; from his clear voice in 
 singing. In the same, Reynard's second son is Rosseel; see 1. 514. 
 
 O 2 
 
196 NOTES. 
 
 31. orgon. This is put for organs or organs. It is plain, from gon 
 in the next line, that Chaucer meant to use this word as a plural from 
 the Lat. organa. Organ was used until lately only in the plural, like 
 bellows, gallows, &c. ' Which is either sung or said or on the organs 
 played.' Becon's Acts of Christ, p. 534. It was sometimes called a 
 pair of organs. See note to P. Plowman, C. xxi. 7. 
 
 34. Cf. Parl. of Foules, 350 : 
 
 * The cok, that orloge is of thorpes lyte.' 
 
 35> 36. *The cock knew each ascension of the equinoctial, and crew 
 at each ; that is, he crew every hour, as 1 5 of the equinoctial make an 
 hour. Chaucer adds [1. 34] that he knew the hour better than the 
 abbey-clock. This tells us, clearly, that we are to reckon clock-hours, 
 and not the unequal hours of the artificial day. Hence the prime, 
 mentioned in 1. 377, was at a clock-hour, at 6, 7, 8, or 9, suppose. 
 The day meant is certainly May 3, because the sun had passed the 
 2 ist degree of Taurus (see fig. I of Astrolabe) . . . The date May 3 is 
 playfully denoted by saying that March was complete, and also (since 
 March began) thirty-two days more had passed. The words "since 
 March began " are parenthetical ; and we are, in fact, told that the 
 whole of March, the whole of April, and two days of May were done 
 with. March was then considered the first month in the year, though 
 the year began with the 25th, not with the ist ; and Chaucer alludes to 
 the idea that the Creation itself took place in March. The day, then, 
 was May 3, with the sun past 21 degrees of Taurus. The hour must be 
 had from the sun's altitude, rightly said (1. 379) to be Fourty degrees 
 and oon. I use a globe, and find that the sun would attain the altitude 
 41 nearly at 9 o'clock. It follows that prime in this passage signifies 
 the end of the first quarter of the day, reckoning from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 1 
 Skeat's Astrolabe, p. Ixi. This rough test, by means of a glebe, is 
 perhaps sufficient ; but Mr. Brae proved it to be right by calculation. 
 Taking the sun's altitude at 41 J, he 'had the satisfaction to find a 
 resulting hour for prime of 9 o'clock A.M. almost to the minute? It is 
 interesting to find that Thynne explains this passage very well in his 
 Animadversions on Speght's Chaucer; ed. Furnivall, p. 62, note I. 
 
 ^he notion that the Creation took place on the iSth. of March is 
 allucied to in the Hexameron of St. Basil (see the A.S. version, ed. 
 Norman, p. 8, notej), and in /Elfric's Homilies, ed. Thorpe, i. 100. 
 
 37. Fifteen degrees of the equinoctial = an exact hour. See note to 
 1. 35 above. 
 
 40. and batailed. Lansd. MS. reads enbateled, indented like a battle- 
 ment. 
 
 41. as the leet, like the jet. Beads used for the repetition of prayers. 
 were frequently formed of jet. See note to Prol. 159, p. 140. 
 
THE NONNE PRESTES TALE. 197 
 
 50. damoysele Pertelote. Cf. our ' Dame Partlet.' 
 'I'll be as faithful to thee 
 As Chaunticleer to Madame Partelot.' 
 
 The Ancient Drama, iii. p. 158. 
 
 54, in hold; in possession. Cf. 'He hath my heart in holde; y 
 Greene's George a Greene, ed. Dyce, p. 256. 
 
 55. loken in every lith, locked in every limb. 
 
 59. my lief isfaren on londe, my beloved is gone away. Probably the 
 refrain of a popular song of the time. 
 
 69. herte deere. This expression corresponds to 'dear heart/ or 
 ' deary heart,' which still survives in some parts of the country. 
 
 73. take it agrief=take it in grief, i. e. to take it amiss, to be offended. 
 
 74. me mette, I dreamed ; literally it dreamed to me. 
 
 76. my swevene rede aright, bring my dream to a good issue ; literally 
 ' interpret my dream favourably.' 
 
 80. Was lyJt. The relative that is often omitted by Chaucer before a 
 relative clause. 
 
 88. Avoy (Elles.) ; Away (HarL). 
 
 103. See the Chapter on Dreams in Brand's Pop. Antiquities. 
 
 1 04. fume, the effects arising from gluttony and drunkenness. 'Anxious 
 black melancholy fumes. 1 Burton's Anat. of Mel. p. 438, ed. 1845. ' All 
 vapours arising out of the stomach,' especially those caused by gluttony 
 and drunkenness. f For when the head is heated it scorcheth the blood, 
 and from thence proceed melancholy fumes that trouble the mind.' 
 Ibid. p. 269. 
 
 1 1 08. rede colera. . . red cholera caused by too much bile and blood 
 .(sometimes called red humotir}. Burton speaks of a kind of melancholy 
 of which the signs are these ' the veins of their eyes red, as well as ( 
 their faces.' 
 
 113, the humour of melancolye. ' The name (melancholy) is imposed 
 from the matter, and disease denominated from the material cause, as 
 Bruel observes, /j.\avxo\ia quasi ^6X0^0x0X77, from black choler.'/ 
 Fracastorius, in his second book of Intellect, calls those melancholy! 
 'whom abundance of that same depraved humour of black choler hath I 
 so misaffected, that they become mad thence, and dote in most things j 
 or in all, belonging to election, will, or other manifest operations of thej 
 understanding.' Burton's Anat. of Melancholy, p. 108, ed. 1805. 
 1 1 8. ' That cause many a man in sleep to be very distressed.' 
 1 20. Catoun. Cato de Moribus, 1. ii. dist. 32; somnia ne cures. 'I 
 observe by the way, that this distich is quoted by John of Salisbury, 
 Polycrat. 1. ii. c. 16, as a precept viri sapientis. In another place, 1. vii. 
 c. 9, he introduces his quotation of the first verse of dist. 20 (1. iii.) in 
 this manner : "Ait vel Cato vel alius, nam autor incertus est." ' 
 Tyrwhitt. 
 
198 NOTES. 
 
 121. do no for s o/=take no notice of, pay no heed to. 
 
 143. ' Wormwood, centaury, pennyroyal, are likewise magnified and 
 much prescribed, especially in hypochondrian melancholy, daily to be 
 used, sod in whey. And because the spleen and blood are often mis- 
 affected in melancholy, I may not omit endive, succory, dandelion, 
 fumitory, &c., which cleanse the blood.' Burton's Anat. of Mel. pp. 432, 
 433. See also p. 438, ed. 1845. 
 
 144. ellebor. Two kinds of hellebore are mentioned by old writers ; 
 'white hellebore, called sneezing powder, a strong purger upward* 
 (Burton's Anat. of Mel. p. 439), and ' black hellebore, that most renowned 
 plant, a famous purger of melancholy.' Ibid. p. 442, ed. 1845. 
 
 150. graunt mercy , great thanks; this in later authors is corrupted 
 into grammercy or gramercy. 
 
 156. so mot I thee, so may I thrive, (or prosper). 
 
 164. Oon of the gretteste auctours. 'Cicero, De Divin. Li. c. 27, 
 relates this and the following story, but in a different order, and with so 
 many other differences, that one might be led to suspect that he was 
 here quoted at second-hand, if it were not usual with Chaucer, in these 
 stories of familiar life, to throw in a number of natural circumstances, 
 not to be found in his original authors.' Tyrwhitt. But Warton thinks 
 that Chaucer took it rather from Valerius Maximus, who has the same 
 story; i. 7. 
 
 184. Oxes; written oxe in HI. Cp. Ln; where oxe corresponds to the 
 older English gen. oxan, of an ox oxe standing for oxen, (as in Oxen- 
 ford, see note on 1. 285 of Prologue). Thus oxes and oxe are equivalent. 
 
 190. took of this no keep, took no heed of this, paid no attention to it. 
 
 201. sooth to sayn, to say (tell) the truth. 
 
 222. gapinge. The phrase gaping upright occurs elsewhere (see 
 Knightes Tale, 1. 1150), and signifies lying flat on the back with the 
 mouth open. Cf. ' Dede he sate uprighte/ i. e. he lay on his back dead. 
 The Sowdone of Babyloyne, 1. 530. 
 
 225. Harrow, a cry of distress; a cry for help. 'Harrow! alas! I 
 swelt here as I go/ The Ordinary; see vol. iii. p. 150, of the Ancient 
 Drama. 
 
 227. outsterte (Elles.) ; upsterte (Harl.). 
 
 264. And prey de him his viagefor to lette, And prayed him to abandon 
 his journey. 
 
 265. to abyde, to stay where he was. 
 269. my thinges, my business-matters. 
 
 290. 'Kenelm succeeded his father Kenulph on the throne of the 
 Mercians in 821 [Haydn, Book of Dates, says 819] at the age of seven 
 years, and was murdered by order of his aunt, Quenedreda. He was 
 subsequently made a saint, and his legend will be found in Capgrave, 
 or in the Golden Legend.' Wright. 
 
THE NONNE PRESTES TALE. 199 
 
 St. Kenelm's day is Dec. 13. Alban Butler, in his Lives of the 
 Saints, says : [Kenulph] { dying in 819, left his son Kenelm, a child 
 only seven years old [see 1. 297] heir to his crown, under the tutelage 
 of his sister Quindride. This ambitious woman committed his person 
 to the care of one Ascobert, whom she had hired to make away with 
 him. The wicked minister decoyed the innocent child into an unfre- 
 quented wood, cut off his head, and buried him under a thorn-tree. 
 His corpse is said to have been discovered by a heavenly ray of light 
 which shone over the place, and by the following inscription : 
 * In Clent cow-pasture, under a thorn, 
 Of head bereft, lies Kenelm, king born.' 
 
 Milton tells the story in his History of Britain, bk. iv. ed. 1695, p. 218, 
 and refers us to Matthew of Westminster. He adds that the ' inscription ' 
 was inside a note, which was miraculously dropped by a dove on the 
 altar at Rome. Our great poet's version of it is : 
 
 c Low in a Mead of Kine, under a thorn, 
 Of Head bereft, li'th poor Kenelm King-bom.' 
 Clent is near the boundary between Staffordshire and Worcestershire. 
 
 Neither of these accounts mention Kenelm's dream, but it is given in 
 his Life, as printed in Early Eng. Poems, ed. Furnivall (Phil. Soc. 1862), 
 p. 51. St. Kenelm dreamt that he saw a noble tree with wax-lights 
 upon it, and that he climbed to the top of it; whereupon one of his 
 best friends cut it down, and he was turned into a little bird, and flew 
 up to heaven. The little bird denoted his soul, and the flight to heaven 
 his death. 
 
 297. For traisoun, i.e. for fear of treason. 
 
 304. Cipioun. The Somnium Scipionis of Cicero, as annotated by 
 Macrobius, was a favourite work during the middle ages. 
 
 318. See the Monkes Tale, B. 3917, and the note; in CH. II., p. 193. 
 
 321. Lo heer Andromacha. Andromache's dream is not to be found 
 in Homer. It is related in chapter xxiv. of Dares Phrygius, the authority 
 for the history of the Trojan war most popular in the middle ages. 
 See the Troy-book, ed. Panton and Donaldson (E. E. T. S.), 1. 8425. 
 
 331. as for conclusiounj in conclusion. 
 
 334. telle ... o store, set no store by them ; reckon them of no 
 value ; count them as useless. 
 
 336. never e a del, never a whit, not in the slightest degree. 
 
 340. This line is repeated from the Compleynt of Mars, 1. 61. 
 
 343-346. 'By way of quiet retaliation for Partlet's sarcasm, he cites 
 a Latin proverbial saying, in 1. 344, 'Mulier est hominis confusio,' 
 which he turns into a pretended compliment by the false translation in 
 11. 345, 346.' Marsh. Tyrwhitt quotes it from Vincent of Beauvais, 
 Spec. Hist. x. 71. 
 
200 NOTES. 
 
 355. lay, for that lay. Chaucer omits the relative, as is frequently 
 done in Middle English poetry ; see 1. 80. 
 
 374. See note on 11. 35, 36. 
 
 385. Cf. Man of Lawes Tale, B. 421, and the note. See Prov. 
 xiv. 13. 
 
 388. In the margin of MSS. E. and Hn. is written * Petras Comestor,' 
 who is probably here referred to. 
 
 392. See the Squieres Tale, 287, and the note. 
 
 395. col-fox, a treacherous fox. Tyrwhitt quotes Heywood for cole- 
 prophet and colepoysoun. See Glossary for the explanation of the prefix 
 col 
 
 407. Genilon; the traitor who caused the defeat of Charlemagne, and 
 the death of Roland; see Book of the Duchesse, 1121, and the note in 
 Skeat's edition of the Minor Poems. 
 
 408. See Vergil, JEa. ii. 259. 
 
 420. bulte it to the bren, sift the matter; cf. the phrase to boult the 
 bran. See the argument in Troilus, iv. 967 ; cf. Milton, P. L. ii. 560. 
 422. Boece, i. e. Boethius. See note to Kn. Tale, 305. 
 
 Eradwardyn. Thomas Bradwardine was Proctor in the University 
 of Oxford in the year 1325, and afterwards became Divinity Professor 
 and Chancellor of the University. His chief work is ' On the Cause of 
 God' (De Causa Dei). See Morley's English Writers, ii. p. 62. 
 
 424. for was probably inserted by the scribes, who did not know that 
 nedely was a word of three syllables. See 1. 425, which is perhaps to 
 be scanned with Nedely as a trisyllable, and simple as a monosyllable. 
 
 436. Colde, baneful, fatal. The proverb is Icelandic ; ' kold era opt 
 
 kvenna-raS,' cold (fatal) are oft women's counsels ; Icel. Diet. s. v. kaldr. 
 
 451. Phisiologus. 'He alludes to a book in Latin metre, entitled 
 
 Physiologus de Naturis xii. Animalium, by one Theobaldus, whose age 
 
 is not known. The chapter De Sirenis begins thus : 
 
 Sirenae sunt monstra maris resonantia magnis, 
 Vocibus et modulis cantus formantia multis, 
 Ad quas incaute veniunt saepissime nautae, 
 Quae faciunt sompnum nimia dulcedine vocum.' Tyrwhitt. 
 See The Bestiary, in Dr. Morris's Old English Miscellany, pp. 18, 207 ; 
 and cf. Rom. Rose, 680. 
 
 457. In Douglas's Virgil, prol. to Book xi. st. 15, we have 
 ' Becum thow cowart, craudoun recryand, 
 
 And by consent cry cok, thi deid is dycht;' 
 
 i. e. if thou turn coward, (and) a recreant craven, and consent to cry cok, 
 thy death is imminent. In a note on this passage, Ruddiman says 
 ' Cok is the sound which cocks utter when they are beaten.' But it is 
 probable that this is only a guess, and that Douglas is merely quoting 
 
THE NONNE PRESTES TALE. 3OI 
 
 Chaucer. To cry cok! cok ! refers rather to the utterance of rapid 
 cries of alarm, as fowls cry when scared. Brand (Pop. Antiq. ed. Ellis, 
 ii. 58) copies Ruddiman's explanation of the above passage. 
 
 480. ' As I hope to retain the use of my two eyes.' So Havelok, 
 1. 2545 : 
 
 ' So mote ich brouke mi Rith eie ! ' 
 And 1. 1743: 'So mote ich brouke finger or to.' 
 And 1. 311: 'So brouke i euere mi blake swire!' 
 s/zre = neck. See also Brouke in the Glossary to Gamelyn, ed. Skeat. 
 
 492. daun Burnel the Asse. 'The story alluded to is in a poem of 
 Nigellus Wireker, entitled Burnellus sen Speculum Stultorum, written 
 in the time of Richard I. In the Chester Whitsun Playes, Burnell is 
 used as a nickname for an ass. The original word was probably brunell, 
 from its brown colour ; as the fox below is called Russel, from his red 
 colour.' Tyrwhitt. The Latin story is printed in The Anglo-Latin 
 Satirists of the Twelfth Century, ed. T. Wright, .55. There is an 
 amusing translation of it in Lowland Scotch, printed as ' The Unicornis 
 Tale ' in Small's edition of Laing's Select Remains of Scotch Poetry, 
 ed. 1885, P- 2 85- It tells how a certain young Gundulfus broke a cock's 
 leg by throwing a stone at him. On the morning of the day when 
 Gundulfus was to be ordained and to receive a benefice, the cock took 
 his revenge by riot crowing till much later than usual; and so Gundulfus 
 was too late for the ceremony, and lost his benefice. Cf. Warton, Hist. 
 E. P., ed. 1871, ii. 352. As to the name Russel, see note to 1. 29. 
 
 509. Ecclesiaste; not Ecclesiastes, but Ecclesiasticus, xii. 10, ii, 16. 
 Cf. Tale of Melibeus, B. 2368. 
 
 515. Tyrwhitt cites the O. F. form gar gate from the Roman de Ron. 
 Several examples of it are given by Godefroy. 
 
 527. O Gaufred. ' He alludes to a passage in the Nova Poetria of 
 Geoffrey de Vinsauf, published not long after the death of Richard I. 
 In this work the author has not only given instructions for composing 
 in the different styles of poetry, but also examples. His specimen of 
 the plaintive style begins thus : 
 
 Neustria, sub clypeo regis defensa Ricardi, 
 
 Indefensa modo, gestu testare dolorem; 
 
 Exundent oculi lacrymas; exterminet ora 
 
 Pallor ; connodet digitos tortura ; cruentet 
 
 Interiora dolor, et verberet aethera clamor ; 
 
 Tota peris ex morte sua. Mors non fuit ejus, 
 
 Sed tua, non una, sed publica mortis origo. 
 
 O Veneris lacrymosa dies ! O sydus amarum ! 
 
 Ilia dies tua nox fuit, et Venus ilia venenum. 
 
 Ilia dedit vulnus, &c. 
 These lines are sufficient "to show the object and the propriety of 
 
202 NOTES. 
 
 Chaucer's ridicule. The whole poem is printed in Leyser's Hist. Poet. 
 Med. yEvi, pp. 862-978.' Tyrwhitt. 
 
 528. Richard I. died on April 6, 1199, on Tuesday; but he received 
 his wound on Friday, March 26. 
 
 530. Why ne hadde 7=O that I had. 
 
 537. streite swerd= drawn (naked) sword. Cf. Aeneid, ii. 333, 334: 
 
 ' Stat ferri acies mucrone corusco 
 Stricta, parata neci.' 
 
 538. See Aeneid, ii. 55-553- 
 
 543. Hasdrubal; not Hannibal's brother, but the King of Carthage 
 when the Romans burnt it, B. c. 146. Hasdrubal slew himself; and his 
 wife and her two sons burnt themselves in despair ; see Orosius, iv. 13. 3, 
 or Alfred's translation, ed. Sweet, p. 212. Lydgate has the story in his 
 Fall of Princes, bk. v. capp. 12 and 27. 
 
 574. Walsingham relates how, in 1381, Jakke Straw and his men 
 killed many Flemings ' cum clamore consueto.* He also speaks of the 
 noise made by the rebels as 'clamor horrendissimus.' See Jakke in 
 Tyrwhitt's Glossary. 
 
 580. houped. See Piers Plowman, ed. Wright, p. 127, 'houped after 
 Hunger, that herde hym,' &c. ; or ed. Skeat (Clarendon Press), B. vi. 
 
 *74- 
 
 625. My Lord. A side-note in MS. E. explains this to refer to the 
 Archbishop of Canterbury ; probably William Courtenay, archbishop 
 from 1381 to 1396. 
 
 ADDITIONAL NOTE TO THE KNIGHTES TALE ; 1. 319. 
 
 The note on p. 175 may be amended. The fable is practically the 
 same as that of ' The Lion, the Tiger, and the Fox ' in Croxall's edition 
 of ^Esop's Fables. In the modern edition by James (London, 1852), it 
 is Fable No. 141, and is entitled 'The Lion, the Bear, and the Fox/ See 
 N. and Q. 7 S. vi. 53, 90, 236. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 A = Prologue. B = Knightes Tale. C = Nonne Prestes Tale. 
 
 The following are the chief contractions used : 
 
 A.S. = Anglo-Saxon. Lat. = Latin. 
 Dan. = Danish. M.E. = Middle English. 
 Du. = Dutch. O.F. = Old French. 
 F. = French. O. H. Ger. = Old High German. 
 Ger. = German. Prompt. Parv. = Promptorium Par- 
 Goth. = Gothic. vulorum. 
 Gr. = Greek. Prov. Engl. = Provincial English. 
 Icel. = Icelandic. Sp. = Spanish. 
 It. = Italian. Sw. = Swedish. 
 
 An asterisk prefixed to a form signifies that such a form is theoretical. 
 
 A. 
 
 A, one, single. A. S. an, Ger. ein, 
 one ; Eng. indef. article an or a. 
 Cf. M. E. o, oo, one ; fa, to, the 
 one, the first. 
 
 A, in, on; cf. a-nlght, B 184; a- 
 morwe, A 822 ; a-day, in the day, 
 B 1765 ; a Goddes name, in God's 
 name, A 854 ; a-three, in three, B 
 2076. Cf. Mod. Eng. a-foot, a- 
 sleep, a-hunting, a-building, &c. 
 A. S. and O. S. an, in, on. It is 
 still used in the South of Eng- 
 land. 
 
 Abbey, abbey : C 34. 
 
 Able, fit, capable, adapted : A 167. 
 Lat. habilis (Lat. habeo, to have), 
 convenient, fit : O. F. habile, able, 
 expert, fit. 
 
 Aboghte (the pret. of abegge or 
 abye"), atoned for, suffered for: 
 B 1445 ; pp. aboght, 2242. A. S. 
 dbycgan, to redeem, pay the 
 purchase-money, to pay the 
 penalty (from bycgan, to buy). 
 
 Cf. the modern expression to 
 buy it dear.' 'So shalt thou 
 honge in helle and bye it dere : ' 
 Occleve, De Reg. Princip. 162. 
 Shakespeare and Milton have, 
 from similarity of sound, given 
 the sense of abye to the verb 
 abide, as in the following ex- 
 amples : 
 ' If it be found so, some will dear 
 
 abide it.' Julius Csesar, iii. 2. 
 
 119. 
 'Disparage not the faith thou 
 
 dost not know, 
 Lest to thy peril thou abide it 
 
 dear.' Mids. Night's Dream, 
 
 iii. 2. 175. 
 c How dearly I abide that boast 
 
 so vain.' Paradise Lost, iv. 
 
 87. 
 
 Abood, delay : B 107. See Abide. 
 
 Aboven, above: A 53. A.S. 
 
 abufan, be-ufan, ufan ; Du. boven, 
 
 above. Cf. the M. E. forms buve, 
 
 buven, aboon, above. 
 
2O4 
 
 GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 Abrayde, started (suddenly), a- 
 woke: C 188. A.S. bregdan,to 
 move, turn, weave ; Icel. bregfia, 
 to draw out a sword, to pull 
 down, to awake, to leap. The 
 M. E. braide has all these mean- 
 ings, and signifies also to cry out 
 suddenly, to scold ; whence Eng. 
 braid, upbraid. The A. S. br&gd, 
 bregd, Icel. bragft, signifies a 
 sudden start, blow, deceit ; hence 
 the M. E. phrase ' at a braid,' = 
 in a trice. The Icel. bragft is 
 also applied to the features or to 
 the gestures, by which an indi- 
 vidual is characterized; hence 
 Prov. Eng. braid, to resemble, 
 pretend ; Eng. braid, appearance 
 (Bailey). Shakespeare uses braid 
 = braided, of deceitful manner. 
 
 Abregge, to shorten, abridge: B 
 2141. F. a-breger; Lat. abbre- 
 viare. Cf. M. E. ogregge, a- 
 gredge, to aggravate, from F. 
 aggreger (from Lat. gravis). 
 
 Abyde, Abyden (pret. abod, a- 
 bood; pp.. abiden), abide, delay, 
 wait for, await: B 69, 2124; c 
 260. A. S. abidan, bidan, to 
 wait, remain; Goth, beidan, to 
 expect. 
 
 Accomplice, to accomplish: B 
 2006. 
 
 Accord, Acord, agreement: A 838, 
 
 C59- 
 
 Achat, purchase: A 571. O. F. 
 achepter, to buy; F. acheter, It. 
 accattare, to acquire, get; Low 
 Lat. accaptare. Cf. M. E. acates, 
 cates, victuals, provision, delica- 
 cies; eatery, store-room; Eng. 
 cater. F. achaf, purchase. 
 
 Achatour, purchaser, caterer: A 
 568. See Achat. 
 
 Acordaunt, according to, agree- 
 ing, suitable : A 37. 
 
 Acorde, to agree, suit : A 244, 830 ; 
 pp. Acorded, B 356. F. accorder, 
 to agree (from Lat. cor, the 
 heart). 
 
 Adamant, adamant : B 1132. Gr. 
 d-5a/*as (a privative, Sa/wzcu, to 
 tame, subdue), the hardest metal, 
 probably steel (also the dia- 
 mond) ; whence Eng. adaman- 
 tine. 
 
 * In adamantine chains and penal 
 fire.' Milton, Par. Lost, i. 48. 
 Adamant is sometimes (but in- 
 correctly) applied to the magnet 
 or loadstone. Cf. ' Well she's a 
 most attractive adamant? T. 
 Hey wood, ed. Collier, p. 8. 
 
 Adoun, down, downwards, below : 
 A 393 ; cf. doun, B 245. A.S. of- 
 dune (cf. O. F. a val, to the 
 valley, downwards), from the 
 hill, downwards; from dun, a 
 hill, down. 
 
 Adrad, pp. in great dread, afraid : 
 A 605. Cf. M.E. of-drad, much 
 afraid ; where the prefix of is in- 
 tensive, like for-, Lat. per-. 
 
 Aferd, Afered, in great fear, 
 afraid : A 628, B 660. Cf. M. E. 
 ferd,ferdnesse, fear ; offered, much 
 afraid. See Adrad. 
 
 Affeccioun, affection, hope : B 300. 
 
 Affermed, confirmed: B 1491. 
 
 Affrayed, terrified, scared : c 458. 
 F. effrayer, to scare, appal ; effroi, 
 terror : whence affray. 
 
 Affyle, to file, polish: A 712. F. 
 affiler, It. affilare, to sharpen : F. 
 jil, edge ; Lat.^/wm, a thread. 
 
 Afright, in fright, afraid : c 75. 
 From A. S. fyrhtu, fright. Cf. 
 Goth.faurhts, timid. 
 
 Agast, terrified, aghast: B 1483; 
 Agaste him, was terrified : B 
 1566. Cf. M. E. gastlic, ghastly, 
 gastnes, fear ; A. S. g&stan, Goth. 
 us-gaisjan, to terrify ; us-geisnan, 
 to be amazed ; Dan. gys y terror. 
 
 Agayn, Ageyn, again, against, 
 towards: A 66, 801. A.S. on- 
 gean, on-gen, a-gen, opposite, 
 towards, against; gean, oppo- 
 site, against ; O. Sw. gen, oppo- 
 site ; Ger. gegen, against. 
 
GLOSS AR Y. 
 
 205 
 
 Agon, Agoon, gone, past, B 418, 
 924 ; the past participle of M. E. 
 verb agon, to go, pass away. 
 
 . A. S. dgdn, dgangan. We also 
 meet with ygo in the same sense, 
 and some etymologists have er- 
 roneously supposed that the pre- 
 fix a- is a corruption of y-. 
 
 Agrief, in grief: C 73. 'To take 
 it agrief y *=to take it amiss, feel 
 aggrieved, be displeased. 
 
 Al, all, whole (cf. al a = a whole, A 
 584) ; quite, wholly (cf. al redy, 
 al armed, &c.) ; although (cf. al 
 speke he, al have 7, al be it}: A 71, 
 76, 297, 734, B 1406. See Alle. 
 
 Alaunts, a species of dog : B 1290. 
 They were used for hunting the 
 boar. Sp.andltal.a/awo. Tyrwhitt 
 says they were much esteemed in 
 Italy in the fourteenth century. 
 Gualv. de la Flamma (ap. Mura- 
 tor. Antiq. Med. JE. t. ii. p. 394) 
 commends the governors of 
 Milan 'quod equos emissarios 
 equabus magnis commiscuerunt, et 
 procreati sunt in nostro territorio 
 DESTRARII nobiles, qui in magno 
 pretio habentur. Item CANES 
 ALANOS altae staturae et mira- 
 bilis fortitudinis nutrire studue- 
 runt.' 
 
 Al be, although : A 297. 
 
 Alder-best. See Aller. 
 
 Ale-stake, a horizontal stake pro- 
 jecting from an ale-house to sup- 
 port a sign, A 667 ; ' le moy d'une 
 taverne' (Palsgrave). It appears 
 that a bush was often placed at 
 the end of the ale-stake. 
 
 Algate, always: A 571. M.E. 
 algates; cf. swagate, thus ; North 
 Prov. Eng. gale, way ; Eng. gait; 
 Icel. gata, a path ; Sw. gata, 
 way, street. 
 
 Alighte, (pp. alight}, alighted : A 
 722, B 125. Cf. the phrase 'to 
 light upon.' A. S. dlihtan, to 
 descend, alight. 
 Alle, pi. of al (all) : A 26, 53. 
 
 Aller, of all (gen. pi. of al). The 
 older forms are air a, alre, a Her, 
 later alder, alther ; our aller t of 
 us all, A 823 ; hir aller, of them 
 all, A 586 ; alderbest, best of all, 
 A 710, &c. The insertion of d 
 or th serves merely to strengthen 
 the word, as in lend, spend (older 
 forms lene, spene). 
 
 Alliaunce, alliance : 62115. F. 
 allier, to ally ; Lat. ligare, to tie ; 
 alligare, to bind. 
 
 Also, as: A 730. A. S. ealswd; 
 M.E. al-se, ase. These forms 
 shew that as is a contraction 
 from al-so. Cf. Ger. a/so, als; 
 O. Fris. alsa, alse, <zsa, ase. 
 
 Amblere, a nag : A 469. 
 
 Amiddes, amidst, in the middle : 
 B 1151. 
 
 Amonges, amongst : A 759. 
 
 Amorwe, on the morrow : A 822. 
 
 Amounte, to amount to, signify, 
 denote : B 1504. 
 
 And = an, if: B 356. 
 
 Anhanged, hung up, c 242. The 
 prefix an = on, up. 
 
 Anlas (or Anelace), a kind of 
 knife or dagger, usually worn at 
 the girdle : A 357. 
 
 Anoint, anointed : A 199. 
 
 Anon, Anoon, in one (instant), 
 anon : A 32. M. E. an an, or on 
 an. 
 
 Apalled, become weak, feeble, 
 B 2195 ; originally 'made pale' 
 Chaucer speaks of 'an old ap- 
 palled wight,' i. e. a man en- 
 feebled through old age. It is 
 connected with O. F. appalir, to 
 grow pale ; see Murray's Diet. 
 
 Apayd, pleased, satisfied: B 1010. 
 F. payer, to satisfy, pay (Lat. 
 pacare) ; whence M. E. pay, satis- 
 faction, gratification, pleasure ; 
 Eng. pay. 
 
 Ape, metaphorically, a fool : A 
 
 706. 
 
 Apothecarie, apothecary : A 425. 
 Apparailling, preparation: B 2055. 
 
206 
 
 GLOSSAR K. 
 
 F. appareiller, to fit, suit ; pareil, 
 like ; Lat. par, equal, like. The 
 original meaning of appareiller 
 is to join like to like. 
 
 Appetyt, desire, appetite : B 822. 
 
 Apyked, trimmed: A 365. See 
 Piked. 
 
 Aqueyntaunce, acquaintance: A 
 
 245- 
 
 Arest, a support for the spear 
 when couched for the attack: 
 B 1744. It is sometimes written 
 rest. ' And there was a squyer 
 called Albert of Colayne, he 
 turned and couched the spere in 
 the rest, and came rennyng 
 agaynst the lorde of Poytrell.' 
 Berner's Froissart, i. 68. 
 
 Areste, seizure, custody: B 452, 
 C8o. 
 
 Areste, to stop (a horse) : A 827. 
 
 Aretted, ascribed, imputed, deem- 
 ed: Bi87i. According to Cowell 
 a person is aretted ' that is con- 
 vented before a judge, and 
 charged with a crime.' O. F. 
 areter, aretter, to impute ; from 
 Lat. ad and reputare; see Aret 
 in Murray's Diet. 
 
 Arm-greet, as thick as a man's 
 arm: B 1287. 
 
 Armipotente, mighty in arms: 
 B 1124. 
 
 Array, state, situation, dress, 
 equipage: A 41, B 76. 
 
 Arrayed, set in order, dressed, 
 adorned, equipped : BiiSS. It. 
 arredare, to prepare, get ready ; 
 O. F. arroyer, arreer, dispose, fit 
 out. The root is to be found 
 in the Teutonic dialects. Cf. 
 Sw. reda t to prepare ; reda, 
 order; A. S. reed; Ger. bereit, 
 ready; Dan. rede, plain, straight, 
 clear. 
 
 Arrerage, arrears : A 602. 
 
 Arresten, to stop, seize, c 200. 
 F. arrester (from Lat. restare, to 
 stand still), to bring one to 
 stand, to seize his person. 
 
 Ars-metrik, arithmetic : B 1040. 
 
 Ar we, arrow : A 1 04. A. S. arewe ; 
 Icel. or (gen. orvar) . 
 
 Aryve, arrival, or perhaps disem- 
 barkation (of troops) : A 60. 
 F. arriver, to arrive, from Lat. 
 ad-ripare, to come to shore 
 (ripa, shore). 
 
 As, as if: A 636, c 570. 
 
 Aslake, to moderate, appease : B 
 902. Icel. slakr, loose ; Norw. 
 slekkja, to make slack, to slake, 
 quench ; slokna, to go out, faint ; 
 M. E. sloke. With this root we 
 must connect A. S. slacian, relax, 
 slack; sleac, slack; also slack- 
 lime, slag of a furnace. 
 
 As nouthe, As now, at present : 
 A 462, B 1406. Cf. M.E. as-swide, 
 immediately ; as-now, als-jite, at 
 once. nouffe = A. S. nu (now) 
 and $d (then). See Wouthe. 
 
 A-sonder, asunder : A 491. 
 
 Assaut, assault: B 131. F. as- 
 saillir, to assail ; saillir, to leap, 
 sally ; Lat. salire, to leap, spring. 
 
 Assayed, tried: B 953. F. essayer, 
 to try, essay. 
 
 Asseged, besieged: 823. F. siege; 
 It. sedia, seggia, a seat or sit- 
 ting ; It. assedio, with same sense 
 as Lat. obsidium, the sitting 
 down before a town in a hostile 
 way. 
 
 Asshen, ashes : B 444. 
 
 Assoilling, absolution, acquittal : 
 A 661. O. F. assoiller, Lat. ab- 
 solvere, to loose from. 
 
 Assuren, to make sure, confirm : 
 B 1066. 
 
 Assyse, assize : A 314. F. asseoir, 
 to set (Lat. assidere) ; assis, set, 
 seated ; assise, a settled tax ; cour 
 d'assise, a court held on a set 
 day. Cf. It. assisa, a settled 
 pattern of dress ; Eng. size. 
 
 Astat, estate, rank. See Estat. 
 
 Asterte, to escape, B 737 PP- 
 astert, B 734. See Sterte. 
 
 Astoned, astonished : B 1503. 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 207 
 
 O. F. estonnir, to astonish, amaze 
 (Lat. *extonare, to thunder at). 
 
 Astored, stored : A 609. 
 
 Asur, azure : c 42. 
 
 Athamaunte, adamant : B 447. 
 
 Atrede, to surpass in council, 
 outwit: B 1591. a/-=A. S. </-, 
 prefix ; cf. G. ent-, prefix. 
 
 At-renne, out-run : B 1591. See 
 Renne. 
 
 Atte, at the: M. E. at-tham, at- 
 than. Cf. atte beste, in the best 
 manner, A 29, 749 ; atte laste, at 
 the last, A 707 ; attefulle = fully, 
 A 651. 
 
 Attempree, adj. temperate, mode- 
 rate: c 1 8. 
 
 Atteyne, to attain: B 385. F. 
 atteindre (Lat. tangere, to touch, 
 attingere, to reach to). 
 
 Auctoritee, authority; a text of 
 Scripture, or some respectable 
 writer: B 2142, c 155. 
 
 Auctours, authors, writers of 
 credit : C 164. 
 
 Auter, altar : B 1047. 
 
 Avaunce, to be of advantage, be 
 profitable: A 246. F. avancer, 
 to push forward ; avant, It. 
 avante, before, forwards ; Lat. 
 ab ante. 
 
 Avaunt, boast, vaunt: A 227. 
 
 Avauntage, advantage : B 435. 
 See Avaunce. 
 
 Avauntour, boaster : c 97. 
 
 Aventure, chance, luck, misfor- 
 tune, adventure : A 25, 795. 
 O. F, avenir (Lat. advenire), to 
 happen. Hence Eng. perad- 
 venture. 
 
 Avisioun, vision : c 294. 
 
 Avow, vow, promise: B 1379. 
 
 Avoy, fje ! c 83. O. F. avoi ! fie ! 
 (interjection), of which nume- 
 rous examples are given in 
 Godefroy. (Of unknown origin). 
 
 Avys, advice, consideration, opin- 
 ion : A 786, B i oio. O.F. avis, 
 It. avviso, view, opinion, settle- 
 ment ; Lat. uisum, from uideri. 
 
 Awayt, watch, wait : C 405. O. F. 
 
 waiter, gaiter. This is connected 
 
 with wake. A. S. wacan, Goth. 
 
 waltan, Icel. vaka, to be vigilant ; 
 
 Eng. watch, waits, to await. 
 Awe, fear, dread: A 654. Icel. 
 
 agi, Goth, agis, fear ; Goth. 
 
 ogan, to fear. 
 
 Axe, to ask : B 489. A. S. dcsian. 
 Axing, asking, demand : B 968. 
 Ay, ever, aye : A 63. 
 Ayeins, against : B 929. 
 Ay el, a grandfather : B 1619. ^ ' 
 
 a'ieul, O. F. ael, dimin. from Lat. 
 
 B. 
 
 Bachelor, Bachiller, an unmar- 
 ried man, bachelor, a knight : 
 A 80. O.F. bacelle, bacelote, 
 bachellette, a servant, apprentice ; 
 bacelerie, youth; bachelage, ap- 
 prenticeship, art and study of 
 chivalry ; bachelier, a young 
 man, an aspirant to knight- 
 hood. 
 
 Bacoun, bacon : c 25. O. F. 
 bacon, M. Du. backe, a pig. 
 
 Baillif, bailiff: A 603. M.E. baili. 
 'He is my ryve [= reeve] and 
 bayly, Inquilinus prediorum urbi- 
 corum et rusticorum,' Herman. 
 F. bailli, It. balivo t bailo, from 
 Low Lat. baiulus, a bearer, with 
 the later meanings of (i) a 
 nurse, (2) a tutor. From F. 
 bailler (Lat. baiulare), to hand 
 over, comes Eng. bail. In the 
 Wiclifnte versions, baili seems 
 to imply the charge or office: 
 ' 3elde rekenyng of thi baili, for 
 thou mighte not now be baili.' 
 Luc. xvi. 2. 
 
 Bak, back: c 516. 
 
 Bake = bdken, baked : A 343. This 
 verb now belongs to the weak 
 conjugation. 
 
 Balled, bald : A 198, B 1660. The 
 original meaning seems to have 
 
208 
 
 GLOSS AR Y. 
 
 been (i) shining, (2) white (as in 
 fcaW-faced stag). Cf. Welsh 
 ceffyl bal, a horse having a 
 white streak on the forehead. 
 
 Bane, destruction, death: B 239, 
 823. A.S. bana t bona, O.H. Ger. 
 bana, Fris. bona, Icel. bani, de- 
 struction, a violent death, bane ; 
 Goth. banja,a. wound; Icel. bana, 
 to slay. The M. E. bane some- 
 times signifies poison, whence 
 hen-bane, fty-bane. 
 
 Barter, a banner: B 120, 1552. 
 Mid. Lat. banera, bannerium ; 
 F. banniere; It. bandiera. Mr. 
 Wedgwood suggests the Goth. 
 bandwo, a sign or token, as the 
 root, which is connected with 
 Eng. bind. 
 
 Bar, bore, carried: A 105, 158, 
 558, 618 ; bar en t/s, conducted 
 ourselves, A 721. See Bere. 
 
 Barbour, a barber, B 1167. F. 
 barbier, from Lat. barba, the 
 beard. 
 
 Bare, bare, open : A 683, B 2019. 
 
 Bareyn, Bareyne, barren, de- 
 void of: B 386, 1119. O. F. 
 baraigite, brehaigne, sterile; of 
 uncertain origin. 
 
 Baronage, an assembly of barons : 
 B 2238. It. barone, Sp. varon, 
 F. baron, O. F. baron, accus. 
 case of O. F. ber, bar, a man. 
 Originally man, husband. 'Lo 
 bar non es creat per la femna 
 mas la femna per lo baro* 
 'The man was not created for 
 the woman, but the woman for 
 the man;' Raynouard. In our 
 own law it was used for married 
 men ; baron and femme, man and 
 wife. 
 
 Barre, bar or bolt of a door: 
 B 217. O. F. barre, Mid. Lat. 
 barra ; of unknown origin. Bar- 
 ricade and barrier are formed 
 directly from the F. barre. Cf. 
 Sp. barras, bars ; F. embarras, 
 Eng. embarrassed. 
 
 Barres, ornaments of a girdle : 
 A 329. See note on 1. 329 of 
 Prologue. 
 
 Batailed, embattled : c 40. O. F. 
 bafille, bastille, built as a bas- 
 tille or fortress, furnished with 
 turrets. 
 
 Bataille, battle: A 61, B 130. F. 
 bataille, a. battle ; it also signifies, 
 like M. E. bataille, a squadron, 
 an armed host, a battalion. It. 
 batter e; F. battre, to beat. With 
 the root bat are connected bat- 
 tery, batter. 
 
 Bawdrik, baudrick, or baldrick, 
 belt, or girdle, worn transversely : 
 A 116. It sometimes signified 
 the cinguhtm or military belt. 
 It was used in the sixteenth 
 century for the jewelled orna- 
 ment worn round the neck both 
 by ladies and noblemen. O. F. 
 baudre, O. H. Ger. balderich ; 
 perhaps from Lat. baltem, a 
 belt. 
 
 Be, (i) to be, B 1377 ; (2) been, 
 
 A 60. 
 
 Bede, a bead (pi. bedes) : A 159. 
 A. S. gebed, O.Sax. beda, O. Fris. 
 bede, a prayer ; O. Sax. bedon, to 
 pray. 'Beads were strung on a 
 string, and originally used for 
 the purpose of helping the 
 memory in reciting a certain 
 tale of prayers or doxologies. 
 To bid one's bedes or beads was 
 to say one's prayers.' Wedg- 
 wood. 'Praying in gibberish, 
 and mumbling of beads.' Bur- 
 ton's Anat. of Mel. p. 26, ed. 
 
 I845-/ 
 Been, (i) to be; (2) are, A 178; 
 
 (3)' been, A 199. 
 Beer, did bear : 0516. 
 Beggere, a beggar : A 252. 
 Beggestere, a beggar, properly a 
 
 female beggar : A 242. 
 Bern, Beem, beam, rafter (pi. 
 
 bemes)'. C 122. A.S. beam, a 
 
 tree, stick, beam ; Ger. Baum, 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 209 
 
 Du. boom, a tree. Cf. boom of a 
 vessel, beam in horn-foam. 
 
 Bemes, trumpets, horns: C 578. 
 A. S. beme, by me, a trumpet. 
 
 Ben, (i) to be. See Been. 
 
 Benigne, kind: A 518. 
 
 Bent, declivity of a hill, a plain, 
 open field: dat. bente, B 1123. 
 A. S. beonet (in place-names) ; 
 cognate with G. binse, rush, reed, 
 stout grass. 
 
 Berd, beard: A 270, B 1272. 
 
 Bere, to bear, to carry, to conduct 
 oneself, behave : A 796 ; to 
 pierce, strike, B 1398 ; as 'to 
 fore through' = to pierce through. 
 Imper. ber, B 1902. A. S. beran; 
 Goth, bairan. 
 
 Bere, a bier: B 2013. 
 
 Bere, a bear : B 782. 
 
 Ber king, barking : c 566. A. S. 
 beorcan, to bark ; Icel. braka, to 
 crash ; Dan. brag, crack, crash ; 
 O. H. Ger. gebreh, A. S. gebrcec, 
 a crash. 
 
 Berye, a berry : A 207. 
 
 Beste, a beast: B 451, 1118. 
 
 Bet, better: A 242. A. S. bet; 
 O. H. Ger. baz. See Bete. 
 The M. E. go bet = hasten, go 
 along quickly. 
 
 Bete, (i) to beat, (2) beaten, or- 
 namented. See Tbete. 
 
 Bete, to kindle, light : B 1395. 
 The literal meaning is to mend, 
 repair. A. S. betan, O. Fris. beta, 
 Goth, botjan, to amend, repair, 
 expiate. From A. S. bot, whence 
 Eng. boot, bootless; cf. better. 
 
 Beth (3rd pers. sing, of Been), is ; 
 (imp. pi.), be: c 510. 
 
 Bi-bled, covered over with blood : 
 BH44. 
 
 Bifalle, to befall, B 947 ; pp. be- 
 fallen, A 795. 
 
 Bifel, befell: A 19, B 151. 
 
 Bifore, Biforen, before: A 377, 
 450; B 518. 
 
 Bigan, began: A 44, B 690. 
 
 Biginne, to begin : A 42. 
 
 Bigonne, pp. begun : A 52. 
 Biholde, to behold (pret. biheld, 
 pp. biholde, biholden) : B 443, 
 
 Bihote, promise : B 996. A. S. 
 behdtan, to promise, vow. 
 
 Bihynde, behind : B 192. 
 
 Biknewe, pt. pL acknowledged, 
 confessed : c 241. 
 
 Biknowe, to acknowledge : B 698. 
 
 Bile, bill (of a bird) : c 41. A. S. 
 bile. 
 
 Biloved, beloved: A 21 5, 6571. 
 
 Binethe, beneath : 133. 
 
 Binne, bin, chest : A 593. It is 
 sometimes confused with bing, 
 which seems to have signified 
 originally a heap ; cf. Sw. binge, 
 heap ; Icel. bunga, a convexity. 
 1 You might have seen them 
 
 throng out of the town, 
 Like ants when they do spoil the 
 bing of corn.' Surrey's Poems, 
 p. 191, ed. Bell. 
 
 Biquethe, to bequeath : B 1910. 
 A. S. cwedan, to say ; whence 
 Eng. quoth. 
 
 Biraft, bereft: B 503. A.S. fo- 
 reafian, to deprive of, strip ; reaf- 
 ian, to spoil, reave. 
 
 Biseken, to beseech : B 60. A. S. 
 secan, to seek, enquire, ask for, 
 (we have the same root in for- 
 sake). Cf. Goth, sakan, to ob- 
 ject, reprove ; Ger. Sache, a 
 complaint ; M. E. sake, strife, 
 contention ; Eng. sake. 
 
 Bisette, to employ, use, arrange 
 (pret. bisette, pp. biset) : A 279, 
 B 2-1 54. 
 
 Bismotered, spotted, smutted : 
 A 76. A. S. besmitan, to defile, 
 besmut ; Du. smodderen, to dirty, 
 daub. Cf. Dan. smuds, Sw. 
 smuts, spot, splash, dirt; Eng. 
 smut, smutch, smudgy, &c. 
 
 Bisy, busy, industrious, anxious : 
 A 321. 
 
 Bisyde, beside, near : A 445. 
 
 Bisydes, beside, near : A 402. 
 
210 
 
 GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 Bisynesse, labour, care, anxiety: 
 A 520, B 149. 
 
 Bit (3rd pers. sing, of bidden}, bids : 
 A 187. 
 
 Bithoght, 'am bethoght,' have 
 thought of, have called to mind : 
 A 767. 
 
 Bitwene, between : B 2247. See 
 Bitwixe. 
 
 Bitwixe, betwixt: A 277. A.S. 
 betwuh, betweox. The second 
 element -tweox is connected with 
 two, and with be-tween. 
 
 Bitwixen, betwixt, between : B 2 2 . 
 
 Biwreye, to make known, be- 
 wray, betray: B 1371, C 231. 
 A. S. wregan, G. rugen, to dis- 
 cover, accuse. 
 
 Blak, black (def. form, and pi. 
 bloke} : A 557, B 41, 1659. A - S - 
 blcBc, black. 
 
 Blankmanger, some compound 
 of capon minced, with cream, 
 sugar, and flour : A 387. 
 
 Blede, to bleed, B 943 (pret. 
 bledde, A 145, pp. bled}. 
 
 Bleynte, blenched, started back : 
 B 220. M. E. blenchen, to blench, 
 glance. 
 
 Blis, dat. Blisse, bliss : B 372. 
 A.S. bits, joy, gladness, is formed 
 from the adj. blifa, joyful. Cf. 
 A. S. bliSsian, to rejoice. 
 
 Blisful, blessed, blissful: A 17, 
 770. 
 
 Blyve, quickly, forthwith : B 1839. 
 M. E. bilife. Cf. Dan. oplive, to 
 quicken, enliven, and the two 
 senses of our Eng. quick. 
 
 Booker, a butcher: B 1167. F. 
 boucher, from bouc, a goat. Cf. 
 It. becco, a goat ; beccaro, a 
 butcher ; boccino, young beef, 
 veal ; bocciero, a butcher. 
 
 Bok (pi. bokes}, a book : A 294. 
 
 Bokeler, buckler: A 112, 471. 
 F. bouclier, a shield with a cen- 
 tral boss, from boucle, protuber- 
 ance ; Mid. Lat. buccula scuti. 
 It is of course connected with 
 
 Eng. buckle, F. boucle; Ger. 
 Buckel, a stud ; all from Lat. 
 bucca, the cheek. 
 
 Bokelinge, buckling: B 1645. 
 
 Boket, a bucket : B 675. Cf. 
 O. F. buquet, a milk- pail (Gode- 
 froy) ; cf. A.S. buc, a jug. 
 
 Bole, bull; pi. boles: B 1281. 
 
 Bond, bound, = M. E. band (pret. 
 ofbinden): B 2133. 
 
 Bone, prayer, petition, boon: B 
 1411. Icel. b6n, prayer; A.S. 
 ben. 
 
 Boon, bone (pi. bones} : A 546, 
 B 319. The oo arises out of an 
 earlier a, as A. S. ban = M. E. 
 bo n. 
 
 Boor, boar (pi. bores} : B 800. 
 A. S. bar, Du. beer. 
 
 Boras, borax : A 630. 
 
 Bord, table: A 52, 023. A.S. 
 bord, table, margin ; Du. boord, 
 edge, border. See note on 1. 52 
 of Prol. 
 
 Bore, pp. born : B 684. 
 
 Bores. See Boor. 
 
 Born, pp. conducted : A 87. 
 
 Borwe, pledge, security : B 764. 
 A.S. borh, security, pledge ; borg- 
 ian, to lend (on security). Cf. 
 Ger. Burge, a surety, from 
 bergan, to protect ; bur gen, to 
 become a surety, to give bail 
 for another. 
 
 Bote, remedy: A 424. See Bete. 
 
 Boteler, butler : c 314. M. E. 
 botelere, F. botiteillier. It is de- 
 rived from O. F. botel, F. bou- 
 teille, a bottle. 
 
 Botes, boots : A 203, 273. Cf. F. 
 botte, boot ; Low Lat. bota. ' The 
 boot appears to have originally 
 been, like the Irish brogue and 
 Indian mocassin, a sort of bag 
 of skin or leather, enveloping 
 the foot and laced on the instep.' 
 (Wedgwood.) 
 
 Bothe, both : B 973. Cf. A. S. 
 begen, bd ; Goth, bai, baioths ; 
 Icel. bddir. Probably the bri 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 (M. E. 60), is seen also in Latin 
 am-bo, Gr. dfj.-(fxu. The E. both, 
 M. E. bo-the, is composed of 
 M. E. bo, and the def. art. the (see 
 Murray). 
 
 Botme, bottom: c 281. A. S. 
 botme, M. E. bothem, M. Du. 
 bodem. Cf. bottom, a small val- 
 ley, Lat./w</tts, and Gr. TrvQ^v. 
 
 Bouk, body :, B 1888. A. S. buc, 
 belly ; Icel. btikr, the body ; Sc. 
 bouk, trunk, body. Early con- 
 fused with bulk. 
 
 Bour, inner room: c 12. A. S. 
 bur, bower, inner chamber; 
 Prov. Eng. boor, a parlour. 
 
 Bowes, boughs: B 2059. 
 
 Bracer, guard for the arm : A 1 1 1. 
 
 Brak (the pret. of breke), broke : 
 B 610. See Breke. 
 
 Bras, brass: c 578. 
 
 Brast (the pret. of bersteti or 
 bresten), burst : C 398. It is 
 sometimes written barst; the pp. 
 was brusten, bursten, or borsten. 
 A. S. berstan ; Du. bersten ; Icel. 
 bresta, to burst. See Bresten. 
 
 Braun, muscle (pi. braunes) : A 
 546, B 1277. M. E. brahun. Cf. 
 Eng. brawny; Sc. brand, calf of 
 the leg ; O. F. braion, braoun, a 
 lump of flesh ; from O. H. G. 
 brdto, a piece of flesh for roast- 
 ing ; cf. Fris. braeye, Low Ger. 
 brae, a lump of flesh, calf of 
 the leg, flesh of a leg of pork. 
 In M. E. writers brawns often 
 signifies the flesh of a boar. 
 
 Braunche, a branch: B 209. F. 
 branche. 
 
 Brayde, starte ( d. See Abrayde. 
 
 Brede, breadth: B 1112. A. S. 
 brcedu, O. Fris. brede, breadth ; 
 from A. S. brad, broad. 
 
 Breed, bread : A 147. 
 
 Breem, a fresh-water fish, bream : 
 A 350. O. F. bresme, O. H. Ger. 
 brahsema. 
 
 Breeth, breath : A 5. The A.S. 
 br<E& signifies vapour, smell. 
 
 P 
 
 Breke, to break (pret. brak, broJe; 
 pp. broke, ibroken} : A 551. See 
 Brak. 
 
 Breme, fiercely, furiously : B 841. 
 A. S. breme, loud, keen ; M. E. 
 bream, fierce. ' The Saxons fled, 
 before that were full brimeJ 
 (Hardyng, p. 115.) Cf. Lat. 
 fremo, to roar. Professor Max 
 Miiller has the following capital 
 note on certain analogues con- 
 nected with this root : l What 
 is the English brim ? We say a 
 glass is brim full, or we fill our 
 glasses to the brim, which means 
 simply " to the edge. 5 ' We also 
 speak of the brim of a hat, the 
 Ger. Brame. Now originally 
 brim [in M. E. 6mw = sea, ocean] 
 did not mean every kind of edge 
 or verge, but only the line which 
 separates the land from the sea. 
 It is derived from the root 
 bhram, which, as it ought, ex- 
 hibits bh in Sanskrit, and means 
 to whirl about, applied to fire, 
 such as bhrama, the leaping 
 flame, or to water, such as 
 bhrama, a whirlpool, or to air, 
 such as bhrimi, a whirlwind. 
 Now what was called cestus by 
 the Romans, namely the swell 
 or surge of the sea, where the 
 waves seemed to foam, to flame 
 and to smoke (hence sestuary), 
 the same point was called by 
 the Teutonic nations the whirl 
 or the brim. After meaning the 
 border-line between land and 
 sea, it came to mean any border, 
 though in the expression "fill 
 your glasses to the brim" we 
 still imagine to see the original 
 conception of the sea rushing or 
 pouring in toward the dry land. 
 In Greek we have a derivative 
 verb phrimdssein, to toss about ; 
 in Lat. fremo, chiefly in the 
 sense of raging or roaring, and 
 perhaps frendo, to gnash, are 
 
GLOSSAR K 
 
 akin to this root. In the Teu- 
 tonic languages other words of 
 a totally different character must 
 be traced back to the same ori- 
 ginal conception of bhram, to 
 whirl, to be confused, to be 
 rolled up together, namely, 
 bramble, broom, &c.' Lectures 
 on the Science of Language, 
 Second Series, pp. 217, 218. 
 
 Bren, bran : c 420. Welsh bren, 
 bran ; O. F. bren. Cf. Gael, brein, 
 stink ; F. bren, ordure. 
 
 Brend, burnished, bright : B 1304. 
 
 Brende (pp. brend, brent}, burnt : 
 B 1567. See Brenne. 
 
 Brenne, to burn: B 1473. A. S. 
 brennan, bernan, M. Du. berneti, 
 Goth, brannjan, to burn. We 
 have the same root in 6nm-stone, 
 M. E. brenstone. 
 
 Brenningly, fiercely, ardently : B 
 706. 
 
 Brenning, sb. burning: B 138; 
 pres. part. 1142. 
 
 Brent, burnt: B 1159. See 
 Brenne. 
 
 Breres, briers : B 674. A.S. brer, 
 a brier. 
 
 Brest, bursteth : B 1752. 
 
 Brest, breast: A 115, 131. 
 
 Brest-plat, breast-plate : B 1262. 
 
 Bresten, to burst (pret. brast, pp. 
 borsten, bursteri),~B 1122: hence 
 to-breste, break in two, B 1753. 
 See Brast. 
 
 Bretful, brimfull: A 687, B 1306. 
 Tyrwhitt says that the sense of 
 this word is much clearer than 
 the etymology. 'But cf. Sw. 
 br'dddfull, brimfull, with Sw. 
 br'ddd, a brim.' Skeat. Bretful 
 = M.E. brurdful = full to the 
 brim, which is connected with 
 A. S. brerd, brink, brim. 
 
 Bretherhed, brotherhood, bro- 
 thers of a religious order : A 51 1. 
 
 Briddes, birds : C 6r. A. S. brid, 
 a (young) bird. So Shakespeare 
 speaks of 'the cuckoo's bird; 1 
 
 i Hen. IV. v. I. 60. Low Ger. 
 
 bridde, a chicken. 
 Brimstoon, brimstone: A 629. 
 
 M. E. brenstone = burning stone, 
 
 from bre?men, to burn. 
 Bristles, bristles : A 556. A. S. 
 
 byrstj bristle ; Du. borstel ; Ger. 
 
 Borste. 
 Broche, a brooch : A 160. O. F. 
 
 broche, Sp. broche, & clasp. Cf. 
 
 Lat. brocchus, a projecting tooth ; 
 
 It. brocco,& stump, peg; . broche, 
 
 a spit. 
 
 Brode, broad: B2i66. See Brood. 
 Erode, broadly, plainly : A 739. 
 Broke, broken. See Breke. 
 Brood, (def. form brode}, broad : 
 
 A 155, 471, 549. See Brede. 
 Brond, firebrand, burning log: B 
 
 1481. 
 Brouke, to have the use of, enjoy. 
 
 brook : C 480. A. S. brucan, O. H. 
 
 Ger. bruchan, Ger. brauchen, 
 
 brook, use, enjoy, eat. Cf. Goth. 
 
 brukjan, to enjoy ; and bruks, use- 
 ful. Lat. frui, fructus. 
 Broun, brown : A 109. A.S. brun; 
 
 Ger. braun, whence F. brun. It 
 
 is perhaps connected with bren- 
 nan, to burn. 
 
 Broyded, braided, woven: B 191. 
 Browding, embroidery; B 1640. 
 Bulte, built: B 690. 
 Bulte, to bolt (corn), sift meal : c 
 
 420. Of F. origin. 
 Burdoun, burden (of a song), a 
 
 musical accompaniment: A 673. 
 
 See note, p. 166. O. F. bourdon, 
 
 a drone of a bagpipe ; Sp. bordon, 
 
 the bass of a stringed instrument, 
 
 or of an organ. 
 Burgeys, citizen, burgess : A. 369. 
 
 O. F. burgeois, from Lat. bur- 
 
 gensis, a citizen ; F. bourg, It. 
 
 borgo, a city. Cf. Goth, baurgs, 
 A. S. burh, burg, Eng. borough. 
 Burned, burnished : 81125. Fr. 
 
 brunir. 
 
 But, unless : A 582. 
 By and by, separately: B 153. 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 313 
 
 By-cause, because: A 174. 
 Byde, abide, remain: B 718. 
 By-iaped, deceived, befooled: B 
 
 727. M. E. jape, joke, lie; F. 
 
 japper, to yelp. The root jap is 
 
 connected with gab, jab, as in 
 
 gabble, jabber. 
 By ing, buying : A 569. 
 
 C. 
 
 Caas, case, condition, hap, A 585 
 (Elles. MS.) ; pi. cases (of law), 
 A 323. See Gas. 
 
 Cacche, to catch (pret. caughte} : 
 A 498. It. cacciare, O. F. cachier, 
 to catch ; F. chasser, to drive out, 
 chase. 
 
 Caitif, wretched, a wretch : B 66, 
 694, 859. It. cattivo (Lat. cap- 
 tiuus\ a captive, a wretch: F. 
 chetif, poor, wretched. 
 
 Cam, came: A 547. 
 
 Can, (i) know, knows, A 210, B 
 922 ; fa) acknowledge, as in the 
 phrase ' can thank,' B 950 (F. 
 savoir gre}, where thank is a noun, 
 and not a verb. A. S. cunnan, 
 to know; cunnian, to enquire, 
 search into ; Goth, kunnan, to 
 know ; Sw. kunna, to be able. 
 The root is preserved in cunning, 
 ken, s.\e-conner (an inspector of 
 ales). 
 
 Cantel, corner, cantle: B 2150. 
 O. F. channel, chanteau, a corner, 
 a lump. Cf. Icel. kantr, side; 
 Dan. kant, edge. 
 
 Cappe, a cap, hood : A 586. 
 
 Care, sorrow, grief,' B 463. A. S. 
 cam, Goth. kara. 
 
 Careyne, carcase: B 1155. F. 
 charogne, It. carogna ; from Lat. 
 caro. 
 
 Carf, carved (the pret. of kerve, to 
 cut, carve} : A 100. A.S. ceorfan, 
 O. Fris. kerva, to cut. 
 
 Carl, a churl : A 545. A. S. ceorl, 
 Icel. karl, a man. Cf. Sc. carlin, an 
 old woman ; Eng. churl, churlish. 
 
 Carol, a round dance : B 1073. F. 
 carole (perhaps from Lat. corolla, 
 the diminutive ofcorona\ Robert 
 of Brunne calls the circuit of 
 Druidical stones a karole. 
 
 Carpe, to talk, discourse : A 474. 
 Cf. Portug. carpir, to cry, weep. 
 
 Carte, chariot, cart: B 1164, c 198. 
 Icel. kartr. 
 
 Carter, charioteer: B 1164. 
 
 Cas, case, condition, hap, chance : 
 A 844, B 216. See Caas. 
 
 Cas, case, quiver: B 1500. O. F. 
 casse, It. cassa, Lat. capsa. 
 
 Cast, device, plot: B 1610. It is 
 connected with the vb. to cast. 
 Cf. M. E. turn, a trick ; Eng. ' an 
 /// turn. 1 
 
 Caste, Casten, to plan, devise, 
 consider, suppose : B 1314, 1996, 
 0255. 
 
 Catapus, Catapuce, a species of 
 spurge: 0145. Cotgravehas 
 1 Catapuce petite, garden spurge.' 
 Florio's Ital. Diet, has 'Cataputia, 
 Catapuzza, the herb spurge.' 
 
 Catel, wealth, goods, valuable pro- 
 perty of any kind, chattels: A 
 373, 540- O. F. chatel, catel, a 
 piece of moveable property, from 
 Lat. capitale, whence captale, ca- 
 tallum, the principal sum in a 
 loan (cf. Eng. capital}. The 
 Lat. captale was also applied to 
 beasts of the farm, cattle. 
 
 Caughte, took : A 498. Cf. Eng. 
 ' caught cold.' See Cacche. 
 
 Caytyves, pi. of Caitif. 
 
 Ceint, cincture, girdle : A 329. 
 
 Celle, a religious house: A 172; 
 cell (see note); 6518. 
 
 Centaure, centaury, the name of a 
 herb : c 143. 
 
 Percles, circles: B 1273. 
 
 Cerial, belonging to the species of 
 oak called Cerrus (Lat.) : B 1432. 
 It. Cerro, F. Cerre. Cotgrave 
 has ' Cerre, the holme oke.' 
 See note. 
 
 Certain, Certeyn, Certes, cer- 
 
214 
 
 GLOSS AR Y. 
 
 tain, certainly, indeed: A 375, 
 451, B 17. 
 
 Csrteinly, Certeynly, certainly: 
 A 204. 
 
 Caruce, white lead : A 630. 
 
 Champartye, a share of land ; a 
 partnership in power: B 1091. 
 
 Champioun, a champion : A 239. 
 A. S. camp, O. H. Ger. champh, 
 combat, contest ; A. S. cempan, 
 to fight ; O. Fris. kampa, to con- 
 tend ; Prov. Eng. camp, a scuffle ; 
 cample, to talk, contend, argue ; 
 Ger. kampeln, to debate, dispute. 
 
 Chapeleyne, a chaplain: A 164. 
 
 Chapman, a merchant : A 397. 
 A.S. ceapman. Cf. M. E. chafare , 
 chap-fare ; A. S. ceap, O. S. cop, 
 Icel. kaup, O. H. Ger. chauf, bar- 
 gain, price (cf. Eng. dog-cheap, 
 dirt-cheap) ; A. S. ceapian, O. S. 
 copon, Icel. kaupa, to buy ; O. H. 
 Ger. chaufan, to buy, sell. 
 
 Char, car, chariot: B 1280. F. 
 char, Lat. carrus; whence F. 
 charrier, to cany; charger, to 
 load, charge. 
 
 Charge, harm, B 426, 1429 ; as in 
 the phrase 'it were no charge? 
 It signifies literally (i) load, 
 burden ; (2) business of weight, 
 matter for consideration. 
 
 Chasteyn, a chestnut- tree : B 2064. 
 O. F. chastaigne, Lat. castanea. 
 
 Chaunce, chance, hap : B 894. F- 
 chance, O. F. cheance, from cheoir, 
 to fall ; Lat. cadere. 
 
 Chaungen, to change : A 348. 
 
 Chaunterie, 'an endowment for 
 the payment of a priest to sing 
 mass agreeably to the appoint- 
 ment of the founder: A 510. 
 There were thirty-five of these 
 Chantries established at St. 
 Paul's, which were served by 
 fifty-four priests. Dugd. Hist, 
 pref. p. 41.* (Tyrwhitt.) See 
 Becon's 'Acts of Christ,' p. 530. 
 Parker Soc. 
 
 Chees : see Chesen. 
 
 Chere, countenance, appearance, 
 entertainment, cheer: A 139, 
 728; B 55. O. F. chere, chiere, 
 countenance ; F. chere, face, look. 
 
 Cherl, churl: B 1601. See Carl. 
 
 Chese, to choose; Chees, imp. 
 sing, choose: B 737, 756. A.S. 
 ceosan, Du. liter en, kiezen, O. H. 
 Ger. chinsan, to choose. 
 
 Cheventein, a chieftain, captain : 
 B 1697. See Chieftayn. 
 
 Chevisaunce, gain, profit; also 
 an agreement for borrowing 
 money : A 282. F. chevir, to 
 compass, make an end, come to 
 an agreement with ; achever, to 
 bring to an end, achieve (from 
 chef, head). 
 
 Cheyne, a chain: B 2130. 
 
 Chiden, to chide (pret. chidde, pp. 
 chid): C 531. A.S. cidan, to 
 scold. 
 
 Chief, chief: B 199. F. chef, 
 head ; Lat. caput. 
 
 Chieftayn, a leader, chief : B 1697, 
 
 Chikne, a chicken : A 380. A.S. 
 cicen, M. Du. kieken. The word 
 cock, of which chicken is a dimi- 
 nutive, is evidently formed in 
 imitation of the sound made by 
 young birds. Cf. chuck, chuckle, 
 &c. 
 
 Chirking, sb. shrieking: B 1146. 
 The M. E. chirke signifies ' to 
 make a noise like a bird/ being 
 a parallel form with chirp, and 
 imitative of the sound made by 
 birds. Cf. A. S. cearcian, to 
 creak, crash, gnash ; Prov. Eng. 
 chirre, to chirp. 
 
 Chivachye, a military expedition : 
 A 85. See next word. 
 
 Chivalrye, knighthood, the man- 
 ners, exercises, and valiant ex- 
 ploits of a knight : A 45, B 7, 20. 
 F. chevalerie, from chevalier, a 
 knight, a horseman; cheval; It. 
 cavallo, Lat. cabalhis, a horse ; 
 M. E. capel, cable, a horse. 
 
 Choys, choice : C 426. F. choisir, 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 to choose, borrowed from a Teu- 
 tonic dialect ; cf. A. S. eyre, choice. 
 See Chese. 
 
 Chronique, a chronicle : C 388. 
 
 Cite, Citee, a city, B 81. F. cite, 
 Lat. ace. cinitatem. 
 
 Citole, a kind of musical instru- 
 ment with chords : B 1101. 
 
 Clarioun, clarion : B 1653. 
 
 Clarree, wine mixed with honey 
 and spices, and afterwards 
 strained till it was clear: B 613. 
 It was also called Piment. 
 
 Clasped, Clapsed, clasped : A 273. 
 M. E. claps, a clasp. It is con- 
 nected with M. E. clippe, to em- 
 brace. Cf. gripe, grip, grasp. 
 
 Clatere, to clatter : B 1501. M. Du. 
 klateren, to clatter, rattle. 
 
 Cleer, adj. clear, Clere, adv. 
 clearly: A 170, B 204. O. F. 
 cler, clear; Lat. clarus. 
 
 Clene, adj. clean, pure ; adv. 
 cleanly: A 133. 
 
 Clennesse, cleanness, purity (of 
 life) : A 506. 
 
 Clense, to cleanse: A 631. 
 
 Clepen, to call, cry, say: A 121, 
 620, 643. A. S. cleopian, clypian, 
 to call ; Ger. klajfen, to chatter, 
 babble; Du. klappen, to sound, 
 strike. Cf. Sc. clep, prattle, 
 tattle ; Eng. clap-trap. 
 
 Cleped, called : B 930. 
 
 Clerk, a man of learning, a student 
 at the University: A 285. O. F. 
 clerc. 
 
 Cloistre, a cloister: A 181. 
 
 Cloke, a cloak : A 157. 
 
 Clomben, climbed, ascended : c 
 378. 
 
 Cloos, close, shut: c 512. 
 
 Clos, enclosure, yard; C 540. 
 
 Clothered = clottred, clotted : B 
 1887. M, Du. klotteren, to 
 clotter, coagulate. We have 
 the root-syllable in clot and clod; 
 A. S. clot, clod ; Ger. Kloss, a 
 clod, a ball. Golding has 'a 
 clottred clod of seeds,' and he 
 
 uses clodded for clottred. Eng. 
 cloud is perhaps allied to clod. 
 Cf. M. E. dowdy s, clods (Coven- 
 try Mysteries). 
 
 Cofre, coffer, chest : A 298. O. F. 
 cofre, F. coffre, Lat. cophinus, Gr. 
 KoQivos, a basket. 
 
 Col-blak, coal-black, black as a 
 coal : B 1284. 
 
 Cole, coal: B 1834. A - S. col; 
 Icel. M, Ger. Kohle. 
 
 Colere, choler : C 126. 
 
 Colers of, (having) collars of: B 
 1294. 
 
 Col-fox, a crafty fox : c 395. 
 The prefix col-, deceitful, trea- 
 cherous, occurs in M. E. col- 
 prophet, a false prophet ; col- 
 knyfe, a treacherous knife ; col- 
 wards, deceitful, false. 
 
 Colpons : see Culpons. 
 
 Com, pret. came ; imp. come : A 
 672, B 321. 
 
 Comaunde, to command : c 260. 
 
 Comaundement, commandment, 
 command: B 2011. 
 
 Comen, pp. come: A 671, B 497 ; 
 Come, C 591. 
 
 Communes, commoners, common 
 people: B 1651. 
 
 Compas, circle : B 1031. 
 
 Compaignye, Compainye, com- 
 pany : A 24, c 173. 
 
 Compaignable, companionable, 
 sociable: C 52. 
 
 Compassing, craft, contrivance : 
 B 1138. 
 
 Compeer, gossip, a near friend : 
 A 670. 
 
 Complet, complete : c 369. 
 
 Compleyne, to complain : B 50. 
 
 Compleynt, complaint : B 2004. 
 
 Composicioun, agreement : A 
 848. 
 
 Commune, common. As in co- 
 mune = as in common, com- 
 monly : B 393. 
 
 Condicionel, conditional : C 430. 
 
 Condicioun, condition : A 38. 
 
 Confort, comfort : A 773, 776. 
 
2l6 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Confus, confused, confounded : B 
 
 1372. 
 
 Conne, know, be able. See Can. 
 
 Conscience, feeling, pity: A 150. 
 
 Conseil, counsel: B 283, 289. 
 
 Conserve, to preserve : B 1471. 
 
 Contek, contest : B 1 145. O. F. 
 contek, strife. 
 ' And therwithal I termed have 
 
 all strife, 
 All quarrels, coniecks, and all 
 
 cruell iarres, 
 Oppressions, bryberes, and all 
 
 greedy life, 
 
 To be (in generi) no bet than 
 warres.' Gascoigne, The 
 Fruites of Warre, st. 33. 
 
 Contenaunce, countenance : B 
 1058. 
 
 Contrarie, an opponent, adver- 
 sary, foe : B looi, 
 
 Contree, country: A 216, B 355. 
 ' Gegend in German means region 
 or country. It is a recognised 
 term, and it signified originally 
 that which is before or against 
 what forms the object of our 
 view. Now in Latin gegen, or 
 against, would be expressed by 
 contra; and the Germans, not 
 recollecting at once the Latin 
 word regio, took to translating 
 their idea of gegend, that which 
 was before them, by contratum 
 or terra contra. This became 
 the Italian contrada, the French 
 contree, the English country.' 
 Max Miiller, Science of Lan- 
 guage, Second Series, p. 275. 
 (Rather, Gegend is a translation 
 of contrata.} 
 
 Cop, top of anything : A 554. 
 A. S. copp, M. Du. kopp, Ger. 
 Kopf, top, summit. 
 
 Cope, a cloak, cape : A 260. 
 A. S. cop ; cf. It. cappa, F. 
 chappe. 
 
 Coppe, cup: A 134. A. S. cuppe 
 (from Latin). 
 
 Corage, heart, spirit, courage : A 
 
 n, 22. O. F. corage, F. courage, 
 from Lat. cor, the heart. 
 
 Coroune, a crown : B 2017. 
 
 Corrumpable, corruptible : B 
 2152. 
 
 Corrumpe, to corrupt : B 888 
 (Harl. MS.). 
 
 Corven (pp. of kerve), cut : B 
 1838. 
 
 Cosin, a cousin, kinsman : B 273. 
 
 Cotage, cottage, c 2. A. S. cot, 
 M. Du. kote, a cot. Cf. sheep- 
 cote, dove-cote. 
 
 Cote, coat: A 103, 612. O. F. 
 cote. 
 
 Cote-armure, a coat worn over 
 armour, upon which the armorial 
 ensigns of the wearer were , 
 usually embroidered : B 158,, 
 1282. 'The usage of wearing 
 an upper garment, or surcoat, 
 charged with armorial bearings, 
 as a personal distinction in con- 
 flict, when the features were 
 concealed by the aventaile, com- 
 menced possibly in the reign of 
 John, but was not generally 
 adopted before the time of 
 Henry III. Sir Thomas de la 
 More relates that the Earl of 
 Gloucester was slain at Bannock- 
 burn, 1314, in consequence of 
 his neglecting to put on his 
 insignia, termed in the Latin 
 translation togam propriae arma- 
 turae. During the reign of 
 Edward III the surcoat gave 
 place to the jupon, and this was 
 succeeded by the tabard, the 
 latest fashion of a garment ar- 
 morially decorated, and the pro- 
 totype of that which is still 
 worn by the heralds and pur- 
 suivants.' Way, in Prompt. 
 Parv. 
 
 Couched, (i) laid, (2) inlaid, 
 trimmed: B' 1303, 2075. F. 
 coucher, O. F. culcher, to lay 
 down (Lat. collccare). 
 
 Coude, (i) could, A 236, 326; 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 (2) knew, A 467 ; knew how, A 
 95, 106. See Can. 
 
 Counseil, counsel, advice : A 784, 
 B 283. 
 
 Countour : A 359. See note. 
 
 Countrefete, counterfeit, imitate : 
 A 139, c 501. 
 
 Cours, course : A 8, B 836. 
 
 Courtepy, a sort of upper coat of 
 a coarse material : A 290. Du. 
 korf, short ; pije, a coarse cloth ; 
 Goth, paida, a coat. The syl- 
 lable pije is still preserved in 
 pea- jacket. 
 
 Couthe, well known : A 14. 
 
 Coverchief, kerchief: A 453. 
 
 Covyne, covin, deceit: A 604. 
 Literally a deceitful agreement 
 between two parties to prejudice 
 a third. From F. convenir, Lat. 
 convenire, to come together. 
 
 Cowardye, cowardice: B 1872. 
 F. couard, from Lat. cauda, a 
 tail; O. F. couarder, to retire, 
 draw backwards. The real origin 
 of the word is a metaphor 
 from the proverbial timidity of 
 a hare, which was called couard 
 from its short tail. (Wedg- 
 wood.) 
 
 Coy, quiet: A 119. F. cot, Sp. 
 quedo, Lat. quietus. 
 
 Cracching, scratching : B 1976. 
 Besides cracche, to scratch, we 
 have s-cratte, and s-cracche. Cp. 
 M.E.fette and fecche, to fetch; 
 Du. kratsen, Icel. krassa, Ger. 
 krafzen, to scratch, tear. 
 
 Crafty, skilful (cf. craftsman) ; B 
 1039. A. S. craft, power ; Ger. 
 Kraft, strength. 
 
 Crispe, crisp, curled : B 1307. It 
 is also written cripse. (Lyd- 
 gate has kirspe.) A. S. crisp, 
 crisp ; cirpsian, to curl ; from 
 Lat. crispus, curled. 
 
 Croppe, top, shoot, A 7, B 674 
 (pi. croppes). A. S. crop, M. Du. 
 krop } kroppe, top, summit, crop, 
 
 craw ; whence Eng. crop, crop- 
 full, ' croppings out ' (of mineral 
 strata). Cf. F. crop*, croupe, 
 top of a hill ; croupe, the rounded 
 haunches of an animal, the 
 croup ; croupiere, the strap pass- 
 ing over the croup ; Eng. crupper. 
 The root crup seems to signify 
 a swelling out, as in Welsh crub, 
 a swelling out. 
 
 Croys, cross : A 699. O. F. crois, 
 from Lat. ace. crucem. 
 
 Crulle, curly, curled : A 81. Du. 
 krol, krolle, a curl; M. Du. 
 kroken, to crook, bend ; broke, a 
 bending, crook; Icel. krokr, a 
 hook ; Low. Ger. krukel, a curl ; 
 krullen, to curl. Crouch (crutch'], 
 crook, cross, is merely a weak- 
 ened form of crook. Cf. M. E. 
 cloke and clouch, a claw, clutch ; 
 and cf. Swed. kyrka with Eng. 
 church. 
 
 Cryen, to cry (pret. cride, cryde), B 
 91; Crydestow = criedst thou : B 
 225. 
 
 Cryke, creek : A 409. Du. kreek. 
 Cp. Icel. kriki, angle, nook. 
 Cryke in M. E. signifies also a 
 stream, a brook (as it still does 
 in America) ; A. S. crecca, a 
 bank, brink. 
 
 Culpons, Colpons, shreds, bunch- 
 es, bundles, logs : A 679, B 
 2009. F. coupon, Lat. colpo, a 
 shred, a portion cut off. 
 
 Curat, a curate : A 219. 
 
 Cure, care, anxiety : A 303, B 
 1995. Lat. cura. 
 
 Curious, careful : A 577. 
 
 Curs, curse : A 655. A. S. curs. 
 
 Curteisye, courtesy: A 46, 132. 
 O. F. courtoisie, civility, courtesy. 
 
 Curteys, courteous : A 99, 250, c 
 51. O. F. cortois ; from cort, a 
 court (Lat. cohors). 
 
 Cut, lot: A 835. f Cut or lote, 
 sors.' Promptorium Parvulorum. 
 See note. 
 
2l8 
 
 GLOSSAR V. 
 
 D. 
 
 Daliaunce, gossip : A 2 1 1 . ' Daly- 
 aunce, confabulacio, collocacio. 
 Dalyyn or talkyn, fabulor, col- 
 loquor.' Prompt. Parv. Cf. 
 Swiss dalen, talen, to speak im- 
 perfectly, to drawl. (Wedg- 
 wood.) 
 
 Damoysele, damsel : c 50. 
 Dampned, condemned, doomed : 
 
 B 317. 
 
 Dan, Daun, Lord, was a title 
 commonly given to monks ; B 
 521, c 492. It is also prefixed 
 to the names of persons of all 
 sorts, e. g. Dan Arcyte, Dan 
 Burnel, &c. Lat. Dominus. 
 Dar, dare (ist pers. sing, present 
 tense) : B 293. Darst (2nd 
 sing.) : B 282. Dorste, Durste 
 pret.) : A 454. 
 
 Darreyne, to contest, fight out, 
 decide by battle, darraign : B 
 75l> 773- O. F. desrenir, from 
 Lat. Mid. disrationare, to answer 
 an accusation, to settle or ar- 
 range a controversy. Shake- 
 speare uses the word in the sense 
 of ' to make ready to fight/ 
 ' Royal commanders, be in 
 
 readiness ; 
 
 For, with a band of thirty thou- 
 sand men, 
 Comes Warwick, backing of 
 
 the Duke of York ; 
 And in the towns, as they do 
 
 march along, 
 Proclaims him king, and many 
 
 fly to him ; 
 
 Darraign your battle, for they 
 are at hand.' 3 Hen. VI, 
 ii. 2. 67. 
 
 ' He chose a place mete and con- 
 veniente for twoo armies to 
 darrayne battail.' Hall's 
 Chronicle, xlvii. 
 Daun : see Dan. 
 Daunce, Daunse, vb. to dance, 
 
 sb. a dance: B 1343, 1344- 
 ' The olde daunce ' = the old 
 game : A 476. 
 
 Daunger, a dangerous situation : 
 A 402 ; liability, B 991. In 
 daunger = in his jurisdiction, 
 under his control : A 663. With 
 daunger = with difficulty. O. F. 
 dangler, dominion, subjection, 
 difficulty ; from Mid. Lat. dam- 
 num (i) a legal fine, (2) terri- 
 torial jurisdiction. Estre en son 
 danger = to be in the danger of 
 any one, to be in his power. Cf. 
 ' in danger of the judgment.' 
 Danger in the sense of debt or 
 power to harm is not uncommon 
 in English : 
 
 ' The wandering guest doth stand 
 in danger of his hoste.' Gold- 
 ing's Ovid. 
 
 You stand within his danger, do 
 you not ? Merch. of Ven. iv. 
 i. 1 80. 
 Daungerous, difficult, sparing : A 
 
 5I7. 
 
 Daunsinge, dancing: B 1343. 
 Dawen, to dawn (3rd sing. 
 
 daweth} : B 818. 
 Daweninge, dawn, dawning : c 
 
 62. M. E. dawe, a day ; A. S. 
 
 dag, Goth, dags, O. H. Ger. 
 
 tag ; A. S. dagian, to dawn ; 
 
 dagung, dawning. 
 Dayerye, dairy : A 597. From 
 
 M. E. deye, a dairy-maid. See 
 
 Deye. 
 Dayesye, a daisy : A 332. Chaucer 
 
 defines daisy as the eye of the day, 
 
 i. e. day's eye ; A. S. dceges eage. 
 Debonaire, kind, gracious : B 
 
 1424. 
 Dede, a deed : A 742. A. S. d<zd, 
 
 O. Fris. dede, O. H. Ger. tdt. 
 Deduyt, pleasure, delight : B 1319. 
 
 O. F. dedut, deduit. 
 Deed (pi. dede}, dead: A 145, B 
 
 84, 147. A. S. dead, O. Fris- 
 
 dad, ddth, O. II. Ger. toter, toder, 
 
 dead. 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 219 
 
 Deedly, deadly, death-like : B 55, 
 224. 
 
 Deef, deaf: A 446. A. S. deaf, 
 Goth, daubs, daufs, O. H. Ger. 
 touber, Ger. taub. It is probably 
 connected with Goth, gadaubjan, 
 to harden, make insensible. Cf. 
 Scotch dowf, dull, flat; M. E. 
 and Prov. Eng. daf, dajfe, fool, 
 dastard ; Prov. Eng. daver, to 
 stun ; dover, to slumber. 
 
 Deel, a part, bit : c 14. See Del. 
 
 Deeth, death: A 60 1?, B 276. 
 A. S. dead, O. Fris. ddth, O. H. 
 Ger. tod. 
 
 Degree, (i) a step, B 1032 ; (2) 
 rank or station in life, A 40, B 
 5 7 2 5 7& F- degre, O.F. degrat ; 
 from Lat. gradus, a step. 
 
 Del, part, portion, whit : B 967, 
 1233. Never a del = never a 
 whit ; somdel, somewhat. A. S. 
 dal, a part ; A. S. dcdan, Icel. 
 deila, to divide ; Eng. dole. 
 
 Delen, to have dealings with : A 
 247. 
 
 Delivere, quick, active, nimble : 
 A 84. F. delivre (Lat. liber, 
 free), active, nimble. 
 
 Deliverly, quickly: c 596. Cf. 
 M. E. deliver nesse, agility. 
 
 Delve, to dig (pret. delf, dalf, pp. 
 dolven) : A 536. A. S. delf an, 
 Du. delven, to dig, bury. It is 
 probably connected with Du. del, 
 valley, hollow ; Eng. dell, dale. 
 
 Delyt, delight, pleasure : A 335, 
 B 82 1 . O.F. d-elit, Lat. delectus ; 
 Lat. delectare, to please. 
 
 Deme, to judge, decide, doom, 
 suppose, deem: B 1023. A. S. 
 deman, O. H. Ger. tuomen, to 
 judge ; A. S. dom, O. H. Ger. 
 tuom, doom, judgment, sentence, 
 decree. Cf. M. E. demere, dem- 
 stere, a judge. See Dome. 
 
 Departe, to part, separate : B 276. 
 
 Departing, separation : B 1916. 
 
 Depe, deeply: B 1782. 
 
 Depeynted, painted, depicted: B 
 1169, 1173. 
 
 Dere, dear, dearly: B 376, 2242. 
 A. S. deore, dear, precious ; 
 whence darling (M. E. derling], 
 dearth. 
 
 Dere, to hurt, injure : B 964. A. S. 
 derian, O. H. Ger. terran, to 
 harm, hurt, injure ; A. S. daru, 
 O. H. Ger. tar a, harm, injury. It 
 occurs in the works of Henry 
 the Minstrel and Douglas. 
 
 Derk, Derke, dark : B 1 137. A. S. 
 deorc, dark. 
 
 Derknesse, darkness: B 593. 
 
 Derre, dearer : B 590. Cf. M. E. 
 herre, higher ; ferre, further. 
 
 Desdeyn, disdain : A 789. 
 
 Desiring, sb. desire: B 1064. 
 
 Despitous, angry to excess, cruel, 
 merciless: A 516, B 738. 
 
 Despyt, malicious anger, vexa- 
 tion : B 83. O. F. despire (Lat. 
 despicere), to despise ; F. despit, 
 contempt ; It. dispetto : Sp. de- 
 specho, displeasure, malice. 
 
 Destreyne, to vex, constrain: B 
 597. F. distraindre, Mid. Lat. 
 distringere (from Lat. stringere, 
 to strain), to be severe with, dis- 
 train. District and distress are 
 from the same source. 
 
 Destroye, to destroy : B 472. O.F. 
 destruir, F. detruire. 
 
 Desyr, desire: B 385. 
 
 Deth. See Deeth. 
 
 Dette, a debt: A 280. F. dette, 
 a debt ; Lat. debitum, from de- 
 bere, to owe. 
 
 Dettelees, free from debt: A 582. 
 
 Devoir, duty : B 1 740. F. devoir, 
 duty, trust ; devoir, to owe ; Lat. 
 debere. 
 
 Devys, opinion, decision, direc- 
 tion: A 816. 
 
 Devyse, (i) to direct, order; (2) 
 to relate, describe : A 34, B 136, 
 190. It. divisare, to think, 
 imagine, to discourse ; O. F. 
 deviser, to plan, order, dispose 
 
GLOSS AR Y. 
 
 of, discourse ; from Lat. ztisum, 
 It. vho, view, opinion. 
 
 Devysing, a putting in order, pre- 
 paration : B 1638. 
 
 Deye, a female servant, dairy- 
 woman : c 26. Icel. deigja, lit. 
 * kneader of bread/ 
 
 Deyen : see Dyen. 
 
 Deyne, to deign: c 361. 
 
 Deyntee, sb. a dainty, rarity ; adj. 
 rare, dainty, A 168, C 15. 
 
 Deys, dais, platform, the high 
 table: A 370, B 1342. 'Dais or 
 daiz, a cloth of estate, canopy or 
 heaven, that stands over the 
 heads of princes' thrones ; also 
 the whole state or seat of estate.' 
 (^Cotgrave.) O. F. dais, deis 
 (Lat. discus). See note, p. 153. 
 
 Diapred, variegated, diversified 
 with flourishes or sundry figures : 
 B 1300. O. F. diaspre, diapre, 
 variegated ; It. diaspro, a jasper 
 (Gr. iaams), which was much 
 used in ornamental jewellery. 
 Chaucer speaks of a meadow 
 diapered with flowers. It is now 
 applied to linen cloth woven 
 witha pattern of diamond-shaped 
 figures, and to church- walls when 
 the plain stone is carved in a 
 pattern. 
 
 Dich, a ditch : c 28. See Dyke. 
 
 Diched, diked: B 1030. See 
 Dich, Dyke. 
 
 Dide (pret. of don}, did: B 891. 
 
 Diete, diet, daily food: A 435. 
 From Gr. diaira, mode of life, 
 especially with reference to food. 
 
 Digestible, easy to be digested : 
 
 A 437- 
 
 Digestyves, things to help diges- 
 tion : c 141. 
 
 Dight, prepared, dressed: B 183. 
 A. S. dihtan, dress, dispose ; from 
 Lat. dictare. 
 
 Digne, (i) worthy, A 141 ; (2) 
 proud, disdainful, A 517. F. 
 digne. 
 
 Dim, dull, indistinct : B 1575. 
 
 Dischevele, with hair hanging 
 
 loose : A 683. F. descheveler, to 
 
 put the hair out of order ; F. 
 
 ckeveux, pi., from Lat. capillus, 
 
 the hair. 
 
 Disconfiture, Disconfitinge, de- 
 feat: B 150, 1861. O.F. des- 
 
 confiture, F. deconfiture ; from de- 
 con/ire, to non-plus. 
 Disconfort, discomfort, misery: 
 
 B 1152. 
 Disconforten, to dishearten : B 
 
 1846. 
 
 Discrecioun, discretion: B 921. 
 Discreet, -discreet : 051. 
 Disherited, disinherited : B 2068. 
 Disioynt, a difficult situation, 
 
 failure : B 2104. 
 Dispence, expense, expenditure : 
 
 A 441, B 1024. 
 Dispitously, angrily, cruelly : B 
 
 266. 
 Disport, sport, diversion: A 137, 
 
 775. O.F. desport, F. deport, 
 
 It. disporte, diversion, solace. 
 Disposicioun, control, guidance : 
 
 B 229. 
 
 Disputisoun, disputation : c 418. 
 Divisioun, distinction : 6922. 
 Divyninge, guessing, conjecture : 
 
 B 1663. 
 
 Divynistre, a divine: B 1953. 
 Doghtren, daughters 109. 
 Doke, a duck: c 570. M. Du. 
 
 duiken, O. H. Ger. tdhban, Ger. 
 
 tauchen, to dive, plunge. 
 Dokked, cut short : A 590. M. E. 
 
 dok, O. Icel. dockr, a tail. Cf. 
 
 ' docked of one's wages.' 
 Dome, doom, decision, judgment, 
 
 opinion : A 323. See Deme. 
 Dominacioun, power, control : B 
 
 1900. 
 Don, Doon, Do, to do, cause, 
 
 make, take (pret. dide, dede, pp. 
 
 do, don, doofi) : A 78, 268, 768, 
 
 B 84, 1047. 
 Dong, dung: A 530. 
 Donge, to dung, to manure : c 
 
 216. 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 221 
 
 Dora, a door : A 550. A. S. duru, 
 Ger. Thor, Thiire. 
 
 Dorste : A 227, c 98. See Dar. 
 
 Doseyn, a dozen : A 578. 
 
 Doumb, dumb : A 774. 
 
 Doun, down : B 245. 
 
 Doute, doubt, fear : A 487, B 283. 
 Out of doute = without doubt, 
 doubtless. 
 
 Douteles, adj. doubtless, without 
 doubt : B 973. 
 
 Dowves, doves: B 1104. 
 
 Dragges, drugs: A 426 (Harl. 
 MS.). O. F. dragee, It. treggea, 
 Sp. dragea, Gr. rpdyijfjLa (Mod. 
 Gr. rpayaXa), sweetmeats ; cf. 
 rpajyakia, raw fruits at dessert, 
 or sweetmeats, from rpwyeiv, to 
 gnaw. See Drogges. 
 
 Drawe, to draw, or to carry: B 
 1689. 
 
 Drecched, troubled (by dreams) : 
 C 67. A. S. dreccan, M. H. Ger. 
 trecken, to trouble, plague. 
 'Dremyn or drecchyn yn slepe, 
 sompnio.' Prompt. Parv. 
 
 Drede, to fear, dread : A 660. To 
 drede, to be feared. 
 
 Dredful, cautious, timid : B 621. 
 
 Dreem, Dreme, a dream : C 67, 
 109. A. S. dream, O. Fris. dram, 
 Ger. Traum. Cf. Sc. dram, drum, 
 dull; drumble (Shakespeare), to 
 be sluggish. 
 
 Bremen, to dream : c 109. 
 
 Dreminges, dreams : c 2 70. 
 
 Drenching, drowning: B 1598. 
 
 Dresse, to set in order: A 106, B 
 1 736. O. F. dresser, to straighten, 
 direct, fashion; It. drizzare, to 
 address, to turn toward a place ; 
 fromLat. directus, pp. ofdirigere, 
 to direct. 
 
 Dreye, dry: B 2166. 
 
 Dreynt (pp. oidrenche), drowned : 
 C 262. Cf. M.E. queynt, quench- 
 ed ; cleynt, clenched, &c. 
 
 Drogges, drugs: A 426. See 
 
 Dragges. 
 Dronken, pp. drunk: A 135, 637. 
 
 Dronken, pi. pret., drunk : A 820. 
 
 Drope, a drop: A 131. A. S. 
 dropa. 
 
 Drouped, drooped: A 107. Icel. 
 drupa, to droop. 
 
 Drugge, to drudge, to do laborious 
 work: B 558. Ir. drugaire, a 
 slave. < [To see] a country 
 colone toil and moil, till and 
 drudge for a prodigal idle drone.' 
 Burton's Anat. of Mel. p. 35. 
 
 Duk, a leader, duke : B 2. F. due, 
 Lat. dux, from ducere, to lead. 
 See Trench, English Past and 
 Present, p. 196. 
 
 Dure, to endure, last: B 1912. 
 
 Dusked, pt. pi., grew dark or dim : 
 B 1948. Sw. dusk, dark, dull. 
 
 Dwelle, to tarry : B 803. 
 
 Dwelled,/*/), dwelt: B 370. 
 
 Dyamaunts, diamonds : 61289. 
 
 Dyen, to die: B 251. Icel. deyja. 
 
 Dyere, a dyer: A 362. A. S. 
 deagian, to dye. 
 
 Dyete. See Diete. 
 
 Dyke, to make dikes or ditches : A 
 536. A.S. die, O. Fris. dik, 
 M. H. Ger. tick, a ditch. 
 
 Dys, dice : B 380. 
 
 E. 
 
 Ecclesiaste, an ecclesiastical per- 
 son : A 708. 
 
 Ech, Echo, each : A 39, 369. A.S. 
 cdc ; from <z, ever, ge, and lie, 
 like. Cf. M.E. iwhere, every- 
 where. 
 
 Echon, Echoon, each one : A 820. 
 
 Eek, also, moreover, eke : A 5, 41 . 
 A. S. ec t eac ; Goth, auk, also ; 
 A. S. ecan, to increase, eke. 
 
 Eet, ate, did eat : ete, imp. eat : 
 B 1190, c 147. See Ete. 
 
 Eft, again : B 811. Cf. M. E. eft- 
 sone, eftsones, afterwards, pre- 
 sently; A.S. eft. 
 
 Eir, air, B 388. 
 
 Elde, age, old age : B 1589, 1590. 
 A. S. eald, old ; yldo, age. 
 
222 
 
 GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 Elles, else: A 375. A.S. dies, 
 O.K. Ger. elles, alles. (A.S. 
 el- in composition signifies an- 
 other, foreign. Cf. Gr. a\\os, 
 Lat. alms, other.) 
 
 Embrouded, embroidered : A 89. 
 
 Emforth, to the extent of, even 
 with : B 1377. A. S. em- in 
 composition signifies even, equal; 
 being short for efn efen. 
 
 Empoy sorting, poisoning : B 
 1602. 
 
 Empryse, an undertaking, enter- 
 prise : B 1682. O. F. emprendre ; 
 cf. F. entreprendre, to undertake ; 
 F. entreprise, an enterprise. 
 
 Encens, incense : B 1571. 
 
 Encombred, (i) wearied, tired, 
 B 860; (2) troubled, in danger, 
 A 508. It is sometimes written 
 acombred. O. F. encombrer, to 
 hinder, trouble, grieve, annoy. 
 Cf. Du. kommer, trouble; Ger. 
 kummer, trouble, grief. 
 
 Encres, sb. increase: B 1326. 
 
 Encresen, to increase: B 457. 
 
 Endelong, lengthways, along : B 
 1133, 1820. A. S. andlang, Ger. 
 entlang. 
 
 Endere, one who causes the death 
 of another: B 1918. 
 
 Enduren, to endure : c 161. 
 
 Endyte, to dictate, relate : A 95, 
 B 522. 
 
 Engendred, produced : A 4. 
 
 Engyned, tortured, racked: c 240. 
 O. F. engin, contrivance, craft, 
 an instrument of war, torture, 
 &c. 
 
 Enhauncen, to raise: B 576. 
 Formed from Lat. ante. 
 
 Enhorte, to encourage : B 1993. 
 We have discourage and dis- 
 hearten, but enhorte has given 
 way to encourage : B 1993. 
 
 Enoynt, anointed: B 2103. 
 
 Ensample, example : A 496. 
 
 Entente, intention, purpose : B 
 142. 
 
 Entuned, intoned : A 123. 
 
 Envyned, stored with wine : A 
 
 34 2 
 
 Er, ere, before: B 182, 297. 
 Erchedeknes, archdeacon's : A 
 
 658. 
 Ere, to plough, ear : B 28. Earing 
 
 is used in our Eng. Bible. A.S. 
 
 erian, Du. eren. 
 Eres, ears : A 556, B 664. A. S. 
 
 eare, Goth. auso } an ear. 
 Erly, early: A 33, 809. A. S. cer, 
 
 before, ere; cerlice, early. 
 Ernest, earnest : B 267, 268. A.S. 
 
 eornest, earnest ; M. Du. ernsten, 
 
 to endeavour. 
 Erst than, for er than, before that : 
 
 B 708. Er = before; erst = first, 
 
 A 776. 
 Erthe, earth : B 388. A. S. eorde, 
 
 Ger. Erde. 
 
 Eschaunge, exchange : A 278. 
 Eschue, to avoid, shun: B 2185. 
 
 O. F. eschever, It. schivare, to 
 
 avoid; Dan. skiev, oblique, 
 
 a-skew. 
 Ese, pleasure, amusement, ease : A 
 
 768. F. aise, opportunity, ease. 
 Esed, entertained, accommodated : 
 
 A 29. See below. 
 Esen, to entertain : B 1336. 
 Esily, easily : A 469. 
 Espye, to see, discover : B 254, 
 
 562. F. espier, epier ; It. spiare ; ' 
 
 Ger. sp'dhen. 
 
 Est, east, B 1743 ; estward, B 1035. 
 Estat, estate, state, condition : A 
 
 203, 522. 
 
 Estatlich, Estatly, stately, dig- 
 nified : A 140, 281. 
 Estres,the inward parts of a build- 
 ing : B 1113. O. F. estre, state, 
 
 plan. 
 
 Esy, easy, A 223 ; moderate, 441. 
 Ete, to eat : c 593. See Eet. 
 Eterne, eternal: B 251, 1132. 
 Evel, evil. Evele, badly : B 269. 
 Everich, every, A 241 ; every one, 
 
 A 371, B 1269. 
 
 Everich a, every, each : A 733- 
 Everichon, every one : A 31, 747. 
 
GLOSSAL Y. 
 
 213 
 
 Ew, a yew-tree : B 2065. 
 Expounede, expounded : c 295. 
 Ey, an egg 1025. A. S. ag, pi. 
 
 tegru (M. E. eyreri) ; hence Eng. 
 
 eyry. 
 Eyen, eyes ; A 152, 267. O. Merc. 
 
 ege, pi. egen ; A. S. cage, pi. 
 
 e'ag*a#. 
 Eyle, to ail : B 223. 
 
 F. 
 
 Fader, father : A 100 ; gen. sing. 
 
 fader : A 781. (The gen. sing. 
 
 in A. S. wasjfaofer, notfadres.) 
 Fadme, fathoms : B 2058. 
 Fair, adj. beautiful, fair, good ; 
 
 Faire, adv. gracefully, well, 
 
 neatly: A 94, 124, 273. 
 Fairnesse, (i) beauty, B 240 ; (2) 
 
 honesty of life, A 519. 
 Falding, a sort of coarse cloth : 
 
 A 391. See note, p. 155. 
 Falle, befall : A 585. 
 Fals, false: 6295. Lat.jfa/sws. 
 Falwe, pale: B 506. A.S.falwe, 
 
 Ger.falb, pale, faded, yellow. 
 Famulier, familiar, homely : A 
 
 215. 
 Fare, proceeding, affair: B 951. 
 
 A. S.faru, Icel. for, course, pro- 
 * ceeding, movement, bustle, ado. 
 Fare, Faren, to go, proceed; 
 
 pp. Faren, Fare, pi. pres. 
 
 Faren: B 403, 407, 537, 1578, 
 
 C 59. A. S.faran, to go, pret. 
 
 for, pp. gefaren. The English 
 
 to fare, in ' fare thee well/ is 
 
 allied to the Greek pdros, a 
 
 passage. Welfare, wohlfahrt, 
 
 would be Greek euporia, opposed 
 
 to aporia, helplessness. 
 Farsed, stuffed: A 233. M. E. 
 farce, to stuff; F. farctr, Lat. 
 
 farcire (farsum\ to stuff. 
 Faste, near: B 618, 830. 
 Faught (also faght), fought: A 
 
 399- 
 Fayn, glad, gladly: A 766. 
 
 A. S. fagen, M. E. fayn, also 
 Jaw en, glad, fain. 
 
 Fedde, pret. fed : A 146. 
 
 Fee, money, reward : B 945. A. S. 
 feoh, Icel. fe, Lat. pecus, cattle, 
 property, money. 
 
 Feeld, a field : B 28. A. S.feld, 
 O. Fris.feld, Ger. Feld, the open 
 country. (Home Tooke is wrong 
 in connecting it with the verb 
 to fell.) 
 
 Feend, Fend, a fiend, devil: c 
 466. A. S. feond, Ger. Feind, 
 an enemy, fiend : orig. pres. pt. 
 of A. S. f eon, to hate. 
 
 Feith, faith, c 593. Anglo- 
 French feid, fei, F. foi, Lat. 
 fides. See Fey. 
 
 Fel, voc. Felle, cruel, fierce : B 
 701, 1772. A. S. fel, M.Du. 
 fel, O. Y.fel, cruel, fierce; O. F. 
 felon, cruel; O. Y.felonie, anger, 
 cruelty, treason ; any such 
 heinous offence committed by a 
 vassal against his lord, whereby 
 he is worthy to lose his estate. 
 (Cotgrave.) 
 
 Felawe, a fellow : A 650. Also 
 felaghe. The syllable /<e = fee, 
 
 foods, and law = order, law. Cf. 
 eel. felagi, a fellow, a sharer in 
 
 goods ; Icel. fe, money, goods ; 
 
 and lag, order, society. 
 Felawshipe, fellowship : A 32. 
 Feld, felled, cut down : B 2066. 
 Felle ; see Fel. 
 
 Felonye, crime, disgraceful con- 
 duct : B 1138. See Fel. 
 Fend, fiend. See Feend. 
 Fer, far: A 388, 491, B 992. 
 
 (Comp. ferre : B 1202, superl. 
 
 ferrest : A 494). A. S.feor, far ; 
 
 O. Fris.yir. 
 Ferde, (i) went, proceeded; (2) 
 
 acted, B 154 ; pl.ferden, B 789. 
 
 A. S.feran, to go. 
 Fere, fear, terror : B 475, 1486. 
 
 A.S./cr. 
 Fered, frightened, terrified : c 
 
 566. See Aferd. 
 
224 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Ferforthly, far forth : B 102. 
 Fermacie, a medicine, pharmacy : 
 
 B 1855. 
 
 Ferme, rent. See note to 1. 252, 
 
 p. 146. F. ferine. 
 Ferae, distant : A 14. See note, 
 
 p. 129. 
 Ferre, Ferrer, farther : A 48, 
 
 835. 
 
 Ferther, further, A 36. 
 
 Ferthing, farthing, fourth part ; 
 hence a very small portion of 
 anything : A 134, 255. 
 
 Feste, a feast: B 25. Lat. 
 festum. 
 
 Feste, to feast : B 1335. 
 
 Festne, to fasten : A 195. 
 
 Fet, fetched, brought: A 819, B 
 1669. A. S.fetian, M. Du. vatten, 
 to fetch. 
 
 Fether, a feather : A 107. c The 
 English feather would corre- 
 spond to a Sanskrit pattra, and 
 this means the wing of a bird, 
 i. e. the instrument of flying, 
 from pat, to fly, and tra. As to 
 penna, it comes from the same 
 root, but is formed with another 
 suffix. It would be a Sanskrit 
 patana, pesna and penna in 
 Latin.' Max Miiller, Science 
 of Language, Second Series, p. 
 221. 
 
 Fetis, neat, well-made: A 157. 
 O. Y.faictis (L&t.facticius), well- 
 made, neat,/ectf, from O. F.faire; 
 Latfacere. 
 
 Fetisly, neatly, properly : A 
 124. 
 
 Fettres, fetters (for the feet and 
 legs) : 8421. 
 
 Fey, faith : B 268. 
 
 Feyne, to feign : A 705, 736. 
 O. F. feigner, F.feindre, to feign ; 
 lL,at.Jingere } to form. 
 
 Fiers, fierce : B 740, 1087. O. F. 
 Jiers ; Lat. ferus. 
 
 Fil (pret. of fallen), fell: A 845. 
 Fillen, pi.; B 91. Fille, might 
 fall, A 131. 
 
 Fithele, fiddle : A 296. A. S 
 fldele; Mid. ~La.t.Jidula, vitula. 
 
 Flatour, flatterer : c 505. 
 
 Flee, to flee, flee from : B 312. 
 
 Flesh, flesh, meat : A 147. 
 
 Flete, to float, swim: B 1539. 
 A.S.jfteotan, O. H. Gzr.fliozan, 
 to flow, float, swim; whence 
 Eng. flee t, float. 
 
 Fleting, floating : B 1098. 
 
 Flex, flax : A 676. A. S. fleax. 
 Cf. flix, fur of a hare (Dryden) ; 
 Prov. 'Eng. fleck, down of rabbits. 
 The A. S. had flax-fote = web- 
 footed, so that there must have 
 been a verb corresponding to 
 Icel. fletta, to weave. 
 
 Fley (pret. offle}, flew : C 352. 
 
 Flikeringe, fluttering: B 1104. 
 A. S. flicerian, to flicker; Ger. 
 flacker n, to flare. 
 
 Flotery, wavy, flowing : B 2025. 
 (Tyrwhitt renders it floating.) 
 Flotery berd = a. long, flowing 
 beard. In Early Eng. Allitera- 
 tive Poems we find the phrase 
 floty valez (vales), where floty 
 has the sense of streaming. 
 A. S. floterian, to flutter, to be 
 borne on waves. Ger. flotern, 
 flutern, to flutter. 
 
 Flough, 2nd p. pret. flew : C 411. 
 
 Flour, flower : A 4, B 124. 
 
 Flo wen, pret. pi. flew : c 571. 
 
 Floytinge, playing on a flute : A 
 91. O. F. flahute, flaute, F. 
 flute, a flute ; cf. O. F. flagoler, 
 to pipe, whence flageolet. 
 
 Folk, people : A 25. 
 
 Folwe, to follow: B 1509. 
 
 Fomy, foamy, foaming : B 1648, 
 
 Fond, found, provided for : 9. 
 
 Foo, Fo, foe, enemy : A 63. A. S. 
 /a, enemy. See Fend. 
 
 Foom, foam : B 801. A. S.fdm. 
 
 For, (i) because, A 443 ; (2) l for 
 al,' notwithstanding, B 1162. 
 
 For, for fear of, against : A 2 76, 
 c 297. 
 
 Forbere, to forbear: B 27. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 For-blak, very black : B 1286. 
 Fordo, pp. ruined, destroyed : B 
 
 702. 
 Forgete, to forget (pp. forgeten, 
 
 foryeten) : B 1163, 2196. 
 Forheed, forehead : A 154. 
 Fern-east, pre-ordained : c 397. 
 Forneys, furnace : A 202. F. 
 
 fournaise, It.fornace; from Lat. 
 
 furnus, an oven. 
 For-old, very old: B 1284. 
 For-pyned, wasted away (through 
 
 pine or torment), tormented : A 
 
 205. See Pyne. 
 Fors, force: B 1865. * Do no 
 
 fors o/' = make no account of, 
 
 C 121. 
 Forsleuthen, to lose through 
 
 sloth : c 276. 
 
 Forster, a forester: A 117. 
 Forthermoor, furthermore : B 
 
 tin. 
 Forthren, to further, aid : B 279. 
 
 A. S.fyrdrian, to promote, sup- 
 port. 
 Forthy, therefore, B 983. A. S. 
 
 -thy = the instrumental case of 
 
 the def. article. 
 FortTinen, to make fortunate, to 
 
 give good or bad fortune : A 
 
 417, B 1519. 
 Forward, covenant, agreement : 
 
 A 33, 829. A. S.foreweard, Icel. 
 
 forvorfir, a compact, covenant. 
 Forwityng, foreknowledge : c 
 
 423. See Wite. 
 Forwot, foreknows : 414. 
 Foryete, forget : B 1024. See 
 
 Forgete. 
 Foryeve, to forgive : A 743, B 
 
 960. 
 
 F other, a load, properly a car- 
 riage-load : A 530, B 1050. It 
 
 is now used for a certain weight 
 
 of lead. A. S.fdtker, Du. voeder, 
 
 Ger. Fuder. 
 Foughte, pi. pret. fought, B 
 
 320. 
 
 Foughten, pp. fought : A 62. 
 Founden, pp. found : B 754. 
 
 Foundre, to founder, fall down : 
 B 1829. O. F. fondrer, to sink, 
 fall down (Godefroy). 
 
 Fowl, Fowel, a bird,/ow//: A 9, 
 190; B 1579. A..S. fugol, a 
 bird. 
 
 Foyne, Foynen, to make a pass 
 in fencing, to push, thrust: 
 B 796, 1692. Perhaps from 
 O. F. foine, an eel-spear ; Lat. 
 fuscina (because used for thrust- 
 ing). 
 
 Fraknes, freckles : B 1311. Prov. 
 Eng. frackens, Icel. freknur, 
 freckles ; cf. Ger. Fleck, Flecken, 
 a spot, stain. 
 
 Fredom, freedom, liberality : A 
 46. 
 
 Free, free, generous, liberal : c 94. 
 
 Freend, Frend, a friend : A 299, 
 B 610. 'The English friend is 
 a participle present. The verb 
 frijon, in Gothic, means to love, 
 hence frijonds, a lover. It is the 
 Sanskrit pri, to love.' (Max 
 Miiller.) 
 
 Frendly, Frendlich, friendly : 
 B 794, 1822. 
 
 Frendschipe, friendship : A 428. 
 
 Frere, a friar : A 208. 
 
 Fresh, fresh : A 365, B 1318. 
 A. S. fersc, Icel. friskr. The 
 Eng. frisk, frisky, are from a 
 Scandinavian source. 
 
 Freten, to eat (pp. freteri} : B 
 1161. A.S.frelan,GeT.fressen, 
 devour, eat ; Eng./r^. 
 
 Fro, from : A 324. Icel. frd, 
 from. It still exists in the 
 phrase ' to and fro* and in fro- 
 ward. 
 
 Frothen, to froth, foam : B 801. 
 
 Fulflld, filled full : B 82. 
 
 Fume, effects of gluttony or 
 drunkenness : C 104. Hence 
 the use of fume in the sense of 
 ' the vapours, dumps.' Cf. 
 ' Some (bees are) angry, fumisk, 
 or too teastie.' Topsell's Ser- 
 pents, p. 66. 
 
 Q 
 
226 
 
 GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 Fumetere, name of a plant, fumi- 
 tory : c 143. 
 
 Fyled, cut, filed smooth : B 1294. 
 
 Fyn, fine : B 614. 
 
 Fynde, to invent, provide : A 736. 
 
 Fyr, fire : B 2084, 2093. Fyry, 
 fiery : B 706. 
 
 Fyr-reed, red as fire : A 624. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gabbe, to lie : c 246. A. S. 
 gabban, Icel. gabba, to lie, jest ; 
 Icel. gabb, a jest. We have the 
 same root in gabble, gibberish. 
 
 Gadre, to gather : A 824. 
 
 Galingale, sweet cyperus : A 381. 
 
 Game, pleasure, sport : B 948. 
 A. S. gamen, O. Fris. game, 
 sport, play ; A. S. gamenian, to 
 sport. 
 
 Gamed, verb, impers. pleased : A 
 
 534- 
 
 Gan (pt. t. of ginnen) is used as a 
 mood-auxiliary, e. g. gan espye 
 = did see, B 254 ; began, B 682. 
 
 Gaping, having the mouth wide 
 open, gaping: B 1150. A. S. 
 geapian, Icel. gapa, Ger. gaffen, 
 to stare (i. e. with open mouth). 
 Gasp (for gap-s) is from the 
 same root. Cf. M. E. galping, 
 gaping. 
 
 Gappe, gap : B 781. Icel. gap, a 
 gap. 
 
 Gargat, the throat: 515. F. 
 gorge, a throat; It. gorgo, a 
 gurgle ; Ger. Gurgel, the gullet, 
 throat. See note. 
 
 Garleek, garlick, A 634 ; the 
 spearplant, from A. S. gar, a 
 spear, leac, an herb, plant, leek. 
 We have the second element in 
 other names of plants, as hem- 
 lock (M. E. hetnlicli)) charlock. 
 
 Gaste, to terrify. See Agast. 
 
 Gastly, horrible : B 1126. See 
 Agast. 
 
 Gat, got, obtained ; A 703, 704. 
 
 Gattothed, having teeth far apart, 
 hence, perhaps, lascivious : A 
 468. Du. gat y a hole. It is 
 sometimes written gaptothed, and 
 gagtoothed = having projecting 
 teeth, which also signifies 
 lascivious. ' If shee be gagge- 
 toothed, tell hir some merry jest, 
 to make her laughe.' Lyly's 
 Euphues, ed. Arber, p. 116. 
 See note. 
 
 Gaude grene, a light green 
 colour: B 1221. 'Colour hit 
 gaude grene.'' Ord. and Reg. 
 
 P- 452. 
 
 Gayler, a gaoler : B 206. From 
 Anglo-F. gaole, It. gaiola, Sp. 
 gayola, a cage. 
 
 Gayne, to avail: B 318. Icel. 
 gegna, to meet, to aid ; Icel. 
 gegn, A. S. gegn, against ; 
 whence ungainly. 
 
 Gaytres beryls, berries of the 
 dogwood-tree, Cornus sanguineq : 
 c 145. A. S. gdte-treow, cornel- 
 tree, A. S. Leechdoms, ii. 86. 
 
 Gees, geese : c 571. 
 
 Gentil, noble : A 72. 
 
 Gentilesse, gentleness, nobleness : 
 0476. 
 
 Gere, manner, habit : B 514, 673. 
 
 Gere, gear, all sorts of instru- 
 ments, tools, utensils, armour, 
 apparel, fashion : A 352, B 158, 
 1322. A. S. gearwe, clothing ; 
 gearwioMj to prepare ; cf. Eng. 
 yare. 
 
 Gerful, changeable : B 680. See 
 Gery. 
 
 Gerland, a garland: B 196. 
 
 Gerner, a garner : A 593. F. 
 grenier, garner, corn-loft ; grene, 
 grain. (Cotgrave.) 
 
 Gery, changeable : B 678. 
 
 Gesse, to deem, suppose, think, 
 guess: A 82, 1 1 8. Du. gissen, 
 Sw. gissa, Dan. gisse, to believe, 
 suppose. 
 
 Gete, to get, obtain, pp. geten : 
 A 291. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 *7 
 
 Gigginge, fitting or providing 
 with straps : B 1646. Godefroy 
 gives O. F. guige, guigue, a strap 
 for hanging a buckler over the 
 shoulder, a handle of a shield. 
 Cotgrave gives the fern. pi. 
 guiges, ' the handles of a targuet 
 or shield.' 
 
 Gilt, guilt : B 907, c 553. 
 
 Giltelees, free from guilt, guilt- 
 less : B 454. 
 
 Ginglen, to jingle : A 170. 
 
 Gipoun, a short cassock : A 75, 
 B 1262. 
 
 Gipser, a pouch or purse : A 357. 
 F. gibeciere, a pouch ; from O.F. 
 gibbe, a bunch. See Scheler. 
 
 Girdel, girdle : A 358. 
 
 Girles, young people, whether 
 male or female : A 664. Low G. 
 gor, a child. 
 
 Girt, pp. girded, girt : A 329. 
 
 Girt, pierced : 6152. Thurgh-girt, 
 pierced through, is used also by 
 Grimoald : 
 1 With throat ycut he roars r he 
 
 lieth along, 
 
 His entrails with a lance through- 
 gyrded quite.' Poems by 
 Surrey, &c., p. 215, ed. Bell. 
 The M.IL.girde, or gride, signifies 
 also to strike, and may be con- 
 nected with E. yard (as in yard- 
 measure), A. S. gyrd, Du. garde, 
 Ger. Gerte, a rod. 
 
 Gladdere, adj. more glad, B 2193. 
 
 Gladen,to console,gladden: 61979. 
 
 Gladere, sb. one who makes glad, 
 B 1365. 
 
 Glaring, staring (like the eyes of 
 the hare) : A 684. Norse glora, 
 to stare. 
 
 Glede, alive coal, gleed: B 1139. 
 A.S. gl6d, Du. gloed. Cf. Icel. 
 gloa, to burn, glow; glotf, a live 
 coal ; Ger. gluken, to glow ; 
 glufh, hot coals. 
 
 Gliteren, to glitter, shine : B 2032. 
 Icel. glitra, to glitter. 
 
 Glowen, to glow, shine ; Glowe- 
 
 den (pi. pret.), shone, B 1274. 
 
 See Gleed. 
 Go, Gon, Goo, Goon (pp. go, 
 
 gon, goon), to go, walk : A 450, 
 
 771. Goth, goes: B 213, 598. 
 
 Goon (pi.), go : A 771, c 32. 
 Gobet, piece, morsel, fragment : A 
 
 696. O. F. gobet, a morsel of 
 
 food, gober, to devour ; cf. Prov. 
 
 Eng. gob, Gael, gob, the mouth ; 
 
 whence gobble, gabble, &c. 
 Godhede, godhead, divinity : B 
 
 Golde, or Guide, a flower com- 
 
 monly called a turnsol : B 1071. 
 
 O. F. goude, a marigold, so called 
 
 from its golden colour. See note. 
 Goliardeys, a buffoon : A 560. 
 
 See note. 
 Gonne (pi. of gan), began, did : 
 
 B- 800. 
 
 Good, property, goods : A 581. 
 Goon, to go : A 12, 377 ; see Go. 
 Goost, ghost, spirit : A 205. 
 Goot, a goat : A 688. 
 Goune, a gown : A 93. It. gonna, 
 
 Mid. Lat. guna, gouna. 
 Governaunce, management, con- 
 
 trol, management of affairs, 
 
 business matters : A 281, B 455, 
 
 C 45. Also = self-control, vir- 
 
 tuous conduct : 
 
 ' Grace groweth after [according 
 
 to] governance 
 Is an old said saw in each place.' 
 
 (Becon.) 
 
 Governing, control : A 599. 
 Graunte, grant, permission : B 
 
 448. 
 Graunte, to grant, consent to : A 
 
 786. 
 
 Graunting, consent, grant 161581. 
 Grece, grease : A 135. 
 Gree, the prize, superiority, B 
 
 1875. See note. 
 Greet, Gret (def. form and pi. 
 
 greete, grete), great (comp. 
 
 gretter, super!. gretleste) : A 84, 
 120, 137, 197; B5, 218,1271. 
 Grene, green : A 103. A. S. grene. 
 
 Q 2 
 
238 
 
 GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 Greve, to grieve. Agreved, 
 angry, B 1199. 
 
 Greve, a grove : B 637. This form 
 is used by some of the Eliza- 
 bethan poets. 
 
 Greyn, grain : A 596. 
 
 Griffoun, a griffin : B 1275. 
 
 Grim, fierce: B 1661. A.S. grimm, 
 fierce, furious ; Du. grimmen, to 
 snarl ; It. grima, wrinkled ; F. 
 grimace, a wry mouth, grimace. 
 
 Grisly, horrible, dreadful, B 505 ; 
 from M. E. grise, agrise, to ter- 
 rify. A.S. agrisan, to dread, fear ; 
 M. Du. grijsen, Prov. Eng. gryze, 
 to snarl, grind the teeth. 
 
 Gronen, to groan : c 66 ; Gron- 
 ing, groaning: c 87. A.S. grdn- 
 ian, to groan, murmur. 
 
 Grope, to try, test : A 644. It 
 signifies originally to feel with 
 the hands, to grope (A. S. grdp- 
 ian, Icel. greipa ; cf. grabble, 
 grip, grasp, &c.) ; hence to probe 
 a wound, to test, put to the 
 proof. 
 
 Grote, a groat : C 138. 
 
 Groyning, grumbling, murmur- 
 ing, discontent : B 1602. O. F. 
 grognir (Godefroy), F. grogner, 
 to grunt, murmur, grumble. 
 
 Grucchen, to murmur, grumble, 
 grudge: B 2187. F. groucher, 
 to murmur. Gr. jpv&iv, to 
 murmur, mutter. 
 
 Gruf, with face flat to the ground : 
 B 91 ; whence Eng. grovelling, 
 groveL M. E. grovelinges, gruf- 
 linges t Icel. grufa, to stoop 
 down. Liggja d grvfu, to lie 
 with the nose to the ground. 
 
 Grys, fur of the gray squirrel or 
 rabbit : A 194. 
 
 Gulty, guilty : A 660. 
 
 Gye, to guide : B 1092. O. F. guier, 
 F. guider. 
 
 Gyle, deceit : B 1738. O. F. guile, 
 deceit, from the O. H. G. form 
 cognate with E. wile. 
 
 Gyse, guise, fashion, mode, wise, 
 
 A 663, B 135, 350. F. guise, 
 Ger. Weise, Eng. wise, mode, 
 fashion. 
 
 H. 
 
 Haberdassher, a seller of hats : 
 A 36 1. 'Thefa&mfos/zerheapeth 
 wealth by hattes;' Gascoigne, The 
 Fruites of Warre ; st. 64. See 
 note. 
 
 Habergeoun, a diminutive hau- 
 berk, a small coat of mail : A 76, 
 B 1261. O. F. hauberc, O. H. 
 Ger. halsberc, A. S. Aealsbeorg, 
 a coat of mail ; from heals, the 
 neck, and beorgan, to cover or 
 protect. 
 
 Hade = M. E. havede (sing.), had: 
 
 A 554- 
 
 Hakke, to hack : B 2007. Du. 
 hakken, Ger. Aacken, to cut up, 
 chop ; Dan. hakke, to peck ; F. 
 hacker, to mince ; whence Eng. 
 hash, hatchef. 
 
 Halwes, saints : A 14. A. S. hdlga, 
 a saint (as in 'All Hallows' 
 E'en') : from hot, whole. 
 
 Hamer, a hammer : B 1650. 
 
 Han = haven, to have : A 224. 
 
 Happe, to happen, befall : A 585. 
 Whence happy, mis-hap, per- 
 haps, TR.&y-hap. M. E. happen, 
 happy ; Icel. happ, fortune, luck. 
 
 Hardily, certainly : A 156. 
 
 Hardinesse, boldness : B 1090. 
 
 Haried, harried, taken as a prison- 
 er : B 1868. F. harier, to hurry, 
 harass, molest (Cotgrave). 
 
 Harlot : A 647. This term was not 
 confined to females, nor even to 
 persons of bad character. It 
 signifies (i) a young person ; 
 (2) a person of low birth ; (3) a 
 person given to low conduct; 
 (4) a ribald. 
 
 Harlotryes, ribaldries : A 561. 
 
 Harneised, equipped : A 1 14. 
 
 Harneys, armour, gear, furniture, 
 harness: B 148, 755. O. F. 
 karneis } F. harnoi?, all manner of 
 
GLOSS AR Y. 
 
 229 
 
 harness, equipage, furniture ; 
 
 Ger. Harnisch, armour. 
 Harre,a hinge : A 550- A. S. hear, 
 
 heorr, M. E. herre, a hinge. 
 Harrow, a cry of distress : C 225. 
 
 O. F. harau, hare! Crier haro 
 
 snr, to make hue and cry after. 
 
 O. H. Ger. haren, to cry out ; 
 
 Scottish harro, a cry for help. 
 Hauberk, a coat of mail : B 1573. 
 
 See Habergeon. 
 Haunt, (i) an abode, (2) custom, 
 
 practice, skill : A 447. F. 
 
 hanter, to frequent. 
 Heed, Hede, head : A 198, 455. 
 
 A. S. heafod, M. Du. hoofd, 
 
 head ; Scottish hqffet, side of the 
 
 head. 
 
 Heeld, held : A 337. A. S. heold. 
 Heep, heap, assembly, host : A 
 
 575. A. S. heap, Ger. Haufe, 
 
 heap, band, crowd. Cf. M. E. 
 
 ' a keep of houndes; ' keep, a band 
 
 of armed men. 
 Heer, here : B 933. 
 Heer, hair: A 589, B 1285. A. S. 
 
 har, her. 
 Heeth, a heath : A 6, 606. A. S. 
 
 ha>3, heath ; Goth, haithi, the 
 
 open country ; Icel. het&r, a 
 
 waste ; Ger. Heide, a heath ; 
 
 whence heathen, hoyden (M. Du. 
 
 hey den, a clown, rustic). 
 Hegge, a hedge : C 398. A. S. 
 
 hegge, a bush, shrub, hedge. We 
 
 have other forms of the word in 
 
 haw-thorn (A. S. haga, a hedge), 
 
 and in the local name Hays 
 
 (A. S. hegc, a hedge) ; ' Broken 
 
 hayes' (Oxford). 
 
 Heigh, high, B 207 ; great, B 940. 
 Hele, health : B 413. A. S. heel, 
 
 whole ; hdlu, health. 
 Heled, hidden, kept secret, C 235. 
 
 A. S. helan, to cover, conceal ; 
 
 prov. Eng. hele, kill, to cover, 
 
 hull, cod of pease ; cf. G. Hulle, 
 
 a cover. 
 Helpen of, to help off, get rid of 
 
 (pret. halp, pp. hplpen) : A 632. 
 
 Hem, them : A 18. 
 
 Hemself, themselves : B 396. 
 
 Hemselve, Hemselven, them- 
 selves. 
 
 Heng (pret. ofhonge), hanged: A 
 l6 o 358 ; pi. henge, A 677. 
 
 Henne, hence : B 1498. M. E. 
 hennes, hens. A more modern 
 form is our hence. 
 
 Hente, Henten, seize, take hold 
 of, get : A 299, 698 ; B 46. (Pret. 
 hente, B 442 ; pp. hent, B 723.) 
 A. S. hentan. 
 
 Heraud, a herald: B 159, 1675. 
 F. herauld, her ant, from O. H. 
 Ger. haren, to shout. 
 
 Herbergage, Herberwe, lodg- 
 ing, inn, harbour : A 403, 765, 
 C 169. A. S. here, an army, and 
 beorgan, to protect, defend. ' A 
 good harborough for the ship.' 
 Hakluyt's Voyages, iii. p. 35. 
 
 Herd, haired : B 1660. 
 
 Herde, a herd, keeper of cattle, a 
 shepherd : A 603. A. S. hyrde, 
 a keeper, guardian ; Ger. Hirte, 
 a herdsman ; Icel. hir&a, to keep 
 guard. 
 
 Here, to hear: A 169, C 432. 
 
 Here&y-iiairs : A 555. See Heer. 
 
 Herknen, to hark, hearken, listen : 
 B668, 985, 1674. 
 
 Hert, a hart : B 831. 
 
 Herte, heart : A 150. 
 
 Herteles, without heart, cowardly: 
 C88. 
 
 Hertely, heartily: A 762. 
 
 Herte-spoon : B 1 748. The pro- 
 vincial heart-spoon signifies the 
 navel. Tyrwhitt explains it as 
 ' the concave part of the breast, 
 where the lower ribs unite with 
 the cartilago ensiformis? 
 ' . . . . He that undoes him (the 
 
 deer), 
 Doth cleave the brisket-bone, upon 
 
 the spoon 
 
 Of which a little gristle grows.' 
 Sad Shepherd, act i. sc. 6. 
 
 Hest, command, behest: 81674. 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 A. S. has, a hest, from hdtan, to 
 command. 
 
 Hete, to promise ; B 1540. A. S. 
 hdtan, O. Sax. kelan, Icel. Ae*Va, 
 to call, promise. 
 
 Hethen, a heathen : A 66. 
 
 Hethenesse, the countryinhabited 
 by the heathens, A 49 ; in contra- 
 distinction to Christendom. 
 
 Heve, to heave, raise : A 550. 
 Heve o/= to lift off f pret. haf, hof: 
 Eng. hove). A. S. hebban, O. Fris. 
 heva, to heave, lift. 
 
 Hevenly, heavenly: 6197. 
 
 Hewe, colour, complexion, hue : 
 B 506. Hewes, colours for 
 painting : B 1230. A. S. hiw. 
 
 He-wed, coloured : c 49. See Hew. 
 
 Hewen, to cut : B 564. A. S. 
 heawan, Ger. hauen. 
 
 Hey, Heye, Heygh, Heyh, high, 
 highly. A. S. heh. 
 
 Hider, hither : A 672. 
 
 Hidous, hideous: B 1120. Hi- 
 dously, hideously, dreadfully: 
 B 843. O. F. hide, hisde, hidour, 
 hisdour, dread ; hidus, dreadful. 
 
 Hight, promised ; Highte, was 
 called : A 616, 719, B 333, 1614. 
 Highte, to be called, B 699. 
 A. S. heht, het ; pret. of hdtan, to 
 command, promise. The pre- 
 terite of hdtan (Ger. heissen), to 
 call, be called, was hdtte ; so 
 two distinct usages have been 
 confounded. 
 
 Highte. ' On highte ' = aloud : B 
 926. 
 
 Himselve, Himselven, dat. and 
 ace. of himself ': A 184, 528. 
 
 Hindreste, hindmost : A 622. 
 
 Hipes, hips : A 472. A. S. hype, 
 Du. heup, Ger. Hiifte, the flank, 
 , hip. 
 
 Hir, her: A 120. 
 
 Hir, their, of them : A n, B 320. 
 Hir aller = of them all, A 586. 
 
 Hit, it. 
 
 Ho, an interjection commanding a 
 cessation of anything : B 848, 
 
 1675." Cf. the carter's whoa! to 
 his horse to stop. 
 
 Hold, ' in hold,' in possession, cus- 
 tody: c 54. A. S. ge-heald, Icel. 
 hold, custody, hold ; A. S. heald- 
 an, haldan, to hold, retain. 
 
 Holde, Holden, beholden, B 449 ; 
 esteemed, held, A 141, B 832, 
 1861. 
 
 Holpen, helped : A 18. See 
 Helpen. 
 
 Holt, a wood, grove : A 6. A. S. 
 holt, O. H. Ger. holz, a wood. 
 Holt is still used in some parts 
 of England for an orchard or any 
 place of trees, as a cherry-holt, an 
 apple-holt. In Norfolk a planta- 
 tion is called a holt, as nut-holt, 
 osier-holt, gooseberry-holt. It oc- 
 curs frequently as an element in 
 local names, as Holt, a wood 
 near Havant (Hants) ; Knock-holt, 
 a wood near Tenterden (Kent). 
 
 Holwe, hollow : A 289. A. S. hoi, 
 a hole ; holh, a ditch ; Low Ger. 
 holig, hollow. The termination 
 -we or -ow had originally a di- 
 minutival force. 
 
 Homicydes, murderers : C 404. 
 
 Homward, homeward : B 2098. 
 
 Hond, hand : A 193. 
 
 Honest, creditable, honourable, 
 becoming: A 246. 
 
 Honge, to hang (pret. heng) : B 
 
 Hool, Hole, whole : A 533, B 
 
 2148. A. S. hdl, whole, sound ; 
 
 whence, wholesome, holy, &c. 
 Hoolly, wholly: A 599. 
 Hoom, home: A 400, B 1881. 
 
 Hoomly, homely : A 328. A. S. 
 
 ham, Ger. Heim. 
 Hoppesteres (applied to ships), 
 
 dancing: B 1159. ~ ster ls a ter " 
 
 mination marking the feminine 
 
 gender, as in modern Eng. spin- 
 
 ster. See note. 
 Hors, horse : A 168. PL hors, 
 
 horses, A 74, 598, B 1634. A. S. 
 
 hors ; pi. hors. 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 231 
 
 Hoste, host : A 751. 
 
 Hostelrye, an hotel, inn: A 23, 
 
 722. O. F. hostel, Mid. Lat. 
 
 hospitale, a hostel, inn (whence 
 
 Eng. hospital}, from Lat. hospes, 
 
 a guest. 
 Hostiler, innkeeper: A 241. 
 
 O. F. hosteller, F. hotelier. 
 Hote, hot, hotly; A 97, 394. 
 
 A. S. hdt, hot. 
 Houped, = houped, whooped : c 
 
 580. F. houper, to call out. 
 
 [Whooping-cough is properly 
 
 hooping-cough.'] 
 Hous, house : A 343 
 Housbondrye, economy : c 8. 
 Housholdere, householder: A 
 
 339- 
 
 Humblesse, humility : B 923. 
 
 Hunte, a hunter: B 820, 1160. 
 A. S. hunta, a hunter. 
 
 Hunten, to hunt: B 782. On 
 hunting a-hunting : B 829. 
 
 Hunteresse, a female hunter: B 
 1489. 
 
 Hurtle, to push: B 1758. F. 
 heurter, Du. horten, to dash 
 against. Hurt, hurl, are con- 
 nected with the base hort, to 
 butt. 
 
 Hust, hushed: B 2123. 
 
 Hye, Hyghe, high, highly : B 39, 
 1217, 1605. 
 
 Hye, haste, B 2121 ; to hasten, B 
 1416. In hye = in haste, hastily. 
 
 Hyer, upper : A 398. 
 
 Hyne, hind, servant : A 603. A. S. 
 hina, hine, a servant, domestic ; 
 from hiwa, family. 
 
 I (vowel). 
 
 like, same : A 64, 175. A. S.ylc. 
 
 Cp. ' of that ilk: 
 Imagining, plotting, B 1137 
 In, Inne, house, lodging, inn : B 
 
 1579, c 206. 
 
 Inequal, unequal : B 1413. 
 Infect, invalid : A 320. 
 Inne, adv. in : A 41, B 760. 
 
 Inned, lodged, entertained : B 1 334. 
 Inspired, quickened : A 6. 
 
 I (consonant). 
 (J was formerly denoted by i, 
 
 especially by a capital /.) 
 lalous, jealous : 6471. 
 langle, to prate, babble: C 615. 
 langlere, a prater, babbler: A 
 
 560. O. F. jangler, to prattle, 
 
 jest, lie. 
 
 lape, a trick, jest: A 705, c 271. 
 lape, to befool, deceive : B 871. 
 
 F.japper, to yelp. It is probably 
 
 connected with Eng. gabble, 
 
 gabbe, &c. 
 leet, jet: c 41. F. jaiet, Lat. 
 
 gagates. Used for beads, and 
 
 held in high estimation. Bp. 
 
 Bale makes allusion to this in 
 
 Kynge Johan, p. 39 : 
 1 Holy water and bredde shall dryve 
 
 awaye the devyll ; 
 Blessynges with blacke bedes wyll 
 
 helpe in every evyll.' 
 let, fashion, mode : A. 682. 
 lolitee, joy fulness, amusement : A 
 
 680, B 949. 
 lolyf, joyful, pleasant : c 254. F. 
 
 jolt, It. giulivo, gay, fine, merry. 
 
 Diez connects it with Icel. jol, 
 
 JLng.yule, Christmas. 
 lournee, a day's journey : B 1880. 
 luge, a judge : A 814, B 854. F. 
 
 juge, Lat. ace. iudicem. 
 lugement, judgment : A 778. 
 luste, lusten, to joust, tilt, engage 
 
 in a tournament : A 99, B 1628. 
 
 O. f.jouster, to tilt; hence Eng. 
 
 jostle. 
 lustes jouste, a tournament : B 
 
 1862. 
 luwyse, judgment : B 881. O.F. 
 
 juise, judgment, from Lat. in- 
 dicium. 
 
 K. 
 
 Keep, care, attention, heed. Take 
 keep = take care : A 398, 503 : B 
 531- 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 Kembd (pp. of kembe], combed, 
 
 neatly trimmed : B 1285. 
 Kempe, shaggy: B 1276. From 
 Icel. kamp, a beard, the stiff 
 whiskers of a seal, cat, or lion. 
 Cf. Camp in Murray's Diet. See 
 note. 
 
 Kene, sharp : A 104. 
 Kepe (pret. leepte, pp. kepi), to 
 guard, preserve, take care (as in 
 I kepe nat = 1 care not): A 276, 
 B 1380. A. S. cepan. 
 Kervere, a carver : B 1041. 
 Kerving, cutting, carving : B 
 
 1057. See Carf. 
 
 Kindled, lighted : B 1437. Icel. 
 kynda, to set fire to ; kyndill, a 
 torch ; cf. Eng. cannel coal. 
 From Lat. candela. 
 Kinrede, kindred : B 428. With 
 A. S. suffix -r<kden. The affix 
 -rede is equivalent to -ship, and 
 occurs in hat-red, kin-d-red. The 
 M.E. hasfrend-reden, friendship; 
 fo-reden, enmity. 
 
 Knarre, a knotted, thick-set fel- 
 low : A 549. Cf. M. E. gnarr, 
 a knot ; gnarled, knotted ; Swed. 
 knorla, to twist, curl, 
 Knarry, full of gnarrs or knots : 
 
 B 1119. 
 
 Knave, a boy, a servant : B 1870. 
 
 A. S. cnapa, Ger. Knabe, a boy, 
 
 youth, servant ; M. E. knave- 
 
 child, a male-child. 
 
 Knighthede, knighthood : B 
 
 1931. 
 
 Knobbe, a large pimple : A 633. 
 Knowe, pp. known : B 345, 1442. 
 Knyf, a knife : B 1141. 
 Kyn, kine: c n. . 
 Kynd, Kynde, nature: B 1593. 
 By kynde = by nature, naturally : 
 C 376. Cf. 'the kindly (natural) 
 fruits of the earth/ A. S. cynd, 
 nature. 
 
 L. 
 
 Lacerte, a fleshy muscle : B 1895 
 (Lat. lacertvs). 
 
 Lacing, lacing, fastening: B 1646. 
 
 See Las. 
 Lad (pp.), B 1762 ; Ladde (pret.), 
 
 B 588 ; led, carried. 
 Lafte (pret. sing.), left, ceased: 
 A 492. Cf. the phrase ' left 
 off.' 
 Lak, want, lack : c 24. Du. lak, 
 
 fault, want. 
 Lakke, to lack, be wanting : B 
 
 1422. 
 
 Langage, language : A 211. 
 Large, adj. free; adv. largely. 
 Chaucer says, 'at his large' B 
 425, where we should say 'at 
 large.' 
 
 ( Las, a lace, belt : B 1093 ; net, 
 snare : B 959. F. lacs, Prov. 
 F. laz (Lat. laqueus), a lace, 
 snare. 
 
 Lasse, less : B 898. 
 Lat, imp. let : A 188 ; lat be, cease. 
 Late, lately, recently. ' Late 
 y-come ; ' ' late y-shave : ' A 77, 
 690. 
 
 Latoun, a kind of brass, or tinned 
 iron, latten : A 699. F. laiton, 
 brass ; It. latta, tin-plate. 
 Laughe, to laugh : c 267. 
 Launde, a plain surrounded by 
 trees, hunting-grounds : B 833. 
 Cotgrave has ' lande, a land or 
 launde, a wild untilled shrubbie 
 or bushy plaine.' It seems to 
 be, with a difference of meaning, 
 our modern word lawn. Welsh 
 llan, a clear space. Shakespeare 
 used the word in 3 Henry VI. 
 iii. 1.2: 
 'Under this thick-grown brake 
 
 we'll shroud ourselves ; 
 For through this laund anon the 
 
 deer will come.' 
 
 Laurer, a laurel : B 169. ' In a 
 fayre fresh and grene laurere? 
 (Lives of Saints, Roxb. Club, 
 
 P- 5 1 -) 
 Laxatif, Laxatyf, a purging 
 
 medicine : 123. 
 Laynere, a lanner or whiplash : 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 333 
 
 B 1646. F. laniere, a thong, 
 laniard, lash of a whip. 
 
 Lazar, a leper: A 242, 245. 
 
 Lechecraft, the skill of a phy- 
 sician, B 1887 ; from leche, a 
 physician. A. S. Icece, a leech, 
 physician. 
 
 Leed, a cauldron, copper : A 202. 
 It also signifies a kettle. 
 ' Mowe hawme to burne, 
 To serve thy turne, 
 To bake thy bread, 
 To burne under lead.' 
 
 Tusser, Husbandry, 56. 14. 
 
 Leef (pi. leves), leaf: B 980. 
 
 Leef (def. form voc. case leve), 
 dear, beloved, pleasing : B 278, 
 979. ' Be him looth or leef = 
 be it displeasing or pleasing to 
 him. A. S. leof, dear ; Eng. lief, 
 liefer. 
 
 Leen, imp. s. give (lit. lend) : 
 B 2224. See Lene. 
 
 Leep, leaped: B 1829. 
 
 Leet (pret.), let: A 128, 508 ; B 
 348. A. S. l&tan (pret. let, pp. 
 l&ten). Leet brynge caused to 
 be brought. See Lete. 
 
 Leme, gleam: c no. A. S. 
 leoma. (Allied to E. light 9 but 
 not to E. gleam.} 
 
 Lene, to lend, give : A 611. A. S. 
 Icenan, to give, lend ; l&n, a 
 loan ; Ger. leiken, to lend. See 
 Leen. 
 
 Lene, lean, poor: A 287, 591. 
 A. S. hlcene, lean ; from klinian, 
 to lean, bend. 
 
 Lenger, longer : A 330, 821. 
 
 Lepart, a leopard : B 1328. 
 
 Lere, to learn : c 286. A. S. 
 lceran.j to teach ; from Idr, doc- 
 trine, lore. 
 
 Lerne, to learn : A 308. 
 
 Lese, to lose : B 357, 432 : c 322. 
 A. S. leosan, pret. leas, pp. loren ; 
 the old pp. occurs in far-lorn. 
 
 Lesing, loss : B 849. 
 
 Lesinges, leasing, lies : B 1069. 
 A. S. leas, false, loose ; leasung, 
 
 falseness ; Goth, laus, empty, 
 vain ; whence the affix -less. 
 
 Lest, Leste, least : B 263. 
 
 Lest, pleasure, delight, joy : A 
 132. A. S. lust, desire, love; 
 lystan, to wish, will, desire ; 
 Eng. list, listless, lust, lusty. 
 
 Leste, pret. of vb. impers. pleased: 
 A. 750. 'Me /ts/' = it pleases 
 me ; ' him liste ' = it pleased 
 
 him; 'hem liste' it pleased 
 them ; ' us leste ' = it pleased us. 
 See List, Lest. 
 
 Lete, to leave : B 477. See Leet. 
 
 Lette, to hinder, delay, tarry, put 
 off (pret. lette) : B 31, 1034; c 
 264. ' Letten of = refrain from : 
 B 459. A. S. lettan, to hinder ; 
 Goth, latjan, to delay ; Icel. 
 latr, lazy, slow. Cf. Eng. late. 
 
 Lette, delay, hindrance. See pre- 
 vious word. 
 
 Letuaries, electuaries : A 426. 
 
 Leve,'to believe: B 2230. 
 
 Leve, imp. leave : B 756. 
 
 Levere, rather (comp. of leef) : A 
 
 ' 293, c 300. ' Him was lever e \ 
 = it was more agreeable to him, 
 he would rather. 
 
 Lewed, Lewd, ignorant, un- 
 learned. Lewed man, a layman : 
 A 502. A. S. l&wed, pertaining 
 to the laity. ' It is not meet for 
 the lewd people to know the 
 mysteries of God's word.' - 
 Becon, Acts of Christ, p. 527. 
 
 Leye, to lay (imp. ley, pret. leyde, 
 pp. leyd) : A 81, 841. 
 
 Leyser, leisure : B 330. Ang. F. 
 
 . leisir, F. loisir, from Lat. licere. 
 
 Licenciat, one licensed by the 
 Pope to hear confessions in all 
 places, and to administer pen- 
 
 . ance independently of the local 
 ordinaries : A 220. 
 
 Liche-wake, the vigil, watch, or 
 wake held over the body of the 
 dead: B 2100. A. S. lie, Ger. 
 Leiche, Goth, leik, a corpse; 
 whence lick-gate, the gate where 
 
234 
 
 GLOSS AR V. 
 
 the corpse is set down on enter- 
 ing a churchyard, to await the 
 arrival of the minister. 
 
 Licour, liquor, sap : A 3. 
 
 Lief, beloved : c 59. See Leef. 
 
 Ligge, to lie : B 1347, C 404. 
 A. S. licgan, to lie, whence 
 lecgan, to lay. 
 
 Lightly, (i) easily, (2) joyfully, 
 B 1012. 
 
 Like, vb. impers. to please : A 
 
 777- 
 
 Limes, limbs: B 1277. 
 Limitour, a friar licensed to ask 
 
 alms within a certain limit: A 
 
 209. 
 Linage, Ligne, lineage: B 252, 
 
 693- 
 
 Linde, lime-tree : B 2064. 
 
 Lipsed, lisped : A 264. Cf. Du. 
 lispen. 
 
 List, it pleases : A 583 ; pret. 
 liste : A 102, B 194. See Leste. 
 
 Listes, lists, a place enclosed for 
 combats or tournaments : B 
 1687. ( Barret ( = barriers) or 
 lists. * Cowel's Interpreter, 
 1701. 
 
 Litarge, white lead : A 629. 
 
 Litel, little: A 438. A. S. lyf, 
 lytel, Goth, leitils, Du. luttel. 
 
 Lith, a limb, any member of the 
 body : c 55. A. S. US, Ger. 
 Glied, a joint, limb ; Norse lida, 
 to bend the limbs ; cf. Eng. lithe, 
 lissome. 
 
 Liveree, livery : A 363. See 
 note. 
 
 Lode, a load : B 2060. 
 
 Lodemenage, pilotage : A 403. 
 Used in this sense in 3 George I, 
 c. 13. Courts of Lodemanage 
 are held at Dover forthe appoint- 
 ment of the Cinque Port pilots. 
 See Lodesterre. 
 
 Lodesterre, a loadstar, the pole- 
 star : B 1 20 1. The first element 
 is the A. S. lad, a way, whence 
 l<zdan, to lead, conduct. It 
 occurs again in loadstone ; lode, a 
 
 vein of metal ore ; M. E. lode- 
 
 men, loders, carriers, pilots ; 
 
 lode-ship, a kind of fishing- vessel 
 
 mentioned in early statutes; Pro v. 
 
 Eng. loads, ditches for straining 
 
 away the water from the fens; 
 
 loadstone, a leading stone for 
 
 drains. 
 Logge, to lodge; sb. a lodging, 
 
 dwelling-place: c 33, 176. 
 
 Logging, lodging: c 175. F. 
 
 loge, a hut or small apartment ; 
 
 loger, to sojourn. 
 Loken, to see, look : B 925. 
 Loken, locked, enclosed : c 55. 
 Lokkes, locks (of hair), curls : A 
 
 81. 
 Loking, appearance, sight : B 
 
 Lond, Londe, land: A 14. 
 Longe, Longen, to belong : B 
 
 1420. 
 
 Longen, to desire, long for: A 12. 
 Longes, lungs : B 1894. 
 Looth, odious, hateful, disagree- 
 
 able, loath, unwilling : A 486, B 
 
 979- 
 Lordinges, lordlings (a diminu- 
 
 tive of lord\ sirs, my masters : 
 
 A 761. 
 Lore, precept, doctrine, learning : 
 
 A 527. See Lere. 
 Lorn, lost. See Lese. 
 Los, loss: B 1685. 
 Losengeour, a flatterer, liar : c 
 
 506. O. F. losengier. 
 Losten (pi. pret.), lost : B 78. See 
 
 Lese. 
 
 Lovyer, a lover : A 80. 
 Loud, loud, loudly : C 543. 
 Luce, a pike : A 350. 
 Lust, pleaseth. See List. 
 Lust, pleasure: A 192. 
 Lustinesse, pleasure : B 1081. 
 Lusty, pleasant, joyful, gay : A 80, 
 
 B 655. Lustily, merrily, gaily : 
 
 B 671. 
 
 Lyf, life: A 71, B 1918. 
 Lyfly, in a lifelike way: B 1229. 
 Lyk, like : A 590, B 443. 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 135 
 
 Lyte, little : A 494 ; B 335, 476. 
 
 Lyth, lies : B 360. 
 
 Lyve, dat. of /jy/, life ; hence alyve"; 
 
 in life, alive, B 1840. 
 Lyves, alive, living: B 1537.' 
 
 M. 
 
 Maad, Mad, pp. made: A 394, 
 668. 
 
 Maat, Mat, dejected, downcast : E 
 98. F. mat, faded, quelled ; Du. j 
 mat, exhausted ; Ger. matt, feeble,' 
 faint ; all from Pers. mat, dead ; 
 from the game of chess; E. 
 mate in check-mate. 
 
 Maist, mayest : B 385. Maistow, 
 mayest thou : B 378, c 286. 
 
 Maister, a master, chief, a skilful 
 artist : A 261, 576. Maister - 
 streete = the chief street : B 2044. 
 
 Maistrye, skill, power, superior- 
 ity: A 165. 
 
 Make, a companion or mate : B 
 1698. A. S. maca, a companion ; 
 Icel. maki, a spouse ; cf. Eng. 
 match, 
 
 Maked, pp. made : B 1666. 
 
 Male, a portmanteau, bag, mail : 
 A 694. O. F. male, a great 
 Btudget, F. malle. 
 
 Malencolye, sb. melancholy: c 
 113. Adj. Malencolyk: B 517. ^ 
 
 Manace, Manasing, a threat, 
 menace: B 1145, 1178. F. me- 
 nace, Lat. minae, minaciae, 
 threats. 
 
 Maner, Manere, manner, kind, 
 sort: A 71, 858, B 1017, C 26. 
 Maner, sort of (without of}. 'A 
 maner deye' = a sort of dey, or 
 dairy-maid. 
 
 Manhod, manhood, manliness : A 
 
 756- 
 
 Mansioun, a mansion: B mo. 
 Mantelet, a little mantle, a short 
 
 mantle : B 1305. 
 
 Manye, mania, madness : B 516. 
 Many oon, many a one : A 317. 
 
 Marchant, a merchant : A 2 70. 
 
 Marshal, marshal of the hall : A 
 752. Mid. Lat. marescalcus, F. 
 marechal, the master of the 
 horse ; O. Ger. m'dhre, a horse, 
 and schalk, a servant. ' The 
 marshal of the hall was the person 
 who, at public festivals, placed 
 every person according to his 
 rank. It was his duty also to 
 preserve peace and order. The 
 marshal of the field presided over 
 any out-door game. Halliwell. 
 
 Martirdom, torment, martyrdom : 
 B 602. 
 
 Martyre, a torment : B 704. 
 
 Mary, marrow : A 380. A. S. 
 mearh, marrow ; Dan. marv, G. 
 Mark. 
 
 Mase, a wild fancy : c 273. Icel. 
 masa, to jabber, chatter; Norse 
 masast, to drop asleep, to begin 
 to dream ; Prov. Eng. mazle, to 
 wander, as if stupefied. Cf. the 
 phrase ( to be in a maze. 1 
 
 Mat ; see Maat. 
 
 Matere, matter: A 727, B 401. 
 
 Matrimoine, matrimony : B 2237. 
 
 Maugree, in spite of: B 311, 1760. 
 F. malgre, against the will of, in 
 spite of ; mal, ill, and gre, will, 
 pleasure. 
 
 Maunciple, an officer who has the 
 care of purchasing victuals for 
 an Inn of Court or College : A 
 544. Lat. manceps, a purchaser, 
 contractor. 
 
 Maydenhode, maidenhood : B 
 1471. 
 
 Mayntene, to maintain : B 583. 
 
 Mayst, mayest. See Maist. 
 
 Mede, a reward, meed: A 770. 
 A. S. med, Ger. Miethe, hire ; 
 whence M..E. meedful, meri- 
 torious. 
 
 Mede, a mead or meadow, hay- 
 land : A 89. A. S. m<sd, mcedu, 
 a meadow. 
 
 Medlee, of a mixed colour : A 
 328. O.F. medler, mesler, to mix. 
 
236 
 
 GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 Meek, meek : A 69. 
 
 Meel, a meal : 013. A. S. m&l, 
 
 what is marked out, a separate 
 
 part, a meal, a mark, spot. Cf. 
 
 M. E. cup-mele, cup by cup ; 
 
 stoitnd-mele, at intervals ; Eng. 
 
 piece-meal ; Ger. ein-mal, once. 
 Men, one ; used like the F. on : A 
 
 149. 
 
 Mencioun, mention : 835. 
 Mene, to mean, intend (pret. 
 
 menti) : A 793, C 605. 
 Mere, a mare: A 541. A. S. 
 
 mere, a mare ; mearh, a horse. 
 Meriely, pleasantly: A 714. 
 Msrmayde, a mermaid : C 450. 
 
 A. S. mere, a lake, sea; Ger. 
 
 Meer, the sea. 
 Mervaille, marvel: c 256. F. 
 
 merveille; from Lat. pi. mirabilia, 
 
 wonderful things. 
 Mery, Merye, Myrie, pleasant, 
 
 joyful, merry: A 208, 757; B 
 
 641,0251. A. S. merg, merry; 
 
 myrhd, pleasure, joy, mirth. 
 Meschaunce, Mischaiinee, mis- 
 chance, misfortune: B 1151, C 
 
 280. 
 Meschief, Mescheef, misfortune, 
 
 what turns out ill : A 493, B 468. 
 
 F. meschef (mes = minus, less ; 
 
 chef=caput, head). 
 Messager, a messenger : B 633. 
 Mester, need, necessity: B 482. 
 
 O. F. mester, need ; the same as 
 
 O. F. mestier, business ; from 
 
 Lat. minister mm. 
 Mesurable, moderate : A 435. 
 Met, pp. dreamed: C 106. 
 Mete, meat, food: A 136. Cf. 
 
 Goth, mats, food; O. H. Ger. 
 
 maz, food, dish. 
 Mete, to meet : B 666. 
 Mete, to dream, pret. mette. it Is 
 
 used impersonally, as The mette, I 
 
 dreamed : c 74- A. S. m&tan. 
 Meth, mead, a drink made of 
 
 honey: B 1421. 
 Mewe, a nine or coop where fowls 
 
 were fattened : A 349. Mew also 
 
 signified a place where hawks 
 were confined while moulting. 
 F. muer, to change ; It. muta, a 
 change ; Lat. mutare, to change ; 
 whence also Du. muiten, M. E. 
 moute, to moult. 
 
 Meynee, household, attendants, 
 suite, domestics: B 400, c 574. 
 O. F. mesnee, maisnee ; Mid. Lat. 
 maisnada (from Low Lat. man- 
 sionata\ a family, household, 
 suite ; from Lat. mtnsio. 
 
 Middel, middle, midst: c 228. 
 
 Minister, an office of justice : c 
 223. 'Minister meant etymo- 
 logically a small man ; and it 
 was used in opposition to 
 magister, a big man. Minister 
 is connected with minus, less; 
 magister with magis, more. 
 Hence minister, a servant, a ser- 
 vant of the crown, a minister. 
 From minister came the Lat. 
 ministerium, sendee ; in F. con- 
 tracted into metier, a profession. 
 A minstrel was originally a pro- 
 fessional artist, and more particu- 
 larly a singer or poet. Even in 
 the Mystery Plays the theatrical 
 representation of the Old or New 
 Testament story mystery is a 
 corruption of ministerium; it 
 means a religious ministry or 
 service, and had nothing to do 
 with mystery. It ought to be 
 spelt with an z, therefore, and 
 not with a _y.' Max Miiller, 
 Science of Language, Second 
 Series, p. 254. 
 
 Minstralcye, minstrelsy, B 1339, 
 1666. 
 
 Mirour, a mirror : B 541. 
 
 Mirthe, pleasure, amusement : A 
 766, 767. 
 
 Misboden (pp. of misbede}, in- 
 sulted, injured: B 51. A. S. 
 beodan, = to offer, as in our 
 phrases ' to bid the banns/ ' bid 
 for a thing.' 
 
 Mischaunce. See Meschaunce. 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 Mishappe, to mishap, turn out 
 badly for, B 788. 
 
 Mo, more : namo, no more, A 544. 
 A. S. md. 
 
 Moche, Mochel, Muchel, adj. 
 much, great; adv. greatly: A 
 132, 258, 467, B 1992. Moche 
 and life = great and small. A. S. 
 mycel, great, mickle. 
 
 Moder, mother : c 476. 
 
 Moevere, mover, first cause : B 
 2129. 
 
 Mone, the moon : A 403. 
 
 Mone, a moan, lamentation: B 
 508. A. S. man, a moan; whence 
 manan, to moan. 
 
 Month, Moneth, a month : A 92. 
 
 Mood, anger: B 902. A. S. mod, 
 Ger. Muth, mind, courage, 
 passion. Cf. Eng. moody. 
 
 Moorning, mourning: B 2110. 
 
 Moot, may, must, ought (pi. pres. 
 moten, pret. moste, muste) : A 232, 
 735, B 27. A. S. mot, ist and 
 3rd pers. sing. ; most, 2nd pers. ; 
 mdton, pi. ; moste, pret. 
 
 Mordre, sb. murder, c 201, 231, 
 398 ; vb. to murder, c 221, 405. 
 
 Mordrer, a murderer : c 406. 
 
 Mordring, murdering : 61143. 
 
 More, greater, inore: B 898. 
 
 Mormal, a cancer, sore, or gan- 
 grene : A 386. See note. 
 
 Morne, adj. morning : A 358. 
 
 Mortreux, a kind of soup or pot- 
 tage : A 384. See note. 
 
 Morwe, Morweninge, morning, 
 morrow : A 334, 780, B 204. 
 
 Mosel, F. museau, muzzle, nose of 
 an animal : B 1293. It. musolare, 
 to muzzle. 
 
 Most, most: A 561. Moste, 
 greatest, B 37. 
 
 Moste, must : A 712. See Moot. 
 
 Mot, may, must. Mote, pi. must : 
 A 742. See Moot. 
 
 Mottelse, motley: A 271. 
 
 Mountaunce, amount, value : B 
 712. 
 
 Mous, a mouse : B 403. 
 
 Mowe, are able: B 2141. 
 Murmure, murmuring : B 1601. 
 Murye, glad, merry : B 528. 
 Mynde, dat. remembrance : B 544, 
 
 1048. 
 
 Mynour, a miner: B 1607. 
 My-selven, myself : A 803. 
 
 N. 
 
 Nacioun, nation : A 53. 
 Naker, a kettle-drum: B 1653. 
 
 See note. 
 
 Nam = ne + am, am not : B 264. 
 Namely, especially: 8410, 1851. 
 Namo (for na mo), no more, A 
 
 101, 544. See Mo. 
 War we, close, narrow : A 625, c 2. 
 "Na,s = ne + was, was not: A 251. 
 Wat, not : A 428. 
 Nath = m? + hath, hath not : B 65. 
 Natheles, nevertheless : A 35. 
 Ne, adv. not, A 70 ; conj. nor, A 
 
 526. Ne . . . ne neither . . . nor, 
 
 A 603. Ne . . . but, only : B 254. 
 Nede, needful : A 304. 
 Nedely, of necessity : c 424. 
 Nedes, of necessity : 6311. Nedes- 
 
 cost = nedes-ways, of necessity : B 
 
 619. 
 Nedeth, must of necessity (die) : 
 
 B 2170. 
 Neer, Ner, near : B 581, 992 ; 
 
 nigher : A 839. 
 Neet, neat, cattle : A 597. 
 Nekke, neck : A 238. Nekke-boon, 
 
 bone of the neck. 
 Nercotikes, narcotics : B 614. 
 Nere = ne + were, were not : B 1 7. 
 Newe, newly, recently : A 428. Al 
 
 newe = recently, lately ; of newt 
 
 = anew. 
 
 Nexte, nearest: B 555. 
 Nigard, a niggard: C 95. M. E. 
 
 nig, nigon, a niggard; Norse 
 
 nyggja, to gnaw, scrape ; fcw. 
 
 njugga, to scrape up (money); 
 
 njugg* sparing. 
 Night, pi. nights : c 53. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 Nightertale, the night-time: A 
 
 97. -tale = reckoning, period. 
 Nis, Nys = tie + is, is not : B 43. 
 Noght, not : A 253. 
 Nolde = ne + wolde, would not : A 
 
 55. 
 
 Nombre, number: A 716. 
 Won, Noon, none : A 449, 654. 
 Nones, nonce : A 379, 523. 
 Nonne, a nun : A 118. 
 Noot, N ot, = ne + wot, know not, 
 
 knows not : A 284, B 181, 482. 
 
 See Wost. 
 
 Norice, nurse : C 295. 
 Norissing, Norisshinge, nutri- 
 ment, nurture : A 437, B 2159. 
 Nose-thirles, nostrils : A 557. See 
 
 Thirle. 
 Not = ne + wot, knows not. See 
 
 Noot. 
 Notabilitee, a thing worthy to be 
 
 known : c 389. 
 
 Note, a note (in music) : A 235. 
 Not-heed, a crop-head : A 109. 
 
 Cf. not-pated, I Hen. IV. ii. 4. 
 
 78. 
 
 Nother, neither, nor. 
 Nothing, adv. not at all : B 1647. 
 Nouthe = nou + the = now + then, 
 
 just now, at present. As nouthe 
 
 at present: A 462. A.S. 3d, 
 
 then. 
 Ny, nigh, nearly : B 472 ; as ny as, 
 
 as near (close) as : A 588. 
 Nyce, foolish : c 495 . 
 
 O. 
 
 O, one : A 304, 738 ^354. See 
 
 Oo. 
 
 Obeisaunce, obedience: B 2116. 
 Observaunce, respect: B 187, 
 
 642. 
 
 Of, off: B 1818. 
 Offende, to hurt, injure, attack : 
 
 B5I. 
 
 Offensioun, offence, hurt, damage : 
 
 B 1558. 
 
 Offertorie, a sentence of Scripture 
 said or sung after the Nicene 
 
 Creed in the Liturgy of the 
 Western Church: A 710. 
 
 Offring, the alms collected at the 
 Offertory : A 450. 
 
 Ofte syth.es, oftentimes : A 485. 
 
 Oghte, ought : A 660. 
 
 Oo, Oon, one : A 148. See O. 
 Ones, once : A 765. 
 
 Ook, an oak: B 1432, 2159. 
 
 Oon and oon, one by one : A 679. 
 
 Oonly, only: B 515. 
 
 Opie, opium : B 614. 
 
 Oratorie, a closet set apart for 
 prayers or study : B 1047. ' Ora- 
 torys, . . wherein our prayers 
 may the sooner be heard and 
 the better accepted.' Becon's 
 Acts of Christ, p. 533, Parker 
 Soc. 
 
 Ordeyne, to ordain : B 1695. 
 
 Ordinaunce, plan, orderly dis- 
 position : B 1 709. 
 
 Orisoun, prayer, orison: B 1514. 
 
 Orlogge, a clock : c 34. 
 
 Oth, Ooth, an oath : A Sio. 
 
 Ounce, a small portion : A 677. 
 
 Outhees, outcry, alarm : B 1154. 
 Mid. Lat. hutesium (Ducange) ; 
 O. F. huteys (Britton, i. 179). 
 
 Outher . . or = either. . or : B 627, 
 628. 
 
 Outrely, utterly, wholly : c 409. 
 
 Out-sterte, started out: c 227. 
 
 Over, upper: A 133. Overest, 
 uppermost : A 290. 
 
 Overal, everywhere : A 216. Cf. 
 Ger. uberall. 
 
 Over-riden, ridden over: B 1164. 
 
 Overspradde, pret. spread over : 
 A 678. 
 
 Over-thwart, athwart, across : B 
 1133. A. S.flweor, crooked, ob- 
 lique. (Eng. queer = M. E. quer, 
 Ger. yuer, athwart.) 
 
 Owen, Owene, own : B 2219, 
 C 134. 
 
 Owner, anywhere : A 653. 
 
 Oynement, ointment, unguent : A 
 631. 
 
 Oynouns, onions : A 634. 
 
GLOSS AR K 
 
 339 
 
 P. 
 
 Pace, to pass, B 2140 : pass on, A 
 36 ; pass away, B 744 ; to sur- 
 pass, A 574. 
 
 Pacient, patient : A 484. 
 
 Paleys, palace : B 1341. ' A 
 palace is now the abode of a 
 royal family. But if we look at 
 the history of the name we are 
 soon carried back to the shep- 
 herds of the Seven Hills. 
 There, on the Tiber, one of the 
 seven hills was called the Collis 
 Palatinus, and the hill was called 
 Palatinus from Pales, a pastoral 
 deity, whose festival was cele- 
 brated every year on the 2ist of 
 April, as the birthday of Rome. 
 It was to commemorate the day 
 on which Romulus, the wolf- 
 child, was supposed to have 
 drawn the first furrow on the 
 foot of that hill, and thus to 
 have laid the foundation of the 
 most ancient part of Rome, the 
 Roma Quadrata. On this hill, 
 the Collis Palatinus, stood in 
 later times the houses of Cicero 
 and of his neighbour and enemy 
 Catiline. Augustus built his 
 mansion on the same hill, and 
 his example was followed by 
 Tiberius and Nero. Under 
 Nero, all private houses had to 
 be pulled down on the Collis 
 Palatinus, in order to make room 
 for the emperor's residence, the 
 Domus Aurea, as it was called, 
 the Golden House. This house 
 of Nero's was henceforth called 
 the Palatium, and it became the 
 type of all the palaces of the 
 kings and emperors of Europe.' 
 Max Miiller, Science of Lan- 
 guage, Second Series, p. 251. 
 
 Palfrey, a horse for the road : A 
 207. F. paiefroi, Mid. Lat. 
 paraveredus, palafridus, an easy- 
 
 going horse for riding ; veredus, 
 a post-horse, whence Ger. Pferd, 
 Du. paard, a horse. 
 
 Pan, the skull, brain-pan : B 307. 
 Cf. M. E. hern-pan, brain-pan. 
 
 Paraments, ornamental furniture 
 or clothes: B 1643. 
 
 Paramour, by way of love : B 297. 
 
 Paramours, with great affection : 
 B 1254. Cf. Barbour's Bruce, 
 xiii. 485. 
 
 Parde, Pardee par Dieu, a com- 
 mon oath : A 563. 
 
 Pardoner, a seller of indulgences : 
 
 A 543- 
 
 Parflt, perfect : A 72, 422, 532. 
 Parisshen, a parishioner: A 482. 
 Parte, party, company: B 1724. 
 Partrich, a partridge : A 349. 
 Party, partly; B 195. Partye, a 
 
 part: B 2150; adj. partial: B 
 
 1799- 
 
 Parvys : A 310. See note. 
 Pas, foot-pace : A 825 ; pi. paces, 
 
 B 1032. F.pas, Lat. passus. 
 Passe, to surpass : A 448. Pas- 
 sant, Passing, surpassing : B 
 
 1249, 2027. 
 Payen, pagan : B 1512. F.paien, 
 
 a pagan. 
 
 Peer, equal (as in peerless) : c 30. 
 Pees, peace : B 589. 
 Peire, pair: A 159. 
 Pekke, to pick : c 147. A. S. 
 
 pycan, to pick, pull ; Du. pikken, 
 
 to pick. 
 Penaunce, penance, pain, sorrow: 
 
 B-457- 
 
 Penoun, a pennant or ensign 
 (borne at the end of a lance), B 
 1 20. F. penoun; Lat. penna, 
 pinna, a feather, wing. 
 
 Perce, to pierce : A 2. F. percer. 
 
 Perry e, jewelry : B 2078. F. 
 perre. 
 
 Pers, of a sky-blue colour: A 
 439. O. F. pers. 
 
 Persoun, a parson or parish- 
 priest : A 478. 
 
 Perturben, to disturb : B 48. 
 
240 
 
 GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 Pestilens, pestilence, plague : c 
 590. 
 
 Peyne, sb. pain, grief: B 439; 
 torture, B 275. 
 
 Peyne, Peynen, to take pains, 
 endeavour : A 1 39. 
 
 Peynte, to paint : B 1076. 
 
 Peyre, a pair : B 1263. 
 
 Pighte, pitched : B 1831. 
 
 Piked, adj. trimmed. ' Pykyd, or 
 purgyd, fro fylthe or other 
 thynge grevows, purgatus ; ' 
 Promptorium Parv. See Apiked. 
 
 Piled, stripped of hair, bald : A 
 627. Norse pila, to pluck ; 
 Low Ger. pulen, to pluck, pick ; 
 Eng. peel; F. piller, to rob. 
 ' Pill and poll.' Burton's Anat. 
 of Mel. p. 3 1 . 
 
 Piler, a pillar : B 1135. 
 
 Pilour, a plunderer : B 149. See 
 Piled. 
 
 Pilwe-beer, a pillow-case : A 694. 
 Cf. Low G. buren, a case ; kussen- 
 buren, a pillow-case ; Dan. vaar, 
 cover, case. 
 
 Pinche, to find fault (with) : A 
 326. 
 
 Pitaunce, a mess of victuals ; pro- 
 perly an additional allowance 
 served to the inmates of religious 
 houses at a high festival : A 
 224. 
 
 Pitous, compassionate, piteous : A 
 
 143- 
 
 Pitously, piteously : B 259. 
 Plat, plain, flat : B 987. 
 Plentevous, plentiful : A 344. 
 Plesaunce, pleasure: B 713. ; 
 Plesaunt, pleasant: A 254. 
 Plesen, to please : A 610. 
 Pley, play, pleasure : B 267. 
 Pleye, Pleyen, to play, take 1 
 
 one's pleasure : A 236, 758, 772. 
 
 Pleyinge, playing, amusement : 
 
 B 203. 
 
 Pleyn, plain : A 790. 
 Pleyn, full, fully, openly : A 315, 
 
 327. Pleyn bataile open battle : 
 
 B 130. 
 
 Pleyne, to complain : B 462. 
 Pleynen, to complain : B 393. 
 Pleynly, fully : B 875. 
 Pocok, peacock : A 104, Harl. 
 
 MS. ; Pecok, Elles. MS. It is 
 
 also written pacok. Lat. pauo. 
 Pollax, a halberd, pole-ax : B 
 
 1686. We have also bole-axe, 
 
 Icel. bol-ox, M. E. bul-axe, falx 
 
 arboraria. 
 
 Pomel, top of the head : B 1831. 
 Pomely , marked with round spots 
 
 like an apple, dappled : A 616. 
 
 Pomely gray = apple-gray ; Low 
 
 Lat. grisius pomellalus. F. 
 
 pomme, Lat. pomum. 
 Poplexye, apoplexy : c 21. 
 Poraille, the poor : A 247. 
 Pore. See Povre. 
 Port, carriage, behaviour : A 69. 
 Portreiture, a set of pictures: B 
 
 1057, mo. 
 
 Portreying, painting : B 1080. 
 Portreyour, a painter : B 1041. 
 
 F. pourtraire, to draw ; from 
 
 traire, Lat. frahere, to draw. 
 Pose, to propose, put the ques- 
 tion : B 304. 
 
 Post, pillar, support : A 214. 
 Poudre-marchaunt, a kind of 
 
 spice : A 381. See note. 
 Poupe, to make a noise with a 
 
 horn : c 579. 
 Poure, to pore, to look close and 
 
 long : A 185. 
 Povre, poor : A 225, 478. Povre- 
 
 ly, poorly : B 554. O. F.povre, 
 
 Lat. pauper. 
 
 Poynaunt, pungent : A 352. 
 Poynt, particle, particular : B 643. 
 Practisour, practitioner : A 422. 
 Preche, to preach : A 481. F. 
 
 precher, Lat. predicare. 
 Preest, Prest, a priest : A 164. 
 Preisen, Praysen, to praise. F. 
 
 prix, price; It. precio, price, 
 
 worth ; Sp. prez, honour, glory. 
 Presse, to press : B 1672. 
 Prest, ready. Lat. praesto, in 
 
 readiness ; M. E. in prest = in 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 241 
 
 hand ; press money =prest money, 
 money given in hand, earnest 
 money received by a soldier at 
 impressment ; hence ' to press ' 
 ( = to prest) , to engage soldiers. 
 
 Preve, sb. proof, c 163. See 
 Proven. 
 
 Preye, to pray : B 625. F. frier, 
 It. pregare, Lat. precari. 
 
 Preyeres, prayers : A 231. 
 
 Pricasour, a hard rider : A 189. 
 
 Prike, (i) to prick, wound ; (2) 
 to spur a horse, to ride hard ; 
 (3) to incite, spur on : A n, B 
 185, 1820. Low Ger~ prikken, 
 to pick, stick ; an prikken, to 
 stimulate, set on. See Prikke. 
 
 Priking, riding : A 191. 
 
 Prikke, a point, piercing stroke : 
 B 1748. Du. prik, a stab : Sw. 
 prick, a point. 
 
 Prively, secretly : A 652. 
 
 Propre, peculiar, own : A 581. 
 
 Proven, to prove, prove true, be 
 proved : A 547. 
 
 Prow, advantage, profit : c 130. 
 (Cf. Eng. prowess, F. prouesse.) 
 Prov. F. pros, good (for its pur- 
 pose) ; O. F. preux, valiant, 
 loyal ; prou, much, enough. 
 
 Privitee, privity, privacy, private 
 business : B 553. 
 
 Pryme, the first quarter of the 
 artificial day : B 1331. 
 
 Prys, price, A 815 ; praise, fame, 
 A ^7, 237, B 1383. See Preisen. 
 
 Pulle, to pluck : A 652. Pulle a 
 finch pluck a pigeon (Lyly has 
 gull a chuff], cheat a novice. 
 
 Pulled, plucked: A 177. See 
 note. 
 
 Pultrye, poultry : A 598. F. 
 poule, a hen ; Lat. pullus, young 
 of an animal. 
 
 Purchas, anything acquired (hon- 
 estly or dishonestly) ; proceeds 
 of begging : A 256. ' Tailors 
 in France . . . grow to great 
 abominable purchase and become 
 great officers.' The Devil's 
 
 Law Case, ii. i. See Duchess 
 of Malfi, iii. 28. F. pourchasser, 
 It. procacciare, to hunt after, 
 chase, catch. 
 
 Purchasour, conveyancer : A 318. 
 
 Purchasing, conveyancing : A 
 320. 
 
 Pure, mere, very: 6421. 
 
 Purfiled, embroidered, fringed: 
 
 % A 193. It. porfilo, a border in 
 armoury, a worked edge, a 
 profile; porfilare, to overcast 
 with gold or silver lace. F. 
 pourfiler, to tinsel or overcast 
 with gold or silver lace (Cot- 
 grave). Bailey has the con- 
 tracted form purl, a kind of 
 edging for bone-lace. 
 
 Purpos, purpose, design : B 1684. 
 F. proposer, which has sup- 
 planted O. F. pourpenser, to 
 bethink himself; pourpens, pur- 
 pose. 
 
 Purs, purse : A 656. A. S. purs ; 
 F. bourse; Lat. bursa, hide, 
 skin. 
 
 Purtreye, pourtray, draw : A 96. 
 
 Purveiaunce, foresight, provi- 
 dence, plan: B 394,807, 2153. 
 O. F. pourveoir, Lat. prouidere. 
 
 Pykepurs, a pickpurse : B 1140, 
 
 Pyne, sb. torment, pain, grief. 
 
 Pyne, Pynen, to torment, grieve : 
 B 888, C 239. A. S. pin, pain, 
 torment (Du. pijtt) ; pinian, to 
 torment : Eng. pine, to languish 
 (as one does who suffers pain). 
 All from Lat. poena. 
 
 Q, 
 
 Qualm, sickness, pestilence : B 
 1156. A. S. cwealm, cwylm, de- 
 struction, pestilence, death ; 
 Dan. quale, to choke ; Sw. qual, 
 torment ; qualm, hot, stifling 
 weather; Ger. Qualm, vapour. 
 See below. 
 
 Quelle, to kill: c 570. A.S. 
 cwellan, to kill. See Qualme. 
 
24* 
 
 GLOSS AR Y. 
 
 Queen, a queen : B 24. Goth. 
 qens, qino, wife, woman. 
 
 Queynt, pp. quenched, pret. 
 queynte, was quenched : B 
 1463, 1476. Cf. dreynte 
 drenched. A. S. cwincan, O. 
 Fris. kwinka, to waste away ; 
 A. S. cwencan, to quench. 
 
 Queynte, strange, quaint, un- 
 couth : B 673, 1475. F. coint, 
 Lat. cognitus, known, acquainted 
 with. 
 
 Quike, alive, quick : B 157 I vb. 
 to revive, B 1477. A. S. civic, 
 alive. Cf. ' the quick and the 
 dead ; ' ' cut to the quick ; ' 
 couch - grass ( = quitch - grass) , 
 called in Norfolk quicken. 
 
 Quitly, free, at liberty : B 934. 
 
 Quod, quoth : B 49, 376. 
 
 Quook, quaked, trembled : B 718, 
 904. A. S. cwacan, to quake, 
 tremble ; Ger. quackeln, to waver. 
 To this family of words belong 
 quag, quaver. 
 
 Quyte, to free, as in our phrase 
 ' to get quit of,' hence to set 
 free, B 174 ; to requite : A 770. 
 Lat. quietus, at rest, free from all 
 claims ; It. quieto, a discharge 
 from legal claims. Hence ac- 
 quite, requite. 
 
 R. 
 
 Ead (pp. of rede, to read), read: 
 
 B 1737- 
 Rage, vb. to play, toy wantonly : 
 
 A 257; sb. a raging wind, B 
 
 1127. F. rage, Lat. rabies. 
 Ransake, to search (for plunder), 
 
 ransack : B 147. The M. E. 
 
 ransake also signifies to search, 
 
 try, probe. Sw. ransaka, to 
 
 search; ran (= Icel. rannr. 
 
 Goth, razn), house; saka ( = 
 
 Sw. sokd), to seek. 
 Rasour, a razor : B 1559. F. ras, 
 
 shaven, cut close to the ground ; 
 
 Lat. radere, rasum, to shave; 
 
 whence 'to raze '= to lay even 
 with the ground. 
 
 Rather, sooner : B 295. Milton 
 uses rathe in the sense of ' early.' 
 A. S. hr<E<5, swift, quick ; Icel. 
 hradr, quick. 
 
 Raughte (pret. of reche] , reached : 
 A 136, B 2057. A. S. r<zcan, 
 pret. rcehte ; Ger. reichen, reach, 
 extend ; whence rack (from the 
 Dutch), an instrument of tor- 
 ture. 
 
 Raunsoun, ransom : B 166, 318. 
 F. ran$on } O. F. raention, raen- 
 $on, Lat. red-emptio, a purchase 
 back, redemption. 
 
 Rebel, rebellious : A 833, B 2188. 
 Rebelling, rebellion : B 1601. 
 
 Reeche, Rekke (pret. roghte, 
 roughte), to care, take heed to, 
 reck-. B 540, 1387, 1399. A. S. 
 reccan, to care for, regard. 
 
 Recchelees, reckless, careless : A 
 179, Elles. MS. 
 
 Reconforte, to comfort : B 1994. 
 
 Recorde, to remember, remind : 
 A 829. 
 
 Rede, to advise, explain, interpret: 
 B 2213, C 76. A. S. radan, to 
 advise, explain ; Sw. reda, to 
 disentangle ; Ger. rathen, to 
 conjecture, 'to read a riddle.' 
 
 Rede, to read : A 709. See 
 above. 
 
 Redoutinge, reverence: B 1192. 
 M. E. redoute, to fear. 
 
 Redy, ready: A 21, 352. 
 
 Reed, plan : B 358. See Rede. 
 
 Reed, Rede, red : A 90, 153, 458. 
 
 Reed (imp. of rede}, read: c jjio. 
 
 Reed, counsel, adviser : A 065 ; 
 also plan, line of conduct. 
 
 Refresshe, to refresh: B 1764. 
 
 Regne, a kingdom, reign : B 8, 
 766. 
 
 Reherce, to rehearse: A 732. F. 
 rehercer, to go over again, like a 
 harrow (F.kerce) over a ploughed 
 field. Cf. our phrase to ' rake 
 up old grievances.' 
 
GLOSSAR K. 
 
 243 
 
 Rshersing, rehearsal: B 792. 
 
 Rekene, Rekne, to reckon : A 
 401, B 1075. A. S. reccan, to 
 say, tell, number ; Ger. rechnen, 
 to reckon. 
 
 Hskening, reckoning : A 600. 
 
 Berne (pi. remes), realm: c 316. 
 O. F. realme, It. reame, a king- 
 dom ; according to Diez, from 
 Lat. r eg a Us (giving Low Lat.. 
 regalimen). 
 
 Remenant, Remenaunt, a rem- 
 nant : A 724, C 84. 
 
 Rending, tearing (of hair) : B 
 1976. A. S. rendan, hrendan, to 
 tear. 
 
 Renges, ranks : B 1736. F. rang, 
 O. F. reng ; Sc. raing, a row, 
 line, range ; O. H.Ger. hring, a 
 ring, whence also harangue. 
 
 Kenne (pret. ron, ran; pret. pi. 
 ronne ; pp. ironne, ironnen, 
 ronne, ronneti), to run: A 1777. 
 We have this form in rennet, or 
 runnet, that which makes milk 
 run or curdle. 
 
 Renning, running : A 551. 
 
 Rente, revenue, income, profits : 
 A 373- F. rendre, It. render e, 
 Lat. redder e, to give up, yield :. 
 F. rente, income, revenue. 
 
 Repentaunee, penitence : B 918. 
 
 Repentaunt, penitent: A 228. 
 
 Beplicacioun, a reply : B 988. 
 
 Beportour, reporter: A 814. 
 
 Bescous, rescue: B 1785. O. F. 
 rescourre, to deliver ; rescous, re- 
 covered ; It. riscuotere (Lat. re- 
 excutere), to fetch a thing out of 
 pawn ; Lat. excutere, to tear 
 from, take by force ; F. escourre, 
 to beat corn from the chaff 
 (Cotgrave). 
 
 Bese, to quake, shake: B 1128. 
 A. S. hrysian. 
 
 Besons, opinions, reasons : A 
 274. 
 
 Resoun, reason, right: A 37, 
 847. 
 
 Resoune, to resound : B 420. 
 
 Bespyt, delay: B 90. Lat. re- 
 spectus, It. rispetto, F. respil, 
 regard, consideration, delay, 
 respite. 
 
 Bethor, a rhetorician: c 387. 
 
 Bette, to ascribe, impute : A 726, 
 Harl. MS. See Aretted. 
 
 Beule, sb. rule, A 173; vb. to 
 rule, A 8 16, B 814, c 224. A. S. 
 regol, Lat. regula. 
 
 Reve, steward, bailiff: A 542, 
 599. A. S. gerefa. Hence shire- 
 reeve or sheriff; also port-reeve, 
 borough-reeve. 
 
 Bevel, feasting, merry-making : B 
 1859. O. F. revel, noise, gaiety. 
 
 Beverence, respect: A 141. 
 
 Bevers, reverse, contrary: c 157. 
 
 Bewe, to be sorry for, to have 
 compassion or pity on, to rue : 
 B 1005, 1375. 'Me reweth* = 1 
 am sorry, grieved. A. S. hreo- 
 wan, to be sorry for, grieve ;. 
 Ger. Reue, mourning. 
 
 Rewe, a row, line : B 2008. A. S. 
 r&we, a line. 
 
 Rewfulleste, most sorrowful : B 
 2028. 
 
 Rewthe, ruth, pity : B 56. 
 
 Reyn, sb. rain, A 492, 595 ; 
 Reyne, vb. to rain, B 677. 
 
 Reyse, to make an inroad or 
 military expedition : A 54. A 
 German word ; from O. H. G. 
 reisa, M. H. G. reise, a military 
 expedition (the invariable term). 
 
 Richesse, riches : B 397. This 
 word, as well as alms (M. E. al- 
 messe], is a singular noun ; de- 
 rived immediately from the 
 French. 
 
 Riden, pret. pt. rode, A 825. 
 See Ryden. 
 
 Bightes, rightly: B 994. At alle 
 rightes rightly in all respects. 
 
 Ringen, ring, resound : B 1742. 
 
 Rit, rides : B 123. Cf. bit bids, 
 sent = sends. 
 
 Roghte, cared for : c 520. See 
 Recche. 
 
 R 2 
 
244 
 
 GLOSS AR Y. 
 
 Roial, royal, B 160 : Roially, 
 royally, B 855 ; Roialliche, A 
 378. 
 
 Home, to walk, roam : B 207. 
 
 Ronnen, pret. pi. ran : B 2067. 
 
 Rood, rode : A 169. See Ryden. 
 
 Roos, rose : A 823. 
 
 Roost, a roast : A 206. 
 
 Rore, to roar : B 2023. A. S. 
 rdrian, 
 
 Roste, to roast : A 147, 383. F.'. 
 rosier (from O. H. Ger. roste?i), 
 to roast ; It. rosta, a fryingpan ; 
 Ger. Rost, a grate. 
 
 Rote, a stringed instrument : A 
 236. Roquefort supposes it to 
 be a fiddle with three strings. 
 O. F. rote, O. H. G. hrotd ; of 
 Celtic origin ; cf. W. crwth, a 
 fiddle. 
 
 Rote, rote: A 327. By rote by 
 rote. O. F. rote, a route, track. 
 
 Rouke, to lie close, cower down, 
 to ruck : B 450. Low Ger. 
 hurken, to squat down; Dan. 
 ruge, to brood. 
 
 Rouncy, a hackney : A 390. F. 
 roncin. 
 
 Roundel, a kind of song : B 671. 
 
 Route, a company, assembly: A. 
 622. O. F. route. 
 
 Rudeliche, rudely : A 734. 
 
 Huggy, rugged, rough (lit. torn, 
 broken, uneven) : B 2025. M. E. 
 rogge, to shake, tear ; Norse 
 rugga, to rock, shake. Shake- 
 speare uses ragged for rugged, 
 rough, harsh. 
 
 Rumbel, a deep roaring noise : B 
 
 II2I. 
 
 Ryden, to ride ; pret. rood; pret. 
 pi. riden ; pp. riden : A 780, 
 825. 
 
 S. 
 
 Sad, sober, staid: B 2127. 
 
 Sadly, firmly: B 1744. M. E. 
 sad, firm. Cf. 'in good sad- 
 ness.' The Snow Storm, ed 
 Hindley, p. 7. 
 
 Salue, to salute : B 634. 
 Saluing, salutation : B 791. 
 Sangwyn, of a blood-red colour : 
 
 A 333- 
 
 Sauce, sauce: A 129, c 14. F. 
 sauce, It. salsa ; Lat. salsa, salted 
 things, salted food; from Lat. sal, 
 salt. 
 
 Saufly, safely : C 388. 
 
 Saugh (pret. of se), saw : A 850, 
 764. 
 
 Sautrye, a psaltery, a musical in- 
 strument something like a harp : 
 A 296. 
 
 Save, save, except : A 683. 
 
 Save, the herb sage or salvia : B 
 1855. F. sauge. 
 
 Sawceflem, pimpled : A 625. See 
 note. 
 
 Sawe, a saying, word, discourse : 
 B 305, 668. A. S. sagu, a say- 
 ing ; whence sec g an, to say. 
 
 Say (pret. of se), saw : c 294. 
 
 Scalled, having the scall, scale, or 
 scab, scabby, scurfy, A 627. Cf. 
 i scald head.' 
 
 Scape, to escape : B 249. O. F. 
 esckapper, It. scappare. 
 
 Scarsly, parsimoniously : A 583. 
 
 Scathe, loss, misfortune, harm : A 
 446. As in scath-ing, scathe- 
 less. A. S. scea&an, to injure. 
 
 Sclendre, slender, slight : A 587, 
 013. M. Du. slinder, thin. 
 
 Scole, school, style : A 125. 
 
 Scoler, scholar : A 260. 
 
 Scoleye, to attend school, to 
 study, A 302. 
 
 Seche, Seke, to seek (as in be- 
 seech} : A 784. 
 
 Secree, secret : c 95. 
 
 Seen, to see : B 56, 415, 499. 
 
 Seet (pi. seten), sat: B 1217, 
 
 2035- 
 Sege, a siege: B 79. F. siege, It. 
 
 sedia, seggta, a seat or sitting ; 
 
 Lat. sedes, a seat ; obsidium, the 
 
 sitting down before a town in a 
 
 hostile way. 
 Seigh (pret. of se}, saw : A 193. 
 
GLOSS AR Y. 
 
 245 
 
 Seint, saint: A 173. 
 Seistow, sayest thou : B 267. 
 Seith, saith, says : A 178. 
 Seke, to seek: A 13, 17. See 
 
 Seche. 
 Seke, pi. sick : A 18, 245. A. S. seoc. 
 
 It is perhaps connected with sigh, 
 
 M. E. site. 
 
 Selde, seldom : B 681. 
 Selle, give, sell : A 278. 
 Selve, same: B 1726. Cf. 'the 
 
 self -same day,' &c. A. S. seolf, 
 
 Ger. selbst. 
 Sely, simple, poor: C 555. A. S. 
 
 scelig, whence Eng. silly; Ger. 
 
 selig, blessed, happy. 
 Seme (vb. impers.), to seem : A 
 
 39- 
 
 Semely, seemly, comely: A 751; 
 becomingly, A 123, 136. M. E. 
 seme, seemly ; Icel. sama, to fit, 
 adorn ; Norse sam, like ; A. S. 
 sama, the same. 
 
 Semicope, a short cope : A 262. 
 
 Sendal, a thin silk : A 440. See 
 note. 
 
 Sene, visible : A 134. CLy-sene, 
 A 592. A. S. gesene, adj. visible. 
 (An adj., not a pp.) 
 
 Sentence, sense, meaning, judg- 
 ment, matter of a story : A 306, 
 798, B 1244. ' Tales of sentence 
 
 and solas ' = instructive and 
 amusing tales.' 
 
 Sergeant (or Sergeaunt) of lawe 
 = serviens ad legem, a servant of 
 the^ sovereign for his law busi- 
 ness : A 309. The king had 
 
 formerly a sergeant in every 
 county. F. sergent, It. sergente. 
 
 Sermoning, preaching : B 2233. 
 M. E. sermounen, to preach, dis- 
 course, from Lat. sermo. 
 
 Servage, bondage : B 1088. 
 
 Servant, a servant, B 1377 ; a 
 lover, B 956. 
 
 Servisable, willing to be of ser- 
 vice : A 99. 
 
 Serye, series, train of argument : 
 B 2209. 
 
 Sesoun, season : A 19. 
 
 Seten (pret. pi.), sat, B 2035 5 (PP- 
 
 of sette), sat: B 594. 
 Sethe, to boil, seethe : A 383. 
 
 A, S. seo&an, to boil, cook ; 
 
 whence Eng. sodden, suds. 
 Seththen, since. See Sith. 
 Seurtee, security, surety : B 746. 
 Sewed, followed: c 517. O. F. 
 
 sewir, Lat. sequi, Eng. sue, to 
 
 follow ; whence suite, suit (at 
 
 law), suit (of clothes). 
 Sey, saw. See Seigh. 
 Seyde, pret. of seye, said : A 183. 
 Seye, Seyn, to say (pret. seyde} : 
 
 A 181, 468, 738, 787. A. S. 
 
 sec g an. 
 
 Seyh, saw. See Seigh. 
 Seyl, a sail : A 696. 
 Seyn, pp. seen : c 461. 
 Seyn, to say : A 284. 
 Seynd (pp. of senge}, singed, 
 
 toasted, broiled 1025. 
 Seynt, Seynte, holy, a saint : A 
 
 697, B 863. See Seint. 
 Shaft, an arrow, shaft: B 504. 
 
 A. S. sceaft, an arrow, pole (Du. 
 
 schaft, a reed, rod, pole) ; from 
 
 A. S. scafan, to shave. 
 0hake, pp. shaken : A 406. 
 Shamfast, modest: B 1197. 
 
 Shamfastnesse, modesty : A 
 
 840. 
 
 Shap, form, shape ; B 1031. 
 Shape, Shapen, to plan, purpose, 
 
 ordain : A 772, 809. Shapen, 
 
 ordained: B 250, 534. (Pret. 
 
 shop, shoop.') A. S. scapan, to 
 
 form, create ; ge-sceap, creation, 
 
 form ; Icel. sJtap, form, shape. 
 Shaply, fit, likely : A 372. 
 Shave, shaven : A 588. 
 She, she, A 446. E. E. scce, sco, 
 
 A. S. seo, sio. 
 Sheef, a sheaf: A 104. A. S. 
 
 sceaf, Du. schoof, Ger. Schaub. 
 Sheeldes, coins called crowns : A 
 
 278. F. ecus, i. e. shields, coins 
 
 so called. 
 Sheld, a shield: B 1264. t 
 
246 
 
 GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 Shene, bright, fair, beautiful : A 
 115, B 210. A. S. scyne, bright, 
 clear ; Ger. schon, beautiful. 
 
 Shent, pp. of schende, hurt, de- 
 stroyed : B 1896. A. S. scendan, 
 to confound, shame. 
 
 Shepne, stables: B 1142. A. S. 
 scypen, a stall (for sheep), a 
 stable. 
 
 Shere, shears: B 1559. A. S. 
 seer an, to cut, divide, shear ; 
 Icel. skera, to cut. To this 
 root belong shear, share, shore, 
 plough-share, a sheard, or sherd 
 (as in pot-sherd), short, skirt, 
 shirt. 
 
 Sherte, a shirt : C 300. 
 
 Shet, pp. shut: B 1739. A. S. 
 scyttan, to shut. It is connected 
 with shoot; for to shut is to close 
 the door by means of a bolt or 
 bar driven forwards. 
 
 Shipman, a sailor : A 388. 
 
 Shires ende = end of a shire or 
 county: A 15. 
 
 Shirreve, the governor (reeve) of 
 a shire or county : A 359. See 
 Beve. 
 
 Sho, a shoe : A 253. 
 
 Shode, the temple (of the head), 
 properly the parting of the hair 
 of a man's head, not, as Tyrwhitt 
 and others say, the hair itself: 
 B 1149. * Schodynge or de- 
 partynge. Separacio, divisio.' 
 Prompt. Parv. * Schodynge 
 of the heede, discrimen.' Ibid. 
 A. S. sceadan, scddan, Ger. 
 scheiden, to separate, divide. 
 To this family of words belong 
 shide, a board, lath ; M. E. shider, 
 a shiver ; shider, to shiver to 
 pieces ; Eng. sheath, skid. Cf. 
 ' the schedynge of tonges.' 
 Trevisa, ii. 251. ( The longages 
 and tonges of the bidders were 
 i-schad and to-schift.' Ibid. 
 
 Sholde, Shulde, should : A 249. 
 
 Shoon (pret. of shine), shone : A 
 198. 
 
 Shorte, to shorten : A 791. See 
 Shere. 
 
 Shortly, briefly : B 627. 
 
 Shoute, to shout : c 567. 
 
 Shrewe, to curse, beshrew : C 
 607 ; hence shrewd. Originally 
 M. E. shrewed = wicked, and 
 hence crafty, sharp, intelligent, 
 clear-sighted. A horsekeeper 
 calls a vicious horse a screw. 
 The shrewmouse was so called 
 because its bite was supposed to 
 be fatal. Cf. ' they (hornets) 
 are shrewd, fierce, and cruel.' 
 Topsell's Serpents, p. 93. 
 
 Shrighte, Shryked, shrieked : B 
 1959, c 580. Sw. skrika,to cry, 
 screech, shriek. 
 
 Shul, pi. shall : B 889. 
 
 Shulder, a shoulder : A 678. 
 Sholdred, shouldered, having 
 shoulders : A 549. A. S. sculder, 
 Ger. Schulter, a shoulder. (Root 
 unknown.) 
 
 Shine, shin, leg : A 386. Shines, 
 shins, legs : B 421. A. S. scina, 
 the shin; Ger. Schiene, Dan. 
 skinne, a splint. 
 
 Shivere, to be shattered : B 1747. 
 
 Shortely, shortly, briefly : B 627. 
 
 Sight, providence : B 814. 
 
 Sik, sick : B 742. See Seke. 
 
 Siker, sure, certain : B 2191. 
 Comp. sikerer, 33. Cf. Ger. 
 sicher ; from Lat. seciirus. 
 
 Sikerly, surely, certainly, truly: 
 A.I37. 
 
 Siknesse, sickness : B 398, 453. 
 
 Sin, since: A 60 1. Short for 
 sithen ; see Sith. 
 
 Sit, sits: B 741. 
 
 Sith, Sithen, since, afterwards: 
 B 7 2 434 545>663, 1244. A. S. 
 sid, time ; sid&an, after, after- 
 wards. Eng. since = sins, for 
 sithens. Cf. Du. sinds, Ger. seit, 
 since. Sith is used by Eliza- 
 bethan writers. See Gosson's 
 Schoole of Abuse, p. 18 (Eng. 
 Reprints). 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 147 
 
 Slake, slow: B 2043. See Aslake. 
 
 Slaughtre, a slaughter : B 1173. 
 
 Slawe (pp. of slee), slain: c 
 194. 
 
 Slee, Sleen, to slay: A 661, B 
 364. A. S. sleati, to strike, slay 
 (Ger.schlagen, to strike} ; whence, 
 slaughter, sledge (in sledge- 
 hammer). 
 
 Sleep (pret. of slepe}, slept : A 98, 
 
 397- 
 
 Sleere, a slayer : B 1147. 
 
 Sleeth, slays : B 260. 
 
 Sleighte, contrivance, craft : A 
 604. Icel. dagr, crafty, sly; 
 slcegd, contrivance, cunning. The 
 M. E. sly = wise ; sleight = wis- 
 dom, prudence. See Slyly. 
 
 Slepen, to sleep : A 10. 
 
 Sleping, sleep : 0192. 
 
 Slepy, causing sleep : B 529. 
 
 Sieves, sleeves : A 193. 
 
 Slider, slippery: B 406. See note. 
 With the root slide are connected 
 sledge (M. E. sled), slade, &c. 
 
 Slogardye, sloth : B 184. M. E. 
 slogge, to be sluggish ; whence 
 slug, sluggish. ( I slogge, I waxe 
 slowe or draw behynde.' Pals- 
 grave. 
 
 Slough, Slow (pret. of s/), slew : 
 B 122, 1608. 
 
 Slyly, prudently, wisely (used in a 
 good sense) : B 586. 
 
 Smal, Smale, small: A 9, 146, 
 
 153. 
 Smeigje, adj. smarting, sharp, 
 
 grievous, A 149 ; adv. sharply, 
 
 smartly. 
 Srnerte (pret. smerte), to pain, 
 
 hurt, displease: A 230, 534, B 
 
 536. A. S. smeortan, to smart; 
 
 Du. smart, Ger. Schmerz, pain, 
 
 ache. 
 Smoking, perfuming, causing to 
 
 be perfumed: B 1423. 
 Smoot, Srnot (pret. of smite), 
 
 smote: A 149, B 846. 
 Smothe, smooth, smoothly: A 
 
 676. 
 
 Snewede, snowed, swarmed, a- 
 bounded : A 345. Prov. Eng. 
 snee, snie, snive, snew, to swarm. 
 
 Snibbe, to reprove, snub : A 523. 
 Fris. snubbe, to reprove ; Icel. 
 snubba, to chide ; snoppa, a 
 snout ; Dan. snubbed, stumpy 
 (cf. sww6-nose). Cf. M. E. snub, 
 a jag, knot ; Prov. Eng. snoup, a 
 blow on the head. To this 
 class of words belong snip, snap, 
 snape, sneap, to nip with cold. 
 
 So, so : A 102. 
 
 Soberly, sad, solemn : A 289. 
 
 Socour, succour : B 60. 
 
 Sodein, Sodeyn, sudden. So- 
 deynliche, Sodeynly, sudden- 
 ly: B 260, 717. O. F.suobdain, 
 soudain, Lat. subitaneus, subitus, 
 sudden. 
 
 Solaas, Solas, solace, mirth : A 
 798. 
 
 Solempne, festive, A 209 ; im- 
 portant, A 364. 
 
 Solempnely, pompously: A 274. 
 
 Solempnitee, feast, festivity : B 
 12. 
 
 Som, some : A 640. Som . . . som 
 = one ... other : B 397, 399. 
 
 Som-del, somewhat : A 174. 
 
 Somer, summer : A 394. 
 
 Somnour, an officer employed to 
 summon delinquents to appear in 
 ecclesiastical courts, now called 
 an apparitor : A 543. 
 
 Bond, sand : c 447. 
 
 Sondry, sundry, various: A 14. 
 
 Sone, soon : B 1412, 1812. 
 
 Sone, a son : A 79. 
 
 Song, pret. sang : B 197. Songe, 
 pp. sung: A 266, 711. 
 
 Sonne, the sun : A 7, B 5, 204. 
 
 Soor, adj. sore : B 1837. 
 
 Soote, sweet: A I. 
 
 Sooth, So the, sb. truth ; adj. true : 
 A 845, B 767. It still exists in 
 forsooth, soothsayer. A. S. soft, 
 truth ; sod, true ; s6<5e, truly. 
 Cf. Sansk. satya, true, Gr. eteos, 
 an adjective formed from the 
 
248 
 
 GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 participle present of the auxili- 
 ary as, to be. Sat is allied to 
 the Lat. ens, being. (Max 
 M tiller.) 
 
 Soothfastnesse, truth ; C 507. 
 
 Soothly, truly: A 117, 468. 
 
 Sop (in wyn) : A 334. See note. 
 
 Soper, supper: A 348, B 33. 
 
 Sore, adv. sorely: A 230, B 536. 
 
 Sort, destiny, chance : A 844. 
 
 Sorwe, sb. sorrow: B 361, 419. 
 A. S. sorh, Ger. Sorge. Sorwen, 
 vb. to be sorrowful, grieve. 
 
 Sorweful, sorrowful : B 212. 
 
 Sory, sorrowful : B 1146, 1152. 
 1 Sory comfort ' = discomfort ; 
 1 sory grace ' = misfortune. A. S. 
 sdrig, sore ; sdr, a wound. 
 
 Sotil, subtle, fine-wrought: B 196 ; 
 thin, 1172. 
 
 Soule, soul : A 781, B 1005. A. S. 
 sdwel. 
 
 Soun, a sound : A 674. 
 
 Souple, supple, pliant : A 203. 
 
 Sovereyn, high, supreme, sove- 
 reign : A 67. 
 
 Sovereynly, surpassingly : c 542. 
 
 Sowne, vb. to sound, A 275, 565 ; 
 sb. sound : B 1564. 
 
 Sowninge in, tending to : A 307. 
 Chaucer uses sownen into goode = 
 to tend to good. 
 
 Spak, spake : A 1 24. See Speken. 
 
 Spare, to refrain, abstain from : A 
 
 I92,737- 
 Sparre, bar, bolt (Eng. spar) : B 
 
 132,218. M. E. sparre, to bolt ; 
 
 A. S. sparran, Ger. sperren, to 
 
 shut, bolt ; M. Du. sperre, sparre, 
 
 a spar, bar; Dan. sparre, Ger. 
 
 S parr en, a rafter. 
 Sparth, a battle-axe, or halberd : 
 
 B 1662. Icel. sparda, an axe. 
 Spar we, a sparrow : A 626. 
 Special ; ' in special,' specially: A 
 
 444. 
 Spede, to speed, hasten, prosper 
 
 (pret. spedde} : A 769, B 359. 
 Speken, to speak (pret. spak) : A 
 
 142. See Spak. 
 
 Spere, a spear : B 781, 795. 
 
 Spores, spurs : A 473. A. S. spura, 
 spora, Ger. Sporn ; cf. Eng. 
 spurn. 
 
 Sprad, pp. spread : B 2045. 
 
 Springen, to spring: B 1013, 
 1749. A. S. sprengan ; Sw. 
 springa, spricka, to burst, 
 spring ; Ger. sprengen, to scatter, 
 burst open ; Eng. sprig, spray, 
 sprinkle, belong to this family of 
 words. 
 
 Spronge (pp. of springe}, sprung, 
 widely spread : B 579. 
 
 Spyced, sophisticated, or scrupul- 
 ous : A 526. See note. 
 
 Spycerye, spices : B 2077. spices 
 = species, kinds. F. epices, Lat. 
 species ; cf. the phrase ' a general 
 dealer ' ; Sp. generos, kinds. ' All 
 maner of spices, grocery wares.' 
 Hakluyt, iii. p. 22. 
 
 Squyer, a squire : A 79. 
 
 Stablissed, established: B 2137. 
 
 Stalke, to step slowly and stealth- 
 ily: B 621. A. S. st&lcan, to 
 step ; Dan. stalke, to go with 
 long steps. Cf. M. E. stalker, a 
 goer upon stilts. 
 
 Starf (pret. of sterve), died: B 75. 
 See Sterve. 
 
 Steer, a yearling bullock, a steer 
 or stirk : B 1291. A. S. steor, a 
 bullock ; Prov. Ger. ster, sterch, 
 the male sheep ; stier, an ox-calf ; 
 O. H. Ger. stero, a ram ; Ger. 
 Stier, Stierchen, a bull. 
 
 Stele, to steal (pret. stal, pp. stole, 
 stolen} : A 562. 
 
 Sterned, shone : A. 202. M. E. 
 stem, steem, a gleam of light. 
 ' Sieem or lowe of fyre, flamma ' ; 
 Prompt. Parv. 
 
 Stenten (pret. stente, pp. stenft, to 
 stop, cease: B 45, 510. A. S. 
 stintan, to be blunt ; stunt, blunt, 
 blockish ; Icel. stnttr, short ; O. 
 Sw. stunt, short. Cf.Eng. stunted 
 and stinted. 
 
 Stepe, bright, glittering; (not deep 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 249 
 
 or sunken, as it is generally ex- 
 plained) : A 201. See note. 
 
 Sterre, a star : A 268. A. S. 
 steorra, a star; Sansk. s/ri, to 
 scatter ; M. E. stare, to glitter, 
 shine. 
 
 Stert, start: B 847. At a stert = in 
 a moment, immediately. 
 
 Sterte, to start, leap, escape (pret. 
 sterte, pp. stert} : B 186, 222, 644. 
 Prov. Engl. startle, to fall, scatter, 
 sparkle ; Du. storten, to tumble, 
 fall. 
 
 Sterve (pret. starf, pp. y-storve, 
 storveti) : B 286. A. S. steorfan, 
 Du. sterven, Ger. sterben, to die. 
 
 Steven, Stevene, (i) voice, sound, 
 B 1704 ; (2) a time appointed by 
 previous agreement, B 666. A.S. 
 stefn (i) voice, message ; (2) 
 agreement. 
 
 Stewe, a fish-pond : A 350. M. E. 
 steeve, Low Ger. stau, a dam. 
 
 Stille, quietly, secretly: B 145, c 
 401. 
 
 Stint, imp. sing, stop : B 1490. 
 
 Stinte, to stop (pret. stinte] : B 
 1563. See Stenten. 
 
 Stith, an anvil: B 1168. Icel. 
 stedi, an anvil ; whence Eng. 
 stithy. 
 
 Stiward, a steward : A 579. A.S. 
 stiward, a steward ; Icel. sti- 
 vardr, the person whose business 
 it is to look to the daily work of 
 an establishment ; stjd, domestic 
 occupation ; Norse stia, to be 
 busy about the house ; Icel. stia, 
 a sheep-house (Eng. sty A. S. 
 stigo). The syllable -ward = 
 keeper. 
 
 Stoke, to stick, stab : B 1688. 
 
 Stole, pp. stolen : B 1769. 
 
 Stomble, to stumble: B 1755. 
 M. E. stumpe, Icel. stumra, to 
 totter, fall. It is connected with 
 stammer., stem. 
 
 Stonde, Stonden, to stand (pret. 
 stood, pp. stonde, stonden) : A 88, 
 745- 
 
 Stongen, pp. stung: B 221. 
 
 Stoon, stone : A 774. A. S. stdn. 
 
 Stoor, Store, stock (of a farm) : 
 A 598. O. F. estor, Mid. Lat. 
 staurum, store. O. F. estor er, to 
 erect, build, garnish (Lat. instau- 
 rare}. Telle no store set no 
 value upon, set no store by: 
 
 C334- 
 
 Stope (pp. of steppe, to step), ad- 
 vanced : c I. A. S. steppan 
 
 (pret. stop, pp. ge-stapen}, to 
 
 step, advance. 
 Stot, a stallion, a stoat (which also 
 
 signifies a weasel) : A 615. A. S. 
 
 stotte, a horse, hack ; M. Du. 
 
 stuyte. The Promptorium Par- 
 
 vulorum has ' stot, a horse, ca- 
 
 ballus,' 
 Stounde, a moment, a short space 
 
 of time : B 354. A. S. stund, 
 
 a short space, space of time ; 
 
 O.H.Ger. stunt, a moment; Ger. 
 
 Stunde, an hour. 
 Stoute, strong, brave : B 1296. 
 Straughte (pret. of strecche\ 
 
 stretched : B 2058. 
 Straunge, foreign: A 13, 464. 
 
 O. Fr. estrange, Lat. extraneus, 
 
 from extra, without. 
 Strecche, to stretch : 0488. M.E. 
 
 sir eke, to stretch ; A. S. streccan, 
 
 to stretch ; strec, violent ; cf. 
 
 Eng. stark. 
 Stree, straw : B 2060. A..S.strecw, 
 
 Icel. strd ; A. S. streowian, Ger. 
 
 streuen, to strew. 
 Streem, stream, river : A 464. 
 Streite, drawn : c 537. See 
 
 note. 
 Strepe, to strip : B 148. We have 
 
 the other form of this root in 
 
 strip, stripe. 
 
 Streyne, to constrain : c 424. 
 Streyt, close, narrow, stinted, 
 
 strict : A 174, C 169. 
 Streyte, closely: A 457. O. F. 
 
 estroit, It. stretto, strait, narrow ; 
 
 Lat. stringere, strictnm, to strain. 
 Strike (of flax), a hank : A 676. 
 
250 
 
 GLOSS AR Y. 
 
 Strof (pret. of strive}, strove, dis- 
 puted, vied with : B 180. 
 
 Strond, strand : A 13. 
 
 Strook, a stroke : -B 843. 
 
 Stryf, strife, contest: B 1580. 
 O. F. estrif, strife ; estriver, Ger. 
 streben, to strive. 
 
 Stubbes, stumps, trunks : B 1120. 
 A. S. styb, Du. stobbe, stump ; cf. 
 stubborn, stubble. 
 
 Subtilly, craftily : A 610. 
 
 Suffisaunce, sufficiency : A 490. 
 
 Suffisaunt, sufficient : B 773. 
 
 Surcote, an upper coat : A 617. 
 
 Sustene, to sustain : B 1135. 
 
 Suster (pi. sustren), a sister : B 13, 
 161. 
 
 Swelte, fainted : B 498. A. S. 
 sweltan, to die, perish (through 
 heat) ; M. E. swelte, to faint 
 (through heat). The Prompt. 
 Parv. has ' Sweltrynge or swal- 
 terynge or swownynge(sincopa).' 
 'Swalteryn for hete or febylnesse, 
 or other cawsys (or swownyn) 
 exalo, sincopizo.' Cf. A. S. 
 sw&lan, to be hot; Prov. Eng. 
 sweat, Eng. sultry ( = sweltry], 
 ' sweltering heat.' 
 
 Swerd, a sword: A 112, B 717. 
 A. S. sweord. 
 
 Swere (pret. swor, swoor ; pp. y- 
 swore, y-sworeti), to swear : A 
 454, B 963. We have the same 
 root in an-swer. 
 
 Swete, sweet: A 5, 265, B 1569. 
 A. S. swete. 
 
 Swevene, a dream : c 76. A. S. 
 swefen, from swefan, Icel. so/a, 
 to sleep. We have the same 
 root in Lat. somnus ( = sop-mts). 
 
 Swich, such : A3; swich a, so 
 great a : 64. A. S. swilc, such = 
 swd, so, and lie, like. 
 
 Swink, sb. labour, toil: A 188, 
 540. 
 
 Swinken, to labour, toil : A 186. 
 A. S. swine, labour, toil ; swincan, 
 to toil. 
 
 Swinkere, a labourer : A 531. 
 
 Swor, Swore. See Swere. 
 
 Swough, the raging of the ele- 
 ments, a storm: B 1121. Cf. 
 Sc. soucfi, swouchy sough, the 
 sound of the wind. A. S. sweg, 
 a sound ; swogan, to sound. 
 
 Swowne, to swoon: B 55, 1961. 
 The M. E. swogh, a sound, a 
 swoon, shews that swoon is con- 
 nected with sough, &c. 
 
 Swymbul, a moaning, sighing 
 sort of noise, caused by the 
 wind (or perhaps, a shivering 
 movement) : B 1121, Harl. MS. 
 Swymbel = swymel, is a diminu- 
 tive of M. E. swim or sweem, 
 mourning, sighing. Allied to 
 Icel. sweima, to move to and fro. 
 (Cf. * a swimming in the head.') 
 
 Swyn (sing, and pi.), swine : A 
 
 598. 
 Syke, sb. a sigh, B. 1062 ; vb. to 
 
 sigh, B 682, 2127. A. S. sican. 
 Sythe, Sythes, times : A 485, B 
 
 1019. 
 
 T. 
 
 Taas. See Tas. 
 
 Tabard, the sleeveless coat on 
 which arms were embroidered ; 
 a herald's coat of arms : A 20, 
 541. It was the old dress of the 
 labourer, and Chaucer applies 
 it to the loose frock of the 
 ploughman. It. tabarro, over- 
 coat. 
 
 TafiEata, taffeta : A 440. 
 
 Taille, a tally, an account scored 
 in two notched pieces of wood : 
 A 570. F. tailler, to cut. 
 
 Tak, imper. take : B 226. 
 
 Take, pp. taken : B 1789. 
 
 Takel, an arrow: A 106. It seems 
 to have signified (like loom, 
 M. E. lome) any sort of imple- 
 ment or utensil, whether used 
 as a tool or weapon. See note ; 
 and Strutt's Sports and Pastimes, 
 2nd e.d., p. 59. Cf. Swed. tackel, 
 Ger. Takel, tackle. 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 251 
 
 Tale, speech, discourse, story: A 
 831. Telle tale take account 
 of, estimate ; ' litel tale hath he 
 told,' c 298, = little heed has he 
 paid ; ' telle no tale ' = take no 
 notice of, make no account of. 
 
 Talen, to tell tales : A 722. 
 
 Tapicer, an upholsterer: A 362. 
 F. tapis, a carpet. 
 
 Tappestere, a female tapster : A 
 241. 
 
 Targe, a target or shield : A 471. 
 F. targe. 
 
 Tas, sb. heap : B 147, 151, 162. 
 
 Tathenes = to Athens: B 165, 
 Harl. MS. 
 
 Teche, Techen, to teach, direct : 
 A 308, c 129. 
 
 Tendite, to endite, tell : B 351. 
 
 Tene, vexation, annoyance : B 
 2248. A. S. teon, teona, injury, 
 wrong ; teonan, tynan, to anger, 
 incense. 
 
 Teres, tears : B 422. 
 
 Tespye, to espy : c 468. 
 
 Testers, head-pieces, or helmets : 
 B 1641. O. F.teste, F. tete, the 
 head. 
 
 Thabsence, the absence, B 381. 
 
 Than, Thanne, then: A 12. 
 
 Thank, thanks : A 612. 
 
 Thankes, Thonkes, the genitive 
 of thank: B. 768, 1249. Used 
 adverbially with the personal 
 pronouns (possessive) : his 
 thankes, he being willing ; hir 
 thankes, they being willing ; like 
 the F. son gre, leur gre, with his 
 or their good-will. 
 
 Tharmes, the arms : B 2058, Harl. 
 MS. 
 
 Tharray, the array: A 716. 
 
 Thavys, the advice : B 2218. 
 
 Thee, to thrive, prosper: c 156. 
 A. S./e'ow, to flourish, grow. 
 
 Theffect, the effect : B 331. 
 
 They, they: A 475. The 
 Northern form is tha or thai; 
 the Southern heo, hi. 
 
 Thencens, the incense : B 1419. 
 
 Thenchauntements, the enchant- 
 ments : B 1086. 
 
 Thencrees, the increase : A 275. 
 
 Thenke, to think. Thank is a 
 related word. Distinct from 
 Thinke. . 
 
 Thentree, the entrance : B 1125. 
 
 Ther, there : A 43 ; where, A 547. 
 Tlier as = where that; A 34, 
 172. 
 
 Therto, besides: A 153, 757. 
 
 Thestat, the state or rank : A 
 
 7 i6. 
 
 Thider, thither : B 405. 
 
 Thikkeherd, thick-haired : K 
 1660. 
 
 Thilke, the like, that: A 182, B 
 335, 1525. A.S.jMKc,Jylc, the 
 like, that. 
 
 Thinke, Thynke, to seem. It is 
 used impersonally, as ' me 
 think eth ' =-- it seems to me, A 37 ; 
 me thoughts, it seemed to me, 
 A 385 ; * him thoughte ' = it 
 appeared to him, A 682 ; us 
 thoughte, A 785. A. S. J>yncan, 
 Ger. dunken. 
 
 Thirle, to pierce : B 1852. A. S. 
 J)irel, a hole ; pirlian, to pierce, 
 thrill, drill ; whence nostrils 
 (M.E. nosethirles). The A. S. 
 pirel seems to be a diminutive, 
 and a simpler form is found in 
 A. S. purh, through ; we may 
 compare O. H. Ger. durchil, 
 pierced, from durch, through. 
 
 Thise, pi. these : A 701, B 673. 
 
 Tho, pi. the, those : A 498, B 265, 
 1493. A. S. dd. 
 
 Tho, then: B 135. A.S. 8d. 
 
 Thofnce, the office : B 2005. 
 
 Thombe, thumb : A 563. 
 
 Thonder, thunder : A 492. A. S. 
 flunor, Ger. Donner. 
 
 Thorisoun, the orison or prayer : 
 B 1403. 
 
 Thral, slave, serf, one enslaved : K 
 694. Icel./rcE//, a servant. It 
 is probably connected with A. S. 
 J>r<xgian, Goth, thragjan, to run. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 Thred, Threed, thread: B 1172 ; 
 
 Thredbare, threadbare : A 260. 
 Thresshe, to thrash ; A 536. 
 
 A. S. perscan, Icel. preskja. 
 
 Threshold also occurs as M. E. 
 
 thresch-wold, from A..$.J>erscan, 
 
 to beat ; and wold ( = A. S. 
 
 wald\ wood ; as if it signified 
 
 the part beaten by the foot ; 
 
 but this was merely due to a 
 
 popular etymology. 
 Threste, to thrust, press: B 1754. 
 
 Icel. prysta. 
 
 Thridde, third: B 605. 
 Thryes, thrice : A 63. 
 Tiiurgh, through : B 362. A. S. 
 
 purh. 
 Thurgh-fare, a thorough- fare'. B 
 
 1989. Cf. Goth, thairh, Ger. 
 
 durch, Eng. through and thor- 
 
 Thurgh-girt, pierced through, B 
 152. See Girt. 
 
 Til, to : B 620. Icel. til, to. 
 
 To, at, gone to : A 30. 
 
 To, toe : B 1868. See Toon. 
 
 To-, as a verbal prefix, = Ger. zer-, 
 Goth, dis-, in twain, Lat. dis-. 
 
 To-breste, burst asunder : B 1/53. 
 See Breste. 
 
 To-brosten, burst or broken in 
 pieces : B 1833, 1899. 
 
 To-hewen, hewed or cut in 
 pieces : B 1751. 
 
 Tollen, to take toll or payment : 
 A 562. A. S. toll, tax. It seems 
 connected with E. tale, tell. See 
 Zoll in Kluge. 
 
 To-morwe, to-morrow, A 780. 
 See Morwe. The to (as in to- 
 yere = this year) is the prep, to, 
 as in M. E. togedere, together. 
 
 Tonge, tongue : A 265, 712. 
 
 Tonne-greet, having the circum- 
 ference as great as a tun : B 
 1136. 
 
 Tool, weapon : c 96. A. S. tol. 
 
 Toon, toes : C 42 ; Toos, c 
 360. , 
 
 Top, head : A 590. 
 
 Torets, small rings or swivels : B 
 1294. See note. 
 
 Torne, to turn : B 630. F. tourner. 
 The root tor, turn, twist, is seen 
 in the Lat. tornus, a lathe : tor- 
 quere, to twist ; turben, a whirl- 
 wind. 
 
 To-shrede, cut in shreds : B 
 1751. See Schere. 
 
 Toun, town : A 478. 
 
 Tour, tower : B 172, 419. 
 
 Touret, turret : B 1051. 
 
 Trace, track, path. ' Trace, of a 
 wey over a felde, trames.' 
 Prompt. Parv. F. trace. See 
 note to A 176. 
 
 Trapped, having trappings : B 
 2032. ' vi horses richely trapped 
 .with several armes.' Hall's 
 Chronicles, Ixxxii. 
 
 Trappures, trappings of a horse : 
 B 1641. 
 
 Traunce, a trance : B 714. 
 
 Trays, the traces by which horses 
 draw, horse-harness : B 1281. 
 
 Trecherye, treachery : C 510. F. 
 tricherie, trickery ; tricher, to 
 trick. 
 
 Trede, to tread : B 2164. 
 
 Tresoun, treason: B 1143. 
 
 Trespas, trespass : B 960. 
 
 Tresse, a tress, plait: B 191. F. 
 tresse, It. treccia. 
 
 Tretee, treaty : B 430. 
 
 Tretys, long and well-propor- 
 tioned : A 152. 
 
 Trewe, true: A 531. Trewely, 
 truly : A 481. In M. E. we have 
 a form tryg, corresponding to 
 Icel. tryggr, Goth, triggws, true. 
 
 Trompe, a trumpet : A 674, B 
 1316. 
 
 Tronchoun, a headless spear or 
 broken shaft of a spear (E. 
 truncheon) : B 1757. F. tron$on, 
 from Lat. truncus. 
 
 Trouthe, truth : A 46, 763 ; troth, 
 
 B 752. 
 
 Trowe, to believe : A 155, 524. 
 I trowe = I think it to be true. 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 253 
 
 Hence E. tro-th; like tru-th 
 from true. 
 
 Trussed up, packed up : A 68 1. 
 O. F. trousser, torser, to pack up. 
 Cf. Eng. truss, a bundle. 
 
 Tukked, tucked up : A 621. 
 
 Turneyinge, a tournament : B 
 1669. See Tome. 
 
 Tweye, two, twain : A 704, 792 ; 
 B 40, 270. A. S. twegen (m.), 
 twd (f. n.) ; Goth, twai (m.), 
 twos (f.),twa (n.) ; Icel. tveir (m.), 
 tvar (f.), tvau (n.). With this 
 root we may connect twin, 
 twine, twill, twig. Tusser calls 
 
 , ewes that bear twins by the 
 name of twiggers. i An hower or 
 twaine* The Schoole of Abuse, 
 p. 17. It appears also in twelve 
 ( = 2 + 10), and twenty (2 x 10). 
 
 Twinne, to depart, _ separate : A 
 835. See above. 
 
 Two, two : A 639. 
 
 Tyde, time : c 196. Tydes, 
 tides, A 401. A. S. tid t time; 
 whence, tidy, tides. 
 
 U. 
 
 Unce, a small portion : A 677, 
 Harl. MS. (Eng. ounce.} 
 
 Uncouth, unknown, rare, un- 
 couth : B 1639. See Couthe. 
 
 Undergrowe, undergrown : A 156. 
 
 Undern, the time of the mid-day 
 meal : c 402. A. S. undent, the 
 third hour of the day, 9 P.M. 
 It signifies literally the inter- 
 vening period, and hence the 
 middle of the forenoon, or a 
 meal taken at that time. In 
 the present passage, it probably 
 means n A.M. In mod. Eng. 
 dialects it means mid-afternoon, 
 or 4 P.M. The labourers call 
 their meals elevenses andfourses. 
 
 Undertake, to affirm : A 288, c 
 
 I9 X - 
 
 Unknowe, unknown: A 126, B 
 
 548. 
 
 Unkonning, unknowing, not cun- 
 ning (knowing), ignorant : B 
 1535. In our English Bible 
 the word cunning is used in a 
 good sense. 
 
 Unset, not at a set time, not ap- 
 pointed : B 666. 
 
 Unwist, unknown : B 2119. See 
 Wite. 
 
 Unyolden, not having yielded : B 
 1784 See Yolden. 
 
 Up-haf (pret. oiupheve), upheaved, 
 uplifted: 61570. See Heve. 
 
 Up-right, flat on the back : is 
 1150. 
 
 Up-riste, dat. uprising : B 193. 
 
 Up-so-doun, upside down : B 
 
 5I9- 
 Up-sterte, upstarted, arose : B 
 
 441. See Sterte. 
 Up-yaf, gave up : B 1569. 
 
 V. 
 
 Vasselage, valour, courage (dis- 
 played in the service rendered 
 by a vassal) : B 2196. 
 
 Vavasour, A 360. O. F. vavaseur. 
 This term is explained in various 
 ways : Tyrwhitt says it means a 
 middle-class landholder ; Blount 
 explains it as one next in dignity 
 to a baron. A Vavasour was 
 most probably a sub-vassal 
 holding a small fief, a sort of 
 esquire. 
 
 Venerye, hunting : A 166, B 1450. 
 Lat. uenari, to hunt, chase; 
 whence venison ( uenationem). 
 
 Venim, poison, venom: B 1893, 
 1896. 
 
 Ventusyng, cupping, a surgical 
 term : B 1889. 
 
 Verdit, verdict, judgment, sen- 
 tence : A 787. 
 
 Vernicle : A 685. See note. 
 
 Verray, Verrey, true, very : A 72, 
 422. Verraily, truly: A 338. 
 
 Vese, a rush of wind, draught, 
 gush; lit. an impulse: B 1127. 
 
254 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Lat. impetus (gloss in Elles. 
 MS). See note. 'The oldest 
 form is the O. H. Ger. funs, 
 prompt, quick ; whence, by 
 dropping the n, the A. S. fus, 
 quick, eager ; I eel. fuss, eager ; 
 hence the verbal forms in Swed. 
 fosa, to drive, Icel./ysa, to im- 
 pel, exhort, A. S.fesian, to drive 
 away (whence probably the 
 Prov. Eng. feaze, feeze, or pheese, 
 which means both to drive, as 
 in Stanyhurst's Virgil (Nares), 
 and to chastise, as in Shake- 
 speare's Troilus and Cressida, 
 ii. 3. 215) ; also the Icel. sb. 
 fysi, an impulse, inclination, 
 wish, which exactly corresponds 
 to the word in question. For 
 examples, observe ' ac he fysde 
 forft flane genehe,' but he poured 
 forth arrows enough (Death of 
 Byrhtnoth, ed. Grein, 1. 269) ; 
 and 'fiis and for<5georn/ eager 
 and desirous of going forward 
 (id. 1. 281). Hence probably 
 the modern Eng. fuss.' Skeat. 
 
 Vestirnens, vestments : B 2090. 
 
 Veyn, vain: B 236. 
 
 Veyne.-blood, blood of the veins : 
 B 1889. 
 
 Viage, voyage : A 77, 723. 
 
 Vigilyes, vigils : A 377. 
 
 Vileinye, sb. unbecoming con- 
 duct or talk, disgrace : A 70, 
 726 : B 84. 
 
 Vitaille, victuals : A 569, 749. 
 
 Vouche-sauf, to vouchsafe, grant : 
 A 807, 812. 
 
 Voyden, to expel : B 1893. 
 
 W. 
 
 "Waar, aware, wary. See War. 
 
 Wake-pleyes, ceremonies at- 
 tending the vigils for the dead : 
 B 2102. A. S. wcecan, wacian, 
 to watch, keep watch ; Eng. 
 watch, waits. 
 
 Walet, a wallet : A 68 1, 686. 
 
 "Wan, won, conquered: B 131. 
 See Winne. 
 
 Wanhope, despair: B 391. See 
 Wanie. 
 
 "Wanie, to decrease, diminish : B 
 1 2 20. A. S. wanian, to diminish ; 
 wan, a deficiency. To the root 
 wan belongs possibly A. S. 
 wann, pale ; whence wan. 
 
 "Wantown, wanton, free, unre- 
 strained : A 208. The prefix wan- 
 implies lack; -town = -togen, 
 trained, from A. S. teon (to lead, 
 educate, pp. getogett). Cf. Ger. 
 ungezogen. 
 
 Wantownesse, wantonness : A 
 
 264. 
 
 War, aware, cautious, prudent : A 
 309. A. S. w<zr, war, cautious. 
 'I was war ' = 1 perceived, A 157. 
 
 "War him, to beware: A 662. 
 (Infin. governed by oghte}. A. S. 
 warian, to be ware, be cautious. 
 With this root are connected 
 ward, warder, warn, guard, guar- 
 dian. 
 
 Wastel-breed, bread-cake : A 
 147. O. F. was t el, later gasteau, 
 a cake, F. gateau. See note. 
 
 Waterlees, without water : A 1 80. 
 
 Wawes, waves: B uoo. A. S. 
 wag, a wave ; wagian, to wave, 
 wag. 
 
 Wayke, pi. weak : B 29. Icel. 
 veikr ; cf. M. E. woe, A. S. wdc, 
 weak, mean, worthless. 
 
 Waylaway, alas ! well-a-way ! 
 well-a-day ! B 80, c 560. 
 
 Waymenting, Waymentinge, n 
 lamentation, wailing : B 137, 
 1063. O. F. waimenter, to 
 lament ; literally to cry wai ! or 
 woe. Cf. Ital. guaiolore, to cry 
 guai ! 
 
 Wayte, to be on the look out for. 
 to look for : A 525, 571 ; B 364. 
 See Awayt. 
 
 "Webbe, a weaver: A 362. Cf. 
 M. E. hunt-e, a hunter ; tromp-e, 
 a trumpeter ; prison-e t a prisoner. 
 
GLOSSAX Y. 
 
 255 
 
 "Wed (dat. weddi), pledge, se- 
 curity; to wedde, in pledge, as 
 a pledge : B 360. A- S. wed, 
 agreement; whence Eng. wed, 
 wedding, wedlock. 
 
 Wedden, to wed : B'974. 
 
 Wede, clothing : B 148. A. S. 
 wad, clothing, attire of men and 
 women. It is still retained in 
 < widow's weeds.' 
 
 Weel, well: B 68, 1265. 
 
 "Weep, wept : B 1487. Cf. M. E. 
 creep, leep = crept, leapt. 
 
 "Wei, adv. full, very, B 653 ; much, 
 B 396. 
 
 "Wele, weal, prosperity, wealth : 
 
 B37- 
 
 "Welle, source, fountain : B 2179. 
 "Wende, weened, thought : B 411. 
 
 See "Wene. 
 Wende, Wenden, to go, pass 
 
 away: A 16, 21 ; B 1356. The 
 
 Eng. went is the past tense of 
 
 wende. Cf. the phrase i to wen d 
 
 one's way.' 
 Wene, to ween, think : B 797. 
 
 A. S. wen, hope ; wenan, to hope, 
 
 suppose. It is preserved in E. 
 
 ween, over-weening, &c. 
 Wepe, Wepen (pret. weep, wep; 
 
 pp. wepen), to weep: A 144, 
 
 230. 
 
 Wepne, a weapon : B 733. 
 Were, to defend, guard : B 1692. 
 
 A. S. werian, to defend. 
 Wered, wore : A 75, 564. 
 Werken, Wirche, to work : A 
 
 779, B 1901. 
 Werre, war: A 47, B 429. Du. 
 
 werre, strife, war ; F. guerre. 
 Werreye, Werreyen, to make 
 
 war against : 8626, 686. 
 Werte, a wart : A 555. A. S. 
 
 weart (wear, a knot, wart), Icel. 
 
 varta, Ger. Warze. 
 Wessh (pret. ofwasche), washed: 
 
 B 1425. 
 
 Wete, wet, moist : B 422, 1480. 
 Wette, wetted : A 1 29. 
 Wex, sb. wax : A 675, 
 
 Wexe, to increase, grow, become. 
 A. S. weaxan, to increase. Wex, 
 increased, became : B 504. 
 Shakespeare has ' a man of 
 wax' = a.n adult, a man of full 
 growth. 
 
 Wexing, growing, increasing : i; 
 1 2 20. 
 
 Wey, Weye, a way : A 34, 467. 
 
 Weyeth, weigheth, esteems : B 
 
 9 2 3- 
 Weyle, to wail ; to cry wet ! or 
 
 woe! B 363. 
 Weymentinge : B 44. See Way- 
 
 menting. 
 Whan, Whanne, when : A 15, 18, 
 
 179. 
 What, wherefore, why, lo ! A 184, 
 
 854. 
 
 Wheel, wheel : B 68, 1165. 
 
 Whelkes, pimples, blotches : A 
 632. 
 
 Wher, where : B 1952. 
 
 Wher, whether : B 1394. 
 
 Whether, whether, which of two : 
 B 998. 
 
 Which, what. Which a = what a, 
 B 1817. 
 
 Whippeltre, the cornel-tree: B 
 2065. Cf. Mid. Low Ger. wipel- 
 bom, the cornel-tree (Pritzel). 
 
 Whyl, whilst : A 35, 397. Whyle, 
 time. A. S. hwil, time ; Norse 
 hvila, to rest. It is retained in 
 awhile; 'to while away the 
 time ' = to pass the time away 
 in rest or recreation. 
 
 Whylom, formerly, once : B i, 
 1545. A. S. hwilum. The -um 
 was an old adverbial ending, as 
 seen in M. E.ferrum, afar ; Eng. 
 seldom. 
 
 Whyt, white: A 238. Comp. 
 Whitter. 
 
 Widwe, a widow : A 253. 
 
 Wight, any living creature ; a 
 person, male or female: A 71, 
 326. A. S. wiht. 
 
 W^ghte, weight: B 1287. 
 
 Wikke, wicked, bad, untoward: 
 
256 
 
 GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 B 229. M. E. wikke, poor, mean, 
 weak ; A. S. wican, to be weak. 
 
 "Wilfully, willingly : c 276. 
 
 "Wilne, to desire: B 751. A. S. 
 wiln, wish ; wilnian, to desire. 
 
 Wiltou, wilt thou : B 298. 
 
 "Wilwe, willow-tree : B 2064. 
 
 Wimpel, a covering for the neck : 
 A 151. Y wimpled, decked 
 with a wimple : A 470. F. 
 guimple, M. Du. wimpelen, to 
 wrap ; wimpel, a veil, flag. See 
 p. 140. 
 
 Winged, winged : 6527. 
 
 Winne (pret. wan, won; pp. 
 wonne, wonnen), to win, obtain, 
 gain : B 759. 
 
 "Winnyng, gain, profit : A 275. 
 
 Wirche, to work : B 1901. See 
 Werken. 
 
 ~Wis=ywis, certainly: B 1928. 
 As-ucis, = as certainly, as truly : 
 c 588." See Ywis. 
 
 Wisly, truly : B 1376. See Ywis. 
 
 "Wit, understanding, judgment, 
 wisdom : A 279, 746. 
 
 Wite, to know, to learn : B 
 402 ; ist and 3rd pers. sing, 
 indie, wot, wool; 2nd pers. 
 wost ; pi. witen, wyten; pret. 
 wiste. A. S. witan, to know ; 
 whence wit, to wit, witty, &c. 
 
 Withholde, maintained: A 511. 
 
 "Withouten, without: A 538; 
 besides, A 461. 
 
 "Withseyn, Withseye, to gain- 
 say : A 805, B 282. 
 
 Witing, knowledge : B 753. See 
 Wite, 
 
 "Wlatsome, loathsome, hateful : 
 C 233. A. S. wldtian, to nau- 
 seate, loathe. 
 
 "Wo, "Woo, sb. sorrow, woe, B 
 1766; lament, B 42 ; adj. sor- 
 rowful, grieved, displeased, A 
 
 351. 
 
 Wode. See "Wood. 
 "Wodebynde, woodbine, B 650. 
 "Wofullere, the more sorrowful : 
 
 B 482. 
 
 Wol, Wole, vb. will, A 42 ; pt. s. 
 wolde, would, A 144 ; pi. wolden, 
 A 27. 
 
 "Woln, Wolle (pi. of wo/), will : B 
 
 1263. 
 Wolt, wilt ; Woltow, wilt thou : 
 
 B686. 
 
 Wommanhede, womanly feel- 
 ing : B 890. 
 "Wonder, wonderful: B 1215; 
 
 wonderfully : A 483, B 796. 
 Wonderly, wonderfully : A 84. 
 Wone, custom, usage : A 335, B 
 
 182. A. S. wune. 
 Wone, to dwell : A 388, B 2069. 
 
 A. S. wunian, Ger. wohnen, to 
 
 dwell, inhabit, rest. 
 Woning, a dwelling, habitation: 
 
 A 606. 
 Wonne, Wonnen (pp. ofwinnij, 
 
 conquered, obtained: A 51, B 
 
 19. 
 Wood, mad: A 582, B 471. A. S. 
 
 wod, mad ; wodnes, madness. 
 Woodly, madly, B 443. 
 Woodnesse, madness : B 1153. 
 Wook, awoke : B 535. 
 Woot (ist pers.), know : A 389, 
 
 659 5 (3rd pers.), knows, B 28. 
 
 See Wite. 
 
 Worse, worse : B 366. 
 Worship, sb. honour ; Worschip- 
 
 ful, honourable : B 1054. 
 Worshipe, to honour, to pay 
 
 proper respect to another's 
 
 worth : B 1393. 
 Wortes, herbs : c 401. A. S. 
 
 weort, wyrt. It still exists in 
 
 cole-wort, orchard ( = wort-yard, 
 
 herb-garden). 
 
 Worthinesse, bravery : A 50. 
 Worthy, brave : A 47, 68. 
 Wost, knowest : Wostow, know- 
 
 est thou, B 305. See Wite. 
 Wrastle, to wrestle: B 2103. 
 Wrastling, wrestling : A 548. 
 Wrecche, a wretch, wretched : B 
 
 73, 248. 
 Wreke, to revenge, avenge, 
 
 wreak : B 103. 
 
GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 2.57 
 
 Wrethe, a wreath (a derivative 
 from the vb. to writhe) : B 1287. 
 
 Wrighte, a carpenter (literally a 
 workman) : A 614. Cf. wheel- 
 wright, play-wright. 
 
 "Writ, writeth : c 303. 
 
 Wrooth, angry : A 451. 
 
 Wyd, wide : A 491 ; Wyde, pi. 
 
 A557- 
 Wyf, wife, woman : A 445 ; 
 
 Wyves, wives, A 234. 
 Wyke, a week: B 681, A. S. 
 
 wice, O. N. vika. 
 Wyn, wine : A 334. 
 Wys, wise, A 68', 309 ; "Wyse, pi. 
 
 569. 
 Wyse, mode, manner ; B 480, 882.- 
 
 See Gyse. 
 
 Wyte, Wyten, know. See Wite. 
 Wy ve, dat. of wyf. 
 
 Y. 
 
 Y-, a prefix used especially with 
 
 the pp., like the A. S. ge-, Ger. 
 
 ge-. See below. 
 Yaf (pret. of yeve or yive), gave ; 
 
 hence, cared; A 177. 
 Yate, a gate: B 577, Harl. MS. 
 
 This old pronunciation still 
 
 survives in some parts of Eng- 
 
 land. 
 
 Y-been,, been, c 477. 
 Ybete, beaten: B 1304; beaten 
 
 on, B 121. 
 Y-bore, borne, carried, A 378 ; 
 
 y-born, born, B 161. 
 Y-bounden, bound, B 291. 
 ,Y-brent, burnt: B 88. 
 Y-broght, brought : B 253. 
 Y-buried, buried ; B 88. 
 Y-chaped, having chape$ or caps 
 
 of metal at the end of. a sheath, 
 
 A 3 66. 
 
 Y-clenched, clinched, fastened, B 
 
 Y-cleped, Yclept, called : A 376, 
 
 410, B 9. See Clepe. 
 Y-come, come : A 77. 
 Y-corve, cut: B 1155. 
 
 Y-don, clone : B 167, c 599 ; Y-do, 
 B 1676. 
 
 Y-drawe, drawn : A 396, B 86, 
 1784. 
 
 Ydriven, driven : B 1149. 
 
 Y-dropped, bedropped, covered 
 with drops: B 2026. 
 
 Ye, yea, the answer to a question 
 asked in the affirmative form : B 
 890 ; yis, yes, being the affirma- 
 tive answer to a question asked 
 in the negative form. 
 
 Ye, eye, A 10. (Dissyllabic ; pro- 
 nounced y-e, with y like i in 
 machine, and e like Ger. final e). 
 
 Yeddinges, songs ; properly the 
 gleeman's songs : A 237. 
 Norse gidda, to shake ; whence 
 
 . giddy. A. S. gidd, a song ; 
 geddian, to sing. The Prompt. 
 Parv, has ' Yeddynge, or geest, 
 idem quod geest (a romaunce).' 
 See note. 
 
 Yeer, Yer, year: A 347, B 523: 
 pi. yeer, years, A 82. A. S. ger, 
 gear. 
 
 Yeldhalle =geldhall, a guildhall : 
 A 370. 
 
 Yeldyng, yielding, return, pro- 
 duce : A 596. 
 
 Yelle, to yell : Yelleden (pi. 
 pret.), yelled: C 569. 
 
 Yelpe, to boast: B 1380. (Eng. 
 yelp.} A. S. gelpan. 
 
 Yelwe, Yelow, yellow: B 191, 
 1071. A. S. geoluwe, Ger. gelb. 
 It is connected with gall, yolk, 
 &c. 
 
 Yeman, a yeoman, commoner, a 
 feudal retainer: A 101. See 
 note. Tyrwhitt refers it to 
 yeongman, a young man, a vassal. 
 The A. S. geongra = a vassal, 
 and geongorscipe = service (Csed- 
 mon.) Mr. Skeat refers it to 
 the Old Friesic and Old Saxon 
 ga or go, O. H. Ger. gou, Ger. 
 gait, a village, a district; O. 
 Friesic gaman, a villager, rustic. 
 
 Yerd, Yerde, rod, A 149, B 529 ; 
 
2 5 8 
 
 GLOSSAR Y. 
 
 as in ^arof-measure. A. S. gerd, 
 
 gyrd, twig, rod, stick. 
 Yerd, enclosure, yard 1027. A. S. 
 
 geard, hedge, enclosure, garden ; 
 
 Eng. yard, orchard ( = wort-yard^, 
 
 garden* 
 
 Yet now = just now: B 298. 
 Yeve, Yeve, Yiven, to give : A 
 
 223. 
 
 Y-falle, fallen : A 25. 
 Y-fetered, fettered: B 371. 
 Y-founde, found : B 353, c 362. 
 Y-go, gone, A 286. 
 Y-grounde, pp. ground, sharp- 
 ened : B 1691. 
 Y-holde, pp. esteemed, held : B 
 
 1516, 2100. 
 Yifte, gift : B 1340. 
 Yive, Yiven, to give : A 225 ; pp. 
 
 given, B 57. 
 
 Y-knowe, known : A 423. 
 Y-lad, carried (in a cart) : A 530. 
 
 Pp. of leden, to lead, carry. 
 Y-laft, left : B 1888. Pp. of leven, 
 
 to leave. 
 
 Y-liche, pi. alike, B 1668. 
 Y-logged, lodged: c 171. 
 Y-lyk, alike, A 592, B 1876; 
 
 Ylyke, B 68 1. 
 Y-maked, pp. made: B 1207, 
 
 1997. 
 
 Y-met, pp. met : B 1 766. 
 Y-meynd (pp. otmenge], mingled, 
 
 mixed: 81312. A. S. mengian, 
 
 to mix. 
 
 Y-nogh, enough : A 373. 
 Yolden, pp. yielded: B 2194. 
 
 Pp. of yslden. A. S. gildan, to 
 
 pay, give up. 
 Yolle, to yell: B 1814. Prov. 
 
 Eng. goul, yonl. 
 Yond, yonder : B 241. 
 Yong, Yonge, young : A 7, 79, 213. 
 Yore, of a long time. Yore agoon 
 
 = a long time ago, B 955; of 
 
 yore, in olden time. A. S. gedra, 
 
 of yore, from gear, a year. 
 Youling, yelling : B 420. 
 Yow, you : A 34, 38. 
 
 Y-payed, payed : B 944. 
 Y-pinched, tightly plaited : A 
 
 151. 
 
 Y-preved, proved to be : A 485. 
 Y-raft, bereft: B 1157. Pp. of 
 
 reven, to snatch, bereave. 
 Y-ronne, run, A 8 ; clustered, B 
 
 1307. Y-ronnen, run, coagu- 
 lated : B 1835. Pp. of renntn, 
 
 to run. 
 
 Y-scalded, scalded : B 1162. 
 Ysene, adj. pi. visible : A 592. 
 
 See Sene. ^Distinct from the 
 
 pp. y-seen.) 
 
 Y-served, pp. served: B 105. 
 Y-set, appointed: B 777. 
 Y-seyled, sailed : c 279. 
 Y-shave, shaven : A 690. 
 Y-shrive, shriven : A 226. 
 Y-shorn, cut: A 589. Pp. of 
 
 sheren, to shear. 
 Y-slayn, slain : B 1850. 
 Y-spreynd (pp. of sprenge], 
 
 sprinkled, scattered: B 1311. 
 
 A. S. sprlngan, to spring ; Ger. 
 
 sprengen, to scatter, burst open ; 
 
 Sw. springa, to split. Cf. the 
 
 phrase * to spring a leak.' 
 Y-stiked, pierced, B 707. 
 Y-storve, dead: B 1156. Pp. of 
 
 sterven, to die. 
 Y-sworn, sworn: B 274. 
 Y-taught, taught : A 127. 
 Y-teyd, tied : A 457. 
 Y-turned, turned: B 380, 1204. 
 Y-warned, warned: c 412. 
 Y-wedded, wedded: B 2240. 
 Y-wimpled, decked with a 
 
 wimple : A 470. See Wimpel. 
 Y-wis, certainly, truly, c 379, 
 
 622. A. S. gewis. 
 Y-wont, wont, accustomed. See 
 
 Wone. 
 Y-wroght, worked, wrought, 
 
 made : A 196. Pp. of werken, 
 
 werchen. 
 Y-wrye, covered : B 2046. A. S. 
 
 gewrigen, pp. ofwreon or ivrihan, 
 
 to cover. 
 
INDEX OF PROPER NAMES. 
 
 Many of the proper names are further explained in the Notes. 
 
 The references in this Index are to the Six-text Edition. Throughout 
 the Knight's Tale and Nonne Prestes Tale, the numbers suitable to that 
 edition are given within marks of parenthesis. Throughout the Prologue, 
 the numbering is the same as in the text. 
 
 Achilles, B 4338. 
 Adam, B 4448. 
 Adoun, Adonis, A 2224. 
 Aflrike, Africa, B 4314. 
 Algezir, Algeciras (in Spain), A 
 
 57- 
 
 Alisaundre, Alexandria, A 51. 
 Amadrid.es, Hamadryades, A 
 
 2928 
 
 Amazones, Amazons, A 880. 
 Amphioun, Amphion, A 1546. 
 Andromacha, Andromache, B 
 
 4331. 
 
 Antonius, Mark Antony, A 2032. 
 
 Aprille, April, A I. 
 
 Arcita ; accented Arcita, A 1013, 
 I28i,&c. ; A'rcita, 2761 ; Arcite, 
 A 1031, 1080, 1 1 12, &c.; A'rcite, 
 1152, 1344, &c.; A'rcit', 1211. 
 
 Argus, A 1390. 
 
 Aristotle, A 295. 
 
 Artoys, Artois, A 86. 
 
 Athenes, Athens, A 86 1, 873, 880 
 (where perhaps it means the 
 Athenians), 968,973,1023,1194, 
 1391, &c. 
 
 Atthalante, Atalanta, A 2070. 
 
 Attheon, Actseon, A 2065, 2303. 
 
 Averrois, Averroes, a Moorish 
 physician, A 433. 
 
 Avicen, Avicenna, A 432. 
 
 Augustyn, saint Augustine, B 
 4431 ; Austin, A 187, 188. 
 
 Baldeswelle, Baldeswell in Nor- 
 folk, A 620. 
 Bathe, Bath, A 445. 
 Belle, the Bell, an inn, A 719. 
 Belmarye, Benamarin, A 57, 2630, 
 Beneit, St. Bennet, A 173. 
 Bernard, Bernardus Gordonius, A 
 
 434- 
 Berwik, Berwick-on-Tweed, A 
 
 692. 
 
 Boece, Boethius, B 4432, 4484. 
 Boloigne, Boulogne in France, A 
 
 465- 
 
 Bradwardyn, bishop, B 4432. 
 Britayne, Brittany, A 409. 
 Burdeux, Bourdeaux, A 397. 
 Burnel, Brunellus the ass, B 4502. 
 
 Cadme, Cadmus, A 1546 ; Cad- 
 mus, 1547. 
 
 Calistopee, Callisto, A 2056. 
 
 Capaneus, A 932. 
 
 Cartage, Carthage, A 404, B 4555. 
 
 Catoun, Dionysius Cato, B 4130, 
 4161, 4166. 
 
 Caunterbury, Canterbury, A 16, 
 22, 27, 769, 793, 801. 
 
 Chauntecleer, i. e. clear-singer, a 
 cock, B 4039, &c. 
 
 Chepe, Cheapside, in London, A 
 
 754 
 
 Cipioun, Scipio Africanus the 
 younger, B 4314. 
 
 S 2 
 
260 
 
 INDEX OF PROPER NAMES. 
 
 Circes, Circe, A 1944. 
 Citherea, Venus, A 2215. 
 Citheroun, Cithseron, A 1936, 
 
 2223. 
 Clemence, Clemency (a goddess), 
 
 A 928. 
 
 Colle, a dog, B 4573. 
 Coloigne, Cologne, A 466. 
 Constantyn, Constantinus Afer, 
 
 A 433- 
 
 Creon, A 938, 961, 963, 986, 1002. 
 Cresus, Croesus, A 1946, B 4328. 
 Crete, A 980. 
 Cristofre, St. Christopher (on a 
 
 brooch), A 115. 
 Cupido, Cupid, A 1963 ; Cupide, 
 
 1623. 
 
 Damascien, Johannes Damasce- 
 
 nus, A 433. 
 
 Dane, Daphne, A 2062, 2064. 
 Daniel, B 4318. 
 
 Deiscorides, Dioscorides, A 430. 
 Dertemouthe, Dartmouth, A 389. 
 Diane, Diana, A 2051, 2057, 2O ^3 J 
 
 oratory of, 1912, 2051 ; prayer 
 
 to, 2297. 
 
 Ecclesiaste, Ecclesiasticus, B 
 
 45*9- 
 Ector, A 2832, B4332 ; Ectores, 
 
 Hector's, 84331. 
 Egeus, ^Egeus, A 2838, 2905. 
 Egipt, Egypt, B 4323. 
 Eglentyne, A 121. 
 Emelye, Emilia, A 871, 972, 1035, 
 
 1046, &c. ; Emelya, 1077, 1860; 
 
 Emely, 1860. 
 
 Emetreus, A 2156, 2638, 2645. 
 Eneidos, Vergil's ^Eneid, B 4549. 
 Engelond, England, A 16, 580, 
 
 2113. 
 English, English speech, A 265, 
 
 *459- 
 
 Epicurus, gen. of Epicurus, A 336. 
 Esculapius, ^Esculapius, A 429. 
 
 Faunes, pi. Fauns, A 2928. 
 Femenye, the country of the 
 Amazons, A 866, 877. 
 
 Finistere, Cape Finisterre, in 
 
 N.W. Spain, A 408. 
 Flaundres, Flanders, A 86. 
 Flaundrish, Flemish, A 272. 
 Fleming, a Fleming, B 4586. 
 Frensh, French, A 124, 126. 
 Friday, A 1534, 1539; B 4531, 
 
 4541. 
 
 Galgopheye, Gargaphia, A 2626. 
 
 Galice, Gallicia in Spain, A 466. 
 
 Galien, Galen, A 431. 
 
 Gatesden, John Gatisden of Ox- 
 ford, A 434. 
 
 Gaufred, Geoffrey de Vinsauf, 
 Anglo-Norman trouvere, B 4537. 
 
 Gaunt, Ghent in East Flanders, 
 A 448. 
 
 Genilon, Ganelon, one of the 
 twelve peers, B 4417. 
 
 Gerland, Garland, a dog, B 4573.^ 
 
 Gernade, Granada, A 56. 
 
 Gilbertyn, Gilbertus Anglicus, A 
 
 434- 
 Gootlond, Gottland, an island in 
 
 the Baltic Sea, A 408. 
 Grece, Greece, A 962. 
 Grekes, Greeks, A 2899, 2951, 
 
 2959, 2969. 
 
 Haly, an Arabian physician, A 431. 
 Hasdrubales, Hasdrubal's, B 
 
 4553- 
 
 Hercules, A 1943. 
 Hereos, Eros, Cupid, Love, A 
 
 1374. 
 
 Huberd, Hubert, A 269. 
 Hulle, Hull, A 404. 
 
 lakke Straw, Jack Straw, B 4584. 
 lame, Santiago, or Compostella, 
 
 in Gallicia, A 466. 
 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, A 463. 
 Ilioun, Ilion, the citadel of Troy, 
 
 B 4546. 
 
 Inde, India, A 2156. 
 Joseph, Joseph, B 4320. 
 love, Jove, Jupiter, A 2222. 
 Ipolita, Hippolyte, A 868 ; 88 1 
 
INDEX OF PROPER NAMES. 
 
 lulian, St. Julian, A 340. 
 lulius, Julius Csesar, A 2031. 
 luno, Juno, A 1329, 1555, 1559. 
 lupiter, Jupiter, A 2442, 3069. 
 
 Kenelm, saint, B 4300, 4302. 
 
 Latin, B 4355 ; Latyn, A 638. 
 Launcelote de Lake, Lancelot 
 
 of the Lake, a hero of Arthurian 
 
 romance, B 4402. 
 Lettow, Lithuania, A 54. 
 Ligurge, Lycurgus, A 2129, 2644. 
 London, A 382, 509. 
 Loy, St. Eligius, A 1 20. 
 Lucyna, Lucina, a name of Diana, 
 
 A 2085. 
 
 Lyde, Lydia, B 4328. 
 
 Lyeys, formerly Lay as, now Ay as, 
 
 A 5 8. 
 
 Macrobeus, Macrobius, B 4313. 
 Malkin, a servant-girl, B 4574. 
 Malle, name of a sheep, B 4021. 
 Marcne, March, A 2 ; March, B 
 
 4378, 4380. 
 Mars, A 975, 1559, 2581 > oratory 
 
 of, A 1907, 1969 ; temple of, 
 
 1982, &c.; statue of, 2041; prayer 
 
 to 2 373; Marte, 2021; Martes, 
 
 gen. 2024. 
 Maudelayne, St. Magdalen, name 
 
 of a ship, A 410. 
 Maure, St. Maur, A 173. 
 May, A 92, 1034, 1037, 1042, 1047, 
 
 1462, 1500, 1510, 1511, 2484. 
 Medea, A 1944. 
 Meleagre, Meleager, A 2071. 
 Mercenrike, Mercia, B 4302. 
 Mereurie, Mercury, A 1385. 
 Middelburgh, Middelburg, in 
 
 Holland, near Flushing, A 277. 
 Minotaur, A 980. 
 Monday, A 2486. 
 
 Narcisus, Narcissus, A 1941. 
 Nero, A 2032, B 4560. 
 Northf oik, Norfolk A 619. 
 Nymphes, pi. Nymphs, A 2928. 
 
 Orewelle, the river Orwell, A 277. 
 Oxenford, Oxford, A 285. 
 
 Palamon, A 1014, 1031, &c. ; 
 
 Palamoun, 1070, &c. 
 Palatye, Palathia, A 65. 
 Paris, A 126. 
 Paul, saint, B 4631. 
 Penneus, Peneus, A 2064. 
 Perotheus, Pirithous, A 1191, 
 
 I2O2, I2O5, 1227. 
 
 Pertelote, a hen, B 4060, 4074, &c. 
 
 Peter, saint Peter, A 697. 
 
 Pharao, Pharaoh, B 4323. 
 
 Phebus, Phoebus, the sun, A 1493. 
 
 Philostrate, Arcite's assumed 
 name, A 1428, 1558, 1728. 
 
 Phisiologus, Physiologus, a book 
 on animals by Theobaldus, B 
 4461. 
 
 Picardye, Picardy, A 86. 
 
 Pirrus, Pyrrhus, B 4547. 
 
 Plato, A 741. 
 
 Pluto, A 2082, 2299, 2685. 
 
 Poules, St. Paul's Cathedral, A 
 509. 
 
 Priam, B 4548. 
 
 Principio, in, i. e. in the begin- 
 ning (alluding to John i. i), A 
 
 254- 
 
 Pruce, Prussia, A 53. 
 Puella, A 2045. 
 
 Bazis, Rhasis, a Spanish- Arabian 
 
 physician, A 432. 
 Richard, Richard I., B 4538. 
 Romayns, Romans, B 4555- 
 Rome, Rome, A 465, 687 ; B 
 
 4561. 
 
 Rouncivale, Roncesvalles, A 6 70. 
 Rubeus, A 2045. 
 Ruce, Russia, A 54. 
 Rufus, a Greek physician, A 430. 
 Russel, i. e. reddish, name of a 
 
 fox, B 4524. 
 
 Salamon, king Solomon, A 1942. 
 Sampsoun, Samson, A 2466. 
 Satalye, Attalia, A 58. The initial 
 5 represents Gk. 's for ets (prep.) 
 
262 
 
 INDEX OF PROPER NAMES. 
 
 Saturne, Saturn, A 1088, 1328, 
 
 2450, 2685 ; Saturnus, 2443. 
 Scariot, Judas Iscariot, B 4417. 
 Scithia, Scythia, A 867, 882. 
 See, Grete, Great Sea, the Levant, 
 
 A 59. 
 
 Serapion, an Arabian physician, 
 
 A 432. 
 
 Sinon, B 4418. 
 Sonday, Sunday, A 455, 2188, 
 
 2209. 
 South werk, Southwark, A 20, 
 
 718. 
 
 Spayne, Spain, A 409. 
 Stace, Statius, A 2294. 
 Stratford atte Bo we, Stratford 
 
 at Bow, A 125. 
 
 Tabard, an inn, A 20, 719. 
 
 Talbot, a dog, B 4573. 
 
 Tars, Tartary (?), A 2160. 
 
 Taurus, B 4384. 
 
 The bane, adj. Theban, A 2515, 
 
 2526; Thebanes, pi. 2570; 
 
 Thebans, 1877. 
 Thebes, A 933, 939, 967, 983, 986, Zephirus, 
 
 IOO2, IOI9, &C. A 5. 
 
 Theseus, A 860, 878,907,963 998, 
 
 1001, &c. 
 
 Thomas, saint Thomas, A 826. 
 Trace, Thrace, A 1638, 1972, 
 
 2129. 
 
 Tramissene, Tremessen, A 62. 
 Troye, Troy, A 2833, B 4419. 
 Turkeys, Turkish, A 2895. 
 Turkye, Turkey, A 66. 
 Turnus, A 1945. 
 
 Venus, A 1 102, 1104, 1332, 1536, 
 B 4532 ; oratory of, 1904, 1918 ; 
 statue of, 1955 ; prayer to, 2221. 
 
 Vulcanus, Vulcan, A 2222. 
 
 "Ware, in Hertfordshire, A 692. 
 Watte, Wat, for Walter, A 643. 
 William, William I., A 324. 
 
 Ydelnesse, Idleness, porter t 
 
 Venus, A 1940. 
 
 Ypocras, Hippocrates, A 431. 
 Ypres, in West Flanders, A 448. 
 
 Zephyr, west wind, 
 
 THE END. 
 
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