Chapter VIII: Part I: It would be a gross libel to ascribe this poem to Chaucer, as it is (2)

The first three stanzas are from Boccaccio's _Teseide_, as shewn in the Notes; so also are stanzas 8, 9, and 10. Stanzas 4-7 are partly from Statius. The origin of ll. 71-210 is at present unknown. It is difficult to date this poem, but it must be placed after 1373, because of its quotations from the _Teseide_, or rather from Chaucer's own _Palamon and Arcite_. The mention of 'the quene of Ermony' in l. 72 suggests that Chaucer's thoughts may have been turned towards Armenia by the curious fact that, in 1384, the King of Armenia came to England about Christmas time, stayed two months, and was hospitably entertained by King Richard at Eltham; see Fabyan's _Chronicles_, ed. Ellis, p. 532. At an earlier time, viz. in 1362, Walsingham says that some knights of Armenia appeared at a tournament in Smithfield. In the Transactions of the Cambridge Philological Society, May 13, 1886, there is a short paper by Prof. Cowell, from which we learn that Mr. Bradshaw believed the name of _Anelida_ to be identical 'with Anáhita ([Greek: Anaitis]), the ancient goddess of Persia and Armenia.... He supposed that Chaucer got the name _Anelida_ from a misreading of the name _Anaetidem_ or _Anaetida_ in some Latin MS., the _t_ being mistaken for _l_.' We must remember that _Creseide_ represents a Greek _accusative_ form [Greek: Chrusêida], of which the gen. [Greek: Chrusêidos] occurs in Homer, _Il._ i. 111; and perhaps the form _Dalida_ (for Dalilah) in the Septuagint is also due to association with Greek accusatives in [Greek: -ida]. The genitive _Anaetidos_ occurs in Pliny, xxxiii. 4; in Holland's translation of Pliny, ii. 470, she appears as 'the goddesse _Diana_ syrnamed _Anaitis_.' It may be as well to explain to those who are unaccustomed to MSS. of the fourteenth century, that it was then usual to write _e_ in place of _ae_ or _æ_, so that the name would usually be written, in the accusative case, _Anetida_. This suggests that _Anelida_ should be spelt with but one _n_; and such is the practice of all the better MSS.

It remains to be added that one source of the part of the poem called the _Complaint_ (ll. 211-350) is the piece printed in this volume as no. VI. That piece is, in fact, a kind of exercise in metrical experiments, and exhibits specimens of a 10-line stanza, resembling the nine-line stanza of this Complaint. Chaucer seems to have elaborated this into a longer Complaint, with additional varieties in the metre; and then to have written the preceding story by way of introduction. One line (vi. 50) is repeated without alteration (vii. 237); another (vi. 35) is only altered in the first and last words (vii. 222). Other resemblances are pointed out in the Notes.

It is also worth while to notice how the character of the speaking falcon in the second part of the Squire's Tale is precisely that of Anelida. The parallel lines are pointed out in the Notes. The principal MSS. may be thus grouped: Aa.--F. B. Ab.--Tn. D. Lt. B.--Harl. Cx. Here A and B are two groups, of which the former is subdivided into A_a_ and A_b._ See Koch, in _Anglia_, iv. b. 102.

§ 25. VIII. CHAUCER'S WORDES UNTO ADAM.

This is evidently a genuine poem, written by the author of the translation of Boethius and of the story of Troilus.

§ 26. IX. THE FORMER AGE.

First printed in 1866, in Morris's Chaucer, from a transcript made by Mr. Bradshaw, who pointed out its genuineness. It is ascribed to Chaucer in both MSS., and belongs, in fact, to his translation of Boethius, though probably written at a later date. In MS. I. the poem is headed:--'Chawc_er_ vp-on this fyfte met_ur_ of the second book.' In MS. Hh., the colophon is: 'Finit Etas prima: Chaucers.' Dr. Koch thinks that the five poems here numbered IX. X. XIII-XV. 'form a cyclus, as it were, being free transcriptions of different passages in Boethius' _Consolatio Philosophiae_.' There is, in fact, a probability that these were all written at about the same period, and that rather a late one, some years after the prose translation of Boethius had been completed; and a probable date for this completion is somewhere about 1380.

Both MS. copies are from the same source, as both of them omit the same line, viz. l. 56; which I have had to supply by conjecture. Neither of the MSS. are well spelt, nor are they very satisfactory. The mistake in riming l. 47 with l. 43 instead of l. 45 may very well have been due to an oversight on the part of the poet himself. But the poem is a beautiful one, and admirably expressed; and its inclusion among the Minor Poems is a considerable gain.

Dr. Furnivall has printed the Latin text of Boethius, lib. ii. met. 5, from MS. I., as well as Chaucer's prose version of the same, for the sake of comparison with the text of the poem. The likeness hardly extends beyond the first four stanzas. I here transcribe that part of the prose version which is parallel to the poem, omitting a few sentences which do not appear there at all; for the complete text, see vol. ii.

'Blisful was the first age of men. They helden hem apayed with the metes that the trewe feldes broughten furthe. They ne distroyede nor deceivede not hem-self with outrage. They weren wont lightly to slaken hir hunger at even with acornes of okes. [_Stanza 2._] They ne coude nat medly[265] the yifte of Bachus to the clere hony; that is to seyn, they coude make no piment nor clarree. [_Stanza 3._] ... they coude nat deyen whyte fleeses[266] of Serien contree with the blode of a maner shelfisshe that men finden in Tyrie, with whiche blode men deyen purpur. [_Stanza 6._] They slepen hoolsum slepes upon the gras, and dronken of the renninge wateres [_cf._ l. 8]; and layen under the shadwes of the heye pyn-trees. [_Stanza 3, continued._] Ne no gest ne no straungere ne carf yit the heye see with ores or with shippes; ne they ne hadde seyn yit none newe strondes, to leden marchaundyse in-to dyverse contrees. Tho weren the cruel clariouns ful hust[267] and ful stille.... [_Stanza 4._] For wherto or whiche woodnesse of enemys wolde first moeven armes, whan they seyen cruel woundes, ne none medes[268] be of blood y-shad[269]?... Allas! what was he that first dalf[270] up the gobetes[271] or the weightes of gold covered under erthe, and the precious stones that wolden han ben hid? He dalf up precious perils; ... for the preciousnesse of swiche thinge, hath many man ben in peril.'

The metre is the same as that of the ABC.

§ 27. X. FORTUNE.

Attributed to Chaucer by Shirley in MSS. A. and T.; also marked as Chaucer's in MSS. F. and I. In MS. I., this poem and the preceding are actually introduced into Chaucer's translation of Boethius, between the fifth metre and the sixth prose of the second book, as has been already said. The metre is the same as that of the ABC and The Former Age, but the same rimes run through three stanzas. The Envoy forms a 7-line stanza, but has only two rimes; the formula is _ababbab_. For further remarks, see the Notes.

§ 28. XI. MERCILES BEAUTE.

The unique copy of this poem is in MS. P[272]. It is the last poem in the MS., and is in excellent company, as it immediately follows several other of Chaucer's genuine poems[273]. This is probably why Bp. Percy attributed it to Chaucer, who himself tells us that he wrote 'balades, _roundels_, virelayes.' It is significant that Mätzner, in his _Altenglische Sprachproben_, i. 347, chose this poem alone as a specimen of the Minor Poems. It is, in fact, most happily expressed, and the internal evidence places its authenticity beyond question. The three roundels express three 'movements,' in the poet's usual manner; and his mastery of metre is shewn in the use of the same rime in _-en-e_ in the first and third roundels, requiring no less than _ten_ different words for the purpose; whilst in the second roundel the corresponding lines end in _-eyn-e_, producing much the same effect, if (as is probable) the old sounds of _e_ and _ey_ were not very different. We at once recognise the Chaucerian phrases _I do no fors_ (see Cant. Ta. D 1234, 1512), and _I counte him not a bene_ (see Troil. v. 363).

Very characteristic is the use of the dissyllabic word _sen-e_ (l. 10), which is an adjective, and means 'manifest,' from the A. S. _geséne_, (_gesýne_), and not the past participle, which is _y-seen_. Chaucer rimes it with _clen-e_ (Prol. to C. T. 134), and with _gren-e_ (Kn. Tale, A 2298). The phrase _though he sterve for the peyne_ (l. 23) reminds us of _for to dyen in the peyne_ (Kn. Ta. A 1133).

But the most curious thing about this poem is the incidental testimony of Lydgate, in his Ballade in Commendacion of our Ladie; see poem no. 26 above, discussed at p. 38. I here quote st. 22 in full, from ed. 1561, fol. 330:

'Where might I loue euer better beset
Then in this Lilie, likyng to beholde?
That lace of loue, the bonde so well thou knit,
That I maie see thee, or myne harte colde,
And or I passe out of my daies olde,
Tofore [thee] syngyng euermore vtterly--
_Your iyen twoo woll slea me sodainly_.'

I ought to add that this poem is the only one which I have admitted into the set of Minor Poems (nos. I-XX) with incomplete external evidence. If it is not Chaucer's, it is by some one who contrived to surpass him in his own style. And this is sufficient excuse for its appearance here.

Moreover, Lydgate's testimony _is_ external evidence, in a high degree. Even the allusion in l. 27 to the Roman de la Rose points in the same direction; and so does Chaucer's statement that he wrote roundels. Excepting that in the Parl. of Foules, ll. 680-692, and the three here given, no roundels of his have ever been found[274].

§ 29. XII. TO ROSEMOUNDE.

This poem was discovered by me in the Bodleian Library on the 2nd of April, 1891. It is written on a fly-leaf at the end of MS. Rawlinson Poet. 163, which also contains a copy of Chaucer's Troilus. At the end of the 'Troilus' is the colophon: 'Here endith the book of Troylus and of Cresseyde.' This colophon is preceded by 'Tregentyll,' and followed by 'Chaucer.' On the next leaf (no. 114) is the Balade, without any title, at the foot of which is 'Tregentil'----'Chaucer,' the two names being written at a considerable distance apart. I believe 'Tregentil' to represent the name of the scribe[275]. In any case, 'Chaucer' represents the name of the author. It is a happy specimen of his humour.

§ 30. XIII. TRUTH.

This famous poem is attributed to Chaucer in MS. F., also (thrice) by Shirley, who in one of the copies in MS. T. (in which it occurs _twice_) calls it a 'Balade that Chaucier made on his deeth-bedde'; which is probably a mere bad guess[276]. The MSS. may be divided into two groups; the four best are in the first group, viz. At., E., Gg., Ct., and the rest (mostly) in the second group. Those of the first group have the readings _Tempest_ (8), _Know thy contree_ (19), and _Hold the hye wey_ (20); whilst the rest have, in the same places, _Peyne_ (8), _Look up on hy_ (19), and _Weyve thy lust_ (20). It is remarkable that the Envoy occurs in MS. At. _only_. It may have been suppressed owing to a misunderstanding of the word _vache_ (cow), the true sense of which is a little obscure. The reference is to Boethius, bk. v. met. 5, where it is explained that quadrupeds _look down_ upon the earth, whilst man alone _looks up_ towards heaven; cf. _lok up_ in l. 19 of the poem. The sense is therefore, that we should cease to look down, and learn to look up like true men; 'only the linage of man,' says Chaucer, in his translation of Boethius, 'heveth heyeste his heye heved[277] ... this figure amonesteth[278] thee, that axest the hevene with thy righte visage, and hast areysed thy fore-heved to beren up a-heigh thy corage, so that thy thoght ne be nat y-hevied[279] ne put lowe under fote.'

§ 31. XIV. GENTILESSE.

It is curious that this Balade not only occurs as an independent poem, as in MSS. T., Harl., Ct., and others, but is also quoted bodily in a poem by Henry Scogan in MS. A. It is attributed to Chaucer by Shirley in MSS. T. and Harl.; and still more satisfactory is the account given of it by Scogan. The title of Scogan's poem is:--'A moral balade made by Henry Scogan squyer. Here folowethe nexst a moral balade to my lorde the Prince, to my lord of Clarence, to my lord of Bedford, and to my lorde of Gloucestre; by Henry Scogan, at a souper of feorthe merchande (_sic_) in the vyntre in London, at the hous of Lowys Iohan.' It is printed in all the old editions of Chaucer; see poem no. 33, p. 32. Scogan tells us that he was 'fader,' i. e. tutor, to the four sons of Henry IV. above-mentioned[280]. His ballad is in twenty-one 8-line stanzas, and he inserts Chaucer's _Gentilesse_, distinguished by being in 7-line stanzas, between the 13th and 14th stanzas of his own work. He refers to Chaucer in the 9th stanza thus (in MS. A.):--

'My maistre Chaucier, God his soule have,
That in his langage was so curyous,
He saide that the fader, nowe dede and grave,
Beqwathe no-thing his vertue with his hous
Un-to his sone.'

This is a reference to ll. 16, 17 of Chaucer's poem. Again, in his 13th stanza, he says:--

'By auncetrye thus may yee no-thing clayme,
As that my maistre Chaucier dothe expresse,
But temporell thing, that man may hurte and mayme;
Thane is gode stocke of vertuous noblesse;
And, sithe that he is lord of blessednesse
That made us alle, and for mankynde that dyed,
Folowe his vertue with full besynesse;
And of this thinge herke howe my maistre seyde.'

He here refers to lines 15-17, and lines 1-4 of Chaucer's poem; and then proceeds to quote it in full. Having done so, he adds:--

'Loo, here this noble poete of Brettayne
Howe hyely he, in vertuouse sentence,
The losse [MS. lesse] in youthe of vertue can compleyne.'

Scogan's advice is all good; and, though he accuses himself of having misspent his youth, this may very well mean no more than such an expression means in the mouth of a good man. He is doubtless the very person to whom Chaucer's 'Lenvoy a Scogan' was addressed, and Chaucer (l. 21) there gives him an excellent character for wisdom of speech. Accordingly, he is not to be confused with the Thomas Scogan or Scogin to whom is attributed an idle book called 'Scoggins Iests,' which were said to have been 'gathered' by Andrew Boord or Borde, author of the Introduction of Knowledge[281]. When Shakespeare, in 2 Hen. IV. iii. 2. 33, says that Sir John Falstaff broke Scogan's head, he was no doubt thinking of the supposed author of the jest-book, and may have been led, by observation of the name in a black-letter edition of Chaucer, to suppose that he lived in the time of Henry IV. This was quite enough for his purpose, though it is probable that the jester lived in the time of Edward IV.; see Tyrwhitt's note on the Envoy to Scogan. On the other hand, we find Ben Jonson taking his ideas about Scogan solely from Henry Scogan's poem and Chaucer's Envoy, without any reference to the jester. See his Masque of the Fortunate Isles, in which Scogan is first described and afterwards introduced. The description tells us nothing more than we know already.

As for Lewis John (p. 82), Tyrwhitt says he was a Welshman, 'who was naturalised by Act of Parliament, 2 Hen. V., and who was concerned with Thomas Chaucer in the execution of the office of chief butler; _Rot. Parl._ 2 Hen. V. n. 18.'

Caxton's printed edition of this poem seems to follow a better source than any of the MSS.

§ 32. XV. LAK OF STEDFASTNESSE.

Attributed to Chaucer by Shirley in MSS. Harl. and T., and sent to King Richard at Windsor, according to the same authority. The general idea of it is from Boethius; see the Notes. Shirley refers it to the last years of Richard II., say 1397-9. We find something very like it in Piers Plowman, C. iv. 203-210, where Richard is told that bribery and wicked connivance at extortion have almost brought it about--

'That no lond loveth the, and yut leest thyn owene.'

In any case, the date can hardly vary between wider limits than between 1393 and 1399. Richard held a tournament at Windsor in 1399[282], which was but thinly attended; 'the greater part of the knights and squires of England were disgusted with the king.'

Of this poem, MS. Ct. seems to give the best text.

§ 33. XVI. LENVOY A SCOGAN.

This piece is attributed to Chaucer in all three MSS., viz. F., P., and Gg.; and is obviously genuine. The probable date of it is towards the end of 1393; see the Notes.

For some account of Scogan, see above (p. 83).

§ 34. XVII. LENVOY A BUKTON.

This piece is certainly genuine. In MS. F., the title is--'Lenvoy de Chaucer a Bukton.' In Julian Notary's edition it is--'Here foloweth the counceyll of Chaucer touching Maryag, &c. whiche was sente te (_sic_) Bucketon, &c.' In all the other early printed editions it is inserted _without any title_ immediately after the Book of the Duchess.

The poem is one of Chaucer's latest productions, and may safely be dated about the end of the year 1396. This appears from the reference, in l. 23, to the great misfortune it would be to any Englishmen 'to be take in Fryse,' i. e. to be taken prisoner in Friesland. There is but one occasion on which this reference could have had any point, viz. during or just after the expedition of William of Hainault to Friesland, as narrated by Froissart in his Chronicles, bk. iv. capp. 78, 79. He tells that William of Hainault applied to Richard II. for assistance, who sent him 'some men-at-arms and two hundred archers, under the command of three English lords[283].' The expedition set out in August, 1396, and stayed in Friesland about five weeks, till the beginning of October, when 'the weather began to be very cold and to rain almost daily.' The great danger of being taken prisoner in Friesland was because the Frieslanders fought so desperately that they were seldom taken prisoners themselves. Then 'the Frieslanders offered their prisoners in exchange, man for man; but, when their enemies had none to give in return, they put them to death.' Besides this, the prisoners had to endure all the miseries of a bad and cold season, in an inclement climate. Hence the propriety of Chaucer's allusion fully appears. From l. 8, we learn that Chaucer was now a widower; for the word _eft_ means 'again.' His wife is presumed to have died in the latter part of 1387. We should also observe the allusion to the Wife of Bath's Tale in l. 29.

§ 35. XVIII. THE COMPLEYNT OF VENUS.

This poem is usually printed as if it formed part of the Complaint of Mars; but it is really distinct. It is attributed to Chaucer by Shirley both in MS. T. and in MS. A. It is not original, but translated from the French, as appears from l. 82. Shirley tells us that the author of the French poem was Sir Otes de Graunson, a worthy knight of Savoy. He is mentioned as receiving from King Richard the grant of an annuity of 126l. 13s. 4d. on 17 Nov. 1393; see Furnivall's _Trial Forewords_, p. 123. The association of this poem with the Complaint of Mars renders it probable that the Venus of this poem is the same as the Venus of the other, i. e. the Princess Isabel of Spain, and Duchess of York. This fits well with the word _Princess_ at the beginning of the Envoy; and as she died in 1394, whilst Chaucer, on the other hand, complains of his advancing years, we must date the poem about 1393, i. e. just about the time when Graunson received his annuity. Chaucer, if born about 1340, was not really more than 53, but we must remember that, in those days, men often aged quickly. John of Gaunt, who is represented by Shakespeare as a very old man, only lived to the age of 59; and the Black Prince died quite worn out, at the age of 46. Compare the notes to ll. 73, 76, 79, and 82.

Much new light has lately been thrown upon this poem by Dr. A. Piaget, who contributed an article to _Romania_, tome xix., on 'Oton de Granson et ses Poésies,' in 1890. The author succeeded in discovering a large number of Granson's poems, including, to our great gain, the three Balades of which Chaucer's 'Compleynt of Venus' is a translation. I am thus enabled to give the original French beneath the English version, for the sake of comparison.

He has also given us an interesting account of Granson himself, for which I must refer my readers to his article. It appears that Froissart mentions Granson at least four times (twice in bk. i. c. 303, A.D. 1372, once in c. 305, and once in c. 331, A.D. 1379), as fighting on the side of the English; see Johnes' translation. He was in Savoy from 1389 to 1391; but, in the latter year, was accused of being concerned in the death of Amadeus VII., count of Savoy, in consequence of which he returned to England, and in 1393 his estates in Savoy were confiscated. It was on this occasion that Richard II. assigned to him the pension above mentioned. With the hope of clearing himself from the serious charge laid against him, Granson fought a judicial duel, at Bourg-en-Bresse, on Aug. 7, 1397, in which, however, he was slain.

Now that we have the original before us, we can see clearly, as Dr. Piaget says, that Chaucer has certainly not translated the original Balades 'word for word' throughout. He does so sometimes, as in ll. 27, 28, 30, 31, in which the closeness of the translation is marvellous; but, usually, he paraphrases the original to a considerable extent. In the first Balade, he has even altered the general motive; in the original, Granson sings the praises of his lady; in Chaucer, it is a lady who praises the worthiness of her lover.

It also becomes probable that the title 'The Compleynt of Venus,' which seems to have been suggested by Shirley, is by no means a fitting one. It is not suitable for Venus, unless the 'Venus' be a mortal; neither is it a continuous 'Compleynt,' being simply a linking together of three separate and distinct Balades.

It is clear to me that, when Chaucer added his Envoy, he made the difficulties of following the original 'word by word' and of preserving the original metre his excuse; and that what really troubled him was the difficulty of adapting the French, especially Balade I., so as to be acceptable to the 'Princess' who enjoined him to translate these Balades. In particular, he evidently aimed at giving them a sort of connection, so that one should follow the other naturally; which accounts for the changes in the first of them. It is significant, perhaps, that the allusion to 'youth' (F. _jeunesce_) in l. 70 is entirely dropped.

On the whole, I think we may still accept the theory that this poem was written at the request (practically, the command) of Isabel, duchess of York, the probable 'Venus' of the 'Compleynt of Mars.' Chaucer seems to have thrown the three Balades together, linking them so as to express a lady's constancy in love, and choosing such language as he deemed would be most acceptable to the princess. He then ingeniously, and not without some humour, protests that any apparent alterations are due to his own dulness and the difficulties of translating 'word for word,' and of preserving the rimes.

In l. 31, the F. text shews us that we must read _Pleyne_, not _Pleye_ (as in the MSS.). This was pointed out by Mr. Paget Toynbee.

§ 36. XIX. THE COMPLEINT TO HIS PURSE.

Attributed to Chaucer by Shirley, in MS. Harl. 7333; by Caxton; by the scribes of MSS. F., P., and Ff.; and by early editors. I do not know on what grounds Speght removed Chaucer's name, and substituted that of T. Occleve; there seems to be no authority for this change. I think it highly probable that the poem itself is older than the Envoy; see note to l. 17. In any case, the Envoy is almost certainly Chaucer's latest extant composition.

§ 37. XX. PROVERBS.

Attributed to Chaucer in MSS. F. and Ha.; see further in the Notes. From the nature of the case, we cannot assign any probable date to this composition. Yet it was, perhaps, written after, rather than before, the Tale of Melibeus.

§ 38. XXI. AGAINST WOMEN UNCONSTAUNT.

For the genuineness of this Balade, we have chiefly the internal evidence to trust to; but this seems to me to be sufficiently strong. The Balade is perfect in construction, having but three rimes (_-esse_, _-ace_, _-ene_), and a refrain. The 'mood' of it strongly resembles that of Lak of Stedfastnesse; the lines run with perfect smoothness, and the rimes are all Chaucerian. It is difficult to suppose that Lydgate, or even Hoccleve, who was a better metrician, could have produced so good an imitation of Chaucer's style. But we are not without strong external evidence; for the general idea of the poem, and what is more important, the whole of the refrain, are taken from Chaucer's favourite author Machault (ed. Tarbé, p. 56); whose refrain is--'En lieu de bleu, Damë, vous vestez vert.' Again, the poem is only found in company with other poems by Chaucer. Such collocation frequently means nothing, but those who actually consult[284] MSS. Ct. and Ha. will see how close is its association with the Chaucerian poems in those MSS. I have said that it occurs in MSS. F., Ct., and Ha. Now in MS. Ct. we find, on the back of fol. 188 and on fol. 189, just four poems in the same hand. These are (1) Gentilesse; (2) Lak of Stedfastnesse; (3) Truth; and (4) Against Women Unconstaunt. As three of these are admittedly genuine, there is evidence that the fourth is the same. We may also notice that, in this MS., the poems on Lak of Stedfastnesse and Against Women Unconstaunt are not far apart. On searching MS. Ha. (Harl. 7578), I again found three of these poems in company, viz. (1) Gentilesse; (2) Lak of Stedfastnesse; and (3) Against Women Unconstaunt; the last being, in my view, precisely in its right place. (This copy of the poem was unknown to me in 1887.)

§ 39. XXII. AN AMOROUS COMPLAINT.

Whilst searching through the various MSS. containing Minor Poems by Chaucer in the British Museum, my attention was arrested by this piece, which, as far as I know, has never before been printed. It is in Shirley's handwriting, but he does not claim it for Chaucer. However, the internal evidence seems to me irresistible; the melody is Chaucer's, and his peculiar touches appear in it over and over again. There is, moreover, in the last stanza, a direct reference to the Parliament of Foules[285].

I cannot explain the oracular notice of time in the heading; even if we alter _May_ to _day_, it contradicts l. 85, which mentions 'seint Valentines day.' The heading is--'And next folowyng begynnith an amerowse compleynte made at wyndesore in the laste May tofore Nouembre' (_sic_). The date is inexplicable[286]; but the mention of locality is interesting. Chaucer became a 'valet of the king's chamber' in 1367, and must frequently have been at Windsor, where the institution of the Order of the Garter was annually celebrated on St. George's Day (April 23). Some of the parallelisms in expression between the present poem and other passages in Chaucer's Works are pointed out in the Notes.

This Complaint should be compared with the complaint uttered by Dorigen in the Cant. Tales, F. 1311-1325, which is little else than the same thing in a compressed form. There is also much resemblance to the 'complaints' in Troilus; see the references in the Notes.

Since first printing the text in 1888, I found that it is precisely the same poem as one extant in MSS. F. and B., with the title 'Complaynt Damours.' I had noticed the latter some time previously, and had made a note that it ought to be closely examined; but unfortunately I forgot to do so, or I should have seen at once that it had strong claims to being considered genuine. These claims are considerably strengthened by the fact of the appearance of the poem in these two Chaucerian MSS., the former of which contains no less than _sixteen_, and the latter _seven_ of the Minor Poems, besides the Legend and the Hous of Fame.

In reprinting the text in the present volume, I take occasion to give all the more important results of a collation of the text with these MSS. In most places, their readings are inferior to those in the text; but in other places they suggest corrections.

In MS. F. the fourth stanza is mutilated; the latter half of lines 24-28 is missing.

In B., below the word _Explicit_, another and later hand has scrawled 'be me Humfrey Flemy_ng_.' 'Be me' merely means--'this signature is mine.' It is a mere scribble, and does not necessarily relate to the poem at all.

The readings of F. and B. do not help us much; for the text in Harl., on the whole, is better.

It is not at all improbable that a better copy of this poem may yet be found.

§ 40. XXIII. BALADE OF COMPLEYNT.

This poem, which has not been printed before, as far as I am aware, occurs in Shirley's MS. Addit. 16165, at fol. 256, back. It is merely headed 'Balade of compleynte,' without any note of its being Chaucer's. But I had not read more than four lines of it before I at once recognised the well-known melodious flow which Chaucer's imitators (except sometimes Hoccleve) so seldom succeed in reproducing. And when I had only finished reading the first stanza, I decided at once to copy it out, not doubting that it would fulfil all the usual tests of metre, rime, and language; which it certainly does. It is far more correct in wording than the preceding poem, and does not require that we should either omit or supply a single word. But in l. 20 the last word should surely be _dere_ rather than _here_; and the last word in l. 11 is indistinct. I read it as _reewe_ afterwards altered to _newe_; and _newe_ makes very good sense. I may notice that Shirley's _n_'s are very peculiar: the first upstroke is very long, commencing below the line; and this peculiarity renders the reading tolerably certain. Some lines resemble lines in no. VI., as is pointed out in the Notes. Altogether, it is a beautiful poem, and its recovery is a clear gain.

§ 41. CONCLUDING REMARKS.

I regret that this Introduction has run to so great a length; but it was incumbent on me to shew reasons for the rejection or acceptance of the very large number of pieces which have hitherto been included in editions of Chaucer's Works. I have now only to add that I have, of course, been greatly indebted to the works of others; so much so indeed that I can hardly particularise them. I must, however, mention very gratefully the names of Dr. Furnivall, Professor Ten Brink, Dr. Koch, Dr. Willert, Max Lange, Rambeau, and various contributors to the publications of the Chaucer Society; and though I have consulted for myself such books as Le Roman de la Rose, the Teseide, the Thebaid of Statius, the poems of Machault, and a great many more, and have inserted in the Notes a large number of references which I discovered, or re-discovered, for myself, I beg leave distinctly to disclaim any merit, not doubting that most of what I have said may very likely have been said by others, and said better. Want of leisure renders it impossible for me to give to others their due meed of recognition in many instances; for I have often found it less troublesome to consult original authorities for myself than to hunt up what others have said relative to the passage under consideration.

I have relegated Poems no. XXI., XXII., and XXIII. to an Appendix, because they are not expressly attributed to Chaucer in the MSS. Such evidence has its value, but it is possible to make too much of it; and I agree with Dr. Koch, that, despite the MSS., the genuineness of no XX. is doubtful; for the rime of _compas_ with _embrace_ is suspicious. It is constantly the case that poems, well known to be Chaucer's, are not marked as his in the MS. copies; and we must really depend upon a prolonged and intelligent study of the internal evidence. This is why I admit poems nos. XXI-XXIII into the collection; and I hope it will be conceded that I am free from recklessness in this matter. Certainly my methods differ from those of John Stowe, and I believe them to be more worthy of respect.

* * * * *

THE ROMAUNT OF THE ROSE.

<<
FRAGMENT A.

Many men seyn that in sweveninges
Ther nis but fables and lesinges;
But men may somme swevenes seen,
Which hardely ne false been,
But afterward ben apparaunte. 5
This may I drawe to waraunte
An authour, that hight Macrobes,
That halt not dremes false ne lees,
But undoth us the avisioun
That whylom mette king Cipioun. 10
And who-so sayth, or weneth it be
A Iape, or elles [a] nycetee
To wene that dremes after falle,
Let who-so liste a fool me calle.

>>
LE ROMAN DE LA ROSE.

Maintes gens dient que en songes
N'a se fables non et mençonges;
Mais l'en puet tiex songes songier
Qui ne sunt mie mençongier;
Ains sunt après bien apparant.
Si en puis bien trere à garant
Ung acteur qui ot non Macrobes,
Qui ne tint pas songes à lobes;
Ainçois escrist la vision
Qui avint au roi Cipion. 10
Quiconques cuide ne qui die
Que soit folor ou musardie
De croire que songes aviengne,
Qui ce voldra, pour fol m'en tiengne;

<<
For this trowe I, and say for me, 15
That dremes signifiaunce be
Of good and harme to many wightes,
That dremen in her slepe a-nightes
Ful many thinges covertly,
That fallen after al openly. 20
Within my twenty yere of age, THE DREAM.
Whan that Love taketh his corage
Of yonge folk, I wente sone
To bedde, as I was wont to done,
And fast I sleep; and in sleping, 25
Me mette swiche a swevening,
That lykede me wonders wel;
But in that sweven is never a del
That it nis afterward befalle,
Right as this dreem wol telle us alle. 30
Now this dreem wol I ryme aright,
To make your hertes gaye and light;
For Love it prayeth, and also
Commaundeth me that it be so
And if ther any aske me, 35
Whether that it be he or she,
How [that] this book [the] which is here
Shal hote, that I rede you here;

>>
Car endroit moi ai-je fiance
Que songe soit senefiance
Des biens as gens et des anuiz,
Car li plusors songent de nuitz
Maintes choses couvertement
Que l'en voit puis apertement. 20
Où vintiesme an de mon aage,
Où point qu'Amors prend le paage
Des jones gens, couchiez estoie
Une nuit, si cum je souloie,
Et me dormoie moult forment,
Si vi ung songe en mon dormant,
Qui moult fut biax, et moult me plot,
Mès onques riens où songe n'ot
Qui avenu trestout ne soit,
Si cum li songes recontoit. 30
Or veil cel songe rimaier,
Por vos cuers plus fere esgaier,
Qu'Amors le me prie et commande;
Et se nus ne nule demande
Comment ge voil que cilz Rommanz
Soit apelez, que ge commanz:

<<
It is the Romance of the Rose,
In which al the art of love I close. 40
The mater fair is of to make;
God graunte in gree that she it take
For whom that it begonnen is!
And that is she that hath, y-wis,
So mochel prys; and ther-to she 45
So worthy is biloved be,
That she wel oughte of prys and right,
Be cleped Rose of every wight.
That it was May me thoughte tho,
It is fyve yere or more ago; 50
That it was May, thus dremed me,
In tyme of love and Iolitee,
That al thing ginneth waxen gay,
For ther is neither busk nor hay
In May, that it nil shrouded been, 55
And it with newe leves wreen.
These wodes eek recoveren grene,
That drye in winter been to sene;
And the erthe wexeth proud withalle,
For swote dewes that on it falle, 60
And [al] the pore estat forget
In which that winter hadde it set,

>>
Ce est li Rommanz de la Rose,
Où l'art d'Amors est tote enclose.
La matire en est bone et noeve:
Or doint Diez qu'en gré le reçoeve 40
Cele por qui ge l'ai empris.
C'est cele qui tant a de pris,
Et tant est digne d'estre amée,
Qu'el doit estre Rose clamée.
Avis m'iere qu'il estoit mains,
Il a jà bien cincq ans, au mains,
En Mai estoie, ce songoie,
El tems amoreus plain de joie,
El tens où tote riens s'esgaie,
Que l'en ne voit boisson ne haie 50
Qui en Mai parer ne se voille,
Et covrir de novele foille;
Li bois recovrent lor verdure,
Qui sunt sec tant cum yver dure,
La terre méisme s'orgoille
Por la rousée qui la moille,
Et oblie la poverté
Où ele a tot l'yver esté.

<<
And than bicometh the ground so proud
That it wol have a newe shroud,
And maketh so queynt his robe and fayr 65
That it hath hewes an hundred payr
Of gras and floures, inde and pers,
And many hewes ful dyvers:
That is the robe I mene, y-wis,
Through which the ground to preisen is. 70
The briddes, that han left hir song,
Whyl they han suffred cold so strong
In wedres grille, and derk to sighte,
Ben in May, for the sonne brighte,
So glade, that they shewe in singing, 75
That in hir herte is swich lyking,
That they mote singen and be light.
Than doth the nightingale hir might
To make noyse, and singen blythe.
Than is blisful, many a sythe, 80
The chelaundre and the papingay.
Than yonge folk entenden ay
For to ben gay and amorous,
The tyme is than so savorous.
Hard is his herte that loveth nought 85
In May, whan al this mirth is wrought;

>>
Lors devient la terre si gobe,
Qu'ele volt avoir novele robe; 60
Si scet si cointe robe faire,
Que de colors i a cent paire,
D'erbes, de flors indes et perses,
Et de maintes colors diverses.
C'est la robe que ge devise,
Por quoi la terre miex se prise.
Li oisel, qui se sunt téu
Tant cum il ont le froit éu,
Et le tens divers et frarin,
Sunt en Mai, por le tens serin, 70
Si lié qu'il monstrent en chantant
Qu'en lor cuer a de joie tant,
Qu'il lor estuet chanter par force.
Li rossignos lores s'efforce
De chanter et de faire noise;
Lors s'esvertue, et lors s'envoise
Li papegaus et la kalandre:
Lors estuet jones gens entendre
A estre gais et amoreus
Por le tens bel et doucereus. 80
Moult a dur cuer qui en Mai n'aime,

<<
Whan he may on these braunches here
The smale briddes singen clere
Hir blisful swete song pitous;
And in this sesoun delytous, 90
Whan love affrayeth alle thing,
Me thoughte a-night, in my sleping,
Right in my bed, ful redily,
That it was by the morowe erly,
And up I roos, and gan me clothe; 95
Anoon I wissh myn hondes bothe;
A sylvre nedle forth I drogh
Out of an aguiler queynt y-nogh,
And gan this nedle threde anon;
For out of toun me list to gon 100
The sowne of briddes for to here,
That on thise busshes singen clere.
And in the swete sesoun that leef is,
With a threde basting my slevis,
Aloon I wente in my playing, 105
The smale foules song harkning;
That peyned hem ful many a payre
To singe on bowes blosmed fayre.
Iolif and gay, ful of gladnesse,

>>
Quant il ot chanter sus la raime
As oisiaus les dous chans piteus.
En iceli tens déliteus,
Que tote riens d'amer s'effroie,
Sonjai une nuit que j'estoie,
Ce m'iert avis en mon dormant,
Qu'il estoit matin durement;
De mon lit tantost me levai,
Chauçai moi et mes mains lavai. 90
Lors trais une aguille d'argent
D'un aguiller mignot et gent,
Si pris l'aguille à enfiler.
Hors de vile oi talent d'aler,
Por oïr des oisiaus les sons
Qui chantoient par ces boissons.
En icele saison novele,
Cousant mes manches à videle,
M'en alai tot seus esbatant,
Et les oiselés escoutant, 100
Qui de chanter moult s'engoissoient
Par ces vergiers qui florissoient.
Jolis, gais et plains de léesce,

<<
Toward a river I gan me dresse, 110
That I herde renne faste by;
For fairer playing non saugh I
Than playen me by that riveer,
For from an hille that stood ther neer,
Cam doun the streem ful stif and bold. 115
Cleer was the water, and as cold
As any welle is, sooth to seyne;
And somdel lasse it was than Seine,
But it was straighter wel away.
And never saugh I, er that day, 120
The water that so wel lyked me;
And wonder glad was I to see
That lusty place, and that riveer;
And with that water that ran so cleer
My face I wissh. Tho saugh I wel 125
The botme paved everydel
With gravel, ful of stones shene.
The medewe softe, swote, and grene,
Beet right on the water-syde.
Ful cleer was than the morow-tyde, 130
And ful attempre, out of drede.
Tho gan I walke through the mede,
Dounward ay in my pleying,

>>
Vers une riviere m'adresce.
Que j'oi près d'ilecques bruire;
Car ne me soi aillors déduire
Plus bel que sus cele riviere.
D'ung tertre qui près d'iluec iere
Descendoit l'iaue grant et roide,
Clere, bruiant, et aussi froide 110
Comme puiz, ou comme fontaine,
Et estoit poi mendre de Saine,
Mès qu'ele iere plus espanduë.
Onques mès n'avoie véuë
Cele iaue qui si bien coroit:
Moult m'abelissoit et séoit
A regarder le leu plaisant.
De l'iaue clere et reluisant
Mon vis rafreschi et lavé.
Si vi tot covert et pavé 120
Le fons de l'iaue de gravele;
La praérie grant et bele
Très au pié de l'iaue batoit.
Clere et serie et bele estoit
La matinée et atrempeé;
Lors m'en alai parmi la prée
Contre val l'iaue esbanoiant,

<<
The river-syde costeying.
And whan I had a whyle goon, 135
I saugh a GARDIN right anoon, THE GARDEN.
Ful long and brood, and everydel
Enclos it was, and walled wel,
With hye walles enbatailled,
Portrayed without, and wel entailled 140
With many riche portraitures;
And bothe images and peyntures
Gan I biholde bisily.
And I wol telle you, redily,
Of thilke images the semblaunce, 145
As fer as I have remembraunce.
A-midde saugh I HATE stonde, HATE.
That for hir wrathe, ire, and onde,
Semed to been a moveresse,
An angry wight, a chideresse; 150
And ful of gyle, and fel corage,
By semblaunt was that ilke image.
And she was no-thing wel arrayed,
But lyk a wood womman afrayed;
Y-frounced foule was hir visage, 155
And grenning for dispitous rage;
Hir nose snorted up for tene.

>>
Tot le rivage costoiant.
Quant j'oi ung poi avant alé,
Si vi ung vergier grant et lé, 130
Tot clos d'ung haut mur bataillié,
Portrait defors et entaillié
A maintes riches escritures.
Les ymages et les paintures
Ai moult volentiers remiré:
Si vous conteré et diré
De ces ymages la semblance,
Si cum moi vient à remembrance.
Ens où milieu je vi HAÏNE HAÏNE.
Qui de corrous et d'ataïne 140
Sembloit bien estre moverresse,
Et correceuse et tencerresse,
Et plaine de grant cuvertage
Estoit par semblant cele ymage.
Si n'estoit pas bien atornée,
Ains sembloit estre forcenée,
Rechignie avoit et froncié
Le vis, et le nés secorcié.

<<
Ful hidous was she for to sene,
Ful foul and rusty was she, this.
Hir heed y-writhen was, y-wis, 160
Ful grimly with a greet towayle.
An image of another entayle, FELONYE.
A lift half, was hir faste by;
Hir name above hir heed saugh I,
And she was called FELONYE. 165
Another image, that VILANYE VILANYE.
Y-cleped was, saugh I and fond
Upon the walle on hir right hond.
Vilanye was lyk somdel
That other image; and, trusteth wel, 170
She semed a wikked creature.
By countenaunce, in portrayture,
She semed be ful despitous,
And eek ful proud and outrageous.
Wel coude he peynte, I undertake, 175
That swiche image coude make.
Ful foul and cherlish semed she,
And eek vilaynous for to be,
And litel coude of norture,
To worshipe any creature. 180

>>
Par grant hideur fu soutilliée,
Et si estoit entortillée 150
Hideusement d'une toaille.
Une autre ymage d'autel taille FELONNIE.
A senestre vi delez lui;
Son non desus sa teste lui;
Apellée estoit FELONNIE.
Une ymage qui VILONIE VILENNIE.
Avoit non, revi devers destre,
Qui estoit auques d'autel estre
Cum ces deus et d'autel féture;
Bien sembloit male créature, 160
Et despiteuse et orguilleuse,
Et mesdisant et ramponeuse.
Moult sot bien paindre et bien portraire
Cil qui tiex ymages sot faire:
Car bien sembloit chose vilaine,
De dolor et de despit plaine;
Et fame qui petit séust
D'honorer ceus qu'ele déust.

<<
And next was peynted COVEITYSE, COVEITYSE.
That eggeth folk, in many gyse,
To take and yeve right nought ageyn,
And grete tresours up to leyn.
And that is she that for usure 185
Leneth to many a creature
The lasse for the more winning,
So coveitous is her brenning.
And that is she, for penyes fele,
That techeth for to robbe and stele 190
These theves, and these smale harlotes;
And that is routhe, for by hir throtes
Ful many oon hangeth at the laste.
She maketh folk compasse and caste
To taken other folkes thing, 195
Through robberie, or miscounting.
And that is she that maketh trechoures;
And she [that] maketh false pledoures,
That with hir termes and hir domes
Doon maydens, children, and eek gromes 200
Hir heritage to forgo.
Ful croked were hir hondes two;
For Coveityse is ever wood

>>
Après fu painte COVEITISE: COUVOITISE.
C'est cele qui les gens atise 170
De prendre et de noient donner,
Et les grans avoirs aüner.
C'est cele qui fait à usure
Prester mains por la grant ardure
D'avoir conquerre et assembler.
C'est cele qui semont d'embler
Les larrons et les ribaudiaus;
Si est grans pechiés et grans diaus
Qu'en la fin en estuet mains pendre.
C'est cele qui fait l'autrui prendre, 180
Rober, tolir et bareter,
Et bescochier et mesconter;
C'est cele qui les trichéors
Fait tous et les faus pledéors,
Qui maintes fois par lor faveles
Ont as valés et as puceles
Lor droites herites toluës.
Recorbillies et croçües
Avoit les mains icele ymage;
Ce fu drois: car toz jors esrage 190
Coveitise de l'autrui prendre.

<<
To grypen other folkes good.
Coveityse, for hir winning, 205
Ful leef hath other mennes thing.
Another image set saugh I AVARICE.
Next Coveityse faste by,
And she was cleped AVARICE.
Ful foul in peynting was that vice; 210
Ful sad and caytif was she eek,
And al-so grene as any leek.
So yvel hewed was hir colour,
Hir semed have lived in langour.
She was lyk thing for hungre deed, 215
That ladde hir lyf only by breed
Kneden with eisel strong and egre;
And therto she was lene and megre.
And she was clad ful povrely,
Al in an old torn courtepy, 220
As she were al with dogges torn;
And bothe bihinde and eek biforn
Clouted was she beggarly.
A mantel heng hir faste by,
Upon a perche, weyke and smalle; 225
A burnet cote heng therwithalle,
Furred with no menivere,

>>
Coveitise ne set entendre
A riens qu'à l'autrui acrochier;
Coveitise à l'autrui trop chier.
Une autre ymage y ot assise AVARICE.
Coste à coste de Coveitise,
AVARICE estoit apelée:
Lede estoit et sale et foulée
Cele ymage, et megre et chetive,
Et aussi vert cum une cive. 200
Tant par estoit descolorée
Qu'el sembloit estre enlangorée;
Chose sembloit morte de fain,
Qui ne vesquit fors que de pain
Petri à lessu fort et aigre;
Et avec ce qu'ele iere maigre,
Iert-ele povrement vestuë,
Cote avoit viés et desrumpuë,
Comme s'el fust as chiens remese;
Povre iert moult la cote et esrese, 210
Et plaine de viés palestiaus.
Delez li pendoit ung mantiaus
A une perche moult greslete,
Et une cote de brunete;
Où mantiau n'ot pas penne vaire,

<<
But with a furre rough of here,
Of lambe-skinnes hevy and blake;
It was ful old, I undertake. 230
For Avarice to clothe hir wel
Ne hasteth hir, never a del;
For certeynly it were hir loth
To weren ofte that ilke cloth;
And if it were forwered, she 235
Wolde have ful greet necessitee
Of clothing, er she boughte hir newe,
Al were it bad of wolle and hewe.
This Avarice held in hir hande
A purs, that heng [doun] by a bande; 240
And that she hidde and bond so stronge,
Men must abyde wonder longe
Out of that purs er ther come ought,
For that ne cometh not in hir thought;
It was not, certein, hir entente 245
That fro that purs a peny wente.
And by that image, nygh y-nough, ENVYE.
Was peynt ENVYE, that never lough,
Nor never wel in herte ferde
But-if she outher saugh or herde 250

>>
Mes moult viés et de povre afaire,
D'agniaus noirs velus et pesans.
Bien avoit la robe vingt ans;
Mès Avarice du vestir
Se sot moult à tart aatir: 220
Car sachiés que moult li pesast
Se cele robe point usast;
Car s'el fust usée et mauvese,
Avarice éust grant mesese
De noeve robe et grant disete,
Avant qu'ele éust autre fete.
Avarice en sa main tenoit
Une borse qu'el reponnoit,
Et la nooit si durement,
Que demorast moult longuement 230
Ainçois qu'el en péust riens traire,
Mès el n'avoit de ce que faire.
El n'aloit pas à ce béant
Que de la borse ostat néant.
Après refu portrete ENVIE, ENVIE.
Qui ne rist oncques en sa vie,
N'oncques de riens ne s'esjoï,
S'ele ne vit, ou s'el n'oï

<<
Som greet mischaunce, or greet disese.
No-thing may so moch hir plese
As mischef and misaventure;
Or whan she seeth discomfiture
Upon any worthy man falle, 255
Than lyketh hir [ful] wel withalle.
She is ful glad in hir corage,
If she see any greet linage
Be brought to nought in shamful wyse.
And if a man in honour ryse, 260
Or by his witte, or by prowesse,
Of that hath she gret hevinesse;
For, trusteth wel, she goth nigh wood
Whan any chaunce happeth good.
Envye is of swich crueltee, 265
That feith ne trouthe holdeth she
To freend ne felawe, bad or good.
Ne she hath kin noon of hir blood,
That she nis ful hir enemy;
She nolde, I dar seyn hardely, 270
Hir owne fader ferde wel.
And sore abyeth she everydel
Hir malice, and hir maltalent:

>>
Aucun grant domage retrere.
Nule riens ne li puet tant plere 240
Cum mefet et mesaventure;
Quant el voit grant desconfiture
Sor aucun prodomme chéoir,
Ice li plest moult à véoir.
Ele est trop lie en son corage
Quant el voit aucun grant lignage
Dechéoir et aler à honte;
Et quant aucuns à honor monte
Par son sens ou par sa proéce,
C'est la chose qui plus la bléce. 250
Car sachiés que moult la convient
Estre irée quant biens avient.
Envie est de tel cruauté,
Qu'ele ne porte léauté
A compaignon, ne à compaigne;
N'ele n'a parent, tant li tiengne,
A cui el ne soit anemie:
Car certes el ne vorroit mie
Que biens venist, neis à son pere.
Mès bien sachiés qu'ele compere 260
Sa malice trop ledement: