At Alisandre he was whan it was wonne, In Lettowe haddé reysed and in Ruce 3 At Lieys was he, and at Satalie," Whan they were wonne; and in the Greete see At many a noble arive 3 hadde he be. At mortal batailles hadde he ben fiftene, And foughten for oure feith at Tramassene9 In listés thriés, and ay 10 slayn his foo. And everemore he hadde a sovereyn prys.12 And though that he was worthy he was wys, And of his port as meke as is a mayde. He never yit no vilonye ne sayde In al his lyf, unto no maner wight.13 He was a verray perfit gentil knight. But for to tellé you of his array, His hors was good, but he ne was nought gay. 7 60 70 1 Bord, strife, tourney. Old French "bohorder," to joust with lances. 2 Reysed, made military expedition, from First-English "ræ's," a rush, an attack, a rapid course. So in mill-race, horse race. Another word of like spelling has a different origin, from Latin "radix," root, as a race (root) of ginger, the race of man, or a style racy of (having roots that draw life from) the soil. 3 Pruce, Lettowe, Ruce. In Prussia, English adventurers joined knights of the Teutonic order, who after long war had subdued the Borussi and occupied their lands, in their wars with heathen neighbours of Lithuania, Rugoia, &c. Algesir, Algesiras, Old Gibraltar, by which the Moors entered Spain in the year 710, was held by them till it was lost by the Moorish King of Granada in 1343. 5 Belmarie. Probably equivalent to Palmarye, from Palma in the Bay of Palmas (Majorca), capital of the Balearic Islands, which were held by the Moors from A.D. 711 until 1492. 6 Lieys Satalie. Layas in Armenia, taken by Pierre de Lusignan, King of Cyprus, 1367. Satalie, Sataliah, or Adalia, in Asia Minor, a maritime town of Anatolia, on a cliff by the Gulf of Sataliah in the Mediterranean. The height above it is crowned by a castle. It was taken by the same King of Cyprus, before his capture of Layas. 7 The Greete See, Mare Magnum, the Mediterranean. So in the Book of Joshua i. 4, "From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the Great Sea, towards the going down of the sun, shall be your coast." 8 Arive, Latin "ad ripas," coming to the banks or shore, a landing. In old English "arrive" was constantly used in the sense of coming to shore. So Cassius, when he speaks of swimming across the Tiber with Cæsar to a point on the opposite side, says: "Ere we could arrive the point proposed, 9 Tramassene, on the northern shores of Africa, within the old Numidia. Chaucer's fancy carries his knight round the Mediterranean in his contests with the Saracen, beginning at Gibraltar, touching at the Balearic Islands, carrying him to the other end for exploits in Asia Minor, and then bringing him round to the midst of the southern coast for enterprise at Tramassene. With him ther was his sone, a yong SQUYÉR, A lovyer, and a lusty bacheler, With lokkés crulle as they were laide in presse. Of twenty yeer he was of age I gesse. Of his statúre he was of evene lengthe, And wonderly delyver,16 and gret of strengthe. And he hadde ben somtyme in chivachie,17 In Flaundres, in Artoys, and in Picardie, And born him wel, as in so litel space, In hope to stonden in his lady grace.18 Embrowdid was he, as it were a mede Al ful of fresshé flourés, white and reede. Syngynge he was, or flowtynge,19 al the day; He was as fressh as is the moneth of May. Short was his goune, with sleevés long and wyde. Wel coude he sitte on hors, and fairé ryde. He coudé songés wel make and endite,20 Juste 21 and eek daunce, and wel purtray and write. 80 90 14 Gepoun, habergeoun. French "jupon," the close tunic worn under the armour, which was stained by rust, &c., of the steel worn over it; the habergeon, German "halsbeorg," neck protection, "hauberc" of ring mail worn from the neck to the middle. 15 Viage, voyage. 16 Delyver, nimble, from Latin "liber," free. See in the volume of this Library containing "Shorter English Poems," page 127, in Gavin Douglas's "King Hart," lines 921-924: "Deliverness has oft times done me good, At ball and bowl; therefore greet well that page." 17 Chivachic, French "chevauchée," a swift raid of a party of knights into an enemy's country, to attack a castle, or plunder a district, and then ride as swiftly back laden with spoil. "Raid" was the corresponding word upon the English border. See "Shorter English Poems," page 102. 18 His lady grace. Lady, being feminine, does not take the genitive in "s," which used to be confined to masculines and neuters. Compare "Lady Day" and "Lord's Day." So hote he lovede, that by nightertale1 He slep nomore than doth a nightyngale. Curteys he was, lowly, and servysáble, And carf byforn his fader at the table. A YEMAN had he, and servantes namo At that tymé, for him lust ryde soo; And he was clad in cote and hood of grene. A shef of pecok arwes bright and kene Under his belte he bare ful thriftily. Wel cowde he dresse his takel yemanly; His arwes drowped nought with fetheres lowe. And in his hond he bare a mighty bowe. A not-heed2 hadde he with a broun visage. Of woode-craft coude he wel al the usage. Upon his arme he bare a gay bracer,3 And by his side a swerd and a bokeler, And on that other side a gay daggere, Harneyséd wel, and sharp as poynt of spere; A Cristofre on his brest of silver shene. An horn he bare, the bawdrik was of grene; A forster was he sothely, as I gesse. THE PRIORESS. (From the Ellesmere MS.) Ther was also a Nonne, a PRIORESSE, That of hire smylyng was ful symple and coy; Hire grettest othé nas but by seynt Loy;" 100 110 120 In curtesie was sett al hiré lest.9 Hire overlippé wyped she so clene, That in hire cuppé was no ferthing sene Of grecé, whan she dronken hadde hir draught. And sikurly she was of gret disport, Anothur NONNE also with hire hadde she, 140 150 160 1 Nightertale, night-time. 2 A not-heed, a head like a nut, browned and with a light smooth crown (of close-cut hair). Bracer, guard to protect the sleeve on the arm (French "bras") from wear by the drawing of the bowstring. A Cristofre. It was a part of medieval faith that he who had seen an image of St. Christopher was safe for the day against sudden or accidental death. For this reason the forester, liable to accident by his calling, carried such an image as a charm about his person. 5 Bawdrik, the belt worn across the breast by which a horn or sword hung. It has the same root as the word "belt." St. Eloy (Elegius) died A.D. 658. He was a thriving goldsmith of Limoges who made a throne for Clothaire, and had great influence over his successor Dagobert. He was much employed in founding cloisters, and became a brilliant bishop of Noyon, but gave much to the poor, and preached much of the virtue of free-giving to churches and cloisters. This was a fit saint for the Prioress to swear by. It should be observed of this character, painted by Chaucer with such tender humour, that she was by her position probably at the head of a nunnery school, with special desire to set an example of good breeding to the young ladies under her charge, and "to ben holden digne of reverence." The broad forehead is an essential part of the sketch. 7 Fetysly, neatly. 8 Scole, style. After the manner of Stratford le Bow, where we may suppose she was at home. William Langland, in the "Vision of Piers Plowman," has a like reference to "French of Norfolk." In a part of the same poem, written about 1377, B. Text, Passas. xv., line 369, Langland censures "these new clerks" for neglect of French studies: "Ne nought one amonge an hundreth that an auctor can construe, Ne rede a lettre in any langage, but in latyn or in Englyssh." Mr. Skeat, in his noble edition of "Piers Plowman," points to the sig. nificance of the fact that in the revision of the poem during the latter part of the century this rebuke was omitted. French was ceasing to be the third language of England, as it had been when it was spoken by the king and court. Langland's "French of Norfolk," and Chaucer's French "after the scole of Stratford atte Bow," are glances at this noticeable lowering of the old position of French in our schools. 9 Lest, pleasure. In those days there were no forks used, and pieces of meat were taken out of the dish by the fingers. It became the Prioress to show how daintily this might be done. 10 Raught, reached. 11 Wastel breed, the finest bread, cake bread, from French "gâteau." 12 With a yerde smerte, with a rod smartly. 13 Gaudid al with grene, the gaudyes were large beads. "Gaudye of beads: Signeau de Paternoster" (Palsgrave). As Austyn bit? How shal the world be served ? Let Austyn have his swynk to him reserved. Therfore he was a pricasour7 aright; 180 Greyhoundes he hadde as swifte as foul in flight; 190 200 1 Out-ridere, traveller about on horseback. Addison used "outrider" in that sense. Venerye, Latin "venatio," hunting. 3 Seint Maure or seint Beneyt. Benedict of Nursia was born about A.D. 480. When he was Abbot of Vicovaro the monks tried to poison him for his strictness. (He kept down his flesh with thorns and nettles.) He retired into the wilderness and founded monasteries. Persecution by a priest named Florentinus drove him to Cassino in Campania. He destroyed a heathen temple and grove in Monte Cassino, where he founded the first monastery of his order, for which he planned a strict Rule, completed A.D. 529. Benedict was Abbot of Monte Cassino for fourteen years, and died A. D. 543. Only his Rule remains, planned for a cloistered community which was to be constantly employed in meditation, with seven hours a day of manual labour, and strict obedience to the Abbot, who was despotic, with aid of one deacon for each ten monks. Saint Maur, a disciple of Benedict mentioned in St. Gregory's Dialogue, is said to have died A.D. 584. Under the name of the Congregation of St. Maur a Society of Benedictines was established in France in 1618 long after Chaucer's time, proposing to follow primitive rule, and it became famous for the researches of its members in science, &c. Recheles, rekel-les = German "regel-los," out of rule. THE FRIAR. (From the Ellesmere MS.) A FRERE ther was, a wantoun and a merye, A lymytour, 15 a ful solempné 16 man. In alle the ordres foure is noon that can 12 Stemed, shone. So Wyatt: "As she lookt askance, Under a stole, she spied two stemyng eyes In a round head." 13 Forneys of a leed, tire under a cauldron. So Tusser: "Mo haulm to burn to serve thy turn, To bake thy bread, to serve under lead." 14 For-pyned, tcrmented. 210 220 230 15 Lymytour, a friar licensed to beg within the limits of a certain district. Wel couthe hè synge and pleyen on a rote.1 For unto such a worthi man as he Acorded not, as by his faculté, To have with such sike lazars aqueyntaúnce. Yet wolde he have a ferthing or he wente. 1 Rote. A MARCHAUNT was ther with a forkéd berd, In motteleye, and high on horse he sat, Uppon his heed a Flaundrish bever hat; His bootés clapsed faire and fetously. His resons he spak ful solempnély, Sowning alway the encres of his wynnyng. He wolde the see were kept for any thing The country fiddle. 240 250 260 270 Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers at the end of the sixth century, says: "Romanusque lyra plaudat tibi, Barbarus harpa, This British "chrotta" is the Celtic "crwth," crowth or crowd. Notker, Bishop of Liège in the ninth century, says that the rotte (or chrotte) was derived from the psaltery, a mystical triangle with ten strings, of which the angles had been rounded and the number of the strings increased. Bede's contemporary, Cuthbert, speaks of the rotta as the cithara, which he is glad (since he has one) to have found a citharist who can play. Long before the fourteenth century the rote came to be played with a bow, while the psaltery (known as dulcimer) was not bowed. There is an eleventh century figure of a three-stringed rote played with a bow of one string. 2 Yeddynges. Contests in singing. First-English "gyddian" means to sing; but in Scottish "yed" is to contend, from the old contests in singing and story-telling. The Friar took the prize. 3 Poraile, poor folk. ♦ Or, ere. 5 Purchace, from "pourchasser," to hunt after. Proceeds of begging. The word was applied afterwards to proceeds of robbery. The Friar made good profit of his licence as a limitour. The saying is taken from a line in the Roman "de la Rose," "Mieux vault mon pourchas que ma rente." • Love-dayes, appointed days in which ecclesiastics settled disputes by arbitration. 7 Semy-cope, short cape. 8 Sowninge, tending to. "Sono " is allied to "tono," "tonus," Greek TELVO, Latin "tendere," stretch, strain, tend. In "attend" the sense is of a straining on the mind. 13 290 A CLERK ther was of Oxenford also, That unto logik haddé longe i-go. As lené was his hors as is a rake, And he was not right fat, I undertake; But looked holwe, and therto soberly. Ful thredbare was his overest courtepy," For he had geten him yit no benefice, Ne was so worldly for to have office. For him was lever have at his bed heed Twenty bookés, clothéd in blak and reed, Of Aristotil, and his philosophie, Then robés riche, or fithel, or sawtrie. But al be that he were a philosophre, Yet hadde he but a litel gold in cofre; But al that he might of his frendes hente,14 On bookes and his lernyng he it spente, And busily gan for the soulés pray Of hem that yaf him wherwith to scolay. Of studié took he most cure and heede. Not oo word spak he moré than was neede; And that was seyd in forme and reverence, And short, and quyk, and ful of heigh sentence. Sownynges in moral vertu was his speche, And gladly wolde he lerne, and gladly teche. 300 9 Middleburgh is a port in the island of Walcheren, opposite Harwich, which is on the estuary of the Orwell. 10 Sheeldes, French "écus," Italian "scudi," from Latin "scutum," crowns. 11 Chevysaunce, profit, from French "achever." 12 I not "I ne wot," I know not. 13 Courtepy, short coarse upper coat. Dutch "pije," a coarse cloth, whence pea-jacket. 14 Hente, obtained by active seeking for it. First-English "hentan," to pursue and take. His breed, his ale, was always after oon;5 THE MAN OF LAW. (From the Ellesmere MS.) A SERGEANT OF THE LAWÉ, war and wys, His purchasyng mighté nought ben infecte.2 A FRANKELEYN was in his companye; To lyven in delite was euere his wone, For he was Epicurus owné sone, That heeld opinioun that pleyn delyt Was verraily felicité parfyt. An householdere, and that a greet, was he; Seynt Julian' he was in his countré. 1 Parvys, "Parvisum," the church porch, where lawyers met. 2 Infecte, tainted with suspicion. 3 Seynt of silk, silken "ceinture," cincture or girdle. 310 320 330 340 Seynt Julian. Not the St. Julian who suffered martyrdom in Auvergne, under Diocletian; nor St. Julian of the third century, apostle of the Maine; nor St. Julian of the seventh century, who was Archbishop of Toledo; but the medieval story-teller's Julian of the "Gesta Romanorum," who, after he had fulfilled unwittingly the prophecy of a stag that, when he was hunting it, turned to him and said, "You will kill your father and mother," founded, together with his wife, a magnificent house for the accommodation of travellers, and so became "Saint Julian, the gode herberjour." "I always," says the merchant Rinaldo, in one of Boccaccio's stories (Day II., Novel 2), "when I am upon a journey, before I go out of mine inn, say one Pater-Noster and one Ave-Maria for the souls of the father and mother of St. Julian, and after that I pray to God and St. Julian to send me a good lodging at night." Ful many a fat partrich had he in mewe,7 An HABERDASSHER and a CARPENTER, 5 After oon, after one. 6 Envyned, stored with one. 66 350 360 370 7 Mewe, coop, originally the place where hawks were kept while inoulting, from Latin "muto," "mew," or change." So Dryden wrote, "nine times the moon hath mewed her horns." From hawks the word was transferred to any cage or place of confinement, and from birds to beasts, as in the "mews" for horses. 8 Luce, fresh-water pike. 9 Table dormant. The table, once a board placed at need upon trestles, became a table dormant when it was fastened to its legs and made fixed furniture of the hall. 10 An anlas and a gipser. Anlas, a short dagger worn at the side. In the metrical romance of "Sir Gawayne" it is the name given to the spike on the frontlet of a horse: "In his cheveron biforne Stood as an unicorne, Als sharp as a thorne, The word has been derived from "an," diminutive, and the Armorican "lac," to strike; also from "lez," the side. The French "anelaz" is defined as "adlaterale telum." Gipser, a pouch, French "gibbecière." 11 Vavasour, a middle-class landholder, next in rank above the citizen. 19 In oo lyvere, in one livery. In the reigns of Edward III., Richard II., and Henry IV., the wearing of liveries by members of trade guilds was formally exempted from prohibitions of the wearing of livery by other than household servants. The custom is not quite extinct, and it lives in the name "liveryman." 13 Apiked, trimmed, cut into points. 14 I-chaped, having metal plates in the sheath. There was an Act of the thirty-seventh year of Edward III. forbidding tradesmen to wear silver on their knives, girdles, &c., unless the wearers were worth five hundred pounds in goods and chattels. For this reason Chaucer speaks of silver plates. Of these five tradesmen we are presently told that "of chattels had they enough and rent," i.e., income. 15 In a yeldehalle on the deys, in a guildhall on the dais-at the high table with the master, wardens, and past masters. |