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ADVERTISEMENT.

THE following Glossary is intended to facilitate the reading of Chaucer, by explaining, in our present language, such of his words and phrases as are now become difficult to be understood, either from a total disuse, or from any smaller alterations of orthography or inflexion. Many of these words and phrases having been already explained in the Notes of this edition, it has been thought sufficient in that case to refer the reader to those Notes. For the rest, it is hoped that this work may be of use in removing some of the most material difficulties, which occur, not only in the Canterbury Tales, but also in the other genuine' compositions of Chaucer, as far as the present state of their text makes it safe to attempt any explanation of them.

It would be injustice to the learned author of the Glossary to Mr. Urry's edition, not to acknowledge, that I have built upon his foundations, and often with his materials. In particu lar, I have followed, and have endeavoured to improve upon, his example, by constantly citing one or more places, in which the word or phrase explained is to be found 3. Where the places cited by him were apposite and satisfactory, I have generally spared myself the trouble of hunting for others, with this caution however, that I have not made use of any one of his references without having first verified it by actual inspection; a caution which every compiler ought to take in all cases, and which in the present case was indispensably necessary, on account of the numerous and gross errors in the text of that edition 4 to which Mr. Thomases Glossary was adapted.

For the further prevention of uncertainty and confusion, care has been taken to mark the part of speech to which each word belongs, and to distribute all homonymous words into separate articles 5. The numbers, cases, modes, times, and other inflexions of the declinable parts of speech are also marked, whenever they are expressed in a manner differing from modern usage.

Etymology is so clearly not a necessary branch of the duty of a Glossarist, that, I trust, I shall be easily excused for not having troubled the reader with longer or more frequent digressions of that sort. In general, I have thought it sufficient to mark shortly the original language from which each word is probably to be derived, according to the hypothesis, which has

At the end of this advertisement I shall add a short Account of what I conceive to be the genuine works of Chaucer, and of those which have been either falsely ascribed to him, or improperly mixed with his, in the Editions. Those under the two latter descriptions may be of use to illustrate the works of Chaucer, but should not be confounded with them.

2 Mr. Timothy Thomas. See App. to the Preface. A note".

3 The expediency of this practice is obvious. It enables the reader to apprehend more clearly the interpretation of the Glossarist, when right; and it affords him an opportunity of correcting those mistakes, to which we are all so exceedingly liable.

See App. to the Preface. A. p. viii.

The neglect of this precaution, and of that just mentioned, has made Mr. Hearne's Glossaries to Robert of Gloucester and Robert of Brunne of very little use. Who would place any confidence in such interpretations as the following ?R. G. ar. as, after, before, ere, till. bet. better, bid, bad, desired, prayed, be, are.-P. L. ame, aim, esteem, love, desire, reckon'd, aim'd, fathom, tell. bidene. biting, abiding, tarrying, bidding, praying, bidden, being bidden, being desired, continually, commanded, judged, adjudged, readily.

been more fully explained in the ESSAY, &c. Part the second, that the Norman-Saxon dialect in which Chaucer wrote, was almost entirely composed of words derived from the Saxon and French languages 6.

As every author must be allowed to be the best expositor of his own meaning, I have always endeavoured to establish the true import of any doubtful word or phrase by the usage of Chaucer himself in some other similar passage. Where it has been necessary to call in foreign assistance, recourse has been chiefly had to such authors as wrote before him, or at least were contemporary with him in some part of his life 7.

The proper names of persons and places, as they occur in Chaucer, are often either so obscure in themselves, or so disguised by a vitious orthography, that they stand in as much need of an interpreter as the most obsolete appellative. Some other proper names, particularly of authors quoted, though sufficiently known and clear, have been inserted in this Glossary, in order to make it, in that respect, answer the purposes of an Index.

As there are several passages, of which, after all my researches, I am unable to give any probable explanation, I shall follow the laudable example of the learned Editor of "Ancient Scottish Poems from the MS. of George Bannatyne. Edinb. 1770." by subjoining a list of such words and phrases as I profess not to understand. I only wish the reader may not find occasion to think, that I ought to have made a considerable addition to the number.

I will just add, for the sake of those who may be disposed to make use of this Glossary in reading the works of Chaucer not contained in this edition, that it will be found to be almost equally well adapted to every edition of those works, except Mr. Urry's. Mr. Urry's edition should never be opened by any one for the purpose of reading Chaucer. 1778.

T. TYRWHITT.

6 A few words are marked as having been taken immediately from the Latin language. The number has increased very considerably since the time of Chaucer. It is observable, that the verbs of this sort are generally formed from the participle past, whereas those which have come to us through France are as generally formed from the infinitive mode.

In referring words to the other two great classes a precise accuracy has not been attempted. The small remains of the genuine Anglo-Saxon language, which our lexicographers have been able to collect, do not furnish authorities for a multitude of words, which however may be fairly derived from that source, because they are to be found with little variation in the other collateral languages descended from the Gothic. The term SAXON therefore is here used with such a latitude as to include the Gothic, and all its branches. At the same time, as the Francic part of the French language had a common original with the Anglo-Saxon, it happens that some words may be denominated either FRENCH OF SAXON with almost equal probability. In all such cases, the final judgement is left to those, who have leisure and inclination (according to our author's phrase ver. 15246.) to boult the matter to the bren,

7 Some of these authors have been pointed ou in the ESSAY, &c. §. VIII. n. 24. Of the others the most considerable are, the author of the Visions of Pierce Ploughman, Gower, OCCLEVE, and Lydgate.

In the ESSAY, &c. n. 57. a circumstance is mentioned, which shews that the Visions of Pierce Ploughman were written after 1350. I have since taken notice of a passage which will prove, I think, that they were written after 1362. The great storm of wind, alluded to in fol. xx. b. 1. 14.

And the Southwesterne winde on Satterdaie at even, &c. is probably the storm recorded by Thorn, inter x Script. c. 2122. Walsingham, p. 178. and most particularly by the Continuator of Adam Murimuth, p. 115.

A.D. M.CCC.LXII-XV. die Januarii, circa horam vesperarum, ventus vehemens notus Australis Africus tantâ rabic erupit, &c.

The 15th of January in the year 1362, N. S. was a Saturday.

AN ACCOUNT

OF THE

WORKS OF CHAUCER

TO WHICH

THIS GLOSSARY IS ADAPTED;

AND OF THOSE OTHER PIECES WHICH HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INTERMIXED WITH HIS IN THE EDITIONS.

Or the CANTERBURY TALES, the greatest work of Chaucer, it is needless to repeat what has been said in different parts of this Edition; particularly in the App. to the Preface, A. and in the Introductory Discourse. One of the earliest of his other works was probably

I. THE ROMAUNT OF THE ROSE. He speaks of it himself in L.W. 329 and 441. It is professedly a translation of the French Roman de la Rose, and many gross blunders in the printed text may be corrected by comparing it with the original. Dr. Hunter was so obliging as to lend me a MS. of this poem, the only one that I have ever heard of, which has occasionally been consulted to good advantage; but it does not supply any of the most material defects of the printed Editions. See page 209.

II. TROILUS AND CRESEIDE, in v. Books. This Poem is also mentioned by our author in L.W. 332 and 441. It is for the most part a translation of the Filostrato of Boccace; but with many variations, and such large additions, that it contains above 2700 lines more than its original. See the Essay, &c. n. 62. and page 209.

There are several MSS. of this poem in the Bodleian Library and in the Museum, which have been occasionally consulted.

III. THE COURT OF LOVE was first printed among the additions made to Chaucer's works by John Stowe, in the Edition of 1561. One might reasonably have expected to find it mentioned in L.W. loc. cit. but notwithstanding the want of that testimony in its favour, I am induced by the internal evidence to consider it as one of Chaucer's genuine productions. I have never heard of any MS. of this poem.

IV. THE COMPLAINT OF PITEE. So this Poem is entitled in MS. Harl. 78. It is extant also in MS. Bodl. Fairf. 16. The subject is alluded to in the Court of Lore, ver. 700. seq. V. OF QUENE ANNELIDA AND FALSE ARCITE, with the COMPLAINT OF ANNELIDA. The story of this poem is said in ver. 10. to have been originally in Latin; and in ver. 21. Chaucer names the authors whom he professes to follow. "Firste folue I STACE and after him CORINNE." As the opening only is taken from Statius, L. IV. v. 519, we must suppose that Corinne furnished the remainder; but who Corinne was is not easy to guess. See the Gloss. in v. CORINNE. It should be observed, that the Arcite, whose infidelity is here complained of, is quite a different person from the Arcite of the Knightes tale; from which circumstance we may perhaps be allowed to infer, that this poem was written before Chaucer had met with the Theseida.

It is extant in MSS. Harl. 372, and Bodl. Fairf. 16.

VI. THE ASSEMBLEE OF FOULES is mentioned by Chaucer himself in L.W. 419. under the title of "The Parlement of foules." In MS. Bodl. Fairf. 16. it is entitled "The Parlement of Briddes."

The opening of this poem is built upon the Somnium Scipionis of Cicero, as it appears at the head of Macrobiuses commentary. The description of a Garden and Temple, from ver. 183 to ver. 287, is almost entirely taken from Boccaces description of the Temple of Venus in the vi book of the Theseida. See the note on ver. 1920. I have found no reason to retract the suspicion there intimated as to the date of this poem; nor can I confirm it by any external evidence.

VII. THE COMPLAINT OF THE BLACK KNIGHT, in MSS. Bodl. Fairf. 16. and Bod. 638. is entitled "Complaint of a lover's life." I do not wish much confidence to be given to the conjecture, in App. to the Pref. C. n. that this poem relates to John of Gaunt.

VIII. CHAUCER'S A. B. C. was first printed in Mr. Speght's 2d Edit. in 1602. It is said, in the title, to have been composed at the request of the Duchesse Blanche. If that be true, it ought to be placed before

IX. THE BOOKE OF THE DUCHESSE, which Chaucer himself has mentioned by the title of "The deth of Blaunche the Duchesse." L.W. 418. See an account of this poem in the n. on ver. 4467. and page 209.

X. THE HOUSE OF FAME is mentioned by Chaucer himself in L.W. 417. It was probably written while he was comptroller of the custom of wools, and consequently not earlier than 1374. See the passage from B. II. quoted in the App. to the Pref. C. n. c. It is extant in MSS. Bodl. Fairf. 16. and Bod. 638.

XI. CHAUCER'S DREME was first printed in Mr. Speght's Edit. of his works in 1597. Bale seems to speak of it under the title, " De castello dominarum. Lib. i." The supposed plan of this poem, prefixed to it by Mr. Speght, is a mere fancy; but there is no ground for doubting the authenticity of the poem itself.

When I imagined that a passage in this Dreme, ver. 1820-1926, was probably copied from the Lay of Elidus (Discourse, &c. n. 24.) I did not recollect, that the incident there related is very similar to one in the Grecian fabulous history (See Hyginus, fab. CXXXVI. de Polyido.) and therefore might easily have come to Chaucer through some other channel.

XII. THE FLOUR and the LefE was also printed for the first time in the Edit. of 1597; but I do not think its authenticity so clear as that of the preceding poem. The subject, at least, is alluded to by Chaucer in L.W. 188-194.

XIII. THE LEGENDE OF GOODE WOMEN is extant in MSS. Bodl. Arch. Seld. B. 24. and Fairf. 16. For the time of its composition see the Discourse, &c. n. 3. See also the n. on ver. 4481. An additional argument, for believing that the number intended was nineteen, may be drawn from the Court of Love, ver. 108. where, speaking of Alceste, Chaucer says—

"To whom obeyed the ladies gode ninetene."

XIV. THE COMPLAINT OF MARS AND VENUS is said, in the conclusion, to have been translated from the French of Graunson; probably that Otho de Graunson, who was retained in the military service of Richard II, with an annuity of 200 marks. Pat. 17. R. II. p. 1. m. 6. ap. Rymer. Mr. Speght mentions a tradition, if I understand him right, that this poem was originally made of the Lady Elizabeth, daughter to John of Gaunt, whom he calls King of Spaine, and her husband the Lord John Holland, half-brother to Richard II. I cannot see any thing in the poem itself that countenances this particular notion, though I have little doubt, that it was intended to describe the situation of some two lovers under a veil of mystical allegory.

This poem is extant in MSS. Bodl. Arch. Seld. B. 24. and Fairf. 16. In MS. Harl. 7333 it is entitled "The broche of Thebes as of the love of Mars and Venus;" which inclines me to believe,

that it is the poem, mentioned by Lydgate, and from him by Bale, which has of late been supposed to be lost. Lydgate's words are

Of Annelida and of false Arcite

He made a complaynt dolefull and piteous,
And of the broche which that Vulcanus

At Thebes wrought, full divers of nature.

Prol. to Trag. Sign. A. ii. b.

From this passage Bale, as I suppose, deceived by the ambiguous sense of the word broche, has attributed to Chaucer a poem "De Vulcani ceru;" of Vulcan's spit. He should have said " De Vulcani gemmá, or monili." See BROCHE in the Glossary.

This broche of Thebes, from which the whole poem is here supposed to have taken its title, is described at large in the Complaint of Mars, ver. 93–109. The first idea of it seems to have been derived from what Statius has said of the fatal necklace made by Vulcan for Harmonia. Theb. II. 265–305. Lydgate refers us to Oride; but I cannot find anything in him upon the subject.

XV. THE CUCKOW AND THE NIGHTINGALE in MS. Fairf. 16. is entitled "The boke of Cupide God of Lore." It is extant also in MS. Bod. 638. and as far as ver. 235. in Arch. Seld. B. 24. and might be much improved and augmented with some lines from those MSS. The Ballade of three Stanzas with an Envoye, which seems to belong to this poem in the Editt. does not appear at all in MS. Bod. 638. In MS. Fairf. 16. it is at the end of the Booke of the Duchesse. I cannot believe that it was written by Chaucer.

Beside these more considerable works, it appears from L.W. 422. 430. that our author had composed many "balades, roundels, virelayes;" that he had "made many a lay and many a thing." A few pieces of this sort are still extant, but hardly any, I think, of so early a date as the Legende. I will set them down here as they stand in the Editt.

1. L'Enroy de Chaucer à Bukton. Beginning,

My maister Bukton, whan of Christ, &c.

So this little poem is entitled in MS. Fairf. 16. It has always been printed at the end of the Booke of the Duchesse, with an &c. in the first line instead of the name of Bukton; and in Mr. Urry's Edit. the following most unaccountable note is prefixed to it. "This seems an Envoy to the Duke of Lancaster after his loss of Blanch."

From the reference to the Wife of Bathe, ver. 29. I should suppose this to have been one of our author's later compositions, and I find that there was a Peter de Buketon, the King's Escheator for the County of York, in 1397, (Pat. 20 R. II. p. 2. m. 3. ap. Rymer.) to whom this poem, from the familiar style of it, is much more likely to have been addressed than to the Duke of Lancaster.

2. Balade sent to King Richard.

Beginn. Sometime the world, &c.

So this poem is entitled in MS. Harl. E. It is extant also in Fairf. 16. and in Cotton. Otho. A. XVIII.

3. Balade beginning-Fle fro the prese, &c.

In MS. Cotton. Otho. A. XVIII. this balade is said to have been made by Chaucer "upon his death-bed lying in his anguish ;" but of such a circumstance some further proof should be required. It is found, without any such note, in MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24, and Fairf. 16.

4. Balade of the village.

Beginn. This wretched worldes, &c.

It is extant in MS. Fairf. 16. and Bod. 638. In MS. Ashmol. 59. it is said to have been translated from the French. Tanner, in v. CHAUCER.

5. L'Envoy de Chaucer à Skogan.

Beginn. Tobroken ben the Statutes, &c.

So this poem is entitled in MS. Fairf. 16. Among a number of people of all sorts, who had

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