XIII. (leaf 256), in which the 'A. B. C.' is distinctly attributed to Chaucer1. TESTIMONY OF CAXTON. At p. 116 of the same Trial Forewords is a description by Mr. Bradshaw of a very rare edition by Caxton of some of Chaucer's Minor Poems. It contains: (1) Parliament of Foules; (2) a treatise by Scogan, in which Chaucer's 'Gentilesse' is introduced; (3) a single stanza of 7 lines, beginning-'Wyth empty honde men may no hawkes lure'; (4) Chaucer's 'Truth,' entitled 'The good counceyl of Chawcer'; (5) the poem on 'Fortune'; and (6) part of Lenvoy to Scogan, viz. the first three stanzas. The volume is imperfect at the end. As to the article No. 3, it was probably included because the first line of it is quoted from 1. 415 of the Wyf of Bathes Prologue (Cant. Ta. 5997). At p. 118 of the same is another description, also by Mr. Bradshaw, of a small quarto volume printed by Caxton, consisting of only ten leaves. It contains: (1) Anelida and Arcite, II. 1-210; (2) The Compleint of Anelida, being the continuation of the former, ll. 211-350, where the poem ends; (3) The Compleint of Chaucer vnto his empty purse, with an Envoy headed -'Thenuoye of Chaucer vnto the kynge'; (4) Three 2 couplets, beginning Whan feyth failleth in prestes sawes,' and ending— 'Be brought to grete confusioun'; (5) Two couplets, beginning -Hit falleth for euery gentilman,' and ending-' And the soth in his presence'; (6) Two couplets, beginning-Hit cometh by kynde of gentil blode,' and ending 'The werk of wisedom berith witnes'; followed by-'Et sic est finis.' The last three articles only make fourteen lines in all, and are of little importance. EARLY EDITIONS OF CHAUCER'S WORKS. The first collected edition of Chaucer's Works is that edited by W. Thynne in 1532, but there were earlier editions of his separate poems. The best account of these is that which I 1 Hoccleve's poem entitled 'Moder of God' is erroneously attributed to Chaucer in two Scottish copies (Arch. Seld. B 24, and Edinb. 18. 2. 8). * Printed Six couplets'; clearly a slip of the pen. London HENRY FROWDE OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE AMEN CORNER, E.C. New York THE MACMILLAN CO., 66 FIFTH AVENUE. CHAUCER THE MINOR POEMS EDITED BY THE REV. WALTER W. SKEAT, LITT.D. D.C.L. OXON., LL.D. EDIN., PH.D. HALLE 'He made the book that hight the Hous of Fame, Legend of Good Women, 417-423 SECOND AND ENLARGED EDITION Oxford AT THE CLARENDON PRESS M DCCC XCVI [All rights reserved] CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION TESTIMONY OF CHAUCER REGARDING HIS WORKS LYDGATE'S LIST OF CHAUCER'S POEMS. PAGE vii viii X xiii xiv XV XV xix EARLY EDITIONS OF CHAUCER'S WORKS TABLE OF CONTENTS OF STOWE'S EDITION (1561) DISCUSSION OF THE POEMS IN PART I. OF THE EDITION OF DISCUSSION OF THE POEMS IN PART II. OF THE EDITION OF 1561. POEMS ADDED IN SPEGHT'S EDITIONS XXX xxxii REMARKS ON SOME OF THE MANUSCRIPTS MANUSCRIPTS AT OXFORD MANUSCRIPTS AT CAMBRIDGE MANUSCRIPTS IN LONDON REMARKS ON POEMS I-XXIII . xxxvii xl xlii xlv xlvii CHAUCER'S WORDES UNTO ADAM IX. THE HOUSE OF FAME: IN THREE BOOKS 100 102 117 |