The history of English poetry: from the close of the eleventh to the commencement of the eighteenth century. To which are prefixed, two dissertations. ... By Thomas Warton, ... [pt.1]

SECT. XII.

THE most illustrious ornament of the reign of Edward the third, and of his successor Richard the second, was Jeffrey Chaucer; a poet with whom the history of our poetry is by many supposed to have commenced; and who has been pronounced, by a critic of unquestionable taste and discernment, to be the first English versifier who wrote poetically a 1.1. He was born in the year 1328, and educated at Oxford, where he made a rapid progress in the scholastic sciences as they were then taught: but the liveliness of his parts, and the native gaiety of his disposition, soon recom|mended him to the patronage of a magnificent monarch, and rendered him a very popular and acceptable character in the brilliant court which I have above described. In the mean time, he added to his accomplishments by frequent tours into France and Italy, which he sometimes visited under the advantages of a public character. Hitherto our poets had been persons of a private and circumscribed edu|cation, and the art of versifying, like every other kind of composition, had been confined to recluse scholars. But Chaucer was a man of the world: and from this circum|stance we are to account, in great measure, for the many new embellishments which he conferred on our language and our poetry. The descriptions of splendid processions and gallant carousals, with which his works abound, are a proof that he was conversant with the practices and diversions of polite life. Familiarity with a variety of things and objects, opportunities of acquiring the fashionable and courtly modes

of speech, connections with the great at home, and a per|sonal acquaintance with the vernacular poets of foreign countries, opened his mind and furnished him with new lights b 1.2. In Italy he was introduced to Petrarch, at the wedding of Violante, daughter of Galeazzo duke of Milan, with the duke of Clarence: and it is not improbable that Boccacio was of the party c 1.3. Although Chaucer had un|doubtedly studied the works of these celebrated writers, and particularly of Dante, before this fortunate interview; yet it seems likely, that these excursions gave him a new relish for their compositions, and enlarged his knowledge of the Italian fables. His travels likewise enabled him to cultivate the Italian and Provencial languages with the greatest success; and induced him to polish the asperity, and enrich the sterility of his native versification, with softer cadences, and a more copious and variegated phraseology. In this attempt, which was authorised by the recent and popular examples of Petrarch in Italy and Alain Chartier in France d 1.4, he was countenanced and assisted by his friend John Gower, the early guide and encourager of his studies e 1.5. The revival of learning in most countries appears to have first owed its rise to translation. At rude periods the modes of original think|ing are unknown, and the arts of original composition have

not yet been studied. The writers therefore of such periods are chiefly and very usefully employed in importing the ideas of other languages into their own. They do not venture to think for themselves, nor aim at the merit of inventors, but they are laying the foundations of literature: and while they are naturalising the knowledge of more learned ages and countries by translation, they are imperceptibly improving the national language. This has been remarkably the case, not only in England, but in France and Italy. In the year 1387, John Trevisa canon of Westbury in Wiltshire, and a great traveller, not only finished a translation of the Old and New Testaments, at the command of his munificent patron Thomas lord Berkley f 1.6, but also translated Higden's POLYCHRONICON, and other Latin pieces g 1.7. But these trans|lations would have been alone insufficient to have produced or sustained any considerable revolution in our language: the great work was reserved for Gower and Chaucer. Wickliffe had also translated the bible h 1.8: and in other respects his attempts to bring about a reformation in religion at this time proved beneficial to English literature. The orthodox divines of this period generally wrote in Latin: but Wickliffe, that his arguments might be familiarised to common readers and the bulk of the people, was obliged to compose in English his numerous theological treatises against the papal corrup|tions. Edward the third, while he perhaps intended only to banish a badge of conquest, greatly contributed to establish

the national diaiect, by abolishing the use of the Nor|man tongue in the public acts and judicial proceedings, as we have before observed, and by substituting the natural lan|guage of the country. But Chaucer manifestly first taught his countrymen to write English; and formed a style by naturalising words from the Provencial, at that time the most polished dialect of any in Europe, and the best adapted to the purposes of poetical expression.

It is certain that Chaucer abounds in classical allusions: but his poetry is not formed on the antient models. He appears to have been an universal reader, and his learning is sometimes mistaken for genius: but his chief sources were the French and Italian poets. From these originals two of his capital poems, the KNIGHT'S TALE i 1.9, and the ROMAUNT OF THE ROSE, are imitations or translations. The first of these is taken from Boccacio.

Boccacio was the disciple of Petrarch: and although prin|cipally known and deservedly celebrated as a writer or in|ventor of tales, he was by his cotemporaries usually placed in the third rank after Dante and Petrarch. But Boccacio having seen the Platonic sonnets of his master Petrarch, in a fit of despair committed all his poetry to the flames k 1.10, except a single poem, of which his own good taste had long taught him to entertain a more favourable opinion. This piece, thus happily rescued from destruction, is at present so scarce and so little known, even in Italy, as to have left

its author but a slender proportion of that eminent degree of poetical reputation, which he might have justly claimed from so extraordinary a performance. It is an heroic poem, in twelve books, entitled LE TESEIDE, and written in the octave stanza, called by the Italians ottava rima, which Boc|cacio adopted from the old French chansons, and here first introduced among his countrymen l 1.11. It was printed at Fer|rara, but with some deviations from the original, and even misrepresentations of the story, in the year 1475 m 1.12. After|wards, I think, in 1488. And for the third and last time at Venice, in the year 1528 n 1.13. But the corruptions have been suffered to remain through every edition.

Whether Boccacio was the inventor of the story of this poem is a curious enquiry. It is certain that Theseus was an early hero of romance o 1.14. He was taken from that grand repository of the Grecian heroes, the History of Troy, written by Guido de Colonna p 1.15. In the royal library at Paris, there is a manuscript entitled, The ROMAN DE THESEUS ET DE GA|DIFER q 1.16. Probably this is the printed French romance, under the title,

"Histoire du Chevalier THESEUS de Cou|logne, par sa proüesse empereur de Rome, et aussi de son fils Gadifer empereur du Greece, et de trois enfans du dit Gadifer, traduite de vieille rime Picarde en prose Francoise. Paris, 1534 r 1.17."

Gadifer, with whom Theseus is joined in this antient tale, written probably by a troubadour of Pi|cardy, is a champion in the oldest French romances s 1.18. He is

mentioned frequently in the French romance of Alexander t 1.19. In the romance of PERCEFORREST, he is called king of Scot|land, and said to be crowned by Alexander the Great u 1.20. But whether or no this prose HISTOIRE DU CHEVALIER THESEUS is the story of Theseus in question, or whether this is the same Theseus, I cannot ascertain. There is likewise in the same royal library a manuscript, called by Montfaucon, HIS|TORIA THESEI IN LINGUA VULGARI, in ten books w 1.21. The Abbe Goujet observes, that there is in some libraries of France an old French translation of Boccacio's THESEID, from which Anna de Graville formed the French poem of PALA|MON and ARCITE, at the command of queen Claude, wife of Francis the first, about the year 1487 x 1.22. Either the transla|tion used by Anna de Graville, or her poem, is perhaps the second of the manuscripts mentioned by Montfaucon. Boc|cacio's THESEID has also been translated into Italian prose, by Nicolas Granuci, and printed at Lucca in 1579 y 1.23. Boc|cacio himself mentions the story of Palamon and Arcite. This may seem to imply that the story existed before his time: unless he artfully intended to recommend his own poem on the subject by such an allusion. It is where he introduces two lovers singing a portion of this tale.

"Dio|neo e Fiametta gran pezza canterona insieme d'ARCITE e di PALAMONE z 1.24."

By Dioneo, Boccacio represents himself; and by Fiametta, his mistress, Mary of Arragon, a natural daughter of Robert king of Naples.

I confess I am of opinion, that Boccacio's THESEID is an original composition. But there is a Greco-barbarous poem extant on this subject, which, if it could be proved to be antecedent in point of time to the Italian poem, would de|grade Boccacio to a mere translator on this occasion. It is a matter that deserves to be examined at large, and to be traced with accuracy.

This Greek poem is as little known and as scarce as Boc|cacio's THESEID. It is entitled, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. It was printed in quarto at Venice in the year 1529. Stam|pata in Vinegia per Giovanantonio et fratelli da Sabbio a requisitione de M. Damiano de Santa Maria de Spici M. D. XXIX. del Mese de Decembrio a 1.25. It is not mentioned by Crusius or Fabricius; but is often cited by Du Cange in his Greek glossary, under the title, DE NUPTIIS THESEI ET AEMILIAE. The heads of the chapters are adorned with rude wooden cuts of the story. I once suspected that Boccacio, having received this poem from some of his learned friends among the Grecian exiles, who being driven from Constantinople took refuge in Italy about the fourteenth century, translated it into Italian. Under this supposition, I was indeed surprised to find the ideas of chivalry, and the ceremonies of a tournament minutely de|scribed, in a poem which appeared to have been written at Constantinople. But this difficulty was soon removed, when I recollected that the Franks, Venetians, and Germans had been in possession of that city for more than one hundred years; and that Baldwin earl of Flanders was elected emperor of Constantinople in the year 1204, and was succeeded by four Latin or Frankish emperors, down to the year 1261 b 1.26. Add

to this, that the word, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a TOURNAMENT, occurs in the Byzantine historians c 1.27. From the same communication likewise, I mean the Greek exiles, I fancied Boccacio might have procured the stories of several of his tales in the DECA|MERON: as, for instance, that of CYMON and IPHIGENIA, where the names are entirely Grecian, and the scene laid in Rhodes, Cyprus, Crete, and other parts of Greece belonging

to the imperial territory d 1.28. But, to say no more of this, I have at present no sort of doubt of what I before asserted, that Boccacio is the writer and inventor of this piece. Our Greek poem is in fact a literal translation from the Italian THESEID. It consists of twelve books, and is written in Boccacio's octave stanza, the two last lines of every stanza rhyming together. The verses are of the iambic kind, and something like the VERSUS POLITICI, which were common among the Greek scholars a little before and long after Con|stantinople was taken by the Turks, in the year 1443. It will readily be allowed, that the circumstance of the stanzas and rhymes is very singular in a poem composed in the Greek language, and is alone sufficient to prove this piece to be a translation from Boccacio. I must not forget to ob|serve, that the Greek is extremely barbarous, and of the lowest period of that language.

It was a common practice of the learned and indigent Greeks, who frequented Italy and the neighbouring states about the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, to translate the popular pieces of Italian poetry, and the romances or tales most in vogue, into these Greco-barbarous iambics e 1.29. PASTOR FIDO was thus translated. The romance of AL••XANDER THE GREAT was also translated in the same manner by Deme|trius Zenus, who flourished in 1530, under the title of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and printed at Venice in the year 1529 f 1.30. In the very year, and at the same place, when and where our Greek poem on Theseus, or Palamon and Arcite, was printed. APOLLONIUS OF TYRE, another famous romance of the middle ages, was translated in the same manner, and

entitled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉g 1.31 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 h 1.32. The story of king Arthur they also reduced into the same language. The learned Martinus Crusius, who introduced the Greco-barbarous language and literature into the Ger|man universities, relates, that his friends who studied at Padua sent him in the year 1564•• together with Homer's Iliad, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 REGIS ARTHURI, ALEXANDER above-men|tioned, and other fictitious histories or story-books of a

similar cast k 1.33. The French history or romance of BER|TRAND DU GUESCELIN, printed at Abbeville in 1487 l 1.34, and that of BELISAIRE, or Be••isarius, they rendered in the same lan|guage and metre, with the titles 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 m 1.35, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c n 1.36. Boccacio himself, in the DECAMERON o 1.37, mentions the story of Troilus and Cressida in Greek verse: which I suppose had been translated by some of the fugitive Greeks with whom he was connected, from a romance on that subject; many antient copies of which now remain in the libraries of France p 1.38. The story of FLORIUS AND PLATZFLORA, a ro|mance which Ludovicus Vives with great gravity condemns under the name of Florian and Blanca-Flor, as one of the pernicious and unclassical popular histories current in

Flanders about the year 1523 q 1.39, of which there are old edi|tions in French, Spanish r 1.40, and perhaps Italian, is likewise extant very early in Greek iambics, most probably as a translation into that language s 1.41. I could give many others; but I hasten to lay before my readers some specimens both of the Italian and the Greek PALAMON AND ARCITE t 1.42. Only premising, that both have about a thousand verses in each of the twelve books, and that the two first books are intro|ductory: the first containing the war of Theseus with the Amazons, and the second that of Thebes, in which Palamon and Arcite are taken prisoners. Boccacio thus describes the Temple of Mars.

N e icampi Tracii sotto icieli hyberni D a tempesta continua agitati D oue schieré di nimbi sempiterni D auenti or qua e or la trasmutati I n uarii loghi ne iguazosi uerni E de aqua globi per fredo agropati G itati sono eneue tutta uia C he in giazo amano aman se induria

E una selua sterile de robusti C erri doue eran folti e alti molto N odosi aspri rigidi e uetusti C be de ombra eterna ricopreno il uolto D el tristo suolo enfra li antichi fusti D i ben mille furor sempre rauolto V i si sentia grandissimo romore N e uera bestia anchora ne pastore

I n questa nide la cha delo idio A rmipotente qu••sta edificata T utta de azzaio splendido e pulio D alquale era del sol riuerberata L aluce che aboreua il logho rio T utta differro era la stretta entrata E le porte eran de eterno admante F errato dogni parte tutte quante

E le le colone di ferro custei V ide ch•• lo edificio sosteneano L i imp••ti de menti parue alei V eder ch•• fieri dela porta usiano E il ciecho pechàre e ogne omei S imilemente quiui si uedeano V idiue le ire rosse come focho E la paura palida in quel locho

E con gli occulti ferri itradimenti V ide ele insidie con uista apparenza L i discordia sedea esanguinenti F erri auea in mano eogni differenza E tutti iloghi pareano strepenti D aspre minaze edi crudel intenza E n mezo illocho la uertu tristissima S edea di degne laude pouerissima

V ideui ancora lo alegro furore E oltre acio con uolto sanguinoso L a morte armata uide elo stupore E ogni altare qui uera copioso D i sangue sol ne le bataglie fore D i corpi human cacciato eluminoso E ra ciaschun di focho tolto aterre A rse ediffate per le triste guerre

E t era il tempio tutto historiato u 1.43 D i socil mano e disopra edintorno E cio che pria ui uide designato E ran le prede de nocte edi giorno T olto ale terre equalunque sforzato F u era qui in habito musorno V ideanuissi le gente incatenate P orti di ferro e forteze spezate

V edeui ancor le naue bellatrici I n uoti carri eli uolti guastati E i miseri pianti & infelici E t ogni forza con li aspecti e lati O gni ferita ancor si vedea lici E sangue con le terre mescolati E ogni logo con aspecto fi••ro S i uedea Marte turbido e altiero, &c. x 1.44

The Temple of Venus has these imageries.

P oi presso ase uidde passar belleza S enza ornamento alchun se riguardando E gir con lei uidde piaceuolleza E luna laltra secho comendano P oi con lor uidde istarsi gioueneza D estra e adorna molto festegiando E daltra parte uidde el fole ardire L usinge e ruffiania in sieme gire

I n mezo el locho in su alte colone D i rame uidde un tempio al qual dintorno D anzando giouenette uidde e done Q ual da se belle: e qual de habito adorno D iscinte e schalze in giube e in gone E in cio sol dispendeano il giorno P oi sopra el tempio uidde uolitare P assere molte e columbi rugiare

E alentrata del tempio uicina V idde che si sedeua piana mente M adona pace: e in mano una cortina N anzi la porta tenea lieue mente A presso lei in uista assai tapina P acientia sedea discreta mente P allida ne lo aspecto: e dogni parte E intorno alei uidde promesse e carte

P oi dentro al tempio entrata di sospiri V i senti un tumulto che giraua F ochoso tutto di caldi desiri Q uesto glialtri tutti aluminaua D i noue ••iame nate di martiri D i qua ciaschun di lagrime grondaua M osse da una dona cruda e ria C he uidde li chiamata gilosia, &c.

Some of these stanzas are thus expressed in the Greco|barbarous translation w 1.45.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉x 1.46.

In passing through Chaucer's hands, this poem has received many new beauties. Not only those capital fictions and de|sc••iptions, the temples of Mars, Venus, and Diana, with their allegorical paintings, and the figures of Lycurgus and Emetrius with their retinue, are so much heightened by the bold and spiri••ed manner of the British bard, as to strike us with an air of originality. In the mean time it is to be re|marked, that as Chaucer in some places has thrown in strokes of his own, so in others he has contracted the un|interesting and tedious prolixity of narrative, which he found in the Italian poet. And that he might avoid a servile imi|tation, and indulge himself as he pleased in an arbitrary departure from the original, it appears that he neglected the embarrassment of Boccacio's stanza, and preferred the En|glish heroic couplet, of which this poem affords the first conspicuous example extant in our language.

The situation and structure of the temple of Mars are thus described.

—A forrest In which there wonneth nether man ne best: With knotty knarry barrein treys old, Of stubbys shape, and hideous to behold, In which ther was a rombyll and a swough a 1.47 As though a storm shulde burstein every bough. And downward from a hill, under a bent b 1.48, There stode the temple' of Mars armipotent, Wrought all of burnydc 1.49 stele: of which th' entr•• Was long, and streight, and gastly for to se: And therout came such a rage and avyse d 1.50•• That it made al the gatys for to ryse e 1.51.

The northern light in at the doris shone, For window on the wall ne was ther none, Throgh which men mightin any light dissern. The dore was al of adamant eterne, Yclenchid overthwart and endelong, With iron tough, for to makin it strong. Every pillar the tempyl to sustene Was tonnè gretef 1.52 of yren bright and shene.

The gloomy sanctuary of this tremendous fane, was adorned with these characteristical imageries.

There saw I first the dark Ymagining Of Felony, and all the compassing: The cruell Irè, redde as any glede g 1.53. The Pikpurse also, and eke the pale Drede h 1.54; The Smyter with the knife undir the cloke i 1.55: The shepin brenning with the blakè smoke k 1.56; The Treason of the murdering in the bedde l 1.57, The opin Warre with woundis all bebledde; Contekem 1.58 with bloodie knyves n 1.59, and sharpe Menace, All full of chirkino 1.60 was that sory place!

The slear of himselfe yet sawe I there, His hertè blode hath bathid all his here, The naile ydryvyn in the shodep 1.61 anyght q 1.62, With the cold deth the mouth gapyng upryght r 1.63. Amiddis of the temple sate Mischaunce, With discomfort, and sory countenance. Yet sawe I Wodenesss 1.64 laughing in his rage. Armid complaint of Theft, and fers Corage; The carrein in the bush with throte ycorve t 1.65, A thousand sleyne and not of qualme ystorve u 1.66. The tyrant with the prey by force yreft, The town destroyid ther was nothing left. Yet saw I brent the ships upon steris, The hunter straunglid with the wild boris. The sow frettingw 1.67 the chyld right in the cradel, The coke scaldid for all his longè ladel. Nought was forgott the infortune of Mart; The cartirx 1.68 overriddin by his cart y 1.69, Under the whele he lay full low adowne. There were also of Marts divisioune, The Barbour, and the Butcher, and the Smith That forgith sharpè swerdis on the stith z 1.70. And all above, depeintid in a towr, Saw I Conquest sitting in grete honour, With the sharpe swerdè right ovir his hed, Hanging but by a subtill-twined thred a 1.71.

This groupe is the effort of a strong imagination, unac|quainted with selection and arrangement of images. It is rudely thrown on the canvas without order or art. In the Italian poets, who describe every thing, and who cannot, even in the most serious representations, easily suppress their na|tural predilection for burlesque and familiar imagery, nothing is more common than this mixture of sublime and comic ideas b 1.72. The form of Mars follows, touched with the im|petuous dashes of a savage and spirited pencil.

The statue c 1.73 of Mars upon a cartd 1.74 stode, Armid, and lokid grym as he were wode e 1.75. A wolfe ther stod before him at his fete With eyin red, and of a man he ete. With sotill pensil paintid was the storie, Inf 1.76 redouting Mars and of his glorie g 1.77.

But the ground-work of this whole description is in the Thebaid of Statius. I will make no apology for transcribing the passage at large, that the reader may judge of the re|semblance. Mercury visits the temple of Mars, situated in the frozen and tempestuous regions of Thrace h 1.78.

Hic steriles delubra notat Mavortia sylvas, Horrescitque tuens: ubi mille furoribus illi Cingitur, adverso domus immansueta sub Aemo. Ferrea compago laterum, ferro arcta teruntur Limina, ferratis incumbunt tecta columnis. Laeditur adversum Phoebi jubar, ipsaque sedem Lux timet, et dirus contristat sydera fulgor. Digna loco statio. Primis subit impetus amens E foribus, caecumque Nefas, Iraeque rubentes, Exanguesque Metus; occultisque ensibus astant Insidiae, geminumque tenens Discordia ferrum. Innumeris strepit aula minis. Tristissima Virtus Stat medio, laetusque Furor, vultuque cruento Mors armata sedet. Bellorum solus in aris Sanguis, et incensis qui raptus ab urbibus ignis. Terrarum exuviae circum, et fastigia templi Captae insignibant gentes, coelataque ferro Fragmina portarum, bellatricesque carinae, Et vacui currus, protritaque curribus ora i 1.79.

Statius was a favourite writer with the poets of the middle ages. His bloated magnificence of description, gi|gantic images, and pompous diction, suited their taste, and were somewhat of a piece with the romances they so much admired. They neglected the gentler and genuine graces of Virgil, which they could not relish. His pictures were too correctly and chastly drawn to take their fancies: and truth of design, elegance of expression, and the arts of compo|sition,

were not their objects k 1.80. In the mean time we must observe, that in Chaucer's Temple of Mars many personages are added: and that those which existed before in Statius have been retouched, enlarged, and rendered more distinct and pic|turesque by Boccacio and Chaucer. Arcite's address to Mars, at entering the temple, has great dignity, and is not copied from Statius.

O strongè god, that in the reignis cold Of Thrace honourid art, and God yhold! And hast in everie reign, and everie lond, Of armis al the bridil in thy hond; And them fortunist, as they lest devise, Accept of me my pitous sacrifice l 1.81.

The following portrait of Lycurgus, an imaginary king of Thrace, is highly charged, and very great in the gothic style of painting.

Ther mayst 'oum 1.82 see, commyng with Palamon, Lycurgus himself, the grete king of Thrace; Blake was his berde, and manly was his face: The circles of his eyin in his hede They glowdin betwixtè yalowe and rede: And like a lyon lokid he about, With kempid heris on his browis stout: His limis grete, his brawnis herd and strong, His shulderes brode, his armis round and long. And as the guise ywas in his contrè Full high upon a char of gold stode he: With four grete white bullis in the tracis. Instead of court cote armur, on his harneis

With yalowe nailes, and bright as any gold, He hath a berisn 1.83 skinn cole-blak for old. His long here was kemped behind his bak, As any raven's fether't shone for blak. A wrethe of golde armgrete o 1.84, of hugè weight, Upon his hed, sett ful of stonis bright, Of fine rubies, and clere diamondes. About his char ther wentin white alandes p 1.85, Twentie and more, as grete as any stere, To huntin at the lyon or wild bere; And folowid him with mosilq 1.86 fast ybound, Coleres of goldr 1.87 and torretess 1.88 filidt 1.89 round. A hundrid lordis had he irr his rout, Armid ful wele, with hertis stern and stout u 1.90.

The figure of Emetrius king of India, who comes to the aid of Arcite, is not inferior in the same style, with a mix|ture of grace.

With Arcitè, in storys as men find, The grete Emetrius, the king of Ind, Upon a stedè bay, trappid in stele, Coverid with clothe of gold diapridw 1.91 wel, Cam riding like the god of armis Mars: His cote armure was of the clothes of Tars x 1.92, Couchid with perles white and round and grete; His sadill was of brenty 1.93 gold new ybete, A mantlet upon his shuldères hanging, Bretfullz 1.94 of rubies redde as fire sparkling. His crispè here like ringesa 1.95 was yronne, And yt was yalowe, glittering as the sonne. His nose was high, his eyin bright citryn b 1.96•• Ruddy his lippes, his colour was sangyn. And a fewe frekles in his face yspreint c 1.97, Betwixt yalowe and somedele blak ymeint d 1.98. And as a lyon he his eyis kest e 1.99. Of five and twenty yere his age I ghest. His berde was well begonning for to spring, His throte was as a trompet thondiring. Upon his hede he wered, of laurer grene A garlond freshe, and lustie for to sene. Upon his honde he bore for his delite An egle tame, as ony lilie white f 1.100.

An hundrid lordis had he with them there, All armid, saaf their heddis, in their gere g 1.101. About this king ther ran on every part Full many a tamè lyon, and libart h 1.102.

The banner of Mars displayed by Theseus, is sublimely conceived.

The red statue of Mars, with spere and targe, So shineth in his white banner large That al the feldis glittrin up and down i 1.103.

This poem has many strokes of pathetic description, of which these specimens may be selected.

Upon that other side when Palamon Wist that his cosin Arcite was ygon, Such sorowe makith he, that the grete tour Resoundid of his yelling and clamour: The fetteris upon his shinnis grete Werin of his bitter salt teris wete k 1.104.

Arcite is thus described, after his return to Thebes, where he despairs of seeing Emilia again.

His slepe, his mete, his drink, is hym byrest; That lene he waxith, and drie as a sheft: His eyin hollow, grislie to behold His hew sallowe, and pale as ashinl 1.105 cold: Solitary he was, evir alone, And wayling all the night making his mone. And if he herdè song or instrument, Than would he wepin, he might not be stent m 1.106. So febyll were his spirits and so low, And chaungid so that no man might him know n 1.107.

Palamon is thus introduced in the procession of his rival Arcite's funeral.

Tho gan this wofull Theban Palamon With sloteryo 1.108 berde, and ruggy ashey heres, In clothis blak bedropped all with teres, And, passing ovir weping Emily, Was rufullist of all the company p 1.109.

To which may be added the surprise of Palamon, con|cealed in the forest, at hearing the disguised Arcite, whom he supposes to be the squire of Theseus, discover himself at the mention of the name of Emilia.

—Through his herte He felt a cold swerde suddenly to glide: For ire he quoke, no longer wold he bide, And whan that he had heard Arcitis tale, As he were wode, wyth face al dede and pale, He sterte him up out of the bushis thick, &c. q 1.110

A description of the morning must not be omitted; which vies, both in sentiment and expression, with the most finished modern poetical landscape, and finely displays our author's talent at delineating the beauties of nature.

The mery lark, messengere of the day, Salewithr 1.111 in her song the morowe gray; And firie Phebus rysith up so bright, That all the orient laugith at the sight s 1.112: And with his stremis dryeth in the greves t 1.113 The silvir dropis hanging in the leves u 1.114.

Nor must the figure of the blooming Emilia, the most beautiful object of this vernal picture, pass unnoticed.

—Emilie, that fairir was to sene Than is the lillie upon the stalk grene; And freshir than the May with flouris newe, For with the rosy colour strofe hir hewe w 1.115.

In other parts of his works he has painted morning scenes con amore: and his imagination seems to have been peculiarly struck with the charms of a rural prospect at sun-rising.

We are surprised to find, in a poet of such antiquity, numbers so nervous and flowing: a circumstance which greatly contributed to render Dryden's paraphrase of this poem the most animated and harmonious piece of versifi|cation in the English language. I cannot leave the KNIGHT'S TALE without remarking, that the inventor of this poem, appears to have possessed considerable talents for the artificial construction of a story. It exhibits unexpected and striking turns of fortune; and abounds in those incidents which are calculated to strike the fancy by opening resources to sublime description, or interest the heart by pathetic situa|tions. On this account, even without considering the poetical and exterior ornaments of the piece, we are hardly disgusted with the mixture of manners, the confusion of times, and the like violations of propriety, which this poem, in common with all others of its age, presents in almost every page. The action is supposed to have happened soon after the marriage of Theseus with Hippolita, and the death of Creon in the siege of Thebes: but we are soon transported into more recent periods. Sunday, the celebration of matins, judicial astrology, heraldry, tilts and tournaments, knights of Eng|land, and targets of Prussia x 1.116, occur in the city of Athens under the reign of Theseus.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Johnson's DICTION. Pref. p. 1.
• b 1.2

  The earl of Salisbury, beheaded by Henry the fourth, could not but patronise Chaucer. I do not mean for political rea|sons. The earl was a writer of verses, and very fond of poetry. On this account, his acquaintance was much cultivated by the famous Christina of Pisa; whose works, both in prose and verse, compose so consi|derable a part of the old French literature. She used to call him,

  "Gracieux chevalier, aimant dictiez, et lui-meme gracieux dic|teur."

  See M. Boivin, Mem. Lit. tom. ii. p. 767. seq. 4^to. I have seen none of this earl's Ditties. Otherwise he would have been here considered in form, as an English poet.
• c 1.3

  Froissart was also present. VIE DE PETRARQUE. iii. 772. Amst. 1766. 4^to. I believe Paulus Jovius is the first who me••|tions this anecdote. Vit. Galeas. ii. p. 152.
• d 1.4

  Leland Script. Brit. 421.
• e 1.5

  Gower, Confess. Amant. l. v. fol. 190. b. Barthel. 1554.

  And grete wel Chaucer, when ye mete, As my dis••••ple and my poete: For in the flowers of his youth, In sundrie wise as he well couth, Of dites and of songes glade The which he for my sake made, etc.
• f 1.6

  See H. Wharton, Append. Cav. p. 49.
• g 1.7

  Such as Bartholomew Hantwille De Propri••ta••ibus Rerum, lib. xix. Printed by Wynkyn de Worde, 1494. fol. And Vege|tius De Arte Militari. MSS. Digb. 233. Bibl. Bodl. In the same manuscript is Aegi|dius Romanus De R••gimine Principum, a translation probably by Trevisa. He also translated some pieces of Richard Fitzralph, archbishop of Armagh. See supr. p. 291. He wrote a tract, prefixed to his version of the POLYCHRONICON, on the utility of translations. De Utilitate Translationum, Dialogus int••r Clericum et Patronum. See more of his translations in MSS. Harl. 1900. I do not find his ENGLISH BIBLE in any of our libraries, nor do I believe that any copy of it now remains. Caxton mentions it in the preface to his edition of the English POLYCHRONICON.
• h 1.8

  It is observable, that he made his translation from the vulgate Latin version of Jerom. It was finished 1383. See MS. Cod. Bibl. Coll. Eman. Cant. 102.
• i 1.9

  Chaucer alludes to some book from whence this tale was taken, more than once, viz. v. 1.

  "Whilom, as olde stories tellin us."

  v. 1465.

  "As olde bookes to us saine, that all this storie telleth more plain."

  v. 2814.

  "Of soulis fynd I nought in this registre."

  That is, this History, or narrative. See also v. 2297. In the Legende of good women, where Chau|••••r's works are mentioned, is this pas|sage, which I do not well understand. v. 420.

  And al the love of Palamon and Arcite Of Thebis, though the storie is known lite.
• k 1.10

  Goujet, Bibl. Fr. Tom. vii. p. 328. But we must except, that besides the poem mentioned below, Boccacio's AMAZONIDA, E FORZE D'ERCOLE, are both now ex|tant: and were printed at Ferrara in, or about, the year 1475. fol.
• l 1.11

  See Crescimben. I••tor. Volgar. Poes. vol. i. L. i. p. 65. Ven. 1731. 4^to.
• m 1.12

  Poema della TESEIDE del Boccacio chiosato, e dichia••ato du Andrea de Bassi in Ferrara, 1475. fol.
• n 1.13

  4^to.
• o 1.14

  In Lydgate's TEMPLE OF GLAS, never printed, among the lovers painted on the wall is The••eus killing the Mino|••aure. I suppose from Ovid. Bibl. Bodl. MSS. Fair••ax, 16. Or from Chaucer, Le|gende Ar••adne.
• p 1.15

  See•• p. 126. supr. And foregoing not••.
• q 1.16

  MSS. Bibl. [Reg. Paris.] Tom. ii. 974. E.
• r 1.17

  Fol. tom. ii. Again•• ibid. 4^to. Bl. Lett. See Lenglet, Bibl. Rom. p. 191.
• s 1.18

  The chevaliers of the courts of Charles the fifth and sixth adopted names from the old romances, such as Lancelot, Gadifer, Carados, &c. Mem. anc. Cheval. i. p. 340.
• t 1.19

  See p. 141. supr.
• u 1.20

  See Historie du Perce••orrest roy de la Gr. Bretagne, et Gadiffer roy d'Escosse, &c. 6 tom. Paris, 1531. fol.
• w 1.21

  Bibl. MSS. ut supr. p. 773.
• x 1.22

  Ut supr. p. 329.
• y 1.23

  4^to. There is a French prose transla|tion with it. The THESEID has also been translated into French prose by D. C. C. 1597. 12^mo. Paris.

  "La THESEIDE de Jean Boccace, contenant les chastes amours de deux chevaliers Thebans, Arcite et Polemon, &c."

  Jane de la Fontaine also translated into French verse this poem. She died 1536. Her translation was never printed. It is applauded by Joannes Secundus, Eleg. xv.
• z 1.24

  Giorn. vii. Nov. 10. pag. 348. edit. Vineg. 1548. 4^to. Chaucer himself alludes to this story, B••. Kn. v. 369. Perhaps on the same principle.
• a 1.25

  A manuscript of it is in the Royal li|brary at Paris, Cod. 2569. Du Cange, Ind. Auct. Gloss. Gr. Barb. ii. p. 65. col. 1.
• b 1.26

  About which period it is probable that the anonymous Greek poem, called the Loves of Lybister and Rhodamna, was writ|ten. This appears by the German name Frederic, which often occurs in it, and is grecised, with many other German words. In a manuscript of this poem which Crusius saw, were many paintings and illumina|tions; where, in the representation of a battle, he observed no guns, but javelins, and bows and arrows. He adds,

  "et mu|sicae testudines."

  It is written in the iambic measure mentioned below. It is a series of wandering adventures with little art or invention. Lybister, the son of a Latin king, and a Christian, sets forward accompanied with an hundred attendants in search of Rhodamna, whom he had lost by the stratagems of a certain old woman skilled in magic. He meets Clitophon son of a king of Armenia. They undergo various dangers in different countries. Ly|bister relates his dream concerning a par|tridge and an eagle; and how from that dream he fell in love with Rhodamna daughter of Chyses a pagan king, and communicated his passion by sending an arrow, to which his name was affixed, into a tower, or castle, called Argyrocastre, &c. See Crusii Turco-Graecia, p. 974. But we find a certain specie•• of erotic romances, some in verse and some in prose, exi••ting in the Greek empire, the remains and the dregs of Heliodorus, Achilles Tatius, Xeno|phon the Ephesian, Charito, Eustathius or Eumathius, and others, about or rather be|fore the year 1200. Such are the Loves of Rhodan••e and Dosicles of Theodorus Pro|dromus, who wrote about the year 1130. This piece was imitated by Nicetas Euge|nianus in the Loves of Charicell and Dro|silla. See Labb. Bibl. Nov. Manu••cript. p. 220. Whether or no The Loves of Cal|••imac••us and ••hrysorrhoe, The Erot••c his|tory of Hemperius, The history of the Loves of Florius and Platzaflora, with some others, all by anonymous authors, and in Greco-barbarous iambics, were written at Constantinople; or whether they were the compositions of the learned Greeks after their dispersion, of whom more will be ••aid hereafter, I am not able to determine. See Nessell. i. p. 342. 343. Meurs. Gloss. Gr. Barb. V. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. And Lambecc. v. p. 262. 264.
• c 1.27

  As also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ha••tiludium. Fr. Tour|••oi. And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hastiludio co••tendere. John Cantacuzenus relates, that when Anne of Savoy, daughter of Amadeus, the fourth earl of the Allobroges, was married to the emperor Andronicus, junior, the Frankish and Savoya••d nobles, who accompanied the princess, held tilts and tournaments before the court at Constantinople; which, he adds, the Greeks learned o•• the Franks. This was in the year 1326. Hist. Byzant. ••. i. cap. 42. But Nicetas says, that when the emperor Manuel made some stay at Antioch, the Greeks held a solemn tourna|ment against the Franks. This was about the year 1160. Hist. Byzant. l. iii. cap. 3. Cinnamus observes, that the same emperor Manuel altered the shape of the ••hields and lances of the Greeks to those of the Franks. Hist. Byzant. lib. iii. Nicephorus ••re|goras, who wrote about the year 1340•• affirms, that the Greeks learned this prac|tice from the Franks. Hist. Byzant. l. x. p. 339. edit. fol. Genev. 1615. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Knights, Ch••valiers, occurs often in ••he Byzantine histo••ians, even as early as Anna Commena, who wrote about 1140. Alexiad. lib. xiii. p. 411. And we have in J. Cantacuzenus,

  "〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,"

  He conferred the honour of Knighthood. This indeed is said of the Franks. Hist. ut supr. l. iii. cap. 25. And in the Greek poem now under consideration one of the titles is,

  "〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉."

  How Theseus dubbed the two Thebans Knights. lib. vii. Signatur. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. fol. vers.
• d 1.28

  Giorn. v. Nov. 1.
• e 1.29

  That is versus politici abovementioned, a sort of loose iambic. See Langii PHI|LOLOGIA GRAECO-BARBARA. Tzetes's Chiliads are written in this versification. See Du Cange, Gl. Gr. ii. col. 1. 96.
• f 1.30

  Crus. ut supr. p. 373. 399. See supr. p. 129.
• g 1.31

  That is, Rhythmically, Poetically. Gr. Barb.
• h 1.32

  Du Cange mentions,

  "〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉."

  Ind. Auct. Gloss. Gr. Barb. ii. p. 36. col. b. Com|pare Fabricius, Bibl. Gr. vi. 821. I be|lieve it was first printed at Venice, 1563. viz.

  "Historia Apollonii Tyanaei, [Ty|rensis] Ven. 1563. Liber Eroticus, Gr. barb. lingua exaratus ad modum ryth|morum nostrorum, rarissimus audit, &c."

  Vogt. Catal. libr. rarior. p. 345. edit. 1753. I think it was reprinted at Venice, 1696. apud Nicol. Glycem. 8vo. In the works of Velserus, there is Narratio Eorum quae Apolloni•• regi acciderunt, &c. He says it was first written by some Greek author. Velseri Op. p. 697. edit. 1682. fol. The L••tin is in Bibl. Bodl. MSS. Laud, 39.—Bodl. F. 7. 7. And F. 11. 45. In the pre|face, Velserus, who died 1614, says, that he believes the original in Greek still re|mains at Constantinople, in the library of Manuel Eugenicus. Montsaucon mentions a noble copy of this romance, written in the thirteenth century, in the royal library at Paris. Bibl. MSS. p. 753. Compare MSS. Langb. Bibl. Bodl. vi. p. 15. G••sta Apol|lonii, &c. There is a manuscript in Saxon of the romance of APOLLONIUS OF TYRE. Wanley's Catal. apud Hickes, ii. 146. See Martin. Crusii Turco-Graec. p. 209. edit. 1594 Gower recites many stories of this romance in his CONFESSIO AMANTIS. He calls Apollonius

  "a yonge, a freshe, a lustie knight."

  See Lib. viii. fol. 175. b.—185. a. But he refers to Godfrey of Viterbo's PANTH••ON, or universal Chro|nicle, called also Memoriae Saeculorum, partly in prose, partly verse, from the Creation of the world, to the year 1186. The au|thor died in 1190.

  —A Croni••e in daies gone The which is cleped Panteone, &c.

  fol. 175. a. The play called PERICLE•• PRINCE OF TYRE, attributed to Shake|speare, is taken from this story of Apol|lonius as told by Gower, who speaks the Prologue. It existed in Latin before the year 900. See Barth. Adversar. lviii. cap. i. Chaucer calls him

  "of Tyre Apolloneus."

  PROL. Man. L. TALE. v. 81. p. 50. Urr. edit. And quotes from this romance,

  How that the cursid king Antiochus Biraste his daughter of hir maidinhede, That is so horrible a tale to rede, When he her drewe upon the pavement.

  In the royal library there is

  "Histoire d'Apollin roy de Thir."

  Brit. Mus. MSS. Reg. 20 C. ii. 2. With regard to the French editions of this romance, the oldest I have seen is,

  "Plaisante et agre|able Histoire d' Apollonius prince de Thyr en Affrique et Toy d' Antioch, tradulte par Gilles Corozet, Paris, 1530. 8vo."

  And there is an old black-letter edition, printed in quarto at Geneva, enti|tled,

  "La Chronique d' Appollin roy de Thir."

  〈…〉〈…〉 the story appeared in a modern dress by M. le Brun, under the title of

  "Avantures d'Apollonius de Thyr,"

  printed in twelves at Paris and Roterdam, in 1710. And again at Paris the follow|ing year.
• k 1.33

  So I translate

  "alios id genus minores libellos."

  Crus. ibid. p. 489. Crusius was born in 1526, and died 1607.
• l 1.34

  At the end of Le Triumphe des NEUF PREUX, &c. fol. That is, The NINE WORTHIES.
• m 1.35

  See du Cange, Gl. Gr. Barb. ii. Ind. Auctor. p. 36. col. b. This history con|tains Beltrand's, or Bertrand's amours with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Chrysatsa, the king of Antioch's daughter.
• n 1.36

  See Lambecc. Bibl. Caesar. Lib v. p. 264. It is remarkable, that the story of Date obolum Belis••rio is not in Procopius, but in this romance. Probably Vandyck got this story from a modernised edition of it, called B••LLISAIRE ou le Conquerant, Paris. 1643. 8vo. Which, however, is said in the title-page to be taken from Proco|pius. It was written by the sieur de Gre|nailles.
• o 1.37

  They sometimes applied their Greek iambics to the works of the antient Greek poets. Demetrius Zenus, above-menti|oned, translated Homer's 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: and Nicolaus Lucanus, the Iliad. The first was printed at Venice, and afterwards re|printed by Crusius, Turco-Graec. p. 373. The latter was also printed at Venice, 1526. apud Steph. Sabium. This Demetrius Zenus is said to be the author of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or BATTLE OF THE CATS AND MICE. See Crus. ubi supr. 396. And Fabric. Bibl. Gr. i. 264. 223. On account of the Greco-barbarous books which began to grow common, chiefly in Italy, about the year 1520, Stephen a Sabio, or Sabius, above-mentioned, the printer of many of them, published a Greco-barbarous lexicon at Venice, 1527, entitled,

  "CORONA PRETIOSA, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉."

  It is a mixture of modern and antient Greek words, Latin and Italian. It was reprinted at Venice by Petrus Burana, 1546.
• p 1.38

  See Lenglet's Bibl. Rom. p. 253.

  "Le Roman de Troylus."

  And Montfaucon, Bibl. MSS. p. 792. 793. &c. &c. There is,

  "L'Amore di Troleo et Griseida que si tratta in buone parte la Guerra di Troja, d'Angelo Leonico, Ven. 1553."

  in octave rhyme. 8vo. More will be said of this hereafter, p. 384.
• q 1.39

  Lud. Viv. de Christiana Femina. lib. i. cap. cui tit. Qui non legendi Scriptores, &c. He lived at Bruges. He mentions other romances common in Flanders, LEONELA AND CANAMOR, CURIAS AND F••ORELA, and PYRAMUS AND THISBE.
• r 1.40

  FLORES y BLANCAFLOR. En Alcala, 1512. 4to.—Histoire Amoreuse de FLORES et de BLANCHEFLEUR, traduite de l'Es|pagnol par Jacques Vincent. Paris, 1554. 8vo.—FLORIMONT ET PASSEROZE, tra|duite de l'Espagnol en prose Françoise, Lyon, 15... 8vo. There is a French edition at Lyons, 1571. It was perhaps originally Spanish.
• s 1.41

  See supr. p. 348. In the Notes. Where, for want of further information, I left this point doubtful.
• t 1.42

  For the use of the Greek THESEID I am obliged to the politeness of Mr. Stan|ley, who condescends to patronise and as|sist the studies he so well understands. I believe there is but one more copy in England, belonging to Mr. Ramsay the painter. Yet I have been told that Dr. George, provost of King's, had a copy. The first edition of the Italian book, no less valuable a curiosity, is in the excel|lent library of the very learned and com|municative Dr. Askew. This is the only copy in England. See BIBL. SMITH. Ad|dend. fol. xl. Venet. 1755. 4to.
• u 1.43

  Thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 means paintings, pro|perly history-paintings, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is to paint, in barbarous Greek. There are various examples in the Byzan|tine writers. In middle Latinity Historic|graphus signifies literally a Painter. Per|haps our HISTORIOGRAPHER ROYAL was originally the king's Illuminator. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 occurs in an Inscription published by Du Cange, Dissertat. Joinv. xxvii. p. 319. Where 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 implies an artist who painted in mosaic work called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Musivum. In the Greek poem before us 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is used for a Painter, lib. ii.

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

  In the middle Latin writers we have deping•••••• HISTORIALITER, To paint with histories or figures, viz.

  "Forinsecus dealbavit illud [delubrum,] intrinsecus autem depinxit historialiter."

  Dudo de Act. Norman. l. iii. p. 153. Dante uses the Italian word before us in the same sense. Dante, Purgat. Cant. x.

  Quivi era HISTORIATA l' alta gloria Del Roman Prince.—

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 frequently occurs, simply for picture or representation in colours. Nilus Monach. lib. iv. Epist. 61. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

  "PICTURES of birds, serpents, and plants."

  And in a thousand other instances.
• x 1.44

  L. vii.
• w 1.45

  From which it was thought proper to give on larger specimen, as the language is intelligible only to a very few curious scholars.
• x 1.46

  L. vii. Sign. μ g.
• a 1.47

  Sound.
• b 1.48

  Precipice.
• c 1.49

  Burnished.
• d 1.50

  Noise.
• e 1.51

  "It strained the doors: Almost forced them from their hinges."
• f 1.52

  A great tun. A tun-weight.
• g 1.53

  Coal.
• h 1.54

  Fear.
• i 1.55

  Dryden has converted this image into clerical hypocrisy, under which he takes an opportunity of gratifying his spleen against the clergy. Knight's Tale, B. ii. p. 56. edit. 1713.

  Next stood Hypocrisy with holy leer, Soft-smiling and demurely looking down, But hid the dagger underneath the gown.
• k 1.56

  Perhaps, for shepyn we should read chepyn, or cheping, i. e. a town, a place of trade. This line is therefore to represent, A City on fire. In Wickliffe's bible we have,

  "It is lyk to children sittynge in CHEPYNGE."

  Matt. xi. 16.
• l 1.57

  Dryden has lowered this image,

  Th' assassinating wife.—
• m 1.58

  Strife.
• n 1.59

  This image is likewise entirely misre|presented by Dryden, and turned to a satire on the church.

  Contest with sharpen'd knives in cloysters drawn, And all with blood bespread the holy lawn.
• o 1.60

  Any disagreeable noise, or hollow mur|mur. Properly, the jarring of a door upon the hinges. See also Chaucer's Boeth. p. 364. b. Urr. edit.

  "When the felde chirkinge agrisethe of the colde, by the fellnesse of the wind Aquilon."

  The original is,

  "Vento Campus inhorruit."
• p 1.61

  Head.
• q 1.62

  In the night.
• r 1.63

  This couplet refers to the suicide in the preceding one: who is supposed to kill himself by driving a nail into his head in the night, and to be found dead and cold in his bed, with his

  "mouth gapyng up|ryght."

  This is properly the meaning of his

  "hair being bathed in blood."

  Shode, in the text, is literally a bush of hair. Dryden has finely paraphrased this passage.
• s 1.64

  Madness.
• t 1.65

  Throat cut.
• u 1.66

  "Slain, not destroyed by sickness or dying a natural death."
• w 1.67

  Devouring.
• x 1.68

  Charioteer.
• y 1.69

  Chariot.
• z 1.70

  Anvil.
• a 1.71

  v. 1998. p. 16. Urr.
• b 1.72

  There are many other instances of this mixture. v. 1179.

  "We strive as did the houndis for the bone."

  v. 1264.

  "We fare as he that dronk is as a mouse, &c."

  v. 2762.

  "Farewel physick! Go bere the corse to church."

  v. 2521.

  "Some said he lokid grim and he wolde ••ight, &c."
• c 1.73

  Form, or figure. Statuary is not im|plied here. Thus he mentions the statue of Mars on a banner, supr. v. 977. I cannot forbear adding in this place these fine verses of Mars arming himself in haste, from our author's Complaint of Mars and Venus, v. 99.

  He throwith on his helme of hugè weight; And girt him with his sworde, and in his hond His mighty spere, as he was wont to feight, He shekith so, that it al••ost to wende.

  Here we see the force of description with|out a profusion of idle epithets. These verses are all sinew: they have nothing but verbs and substantives.
• d 1.74

  Chariot.
• e 1.75

  Mad.
• f 1.76

  Recording.
• g 1.77

  v. 2043.
• h 1.78

  Chaucer points out this very temple in the introductory lines, v. 1981.

  Like to the estries of the grisly place That hight the grete temple of Mars in Thrace. In thilke cold and frosty region, Ther as Mars has his sovran mansion.
• i 1.79

  Stat. Theb. vii. 40. And below we have Chaucer's Doors of adamant eterne, viz. v. 68.

  —Clausaeque adamante perenni Dissiluere fores.—

  Statius also calls Mars, Armipotens. v. 78. A sacrifice is copied from Statius, where says Chaucer, v. 2296.

  And did her thingis as men might behold In Stace of Thebes.—

  I think Statius is copied in a simile, v. 1640. The introduction of this poem is also taken from the Thebaid, xii. 545. 481. 797. Compare Chaucer's lines, v. 870. seq. v. 917. seq. v. 996. seq. The funeral pyre of Arcite is also translated from Theb. vi. 195. seq. See Ch. v. 2940. seq. I likewise take this opportunity of observing, that Lucretius and Plato are imitated in this poem. Together with many passages from Ovid and Virgil.
• k 1.80

  In Troilus and Cresside he has translated the arguments of the twelve books of the The|baid of Statius. See B. v. p. 1479. seq.
• l 1.81

  v. 2375.
• m 1.82

  You.
• n 1.83

  A bear's.
• o 1.84

  As big as your arm.
• p 1.85

  Greyhounds. A favourite species of dogs in the middle ages. In the antient pipe-rolls, payments are frequently made in greyhounds. Rot. Pip. an. 4. Reg. Johann. [A. D. 1203.]

  "Rog. Constabul. Cestrie de|bet D. Marcas, et X. palfridos et X. laissas Leporariorum pro habenda terra Vidonis de Loverell de quibus debet reddere per ann. C. M."

  Ten leashes of greyhounds. Rot. Pip. an. 9. Reg. Johann. [A. D. 1208.]

  "SUTHANT. Johan. Teingre debet C. M. et X. leporarios magnos, pulchros, et bonos, de redemtione sua, &c."

  Rot. Pip. an. 11. Reg. Johan. [A. D. 1210.]

  "EVE|RVEYCSIRE. Rog. de Mallvell redd. comp. de I. palefrido velociter currente, et II. Laisiis leporariorum pro habendis literis deprecatoriis ad Matildam de M."

  I could give a thousand other instances of the sort.
• q 1.86

  Muzzle.
• r 1.87

  In Hawes's PASTIME OF PLEASURE, [written temp. Hen. vii.] Fame is attended with two greyhounds; on whose golden collars Grace and Governaunce, are in|scribed in diamond letters. See next note.
• s 1.88

  Rings. The fastening of dogs collars. They are often mentioned in the INVEN|TORY of furniture, in the royal palaces of Henry the eighth, above cited. MSS. Harl. 1419. In the Castle of Windsor. Article COLLARS. f. 409.

  "Two greyhoundes collars of crimsun velvett and cloth of gold, lacking torrettes." — "Two other collars with the kings armes, and at the ende portcullis and rose." — "Item, a collar embrawdered with pomegra|nates and roses with turrets of silver and gilt." — "A collar garnished with stole|worke with one shallop shelle of silver and gilte, with torrettes and pendauntes of silver and guilte." — "A collar of white velvette, embrawdered with perles, the swivels of silver."
• t 1.89

  Filed. Highly polished.
• u 1.90

  v. 2129.
• w 1.91

  See this word expl••ined above, p. 176.
• x 1.92

  Not of Tarsus in Cilicia. It is rather an abbreviation for Tartarin, or Tartarium. See Chaucer's Flowre and Leafe, v. 212.

  On every trumpe hanging a brode bannere Of fine Tartarium full richely bete.

  That it was a costly stuff appears from hence.

  "Et ad faciendum unum Jupoun de Tartaryn blu pouderat. cum garterii•• blu paratis cum boucles et pendants de argento deaurato."

  Comp. J. Coke Pro|visoris Magn. Garderob. temp. Edw. iii. ut supr. It often occurs in the wardrob••|accounts for furnishing to••••naments. Du Cange says, that this was a fine cloth ma|nufactured in Tartary. Glo••••. Tartarium. But Skinner in V. derives it from Torto••a in the Milanese. He cites Stat. 4. Hen. viii. c. vi.
• y 1.93

  Burnt. Burnished.
• z 1.94

  Quite full.
• a 1.95

  Rings.
• b 1.96

  Lemon-colour. Lat. Citrinus.
• c 1.97

  Sprinkled.
• d 1.98

  "A mixture of black and yellow."
• e 1.99

  Cast. Darted.
• f 1.100

  See supr. p. 166.
• g 1.101

  Armour.
• h 1.102

  Libbard. v. 2157.
• i 1.103

  v. 977.
• k 1.104

  v. 1277.
• l 1.105

  Ashes.
• m 1.106

  Stayed.
• n 1.107

  V. 1363.
• o 1.108

  Squallid.
• p 1.109

  V. 2884.
• q 1.110

  V. 1576.
• r 1.111

  Saluteth.
• s 1.112

  In the Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. iii. Signat. ε e iiii. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. See Dante, Purgat. c. 1. p. 234.
• t 1.113

  Groves. Bushes.
• u 1.114

  1493.
• w 1.115

  V. 1037.
• x 1.116

  The knights of the Teutonic order were settled in Prussia, before 1300. See also Ch. Prol. v. 53. Where tournaments in Prussia are mentioned. Arcite quotes a fable from Aesop, v. 1179.