Canterbury Tales and Other Poems by Geoffrey Chaucer (best summer reads .TXT) 📕

Hortensius. It would be in better keeping with the spirit of the poet’s praise, to believe that we should read “Porcia Catoun” — Porcia the daughter of Cato, who was married to Brutus, and whose perfect wifehood has been celebrated in The Franklin’s Tale. See note 25 to the Franklin’s Tale.

 

15. Isoude: See note 21 to “The Assembly of Fowls”.

 

16. Lavine: Lavinia, the heroine of the Aeneid, who became the wife of Aeneas.

 

17. Polyxena, daughter of Priam, king of Troy, fell in love with Achilles, and, when he was killed, she fled to the Greek camp, and slew herself on the tomb of her hero-lover.

 

18. Mountance: extent, duration. See note 84 to “The House of Fame”.

 

19. Relic: emblem; or cherished treasure; like the relics at the shrines of saints.

 

20. Losengeour: deceiver. See note 31 to the Nun’s Priest’s Tale.

 

21. “Toteler” is an old form of the word “tatler,” from the Anglo-Saxon, “totaelan,” to talk much, to tattle.

 

22. Envy is lavender of the court alway: a “lavender” is a washerwoman or laundress; the word represents “meretrice”in Dante’s original — meaning a courtezan; but we can well understand that Chaucer thought it prudent, and at the same time more true to the moral state of the English Court, to change the character assigned to Envy. He means that Envy is perpetually at Court, like some garrulous, bitter old woman employed there in the most servile offices, who remains at her post through all the changes among the courtiers. The passage cited from Dante will be found in the “Inferno,” canto xiii. 64 —

69.

 

23. Chaucer says that the usurping lords who seized on the government of the free Lombard cities, had no regard for any rule of government save sheer tyranny — but a natural lord, and no usurper, ought not to be a tyrant.

 

24. Farmer: one who merely farms power or revenue for his own purposes and his own gain.

 

25. This was the first version of the Knight’s tale. See the introductory note, above

 

26. Boece: Boethius’ “De Consolatione Philosophiae;” to which frequent reference is made in The Canterbury Tales. See, for instances, note 91 to the Knight’s Tale; and note 34 to the Squire’s Tale.

 

27. A poem entitled “The Lamentation of Mary Magdalene,”

said to have been “taken out of St Origen,” is included in the editions of Chaucer; but its authenticity, and consequently its identity with the poem here mentioned, are doubted.

 

28. For the story of Alcestis, see note 11 to “The Court of Love.”

 

29. “For he who gives a gift, or doth a grace, Do it betimes, his thank is well the more”

A paraphrase of the well-known proverb, “Bis dat qui cito dat.”

(“He gives twice who gives promptly”)

 

30. The same prohibition occurs in the Fifteenth Statute of “The Court of Love.”

 

31. Chaucer is always careful to allege his abstinence from the pursuits of gallantry; he does so prominently in “The Court of Love,” “The Assembly of Fowls,” and “The House of Fame.”

 

32. Pity runneth soon in gentle heart: the same is said of Theseus, in The Knight’s Tale, and of Canace, by the falcon, in The Squire’s Tale.

 

33. Stellify: assign to a place among the stars; as Jupiter did to Andromeda and Cassiopeia.

 

34. Agathon: there was an Athenian dramatist of this name, who might have made the virtues and fortunes of Alcestis his theme; but the reference is too vague for the author to be identified with any confidence.

 

CHAUCER’S A. B. C. <1>

CALLED

LA PRIERE DE NOSTRE DAME <2>

 

A.

 

ALMIGHTY and all-merciable* Queen, *all-merciful To whom all this world fleeth for succour, To have release of sin, of sorrow, of teen! affliction Glorious Virgin! of all flowers flow’r, To thee I flee, confounded in errour!

Help and relieve, almighty debonair, gracious, gentle Have mercy of my perilous languour!

Vanquish’d me hath my cruel adversair.

 

B.

 

Bounty* so fix’d hath in thy heart his tent, goodness, charity That well I wot thou wilt my succour be; Thou canst not warne that* with good intent refuse he who

Asketh thy help, thy heart is ay so free!

Thou art largess* of plein** felicity, liberal bestower *full Haven and refuge of quiet and rest!

Lo! how that thieves seven <3> chase me!

Help, Lady bright, ere that my ship to-brest! be broken to pieces C.

 

Comfort is none, but in you, Lady dear!

For lo! my sin and my confusion,

Which ought not in thy presence to appear, Have ta’en on me a grievous action, control Of very right and desperation!

And, as by right, they mighte well sustene That I were worthy my damnation,

Ne were it mercy of you, blissful Queen!

 

D.

 

Doubt is there none, Queen of misericorde, compassion That thou art cause of grace and mercy here; God vouchesaf’d, through thee, with us t’accord; to be reconciled For, certes, Christe’s blissful mother dear!

Were now the bow y-bent, in such mannere As it was first, of justice and of ire, The rightful God would of no mercy hear; But through thee have we grace as we desire.

 

E.

 

Ever hath my hope of refuge in thee be’; For herebefore full oft in many a wise Unto mercy hast thou received me.

But mercy, Lady! at the great assize,

When we shall come before the high Justice!

So little fruit shall then in me be found, That,* thou ere that day correcte me, *unless Of very right my work will me confound.

 

F.

 

Flying, I flee for succour to thy tent, Me for to hide from tempest full of dread; Beseeching you, that ye you not absent, Though I be wick’. O help yet at this need!

All* have I been a beast in wit and deed, although Yet, Lady! thou me close in with thy grace; Thine enemy and mine,* — Lady, take heed! — the devil

Unto my death in point is me to chase.

 

G.

 

Gracious Maid and Mother! which that never Wert bitter nor in earthe nor in sea, <4>

But full of sweetness and of mercy ever, Help, that my Father be not wroth with me!

Speak thou, for I ne dare Him not see; So have I done in earth, alas the while!

That, certes, but if thou my succour be, To sink etern He will my ghost exile.

 

H.

 

He vouchesaf’d, tell Him, as was His will, Become a man, *as for our alliance, to ally us with god*

And with His blood He wrote that blissful bill Upon the cross, as general acquittance To ev’ry penitent in full creance; belief And therefore, Lady bright! thou for us pray; Then shalt thou stenten* alle His grievance, *put an end to And make our foe to failen of his prey.

 

I.

 

I wote well thou wilt be our succour,

Thou art so full of bounty in certain; For, when a soule falleth in errour,

Thy pity go’th, and haleth* him again; draweth Then makest thou his peace with his Sov’reign, And bringest him out of the crooked street: Whoso thee loveth shall not love in vain, That shall he find as he the life shall lete. when he leaves life*

K.

 

Kalendares illumined be they brilliant exemplars

That in this world be lighted with thy name; And whoso goeth with thee the right way, Him shall not dread in soule to be lame; Now, Queen of comfort! since thou art the same To whom I seeke for my medicine,

Let not my foe no more my wound entame; injure, molest My heal into thy hand all I resign.

 

L.

 

Lady, thy sorrow can I not portray

Under that cross, nor his grievous penance; But, for your bothe’s pain, I you do pray, Let not our *aller foe* make his boastance, *the foe of us all —

That he hath in his listes, with mischance, Satan*

Convicte that ye both have bought so dear; ensnared that which

As I said erst, thou ground of all substance!

Continue on us thy piteous eyen clear.

 

M.

 

Moses, that saw the bush of flames red Burning, of which then never a stick brenn’d, burned Was sign of thine unwemmed* maidenhead. *unblemished Thou art the bush, on which there gan descend The Holy Ghost, the which that Moses wend weened, supposed Had been on fire; and this was in figure. <5>

Now, Lady! from the fire us do defend, Which that in hell eternally shall dure.

 

N.

 

Noble Princess! that never haddest peer; Certes if any comfort in us be,

That cometh of thee, Christe’s mother dear!

We have none other melody nor glee, pleasure Us to rejoice in our adversity;

Nor advocate, that will and dare so pray For us, and for as little hire as ye,

That helpe for an Ave-Mary or tway.

 

O.

 

O very light of eyen that be blind!

O very lust* of labour and distress! *relief, pleasure O treasurer of bounty to mankind!

The whom God chose to mother for humbless!

From his ancill* <6> he made thee mistress handmaid Of heav’n and earth, our billes up to bede; offer up our petitions*

This world awaiteth ever on thy goodness; For thou ne failedst never wight at need.

 

P.

 

Purpose I have sometime for to enquere Wherefore and why the Holy Ghost thee sought, When Gabrielis voice came to thine ear; He not to war* us such a wonder wrought, *afflict But for to save us, that sithens us bought: Then needeth us no weapon us to save,

But only, where we did not as we ought, Do penitence, and mercy ask and have.

 

Q.

 

Queen of comfort, right when I me bethink That I aguilt* have bothe Him and thee, *offended And that my soul is worthy for to sink, Alas! I, caitiff, whither shall I flee?

Who shall unto thy Son my meane* be? *medium of approach Who, but thyself, that art of pity well? fountain Thou hast more ruth on our adversity

Than in this world might any tongue tell!

 

R.

 

Redress me, Mother, and eke me chastise!

For certainly my Father’s chastising

I dare not abiden in no wise,

So hideous is his full reckoning.

Mother! of whom our joy began to spring, Be ye my judge, and eke my soule’s leach; physician For ay in you is pity abounding

To each that will of pity you beseech.

 

S.

 

Sooth is it that He granteth no pity

Withoute thee; for God of his goodness Forgiveth none, *but it like unto thee; unless it please He hath thee made vicar and mistress thee*

Of all this world, and eke governess

Of heaven; and represseth his justice

After* thy will; and therefore in witness *according to He hath thee crowned in so royal wise.

 

T.

 

Temple devout! where God chose his wonning, abode From which, these misbeliev’d deprived be, To you my soule penitent I bring;

Receive me, for I can no farther flee.

With thornes venomous, O Heaven’s Queen!

For which the earth accursed was full yore, I am so wounded, as ye may well see,

That I am lost almost, it smart so sore!

 

V.

 

Virgin! that art so noble of apparail, aspect That leadest us into the highe tow’r

Of Paradise, thou me *wiss and counsail direct and counsel*

How I may have thy grace and thy succour; All have I been