The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems
to know the time at which they should meet.
52. A tale of Wade: see note 5 to the Merchant’s Tale.
53. Saturn, and Jove, in Cancer joined were: a conjunction that
imported rain.
54. Smoky rain: An admirably graphic description of dense rain.
55. For the force of “cold,” see note 22 to the Nun’s Priest’s
Tale.
56. Goddes seven: The divinities who gave their names to the
seven planets, which, in association with the seven metals, are
mentioned in The Canon’s Yeoman’s Tale.
57. Assayed: experienced, tasted. See note 6 to the Squire’s
Tale.
58. Now is it better than both two were lorn: better this happy
issue, than that both two should be lost (through the sorrow of
fruitless love).
59. Made him such feast: French, “lui fit fete” — made holiday
for him.
60. The cock is called, in “The Assembly of Fowls,” “the
horologe of thorpes lite;” [the clock of little villages] and in The
Nun’s Priest’s Tale Chanticleer knew by nature each ascension
of the equinoctial, and, when the sun had ascended fifteen
degrees, “then crew he, that it might not be amended.” Here he
is termed the “common astrologer,” as employing for the public
advantage his knowledge of astronomy.
61. Fortuna Major: the planet Jupiter.
62. When Jupiter visited Alcmena in the form of her husband
Amphitryon, he is said to have prolonged the night to the length
of three natural nights. Hercules was the fruit of the union.
63. Chaucer seems to confound Titan, the title of the sun, with
Tithonus (or Tithon, as contracted in poetry), whose couch
Aurora was wont to share.
64. So, in “Locksley Hall,” Tennyson says that “a sorrow’s
crown of sorrow is rememb’ring better things.” The original is in
Dante’s words:- -
“Nessun maggior dolore
Che ricordarsi del tempo felice
Nella miseria.” — “Inferno,” v. 121.
(“There is no greater sorrow than to remember happy times
when in misery”)
65. As great a craft is to keep weal as win: it needs as much
skill to keep prosperity as to attain it.
66. To heap: together. See the reference to Boethius in note 91
to the Knight’s Tale.
67. The smalle beastes let he go beside: a charming touch,
indicative of the noble and generous inspiration of his love.
68. Mew: the cage or chamber in which hawks were kept and
carefully tended during the moulting season.
69. Love of steel: love as true as steel.
70. Pandarus, as it repeatedly appears, was an unsucsessful
lover.
71. “Each for his virtue holden is full dear,
Both heroner, and falcon for rivere”:—
That is, each is esteemed for a special virtue or faculty, as the
large gerfalcon for the chase of heron, the smaller goshawk for
the chase of river fowl.
72. Zausis: An author of whom no record survives.
73. And upon new case lieth new advice: new counsels must be
adopted as new circumstances arise.
74. Hid in mew: hidden in a place remote from the world — of
which Pandarus thus betrays ignorance.
75. The modern phrase “sixes and sevens,” means “in
confusion:” but here the idea of gaming perhaps suits the sense
better — “set the world upon a cast of the dice.”
76. The controversy between those who maintained the doctrine
of predestination and those who held that of free-will raged
with no less animation at Chaucer’s day, and before it, than it
has done in the subsequent five centuries; the Dominicans
upholding the sterner creed, the Franciscans taking the other
side. Chaucer has more briefly, and with the same care not to
commit himself, referred to the discussion in The Nun’s Priest’s
Tale.
77. That have their top full high and smooth y-shore: that are
eminent among the clergy, who wear the tonsure.
78. Athamante: Athamas, son of Aeolus; who, seized with
madness, under the wrath of Juno for his neglect of his wife
Nephele, slew his son Learchus.
79. Simois: one of the rivers of the Troad, flowing into the
Xanthus.
80. Troilus was the son of Priam and Hecuba.
81. The son of Tydeus: Diomedes; far oftener called Tydides,
after his father Tydeus, king of Argos.
82. Couthe more than the creed: knew more than the mere
elements (of the science of Love).
83. Arache: wrench away, unroot (French, “arracher”); the
opposite of “enrace,” to root in, implant.
84. It will be remembered that, at the beginning of the first
book, Cressida is introduced to us as a widow.
85. Diomede is called “sudden,” for the unexpectedness of his
assault on Cressida’s heart — or, perhaps, for the abrupt
abandonment of his indifference to love.
86. Penscel: a pennon or pendant; French, “penoncel.” It was
the custom in chivalric times for a knight to wear, on days of
tournament or in battle, some such token of his lady’s favour, or
badge of his service to her.
87. She has been told that Troilus is deceiving her.
88. The Roman kalends were the first day of the month, when a
change of weather was usually expected.
89. Maker, and making, words used in the Middle Ages to
signify the composer and the composition of poetry, correspond
exactly with the Greek “poietes” and “poiema,” from “poieo,” I
make.
90. My rather speech: my earlier, former subject; “rather” is the
cormparative of the old adjective “rath,” early.
91. Up to the hollowness of the seventh sphere: passing up
through the hollowness or concavity of the spheres, which all
revolve round each other and are all contained by God (see note
5 to the Assembly of Fowls), the soul of Troilus, looking
downward, beholds the converse or convex side of the spheres
which it has traversed.
92. Sorted: allotted; from Latin, “sors,” lot, fortune.
93. Rascaille: rabble; French, “racaille” — a mob or multitude,
the riff-raff; so Spencer speaks of the “rascal routs” of inferior
combatants.
94. John Gower, the poet, a contemporary and friend of
Chaucer’s; author, among other works, of the “Confessio
Amantis.” See note 1 to the Man of Law’s Tale.
95. Strode was an eminent scholar of Merton College, Oxford,
and tutor to Chaucer’s son Lewis.
96. Explicit Liber Troili et Cresseidis: “The end of the book of
Troilus and Cressida.”
CHAUCER’S DREAM.
[This pretty allegory, or rather conceit, containing one or two
passages that for vividness and for delicacy yield to nothing in
the whole range of Chaucer’s poetry, had never been printed
before the year 1597, when it was included in the edition of
Speght. Before that date, indeed, a Dream of Chaucer had been
printed; but the poem so described was in reality “The Book of
the Duchess; or the Death of Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster” —
which is not included in the present edition. Speght says that
“This Dream, devised by Chaucer, seemeth to be a covert report
of the marriage of John of Gaunt, the King’s son, with Blanche,
the daughter of Henry, Duke of Lancaster; who after long love
(during the time whereof the poet feigneth them to be dead)
were in the end, by consent of friends, happily married; figured
by a bird bringing in his bill an herb, which restored them to life
again. Here also is showed Chaucer’s match with a certain
gentlewoman, who, although she was a stranger, was,
notwithstanding, so well liked and loved of the Lady Blanche
and her Lord, as Chaucer himself also was, that gladly they
concluded a marriage between them.” John of Gaunt, at the age
of nineteen, and while yet Earl of Richmond, was married to the
Lady Blanche at Reading in May 1359; Chaucer, then a prisoner
in France, probably did not return to England till peace was
concluded in the following year; so that his marriage to Philippa
Roet, the sister of the Duchess Blanche’s favourite attendant
Katharine Roet, could not have taken place till some time after
that of the Duke. In the poem, it is represented to have
immediately followed; but no consequence need be attached to
that statement. Enough that it followed at no great interval of
time; and that the intimate relations which Chaucer had already
begun to form with John of Gaunt, might well warrant him in
writing this poem on the occasion of the Duke’s marriage, and
in weaving his own love-fortunes with those of the principal
figures. In the necessary abridgement of the poem for the
present edition, the subsidiary branch of the allegory, relating to
the poet’s own love affair, has been so far as possible separated
from the main branch, which shadows forth the fortunes of John
and Blanche. The poem, in full, contains, with an “Envoy”
arbitrarily appended, 2233 lines; of which 510 are given here.]
(Transcriber’s note: modern scholars believe that Chaucer was
not the author of this poem)
WHEN Flora, the queen of pleasance,
Had wholly *achiev’d the obeisance* *won the obedience*
Of the fresh and the new season,
Thorough ev’ry region;
And with her mantle *whole covert* *wholly covered*
What winter had *made discovert,* — *stripped*
On a May night, the poet lay alone, thinking of his lady, and all
her beauty; and, falling asleep, he dreamed that he was in an
island
Where wall, and gate, was all of glass,
And so was closed round about,
That leaveless* none came in nor out; *without permission
Uncouth and strange to behold;
For ev’ry gate, of fine gold,
A thousand fanes,* ay turning, *vanes, weathercocks
Entuned* had, and birds singing *contrived so as to emit
Diversely, on each fane a pair, a musical sound
With open mouth, against the air; <1>
And *of a suit* were all the tow’rs, *of the same plan*
Subtilly *carven aft* flow’rs *carved to represent*
Of uncouth colours, *during ay,* *lasting forever*
That never be none seen in May,
With many a small turret high;
But man alive I could not sigh,* *see
Nor creatures, save ladies play,* *disporting themselves
Which were such of their array,
That, as me thought, *of goodlihead* *for comeliness*
They passed all, and womanhead.
For to behold them dance and sing,
It seemed like none earthly thing;
And all were of the same age, save one; who was advanced in
years, though no less gay in demeanour than the rest. While he
stood admiring the richness and beauty of the place, and the
fairness of the ladies, which had the notable gift of enduring
unimpaired till death, the poet was accosted by the old lady, to
whom he had to yield himself prisoner; because the ordinance of
the isle was, that no man should dwell there; and the ladies’ fear
of breaking the law was enhanced by the temporary absence of
their queen from the realm. Just at this moment the cry was
raised that the queen came; all the ladies hastened to meet her;
and soon the poet saw her approach — but in her company his
mistress, wearing the same garb, and a seemly knight. All the
ladies wondered greatly at this; and the queen explained:
“My sisters, how it hath befall,* *befallen
I trow ye know it one and all,
That of long time here have I been
Within this isle biding as queen,
Living at ease, that never wight
More perfect joye have not might;
And to you been of governance
Such as you found in whole pleasance, <2>
In every thing as ye know,
After our custom and our law;
Which how they firste founded were,
I trow ye wot all the mannere.
And who the queen is of this isle, —
As I have been this longe while, —
Each seven years must, of usage,
Visit the heav’nly hermitage,
Which on a rock so highe stands,
In a strange sea, out from all lands,
That for to make the pilgrimage
Is call’d a perilous voyage;
For if the wind be not good friend,
The journey dureth to the end
Of him which that it undertakes;
Of twenty thousand not one scapes.
Upon which rock groweth a tree,