THE POETICAL WORKS OF GEOFF. CHAUCER. IN FOURTEEN VOLUMES. THE MISCELLANEOUS PIECES From Urry's Edition 1721, THE CANTERBURY TALES From Tyrwhitt's Edition 1775. Grete well CHAUCER whan ye mete--- Of ditees and of fonges glade, The which he---made, The londe fullfilled is over all. GOWER. My maifter CHAUCER---chiefe poete of Bretayne---- The gold dewe dropys of fpeche and eloquence The honour of English tong is dede--- My mayfter CHAUCER, floure of eloquence, Univerfel fadir in fcience--- LYDGATE. This londis verray trefour and richeffe---. The firfte fynder of our fayre langage. OCCLEVE. Venerabill CHAUCER, principall poete but pere, Hevinly trumpet, orlege and regulere, In eloquence balme, copdict and diall, O reverend CHAUCER: role of rethouris all, That raife in Brittane evir, quha reidis right VOL. III. EDINBURG: DOUGLAS. DUNBAR. AT THE Apollo Prefs, BY THE MARTINS. THE POETICAL WORKS OF GEOFFREY CHAUCER. VOL. III. CONTAINING HIS CANTERBURY TALES, viz. THE WIF OF BATHES TALE, THE SOMPNOURES TALE, THE CLERKES TALE, I can right now no thrifty Tale fain, Hath fayd hem in fwiche English as he can In o book, he hath fayd hem in another--- Who fo that wol his large Volume feke. TALES, ver. 4465 On Fame's eternal head-roll worthy to be fil'd-- Old Dan Geffrey, in whofe gentle fpright Old CHAUCER, like the morning far, His light thofe mifts and clouds diffolv'd Darkness again the age invades. SPENSER, DENHAM. CHAUCER, him who firft with harmony inform'd AT THE Aрoilo Prefs, BY THE MARTINS. THE CANTERBURY TALES. THE WIFOF BATHESPROLOGUE. EXPERIENCE, though non auctoritee And all were worthy men in hir degree. 5585 5590 5583.] I have already given my reasons for following the beft mff. in placing this Prologue of The Wife of Bathe next to The Man of Lawes Tale, Difcourfe, &c. § 16. The want of a few verses to connect this Prologue with the preceding Tale was perceived long ago, and the defect was attempted to be fupplied by the author of the following lines, which in ms. B. are prefixed to the common Prologue; Oure Ooft gan tho to loke up anon. Gode men, quod he, herkeneth everichone, This Marchant hath itold a mery Tale, Howe Januarie hadde a lither jāpe, But hereof I wil lere off as now. Dame Wyf of Bathe, qoud he, I pray you To done yow alle difporte as that I can. The fame lines are in mf. Bod. C. and C. I print them here in |