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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----
Whom all this londe fchulde of ryght preferre,
Sith of our langage he was the lode-fierre----
That made firft to dyftylle and rayne

The gold dewe dropys of fpeche and eloquence
Into our tunge thrugh his excellence.

The honour of English tong is dede---

My mayfter CHAUCER, floure of eloquence,
Mirrour of fructuous entendement,

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,
Mylky fountane, clere Arand, grú rois riall,
Of frefche endite throw, Alpicua and braid.

O reverend CHAUCER: role of rethouris all,
As in oure toung flour imperial

That raife in Brittane evir, quha reidis right
Thou beiris of Makers the triumphs royall,
The frefche enamilt termes celefliall:
This mater couth haif illuminit full bricht,
Was thou nocht, of our Inglis all the light,
Surmounting every toung terrestriall
As far as Mayi's morrow dois midnight.

VOL. III.

EDINBURG:

DOUGLAS.

DUNBAR.

AT THE Apollo Prefs, BY THE MARTINS.
Anno 1782.

THE

POETICAL WORKS

OF

GEOFFREY CHAUCER.

VOL. III.

CONTAINING HIS

CANTERBURY TALES, viz.

THE WIF OF BATHES TALE,
THE FRERES TALE,

THE SOMPNOURES TALE,

THE CLERKES TALE,
THE MARCHANTES TALE,
THE SQUIERES TALE,

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I can right now no thrifty Tale fain,
But CHAUCER, (though he can but lewedly
On metres and on riming craftily)

Hath fayd hem in fwiche English as he can
Of olde time, as knoweth many a man;
And if he have not fayd hem, leve brother,

In o book, he hath fayd hem in another---

Who fo that wol his large Volume feke. TALES, ver. 4465
Dan CHAUCER, well of English undefil'd,

On Fame's eternal head-roll worthy to be fil'd--

Old Dan Geffrey, in whofe gentle fpright
The pure well-head of poetry did dwell....
lle whilft he lived was the foveraigne head
Of thepherds all.......

Old CHAUCER, like the morning far,
To us difcovers day from far;

His light thofe mifts and clouds diffolv'd
Which our dark nation long involv'd;
But he defcending to the shades.

Darkness again the age invades.

SPENSER,

DENHAM.

CHAUCER, him who firft with harmony inform'd
The language of our fathers. His legends blithe

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AT THE Aрoilo Prefs, BY THE MARTINS.
Anno 1782.

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THE CANTERBURY TALES.

THE WIFOF

BATHESPROLOGUE.

EXPERIENCE, though non auctoritee
Were in this world, is right ynough for me
To fpeke of wo that is in mariage;
For, Lordings, fin I twelf yere was of age
(Thanked be God that is eterne on live)
Hufbondes át chirche dore have I had five,
(If I so often might han wedded be)

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,
As everé mote I drynke wyn or ale

This Marchant hath itold a mery Tale,

Howe Januarie hadde a lither jāpe,
His wyf put in his hood an ape.

But hereof I wil lere off as now.

Dame Wyf of Bathe, qoud he, I pray you
Telle us a Tale now, nexte after this.
Sir Ooft, quod fhe, fo God my foule blis
As I fully thereto wil confente,
And also it is myn hole entente

To done yow alle difporte as that I can.
But holde me excufed; I am a woman:
I can not reherfe as thefe clerkes kune.
And riyt anon fhe hath hir Tale bygunne
Experience, &c.

The fame lines are in mf. Bod. C. and C. I print them here in
order to justify myself for not inserting them in the text.

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