Chaucer's Works (ed. Skeat) Vol. I/V

The authorities are: F. (Fairfax 16); Gg. (Gg. 4. 27, Cambridge Univ. Library); Trin. (Trinity Coll. Camb. R. 3. 19); Cx. (Caxton's edition); Harl. (Harleian 7333); O. (St. John's Coll. Oxford); Ff. (Ff. I. 6, Cambridge Univ. Library); occasionally Tn. (Tanner 346); D. (Digby 181); and others. I follow F. mainly, corrected by Gg. (and others); and note all variations from F. of any consequence.


 * Gg. has—Here begynyth the parlement of Foulys; D. The parlement of Fowlis. 2. So F. Harl. Tn.; some transpose hard and sharp. 3. Gg. and others dredful; F. slyder. Gg. O. slit; Cx. flit (for slit); Ff. slydeth (om. so); F. slyd; Trin. fleeth. 5. Gg. (and others) with his wondyrful; F. soo with a dredeful. 7. F. Tn. wake or wynke; rest flete or synke; see 482. 9. Gg. Trin. Harl. that; which the rest omit. 10. Gg. Trin. Cx. Harl. Ff. ful ofte in bokis; F. in bookes ofte to. 11. F. ins. of after and; Gg. om. 13. F. Dar I; Gg. and others I dar. 14. F. suche; Gg. swich. 17. F. Tn. D. why; rest wherfore (wherfor).

21. Gg. faste; F. fast. Harl. radde; F. rad; Gg. redde. 22. F. seyth; Gg. sey. 24. F. feythe; Gg. fey. 26. Gg. O. as of this; Trin. Cx. Harl. Ff. of this; F. of my firste. 28. Gg. Ff. me thou&#x21D;te; Trin. Cx. Harl. me thought hit; F. thought me. 30. Gg. Cx. thus; F. Trin. Harl. there. Gg. and rest as I schal; F. I shal yow. 31. F. inserts the after dreme of; the rest omit. Trin. Harl. O. Scipioun; F. Cipioun; Gg. sothion (!). 32. F. hyt had vij; Gg. and the rest seuene It hadde. 33. Ff. therInne; F. and the rest theryn (wrongly). 34. Gg. it; O. of; the rest omit. 35. Gg. seyn; F. tel; the rest sey (say). 37. F. In-to; rest In. F. Aufryke; Gg. Affrik. 39. For hit all wrongly have he; see ll. 36, 43. 40. Harl. betwix; F. betwixt. 41. Gg. Affrican; F. Aufrikan. 42. F. on; rest in. 43. F. tolde he hym; Gg. Trin. Cx. Harl. tellith it; O. Ff. tellithe he. 44. Gg. Affrycan; F. Aufrikan. F. y-shewed; rest schewid, shewyd, &c.

46. Gg. other; Th. eyther; rest or. 49. Gg. There as Ioye is that last with outyn; F. There Ioy is that lasteth with-out. 50. F. inserts the after if; rest omit. 52. Gg. Affrican; F. Aufrikan. 53. Gg. Ff. that; Trin. Cx. Harl. how; F. om. 54. Cx. Nis; Gg. Nys; F. Trin. Harl. Ff. Meneth. 55. Gg. and rest after; F. whan. Gg. Ff. gon; Harl. O. gone. 56. Cx. galaxye; F. Ff. galoxye; O. galoxie. i. watlynstrete; Harl. galorye; Trin. galry (!); Gg. galylye (!). 58. Gg. and rest the; Harl. tho; F. om. 62. T. Cx. Harl. O. That welles of musyk be (ben). 64. Gg. Ff. Than bad he hym syn erthe was so lyte; F. Than bad he hym see the erthe that is so lite (wrongly). 65. Cx. Trin. Harl. O. ful of torment and; F. was somedel fulle; Gg. was sumdel disseyuable and ful (!). 69. Gg. and rest schulde (schuld, shuld); F. shal. 70. F. was; rest is.

71. F. O. he; rest him. Gg. and rest to; F. om. 72. Gg. Trin. Harl. O. into that; Cx. unto that; F. to (om. that). 73. Gg. inmortal; O. Th. immortalle; F. and rest mortalle(!). 75. Gg. and rest not (nat, noght); F. never. 76. Gg. comyn: Cx. comen; F. come. Gg. O. to; rest into, vnto. 77. Trin. Cx. Harl. Ff. retain of after and; F. Gg. O. omit. 78. F. ins. for before to (but lawe is dissyllabic); rest om. 80. Gg. wrongly puts there for therthe; Harl. O. Ff. place alwey before in peyne; the rest are bad. 82. F. ins. hem before alle. Gg. And that for-&#x21D;euyn is his weked dede (but dede is plural). 84. Gg. comyn; rest come, com. Cx. Harl. the sende his; O. sende the his; Gg. synde us; Ff. send vs; F. sende ech lover (!). 85. Harl. faylen; Cx. fayllen; F. faile; Gg. folwyn (!). 87. F. Berefte; rest Berafte, Beraft. 90. F. had; Gg. hadde. 91. Harl. O. give 1st that; Trin. Cx. the; F. Ff. Gg. om. 95. After as, Gg. Trin. Harl. O. insert that; it is hardly needed. 96. Gg. Affrican; F. Aufrikan.

102. Gg. Ft carte is; O. cart is; rest cartes or cartis. 104, 5. Gg. Harl. O. met; F. Trin. Cx. meteth. 106. Gg. Cx. O. Ff. I nat; F. not I. 107. F. redde had; Gg. hadde red; rest had red (rad). Gg. affrican; F. Aufrican. 108. F. omits made; the rest have it. 110. to-torn] F. al to torne. 111. F. roght noght; Gg. roughte nat; Cx. roght not. 112. F. Cx. ins. the after I; rest omit. 114. Trin. Cx. fyrebronde; Gg. ferbrond; F. firy bronde. 119. Gg. &#x21D;if; F. yeve. Trin. Cx. Harl. O. hit and; Ff. eke and; Gg. & ek; F. and to. 120. Gg. Affrican; F. Aufrikan. 122. F. and rest with; Gg. of. 124. Read weren; all were (weer). Gg. I-wrete; Th. ywritten; F. writen.

133. F. Ff. hye; the rest spede (sped). 135. F. stroke; rest strokes (strokis). 137. Cx. Harl. O. Ff. neuer tree shal. Cx. fruyt; Harl. O. fruyte; Trin. F. frute. 138. F. unto; rest to. 139. All is (ys). 140. O. Theschewing; Cx. Theschewyng; Harl. The eschuyng; F. Thescwynge (sic). 142. Trin. Cx. Harl. O. The; F. Gg. Of; Ff. On. F. Cx. a stounde (which I think is correct); Ff. astonde; (alt. to) Gg. a-stonyd; Trin. astonyed; Harl. O. astoned. 144. F. Cx. O. Ff. insert to before bolde (wrongly); Gg. Trin. Harl. om. 148. Gg. be-twixsyn; F. betwix. 149. F. y-sette; Gg. set. 150. F. That; Ff. om.; rest Ne (which would be elided). F. nor; rest ne (better). 152. Gg. and rest nyste; F. I ne wiste. Gg. and rest whether; F. wher that (perhaps rightly).

153. F. Affrikan. 156. Gg. Cx. O. to; rest omit. 158. Trin. Cx. by; Gg. bi; F. be. 159. Gg. Trin. Cx. by; F. be. 160. Gg. stat (!); for tast (taste). 162. F. Ff. om. that. 163. Gg. Harl. O. supply Yit; Cx. Yf; rest om. F. yet thou maist hyt; O. mayst thowe; rest yit mayst (may) thou. 165. F. Ff. om. for. 166. Gg. wher; rest whether. 167. Gg. Cx. tendite; F. Trin. to endite. 169. F. And with; rest om. And. 170. Gg. confort. Gg. that as; rest went in. 172. F. om. that (but over-al=ov'r-al). 173. F. Weren; rest Were. 174. Gg. O. Ff. of; F. Cx. with (from line above). 175. F. Emerawde. Gg. sothe (for Ioye, wrongly). 177. Cx. O. piler; Gg. pilere; Trin. pylor; F. Harl. peler. 178. F. box pipe tre; Gg. and rest box tre pipere (or piper). Trin. the holyn; Cx. holin; Ff. holye; Gg. O. holm; F. Harl. holme.

180. Gg. Ew; rest ewe. 183. Harl. O. blosmy; Gg. blospemy (for blossemy); Cx. blossome; Trin. blossom; F. Ff. blossomed. 185. O. that; Gg. ther; rest omit. Gg. Ff. I-now; O. I-nowe; F. ynowh. 188. Ff. That swommen; Harl. That swommyn; Gg. That swemyn; Trin. That swymen; Cx. O. That swymmen; F. And swymmynge. 192. F. That; Gg. Ff. So (error for Som); rest Som, Some, Somme. 193. Gg. gunne; F. gunnen; rest gan, cane. 194. F. Trin. om. al. 196. Cx. Squerels; F. Squerel; rest Squyrelis (Squyrellis, Squerellis). 197. F. Cx. On; rest Of. Gg. Cx. O. strengis; Trin. stryngys; F. strynge. Gg. a-cord; rest accorde, acorde. 198. F. om. so. F. Gg. and (for a, wrongly); Ff. om.; rest a. 201. F. om. be; rest have it. 203. Gg. bryddis; rest foules. 205. F. ther of; rest of. 206. Gg. wex; Ff. waxed; F. growen; rest was (error for wex).

207. Trin. Cx. Harl. Ne; rest omit. 208. F. more Ioye; rest Ioye more. 209. F. No; rest Then (or Than). F. om. ne; rest (except Ff.) retain it. Trin. was (for wolde). 214. Gg. Th. wel; F. O. wille; Cx. Trin. wylle; Harl. whille; see note. 215. Gg. and rest hire (hir, hyr); F. harde. F. fyle; Trin. vyle (for fyle) Harl. wyel; rest wile. 216. F. shul; rest shuld, shulde. 217. F. om. for. 221. O. doon by force; Trin. Cx. do by force; Harl. done be force; Gg. don be fore (sic); F. goo before. 222. F. Ff. Disfigured. Gg. Harl. nyl; Cx. Trin. Ff. wil; O. wolle; F. shal. 225. Gg. saw; F. sawgh. Gg. with outyn; Cx. Ff. with outen; F. with oute. 228. F. Ff. Trin. omit 1st and. 229. F. Ff. Trin. omit here. 230. F. pelers; rest pilers (pileris, pylors). 231. F. sawgh. F. glas; rest (except Ff.) bras or brasse. Gg. Harl. O. I-founded; Trin. enfoundyd; F. founded.

232. Gg. daunsedyn; F. daunced. 233. F. O. om. ther. 234. F. om. were; rest retain. 236. Gg. &#x21D;er be &#x21D;eere; Trin. Cx. Harl. yere by yere; F. fro yere to yere. 237. Trin. O. of douys; Gg. of dowis; Cx. of duues; Harl. of dofes; Ff. of dowfs; F. saugh I (sic). 238. F. Of dowves white (sic); Ff. Saw I sitte; rest Saw I syttynge. Trin. Cx. Harl. O. thousand (for hundred). 240. F. om. with. 241. Gg. and rest by hire syde (for hir besyde). 244. F. om. eek; rest retain. 246. Gg. sykys. 248. Gg. sikis. 250. Trin. Cx. flame. F. om. wel; rest retain it. 252. Gg. Cam; O. Com; F. Come; Cx. Comen; Trin. Harl. Ff. Cometh. Gg. Trin. Cx. goddesse; Harl. goddes (i. e. goddess); F. O. goddys. 253. F. sawgh. 255. Gg. swich; F. suche. 256. Trin. Cx. Ff. by; rest be.

260. Gg. priue; F. prevy. 264. F. saugh. 267. Gg. goldene; Ff. golden; F. and rest golde or gold. 271. Cx. wel couerd; Harl. wel couered; Gg. was wel keuerede; Trin. was welle coueryd; F. keuered wel. 272. Harl. Trin. Ff. sotil. Trin. O. kerchyff; F. keuerchefe; Gg. couercheif; Cx. couerchef. 273. Gg. nas (for was). Gg. Harl. alone insert 2nd no (but it is wanted). 275. Trin. Cx. Bachus; rest Bacus. Gg. wyn; F. wyne. 277. F. Gg. Harl. Cipride (rightly); the rest Cupide (!); see l. 279. 278. Gg. Cx. O. two; Ff. to; F. the; Trin. Harl. om. Gg. O. Ff. folk ther (for folkes). 279. Gg. Trin. let; O. lat; Ff. lett; F. B. Cx. Harl. lete. 283. Gg. Harl. gunne; F. gonne; rest gan, can. 285. Gg. Cx. Ff. Ful (for Of).

288. Cx. O. Semiramis; Ff. Semiriamis; rest Semiramus (as in Leg. Good Women, Tisbe, l. 2). Gg. Hercules. 289. Trin. Harl. Tysbe; F. Cx. Tesbe; Gg. Thisbe. 295. F. Cx. comen; rest come. F. Ff. that; rest the. 298. Gg. that; which rest omit (though wanted). 303. F. O. wrongly insert of before Nature. 307. Gg. Trin. Cx. Ff. they; F. Harl. O. there. After were (dissyllabic) Gg. inserts al; needlessly. 308. Gg. dom; rest dome. 310. Gg. bryd (for foul); Cx. birde. 311. F. On; rest Of. Ff. thenke; rest thynke (not so well). 313. Gg. Ff. eyr (for see).

316. F. Alayne; Trin. Alen; rest Aleyn. 317. Gg. in (for of). All but Gg. Ff. needlessly insert suche before aray (caught from line below). 318. Gg. swich; F. suche. MSS. myghte, myght; but read mighten. 320. Gg. Ff. his; rest her, hir (wrongly). Cx. owen; Gg. owene; F. ovne; rest owne. 325. Gg. Cx. hem; Ff. them; O. om.; rest that. 327. Trin. vale (for dale). 330. Gg. ryal; Cx. Harl. O. rial. 338. F. om. hardy. All eke (for eek); exceptionally. 343. Trin. bood; Cx. bodword; rest bode (dissyllabic).

344. Gg. Ff. om. the. 345. Trin. chowgh; F. choghe; Cx. choughe; Harl. chowhe; Gg. O. Ff. crow (wrongly). 346. Harl. Ff. eles; Gg. O. elis; Trin. elys; F. Cx. egles (!). Trin. Harl. O. insert the before heroun; rest omit. 347. Gg. false; F. fals. Trin. Cx. lapwynk; O. lappewynk. 348. Gg. starlyng; rest stare. Gg. bewreye (but note the rime). 349. Gg. rodok. 350. Gg. orloge; F. orlogge. Gg. thorpis; F. thropes. 352. Gg. Cx. Ff. grene (for fresshe). 353. Trin. Th. flyes; Ff. bryddis; Gg. O. foulis; rest foules (fowles). But flyes is right; see Cant. Ta. I. 468, Boeth. iii. met. 7. 355. F. his; O. om.; rest hire, hir, her. 356. Gg. clothis (for fethers). 357. F. be (for by). 359. F. papiay; Gg. popyniay. 361. F. Cx. Ff. om. the. 363. Gg. The rauen wys, the crowe wit voice of care; Ff. same (omitting wys); F. and rest The rauenes and the crowes with her voys of care (badly). 367. Gg. myghtyn; F. myghte. 368. F. that; Ff. this; Harl. om.; rest the. All but Gg. Ff. ins. of bef. Nature. 369. Gg. eueriche; O. Ff. euery; F. eche (badly).

370. Gg. Benygnely; F. Benyngly (sic). 374. fonde is pt. t. subjunctive. 375. Gg. Cx. the (after and); Ff. moste; rest om. 378. Gg. bek; F. beke. 379. Ff. Cx. vicaire; F. vyker. 380. I insert and after light. Gg. Cx. dreye; rest drye. 381. Trin. Cx. by; F. be; Gg. with. 383. Cx. Ff. kepe (for bede). 384. Gg. ese; F. ease. 385. Gg. Ff. &#x21D;ow; Cx. you (for me). 386. F. Cx. Harl. insert that after how. 387. Gg. By; F. Be. 389. F. Trin. Cx. Harl. O. insert With before Your; Gg. Ff. rightly omit. 390. Gg. Cx. Ff. ordenaunce; rest gouernaunce (see l. 387). 391. F. Trin. Harl. O. let (i. e. let go); Gg. breke; Ff. suffre; Cx. lette. 393. Gg. terslet (for tercel). Gg. ful wel; F. wele. 394. Gg. ryal. 395. Gg. stel; F. stele. 396. All have formed.

411. Cx. yere by yere (for fro yeer to yere). 413. Gg. cam. 414. Gg. O. Ff. om. ful; rest retain. 415. Trin. Ff. Royalle; F. real; Gg. ryal. 424. Gg. I may. 426. Read al-only? 428. Gg. And if that I to hyre be founde; F. And yf I be founde to hir.

436. F. As though; rest Al be. 438. F. knette; Gg. areete; rest knytte, knyt. 439. Gg. Cx. O. Ne (for For). 445. So all. Read whan that she? 446. Gg. She neythir; Cx. Harl. O. Ff. She neyther; F. Trin. Neyther she. 450. Gg. O. Ff. shal; rest shulde, shuld. 460. Gg. that; rest omit. 462. Gg. the; Trin. Harl. ye; rest she.

463. Gg. thredde; Trin. Ff. thryd; F. thirdde. 467. F. om. Nature. 473. Gg. yeer and as (for winter and). 476. F. om. ful. 479. Gg. seyn; F. say. 480. Gg. Ff. ese; rest plese. 481. Gg. shorte; F. short. 482. Ff. hyres; F. hirse (!). 487. I supply so. Gg. hadde; F. had. 488. F. rehersen; rest reherse (reherce). 490. Gg. drow; Cx. wente; rest went (badly). 494. Cx. Harl. wil; F. wol. 495. Gg. pletynge; Trin. Cx. Harl. pletyng.

498. So Gg.; rest The goos, the duk, and the cukkowe also (wrongly; see next line). 501. F. seyde tho; rest omit tho. Gg. Ff. nys not; Trin. O. ys nat; Cx. is not; F. Harl. om. not. 503. Gg. Cx. I; rest om. 507. Gg. O. profit; rest spede. Trin. For comon spede, take the chargë now. F. Cx. Harl. O. ins. on me bef. the; Ff. ins. vpon me. Gg. tak on no (!) for take the. 510. Trin. Seyde; Cx. Said; rest Quod. 511. F. good; Cx. better (for as good); rest fayr. 514. Gg. bet; rest better. 515. Gg. entirmetyn; F. entremete. 517. All but Gg. Cx. ins. hyt (it, yt) bef. doth. 518. Ff. vncommaundet; O. vnconveyid; Gg. onquit (!); rest vncommytted. 520. Gg. om. behynde; Trin. Harl. blynde; Cx. by kynde; rest behynde. 523. F. O. Ff. for to (for to). F. delyueren; rest delyuere (deliver). F. Gg. Harl. from; rest fro.

524. Cx. charge (for Iuge). 527. Most MSS. insert the before foules; which Gg. Th. and Longleat MS. omit. 530. All but Cx. Ff. ins. to after list. 534. Trin. Th. preue; Gg. proue; F. preven. 536. Gg. swich; F. suche. 537. Gg. non by skillis; F. and rest by skilles may non (badly). 540. Cx. terselis egles. 543. Gg. ne; rest omit. 544. F. om. gon. 545. Gg. Cx. Oure; rest Oures, Ours. 549. Gg. O. hath; rest had. 551. Gg. sittyngest; rest sittynge. 553. Cx. Harl. ethe (for light).

556. Gg. O. gole; Ff. goler; Cx. golye; Ff. golee; Trin. Harl. wyltee. 558. Gg. facounde so; Ff. facounde; Cx. faconde; F. faucond. 560. F. Cx. Ff. needlessly insert to after preyd-e. 564. All but Gg. insert forth before bringe. 569. For Quod read Seyde? 570. Gg. sich (for swich); F. suche. 575. F. laughtre. 576. F. Harl. Ff. foules; Trin. fowle; Cx. fowl; O. foule; Gg. ful (!). 577. Gg. gunne; Ff. gonne; rest gan.

588. Harl. hires; Gg. hire; Cx. hers; rest hirs. Trin. Harl. om. that (perhaps rightly). 589. Gg. Cx. Ff. doke; F. duk. 590. F. Ff. shulden. 592. F. Gg. murye; rest mery. 594. Gg. O. yit; Ff. yet; rest om. 599. Gg. by; F. be (1st time). 602. Gg. Th. nat; F. neyther. 603. F. put; Gg. putte. 606. Cx. Ff. recche; F. Gg. Harl, reche; Trin. O. rek. 611. Gg. Merlioun; Trin. O. Merlyon; Cx. merlion; F. Ff. Emerlyon. 612. F. ''om. 1st'' the. Harl. heysugge; O. heysugg; Cx. heysug; Ff. haysugge; F. haysogge; Gg. heysoge; Trin. heysoke. 613. Gg. reufulles (!); Pepys rowthfull; rest rewful (!).

621. Gg. han; rest haue. Gg. Cx. the; rest hir, hyr. 623. F. cheest; Gg. chesith; Trin. cheseth; Harl. chesithe. F. han hir; Gg. hire han; Trin. hyr hafe; Cx. Harl. Ff. her haue. 626. Gg. hire this fauour; Trin. Harl. to hyr thys fauour; F. and rest thys fauour to hir. 630. Ff. ye; Harl. yee; Trin. ey; rest eye. 632. F. Gg. I (for hit). Gg. certis; rest omit. 637. All but Gg. Cx. insert hit (or it) after That or yow. Th. ben; Cx. haue ben; rest to ben (be). 641. Gg. As is a-nothir lyuis creature. O. alone ins. Like bef. As. 642. Gg. mot; rest moste (muste). 643. Gg. grauntyth; rest graunte, graunt (badly). 644. Trin. Cx. Harl. I wyll yow; O. I woll &#x21D;ewe; F. Ff. yow wol I.

652. F. Cipride; Harl. Cypride; Ff. Sypryde; rest Cupide (cf. ll. 212, 277). 654. F. other weyes; Cx. other wayes; O. othir wey (perhaps best); Gg. othirwise; Ff. other-wyse; Trin. Harl. other (sic). 655. Gg. Harl. tho; rest om. 659. F. terceletys; Th. tercelets. 660. F. al; Gg. alle. 665. F. O. entremesse; Ff. entremeese; Th. entremes; Gg. entyrmes; Harl. entermes. 666. F. wroght; rest brought, broght. 669. F. A; Gg. But; rest And. Gg. Ioye; F. Ioy. 672. Gg. Thankynge; F. Thonkyng. Gg. queen; rest goddesse, goddes.

678. Gg. sweche (for swiche); F. suche. Th. Qui; miswritten Que in F. Cx.; Qe in Trin.; rest omit. aime; F. ayme. tard; F. tarde. Lines 680-692 only occur in Gg. Th. and Digby 181; lines 683, 684, 687-9 in O. I follow Digby 181 mainly. 680. Digb. Nowe welcome. 681. Gg. wintres wedres; Digb. wynter wedirs. 682. Gg. And; Digb. Hast. Digb. drevyn; Gg. dreuyne. Digb. nyghtis; Gg. nyghtes. 684. Digb. syngen; Fowlis. 687. Gg. O. Wele. 688. Gg. O. hem; Digb. them. 689. Digb. Fulle blisfully they synge and endles ioy thei make (wrongly); Gg. Ful blisseful mowe they ben when they wake; O. Th. Ful blesfull may they synge when they wake (Th. awake). 693. F. showtynge. 694. Gg. madyn; Ff. maden; F. made. 698. Trin. fynde (for mete). 699. Ff. nyl; Gg. nele; F. O. wol; Trin. wylle; Cx. wil.

So in F; Gg. has—Explicit parliamentum Auium in die sancti Valentini tentum, secundum Galfridum Chaucer; Ff. has—Explicit Parliamentum Auium; MS. Arch. Seld. B. 24 has—Here endis the parliament of foulis; Quod Galfride Chaucere; the Longleat MS. has—Here endith the Parlement of foules.