Universitatis ambitum. Envirounynge of þe vniuersite ([p. 165]). Fr. lauironnement de luniuersalite.
Rationis universum. Vniuersite of resoun ([p. 165]). Fr. luniuersalite de Raison.
Scientiam nunquam deficientis instantiæ rectius æstimabis. Þou shalt demen [it] more ryȝtfully þat it is science of presence or of instaunce þat neuer ne fayleþ ([p. 174]). Fr. mais tu la diras plus droittement et mieulx science de instante presentialite non iamais defaillant mais eternelle.
Many of the above examples are very bald renderings of the original, and are only quoted here to show that Chaucer did not make his translation from the French.
Chaucer is not always felicitous in his translations:—thus he translates clavus atque gubernaculum by keye and a stiere ([p. 103]), and compendium (gain, acquisition) by abreggynge (abridging, curtailment), [p. 151]. Many terms make their appearance in English for the first time,—and most of them have become naturalized, and are such as we could ill spare. Some few are rather uncommon, as gouernaile (gubernaculum), [p. 27]; arbitre (arbitrium), [p. 154]. As Chaucer takes the trouble to explain inestimable (inæstimabilis), [p. 158], it could not have been a very familiar term.
Our translator evidently took note of various readings, for on [p. 31] he notes a variation of the original. On [p. 51] he uses armurers (= armures) to render arma, though most copies agree in reading arva.
There are numerous glosses and explanations of particular passages, which seem to be interpolated by Chaucer himself. Thus he explains what is meant by the heritage of Socrates ([p. 10, 11]); he gives the meaning of coemption ([p. 15]); of Euripus ([p. 33]); of the porch ([p. 166]).[11] Some of his definitions are very quaint; as, for instance, that of Tragedy—‘a dité of a prosperité for a tyme þat endiþ in wrechednesse’ ([p. 35]). One would think that the following definition of Tragedian would be rather superfluous after this,—‘a maker of dites þat hyȝten (are called) tregedies’ ([p. 77]).
Melliflui . . . oris Homerus
is thus quaintly Englished: Homer wiþ þe hony mouþe, þat is to seyn. homer wiþ þe swete dites ([p. 153]).