Leefe for lothe, a nedeless correction. Fo: 13. pa: 1. For lothe you bidde vs reade leefe, which annotacione neded not to haue byn there sett downe, because the verye woorde in the texte is lefe.
It is more likely that Absolon knocked than that he coughed at the window. Fo: 14. pa: 1. for knocked you reade coughed, but, the circumstance considered, (althoughe they may both stande,) yt is moore probable that he[9] knocked at her[10] windowe, to make her the better to heare than that he coughed. for although those woordes “with a semely sownde” may haue relatione to the voyce, yet they may as well and with as much consonancye haue reference to a semely and gentle kynde of knockinge at the windowe as to the voyce, and so his meanynge was by that sounde to wake her, whiche wolde rather be by the noyse of a knocke than of a coughe. for so he determyned before to knocke, as apperethe in these verses, when he sayed,
So mote I thryve, I shall at cockes crow
Full priuily knocke at his windowe:
And so apperethe by the tale afterwarde that he knocked, as he did before, although he coughed also at the latter tyme, for he knocked twyce.
Surrye or Russye, indifferent which. Fo: 23. pa: 2. For Surrye you read Russye. true yt is, that some written copies haue Russye, and some Surrye. And therefore indifferent after the written copies, and some auncient printed copies before my fathers editione. But yf I shall interpone my opynione, I wolde more willingly (for this tyme) receve Surrey, because yt is most lykelye that the tartarians whiche dwelt at Sara (a place yet well knowen, and bordering vppon the lake Mare Caspium,) are nerer to Sorria or the countryes adioynynge called Syria, than to Russya. For as Hato the Armeniane, in his Tartariane Historye, sayeth, The cyttye of Sara was auncyently the famous cyttye of the countrye of Cumania; and the Tartarians obteyned the kingdome of Syria in the yere 1240, whiche must be in the tyme of the fyrst Tartariane emperor called Caius canne, Cambuscan is Caius canne. beinge (as I suppose) he whome Chaucer namethe Cambiuscan, for so ys the written copies, such affynytye is there betwene those two names. And, as I gather, yt was after that tyme that the Tartarians had warres in Russia. But I leave yt indifferent at this tyme, as meanynge further to consider of yt.
“That may not saye naye,” better than “there may no wighte say naye.” Fo: 31. pa: 2. for these woordes, “that may not saye naye,” you reade “there may no wighte say naye.” bothe whiche are good, and boothe founde in written coppyes; and yet the firste will better stande, in my conceyte, because [the king of Faerie] there speakinge to his wyfe, he urgethe her that she cannott denye yt; when he sayeth, my wyfe that cannott say naye, as who sholde saye you cannot denye yt because you knowe yt; and experience teacheth yt, so that these woordes, “that cannott say naye,” must be taken as spoken of his wyfes knowledge, and so as good or rather better than “there may no wighte saye naye,” consideringe that these wordes “that cannott saye naye,” dothe signyfye, “whoe cannott saye naye,” in such sorte that this relatyve (that) meanynge (whoe) must haue reference to his antecedente, i. e. this worde wyfe.
Theophraste, not Paraphraste. Fo: 35. pa: 2. For “He cleped yt valerye and theophraste,” you saye some wolde haue vs reade “Valery and his Paraphraste.” But as you haue left yt at libertee to the reader to iudge, so I thinke yt must nedes be Theophraste; as the author [of] Policraticon in his eighte Booke, ca. 11. The wife of Bath’s Prologue taken from the author of Policraticon. (from whome Chaucer borrowethe almost worde for worde a great parte of the Wyfe of Bathes Prologe,) doth vouche yt, for the author of that booke, Johannes Sarisburiensis, lyvinge in the tyme of Henrye the seconde, sayethe, Fertur authore Hieronimo Aureolus Theophrasti liber, de nuptiis, in quo quæritur an vir sapiens ducat vxorem, etc. And the frenche molinet, moralizinge the Romant of the roose in frenche, and turnynge it oute of verse into proese, writeth, Ha si i’eusse creu Theophraste, &c. Oh, yf I had beleved Theophraste, I had never maried womanne, for he doth not holde hym wise that marieth anye womanne, be she fayre, foule, poore, or riche; as he sayeth in his Booke Aureolle; whiche verye wordes chaucer doth recyte.
Country, not Couentry. Fo: 38. pa: 2. for this worde Countrye you will vs to reade Couentrye. But in my writtene copies yt is, “in my Countrye,” whiche I holde the truer and for the sence as good yf not better.
Maketh, not waketh. Fo: 41. pa: 1. This woorde makethe is corrected by you, who for the same do place wakethe; whiche cannott well stande, for Chaucers woordes being, “this maketh the fende,” dothe signyfye (by a true conuersione after the dialecte of our tonge, whiche with beawtye vsethe suche transmutacione as I coulde gyve you manye pretye instances,) that the sence thereof ys, “the fende makethe this,” for whiche Chaucer vseth these wordes by Transpositione, (accordinge to the rhethoricall figure Hiperbatone) “This makethe the fende:” Whiche this? Anger: for that comethe, ys made, or occasioned, by the deuell. But yf yt sholde be wakethe, then must the sence bee, that this (whiche is the anger he speakethe of before) wakethe the fende; whiche oure offences cannot do, because he cannott be waked, in that he neyther slumbrethe nor slepethe, but alwayes watcheth and howrely seekethe occasione to destroye us, lyke a roringe lyone. But yf you will nedes saye “this wakethe the fende,” that is, by conuersione after this manner, “the fende waketh this,” whiche signyfyeth the fende waketh or styrreth this in manne, yt may, after a harde and over-streyned sorte, beare some sence, whiche yet hath not that energye, sprite or lyfe, whiche haue Chaucers woordes, “this maketh the fende.” Whiche woordes are in my written copies, and in all written and auncient printed copies whiche I have yet seene.