PAGE
General Introduction [vii]
Life of Chaucer [ix]
List of Chaucer's Works [lxii]
Errata and Addenda [lxiv]
Introduction to the Romaunt of the Rose.—[§ 1]. Why (the chiefpart of) the Romaunt of the Rose is not Chaucer's. [§ 2]. TheEnglish Version of the Romaunt. [§ 3]. Internal evidence. [§ 4].Dr. Lidner's opinion. [§ 5]. Dr. Kaluza's opinion. The threeFragments. [§ 6]. Discussion of Fragment B. Test. I.—Proportionof English to French. [§ 7]. Test II.—Dialect. [§ 8].Test III.—The Riming of -y with -yë. [§ 9]. Test IV.—AssonantRimes. [§ 10]. Result: Fragment B is not by Chaucer.[§ 11]. Discussion of Fragment C. [§ 12]. Rime-tests. [§ 13].Further considerations. [§ 14]. Result: Fragment C is not by theauthor of Fragment B, and perhaps not by Chaucer. [§ 15]. Discussionof Fragment A. (1) Rimes in -y. (2) Rimes in -yë [§ 16].No false rimes. [§ 17]. The three Fragments seem to be all distinct.[§ 18]. Fragment A is probably Chaucer's. [§ 19]. Summary.[§ 20]. Probability of the results. [§ 21]. The external evidence.[§ 22]. The Glasgow MS. [§ 23]. Th.—Thynne's Edition; 1532.[§ 24]. Reprints. [§ 25]. The Present Edition. [§ 26]. Some corrections.[§ 27]. The French Text. §[§ 28], 29. Brief Analysis ofthe French Poem: G. de Lorris. [§ 30]. Jean de Meun; to theend of Fragment B. [§ 31]. Gap in the Translation. [§ 32]. FragmentC. [§ 33]. Chaucer's use of 'Le Roman.' [§ 34]. Méon'sFrench text [1]
Introduction to the Minor Poems.—[§ 1]. Principles of selection.[§ 2]. Testimony of Chaucer regarding his Works. [§ 3]. Lydgate'sList. [§ 4]. Testimony of Shirley. [§ 5]. Testimony of Scribes.[§ 6]. Testimony of Caxton. [§ 7]. Early Editions of Chaucer.[§ 8]. Contents of Stowe's Edition (1561): Part I.—ReprintedMatter. [§ 9]. Part II.—Additions by Stowe. [§ 10]. Part I. discussed.[§ 11]. Part II. discussed. [§ 12]. Poems added by Speght.[§ 13]. Poems added by Morris. [§ 14]. Description of the MSS.List of the MSS. [§ 15]. Remarks on the MSS. at Oxford.[§ 16]. MSS. at Cambridge. [§ 17]. London MSS. [§ 18]. I.—A. B. C.[§ 19]. II.—The Compleynt unto Pitè. [§ 20]. III.—The Book ofthe Duchesse. [§ 21]. IV.—The Compleynt of Mars. [§ 22]. V.—TheParlement of Foules. [§ 23]. VI.—A Compleint to his Lady.[§ 24]. VII.—Anelida and Arcite. [§ 25]. VIII. Chaucers Wordesunto Adam. [§ 26]. IX.—The Former Age. [§ 27]. X.—Fortune.[§ 28]. XI.—Merciless Beauty. [§ 29]. XII.—To Rosemounde.[§ 30]. XIII.—Truth. [§ 31]. XIV.—Gentilesse. [§ 32]. XV.—Lakof Stedfastnesse. [§ 33]. XVI—Lenvoy to Scogan. [§ 34].XVII.—Lenvoy to Bukton. [§ 35]. XVIII.—Compleynt of Venus.[§ 36]. XIX.—The Compleint to his Purse. [§ 37]. XX.—Proverbs.[§ 38]. XXI.—Against Women Unconstaunt. [§ 39]. XXII.—AnAmorous Complaint. [§ 40]. XXIII.—Balade of Compleynt. [§ 41].Concluding Remarks [20]
The Romaunt of the Rose.
Fragment A. (with the French Text) [93]
Fragment B. (containing Northern forms) [164]
Fragment C. [229]
The Minor Poems.
I. An A. B. C. (with the French original) [261]
II. The Compleynte unto Pitè [272]
III. The Book of the Duchesse [277]
IV. The Compleynt of Mars [323]
V. The Parlement of Foules [335]
VI. A Compleint to his Lady [360]
VII. Anelida and Arcite [365]
VIII. Chaucers Wordes unto Adam [379]
IX. The Former Age [380]
X. Fortune [383]
XI. Merciles Beautè [387]
XII. Balade to Rosemounde [389]
XIII. Truth [390]
XIV. Gentilesse [392]
XV. Lak of Stedfastnesse [394]
XVI. Lenvoy to Scogan [396]
XVII. Lenvoy to Bukton [398]
XVIII. The Compleynt of Venus (with the French original) [400]
XIX. The Compleint of Chaucer to his empty Purse [405]
XX. Proverbs of Chaucer [407]
XXI. Appendix: Against Women Unconstaunt [409]
XXII. An Amorous Complaint [411]
XXIII. A Balade of Compleynt [415]
Notes to the Romaunt of the Rose [417]
Notes to the Minor Poems [452]

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

The present edition of Chaucer contains an entirely new Text, founded solely on the manuscripts and on the earliest accessible printed editions. For correct copies of the manuscripts, I am indebted, except in a few rare instances, to the admirable texts published by the Chaucer Society.

In each case, the best copy has been selected as the basis of the text, and has only been departed from where other copies afforded a better reading. All such variations, as regards the wording of the text, are invariably recorded in the footnotes at the bottom of each page; or, in the case of the Treatise on the Astrolabe, in Critical Notes immediately following the text. Variations in the spelling are also recorded, wherever they can be said to be of consequence. But I have purposely abstained from recording variations of reading that are certainly inferior to the reading given in the text.

The requirements of metre and grammar have been carefully considered throughout. Beside these, the phonology and spelling of every word have received particular attention. With the exception of reasonable and intelligible variations, the spelling is uniform throughout, and consistent with the highly phonetic system employed by the scribe of the very valuable Ellesmere MS. of the Canterbury Tales. The old reproach, that Chaucer's works are chiefly remarkable for bad spelling, can no longer be fairly made; since the spelling here given is a fair guide to the old pronunciation of nearly every word. For further particulars, see the Introduction to vol. iv. and the remarks on Chaucer's language in vol. v.

The present edition comprises the whole of Chaucer's Works, whether in verse or prose, together with a commentary (contained in the Notes) upon every passage which seems to present any difficulty or to require illustration. It is arranged in six volumes, as follows.

Vol. I. commences with a Life of Chaucer, containing all the known facts and incidents that have been recorded, with

authorities for the same, and dates. It also contains the Romaunt of the Rose and the Minor Poems, with a special Introduction and illustrative Notes. The Introduction discusses the genuineness of the poems here given, and explains why certain poems, formerly ascribed to Chaucer with more rashness than knowledge, are here omitted.