Chaucer's Works, Volume 5 — Notes to the Canterbury Tales

by Geoffrey Chaucer

Nemorum gratas uiderit umbras,

Sparsis pedibus proterit escas,

Siluas tantum maesta requirit,

Siluas dulci uoce susurrat.'

Chaucer repeats the example yet a third time, in the Manciple's Tale, H. 163. Moreover, Jean de Meun copied the whole passage in Le Roman de la Rose, 14145.

617-1223. Eight leaves are here lost in MS. Hl.

618. newefangel, i. e. eager for novelty; of four syllables, as in l. 89 of the Manc. Tale, H. 193. The word newefangelnesse will be found in the poem of Anelida, l. 141, and in Leg. of Good Wom., Prol.

154. 'Be not newfangil in no wise'; Babees Book, ed. Furnivall, p. 51, l. 115; cf. p. 9, l. 13. And see the Balade against Women Unconstant, l. 1 (vol. i. p. 409).

624. kyte. Mr. Jephson notes that 'the kite is a cowardly species of hawk, quite unfit for falconry, and was therefore the emblem of everything base.'

640. Compare ll. 153-155, which shew that Canace knew what herbs to choose.