[550] "General Prologue," l. 742.
[551] "Troilus," Book v. st. 257.
[552] "Chaucer's wordes unto Adam, his owne Scriveyn," in "Complete Works," vol. i. p. 379.
[553] "Je te suppliray seulement d'une chose, lecteur, de vouloir bien prononcer mes vers et accomoder ta voix à leur passion ... et je te supplie encore de rechef, où tu verras cette marque: (!) vouloir un peu eslever ta voix pour donner grâce à ce que tu liras." Preface of the "Franciade."
[554] So says the Parson, who adds:
Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre.
Parson's Prologue, l. 43. It will be observed that while naming simply rhyme, he caricatures alliteration.
[555] 1391, in "Complete Works," vol. iii. On that other, possible son of Chaucer, Thomas, see ibid., vol. i. p. xlviii., and above, p. 273.
[556] "Truth," or "Balade de bon Conseyl," in "Complete Works," vol. i. p. 390. Belonging to the same period: "Lak of Stedfastnesse" (advice to the king himself); "L'Envoy de Chaucer à Scogan"; "L'Envoy de Chaucer à Bukton," on marriage, with an allusion to the Wife of Bath; "The Compleynt of Venus"; "The Compleint of Chaucer to his empty purse," &c., all in vol. i. of "Complete Works."
[557] It has been said, but without sufficient cause, that this friendship came to an end some time before the death of Chaucer.