It is curious to see, not long after Milton—or, perhaps, at the same time—Stillingfleet, in his Origines Sacræ (Book 2nd, ch. 9, sec. 19, and ch. 10, sec. 5) quote Dante as an authority on the truth of Christianity, but he gives the verses in a Latin translation by F. S. (I have not looked to see who F. S. was.)
Spenser, too, has imitated Dante, I think. Tradubio, who is turned into a tree and speaks, of Pier delle Vigne.
‘Uomini fummo, ed or siam fatti sterpi.’
‘But once a man, Tradubio, now a tree.’
Chaucer has often imitated Dante, whom he calls (Wife of Bath’s Tale, v. 6708, in Tyrwhitt’s edit.) ‘the wise poet of Florence—that highte Dante,’ of whom he translated immediately after the lines:—
‘Rade volte discende per li rami,’ &c.
‘Full selde up riseth by his branches small,’ &c.;
and in the Monk’s Tale the whole of Ugolino’s Story is translated, and he ends by referring to
‘The grete poete of Itaille—
That highte Dante ...’ as its author.