hathe 58 degrees. And more forthe toward the parties feptemtrioneles, it is 62 degrees of heghte, aud certyn mynutes. For I my felf have mefured it by the Aftrolabre. New schulle ze knowe, that azen the Tranfmontayne, is the tother ferre, that is clept Antartyk; as I have feyd be ore. And tho 2 fterres ne meeven nevere And be him turnethe alle the firmament, righte as dothe a wheel, that turnethe be his axille tree; fo that tho fterres beren the firmament in 2 egalie parties; fo that it hath als mochel aboven, as it hathe beneshen. Aftre this, I have gon toward the parties meridionales, that is toward the Southe: and I have founden that in Lybye, men feen first the terre Antartyk. And fo fer I have gon more in the contrees, that I have founde that fterre more highe; fo that toward the highe Lybye, it is 18 degrees in heighte, and certeyn minutes (of the whiche, 60 minutes maken a degree) aftre goynge be fee and be londe, toward this contree, of that I have spoke, and to other yles and londs bezonde that contree, I have founden the Derre Antartyk of 33 degrees of highte, and mo mynutes. And zif I hadde had companye and fchippynge, for to go more bezonde, I trowe well in certyn, that wee fcholde have feen alle the roundneffe of the firmament alle about. For as I have feyd zou be forn, the half of the firmament is betwene tho 2 fterres: the whiche halfondelle I have feyn. And of the tother halfondelle, I have feyn toward the Northe, undre the Tranfmontayne 62 degrees and 10 mynutes; and toward the partie meridionalle, I have feen undre the Antartyk 33 degrees and 16 mynutes and thanne the halfondelle of the firmament in alle, ne holdethe not but 180 degrees. And of tho 189, I have seen 62 on that o part, and 33 on that other part, that ben 95 degrees, and nighe the halfondelle of a degree; and fo there ne faylethe but that I have seen alle the firmament, faf 84 degrees and the halfondelle of a degree; and that is not the fourth part of the firmament. For the 4 partie of the roundneffe of the firmament holt 90 degrees: fo there faylethe but degrees and an half, of the fourthe parite. And alfo I have feen the 3 parties of alle the roundneffe of the firmament, and more zit 5 degrees and an half. Be the whiche I feye zou certainly, that men may envirowne alle the erthe of all the world, as well undre as aboven, and turnen azen to his contree, that hadde company and chippynge and conduyt: and alle weyes he fcholde fynde men, landes, and yles, als wel as in this Countree. For zee wyten welle, that thei that ben toward the Antartyk, thei ben ftreghte, feet azen feet of hem, that dwellen undre the tranfmontayne; als wel as wce and thei that dwellyn under us, ben feet azenft feet For alle the parties of tee and of lond han here appofitees, habitables or trepassables, and thei of this hal. and besond half. And wytethe wel, : that aftre that, that I may parceyve and comprehend the londes of Preftre John, emperour of Ynde ben undre us. For in goynge from Scotlond or from Englond toward Jerufalem, men gon upward alweys. For our load is in the lowe partie of the erthe toward the West : and the lond of Preftre John is the lowe partie of the erthe, toward the Eft and they han there the day, when we have the nyghte, and alfo highe to the contrarie, thei han the nyghte, when we han the day. For the erthe and the fee ben of round forme and fchapp, as I have feyd beforn. And that men gon upward to e coft, men gon dounward to another coft. Alfo zee have herd me feye, that Jerufalem is in the myddes of the world; and that may men preven and fchewen there, be a spere, that is pighte in to the erthe, upon the hour of mydday, when it is equenoxium, that fchewethe no fchadwe on no fyde. And that it fcholde ben in the myddes of the world, David wytne fethe it in the Plautre, where he feythe, Deus operatus eft falute in medio terre. Thanne thei that parten fro the parties of the Weft, for to go toward Jerufalem, als many iorneys as thei gon upward for to go thidre, in als many iorneys may thei gon fro Jerufalem, unto other confynyes of the fuperficialitie of the erthe bezonde. And whan man men gon bezonde the iourneyes, towarde Ynde and the foryyn yles, alle is envyronynge the roundneffe of the erthe and of the fee, undre oure contrees on this half. And therefore hath it befallen many tymes of o thing, that I have herd cownted, whan I was zong; how a worthi man departed fometyme from our contrees, for to go ferche the world. And fo he pafled Ynde, and the yles bezonde Ynde, where ben mo than 5000 yles: and fo longe he wente be fee and lond, and fo enviround the world be many feyfons, that he fond an yle, where he herde fpek his owne language, callynge on oxen in the plowghe, fuche wordes as men speken to beftes in his own contree whereof he hadde gret mervayle: for he knew not how it myghte be. But I feye, that he had gon fo longe, be londe and be fee, that he had envyround all the erthe, that he was comen azen envy rounynge, that is to feye, goynge aboute, unto his own marches, zif he wolde have paffed forthe, till he had founden his contree and his owne knouleche. But he turned azen from thens, from whens he was come fro; and fo he loften moche peynefulle labour, as him felf feyde, a great while aftre, that he was comen hom. For it befelle aftre, that he went in to Norweye; and there tempeft of the fee toke him; and he arryved in an yle; and when he was in that yle, he knew wel, that it was the yle, where he had herd fpeke his own language before, and the callynge of the oxen at the plowghe: and that was poffible thinge. But how it femethe to fymple men unlerned, that men ne mowe not go undre the erthe, and alfo that men fcholde falle falle toward the hevene, from undre! But that may not be, upon leffe, than wee mowe falle towarde hevene, fro the erthe, where wee ben. For fro what partie of the erthe, that men duelle, outher aboven or benethen, it femethe alweyes to hem that duellen, that thei gon more righte than any other folk. And righte as it femethe to us, that thei ben andre us, righte fo it femethe hem, that wee ten undre hem. For zif a man myghte falle fro the erthe unto the firmament; be grettere reus, the erthe and the fee, that ben fo grete and fo hevy, scholde fallen to the firmament: but that may not be and therfore feithe oure Lord God, Non timeas me, qui fufpendi terra ex nicholo? And alle be it, that it be poffible thing, that men may fo envyronne alle the worlde, natheles of a 1000 perfonnes, on ne myghte not happen to returnen in to his Coptree. For, fro the gretneffe of the erthe and of the feg, men may go be a 1000 and a 1000 other weyes, that no man cowde redye him pertely toward the parties that he cam fro, but zit it were be aventure and happ, or be the grace of God For the erthe is fulle large and fulle gret, and holt in roundneffe and aboute envyroun, be aboven and benethen 20425 myles, aftre the opy nyoun of the olde wie altronomeres. And here feyenges I rePreve coughte. But aftre my litylle wyt, it femethe me, favynge here reverence, that it is more And for to have bettere underfeadvage, I feye thus, be ther ymagyned a figure, that hathe a gret compas; and aboute the poynt of the gret compas, that is clept the centre, be made another litille compas: than atre, be the gret compas devifed be lines in manye parties; and that alle the lynes meeten fo that in as many parties, as the grete compas fchal be departed, in als manye, fchalle be departed the litille, that is aboute, the centre, alle be it, that the spaces ben leffe. Now thanne, be the gret compas reprefented for the firmament, and the litille compas reprefented for the erthe. Now thanne the firmament is devyled, be aftronomeres, in 12 fignes; and every figne is devyfed in 30 degrees, that is 360 degrees that the firmament hathe aboven. Alfo, be the erthe devyfed in als many parties, as the firmament; and lat every partye anfwere to a degree of the firmament: and wytethe it wel, that aftre the auctoures of aftronomye, 700 furlonges of erthe actweren to a degree of the firmament; and the ben 87 myles and 4 furlonges. Now be that here multiplyed be 360 fithes; and than thei ben 31500 myles, every of 8 furlonges, afire myles of oure contree. So moche hathe the ente in roundneffe, and of heghte enviroun, after myn oppynoun and myn understondynge. And zee fchulle undirftonde, that aftre the opyayoun of olde wife philofophtes and aftronomeres, our contree ne Irelond ne Wales De Scotland ne Norweye ne the other yles softgage to hem, ne ben not in the fuperficyalte * the centre; cownted aboven the erthe; as it fchewethe be alle the bokes of aftronomye. For the fuperficialtee of the erthe is departed in 7 parties, for the 7 planetes: and tho parties ben clept clymates. And oure parties be not of the 7 clymates; for thei ben defcendynge toward the Weft. And also thefe yles of Ynde, which beth evene azenft us, beth noght reckned in the climates; for thei ben azenft ns, that ben in the lowe contree. And the 7 climates ftrecchen hem envy rounynge the world. II. And I John Maundevylle knyghte abovefeyd, (alle thoughe I be unworthi) that departed from our contrees and paled the fee, the zeer of grace 1322. that have paffed manye londs and manye yles and contrees, and cerched manye fulle ftraunge places, and have ben in many a fulle gode honourable companye, and at many a faire dede of armes (alle be it that I dide none myfelf, for myn unable infuffisance) now I am comen hom (mawgree my felf) to refte for gowtes, artetykes, that my diftreynen, tho diffynen the ende of my labour, azenft my will (God knowethe.) And thus takeynge folace in my wrecched refte, recordynge the tyme pafted, I have fulfilled theife thinges and putte hem wryten in this boke, as it wolde come in to my mynde, the zeer of grace 1356 in the 34 zeer that I departede from oure contrees. Wherfore I preye to alle the rederes and hereres of this boke, zif it plefe hem, that thei wolde preyen to God for me: and I fchalle preye for hem. And alle tho that feyn for me a Pater nofter, with an Ave Maria, that God forzeve me my fynnes, I make hem partneres and graunte hem part of alle the gode pilgrymages and of alle the gode dedes, that I have don, zif any be to his plefance and noghte only of tho, but of alle that evere I fchalle do unto my lyfes end. And I befeeche Almyghty God, fro whom alle godeneffe and grace cometh fro, that he vouchefaf, of his excellent mercy and habundant grace, to fulle fylle hire foules with infpiratioun of the Holy Goft, in makyinge defence of alle hire gotly enemyes here in erthe, to hire falvacioun, bothe of body and foule; to workchipe and thankynge of him, that is three and on, with outen begynnynge and withouten endynge; that is, with outen qualitee, good, and with outen quantytee, gret; that in alle places is prefent, and alle thinges conteynynge; the whiche that no goodneffe may amende, ne none evelle empeyre; that in perfeyte trynytee ly vethe and regnethe God, be alle worldes and be alle tymmes. Amen, Amen, Amen. The firft of our authors, who can be properly faid to have written English, was Sir John Gower, who, in his Confeffion of a Lover, calls Chaucer his difciple, and may therefore be confidered as the father of our poetry. N TOWE for to fpeke of the commune. A tunne, whan his lie arist Vpon a barke, er men be waie, verfifyers who wrote poetically. He does not however appear to have deferved all the praise which he has received, or all the cenfure that he has fuffered. Dryden, who mistakes genius for learning, and in confidence of his abilities, ven: ured to write of what he had not examined, afcribes to Chaucer the fift refinement of our numbers, the first production of eafy and natural rhymes, and the improvement of our language, by words borrowed from the more polifhed languages of the continent. Skinner contrarily Let in the ftreme, whiche with gret peine, blames him in harsh terms for having vitiated If any man it fhall restreine. Where lawe failleth, errour groweth. He is not wife, who that ne troweth For it hath proued oft er this. For man is caufe of that fhall fall. The history of our language is now brought to the point at which the hiftory of our poetry is generally fuppofed to commence, the time of the illuftrious Geoffry Chaucer, who may perhaps, with great juftice, be styled the first of our CHAUCER. A' LAS! I wepyng am conftiained to begin verfe of forrowhull matter, that whilom in Borithyng ftudie male delitable ditees. For lo! rendying mufes of Poetes enditen to me things to be writen, and drerie teres At laste no drede ne might overcame the mufes, that thei ne werren fellowes, and feloweden my waie, that is to faie, when I was exiled, thei that weren of my youth whilom welfull and grene, comforten now forrowfull wierdes of me olde man: for elde is comen unwarely upon me, hafted by the harmes that I have, and forowe hath commaunded his age to be in me. Heres hore aren fhad overtimeliche upon my bed: and the flacke kinne trembleth of mine empted bodie. Thilke deth of men is welefull, that he ne cometh not in yeres that be fwete, but cometh to wretches often icleped: Alas! alas! with how defe an ere deth cruell turneth awaie fro wretches, and naieth for to close wepying eyes. While fortune unfaithful! favoured me with light godes, that forowful houre, that is to faie, the deth, had almost drente myne hedde; but now for fortune cloudie his native speech by whole cartloads of foreign words But he that reads the works of Gewer, will find fmooth numbers ard eafy rhymes, of which Chaucer is fuppofed to have been the inventor, and the French words, whether good or bad, of which Chaucer is charged as the importer. Some innovations he might probably make, like others, in the infancy of our poetry, which the paucity of books does allow us to dif cover with particular exactness, but the works of Gower and Lydgate fufficiently evince, that his diction was in general like that of his contemporaries: and fome improvements he undoubtedly made by the various difpofitions of his rhymes, and by the mixture of different numbers, in which he feems to have been happy and judicious. I have felected several fpecimens both of his profe and verfe; and among them, part of his tranflation of Boetius. to which another verfion, made in the time of queen Mary, is oppofed. It would be improper to quote very sparingly an author of fo much reputation, or to make very large extracts from a book fo generally known. COLVIL E. fudye, made pleafaunte and delectable dities, or verfes: alas now beyng heauy and fad ouerthrown in aduerfitie, am compelled to fele and taft heuines and grief. Beholde the muses Poeticall, that is to feye: the pleasure that is in poe: es verfes, do appoynt me, and compell me to writ thefe verfes, in meter, and the forrowfull verfes do wet my wretched face with very waterye teares, yffuinge out of my eyes for forowe. Whiche mufes no feare without doute could ouercome, but that they wold folow me in my journey of exile or banishment. Sometyme the ioye of happy and lufty delectable youth dyd comfort me, and nowe the courfe of forowfull olde age causeth me to reioyfe. For hafty old age vnloked for is come vpon me with al her incommodities and euyls, and forow hath commaunded and broughte me into the fame olde age, that is to fay: that forowe caufeth me to be old, before my time come of old age. The hoer heares do growe vntimely vpon my heade, and my reuiled skynne trembleth my flesh, cleane confumed and wasted with so THAT intyme of prosperite, and foryshing rowe rowe. Mannes death is happy, that cometh not is youth when a man is luftye, and in pleasure or welth: but in time of aduerfitie, when it is often defyred. Alas Alas howe dull and deffe be the eares of cruel death vnto men in mifery that would fayne dye: and yet refufy the to come and hhutte vp theyr carefull wepyng eyes, Whiles that falfe fortune fauoryd me with her tranfitorye goodes, then the howre of death had almost ouercom me. That is to lay deathe was redy to eppreffe me when I was in profperite. Nowe for by cause that fortune beynge turned, from proHeritie into aduerficie (as the clere day is darkyd with cloudes) and hath chaungyd her deceyuable countenance, my wretched life is yet prolonged and th continue in dolour. O my frendes why hase you so often bosted me, fayinge that I was happy when I had honour, poffeffions riches, and authoritie whych be tranfitory thynges. He that hath fallen was in no ftedfait degre. N the mene while, that I ftill record thefe hinges with my felf, and marked my wepelie Complainte with office of poinctell; I faugh ftondyng aboven the hight of myn hed a woman of full grete reverence, by femblaunt. Her eyen brennyng, and clere, feying over the common might of menne, with a lively colour, and with foche vigour and strength that it ne might not be Dampned, all were it fo, that the were full of fo grete age, that menne woulden not trowen in no manere, that the were of our elde. The ftature of her was of doutous Judgemente, for fometyme the constrained and fhronke her felven, like to the common mesure of menne: And fometyme it femed, that the touched the beven with the hight of her hedde. And when the hove her hedde higher, fhe perced the felf beven, so that the fighte of menne lokyng was in ydell: her clothes wer maked of right delie thredes, and fubtel craft of perdurable matter. The whiche clothes fhe had woven with her owne handes, as I knewe well after by her felf declaryng, and fhewyng to me the beautie: The whiche clothes a darkneffe of a forleten and dipifed elde had dufked and darked, as it is Wonte to darke by smoked Images. cloudie hath chaunged her decevable chere to mewarde, myne unpitous life diaweth along ungreable dwellynges. O ye my frendes, what, or whereto avaunted ye me to ben welfull? For he that hath fallin, ftode in no fledfast degre. W HYLES that I confiderydde pryuylve with my felfe the thynges before fayd, and defcrybed my wofull complaynte alter the maner and offyce of a wrytter, me thought I fawe a woman ftand ouer my head of a reuerend countenaunce, hauyng quycke and glyfteryng clere eyes, aboue the common forte of men in lyuely and delectable coloure, and ful of ftrength, although the femed fo olde that by no meanes fhe is thought to be one of this oure tyme, her ftature is of douteful knowledge, for nowe the fhewethe herfel e at the commen length or ftatur of men, and other whiles the femeth fo high, as though the touched heuen with the crown of her hed. And when the wold ftretch fourth her hed hygher, it alfo perced thorough heauen, fo that mens fyghte coulde not attain to behold her. Her veftures or cloths were perfyt of the finyste thredes, and subtyll workemanfhyp, and of fubftaunce permanent, whych veftures the had wouen with her own hands as I perceyued a ter by her owne faiynge. The ky nde or beawtye of the whyche vestures, a certayne darkenes or rather ignoraunce of oldenes forgotten hadde obicuryd and darkened, as the froke is wont to darken Images that stand nyghe the imoke. In the lower parte of the said vestures was read the greke letter P. wouen whych fignify eth practile or act yffe, and in the hygher part of the vettures the greke letter. T. whych eftandeth for theorica, that fignifieth fpeculacion or contemplation. And betwene both the fayd letters were fene certayne degrees, wrought after the maner of ladders wherein was as it were a pallage or waje in teppes or degrees from the lower part wher the letter. P. was which is vnderstand rom pratys or actyf, unto everiche manne of 'hem had borne awaie foche peces, as he might getten. And forfothe this forefated woman bare finale bokes in her righte hande, and in her let hand the bare a fcepter. And when the fawe thefe Poeticall mufes appochyng about my bed, and endityng wordes to my wepynges, fhe was a little a moved, and glowed with cruell eyen. Who (qo the) hath fuffered approchen to this filke manne these bed, [2] In the netherest hemme and border of these clothes menne redde iwoven therein a Grekifhe A that fignifieth the lite active, and above that letter in the hieft bordure, a Grekishe C. that fignifieth the life contemplatife. And betwene these two letters there were feen degrees nobly wrought, in manner of ladders, by whiche degree's menne might climben from the nethereft letter to the upperest: natheleffe handes of fome men hadden kerve that clothe, by violence or by ftrength, and the hygher parte wher the letter T. was which is vnderftand fpeculacion or contemplacion, Neuertheless the handes of fome vyolente perfones had cut the fayde vestures and had taken awaye certayne pecis thereof, fuch as euery one coulde catch. And the her felfe dyd bare in her ryght hand litel bokes, and in her lefte hande a fcepter, which forefayd phylofophy (when the faw the mufes poetycal prefent at my commen commen ftrompettes, of which is the place that menne callen Theatre, the whiche onely ne affwagen not his forowes with remedies, but the would feden and norishe hym with fwete venime? Forfothe, that ben tho that with thornes, and prickynges of talentes of affaccions, whiche that ben nothyng fructuous nor profitable, distroien the Corne, plentuous of fruites of refon. For thei holden hertes of men in ufage, but thei ne deliver no folke fro maladie. But if ye mufes had withdrawen fro me with your flatteries any uncennyng and unprofitable manne, as ben wont to finde commenly emong the peple, I would well fuffre the lalle greveully. For why, in foche an unprofitable man myne ententes were nothyng endamaged. But ye withdrowen fro me this man, that hath ben nourished in my ftudies or fcoles of Eleaticis, and of Academicis in Grece. But go eth now rather awaie ye Mermaidens, whiche that ben fwete, till it be at the laft, and fuffreth this man to be cured and heled by my mutes, that is to fay, by my notefull fciences. And thus this companie of mules iblamed caften wrothly the chere dounward to the yerth, and fhewing by redneffe ther shame, thei paffeden forowfully the thresholde. And I of whom the fight plounged in teres was darked, fo that I ne might not know what that woman was, of fo Imperial authoritie, I woxe all abashed and flonied, and caft my fight doune to the yerth, and began fill for to abide what the would doen afterward. Then came the nere, and let here doune upon the uttermoft corner of my bed, and the beholdyng my chere, that was caft to the yerth, hevie and grevous of wepyng, complained with thefe wordes (that I fhall faine) the perturbacion of my thought. bed, fpekyng forrowful wordes to my wepynges, beyng angry fayd (with terrible or frownynge countenaunce) who fuffred thefe crafty harlottes to com to thys lycke man? whych can help hym by no means of hys griefe by any kind of medicines, but rather increafe the fame with fwete povfon. Thele be they that doo dyftroye the fertile and plentious comme dy tyes of reafon and the fruytes thereof wyth their prickynge thornes, or barren affectes, and accuftome or fubdue mens myndes with fickenes, and heuynes, and do not delyuer or heale them of the fame. But yf your flatterye had conueyed or wythdrawen from me, any vnlernyd man as the comen forte of people are wonte to be, I coulde haue ben better contentyd, for in that my worke should not be hurt or hynderyd. But you have taken and conveyed from me thys man that hath ben broughte vp in the studyes of Ariftotel and of Plato. But yet get you hence maremaids (that feme swete untyll you have broughte a man to deathe) and fuffer me to heale thys my man wyth my mufes or fcyences that be holfome and good. And after that philofophy had froken thefe wordes the fayd companye of the mufy, poeticall beynge rebukyd and fad, cafte down their countenaunce to the grounde, and by bluffyng confeffed their fhamfaftnes, and went out of the dores. But I (that had my fight dull and blynd wyth wepyng, fo that I knew not what woman this hauying foo great aucthoritie) was amafyd or aftonyed, and Jokyng downeward, towarde the grounde, I began pryvylye to look what thyng the would fave ferther, than fhe had faid. Then the approaching and drawyng nere unto me, fat downe vpon the vttermoft part of my bed, and lokyng vpon my face fad with weping, and declynyd toward the earth for forow, beway led the trouble of my minde with thefe fayinges folowynge. The conclufions of the ASTROLABIE. This book (written to his fon in the year of our Lord 1391, and in the 14 of King Richard IL) ftandeth fo good at this day, especially for the horizon of Oxford, as in the opinion of the learned it cannot be amended, fays an Edit. of Chaucer. L' YTEL Lowys my fonne, I perceve well by certaine evidences thyne abylyte to lerne fcyences, touching nombres and proporcions, and allo well confydre I thy belye prayer in especyal to lerne the tretyfe of the aftrolabye. Than tor as moche as a philofopher faithe, he wrapeth hym in his frende, that condifcendeth to the ryghtrull prayers of his frende: therfore I have given the a fufficient aftrolabye for our orizont, compowned after the latitude of Oxenforde: upon the which by mediacion of this lytell tretife, I purpose to teche the a certain nombre of conclufions, pertainynge to this fame inftiu ment I fay a certaine nombre of conclufions for thre caufes, the fift caufe is this. Truite wel that at the conclufions that have be founden, or ells poffiblye might be founde in fo noble an inftrument as in the aftrolabye, ben unknowen perfitely to anye mortal man in this region, as I fuppole. Another caufe is this, that fothely in any caites of the aftrolabye that I have yiene, ther ben fome conclufions, that wol not in al thinges perrourme ther beheftes : and some of hem ben to harde to thy tender age of ten yere to conceve. This tretile divided in five partes, wil I fhewe the wondir light rules and naked wordes in Englishe, for Latine ne canft thou nat yet but fmale, my litel fonne. But nevertheleffe fuffifeth to the thefe trewe conclufions in Englithe, as well as fufficeth to thele noble clerkes grekes thele fame conclufions in greke, and to the Arabines in Arabike, and to Jews in Hebrewe, and to the Latin folke in Latyn: whiche Latyn folke |