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Syngeth the nyghtyngale; gredeth | Singeth the nightingale; scream

theo jay;

The hote sunne chongeth the clay; As ye well yseen may.

eth the jay;

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8. Havelok. (Manual, p. 34.)

(From Guest's History of English Rhythms, vol. ii. pp. 142–145.)

Hwan he was hosled and shriven, | When he was housled and shriven, His quiste maked, and for him

given,

His knictes dede he alle site,
For thorw them he wolde wite,
Hwo micte yeme hise children
yunge,

His bequests made, and for him

given,

His knights he made all sit,
For from them would he know,
Who should keep his children
young,

Till they knew how to speak with
[riden, tongue,
[horse,
To speak, and walk, and ride on
Knights and servants by their side.
[soon

Till that he couthen speken wit tunge, Speken, and gangen, on horse Knictes and sweynes bi hete siden. [sone He spoken there offe- and chosen A riche man was, that, under mone,

Was the trewest that he wende -
Godard, the kinges oune frende;
And seyden, he moucthe hem
best loke

Yif that he hem undertoke,
Till hise sone mouthe bere
Helm on heued, and leden ut here,
(In his hand a spere stark)
And king ben maked of Denmark.

They spoke thereof-and chosen Was a rich man, that, under moon,

Was the truest that they knew—
Godard, the king's own friend;
And said they, he might best them
keep

If their charge he undertook,
Till his son might bear
Helm on head, and lead out host,
(In his hand a sturdy spear)
And king of Denmark should be

made.

1 This is clearly a mistake for here.

9. ROBERT OF GLOUCESTER. (Manual, p. 33.)

Thuse come lo! Engelond into | Thus came lo! England into NorNormannes honde,

And the Normans ne couthe speke tho bote her owe speche, And speke French as dude atom, and here chyldren dude al so teche;

So that heymen of thys lond, that of her blod come,

Holdeth alle thulke speche that hii

of hem nome.

mans'-hand.

And the Normans not could speak then but their own speech,

And spake French as (they) dia at home, and their children did all so teach:

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Vor bote a man couthe French me For but a man know French men

tolth of hym wel lute;

tell (reckon) of him well little :

Ac lowe men holdeth to Englyss | But low men nol to English and and to her kunde speche yute. to their natural speech yet.

Ich wene ther ne be man in world I wen there not be man in world contreyes none

That ne holdeth to her kunde

speche, bot Engelond one.

Ac wel me wot vor to conne both wel yt ys;

countries none

That not holdeth to their natural speech but England (al-) one. But well I wot for to know both well it is:

Vor the more that a man con, the For the more that a man knows, more worth he ys.

the more worth he is.

10. ROBERT MANNYNG OR ROBERT OF BRUNNE.

(Manual, p. 33.)

Lordynges, that be now here,

If ye wille listene & lere
All the story of Inglande,

Lords, that be now here,
If ye will listen and learn
All the story of England,

Als Robert Mannyng wryten it As Robert Mannyng found it writ

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CHAPTER II.

THE AGE OF CHAUCER.

11. The Vision of Piers Ploughman, 1350. (Manual, p. 54-)

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12. JOHN GOWER, d. 1408. Confessio Amantis. (Manual, p. 56, seq.)

TALE OF THE COFFERS OR CASKETS.

From the Fifth Book.

In a Cronique thus I rede:

Aboute a king, as must nede,

Ther was of knyghtès and squiers

Gret route, and eke of officers:

Some of long time him hadden served,

And thoughten that they haue deserved
Avancèment, and gon withoute:

And some also ben of the route,
That comen but a while agon,
And they avanced were anon.

These oldè men upon this thing,
So as they durst, ageyne the king

Among hemself1 compleignen ofte:
But there is nothing said so softe,
That it ne comith out at laste:
The king it wiste, and als so faste,
As he which was of high prudènce:
He shope therfore an evidence
Of hem that pleignen in the cas,
To knowe in whose defalte it was;
And all within his owne entent,
That non ma wistè what-it ment.
Anon he let two cofres make

Of one semblance, and of one make,
So lich, that no lif thilke throwe,
That one may fro that other knowe:
They were into his chamber brought,
But no man wot why they be wrought,
And natheles the king hath bede
That they be set in privy stede,
As he that was of wisdom slih;
Whan he therto his time sih,*
All privěly, that none it wiste
His ownè hondes that one chiste
of fin gold, and of fin perie,"

The which out of his tresorie

Was take, anon he fild full;

That other cofre of straw and mull
With stones meynd' he fild also:
Thus be they full bothè two.

So that erliche upon a day
He had within, where he lay,
Ther should be tofore his bed
A bord up set and fairè spred :
And than he let the cofres fette9
Upon the bord, and did hem sette.
He knewe the names well of tho,10
The whiche agein him grutched so,
Both of his chambre and of his halle,
Anon and sent for hem alle;
And seide to hem in this wise.

There shall no man his hap despise:
I wot well ye have longe served,
And God wot what ye have deserved;
But if it is along on me

Of that ye unavanced be,
Or elles if it belong on yow,

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The sothe shall be proved now:
To stoppe with your evil word,
Lo! here two cofres on the bord;
Chese which you list of bothè two;
And witeth well that one of tho
Is with tresor so full begon,
That if ye happè therupon

Ye shall be richè men for ever:

Now chese," and take which you is lever,
But be well ware ere that ye take,
For of that one I undertake
Ther is no maner good therein,
Wherof ye mighten profit winne.
Now goth
12 together of one assent,
And taketh your avisement;
For, but I you this day avance,
It stant upon your ownè chance,
Al only in defalte of grace;

So shall be shewed in this place
Upon you all well afyn,'

13

That no defaltè shal be myn.

They knelen all, and with one vois
The king they thonken of this chois:
And after that they up arise,
And gon aside, and hem avise,
And at laste they accorde
(Wherof her 14 tale to recorde
To what issue they be falle)

A knyght shall spekè for hem alle :
He kneleth doun unto the king,
And seith that they upon this thing,
Or for to winne, or for to lese, 15
Ben all avised for to chese.

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