Syngeth the nyghtyngale; gredeth | Singeth the nightingale; scream theo jay; The hote sunne chongeth the clay; As ye well yseen may. eth the jay; 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, His bequests made, and for him given, His knights he made all sit, Till they knew how to speak with 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 - Yif that he hem undertoke, They spoke thereof-and chosen Was a rich man, that, under moon, Was the truest that they knew— If their charge he undertook, 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: 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 Lords, that be now here, Als Robert Mannyng wryten it As Robert Mannyng found it writ CHAPTER II. THE AGE OF CHAUCER. 11. The Vision of Piers Ploughman, 1350. (Manual, p. 54-) 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 And some also ben of the route, These oldè men upon this thing, Among hemself1 compleignen ofte: Of one semblance, and of one make, The which out of his tresorie Was take, anon he fild full; That other cofre of straw and mull So that erliche upon a day There shall no man his hap despise: Of that ye unavanced be, The sothe shall be proved now: Ye shall be richè men for ever: Now chese," and take which you is lever, So shall be shewed in this place 13 That no defaltè shal be myn. They knelen all, and with one vois A knyght shall spekè for hem alle : |