. .. .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . Chaucer . .. .. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . Figure: Portrait of Chaucer in the Ellesmere MS (public domain: source)
. .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . .. . Bureaucracy Writs (Chancery) Balance sheets Taxation (Exchequer) Court documents . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. Figure: Domesday Book (public domain: source) ▶ Laws ▶ Charters
. .. .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . Bureaucracy . .. .. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . .. .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . Figure: Domesday Book (public domain: source) ▶ Laws ▶ Charters ▶ Writs (Chancery) ▶ Balance sheets ▶ Taxation (Exchequer) ▶ Court documents
. .. .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . Family Background . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . ▶ Ipswich –> London ▶ Vintnery ▶ Wool export
. . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . .. .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . Essential Dates Figure: Hoccleve’s portrait of Chaucer . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . (public domain: source) ▶ born c. 1342 ▶ died c. 1400
. .. .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . Customs controller 1391– Overseer of the king’s works 1389–1391 Member of Parliament 1386– Justice of the Peace in Kent 1385– 1374–1385 . Esquire of Edward III 1367– Soldier under Prince Lionel 1359– Page of Countess Elizabeth de Burgh 1357– Career .. . .. .. .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. .. . . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . Deputy forester
. Genre late 1370s “Italian” Dream Vision The Book of the Duchess c. 1374 Dream Vision The Romaunt of the Rose pre-1372 “French” Title Romance Date Period Works . .. . . .. . . Anelida and Arcite 1379–80 . Boece The Equatorie of the Planetis 1392 Science A Treatise on the Astrolabe c. 1391 Estates Satire The Canterbury Tales 1388–1400 “English” Metaphysics pre-1386 The House of Fame Romance Troilus and Criseyde 1382–86 Dream Vision The Legend of Good Women 1380s Dream/Debate The Parliament of Fowls 1380–82 Dream Vision .. . .. .. .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. .. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . Science
. .. .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . Rime royal (stanzas of 7 five-beat lines) Second Nun’s Tale Prioress’s Tale Clerk’s Tale Man of Law’s Tale Troilus & Criseyde Parliament of Fowls Other works . Five-beat line (~iambic pentameter) House of Fame Book of the Duchess Four-beat line (~iambic tetrameter) Works Type Metre .. . .. .. .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. .. . . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . Anelida & Arcite
. . /æ/ Examples Spellings Phoneme Pronunciation . .. . .. lady, therto, was, atte . . .. . . .. . . <e, a> /i/ . lawe <ȝ, gh, g> /χ/ ȝere <ȝ, y> /ʝ/ whan, what, who, which <wh> /χw/ <aw, ew, ow> <i, y> /au, eu, ou/ housbonde <ou, ow> /u:/ vertu <u> /y/ knyght .. . .. . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . .. .. .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . thoȝte
. .. .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, (So priketh hem Nature in hir corages), 10 That slepen al the nyght with open ye And smale foweles maken melodye, Hath in the Ram his half cours yronne, Inspired hath in every holt and heeth . 5 Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breeth Of which vertu engendred is the flour; And bathed every veyne in swich licour The droghte of March hath perced to the roote, Whan that Aprill with his shoures soote The General Prologue .. . .. .. .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. .. . . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;
. .. .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. . 20 In felaweshipe, and pilgrimes were they alle, 25 Of sondry folk, by aventure yfalle Wel nyne and twenty in a compaignye At nyght was come into that hostelrye To Caunterbury with ful devout corage, Redy to wenden on my pilgrymage In Southwerk at the Tabard as I lay . Bifil that in that seson on a day, That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke. The hooly blisful martir for to seke, Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende, 15 And specially from every shires ende The General Prologue .. . .. .. .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . .. . . . .. .. . . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . That toward Caunterbury wolden ryde.
. . . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . .. The General Prologue .. 35 And eek in what array that they were inne; 40 And whiche they weren, and of what degree, Of ech of hem, so as it semed me, To telle yow al the condicioun Me thynketh it acordaunt to resoun Er that I ferther in this tale pace, But nathelees, whil I have tyme and space, The chambres and the stables weren wyde, To take oure wey ther as I yow devyse. And made forward erly for to ryse, That I was of hir felaweshipe anon, So hadde I spoken with hem everichon 30 And shortly, whan the sonne was to reste, And wel we weren esed atte beste. . . .. .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. And at a knyght than wol I first bigynne.
. . . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . .. The General Prologue .. 50 In Gernade at the seege eek hadde he be 55 No Cristen man so ofte of his degree. In Lettow hadde he reysed and in Ruce, Aboven alle nacions in Pruce; Ful ofte tyme he hadde the bord bigonne At Alisaundre he was whan it was wonne. And evere honoured for his worthynesse; A KNYGHT ther was, and that a worthy man, As wel in cristendom as in hethenesse, And therto hadde he riden, no man ferre, Ful worthy was he in his lordes werre, Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisie. 45 To riden out, he loved chivalrie, That fro the tyme that he first bigan . . .. .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. Of Algezir, and riden in Belmarye.
. . . . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . .. The General Prologue .. 65 In al his lyf unto no maner wight. 70 He nevere yet no vileynye ne sayde And of his port as meeke as is a mayde. And though that he were worthy, he was wys, And everemoore he hadde a sovereyn prys. Agayn another hethen in Turkye; Somtyme with the lord of Palatye At Lyeys was he and at Satalye, This ilke worthy knyght hadde been also In lystes thries, and ay slayn his foo. And foughten for oure feith at Tramyssene At mortal batailles hadde he been fiftene, 60 At many a noble armee hadde he be. Whan they were wonne, and in the Grete See . . .. .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. He was a verray, parfit gentil knyght.
. . . .. . . .. . .. .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. A lovyere and a lusty bacheler, 85 And he hadde been somtyme in chyvachie And wonderly delyvere, and of greet strengthe. Of his stature he was of evene lengthe, Of twenty yeer of age he was, I gesse. With lokkes crulle as they were leyd in presse. 80 With hym ther was his sone, a yong SQUIER, The General Prologue And wente for to doon his pilgrymage. For he was late ycome from his viage, Al bismotered with his habergeon, 75 Of fustian he wered a gypon His hors were goode, but he was nat gay. But for to tellen yow of his array, . . .. .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. In Flaundres, in Artoys, and Pycardie,
. . . .. . . .. . .. .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. Wel koude he sitte on hors and faire ryde. And carf biforn his fader at the table. Curteis he was, lowely, and servysable, He sleep namoore than dooth a nyghtyngale. So hoote he lovede that by nyghtertale Juste and eek daunce, and weel purtreye and write. 95 He koude songes make and wel endite, Short was his gowne, with sleves longe and wyde. The General Prologue He was as fressh as is the month of May. Syngynge he was, or floytynge, al the day; 90 Al ful of fresshe floures, whyte and reede. Embrouded was he, as it were a meede In hope to stonden in his lady grace. And born hym weel, as of so litel space, . . .. .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 100
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