Part 107 (1/2)
84. It will be remembered that, at the beginning of the first book, Cressida is introduced to us as a widow.
85. Diomede is called ”sudden,” for the unexpectedness of his a.s.sault on Cressida's heart -- or, perhaps, for the abrupt abandonment of his indifference to love.
86. Penscel: a pennon or pendant; French, ”penoncel.” It was the custom in chivalric times for a knight to wear, on days of tournament or in battle, some such token of his lady's favour, or badge of his service to her.
87. She has been told that Troilus is deceiving her.
88. The Roman kalends were the first day of the month, when a change of weather was usually expected.
89. Maker, and making, words used in the Middle Ages to signify the composer and the composition of poetry, correspond exactly with the Greek ”poietes” and ”poiema,” from ”poieo,” I make.
90. My rather speech: my earlier, former subject; ”rather” is the cormparative of the old adjective ”rath,” early.
91. Up to the hollowness of the seventh sphere: pa.s.sing up through the hollowness or concavity of the spheres, which all revolve round each other and are all contained by G.o.d (see note 5 to the a.s.sembly of Fowls), the soul of Troilus, looking downward, beholds the converse or convex side of the spheres which it has traversed.
92. Sorted: allotted; from Latin, ”sors,” lot, fortune.
93. Rascaille: rabble; French, ”racaille” -- a mob or mult.i.tude, the riff-raff; so Spencer speaks of the ”rascal routs” of inferior combatants.
94. John Gower, the poet, a contemporary and friend of Chaucer's; author, among other works, of the ”Confessio Amantis.” See note 1 to the Man of Law's Tale.
95. Strode was an eminent scholar of Merton College, Oxford, and tutor to Chaucer's son Lewis.
96. Explicit Liber Troili et Cresseidis: ”The end of the book of Troilus and Cressida.”
CHAUCER'S DREAM.
[This pretty allegory, or rather conceit, containing one or two pa.s.sages that for vividness and for delicacy yield to nothing in the whole range of Chaucer's poetry, had never been printed before the year 1597, when it was included in the edition of Speght. Before that date, indeed, a Dream of Chaucer had been printed; but the poem so described was in reality ”The Book of the d.u.c.h.ess; or the Death of Blanche, d.u.c.h.ess of Lancaster” -- which is not included in the present edition. Speght says that ”This Dream, devised by Chaucer, seemeth to be a covert report of the marriage of John of Gaunt, the King's son, with Blanche, the daughter of Henry, Duke of Lancaster; who after long love (during the time whereof the poet feigneth them to be dead) were in the end, by consent of friends, happily married; figured by a bird bringing in his bill an herb, which restored them to life again. Here also is showed Chaucer's match with a certain gentlewoman, who, although she was a stranger, was, notwithstanding, so well liked and loved of the Lady Blanche and her Lord, as Chaucer himself also was, that gladly they concluded a marriage between them.” John of Gaunt, at the age of nineteen, and while yet Earl of Richmond, was married to the Lady Blanche at Reading in May 1359; Chaucer, then a prisoner in France, probably did not return to England till peace was concluded in the following year; so that his marriage to Philippa Roet, the sister of the d.u.c.h.ess Blanche's favourite attendant Katharine Roet, could not have taken place till some time after that of the Duke. In the poem, it is represented to have immediately followed; but no consequence need be attached to that statement. Enough that it followed at no great interval of time; and that the intimate relations which Chaucer had already begun to form with John of Gaunt, might well warrant him in writing this poem on the occasion of the Duke's marriage, and in weaving his own love-fortunes with those of the princ.i.p.al figures. In the necessary abridgement of the poem for the present edition, the subsidiary branch of the allegory, relating to the poet's own love affair, has been so far as possible separated from the main branch, which shadows forth the fortunes of John and Blanche. The poem, in full, contains, with an ”Envoy”
arbitrarily appended, 2233 lines; of which 510 are given here.]
(Transcriber's note: modern scholars believe that Chaucer was not the author of this poem)
WHEN Flora, the queen of pleasance, Had wholly *achiev'd the obeisance* *won the obedience*
Of the fresh and the new season, Thorough ev'ry region; And with her mantle *whole covert* *wholly covered*
What winter had *made discovert,* -- *stripped*
On a May night, the poet lay alone, thinking of his lady, and all her beauty; and, falling asleep, he dreamed that he was in an island
Where wall, and gate, was all of gla.s.s, And so was closed round about, That leaveless* none came in nor out; *without permission Uncouth and strange to behold; For ev'ry gate, of fine gold, A thousand fanes,* ay turning, *vanes, weatherc.o.c.ks Entuned* had, and birds singing *contrived so as to emit Diversely, on each fane a pair, a musical sound With open mouth, against the air; <1> And *of a suit* were all the tow'rs, *of the same plan*
Subtilly *carven aft* flow'rs *carved to represent*
Of uncouth colours, *during ay,* *lasting forever*
That never be none seen in May, With many a small turret high; But man alive I could not sigh,* *see Nor creatures, save ladies play,* *disporting themselves Which were such of their array, That, as me thought, *of goodlihead* *for comeliness*
They pa.s.sed all, and womanhead.
For to behold them dance and sing, It seemed like none earthly thing;
And all were of the same age, save one; who was advanced in years, though no less gay in demeanour than the rest. While he stood admiring the richness and beauty of the place, and the fairness of the ladies, which had the notable gift of enduring unimpaired till death, the poet was accosted by the old lady, to whom he had to yield himself prisoner; because the ordinance of the isle was, that no man should dwell there; and the ladies' fear of breaking the law was enhanced by the temporary absence of their queen from the realm. Just at this moment the cry was raised that the queen came; all the ladies hastened to meet her; and soon the poet saw her approach -- but in her company his mistress, wearing the same garb, and a seemly knight. All the ladies wondered greatly at this; and the queen explained:
”My sisters, how it hath befall,* *befallen I trow ye know it one and all, That of long time here have I been Within this isle biding as queen, Living at ease, that never wight More perfect joye have not might; And to you been of governance Such as you found in whole pleasance, <2> In every thing as ye know, After our custom and our law; Which how they firste founded were, I trow ye wot all the mannere.
And who the queen is of this isle, -- As I have been this longe while, -- Each seven years must, of usage, Visit the heav'nly hermitage, Which on a rock so highe stands, In a strange sea, out from all lands, That for to make the pilgrimage Is call'd a perilous voyage; For if the wind be not good friend, The journey dureth to the end Of him which that it undertakes; Of twenty thousand not one scapes.
Upon which rock groweth a tree, That certain years bears apples three; Which three apples whoso may have, Is *from all displeasance y-save* *safe from all pain*
That in the seven years may fall; This wot you well, both one and all.
For the first apple and the hext,* *highest <3> Which groweth unto you the next, Hath three virtues notable, And keepeth youth ay durable, Beauty, and looks, ever-in-one,* *continually And is the best of ev'ry one.
The second apple, red and green, Only with lookes of your eyne, You nourishes in great pleasance, Better than partridge or fesaunce,* *pheasant And feedeth ev'ry living wight Pleasantly, only with the sight.