Chaucer's Works (ed. Skeat) Vol. II

by Walter William Skeat

THE COMPLETE WORKS

OF

GEOFFREY CHAUCER

EDITED, FROM NUMEROUS MANUSCRIPTS

BY THE

Rev. WALTER W. SKEAT, M.A.

Litt.D., LL.D., D.C.L., Ph.D.

ELRINGTON AND BOSWORTH PROFESSOR OF ANGLO-SAXON
AND FELLOW OF CHRIST'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE

* *

BOETHIUS AND TROILUS

⁠'Adam scriveyn, if ever it thee befalle
Boece or Troilus to wryten newe,
Under thy lokkes thou most have the scalle,
But after my making thou wryte trewe.'
⁠Chaucers Wordes unto Adam.

SECOND EDITION

Oxford

AT THE CLARENDON PRESS

M DCCCC

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Oxford

PRINTED AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
BY HORACE HART, M.A.
PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

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CONTENTS.

PAGE
Introduction to Boethius.—§ 1. Date of the Work. § 2. Boethius. § 3. The Consolation of Philosophy; and fate of its author. § 4. Jean de Meun. § 5. References by Boethius to current events. § 6. Cassiodorus. § 7. Form of the Treatise. § 8. Brief sketch of its general contents. § 9. Early translations. § 10. Translation by Ælfred. § 11. MS. copy, with A.S. glosses. § 12. Chaucer's translation mentioned. § 13. Walton's verse translation. § 14. Specimen of the same. § 15. His translation of Book ii. met. 5. § 16. M. E. prose translation; and others. § 17. Chaucer's translation and le Roman de la Rose. § 18. Chaucer's scholarship. § 19. Chaucer's prose. § 20. Some of his mistakes. § 21. Other variations considered. § 22. Imitations of Boethius in Chaucer's works. § 23. Comparison with 'Boece' of other works by Chaucer. § 24. Chronology of Chaucer's works, as illustrated by 'Boece.' § 25. The Manuscripts. § 26. The Printed Editions. § 27. The Present Edition	vii
Introduction to Troilus.—§ 1. Date of the Work. § 2. Sources of the Work; Boccaccio's Filostrato. §§ 3, 4. Other sources. § 5. Chaucer's share in it. § 6. Vagueness of reference to sources. § 7. Medieval note-books. § 8. Lollius. § 9. Guido delle Colonne. § 10. 'Trophee.' §§ 11, 12. The same continued. §§ 13-17. Passages from Guido. §§ 18, 19. Dares, Dictys, and Benôit de Ste-More. § 20. The names; Troilus, &c. § 21. Roman de la Rose. § 22. Gest Historiale. § 23. Lydgate's Siege of Troye. § 24. Henrysoun's Testament of Criseyde. § 25. The MSS. § 26. The Editions. § 27. The Present Edition. § 28. Deficient lines. § 29. Proverbs. § 30. Kinaston's Latin translation. § 31. Sidnam's translation	xlix
Boethius de Consolatione Philosophie	1
Book I.	1
Book II.	23
Book III.	51
Book IV.	92
Book V.	126
Troilus and Criseyde	153
Book I.	153
Book II.	189
Book III.	244
Book IV.	302
Book V.	357
Notes to Boethius	419
Notes to Troilus	461