Synopses & Reviews
The larger works of fiction resemble those productions of a country which mm consumed within itself while Talea, like the more delicate and precious articles of trafic, which am exported from their nativo coil have gladdened and delighted every land.-D LoPs History of Fiction. PUBLISHT FOR THE CHAUCER SOCIETY BY N. TRUBNER CO., 57 59, LUDGATE HILL, LONDON. FORETVORDS. THE pur110se of this voll ine was to get together all tile kiiowii sources of Chaucers Tctles, so that the student of the Poet might see what in them was borrowd, ancl what original. The Analogs were added in order to show how the stories that Chaucer used were modified by other minds in other lands. But few of these would have been given, had not Mr. TV. A. Clouston, the well-known authority on the subject, most kindly voluntcerd his help. He has treated, as fully as he can, the Frclnlilins Tale, the chants Tale, the i l l c i of Laws Tctle, tlie Pardoners Tale, the ilfa zciples Tale, the TVve of Baths Yctle, and the Clerlis Tale. A like illustration of the other Tales-almost all of which admit it-mould have swelcl this volumo to such unwieldy size, that Mr. Clouston advised its closing now, leaving him at liberty to take up the subject again when lie call fin11 time for it, either thro a publisher or for the Society. 31r. Cloustoll has also beell good enough to revise Mr. TV. 31. Woods Index to this volume, alld to dram up the Contents, adding a List of the Tales illustrated by analogs, variants, c. This was necessary, because the latter -ere printed as they canlc to hand. I never thought of waiting to get everything available for any Tale before anything about it was put forth. I still hope to arrange with bIr. Hy. Wardand some second Editor for the issue of the original of the linights Tale. The Original of Troilzu and Cressiciu has been edited for us by our kind helper, Mr. W. RI. Rossetti. If Analogs or Originals can be found for any-of Chaucers Minor Poems, they will appear in a separate volume. The thanks of all our RIembers are specially due to RIr. Cloustoil for the very interesting set of Eastern Analogs which he has contributed to this volume. I am responsible for pages 55-388 below. F. J. FURXIVALI, . JVestjicZd Tc racc, lcc clc. cll, Dcrbvshire, 12 At gt st, ISSS. CONTENTS. PREFAC T E O TRIVETSL IFE OF COXSTANCE . . . . . . . . . P A m . G . B . X 1. NICHOLABT RIVETS FRENC L H IF E OF COXSTANCEE. d ited by Edmund Brock. For the IW of L Laws Tale . . . . . . X 2. THE TALE OF THE WIFE OF MERELAU T S H E EMPEROR. From Shirleys MS. of the Early-English version of the Gesta Romanorum, Harl. 7333. For the Man of Laws Tale ... 55 l h 3. - GC OFFAS INTERCEPTED LETTERS A ND BANISHT QUEEN. From Matthew Pariss Life of Offa the First. For the ii Man of Laws Tale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 4. Two FRENC F H A BLIAU lik X e, the Reeves Tale . . . . . . . . . 85 l 5. Two LATIN S TORIES, l ike the Friars Tnte ... ... ... 103 6. l l r s o s O u F a L COLNF. or the Prioresss l i i l e ... ... 107 7. How R E Y N C AU QHT CHANTICLEERF. rom the French of Marie de France and the Roman du Renart. For the Nuns Priests Talc ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 8. Two ITALIA ST N OR IES A ND A LATIN ONE Christ and his Disciples the Hermit, Death, and the Robbers the Treasure in the Tiber. For the Pardoners Tale ... . . . . . . 129 9. THE TALE OF THE S T S BL ADDERb eing Li dis de le Vescie a Prestre, byJakes de Basiw. For the Summoners Tale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 135 10. PETRARCH LA S T IN T ALE OF GRISEI DIS W, ITH BOCCACCIOS STORYfr om which it was re-told. For tbe Clerics Tale ... 149 11. PIVE V ERSIONS O F A PEAR-TRE ST E O RY. For the lVerchanfs Tale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 7 12...