CHAUCER. 269 



tion frequent in Chaucer, and still common in New Eng 

 land : 



" But me were lever than [lever 'n] all this town, quod he." 



Let one example suffice for many. To Coleridge's rules 

 another should be added by a wise editor ; and that is to 

 restore the final n in the infinitive and third person plural 

 of verbs, and in such other cases as can be justified by 

 the authority of Chaucer himself. Surely his ear could 

 never have endured the sing-song of such verses as 



" I couthe telle for a gowne-cloth," 

 or 



" Than ye to me schuld breke youre trouthe." 



Chaucei^s measure is so uniform (making due allowances) 

 that words should be transposed or even omitted where 

 the verse manifestly demands it, and with copyists so 

 long and dull of ear this is often the case. Sometimes 

 they leave out a needful word : 



" But er [the] thunder stynte, there cometh rain," 

 " When [that] we ben yflattered and ypraised," 

 fi Tak [ye] him for the greatest gentleman." 



Sometimes they thrust in a word or words that hobble 

 the verse : 



" She trowed he were yfel in [some] maladie," 

 " Ye faren like a man [that] had lost his wit," 

 " Then have I got of you the maystrie, quod she," 

 '. (Then have I got the maystery, quod she,) 

 " And quod the juge [also] thou must lose thy head." 



Sometimes they give a wrong word identical in mean 

 ing : 



"And therwithal he knew [couthe] mo proverbes." 



Sometimes they change the true order of the words : 



" Therefore no woman of clerkes is [is of clerkes] praised " 

 " His felaw lo, here he stout [stont he] hool on live." 



" He that coveteth is a pore' wight 

 For he wold have that is not in his might; 

 But he that nought hath ne coveteth nought to have." 



