268 



OBSERVATIONS ON THE LANGUAGE OF GOWER'S CONFESSIO AMANTIS. 



It is entirely possible that further investigation may show that Chaucer is distin- 

 guished from Cower by a fieer treatment of that final e, which, occurring often, is to 

 our ears so puerile, and which corning in regularly at the end of each of a long succession 



* 



of verses, produces a monotony all but intolerable. It is heartily to be hoped that this 

 may be done, but in the mean time some signs of rebellion against the predominance of 

 the offending letter make it necessary to repeat a suggestion already made in the paper 

 on Chaucer (p. 449, note t), that we are not inquiring what sort of language and verse is 

 most agreeable, but what was the actual rule of our language at the end of the four- 

 teenth century, 



I subjoin a few parages exemplifying the rules which follow. The last two are more 

 than ordinarily correct, and are not fair specimens of the text. 



and pride was a vice holde, i. 11. 

 fortune stant no while stille, i. 22. 

 he may that werre sore rewe, i. 37. 



I fond(e) a swote grene pleine, i. 45. 



ami thus a marines eye ferst 



hi in Belfe greveth althenverst, 



an 1 many a time that lie knoweth 



unto his owne hartne it groweth. 

 B\y gone, barken now forthy 

 a t;di ; , to be war(e) therby 



thin eye for to kepe and wurde, 



so that it pa >e nought his warde, i. 53. 



mini aires five fid diverse, i. 61. 



Of thilke bore free kindi, i. 68. 



that sleigh te shulde helpe thanne, i. 79. 



which cause was of pure drede, i. 109. 



wher(e) some pleid^ and some songe, i. 110. 



he -tide nay, they saiden yis, i. 201. 



this newe king of newe pride 



wiih strengths shop(e) him for to ride, i. 218. 



the quicke body with the dede 



With leve take forth they lede, i. 253. 



he highte pope Nicholas, i. 254. 



fir how mankinds was forlore, 

 an<i bow the highe God therfore 

 bis sorie s<mcle from above, 

 which bore was for marines love, 

 and after of his owne chois, i. 273. 

 he muste thanne fade nede, ii. 284. 

 they dide thanne suche thiages, iii. 56. 

 and all bledende kist him ofte, iii. 60. 

 of these twelve sigi 3 sronde, iii. 118. 

 be was tormented day and night, 



such was the highe goddes might, 

 till seven yer(e) an ende toke. 

 upon him self tho gan he loke : 

 in stede of mete, gras and streis ; 

 in stede of handes, lon^e eleis ; 



J O 7 



in stede of man, a bestes like 

 he sigh, and than he gan to sike 

 for cloth of golda and of perrie, 

 which him was wont to magniiie. 

 when he beheld his cote of heres 

 be wepte and with wofull teres 

 up to the heven lie caste his chere, 

 wepend[e] and thought in this manei 

 though he no wordes mighte winne, 

 thus said his hert[e] and spak(e) witl 

 o mighty God, that all hast wrought, 

 and all might bring[e] ayein to nougl 

 now knowe I wel but all of the 

 this world hath no prosperity, 

 in thin aspect ben alle aliche, 

 the poner man and eke the riche ; 

 withoute the ther(e) may no wight, 

 and thou above all other might. 



mighty lord, toward my vice 

 thy mercy raedlii with justice, 

 and I woll make a covenaunt 

 that of my li f (e) the remenaunt 



1 shall it by thy grace amende, 



and in thy lawe so disnende, i. 143-4 



my gode dere gone, vis. 



thy shriftii for to make pleJn, 

 there is yet more for to sain 



