4 Arthur Gariield Kennedy 



A. Semi-substantivized adjectives referring to preceding nouns. 



This use of the adjective is quite common in Chaucer. No 

 attempt will be made to cover the field entirel}', but simply to 

 give illustrations which seem most characteristic. 



A theef he was, forsoth, of corn and mele, And that a sleigh. 

 Reeves Tale, 20. — A true swynk and a good was he. Cant. 

 Tales : Prologue, 531.- — of Gamelyn the bolde. Tale of Gamelyn, 

 290. — of Gamelyn the yonge. ibid., 342. — At the root of Vesulus 

 the colde. Clerkes Tale, 2. — this January the olde. Marchaundes 

 Tale, 798. — For sche was on the fairest under sonne. Frankel- 

 eynes Tale, 6. — Ther was a monk, a fair man and a bold. 

 Schipmannes Tale, 25. — but a governour, a wily and a wyse. 

 Prologue of Monkes Tale, 52. — this Seneca the wyse. Monkes 

 Tale, 525. — To Cupido the recheles. Hous of Fame, Bk. II. 160. — 

 Gaweyn the worthy. Romaunt of the Rose, 2309. 



B. Substantivized adjectives used with one. 



This use of the adjective is very limited in Chaucer. And not 

 only are there few examples of it, but there is not much variety 

 in the adjectives so used. Varying forms of our modern such 

 appear most common. 



That han swich oon icaught withouten net. Troylus and Cry- 

 seyde, Bk. II. 583. — To slane szvice oon. ibid. Bk. II. 265. — I 

 am oon the fayreste. ibid. Bk. II. 746. — with swich oon as he 

 is. ibid, Bk. V, 740. — For I have falsed oon the gentileste and 

 oon the worthyeste. ibid, Bk. V. 1050. — that betrisshed many 

 oon. Romaunt of the Rose, 1648. — Thou herdest never sich oon, 

 I trow. ibid. 5409. — Ymaginynge that travaille nor game Ne 

 myghte for so goodely one be lorne. Troylus and Cryseyde, Bk. 

 I. 372. — As help me God I was a lusty one. Prologue of Wyf 

 of Bathe. 605. 



Einenkel^ gives the last two examples and adds, "Dies sind 

 die beiden einzigen Falle wo ich das Zahlwort beim positiven 

 Adjectiv entdecken konnte. Sein eigentlicher Platz ist beim 

 Superlativ." Illustrative of the ' latter statement he gives the 

 following : 



^Sfreifzilge diirch die MittelengUsche Syntax, p. 27. 



254 



