8 Arthur Gar-field Kennedy 



and doon us som good. Cokes Tale of Gamelyn, 664. — And ches 

 the best and lef the 7vorst for me. Knyghtes Tale, 756. — And 

 bad him doon his best. Cokes Tale of Gamelyn, 238. — That yev- 

 eth hem ful ofte in many a gyse Wei bettre than they can hem- 

 self devyse. Knyghtes Tale, 12d3.- — I recche naught what wrong 

 that thou me profre. Secounde Nonnes Tale, 489. — He thar nat 

 weene that evyl doth. Reeves Tale, 400. — Vv^'ho hath the worse 

 . . . ? Cant. Tales : Prologue. 490. — By alle right it may do 

 me no shame! Troylus and Cryseyde. Bk. II. 763. — And al his 

 ernes t turneth to a jape. Milleres Tale, 204. 



This last is one of Chaucer's favorite expressions. The com- 

 binations, ernest and jape, or ernest and game occur very often. 



Nature, the vyker of thalmyghty Lorde, That hoot, colde, hevy, 

 lyght, moist and dryc Hath knyt. Assembly of Foules, 397. — 

 but of myn oughne sore ... I telle may no more. Prologue 

 of Marchaundes Tale, 31. — for foule ne faire. Man of Lawes 

 Tale, 426. — Leving the streiglit, holding the large. — Other com- 

 binations are • good or ille; softe ne sore; schort and plain; 

 heigh or lozve; colde or hote. 



tie had a jape of malice in the derk. Cokes Prologue, 14. — For 

 unto him it is a bitter sivete. Prologue of the Chartonnes Yeman, 

 325. — Your bitter tornen into swettenesse. Troylus and Cryseyde 

 Bk. III. 130. — Or Cecile is to saye, the waye of blynde. Secounde 

 Nonnes Tale, 92. — As shulde a maister of dyvyne. Romaunt of 

 the Rose, 6490. — Her heed for hore was whyte as floure. ibid. 

 356. 



CM:her examples of this usage are : the contrary, a lit el, grete 

 (for greatness), mene, newe, the revers, faire, untrewe, quiete, 

 veyne, unright, remenaunt, wery (for weariness), large, harde 

 (for hardship). 



We find quite frequently the proper adjective used as the name 

 of a language. 



Naught wist he what his Latyn was to saye, Prioresses Tale, 

 71. — And for ther is so grete dyversite In Englissche, and in 

 writynge of our tonge. Troylus and Cryseyde. Bk. V. 1807. 



A large number of adjectives are found as objects of prepo- 

 sitional phrases and are so plainly adverbial as to require special 

 treatment. No doubt they were at first abstract nouns, but the 

 adjective force seems very largely to have disappeared even in 

 Chaucer's time. For examples of such usage see II. E. 5. 



258 



