6. WILLIAM LANGLANDE (+1332-1400+), a poet who used the old English head-rhyme, as Chaucer used the foreign end-rhyme, was born at Cleobury-Mortimer in Shropshire, in the year 1332. The date of his death is doubtful. His poem is called the +Vision of Piers the Plowman+; and it is the last long poem in our literature that was written in Old English alliterative rhyme. From this period, if rhyme is employed at all, it is the end-rhyme, which we borrowed from the French and Italians. The poem has an appendix called +Do-well, Do-bet, Do-best+-- the three stages in the growth of a Christian. Langlande’s writings remained in manuscript until the reign of Edward VI.; they were printed then, and went through three editions in one year. The English used in the +Vision+ is the Midland dialect-- much the same as that used by Chaucer; only, oddly enough, Langlande admits into his English a larger amount of French words than Chaucer. The poem is a distinct landmark in the history of our speech. The following is a specimen of the lines. There are three alliterative words in each line, with a pause near the middle-- “A voice {l}oud in that {l}ight · to {L}ucifer criëd, ‘{P}rinces of this {p}alace · {p}rest[16] undo the gatës, For here {c}ometh with {c}rown · the {k}ing of all glory!’” [Footnote 16: Quickly.] 7. GEOFFREY CHAUCER (+1340-1400+), the “father of English poetry,” and the greatest narrative poet of this country, was born in London in or about the year 1340. He lived in the reigns of Edward III., Richard II., and one year in the reign of Henry IV. His father was a vintner. The name _Chaucer_ is a Norman name, and is found on the roll of Battle Abbey. He is said to have studied both at Oxford and Cambridge; served as page in the household of Prince Lionel, Duke of Clarence, the third son of Edward III.; served also in the army, and was taken prisoner in one of the French campaigns. In 1367, he was appointed gentleman-in-waiting (_valettus_) to Edward III., who sent him on several embassies. In 1374 he married a lady of the Queen’s chamber; and by this marriage he became connected with John of Gaunt, who afterwards married a sister of this lady. While on an embassy to Italy, he is reported to have met the great poet Petrarch, who told him the story of the Patient Griselda. In 1381, he was made Comptroller of Customs in the great port of London-- an office which he held till the year 1386. In that year he was elected knight of the shire-- that is, member of Parliament for the county of Kent. In 1389, he was appointed Clerk of the King’s Works at Westminster and Windsor. From 1381 to 1389 was probably the best and most productive period of his life; for it was in this period that he wrote the +House of Fame+, the +Legend of Good Women+, and the best of the +Canterbury Tales+. From 1390 to 1400 was spent in writing the other +Canterbury Tales+, ballads, and some moral poems. He died at Westminster in the year 1400, and was the first writer