(6) In Nauerne be [gh]unde the In Avergne beyond the sea see In Venyse a gode cyte, In Venice a good city Duellyde a prest of Ynglonde, Dwelled a priest of England, And was auaunsede, y And was advanced I understand. understonde. Every [gh]ere at the Every year at the flourishing florysyngge When the vynys shulde spryngge When the vines should spring A tempest that tyme began to A tempest then began to fall falle And fordede here vynys alle; And ruined all their vines. Every [gh]ere withouten fayle Every year without fail And fordyde here grete trauayle. And ruined their great labour. Therfor the folk were alle sory Therefore the folk were all sorry Thurghe the cyte comunly: Through the city commonly. Thys prest seyde, y shal [gh]ou This priest said, “I shall you telle tell What shall best thys tempest What shall best this tempest felle; fell; On Satyrday shal [gh]e ryngge On Saturday shall ye ring noon noun And late ne longer ne werke be And let no longer work be doun. done.” _Handlyng Synne_, 1350 (7) Ther faure citees wern set, nov is a see called, That ay is drouy[18] and dym and ded in hit kynde, Blo[19] blubrande[20] and blak, vnblythe to ne[gh]e[21] As a stynkande stanc that stryed[22] synne That euer of synne and of smach,[23] smart is to fele; Forthy the derk dede see hit is demed ever more, For hit dede[gh] of dethe duren there [gh]et. For hit is brod and bothemle[gh] and bitter as the galle, And no[gh]t may lenge in that lake that any lyf bere[gh], And all the coste[gh] of kynde hit combre[gh][24] vchone[25] For lay ther-on a lump of led and hit on loft flete[gh], And folde ther-on a ly[gh]t fyther and hit to founs synkke[gh], And ther water may walter to wete any erthe, Shal neuer grene ther-on growe, gresse ne wod nawther. _Cleannesse_, 1350 2. Account for the poor quality of English prose during this period. 3. What were the effects of the Norman Conquest upon English literature? 4. Describe the main features of the romance. CHAPTER III THE AGE OF CHAUCER THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND (1350–1450)