[543] One in French was performed at Paris in 1395 ("Estoire de Griselidis ... par personnages," MS. Fr. 2203 in the National Library, Paris), and was printed at the Renaissance, by Bonfons, ab. 1550: "Le Mystere de Griselidis"; one in German was written by Hans Sachs in 1550. In Italy it was the subject of an opera by Apostolo Zeno, 1620. In England, Henslowe, on the 15th of December, 1599, lends three pounds to Dekker, Chettle and Haughton for their "Pleasant comodie of Patient Grissil," printed in 1603, reprinted by the Shakespeare Society, 1841. The English authors drew several hints from the French play, but theirs is the best written on the subject (parts of Julia, the witty sister of the Marquis, of Laureo, the poor student, brother of Griselda, as proud as she is humble, &c.). [544] Lady Bradshaigh to Richardson, January 11, 1749. "Correspondence of Samuel Richardson," ed. Barbauld, London, 1804, 6 vols. 12mo, vol. iv. p. 240. [545] "Complete Works," vol. iv. p. 568. [546] Listeth, lordes, in good entent, And I wol telle verrayment Of mirthe and of solas, &c. The caricature of the popular heroic stories of the day is extremely close (see below, p. 347). [547] Tale of the Canon's Yeoman, l. 995. [548] ... For the tyrant is of gretter might, By force of meynee for to sleen doun-right, And brennen hous and hoom, and make al plain, Lo! therfor is he cleped a capitain; And, for the outlawe hath but smal meynee, And may nat doon so greet an harm as he, Ne bringe a contree to so greet mescheef, Men clepen him an outlawe or a theef. (Maunciple's tale, in "Complete Works," iv. p. 562.) [549] "A Treatise on the Astrolabe" in "Complete Works," vol. iii. p. 175. [550] "General Prologue," l. 742. [551] "Troilus," Book v. st. 257. [552] "Chaucer's wordes unto Adam, his owne Scriveyn," in "Complete Works," vol. i. p. 379. [553] "Je te suppliray seulement d'une chose, lecteur, de vouloir bien prononcer mes vers et accomoder ta voix a leur passion ... et je te supplie encore de rechef, ou tu verras cette marque: (!) vouloir un peu eslever ta voix pour donner grace a ce que tu liras." Preface of the "Franciade." [554] So says the Parson, who adds: Ne, God wot, rym holde I but litel bettre. Parson's Prologue, l. 43. It will be observed that while _naming_ simply rhyme, he _caricatures_ alliteration. [555] 1391, in "Complete Works," vol. iii. On that other, _possible_ son of Chaucer, Thomas, see _ibid._, vol. i. p. xlviii., and above, p. 273. [556] "Truth," or "Balade de bon Conseyl," in "Complete Works," vol. i. p. 390. Belonging to the same period: "Lak of Stedfastnesse" (advice to the king himself); "L'Envoy de Chaucer a Scogan"; "L'Envoy de Chaucer a Bukton," on marriage, with an allusion to the Wife of Bath; "The Compleynt of Venus"; "The Compleint of Chaucer to his empty purse," &c., all in vol. i. of "Complete Works."