In the prologue to the Reve's Tale, the Reve, nettled by the miller, who had been satirical on his trade, says he will "_somdel set his howve_ For leful is with force force off to showve." "Howve" is cap--and in the Miller's Prologue we had been told "How that a clerk had set the wrightes cappe;" that is, "made a fool" of him--nay, a cuckold. Mr. Horne, "Though my reply _should somewhat fret his nose_." In Chaucer the Reve's tale begins with "At Trumpington, not far from Cantebrigge, There goeth a brook, and over that a brigge." Mr Horne saith somewhat wilfully. "At Trumpington, near Cambridge, _if you look_, There goeth a bridge, and under that a brook." Two Cantabs ask leave of their Warden "To geve hem leve _but a litel stound_, To gon to mill and sen hire corn yground." _i.e._ "to give them leave for a short time." Mr Horne translates it, "for a merry round." In the course of the tale, the miller's wife "Came leping inward at a renne." _i.e._ "Came leaping into the room at a run." Mr Horne translates it-- "The miller's wife came _laughing inwardly_!" Chaucer says-- "This miller hath so _wisly_ bibbed ale." And Mr Horne, with incredible ignorance of the meaning of that word, says-- "The miller hath so _wisely_ bobbed of ale." So wisely that he was "for-drunken"--and "as a horse he snorteth in his sleep." In Chaucer the description of the miller's daughter ends with this line-- "But right faire was _hire here_, I will not lie," _i.e._ her hair. Mr Horne translates it "was _she here_." But there is no end to such blunders. In Chaucer, as in all our old poets of every degree, there occur, over and over again, such forms of natural expression as the following,--and when they do occur, let us have them; but what a feeble modernizer must he be who keeps adding to the number till he gives his readers the ear-ache. Not one of the following is in the original:-- "At Algeziras, in Granada, he," "At many a noble fight of ships was he." "For certainly a prelate fair was he." "In songs and tales the prize o'er all bore he." "And a poor parson of a town was he." "Such had he often proved, and loath was he." "In youth a good trade practised well had he." "Lordship and servitude at once hath he." "And die he must as echo did, said he." "Madam this is impossible, said he." "Save wretched Aurelius none was sad but he." "And said thus when this last request heard he." In like manner, in Chaucer as in all our old poets of every degree, there occur over and over again such natural forms of expression as "I wot," "I wis"--and where they do occur let us have them too and be thankful; but poverty-stricken in the article of rhymes must _be he_, who is perpetually driven to resort to such expedients as the following--all of which are Mr Horne's own:-- "Of fees and robes he many had, I ween." "And yet this manciple made them fools, I wot."