_Nimium . . . adversari ac repugnare videtur._ It semeþ . . . to repugnen and to contrarien gretly. Fr. Ce semble chose trop contraire et repugnante. _Universitatis ambitum._ Envirounynge of þe vniuersite (p. 165). Fr. lauironnement de luniuersalite. _Rationis universum._ Vniuersite of resoun (p. 165). Fr. luniuersalite de Raison. _Scientiam nunquam deficientis instantiæ rectius æstimabis._ Þou shalt demen [it] more ryȝtfully þat it is science of presence or of instaunce þat neuer ne fayleþ (p. 174). Fr. mais tu la diras plus droittement et mieulx science de instante p{re}sentialite non iamais defaillant mais eternelle. Many of the above examples are very bald renderings of the original, and are only quoted here to show that Chaucer did not make his translation from the French. Chaucer is not always felicitous in his translations:--thus he translates _clavus atque gubernaculum_ by _keye and a stiere_ (p. 103), and _compendium_ (gain, acquisition) by _abreggynge_ (abridging, curtailment), p. 151. Many terms make their appearance in English for the first time,--and most of them have become naturalized, and are such as we could ill spare. Some few are rather uncommon, as _gouernaile_ (gubernaculum), p. 27; _arbitre_ (arbitrium), p. 154. As Chaucer takes the trouble to explain _inestimable_ (inæstimabilis), p. 158, it could not have been a very familiar term. Our translator evidently took note of various readings, for on p. 31 he notes a variation of the original. On p. 51 he uses _armurers_ (= armures) to render _arma_, though most copies agree in reading _arva_. There are numerous glosses and explanations of particular passages, which seem to be interpolated by Chaucer himself. Thus he explains what is meant by the _heritage of Socrates_ (p. 10, 11); he gives the meaning of _coemption_ (p. 15); of _Euripus_ (p. 33); of the _porch_ (p. 166).[I-11] Some of his definitions are very quaint; as, for instance, that of Tragedy--‘_a dité of a prosperité for a tyme þat endiþ in wrechednesse_’ (p. 35). One would think that the following definition of Tragedian would be rather superfluous after this,--‘_a maker of dites þat hyȝten_ (are called) _tregedies_’ (p. 77). _Melliflui . . . oris Homerus_ is thus quaintly Englished: _Homer wiþ þe hony mouþe, þat is to seyn. homer wiþ þe swete dites_ (p. 153). * * * * * The present translation of the _De Consolatione_ is taken from Additional MS. 10,340, which is supposed to be the _oldest_ manuscript that exists in our public libraries. After it was all copied out and ready for press, Mr Bradshaw was kind enough to procure me, for the purpose of collation, the loan of the Camb. University MS. Ii. 3. 21, from which the various readings at the foot of the pages are taken.