Chaucerian and Other Pieces: Being a Supplement to the Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer — John Shaqi
Chaucerian and Other Pieces: Being a Supplement to the Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer
General
Chaucerian and Other Pieces: Being a Supplement to the Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer
Chaucer, Geoffrey, -1400
Both these pieces are written in a spirited style, and are of considerable
interest for the light which they throw upon many of the corrupt practices
of the monks, friars, and clergy. The Crede is directed against the friars
in particular, and reflects many of the opinions of Wyclif, as will easily
appear by comparing it with Wyclif's works. See, in particular, his Fifty
Heresies and Errors of Friars (Works, ed. Arnold, iii. 366). It would have
been easy to crowd the Notes with quotations from Wyclif; but it is
sufficient to point out so obvious a source. I have not observed any
passage in which the author copies the exact language of Langland. The
dialect seems to be some form of Midland, and is somewhat archaic; many of
the verbal forms are of some value to the philologist. Taken altogether, it
is a piece of considerable interest and merit. Ten Brink alludes to it as
'that transparent, half-prophetic allegory of the Quarrel between the
Griffin and the Pelican'; and adds--'The Griffin was the representative of
the prelates and the monks, the Pelican that of real Christianity in
Wyclif's sense. At a loss for arguments, the Griffin calls in at last all
the birds of prey in order to destroy its rival. The Phoenix, however,
comes to the help of the Pelican, and terribly destroys the robber-brood.'
Tyrwhitt observed, with great acuteness, that Spenser's allusion, in the
Epilogue to his Shepheards Calender, to 'the Pilgrim that the Ploughman
playde awhyle,' may well refer to the author of the Plowman's Tale rather
than to Langland[14]. Cf. p. 147, l. 12. It was natural that Spenser should
mention him along with Chaucer, because their productions were bound up
together in the same volume; a volume which was, to Spenser, a
treasure-house of archaic words.
The discussion on points of religion between the Griffin and the Pelican
clearly suggested to Dryden his discussion between the Hind and the
Panther. His choice of quadrupeds in place of birds is certainly no
improvement.
§ 23. III. JACK UPLAND.
Of this piece, no MS. copy is known. It is usually said to have been first
printed by Speght, in his second edition of Chaucer's Works in 1602; but I
have been so fortunate as to find a better and earlier text in the library
of Caius College, Cambridge, to which my attention was drawn by a note in
Hazlitt's Bibliographer's Handbook. This copy, here taken as the basis of
my text, and collated with Speght, is a small book consisting of only 16
leaves. The title-page contains the following words, within a square
border. ¶ Jack vp Lande | Compyled by the | famous Geoffrey | Chaucer. |
Ezechielis. xiii. | ¶ Wo be vnto you that | dishonour me to me (_sic_) peo
| ple for an handful of bar | lye & for a pece of bread. | Cum priuilegio |
Regali.
At the end of the treatise is the colophon: ¶ Prynted for Ihon Gough. Cum
Priuilegio Regali.
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