Another opinion is that of all the theories enunciated, the most probable is that of Fabricius, who avers that a celebrated Persian astronomer, one Schatrinscha, invented the game, and gave it his own name, which it still bears in that country. It adds, Donatus observes, that Pyrrhus the most knowing and expert prince of his age, ranging a battle, made use of the men at chess, to form his designs, and to shew the secrets thereof to other. The common opinion was that it was invented by Palamedes at the siege of Troy, others attributed it to Diomedes, who lived in the time of Alexander, but the text concludes by remarking, "The truth appears to be that the game is so very ancient, there is no tracing its author." ------ CHAUCER In the Fourteenth and Fifteenth centuries, chess continued to be extremely popular, Chaucer in one of his minor poems "The Boke of the Duchesse," introduces himself in a dream as playing at chess with Fortune, and speaks of false moves, as though dishonest tricks were sometimes practised in the game. He tells us: At chesse with me she gan to playe, With her fals draughts (moves) dyvers, She staale on me and toke my fers (Queen), And wharne I sawe my fers awaye, Allas I couthe no longer playe, But seyde, farewell swete yuys, And farewell ul that ever ther ys, Therwith fortune seyde Chek here, And mayte in the myd poynt of the Chek here, (chess board) WIth a paune (pawn) errante allas, Ful craftier to playe she was, Than Athalus that made the game, First of the chesse, so was hys name. (ROBERT BELL)-CHAUCER, Vol. VI. p. 157. ------ SAUL AND BARBIERE Barbiere 1640, in his work, "The famous game of chess play," dedicated to Lucy, Countess of Bedford, observes: "For the antiquity of this game, I find upon record, that it was invented 614 years before the Nativity of Christ, so that it is now 2,252 years since it hath been practiced, and it is thought that Xerxes (a puissant King) was the deviser thereof, though some be of opinion that it was made by excellent learned men, as well appeareth by the wonderful invention of the same." The title is quaintly expressed. The famous game of chesse play, "Being a princely exercise wherein the learner may profit more by reading of this small book, than by playing of a thousand mates. Now augmented by many material things formerly wanting and beautified by a threefold methode of the Chesse men, of the Chesse play, of the Chesse moves." by J. BARBIERE, P. To which is added representation of a chesse board and pieces, with two players thereat, in the act of drawing for the move with the following lines: "If on your man you light, The first draught you may play, If not tis mine by right, At first to leade the way.