[Sidenote: Nicholas’s _Life of Chaucer_. *]
“The affection of Occleve” (_his contemporary and dear friend_) “has
made Chaucer’s person better known than that of any individual of his
age. The portrait of which an engraving illustrates this memoir, is
taken from Occleve’s painting already mentioned in the Harleian MS.
4866, which he says was painted from memory after Chaucer’s decease,
and which is apparently the only genuine portrait in existence. The
figure, which is half-length, has a background of green tapestry. He
is represented with gray hair and beard, which is bi-forked; he wears
a dark-coloured dress and hood, his right hand is extended, and in
his left he holds a string of beads. From his vest a black case is
suspended, which appears to contain a knife, or possibly a ‘penner’[2]
or pencase. The expression of the countenance is intelligent, but the
fire of the eye seems quenched, and evident marks of advanced age
appear on the countenance. This is incomparably the best portrait of
Chaucer yet discovered.”
[Sidenote: Nicholas’s _Life of Chaucer_. *]
“There is a third portrait in a copy of the _Canterbury Tales_ made
about the reign of King Henry the Fifth, being within twenty years of
the poet’s death, in the Lansdowne MS. 851. The figure, which is a
small full-length, is placed in the initial letter of the volume. He
is dressed in a long gray gown, with red stockings, and black shoes
fastened with black sandals round the ankles. His head is bare, and the
hair closely cut. In his right hand he holds an open book; and a knife
or pencase, as in the other portraits, is attached to his vest.”
_Tradition asserts that Chaucer merged his own personality in that of
the Poet in his_ Canterbury Tales.
[Sidenote: Prologue to _The Rime of Sire Thopas_.]
“... Our Hoste to japen he began,
And than at erst he loked upon me,
And saide thus; ‘What man art thou?’ quod he;
‘Thou lokest, as thou woldest finde an hare,
For ever upon the ground I see thee stare.
‘Approche nere, and loke up merily.
Now ware you, sires, and let this man have place.
He in the waste is shapen as wel as I:
This were a popet,[3] in an arme to enbrace
For any woman, smal and faire of face.
He semeth elvish[4] by his contenance,
For unto no wight doth he daliance.’”