The following list is arranged, _conjecturally_, in chronological order. It
will be understood that much of the arrangement and some of the dates are
due to guesswork; on a few points scholars are agreed. See further in pp.
20-91 below, &c. Of the Poems marked (a), there seem to have been _two_
editions, (a) being the earlier. The letters and numbers appended at the
end denote the _metres_, according to the following scheme.
A = octosyllabic metre; B = ballad metre, in Sir Thopas; C = 4-line stanza,
in the Proverbes; P = Prose.
The following sixteen metres are original (i. e. in _English_); viz. 1 =
8-line stanza, _ababbcbc_; 1 b = the same, thrice, with refrain. 2 = 7-line
stanza, _ababbcc_; 2 b = the same, thrice, with refrain; 2 _c_ = 7-line
stanza, _ababbab_. 3 = terza rima. 4 = 10-line stanza, _aabaabcddc_. 5 =
9-line stanza, _aabaabbab_; 5 b = the same, with internal rimes. 6 =
virelai of 16 lines. 7 = 9-line stanza, _aabaabbcc_. 8 = roundel. 9 =
heroic couplet. 10 = 6-line stanza, _ababcb_, repeated six times. 11 =
10-line stanza, _aabaabbaab_. 12 = 5-line stanza, _aabba_.
*** C. T. = Canterbury Tales; L. G. W. = Legend of Good Women; M. P. =
Minor Poems.
Origenes upon the Maudeleyne (See L. G. W., A 418; lost.)
Book of the Leoun (C. T., I. 1087; lost).
(a) Ceys and Alcion (C. T., B. 57; Bk. Duch. 62-214).--A.
Romaunt of the Rose, ll. 1-1705; rest lost.--A.
A. B. C.; in M. P. I.--1.
1369. Book of the Duchesse; M. P. III.--A.
(a) Lyf of Seynt Cecyle (L. G. W., B 426; C. T.,
G. 1-553).--2[184].
(a) Monkes Tale (parts of); except B. 3565-3652.--1.
ab. 1372-3. (a) Clerkes Tale; except E. 995-1008, and the Envoy.--2.
(a) Palamon and Arcite (scraps preserved).--2.
Compleint to his Lady; M. P. VI.--2. 3. 4.
An Amorous Compleint, made at Windsor; M. P. XXII.--2.
Compleint unto Pitè; M. P. II.--2.
Anelida and Arcite (10 stt. from Palamon); M. P. VII.--
2. 5. 6. 5 b.
(a) The Tale of Melibeus.--P.
(a) The Persones Tale.--P.
(a) Of the Wreched Engendring of Mankinde (L. G. W., A. 414;
cf. C. T., B. 99-121, &c.)--2.
(a) Man of Lawes Tale; amplified in C. T.--2.
1377-81. Translation of Boethius.--P.
1379? Compleint of Mars; M. P. IV.--2. 7.
1379-83. Troilus and Criseyde (3 stt. from Palamon).--2.
Wordes to Adam (concerning Boece and Troilus);
M. P. VIII.--2.
The Former Age (from Boece); M. P. IX.--1.
Fortune (hints from Boece); M. P. X.--1 b. 2 c.
1382. Parlement of Foules (16 stt. from Palamon); M. P. V.--2. 8.
1383-4. House of Fame.--A.
1385-6. Legend of Good Women.--9.
1386. Canterbury Tales begun.
1387-8. Central period of the Canterbury Tales.
1389, &c. The Tales continued.--B. 1. 2. 9. 10. P.
1391. Treatise on the Astrolabe.--P.
1393? Compleint of Venus; M. P. XVIII.--1 b. 11.
1393. Lenvoy to Scogan; M. P. XVI.--2.
1396. Lenvoy to Bukton; M. P. XVII.--1.
1399. Envoy to Compleint to his Purse; M. P. XIX.--12.
The following occasional triple roundel and balades _may_ have been
composed between 1380 and 1396:--
Merciless Beautè; M. P. XI--8.
Balade to Rosamounde; M. P. XII.--1 b.
Against Women Unconstaunt; M. P. XXI--2 b.
(_a_) Compleint to his Purse; M. P. XIX.--2 b.
Lak of Stedfastnesse; M. P. XV.--2 b.
Gentilesse; M. P. XIV.--2 b.
Truth; M. P. XIII.--2 b.
Proverbes of Chaucer; M. P. XX.--C.
* * * * *