1705. Here ends Chaucer's portion of the translation, in the middle of an
incomplete sentence, without any verb. It may have been continued thus
(where _dide fulfild_ = caused to be filled):--
The swote smelle sprong so wyde,
That it dide al the place aboute
_Fulfild of baume, withouten doute_.
We can easily understand that the original MS. ended here suddenly, the
rest being torn away or lost. An attempt was made to join on another
version, without observing the incompleteness of the sentence. Moreover,
the rime is a false one, since _swote_ and _aboute_ have different
vowel-sounds. Hence the point of junction becomes visible enough.
Dr. Max Kaluza was the first to observe the change of authorship at this
point, though he made Chaucer's portion end at l. 1704. He remarked, very
acutely, that Chaucer translates the F. _bouton_ by the word _knoppe_; see
ll. 1675, 1683, 1685, 1691, 1702, whereas the other translator merely keeps
the word _botoun_; see ll. 1721, 1761, 1770.
It is easily seen that ll. 1706-5810 are by a second and less skilful hand.
This portion abounds with non-Chaucerian rimes, as explained in the
Introduction, and is not by any means remarkable for accuracy. Some of the
false rimes are noted below.
As the remaining portion is of less interest and value, I only draw
attention, in the notes, to the most important points. I here denote the
second portion (ll. 1706-5810) by the name of Section B.
1713. _muche_, in Sect. B, is usually dissyllabic; perhaps the original had
_mikel_.
1721. In sect. B, the word _botoun_ is invariably misspelt _bothum_ or
_bothom_. That this ridiculous form is wrong, is proved by the occurrence
of places where the pl. _botouns_ rimes with _sesouns_ (4011) and with
_glotouns_ (4308). I therefore restore the form _botoun_ throughout.
1776. Sect. B is strongly marked by the frequent use of _withouten wene_,
_withouten were_, _withouten drede_, and the like tags.
1820. A common proverb, in many languages. 'Chien eschaudé craint l'eau
froide, the scaulded dog fears even cold water;' Cotgrave. 'Brend child fur
dredeth' is one of the Proverbs of Hending, l. 184. The Fr. text has:
'Qu'eschaudés doit iaue douter.' See Cant. Ta. G 1407. At this point, the
translation somewhat varies from the Fr. text, as usually printed. The
_third_ arrow is here called Curtesye (1802, cf. 957) instead of Fraunchise
(955).
1853, 4. Both _thore, more_, evidently for _thar, mar_; see ll. 1857, 8.
1871. _allegeaunce_, alleviation; F. text, _aleiance_. Cf. _aleggement_,
1890; F. text, _alegement_; and see l. 1923.
1906. Both texts have _Rokyng_. A better spelling is either _rouking_ or
_rukking_. It means--'crouching down very closely on account of the pain.'
See Kn. Ta. A 1308. (Not in the French text.)
1909. The other four arrows are Beauty (1750), Simplesse (1774), Curtesye
(1802, and note to l. 1820), and Companye (1862). But the names, even in
the F. text, are not exactly the same as in a former passage; see ll.
952-963 above.
2002. 'For I do not vouchsafe to churls, that they shall ever come near
it.' For _of_ (suggested by _sauf_) we should read _to_.
2017. _Lord_ seems to be dissyllabic; read (perhaps) _laverd_.
2037. As in l. 4681, there is here an allusion to the mode of doing homage,
wherein the kneeling vassal places his joined hands between those of his
lord. This is still the attitude of one who receives a degree at Cambridge
from the Vice-chancellor.
2044. For _taken_ read _tan_, the Northern form. So again in l. 2068.
2046. _Disteyned_ is, of course, a blunder for _Disceyued_.