This poem has frequently been printed as if it formed a part of The
Compleynt of Mars; but it is a separate poem, and belongs to a later
period.
The Compleynt of Mars is an original poem; but the present poem is a
translation, being partly adapted, and partly translated from three Balades
by Sir Otes de Graunson (l. 82). The original Balades have been lately
recovered by Dr. Piaget, and are printed below the text. See the
Introduction.
It consists of three Ballads and an Envoy, and bears a strong resemblance,
in metrical form, to the poem on Fortune, each Ballad having three stanzas
of eight lines each, with a refrain. It differs from 'Fortune' only in the
arrangement of the rimes, which occur in the order _a b a b b c c b_,
instead of (as in Fortune) in the order _a b a b b c b c_. One rime (in
_-aunce_) occurs in the second Ballad as well as in the first; but this is
quite an accidental detail, of no importance. It must be remembered that
the metre was not chosen by Chaucer, but by Graunson. The Envoy, which
alone is original, consists of ten lines, rimed _a a b a a b b a a b_. This
arrangement is very unusual. See further in the note to l. 82.
In the MSS. T. and A. we have notes of some importance, written by Shirley.
T. has:--'The Compleynt of Venus. And filowing begynnethe a balade
translated out of frenshe in-to englisshe by Chaucier, Geffrey; the frenshe
made sir Otes de Grauntsome, knight Savosyen.' A. has:--'Here begynnethe a
balade made by that worthy Knight of Savoye in frenshe, calde sir Otes
Graunson; translated by Chauciers.' At the end of the copy in T. is:--'Hit
is sayde that Graunsome made this last balade for Venus, resembled to my
lady of york; aunswering the complaynt of Mars.' We certainly find that
Chaucer has materially altered the first of the three Balades; so perhaps
he wished to please his patron. But the title (probably _not_ Chaucer's) is
a bad one. See the Introduction. Cf. note to l. 73.
1. We must suppose Venus, i. e. the lady, to be the speaker. Hence the
subject of the first Ballad is the worthiness of the lover of Venus, in
another word, of _Mars_; indeed, in Julian Notary's edition, the poem is
headed 'The Compleint of Venus for Mars.' But Mars is merely to be taken as
a general type of true knighthood.
I have written the general subject of each Ballad at the head of each,
merely for convenience. The subjects are:--(1) The Lover's worthiness; (2)
Disquietude caused by Jealousy; (3) Satisfaction in Constancy. We thus have
three movements, expressive of Admiration, Passing Doubt, and Reassurance.
The lady here expresses, when in a pensive mood, the comfort she finds in
the feeling that her lover is worthy; for every one praises his excellence.
9. This portrait of a worthy knight should be placed side by side with that
of a worthy lady, viz. Constance. See Man of Law's Tale, B 162-8.
11. _Wold_, willed. The later E. _would_ is dead, as a past participle, and
only survives as a past tense. It is scarce even in Middle English, but
occurs in P. Plowman, B. xv. 258--'if God hadde _wolde_ [better _wold_]
hym-selue.' See also Leg. Good Women, 1209, and note.