1. Harl. 7334; denoted here by HL. By Tyrwhitt called ‘C.’ A MS of the
B-type (see below). Printed in full for the Chaucer Society, 1885. Collated
throughout.
A MS. of great importance, but difficult to understand or describe. For
the greater clearness, I shall roughly describe the MSS. as being of
the A-type, the B-type, the C-type, and the D-type (really a second
C-type). Of the A-type, the best example is the Ellesmere MS.; of the
B-type, the best example is the Harleian MS. 7334; of the C-type, the
Corpus and Lansdowne MSS.; the D-type is that exhibited by Caxton and
Thynne in the early printed editions. They may be called the
‘Ellesmere,’ ‘Harleian,’ ‘Corpus,’ and ‘Caxton’ types respectively.
These types differ as to the arrangement of the Tales, and even MSS. of
a similar type differ slightly, in this respect, among themselves. They
also frequently differ as to certain characteristic readings, although
many of the variations of reading are peculiar to one or two MSS. only.
MS. Hl. contains the best copy of the Tale of Gamelyn, for which see p.
645; this Tale is not found in MSS. of the A-type. Moreover, Group G
here precedes Group C and a large part of Group B, whereas in the
Ellesmere MS. it follows them. In the Monk’s Tale, the lines numbered B
3565-3652 (containing the Tales called the ‘modern instances’)
immediately follow B 3564 (as in this edition), whereas in the
Ellesmere MS. these lines come at the end of the Tale.
The ‘various readings’ of this MS. are often peculiar, and it is
difficult to appraise them. I take them to be of two kinds: (i)
readings which are better than those of the Six-text, and should
certainly be preferred, such as _halfe_ in A 8, _cloysterlees_ in A
179, _a_ (not _a ful_) in A 196, and the like; and (2) readings due to
a terrible blundering on the part of the scribe, such as _fleyng_ for
_flikeringe_ in A 1962, _greene_ for _kene_ in A 1966, and the like. It
is, in fact, a most dangerous MS. to trust to, unless constantly
corrected by others, and is not at all fitted to be taken as the
_basis_ of a text. For further remarks, see the description of Wright’s
printed edition at p. xvi.
As regards age, this MS. is one of the oldest; and it is beautifully
written. Its chief defect is the loss of eight leaves, so that ll.
617-1223 in Group F are missing. It also misses several lines in
various places; as A 2013-8, 2958, 3721-2, 4355, 4358, 4375-6, 4415-22;
B 417, 1186-90, 1355, 1376-9, 1995, 3213-20, 4136-7, 4479-80; C 299,
300, 305-6, 478-9; D 575-584, 605-612, 619-626, 717-720; E 2356-7; F
1455-6, 1493-8; G 155, 210-216; besides some lines in Melibee and the
Persones Tale. Moreover, it has nine spurious lines, D 2004 _b_, _c_,
2012 _b_, _c_, 2037 _b_, _c_ 2048 _b_, _c_, F 592. These imperfections
furnish an additional reason for not founding a text upon this MS.
2. Harl. 7335; by Tyrwhitt called ‘A.’ Of the B-type. Very imperfect,
especially at the end. A few lines are printed in the Six-text edition to
fill up gaps in various MSS., viz. E 1646-7, F 1-8, 1423-4, 1433-4, G 158,
213-4, 326-337, 432-3, 484. Collated so far.
[ix] 3. Harl. 7333; by Tyrwhitt called ‘E.’ Of the D-type. One of Shirley’s
MSS. Some lines are printed in the Six-text edition, viz. B 4233-8, E
1213-44, F 1147-8, 1567-8, G 156-9, 213-4, 326-337, 432. It also contains
some of the Minor Poems; see the description of MS. ‘Harl.’ in the
Introduction to those poems in vol. i.[1]
4. Harl. 1758, denoted by HARL. at p. 645; by Tyrwhitt called ‘F.’ In
Urry’s list, i. Of the D-type, but containing Gamelyn. Many lines are
printed in the Six-text, including the whole of ‘Gamelyn.’ It is freely
used to fill up gaps, as B 1-9, 2096-2108, 3049-78, 4112, 4114, 4581-4636,
&c.
5. Harl. 1239; in Tyrwhitt, ‘I.’ In Urry’s list, ii. Imperfect both at
beginning and end.
6. Royal 18 C II; denoted by RL.; in Tyrwhitt, ‘B.’ In Urry, vii. Of the
D-type, but containing Gamelyn. Used to fill up gaps in the Six-text; e.g.
in B 1163-1190 (Shipman’s Prologue, called in this MS. the Squire’s
Prologue), 2109-73, 3961-80, E 65, 73, 81, 143, G 1337-40, I 472-511. The
whole of ‘Gamelyn’ is also printed from this MS. in the Six-text.
7. Royal 17 D xv; in Tyrwhitt, ‘D.’ In Urry, viii. Of the D-type, but
containing Gamelyn. Used to fill up gaps in the Six-text; e.g. in B
2328-61, 3961-80, 4112, 4114, 4233-8, 4637-51, D 609-612, 619-626, 717-720,
E 1213-44, F 1423-4, 1433-4, H 47-52; and in the Tale of Gamelyn.
8. Sloane 1685; denoted by SL. In Tyrwhitt, ‘G.’ In Urry, iii. Of the
D-type, but containing Gamelyn. In two handwritings, one later than the
other. Imperfect; has no Sir Thopas, Melibee, Manciple, or Parson. Very
frequently quoted in the Six-text, to fill up rather large gaps in the
Cambridge MS.; e.g. A 754-964, 3829-90, 4365-4422, &c. Gamelyn is printed
from this MS. in the Six-text, the gaps in it being filled up from MS. 7
(above).
9. Sloane 1686; in Tyrwhitt, ‘H.’ In Urry, iv. Of the C-type; containing
Gamelyn. A late MS., on paper. Imperfect; no Canon’s Yeoman or Parson.
10. Lansdowne 851; denoted by LN. In Tyrwhitt, ‘W,’ because at that time in
the possession of P. C. Webb, Esq. Used by Mr. Wright to fill up the large
gap in Hl., viz. F 617-1223, and frequently consulted by him and others.
Printed in full as [x] the sixth MS. of the Six-text. Of the C-type;
containing Gamelyn. Not a good MS., being certainly the worst of the six;
but worth printing owing to the frequent use that has been made of it by
editors.
11. Additional 5140; in Tyrwhitt, ‘Ask. _2_,’ as being one of two MSS. lent
to him by Dr. Askew. It has in it the arms of H. Deane, Archbp. of
Canterbury, 1501-3. Of the A-type. Quoted in the Six-text to fill up gaps;
e.g. B 3961-80, 4233-8, 4637-52, D 2158-2294, E 1213-44, 1646-7, 2419-40, F
1-8, 673-708, G 103, I 887-944, 1044-92.
12. Additional 25718. A mere fragment. A short passage from it, C 409-427,
is quoted in the Six-text, to fill up a gap in Ln.
13. Egerton 2726; called the ‘Haistwell MS.’; in Tyrwhitt denoted by ‘HA,’
and formerly belonging to E. Haistwell, Esq. Of the A-type, but imperfect.
The Six-text quotes F 679, 680: also F 673-708 in the Preface.