For general remarks on this Tale, see vol. iii. p. 485. Chaucer chiefly
follows the Legenda Aurea; see note to l. 84 below, and to l. 25. It
further appears that he consulted another Latin life of St. Cecilia,
derived from Simeon Metaphrastes; as well as the Lives of Valerian and
Tiburtius, in the Acta Sanctorum (April 14). See note to l. 369.
PROLOGUE. This consists of twelve stanzas, and is at once divisible into
three parts.
(1) The first four stanzas, the idea of which is taken from Jehan de
Vignay's Introduction to his French translation of the Legenda Aurea. This
Introduction is reprinted at length, from the Paris edition of 1513, in the
Originals and Analogues published by the Chaucer Society, pt. ii. p. 190.
(2) The Invocation to the Virgin, in stanzas 5-11; see note to ll. 29, 36.
(3) An Envoy to the reader, in stanza 12; see note to l. 78.
Line 1. Jehan de Vignay attributes the idea of this line to St. Bernard. He
says--'Et pour ce que oysiuete est tant blasmee que sainct Bernard dit
qu'elle est _mere de truffes_ [mother of trifles], marrastre de vertus: ...
et fait estaindre vertu et _nourrir orgueil_,' &c. Chaucer says again, in
his Persones Tale (de Accidia), I. 710:--'And how that ignoraunce be moder
of alle harme, certes, _necligence is the norice_.'
2. _ydelnesse_, idleness; considered as a branch of Sloth, which was one of
the Seven Deadly Sins. See The Persones Tale, _De Accidia_.
3. Chaucer took this idea from the Romaunt of the Rose; see ll. 528-594 of
the English version, where a lover is described as knocking at the wicket
of a garden, which was opened by a beautiful maiden named Idleness. He
afterwards repeated it in the Knightes Tale, A. 1940; and again in the
Persones Tale (de Accidia), I. 714: 'Thanne comth ydelnesse, that is the
yate [_gate_] of alle harmes ... the hevene is yeven to hem that wol
labouren, and nat to ydel folk.'
4. _To eschue_, to eschew; the gerund. The sentence really begins with l.
6, after which take the words _to eschue_; then take ll. 1-3, followed by
the rest of l. 4 and by l. 5. [402]
7. Jehan de Vignay's Introduction begins thus: 'Monseigneur sainct Hierosme
dit ceste auctorite--"Fays tousiours aucune chose de bien, que le dyable ne
te trouue oyseux."' That is, he refers us to St. Jerome for the idea. A
like reference is given in the Ayenbite of Inwyt, p. 206. We are reminded,
too, of the familiar lines by Dr. Watts--
'For Satan finds some mischief still
For idle hands to do.'
8. Cf. Persones Tale (de Accidia), I. 714:--'An ydel man is lyk to a place
that hath no walles; the develes may entre on every syde.'
10. 'Ydelnesse is the develis panter [_net_], to tempte men to synne';
Wyclif, Works, ed. Arnold, iii. 200.
14. Cf. Pers. Tale (de Accidia), I. 689:--'Agayns this roten-herted sinne
of accidie and slouthe sholde men exercise hemself to doon gode werkes';
&c. 'Laborare est orare' was the famous motto of St. Bernard.