720. This Tale is divided, in MS. E., into two parts. _Pars prima_ is not
really a tale at all, but a description of alchemy and its professors. The
real tale, founded on the same subject, is contained in _Pars Secunda_,
beginning at l. 972. The rubric means--'Here the Canon's Yeoman begins his
tale.' The word _tale_ is not to be taken as a nominative case.
I may observe that I frequently refer below to the Theatrum Chemicum,
printed in 1659, in five volumes. Also to Ashmole's Theatrum Chemicum
(quite a different work).