But aye keping their beauty fresh and grene; For there n'is no storme that may hem deface, 555 Haile nor snow, winde nor frostes kene;

Wherfore they have this propertie and grace.
And for the floure, within a little space,
Will be [all] lost; so simple of nature

They be, that they no grevaunce may endure. 560

And every storme will blow them sone away, Ne they laste not but for a season;

That is the cause, the very trouth to say,

That they may not, by no way of reason,
Be put to no such occupacion.
Madame, quoth I, with all mine whole servise
I thanke you now, in my most humble wise.

565

570

For now I am acertained throughly Of every thing [that] I desired to know. I am right glad that I have said, sothly, Ought to your pleasure, if ye will me trow, Quoth she ayen; but to whom doe ye owe Your service? and which will ye honour, Tell me I pray, this yeere? The Leafe, or the Flour?

Madame, quoth I, although I least worthy, 575

Unto the Leafe I owe mine observaunce;

That is, quoth she, right well done certainly;

And I pray God to honour you avaunce,
And keep you fro the wicked remembraunce

G g

Of Malebouch and all his crueltie,

580

And all that good and well conditioned be.

For here may I no lenger now abide,
But I must follow the great company,
That ye may see yonder before you ride.
And forthe as I couthe, most humbly
I tooke my leve of her; and she gan hie
After them as fast as ever she might:
And I drow homeward, for it was nigh night.

585

And put all that I had seen in writing
Under support of them that *lust to rede.
O little booke! thou art so unconning,
How darst thou put thyself in prees for drede ?
It is wonder that thou wexest not rede!
Sith that thou wost ful lite, who shall behold
Thy rude langage full boistously unfold.

* Urry, lust it rede.

590

595

THE course of adventures of our Knight, Mr. Tyrwhitt has observed, may be illustrated by those of a real Knight of Chaucer's time. The critick has accordingly cited, from Leland's Itinerary, the epitaph of "le noble et vaillant Chivaler, Matheu de Gourney," who died in 1406, at the age of 96; "qui en sa vie fu a la bataille de Benamaryn, et ala apres a la siege d'Algezire sur les Sarazines, et aussi a les batailles de l'Escluse, de Cressy, de Deyngenesse, de Peyteres, de Nazare, d'Ozrey, et a plusours autres batailles et asseges en les quex il gaigna noblement grant los et honour." T. this characteristick description I may add, from "Les Tombeaux des Chevaliers du noble Ordre de la Toison d' Or," the exploits recorded on the monument also of a French Knight, who lived in Chaucer's age, and died in 1449, Jean. Seigneur de Roubais, &c. " qui en son temps visita les Saints

lieux de Ierusalem, S. Catharine du mont Sinai, S. Pietre et S. Paul à Rome, et S. Iacques en Galice, et plusieurs longtains voyages et nobles ambassades, &c. et passa les perils mortels de plusieurs batailles arrestées contre les Infidels, c'est à sçavoir en Hongrie et Barbarie, lors qe le siege fut devant la cité d'Afrique, en Prusse contre les Letaux, par deux voyages qu'on dit Rezes et en Cypre, &c. avec plusieurs autres faicts et exercice d'armes tant par mer que par terre, &c."

Mr. Tyrwhitt conjectures that the choice of the poet in bringing his Knight from Alexandria and Lettowe rather than from Cressy and Poitiers, is to be accounted for only by supposing, that the slightest services against Infidels were in those days more honourable than the most splendid victories over Christians. It appears, from the preceding inscriptions, to have been usual for military men of other countries to go and serve in Pruse, or Prussia, with the Knights of the Teutonic Order, who were in a state of constant warfare with their then heathen neighbours in Lettow, that is, Lithuania, &c. Mr. Warton, in his History of English Poetry has noticed the travels of Thomas duke of Gloucester, youngest son of king Edward the third, and Henry earl of Derby, afterwards king Henry the fourth, into Prussia, and their services against the infidels of Lithuania. Many Englishmen, Mr. Tyrwhitt has shewn, were at the taking of Alexandria in 1365; and the earls of Salisbury and Derby assisted at the siege of the city of Algezir in 1344.

Mr. Strutt, in his View of the Dresses and Habits of the People of England, wishes that Chaucer had been more particular in describing the dresses of the several personages, whom he has introduced in his Prologue to the Canterbury Tales. To the little which he has done, some interesting additions may be made from a further description of the paintings in the margins of the very curious Manuscript, No. XXXI. pp. 128, 129, &c.

The countenance of our Knight expresses great sedateness and dignity. His folded head-covering is of a dark colour. His gipon is also dark, but his under-coat red, which is discernible through the sleeves at his wrists; his legs in armour, with gilt spurs; his dagger, in a red sheath, by his side; and little points or aiglets of red tipped with gold near his neck and shoulder.

THE SQUIER.

The character of this pilgrim shews us, as Mr. Warton has observed, the education and requisite accomplishments of young gentlemen in the gallant reign of Edward the third. In the personal description of the youth, Chaucer has employed great spirit. The miniature painting in the Manuscript is a happy imitation of the poetry. His locks are curiously curled, and give the idea of their being "luid in presse." His short vest, with his cloak fluttering in the wind, is embroidered so as to represent, in some degree, 66 a mede alle full of freshe floures white and rede," being of a green colour, lined with red, on which are small white spots and orHis pantaloons are white, the upper part adorned

naments. with ermine.

He wears a high light-blue cap, embroidered in the front. His horse is on the gallop, and he manages him gracefully." Wel coude he sit on hors, and fayre ride.” The custom of Squiers carving at their fathers tables is abundantly illustrated by M. de St. Palaye, in his Memoirs of Ancient Chivalry.

THE SQUIERÈS YEMAN.

Mr. Tyrwhitt says, that the late Editions call this charac