* See P. xiv. Chaucer as Forester of North Petherton Park, Co. Somer

set. The Earls of March were Foresters of North Petherton under the King, and appointed substitutionary foresters. Among the appointments are these:

lxii CHAUCER AS FORESTER OF N. PETHERTON PARK.

'10 Ric. II (June 1386-7). the Earl of March.

Richard Brittle, by the appointment of

'14 Ric. II (June 1390-1). Richard Brittle and Gefferey Chaucer, by the appointment of the Earl of March (Roger, who died July 20, 1398).

21 Ric. II (June 1397-8). Gefferey Chaucer, by Alianor, Countess of March.' Collinson, Hist. and Antiq. of the Co. of Somerset, iii. 62. I take Chaucer's first appointment to be a joint one with Brittle, and suppose that this continued till Chaucer was made sole Forester by Lady March, probably while her husband was lying on his death-bed. Mr. Floyd, however, who found the entries, and Mr. Walford D. Selby, who wrote on them in the Athenæum, Nov. 20, 1886, and Life Records of Chaucer, ii. p. 117 (Chaucer Soc. 1886), both better authorities than I, hold that as a joint appointment is most unusual, R. Brittle was For

until 14 Ric. II; that in that year, that is, between June 22, 1390, d June 21, 1391, Chaucer succeeded him, and remained Forester till his own death in 1400. Earl Roger died July 20, 1398, and soon after, his widow appointed Chaucer, that is, continued him in his office. Collinson should therefore read 22 Ric. II (June 1398-9), not 21. I doubt.-F. J. F.

CHAUCER.

19125

THE PROLOGUE.

(GROUP A, 11. 1-858 in the Six-text edition.)

WHAN that Aprille with his1 shoures soote
The droghte of Marche hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;
Whan Zephi
eek with his swete breeth
Inspired hath in every holt and heeth
The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne
Hath in the Ram his halfe2 cours y-ronne,
And smale fowless maken melodye,

That slepen al the night with open yë*,
Stimulat

(So priketh hem nature in hir corages):
Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages®,
And palmers for to seken straunge strondes,
To ferne halwes, couthe in sondry londes;
And specially, from every shires ende
Of Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,

1 E. hise; rest his.

2 Hl. halfe; rest half.

3 Pt. Ln. foules; E. Hn. foweles.

5 Pt. Ln. Than; E. Thanne.

7 Pt. palmers; E. Palmeres.

B

4 Hl. yhe; Hn. Iye; E. eye. E. pilgrimage (by mistake). Hn. Caunter-; E. Cauntur-.

IO

15