WHO is not familiar with the image of Chaucer, as it stands in the copies of one or other of the existing portraits? That of Occleve is the most common, and is supposed to be the only genuine portrait in existence; but all the portraits which claim to have any degree of authenticity resemble each other so much that it is easy to identify them with the

description given of himself by the poet in the Canterbury Tales. For instance, a portrait which was engraved in Todd's Illustrations of the Lives and Writings of Gower and Chaucer, and is now, according to Sir Harris Nicolas, in the possession of Lord Francis Egerton; this painting (in a copy of the Canterbury Tales) represents Chaucer on horseback, booted and spurred, a little man, 'round of shape,' dressed in a long dark robe, with a hood to it. A portrait, which Sir Harris Nicolas thinks is not older than the reign of Queen Elizabeth (Additional MS. 5141 Brit. Mus.), shows how early the daisy had become associated with Chaucer's name, for that flower is painted in the corner as an emblem. Occleve's affectionate words about his deere maistir and fadir Chaucer' are well known :

'Althogh his lyfe be queynt, the resemblaunce
Of him hath in me so fresshe lyflynesse,

That to putte othir men in remembraunce

Of his persone, I heere his lyknesse

Do make, to this ende in sothfastnesse,

That thei that have of hym lest thought and mynde,
By this peynture may ageyn him fynde.'

In the portrait prefixed to this volume, engraved from Occleve's painting (Harleian MSS. 4866), Chaucer is represented in half-length against a background of green tapestry. His hair and beard are both grey, the latter being forked under the chin in the way so commonly observed in the portraits of the time, the

dress and hood are dark, and a 'knyf harnessed' hangs from his neck; his eyes are downcast, according to his own description of himself. The hands are very small,

the right being extended with the forefinger pointing outwards, and the others closed upon the palm, under the thumb; an attitude of monition apparently, in keeping with the suggestion of the string of beads suspended on his left hand. Doubts have been raisedvery unnecessarily--about the authenticity of the disclaimer which in the poet's name, but with some undramatic confusion between him and the parson, is given at the end of the Parson's Tale.* But small con

* 'God have mercy on me and forgeve me my giltes, and nameliche my translaciouns and of endityng in worldly vanitees, whiche I revoke in my retracciouns, as is the book of Troyles, the book also of Fame, the book of twenty-five Ladies, the book of the Duchesses, the book of seint Valentines day and of the Parlement of briddes, the Tales of Caunterbury, alle thilke that sounen into synne, the book of the Leo, and many other bokes, if thay were in my mynde or remembraunce, and many a song and many a leccherous lay, of the whiche Crist for his grete mercy forgive me the synnes. But of the translacioun of Boce de consolacioun, and other bokes of consolacioun and of legend of lyves of seints, and Omelies, and moralitees, and devocioun, that thanke I oure Lord Jhesu Crist, and his moder, and alle the seintes in heven, bisekyng hem that thay fro hennysforth unto my lyves ende sende me grace to biwayle my gultes, and to studien to the savacioun of my soule, and graunte me grace and space of verray repentaunce, penitence, confessioun, and satisfaccioun, to don in this present lif, thurgh the benigne grace of him, that is king of kynges and prest of alle prestis, that bought us with his precious blood of his hert, so that I moote be oon of hem at the day of doom that schal be saved; qui cum Patre et Spiritu Sancto vivis et regnas Deus per omnia secula. Amen.'