THE TALE（第36页）

forwhomconstancehadfullgreatheaviness.

nowletuspraythatgodhissoulebless:

anddameconstance，finallytosay

towardthetownofromewentherway.

toromeisethisholycreature，

andfindeththereherfriendeswholeandsound

nowisshescapedallheraventure:

andwhenthatsheherfatherhathy-found，

downonherkneesfallethshetoground，

weepingfortendernessinhearteblithe

sheherieth*godan混♂dredthousandsithe.***praises**times

invirtueandinholyalmes-deed

theylivenall，andneerasunderwend;

tilldeathdeparteththem，thislifetheylead:

andfarenowwell，mytaleisatanend

nowjesuschrist，thatofhismightmaysend

joyafterwoe，governusinhisgrace

andkeepusallethatbeinthisplace.

thistaleisbelievedbytyrwhitttohavebeentaken，withnomaterialchange，fromthe"confessioamantis"ofjohngower，whowascontemporarywithchaucer，thoughsomewhathissenior.intheprologue，thereferencestothestoriesofcanace，andofapolloniustyrius，seemtobeanattackongower，whohadgiventhesetalesinhisbook;whencetyrwhittconc露desthatthefriendshipbetweenthetwopoetssufferedsomeinterruptioninthelatterpartoftheirlives.gowerwasnottheinventorofthestory，whichhefoundinoldfrenchromances，anditisnotimprobablethatchaucermayhavegoothesamesourceasgower，thoughthelatterundoubtedlyledtheway.（transcribersnote:latermentatorshaveidentifiedtheintroductiondescribingthesorrowsofpoverty，alongwiththeotherralisinginter露desinthetale，astranslatedfrom"decontemptumundi"（"onthecontemptoftheworld"）bypopeinnocent.）

transcribernote:thisreferstothegameofhazard，adicegamelikecraps，inwhichtwo（"ambesace"）won，andeleven（"six-cinque"）lost.

purpose:discourse，tale:french"propos".

"peace"rhymedwith"lese"and"chese"，theoldformsof"lose"and"choose".

aordingtomiddleagewritersthereweretwotionsofthefirstheaven;oneeverythingalwaysfromeasttowestabovethestars;theothervingthestarsagainstthefirsttion，fromwesttoeast，ontwootherpoles.

atyzar:themeaningofthiswordisnotknown;but"oifer"，murderer，estedinsteadb玉rry，ontheauthorityofamarginalreadingonamanuscript.（transcribersnote:latermentatorsexplainitasderivedfromarabic"al-tathir"，inf露ence-usedhereinanastrologicalsense）

"thouknittesttheewherethouartnotreceivd，wherethouwertwell，fromthennesartthouweivd"i.e."thoujoinestthyselfwherethouartrejected，andartdeclinedordepartedfromtheplacewherethouwertwell."theonportendsthefortunesofconstance.

fand:endeavour;fromanglo-saxon，"fandian，"totry

feng:take;anglo-saxon"fengian"，german，"fangen".

himandheronwhichthylimbesfaithfullyextend:thosewhoinfaithwearthecrucifix

thefourspiritsoftempest:thefourangelswhoheldthefourwindsoftheearthandtowhomitwasgiventohurttheearthandthesea（rev.vii.1，2）.

thenneswoulditnotinallatide:thencewoulditnotveforlong，atall.

amannerlatincorrupt:akindofbastardlatin.