be he whom he might, was certainly a writer of uncommon merit." Tyrwhitt is also extremely severe on this edition, which, he says, "should never be opened by any one for the purpose of reading Chaucer," and terms it "by far the worst that was ever published." Urry's text," says Mr. Ellis, "is more uniformly smooth and harmonious than in the early printed copies. But this agreeable effect has been produced by unwarrantable interpolations, changes, and omissions, on account of which the credit of Mr. Urry's book has suffered in the opinion of all good judges." See Ellis's Specim., vol. i. p. 201; Ritson's Bibl. Poet., p. 20; Dibdin's Libr. Comp., vol. ii. p. 274; Todd's Illustr. of Gower and Chaucer, Introd., p. 40, 8vo, 1810; and Bibl. Ang. Poet., 89.

Bound in Russia, yellow edges.

CHAUCER, (GEOFFREY.) - The Ploughman's Tale. Shewing by the doctrine and liues of the Romish Clergie, that the Pope is Antichrist, and they his Ministers. Written by Sir Geffrey Chaucer, Knight, amongst his Canterburie tales; and now set out apart from the rest, with a short exposition of the words & matters, for the capacitie & understanding of the simpler sort of Readers.

At London Printed by G. E. for Samuell Macham and Mathew Cooke, and are to be sold at their shop in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Tygers head. 1606. 4to, bl. lett.

The Ploughman's Tale was first published in the second edition of the collected works of Chaucer in 1542, printed by William Bonham, Toy, and others, but it is generally acknowledged not to have been written by Chaucer, or to bear any resemblance to his style or manner. It was probably composed by some one living shortly after his time, in imitation of the Canterbury Tales, which had then become popular. Warton was of opinion that this poem was written in imitation of Langland's Piers Plowman's Vision, who had numerous followers at that time in his peculiar style and manner. "The measure," says he, "is different, and it is in rhyme. But it has Langland's alliteration of initials, as if his example had, as it were,

appropriated that mode of versification to the subject, and the supposed character which supports the satire." It might perhaps be thought, with more truth, to imitate the Crede, which was written by a different hand to the Vision, and to which an allusion is made in the 46th stanza of the third book, as if it was written by the author of the present poem.

Of Freres (Friars) I have told before

In a making of a Crede,

And yet I could tell worse and more,

But men would werien it to rede.

From this passage we may at least judge, as Warton has remarked, that this poem was composed later in time than the Crede.

The first known separate edition of the Ploughman's Tale was printed by William Hyll, blk. lett. sm. 8vo, n.d., but probably about 1548 or 9. A copy of this edition sold at Nassau's sale, pt. i., 586, for 5l. 188. The present impression has neither preface, dedication, nor editor's name, but commences with "A description of the Plowman," sixteen lines, followed by "The Plowmans Prologue," six octave stanzas. The Tale then begins, headed with this short notice: "The Plowmans Tale. A complaint against the pride and couetousnesse of the Cleargie: made no doubt by Chawcer; with the rest of the Tales. For I haue seene it in written hand in Iohn Stowes Librarie, in a booke of such antiquitie, as seemeth to haue been written neare to Chawcer's time." Here we see it is only hinted that it was written in a book that "seemed to haue been written neare to Chawcer's time," while in the title it is boldly affirmed that it was "written by Sir Geffrey Chaucer, Knight, among his Canterburie tales."

The Poem is composed in eight-line stanzas, and is divided into three books. On the sides of the pages marginal notes are printed, intended to explain the obsolete words and phrases. They are said, in the preface to Urry's edition, to be "thought by some to be Mr. Francis Thynnes," but this, we think, is somewhat doubtful. The doctrines and opinions of Wycliffe, which at that period were spreading throughout the land, and were especially directed against the glaring corruptions of the monkish orders and other ecclesiastical superstitions, gave rise to several poems of a satirical kind against the clergy, and were doubtless the origin of the present work. We will now transcribe a few of the opening stanzas of the poem, as specimens of the author's satire and style of versification.

VOL. II. PART II.

X X

werien

weary

There is much severe sarcasm in the following stanzas from the second part, describing the unfaithfulness of the priests, and untrue shepherds of Christ's flock.

Sir Harris Nicolas is of opinion that Spenser speaks of the author of this tale in his Shepherd's Calendar, where he says to his book:

Dare not to match thy pipe with Tityrus his stile,
Nor with the Pilgrim that the Ploughman plaid awhile,

believing, in opposition to Warton, who supposed the passage to refer to the Visions of Pierce Ploughman, that "the author of the Visions never speaks of himself in the character of a Ploughman." See Pickering's Aldine Edition of the Works of Chaucer, 8vo, 1852, vol. i. p. 323. See also Warton's Observ. on Spenser, vol. i. p. 173; Hist. Eng. Poet., vol. ii. p. 142 ; and Dibdin's Libr. Comp., vol. ii. p. 274.

The present fine copy formerly belonged to Narcissus Luttrell and to Mr. Park.

Bound in Calf, extra.

CHAUCER, (GEOFFREY.) Amorum Troili et Creseida Libri duo priores Anglico-Latini.

Oxoniæ, Excudebat Iohannes Lichfield, Anno Domini, 1635. 4to. bl. lett.

Sir Francis Kinaston, the author of this translation, descended from an ancient and knightly family in Shropshire, seated at Oteley, near Ellesmere, was the son of Sir Edward Kinaston, Knight, Sheriff of Shropshire in 1599, and was educated at Oriel College, Oxford, under the celebrated John Rous, the public Librarian, where he took the degree of B.A., and, after studying awhile at Cambridge, returned to Oxford, and was made M.A. From Oxford he went to London and joined the court, where, being esteemed for his learning and other accomplishments, he had the honour of knighthood conferred upon him in 1618, and was made esquire of the body to Charles I. He was at the head of the College of the Museum Minervæ, in London, an academy for the education of the gentry in the fine arts, and drew up the Constitutions of that body, published in 1636, 4to. Besides the present work, he was the author of a singular poetical romance, called Leoline and Sydanis, 4to, London, 1642, which will be noticed hereafter, and, according to Peck, of another work, Cynthiades, or Amorous Sonnets to his Mistress, but this is printed with the former, and forms part of that volume. Kinaston died, according to Wood, in 1642, but we believe his death was not till after 1646. The same writer observes that "he was more addicted to the superficial parts of learning, poetry and oratory, wherein he excelled, than logic and philosophy."