Chapter 3

This our _Gower_ was contemporary with the famous Poet _Geoffry Chaucer_, both excellently learned, both great friends together, and both alike endeavour'd themselves and employed their time for the benefit of their Country. And what an account _Chaucer_ had of this our _Gower_ and of his Parts, that which he wrote in the end of his Work, entituled _Troilus & Cressida_, do sufficiently testifie, where he saith,

O marvel, _Gower_, this Book I direct To thee, and to the Philosophical _Strode_. To vouchsafe, there need is, to correct Of your benignitees and zeles good.

_Bale_ makes him _Equitem Auratum & Poetam Laureatum_, proving both from his Ornaments on his Monumental Statue in St. _Mary Overies Southwark_. Yet he appeareth there neither _laureated_ nor _hederated_ Poet, (except the leaves of the Bays and Ivy be wither'd to nothing, since the erection of the Tomb) but only _rosated_, having a Chaplet of four Roses about his Head, yet was he in great respect both with King _Henry_ the Fourth, and King _Richard_ the Second, at whose request he wrote his Book called _Confessio Amantis_, as he relateth in his Prologue to the same Book, in these words,

As it befell upon a tide, As thing, which should tho betide, Under the town of New Troie, Which toke of Brute his first ioye, In Themese, when it was flowende, As I by Bote came rowende; So as fortune hir tyme sette, My leige Lord perchance I mette, And so befelle as I cam nigh, Out of my Bote, when he me sigh, He bad me come into his Barge, And when I was with him at large, Amonges other things seyde, He hath this charge upon me leyde, And bad me doe my businesse, That to his high worthinesse, Some newe thynge I should boke, That he hymselfe it might loke, After the forme of my writynge, And this upon his commandynge Myne herte is well the more glad To write so as he me bad. And eke my fear is well the lasse, That none enuie shall compasse, Without a reasonable wite To seige and blame that I write, A gentill hert his tongue stilleth, That it malice none distilleth, But preiseth that is to be preised, But he that hath his word unpeised, And handleth with ronge any thynge, I praie unto the heuen kynge, Froe such tonges he me shilde, And nethelesse this worlde is wilde, Of such ianglinge and what befall, My kinges heste shall not faile, That I in hope to deserue His thonke, ne shall his will observe, And els were I nought excused.

He was before _Chaucer_, as born and flourishing before him, (yea, by some accounted his Master) yet was he after _Chaucer_, as surviving him two years, living to be stark blind, and so more properly termed our _English Homer_. His death happened _Anno_ 1402. and was buried at St. _Mary Overies_ in _Southwark_, on the North side of the said Church, in the Chappel of St. _John_, where he founded a Chauntry, and left Means for a Mass, (such was the Religion of those times) to be daily sung for him, as also an _Obit_ within the same Church to be kept on Friday after the Feast of St. _Gregory_. He lieth under a Tomb of stone, with his Image also of stone over him, the hair of his head auburn long to his shoulders, but curling up, and a small forked beard; on his head a Chaplet, like a Coronet of four Roses; an habit of purple, damasked down to his feet, a Collar of Esses of Gold about his neck, which being proper to places of Judicature, makes some think he was a Judge in his old age. Under his feet the likeness of three Books, which he compiled, the first named _Speculum Meditantis_, written in _French_: the second, _Vox Clamantis_, penned in _Latine_: the third, _Confessio Amantis_, written in _English_, which was Printed by _Thomas Berthelette_, and by him dedicated to King _Henry_ the Eighth, of which I have one by me at this present. His _Vox Clamantis_ with his _Cronica Tripartita_, and other Works both in _Latine_ and _French_, _Stow_ saith he had in his possession, but his _Speculum Meditantis_ he never saw, but heard thereof to be in _Kent_.

Besides, on the Wall where he lieth, there was painted three Virgins crowned, one of which was named _Charity_, holding this device,

_En toy qui es fitz de Dieu le Pere, Sauue soit, qui gist sours cest pierre._

The second Writing _Mercy_, with this Decree,

_O bone Jesu fait ta mercy_, _Al' ame, dont le corps gisticy._

The third Writing _Pity_, with this device,

_Pour ta pite Jesu regarde, Et met cest a me en sauue garde._

And thereby formerly hung a Table, wherein was written, That whoso prayed for the Soul of _John Gower_, so oft as he did it, should have a M. and D. days of pardon.

His Arms were in a Field Argent, on a Cheveron Azure, three Leopards heads gold, their tongues Gules, two Angels supporters, on the Crest a Talbot.

His Epitaph.

_Armigeri Scultum nihil a modo fert sibi tutum, Reddidit immolutum morti generale tributum, Spiritus exutum se gaudeat esse solutum Est ubi virtutum Regnum sine labe statutum_.

All I shall add is this, That about fifty years ago there lived at _Castle-Heningham_ in _Essex_, a School-master named _John Gower_, who wrote a witty Poem, called _the Castle Combate_, which was received in that Age with great applause.

* * * * *

_GEOFFERY CHAUCER_.

Three several Places contend for the Birth of that famous Poet. 1. _Berkshire_, from the words of _Leland_, that he was born _in Barocensiprovincia_; and Mr. _Cambden_ avoweth that _Dunington-Castle_ nigh unto _Newbery_, was anciently his Inheritance. 2. _Oxfordshire_, where _J. Pits_ is positive that his Father was a Knight, and that he was born at _Woodstock_. 3. The Author of his Life, set forth 1602. proveth him born in _London_, out of these his own words in the _Testament of Love_.

Also in the City of London, that is to me so dear and sweet, in which I was forth grown, and more kindly love have I to that place, than any other in yerth, as every kindely creature hath full appetite to that place of his kindly ingendure, and to wilne rest and peace in that stede to abide, thilke peace should thus there have been broken, which of all wise men is commended and desired.

For his Parentage, although _Bale_ writes, he termeth himself _Galfridus Chaucer nobili loco natus, & fummæ spei juvenis_; yet in the opinion of some Heralds (otherwise than his Virtues and Learning commended him) he descended not of any great House, which they gather by his Arms: And indeed both in respect of the Name, which is _French_, as also by other Conjectures, it may be gathered, that his Progenitors were Strangers; but whether they were Merchants (for that in places where they have dwelled, the Arms of the Merchants of the Staple have been seen in the Glass-windows) or whether they were of other Callings, it is not much necessary to search; but wealthy no doubt they were, and of good account in the Commonwealth, who brought up their Son in such sort, that both he was thought fit for the Court at home, and to be employed for Matters of State in Foreign Countries.

His Education, as _Leland_ writes, was in both the Universities of _Oxford_ and _Cambridge_, as appeareth by his own words, in his Book Entituled _The Court of Love_: And in _Oxford_ by all likelihood, in _Canterbury_ or in _Merton_ Colledge, improving his Time in the University, he became a witty Logician, a sweet Rhetorician, a grave Philosopher, a holy Divine, a skilful Mathematician, and a pleasant Poet; of whom, for the Sweetness of his Poetry, may be said that which is reported of _Stesichorus_; and as _Cethegus_ was called _Suadæ Medulla_, so may _Chaucer_ be rightly called the Pith and Sinews of Eloquence, and the very Life it self of all Mirth and pleasant Writing. Besides, one Gift he had above other Authors, and that is, by the Excellencies of his Descriptions to possess his Readers with a stronger imagination of seeing that done before their eyes which they read, than any other that ever writ in any Tongue. But above all, his Book of _Canterbury-Tales_, is most recommended to Posterity, which he maketh to be spoken by certain Pilgrims who lay at the _Tabard_-Inn in _Southwark_ as he declareth in the beginning of his said Book.

It befell in that season, on a day, In Southwark, at the Tabert as I lay, Ready to wend on my pilgrimage To Canterbury, with full devout courage; That night was comen into the Hosterie, Well nine and twenty in a companie, Of sundry folke, by adventure yfall In fellowship, and Pilgrims were they all, That toward Canterbury woulden ride; The Stables and Chambers weren wide, And well wee were eased at the best, &c.

By his Travel also in _France_ and _Flanders_, where he spent much time in his young years, but more in the latter end of the Reign of King _Richard_ the Second; he attained to a great perfection in all kind of Learning, as _Bale_ and _Leland_ report of him: _Circa postremos_ Richardi _Secundi annos_, Galliis _floruit, magnamque illic ex assidua in Literis exercitatione gloriam sibi comparavit. Domum reversus Forum_ Londinense; _& Collegia_ Leguleiorum, _qui ibidem Patria Jura interpretantur frequentavit_, &c. About the latter end of King _Richard_ the Second's Days, he flourished in _France_, and got himself into high esteem there by his diligent exercise in Learning: After his return home, he frequented the Court at _London_, and the Colledges of the _Lawyers_, which there interpreted the Laws of the Land. Amongst whom was _John Gower_, his great familiar Friend, whose Life we wrote before. This _Gower_, in his Book entituled _Confessio Amantis_, termeth _Chaucer_ a worthy Poet, and maketh him as it were the Judge of his Works.

This our _Chaucer_ had always an earnest desire to enrich and beautifie our _English_ Tongue, which in those days was very rude and barren; and this he did, following the example of _Dantes_ and _Petrarch_. who had done the same for the _Italian_ Tongue, _Alanus_ for the _French_, and _Johannes Mea_ for the _Spanish_: Neither was _Chaucer_ inferior to any of them in the performance hereof; and _England_ in this respect is much beholding to him; as _Leland_ well noteth:

_Anglia_ Chaucerum _veneratur nostra Poetam_; _Cui veneris debet Patria Lingua suas_.

Our _England_ honoureth _Chaucer_ Poet, as principal; To whom her Country-Tongue doth owe her Beauties all.

He departed out of this world the _25th._ day of _October_ 1400, after he had lived about seventy two years. Thus writeth _Bale_ out of _Leland, Chaucerus ad Canos devenit, sensitque Senectutem morbum esse_; _& dum Causas suas_ Londini _curaret_, &c. _Chaucer_ lived till he was an old man, and found old Age to be grievous; and whilst he followed his Causes at _London_, he died, and was buried at _Westminster_.

The old Verses which were written on his Grave at the first, were these;

Galfridus Chaucer, _Vates & Fama Poesis, Maternæ hæc sacra sum tumulatus humo_.

_Thomas Occleue_, or _Okelefe_, of the Office of the Privy Seal, sometime Chaucer's Scholar, for the love he bore to the said _Geoffrey_ his Master, caused his Picture to be truly drawn in his Book, _De Regimine Principis_, dedicated to _Henry_ the Fifth; according to which, that his Picture drawn upon his Monument was made, as also the Monument it self, at the Cost and Charges of _Nicolas Brigham_ Gentleman, _Anno_ 1555. who buried his Daughter _Rachel_, a Child of four years of Age, near to the Tomb of this old Poet, the _21th_. of _June_ 1557. Such was his Love to the Muses; and on his Tomb these Verses were inscribed:

_Qui fuit_ Anglorum _Vates ter maximus olim_, Galfridus Chaucer, _conditur hoc Tumulo, Annum si quæras Domini, si tempora Mortis, Ecce notæ subsunt, quæ tibi cuncta notant_; 25 Octobris 1400. _Ærumnarum requies Mors_. N. Brigham _hos fecit Musarum nomine sumptus_.

About the Ledge of the Tomb these Verses were written;

_Si rogitas quis eram, forsante Fama docebit, Quod si Fama negat, Mundi quia Gloria transit, Hæc Monumenta lege_.

The foresaid _Thomas Occleve_, under the Picture of _Chaucer_, had these Verses:

Although his Life be queint, the resemblance Of him that hath in me so fresh liveliness, That to put other men in remembrance Of his Person I have here the likeness Do make, to the end in Soothfastness, That they that of him have lost thought and mind, By this peniture may again him find.

In his foresaid Book, _De Regimine Principis_, he thus writes of him:

But welaway is mine heart wo, That the honour of _English_ Tongue is dead; Of which I wont was counsaile haue and reed: O Master dere, and Fadre reuerent: My Master _Chaucer_ Floure of Eloquence, Mirror of fructuous entendement: O vniuersal fadre of Science: Alas that thou thine excellent Prudence In thy Bed mortal mightest not bequeath. What eyl'd Death, alas why would she the fle? O Death, thou didst not harm singler in slaughter of him, But all the Land it smerteth; But natheless yet hast thou no power his name flee, But his vertue afterteth Unslain fro thee; which ay us lifely herteth, With Books of his ornat enditing, That is to all this Land enlumining.

In another place of his said Book, he writes thus;

Alas my worthy Maister honourable, This Land's very Treasure and Richess! Death by thy Death hath harm irreparable Unto us done: her vengeable duress Dispoiled hath this Land of the sweetness Of Rhetorige; for unto _Tullius_ Was never man so like among us: Also who was here in Philosophy To _Aristotle_, in our Tongue, but thee? The Steps of _Virgil_ in Poesie, Thou suedst eken men know well enough, What combre world that thee my Master slough Would I slaine were.

_John Lidgate_ likewise in his Prologue of _Bocchas_, of the _Fall of Princes_, by him translated, saith thus in his Commendation:

My Master _Chaucer_, with his fresh Comedies, Is dead alas, chief Poet of _Brittaine_, That whilom made full pitous Tradgedies, The faule of Princes he did complaine, As he that was of making Soveraine; Whom all this Land should of right preferre Sith of our Language he was the load-sterre.

Also in his Book which he writeth of the Birth of the Virgin _Mary_, he hath these Verses.

And eke my Master _Chaucer_ now is in grave, The noble Rhetore, Poet of _Britaine_, That worthy was the Laurel to have Of Poetry, and the Palm attaine, That made first to distill and raine The Gold dew drops of Speech and Eloquence, Into our Tongue through his Eloquence.

That excellent and learned _Scottish_ Poet _Gawyne Dowglas_ Bishop of _Dunkeld_, in the Preface of _Virgil's Eneados_ turned into _Scottish_ Verse, doth thus speak of _Chaucer_;

Venerable _Chaucer_, principal Poet without pere, Heavenly Trumpet, orloge, and regulere, In Eloquence, Baulme, Conduct, and Dyal, Milkie Fountaine, Cleare Strand, and Rose Ryal, Of fresh endite through _Albion_ Island brayed In his Legend of Noble Ladies fayed.

And as for men of latter time, Mr._Ascham_ and Mr. _Spenser_ have delivered most worthy Testimonies of their approving of him. Mr._Ascham_, in one place calleth him _English Homer_, and makes no doubt to say, that he valueth his Authority of as high estimation as he did either _Sophocles_ or _Euripides_ in _Greek_. And in another place, where he declareth his Opinion of _English_ Versifying, he useth these Words; Chaucer _and_ Petrark _those two worthy Wits, deserve just praise_. And last of all, in his Discourse of _Germany_, he putteth him nothing behind either _Thucydides_ or _Homer_, for his lively Descriptions of Site of Places, and Nature of Persons, both in outward Shape of Body, and inward Disposition of Mind; adding this withal, That not the proudest that hath written in any Tongue whatsoever, for his time hath outstript him.

Mr. _Spenser_ in his first Eglogue of his _Shepherds Kalendar_, calleth him _Tityrus_, the God of Shepherds, comparing him to the worthiness of the _Roman Tityrus, Virgil_. In his _Fairy Queen_, in his Discourse of Friendship, as thinking himself most worthy to be _Chaucer_'s friend, for his like natural disposition that _Chaucer_ had; he writes, That none that lived with him, nor none that came after him, durst presume to revive _Chaucer_'s lost labours in that imperfect Tale of the Squire, but only himself: which he had not done, had he not felt (as he saith) the infusion of _Chaucer_'s own sweet Spirit surviving within him. And a little before, he calls him the most Renowned and Heroical Poet, and his Writings the Works of Heavenly Wit; concluding his commendation in this manner:

_Dan Chaucer_ well of _English_ undefiled, On Fames eternal Bead-roll worthy to be filed; I follow here the footing of thy feet, That with thy meaning so I may the rather meet.

Mr. _Cambden_, reaching one hand to Mr. _Ascham_, and the other to Mr. _Spenser_, and so drawing them together, uttereth of him these words, _De_ Homero _nostro_ Anglico _illud vere asseram, quod de_ Homero _eruditus ille_ Italus _dixit_.

----_Hic ille est, cujus de gurgite sacro, Combibit arcanos vatum omnis turba furores._

The deservingly honoured Sir _Philip Sidney_, in his _Defence of Poesie_, thus writeth of him, Chaucer _undoubtedly did excellently in his_ Troylus _and_ Crescid, _of whom truly I know not whether to marvel more, either that he in that misty time could see so clearly or we in this clear age walk so stumblingly after him._ And Doctor _Heylin_, in his elaborate Description of the World, ranketh him in the first place of our chiefest Poets. Seeing therefore that both old and new Writers have carried this reverend conceit of him, and openly declared the same by writing, let us conclude with _Horace_ in the eighth Ode of his fourth Book;

_Dignum Laudi causa vetut mori_.

The Works of this famous Poet, were partly published in Print by _William Caxton_, Mercer, that first brought the incomparable Art of Printing into _England_, which was in the Reign of King _Henry_ the Sixth. Afterward encreased by _William Thinne_, Esq; in the time of King _Henry_ the Eighth. Afterwards, in the year 1561. in the Reign of Queen _Elizabeth_, Corrected and Encreased by _John Stow_; And a fourth time, with many Amendments, and an Explanation of the old and obscure Words, by Mr. _Thomas Speight_, in _Anna_ 1597. Yet is he said to have written many considerable Poems, which are not in his publish'd Works, besides the _Squires Tale_, which is said to be compleat in _Arundel-house_ Library.

* * * * *

_JOHN LYDGATE_.

_John Lydgate_ was born in a Village of the same name, not far off St. _Edmondsbury_, a Village (saith _Cambden_) though small, yet in this respect not to be passed over in silence, because it brought into the World _John Lydgate_ the Monk, whose Wit may seem to have been framed and fashioned by the very Muses themselves: so brightly reshine in his _English_ Verses, all the pleasant graces and elegancy of Speech, according to that Age. After some time spent in our _English_ Universities, he travelled through _France_ and _Italy_, improving his time to his great accomplishment, in learning the Languages and Arts; _Erat autem non solum elegans Poeta, & Rhetor disertus, verum etiam Mathematicus expertus, Philosophus acutus, & Theologus non contemnendus_: he was not only an elegant Poet, and an eloquent Rhetorician, but also an expert Mathematician, an acute Philosopher, and no mean Divine, saith _Pitseus_. After his return, he became Tutor to many Noblemens Sons, and both in Prose and Poetry was the best Author of his Age, for if _Chaucer's_ Coin were of greater Weight for deeper Learning, _Lydgate's_ was of a more refined Stantard for purer Language; so that one might mistake him for a modern Writer. But because none can so well describe him as himself, take an Essay of his Verses, out of his _Life and Death of_ Hector, _pag._ 316 and 317.

I am a Monk by my profession, In _Berry_, call'd _John Lydgate_ by my name, And wear a habit of perfection; (Although my life agree not with the same) That meddle should with things spiritual, As I must needs confess unto you all.

But seeing that I did herein proceed [A]At his command, whom I could not refuse, I humbly do beseech all those that read, Or leisure have, this story to peruse, If any fault therein they find to be, Or error, that committed is by me;

That they will of their gentleness take pain, The rather to correct and mend the same, Than rashly to condemn it with disdain, For well I wot it is not without blame, Because I know the Verse therein is wrong, As being some too short and some too long.

For _Chaucer_, that my Master was, and knew What did belong to writing Verse and Prose, Ne're stumbled at small faults, nor yet did view With scornful eye the Works and Books of those That in his time did write, nor yet would taunt At any man, to fear him or to daunt.

[Footnote A: _Hen._ 5.]

Now if you would know further of him, hear him in his Prologue to the Story of _Thebes_, a Tale (as his Fiction is) which (or some other) he was constrained to tell, at the command of mine Host of the _Tabard_ in _Southwark_, whom he found in _Canterbury_, with the rest of the Pilgrims which went to visit Saint _Thomas_ shrine.

This Story was first written in _Latine_ by _Geoffry Chaucer_, and translated by _Lydgate_ into _English_ Verse, but of the Prologue of his own making, so much as concerns himself, thus: