The complete works of Geoffrey Chaucer Edited, from numerous manuscripts by the Rev. Walter W. Skeat |
 | I. |
|
| A. |
| B. |
| C. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
|
| VI. |
| VII. |
|
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
|
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
|
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| II. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| III. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| I. |
| II. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| IV. |
| A. |
| B. |
|
| C. |
| D. |
|
| E. |
|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| F. |
|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| G. |
|
|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| H. |
| I. |
 | The complete works of Geoffrey Chaucer |  |
‘But, for to kepe me fro ydelnesse,
Trewly I did my besinesse
To make songes, as I best coude,
And ofte tyme I song hem loude;
And made songes a gret del,
Al-thogh I coude not make so wel
Songes, ne knowe the art al,
As coude Lamekes sone Tubal,
That fond out first the art of songe;
For, as his brothers hamers ronge
Upon his anvelt up and doun,
Therof he took the firste soun;
But Grekes seyn, Pictagoras,
That he the firste finder was
Of the art; Aurora telleth so,
But therof no fors, of hem two.
Algates songes thus I made
Of my feling, myn herte to glade;
And lo! this was [the] alther-firste,
I not wher [that] hit were the werste.—
Trewly I did my besinesse
To make songes, as I best coude,
And ofte tyme I song hem loude;
And made songes a gret del,
Al-thogh I coude not make so wel
Songes, ne knowe the art al,
As coude Lamekes sone Tubal,
That fond out first the art of songe;
For, as his brothers hamers ronge
Upon his anvelt up and doun,
Therof he took the firste soun;
But Grekes seyn, Pictagoras,
That he the firste finder was
Of the art; Aurora telleth so,
But therof no fors, of hem two.
317
Of my feling, myn herte to glade;
And lo! this was [the] alther-firste,
I not wher [that] hit were the werste.—
| The complete works of Geoffrey Chaucer | |