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Thynne's edition of Chaucer's House of Fame in The Workes of Geffray Chaucer (1532) is the latest of the five substantive texts of this work.[1] It has been assumed that Thynne derives from Caxton's [1483] edition, the other substantive printed edition, and another unidentified source.[2] It is certainly true that Thynne used more than one source for his edition. But it seems open to question whether he actually used Caxton. It seems more probable that he used Pynson's [1526] edition of Chaucer's poem.
The relationship between Caxton's edition of the House of Fame and Pynson's is extremely close. Among the substantive texts, Caxton contains about one hundred and seventy unique variants. Pynson has all but nine of these. And even Pynson's variations do little to lessen the evidence of his dependence on Caxton. Five correct manifest typographical errors in Caxton: at 136 Caxton reads fleyng for Pynson's fletyng; at 169 dare for bare; at 906 Tat for That; at 1430 an for on; at 1572 Iy [sic] for In. And one seems to correct a compositorial error in Caxton: at 1946 Caxton reads of for Pynson's on apparently under the influence of of in the same position in line 1945.[3]
The remaining alteration Pynson made to Caxton's unique substantive readings are minor. Twice Pynson has made adjustments that are probably metrical: at 532 Caxton reads beholden against Pynson's beholde; and at 2071 Caxton reads Alas against Pynson's als. At one point Pynson introduces a unique reading of his own: at 2077 Caxton reads endressyng while Pynson reads redressyng (Thynne reads encreasyng).[4]
With the exception of this last (and the reading at 136 for which Thynne has an entirely different line), in all the readings noted above where Pynson varies from Caxton he is followed by Thynne. There are also a number of points where Pynson introduces new readings of his own and these readings are also followed by Thynne. These agreements by Pynson and Thynne against Caxton demonstrate the direct dependence of Thynne's edition on Pynson rather than Caxton.
The full list of these agreements which follows cites Caxton as the lemma, followed by the reading of Pynson and Thynne:
- 174. in al thys] all in
- 1091. o] om.
- 1095. poetical] potencyall
- 1488. wonder] wonders
- 1666. now] om.; ben] shalbe
- 1698. certayn] surely
- 1780. famous] famed
- 1822. I no wyl] I nyll
- 2072. tydyng] tidynges
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