[50] "Cant. Tales," G., 57 ff. It will be noted how ill the phrase "son of Eve" suits the Nun's mouth. In this, as in other cases, Chaucer simply worked one of his earlier poems into the framework of the "Canterbury Tales."
[51] See a correspondence in the _Athenæum_, Sept. 17 to Nov. 26, 1898 (Mr. C. H. Bromby and Mr. St. Clair Baddeley), and Mr. F. J. Mather's two articles in "Modern Language Notes" (Baltimore), vol. xi., p. 210, and vol. xii., p. 1.
[52] See Dr. Koch's paper in "Chaucer Society Essays," Pt. IV.
[53] Froissart's great poem of Méliador thus became anonymous for nearly five centuries, and was only identified by the most romantic chance in our own generation.--Darmesteter, "Froissart," chap. xiii.
[55] Froissart, ed. Buchon, i. 546, 555; Darmesteter, p. 32.
[56] C. L. Kingsford, "Chronicles of London," p. 63.
[57] Chaucer Soc., "Life Records," iv., p. xxx.
[58] "Eulog. Hist.," iii., 357: Statutes of Parliament, Ric. II., an. 6, c. 6. The preamble complains that such "malefactors and raptors of women grow more violent, and are in these days more rife than ever in almost every part of the kingdom," and it implies that married women were sometimes so carried off. Cf. Jusserand, "Vie Nomade," p. 85, and "Piers Plowman," B. iv., 47--
"Then came Peace into Parliament, and put forth a bill, How wrong against his will had his wife taken, And how he ravished Rose, Reginald's love," etc., etc.
[64] That is, they contributed to maintain the Minster, and were admitted to a share of the spiritual benefits earned by "all prayers, fastings, pilgrimages, almsdeeds, and works of mercy" connected therewith. Edward III., and at least three of his sons, were already of the fraternity of Lincoln, and Richard II., with his queen, were admitted the year after Philippa Chaucer.
[65] Riley, "Memorials," pp. 271, 285, 321. The Masons' regulations given on p. 281 of the same book are interesting in connection with Chaucer's work; but still more so are the documents in "York Fabric Rolls" (Surtees Soc.), pp. 172, 181.
[67] A well-to-do youth could be boarded at Oxford for 2_s._ a week, and it was reckoned that the whole expenses of a Doctor of Divinity could be defrayed for thrice that sum, or half Chaucer's salary. (Riley, "Memorials," p. 379; Reynerus, "de Antiq. Benedict," pp. 200, 596.)