DIMEV 3097
Listen lords in good entent
Geoffrey Chaucer, the Sir Thopas in the Canterbury Tales —
207 lines in 6-line, tail-rhyme stanzas.
Author(s): Geoffrey Chaucer
Title(s): Sir Thopas;
Canterbury Tales
Subjects: pilgrims/pilgrimage; Romance; satire
Versification: —
tail-rhyme, six-line —
aabaab, aabccb
Manuscript Witnesses:
1.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Arch. Selden B. 14 (SC 3360), ff. 167
v-170
v
First Lines:Listeneth lordis in good entent
and I wil yow telle
verament…
Last Lines:…as dide the knyght sir Percyvelle
so worthi vnder
wede
Note: VII.805, 918 omitted.
Attributed Title: Here Chauncers tellith of Sir Thopas (f. 167v); Chauncers tale
(RT); Here oure Ost letteth Chauncers his rymyng (f. 170v)
2.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Barlow 20 (SC 6420), ff. 203
v-206
First Lines:LEstneth lordes in goode entent
And I wolle telle
verament…
Last Lines:…And by hym baiteth his destrer
Of herbes fyne and
gode
Note: VII.804, 852-4, 915-8 omitted.
Attributed Title: …and / here begynnihe þe tale (f. 203)
3.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Bodley 414 (SC 27880), ff. 148
v-150
v
First Lines:[L]isten lordis in good intent
And I wil telle
verament…
Last Lines:…As did the knyght Sir Percyuelle
So wurthy vndir
wede
Note: VII.803-6, 823, 887, 918 omitted
Attributed Title: The tale of Sir Thopas (f. 148v)
4.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Bodley 686 (SC 2527), ff. 170-172
v
First Lines:Listenneth lordynges in gode entent
And y wol telle
verement…
Last Lines:…As dide þe knyght ser percyvelle
So worthi vnder
wede
Tyl on a day
Note: VII.805, 887 omitted.
Attributed Title: Nexte foloweþ Chaucers tale of Thopas / And here begynneth his tale
(f. 170); Here the hoost stynteth Chaucer of his tale of / Thopas and biddeth
hym telle a nother tale (f. 172v)
5.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Hatton Donati 1 (SC 4138), ff. 187-189
First Lines:Listeth lordes in gode entent
I wil you tel
verament…
Last Lines:…As did þe knight sere percyuell
So worthely vnder
wede
Note: VII.852-4, 918 omitted; 805 left blank; 865 inserted in
margin.
Attributed Title: …And next begynneth the tale / of sire Thopas (f. 187); The Thopas
(RT); Here endeth the tale of sir Thopas… (f. 189v)
6.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Laud misc. 600 (SC 1476), ff. 226-228
First Lines:LIstneþ lordinges in good entent
And I wol telle you
verement…
Last Lines:…As dide þe knight sir percyvale
So worþely vnder
wede
Note: VII.805, 918 omitted.
Attributed Title: …Here begynneþ þe tale of sir Thopas (f. 225v);
thopas (RT)
7.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Laud misc. 739 (SC 1234), f. 237
v-239
v
First Lines:[L]Estneth lordes in goode entent
And I will telle
verrament…
Last Lines:…fful strong hit was of plate
And over that his cote
armure…
Note: Everything after VII.866 lost. Catchphrase on f. 239v:
‘As white is[gutter]’.
8.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Rawlinson poet. 141 (SC 14635), ff. 95
v-97
First Lines:LVsteneth lordynges in good entent
And I wol telle
verement…
Last Lines:…If ye wol haue more of hit
To telle hit I wol
founde
Note: VII.731-2, 822-3, 887, 891-918 omitted; spurious lines follow 733, 800,
821,
Attributed Title: Here bigynneth Chaucers tale of syre thopias (f. 95); Chaucer
(RT)
9.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Rawlinson poet. 149 (SC 14641), ff. 104-105
v
First Lines:Listenith lordes in good entent
And I wil tel
verament…
Last Lines:…And be hym baited his dester
Of herbes fyne and
good
Note: VII.805, 852-4, 915-918 omitted; 823 follows 825.
Attributed Title: Here begynnyth Thopias tale (f. 104); thopas (f. 104, margin); the thopas
(RT); here endith thopias tale… (f. 105v)
10.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Rawlinson poet. 223 (SC 14714), ff. 180
v-182
v
First Lines:Listenith lordinges in good entent
And I will telle you
verralment…
Last Lines:…As did the kniȝt Sir Percyuelle
So worthi vnder
wode
Note: VII.805, 918 omitted; 810-11 reversed.
Attributed Title: …And here beginneth A tale of Maister Chaucer (f. 180v);
Chaucer (RT)
11.Source: Oxford, Christ Church 152, ff. 135-138
First Lines:Lysteneth lordes in good entent
And I wole telle
verrayment…
Last Lines:…As did the knyght sir Percyuelle
So worly vnder wede
Til
on a day
Attributed Title: Here begynneth the tale (f. 135)
12.Source: Oxford, Corpus Christi College 198, ff. 214-216
v
First Lines:LEsteneþ lordes in good entent
And I wol telle
verrament…
Last Lines:…And by him bayteþ his destrer
Of herbes fyne and
goode
himself drank water of þe well
as dide
þe knyȝt Sire Percyu[gutter]
so worþli
vnderwede
Note: VII.805, 915-18 omitted; 915-17 supplied in margin later; blank line
follows 774.
Attributed Title: Here bygynneth þe tale of Chaucer of sire Thopas (f. 214);
Camxixm (f. 214, margin)
13.Source: Oxford, New College 314, ff. 208-211
First Lines:LEsten lordis in good entent
And I wol telle
verament…
Last Lines:…As did þe knyȝt ser Percyvelle
So worthili vnder
weed
Note: VII.715, 803, 805, 821-4, 891, 918 omitted.
Attributed Title: Ryme of Ser Topas (f. 208); Sir Thopas (RT)
14.Source: Oxford, Trinity College 49, ff. 198
v-201
First Lines:Listeneth lordis in gode intente
and I wille telle
verament…
Last Lines:…as did sir perciul Perciuelle
so worthi vndir
wede
till on a day & cetera
Note: VII.720-2, 752, 846-9 omitted; spurious line follows 806.
Attributed Title: Incipit fabula Chauceris de Thopas (f. 198); Chauceris de
Thopas (RT); Thopas (RT)
15.Source: Cambridge UK, Cambridge University Library Dd.4.24, ff. 159-160
First Lines:…But he was chast and no lechour
And sete as is the brambel
flour
That bereth the red hepe…
Last Lines:…As ded the knyght Sire Percyuelle
So worthy vnder wede
Til
on a day
Note: VII.712-44 lost. The final line (918) follows 917 in the margin, written
as if one line, separated only by a punctus elevatus.
16.Source: Cambridge UK, Cambridge University Library Gg.4.27 (Part 1a), ff. 323-324
v
First Lines:TEstyth lordyngis in good entent
And I wele tell
verrayment…
Last Lines:…And forth vp on his weye he glod
As sparkele out of
bronde…
Note: Although the guide letter for the opening initial is an ‘L’,
the limner executed a ‘T’. VII.906-18 lost; 805
omitted.
Attributed Title: Heere begynnyth Chaucers tale of sere Thopas (f. 323)
17.Source: Cambridge UK, Cambridge University Library Ii.3.26, ff. 187-188
v
First Lines:Lystenyth lordinges with good entente
And I wil you tell
verement…
Last Lines:…As did the knyght Sir percevalle
So worthy
vnderwede
Note: VII.719-20, 722, 803, 805, 887, 918 omitted; spurious line follows 806;
814-15 reversed.
Attributed Title: …And here begynneth the tale of sir Thopas (f. 187); Chawcers (RT);
Here endeth the tale of Sir Thopas (f. 188v)
18.Source: Cambridge UK, Cambridge University Library Mm.2.5, ff. 197-199
v
First Lines:Listeneth lordynges in goode entente
And I woll tell
verrramente…
Last Lines:…As did þe knyȝht sir parywell
So worthily under
wede
Note: VII.805, 852-4, 918 omitted.
Attributed Title: Here begynneth þe tale of Chaucer be sir thopas (f. 197); Capitulum
xixm (f. 197, margin); Sir thopas (RT)
19.Source: Cambridge UK, Fitzwilliam Museum McClean 181 [olim Ashburnham 127], ff. 218
v-220
First Lines:[L]ysteneth lordynges in goode entent
And y woll yow tell
verAment…
Last Lines:…But ser Thopas he bereth þe floure
Of Ryall
Chyualry
Note: VII.719-22, 760-77, 805, 833-87, 903-18 omitted.
Attributed Title: The tale of Thopas (f. 218v)
20.Source: Cambridge UK, Trinity College R.3.3 (582), f. 87
va
First Lines:Listeneth lordinges in good entent
And I wol telle
verament…
Last Lines:…Of wrasteling was on his pere
There any ram shal stonde
& cetera
Note: VII.742-918 omitted.
21.Source: London, British Library Addit. 5140, ff. 234
v-238
v
First Lines:LYsteneth lordynges in good entent
And I wol telle
verrayment…
Last Lines:…As did the knyght Sir percyvelle
Tyl on a day
Note: VII.805 omitted.
Attributed Title: …Et incipit fabula eiusdem (f. 234v); Chauncer
(RT)
22.Source: London, British Library Addit. 35286 [olim Ashburnham 125], ff. 166-168
First Lines:Listeth lordynges in good entente
And I wol telle
veramente…
Last Lines:…As dide the knyght syr percyuelle
So worthly vnder
wood
Note: VII.85, 918 omitted.
Attributed Title: here bigynneth Chaucers tale of Syr Topias (f. 166); Chaucer (RT)
23.Source: London, British Library Egerton 2726 [olim Haistwell], ff. 180
v-182
First Lines:Listeneth lordynges in gode intent
And I woll tell
verament…
Last Lines:…As did þe knyght sir Percyuell
So worthy vnder
wede
Till on a day
Note: VII.893-5 omitted.
Attributed Title: …& incipit fabula sua de Sir Thopas (f.
180v)
Editions: Furnivall, Frederick James,
ed.
The Cambridge MS. Dd.4.24 of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales,
Completed by the Egerton MS. 2726 (The Haistwell MS).
The Chaucer Society
1st Series, no. 95 (Part 1, issue for 1901) and 96 (Part 2, issue for
1902).
25.Source: London, British Library Egerton 2864 [olim Ingilby, post Compton Hall], ff. 189
v-192
First Lines:[L]Isteneth lordynges in good entent
And I wol telle
verrayment…
Last Lines:…As did the knyht Sire percyuelle
So worthy vndir weede
Til
on a day
Note: VII.805 omitted.
Attributed Title: Here begynneth the tale of sir Thopas (f. 189v); sir thopias is
tale (RT)
26.Source: London, British Library Harley 1758, ff. 166
v-168
v
First Lines:LIstneth lordis in good entent
And I woll tell
verament…
Last Lines:…As dide the knyght Sir Percyuelle
So worthely vnder
wede
Til it was on a daye
Note: VII.805, 887 omitted; 803, 812, 825, 887 marked
‘deficit’ in margin.
Attributed Title: …and begynneth the tale (f. 166v); Sir Thopas (RT); Here
endith Sir Thopas (f. 168v, with blank space following)
27.Source: London, British Library Harley 7333, ff. 98
rb-99
rb
First Lines:LYstenith lordinges in gode entente
And I wolle telle yow
verament…
Last Lines:…As dud the knyȝt sir parcivel
So worthi vndir
wede
Note: VII.805, 918 omitted; 803 follows 806.
Attributed Title: No more of this for goddis dignite (f. 99va, rubricated and
formatted as heading)
28.Source: London, British Library Harley 7334, ff. 203
v-206
First Lines:LEsteneþ lordyngs in good entent
And I wol telle
verrayment…
Last Lines:…As dede þe knight of pertiuelle
So worþy vnder
wede
Note: VII.805, 918 omitted.
Attributed Title: [trimmed]eþ sir thopas his tale (f. 203v, margin, in
scribe’s informal hand); Chauceres tale (RT)
Editions: Furnivall, Frederick James,
ed.
The Harleian MS 7334 of Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury
Tales’.
Chaucer Society
73. London: Trübner, 1885.
29.Source: London, British Library Lansdowne 851, ff. 189-191
v
First Lines:LEsteneþe lordes in goo entent
And I wil tel
verrament…
Last Lines:…& by him baiteþ his dextrere
Of erbes fine &
good
Note: VII.805, 852-4, 915-18 omitted; 801-3 inserted in margin.
Attributed Title: …Incipit fabula (f. 189); Sir Thopas (RT)
Editions: Furnivall, Frederick James,
ed.
The Lansdowne Manuscript of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
Chaucer Society
Series 1, nos. 7, 13, 20, 36, 43, 55, 69. London: Trübner,
1868-79.
30.Source: London, British Library Royal 17 D.XV, ff. 238
v-241
First Lines:Listenyth lordynges in good entent
And I wil yow telle
verament…
Last Lines:…As did the knyȝt sir Percyuelle
So worthy vnder
woode
Note: VII.803, 918 omitted.At the foot, in the margin, is ‘finis
verte folium’. Two-thirds of the verso is left blank before the
explicit.
Attributed Title: …And begynnyth / the tale of sir thopas by / Master Chaucer (f.
238v, margin); Here endithe the tale of sir thopas by Chaucer (f.
241v)
31.Source: London, British Library Royal 18 C.II, ff. 194-196
v
First Lines:LEsteneth lordes in good entent
And I wil telle
Verrayment…
Last Lines:…And by hym bayteth his destrer
Of herbes fyne and
goode
Note: VII.805, 852-4, 915-18 omitted.
Attributed Title: …And begynneth the tale (f. 194); sir Thopas (RT);
Explicit… (f. 196v, margin)
32.Source: London, British Library Sloane 1686, ff. 244-247
First Lines:LEsteneth lordes in good entent
And I wille telle
verrament…
Last Lines:…And by hym baytith his destrere
Of herbys fyne and
good
Note: VII.805, 852-4, 887, 915-18 omitted.
Attributed Title: …And begynneth his tale (f. 244); [A] tale of Chauncer (RT)
33.Source: Aberystwyth, National Library of Wales Peniarth 392 D [‘Hengwrt’], ff. 213-215
First Lines:LIsteth lordes in good entent
And I wil telle
verrayment…
Last Lines:…As dide the knyght Sire Percyuell
Til on a day
Note: VII.805 omitted.
Attributed Title: Here bigynneth Chaucers tale of Thopas (f. 213); Chaucer of sire Thopas
(RT); here the host stynteth Chauce of his tale of / Thopas and biddeth hym
telle another tale (f. 215)
Facsimiles:
Ruggiers, Paul G.,
ed.
The Canterbury Tales. Geoffrey Chaucer. A Facsimile of the Hengwrt
Manuscript, with Variants from the Ellesmere Manuscript.
Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma, and Folkestone: Wm. Dawson,
1979.
Stubbs, Estelle,
ed.
The Hengwrt Chaucer Digital Facsimile (CD-ROM).
Leicester, England: Scholarly Digital Editions, 2000.
Editions:
Furnivall, Frederick James,
ed.
The Hengwrt Manuscript of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
Chaucer Society
Series 1, nos. 3, 9, 27, 39, 51, 71. London: Trübner,
1868-79.
Blake, Norman F.,
ed.
The Canterbury Tales. Edited from the Hengwrt Manuscript.
York Medieval Texts, second series.
London: Edward Arnold, 1980.
Stubbs, Estelle,
ed.
The Hengwrt Chaucer Digital Facsimile (CD-ROM).
Leicester, England: Scholarly Digital Editions, 2000.
34.Source: Alnwick Castle, Duke of Northumberland MS 455, ff. 158-160
v
First Lines:Lestenyth lordingis in good entent
And I woll tell ȝew
verament…
Last Lines:…So worthy vndir wede
Tyll it was on a day
Note: VII.793, 805, 818 omitted.
Attributed Title: …And here begynyth the tale of Sir Thopas (f. 158)
35.Source: Glasgow, Glasgow University Library Hunterian 197 (U.1.1), ff. 64
rb-65
ra
First Lines:LIsteneth lordyngges in good entent
And I wole telle you
verramente…
Last Lines:…As dide þe knyght sir percyuel
So worthy vnder þe
wood
Note: VII.805, 887, 918 omitted.
Attributed Title: Here begynneth the tale of Sir Thopas (f. 64rb); Thopas
(RT)
36.Source: Holkham Hall, Earl of Leicester MS 667, f. 81
vb
First Lines:Listeneth lordinges in gode entente
And I woll tell
verramente…
Last Lines:…Sir Topias wex a doughty swaine
white was his face as payn
demaine
Note: VII.726-918 lost.
37.Source: Lichfield, Lichfield Cathedral Library 29, ff. 206-208
First Lines:…O Seint Mary Benedicite
What eileþ þus loue at
me…
Last Lines:…And by hem baiteþ his destrer
Of herbes fyne and
good
Note: VII.712-783 lost; resupplied on a seventeenth-century leaf. 805, 852-4,
915-18 omitted.
Attributed Title: Sire Thopas (RT)
38.Source: Lincoln, Lincoln Cathedral Library 110, ff. 192-194
v
First Lines:LIstenyth lordis in good entent
And I woll ȝow telle
verament…
Last Lines:…Hym self drank watir of þe welle
As dede þe
knyȝt sire percefelle
So worthy vnder wede
Note: VII.762, 818, 917-18 ommitted; 917 supplied later in
margin.
Attributed Title: Here byginnyth the tale of sire thopas (f. 191v); Chaucer sere
Topas (RT)
39.Source: London, Royal College of Physicians 388 (13), ff. 256-258
v
First Lines:LIsteneth lordynges in goode entent
And I wil yow telle
verrament…
Last Lines:…As dide the knyght sir percivelle
So worthy vndir
wede
Note: VII.803-6, 842-4, 877, 918 omitted.
Attributed Title: …Incipit ffabula de Thopas (f. 256)
40.Source: Manchester, John Rylands Library Eng. 113 [olim Hodson 39], ff. 126
v-127
v
First Lines:Listenyth lordes in good entent
And I wolle telle
verament…
Last Lines:…As dede þe knyght Ser percyuell
So worþi vnþer
wede
til on a day
Note: VII.793, 803, 823, 887 omitted.
Attributed Title: Here begynnyth Chauncers tale / of Sire Thopas (f. 126v);
Chauncers tale of / Ser Thopas (f. 126v, margin); Chaucer
(RT)
41.Source: Petworth House, Lord Leconfield MS 7, ff. 224
v-227
First Lines:LEstneth lordes in good entent
And I will telle
verrement…
Last Lines:…As did þe knyȝt sire percyvelle
So worþely
vnder wede
Note: VII.805, 852-4, 918 omitted.
Attributed Title: Here bygynneþ þe tale of chaucere by Sire Thopas (f. 224);
Capitulum xixm (f. 224, top margin); Sire Thopas
(RT)
Editions:
Furnivall, Frederick James,
ed.
The Petworth MS of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
Chaucer Society
Series 1, nos. 6, 12, 19, 35, 42, 54, 68. London: Trübner,
1868-79.
Furnivall, Frederick James,
ed.
Autotype Specimens of the Chief Chaucer MSS, Part II.
Chaucer Society
Series 1, no. 56. London: Trübner, 1876.
48.Source: Princeton, Princeton University Library 100 [olim Helmingham Hall], ff. 158-161
First Lines:Listynyth lordingis in good entent
And I wol tel
verament…
Last Lines:…He nold slepen in no house
But ligen in his hode
Note: VII.777, 803, 805, 883, 887, 912-18 omitted.
Attributed Title: Her begynnyth Sir Thopas (f. 158); Sir Thopas (RT); Herer
endith the tale of Sir Thopas (f. 161)
49.Source: San Marino, CA, Henry Huntington Library EL 26.C.9 [‘Ellesmere’], ff. 151
v-153
First Lines:Listeth lordes in good entent
And I wol telle
verrayment…
Last Lines:…As dide the knyght sire Percyuell
so worly vnder wede
Til
on a day
Note: VII.805 omitted.
Attributed Title: …Heere bigynneth Chaucers tale of Thopas (f. 151v);
Chaucer Thopas (RT); (RT); Heere the hoost stynteth Chaucer of his tale of
Thopas (f. 153)
Facsimiles:
The Ellesmere Chaucer Reproduced in Facsimile.
2 vols. Preface by Alix Egerton. Manchester: Manchester University
Press, 1911.
Hanna, Ralph,
ed.
The Ellesmere Chaucer Reproduced in Facsimile.
2 vols. Manchester: Manchester UP, 1911. Preface by
Alix
Egerton
repr. as The Ellesmere Manuscript of Chaucer’s
Canterbury Tales: A Working Facsimile. Intro. Hanna; Cambridge: D. S.
Brewer, 1989.
Editions: Furnivall, Frederick James,
ed.
The Ellesmere Manuscript of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.
Chaucer Society
Series 1, nos. 2, 8, 16, 26, 32, 38, 50, 70. London: Trübner,
1868-79.
50.Source: Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale angl. 39, f. 71
va-71
vb
First Lines:Lystnyth lordynges in good entent
and I wil telle
verrament…
Last Lines:…as I yow telle in good certayne
he hadde a semely
nose
Note: VII.730-918 omitted.
Attributed Title: Hic narrat fabula sua Chauncers / de quodam milite Thopas… (f.
71va)
Print Witnesses:
1.Source: STC 5082.
Chaucer, Geoffrey,
Canterbury Tales, [Westminster, William Caxton, 1476] , ff. 261-264
v
First Lines:[L]Esten lordis in good entent
And I wol telle
verament…
Last Lines:…As did the knyght sir precyuelle
So worthily vnder
weed
Note: VII.742, 803, 805, 821-4, 887, 918 omitted; spurious line follows
806.
Attributed Title: Ryme of sir Topas (f. 261)
Facsimiles: Bordalejo, Barbara,
ed.
Caxton’s Canterbury Tales: The British Library Copies.
Leicester: Scholarly Digital Editions, 2003.
2.Source: STC 5083.
Chaucer, Geoffrey,
Canterbury Tales, [Westminster], W. Caxton, [1483] , sigs. ii.2
v-ii.5
First Lines:[L]Esten lordys in good entent
And I wol telle
verament…
Last Lines:…As dyd the knyght sir percyuelle
So worthyly vnder
wede
Note: VII.805, 918 omitted.
Attributed Title: Ryme of Syr Thopas (sig. ii.2v); Of Syr Topas (RT); The hoost
Interrupteth his tale… (sig. ii.5)
Facsimiles:
The Canterbury Tales (a facsimile of the Pepys copy of Caxton’s Second
Edition).
London: Cornmarket Reprints in association with Magdalene College,
Cambridge, 1972.
Bordalejo, Barbara,
ed.
Caxton’s Canterbury Tales: The British Library Copies.
Leicester: Scholarly Digital Editions, 2003.
3.Source: STC 5084.
Chaucer, Geoffrey,
Canterbury Tales, R. Pynson, [1492] , sigs. ll.3-ll.5
First Lines:[L]Esten lordes in gode enten
And I wol telle
verament…
Last Lines:…As dyd the knyght sir percyuel
So worthely vndre
wede
Attributed Title: …And begynneth Ryme of sir Topas (sig. ll.3); Ryme of Sir Thopas
(RT)
4.Source: STC 5085.
Chaucer, Geoffrey,
Canterbury Tales, Westminster, W. de Worde, 1498 , sigs. r.2
va-r.3
v
First Lines:[L]Ysteth lordynges in good entente
And I woll tell
verrayment…
Last Lines:…As dyde the knyght syre percyuell
So worly vnder wede
Tyll
on a day
Attributed Title: …Here begynneth Chaucers tale / tale of syre Thopas (sig.
r.2rb, foot); The tale of Chaucer (RT); Here styntyth the hoste
Chaucer / of his tale of syre Thopas & byd / dyth hym telle a nother tale
(sig. r.4ra)