Digital Index of Middle English Verse: No. 5990

DIMEV 5990

IMEV 3761

NIMEV 3761

To moralize a similitude who list these ballades sue

The Craft of Lovers, a dialogue between Cupido and Diana — twenty-six stanzas rhyme royal

Note: Stanzas 3, 7, 11, 15 same as stanzas 3, 4, 5, 10 of 3027; printed Stowe (1561)

XStowe, John. The Workes of Geffrey Chaucer…with diuers addicions, with the Siege of Thebes, compiled by J. Lidgate. London, J. Kyngston for J. Wight, 1561 (STC 5075)

(which was ed. Chalmers (1810)

XChalmers, Alexander. The Works of the English Poets from Chaucer to Cowper. London, 1810; repr. New York: Greenwood, 1969

, 1.558-60) and Speght (1598)

XSpeght, Thomas. The Workes of…Geffrey Chaucer. London, [A. Islip,] imp. G. Bishop, 1598; rev. ed. A. Islip, 1602 (STC 5077, 5080)

then by Urry (1721)

XUrry, John. The Works of Geoffrey Chaucer. London: B. Lintot, 1721

, 552; Bell (1782)

XBell, John. The Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer. 14 vols. in 7. The Poets of Great Britain. Edinburgh, 1782; repr. London: Cadell and Davies, 1807

, 13.110; Anderson (1793)

XAnderson, Robert. The Works of the British Poets, or, Complete Edition of the Poets of Great Britain. 13 vols. Vol. 1. Edinburgh, 1793; London, 1795

, 1.581.

Subjects: dialogues, lovers’; satires; courtly love

Versification: — seven-line — ababbcc

Manuscript Witnesses:

1.Source: Cambridge UK, Trinity College R.3.19 (599), ff. 154v-156

First Lines:

[to] MOralyse a similitude who lyst theyr balades sew
The craft of louers curious Argumentes
ffor som byn fals and som be foundyn trew
And som byn double of entendementes…

Last Lines:

…O prepotent pryncesse conserue trulouers all
And graunt hem thy Region and blysse celestiall

Note: 23 stanzas.

Attributed Author: Chaucer (later hand f. 154v)

Attributed Title: The craft of lovers Chaucer (added by later hand f. 154v); Explicit the Craft of louers (scribe, f. 156)

Facsimiles:

Fletcher, Bradford Y. “Introduction.” Manuscript Trinity R.3.19. A Facsimile. Norman, OK: Pilgrim, 1987.

2.Source: London, British Library Addit. 34360 [olim Phillipps 9053], ff. 73v-77

First Lines:

[T]O moralise a similitude who list þese balettes fewe
The craft of louers curyous argument…

Last Lines:

…Come on dere spouse Ioy ye me til
Triewe hert of me shal have his wyll

3.Source: London, British Library Harley 2251, ff. 52-54v

First Lines:

To moralise asymilitude who list these balettes fewe
The craft of lovyers curyous argument…

Last Lines:

…Com on my deere spowse Ioy ye me tell
Triew hert of me shal have his wyll

Editions:

Forni, Kathleen, ed. The Chaucerian Apocrypha: A Selection. Kalamazoo, MI: Western Michigan University for TEAMS, 2005.

priven: verb To deprive (sb.) of (sth.), deny (sb. sth.); ppl. prived, bereaved, bereft of, deprived of; without; (b) ~ of (from), to deprive (sb. of sth.), deny (sth. to sb.), exclude (sb. from sth.); prived of (from), deprived of (sth.), bereft of; lacking, without; ben of god priving, be a robber of goods; (c) to depose (sb.), dismiss; ~ of (from), deprive (sb.) of (power, kingdom, etc.), remove or dismiss (sb.) from (office or position); (d) to take (sth.) away; prevent (sth.), deny, oppose; weaken (the body); -- also without obj. MED