posted on 2015-11-19, 09:01authored byLionel. Adey
The genesis of this piece of work, which has been in progress since 1960, though the topic was in my mind for a year or two before, is described in the Introduction that follows. Assuredly progress would have been much for his initial encouragement, his great thoroughness and patience in reading through drafts and reports and his innumerable quietly stimulating suggestions. To supervise a student of mature years calls for rare tact and intuition; our happy relationship during these four years is evidence of the degree to which Dr Craik possesses these attributes. Finally, I should like to acknowledge the help given by his colleague, Dr C.A. Luttrell, in matters of pronunciation and metre. The text used is Robinson's edition (1933), to which all line references relate. In the chapter on the "Parliament of Fowls", however, I have used Dr Brewer's text, hence the differences between spellings in that chapter and elsewhere. The only MS. Consulted has been the facsimile of the Ellesmere MS. In Nottingham University Library. Except where otherwise stated, the authority of Robinson is accepted in dating, punctuation and the text, matters of textual criticism being outside the scope of this study. The following abbreviations are used: B.D. Book of the Duchess, H.F. House of Fame, K.T. Knight's Tale, M.L.T. Man of Law's Tale, M.T. Miller's Tale, N.P.T. Nun's Priest's Tale, P.C.T. Prologue to "Canterbury Tales", P.F. Parliament of Fowls, Pr.T. Prioress's Fowls, R.R. Romaunt of the Rose, R.T. Reeve's Tale, .C. Troilus and Criseyde, Fil. Il Filostrato, R. de T. Roman de Troylus et Briseide, Tes. Teseida. Any inadvertent inconsistencies over Chaucerian spelling or modern spelling, of titles of poems, are regretted.