396 Bull Unigenitus. Cure for the Rheumatism, &c. Sept.

to the ftate, feditious, wicked, blafphe-every morning fafting in a cup of wine mous, fuspected of herefy, and alfo favouring of bereticks, herefies, and fchifm too, erroneous, bordering upon heresy, and in fine alfo heretical, &c.

and water, broth, tea, or any other vehicle you like beft; keep fafting an hour and a half after it, continue this for three months without interruption, then diminish the dofe to of a drachm for three months longer, then to drachm for fix months more, A-taking it regularly every morning, if poffible. After the firft year it will be sufficient to take a drachm every other day. As this medicine operates infenfibly, it will take perhaps two years before you receive any great benefit, fo you must not be difcouraged tho' you do not perceive any great amendment; it works flow but fure, it doth not confine the

patient to any particular diet, so one lives foberly and abftains from thofe meats and liquors that have always been accounted pernicious in the gout, as champaigne, drams, high fauces, &c.

N. B. In the rheumatiẩm that is only accidental, and not habitual, a few of the drachm dofes may do; but if an habitual or that has been of long duration, then you must take it as for the gout; the remedy requires patience, as it operates but flow in most diftempers.

A RECEIPT for MODERN DRESS.
From the Salisbury Journal, Sept. 17.
ANG a fmall bugle cap on, as big as

397

1753. Of the ECLIPSE of the SUN in October.

Of the SOLAR ECLIPSE that will be en Friday, Oct. 26, 1753, in the Morning.
TYPE for LONDON.

Begins
26' 9" after 8

Digits eclipfed 8

Duration 2 hours 21.

EDINBURGH.

Middle -14′ 31′′

after 9

Ends

20 40" after 10

Digits eclipfed 7 deg.
Duration 2 hours 13' 5"

NOTES.

398

I.

OBSERVATIONS on the SOLAR ECLIPSE.

NOTES.

AT the middle of the general eclipfe

the whole penumbra will not be comprehended within the earth's illuminated difk.

2. Nor can there any where be a total eclipse, except at those places where the A altitude of the moon, at the time the center of the penumbra passes over or near them, fhall be 14° or more.

3. In the lat. 34° 4' north, 21° 12′ 1 weft long. about roo leagues N. W. of the Madeiras, the penumbra will first touch the earth 59′ 35′′ after 7, where the eclipfe will begin at the fupreme point of the fun's periphery at fun-rife.

4. The center of the penumbra will first be received upon the earth 5' 1" after 9, in the lat. 46° 2' north, 33° 1' weft long. about 140 leagues north-we of the Azores, where the fun will rife centrally eclipfed.

B

5. At 19' 47' after 10, the Tun will be centrally and totally eclipfed at noon, C in the lat. 21° 48' north, 25° 1' eaft long. which answers to the eaftern extremity of Zaara or the Defart, near the river Nubia, that falls into the Nile, which, without doubt, will greatly furprize the migratory inhabitants of that barren place. In this longitude, the fun being on the meridian, will be more or lefs eclipfed from 11° 48' fouth, to 77D 25 north lat. at the former of which places the moon will but just be in contact with the vertical point of the fun; but at the latter the defect will be 2 digits 32' upon the lower part of the fun's disk.

6. In the lat. 19° north, 31° 23' east long. a little to the weft of Nubia, the fun will be centrally eclipfed in the E 90° of the ecliptick, at 40' 19" after 10.

7. The center of the penumbra will leave the earth in the north part of the bay of Bengal, in the lat. 18° 23' north, long. 84° 44' caft, about 30 leagues caft of Bimlipatan: Here, at 4' 3" after 12, the fun will fet centrally eclipfed.

8. The penumbra will wholly leave the earth 9' 29" after 1, in lat. 6° 13′ north, 70° 13' east long. at the most northern of the Maldivia's, where the eclipfe will end at the fun's fupreme point at fun-fet. Hence,

9. The duration of the general eclipfe will be 5 hours 9′ 54′, and of the central 2 hours 59' 2'.

Sept.

fion from Dublin, about the time of the middle of the eclipfe at that place, will be but 26 miles per minute: The reafon is, all places of the earth are carried by its rotation from west to east, and fo thofe places of the earth's illuminated hemifphere following the shade with a flower pace must, of consequence, diminish the velocity whereby it moves from them.

11. Tho' the times in the preceding notes refpect London only, yet they may eafily be adapted to any other place. See London Magazine for May, 1748, p. 220, 221, 222, where are alfo directions for viewing a folar eclipfe. Vicarage-Houfe, Shoreditch, Sept. 4, 1753.

C. MORTON.

The LIFE of GEOFFRY CHAUCER, the Father of English Poetry. With e curious PRINT of bis HEAD.

TH

HE place of Chaucer's birth has been almoft as much controverted as that of Homer, fome affigning Berkshire, others Oxfordshire, particularly Woodftock, for that honour; but the most probable conjecture is, that he was born at London. His defcent is equally uncertain, tho' it is most likely that his father was a knight; for we find one John Chaucer attending upon Edward III. and queen Philippa, in their expedition to Flanders and Cologn, who had the king's protection to go over fea in the 12th year of his reign. The fuppofition that this gentleman was Chaucer's father, whether a knight or not, is ftrengthened by his making, after leaving the university and inns of law, his first application to the court; as it is not unlikely that the fervices of the father should recommend the fon,

But wherever Chaucer drew his first breath, or whoever was his father, it is univerfally agreed, that he was born in the fecond year of the reign of king Edward III. A. D. 1328. His first studies were in the university of Cambridge, from whence he removed to Oxford, and after a confiderable stay there, he beF came (fays Leland) "a ready logician, a fmooth rhetorician, a pleasant poet, a great philofopher, an ingenious mathematician, and a holy divine." Upon leaving his learned retirement, he travelled into France, Holland, &c. where he fpent fome of his younger days. Upon his return, he entered himself into the Inner Temple; but had not been long there before his fuperior abilities were taken notice of by fome perfons of dif tinction, by whofe patronage he then approached the fplendor of the court. He was now about the age of 30, and befides

10. The velocity of the moon's fhadow G when paffing over the earth will be 26 miles per minute; but the velocity wherewith it will recede from a given place on the earth's illuminated difk, will be lefs than it. Thus, for example, its recef

1753.

The LIFE of CHAUCER.

399

was in great favour with K. Richard II. who, among other benefactions, restored to him his grant of a pitcher of wine daily, and a pipe annually, to be delivered to him by his fon Thomas, then chief butler to the king. But being now about 70 years of age, he quitted the ftage of grandeur, and retired to Dunnington-Caftle, near Newbury, in Berkshire, to reflect at leisure upon paft tranfactions in the ftill retreats of contemplation. In this retirement he fpent his remaining days, univerfally loved and honoured He was familiar with all men of learning in his time: Gower, Oceleve, Lidgate, and Wickliffe our firft reformer, were his B great admirers and particular friends: He was alfo well acquainted with foreign poets, particularly Francis Petrarch, the famous Italian poet, and refiner of the language. After a retirement of about two years Chaucer died, Oct. 25, 1400, in the 72d year of his age, and in the 2d of the reign of Henry IV. He had two fons, one of which, viz. Thomas, abovementioned, made a great figure in the ftate, in the reigns of Richard II. and Henry IV. V. and VI.

fides the advantages of wit and learning,
was remarkable for the comeliness of his
perfon, and his genteel behaviour; fo
that he now became a finished courtier.
He was firft made page to the king, a
place then of great honour. In the 41ft
year of Edward III. he received an an-
nuity of 20 marks per ann. which was A
no inconfiderable penfion in thofe days.
The year after he was advanced to be of
the king's privy chamber, and foon after
his fhield-bearer. He now contracted
friendships, and procured the esteem of
perfons of the firft quality: Queen Phi-
lippa, the duke of Lancaster, and his
dutchefs Blanch fhewed particular honour
to him; and lady Margaret the king's
daughter, and the countess of Pembroke,
gave him their moft zealous patronage as
a poet. In his poems called the Romaunt
of the Rofe, and Troilus and Crefeide, he
gave offence to fome court ladies by the
loofenefs of his defeription, which the
lady Margaret refented, and obliged him
to atone for it by his Legend of good C
Women, a piece as chafte as the others
were luxurioufly amorous; and, under
the name of the Daifey, he veils lady
Margaret, whom of all his patrons he
moft efteemed.

By the recommendation of the dutchefs
Blanch, he married Philippa Rouet, fifter
to the guardianefs of her grace's children, D

who was a native of Hainault. In the 46th year of the king's reign, he was fent, in commiffion with others, to treat with the doge and fenate of Genoa ; and for his fuccefsful negotiations there, the king granted to him by letters patent, by the tile of Armiger Nofter, one pitcher of wine daily in the port of London, and foon after made him comptroller of the E customs. The duke of Lancaster, whose favourite paffion was ambition, which required the affiftance of men of ability and learning, engaged warmly in our poet's intereft; befides, the duke was remarkably fond of lady Catherine Swynford, Chaucer's wife's fifter, who was then guardianefs to his children, and

whom he afterwards married: So that he was doubly attached to him, and with the varying fortune of the duke of Lancafter, we find Chaucer rife or fall: He was now neceffarily entangled in the affairs of ftate, which, amidst the various broils and difturbances at court, fometimes proved very prejudicial and even dangerous to him, and occafioned him G

once to fly his country. On his return, he was for fome time in very low and diftreffed circumstances, till the duke of Lancaster's intereft reviving, Chaucer's good fortune returned with it, and he

Dryden fays, our Chaucer was poet laureat to three kings; but Urry is of opinion that Dryden must be mistaken, as among all his works not one court poem is to be found; and Selden obferves, that he could find no poet honoured with that title in England before the reign of Ed. ward IV. to whom one John Kaye dedi cated the Siege of Rhodes in profe, by the title of his Humble Poet Laureat.

The following words of Urry will very well difplay the character of this great man. "As to his temper, fays he, he had a mixture of the gay, the modeft, and the grave. His reading was deep and extenfive, his judgment found and difcerning; he was communicative of his knowledge, and ready to correct or pals over the faults of his cotemporary writers. He knew how to judge of and excufe the flips of weaker capacities, and pitied rather than expofed the ignorance of that age. In one word, he was a great fcholar, a pleafant wit, a candid critick, a fociable companion, a stedfast friend, a great philofopher, a temperate œconomift, and a pious chriftian.” to his genius as a poet, Dryden (than whom a higher authority cannot be produced) fpeaking of Homer and Virgil, pofitively afferts, that our author exceeded the latter, and stands in competition with the former.

As

400

The LIFE of CHAUCER.

who followed him at the distance of 50
or 60 years.

An Account of CHAUCER's Works.

B

The Court of Love was written while he refided at Cambridge, in the 18th year, of his age. The Craft Lovers was written in 1348, and the Remedy of Love A probably about the fame time. The Lamentation of Mary Magdalen, taken from Origen, was written by him in his early years, and perhaps Boethius de Confolatione Philofophiæ, was tranflated by him about the fame time. The Romaunt of the Rofe is a translation from the French: It feems to have been tranflated about the time of the rife of Wickliffe's opinions, it confifting of violent invectives, against religious orders, The Complaint of the Black Knight, is fuppofed to be written on account of the duke of Lancaster's marriage. The poem of Troilus and Crefeide was written in the early part of his life. The House of Fame; from this poem Mr. Pope ac- C knowledges he took the hint of his Temple of Fame. The book of Blaunch the Duchefs, commonly called the Dreme of Chaucer, was written upon the death of that lady. The Affembly of Fowls, or Parlement of Briddis, was written before the death of queen Philippa. The Life of St. Cecilia feems to have been first a single poem, afterwards made one of his Canterbury Tales, which is told by the fecond Nonne: And fo perhaps was that of the Wife of Bath, which he advifes John of Gaunt to read, and was afterwards inferted in his Canterbury Tales. The Canterbury Tales were written about the year 1383. It is certain the Tale of the Nonnes Prieft was written after the infurrection E of Jack Straw and Wat Tyler. Flower and the Leaf was written by him The in the Prologue to the Legend of Gode Women. Chaucer's ABC, called la Priere de noftre Damê, was written for the use of the duchefs Blanch. La belle Dame fans Mercy, was tranflated from the French of Alain Chartier, fecretary to Lewis XI. king of France., The Complaint of Mars and Venus was tranflated from the French. The Complaint of Annilida to falfe Arcite. The Legend of Gode Women (called the Affembly of Ladies, and by fome the Nineteen Ladies) was written to oblige the queen, at the request of the counters of Pembroke. The Treatife of the Conclufion of the Aftrolabie was written in G the year 1391. Of the Cuckow and Nightingale; this feems by the defcription to have been written at Woodstock. The Ballade beginning, In Feverre, &c. was a compliment to the countefs of Pembroke. Several other ballads are afcribed to him,

Sept.

fome of which are justly fufpected not to have been his. The comedies imputed: to him are no other than his Cante bury Tales, and the Tragedies were thofe the monks tell in his Tales. The Teftament of Love was written in his trouble the ning, Fly fro the Preft, &c. was written latter part of his life. The Song beginin his death-bed.

A Specimen of CRAUCER'S Poetry..
The PARDONERS PROLOGUE.
Lordings! quoth he, in chirch when I
preche,
[fpeche;

I paine mee to have an have an hauteine
And ring it out, as round as doth a bell;
My teme is always one, and ever was,
For I can all by rote that I tell.
(Radix omnium malorum eft cupiditas)
First, I pronounce fro whence I come,
And then my bills, I fhew all and fome:
Our liege-lords feal on my patent!
That no man be fo bold, prieft ne clerk,
That fhew I first, my body to warrent ;
Me to disturb of Chrift's holy werke;
And after that I tell forth my tales,
Of bulls, of popes, and of cardinales,
Of patriarkes, and of bishops I fhew;
And in Latin I speake wordes a few,
To faver with my predication,

And for to ftere men to devotion.
Then fhew I forth my long, christall stones,
D
Ycrammed full of clouts and of bones;
Relickes they been, as were they, echone!
Then have 1, in Latin a fhoder-bone,
Which that was of an holy Jewes-fhepe.
Good men, fay, take of my words kepe!
If this bone we wafhen in any well,
If cow, or calfe, fhepe, or oxe swell
Take water of this well, and wash his tong,
That any worm hath eaten, or hem strong,
And it is hole a-non: And furthermore,
Of pockes, and fcabs, and every fore
Shall thepe be hole, that of this well
Drinketh a draught: Take keep of that
I tell!

F

If that the good man, that beafts oweth,
Woll every day, ere the cocke cruweth,
Fafting drink of this well, a draught,
(As thilk holy Jew our elders taught)
His beafts and his ftores fhall multiplie :
And Sirs, alfo it healeth jealoufie,
For, tho' a man be fall in jealous rage,
Let make with this water his potage,
And never fhall he more his wife miftrift,
Thughe, in footh, the defaut by her wift:
Here is a mittaine eke, that ye may fee.
All had the taken priests two or three !.
He that has his hand well put in this
mittaine;

He 'fhail have multiplying of his graine,
When he hath fowen, be it wheat or otes ;
So that he offer good pens or grotes !

JOUR