Astr. Prol. 40. But ever worthe hem wel that doth thee moche sorwe T. of G. 482. somme of hem shewen the boce of hir shap, and the horrible swollen membres, that semeth lyk the maladie of hirnia Per. T. § 27. And thogh so be that no man can outrely telle the nombre of the twigges and of the harmes that cometh of Pryde Per. T. § 24. And kepeth in semblant alle his observances That sowneth in-to gentillesse of love Sq. T. 509. The thridde, is foule wordes, that fareth lyk fyr Per. T. § 76.

Note 1. In the following examples it is difficult to determine the number of the antecedents as conceived by Chaucer:

Now comth the remedie agayns Lecherie, and that is, generally, Chastitee and Continence, that restreyneth alle the desordeynee moevinges that comen of fleshy talentes Per. T. § 77. Gamelyn held his feste With moche mirth and solas that was there T. of G. 328. Note 2. In the following sentence the emergence of he proves a sudden change to the singular: It resembleth to thise flyinge flyes that we clepen been, that, after that he hath shad hise agreable honies, he fleeth away Boe. III.

M. 7:3.

Note 3. With these may be cited two doubtful sentences from Malory:

for within a whyle he had defouled many good knyghtes of the Table Round, sauf twenye, that was Syr Launcelot and Sire Percyvale 619:20. Whanne Bors had told hym of the adventures of the Sancgreal, suche as had befalle hym, and his thre felawes, that was Launcelot, Percyval, Galahad, and hym self 724:21.

40. Other interesting facts concerning concord in the relative

clauses are:

A. A plural form of the verb is used after a singular antecedent. This is plainly the constructio per synesin:

And many an ympre for your halydayes, That highten Balades, Roundels, Virelays L. of G. W. Prol. 411. Ne ther nas foul that cometh of engendrure, That they ne were prest in hir presence Par. of F. 307. Ther nis planete in firmament, Ne in air, ne in erthe, noon element, That they ne yive me a yift echoon Of weping Book D. 695. Coempcioun, that is to seyn, comune achat or bying to-gidere, that were estasblisshed up-on the people Boe. I. Pr. 4:65.

Note. With these may be cited the following from Malory:

And thenne every knyghte of the Round
Table that were there at that tyme 757:10.
B. Relatives referring to collective nouns are sometimes
followed by singular verbs, at other times by plural

verbs:

Of al the folk that on the daunce is Ro. of R. 1002. or of folk that been entred in-to ordre Per. T. $76.

Note. A plural verb form is usually employed. In the following example from Malory both forms follow in the same sentence:

Thenne the party that was ayenst kynge Arthur were wel comforted 743:27. No examples of this kind occur in Chaucer.

C. Chaucer's skill in handling relative clauses referring to personal pronouns of the first and second persons is shown in that he violates the principle of concord but rarely:

and it am I That loveth so hote Emelye the brighte K. T. 879. Ye, that is out of drede Tr.

& Cr. I. 775. Ye yeve good counseil, sikirly, That prechith me al-day Ro. of R. 5174. But shal I thus [to] yow my deeth for-give, That causeles doth me this sorow drye? Amor. Comp. 32. Ladyes, I preye ensample taketh, Ye that ageins your love mistaketh Ro. of R. 1540. No other examples were found.

Note. The dominance of the 3d. singular, as in § 39, A, B, is to be noted here.

CHAPTER IX

THE STRUCTURE OF CHAUCER'S RELATIVE SENTENCE

41. In the first part of this chapter, I have subjected the construction of Chaucer's relative clause to a treatment very similar to that given by L. Kellner in his edition of Caxton's Blanchardyn and Eglantine. Though Caxton wrote a century later than Chaucer, he deviates but little in his use of the relative clause from the norm furnished by his predecessor. Chaucer uses three general types of relative construction. These will be treated under A, B, C:

A. The antecedent or correlative is a noun or pronoun iu a complete sentence which is followed by a complete relative clause:

He conquered al the regne of Femenye, That whylom was y-cleped Scithia K. T. 9.

a. If the relative is in the nominative case, two forms

occur:

1. The relative, as in Modern English, is not followed by a pleonastic personal pronoun:

Ful craftier to pley she was Than Athalus, that made the game Book D. 663.

2. The relative is followed by a pleonastic personal pronoun:

A knight ther was, and that a worthy man, That fro the tyme that he first bigan To ryden out, he loved chivalrye Prol. C. T. 44.

Note. This is not a correct Modern English construction. For a discussion of the combinations that he, that he, etc., see §§ 42, 43.

b. If the relative is in an oblique case, two forms

occur:

1. Examples in which, as in Modern English, simple relative and prepositional forms, such as whos, whom, of whom, in which, that . . . to, etc., are used:

And, as I seide, amiddes lay Cipryde, To whom on knees two yonge folkes cryde Par. of F. 278. This is the usual construction. 2. Examples in which the demonstrative relative that followed by an oblique* case of a personal pronoun, is used. In these examples, that his stands for whose, that . . . him for whom,

etc.

Genitives:

Ther nas baillif, ne herde, ne other hyne, That he ne knew his sleighte and his covyne C. T. Prol. 604. Whilom ther was an irous potestat, As seith Senek, that, duringe his estaat, Up-on a day out riden knightes two Som. T. 310. With his slepy thousand sones That alway for to slepe hir wone is H. of F. I. 76. Now fele I wel the goodnesse of this wyf, That bothe after hir deeth, and in hir lyf, Hir grete bountee doubleth hir renoun L. of G. W. Prol. 509. Ther was a womman eek, that hight Shame, that, who can reken right, Trespas was hir fader name Ro. of R, 3032. Al were they sore y-hurt, and namely oon, That with a spere was thirled his brest-boon K. T. 1852. If they be swich folk as they

*Genitives of the personal pronouns: Masc., his; fem., hire, hir; neut., his; plural, here, (her, her, hir).

Datives and accusatives: Masc., him; fem, hir, hire, here; neut., hit, it, plural, hem.-R. Morris, Chaucer: The Prologue, The Knightes Tale, The Nonne Preestes Tale, p. xxxv.