Transcript Error and the Text of Troilus

Transcript Error and the Text of Troilus Kathleen M. Hewett-Smith University ofCalifornia- Irvine Bh"TWEEN 1868 ,nd 1902 the Chaum Society, under the dfrection of Frederick J. Furnivall, printed seven transcriptions of the principal manuscripts of Trozlus and Criseyde. 1 These transcriptions, many proofed by Furnivall himself, were meant to provide accurate, easily accessible texts upon which later scholars might base their editions of Chaucer.2 While the quality ofthese diplomatic prints is in general quite good, they nonetheless contain important errors. In an article in Speculum in 1945, Curt F. Buhler noted the high incidence of error in the Chaucer Society transcription of the Campsall 1 The seven manuscripts are printed in three volumes: A Parallel-Text Print of Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde from the Campsall MS. of Mr. Bacon Frank, Copied for Henry V, when Pn"nce a/Wales, the Harleian MS. 2280 in the Bn"tish Museum, andthe Cambndge University Library MS. Gg. 4. 27., ChaucerSociety, 1stser.,vols. 63-64 (1881; rpt., New York:Johnson, 1967); Three More Parallel Texts ofChaucer's Troilus and Criseydefrom MS. LI in St. John's College, Cambn"dge, MS. No.61 in Corpus Christi College, the Harleian MS. 1239 in the British Museum, Chaucer Society, 1st ser., vols. 87-88 (1894-95; rpt., New York:Johnson, 1967); and Chaucer's Troylus and Crysey de (from the Harleian MS. 3943) Compared with Boccaccio'sFilostrato, Chaucer Society, 1st ser., vols. 44, 65 (1888; rpt., Folcroft, Pa.:Folcroft, 1976). The sigils I sometimes use in reference to the manuscripts and early prints of Trotlus are those used in The Riverside Chaucer: Cl (Campsall, now Pierpont Morgan Library, M 817; Robinson's Cm), H1 (Harley 2280, British Library), Gg (Cambridge University Library, Gg.4.27),J (St.John's College, Cambridge, L.1), Cp (Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, 61), H3 (Harley 1239, British Library, andH2 (Harley 3943, BritishLibrary), A (BritishLibrary, Additional 12044), Cx (Caxton, ca. 1483), D (University Library, Durham, Cosin MS V.ii.13), Dg (Digby 181, Bodleian library, Oxford), H4 (Harley 2392, British Library), H' (Harley 4912, British Library ), Ph (Huntington Library, HM 114 [formerly Phillips 8252, Cheltenham, misnumbered 8250 by Root and Robinson]), R (Rawlinson Poet. 163, Bodleian), S1 (Arch. Selden B.24, Bodleian), S2 (Arch. Selden Supra 56, Bodleian), Th (Thynne, 1532).I delivered abriefversionofthis paper to the1987convention oftheMedieval Association of the Pacific in Eugene, Oreg. 2 See Donald C. Baker, "FrederickJames Furnivall," in Paul G. Ruggiers, ed., Editing Chaucer: The Great Tradition (Norman, Okla.: Pilgrim Books, 1984), p. 158. 99 STUDIES IN THE AGE OF CHAUCER (Morgan; Cl) manuscript of Trozlus and Criseyde. 3 His study reveals a surprising 518 errors, 92 ofwhich are substantive. While these figures may seemsmall, given the size ofthe transcription, they are not insignificant. In fact, Biihler's findings suggest that the Chaucer Society transcriptions consitute a kind of modern scribal tradition and create another layer of textualcorruptionwith which the modern editor ofChaucer mustcontend. DespiteBiihler's study, however, virtually all modern editors of Trotfus and Criseyde have relied not upon original manuscriptsbut upon the presumed accuracy of the Chaucer Society transcripts and, as a result, have retained many transcript errors in their editions of the poem.4 Though Robert K. Root, for example, in his important Textual Tradition ofChaucer's Troilus, notes 261 corrections to the texts of Trot/us and Cnseyde as printed by the Chaucer Society, he nonetheless states that the transcriptions are "in gen­ eral to be trusted."5 In fact, for his own importantedition of Trotfus, Root made extensive use of the transcripts as well as the manuscripts them­ selves.6 Ofcourse, before our era ofready access to photographic reproduc3 Curt F. Buhler, "Notes on the Carnpsall Manuscript of Trozlus and Criseyde Now in the Pierpont Morgan Library," Speculum 20 (1945): 457-60. 4 The thirteen "modern" editions of Troilus to which I refer here and later in this article are Albert C. Baugh, ed., Chaucer'sMajor Poetry (New York: Meredith, 1963); Larry D. Benson, gen. ed., TheRiverside Chaucer (Boston: Houghton Miffiin, 1987;Stephen A. Barney edited Trozlus for this edition); Daniel Cook, ed., Troilus and Criseyde by Geoffrey Chaucer (New York: Doubleday, 1966); E. T. Donaldson, ed., Chaucer...