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Colfox vs. Chauntecleer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2021

J. Leslie Hotson
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Extract

“Geoffrey Chaucer,” says Professor Kittredge, “is nearer to us than Alexander Pope.” This is true, not only of the spirit of his times, but also of the man. Chaucer is more like us than Pope is: we feel more mental, moral, and spiritual kinship with the writer of the Nun's Priest's Tale than with the author of the Essay on Man. But, though this is true, we are not to think that therefore we understand him more thoroughly. In reality, we comprehend nearly all of Pope, and some of him we don't like; per contra, we like all of Chaucer that we comprehend: yet there are moods and meanings in him hard to fathom.

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Type
Research Article
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PMLA , Volume 39 , Issue 4 , December 1924 , pp. 762 - 781
Copyright
Copyright © Modern Language Association of America, 1924

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References

Notes

1 “As doth the fox, Renard.” LGW 2448.

2 Notes, p. 255.

3 Kate O. Petersen, Sources of the Nonne Prestes Tale, p. 53.

4 1257 Richard Colfox, Chester (Second Rept. Hist. Mss. Comm., 300). 1303-4 William Colfox, Chester (Rec. Soc. Lanc. Ches. LIX, 64). 1307 William Colfox, Nantwich, co. Ches. (Hall, J. Nantwich, 406). 1309 William Colfox, Nantwich (36th Rept. Dep. Keeper of P. Recs. App. II, 358). 1339 William and Nicholas Colfox, Nantwich (Des. Cat. Anc. Deeds, VI, 376). 1357 Peter Colfox (Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1354-8, 642). 1371 Giles Colfox (C. P. R. 1370-4, 98). 1374 John Colfox, Mokeleston, Staffs. (Hist. Coll. co. Staff. XIII, 105). 1375 John Colfox (C. P. R. 1374-7, 216).

From this time until far into the fifteenth century the only Colfoxes named are a NICHOLAS and a RICHARD, with following exceptions:

1394 William Colfox of Chidiok, Dorset (Som. & Dors. N. & Q., XII, 369). 1395 John Colfox, Staffs. (Hist. Coll. Staff., XV, 72). 1400 Emma Colfox, Chester (C. P. R. 1391-1400, 649). 1412 William Launce, alias Colfox, Chiltern Dommer, Somerset (Som. Rec. Soc. XXIX, 127). 1428 John Colfox, Kingston (Feudal Aids, IV, 192).

The name continues to the present day:

1452 Richard Colfoxe, Wroxale co. Somerset (C. P. R. 1446-1452, 581). 1466 Henry Colefox, Leicester (Rec. Bor. of Leic. II, 429). 1492 Agn. and Marg. Colfox, Leicester, (ibid., 333). 1502 Roger Colfox, Bridport, Dorset (Som. and Dor. N. & Q., VII, 294). 1539 John Colfox, Haughmond Abbey, Salop (Let. & Pap., For. & Dom., XIV, ii, 42). 1545 Richard Colfox, Codescote, Salop (ibid., XX, i, 222). 1545 Thomas Colefox, Meriden, Salop (ibid., XX, i, 531; ii, 542).

1501 Robert Colfox, Sundridge (Fielding, C. H., Rec. of Rochester Dioc., 273).

Lichfield Wills and Administrations (Index Lib., 7): 1535 Colfox, —–, 23. 1540 John Colfoxe, 24. 1548 Richard Colfox, 26. 1551 Alan Collfoxe, 27. 1551 Thomas Colfoxe, 27. 1554 William Colefox, 28. 1600 Thomas Colefoxe, 180. 1621 Thomas Colefoxe, 418.

1551 Christopher Colfax, Beoley (Worcester Wills, Index Lib. 31, p. 128). 1582 Katherine Colfoxe, Uplyme (Devon Wills, Index Lib. 35, 276). 1640 Agnes Colefoxe Bridgewater (Taunton Wills, Index Lib. p. 155). John Colefoxe, 1st Sergeant (Royalist Comp. Papers, Index Lib., 108). 1590-1600 William Colefox (Northants and Rutland Wills, Index Lib., I, 175).

1598 Adam Colfoxe, Preston Gubballs, Salop (Prerog. Court of Canterbury, Index Lib. 25, IV, 98.) 1621 Edw. Colefox, Uffington, Salop (ibid., Index Lib. 44, VI, 68).

1597 John Colfoxe, Berport (Bridport) Dorset (ibid., Index Lib., 25, 98).

Cal. Dorset Wills and Administrations in Salisbury Probate Court: 1628. John Colfox (Coulfox) Netherbury, p. 60. 1666 Robert Colefoxe, Chardstock, 2. 1716 Henry Colfox, Over Compton, 60.

1629 Stephen Colfoxe, Chideocke, Dorset (Som. & Dor. N. & Q., VII, 304). 1654 John Colefax, Wetton Hall, Ches. (Rec. Soc. Lanc. Ches. XXVIII, 230). 1664, Abraham Colefax (ibid., LXV, 116). 1669 Thos. Colefax (ibid., LXIX, 61).

Dorset Wills, Index Lib. 22: 1690 William Colfox, Chideock, 126. 1702, Elizabeth Colefox, 1725, John Colefox, Chideock, 42. 1786 Samuel Colfox, 42. 1746 Joshua Colfox, Bridport, 5. Hutchins, Hist. of Dorset: 1863 W. Colfox, II, 110. Debrett, House of Commons, 1920 W. P. Colfox, M.C., p. 35.

5 Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1391-1396, p. 649.

6 1396, July 4. “Grant to Richard de Colfox of the custody of the lands and tenements . . . of Fulk son of Fulk-fitz-Waryn . . he to answer for all the issues of the same lands over 8 pounds 6s. yearly.” Welsh Records, p. 117. (36th Rep. Dep. Keeper of P. R., App. II).

7 1400, Mar. 4. “Confirmation to Richard Colfox by Henry Prince of Wales of a grant of King Richard, 1395, of the moor of Overmersh . . ” (ibid.)

8 1400, May 22. “Livery to Richard Colfox of the moor of Overmersh.” (ibid.)

1402, Feb. 15. “Grant to Richard Colfox by Henry, Prince of Wales, of the moor of Overmershe, for life, together with an annual rent of 7 pounds, 6s. 8d. arising out of it.” (ibid.)

9 1404, July 4. “Writ of Henry Prince of Wales . . . to seize the said . . . moor of Overmersh.” (ibid., 272).

10 Dec. 4, 1404. Wylie, Henry V, p. 272.

11 Modern Philology, I, 1. (cf. Cal. Pat. R. 1405-8, 165).

12 Cal. Pat. R., 1405-8, 413; and Jones, Index to Records, under Barton.

13 Cal. Pat. R., I Henry V, III, 73.

14 Cott. MS. Cleop. E. II, f.304.

15 Syll. Rymer's Foedera, II, 578.

16 37 Rep. Dep. Keeper, App. II, 159.

17 Feudal Aids, I, 40.

18 37 Rep. Dep. Keeper, App. II, 159.

19 See above, note 4.

20 1339: “Grant by WILLIAM COLFOX to NICHOLAS, his son, of his tenements in Nantwich.” (Desc. Cat. Anc. Deeds, VI, 376).

1353: “NICHOLAS COLFOX, the younger.” (ibid., 377.)

1380: “NICHOLAS COLFOX, of Nantwich.” (36 Rep. Keeper, App. II, 390.)

1384: “NICHOLAS COLFOX, of Nantwich.” (Rec. Soc. Lanc., 58, 168.) 1397: “Nicholas COLFOX, senior.” (36 Rep. Keep., App. II, 117).

1408: “Nicholas COLFOX, Knight.” (ibid., 307).

21 The damning circumstances are strikingly set forth in Professor James Tait's essay in Historical Essays, Owens College, 1907, pp. 193 ff.

22 Chron. Monk of St. Denys, XIX, ch. 11.

23 Rot. Parl. III, 452b. Reproduced in Froissart (ed. Kervyn) XVI, 290.

24 Cal. Pat. Rolls, 5 Henry IV, II, 381.

25 Ancient Petitions, File 254, No. 12671.

26 “ . . . Treinez del Tour-hill jesqes a les Fourkes de Tyboume, & la bowelez, & ses bowels arcz devaunt luy, & puis . . penduz, decollez, & quarterez, & son teste envoie a Caleys ou le mourdre fuist fait, & les quartres envoies as autres lieux ou le Roy plerra.”—Rot. Parl. III, 453

27 Wills of Kings, 200.

28 Beginning at Pontefract “he was drawn by horses through the streets, and afterwards through those of Lincoln and Norwich, and the towns in Suffolk, Essex, and Hertford through which he passed on his way to London. He was more than once hanged by the neck and cut down alive. At length he reached the capital,” where he suffered the same death which Hall had undergone.—Wylie, J. H., Henry IV, IV, 451.

29 Close Rolls, 5 Henry IV, ii, 1.

30 Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1 Henry IV, ii, 57.

31 Ibid., 7 Henry IV, i, 80.

32 36 Rep. Dep. Keep. App. II, 307.

33 C. Pat. R. 5 Hen. IV, 101.

34 Feudal Aids, IV, 49.

35 Scott's Dryden, XI, 342.

36 Chron. de la Traïson et Mort Ric. II, p. 19.

37 Doyle, Official Baronage, II, 166.

38 Wright, Political Poems, I, 364, 365.

39 Ibid., 368.

40 Richard the Redeless (ed. Skeat) II, 9, 145, 176, 190; III, 69, 74, 91.

41 Ibid., II, 157, 160, 166; III, 87, 107.

42 Ibid., II, 141.

43 Ibid., III, 1.

44 Rot. Parl. III, 344b.

45 MS. Chronicle of Kenilworth, quoted in Archaeologia XX, 61n.

46 “. . . Henry de Lancastre Duc de Hereford vient devant nostre Seigneur le Roy en le Parlement tenuz a Shrouesbury, . . . portant en sa mayn une Cedule . . . et . . le Roy lui disoit, Coment il avoit entendu, que Thomas Moumbray, Duc de Norffolc, avoit parles plousours paroles dishonestes en esclaundre de sa persone;” etc. Rot. Parl., III, 382a.

47 Dict. Nat. Biog., IX, 458a.

48 Chron. Traïs. et Mort, 22.

49 Froissart, (ed. Kervyn) XVI, 111; cf. Hall, Chron., 5.

50 Op. cit., 69-70.

51 One erroneous chronicle reports them all killed: “et Bristolliam pervenit, ubi. . . . Willelmus Scrope, comes Wiltschire, Bagot, Bussy, Grene, et Russel, capti sunt, et ut falsi proditores decapitati.” —Pol. Poems, I, 462.

52 Archaeologia XX, 65, n 3. Traïs. et Mort, 187, n.1.

53 Cal. Pat. Rolls, 1398, p. 440. Syll. Foedera, II, 533.

54 Monk of Evesham, p. 146.

55 Chron. Traison et Mort, 19, 153.

56 2 King Henry IV, IV, 1.