The Manuscripts of the Canterbury Tales

Description: Chronologically surveys CT manuscripts, highlighting the importance of Hengwrt and the "wide difference in the number of independent textual traditions for different parts" of the work. Rejects the notion of a single Chaucerian copy text, crediting the "Hengwrt editor" with the first impulse to collect the Tales from fragments.; Despite continued circulation of "booklets" of tales, the early fifteenth century witnessed the standardization of two orders for the Tales. Manuscripts of single tales or small groups increased steadily throughout the century, suggesting that modern notions of "complete" texts of CT are misguided.