In his legend of Constance is this passage:
In another part of his book, is a story "Howe the kynge of Armenis daughter mette on a tyme a companie of the fairy." These "ladies," ride aside "on fayre [white] ambulende horses," clad, very magnificently, but all alike, in white and blue, and wore "corownes on their heades:" but they are not called fays in the poem, nor does the word fay or fairie once occur therein.
The fairies or elves of the British isles are peculiar to this part of the world, and are not, so far as literary information or oral tradition enables us to judge, to be found in any other country. For this fact the authority of father Chaucer will be decisive, till we acquire evidence of equal antiquity in favour of other nations:
- ↑ Ibi. fo. 32, b. These are the first instances faye or fairie is mentioned in English; but the whole of Gowers work is suspected to be made up of licentious translations from the Latin or French.
