Fitzwilliam work list 1865 a small Chaucer's Dream - Leighton Exhibited in 1867 with the verse "And from a ferre came walking in the mede The God of Love, and in his hand a Queen And she was clad in royal habit green" From the prologue of Chaucer's Dream of Fair Women The Birket Foster commission to furnish the house at Witley with stained glass, resulted in a series of seven panels illustrating Chaucer's poem The Legend of Good Women, in which Chaucer in the first panel is shown asleep and his dream is illustrated in the other six. The second panel depicted Amor leading Alcestis and it was this subject which became the basis or the present watercolour. However, Chaucer here is shown seated upon a stone fountain, his elbow resting upon his notebook. Decorating the fountain are the figures of Fortuna and Cupid. The flowers which are abundant in the stained glass design, are here reduced to a single opium poppy in the centre, which symbolises sleep. The landscape was much admired by his young followers, known as The-Poetry-without-Grammar School. A second version was to follow at the instigation of William Graham c 1870.
A label verso is inscribed with the artist's hand: E.B-Jones, no. 4, Chaucer's Dream of Good Women; and also inscribed: from a ferre came walking in the mode, the God of Love, and in his hand a Queen, and she was clad in royal habit green. From the prologue to the Legend of Good Women; also inscribed: The first picture Burne-Jones ever sold, Leighton bought it off him and kept it all his life.
27 February [1897] ... The little chaucer picture (190) cost me close upon £300. I think you will find the sum I mentioned in my letter was £350.