TCG Letter #1631

In reply to Kenneth Sisam's letter, ^{Letter from Kenneth Sisam to J.R.R. Tolkien • September 1930 (#1630)[1]} Tolkien replies that he would be interested to take part in an edition of the Ancrene Riwle. He in fact already has a rotograph of the important manuscripts^{Corpus Christi College, Cambridge MS 402[2]} and thinks that he could produce a plain text and glossaries but notes that a complete full text with complete glossary and grammar would serve study of Middle English better.

But first he must complete his work on the Clarendon Chaucer which is weighing him down somewhat and remarks that suggestions pointing to him being solely responsible for the delay are not fair. George S. Gordon has, he notes, returned none of his draft notes which Tolkien had sent two years ago.^{Citation needed[3]} He says that for now he will do no more, at least until he is given some assistance with the very complicated task of choosing, which must be reduced to meet the requirements Sisam has set.

In an excerpt found in Tolkien's Lost Chaucer from John M. Bowers, we can read directly from Tolkien, as he defends his position on the work performed so far. He has asked for the return of his notes multiple times, going back two years.