Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey Chaucer

Chaucer was born about 1340 in London. His father was John Chaucer, citizen & vintner of London, his mother Agnes. Geoffrey's grandfather was Robert Chaucer of Ipswich & London who married a widow Mari Heyroun with a son Thomas Heyroun#. John Chaucer's house stood in upper Thames Street beside Wallbook, an open sewer in those times, where today a tunnelled drain is crossed by a railway from Cannon Street railway station.
John Chaucer was in attendance on Edward III in 1338. This led to Geoffrey's employment with the king's court as a page in the Duke Lionel and Princess Elizabeth's household [Duke of Clarence]
[Edward was the first king to give Dukedoms to his family which was a Normandy-French tradition]
In 1357, accounts show articles were purchased for Geoffrey when he was about 17 years of age.
In 1359 he joined Edward III's army when France was invaded, where he was taken prisoner. In May 1360 The Peace of Bretigny was declared near Chartres. Chaucer was given his liberty in March when Edward paid 16 pounds [£] towards his ransom.

"Contributions for Ransoms Made by the King, 12 January to 7 July 1360"¹

Date	Person	Amount
13 December 1359.	Sir William de Graunson, [Grandis(s)on] knight of Burgundy- father of Alice, Countess of Salisbury	£20
12 January 1360.	Richard Stury, King's Esquire.	£50
12 January 1360.	George, Countess of Ulster's valet.	£10
12 January 1360.	John Parker, Queen Isabella's valet.	£9 12/-
31 January 1360.	John de York, king's carter and his seven fellows.	£12
3 February 1360.	Richard de Barton and William de Pull, poultry purveyors.	£10
29 Feruary 1360.	John de Champain, chaplain.	£8
1 March 1360.	Geoffrey Chaucer.	£16
8 April 1360.	Geoffrey Hacking and Thomas de Staines, Queen Isabella's valetti.	£16
8 April 1360.	Richard Dulle, archer.	40/-
7 July 1360.	John Smart, Master of the Smiths.	£4

In 1367 Chaucer was given a life pension for being a valet of the king's household. Lionel died in 1368.
Chaucer then transferred his sevices to John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster.
1369 was the year of the third Great Pestilence. John of Gaunt's wife, Blanche died at the age of 29, this was commemorated in "The Death of Blaunche the Duchess"

1370-3 December 1372 Geoffrey travelled to Genoa, Pisa, and Florence on the king's service for 11 months
1370-1386 Chaucer had returned to London. These visits to Italy influenced his writings.
1374 April 23rd St. Georges Day [the first?] Chaucer was granted a pitcher of wine daily to be received from the king's butler.
1374 10th May Chaucer leased a house at Aldgate but gave it up to a friend in October 1386.
Seal of the Westminster Wool Staple. 1374, June 8th Chaucer was made comptroller of the Customs and Subsidy of Wools, Skins and Leather for the Port of London.
1374, 13th June Chaucer was given a life pension of 10 pounds from The Duke of Lancaster [John of Gaunt] and his mother Queen Philippa. Chaucers wife was also named Philippa. She was one of the ladies in Queen Philippa's chamber on 12th September 1366. Philippa Chaucer was the sister to Catherine Swynford [nee Roet] the third wife of John of Gaunt, the surname Roet is a Flemish one.
Edward III died on 21st June 1377.
By 1386 Chaucer had been elected a knight for the shire of Kent in the Parliament held at Westminster.
Geoffrey Chaucer's son was Thomas Chaucer who was elected a knight. Thomas like his father became a well known courtier and also a Parliamentarian, he may also have fought at the Battle of Agincourt. A brass of Thomas and his wife, Matilda, of 1436 appears in the church at Ewline, Oxon.
Chaucer's grand-daughter, Alice, married the Duke of Suffolk, she died in 1475.

# Note: Thomas Heyroun married the heiress Maud Berghersh.

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References:
1. Crow, Martin, M., & Olson, Clre, C., Chaucer Life-Records, Oxford, 1966.
2. Skeat, W. W.[ed], The Poems of Geoffrey Chaucer, O.U.P. 1915.